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W.T. Proglogue to the First Letter of John

 
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 6:31 pm    Post subject: W.T. Proglogue to the First Letter of John Reply with quote

The exposition of the first Epistle of saint Ihon with a Prologue before it: by W. T. wrote:


Except a man have the profession of his baptism in his heart he can not understand the scripture. As a man can by no means read except he be first taught the letters of the crossrow, even so it is unpossible for a man of what so ever degree or name he be of, to understand ought 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 stondeth in .ij. things. The one is the knowledge of the law of God understonding it spiritually, as Christ expoundeth it Matthew in the .v. vj. and .vij. so that the rote and life of all laws be this. Love thy lord God with all thine heart, all thy soul, and all thy might, and thy neighbor as thy self for his sake and that love only be the fulfilling of the law (as Paul teacheth) and that what so ever deed we do and not of that love, that same fulfilleth no law in the sight of God. And the other is to know the promisses of mercy, which are in our saviour Christ, understanding them also purely with out all leven, after the mercifullest fashion as scripture 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 thy self therunto for to learn it, and to rule and square all thy deeds thereby, and then to believe in Crist, that for his sake, all thy sins which thou didest before the knowledge of this profession are forgiven thee clearly both pena and culpa to use the popes terms, and that for none other satisfaction to God ward than Crist's blood, and even so, that all the sin which we do after this knowledge, either of chance, ignorance, infirmity, negligence, or provocative and overcome of the flesh, is forgiven us likewise both pena and culpa thorow repentance and faith in Christ without our satisfaction of works to Godward. Not with stonding we being all sons of one God, and servants of one Christ must agree among our selves, and he that hath offended must meekly knowledge his fault, and offer him self to make amends unto utmost of his prove, and if he have not where with ask forgiveness for Christ's sake, the other is bound to forgive him. Nether with out reconciling him self 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 offenses put therout. For how can a man love his neighbor as well as him self, and be sorry that he hath hurt him except he should offer him self to make amends? And we must from hence forth walk in the life of penance (if ye will have it so called) and after the doctrine of Christ every man tame his flesh with prayer, fasting, and the continual meditations of Christ's Penance, and Passions for us, and of the holy saincts, and with such abstinence, and kind of living as every man thinketh most met for his complexion, the younger confessing their infirmities to the elder discreter and better learned, and asking their advice and wholesome council for the repressing of their diseases, but all, to tame the flesh, and to serve thy neighbor, with out any superstitious mind. But to Godward is there no satisfaction save faith in Christ's blood out of a repenting heart. For our outward deeds can not be referred unto God to do him service in his own person, and to help him or make him better therewith. We can do no more with them, where they never so perfect, and done with all love, then satisfy the law for the present time, and do our duty unto our neighbors, 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 Crist's sake. When God visiteth us with sickness, poverty, or what so ever adversity it be, he doth it not of a tyranous mind to satisfy his lust in our suffering of evil to make satisfaction for the sin that is past of which we repent and be sorry. But of a fatherly love to make us know our selves, and feal his mercy, and to tame our flesh, and to keep us from sinning again. As no natural father punisheth his child because he deliteth in tormenting of him, to take satisfaction for the sin that is past. But first teacheth kindly and suffereth and forgiveth once or twise, and then at the last, when he seeth the body so wanton that the child can not continue in the right way for the rage of wild lusts, he beateth, to subdue the flesh only and to tame it, that the doctrine of the father may have her due course in the heart of the child, and should not be choked with lusts. Even so is it of God, if any of his children that have professed his law, and the faith of our saviour, be negligent to tame his flesh, with prayer, fasting, and good deeds after the doctrine of Christ, he will surely scourge him, to bring him in to the right way again and to keep that the doctrine of his soul's health perish not in him. But he taketh not his mercy from us nor thinketh on the sin that is past, after that we repent and be full converted, but absolveth us both a pena and culpa for Christ's sake, and is as mighty and as merciful to do it for Christ's sake, as the Pope for money besides that he hath promissed mercifully so to do. The knowledge of our baptism is the key and the light of the scripture. And again as he which knoweth his letters well, and can spell perfectly can not but read if he be diligent, and as he which hath clear eyes with out impediment or let and walketh thereto in the light and open day can not but see, if he attend and take heed, even so who so ever hath the profession of baptism written in his heart, can not but understond the scripture if he exercice him self therein, and compare one place to another, and mark the manner of speach and ask here and there the meaning of a sentence of them that be better exercised. For as the doctrine which we should be taught before we were baptised, and for lack of age is differed unto the years of discretion is the key that bindeth and lowseth, locketh and unlocketh the conscience of all sinners, even so that lesson, where it is understood is only the key that openneth all the scripture, and even the whole scripture in it self gathered together in a narrow compass and brought in to a compendiousness. And till thou be taught that lesson that thine heart feel the swetness of it, the scripture is locked and shut up from thee, and so dark that thou couldest not understand it, though Peter, Paul or Christ him self did expound it unto thee, no more than a blind man can see, though thou set a candle before him, or shewdest him the son or pointeddest with thy finger unto that thou wouldest have him look upon. Now be we all baptised, but alas not one from the highest unto the lowest ever taught the profession or meaning thereof. And therefore we remain all blind generally, as well our great Rabines for all their high learning which they seem to have, as the lay people, yea and so much the more blind are our great clerics, that where the lay people for a great number of them are taught nought at all, they be all wrong taught and the doctrine of their baptism is all corrupt unto them, with the leven of false glosses, yer they come to read the scripture. So that the light which they bring with them to understand the scripture withal, is utter darkness and as contrary unto the scripture as the devil unto Christ. By reason whereof the scripture is locked up and become so dark unto them, that they grope for the door and can find no way in, and is become a maze unto them, in which they wonder as in a mist, or (as we say) led of Robin Goodfellow, that they can not come to the right way, no though they turn their caps, and the brightness thereof hath blinded their eyes with malice, so that though they believe not the scripture to be false, yet they persecute the right understonding thereof, and can not believe it true in the plain sence, which it speaketh to them in. It is become a turn again lane unto them, which they can not go thorow, nor make .iij. lines agree to gether. And finally the sentences of the scripture are no thing but very ridles unto them, at the which they cast as the blind man doth at the crow, and expound by gess, an hundreth doctors an hundreth ways and one man in .xx. sermons alleging one text after .xx. fashions, having no sure doctrine to cleave unto, and all for lack of the right knowledge of the profession of our baptism. He that hath the profession of his baptism written in heart can be no heretic. Another conclusion is this. As he which ever creepeth along by the ground and never climbeth can not fall from on high. Even so no man that hath the profession of his baptism written in his heart can stumble in the scripture, and fall unto heresies or become a maker of division and sects and a defender of wild and vain opinions. For the hole and only cause of heresies and sects is pride. Now the law of God truly interpreted robbeth all them in whose hearts it is written, and maketh them as bare as Iob of all things whereof a man can be moved to pride. And on the other side they have utterly forsaken them selves with all their high learning and wisdom and are become the servants of Christ only which hath bought them with his blood, and have promised in their hearts unfeignedly to follow him and to take him only for the actor of their religion and his doctrine only for their wisdom and learning, and to maintain it in word and deed, and to keep it pure and to build no strange doctrine thereupon, and to be at the highest never but fellow with their brethren, and in that felowship to wax ever lower and lower, and every day more servant than other, unto his weaker brethren, after the ensample and image of Christ and after his commandment and ordinance, and not in feigned words of the pope. This be said because of them that say that the scripture maketh men heretics and corrupteth with false opinions contrary unto the profession of their baptism, and the light where with they should expound the scripture is turned in to darkness in their hearts, and the door of the scripture locked and the wells stopped up yer they come at it. And therfore because their darkness can not comprehend the light of scripture, as it is writen Iohn .i. The light shined in darkness but the darkness could not comprehend it, they turn it in to blind ridles and read it with out understanding as lay men do our lady Mattins or as it were Merlin's prophecies ever their minds upon their heresies. And when they come to a place that soundeth like, there they rest and wring out wonderful expositions to stablish their heresies withal, after the tale of the boy that would feign have eaten of the pastry of lampress but durst not unto the bells sang unto him. Sit down Iake boy and eate of the lamprey, to stablish his wavering conscience withal. Is it not a great blindness to say in the beginning of altogether, that the whole scripture is false in the litteral sence, and killeth the soul. Which pestilent heresy to prove they abuse the text of Paul saying: The letter killeth, because that text was become a ridle unto them and they understood it not. When Paul by this word letter understood the law given by Moses to condemn all conscience and to rob them of all righteousness to compel them unto the promisses of mercy that are in Christ. Heresy springeth not of the scripture no more then darkness of the sun, but is a dark cloud that springeth out of the blind hearts of hypocrites, and covereth the face of the scripture, and blindeth their eyes that they can not behold the bright beams of the scripture. The whole and sum then of altogether is this. If our hearts were taught the appointment made between God and us in Christ's blood when we were baptised, we had the key to open the scripture, and light to see and perceive the true meaning of it, and the scripture should be easy to understand. And because we be not taught that profession, is the cause why the scripture is so dark, and so far passing our capacity. And the cause why our expositions are heresies, is because we be wrong taught, and corrupt with false opinions beforehand and made heretics yer we come at the scripture, and have corrupt it, and it not us, as the taste of the sick maketh wholesome and well seasoned meat bitter, werish and unsavery. Nevertheless yet the scripture abideth pure in her self and bright, so that he which is sound in the faith shall at once perceive that the judgement of the heretics is corrupt in their expositions, as an whole man doth feal at once even with smelling to the meate that the taste of the sick is infected. And with the scripture shall they ever improve heresies and false expositions, for the scripture purgeth her self, even as the water once in the year casteth all filthiness unto the sides. Which to be true ye see by the authority of Paul i. Timoth. saying all the scripture was given of God by insperation, and is good to teach withal, to improve and so forth. And by the ensample of Christ and the appostles, how they confounded the Iewes with the same scripture which they had corrupt, and understood them amiss after their own darkness, and as ye see by the ensample of us now also, how we have manifestly improved the hypocrites in an hundreth texts which they had corrupt to prove their false opinions brought in besides the scripture, and have driven them off. And they be fled and openly confess unto their shame that they have no scripture and sing another song, and say they received them by the mouth of the Appostles. Unto which stopping oyster, I answer here grossly, seeing they are answered before. That as he were a fool which would trust him to tell his money in his absence that hath picked his purse before his face, even so sith ye have corrupt the open scripture before our eyes and taken with manner that ye can not deny, we were made to believe that, which hath lien .xvc. yer as ye say in your rotten maws, should now be wholesome for us. Ye have chewed and mingled it with your poison spittle. Can ye bear us in hand and persuade us think ye with your sophistry to believe that ye should minister your secret traditions with out ground truly, when we see you minister the open scripture falsely? Can ye bewich our wits with your poetry to believe that ye should minister your secret traditions for our profit when we see you corrupt the open scripture to the loss of our souls for your profit? Nay it is an hundreth times more likely that ye should be false in secret things then in open. And therefore in the very sacraments which the scripture testifieth, that Christ him self ordained them we must have an eye unto your hand, how ye minister them. And as we restore the scripture unto her right understanding from your false glosses: even so deliver we the sacraments and ceremonies unto their right use from your abuse. And that must we do with the scripture, which can corrupt no man that commeth thereto with a meek spirit, seeking there only to fashion him self like Christ, according to the profession and vow of our baptism. But contrary wise, he shall there find the mighty power of God, to alter him, and change him in the inner man a litle and litle in process until he be full shapen after the image of our saviour, in knowledge and love of all truth and power to work there after. Finally then for as much as the scripture is the light and life of God's elect, and that mighty power where with God createth them and shapeth them, after the similitude, likeness and very fashion of Christ, and therefore sustenance, comfort, and strength to corrage them, that they may stond fast, and endure and merily bear their souls health, where with the lusts of the flesh subdued and killed, and the spirit mollified and made soft, to receive the print of the image of our saviour Iesu. And as much as the scripture is so pure of it self that it can corrupt no man, but the wicked only, which are infect before hand and yer they come at it, corrupt it with the heresies they bring with them. And for as much as the complaint of the hypocrites that the scripture maketh heretics is vain and feigned, and the reasons wherewith they would prove that the lay people ought not to read the scripture false, wicked, and the fruit of rotten trees, therefore are they faithfull servants of Christ and faithful ministers and dispensers of his doctrine, and true hearted toward their brethren, which have given them selves up in to the hand of God, and put them selves in jeopardy of all persecution, their very life dispised, and have translated the scripture purely and with good conscience, submiting themselves, and desiring them that can to amend their translation, or (if it please them) to translate it their selves, after their best manner, yea and let them sow to their glosses, as many as they think they can make cleave thereto, and then put other men's translation out of the way. How be it though God hath so wrought with them that a great part is translated, yet as it is not enough that the father and the mother have both begotten the child and brought it in to this world, except they care for it and bring it up till it can help the self. Even so it is not enough to have translated though it were the whole scripture in to the vulgar and common tongue, except we also brought again, the light to understond it by, and expell that dark cloud which the hypocrites have spread over the face of the scripture to blind the right sence and true meaning thereof. And therefore are there diverse introductions ordained for you, to teach you the profession of your baptism the only light of the scripture, one upon the pistle of Paul to the Romains and another called The path way in to the scripture. And for the same cause, have I taken in hand to interpret this pistle of sainct Ihan the Evangelist to edify the lay man and to teach him how to read the scripture, and what to seek therein, and that he may have to answer the hypocrites and to stop their mouths withal. And first understand that all the epistles that the Apostles wrote, are the Gospel of Christ, though all that is the gospel be not an Epistle. It is called a Gospel, that is to say glad tydings, because it is an open preaching of Christ, and an Epistle, because it is sent as a letter or a bill to them that are absent.

_________________
Zechariah 4:6
He answered, and said unto me: This is the word of the LORD unto Zorobabel, saying: Neither thorow an host of men, nor thorow strength, but thorow my spirit, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.
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