8. See John himself observing humility. Assuredly he was a righteous and a great man, who from the Lord’s bosom drank in the secrets of His mysteries; he, the man who by drinking from the Lord’s bosom indited43    Ructavit. of His Godhead, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God:” he, being such a man as this, saith not, Ye have an advocate with the Father; but, “If any man sin, an advocate,” saith he, “have we.” He saith not, ye have; nor saith, ye have me; nor saith, ye have Christ Himself: but he puts Christ, not himself, and saith, also, “We have,” not, ye have. He chose rather to put himself in the number of sinners that he might have Christ for his advocate, than to put himself in Christ’s stead as advocate, and to be found among the proud that shall be condemned. Brethren, Jesus Christ the righteous, even Him have we for our advocate with the Father; “He,” even He, “is the propitiation for our sins.” This whoso hath held fast, hath made no heresy; this whoso hath held fast, hath made no schism. For whence came schisms? When men say, “we” are righteous, when men say, “we” sanctify the unclean, “we” justify the ungodly; “we” ask, “we” obtain. But what saith John? “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” But some man will say: then do the saints not ask for us? Then do bishops and rulers not ask for the people? Yea, but mark the Scriptures, and see that rulers also commend themselves to the prayers of the people. Thus the apostle saith to the congregation, “Praying withal for us also.” 44    Col. iv. 3. The apostle prayeth for the people, the people prayeth for the apostle. We pray for you, brethren: but do ye also pray for us. Let all the members pray one for another; let the Head intercede for all. Therefore it is no marvel that he here goes on and shuts the mouths of them that divide the Church of God. For he that has said, “We have Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the propitiation for our sins:” having an eye to those who would divide themselves, and would say, “Lo, here is Christ, lo, there;”45    Matt. xxiv. 23. and would show Him in a part who bought the whole and possesses the whole, he forthwith goes on to say, “Not our sins only, but also the sins of the whole world.” What is this, brethren? Certainly “we have found it in the fields of the woods,”46    Ps. cxxxii. 6. we have found the Church in all nations. Behold, Christ “is the propitiation for our sins; not ours only, but also the sins of the whole world.” Behold, thou hast the Church throughout the whole world; do not follow false justifiers who in truth are cutters off. Be thou in that mountain which hath filled the whole earth: because “Christ is the propitiation for our sins; not only ours, but also the sins of the whole world,” which He hath bought with His blood.

8. Videte ipsum Joannem servantem humilitatem. Certe vir justus erat et magnus, qui de pectore Domini mysteriorum secreta bibebat; ille, ille qui bibendo de pectore Domini divinitatem ructavit, In principio erat Verbum, et Verbum erat apud Deum (Joan. I, 1): ille talis vir non dixit, Advocatum habetis apud Patrem; sed, Si quis peccaverit, advocatum, inquit, habemus. Non dixit, habetis; nec, me habetis, dixit; nec, ipsum Christum habetis, dixit: sed et Christum posuit, non se; et habemus dixit, non, habetis. Maluit se ponere in numero peccatorum, ut haberet advocatum Christum, quam ponere se pro 1984 Christo advocatum, et inveniri inter damnandos superbos. Fratres, Jesum Christum justum, ipsum habemus advocatum ad Patrem; ipse propitiatio est peccatorum nostrorum. Hoc qui tenuit, haeresim non fecit; hoc qui tenuit, schisma non fecit. Unde enim facta sunt schismata? Cum dicunt homines, Nos justi sumus; cum dicunt homines, Nos sanctificamus immundos, nos justificamus impios, nos petimus, nos impetramus. Joannes autem quid dixit? Et si quis peccaverit, advocatum habemus ad Patrem, Jesum Christum justum. Sed dicet aliquis: Ergo sancti non petunt pro nobis? ergo episcopi et praepositi non petunt pro populo? Sed attendite Scripturas, et videte quia et praepositi commendant se populo. Nam Apostolus dicit plebi, Orantes simul et pro nobis (Coloss. IV, 3). Orat Apostolus pro plebe, orat plebs pro Apostolo. Oramus pro vobis, fratres: sed et vos orate pro nobis. In vicem pro se omnia membra orent, caput pro omnibus interpellet. Propterea non mirum quia sequitur hic, et claudit ora dividentibus Ecclesiam Dei. Qui enim dixit , Jesum Christum habemus justum, et ipse propitiatio est peccatorum nostrorum: propter illos qui se divisuri erant, et dicturi, Ecce hic est Christus, ecce illic (Matth. XXIV, 23); et vellent ostendere eum in parte qui emit totum, et possidet totum; continuo secutus est, Non tantum nostrorum, sed et totius mundi. Quid est hoc, fratres? Certe invenimus eam in campissaltuum (Psal. CXXXI, 6), invenimus Ecclesiam in omnibus gentibus. Ecce Christus propitiatio est peccatorum nostrorum; non tantum nostrorum, sed et totius mundi. Ecce habes Ecclesiam per totum mundum; noli sequi falsos justificatores, et veros praecisores . In illo monte esto qui implevit orbem terrarum (Dan. II, 35): quia Christus propitiatio est peccatorum nostrorum; non tantum nostrorum, sed et totius mundi, quem suo sanguine comparavit.