did professe that they were of his flocke but their sodaine falling away did discouer their hypocrisie The Euangelist saith that their vnfaithfulnesse when as it was as yet hidden from others was knowen to Christe and that not so much for his sake as that wee may learne not to iudge before we knowe the truth of matters For in that Christ knew it from the beginning this was proper to his diuinitie Our condition is otherwise for because we know not the heartes wee must suspende our iudgement vntill vngodlinesse do bewray it selfe by outward signes and so the tree may be iudged by his fruites 65 And he said therefore haue I saide vnto you that no man can come vnto me vnlesse it shal be giuen him of my father 66 After that many of his disciples went backward neither did they walke any longer with him 67 Therefore Iesus said vnto the twelue will you also goe away 68 Therfore Simon Peter answered him Lorde vnto whom shall wee goe Thou hast the wordes of eternall life 69 And wee haue beleeued and knowen that thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God 70 Iesus answered them haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a Diuâ—ll 71 For he spake of Iudas Iscariot the sonne of Simon for hee was about to betray him although he was one of the twelue 65 Therefore haue I saide Hee telleth vs againe that faith is a verye rare and singuler gift of the holy ghoste least wee shoulde maruelye that the Gospell is not euerie where receiued of all men For as we are sinister interpreters wee thinke not so honourably of the Gospell as we ought because the whole worlde doeth not agree thereto For we thinke thus with our selues how can it be that the greater parte of the worlde doth reiect their owne saluation Therfore Christ as signeth the cause why the faithfull are so few because no man commeth vnto faith by his owne quicknesse of witte for all men are blinde vntyll they bee illuminated by the spirite of God and therefore they only are made partakers of so great a good thing whom God doth vouchsafe to make partakers thereof For if this grace were common to all men then shoulde mention be made hereof in this place besides the matter and out of season For we must marke Christ his drift that there are not many who beleeue the Gospell because faith proceedeth from the secrete reuelation of the spirite alone He vseth the woorde giue for that which hee said before drawe VVhereby hee meaneth that God hath none other cause to draw vs saue only because he fauoureth vs freely and of his own accorde For no man doth attaine vnto that by his owne industrie whiche we obtaine by the gift and grace of God 66 After that many of the disciples The Euangelist declareth nowe what great perturbatioÌ„ did followe that Sermon This is a very strange and horrible matter that so mercifull and gentle an inuiting of Christ could estraunge the mindes of many especially those who had giuen him their names before and were such familiar disciples of his But this example is set before vs as a glasse wherein wee may see what great wickednesse frowardnesse and vnthankfulnes there is in the worlde which findeth matter whereat to stumble euen the plaine way least it should come vnto Christ. Many would say that it had been better that no such talke had been moued which was vnto many a cause of falling away but we must thinke farre otherwise For it was requisite that that which was foretold of Christ should appeare in his doctrine and it must now dayly appeare namely that hee is a stone of offence As for vs we must so temper our doctrine that we offend none through our fault So much as in vs lyeth we must keepe all Finally we must beware least by speaking vnaduisedly we trouble the ignorant weak yet can we neuer take so good heed but that the doctrine of Christe is vnto many an occasion of offence because the reprobate being giuen ouer vnto destruction doe suck poyson out of most wholsome meate and gall out of honnie The sonne of GOD knewe well what was profitable yet wee see that hee doth not escape but he offendeth many of his Therfore howso euer many do detest pure doctrine yet is it not lawfull to suppresse the same Onely let the teachers of the Church remember Paule his admonition that the worde of God ought rightly to bee cut and then they must goe forward couragiously through all manner of stumbling blockes And if sobeit it chaunce that many doe fall away let the worde of the Lorde be neuer a whit the lesse sauourye in our mouthes because it doth not please the reprobate for they are too daintie faint hearted whom the falling away of many doth so pearce that they begin also to saint when these men fall VVhen the Euangelist addeth that they walked no longer with Christ his meaning is that their reuolting was not full but that they did only withdraw theÌ„selues froÌ„ keeping coÌ„pany with Christ. Yet doth he coÌ„demne theÌ„ as reuolts VVhence we may learne that wee cannot goe a footes breadth backward but that there stayeth for vs the steepe downefall of vnfaithfull deniall 67 Therefore Iesus saith vnto the twelue Because the Apostles faith might before shaken when as they sawe that there did only remaine suche a few of so many Christ turneth his talke vnto them and teacheth that there is no cause why they shoulde suffer themselues to be carried away with the lightnesse and inconstancie of other men For when as hee asketh them whether they also would depart or no he doth it to confirme their faith For whilest that he setteth himselfe before them with whom they may remaine he doth also exhort theÌ„ that they do not adioyn theÌ„selues vnto the reuoltes And truly if faith shal be grounded in Christ it shall not depend vpon men neither shall it euer quaile although it shall see heauen and earth go together VVe must note the circumstance that Christe beeing depriued of all his Disciples almost doth onely retaine twelue as Esay 6. 16. was commanded first to binde the testimonie seale the law in the disciples Euery one of the faithfull is taught by such examples to followe GOD although hee haue neuer a companion 68 Therefore Simon Peter answered him Simon answereth in this place as els where in the name of them all because they thought all the same saue only y t in Iudas there was no sinceritie Furthernore there are two meÌ„bers of this answer For Peter sheweth a cause why he together with his brethren doth rest vpon Christ because they perceiue that his doctrine is wholesome and liuely vnto them Secondly he confesseth that whyther soeuer they goe when as they haue left him there remaineth nothing but death VVhen as he saith the wordes of life the genetiue case is put in steede of the adiunct which is common amongest
his heauenly glory and in light which no man can attaine vnto it vanisheth away and also the flesh doth of his owne accord put into our heads a thousand immaginations which may turne vs away from beholding GOD aright Therefore Christ setteth himselfe before vs as a marke whereunto if our faith bee directed it shall finde a place in readinesse where it may rest For hee is the true Immanuel who so soone as he is sought by faith he answereth vs within This is one of the principall points of our faith that it must be directed vnto Christ alone least it wander here there that it must be staide in him least it faint in temptations And this is the true tryall of faith when as we doe neuer suffer our selues to be pulled away from Christ and the promises made in him VVhen as the popish diuines do dispute coÌ„cerning the obiect of faith or rather do bable they doe only make mention of God they haue no respect vnto Christe Those that gather wisdome out of their inuentions they must needes quaile at euery small blast Prowd men are ashamed of Christ his humilitie therefore they flie vnto the vncomprehensible power of GOD. But there shall neuer any faith come into heauen saue that which submitteth it selfe vnto Christe who appeareth to looke vnto to be an humble God neither shall faith euer bee strong vnlesse it seeke some stay in Christe his weakenesse 2 In my fathers house Because Christ his absence did cause the Disciples to sorrowe hee testifieth that he goeth not away for this cause that he may remaine separated from them because they haue a place also in the kingdome of heauen For it was requisite that this suspition shoulde betaken away that Christ did ascende vnto the father that hee myght leaue his behinde him vpon earth and not care any more for them This place was falsly wrested vnto another sense as if Christ did teach that there are distinct degrees of honour in the kingdome of heauen For he saith that there are many mansions not diuers or vnlike but suche as are sufficient for many as if he did say that there is roome there not only for himselfe but also for all his Disciples If not I had told you The interpreters doe vary heere For some doe reade it all in one text thus If there were not mansions prepared for you alreadie I would haue tolde you that I goe before to prepare them for you But I am rather of their minde who distinguish it thus If the heauenly glory were prepared for me alone I woulde not deceiue you therefore I woulde haue tolde you that there is a place prepared for none but only for mee with the father But it is otherwise for I go before you to prepare a place for you In my iudgement the text requireth that wee should reade it thus for it followeth immediately after And if I shall goe away and prepare you a place In which wordes Christe giueth vs to vnderstande that this is the ende of his departure to prepare a place for his The summe is that the sonâ—â— of God did ascende into heauen not for himselfe alone that hee may dwell there apart but rather that it may bee a common inheritaunce for all the godly and that by this meanes the head may be ioyned with the members Yet here ariseth a question in what estate the fathers were after their death before Christ ascended into heauen for they gather commonly that the faithfull soules were included in the Limbe because Christ saith that there shall a place be prepared by his ascending into heauen But we may easily answere that he saith that he will prepare this place against the day of the resurrection For mankinde is banished from the kingdome of God naturally but the sonne who is the only heyre of heauen hath taken possession in our name that we may haue accesse thereunto through him For we possesse heauen alreadie in his person through hope as Paul teacheth Ephe 1. 3. yet shall we not inioy so great a good thing vntill the same Christe appeare againe in heauen Therefore the estate of the fathers after death is not distinguished from ours in this place because Christ hath prepard a place both for them and vs into which he shall receiue vs all at the last day The faithful soules did looke vnto the promised redemption as vnto glasses before the reconciliation was finished and they enioy blessed rest now vntill the redemption be fulfilled 3 And if I shall goe away The coniunction conditionall must bee resolued in to the aduerbe of time as if he had saide after that shall goe hence I will returne to you againe This returne must not be vnderstood of the holy Ghost as if Christe did shew himselfe to the disciples againe in the holy Ghost That is true in deede that Christe dwelleth with vs and in vs by the holy spirite but he speaketh in this place of the last day of iudgement wherein he shall come at length to gather his togeather And truly he prepareth a place for vs dayly if we respect the whole body of the Church VVhereupon it followeth that the day of our entring into heauen is not yet come 4 And whither I goe Because we haue neede of no small strength that wee may patiently suffer our selues to bee so long separated from Christ there is another confirmation added that the Disciples do know that his death is no destruction but a passage vnto the father and secondly that they know the way wherin they may follow him that they may come vnto the societie of the same glory VVee must diligently note both members that we behold Christ with the eyes of faith in the heauenly glory and blessed immortalitie and secondly that wee know that hee is the first fruites of our life and that he hath set open the way before vs which was stopt before time 5 Thomas saith vnto him Although Thomas his answere seemeth to disagree with Christ his saying at the first blush yet was hee not determined any whit to discredite his master Yet the question is howe hee denieth y t which Christ affirmed I answere that there is somtimes in the saints confused knowledges because they knowe not the manner and reason of a thing that is certaine and laid open before them So the calling of the Gentiles was foretolde by the Prophetes according to the true sense of faith and yet Paul doth testifie Ephe. 3. 5. that it was vnto them an hidden mysterie Therefore forasmuch as the Apostles beleeued that Christe did flit vnto the father and yet did not knowe how he should obtaine the kingdome Thomas obiecteth for good causes that they knewe not whither he went Hee gathereth thence that the way is more obscure for before wee enter into any course we must knowe whither to goe 6 I am the way Althogh Christ answereth not directly vnto the question whiche was asked him yet he omitteth nothing which
2. Cor. 4. 4. that it is not hid but from the reprobate them that are ordained to destruction whose mindes Sathan hath blinded Also this is to be knowen that the force of lightning whereof Dauid maketh mention the familiar kinde of teaching which Isai speaketh of is properly referred to the chosē people Yet this alwaies remaineth certaine and sure that the worde of God is not obscure but as the worlde with her owne blindnesse darkeneth it but yet the Lord reserueth his mysteries so that the reprobate cānot come to the vnderstanding of them And he depriueth them of the light of his doctrine two wayes for sometime he speaketh that in Parables whiche might haue bene spoken more plainly sometime he opening his minde plainly without darke speaches and figures he dulleth their senses and amaseth them so that they cannot see in the midde day To this purpose pertaine those horrible threats in Isai 28. 11. where he threatneth that he woulde be a straunger to the people and that hee woulde speake wyth a straunge and vnknowen language that the visions of the Prophetes should be to the learned as a booke shutte and sealed wherin they could not read Isa. 29. 11. and where the booke should be opened they shoulde be all as idyotes and stay as menne amased that cannot reade Nowe sith Christ so dispensed his doctrine of purpose that it should profit onely a fewe in whose mindes it should be throughly setteled and that it should holde other some in suspence and in doubt it foloweth that the doctrine of saluation was not deliuered by God to menne for one ende and purpose but it is so ordered by his wonderfull counsell that it shoulde bee to the reprobate a sauour of deathe to deathe as to the electe a liuely sauour to life And least any manne shoulde be so bolde as to murmur against it Paule answeareth in these wordes what soeuer the effecte of the Gospell be yet the sauour of it thoughe it be deadly doeth alwayes smell swetely before God But that the meaning of this present place may be the better vnderstode it behoueth vs to sift more narowly the purpose of Christ for what cause to what end he spake this First the comparison vndoubtedly tendeth to this ende that Christ might amplifie set forth the grace and fauour which he shewed to his disciples because that was specially giuen to them which was not generally allowed to all If any man shoulde demaunde from whence the Apostles had this dignitie and priuiledge certainly the cause shall not be founde in them and Christe by saying that it was giuen them excludeth all merite and desart Christe affirmeth them to be appoynted and chosen menne whome God hathe especially vouchsafed this honour that he woulde reueale his secretes vnto them and that others should be voide and without this grace There is no other cause of this difference to be found but that God calleth vnto him them that he hath freely chosen 12. For who soeuer hath Christ prosecuteth that which I spake euen nowe for he admonisheth his disciples howe liberally God dealeth with them that they might make so much the more accounte of this grace and acknowledge themselues the more bounde for that they hadde receiued a greater benefite then other He rehearseth these same wordes in an other place but in an other sense for there hee speaketh of the Lawfull vse of giftes but now he simply teacheth that there is more bestowed vpon the Apostles then vpon the common sorte of men because that the heauenly father would in this sort aboundantly heape vp his bountifull kindnesse towardes them for because that he neuer forsaketh the woorkes of his owne hands as it is sayde in the Psalme 138. 8. whom he once beginneth to make he beautifieth daily more and more vntill at length he bringeth them into great perfection For this cause doeth there flowe so manifolde graces from him to vs hereeof come so ioyfull proceedings because the beholding the God of their deliuerance prouoketh a continuall course of bountifulnesse And as his richesse are innumerable so he is neuer weary of enriching his children Therefore as oft as he lifteth vs vp higher we ought to remember that what benefits soeuer we receiue daily they come out of that fountaine that he would performe that worke of our saluation begon in vs. But on the contrary part Christe affirmeth that the reprobate doe alwaies become worse vntill they beinge altogither come to naught doe faint in their owne weakenesse This seemeth to be a harde speach that there should be taken from the wicked that which they haue not but Luke mitigateth the hardnesse and taketh away the ambiguitie by altering the wordes somewhat saying that those things shall be taken away which they seemed to haue And certainly it falleth commonly out that the reprobate doe excell in many excellent gifts and in shew are like to the children of God But there is no soundnesse in them because the minde is voide of godlinesse and there appeareth onely a vaine shewe VVherefore Mathew doeth rightly say that they haue nothing because it is accounted as nothing before God and in their conscience it is vaine vnfrutefull Luke doeth aptly declare that the giftes wherwith they were endued were prophaned by them so that they onely made a shew in the eyes of men else they had nothing but a pompe and vaineglorious brag Heereby we also learne to seeke to profite euery day of our life because that God hath of this condition giuen vs the taste of his heauenly doctrine that we might daily be more aboundantly fed with the same vntil we come to a perfecte fulnesse Marke setteth downe this sentence somewhat more confusely Take heede sayeth the Lorde what is sayde vnto you Then if they haue profited well he putteth them in hope of greater grace to you sayeth he that heare shall more be giuen Then followeth a clause which agreeth with Mathewes woordes but in the midst is there a sentence which I expounded before in the seuenth chapter of Mathew because it is not likely to be placed here in his owne order For the Euangelists as it is sayd other where were not curious in setting downe Christes sermons but heaped oft diuers of his sentenses togither But Luke setteth downe the same sentence in diuers places with other wordes whiche Christe spake and also noteth the diuers causes why Christe so spake the same namely to make them attentiue to his doctrine least the woorde of life should passe foorth in vaine which oughte to be receiued and to take rootes in our mindes as if he shoulde haue sayde Take heede least that be taken from you which was giuen you if it fructifie not 13. Therefore speake I to them in Parables He sayeth that he spake obscurely to the multitude because they coulde not be partakers of the true lighte Yet when he sayeth that there is a vaile drawne ouer the blind that they might remaine
in their blindnesse he ascribeth the faulte of this to them but thereby he the more commendeth the grace giuen to the Apostles which was not in such sorte giuen commonly to all And other cause he assigneth none but the secreat coūsell of God the reason wherof though it be hid from vs yet it was apparant to him as we shall heereafter more plainly perceiue And though parables haue an other ende then to containe darke speaches which God would not that they shoulde be plainly made knowen yet we sayd that this which we haue now in hand was so proposed by Christe that by the continuance of the Allegorie it was as a doutfull riddle 14. So in them is fulfilled the Prophesie He confirmeth and prooueth out of the prophesie of Isai that it is no newe thing if many profite nothing by the word of God because that in times past the olde people were founde in such great blindnesse But this place of the Prophet is diuersly cited in the newe Testament For Paule Actes 28. 26. vpbraiding the Iewes for their obstinate malice sayeth that they were therefore blinded that they could not see the light of the Gospell because they were bitter and rebellious against God So he set down the nearest cause which was to be sene openly in the men But in the Epistle to the Rom. 11. 7. he setteth downe the cause out of a higher a more secreat fountain for he teacheth that the remnants should be saued according to the grace of election and that the rest were blinded according as it is said by Isaias c. the opposition there vsed is to be noted for if the onely free election of God saueth a remnant of the people it foloweth that all other doe pearish by the secreat iudgemēt of God but yet righteous For who are those other which Paule opposeth to the remnantes whiche were chosen but they whome God woulde not shoulde be saued There is the like reason also in Iohn 12. 38. For he sayeth that there were many which beleeued not because that no man beleeueth but they to whom the arme of the Lord is reuealed And presently after he addeth that they could not beleeue because it is wrytten againe Isa. 6. 9. he hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart Christ also had regard vnto this when he referreth it to the secrete counsell of God that the truthe of the Gospell was not generally reuealed to all but set foorth a farre off vnder darke speaches so that nothing was powred into the peoples minds but grosser blindnesse I doe alwaies graunt that whom soeuer God doeth blinde they are found woorthy of this plague but because the next cause doeth not appeare in the persones of the men let this principle remaine alwayes certaine and sure that they are lightened of God to saluation and that by a singular gift whom God hath freely chosen but all the reprobate are depriued of the light of life whether God withdraweth his woorde from them or else holdeth their eyes and eares fast closed that they should not heare nor see Now we see howe Christe applieth the prophesie of the Prophet to the present cause Hearinge yee shall heare The woordes of the Prophet are not recited neither was it needefull for it was sufficient for Christ to shewe that it was no new nor strange example if many be astonished at the word of God The saying of the Prophet was this Go blind their mindes and harden their hearts Mathewe referreth it to the hearers that the faulte of their blindnesse and hardnesse might be saide vppon themselues for the one of them cannot be separated from the other because that as many as are cast off into a reprobate sense do willingly and of a conceiued malice blinde and harden themselues Neither can it be otherwise where as the spirit of God raigneth not wherby the electe are onely ruled VVherefore let this which is added be noted that all they are out of their minde whiche God lighteneth not with the spirite of adoption and therfore they are rather blinded by the word of God yet the fault remaineth in them because they are willingly blinded But the ministers of the woorde may by this comfort themselues if they haue not alwaies such successe of their labours as they desire yea if that many be so far from profiting by their doctrine that they rather become the worse thereby Namely that the same thing befalleth vnto them that the Prophet whom they doe not excell had experience of It were to be wished that all were brought to obey God and it becommeth them to apply and to labour to bring this to passe yet lette them not wonder that the iudgement which was exercised in times past by the ministerie of this Prophet be also fulfilled at this day But we must diligently take hede lest the frute of the gospel pearish throgh our defalt MAR. 12. That they seeing may not discerne It sufficeth to note here briefly that which is more largely entreated of other where that the doctrine is not properly nor by it selfe nor of the owne nature the cause of the blindnesse but by an accidental meanes For as when the purblinde come foorth into the Sunne their eyes are more blinded and that fault is not to be imputed to the Sunne but to their eyes so the woorde of God blindeth and hardeneth the reprobate because it cōmeth through their owne wickednes it is proper naturall to thēselues accidental to the word Least at any time they shoulde tourne This clause sheweth what profite we should haue by hearing and vnderstanding namely that men being turned to God may by him be receiued againe into grace and by enioyinge his mercy they may liue well and happely Therefore the Lorde woulde that his worde should be preached especially for this ende that by renewing the mindes and hearts of menne he might reconcile them to himself But on the contrary side Isai heere sayeth of the reprobate that a stonie hardnesse remaineth in them least they shoulde obtaine mercy and that the effecte of the woorde was taken away from them least their heartes shoulde tourne to repentaunce Vnder this woorde healinge Mathewe comprehendeth the deliuerance from al euilles as the Prophet also doth for they doe Metaphorically compare a people afflicted by the hande of God to a sicke man And when the Lorde releaseth his punishments they say that he healeth But because this health dependeth vppon forgiuenesse of sinnes Marke doeth aptly and wel set downe the cause and fountaine For whence proceedeth the mitigation of punishments but because the Lorde being well pleased with vs bestoweth his blessing vppon vs And though that sometime after he hath forgiuen our sinne he yet ceaseth not to punish vs either that we may the more be humbled or that we may be the more wary heereafter yet because he sheweth some tokens of his fauour hee quickeneth and restoreth vs then because that for the moste parte the
absurditye if in prayers there be not alwaies a present consideration of all things for the keeping of a distincte order But in that after Marke which Christ sayeth that all things are possible with God tend not to this end as to set his power at controuersie wyth his vnchangeable truth and constancy but because there was no hope as it vseth to come to passe in things that are without hope of recouerie he throweth himselfe into the power of God By the word cup or pot as it is sayd other where is noted the prouidence of God which disposeth to all men a measure of the crosse and of afflictions euen as the housholder measureth out a part to euery seruant deuideth the portions amōgst the children Neuerthelesse not as I will VVe do see how Christ restraineth his affection euen at the first and bringeth himselfe quickly into order But first here it may be demanded howe his wil was free from all fault which yet agreed not with the will of God For if the will of God be the only rule of that which is good and right it followeth that all affections which do differ from the same are corrupt I do answear though this is the true right line to haue all our affections framed to the will of God yet there is a certaine shewe of some ouerthwart difference which is not faulty nor is imputed for sinne as if any man should desire to see the estate of the church quiet and flourishing if he shoulde desire to haue the children of God freed from troubles that all superstitions should be taken away the rage of the wicked repressed that they shuld not hurt Sith these things of themselues are good the faithfull may rightly desire them though the pleasure of God be otherwise who wil haue his sonne to raigne amongst enemies his children to be exercised vnder the crosse and the victory of faith and the Gospell to be made glorious wyth the contrary assaults of sathā VVhe see how the praiers may be godly which in shew do differ from the wil of God because that God wold not haue vs alwaies exactly scrupulously to search what he shall determine but he permitteth vs to search from him that which is mete for the capacity of our vnderstanding Yet the question is not throughly answeared For when it was sayd euen now that all the affectiōs of Christ were rightly ordred how doth he now correct himself for he bringeth his affection so downe into order as if he should haue been out of order Truely that patient moderation wherof I spake doeth not appeare in hys firste prayer for as much as in him lieth he refuseth denieth to execute the office of the mediator I answear there was no fault in it that the terrour of death being set before him there came withall such a darknesse that all other thinges beinge sette aside hee brake oute to that praier Neither is it necessary subtilly here to dispute whether he coulde be forgetfull of our saluation for this one thing shoulde suffice vs when he brake into this prayer for the auoiding of death he thoght not of other things which might haue stopped the same If any man will except that the first motion which shoulde haue beene brideled before it had runne out any further was not so tempered as it was meete it should I answear in the corruption of our nature there cannot be seene the heate of affections with that temperature that was in Christ but this honour must be giuen to the sonne of God that we iudge not him by our selues For al the affections of the flesh do so burne in vs that they breake out into a froward stubbernnesse or at the least they haue some dregges mixed wyth them And so Christ was mooued both with sorrow and feare that yet he kept himselfe within measure Nay as diuers partes in a song differing amongst themselues are so farre from hauing any discord that they do rather make an agreeable and a sweete harmonie so in Christe there was a notable example of a due proportion betweene the wils of God men how without contrariety repugnācie they do differ amongst themselues This place doeth euidently declare that the olde heretikes which were called the Monothelites were too folish in that they imagined Christ to be endued with one the same wil. Neither yet as he was God willed he any other thing then the father Therefore it followeth that the affections of his humane soule were distinguished from the secreat counsel of God But now if it was meete that Christ should leade his wil prisoner that he might make it subiect to the wil of god though it was so wel ordred how carefully must we kepe vnder the libertye of our affectiōs which alwaies are both caried without cōsideration hedlong and are filled with frowardnesse If that the spirite of God shoulde gouerne vs so that we would nothing but that which is agreable to reason yet we owe this obedience to God to beare with patience that our praiers are not alwaies graūted For this is the modesty of faith to graūt to god that he shuld determine otherwise then we desire This rule must be especially holden where we haue not any certaine special promisse that we aske not any thing but vnder this condition that God shoulde fulfil that which he hath determined which cannot be but by our resigning of our vowes vnto him Now it is demanded what Christ profited by praier The Apostle to the Heb. chap. 5. 7. sayth that he was heard of his feare for so that place may be expoūded and not as it is commonly red for his reuerence further that shuld not agree if Christ had simply feared death for he was not deliuered from the same VVherof it followeth that for feare of a greater euil he was driuē to pray against death For when he sawe the wrath of God set against him for that he stode at his seat of iudgement loaden with the sins of all the world it was necessary for him to fear at the bottomlesse depth of death Therfore though he sustained death yet because the sorrowes of death were losed as Pet. teacheth Act. 2. 24. in the wrastling he went away conquerour the Apostle hath good cause to say that he was heard of his feare Vnlearned men do heere rise vp and they cry out that it is a thing vnwoorthy that Christ should be afraid of being swallowed vp of death But I woulde that they shoulde answeare me what feare doe they thinke it was that wrong drops of bloud out of Christ for that mortal sweat could neuer haue come but of a fearfull vnwonted horror If any man at this day shuld sweat forth bloud that in such abundance that the drops ranne down to the ground it shuld be an incredible wonder if this shuld befall to any man for fear of death we would say that he had a faint a womannish hart They
obserue this order diligently as to the Ephes. 2. 17. he sayeth that Christ comming he preached peace to them whiche were neare and then to straungers and them a farre of 48. Nowe ye are witnesses As yet he doeth not send them foorth to publish the Gospel but only declareth for what purpose he appoynted that they might prepare themselues for that time and partly by this consolation he mitigateth their sorrowe partly with this spurre hee correcteth their slouth VVhen as they being guiltie to themselues of their late falling away it was meete for them to haue sorrowfull hearts Christ here beyonde all hope bestoweth vppon them this incredible honour enioyning them to publishe the embassage of eternall saluation to the whole worlde By this meanes he doeth not onely restore them perfectly but with the greatnesse of this new grace he doeth throughly abolish the remembrance of the offence Yet withall as I sayde he pricketh them forwarde least they shoulde be as slacke and slouthfull to publish the faith whereof they were ordained preachers 49. Beholde I will send the promisse Least the Apostles should be afraied of their owne weakenesse hee comforteth them with the hope of newe grace which should come vppon them as if that he should saye Though you thinke youre selues vnmeete for so great a burden yet there is no cause why you shoulde be discouraged for I will supply from heauen that power which I knowe to be wanting in you Nowe that he might the better confirme them in this hope he maketh mention of the holye Ghost which was promised of the father For to the ende they myghte readily prepare themselues to the woorke God meeting with theyr distrust had encouraged them with his promisse Now Christ substituting himselfe in his fathers place taketh vppon him to perfourme that gifte wherein he doeth againe chalenge to himselfe a diuine power For this is a part of that glory whiche God by othe denied to giue to an other Isai 41. 8. to endew weake men with heauenly power Therefore if it belongeth to Christ it followeth that he is God who spake in the times past by the mouth of the Prophet But though God promised a speciall grace to the Apostles and Christ bestowed it yet this must be generally noted that no mortall man is of himselfe meete for the preaching of the Gospell but so farre foorth as God cloathing them with his spirite supplieth their nakednesse and want And certainly as Paule doeth not exclame of the Apostles alone 2. Cor. 2. 16. who shall be founde meete for these things but he declareth that there is no mortall man meete for so great a woorke so it is necessary that what soeuer ministers of the Gospell God stirreth vppe should be endued with the heauenly spirite and therefore it is promised to all the teachers of the Churche wythout exception in euery palce But tarry ye Least they shulde rashly run forth to teach before the time Christ coÌ„mandeth them to be quiet silent vntill y t he by his appoyntment sending them foorth shall vse their helpe in time conuenient And this was a profitable triall of their obedience that they hauing the vnderstanding of the Scripture and endewed with the grace of the spirite yet because the Lord forbadde them to speake they helde their peace as dumbe men for we do know how desirously they woulde shewe themselues abrode which thinke that they could doe this with praise and admiration And it may be that by this delay Christ would punishe their slouthfulnesse because they had not presently gone the same daye into Galile at his commaundement VVhat soeuer the matter were we are taught that nothing must be attempted but by the calling of the Lord. VVherefore thoughe they wanted not habilitie to teache publikely yet let them containe themselues as priuate men in silence vntil that he shal leade them foorth in his hande into the Theater Further in that they are commaunded to stay at Hierusalem it must be vnderstode after they should returne from out of Galile For as we shal a little after heare out of Mathew though he reuealed himselfe to be seene at Hierusalem yet he chaunged not that which he had first determined of Galile Therefore the meaning of the woordes is after he had giuen them their commaundements in the place appoynted yet his will was that they should as yet remaine silent for a time vntill that he should furnish them wyth a newe power Mathewe 28. Marke 16. Luke 16. Then the eleuen disciples went into Galile into a mountain wher Iesus had appoynted them 17. And when they sawe him they woorshipped him but some doubted 18. And Iesus came and spake vnto them saying All power is giuen vntâ— me in heauen and in earth 19. Goe therefore and teache all nations baptising them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost 20. Teachinge them to obserue all thinges what so euer I haue commaunded you and 〈◊〉 I am wyth you alwaye vntill the ende of the worlde Amen 15. And he sayd vnto them Gâ— yee into all the world preache the gospell to euery creature 16. He that shall beleeue and be baptised shal be saued but he that will not beleeue shal be damned 17. And these tâ—kens shall followe them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out deuils and shal speake wyth new tonges 18. And shall take away serpents and if they shall drinke any deadly thinge it shal not hurte them they shall lay their handes on the sicke and they shall recouer  16. Then the eleuen diciples Mathewe passing ouer those things which we haue reported out of the other three doeth onely teache where the eleuen disciples were sent on the Apostolicall office For their purpose was not as we haue often seene before to prosecute all the perticular partes of a hystorie because it seemed sufficient to the holy Ghost who directed their stile by gathering their testimonies togither to sette downe the summe suche as we doe see Therefore Mathewe doeth chuse that which especially appertained to vs namely that Christ when he appeared to the disciples also created them Apostles which shoulde carye the embassage of eternall life into all the coastes of the worlde But though there is no mention made of the Mount in any other place yet wee doe gather that this place of Galile was noted to Mary yet it is maruel that some hauing seene Christe twise already shoulde as yet doubt of hym If any manne like to referre this to the first manifestation there shall be no absurditie therein for the Euangelistes doe sometime vse to mixe diuers things togither But it must not seeme absurde if the remnants of feare shoulde driue some againe to a newe wauering for we knowe as oft as Christ appeared they were afrayd and amased vntil their mindes were setled by ofte seeing him VVherefore the sense in my iudgement is that some doubted at the first vntill Christe approched nearer and
should haue sayd how weake soeuer the ministers of the Gospel be and haue want of all thinges he will be their chiefe captaine that they may become conquerours ouer all the assaults of the world As plaine experience teacheth at this day that Christ in a secreat maner doeth woorke woonderfully so that the Gospell preuaileth against innumerable lets So much the lesse is the wickednesse of the Popishe cleargye to be borne with while they doe lay this coulour vppon their sacrilegious tyrannye They doe say that the Church cannot erre which is gouerned by Christ. As if that Christ no otherwise then as some common souldiour woulde let out his labour to hire to other captaines and not rather retaining the authority wholely to himselfe testifieth that he will be a defender of his doctrine so as his ministers in him may hope to be conquerours of the whole world Mathew Marke 16. Luke 24.  19. So after the Lord had spoken vnto them hee was receiued into heauen and sate at the right hande of God 20. And they went foorth and preached euery where And the Lorde wroughte with them and confirmed the woorde with signes that followed Amen 50. Afterward he led them foorth into Bethania and lifte vppe his handes and blessed them 51. And it came to passe that as he blessed them he departed from them was caried vp into heauen 52. And they worshipped him and returned to Ierusalem with great ioye 53. And were continually in the temple praisinge and landing God Amen 19. So after the Lorde Because that Mathewe had royally extolled the kingdome of Christ aboue all the worlde he speaketh no woord of his ascension into heauen Marke also maketh no mention of the place and of the maner both the which are expressed by Luke For he sayeth that the disciples were led out into Bethania that from the mount of Oliues from whence the Lord had come to beare the ignominie of the crosse he might ascend into his celestiall throne And as he would not be seene generally of all menne when he was restored to life so he admitted not al to be witnesses of his resurrection into heauen because that he would that this mysterie of the faith shoulde rather be knowen by the preaching of the Gospell then to be seene with eyes It followeth in Luke that Christe lifting vp his handes on hie blessed the Apostles VVhereby he teacheth that the office of blessing which vnder the lawe had beene committed to the Priests doeth truely and properly belong to him VVhen men do mutually blesse themselues that is nothing else then to pray for their good But the reason is farre otherwise with God who not onely fauoureth the requests but with his only becke performeth what soeuer is to be wished for vs. But sith that he is the only authour of all blessing yet that his grace might be the more familiar his will was that the Priests in the beginning shuld as mediators blesse in his name So Melchisedec Gen. 14. 19. blessed Abraham and in Numerie 6. 23. there is set downe a perpetuall law for this matter To the same also appertaineth that which is red in the Psalme 118. 26. VVe doe blesse you out of the house of the Lord. Furthermore in the 7. chapter to the Hebrewes the 7. verse the Apostle sayeth that it is a signe of excellency to blesse others For the lesse sayth he is blessed of the greater Now when Christ the true Melchisedec and the eternall Priest came into the light it was meete that in him shoulde be fulfilled that whiche was shadowed by the legall figures as Paule also teacheth Ephes. 1. 3. that we are blessed by God the father in him that we might become rich in all heauenly good things Therefore he once blessed the Apostles openly and with a solemnerite to the ende the faithfull might cary themselues the next way to him if they desire to be partakers of the grace of God In the lifting vp of handes there is an olde ceremonie described which we knowe the Priests vsed in times past 52. And they woorshipped him By the woorde woorshipping Luke doeth first declare that the Apostles were put out of doubt because that the maiestie of Christ appeared then on euery side so that nowe there coulde be no doubt of his resurrection Furthermore for the same cause they began to woorship him with greater reuerence then when they enioyed his company vpon the earth For the worship wherof he speaketh now it not onely as to a master or to a Prophet neither as to one only halfe knowen to be the Messias but it was yeelded as to the king of glorye and iudge of the world But because that Luke was purposed to extend his hystorie longer he only sayeth briefly what the Apostles should doe for ten dayes But the summe is that throughe the feruencie of ioye they brake out openly into the praises of God and were daily in the temple Not that they passed the nights and the daies there but because they frequented all the assemblies and were present at the appoynted and solemne houres to yeelde thankes vnto God Also this diligence is opposed to the feare which kept them before shut vp hidden in the house MARKE 19. And sate at the right hande of God I haue in other places declared what this speache shoulde meane that is Christe is lifted vppe on hye that he may be aboue Aungels and all creatures that the Father might gouerne the worlde by his hande that to be shorte euery knee might bowe before him Therefore it is as muche as if hee shoulde be called Gods vicare who supplieth his personne VVherefore it is not conuenient that some certaine place should be imagined when as the right hand doeth Metaphorically signifie the second power from God And Marke added this purposely that wee mighte knowe that Christe was not receiued into the heauens that hee might enioy a blessed rest farre from vs but that he might gouerne the world for the saluation of all the godly 20. And they went forth Marke doth briefly touch here those things which Luke doth prosecute hystorically in the 2. boke that the voyce of a smal a base company of men thundred forth euen to the vttermost ends of the world For the more incredible the matter was the more certainly appeared y e myracle of the heauenly power Al men thought that Christ by the death of the crosse was either vtterly ouerthrown or so ouerwhelmed that ther shuld be no mention of him at any time but reprochful detestable The apostles whom he had chosen to be his witnesses filthily forsaking him had hidden thēselues in the dark the ignorance rudenes of them was so great and also the contempt so great that they durst scarce speake abrode VVas there any hope of men vnlearned and of no accoūt yea of runnagates that by the soūd of their mouth they shuld bring so many dispersed vnder the Empire of a man crucified
continually in defending and preseruing the order thereof as Paule teacheth that in him we liue we moue and haue our being And Dauid teacheth that all thinges doe stande forasmuch as the spirite of God giueth life vnto them and that they doe fayle so sone as they shal be destitute of his force Neither doth God only defende nature being created by him with his generall prouidence only but hee ordereth moderateth euery part thereof And he doth especially keepe gouern by his ayde the faithfull whom he hath taken into his tuition And I woorke Christe hauing omitted the patronage defence of the present cause hee declareth the ende and vse of the myracle namely that he may bee thereby knowen to bee the sonne of God For this was his purpose in all his words deedes to shew himselfe to be the authour of saluation This is proper to the diuinitie which he challengeth to himselfe as saith also the Apostle that he susteineth all thinges by his mightie becke And he doth testifie that he is God for this cause that beeing reuealed in the flesh he may execute the office of Christe so that he affirmeth that hee came from heauen because he would haue it knowen especially why he descended into the earth 18 For this cause therefore Hee was so farre from pacifiyng their rage with this defence that he did rather prouoke the same Neither was hee ignorant how malitious their wickednes and how hard their stubbornnesse were but this was his chiefe drift to profite a fewe of his who were then present and secondly to bring to light their incurable wickednesse And he hath taught vs by example that we must neuer yeelde vnto the furie of the wicked but endeuour so much as neede requireth to defende the truth of God though all the worlde gainsay vs and murmur against vs. Neyther is there any cause why the seruauntes of God should be greeued if so be it they haue not so good successe as they would wish seeing y t euen Christ himself had not such successe Neither is it any maruell if Satan doe so much more violently rage in his members and instruments the more that the glory of God doth shew it selfe In the former member when the Euangelist saith that they were displeased with Christe because he had broken the Sabboth he speaketh according to their meaning For I haue alredie taught that the matter was otherwise The principall cause of indignation is because he calleth god his father And indeede Christ his intent was to haue God to bee taken for his father after a peculiar sort that hee might exempt himselfe from the common order of other men He made himselfe equall with God seeing that he did attribute vnto himselfe the continuall working And Christe is so farre from denying of this that he doth more plainly confirme the same VVhereby is refuted the madnes of the Arrians who did confesse that Christe was God in such sort that they thought that he was not equall with the father As if there coulde any inequalitie be found in the one and simple essence of God 19 Therefore Iesus answered VVee see as I haue saide that Christe is so farre from refuting that which the Iewes did obiect althogh it were slāderous y t he doth more plainely proue that it was true And first of al he stādeth vpō this point that y t was a work of god wher w t y e Iewes found that they may perceiue that they must striue with God if they proceede to condemne that which must of necessitie be ascribed vnto him This place was in times past diuersly tost betweene the true fathers the Arrians Arrius did gather thereby that the sonne was lesser then the father because he could doe nothing of himselfe The fathers did obiect that the distinction of person is only meant by these words that it might be knowen that Christ is of the father and yet notwithstanding that he is not depriued of the internall power of working But they were both deceiued for neither are these words spoken cōcerning the bare diuinitie of Christ and those thinges which we shall see by by doe not belong of themselues simplie vnto the eternall worde of God but doe only agree with the son of God inasmuch as hee is reuealed in the flesh Let vs therefore set Christ before our eyes as he was sent of the father to be the redeemer of the worlde The Iewes did consider in him no farther thing then his humane nature Therefore he affirmeth that hee healed not the sicke man as he was man but by his diuine power whiche laid hid vnder the visible fleshe This is the estate of the cause wheras they fastening their eyes vpon the flesh did contemne Christ hee biddeth them ryse higher and behold God All the speech is to be referred vnto this matching of contraries that they are greatly deceiued who thinke that they haue to deale with a mortall man whilest that they accuse Christ for his workes which were meere diuine Therefore doth he so earnestly affirme that in this worke hee differeth nothing from the father 20 For the father loueth the sonne and sheweth him all things which he doth and he will shew him greater workes then these that you may maruel 21 For as the father rayseth vp the dead and quickeneth so the sonne also quickneth whom he will 22 For the father iudgeth no man but he hath giuen all iudgement to the sonne 23 That all men may honour the sonne as they honour the father hee that honoureth not the sonne honoureth not the father that sent him 24 Verily verily I say vnto you that he which heareth my wordes and beleeueth in him that sent me hath eternall life and shal not come into iudgemen but hath passed from death to life 20 For the father loueth All men see howe hard and farre set the exposition of the old writers is God say they loueth himselfe in his son But this doth very well belong vnto Christ being clothed with the flesh to be beloued of his father Yea we know that hee was distinguished by this excellent title aswell from angels as frō men This is my welbeloued son For we know that Christ was elected that in him might be resident the whole loue of God that it might flow thence vnto vs as frō a full fountaine For Christ is beloued of God the father as hee is the head of the church He teacheth that this loue is the cause why the father worketh al things by his hand For when he saith that al things are shewed vnto him by these words is to be vnderstood the cōmunication or participation as if he should say as the father hath powred out his mind into mee so hath he poured into me his power that in my works y ◠diuine glory may appeare so y t mē cā seek no diuine thing which they may not find in me And truely we shall in vaine seeke
sodaine force after and from the death of Christ. 52 Art thou also of Galiles They say y t those are of Galilee whosoeuer are on Christ his side and that reprochfully as if he could haue none in his sect but out of the base corner of Galilee And in that they are so earnestly set against Nicodâ—mus it appeareth thereby howe furiously they hated Christ. For he did not as it were openly defend Christ but did only say that he was not to be condemned before they had hearde him So falleth it out at this day amongest the Papists no man can shew the least token of equitie that the Gospell may not be oppressed but the enemies beeing moued with furies doe crie out that he is an heretike 53 And euerie man went Now followeth the wonderfull end of this action If any man consider what manner of kingdome the kingdome of the Priestes was then how great their furie was what prouision they had made and on the other side thinke with himselfe that Christ was naked and without weapon and that he was furnished with no garrison of men he was an hundreth times vndone In that so valiant a conspiracie doth passe away willingly and they all doe one breake another with their owne force like waues of the Sea who will not conâ—es that they were driuen away with the hand of God And God continueth alwayes like to himselfe Therfore he shall and will make voyd the endeuours of the enemies so often as he will so that although they haue all thinges readie at hand and are readie and furnished to accomplishe their purpose yet doe they depart leauing their matters vndispatched VVee haue oftentimes tryed that whatsoeuer the aduersaries did inuent to suppresse the Gospell withal it was all invaine through the wonderfull grace of God Chap. 8. 1 ANd Iesus went into the mount Oliuete 2 And in the morning he came againe into the Temple and all the people came vnto him and sitting downe he taught them 3 And the Scribes and the Pharisees bring vnto him a woman taken in adulterie setting her in the midst 4 They say vnto him Master this woman was taken in the very act when as shee did commit the adultrie 5 And Moses commaunded vs in the law that such should be stoned therefore what sayest thou 6 〈…〉 they said thus â—empting him that they might 〈◊〉 some matter to accuse him And Iesus casting downe his eyes did write with his finger vppon the grounde 7 And when as they continued asking him lifting vp his eyes he said vnto theÌ„ he that amongest you is free from sinne let him cast the first stone at her 8 And looking downe againe he wrote vpon the earth 9 And when they had heard and were accused of their consciences they went out onâ— after 〈◊〉 beginning at the alders eueâ— vnto the last so that Iesus was left alone and the woman that stood in the middle 10. And when Iesus lift vp his eyes and saw none but the woman hee saide woman where â—e these thine accusers hath no man condemned thee 11 Shee said none Lord Iesus answered â—er saying Neither will I condemne thee goâ— thy way and sinne no more 9 And the Scribes and the Pharisees bring It is well knowen that the Grecians did not know of this historie in times past therefore some do gesse that it was annexed by some other but because it was alwayes receiued of y e latine Churches and it is found in the auncientest Greeke bookes and it conteineth nothing that is vnmeete for the spirite of the Apostle there is no cause why we shold refuse to applie it vnto our vse VVhereas the Euangelist saith that the Scribes brought the woman his meaning is that they did that of set purpose that they myght lie in wayte for Christ. He expresseth the Pharisees by name because they were the chiâ—je in the order of the Scribes And their wickednes was too great in catching a cloake for their craftines which they themselues do bewray with their owne mouth For they doe not dissemble that they haue the manifest commandement of the law VVhereupon it followeth that they doe it maliciously because they aske as yet as if it were concerning a dâ—â—â—tfull matter But this was their purpose to enforce Christ to depart from the office of preaching grace that he might seeme to be diuers and unconstant Therefore they say plainely flatly that Moses condemneth adultersses to the ende they may holde Christ fast bound with a prâ—iudice of the law For doubtles it was vnlawful to acquit those whom the law did condemne If he did subscribe â—â—â—o the law he should seeme after a sort to be vnlike to himselfe â— And Iesus hauing cast his eyes downeward By this gesture hee shewed that he coÌ„teÌ„ned theÌ„ therfore in my iudgemeÌ„t they deale very vnskilfully who thinke that he wrote this or that Neither doe I allow that subtile saying of Augustine who thinketh that the difference of the lawe and the Gospell was noted by this meaneâ— because Christ did not write in tables of stone but in man who is dust and earth For Christ woulde rather declare the matter by doing nothing how vnworthie they were to be hearde Likeas if a man should draw lynes vpon a wall whilest another speaketh or turne away his backe or by some other signe declare that hee taketh no heede vnto those things which are spoken So seeing that Satan doth at this day endeuour by diuers meanes to lead vs away from the right course of teaching wee must lightly passe ouer manye thinges which he obiecteth vnto vs. The Papists do molest vs so muche as in them lieth with many fruolous cauils as it were with cloudes dispearsed in the ayre If godly teachers doe occupie theÌ„selues in dispearsing euery one of them they shal begin Penelopes webbe Therefore such trâ—stes which doe nothing els but hinde the course of the Gospel are wisely contemned 7 He that amongest you iâ— free Hee spake this according to the custom of the law For God hath appointed that the witnesses shoulde with their owne handes slea the wicked doers according to whom iudgemeÌ„t was giuen to the ende there might be greater religion in bearing witnes For many men doe runne headlong into periurie that they may ouerwhelme their brother because they do not think that they make a deadly wounde with their tongue And this selfe same reason was of force amongest these men though they were wicked slaunderers because being brought vnto the present matter they doe lay away those fierce spirites wherewith they came puffed vp Although the wordes of Christe doe differ from the prescript of the lawe in this because God did simply admonish them there that they shoulde condemne no man with their tongue saue only him whom they might slea with their handes in this place Christ requireth perfect innocencie of the witnesses that no man take vpon him to reuenge a fault in another man saue he that
when as the brightnes of the heauenly wisedom appeared vnto them Christ shineth vnto vs by the gospel to the end we may folow the way of saluatiō whiche he sheweth Therfore those men which do not vse the grace of God do asmuch as in them lieth extinguish the light whiche is offered them And to the end he may the more terrifie them he telleth them how miserable the estate of those men is who being destitute of the light doe wander during theyr whole life For they cannot moue their foote forwarde without daunger of slyppinge or fallynge And now Christe pronounceth that we are in darknes vnlesse he giue vs light Hence gather of what force the quicknes of mans minde in seeing things is whā as she is her own mistreile and guid without Christ. 36. Beleeue in the light Hee exhorteth them to possesse the lighte by fayth For he calleth those the children of light who like true heires doe enioy the same vntill the end These thinges spake Iesus It may seeme a merueilous matter why he withdrewe himselfe from them who receiued him so willingly but we may readily gather out of the other Euangelists that this speach concerneth the enemyes who were grieued at the godlye desire of good and playne men For the straungers which went out to meete Christ followed him euen into the temple where hee hit amongst the Scribes and the multitude of the Citie 37. Furthermore although he had wrought so many miracles before them they beleeued not in him 38. That the woordes of Isaias the Prophet might be fulfilled whiche hee spake Lorde whoe hath beleeued our reporte and vnto whome is the aime of the Lorde reuealed 39. Therfore they could not beleeue because Isay saith againe 40. Hee hath blynded their eyes and hardened theyr hearte that they may not see with theyr eyes and vnderstand with theyr heart and be conuerted and I may heale them 41. These thinges sayeth Iesaias when hee sawe his glorye and spake of him 37. Although he had wrought Least that shoulde hinder any manne that Christ was despised amongst the Iewes the Euangeliste remoueth this stumbling blocke shewing that he was furnished with excellent and euident testimonies which might make him and his doctrine to be of credit but yet the blinde did not see the power and glorye whiche shined plainly in the miracles Therefore we must first of all holde that Christ was not in the faulte that he was not beleeued amongst the Iewes because hee didde aboundantly testifie by manye miracles who hee was and that therefore it is an vniust thing and contrary to reason that their vnbeliefe should any whit discredit him But because this self same thing might haue caused many to stand in doubte whence this came that the Iewes were so dull that the visible power of God did moue them nothing Iohn goeth further namely that faith ariseth not from the common sense of man but that it is a singuler and rare gift of God and that this was sayde before of Christe that scarse a fewe shoulde beleeue the Gospell 38. That the wordes of Iesaias Iohn meaneth not that there was any necessity laide vpon the Iewes by reason of the prophesie neither did Iesaias vtter any thing Chap. 53. 1. Rom. 10. 16. saue that whiche God had reuealed vnto him out of the hidden treasures of his counsel That shuld haue happened although the Prophet had said nothing but because it was not known what shuld haue befallen them vnlesse God had made it knowne by the mouth of the Prophet the Euangeliste setteth beefore their eyes as in a glasse a matter which was otherwise darke and vncredible almost Lorde who hath beeleeued This sentence hath two members in the former Esay hauing already begunne to speake of Christe seeing that hee foreseeth that whatsoeuer eyther he should speake or the Apostles shuld afterward publish it should be reiected of the Iewes beeinge as it were astonyed with some great wonder he cryeth out Lorde who shal beleeue our report And in the second member he acknowledgeth what was the cause that they were so few to witte because men come not vnto this by theyr owne industry and God dooth not illuminate all men in generall but dooth onely vouchsafe to graunt the grace of his spirite vnto a fewe And if so be the obstinate vnbeliefe of many ought not to haue hindered the faythful amongst the Iewes how few soeuer they were the same reason ought also to perswade vs not to be ashamed of the Gospell althogh it haue but a few Disciples yet must we especially note that reason which is added that not their own wit but the reuelation of God doth make men to be faythful It is well knowne that by this woorde arme is meante the power of GOD. The Prophet telleth vs that the arme of God whiche is included in the Gospell dooth lye hidde vntyll suche time as it bee reuealed and hee doth also testifie that all menne generallye are not partakers of this reuelation VVhereuppon it followeth that manye beeinge voyde of thys inwarde lyghte are lefte to theyr blindenesse who in hearing cannot heare 39. Therfore they could not beleeue This is somwhat harder beecause as the wordes doe sound the way was stopt before the Iewes and the power to beleeue was cutte off because that the prophesie of the Prophet had adiudged them vnto blindnes beefore they did chuse eyther of the two I answere that there is no absurdity if it could not otherwise come to passe then God had foreseene But wee must note that the bare and and plaine foreknowledge of God is not the cause of things Although we must not so much respecte the foreknowledge of God in this place as his iudgment and vengance For God doth not declare what he seeth from heauen menne wil doe but what he himselfe wil doe namely that he will strike the wicked with dulnesse and giddinesse that he may bee auenged of their wickednes For here is set downe the nigh and inferiour cause why God wil haue his word which is by nature wholsome to be the cause of death and destruction vnto the Iewes to wit because they had so deserued for their wickednes It was impossible for them to escape this punishment when as God had once determined to cast them off into a reprobate sense and to turne vnto them the light of his worde into darknes For this latter prophesie is vnlyke to the former in this because the Prophet doth testifie that none doe beleeue saue those whome God dooth illuminate of his free good pleasure the cause wherof doth not appeare For seeing that all men are lost alike God doth of his mere mercy and goodnes distinguish whom he thinketh good from the rest And here he maketh mention of the hardning of the heart wherewith God did reuenge and punish the wickednes of the vnthankfull people They which marke not these degrees do wickedly confound and mixe together diuers places of scripture 40. He
how fryuolous the subtiltie of the Grecians was when as they denyed vnder colour of these wordes that the spirite proceedeth from the sonne For Christ nameth the father heere as he is wont to the end he may make vs behold his diuinitie 27 And yee beare witnesse Christe giueth vs to vnderstande that the testimonie of the spirite is not such that the Apostles haue it for themselues alone and enioy it themselues alone but that it spreadeth it selfe farther abroad by them because they should bee the instruments of the spirite as he spake by their mouth VVe see now how faith commeth by hearing and yet it hath the certaintie which it hath from the seale earneste of the spirite Those menne which know not sufficiently the mist of mans minde they thinke that faith is conceiued naturally by preaching only and on the other side many brianesicke men cannot away with preaching whilest y t they breath out secrete reuelations and inspirations But wee see how Christe ioyneth these thinges togeather Therefore although there is no faith vntill the spirite of God do lighten our mindes and seale our heartes yet must wee not fet visions or oracles from the cloudes but the worde which is nigh vs in our mouth and heart Deu. 13. 14. ought to haue all our senses tyed to it and set fast vpon it As Isay as saith most excellently 59. 21. This is my couenaunt saith the Lorde my spirite which I haue put vpon thee and my woordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not faile c. This clause yee haue been with mee from the beginning is added for this cause that we may know that the Apostles deserue more credite because they saw these thinges with their eies which they preach a saith Iohn that which we haue hard which we haue seene which our hands haue handeled 1. Iohn 1. 1. For the Lorde would that we should be so prouided for by all meanes that there might bee nothing wanting whiche might approoue the Gospell fully Chap. 16. 1 THese thinges haue I spoken vnto you that yee may not bee offended 2 They shall make you straungers from their Sinagogue but the houre commeth that whosoeuer shall kill you hee may thinke that hee doth God good seruice 3 And these things shall they doe vnto you because they haue not knowen the father nor yet mee 4 But I haue spoken these thinges vnto you that when their houre commeth you may remember that I haue tolde you And I haue not spoken these thinges vnto you from the beginning because I was with you 5 And now I goe to him that sent me and none of you asketh mee whither goest thou 6 But because I haue spoken these thinges sorrow hath filled your heart 7 But I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe for if I goe not the comforter will not come vnto you but and if I shall goe I will send him vnto you 1 These things haue I spoken vnto you He saith againe that none of these thinges which he hath spoken are superfluous for seeing that fights combates are prepared for them they were to be furnished with lawfull weapons before the time And in the meane season hee giueth them to vnderstande that if they doe well muse vppon this doctrine they shall be able to resist Let vs also remember that that is spoken to vs also whiche was spoken then to the Apostles And first of all wee must note that Christ sendeth not his into the battel vnarmed and that therefore â—o man faileth in this warfare saue only through the fault of his owne slouthfulnesse Neither must wee waite and stay vntill we come vnto the present matter but we must endeuour that being acquainted with these speches of Christ we may enter the combate when need requireth Neither neede wee doubt but that wee shall obtaine the victorie so long as these admonitions of Christ remaine deepely imprinted in our mindes For whenas he saith leat yee bee offended hee giueth vs to vnderstand that we neede not feare least we be turned aside out of the righte course with any thing But it appeareth heereby how fewe doe rightlye learne this doctrine in that those menne which seeme to remember it when they are free from daunger doe quayle and yeelde when they are to enter the battaile as if they were rude and ignoraunte Therefore lette vs so buckle these weapons vnto vs that they neuer fall away from vs. 2. Straungers from their Synagogue This was no light offence to trouble their mindes withall that they were to be driuen like wicked menne out of the company of the godly at least of those which did boast that they were the people of God and made their bragge of the title of the Church For the faythfull are not onely subiect to persecution but vnto reproaches and slaunder as Paule saieth 1. Cor. 4. 9. 10. Notwithstanding Christ byddeth them stand stoutly euen against this inuasion because although they be thrust out of the Synagogues yet neuerthelesse they remayne in the kyngdome of God The summe is that wee muste not be discouraged with the peruerse iudgements of menne but that we must valyauntly endure the reproach of the crosse of Christe being coÌ„tent with this one thing that God alloweth our cause which menne do vniustly and wickedly condemne Furthermore we gather heereby that the ministers of the Gospel are not onely euil intreated by the professed enemyes of the Gospel but that they are slaundered sometimes euen by those which seeme to be of the houshold of the Church yea very pillars The Scribes and Pharisees and Priestes by whom the Apostles were coÌ„demned did boast that they were appointed by God to be iudges of the Church and indeede the ordinary gouernment of the Churche was in their power and the function of iudgeing came from God not froÌ„ men but they had corrupted al the order which GOD had appoynted with theyr tyranny So that it came to passe that the power which was grauÌ„ted vnto them to edification was nothing else but a monstrous oppression of the seruauntes of God excommunication which ought to haue beene a medicine to purge the Church was turned to banish godlynesse out of the same Seeing that the Apostles tried that in their time there is no cause why the Pope his cursses shuld greatly terrifie vs wherwith he thundreth against vs for the testimonie of the Gospel For we muste not feare least they hurt vs any more then these olde ones did the Apostles Yea we ought to desire nothing more then that wee may be straungers from that congregation out of which Christ is banished Neuerthelesse let vs note that the discipline which God ordayned in his Church from the beginning was not abolyshed by that grosse abuse For seeinge that Sathan is wholly occupied about this that he may corrupt al Gods institutions we must not yeelde vnto him that that may be quite takeÌ„ away because of corruptions which God hath
establyshed for euer Therefore excommunication is no lesse to be reclaimed vnto his pure lawful vse then Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. But the houre commeth Christ persisteth as yet in that offence in that the enemies of the Gospel doe challenge and take to themselues this authoritie that they thinke that they offer holy sacrifices vnto God wheÌ„ they put the faythful to death Now it is of it self an hard matter that the innocent shoulde be cruelly vexed but it is a farre harder and a farre more troublesome thing that the iniuries whiche the wicked doe to the children of God should be accounted iuste punishmentes and doe to theyr wickednes But we must place so much ayde in a good conscience that we may suffer our selues to bee thus oppressed for a time vntil such time as Christe appeare out of heauen the reuenger of our cause and his owne But it is a wonder that the enemies of the truth seeing their own consciences doe accuse them do not onely deceiue men but doe also chalenge to themselues praise for vniust crueltie before God I answere that hipocrites howsoeuer their own conscience doth accuse them do so sâ—atter themselues that they deceiue themselues They are ambitious cruell proud but they cloake al these vices with the colour of zeale to the ende they may carelesly slatter themselues There is added also vnto these a certeine furious drunkennes after that their handes haue beene imbrued with the bloud of the Martyrs 3. And these things shal they do vnto you It is not in vaine that he doth so often cal the Apostles vnto that consideration that this is the only cause why the vnbeleeuers doe rage against them because they know not god And yet notwithstanding this is not spoken to mittigate their offence but that the Apostles may despise their â—ury with loftie minds For it falleth out oftentimes that the authoritie wherein the wicked excell and the pompe that appeareth in them doe shake modest and godly mindes On the contrary Christ commaundeth his disciples to rise against them with holy magnanimitie that they may contemne the aduersary whom onely errour and blindnes doe driue forward For this is our brase wall when we are certeinelye perswaded that God is on our side and that those which resist vs are destitute of reason And in these wordes are we taught what a grieuous and great euill the ignoraunce of God is which causeth euen murtherers of their fathers to seeke to be praised for their wickednes 4. That when their houre shal come yee may remember Hee repeateth that which he had saide already that this is no shadowishe philosophye but such as must be brought to practise and vse and that he preacheth now concerning these matters that they may indeede declare that they were not taught in vaine VVhen as he saieth that yee may remember he commandeth them first to lay vp those things in their mindes which they haue heard and againe to remember them when neede shal require at leÌ„gth he giueth them to vnderstand that that is of no smal importance in that he prophecieth of things to come I haue not told you from the beginning For asmuch as the Apostles were as yet tender and weake so long as Christe was conuersant with them in the fleshe hee spared them as a good and mercifull maister and suffered not more to be laid vpon them theÌ„ they were able to beare Therfore they had no great neede as then of confirmation when as they were at rest from persecutions now he telleth theÌ„ that their estate should be altered and because there is a new estate prepared for them he dooth also exhort them to prepare themselues vnto the cumbat 5. New go I vnto him He mittigateth with a moste excellent consolation that sorow which they might conceiue by his departure which was very necessary They that had liued hitherto daintily were called heereafter vnto great and hard sightes VVhat shuld then haue befallen them vnlesse they shuld haue known that Christ the gouernour of their saluation was in heauen For to go vnto the father is nothing else but to bee receiued into the heauenly glory that he may enioy the principal gouerment Therefore this remedy of sorrow is set before them that although Christ be absent in body yet will hee sit at the right hande of the father that he may defend the faithfull by his power Hee reprehendeth two faultes in the Apostles in this place that they were too much addicted to the visible presence of his flesh and secondly that so soone as it was taken away being oppressed with sorow they lyfted vppe their eyes no higher The same thing doth commonly befal vs for we doe alway fasteÌ„ Christ to our senses that done if he appeare not as we would wish we feigne to our selues matter of dispayre This seemeth to be falsly obiected to the Apostles that they aske not whither their master goeth seeing that they enquired diligently of that matter but we may easily answere that they did so aske that they lifted not vp their mindes vnto hope which thing they ought principally to haue done The sense therfore is this so sone as you heare of my departure you are afraid neither do yee consider whither I go or to what end 7. But I tell you the trueth He testifieth that his absence shall bee profitable that they may cease to be desirous to haue him present before their eyes and he vseth a kinde of oath For because we are carnall there is nothing harder for vs then to plucke out of our mindes this preposterous affection whereby we pul down Christ from heauen vnto vs. And he expresseth this kind of profitablenes that they could not otherwise be endowed with the holy Ghost vnlesse he should forsake the world But the presence of Christ is farre more profitable and more to bee desired whereby he giueth himselfe vnto vs to be enioyned by the grace power of his spirite then if he were present before our eyes Neither muste we moue a question whether Christ could not set downe the spirit wheÌ„ he was vppon earth For he taketh that for a thing which al meÌ„ graunt whatsoeuer his father hath decreed And certeinly so soone as the Lord hath once declared what he will haue done it is foolishnes to dispute of the possibilitie 8. And when he shal come he shal reproue the world of sinne and of righteousnes 〈◊〉 of iudgement 9. Of sinne because they beleeue not in me 10. And of righteousnesse beecause I goe to my father and yee shall see mee no 〈◊〉 11. And of iudgement because the prince of this world is iudged 12. I haue yet manye thinges to speake vnto you but you cannot beare them now 13. And when he shal come to wit the spirit of trueth he shal lead you into al truth Neither shal he speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer thinges he shal heare he shal speak and he shal tel you those things
which shal come to passe 14. He shal glorifie me because he shal take of mine and show vnto you 15. Al things which the father hath are mine therefore said I vnto you he shal take of mine and shew vnto you 8. VVhen yee shall come Omittinge the diuersitie of expositions whiche the obscuritye of this place hath broughte forthe I will onelye affirme that whiche I doe thinke dooth beste of all agree with Christ his meaning Hee had promised the spirit to his disciples he commendeth the excellency of the gift now by the effect because his spirit shal not gouerne vphold and defend them alone but shal spread abroad his force farther He shal reproue the world saith he That is he shal not onely abide shut vp in you but shall spreade abroade himselfe from you through his power throughout the whole worlde Therefore hee promiseth vnto them the spirite which shall be the iudge of the world and by whome their preaching shal be so liuely and effectuall that it shal bring those into order who passing their boundes beefore throughe vnbrideled lyberty were holden with no feare or reuerence And we must note that Christ speaketh not in this place of secrete reuelations but of the power of the spirite which appeareth in the externall preaching of the Gospel and in the voice of menne For how commeth it to passe that the voice of manne pearceth the mindes doth take roote there and finallye bringeth foorth fruite making fleshy heartes of stony heartes and renewinge the menne themselues saue only because the spirit of Christ doth quicken it Otherwise it shuld be a dead letter and a vaine founde as Paul teacheth excellently 2. Cor. 3. 6. where he boasteth that he is a minister of the spirite because God wrought mightely in his doctrine The sense therefore is this when as the Apostles shal haue the spirite giuen them they shall bee furnished with celestiall and diuine power that they maye exercise authoritie and haue iurisdiction throughout the whole world This is attributed rather to the spirite then to them because they shall haue no power of their owne seeing they shal be onely ministers and instrumentes and it is the spirite alone which is in them which shall gouerne I thinke that he comprehendeth vnder this word world aswel those that should be truely conuerted vnto Christ as the reprobate and hypocrites For the spirit reproueth men two manner of wayes in the preaching of the Gospel for some are touched throughly so that they humble themselues willingly they subscribe vnto the iudgemente readily whereby they are condemned Othersome although they being conuicted cannot escape guiltinesse yet doe they not yeelde from their heart neyther doe they submit themselues vnto the authority and dominion of the spirit but rather beeinge subdued they frette inwardly and being confounded they doe not yet cease to nourish stubbernnes in their hearts Now do we see how the spirite ought to reproue the world by the Apostles to witte because GOD reuealed his iudgement in the Gospel wherewith when the consciences were smitten they beganne to feale their own mysery and the grace of God For the word Elenchein is taken in this place for to conuicte That which is contained 1. Corinth â—4 24. shall bringe no small lighte to the vnderstanding of this place where Paul saith if they prophecie all and an vnbeleeuer or an idiote doe come in he is reproued of all he is iudged of all and so the secretes of his heart are made manifest Paule intreateth in that place properly of one kinde of reprouing to wit when the Lord bringeth his elect vnto repentaunce by the Gospel yet it appeareth euidently heereby how the spirit of God doth by the sound of mans voyce compell men vnacquainted before with the yoake to acknowledge and submit themselues to his gouernment Now the question is to what end Christ said thus Some doe thinke that he noteth the cause of the hatred whereof he made mention as if he should say that the world doth hate them for this cause because the spirite shall vrge the world on the other side by them But I doe rather subscribe vnto those other who teach that Christe didde intende some other thing as I haue alreadye touched in the beeginninge For it was verye requisite that the Apostles shoulde knowe that the gyfte of the spirite which was promysed them was no small gyft Therefore the excellencie thereof is descrybed that GOD shall by this meanes erecte his iudgemente seate to iudge the whole world 9. Of sinne Now it remayneth that we see what it is to reproue of sinne Christ seemeth to make infidelytie the onely cause of sinne and that is diuersly wrested by the interpreters But as I sayd before I will not declare what euery one of them teacheth or thinketh VVe must firste of all note that the iudgement of the spirite beginneth at the declaration of sinne For this is the beginning of spiritual doctrine that menne begotten in sinne haue nothing in themselues but the matter of sinne Furthermore Christ maketh mention of infidelitie to the ende hee mighte shew what the nature of man is in it selfe For because the bond wherby he vniteth himselfe vnto vs is fayth vntil we beleeue in him wee are without him and deuided from him Therefore these words importe as much as if he should haue said when the spirit shall come he shal declare and proue that sinne reigneth in the world without me Therfore infidelitie is named in this place because it separateth vs from Christ and so bringeth to passe that there is nothing left in vs but sinne To be shorte the corruption and frowardnes of mans nature is condemned in these words least we should think that there is one drop of righteousnes in vs without Christ. 10. Of righteousnes VVe must note the course of the degrees whiche Christ setteth downe Hee saith now that the worlde must be reproued of righteousnes For doubtlesse menne shal not hunger and thriste after righteousnes yea they shal with loathsomnesse refuse whatsoeuer shall be spoken of it vnlesse they shal be touched with the feeling of sin Especially we must thus thinke of the faithfull that they cannot profitte in the Gospel vntil they shal be first humbled which cannot be vntill they come to the knowledge of their sinnes It is the proper function of the law to call the consciences vnto Gods iudgement and to wounde them with feare but the Gospel cannot be rightly preached but that it muste bring from sinne vnto righteousnes and from death to life Therefore it must needes borrow that first member of the law wherof Christ spake And heere vnderstand that righteousnes which we haue by the grace of Christ. Christ placeth that in his ascention vnto his father and that not without cause for like as as Paule testifieth Rom. 4. 24 hee rose againe for our iustification so he sitteth nowe at the right hande of the father that he may exercise whatsoeuer power
litle while and yee shall see me And that I goe to the father 18. Therefore they saide what is this that he saieth A litle while we wâ—te not what he saith 19. Therefore Iesus knew that they would aske him and he said vnto them you enquire of this amongst your selues which I said a litle while and ye see me not and againe a litle while and ye shal see me 20. Verely verely I say vnto you that ye shal weepe and mourne but the world shal reioyce and ye shal be sorowful but your sorow shal be turned into ioy 16. A litle while and ye see me not Christ foretold the disciples ofteÌ„times of his departure partely that they might endure the same with a more valiant courage partely that they might more earnestly desire the grace of the spirite whereof they were not very much desirous so long as they had Christ present with them in body Let vs take heede therefore that we read not that lothsomly which Christ beateth in not in vaine First of al he telleth them that he shal be taken from them shortly to the ende that being depriued of the sight of him wherein they onely rested they may not yet cease to be of a good courage Secondly he promiseth them the ayde of his absence yea he promiseth that he shal be restored agayne shortly after that he shal be taken away but after an other sort to witte by the presence of the holy Ghost Although othersome do expound this second member otherwise yee shall see me when I shal rise againe from death but only for a short time because I shal be receiued into heauen by and by But as it seemeth to mee the woordes will not beare that seÌ„se A litle and ye shal see me Yea rather he doth lighten and mittigate the sorrow of his absence with this consolation that it shal not be long and so he commendeth the grace of the spirite whereby he wil be present with them continually as if he shuld promise that he wil returne shortly after and that they shall not be depriued of the sighte of him any long tyme. Neyther ought that to be accounted an absurd thing in that he saith he is seene whilest he dwelleth in the disciples by the spirit for although he be not seene with the bodily eyes yet his presence is known by the certeine experiment of faith That is true which Paule saieth 2. Cor. 5. 6. that the faythfull are absent from God so long as they are conuersante vppon earth because they walke by faith and not by sight but it is as true that they may worthily boast in the meane season that they haue Christ abyding in them by fayth that they â—leaue vnto him as the members to the head that they possesse heauen with him by hope Therefore the grace of the spirite is a glasse wherein Christ wyl be beholden according to that of Paule in the same place 16. Althoughe wee haue knowne Christ according to the flesh yet doe we know him no more If any manne be in Christ let him be a new creature Because I goe to the father Some doe expound it that the disciples shuld see Christ no more because he shuld bee in heauen and they vpon earth I doe rather referre it vnto the second member yee shall see me shortlye because my death is not destruction which may separate mee from you but a passage into heauenly glory whence my diuine power shall come euen vnto you Therefore hee meant in my iudgement to teach in what estate hee should stand after death that they might be contente with his spirituall presence and that they might not thinke that they were anye whitte the worse for this that he liued no longer with them as a mortall man 19. Iesus knew Although the Lord doth seeme sometimes to speak to deaffe men yet doth he at length so prouide for the rudenes of his than his doctrine is not vnprofitable And it standeth vs vpon to doe our endeuour that neither pride nor slouthfulnes may be added vnto slowenes but let vs rather shew our selues to be humble desirous to learne 20. Yee shal weepe and mourne Hee sheweth for what cause he foretolde that his departure was at hand and did also adde a promise concerning his speedy returne to witte that they might the better know how necessary the ayde of the spirit was There is prepared for you saieth hee an hard and sore temptation for so soone as I shal be taken away by death the world shal triumph You shall be in great heauines the worlde shall account it selfe blessed and you miserable Therefore I thought good to furnish you with necessary weapons vnto this fight And he speaketh of the time which should be betweene his death and the sending of the spirite because their faith laid then as it were oppressed and hidden Your sorrow shal be turned into ioy Hee meaneth that ioy wherewith they were endued when they hadde receiued the holy Ghoste not that they were free afterward from sorrow but because al their sorrow and heauines which they should suffer was swallowed vp with the spiritual ioy VVe know that the Apostles were enuied were slaundered had manye causes of mourning so long as they liued but when as they were renued by the spirite they put off the feeling of the former infirmitie that they might with heroâ—call loftines easily treade vnder foote what euilles soeuer were brought vppon them Therefore the presente infirmitie is conferred in this place with the power of the spirite wherewith they should be endowed shortly For being almost ouerwhelmed for a time they did afterward not only fight ioyfully but they did also triumphe gloriously in the middest of the battels Althogh we must also note that he doth not only meane the meane season betweene Christ his resurrection and the death of the Apostles but that which followed afterward also as if Christ should say ye shal lye as it were prostrate for a time but when as the spirite shal set you vppe there shall new ioy begin which shal be augmented coÌ„tinually vntil ye reioyce perfectly being receiued into the heauenly glory 21. A woman when she bringeth forth hath sorow because her hâ—ure is come but wheÌ„ she hath brought forth a sonne she remembreth the afflictions no more for ioy that a man is borne into the world 22. And ye haue sorow therfore but I wil see you againe and your heart shal reioice and no man shal take your ioy from you 23. And in that houre ye shal not aske me any thing verely verely I say vnto you that whatsoeuer ye shal aske the father in my name he shall giue it you 24. Hitherto haue ye asked nothing in my name aske and yee shal receiue that your ioy may be full 21. A woman when she bringeth forth Hee confirmeth the sentence next going before with a similitude yea he expresseth his meaning more plainlye to witte that their heauy hearts shal
was offered him so gently VVee must note the manner of speech Christ prayeth for all those which shoulde beleeue in him in which wordes he teacheth that which wee haue sometimes said that our faith must looke vnto him The member whiche foloweth next by their worde doth very well expresse the force and nature of faith and doth also confirme vs familiarly who know that our faith is grounded in the Gospel deliuered by the Apostles Therfore howsoeuer the worlde do condemne vs a thousand times let this one thing suffice vs that Christ acknowledgeth vs to be his owne and commendeth vs vnto the father And woe be to the Papists whose faith wandereth so farre from this rule that they are not ashamed to spue out execrable blasphemie that there is nothing conteined in the scripture but that whiche is doubtfull and which may bee wrested hither and thyther therefore the only tradition of the Church teacheth them to beleeue But let vs remember that the sonne of God who is the only iudge doth allow that faith alone which is conceiued out of the doctrine of the Apostles Furthermore the sure testimonie thereof shal be founde no where els saue only in their writings VVe must also note the phrase which shal beleeue by their worde which signifieth that faith commeth by hearing because the instrument wherewith God draweth vs vnto faith is the externall preaching of men VVherefore God is properly the authour of faith and men themselues are the ministers by whom wee beleeue as Paule also teacheth Cor. 3. 5. 21 That they may be all one c. He placeth the ende and drift of our felicity againe in vnitie that for good causes For this is the destructiō of mankinde that being estraunged from God it is also lame and scattered abroad in it selfe Therfore the contrary restoring therof is if it grow together into one body aright like as Paule placeth the perfection of the Church in that Ephe. 4. 3. if the faithfull agree together amongst themselues by one spirit and he saith that the Apostles and Prophetes Euangelists and Pastours were giuen for that cause in the same place 11. 12. that they might persist in edifiyng the body of Christ vntill we be come vnto the vnitie of faith And therefore hee exhorteth the faithfull to grow vp into Christ who is the head by whom all the body being coupled and knit togeather by euery ioynt of subministration according to the effectuall woorking in the measure of euery member encreaseth it selfe vnto edifiyng Therfore so often as Christe speaketh of vnitie let vs remember that horrible and filthie scattering abroad of the world which is without him And secondly let vs know that this is the beginning of blessed life if we be al gouerned and liue by the spirit of Christ alone And we must vnderstand that so often as Christ saith in this chap. that he and the father are one he speaketh not simply of his diuine essence but that he is called one in the person of the mediatour and inasmuch as he is our head Many of the fathers did interprete it thus precisely that Christ is one with the father because he is eternal God but the contention which they had with the Arrians enforced them to this to wreste shorte sentenses into a straung sense But Christ intended a far other thing then to carry vs vp vnto the bare beholding of his hidden diuinitie for he reasoneth from the end that we ought therfore to be one because otherwise the vnitie which he hath with the father shuld be vaine and vnfruitful Therfore to the end you may rightly comprehend what is the intente or effecte of that that Christ and the father are one take heede that you stripe not Christ out of the person of the Mediatour but consider him rather as he is the head of the Church and ioyne him with his members so the texte shall stand best least the vnitie of the sonne with the father be vaine and vnprofitable his power must be spread abroad throughout the whol boby of the godly VVhence we do also gather that we are one with christ not because he powreth his substaunce into vs but because hee maketh vs partakers by the power of his spirit of his life of whatsoeuer good things he hath receiued of the father That the world may beleeue Some doe interprete this word world for the elect who were as then dispearsed but because world is taken throughout this whole chapter for the reprobate I am rather of the contrary opiniō Moreouer immediately after he separateth the same word wherof he maketh mention now from al his The Euangelist did put in the word beleeue vnproperly for know or acknowledge to wit whilest that the vnfaithfull beeing conuinced by experience it selfe doe perceiue the heauenly and diuine glory of Christ whereby it commeth to passe that in beleeuing they beleeue not because this feeling pearceth not vnto the inward affection of the minde And this is the iust iudgement of God that the brightnes of the glory of God doth blind the eies of the reprobate because they are not worthy to see him sincerely and clearely Hee vseth the word know afterward in the same sense 22. And I haue giuen them the glory which thou hast giuen me Note that the patterne of perfect blessednes was expressed in Christ in such sorte that he had nothing of his own or for himself alone but he was rather rich that he might enrich his faithfull This is our blessednes that the image of God may be repayred and formed againe which was blotted out through sinne Christ is not onely the image of God inasmuch as he is his eternal word but the image of the fathers glory was also engrauen in his humane nature wherof he is made partaker with vs that he may transfigure his members into the same Paul also teacheth the selfe same thing 2. Cor. 3. 18 that we are transformed into the same image as it were from glory to glorye by beholding the glory of GOD as it were with open face VVhereuppon it followeth that no man is to be accountted Christes disciples saue onely hee in whom the glory of God is seene imprinted by the image of Christ as by a fignet The words which follow shortly after tend to the same end 23. I in them and thou in me For his meaning is to teach that the fulnes of all good thinges is in him and that that appeareth now plainely in him which was hidden in God that hee may powre it out into his by making them partakers thereof as water flowinge from a fountaiyne hyther and thyther by conduytes dooth water the fieldes euery where And hast loued them He giueth vs to vnderstande that that is the most manifest token and pledge of Gods loue towarde the godly which euē the world whither it will or no is enforced to feale and perceiue whilest that the spirit which dwelleth in them sendeth forth the beames of heauenly
Christ. 19. 17. Rest. Whence our mindes haue rest and quietnesse 12. 14. Men doe not come vnto God by the leading of their reason 1. 5. Riuers Riuers of running water shall flow out of his belly 7. 38. Rulers Hath any of the Rulers beleeued in him 7. 48. Manye Rulers beleeuing are afraid of excommunication 12. 42. The Ruler his sonne is healed 4. 47. S Sabboth The Sabboth of God 5. 17. Sabellinis Sabellinis his error 1. 1 Sacraments inuēted by men are nothing els but mocking stockes 20. 22. VVhēce the Sacraments do borrow their force 20. 22. In the Sacraments wee must respect the proportion of the signes with the truth 1. 32. The scripture speaketh two maner of wayes of the Sacraments 1. 26. It is not in mans wil to institute Sacraments 1. 31. God sheweth himselfe vnto vs in the Sacraments 5. 37. Sacrifice Almes is an acceptable Sacrifice to God 12. 8. Sacrifices To what the Popishe Sacrifices are made 20. 22. Saftie Wherein our saftie consisteth 17. 14. Our safetie is ioyned with the safetis of the Apostles 17. 20. Saluation What our saluation did cost the sonne of God 12. 27. The cause fountaine of our saluation 3. 16. How carefull God is for our saluation 15. 13. How this must be vnderstoode that saluatiō is of the Iewes 4. 22. Wherein the summe of our saluation consisteth 11. 51. Saluation of the Iewes 4. 22. Samaritane Christ asketh drinke of the Samaritane 4. 7. Christ is called a Samaritane 8. 48. The Samaritanes haue no fellowshiship with the Iewes 4. 9. Sanctifie Christ prayeth the father to sanctifie the Apostles 17. 7. How the father is saide to haue sactified the sonne 10. 36. To be sanctified in the truth 17 19. To sanctifie themselues after the maner of the Iewes 11. 55. Sanctification Out of what fountaine the sanctification floweth which commeth by the doctrine of the gospel 17. 9. Sanctification is not finished the first day in the elect 17. 17. What the sanctification which christ wisheth to the disciples doth comprehed in the same place Satan How Satan is said to haue entred into Iudas 13. 27. VVho they be that are subiect to the lyes of Satan 15. 43. Satan entreth into Iudas 13. 27 Saue Christ came to saue 72. 4. Sauiour The sauiour of the world 4. 42. Scatered To bee scatered vnto their owne 16. 22. The scattering abroade of the Gentiles Scattered abroade 11. 52. Scripture The Scripture cannot be broken 10. 35. The scripture fulfilled 17. 12. and 19. 28. and 36. The Apostles beleeue the scripture 2. 22. VVe must set the knowlege of Christ from the scripture 5. 39. VVith what mind we must read the scripture In the same place VVhat Iohn meaneth by the word scripture in the same place VVe must not boast of the scriptures in vaine 5. 45. Howe dangerous a thing it is to pull in peeces the scriptures 7. 27. f The Scriptures doe testifie o◠Christ. 5. 39. Sealed Hath sealed that God is true 3. 34. Seene How christ is saide to bee seene whilest that hee dwelleth by his spirite in the Disciples 16. 16. 22. VVhat it is to see the kingdome of God 3. 3. How this must bee vnderstoode that no man hath seene God at any time 1. 18. How the fathers are said to haue seene God 1. 18. He that seeth Christe seeeth the father 14. 9. To see the sonne and to beleeue in him 6. 40. They are blessed who haue not seene and haue beleeued 20. 9. That those that see may bee made blinde 9. 39. Seeke Ye shall seeke me and shall not finde mee 7. 34. 13. 35. Iewes seeke signes wonders otherwise they doe not beleeue 4. 48. 6. 30. Sepulchre VVhy God woulde haue his sonne laid in a new sepulchre 19. 41. Serpent VVhether the brasen serpent was vnto the Iewes a Sacrament 3. 14. Seruetus Seruetus his wicked opinion 1. 1. and 14. Seruant The seruant is not greater then his master 33. 16. and 15. 20. A seruant and a sonne 8. 35. The Apostles were not the seruants but the friendes of Christe 15. 15. In what sense Christe saith that they are the seruants of sinne who commit sinne 8. 34. Sheepe In what sense they are called sheepe which do not beleeue as yet 10. 16. The woorde sheepe is taken two maner of wayes 10. 8. Christ his sheepe 10. 25. Shape The shape of God is not seene 5. 7. Sheepfold The sheepefolde of the sheepe 10. 1. and 16. Signes To doe signes 7. 31. The first signe of Christ. 2. 11. The second 4. 54. All the signes of Christe are not written 20. 30. 21. 25. The multitude followe Christe because of his signes 6. 2. Sichar Sichar 4. 5. Sleepe Sleepe 11. 13. To sleep for to be dead 11. 12. 13. 14. Siloe Siloe 7. 7. Siloe a poole 9. 7. VVhy Christe commaunded the blind to be washed in Siloa in the same place Sitting Christ teacheth sitting 8. 2. Similitude How the similitude of a womanne labouring with childe ought to be applied vnto vs. 16. 21 Simon Christ sat at meate in the house of Symon the Pharise 12. 3. Sin Sinne no more 5. 14. 8. 11 They are to bee wounded with the feeling of sinne whoe are too carelesse 4. 16. To die in sinne 8. 21. 24. The comforter shall reproue the world of sinne 16. 8. Infirmitie for sinne 9. 2. How this must be vnderstoode that sinners are not heard of God 9. 31. Son Christ is the Sonne of God 1. 49. VVhy Christ is called the sonne of man 3. 33. The name Sonne appertaineth to Christ alone 20. 31. God wil be knowne in the person of the sonne 11. 4. There are two distincte vertues in the sonne of God 1. 5. How this ought to be vnderstood that the Son doth nothing of himself 5. 16. 30. The Son of God did not ascend into heauē for himself alone 14. 2. Why we are accounted the Sons of God 1. 13. How we are called the sonnes of God and the sons of the deuill 8. 44. Sonnes of God by fayth 1. 12. Sons of God dispearsed among the Gentiles 11. 52. The difference of the dyinge of the Sonnes of God and the reprobate 19. 30. The sonne of perdition 17. Sonnes of Abraham 8. 37. Soppe A soppe 13. 27. Sorow Sorowe hath filled your hearts 16. 6. Sorow must bee turned to ioye 16. 20. Speach Speach which is heard 6. 60. Spirit This word spirit is taken two maner of waies in Iohn 3. 6. That the spirit and water are taken both for one thing 3. 15. God is a spirit 4. 14. The holy spirit came down vpon Christ in the likenes of a doue 1. 32. Proceedeth from the father 15. 26. 6. is giuen to the apostles in the same place 20. 22. That is spirite which is borne of the spirit 3. 6. The holy spirit is the only fountaine of sound vnderstanding 14. 17. VVhye the spirite is signified by water in the scripture 4. 10.