Commentary on 1 John and Jude, Letter
An Epiſtle of M. Ihon Caluin, containyng diuers neceſſarie poinctes of knowledge tendyng to conſtancie in the truthe in the tyme of affliction: written to a Freend. Caluin. N.S.D. To certaine controuerſies of godly Bretheren.
THE calamitie of ye Church N. doeth not a little greeue vsus: but becauſe God doeth now ſeeme to looſe the races of Sathan and the wicked, that he maie exercize thoſe that bee his, we muſt paciently beare our eſtate. In the meane tyme he is to be intreated, that for his mercies ſake he will ſpare ye weakneſſe of his tender and little flocke. But who ſo thinketh that it goeth miſerablie with the Churche, ſo often as it is aſſailed with the furie or cruell violence of enemies, doe not yet knowe the very ground of Chriſtiā warfare. Hence is that doubtfulneſſe that hath crept into the myndes of many, and now doeth poſſeſſe them. Whether it bee lawfull for the godlie to hauehave ſecrete meetynges, and in the night. For wee ſee that iudgement is cheefly giuen by the ſucceſſe, then the whiche, there is nothing more out of order. Of late whē without daunger thei might come together, thei alſo thought that without all controuerſie their obedience was acceptable to God: now when trouble is ſprong vp, doe thei diſpute whether thei ſuffer puniſhment for their raſhneſſe? By this meanes will ſhortly be condemned the confeſſion of faithe, whiche doeth more kindle the rage of the wicked. Finally, according to theſe Iudgers it will not be good to folowe Chriſt, except in proſperitie. Paule did not without cauſe,Galat. 4.29. place the ſcoffings of Iſraell in the higheſt degree of perſecution: becauſe therein is more daunger by deriding, and reproches, then by armed crueltie. If the wicked ſee vsus preſſed with aduerſitie, thei triumph at our afflictions. Here if our cōſtancie doth begin to quaile, thei hurt more greeuouſly with their wordes then with ſworde. But that ſaiyng of Paule was to be held: becauſe we truſt in the liuing God, wee muſt not onelyonly ſuffer perſecution, but ſlaunders. Let vsus therefore call to remembraunce the example of Chriſt, whom Sathan laboured to wound with his venemous Darte. He truſted in God, let hym deliuer hym if he will, leaſt we ſtumble ſo oft as we ſéeme to be giuen vntounto the deſire of the enemies. But if at the firſt puſhe the Bretheren be either feared or diſquieted, it is your duetie to ſtaie them vp, leaſt thei fall doune, or alſo to raiſe them vp, that thei maie againe recouer their ſtrength: and not therfore to faile from their godlie endeuour, becauſe it gaue the wicked an occaſion to be cruell. For if the matter be weighed by it ſelf, the aunſwere will be plaine, that their priuate and ſecrete meetynges, were not laied to the Apoſtles charge for a fault. The malicious enemies might then alſo obiect, that men and women could not come together in the night and ſecretly without ſuſpition. And there is no doubte but thei were burdened with many ſlaunders: and when a Gariſon of Souldiers kept watch at Ieruſalem, this might ſeeme to be contrary to the publique peace. And yet they ceaſed not for all that.Act. 12.12. We ſee that when Peter was taken priſoner, thei were gathered together in the houſe of a widowe. Neither is it needefull here to gather examples, becauſe it is knowne to hauehave béen in daiely vſe with them: as Hiſtories witneſſe, that the godly Martirs hauehave had caues for their Churches. All be it this was ſubiect to no ſmal reproof, that thei might bee ſuſpected either of theft, or of ſome other wickedneſſe: yet becauſe neceſſitie did ſo enforce, thei deſpiſed with valiaunt myndes the reproches whiche thei knewe to be commonly ſpread. So now our bretheren are armed with a moſte excellent defence, if Magiſtrates will ſuffer them freely and openly to call vppon the name of God, that thei will then gladly come abroade, nor will thei doe any thyng in ſecrete: but becauſe by their tyrannie thei are forbid, yet that thei follow that meane whiche is moſte farre from tumulte. The ſame is to bee thought of Matrimonie, whoſe bleſſyng (as thei call it) in the Papacie is meere prophanation. And yet in reſpect of politicall order, it can not be called a ſecrete Mariage, whereof there is a Regeſter kept. But that ye holineſſe thereof ſhould be polluted and defiled with ſuperſtitions, is by no meanes to be ſuffred. All be it night Burialles are not without cauſe condemned by the Lawes: yet in vaine doe thei cloake their delicateneſſe, who in the Burialles of their freends, do wrapp and intangle them ſelues with old Sacriledges. The ſame reaſon ought to holde in Baptiſme. For all be it there bee before them a moſte preſent daunger, yet will not that therefore be lawfull, whiche God doeth manifeſtly forbid. We knowe that in the Papacie Baptiſme is corrupted with many defilynges, and is almoſte adulterated. If no feare hinder, it wil eaſily bee agreed vntounto among all the godlie, that it is not lawfull for Fathers to offer their childrē to a defiled Baptiſme. Therfore, to take an excuſe by the daunger is too friuolous, as if the matter it ſelf ſhould thereby chaunge the nature thereof. For wee knowe that the teſtimonie of Godlineſſe is more worth before God, then that it ought to giuegive place either to threatninges, or terrors, at the leaſt where feare doeth vrge vsus to diſſimulation, whiche is a ſecrete approuing of that which is euill. Wherefore, as for charities ſake wee lament together with our Bretheren: ſo it is not in our power to free them from the inſoluble lawe of God, whiche by no meanes maie bee broken.Exod. 1.17. And if the Iewiſhe women in tymes paſt did not feare in Egipt, to deliuer the children of other men from the ſworde of Pharao, to put their owne liues into daunger, it is foule for parentes to bee amazed with feare, that ſo muche as in them lieth, thei defile the ſoules of their children. Theſe thynges I hauehave breefly written to you accordyng to the iudgement of our companie, good ſir, and right reuerende Brother, the Lorde guide you alwaies with his Spirit, bleſſe your holy labours, and keepe you in ſafetie with the Churche committed to your charge. My fellowe labourers alſo doe hartely ſalute you. At Geneua.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Calvin, Commentary on 1 John and Jude (1580)