with his own griefe  29. Therefore aske not what yee shall eate or what ye shall drinke neither stand in doubt 30. For al suche thinges the people of the world seeke for and your father knoweth that yee haue neede of these things 31. But rather seeke yee after the kingdome of God and all these thinges shal be ministred vnto you 32. Feare not litle stocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome He hath the same purpose here that he had in the former doctrine that the faithful trusting in the fatherly care of God hoping to haue from him what things soeuer they think to be necessary for them shoulde not torment themselues with extreame carefulnes He forbiddeth them to be carefull or to seeke as Luke reporteth that is after their manner whiche seeke here and there without respect of God to whom onely they ought to bend themselues Neither doe they rest at any time but where they see aboundance of encrease they which do not attribute to God the gouernment of the world do sweat and vexe themselues with coÌ„tinual disquietnes VVhen he saith that the gentiles do seeke after all these things he vpbraideth them with their too grosse folly from whence al such cares do spring For whereof commeth it to passe that the vnbeleeuers doe neuer rest in quiet state but because they imagine that God is ydle and sleepeth in heauen or at the least that he looketh not vppon those thinges which appertaine vnto men as vpon them whom he hath taken into his charge and feedeth as his houshold So by this comparison hee declareth that they haue profited ill and doe not as yet vnderstand the firse rudiments of godlines which doe not looke with the eies of their fayth to the hand of God secretely filled with aboundaunce of all good thinges that they might patiently and with quiet mindes from thence looke for their sustentation Your heaueÌ„ly father saith he knoweth that you need these things as if hee shuld haue said al they that are so careful for their foode doe giue no more honour to the fatherly goodnes of God as his secrete prouidence then the vnfaithful doe LV. 29. Stand not in doubt This clause answereth to the last senteÌ„ce which is set downe in Matthew Bee not carefull for the morowe For Christ reproueth an other fault that men bending their will to prouide for themselues would gladly imbrace fiue worlds The worde which Luke vseth doth properly signifie to looke aloft as wee doe commonlye say to make long discourses for the intemperature of our fleshe hath neuer enough but that it would turne ouer the heauen the earth a hundred times Hereof it coÌ„meth to passe y t they giue no place to God his prouideÌ„ce Therfore vnder this title is reprehended too much curiositie or carefulnes because that through the same we procure our selues troubles without profit and doe so become willingly wretches before the time That Matthewe saieth That the daye hath enough with his owne griefe appertayneth to this purpose that the faythfull shoulde temper theyr cares least they desire to prouide beyond the boundes of their vocation For as it is sayde euerye care is not condemned but that whiche wandereth throughe ouerthwarte and vnmeasurable compasses beeyonde boundes MAT. 33. First seeke the kingdome of God He brydeleth that too great care for foode by an other argument For he reprooueth that grosse and slouthfull neglecte which the soule hath of the heauenly life Therefore Christ teacheth vs that it is preposterous that menne being borne to a better life doe wholly occupy themselues in earthly thinges And whosoeuer shall esteeme of the kingdom of God as the best wil not exercise himselfe in prouiding for his lyuing but moderatelye neyther is there any thing sitter to bridle the wantonnesse of the flesh that it triumph not in the course of this present life then the meditation of the heauenlye life The word righteousnesse may as well be referred to God as to his kingdome for we know y t the kingdom of God consisteth in righteousnes that is in spirituall newnesse of lyfe VVhen he saieth that other thinges shal be ministred hee meaneth those thinges which belonge to this present life are to be placed in the second place and so ought to be set after or vnder the kingdome of God LV. 32. Feare not my litle flocke VVith this sentence Christ confirmeth that hope whereunto hee exhorteth his disciples for how can God deny vile and corruptible meate to his whom he hath adopted to be heires of his kingdome And purposely he calleth his by the name of a litle flock least they should therefore think themselues to be of lesse account with God because that through their fewnesse they are nothing accounted of before the world The word which he vseth signifieth that eternall lyfe doth flow vnto vs out of the fountaine of his free mercy To this purpose also appertaineth the word of giuing And when Christe witnesseth openly that God hath giuen vs a kingdome and that for no other cause but for that it so pleaseth him it is heereby more then manifest that it is obtained by no desertes of workes Therfore so oft as the Lord raiseth vs vp to the hope of eternall lyfe we must remember that wee maye not feare the want of dayly foode Matth. 7. Marke 4. Luke 6. 1. Iudge not that yee be not iudged 2. For with what iudgment yee iudge yee shall be iudged and with what measure yee meate it shal be measured to you againe 3. And why seest thou the meate that is in thy brothers eie and perceiuest not the beam that is in thine own eye 4. Or how sayst thou to thy brother suffer me to cast out the mâ—at out of thine eye and behold a beame is in thine own eye 5. Hypocrite firste caste out the beame out of thine owne eye and then shalt thou see clerelye to cast out the meate out of thy brothers eye 24. VVith what measure ye meate it shal be measured vnto you 37. Iudge not and yee shal not be iudged condemne not and ye shal not be condemned forgiue and yee shall be forgiuen 38. Giue and it shal be giuen vnto you a good measure pressed downe shaken togeather running ouer shal men giue into your bosom for with what measure yee meate with the same shal men meate to you againe 41. And why seest thou a moaâ— in thy brothers eye and considerest not the beame that is in thine owne eye 42. Eyther howe canste thou say to thy brother brother let me pull out the moat that is in thine eye when thou seest not the beame that is in thine own eie Hypocrite cast out the beame that is in thine owne eie first and 〈◊〉 shalt thou see perfectly to pull out the moat that is in thy brothers eye 1. Iudge not Christe dooth not in these words preciselye restraine from iudgeing but his will was to heale that disease whiche
them rashly but by the commaundement of God for in that the lawe onely commaundeth the males that they should present themselues in the fight of God it doeth not wholely exclude women but by permission spareth them And by this note is pure religion discerned from vaine and wicked superstitions for that shee keepeth her selfe in obedience to God and the commaundement of his lawe but the other wander after their owne fansie beside the woorde of God wythout any certain rule And although the worship of the temple was infected with many corruptions and the priesthoode saleable and the doctrine fiâ—led with many errours yet because that the ceremonies of the lawe did as yet flourish there and they keepe the outward rite of sacrificing as was appoynted in the lawe it behooued the faithfull to testifie their faith by suche exercises But the name of father is after the common opinion of men improperly geuen vnto Ioseph 44. That hee hadde beene in the companie It appeareth by diuers places of the Scripture that they which came on the feaste daies to the Temple to woorshippe did vse to make their iourney in greate companyes VVherefore it is no maruaile if that Ioseph and Marye were not so carefull for the childe the first daye But after they shewe that they were not carelesse neyther throughe slouth nor negligence 46. Sittinge in the middest of the Doctours There must needes shine some beames of Gods glorye openlye in the childe that hee was allowed to sitte by those proude menne And althoughe it be probable that hee sate in some lower seate rather then in the place of the Doctours yet these proude disdainfull menne woulde neuer haue geuen him the hearinge in the publike assemblye excepte that some diuine power hadde compelled them therefore this was but as a signe of his callinge whose full time was not yet come And therefore hee gaue them this onely taste which presently menne had forgotten but that Marye kepte it laid vppe in her heart that afterwardes shee myghte bringe the same from thence with other treasures for the common vse of the godlye And these two thinges are to be noted that all menne meruailed because that they accompted it as a woonder that a childe shoulde frame his questions so aptly and fittely Againe in hearing and demaunding Christe hymselfe rather played the parte of a scholler then of a maister Because that as yet hee was not called of hys Father that hee mighte professe hymselfe a publike Doctour of the Churche hee doeth onely moue questions modestly to the Doctours Yet it is not to be doubted but that by this exercise he nowe began to reproue their corrupt maner of teaching for that whiche Luke addeth after of answeares I interpreat to be vsed after the Hebrew maner for any woorde or speache Mathewe Marke Luke 2. 48. So when they saw him they were amazed and his mother sayd vnto him Sonne why hast thou thus dealt with vs Beholde thy father and I haue sought thee with heauie hearts 49. Then said he vnto them How is it that yâ— sought me knâ—w yee not that I must goe about my fathers businesse 50. But they vnderstoode not the worde that he spake vnto them 51. Then hee went downe with them came to Nazareth and was subiect to them his mother kept all these sayings in her heart 52. And Iesus encreased in wisedome stature and in fauour with God and men 48. His mother sayd In my iudgement they are deceiued which thinke that the holy virgine sayde so as boasting of her authoritie But it may be that shee hauing him aside and no witnesses being by she beganne at the lengthe to expostulate with her sonne after that he was come from the assemblie Howe soeuer the matter was shee was not caried awaye wyth ambition but because of her three daies sorowe shee vttered this complaint vnto him yet that she expostulateth as if she was vniustly iniuried doth plainly declare how ready we are by nature hauing no regard of God to defend our owne righte This holy virgine had rather haue died a hundred times then of sette purpose of minde shee woulde prefer her selfe before GOD but while shee cockereth her motherly sorowe through inconsideration shee slideth into that fault And truely by this example we are admonished to suspect all the affections of the flesh and howe needefull it is for vs to take heede least that wee holde oure righte further then is conuenient and being addicted to our selues we shoulde defraude God of his honour 49. Knew ye not Christe reprehendeth his mother woorthely yet hee doeth the same sparingly gently The summe is that the duetie which he oweth to God his father is farre to be preferred before all obedience to menne Therefore those earthly parentes doe ill which sorowe that they are neglected in respecte of God And hereof is a generall doctrine to be gathered VVhat soeuer is due vnto menne ought to be subiecte to the first table of the lawe that the power of God may remaine vntouched So obedience is to be geuen to Kings to Parents and to maisters but no otherwise then vnder the power of God that is that nothing be taken or pulled from God for mannes cause neither is oure obedience then broken towardes menne when as there is an especiall regarde had of God About my fathers businesse By this woorde hee declareth that hee hathe somewhat greater then manne Hee also declareth the principall ende whye hee was sent into the worlde namely that he mighte fulfill that office enioyned him of his heauenly father But it is maruell that Ioseph and Marie vnderstoode not this aunsweare who had ben taught by manye testimonies that Iesus was the sonne of God I aunsweare Thoughe they were not altogether ignoraunte of the heauenlye stocke of Christe yet they vnderstoode not in euery poynte that he was occupied in fulfilling the commaundements of the father because that as yet his calling was not euidently made knowen vnto them But in that Marye keepeth in her heart those thinges whiche as yet shee conceiueth not in the vnderstanding of her minde lette vs learne reuerently to take and as seede conceiued in the earth is nourished to laye vppe in our mindes those mysteries of God which as yet excell the capacitie of our minde 51. He was subiect to them This humblenes in that the Lord head of Angelles willingly made himselfe subiect to mortal creatures did Christ take vpon him for our saluatioÌ„ For so had the counsel of god determined that for a time he should be hidde vnder the name of Ioseph as vnder a shadow And though no necessitie enforced Christ to this subiection but that he might haue exempted himselfe from the same yet beecause that vppon this condition he had taken the nature of man vppon him that he might be subiect to his parentes and withal he tooke vpon him the person of a man and of a seruaunt as concerning the office of a redeemer this
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
despice him therefore For such is the vnthankfulnes of men that they doe alwaies willingly find matter to erre in esteeming the workes of God If God doe worke by ordinarie meanes and by a common way as they say these meanes which appeare vnto the eyes doe hinder vs like vailes from seeing the hand of God therefore we acknowledge nothing then but that which is humaine But and if the vnwonted power of God doe appeare aboue both the order of nature and the meanes which are commonly knowen we are astonied that passeth away as a dreame which should haue moued al our senses throughly For which is our pride wee make no account of that the reason whereof doth not appeare This was a merueilous token of the grace and power of God that Christ being taught of no master did yet notwithstanding excell in the excellent knowledge of the scripture yea he that was neuer a scholler was a most excellent teacher master And for this cause do the Iewes despice the grace of god because it doth exceede their capacitie Therefore being admonished with this example let vs learne to vse greater reuerence in weighing the workes of God then we are wont 15 My doctrine is not mine Christ telleth the Iewes that that whiche was vnto them an offence is rather a ladder which ought to carry them vp to behold the glory of God as if he shold say VVhen as you see a teacher that is not trayned vp in the schoole of men confesse that hee is taught of God For the heauenly father would therfore rather haue his sonne to come out of a carpenters shop then out of the schooles of the Scribes to the ende the beginning of the Gospell might be more famous least any man shoulde thinke that it was forged vppon earth or least any man shoulde feigne that man is the authour thereof So likewise Christe did choose to himselfe ignorant men and idiots to be his Apostles and he suffered them to continue in grosse ignorance three yeeres that being taught in one moment he might bring them foorth as newe men and consequently as angels which came downe from heauen In the mean season Christ sheweth from whence we must set the authority of the spirituall doctrine namely frō god alone And wheras he denieth y t the doctrin which is his fathers is his he hath respect vnto the capacitye of the auditorie therein who had no higher opinion of him but that he was a man Therefore by a concession or graunting he suffereth himselfe to be thought so to differ from the father that notwithstanding he speaketh nothing but that which he commaunded The summe is that that which he teacheth in his fathers name is not mans neither did it proceed from man that it may be freely contemned VVee see with what argumeent he winneth authoritie to his doctrine namely by referring it vnto god the author therof VVe see also by what right reason hee desireth to bee heard namely because hee is sent of his father to be a teacher Therefore it is meete that hee haue both these whosoeuer doeth take vppon him the office of teaching and will be beleeued 17 If any man will A preuention which cutteth of contrary obiections For seeing that he had there many aduersaries euerie man might easily murmur against him why doest thou tell vs of the name of God from whom we doe not acknowledge that thou camest VVhy doest thou enforce vpon vs that principle which we do not graunt vnto thee that thou teachest nothing but that which he commaundeth thee Therefore Christ gathereth here that right iudgement doeth flowe from the feare of God and reuerence therefore if they had their mindes framed vnto the feare of God they should easily know whether that be true or no which he preacheth VVherby he toucheth them also by the way For how commeth it to passe that they cannot discerne saue only because the chiefe point of vnderstanding faileth them namely godlinesse and the desire to obey God This sentence is chiefly to be noted Satan lyeth in wayte for vs continually and he setteth snares on euery side that hee may take vs by his subtiltie In this place Christ armeth vs very well to take heed that we may neuer be subiect to his seducings namely if we be readie to obey God he will not faile vs but will lighten vs with the light of his spirite that we may be able to discerne between truth and lying Therefore there is nothing which hindereth vs from iudging aright saue only because we are vnapt to be taught and stubborne and we are iustly punished for our hypocrisie so often as Satan doth delude vs. So Moses telleth vs that when as false Prophetes arise we are tempted prooued of the Lord because they shall neuer be deceiued that shal be of a right heart Heereby it appeareth how wickedly and foolishly many men doe keepe back themselues from all studie desire to learne with this feare whilest that they are afraid least they should erre as if it were spoken in vaine knock and it shall bee opened vnto you But let vs rather not doubt but bee fully perswaded that the spirite of discretion is giuen vs to be our continuall guide if we be wholy giuen to serue and obey God If other men be desposed to erre they shall at length perceiue how vaine the cloakes and colours of their ignorance are And truly whosoeuer doe doubt at this day and had rather nourish their doubting then either by reading or hearing earnestly to enquire where the truth of God is we see that these men doe carelesly contemne God in generall principles One man will say that he prayeth for the dead because distrusting his owne wit he dare not condemne that which wicked mē did inuent concerning Purgatorie In the meane season he will graunt himselfe libertie to play the whoremonger Another man will say that hee hath not wit enough to distinguish betweene the pure doctrine of Christe and the corrupt inuentions of men in the meane while hee will haue enough to steale and forsweare Finally all these men who will holde nothing who pretende the vayle of doubting in matters which at this day are called in question do bewray their manifest contempt of God in matters which are nothing darke Therfore there is no cause why wee shoulde marueile that the doctrine of the Gospel is at this day receiued of very fewe seeing that the feare of God is so rare in the worlde And in these words of Christ 〈◊〉 contained a true definition of godlinesse namely when as we are readie to follow the will of God with all our heart which no man can do vnlesse he do abandon himselfe in his owne conceit Or I speake of my selfe VVe must note how Christ woulde haue vs to iudge of euerie doctrine For he will haue vs to receiue that without doubting which is of God and doth freely permit vs to refuse y t which is
and said vnto them Although I testifie of my selfe my testimonie is true because I know whence I came and whither I shall go but yee know not whence I came and whither I shall go 12 I am the light of the world They that omit the historie next going before do ioine this communication of Christ with the sermon whiche he made y e last day of the feast And this is a most notable title of Christ when as he is called the light of the world For seeing that wee are all blinde by nature there is a remedie set before vs wherby being deliuered from darknesse we may be partakers of the true light Neither is this benefite offered vnto one or two only because Christ affirmeth that he is the light of all the whole world For his meaning was not only to take away the difference that was betwene the Iewes the Gentiles by this generall sentence but also betwene the learned the idiots betweene the gouernors the common sort But first of all we must note the necessitie of the seeking of this light For doubtlesse none will offer themselues to bee illuminated by Christe saue those who shall first acknowlege that this world is darknes that they are altogether blind Therfore let vs know that when as the meanes to obtaine light is shewed vnto vs in Christ we are all condemned of blindnes and what light soeuer we think to be any where els it is compared to darknes thicke night For Christ sheweth not what thing is common to him with others but he challengeth this as proper perticular to himself VVherupon it followeth that there is not on sparkle of true light without him There commeth out in deede some kinde of brightnes but being onely like vnto a lightning it doth nothing els but make the eyes dasel Furthermore wee must note that the force parts of lightning are not restrained vnto the person of Christ. For although he be farre from vs in respect of body yet doth he shew vnto vs this light dayly in the doctrin of the Gospel by the secret power of his spirite Yet doe wee not know the perfect definition of this light vnlesse we learne that we are illuminated by the gospel spirit of Christ that we may know that in him is hidden the fountaine of all knowledge wisdome Hee that followeth me There is an exhortation put after doctrine which the promise which is added immediately doth confirme For whenas we heare that they are out of danger of erring whosoeuer doe suffer Christe to rule them we must be stirred vp to follow him hee himselfe draweth vs hither as it were with his out stretched hande And also such a large great promise ought to bee of great force that they are certaine that they haue a sure way through the middest of darknesse who shall caste their eyes vpon Christ and that not for a short time only but vntill they come vnto the marke it self For the words of the future tense import so much that they shall not walk in darknes but shall haue the light of life To the same purpose serueth this last thing wherein the continuaunce of the light is plainely expressed VVherfore we need not feare least he faile vs in the middest of the iourney seeing that he bringeth vs through vnto life The Genetiue case is taken for the adiunct noting the effect after the maner of the Hebricians as if he had said the liuely light Furthermore it is no maruel that there raigneth such grosse and thick mists of errors and superstitions in the world seeing that there be so fewe that beholde Christ. 13 Therfore the Pharisees said They obiect that which is wont coÌ„monly to be saide that no man is to be trusted in his owne cause For a true testimonie is put in steed of a lawfull testimonie such a one as is worthy to be beleeued To be short their mening is that he looseth his wordâ— in vaine vnlesse he haue some proofe from some other 14 And If I testifie Christ maketh answere that his testimonie is of credite and authoritie enough because he is no priuate man of the coÌ„mon sort of men but he beareth a farre other person For when as he saith that he knoweth whence he commeth and whither he will goe heâ— doth by this exempt himselfe out of the coÌ„mon sort of men Therefore his meaning is that wheras euery maÌ„ is suspected in his own cause it is prouided by the lawes that no man be beleeued whenas he speaketh in his owne cause that taketh no place in the sonne of God who is far aboue all the world For hee is not reckoned in the common sorte of men but hee is adorned with this priuiledge of the father that hee can bring all men into order by his word alone I know from whence I came In these woordes hee affirmeth that hee hath not his beginning of the world but that hee came from God and that therefore it is an vniust and absurd thing that his doctrine which is diuine shoulde be subiect to the lawes of men But because beeing then cloathed with the forme of a seruaunt he was despised of them because of the humilitie of the fleshe hee doeth also call them backe vnto the glory of his resurrection which was to come which was an excellent token of the godhead whiche was hidden vnknowen before VVherefore that meane estate should not haue hindered the Iewes froÌ„ submitting themselues vnto the only embassadour of God promised vnto them long before in the law VVheÌ„ as he saith that he knoweth that they know not his meaning is that their vnbelief doth no whit impayre his glory Furthermore seeing that he hath declared the same vnto vs our faith must despice all the backbitings whisperings of the wicked For it cannot be grounded in God vnlesse it be far aboue the greatest height of the world But to the end the gospel may haue his maiestie amongst vs we must alwayes take heed vnto the heauenly glory of Christ so heare him speaking in the world that we remember whence he came what maner empyre hee hath now hauing ended his embassage For as he humbled himselfe for a season so he sitteth now vpon the right hand of the father that euery knee may be bowed vnto him 15 You iudge according to the flesh I iudge no man 16 And if I iudge my iudgement is true because I am not alone but I and the father that sent mee 17 Furthermore it is written in your law that the testimonie of two men is true 18 I am he that testifie of my selfe and the father that sent me dâ—th testifie of me 19 Therefore they said vnto him where is thy father Iesus answered them you neither know me nor my father if you did knowe me you shoulde also verilie knowe my father 20 These wordes spake Iesus in the treasurie teaching in the temple And no
speaketh for theyr sakes theyr vnthankfulnesse hath no excuse whilest that they doe not hearken 31. Now is the iudgement of this world The Lord hauing ended his combate and hauing coÌ„quered not only feare but also death he triumpheth For he doth royally shew forth the fruit of his death which might haue beene a cause of casting downe and discouragement vnto his Disciples Some thinke that this woord iudgement doth signifie reformation other some thinke that it signifieth damnation I doe rather agree with the former sorte who expound it thus that the world shall be restored into a good order For the Hebrew word Misphat which is translated iudgment doth signifie good order And we knowe that without Christe there is nothing but confusion in the world And although Christ had begunne already to erect the kingdome of God yet was his death the beginning of the well ordered estate and was the perfect restoring of the worlde Yet we must note that this good order cannot be had in the worlde vnlesse the kingdome of Sathan be first abolished and the flesh bee brought to nothing and whatsoeuer is contrary to the righteousnes of God Fynally mortification must needes goe beefore the newnes of the worlde VVherefore Christ pronounceth that the prince of this world muste be cast out because discipation deformity proceed hence because whilest that Sathan vsurpeth his tyranny iniquitie dooth get the vpper hande Therefore when as Sathan is once cast out the world is reclaymed from backsliding and is brought vnder the gouernment of God If anye man demaund how Sathan was cast out in the death of Christ who ceaseth not to make warre continually I aunswere that this casting out is not restrained vnto any small time but that that excellent effect of Christes death is described which appeareth dayly â—â— 32. VVhen I shal be lifted vp The maner of appointing this iudgment doth followe namely that Christ when as he is lifted vp vpon the crosse shal draw al men vnto him that he may lift them vp from earth to heauen The Euangelist saieth that Christe did shew the manner of his death Therfore it is not to be doubted but that the sence is this that the crosse shal be like to a chariot wherein he may lifte vp all men vnto the Father with him He might seeme then to haue beene lifted vp from the earth to the end he might haue nothing to doe with men afterward but hee pronounceth that it shall fall out farre otherwise namely that hee maye drawe them vnto himselfe who were fastned and wholly set vppon the earth And although he allude vnto the forme of his death yet hee meaneth generally that his death shal be no breach whereby he shall bee separated from men but a new way to drawe the earth into heauen In that he saith all men it is to be referred vnto the children of God who are of his flocke Yet doe I agree with Chrysostome who teacheth that Christ vsed the vniuersall word because the Church was to be gathered aswell of the Gentiles as of the Iewes according to that there shall bee one shepheard and one sheepefold aboue 10. 16. The old latine translation hath I wil draw all thinges vnto me and Augustine holdeth that it ought to be read so but the agreement of al the Greeke bookes ought to be of greater force amongst vs. 34 The multitude aunswered him we haue heard out of the lawe that Christe alldeth euer and how saist thou then the sonne of man must be lifted vp who is that same son of manne 35. Therefore Iesus sayd vnto them yet a litle while is the light with you walke whilst that yee haue the light least the darknes catch you and he that walketh in darknes knoweth not whether he goeth 36. VVhilst ye haue the light beleeue in the light that ye may be the children of the light These thinges spake Iesus and going away he hid himself from them 34 VVe haue heard out of the law It is questionlesse that their intent was malitiously to cauill at the wordes of Christ therefore he maketh them blinde in their owne wickednes so that they can see nothing in the clear light They deny that they must take Iesus for Christe because he saide that he should die whereas the law attributeth vnto the Messias perpetuity as if both these were not expresly set downe in the law that when as Christ shal dye his kingdome shal florish vntill the end of the world These men take occasion to cauill out of the seconde member But the beginning of the errour was this because they did esteme the gorgeousnes of the kingdome of the Messias according to the sense of the fleshe Hereby it commeth to passe that they refuse christ because he is not correspondent vnto their surmise Vnder this word law they do also comprehend the Prophets and the present tence is put in steede of the future tence in this word abideth according to the Hebrew phrase This interrogation who is that son of man conteineth in it a mock as if Christ did yeeld being ouercome with that short refutation VVhereby it appeareth how arrogant ignoraunce is For it importeth as much as if they had said go thy wayes now and boast thy selfe to be Christe seeing that thine owne confession proueth that thou art vnlike vnto him 35. Yet a litle while Although the Lord doth gently admonish them with this answere yet doeth he therewithal prick them sharply for he chideth them because they could not see in the light and doth also denounce that the light shal be taken from them shortly VVheÌ„ as he saith that there remaineth but a smal time of light he confirmeth that which he had already said concerning his death For although he doth not meane the light of his corporal presence but of the gospel yet hee alludeth vnto his departure as if he shuld say when as I shal then go away I wil not cease to be light so litle shal your darknes be able to impare me VVhen as hee saieth that the light is present with them he toucheth them by the way because they passe ouer the light with shut cies And therefore he giueth them to vnderstand that they were vnworthy to haue their obiectioÌ„ answered because they minister vnto themselues matter of errour of their owne accord VVhen as he saith that the light shineth vnto them only for a short time it is a thing common to al the vnbeleeuers for the scripture promiseth that the sonne of righteousnes shal arise vnto the children of God which shal neuer sit Isai. 60. 19. The sunne shal not shine vnto you hereafter by day nor the moone by night but the Lord shal be vnto you an euerlasting light Yet must al men walk circumspectly because darkenes doeth followe the contempt of the light VVhich thing was also the cause that such thick night darknes did ouerwhelm the whole world bicause there were but a few that vouchsafed to go forward
the person of y e mediator who appeared for a time vnder the person of a seruaunt And now hee commaundeth his Disciples to lift vp their senses straightway into heauen whenas they shall begin to lacke externall ayde VVhereby we gather that Christ doth no lesse keepe the faithfull at this day then in times past but after another sort because his diuine maiestie appeareth manifestly in them VVhom thou hast giuen mee He vseth the same argument againe that it is an vnmeete thing that the father should cast away those whome his sonne kept at his commaundement euen vntil the end of his ministerie as if he should say I haue faithfully executed perfourmed that which was enioyned mee by thee least any thing should perish in my hande nowe seeing that thou takest that againe which thou hadst giuen me to keepe it is thy part and duetie to prouide that it may remaine safe VVhereas he acepteth Iudas he doth it not without reason For although he was not of the elect and of the true and naturall flocke of God yet the dignitie of his office did beare that shew Neither would any man haue thought otherwise of him so long as he stood in such an excellent order It is therefore concerning the Grammer an vnproper exception but if we weigh the matter it was requisite that Christe shoulde speake thus according to the common meaning of men And least any man should thinke that the eternall election of God was any whit weakened in the destruction and ruine of Iudas hee added also that he was the sonne of perdition By whiche wordes he giueth vs to vnderstand that God knew long agoe his fall which happened sodainly in the sight of men For the Hebrewes doe call him the sonne of perdition which is a lost man or giuen ouer to destruction That the Scripture might bee fulfilled This is referred vnto the next sentence Iudas fell away that the scripture might be fulfilled But a man shall falsly gather thence that the falling away of Iudas is rather to bee imputed to God then to himselfe because he was necessarily enforced to doe it by reason of the prophesie For the euent of thyngs must not bee ascribed vnto the prophesies therefore because it was foretolde therein For doubtlesse the Prophetes denounce nothing els but that which should come to passe though they held their peace Therfore we must not set the cause of thinges thence I confesse that there is nothing which commeth to passe but it is ordeined of God but the question is now only concerning the scripture whether the foretelling and prophesies doe lay any necessitie vpon men or no which I haue already shewed to be false For Christe intendeth not to lay the cause of Iudas his destruction vpon the scripture but he meant only to take away the matter of offence which might haue shaken many weake soules and the meanes whereby he taketh it away is because the spirite of GOD hath testified in times past that it should so come to passe For we are almost afraid when we see and heare new thinges which come sodainly This is a verie profitable admonition and such as reacheth farre For how commeth it to passe at this day that most men do faint by reason of offences saue onely because they remember not the testimonies of the scripture wherewith God hath well armed his whilest that he hath in time foretold what euils soeuer they should see 13 These thingsspeake I in the worlde Chirst sheweth here that he praied not for the Disciples so earnestly as if he did doubt of or were careful sory for their state to come but rather that he might remedie their carefulnesse and heauinesse VVe knowe howe greatly our mindes are bent vnto externall helpes if wee can espie any offer themselues wee catch them greedily and doe not suffer our selues to bee pluckt away from them easilie Therefore Christe prayeth vnto his father in presence of the Disciples not that he needeth to say any thing but that he may take from them doubting I speake saith hee in the worlde that is when they heare mee that their heartes may be quiet For their safetie was alreadie in safegarde seeing that Christ had put it into the hand of God He calleth that his ioy which the Disciples should conceiue from him or if you will haue it more briefly whereof he is the authour cause and pledge For there is nothing but feare and vnquietnesse in vs and we haue peace and quietnesse in Christ alone 14 I haue giuen them thy worde and the world hath hated them because they are not of the worlde as I am not of the world 15 I doe not aske that thou shouldest take them out of the worlde but that thou shuldest keepe them from euill 16 They are not of the world as I am not of the world 17 Sanctifie them in thy truth thy worde is the truth 18 As thou hast sense mee into the worlde I haue also sent them into the worlde 19 And I sanctifie my selfe for them that they also may bee sanctified in the truth 14 I haue giuen them thy worde Hee commendeth the disciples to the father for another cause because they haue neede of his helpe because the worlde hateth them Hee doth also set downe the cause of the hatred because they haue embraced the worde of God which the worlde cannot away with as if hee shoulde say It is thy part to defend them who are hated of the world for thy wordes sake VVe must now remember that we harde lately that the ende of this prayer is that Christ his ioy may be fulfilled in vs. Therefore so often as the furie of the worlde is kindled against vs in such sort that we seeme not to bee farre from destruction let vs straightway learne to hold vp this buckler that God will neuer forsake those who labour for the Gospell Hee saith that the Disciples are not of the worlde because they are separated from the worlde whomsoeuer he regenerateth by his spirite Therefore God wil not suffer his sheepe to wander amongst wolues but he sheweth himselfe to be their pastour 15 I doe not aske that thou shouldest take them out of the worlde He teacheth wherein the safetie of the godly consisteth not that beeing exempted from all trouble they shoulde liue at ease and daintily but that they may remayne safe in the middest of daungers through Gods helpe Neither doth he tell his father what is expedient but hee doth rather prouide for the infirmitie of those that be his that they may temper their petitiōs which for the most part passe their boundes by this way and meanes which he prescribeth In summe he doth not promise the disciples his fathers grace y t it may set thē free from all care labour but he promiseth them such grace as may minister vnto them inuincible strength against their enemies may not suffer thē to be ouerwhelmed with the huge heape of combates which they
come out by gestures and signes dooth shew that hee is become dumbe And it is credible that some tokens of feare remayned in his countenaunce whereby they gather that God had appeared to him And there were in that age few or no visions but the people did remember that they had beene common before in their fathers time VVherefore not without cause did they iudge of these manifest signes For it was not coÌ„mon that sodenly without sicknes he should be dumb And that after longer delay then neede was he should come so amased out of the temple Furthermore the name of the temple as we now said iâ— vsed for the holy place where the altar of inconse was from thence the Sacrifice being finished the priests were woont to goe into their porche and thence they blessed the people 23. VVhen the dayes were fulfilled Luke doth put the word Liturgian for the executing of the office which did goe by course in order to euery one euen as we haue said That it is said that Zachary returned to his house the time of his charg being past hereout we gather the priests so long as they were in their courses did refrain froÌ„ their houses that they might altogether be giuen and fixed to the seruice of God For this purpose there were Galeries made in the sides of the temple in the which they had chaÌ„bers The law did not forbid the priest from his own house but that it restrained them from touching of their wiues when they should eat the holy bread It is probable that when Many with smal reuerence did handle the holy things this remedie was inuented that they being remoued from all allurements might keepe them selues cleane free from all pollution Neyther was the lying with their wiues onely forbidden then but also the drinking of wine and strong drink Therefore when the order of their diet was chaunged it was profitable not to depart from the teÌ„ple that the sight of the place might teach them to seeke and esteeme of puritie euen as it was appointed of the lord It was also profitable that al occasion of wantonnesse should therby be taken away that with more diligence they might apply their charge The Papistes this day vnder this pretence doe defend their tyrranous law of vnmarried life For thus they reason seeing the priests in times past were commanded to abstain from their wiues when they were busied in holy affaires now worthily may perpetuall continence be required of our priestes which not by course of times but daily doe sacrifice Chiefly for that the dignitie of holy rites is farre more excellent then vnder the law But I would knowe why they doe not also abstaine from wine and strong drinke For neyther is it lawfull to separate those commaundements which God hath ioyned that onely halfe should be obserued and the other part neglected The compâ—nie with their wiues is not so expressly forbidden as the drinking of wine If vnder the colour of the law the Pope doth inioyne to his priests single life why doth he permit them wine Nay by this reason he ought to shutte vp his priestes in some innermost roomes of his Temples that they being shutte in prisons might passe all their life without the fellowship of women and people Now we see plainely they wickedly pretende the law of God from which they depart But notwithstanding a ful answere dependeth of the difference of the law and the Gospell The priest did place him selfe before God to purge awaye the sinnes of the people that he might be as it were a mediatour of God and men it behooued him vpon whom that office was layd to haue some note whereby he being exempted from the common order of men might be knowne as the figure of the true mediatour For this purpose were appointed the holye garments and annoynting Now in the publike ministers and pastors of the Church there is no such like thing I speake of the ministers which Christ instituted to feede his flock not of those which the Pope maketh rather butchers to sacrifice Christ then priestes VVherefore let vs repose our selues in that sentence of the holy Ghoste which pronounceth that matrimonie is honourable in all men 24. Shee hidde herselfe This seemeth to bee absurd as though that shee should be ashamed of diuine blessing Some thinke that the thing beeing yet doubtfull shee durst not come abroad least that shee should make her selfe a laughingstocke if her opinion should be made frustrate which shee had conceaued And I doe so accompt of the promise made that shee was assured it should come to passe For when shee perceaued such grieuous punishment to be layde vppon her husband for the vnaduised fall of his tongue howe could shee fiue monethes space nourish such doubt in her heart and her woordes doe plainely declare that her hope was not wauering or doubtfull For when shee saieth the Lorde hath doone it shee wisely and without feare declareth the Lordes known fauour There might be two causes of her hiding First that the miracle of God should not be layde open to the diuers speaches of men beefore it should apparauntly be knowne For it is the custome of the worlde to speake oftentimes rashly and verie vnreuerentlye of the workes of God The other cause was that when men of a sodaine shoulde see her great with childe they should the more be stirred to praise the Lorde For those workes of GOD which by litle and litle rise vppe amongst vs in processe of time are naught sette by Therefore Elizabeth hydde and absented her selfe not for her owne sake but for the cause of others 25. Thus hath the Lorde dealt with mee Shee setteth forth the goodnesse of God priuately vntill the appoynted time should come of publishing the same vnto the worlde It is to bee supposed that her husbande by writing had enformed her of the promised childe in that the more certainely and with the cheerefuller minde shee sheweth that GOD is the aucthour of this benefitte And that shee approoueth in her nexte woordes In the dayes wherein he looked on me to take from me my rebuke among men Shee declareth that the cause of barrennesse was for that the fauour of God was turned from her Amongst the earthly blessinges which God doth giue the scripture accounteth this as chiefe that he vochsafeth to giue vs children For if the increase of bruit beastes is a blessing of God then how much more excellent man is then beastes so much more to be esteemed and accounted of is the increase of men then of beastes Neither is it a slight or common honour that when God alone deserueth to be accounted a father hee yet admitteth earthly men into the fellowshippe of this name with him Therefore that doctrine is diligently to be considered that children are the inheritaunce of the Lord. Psalm 127. 3. and the fruite of the womb his rewarde But Elizabeth had a further regarde because that beyonde the common
order of nature she being barren and olde had now conceaued by a wonderfull miracle of God To take from me my rebuke among men Barrennesse was not without cause esteemed as a reproach seeing that the blessing of the wombe was accounted amongst the especial testimonies of gods fauour loue Some thinke that this did specially appertaine to the people of the old lawe because that Christe was to come of the seede of Abraham But that belonged onely to the tribe of Iuda Others more rightly affirme that the encrease of the people of GOD was prosperous and happye for that it was sayde to Abraham Gene. 13. 15. Thy seede shall bee as the sande of the sea and as the starres of the heauen But the generall blessing which reacheth vnto all mankinde and the promise made vnto Abraham which is peculiar to the Church of God ought to be ioyned together Let parentes learne to be thankfull to God for their children but let them that want learne by the same to humble them selues Elizabeth accounteth that this reproach is but before men because that it is but a temporall chastisement by which we are nothing the further from the kingdome of heauen Matthew Marke Luke 1.   26. And in the sixt moneth the Angell Gabriell was sent from God vnto a citie of Galile named Nazareth 27. To a virgin affianced to a man whose name was Ioseph of the house of Dauid and the virgins name was Mary 28. And the Angell went in vnto her and sayde Hayle thou art freely beloued the Lorde is with thee Blessed art thou among women 29. And when shee saw him shee was troubled at his saying and thought what manner of salutation that should be 30. Then the Angell sayde vnto her Feare not Marye for thou haste founde fauour with God 31. For loe thou shalt conceaue in thy wombe and beare a sonne and call his name Iesus 32. Hee shall be great and shall bee called the Sonne of the moste heigh and the Lorde God shall giue him the thrâ—ane of Dauid his father 33. And hee shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome shall be no ende 26. In the sixt moneth The order of Gods counsell is wonderful and much differeth from the common iudgement of men In that he woulde that the beginning of the generation should be more famous in his forerunner or cryer then in his owne sonne The prophecie of Iohn Baptist vttered in the temple is knowne in euery place But Christ is promised to a virgin in an vnknowne towne of Iuda and this prophecie remayneth buried in the bosome of one maide But so it was requisite to bee that euen in Christes birth that might be fulfilled That God by foolishnesse might saue them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1. 21. But so was this treasure of this secrete misterie layde vp with the virgin that at the length in his time it might come forth to all the godly This secrete reposing of it is I graunt contemptible but such as was most meete both for the triall of the humilitie of our faith and also for the beating downe of the pride of the wicked And let vs although the reason doe not at the first appeare learne with modestie to submit our selues to GOD neyther in this let it grieue vs to learne of her that bore Christ the eternal wisdome of God in her wombe Nothing is more to be taken heede of then that we through our proud contempt bereaue not our selues of the knowledge of the incomparable misterie which God wil should be hidde in his litle ones and such as seeke for knowledge This seemeth to me to be the cause why he chose a virgin espoused to a man The imagination of Origen that he so wrought it that hee might keepe secrete from Sathan the saluation which he prepared to giue to men hath no lykelyhoode with it The veile of matrimonie was therefore spread beefore the eyes of the worlde that he whom they commonly supposed to be the sonne of Ioseph the godly at length by fayth should knowe to be the sonne of God And yet Christ came not forth in such base and meane sorte but that the heauenly father shewed forth in him euen at the beginning the glorye of his Godhead For the Angelles declared that the Sauiour was borne But their voice being heard only of the Shepheards was not spread farre There was one wonder famous amongst the rest that the wise men which came from the East did euery where reporte that a starre appeared vnto them as a testimonie of the birth of the great king yet we see howe GOD kept his soone as it were in secrete vntill the time came that he shoulde fully be shewed Then he erected as one should saye a theatre from whence he might plainly be beholden The participle Memnesteumenen which the Euangeliste doth vse doth signifie that shee then was a virgin promised to a husbande but not deliuered as a wife to a husbande For it was a custome amongst the Iewes that the parentes should keepe their daughters at home with them for a time after that they were espoused vnto men or else that law for the slaundered wife which is in Deut. 22. 13. were in vaine Luke saith that Ioseph was of the stock of Dauid because that the familyes were woont to be accounted by the names of men of the which matter we will speake more in an other place 28. Hayle thou that art freely beloued Because that the message was wonderfull and almost incredible therefore the Angell beganne with a commendation of the fauour and grace of GOD And seeing that by reason of our dull vnderstanding our mindes are driuen to such a straight that they cannot coÌ„prehend the wonderful greatnes of God his works This is the best remedie that we stir vp our mindes to meditate and consider the infinitenesse of his grace Therefore since that the vnderstanding of GOD his goodnesse is the gate of fayth The Angell tooke this and not without cause as the best order that by occupying the minde of the virgin in meditating of the fauour of GOD the might be the better prepared to receiue and vnderstand that incomprehensible misterie For the participle Kecharitomene which Luke dooth vse signifieth the free fauour of God as appeareth more plainely in the Epistle to the Ephesians 1. 6. where Paule intreating of our reconciliation with GOD saieth the God by his beloued Sonne Echaritosen that is receiued vs into his grace and through his fauour he embraced vs which beefore were his enemies Afterwardes the Angell saieth that God was with her For vppon whom GOD vouchsafeth once to bestow his loue vnto them he declareth him selfe to bee mercifull and bountifull and to them hee giueth and bestoweth his giftes and therefore is the thirde parte of the sentence added Blessed art thou amonge women For hee vseth this woorde Blessing as the effecte and proofe of the fauour of GOD. For in myne opinion it
is not heere vsed for a praysing of her but it dooth rather signifie a happynesse or blessednesse So Paule vseth to praye that the faythfull might haue first grace then peace that is all kind of good things signifying thereby that we are then becoÌ„e blessed rich when we are beloued of God the aucthour of al good things Then if the blessednesse righteousnes and lyfe of Mary doe come of the free loue of God and that her vertues and all her excellencie is the meere liberalitie of God Then deale they very preposterously that teach vs to aske those things of her which shee with vs recieueth from an other But very grosse is the folly of the Papistes which as it were by a magicall coniuring haue turned this salutation into a prayer And by want of reason they haue beene this farre drawne that their Preachers might not praye in the pulpitte for the assistaunce and grace of God his spirite but by their Hayle Mary And besides that this is to be accompted as a salutation onely they rashlye take vnto them selues the office of an other which God inioyned not to any but to the Angell but twise more foolish is that imitation that they salute one that is absent 29. VVhen shee sawe him shee was troubled Luke doth not say that shee was troubled at the sight of the Angell but at his saying why then dooth he also make mention of the sight This as I interprete it was the cause Marye seeing some portion of heauenly glory in the Angell through the reuerence of GOD she conceaued a sodaine feare Therefore shee was troubled for that shee perceiued that it was not a mortall manne that did salute her but an Angell of GOD. But Luke dooth not say that shee was so troubled that shee was thereby amased but rather sheweth the signe of an attentiue and verye readye minde when that he presently addeth that shee thought with her self what manner of salutation this should bee that is whereto it tended and what it meant For presently shee thought that the Angell was not sent to her for nothing And by this example wee are admonished First that the woorkes of GOD are not sleightly to be passed ouer Then likewise wee ought so to weighe and consider them that reuerence and feare may goe before 30. Feare not Marye In that he willeth her not to be afrayde let vs alwayes remember howe weake our fleshe is and that it cannot be but that we shoulde be afrayde so oft as but the least sparke of God his glorye doth appeare For when we earnestly consider the presence of God wee cannot imagine a vaine or ydle presence Therefore when wee are all in daunger of his iudgement out of feare there riseth a trembling vntill hee shewe him selfe as a father The holye Virginne sawe amongst her people such a vile heape of sinnes that there was good cause why shee should be afrayd of the greater vengeaunce VVherefore that the Angell might put this feare awaye hee saieth that hee is a witnesse and tydinges bringer of that which is wonderful good Luke vsed this Hebrewe phrase to finde fauour for to haue God mercifull For it cannot be sayde that hee found fauour that sought the same but hee to whom it was offered and seeing that examples of the same are sufficiently knowne it were but vaine heere to alleage them 31. For loe thou shalt conceaue in thy wombe The Angell frameth his woordes firste to the prophesie of Esaye and then to other places of the Prophetes that it might thereby the better sincke into the Virgins minde For such Prophesies were knowne and common euerye where among the godly yet with all it is to be noted that the Angell did not whisper that onely in the eare of the Virgin but he brought that gladde tidinges of saluation which not long after was to be spread throughout the whole world VVherefore it is not doone without the counsell of God that hee so plainely expresseth the consent betweene the olde prophesies and the present message of the comming of Christe The woord Conceauing is sufficient to confute the witlesse fancie aswell of Marcyon as of Manicheus For thereby may be easily gathered that Mary did not bring for than aiery body or Ghost but such frui as she before had conceaued in her wombe And thou shalt call his name Iesus Mat. 1. 21. rendreth the cause why this name was giuen him For that he should saue his people froÌ„ their sinnes so that in the verye name saluation is promised and the cause is shewed to what end Christ was sent of his father into the worlde As he saieth him selfe that he came not to destroy but to saue the worlde Ioh. 12. 47. Let vs also remeÌ„ber that this name was not giuen him by the will of man but by the Angell at the commaundement of God that our faith might be fastened in heauen and not vppon earth It is deryued of ithg which with the Hebrewes is saluation and from thence commeth that word which signifieth to saue Furthermore they doe but fondlye reason which endeuour to deriue it of that Hebrewe nowne iâ—ushug It appeareth that the Rabbynes did deale very malitiously in that they neuer giue him that honourable title of Christ but in euery place write Iesu or rather imagine him to haue beene some base or degenerate Iew. Therfore their writing deserueth as much credit and aucthoritie as doth the barking of a dogge That they obiect that he should be farre inferior to the dignitie of the sonne of GOD if hee shoulde haue a name common with others may also be pretended of Christe But the answere to them both is very easie For that which before was shadowed vnder the lawe is fully and wholye perfourmed in the Sonne of God or that he had the substaunce of that in him which was before but figured The other obiection is of no greater force They denie that the name of Iesu is holy and reuerent before whom euery knee Philip. 2. 9. ought to bowe vnlesse it did onely belong to the sonne of God Paule dooth not attribute vnto him a magicall name in whose sillables the maiestie were included but his wordes were to this purpose as if he should haue said great power was giuen vnto Christ of his father vnder the which al the worlde should bowe Therefore let vs bid such faigned inuentions farewell and let vs know that the name of Iesu was giuen vnto Christ that the faythfull might learne to seeke in him that which beefore was shadowed vnder the law 32. Hee shall be great The Angell sayde the same of Iohn Baptist whom yet hee would not make equall with Christ. But the Baptist was great in his order And presently after he declareth that the greatnes of Christ extolled him farre aboue all creatures For this hath he alone proper and peculyar to him selfe that he should be called the sonne of God as the Apostle proueth Heb. 1. 5. I graunt that sometimes in
the scripture the Angelles and kinges are adorned with this title but these are in common called the sonnes of God for the excellencie which God hath giuen them And it is cleare and not to be doubted but that God exempteth his sonne from all the rest when that he peculiarly saieth vnto him Psalme 1. 7. Thou art my Sonne Therefore Christ is accounted here neither among Angels nor men that he might be accounted one of common sort or company of the children of God for that which is giuen vnto him it is lawful for none other to take to them selues It is true that Kings are the children of God but not by right of nature but because the Lord hath bestowed that honour vpon them Neither doth this title belong vnto Angels but as they vnder their chief head excell amongst the creatures And we also are children but by adoption which we obtaine by faith for wee haue it not of nature But Christ is the onely and the onely-begotten sonne That interpretation is very false and deceitfull which that filthie dogge Seruetus wresteth the woorde of the future tence that he mighte prooue that Christ was not the eternall sonne of God But that he began then so to be accompted when that hee tooke vpon him our flesh Hee argueth that Christ was not the sonne of God before that he being clothed with flesh did appeare in the worlde because that the Angell sayd He shall be called I except against this and affirme that the wordes of the Angell doe signifie nothing else but that such a sonne of God should be made manifest in the flesh as was eternall For to be called is referred to the apparaunt knowledge But there is great difference here betweene these two enterpretations whether he beganne now to be the sonne of God which was not before or that he was made knowne vnto men that they might know him to be the same which was promised in times past And truely sith that God in all ages was called a Father of his people it may thereby be gathered that the Sonne was in heauen from whom and through whom this fatherhood came to men For men should arrogate too much vnto themselues if they durst be so bold as bragge that they were the sonnes of God but as they are the members of the onely begotten sonne VVherefore it is certaine that the holy fathers had not the assuraunce of that so honourable a calling But as they had their confidence in the Sonne the mediatour But what profit we haue by this more perfect knowledge whereof we now speake Paule doth teach vs in an other place For that nowe wee may freely not onely call but cry out that God is our father Rom. 8. 15. and Gal. 4. 5. God shall giue vnto him the throane of Dauid VVe haue sayde that the Angel tooke out of the Prophetes these titles which he giueth vnto Christ that the holy virgin might thereby know the better that he should be the Redeemer which was in times past promised vnto the fathers VVhen as the Prophetes doe speak of the restitution of the Church they cal the whole hope of the faithfull to the kingdome of Dauid So that it was a common rule amongst the Iewes that the sauegard of the Church was reposed in the prosperitie of Dauids kingdome Neither did there any thing more aptly or fitly agree to the office of the Messias then that hee should againe restore the kingdome of Dauid And therefore the Messias is sometimes called by the name of Dauid as in Ier. 30. 9. They shall serue the Lord their God and Dauid their king Also in Ezechel 34. 24. and 37. 24. My seruaunt Dauid shall be prince amongst them And in Ose. 3. 5. They shall seeke the Lord their God and Dauid their king The places also wheras he is called the Sonne of Dauid are sufficiently knowne and vnderstoode In summe the Angell declareth that the prophecie of Amos. 9. 11. of raysing the tabernacle of Dauid which was fallen downe and ouerthrowne was fulfilled in the person of Christ. 33. He shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob Seeing that saluation was peculiarly promised vnto the Iewes euen as the couenaunt was made with Abraham their father and Christ as Paule witnesseth Rom. 15. 8. was a minister of circumcision the Angell doth not without cause appoynt his kingdome in that nation as if it were the proper seate and abiding place of the same But this differeth not from other prophesies which do enlarge and stretche the kingdome of Christ to the vttermoste partes of the earth For God by a newe and wonderfull adoption did plante the Gentiles which before were straungers into the house of Iacob so yet that the Iewes as the first borne shoulde holde the principall degree as it is set downe in the Psal. 110. 2. The Lord shall sende the rod of thy power out of Syon Therefore the throne of Christ was placed amongest the children of Israel from wheÌ„ce he made the whole world subiect vnto him But as many as are gathered by faith to the sonnes of Abraham are accompted as the true Israel And although the Iewes through their defection separated them selues from the church of God yet the Lordes will was that certaine remnants of them shoulde remaine euen vnto the end because that his calling is beyonde the power of man The body of the people in shewe is vtterly cut off But we must remember the mysterie whereof Paule speaketh to the Rom. 11. 25. That at length it should come to passe that God woulde gather some of the Iewes from the dispearsing and scattering abroade In the meane season the church which is scattered through the whole worlde is the spirituall house of Iacob because she fetched her beginning out of Sion For eâ—er The angel declareth in what sense the perpetuitie was so oft promised by the Prophets to the kingdom of Dauid It florished only in the times of Dauid and Salomon in power riches Roboam the third successor skarse held a tribe and a halfe From that time it ceased not to be shaken with diuers miseries vntil at length it was broken downe Now the Angel declareth that when in the person of Christ it shall be established that shall not againe be destroied and to proue the same he vseth the wordes of Daniel which are set downe 7. 14. And of his kingdom shal be no ende Although the sense of the words is that God is the euerlasting gouernor of the kingdom of Christ and of the Churche so that it shall neuer pearish from off the earth so long as the Sunne and Moone shall shine in the heauen yet the true perpetuitie belongeth vnto the glory that is to come Therefore the faithfull doe so by continual course some of them succeede others in this life vntill at the lengthe they be gathered together into heauen where they shall raigne without ende   Luke 1. Matthew Marke 34. Then sayde Marie to the Angell
righteousnes vpon childrens children vnto them that keepe his couenaunt God therefore so promiseth that he wil shew him selfe mercifull to the children of his saints throughout al ages that so he may yet take away the occasion of all vaine hope from hipocrites for they that are degenerate children of his saints and haue fallen from their godlines and faith doe in vaine and rashly glory that God is their father VVherefore by this exception their vanitie and pride is ouerthrowne which are puffed vp with a false pretence of GOD his grace without fayth God made an vniuersall couenaunt of saluation with the stocke of Abraham But as the stones watered with the raine doe not become softe therewith so the hardnesse of heart is such a hinderaunce to the vnfaithfull that the promised righteousnesse and saluation can not enter into them Yet God that his promisse might be certaine and sure hath reserued vnto himselfe some seede By the feare of God is vnderstode all godlineste and religion which can not be without faith But heere a question may be demaunded for what cause is God called merciful if no man do so finde him but he that deserueth his fauour For if the mercy of God be vpon them that feare him then godlinesse and a good conscience doe procure his fauour to men and so by this meanes men should by merits preuent his grace I aunswere that this also is a portion of his mercy that God planteth a feare and a reuerence of him in the children of the godly For he doth not meane here the beginning of grace as if they shoulde imagine that God were idle and should loke downe from heauen to espie who they were that were worthy of the same but he only driueth the hypocrites from their pieuish securitie least that they should thinke they had God bound to them because that they according to the flesh are the children of godly parents when that the end of God his couenant is far otherwise and the condition much contrary namely this He will haue a people alwaies in the world of whom he wil be purely worshipped   Luke 1. Mathew Marke 51. He hath shewed strength with his arme he hath scattered the proude in the imagination of their hearts 52. He hath put downe the mighty from their seates and exalted them of lowe degree 53. He hath filled the hūgrie with good things and sent away the riche emptie 54. He hath vpholden Israel his seruaunt being mindefull of his mercie 55. As he hath spoken to our fathers to wit to Abraham and his seede for euer 51. He hath shewed strength Is as much as if he should haue said he hath wroughte mightely and the arme of God is opposed against all other helpes as in Es. 59. 16. God looked and there was none to helye Therefore his arme did saue it his righteousnesse it selfe did sustaine it This then is the meaning of Marie that God was satisfied with his owne power and had no felowes in his worke called none to helpe him That which presently is spoken of the proude seemeth to be added for two causes partly because that the proude which endeuour after the maner of Giants to striue against God do nothing preuaile and also because that God doth not stretch forth the power of his arme but for the sauegarde of the lowly and that he might ouerthrow the proude which arrogantly take too much to them selues And to that purpose belōgeth that exhortation of Peter 1. Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selues vnder the mighty hande of God The manner of speach is also to be noted Hee scattereth the proude in the imagination of their hearts For as their pride and ambition is great so is their couetousnesse insatiable in their deuises they heape together as it were a great mountaine and that I may speake one woorde they builde the tower of Babel for they being not satisfied in that they haue folishly attempted this or that aboue their strength they foorthwith heape newe consultations of madde presumption to their former deuices when God for a while hath wyth silence frō heauen laughed at their notable purposes then at a sodaine he dispearseth ouerthroweth their whole heap as if a man shoulde pull downe a building whiche before was strongly and soundly built and compacte together and should dispearse the same farre off into diuers places Hee hath putte downe the mightie If you translate it Princes the sense will be the plainer For althoughe that dynastai are so called of the Greekes by reason of their power yet they are interpreated gouernours chiefe magistrates But many haue thought this woorde mighty to be a Participle Marie sayeth that they shall be pulled out of their thrones that the vnknowen and simple may be lifted into their places So that which prophane men doe call the plaie of Fortune shee doth attribute to the iudgements prouidence of God Yet we must know that there is not geuen to God an absolute power as if he should by a tyrannous authority tosse and turne men hether and thither as balles but a most right and iust gouernement and hath a notable reason for what soeuer he doeth thoughe it be often hid from vs for sodaine chaunges doe not please God as that hee shoulde in a mockerie lift them vp aloft whome he had determined sodainly to throw downe but rather the wickednes of men doth tourne and alter the estate of things because that no man acknowledgeth that the estate of euery man is in the will and hand of God But they that are placed aboue others do not only contumeliously cruelly handle their neighbours but also most sharply doe they deale against the authour of their saluation Therefore some are lifted vppe into high degree of honour and some are slipte downe or rather cast downe headlong out of their thrones that we in deede might learne that what soeuer thing is aloft and exalted in the world is subiecte to God and that all the worlde is vnder his gouernement Dauid declareth the cause and ende of these chaunges Psal. 107. 20. and also Dan. 2. 21. VVe see howe the Princes of the worlde become arrogante wythout measure howe they runne into luxuriousnesse howe they swel in pride and howe the sweetenesse of prosperitie hath mado them dronken It is not to be wondered at if God cannot beare with suche vnthankefulnesse and this is the cause why for the most part their state is not dureable whome God hath lifted vppe on high And againe the glorye of Kings and Princes doeth so amaze the common sorte of menne that few there be that thinke there is any God aboue them But if that Princes brought their scepters with them from their mothers wombe or that the continuaunce of their kingdomes were perpetuall then all knowledge of God and of his prouidence would presently vanish away The Lorde therefore placing the low aloft he leadeth the pride of the world as prisonner in his triumphe
profitable that it shoulde be so deferred The Aungel appeared in a dreame this is one of the ordinarie maners of reuelations wherof mention is made Num. 12. 7. where God speaketh thus To the Prophets which are among you I will shewe my selfe either by a vision or by a dreame but I will not do so with my seruaunt Moses to whom I will shewe my selfe face to face but it is to be obserued that these sortes of dreames doe much differ from them which come of natural causes for they haue a marke of assurance engraued in them and they are sealed from aboue that we shoulde not doubt of the truthe of them The dreames which men commonly haue are woont to rise either of the constitution of nature or throughe euill disposition of the bodies or of such like causes But sometimes the spirit geueth witnesse to those dreames which are of God to assure vs certainly that it is god which speaketh Sonne of Dauid be not afraid This exhortatioÌ„ of the angel declareth that Ioseph was careful in his mind least he should be defiled with any infection by bearing with his wifes adulterie He therfore taketh away that opinion of the offence which he had conceiued in his minde to that ende that with a quiet conscience he might remaine and dwell with his wife hee applieth the epithite of the Sonne of Dauid to the preseÌ„t cause that he might stir vp his mind to that high mystery because that he was of that familie and that remaining aliue but with a few other from whence saluation was promised to the worlde Ioseph therefore hearing Dauid named out of whose stocke he came out to remeÌ„ber that notable couenant of God of the restitution of the kingdom so should know that he speakes not of any new or straunge thing for it is as much as if the Aungel by setting foorth the prophesies of the Prophets shoulde prepare Ioseph his minde to accept this present fauoure Thou shalt call his name Iesus Of the word it selfe I haue before spokeÌ„ briefly but sufficiently I will nowe onely adde one thing Their dreame is confuted by the woordes of the Angell which deriue this name from Iehoua the essentiall name of God for the Aungell sheweth why the sonne of God is to be so called that is because he shal saue his people whereof we gather an etymologye meere contrary to that which they imagine But in vaine doe they seeke by this cauill to slippe away Christ is to bee compted the author of saluation most properly and most aptly because that he is God eternall For we must not heere seeke onely what GOD hath performed and bestowed vppon vs but this name was geuen vnto the sonne for an especiall cause because of the commaundement whiche was enioyned him from the father and by reason of the office which he had when he descended to vs. Nowe it were meere madnesse to knitte these two woordes Iesu Iehoua together as if they were but one name seeing that they agree but in two letters and differre in all the rest and which haue no likenesse in them at all I leaue this kinde of forging to the Alchumystes from whom the Cabalistes do not much differre who haue inuented for vs these filthie and vaine toyes But the sonne of God when hee came to vs in the flesh had also his name geuen him of his father that by the same it might be openly shewed to what ende he came what his power was and what properly was to be looked for of hym for the roote of this name Iesu is from the Hebrewe verbe 〈◊〉 â—iphil which signifieth to saue and in the Hebrew is after an other maner pronounced namely Iehosua But the Euangelistes wryting in Greeke folowed the accustomed maner of speache for the Greeke interpreters as well in Moses as in other bookes of the olde Testament haue translated it Iesâ—un whereby their ignorance is again reproued which wrest wrythe rather then deriue this name Iesu from Iehoua for they accompt it for a great absurditie if that any mortall man should haue this name common with the sonne of God and they crie our tragically that Christ will neuer suffer his name thus to bee prophaned As thoughe that it were not well knowne of the contrary that the name of Iesu is as common to those menne as that of Iehosua Nowe seeing that it sufficiently appeareth that the Sonne of God vnder the name of Iesu is commended vnto vs as the authour of saluation we will sifte more neerely the Aungelles woordes Hee shall saue sayeth hee his people from their sinnes first this is to be obserued that they of themselues were lost whome Christ was sent to saue and namely hee is called the Sauiour of the Churche If they whome GOD hathe ioyned so neare vnto hymselfe are drowned in death and destruction vntill Christ restore them life then what shall wee saye of straungers to whome there was neuer anye hope of life appearing VVherefore it is to bee concluded while saluation in Christe is reiected that all mankinde is subiecte to destruction But the cause of destruction is with all to bee noted for the celestiall iudge doeth not pronounce the cursse against vs rashly and wythout a cause Therefore the Aungell witnesseth that wee pearished and were holden oppressed vnder the miserable yoke of damnation for that by our sinnes wee were estraunged from life whereby the corruption and wickednesse of our nature is reuealed vnto vs for if any manne were perfecte and able to liue a righteous life hee might be without Christ the deliuerer but all without the exception of any one haue neede of hys grace Therefore it foloweth that they are all the seruauntes of sinne and are destitute of the true righteousnesse Heere againe wee gather what maner and way it is that Christ vseth in sauing that is that hee deliuereth vs from sinnes Furthermore there are two partes of this deliueraunce first in that he by sacrifice hauing made a full satisfaction geueth vs free pardone and forgeuenesse whereby wee are exempted from the guiltinesse of death and are reconciled to God The next that he sanctifying vs wyth his spirite chalengeth vs from the tyrannie of Sathan that wee shoulde liue to righteousnesse therefore Christ is not acknowledged truely as a Sauiour vntill that by faith wee learne to embrace the free forgeuenesse of our sinnes and that we knowe that we are accompted righteous before God because that we are freed from guiltinesse then that we being without all trust either of our workes or of oure power aske of him the spirite of righteousnesse and truthe The Aungell wythout doubte nameth the Iewes the people of Christe whose heade and king he was ordained But because the Gentiles were shortly after to be grafted into the stocke of Abraham this promisse of saluation is generally stretched to all whiche by faith are vnited to that one bodye of the Churche 22 All this was dâ—ne They verye fondly
be shaken nor broken with such hard dealing VVe knowe howe grieuous and sore a hinderance the vnbeliefe of the worlde is vnto vs but it behooueth vs to ouercome it if we will beleeue in Christe Iesu for the estate of menne was neuer broughte to so good passe that the greater parte should followe Christ. VVherefore it is necessarie that whosoeuer shoulde geue their names to Christ should be instructed in these principles and armed with these defenses that they may continue in his faith But this wasâ— most greuous temptation that Christ was not knowen of his owne Naye he was contumeliously reiected from that people which boasted themselues to be the Church of God And especially for that the Priestes and the Scribes which had the gouernement of the Churche were his most deadly ennemies for who woulde thinke that he was their king that shoulde see him so vnwoorthely and reprochefully reiected from them Therefore Symeon doeth not withoute cause foretell that Christe was appoynted for the fall of many and those of the people of Israel And the meaning is that he was ordained of God that hee shoulde ouerthrowe and cast manye downe headlonge But it is to be noted that the fall rose heereof that the vnbeleeuers stumbled at him the whiche is shortly after declared where Simeon calleth hym a signe to be spoken againste Therefore because the vnbeleeuers are rebelles vnto CHRISTE they strike themselues againste him whereof foloweth their fall And it is a Metaphore fetched from a marke or butte at the whiche archers doe shoote as if that Simeon shoulde haue sayde Heereby is the malice of men perceiued nay the wickednesse of all mannes witte that all menne had made a conspiracie and should stirre and crie out against the Sonne of God For there coulde not bee suche a consent of the worlde to speake against the Gospell excepte it were as a naturall discorde betweene the Sonne of God and those menne And thoughe the ennemies of the Gospell disagree amongest themselues so as their ambition and furie carieth them into diuers factions and factiously are deuided into diuers fantasies as the varietie of their superstitions which separateth the Idolaters is manifolde Yet in this they all agree that they maye withstande the Sonne of God VVherefore it is truelye sayde that it is too euidente a token of the wickednesse of manne for that euer it withstandeth Christe And thoughe it bee an incredible woonder that the worlde so riseth againste his creator yet because the Scripture foretolde that it shoulde so bee and reason openly sheweth that when menne were once estranged from God throughe sinne they alwaies flee from him there is no cause why suche examples shoulde disturbe vs but rather that our faith being furnished with suche armes shoulde buckle it selfe forwardes to fight with the resisting of the worlde Furthermore because that God hadde then gathered Israel to himselfe out of the whole worlde and nowe that there is no more difference betweene the Iewe and the Grecian It was conuenient that that shoulde nowe come to passe whiche we reade shoulde then be done Isaias had do sayde in his time chapter 8. â—4 Beholde the Lord shall bee as a stumblinge store and as a rocke to fall vppon to the two houses of Israel from that tyme the Iewes neuer almost ceased to strike againste God but their moste violente conflicte was againste Christe Nowe they whyche call themselues Christians doe imitate the same furie Naye they whyche proudly arrogate to themselues the supremacie of the Church do often bend that power they haue to oppresse Christ. But lette vs remember that they shall nothinge preuaile but that at the lengthe they shall be broken and torne in peaces For vnder the woorde of Falling downe the spirite dueth so pronounce a punishment vppon the vnbeleeuers that we might learne to goe farre from them least companye shoulde wrappe vs in the same destruction And Christ is not therfore anye lesse to be beloued for that he rising many fall downe for the sauour of the Gospell ceaseth not to be pleasant and acceptable to God although iâ— be deadly to the wicked worlde If anye manne demaunde howe Christe canne be an occasion of falling to the vnbeleeuers which nowe are destroyed withoute hym The aunsweare is easie they pearish twice that wilfully depriue themselues of that saluation offered them from God Therefore the fall signifieth a double punishment whyche remaineth for all vnbeleeuers after that wittingly and willingly they haue striuen with God And rising againâ— To the former clause this comfort is opposed that it might mitigate the matter odious to our sense for this is sorowfull to be heard if nothing else were added but that Christe shoulde bee a stone of offence which through his hardnesse should breake and rend in peeces a great number of men Therefore the Scripture calleth vs backe to his other office that the saluation of men hath the foundation in him as Isaias 8. 13. also speaketh Sanctifie the Lord of hoastes let him be your feare and he shall be vnto you as a Sanctuary or a defensed tower And Peter speaketh more plainly to whome yee come as vnto a liuing stone disalowed of menne but chosen of God and precious and yee as liuely stones are built 1. Pet. 2. 4. for so it is contained in the scripture Beholde I putte in Sion a chiefe corner stone prooued electe and precious and he that beleeueth therein shal not be ashamed vnto you therfore which beleeue it is precious but to them whiche beleeue not the stone whiche the builders disalowed c. Therefore least this title wherein Christ is called the stone of offence should make vs afraid of Christ he presently on the contrary side affirmeth that hee is also called the corner stone whereby the faith of all the godly is sustained nay he woulde put vs in minde that that is but accidentall and that this is naturall and proper Furthermore it is woorthy to be noted that Christ is not called the stay or proppe of the godly but the rising for the estate of men is not suche as it were expedient for them to remaine in the same therefore it behoueth them first to rise from death before they can begin to liue 35. Through thy soule This admonition auailed to the confirming of the minde of the holy virgin least shee should be throwne downe wyth sorow when the time for those bitter conflictes were come whiche shee shoulde passe through But although her faith was shaken and troubled with diuers temptations yet the most bitter strife she had was with the crosse wherby Christ seemed as one vtterly extinguished And although shee was neuer swalowed vppe of sorowe yet her brest was not so stonie but that it was greuously wounded for the constancie of the Saints doeth muche differre from vnsensiblenesse That the thoughts of many hearts may be opened Some ioyne this sentence with that clause whiche goeth somewhat before that Christ was appoynted for
8 Bring forth therefore fruitâ— He confirmeth that which I sayd before that the repentaunce which is testified in wordes is of no value except they proue the same in deede for it is a thing more precious then that there should be a lyght and vaine opinion of the same Therefore Iohn denyeth that the open testimonye which they gaue was sufficient but he saith that in processe of time it shal be reuealed by their workes whether they doe earnestly repent It is to be noted that good works are called the fruits of repentaunce for repentance is inward which is placed in the heart and the minde but then in the chaung of the life it bringeth forth the fruites of the same And because that in popery all this poynt of doctrine was filthyly corrupted this difference is to be holden that repentance is an inward renewing of a man which springeth forth in outward life as the tree bringeth forth fruit out of it MAT. 9. Think not to say with your selues LV. 8. Begin not to say Sith it is certain that there is but one meaning of both these speaches we do easily gather what Iohn would The hypocrits do either sleepe in their sins or licentiously proudly vaunt theÌ„selues vntil they be oppressed but when they are cited to the tribunal seat of god then they carefully seeke means to escape lurking corners or pretend some colour Therfore Iohn thus speaketh vnto the Pharises Saduces Now that you are sharply reproued of me do not as such as you are vse to doe that is seek not a remedie by a vaine false pretence And he wresteth from theÌ„ that wicked hope wherwith they were betwitched the couenant which GOD made with AbrahaÌ„ was vnto theÌ„ inâ—steede of a shielde to couer an euil conscience not that they setled their hope in the persoÌ„ of one man but because that God had adopted the whole stock of Abraham In the meane while they thought not that none are to be accounted of the seede of AbrahaÌ„ but they which folow his faith and the couenaunt of God is not ratified that it may profit to saluation but by faith And that clause in your selues is not superfluous for although in speach they did not boast themselues to be the sonnes of Abraham yet inwardly they pleased themselues with this title so that the hypocrites are nothing more ashamed to mock God then men God is able The Iewes flattered themselues almost with the same pretence which the Papists at this day do insolently chaleng to themselues It is necessary that there shoulde be a Church in the worlde for GOD will be knowne and haue his name called vppon in the worlde and the Church cannot bee other where but with vs with whom the Lord hath made his couenaunt The Priestes and other which had the gouerment and aucthoritie were especially puffed vp with this arrogancie for they accounted the common people prophane and accursed as wee reade in Iohn 7. 49. And they thought themselues to be the holy first fruites as at this day the horned bishops Abbots Canons Monks Sorbonists al the sacrificers being lift vp with the proud title of the Cleargie do in coÌ„parison of themselues despise the laitie This errour doth Iohn reproue refel in that they do to straightly restraine the promise of God shewing that though God had none of them that yet he would not be without a Church Therefore the meaning of the words is God made a couenant with Abraham his seede One thing deceiueth you that wheÌ„ you are more theÌ„ degenerate you think your selues to be the only sons of Abraham but god wil froÌ„ an other place raise vp a new seed to AbrahaÌ„ which doth not now appear he speaketh in the datiue case He wil raise vp childreÌ„ vnto Abraham that they might know the promise of God was not to no effecte and that Abraham who obeyed hym shoulde not bee deceyued although there wanted seede in them so from the beeginning of the worlde the Lorde was true to his seruauntes neither did he euer fayle in perfourming his promise of shewing fauour to their children although hee reiected the hypocrites That many thinke that Iohn speaketh this of the calling of the gentiles seemeth not to me to be of force but because that it seemed incredible to these proude men that the Church might be transferred to any other place he admonisheth theÌ„ that God hath meanes to preserue his Church which they did not think of as if he should make him children of stones MAT. 10. LV. 9. Now also is the axe After that Iohn had taken that couer of vaine hope from the hypocrits he pronounceth that the iudgement of God is nigh He had said before that they being cast off that god shuld not want a people now he addeth that God himself is now in the same that he might driue the vnworthy out of the Church as barreÌ„ trees vse to be cut vp The summe is that the hand of GOD is now stretched forth to purge the Church for the grace of God doth neuer shewe it self for the saluation of the godly but withal his iudgement commeth forth for the destruction of the worlde and that for two causes because that then the Lord seperateth his from the reprobate and the vnthankfulnes of the world prouoketh his wrath a new VVherefore it is no meruaile if the preaching of the Gospell and the comming of Christ doe put the axe to cutte away the corrupt trees and should dayly hasten the vengeaunce of God against the wicked LV. 11 The people asked him A true affection of repentaunce engendreth this carefulnesse that the sinner desirouslye enquireth what God willed and commaunded and the aunswere of Iohn doth brieflye define the fruites worthy of repentaunce For the worlde alwayes desireth to be discharged of the ceremonies towardes God and dooth nothing more readily then sette faigned and deuised worshippinges before God so ofte as hee calleth to repentaunce But what fruites dooth the Baptist commende in this place The dueties of charitie and of the second table not that God neglecteth the outward profession of godlines of his worship but because this note of difference is more certaine dooth often lesse deceiue For the hypocrites doe painefullye endeuour that they might shewe themselues worshippers of GOD in ceremonies and yet lette passe the care of true righteousnesse when they are eyther vnkinde to their neighbours or giuen to deceites and spoyles VVherefore necessarilye they are to be called to a straighter examination whether they lyue honestly amongst menne whether they helpe the poore whether they spare them in misery whether they louingly communicate those thinges which the Lorde hath giuen them For this cause Christe in Matthew 23. 23. calleth iustice mercie and trueth the chiefe poyntes of the lawe and the scripture in diuerse places commendeth iustice and iudgement This is to be noted that the dueties of charitie are first named not that they excell
feares is to be noted If the feare of God be choaked with the feare of men doeth it not appeare that we yelde more to them then to God himselfe Nowe heereof it foloweth that the heauenly and eternall life being reiected we cause that this onely remaineth for vs that wee become like to beastes The power of eternall life and death is in the hande of God alone him we neglect because the feare of men doth carie vs away Doth it not euidently appeare that the shadowish life of the body is more estemed of vs then the eternal state of the soul nay the celestiall kingdom of God is nothing set by of vs in respect of the fleeing vanishing shadow of this present life Therfore the words of Christ ought thus to be resolued Know that you haue giuen you immortal souls which are subiect to the wil of god alone they come not into the power of men And so your faith ought not to yeld to no terrors or threatnings of men For how cōmeth it to passe that in your vexation the fear of men should preuail but because the body is preferred before the soule immortalitie is lesse estemed of then this transitory life Therfore in Luke there is an emphatical repetition Certainly I say vnto you feare him As if Christ shuld haue said we haue no respecte of God so oft as we giue place to the feare of men contrariwise if we reuerence God the victory is easily in our own hands so that no force of men shuld draw vs from our duety Also the experiēce of al times teacheth vs how necessary this exhortation of Christ was to the ministers generally to al the godly For ther was neuer time wherin men haue not violently lift vp themselues against God haue endeuoured to ouerwhelme the gospell Al are not armed with like power to cause and strike a fear of death but in the greater nūber that monstrous cruelty doeth raigne which when occasion serueth sheweth it selfe Also sathan doth oft suborne the giants at whose sight the seruaunts of Christ do fal down dead except they be armed with this doctrine to be constāt without shaking But when as these two clauses do ioyne together in one sentence some that are vnlearned do naughtily take this part from the other that men are not to be feared For Christ as was now said opposeth the godly and holy feare of God as a remedy against the peruers feare of men which draweth vs out of the right way Otherwise the consequence doth not folow if we feare God who is Lorde of body soule men are not to be feared whose power reacheth not beyonde the body And that Christ attributeth to menne a power of killing is spoken by a kinde of graūting So God slacketh the bridles to the wicked that they being puft vp with a trust of their owne power dare do any thing and they do also amase the minds of the simple as if they could do euery thing Therfore the wicked do triumph in vaine as if the life of the godly were subiect to their pleasure and God holdeth them bound so that he restraineth their cruelty and violent forces as oft as he pleaseth yet by his permission they are occounted able to kil because he often suffereth their furie weakely to creepe Lastly the sermon of Christ consisteth of two partes for that we might learne patiently to beare the losse of this bodily life he doeth call vs first to the beholding of the eternall life and death Then by degrees he descendeth hither also that the keping of our life is in the hand of God 29. Are not two sparowes Christ proceedeth further as I sayd euen now thoughe the tyrantes become madde yet they haue not any power ouer the body therefore they do wickedly which feare the crueltie of men as if they were not in the custody of God Therfore in dangers let vs remēber this second comfort sith God is the keeper of our life we may safely rest our selues in his prouidence nay he is iniuried if we commit not our life to him whereof he vouchsafeth to take the charge But he extendeth the prouidence of God generally to all creatures that frō the greatest to the least he might shew that we are preserued by his defence There is almost nothing lesse estemed then sparowes for two were then solde for a farthing or as Luke sayth fiue for two farthings and yet the eye of God is watchful to defend them also so that nothing can come by chāce vnto them VVil he neglecte the life of men who is carefull for sparowes But two things are here to be noted for first Christ doth define the prouidēce of God farre otherwise then many do which are not much vnlike to the Philosophers which though they say that the world is gouerned of god yet they imagine a confuse prouidence as if God regarded not particular creatures But Christe distinctly affirmeth that euery one of the creatures are vnder the hand custodie of God so that nothing is left to fortune For certainly the will of God is opposite to chaunce neither yet by thys meanes is the Fatū of the Stoyckes established for it is one thing to imagine a necessitie wrapped or tied fast to the manifold course of causes an other thing to make all the world and all the partes of the same subiect to the wil of God I graunt that there is a chance in the very nature of thinges but I say that nothing can fall in the blinde wheele of Fortune where the will of God doth gouerne Secondly it is to be noted that the prouidence of God is to be considered not as curious and vaine men doe vse but that it may be a helpe to our faith and may stirre vs vp to call vpon God For he doth not therfore teach that al the haires of our head are nūbred that he might nourish vain speculations but that we might learn to depend of the fatherly care of God which he hathe for this fraile flesh 31. Ye are of more value This is generally true of al men for whose cause the sparowes are created yet it is spoken properly of the children of God which haue a greater right then by creation But that dignitie doeth not other waies appertaine to men then by the free liberalitie of God Math. 10. Mar. 8. Luke 9. 32. VVho soeuer therefore shall confesse me before mē him will I confesse also before my father whiche is in heauen 33. But who soeuer shall denye me before men him will I also denie before my father which is in heauē 34. Thinke not that I am come to send peace into the earth I came not to sende peace but a sworde 35. For I am come to set a man at variāce against his father the daughter against the mother the daughter in lawe againste her mother in law 36. And a mans enemies shal be they of his own house 38. For who soeuer
of Christ is so deepe and secrete that menne cannot reach vnto the same vntill they be lightened of the father Note therefore that the father knoweth him not for himselfe but for vs that he might reueale him vnto vs yet the sentence seemeth not to be ful because the two partes of it agree not together It is sayd of the sonne that no man knoweth the father but he and he to whom he will reueale him but of the father this onely is sayde that he onely knoweth the Sonne but there is no mention made that hee should reueale I aunsweare it should haue beene in vaine to haue rehearsed that which he had spoke but now For what dooth the former thankes giuing containe but that the father hath reuealed the Sonne to whom he hath thought good Therefore that which foloweth nowe that no man knew the sonne but the father is as a reason rendred of that hee hadde spoke for this imagination might haue rysen what neede was it that the father should reueale the sonne who hath shewed himselfe to be seene openly Now that we vnderstand wherefore it is sayde that the sonne was knowne of the father alone it remaineth that we shuld consider the latter parte of the sentence That no manne knew the father but the sonne Also this knowledge differeth from the former for it is not sayde that the sonne knewe the father because hee should reueale him by his spirite but in that hee was the lyuelye image of the father hee sheweth him visiblye after a sorte in his owne person Yet I exclude not the spirite but I referre the reuealing whereof Christe nowe speaketh to the manner of the knowledge and so the text agreeth well togeather For Christe confirmeth that whiche hee sayde beefore that all thinges were giuen vnto him of the father that we might knowe that the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelte in him This is the summe it is the gift of the Father that the Sonne is knowne for hee openeth the eyes of our mindes by his spyrite wherein wee see the glorye of Christe which otherwise was hidden from vs but the father who dwelleth in light whereto no man can reache and is incomprehensible in himselfe is reuealed vnto vs by the sonne who is his liuely image so that he is sought else where in vaine 28. Come vnto me all yee Now he doeth louingly cal vnto him them that he acknowledgeth to be fitte to be his disciples For though he be ready to reueal his father to all yet the most part neglecteth to come because they are not touched with the feeling of their wants Hypocrites care not for Christ because they being drunke with their own righteousnesse neither hunger nor thirst for his grace They that are giuen to the worlde make no account of the heauenly life therefore Christe shoulde call those two sortes of people to him in vaine he turneth therefore himselfe to the miserable and to the afflicted Also he calleth them that labour and mourne vnder the burden neither doeth he generally meane all them that are oppressed with sorowe and griefes but them whiche being confounded in their owne sinnes and striken with the feare of Gods wrath are ready to fal downe vnder so great a burden God humbleth his elect diuers waies but because the most part of men oppressed with miseries doe yet remain stubborne and vntamed Christ meaneth by men wery and loaden them that haue their consciences afflicted with the guiltinesse of eternal death and are prickt so inwardly with their owne miseries that they fainte for this feblenesse maketh vs apt to receiue his grace For it is as if he shoulde haue sayde that his grace is therefore contemned of the moste parte because fewe doe feele their owne wante yet there is no cause why their pride or obstinacie should hinder afflicted consciences which sigh for remedy VVherefore lette vs leaue all them which are bewitched with the sleights of Sathan and do either perswade themselues to haue righteousnesse without Christe or else do imagine themselues to be blessed in this world Our miseries driue vs to seeke after Christ. And because Christe admitteth none to the enioying of his rest but them that fainte vnder the burden let vs learn that there is not a more deadly poyson then that sluggishnesse whiche planteth in vs a false and deceitfull opinion either of an earthly felicitie or of righteousnesse and vertue therefore lette euery one of vs daily stirre vp our selues and first let vs busie our selues to shake off the delightes of the world then let vs emptie our selues of all vaine trust in our selues But though this preparation to receiue the grace of Christe doeth discourage men yet it is to be noted that it is the gifte of the holy Ghost because it is the beginning of repentance whereto no man can attaine of himselfe Neither is it the purpose of Christ to teache what man can doe of himselfe but only how they ought to be affected which come vnto him They whiche restraine this burden and this labour to the ceremonies of the lawe doe tie the sentence of Christ too short I graunt that the burden of the lawe is intollerable and that it woulde ouerwhelme soules but that must be remembered which I sayd that Christe reacheth out his hand to all that be afflicted that he mighte make a difference betweene disciples and contemners of the Gospell But that general speache of Christe is to be noted for Christe doeth therefore without exception comprehende all that labour and are laden least any man through faithlesse doubting should shut vp the way against himselfe And yet all they are but fewe in number because that of that innumerable companie of them that are about to perish few feele themselues going to destruction The refreshing which Christ promiseth consisteth in the fre forgiuenesse of sinnes which only easeth vs. 29. Take my yoake on you Because we see that many doe abuse the grace of Christ while they turne it to serue the wantonnesse of the flesh therefore after Christe hath promised ioyfull rest to the miserable afflicted consciences hee also warneth them that he is a deliuerer vpon this condition that they should take his yoake on them as if he should haue sayd that he did not therefore free them from sinnes that they hauing God mercifull to them shuld therby take a libertie to sinne but that they being comforted by his grace shoulde take on them a yoake and that they being freed in conscience they might keepe in bondage the wantonnesse of the flesh And heereof is gathered a definition of that rest whereof he spake that is it freeth not the disciples of Christ from the warfare of the crosse that they should liue pleasantly but it exerciseth them vnder the burden of discipline and containeth them vnder the yoake Learne of me They are in my iudgement deceiued which think that Christ spake here of his mekenesse least his disciples as the comming of mighty menne is woont
come according to the measure of our vnderstanding But the summe is that the soules of the faithfull when they doe goe out of the body doe lead a ioyful and a blessed life out of the world and that there are horrible torments prepared for the reprobate which can no more be conceaued in our minds then can the great glory of the heauens For as we only in very small measure to wit as we are lightened by the spirit of God do taste by hope the glory promised to vs which far exceedeth al our sēses so let it suffice that the incōprehensible vengeance of God which remaineth for the wicked be known darkly of vs euen so as it is meet to strik a terrour into vs. So the words of Christ do giue a taste a smal knowledge of these thinges and yet such as may suffice to bridle curiositie to wit that the wicked are cruely tormented with the feeling of their own misery that they should desire some refreshing yet al hope being taken away they feele double torment yea and they are the more tormented while they are enforced to remember their own sinnes and to compare the present blessednes of the faithful with their owne miserable damnable estate This was the purpose and ende of the description of this talke as if this shuld haue passed betweene thē which haue no felowship betweene themselues In that also that the rich man calleth Abraham father there is expressed an other torment of his that now too late he feeleth himself reiected out of the number of the children of Abraham 25. Sonne remember The name of sonne seemeth to be set downe in derision that it might be a sharpe reproofe for to pinch the rich manne who gloried falsly in his life that he was one of the childrē of Abrahā For his mind is wounded as with the blow of a burning hot yron while his hypocrisie and deceitfull trust is obiected to him and set before his eyes And that he is said to be tormented in hell because he receiued his pleasure in this world may not so be taken as if eternall destruction remayned for al them which liue wel and prosperously in the world nay as Augustine noted verye wisely the poore Lazarus is therefore caryed into the bosome of rich Abraham that we myght know that riches shut the gate of the kingdome of heauen against no manne but that it is generally open to all which doe eyther vse theyr riches soberly or doe beare theyr wantes patiently The onely meaning is because hee beeing droonke with the enticementes of this lyfe drowned himselfe in earthly delightes and despised God and his kingdome he now suffereth the punishmentes of his carelesse dealyng Therefore the pronoune thy is verye forcible as if Abraham should haue sayde when thou wert created to immortall lyfe and the law of God should haue lyfte thee vp to meditate the heauenly lyfe thou being forgetfull of so excellent a lotte hadst rather be lyke a swine or a dog therefore thou receiuest iust reward for thy brutish pleasures Againe when it is sayd of Lazarus that he receyued comfort because he bore many miseries in the world he shoulde do very fondly that should draw this to all menne in misery whiche haue receyued so litle profit by afflictions that they shall rather ende in extreame punishment but the bearing of the crosse is praysed in Lazarus which alwayes commeth of faith and of a sincere feare of God For hee which obstinately refuseth euilles and continueth as one vntamed in his wildnesse deserueth not any prayse of patience so that God shoulde recompence any comfort to him for his affliction The summe therefore tendeth to this purpose they which patientlye beare the burden of affliction layde vppon them and doe not stubbornely striue against the yoke and scourges of God but through continuall troubles shall aspyre to the hope of a better lyfe for them there is a quiet ioy layd vp in heauen after the tyme of theyr warfare is expired but on the other side for prophane despisers of God which gorge themselues in the pleasures of the flesh doe choake vppe all study of godlynesse with a certeine surfetinge of the minde tormentes are prepared presentlye after death for them whiche may shake away their vaine delights Further it is to be remembred that this comfort which the children of God enioy standeth in that that beholding the crowne of glory prepared for them they rest in a ioyful waiting for the same As again the feeling of the iudgement to come which they see ready for them tormenteth the wicked 26. Besides all this In these wordes is noted a perpetuitie in the state of the lyfe to come as if it should haue bene sayd the bondes which distinguishe the reprobate from the elect can neuer be broken And so we are warned to returne speedily into the way while it is time least we runne headlong into that deepe gulfe whence we cannot ryse But this is spoken vnproperly that the passage is shut if any man would descend from heauen to hell for it is certeine that such desire neuer commeth in any of the godly 27. I pray thee therefore father That he might the better apply the hystory to our vse he proposeth the desire of the rich man y t Lazarus might go warne his brethren yet alyue The Papists do reason here very fondly while they would proue hence that the dead haue care of the liuing then the which cauill nothing is more absurd For by the same colour I will gather that the soules of the faythfull not content with their estate haue a desire to go to hell if the great space hyndered them not If no man receiueth this madde fancy there is no cause why the Papistes shuld please thēselues verye much in that other deuise Neither is it yet my purpose contentiously to dispute this matter eyther this way or that waye but I thought to note by the way with what vaine argumentes they are lead to imagine the dead to be intercessors to God for vs. Now I returne to the simple and plaine meaning of this place Christ vnder the persōs of the rich man and Abraham admonisheth vs that where there is a certeine rule delyuered vs to lyue by not to waite and looke when the dead should aryse to teach and to warne vs. For Moses and the Prophetes when they yet lyued were so perfect teachers to the men of their age that out of their writinges the same fruit may come to the posterities VVhen it was Gods will to teach vs by this meanes to lyue well there is no cause why the dead should be sent to be witnesses of the rewardes or of the punishments of the lyfe to come Neyther shall their negligence be excused which flatter themselues vnder this pretence because they know not what is done out of this world VVee know that this wicked speach or rather hoggish grunting dooth passe amongst prophane men that they are
the other the simple trueth of God and the inuentions which men deuise out of their owne brayne Neyther is there any cause why any Sophyster shoulde seeke to slyppe away denying this to be vnderstoode of euery doctrine because there can no other doctrine be found which beareth the name of pure and sweete doctrine then that which proceeded from God VVhereof it followeth that what mixture soeuer commeth from any other is called heauen As Paul 2. Cor. 11. 3. also teacheth that the faith is corrupted assoone as we are drawne from the simplicitie that is in Christ. Nowe is it to be seene whose doctrine the Lorde woulde haue them to beware of Then certainly was the ordinarie power of the Church in the handes of the Scribes and Priests amongst whom the Pharisies were chief VVhen as Christe by name warneth his from their doctrine it followeth that they all must be refused which mixe their own inuentions with the word of God or which thrust in any straunge thinge what degree of honour soeuer they are placed in or what proude title soeuer they beare VVherfore accursed and corrupt is their subiection which submit themselues to the traditions and lawes of the Pope Mathewe Marke 8 Luke  2â— And he came to Bethsaida and they brought a blinde man vnto him and desired him to touch him 23. Then he tooke the blinde by the hande and ledde him out of the towne and spit in his eyes and putte his hands vppon him and asked him if he saw 〈◊〉 24. And he looked vp and sayde I see men for I see them walking like trees 25. After that he put his handes againe vppon his eyes and made him looke againe And he was restored to his sighte and sawe euery manne a farre off clearely 26. And he sent him home to his house saying â—â—â—ther goe into the towne nor tell it to anye in the towne  This myracle the declaration whereof is omitted by others seemeth to be reported by Marke especially for this circumstance that Christ did not at once as he was often wont to doe but by little and little restore the blinde man his sight the which it is likely that he did to this end that he might in this man set an example of his free disposation that he is not bounde to any certaine rule but that he may shewe his power either this way or that Therfore he doth not open the eies of the blinde so presently that he may see clearly with them but he instilleth a darke and a confuse sight into them then by putting his hands vpon them againe he giueth them a perfect sight so the grace of Christ which before was sodeÌ„ly powred vpon others commeth as it were drop by drop into this man 24. I see men The blind man was asked this question for the disciples that they might know that somwhat was now giuen him but yet that there was but a litle beginning only and not fully healed Therefore he aunswereth that he seeth men because hee seeth some walkinge whiche are straight like vnto trees By which wordes hee confesseth that his sight is not so cleare as to discerne men from trees but yet that he canne see now a litle because that by their motion he gesseth them to be men whoÌ„ he seeth to be of a straight stature in which sense he also saith that they are like vnto trees VVherefore we see that onely by coniecture hee saith that he seeth men 26. He sent him home to his house That Christe suffered him not to returne to Bethsaida where many might haue beene witnesses of the myracle some thinke that it was done because that Christe would punishe the inhabitants of that place by depriuing them of the vse of his sauour VVhatsoeuer the cause was it is certeine that he wrought not this miracle to that end that it should alwayes be buried but he would haue this with manye others kept secrete vntill that the sinnes of the vvorld being washed away by his death he should ascend into the glory of the father Matth. 16. Mark 8. Luke 9. 13. Now when Iesus came into the â—â—astes of Casarea Philippy he asked his disciples saying whome doe men say that I the sonne of manne am 14. And they said some say Iohn Baptist and some Elias and others Ieremias or one of the Prophets 15. He said vnto them but whome say yee that I am 16. Then Simon Peter aunswered and saide Thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God 17. And Iesus answered and saide to him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for fleshe and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my father which is in heauen 18. And I say also vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will buyld my Churche and the gates of hell shall not ouercome it 19. And I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdom of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vppon earth shal be bounde in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shal be losed in heauen 27. And Iesus went out and his disciples into the townes of Casarea Philippi And by the way he asked his disciples saying vnto them whom do men say that I am 28. And they aunswered some say Iohn Baptist and some Elias and some one of the prophets 29. And hee said vnto them but whom saye yee that I am Then Peter aunswered and said vnto him thou art the Christ. 18. And it came to passe as he was alone praying his disciples were with him he asked them saying whoÌ„ say the people that I am 19. They aunswered and sayd Iohn Baptist and others saye Elias and some say that one of the old prophets is risen againe 20. And hee sayde vnto them but whom say ye thâ—â— I am Peter aunswered said the Christ of God 13. Into the coastes of Casarea Philippi Mark saith that this communication was had by the way and Luke when hee had praid and had none with him but his disciples Matth doth not so exactly note the time yet it is certeine that the three do report the same hystory it may be that Christ in that iourney after he had made some stay and prayd demaunded this of his disciples Also because there were two Caesareaes that was aunciente and more famous whiche was firste the tower of Straton and this is scituated at the foote of Mount Libanus not farre from Iordan the epithite is added for difference sake For though some thinke that it was built in the same place where the town Dan stoode in times past yet because it was lately built by Phillip the Tetrach it was called Philippy VVhom doe men say that I am This may seeme to bee the meaning what should be the common fame of the Redeemer who was becom the sonne of man Yet the question is otherwise namely what opinion men had of Iesus the sonne of Mary And after his maner he calleth himselfe the sonne of man as
if he should haue saide whilest I am now cloathed with flesh am conuersant vpon the earth as one of the sonnes of men what iudgment is there of me But the purpose of Christ was throughly to strengthen his disciples in an assured faith that amongste sundry opinions they should not wauer as we shall presently see 14 Some say Iohn There is nothing spoken heere either of the professed enemies of Christ neither of the prophane contemners but of the more sound and sincere part of the people and as of the chosen flowre of the Church For the Disciples doe only make mention of them which spake honorably of Christ and yet when the truth was proposed vnto thē no man tēded to that scope but al mē vanished away in their own delights VVherby we perceiue how weake the wit of man is which not onelye conceiueth nothing of it self that is right true but euen gathereth errours of true principles Adde this also that when Christe was the onelye signe of concorde and of peace whereby God woulde gather the whole world vnto him the greater parte doe heereby take the occasion of more dissention And euen amongest the Iewes the vnitie of Faith was no other where setteled then in Christe and yet they whiche seemed before to haue some agreement amongest themselues are nowe seuered into sundry opinions Also we see howe one errour engendereth an other for because this opinion was setled in the mindes of the common people that the soules went into diuers bodies heereof it came that they were the rather bent to this false imagination But thoughe at the comming of Christe the Iewes were in this maner deuided yet this varietie of opinions shoulde not haue hindered the godly but that they shoulde haue desired the right knowledge of him For if any manne vnder that pretence geuinge himselfe to sluggishnes hadde neglected to seeke Christ euen in our iudgement hee shoulde bee inexcuseable Muche lesse then shall hee escape the iudgement of GOD if any manne by reason of diuisions shall abhorre Christe or of the false opinions of menne shall take occasion of loathynge so that hee wyll not vouchsafe to applye him selfe vnto Christ. 15. But whome saye yee that I am Heere Christe seuereth his disciples from the reste of the people whereby it might the better appeare to be an absurde thing for vs to be drawne from the vnitye of fayth though others doe disagree For whosoeuer doe simplye addict themselues to Christe and doe not striue to adde anye thinge of their owne head to the Gospell the true lyghte shall neuer fayle them But heere is great dilygence required that whyle the whole worlde slydeth after theyr owne inuentions they shoulde take faste and sure holde of Christe Because that Sathan coulde not take awaye from the Iewes the perswasion they had out of the lawe and the Prophetes of Christe to come hee diuersly transfiguring him hee deuided him as it were into partes then hee thruste amongst them many false Christes that the true Redeemer should not bee esteemed Hee lefte not the same subtilties afterwarde eyther to roote Christe vtterlye out or to thruste an other person in his roume VVherefore amongst the confused and contrary speaches of the worlde let this voyce of Christe sound alwaies in our eares whereby he separateth vs from wandring and vnconstant men that we should not follow the multitude neither that our faith should wauer amongst the contrary floudes of opinions 16. Thou arte Christe A short confession but whiche containeth in it the whole summe of our saluation For vnder the title of Christ is comprehended the eternall kingdome and priesthood that he would reconcile God vnto vs and that sinnes being washed away by his owne sacrifice he would obtaine a perfect righteousnesse Then that he would preserue vs being receiued into his sayth and custodye and would adorne and enrich vs with all kinde of blessinges Marke onely hath Thou art Christ and Luke hath the Christe of God but in the same sense For in tymes paste they called the kings which were annoynted of God the Christes of God And Luke vsed this phrase before where he sayde that Simeon had answere giuen him from heauen that he should not dye before he shoulde see the Christ of the Lord. For surely it was a diuine redemption which God gaue by the hand of his Sonne Therefore it was necessary that he that should be the redeemer shoulde come as a noted person from heauen with the annoyntment of God Matthew expresseth it more plainlye that he is the Sonne of the liuing God For though it may bee that Peter did not as yet so expresly vnderstande howe Christe was beegotten of God yet he beleeued that hee was so excellent a person that he had his beginning from God not as other men but that the liuely and true godhead dwelt in his flesh VVhen the epithite liuing is giuen to God it is a note to make a difference betweene him and dead Idols which are nothing 17. Blessed art thou Simon VVhen as this is life eternall to know one God and whom he sent Iesus Christ it is not without cause that Christ pronounceth him blessed whoe confessed this from his heart But he spake not this perticularlye to Peter alone but his will was to shewe where the onely felicitie of the whole worlde is placed And that all men may aspyre to the same with greater desire first it must be holden that all mē are miserable cursed by nature vntil they find remedy by Christ. Thē must be added whosoeuer obtaineth christ wāteth nothing at al of a perblessednes seeing wee can desire nothing that is better then the eternall glory of God into the possession whereof Christ doth bring vs. Flesh and bloud Vnder the person of this one man Christ admonisheth all menne that faith must be asked of his father that the praise of the same must be attributed to his grace for the peculyar lightening of God is here opposed to flesh and bloud VVhereby we gather that mennes mindes are voyde of vnderstanding to perceiue the misteries of the heauenlye wisdome hidden in Christe nay all humane senses do in this behalfe fayle vntill God open our eies to see his glory in Christ. Therfore let no man trusting in his owne witte lift vppe himselfe in pride but humbly let vs suffer our selues to be taught inwardlye of the father of lightes that his onelye spirite may lighten our darknesse And nowe they whiche are endewed with faith acknowledging their own blindnes let thē learne to yeelde that to God which to him is due 18. But I say vnto thee Christe by these wordes declareth how muche Peters confession pleaseth him in that hee bestoweth so great a rewarde vppon it For though he had giuen to Simon his disciple the name of Peter had freely appointed him to be his Apostle yet these which were free giftes he ascribeth as it were in steede of a reward to faith which
the aunsweare is easily made the fatherly loue of God which hee beareth to aungelles and to menne commeth from that fountaine Neither is the sonne therfore beloued of the father that other creatures shoulde be hated but that hee might impart with them that which was proper to himselfe Though the estate of vs and of the Aungelles is diuers For these were neuer estraunged from GOD that they should neede a reconciler but we by sinne were ennemies vntill Christe reconciled him vnto vs. Yet that is alwayes certaine that God is merciful to bothe so as he embraceth vs in Christe for the very aungelles coulde not be ioyned to God without a head Nowe when as the father speaketh heere and distinguisheth himselfe from the sonne it followeth that they are distincte in personnes thoughe the essence and maiestie is one and the same Heare him I shewed before that the Church is called backe by this word to the onely doctoure Christ that it might depend onely of his mouthe For though Christe came to confirme the lawe and the prophets yet he so holdeth the chiefe roume that by the brightnesse of his Gospell hee swalloweth vppe those sparkes which shone in the olde Testament for he is the sonne of righteousnesse at whose comming it appeared to be ful day And this is the reason why the Apostle sayeth in the first chapiter to the Hebrewes God who at sundry times and in diuers maners in olde time spake by the prophets spake in these last daies by his beloued sonne Furthermore at this day Christ is no lesse heard in the law and the prophets then in his Gospell that the authoritie of a maister might wholely rest vppon him euen as he chalengeth the same to himselfe alone Mathewe 23. 8. And he keepeth not his prerogatiue safe except that al mens tounges keepe silence VVherfore it is necessary that what soeuer menne haue deuised shoulde be ouerthrowne and cast downe that hee mighte keepe vs vnder his doctrine And he doeth daily send foorth Doctours but suche as doe purely and faithfully deliuer that whiche they shoulde learne of him and not suche as doe mixe the Gospell with theyr owne additions In summe no manne is a faithfull teacher of the Church except that he be both Christes disciple and also bring others to him to be taught 6. And when the disciples heard this It was Gods will to strike the disciples with this feare that he might the better impriâ—te the remembraunce of the vision in their hearts In the meane sâ—ason we see howe great the infirmitie of our flesh is whiche is so afâ—â—de at the hearing of the voyce of God The cause why the wicked doe either scorne at it or contemptuously despise it is because God doeth not effectually touche them But it is necessary that the Maiestie of God shoulde cast vs downe assoone as we feele him But Christe afterwarde doeth his office raising vppe them that are throwne downe for therefore came he downe to vs that by his direction the faithfull might without feare appeare in the presence of God and his maiestie which otherwise consumeth all fleshe shall be no more terrible vnto them Furthermore hee doeth not onely comfort them in woorde but also confirmeth them by touching That afterwarde it is sayde that they saw onely Christe tendeth to shewe that the glory was tied to the lawe and the Prophets but for a time that onely Christe might continue glorious For if we will vse the helpe of Moses rightly hee must not be rested vppon but we must applie our diligence that by him we may be ledde as it were by the hande vnto Christe whose minister hee is togither with all the rest This place also may bee applied to the ouerthrowinge of their superstitions which doe not onely sette Christ equall with the Prophets and Apostles but doe so ioyne him with their common halfe Sainctes as if that he were as any one of their number But the graces of God doe shine in his Sainctes to a farre other ende then that they shoulde forceably take vnto themselues parte of the honour due vnto Christe And the fountaine of this errour might haue benne noted in the Disciples themselues for as long as they were feared with the maiestie of GOD their mindes wandered in seeking after menne but when Christ hadde comfortably raised them vppe he onely was seene of them For if wee haue that comfort in vs wherewith Christe taketh away our feares all those foolishe affections which doe drawe vs hether and thether shall vanishe away Mathew 17. Marke 9. Luke 9. 9. And as they came down from the Mountaine Iesus charged them saying Shewe the vision to no manne vntill the Sonne of manne rise againe from the deade 10. And his Disciples asked him sayinge VVhy then saye the Scribes that Elias must first come 11. And Iesus aunsweared and said vnto them Certainly Elias must first come and restore all things 12. But I say vnto you that Elias is come already they knewe him not but haue done vnto him what soeuer they woulde likewise shall also the Sonne of manne suffer of them 13. Then the disciples perceiued that hee spake vnto them of Iohn Baptist. 9. And as they came downe from the mountaine he charged them that they shoulde tell no man what they hadde seene saue when the Sonne of manne were risen from the dead againe 10. So they kept that matter to themselues and demanded one of an other what the risinge againe from the deade shoulde meane 11. Also they asked hym saying VVhy say the Scribes that Elias must first come 12. And hee aunsweared and sayde vnto them Elias verily shall come firste and restore all thinges and as it is wrytten of the Sonne of man he must suffer many thinges and be set at nought 13. But I say vnto you that Elias is come and they haue done vnto him what soeuer they woulde as it is wrytten of him 36. And they kepte it close and tolde no mannâ— in those dayes any of those thinges whiche they haddâ— seene 9. And aâ— they came downe from the Mountaine VVe haue shewed before why the time was not as then fully come for the publishing of that vision And truely there shoulde haue bene no credite giuen to the disciples except that Christ had giuen at his resurrection a more euident token of his glory But after that the diuine power shewed it self openly that momentanie beholding of his glory began to haue place that it might euidently appeare euen when he was most abased that yet his Godhead remained sounde with him thoughe it was couered vnder the vaile of the flesh Therefore he doeth not without cause commaunde his disciples to holde their peace vntill he should arise from death 10. And his disciples asked him saying Assoone as there was mention made of the resurrection the disciples do thinke that the kingdome of Christe should begin for so doe they expound this saying that the world should knowe him to be
of obedience and godlines that they followed Christ. It had bene much better if they had folowed gladly and cheerefully whethersoeuer the sonne of God would haue led them but this reuerēce is praise worthy that they had rather abide troubles themselues then they would forsake him 17. Hee tooke the twelue It might seeme merueilous when as all had neede of comfort for they were al afraid why he made only the twelue priuy of his secrete But I think y t he would not therfore speak of it opēly least the rumor thereof should be spread far abroad before the time Further when as he had no hope of good to be wrought presentlye by his admonition he thought it sufficient to commit the same to a fewe which should afterwardes be witnesses of the same For as the seede cast into the earth dooth not presentlye bring forth fruit so we know that Christ spake many things to his Apostles which brought not forth fruit presently If that he had admitted all without choyce to this speache it might haue beene that many for feare would haue fled away and haue filled the common peoples eares with this rumor So the death of Christ should haue beene without glory which he so rashly seemed to go vnto Therfore he speaketh secretly to his Apostles and yet he chose not them as such as were sit to profit thereby but as I touched euē now that they might afterward be witnesses of the same But Luke dealeth more fully in this behalfe for he dooth not onely declare that Christ foretold these things which were at hand but the doctrin which he added withal that those things were fulfilled in the sonne of man which were written by the Prophets For this was the best remedy to ouercome the temptation to haue some marks or notes euen in the shame of the crosse whereby the prophets had noted the promised sauiour Now it is not to be doubted but that the Lord shewed also out of the Prophets what profit they should hope for by his death For the Prophets do not onely teach that Christ should suffer but they adde the cause that he might reconcile the world to God 18. Behold we goe vp to Ierusalem Hereby we perceiue that Christ was armed with diuine force for the cōquering of the terrors of death who witting willing hastened to meete death For why shuld he without cōpulsion goe to that bloudy butchery but because the inuincible power of the spirite vanquishing feare had exalted him aboue all humane affections But in that he toucheth the circumstances more nearely he doth therein giue a more euident declaration of his Godhead For he could not by his humanity gesse that after he was condemned of the Priests and Scribes he shoulde be deliuered to the Gentiles that being entreated with spittinges vpon and other reproches he should be beaten with whips and at length bee caried to the punishment of the crosse And it is to bee noted that though the Lord knew the infirmity yet he woulde not hide the moste grieuous offence For as we sayde before there coulde nothing haue befallen more to the shaking of the mindes of the godly then to see all the holy order of the Church against Christ. Yet to deceiue or to beare with their infirmity he spareth not but doeth freely declare the matter it selfe and sheweth the maner howe to ouercome the temptation that is that they shoulde certainly looke for the resurrection but because it was necessary that he should first die he appoynteth them by hope in the meane season to waite for their triumphe 34. But they vnderstoode none of these things VVhat blockishnesse was this not to vnderstande those things which Christe tolde them so plainly and familiarly of no high nor hidden matter but such as they of themselues might haue conceiued some suspition of But heere it behooueth also to remember that which I spake other where they were therefore holden in so great ignorance because that when they hadde imagined that they should haue a ioyfull and a happy iourney they accounted it for a great absurdity that Christ should so reprochefully be crucified VVhereby we gather howe much the mindes of men are bewitched with such false imagination wherefore we must be the more heedefull least we being tangled with such deuises become blinde in the light Mathew 20. Marke 10. Luke 20. Then came to him the mother of Zebedeus children with her sonnes woorshipping him and desiring a certaine thing of him 21. And he sayde vnto her what wouldest thou Shee sayd to him Graunt that these my two sonnes may sit the one at thy right hand and the other at thy left hand in thy kingdome 22. And Iesus answeared and sayd yee know not what yee aske Are yee able to drinke of the cup that I shall drinke of and to bee baptised with the baptisme that I shall be baptised with They sayd to him we are able 23. And he sayd vnto them yee shall drinke in dede of my cuppe and shal be baptised with the baptisme that law baptised with but to sit at my right hand and at my left hand is not mine to giue but it shal be giuen to them for whome it is prepared of my father 35. Then Iames and Iohn the sōnes of Zebedeus came vnto him sayinge Maister we woulde that thou shouldest doe for vs that we desire 36. And he sayd vnto them what would you I should do for you 37. And they said to him graunt vnto vs that we may sitte one at thy right hand the other at thy left hand in thy glory 38. But Iesus sayd vnto them you know not what you aske Can yee drinke of the cuppe that I shall drinke of he baptised with the baptisme that I shall be baptised with 39. And they sayd vnto him we can But Iesus sayd vnto them ye shal drinke in deede of the cuppe that I shall drinke of and bee baptised with the baptisme wherewith I shal be baptised 40. But to sitte at my right hād at my left is not mine to giue but it shall be giuen to the for whom it is prepared  This hystorie containeth a notable spectacle of the vanity of man For it teacheth that true and godlye zeale is often mixed with ambition or some other corruption of the flesh so that they which folow Christ doe looke some other where then becommeth them Further they do wander farre out of the way which are not cōtented with Christ alone but seeke this thing or that thing besides him and his promises Neither is it sufficient to apply the minde simply to Christ at the first except there be alwaies a continuance of the same puritie because that corrupt affectiōs doe often creepe vpon vs in the midste of the race and draw vs back into some crooked path As it is credibly to be supposed that Zebedeus two sonnes professed Christe sincerely at the first but when they saw themselues in no small credit with
Therefore they flee to Christ not onely as to some Prophet but the onely authour of saluation which was promised of God The crying doeth shew the vehemencie of their affection for when they knew that their woordes were odious to manye that regarded not the honour of Christ their earnest desire ouercame their feare so that notwythstāding they freely lifted vppe their voyce 31. The multitude rebuked them It is marueile that Christes disciples which followed him for duety and reuerence would driue these poore wretches from the grace of Christe and as muche as in them lay stopte the passage of his power But this commeth oft times to passe that the greatest number of them whiche professe the name of Christe doe rather hinder and staye vs from comminge to him then call vs to him If Sathan wroughte by godlye and simple menne whiche followed Christe for some religion to be a hinderance to these two blinde menne howe muche more will he bringe his purpose to passe by hypocrites and faithlesse menne if we take not diligent heede to our selues Therefore we haue neede of constancy whereby we may passe all stoppes and hinderances yea the moe stoppes Sathan layeth in our way the more it behooueth vs to bend our selues earnestly to prayer as we see these blinde men doubled their cry 32. VVhat will yee that I shal do He doeth louingly and gently aske what they desire For hee had determined to graunt their requests for it is not to be thought but that they prayed with a special motiō of the spirit For as the Lorde will not deliuer all men from bodily diseases so doeth hee not allowe them simply to pray after their pleasure There is a rule prescribed vs what we should aske and howe and in what respect it is not lawfull to decline from the same except the Lorde by the secreat motion of the spirite teache anye peculiar and speciall petition But Christe asketh them this question not so muche in respecte of their priuate cause as in respecte of all the people For wee knowe that the worlde deuoureth the blessings of God without sense except it be moued and stirred vppe Therefore Christe by this sayinge stirreth vppe the multitude there present to obserue and marke the myracle as he doeth also moue them with a visible signe while he openeth their eyes with touching them VVhen Mathewe sayeth that Iesus hadde compassion of them it is not the participle of that verbe which he vsed euen now in the person of the blinde menne They besought Christe of his mercye that he woulde helpe them miserable creatures but the Euangelist nowe declareth that Christe was not onely mooued of his free goodnesse to heale them but because hee was mooued to sorrowe and griefe togither with them for their euill For the Metaphore is borowed of the bowelles wherein humanitye and mutuall compassion resteth which stirreth vs vp to helpe our neighbors MARKE 52. Thy faith hath saued thee By the woorde faith he doeth not onely meane the hope of recouering of his sight but a deper perswasion that this blind man had in this that he acknowledged Iesus to be the Messias promised of God Neither is this to be thoughte to be a confuse knowledge for we haue seene before that this confession was taken out of the lawe and the prophets For the blinde manne did not rashly call Christe by the name of the sonne of Dauid but receiued him for suche a one as he was taught by the promisses of God should come But Christ◠ascribeth it to faith that the blinde manne receiueth his sight for though the power and grace of God doeth sometime extende euen to the vnbeleeuers yet no man vseth his benefites rightly profitably but he which enioyeth the same by faith naye the vse of the giftes of God is so farre from profiting the vnfaithfull that it is rather hurtfull VVherefore this saluation whereof Christ maketh mention is not restrained to the outward health but also comprehendeth the curing and sauing of the soule As if Christ should haue sayd that the blind man had obtained by faith that by Gods mercy he should haue his request graunted If that the Lord in respect of faith bestoweth his grace vppon the blinde man it followeth that he was iustified by faith MATH 34. They followed him This was a signe of thankefulnesse that the blinde menne applied themselues to follow Christ. And though it is vncertaine whether they did tary longe in this office and calling yet it was a token of a thankefull minde to shew foorth the grace of Christ in this iourney to many Luke addeth that the people gaue the glorye to God which maketh for the assured proofe of the myracle Mathewe Marke Luke 19   1. Nowe when Iesus entered and passed throughe Ieriche 2. Behold there was a man named Zacheus which was the chiefe receiuer of the Tribute and hee was riche 3. And hee sought to see Iesus who he shoulde be and coulde not for the prease because hee was of a lowe stature 4. VVherefore he ranne before and clinted vp into a wilde figge tree that he might see him for hee shoulde come that way 5. And when Iesus came to the place hee looked vppe and sawe him and saide vnto him Zacheus come downe at once for to day I must abide at thine house 6. Then hee came downe hastily and receiued him ioyfully 7. And when all they sawe it they murmured sayinge that he was gone in to lodge with a sinful man 8. And Zacheus stoode foorth and sayde vnto the Lorde Beholde Lorde the halfe of my goodes I giue to the poore and if I haue taken from any manne by forged cauillation I restore him foure folde 9. Then Iesus saide to him This day is saluation come to this house for as muche as he is also become the sonne of Abraham 10. For the sonne of man is come to seeke and to saue that which was lost Hereby it appeareth that Luke was not very curious in obseruing the order and course of times For after that he hath declared the myracle he now rehearseth what befell in the citie of Iericho And he saith when Christe offered himselfe to all menne walkinge by the wayes there was one Zacheus who was very desirous to see him For this was a signe of his great desire that he climed vppe vppon a tree when as riche men for the moste parte are proud and chalenge a shew of grauity in themselues It maye bee that other also desired the same but Luke especially maketh mention of this manne rather then of any of the other partly in respect of the estate of him partly in respecte of the woonderfull conuersion of the manne so sodainly wrought And though Zacheus hadde not as yet faith planted in him yet this was a certaine preparation to the same For hee coulde not so earnestly desire to see Christe without a heauenly instincte especially to that ende as it presently appeareth For it is certaine
that we should be altogeather ouerwhelmed with sorowe so againe the Prophet telleth the faythfull that they haue iust cause to reioyce when the Redeemer is present with them And though he commendeth Christ with other titles as that he is iust and furnished with saluation yet Matthew tooke but that one poynt which serued for hys purpose namelye that he shoulde come poore or meeke that is vnlike to earthly kinges which excell in royall and pompous estate And this is added as a token of his pouerty that he should ride vpon an Asse or the Colt of an Asse For it is not to be doubted but that hee opposeth thys meane manner of riding against a princely pompe 6 The disciples went It is already spoken before that the disciples are here commended for their diligence and readines to obey For the authority of Christ was not so great that his bare name shoulde suffice to moue straungers Also it was to be feared least they shoulde bee charged with theft Therefore it doth hereby appeare howe much they credited the maister in that they answere not againe but trusting to his promise they hasted to execute that which they were commaunded Let vs also learne by their example to go through all lets and hinderances that we maye obey the Lorde in those things which he requireth of vs. For al lets set aside he shal finde passage and he wil not suffer our endeuours to be in vaine 8. And a great multitude The Euangelistes doe here declare that the people acknowledged Christ as a king But it might seeme to bee but a iest that the simple people by cutting downe of boughes and spreading of garmentes in the way should giue to Christ the vaine title of a king Yet as they did this in earnest and testified their obedience from their heart so Christ accounted them as fitte harauldes or proclaymers of his kingdome Neither is there any cause why we should meruaile at such a beginning when as at this day also he now sitting at the right hande of his father euen froÌ„ his heauenly throane calleth obscure men by whoÌ„ his maiestie is set forth in base manner That they cutte downe the boughes of Palmes as many interpreters doe gesse according to an auncient and solemne custome of that day I see no probability nor likelihood But it rather appeareth that they were moued with a soden instinct of the spirit to giue this honour to Christ when as the disciples which were examples of this matter to the reste of the multitude had thought of no such thing and this also may be gathered out of Lukes words 9. Osanna the Sonne of Dauid This prayer is taken out of the Psalm 118. 25. Matthew also doth purposely set down the Hebrew words that wee might knowe that these greetinges were not rashlye giuen to Christe nor that the Disciples spake at randon without regarde what wordes soeuer came vppon their tongues ende but they reuerently folowed that forme of prayer which the holy Ghost by the mouth of the Prophet had taught the whole Church For though he speaketh there of his kingdome yet no doubt but that he had speciall regard and would haue others to haue regard to that eternall succession which the Lorde had promised him For hee had prescribed vnto the Church a perpetuall order for prayer which was also vsed when the wealth of the kyngdome was decayed So it came to passe by custome that they euerye where vsed these wordes in theyr prayers for the redemption promysed And Mathewes purpose was as wee touched euen now to set down in Hebrew a verse notably and commonly vsed to declare that the people acknowledged Christ to be the Redeemer The pronunciation of the wordes is somewhat altered for it should rather haue beene sayde Hoschâ—a na Saue I beseech but wee know that the wordes can scarsly be translated into an other tongue but that somwhat of the sounde must be chaunged And the spirit did not onely teach the old people to praye for the kingdome of Christe but also prescribeth the same rule vnto vs now And when as God will not raigne but by the hande of his sonne the same is noted in these wordes when wee saye Thy kingdom come as it is more plainely declared in the Psalme Furthermore this praying to God that hee would preserue his Sonne our king we graunt that this kingdome is not erected by manne nor vpholden by the power of menne but standeth inuincible by his defence from heauen He is sayd to come in the name of God which doth not intrude himself but taketh the kingdom at the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t appointment of god which is more certeinely gathered out of Marke where there is another cry sette downe Blessed be the kingdome that commeth in the name of the Lord of our father Dauid For so they say in respect of the promises because the Lord had said that he would at the length deliuer that people had appoynted the meane of the restoring of the kingdom of Dauid Then we see that the honour of the Mediatour from whom the restitution and saluation of all thinges was to be hoped for is attributed to Christ. But when as they were common rude simple people which called the kingdom of Christ the kingdome of Dauid hereby we learn that this doctrine was commonly knowne which at this day seemeth to be so straung and hard because they are but litle exercised in the Scriptures In Luke are these few wordes added Peace in heauen and glory in the highest places VVherein there is no difficulty but that they aunswere not to the song of the Aungels which we had in the second chapter For there the Aungelles assigne the glory to God in the heauens and peace to menne vpon the earth here the peace aswell as the glory is referred to GOD. Yet in the sense there is no diuersitie For though the Aungels do shew the cause more plainely why it was meete that glory should be song to God namely because that by his mercy men enioy peace in this world yet the meaning is all one of that and this that the multitude now saith that peace is in heauen for we know that miserable soules can otherwise haue no peace in the world except God reconcile himself vnto theÌ„ from heauen Math. Mark Luke 19.   41. And when he was come neere hee behelde the citie and wept for it 42. Saying O if thou hadst euen knowne at the least in this day those thinges which belong vnto thy peace but now are they â—â—d from thine eyes 43. For the dayes shal come vpon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compasse thee round and keepe thee in on euery side 44. And shal make thee euen with the grounde and thy children which are in thee and they shall not leaue in thee a stone vpon a stone because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation 41. Hee wept vpon it VVhen as Christe desired
wee knowe howe great promisses doe euery where appeare of peace righteousnesse ioye and of aboundance of all good things VVherefore it is not to be marueiled at if they thought that by Christes comming they shuld be exempted from troubles of warres from spoyles from all maner of iniury and also from famine and pestilence But Christe declareth that they shall haue no lesse trouble heereafter with false teachers then the olde people hadde wyth false prophets and that there shall be no lesse troubles vnder the Gospel then there were in times past vnder the lawe Not that those prophesies which I touched euen nowe were not fulfilled but because they were not fully perfourmed presently at the first day For it is sufficient that the faithfull haue onely a taste giuen them nowe of those good thinges that they might nourish the hope they haue of the full enioying of them hereafter And therfore they were much deceiued which would haue all things perfectly perfourmed at the beginning of the Gospell which we see fulfilled euery day Furthermore though the wickednesse of menne cannot altogither make of none effecte that felicitye whiche the Prophets sayde should be in the kingdome of Christe yet it hindereth and troubleth the same The Lorde causeth by striuing with the malice of menne that hys blessings finde way through all lettes and certainly it were absurde that the thing which is established vppon the free goodnesse of God and dependeth not vppon their pleasure should be abolished for theyr fault Yet that they might receiue some rewarde of their vnthankfulnesse he doeth onely distill his graces by a little at once whiche otherwise shoulde bee powred downe in great aboundance Hence commeth the Labyrinth of so many mischiefes through the which all the faithfull doe wander all theyr life though Christ being their captaine and bearing the light of his Gospell before them they holde the ready way to saluation Hence arise the heape of so manye contentions that they shall passe through sharpe warres but yet without daunger Hence spring so many and so sodaine troubles that they are troubled with miserable disquietnesse but yet by the helpe of Christe they continue stedfast to the ende Also when Christ commandeth his disciples to take heede of deceits we are to vnderstand that they shal not want meanes to auoyd them so that they be carefull themselues VVherefore let vs be sure if any of vs doe diligently apply himselfe to watche in his place and calling what subtelties soeuer sathan shall deuise we shal be free from them 5. For many shall come Hee doeth not yet speake generally of corrupt fals doctrines but toucheth one kinde which was as a beginning of al errors wyth the whych Sathan endeuoured sundry wayes to ouerthrow the pure doctrine of the Gospell For shortlye after the resurrection of Christe there arose deceiuers and euery one of them professed hymselfe to be Christe And because the true redeemer was not onely taken from among them but put to the shamefull death of the crosse and the mindes of all men were mooued and kindled to hope and to desire theyr redemption they hadde a meanes ready at hand to deceiue them And it is not to be doubted but that God gaue the Iewes ouer to be deceyued by suche guiles for that they had so wickedly reiected his sonne And though those madde toyes were quickely brought to nothing yet it was the will of God that the Iewes shuld haue such tumults amongst them first that they might make themselues in famous and odious then that the hope of saluation might be taken from them altogither lastly that they being so often deceiued might in a brutish blockishnesse runne headlong to theyr owne destruction For when the worlde slipt from the sonne of GOD whose office it is to gather vs into an holy vnitie it is meete that it should be caried hither and thither as in tempestuous waues And by the same vengeance of God it came to passe that moe were caryed away with a fonde opinion then true faith brought to obey God And Christ sette downe this circumstance of purpose least the faithfull beholding the multitude of such madde people should growe fainte and weary For we know how easie a matter it is to follow after the multitude especially where we are but few in number 6. And ye shall heare of warres In this place he only maketh mention of the stirres which fell out amongst the Iewes for shortly after hee will shew that the same should creepe further And as he first commaunded them to take heede least any man should deceiue them so now he commaundeth them to be of good courage when they heare of the rumours of warres and of warres themselues For it was daungerous least they being ouerwhelmed with euilles should fall away especially if they had promised and perswaded themselues of a peaceable ioyfull and quiet estate He addeth that these things must come to passe assigning no cause but declaring that none of these things shall fall out by fortune but by the prouidence of God least they should kick in vaine against the pricke For there is nothing more effectuall to bring vs in obedience then when wee knowe that God accordinge to his pleasure gouerneth euen those things which seeme most confused God hath iust causes and great reasons why he suffreth the world to be troubled but because it is mete that the faithfull shuld rest vpon his only pleasure it was sufficient for Christ to exhort his disciples to beare these thinges with patient mindes and to abide constant because it so pleased the Lord. But the ende is not yet He plainly declareth as I sayd euen now that these were greeuous of themselues yet they were but as the beginninges of greater troubles for when this flame of warres had consumed Iudea it should wast further For after that the doctrine of the Gospel was spred the like vnthankfulnesse kindled also the wrath of God amongst other nations Hereof it cōmeth to passe that they which had broken the couenant and band of peace with God shoulde with mutuall dissentions rent themselues in pieces they which refused to obey the authoritye of God were driuen to yeelde to the force of the ennemies they whyche woulde not be reconciled to God should fall to tumults and troubles amongst themselues to be short they whiche hadde exempted themselues from the heauenly saluation shoulde by raging one againste another fill the earth wyth slaughters Further because he knewe how great the malice of the world woulde be he addeth againe that these are but the beginnings of sorrowes not that the faithfull shoulde ouerwhelme themselues with sorrowe who haue comfort at hande alwayes in the middest of troubles but that they mighte prepare themselues with patience to abide a longer time Luke also addeth Earthquakes and signes from heauen Of whiche thinges though there remaine no certaine hystory yet it is sufficient that Christe spake of them before They which will may read the
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
temptation For what could seeme more absurde then to beholde the kingdome of Christ whereof the Prophets had so royally spoken not onely despised but oppressed with the crosse couered with many reproaches and ouerwhelmed with all kinde of affliction Could not that maiestie haue beene sette vppon it which mighte haue darkened the Sunne Moone and Starres and shaken the whole estate of the world and haue altered the vsuall course of nature The Lord now aunswereth these temptations saying though these prophesies are not presently perfourmed yet at the length they shall be fulfilled The meaning therefore is that those thinges which were spoken beefore of the wonderfull shaking of the earth and the heauen must not be restrained to the beginning of the kingdom for the Prophets spake of the whole course euen to the comming to the goale Now when we conceaue the purpose of Christe the wordes are easie to be vnderstoode namely that the heauen shal not presently be darkened but after that the Church shall haue abyden many afflictions Not that the glory and maiestie of his kingdome shoulde appeare at the laste comming of Christ but because that he deferred to that time the fulfilling of those thinges which beganne to appeare after the resurrection and whereof God had giuen his onely some taste that hee might leade them the further in the way of hope and patience After this manner Christe helde the mindes of the faithfull in suspence to the laste daye least that they should thinke that the Prophetes hadde spoken in vaine of the restoring to come because that it laye a long time ouerwhelmed vnder a thicke cloud of afflictions But some interpreters doe corruptly take the affliction of those dayes for the destruction of Ierusalem when as it rather signifieth that vniuersall floud of all euilles whereof Christe spake before Further hee perswadeth them by this argument to patience because that those afflictions shal haue at the length a happy ioyful end As if he should haue sayd so long as the Church shall be in the worlde itshall be a cloudy a darke time but assoone as those miseries shall come to an ende a daye shall come wherein the glorye and maiestie of the same shall appeare But wee cannot imagine now how the Sunne shall be darkened but the successe shall shew it Hee meaneth not that the starres shal fall indeede but according to the imagination of menne and therefore Luke onelye saieth that there shall be signes in the Sunne and the Moone and in the Starres The meaning therefore is that the frame of the heauen shall bee so shaken as that the Starres themselues shall be thought to fall Luke also maketh reporte of the fearefull shaking of the Sea so that men shall for feare and doubt become astonied And the summe is that the creatures both in heauen aboue and on the earth belowe shal be as cryers or preachers to cite menne to appeare at that fearfull iudgment seate in contempt whereof they shall most wickedly liue in wantonnes euen to the last day 30. Then shall appeare the signe of the sonne of manne Christe by this worde dooth put a more manifest difference betweene the present estate of hys kingdome and the glory thereof which was to come For hee seemeth after a manner to graunt that the maiesty of Christe cannot bee scene plainelye through the clowde of afflictions neyther can menne feele the redemption which hee offereth them For the confused estate of things which we doe nowe beholde partely darkeneth our mindes partelye ouerwhelmeth the grace of Christ causeth it as it were to vāquish out of our eyes at the least that the sense of the flesh should not take hold of the saluation which he hath obtained Therefore he saieth that hee will shew himselfe plainely at his last cōminge fullye furnished with the power of heauen wherewith as with a banner sette vppe on high hee wyll turne the eyes of all the woorlde vnto him But beecause hee saw the greater parte of menne contemne his doctrine and sette againste his kingdome hee saieth withall that all people shall sorrowe and lamente beecause that it is meete that he should breake those rebels in peeces and destroy them which despised his power when he was absent And he speaketh this partely that he might by terrifying the proude and disobediente drawe them to repentaunce partely also that he might strengthen the mindes of his childrē in so crooked dealinges of the world For the securitie of the wicked is no small occasion of offence because they seeme to haue God in derision yet escape vnpunished Further nothing is more daungerous then to bee caught in the bayghtes of prosperity which they enioy and so dryue vs from all reuerence of God Therefore least the faythfull should enuie at the drunken mirth of the wicked Christ saieth that their ioy shall bee turned at the length into weeping and gnashing of teeth And in my iudgement he alludeth to the 12. Chap. of the Prophet Zachariah the 11. verse where God declaring that there is a notable example of his iudgement at hand saieth that all families shall lament as a man mourneth at the buriall of his onelye Sonne VVherefore there is no cause why any man shuld looke for the conuersion of the world for they shall feele at the length him whom they haue pearsed through but it shall be too late and without any profit to them Then followeth the declaration of that signe that they shall see the Sonne of manne comminge in the clowdes who then liued vppon the earth in the estate of a despised seruaunt And by this meanes hee declareth that the glorye of his kyngdome is heauenlye and not earthlye as the Disciples had falsely imagined 31. And hee shall send his Aungels Hee describeth the maner of that his power by this that he will send his Aungels who shall gather his electe from the vtmost coastes of the world For the highest heauen doth signifie the farthest region But Christ speaketh hyperbolycally to teache his elect that though they should be taken out of the earth and cast headlōg through the aire yet they shal be gathered together again that they may liue vnder their head in life euerlasting and enioy the enheritance which they haue hoped for For the purpose of Christe was to comfort his disciples least the great affliction of the Church should dismaye them VVherefore so oft as we see the Church eyther molested by the subtilty of Sathan or torne asunder by the crueltie of the wicked or troubled by false doctrines or tossed with stormes let vs learne to looke to this gathering together And if this seeme incredible to vs let the power of the Aungels helpe vs which Christ dooth therefore propose to lift vs vp aboue all meanes that man can yeelde For though the Church through the malice of men is nowe vexed and is diuerse times driuen to flighte and banished and being tossed with the waues is bruised and miserably torne
delyuered the simple exposition of the wordes of the Lord now it is to be added that there is no vaine nor ydle signe set beefore vs but that they are made indeed partakers of the body and bloud which by faith do take hold of this promise For the Lord should in vain commaund his disciples to eat the bread affirming it to be his body if the effect should not truely aunswere the figure Neither is this in question amongst vs whether that Christ doth truely or onelye significatiuely offer himselfe vnto vs in the Supper For though wee do see nothing there but bread yet hee dooth neither deceiue nor mocke vs who feedeth our soules with his own flesh Therfore the true eating of the flesh of Christ is not onely shewed in signe but it is also deliuered in verye deede But it is woorth the labour to obserue heere three thinges least that whiche is spyrituall shoulde bee myxed with the signe nexte leaste Christe shoulde bee soughte vppon the earth or in earthlye elementes thirdlye least there shoulde be imagined another manner of eating then that which by the secret power of the spirit in spireth into vs the life of Christ but we obtain him by no other meane but by faith alone First as I said except we will ouerthrowe all there must be a distinction betweene the signe and the thing signified Neyther can there be any profitte had by the Sacrament except that according to the rudenes of our capacitye it lead vs from the beholding of the earthly element to the heauenlye mistery So that whosoeuer shall not discerne the body of Christ from the bread and the bloud from the wine shall neuer vnderstande what the Supper meaneth or to what ende the faythfull shoulde vse these signes Afterward let that lawefull meane of seeking of Christe follow let not our mindes rest vppon the earth but ascend on high to the celestial glory where he dwelleth For the body of Christe is not so cloathed wyth life which is vncorrupt as that it shoulde cast awaye the proper nature whereof it followeth that it is finite And now he is ascended aboue the heauens least we should holde any grosse imagination of his beeing vppon the earth And surely if this mystery be heauenlye there is nothinge more preposterous then to draw him to the earth who rather calleth vs vppe to him The last which I sayde is to be noted is the kind of eatinge For it must not be dreamed that his substaunce should naturally descend into our soules but we doe eate his flesh when we do receiue life by the same For the proportion or likenes of bread with fleshe must be kepte whereby wee are taught that our soules are so fedde with the fleshe of Christ as our bodyes receiue strength by bread The flesh of Christ is therefore a spirituall nourishment and it doth therefore giue lyfe beecause that the holy Ghoste dooth powre into vs the lyfe which is in it And though that there is a diuersitie betweene the eating of the fleshe of Christ and to beleeue in him yet it is euidentlye knowne that none can feede vppon Christ otherwise then by faith because that the very eating is an effect of faith 29. I say vnto you Mathew and Mark doe adde this sentence to the holy Supper after that Christ had giuen the sign of his bloud in the cup. VVhereof some doe gather that Luke dooth set downe the same matter here which he rehearsed a litle after But this knot is easilye losed because that it maketh litle for the matter when Christe shoulde speake this For the Euangelistes doe onelye applye themselues in this place to shew that the Disciples were admonished aswell of the approachinge of the death of their maister as of the new and heauenlye lyfe For the neerer that the houre of death was at hand the more they were to be strēgthened least they shuld altogether fall away Further when as his mind was in the holy supper to set his death before their eyes as in a glasse it is not without cause that he telleth them againe that he dooth now depart out of the world But because that it was a sorrowfull message hee presently addeth this comfort that there is no cause whye they shoulde feare death for that a better lyfe doth follow it as if he shuld haue said Now I doe haste to death but so that I maye passe thence to the blessed immortalytye neyther will I lyue alone in the kingdome of God but I wyll haue you fellowes with mee of the same lyfe So we doe see how hee leadeth his Disciples by the hand to the crosse and lyfteth them vppe from thence to the hope of the resurrection As it was meete for them to be directed to the death of Christ that they might ascend by the same ladder vp into heauen so now since that Christ dyed and is receiued into heauen it is meete that wee from the beeholding of the crosse should be lead into heauen that there may bee an vnion made between death and the recouery of life And he promiseth that they shal be glorified togeather with himselfe as it appeareth plainelye in these woordes vntill that I shall drinke it new with you And that obiection whiche some doe make that meate and drinke do not agree with the kingdome of God is friuolous for Christ hath no other meaning then that his disciples should presently want his company and that hee should eate no more with them vntill they should meete togeather in heauen Further when as the society of that life shoulde be described which needeth not the helpes of meate and drinke he saieth that there shall then be a newe kinde of drinking By which worde wee are taught that hee spake allegorically Therefore in Luke hee saieth simply vntill the kingdome of God be come In summe Christ commendeth vnto vs the fruit and effecte of the redemption which he purchased by his death VVhere some doe thinke that this was fulfilled when as the Lord eate with his disciples after his resurrection it is farre from his minde For when as that was an estate betweene the course of the mortall life and the mark of the life celestial the kingdome of God was not as then reuealed and therfore he said vnto Mary touch me not for I haue not yet ascended to the father Further the Disciples were not yet entred into the kingdome of God that as partakers of the same glory they might drinke that newe wine with Christ. And where wee read that Christ dranke after his resurrection when yet hee hadde sayde hee woulde not vntyll the Disciples were gathered into the kingdome of GOD the shewe of repugnancye is easilye answered For hee dooth not preciselye speake of meate and drinke but of the fellowshippe of this present lyfe Also wee knowe that Christe did not drinke at that time that hee might eyther strengthen hymselfe by those meates or to eate with hys Disciples for companye but onelye that
there is here expreslye set downe of the ouerthrow and new building of the Temple Christe had saide that when the Temple of his body should be destroyed he woulde raise it againe the third day now the false witnesses do not imagine any new deuise but they do depraue his words as if that he shuld boast of vsing some delusions in building of the Temple But because the quarrell was light of no weight it may hereby be readily gathered how greatly the Priests Scribes were blinded with their madnes who yet without any colour do desire that Christ should die Matth. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. 62. Then the chiefe Priest arose and said to him answerest thou nothing what is the matter that these menne doe witnesse against thee 63. But Iesus held his peace Then the chiefe Priest answered and said to him I charge thee by y e liuing god that thou tel vs if thou be the Christ the sinne of God 64. Iesus said to him thou hast said it neuerthelesse I say vnto you hereafter shall yee see the sonne of man sitting at the right hande of the power of God and come in the cloudes of the heauen 65. Then the hie priest rente his clothes saying he hath blasphemed what haue wee anye more neede of witnesses beehold now yee haue hearde his blasphemy 66. VVhat think ye they answered and said he is worthy to die 67. Then spat they in his face and buffeted him and other smote him with their rods saying prophesie to vs O christ who is he that smote thee 60. Then the hiâ— Priest stoode vp amongst them and asked Iesus saying aunswerest thou nothing what is the matter that these doe beare witnesse against thee 61. But he held his peace answered nothing Againe the hie Priest asked him said vnto him art thou Christ the sonne of the blessed 62. And Iesus said I am he and yee shall see the sonne of man sit at the righte hande of the power of God and come in the cloudes of heauen 63. Then the hie priest rent his clothes said what haue we any more neede of witnesses 64. Ye haue heard the blasphemy what thinke ye And they al condemned him to bee worthy of death 65. And some beeganne to spit at him and to couer his face and to beate him with fishes and to saye vnto him prophesie and the sergeaunts smote him with their rods 63. And the men that held Iesus mocked him and stroke him 64. And when they had blindfolded him they smote him on the face and asked him saying prophesie whâ—â— it is that smote thee 65. And manye other thinges blasphemously spake they against him 66. And assoone as it 〈◊〉 day the Elders of the people and the hie priests and the Scribes came togeather led him into their council 67. Saying art thou the Christ tel vs And he said vnto them if I tell you you wil not beleeue it 68. And if also I aske you ye wil not aunswere me not let me go 69. Hereafter shal the son of man sit at the right hand of the power of God 70. Then saide they all art thou theÌ„ the son of God he said to them ye say that I am 71. Then said they what â—eede we any further witnesse for wee our selues haue heard it of his mouth 62. Then the chiefe priest arose It is certeine that Christe held his peace when he was charged by false witnesses not only because they were vnworthy to be refuted but because that he did not seeke nowe to be delyuered knowing that the houre was come Yet Caiaphas triumpheth vppon his silence as if that he held his peace as one conuicted as they are woont which know themselues guiltie But it is great wickednes that they should charge Christ to be faulty because there be which doe witnesse against him For this question VVhat doe these men witnesse against thee is asmuch as if he should haue saide how commeth it to passe that these doe sette against thee but because that relygion compelleth them For they are not offended against thee without a cause As if that he were ignorant that they were suborned by fraud but thus do the wicked rage without al shame when they haue power and force with theÌ„ But Christ held his peace againe not onely because it was a vaine obiection but because that he being appointed to be a sacrifice had cast off all care of defending of himselfe 63. I charge thee by the liuing God The high Prieste thought this one crime to be sufficient to condemne Christ if he would professe himselfe to bee the Christ. But when all men gloried that they hoped to be redeemed by Christe this was first to be sought whether hee was so or no. They durst not be so bold as to say that there was no Christ by whose hande the people should be deliuered Iesus commeth forth amongst them with the title of Christ why do they not attend to the matter it selfe why do they not examine the signes whereby they might haue proceeded to a right iudgment But because they had once determined to destroy Christ they are content with this pretence of sacriledge that he tooke vpon him the glory of the Godhead And yet with an oth Caiaphas doth so examine the matter as if that the same being throughly proued he had bene ready to giue place yet his whol mind is possessed with a peruerse hatred and contempt of Christ for so is he blinded with pride and ambition that they take it for graunted as if the matter were so plaine that without inquisition of the right they had iuste cause of condemnation in their hand It may also be gathered by the words of Caiaphas that the Messias had this notable name amongst the Iewes that they would call him the Son of God For he had not any other occasion then the common manner of speach to stirre him to moue this question And truely the scripture declared vnto them that he was aswell the sonne of God as the Sonne of Dauid And Caiaphas seemeth to vse this Epithite either to feare Christ or to make him the more to be enuied as if he shuld haue saide see whether thou art runne for thou canst not say that thou art Christ but that thou must withall callenge the name of the Sonne of God wherewith the scripture adorneth him That in Marke appertayneth to the same purpose where Blessed is vsed for God For that faigned reuerence did more presse Christ then if he had prophaned the holye name of GOD. 64. Thou hast said it There is an other aunswere set downe by Luke wherein Christ reproueth the malice of the Priest because they do not aske the question for that they would know You wil not beleeue saieth he if I should tell you In the which words he declareth that if he should proue himselfe to be the Christ a hundred waies yet that he should so preuaile nothing amongst the obstinate
more familiarlye vnto them and when hee was verilye and certainelye knowen they woorshipped because that the brightnesse of the diuine glorye was made manifest And it maye be that the same reason driue them sodainly to doubt which led them afterward to woorship for the habite of a seruaunt being laide aside there then appeared nothinge in him but that which was celestiall 18. And Iesus came and spake vnto them It is not to be doubted but that this comming tooke away all scruple But before that Mathewe declareth that the disciples hadde the office of teachinge enioyned them hee sayeth that Christe firste spake of his owne power and not wythoute cause for a small authoritie coulde not suffice heere but it behooueth him to haue a great and a diuine Empire who commaundeth that lyfe eternall shoulde be promised in his name that all the worlde shoulde be brought vnder his gouernement and that the doctrine shoulde be preached whiche by ouerthrowinge euery highe thinge shoulde brynge all mankinde vnder And by this preface Christe doeth not onely stirre vp the disciples to execute their office boldly and freely but he establisheth the faith of his Gospell to continue in all ages For certainly the Apostles could neuer haue beene perswaded to take so harde a matter in hande excepte they knewe that their reuenger sate in heauen who had all power giuen him For wythout such a fortreste it had beene impossible to preuaile any thing But when they doe heare that hee whome they doe serue doeth gouerne heauen and earth they are with this one thing very throughly furnished to ouercome all lettes And as concerning the hearers if the contemptible estate of them which doe preache the Gospell doeth weaken or hinder their faith lette them learne to lifte vppe their eyes to the authour himselfe by whose power the maiestie of the Gospell must be esteemed and so it shal come to passe that they shall not be so bold as to despise him speaking by hys ministers And he doeth expresly make himselfe Lorde and King as well of heauen as of earth because that by the preaching of the Gospell he bringing menne in obedience to him doeth erecte the throne of his kingdome vppon earth and regenerating them which are his into a newe life and calling them to the hope of saluation hee openeth the heauens that hee may exalt them to the blessed immortalitie with the Angels who before not onely crept belowe in the worlde but had beene drowned in the bottomlesse pitte of death But lette vs remember that Christe had alwayes his authoritie with his father and this was giuen vnto hym in our flesh or that I may speake more plainely in the person of the Mediator For he gloryeth not of that eternall power which he had before the worlde was created but of that which he receiued nowe when hee was ordained the iudge of the worlde And it is to be noted that thys Empire was not manifestly knowen vntill that hee was risen from the dead because that then at the length being adorned with the ornameÌ„ts of a mighty king he shewed himselfe in authoritie Thither also appertaineth that saying of Paule to the Phillippians 2. 9. Hee humbled hymselfe wherefore God hath exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euery name c. And thoughe the sittinge at the right hande of the father is sette after his ascention into heauen as later in order yet because the resurrection and the ascention into heauen are things mutually ioyned togither Christe hath good cause to speake so royally of his power 19. Goe therefore Thoughe Marke after hee hathe declared that Christe appeared to the eleuen disciples doeth presently set downe the commaundement of preachinge of the Gospell yet hee doeth not note it as an action presentlye done For we doe gather by the texte in Mathewe that thys was not done before they went into Galile But the summe is that by preachinge the Gospell euerye where they shoulde brynge all nations into the obedience of faith then that they should seale and confirme their doctrine with the seale of the Gospel In Mathew they are simply commaunded to teache but Marke setteth downe what kinde of doctrine it shoulde be namely that they should preache the Gospell And shortly after is also added this restrainte that they should teache them to obserue what soeuer thinges the Lord commaunded Heereby we learne that the Apostle shippe is not a vaine title of honour but an office of laboure and therefore there is nothinge more absurde or intollerable then that these â—asked menne should chalenge this honour who raininge in idlenesse doe reiecte the office of teaching from them The Pope of Rome and his bande doe proudly boast of this succession as if that they sustained the same person in common with Peter and his colleagues but in the mean season they haue no more care of the doctrine then baudes or the Priests of Bacchus and Venus But wyth what face I beseche you doe they thrust themselues into their place who they heare were created to be preachers of the Gospell But thoughe they are not ashamed to bewray their owne impudencie yet with all readers of sounde iudgement this one worde is strang enough to ouerthrow their fantasticall Hierarchie that no man can be a successour of the Apostles but he which serueth Christe by preaching of the Gospell to be shorte who soeuer doeth not performe the dueties of a teacher doth falsly and wrongfully take the name of a teacher For this is the Priesthode of the New testament with the spirituall sworde of the woorde to kill menne for a sacrifice to God VVhereof it followeth that they all are degenerate and counterfait sacrisicers whiche doe not applye the office of teaching Teache all nations Heere Christe by taking away the difference doeth make the Gentiles equall with the Iewes and doeth generally admitte them both into the fellowshippe of the couenaunt Thither also appertaineth the woorde Going For the Prophets vnder the lawe were restrained within the boundes of Iuda but nowe the partition wall being ouerthrowne the Lorde commaundeth the ministers of the Gospell to goe farre abroad for the spreading of the doctrine of saluation through all the coastes of the worlde For thoughe the dignitye of the first borne as we touched euen nowe shoulde at the firste remaine amongest the Iewes yet the inheritance of life was common to the Gentiles So was fulfilled that prophesie of Isaiah with the like that Christe is giuen to be a light to the Gentiles that he mighte bee the saluation of God vnto the outmost part of the earth Isai 49. 6. That is Markes meaning by all creatures for after that peace was preached to them of the housholde the same message commeth to them also whiche are a farre off and to straungers Further howe necessary it was that the Apostles shoulde be plainly admonished of the callinge of the Gentiles it doeth thereby appeare that after they hadde receiued the commaundement to
worde for worde whiche the learned by conference shall wel perceiue Long time haue the godly desired to haue this worke published in the English tongue seeing they haue their desire now my request vnto thē is to accept of my paines herein I dare not good Reader presume so farre vppon mine owne skill as to say that there is no faultes committed heerein but I am earnestly to desire thee rather courteously to amend them then curiously to condemne me for them And thus trusting to thy curtisie I committe thee to the tuition of the Almightie who so direct thee by his spirite that by reading thou maiest profite Thine in the Lorde Christopher Fetherstone The Commentarie of Iohn Caluine vpon the Gospel after Iohn The Preface ¶ To the right honorable Lordes the Syndiques and Senate of Geneua his right reuerende Lordes Iohn Caluine wisheth from the Lorde the spirit of wisdome and strength and prosperous successe of gouernement AS often as I call to mynde that saying of Christe wherin he maketh so great accoūt of that dutie of humanitie which is bestowed vpon the gathering together of strangers that he maketh account of it as done to him I do therewithall remember vnto how great honour hee hath vouchsafed to promote you who hath made your Citie a place not for one or a few to dwell in but a common Inne for his Church to lodge in Hospitalitie hath not only been cōmended amongst the Heathen but it hath also bin accounted one of the chiefest vertues and therfore in whomsoeuer they wold condemne extreeme barbarisme and manner altogether vnciuill they called them axenous or men which were not giuen to hospitalitie But farre more excellent is your praise bicause the Lord hath appointed you in these troublesome miserable times to be those vnto whose tuition the godly might cōmit thēselues vnder whose feathers the innocent might be shrouded whom the tyrannie of Antichrist being no lesse sauage then sacriligious doth chase driue away out of their own countries natiue soyle And this is not all but he hath also dedicated an holy house amongest you vnto his owne name where he may be worshipped sincerely Whosoeuer he be that indeuoureth either publikelie to cut off or priuilie to take away the least part of these two he doth not only goe about to disfigure your Citie beeing spoyled of her principal ornaments but also he maliciously enuieth the helth therof For althogh those godly good turnes which are here done vnto Christ his dispearsed members doe cause the wicked like dogs to bark against you yet ought this one recōpence to suffice you y t the angels frō heauen the childrē of God out of all partes of the worlde doe blesse you so that you may freely despise their rotten railing who make no more conscience neither are more ashamed to spue out whatsoeuer against God himself thē against you which going about to slander you doe begin first to blaspheme God Althogh this self same occasion doth inflame y e hatred of many against you yet ought you to be no whit afraid therfore so long as he wil assist you against their fury who hath promised y t he will faithfully keepe those cities wherin the doctrine of his gospel is preached and any resting place is prepared for those godly mē whō the world cānot away with I omit to speak of this that you neede not to care for pacifying of this kinde of enemies seeing that there is no mā who hateth you for the gospels sake who wold not either haue you destroied or oppressed But admit we graunt that the sworn enimies of soūd doctrine do hate you for no other cause saue this because they see you defend the same yet setting light by their practises threatnings you must valiantly maintain these two inuincible fortresses y e worship of pure religiō the godly care to nourish the Church which Christ hath cōmitted to you that you may broude the same vnder your wings As touching those railinges wherwith the pope his meritorious brawlers doe molest vs y t we are fallē away frō the Church because we dissent frō the Sea of Rome would to God we could testifie with full cōfidēce before God his angels that wee are most far distāt frō that pollutiō as we can acquit our selues of y ◠crime which they vse to lay to our charge They make their boast of the catholike church who haue left no part of al the doctrine of the law the gospel free from filthy corruptions who haue prophaned the whole worship of God with the stink of superstition who haue not been afraid to corrupt all god his decrees with their inuētions Yea the multitude of errors wherwith they haue subuerted al religiō is so vniuersal that they are sufficiēt to ouerwhelme destroy the church an 100. times Therfore we cā neuer extol so highly as it deserueth the infinit goodnes of God wherby it is come to passe that wee escaping myraculously out of that deadly gulf haue the anchor of our faith firmly fixed in the soūd eternal truth of god And truly this one Cōmentarie shall sufficiētly testifie as I hope that papistrie is nothing els but a monster composed of innumerable errors of Satā that that church which they obiect vnto vs is more confused thē Babylō In the mean season I wil freely cōfes y e truth that we are not far enough distāt from the filth of that pit whose contagion doth spread it self too far Antichrist doth cōplayne that we are slipt away from him but we are compelled to mourne for that too too many of his vices wherwith he hath infected the world do remaine amongst vs. Vnto vs is restored the sincere puritie of doctrine perfect religion the simple worship of God the right order of the sacramēts which was deliuered by Christ. But the chifest cause why there is not amongst vs such reformatiō of maners amēdment of life as there ought to be is this because a great part being as yet mindful of that vnbrideled libertie wherewith the Papistes doe freely waxe wāton against God cannot accustome thēselues to Christes yoke Therefore whereas our aduersaries to the ende they may cause the vnskilful vniustly to hate vs do contemptuously crie out that we haue broken all good order discipline their false slander is refuted sufficiently with this one thynge though wee doe hold our peace in that there is nothyng aboute whiche wee haue greater contention amongest our selues then this namely our rigour which as some men thynke is immoderate But seeinge that you are able verye well to witnesse with mee and those who are my fellowes in office that wee are no more seuere or straite then the necessitie of our office doeth require and also inforce vs to bee as we doe rest safely in the iudgement of your cōscicience so on the otherside you may easily iudge as though the matter were before you how ridiculous the
the other sense pleaseth mee better because the beames are spread abroade from this light throughout all mankinde as it is also saide before For wee knowe that men haue this peculiarly aboue all other liuing creatures that they are indued with reason and vnderstanding that they carrye ingrauen in their conscience the difference betweene right and wrong Therefore there is no man vnto whome there commeth not some feelyng of the eternall light But because there be certayne frantike and brainsicke fellowes who wrest this place further hauing rashly caught the same that they may therby gather that the grace of illumination is offered vnto all men in like sort let vs remember that the Euangelist intreateth in this place onely of the common light of nature which is farre inferiour vnto faith For doubtlesse no man shall enter into the kingdome of God with all the quicknesse and foresight of his minde it is onely the spirite of Christ that openeth the gate of heauen to the elect Secondly let vs remember that the light of reason which God gaue vnto men was so darkened through sinne that there doe scarce appeare certaine small sparkles in the thicke darknesse and so consequently in horrible ignorance and the deepe dungeon of errours which are also by and by choked 10 Hee was in the worlde Hee accuseth men of vnthankfulnesse because they were so blinde as it were of their own accord that the cause of the light which they did enioy was vnknowen vnto them And this reacheth vnto all the ages of the worlde because Christe did euerye where shewe his power before he was made manifest in the flesh Therfore those dayly effects ought to haue redressed the sluggishnesse of mē For what is more absurd then to drawe water out of a running stream and not to conceiue in the mynde the fountaine from which the streame it selfe floweth Therefore there shall no iust excuse bee founde for this ignorance that the worlde knewe not Christe before suche time as hee was reuealed in the fleshe for this chaunced through their slouthfulnes and wicked kinde of dulnesse who had him alwayes present by his power The summe is this that Christ was neuer so absent from the world but that men beeing awaked with his beames ought to haue lifted vp their eyes towarde him Whereupon it followeth that the blame ought to be laid vpon themselues 11 Hee came into his owne Heere appeareth the desperate frowardenesse and wickednesse of men here appeareth more then wicked impietie that when as the sonne of God did shewe himselfe in the fleshe and that to the Iewes whom God had separated to himself as a peculiar people from all other nations yet was hee not acknowledged nor receiued They doe also expound this place diuersly For some there bee who thinke that the Euangelist doth speake generally of the whole worlde And truely there is no part of the worlde which the sonne of God may not challenge to himselfe by good right The meaning therefore is this according to them when Christe came downe into the worlde hee enchroched not vpon another man because all mankinde was his owne proper inheritance But they thinke more truely in my iudgement who referre it vnto the Iewes alone for there is contained in it an hiddē comparison wherby the Euangelist doth the more amplifie the vnthākfulnesse of men The sonne of God had chosen to himselfe a dwelling place in one nation when hee appeared there hee was reiected Therefore it appeareth heereby most plainely howe malicious the blindenesse of men is And it was very needefull that the Euangelist should say thus that hee might remooue that stumbling block whiche the vnbeliefe of the Iewes might haue layd in the way of many at y ◠time For seeing that he was reiected and despised of that nation wherunto he was promised by name who woulde haue thought that hee had beene the Redeemer of the whole worlde Therefore wee see howe great paines Paule taketh in this point But there lyeth hid great force as well in the verb as in the Nowne Wheras hee was before the sonne of God the Euangelist saith hee came thither Therefore he doth signifie the newe and extraordinarie maner of his presence whereby the sonne of God did reueale himselfe that men might behold him nigher hande When hee saith into his owne hee compareth the Iewes with other nations because they were adopted to be Gods familie by a singuler priuiledge Therefore Christe offered himselfe first to them as to his familie and those who did appertaine vnto his Empyre by a peculiar right To the same ende tendeth that complaint which God maketh by Esay The 〈◊〉 knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters cribbe but Israel hath not knowen mee For although he bee gouerner of all the whole earthe yet hee maketh himselfe the peculiare Lorde of Israel whom hee had gathered together as it were to be an holy sheepfold 12. But so manie Least this stoone of offence shoulde cause any to stumble that the Iewes despised and refused Christe the Euangeliste lifteth vp the godly that beleeue in him aboue y e heauēs For he saith that this glory is attayned vnto by faith to bee accounted the children of God And in this vniuersall particle as many is contained a certaine Antythesis for the Iewes were puffed vp with a blinde boasting as if they alone had had God bounde vnto them Therefore the Euangelist affirmeth that the case was altered because the Iewes being reiected the Gentiles doe succede into the emptie place For it is as if he should translate the righte of adoption vnto Forrainers This is that whiche Paul saith that the destruction of one people was the life of al the whole worlde because the Gospel being as it were expelled by them beganne to be spread abroade farre and wide throughout the whole worlde so were they spoyled of their priuiledge wherein they did excell But their vngodlinesse did no whit hurt Christ because he did erect the seate of his kingdome elswhere and hee called all people in generall vnto the hope of saluation who seemed before to be reiected of God Hee gaue vnto them power This worde exousia doth signifie as I thinke in this place dignitie and it was better so to translate it to refute the inuention of the Papistes For they doe most wickedly corrupt this place because they vnderstande adoption to be giuen vs only vpon this condition if it shall please vs to vse this benefite And so by this meanes they fet free will out of this worde as if one shoulde fet fier out of water This hath some colour at the first blushe that the Euangelist saieth not that Christe maketh the sonnes of God but that hee giueth them power to bee made Therefore they gather out of this place that this grace is only offered vnto vs and that it is in our chose to enioy or refuse the same But the text ouerthroweth this friuolous hunting after one worde for
the Hebrewes 12. 25. comparing the law and the gospell together saith Seeing that they escaped not free who despised him that spake vpon earth take heede that yee despise him not which is from heauen Therefore Christe will be acknowledged in his ministers but so that hee remayne Lorde alone and that they be contented with the degree of seruaunts especially when the matter commeth once to a comparison he will be so distinguished that he may be chiefe 32 And that which hee heard and saw Iohn goeth forward in his office For to the ende that he may make readie disciples for Christe hee commendeth his doctrine for the certaintie thereof that he vttereth nothing but that which he receiued of his father Seeing and hearing are set against all manner doubtfull opinion vaine rumors and all manner of inuentions For he giueth them to vnderstande that he taught nothing but that which he knewe well But some man will say that he deserueth small credite who hath nothing but that which he hath hearde I aunswere that he meaneth by this worde that Christe was taught of his father so that he bringeth nothing but that which is diuine as it was reuealed vnto him by GOD. And that agreeth with all the person of Christe forasmuch as he was sent into the worlde of his father to be an interpreter and Embassadour Afterwarde hee reprehendeth the vnthankefulnes of the worlde which refused so certaine and faithfull a witnesse so wickedly and haynously And also hee remoueth a stumblyng blocke which might turne away many frō the faith hinder the course of many For as we are wont too muche to depende vppon the iudgement of men many do esteeme the Gospel according to the contempt of the world at least whē they see it euery where reiected being preuented with this preiudice they are more loth and slow to beleeue Therefore so often as we see such waywardnes of the worlde yet let this admonition kepe vs in the constant obedience of the same that it is the truth which came from God VVhen hee saith that no man receiueth it his meaning is that there are very few and almost none that are faithfull if they be compared vnto the huge multitude of the wicked 33 And hee that receiued his testimonie Heere he exhorteth and incourageth the godly to imbrace the doctrine of the Gospel without feare As if he shoulde say that there is no cause why they should bee ashamed of their smalenesse of number sithence they haue God to be the authour of their faith who alone is aboundantly sufficient for vs like vnto all Therefore although the whole worlde doth discredit the gospel yet this ought not to keepe backe the godly from subscribing vnto GOD. They haue also that wherin they may quiet and pacifie thēselues when as they know that to beleeue the gospell is nothing els then to subscribe vnto the Oracles of God In the meane while we gather that this is the propertie of faith to leane vnto God and to be established in his word For there can be no subscription vnlesse God doe speake first By which doctrine faith is not only distinguished frō all mans inuentions but also from an vncertaine and doubtfull opinion For it must be answereable vnto the truth of God which is exempted from all doubting Therefore as God cannot lye so it is an absurd thing for the faith to wauer Being armed with this defence we shall continue victorers continually with what engins soeuer Satan do goe about to trouble and shake vs. Out of this place also are we taught howe acceptable a sacrifice faith is before God For as he maketh most account of his truth so we cannot do him any greater worship then whilest that by our faith we professe that he is true then doe we giue him his due honour So men cannot do him any greater iniurie then when they doe not beleeue the gospell For hee cannot be spoyled of his truth but that all his glory and maiestie must be abolished And his truth is after a sort shut vp in the gospel and hee will haue the same knowen there VVherefore the vnbeleeuers leaue nothing for God so much as in them lyeth not that their impietie doth any whit impayre the credit of God but that as much as in them lyeth they reproue and accuse him of vanitie Vnlesse we be more then stony this so excellent a title wherewith faith is adorned ought to kindle in our mindes the most feruent desire of the same For what great honour is this whereunto God doth vouchsafe to extol miserable wretches that they who are by nature nothing els but lying and vanitie should be accounted meete to approoue with their subscription the holy trueth of God 34 For whom God sent Hee confirmeth the sentence next going before For he sheweth that we haue truly to deale with God when as we receiue the doctrine of Christe for Christe came from none other saue only from his heauenly father Therefore it is God alone that speaketh by him And truly we giue lesse honour vnto the doctrine of Christ thē we ought if we doubt to acknowledge it to be diuine Not by measure This place is expounded two maner of wayes for some doe extende it vnto the common dispensation that God who is the fountaine of all good thinges which can neuer be drawen drie is not emptied when he powreth out his gifts vpon men aboundantly They which take water out of any vessell to distribute it doe at length come vnto the bottome but we need not to feare any such thing in God for the aboundance of his giftes shall neuer be so large but that he can exceede the same whensoeuer he will with newe liberalitie This exposition seemeth to haue some colour because the sentence is indefinite yet do I rather follow Augustine who doth interprete this to bee spoken of Christe Neither ought this to be any let that there is as yet no mention made of Christ in this member seeing that the last member doth take away all doubtfulnesse where that is restrained vnto Christ which might seeme to be spoken generally of manie For without doubt these wordes are added expositiuely that the father hath giuen the sonne all things into his hand because he loueth him Therefore they are to be read in one text And the worde of the presentence doth signifie a continuall act For although he was once endowed with the spirite according to the chiefest perfection and yet notwithstanding he floweth continually as out of a fountaine farre and wide hee is therefore not vnfitly saide euen now also to receiue of the father But and if any man had rather expound it simplie the alteration of the tence is not straunge in such verbes Now the sense is manifest that the spirite was not giuen Christe by measure as if the facultie and store of that grace wherein he excelleth were limitted by some measure as Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 12. 7. and Eph. 4. 7.
earthly life aforehand we think ful negligently vpon diuine matters So Christ saith in another place Oye hypocrites you iudge according to the face of heauen what maner day tomorrow shal be but you know not the time of my visitation 36 And he which reapeth receiueth a reward He proueth by another argugument how diligent we ought to be in the work of the Lord namely because there is a large and a glorious reward laide vp for our labour For he promiseth fruit and that no corruptible or fraile fruit Although that which he addeth concerning fruit may bee expounded two maner of wayes either that it may be a declaration of the hyere and so should be vtter one the self same thing in diuers wordes or els that he may commend their diligence who do increase the kingdome of God as hee will repeate chap. 15. 16. I haue chosen you that you may go bring fruit that your fruit may remaine And truly both these things ought greatly to encourage the ministers of the word that they do neuer faint vnder their labor whilest that they heare that there is prepared for them in heauen a crowne of glory do know also that the fruite of their haruest shal not only be precious before god but also eternall To this end is there mentiō made of reward euery wher in the scripture not to the end that the merites of workes may be esteemed thereby For who is he who being throughly tryed shall not rather be found worthie to be punished for sluggishnes then rewarded for diligence Therefore there shall nothing remaine for the best labourers saue only to flie humbly to craue pardon But the Lord who dealeth fatherly with vs to the end he may amende our sluggishnes better incourage vs being otherwise but faint harted vouchsafeth to repay vnto vs a free reward Furthermore this is so far frō ouerthrowing the righteousnes of faith that it doth rather establishe the same For from whence commeth it that God findeth in vs any thing that is worthie of rewarde saue only because hee hath endowed vs with his spirite And we know that the spirit is the earnest and pledge of our adoption Secondly how commeth it to passe that God doth giue so great honor vnto vnperfect corrupt workes saue only because after that he hath reconciled vs vnto himself freely by not imputing the vices which cleaue vnto our workes he accepteth them contrarie to our desert The summe of this place is that the labour and paines which the Apostles do take ought not to seeme greeuous vnto thē seeing that they know that it is so profitable for themselues fruitfull for the church of Christ. That both he that soweth In these wordes Christe teacheth vs that no man shall need to cōplaine for that the Apostles shall gather the fruit of other mens tillage And we must note this amplification For if the sobs sighes of those men who complaine that the fruites of theyr labour are giuen vnto others do no whit hinder but that a newe possessour may reape the corne sowen by another how much more ioyfull ought the reapers to be whereas there is a mutuall consent mutuall ioy reioycing And to the end we may the better vnderstande this place wee must note the opposition that is betweene the sowing reaping The sowing was the doctrin of the law the prophets for then the seed being cast into the ground did remaine as in greene corne but the doctrine of the gospell because it bringeth men vnto perfect ripenesse is fitly compared vnto the haruest For the law was far frō that perfection which was at length exhibited in Christ. VVe do also wel know the cōparison that Paul maketh betwene childhood manhood which tēdeth to the same end Finally forasmuch as y e cōming of Christ brought w t it present saluation it is no maruell if the gospel wherein the gate of the kingdome of heauen was set open be called the haruest of the propheticall doctrine And yet neuerthelesse this hyndereth no whit but that the fathers vnder the lawe were gathered into God his barne But this similitude is to be referred vnto the manner of teaching For as the childhoode of the Church did continue vntill the end of the law and when as the Gospell was once preached the youth thereof did immediately succeede so saluation began to waxe rype then whiche the Prophetes had onely sowen But seeing that Christe spake these wordes in Samaria he seemeth to extēd the sowing further then vnto the law the Prophetes And there be some who expound this aswel of the Gentiles as of the Iewes I graunt indeede that there were alwayes certaine granes of godlines scattered throughout the whole world no doubt God did after a sort sow those excellent sentences which are extant in the Philosophers and profane writers by their hand But forasmuche as that seede was corrupt from the very roote and the corne which might thence haue sproung although it was neither good nor naturall was choked with the huge heape of errours it were an absurd thing to compare that so hurtful corruptiō vnto sowing Secondly that which is here spoken of the agreement of ioy cānot be applyed vnto the Philosophers and such like Yet the doubt is not dissolued for Christ seemeth after a sort to speake of the Samaritanes I answere although al things were corrupted amongest the Samaritanes yet was there hid amongest them some seede of godlinesse For whence commeth it that they were so redie to seeke Christe when as they hearde but one word of him saue only because they had learned out of the lawe and the Prophetes that the Redeemer should come Iudea trulie was the peculiar possession of the Lorde which he had tilled by the Prophetes but because there was som portion of seede brought into Samaria also it is not without cause that Christ saith that the seede was waxen rype euen there also If any man doe obiect that the Apostles were chosen and sent to preach the Gospel vnto all the whole worlde we may easily answere that Christ did speak as time dyd require vnlesse it were so that hee commendeth in the Samaritanes the seede of the Propheticall doctrine although it were filled with manye weedes for the hope of the fruite whiche was almost rype 37 For in this is the saying true This was a common prouerb whereby they did declare that many did oftentimes reape the fruits of other mens labours Although this was otherwise because he that hath taken paines doth hardly suffer an other man to take away the fruite seeing that the Apostles haue the prophetes to be partners of their ioy And yet notwithstanding we cannot hereby gather that the Prophetes themselues doe knowe of those thinges which are done at this day in the Church because this is Christ his drift that the Prophetes taught so long as they lyued with this affection that they did alreadie reioyce
for the power of GOD without Christe Hee sheweth him greater workes then these His meaning is that the myracle which he shewed in the curing of the man was not the chiefest of the workes which were giuen him in charge by his father For he had only giuen them a small tast there of that grace whereof he is properly both the minister and the authour to wit that hee may restore life to the worlde VVhen he addeth that yee may maruell hee toucheth by the way their vnthankfulnesse because they did contemne that so excellent a token of the power of God as if he should say how dull and blockish soeuer you bee those thinges which God shall bring to passe by mee hereafter shall enforce you to wonder whether you will or no. Yet it seemeth y t this was not fulfilled seeing that we know that in seeing they sawe not like as Iesaias saith also 6. 9. that there probate are blind when they behold the light of God I answere that Christe spake not in this place of their affection but did onely note how valiantly he would afterwardes proue himselfe to be the sonne of God 21 For as the father He doth here briefly set downe what manner of office was giuen him of his father For although he seemeth to choose one kynde yet is it a generall doctrine wherein he sheweth that hee is the authour of life And it containeth in it self life and righteousnes and all the giftes of the holy Ghost and all the partes of our saluation And truly it was requisite that this myracle shoulde be such a special testimonie of Christes power that it might bring foorth that common fruite namely that it might open the gate vnto the Gospell VVe must farther note after what sort Christ giueth vs life For he found vs all dead therefore it was needefull that he shoulde begin at the resurrection Yet notwithstanding it is not superfluous that he ioyneth two wordes together Because it were not sufficient for vs to bee deliuered from death vnlesse Christ did restore life vnto vs fully and perfectly Furthermore he maketh not this life common to all men For he saith that he giueth life to whom he will wherby he meaneth that hee doeth vouchsafe to bestow this grace peculiarly only vpon certaine men that is the elect 22 For the father He doth now more plainly expresse the general thing it selfe that the father doth gouerne the worlde in the sonnes person doth by his hand rule For the Euangelist taketh iudgement for gouernement and power according to the phrase of the Hebrewe tongue Now we know what is the summe that the father hath deliuered the kyngdome to Christ that he may gouerne heauen and earth at his pleasure But this may seeme to bee a very absurd thing that the father hauing resigned vppe the right of his gouernment shoulde sit idle in heauen like some priuate man The answere is easie that this is spoken not so much in respect of God as of men For there is nothing changed in God whilest that hee hath made Christe the chiefe king and Lord of heauen earth For hee himselfe is in the sonne and he worketh in him But because when as we will ascende vnto God all our senses doe by and by faile Christe is set before our eyes as the visible image of God who can not bee seene There is no cause therefore why wee should wearie our selues in vaine with seeking out the secrete places of heauen seeing that God doth prouide for our infirmitie when he sheweth himselfe nigh vnto vs in the person of Christ But rather when as we haue to deale concerning the gouerning of the worlde the estate of our selues the heauēly ayde of our saluation let vs learne to turne our eyes vnto Christe alone like as al power is commited vnto him and in his face appeareth god the father who shold otherwise be hid far away least y e bare maiestie of God doe swalow vs vp with his infinite brightnesse 23 That all men may honour This member doth sufficiently confirme that which I touched of late that GOD doth not so reigne in the person of Christ as if he were at ease in heauen as sluggish kings are wont to do because he doth declare his power in Christ and doth shewe himselfe to be present For what other thing doe these wordes signifie that al may honour the sonne saue only that the father will bee acknowledged and worshipped in the sonne Therefore it is our dutie to seeke God the father in Christ there to beholde his power there to worship him For as it followeth immediately after hee that honoureth not the sonne defraudeth god of his lawfull honour All men do confesse that God is to be worshipped and this sense being naturally ingrafted in vs hath taken suche deepe roote in our heartes that no man dare absolutely denie God his honour in the meane while the mindes of men do vanish away by seeking God without the way Hence came so many feigned gods hence came so many peruerse worshippings Therefore we shall finde the true God no where els saue only in Christ neyther shal we worship him aright any other way saue only by kissing the sonne as Dauid teacheth For as Iohn witnesseth els where 1. Iohn 2. 12. he that hath not the sonne he lacketh the father also The Turkes and Iewes doe with gorgeous titles adorne the God whome they worship but wee must note this that the name of god being separated from Christ is nothing els but a vaine fiction Therefore whosoeuer wil haue his worship to be approued of the true God let him not turne aside from Christe Neither was the estate of the fathers vnder the lawe any other For although they did beholde Christ obscurely vnder shadowes yet GOD did neuer reueaie himselfe without Christe But nowe since that Christe was reuealed in the sleshe and made our king all the worlde must bow their knees vnto him that it may bee subiect to GOD. For seeyng that GOD the father hath commaunded hym to sit at his ryght hande he that imagineth God without Christe hee lameth him of the one parte of hymselfe 24 Hee that heareth my worde Here is expressed the manner and order of the worship least any man should thinke that it is placed in some externall ryte onely and in frioulous ceremonies For the doctrine of the gospel is vnto Christ as a scepter wherewith he doth gouern the faithful which are put vnder him by the father And this definition is principally to be noted There is nothing more common then the false profession of Christianitie For euen the Papistes who are the most deadly enemies of Christ doe yet notwithstanding too boldly brag of his name but Christe doth in this place require no other honor at our hands saue only that we obey his gospel VVherupon it followeth that what honor soeuer y e hypocrites do giue vnto Christ it is nothing els but y e traiterous
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
myracle as was wrought by and by or no when as he seeth that they conceiue nothing touching the extraordinarie remedie theÌ„ he awaketh their minds being as it were fast on sleepe that they might at least haue their eyes open to behold the present thing This is the drift of all those thinges whiche the disciples do bring that they may diswade Christ from keeping the people there any longer And peraduenture they doe therein priuately prouide for themselues least they suffer som part of the discommodity VVherefore Christ holdeth on in his purpose neglecting their obiections 7 Two hundreth peniworth of bread Seeing that a pennie according to Budeus his account is worth foure pence sterling two pence turnois this amounteth vnto three pound ten shillinges sterling If you deuide this summe amongest fiue thousand men euery hundred shall haue seuenteene pence half penie Now let a thousand women and children be added vnto the fiue thousand you shall finde that Phillip giueth vnto euery head halfe a farthing to buy a little bread with But peraduenture he supposed which thing happeneth in a great companie that they were moe And seeing that the disciples were poore and not very full of money Andrew meant to terriâ—ie Christ with the greatnesse of the summe as if he shoulde say that they had not sufficient ritches to feede the people 10 Make the men sit downe Although the dulnesse of the disciples was worthie to be reprehended in y t they were no soner lifted vp vnto hope and that it came not into their mindes to attribute so much vnto his power as was meete yet their readie obedience deserueth no small praise in that they doe now obey his commandement not knowing what hee meant to doe and what successe they shoulde haue in doing that which they doe The like readinesse was there in the people in obeying for being vncertaine of the end when they were commanded but with one word they sit downe And this is the true tryall of faith when as God commandeth men to walke as it were in darknes To the end this may come to passe let vs learne not to bee wise in our owne conceite but in things confused notwithstanding to looke for a prosperous euent wheÌ„ as we follow God as our guide who doth neuer deceiue his 11 Hauing giuen thankes Christ hath taught vs not once only by his example that we must begin with prayer so often as we touch meat For what things soeuer God hath appointed for our vse they doe inuite vs to prayse him as signes of his infinite goodnesse and fatherly loue And thanksgiuing as Paule teacheth 1. Tim. 4. 4. is a certain solemne sanctification that the vse of those thinges may begin to be pure VVhereupon it followeth that they are sacrilegious profaners of the giftes of God who deuoure the same neglecting God This admonition is so much the more to be noted because we see a great part of the worlde gorge themselues after a beastly manner VVhereas he would haue the bread which was giuen to the Disciples to encrease in theyr handes we are hereby taught that when one of vs doth seeke anothers profite the Lorde doth blesse our labours Now may wee gather the summe of the whole myracle And this is coÌ„mon to it with the rest that in it Christ did shew his diuine power ioyned with liberalitie It is also vnto vs a confirmation of that sentence wherein hee exhorteth vs first to seeke the kingdome of God and promiseth that all other things shall bee added For if hee tooke care for those who were brought vnto him only with a sodaine force and motion how should hee be wanting vnto vs if wee seeke him with a constant purpose of minde He will first as I haue saide suffer his to be hungrie yet will hee neuer suffer theÌ„ to be destitute of his ayde In the meane while he hath good causes and reasons why hee doth not helpe vs saue only in extremitie Moreouer Christ did declare that he did not only giue the spirituall life vnto the worlde but that hee was also appointed to nourish our bodies For the aboundance of all good thinges is giuen into his hande that he may powre out the same into vs like a water conduit Although I doe call him a conduit vnproperly seeing that hee is rather y e liuely fountaine flowing out of the eternall father Therefore Paule wisheth vnto vs all good thinges from him and from the father And hee teacheth that wee must giue thankes to GOD the father through him in all thinges Neither is this office proper to his eternall Diuinitie only but the father hath also made him in the flesh steward for vs that by his hande he may feede vs. Although we doe not dayly see myracles yet doth Christ no lesse liberally shewe his power in feeding vs. And truly we doe not reade that hee vsed new and strange meanes so often as he would giue his a supper VVherefore it shal be a preposterous petition if any do desire to haue meate giuen him after a straunge maner Moreouer Christ prepared no great dainties for the people but they must be contented with barly bread and dry fish who did openly see his wonderfull power in that supper And although he doth not at this day fill fiue thousande men with fiue loaues yet doth he not cease to feede the whole worlde myraculously VVe count this a paradoxe and strange thing that man doth not liue by bread only but by the woorde which proceedeth out of the mouth of God For we are so tyed to the externall meanes that there is nothing more harde then to depend vpon the prouidence of God Hence commeth such trembling when as we see that we haue not bread readie at hand But if any man doe well consider vpon all thinges hee shall be compelled to see the blessing of God in al maner of food but the myracles of nature do waxe vile amongst vs through continuance Neither are we so much letted in this point by dulnesse as by maliciousnesse For who is hee that had not rather compasse y e heauen earth about with a wandering gadding of the mynd that an hundred times then behold God offering him self vnto him 13 And they filled twelue baskets Matthew writeth that whenas there were foure thousand men satisfied with seuen loaues there remained as many baskets full as there were loaues Therefore seeing that lesse store was in like sort sufficient for a greater number of men and there remaineth almost twise as much wee doe hereby more plainely see of what great force that blessing of God is at the beholding whereof wee shut our eyes of our owne accorde VVe must also note this by the way that although Christ doth command to fill the baskets that the myracle might be made more knowen yet doth he exhort his Disciples vnto thriftinesse when he saith Gather yee lette nothing be lost For the greater liberalitie of God
For they had no true and lawfull reason to render why they did so because they sought in Christ another thing then Christe himselfe Therefore this fault is noted in them that they seeke Christe for their bellies sake and not because of the myracles And yet it cannot be denyed but that they had respect vnto the myracle Yea the Euangelist saide before that they were mooued with the myracles to followe Christ but because they did abuse the myracles vnto a straunge end he doth worthily cast in their teeth that they haue greater respect vnto their bellie then vnto the myracles as if he should say that they did not goe forward in the workes of God as they ought For this had beene true profiting so to haue acknowledged Christe to bee the Messias that they should haue giuen themselues to be taught and gouerned by him and to haue gone toward the heauenly kingdome of GOD he beeing their guide But they looke for no more at his hands but to bee well in this world Furthermore this is to spoyle Christe of his principall power For he was giuen of the father for this cause and he reuealed himselfe vnto meÌ„ for this cause that he may reforme those who were endowed with the holy ghost according to the Image of God that he may leade them into euerlasting life being clothed with his righteousnes Therfore it skilleth much what we respect in Christ his myracles For he y t doth not desire to attaine vnto the kingdome of God but sticketh fast in the commodities of this present life he seeketh no other thing but to fill his bellie Like as at this day many would gladly embrace the Gospel if beeing voide of the bitternes of the crosse it did only bring with it the delights of the flesh Yea we see many offer themselues to serue Christ that they may liue more merily and freely Some for hope of gain some for feare some for their sakes whome they will please doe professe themselues to be Christ his disciples Therefore this is the chiefest thyng in the seeking of Christ that contemning the worlde we seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof But because men are well persuaded of themselues and do assure themselues that they seek Christ very well when as they corrupt his whole power Christ after his accustomed manner doth double the word verilie as if hee would by an oathe bring to light the vice which lyeth hid vnder our hypocrisie 27 VVorke He teacheth whereunto he would haue his whâ—lie bent namely vnto eternall life but because by reason of the grâ—ssenes of nature we are alwayes addicted vnto earthly thinges therefore he doth first correct that disease which is ingendered in vs before he sheweth what we must doe This doctrine had been simple and plaine labour for the incorruptible meate but because he knew that mens senses are tyed vnto earthly cares he doth first of all commaund them to acquit themselues of these snares that they may arise vp into heauen not that he forbiddeth those that be his to labour that they may get themselues dayly foode but he telleth them that they must preferre the heaueÌ„ly life before the earthly because this is the only cause of liuing to the godly that being as strangers in the world they may make hast into the heauenly countrie Secondly wee must marke the drift of this place because they do corrupt the power of Christ who are addicted to their belly and earthly thinges hee sheweth what we ought to seeke in hym and for what cause we ought to seeke him And he vseth such metaphors as are agreeable vnto the circumstance of the communication If there had been no mention made of meate he might haue said without vsing any figure it behoueth you setting aside the care of the worlde to striue to attaine vnto the heauenly life but because they run to meate like beastes Christ frameth his speech metaphorically and calleth all that meate whatsoeuer doth appertaine vnto newnes of life VVe know that our soules are fed with the doctrine of the Gospel whilest that it worketh effectually in vs through the power of the spirite Therefore seeing that faith is the life of the soule what things soeuer do nourish further faith they are compared to meate Hee calleth this kinde of meate vncorruptible and he saith that it remaineth vnto eternall life that we may know that our soules are not fed for a day but that they are brought vp vnto the hope of blessed immortalitie because the Lord beginneth the worke of our saluation that he may finish it vntyll the day of Christ. Therefore it is meet that we receiue the giftes of the spirite that they may be to kens and pledges of eternall life For although the reprobate doe oftentimes refuse this meate hauing tasted thereof so that it doth not remaine in them yet doe the faithfull perceiue this force of the soule abiding when as they do perceiue that force of the spirite which is neuer fraile in his giftes yea which neuer falleth away Their reason is friuolous who gather out of the word worke that we doe merite euerlasting life by workes For Christ as we haue said doth figuratiuely exhort men to applie their studies vnto the meditating vpon the heauenly life whereas they are wont otherwise to bee set wholy vpon the worlde And Christ remoueth all doubt when he saith that he giueth this meate For no man doth obtain that by his own industrie which he hath of his gifte There is some shew of contrarietie these words yet these two things do easily agree together that the spirituall meat of the soule is the free gift of Christ and that it standeth vs vpon to endeuour to be made partakers of this so great a good thing For him hath God the father sealed He confirmeth the sentence next going before because he is appointed by his father to this end The old writers did falsly wrest this place vnto the diuine essence of Christ as if he were said to be sealed because he is the print and expresse image of the father For he doth not intreat in this place subtilly of his eternall essence but what is commanded and inioyned him what is his office and furthermore what we must hope for at his hands Furthermore the fit metaphor alludeth vnto the auncient custome for they sealed that with ringes which they would establish with their authoritie So Christ that he may not seem to take any thing to himselfe affirmeth that this office was laide vpon him by his father and that this decree of his father was reuealed as it were with a grauen seale The summe is seeing that it is not euerie mans office to feed y e soules with vncorruptible meat Christ commeth foorth promising himselfe to be the authour of so great a good thing he addeth moreouer that he is approued of God that he was sent vnto men with this marke of the seale Hereupon it foloweth that
Christ putteth a difference betweene his owne and his fathers will therein he applieth himselfe vnto his hearers because as mans nature is readie to distrust we are wont to feigne vnto our selues some contrary thing which may procure douting To the end Christ may cut off all occasion of such wicked surmises he affirmeth that he was reuealed vnto the worlde to the end he may establish by the very effect that which the father decreed concerning our saluation 39 And this is the wil. He doth testifie now that this is the purpose of the father that the faithfull do find sure certaine saluation in Christ. VVherupon it followeth againe that they are reprobates whosoeuer do not profite and goe forward in the doctrine of the Gospel VVherfore if we see that it turneth to the destruction of many there is no cause why we should therfore be discouraged because they doe of their own accord bring euill vpon themselues Let this be sufficient for vs that the gospell shall alwayes be able to gather the elect vnto saluation I maye not loose of that That is I will not suffer it to be taken from me or to perish VVherby he giueth vs to vnderstand that he is the keeper of our saluation not for one or a few dayes but that he is carefull for the same vntill the end that he may bring vs from the beginning vnto the ending of our course For this cause doth he make mention of the last resurrection And this promise is very necessarie for those who do miserably labour in so great infirmitie of the flesh wherof euerie one is gyltie in his owne conscience The saluation of the whole world might be subuerted euery minute vnlesse the faithfull being vpholden by the hand of Christ did hold on couragiously vntill the day of the resurrection Let vs therfore hold this fast that Christ reacheth foorth his hand that he may not forsake vs in the midst of the course but that trusting vnto his ayde we may be bold to lift vp our eyes without feare vnto the last day He doth also make mention of the resurrection for another cause because whilest that our life is hid wee are like vnto dead men for what do the faithful differ froÌ„ the wicked saue only that being ouerwhelmed with miserie and being as sheepe appointed to be slaine they haue alwayes the one foote in the graue yea sometimes they are euen at deaths dore and readie to be swallowed vp Therefore the only prop of our hope and pacience is if omitting the estate of this present life we doe lift vp our mindes and all our senses vnto that last day if wee passe through these worldly lets vntil such time as the fruit of our faith doth appeare 40 And this is the will He said that this office was enioyned him of his father to defend our saluation now he doth also define the meane Therefore this is the way to attaine vnto saluation if we obey the Gospell of Christ. This did he touch of late but he doth now better expres that which was spoken then obscurely And if so be it God will haue those to be saued through faith whom he hath chosen and hee doth by this meanes establish and put in execution his eternall decree whosoeuer being not contented with Christ doth curiously enquyre after eternall predestination he doth somuch as in him lyeth desire to be saued otherwise then the purpose and counsel of God hath appoynted The election of God is of it selfe hidden and secrete the same doeth God reueale by calling whereof he vouchsafeth to make vs partakers Therfore they are deceiued who seeke their or the saluation of other men in the labyrinth of predestination not holding the way of faith whiche is set before them yea they goe about with this preposterous speculation to ouerthrow the force and effect of predestination For if God hath chosen vs to this end that we may beleeue take away faith and election shal be vnperfect But it is wickednesse to breake off the continuall and ordinate course of the beginning and the ende in the counsel of God Furthermore as the election of God carrieth with it calling and they two are knit together with an vnsoluble knot so when God hath called vs effectually vnto the faith of Christ this ought to be of as great force with vs as if he should by setting to his seale confirme the decree concerning our saluation For the testimonie of the spirite is nothing els saue only the sealing of our adoption Therefore euery mans faith is vnto him a sufficieÌ„t witnesse of gods eternall predestination so y t it is sacrilege to enquire any higher Because he doth the holy spirit opeÌ„ iniurie whosoeuer doth refuse to subscribe vnto his testimony He opposeth see beleeue against the former sentence For hee had cast in the Iewes teeth that they did not beleeue wheÌ„ as notwithstanding they had seen now is the obedience of faith ioyned in the children of God with the feeling of the diuine vertue and power which they perceiue to be in Christe Furthermore these wordes declare that faith floweth from the knowledge of Christ not that it desireth any thing beside the plaine worde of god but because if we beleeue Christ we must perceiue what he is and what we haue by him 41 Therefore the Iewes murmured concerning him because he said I am the breâ—d that came downe from heauen 42 And they saide is not this Iesus the sonne of Ioseph whose father and mother wee know Therfore how saith he I came downe from heauen 43 Therefore Iesus answeared and saide vnto them murmurre not amongst your selues 44 No man can come vnto mee vnles the father that sent me shall draw him and I will rayse him vp in the last day 45 It is written in the Prophets and they shall be all taught of God Therefore whosoeuer hath hearde of the father and learned he commeth vnto mee 41 They murmured The Euangelist teacheth that the murmuring did arise hereupon because the Iewes being offended with the humilitie of the flesh did conceiue no diuine and heauenly thing in Christ Although he sheweth that they had a double let For they did feigne the one them selues by reason of a false opinion when they said This is the sonne of Ioseph whose father and mother we know The other did proceede froÌ„ peruers iudgement because they did not thinke that Christe was the son of God because he came downe vnto men being clothed with fleshe But we are too malicious if we doe therefore despice the Lord of glory because he did abase himselfe for our sake taking vpon him the shape of a seruant For this was rather a plentifull token of his infinite loue and wonderfull grace toward vs. Secondly the diuine maiestie of Christ did not so lye hid vnder the contemptible and base shape of flesh but that he did send foorth beames of his manifold brightnesse but these grosse dull headed men did want
eyes to see his manifest glory withall VVee doe also offend dayly both wayes First of all this is vnto vs a great let that we doe only beholde Christ with fleshly eyes whereby it commeth to passe that we doe see in him no worthie thing For wee doe peruert whatsoeuer is in him and his doctrine with our corrupte sense such sinister interpreters are we Againe being not contented therewith wee catch hold of many false thinges which may breed the contempt of the Gospel Moreouer many men doe forge to themselues monsters vnder colour whereof they may hate the Gospell Therfore the worlde doeth of set purpose beat back the grace of God The Euangelist expresseth the Iewes by name that we may know that the murmuring did proceede from them who did boast of the title of faith and the Church that al of vs may learne reuerently to receiue Christ when he commeth humblie vnto vs and the nigher he is vnto vs so much the more willingly to come vnto him that he may extoll vs vnto his heauenly glory 43 Murmur not amongest your selues He layeth to their charge the faulte of murmuring as if he should say my doctrine containeth no matter of offence but because you are reprobates it moueth your poysoned minds and therefore is it vnsauerie because you haue an vnsauerie palate and taste 44 No man can c. He doth not only accuse their wickednesse but doth also tell them that this is the peculiar gift of God to embrace the doctrine which hee setteth before them which he doth for this cause least their vnbelief do trouble the weake For many mē are holden with this foolishnesse that they do depend vpon the respect of men in matters appertaining vnto God whereby it commeth to passe that they suspect the gospel so sone as they see that the world doth not receiue it Againe the vnbeleeuers flattering themselues in their frowardnes dare condemne the gospel because it doth not please them Therfore christ affirmeth on the contrary y t althogh y e doctrine of the gospel be preached vnto al men generally yet cānot all men receiue it but that they haue need of a new mind a new vnderstāding and that therfore faith is not in mans will but that it is God who giueth it Because to come vnto Christ is put metaphorically in this place for to beleeue the Euangelist to the end he may frame the metaphor in the contrary member sayth that they are drawen whose mindes God doth illuminate and whose heartes he bendeth and frameth vnto the obedience of Christ. This is the summe that it is no maruell if many do loath the gospel because no man shall euer bee able to come vnto Christ willingly saue he whom God shal preuent with his spirite And thereupon it followeth that all men are not drawen but that God doth graunt this grace vnto those whom he hath chosen As touching the manner of drawing the same is not violent whiche may compel a man with an externall motion yet notwithstanding it is an effectuall motion of the holy spirit which maketh men that were vnwilling to be willing VVherfore that is false and prophane that none are drawen saue those who are willing as if man did shew himselfe obedient vnto God of his owne motion For in that men do follow God willingly they haue that now of him who hath framed their heartes to obey him 45 It is written in the prophetes Christ confirmeth that whiche he saide with the testimonie of Iesaias that no man commeth vnto him saue he whom the father draweth He calleth them the Prophetes in the plural number because al the Prophesies were gathered into one body so that all the bookes of the prophets might worthily be counted one booke Furthermore the place which is cited is extant in Iesaias chap. 54. 13. and Ier. 31. 34 VVhere speaking of the restoring of the Church he promiseth vnto her sonnes taught of God VVhence we may easily gather that the Church can by no other meanes be restored vnlesse God taking vpon him to play the scholemaster do bring the faithfull vnto himselfe The maner of teaching whereof the Prophet speaketh is not placed only in the external voyce but also in the secret working of the holy ghost To bee briefe this teaching of God is the inward illumination of the heart In that hee saith all it ought to bee restrained vnto the elect who are only the true children of the Church Now it is no hard matter to see how Christ applyeth this prophesie vnto the cause which he hath in hand Isaias teacheth that the Church is then edified indeed whē it hath childrē who are taught of God Therefore Christ inferreth fitly that men haue not eyes to see the light of life vntil God doth open thē Also he standeth vpon the vniuersall word because he reasoneth thence that all those who are taught of God are drawen effectually that they may come And hereunto appertaineth that which foloweth by and by VVhosoeuer therfore hath hearde The summe is that the reprobate are euen giuen ouer vnto destruction whosoeuer doe not beleeue because God doth make all the children of the Churche and the heyres of life his obedient schollers VVhereupon it followeth that none of the elect of God are strangers from the faith of Christ. Therefore as Christ did before denie that men are apt to beleeue vnlesse they be drawen so he doth nowe pronounce that it is the effectuall grace of the spirite wherby they are drawen that they may necessarily beleeue By these two members is quite ouerthrowen all the libertie of free will whereon the Papistes doe dreame For if wee begin to come vnto Christe then when the father hath drawen vs the beginning of faith is not in vs neyther any preparation againe if all doe come whome the father hath taught he doth not only giue them the earnest of faith only but faith it selfe Therefore in that we doe willingly obey the direction of the spirite this is a parte of grace as it were the sealing because God should not draw vs if reaching out his hand only he left vs to our own choise And he is properly said to draw vs when he extendeth the power of his spirite euen vnto the full effect of faith They are said to heare of God who do submit themselues vnto God when he speaketh vnto them inwardly that with all their heart because the spirite reigneth in their hearts Commeth vnto mee Hee sheweth the vndiuisible coniunction which he hath with the father For the meaning of the wordes is that it cannot be but that they shal addict themselues vnto Christ whosoeuer are the disciples of God and that they are vnapt to bee taught of God who do reiect Christ because this is the only wisedome which the elect do learn in Gods schoole to come vnto Christ. For doubtlesse the father who sent him cannot denie himselfe 46 Not that any man hath seene the father saue he who
vs learne so to behold Christ being humble in y e flesh that this humilitie which is despised amongest the wicked may extoll vs vnto his heauenly glory So that Bethlehem where he should haue beene borne as he was man shall be vnto vs a gate through which we may goe in vnto the eternall God 28 Therefore Iesus cryed Hee inueigheth with bitter wordes against theyr rashnes because that pleasing themselues proudly in a false opinion they did exclude themselues from the knowledge of the truth As if he shoulde say whilest that you know all thinges you know nothyng And truly there is no worse plague then when as the confidence of that little knowledge which men haue doth make them so drunken that they doe carelesly reiect whatsoeuer is contrarie to their meaning Hee speaketh tauntingly when he saith Yee know mee and yee know from whence I am I came not of my selfe He setteth that which is true against the opinion which they had falsely conceiued as if he should say whilest that you haue your eyes fastened vpon the earth you doe also thinke that I am wholy subiect to these thinges and therefore you contemne me as a base start vp but God will testifie that I came from heauen Therfore howsoeuer you doe reiect mee God will indeede acknowledge that I am his He calleth God true in the same sense wherein Paule calleth him faithful If so be it saith he we be vnsaithful he continueth faithfull he cannot denie himselfe For his drift is this that there is no whit of the credite of the Gospell diminished howsoeuer the worlde doe goe about to supplant it that how much soeuer the wicked do pull from Christ yet doth he remaine perfect because the truth of God remaineth alwayes sound and like to himselfe Christ seeth that he is despised hee is so farre from yeelding that he doth rather couragiously tryumph against their mad arrogancie who set nothing by him It becommeth al the faithfull to be endewed with this inuincible and heroicall stoutnes Yea our faith shall neuer be firme stable vnlesse it set light by the frowardnes of the wicked when as they arise against Christe And 〈◊〉 doth especially become godly teachers trusting to this ayd to goe foreward in defending sound doctrine although the whole world say naâ— So Ieremie calleth God his promiser and reuenger because he is condemned as a deceiuer Thou hast deceiued mee O Lord saith he and I 〈◊〉 deceiued So Isaias being on euery side ouerwhelmed with slaunders reproches he flieth vnto this sanctuarie that â—e shall haue God the approuer of his cause So Paule being oppressed with vniust iudgements prouoketh them all vnto the day of the Lorde counting it sufficient to set God alone against the raging world VVhom yee know not His meaning is that it is no maruell if the Iewes know not him who know not God for this is the beginning of true wisdome to haue respect vnto God VVhen he doth attribute vnto him selfe the knowledge of God he giueth vs to vnderstand that hee is not extolled rashly vnto so great confidence And he teacheth vs by his example that we must not lightly thrust in the name of god that we may boast of our patron and the reuenger of our cause For there are many too bold in boasting of the authoritie of GOD yea there is nothing more readie and bold to reiect the iudgements of all men then frantike persons who make boast of their inuentions insteed of the oracles of God But we are taught by these wordes of Christ that we must take good heed of vaine and friuolous confidence and that then we must ualiantly resist men when as we know the truth of God throughly And he that is certainely persuaded that God is on his side there is no cause why he should feare the crime of insolencie in treading vnderfoote all the loftinesse of the world 29 Because I am of him Some there be that doe so distinguishe these two members that they referre the former vnto the diuine essence of Christe the other vnto the office inioyned him of his father which that be might take vpon him he clothed himselfe with mans flesh nature which although I dare not reiect yet I cannot tell whether Christe woulde speake so subtillie or no. I confesse indeede that the heauenly beginning and arising of Christ may bee gathered thence but yet this is no sufficient proofe of his eternall diuinitie againste the Arrians 30 Therefore they sought to catch him There wanted no will in them to hurt him nay no endeuour and they had strength sufficient VVhy then do they linger in so great heate as though their handes and theyr feete had been bound The Euangelist answereth Because his houre was not yet come VVherby he telleth vs that Christ was couered with his fathers ayde against their strength and furious force And he doth also preuent the offence of the crosse because there is no cause why wee should be troubled when as we heare that Christ was carryed away vnto death not at mans pleasure but because he was aypointed of the father to be such a sacrifice Hence may we gather a generall doctrine For howesoeuer we liue vntill a day yet the houre of euerie mans death is appointed of God It is an hard matter to beleeue that being subiect to so many casualties being laid open vnto so many iniuries layings in wayte of men and wilde beastes being inuironed with so manie diseases yet we are out of all daunger vnlesse it be when the Lorde will call vs away But we must striue with distrust and first of all wee must hold such doctrine as we heare in this place Secondly the ende thereof and the exhortation which is gathered thence that all cares being cast vpon God euery man doe serue in his vocation and that he bee not called away with any feare from his office Yet may no man passe his bounds For we must not go any farther trusting vpon the prouidence of God then God commaundeth 31 And manie of the companie beleeued on him and saide when Christ shall come shall he doe more myracles thâ—n this man doth 32 The Pharisees heard the companie murmuring thâ—se thinges about him and the Pharisees and Priestes sent ministers to take him 33 Therefore Iesus said vnto them yet a litle while am I with you and I go vnto him that sent me 34 Yee shall seeke mee and shall not finde mee and where I am you cannot come 35 Therefore the Iewes said amongest themselues whyther will he goe that we shall not finde him will he goe into the dispersion of the Greekes and teach the Greekes 36 VVhat speech is this that he hath said yee shall seeke me and shall not find mee and whither I goe yee cannot come 31 And many of the companie It might seeme that Christ preached vnto those which were deafe and altogether obstinate yet the Euangelist saith that there followed some fruite
am from aboue you are of the worlde I am not of this world 24 Therefore said I vnto you that you shall die in your sinnes for vnlesse you shal beleeue that I am you shall die in your sinnes 21 I goe After that he seeth that he can do no good amōgst the obstinate he denounceth vnto them destruction And this is the end of all those that doe refuse the Gospel For it is not rashly throwen into the ayre but it must needes breath out the sauour of life or death The summe of the words is that the wicked shall once perceiue that to their great dammage they haue reiected Christ offering himselfe vnto them willingly but to late when as there shall be no more place left for repentance And to the end he may the more terrifie them with the nighnesse of the punishment he saith first that he wil be gone shortly which signifieth that the Gospel is preached vnto them only for a short time and if so be it they passe ouer this opportunitie there shall not alwayes be an acceptable time and dayes appointed for saluation So likewise when as Christ knocketh at our gate at this day we must straightway goe to meete him least being wearie of our slouthfulnesse he withdrawe himselfe from vs. And truly it hath been knowen by many experiments of all times how greatly we ought to bee afraide of this departure of Christe But we must now first of all note how these sought Christ of whom the Euangelist speaketh For if their conuersation had been true then they had not sought him in vain because he did not falsly promise that he woulde be present so often as a sinner should grone Therefore Christ meaneth not that they would seeke him with true faith but as men being brought into great distresse doe seeke deliueraunce euery where For the vnbeleeuers would couet to haue God to bee mercifull vnto them but in the meane season they cease not to flie from him God calleth them the comming consisteth in faith and repentance But they set the hardnesse of their heart against God and being discouraged with despayre they fret and fume against God To be briefe they are so farre from desiring to come truly vnto God that they leaue no place for his ayde vnlesse he denie himself which he will neuer doe In like sort how wicked soeuer y e Scribes were they wold willingly haue applied vnto thēselues the redēption which was promised by the hand of the Messias so Christe would haue transfigured himselfe vnto their nature Therefore Christ threatneth in these wordes and denounceth vnto all the vnbeleeuers that they shal be brought into such straits after that they haue despised the doctrine of the Gospel that they shal be enforced to crie vnto God but yet this their owling shall be in vaine because as we haue said in seeking they doe not seek And that is expressed plainly enough in the next clause when he saith You shall die in your sinne For he teacheth that this is the cause of their destruction because they shal be disobedient and rebellious against God euen to the end And we shal see by and by what manner of sinne this is 22 VVill hee flea himselfe The Scribes goe on forward not onely in carelesse contempt but also in frowardnes For they mocke him because he said that they cannot follow him thyther whyther he was about to go as if they should say if he kill himselfe we confesse wee cannot beare him companie because we will not doe so For they did both make no account of Christ his absence and they thought that they were his superiours in all thinges Therfore they bid him be packing whither hee will This is horrible dulnesse but Satan doeth so bewitch the wicked that through their more then drunken slouthfulnesse they throw themselues into the middest of the fire of Gods wrath Doe we not see the same fury in many at this day who hauing their consciences made amazed doe make a mock of al that which they heare of the feareful iudgements of God Although it is certaine that this laughter is but from the teeth forward because they are digged within with blind prickings but by and by they burst out into furious nickerings like mad men 23 You are from beneath Because they were vnworthie to be taught his meaning was onely to strike them with short chidinges as in this place he affirmeth that they doe not receiue his doctrine because they doe altogether loath the kingdom of God Furthermore he comprehendeth vnder these wordes worlde and beneath what thing soeuer men haue of nature and so he maketh his Gospell and the sharpnes and quicknesse of mans minde to disagre Because the Gospel is heauenly wisedome and our minde resteth vpon the earth Therfore no man shall be a meete disciple for Christ saue only he whom he shall fashion with his spirite And this is the cause that faith is so rare in the worlde because all mankinde is naturally estraunged and turned away from Christe saue only those whome he lifteth vp with the peculier grace of his spirite 24 You shall die in your sinnes He putteth in the plurall number nowe whereas he vsed the singuler before in the same sense saue only because he meant to note in the former place that vnbeliefe in the cause fountaine of all euilles not because only vnbeliefe is sinne or because it alone doth make vs giltie of eternall death before God as some do say too hyperbollically but because it doth estrange vs frō Christ depriueth vs of his grace from whence we should haue set deliueraunce from all our sinnes Therefore because the Iewes doe of obstinate malice refuse medicine this is vnto them a deadly euill and hereby it commeth to passe that being made the bondslaues of Satan they cease not to heape sinne vpon sinne and to make themselues gilty againe againe Therefore he addeth by and by Vnlesse you beleeue that I am For doubtlesse the lost haue no other meanes whereby they can recouer saluation saue only by flying vnto Christ. And in these wordes that I am is contained a great force because all these thinges are to be vnderstood whatsoeuer the scripture doth attribute vnto the Messias and commaundeth vs to hope for at his handes Notwithstanding the summe is the restoring of the Church the beginning whereof is the light of faith whence spring righteousnes and newnesse of life Certaine of the old writers did falsly applie this vnto the diuine essence of Christ whereas he intreateth of his office towarde vs. This sentence is worth the marking for men doe neuer sufficiently consider the euils wherein they are drowned againe although they be enforced to acknowledge theyr destruction yet neglecting Christ they looke about them vnto vaine remedies VVherfore we must holde this that vntill such time as the deliueryng grace of Christe doe shewe it selfe there raigneth an innumerable sinke of all euils 25 Therefore they said vnto
thēselues the grace of Christ whosoeuer being puffed vp with a vaine confidence doe flatter themselues in their own estate This pride goeth through the whole worlde almost so that there is scarce one amongest an hundred that doth perceiue that he hath need of the grace of God 34 He that doth sin c. An argument drawen from contraries They made their boast that they were free he proueth that they are the seruants of sinne because being subiect to the desires of the flesh they sinne continually And it is a maruell y t mē are not conuinced with their own experience that hauing laid away pride they may learne to humble them selues This thing is at this day too common that the more a mans vices are so much the more fiercely doth he with loftie words extol free wil. And Christ as it seemeth affirmeth no other thing in this place saue that which in times past was tossed amongst the philosophers that those who are addicted vnto their lustes are in the worst bondage But there is a deeper and more hidden sense For he doth not only dispute what euill men doe bring vppon themselues but what maner estate the estate of mans nature is The philosophers thought that euerie man is made a bondslaue at his own pleasure doth returne vnto libertie againe But Christ proueth aduoucheth in this place that al those are subiect to bōdage whō he doth not set free so consequently that they are seruantes by beginning who draw the infection of sin frō corrupt nature we must note the comparison of grace nature whereupon Christ standeth in this place whereby it shall easily appeare that men are spoyled of libertie vnlesse they recouer the same by some other meanes This bondage is so voluntarie that those which offend necessarily are not compelled to sin 35 And the seruant c. He addeth a similitude takē from the lawes the politik law as a seruant although he rule for a time yet is he not the heire of the house whereupon he concludeth that there is no perfect continuall libertie saue that which is obtained through the sonne By this meanes he doth accuse the Iewes of vanitie because they make boast of the shadow insteed of the thing For in that they were the carnal progenie of Abrahā they were nothing els but a shadow they had a place in y e church of God but such an one as Ismael did vsurp vnto himselfe for a short space the seruant triumphing against the free brother The sum is whosoeuer do boast that they are the childrē of Abrahā they haue nothing but a false vanishing show 36 Therfore if the son shal make you free In these words he giueth vs to vnderstād y t the right of liberty appertaineth vnto him alone that al other forasmuch as they are born seruants are set free only through his grace For he doth impart that vnto vs by adoptiō which is proper to himself by nature whilest that we are engrafted into his bodie by faith are made his mēbers So that we must remēber that which I said before that he setteth vs free by the gospel Therefore our liberty is the benefit of Christ but we obtain the same by faith whiche doth also cause Christ to regenerate vs by his spirit VVhēas he saith that they are free indeed there is great force in y ◠aduerb indeed for we must vnderstād the contrary which is the false perswasiō wherwith the Iewes did swell like as euen now a great part of the world imagineth to themselues a kingdom in most miserable subiectiō 37 I know that you are the seed of Abraham I take this to be spoken by a kind of concession Notwithstāding in y e mean season he derideth their foolishnes because they boast of a friuolous title as if he should say admit I graunt you that wherein you do so much flatter your selues Yet what doth it profit those to bee called y e seed of Abrahā who rage against god his ministers who being moued with an vngodly wicked hatred of the truth are carried headlong to shed innocēt blood wherupō it foloweth that they are nothing lesse thē that which they wil be called because they are in no point like vnto Abrahā You seeke to kyll me VVhen he saith y t they seek to put him to death because his word hath no place in thē his meaning is that they are not simply māslears but that they are enforced vnto suche madnes with the hatred of god his truth which is far more cruel For the iniurie doth not thē keep it self within the cōpasse of mē but it doth also dishonour God Hee saith that they cānot receiue his word because their minds are ful fraught with malice so that they cā admit no sound thing 38 That which I haue seen with my father He had oftentimes alreadie made mētiō of his father Now he gathereth by an argument drawen frō contraries that they are both the enemies of God children of the Diuell that resist his doctrine I do only saith he speake that which I haue heard of my father therfore how commeth it to passe that the word of GOD doth so nettle you saue only bicause you haue the father set against you He saith that he speaketh and they doe because he did take vppon him the office of a teacher they did furiously endeuour to extinguish his doctrine Neuerthelesse he setteth his Gospel fre from contempt because it is no maruell if the children of the Diuell doe resist it Some doe translate it doe yee as if Christ did say goe too shew your selues to be the children of the Diuell in resisting me For I do only speake according to the prescript of God 39 They aunswered and saide vnto him Abraham is our father Iesus saieth vnto them If you were the children of Abraham yee woulde doe the workes of Abraham 40 And now yee seeke to kill me a man that haue spoken the truth vnto you which I haue heard of God Abraham did not this 41 You doe the workes of your father Therfore they said vnto him we are not begotten of fornication we haue one father which is God 42 Iesus said vnto them If GOD were your father you woulde loue mee for I came out from God and came neither came I of my selfe but hee sent me 39 Our father Abraham This chiding doeth plainely declare howe proudly and cruelly they despised all Christ his chidinges They challendge this to themselues continually that they are the children of Abraham and not only in that sense because they had Abraham his progenie for their progenitours but because they are an holy kinred gods inheritance the childrē of god Notwithstāding they leane only vnto the confidence of the flesh But the fleshly stocke is nothing els but a meere visure without faith Now we vnderstande what did so blinde them that they tossed Christ to and fro being euen armed with a
that they are the children of the diuell For his meaning was to cut of that wherof they made their boast continually that they were perswaded by reason and iudgement to resist 44 You are of your father the Diuell He doth now more fully expresse that which he spake twise obscurely And we must vnderstand the oppositioÌ„ that they could not be so enuious against the son of god vnles they had the continuall aduersarie of God to be their father Furthermore he calleth them the children of the Diuell not only because they doe imitate him but because they are enforced by him to gainstand Christ. For like as we are called the children of God not only because wee are like him but because he gouerneth vs with his spirite because Christe doth liue in vs that he may make vs like vnto the image of his father so againe the Diuel is called their father whose mindes he blindeth whose heartes he pricketh forward vnto all vnrighteousnesse and finally in whome hee exerciseth his tyranny by working mightily But the Maniches did in vaine and foolishly abuse this place to proue their doting For like as when the scripture calleth vs the children of God it doth not referre this vnto the propagation or beginning of the substance but vnto the grace of the spirite which doth regenerate vs vnto newnes of life so this saying of Christ doth nothing appertain vnto the propagation of the substance but vnto the corruption of nature the cause and beginning whereof is the fall of man In that therefore men are borne the children of the Diuell it is not to be imputed vnto the creation but vnto the vice of sinne And this doth Christ proue by the effect because they are bent readily and willingly to follow the Diuell Hee was a manslear He expresseth what these lustes be and he reckoneth vp two kindes crueltie and lying wherein the Iewes were too like Satan In that he saith he was a manslear he meaneth that he imagined mans destruction For so soone as man was created Satan being pricked forward with a wicked desire to hurt did bende all his force to destroy him And Christ doth not meane the beginning of the creation as if God had giuen him a desire to hurt but he vnderstandeth the corruption of nature in Satan which he got to himselfe which appeareth better out of the second member wher he saith that he stood not in the truth For althogh they would escape who feigne that the Diuell was euill by nature notwithstanding these words doe plainely expres a changing vnto worse that therfore SataÌ„ is a lyar because he fell away froÌ„ the truth Therfore in that he is a lyar it is not therefore because he dissented from the truth by nature but because he fell away from the same by a voluntarie fall This description of Satan is verye profitable for vs that euery man may take heede of his subtiltie and also studie to resist his violence and force For he goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuour and he is furnished with a thousand craftes and â—leightes to deceiue wherefore the faithfull ought so muche the more to be furnished with spirituall weapons to fight and to be giuen to watchfull sobrietie that they may watch Now if Satan cannot put off this affection there is no cause why we should be troubled with this as with some new and vnwonted thing when as errours arise for Satan pricketh forward his children as fannes to make mad the world with their errours And it is no maruell if Satan doe so earnestly endeuour to euer runne the truth for it is the only life of the soule Therefore lying hath a most deadly dart to slea the soule Seeing that all men which haue eyes doe see this image of Satan in Papistrie at this day they must first of all consider with what enemie they make warâ—e and secondly â—â—ie vnto the ayd of Christ their captain vnder whose banner they fight That which followeth next because the truth is not in him is a confirmatioÌ„ of the effect or taken as they say from the latter For because Satan hateth the truth neyther can abyde the same but is rather altogether ful of lyes Christe gathereth hence that hee is altogether fallen from the truth and that he is an enemie to the same Therfore let vs not maruel if hee shew some fruite of his Apostacie VVhen hee speaketh a lie They expounde this commonly thus as if Christe dyd denie that lying did belong vnto GOD the authour of nature and dyd rather say that it came from deprauation But I interprete it more simplie that it is the Diuell his common custome to lye and that hee canne doe nothing els but woorke fraude deceite and guile And yet may we fitly gather out of these words that the Diuell hath this vice of himselfe and that it is so proper vnto him that it is also accidentall For whenas Christe maketh the Diuel the craftes man of lying he doth manifestly separate him from God yea hee affirmeth that he is contrarie vnto him To the same ende tendeth the worde father which is added immediately for Satan is called the father of lying for this cause because he is estraunged from God in whome alone the truth abydeth and from whom as from the onely fountaine it floweth 45 And because He confirmeth the former sentence because seeing that they haue no cause to resist saue onely because they hate the truth they doe openly bewray them selues to bee the children of Satan 46 VVhich of you accuseth mee of sinne And if I speake the truth why doe ye not beleeue me 47 He that is of God heareth the words of God yee heare not because yee are not of God 48 Therfore the Iewes answered and said vnto him doe not we say well that thou art a Samaritane and hast a Diuell 49 Iesus answered I haue not a Diuell but I honour my father and yee haue dishonoured mee 50 And I seeke not my glory there is one that seeketh and iudgeth 46 VVhich of you This interrogation proceedeth from boldnes For seeing that he was giltie of no crime hee triumpheth ouer his aduersaries as a conquerour And yet notwithstanding he doth not say that he is free from their slaunders for whenas they had no matter to speake against him yet did they not cease to raile vpon Christ but he vnderstandeth y t there was no fault in him And thus much doth the word elegehein signifie as the latines doe call it rebuking when as any man is founde giltie indeed And yet notwithstanding they are deceiued who thinke that Christe doeth in this place defende his perfect innocencie wherein he alone did excell amongest men insomuch as he was the son of God For this defence must be restrained vnto the circumstance of the place as if he did deny that any thing can bee obiected vnto him for which he is not the faithfull minister of God Like
of rash zeale is For they haue no eares to know the matter but they haue handes readie to commit slaughter But I doe not doubt but that Christ deliuered himselfe by his secrete power but yet vnder the showe of humilitie For he would not plainely shew foorth his diuinitie but woulde leaue somewhat for humane infirmitie VVhereas some bookes haue that he passed so through the midst of them Erasmus coniectureth not vnaduisedly that this was taken out of the 4. Chapter of Luke And this also is worth the noting that the wicked Priestes and Scribes hauing driuen away Christ in whom dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead doe keepe possession of the externall temple But they are sore deceiued when as they thinke that they haue a temple which is voide of God So at this day the Pope and his adherents seeing that hauing driuen away Christ they haue polluted the church they boast foolishly of the false visure of the Church Chap. 9 1 ANd as Iesus passed by he saw a man that was blinde from his birth 2 And his Disciples asked him saying Master who sinned this man or his parents that he was borne blinde 3 Iesus answered neither did this man sin nor his parents but that the workes of god may be made manifest in him 4 I must worke the workes of him that sent me while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke 5 As long as I shall be in the worlde I am the light of the worlde 1 Hee saw a man that was blinde In this Chapter the Euangelist describeth the giuing of sight to a blinde man mixing therewithall a doctrine which setteth foorth the fruite of the myracle From his birth This circumstance amplifieth the power of Christe For the blindnes could not be cured with mans remedies which he had suffered tyll hee came to mans state hauing brought the same from his mothers wombe And hereupoÌ„ was offered vnto his Disciples an occasion to mooue a questioÌ„ whose sinne was punished with this blindnesse First of all seeing the scripture doth testifie that all afflictions whereunto mankinde is subiect doe proceede from sinne so often as we see any man in miserie it cannot be but that this cogitation must needes come into our minde that the discommodities wherewith he is oppressed are punishments laid vpon him by the hand of God But here we are wont to erre three maner of wayes for seeing that euerie man is a most sharpe iudge against other men there are but a few that can vse the like seueritie as it is meet against themselues If my brother be in aduersitie I doe by and by acknowledge Gods iudgement if God doe more sharplye chasten mee I winke at mine owne sins But euery man ought to begin with himselfe in weighing punishments that hee may spare none lesse then himselfe VVherfore if we wil be equal iudges in this case let vs learn to be quick eyed rather in our owne euils then in other mens The second errour is in immoderate rigour because so soone as any man is touched with the hand of God we expound this to bee deadly hatred makyng haynous offences of small faultes and are almost out of hope of his saluation but on the contrarie wee are scarce giltie in our owne sight of a small faulte when as we haue commited a most greeuous crime Thirdly we offend in that we think generally that all those are condemned on whoÌ„ God doth lay his crosse for their tryal That which we haue said of late is certaine and sure that all miseries doe proceede from sinne but god doth punish those that be his for diuers causes For as he doth not punish the sinnes of some in this world due deferreth the punishments vntill the life to come that they may be the sharper so he handleth the faithful somtimes more hardly not because they haue offeÌ„ded more greeuously but that he may hereafter mortifie the vices of the flesh Yea sometimes not respecting their sinnes he doth proue their obedience or els teach them patience As wee see that holy Iob was oppressed with miserie aboue all other men and yet was hee not vrged with his sinnes but God had respect vnto another thing namely that his godlines may be the better declared euen in aduersitie Therfore they are peruers interpreters which do assigne all aduersities indifferently vnto sinnes as if the manner of punishments were equall or God did not respect another thing in punishing of men then euery mans desarts VVherefore we must note two things in this place y t iudgement doth begin for the most part at the house of God 1. Pet. 4. 17. and that therfore he doth sharply punish his owne children wheÌ„ they haue oftended passing ouer the wicked and that his whips are much more sharpe in correcting the faultes of the Church Secondly that ther be diuers ends why he doth afflict men For he did no lesse make Peter and Paule subiect to the hangman then the most cruell murtherers VVhence we gather that in the punishmentes of men there are not alwayes causes extant which can bee pointed out with the finger And whereas the disciples according to the common sense doe demaund what manner of sinne that was which god did punish in the blinde man so soone as he was borne they doe that not so much out of season as when they aske whether hee sinned before he was borne or no. Although this so absurd a question was taken from that common surmise and friuolous opinion which was then common amongest all men For it appeareth euen out of other places of the scripture that they beleued that same flitting of the soule out of one body into another wherof Pythagoras did dreame Here may we see what a deepe Labyrinth mans curiositie is especially when boldnes is adioyned thereunto They saw some that were borne lame some spurre blinde some stark blinde som hauing a monstrous body VVheras it became them to reuerence the hidden iudgements of God they would haue an euident cause in his workes they did so fall away vnto those childishe toyes throuâ—â—â— their rashnes that they thought that the soule wheÌ„ one life was past did â—lit into a new body did ther suffer the punishments which were due vnto the life before spent Neither are the Iewes ashamed at this day to tosse such a filthie doting in their synagogues as if it were an heauenly oracle By which example we are taught to take good heed least that if we enquire after the iudgements of God beyond the meane of sobrietie the wandering errour of the minde doe carry vs away and throwe vs headlong into most horrible dungeons This was most monstrous that the elect people of God in whom the light of wisdome was kindled by the lawe and the Prophetes should yeelde vnto such a grosse and forged tale And if so be it God did so sharply punish their boldnes there can be nothing better then this modestie in considering the workes
of God that our minds may breake foorth into an admiration so often as we know not the reason thereof and our tongues may cry out Iust art thou O Lord and righteous are thy iudgements although they cannot be comprehended That which the disciples aske concerning the sinnes of the parents is not vnnecessarie For although the innocent sonne be not punished for the fathers faulte but the soule which hath sinned it shall dye Ezech. 18. 20. yet is not that threatning in vaine that the Lord doth cast the offences of the fathers into the bosomes of the children and taketh vengeaunce euen vppon the thirde and fourth generation Exod. 20. 5. Therefore the wrath of God remaineth oftentimes through many ages euen vpon one house and like as he blesseth the posteritie of the faithfull for their sake so he doth also cast off the wicked stocke appointing according to his iust iudgement the fathers together with the children vnto like destruction Neither can any man by this meanes complaine that hee is punished vndeseruedly for another mans offence because where the grace of the spirite is wanting euill crowes must needes bring foorth euill egges This was the occasion that moued the Apostes to doubt whether the Lord had punished any fault of the parents in their sonne or no. 3 Neither hath this man sinned Christe doth not simplie acquit the blinde man and his parents of all fault but doth only denie that the cause of the blindnes is to be sought in sinne And this is that whiche I said before that God hath sometimes some other purpose when he layeth sorrowes and miseries vpon men then to punish their sinnes Therfore when as we know not the causes of afflictions wee must restraine curiositie least we be both iniurious vnto God and malicious towarde our brethren ◠Therfore Christe sheweth another reason why this man was borne blinde that in him the workes of God might be declared He saith not one worke but in the plurall number workes for so long as he was blinde there was shewed in him a token of Gods seueritie whereby the rest might learne to feare and humble themselues There followed afterward the benefite of deliuerance wherein appeared the wonderfull goodnesse of God wherefore Christ his drift was by these wordes to stirre vppe the mindes of his disciples to hope for the myracle Yet neuerthelesse he teacheth generally that this cause ought to be counted in the Theater of the worlde iust and lawfull enough when God doth glorifie his name And there is no cause why men should chide with God when hee maketh them instruments of his glory on both sides whether hee appeare merciful or seuere 4 I must worke He doth now testifie that hee was sent to this ende that he may declare the glory of God in restoring sight to the blinde Furthermore he borroweth a similitude from the common custome of life For when the Sunne is rysen man riseth vnto labour but the night is appointed to rest in as it is in the Psalme 104. 22. Therefore hee calleth the time that was appointed him of his father wherein he was to do the work giuen him in charge the day So that euery one that is called vnto any publike function must apply him selfe to doe that whiche his office doth require as vnto workes which are to be done in the day time Furthermore we must gather thence a generall rule that the life of euery man is vnto him as a day VVherefore as the shortnesse of the day doth prick forward workemen vnto diligence and industrie least the darknes of the night do ouertake thē when they are but new begun to worke so seeing that we see that there is but a short time of life graunted vs let vs be ashamed to waxe sluggish in idlenesse finally so soone as God by calling doth giue vs light wee must not linger least the opportunity do escape vs. 5 So long as I shal be in the world I expound this to haue beene added by a preuention for it might haue been thought to be an absurd thing that Christe shoulde appoint vnto himselfe a time to worke in as if it were to be feared least the night shoulde oppresse him as it did other men Therefore hee doth so separate him selfe from other men that yet notwithstanding he saith that he hath an appointed time wherein he must worke For he compareth himselfe vnto the Sunne whiche although it lighten the earth with the brightnesse thereof yet when it setteth it taketh away the day with it Therefore he giueth vs to vnderstande that his death shall bee as the setting of the Sunne not because it shall extinguish or darken his light but because it shall take him out of the sight of the world Neuerthelesse he teacheth that when hee was brought foorth in the fleshe hee was then the true bright shining day of the world For although God had lightened all ages yet Christ brought foorth by his comming a new and vnwonted brightnesse VVhereupon he bringeth in that this time was most apt and fit to set foorth his fathers glory as a most cleere day wherein God woulde more euidently reueale himselfe in marueilous workes But here ariseth a question because there appeared greater power of God after the death of Christ both in the fruite of doctrine and also in the myracles and Paule 2. Cor. 4 6. doth apply this properly vnto the time of his preaching that God who from the beginning of the world commaunded light to shine out of the darknesse did then shine by the Gospel in the face of Christe And Christe doeth at this time no lesse spread abroade his bright beames in the worlde then when he was openly conuersaunt amongest men I answeare that after that Christ had fulfilled the course of his function he wrought no lesse mightily by his ministers thē by himselfe when he was in the world In deede that is true but first of all that is no let but that he ought to haue done that himself which was enioyned him by his father at such time as he was reuealed in the flesh to that ende And secondly it hindereth no whit but that his corporall presence was the true and singular day of the world the brightnes wherof was spread abrode throughout all ages For whence had the holy fathers in times past and whence haue we at this day light day saue only because the giuing and reuealing of Christ hath alwaies sent out farre and wyde his bright beames to make a continuall day VVhereupon it followeth that whosoeuer haue not Christ to be their directer they wander groping in darkenesse confusedly and without order like blinde men Neuerthelesse we must note this sense that like as the Sunne doth open vnto the eyes of men the most beautifull stage of the heauen and earth and all the order of nature so God hath reuealed in his sonne the principall glory of his workes 6 VVhen he had said this he spit vpon the earth and
and to addict himselfe wholy vnto him Although he vseth a more honorable name then they were wont to vse as then for the Messias was only accounted the sonne of Dauid at that time 36 VVho is he that I may beleeue By this answere of the blinde man it appeareth that although he knewe as yet no certaine or manifest thing concerning Christ yet was he redy easie to be taught For these words import as much as if he did say I am readie to imbrace him so soone as he shal be reuealed vnto me And we must note that the blinde man is desirous to be taught of Christ who was a Prophete for hee was alreadie perswaded that Christ was sent from god VVherfore he doth not rashly submit his faith vnto his doctrine 37 And thou hast seene him The blinde man coulde be set no farther forwarde by these woordes of Christe saue only vnto a bare colde and hungrie porcion or parcell of faith for Christe maketh no mention either of his power or why he was sent of his father or what he broughte vnto men But this is the principal thing in faith to know that by the sacrifice of his death sinnes are purged and that wee are reconciled vnto God that his resurrection is the tryumph ouer death beeing ouercome that wee are renewed by his spirite that beeing dead vnto the fleshe and sinne we may liue vnto righteousnesse that hee is the onely mediatour that his spirit is the earnest of our adoption and finally that all the parts of eternall life are in him But the Euangelist doth either not recite all the communication which he had with Christ or els he doth only giue vs to vnderstand that the blinde man gaue Christ his name that he might hereafter begin to bee his disciple I do not doubt but that Iesus his mening was to haue him to know that he was christ that he might bring him from this beginning of faith vnto a more full knowledge of him 38 And hee worshipped him The question may be whether hee gaue vnto Christ the honour that is due vnto God or no. The worde which the Euangelist vseth signifieth nothing els saue this that by bowing the knee and other signes he did testifie some worshippe and reuerence I thinke that hereby is meant some rare and vnwonted thing namely that the blind man gaue farre more honor to Christ then to a man or a prophete And yet notwithstanding I doe not thinke that he was come so farre then that he knew that Christ was God reuealed in the flesh Therfore what meaneth this worshipping Seeing that the blind man was perswaded that Iesus was the sonne of God beeing as it were in a traunce by reason of wondering hee dyd throwe downe himselfe before him 39 I am come to iudgement Iudgement cannot be simply taken in this place for the punishment which is laid vpon the wicked and the despicers of God because it is extended vnto the grace of illumination Therefore Christ calleth it iudgemēt because it restoreth things which were cōfused and scattered abroade into some lawfull order yet notwithstanding his meaning is that this is done by the wonderfull counsell of God and contrarie to the common sense of men And truly mans reason iudgeth that nothing can be more vnconuenient then that those shoulde bee made blinde by the light of the world which doe see Therefore this is one of the secrete iudgements of God whereby he casteth downe mans pride Furthermore we must note that the blindnesse which is here mentioned doth not so much come frō christ as through mans fault Neither doth any mans owne nature properly make him blind but seeing y t the reprobate desire nothing els but to quēch his light it must needs be that the eyes of their minde which are infected with wickednes frowardnesse must be blinded with the light offered vnto them To be briefe sithence Christe is of his owne nature the light of the worlde this is a thing that is accidentall that som are made blinde by his comming Yet may this question be asked againe seeing all men are generally condemned of blindnesse who are those that see I answere that that was spoken tauntingly by a concession because the vnbeleeuers althogh they be blinde doe yet notwithstanding thinke that they are very sharpe and quicke of sight and being pusted vp with this confidence they doe not vouchsafe to heare God and the wisedome of the flesh hath a fayre shew without Christ because the world doth not comprehende what true wisdome is Therefore Christ saith that those men doe see who are carried with their owne sense and fantasie deceiuing themselues and others vnder a foolish hope of wisdome accounting their vaine imaginations wisdome Such men become blinde so soone as Christe appeareth in the brightnesse of his Gospell not only because their foolishnesse whiche lay hid before in the darknesse of infidelitie is discouered but because being deeper drowned in darknesse through the iust iudgement of God they loose that little light which remained in them All men truly are born blinde yet there shine some sparkles as yet in the darknesse of corrupt and depraued nature that men may differ from bruit beastes Nowe if any man being puffed vp with a proud confidence and trust which he hath in his own reason do refuse to submit himself to God hee shall seeme wise without Christe but the brightnesse of Christe shall make him foolish Because the vanitie of mans minde beginneth then to appeare when as the heauenly wisedome commeth abroade But Christe his meaning was to expresse by these words as I haue said before some greater thing For hypocrites doe not so stubbornly resist God before such time as Christ doeth beginne to shine but so soone as the light commeth neerer them they rebell against God with open warre and as if they were his open enemies Therefore this frowardnesse vnthankfulnesse causeth their blindnes to be doubled that God doth eyther put out or altogether pluck out in his iust iudgement their eyes which were before depriued of the true light Now doe we know the summe of this place that Christ came into the worlde that hee may illuminate the blinde and bring those vnto madnesse which seeme to themselues to be wise And in the former place he maketh mention of giuing sight because this is the proper cause of his comming For hee came not to iudge the worlde but rather to saue that which was perished as Paule 2. Cor. 10. 6. when he saith that God hath vengeance in readinesse against all the rebellious he addeth also that this punishment shall take place after that the obedience of the godly shal be fulfilled Neither ought this vengeance to be restrained vnto the person of Christ as if hee did not the same dayly by the ministers of his Gospell VVerefore we must take good heede least any of vs doe pull downe vpon his own pate this horrible punishment through a fond
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
by some externall figure to the end all men might openly acknowledge that it was spirituall 16 These thinges knew not his disciples at the first but when Iesus was glorified theÌ„ they remembred that these things were written of him and that they had done these things vnto him 17 The multitude therefore which was with him when he called Lazarus out of the graue and raysed him vp from the dead bare him witnesse 18 Therfore the multitude met him because they had hearde that hee had wrought this myracle 19 Furthermore the Pharisees said among themselues yee see that yee preuaile not beholde the world is gone after him 16 These thinges knew not his Disciples As the seede springeth not vppe so sone as it is cast into the ground so the fruit of the works of God appeareth not by and by The Apostles are the ministers of God to fulfill the prophesie but they cannot tell what they doe They heare the peoples crie and that no confused crie but that Christ was plainely saluted as a king yet they doe not as yet vnderstand to what ende this is or what it meaneth Therfore it is vnto them a vaine spectacle vntill such time as the Lorde doth open their eyes VVhen as it is said that they remembred at length that these thinges were written of him the cause of such grosse ignoraunce is noted which went before knowledge namely because they had not the scripture to be their guide and teacher then to directe their mindes vnto the pure and right consideration For we are blinde vnlesse the word of God doe goe before vs. Although euen this is not sufficient that the worde of God doth shine vnto vs vnlesse on the other side the spirite doe illuminate our eyes which should otherwise be blind euen in perfect light Christ vouchsafed to bestow this grace vppon his disciples after his resurrection because the full time was not yet come wherein he poured out abundantly the riches of his spirit vntill such time as he was receiued into the heauenly glory as wee had in the vii chapter ver 39. Let vs learne by this example to iudge of all things which appertain vnto Christ according to the scripture and not according to the propâ—er sense of our flesh Let vs secondly marke that this is a peculiar grace of the spirite that he doeth instruct vs in tract of time least wee be dull in considering vpon the workes of God I interprete this member That these things were written of him and that they had doone these thinges vnto him thus that the disciples did then first of all remember that these thinges were not done vnto Christ rashly and that these men did not rashly mocke him but that all this businesse was gouerned by the prouidence of God because it was requisite that all these thinges should be fulfilled which were written Therfore resolue it thus They did these things vnto him as they were written of him 17 The multitude bare him witnesse Hee repeateth that againe which he had said alredie that many being stirred vp with the fame of so great a myracle came to meete Christ. For they went out by troupes for this cause because the rumour of the raysing againe of Lazarus from death was euery where dispersed Therefore these men had iust matter and cause ministred vnto them to giue the honour due vnto Christe vnto the sonne of Marie seeing that such excellent power of his was made knowen vnto them 19 Yee see that ye preuaile not By these wordes they pricke forwarde themselues vnto greater madnesse For it is a certaine vpbraiding of sluggishnesse as if they shoulde say that the common people fell away vnto Christ because they themselues were too flacke and faint harted This manner of phrase is common amongest desperate fellowes when as they prepare themselues to assay euen the verye last and vttermost things But and if the enemies be so stubbornly bent to do euil we must be farre more constant in a good purpose 20 And there were certaine of those that went vppe to worship on the holye day Greekes 21 Therefore those men came vnto Phillip which was of Bethsaida of Galilee and requested him saying Syr wee will see Iesus 22 Phillip came and tolde Andrew againe Andrew and Phillip tell Iesus hymselfe 23 And Iesus answered them saying the houre commeth and now is that the sonne of man must be glorified 24 Verily verily I say vnto you vnlesse the wheat corne when it is fallen into the earth shall die it abideth alone but if it dye it bringeth forth much fruite 25 He that loueth his life shall destroy it and he that hateth his life in this world shall keepe it vnto eternall life 26 If any man will serue mee let him follow mee and where I am there shall my minister bee also and if any man shall serue mee him shall the father honour 20 And there were certaine I doe not thinke that they were Gentiles or vncircumcised because it followeth shortly after that they came to worship And this was straitly forbidden by the lawes of Rome and the procoÌ„sules and other Magistrates did sharpely punish it if any man were founde which fell vnto Iudaisme hauing left the worship of his Countrie It was lawfull for the Iewes which were dispersed through Asia and Grecia to come ouer the Sea to offer sacrifice in the Temple Secondly the Iewes woulde neuer haue suffered the Gentiles to be mingled amongest them in that solemne worship of God because they would haue thought that both the Temple and themselues and the sacrifices were polluted by this meanes And although they came of the Iewes yet because they dwelt farre beyonde the Sea it is no maruell if the Euangelist bring them in as strangers and men whiche knewe not al those things which were then done at Ierusalem or at the places nigh thervnto Therfore his meaning is that not only the inhabitants of Iurie which came out of the villages and cities vnto the feast did intertaine Christe as a king but that his fame was spread abroade also vnto those that dwelte beyonde the Sea whiche came from farre Countrie To worship They might doe this also in their countrie but Iohn speaketh of a solemne kinde of worship which was ioyned with the sacrifices For although religion and godlinesse were not tyed vnto the Temple yet was it not lawfull to offer sacrifices vnto God any where els Neyther had they the ark of the testimonie which was a tokeÌ„ of Gods presence any where els Euery man did worship God dayly spiritually at his owne house yet was it requisite that the holy men whiche were vnder the lawe shoulde outwardly professe religion and that they shoulde make suche profession as was commaunded by Moses that they shoulde present them selues in the Temple before the face of the Lorde and vnto this end were the festiuall dayes appoynted If so bee it these menne dyd take suche a longe iourney not without greate charges
and trouble that they mighte not neglecte the externall profession of their godlinesse what excuse can wee haue at this day if wee doe not testifie that wee worshippe the true GOD at our owne house The worship of the lawe is ceased yet the Lorde hath left vnto his Church Baptisme the holy Supper and the publike ryte of prayer that in these the faithfull may exercise themselues Therfore the neglecting of these things doth bewray that the studie of godlinesse is too cold in vs. 21 They came vnto Phillip This is a signe of reuerence that they goe not straightway vnto Christ but are desirous to haue Phillip to make a way for them that they may come vnto him For reuerence doeth alwayes bring foorth modestie of her selfe And whereas the Papistes do hereby gather that the dead must be called vpon that they may be our patrones with Christ and God the father it is so ridiculous that it necdeth no refutation The Greekes speake in presence of Phillip he that calleth vpon the dead from whom he is separated how is he like vnto them I pray you But these are fruites of mans boldnesse after that it hath once graunted to it self libertie to wander without the bounds of the worde of God The Papistes did foolishly and rashly inuent of their owne braine the inuocation of Saints now to the ende they may get to themselues some false colour and cloake out of the worde of God they corrupt and rack the scriptures and are not afraide to set the same to be laughed at shamefully 23 The houre commeth Many doe expound this of his death because the glory of Christ was thereby declared therefore as they thinke Christ doth now shew that the time of his death was at hand But I do rather referre it vnto the preaching of the Gospel as if he had said that the knowledge of him should be immediately spread abroade throughout all partes of the world So that he meant by this meanes to preuent that despayre or casting downe into which his death myght bring his disciples For he sheweth that there is no cause why they should bee discouraged because the doctrine of the Gospell shall neuerthelesse be published throughout the whole world Furthermore least this cogitation concerning his glory doe vanish away shortly after when as he shal be adiudged to die hanged vpon the crosse and at length buried he preuenteth that in time sheweth that 〈◊〉 the slaunder of his death doth no whit hinder his glory He vseth a most fit comparison concerning this matter vnlesse saith he the wheat corne shall die or rot it remaineth drie and barren But the death of the seede doth quicken it better that the fruite may come thence In summe Christ compareth his death vnto sowing which whilest that it seemeth to tende to the destruction of the wheat it is a cause of farre greater encrease And although this admonition was most necessary at that instant yet it hath a continuall commoditie in the Church And it is meete that wee begin first at the head That terrible showe of ignominie and curse which appeareth in the death of Christ doth not only darken his glory but also take it quite away out of our sight Therefore wee must not sticke and abide in his death alone but wee must also consider what fruite his resurrection brought foorth So that nothing shall keepe backe his glory from shining euery where Afterward we must passe vnto the members For we doe not only thinke that wee perishe in death but our life is also like vnto a continuall death Colloss 3. 3. Therefore we shall be quite vndone vnlesse that comfort doe helpe vs wherewith Paule lifteth vs vp If our outward man be corrupt the inwarde man is renued from day to day 2. Cor. 4 16. Let this therfore be the continual meditation of the godly whenas they are oppressed with diuers sorrowes and miseries when as they are broughâ— vnto the greatest straits whenas they are pinched with hunger nakednes or diseases when as they are vexed with iniuries when as they thinke that they shal be continually swallowed vp of death that this is the â—owing which shall bring foorth fruite in due time 25 he that loueth his life Christ adioyneth an exhortation vnto doctrine for if we must die that we may bring foorth fruite we must patiently suffer God to mortifie vs. And because he setteth the loue of life against the hatred thereof we must vnderstand and know what it is to hate the life and what to loue it He which is intangled with the immoderate desire of this life and cannot leaue this world willingly he is said to loue his life and he that contemning this life doeth goe vnto death with a valiant minde is said to hate his life Not that the life is simplie to be hated which is for good causes reckoned amongest the chiefest benefites of God but because the faithfull must willingly cast away the same when as it keepeth them backe from comming vnto Christ. Likeas if any man should shake off from his shoulders a troublesome and vnprofitable burden when as he will make hast to go to som other place To be briefe it is not euill of it selfe to loue this life so that we be only as strangers in the same being alwaies bent toward y â— mark For this is the lawfull maner of louing the life if wee continue in the same so long as the Lorde thinketh good and are alwayes readie to depart out of the fame at his will and pleasure or that I may conclude in a word if carrying the same as it were in our hand we do offer it vn to God as a sacrifice VVhosoeuer is addicted vnto this life beyonde this he destroyeth his life that is he throweth it into eternal destructioÌ„ For y â— word perdere doth not signifie in this place to loose a thing which we loue dearely but to destroy This word anima is vsually taken for the life Some doe take it in this place for the place of the affections as if Christe had saide hee that yeeldeth too much vnto the desires of the flesh he destroyeth his soule But this is too far fet y â— other is more simple and plaine that hee hath the best way to enioy his life continually which neglecteth the same Furthermore to the end the sense may the better appeare this clause in the worlde which is only once expressed must be repeated twice that the sense may be that those men do but euil prouide for their life which loue the same in this world again that those men doe truly know howe they may saue their life who despice the same in the worlde And truly whosoeuer is tyed fast to the worlde hee doth of his owne accord depriue himselfe of life whereof wee shall not bee heires vnlesse we be pilgrimes and strangers in the worlde Therefore that is a beastly affection whiche reigneth in all the vnfaithfull whiles that desiring
but vnto God because it findeth nothing in Christ but that which is diuine yea it beholdeth God in his face Thence he gathereth that it is an absurd thing that it shuld faint and quaile as being doubtful For we cannot do God greater iniury then if his trueth bee not sufficiente for vs. Therefore that man hath rightly profited in the Gospel who leaning vnto this confidence hope that he beleeueth not men but God doth persist strong and quiet against al the engines of Satan therefore to the end we may giue God his honour let vs learne that we must stande in the faith not only when as the world doth faile but also when as Satan doth trouble and supplant whatsoeuer is vnder heauen The faithful are said not to beleeue in Christ when as they doe not abyde in beholdinge him as hee is manne For when as hee compareth himselfe in this place with the father he commaundeth vs to haue respecte vnto the power of God beecause the weakenes of the fleshe hath of it selfe no strength VVhen as he shall afterward exhort the disciples to beleeue in him hys wordes shall haue another meaning For God is not set in that place against man but Christ is set in the midst withal his giftes which ought to haue sufficient force to retaine our fayth 45. And he that seeth me Take this sight for knowledge For to the ende he may set at rest the consciences who should otherwise be subiecte to many tossinges and turmoylinges he calleth vs vnto the father For the stabilitie of faith is certeine and firme for this cause because it is aboue the world And when as Christ is truely known the glory of God shineth in him so that we maye knowe assuredly that the faith which wee haue in him doth not depend vpon man but that it is grounded in the eternal God because it riseth from the flesh of Christ vnto his diuinity which thing if it be so it must not only be setled continually in the hart but also it must vtter it self in the tongue without feare when need shal require 46. I came as a light To the end hee may make his disciples the more stout and strong he proceedeth yet in preaching the certeinty of fayth And he doth first of all testifie that hee came into the worlde that hee might be a light whereby men may be deliuered from darknes and errours and also assigneth the meanes to attaine vnto so great goodnes saying that whosoeuer beleeueth in me c. Furthermore hee accuseth them all of vnthankefulnes who being taught by his Gospel doe not separate themselues from the vnbeleeuers For the more excellēt this good thing is to be called out of darknes into light the lesse excuse haue they who choake the light that is kindled in them with their slouthfulnes cōtempt These wordes are of great force I came as a light into the world For althogh Christ was a light from the beginning yet doth he not in vain adorne himself with this title that he came to fulfill the function of the light And to the ende we may haue distinct degrees hee teacheth that he is rather a light vnto others then vnto himself and secondly not only to Angels but also to men thirdly that he was reuealed in the flesh to the end he might shew forth perfect brightnes The vniuersall word seemeth to be put in of set purpose partly to the end he might make this goodnesse common vnto all the faithfull without exception partelye that he might shew that the vnbeleeuers do therfore perishe in darknes because they flye from the light of their own accord Nowe if all the wisdome of the world be gathered togeather there shall not be founde one sparkle of true light in that huge heape but it shall be rather a lump without forme for as much as it is proper to Christ alone to deliuer vs out of darknes 47. And if any man shal heare my words and shal not beleeue I do not iudge him for I came not to iudge the world but to saue the world 48. He that reiecteth me and doth not receiue my words hee hath one that shal iudge him the word which I haue spoken it shal iudge him in the last day 49. Because I haue not spoken of my self but the father that sent me he gaue mee a commandement what I shal say and what I shall speake 50. And I know that his commandement is eternal life The things therfore which I speake as the father hath told me so speak I. 47. If any man shall heare my woordes After that he hath entreated of his grace and exhorted those that are his vnto constancie of faith he beginneth now to nettle the rebellious Although he doeth in this place also mitigate the seuerity whereof their vngodlinesse is woorthy who do as it were of sette purpose reiecte God For he omitteth to iudge them because hee came rather to saue all men VVe must first of all vnderstande that he speaketh not in this place of all manner of vnbeleeuers but of those who willingly and wittingly doe reiecte the doctrine of the Gospell which is shewed them VVhy then will not Christ condēne them because hauing laid away the person of a iudge in this place to the end all menne may be the more encouraged to repent he offereth saluation vnto all men in generall and holdeth his armes abroade to embrace all men Although in the meane season he amplifieth the fault with no smal circumstance if they refuse so gentle and sweete an inuitation For it is as much as if he had said Behold I stand to cal all men and hauing forgotten the person of a iudge this is mine only purpose to allure al men and to deliuer those from destruction who seeme to be twise destroyed already Therefore no man is condemned for the contempt of the Gospel saue he who despising the louely message of saluation would of his owne accorde bring destruction vppon himselfe The worde iudge as appeareth by the contrary saue is heere taken for to condemne And thys ought to be referred vnto the proper and naturall office of Christ. For in that the vnbeleeuers are more greuously condemned for the Gospels sake it is an accidentall thing and not naturall to the same as we haue else where sayde 48. He that reiecteth me Least the wicked shoulde flatter themselues as if they might play the wātōs against Christ freely he addeth in this place in horrible denunciation that though he say nothing yet is the doctrine sufficient to condemne them like as he saieth else where that they haue no neede of anye other iudge then Moses of whome they made theyr boast aboue 5. 45. The meaning therefore of the wordes is this I beeing enflamed with an earnest desire to haue you saued doe abstaine from mine own authority in condemning you and am whollye bente to saue that whiche is loste but you maye not therefore thinke that you are escaped
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
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
of GOD Christe came downe vnto vs to the end he might lift vs vp thither You were saith hee to reioyce that I returne vnto my father because this is the last mark whereat you must ayme Hee dooth not declare in these woordes what hee differeth from the father in himself but to what end he came down vnto vs that he might vnite vs vnto God vntill we come thither wee stande as it were in the midle of the race And wee doe also imagine onelye halfe a Christe and a rent Christ vnlesse he bring vs vnto God That place of Paule is like to this 1. Cor. 15. 24 where as he saide that Christ should delyuer vppe the kingdome to God and the father that God maye be all in all Christ reigneth not onely in his humane nature but in asmuch as hee is God reuealed in the flesh How shall he then put off the kingdome To wit because the diuinity which appeareth now only in the face of christ shal thē be reuealed in it self There is this only difference because Paul describeth in that place the chiefeste and last perfection of the diuine brightnes the beames whereof beganne to shine after Christ his ascention To the ende the matter may appeare more plainelye wee muste yet speake somewhat more grosly Christ doth not compare his fathers diuinitie with his owne in this place neither doth he compare his humane nature with the diuine essence of the father but he rather compareth his present estate with the heauenly glory whereunto he should be receiued immediately as if he shuld say you desire to kept me in the world but it were better for me to ascēd into heauē Therfore let vs learne to behold Christ abased in the flesh so that he may leade vs vnto the fountayne of blessed immortalitie For he is not made our guide that he may only lift vs vp vnto the sphere of the Sunne or the Moone but that he may make vs one with God 29. And now I haue told you beefore it come to passe that when it is come to passe you may beleeue 30. I do not any more speak many things vnto you for the prince of this world commeth and he hath nothing in me 31. But that the world may know that I loue the father and as the father hath commanded me so I do arise let vs go hence 29. And now I haue told you It was requisite that the Disciples should be oftentimes admonished of this matter beecause it was an hydden mystery farre exceeding all humane capacitie Hee saieth that he foretelleth that which should come to passe that they may beleeue when it is come to passe For this was a profitable confirmation of their faith when as they did call to minde Christe his prophesies and saw that fulfilled which hee spake beefore Yet this seemeth to be a kynd of grauntinge as if Christe should say because you are not as yet able to receiue such an hidden mysterie I pardon you vntil the thing be come to passe which shal be vnto you in stede of an interpreter to expoūd this doctrin Therefore although he seemed for a season to singe vnto deaffe menne yet it appeared afterward that his words were not as it were spread abroade in the aire but that the seede was sown vppon the ground And as Christ speaketh in this place of his word and the euent of thinges so his death and resurrection and ascention grow togeather into one with his doctrine so that they ingender faith in vs. 30. I do not any more speake many thinges with you His meaning was to make the Disciples giue care vnto him by this woorde and more deeplye to imprinte in their mindes his doctrine For ynough of a thing causeth for the moste parte loathsomnesse and that is more feruentlye desired which we haue not at hande and that is more willingly receiued which shall be by and by taken away Therefore hee denounceth that hee wyll shortly departe to the ende they may be the more desirous to heare his doctrine And although Christ doth not cease to teach vs during the whole course of our life yet this sentence may be also applyed vnto our vse because for asmuch as our lyfe is but short we must vse the opportunitie For the prince of this world commeth and hath nothing in mee Hee might haue sayde simply and slattly that hee should dye shortly and that the houre of his death is nowe at hande but hee vseth some circumlocution to the ende hee may fortifie theyr mindes least being terrified with suche as vnseemely and horryble kinde of death they fainte For to beleeue in Christe crucified is nothing else but to seeke lyfe in hell He saieth firste that this power is graunted vnto Sathan then afterwarde hee addeth that hee will yeelde for this cause not beecause hee is enforced with necessitie but that hee may obey the Father The deuill is called the prince of this worlde not beecause hee hath any kingdome separated frō God as the Manichees did feigne but because hee exerciseth his tyrannye in the worlde through Gods permission Therefore so often as we heare this Epithite giuen vnto Satan let vs be ashamed of our miserable estate For howe proude soeuer menne bee they are the bondslaues of Sathan vntyll they be regenerate by the spirite of Christe For all mannekinde is comprehended in this place vnder this worde worlde For there is one delyuerer which delyuereth vs from this horrible slauery And seeings that this punishment was layde vppon the sinne of the first manne likeas it encreaseth dayly and is worse and worse because of new sinnes let vs learne to hate both our selues and our sinnes VVe are so holden captiue vnder Sathan his gouernment that yet notwithstang this seruitude dooth not make vs blamelesse seeing that it is voluntary Furthermore wee must note that that is attributed vnto the deuill in this place whiche is done by wicked men for seeing that they are carryed by the violente motion of Sathan that is worthily accounted his worke whatsoeuer they doe Hath nothing in me Because it came to passe through the sinne of Adam that Sathan hath the rule of death hee could not haue touched Christ who was free from al sinne vnlesse he had willingly submitted himself Although I suppose that these words reach farther then they are wonte to be expounded for the interpreters say thus Sathan findeth nothing in Christ because there is no matter of death in him forasmuch as hee is cleane from al spots of sinne But in my iudgement Christ doth not onlye speake of his cleannesse in this place but also of his diuine power which was not subiect to death For it was requisite that the Disciples shoulde knowe that he yeelded not through infirmitie leaste they shuld not thinke so honourably of his power as they ought But that former sentence is also included in this general sentence that he is not bound to Sathan in dying the death VVhence we
shall bee perpetuall whenas he saith And that your fruite may remaine Because the doctrine of the gospell getteth soules vnto Christe vnto eternall saluation many do thinke that this is the perpetuitie of the fruite but I doe extend the sentence farther to wit that the church shall stand eueÌ„ vntill the ende of the worlde For the labour of the Apostles yeeldeth fruite euen at this day and our preaching is not for one age but shall spreade abroad the church that there may come a new encrease after our death VVhenas he saith your fruite hee speaketh as if it were gotten through their industrie whereas notwithstanding Paule teacheth 1. Cor. 3. 7. that those which water or plant are nothing And truly the creation of the Church is a more excellent worke of God then that the glory therof ought to be ascribed vnto men but because the Lorde sheweth his power by the hand of men least they labour in vaine he is wont to translate that vnto them which is proper to himselfe Neuerthelesse let vs remember that Christ doth adorne his disciples so beningly that he may encourage them and not puff them vp That whatsoeuer yee shall aske This member was not â—added abruptly as many men may thinke For seeing that the function of teaching doth farre surpasse mans strength there are moreouer many inuasions of Satan which can neuer be endured saue only through the power of God Therefore least the Apostles faint Christe helpeth them preuenteth them with a most excellent ayde as if hee should say if you shall haue more to doe then that you are able to fulfill your function my father will not faile you For I haue made you ministers of the Gospel vppon this condition that the father may stretch foorth his hande to helpe you so often as ye shal desire him in my name to help you And truly wheras most teachers doe eyther faint through slouthfulnes or fall downe flat through despayre it commeth to passe by none other meanes saue only because they waxe slouthfull in praying Therefore this promise of Christ stirreth vs vp to call vpon God For whosoeuer shall acknowledge that the successe of the worde commeth from God hee shall offer his labour to him with feare and trembling on the contrarie if any man trust to his owne industrie and do neglect Gods helpe or shal cast away both speare and buckler whenas he is come to the matter he shall doe no good after he hath taken great paines Furthermore we must take heed of two vices here of arrogancie distrust for as those men doe carelesly passe ouer Gods helpe who thinke that they haue the matter in their hand alreadie so many men do faint through difficultie because they doe not consider that they fight through gods power ayde vnder whose coÌ„duct they go on warfare 17 These thinges commaund I you This is also added in good time to the ende the Apostles might know that mutuall loue amongest ministers is chiefly required to the end they may edifie the Churche of God with the desire of concord For there is no greater impediment then whenas euery man laboureth apart and they doe not one helpe another Therfore vnlesse the ministers doe retaine brotherly fellowship amongest themselues it may be that they may erect some huge heapes but such as are scattered abroad neuerthelesse there shal be no building of the Church 18 If the world hate you After that Christ hath armed the Apostles vnto the sight he doth also exhort them vnto pacience For the Gospell cannot be preached but the world will goe mad by and by VVherfore it cannot be that godly teachers shall escape enuie and the hatred of the worlde Christe foretelleth this in time least that befall them whiche is wont to befall fresh water souldiers who by reason of their vnskilfulnes are bold before they see the enemies when as they come to the fight they are afraide neither doth he forewarne his Disciples for this cause only least any newe or vnlooked for thing befall them but he doth also confirme them by his owne example For it is an vnmeete thing that seeing the world did hate him we who represent his person should haue the world which is alwayes like to it selfe fauourable to vs. I had leuer translate the verbe ginoscete in the indicatiue mode although if any man had rather haue it the Imparatiue I doe not gaine say him because the sense is not altered There is greater difficultie in the word which foloweth next For seeing that he calleth himselfe former then the Disciples this may be referred aswell vnto the time as vnto the dignitie The former exposition is more vsuall to wit that Christe was hated of the world before his Disciples But I doe rather allow the latter that seeing that Christe who doeth farre excell was not yet free from the hatred of the world his ministers must not refuse the like estate For this saying agreeth with that which we had twice in the first chapter 27. 30. verses He that commeth after me is preferred before me because he was former then I. 19 If you were of the world This is another consolation that the worlde doth hate them for this cause because they are separated from it And this is their true felicitie glory because they are deliuered froÌ„ destruction by this means To clause doth signifie in this place to separate Nowe if they were chosen out of y e world it foloweth y t they were a part of the world that they are separated froÌ„ the rest that perish only through gods mercy In this place Christ coÌ„preheÌ„deth vnder this word worlde all those which are not regenerate by the spirite of god For he setteth the church against the world as we shal see more fully in the 17. chap. And yet that exhortatioÌ„ of Paul is not coÌ„trary to this doctrin Ro. 12. 18. Haue peace with al meÌ„ so much as in you lyeth For that exception which is added importeth asmuch as if he shold say that we must take heed what is lawful for vs to do least any maÌ„ beare too much with the corruptions of the world through the desire he hath to please But there may another questioÌ„ be obiected as yet For we seethe wicked which are of the world not only coÌ„moÌ„ly hated but also accursed truly the world doth nothere loue that which is his own I answere that earthly men who are moued according to the sense of their flesh do neuer hate sin indeed but only so far foorth as the care of their own losse or gain doth moue theÌ„ althogh Christ meant not to deny but that the world waxeth hot with inwarde discord rageth within it self his only meaning was to shew that the world doth only hate that in the faithful which is of God And it appeareth also hereby how foolishly the Anabaptists do dote who gather by this one argument only that they are the seruants of god bicause they
displease the more part of meÌ„ For we may redily obiect that many whiche are of the world namely whoÌ„ the filthy coÌ„fusioÌ„ of all thinges deliteth do fauour their doctrine again many of the world do hate it because they are desirous to haue the politike order remaine 20 Remâ—mber the word It may also be read in the Indicatiue mode You remeÌ„ber but without any great alteratioÌ„ of the sense yet in my iudgement the Imparatiue mode doth the better agree And it is a coÌ„firmatioÌ„ of the sentence next going before where Christ said that the world hated him who did excel his disciples For it is not meet that the seruant should bee in better estate theÌ„ his master Furthermore after that he hath spoken of the persons he maketh meÌ„tioÌ„ also of the doctrine for there is nothing that troubeth the godly more then wheÌ„ they see the doctrine whiche is gods proudly coÌ„teÌ„ned of men For it is an horrible monster the beholding wherof may make the strongest breast heart quaile But whilest that on the other part we remember that the sonne of God himselfe did no lesse trie stubbornnes there is no cause why we should maruel that y e doctrine of god is so little reuereÌ„ced amoÌ„gst meÌ„ In that he calleth it their his doctrine it is referred vnto the ministerie There is one onely master of the Church but he would haue his doctrine which he taught first to be preached afterward by his Apostles 21 But all these things Because the fury of the worlde is monstrous whilest that it rageth so against the doctrine of saluation Christe sheweth a reason thereof because it is carried headlong into destruction through blinde ignoraunce For no man would warre against God openly therefore it is blindnesse and ignoraunce of God which causeth the worlde so carelesly to fight against Christ. Therefore we must alwayes haue respect to the cause neither can we haue any true consolation any where els saue only in the testimonie of a good conscience Hereby must our mindes be lifted vp likewise vnto thankfulnesse that whilest that the world doth perish in the blindnesse thereof God hath vouchsafed to make vs partakers of his light Neuerthelesse we must hold that the hatred of Christ doth proceede from the dulnesse of the minde whenas God is not knowen For as I say oftentimes vnbeliefe is blinde not that the wicked doe vnderstand and perceiue nothing but that all their knowledge is confused and doth vanish away straightway which thing I haue handeled more at large els where 22 If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should haue no sinne but now they haue no excuse for their sinne 23 Hee that hateth me hateth my father also 24 If I had not done the workes amongest them which no other man hath done they should haue no sinne but now they haue both seene and also heard both mee and my father 25 But that the worde which is written in their law may be fulfilled they hated me for nothing 26 And when the comforteâ— shall come when I will sende vnto you from my father the spirite of truethe whiche proceedeth from the father hee shall testifie of mee 27 And you doe also testifie because you are with mee from the beginning 22 If I had not come In that he said that the Iewes hated the gospel because they knew not God least any man should thinke that this serueth to mittigate their offence hee addeth that they were maliciously blinde as if a man shoulde shut his eyes least hee bee compelled to behold the light For otherwise it might haue beene obiected againste Christe if they know not thy father how is it that thou doest not redresse their errour VVhy hast thou not at least tryed whether they were altogeather vnapt to bee taught or no Hee answereth that he hath executed the office of a good and faithfull teacher but all in vaine because malice woulde not suffer them to returne vnto foundenesse of minde Furthermore his meaning was to make all men afraide vnder theyr person who doe either refuse the truth of God when it is offered vnto them or resist the same willingly when they knowe it And although there remaineth terrible vengeance of God for them yet Christe hath respect rather vnto his Disciples that hee may encourage them with certaine hope of victorie least at any time they yeelde vnto the wickednes of the wicked For whenas we heare that such is their end wee may triumph now as it were in the middest of the battell They shoulde haue no sinne Christ seemeth to graunt by these wordes that only vnbeliefe is sinne and there be some which thinke so Augustine thinketh somewhat more soberly yet the commeth vnto the same sense For because faith remitteth and blotteth out all sinnes hee saith that it is only the summe of vnbeliefe that condemneth This is truly said forasmuch as vnbeliefe doth not only keepe men from beeing deliuered from the giltinesse of death but it is the fountaine and cause of all euill But all that disputation doth nothing appertaine vnto this present place For this word sinne is not taken generally but according to the circumstance of the cause which is handeled as if Christ should say that their ignoraunce is by no meanes excusable because they had malitiously refused God in his person Likeas if we call him giltlesse iust and pure whom we will acquit of one fault only wherof he was giltie Therfore that absolution of Christe is restrained vnto one kinde of sin because he taketh from the Iewes their cloake of ignorance in the contempt and hatâ—ed of the Gospell Yet heere ariseth a newe question as yet whether vnbeliefe were not sufficient to condemne men before the comming of Christ or noe And there be frantike fellowes who gather falsly out of this place that whosoeuer died before Christs comming without faith they were in a doubtfull and suspensed state vntill Christ did shew himselfe vnto them As if there were not many places of scripture extant whiche testifie that the onely conscience was sufficient to make them guiltie Death saith Paule Rom. 5. 14. reigned vntill Moses in the worlde And in another place in the same Epistle 2. 12. he teacheth that they shall perish without lawe which haue sinned without lawe Then what is Christ his meaning Truly there is a graunting in these wordes whereby hee giueth vs to vnderstande that there remaineth nothing for the Iewes which they can pretend to mittigate their fault after that they haue reiected life willingly and wittingly when it was offered vnto them So that the excuse whiche hee graunteth them doth not quite acquit them but doeth only extenuate the greeuousnesse of the wickednesse according to that the seruaunt which knoweth the will of his master and despiceth it shal be sorer beat Luke 12. 47. For Christ meant not to promise pardon vnto others but to holde his enemies conuicted who had reiected the grace of God stubbornly to the
which shal come to passe 14. He shal glorifie me because he shal take of mine and show vnto you 15. Al things which the father hath are mine therefore said I vnto you he shal take of mine and shew vnto you 8. VVhen yee shall come Omittinge the diuersitie of expositions whiche the obscuritye of this place hath broughte forthe I will onelye affirme that whiche I doe thinke dooth beste of all agree with Christ his meaning Hee had promised the spirit to his disciples he commendeth the excellency of the gift now by the effect because his spirit shal not gouerne vphold and defend them alone but shal spread abroad his force farther He shal reproue the world saith he That is he shal not onely abide shut vp in you but shall spreade abroade himselfe from you through his power throughout the whole worlde Therefore hee promiseth vnto them the spirite which shall be the iudge of the world and by whome their preaching shal be so liuely and effectuall that it shal bring those into order who passing their boundes beefore throughe vnbrideled lyberty were holden with no feare or reuerence And we must note that Christ speaketh not in this place of secrete reuelations but of the power of the spirite which appeareth in the externall preaching of the Gospel and in the voice of menne For how commeth it to passe that the voice of manne pearceth the mindes doth take roote there and finallye bringeth foorth fruite making fleshy heartes of stony heartes and renewinge the menne themselues saue only because the spirit of Christ doth quicken it Otherwise it shuld be a dead letter and a vaine founde as Paul teacheth excellently 2. Cor. 3. 6. where he boasteth that he is a minister of the spirite because God wrought mightely in his doctrine The sense therefore is this when as the Apostles shal haue the spirite giuen them they shall bee furnished with celestiall and diuine power that they maye exercise authoritie and haue iurisdiction throughout the whole world This is attributed rather to the spirite then to them because they shall haue no power of their owne seeing they shal be onely ministers and instrumentes and it is the spirite alone which is in them which shall gouerne I thinke that he comprehendeth vnder this word world aswel those that should be truely conuerted vnto Christ as the reprobate and hypocrites For the spirit reproueth men two manner of wayes in the preaching of the Gospel for some are touched throughly so that they humble themselues willingly they subscribe vnto the iudgemente readily whereby they are condemned Othersome although they being conuicted cannot escape guiltinesse yet doe they not yeelde from their heart neyther doe they submit themselues vnto the authority and dominion of the spirit but rather beeinge subdued they frette inwardly and being confounded they doe not yet cease to nourish stubbernnes in their hearts Now do we see how the spirite ought to reproue the world by the Apostles to witte because GOD reuealed his iudgement in the Gospel wherewith when the consciences were smitten they beganne to feale their own mysery and the grace of God For the word Elenchein is taken in this place for to conuicte That which is contained 1. Corinth â—4 24. shall bringe no small lighte to the vnderstanding of this place where Paul saith if they prophecie all and an vnbeleeuer or an idiote doe come in he is reproued of all he is iudged of all and so the secretes of his heart are made manifest Paule intreateth in that place properly of one kinde of reprouing to wit when the Lord bringeth his elect vnto repentaunce by the Gospel yet it appeareth euidently heereby how the spirit of God doth by the sound of mans voyce compell men vnacquainted before with the yoake to acknowledge and submit themselues to his gouernment Now the question is to what end Christ said thus Some doe thinke that he noteth the cause of the hatred whereof he made mention as if he should say that the world doth hate them for this cause because the spirite shall vrge the world on the other side by them But I doe rather subscribe vnto those other who teach that Christe didde intende some other thing as I haue alreadye touched in the beeginninge For it was verye requisite that the Apostles shoulde knowe that the gyfte of the spirite which was promysed them was no small gyft Therefore the excellencie thereof is descrybed that GOD shall by this meanes erecte his iudgemente seate to iudge the whole world 9. Of sinne Now it remayneth that we see what it is to reproue of sinne Christ seemeth to make infidelytie the onely cause of sinne and that is diuersly wrested by the interpreters But as I sayd before I will not declare what euery one of them teacheth or thinketh VVe must firste of all note that the iudgement of the spirite beginneth at the declaration of sinne For this is the beginning of spiritual doctrine that menne begotten in sinne haue nothing in themselues but the matter of sinne Furthermore Christ maketh mention of infidelitie to the ende hee mighte shew what the nature of man is in it selfe For because the bond wherby he vniteth himselfe vnto vs is fayth vntil we beleeue in him wee are without him and deuided from him Therefore these words importe as much as if he should haue said when the spirit shall come he shal declare and proue that sinne reigneth in the world without me Therfore infidelitie is named in this place because it separateth vs from Christ and so bringeth to passe that there is nothing left in vs but sinne To be shorte the corruption and frowardnes of mans nature is condemned in these words least we should think that there is one drop of righteousnes in vs without Christ. 10. Of righteousnes VVe must note the course of the degrees whiche Christ setteth downe Hee saith now that the worlde must be reproued of righteousnes For doubtlesse menne shal not hunger and thriste after righteousnes yea they shal with loathsomnesse refuse whatsoeuer shall be spoken of it vnlesse they shal be touched with the feeling of sin Especially we must thus thinke of the faithfull that they cannot profitte in the Gospel vntil they shal be first humbled which cannot be vntill they come to the knowledge of their sinnes It is the proper function of the law to call the consciences vnto Gods iudgement and to wounde them with feare but the Gospel cannot be rightly preached but that it muste bring from sinne vnto righteousnes and from death to life Therefore it must needes borrow that first member of the law wherof Christ spake And heere vnderstand that righteousnes which we haue by the grace of Christ. Christ placeth that in his ascention vnto his father and that not without cause for like as as Paule testifieth Rom. 4. 24 hee rose againe for our iustification so he sitteth nowe at the right hande of the father that he may exercise whatsoeuer power
because the father is with me 32 These things haue I spoken that yee may haue peace in me ye haue tribulation in the worlde but â—e of good courage I haue ouercome the world 29 The Disciples say vnto him Hereby it appeareth how effectuall that consolation was because it lifted vp vnto great ioyfulnesse those mindes which were before cast downe and discouraged and yet notwithstanding it is certaine that the Disciples knew not as yet what Christe his speech did import But althogh they comprehended it not as yet yet the only smel did refresh theÌ„ In that they cry out that their master speaketh plainely and without any figure they passe measure in that yet according to their meaning they testifie the truth VVhich thing we doe also trie at this day for he that hath tasted but a little only of the doctrine of the Gospell he is more enflamed and fealeth more force in a small quantitie and portion of faith then if he had knowen all Plato Yea the sighes and sobs which the spirite of God stirreth vp in the heartes of the godly doe sufficiently testifie that God worketh by some secrete meanes aboue their capacitie For otherwise Paule woulde not call them vnexpresseable Ro. 8. 26. VVe must thus thinke that the Apostles felt some profiting so that they might truly testifie that Christe his wordes were not now altogether darke vnto them but they were deceiued in that they seemed to themselues to be wiser then they were And the errour proceeded thence because they knew not of what sort the gifte of the soirite should be Therefore they reioyce before the time as if a man should thinke that he were rich when he hath but one crowne of gold They gather by certaine signes that Christ came foorth from God they boast as if they wanted nothing els But they were farre from that knowledge as yet so long as they vnderstood not what Christ should be afterward 31 Now yee beleeue Because the disciples had too great a good liking of themselues Christ telleth them that remembring their infirmitie they must rather keepe themselues within their compasse VVee doe neuer know sufficiently what we lacke and how farre wee are off from the fulnesse of faith vntill we be come vnto some serious experiment and tryall For the thing it selfe doth now declare how weake the faith was which we thoght was perfect Christ calleth back his disciples vnto this and he pronounceth that it shal come to passe shortly that they shal leaue him For persecution is like a touchstone to trie saith whiche whenas it appeareth to be but small those men begin to tremble and shrinke together who were puffed vp before Therefore Christe his interrogation is ironicall and made iestingly as if he should haue saide doe ye boast therefore as if you were filled with faith But there is a triall at hand which shall bewray your emptinesse Our securitie must be brideled thus whilest that it passeth measure too much But it might seeme that there was either no faith at all in the disciples or that it was extinguished then when hauing forsaken Christ they ran vp down I answere that howsoeuer their faith was cast downe and did faint and fayle yet there remained something whence newe slippes myghte spring 32 I am not alone This correction was added to the ende we may know that Christ is no whit impayred when he is forsaken of men For seeing that his trueth and glory is grounded in himselfe and that he doth not depende vpon the faith of the worlde if he chaunce to bee forsaken of the whole world yet neuerthelesse hee remaineth perfect because he is God and needeth not the help of an other In that he saith that his father will bee with him it is as much as if he should say that god is on his side so that he hath no neede to borrow any thing of menne VVhosoeuer shall ponder these thinges he shall stand stedfast when all the whole world is like to fall neither shal the falling of all other ouerthrowe his faith For we doe not giue God his due honour vnlesse hee alone be sufficient for vs. 33 These thinges haue I spoken vnto you Hee repeateth againe how necessary those comfortes were which he vsed to giue them And hee proueth by this reason that much sorow and tribulations are prepared for them Therefore we must first of all note this admonition that all the godly may bee persuaded that their life is subiect to great miserye that they may prepare themselues to suffer and indure them Therefore seeing that the worlde is vnto vs like the surging Sea wee shall not find true peace any where els saue only in Christ. Nowe we must note the meanes and way to enioy the same He saith that they shall haue peace if they goe forwarde in this doctrine VVill we then haue our mindes quiet and free in the middest of afflictions Let vs take good heede vnto this sermon of Christ which shall giue vs peace in him Bee of good cheere As our sluggishnesse ought to be corrected with diuers afflictions and wee must bee awaked to seeke remedie for our miseries so the Lord wil not haue vs to be discouraged but rather to fight ioyfully whiche cannot be vnlesse we be certaine to haue successe For if we fight not knowing whether we shall haue the victorie or no all our desire and endeuour shall fall to the ground by and by Therefore when Christ calleth vs to fight hee furnisheth vs with sure hope of victorie although we must neuerthelesse take some paine Furthermore because there is alwayes in vs great matter of trembling hee telleth vs that we must hope for this cause because hee hath ouercome the worlde not for himselfe alone but for our sakes So it shall come to passe that when we be almost oppressed in our selues wee may be able safely to contemne what miserie soeuer lyeth vpon vs when we beholde that great glory whereunto our head hath attained VVherefore if wee desire to be Christians we must not seeke to bee free from the crosse but let vs be content with this one thing that so long as we fight vnder Christes banner wee are notwithstanding out of daunger euen in the very conflict Christ comprehendeth in this place vnder this woorde worlde whatsoeuer is contrary to the saluation of the godly and especially all the corruptions which Satan abuseth that hee may deceiue vs. Chap. 17. 1 THese thinges spake Iesus and hee lifted vp his eyes towarde heauen and said Father the houre is come glorifie thy sonne that thy sonne may also glorifie thee 2 As thou hast giuen him power of all flesh that he may giue life to all those whom thou hast giuen him 3 And this is eternall life that they may knowe thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent 4 I haue glorified thee vpon earth I haue finished the woorke which thou hadst giuen mee to doe 5 And now
glorifie thou mee father with thy selfe with the glory which I had with thee before the worlde was 1 These thinges spake Iesus After that the Lorde had made an ende of preaching vnto his Disciples concerning the bearing of the crosse he set before them comfortes whereunto they might leane and so persist VVhen hee promised them the comming of the spirite hee put them in better hope and hee intreated of the glory excellencie of his kingdome Nowe he turneth himselfe vnto prayer and that for good causes for doctrine waxeth colde vnlesse it be made effectuall by God Therefore he giueth an example to all teachers that they doe not onely take paine in lowing the seed of the woorde but that they intermingle prayers that they craue Gods helpe that his blessing may make their labour fruitefull In summe this prayer of Christe was as it were a sealing vp of the former doctrine both that it might bee sure in it selfe and also that the Disciples might the more stedfastly beleeue it In that Iohn saith that Christ prayed lifting vp his eyes toward heauen that was no small signe of zeale and feruentnesse For Christe testified in deede by this gesture that he was rather in heauen by the affection of his minde then in earth that he might talke familiarly with God He looked vp toward heauen not because God is shut vp there who doeth also fill the earth but because his maiestie appeareth there chiefly and secondly because the beholding of heauen doth admonish vs that the power of God doth farre surpasse all creatures To the same purpose serueth the lifting vp of his handes when as he prayed for seeing that men are slacke and slowe by nature and their earthly nature doth bend them downewarde they haue neede to be stirred vp thus yea they haue neede of chariots to carry them vp vnto God But and if we couer to imitate Christ truly we must take heâ—d that our ceremonies expresse no more then is in the minde but let the inward affection mooue both handes feete tongue and whatsoeuer we haue VVheras the Publicane Luke 18. 13. did rightly pray vnto God casting down his eyes it is not contrary to this sentence For although beeing confounded with his sinnes he did cast downe himselfe yet did not that humilitie hinder him but that he craued pardon with boldnesse It was meete for Christe to pray after another sort who had nothing whereof he needed to bee ashamed Againe it is certaine that Dauid himselfe prayed sometimes after one sort sometimes after another as the matter required Father the houre is come Christ desireth to haue his kindome made famous that he may on the otherside set foorth the glorye of his father Hee saith that the houre is come because although hee was declared by myracles and all kinde of power to be the sonne of God yet his spiritual kingdome was yet obscure which shined out shortly after If any man obiect that there was nothing lesse glorious then Christ his death which wat then at hand I answere that there appeareth vnto vs great renowne in that death which is hid from the wicked because we know that the world was reconciled vnto God there when our sinnes were purged that the curse was taken away that Satan was ouercome And to this end tendeth Christ his petition that his death may bring foorth fruite by the power of the heauenly spirite such as was decreed by the eternall counsell of God For he saith that the houre is come not that which is appointed by mans will but which God had ordeined And yet this prayer is not superfluous because Christ doth so depende vpon the will of God that yet notwithstanding he knew that hee ought to desire that which he promised should surely come to passe God will do whatsoeuer he hath determined not only when the whole world sleepeth but also when it gainstandeth him yet neuerthelesse it is our dutie to ask of him whatsoeuer he hath promised because this is the vse of promises that they stirre vs vp to pray That thy sonne may be glorified He giueth vs to vnderstand that there is a mutuall illustration of his glory and his fathers for to what end doth Christ appeare saue only that he may leade vs vnto the father VVherupon it followeth that what honour soeuer is giuen vnto Christe it is so farre from diminishing the fathers honour that it doth more establish it VVe must alwayes remember what person Christe beareth in this place for we must consider his diuinitie alone because he speaketh in as much as he was God reuealed in the flesh and according to the office of a mediatour 2 As thou hast giuen him Hee proueth againe that he asked nothing saue that which was agreeable to the will of the father likeas this is a perpetuall rule of prayer to aske no more then that which God woulde giue of his owne accord because there is nothing more preposterous then to vtter before him whatsoeuer we list Power of all fleshe â—e meaneth the rule gouernment which was giuen Christ when the father made him king and head but we must note the ende to wit that he may giue life to all his Therefore Christe tooke vpon him the rule and gouernment not so much for his owne sake as for our saluations sake Therefore it is meete that we submit our selues vnto Christ willingly not only that wee may obey God but because there is nothing more amiable then this subiection seeing that it is vnto vs the cause of eternal life Christ saith not that he is made the gouernour of all the whole world to the end he may giue life vnto all men in generall but he restraineth this grace vnto those who are giuen him And how are they giuen him For the father hath also put the reprobates vnder him I answere that the elect only are of his peculiar flock which he hath taken to keepe as a shepheard Therefore the kingdome of Christ is extended indeed vnto all men but it is wholesome onely to the elect who with willing obedience doe followe the voyce of their Pastour For hee compelleth the other to obey him whether they wil or no vntill he doe at length breake them all to peeces with his yron scepter 3 And this is eternall life that they may knowe Now doth he define the manner of giuing life to wit when he illuminateth the elect that they may know God aright For he doth not intreate in this place of the fruition of the life which we hope for but only how men come vnto life And to the ende we may well and throughly vnderstand this sentence we must first of all knowe that we are al in death vntill God shine vnto vs who is life alone and so soone as he hath appeared vnto vs because we possesse him by faith wee doe also enter into the possession of life Hereby it commeth to passe that the knowledge of him is truly and worthily said to be
wholesome to saue vs. Furthermore almost euery word hath his weight for he meaneth not in this place all manner of knowledge of God but that which transformeth into the image of God from faith to faith yea it is all one with the faith whereby we are ingrafted into the body of Christe and are made partakers of the adoption of God and heires of the kindome of heauen And because God is knowen in the face of Christ alone who is his liuely and expresse image therefore is it said that they may knew thee and Christ whom thou hast sent For in that the father is placed first that is not referred vnto the order of faith as if our minde did afterward discend vnto Christe when we know God but the sense is that God is knowen at length when the mediatour is put betweene There are two Epithites added true and only because it is necessary first that faith doe distinguish god from al the vain inuentions of men that hauing embraced him with firme certaintie it be bended no whither ne yet faint and wauer and secondly that being persuaded that there is no imfect thing in God it be content with him alone whereas some doe resolue it thus that they may knowe thee who art God alone it is cold Therfore this is the sense that they may acknowledge thee to be the true God But Christ seemeth by this meanes to dispoyle himselfe of the right name of the diuinitie If any man answere that this word God is to be applyed vnto Christ as well as to the father the same question shal be moued concerning the holy Ghost For if the father only the sonne be one God the spirite is driuen from this degree which is as absurd VVe may easily answere if any man take heede vnto the manner of speech which Christ vseth euery where in the Gospell of Iohn whereof I haue so often tolde the Readers alreadie that they ought to bee acquainted therewith Christ appearing in the shape of man signifieth vnder the person of the father the might essence and maiestie of God Therefore the father of Christe is the only true God that is that God which had promised y e world a redeemer long ago is one But the vnitie and veritie of the Godhead shal be found in Christ because Christ was humbled for this cause that he myght lift vs vpon high VVhenas we are come thither then his diuine maiestie doth shewe foorth it self then he is knowen wholy in the father and the father is knowen wholy in him In summe hee that separateth Christ from the diuinitie of the father he doth not know him as yet who is the only true God but hee doth rather forge to himselfe a straunge God Therefore we are commaunded to know God and Christ whom he hath sent by whom as by his out stretched hand he inuiteth vs vnto himselfe VVhereas some doe thinke that this is an vniust thing if men doe perish for the ignoraunce of God alone it commeth to passe thereby because they do not consider that the fountaine of life is in the power of God alone and that all those which are straungers from him are depriued of life Now if we come vnto God only by faith infidelitie doth hold vs necessarily in death If any man obiect that the iust and innocent haue iniurie done them otherwise if they bee condemned wee may easily answere that there is no right or sincere thing in men so long as they continue in their owne nature And we are renued as Paule testifieth into the image of God by knowledge Now is it worthie the labour to gather three pointes togeather that the kingdome of Christe bringeth life and saluation Colloss 3. 10. Secondly that all men doe not receiue life thence and that it is not Christ his office to giue life vnto all men but only to the elect whom the father hath committed to his tuition Thirdly that this life is placed in faith and Christe bestoweth it vppon those whome hee illuminateth into the saith of the Gospell whereby we gather that the gifte of the heauenly wisedome and of illumination is not common to all men but proper to the elect It is true that the Gospell is offered vnto all men but Christe setteth foorth in this place the hidden and effectuall manner of teaching whereby the children of God alone are drawen vnto faith 4 I haue glorified thee Hee saith thus for this cause because God was made knowen vnto the worlde both in his doctrine and also in his myracles And this is the glory of God if wee knowe what he is VVhenas he addeth that hee hath finished the worke which was inioyned him hee meaneth that he hath fulfilled the whole course of his calling for that was the due and appointed time wherin he was to be receiued into the heauenly glory And hee doth not onely speake of his office of teaching but he doth also cōprehēd the other parts of his ministery For althogh the principal part remained as yet to wit the sacrifice of his death wherwith he should purge the sinnes of al men yet because the houre of his death was now present he speaketh as if he had suffered death alreadie This is therefore the summe that hee may be sent of his father into the possession of his kingdome for asmuch as hauing ended his course there remained nothing els for him to doe saue only that hee might bring foorth the fruite and effect of all thinges by the power of the spirite which he had done vpon earth according to the commaundement of his father according to that of Paule Philippians the second Chapter and seuenth verse Hee abased himselfe taking to himselfe the shape of a seruant therfore hath the father exalted him and hath giuen him a name c. 5 VVith the glory which I had with thee He desireth to be glorified with the father not that he would haue the father glorifie him inwardlye without any witnesse but tha◠beeing receiued into heauen hee may gloriously shew foorth there his greatnesse and power that euery knee may bowe vnto him c. In the same place 10. Therefore this clause with the father is set against earthly and transitorie glory in the former member like as Paule Rom. the sixth chapter and the tenth verse when as he saith that he dyed to sinne once and that he liueth now vnto God he expresseth the blessed immortalitie Afterwarde he declareth that he desireth nothing which he himselfe had not before but only that he may appeare to be such in the flesh as he was before the creation of the worlde or if you will that I speake more plainely that the diuine maiestie which he had alwayes may now shine in the person of the mediatour and in mans flesh which hee had put on An excellent place whereby wee are taught that Christe is no fleshe or temporall GOD. For if his glorye was eternall hee him selfe was also alwayes Moreouer there
afterward indifferently for all menne Father pardon them for they knowe not what they doe I answeare that the prayers which we make are yet notwithstanding restrained vnto the Electe VVee must desire that this manne and that and euery manne may be saued and so comprehende al mankinde because we cannot as yet distinguish the electe from the reprobate yet neuerthelesse when we pray that the kingdome of God maye come we doe also pray that he will destroy his ennemies There is thys onely difference that wee pray for the saluation of all menne who wee knowe are created after the image of GOD and whiche haue the same nature whiche wee haue wee leaue their destruction to Goddes iudgement whome hee knoweth to be reprobates But there was another speciall reason of the prayer which is recited heere whiche ought not to bee followed as an example For Christe prayeth not accordinge to the bare feelinge of faith and loue but beinge entred into the secreat places of heauen hee setteth before his eyes the secreat iudgements of the Father which are hidden from vs so longe as wee walke by faith Furthermore wee gather out of these wordes that GOD chuseth whome hee thinketh good vnto him selfe out of the worlde that they may bee heyres of life and that this difference commeth not from mennes merites but that it dependeth vppon hys meere good will For those menne whiche place the cause of election in man they must beginne wyth faith And Christe sayeth flatly that they were the fathers whiche are giuen hym And it is certaine that they are giuen for this cause that they may beleeue and that faith floweth from thys giuinge If this giuinge bee the beginninge of faith and if election doe goe before it in order and time what remaineth but that wee confesse that they are chosen freely whome GOD will haue saued out of the worlde Nowe seeinge that Christe prayeth for the electe alone wee must needes haue the faith of election if wee will haue our saluation commended to the father by him Therefore they doe great iniurie to the faithfull whiche goe about to blotte out the knowledge of election out of their mindes because they depriue them of Christe his voyce and consent Furthermore the peruerse dulnesse of these menne is refuted in these woordes who vnder the colour of election doe giue themselues vnto flouthfulnesse whereas it ought rather to sharpen and prouoke in vs the desire to praye as Christe teacheth by hys owne example 10. And all mine are thine Heereunto belongeth the former member that hee shall surely be hearde of the father I commende none other sayeth he vnto thee saue those whome thou acknowledgest to be thine owne because I haue nothinge that is separated from thee therefore I shall not take the repulse In the seconde member hee sheweth that hee hathe iust cause to care for the elect because they are his owne after that they are the fathers All these thinges are spoken to the confirmation of our faith VVee must not seeke for saluation anye where else saue onely in Christe VVee will not bee content with Christe vnlesse wee knowe that wee possesse GOD in hym Therefore wee must knowe and holde that vnitie whyche is betweene the Father and the Sonne whyche causeth that there is no diuision betweene them That agreeth with the seconde member which hee addeth afterwarde that hee was glorified in the disciples For it followeth that it is meete that hee further their saluation on the other side And this is a good signe and token to confirme our faith that Christ will neuer neglect our saluation if he shall be glorified in vs. 11. I am not nowe in the worlde Hee sheweth an other cause whye hee prayeth so earnestlye for his Disciples to witte because they shall shortly be depriued of his corporal presence vnder which they rested hytherto So long as hee was conuersant with them hee browded them vnder his wingeâ— as a henne doth her chickine now when hee departeth he prayeth his father to couer them with his sauegard and this doth he in respect of them For he prouideth a remedie for their feare that they may rest vpon God himself vnto whom hee deliuereth them now as it were from hand to hande And we gather no small comforte hence when we heare that the sonne of God is so much the more carefull for the safetie of his whenas he leaueth them according to the body For we must gather thereby that he respecteth vs at this day also whilest we are in the world that he may prouide for our miseries from his heauenly glory Holy father The whole prayer tendeth to this ende that the disciples may not be discouraged as if their estate should bee woorse because of the corporall absence of their master For seeing that Christ was gyuen them for a season to be their keeper he restoreth them now againe into his fathers hande as hauing fulfilled his function that heereafter they may be preserued through his protection and power The summe is this whenas the Disciples are depriued of the beholding of the fleshe of Christ they suffer no losse because God receiueth them into his tuition whose power is euerlasting Hee prescribeth the manner of preseruing them that they may bee one For looke whom the father hath determined to saue he gathereth those into the holy vnitie of faith and the spirite But because it is not sufficient if men conspire together any manner of way this clause is added euen as wee For our vnitie shall be happy then if it represent the image of God the father and of Christ as the waxe doth receiue a forme from the ring wherewith it is sealed But I will expounde shortly after howe the father and Christ are one 12 VVhilest I was with them in the world I haue kept them in thy name These whoâ— thou hast giuen mee haue I kept and none of them hath perished but the sonne of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled 13 And now I come vnto thee and these thinges speake I in the worlde that they may haue my ioy fulfilled in themselues 12 VVhilest I was in the worlde Christ saith that he hath kept them in his fathers name because he maketh himself a minister only which hath done nothing saue only through the power of God and his ayd Therfore he giueth vs to vnderstand that it is vnlikely that they should perishe now as if the power of God were extinguished by his departure But this seemeth to be a very absurd thing that Christ resigneth this dutie to keepe them vnto God as if he did cease to be the keeper of his hauing finished the course of his life VVe may readily answere that he speaketh in this place only of the visible keeping which had an ende in the death of Christe For truly so long as he was vpon earth he had no neede to borrowe power of any other whereby he might keepe the Disciples but this is wholy referred vnto
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
GOD did not commaunde the Iewes to obserue these rites whyche are contained in the lawe to any other end saue onely that they mighte accustome themselues to loue and desire true holinesse Moreouer they were neuer forbidden any where in the lawe to enter into a mannes house that was a Gentile but it was a Caueat giuen by the Fathers least any manne shoulde take or drawe any contagion or infection from an vncleane house vnawares But these good interpreaters of the Lawe whiche were very circumspecte in straininge out a gnatte doe stoutly deuoure a Camell And this is an ordinary thinge amongest Hypocrites that they thinke it greater wickednesse to kill a flye then a manne VVhereunto that othervice is allyed to preferre mennes traditions before the commaundementes of GOD. Therefore they will keepe themselues cleane that they may rightly eate the Passeouer But they include vncleannesse wythin the walles of the common hall neuerthelesse they are not afrayed to desire and câ—aue to haue an innocent putte to death in the presence of heauen and earthe Furthermore they keepe the Passeouer wyth a fained and falle reuerence but they doe not onely violate the true Passeouer with sartilegious handes but they endeuour also to ouerwhelme and couer it with eternall destruction so much as in them lieth 26. Therefore Pilate went out vnto them Thys prophane man doeth beare willinglye wyth the superstition whyche hee derideth and contemneth But hee doeth the duetye of a good iudge euen in the verye issue of the matter when as hee biddeth them vtter it if they haue any accusation But the priestes as if they hadde hadde authoritye enoughe to condemne him whome they accuse make no other answeare but that hee must stande to their preiudice For they complaine of Pilate by the waye because he trusteth not their honestie VVhy say they art thou not perswaded of thine owne accorde that hee is woorthy of death whome wee persecute Beholde howe the wicked whome GOD hathe lifted vppe vnto great honour beinge as it were blinded wyth their owne glorye and renowme doe graunt themselues libertie to doe what soeuer they will Beholde likewise howe drunken and madde pride is They will haue Christe to bee accounted an euill doer because they doe accuse hym But if they come to the matter what euill dedes of hys shall they finde saue onely that hee healed sicke folkes of all sortes hee draue the Deuilles out of menne hee sette on foote agayne those that hadde the Palsie and were lame hee restored sighte to the blinde hearinge to the deafe life to the deade The matter went thus this was the truthe and they themselues were too euidentlye conuicted But as I sayde euen nowe it is the hardest matter that canne bee for menne whyche are drunken wyth pride to be awaked that they may iudge with a sounde and setteled minde 31. Accordinge to your lawe VVee may surelye thinke that Pilate being offended wyth their rudenesse and violence vpbraideth vnto them that that forme of condemning which they vrged was contrary to the common lawe of all the Gentiles and to mannes reason Neuerthelesse hee toucheth them also in that they boasted that they hadde a lawe giuen them by God Hee sayeth tauntingly Take hym you neyther woulde he haue suffered them to haue condemned him to die but it is as muche as if hee shoulde haue sayde If you hadde the power and authoritie in your handes hee shoulde quickely bee punished and putte to death before hys cause were knowen Is thys then the equitie of your lawe to condemne a manne for no faulte or offence So that whilest the wicked doe falsely pretende the name of God they cause his holy doctrine to be slandered by the enemies and the world doth greedily catch at an occasion to speake euill It is not lawfull for vs. They are deceiued who thinke that the Iewes doe refuse Pilate his offer but rather when they knewe that hee spake thus vnto them in mockage Take him you they obiecte thou wouldest not permit this therefore sithens that thou art a iudge doe thy duetie 32. That the woorde of Iesus c. The Euangeliste addeth at length that it was conuenient it shoulde be so that that might bee fulfilled whiche Christe hadde foretolde The sonne of manne shall bee deliuered into the handes of the Gentiles Mathewe the twentieth chapiter and the nineteenth verse And truely thys is the principall poynte if wee couette to reade the hystorie of the deathe of Christe to profite thereby that wee looke vnto the eternall councell of God The sonne of God is arraigned and brought before the throne and iudgement seat of a mortall manne If wee thinke that this is done at mannes will and pleasure and doe not lifte vppe our eyes vnto GOD our faith must needes bee made ashamed and confounded but when as wee know that our guyltinesse was abolished before God by that guiltinesse of Christe because it pleased our heauenly father thus to reconcile mankinde vnto himselfe being lifted vppe on high by this cogitation onely we boast and triumphe without feare and shame in Christes his ignominie and reproche Therfore let vs learne in euery part of this hystorie to turne our eyes toward God the authour of our redemption 33. Therefore Pilate entred againe into the iudgement hall and called Iesus and sayd vnto him Art thou the king of the Iewes 34. Iesus answeared him Sayest thou this of thyselfe or haue others tolde thee it of mee 35. Pilate answeared him Am I a Iewe thine owne nation and the high priestes haue deliuered thee to me what hast thou done 36. Iesus answeared My kingdome is not of this worlde If my kingdome were of this worlde verely my ministers woulde striue that I might not be deliuered to the Iewes but nowe my kingdome is not hence 33. Therefore hee entred in It is to bee thoughte that there passed manye speaches betweene them whiche the Euangeliste concealeth whiche wee may also easily gather out of the rest But this Euangelist of oures standeth principallye vppon this one poynte that Pilate enquired diligentlye whether CHRISTE were broughte before the iudgement seat iustlye or vniustly There coulde nothinge bee done in presence of the people wythoute great a doe therefore hee went into the iudgement hall and truely his intent is to acquite Christ but Christ himselfe offereth himselfe to be condemned that hee maye obey his father And this is the cause that hee maketh so litle aunswere seeing that he had both a fauourable iudge and one that woulde haue giuen eare vnto him willingly it was no harde matter for him to pleade his owne cause but he remembreth to what end he came into the world and whither he is now called of his father therfore he holdeth his peace willingly that he may not escape death Art thou the king of the Iewes Pilat would neuer haue moued the question concerning the kingdome vnlesse the Iewes had burdened Christ with this crime And Pilate taketh that which was of
all other most odious to the end that hauing ended that hee maye acquite the partie accused The aunswere which Christe maketh tendeth to this ende that there is no colour in that accusation So that it containeth a refutation made by the way as if hee should say there is a crime laid to my charge ridiculously whereof there cannot be the very least suspition in me Pilate seemeth to haue taken it grieuously that Christe had demaunded why he suspected him Therefore hee vpbraydeth vnto him disdainfully that what euill soeuer is it commeth of his owne nation I saieth he sit as a iudge they be no straungers but thine owne countreymenne which accuse thee therefore there is no cause why thou shouldest inwrappe me in your discorde Ye might liue quietly for me and the Romanes but yee your selues are vnto your selues a cause of trouble part wherof I am enforced to suffer against my will 36. My kingdome He confesseth in these wordes that he is a king yet he putteth away and purgeth the slaunderous reporte so muche as was sufficient to proue his innocencie For he denieth that there is any disagreement betweene his kingdome and the politike order as if he shuld say I am falsely accused as if I had assayed to trouble or alter somewhat in the publike estate I haue preached concerning the kingdome of God but that is spirituall Therefore there is no cause why ye shoulde suspecte me for an vsurper or one that desireth to attaine to a kingdome by ambition or vnlawfull meanes Christe vsed this defence being 〈…〉 before Pilate but the same doctrine is profitable for all the godly 〈◊〉 the ende of the worlde For if Christe his kingdome were earthlye it shuld be vnstable and subiect to falling because the fashion of this world passeth Nowe because it is called heauenly he dooth also defend and auouch the perpetuitie and continuaunce thereof So that if it so fall out that the whole compasse of the earth be weakened and subuerted our consciences shal cōtinue neuerthelesse stable if so be it they take heede vnto christ his kingdome not onely amongst mouinges and shakinges but also amidst horrible ruines and destructions If we bee tyrannously vexed by the wicked yet our saluation and safetie persisteth whole and sound vnto vs in the kingdome of Christ which is not subiect to the wil of men Finally sithence y e the world rageth cōtinually with continuall stormes the kingdome of Christ is separated thence wherein we must seeke for quietnes and peace Furthermore we are taught of what sorte the nature of this kingdome is For if it didde make vs happy according to the fleshe and did bring vs ritches pleasures and whatsoeuer is to be wished for the vses of this present life it should smel of the earth and the world but now how miserable soeuer our estate be to looke to yet perfect felicitie remayneth safe for vs. VVe doe also learne heere who those be which appertaine vnto this kingdome namely those who being renewed by the spirite of God doe meditate vppon the heauenlye life in holynesse and righteousnesse Although we must also note that it is not denied but that the kingdome of Christ is in this worlde For we know that it hath a place in our mindes as Christ saieth also in another place the kingdome of God is within you Luke 17. 21. But to speake properlye the kingdome of God which dwelleth in vs is as it were a stranger in the world because the estate therof is altogeather vnlike My seruaunts would surely fight He proueth that he had not ambitiouslye aspired vnto a kingdome because no man stirreth no man taketh weapon in hande For if any priuate man doe vsurpe vnto himselfe a kingdome it must needes be that he is ayded by seditious persons There appeareth no such thing in Christe therefore it followeth that hee is no earthly king But heere may a question be moued whether it be lawfull to defend the kingdom of Christ with weapons or no. For when as the Princes are commaunded to kisse the sonne Psal. 2. 11. they are not onely commaunded to submit themselues priuately vnto his gouernmente but also that they employ al their power which they haue to defend the Church and maintaine godlines First of all I aunswere that they deale disorderly and ignorauntly who deduct this consequence that the pure worshippe of God and the doctrine of the Gospell ought not to bee defended with weapons because Christ is not then defended in his owne person For Christ doth onely reason according to this present fact how friuolous that is which the Iewes had slaunderously layd to his charge And secondly although godlye kinges doe defende Christes kingdome with the sword yet this is done some other way then earthly kingdome are woont to be defended For as the kingdome of Christ is spirituall so it must be grounded in doctrine and the power of the spirit In like sorte is the edifying thereof finished For neither the lawes and edicts of men neither yet their penalties doe come vnto the consciences yet this letteth not but that princes may defende the kingdome of Christ accidentally partly whilest that they ordaine externall discipline partly whilest that they ayde the Church againste the wicked But it commeth to passe through the frowardnesse of the worlde that the kyngdome of Christ is rather establyshed by the bloud of Martyrres then by the helpe and ayde of weapons 37. Therfore Pilat said vnto him art thou then a king Iesus answered him thou saiest that I am a king To this end was I borne and to this end came I into the world that I may beare witnesse of the trueth whosoeuer is of the trueth he heareth my voice 38 Pilate saith vnto him what is trueth And when he had said thus he went out againe vnto the Iewes and said vnto them I find no fault in him 39. But ye haue a custome that I shuld let one loose vnto you at Easter will yee then that I let lose vnto you the king of the Iewes 40. Therfore they cried al againe saying not him but Barabbas and Barabbas was a murtherer 37. Thou saist that I am Although Pilat vnderstoode already by the former answer y t christ did chalēg to himself some kingdom yet christ affirmeth this self sāe thing more plainly being not cōtēt therwith he addeth an other sentēce which is as it were a certain sealing of that saying Whēce we gather that the doctrine of the kingdome of Christe is no common doctrine seeing that he thought it worthie of so great asseueration or auouching This is a general sentence I was borne for this cause that I may bear witnesse of the truth yet it is especially to be applyed vnto the circumstance of this place But the wordes signifie thus much that this is a naturall thing for Christe to speake the truth and secondly that he was sent of the father to this end and that therfore this is his proper office
women are appointed to baptise 20. 17 The disciples of Christe baptise 3. 22. 42. Barabbas Barabbas is required of the Iewes 18. 40. Beginning Christ is the beginning without beginning 1. 1 The beeginning which speak vnto you 8. 25 Beleeue How it is said that the Iewes could not beleeue 12. 39. How we are saide to beleeue in Christ 7. 38 The EuaÌ„gelist putteth the word beleeue for to acknoledg 17. 21 To beleeue in Christ or in the son of God or in his name 3. 18 6. 69. 9. 36. 11. 42. 12. 44. 17. 8. to beleeue in Christe is the work of God 6. 29. Why the Iewes could not beleeue 10. 25. 12. 39. He that beleeueth in God perisheth not 3. â—5 but hath eternall life 3. 37 6. 47 20 41 he shall not die for euer 11. 26. he shal do the works of Christ and greater 14. 12. Benefites How fraile the memory of man is considering the benefits of God 14. 12. How dangerous a thing it is to abuse Cods benefits 13. 27. Bethleem Bethleem the citie of Dauid 7. 42. Bethesda For what cause the pole was called Bethesda 5. 2. Betray One of you shall betray me 13. 21. Blasphemie Two kindes of blasphemie 10. 33. Blessing The blessing of God is to be loked for in the woorkes of the handes 21. 6. Bloud Bloud of Christ is drinke in deede 6. 55. Bloud and water out of the side of christ 19. 34. 6. Borne of bloud 1. 13. Blindnesse Blindnesse wherewith the reprobate are smitten coÌ„meth not so much from Christ as from mans fault 9. 39. The cause of the blindnesse which hath befallen the worlde in many ages 12. 35. Blind The blind man which was blinde from his mothers wombe hathe his eyes opened on the sabaoth day 6. 14. 9. 1. How God is sayd to make blind the hearts of men 12. 40. Blindnesse Blindnesse is wherwith God striketh the wicked 18. 7. Borne To be borne againe 3. 3. 5. Burying VVhy the burying of christ was to be adorned by an externall rite 12. 7. VVhy God would haue the buriall of his sonne to be so honourable 19. 49. The maner of the burying was vnto the Iewes one of the ceremonies of the law In the same place The Gentiles receiued the care religion of buryinge from the fathers In the same place Ioseph buried the body of Christ. in the same place C. Caiphas Caiphas the high priest prophesieth 11. 49. Calling The calling of God is vnto vs in stead of day light 11. 9. Euery mans calling must be considered 21. 20. If we follow our calling al things shall fall out happilye in the same place The calling of God is profitable only in the electe 17. 6. There was an image of our calling expressed in Christ 15. 10. Calling is necessarye in the teachers of the church 1. 6. VVee muste not leape ouer the boundes of our calling 2. 17. An image of our calling was painted out in Mary 20. 16. Care Care for our brethren is not alway superfluous 11. 22. Cephas Cephas who was also called Simon 142. Ceremonies Ceremonies are dead without the word of God 19. 40. Chosen I haue chosen you out of the world 15. 19. I haue chosen you that you may bring frute 15. 19. God did chuse of his ennemies to loue him 14. 28. Chrâ—â—t Howe Christ is said to be lifted vp 3. 14. 8. 28. 12. 32. christ gaue vs an exaÌ„ple 13. 15. VVe must account the example of christ a lawe 2. 11. christ came out from his father 16. 28. 17. 8. christ his brethreÌ„ do not beleeue 7. 3. and 4. christ teacheth in the treasury 8. 20. Mankinde restored by christ 1. 1. christ breathed vppon his Apostles 20. 22. christ was weary of his iourney 4. 6. christe washeth the disciples feete 13. 5. Howe christ is sayd to wash vs 13. 8. christ raiseth Lazarus 11. 44. christ suppeth with Lazarus being raised from the dead 12. 1. christ his linnen clothes 20. 7. christ prepared vs a place 14. 2. Christ speaketh as he hearde of the Father 8. 26. 28. and 12. 50. 14. 10 Christ putteth clay vpon the eies 9. 6. 11. Christ is a light shining of it self 1. 9. Christ hydeth himself 8. 9 12 37. Christ hath vineger giuen him 19. 29. Christ the Lambe of God 7. 29. 31. Christ is called a Lamb why 1. 29. Christ his father is an husbande man 15. 1. Christ walketh vppon the sea 6. 19. Christe his friends 15. 14. 15 Christe giueth his lyfe for his sheepe 10. 15. 17. for his friends in the same chap. 15. 13. of himself in the same place Christ imparteth vnto the Apostles the autoritie which he receiued of his father 20. 21. How Christ compareth the Apostles with the holy kings and prophets 20. 29. Christe promiseth the Apostles prosperous successe 15. 16. VVhy the Euangelist doth beate this in so diligently that water flowed out of the side of christ 19. 34. Through Christe wee are made partakers of all the good thinges which Christ hath 16. 15. Christe annointeth with ointmentes 19. 41. Why Christ hath the aboundaÌ„ce of al good things giuen him 6. 11 The difference of good thinges which we haue by Christ. 14. 17. What good thinges we haue by Christ. 12. 14. Christ is led vnto him 18. 19 24. VVhy Christ adioined the cuppe in thâ— supper 6. 55. In what sence it is saide y t Christe speaketh earthly things 3. 29. The principal office of christ 1. 29 Christ abideth euer 12. 34. Christ came of the seede of Dauid 7. 41. The maner of receiuing Christ. 1. 12. Christ suppeth with Lazarus 12 2. Christ is buffeted 18. 22. 19 The fruit and effect of the coniunctioÌ„ which we haue with christ 20. 17. VVhat reward Christ vouchsafeth to bestow vpon the constancy of those which are his 8. 32. Christe foretelleth his disciples that they shal be sorrowful 16. 20. Christ his body is wrapped in a linnen cloath 19. 40. Christ loueth vs. 15. 4. VVho those bee whome Christe calleth to obtaine the riches of the spirit 7. 37 Christ taught in the synagogue and in the temple 18. 20. Christ teacheth sitting 8. 2. Christ is our Lord and maister 13. 12 Christ prescribeth a lawe to the Church by his own example 8. 26 Christ did chuse twelue wherof one was a Deuil 6. 70. Christ giueth to the poore 13. 18 VVhat it is to come vnto Christ. 6. 44. 7. 38. Christ is the onely begotten son â— 18. Christ is our maister 3. 2. 13. 12. Christe praieth to haue those that be his kept from euill 17. 15. Christe sitteth in the mountaine with his disciples 6. 3. Christ is laid in a new graue 19. 42. Christe throweth the buiers and sellers out of the temple 2. 15. Christ spake nothing in secret 18 20. Christ put clay vpon the eies of the blind man 9. 6. 11. 15. Christ is the dore 10 1. 7. Christ
7. 38. The spirite is the perfect maister of trueth 16. 12. Christ receiued the spirite not so much for himselfe as for his 1. 32. VVhat it is to worship in spirite and trueth 4. 23. How this must be vnderstoode that Christe was troubled in the spirit 13. 21. The testimony of the spirit is our onely aide against the inuasion of the world 15. 16. How the spirite is said to testifie of Christe in the same place Christ is present with vs by the trueth and grace of his spirit 12. 6. To what end the faithful doe receiue the spirit in the same place Howe this must be vnderstoode that the spirit speaketh not of himself 16. 13. The duetie of the holy spirit 16. 14. How this muste be vnderstoode that the spirit was not giuen christ by measure 3. 34. The spirite reproueth men two maner of waies 16. 8. VVhy christ added the visible brething in giuing the spirit to the Apostles 20. 22. What men are able to doe beeing depriued of the aid of the holy spirite 14. 18. Iesus gaue vp the ghost 19. 3. How the worship of God is said to consist in the spirit 4. 23. The spirit of giddinesse wherewith Satan driueth the wicked 12 10. The spirite of truth shall declare things to come 16. 13. Spittle Iesus made clay of spittle 9. 6. Sicke The sick man who had laid sick thirtie eight yeeres is made whole by Christ. 5. 9. To whom god hath sent speake the wordes of God 3. 35. Sinagogues christ preacheth in the Sinagogues 6. 59. To be cast out of the Sinagogues 9. 22. and 12. 42. and 16. 2. T Taught Taught of God 6. 45. Teachers It belongeth to Christe alone to frame the teachers of the Church 10. 22. Christ the onely teacher of the Church 20. 21. With what stoutnesse of minde the teachers of the Churche must bee endewed 2. 28. and 8. 29. and 16. 3. Whereuppon the authoritie of teachers dependeth 3. 2. Teaching God hath a double maner of teaching 14. 25. Temple The temple of Ierusalem was builded by Herod 2. 20. To what ende the temple was builded 2. 16. The temple was a figure of the church in the same place Why the temple was called the house of God 2. 16. Christ teacheth in the temple 7 24. 28. and 8. 12. 1. and 18. 20. The temple of the body of christ muste be destroyed by the Iewes 2. 19. 21. Temples VVhye our bodies are called Temples 2. 19. Tempted God will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength 18. 9. Testimonie All men receiue not the testimonie of christ 3. 11. Christ giueth testimony of himselfe 8. 13. 14. 18. The testimony of the father of the sonne 5. 32. 36. 88. The testimony of christ of Iohn Baptist 1. 26. Theefe A thiefe a murtherer 10. 12. 8. Theeues Theeues are crucified with christ 19. 18. Thernades Fastning of the Thernades an holye daye of the Iewes 7. 2. Thankes To giue thanks 11. 2. 3. Thomas Thomas Didymus 11. 16. hee is reprehended for his vnbeliefe Thirst. Let him that is a thirst go vnto Christ 7. 37. To be a thirst for euer and not to be a thirst Title the title of christes cause 19. 19. Troubled Let not your heart be troubled 14. 1. 27. Truth Christ is the truth 14. 6 the truth of God must be defended although all the whole world say nay 5. 18. It is knowen to christe howe much the truthe differeth from figures 19. 10. Truth is taken for perfection of faith 14. 6. The truth shall make you free saith christ 8. 32. God is the fountaine of truth 16. 13. Christ full of truth 1. 17. It is a common thing amonge men to corrupt the truth of God 6. 14. who are saide to be of the truth 18. 37. What it is to do the truth 3. 21. Christe came to beare witnes of the truth 18. 37. The Diuell stood not in the truth Christ speaketh the truth 8. 45. which he hath heard of the father the spirite of truth shall teache all truth 16. 13. Twelue Twelue chosen by christ 6. 7. Time Christ saith that his time is not yet come 7. 6. 8. V Vnitie Vnitie of y e church is grounded no where els saue onely in the faith of the scripture 19. 23. Vnbeliefe How vnbeliefe is called the fountaine cause of all euils 8. 24. 15. 22. Vnbeliefe doth stop the way before vs that we cannot come vnto God 11. 34. He that beleueth not the sonne shall not haue life 3. 38. Vnrighteousnesse Vnrighteousnesse is not in God 7. 23. Vnion The meanes to know the vnion whiche is betweene vs and Christe 14. 20. Voyce The voice of one crying in the wildernesse 1. 23. How horible the voyce of christ shall bee to the wicked in the last iudgement 18. 4. The sheepe shall heare the voice of christ 10 16. Vine VVe must note three things chiefly in the similitude of y e Vine 15. 1. Christ is the true vine 15. 1. VV VVay Howe Christe is called the way the trueh and the life 14. 6. Christ is the way to the father in the same place VVater pots Water pots of stone 2. 6. VVeepe Mary and the Iewes doe weep for Lazarus his death 11. 33 Ye shal mourne weepe 16. 20 Iesus speaketh vnto Magdalen as she wept 20. 15. VVhole Christ made a man euery whit whole 7. 22 Thou art made whole sinne no more 5. 14. VVhippes The sinnes of men are not alwaies to be measured by the whips of God 9. 34. Pilate deliuereth Iesus into the wil of the Iewes beeing whipped 19. 1. VVeaknes Christ his weakenesse ought to vnderprop faith 14. 1. VVicked The wicked are not streightway to be discouered 13. 22. 26. Wicked men must be called vnto Gods iudgement seate 8. 28 VVorship The rule of worshippe which God requireth at our hāds 5. 24. VVhence we must set the law of Gods worship 18. 39. VVorshippers VVho be true worshippers 4. 23. 24. VVoman The comparison of a woman with childe 16. 21. VVord VVhy the Sonne of God is called the word 11. 〈…〉 In what sense the word of Christ is called life 6. 63. The word of christ shal iudg him that reiecteth his words 12. 42. To abide in the word of Christ. 8. 31. To keepe the word of Christ. 8. 51. 14. 23. 24. 15. 20. 17. 6. VVhy the word of God is darke vnto vs. 16. 25. The word of God is truth 17. 17. The word was in the beginning 1. 1. was made fleshe in the same place 14. the worde of God is the onely mark of faith 20. 31. The word of life 6. 68. What knowledge we can conceiue of Christ without the word 6. 19. It is a dangerous thing to inuēt any thing in diuine matters without the word 6. 15. VVe must alwaies hold a mutual consent betweene the word and faith 11. 21. VVith what remedy wee muste cure the
hee passeth to doctrine neither assigning time nor place As in Mathewe there is no noting of the time but only of the place And it is very likely that Christ did not so preach but after hee hadde chosen the twelue But I woulde not be too curious in keeping the order of time which I did see not regarded by the spirite of God For this ought to suffice the godly and modest readers that they haue heere set before theyr eyes a briefe summe of the doctrine of Christ gathered out of many and diuers of his sermons wherof this was the first where he entreateth with his disciples of true felicitie 2. He opened his mouth Heere in the Hebrew phrase is the figure Pleonasâ—â—â—os vsed for that which were corrupt in other tongues is vsuall amongst the Hebrewes to say he opened his mouthe for he began to speake And though many thinke it to be an Emphatycal kinde of speache vsed wheÌ„ either some weighty or notable matter is vttered either in good parte or in euill Yet because many places of scripture doe gainsaye the same the first exposition doeth please me best Also let their subtile speculation go which doe teach that Christ allegorically led his disciples into the mountaine that he might carie their mindes on highe farre from earthly cares and studies for by going vp the mount he rather soughte a secreate place out of the way that being farre from company he might refresh himself a litle with his disciples from wearinesse And first it is to be considered for what cause Christe spake to his disciples of true felicitie VVe knowe that not only the common people but also the wise men were herein deceiued thinking him to be happy that led a mery a quiet life free from all griefe and had what he desired And certainly by the iudgement almoste of all menne felicitie is esteemed by the present state Therefore Christ that he might accustome his to the bearing of the crosse reprooueth this wicked opinion that they are happy which nowe liue wel and prosperously according to the flesh For it cannot be that they should paciently submit their necke to beare sorowes and iniuries which accounte patience to be an enemie to a blessed life Therefore it is one comforte whereby the bitternesse of the crosse and of all mischiefes is mitigated also made sweet while wee are perswaded that in the midst of miseries we are happy because that our patience is blessed of the Lord shortly there shall folow a more ioyfull ende I graunt that this doctrine doeth muche disagree from common sense but so it behooued the disciples of Christ to be taught wisedome that they might accounte their felicitie to be out of this world and beyond the vnderstaÌ„ding of flesh And though carnall reason will neuer allowe that which Christ here teacheth yet hee proposeth no fantasticall deuice as in times past the Stoickes did sporte with their Paradoxes but in deede he declareth why they are truly happie whose estate is accounted miserable Therefore let vs remember that this is the chiefe poynte of the doctrineâ— that Christ denieth that they are miserable and wretched that are oppressed with the iniuries of the wicked and are subiect to diuers dangers And Christ doeth not only proue that they are of a peruerse iudgement which measure the felicity of man by the present state because that the miseries of the godly shall shortly be chaunged into better but also hee exhorteth them to patience by proposing a hope of rewarde before them â— Blessed are the poore in spirite for In Luke there is a bare Metaphor But Mathewe doeth more plainly expresse the minde of Christ because that the pouerty of many is accursed and vnhappy Therefore when there be many oppressed with euils which yet cease not inwardly to swell wyth pride cruelty Christ pronounceth them happy which being tamed subdued with troubles do submit theÌ„selues wholely vnto God and being inwardly humbled they commit themselues into his custody others do interpreat theÌ„ pore in spirite which do arrogate nothing to theÌ„selues but throwing downe al trust in flesh they acknowledge their own nede But because it is necessary to be one and the same sense in the wordes of Luke and Mathewe It is not to bee doubted but they are called poore which are oppressed afflicted with aduersities This only is the difference that Mat. by adding that Epithyte doth restraine the felicity to theÌ„ only which vnder the discipline of the crosse haue learned to be humble For theirs is VVe see that Christ doth not puffe vp the minds of his disciples with a vain perswasion or harden them with a hard hearted obstinacy as the Stoicks do but he calling them to the hope of eternal life he encorageth theÌ„ to patience because by this meanes they shuld enter into the heauenly kingdoÌ„ But it is worth the labor to note that no maÌ„ is pore in spirit but he that is brought to nothing in himself reposeth himself in the mercy of God For they that are brokeÌ„ or ouerwhelmed with desperation when they fret against God are of a lofty and proude spirite 4. Blessed are they that mourne This sentence is not only next to that which goeth before but it is as an Appendix or confirmation of it For it was wont to be iudged that troubles make a man vnhappy because they alwayes doe drawe sorow and griefe with them and that nothing is more coÌ„trary to felicitie then sorow But Christ doth not only deny that they that mourne are miserable but hee teacheth that they are holpe euen by that sorowe to happy life For that they are by this meanes framed to receiue eternall ioy and pricked forward as with spurres least they should seeke any comforte any other where So Paule sayeth to the Romaines chapter 5. 3. we reioyce in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed 5. Blessed are the meeke He meaneth those meke and quiet which are not easily prouoked with iniuries are not geuen to frowardnes for euery offence but are ready rather to suffer any thing then to do as the wicked do But it seemeth very absurde that Christ promiseth the enheritance of the earth to suche For they rather vsurpe the gouernment of the earthe which couragiously repell all iniuries and if at anye time they be hurte they are ready with the hand to reuenge the same And certainly experience teacheth that the wicked do so much the more boldly and stoutlye go on forward for that they are the more gently borne with And hereof roase that deuelish prouerbe They must howle with the wolues because that whosoeuer maketh himselfe a shepe is presently to be deuoured of the wolues But Christ opposing his owne aid and the helpe of his father against the fury and violence of those euilles doeth not wythout cause declare that the meeke shal be Lordes and enheritors of
the earth The children of this world doe not thinke themselues otherwise in safegard except they sharply reuenge what euill soeuer is done them and so with force and armes defend their life But sith it is certaine that Christe is the onely keeper of our life there remaineth nothing else but that we shoulde hide our selues vnder the shadowe of hys wings Also it behooueth vs to be sheepe if we couette to be accounted of his flocke If anye Obiecte that this heere spoken is against experience Firste I woulde hee shoulde weigh howe vnquiet those cruell men be so that they euen trouble themselues So that in so troublesome a life thoughe they were the Lords of the earth a hundred times yet in possessing all things they possesse nothing But for the children of God I aunsweare though they can in no place sette their foote vppon their owne grounde yet they quietly enioy a dwelling place vpō the earth And this is not an imagined posfession for they dwel vpon the earth which they know is graunted them from God Also they are armed wyth the hande of God agaynste the tempest and rages of all mischiefes and though they be set forth against all the dartes of Fortune and subiecte to all inconuenience of euilles and compassed aboute wyth all daungers yet they dwell safelye vnder the defence of God so that at leaste they maye taste nowe the fauoure of God And this is sufficient for them vntill at the last daye they enter into the enheritance of the world 6. Blessed are they which hunger To hunger and to thirst is by the figure Synecdoche taken for to want to be without things necessarye and also to be defrauded of their owne right That which Mathew sayth to hunger after righteousnesse is a placing of a part for the whole Yet hee amplifieth the vnworthines when he sayth that by carefull sighing they get nothing but that which is righteous as if he should saye they are blessed which though they moderate their desires so that they desire nothing to be geuen them but that which is right doe yet neuerthelesse languishe as hungry soules For though their carefulnesse wherewith they bee troubled is scorned at yet it is to them a preparation to felicitie because they shall at length be satisfied for God will at length heare their sighes and wil heare their iust desires whose office it is to fil the hungry with good things as it is in the Virgines song 7. Blessed are the merciful This sentence also is hard cōtrary to the iudgemēt of man For the world accoūteth them happy which are carelesse of the miseries of other men prouide for their own ease but Christ here calleth thē blessed which are not only ready to bear their owne harmes but do also take other mēs vpon thēselues that they may help thē that are in misery willingly ioyn thēselues to thē that are troubled and put on the same affections that thereby they maye the more willingly employe themselues to helpe them Hee addeth for they shall obtaine mercy that is not onely with God but also amongest men themselues whose mindes God will bowe to humanitie But though sometimes the world is vnthankful and bestoweth the woorst reward vpon them that deserue best it ought to suffice vs that there is fauour laide vp with God for the mercifull and kinde so that they shall haue him kinde and mercifull againe to them 8. Blessed are the poore in heart Christe seemeth heere to saye nothynge but that which is agreeable to the iudgement of all men Al confesse that cleannesse of heart is mother of all vertues but yet it is scarce the hūdred man that doeth not accompt subtletie as a most notable vertue Heereof it commeth to passe that they are commonly thought blessed which are most subtile in craftie conueiances whiche by euill meanes doe craftelye circumuent them with whome they haue to doe Therefore Christe agreeth not with the iudgemēt of the flesh while he calleth them blessed which are not delited with craftinesse but walke sincerely amongst men and in words and countenance pretend no other thing then they thinke in heart And because the simple are laughed at as men nothing warye and because they doe not with deceite enoughe prouide for themselues Christe calleth them higher that if they be not wise enough to deceiue vpon earth they shall enioy the sight of God in heauen 9. Blessed are the peacemakers He doeth not only meane them which loue peace and flee from quarels as muche as in them lieth but doe also diligently ende dissentions raised vppe amongest others are the authours of peace vnto all and doe take awaye the occasion of hatreds and displeasures Neither is this rashly spoken for sith it is a painefull and a troublesome matter to pacifi◠them that disagree amongst themselues the quiet men which studie to maintaine peace are enforced to beare this crueltie that they heare the reproches the complaints and the quarelles on bothe partes And thereof it riseth that euery man would wish to haue them al patrons to be on his side Therefore least we should hang vppon the fauour of men Christe commaundeth vs to regarde the iudgmente of his father who being the God of peace accounteth vs for his children while we nourish peace although our labor please not men For to be called signifieth as much as to be accounted 10. Blessed are they which suffer persecution The disciples of Christ haue great neede of this doctrine and how much the lother and more hardly flesh doth admit the same so much more dilygently it must be meditated Neyther canne we vnder any other condition war vnder Christ then that the greater parte of the world will ryse vp in hatred agaynst vs and shall persecute vs euen to death So standes the matter Sathan the prince of the world wil neuer cease to arme his children with madnes that they may strik the members of Christ. This is very monstrous and against nature that they which loue righteousnes should be vexed as enemies which they haue not deserued Therefore Peter saieth if you auoyde from euill deedes who is he that will harme you But in so vnbrydeled wickednes of the world it falleth out too often that the good men through the zeale of righteousnes do enflame the displesures of the wicked against them But this is the lotte especially of Christians to be hated of the greatest number of men for flesh cannot beare the doctrine of the Gospel none can beare to haue their faultes reproued They are sayde to suffer for righteousnes which thereby kindle the displeasures of the wicked and prouoke theyr fury agaynst them because that with a care of right and equitie they oppose themselues against euill causes and defende the good as muche as in them lieth And in this behalfe the truthe of God hathe woorthely the chiefe place VVherfore by this note Christ discerneth his Martyrs from wicked men and euil doers Now I
is giuen him and so may fulfill al things Finally he filleth the world with the smel of his righteousnes out of his heauenly glory And the spirite pronounceth by the Gospell that this is the onely meanes whereby we are iudged iuste Therefore this second degree is fet from the conuiction of sin that the spirite may conuince the worlde what is to be accounted true righteousnes to wit Christ hath appointed and ordained the kingdome of life by his ascending into heauen and he sitteth now at the right hand of the father to the end he may establish true righteousnes 11. And of iudgement Those that take this word iudgement for damnation they want not a reason for the same because Christ addeth immediately that the prince of the world is iudged But as I thinke the other sense dooth better agree to witte that so soone as the light of the Gospell is once lighted the spirite reuealeth that the state of the world was rightly and orderly framed by the victory of Christ whereby he threwe down Sathan his empyre as if hee should saye that this is the true restoringe whereby al things are reformed when as Christ himselfe possesseth the kingdome alone hauing subdued and conquered Sathan Therefore iudgement is set against confused and disordered things or that I maye speake more brieflye it is contrarye to disorder as if a man should call it rightnesse or straightnesse in whiche sense it is oftentimes taken in the scripture The sense therefore is that so long as Sathan ruleth he mixeth and troubleth all thinges so that there is a filthy and euill fauoured confusion of the workes of God but when as he is stripped of his tyrannye by Christ then is the world reformed and there appeareth good order So that the spirite conuinceth the world of iudgment that is that Christ restoreth and bringeth those things in order which were gone to decay before hauing ouercome the prince of iniquitie 12. I haue yet many thinges Christ his sermon coulde not preuaile so much amongst his disciples but that their rudenes did cause them doubt as yet in many thinges yea they did scarse taste of those thinges whiche ought to haue refreshed them throughly vnlesse the weakenes of the flesh had hindered them Therefore it could not be but that acknowledging their own want they shuld feare and stand in doubt Therefore in that he saith that they are vnable to beare thē if he shall tell them more and higher things it tendeth to this end that being incouraged with the hope of better profiting they bee not discouraged For it was not meete that they shuld measure the grace wherwith they shuld be endowed according to the present feeling seeing they were so farre from heauen In summe he biddeth them be of good courage how weake soeuer they be now But beecause they had no vnderpropping whereunto they might leane saue onely doctrine Christ telleth them that he had tempered the same so that they might receiue it yet so y t they are to hope for an higher and more plentifull shortly as if he shuld say if that be not yet sufficient to establish you which you haue heard of me suffer a litle for ye shal shortly be taught by the spirit and then shall ye want nothing hee shall resolue that which is yet rude in you Nowe the question is what those thinges were whiche the Apostles were not sitte to learne as yet To the end the Papists may thrust in their owne inuentions in steede of Gods oracles they do wickedly abuse this place Christe promised say they vnto the Apostles new reuelations therefore they must not stay in the scripture aboue which he calleth his First of all if we will say as Augustine saith we shal answere readily His wordes are these seeing that Christ held his peace which of vs can saye that they are these or these thinges or if hee dare saye so how will hee prooue it who is so vaine or rashe who although hee say those thinges which are true canne affirme without any diuine testimonie that those are the thinges which the Lord would not vtter at that time But wee haue a surer reason out of Christ his wordes to refute them The spirite is called the perfect maister of truth whom Christ promysed to his Apostles And why was hee promised saue only that they might deliuer with their handes the wisdome which they receiued from him The spirit was giuen them who being their guide and directer they executed the office which was enioyned them The same spirit had brought them into all trueth when as they cōprehended in writing the sum of their doctrine VVhosoeuer thinketh that there ought any thing to be added to this doctrine as if it were lame and but halfe full and perfect he doth not only accuse the Disciples of fraudulent dealing but he doth also blaspeme the spirit If the doctrine which they didde write had proceeded from fresh water soldiours and nounces the addition had not beene superfluous but now fithence that their writinges are as it were the euerlasting tables of that reuelation which was promised them and giuen them there can nothing be added vnto them without doing cruell iniury to the spirite Furthermore the Papists are more then ridiculous when as they are come to the matters themselues For they define that those secretes which the Apostles were vnable to bere were childish diriges then which there is nothing more vaine or foolysh Forsooth spirite must needes come downe from heauen that the Apostles might learne how to hallow the chalices with their altars how to baptise Belles how to blesse holy water and how to celebrate Masse Therfore how doe noddies and children learne these thinges which haue them at their fingers endes Therefore it is most manifest that the Papists doe mocke God seeinge that they feigne that those thinges came downe from heauen which doe no lesse smell of the misteries of Ceres and Proserpina then they are contrary to the sincere wisdome of the spirite But let vs vnlesse we will be vnthankfull to God reste vppon that doctrine whereof the Apostles were the aucthors as their writinges declare seeing that the chiefest perfection of the heauenly wisdome is deliuered vnto vs there which may make the man of GOD perfect Colloss 1. 28. Let vs not thinke that it is lawefull for vs to goe beyond the same For our height and breadth and depth are placed in that that we knowe the loue of God shewed vnto vs in Christe Ephe. 3. 18. This knowledge excelleth all knowledge as saieth Paule Like as when he teacheth that all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hidden in Christ Colloss 2. 3. hee forgeth not an vnknowne Christ but him whome he had liuely depaynted by his preaching that he may be seene as it were crucified before our eyes as hee saith vnto the Galathians the third chapter the first verse But least there shoulde anye doubt remaine Christe declareth afterwarde by his owne wordes