I John 1 · The Lantern

Quod fuit ab initio, quod audivimus, quod vidimus oculis nostris, quod perspeximus, et manus nostræ contrectaverunt de verbo vitæ:

And hence, although different points are taught us in the several books of the Gospels, there is no difference as regards the faith of believers, inasmuch as in all of them all things are related under one imperial Spirit, which concern the Lord's nativity, His passion, His resurrection, His conversation with His disciples, and His twofold advent,-the first in the humiliation o…

How can you believe that what always existed took a beginning later on?

The third certainty derives from an intellectual vision combined with bodily vision. This occurred in the minds of the apostles. What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked upon and our hands have handled, the Word of Life. And we announce to you nothing else than what we have seen.

et vita manifestata est, et vidimus, et testamur, et annuntiamus vobis vitam æternam, quæ erat apud Patrem, et apparuit nobis:

"The life was manifested." For in the Gospel he thus speaks: "And what was made, in Him was life, and the life was the light of men." "And we show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto you." He signifies by the appellation of Father, that the Son also existed always, without beginning.

"We have seen and are witnesses." Perhaps some of the brethren who are not acquainted with the Greek do not know what the word "witnesses" is in Greek: and yet it is a term much used by all, and had in religious reverence; for what in our tongue we call "witnesses," in Greek are "martyrs." Now where is the man that has not heard of martyrs, or where the Christian in whose mouth…

And we proclaim to you eternal life, etc. It was with the Father in eternal divinity, and appeared in time to the world in humanity.

quod vidimus et audivimus, annuntiamus vobis, ut et vos societatem habeatis nobiscum, et societas nostra sit cum Patre, et cum Filio ejus Jesu Christo.

Wherefore he also exhorts us to believe in the name of His (the Father's, ) Son Jesus Christ, that "our fellowship may be with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." Paul, in like manner, everywhere speaks of "God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

"What we have seen and heard, we also declare to you, so that you may have fellowship with us, and our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ." And what profit do we bring you from this announcement?

What exactly? That the Life, being eternal, appeared to us, and we were eyewitnesses of it both before the cross and after the resurrection. For one and the same was nailed in the flesh to the cross and rose again in the same flesh. And what benefit is it to you, he says, that we proclaim this to you?

Et hæc scribimus vobis ut gaudeatis, et gaudium vestrum sit plenum.

"That ye also," saith he, "may have fellowship with us." And what great matter is it to have fellowship with men? Do not despise it; see what he adds: "and our fellowship may be with God the Father, and Jesus Christ His Son. And these things," saith he, "we write unto you, that your joy may be full." Full joy he means in that fellowship, in that charity, in that unity.

"And we write this to you, so that your joy may be complete." However, having seized this, let us be complete with joy as if united with God. Or because while you are participants with us, we have our joy to the fullest; which the joyful sower will establish for the reapers, rejoicing in what they may enjoy from their labors.

For when we are in communion with you, we experience the greatest pleasure, similar to that which a rejoicing sower provides to the reapers at the distribution of wages, when they too rejoice that others enjoy their labors.

Et hæc est annuntiatio, quam audivimus ab eo, et annuntiamus vobis: quoniam Deus lux est, et tenebræ in eo non sunt ullæ.

"For God," he says, "is light." He does not express the divine essence, but wishing to declare the majesty of God, he has applied to the Divinity what is best and most excellent in the view of men.

"God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all." Who would dare to say that there is darkness in God? Or what is the light? Or what darkness? Lest haply he speaks of such things as pertain to these eyes of ours.

The Apostle again returns to his former discourse and explains what Gospel he heard, namely the following: God is light, and there is no darkness in Him. From whom did he hear this? From Christ Himself, Who said: "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12), and again: "I have come as a light into the world" (John 12:46).

Si dixerimus quoniam societatem habemus cum eo, et in tenebris ambulamus, mentimur, et veritatem non facimus.

Si autem in luce ambulamus sicut et ipse est in luce, societatem habemus ad invicem, et sanguis Jesu Christi, Filii ejus, emundat nos ab omni peccato.

"And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son," he says, "cleanses us." For the doctrine of the Lord, which is very powerful, is called His blood.

"If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another." Let us walk in the light, as He is in the light, that we may be able to have fellowship with Him. And what are we to do about our sins? Hear what follows, "And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son shall purge us from all sin." Great assurance hath God given!

And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. For indeed, the sacrament of the Lord's passion both alleviated all past sins for us in baptism and forgives whatever we commit after baptism due to daily frailty, by the grace of the same our Redeemer.

Si dixerimus quoniam peccatum non habemus, ipsi nos seducimus, et veritas in nobis non est.

Si confiteamur peccata nostra: fidelis est, et justus, ut remittat nobis peccata nostra, et emundet nos ab omni iniquitate.

If we confess our sins, faithful and just is He to remit them to us, and utterly purify us from every unrighteousness." Does he say "from impurity? "(No): or else, if that is so, then (He "utterly purifies" us) from "idolatry" too.

A hermit said that a man once committed a serious sin. Stricken with remorse, he went to confess to another monk. He did not tell him what he had done, but put it in the form of a question, 'If such a thought arose in someone's mind, would he be saved?' The monk, who had no discretion, answered, 'You are completely lost.' When the brother heard this, he said, 'Well, if I'm goin…

The Apostle repeats his speech several times, so that through abundant and frequent reproofs he might present to them the full gravity of the transgression and incline them to confession. How great a good is born from confession can be seen from the following words: "declare thou" thy sins, "that thou mayest be justified" (Isa.

Si dixerimus quoniam non peccavimus, mendacem facimus eum, et verbum ejus non est in nobis.

I John1