Greetings!

To Continue:

1 John 2:18-19

18. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that
antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we
know that it is the last time.

18. Filioli, novissima hora est; et sicut audistis quod Antichristus
venturus sit, etiam nunc Antichristi multi coeperunt esse: unde scimus
esse novissimam horam.

19. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had
been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went
out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

19. Ex nobis egressi sunt, sed non erant ex nobis; nam si fuissent ex
nobis, permansissent utique nobiscum; sed ut manifesti fierent quod non
erant omnes ex nobis.


18 It is the last time, or hour. He confirms the faithful against
offenses by which they might have been disturbed. Already many sects
had risen up, which rent the unity of faith and caused disorder in the
churches. But the Apostle not only fortifies the faithful, lest they
should falter, but turns the whole to a contrary purpose; for he
reminds them that the last time had already come, and therefore he
exhorts them to a greater vigilance, as though he had said, "Whilst
various errors arise, it behooves you to be awakened rather than to be
overwhelmed; for we ought hence to conclude that Christ is not far
distant; let us then attentively look for him, lest he should come upon
us suddenly." In the same way it behooves us to comfort ourselves at
this day, and to see by faith the near advent of Christ, while Satan is
causing confusion for the sake of disturbing the Church, for these are
the signs of the last time.

But so many ages having passed away since the death of John, seem to
prove that this prophecy is not true: to this I answer, that the
Apostle, according to the common mode adopted in the Scripture,
declares to the faithful, that nothing more now remained but that
Christ should appear for the redemption of the world. But as he fixes
no time, he did not allure the men of that age by a vain hope, nor did
he intend to cut short in future the course of the Church and the many
successions of years during which the Church has hitherto remained in
the world. And doubtless, if the eternity of God's kingdom be borne in
mind, so long a time will appear to us as a moment. We must understand
the design of the Apostle, that he calls that the last time, during
which all things shall be so completed, that nothing will remain except
the last revelation of Christ.

As ye have heard that antichrist will come He speaks as of a thing well
known. We may hence conclude that the faithful had been taught and
warned from the beginning respecting the future disorder of the Church,
in order that they might, carefully keep themselves in the faith they
professed, and also instruct posterity in the duty of watchfulness. For
it was God's will that his Church should be thus tried, lest any one
knowingly and willingly should be deceived, and that there might be no
excuse for ignorance. But we see that almost the whole world has been
miserably deceived, as though not a word had been said about
Antichrist.

Moreover, under the Papacy there is nothing more notorious and common
than the future coming of Antichrist; and yet they are so stupid, that
they perceive not that his tyranny is exercised over them. Indeed, the
same thing happens altogether to them as to the Jews; for though they
hold the promises respecting the Messiah, they are yet further away
from Christ than if they had never heard his name; for the imaginary
Messiah, whom they have invented for themselves, turns them wholly
aside from the Son of God; and were any one to shew Christ to them from
the Law and the Prophets, he would only spend his labor in vain. The
Popes have imagined an Antichrist, who for three years and a half is to
harass the Church. All the marks by which the Spirit of God has pointed
out Antichrist, clearly appear in the Pope; but the triennial
Antichrist lays fast hold on the foolish Papists, so that seeing they
do not see. Let us then remember, that Antichrist has not only been
announced by the Spirit of God, but that also the marks by which he may
be distinguished have been mentioned.

Even now are there many antichrists. This may seem to have been added
by way of correction, as they falsely thought that it would be some one
kingdom; but it is not so. They who suppose that he would be only one
man, are indeed greatly mistaken. For Paul, referring to a future
defection, plainly shows that it would be a certain body or kingdom. (2
Thessalonians 2:3.) He first predicts a defection that would prevail
through the whole Church, as a universal evil; he then makes the head
of the apostasy the adversary of Christ, who would sit in the temple of
God, claiming for himself divinity and divine honors. Except we desire
willfully to err, we may learn from Paul's description to know
Antichrist. That passage I have already explained; it is enough now
touch on it by the way.

But how can that passage agree with the words of John, who says that
there were already many antichrists? To this I reply, that John meant
no other thing than to say, that some particular sects had already
risen, which were forerunners of a future Antichrist; for Cerinthus,
Basilides, Marcion, Valentinus, Ebion, Arrius, and others, were members
of that kingdom which the Devil afterwards raised up in opposition to
Christ. Properly speaking, Antichrist was not yet in existence; but the
mystery of iniquity was working secretly. But John uses the name, that
he might effectually stimulate the care and solicitude of the godly to
repel frauds.

But if the Spirit of God even then commanded the faithful to stand on
their watch, when they saw at a distance only signs of the coming
enemy, much less is it now a time for sleeping, when he holds the
Church under his cruel and oppressive tyranny, and openly dishonors
Christ.

19 They went out from us He anticipates another objection, that the
Church seemed to have produced these pests, and to have cherished them
for a time in its bosom. For certainly it serves more to disturb the
weak, when any one among us, professing the true faith, falls away,
than when a thousand aliens conspire against us. He then confesses that
they had gone out from the bosom of the Church; but he denies that they
were ever of the Church. But the way of removing this objection is, to
say, that the Church is always exposed to this evil, so that it is
constrained to bear with many hypocrites who know not Christ, really,
however much they may by the mouth profess his name.

By saying, They went out from us, he means that they had previously
occupied a place in the Church, and were counted among the number of
the godly. He, however, denies that they were of them, though they had
assumed the name of believers, as chaff though mixed with wheat on the
same floor cannot yet be deemed wheat.

For if they had been of us He plainly declares that those who fell away
had never been members of the Church. And doubtless the seal of God,
under which he keeps his own, remains sure, as Paul says, (2 Timothy
2:19.) But here arises a difficulty, for it happens that many who
seemed to have embraced Christ, often fall away. To this I answer, that
there are three sorts of those who profess the Gospel; there are those
who feign piety, while a bad conscience reproves them within; the
hypocrisy of others is more deceptive, who not only seek to disguise
themselves before men, but also dazzle their own eyes, so that they
seem to themselves to worship God aright; the third are those who have
the living root of faith, and carry a testimony of their own adoption
firmly fixed in their hearts. The two first have no stability; of the
last John speaks, when he says, that it is impossible that they should
be separated from the Church, for the seal which God's Spirit engraves
on their hearts cannot be obliterated; the incorruptible seed, which
has struck roots, cannot be pulled up or destroyed.

He does not speak here of the constancy of men, but of God, whose
election must be ratified. He does not then, without reason declare,
that where the calling of God is effectual, perseverance would be
certain. He, in short, means that they who fall away had never been
thoroughly imbued with the knowledge of Christ, but had only a light
and a transient taste of it.

That they might be made manifest He shews that trial is useful and
necessary for the Church. It hence follows, on the other hand, that
there is no just cause for perturbation. Since the Church is like a
threshing-floor, the chaff must be blown away that the pure wheat may
remain. This is what God does, when he casts out hypocrites from the
Church, for he then cleanses it from refuse and filth.