those open and atrocious blasphemies against God with which the world is wholly filled. Wherefore, there is the greatest need to pray that the Father may be glorified; that is, that he may be known by the preaching of the Gospel, and be thereby honoured as he desires and ought to be honoured; that all erroneous doctrines and false worshippings of God, together with all human traditions and dreams, may cease and be abolished; and that the Gospel alone may prevail and shine.

From this view of things you may see, how the heart of the Lord Christ burns, and with what ardent feelings of his inmost soul he utters this prayer.-It grieves him that the most holy name of God should be obscured in such darkness, and that the whole world should lie in unbelief and blindness of mind: and so deeply does he grieve, that he desires speedy death, and to endure every kind of insult and ignominy, so that the honour of the Father's name might be vindieated, and his glory brought forth to the light.

But, as I have already observed, the Father cannot be glorified, unless the Son be first glorified. That is, unless the Holy Spirit first come and preach the Gospel, without which, no one can know the Father. For, before that, he can only be preached and known as a rewarder and dealer in good works, and as one who is to look upon us according to our religion and holiness. But this is to praise, not the Father, but ourselves and our own merits. Whereas, when Christ desires to be glorified by the Father, and to glorify the Father in return, it is, that men, leaving all confidence in themselves, should glory only in his grace and benefits.

Such words as these, therefore, does Christ speak for our sakes, to strengthen our faith against the greatest offence that can be opposed to the Gospel in the world. For it brings no small grief to Christians, that they hear and see the name of God blasphemed and insulted on every side, while he himself also permits his Christians to be oppressed by persecutions and driven to every extremity, and so carries himself as though he could not bring them any help, or would not,

in order that the world might fiercely triumph over them and shout the song of victory. Hence it is, that Christ not only prays for himself, but that he might be glorified in all and by all that believe in him, and that he might glorify the Father: who, being gained over and softened by this prayer, still now and then displays the same power in Christians which he openly manifested in Christ himself; to the intent, that as he was glorified by him, so also he might be glorified by us.

Therefore although we may suffer many afflictions, and may die for his Word's sake, yet, through this ignominy of death, this turpitude, and this bitterness, we shall pass away into eternal glory. On the other hand, our enemies, although they now rule and lord it over all things, shall at last be cast down from on high, and shall ignominiously go away into eternal disgrace. And this has been abundantly fulfilled in the most evident examples; and the same has been testified by experience down from the times of the apostles in many martyrs. And John Huss also was most ignominiously condemned in the council of Constance, and put to death; yet he has obtained these honours;-the Word which he taught has openly come forth and now shines throughout the world, condemning and shaming Popery with all its honours, pomp, and riches.

And the same also shall come upon all our enraged enemies who wish to suppress the Gospel and to extirpate Christians, a great part of whom they have already burnt and murdered. For, kings and potentates much more powerful and fierce than they are, have come to destruction, and have been hurled headlong to perdition for the Gospel's sake, which they would not endure; in a comparison with whom, all the princes of this day would appear but as the common beggars of the street. How often was the Roman Empire terribly laid waste, plundered, harassed, and overthrown, at the times when it thought itself the most powerful and most secure, while it knew not how to cease from blaspheming and raging, and venting its fury against Christians, and from shedding their blood? And all those tyrants and perse

cutors, to a man, fell by a base and ignominious death: so that now, nothing is more disgustful, impure, detestable, and contemptible, than the sound of their names; whereas, the names of the holy martyrs shine and are held in honour. And why?-This prayer is heard, and has weight and power with God, breaking in pieces all the rage and power of the whole world. And, in a word, as this glorifying or magnifying began, the same power and effects does it still shew forth in Christendom, through the influence and efficacy of this prayer.

This also is to be observed from this passage-that Christ hereby declares of himself, that he alone is that Man through whom the Father is to be glorified. By this, he wishes to take from the Jews, his people, who had the law and the worship of God, their glory, and their boasting in their own righteousness; that they might know, that neither of these things contain that whereby the Father can be glorified, or whereby any one can attain unto the knowledge of grace, and unto that righteousness which will avail before God. For if the glorifying and knowledge of God could have been known and revealed by the law, there would have been no need of the coming, the preaching, the suffering, and the death of Christ, much less would they have been necessary that he might glorify the Father. And by this same saying, he also benefits us; that we might learn, in what way God must be sought and apprehended by us, if we would do it aright, and how we are to hold communication with him.-For to glorify the Father, (as I have already observed,) is to know and to apprehend who he is, and how his will is inclined toward us. Unto this knowledge, no one can attain or arrivé, but through Christ; for he will manifest himself no where but through and in him, so as for us to discover his heart and will.-In Christ we see nothing but ineffable love, and inexhaustible grace; and, on the contrary, out of him, nothing but wrath and indignation, or that in which there is no mercy. And, to sum up the whole in a few words, whoever seeks God, or de

sires to serve him, otherwise than in Christ,- that man will not find God, nor serve the true God!

Wherefore, I have continually protested and declared, that whoever desires to walk safely, must beware of all those high imaginations and contemplations, whereby we attempt to seek God in the divine majesty without any medium, and wish to search into his works, will, and counsel, and then run away with some very deep and especial revelations; because, by such we are not only deceived and seduced, but carried away and precipitated headlong into an abyss. And, it is upon this account that all other doctrines and faith throughout the whole world are damnable, of what kind soever they may be, whether of Jews, Turks, Monks, Popes, Bishops, and all the rest of them, who serve God for the sake of obtaining grace, and wiping out their sins through some other medium than through Christ; that is to say, through their own works, or their singular devotion and their spiritual thoughts. For it is irrevocably decreed of God, that he will not be known nor found, out of the one Mediator, Christ. Therefore, where Christ is not, there the true God is not, nor the true worship of God. But of this we shall say more hereafter.

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

In these words he embraces the second and third parts of his prayer: for he both gives thanks unto the Father, and shews what the Father had given him, as the reason why he extended his prayer over the whole world. For you plainly hear, that he did not pray for himself that he might have all the glory to himself, but that he might benefit and serve us unto our attainment of eternal life. And it is on this account that he glories, that power is given unto him of the Father over all flesh; that is, over all who are in the earth, the great, the mighty, the possessors of wealth, and the highest in honour; and that his design is, and that he is able, to

honour his miserable followers who cleave unto him and who are loaded with shame and ignominy, so highly, as to bring them to the enjoyment of an eternal and immortal life. I have (saith he) all kings, and princes, and whatsoever liveth in the flesh, in my hand, that I might have it in my power to deliver my Christians from sin, death, and all evils; nor is any thing wanting, except that this is not yet made manifest while I thus remain in this infirmity and ignominy; wherefore, I pray, that thou wouldst glorify me, that I might be able to make this plain and openly manifest.

Here, then, centres all our hope, consolation, and trust that we, who believe in Christ and cleave to his word, are his own, whom the Father gave unto him as his peculiar portion. And Christ has undertaken the care of us, to defend and keep us; that, how high soever the world may be above us in honour, in dignity, in glory, and in power, yet, it might still be compelled to remain in the powerful hand of Christ, that it might not be able to hurt us, and that the more determinately and deeply it may oppress us, he might with the greater display of power bring us forth into eternal life.

Therefore, our hands should be lifted up without intermission, and God be unceasingly praised, and thanks be rendered unto him, that he has condescended to make us of that number of those who are "his own:" since we know, that we have his Word, and for its sake suffer persecution and have the world our enemy: for he that is certain and persuaded of this, ought to entertain no doubt that he is of that flock for whom eternal life is prepared and ordained.

And finally, you may draw this inference and conclusion-that, since it is the work and gift of Christ that we should be brought unto eternal life, it will certainly so be, that the whole world, with all their wisdom, power, dignity, and honours, will, for our sakes, fall into everlasting shame, and that our weakness and helplessness will be exalted to inestimable glory. And this, Christ made abundantly manifest in his enemies when he arose from the deepest ignominy to the highest glory.