BOOK 5. THE MESSAGE.
CHAPTER 4.
5.4.1. Of the Fourth year of Christ's Ministry, and generally of his actings in that year.
Of the Fourth year of Christ's Ministry, and generally of his actings in that year.
This was the last year of Christ's ministry, in which were thousands of passages: The evangelist John relates more of Christ this year than in all the former, and if I studied not brevity, we might dwell more on his actings for us this year, than hitherto we have done from the beginning of his ministry: now it was that he was transfigured, now it was that he instituted that sacrament called "the Lord's supper," now it was that after supper, he made his farewell sermon, rarely mixed of sadness and joys, and studded with mysteries as with emeralds; now it was that after sermon he blessed his disciples and prayed for them; and then having sung an hymn, he went out into the mount of Olives, where, in a garden he began his sufferings. On these passages I thought to have enlarged, but I see the book swells under my hands, and now that I am drawing near Christ's sufferings, I shall only touch one point, which hitherto I have pretermitted, and is the most comprehensive of any passage I can touch.
Many questions are about the holiness, or righteousness, or obedience of Christ; as, whether it belongs to us? And whether it be the matter of our justification? And, whether Christ was bound to observe the law of works, as a Mediator, or only as a mere man? And, whether we are not justified by the passive righteousness of Christ only? And seeing now we are discovering Christ's actings, in reference to our soul's salvation, we cannot pass this main business, whereof much relates to Christ's life, as well as to his conception, or birth, or death, or sufferings.