as if men did preuent God with theyr loue which is an absurde thing for when as we were enemies he reconciled vs vnto himselfe Rom. 5. 10. And the woordes of Iohn 1. Io. 4. 10. are well knowne not that we loued him first but that he loued vs first But he disputeth not in this place of the cause and the effect Therfore it is falsely gathered that the loue wherewith we embrace Christ goeth before the loue of God towards vs in order For Christes only meaning is this that all those shall bee blessed which shall loue him beecause they shall be loued of him and his father againe not that God beginneth to loue thē then first of al but because they haue some testimony of his fatherly loue engrauen in their heartes To the same end tendeth that mēber which followeth immediately I will show my selfe vnto him Knowledge goeth before loue I confesse but Christe meant thus much that hee wyll graunt vnto the pure woorshippers and obseruers of his doctrine that they shall goe forward dayly in fayth that is I will make them drawe neerer more familiarly vnto me Gather hence that the fruite of godlynes is going forwarde in the knowledge of Christe For he that hath promised that he will giue vnto him that hath reiecting hypocrites hee maketh all those to goe forward in the faith whoe haue imbraced the doctrine of the Gospel from their hart and do frame themselues wholy to obey him And heereby it commeth to passe that seeing many goe backward we can scarse see euery tenth person go forward in the right course beecause the greater part is vnworthy to haue Christe to reueale himself vnto it Note here that greater knowledge of Christ is set before vs as a singuler reward of our loue toward Christe wherupon it followeth that it is an vncomparable treasure 22. Iudas saieth vnto him It is not without cause that hee asketh whye Christ containeth his light amongst a fewe who is the sonne of righteousnes by whom all the whole world ought to be lightened Therefore it seemeth to be an vnmeete thing that hee should shew forth his bright beames onely vnto a few and should not spread abroade his brightnesse euerye where without difference Christe his aunswere dooth not expounde the whole question beecause there is no mention made there of the first cause why Christe dooth keepe himselfe close from the more parte when as he reuealeth himselfe vnto a fewe For to say the trueth hee founde all menne a like at the beeginning that is altogeather strangers from him wherefore hee canne chuse none that loueth him but he chuseth of his enemies that he may bende their heartes to loue him but hee chuseth of his enemies that hee maye bende their heartes to loue him Yet would hee not touch that difference at this present beecause it serued not for his purpose His meaning was to exhort his Disciples vnto the earnest study of godlines that they might goe forward the better in the fayth Therefore he was contented to distinguishe them by this marke from the worlde that they keepe the doctrine of the gospel And this marke followeth the beginning of fayth because it is the effect of calling Christ had admonished the disciples else wher of his free calling and hee putteth them in minde of the selfe same thing afterwarde hee dooth now onely bydde them studie to keepe his doctrine and to lead a godly life Furthermore Christ sheweth in these woordes how we doe rightly obey the Gospell to witte when our dueties and externall actions doe arise from the loue of him For the handes the feete and the whole bodie labour in vaine vnlesse the loue of God doe reigne in the heart that it may gouerne the externall members Now forasmuch as it is certeine that we doe keepe Christes commaundementes inasmuch as wee loue him it followeth that the perfect loue of him canne be found no where in the world because there is no man that canne keepe his commaundements perfectly Yet God accepteth their obedience who desire with a sincere endeuour to attaine vnto this marke 23. My father will loue him VVe haue already declared that the loue of GOD is not placed in the seconde order as if it didde followe our godlynesse as the cause of loue but that the faithfull may be fully perswaded that God accepteth that obedience which they doe to the Gospel and they maye euer nowe and then looke for newe encreasings of giftes VVee will come vnto him whiche loueth mee that is hee shall perceiue that the grace of GOD abydeth in him and hee shall bee encreased daylye more and more with the giftes of GOD. Therefore he speaketh of loue not of that eternall loue wherewith hee embraced those that were not yet borne beefore the creation of the worlde but after that he fealeth the same in our heartes when as he maketh vs partakers of his adoption Moreouer hee meaneth not the firste illumination but those degrees of fayth whereby the faythfull muste goe forwarde continuallye according to that of Matthew 13. 12. To him that hath shal be giuen Therefore the Papistes doe falsly gather out of this place the double loue wherewith we loue GOD. They fayne that wee loue GOD naturally before hee dooth regenerate vs by his spirit and that by this preparation wee deserue the grace of regeneration As if the scripture dooth not teach euerye where and experience it selfe dooth crye that wee are altogether turned awaye from GOD and infected and filled with the hatred of him vntill suche time as hee chaung our hearts Therfore we must note that purpose of Christ that he his father will come that they maye confirme the faithfull in the perpetuall hope of grace 24. Hee that loueth not mee Beecause the faythfull are mingled amongste the vnfaythfull and they muste needes bee tossed with diuerse stormes as in the raginge seaes Christe confirmeth them againe with this admonition that they bee not carried awaye with euil examples as if hee shoulde saye regarde not the worlde so that you depende thereuppon beecause there will alwayes bee some which will despyse mee and my doctrine but holde faste that grace euen vntyll the ende which you haue once embraced Neuerthelesse hee giueth vs also to vnderstande that the worlde is iustlye plagued for the vnthankfulnes which is in it when as it perisheth in blindnesse when it bewrayeth wicked hatred against Christe through the contempte of true ryghteousnesse And the woorde which yee heare Leaste the Disciples shoulde fainte and fayle through the stubbernnesse of the worlde hee purchaseth aucthoritie to his doctrine againe when as hee testifieth that it is of God and that it is not feigned by manne vppon the earth And in this consisteth the strength of our fayth if wee knowe that God is our guide and that wee are grounded no where else saue onely in his eternal trueth Therfore howsoeuer the worlde dooth goe madde with frowardnesse yet let vs followe Christe
righteousnes and holynes God dooth make it knowne vnto vs daily by infinite meanes besides this how fatherly hee loueth vs but the marke of adoption farre exceedeth the rest by good right He addeth furthermore And thou hast loued them as thou hast loued me in which woordes he meant to note the cause and the beginning of loue For the aduerbe of likenes must be resolued into the coniunction causal as if he shoulde haue saide because thou hast loued me For Christ alone is he vnto whō the title of beloued belongeth And again the heauenly father loueth al the members also with the same loue wherwith he hath loued the head of the Church so that he loueth none but in Christ. Although here aryseth some shew of contrarietie for Christe saieth as we haue seene else where that the infinite loue of God toward the worlde was the cause that he gaue his onely begotten sonne before 3. 16. If the cause must go before his effect we gather that menne were beloued of God the Father without Christ that is before he was ordained to be a redeemer I answere that the mercy wherewith God was moued toward the vnworthy yea his very enemies before he reconciled thē vnto himself is called there and in such places Loue. Truly the goodnes of God is woonderfull and vnable to be comprehended by mans wit in that bearing good wil and being fauourable vnto men whom he could not hate hee tooke away the cause of hatred least any thing should hinder his loue Paule teacheth that we were double loued in Christe first because the father chose vs in him before the creation of the world Eph. 1. 4. and secondly because he hath recōciled vs vnto himselfe in the same Ro. 5. 10. hath had mercy vpon vs. Behold how we are both his enemies his friends vntill we be returned into fauour with God our sinnes being purged therefore when as we are iustified by fayth properly by God wee begin to be beloued at length as children of their father And that loue wherby it came to passe that Christ was ordained in whom wee shoulde bee chosen freely being yet vnborne and being notwithstanding already lost in Adam being hidden in Gods breast doth far exceede the capacity of mans minde No man shal euer finde God fauourable saue he which shall lay hold vppon him being pacified in Christ. But like as when Christe is taken away al taste of Gods loue dooth vanish away so wee may fully assure our selues that so soone as we are engrafted into his bodye wee neede not feare least we should fall from Gods loue For doubtlesse this foundation cannot be ouerthrown that we are loued because the father hath loued him 24. Father I will that those whom thou hast giuen to me be with me that they may see my glory which thou hast giuen me before the creation of the world 25. Iust father and the worlde hath not knowen thee and I haue knowen thee and these haue knowen that thou hast sent me 26. And I haue declared thy name vnto them and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them 24. I will that those VVill is put in steade of desire for this speache is not the speache of one that commaundeth but desireth Yet it may haue a dowble meaning either that he would haue his disciples to enioy hys externall presence or that GOD would bring them at length into the kingdome of heauen whether he goeth before them So some expound these woordes see my glorye for to enioye and be made partakers of the glory which Christ hath other some for to perceiue by the experiment of faith what Christ is and howe great his maiestie is For mine owne part hauing well weighed all thinges I thinke that Christe speaketh of the perfecte blessednesse of the godly as if hee shoulde saye that hys request should not be satisfied before they be receiued into heauen To the same effecte doe I referre the seeing of his glory They sawe the glory of Christe then as a small glimmering of light doeth come thoroughe chinkes vnto a man that is shut vppe in darkenesse nowe Christe desireth that they may goe so farre forwarde that they maye enioy the perfecte brightnesse openly in heauen In summe he desireth that the father woulde leade them foorth by continuall proceedings vnto the perfecte beholding of his glory Because thou hast loued me This dooth also farre better agree with the person of the mediatour then with the bare diuinitie of Christ. It is an hard thing that God loued his wisdome but the text leadeth vs vnto an other thing howsoeuer we receiue that It is not to be doubted but that when Christ desired before that his disciples might be ioined with him and that they might see the glory of his kingdome he spake as hee was the head of the Church Now he saieth that the loue of the father was the cause VVherfore it followeth that he was loued inasmuch as he was ordained to be the redeemer of the world VVith this loue did the father loue him before the creation of the world that he might haue wherein he might loue his elect 25 Iust father He compareth his disciples with the world that hee may thereby amplifie their commendation and fauour with the father For they must by good right be excellent who onely know God whom the whole world reiecteth Christ commēdeth them by good right with a singular affection whom the vnbeliefe of the worlde hindered not frō knowing God In calling his father iust hee derideth the worlde and the wickednes therof as if he shuld say howsoeuer the world doth proudly contemne God or refuse him yet can there nothing be taken frō him or done vnto him but that the honour of his iustice shal continue whole and sound to himselfe By which words he teacheth vs that the fayth of the godly must be so grounded in God that it doe neuer faint although the whole world do fall Like as at this day we must condemne Papistry of iniustice that we may defend Gods praise and preserue it to himselfe Christ saith not absolutely that the disciples knewe GOD but he putteth two degrees that he himselfe knew the father and that the disciples knew that he was sent of the father But because he addeth immediately after that he had declared vnto them his fathers name he commendeth them as I haue said for the knowledge of God which separateth them from the rest of the world In the meane season wee must note the order of faith which is described in this place The son which came out of the bosome of the father doth onelye know him properlye Therefore those which desire to come vnto God must needes receiue Christ comming to meete them and addict themselues vnto him Hee shall at length lift vp his disciples vnto God the father after that hee is known himselfe 26. I haue declared and wil declare
had so great a care of his life and did so diligently commend him But it appeareth by both the Euangelists that it was a sodaine palsie which at the first did put him in despaire of life for the slow palsies are without torments And Mathewe sayeth that the young man was grieuously vexed And Luke sayeth hee was neare vnto death so both sayings preuaile to set foorth the glory of the myracle either the sorowe and paine or the great daunger so that I dare say the lesse for the certaintie of the maner of the disease LVKE 5. For hee loueth our nation It is not to be doubted but that the Iewes commende him for his godlinesse For he coulde not for any other cause loue so detested a nation then for loue of the lawe and woorshippe of God And by building of a Synagogue he did euidently declare that hee fauoured the doctrine of the lawe VVherefore they say and not without a cause that hee was woorthy to haue Christe shewe himselfe bountifull to him as to a godly woorshipper of God Yet it is to be wondered at that by their entreatie they shoulde obtaine the fauour of God for a Gentile whiche they themselues contemptuously refused For if Christe bee a minister and a dispenser of the gifts of God for them why doe not they enioy that grace themselues before they gette it for straungers But suche securitie doeth alwaies raigne amongest hypocrites that they thinke to make God after a sorte obedient vnto them as if it were in their power to make the grace of God subiect to their power and wil. Then beinge filled therewith or rather because they doe not vouchsafe to taste thereof at all they resigne it vnto others as a thynge superfluous MATH 8. I am not woorthy that hee shoulde come vnder my rouse Because Mathewe is shorter hee bringeth the manne speaking thus himselfe But Luke expressing it more fully sayeth that hee gaue this in commaundement to his friends but the meaning of both is all one But there are two cipall poyntes of this sentence The Centurion sparing Christe for honour sake requireth that Christe shoulde not wearie himselfe because hee accounteth himselfe vnwoorthie of his comming Then hee attributeth so great power to him that hee beleeueth that by his onely will and woorde he canne restore his seruaunt to life A woonderfull humilitie that hee shoulde extol a manne of a seruile and a captiue nation so much aboue himselfe And it may be that being accustomed to the pride of the Iewes through his owne modestie hee did not take in ill parte to be accounted a prophane manne and so was afraide to iniurie the Prophete of God if hee shoulde bee compelled to come to a manne that was a Gentile and vncleane VVhat soeuer the matter is it is certaine that hee speaketh from his heart and that hee esteemeth so reuerently of Christe that hee dareth not call him to him Naye as it foloweth in the texte in Luke hee accounted himselfe as vnwoorthie his speache Yet it may bee demaunded by what reason he was perswaded so highly to extol Christ and that whiche presently foloweth encreaseth the doubt the more Onely speake the word and the childe shal be healed For if he had not knowen Christ to bee the Sonne of God it hadde beene superstition to haue geuen the glory of God to a man But it is scarce credible that hee coulde bee rightly instructed in the Godhead of Christe whiche as yet was vnknowen almoste to all Also Christe imputeth not nor chargeth his woordes with ignoraunce but declareth that they proceede of faith And this reason enforced many interpreaters to thinke that the Centurion celebrateth Christe as the true and onely God But I thinke that when the godly manne was fully assured of the diuine woorkes of Christe he simplie apprehended the power of God in him And without doubte hee hadde also hearde somewhat of the promised Redemer Therefore thoughe hee vnderstode not Christe to bee God manifested in the fleshe yet hee was so perswaded that the power of God was shewed in him and that suche a gift was giuen him that in his myracles hee shewed the presence of God So hee doeth not superstitiously ascribe that vnto manne whiche was proper to God but considering what was committed of God to Christe he beleeued that by his woorde alone hee coulde heale his seruaunt If auy Obiect that there is nothing more proper to God then to do by his word what he pleaseth that this mighty power can not wythout sacriledge bee giuen to a mortall manne that againe is easilye aunsweared Althoughe the Centurion did not so subtilly distinguish yet hee did not attribute thys power to the woorde of a mortal manne but of God whose minister hee was certainely perswaded Christe was This he douted not of Therefore when as Christe hadde the power of healing hee acknowledging it to bee a heauenly power doeth not tie it to his bodily presence but is satisfied with his woorde from whence hee beleueth that suche power proceedeth The similitude whyche the Centurion vseth is not taken of the like as they say but compareth the lesse wyth the greater For hee accounteth more of the Diuine power whyche hee declareth to bee in Christe then of that power whyche hee himselfe hadde ouer his seruaunts and souldiours 10. Iesus maruelled Although it cannot befal to God to maruaile because that it ariseth of thinges that are newe and vnlooked for yet maye it befall to Christe as he hadde with our flesh taken vpon him mannes affections Nowe that which Christ sayeth that he founde not so great faith euen in Israel was spoken in a certaine respecte and not simplie for if we consider all the poyntes of faith the faith of Marie did heerein at the leaste excell that she beleeued that she was with childe by the holy Ghost and that she should beare the onely begotten sonne of God Then that she acknowledged her sonne borne of her wombe to bee her creatour and the maker and onely redeemer of all the worlde But Christ commended the faith of this heathen manne before the faith of al the Iewes for two especiall causes Namely that of so little and small a taste of doctrine hee brought forth so great fruit and that so sodeinly for this was not common so highly to extoll the power of God which only beganne to shine as certaine sparkes in Christ. Then whereas the Iewes were bent to outwarde signes more then was meete this heathen man requireth no visible signe but sayeth that the onely worde should satisfie him Christ was a comming to him not that hee needed but that hee mighte prooue this faith of his VVherefore for this cause especially he cōmendeth this faith because he rested vppon his worde onely VVhat would euen one of the Apostles haue done Come Lorde see and touche This manne desireth neither his corporal comming nor his touching but beleeueth that there is so great power included in the worde that
first manifested in the Gospel but hee of whome the lawe and the Prophetes bare witnesse did openly shew himselfe in the gospel 40 And yee will not He â—oth againe cast in their teeth that nothing letted them but malice to take the life offered in the scriptures For when he saith that they will not he ascribeth the cause of ignorance and blindnesse vnto frowardnesse and stubbornnesse And truly seeing that he offered himselfe so courteously vnto them they must needes be wilfully blinde And sithence that they fled from the light of set purpose yea seeing that they did couet to ouerwhelme the Sun with thier darknes Christ doth sharply chide them for good causes 41 I receiue not glory from men 42 But I knowe you that you haue not the loue of God in you 43 I came in my fathers name and you receiue me not if another come in his owne name him will yee receiue 44 How can yee beleeue who receiue glory one of another and seeke not the glorye that commeth of God alone 45 Thinke not that I will accuse you vnto my father there is one that accuseth you Moses in whom you trust 46 For if you did beleeue Moses you woulde also beleeue mee for hee writte of mee 47 But if you beleeue not his writinges how will you beleeue my wordes 41 I receiue not glory from men He holdeth on in reprehending them and least he be suspected as if he did handle his owne cause he saith first to preuent them that he passeth not for the glory of man neither passeth he neither is he sory for his owne sake that he seeth himselfe to be despised And truly he is greater then that he dependeth vpon mens iudgementes seeing that the wickednesse of all the whole worlde can take nothing from him nor diminishe his highnesse one heyre He standeth so vpon the refuting of the false slaunder that he extolleth himself aboue men After that he inueigheth freely against them and obiecteth vnto them the contempt and hatred of God And although wee bee far distant from Christ in the degree of honour yet must we contemne the sinister iudgements of men Truly we must take great heed that the coÌ„tempt of our selues doe not prouoke vs vnto wrath But let vs rather learne to be angrie for this cause if the honour that is due vnto God be not giuen him Let this holy iealousie burne and vexe vs so often as wee see the worlde to be so vnthankfull that it doth reiect vs. 42 Because you haue not the loue of God The loue of God is in this place taken for the whole sense of Godlinesse For no man can loue God but he must receiue him and wholy submit himselfe vnto him like as againe where the loue of God doth not reigne there can be no desire to obey For which cause Moses putteth downe this briefe some of the law that we loue our God with all our hearte c. Deut. 6. 5. 43 I came Christ proueth by this argument that the Iewes do neither loue nor reuerence God because they wil greedily receiue false prophetes when as they refuse to submit themselues vnto God For hee taketh this for a thing which all men do graunt that this is a signe of a froward and wicked minde when men doe subscribe willingly vnto lyes setting apart the truth If any man doe obiect that this doth come to passe for the most part rather through errour then malice wee may easily answere that no man is subiect to the deceits of Satan saue only so far foorth as he preferreth lyes before y e truth through a certain peruers greedinesse For how commeth it to passe that God speaketh to vs as vnto deafe men and Satan findeth vs redie and willing to heare saue only because being turned away from righteousnesse we desire vnrighteousnes of our owne accord Although we must note that Christ speaketh properly of those whom God hath illuminated peculiarly as hee vouchsafed to graunt this priuiledge vnto the Iewes that being instructed in his law they might keepe the right way of saluation It is certain that such do not giue eare to false teachers vnlesse it be because they desire to be deceiued Therefore Moses saith when false prophetes arise the people is tryed examined by this meanes whether they loue the Lord their God or no. There seemeth to be in many innocent simplicitie but without doubt it is hypocrisie that blindeth their eyes which lurketh within in their minds For it is certaine y t God doth neuer shut the gate against those who knocke that they are neuer deceiued who seeke him sincerely Therefore doth Paule truly ascribe this vnto the vengeance of God when as the power of deluding is graunted to Satan that they may beleeue lyes who hauing reiected the truth did approue vnrighteousnesse and he saith that those men doe perish who haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued So at this day the dissimulatioÌ„ of many is discouered who being addicted vnto the Popes deceite and wicked superstition do fret and fume against the Gospel with poysoned furie For if they had their mindes framed vnto the feare of God that feare should also beget obedience In the name of the father The false prophetes do boast of this title as at this day the Pope doth with full mouth boast that he is Christ his vicar Yea Satan hath deceiued miserable men vnder this colour alone since the beginning But Christe doth in this place note out the thing it selfe and no colour For he doth testifie that he came in the fathers name for this cause because he is both sent of the father and doth faithfully dispatch that which he was commanded to doe Furthermore he distinguisheth by this marke the lawfull teachers of the church from false and corrupt teachers Therfore whosoeuer do extoll themselues and doe arrogate vnto themselues authoritie of their owne ouer soules this place teacheth that they are to be reiected without feare For he that will be accounted the seruant of God must haue nothing that is separated from him Now if wee examine all the Pope his doctrine euen the verye blinde shall see that hee came in his owne name 44 How can you Because it might seeme to be an hard matter that those who had been the houshold schollers of the law and the prophets from their childhood should be condemned of so grosse ignorance and made the enemies of the truth yea it might seeme to be an vncredible thing Christ telleth them what it is that letteth them to beleeue namely because ambition did take away their soundnesse of minde For he speaketh properly vnto the Priestes and Scribes who were so puffed vp with pride that they could not submit themselues vnto God This is a most excellent place which teacheth that y e gate of faith is shut against all those whose mindes are possessed with a vaine desire of earthly glory For he that will be some
also they do hinder the tounge from vttering and declaring the goodnesse of God Therefore when as the minde of Marie was filled with ioy her heart brake forth into the praise of God and it is not without cause that she attributeth the epithyte of Sauiour vnto God when as shee speakes of the ioy of her heart for vntill that God be knowen as a sauioure the mindes of men are neuer freely nor truely merye but doe alwayes remaine ambiguous and carefull Therfore it is the only fatherly fauour of God and the saluation which proceedeth from the same which filleth vs with ioy In summe this is first to be learned that the faithfull may glory and ioy that their saluation is in God Then they ought to folow the next that they hauing found him a louing father shuld geue him thanks The word soteros doth signifie more in Greeke then Seruator doth in the Latine euen such a one as doth not only once deliuer but is also the authour of perpetuall saluation 48. For he hath looked She sheweth the cause why she had the ioy of her heart grounded vpon God euen because that he of his fauour and loue looked vpon her for in that she calleth her selfe poore she resigneth all worthinesse from her selfe and ascribeth the whole cause of her ioy to the free grace and goodnesse of God for humilitie in this place as some vnlearned and ignorant men haue foolishly thought doeth not signifie submission or modestie or a habite of the minde but signifieth a vile estate and an abiecto condition therefore this is the sense That I was vile and despised was no hinderance to God but that he vouchsafed to tourne hie eyes vnto me Then if the pouertie of Marie be opposed to excellencie as the matter it selfe declareth and it plainely appeareth by the Greeke word we see that Marie casting downe her selfe doeth only exalt God And this was not a shew of fained humilitie but a simple plaine confession of her thought which she had engraued in her mind for as she was of no accompt in the world so she did no whit the more esteme of her selfe From hence foorth shall call me blessed She sayeth that thys benefite of God shal be remembred in all ages And if it were so notable that all men euery where shoulde declare the same then it was not lawful for Mary vpon whom the same was bestowed to bury the same in silence But obserue that Mary accompteth nothing of her owne felicitie but that she acknowledgeth that it were geuen her from aboue thankfully accepteth the grace she hath receiued I shall sayth she be accompted blessed throughout all ages Doth she say this as if she had obtained this praise by her owne power or industrie No but shee rather doth cōmend the only worke of God wherby we perceiue how much the papists differ from her for what good things soeuer she had of God they made small accompt of and vnaduisedly they set her foorth wyth their owne vaine inuentions They aboundantly heape vp together for her magnifical more then proud titles as that she shuld be the Quene of heauen the starre of saluation the gate of life the life the swetenes the hope and the health yea sathan also caried them so farre into impudencie and madnesse that they gaue her power ouer Christ for this is their song Aske the father commaund thy sonne Seeing that it plainly appeareth that none of these proceede from the Lord the holy virgin in one woorde abandoneth them all while shee esteemeth all her glorye to be in God his benefites for if shee be for this one thing onelye to bee renowmed because that GOD hath dealt mightely with her then there is no place lefte for those fained titles which they else where haue borowed Furthermore there is nothing more reprochefull to her then to haue her sonne spoiled of that which was due to him and that shee her selfe shoulde bee clothed with those sacrilegious spoiles Nowe let the papists go let them cry that we are iniurious to Christes mother because that reiecting the lies of men we onely set forth the benefits of God in her and we graūt her that which is most honorable for her but these preposterous worshippers take it from her For we doe willingly receiue her as a teacher and we obey her doctrine and her preceptes and it is not vnknowne what she hath said which the Papistes not regarding but treading the same as it were vnder their feete doe discredite her wordes as much as they can But let vs remember that here is a common rule set downe to be vsed of vs in praysing either Angels or men namely that the grace of God may be set forth in them so also there is nothing to be praised at al that proceedeth not from thence VVhen she saith that God that is mightie hath done great things shee declareth that God was not holpe with any other ayde that his onely power might the more appeare Nowe we must repeate that which she sayd before that shee was looked vpon although shee was an abiect and contemned VVhereof it followeth that those prayses of Mary are preposterous and adulterous in which the power and free fauour of God is not altogether and wholy extolled 49. And holy is his name This is the second part of the song wherein the holy Virgin in general sentences commendeth the power iudgments and mercie of God And this clause ought not ioyntly in one sentence to be read with the former but aparte Mary had extolled the grace of God which shee had founde in her selfe and taking occasion of this shee cryeth out that his name is holy and that his mercie florisheth in all ages Furthermore the name of God is called holy because it deserueth great reuerence that so oft as there is mention made of God there should appeare withall a reuerend maiestie of him The next sentence wherein the perpetuity of the mercy of God is praised is takē out of the accustomed forme of the couenaunt Gene. 17. 7. I will bee thy God and the God of thy seede after thee for euer And in Deut. 7. 9. I am God that shee mercie euen to a thousand generations In which wordes he doth not onely shewe that he is alwayes like him selfe but he declareth his continual fauour which he beareth towardes his so that euen after their death hee loueth their children and their childrens children and their whole ofspring So with a continuall course of loue hee did shewe him selfe to the posteritie of Abraham because that he had receiued Abraham into his fauoure hee made a league with him for euer But because that all that come of Abraham after the flesh are not in deede the sonnes of Abraham therefore Mary restraineth the effect of the promise to the true worshippers of God as Dauid also doth Psal. 103. 17. The mercy of the Lord endureth for euer vpon them that feare him and his
be demaunded whether to be perswaded of the power of Christ and of God is sufficient to make any manne faithful For thus much doe the wordes signifie doe you beleeue me that I can doe it But it appeareth out of diuers other places of the scripture that the knowledge of the power is but vaine and cold except we be assured of his wil. Yet Christe being satisfied with their answeare approoueth their faith as perfect in all poyntes I answeare when at the first they confessed him to be the sonne of Dauid they conceiued somewhat of the grace For with this title they honoured the redeemer of their nation and the authour of all their good Therefore hee demaunding of his owne power hee doeth more depely enquire whether they do constantly beleeue Therfore faith comprehendeth the mercy and fatherly loue of God with power the ready will of Christ with might But because that men do commonly attribute lesse to the power of God and might of Christ then is meete the blinde menne are not asked without a cause whether they beleeue that Christe can doe that which they professe though the purpose of Christe was simply to know whether that from their heart they gaue to him the honour of the Messias And for this cause is their faith approoued that in so base cōtemptible an estate they acknowledged the sonne of Dauid 29. According to your faith Although it is sayd that this benefite is especially bestowed vpon two blinde men yet out of these present wordes of Christ we may gather this general doctrine that we shal neuer be suffred to depart without our requests so that we pray with faith If that these two by a small saith as yet not throughly grounded doe obtaine that which they require much more at this day shall their faith preuail which being endued with the spirite of adoption and made partakers of the sacrifice of the mediatour doe come to God 30. He charged them Either his will was to haue other witnesses of the myracle or else that hee woulde deferre the reporte thereof to an other time Therefore that is woorthy to be reprooued that they doe vtter the same presently euery where For that some imagine that Christe forbade them that he might the rather stirre them forwarde we haue confuted in an other place It is certaine there was some cause of forbidding whiche is vnknowen vnto vs but these menne of an vnaduised zeale doe vtter it before the time 32. They brought vnto him a dumbe man It is probable that this manne was not dumbe by nature but when he was deliuered vp to the deuil that he was depriued of his speach yet al those that are dumbe are not possessed of deuils But this man was so afflicted that by manifest signes it appeared that his tongue was tied And that after his healing the people do cry out that the like was neuer seene in Israel seemeth to be an hyperbolicall kinde of speache for by greater myracles had God in times past reuealed his glory amongst that people But it may be that they had regarde to the ende of the myracle so that then the minds of all men were stirred vp to loke for the cōming of the Messias And they so extold the present grace of God so as they wold diminish nothing from his former works And it is to be noted that this speache was not premeditate but such as in admiration brake out sodenly 14. The Pharises sayde Heereby it appeareth how mad they were which were not afraide to defame with wicked speache so notable a woorke of God For the Antithesis is to be noted betweene the praise of the people and the blasphemie of these men For that the people sayeth the like was neuer done in Israel was a confession proceeding from a feeling of the glory of God VVhereby it doeth the better appeare that these men were starke madde which durst blaspheme God to his face Yet wee are also taughte when wickednesse is growen to extremitie that there is none so manifest a woorke of God which it will not peruert But this is monstrous seldome seene and incredible that mortall men should rise vppe against their maker but that blindnesse is so much the more to be feared which I spake of before whereby the Lorde after his long sufferaunce executeth his vengeance vppon the wicked Mathewe 9. Marke Luke 35. And Iesus went about all cities and townes teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the kingdome and healing euery sickenesse and euery disease among the people 36. But when hee sawe the multitude hee had compassion vppon them because they were dispearsed and scattered abroade as sheepe hauing no shepheards 37. Then sayde hee to his disciples surely the haruest is great but the labourers are fewe 38. VVherefore pray the Lorde of the haruest that he would send foorth labourers into his haruest   35. And he went about This is spoken by preuention that wee myghte knowe that the whole ministerie of Christe is not particulerly described but generally that he was diligent in his office namely that hee mighte publish the doctrine of saluation and confirm the same by myracles VVe haue sayd in an other place before that it is called the Gospel of the kingdome of the effecte because that by this meanes God doeth gather vnto himselfe a people that was miserably dispearsed that hee might raigne in the midst of them and for that cause truely hath he raised vp his throne that he might endue all his with full felicitie Yet let vs remember that it behooueth vs to become subiecte to God that by him wee may be caried into celestiall glory 36. He had compassion vpon them Hereby we gather first how sluggish the Priests were which being placed through out the whole lande that they might shewe foorth the light of the heauenly doctrine were become idle bellies And they proudly boasted themselues to be the chief bishoppes of the people and there was no small multitude of them which gloried in this title yet Christe acknowledgeth none of them to be pastours The same want is found at this day in Poperie which yet is replenished with pastorall titles for greate is that sinke or heape of that leude companie which vnder the name of the cleargie doe deuoure vppe the people For though they be dumbe dogges yet they are not ashamed arrogantly to bragge of their hierarchie But the woorde of Christ is to be heard which sayeth that there are no pastours whereas there are no labourers that those sheepe are wandring and dispearced which are not gathered togither into the folde of God by the doctrine of the Gospell And in that he is touched with compassion he prooueth himselfe to be a faithfull minister of his father in caring for the saluation of the people for whose sake he had takē vpon him our flesh And though he is now receiued into heauen and hath not the same affections whereunto hee was subiecte
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
he leaueth the very meaning of the words For Luke woulde note what the behauiour of the woman was and what all men thought of her For though her sodeine chaunge hadde made her an other womanne before GOD then shee was before yet the infamy of her former life was not as yet extinguished amongst men Therfore by common iudgemente shee was a sinner that is of a wicked and shamefull life VVhereuppon Simon dooth euill inferre that Christ had not the spirite of discretion who knewe not that infamy so commonly knowne 40. Iesus answered Christ declareth by this aunswere how muche Simon was deceaued For the reuealing and setting forth his silente and secrete thought prooueth that hee hath some greater excellencie then the prophets For he answereth not his words but he refuteth that which he kept secrete within And that not for Simons sake onely but that we all may thereby learne that it is not to be feared that hee shoulde reiect any sinners from him who is ready no lesse lyberallye as with outstretched armes to receiue all then gentlye and louinglye to call them to him 41. Two debters The summe of this parable is that Simon erred in condemning the woman which the heauenly Iudge hath cleared And he proueth that she is righteous not because she hath satisfied God but because sinnes are forgiuen her for otherwise the similitude should not agree where Christ saieth the debtes were freely forgiuen the debters because they were not able to pay Therefore it is maruaile that so many interpreters were so grosly deceaued as though this woman shoulde obtaine forgiunesse by teares annoynting and kissing of his feere For the argument which Christ vseth is not taken of the cause but of the effect for this in order is first to receiue the benefit then to giue thanks and free forgiunesse is heere noted to be the cause of this mutuall loue In summe the argument wherby Christ proueth that this woman is reconciled to God is gathered of the fruites or the latter effectes 44. Hee turned to the woman The Lord seemeth so to compare Simon with the woman that he maketh him bound onelye for small offences But the manner of his graunting is as if he should haue said Simon imagine that thy guiltinesse were but small from the which the Lorde hath deliuered thee and that this woman was ouerwhelmed with many and most grieuous sinnes yet thou seest that she is forgiuen and she now doth testifie the same in deede For what meane these teares thus abundantly shedde what the continual washing of my feete what the precious ointment but that she confesseth her selfe to haue bene ouerwhelmed with a wonderfull weight of damnation And now she embraceth the mercie of God so much more carnestly by how much shee acknowledgeth her selfe to haue greater neede of the same Therfore by Christes words it can not be gathered whether Simons debt was small and whether hee was deliuered from the guiltines of the same It is rather to be beleeued that he was a blind hypocrite and then was yet drowned in the filthines of his sinnes But Christ rested vpon this one thing though she had bene a wicked woman yet these are manifest signes of her righteousnes that to testifie her thankfulnes she omitted no kinde of duetie and she declared by al meanes she could how much she was bound to God yet Christ admonisheth Simon that there is no cause why hee shoulde flatter himselfe as though he were free from al fault for he also had neede of mercie Then if he himselfe do not please God without forgiunes hee ought by these signes of repentaunce and thankfulnes to consider that whatsoeuer this woman had sinned was forgiuen her The wordes are to be noted wherein this woman is preferred aboue Simon namely that shee washed Christes feete with her teares and wiped them with her hayres when he had not commaunded to giue him so much as common water that shee ceased not to kisse his feete when he had not vouchsated to receiue Christ with a kisse of salutation for a guest that she had powred pretious ointment vpon his feete and he had not annoynted his head with oyle Also this was the cause why the Lorde who was a singular example of a sparing and moderate life suffered the cost of this oyntment to be beestowed vppon him beecause the miserable sinner shoulde by this meanes testifie that shee ought all to him For he desired not delightes nor was allured with pleasaunt sauour nor allowed glorious decking but looked onely for an earnest testimonie of repentaunce which is also sette forth by Luke as an example to vs. for the teares are witnesses of her sorow which is the beginning of repentaunce She came behynde Christ and there threw her selfe downe at his feete in which appeared her shamefastnes and humilitie she brought her oyntment and offered her selfe and all shee had in sacrifice to Christ. All these things are for vs to follow but the sheading of the oyntement was a perticular action which should be yll drawne into a general rule 47 Her sinnes are forgiuen her Some thinking the verbe to haue bene of the moode of exhorting doe gather this sense sith this woman sheweth by these notable deedes that she wholly burneth with the loue of Christ it is not meete that the Church should be more sharpe or harde against her but that she should rather be gently entreated though shee had grieuouslye offended But the maner of placing of the Greeke word being wel considered that subtill exposition may be reiected which the texte resuseth For a litle after Christ speaking to the woman rehearseth the same where the maner of exhorting could not agree And the contrary clause followeth this sentence lesse is forgiuen to him that loueth lesse Though the verbe of the present tence may be resolued into the preter tence For sith she endeuored to perfourme carefully al the dueties of pietie Christ hereof inferreth that though she was couered with many sinnes yet the mercy of God was greater then that she should be accounted a sinner any more But this loue is not sayde to be the cause of forgiuenesse but a signe following after as I sayde before For this is the meaning of the wordes They which see so great desire of pietie in a womanne are peruerse Iudges except they iudge thereby that God hath already bene mercifull vnto her so that free forgiunesse hath in order gone before For Christ doth not dispute by what price men should obtaine the grace of God but he proueth that God hath now forgiuen this miscrable sinner and that mortall man should not be so hard against her 48. Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee It may bee demaunded to what ende Christ promiseth her againe that forgiuenesse which she had obtayned and whereof shee was assured Some say that this was spoken not so much for her sake as for others But in my iudgement he had especiall regarde of her as shall more euidently
which the first commaundeth the worship of God the seconde charitie Moses gathered this summe well and wisely that the Iewes might knowe what GOD required in euerye of the commaundementes But though it is meete that GOD shoulde bee beloued farre otherwise then menne yet it is not without cause that for worshyppe or honour God shoulde require vs to loue him for by this meanes he declareth that no other worshyppe pleaseth him then that which is done of a free wil. For he will yeelde himselfe to a ryght and true obedience to God that loueth him Furthermore because the wicked and corrupt affections of the fleshe do withdraw vs froÌ„ a right course Moses declareth that our lyfe shal theÌ„ be well brought into order when the loue of God shall possesse all our senses Let vs therefore learne that the loue of GOD is the beginning of godlynes for God refuseth al obedience of meÌ„ which coÌ„meth of constraynte and will be worshipped wyllingly and freely Yet let vs learne that vnder the loue of GOD is noted the reuerence which is due vnto him Moses addeth not the minde but onelye maketh mention of the hearte the soule and the strength And though this partition into these foure partes is the fuller yet it altereth not the sense For when Moses would summarilye declare that God should be beloued perfectlye and that what power soeuer is in men should be imployed this waye it was sufficient for him to adde strength to the soule hart and so to leaue no part of vs voyd or without the loue of God Also we know that the He brewes do somtime note the mind by this word heart especially where it is ioyned with this word soule But I do not labour much to shew what the minde doth differ from the hearte aswell in this place as in that of Matthew except that it signifieth a higher seate of reason from whence all counselles and thoughtes do proceede But by this short summe it appeareth that God in giuing the lawe and commaundementes respecteth not what men can doe but what they should doe For it cannot be that the perfect loue of God should reigne and rule in this infirmitie of the flesh For we know how all the senses of our minde are bent to vanitie Lastly we do gather hereby that God doth not stay vpon the outwarde shew of works but doth especiallye require the inwarde affection that good fruits may grow of a good roote 39 The second is like to this He placeth loue and charity amongst men in the second place beecause the worshippe of GOD is firste in order And he saieth that the commaundement of louing the neighbours is like to the first because it dependeth of it For sith euerye manne is giuen to selfe loue true charitie towardes our neighbours cannot be founde anye where but where the loue of God reigneth For the loue wherewith the children of the world doe loue one another is to bee bought and solde for euery manne careth for his owne profite Againe it is impossible that the loue of God shoulde reigne but that brotherlye loue amongste menne should spring out of it Also when Moses commaundeth vs to loue our neighbours as our selues hee woulde not set the loue of our selues first that euerye manne might loue himselfe firste and then his neighbours as the Sorbonicall Sophisters doe cauill that the ruled is inferiour to his rule but sith wee are giuen too much to our selues Moses reproouing this faulte sette our neighbours in equall degree with vs as if hee should forbid euerye man neglecting others to haue care of himselfe because that charitie ioyneth all into one body And correcting selfe loue which deuideth men asunder hee bringeth them all backe to a common societie and as it were to a mutuall embraceing one of another VVhereby we gather that Paule doth not without cause call it the band of perfection Coloss. 3. 14. and the fulfilling of the law Romans 13. 10 Because that all the commaundementes of the second Table should be referred to it LV. 28. Doe this and thou shalt lyue I haue shewed somewhat beefore how this promise agreeth with the free iustification by fayth For God doth not therefore iustifie vs freely by grace because the lawe doth not shewe and describe a perfecte righteousnesse but beecause that wee fayle in the obseruation of the same and therefore hee saieth that wee cannot lyue by the same beecause it is weake in our fleshe So that these two doe â—gree well togeather the lawe teacheth howe menne shall bee iustified by workes and that no manne shal be iustified by workes beecause the want is not in the doctrine of the lawe but in men Yet was it Christes purpose to take awaye that obiection because he knew that the rude and vnlearned people murmured against him as if that he shuld goe about to ouerthrowe the lawe as it is the perpetuall rule of righteousnesse 29. But he willing to iustifie himselfe This question might seeme to serue nothing to the iustifying of man But if we remember that which is said other where that mens hipocrisie is most found out in the secoÌ„d table for while they faigne themselues to be great seruers of God they doe openly deale vncharitably towardes their neighbours and thereby it may be easily gathered that the Pharise vsed this shift that being couered vnder this false cloake and colour of holines hee might not be brought foorth into the light Therefore when hee perceiueth that the examination of his charitie would make against him least that he shuld be fouÌ„d a transgressour of the law hee seeketh starting hoales in the name of a neighbour And first we see that the Scribes had herein corrupted the law because they accounted none others for their neighbours but they which were worthy of it And thereof was that as a generall rule receiued amongst them that it was lawfull to hate their enemies For this was one meanes that the hipocrits vsed to cleare themselues of guiltines to draw back as much as they could least their life shuld be brought to be iudged by the law 30. Iesus aunswered Christe might haue taught simply that the name of a neighbour doth generally belong to euerye manne beecause that all mankinde is ioyned and knitte togeather with a certeine holy bande of fellowshippe And surely the Lord set downe this name in the lawe for no other cause but that he might gently allure vs to loue one another The commaundement had beene playner thus Loue euery man as thy selfe but because that men are so blinded in their owne pride that euery man lyketh so wel of himselfe that he scarse thinketh others worthy of the lyke estate but withdraweth their dueties from them the Lorde therefore of purpose calleth all neighbours that the affinity it self might ioyne them together one to another Therefore that any man may beecome our neighbour it sufficeth that hee is a man for it is not in our power to blotte out that nature
be apt ready for the flight In like maner Pray you that your flighte be not in the winter or on the sabboth daye least that either religion or the hardnesse of the iourney and the shortnesse of the dayes shoulde hinder and lette them from fleeing speedily Therefore Christes purpose was first to stirre vppe hys disciples and to waken them that they shoulde no more haue that imagination of a blessed estate and delite of an earthly kingdome then hee encourageth them least they should fall away at these generall plagues This was a sharpe warning yet was it necessary in respect of their blockishnesse and the huge greatnesse of the euils 21. For then shall be greate affliction Luke also sayeth that it shall be a day of reuengement and of wrath against that people that what soeuer thinges are wrytten might be fulfilled For when as the couenāt of God was then broken through the obstinate malice of the people it was mete that by a wonderfull chaunge the earth it selfe and the aire shoulde bee shaken And a more deadly plague coulde not haue lighted vppon the Iewes then that the light of the heauenly doctrine beinge extinguished amongst them they were cast away from god But as necessity required in so great hardnesse of hear they are enforced to feele the plague of their casting off by hard and sharpe whips But this was the cause of so horrible vengeance that the desperate wickednesse of that nation was now come to the ful measure For the medicine which was laid to their diseases was not only proudly disdained but they also reiected the same most reprochefully yea as madde men or people distraught they raged cruelly against the Phisition himselfe But sith the Lord reuenged so seuerely vpon them that obstinate contempt of the gospell togither wyth their raging madnesse let their plague be alwayes before our eyes and let vs learne thereby that there is nothing more intollerable to GOD then the disdainful contempt of his grace And though the same reward remaineth for the like contemners of the Gospel yet God woulde haue a more notable example remain of the Iewes then of any others that the glory of the comming of Christ might be the more renoumed amongst the posterities For the hainousnesse of the offence cannot be expressed by any wordes that they should put to death the sonne of God the authour of life which was giuen vnto them from heauen So when they had committed that most abhominable sacriledge they ceased not by diuers and sundry other crimes to pull vppon themselues all the causes of their vtter destruction Therefore Christ sayeth that the lyke affliction shall not be in the world after that for as that one reiection of Christe accompanyed with so many circumstances of wicked rebellion and vnthankefulnesse was more to be detested then all the sinnes of all ages so also it was meete that it shoulde be more sharpely reuenged then all the rest 22. And except those dayes shoulde be shortned He amplifieth the greatnesse of those calamities and yet hee addeth a comfort wyth it Namely that the name of the Iewes might be extinguished if the Lorde had not regarde of his electe and holpe not somewhat for their sake And thys place agreeth with that of Isaiah 1. 9. Except the Lorde had reserued to vs a small remnant we should haue bene as Sodome and like vnto Gomorrha for that vengeance of God which befell at the captiuity of Babylon shoulde be fulfilled againe at the comming of Christe as Paule witnesseth in the ninthe chapter to the Romanes the nine and twenty verse yea the more iniquitie hadde then spread it selfe the greater reuenge shoulde then light vppon them Therefore Christe sayeth except God putte an ende to those euilles the Iewes shall vtterly pearish so that not one of them shall remaine but God maketh account of his gratious couenaunt so that hee will spare his electe according to that other saying of Isaiah 10. 22. If my people Israel bee as the sande of the sea the remnant of them shall only be saued And this is a notable testimony of the iudgement of God when hee so afflicteth the visible Churche that it may seeme to be vtterly destroyed and yet that he might reserue some seede he doeth wonderfully deliuer his electe thoughe they be but sewe in number from destruction that they might beyonde all hope escape the gulfe of death So are the hypocrites terrified that they shoulde not vnder the title and fourme of the Church nourish a vaine hope and imagine that they should goe vnpunished Because the Lorde when hee deliuereth them to destruction will finde a meanes to preserue and deliuer his Churche and it bringeth great comfort to the godly that God will neuer so lette louse the bridle of hys wrath but that he will prouide for their saluation So in punishing of the Iewes hys wrath burnt in most horrible maner and yet beyonde the hope of menne he so gouerned himselfe least any of hys electe should pearish And this was in deede a woonderfull myracle that when saluation shoulde come of the Iewes God of a fewe droppes of a fountaine dried vppe made floudes to water the whole worlde For as they hadde procured the hatred of all the Gentiles against them it wanted but little but that in one day there should haue beene a signe giuen to slaye them euerye where And it is not to be doubted but that when many desired so to haue murthered them Titus was restrained by God from arming by his allowance his souldiours and others greedie enough to execute such a purpose Therefore that Romane Emperour stayed then that last destruction of that whole nation and this shortning was for the preseruation of some seede This must yet bee noted that he restrained the violence of his wrath for the electe sake For why would he haue so fewe remaine of so great a multitude and what cause hadde he to preferre these aboue the rest Namely for that his grace rested vppon that people which he hadde adopted and least his couenant should be made of none effecte some were chosen and appoynted by his eternall counsell to saluation Therefore Paule Romanes 11. 5. assigneth his election of grace for the cause why of so greate a people there was onely a remnant saued Then lette the merites of menne giue place when we are called to the meere good will and pleasure of God that the difference betweene these and them shoulde not bee in anye other poynte but that it is meete they should be saued which are chosen And Marke that he might sette forth the matter more plainly and expresly addeth one woorde more speaking thus For the electe sake which hee hathe chosen hee will shorten those dayes The participle myghte haue sufficed but that hee woulde expresly declare that God was not mooued by any other causes why hee shoulde rather fauour these then those but because he pleased to chuse and to establish in them whome
But admit they followed something which seemed to be true yet can they not deny but that serm◠is more conuenient VVherby it appeareth what barbarous tyranny those pelting Diuines did vse who did so molest Erasmus because he changed but one worde into that which was better And the woorde was with God wee said euen nowe that by this meanes the sonne of God is placed aboue the worlde and is set before all ages And also this phrase doth attribute vnto him a distinct person from the father for it were very absurde for the Euangelist to say that the worde was alwayes with God vnlesse it had a proper subsistence in God Therefore this place serueth to refute the errour of Sabellius because it declareth that the sonne differeth from the father I saide euen nowe that wee must be wise with sobrietie in so great mysteries speake modestly of the same Notwithstanding the olde writers of the Churche are to bee holden excused who when as they could not otherwise defend the right and sincere doctrine against the wresting boughtes of the heretikes they were inforced to inuent certain words which notwithstanding were consonant vnto that which is deliuered els where in the Scriptures They said that there were three persons in one and the simple essence of God The worde person is taken in that sense in the first Chapter to the Hebrues wherunto the worde substance answereth as Hyllarie taketh it They called the diuers properties which are in God persons which our mindes doe beholde like as saieth Gregorie Nazianzene that hee cannot thinke vpon one but by and by there appeare three And the worde was God Least there shoulde remaine any doubt concerning the diuine Essence of Christe in plaine words hee affirmeth that he is God Nowe seeing there is one onely God it followeth that Christe is of the same Essence with the father and yet they differ in some point But wee haue already spoken of this second member As touching the vnitie of the Essence too intollerable was the wickednesse of Arrius who least hee shoulde bee inforced to confesse the eternall diuinitie of Christe did babble that there was a certaine feigned God But seeing that we heare that the worde was God why shoulde wee doubt of his eternall Essence any longer 2. This was in the beginning To the end the Euangelist may the more deepely imprint in our mindes that which he said before hee gathereth these two former members into a briefe conclusion that the word was alwayes and that with God so that thou mayest vnderstande the beginning to be aboue all time 3. All things were made by it After that he hath affirmed that the word is God and hath set foorth his eternall Essence hee now proueth his diuinitie by his workes and this is practicall knowledge whereunto wee ought especially to accustome our selues For the bare name of GOD which is attributed vnto Christe shal be of small force with vs vnlesse our faith shall in very deede perceiue that he is such a one And he doth fitly affirme that of the sonne of God which doth properly agree to his person Paule saith sometime simplie that all things are by God but so often as the sonne is compared with the father hee is distinguished by this marke Wherefore this maner of speeche is vsuall that the father hath made all things by the sonne and that all thinges are of God by the same sonne The drift of the Euangelist as I said is this that the word of God began to worke openly immediately after the creation of the worlde For whereas he was before incomprehensible in his Essence his power was then knowne openly by the effect Furthermore some of the Philosophers doe so make God the Creator of the worlde that they adioyne vnto him a minde in this his worke In this they saide well because it is agreeable to the Scriptures but because they vanish away by and by in friuolous cogitations there is no cause why wee should greedily desire their testimonies but rather being contented with this heauenly Oracle let vs knowe that there is muche more said then our minde is able to conceiue And without it was made nothing that was made Although this place be read diuersly yet without all doubting I read it in one text on this wise There was made nothing that was made And herein doe all the Greeke copies agree at least those which are of more allowable authoritie againe the sense doth necessarily require that it shoulde be so They which distinguish this member That which was made from the former sentence that they may ioyne it with the sentence following they bring a racked sense That which was made in it was life that is it liued or was holden in life But they shall neuer bee able to shew that this maner of phrase is any where attributed to the creatures Augustine being after his accustomed maner too much addicted to Plato is carried away vnto Idaes or formes that God had conceiued the forme of the whole worke in his minde before suche time as hee created the worlde and so by this meanes the life of those things which were not as yet was in Christe because the creation of the worlde was ordered in him But wee shall see anon howe farre this is from the Euangelists meaning Now I returne vnto the former member This is no vnnecessarie repetition as it seemeth at the first blush because Satan goeth about by al meanes possble to pull away somewhat from Christe the Euangeliste meant plainely to testifie that there is nothing of all these things which were made excepted 4. In it was life The Euangelist hath taught hitherto that al things were created by the worde of God now he doth in like sorte attribute vnto it the preseruation of those things which were created as if hee shoulde say that the power of that worde which appeared in the creation of the worlde was not only sodam or but for a moment and passed away by and by againe but that it is euident in this that the order of nature continueth sure and certaine like as hee is said in the first to the Hebrues verse 3. to sustaine all things with the worde and becke of his power But this life may either be extended vnto thinges without life which liue after their maner though they bee without sense or it may bee expounded of the liuing creatures only It skilleth not muche whether you choose for the sense is simple that the worde of God was not only the fountaine of life to all creatures that these thinges myghte begin to bee which were not as yet but that it cōmeth to passe through his liuely vertue that they continue in their estate For vnlesse his continuall inspiration doe refreshe and strengthen the worlde it must needes come to passe that all thinges whiche siue and haue any being shall straightway decay or be brought to nothing Finally Iohn doth testifie that that commeth to passe
is true in respect of his diuinitie the manner of speech importeth an other thing namely that he himselfe as he was man was in heauē It might be said that there is no mention made of place but y t Christ is onely distinguished from the rest by this condition because he is heyre of the kingdome of God from which all mankinde is banished but seeing that it is common and vsuall enough in Christe by reason of the vnitie of person to haue that which is proper to the one nature to bee translated vnto the other wee neede not to seeke for any further aunswere Therefore Christe who is in heauen hath put on our flesh that stretching foorth his brotherly hand he may carry vs vp to heauen with him 14 And as Moses He doth more plainely declare to what ende hee said thath it is he alone to whom heauen is opened namely that he may bring in with him all those who will now followe him as their guide For he doth testifie that he is laide open and made euident vnto al men that he may make all men partakers of his power To be lifted vp doth signifie to be placed in an high place that all men may see him This commeth to passe by the preaching of the gospel For whereas some doe expounde it to be meant of the crosse it agreeth not with the text and it is nothing to the purpose Therefore the meaning of the woordes is plaine that Christe shal be lifted vp by the preaching of the gospel like to a banner that all men may beholde him as Esay foretolde Hee setteth downe a figure of this lifting vp in the brasen serpent which Moses erected the beholding whereof did cure those that were wounded with the deadly byting of Serpents VVe know the historie which is conteined Num. 21. 9. Furthermore it is cited in this place to this end that Christ may declare that by the preaching of the gospel hee shall be set in the sight of all men that whosoeuer shall beholde him with faith may be saued VVhereby wee must gather that Christ is plainely set before our eyes in the gospel least any man should complaine of obscuritie and that this reuelation is common vnto all men and that faith hath her sight and beholding wherewith shee may see Christe as if hee were present like as Paul saith that he is plainly depainted out with his crosse when hee is truly preached And this is no vnproper or farre fet similitude For as that was only the externall shape of a serpent within there was no deadly or venemous thing so Christ tooke vpon him the shape of sinful flesh being yet cleane void of sin that he might cure in vs the deadly woūd of sin Neither was it is vaine that the Lord in times past whē the Iewes were wounded of serpents did prouide such a kinde of medicine And this did serue to confirme the wordes of Christe For seeing that he saw that he was contemned as an obscure vile person he could bring in no fitter thing then the lifting vp of the serpent As if he shoulde say that it ought not to seeme an absurd thing if contrarie to the opinion of men he be extolled from lowe degree vnto higher because that was shadowed in the figure of the serpent vnder the law Now the question is asked whether Christ doth compare himselfe to the Serpent because there is some likelihood or he giueth vs to vnderstand that it was a sacrament as was Manna For although Manna was bodily food appointed vnto the present vse yet Paul doth also testifie that it was a spirituall mysterie Both this place and also that that the serpent was kept vntill suche time as through the superstition of the people it was turned into an idoll do induce me to thinke the same concerning the brasen serpent If any man thinke otherwise I doe not contend 16 For so God Christ openeth the first cause and as it were the fountaine of our saluation and that least any doubt should remaine For our mindes haue no quiet resting place vntill such time as they come vnto y e free loue of god Therfore like as we cā seek the whole matter of our saluatiō no where els saue only in Christ so we must mark whēce Christe came vnto vs why he was offered vnto vs to be our sauiour Both these things are plainly deliuered vnto vs in this place namely y t faith in christ doth giue life vnto al mē that Christ brought life vnto vs because our heauēly father wil not haue mākind whō he loueth to perish And here must marke the order diligently For when as the originall of our saluation is once handeled as there is wicked ambition ingrafted in our nature so straightway there creepeth into our mindes diuelish imaginations concerning our owne merites Therefore we feigne that GOD is mercifull vnto vs for this cause because hee iudged vs to bee worthie to bee regarded But the scripture doth euery where extoll his meere and simple mercy which may abolish all merites And this is the sole meaning of Christe his wordes when hee setteth downe the cause in Gods loue For if wee will goe any higher the spirite locketh the gate by the mouth of Paule teaching that this loue is grounded in the purpose of his will And truly it is manifest that Christe said thus to the ende hee might drawe men from respecting themselues vnto the only mercie of God And he saith plainely that God was not moued to deliuer vs because he did marke that there was something in vs that was worthie of so great a benefite but he assigneth the glory of our deliuerance wholy vnto his loue and that doth better appeare by the text for he saith that the sonne is giuen vnto men that they may not perish VVherupon it followeth that vntill such time as Christ doth vouchsafe to helpe vs beeing lost we are all appointed vnto eternall destruction And Paule also sheweth this by the circumstance of time namely because we were loued whenas yet we were enemies through sinne Surely where sin doth reigne we shall finde nothing but the wrath of GOD which bringeth with it death Therfore it is mercy alone that reconcileth vs vnto God that it may also restore vs to life Yet this kinde of speech seemeth to be contrarie to manye places of scripture whiche doe laye the firste foundation of Gods loue toward vs in Christe and without him they shew that God doth hate vs. But we must remēber that which I said before that the secrete loue wherewith God imbraced vs with himself because it floweth from his eternall purpose is aboue all other causes and that the grace which he wil haue shewed vnto vs and whereby we are lifted vp vnto the hope of saluation doth begin at the reconciliation gotten by Christ. For seeing that it must needes be that he hateth sin how shal we be persuaded that he loueth
vs vntill suche time as our sinnes are purged in respect whereof he is worthily angrie with vs So that the blood of Christ must come betweene to reconcile vs vnto God before such time as we can feele his fatherly good wil. And as wee heare in the former place that God did giue his sonne to die for vs because he loued vs so it foloweth straightway after that Christ alone is he in whom we ought properly to fixe our faith He hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer shall beleeue in him may not perish This I say is y e right beholding of faith to set Christ before it in whom it may beholde the breast of God powred out into loue this is the firme and sounde shoare to leane vnto the death of Christ as the only pledge This worde only begotten hath in it great force to set foorth vnto vs the vehemency of Gods loue toward vs. For because men are not easily persuaded y t God doth loue theÌ„ to the end he might take away all doubtfulnes hee setteth downe in plaine words y t God did loue vs so dearely that he spared nor his only son for our sake Therfore seing that god hath declared his loue toward vs sufficieÌ„tly whosoeuer is not coÌ„tented with this testimonie but doth as yet doubt he doth Christ no small iniurie as if some one of the common sorte were deliuered vp to death But rather we must thus thinke with our selues that looke howe great account God doth make of his sonne so precious was our saluation vnto him the price whereof he would haue the death of his onely begotten sonne himselfe to bee Christe is called by this name by good right because he is the onely sonne by nature who doth make vs partakers of this honour by adoption then when we are ingrafted into his bodie Hee that beleeueth in him may not perishe This is a singuler commendation of faith that it deliuereth vs from eternal destruction For his meaning was plainely to expresse that although we seeme to be borne vnto death yet is there certaine deliuerance offered in the faith of Christe so that death which doth otherwise hang ouer our heads is no whit to bee feared And he added also the vniuersall note both that hee may inuite all men in generall vnto the participation of life and also that hee may cut off all excuse from the vnbeleeuers To the same ende tendeth the worde worlde which hee vsed before For although there shal nothing be founde in the worlde that is worthie of Gods fauour yet he sheweth that he is fauourable vnto the whole worlde when hee calleth all men without exception vnto the faith of Christ which is nothing els but the entrance into life But yet let vs remember that life is promised vnto all those who shall beleeue in Christe so commonly that yet faith is not common vnto all men For Christe lyeth open vnto all men yet god doth onely open the eyes of the elect that they may seeke him by faith Furthermore herein appeareth the wonderfull effect of faith because we doe thereby receiue Christe as he is giuen vs of the father namely that he may make vs heires of eternall life being deliuered from the giltinesse of eternall death because he hath purged our sinnes by the sacrifice of his death least any thing should hinder God froÌ„ taking vs for his children Therefore seeing that faith doth imbrace Christe with the efficacie of his death fruit of his resurrectioÌ„ it is no maruell if we do also thereby enioy the life of Christe yet it doth not appeare sufficiently as yet why and how faith doth make vs partakers of life whether it bee because Christe doth regenerate vs by his spirite that the righteousnesse of God may liue and be of force in vs or whether it be because beeyng purged by his blood from sinnes we are iudged iust before god through free pardon Truely it is certaine that these two are alwayes ioyned together but because we intreate in this place of the certaintie of saluation wee must especially note this reason that we do liue for this cause because God doth loue vs freely in not imputing vnto vs our sinnes Therefore the sacrifice is mentioned by name whereby togeather with sinnes death and the curse are abolished I haue alreadie declared the drift of these two members namely that wee may know that wee recouer life in Christe whereof wee are depriued in our selues For in this miserable estate of mankinde redemption is before saluation in order 17 For he sent not This is the confirmation of the sentence next going before because God sent not his sonne hyther vnto vs in vaine But he came not to destroy Therfore it followeth that it is the proper office of God to giue saluation through him vnto all those that beleeue Now there is no cause why any man shoulde doubt or be carefull howe to escape death seeing that we vnderstande that this is Gods purpose that Christe shoulde deliuer vs from the same This worde worlde is repeated againe to the ende no man may thinke that he is excluded if so bee it he holde the way of faith To iudge is taken in this place as in manie other places for to condemne And wheras he saith y t he came not to coÌ„deÌ„ne the worlde he setteth downe therein the proper ende of his comming For what neede had Christe to come to destroy vs who were vtterly perished Therefore we must consider no other thing in Christ but that God meant to helpe vs for his infinite goodnesse sake that he might saue vs beeing lost And so often as our sinnes do testifie against vs so often as Satan doth pricke vs forward to despayre wee must holde vp this buckler that God woulde not haue vs to perish euerlastingly because he hath ordeined his sonne to bee the sauiour of the worlde And whereas Christe in another place saith that he came to iudgement in that hee is called a stone of stumblyng whereas hee is saide to be the fall of many that is an accidentall thing or that I may so speake a thyng that commeth by chaunce For they that refuse the grace that is offered in him are worthie to finde hym a Iudge and reuenger of such wicked â—ilthie contempt VVhereof there appeareth a most euident token in the Gospel for whereas it is properly the power of God vnto saluation vnto all that beleeue the vnthankfulnesse of many causeth it to turne to their destruction Paule expresseth both verie well when he boasteth that he hath in readinesse the vengeance wherewith hee will punishe all the aduersaries of his doctrine after that the obedience of the godly shall bee fulfilled For it is as much as if hee shoulde say that the Gospel is appointed chiefly and principally vnto the faithfull to bee vnto them for saluation but that afterwarde it shall turne to the destruction of the vnbeleeuers who contemning the grace of Christ
had rather haue him to be the authour of death then of life Hee that beleeueth in him is not condemned VVhereas he doth so often so diligently inculcate this point that all the faithfull are out of danger of death wee may gather hence howe necessarie the certaintie and stabilitie of hope is that the conscience may not continually feare and be tormented Therefore he affirmeth againe that there doth no damnation remaine when as we shall beleeue which thing he will expound more at large in the first chapter The presentence is taken in this place for the future according to the custome of the Hebrewe tongue for he will haue the faithfull to be free from the feare of damnation The next sentence but hee that beleeueth not c. Signifieth vnto vs that there is no other remedie whereby any man can escape death As if hee shoulde say that there remaineth nothing but death for those who reiect the life that is giuen theÌ„ in Christ seeing that life coÌ„sisteth only in faith alone He putteth in the preterperfectence of the verbe emphatically that he might the better expresse that all vnbeleeuers are quite vndone And we must note that Christ speaketh peculiarly of those whose impietie shall bewray it selfe in the manifest contempt of the gospel For although it be true that there was neuer any other way to escape death then to flie vnto Christe yet because Christ intreateth in this place of the preaching of the gospel which was to be spread abrode throughout the whole worlde he vttereth these wordes agaynste those who doe wickedly and malitiously extinguish the light which GOD hath kindled 19 And this is the iudgement that light came into the worlde and men loued darkenes more then light for their workes were euill 20 For euery one that doth euill hateth the light and commeth not vnto the light least his workes should bee reproued 21 But he that doth truth commeth to the light that his workes may be made manifest because they are done in God 19 And this is the iudgement He preuenteth the murmurings complainings which profane men are wont to vtter against the too too great rigour as they thinke of GOD when as he dealeth more sharpely with them then they woulde wishe It seemeth to them an harde matter that all those should perish which do not beleeue in Christ. Therfore least any man should ascribe his damnation vnto Christ he teacheth that it is to bee imputed to euery mans owne fault The reason is because infidelitie is a witnesse of an euill conscience VVhereby it appeareth that the wickednesse of the vnbeleeuers doeth keepe them backe from comming to Christ. Some there be who thinke that the signe and tokeÌ„ of daÌ„nation is only set downe in this place But Christ his intent and purpose is to tame the wickednesse of men least after their accustomed maner they turne theyr backes or chide with God as if hee did handle them vniustly whilest that he doth punish their incredulitie with eternall death Therefore he sheweth that such iudgement is iust not subiect to any such false slaunders not only because they deale frowardly who preferre darknesse before light and doe of their owne accord flie from the light which is offered them but because that hatred of the light doth spring only from a giltie and wicked minde There shineth in many a goodly shew of holinesse who notwithstanding are enemies to the gospel but how so euer they appeare to be more holy then angels it is questionlesse that they are hypocrites because they refuse the doctrine of Christ for no other cause saue only because they loue their lurking dennes whereby their filthinesse may be couered Therefore seeing that hypocrisie alone doth make God to bee displeased with men they are all giltie because vnlesse being blinded with pride they did flatter theÌ„ selues in their vices they would be ready and willing to receiue the doctrine of the Gospel 20 For whosoeuer doth euill His meaning is that they do hate the light for this cause because they are euill so muche as in them lyeth they desire to couer their sinnes whereupon it followeth that they do as it were of set purpose nourish the matter of daÌ„nation by driuing away the remedy Therfore we are much deceiued if we think that they are carried with a godly zeale who rage against the gospel seeing that they do rather abhor the light that they may more freely flatter themselues in darknesse 21 But he that doth This seemeth to be spoken vnproperly absurdly vnlesse you will confesse that there are some that be righteous which speake the truth before they be regenerate by the spirite of God VVhich thing agreeth not with the perpetuall doctrine of the scripture For wee know that faith is the roote from which the fruits of good woorkes doe spring To the end that Augustine may resolue this doubt hee expoundeth these wordes doth the truth thus hee which acknowledgeth howe miserable we are and destitute of all power to doe well And indeede this is the true preparation vnto faith when as being inforced with the feeling of our pouertie we flie vnto the grace of God But all this is contrarie to Christe his minde for his meaning was simplie to affirme that those who deale sincerely doe desire nothing more then the light that their workes may be proued and tryed because after that such tryall is made it doth better appeare that they spake the truth before God and were cleane from all deceite But some man will inferre falsly and ignorantly that mens consciences doe not accuse them before faith commeth For Christe doth not say that the elect doe beleeue that they may winne prayse for their good workes but he declareth onely what the infidels woulde doe vnlesse theyr owne consciences did accuse them Furthermore Christe vseth this worde truth because beeing deceiued with the externall shew of workes we doe not consider what lurketh with in Therefore he saith that perfect men and those who are no dissemblers do willingly come foorth into the sight of God who is onely fit to giue iudgement of our workes For those workes are saide in this place to be done in God which he alloweth and are good according to his rule Hereby wee may learne that wee must not iudge of woorkes vnlesse we beholde them with the light of the Gospel because our reason is altogether blinde 22 After these thinges came Iesus and his disciples into the land of Iudea and he was conuersant there with them and did baptise 23 And Iohn was also baptizing in Aenon nigh vnto Salim because there was muche water there Therefore they came and were baptised 24 Because Iohn was not yet cast into prison 25 Therefore there arose a question betweene the disciples of Iohn and the Iewes concerning purging 26 And they came vnto Iohn and said vnto him Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Iâ—rdan to whome thou bearest witnesse beholde he baptiseth and
multitude of men a manifolde deformitie of members Yet the glory of God dyd more clearely shine there then in the beholding of a great and well ordered armie For there is nothing more famous and excellent then wheÌ„ as the power of GOD doth amend and restore the wants of nature there is also nothing more beautifull and sweete then when as of his infinite goodnesse he helpeth the miseries of man Therefore the Lorde would haue that most noble Theater to be extant wherein his maiestie might appeare not only to those that were borne there aboutes but also to all maner of strangers And as I said euen now this was not the least ornament of the Temple when as God by stretching out his hand did make it knowen that he was present there 4 For an Angel It was indeed the proper and peculier worke of the Lord to cure the sicke but as he was wont to vse the hande and diligence of Angels so he committed this vnto an Angels charge In which respect Angels are called powers or might not that God doth resigne vp his power vnto them and sit idle himselfe in heauen but because by working mightily in them he doth wonderfully make knowen his power vnto vs. Therfore those men do deale wickedly peruersly who feigne that the Angels haue something of their own or who do make them Mediatours betweene God and vs in such sort that they doe darken the power of God being as it were set far of whereas it doth rather shew it selfe to be present in them Therefore we must beware of those doting speculations of Plato because God is too farre distant from vs we must goe vnto the Angels that they may purchase fauour for vs whereas we ought rather to goe straightway vnto Christ that by his guiding ayde and commandement wee may haue the Angels to be helpers and ministers of our saluation At a certaine time God was able in one moment to heale them altogether but as myracles haue their ende so haue they also their meane as Christ saith when so many were dead in y e time of Elizeus there was but one only boy raysed vp againe when as there were so many hungrie widdowes in the time of the drought Elias did only help one in her neede So it was sufficient for the Lorde to shew some token of his presence vpon a few sick people But the manner of healing whiche is described in this place doth sufficiently teach vs that there is nothing more vnconuenient then that men should make the workes of God subiect to their iudgement For I pray you what helpe and remedie coulde they looke for by the troubling of the water But the Lorde doth by such meanes accustome vs vnto the obedience of saith when he doth thinges contrarie to our reason VVe doe too too gredily follow those thinges which besides the worde of God doe please our reason Therefore to the ende he may make vs obey him he obiecteth oftentimes those things which are contrary to our reason Therfore we do then declare and proue our readinesse to be taught when as shutting our eyes we folow the bare worde although we seeme to our selues that we shal haue no reward for our labour The like example haue we in Naaman the Assyrian whom the Prophet sent vnto Iordan to haue his leprosie cured but he contemned this at the first as a mocke yet at length hee perceiueth in deed that God doth so worke contrary to mans reason that yet notwithstanding he doth neuer deceiue or mocke vs. In the meane while the troubling of the water was a manifest token that God doth vse the elements freely at his owne pleasure and doth challenge to himselfe the effect of the worke For this is a vice too coÌ„mon to ascribe vnto the creatures that which belongeth to God alone But it shal be a point of too much foolishnes to seeke the cause of health in the troubled water Therfore he doth so commend the external signe that by the beholding of the same the sicke may be compelled to looke vnto him who is the only authour of grace 5 And there was a certaine man The Euangelist gathereth diuers circumstances which make the myracle more credible The long continuance of the disease had taken away all hope of curing He coÌ„plained that hee was depriued of that remedie of the water hee oftentimes went about to throwe himselfe into the water but in vaine he had no man to helpe him heereby appeareth more plainely the power of Christe To the same purpose serueth this that hee was commaunded to take vp his bed that all men might know that hee was healed by no other meanes saue only by the benefite of Christe For seeing that he ariseth sodenly being strong in all his limbs whereof he was lame before such a sodaine change ought so much the more to stir vp and moue the mindes of the beholders 6 VVilt thou â—e made whole He doth not aske the question as if he did doubt of the matter but partly that he may kindle in him the desire of y â— grace which was offered partly that he might make the witnesses who were present more attentiue whom the myracle might otherwise escape whilest they thought vppon some other matter as it falleth out oftentimes in matters which chaunce on a sodaine Therefore this preparation was necessarie for these two causes 7 I haue not a man This sicke man doth the same which almost al of vs are wont to doe â— for he includeth Gods helpe in his cogitation neither dare hee promise himselfe any more then hee can conceiue in minde And whereas Christ doth pardon his infirmitie we may therin beholde his mercifulnesse which euery one of vs tryeth dayly whilest that we doe stick fast in the meanes which are nigh vs. Hee doeth by stretching out his hand out of hidden places contrary to our expectation declare howe farre his goodnesse exceedeth our weakenesse and straightnes in faith Furthermore we must be instructed by this example to suffer Thirtie yeeres were a long time wherein God did deferre his benefite in helping this miserable man which yet notwithstanding he determined to bestow vpon him from the beginning How long soeuer therefore he make vs wayte let vs so grone vnder our miserie that yet the yâ—ksomnesse of the long time doe not discourage vs. For although there appeare no end when as our miseries are prolonged yet we must alwayes persuade our selues that God is a wonderfull deliuerer who doth easily remoue all hinderances by his power 9 And it was the Sabboth Christ knewe well enough what great offence woulde followe immediately when they should see the man goe bearing a burden For the lawe doth in plaine wordes forbid to beare any burden vpon the Sabboth day But there was a double reason why Christe did set foorth such a spectacle setting a part all respect of this danger namely that the common people might the better knowe
be saued For calling did at length in his time reueale the secrete counsell of God wherby men are ordeined vnto life and certainely it is effectuall whylest that he doth regenerate vnto himself by his spirit those to be his sonnes who were before begotteÌ„ of flesh blood NotwithstaÌ„ding here ariseth a question how the Gentiles were brought to bee gathered vnto the Iewes For it was not meete that the Iewes should cast away the couenant which god had made with the fathers y t they might offer theÌ„selues to serue Christ againe that it was not conuenient that the Gentiles should take vpon them the yoke of the lawe that being ingrafted into Christ they might become companions of the Iewes Here must wee marke the distinction betweene the substance of the couenant and the externall additions For the Gentiles coulde by no other meanes submit themselues vnto y e faith of Christ saue only by imbracing that eternall couenant wherein the saluation of the worlde was grounded By this meanes were the Prophesiâ—s fulfilled Straungers shall speake the language of Canaan Isay 19. 18. And againe seuen Gentiles shall catch holde on the cloake of one Iewe and shall say we will walke with you Zach. 18. 23. And againe they shall come from far and go vp into the mount Syon And therefore was Abraham called the father of many nations Gen. 17. 5. because they should come from the East VVest which should sit downe in the kingdome of God with him Mat. 8. 11. And as touching the ceremonies they are the middle wall whiche Paul saith was taken away Ephe. 2. 14. So that wee were ioyned vnto the Iewes into the vnitie of faith as touching the substance and the ceremonies were abolished least there should be any thing which might keepe them back from ioyning hands with vs. And there shall be one flock That is that al the children of god may grow into one body as we doe all confesse one catholike faith and one body must of necessitie haue one head onely There is one God saith Paule one faith one baptisme Therefore we must be one as we are called into one hope Eph. 4. 4. And although this stock doth seeme to be diuided into diuers fouldes yet are the faithfull which are dispearsed throughout the whole world enclosed with common hedges because the 〈…〉 is preached vnto all the same sacraments are in vse there is the same forme of prayer and those thinges which are requisite in the profession of faith Marke the meanes wherby the flocke of God is gathered togeather namely when there is one shepheard of all and his voyce is hearde The meaning of which wordes is this when as the Church is subiect to Christ alone is subiect to gouernment and taketh heed vnto his doctrine then is the estate thereof well ordered If the Papistes can shew vs any such thing amongst them let them inioy that title of the Churche whereof they boast so muche but and if Christe bee silent there his Maiestie be troden vnder foote his holy ordinaunces be mocked what other thing is their vnity but a diuelish conspiracie which is worse and more execrable then all disorder and flattering abroade Therfore let vs remember that we must alwayes begin at the head For which cause when as the Prophetes doe describe the restoring of the church they doe alway ioyne Dauid the king with God as if they should say that there is neither any church where God doth not reigne neither any kingdome of God where the honour of a shepheard is not ascribed vnto Christ. 17 Therfore doth the father loue mee There is an other higher cause for which the father loueth the sonne For the voyce was not heard in vain from heauen That he was the welbeloued sonne in whom God was well pleased Mat. 3. 17. But because hee was both made man for our sake and the father loued him to this end that he might reconcile vs vnto himselfe it is no maruell that he doth affirme that he is loued therfore because our saluation is more deare vnto him then his owne life And this is a wonderful commendation of Gods goodnesse toward vs and such as ought worthilie to cause vs to loue him wholy in that hee doth not only powre vpon vs the loue which is due to his only sonne but referreth it vnto vs as vnto the finall cause And truly Christ had no need to put vppon him our flesh that in it he might be beloued but that by redeeming vs he might be a pledge of his fathers mercy That I may take it againe Because the death of Christe whereof the Disciples heard might make theÌ„ not a little sorowfull yea might greatly shake their faith he comforteth them with the hope of his resurrection which should immediately ensue as if he should say that he woulde not die vpon this condition that he may be swallowed vp of death but that he may rise againe a conquerour straightway And we must at this day so thinke vpon the death of Christ that we doe therewithall remeÌ„ber the glory of his resurrection So that we do acknowledge him to haue been life because hauing entred into combate with death he hath ouercome the same mightily and tryumphed victoriously 18 No man taketh it from mee The other comfort wherwith the disciples may vphold theÌ„selues in the death of Christ is this that he dyeth not against his will but doth willingly offer himselfe for the sauegarde of his â—â—ocke Furthermore he doth not only deny that men haue power to put him to death saue only in asmuch as he will suffer them but he doth also exempt himselfe from all manner force of necessitie VVe stand in another state who must of necessitie die because of sin Christe himselfe was also borne a mortall man but this was voluntarie submission and not any bondage laid vpon him by some other Therefore Christes intent was to fortifie his disciples least that seeing him shortly after caried away to be put to death they shold haue bin discouraged as if he had been oppressed of his enemies but that they might acknoweledge that he did die to redeeme his flocke through the wonderfull prouidence of God There is a continuall profite in this doctrine that the death of Christ is a continuall sacrifice for our sinnes therfore because it was a voluntarie sacrifice according to that saying of Paul Rom. 5. 19. These wordes I lay it downe of my self may be expounded two maner of wayes either that Christ putteth his life from him hee himselfe remayning perfect as if any man should put off his cloathes or that hee dyeth of his owne accord This commandement Hee calleth vs vnto the eternall counsell of God the father to the end we may know that he was so carefull for our saluation that he gaue vs his only sonne how great soeuer hee bee And Christ himselfe who came into the world that he might shew himselfe obedient vnto the father sheweth that this is
affection when he saith that he saw Mary and the rest weep Although I do not doubt but that he had respect vnto some higher matter namely vnto the common miserie of man For he vnderstood what commaundement the father had giuen him and wherefore he was sent into the worlde namely that he might deliuer vs froÌ„ all euilles Vs he did this in very deed so his meaning was to declare that he did it with an earnest affection of the minde Therefore when as he was about to rayse vp Lazarus before he did help remedie him he doth testifie by the deepe groning of the spirit by the feeling of griefe and teares that he is touched with our miseries in like sort as if he felt them in himself But how doth groning perturbation agree with the sonne of God Because it seemeth to some an absurd thing if we say that Christ was subiect to humane passions as some one of the number of men they thinke that hee sorrowed and reioyced no other wayes saue only because he receiued into himselfe these affections so often as he thoght good by a secret dispensation Augustine thinketh that the Euangelist said for confirmation of this opinion that Christe troubled himselfe whereas other men are carried by their affections which doe tyrannously rule them to trouble their mindes Therefore he thinketh that the meaning of the wordes is this that Christe who was otherwise quiet in minde and free from all manner passions did of his owne accorde grone and sorrowe But in my iudgement this plainenesse agreeth better with the scripture if we say that when the sonne of God did put vpoÌ„ him our flesh he did also willingly take vpoÌ„ him mans affections that he might not differ from his brethren in any thing sinne only excepted By this meanes the glory of Christ is no whit impayred seeing that his submission is said to haue been only voluntarie wherby it came to passe that he was like vnto vs in the affections of the soule And after that he submitted himselfe from the beginning we must not thinke that he was voide and free from them and in this hath he proued himselfe to bee our brother that we may know that we haue a mediatour that can easily pardon our infirmities is readie to help them which he hath felt in himselfe If any man obiect that seeing that humane passions are corrupt it is not likely that they are common to the sonne of God with vs I answere that there is a great distance betwene vs and Christ. For our affections are corrupt for this cause because they runne headlong intemperately neither keepe they any meane but in Christ they were voide of all corruption because they were framed to obey God Yea the affections of men are corrupt and froward two manner of wayes First because they are carried with a troublesome motion neither are they ordered according to the true rule of modesty Secondly because they doe not alwayes arise from a lawfull cause or at least are not referred vnto a lawfull ende I call it intemperancie because no man reioyceth and sorroweth so much as is sufâ—ieient and as much as God doth permit and also there be many which doe rather refuse to be brideled Furthermore the vanitie of our minde causeth vs to lament and bee sorrowfull for things of no importance or for no cause because we are too much addicted vnto the world There was no such thing in Christ for there was no passion of his which did goe beyond his meane there was none but that which was iust and taken from reason and right iudgement To the ende this may the more plainely appeare it shall be good and profitable to distinguish betweene the first nature of man as it was created of God and this degenerate nature whiche is corrupt through sinne VVhen God dyd create man he gaue him affections but those which were dutifull and obedient vnto reason and in that they are now disordered and rebellious it is an accidentall fault Nowe Christe did take vppon him humane affections but without disorder whereby it commeth to passe that hee whiche obeyeth the passions of the flesh hee doth not obey GOD. Christe troubled himselfe and he was vehemently moued but yet so that he contained him selfe within the boundes of his fathers will To be briefe if you conferre his passions with ours they shall no lesse differ then faire and cleere water which runneth pleasantly doth differ from pudly and muddy fomes Furthermore the sole example of Christ ought to bee sufficient for vs to teach vs to refuse the stony hardnes of the Stoicks for whence must we fet the rule of principall perfection but from him And we must rather studie hauing corrected and tamed the stubbornnesse wherewith our affectionsâ— are intangled by reason of Adam his sinne to follow Christe as a guide that he may bring vs into order So Paule 1. Thess. 4. 13. doth not require at our hands stonie blockishnes but he commaundeth vs to moderate our mourning that wee be not swallowed vp of sorrow as the vnbeleeuers who haue no â—hope for euen for this cause dyd Christe take vppon him our affections that through his power we may subdue what corruption soeuer is in them 36 Beholde how hee loued him Iohn describeth in this place vnto vs a double iudgement of Christ. For the former sort of men which said behold how he loued him although they think not so honourablie as became them to doe in that they attribute nothing vnto him but that which was humane yet doe they speake more iustly and modestlye of him then the other who doe maliciously backbite him because hee deliuered not Lazarus from death For although they commend the power of Christ whereof the other spake nothing yet they doe not this without a certaine vpbraiding It appeareth sufficiently thereby that they knewe of the myracles which Christ had wrought but yet their vnthankefulnesse is so much the more filthie in that they are not afraide to murmur because he did now cease off in one point In like sort men haue alwayes been vnthankfull vnto God and proceede so to be vnlesse he graunt all our desires wee doe by and by breake foorth into complaining Seeing that he hath been alwayes wont to help me hitherto why doth he now forsake and disapoint mee And heere reigneth a double disease first because we doe rashly desire that which is not expedient yet wil we make God subiect to the desires of our flesh and secondly because we are importunate beggers and run headlong through the feruentnesse of our wilfulnesse and rashnesse before the time 38 VVhen Iesus therefore had groned againe Because Christ commeth not vnto the Sepulchre as an idle beholder but as a chaÌ„pion preparing himselfe vnto the combate it is no maruell if he grone againe For the violent tyrannie of death which he was to ouercome was before his eyes There be some which expound it that this groning did proceede
they despise the heauenlye illumination Although this pride dooth reigne euery where which extinguisheth the light of the holy spirite asmuch as is possible yet let vs who acknowledge our owne pouertie knowe that what sound vnderstanding soeuer wee haue it proceedeth from no other fountaine Neuerthelesse the woordes of Christe doe declare that nothing canne be perceiued concerninge the holye spirite by humane sense but that hee is knowne by the experience of fayth alone The worlde saieth hee cannot receiue the spirit beecause it knoweth him not but yee knowe him beecause hee abydeth with you Therefore it is the spirite aloane whiche reuealeth himselfe vnto vs by dwellinge in vs beeing otherwise vnknowne and vncomprehensible 18. I will not leaue you as Orphanes This place teacheth what menne are and what they are able to do when they are depriued of the ayde of the spirit to witte they are fatherlesse children layd open to all manner deceites and iniuries vnfitte to gouerne themselues finally vnfitte of them selues to doe any thing The onely remedy of so great want is if Christe doe gouerne vs by his spirit which thing he promiseth he wil do Therefore the Disciples are firste admonished of their owne weakenes to the ende they may distrust themselues and depende vppon Christe his ayde alone Secondly he putteth them in good hope by promising a remedie because he saith that he wil not faile them VVhen as he saith I wil come vnto you he declareth how he dwelleth in his and fulfilleth all thinges to witte by the power of his spirit VVhereby it appeareth also that the grace of the spirite is an excellent and euident testimonie of hys diuinitie 19. Yet a litle and the world shal see me no more but you see me because I liue and you shal liue 20. In that day yee shall knowe that I am in the Father and you in mee and I in you 19. Yet a litle He proceedeth in the commendation of the peculiar grace which ought to haue sufficed the disciples to lighten yea quite to remoue their sorrowe VVhen as saieth hee I shall be remoued out of the sight of the world I will neuerthelesse be present with you And to the ende we may enioy this secrete beholding of Christe wee must not esteeme his presence or absence by the sense of the flesh but we must endeuour to behold his power with the eyes of faith VVhereby it cōmeth to passe that the faithful haue Christe alwayes present with them by his spirite and doe also beholde him how farre soeuer they be distant from him in body because I liue There may be a double sense and meaning of these words eyther that this sentence may be a confirmation of the next member or that it may be read by it selfe that the faithfull shall liue for this cause because Christ liueth I do willingly embrace the former sense out of which notwithstāding this other doctrine is gathered that the life of Christ is the cause of our life He dooth first of al note the cause of the difference why he shal be seene of his not of the world because Christ cānot be seene saue only according to the spiritual life wherof y e world is depriued The world seeth not christ it is no merueil for death is y e cause blindnesse But so soone as a man beginneth to liue by the spirit he is also endowed with eyes to see Christ. And this falleth out therefore beecause our life is also ioyned with Christe his life and floweth thence as from a fountaine For we are dead in our selues and the life wherein we flatter our selues is most wicked death Therefore when wee are occupied about obtaining life we must turne our eies toward Christ must translate his life vnto our selues by faith that our consciences may be fully assured that we are free from al daunger of death so long as Christe liueth for that is sure and certeine that his life is no life when his members are dead 20. In that day Many referre it vnto the daye of Pentecost but the continuall tenor as it were of one day is noted rather from the time that Christ shewed forth the power of his spirit vntill the laste resurrection They beganne to know already but it was a certeine slender rudimente or first instruction because the spirit had not wrought so effectuallye in them as yet For the wordes tende to this end that it cannot bee knowne by an idle spectulation what maner spiritual and mistical vnion that is which is betweene him and vs and againe betweene him and the father but that this is the onely way and meanes to know the same when as he powreth out his life into vs by the hidden woorking of the spirite and that is the experiment of faith whereof I spake a litle before And wheras the Arrians abused this testimony in times past that they might proue that Christ was God onely by participation and grace their cauill is easily aunswered For doubtlesse Christ entreateth not simply of his eternall essence but he commendeth that diuine power which was reuealed in himselfe For as the father hath giuen vnto the sonne the fulnesse of all manner of good thinges so againe the sonne hath powred out himselfe into vs. VVee are saide to bee in him beecause when as wee are engrafted into his body we are made partakers of righteousnesse and of all his good things hee is said to be in vs because hee dooth plainely declare by the efficacie of his spirit that he is vnto vs the authour and cause of life 21. He that hath my preceptes and keepeth them it is he that loueth me and hee that loueth me shal be loued of my father and I wil loue him and will reueale my self vnto him 22. Iudas saith vnto him not Iudas Iscariotes Lord what is done that thou wilt shew thy self vnto vs and not vnto the world 23. Iesus aunswared and saide vnto him if anye manne loue mee hee will keepe my woorde and my father will loue him and wee will come vnto him and wil abide with him 24. He that loueth not me keepeth not my sayings and the word which you haue heard is not mine but his that sent me 2◠Hee that hath my preceptes Hee repeateth the former sentence agayne because the true tryall of our loue toward him consisteth therin if we keepe his commaundementes VVhereof he putteth the disciples so often in minde least they misse the marke because we are most bent to fall awaye vnto carnall affection so that wee loue something else then Christ vnder the name of Christ. VVherunto appertaineth that of Paul likewise 2. Corin. 5. 16. Although we haue knowne Christe according to the flesh yet doe we know him so no more Therfore let vs be a new creature To haue the preceptes of Christ signifieth to be well instructed in them and to keepe them is to frame a mans selfe and his life according to their rule He that loueth me Christe speaketh
vnderstande that it is no fraile or temporall ioy whereof he speaketh but that it neuer falleth away VVherefore let vs learne that wee must seeke the hope of saluation in Christes doctrine which may be of force aswell in life as in death Your ioy may bee fulfilled He addeth that this ioy shall be perfect full not because the faithfull are free from all sorrow but because the matter of ioy aboundeth so that no feare no care no sorrowe doth at any time swallow them vp For those that haue this grace giuen them to glory in Christ neither life nor death nor any miseries can hinder them from triumphing ouer heauinesse 12 This is my commaundement that yee loue one another as I haue loued you 13 No man hath greater loue then this that a man should put away his life for his friendes 14 You are my friendes if you doe those thinges which I commaund you 15 After this I wil not cal you seruants because the seruant knoweth not what his master doth but I haue called you friendes because what thinges soeuer I haue heard of my father I haue made them knowen vnto you 12 This is my commandement Seeing that it is meete that wee direct our life according to Christes commaundement we must know especially what he willeth and commaundeth Therefore he repeateth that nowe which hee had saide before that this pleaseth him aboue all other thinges that the faithful doe loue one another The loue reuereÌ„ce of God is former in order indeede but because the lawfull tryall thereof is loue toward the neighbours hee maketh mention principally of this Furthermore like as of late in the generall reuerencing of doctrine so now he setteth before vs after a sort a patterne which we must folow for he loued all his to the end they may loue one another VVe haue spoken in the chapter next going before why he commandeth nothing in plaine wordes in this place touching the louing of the vnbeleeuers 13 Greater loue then this Christ setteth foorth sometimes the greatnesse of his loue toward vs to the end he may the better establishe the hope of our saluation and now he goeth farther that hee may enflame vs to loue our brethren by his own exaÌ„ple Yet he coupleth both things together for he will haue vs to receiue by faith the infinite sweetnesse of his goodnes and secondly he allureth vs by this meanes vnto the study of loue So Paule vnto the Ephesians Ephe. 5. 2. VValk in loue as Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet sauour to God God coulde haue redeemed vs otherwise by his worde or his becke vnlesse he had thought good that it should be otherwise for our sake that in not sparing his owne and onely begotten sonne he might in his person declare how carefull hee was for our saluation And now those hearts must needes bee as hard as yron stone which cannot bee softened with such incomparable sweetnes of Gods loue Yet a question may be asked in this place how Christ died for his friends seeing that we were his enemies before he reconciled vs. For hauing purged our sinnes by the sacrifice of his death hee remoued the coimitie which was betweene God and vs. Let vs set the answer to this question out of the third chapter where we haue said that in respect of our selues there is dissention betweene God and vs vntill our sinnes be abolished by the death of Christ and that euerlasting loue of God wherewith he loued euen his enemies was the cause of this grace whiche was giueÌ„ in Christ. After this sort Christ gaue his life for strangers yet such as he loued euen theÌ„ otherwise he wold not haue died for theÌ„ 14 Yee are my friends He meaneth not that we do attaine vnto such honour by any merit of our owne but hee doth only tell vs vpon what condition he receiueth vs into fauour and vouchsafeth to reckon vs amongst his friends As he said of late If yee shall keepe my commandements yee shall abide in my loue â—or the grace of our sauiour God hath appeared teaching vs that denying vngodlines worldly lustes we should liue chastly righteously godlily in this world Tit. 2. 11. 12. But prophane men who wax wanton against Christe through the wicked contempt of the gospel doe tenounce his friendship 15 After this I will not call you seruants He declareth proueth his loue toward his disciples by another argument to wit that he did altogether reueale himself vnto them like as familiar communication taketh place amongst friends I saith he haue giuen you farre more then mortal man is wont to giue to his seruants therfore let this be vnto you a pledge of my loue towarde you in that I haue laide open vnto you the hidden mysteries of the heauenly wisdom mildlie frindly which I had heard of the father This is an excellent coÌ„mendation of the gospel that wee haue Christs heart as it were opened there so that we need not doubt of his loue There is no cause why we should desire to goe vp into heauen or downe into the deepe to set the certaintie of our saluation let this testimonie of loue which is contained in the gospel suffice vs because it shall neuer deceiue vs. Moses said Deut. 4. 7. vnto the old people what nation vnder heauen is so noble which hath God comming nigh vnto it as God doth common with thee this day But our noblenesse doth farre excell that since that GOD powred out himselfe wholy in his sonne VVherefore their vnthankfulnes is so much the greater and their frowardnesse so much the more vntollerable who beeing not content with the wonderfull wisdome of the Gospel do flie ouer vnto new speculations through proud lust VVhatsoeuer I haue heard It is certain that the Disciples knew not all things which Christ knew neither could it bee that they should attaine vnto so great highnes and seeing that he is the vncomprehensible wisdom of God he gaue euery man a certain portion of knowledge which was sufficient Therfore why saith he that hee reuealed all things I answere that this is restrained vnto the person office of the Mediatour He made himself the meane betweene God vs who receiued that from the secrete sanctuary of God which he did giue vnto vs as they say from hand to hand Therfore Christ omitted none of those things but told them vnto his disciples which were appertinent to our saluation which were profitable for vs. So that in as much as he is ordained the master only teacher of the church he heard nothing of the father which he taught not his faithfully only let vs haue an huÌ„ble desire to learn he readie apt to bee taught we shall perceiue that Paul doth not in vain call the gospel wisdome which maketh men perfect Col. 1. 28. 16 Yeâ— haue not chosen meâ— but I haue chosen you and
contrary wherefore Paule complaineth thus Rom. 7. 19. That good which I woulde I doe not Againe we must note that the feare of death is naturally engrafted in all men because it is contrarie to nature to be willing to bee dissolued And therefore although Christe himselfe was framed wholy to obey God with his whole heart yet he craueth to be pardoned that hee myght not die Furthermore Peter feared the torments which shoulde proceede from the crueltie of men therefore it is no maruell if he were somewhat afraide of death But he did more plainely declare thereby the obedience which he had perfourmed to god in that he suffered death willingly which he would gladly haue escaped of himselfe because he knew that he pleased God by this meanes Neither should there haue beene any pacience without the suffering of the mind And this doctrine is very profitable to be knowne for it styrreth vs vp to pray because we coulde neuer ouercome the feare of death without the singuler ayde of God And therefore there remaineth nothing but that we humbly offer our selues to be gouerned by him Again it serueth to stay vp our minds least they fall and fainte quite if at any time it so fal out that we quake and tremble in persecutions Those which feigne that the Martyrs were touched with no feare they take to themselues matter of dispaire by their owne feare But there is no cause why our infirmitie should terrifie vs from following their example the like wherof they haue tried so that they could not triumph ouer the enemies of the trueth without fighting with themselues 19. Signifying with what death This Periphrasis is of great weight For although al the godly ought to ayme at this marke that they may glorifie God aswell in their life as in their death yet Iohn meant to adorne their death with a peculier title who seale the Gospel of Christe with their bloud and glorifie his name as Paule teacheth Philip. 1. 20. Now it is our duetie to gather what fruit the death of Peter brought forth For it is to be imputed to our sluggishnes if our faith be not confirmed therby and vnlesse we go towarde the same marke that God may be glorified by vs. If the Papistes hadde considered this end in the death of the Martyres that sacrilegious and detestable inuention shoulde neuer haue come into their minde that it serueth to pacifie Gods wrath and that it must be paied price for sinnes And when he had said In this place Christ expoundeth to what end that foretelling of his violent death did tend to witte that Peter might prepare himselfe vnto patience VVhen saith he thou must suffer death as I did follow thy captaine And to the ende Peter may the more wyllingly obey God when he calleth him vnto the crosse Christ setteth him selfe before him as his captaine Neyther is it a generall exhortation wherewith he inuiteth and biddeth Peter follow him but he doth only intreate of the maner of his death And this one thing doth mittigate all the bitternes that is in death when as the sonne of God setteth himselfe before our eyes with his blessed resurrection which is our triumphe against death 20. And as Peter looked backe he sawe the disciple whom Iesus loued following who leaned also at supper vpon his breast and said Lorde who is he that betraieth thee 21. Therefore when Peter hadde seene him hee saide vnto Iesus Lord what shal he doe 22. Iesus saith vnto him If I will that he stay till I come what is that to thee 23. Now this word went abroade among the brethren that that disciple shoulde not die and Iesus said not vnto him that he should not die but if I wil that he tarry till I come what is that to thee 24 This is that disciple that beareth witnesse of these things and wrote these things and we know that this testimony is true 25. There are also many other thinges which Iesus did which if they shoulde bee all written I think that the world should not bee able to contâ—ine the bookes that shoulde bee written 20. Peter turned backe VVee haue in Peter an example not onelye of our superfluous but also of our hurtful curiositie that we are drawne away from our own duetie with beholding of other men For this is almost a thing bred in vs that by requiring an account rather of an other mans life then of our owne we doe thereby get vaine starting hoales For we do of our own accord deceiue our selues with this colour of excuse that others are not better as if their sluggishnes did discharge vs. And there is scarse one amongste an hundreth that dooth consider of what force that saying of Paule is Galat. 6. 5. Let euery man beare his owne burden VVherefore there is a common reprehension of all men in the person of one man who looke hither and thither how menne behaue themselues but they regard not what is inioyned them by GOD. Therein are they chiefly deceiued whilest that they carelesly passe ouer this what the priuate and perticuler calling of euery man doth require God will chuse one of tenne whom hee may either exercise with great troubles or with huge labors he wil suffer the other nine to be quiet or at least he wil exercise them but lightly Againe he handleth not all men after one sorte but he trieth euery one as seemeth best to himselfe Therfore seeing there be diuerse sortes of christian warfare let euery manne learne to keepe his owne order neither let vs aske after this or that like idle persons when as the heauenlye captaine calleth euery one of vs whose commaundement we must so obey that we must forget all other thinges VVhom Iesus loued This Periphrasis was put in for this cause that we maye know for what cause Peter was enforced to moue the question which is here recited For he thought that it was an absurd thing that he alone is called Iohn being omitted whom Iesus had loued so intirelye Therefore this question of Peter wanted not some colour whye there was no mention made of Iohn as if Christes minde toward him hadde beene chaunged Yet Christe cutteth off the cause of his curiositie when he answereth that it is nothing to him what other shall do whilest that he must obey the calling of God 22 If I will haue him to tarry VVhere as this sentence was commonly cut off and they read the former member affirmatiuely I will haue him to tarry so till I come it came to passe through the faulte of the Scriuenerâ— and not through the errour of the interpreter For doubtlesse hee could not bee deceiued in the Greeke word but one letter might easily creepe in amongst the Latinistes which might alter the whole sense Therefore the whole sentence is an interrogation and ought to be read in one text For Christ meant to lay hold vpon the Apostle that he might keepe him within the boundes of his calling It is nothing