A17649:94
The commentaries of M. John Calvin upon the first Epistle of Saint John, and…The comentaries of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the first Epistle of Sainct Ihon, and…
The commentaries of M. John Calvin upon the first Epistle of Saint John, and upon the Epistle of Jude wherein according to the truth of the words of the holy Ghost, he most excellently openeth and cleareth the point of true justification with God, and sanctification by the Spirit of Christ, by the effects that he bringeth forth in the regeneration. Translated into English by W.H.The comentaries of M. Iohn 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.
London: printed by John Kyngstone and T. East for John Harrison the younger, 1580London: printed by Ihon Kyngstone and T. East for Iohn Harrison the yonger, 1580
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Your sins are forgiven you. Without this trust the appearance of holiness will be nothing else but inconstant and vain. Yea, they that setting aside the forgiveness of sins, do rest in other duties, do build without a foundation. In the mean time John doth teach, that there is nothing more fit to stir men up to the fear of GOD, then while they are truly taught what good they have received by Christ, as Paul Ph. 2.1. doth beseech them by the bowels of the mercy of God: By which appeareth how lewd is that slander of the Papists, who say, that the desire of well doing waxeth cold, while that ⟨p. 25⟩is extolled, which only maketh obedient children to God. For thence he taketh occasion to exhort, because we know that God is so loving unto us, that he doeth not impute our sins unto us.
Your sinnes are forgiuen you. Without this trust the appearaunce of holinesse will be nothing else but inconstaunt and vaine. Yea, they that setting aside the forgiuenesse of sinnes, doe rest in other duties, doe builde without a foundation. In the meane time Iohn doth teach, yt there is nothing more fit to stirre men vp to the feare of GOD, then while they are truely taught what good they haue receiued by Christ, as Paul Ph. 2.1. doth beséech them by the bowells of the mercie of God: By which appeareth how lewd is that slaunder of the Papistes, who saye, that the desire of well doing waxeth colde, while that ⟨p. 25⟩is extolled, which only maketh obedient children to God. For thence he taketh occasion to exhort, because we know that God is so louing vnto vs, that he doeth not impute our sinnes vnto vs.
For his name. The material cause is assigned, least we should feel other means to reconcile us to God. For it will not be enough to hold, that God forgiveth our sins, except we come rightly to Christ, and to that price which he paid for us upon the cross. And that is so much the more to be observed, because we see this way stopped up by the craft of Satan and vile inventions of men: While foolish men go about to please God by divers satisfactions, and invent innumerable kinds of reconcilements to redeem them selves. For how many means we bring in before God to deserve pardon, by so many stops are we driven from his presence. Therefore John not content with this simple Doctrine, that God forgiveth us our sins, addeth by name, that he is favourable to us in respect of Christ, that he may shut out all other means. And that we may enjoy this benefit, it is of necessity also that we pass by and forget all other means, and embrace only the name of Christ.