THE

EXPOSITION

OF THE

FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. JOHN.

THE PROLOGUE.

Except a man have the profession of his baptism in his heart, he cannot understand the Scripture.

As a man can by no means read except he be first taught the letters of the cross row; even so it is impossible for a man, of whatsoever degree or name he be of, to understand aught in the Scripture unto the honour of God, and health of his soul, except he be first taught the profession of his baptism, and have it also written in his heart.

Which profession standeth in two things: the one is the knowledge of God, understanding it spiritually, as Christ expoundeth it Matt. v. vi. and vii., so that the root and life of all laws be this: Love thy Lord God with all thine heart, all thy soul, and all thy might; and thy neighbour as thyself, for his sake: and that love only is the fulfilling of the law (as Paul teacheth), and that whatsoever deed we do, and not of that love, that same fulfilleth no law in the sight of God.

We must the profession of tism.

first learn

our bap

The profes

sion of our baptism,

what it is.

And the other is, to know the promises of Gospel. mercy which are in our Saviour Christ: understanding them also purely without all leaven, after the mercifullest fashion as Scripture

All our
sins for

Jesus
Christ's

sake, and for his

death and

clearly forgiven.

soundeth them, and after all fatherly love and kindness of God, unto all that repent toward the law, and believe in Christ.

And to have this profession written in thine heart, is to consent unto the law that it is righteous and good, and to love it in thine heart, and to submit thyself thereunto for to learn it, and to passion are rule and square all thy deeds thereby; and then to believe in Christ, that for his sake all thy sins, which thou diddest before the knowledge of this profession, are forgiven thee clearly, both a pæna et culpa, to use the pope's terms, and that for none other satisfaction to Godward than Christ's blood; and even so, that all the sin which we do after this knowledge, either of chance, ignorance, infirmity, negligence, or provoked and overcome of the flesh, is forgiven us likewise, both pæna et culpa, through repentance and faith in Christ, without our satisfaction of works to godward.

Every
Christian

man must reconcile himself

unto his brother.

Notwithstanding we being all sons of one God, and servants of one Christ, must agree among ourselves; and he that hath offended must meekly knowledge his fault, and offer himself to make amends unto the utmost of his power; and if he have not wherewith, ask forgiveness for Christ's sake, the other is bound to forgive him. Neither, without reconciling himself unto his brother, may any man be at the first received unto the profession of Christ's faith, nor continue therein, nor be received in again, if he be for his open offences put thereout. For how can a

man love his neighbour as well as himself, and be sorry that he hath hurt him, except he should offer himself to make amends?

of

The right repentance his amendment

penance is

And we must, from henceforth, walk in the life penance, (if ye will have it so called,) and after the doctrine of Christ, every man tame flesh with prayer, fasting, and the continual meditations of Christ's penance and passions for us, and of the holy saints; and with such abstinence and kind of living as every man thinketh most meet for his complexion; the younger confessing their infirmities to the elder, discreeter, and better learned, and asking their advice and wholesome counsel for the repressing of their diseases, but all to tame the flesh, and to serve thy neighbour without any superstitious mind.

We

of sin and

of life.

Faith in blood,

Christ's

with a re

heart, is

satisfaction that we can make towards God.

But to Godward is there no satisfaction, save faith in Christ's blood, out of a repenting heart. For our outward deeds cannot be referred unto God, to do him service in his own person, and to the only help him, or make him better therewith. can do no more with them, were they never so perfect, and done with all love, than satisfy the law for the present time, and do our duty unto our neighbours, and tame our own flesh, but not to make satisfaction to God for sin that is once past. The sin that is once committed must God forgive freely of a fatherly love for Christ's

sake.

When God visiteth us with sickness, poverty, or whatsoever adversity it be, he doth it not of a tyrannous mind, to satisfy his lust in our suffer