A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

And for the witnessing of Jesus Christ. Here John doth note more specially the cause of his banishment, to wit, for testifying the history and doctrine of the gospel, the sum whereof is this, That Jesus Christ, the Son of Mary, is the Son of God, and redeemer of all that believe in him to the justification of life. This testimony S. John puts down, to give us to understand, what part of Gods word that is, which is most hated of the world: and for the preaching whereof Gods ministers are persecuted and banished, to wit, the gospel of Jesus Christ especially: for the law is in part natural, but the gospel is supernatural, and to mans reason absurd; for the preaching whereof, men in all ages have been persecuted. The reason hereof is this, God in the beginning made a covenant with man, promising, That the seed of the woman should break the serpents head. ¹Now the gospel is that glad tidings, wherein is declared, that this promised seed is come; who hath indeed bruised the head of the serpent. Hereupon the devil maligneth the gospel above all parts of Gods word, and accordingly hath laboured by all means to suppress the same; partly by persecution, as he did in the first three hundred years after Christ; and partly by bringing into the church damnable heresies, which did destroy the gospel by depraving the natures and offices of Christ, when by outward violence he could not prevail.

And for the witnessing of Iesus Christ. Here Iohn doth note more specially the cause of his banishment, to wit, for testifying the hystorie and doctrine of the gospell, the summe whereof is this, That Iesus Christ, the sonne of Marie, is the sonne of God, and redeemer of all that beleeue in him to the iustification of life. This testimonie S. Iohn puts downe, to giue vs to vnderstand, what part of Gods word that is, which is most hated of the world: and for the preaching whereof Gods ministers are persecuted and banished, to wit, the gospell of Iesus Christ especially: for the law is in part naturall, but the gospell is supernaturall, and to mans reason absurd; for the preaching whereof, men in all ages haue been persecuted. The reason hereof is this, God in the beginning made a couenant with man, promising, That the seede of the woman should breake the serpents head. ¹Now the gospell is that glad tidings, wherein is declared, that this promised seede is come; who hath indeede bruised the head of the serpent. Hereupon the diuell maligneth the gospel aboue all parts of Gods word, and accordingly hath laboured by al meanes to suppresse the same; partly by persecution, as hee did in the first three hundred yeares after Christ; and partly by bringing into the church damnable heresies, which did destroy the gospell by deprauing the natures and offices of Christ, when by outward violence he could not preuaile.