and therefore set forth to all sleyghtes and Sathan is excéeding cunning to deceiue If wée indure for one day yet a doubtfulnesse créepeth vpon our minds what shall come to passe to morrowe and so we are alwaies doubtfull The Apostle therefore sheweth that wée are strong not in our owne strength but in the power of God Whervpon he gathereth that we can no more be vanquished then god himselfe who hath armed vs to the ende of the world with his owne power And in our spirituall warrefare this cogitation must bée setled in our hearts that we should vtterlye be vndone if we shoulde fight in our owne strength But because that when we doe nothing god confoundeth the enimies the victorie is most certaine 5 They are of the worlde This is no small comfort that they which dare incounter with God in vs are onely strengthened with worldly helpes Further the Apostle vnderstandeth the worlde as Sathan is the Prince of it Together is added another comfort when he saith that the world imbraceth in false Prophets that which it doth acknowledge for their own We sée how great the readinesse of man is to vanitie Therefore false doctrines easilye enter by and by and spread farre and wide The Apostle denyeth that there is cause why wée shoulde therefore bée troubled because there is nothing newe or vnwonted if the world which is whole a lier doe willingly heare a lie 6 Wee are of GOD. Albeit this agréeth vnto all the godly yet properlye it belongeth to the true and faithfull ministers of the Gospell For the Apostle by the assuraunce of the Spirit reioyceth that hée and his fellowes doe sincerely serue GOD and that they haue receyued of him whatsoeuer they deliuer It maye also bée that the false Apostles maye boast themselues of the same as it is theyr manner vnder a masking visour as it were of GOD to deceyue but faithfull teachers differ much from them which speake nothing of thēselues in words that they doe not performe in déede Yet wée must alwayes remēber what cause he handleth héere There was a small number of the godly vnbeléefe almost possessed all things few did truely cleane to the Gospell the greater part was prone to errour Hence came the occasiō of offence which that Iohn might méete withall he biddeth vs be contented with the fewnesse of the faithfull because all the children of God doe giue honour to him and submit themselues to his doctrine For the contrarie member he opposeth immediatlye after that They which are not of God heare not the pure doctrine of the gospell By which words he signifieth that that great multitude to whome the Gospell tasteth not dooe not therefore heare the approued and lawful seruaunts of God because it is a stranger to God himselfe and that therefore nothing is diminished from the authoritie of the Gospel while it is reiected of many But to this doctrine is anexed a profitable admonition that by the obedience of faith we proue our selues to be of God There is nothing more easie then to boast that we are of God and therfore there is nothing amongst men more cōmon As the Papists at this daie do proudly boast that they are the worshippers of God and in the meane time they doo no lesse proudly cast aside the word of God For albeit they counterfait that they beléeue the word of God yet when it comes to the point they haue theyr eares shut But this is the onely testimonie of the feare of God to reuerence his worde And the excuse which many vse to pretēd hath héere no place That they therefore flye from the doctrine of the gospell when it is set forth vnto them because they are not able to iudge For it cannot be but the hée know God in his worde whosoeuer feareth him and obeyeth him from his heart If anie obiect that many of the elect doe not by and by come to the fayth yea that they doe verie frowardlye kicke against it at the first I answere that at that time they are not in our iudgement to bée taken for GODS children But this is a marke of one that is a reprobate when hée doeth obstinatly reiect the truth It is also to bée noted by the waye that that Hearing whereof the Apostle maketh mention is vnderstoode of the inwarde and earnest hearing of the heart which standeth in faith In this wee knowe The Relatiue In this contayneth the two members afore as it hée should saye that thereby truth is knowen from falsehoode because some speake from God some of the worlde And whereas by the Spirit of truth and errour some thinke that the hearers are noted as if he shoulde saie that they which giue themselues to bée seduced of the deceiuers are borne to errour and haue in them the séede of lying and that they which consent vnto the worde of GOD are shewed by this testimonie to be true I doe not allowe of it For when the Apostle héere taketh a Metonimia of the Spirite for the teachers and Prophettes I take it that he meaneth nothing else then that the tryall of the Doctrine is to bée reduced to these two whether it bée of God or of the worlde Yet in so speaking hée séemes to say nothing For it will bée easie for euerye one to except that hée speaketh not but from God So at this daye the Papistes boast with an emperiall pride that all their deuyses are the Oracles of the Spirite Nor so much as Mahomet but hée giueth out that hée receiued his dotages from no other wher but from Heauen And also the Aegyptians forged that those stinking dotages wherewith they besotted themselues and others were reuealed vnto them from Heauen But I answere that we haue the worde of God which before all things we must aske coūsel at Therefore when deceiuable Spirites pretend the name of God it is good to search by the Scriptures whether the matter be so or not So that we adde a godly indeauour with humilitie and modestie the Spirit of discreation will bée present which maye expound himselfe speaking in the Scriptures as a faythfull interpreter 7 Beloued let vs loue one another because loue is of God and euerie one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God 8 He that loueth not knoweth not God because God is loue 9 In this appeared the loue of God to vs ward because he sent his onely begotten sonne into the worlde that wee might liue by him 10 In this is loue not that wee loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne a redemption for our sinnes 7 HE cōmeth again to the exhortatiō which he handleth almost in all this Epistle We said it was mixed with the doctrine of faith and exhortation to loue Hée so continueth in two heads that from one he goeth immediatlye to the other When he commendeth mutuall loue he doeth not meane that wée haue done al our dutie if we loue our friends againe because they loue
¶ The Comentaries of M. Jhon Caluin vpon the first Epistle of Sainct Ihon and vpon the Epistle of Iude wherein accordyng to the truthe of the woordes of the holie Ghost he most excellently openeth and cleareth the poinct of true iustification with GOD and sanctification by the Spirit of Christ by the effects that he bryngeth forthe in the regeneration Translated into Englishe by W. H. Psal 129 5. Thei that hate Syon shal be all ashamed and turned backward Prou 19.14 House and riches are the inheritaunce of the Fathers but a prudent wife commeth of the Lorde Psal 32 11. Be glad ye righteous and reioyce in the Lorde and bee ioyfull all ye that are true of harte ¶ Jmprinted at London by Jhon Kyngstone for Jhon Harrison the yonger To the Worshipfull my very good freend Maister VVilliam Swan of Wye in Kent and to the right Vertuous and Christian Gentlewoman Mistresse Amy Swan his Wife with all those that in the truth of a single hart loue the Lord Iesus in that Congregation 1. Tim. 4.8 W. H. wisheth plentie of those blessynges whiche haue promises of this life and the life to come IN the often consideration right deare in the Lord of the righteous a Gen. 2.17 Rom. 5.12 iudgemeÌ„t of GOD against all the sonnes of men with the infinite ouerflowinges of all b Gen. 8.21 Esa 64.6 guiltinesse before hym the many assaultes of c Gen. 3.1 1. Cro. 21.1 Sathan and daungerous inticements of our own d Rom. 8.13 harts into the waie of euill the e Deut. 32. â—8 19 20.21 Rom. 6.23 fearcenesse of the Lordes wrathe for sinne and our owne vtter f 1. Sam. 2.25 inabilitie to stande in his sight whiche causeth that the hartes of many g Psal 6.1.2.3.4 5. Math. 24.46 righteous in the feelyng of their owne wants doe euen faint before the anger of the Lorde hath in the direction of Gods Spirite giuen an hartie desire to be assured of the waie of safetie with what soeuer belongeth to the right application and continuance of the same Wherein as the Lorde hath made knowne the riches of his owne free h Ieremy 32.3 Ihon. 3.6 Rom. 5.8 Gala. 2.21 Ephe. 3.19.5.2 loue towardes his the head and alone fountaine of all eternall safetie vnto his elect so is it also plaine that by no other way or meane we haue attained vnto the free gift of grace and full reconcilement with the Lorde then by the mediation of the i Rom. 8.3 1. Tim. 3.16 sonne of God in our owne fleshe For all the counsell k Math. 3.17 Gala. 5.17 Ephe. 28. Phil. 1.6.2.13.2 Thes 2.17 Tit. 17.14 Heb. 13.21 will wisedome and power of the sonnes of men as in them selues thei are moste vncleane so must they flie before the face of the Lord and neuer be able to pleade innocencie for his Sainctes Whiche reconcilement as albeit in it self it is alsufficient for all the sonnes of men it is onely effectuall to the Lordes l Rom. 9.11.11.5.11.7 elect who in the power of an effectuall m Act. 13.39.26 18. Rom. 3 21.24.25.28.4.5 11.24 Phil 3.9 Heb. 11.14 faithe alone receiue the fauour of the Lorde with application of the promises of his grace so in the like power vnto hymself alwaies rulyng where he is had prouidyng cheefly for the n Psal 11 5. 1. Ihon. 17.4 Act. 3.13 1. Cor. 6.20 honor of his name with a ioyned care for the good of his Churche o Exo. 29.45 Leuit. 26.12 Esa 43.2 Math. 9.36.21.41 and woorking a newnesse of the whole p Ihon. 3.3 2. Cor. 5.17 man doeth onely seale vnto the soules of the Sainctes of God the assuraunce of their good estate with the Lord. For q Rom. 8.28.29 30.9.24 1. Cor 1.9.24 whosoeuer by an effectuall callyng is grafted into the Sonne of God and made a member of that bodie whereof Iesus Christ is the head is one with hym in the r Math. 12.50 Ihon. 20.7 Rom. 8.29 Heb. 2.11.12 fellowshippe of all the blessynges of the Lorde And albeit thei are onely infinite in hym who hath receiued aboue his fellowes yet according to the measure of the dispensation of his grace thei are freely giuen vnto all his elect and are assured vnto them by a most effectuall witnesse euen the Spirite of adoption and grace by whoÌ„ he dwelleth in those that bee his who as he is not without his effect so in a moste liuely and quickning power he bothe applieth and sealeth vp And as he hath appeared for vs a s 1. Sam. 2. Psal 2.6 Esa 3.6.7 Ieremy 23.5.6 Ez 34.24 King a t Heb 4.14.8.6 Heb. 5.6 â— 11 Priest and a v Deut 18.8 Act 3.11.22 1. Cor. 1 30. Collo 2.3 Iere. 23.5 45.5 Ezec. 21 26. Zach. 9.9 Prophet so the great kindnesse of the Lord is seuerally applied according to the same As in the first he hath vtterly spoiled and laied waste the power of all the enemies of his Church and iustly taken the Kingdome vnto hymself the Scepter whereof shal a Psal 45. â— neuer fade or decaie so we being cleared of all daunger and freed from the perill of all our foes are in all care conscience to confesse him our Lord alone and as true subiects of so good a King to holde our selues against Sathan and men vnto the pure obedience of his wil. Againe as he is the onely true Priest Psal 110.5 Zach. 6.13 Heb. 2.17 who is sanctified of God to offer vnto hym a most sweete Sacrifice to reconcile vs vnto hymself and as by his alone execution of this office and offeryng of hymself we haue by hym a sure peace and free entrance into the presentes of the Lorde as by hym all enmitie is doen awaie and there remaineth inaccomptable peace and fauour for euermore so we are most strongly to cast out of sight the sleightes of Sathan and all the deuises of men as moste vncleane filthinesse for euer and not to set our selues or admit others of what sorte soeuer to stande for vs in this duetie to spoyle vs of assured safetie and the Lorde Iesus of this honour that he alone and none but he is the Priest of his Churche and hath fully and alsufficiently performed whatsoeuer appertaineth to their peace for euermore And as he alone among all the Prophets of the Lorde Esa 40.11 â—1 â— Deut. 18.15 hath infinitly opened the will of God and as in him is al fulnesse of diuine wisedome Ihon. 10.11 to reueale and make knowne the will of God vnto his Churche and as what soeuer he discloseth vnto his Sainctes hath a sounde warrant to be the will of the most highest and ought to hold vs in the awe of the same so he alone hath this peculier vnto hymself to bee the moste excellent Prophet and Apostle of his Churche and that none must be vnto vs in this place but he alone and whatsoeuer doth not
proceede from him must not be held of power to binde the consciences of men 2. Cor. 2.12 In all whiche as the Lorde Iesus hath troden the Winepresse alone 2. Cor. 1.24 1. Tim. 4.1 Esa 63.3 and carried captiue for euermore what soeuer might withstande the saluation of his and by his Spirite directed vs into the light and vse of the same so in the like power of the same Spirite he sealeth vnto the consciences of men the sounde warrant of the infinite fauour of GOD in the righteousnesse of his Sonne to the free and sure enioiyng of al the rest Rom. 8.9 And as who so hath not the Spirite of Christ is none of his Gala. 5.22.23 whereby is seuered the states of men so the same Spirite is discerned by his effectes whiche because in this case thei are of two sortes it shall be profitable in a worde to weigh them a parte that in the effectuall triall of the same the children of God maie in a sounde experience of the power of Christ in their owne soules bee cheared vnto constancie in euery good duetie against Sathan and men and the vaine dissemblers Heretiques tyme seruers Epicures and carnall Gospellers with the like who swarme euery where maie if thei had eyes to see perceiue their iust cause to returne and to humble their soules vnto the obedience of the Lorde The first effecte therefore is an inwarde witnesse vnto the soule of the infinite loue and free grace of God by faith in the righteousnesse of Christ Rom. 8.16 and whereby is giuen boldnesse with an assured trust to rest vpon hym in euery distresse and to repaire vnto hym with callyng vpon his name As it is written Gala. 4.6 Because ye are Sonnes God hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into your hartes criyng Abba Father Whiche although for a tyme it seeme to bee hid and beyng as it were raked vnder the ashes of our owne corruption yet because it is a plâ—dge of the loue of God which is not for a daie but perpetuall in his Sonne For whom he loueth Ihon. 13.1 he loueth them to the ende and working in vs an effectuall callyng Rom. 11.29 which with God is without repentaunce Rom. 8.30 it sealeth vnto vs the truthe of a sure election and so consequently that there is no feare of fallyng awaie because we rest not on any strength of our owne but vpon the resolute coÌ„tinuance of the loue of God and the infinite truth of his worde and grace The other effect is more apparaÌ„tly seen For by faith he doeth purifie the hart Acts. 15.9 Rom. 6.4 Rom. â— 5.6.7.8 causeth a true hatred and continual diying vnto sinne and daiely quickeneth vnto the obedience of the Lorde chaungeth the naturall disposition of the whole soule and body and frameth it to the will of God Psal 69.9 and worketh a feruent loue aboue all thynges vnto the Lord and to those that be his with coÌ„tinuall callyng vpon his name according to his wil. And these effectes as thei are peculier to the Spirite of Christ and haue not been in a right purpose namely for the glorie of God and the good of his in any other then in the Sainctes of God so in whom soeuer these effectes are founde though with much weakenesse Who so hath the fruites of the Spirite hath the Spirite 2. Pet. 1.10 so it be in truth and with out hypocrisie it shall euer bee founde to bee most true that where is the effectes there is the cause to whom thei belong So that by this right discernyng of the fruites of the Spirite of the Lorde Jesus and the hauyng of the same we maie truely gather that we haue hymself so as is meant in the worde of God and so are surely grafted into Christ and maie assure our hartes before him both for our selues and others what soeuer other waies our feare and feelyng be for the tyme. For if at sometymes wee maie finde that in some measure wee haue had these effectes the true fruites of a liuely faithe and so the assuraunces of our election and saluation by Christ then is there no iust cause of any feare if wee mourne vnto the repossessing of our peace againe Rom. 11.29 because the giftes and callynges of God are without repentance And if it bee obiected that wee haue felt the fauour of the Lorde but now it is gone and cleane tourned awaie as that obiection is most vntrue so to thinke on that fashion is to suppose an impossible thyng For God neuer chaungeth his owne purpose but what soeuer he hath purposed shall stand 2. Tim. 2.19 and his counsell shall take effect whatsoeuer lets be against it Wherevpon we maie rightly gather that who soeuer hath a certaine testimonie of his faithe and saluation in all his life maie be assured that it is there stil and shall bee vnto the ende although for a tyme thei feele it not nor perceiue the working of it For it doeth not followe that a little child hath no reasonable soule because he hath not the vse of it or that the Trees be dead in Winter because thei beare no fruite or that there is no Fire because there is no flame Againe Rom. 8.10 2. Cor. 5.17 Reue. 21.5 the Lorde Iesus Christ killeth in vs that is beginneth to kil in vs the whole bodie of sinne and maketh all thinges newe concernyng the qualitie thereof so that our vnderstandyng and iudgement is lightened and gouerned that it beginneth to approue of those good thynges which before it misliked our will also is cleansed to the hatred of sinne and desire of those thynges that be good and our affection beginne to flie and eschewe what is forbidden and to embrace and followe that whiche is commended of the Lorde The whiche inwarde power of the Spirite of Christ if wee feele in effect and working in our owne soule or see the care it leadeth others vnto the conclusion is infallible and plaine that wee haue faith and so consequently Jesus Christ eternall life But it is obiected how can there be assuraunce of the vndoubted fauour of the Lorde and of saluation seeyng all men are sinners not onely in that euery man is corrupted by nature but that the corrupt nature of man doth daily bryng forth effectes accordyng to the same mouynges prouocations consentynges and actions contrarie to the will of God yea seing all doe sinne The aunswere is easie that albeit euery one hath continually in hym those thynges that bee in them selues infinitely offensiue before the Lorde yet the distaunce is not so much betweene heauen and earth as the difference is great betweene sinner and sinner that is betweene hym in whom sinne raigneth and hym in whom sinne is Of the first the Apostle commaundeth such as feare God that sinne doe not raigne in them Rom. 6.12 that is haue power to leade theÌ„ with delight in the waie of euill And
of the other he saieth by his owne example Rom. 7.15.17 That that I would not do that I doe yet not I but sinne that dwelleth in me Where he meaneth by sinne the remnaunces of corruption whiche yet were sinne albeit he laboured against it and was so farre from taking delight therein that he euen groned vnder the burden thereof Rom. 7.24 saiyng O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me from this bodie of death But who seeth not that fewe there are who striue to giue obediēce vnto the Lord and to shew forth the effectual cognizaunce and badge whose people thei be by true regeneration and sincere loue to the bretheren Infinite in deede are the thousandes of men who beare an outward face to the Gospell of Christ that yet doe wholly prophane them selues in the obedience of sinne not knowyng or not regardyng 2. Cor 5.17 that iustification and sanctification are inseperable companions who can not bee sondred or put aparte Yet the olde complaint of the Prophet is in vse at this daie that men seeme to saie in their hartes Esa 28.15 Wee haue made a couenaunt with death and with hell are wee at a greement though a scourge run ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs for we haue made falshood our refuge and vnder vanitie are we hidd Moises commaunded the Israelites carefully to auoide the roote of bitternesse Deut. 29.18.19.20 Heb. 12.15 and sheweth what it is and the daunger thereof that is an harte hardened at the iudgementes of the Lorde and saiyng Tushe I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of myne owne harte The Lorde saieth Moises will not be mercifull to suche a soule c. And who maie not see the many yea infinite thousandes of suche as haue in their profession succeeded Esawe as prophane as he Heb. 12.16 who contemned and solde his birthright for one messe of meate but thei thinke thei shall safely retourne in conuenient tyme yet thei are greatly deceiued Gen. 25.32 Esawe thought not his birthright worth a strawe if he perished with hunger that is except it might serue hym in this life These contemne the truth of Gods word the honor of his name and care of true obedience vnto his will in regarde of their pleasure or profite the least that maie Heb. 12.17 Esawe founde no place to repentaunce although he sought the blessing with teares and who can assure them that their portion wil not be as his For howsoeuer thei outwardly pretende to agree with vs in one and the same truthe of God yet we continually see to our intollerable greefe how in the practize of their life thei runne headlong to all prophannesse cast the glorious power of the worde of God whiche should continually bynde them to the obedience of his will out of their sight 2. Tim. 3.2.5 2. Pet. 2.3 whilest thei accompt more of gaine then of Godlinesse and wallowe in their vaine pleasures and fleshly delightes as is infinitly seen at this daie Who maketh not a tushe in his owne soule to giue obediēce to the Lorde in all the actions of his life If outwardly to bragge that we are children of the righteous to glorie in our titles Ihon. 8.3.3 if not rightly to accompt of the excellencie of our high callyng with God if to be hardly drawen to any good waie and to goe swiftly to the waie of sinne if our filthie gaine though but in a vile thyng or beastly delightes bee of force to carie vs against the obedience of the will of God bee to holde an estate with Esawe as it is in deede if onely thei haue sealed vnto them the fauour of the Lorde who by the power of the Spirite of Christ are chaunged in their whole beeyng and cherefully led in the obedience of the wil of God then is there iust cause that all carnall Gospellers Libertines carelesse professors and prophane men should intollerably feare before the anger of the Lord. And although thei be infinitly drunken with this vile conceapt that so thei bee no Papistes whiche vncleane beastes in deede remaine in their sinnes so thei professe the Gospell alowe of the truthe and doctrine thereof as common men doe in all thynges that touch not themselues that for the rest God is mercifull and thei shall doe well enough howsoeuer thei liue yet let them remēber alwaies the example of Esawe He though not the excellencie of Gods callyng to be as it was in the tyme of his vanitie nor yet doe thei He wept for a blessing and it maie be some of them would gladly be saued But true repentaunce Luc 24 47. the waie whereby it is had was farre from him and who shall promise it vnto them It maie bee if the Lorde doe not conuert them thei maie haue suche a repentaunce as Judas had a sight of the righteous iudgementes of GOD and their owne sinne but suche a power in their owne soules as maie soundly applie the free promises of God in Christ and his whole righteousnesse vnto them selues it is onely from the Lorde and resteth not in the power of any childe of man as maie well be seen in Esaw who is saide to haue founde no place to repentance though he sought the blessing with teares Againe seing the Lorde maketh it knowen in some acceptable measure who doe rightly profite in the profession of his name vnto the assuraunce of his grace free discharge from al daunger in the daie to come As doeth appeare in the visitation of the greate Citie spoken of in Ezekiel 9.4 commaundyng that all thei onely shall be sealed to a sure escape that mourne crie for the wickednesse of men How shall these impure Macheuilles Atheistes Papistes Libertines beastly professors and carnall Gospellers be put in hope of the fauour of God who are so farre of from mournyng in their owne soules for the euilles of men that their owne life is nothyng els but a Sea of sinne and daiely proceedyng in continuall transgression against the Lorde And albeit it is moste true that whom the Lorde of glorie hath called from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse and caused that they walke not as thei did before Ephe. 2.2 seueryng his people from the curse of the worlde and the vsuall waies of men yet very fewe there are found that make conscience of any chaunge in them selues into those waies whiche bee accordyng to the Lorde And though it be infinitely vrged vnto the myndes of men that who soeuer is in Christ is a newe creature ◠Cor. 5.17 that is begunne to be chaunged in his whole soule and bodie from corruption and sinne to the light and willing obedience of the will of God Yet who maie not see that the most wilfully ignoraunt of this waie and that it is true in experience that the Prophet saieth that who so withdraweth himself frō euill must be spoiled
so greate a desire to affection without cause Séeing that our safetie doeth consist in the Gospell the certaintie thereof is a thing more then necessarie And how vntowarde wée are to beléeue euerye one of vs by his owne experyence doeth knowe too well I call to beléeue not lightly to imagine or in only assenting to alow that which is spoken but to imbrace it with a certaine vndoubted perswasion so that we dare subscribe as to a knowen truth By this occasion the Apostle doth multiply so many things héere in confirmation of the gospell 1 That which was from the beginning Because it is a broken and confused speach that the sence maye bée giuen more plaine so the words are to be resolued We declare vnto you the word of life which from the beginning hath by all meanes bene truly testified vnto vs how life was made manifest in it Or if you had rather otherwise Whatsoeuer we shew you of the word of life it was from the beginning and it was openly shewed to vs because life is made manifest in it But this member That which was from the beginning is vndoubtedly referred to the diuinitie of Christ for God was not manifested in the flesh from the beginning but hée who alwayes was life and the eternal word of God in the fulnesse of time became man Againe those things that follow of the beholding and féeling with handes doe more béelong to the humane nature But because two natures make one persoÌ„ that one is Christ who came out from the father that he might take vppon him our flesh the Apostle doth worthely shewe foorth in common together that he hath ben alwayes inuisible and afterwards séene Wherby is refelled the rotten cauill of Seruetus that there is one nature and being of the deitie with the flesh and moreouer that the word is transformed into flesh because that liuing word was séene in the flesh Let vs remember therefore that this doctrine of the Gospell is auouched that he who in the flesh did truly proue himselfe to be the sonne of God was acknowledged for the sonne of God was alwaies the inuisible word of God And yet he doeth not héere assigne the beginning of the world but ascendeth higher Of the word of life The Genitiue case is taken in the place of an Epithite for quickening because as he teacheth in the first chapter of the Gospell In it was life albeit this title doth belong to the Sonne of God by a double right both because he hath plentifully poured life vpon all creatures and because he now repaireth life in vs which was put out and perished by Adams sinne Yea moreouer the name it selfe of the word may be expounded two manner of waies either of Christ or of the doctrine of the Gospel for by that also health is brought vnto vs. But because the substaunce thereof is Christ and it doth not contayne anye other thing then that hée at length was manifested vnto men who alwaies was with the Father the first Exposition séemeth to me more simple and more naturall Further that the wisedome which dooth remayne in God is called the word is euidently séene by the Gospell That which wee haue heard That which wee haue seene This hearing was not of anye spread reporte whereto small creditte vseth to bée giuen but Iohn meaneth that of those things which hée taught hée was first effectually taught of his master so that hée set foorth nothing rashly And in truth no man shall bée a profitable Teacher in the Church who hath not first himselfe bene a Disciple of the Sonne of GOD and rightlye instructed in his Schoole séeing that his authoritie alone ought to bée of most force Whereas hée sayeth that hée Did see it with his eyes it is not a Pleonasmos but a greater expressing for amplification sake Yea not being contented wth a simple sight hée addeth Wee â—ooked vppon and our handes haue handeled By which wordes hée dooth testifie that hée taught nothing which hée had not throughlye approued Yet the approouing of the senses séemeth smallye to be profitable to the present cause For the vertue of Christ cannot bée comprehended with eyes or handes I aunswere that the same thing is spoken héere which is in the first Chapter of his Gospell We haue séene his glorie that is glorie worthye the onely begotten Sonne of GOD. For the Sonne of GOD was not acknowledged according to the outwarde forme of his bodie but by that whereas he shewed foorth famous experiences of his diuine power so that in him as by a liuely and expresse Image did shine the maiestie of the Father Whereas the wordes are of the plurall number and the matter doth most indifferently appertaine vnto all the Apostles I doo willyngly interprete it of them especiallye because the question is of the authoritie of the testimonye But no lesse friuolous as I lately touched and to be shamed at is the lewdnesse of Seruetus who vrgeth these wordes whereby to prooue that the worde of GOD hath bene visible and palpable Hée dooth wickedlye either destroye the two Natures which is in Christ or mingle them confusedly together He therefore doth imagine I wot not what lie so deifying the humanitie of Christ that he doeth vtterly take from him the truth of mans nature denying in the meane time that Christ is any other way the sonne of God except because he was conceiued of his mother by the power of the holye Ghost and taking from him his proper abiding in God Wherevpon it followeth that he is neither God nor man albeit he séeme to forge a coÌ„fused Masse of both But because the minde of the Apostle is vndoubted vnto vs let vs passe by that Dogge 2 And the life was made manifest This note of ioyning together is héere put in stéede of shewing plainly As if he should haue said We do giue witnesse of the word that giueth life euen as life were made manifest Albeit the sence maye be double either that Christ was giuen who is life and the fountaine of life or that life was plainely offered to vs in Christ And this later doth necessarily follow of the first As much yet as doth belong to the signification of the words these two differ betwéene themselues as the cause and the effect Where secondly he rehearseth Wee shew eternal life I doubt not but that he speketh of the effect that is that we attaine vnto life by the benefite of Christ Wherevppon wée â—ather that Christ cannot bée preached vnto vs but the kingdome of heauen is opened vnâ—o vs that béeing raised from death we might â—iue the life of God Which was with the Father This is true not onely since the worlde was made â—ut also from the first eternitie For God was alwayes the fountaine of life but the power and abilitie of quickening was in his eternall wisedome which yet he did not shew forth before the creation of the worlde And â—ince God beganne to giue his
alwaies ben the cause of destruction to men because not being contēted with Christ they haue delighted to range beyond the simple doctrine of the gospel 26 These things I haue written vnto you The Apostle doth againe excuse it that he admonisheth them who otherwise had knowledge iudgement And this he doth that they may adioyne the iudgement of the spirite least the admonition be fruitles As if he shuld haue said I doe those things that belong to me but it is of necessitie in the meane time that the spirit of God doe guide you in al things For in vaine shall I beat your eare or rather the aire with the sounde of my voice excepte hée speake within When wée heare that hée hath written of deceyuers let vs alwayes marke that this charge doeth euer lye vppon a good and painefull Pastour not onelye that hée gather together the shéepe but also that hée roote out and driue awaie all rauening Wolues For what shall it auaile to sette abroade the pure voyce of the Gospell if wée winke at the manifest deceites of Sathan Therefore there is not anye man that canne faythfully teach the Church except he binde himselfe to represse errours if he sée anie cast abroade of the deceiuers Where he saith the annointing Which yee haue receiued of him I referre it to Christ 27 Ye haue no neede Iohn had bene to be laughed at as I sayd before if he had broched an vnprofitable doctrine He doth not therefore ascribe vnto them so much knowledge that he denie them to be Christes Schollers He onely signifieth that they are not so ignorant that they should be taught as of things vnknowen and that he did not propound anie thing which the spirit of God did not readily prompt vnto them Therefore mad men doe wickedly abuse this testimonie that they might shutte out of the Church the vse of the outward ministrie Hée saith that the faythfull are taught by the office of the spirite to kéepe those thinges that he deliuereth that they haue no néede to learne them as things vnknowen This he sayth to the ende that he may procure the more account to his doctrine while euerie one findeth his subscription written in his heart with the finger of God But séeing that euerie one vnderstandeth according to the measure of faith that faith in some is small in some meane and in none absolute hence it followeth that no man knoweth so much but that there is yet place to further going forward And then this is another profit of the doctrine that where men hold fast that is méete yet we warn thē and stir them vp that thereby they may haue a greater increase For in that Iohn testifieth that they are taught in all things by the spirit it must not be so generallye taken but restrained to the circumstance of the present place In summe he meneth nothing else but to confirme their faith while he recalleth them to the trial of the spirit who only is a fit examiner approuer of the doctrine while hée sealeth vp the same in our heartes that we may know of a truth that God speaketh For séeing that faith ought to looke vnto God he onely can be a witnesse vnto himselfe that he may perswade our hearts that the procéedeth from him which our eares receiue And that is the meaning of those wordes As it teacheth you and is the truth That is that the spirite is like a seale wherby is witnessed vnto vs the truth of GOD. Where he addeth It is not a lye This pertycular noteth out the other office of the spirit namely that he gouerneth vs by iudgement and discreation least wée bée deceiued with a lye least wée depende vncertaine and in doubt least wée shoulde bée as it were neuer in vncertaine things As he hath taught you continue He had sayd that the spirite remained in them Now he exhorteth that they remaine in his reuealation And he noteth out the manner of the Reuealation Abide saith he in Christ as the spirit hath taught you I know it is commonly otherwise expounded Abide in it that it may note out the annointing But séeing the repetition which by and by foloweth can agrée to none but vnto Christ I doubt not but here also he speaketh of Christ and the course of the Text doth require the same For the Apostle tarryeth in that point that the faythfull would kéepe sure the pure knowledge of Christ and that they striue not anie other waye to rome to God In the meane time he doth cléerely shew that the children of God are lightened of the spirit to no other ende but that they maye knowe Christ But if they shall not decline from thence he setteth forth the fruites of perseueraunce namely that they shall haue assuraunce not to be ashamed at his presence For faith is not a naked cold apprehending of Christ but a liuely effectuall féeling of his power which begetteth assurance Neither indéede could faith otherwise stand out while it is daily assailed with so many tēpests except it did both looke to the cōming of Christ being vpholdē by his power did bring a quiet state to the consciēces Further the nature of cōfidēce is most fitly exprest whē he saith the presence of Christ shal be borne wtout feare for they that securely flatter thēselues in sin turne their back vpon God find peace no where els but in the forgetfulnes of God This is the securitie of the flesh that besotteth men that being turned from God they neither loath sin nor feare death in the mene time they shun the iudgement of Christ but an holy trust disposeth it selfe into the alone sight of God Whereof it is that the godly do chéerfully looke for Christ and feare not to behold him 29 If you know that he is righteous Hée againe procéedeth to exhortations that he may after ioyne them in the whole Epistle to the doctrine By many reasons he proueth that faith must of necessitie be ioyned with an holy and a cleane life The first is that we are spiritually begotten into the similitude of Christ Wherevpon it followeth that no man is begotten of Christ but he that liueth righteously Albeit it is vncertaine whether hée meane Christ or God when he saith that they which work righteousnes are begottē of him Indéede it is an vsuall kind of speaking in the Scriptures that we are begotten of God in Christ but this other also there is an absurditie that they are begotten of Christ who are renewed by his spirit Chap. 3. 1 BEhold what loue the Father hath giuen vs that we should bee called the sonnes of God Therefore the world knoweth vs not because it knoweth not him 2 Beloued nowe wee are the sonnes of God and yet it hath not appeared what wee shall bee But wee knowe that when hee shall appeare wee shall bee lyke vnto him because wee shall see him euen as he is 3 And euerie one that hath this loue
I aunswere that there is a double triall of Doctrine priuate and publyke Priuate wherby euery one dooth establish his owne faith that he may rest safely in that doctrine which hée knoweth to haue come from God Neither shall consciences finde other where safe and quiet resting place then in God The publyke tryall belongeth to the common consent and good of the Church For because there is perill least phantasticall men shuld rise vp which might rashly boast them selues that they wer indued with the spirit of God this remedie is of necessitie that the faithfull come together and séeke the meane of an holy and pure consent But séeing that that olde Prouerbe is too â—rue How many heads so many wits it is certaine that this is the singular worke of God that al ouerthwarting béeing mastred he maketh vs to thinke all one thing and to grow into an holy vnitie of faith And wheras vnder this pretence whatsoeuer thinges are at anie time decreed in counsailes the Papistes will haue to be taken for true Oracles because the Church did once proue them to be of God that is too childish For howsoeuer that be an ordinarie waie to séeke a consent to gather a godly and an holy counsell where the controuersies out of the worde of God may be determined yet God hath neuer bound vs to the decrées of euerie counsel Nor yet so soone as an hundred or moe Bishops are come together into one certayne place it by and by followeth that they haue rightly called vpon God and asked at his mouth what was the truth yea ther is nothing more apparaunt then that they haue often gone a side from the sincere worde of God Therefore héere also ought the triall which the Apostle prescribeth to be of force that the spirits might be tried 2 In this knowe ye He annexeth a special marke whereby one may better discerne true Prophets from false Albeit he héere onely repeateth that we had before that is that Christ as he is the marke wherto true faith nimeth so he is the rocke at whom all Heretikes doe stumble Therefore so long as wée remaine in Christ the matter is safe but when we goe aside from him faith is peryshed and all truth is made voyde But wée may remember what this confession contayneth For when the Apostle saith that Christ is come hence wée gather that hée was with the Father before whereby is shewed his eternall Deitie When hée sayth That hee is come in the flesh hée signifieth that in putting on the flesh hée is made a very man of the same nature with vs that hée might bée our brother saue that hée was frée from all sinne and corruption Finally when hée sayth hée is come wée must consider the cause of his comming for hée is not sent of his Father in vaine Héerevppon dependeth the office and power of Christ Therefore euen as the olde Heretikes haue erred from this faith partlye denying the diuine nature and partlye the humane nature of Christ euen so doe the Papistes at this daye albeit they doe confesse Christ to bée GOD and man yet they hold â—ot this confession which the Apostle requyâ—eth because they spoyle Christ of his powâ—r and authoritie for when they haue estaâ—lished theyr frée will theyr merites of â—orkes theyr fained worshippes satisfacâ—ions and the supportations of Saintes â—owe small a remainder is lefte to Christ This therefore meaneth the Apostle séeâ—ng that the knowledge of Christ compreâ—endeth in it selfe all the Doctrine of godâ—ynesse therefore we must fixe and cast our eyes thether least wée bée deceiued And in truth Christ is the ende of the lawe and the Prophettes Neither learne wée anye other thing by the Gospell then his power and grace 2 And this is the Spirite of Antichrist This the Apostle addeth to the ende that hée maye make the sleyghtes which seduce vs from Christ to be the more detestable For wée haue sayde that the Doctrine of the kingdome of Antichrist is vsuall and well knowen that the faythfull béeing admonyshed of the dispearsion of the Church which was to come might carefully take héede to themselues They did therefore worthelye abhorre thâ— name as infamous and vnluckie Nowâ— the Apostle saith they are members of thiâ— kingdome whosoeuer withdraw froÌ„ Christ But he sayeth that the spirite of Antichriâ—â— should come and was now in the worlde in a diuerse meaning For he meant that he was then in the world alreadie because the mysterie of his wickednesse beganne to worke 2. Thes 27. And yet because that the truth of God was not as yet ouerwhelmed with false and vntrue assertions superstition had not yet preuailed to the corruption of the worship of God the worlde had not yet falne from Christ by a wicked distrust the tyrannie set against the kingdome of Christ did not yet manifestly shew it selfe therefore he saith that he was to come 4 Little children ye are of God haue ouercome them because hee is greater that is in you then he that is in the worlde 5 They are of the world therefore they speake of the worlde and the worlde heareth them 6 We are of God He that knoweth God heareth vs. He that is not of God heareth vs not In this we knowe the spirite of truth and â—â—e spirite of errour 4 You are of God He had spoken of one Antichrist now he maketh mention of moe â—ut the plurall number is referred to the false Prophets which euen then had come abroad before the head was extant Further the purpose of the Apostle is to giue courage to the faythfull that they might resist the deceiuers strongly without feare For much chéerefulnesse faileth when there is striuing with a doubtfull successe Further it myght cause the godly to feare because that when the kingdome of Christ was scarce sprong vp they sawe the enimyes euen then readie prepared to ouerwhelme it Therefore howsoeuer they must striue he yet sayth that they haue ouercommed because they shall haue an happie issue As if he should haue sayde that in the middest of the conflict they are without daunger because they shall preuaile And this doctrine ought to bée caryed further For whatsoeuer striuings we indure against the world and the flesh yet it is ioyned with a sure victorie Indéede sharpe and harde conflicts remaine for vs and one followeth after another but because we fight in the power of Christ and are prepared with the armour of God in striuing and labouring wée get thâ— victorie As much as belongeth to the circumstaunce of this place it is an excellenâ— consolation that with whatsoeuer sleyghteâ— Sathan set vppon vs yet wée shall stand iâ— the truth of GOD. But the reason that hée addeth straight way is to bée noted because he is greater that is stroÌ„ger which is in vs theÌ„ he that is in the world For that is our infirmitie that before wée ioyne battayle with the enimie we are readie to faint For wee are euen wrapped in ignoraunce
soule O Lord from liyng lippes and from a deceiptfull tongue And the Lorde cut of all flatteryng lippes and the tongue that speaketh proude thynges And as the Prophet hath praied so will it come to passe to all suche as with vniust reproches or otherwaies iniurie the Sainctes of the Lord and thei shall one daie approue it to be most true that is said of our Sauiour Christ that It were better a Milstone were hanged aboute their neckes and they drowned in the depth of the Sea Math. 18.6 thē that thei should offende one of the least of them that beleeue in hym For our owne partes wee see into what condition we are come that vnder Poperie we are tormented and persecuted with all extreame handling and vnder the Gospell we are slaundered and reuiled so that we maie iustly saie with the Apostle Rom. 8.36 Psalm 44.22 We are daiely accompted as Sheepe appoincted to be slaine And yet beyonde all this Sathan hath preuailed in an other euill whiche is more vneasie to be borne to a godly mynd then all the rest is And that is to see that Papistes and other Heretiques the longer thei haue helde and practised their error the more forwarde and feruent thei bee in the waie of sinne but many that seemed to haue well profited in knowledge of the Lordes truthe haue at once tourned out of the waie and as beeyng in a dead sleepe of securitie flatter themselues in a naked knowledge without all true zeale to quicken the giftes that thei haue to the honour of God and the good of his Saincts Jt is accompted a notable poinct of exceedyng wisedome in this daie with many not to shewe a face to the truthe or to our bretheren before men but as the moste doe whiche is nothyng at all When we first began to bee lightened with knowledge of the truthe the Gospell it self was moste sweete vnto our soules and the fellowshippe of our bretheren was moste deare and profitable vnto vs but now Sathan hath besotted vs with an imagination of knowledge and almost who doeth not thinke it follie to be feruent and a poinct almost of extreame madnesse to make more accomptes of men as thei accompt of the Lorde and yet we haue the president of the Spirite of God 2. Thess 1.3 to comforte vs in that waie True knowledge in deede and right zeale for the Lorde are ioynt cōpanions or rather Twinnes that maie not be sondered whereby the harte is lightened and stirred vp to a cherefull and moste readie obedience of the will of God with desire of his glorie and the good of his people before all thynges in the worlde And what maie we thinke of them that be otherwise that pamper them selues either in a blinde zeale without care of knowledge the waie to error or in a bare knowledge thinking themselues wise despise the waie of the Lord which is in true zeale and right knowledge of the Lordes waies according to his word And their such proude accompt of nothing taking the very shadowe of knowledge for true knowledge it self maketh them secure who of wise and zealous members of Gods Churche according to the measure of their experience in that tyme are now becomne vnprofitable Drones and carelesse Epicures and thinke them selues more wise in their extreame follie then euer thei were before But it must needes be as the Lorde hath foretolde of the like that thei are either stonie grounde Math. 13.5.6.7 Luc. 8.6.7.8 where the seede had no depth of yearth or that it is choked with thornes Math. 12.45 euen their harts eaten vp with the care of this world whose ende will be worse then the beginnyng Some others there are that take exceptions at whom thei wil and albeit the Lord hath testified that there is no respect of persons with hym Act. 10.34 Rom. 2.11 yet thei feare not to vpholde this imagination of their owne that in respect of profityng and practise of true godlinesse euery one in their place it is more free for some men then for othersome and for all men then for women And that their such dreaming may appeare the more grosse thei let not to saie with what purpose I leaue to them selues that a woman should not bee more religious then her housbande forgettyng belike the approued examples of the Scriptures 1. Sam. 25.3 Luc. 8.3 Acts. 1.14 Rom. 6.6.12.13 2. Tim. 1.5 Luc. 23.55.56 Luc. 24.1 Read Maister Foxe and by name Anne Askewe and Prestes wife of Exceter And how many holy women are infinitely mentioned in the worde without any mention of their housbandes fall and holy Histories testifie of very many that haue māfully giuen their liues for the Gospell when their housbandes haue beene backesliders and some of them haue persecuted their poore wiues And that thei maie bee founde to peruert the straight waies of the Lorde thei saie a man should not take to wife as the like one that is more religious then hym self I would aske these men whether a man maie take a wife that is more welthie then hymself if thei graunt that he maie as I trust thei will easily do then shal thei be inforced to saie either that the thynges of this worlde are more to be esteemed then the heauenly blessinges of the Spirite of God and the transitorie thynges of the bodie more worth then the giftes of the mynde or that a man not onely should but also ought to make especiall choyce as there are excellent blessinges in the inner man Gen. 2.18 And if the wife must be in all thynges a helper then in the cheefe thynges it were absurde to saie she must bee vnapt to helpe Thei maie remember that the Lords people haue from tyme to tyme been forbiddē to match themselues with the prophane Deut. 7.3 Iude. 3.7 whiche necessarily intendeth the contrarie But thei will except that thei doe not denie but the wife should haue some religion but not more then her housbande But thei should rather saie it is shame worthie in the housbande who should be so farre before to come so farre behind I aske when the housbande hath no religion and the wife must not haue more then he or when he doth not labour for it and she must not labour more then he how muche is then left vnto her either of religion or of meanes to attaine vnto it none at all This is so farre of from continuyng them vnto all good duetie vnto their housbandes Ephe. 5.22 Collo 3.18 1. Pet. 3.1 wherevnto thei are fast bounde by the lawe of God and suche as in truthe feare the Lorde will I am right sure make conscience of that it is to saie almost that their saluation and the meanes of it is not free but at the deuotion of others that God his worde and grace with the glorie of his name are quite out of sight and the housbande must be in his place Let no man thinke that my meaning is to loose
the realmes of obedience in this case for my whole desire is quite contrarie First that bothe the housbande and the wife should obey the Lorde bothe as Christians and in their seuerall place thei that are to gouerne to gouerne in and accordyng to the Lorde Collo 3.17 and thei that are to obey to obey in and accordyng to the Lorde Acts. 4.19 If any intende otherwayes their authoritie will bee without the Lorde and deserueth to bee so taken Againe I aske seyng the Lorde hath appointed this vnto all his children 1. Thes 4 1.2 that whatsoeuer thei haue gained of knowledge practize in the worde of God 2. Pet. 3.18 Psalm 84.7 thei still grow and goe forwarde to full perfection whether thei be men or women who shall prescribe a sufficiēcie or dare saie that thei haue enough J wish we maie in this cleare light of knowledge leaue winking as it were at noone dayes and tremble thus to dallie or thus to deale vniustly with the most holie truth of the Lorde and to presse vniust iniuries vppon the soules of our poore bretheren least in carelesse greeuyng the consciences of the Lordes annointed we violently bryng vpon our selues the heauie wrathe and indignation of God If we in the truth of an humble soule do weigh the seuerall testimonies of the worde of the Lorde to the right guiding of his seruaunts to the assuraunce of his grace in the obedience of his will we shall easily be made able to meete with all these mischeefes and many moe that might otherwaies preuaile to turne vs out of the waie And as the Spirite of God hath amongst infinite other places of Scripture to that effect by the Apostle Sainct Ihon in his first Epistle proued that true iustification and eternall life is onely by Iesus Christ and shewed further that there is no assuraunce of this grace of the Lorde where is not the effectuall power of the Spirite of the Sonne of God in the iustified who are vnited vnto hym as the members vnto the head and receiue of his fulnesse to leade them in a continuall true obedience of his will reuealed in his worde and in the truthe thereof that thei might stand out immouably vnto the end exhorted to beware of false teachers and all that deceiue and reasoning from the effect to the cause he proueth the truthe of the loue of God towarde vs by our loue to the bretheren Which beyng well considered of vs and applied to our seuerall vse in the direction of the Spirite of Christ will not onely arme vs against Sathan in the former euilles but make vs effectuallie wise in the waie of life And as the same Epistle of Sainct Jhon is most sweete and plentifull in it self being full of plaine witnesse of the grace of God and effectuall testimonies who bee his So is it most clerely profitably opened and made plaine by the reuerende and moste worthie seruaunt of Iesus Christ M. Caluin in his tyme. Whiche his labours in regarde of the greate good thei might doe to many fearing the Lorde that want the knowledge of the tongue wherein he wrote I haue as my other occasions haue giuen me leaue translated into the Englishe tongue and offryng my poore labours therein to the Churche of GOD I haue been bolde to commende the first fruites as it were vnto you right hartely praiyng that whatsoeuer the Lord shall therein open vnto you that maie concerne you through conuersion continuaunce or cherefull constancie in the Lorde that you will applie it nere vnto your soules and that you maie so alwaies profite in the same as may more more seale vp vnto your seuerall consciences the effectuall assuraunce of the eternall grace of God in Iesus Christ and make you able to stand vnder the burthens that you do or shall indure from tyme to tyme for the honour of his name Maister Caluin also vpon Iude and an Epistle of his owne written to a freend J haue as I might translated likewise and deliuered withall to the Printe praiyng that the one and other maie doe that good to Gods Churche and namely to your selues that I hartely wishe and that you maie euer remaine together in the vnitie of truthe and in all holy fellowship among your selues and with the whole Church of God growing vp from strength to strength to a full measure of perfection in Iesus Christ to whose mercies I shall not cease by his grace to cōmend you and the whole Church of God for euer Yours assuredly in the Lorde W. H. THE COMENTAries of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the first Epistle of Iohn The Argument THis Epistle is most agréeable to his spirit who before others was therfore beloued of Christ that he might make him familiar vnto vs. Further it contayneth Doctrine mixt with exhortations It disputeth of the eternall deitie of Christ together also of the incomparable grace which being made manifest to the world he brought with him generally of all his benefits and chiefly it commendeth and extolleth the inestimable grace of the adoption of the Lord. Thence it taketh the occasion to exhort Sometimes it doth generally admonish to religious and holye lyfe and againe by name it giueth preceptes of loue but none of these it doth prosecute in continuaunce For euerie where in teaching and exhorting he is diuerse but especially he is plentifull in vrging to brotherly loue It also toucheth other thinges briefly as of taking héede of seducers and such other lyke But euerie thing maye be obserued in his place CHAP. 1. 1 THat which was from the beginning which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eies which wee haue looked vppon which our hands haue handled of the word of lyfe 2 And that life was made manifest and wee haue seene and beare witnesse and doo shewe vnto you that eternall lyfe which was with the Father and is made manifest vnto vs. HEe sheweth that in the beginning lyfe was giuen vnto vs in Christ which thing as it is an incomperable good so it ought to rauish and inflame all our sences with a wonderfull loue and desire of it Indéede this is spoken in fewe and simple wordes That lyfe is made manifest But if wée doe account howe miserable and horrible the condition of death is and agayne of what worthynesse the kingdome of GOD and his immortall glorye is we shall héere perceiue some more excellent thing then can bée expressed with anye wordes This therefore is the purpose of the Apostle when hée hath shewed the most excellent good thing yea the chiefe and alone happynesse which GOD hath vouchsafed vs in his Sonne to lighten our mindes But because the greatnesse of the maker did require that the truth should be certaine and approoued hée tourneth much in this part For all these Which wee haue seene which wee haue hard which wee haue looked vppon c. are effectuall to establish the credite of the Gospell Nor indéed doeth hée adde
bée accordingly pure holy and full of lyght In him there is no darkenesse This manner and kinde of speaking which is héere vsed is verye familiar with Iohn that hée maye amplyfie by a contrary deniall that which hée hath before affirmed Therefore the sense is That GOD is such a lyght as that hée admitteth no darknesse at all Wherevpon it followeth that hée dooth continuallye hate an euill conscience and a defiled lewde and wicked lyfe and conuersation whatsoeuer doth sauour of darknesse 6 If we saie It is an argument of repugnaunces whilest he gathereth that they are straungers from God which walke in darkenesse yet this whole doctrine doth depend vppon a more high principle that is that GOD doth sanctifie his children For it is not indéede a bare precepte whereby he doth require of vs an holy life but rather he sheweth that the grace of Christ is also effectuall vnto this that the darknesse béeing driuen awaie it may kindle the lyght of God in vs. As if he should haue sayd whereas God doth communicate himselfe with vs it is no vaine counterfait but it is of necessitie that the power and effect of this societie doe shew forth in our life or else the profession of the Gospell shall be counterfait Wheras he addeth We doe not the truth It is as much as if he shoulde haue sayde we doe not truly or we haue not in estimation that which is true and right And it is that manner of speaking which I noted first to be in plentifull vse with him 7 But if we walke in the light Now hée saith that this is a certaine marke of our coniunction with God if we be made lyke vnto him not that the purenesse of life dooe reconcile God vnto vs as the first cause but the Apostle meaneth that by the effect it is apparant that we are knit vnto God if his purenesse doe shine in vs. And indéede so is the matter that wheresoeuer God doeth come all things are so fully replenished with his holynesse that wipeth awaie all vncleannesse but without him wée haue nothing but vncleannesse darknesse Hence it appeareth that no man liueth well except also he cleaue fast vnto God Where he sayth that we haue fellowshippe one with another it is not simplie referred to men but he placeth God on the one parte and vs on the other Yet it may bée demaunded what man canne so expresse the light of God in his lyfe that this lykenesse which Iohn requyreth maye bée apparaunt for by this meanes it must néedes be that he is altogether cleane and without darknesse I answere that these kinde of spéeches are to be fitted to the capacitie of men Therefore he is sayd to bée lyke vnto GOD that doeth aspire vnto his similitude howe farre so euer yet he be from the same And no example is to be fetched else where then from this present place Hee walketh in darknesse Whosoeuer is not guided by the feare of God nor in a pure conscience respecteth this end that wholy giuing himselfe to God he doth studie to promote his glorie Therefore on the contrarie he that in the sincere affection of his hart conforming his lyfe and all the partes of it to the feare and obedience of God doth purely worshippe him albeit he faile in manye things and to moane vnder the burthen of the flesh hée is taken to walke in the light because he holdeth the right waie It is therfore the alone vprightnesse of conscience which doth discerne betwéene light and darknesse And the bloud of Iesus Christ After hée hath taught of what manner is the bonde of our vnitie with God hée also sheweth the fruit that issueth from thence that is that then our sinnes are fréely forgiuen vs. And this is that blessednesse which Dauid describeth in the 32. Psalme That we may know our selues to be most miserable vntil we being regenerate by the spirit of God do serue him in a cleane heart For what canne be thought more miserable then man whom god hath in hatred abhomination Vpon whom together doth rest the wrath of God eternal death This is a place worthy noting whēc◠we first learne that then the satisfaction gotten by the death of Christ doth properly belong vnto vs whē we imbrace righteousnes with a right purpose of heart For Christ is not a redéemer but vnto them who béeing tourned from iniquitie do lead a newe life Wherfore if we desire to haue God mercifull vnto vs that he may forgiue our sinnes we must not excuse our selues Finally from repentance remissiō of sins cānot be separate neither can our consciences haue peace with god where the feare of God doth not beare rule Secondly this place doth teach that the frée forgiuenes of sinnes is not once onely giuen vnto vs but that this benefit remaineth perpetually in the Church and is daily offered to the faythfull For the Apostle doth héere speake to the faithfull as in truth there was neuer anie nor euer shall be which can otherwise please God séeing all are holden with guiltinesse before God For whatsoeuer kinde of desire to doe well be in vs we alwaies goe vnperfectly to the Lord. Further whatsoeuer is an halfe part deserueth no praise with God Wée againe in the meane time do reiect our selues from the grace of God as much as lieth in vs. So it cōmeth to passe that all the Saints haue néed of daily forgiuenes of sins because that this onely doth continue vs in the houshold of God Where he saith From all sinne he doth signifie that by many meanes we are guilty before God as indéede there is no man that is not defiled with very many sinnes But hée teacheth that no sinnes doo hinder the righteous and such as feare God wherby they may the lesse please God He also sheweth the way to obtaine forgiuenesse and the cause of our being made cleane that is because Christ hath purged our sinnes with his bloud But he affirmeth that all the godly shall vndoubtedly be pertakers of this being made cleane from sinne This whole part of doctrine hath bene wickedly corrupted of the Schoolemen for they fain that the frée pardon of sinnes is onely giuen vnto vs in Baptisme they doe graunt that there onely the bloud of Christ is effectuall But after Baptisme they teach that we are no otherwise reconciled to God then by satisfactions And héere they leaue indéede some part to the bloud of Christ but when they ascribe vnto workes commendation and power to satisfie for sinnes and to please God but in the least measure they doo wholly ouerthrow that which Iohn saith héere For these wil neuer agrée betwéen thēselues That we are purged by the bloud of Christ and that workes are cleansings from sinne because Iohn here assigneth not the one halfe but the whole to the bloud of Christ This therefore is the summe that the faithfull doo certainly assure themselues that they are accepted with God because he is
pacified towardes them by the Sacrifice of the death of Christ Wherefore the power and effect of all these resteth in the onely bloude of Christ Whereby is refelled the Papists most horrible inuention of Indulgences for as if the bloud of Christ were not sufficient they require also the bloud and merites of Martyrs to be an help And yet this blasphemie amongest them spreadeth further for when their keyes in which they holde that remission of â—ins is included are coyned partly of the bloude and merits of martirs and partly of the works of superrogation with which euerye sinner â—oth redéeme himselfe there remaineth to theÌ„ no remission of sinnes which doth not derogate from the bloude of Christ For if theyr doctrine should haue place then shall not the â—loud of Christ purge vs but shal onely conâ—urre as an help in part And by this meane â—he consciences shal hang in doubt which the Apostle commaundeth héere to rest in a weâ—â—â—ssuraunce 8 If we say that wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and the Truth is not in vs. 9 If we confesse our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust that hee maye forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse 10 If we say we haue no sinne we make him a lier and his word is not in vs. NOW he commendeth that grace by necessitie For because no man is frée from sinne he sheweth that we are all cast away and without hope of remedie except the Lord doo help vs by the way of forgiuenesse This is the reason why he so vehemently vrgeth that no man is innocent that all maye the better knowe that they haue néede of mercye which maye deliuer them from banishment and so they might the more be stirred vp to the obtayning of this same so necessarye a good By the name of sinne is noted not onelye a wicked and defiled inclination but the fault which doth truely make vs guiltie before GOD. Further séeing the speach is generall it followeth that none of the Saints which are which were or which shall be are exempted from this number Wherefore Augustine dooth excéeding fitlie refell the cauill of the Pelagians with this testimonie and dooth also wiselye weigh that the confession of guyltinesse is required not for humilities sake but lest in lying we deceiue our selues When he addeth The truth is not in vs. After his manner he confirmeth the former sentence by rehearsing it againe albeit it is not a simple rehearsing as other where but he sayth they are deceiued because they glorie in lying 9 If wee confesse Againe hée promiseth the faythfull that GOD will be fauourable vnto them so that they acknowledge themselues to be sinners For it is a most excellent thing that wée bée certainlye perswaded that there is a readie and prepared Reconciliation for vs with GOD when we haue sinned otherwise wée continually beare Hell shutte vp within vs. Few indéede doo weigh this howe miserable and vnhappie a thing the wauering and vnquietetnesse of mans conscience is But so the case standeth with vs that hell dooth raigne where ther is not peace with God How much more ought we to imbrace this promise with all our heart which offereth assured forgiuenesse to all that doe confesse their sinnes Further he teacheth that it is founded vppon the faith and righteousnesse of God because God who hath promised is true and plaine for they that thinke he is called iust because he doeth iustifie vs freely in my iudgement do reason too subtilly For this iustice depeÌ„deth of faith but each of them is anexed to the promise for otherwise God may be iust yet deale with vs in most high iustice but because he hath bound himselfe to vs by his word he will not be taken for iust except hée doe forgiue But this confession when it is referred to God requireth a sincere affection of the heart and the heart cannot speak to God without newnesse of lyfe Therefore it doeth containe in it true repentance God indéede forgiueth fréely but so that his easines to mercie be not an intisement to sinne Shall cleanse vs. The word of purging séemeth to be taken in another sence then before For he said we were cleansed by the bloud of Christ because by his benefit our sins are not laid to our charge But now after that he hath spoken of forgiuenesse he addeth also the God doth purge vs from vnrighteousnes that this second member may be diuers from the â—â—rst So he signifieth that a double fruit doth arise to vs of confession that God being pacified with the sacrifice of Christ doth forgiue vs and the he doth correct and amend vs. If anie man obiect the while we are in this world we are neuer purged froÌ„ all vnrighteousnesse as much as belongeth to reformatioÌ„ it is true indéede but Iohn doth not teach what God doth now perfect in vs. He is faithful he saith that he may make vs cleane that is not to day nor to morow For as long as we are coÌ„passed about with flesh we must be in continual going forward But that which he hath once begun he doth dayly proceede to do till at the last he doth performe it So Paule saith That we are elect that we may appeare before God wtout reproofe Eph. 1.4 and else where that the church is cleansed that it may be without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5.27 Albeit if anie had rather interpret this place otherwise as if he spake one thing twice I leaue it frée 10 Wee make him a lyar Hée goeth further that they blaspheame GOD which claime purenesse vnto themselues For we sée howe that euerie where hée condempneth all mankinde of sinne Wherefore hée entereth battayle with God whosoeuer séeketh to shunne this determination and doth reproue him of a lye as if he did presse them that deserued it not For confirmation sake he addeth that His word is not in vs. As if he shuld haue sayde that we cast aside that his so excellent doctrine which includeth all vnder guiltinesse Wherevpon we gather that then we haue rightly profited in the worde of the Lord when we are truely humbled that mourning vnder the burden of our sinnes we learne to flye to the mercie of God and rest our selues no other where then in the fatherly frée mercie of God Chap. 2. 1 LIttle children these things I write vnto you that you sinne not but if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous 2 And hee is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onelye but also of the whole world THis is not onely a briefe rehearsing of the former doctrine but almost a sum of the whole Gospell That we abstaine from sinne and yet because we are alwaies subiect to the iudgement of GOD wée are certaine that Christ doth make intercession with the sacrifice of his death that he maye reconcile the Father vnto vs. In the meane also he vseth a predication least anie man
hath added this for amplification sake that the faythfull may be assuredly perswaded that the redemption gotten by Christ is extended to al which shal receiue the Gospel in faith But héere is moued a questioÌ„ How the sinnes of all the world should be done away I omit the dotages of such franticke fellowes who vnder the pretence of this admit to saluation all the reprobate moreouer Sathan himselfe Such a monstrous fantasie is not worthie the refutation They that would escape this absurditie haue said that Christ suffered sufficiently for the whole world but onely effectually for the elect This solution hath commonlye preuailed in the schooles Albeit that I grant that saying to be true yet I denie that it agréeth with this place For Iohn had none other purpose then to make this good common to the whole Church Therefore vnder the word All he dooth not comprehend the reprobate but pointeth out those which together were to beléeue wer scattered into diuers parts of the worlde For then is the grace of Christ made manifest as is méet when he is preched to be the only sauing health of the world 3 And in this we knowe that wee haue knowen him if we keep his coÌ„mandements 4 He that saith I know him and kepeth not his commaundements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 5 But he that keepeth his word in him is the loue of God perfect indeed In this wee knowe that we are in him 6 He that saith that he abideth in him ought euen so to walke as he hath walked 3 AFter he hath handled the doctrine of the frée remission of sins he coÌ„meth againe to the exhortations annexed dependeth vpon it first he admonisheth that the knowledge of God which is conceiued by the Gospell is not idle but doth of it selfe bring forth obedience Afterwards he sheweth what God doth especially require of vs what is the chiefe in our life namely that we loue God That which we read héere of the effectuall knowledge of God the Scripture doth not euerye where repeate without cause for ther is nothing more common to the worlde then to draw the doctrine of godlinesse to vaine speculations After this manner was diuinitie adulterated among the sophisticall Sorbonists that of all their knowledge not so much as the least spark of godlines could appeare And vaine men euery where doo onely learn from the word of God that which they may babble out for oftentation sake Finally in all ages this was too common an euil to talk vainly of the name of God Iohn therefore chooseth this principle That the knowledge of God is effectuall Wherevpon he gathereth that they doo not know God that kéepe not his commandements Plato though greping in the darke in Phaedro and other places denieth that that excellent beautie which hée imagineth can be knowen but that it will forceably carrie a man into the admiration of it Therfore how may it be that thou canst know God be touched with no affection Neither indéede doth this procéede onely from the nature of God that we immediatelye loue him whome wée knowe but the same spirit which doth lighteÌ„ our minds doth lyke wise breath into our hartes an affection like vnto our knowledge Albeit the knowledge of God bringeth this with it the we feare loue him for neither can we acknowledge him as he sheweth himself to be Lord father except we yéelde our selues againe to him obedyent children and dutifull seruaunts Briefly the doctrine of the gospel is a liuely glasse wherin we beholding the image of God are changed into it as Paule teacheth 2. Cor. 3.18 Wherefore where there is not present a good conscieÌ„ce the shew of knowledge cannot be but vaine This is to be marked when he saith That we know that we haue knowen For he noteth that obedience of God is so knit vnto the knowledge that yet knowledge bée first in order as it is of necessitie that the cause be before the effect If we keepe his commaundements But there is no man that doth kéepe them in euerie part By that meanes then should bée no knowledge of God in the world I answere that the Apostle is not at oddes with himself When therefore he had lately set all men in guiltines before God he doth not vnderstand that they kéepe the commaundements which satisfie the lawe in all poynts which example can no where be found in the world but those which labour to conforme their life to the obedience of God so much as in regard of mans infirmitie they can For so often as the Scripture speaketh of the righteousnesse of the faithfull it is so farre off from excluding the forgiuenesse of sinnes that rather it dooth take the beginning from it Neither indéede is it to be gathered from thence that faith doeth leane vpon workes For albeit that euerie one hath the witnesse of his faith from works yet it foloweth not that it is founded there séeing that this latter proofe is added for a signe The assurance therefore of faith resteth in the alone grace of Christ but godlinesse and holinesse of life discerneth true faith from a counterfaite dead knowledge of God because this truth is in Christ as Paule saith to haue put off the old man c. 4 He that saith I know him Whereby prooueth he that they lye which boast of faith without godlinesse Verely by the contrarie because he had alredy proued that the knowledge of God is an effectuall thing For God is not knowen by a â—aâ—e imagination but when by his spirit he inwardly maketh him selfe knowen in our harts But because that many hypocrits doo vainly pamper theÌ„selues with the title of faith the Apostle doth conuince such of a lie For that which he sayth shuld be superfluous except the false vaine profession of Christianitie did rule in the mouths of many 5 But he that kepeth Now he sheweth which is the true obseruing of the law of God that is to wit to loue god This place in my iudgment is euill expounded of them which vnderstand that they truely please God which kéepe his word Rather expouÌ„d it thus To loue God with a sincere affection of hart is to kéepe his commaundements For briefly as I haue touched alreadie his purpose was to shew what god doth require of vs. The same also did Moses saye when he gathered the summe of the lawe Deut 10. Now Israel c. For the law which is spiritual doth not onely giue commandement of external things but chiefly it doth coÌ„mend vnto vs this that we loue God with our whole hart Because that here is no mention made of men it is not to be takeÌ„ for an absurd thing For brotherly loue doth alwaies issue froÌ„ the loue of God as afterwards we shall sée Whosoeuer therefore desireth to approue his life vnto God let him direct all the parts therof to this end If any obiect that there was neuer any man found that so
the men of his time with vaine hope neither would he cut off the course of the Church in time to come nor the succession of many yeres wherein the Church hath continued in the world vnto this day And indéede if the eternitie of gods kingdome were alwayes before our eyes there will be no such long time which would not be like to a verie moment We must regard the purpose of the Apostle because he calleth that the last time wherein al things are so fulfilled that there remaineth but the last reuealing of Christ You haue heard that Antechrist He speketh as of a thing knowen Whence it is easie to gather that the faithfull wer taught and admonyshed from the beginning 〈◊〉 the dissipation of the Church which was tâ— come both that they might carefullye keepâ— themselues in the faith which they haue receiued and also that they might instruct thâ—â— posteritie to beware For so God would haue the Church to be tried that none shoulde bâ—â— deceiued except wittinglye and willinglye and that there shoulde be no excuse of ignoraunce But we sée the whole world almost to haue bene miserably deceiued as if there had neuer bene word spoken of Antichrist Furthermore in the Popedome there is nothing more of account and vsuall then that Antichrist shall come In the meane time they are so besotted that they espie not his tirannie that is yoaked vnto their necks The same thing in truth is come vnto them that was vnto the Iewes For albeit they holde the promises of the Messiah yet are they further off from Christ then if they had neuer heard of his name for the imagined Messiah which they haue fained to themselues hath vtterly tourned them awaye from the sonne of God And if any by the Lawe and the prophets go about to bring them to the knowledge of Christ he shal doo nothing but loose his labour The Papistes imagine an Antichrist which shall vexe the Church for thrée yeares and a halfe All the notes wherby the spirit of God doth point out Antichrist doo euidently appeare in the Pope but that thrée yeares Antichrist dooth hold the foolish Papists occupied least in séeing they should see Let vs remember therefore that the spirit of God did not onely shewe that Antichrist should come but together sette downe sure markes by which he might be knowen Yea euen now there are many This maye séeme to be added in stéed of a correction as if they vntruly supposed that they should be some one kingdome but it is not so They that think that ther shal be one only man they are gretly deceiued But Paul wheÌ„ he maketh meÌ„tioÌ„ of the falling away to come doth plainely witnes that ther shall be a certain bodie kingdome 2. The. 2.3 First he foretelleth the falling awaye which shall spred it selfe ouer all the church that it may be as it wer a general euil then he assigneth the general head of the Apostacie to be the aduersary of Christ which shal sit in the temple of god vsurping diuine honor to himself Except we will be blind of purpose we may learne by this discription of Paul to know Antichrist which I haue expouÌ„ded in his place now it sufficeth to touch it a little But how shall this agrée with the words of Iohn who saith that there are now manie I aunswere that Iohn meaneth nothing els then that seuerall sects begin to arise which were forerunners of the falling away For Cherinthus Basilides Martion Valentinus Ebion Arrius and the rest were members of that Kingdome which the diuell afterward set vp against Christ To speake properly Antichrist indéede was not yet come but the mysterie of his impietie did priuelye work 2. The. 2.7 But Iohn vseth this name that he might the more stirre vp the indeauour and care of the godly to beate backe their falshoods But if the spirit of God commaund the faithfull euen then to watch continually when they did onely sée a farre off the signes of the enimie to come much lesse is it now a time of sléeping when he oppresseth the Church with most cruell tyrannie and doth openly set himselfe against Christ 19 They went out from among vs. Hée preuenteth another obiection that the Church did séeme to haue begotten those mischiefes and for a time nourished them in her bosome For in truth it is of more force to trouble the weake if any one who hath professed one faith with vs doo fall away then if a thousand that are without shuld conspire against vs. He therefore so confesseth that they came out of the bosome of the Church that he yet denieth that they were euer of the Church Further the way to deduce the obiection is that the Church is alwaies subiect to this euill that is constrained to beare manye hypocrites which in truth haue not Christ howsoeuer with their mouth they professe his name for a time When he saith They went out from vs he signifieth that they did first occupie a roome in the Church and were accompted in the number of the godly Yet he denieth that they were of vs because they did falsly pretend the name of the faithfull euen as chaffe albeit it is mingled with wheate in one floore yet is not accompted to be of the wheate If they had bene of vs. He dooth openly pronounce that they wer neuer members of the church which fall away And in truth the seale of God vnder which he kéepeth his remaineth sure as Paul saith 2. Tim. 2.19 But héere ariseth an hard thing For it often falleth out that manye who séemed to haue imbraced Christ doo fall awaye I aunswere that there are thrée sorts of them that professe Christ For there are which doo but counterfaite godlynesse while yet an euill conscience dooth inwardly conuince them The hypocrisie of others is more deceiptfull which doo not onelye indeauour to make a vaine shewe before men but shut their eyes that they maye séeme to themselues to worshippe GOD aright The thirde haue a liuely roote of Faith and they carrie in their hearts firmely grounded a witnesse of their adoption The two first degrées haue not any thing of assurance of the last Iohn speaketh when hée saith it is not possible they shoulde be alienated from the Church nor can the seale which God hath imprinted in their heartes bée taken awaye The incorruptible séede that hath taken roote can not bée plucked vp nor abolished And héere the question is not of the constancie of men but of the constancie of GOD whose election must néedes bée sure Wherefore hée sayeth not without cause where the callyng of GOD is effectuall that there is a sure perseueraunce In summe he meaneth that they were neuer rightly indued with the knowledge of Christ which fall away but had onely a light and vncertaine tast That they might be made knowen Hée sheweth that examination is necessarie and profitable for the Church Wherevpon it foloweth on the contrarie that it is no iust cause
and to this ende he was sent of his father and by faith we are made pertakers of the righteousnesse of Christ Therefore whosoeuer beléeueth in Christ it is of necessitie that he be purged from sinnes But whereas our Sauiour Christ is sayde in another place to take awaye sinnes because by his death he hath purged them least they should be laid to our charge before God Iohn 1.29 In this place Iohn meaneth that truly and in very déed as they say Christ taketh away sinnes because by him our olde man is crucified Rom. 6.6 And his spirit doth mortifie our flesh with the corrupt affections thereof by repentance Neither doth the course of the text suffer to expoūd it of remission For so as I haue said he reasoneth that they which cease not to sin do make frustrate the benefit of Christ séeing he came that he might destroy the kingdome of sinne And that is referred to sanctification of the spirit There is no sinne in him He speketh not héere of Christs person but of his whole bodie Whether so euer Christ hath shed out his power he denieth that there is anye more place for sinne Therefore he straight gathereth that they sin not which abide in Christ For if by faith he dwell in vs he perfourmeth that his worke that he may purge vs from sinne Wherevpon it appeareth what it is to sinne For Christ doth not renewe vs perfectly in one day or moment with his spirit but he continueth the renuing that is begun in part all the life long It cannot therfore be but the faithfull shuld be subiect to sinne so long as they liue in the worlde But forasmuch as Christs kingdome doeth flourish in them sinne is abolished In the mean time they are accompted off according to the principall parte that is that they are called iust said to liue iustly because with a sincere affection of the hart they labour after righteousnesse They are sayd not to sin because albeit they fall by the infirmitie of the flesh yet they doo not consent vnto sinne but rather striue with griefe of heart that they may truly say with Paule they doo the euill which they would not Rom. 7.19 The faithfull he saith doo abide in Christ because by faith wée are grafted into him and are made one with him 6 Whosoeuer sinneth hath not seene him Hée hath according to his woont annexed the contrarie parte that wée maye knowe that the faith and knowledge of Christ is falsly pretended without newnes of lyfe For Christ is no where idle where he raigneth but sheweth foorth the power of his spirite And it is said alreadie that it is his office to put sinne to slight no otherwise then the Sun driueth away the clowdes with his brightnesse And we are taught again by this place how liuelye and effectuall a thing the knowledge of Christ is which indéede dooth transforme vs into his Image So by Affection and Knowledge there is no other thing ment then faith 7 Little children let no man deceiue you he that doth righteousnesse is righteous euen as he is righteous 8 Hee that committeth sinne is of the Diuell because the Diuell sinneth from the beginning For this purpose was the sonne of God made manifest that he might loose the workes of the Diuell 9 Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remaineth in him neyther canne hee sinne because hee is borne of God 10 In this are the children of God knowen and the children of the Diuell 7 HE that dooth righteousnesse The Apostle teacheth in this place that the newnesse of lyfe must be made knowen by good works and that the lykenesse wherof hée hadde spoken which is betwixt Christ and his members can not stande excepte it bring foorth the fruite As if hée hadde sayde Séeing it dooth become vs to bée lyke vnto Christ let the truth witnesse of this thing appeare in our lyfe This exhortation is all one with that of Paules in the 5. to the Galathians vearse 25. If you liue in the Spirite walke also in the Spirite For many would gladly perswade themselues that they haue righteousnesse hidde in their hearts while their féete their hands their tongues eyes are let loose to iniquitie 8 Hee that committeth sinne Also this worde to Commit is referred to the outwarde déedes that the meaning may bée that there is no lyfe of God and of Christ where men behaue themselues leawdly and wickedlye but rather suche are the bonde slaues of the Diuell By which speach he more fully expresseth how farre they disagrée from Christ For euen as first he hadde sette foorthe Christ the Fountaine of all righteousnesse so nowe also on the contrarye he assigneth the Diuell to bée the heade of sinne Hée denyeth that anye man dooth belonge to Christ but hée that is righteous and approoueth himselfe to bée such a one by his workes now he sendeth all other into the diuels fellowship and casteth them vnder his dominion that we may know that Sathan dooth exercise tyrannie where the righteousnesse of Christ dooth not beare the swaye And yet there are not to be imagined with the Maniches two beginnings one against another for we know that the Diuel is euill not by nature creation but by the iniquitie of his owne falling away We knowe further that he is not equall with God that he should contend with him in a like power but that hée is forced manger his téeth that hée cannot doo anye thing except at the will and assignment of his creatour Finally when Iohn saith Some are borne of God and some are of the Diuell he faineth no propagation as the Maniches did dreame but he meaneth that the first are gouerned by the Spirite of Christ and the others are vyolently carryed of Sathan as God hath giuen him this power against vnbeleeuers Because the Diuell sinneth from the beginning Euen as before he spake not only of Christes person when he sayd hée was righteous but didde assigne him to bée the cause and Fountaine of righteousnesse so nowe when hée sayth the Diuell sinneth hée comprehendeth his whole bodie that is all reprobates As if hée had sayde this is the diuells propertie that he force vnto sinne Wherevpon it followeth that they are his members and are led of him whosoeuer delight in sinne Further this Beginning whereof the Apostle maketh mention is not of eternitie as when he teacheth that the word was from the beginning For there is great oddes betwéene God and creatures The beginning in God is without time Wherefore séeing the word was euer with God thou shalt not finde any instant of time wherin it began to be but it is of necessitie that thou come to very eternitie it selfe And héere Iohn meaneth nothing els but that the diuell was an Apostata immediatelye after the creation of the worlde and from thence hath neuer ceased to spreade abroade his poyson amongest men For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God Hée repeateth
but yet albeit the visible beames doe not pearce through vnto vs in this same we are satisfied that the Sun yéeldeth out the vse of his shining vnto vs. So after that our fayth is established in Christ certayne thinges maye come to passe which maye helpe it yet in the meane time it resteth in the alone grace of Iesus Christ 15 Is a manslayer To the end hée maye stirre vs the more vnto loue he sheweth how detestable a thing before God hatred is Ther is no man but he abhorreth man slaughter yea wée al hold the verie name to be execrable And the apostle sheweth that they are al manslayers which hate theyr bretheren Hée coulde not speake anie thing more bitterlie and yet this is not hyperbolical For whō we hate we could affoord that he perished And it is no matter if one kéepe his hands from the euill For the verie desire is condempned before God as much as is the practise Yea also when we our selues do not desire to do hurt if yet we desire that some euil may come vnto our brother from other wher euen then also we are manslaiers Therfore the Apostle doeth define the matter euen as it is where he giueth the name of manslaughter to hatred Wherby is conuinced the foolishnesse of men because when they doe euen loath the name they make almost no account of the fault it selfe And whence is that Euen because the outward face of things doth occupie all our sences before God the inwarde affection is regarded Wherefore least anye doe anye more lessen so excéeding an euill let vs learne to call backe our iudgements to the iudgement feate of God 16 By this wee knowe Now he sheweth what is true loue For it were not inoughe to prayse it excepte the power of it were knowen And hée setteth forth a perfect rule of loue in the example of Christ because in not sparing his owne lyfe hée made it knowen howe much hée loued vs. Therefore hée biddeth vs labour to this point The summe is that therein is our loue commended if wée transferre the loue of our selues vnto our bretheren So as euerie one after a sorte forgetting himselfe take care for others It is indéede most certaine that wée are not farre vnlyke vnto Christ but the Apostle doeth commend vnto vs imitation because albeit we attain not vnto him yet it is good that wée followe his steppes a farre off Indéede when the Apostle giueth counsaile to hypocrites that they cast awaye vaine boasting which bragge that they haue the fayth of Christ without brotherlye loue hée doeth shewe that excepte this desire doeth preuayle in our heartes wée haue nothing to doe with Christ Neyther yet as I sayde doeth hée so set before vs the loue of Christ that hée requireth an equall loue of vs. For what shoulde that bée else but a driuing of all at once to desperation But so he will haue our affections framed that wée maye desire to bestowe both our life and death first to the glorie of God and then to the good of our neighbour There is another difference betwixt vs and Christ that there cannot bée the same power of our death For neither is the wrath of God pacified by our bloud nor lyfe attayned vnto by our death nor the debt of others is paide But the Apostle by this comparison did not respect what was the end or effect of the death of Christ but he onelye woulde that our lyfe should be conformed to his example 17 If anie haue this worlds good Nowe he preacheth of the common offices of loue which procéed from that chiefe fountaine that is when we are prepared to reache out our selues euen vnto death for our brethren Albeit he séemeth to reason from the more to the lesse For he that refuseth to ease the want of his brother with his good while his life is not touched much lesse will he bestowe his lyfe Therefore hée denyeth that there is loue in vs if we leaue our bretheren destitute of our helpe But he accompteth so highly of externall liberalitie that together he sheweth most fitly what is the true way to do well what kinde of affectiō ought to guide the same Let therfore this be the first proposition That no man doth truly loue the brethren but hée wil shew forth the same in effect as oft as occasion doth require Another how much riches anie man hath accordingly he is bound to reléeue the brethren because the Lord by this meanes doth minister vnto vs matter to exercise our loue The third that euery ones necessitie is to be cōsidered because as euerye one néedeth meate drinke or anye other thing wherof we haue store he doeth euen so craue our duetie The fourth that ther is no liberality doth please god except it be ioyned Te Sumpatheia to a cōpassion many séeme to be liberall which yet are not anye whit touched with the miseries of their brethren But the Apostle biddeth vs to open our bowells which is done when wée put vpon vs almost the same féeling that we may bewaile together the euills of others no other waies then as our owne The loue of God Heare the question is of the loue of brethren Therfore why doth he name the loue of God Verily the principle must be kept that it cannot be but it is the loue of God shoulde beget in vs the loue of our bretheren And by this meanes God taketh an experience of our loue towardes him while he commaundeth vs to loue men for his sake as it is in the 16. Psalme My dooing well extendeth not vnto thée but my will and my desire is vnto the Saints which are in the earth 18 Let vs not loue in word Ther is a granting in this first part For we cannot loue onely with the tongue but because manye doe fasly boast of this the Apostle giueth the name of the thing to their dissimulation as vseth often to be done Albeit in the other part he reproueth their vanitie when he denieth that it is the truth except it be in déede For thus the words are to be resolued let vs not professe with tongue that we loue but let vs approue it by déede because this is the ryght condition of loue 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth shal perswade our hearts before him 20 But if our heartes accuse vs truely God is greater then our hearts knoweth all things 21 Beloued if our hearts accuse vs not wee haue trust towards God 22 And if we aske anie thing we receiue it of him because we keepe his commandements and doe those things that are pleasaunt before him 19 HE taketh the name of Truth héere in another sence but it is an excellent giuing of a name that if we loue our bretheren truely we haue héereby a testimonie that we are borne of God who is the truth or that the truth of God hath place in vs. But let vs alwayes remember that we haue not