of earthlye thinges and can desyre nothing but that which is against GOD. But Christ is here set before vs as the onely reméedy against that mortal sting of the Serpent Who is therefore called the Serpent because hée is like vnto sinfull men Heb. 7.26 And hée is compared to a Serpent of Brasse because he is pure and cleansed from all filthinesse of sinne Holye Innocent and vndefiled 1. Pet. 2.7 Also hée is called the Brasen Serpent because hée is fyrme and a sure Rocke of defence for all such as put their trust in him 15. That all that beleeue in him should not perishe but haue life euerlasting M. Thus the trueth agréeth with the figure The Brasen Serpent was not exalted without cause neyther for it selfe but for the healing of those which otherwise had béene but dead Euen so Christ is exalted by the Preaching of the Gospell Ephe. 2.3 that wée which are borne by nature the Children of wrathe might bée cured so that wee beholde him whiche is the aucthour and finisher of our Faith Heb 12.2 Wherevppon also it is sayde that hée hath cleansed and puryfied his Churche Ephe. 5.26 in the woorde of life For as they which behelde the Serpent lifted vppe were healed from perishing and restoored to lyfe euen so they whiche beléeue in Christ Preached shall not perishe but haue eternall life M. The Brasen Serpent was a remeedye onelye against corporall and temporall death but Christ is a remeedye against eternal and spirituall death C. This certainelye is a notable report of Faith Faith deliuereth froÌ„ eternal destruction that it is sayde to deliuer vs from euerlasting death and destruction For Christ went plainelye about to expresse and declare that although we séeme to bée borne to death yet notwithstanding we haue most certaine deliueraunce from the same offered to vs through faith in him And thus death Our meriâ—s obtaine not eternal life which otherwise hangeth ouer vs is not to bée feared Furthermore if eternall life bée obtayned by faith where are then our merites where are our workes Who can attaine to righteousnes by his workes to euerlasting life by his merites C. Also Christ vseth the generall worde All bothe to call all men to the participation of life and also to cutte of all excuse from vnbeléeuers M. Therefore Christ Iesus is readye to bestowe eternall life vppon all those that beléeue in him without respect of personnes for louinglye hée calleth all vnto him Bv. Olde men Yong men Women Learned Vnlearned Poore Rich Iewes and Gentiles and to bée short he calleth all kinde of menne which Laboure and are Laden with the heauye burthen of sinne that hée maye refreshe them and indewe them with euerlasting life C. Notwithstanding let vs here note and consider that life is so generallye promised to all men that beléeue in Christ Mat 11.23 that yet faith is the condition annexed to the promise which faith appertayneth not to all For Christ is exhibited and offered vnto all notwithstanding 2. Thess 3. GOD openeth the eyes of the elect onelye that they maye séeke him by faith 16. For so GOD loued the worlde that hee gaue his onelye begotten Sonne that all that beleeue in him shoulde not perish but haue euerlasting life R. Our Sauiour Christ goeth on still in the former disputation still more plainely opening and declaring that righteousnesse commeth not by the Law but by the behoulding of the Serpent that is to saye by fayth in Christ and therewithall sheweth the first cause and principall originall of our saluation No peace of Conscience without Gods loue and that because wée shoulde not be least in doubt For our myndes haue no peaceable rest or quietnesse in the which they may staie them selues vntill we come to the frée loue of God Therfore as the whole substance of our saluation consisteth in no other then in Christ so we must sée wherby Christ is vnited vnto vs why he is offered to vs to be our sauiour Loue in God and faith in vs bringet 〈◊〉 vs life eternal Both these thinges are beare distinctly put downe vnto vs the first is a liuely faith in Christ The second is the loue of God by which he so loued the worlde that hée sent life to the same by his onely Sonne to saue mankinde from destruction And this order is diligently to be noted For when the originall of our saluation commeth in question by and by according to our naturall ambition burst foorth diuelish imaginations of our owne merites Wée faine that God is therefore mercifull because hée hath respect to none but those whome hée iudgeth worthy Mercy of God maketh mans merites frustrate But the Scripture doth euery where extoll his méere and simple mercie which cleane abolisheth all merites And this is the verye meaning of our Sauiour in these wordes when hée appoynteth the cause in Gods mercye M. Therefore the loue of God with the which hée hath loued the world hath so determined that the worlde shoulde be saued by the sending of the Sonne And our Sauiour doth slightlye passe ouer this loue but doth dilligentlye amplyfie and inculcate the same when hée maketh mention of the sending of the onelye begotten sonne of god who was giuen vnto vs as a most certaine and vndoubted pledge of his fatherly loue towarde vs. R. Whereof then commeth saluation whereof commeth iustification whereof commeth the hope of eternall lyfe Come these from the worthinesse or merites of men God forbidde but they haue their originall of the loue of God For wée had alwayes aboade so much as wée coulde in our sinnes in death and in hell except God of his entire loue with the whiche hée loued vs being as yet miserable sinners had not giuen his onelye begotten sonne for vs. Herevppon the Apostle sayth In this is loue not that wee loued him for the fleshe is vtterlye voyde of the knowledge of God but because hee loued vs first 1. Ioh 4.10 and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes And the Apostle Paule sayth Rom. 5.8 GOD commendeth or declareth his loue towarde vs in that when as yet wee were miserable sinners Christ died for vs. Sinne bringeth with it death C. Without all doubt where sinne raigneth wée shall finde nothing but the wrath of God which bringeth with it death Therefore it is onlye mercye which reconcyleth vs vnto God that therewithall we might be restored vnto lyfe If any man demaund in whome this loue is founded The Apostle Paule aunswereth Ephe. 1.5 That it is founded in the purpose of his will Notwithstanding this manner of speache séemeth to be contrarye to manye testimonies of Scriptures which place the first and principall foundation of Gods loue towarde vs in Christ and doe shew that without him wée are displeasing and hatefull vnto GOD. But wée must remember that the hydden and secret loue with the which God hath
namelye because hée was naturally begotten of the Father from euerlasting to bée the proper naturall and onlye begotten Sonne of God coequall with the Father in all thinges of the same essence glorye and power and not his adopted sonne as all the Saintes are called the sonnes of God AV. Wherevppon it is added And made him selfe equall with God Otherwise wée saye all Our Father which art in heauen Math. 6. ◠Wée reade also that the Iewes sayde Esa 63.16 Seing thou art our Father Therefore they were not angerye because hee sayde that God was his Father but because hée dyd so call him after a farre other maner than men doe Beholde the Iewes vnderstande that which the Arrians vnderstand not who so confessed Christ to bée GOD that they dyd not acknowledge him to be equall with his Father as though there coulde bée founde any inequallitye in one simple essence of God AV. Therefore hée being in the forme of GOD Philip. 2.6 thought it no robberye to bee equall with God that is to saye but hée was in that in the which he was borne because the Father had begotten him equall 19. Then aunswered Iesus and sayde vnto them Verylye veryly I saye vnto you the sonne can doe nothyng of hym selfe but that he seeth the Father doe for whatsoeuer hee doeth that doth the sonne also Then aunswered Iesus and saide C. That which the Iewes obiected though it were sclaunderous yet notwithstanding Christe is so farre from confuting the same that he openly affirmeth it to be true Bv. For he proueth by strong argumentes that hée is the naturall sonne of God equall to the Father in all thinges M. affirming that his workes are none of his but the workes of his father and that therefore the Sabboth is not broken by them Neither doth he simplye affirme this but that which is more namely that it cannot be that the Sonne should do any thing that the father doeth not C. And first of all he standeth vppon this poynte that the same was a diuine worke which the Iewes founde fault withall to the ende they might knowe that they muste contende with God yf so be they condemne that which of necessitie must be ascribed vnto him Iohn 6.38 B. And nowe these wordes The sonne can doe nothing of him selfe I seeke not mine owne will Also If I beare witnesse of my selfe my witnesse is not true are spoken by imitation Hitherto the Lorde imitated the Iewes who thought him not to be all one with the father and yet notwithstanding he was of some substaunce with the father made man after the wil of his father insomuch that he neither thought nor did any thing which was not both the wil and worke of his father Also this place the Arrian hath abused seking to proue hereby that the sonne is lesse then the father But there is no mencion here made of the bare diuinitie of Christe neyther doth that which followeth symplye belong to the eternall worde of God but doth onely belong to the sonne of God in that he was manifested in the fleshe And his purpose is to declare by these wordes that they doe greatlye erre which thinke that they haue to do with a mortall man when they accuse Christe concerning diuine workes For this cause he so vehemently affirmeth that he and his father wrought this worke ioyntly togeather Bv. And lest any man shoulde imagine anye other infirmitie or imbecillitie in the sonne he addeth by interpretation saying For whatsoeuer hee doth that doth the sonne also to the ende that nothing might be left to the working father which the sonne in like manner worketh not M. This place ought well to bée wayed and considered of vs to this ende that we might heare and waye whatsoeuer our sauiour Christ hath said or don not as the wordes and déedes of a man but as the wordes of God the Father that we maye knowe that the Father doeth speake and worke in Christe 20. For the father loueth the sonne and sheweth him all thinges that hee him selfe doth and hee wyll shewe him greater thinges then these because yee shoulde marueile For the Father loueth M. Hée speaketh after the manner of men of Diuine matters the which notwithstanding can neuer be properlye and fullye set foorth by humane thinges For who is so sencelesse that hée knoweth not howe weake imperfect and corrupt fatherlye loue is in humane nature nor lyke in any point almost to that deuine loue which GOD beareth towarde his sonne and yet notwithstanding hée hath taken an argument from the same of his Fathers loue toward him euen as in another place speaking of the vngodly Luk. 11.13 sayeth If ye being euyll knowe howe to geue good thinges vnto your children howe much more shall your heauenlye Father geue his good spirite to those that aske the same C. But Christ speaketh here as a mediatour least any man should referre it to that internall loue of the diuinitye For it agréeth verye wel that Christe hauing taken vpon him our fleshe should bée loued of his father Yea wée knowe that hée was disceuered as wel from Angels as from men by this notable title This is my beloued sonne c. For wée knowe that Christ Mat. 3.17 Mat. 17.5 in whome the whole loue of God should rest was elected that from thence as from a flowing well it might flowe vnto vs. For Christ is loued of the father as hée is the head of the Churche Hée teacheth that this loue is the cause why the father bringeth all thinges to passe by his handes Gods loue commeth to vs by Christ For when hée sayeth here that the father sheweth all thinges vnto him he meaneth that hée doth communicate all thinges with him As if hée shoulde saye As the father hath made mée partaker of his minde so also hée hath powred vppon me his power that in my workes the glorye of GOD may shine yea to the ende that men might séeke for no Diuine thing which they shoulde not finde in mée And verylye without Christ Gods power shall bée sought in vaine CYR. Therefore the father sheweth vnto the sonne those thinges which hée doeth not as paynted or written in Tables or as teaching him being ignoraunt for the sonne knoweth all thinges as God but so expressing him selfe whollye in the nature of his sonne that whatsoeuer hée hath in him selfe hée sheweth the same in his sonne Therefore it is sayde Mat. 11.27 No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and no man knoweth the Sonne but the Father R. Therefore if thou wilt knowe and vnderstande the secretes of the father make haste to the Sonne Heb. 1.3 who is the lyuelye and expresse Image of the father For the iudgementes of God are vnsearcheable and his wayes can not bée founde out but yet in Christ Rom. 11 3◠and by Christe his iudgementes are knowne and his wayes manifest vnto vs. And he wyll shewe him greater thinges
haue no regarde at all vnto him Bv. They produce therefore him who was restored from blindnesse to sight and set him before the Rulers of the people in the court of the high Priest or in the Temple or Sinagogue 14. And it was the Sabboth daye when Iesus made the claye and opened his eyes B. The circumstaunce of the tyme also dyd make verye muche to the farder setting forth of the miracle For then men were at rest and resorted to the Temple before the which it is lykelye that this blinde man dyd sit C. But Christ of purpose dyd chose the Sabboth day which should geue occasion of offence vnto the Iewes Hée had experience inough before in the lame man whome he healed that this worke also should be in daunger of reproofe Why then doeth hée not auoyde the offence which hée might easelye haue done but because he woulde make the mallicious doinges of his enemies serue to set forth the power of God The Sabboth daye was vnto them as it were a whetstoane to prouoke them to enquyre more narrowlye of the whole matter And what profite had they by their dilligent inquirye of the matter sauing that the trueth of the miracle dyd more euidentlye appeare By this example wée are taught that to the ende we maye followe Christ the enemies of Christ must bee exasperated and prouoked that they do vtterly erre which do so winne the world vnto Christ that they condemne al offences when as rather Christ wittinglye and wyllinglye prouoked his enemies Therefore wée must remember the rule whiche hée prescribeth vnto vs in another place namelye howe that we must not followe the blinde leaders of the blinde Mat. 15 i4 M. The state of the Pharisées was most corrupt they thyrsted after the innocent blood of Christ and sought only after their owne prayse B. It is no maruaile therefore if so be this miracle could not moue them to haue a better iudgement of Christ 15. Then againe the Pharisees also asked him how he had receiued his sight He said vnto them He put clay vppon myne eyes and I washed and do see Bv. Although the Pharisées were alreadye certifyed of the whole order of the miracle by them which brought the blinde man vnto them yet notwithstanding againe they demaunde of the man how he was restored from his blindnesse to sight the which their demaunde was not without the prouidence of God For so Mauger all the enemies of Christ the power of Christ was plainlye and plentifully preached C. The people had hearde before this confession out of the blind mans mouth and nowe also the Pharisees are made witnesses of the same who coulde obiect that this rumour was rashlye raysed vp of the common sort of people without any ground and no lesse rashly receyued Bv. Therefore as trueth is euer simple and manifest so also it is frée Herevpon it came to passe that the blinde man setting all feare aside declared the whole matter without dissimulation or staye euen as he had done before 16. Therefore sayd some of the Pharisees This man is not of GOD because hee keepeth not the Sabboth day Other sayde howe can a man that is a synner doe such miracles And there was a stryfe among them Therefore sayde some of the Pharisees C. First of all they omitting the question of the fact dispute about the Lawe onely For they doe not deny but that Christ restored sight to the blinde man but they finde faulte in the circumstance of time and do deny that to be the worke of God by which the Sabboth is broken But first they shoulde haue demaunded and sought whether the breaking of the Sabboth were a Godlye worke or no What dyd let them that they coulde not sée this but only because they being blinded with mallice and with a wicked affection sawe nothing Moreouer they were sufficientlye alreadye taught of Christ that those benefites which GOD gaue vnto men were no more a breaking of the Sabboth than was Circumcision Ioh. 7.22 And the wordes of the Lawe do commaunde men onelye to ceasse from their owne workes and not from the workes of God Bv. Therefore they shew their vnthankeful caueling Exo. 20. ◠spiteful and vngodly mind C. For they haue no cause at all to erre but because they woulde wyllingly erre Euenso the Papists ceasse not to impudentlye to obiect their vaine cauilations notwithstanding that they haue béene answered a hundred times Bv. We haue also here an example of false Religion whiche thinketh the Sabboth to bée broken by well doing Other said how can a mā M. Here we sée that some of the Pharisées were not so mallicious as other some were neither were so great enemies to Christ as others were C. Euenso we sée also at this day that the good are oftentimes mixt with the bad That is a synner C. This word Sinner in this place as in many other places also is taken for wicked person Mar. 2.16 and contemner of God VVherfore doth your Maister eate with Publicans and sinners that is to saye with wicked and naughtye men which haue an yll name For by the breaking of the Sabboth the enemies of Christ gathered that he was a prophane man and voyde of all Religion On the contrarye parte these men which were Indifferent and Iudged more vprightly thinke him to be Godlye and religiouse which was indued with singuler power of God to worke miracles Howebéeit this séemeth not to bee a sufficient Argument For sometimes God suffereth false Prophetes to worke miracles Miracles wrought by false Prophetes And we know that Sathan lyke an Ape Immitateth the workes of God to deceiue the simple as it is writen in Deuteronomie chapter thirtéene and in the seuenth of Mathewe C. Although therfore these men do wel in speaking so reuerently of miracles in the which appeareth the power of god yet notwithstanding they shew no great reason why Christ shoulde be thought to be the Prophete of God For the Euangelist would not haue their aunswere to be taken for an Oracle only he setteth forth the wicked contumacie of the wicked enemies of Christ who séeking maliciously to cauill in the manifest workes of Christ would not stay no not a litle though they were admonished And there was a strife among them M Againe there aryseth a discencion for the trueth of Christ among them who ought to be as one body C. A most wicked and daungerouse euell is a Scisme in the Church of God How commeth it to passe then that Christe soweth discorde among the teachers of the Church Aunswere herevnto is easely made that Christ had no other respect then that by reaching out his hande to all men hée might bring them vnto God the Father but the discencion rose of their own mallice who had no minde to approche to God the Father Therfore al they do deuide the Church by Scisme Scisme deuideth the church which cannot abide to geue place to
his doctrine but that the whole faulte and blame of ignorance rested in them which were negligent and disobedient and withall he proueth him selfe to be the Messias and sheweth the cause vnto the Iewes why they dyd not beléeue the same C. Christ doeth not make semblaunt as though he were Christ neyther yet doeth hee teache them as though they were apte to bée taught but doeth rather cast their mallice in their téeth in the whiche they were obstinate because hytherto they had profited nothing being taught by the worde and workes of God He imputeth it therefore vnto theyr faulte that he is not knowne of them As if he shoulde saye My doctrine of it selfe is easie inough to be vnderstoode but the faulte is in you because ye doe maliciously withstand God By whose wordes onelye menne are taught that I am Christ Wherefore séeing ye onely behold my contemptible shewe and base condition because I come not in Kinglye Pompe as ye looked for it cannot bée that ye shoulde beléeue my worde But goe to bée ignoraunt of my personne as the Lawe commaundeth that no mannes person shoulde bée knowen in iudgement and take houlde of my worde and iudge according to my word and not according to the outwarde shewe and then it cannot bée but that ye shall beléeue The workes that I doe C. Hée speaketh of workes also that hée might conuince them of double obstinacye For beside his doctrine they had euident testimonye in miracles if they had not béene to vnthankfull vnto God When hée addeth Jn my Fathers name M. Hée geueth vs to vnderstande that to beléeue in Christ is also to beléeue in God the Father and to reiect Christ is to reiecte the Father Bv. The same argument also hée vsed in the fifte Chapter going before 26. But yee beleeue not because ye are not of my Sheepe as I sayd vnto you M. Secondlye hée sayeth Ye beleeue not For vnbeléefe is reprehensible when men beléeue not the worde of the sonne of GOD the most excellent Sheapheard the which in the wordes going before he obiected vnto them And this incredulitye is inexcusable when men beléeue not the workes of God Euen as he him selfe wyll declare hereafter in plaine wordes saying Ioh. i5 If so be I had not come and had not spoken vnto them they had had no sinne c. But nowe hée alleadgeth a farther cause why they beléeued neyther his miracles nor his doctrine namelye because they were Reprobates And wée must noate the purpose of Christ For because they boasted them selues to bée the Churche of God least their vnbeléefe should derogate any thing from the Gospell hée pronounceth that the gyfte of Faith is speciall And veryly to the ende men may know God it is necessarye that they first of all knowe them selues Galat. 4.9 as sayeth the Apostle Paule also they to whome God hath no respecte must néedes bée alway farre from him M. Whereby we gather that they can not beléeue Christ Titu i.i. which pertain not vnto Christ Therfore the fayth in Christ is not the Faith of Goates of Dogges or of Swine but of Shéepe that is to saye of the elect as sayeth the Apostle Bv. The Reprobate haue no simple disposition and apte to bée taught but a harde variable wanton corrupt and peruerse disposition because they wyll not suffer them selues to be purged and restored R. They are the Sheepe of Christes which heare Christes voice The Phariseis heare not the voice of Christ for they knowe his person but not his worde therefore they neyther are his shéepe neyther beléeue nor are saued C. If any man should murmuringlye obiecte and saye that the cause of vnbeléefe resteth in God because it is in his power onely to make shéepe we must aunswere that hée is frée from all blame séeing men by their owne voluntarye wickednesse reiect his grace God getteth so muche Fayth vnto him selfe as sufficeth but the wyld Beastes are neuer tame vntyll suche time as by the spirite of God they are turned into Shéepe They whiche are suche shall séeke in vaine to laye the blame of their madnesse vppon GOD which is proper to their owne nature To bée short Christ geueth vs to vnderstande that it is no maruaile if so bee he haue fewe that imbrace his Gospell because so many as by the spirite of GOD are not subiect to the obedience of Faith are vntamed and wilde Beastes Wherefore it is muche more vnméete and absurde that the authoritye of the Gospell shoulde depend vppon the faith of menne but rather let the faithfull waye and consider howe muche more they are bounde vnto GOD than they whiche are blinde when as they them selues by the illumination of the spirite are drawne vnto Christ M. Hereby also we sée that we must not by and by conceale the trueth before those which beléeue not For although the vnbeléeuing are vnworthy to heare the same and are none of the electe yet notwithstanding it is so appoynted by God that the Gospell of grace should also bee preached to the Reprobate and vnbeléeuing not because there is any hope that they shoulde beléeue but because it is so méete that the light of the trueth shoulde aboue all other thinges shyne before the eyes of all men as doeth this visible Sonne and also take from them all excuse that the iudgement of God maye bée iust by which the vnbeleeuing shal be damned Last of all the Ministers of the Gospel haue here wherewithall to comfort them selues if so bée their labour be not profitable to all men 27. My Sheepe heare my voyce and I knowe them and they followe mee M. Christ doeth not in vaine repeate the condicions of the Sheepe and of the Pastour For this is a great consolation in aduersitye that Christe is our Sheaphearde and that wée are his Shéepe C. Now therefore hée proueth by the contraries that they are none of his shéepe because they beléeue not the Gospell For those whome God hath elected he effectuallye calleth and so by Faith the Shéepe of Christ are proued And therefore the name of shéepe is geuen to the Faithfull because they submitte them selues to be gouerned vnder the hande of the most mightye Sheaphearde and forsaking their former brutishe wildenesse doe shewe them selues tractable and obedient B. By these wordes Christ plainlye teacheth that all thinges depende vpon the deuine election and that they to whome it is geuen to be shéepe can neuer perishe For in this place we doe heare that they onelye heare the voice of Christe that is to saye doe receyue the same by fayth which are shéepe Nowe whereof shall it come that some are shéepe that is to saye capeable of the doctrine of Christ and others not No doubte because the one are indued with the good spirite of God and the other not so For the Apostle Paul doeth attribute the knowledge of diuine thinges i Cor. 2 i4 to such as are endued with the spirite of God
daye and shewed himselfe aliue againe to his Disciples after that ascending into the heauens that so fayth increasing by little and litle there might be a way made to receyue the more hie documents of the diuinitie of Christ But there be manie that thinke that John was speciallie led to wirte to this ende and purpose namelie that he might defende the diuinitie of Christ against the wicked blasphemyes of Ebion Cerinthus and Carpocrates But what soeuer occasion hee had then to write there is notwithstanding no doubt but that GOD had a farther regarde to his Churche He did therefore so guide the pen of the Euangelist to write that the partes being deuided amongst them he might bring the whole bodie to a perfect worke And whereas they haue placed John in the fourth seate it was done vpon the consideration of the time in the which hee wrote namelie when he was in exile or when hee was called backe againe as some affirme from the death of Domitian ⧠A CATHOLIKE EXPOSItion vpon the Gospell of Saint JOHN The first Chapter IN the beginning was the Worde and the Word was with God and God was the Worde Jn the beginning was the woorde CHR. ALL THE other Euangelistes beginning at the incarnation Iohn pretermittyng the Conception Natiuity Education and growing of christ setteth before vs euen at the first his eternal generation saying In the beginning was the worde B. For to the ende he might expresse the diuinity of the Lorde Iesus he called him in his Epistle also the worde of life which was from the beginning 1. Ihon. 1 C. And by this exordium or preface he doth declare the eternall diuinitie of Christ to the ende we may know that God is eternal which was made manifest in the fleshe 1. Timo. 3 But this is the purpose of the Euangelist to shewe that the restoring of mankinde to the fauour of GOD and to euerlasting righteousnesse must néedes be brought to passe by the sonne of God séeing by his power all thinges were created as well in heauen as in earth both thinges visible and inuisible whether they bée maiestie or Lordeshippe eyther rule or power séeing he alone breatheth life and strength into all creatures and continueth them in their estate Collos 1 and specially in man himselfe hée hath made a singuler shewe and proofe both of his power and also of his grace insomuch that although Adam fell and transgressed yet for all that he ceassed not to be louing liberall and mercifull vnto his posteritie R. And this is the purpose of the Euangelist vntill he commeth to these wordes contayned in the sixt verse There was a man sent of GOD. c. In the which hée doth first of all teache the diuinitie of Christ by the which all things are created and then he setteth before vs his humanitie the which to the faythfull is the waye of recreation or creating againe For it doth verie well agree that they which are created by Christ shoulde also by him be created againe C. But wheras he calleth the sonne of GOD the word this séemeth to bée the true and simple cause namelie for that first of all he is the eternall wisedome and will of God secondly the verye expresse Image of his purpose and counsell For as the worde is sayd to be the Caracter or declaration of the mynde in men euen so this is not without cause also attributed vnto GOD that hee shoulde be sayde to expresse himselfe by his worde A. Therefore whether yée call the worde Logon in Gréeke or as Erasmus hath Sermonem beware lest you thinke that his proper essence is trulie as it is in it selfe expressed by this appellation M. For it is a Metaphoricall speache which being applied to our capacitie and vnderstanding maye describe vnto vs some shadow of that thing of the which he mindeth here to speake For it is taken of the similitude of our minde the whiche although it ruleth the whole man yet notwithstanding it is inuisible and vnknowen except the purpose and counsel which it hath conceyued bée bewrayed and made manifest vnto others by worde by whiche in déede a certaine Image of our minde is set before others to beholde Euen so God also whiche is that omnipotent power the creatour and preseruer of al thinges who for that he perceth all thinges is called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 theō is compared so far as that incomprehensible nature of the deuine Maiestye maye bée shadowed to the minde by whiche all this worlde is gouerned and the Lorde Christ his onely begotten sonne is compared to the word because by him the knowledge of God is reuealed to mortall men Colos 1. So Paul calleth Christ the Image of the inuisible God So Christ him selfe sayd Iohn 14. Philip he which seeth mee seeth my Father also And againe No man commeth to my Father that is to saye to the knowledge and fellowship of the Father but by me Iohn 11. Also it is sayde No man hath seene God at any time The sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hath shewed him vnto vs. C. Therefore as God did manifest him selfe in sauing the worlde by this worde euen so he had the same in his will and purpose at the first that there might bée a double relation the first to God the seconde to men A. Lest any man should with Seruetus imagine that this eternall word had his beginning when it was pronounced and put foorth in the creation of the worlde As though in déede it were not before that time that his power was knowen by the eternall worke But our Euangelist teacheth here another maner of matter not assigning to the worde any beginning of time but saying that it was from the beginning he goeth beyond all Ages and times For hée sayeth In the beginning was the worde R. In what beginning Eyther we must simplye vnderstande In principio or in the beginning to be that beginning which the Latines call Inprimis or at the first eyther without the preposition In as Principio or Primum and so to haue it limitted and comprehended in time Or else to saye In the beginning that is to saye The worde is without the compasse of time incomprehensible and vnspeakeable and so the worde was with that beginning in the whiche GOD sayde Fiat lux Let there be light Howbeit hée was neuer without being Gene. 1 there was neuer any time in the whiche he was not For hée is the brightnesse of the glorye of his Father Hebr. 1. and the expresse Image of his substance He was neuer absent from the Father nor neuer out of his sight For thus he sayth in Salomon Prou. 8. The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his waye I was before his worke of olde I was set vp from euerlasting from the beginning and before the earth B. In the which place Salomon by the name of wisedome meaneth the power
affirmeth that he is God Now séeing there is one God it foloweth that Christ is one essence with the father and yet notwithstanding that they differ in something R. For the Father imprinteth the Image The sonne is the Image imprinted or expressed The father shineth and the worde is the very same brightnesse which doth shine M. Wherefore we must not feare lest the Euangelist shall appoint a newe God vnto vs against the law of God in the which it is sayde Psal 81 Thou shalt haue no newe God He cannot bée God which is not equall with God in sempiternity It is written There is no God before me neither is there any after me If this word be sprong foorth after God it cannot be God But the Euangelist taketh awaye this feare from vs séeing he saieth not And that word was made God But the worde was God Not because afterward it ceassed to be God God forbid How had that béene God which coulde afterward ceasse to be God But to the ende he might expresse the euerlasting diuinitie of the worde of God the which hath no beginning he sayde and God was the worde That is to saye In the beginning before the worlde was made before all times this worde was God A. But this confession of Christian fayth by occasion was the cause of manye persecutions For when the worlde coulde not attaine to knowe by carnall wisdome howe God woulde be manifested in the fleshe it persecuted the Apostles and Martires of Christ to the death because they séemed to affirme the pluralitie of Goddes when as they with great constancie of minde affirmed that to be true whiche this our Euangelist hath here put downe by plaine wordes namely God is the worde But truely Iohn doth not affirme that God is with God 2. The same was in the beginning with God M. The Euangelist repeateth those thinges which he spake euen now but so that he ioyneth together those thinges which were spoken seuerally For these two being ioyned togither In the beginning was the worde And the worde was with God do attribute vnto the worde an vndoubted Godheade And it is very well that they are repeated ioyntly and together which in déede are ioyned together least occassion shoulde be giuen to the malicious to gather and say that the worde was in the beginning but not by and by coeternall or of like eternitye with God which was somewhat before the worde Therfore he repeateth this that the same was in the beginning with GOD ascribing vnto him the like sempiternitie with GOD. C. And so those two former partes are gathered by him into a short conclusion that he was alwaies and that with God to the ende we might vnderstande the beginning to be before all time Nowe wée sée with how fewe wordes notwithstanding circumspectlie and Godlye the Euangelist hath handled the mistery of the diuinity the which thing if the Christians of olde time would haue followed the churches had not beene so miserablie and daungerouslye deuided neyther shoulde they haue geuen occasion to the subtil and busie aduersaries 1. Cor. 2 to contaminate and obscure the deuine maiesty with their impure inuentions We shall not come into the wholesome knowledge of the diuinitie but by the meanes of the mediator the man Christ Iesus Wherfore it shall be good to learne with Saint Paule to know Christ Iesus and the same crucified that thereby we maye humble ourselues and maye diligentlye prosecute the mortification of our fleshe according to our promise Furthermore we are here admonished not to fainte because we sée in this our time also manye wicked sectes to be sprong vp they are the dartes of Satan against the wholesome truth of the gospell the which is a manifest signe that the truth is amongst vs for otherwise he woulde not stirre 3. All thinges were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made Al things were made by it C. After he hath affirmed the word to be God and declared his eternal essence nowe hée proueth his deuinitie by his workes B. shewing by what meanes he did insinuate and secretlie reueale himselfe to the worlde First of all he did it by creation for by him all thinges were made without him there was nothing made that is made secondely both by the conseruation déede for by his blessing al things liue M. First of all therfore the Euangelist propoundeth the worke of the creation then he passeth to the woorke of redemption And he putteth the worke of creation in a most briefe compendium of all thinges the which Moyses more largely hath described All thinges saith he Heauen Earth Sea and all things else conteyned in them were made by him that is to say Heb. 1. Collos 1. by Christ the worde of God So saith the Apostle By whome hee made the Heauens also Saint Iohn therefore by these wordes doth bring a light vnto that which Moyses hath written to the ende we might vnderstande that those thinges which are written in the first of Genesis as concerning the workes of creation doe set foorth vnto vs the deuinity of Christ R. For Moyses euen in the beginning of Genesis affirmeth that God made all thinges by his worde which is the onelie begotten son of God Christ our Lorde saying Gen. 1. And God sayde Let there bee light and there was light And afterwarde he sayth Againe GOD sayde Let there be a Firmament Let the waters be gathered c. Let vs make man after our owne Image Whereby wée sée that to be true which the Prophet singeth in his Psalme Psal 33. By the worde of the Lorde the heauens were made and all the powers of them by the breath of his mouth Psal 148. And in another place he sayeth He spake the worde and they were made hee commaunded and they were created Colos 1 And the Apostle Paule sayth All thinges were made by him and for him and hee is before all thinges and in him all things consist C. Therfore the Euangelist goeth about here to shewe that the word of God had his eternall action euen in the beginning of the creation of the worlde For séeing that he was incomprehensible at the first in his essence his power was then openlye knowne made manifest by the effect M. But where as the Euangelist sayth in the pretertence or time past that all thinges were made by it we must not thereby gather that after the worlde was created and all thinges therein contayned GOD doth make nothing anye more by his worde but doth suffer all things to be done by chaunse and is as it werein the meane time ydle or a sléepe God forbid For those thinges whiche hée made by his worde hée gouerneth and preserueth with his euerlasting prouidence as testifieth our Sauiour Christ him selfe Iohn 5 saying My Father worketh hitherto and I worke And the Apostle Paule 1. Cor. 12 Gen. 2 VVhich worketh all in all For in that
all the glorye of the onely begotten sonne of GOD in the dispensing of mans Saluation séeing the same is infinite The Israelites could not beholde the glory of Moyses countenaunce and yet could the eyes of the Apostles beholde the glorye of the onelye begotten sonne of GOD. They sawe surelye so much as was appertayning to the dispensing of our saluation Full of grace and truth B. As if he should saye I haue sayde that we haue seene and plainely beheld the glorye of the onelye begotten sonne of God and that not once or twise onelye because he was full of all grace and trueth M. The Euangelist therfore by these wordes commendeth the conuersation of Christ amongest his Disciples because of twoo thinges with the which the same was replenished namelye with grace and trueth Act. 7. C. Stephen also is sayde to bée full of grace but in another sence For the fulnesse of grace is in Christ he is the well from whence al we must drawe as more largelye hereafter shal be declared Iohn therfore meaneth that Christ was hereby knowne to bee the sonne of GOD because he had in him selfe the fulnesse of all thinges which pertained to the spirituall kingdome of God and because he truelye shewed him selfe in all thinges to bée the redéemer and Messias which is in déede the speciall note by whiche hée shoulde bée discerned from all other B. This fulnesse of grace in Christ was at sondrye times foreshewed by the Prophetes as in the Psalmes and in Esai Psal 49 Psal 89 Esay 16 Ihon. 14 and in other places Trueth in this place maye signifye sinceritye and integrity with the which Christ was alwayes replenished R. I am the waye sayeth he the trueth and the life 15. John beareth witnesse of him and crieth saying This was he of whome I spake He that commeth after me is preferred before me For he was before me Iohn beareth witnesse of him M. Because hée had sayd before that Iohn was sent to this end that he might testifye of Christ the true light which lighteneth euerye man comming into this world and by his testimony had brought most men to beléeue the same it was necessary that hée should adde these testimonyes and shoulde teache that they both testified one thing concerning Christ And he bringeth fiue of his testimonies by the which hée manifested Christ of the whiche wée will speake in order as wée come vnto them Iohn sayth hée beareth witnesse of him namely of the woord incarnate and of the onely begotten sonne of God C. For by the worde of the present tence the Euangelist meaneth the continual acte And truely this Doctrine ought to florishe for euer euen as if the voyce of Iohn did continuallye sounde in the eares of men So also he sayeth that Iohn cryed to declared that the doctrine of Iohn was not obscure and that he did secretelye tell the same in the eares of a fewe but that hée openly with a lowde voyce preached Christ R. This therefore so excellent a man whom the whole multitude reuerenced as a Prophete who for his holinesse and purenesse of life was taken for Christ this so singular a man I say beareth testimonye to Christ of this fulnesse Whereby the wicked obstinacye of the Iewes is noted that hauing so notable a personne to beare witnesse of Christ so plainelye and openlye Preaching of him yet notwithstanding abode in their hardnesse of heart and perished of the which the Euangelist spake before saying He came into his owne and his owne receyued him not And so all excuse is quite taken from them Saying this was he of whome I spake M. This is the testimony of Iohn Before that Christ came to him that is to saye to receyue Baptisme he instructed all men throughout al his race of Preaching of Christ which was nowe readye to come directing them from him selfe vnto Christ Baptizing them not into him selfe but into him and teaching to prepare the way vnto him And this is that which Paul sayth Iohn truelye Baptized with the Baptisme of repentaunce speaking of him that shoulde come after him that they might beléeue that is to saye Actes 19 Of Christ Iesus And hée pointed him out with the finger saying This is he of whome I spake C. By the which woordes he meaneth that this was his purpose from the beginning namely to make Christ known and that this was the ende of his Sermons M. Of this mynde and disposition ought euery Minister of Christ to bée that after the example of Iohn they learne not to preache themselues but Christ and not to suffer any to depend vppon them but to direct and send them vnto Christ So Saint Paul teacheth saying For wee Preache not our selues 2 Cor. 4 but Christ Iesus our Lord and our selues your seruauntes for Christes sake If all were endewed with this minde whiche will séeme to bée ministers of Christ there should be true concord and vnitye through the whole Churche neyther shoulde there bée at any time Scismes in the same C. Moreouer when Iohn the Baptist speaketh of Christe saying Hee which commeth after me although hée was elder than Christ by certaine monethes yet notwithstanding here hée speaketh not of his age But because he had done the office of a Prophete a certaine time before Christ had openlye shewed him selfe therefore by time he preferreth him selfe before Christ Therefore in respect of the publique reuelation of Christ Christ followed Iohn 16. And of his fulnesse haue all we receyued and grace for grace And of his fulnesse haue all wee receyued M. These woordes and that which followeth to the other testimony of Iohn beginning at the ninetéeth verse are referred of some to our Euangelist and not to Iohn the Baptist Although it make no great matter whose woordes these be yet notwithstanding there séemeth to bée no cause why they should bee taken from the testimony of Iohn the Baptist Nowe therfore he beginneth the Sermon touching the office of Christ because hée contayneth in him selfe the affluence and fulnesse of all good thinges insomuch that no part of saluacion is to be sought for of any other With God truely is the well of life of righteousnesse of trueth and of wisedome this well is hidden and shut from vs but in Christ the fulnesse of all these thinges is offered vnto vs. For hée is readye to flowe vnto vs of his owne accorde if so bee we geue vnto him passage by Faith And with Christ is the fulnesse because he hath receiued the spirite without measure Iohn 13 For the Father hath geuen all thinges into his handes The which thing was shadowed in the Lawe by Aron who when he was consecrated Priest had Oyle powred on his head the which for the great plentye thereof ranne downe by his Bearde euen to the skyrtes of his cloathing Psal 133. As therefore the Oyntment vpon the head which ranne downe the Bearde euen Aarons Bearde Euen so Christ was annointed
neyther let any be curious to knowe as though hée had done any notable wonders more nowe than he was wont to doe 24. But Iesus did not coÌ„mit him selfe vnto them because hee knewe all men C. That is to say Christ did not take them for his owne Disciples but rather made account of them as light and vaine The place is diligently to be noted howe that not all which professe them selues to be the disciples of Christ are thought to bee such in his sight For the Euangelist sayeth here Because he knewe them all There is nothing more daungerous than Hipocrisie both for diuers caâ—ses and also because it is a vice more then common There is no man almost whiche liketh not of him selfe and when wee deceaue our selues with vaine perswations we thinke that GOD is blinde But here we are taught howe much his iudgement doeth differ from ours For hée is a searcher of the heart and raines nothing is secréete vnto him Men may be deceyued with externall shewes but God can not be mocked Let vs therefore bée sure of this that that they are the true Disciples of Christ which are allowed of him For the Lord knoweth who are his 2. Tim. 2 And as this is a great comfort to the children of God that they are knowne of him so also it ought to bring great terrour to the mindes of the vngodlye that they are knowne vnto him which shall come to iudge bothe the quicke and the dead 25. And needed not that any should testifye of man for hee knewe what was in man C. Whereas the Euangelist sayeth that Christ knoweth all it is to be referred to those of whom mencion is made before But because some man might doubt whence Christ had this knowledge the Euangelist cutting of this doubte or question aunswereth that whatsoeuer is in men hidden from our eyes is séene of Christ But wee may not hereof gather that no man ought to be trusted because that which is in man is not knowne vnto vs For no man knoweth what is in man but the spirite of man that is in man First because we are such that wée stand in néede one of anothers helpe Secondly because we are euill and ready to condemne But least we should alwayes bee deceaued by Ipocrites it belongeth to Christ onely to endue vs with the spirite of discretion whereby we maye discerne them from suche as meane simplye and truelye the which gifte wée must obtaine at his handes by Prayer ⧠The thirde Chapter 1. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes There was a man C. THE PVRpose of the Euangelist S. Iohn in this Chapter is to set foorth certayne of the woordes and déedes of our Lorde and sauiour Christ that by them he maye bee knowne to be the sauiour of the worlde the eternall power of GOD yea and God him selfe Séeing therefore in the Chapter going before hée made mencion of twoo of his notable and wonderfull déedes by which his Diuinitye might plainelye appeare hée thought it nowe meete to adioyne therevnto the communication which he had with Nicodemus the Pharisee and a chiefe Ruler among the Iewes in the which he plainelye expresseth by his owne words both what he cause to â—oe that we might be Citezens of his Kingdome and also what he requireth of vs. It seemeth that the Euangelist entereth into the narration of this Historye with the same purpose and intent that he did enter into the narration of those thinges which are set at the latter ende of the chapter going before namely to shew that theyr obstinacye is inexcusable which desyred of Christ that a signe might be geuen vnto them because he had shewed so many notable Miracles that the Pharisées them selues also were constrained to acknowledge his Diuine operation The Euangelist also setteth before our eyes in the person of Nicodemus how friuolous and vaine theyr faith is which being moued by Myracles sodainely became Disciples of Christ For this man séeing hée was a Pharisee and one of the chiefe rulers of the people in his countrey ought for to haue excelled others For among the common sort of people lightnesse raigneth much Of the Pharisees M. There was no secte that more enuied Christ than the sect of the Pharisées For they were puffed vp with an opinion of holinesse and with theyr aucthoritye by which they excelled other of the Iewes but Christ vncouered the Hipocrisie of these men and therfore they did hate him to the death A. But touching that wich partayneth to theyr secte and originall reade our exposition vpon the third Chapter of Mathew C. This was great honour to Nicodemus that he was a Pharisée and a Ruler of the Iewes but the Euangelist doth not giue him this tytle for honors sake but rather noteth that the same was an obstacle and let vnto him from comming with a frée and quiet mind vnto Christ Whereby we are admonished that they which excell in the world are very much wrapped with troublesome snares that they can not aspire vnto Heauen But the EuaÌ„gelist doth not only make mencion that Nicodemus was by order a Pharisée but also one of the chiefe rulers of the people that is to saye one of the Seniours and Ecclesiasticall Doctours as maye appeare by the wordes of Christ Arte thou a Maister in Israel and knowest not these thinges Called Nicodemus M. The Euangelist putteth downe his name to bring the more credite and aucthoritye to the Historye 2. The same came to Iesus by night and sayde vnto him Rabbi wee knowe that thou art a teacher come from God for no man could do these myracles that thou doest except God were with him The same came to Jesus by night B. Here come twoo thinges to be noted 1. Timo. 2 The first is that the Lord God hath those that are his among all sortes of men which would that all men shoulde bée saued and come to the knowledge of the trueth The second is that the elect can not but at the length they must come vnto the Lorde according to the saying of our sauiour Christ Iohn 6 All that my Father geueth mee shall come vnto me C. Notwithstanding in that he commeth in the night we maye gather that hée was too to fearefull for he was blinded in his owne conceyte It might bée also that shame did staye him because suche men as are ambicious thinke that they haue for euer lost their fame if they descend from the stately degrée of a Maister to the order of a Scholler And there is no doubte but that this man was puffed vppe with a foolishe opinion of his owne knowledge To bée short séeing he did make great account of him selfe hée woulde not willinglye lease anye part of his estimation And yet for all that hée séemeth to shewe some sparke of Godlinesse to bée in him in that he hearing a Prophete of God to be come doeth not contempne or neglect the
one that is borne of the spirite The winde bloweth B This is an explanation of those things which went before But there are some which vnderstande these thinges not of the winde but of the holy Ghost because the Hebrue word Ruah signifieth eyther of them CHR. Other some a grat deal better vnderstand the same which say that the similitude is taken of the wind doe thus apply it to this present place The force of this winde is felt but the originall and cause thereof is not knowne C. But howsoeuer we wrest the scence of Christ let vs holde fast this that Christ borroweth this similitude of the order of nature Nicodemus thought that incredible which hée had hearde of regeneration and of a newe life because his capacitie coulde not reache vnto the same Christ to take from him this scruple or doubt teacheth that the wonderful power of God is to be séene in the corporal life the reason wherof is hid For al men drawe the vitall spirite out of the ayre Euen so the agitation or moouing of the ayre is felt notwithstanding from whence it commeth or whyther it goeth wée know not Yf in this frayle and momentanye lyfe God dealeth so mightelye that wée are constrayned to woonder at his power what an absurde thing is it in the celestiall and supernaturall lyfe to measure his secret worke by the apprehension and capacitie of our mind insomuch that wée will beléeue no more than appeareth Euen so Paule when hée inueyeth against those which therefore reiect the doctrine of the resurrection because it seemeth impossible that the bodye which is now subiect to putrifaction shoulde be blessed with immortality when it is brought to nothing and consumed to dust reprooueth their dulnesse because they consider not the like power of God in the séede Wheate â—or 15 Psal 104 For the séede doth not growe vntill it hath suffred putrifaction This is euen the same wonderful wisdome of God of the which the Prophet Dauid cryeth out in his Psalme Therefore they are to grosse and dull whiche being taught by the common order of Nature haue no farther respect to know that the power of God in the spiritual kingdome of Christ is far more mighty and woonderfull He sayth It bloweth whyther it listeth not because the winde hath properlye a will but bicause the agitation and whirling thereof is frée and diuers For the ayre is one while caried this waye another while that waye M. And this is no vnwoonted phrase of speache by which humaine scence séemeth to be giuen to thinges without lyfe So is euery one that is borne of the spirite C. Hereby our Sauiour Christ declareth that the mocion of the holye Ghost and the power of the same maye be as well discerned in the renouation and regeneration of man as wée may perceyue and féele the motion of the ayre and winde in this terrestrial and externall life but yet that the maner howe is hidden from vs and therefore that wée are ingratefull and too to wicked if wée doe not adore and magnifie the incomprehensible power of God in the heauenly life of the which hée hath in this worlde sette before vs so liuelye a vewe and also if wée attribute lesse vnto him in restoring to vs our soules health than in defending the state of our corporall lyfe The application shall be more plaine and manifest if wée thus resolue the wordes of our Sauiour Suche is the power and efficacie of the holy Ghost in a man regenerate PAR. For the spirite of God transformeth and chaungeth mens mindes by secret inspirations The power and effect thereof is felte woonderfull and yet notwithstanding the action of the same is not discerned with the eyes And they which are thus regenerate are not now led with the humaine or fleshly spirite but with the spirite of God which quickeneth and ordereth all thinges Bv. Insomuch that the Apostle feeling the force therof sayth Galat. 2.20 I liue yet nowe not I but Christ liueth in mee And although the inwarde grace of the spirite haue the preheminence in regeneration yet notwithstanding let no good man reiect the preaching of Gods worde by which fayth is planted For it is that immortal incorruptible séede by which men are borne againe to lyfe nor the prayer of the faythfull by which the saintes desire to haue fayth giuen and increased nor baptisme by which wée are sayde to be purged and washed from our sinnes 9. Nicodemus aunswered and sayde vnto him How can these thinges bee B. The houre was not yet fully come in the which Nicodemus shoulde be fully taught all thinges concerning the holye Ghost At the first when he thought that Christ spake of a carnall regeneration hée obiected the impossibility of the same After that when hée vnderstoode that hée spake of another manner of Natiuitie than of that which is carnall as of the Natiuitie by water and the spirite the which was declared vnto him by a similitude hée woondereth as one amazed demaundeth howe these thinges can bée C. Wée sée therefore what specially let hindered Nicodemus Whatsoeuer hée heareth he counteth woonderfull because hée is not able to comprehende it Euen so there is no greater hinderaunce vnto vs than our owne arrogancie because in déede wée alwayes seeke to bée more wise than néedeth and therevpon thorow a diuilish disdaine wée reiect all that our reason cannot comprehende As though it were méete that the vnspeakeable and incomprehensible power of God ought to be restrayned to so straite a measure Wée may after a sorte enquire of the order and maner of Gods workes so that it be done soberlye and reuerentlye But Nicodemus by this demaunde reiecteth that which hée béeléeueth to be impossible as a fable M. And it is not without cause that the Euangelist so dilligentlye putteth downe vnto vs the dulnesse and scencelesnesse of Nicodemus in matters deuine and appertayning to saluation For wée haue in this man some proofe of that which Christ spake before set before vs namelye that it is impossible for anye man to sée the kingdome of God except hée be borne againe Bv. For Nicodemus being so notable a Clarke béeing blinde and ignoraunt after so great light because he was not borne againe sayth How can these thinges bee Whereby it appéereth that he was so amazed at the doctrine of the kingdome of Christ that hée was not onelye ignoraunte of the matter it selfe but also was not able to comprehende the declaration of the same as it was propounded by christ in plaine wordes Euen so at this daye wée sée learned and wise men to be quite sencelesse and foolishe when they come to comprehend the doctrine of Christes kingdome It is no meruaile therfore if they which are the Ministers of the truth doe not by and by perswade euerye one to whome they preache when as Christ with his woordes coulde not at the first perswade Nicodemus But the faulte was not in Christ the teacher but
wise with GOD. But wée are to nothing more vnwilling therfore wée must embrace the sentence of our Sauiour Christ here namelye that all our scences doe vanish awaye and fayle vs when wée come to the déepe consideration of GOD. But after our Sauiour hath excluded vs from the kingdome of heauen hée straightway offereth to vs a remedye when hée addeth saying that it is giuen to the Sonne of man which is denied to all other Christ ascended into heauen to leade vs thither For whereas he ascended into heauen he did not thyther ascende for his owne priuate sake alone but that hée might be vnto vs a guide and a director or preparer of the waye And for this cause hée hath called him selfe The Sonne of man B. That is to saye perfect man least we shoulde doubt to haue entraunce with him thyther who therefore tooke vpon him our fleshe that hée might make vs pertakers with him of all good thinges Séeing therfore he is the onely Counsellor of his Father Esay 9.6 he admitteth vs to the knowledge of his secret misteries which otherwise shoulde lye hidde And to this effect pertaine the wordes of the Euaungelist before where hée sayth No man hath seene GOD at any time Iohn 1.18 the onelye begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the Father Iohn 14.6 hee hath declared him And in an other place our Sauiour Christ sayth I am the way the truth and the life No man commeth to the Father but by mee R. For hée is the treasury of Gods wisdome and knowledge nay hée is the wisdome of God it selfe which reuealeth himselfe to Babes Obiection M. But howe doth Christ affirme that no man hath ascended into heauen but the sonne of man 2. King 2. seing it is written of Elias that he ascended by a whirle wind into heauen I answere Aunsvvere That Christ speaketh not here of a Corporall ascention but of that ascention by which men come to the light of the diuinitie that cannot be attained vnto and to the knowledge of the heauenlye misteries of Godes will Elias at the firste although hée were in bodye caught vp into heauen yet notwithstanding hee knewe not the secretes of the heauens onelye knowne to GOD Ephe. 3.10 and hidden from the verye Angelles But he that came downe from heauen Now our sauiour beginneth to direct his speache to make declaration of the reason of the Dispensation and Incarnation which he had taken in hand This discention or comming downe from heauen is the Incarnation of the worde by which the onelye begotten Sonne of God was made the Sonne of man Euen the same which is in heauen C. There is no cause why this saying should séeme harde and absurde vnto vs in that he affirmeth him selfe to be in heauen when as he dwelt on earth because in Christ by reason of the vnitie of the person that which is proper to the nature of one is transferred giuen to another The which is very often vsed in the Scripture as when it is sayde That GOD hath purchased himselfe a Churche by his blood Christ therfore which is in heauen tooke vpon him our fleshe Acts 20.28 that by reaching to vs his brotherlye hande hée might lifte vs vp with him into heauen 14. And as Moyses lyfted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man be lifted vp M. These wordes and those which followe containe an exposition of the dispensation which hée had taken vppon him whereby hée being the onely begotten Sonne of his father descended from heauen into this worlde to redéeme mankinde C. Therefore Christ here more plainely declareth Christ our enterance into heauen wherefore hée sayde that the kingdome of heauen was open to him alone namely that he might bring all those thither which will follow him theyr leader and guide For hée affirmeth that hée must plainely and openlye be offered to all men that hée maye powre out his vertue and power vppon all Num. 21.8 The storye whiche here is rather touched than expounded is written in the Booke of Numbers Bv. Where wée reade that Moyses prayed for the people which were afflicted with strange Serpentes for their murmuring and hardenesse of heart But the Lorde commaunded Moyses to erect and set vp a Brasen Serpent for a signe by the sight whereof those that were stong with the Serpent were healed C. To be exalted here signifieth to be set and placed in a plaine and high place that all men may sée This is done by the preaching of the Gospell For where as some vnderstande these woordes to be spoken of the exalting and lifting vp of our Sauiour Christ vpon the Crosse it agréeeth not with the text and is very farre from the purpose of Christ Therefore the simple sence and meaning of these words is That Christe shoulde be set vp and displaied like an Ensigne by the preaching of the Gospell whom all men shoulde behold with their eyes as Esayas before had Prophesied saying Esay 2.2 It shall be in the last dayes that the mountaine of the house of the Lorde shall be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flow vnto it Of this exaltation the lifting vp of the brasen Serpent by Moyses was a type or figure the sight whereof was a present remedye to all those which were mortallye stong with Serpents Wherefore Christ maketh mention of the same in this place to this ende and purpose namely to teache that the doctrine of the Gospell must be set before all men to beholde and consider the same that so many as beholde him with the eies of fayth may attaine to eternall saluation Whereby wée may gather that Christ is plainely set before our eyes in the Gospell least any man shoulde complaine or finde faulte with obscuritie and that this manifestation or reuelation of Christ is common to all men Fayth most effectually beeholdeth Christ Galath 3.1 who by fayth may sée him as effectuallye as if hée were present before their eyes euen as the Apostle sayth that hée is described before our eyes when hée is truely preached And this similitude is not impertinent or farre fetcht For as the Serpent of Brasse was but an externall shewe of a Serpent Christ the brasen serpent our saluation and contayned nothing within that was hurtfull or venemous Bv. Euen so Christ tooke vpon him the forme and similitude of sinful fleshe in all thinges hauing our true and carnall substaunce in euerye point most disagréeing and far from all sinne C. to the ende hée might heale that deadlye wounde of sinne that is in vs. Bv. For that olde Serpent did sting verye foore our father Adam in Paradise and euerye one of vs also which are borne of Adam hée hath so infected with his Pestiferous Poyson that in all the rase of our life wée are whole addicted and geuen to selfe loue and to the desire
1. Ioh. 5.10 To this effect pertayneth that saying of Iohn If wee receyue the testimonye of men the testimonye of God is greater And so foorth tyl ye come to these words Hee which hath the sonne hath life and hee which hath not the Sonne hath not life M. Therefore wée looke for the comming of Christ not as of a Iudge but as a deliuerer and redéemer But to the wicked and vnbeléeuing hée shall come a terrible and fearefull Iudge Heb. 2.2 Bv. For if they escaped not the iudgement of God which despised the sending and woordes of Angelles muche lesse shal they escape the horrible iudgement of God Heb. 10.27 which woulde not beléeue the onely begotten sonne of God For there wayteth for them a certaine fearefull looking for the comming of the Iudge and a burning fyre which shall deuoure his aduersaryes 19. And this is the condempnation that light is come into the worlde and men loued darkenesse more then light because theyr deedes weare euill And this is the condemnacion M. Because hée sayde that the vnbeléeuer was Iudged alreadye and condemned by his owne wickednesse hée addeth and declareth that the reason and order of this iudgement is suche that no man can not chose but acknowledge the same C. Therefore hée preuenteth by aunswere the murmurings and grudgings whiche prophane and wicked men are woont to vse to reprooue the seuere rigour as they thinke of God when he dealeth more sharpelye with them than they woulde haue him It séemeth to bée verye harde that euerye one which beléeueth not shoulde bée damned Therefore least any man should ascribe his damnation to Christ hée teacheth that euerye man must impute the same to his proper faulte The reason is because Infidelitye is the witnesse of an euyll conscience Whereby it is plaine that the wickednesse of vnbeléeuers doth hinder them from comming to Christ There are some which thinke that there is onely noted here the signe of damnation But the purpose of our Sauiour Christ here is to bridle the wickednesse of menne least they should presume according to theyr manner to contende and reason the cause with GOD as though hée dealt vniustlye with them in punishing theyr infidelitye with eternall death Therefore hée teacheth that such iudgement is iust and frée from all sclaunder not onely because they doe wickedlye which preferre darkenesse before light and doe willingly shonne the light offered vnto them but also because that hatered of the light procéedeth not but from a wicked mind which accuseth and condemneth it selfe of euil B. Wherefore the principall point and substaunce of their whole condemnation is Predestination that they can not preferre Christ before theyr owne desyres because so many as are damned were iudged and condemned before they were borne Ephe 1.4 euen as also with God so many as are saued were saued before the foundation of the worlde For as these were elected before the foundation of the worlde so were the other reiected before the worlde was made Reprobation And this reprobation doeth then appeare when they reiect the Gospell of grace offered vnto them and had rather bée ignoraunt of Christ that is to say to want the light than to receyue him and to attaine to life By the which contempt of the Gospell they doe accomplishe and fill vppe the measure of theyr wickednesse to the full that is to saye they geue occasion to haue theyr iudgement and condemnation sealed and fulfilled M. Therefore in this they are inexcusable that they doe willinglye reiect and refuse that grace offered vnto them which most earnestlye they ought to imbrace and desyre B. By darkenesse is here meant the ignoraunce of Christ and whatsoeuer else worldly men loue more than Christ For they which are not borne of God as they can not heare the worde of God so it is necessarye that they preferre the ignoraunce of Christ before they knowledge him and so to loue darkenesse more then light M. When he sayth that light came into the worlde hée meaneth that all thinges in this worlde are replenished and full of darkenesse For what can bée founde in this world without Christ Darckenesse is all thinges in this world without Christ but darkenesse Bv. That is to saye the concupiscence of the fleshe the ignoraunce of God Impietye Errour blindnesse of the minde Supersticion Idolatrye wickednesse of life filthinesse vncleannesse prophane talke Gluttony Dronkennesse and an infinite number of suche like wickednesses For it followeth in the wordes of the Lorde Because theyr deedes were euyll B. This is the cause why the wicked are enemies to the light of life Christ the light of God Christ is the light of God by which whatsoeuer is euyll is reprooued For howe can Iniustice be hid when righteousnesse is in place how can foolishnesse not be séene when it is compared with wisedome Nowe fleshe in the which there is no goodnesse can abide nothing lesse than to haue the same vncouered and therfore it can not choose but hate Christ whiche manifesteth and reuealeth all thinges and therefore they must be renewed and borne againe which receyue Christ M. The reason therefore why those men namelye the Scribes High Priestes and Pharisees and those of that sect loue darkenesse more then light is because theyr déedes are euyll that is to saye because theyr owne consciences bare them witnesse that al theyr works were euyll Bv. By this woorde workes hée vnderstandeth euill intentes thoughtes woordes and workes Out of these woordes the Apostle borroweth this saying If our Gospell bee yet hid 2. Cor. 4.3 it is hidde in them that are lost In whome the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which beleeue not least the light of the Gospell of the glory of Christ which is the Image of God should shine vnto them Therfore in that they perishe they perishe through theyr owne faulte séeing the most mercifull Lorde hath done his part but they wyll not do their duetye If the Sicke man perishe whiche wyll not bewraye his disease to the Phisition least hée should bée healed maye he not pronounce of him selfe that hée perished through his owne faulte Euen so men that are louers of this worlde are enemies to the light offered to them because their déedes are euill A. It is no maruaile therefore if they ronne headlong into destruction 20. For euerye one that euyll doeth hateth the light Neyther cometh to the light least his dedes should be reproued M. This is a generall sentence taken of the disposition of the reprobates the sence whereof is this B. hée is commonlye sayde to hate the trueth which doeth amisse Séeing therefore the wicked can not abide Christ the light of God it is most certaine that they are euill and that theyr déedes are euil also C. For therefore the Light is odious vnto them because they and their dedes are euill and doo séeke to couer theyr sinnes so muche as they can wherevppon
first should come to the Shéepeheard of Soules not as one strong and whole but as a weake féeble and straying Shéepe So it was méete that such a one should come to the Phisition as was not whole or lightlye sicke but such a one as was troubled with a gréeuous and daungerous disease in the which first of all the singular benefite of healing geuen to the world in Christ and secondlye that singuler humanitye and gentlenesse of the Heauenlye Phisition is declared which should afterwarde bée the Instrument to increase and spreade foorth the Heauenlye grace Here therefore that appeareth to bée most true which the Apostle writeth saying God hath chosen the foolishe thinges of the worlde 1. Cor. 1.27 to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake thinges of the worlde to confound thinges which are mightye and vnable thinges of the worlde and thinges which are despised God hath chosen yea and thinges which are not to bring to naught thinges that are that no fleshe should reioyce in his presence R. Moreouer the EuaÌ„gelist writeth of the Woman according to the rule of charity which willinglye euer sought to excuse and hide others faultes For this Woman was an Harlotte notwithstanding more honestlye hée calleth her a Woman and not a Harlotte A. But least any man shoulde thinke that this woman went therefore out of the Citye to séeke Christ the Sauiour of the worlde as wée may reade howe that the Woman of Canaan went out of the Coastes of Tyre and Sydon Mat. 15.22 to intreate Christ for her daughter possessed of a Deuyll the Euangelist not vnaptly sayeth Apoc. 22.17 that shée came to drawe water yet notwithstanding she founde him by the welles side Esay 65.1 which geueth the water of life fréelye to them that thyrste to the ende wée might note that to bée most true which the Lorde sayeth by his Prophete Ro. 10.20 I am founde of those which sought me not And thus it happeneth vnto vs oftentimes that while wée are thinking and doing of another thing the benefites of our Heauenlye Father are offered vnto vs. Insomuch that the trueth of Gods word maye appeare Iohn 15.16 Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you M. For shée was altogeather ignoraunt of that which should come to passe Not knowing of all these thinges shée chaunsed vpon our Sauiour Christ Shée came to drawe water for bodyly drinke and shée found the well of life by which the Soules of men are refreshed to euerlasting life Shée séemeth to come by chaunse but he which disposeth al things led her mind by his secrete working that she might come in this moment in the which she should finde Christ the well of life By this example we sée howe our actions are in the handes of God so disposing those thinges which we intende to doe that oftentimes we doing one thing happen vpon another thing of the which we neuer thought Rebecca came to the Well not thinking to finde the seruaunt of Abraham there which was come to betrothe her vnto his Maisters sonne but intending to drawe Water and although she might séeme to come by chaunse to this Well Gen. 24.5 yet notwithstanding shée came by the prouidence of God and by chaunse met with him whome shée looked not for God disposeth all our affections as it pleaseth him Gen. 29.9 Euen so also Rachel founde not Iacob as one that shoulde bée her Husbande whome shée knewe not but came to the Well to water her Fathers Shéepe But the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob ordered all thinges by his secréete disposition Also Lydia a Seller of Purple came not to the Temple which was by the Ryuers side but onelye for Deuotions sake being altogeather ignoraunt of Paul â—cts 16.14 and Barnabas the Apostles of Iesu Christ and yet neuerthelesse shée met with them the Lorde prouiding for her sauyng health So that as wée haue sayde those thinges which belong vnto our Saluation are bestowed and offered vnto vs by the prouidence of God without our knowledge when wée are otherwise occupyed to the ende we might learne whollye to depend vpon his diuine prouidence as Saint Iames verye well teacheth vs to doe Iam. 4.14 R. Verylye in this place we maye beholde the wonderful Iudgementes of God For Christ fled from Iewrye in the whiche were the High Priestes Scribes and Pharisées being holye as they séemed both in outward profession and also in Godlye life But to the Harlot ouerwhelmed with sinnes looking as yet for no such thing hée came brought her Saluation to the ende men maye knowe that to bée true which hée sayeth in another place Math. 21.31 1. Tim. 1.15 The Publicanes and Harlottes shall enter into the Kingdome of God before you Also the Apostle Paul sayeth Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue sinners Bv. Therfore Christ taried not vntyll the Woman of Samaria asked grace or vntill shée spake first vnto him but preuenteth her who minded to say nothing and offereth vnto her occasion to speake saying Geue mee drincke Bv. Modestlye speaking vnto her whome hée might haue called by a reprochefull and vnhonest name But nowe throughout all his communication hée tempereth his speache as if hée had had to doe with a verye honest woman least he should offende and dryue her awaye by sharpenesse of woordes By which his behauiour he hath left an example to the Preachers of the Gospel by lenitye and ciuill wisedome to winne manye to Christ and to righteousnesse and for this cause to abstaine from reprochefull woordes and lauishnesse of tongue C. And whereas he requireth water of this woman hée doeth it not simplye for this purpose to haue occasion geuen him to teache her for Thirst constrayned him to desyre Drinke but this coulde bée no let but that when hée had gotten occasion hée vsed the same because hée preferred the womans saluation before his owne necessitye Therefore forgetting his Thyrst and taking tyme and occasion to talke that hée might instruct her in true Godlinesse hée bringeth her from the consideration of visible water vnto that which is spirituall and watereth her mynde with heauenly Doctrine which denied to geue him water 8. For his Disciples were gone awaye into the toune to buie meate Bv. This the Euangelist addeth of him selfe least any man shoulde aske And why did he not commaunde his Disciples to drawe Water This occasion which the Lorde offereth to the sinful woman séemeth to be very base and contemptible and no marueyle séeing to the most parte of vs at this daye they séeme small occasions which the Lorde offereth vnto vs to put vs in minde of amendment But the faithful man despiseth no occasion which maye mooue him to repentaunce M. Moreouer in that our Sauiour Christ was solitarye and alone the woman might the more bouldly put awaye shamefastnesse and also the better consider of her faulte Therefore the wisdome and Ciuillitye of Christ is
honour notable men which are indewed with godlinesse with other rare giftes but they must bée honoured no farther than that God him selfe maye haue the preheminence glorye that Christ with his gospel may shine most clerely For to him the whole glory of the world must giue place B. We must also note that although the Samaritanes were Straungers yet notwithstanding afterward when the Iewes prospered they boasted that they sprang of Ioseph Ioseph last chap. of the 9. booke of the Antiquities of the Ievves as Iosephus testifieth Herevpon this woman called Iacob her Father C. Euen so at this day the Papistes being Basterdes and an Adulterous séede verye arrogantly bragge and boast of the Fathers exalt them selues aboue the lawfull sonnes of God For although the Samaritanes sprang of Iacob according to the fleshe yet notwithstanding because they dyd degenerate and swarue from true Godlinesse this was a preposterous bragging Now they being the ofspring of the people of Cuthah so called of the Ryuer Cuthah C. or at the least wise 4. King 17 24. gathered from among other prophane Nations yet notwithstanding let not to bragge falselye of the name of the holye Patriarche but without any profite Euen so it must necessarily happen vnto all those which ioye amisse in the light of men as to bée depriued of the light of God and to haue no society with the holy Fathers whose title they haue abused 13. Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto her whosoeuer drincketh of this Water Shall thyrst againe M. Againe the Lord aunswereth not vnto all the wordes of the woman but rather to that which appertaineth to the purpose that because shée had so greatlye exalted this Well as though there could no better water be geuen For this cause he expoundeth his former sentence concerning the water C. And although he seeth that he profiteth litle and that his Doctrine is made but a Iest yet notwithstanding he goeth foreward more plainelye to expounde that which he had spoken R. to the ende he might the more styrre vp the woman to séeke that water of lyfe For hée putteth a difference betweene the vse of both Waters as that the one belongeth to the bodye for a tyme and that the other perpetuallye serueth for the refreshing of the Soule For as the bodye is subiect to corruption so the Preseruatiues belonging to the same must néedes bée temporall and transitory but that which quickneth the soule must néedes bée euerlasting 14. But whosoeuer drinketh of the Water that I shal geue him shall neuer be more a thyrste but the water that I shall geue him shall be in him a well of water springing vppe into euerlasting life R. The maner of Drinking of this water is by fayth Therefore euerye one which Drinketh of this water that is to saye euerye one that beléeueth in mée and receyueth of me the promised spirite shall neuer Thyrste but there shall be in him a Well of water springing into euerlasting life This is the verye same which he sayeth in another place Ioh. 7.39 Hee which beleeueth in me shall haue flowing out of his bellye ryuers of water of lyfe This also hée spake of the Spirite which all the beléeuers in him should receyue For hée which hath receyued the holye Ghost by fayth he hath a veyne or spring flowing from sinne to righteousnesse from damnation to Saluation from death to lyfe and from earth to Heauen B. It is most certayne therefore that this Water is the holy Ghost Wherefore if he that hath once Dronke of this Spiryte can neuer Thyrst agayne it is manifest that hée which hath once this Spiryte that is to saye to whome it is once geuen to beleeue shall neuer fall from the grace of GOD. Therefore Paul gloryeth that nothing from aboue neyther from beneathe Rom. 8.35 can remoue him from the loue of GOD which is in Christ Iesu C. Moreouer it is not repugnaunt nor disagréeing with the wordes of Christ that the faithfull euen to the ende of theyr lyfe haue a feruent desyre to haue more plentye of grace For his meaning is not that we shall drinke our fyll the first daye that hée geueth vnto vs his holye Spirite but that hée onelye séeketh to geue vs to vnderstande that the holy Ghost is a Spring flowing perpetuallye and so He which once receyueth the spirite of God by faith is sealed to eternal life that there is daunger lest they should wyther awaye whiche are renewed by Spirituall grace Therefore although wée Thyrst all our lyfe tyme yet notwithstanding it is certaine that wée haue not receyued this Spirite for one daye or for a short time but that the same flowing perpetuallye shoulde neuer forsake vs. Thus the faithfull Thyrst during all the tyme of their mortall lyfe and that feruentlye and yet notwithstanding all that tyme they are full of liuely Licour because howe litle grace soeuer they haue receyued the same doeth daylye moysten them that they can neuer be quite drye Wherefore this fulnesse is not opposed or set against desyre but only against drinesse The which thing in the words folowing as yet he doeth more plainelye expresse There shall sayeth hee bée a Well of water flowing into eternal life for here is a continuall watering noted which in this mortall and transitory life fostereth and increaseth in them heauenlye eternitye B. For as he can neuer wyther away by drouth which hath a spring continuallye flowing in his Bowelles euen so he must néedes be ful of all goodnesse and grace and must alwaies and in all thinges haue present consolation in whome the Spirite of the Lorde the Spirite of Gods children doeth dwell C. Therefore the grace of Christ doth not flowe in vs for a short time but doth continually powre out it selfe vntyll wée come to the blessed state of Immortalytye 15. The Woman sayeth vnto him Syr geue mee of that Water that I thyrst not neyther come hyther to drawe B. This Woman séemeth to bée but a pratler and talker how soeuer shée was elected to eternall life and had the séede of God For there is no doubt but that shee knewe well inoughe that Christ spake of Spirituall water but because shee contemneth him shée maketh no account of all his promises For there is no way to teache so long as hée which speaketh is of no aucthoritye with vs. The Woman therefore verye ouerthwartly replyeth against Christ B. and speaketh these thinges Ironicè that is to saye in a contrarye sence as if shée should saye thou braggest much but I sée nothing if thou canst doe as thou sayest doe it in déede M. Therefore by this example we sée that the elect sometimes so long as they are in darkenesse without the knowledge of Christ doe deride the doctrine of the Spirite as rydiculous and foolishe Wherefore wée must take héede that wée doe not by and by condemne euerye one whome we sée to bée deriders of the Doctrine of Christ
in the office of teaching For in her words is contained a secréete Antithesis or comparison betwéene Christ and the Prophetes in that shée maketh them to bée but Disciples as it were vnto Christ Furthermore shee meaneth that Christ is the vtmost ende of wisedome beyonde the which it is vnlawfull for any man to goe I woulde to GOD that they which nowe boast them selues to bée the pyllers of the Churche woulde but followe this sillye Woman that they might bée rather contented with the simple Doctrine of Christ than to take vnto them selues suche aucthoritye as to ioyne therewith theyr owne inuentions Bv. For they make Lawes to daye whiche to morrowe they abrogate and they thinke that they maye doe what they lyst them selues But this place prooueth that Christe hath taught all thinges that are necessarye to the knowledge of GOD and not friuolous or curious thinges C. Wherevppon commeth the Popishe and Mahumetishe Religion but onely of those wicked forged inuentions which they haue deuised to fyll vp the Doctrine of the Gospell and to profite the same as though without such doting dreames it shoulde bée lame But whosoeuer wyll be well instructed in the Schoole of Christ let him séeke no other Maysters neyther admitte them being fullye perswaded that treasures of all wisedome and knowledge are layde vp in Christ in so muche that hée ought to be hearde and no other euen as the Father hath commaunded 26. Iesus sayth vnto her I that speake vnto thee am hee M. Because it séemed that the woman now lacked nothing but this one thing that shée shoulde know the instructour heauenly teacher of al thinges whose cōming she looked for to bée nowe present therefore without all dissimulacion hée manifesteth him selfe vnto her saying J that speake vnto thee am hee R. By which voyce the woman dyd not onelye receyue full iustification by fayth but is also certified in her conscience that this is that very Christ which is righteousnesse 1. Cor. 10.1 sanctification and redemption This is that voyce the which if Christ speake in our heartes it cannot be but we must féele most passing swéetenesse of Gods grace or shal be replenished with all Heauenlye ioye For it is the force of the Gospell to pacifye the conscience terrifyed with the knowledge and féeling of sinnes because it is the power of God to saluation to euerye one that beléeueth Rom. 1.16 When the Lord confesseth him selfe to the woman to bée the Messias he offereth him selfe no doubte to be her teacher to the ende hée might satisfye her conceyued hope Therefore it is likely that there folowed more plentifull Doctrine to quenche her Thyrst And he thought hée would shew suche a document and example of his grace vppon this poore woman that hée would manifestly declare vnto all men that hée wyll neuer forsake his office where a teacher is requyred Therefore there is no doubte but that he shal be wel instructed and taught whome hée findeth a prepared and apte Disciple but they whiche disdayne to submitte them selues vnto his lore as we sée that many proude and prophane men do or they which looke for more perfecte wisedome from some other as doe the Turkes and Papistes are worthy to bée drowned in the Labyrinth of all errours M. Wheras he doth not onely saye I am hee but addeth also whiche speake vnto thee hée doth it to this ende that the woman might waye and consider the gifte of God of the which hée had made mencion in the beginning of this communication to whome it was geuen not onely to see and knowe Christ the sonne of God but also to haue him with her alone preaching vnto her with all gentlenesse the wordes of lyfe A. Truelye a great and vnspeakeable gifte of God that not onely the sonne of God came into the world but also spake to sinners that they which reiecte him might haue no excuse Wherefore Psa 95. ◠if wée wyll heare his voyce let vs not harden our heartes Deu. 18. ◠least God powre his vengeaunce vppon vs who hath sent so great a Prophete vnto vs yea the Lorde of all Prophetes Question M. But here it may be demaunded why the Lord doth manifest him selfe in so plaine wordes declaring him selfe to be Christ when as he forbade his Disciples to declare the same to any man before his death and resurrection I aunswere Aunsvvere Although of it selfe it be not only indifferent but also good that hée was knowen to bée Christ yet notwithstanding for certaine causes he would not haue the same made cōmon vnto many but vnto certaine selected speciall personnes before the fulnesse of time was come But these were not knowne vnto the Disciples therfore hée forbad them to reueale this secréete to any Notwithstanding what was the let why hée dyd not manifest him selfe to those whome he would séeing hée knewe well inough that from the beginning who they were which should not beléeue on him Ioh. 6.64 There are certayne dispensations of good thinges which are not to bée committed to euery one but to those onelye which by their wisedome know how to bestowe and direct all thinges to the edification and profite of the elect Wherefore wee are here admonished not to require an account of the Diuine dispensation or disposing why the Lord geueth to one and denyeth to another the verye selfe and same thing in it selfe verye good Bv. By the verye same reason we sée that the Lorde doeth not at the beginning of the talke declare him selfe to the Woman to be the Messias For no doubte shée had slyded awaye from him as accounting him to be but aproude and arrogaunt boaster of him selfe But nowe going forewarde by degrées shée not perceyuing whereabout he went he conueyed him selfe wholye into her breast and so made her beléeuing 27. And immediatelye came his Disciples and maruayled that hee talked with the Woman Yet no man sayde vvhat seekest thou Or vvhy talkest thou with her And immediatlye came his Disciples M. These thinges are not added by the Euangelist without great diligence For hée meaneth hereby that the prouidence of GOD kepte backe the Disciples whiche were absente so long as the Lorde was vnknowne to this Woman least they by any maner of meanes might hynder theyr communication but so soone as the Lorde had made him selfe manifest vnto her they returned For wée maye reade howe the Disciples went about at one time or other Math. 19.13.14 Mar. 10.13 to hynder eyther by theyr importunitye or else by theyr vndiscrete zeale the good workes of our Sauiour Christ as the Euangelistes testifye Bv. Least therefore by any manner of meanes this godlye conference might bée broken of and not continue to the ende Christ woulde not haue his Disciples returne before he had manifested him selfe to the Woman And maruailed C. There maye bée twoo causes of this admiration eyther because they were offended at the vilenesse of the personne or else because
vntyll the ende of the Lawe and the flourishing Youth succéeded the Preaching of the Gospell euen so then saluation began to waxe rype the which the Prophetes had onelye sowen before 37. And herein is the saying true That one soweth and another reapeth R. Therefore the Prophetes are the sowers and the Apostles are the Reapers That which the Prophetes sowed the Apostles reaped Also to sowe is to Preache the Lawe and to Preache the Gospell is to Reape the offered Christ C. For this was a common Prouerbe by which was meant that many oftentimes receyued the fruite of other mennes labours Howbeit this namelye that hee which laboureth is greeued that another man shoulde take awaye the fruite of his labour is otherwyse because the Prophetes and the Apostles were pertakers one of the others Ioye And yet neuerthelesse it followeth not herevppon that the Prophetes are witnesses or priuye to those thinges which at this daye are done in the Churche because the purpose of Christ tendeth to no other ende than to shewe that the Prophetes taught with this mind and desyre that they might reioyce ouer that fruite which they had not leaue to gather The comparison which the Apostle Peter vseth 1. Pet. 1.12 is not much vnlyke this sauing that he generallye exborteth all the Faithful whereas Christ speaketh to his Disciples onelye 38. I sent you to reape that whereon ye bestowed no labour other men laboured and ye are entred into theyr labours Bv. As if he should saye The Prophetes by theyr labours made the fallowes and by theyr Doctrine prepared the worlde being as yet vnrulye and stubborne for the Gospell yée nowe succeede them and enter into theyr Labours and take a worke in hand alreadye begonne the worlde euen now wyllinglye receyuing the Gospell and mortall men séeking violentlye to enter into the kingdome of Heauen R. In saying I sende you hée declareth that they were appointed Reapers by his meere grace and not by theyr merite According to that which hee sayeth in another place Ioh. 15.16 I haue chosen you and ye haue not chosen mee Question c. M. But here it may bée demaunded howe the Apostles were sent to Reape when Paul sayth I haue planted i. Cor. 3.6 Apollo hath watered but God hath geuen the encrease Also hée sayth Ye are Gods husbandrye Agayne I haue layd the foundation and another hath builded thereon And in another place hée sayeth i. Cor. 9.11 If wee sowe vnto you spyrituall thinges thinke not much if we reape your carnall thinges Therefore Paul was sent of the Lorde rather to Sowe than to Reape Was then the Apostleship of Paul Aunsvvere differing from the Apostleship of the rest Surelye it was differing from the rest so long as they Preached to the Iewes and hée to the Gentiles For that which Christ here speaketh vnto his Disciples séemeth to appertaine chieflye to that first sending foorth in the which the Apostles were sent foorth to the lost Shéepe of the house of Israel as we reade in the tenth Chapter of Mathew in the which Nation the Prophetes also laboured It was one thing to preach the kingdome of God among the Gentiles and another thing to preache the same among the Iewes for the one knewe not God and the other were trained vp in the Lawe and the Prophetes Bv. Moreouer these woordes of the Lorde ought alwayes to bee before the eyes of all Preachers of Gods worde that thereby they maye be encouraged to bee faithfull and dilligent in discharging the office committed vnto them when as they knowe that the Labour which they bestowe in teaching shal be so profitable for them and so fruitefull to Christ and the Churche 39. Many of the Samaritanes of that Citye beleeued on him for the saying of the woman which testifyed that hee tolde her all that she had done Bv. The Euangelist now returneth to the former Historye and more fullye describeth the prompte obedience and the growing of fayth of the Citizens of Sychar otherwise called Samaria The calling of the Gentiles foreshewed R. And hée declareth howe greatlye the reporte which the woman made of him preuailed with them Whereby it appeareth that they had a hope and desyre of the promised Messias B. Moreouer this soddaine conuersion of the Samaritanes was a foreshewing of the calling of the Gentiles and therefore the Lorde would haue the same magnified as may plainelye appeare when as at the testimonye of one sillye Woman scant of good name many straight way and that Samaritanes beléeued the Gospell and imbraced Christ M. For what had she sayde of Christ Sayde shée that by the word of his power he could cōmaund all thinges as Men Spyrites Death Life Diseases the Sea and the Winde many of the which thinges the Iewes sawe and yet beléeued not Shée neyther saw nor spake of any of these thinges but this onelye shée sayde that Christ had tolde her all thinges that euer shée had done Who therefore séeth not howe soone these Samaritanes beléeued and the readinesse and maturity of this Haruest What else maye wée note here but that when the hartes of mortal men are made apte by the inspiration of the holye Ghost to receyue the trueth Faith commeth by the holye Ghost the kingdome of God is set forewarde with litle labour and oftentimes by such personnes as are verye base The ripe apple often times falleth from the trée without much labour yea at the onely shaking of the same by a childe but such as are scant ripe will scarce fall with the hurling and beating of a Cudgell and being by violence shaken downe they are so sower that they were better vntouched Euen so in like maner where the spiritual haruest is there euen a Samaritane woman bringeth many vnto Christe The haruest of the spirite is easy but where the spirituall haruest is not there the Apostles them selues sweate and labour in vaine C. This woorde beléeued signifieth herein properly that they were stirred vp by the woordes of the woman to acknowledge Christe to bee a prophete For this is as it were but the beginning of faith when mens mindes are prepared to receaue the profered Doctrine Such enterance into faith is here called honourably Faith to the ende we might know how reuerently God estéemeth of his woorde in making their onely docillity so honourable which are not as yet taught But in this that Faith of theirs sheweth it selfe that they haue a desire to profyte for the which cause they desire to haue Christe abyde with them 40 So when the Samaritanes were come to hym they besought hym that he would tarry with them and he aboade there two dayes So when the Samaritanes were come M. In these woordes is described the quallity of faith which commeth by the ministery of the preached Gospell By this the minde of the beleeuer is inflamed firste to sée him of whom so great things are published and beléeued Euen so these Samaritanes so soone
which he sawe to bée wrought by Christ for he saw him to be suche a one as healed all men that were sicke but in that hée prayeth him to goe downe to Capernaum it belongeth to imbecillity a Childishe faith as though Christ coulde not restore to health by his worde onelye or by the breath of his mouth Such weakenesse of fayth wée maye beholde in another place in the Disciples of Christ For when the Shippe was ouerwhelmed with Waues they beléeued that Christ was able to saue them but not except hée were awake for hée slepte and they awooke him Math. 8. saying Lorde saue vs wee perishe C. This man therefore had conceyued no other thing than that hée was a Prophete sent of GOD with this commaundement and commission that hée should proue and declare him selfe to bée the seruaunt of GOD by shewing myracles M. Hee requesteth that Christ would goe downe with him and heale his Sonne 2. King 5.11 So Naaman the Syrian trusted that Elyzeus woulde haue come downe to him and haue touched the place of the Leprosie with his hande and standing woulde haue called on the name of his GOD Christ imagined of the people to be but a Prophete Math. 16.14 Math. 22.46 and so haue healed him And this Fayth whiche imagined Christ to bée a certayne Prophete in the beginning was in many men as maye appeare by the aunswere whiche Peter made vnto Christ This also was the first opinion that the Woman of Samaria had conceyued of Christ the which notwithstanding the Lord contempned not but so increased the same that not onely shée but also many of her Cityzens knewe him to bée Christ the Sauiour of the world Euen so here hée whiche doeth not quenche the smoking Flaxe Esai 42.3 Mat. 12.20 enlargeth and helpeth the Rulers faith 48. Then sayd Iesus vnto him Except ye see sygnes and wonders ye wyll not beleeue M. In that the Lorde here vseth the plurall number saying Except ye see signes and wonders ye wyll not beleeue C. hée séemeth generallye to reprehend all the Iewes because they were to desirous of Myracles M. As if hée should saye Howe long are ye so harde harted to beleeue the trueth and by a true faith to embrace the kingdome of GOD which is Preached vnto you that yée wyll not beleeue at all except ye bée constrayned thereunto by signes and wonders Theyr fayth and trust is acceptaple vnto mee which beleeue my bare worde confirmed by no Myracles you beleeue not mée except ye sée signes and wonders M. All they haue this disease of distrust whiche followe the iudgement and wisedome of humane reason rather than the Oracles of God For such is humane reason that except it bée conuinced by euident signes and perswaded by vndoubted argumentes it wyll not beléeue And this is the very same which Paul sayeth The thinges that belong vnto God i. Cor. 2.14 seeme foolishe to worldlye wisedome and are not vnderstoode Wherevppon the Apostle exhorteth vs to become fooles that is to saye beléeuers to vnderstande them For except they bée beléeued they shall not bée vnderstoode But with this disease were both Iewes and Gentiles infected Concerning the Iewes this place speaketh and also the thyrtye and nine verse of the twelfth of Mathew Concerning both Iewes and Gentiles the Apostle sayth The Iewes require signes and the Greekes wisedome i. Cor. 1.21 that is to saye both are distrustfull and beléeue not the woord of GOD in the cause of the kingdome of GOD where fayth is requyred requyring certayne perswations of signes and argumentes C. But howe commeth it to passe that Christe is so sharpe nowe who was wonte gentlye to receyue others which desyred Myracles as wée maye reade here and there of diuers blinde and lame personnes Hée had then verylye some certaine reason which is hydde from vs why he dealt more seuerelye with this man than he was wont to doe with others And peraduenture hée had not so muche respect vnto this man as hée had to the whole Nation He sawe that his Doctrine was litle estéemed and not onely neglected but vtterlye despised all men depending vpon Myracles and being rather amased than wondering at them Incredulitye a detestable vice Therefore that wicked contempte of Gods worde which commonly raigned in them caused him to make this complaint M. For moste detestable is this vice incredulitye by which men refuse to beléeue the worde of God except they bée dryuen therevnto by signes Verye true it is that some of the Fathers in old tyme haue wished a confyrmation by signes least they shoulde doubte of the trueth of the promises we sée also that GOD was not offended with theyr desyres as we maye reade of Gedeon Iudg. 6.7 Esa 38.22 of Ezechias and of others C. But Christ noteth here a farre greater wickednesse For so the Iewes depended vpon Myracles that they had no regarde vnto the worde of God So that all theyr Religion all theyr knowledge of God and all theyr Godlinesse was in myracles R. But that is no true fayth which is conceyued eyther of myracles of signes or wonders For myracles are onely seales and witnesses Therefore they doe not make him which is vnbeléeuing a true beléeuer but they doe confyrme him which is fyrst a beléeuer in his fayth C. They therefore at this daye greatlye offend which crye saying Let vs first sée miracles and then wée wyll geue eare to this Doctrine as though the truth of Christ ought to bée so base in our eyes vnlesse it haue some other stay But although god should heape vppon them an innumerable sort of myracles yet notwithstanding they lye when they saye they wyll beleeue Exod. 5. Ioh. 12.37 There woulde aryse a certaine externall admiration but there woulde followe neuer a whit the more attencion to Doctrine The which wée may plainely behold in Pharao and in the Iewes For the woorde of the Lorde abydeth for euer If they wyll not heare Moyses and the Prophetes Luk. 16.31 neyther wyll they beleeue though one should ryse againe from the dead It is no maruayle therefore if the Lorde doe first of all séeke to cure the diseased Father with distrust before hée restore his Sonne to health For they are more daungerous sicke which are sicke in mynde and ought rather to bée healed then they which are sicke in bodye A. Christ therefore doeth the office in déede of a Byshop of a Pastor and of the Sheepheard of our Soules 49. The Ruler sayeth vnto him Syr come downe or euer that my Sonne dye Because this Ruler was whollye occupyed in minde to delyuer his Sonne from perryll of death hée aunswereth nothing but rather vrgeth the Lorde to make haste before his Sonne geue vp his soule Fatherlye care and affection M. We sée therefore in him first an Image of the affection of Fathers towarde theyr Children by which euerye Father naturallye desyreth the sauing health of his Children the
deale That which serueth their turne to cauill they take but that which toke away all occasion of cauill they let alone A. So in the cause of the blinde man the Pharisées make mention onely of the claye which Christe made on the Sabboth daye but of so greate a miracle they speake not one woorde 13. And he that was healed wist not who it was for Iesus had gotten him selfe away because there was prease of people in that place And he that was healed wist not who it was M. A wonderful thing Christ was vnknowne to this sick man which was the aucthour of his health He remembred nothing concerning Christ but these two thinges namely the woorde which he had harde the which he obeyed and the health which he recouered by the vertue thereof but he was he knewe not no not so much as his name C. Herebye therefore we gather that it cannot bée attributed to this mans faith that hée was made whole who beeing made whole knewe not his Phisition and yet notwithstanding in that hée toke vp his bed at the commaundement of Christ it séemeth to be done by the directrix faith In very déede as we muste confesse that there was some impulsion of faith in him so by the order of the texte it euidentlye appeareth that he was whollye expert of sound doctrine and of the pure light vpon the which hee shoulde haue stayed him selfe Bv. Therefore at this time he aunswereth nothing to their question but deliberateth with him selfe and considereth of more dilligent enquirie and examination But the Euangelist Iohn addeth the cause why many knew not the aucthour of so greate a miracle saying For Iesus had gotten him selfe away C. Christ woulde not haue the glorye and praise of so notable a woorke to vanish away and to bée quite out of remembraunce but would haue the same knowen before that he professed hym selfe to be the aucthour thereof Therefore he got him selfe out of the way for a littell while that the Iewes might Iudge of the matter it selfe without hauing any respect of the person M. And also that he might not séeme to desyre the common praise of the people thinking it better to suffer the matter it selfe to prayse and extol the diuine power Vaine glory auoyded by Christe Thus they alwayes behaue them selues which séeke not their owne glory but to do good Othersome say that he went apart lest he might prouoke the malice of the Iewes to bée more vehement against him by his presence R. Therefore although he could haue destroyed his aduersaries with the breth of his mouth yet he abased him self euen to extreame impotencie and went aparte priuily from among the multitude not because his nature feared death but to the ende we might learne by his example not to tempte God but to shunne the madnes of such as are angry vntil their anger be somewhat asswaged For Heauie saith Salamon is a stone and the sande waighty but a fooles wrath is heuier then them both 14. Afterwarde Iesus found him in the temple and sayd vnto him Beholde thou art made whole synne no more lest a worse thing comme vnto thee Afterward Iesus found him in the temple Bv. Hitherto the truth of the miracle hath béen dilligently discussed and now Iesus shalbée declared manifestly to be the aucthour of the miracle For Iesus offereth him selfe againe to the man that was healed more fully instructing him that he is euen the verye same of whom he receiued his health C. It appeareth therefore that Christe did not hyde him selfe for a time that the remembraunce of his benefite might perishe for now of his owne accorde hée openly shewed him selfe In the former place he ment to haue the woorke onely knowne and now hée would haue him selfe proclaimed to bée the aucthour B. leste the deuine woorke shoulde bée oppressed through enuy but being receiued as it was méete it might proue vnto the godly that he is the sonne of God and so they might be confirmed in the faith but the wicked to whom al thinges turne to the woorst might be the more blinded M. Let vs note here into what places the Lord got him selfe when he was come to Hierusalem vppon occasion of the feaste dayes Before it is saide that hee came to that famous Lazarhouse in which laye a great multitude of sicke persons Here also we sée that he entred into the temple of the which is spoken before in the fourteene verse of the second chapter The Temple was the house of God the house of faith and the house of worship To this place he came not to offer according to the lawe The temple is the place of worship but to aduance the kingdome of God neuerthelesse we are taught by his example to come into Ecclesiasticall places with reuerence that in them with the rest of the members of the Church we may exercise those things which belong to piety and to faith and to charitie towardes our neighbour Also it séemeth that the man which was restored to health went straight way after he was healed into the Temple to geue thankes to God from whome he knewe all good thinges to come for his health A. Let vs also therefore learne to geue condigne thanks for those benefyts which God bestoweth on vs lest the same ingratitude which was found in the nine Lepers that were clensed Thankes geuing for Godes benefites do make vs altogether vnworthy of the fauour of God And said vnto him Behold thou art nowe made whole M. Hée which hath cured the sicke admonisheth those whome he hath healed after the manner of Phisitions to preserue their receiued health by good dyet lest by sinning they loose that which they haue receiued through grace What is the meaning of this els then to desire that we may constantly and firmely retaine that benefite which we haue receiued at his handes And in very déede Curates haue néede to be verie vigilant lest the grace receiued be lost againe by negligence C. Christe therefore declareth by these woordes that we do abuse the benefits of God vnlesse we be thankful for them For Christ doth not cast the man in the téeth with that which he had geuen him but doth onely teach that hée is therfore healed that being mindfull of the grace receiued he may woorship God his deliuerer all the daies of his life And to this ende God hath redéemed vs and bestowed an infinite nomber of other béenefits vpon vs that we might be thankfull vnto him Bv. Furthermore Sinne is the cause of sicknes let vs learne by these woordes of our sauiour Christe that the vices of the minde are the cause of the diseases of the bodye for the moste parte For the Lorde doth often times scourge our sinnes with the whip of sicknesse and corporall griefes C. What euyl soeuer therefore we suffer we must impute the same to our sinnes for the calamities which are incident to men come not by chanes but are
the stripes of chastisement as affirmeth the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 11 3◠B. For although some haue diseases euen from their birth which they séeme not as yet to haue deserued yet notwithstanding that naturall sinne which cleaueth so fast vnto them is the cause thereof For those diseases which God sendeth vnto his children he layeth on them not onely to bring them into the waye by chastisement but also often times to kéepe them within the compas of their duety and also to driue them from hainous offences C. First of all therefore when we are sicke we muste acknowledge the same to be the hande of God and not the stroke of blind fortune secondly we must knowe that he is our most merciful father who delighteth not in our miseries and therfore he dealeth not with vs extremely except our sinnes prouoke him therevnto Bv. Moreouer Christ is a Phisition of body and soule Math. 9.5 hereby we gather that the Lorde Iesus doth not onely take away the diseases of the body but also cureth the sicknes of the soule As may appeare in the curing of another man sicke of the paulsey in the nienth of Mathew C. When Christ forbyddeth the man here to sinne he doth not require that he shoulde be free from all sinne but it is a comparison of the former life For the Lorde exhorteth him euer after to repente and not to continew styll in sinne Bv. Wherein is declared the vse of Gods benefyts for mortall men are not restored to health to riot and surfet in eating and drinking but to serue God more deuoutly Lest a woorse thing C. Yf so be God cannot preuaile any thing with vs by stripes by which he doth gently chastise vs as a most louing father doeth his tender children he is constrained to deale with vs after another manner of fashion Therefore he taketh the rod and scourge in hand Leui. 26.14 Deut. 28.15 Psal 32.9 to tame and bridel our wildenes euen as he prononceth in the lawe Therfore when we are daylye corrected anewe we ought to attribute the cause therof to stubbornnes For we are not onely like to vnbroken horses and Mules but we are also more then vntamed beastes R. The Lorde complayneth by the mouth of the Prophete saying The people turneth not vnto him that smiteth them Esay 9.13 neither do they seeke the Lorde of hostes C. Wherefore it is no maruaile if the Lorde do vse more sharpe punishements and do bruise them as it were with Iron Maules which will not bée conuerted by meane punishment for it is méete that he be broken like a potters vessell which will not suffer him selfe to be corrected To be shorte this is the vse of punishments namelye that we may bée made more ware afterwarde M Also this is to bée noted that the life of this manne was not vnknowne to Christe Yf this mans life were not knowne vnto him béeing a straunger what shall we thinke of our life which are vnder the profession of his name A. Let vs learne therefore to walke in the feare of the Lorde euen as if we were alwaies before his eyes as we are in déede Psal 7.10 For hée is a searcher of the harte and reines 15. The man departed and tolde the Iewes that it was Iesus which hadde made him whole B. This man went to the Iewes no doubt to commend Iesus as a man of God and as a prophete of all men to be reuerenced Bv. For he thought it to be verye necessarye that he should be knowne vnto many which could with his woord heale a disease incurable because others which were also afflicted might peraduenture come vnto him C. Therfore by this his act he intended nothing lesse then to cause Christ to be hated he little thought that men would haue béene so outragious against Christ CYR. but he manifested the Phisition to the Iewes not to the ende they immagining any euyl of him should burthen him with impietie but to the ende they shoulde not be ignorant of the Phisition if so bée anye of them hadde néede to bée cured C. So that this his acte procéeded of a godlye affection when he woulde haue the Phisition to haue his due honour B. But they the more they felt and perceiued the Lordes deuinity the more they raged againste him Sathan Godes enemie prouoking them thereunto M. Last of al we must note that they which haue tasted of the grace and power of Christe and haue knowne the heauenly sauiour are of this mind that they cannot chuse but to set forth hys glory by whome they are saued also they séeke through loue to helpe their neighbours being in misery and afflicted in shewing vnto them the Phisition and sauiour by whom they may bée healed Let vs also follow this example that we may declare his power which hath called vs into his wonderful lighte 1. Pet. 2.9 and let vs seeke the profite of our neighbour 16. And therefore did the Iewes persecute Iesus and sought the meanes to sley hym because hee hadde done these thynges on the Sabboth daye Bv. Here the preposterous counterfeit deuocion of the Iewes is touched who thought that Iesus had broken the Sabboth daye because he hadde healed the man of the paulsey and had commaunded him to take vp his bed for which cause they conspire to murder him and burst forth into extréeme madnes M. But séeing by order men ought to consider what is done rather then when any thing is done they should first haue considered what the Lord had done and then afterward of the time when he had done it But their hipocriticall disposition doth here appeare for they toke it in very euyll parte that Christe hadde done such thinges Therefore when they could not condemne the déedes of Christe as they were done they obiected the breaking of the Sabboth by which pretence they wente about to extingush the light of Christes miracles Thus malice persecuteth and goeth about to extingush righteousnes honesty and the enemies of the glory of God séeke the death of the Sonne of God So he which is borne after the fleshe persecuteth him which is borne after the spirite But why did they not kil him Because his houre was not yet come Gala. 4.29 In another place he saith I was dayly with you in the temple and ye tooke me not Mat. 26.55 but this is your houre and the power of darcknes Whatsoeuer the wicked Iewes went about before this houre was altogether in vaine Our life is not in the handes 〈◊〉 the wick◠Euen so in like manner our life is not in the hand of the wicked but in the hande of God insomuch that what soeuer they practise they cannot preuaile but do onely bewray their malice and trouble them selues with vaine counsailes Herevppon the Prophete saith Psal 37. The vngodly seeth the righteous and seeketh occasision to flea him but the Lorde will not deliuer him in to his hande
are lame and corrupt Therefore they are here called the doers of good workes whome Paule calleth zealous and louers of good workes Titus 2.14 But this estimation and iudgement dependeth vpon the fatherly clemency and acceptation of our God who alloweth that fréelye for good which deserueth to be reiected as euill and vnperfect M. Moreouer here shal appeare a doble ende of humaine things in the resurrection euen as also the very wordes of Christ doe sufficiently declare and not without cause for there is a diuersitie among mortall men Elect and reprobate some are elctted othersome are reprobated to the ende that euerye parte might haue his right ende Therefore Christ sayth that when he hath gathered togither all Nations before him he will seperate them as a shéepheard deuideth the shéepe from the Goates and will place the shéepe on his ryght hande and the Goates on his left hande Mat. 25.33 Wherefore let it not trouble any man if he shall sée in this life Tares mixt with good féede and the stincking Goates mingled among the shéepe When that houre of iudgement shall come that is to saye when these endes that are appoynted from the beginning of the world shall come euery man shal be seperated and appoynted to his proper ende For the reprobate shall go into euerlasting paine that is to the resurrection of iudgement or condemnation and the Iust into eternall lyfe that is to saye into the resurrection of life For the Angels shall go forth and shall seperate the wicked from amonge the Iust and shall throw them into the furnace of whot burning fyre where shal be weping and gnashing of teethe Mat. 13.41 Bv. All men therefore enioy the common naturall and sensible life as well good as euell and they shall all rise from the same againe notwithstanding by the iudgement of the Iust Iudge Christ Iesus the condition and state of theire lyfe to come shall not be a lyke Psal 5 M. For seeing he is a God which is not pleased with Iniquity A. When he hath gathered the wheate into his barne that is to say when he hath called and receyued the faithfull which imbraced Godlynes to possesse his kingdome for euer he shall burne the chaffe that is vnfrutefull men and workers of iniquity with vnquenchable fyer Mat. 3.12 The whiche Sainct Iohn expressed in these woordes He which ouercommeth shall possesse all thinges and I will be his God and hee shall be my sonne But the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and abhominable Apoc. 2◠and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their parte in the lake which burneth wiih fier and brimstone which is the seconde death For there shall enter into it no vncleane thing neyther whatsoeuer worketh abhomination or maketh lyes but they which are written in the Lambes booke of lyfe The which also the scripture setteth foorth in other wordes saying Ver. 27 Esa 66.24 Mar. 9.41 Their worme shall not dye and the fier shall not be quenched M. The which manifestly maketh against those which pronounce generally all men to be saued For as euerlasting life is layde vp for the elect euen so there wayteth for the reprobate that eternall fier whiche is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels C. Mat. 25. ◠And wheras the Papistes of these places gather that euerlasting life is gotten by merites they may easely bée refuted for Christ speaketh not only here of the cause of saluation Merites deserue not euerlasting lyfe but also putteth a noate and difference betwéene the elect and the reprobate the which he doth to wyn and bring his seruauntes to holynesse and innocencye And wée trulye doe not deny but that faith ioyned with a desire to lyue well and vprightly iustifieth but do onely teache that we cannot repose our trust and confidence in any thing else saue in the mercy of God A. But concerning this wée haue spoken more at large Mat. 16.27 and .25.34 in our exposition of Mathew 30. I can of my owne selfe doe nothing as I heare I iudge and my iudgemen is iust because I seeke not my owne wyll but the wyll of the Father which hath sent mee I can not of my owne selfe Bv. After the confirmation and probation of his diuinitie and that he was the sonne equall to the Father in all thinges hée returneth to the proposition and occation of the disputacion from the which hée was digressed and gathereth all thinges into a certaine particular Epiloge or conclusion M. And because hée had arrogated to him selfe many thinges hée sheweth that he hath done the same iustlye and vppon good consideracion As if hée should saye B. I haue declared vnto you what I am with the Father and what I haue receyued of him that I worke all thinges with the Father and that with him I raise the dead to life By these thinges you sée that I am farre from doing any thing which is contrary or against him eyther by breaking the Sabboth or else by orrogating to my selfe that which is proper to him alone I confesse that of my selfe I can do nothing being a man as you sée these thinges are geuen to me of the Father hée bringeth all thinges to passe in mée As I heare of him and as I knowe by experience so I iudge in all thinges there is nothing in mée I saye nothing I doe nothing which belongeth not to the Father I knowe no part of my wyll which is not agréeing to the wyll of my Father I desire nothing I goe about nothing which is not according to the good pleasure of my Father so farre I am from prophaning the Lords Sabboth and that which is more from blaspheming him the which falselye ye obiect against me C. Therefore Christ speaketh not here of his bare diuinitie but as hée is endewed with our fleshe he admonisheth vs not to estéeme of him according to the outward shewe because there is more in him than there is in a man Secondlye we must sée and consider with whom he had to do His purpose was to refell the Iewes which sought to oppose or set him against God Therefore he doth deny that he doth any thing as man because God which dwelt in him was his guide moderator This alwayes we must remember that so often as Christ speaketh him selfe he doeth onely assume or take to him selfe that which is proper to a man because he had respect vnto the Iewes which wickedly sayd that he was a priuate person and no better than one of the common sort of people After the same manner he referreth to the Father whatsoeuer is aboue man This woord Iudgement as it doeth properly belong to Doctrine so also it doth appertaine to the whole administration as if he should say that he hath the Father his aucthour in all thinges whose wyll is to him a rule in all thinges And my iudgement is iust M. This is not to be
haue them onely in Bookes and so layd vp as our treasure as we saee many men doe neyther yet are they geuen that we might simplye and sleightlye reade them as though it were sufficient to reade eyther that by a supersticious opinion the reading of them might bée in stéede of worship and diuine seruice as we sée the Papistes do and as the Iewes continuallye doe on the Sabboth dayes but they are geuen to this ende that they might bée read with diligence and with a minde desirous to finde out those thinges which belong to true knowledge and true godlinesse The readers of the Scriptures must bée searchers and not corrupters wresters dreamers or supersticious murmurers Howe the scriptures ought to be read And the Scriptures do not require any searching but that whiche is godlye humble and desirous to knowe and imbrace one trueth onely otherwise a man maye finde some which reade the Scriptures but not to searche out Gods truth but rather to hinder the same Euen so Herode inquired out the truth out of the Scriptures concerning the place where Christ should bée borne not to the ende he might worshippe him Mat. 2.4 but rather to destroye him Also the Pharisées sayde to Nicodemus Searche the Prophetes and see howe that a Prophete commeth not out of Galilee Iohn 7.52 They sayd not And see what is written in the Scriptures concerning Christ So in lyke manner wicked and vngodlye men do search the scriptures to corrupt the same to theyr owne destruction C. By this woorde Scripture is vnderstoode the olde Testament For Christ dyd not first of all beginne to bée manifested in the Gospell but hauing testimony out of the lawe and the Prophetes he openlye exhibited him selfe in the Gospell Therfore that which Christ sayeth here agréeth with that which he spake vnto his Apostles after his resurrection Luk. 24.44 saying These are the wordes which I spake vnto you when I was yet with you that all must needes bee fulfilled whiche were written of mee in the lawe of Moyses and in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes But nowe it were an infinite labour to gather into one those testymonies of Scripture which pertaine to the manifesting of Christ notwithstanding we maye beholde some of them in the foure and twentye of Luke 40. And yet wyll ye not come to me that ye might haue light A. Hée meaneth that men labour in vaine in reading of the Scriptures except their onelye dryft bée to finde out Christ in them M. He sayth not And ye come not but And ye wyll not come to mee that ye maye haue lyfe C. in which woords hée againe casteth in theyr téeth that nothing staye them from obtayning that lyfe which is offered in the Scriptures but their owne mallice For in saying that they wyl not hée assigneth the cause of theyr ignoraunce and blindnesse to theyr owne wicked obstinacye And verylye séeing he so wyllingly offered him selfe vnto them it must néedes bée that they were wyllinglye blinde And séeing they dyd séeke by all meanes to shonne the lyght nay séeing they dyd séeke to obscure and darken the bright sonne with the darkenesse of theyr vnbeléefe Christ doeth iustlye more sharpelye reprehend them M. And beholde here what a false perswacion can doe They would not come vnto Christ that they might haue life by him And wherefore Because they thought that they had euerlasting lyfe alreadye Therefore so many as dyd thinke that they had already obtayned saluation come not vnto Christ the sauiour Hee which thinketh him selfe whole and sounde commeth not to the Phisition So it happened to the Disciples of Iohn who for the opinion of saluation whiche they had conceyued of Iohn were against Christ when as Iohn sent all men vnto Christ After the same manner also we sée that the Papistes at this daye reiect the Doctrine of Christ which is the power of God to saluation to euery beléeuer through the opinion of saluation which they haue conceyued in them selues in that they thinke them selues to bée in the Church of Christ but out of the which no man can bée saued but the same Church doeth not drawe awaye men from the Gospell of Christ but rather sendeth all men to his Doctrine Let them take héede which boast and bragge of the Gospell and woord of God least conceyuing the lyke opinion they doe not truely heare Christ the Lorde of lyfe nor so truelye follow him as they ought 41. I receyue not praise of men B. In these wordes our sauiour preuenteth the sclaunder wherewith the Iewes might haue sclandered him to bée ambicious because hee had cast them in the téeth with theyr contempt of him who was so manifestly commended in the Scriptures R. As if bée should say I would not haue you to thinke that I cal you vnto me and that I wyll you to beleeue my word because I am ambicious and desirous of praise Bée it far from me that I shoulde seeke the praise and commendacion of men For if I were any thing desirous of glorye I woulde neuer haue so abased my selfe as to haue taken vpon me humayne fleshe but I speake these thinges being desirous of your saluation I séeke not my selfe but you C. neyther am I gréeued that I sée my selfe contemned but I séeke the glorye of God the Father and the safety of you all And so he goeth forwarde in refelling the sclaunder that he extolleth him selfe aboue all men For in déede hée is so great and mightye that he ought not to depende vppon the Iudgement of men when as the wickednesse of the whole worlde can detract nothing at all from him nor diminishe one héere 's breadth of his power 42. But I know you that ye haue not the loue of God in you M. Hée nowe manifestlye declareth whereof hée gathered the original of theyr Incredulitye namelye hereof that they had no loue of God in them As if hée should saye It is not hidden or vnknowne to mée for what cause ye come not vnto me Yée faine that ye haue the loue of God and ye wyll séeme to persecute me because I am against the commaundement and glory of God as a wicked man and a breaker of the Sabboth daye a blasphemer of God and a seeker of vaineglorye But howsoeuer ye deceyue and blinde simple and ignoraunt men with this hipocriticall pretence ye can not deceyue mée Yée are not vnlyke your Forefathers For as they honoured GOD with theyr Lippes and despised him in their heartes euen so ye through Hipocrisye woulde séeme to loue GOD with your mouthes whome notwithstanding ye loue not in your heartes with your mouth ye speake of God but with your heart ye séeke your selues For I know you throughlye who and what ye are what ye do and wherevnto also ye haue respect B. For whosoeuer haue any manner of loue or feeling of GOD do also receyue his woord so farre they are from reiecting the Sonne of God Ioh.
desart where the Lorde fed the multitude For Luke sayeth that the Lord went a part by shippe into a desart place of the Citye of Bethsaida Therefore the Lorde commaunded him to goe before him towarde Bethsaida to the side of the shoare eyther because this was the more conuenient place of passage or else because by this commaundement he intended somewhat else which is vnknown to vs. That also which Mathewe and Marke haue that they went ouer to the lande of Genesar is nothing contrary to that which Iohn writeth that they went to Capernaum because they speake generallye of the lande to the which they arriued and Iohn perticularlye of the Citye Capernaum to whiche they came Therfore there is no such disagréement betwéene these places as maye at the first sight séeme to be And it was nowe darke C. Iohn pretermitteth many Circumstaunces which the other haue as by reading them ye may sée 18. And the Sea arose vvith a great wynde that blewe This history is expounded in the fouretéene Chapter of Mathew from the fortye and eyght verse vnto the fiftye and thrée verse 19. So vvhen they had rowed about fiue and twenty or thirty furlongs they saw Iesus walking on the Sea and drawing nye to the Ship and they vvere afrayde B. Because the Disciples of Christ did not sufficiently perceiue and knowe the Lordes power by the miracle of the Loaues they were to be exercised by this perryll and daunger of the Sea R. For the Tempest of the Sea was not raysed about the Disciples by chaunce but by the wise dispensation of Christ he being absent whereby his presence might the more earnestlye bée desired of his Disciples and might learne howe necessary Christ was in aduersitye Afflictions Euenso the godly are afflicted with Crosses with afflictions and with calamities that they might with more feruent prayer call vppon Christ by faith Contrarywyse the wicked the more they are afflicted the farther they goe from God For they do not acknowledge the Lorde in tribulation but Sathan C. And it may séeme very absurd that the Disciples of Christ are so vexed when others haue quiet sayling but so the Lord oftentimes exerciseth his with greuous perrilles that they may the more familliarlye knowe him in tyme of their deliueraunce A. Reade for larger matter in the fouretéene of Mathew and in the sixt of Marke also 20. But he sayeth vnto them It is I bee not afrayde C. Here S. Iohn setteth before vs as in a glasse what knowledge of Christ it is we can conceyue without the worde and what it bringeth For if he geue vnto vs but a bare shewe of his Diuinitye onelye by and by wée fall to our owne imaginations and euery man maketh to him selfe an Idoll in stéede of Christ After the error of the minde followeth trembling and confused feare of the mind Knowledge of God commeth rather by the worde than by Miracles But when he beginneth to speake by and by by his voyce we receiue sound and perfect knowledge and then we haue ioye in our mindes and peace of conscience For there is great waight in those wordes It is I be not afrayd For we are here taught that we haue sufficient cause of trust in the presence of Christ in so much that we maye bée in peace and safetye But this pertayneth to none sauing onelye to the Disciples of Christ for afterwarde wée shall sée that the wicked by the same voyce were throwne downe at his féete The voyce of Christ wyll discerne the wicked from the Children of GOD Iohn 18.6 for hée is sent a Iudge to destroye the reprobate and vnbeléeuing wherefore they can not abyde his sight but they are by and by confounded But the godlye who knowe that hée is geuen to them for a mercifull Sauiour so soone as they heare his woorde whiche is to them a sure pledge both of his Diuine loue and also of theyr saluation doe recouer their strength as it were from death to lyfe and doe ioyfullye beholde the cléere skye after the stormye tempest and doe dwell in the earth in peace and being conquerers of all euill doe set his defence against all perrilles 21. And they would haue receyued him into the Shippe and immediatelye the Ship was at the land whether they went The other Euangelistes saye that they receyued him into the Shippe the which our Euangelist doeth not denye but sayeth that by and by the Shippe arriued to the lande whether they went The Miracle consisted in this that hée walked vppon the Sea and that hée made the Sea calme and thyrdly that the Ship by and by arriued to lande by the power of Christ Mathewe addeth a fourth part concerning Peter in the fouretéene Chapter C. Therefore we sée here that the Lorde doeth not onelye erect and comfort his Disciples with his worde but also in very deede deliuereth them from feare allaying the tempest M. Let vs learne therefore by this example to whome wée are bounde for this that being so oftentimes tempted wée are not ouercome in temptacions 22. The daye following when the people which stoode on the other side of the Sea sawe that there was no other Ship there saue that one wherevnto his Discyples were entered and that Iesus went not in vvith his Disciples into the Shippe but that his Discyples were gone awaye alone Bv. By lytle and lytle the Eangelist descendeth to more nygh occasions of that most diuine sermon which the Lord made in the schole of the Capernaits cōcerning the summe and briefe Compendium of our Religion namelye that hée is the true Sonne of God sent of the Father from Heauen into the world to quicken all mankinde of the which quickening the faithfull that beléeue in him are partakers But the circumstances which the Euangelist putteth downe here pertaine to this ende to teache that the multitude perceiued that Christ went ouer the Lake by his diuine power and not by Marriners skyll That therefore which Christ dyd in walking vpon the Water dyd not onely profite the Disciples to confirme their faith but was yet more fruitefull because the day folowing the whole multitude might easilye gather that he was carried ouer by his owne power and not by Shippe 23. Howbeit there came other Shippes from Tiberias nye vnto the place where they did eate bread after that the Lorde had geuen thankes After the Lord had geuen thankes C. This repeticion of thankesgiuing is not in vaine For his meaning is that Christ obtained by Praiers that those fewe Loaues dyd suffise to féede so many men and because we are colde and slowe to Praier he doeth twise put vs in minde of the same Therefore wée ought the more to noate this saying because we sée at this daye a great part of the worlde lyke brute Beastes to giue them selues to security 24. When the People therefore sawe that Iesus was not there neither his Disciples they also toke Shipping and came to Capernaum seeking for
B. The Lorde who knewe that there was in this multitude his elect whiche hearde him with fruite and that the Gospell must be openlye preached to others also that they might haue no excuse being nothing at all dismayde with their wickednesse rashenesse and disdaine which deryed him began openlye to tell them boath who was this celestiall breade in déede and also howe they might attayne the same C. Fyrst of all hee teacheth that they haue before their face that breade which mockingly they required secondelye hée reprehendeth them But hée beginneth with doctrine that he might declare them to be conuinced of the greater ingratitude M. Hée might haue sayde I am the Sauiour and the quickener but there is more consolation swéetenesse contayned in this that hée calleth hymselfe the breade of lyfe For first of all what other vse is there of breade than to féede and nourishe Euen so verelye the Sonne of God descended to vs from heauen for no other cause than that hée might be to vs meate and lyfe furthermore how precious bread is to the hungary how gréedely the same is sought experience teacheth Euenso how gréedely this breade of lyfe Christ ought to be sought for of vs it is declared by this metaphore of the breade the whiche figure to teache the rude and ignoraunte is more apt and méete than simple and playne speache Howbeit wee must noate Breade doth not giue life that by this worde breade the quickening power of Christ is not to be expressed as wée féele the same for breade doth not giue lyfe but doth onely nourish and preserue the same in that state in the which it is But by the benifite and goodnesse of Christ wée doe not onely retayne lyfe but haue also the beginning of lyfe Wherefore this similitude is improper in some parte But there is no absurditye at all in this because Christ frameth his Oration and talke by the circomstaunce of that which he spake before He that commeth to me M. Now he sheweth how this breade may be taken to bring lyfe and defineth the manner of eating whiche is when wée receyue the same by fayth For it doth nothing at all profite the vnbeléeuing that Christ is the breade of lyfe because they alwayes abyde empty but Christ is then made our breade when wée come hungerye vnto him that hée may fyll vs. B. To come vnto Christ is to receyue him for our Sauiour and to consecrate our selues wholy vnto him To whome soeuer it is gyuen to doe this hée shall not hunger that is to saye hée shall want no good thing The very same also hee now speaketh by another allegory And he that beleeueth on me In lyke maner to beléeue in Christ is to come vnto Christ and to acknowledge him our Sauiour but not to thirst is to want no good thing but to be throughly blessed the which beginneth to be here in those which haue giuen themselues wholy vnto Christ by fayth and it is finished when this bodye of ours being restored againe in the latter daye by the power of Christ shall beare hys Image 1. Cor. 15.49 which is the heauenly Adam Shall neuer thirst C. This séemeth to be added without reason because the office of the breade is not to quenche thirst but to put awaye hunger Therefore Christ attributeth more to the bread than the nature therof will beare But in that hée taketh the name of breade onelye hée doth it to this ende because hée had so made his comparison with his heauenlye power by which our soules are sustained in lyfe Neuerthelesse by this worde breade hée vnderstandeth all maner of nutriment and that according to the common maner of his countrey For the Hebrues by a figure called Sinecdoche which is when parte is put for the whole vse to call dinner and supper eating of breade and in the fourtéenth Chapter of Luke Also when wée aske of God our daylye breade wée comprehende drinke and the other necessarie partes of our lyfe The scence and meaning therof is this Whosoeuer shall come to Christ to receyue lyfe of him shall be fylled with all manner of necessaryes to the full R. To this also the prophetes had respect when they promised plenty of all good thinges at the comming of the Messias as when the Prophete sayeth They shall not be hongary neither shall they be thirstie neither shall heate smite them nor the Sonne For he that hath compassion on them shall leade them Esa 49 1◠euen to the Springes of waters shall he driue them To be shorte he hath all thinges whiche by faith possesseth Christe For Christ is the treasure of all good thinges and on the contrary parte he hath nothing although he possesseth all the riches of this worlde which hath not Christe by Fayth Yf therfore thou wante thou haste not faith Yf thou hast saith thou wantest not 36. But I saye vnto you that yee also haue seene mee and yet ye beleeue not M. In these wordes he striketh the hardenesse and obstinacie of their harts by whiche it came to passe that they séeing sawe not neither yet beleued affirming that this their incredulity was the cause that they coulde not taste the vertue of this bread that the same would bringe to passe that they shoulde heare in vaine whatsoeuer was spoken concerning that bread C. For they doe wickedly reiecte the gyft offered to them and therfore he taketh from them all excuse For excepte he had declared vnto them his power and had made manifest that he came from God the pretence of ignoraunce might haue mittigated their falt but in that they doe reiecte his doctrine whome before they confessed to be the Lordes Messias it is extreme disdaine and contempt It is most true that men would neuer haue so wilfully resisted God if so be they had known with whome they had to doe according to the saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. 2.8 They woulde neuer haue crucefied the Lord of glory if so be they had knowen him but because the vnbeléeuing are blinde in the cleare light they are rightly said to sée that which by and by vanisheth out of their sight because Sathan darkeneth their myndes This is without all controuersy that whereas he sayd they had seene it ought not to be vnderstoode of bodily sight but ought rather to be taken for wilfull blindnesse because they might haue knowen who he had béene had it not bene that they were lette by their owne mallice B. Therefore he noteth that whiche he had saide a litlle before Ye seeke mee not because yee sawe the signes For by the signes they sawe who he was namely the very sonne of God yet not withstanding they did not beleeue because it was not geuen them from the Father as straight waye he sheweth 37 All that the Father geueth me shal com to me and him that commeth to me I cast not awaye All that the father geueth me M. By these wordes the
things This had béene the parte of reasonable men But they doe none of these things but according to the disposition of fleshe they murmure because the Lorde sayde that he came downe from heauen For this is the lot of Christes doctrine that it shall sooner finde such as shall murmure gainst it and contemne and deride it béefore they know it than suche as shall rightly vnderstande it and when they vnderstande it earnestlye imbrace it 42. And they sayde Is not this Iesus the sonne of Ioseph whose Father and mother wee know How is it then that hee sayeth I came downe from heauen Is not this Jesus Bv. They looked for some mightie and victorious Messias to raigne ouer them as did Salomon Cyrus and Alexander therefore they dispised the humilitie of Christ not perceyuing howe this base man discended from heauen M. For they thought that hée had so spoken of his discention from heauen as though hée had denyed himselfe to haue béene borne in this worlde among men but euen as hée was present before them to haue fallen as some Aungell from Heauen Herevppon it commeth that they saye Is not this Iesus the sonne of Ioseph As if they should haue said doth he think vs to be so dule scenelesse that wée will suffer our selues to be perswaded that hée came downe from heauen séeing we knowe from whence hée came who he is of what stocke and kindered and with whome hée was brought vp what rashenesse then is this that hée sayth he descended from heauen as though he spake to straungers and to such as did not know him C. They had therefore a double let The one was whiche they fayned to themselues by a false opinion when they sayde This is the sonne of Ioseph whose Father mother we know Two â—bling â—kes to â—ewes The other was the which proceded of a wrong Iudgement because they did not thinke Christe to be the Sonne of God for that he descended to men taking vpoÌ„ him our fleshe But wée are to to wicked if so be wée therefore despise the Lorde of glory because hée did abase and emptye himselfe for our sakes taking vpon him the forme of a seruant For this was rather a manifest signe of his vnspeakable loue toward vs and also of his wonderfull grace Furthermore the deuine Maiestie of Christ did not so lye hidde vnder the base and contemptible shewe of the fleshe but that the bright beames of the deuine glorye appeared but those grose and scencelesse men wanted eyes to beholde the same Bv. So at this daye when Iesus is preached and the same crucefyed when mortification regeneration is taught the preaching is contemned of prowde men of couetous ambitious Carnall Gospellers follow Christ for gaine and luxurious men which crye from whence haue we this newe doctrine which these newe Apostles set before vs Let vs noate therefore in this place the nature of fleshe and bloode which followeth the Gospell so long as there is hope of gaine but that hope being taken away it starteth aside M. Moreouer the corrupt nature of fleshe and bloode is to stande vppon externall thinges and to iudge after the outwarde apparaunce not onely of the Sonne of God but also of all the elect of whome it iudgeth not according to the qualitie of the minde whiche is heauenlye but according to the humility and basenesse of the fleshe It doth not beléeue that those whome it séeth in this worlde to be poore Idiots vnlearned base weake contemned abiectes and knowne according to the natiuitye and conuersation of the fleshe are borne of GOD and are sonnes of the heauenlye kingdome This thing S. Iohn expoundeth in another place in these wordes saying Behoulde what loue the Father hath bestowed on vs that wee shoulde be called the sonnes of GOD. 1. Iohn 3.1 For this cause the worlde knoweth you not because it knoweth not him 43. Iesus answered and sayde vnto them Murmure not among your selues Bv. Murmuration against God and the truth braules also and contentions and strifes in religion are very displeasant to God the same are oftentimes gréeuously punished Wherfore the lord giuing good aduice to the multitude exhorteth them not so to murmure and grudge C. Notwithstanding hée layeth the blame of murmuration vpon them as if hée shoulde saye my doctrine contayneth no matter of offence but because ye are reprobates it proueth your poysoned mindes and is therefore vnsauorye because your mouthes are out of taste M. The wisedome of the Lorde is here to be considered by which hée is very circumspect least if hée should hold his peace at those things whereat they murmured among themselues they might thinke that they had iustly murmured Let vs followe this wise dilligence by which wée must beware least they whiche murmure against the truth murmure not without reason 44. No man can come to me except the father which hath sent mee draw him and I will rayse him vp at the last daye No man can come to mee M. Hée repeateth that which hée had sayd but in other wordes For hee had sayd All that my Father giueth mee shall come vnto mee and now hée sayth No man can come vnto me except my Father which hath sent mee draw him As if hée shoulde saye ye murmure without reason of this that I sayde I came downe from heauen For it is no meruell if ye knowe not mée but are offended at this humilitie of my fleshe Did not I saye vnto you that they shall come to mée whome my father hath giuen mée Why doe ye not rather murmure of that amonge your selues Nowe I confirme the very same vnto you namely that it is impossible that anye man should knowe who I am from whence and to what ende I am come except he be drawne to me by grace from my Father R. But your bellye draweth you vnto mée and not my heauenlye father It is no meruell therefore if ye beléeue not my wordes C. Here Christ openly pronounceth that the doctrine of the Gospell although it be preached to all men alyke cannot notwithstanding be of al men receiued but they must first be renewed in minde in vnderstanding Fayth therefore commeth not by the will of man but by the will of GOD. Bv. To come to Christ is to béeléeue and to cleaue vnto Christ to receyue Christ and to depende onelye vpon him as we haue hearde in the fiue and thirtie verse going before C. Hée sayth they are drawne whose mindes God doth illuminate and whose heartes hée bendeth and frameth to the obedience of Christ R. For GOD draweth in that order as before wée haue described For hée hath chosen some before the foundation of the worlde was layde and those whome hée hath elected hée hath called and doth call by Christ through the preaching of the Gospell And there is no cause why thou shouldest faine and Imagine to thy selfe any heauenly voyces and descentions of the holye Ghost which shoulde happen beside
spake For hée compareth himselfe with his father onelye in respect of hys flesh For although the father be the beginning of life yet notwithstanding the eternall worde it selfe is also properlye lyfe But the eternal diuinitie of Christ is not here handeled because hée propoundeth him selfe as hée being cloathed with our flesh manifested himselfe to the worlde Whereas therefore hée sayth that hée liueth by the Father it doth not belong to the bare diuinitie neyther also doth it simplye agrée with the human nature but it is a title of the Sonne of GOD manifested in the fleshe Furthermore wée knowe that it is no vnwonted thing to Christ to ascribe to the Father whatsoeuer is deuine in himselfe Bv. It is also to be noated that hée sayth shall liue by the meanes of me Iustification commeth by Grace For in that we are Iustified quickened and blessed it commeth not by our owne merite but by the mere goodnesse of Christe And therefore the Lorde sayth by the mouth of the Prophet I will redeeme thee Esec 36.22 Three degrees of life not for thy sake but for my owne sake C. We muste also noate that there are reckened here thrée degrees of lyfe The firste degree hath God the lyuing Father who is a springing well but secrete and hidden The seconde degree hath the sonne who is as a conduite pype by whome lyfe is powred into vs. The thirde is that lyfe which we drawe from hym So that because God the Father in whome consisteth lyfe is farre from vs Christe is appoynted as a meane whiche is the seconde cause of lyfe that from him that might come to vs whiche otherwise lyeth secrete and hid in God This sentence therefore agréeeth with that whiche went before where the Lorde sayde Iohn 5.29 As the father hath life in himselfe so hath he geuen to the Sonne to haue life in him selfe For in diuers other places he calleth him selfe lyfe 58. This is that breade whiche came downe from heauen not as youre fathers did eate manna and are dead hee that eateth this breade shall liue euer This is that breade M. When the Iewes obiected vnto Christe the fathers which were fed of Moyses by manna he aunswered to the same thrée thinges one was that Moyses did not geue vnto them bread from heauen and that the bread whiche the Fathers did eate in the desart was not the true breade of heauen because the eaters of the same were subiecte to death The seconde was that the Father geueth the true breade of heauen the whiche breade he him selfe is The thirde is that the eaters of this bread haue euerlasting lyfe Nowe therefore to finishe this dialogue he retourneth to the comparison of Manna and of his flesh where with he began This is the summe of his wordes There is no cause why ye shoulde preferre Moyses before me because hée fed youre Fathers in the wildernesse séeing that I haue farre better meate to geue vnto you than that was for I bring with mée celestiall and euerlasting lyfe For that bread is sayde to descend from Heauen which hath no earthlye or corruptible taste but geueth the Immortallity of Gods kingdome This vertue they felt not in Manna which onely sought to fyll their bellye For there being twoo vses of the same the Iewes with whome Christ here disputed respected nothing but the corporall foode But the lyfe of the Soule is not transitorye but groweth more and moore tyll the whole man bée renued Bv. And it is manifest by these places that Faith in Christ iustifyeth all those that beléeue 59. These thinges sayde he in the Sinagogue as hee taught in Capernaum Bv. Nowe the Euangelist noateth the place where these thinges were done and spoken according to the Historicall manner thereby to declare the vndoubted trueth and certaintye of the matter C. and also that wée might knowe that there were then many present when these thinges were spoken Bv. For this talke and disputacion concerning Faith and the effecte of Fayth was in a great assemblye of the Iewes that is to saye in a Schoole Temple or Church because it pertayned to the right instruction of the whole Chuch and of the vniuersall worlde C. Hée signifyeth that this Sermon was made as of a graue and serious matter M. and that Christ was found of the Capernaites in the Sinagogue into the whiche hée entered to teache that they might heare him speaking of so great misteries For hee woulde teache openlye Ioh. 18.20 that hée might haue many witnesses of his Doctrine Euen as hée bouldlye affirmed before the highe Priest As hee taught in Capernaum This is a notable prerogatiue of the Citye of Capernaum that they had Christ him selfe to bée their teacher and that openlye not once or twyse but oftentimes What thing more profitable coulde happen to this Citye than this that the Sonne of GOD shoulde bée the teacher of the same It was iustly sayd to bée lyfted vp to Heauen Those Cityes waxe proude in the which sometyme certaine notable men haue lyued or else haue done some notable thing But howe muche more notable was that which happened to this Citye Mat. 11.23 But when it dyd contempne this singular grace and abused the same it was iustlye sayd to bée deiected to the pit of hell The Romanistes bragge of Peter and Paules seate and vnder the pretence hereof haue inuaded and wonne the gouernment of the Christian world haue exalted them selues euen to the Heauens Good Lorde what woulde they haue done if so bée Christ had taught so oftentimes among them But nowe séeing they doe not retaine the Doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles in their proper place what else remaineth for them now than the greater condemnacion All these Churches whiche haue by the goodnesse and mercye of God the sound and wholsome doctrine of the Gospell which other Churches want must haue this example of the Capernaites alwayes before their eyes 60. Many therefore of his Disciples when they had heard this sayde This is an harde saying Who can abyde the hearing of it Many therefore of his Disciples M. All that which is contained betwéene this verse and the ende of the Chapter concerneth the Discyples of Christ C. Fyrst of all it is declared that there were verye fewe among this great multitude which receiued any profite naye this doctrine was the occasion that many whiche professed them selues to bée the Disciples of Christe fell away If the Euangelist had sayd that onelye a fewe had béene offended it had béene almost a wonder but in that a great multitude ryse and conspire against him what example shall wee say it is M. It is no maruaile therefore if the rude multitude dyd not receyue the misticall wordes of Christes when that his owne Disciples could not abyde the hearing of them Wherefore let this Historye bée printed in our heartes least that at any time wée trouble Christ when he is speaking and if wée see the lyke
ascended what is it else but that he descended first into the lower partes of the earth Hée which descended is euen the same also which ascended aboue all heauens Eph. 4.9 to fulfyll all thinges C. In that hée sayeth hée was first in Heauen it doeth not properlye agrée to his humanitye and yet notwithstanding hée speaketh of the Sonne of man But this is no vnwonted maner of speaking when twoo natures in Christe doo make one person and to attribute that to one which is proper to another 63. It is the Spirite that quickeneth the fleshe profyteth nothing The wordes that I speake vnto you are spyrite and lyfe It is the Spyrite that quickeneth M. This parcell contayneth a declaracion of those thinges at the which the Disciples were offended because they séemed harde C. For Christ teacheth that the Iewes receyued no profite by his Doctrine because the same being spyrituall they were but carnall hearers of the same But because this place hath béene diuersly expounded first of all it is needefull that wée haue the true and proper sence of the wordes whereby wée shal easely vnderstand the purpose of Christ In that hée denyeth the fleshe to profite any thing some doe amisse referre the same to the Iewes which were carnall Neyther doe they well whiche affyrme that the fleshe of Christe doeth profite vs nothing in that it is eaten but in that it is Crucifyed but wée must rather eate the same that it maye profite vs when it is Crucified B. Othersome vnderstande this of the Spyrite which the Apostles should receyue after the resurrection and Ascention of Christ affyrming that they had then the true sence of Christes wordes when that most excellent teacher of the trueth had replenished them with most ample knowledge of Christ But their opinion séemeth far better which thinke that these wordes Aloane or Of it selfe ought to bée ioyned therewith as if Christ should haue sayde The fleshe aloane or of it selfe profiteth nothing the which is agréeable to the matter it selfe C. For Christe hath simplye respecte to the manner of eating Hée doeth not therefore so speake as though there were no profite at all to bee receyued by his fleshe Flesh with out the spirite profiteth not but onelye pronounceth the same to bee vnprofitable if it bée remoued from the fleshe For whereof commeth it that the fleshe hath quickening power but because it is spyrituall Therefore whosoeuer stayeth in the terrestriall nature of the fleshe shall finde nothing in the same but that whiche is dead but they which lyft vp theyr eyes to the power of the Spyrite with the which the fleshe is endued shall féele by by theyr affection and by the experience of Fayth that it is not called quickening in vaine Nowe let vs sée how the fleshe of Christ is meate in déede and yet profiteth nothing Surelye it is meate because wée thereby haue gotten lyfe because in it God is pleased because in it wée haue all the partes of saluation complete it profiteth nothing if so bée we iudge and estéeme the same according to the nature and originall thereof For the seede of Abraham which of it selfe is subiect to death doeth not giue lyfe but it doeth receyue of the spyrite to geue vnto vs. Wherefore it doeth become vs also that wée maye bée truelye fed by the same to bring with vs the spyrituall mouth of Fayth The wordes which J speake vnto you are spirite M. Hée doeth not speake of the externall sounde of these wordes but of the sence and meaning of them and hée declareth that hée spake not carnallye of the carnall eating of his fleshe in the which there is no lyfe but spyrituallye of the power of the quickening Spyrite in the which there is lyfe C. In fewe wordes hée teacheth that his Doctrine is spyrituall for this word Spyrite is put for the Adiectiue spyrituall And that worde is called spyrituall which calleth vs vpwarde that the holye Ghoste being our guyde wee maye seeke Christ by Fayth and not in carnall sence in his heauenlye glorye For wée knowe that nothing of those thinges which are spoken can bée comprehended but by Faith It is also worthy to bée noted that hée ioyneth the Spirite with lyfe Hee calleth his worde lyfe of the effecte but he teacheth that the same shall geue lyfe to none but to him who spyritually receyueth the same for whosoeuer receyueth the same otherwise rather draweth to him selfe death than life To the godly this is a most sweete tytle of the Gospel that they are certifyed that the same is ordained for them to saluation they are notwithstanding herewithall admonished to shewe them selues méete Disciples For the woordes being receyued by fayth profite but without faith profite nothing at all 64. But there are some of you that beleeue not For Iesus knewe from the beginning which they were that beleeued not and who should betraye him But there are some of you M. The Lorde is wont to vpbrayd men with theyr vnbeléefe because there can no greater iniurye bée done to God than for men to doubte of his Fayth and trueth Christ againe blameth these men because they being deuoyde of the Spyrite doe wickedly depraue and corrupt his doctrine and by this meanes turne the same to theyr owne destruction For they might haue otherwise obiected and sayde Thou braggest that thy wordes are able to geue lyfe but wée sée no suche thing Hee sayeth therefore that they are a let vnto them selues For vnbeléefe as it is alwaye proud◠shal neuer reape any fruite in the words of Christ Vnbeleefe contemneth Christ because it doeth contemptuouslye despise them Hée sayeth not There are some of you which vnderstande not but hée sheweth the cause wherfore they vnderstand not There are sayth hée some of you which beléeue not and therefore they vnderstande not because they beléeue not By fayth wée are coupled togeather and by vnderstanding wée are quickened fyrst let vs sticke fast throughe Fayth that there maye bée somewhat to geue lyfe by vnderstanding For hée which stycketh not fast resisteth and hée which resisteth doeth not beléeue For howe shall he bée quickened whiche beléeueth not C. Whereas hée sayth onely some of them are vnbeleeuing when as almost euery one of them had his faulte hée séemeth so to saye to this ende least if there were any which as yet were curable they might thereby bée brought to dispayre M. Hée meant therefore by more gentle admonition to bring them to a better minde and not so to cast them of that euery one of them might bée made carefull to obtayne the gyft of Fayth For Jesus knewe from the beginning Bv. This the Euangelist putteth downe to amplifye the aucthoritye and magistye of Christ C. Least any man shoulde thinke that Christ dyd rashlye iudge of his auditors Many professed them selues to bée of his flocke but their sodaine falling awaye bewrayed theyr hipocrisie But the Euangelist sayeth that theyr vnbeléefe whiche was
of vs they had continued with vs. It is necessary that after this manner suche as are proued maye bée knowne i. Cor. 11.19 C. When the Euangelist sayeth that they walked no more with Christ hée meaneth that there was not a full Apostacye but that they withdrewe them selues onelye from the fellowshippe of Christ notwithstanding hée condemneth them as Apostates Whereby wée haue to learne that wée cannot goe backe the breadth of one foote but that wée are readye to forsake Christ 67. Then sayde Iesus vnto the Twelue wyll ye also goe awaye M. Hée maketh no mencion of those which had forsaken him neyther doeth he séeme to bée any whit angery with them but turning him selfe with great modestye to the rest which remayned namely to the twelue Apostles sayde vnto them VVyll ye also goe awaye Bv. Hée doeth not aske this question as though hée were ignoraunt what they thought or what they would doe but hée demaundeth it that he might set their Fayth and the profession of theyr faith as an ensample to the whole Churche to bée followed kept M. and therewith also to declare that he doth staye none of his Disciples from going from him if so bée they bée such as desyre to goe from him because this Apostleship requireth such as come not compelled but voluntaryly and desyrous of heauenly grace C. Hée teacheth also that there is no cause why they should suffer them selues to bée drawne awaye by the lightnesse and inconstancye of other men For hée sheweth him selfe to them to bée hée with whome they shoulde abyde and therewithal exhorteth them not to ioyne them selues companions to Apostates And verylye if so bée the fayth be builded vppon Christ Fayth in Christ neuer shaketh it shall not depend vppon men neyther shall it shake at any time although Heauen and earth shoulde seeme to goe togeather And the cyrcumstaunce is to bée noated that Christ being depriued almost of all his Disciples retayneth onelye Twelue By these and suche lyke examples euerye faythfull man is taught to followe and serue God although hee haue neuer a fellowe M. Let no man therfore faint or be discouraged in this wicked world where verye fewe are founde whiche cleaue faythfullye to the Lorde as though the Lorde had the lesse care of the faythfull because they are both abiect and fewe in number but rather lette vs vndoubtedlye beleeue that our Sheepheard Christ Iesus wyll not neglect or forget one of the least of his shéepe Multitud doth not auayle to saluation For as the multitude of the wicked shall not saue them from destruction so the paucitye or smalnesse of number of the Iuste shall nothing let whereby they may not bée saued M. Also because these were speciallye geuen to Christ of the Father that Gods election might take place it was necessarye that they shoulde abyde and perseuere with him vnto the ende Rom. 11.29 A For the giftes and calling of God are suche that hee can neuer repent him of them For hée is wont to finishe the good worke which hée hath begon in his seruauntes 68. Then Symon Peter aunswered him Lord to whome shal we go Thou hast the vvordes of eternall lyfe Then Simon Peter Bv. Simon Peter hauing alwayes a feruent faith and zeale to Christ Iesus and nowe also making aunswere not in his owne name but in the name of all the rest cryed out with great courage Lord to whome shall wee goe Thou hast the wordes of lyfe C. This was the Iudgement of them all except Iudas who had nothing that was sincere in him M. Peter might haue sayde simplye Lorde wée wyll not goe awaye but hée thought it better to expresse twoo causes of tarrying why hée and his brethren woulde abide styll with Christ First because they vnderstande and perceyue that his doctrine is wholesome and of power to geue lyfe Secondly because whether soeuer they go leauing Christ there is nothing to bée found but death R. By this aunswere of Peter wee plainelye sée the same to bée true which the Apostle writeth saying The preaching of the Crosse is to them that perrishe foolishenesse i. Cor. i. 18 but vnto vs which are saued it is the power of God C. This is a notable commendation of the Gospell that it ministereth vnto vs eternall lyfe Rom. i. 16 being the power of God to saluation to euery one which beléeueth the same For otherwise is lyfe offered to vs in the Gospell when as God fréelye reconcileth him selfe vnto vs 2. Cor. 5.19 not imputing our sinnes to vs. Hereby therefore wée learne that wée must followe our Maister Christ aloane and must cleaue onelye vnto him which can bring to vs euerlasting lyfe Bv. This lyfe is not founde in the Philosophie of Plato or of Aristotle neyther is it to bée founde among the Pharisées and Monkes Death sheweth it selfe in the Institucions of these men death deceyte and destruction is in the whole worlde and falleth vpon the pate of such men as are carelesse and followers of foolishe thinges and hée aloane escapeth death deceyte and destruction whiche faithfullye imbraceth Christ and cryeth with Peter Lorde whether shall wée goe wee wyll abyde with thée for thou hast the wordes of eternall lyfe In thy word in the Scripture in the holy Gospel and in thy selfe is the light the waye the trueth and the lyfe 69. And wee beleeue and are sure that thou art christe the Sonne of the lyuing God M. To those that departed the Lord sayde But there are some among you which beleeue not Verse three score and foure Peter here on the contrarye part to put awaye all suspition of vnbeleefe from him selfe and from the rest of his brethren and might seperate him selfe from the fellowshippe of vnbeléeuers sayeth And wée beléeue and are sure that thou art Christ the sonne of the lyuing God In these words Peter briefly comprehendeth the summe of Faith And hée placeth Faith in the first place because the obedience of Fayth is the beginning of true vnderstanding yea Faith it selfe is the true eye of the minde But strayte after knowledge is added which discerneth Fayth from erronious and false opinions Faith is the eye of the minde For the Turkes the Iewes and the Papistes do beleeue but they knowe nothing Faith and knowledge tyed togeather But Fayth is tyed to knowledge because Gods truth is certainely and vndoubtedly knowne vnto vs not suche truth as mans knowledge is able to apprehende but such as the spirite of God doth seale in our hartes M. Therefore Christian Faith hath this propertye aboue all other to knowe that which it beléeueth that which can neuer bée sayde of any mannes Fayth that euer hath béene or shal be in the worlde because theyr Fayth is not of true but of false thinges R. So that first of all wée must beléeue the woord then followeth knowledge and the vnderstanding of the trueth of the worde B. In Peter the feruencye of
Faith to confession is to bée noated Charity in fauourable iudgement Charitye also appeareth in him in that hée Iudgeth well of all the rest of his fellowe Disciples For looke what hée him selfe thought of the Lorde hée doubteth not to thinke the same of them seeing hée aunswereth for them who were neuer asked before any suche question saying And wée beleeue c. But this confession séemeth nothing to appertayne to the present cause For the question was mooued concerning the eating of Christes fleshe I aunswere Although the twelue had not by and by the knowledge of all thinges that the Lorde taught yet notwithstanding it is sufficient that they according to the measure of theyr fayth doe confesse him td be the Aucthour of saluation and do submit themselues to him in all things M. For at another time they prayed for the increase of their fayth saying Luke 17.5 Lorde increase our fayth A. Moreouer the aunswere of Peter doth very well agree with the wordes of Christ when hee sayde The wordes which I speake vnto you are spirite and lyfe And Peter confesseth that hée hath the wordes of eternall lyfe wherevppon there is no doubte but that Christ is the Sonne of the liuing God 7. Iesus aunswereth them haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a Deuill Iesus aunswereth them M. These thinges were spoken by the Lorde to singuler purpose Peter being of a good nature and disposition thought that all the rest of his fellowe Apostles were endewed with the same sinceritye and faythfulnesse of mynde that hée was endewed with of the whiche hée séemed after a sort to boast Hée knewe that this number of the Apostles was singularlye and speciallye chosen from among the rest of the Disciples by the Lorde for the whiche cause hée coulde not otherwyse thinke but that they were faythfull and sincere whome the Lorde so speciallye had chosen the to dignity of the Apostleship and therefore bouldlye as perswaded not onelye of his owne Fayth but of the Fayth of the rest of his fellowes hée fayde And we beleeue Nowe the Lord séeking to take away this securitye and perswation not onelye from him but also from the rest and further also to signifye vnto them that it was no maruaile that among the multitude of the Disciples whiche were not chosen by him but followed him of theyr owne fréewyll many forsooke him through theyr vnbeleefe when as in that small number of the Apostles which hée had speciallye chosen there was one to bée founde which was not onelye vnbeléeuing but also whiche was a great deale worse a Deuell the Lord I saye séeking these thinges sayeth Haue not J chosen you Twelue and one of you is a Deuill B. The Gréekes call him the Deuell whome the Hebrewes call Sathan By this therefore that he sayde that Iudas was a Deuell hée meant that hée was his aduersarye and enemye and not a Disciple although he were chosen with others into the number of the Disciples by externall calling and was as yet among them C. For where Christe sayeth that hée had chosen Twelue it is not referred to the externall purpose of GOD for it is not possible that any of them shoulde fall awaye which are predestinate to euerlasting lyfe but séeing they were chosen to the office of Apostleship it became them to goe before others in pietye and holinesse Therefore hée putteth here chosen for the most notable and excellent among the common sort of people M. Concerning their election reade the thyrde of Marke and the sixte of Luke And Mathewe repeateth their names in order in the tenthe Chapter And when hée calleth Iudas a Deuell there is no doubte but that hée meant by this name to make him verye detestable For they are deceyued which extenuate the odious title of this vyce And verylye they whiche prophane so holye an office cannot bée sufficientlye hated and detested Those Aungelles are called teachers which doe verye well discharge theyr Ambassage Rightlye Mala. 2.7 therefore hée is called the Deuell which being chosen into so honorable an office doeth by his owne wickednesse degenerate from the same There is also another reason why suche are called Deuelles namelye because GOD doth geue more lybertye to Sathan to preuayle against the Reprobate and wicked Ministers than against any other of the common sort of people Wherefore if so bée they which are chosen to bée Pastours bée carryed awaye with Deuillishe madnesse insomuche that they are lyke vnto brute Beastes wée must not despise the dignitye of the office but must rather commend the same séeing such sharpe vengeaunce followeth the prophanation of the same Bv. Iudas is here called the Deuell not so much because hée was a Traytour as for that hée made him selfe a Minister and instrument for the Deuell to worke by 71. He spake of Iudas Iscariot the Sonne of Symon for hee it was that shoulde betray him beeing one of the twelue M The Euaungelist séeketh dilligently to defende the innocencie of the rest of the Apostles and woulde not haue anye wrong or false suspition to lyght vpon the true and sincere Apostles of Christ Let all these imitate this dilligence which desire that the auctoritie of the ecclesiasticall ministerye maye stande safe and sounde C. And although Iudas conscience did accuse him yet notwithstanding wee do not reade that hee was any whit mooued So dull are Hipocrites that they do not féele their woundes in the sight of men they are so brasen faced that they will not let to preferre themselues before the best men R. We see therefore howe that all which seeme to be elected are not elected Bv. Let no man therefore to much flatter himselfe and be secure because of certaine giftes which he hath receyued For hée which had obtained so great gyftes that hée could worke signes by which he was growne to wonderfull couetousnesse coulde receyue no profite neyther by benifites neyther by giftes neyther by the companye of Christ neyther by the washing of his feete neyther by the participation of the table neyther by the kéeping of the money but all these things were meanes to bring him to destruction ⧠The seauenth Chapter 1. After these thinges Iesus went about in Galilee for hee woulde not go about in Iury because that the Iewes sought to kill him After these thinges B. IN THE FIFTE Chapter going béefore the Euaungelist declareth that the IEVVES went aboute to kill our Sauiour Christe for healing the man on the Sabboth daye whiche was diseased eyght and thirtye yeres and because hée made hymselfe equall with his Father These thinges hée repeateth here in one worde to shewe the cause wherefore hée went at this time into Galilee Bv. For the Lord doth willingly withdrawe himselfe from bloude thirstye men and from conspiratours of murther and his spirite shall rest vpon the gentle and humble and vppon suche as reuerence his worde M. The Nobilitye and fame of the land of the Iewes by reason
before saying Shew thy selfe to the world when as in déede they vnderstoode those forenamed persons hée also rightly calleth them the worlde but so that therewithal hée noateth them of a worldly disposition As if hee should saye yee inuite me by this word world to the high Priestes Scribes and Pharisées of Ierusalem to shew my selfe before them Ye truely and iustly cal them the worlde for they are nothing else but worldely And because the worlde loueth that which is his owne the world cannot hate you which are worldelye and the children of this worlde being pertakers of corruption and of worldly wickednesse R. The Pharises hate not you the mightie men doe not persecute you because yée are all of like impietie of lyke wicked manners ye imbrace their doctrine as holye and whatsoeuer they saye ye accounte it an Oracle Wherefore they call you obedient children of the Sinagoge so farre they are from persecuting and hating you but the worlde that is the wise mightye and holye men of this worlde hate me not onely because I doe disagrée with theyr impietie but also doe reproue and reprehende all their workes righteousnesse holynesse wisdome and power as abhominable in the sight of GOD. A. For that which is highlye estéemed in the sight of men is abhominable in the sight of God Luk. 16.15 C. Therefore hée conuinceth them to be carnall when hée sayth that the worlde cannot hate them R. Christ therefore woulde not followe the carnal affections of his kinsemen C. Furthermore by these wordes the Lorde Iesus doth signifie that the Gospell cannot be truely preached but that the whole world must be cited as guiltie before the tribunall seate of GOD that so fleshe and bloode maye be troden downe and brought to nought Iohn 16. ◠according to this saying VVhen the holye Ghost commeth it shall reprooue the worlde of sinne Herewithall also wée learne that the pride which is naturallye ingraffed in men is so greate that they flatter and lyke of themselues in their vices For when they are reprehended they woulde not be angerye except they being blinded with the ouermuche loue of themselues did flatter themselues in theyr euill Onelye Gods spirite doth make vs gentle and méeke to abide reprehention insomuche that willingly wée offer our selues to be slaine with the sword of the Gospell Humilitie resteth where the spirite of God abydeth B. This also is to be noted that we cannot haue the loue and friendeshippe of the worlde except wée giue our consent to the euill workes thereof For if so be wée séeke to maintaine the glorye of God aloane and do pronounce onelye GOD to be good and doe séeke also to conuince the worlde of sinne by and by it persecuteth vs euen as afore time it persecuted Christ And to reproue the worlde is not onelye to inuey against that groser sorte of sinners for that the world can beare but also to testifie that the workes therof are euill that is to saye that it is wholy voyde of righteousnesse and goodnesse and that it cannot attaine to true righteousnesse but by Christ M. For the nature of the worde is to enter through euen to the deuiding a sonder of the soule and the spirite and of the Ioyntes and the marowe and discerneth the thoughtes A. What pretence soeuer therefore the worlde hath for the hating of the professors of the gospell there can be no other cause than that which Christ hath foreshewed namely because the faithfull doe testify that the workes of the worlde are euel Heb. 4.12 M. The Iewes those ypocrites went aboute to kill Christ as a transgressor of the Saboth but there laye a nother mischife secrete in their harts of the which not so muche as Pilat was ignorant for he knowe that for enuy they had deliuered him vp to death Euenso they which at this daye hate the Ministeres of the Gospell ascribe the cause to the loue of the Church calling them enimies and forsakers of the churh when as they themselues are not louers of the Churche but sekers of their owne vayne glory And they pretende that to magistrats whiche they knowe they cannot abyde calling them seditious persones as though they them selues wished wel to magistrates when as in déede no men are nor euer haue béene greater enemies to magistrates then they themselues haue bene Iohn 3.20 B. But they will not come to the true light of Godes worde leste their euell déedes shoulde bée reproued 8. Go ye vp vnto this feaste I will not go vppe yet vnto this feaste for my tyme is not yet full come M. There is no doubte but that the Lorde woulde haue instructed them and kept them with him longar yf so be they had béene of a sincere harte and had erred symply but because they were led by the spirite of enuy and had an euel opinion of hym he left them to their owne counsayles They had herde and séene many wonderfull miracles they ought to haue knowen who and howe greate he was if so be they had not ben blinded with mallice furthermore for kindreds sake they shoulde haue bene better affected towardes him Iustly therefore he sendeth them awaye from him to go whether they will Thus doth God alwayes deale in his Iustice with the vnbeléeuing and obstinate insomuche that when they will not be otherwise ruled he leaueth them to their owne immaginations that they may eyther walke in them or else tourne to hym by repentaunce Heare O my people and I will protest vnto the O Israell if thou wilt harken vnto me let there be no straunge God in thee neither worship thou any forreine God For I am the Lorde thy God whiche brought thee out of the lande of Egipt open thy mouth wide and I will fill it But my people woulde not heare my voyce and Israell would not obaye me So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their harte and they haue walked in their owne counsailes Psal 81.8 As therefore it cannot be gathered by those wordes that the Lord doth not care for the saluation of his people and doeth reiect the infirme and weake for he sayeth afterwarde I woulde my people had harkened to me and Israell had walked in my wayes I woulde sonne haue humbled their enimies so verely wée must not here gather that the Lorde had not a care for the saluation of his brethren because he so lightly sendeth them from hym saying Go ye vp vnto this feast But wée must rather vnderstande howe vnméete and inconuenient a thing it is to constraine wicked and mallicious persons against their willes to be pertakers of that grace which with all their strength and might they reiect and contemne Iohn 3.19 For it is most iust that they shoulde erre and wander in darckenesse which loue darckenesse more than light 9. When hee had sayde these wordes vnto them he aboade still in Galilee M. In that Christ ascended not to Ierusalem but aboade still in
Galilee when others went it maye seeme that his owne conscience did accuse him or else that he taried behinde for want of manly courage and in that he doth not go with his brethren as he was wonte to doe at other tymes he seemeth to bere vnto them some priuy grudge But Christe is contented paciently to abide these thinges hauing the testimonye of an innocent conscience the whiche also he declared to his bretheren when hée shewed vnto them the cause why he was hated of the worlde Let vs learne therefore by this example not to be muche carefull and troubled for any thinge that man Iudgeth of vs so that we knowe our selues to be innocent in the sight of God and do declare the same to those that seeke it as we see oure Lord and sauioure did here It is not possible that we shoulde escape the sinister and wrong iudgement of the reprobate in this worlde the which are euery where at hande whiche waye soeuer we tourne vs or what soeuer we leaue vndone 1. Cor. 4 Wherevpon the Apostle sayde It is a small matter for me to be iudged of you or of mans iudgement Rom 12.17 1. Thes 5.21 for it is the Lorde that iudgeth me A. But we ought not herevpon to neclect our fame or good report for we ought to prouid for honest thinges in the sighte of all men and if it be possible so muche as in vs lyeth to lyue peceable with all men and to obstayne from all shewe of euell But seing we cannot obaye God except we displease men we must voyde of care despise all fauour of men to obaye God aloane Gallath 1. If sayth the Apostle I shoulde please men I were not the seruaunt of God C. For seeing there is nothing more miserable then to be drawne awaye from Christe curssed be that peace which is so preciouse vnto vs that for the same we shoulde renounce Christe 10. But as soone as his brethren were gone vppe then wente hee also vppe to the feaste not openlie but as it were priuily R. Here are two thinges to be noted For in that Christe went vp to Ierusalem at the feaste of Tabernacles he sheweth obedience of his Fathers commaundement and in that he ascendeth priuily he sheweth the wisedome of faith Exo. 23.17 For it becommeth a christian man to fulfill the commaundement of the Lorde with simple obedience and yet neuerthelesse to take hede with good aduice that he tempt not the Lorde Rashnesse ought to be escued For Rashenesse as well in other thinges as in deuine matters bringeth great inconueniences with it A. He might haue withstand his aduersaries as is aforesayde with manifest power but that shoulde haue litle profited vs. R. Therfore by this déede he taught vs that yf so be we at any tyme be in lyke perilles we shoulde with a strong fayth fulfil the commaundement of the Lorde and yet in the meane tyme beware we tempt hym not Luke 21 i8 béeing sertaynly perswaded that not one heare of oure heade shal perishe without the will of oure heauenly Father In that Christe doth nowe assende it is not repugnaunt with that that hée sayde to his brethren that he woulde not ascende For then he declared that he woulde not fulfill theire euell affections nor ascende with them to the feaste of Tabernacles vntill suche tyme as the necessitie of his duty did constrayne hym openly to shew hym selfe but nowe opertunity being offered he ascendeth aloane withoute the company of hys kinsemen whome he refused as carnal to vse in the businesse of the Gospell C. Therefore on the one parte the Euaungelist setteth before our eyes the kynsemen of our sauioure who according to the common manner of men seeme to lyke of the worship of God but yet notwithstanding are frendes to the worlde that is to saye to the wicked and therefore doe walke voyde of care on the other parte he setteth before vs Christe hym selfe who being hated of the world commeth priuily into the Cittie and abydeth in Galile vntill the necessity of his office whiche he had receyued of his Father constrayned hym openly to shewe hym selfe 11. Then sought hym the Iewes at the feste and sayde where is he Bv. In these words the Euangelist reprehendeth the Iudgementes of the common people whiche they had concerning Christ and the Gospell to the ende he might confirme the mindes of the ministers of the worde in lyke discencions lest they shoulde faynt and be discouraged by the lyke Iudgementes and forsake the trueth C. By the Iewes hée vnderstandeth the common peple which béeing nowe accustomed these two yeres to heare Christe required hym when they sawe hym not as they were wont For when they saye Where is hee they meane a man knowen vnto them and yet notwithstanding this demaunde sheweth that they were not hitherto well affected but hong alwayes in doubt Notwitstanding there are some which by the name Iewes in this place vnderstande not the people but the Rulers of the Iewes the high Priests Scribs Pharisées and elders of the people béeing euen the very same of whome sainte Iohn maketh mencion in the first verse going before saying Because the Iewes sought to kill him M. and they saye that it was oprobrious speache whiche the Iewes vsed here as if they shoulde haue sayde where is that Galilean Where is that seducer and deceyuer of the people Where is that blasphemer where is that enemie of the Lawe and breake◠of the Sabboth For the did not voutsafe to name him euen as Saule did to Dauid when he sayde 1. King 20 27. VVhere is the Sonne of Isai But the former exposition is more probable 12. And muche murmuring of hym was there amonge the people for some said he is God other sayde Naye but he deceyueth the people R. Here we sée the greate abasing of our Lorde and sauioure Christe For he is Iudge of quicke and deade yet notwithstanding he hyding the same suffereth him selfe to be Iudged of the common sorte of people Whereupon there were diuers Iudgementes geuen of him C. For whersoeuer men gathered them selues togeather in companies priuy vardits and iudgementes were geuen of Christe Bv. Many of the common sorte of people whiche had heard hys wordes and séene his miracles sayd that Iesus was a good man and that his cause was good and therefore in his absenc ought not so to be misreported of on the contrary part the Scribes and Pharisées with their adherents both denyed hym to be a good man and also affirmed that hys cause was euell For they sayde He deceiueth the people That is to say he vseth a new and vnwonted kind of teaching which far differeth from that whiche we haue receyued from oure forefathers R. And thus Christe semed to some a good man and to othersome a Seducer of the people and to some suche a one as was possessed with a Douell Euery one in Iudging of Christe declared hys wisedome For it
hath opened and reuealed to vs the hydden treasures of God They are worthy therefore to perishe miserablye who being called gently and louingly of Christ wander else where Out of his bellye shall flowe Riuers Bv. By this hée meaneth the plenty and abundaunce of al giftes and good works C. For in him he teacheth is stoare and sufficient to fyll vs. The Metaphor in shewe séemeth harde when hée sayth that Ryuers of water of lyfe shal flowe out of the bellye of the faithfull notwithstanding the scence and meaning is plaine inough that the beléeuing shall neuer want any spyrituall goodnesse Hée calleth that the water of lyfe which in springing shal neuer decrease or waxe drye as is sayde before The bellye of the inwarde man is the conscience of the heart And by floodes hée meaneth the manifolde Graces of the Spyrite which are necessary to the spyrituall life of the Soule To bée short here is promised vnto vs as well the perpetuity of the giftes of the spyrite as the plentye of the same 39. But this spake he of the Spyrite which they that beleeue on him should receyue for the holye Ghost was not yet there because Iesus was not yet glorifyed But this spake hee M. Because the woordes of Christ were to the ignoraunt obscure and darke as Parabolicall therefore it séemed necessarye to the Euangelist to expound the same C. The name of water is sometyme geuen to the Spirite because of cleanesse because it belongeth vnto him to purge our fylthinesse but in this place and in such lyke there is not al one manner of speache and that because we are voide of all humour moystnesse of life vntil such time as the spirite of god doth water vs with his spiritual and heauenlye dewe And here is a figure called Synecdoche because all the partes of life are comprehended vnder this one worde of water whereby also wée gather that whosoeuer are not regenerate by the spirite of Christ are to bée counted for dead men although they séeme to them selues to haue lyfe For the holye Ghost was not yet M. These wordes shewe the cause wherefore it was sayde VVhich they should receyue and not rather VVhich they that beleeue haue receyued Because sayeth hée The holye Ghost was not as yet Bv. Hée speaketh not here of the essence of the holye Ghost which is coequall and coeternall with the Father and the Sonne M. For it is written By the worde of the Lorde the Heauens were made and all the powers of them Psal 33.6 by the breath of his mouth And the whole Scripture of the olde Testament doeth testifye no lesse of him than of Christ the worde of God Neyther doth hée speake simplye concerning his working and giftes in the faithfull as though before Christ was gloryfied the holye Ghost dyd not worke in the mindes of the Godlye as well in the tyme of the olde Testament as of the Newe when as he manifestlye declared himselfe in the Prophetes in the Patriarkes in the Godlye Kinges and in all those godlye men which began to cleaue vnto Christ whether they were Apostles or others that many wayes C. But the Euangelist doeth deny that the same grace of the spirite which after the resurrection of Christ was shed out vppon 〈◊〉 was openlye geuen so long as Christ was in this worlde vnder the humâ—â—â— base forme of a seruaunt And hys forsaketh comparatiuelye as when the new Testament is set against the olde God promiseth his spirite to the faythfull as if hée had neuer geuen the same to the Fathers Then verilye the Disciples receiued the first fruites of the spirite for whereof came Fayth but of the Spirite R. And dyd not the Apostles cast out Deuelles by the power of the holye Ghost and confesse Christ to bée the Sonne of GOD before the Crosse And the confession of Fayth is a worke of the holye Ghost and not of fleshe C. Therefore the Euangelist doeth not deny but that the grace of the Spyrite was geuen before the death of Christ to the Children of God but hee affirmeth that the same was not yet so manifest and euident as it should bée afterwarde For this is the principall ornament and bewtye of the kingdome of Christ that hée gouerneth his Church by his holye spyrite But hée tooke then the iust and solemne possession of his kingdome when hee was exalted to the right hande of his Father It is no maruayle therefore if hée deferred the full exhibition of his Spirite vntyll that time Regeneration the feuite of the spirite But it may bée demaunded here whether hée meane the visible graces of the Spyrite or regeneration whiche is the fruicte of Adoption I aunswere The holye Ghost appeared which was promised at the comming of Christ in those visible gyftes as in a glasse notwithstanding properlye hée speaketh here of the power of the holy Ghost by which wée are borne againe in Christ and are made newe creatures 40. Many of the people therefore when they hearde this saying sayde Ofâ— trueth this is the â—â—â—phete Bv. Here is repeateâ—◠〈◊〉 the truth of the Gospell is receyueâ—â— the world For those thinges which hée had spoken euidentlye and plainlye made the multitude diuerslye affected in the which were both good and simple and also wicked and peruerse hearers C. Wherevpon some thinking one thing and some another there roase contencion among the people And there are reckened vp thrée sortes of hearers of Christ Thre sorts of hearers of Christ The first sort confessed Iesus to bée a true Prophete whereby wée gather that they dyd not abhorre his doctrine but howe light and friuolous this confession was it appeareth thereby that they alowing the teacher neyther vnderstoode nor felt what hée meant or spake For they could not trulye imbrace Christ as a Prophete but they must also acknowledge him to bée the Sonne of God and the aucthour of theyr saluation notwithstanding in this they doe well that they thinke some diuine power to bée in Christ which causeth them to reuerence him For being thus apte to bée taught they might easely haue attayned to Faith as is sayde in another place 41. But other sayde this is christ But some sayde shall christ come out of Galilee But other sayde C These dyd better which plainlye confessed Christ M. For they séeme to profite better in the doctrine of Christ than others and to bée better instructed and learned in the holye Scriptures than others Bv. For they acknowledge him to bée the true Messias promised before in the Lawe and the Prophetes which was a true confession For it comprehendeth the whole sum of al the Christian fayth and the Reuelacion thereof is sayde to depende not of fleshe and blood Mat. 16.17 but of the spyrite of God But some sayde shall Christ C. The thirde sorte resist being euyl and vnbeléeuing and corrupted with the Leuen of the Pharisees which do not onely thinke and speake otherwise than dyd the
exclude thée out of the Sinagoge as a lying heritique Behoulde here wyth what security and bouldenesse impietye and hypocrisie obiect vnto the Prince of godlynesse and truth the lye M. The malice of the Pharisées could not be at rest Esay 57.20 For the hearte of the wicked is as the boyling Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vppe myre and dyrte The more the brightnesse of this light dyd reueale it selfe in Christ the more this wicked kinde of men was inflamed with malice It gréeued them much that the temptation by the Adulterous woman had no better successe They retourne therefore to the fight and contention euen as flyes to the flame of a burning Candle C. And rashlye they say that hée speaketh in vayne except hée bringe better proofe then hys owne wordes M séeing it is written Let another man prayse thee Pro. 27.2 and not thy owne mouth a straunger and not thy owne lippes A. But willinglye they were ignoraunt that Christ had sayde vnto them Iohn 5.34 I receyue not testimonye from man but I speake these thinges that yee might bee saued M. Wée are taught therefore in this place that it is no meruayle if so bée the Preachers of the truth are accounted as lyers of the wicked Children of the Deuill when as these Doctors durst openlye wyth such boldenesse resiste the truth it selfe But lette this one thing suffice Deut. 18. i9 That God one day wil take vengance of those which despise the doctrine of his Prophete whome hée sendeth vnto them 14. Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto them though I beare recorde of my selfe yet my recorde is true for I knowe whence I came and whether I goe but ye can not tell whence I come and whether I goe Bv. Christ by this demonstracion plainelye proueth that hée is the sonne of God and verye God him selfe and that the Doctrine of the Gospell is most certaine C. also that this testimonye hath credite and aucthoritye inough because hée is no priuate personne taken from among the common sort of men but a farre more excellent person M. Hée doth not denye but that he testifyeth of him selfe but hée denyeth that his testimony is false And this he doth by making a distinction C. For when hée sayeth hée knoweth from whence he came and whether he would goe he exempteth him selfe from the coÌ„mon number of men The sence and meaning therefore is this Although euery man is suspected in his owne cause and although it bée prouided by lawes that no man speaking in his owne cause should bée credited yet notwithstanding this can take no place in the Sonne of God which is aboue the whole worlde For hée is not to bée reackenedin the order of menne but hath this priueledge from the Father to gouerne all men with his worde aloane B. Here thou séest that the Lord sayd by immitacion or concession â—â—hn 5.31 If I testifye of my selfe my testimony is not true For because hée knewe from whence hée came and whether hée would goe that is to saye that hée was the sonne of GOD and the euerlasting woord of the Father which tooke vppon him our humane nature whiche also hée woulde shortlye after extoll and aduaunce into the glorye of his Father knowing these thinges hée coulde not but speake that whiche was most true that is to saye diuine and coulde testifye nothing of him selfe but that which was in lyke manner most true But the Iewes knewe neyther of them boath and therefore they coulde not beléeue the true testimonye whiche hee gaue of him selfe C. For Christ in these woordes testifyeth that hee had not his beginning of the worlde but that he came from God and therefore not méete and right that his Doctrine whiche is Diuine should bée subiect to mans Lawes But because he then had vpon him the fourme of a seruaunt and was humble and méeke hée was despised for the which cause he putteth them in minde of the glorious Resurrection whiche hée should haue which in déede was a manifest shewe and proofe of his hydden and vnknowne Diuinitye at the first When hée sayeth that hee knoweth and they knowe not he geueth vs to vnderstande that his glorye is nothing diminished by their vnbeléefe B. As for example If so bée an Ambassadour shoulde come from the Emperoure promisyng greate benefytes vnto vs in the name of the Emperoure if wée wyll obeye his commaundementes and wée denying to beléeue him hée should saye I know from whence I came and whether I gooe I am sure that I am the Emperours Ambassadour sent for those consideracions which I haue declared vnto you to him also I wyll returne and shew him how I haue done my businesse and wyll receyue the condigne reward of my labours Therefore what thinges soeuer I testifye of my Ambassage they are true but you which knowe not from whence I came and whyther I goe refuse to geue credite vnto mée M. By this place also Christ declareth that the Iewes had falselye boasted before saying VVee knowe from whence this fellowe is but when Christ shall come no man shall knowe whence he is 15. Yee Iudge after the fleshe I iudge no man Ye Iudge after the fleshe C. This place maye bée expounded twoo manner of wayes eyther that they iudged of him after the wicked sence and vnderstanding of their fleshe or else that they iudged of him according to the outwarde shewe of his person For fleshe is sometyme taken for the outwarde shewe of man and boath sences doe verye well agrée with this place because whether the affections of the fleshe beare rule or whether the beholding of the person doe preuaile in Iudgement there neyther trueth nor equitye take place Notwithstanding the sence seemeth to be more certayne if so be we make here a comparison betwéene the fleshe and the spyrite as if hee should therefore deny them to bee lawfull and meete Iudges because they were not guided by the spirite As if hée should saye Yee iudge of my woordes and deedes after your wicked affections hauing no part of the Spyrite of GOD in you therefore ye erre RV And this is the onely cause why menne erre and iudge amisse of Diuine matters I iudge no man A. Some distinguishe thus that he iudgeth not as man iudgeth othersome referre it to the tyme because hée being in earth tooke not vppon him as yet the office of a Iudge C. But more rightlye it is ioyned with the sentence following that the sence may bee thus Christ Iudgeth not and if he doe iudge his iudgement is fyrme and authenticall because it is diuine So that the formar parte where he denyeth that hée iudgeth ought rather to bée restrayned to the cyrcumstaunce of this present place For that hée might the better conuince his enemies of pride hée vseth this comparison because they vsurped to them selues lycence to Iudge preposterously and yet neuerthelesse coulde not abyde him teaching simplye and abstayning from the
the truth yet notwithstanding the trueth is neuer in him because hee speaketh the same to no other ende then to deceiue and to destroy Wherevppon Christ suffered hym not to speke though he spake the truth Luk. 4.41 Paule also would not suffer the spirit of Southsaying Act. 16.17 though he confessed the truth For that is a daungerouss trueth which bringeth credite to a mortall lye No heretique or false apostle at any tyme got credite and fauoure among men by mere lies but in mingeling some trueth with his doctrine he hath deceiued the minde of the simple When he speaketh a lye Bv. First this place teacheth that the falte of a lye is not to be layde vpon God the author of nature but it commeth rather of deprauation and corruption C Secondly that the Deuell is accustomed to lye and that he canne do nothing else but deceiue For he is a lyar and the Father of the. The deuell by his owne nature is a lyar not that he was so created of God but as he hath by his owne infidilitie gotten the same Insomuch that he is the father of lying because he is alienated from God in whome aloane all trueth abydeth and from whome the same doth flow as from a springing well R. For Sathan is not the Father of Lying and the author of the same because God is by hym selfe as Marcion dreameth but because hée aboade not in the trueth Lyes come of Sathan for he hauyng forsaken the trueth the lye succéeded of his owne accorde in stede of the same Bv. Sathan therefore is the welspring original and beginning of lying of eror of Sinne and of all euell euen as on the contrary parte God is the welspring of all truth and the truth it selfe 45 And beecause I tell you the truth therefore ye beleeue mee not M. He retourneth vnto that whiche he obiected vnto them before saying VVhy doe yee not knowe my speache Because ye cannot heare my worde When therefore he had opposed him selfe against the Deuell as the teacher of trueth he addeth by and by Because I tell you the trueth therefore yee beleue me not To declare that they hated his doctrine for no other cause than for that he spake the truth otherwise if hée had spoken lyes they woulde haue beléeued hym Bv. This he spake that by the similitude and lykenesse of their manners and disposition he might prooue the Iewes neyther to be the children of Abraham nor the Children of God but of Sathan C. Because séeing they had no cause to resist but onely for that they hated and coulde not abide the trueth they openly declared them selues to bée the children of Sathan M In this place wée sée that the truth to reprobate men is the cause of vnbeléefe which contrarywise to the elect is the cause and foundation of faith Neyther doth Christ simply vpbrayde the Iewes with this that speakinge the truth they woulde not beléeue but for that they did not beléeue because hee spake the trueth and no lye So in humayne matters nothing commeth more often to passe than this that men geue hede and credite to such as tell the moste false and vayne thinges but when they shoulde beleeue the trueth the greatest parte of men beléeue not and al because the trueth is set before them being redy to receyue a false lye If so be Micheas had tould King Achab a lye the king woulde easily haue beléeued him but because he vttered the truth the king could scarce abide to here him Bv. So that heare the nature and disposition of the Children of the Deuell is described 3. Kin. 22.8 These are lyke to their Father in quallitie in worde and in deede they feare not God they detest and abhorre all faith truth and puritie they despise and contemne the worde of God they followe Rapine murther and bloudshed they are enemies to all men and good profitable to none but to such onlye by whome they looke to haue greater profite and aduauntage agayne by hipocrisie they hide and discouer all thinges Whosoeuer frameth and ordereth hym selfe by this glasse searching out the grounde of his harte and iudging of his owne wordes and déedes he shall thereby learne whether he bee the Childe of God or the childe of the Deuell For so many as haue hated the truth and are indued with the spirite of lying and are ready to lye are of the Deuell and contrariwise they whiche are true and which speake the trueth from their hart are endued with the spirite of God And who hateth not to haue fellowship with the deuell Againe who doth not greatly estéeme and desyer to haue fellowshippe with God Wherefore let vs detest this deuelish vice that is this aptnesse and readines of lying and with oure whoale harte let vs loue the trueth let vs consider that true religion is prooued and declared by godlynesse and not by titelles Therefore it doth not profite vs to be called in name Christians except we be Christians in déede A. Iudas béeing aduanced to the dignitie of an Apostle loued lyes more than trueth and therefore Christe who knoweth not howe to lye called hym a deuell For the wicked ypocrite was more lyke the father of lyes than the Father of trueth 46. Which of you doth reprooue me of syn And if I speake the trueth why doe yee not beleeue me Bv. As hipocrisie is euer like it selfe and hath alwayes one cloake or other for it selfe so heare the Iewes consyderyng them selues thought thus secretly in them selues We want not lawefull causes whereby we maye refuse to béeleue thy preaching M. For in that wée doe not beléeue thée it is not because wée cannot here the truth and are of the Deuell as thou sayest of vs but because thou art a seducer not preaching the trueth but withstanding vs. To this secrete obiection Christe aunswereth by this Interrogation C. whiche procéedeth of faith and trust For when he knewe that his enemies coulde reproch hym with nothing he tryumpheth ouer them as victor And yet notwithstanding he doth not saye that he is frée from their slaunders For although they had no occasion to speake euell yet neuerthelesse they ceassed not to rayle on Christ but he knewe that he had not deserued the same And the gréeke worde Elegcheim sygnifieth to conuince which is when a man is not onely reprooued of some falte but also playnly conuinced to be giltie of the same But this defence is not referred to the perfect Innocencie of lyfe by which as he was the Sonne of God he excelled all other men but it ought to be restrayned to the circomstaunce of the place as yf a man shoulde saye that no man could obiect any matter against hym to prooue hym not to bee a faythfull Minister of God i. Cor 4. euen as the apostle also boasteth that hée knoweth naught by him selfe For this Appollogy or defence is not extended to to the whoale lyfe but is a defence of
his doctrine onely and Apostleshippe Euenso Christ here defendeth rather the cause of his doctrine then of his person A. As yf he shoulde saye If in all my office I shewe my selfe a faythfull minister of God ye haue nothing to cloake your incredulytie with all and to excuse the same For I teache truely I shewe the wyll of my father vnto you no terrestriall or humaine thing can be founde in my doctrine therefore ye cannot conuince the same of a lye Wherefore If I tell you the trueth why doe ye not beeleue me If so be ye cannot Iustely speake euell of my doctrine why do yee refuse to beléeue the same R. By this place we learne that we ought to beléeue him that speaketh the trueth without all contradiction Certaine of the Iewes refused to heare Christ because hée Preached without Ecclesiasticall authority othersome because none of the Pharisées and Rulers heléeued on him many could not abide to heare him because he was a Galilean and the reast could not awaye with his doctrine because he regarded not the decrées and customes of the Fathers But the Lorde the aucthor of trueth vrgeth against all these thinges shewing that hée knoweth no reason that shoulde staye any man from beléeuing the truth Wherefore then doe not menne in our time séeke the trueth to what purpose doe they séeke for so many excuses If those thinges bée not true whiche the Ministers doe teache let them be confuted by euident argumentes if they bée true why bée they not quietly receyued One sayth this doctrine is new another sayth that it is Scismaticall another sayth that it appertayneth to the Pope to refourme doctrine others obiect the Fathers others the counsailes others Ecclesiasticall ordinaunces and some séeke to set custome against the Gospell But what néede these delayes Let them saye simplye This doctrine is not true but let them proue it also If they be not able so to doe why doe they not subscribe vnto the trueth Ye shall heare the cause 47. Hee that is of God heareth Gods words yee therefore heare them not because ye are not of God B. That is to saye He which hath the spirite of God he which is elected of God he heareth the worde of God and receyueth the same by Faith C. Now Christ more vehementlye inueyeth against the Iewes being assured of the trueth of his doctrine For theyr impietye was not obscure when they were so obstinate in reiecting the word of God He had shewed that nothing coulde bée obiected vnto him which he had not taught out of the mouth of God he concludeth therefore that they haue noe felloweshippe with God because they here not R As if he shoulde saye Therefore ye doe not beléeue because ye are not the children of God but the Children of lying Sathan Yée are not borne of God and Therefore it is no merueile yf ye receiue not my wordes which am the Sonne of God For he which is of God heareth gods worde 1. Cor. 44. but he which is of Sathan contemneth the truth of Gods worde Bv. There is therfore no other cause why ye heare not the words of God which I speak neyther receiue nor beléeue them than this because ye are not borne of God but of the Deuell M. To be of God in this place is not to be borne or regenerate by the Spirit and word of God but to be elected and predestinate to lyfe before the Creation of the worlde Act â—3 â— wherevpon also the christian faith is called the fayth of the elect And they are sayde to haue beléeued so many as were foreordayned vnto lyfe So that although they are by nature blinde and the children of wrathe yet notwithstanding when the time of their calling commeth they receyue that grace of the holye Ghoste whiche some call the preuenting spyrite and their hartes are opened that they maye receyue the séede of Gods worde through the which being apprehended by Faith they are iustifyed and regenerated Example of this wée haue in the Mayde that wrought purple of whome Luke testifieth in the actes of the Apostles C. By this place therefore wée are taught that there is not a more manyfest sygne of a reprobate mynde than whan a man cannot beare the doctrine of Christ although otherwyse in the shewe hée séemeth to bee an Aungell Whereas if so bée wée willingly imbrace the same wée haue as it were a visyble sygne of our election For hee which hath the worde hath God him selfe but he whiche reiecteth the same depriueth him selfe both of lyfe and also yf righteousnesse Wherefore we ought to feare nothing more than least we fall into this horrible Iudgement A. For it is no light commination where with Christ threatneth the Iewes saying The kingdome of God shal be taken from you Mat. 21.43 and geuen to a Nation that wyll bring forth better frute of the same 48. Then aunswered the Iewes and sayde vnto him Saye we not well that thou art a Samaritane and hast the Deuell M. This aunswere of the highe Priestes Scribes and Phariseis containeth an impudent malicious sclaunder C. More and more they bewraye how that they are bewitched of Sathan who being plainlye conuinced yet notwithstanding are not afrayde to rushe foorth euen through the middest of desperation B. Thus is conuicted impietye wont to fare when it is not able to aunswere to the trueth then it falleth to rayling and sclaunder They were manifestly proued to be the children of the Deuell therefore they reply againe without any shew of truth that the Lorde was a Samaritane and had the Deuell Meaning by this double sclaunder to declare that Christ was a detestable man and lead with an euyll spyrite Because the Iewes accounted the Samaritanes for Apostatas and corrupters of the Lawe so often as they intended to defame any man they woulde call him a Samaritane Nowe therefore because they had no greater cryme wherwithall they might defame Christ they rashlye and without iudgement vse that common reproche R. As if they should saye What Darest thou defende the trueth of thy doctrine before vs séeing thou art worse than any Heretique or Apostata For thy doctrine is the doctrine of Sathan and not to GOD thou speakest of the Deuell and not out of the mouth of God For we are holy people a Priestlye stocke a holye Nation and suche a Nation to whome God hath whoally geuen him selfe but thou according to the manner of the Samaritanes pronouncest vs not to bée of God it must néedes be therefore that thy false doctrine is of Sathan Bv. The lyke reproches and sclaunders they cast foorth at this daye who are gréeued at the Preaching of the Gospell For they call the Preachers of the Gospell Apostataes sedicious personnes Scismatikes workers by Deuelles Seducers and such lyke R. least the wicked and vngodly might séeme to haue no cause of their vnbeléefe 49. Iesus aunswered I haue not the Deuell but I honour my Father and
cause and they alleaged that of the which wée spake euen nowe And the Iewes are not ashamed at this daye to maintayne in their Sinagoges such a foule errour for a diuine and heauenly oracle By the which example we are taught dilligently to take hede lest yf we passe the bonds of sobrietie in searching out the Iudgementes of God the wandering error of the minde doe carry and cast vs into horrible confusion Psal 119 137 Let vs rather saye thus Thou O Lord art Iust and thy Iudgementes are true although we cannot comprehende them M. Furthermore the Disciples had hearde the Lorde saye vnto the Lame man Iohn 5 i4 Behoulde thou art made whoale see thou sinne no more lest a worse thing happen to thee For where did they learne to ascribe such greuouse diseases of siners to their desertes And they seeme here to haue the same opinion of this man or of his parentes C. Ezee. i8 20 For although the Innocent childe is not punished for the Fathers offence but the soule which hath sinned shall dye yet notwithstanding that denunciation is not voyde when the Lorde casteth the sinnes of the Parentes vppon the Childrens backes and taketh vengeaunce vnto the thirde and fourth generation Exod. 20 Therefore the wrath of God resteth often tymes vppon one family many ages And as he blesseth the posteritie of the Faythfull for their sakes so he reiecteth the wicked ofspring by his iust Iudgement casting boath the fathers and their children together into lyke destruction Neither canne any man by this meanes complayne that he is vniustly punished for another mans synne because where the grace of the Spiryte is wanting from euel birdes euel egges must nedes come This made the Apostles to doubt whether the Lord had punished ye or noe the Sinnes of the Parentes vpon their Sonne 3. Iesus aunswered Neyther hath this man sinned nor yet his Father and mother but that the workes of GOD shoulde bee shewed on him R. What did not the blynde man sinne when as he was conceiued in sin and seing no man liuing shal be Iustefied in his sight Did not his Parentes synne who notwithstanding beleued not in Christ Question The Scripture sayeth All haue gon out of the waye all are become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one M I aunswere Aunsvvere The sence and meaning of this aunswere of Christ dependeth vppon the Disciples demaunde which did not symply aske whether that blynde man or his Parentes had sinned but whether this blinde man had not by his owne sinne before he was borne deserued to be blinde boath which to haue spoken had béene very absurde But the Lord declareth vnto them the true cause wherefore this man was borne blinde C. Neyther doeth he symply deliuer hym and his Parentes from all blame but onely denyeth the cause of the blindnesse to be sought in the synne As yf Hée should saye The speciall cause why this man was borne blind was that occasion might bee geuen to set forth the glory of God and not eyther his sinne or the sinne of hys Parentes M. For this man was appoynted from euerlasting to minister occasion by his blindnesse to the Sonne of God to manifest the workes of his Father the which manifestation appertayneth to the glory of God R. Christ therefore teacheth that although all men are sinners yet notwithstanding all afflictions come not by the merite and desert of synnes For God afflicteth men for diuers respectes sometime he punisheth them for their sinnes and sometime he afflicteth them for his glory Psal i30 If hee haue respect to synnes and to the desert of Iniquitie there is no punishment so great with the whiche we are not Iustly afflicted so many of vs as haue had our originall from Adam For if the Lorde be extreame to marke what is done amisse who shal be able to abide it But yf he haue respect vnto his glory he afflicteth not for synne but to the setting forth of his glory So he afflicted Ioseph and the Israelites in Egipt that he might be honored in affliction that is to say that God might be openly known to bee a helper and deliuerer in trybulations C. So that when we knowe not the causes of afflictions we must not bée to curiouse leste we be boath iniuriouse vnto God and also towardes oure Bretheren R. Furthermore we must noate that calamities do not happen vnto vs by chaunce but by the will of God that at the length he maye bée glorified Wherefore hée which reiecteth the crosse through impatience reiecteth the glory of God But that the workes of GOD. C. Hée doth not saye one worke but workes in the plurall nomber For so long as this blynde man was blynde Gods seueritie was to bée séene in hym whereby others might learne to feare and to humble them selues Afterward followed the benefite of deliueraunce in the which the wonderfull goodnesse of God did appeare Wherefore Christe by these wordes went aboute to make his Disciples to hope for the syght of the Miracle but yet he admonisheth them generally that this cause ought to séeme Iust and lawefull ynough in this worlde when God setteth forth his name And there is noe cause why men shoulde dispute with God séeing he hath made them instrumentes of his glory eyther waye whether he bée mercifull or seuere 4. I muste worke the workes of hym that sente mee while it is daye The nighte commeth when no man can worke B. He calleth the present tyme the daye and that rightly For he was that bright Sonne of righteousnesse whiche shined with the bright beames of doctrin and of the workes of eternall lyfe And he calleth that time in the whiche hee shoulde by his Fathers decrée cease from suche workes and Doctrine the night That night came to the Iewes when they were forsaken both of him and also of his Apostles C. Hée borroweth therefore the similitude of the common custome of life For when the Sunne riseth man also aryseth to his labour and shortlye after goeth to his rest againe as you maye reade in the Psalme Psa 104.22 And herevppon also we maye gather a generall rule namelye that the race and course of euerye mannes lyfe is as it were a daye Wherefore as the shortnesse of the light doeth prouoke the labourers to dilligence and industrye least the night should ouertake them before they finishe theyr worke euenso when we beholde that we haue a short time of lyfe geuen vnto vs wee shoulde hée ashamed of idlenesse To be short so soone as God shineth by vocation that is so soone as God beginneth to call we must not delaye the time least oportunity faile vs. Gala. 6 i0 A. While we haue time sayeth the Apostle let vs doe good Also Christe sayeth Iohn i2 35 VVhyle yee haue lyght walke in the lyght least the darkenesse comprehende you R. For so long we haue the daye as the worde is presentlye Preached vnto
raise Lazarus from death wherevpon he did more rightly call the death of Lazerus a sléepe than death C. But greate was the rude Ignoraunce of the disciples which vnderstoode Christ to speake of naturall sléepe For although it bée a metaphoricall speache yet notwithstanding it is so commonly vsed in the Scripture that it ought to haue béene knowne to all the Iewes M. And hée coulde haue raysed vp this Lazarus being absent and a great waye euen as he restoared the Centurians seruaunt and the Rulers sonne to health but the consideration of this myracle did so require that hée should be present at the working of the same least anye occasion might haue bene giuen to the wicked to obscure his glory but that all men might know for a suretie that this Lazarus which had bene deade fowre dayes was raysed vp by his presence voyce and power And for this cause hée woulde not rayse vp neyther the ruler of the Sinagogues Daughter nor the Widdowes Sonne being absent Math. 9 i5 Luk. 7.14 but present In the ende of the worlde also hée can rayse vp all mortall men with hys power onelye insomuch that hée neede not descende to vs any more from heauen but the consideration of his glorye and maiestie requireth the same that so great a wonder may be wrought before the whoale worlde Wee must also noate that the Lorde sayde not Let vs goe into Iury againe but I go to awake Lazarus out of sleepe Hee would haue his Disciples companions with him in his iourney but he woulde not haue them fellowes with him in the miracle C. Here also hée commendeth his power in this that hee sayth hée will goe to rayse vppe Lazarus by whiche wâ—rdes hée sheweth himselfe to be Lord of death when hee sayth that hee rayseth those vp whome hee restoareth to lyfe Also seeing by this worde sleepeth hée noateth onelye the sléepe of the bodye some doe very fondelye drawe the same to mens soules 12. Then saide his Disciples Lord if hee sleepe hee shall doe well ynough M. The aunswere of Christ contayneth two thinges Fyrst for what cause hée must retourne into Iurye although the Iewes were so cruell Secondlye what hee woulde doe in Iurye To the first the Disciples make no aunswere but to the other they saye If hee sleepe hee shall doe well ynough by whiche they perswade Christ not to go into Iurye And yet notwithstanding they doe not subtilly wrest the wordes of Christ to theyr owne commoditie but because they thought that hee had spoken of a sléepe they redilye take the same as an occasion to shoone the perill 13. Howbeit Iesus spake of his death but they thought that hee had spoken of the naturall sleepe M. The Euaungelist addeth the exposytion of the wordes of Christ to declare the rudenesse of hys Disciples by which it came to passe that they vnderstande not the meaning of his wordes It ought therfore to seeme straunge vnto vs if so bée some at the first doe not vnderstande the Metaphoricall and parabolicall speaches of the Lorde seeing the same hapened vnto them which ought to haue vnderstoode them better by reason of theyr daylye familiaritye and acquaintaunce with the same Notwithstanding herewithall wée must consyder how that wée are more prone and readye to receyue and imbrace those interpretations of the worde of God which seme to defende the imbecillitye of our flesh than we are to agrée vnto those thinges which with perill and danger serue to the setting foorth of Goddes glorye And herevpon it commeth that while wée gréedely imbrace those things which séeme to agrée vnto our fleshe we oftentimes misse of the true scence and meaning of the wordes A. When Iesus hymselfe spake of the excelency of his kingdome before his disciples Math i4 by by there arose a contention among them who should be the greatest and when hee spake of the crosse and of the euilles which hée should suffer at the handes of the Iewes they vnderstoode not what hée sayde 14. Then sayd Iesus vnto them plainely Lazarus is deade M. Because they vnderstoode him not and therefore aunswered not to the matter hée speaketh nowe that thyng plainely which before hée had spoken obscurelye C. Great is the goodnesse of Christ in bearing with so greate dulnesse in his Disciples And verilye hée did therefore diferre the time to endue them with more ample grace of the spirite that they being renewed and chaunged in a moment the myracle myght be the greater M. They decerued to haue bene sharpely reproued of the Lord no lesse than was Peter by him at a nother time but because this cowardlines was not in one or two of them aloane but in them all Mat. 16.25 he dealt more gentlye with them and instructeth them by a more playne and manifest speache in the truth that they myght nowe haue lesse cause to doubt A. And this hee did to teache vs also by his example not to reiect such Disciples as are yet rude ignoraunt and carnall but gentlye to beare with them vntyll suche time as they haue attayned to more knowledge of the truth 15. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there because yee maye beleeue neuerthelesse let vs go vnto him C. He meaneth that this absence was profitable for them because hys power shoulde not haue bene so manifest if so be he had holpen Lazarus out of hande For the nerer that the workes of God come to the ordinarye and common course of nature the lesse glorye they haue the which daily experience teacheth to be true For if so be he reache out his hand vnto vs at the first we regarde not his helpe Therefore to the ende his disciples might knowe that the resurrection of Lazarus was verely deuine it was necessary that he should differ the same that it might be paste all mans helpe Whensoeuer therefore God doth suffer vs béeing ouerwhelmed with misery to ly and languishe let vs knowe that he doeth it for our health Because yee maye beleeue R. What is it ye shoulde beléeue Fyrste that I am that very Christ the Sauioure of the worlde which rayse the dead from the graue that so ye maye be confirmed in that faith by that myracle wich I am aboute to worke Secondly that I am ready in the mideste of afflictions and doe care for your saluation when as ye your selues are Ignoraunt of the same C. So that his meaning is not that this was the fyrst rudiment and beginning of faith in them but the confirmation of a faith alredy begon as yet weake and vnperfect Neuertheles he sheweth that vnles God had declared his power they would not haue beléeued A. Here also we maye behoulde the fruite and ende of miracls For miracls tend to this ende that men may be won to the Faith or at least may be confirmed in the faith But lette vs go vnto him M. To whome To Lazarus to a dead man but what can be done to
méete Christe that shée might secretly entertaine him because hée had but lately escaped out of perill and the fury of his enemies was scarsly appeased which beeing a litle mittigated by his departure into Galile by the hearing of hys retourne againe might haue more violently burst forth But Mary sate still in the house M Mary knewe not of the comming of Christ the which yf she had no doubt shée woulde haue gone forth with her sister to méete him 21. Then sayd Martha vnto Iesus Lorde yf thou hadest beene here my brother had not dyed M. It besemeth him which receiueth and entertaineth a ghest to vse frendlye words in saluting and welcomming that so he maye declare his good wil and frenly hart So Martha here speaketh vnto the Lorde and she beginneth with a complaynt howebeit by this meanes shée doeth modestly declare her mind As yf she should saye Thou Lorde by thy presence couldest haue deliuered my brother from death yea thou canst do it yet because God wil deny thée nothing And speaking thus shée doeth rather followe her affection then kepe her vnder the rule of fayth For these wordes partely procéeded from Faith but the affections of the mind were mixt therewith which caried her yond her bonds For in that she perswaded her selfe that her brother should not haue dyed yf so be Christe had bene present where learneth shée so to beleeue verely it was not conceiued of any promis of Christ It followeth therfore that she rather fulfilled hir owne desiers than obaied Christ It procéeded of Faith that she attributed vnto Christs power and great godnesse but in that she perswadeth her selfe of more than she had receiued or heard of Christ she passeth the boundes of faith For we must alwayes obserue the mutuall consent and agréement betwéene the word and faith lest a man perswade him selfe of any thing without the warraunt of Gods worde Moreouer it may be that Martha leaned to much to the corporall presence of Christ Therefore the faith of Martha being mixt with immoderate desiers and not altogether frée from superstition could not perfectlye shine only the sparkes thereof appeare in these wordes Shée reckened Christ among the men of God whose prayers are heard and who obtaine many things at the handes of God For yf so be shée had had the true vnderstanding of hys power shée would rather haue sayde I knowe that nothing is impossible vnto thée But the Lorde was not ignoraunt of this imperfection of faith in Martha and in others neyther did he seuerely reiecte the same but bare patiently with it and when he sawe conuenient time increased the same This méeknesse and pacience the Apostle set before vs to followe saying him that is weke in the faith receiue 23. Iesus sayde vnto her thy brother shall ryse againe M. The Lord made no aunswere to Martha complaining of his absence For he rather desyered to shewe the reason of his absence by the power of the raysing vp the dead man than by hys wordes C. But the clemency of Christ is wonderfull who bearing with the infirmitie of Martha in those thinges aforesayd of him selfe promised more vnto her then shée her selfe durst openly and preciselye aske M. As if Christ should haue sayde Be of good cheare I knowe what thou wouldest haue thou shalt haue thy desyer thou shalt receiue thy brother Bv. Thou doest beléeue that I béeing a good man and one in the fauoure of God can easily obtaine at his handes what I will yea if it were life for thy buried brother but I promise now vnto thée that thy brother shall arise againe by the power of mine which I haue of the father M. Al they haue to noate this word of consolation which are sorrowfull for the departure of their friendes out of thys lyfe Let them bee perswaded that they heare this from the mouth of Christ thy Father shall ryse agayne thy sonne shal ryse againe thy brother shal ryse again and thy frend shall ryse againe Moreouer in that he sayth not plainlie I wyll raise him vp but He shall rise againe it is to be attributed to modesty and humilitie whiche the Lorde teacheth euery where 24. Martha sayeth vnto hym I knowe that hee shall ryse againe in the resurrection at the laste daye Againe Martha bewrayeth the weakenesse of her faith For a weake faith looketh for nothing but common chaunce and fortune but true faith hath not respect vnto common course but to Gods promise C. Here therefore the excéeding fearfulnesse of Martha bewrayeth it selfe in that shée doeth extenuate the saying of Christ We sayde a litly before that shée went farther then was méete when by her owne fantasy she immagined a sertaine hope to her selfe and nowe shée is slipte into the contrary vice who when Christ reched forth his hand vnto her stoode stil trembling Wherefore we must take héede vnto our selues lest we béeing destitute of the word of GOD ground our hope vpon this or that when there is no cause and againe least the Lord opening hys mouth should finde our hearts to cloase and strayght shut A. But we sée that when Christ taught Martha she hearde him not without some fruite M. Faith of the resurrection derided by worldlings For firste of all shée beléeued that the last day should one daye come This faith the Children of this world do deride and mocke who think that this worlde will continue and abyde for euer Secondly shée beléeued that the resurrection of the dead should bée in the last day This faith the Saduceis did not alowe neither can humaine reason comprehend the same And shée doth not only saye that the resurrection of the dead shal be but I know that he shall rise againe in the laste daye So Iob speaketh I knowe that my redemer liueth and that I shal rise out of the earth in the last daye M. And of the faith of the general resurrection of all men shee taketh an argument of the speciall resurrection of her brother After the same manner also let vs gather All men shall ryse againe Therefore I also shall rise againe They shall ryse againe to euerlasting lyfe which beleeue in Christ therefore I also shall ryse againe God for Christes sake doth pardon and forgeue the penytent and beléeuing therefore also he will pardon and forgeue me God will not forsake those that trust in hym therfore he will not forsake me God resisteth the proude therefore he will resist the pride of Antichrist C. By this aunswere Martha would haue spoken more then shée durste hope for by the words of christ as if she should saye If so be thou speake and meane of the last resurrection I doubt not but that my brother shall rise againe in the last daye and vpon trust hereof I comforte my selfe but I know not whether thou giue mée to vnderstande some greater matter yea or no. 25. Iesus sayth vnto hir I am the resurrection and the lyfe hee that beleeueth on mee yea
to so great obstinacy not by erroure and foolishnes but by brutish dogged mallice insomuch that they are not afeard to warre agaynst God R. For admit that Christ brake the Sabboth daye made hym selfe equall with God and hadde caused sedytyon what fault had Lazarus committed that he should dye Hee was raysed from death But is it a faulte to receiue a benifite M. What did Lazarus sauing that he béeing raysed out of the graue lyued to the glory of Christe his qickener This the high Priests thought suficient cause to put him to death What other thinge do they at this daye which do not onely séeke to extinguish the doctrine of Christ but also to kill those who by the same are raysed and quickned as it were from death 11. Because that for his sake manye of the Iewes went awaye and beleeued on Iesus Bv. Christ had wrought many myracls but neyther the restoaring of the half to his limmes nor the geuing of syght to the blind nor any other miracle made them so mad as did this For this was by nature more wonderful and done after many other And verely it was wonderfull to sée and heare a man which had bene deade fowre dayes to speake and walke Furthermore when he had geuen sighte to the blind man he séemed to haue broken the Sabboth but séeing they had here no such occation to complayne they are prouoked against him that was healed Moreouer the blind man was a beggar but as for Lazarus he was a man of welth the which may be gathered hereby for that many of the Iewes came out of the Cittie to comfort his sisters and because the miracle was done in the presence of many with admiration of all men Therefore many came to Christ to Bethanie M. And the high Priestes were not offended so much that many beléeued in Christ as they were that they went awaye for this vexed them for this going awaye was a cleane forsaking of the Phariseis For they whiche beléeued in Christ cast of their yoake At this day also the Bishoppes of Rome would easily be contented to suffer the doctrine of the Gospell if so be men by the same were not drawen vnto Christe but vnto them A. But no man is to be reckoned among the nomber of the Disciples of Christe which will not followe hys teacher For Christes shéepe heare his voyce and followe Therefore that we maye hould fast the doctrine of Christ we must reiecte the whoale doctrine of Antechrist and forsake his wicked ceremonies Ioh. i0 27 For what felloweshippe is there betwéene righteousenesse and vnrighteousenesse what communion betwéene light and darcknes what agréement with Christ and Belial Or what parte hath a faithfull man with an Infidell Or howe agreeth the temple of God with Images 2 Cor 6 4 C. Moreouer seeing Sathan wholy bendeth hym selfe to ouerthrowe the workes of God or at least to obscure them it is oure partes continually to thinke vpon them 12. On the nexte daye muche people that were com to the feast vvhen they hearde that Iesus shoulde come to Hierusalem Bv. The glory of the Lorde Christ increased more and more the Iewes his enemies fretting and fuming in the meane tyme at the same Concerning the exposition of the twoo nexte verses following reade our Commentary vppon the one and twentie Chapter of Mathew beginning at the fift and eyght verses 16. These thinges vnderstoode not his diciples at the firste but when Iesus vvas glorified then remembered they that suche thinges were wrighten of him and that suche thinges they had done vnto hym C. Euen as the séede doth not springe by and by after it is cast into the ground so the fruite of the works of God doth not strayght waye appeare The Apostles were the Ministers of God to fulfill the prophesye but what they did they vnderstoode not They harde the crye of the multitude and that no confused crye but such a crye as proclaimed Christ to be a King yet notwithstandinge they knewe not to what ende nor what it ment It was therefore vnto them a dumbe and vaine shewe vntil the Lord opened their eyes M. Here also we are taught to obaye the wordes of Christ although we vnderstand not by and by to what end they tende Then they remembered C. Here the cause of that grosse ignoraunce is noated which went before knowledge because they had not then the Scripture their guide and Scoolemaistris to directe their mindes to righte and pure consideration For we withoute we haue firste the worde of God are starcke blind neyther yet is it sufficient that the worde of God doth shyne vnto vs except the holy ghost doth illuminate our eyes This grace Christ gaue vnto his disciples after hys resurrection because as yet the ful tyme was not come in the which he shoulde powre forth the riches of his spirite in ample manner vntill he was receiued vp into heauenly glory And we béeing taught by this example let vs learne to Iudge of all thinges which pertaine vnto Christ by the Scripture and not after the scence of our owne fleshe Also let vs consider that this is a speciall grace of the spirite to be instructed by the same in continuaunce of tyme that we might not be without sence and vnderstanding when we call to minde the workes of God 17. The people that was with him when hee called Lazarus out of his graue and raysed hym from death bare recorde M. The Euangeliste cannot forgette the miracle of the raysing vp of Lrzarus C. Therefore he repeateth againe that which he had spoken before that a great many béeing mooued by the fame of the myracle went forth to mete Christ For therefore they went forth by heapes becaus euery where the rumor concerning the raysing vp of Lazarus was spred abroade These men therefore had Iuste cause to attribute the honour of Christe vnto the Sonne of Marye séeing they had such knoweledge of hys wonderfull power M. And thus we sée that the more the wicked desyer to haue the trueth buryed the more God doth open the mouthes of the Godly to the manifestation and setting forth of the same and geueth vnto them suche courage that they doe not onely speake that which they knowe to bée true but doe constantly mayntaine the same 19. The Phariseis therefore sayd among them selues perceiue ye how yee preuaile nothing behoulde al the whoal worlde goeth after him Bv. The more the glory of the Lorde encreased the more the anger wrath and fury of the enemies of Christe also was inflamed notwithstanding they are conuinced and ouerwhelmed with the huge heape of Christs gloriouse acts and by his euident preaching insomuch that as mad men and men wanting counsail they are constrained almost to dispayre for they crye with greate fury and outrage Perceiue ye howe ye preuaile nothing C. By which wordes they prouoke them selues to greater madnesse For it is a sertaine exprobration and reprehention of their negligence as if
detracteth his prayer whiche he knewe was againste his callynge and wisheth to suffer any thinge rather than he should not fulfill that which was enioyned to him of his Father lastly he beinge contented with the glory of God onely he forgetteth all other things and counteth them as nothing But this seemeth to be vnméete for the son of God that he should vnaduisedly make his prayer the whiche he muste by and by renounce to obay his Father We confesse verelye that this is the foolishnesse of the Crosse whiche is a stumbling blocke of offence Affections in Christe vvere pure A. Is it is sayd in the firste Chapter of the fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians But the more the Lord abaced himselfe the more his vnspeakable loue towards vs is manifested Moreouer we must remember what was spoken of before that the humaine affections from the which he was not fre were pure in hym and voyde of Sinne the reason is because they were framed and tempered to the obdience of God For there is no let but the Christe should feare naturally death and yet notwithstandinge desire to obay God but in diuers respectes Herevpon came the correction when he sayeth that therefore he came into this howre For how soeuer he feared death notwithstanding because he waied wherfore he was sent and what the office of a redeemer required he offereth the horror conceiued of the sence of nature to his father to be corrected or rather that the same beinge restrayned he might make him selfe frée and at libertye to excute the commaundement of God Wherefore if so be the affections of Christ whiche were pure from al sinne ought so to be restrayned that he might be obedieÌ„t to his Father Affections in man enemies to God how diligently ought we to séeke to suppresse our affections séeing there is not one of them but they are enemies vnto God Let this therefore be the meditation of the godly to striue against them selues vntyll they haue denyes themselues We must also noate howe that not only those affections are to be brideled which are contrary to the will of God but also which do hinder the course of our calling although otherwise they are neyther hurtfull nor vitiouse To the ende thys maye more euidently appeare we must place the will of God in the first degrée in the second degree the pure and sincere will of man as the same was geuen of God to Adam and as the same was in Christ In the last degrée our will which is infected by the contagion of sin The wil of God is a Rule to the which whatsoeuer is inferiour to the same must bée subiect Now the pure wil of nature shal not of it selfe be rebelliouse vnto God howebeit man hath many impediments though he be framed and bent neuersomuch to the right way vnlesse he subdue hys affections vnto God Christ therfore had one simple battaile that he might feare no more that thing which naturally he feared when he knewe otherwise to please God but we haue a double battaile because we muste fight against the stubbornnesse of our fleshe Herevppon it commeth to passe that the most valiaunt souldiers do neuer get the victory without a wound Wee must also learne to obserue this order that so often as we are vexed with feare or opressed with sorrowe we by and by lift vp our hartes vnto God There is nothing worse or more hurtful than to foster that within vs which doeth vexe vs. And this is the iust punishment of slouth and negligence in all those which will not come vnto God 28. Father glorify thy name Then came there a voyce from heauen saying I haue boath glorifyed it and will glorify it againe Father glorify thy name B. These are abrupt and broken sentences and not spoken without silence and consealing of somwhat that shoulde haue ben vttered the which are often vsed of such as haue troubled mindes C But in these wordes he testifieth that he preferreth the glory of his father before all other thinges yea before his owne lyfe B. As if he shoulde saye for this cause that I might cause thy name O father to be gloryfied euery where by my death I came into this howre graunt mee of thy goodnes that this maye alway come to passe To haue the name of God gloryfied is to haue God the Father hym selfe in many places preached and acknowledged This began to be done more excelently then at any time before after the death of Christ when the holy Ghoste was sent for so it ought to appeare what the death of Christe brought vnto the world C. This therfore is the true moderation of our prayers yf so be wee so defyer the glorye of God that in them we prefer them before all other things I haue boath glorified it and will glorify it This is as much as if he had sayde I wil finish that which I haue begonne For God doth not forsake the worke of hys handes B. The father had glorifyed his name when he wrought such notable miracls by the Lord that in flesh he declared the testimonies of his goodnes againe hée woulde glorifie the same by sending the Comforter which should preach the gospell of grace to the vttermost partes of the earth and should cause many to beléeue the same Or to speake more large he glorified it when Christ was borne of a virgine when he wrought miracles when he was worshipped of the Magi guided by a Starre when he was acknoweledged of the saints ful of the holy Ghost when he was reuealed by the descending of the holy ghost in the likenes of a Doue when he was declared by a voyce sounding from heauen when hee was transfigured on the mountain And he will glorify the same when Criste shoulde ryse againe from the dead when death should neuer after haue any more power ouer him when he should be exalted aboue the heauens and his glory aboue al the earth when he should power out the holy ghost vpon all fleshe and by the preaching of the Apostles shoulde tourne the whâ—ale world vnto him Bv. Also the oracle or voyce from heauen might thus be vnderstood hytherto thou arte my naturall consubstantiall and equall Sonne from the beginning and euerlasting but when in the fulnesse of tyme thou hadest taken vpon thée mans nature thou didest loose nothing thereby of thy deuine maiestie as I will declare Thou shalte dye in déede as man but hauing ouercome sinne death and hell thou shalt ryse againe as God and shalt be worshipped with me throughoute the whoale worlde Moreouer because it was the purpose of God to salue the offence of the Chrosse to take away the stombling stoane of the fame the father doth not only promise that the death of Christ shal be gloriouse but doeth also promise to adourne the same so much as â—uer it was adorned before M. Wée haue also to noate in this place that the prayers of the children of God cannot
had foreséene appointed But wée must noate that the simple and bare forknewledge of God was not the cause of these thinges howbeit here we must not haue so much consideracion of the foreknowledge of God as of iudgement and vengeaunce Neyther dyd God looke downe coÌ„sider from heauen what men woulde doe but he pronounceth what he him selfe woulde doe namelye that he woulde stryke the wicked with blindnesse giddines that he might take vengeance vpon their wickednesse For here the inferiour cause is noated why God woulde haue his word which by nature is whoalsome to bée perillous and deadlye to the Iewes namelye for that they had so deserued by their wickednesse It was impossible for them to shonne this punishment when God had once determined to caste them into a reprobate scence and to turne the light of his worde into darkenesse For this latter Prophesye is vnlyke to the first in this because there the Prophete affirmeth that no other do beléeue than those whome God doeth illuminate according to his good pleasure the cause whereof doeth not appeare For séeing of right and equity all men are lost and dampned God maye according to his goodnesse saue whome he wyll from among the rest But here hée maketh mencion of the obduration by whiche GOD taketh vengeaunce vppon the wickednesse of an vnthankfull people Who so doe not obserue and consider these degrées doe confounde amisse dyuers places of the Scripture But we haue expounded this place of Esaias in our exposition vppon the thirtéene Chapter of Mathewe beginning at the fowretéene verse 41. Suche thinges sayde Esaias when hee sawe his glory and spake of him M. This the Euangelist addeth least any man shoulde saye To what purpose doest thou alleadge this place The Prophete spake of the men in his time and therefore they serue nothing to this purpose C. This cogitacion Iohn preuenteth plainly shewing that the Prophet was sent to bée a teacher not for one age but rather that the glorye of Christe was shewed vnto him that he might bée a witnesse of those thinges which shoulde come to passe vnder his raigne and kingdome For to what ende dyd the Propheticall Reuelations serue but onelye to delyuer as it were from hande to hand to others that which they had receyued from God And the Euangelist taketh this as graunted vnto him that Esaias sawe the glorye of Christ Wherevppon hee gathereth that hée applyed his Doctrine to the state of his kingdome whiche was to come A. As touching the time in the which the Prophete saw the glorye of Christ some referre it to that tyme in the which Vzias the King dyed Esay 6.1 For then the Prophete sawe the Lorde sitting vppon a high throane and the skyrtes of his cloathing filling the Temple the Seraphins standing vpon it euerye one hauing sixe winges with twayne hée couered his face and with twaine he couered his féete and with twaine he dyd flée And one cryed to another and sayde Holy Holy Holy is the Lorde of Hoastes the whoale worlde is full of his glorye By this vision the purpose of the Prophete was to shewe a vewe of the kingdome of Christ M. But this also maye be referred to that which is contained in the thrée and fiftye Chapter of Esai For then the Prophete sawe the glorye of Christ in the spirite when hée spake of the arme of the Lorde 42. Neuertheles among the chiefe Rulers also many beleued on him but because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him leaste they shoulde be excomunicate B. Because the Euangelist had spoken of the obstinacy of the Iewes because they could not beléeue on the Lorde hee doth very well ad this by which he doth shewe that all were not so reiected but that many of the Rulers also beléeued one the Lorde how be it they were but weake as yet and louers of the glory of this worlde C. A worthie example verely of the grace of God for impietie hauing once gotten the vpper hand is a certaine generall plague which by the contagion therof infecteth al the partes of the body Therefore it is the singuler gyfte of God when some remaine syncere amonge a corrupt people Howbeit the same grace of God is to be seene at this daye in the world For although impietie and the contempte of God doe abounde and although a great nomber goe about to banishe awaye quite the doctrine of the Gospell notwithstanding it shall finde some sanctuaries and receiuers And so it cometh to passe that Faith hath certaine resting places leste it should be quite driuen out of the worlde Faith cannot be baniâ—â—â— oute of 〈◊〉 worlde M. So in the time of Elias there semed to be almost none which worshipped the true God so that Elias was thoughte to remaine aloane when as notwithstanding there were seuen thousand men in Israell which had not bowed theire knee before Baall 1. King 19. C. This word Also betokeneth an Emphasys and vehemencye For Princes and Rulers for the moste part weare such deadly enemies and haters of the Gospel that it was incredible that some one among them should haue bene found faithfull The more wonderfull therefore is the power of the spirite of God who pearced in thether whether nothing else coulde come Howbeit this was not the wickednesse of one age onelye that the rulars were obstinate and rebellious against Christ For honour Ritches and dignitye haue alwayes Pride theyr handmayde Wherefore it is a harde matter to bring them to bee humble and lowlye in theyr owne eyes who being puffed vp with Pride and arrogancye scarcelye knowe them selues to bée men Whatsoeuer he bée that excelleth others in this worlde wyll not if he bée wyse trust vnto his mightinesse least the same be a let vnto him A. Iam. 1.10 Let him that is Ritche sayth Saynt Iames reioyce that he is brought lowe for hee shall passe awaye as a flowre of the fielde When he sayeth that there were many we must not so vnderstand the same as though the one halfe or the greater part of the Rulers beléeued for they being compared to others of whome there was a great multitude they were but a fewe but those same were a great many if they were considered in them selues But because of the Phariseis This the Euaungelist misliketh in them for that they did not bouldly coÌ„fesse their faith C. And therewithall noateth howe greate the imbecilitie of faith was in them who were luke warme or rather key could For a true and liuelye Faith cannot bee deuided from Confession Faith and Confession linked together Rom. 10.10 For with the harte wee beeléeue to righteousenesse and with the mouth we confesse to saluation And it cannot bee that faith beeing once kindled in the hart shoulde not burne cast forth his flame Therefore the Euangelist geueth vs to vnderstand that these Princes imbraced the doctrine of Christ because they knew the same to be come from God but yet that
bretheren thou knowest not whether Christ be a Mayster or no. But séeing a great many loue their brethren very couldly but none so effectually as they ought we maye thereby perceiue howe farre wée are yet from the perfect light of fayth M. Moreouer this place maye specially be obiected vnto them who when they beare the doctrine of the Gospel say who knoweth not these thinges Therfore let it be sayde vnto them If yee knowe these thinges blessed are yee if yee doe them A. Contrarywise if ye know these thinges and doe them not ye are accursed and miserable Iam. 4 17 For to him that knoweth how to doe good and doeth it not to him it is synne Luk. 12.47 And the seruante that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shal be beaten with many strypes 18. I speake not of you all I knowe whome I haue chosen but that the Scripture might bee fulfilled Hee that eateth bread with mee hath lifte vppe his heele againste mee C. Againe he sheweth that there is one among his Disciples whiche is in very déede nothing lesse than a Disciple and this he doth partly for Iudas sake to the ende he might make him the more inexcusable and partly for the other disciples sake lest the false Iudas should make any of them to slide back And hée doth not only animate them to persiste in their vocation notwithstanding the fall of Iudas but also because the felicity of the which he spake pertained not to all men he teacheth that the same ought to be the more earnestly sought for of all men and when they haue founde it with the greater constancie to abide in the same And now this their stedfast standing he attributeth to their election For as the strength of man is weake and fraile so it staggereth at euery small puffe of winde and falleth with the leste thruste yf so be the Lord stayeth not vp the same with his hand But because be gouerneth those whome he hath chosen how subtily soeuer Sathan séeketh to worke their destruction he shall profite nothinge at all but with firme constancie they shall perseuere vnto the ende And not onely perseueraunce is here attributed to election but also the beginning of pietye Howe commeth it to passe that one loueth the word of God more thaÌ„ another Surely because he is elected Election is the cause of pietye Again how commeth it to passe that the same goeth on still in Godlinesse of life but only because the purpose of God is sure which perfiteth that worke which he hath begone Furthermore this is the principall difference betwéene the Children of God and the vnbeléeuing that the one are drawen to saluation by the spirite of Adoption and the other by their vnbrideled and lasciuiouse fleshe to damnation Otherwise Christ might haue sayde I know what euery one of you shal be but leste they should arrogate any thing vnto them selues but might knowe rather that they differed from Iudas by grace only and not by their owne power hee setteth before them the frée election vppon the which they were builded Wherefore let vs hereby learne to way and consider all the parts of oure saluation Iohn 6.70 And whereas in another place he reckneth vp Iudas among the elect it is another manner of speaking and not a contrary For there the Temporall election is noted by which God doth appoynt vs to some certaine and spetiall worke as Saul who was chosen to be a King notwithstanding that he was a reprobate but nowe Christ speaketh of the eternall election by which we are made the sonns of God and by which God hath predestinated vs to life before the foundation of the worlde was layed Also somtime God doth adourne the Reprobates with the giftes of the holy Ghoste to execute that office which he committeth vnto them So there shined in King Saule prinâ—ly vertues for a time So Iudas also had notable giftes beseeming an Apostle of Christ But the Spirite of sanctification which God geueth only to his childeren is another manner of spirite For he renueth them by the same in minde and harte that they might be in his sight holy and irreprehensible Also they haue in them a liuely roote which cannot bee plucked vp at any time because the Adoption of God is without repentaÌ„ce that is to saye God neuer faileth those whom he hath chosen Notwithstanding this abideth firme that it beloÌ„geth vnto the deuine election that we imbracing the doctrine of Christ by faith do also attaine life and that this is the only cause of our blessednesse by which we differ from the Reprobate that they béeing destitute of the grace of the Spirit come to destruction but wée haue Christ our watchman who gouerneth vs with his hand and defendeth vs by his power M. We sée also here howe those thinges whiche concerne onelye the good are commonlye also spoken vnto them amongst whom euell personnes also are mixte Those thinges whiche the Lorde had spoken vnto his disciples to instruct them he so spake vnto them as if they had pertained vnto all when as notwithstanding they dyd not appertaine to all euenas he in this place plainly testifieth Therefore let no man in the Church bée offended yf so be he heare Christians among whome as yet there are many wicked prophane persons to be called godly and holy men if so be he heare the doctrine of life commonly preached to all men when as faith and pietie belongeth not to all yf so be he heare all Christians generaly reprehended of sinne when as notwithstanding all are not culpable euenas we sée that the Apostle reprehendeth the Corinthians Let him alwayes consider and say within hym selfe i. Cor. i. xi these thinges pertaine not to all Furthermore Christ here geueth euident testimony of his diuinity firste of all when he affirmeth that he doth not Iudge after the manner of men secondly when he maketh him selfe the authoure of election For this knoweledge of the whiche hée speaketh in this place is proper only vnto God but this other is more effectuall when he sayth that they were elected of hym before the creation of the worlde For this so notable a declaration of hys deuine power ought to mooue vs more then if the scripture did call him God a hoondered times That the scripture might be fulfilled C. It might séeme very absurd that he which was chosen to so honorable an office was not also endued with true godlinesse for it might easily be obiected Why did Christ choose one to be an Apostle which should fall from his Apostelship And why did he create him an Apostle whome he knewe should be such a wicked and naughtie person To this therefore Christ aunswereth that necesarily it was so because it was forshewed and knowen also aforhand to the Prophet Dauid For some thinke that the prophesye is cited which properly belongeth vnto Christ othersome think it to be a simple comparison that like as Dauid
was wickedly betrayed of his domisticall enemie euen so the like condition abideth for the Childeren of God After these mens opinions this is the sence In that one of my disciples is a wicked traytor it is no newe or vnwonted thing in the worlde but rather that is put in practise at this daye whiche the Scripture testifieth to be done longe agoe But séeing the same was shadowed in Dauid which was more fully afterward to be seene in Christ their Iudgement séemeth better which affirme the same properly to be fulfilled whiche Dauid had forshewed by the spirite of prophesy M. Thus therefore he séemeth to shew a reason wherefore he chose Iudas for that he was not ignorant what he was least that which shoulde come to passe might seeme to happen vnawares vnto him Moreouer to lift vp the héele metaphorically signifieth vnder the cooller of frendshippe to set vppon one by deceite that he maye bée oppressed vnawares Nowe that which Christ suffered béeing our head and example we must also patiently suffer béeing his members M. In this place also the authority of the Scripture is commended because all thinges in the same are necessarily fulfilled Wherefore we must take héede that we do not doubt of the fulfilling of them because the holy Ghost whatsoeuer he doth in the Scriptures whether it be by teaching or reprehending by threatning or promising by terrifiyng or comfortyng cannot lye A. For as Christ sayeth the scripture cannot but bee fulfilled Ioh. 10.35 Esay 40.8 because the word of the Lorde abydeth for euer 11. Nowe I tell you beefore it come that when it is come to passe yee might beeleue that I am hee C. By this sentence he admonisheth his Disciples that there is so litle cause why they should stomble or fall because a traytor shall come out of their company that they ought rather thereby to be the better confirmed in faith For excepte we did behould with our eyes the verye same in the Church which was forshewed concerning the troubles and contentions of the same we might haue Iuste occasion to doubt of prophesyes But seeing the trueth of the Scripture doth agrée with our experience then we haue better intelligence that God hath a care for vs and that we are gouerned by hys prouidence M. Therefore let vs noat to what ende Christ went aboute to confirme the mindes of his Apostles in the fayth towardes hym They had séene manye of his miracles and of late when hée raysed vp Lazarus oute of the graue when he had béene dead fowre dayes they stoode by and yet notwithstanding it was so great a matter to beleeue in him that they had also néede to be comforted and confirmed in that faith by the Scriptures of the Prophetes C. Moreouer by these wordes That yee might beleeue that J am hee He geueth vs to vnderstand that hée is the same messias which was promised Not that the treason of Iudas beganne to bring the Disciples vnto the Fayth for they knewe him already and had confessed who he was but because their faith profited more Iohn 6.69 when they came vnto the experience of those thinges which they had heard before out of the mouth of Christ And nowe we maye two wayes vnderstand the same as that he sayeth that the Disciples shall beleeue when they see the matter come to passe because nothing was hidden from him or else that none of thos things should faile him which the Scripture testifieth concerning Christ Both these sentences maye serue well B Therefore when they sawe that he knewe all thinges before they came to passe and yet notwithstanding woulde willingly suffer the same they mighte easily know that he was very Christe and God Howbéeit they did better way and vnderstand these thinges when they were more amply endued with the holy Ghost Concerning the exposition of the twenty verse reade in our commentary vppon the tenth Chapter of Mathewe beginning at the forty verse 21. When Iesus thus sayde hee was troubled in spirite and testifyed and sayde verilye verily I saye vnto you that one of you shall betraye mee C. The more holy that the Apostolicall office is and the greater the excelency of the same the more filthy and detestable was the treason of Iudas Therefore such and so great wickednesse brought horror of mind into Christ him selfe when he séeeth that holy office to be defiled by the vnspeakable witnes of one man in whom the Maiesty of God should haue shined B. And this perturbation constraned him to speake more plainly of the traitor and according to his wonted manner to testify with an oath that it was one of his chosen Disciples Apostles which should betray him As if he should saye Beholde to what great dignitie I haue aduaunced you For I haue made you so great that whosoeuer receiueth you receiueth my father also but Oh wickednesse Oh straunge cruelty one of you I saye of you twelue of you Apostls whom whosoeuer heareth heareth me and my father to whome whosoeuer doth good doth it to me and to my Father shal betray me to death C. And this was not a fained passion in Christ but he was in déede througly so affected and troubled This is necessary to be knowen of vs because his zeale is sett before for immitation that wée might seriously abhorre these monsterouse synnes which do ouerthrowe the holy order of God and of hys Church AVG. Awaye then with the Arguments of the Philosophers which say that these perturbations come not into the minde of a wise man God hath made the wisedome of this world foolishnesse i. Cor. i. 20 Wée maye reade the like wordes in the one and twenty verse of the twentye sixe Chapter of Mathewe 22. Then the Disciples looked one on another doubting of whome hee spake C. They whose consciences accused them not were much agréeue at the saying of Christ only Iudas was so obstinate and hardned in his wickednesse that hée was not touched at al. So great was the authority of Christ with the Disciples that they were sertainly perswaded that he did or spake nothing rashly B. Therefore they looked one vppon another eyther because they were amased or else because thereby they woulde sée if they could fynd out the traytour by his countenaunce But Sathan hadde banished out of the heart of Iudas al reuerence that he might be more hard then the flint stoan to repell all admonitions Bv. For al the rest béeing wonderfully troubled and greeued he notwithstanding hee knewe in his owne conscience him selfe to be giltie was neither a feard neyther ashamed nor abashed to come to the holy Surper and coulde also abide without blushing that the Lorde should looke vppon him whom he knew not to be ignorāt of any of his thoughts So great was the plague of couetousenesse and such liberty he had to abuse the knowen libertie of the Lorde And allthough Christ might seme to deale scarse frendly in suffering his guiltlesse Disciples to
will retourne to you againe R. For I will not so goe away that I will be quite separated from you I will not so goe awaye that I will not retourne againe I will not so enter into the kingdome of my Father that I will retayne the same to my selfe aloane but for youre cause I goe and I so goe that I will come againe receiue you vnto me C. Moreouer this comming againe heare oughte not to be vnderstoode of the holy ghoste as though Christ would geue vnto hys Disciples a newe presence of him selfe in the spirite It is very true that Christ dwelleth in vs and in vs by his holye spirite but he speaketh here of the laste daye of Iudgement in the whiche hee shall come at the length to gather those that be his together And verily hée doth dayly prepare a place for vs yf so be wée haue respecte vnto the whoale body of the Church Wherevppon it followeth that the full time of our enteraunce into heauen is not yet come This the Apostle doth notably expresse in the fourth Chapter of his firste Epistle to the Thessalonians M. Lette vs remember therefore that Christ is come againe into this world The worlde beleeueth not this The cause of hys firste comming was that all they which were elected vnto lyfe from the beginning might be called vnto the grace of the kingdome of God The seconde cause of his comming shal be that the foresayde elected maye be taken vp into Euerlasting mansions This shal be broughte to passe by the ministery of Aungels Math. 13 And this second comming of Christ is desired so long vntyll a place is prouided in heauen for euery one And this caling of the electe shal be fulfilled here in earth the which béeing once ended and fulfilled this moste corrupt and wicked worlde shall haue an ende This wicked worlde shall haue an ende when the nomber of Gods elect is full A. Reade the twentyth sixe verse of the twelfth chapter going before 4. And whether I go yee know and the vvay ye knowe B. Because he would comfort his disciples concerning his departure it is necessary that we vnderstand this of that waye by which his disciples should followe hym vnto the Father C. Howebeit withall Christ teacheth that his death is not destruction but a passag to the father Therefore we haue here to noate twoo thinges The fyrst is that wee beholde Christ in his heauenlye glorye and blessed immortallity with the eyes of faith Secondlye that wée knowe him to bée the first fruites of our lyfe and the waye which was shut vp against vs is nowe opened vnto vs by him This he vttereth more plainlye in another place saying Mat. i6 24 M. Hee which wyll followe me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse and followe mee Christ him selfe is the waye to heauen that by him and after him we may come to heauenly thinges 5. Thomas sayde vnto him Lorde we knowe not whether thou goest and howe is it possible for vs to know the waye Bv. The Disciples being much gréeued marked not what the Lorde sayde vnto them and iudging to groslye of the wordes of the Lorde vnderstande not his minde and purpose C. And although at the first sight the aunswere of Thomas séemeth to disagrée with the saying of Christ yet notwithstanding his purpose was not to discréedite his Maister Notwithstanding it may be demaunded howe he denied that which the Lord had affirmed We aunswere that there are oftentimes in the Saintes confused vnderstandinges because they doe not way and consider the manner and reason of that which is plainlye set before them So the calling of the Gentiles was prophesied by the Prophetes to come of the true scence of Faith Ephe. 3 9 the which notwithstanding the Apostle Paule affirmeth to bée a misterye hydden from them Therefore when the Apostles shoulde beléeue that Christ went vnto the Father and yet notwithstanding knew not howe he should get that kingdome Thomas iustly affirmeth that they knew not whether hee went Therevppon hée gathereth the waye is more obscure For before wée enter into the race wée must knowe whether it tendeth M. By this place wée gather that no man knoweth the waye to heauenlye thinges except he fyrst knowe that Christ our sauiour and Mediatour is gone thyther 6. Iesus sayth vnto them I am the waye the trueth and the lyfe no man commeth vnto the Father but by me R. This is the principall poynt and sum of the whole Gospell that Christ is the waye the trueth and the lyfe C. Christ doeth not dyrectlye aunswere vnto the question yet notwithstanding he omitteth nothing which is necearye to bée knewne The curiositye of Thomas was to bée bridled therefore Christ doth not shewe what his condicion shal be with the Father but standeth vppon a more necessery point Thomas would wyllinglye haue hearde what Christe should doe in heauen euen as we oftentimes doe to muche wearye our selues with such subtile and curious poyntes But wee ought rather to applye our mindes how we shal be partakers of the blessed resurrection to come Wherfore the sum of this sentence is that whosoeuer getteth Christ she ll want nothing and that therefore he goeth beyonde all perfection which is not contented with him alone And he speaketh of their degrées as if he should saye that he is the beginning the middest and the ende Wherevppon it followeth that we must begin with him goe forewarde in him and ende at him We must not séeke for higher wisdome than that which leadeth vs to euerlasting lyfe This he affirmeth shal be founde in him And hée also pronounceth that the same must bee sought for in no other Hée teacheth moreouer that he is in the waye by whiche onelye wée must come thyther Therefore least hée shoulde fayle vs in any part he reacheth out his hande to those that goe astray and doeth humble himselfe so far that he directeth sucking Children hee hauing professed him selfe to bée a Captaine forsooke not his seruauntes in the midst of their race but made them partakers of the trueth At the last he made them partakers of that trueth than the which nothing more excellent can be deuised Bv. Therefore in these wordes all the Misteries of the Gospell are comprehended and from hence the ryuers of lyfe doe spring C. Séeing therefore that Christ is the waye there is no cause why the weake and ignoraunte shoulde complaine that they are forsaken of him seeing he is the truth and the lyfe he containeth in him selfe wherewithall to satisfye euen the most perfect Trueth in this place is taken of some to bée the wholsome lyght of heauenly wisedome And of othersome to be the substaunce of lyfe and of all spiritual graces which is compared with figures and shadowes Euen as when it is sayde Grace and trueth came by Christ Iesus But more rightlye it is taken for the perfection of Faith Iohn 1.7 euen as the waye is
of God Herevnto they are driuen by Sathan their Prince that oulde enemy of God Wherevpon if so be the Apostles had not béene chosen out of the worlde and endewed with the spirite which is an enemye to the Prince of this world although they had not béene beloued of the men of this worlde yet notwithstanding they had béene borne withall and loued of some But they séeking the glorye of God styrred vp the whoale worlde against them that is to saye all those whiche were not endued with the spirite of God C. This therefore is another consolation that the Apostles were therefore hated of the worlde because they were selected and chosen out of the same And this is their true felicitye and glorye because after this manner they haue escaped out of destruction for this worlde is euen vowed to destruction i. Cor. xi 32 Herevppon the Apostle sayth VVhen we are iudged we are corrected of the Lorde lest wee shoulde be condempned with the world Nowe if they were elected out of this worlde it followeth that they were part of this worlde and that they were seperated by the onelye mercye of God from the rest Gala. i. 4 A. Euen as the Apostle Paule sheweth in these wordes VVhich gaue him selfe for our sinnes to delyuer vs from this present euyll worlde according to the wyll of God and our Father M. Here we sée the cause for the which false and counterfaite doctrine is more easilye receyued of men than that which is true For the world loueth his owne But euery one is a lyar Psa 116 xi It is no maruaile therfore if the world fauour the teachers of lyes and errours i. Iohn 4 5 and be enuious to the rest A. Wherevpon Saint Iohn sayeth They are of the worlde therefore the world heareth them Therefore it cannot be but that they shall haue continuall warre with men whiche wyll shewe them selues to bée the faithfull Ministers of Christ C. Yet notwithstanding that exhortacion of Saint Paul is not repugnaunt with this Doctrine Romae ii i8 when he sayeth So much as in you lyeth haue peace with all men For the exception which is added is as much as if he had sayde that wée must looke what is lawfull and meete for vs to doe lest we séeking to please the worlde suffer corruptions abuses of the same For the same Apostle sayeth in another place Doe I seeke to please men For if I had hytherto pleased men Gala. i. x I had not beene the seruaunt of God But there may yet another question be moued For we sée that the wicked which are of this worlde are not commonlye hated but also detested and abhorred of the greater parte Here the worlde loueth not his owne I aunswere Earthlye men whiche are lead by the scence and motion of the fleshe do neuer truely hate sinne but onely so farre foorth as they haue a care for their owne commodity and losse Howbeit the purpose of Christ was not to denye but that there was mortall war contencion among those of the worlde onely he minded so shewe that the world hated nothing but that whiche belonged to God in the Faithfull And hereby also it doeth appeare howe fondly the Annabaptistes do erre who gather by this argument aloane that they are the seruauntes of God because they displease the greater sort of men 20. Remember the word that I saide vnto you The Seruaunte is not greater than the Lord Yf they haue persecuted mee they will also persecute you Yf they haue kepte my saying they will keepe youres also Remember the worde that I sayde M. Concerning this word of Christ reade the sixtéene verse of the thirtéene Chapter going before C. This is a confirmation of the sentence going before where Christ sayde that he was hated of the worlde who notwithstanding was more excellent than his Disciples For it is not méete that the condition of the seruaunt shoulde bée better than his Maisters M. By this place we are taught how muche it becommeth vs not onelye to heare the worde of God but also to remember the same For as it is not sufficient to haue money for the present time except thou kéepe the same also for necessarye vses so also we must thinke of the worde of the Lorde To heare the worde of Christ and not kéepe the same in mynde is as if a man shoulde get money and by and by wast and spende the same The wordes of Christ must bée kept for necessitye to come Also we sée that the Apostles were the seruauntes of Christ although he made account of thē not as of seruauntes but as of friendes If they haue persecuted mee Bv. As if he should saye Yf they haue not spared me which am your Lord and Prince excellent and mightye boath in word and also in power but haue greatlye persecuted me it is not lyke that they wyll spare you which are far inferiour vnto me If they haue kepte my saying C. When he had spoken of the persons he maketh mencion also of doctrine For there is nothing that troubleth the Godly more than when they see the doctrine of God to bée prowdlye contempned of men M. Hée must néedes be a verye prowde Disciple whiche perswadeth him selfe that hée can so delyuer the doctrine of trueth vnto the worlde that those thinges which he teacheth shall bée receiued and kept when Christ him selfe missed of the same If any man demaund saying to what ende then preached hee and why did he commaunde his Disciples to preach this word so hated and despised of the world We answere Firste there were many of the electe which had receyued the same worde of truthe for whose sake it was méete that the Gospell should be publiquely taught Secondlye it was necessarye that the trueth shoulde bée set before the Reprobates to the ende they might haue no excuse of theyr vnbeléefe euen as it shal be shewed in the twoo and twentye and foure and twenty verses following When Christ sayeth your doctrine and mine it is to bée referred to the Ministerye There is but one onelye teacher of the Churche whiche is Christ but hée woulde haue his Doctrine of the which he was the first Minister to bée preached by his Apostles A. Wherevppon in the seuentéene Chapter following hée calleth his word theyrs when hée sayeth Neuerthelesse I pray not for them aloane i. Pet. 4. i5 but for them also whiche shall beleeue on me through their worde 21. But all these thinges will they doe vnto you for my names sake because they haue not knowne him that sent me M. Hée nowe sheweth the principall cause of the hatered and persecution of his Disciples by the worlde namelye the mousterous madnesse that is in the worlde being so outragious against the doctrine of saluation through ignoraunce For no man could wyttinglye presume to withstande GOD. Therefore it is ignoraunce and blindnesse whiche maketh the worlde so boulde as to resist Christ Wée must
alwayes then haue a consideration of the cause and there is no true consolation any where else in the testimony of a good conscience Bv. For it is a glorious thing for Christes sake and the profession of the trueth to bée in perrill to bée hated of menne and to suffer persecution Againe it is a fowle thing to bée afflicted for euyll doing For therefore sayeth the Apostle Peter See that none of you bee punished as a murderer or as a Theefe or an euyll doer or as a busye bodye in other mennes matters Yf any man suffer as a Christian man let him not bee ashamed but let him glorifye God on this behalfe For herevppon wée ought to bée moued to geue GOD thankes because when the worlde perrisheth in his owne blindnesse GOD geueth his lyghte vnto the Faythfull euen as the palpable darkenesse compassed the Aegiptians rounde aboute when the Children of Israell were in the manifest lyght Also wée must noate that the hatred of Christ commeth for want of vnderstanding when GOD is not knowne For vnbeléefe is alwaye blynde Not that the wicked vnderstande nor knowe nothing but because all theyr knowledge is confounded and sodainlye vanisheth awaye For my names sake M. Here let vs consider what difference there is betwéene God and the world Before God those thinges which the Apostles aske in the name of Christ they receiue before the world the name of Christ is the cause why the Apostles are hated Both these the Apostle felt and after them the true Ministers of the Gospell Because they haue not known him that sent me CYR. By this word sent is mente the whoaâ— mistery of the Incarnation Bv. And it must néedes be that boath the Father and the Mistery of the Incarnation be vnknowen when his name is odiouse by whome the Father is knowen and the causes of the sendinge vnderstoode M. But who sent Christ God the Father Therefore the high Preistes Scribes and Phariseis knewe not God They could not knowe the Father béecause they knewe not the sonne whome he had sent R. They bragged of God and bosted that they were the true worshippers of God but they knewe not God For he whiche will knowe God must knowe him by his word and not by hys owne Immaginations and dreames i. Iohn 3.1 M. Euen so before he sayde vnto them Yee neyther know me nor my Father if ye had knowne me ye would haue knowen my Father also Séeing therefore the world is ignoraunt of God it oughte not to séeme straunge if so be the name of Christ bee odiouse vnto the childeren of this world and if for his sake the Faithfull are made a mocking stock But let this saying of saynt Iohn comfort them Beehold what loue the father hath bestowed on vs that we should be called the sonnes of God For this cause the world knoweth vs not because it knoweth not him What is Christ I praye you in the eyes of the world without the knoweledge of God the Father but meere blasphemy And what are the faythfull seruauntes of Christ but a superstitiouse people For the which cause the vnbeleuers and wise men of this world haue made them alway a iesting stocke But concerninge the ignoraunce of God in the Iewes read in the seuenth chapter going before and the twenty eyght verse 22. Yf I hadde not come and spoken vnto them they should haue hadde no sinne but nowe haue they nothinge to cloake theire synne withall M. He séemed to excuse the vnbeléefe of the Iewes and also their hatered which they bare agaynst him and his disciples by this that hée sayde But al these thinges shal they doe vnto you for my names sake bicause they haue not known him who hath sent mee as though they had not done all thinges of mallice but of Ignoraunce For this cause hee added these wordes C. leste any man shoulde think that this serued to excuse theire falte and hee sheweth that they were maliciouslye blind euenas yf a man should shutte his eyes that he myght nott bée constrayned to sée the lyghte For otherwise it might haue béene obiected vnto Christ yf so bée they knowe not thy father howe commeth it to passe thâ—t thou doest not remedye their erroure Why dyddest thou not prooue whether they weare vnapte to bee taughte yee or noe Hee Aunswereth that hee hath done the duty of a good and faythfull teacher but without profite because mallice woulde not suffer them to come vnto a sounde minde Bv. As yf hee shoulde saye If I had not come and had so expresselye and plainlye opened vnto them the misteryes of the kingdome of GOD and the counsayle and loue of my Father they should haue had no sinne but nowe seeing I the sonne of God haue descended from heauen and haue expounded all the misteries of Gods kingdome and they them selues haue hearde and vnderstoode all thinges and yet would neyther knowe nor vnderstande them it cannot seeme ignoraunce which is maliciouse obstinacy and moste wicked contempt of the knowen trueth C. In these words also Chrrst séemeth to affirme that only vnbeleefe is sinne And there are some which so think For because Faith remitteth and wypeth awaye all synnes they saye that there is but one sinne of vnbeléefe which damneth This is truely spoken because vnbeléefe doth not only kéepe men from being deliuered from the desert of condemnation but also is the well spring and cause of all euels But all that disputation appertaineth nothing at all to this present place For the name of synne is not taken generally but for the circomstaunce of the cause in hand as if Christ should haue sayd that their ignoraunce was inexcusable because they had maliciously reiected God in his person euenas yf we should cal him giltlesse iust and pure whom we would absolue from one only fault of the which he was guilty Therefore this absolution of Christ is restrayned to one kinde of synne because he taketh from the Iewes the pretence of ignoraunce in the contempt and hatered of the Gospell Notwithstanding there aryseth yet a newe question as thus Was not the vnbeléefe which was before the comming of Christ sufficient to condemne men And they are madde men which gather amis of this place that whosoeuer dyed before the comming of Christ without fayth were in a doubtfull case vntill such tyme as Christ manifested him selfe vnto them As though there were not many places of Scripture which testify that the only testimony of conscience was sufficiente for them to condemnation Rom. 5 14 Death sayeth Saint Paul rayned in the world vntill Moyses Rom. 2 12 And in another place hee sayeth that they shall peryshe withoute Lawe which haue synned without the Lawe What then is the meaning of Christ There is in these wordes a concession or graunting because he meaneth that the Iewes haue now nothing any more to excuse their fault withal seing that wittingly willingly they had reiected the life offered vnto them And
so the excuse which he graunteth vnto them doth not quyte absolue them but doth only extenuate the greatnesse of the wickednesse according to this saying Lu. i2 47 The seruaunte which knoweth his maisters will and doth not the same shal be beaten with many stripes For it was not the purpose of Christ to promise pardon vnto others but to kéepe vnder his enemies which had obstinately reiected the grace of God whereby it might plainly appeare that they were vnworthy of all pardon and mercy And we must noate that he speaketh not of his bare comming but of that comming which was Ioyned with doctrine Neyther was it the presence of his body that did so much condemne them as did the contempt of his doctrine the which made them cleane without excuse And vnder their person he mynded to make all others afeard which doe eyther reiect the truth of God offered vnto them or else do opugne or withstand the same when they know it But although terrible vengeaunce hangeth ouer their heades Christ notwithstanding hath rather respect heare vnto his Disciples that he might encourage them with the vndoubted hope of victory lest at anye time they should geue place vnto the malice and wickednesse of the wicked For when we heare that such destruction shal be we may then tryumphe euenas it were in the middest of the battayle 23. Hee that hateth mee hateth my Father also M. Here séemeth to be a transposition of matter For this sentence seemeth to appertayne vnto those thinges which he speaketh by and by concerning the hate of him and of his father and therefore not to be sette in hys proper place But whether it be transposed or no it is a notable place by which we are taught that no man hateth the doctrine of the Gospell but he hateth God him selfe also Many professe otherwise with they re mouth For when they abhorre the Gospel they will séeme notwithstanding to be excelent worshippers of God but they are dissemblers for in their hartes lurketh the contempt of God Thus it commeth to passe that by the light of his doctrine he bewrayeth the wickednesse and hipocrisy of many Concerning the whiche matter reade the third and fifte Chapters going before M. And this is the common error of the whole worlde that men think that they knowe loue and worshippe God without Christ and that they are not ignoraunt of GOD that they doe not reiect him and hate him when they are Ignoraunt of hys sonne when they reiect and hate him Therefore by this saying of Christ they are condempned as haters of God which detest the trueth of Christes doctrine worse than they doe a Dogge or serpent whether they bée Iewes Turks or false Christians C. This place Therefore agréeeth with those which we haue séene before as this He which euel doth hateth the light Iohn 3 x Iohn 5.23 Also Hee which honoreth not the sonne honoreth not the father which sent him 24 If I hadde not done among them the works whiche noe other man did they should haue had no sinne but novv haue they boath seen and hated not onelye me but also my father M. Christ taketh awaye from the Scribes and Phariseis his enemies all excuse not only for that he came vnto them and spake vnto them but also bycause he had wrought so many wonderfull workes in the middest of them euen befor their face Euenas if Christ should haue sayde Bv. My workes which I haue wrought among them do manifestly prooue that I am the true Sonne of God the father from whom I am not deuided in escence Neyther hath there bene any from the beginning of the world whiche hath wrought so many and so great miracles Moyses truely wrought many great miracles in Egipt so did Elizeus and so did other of the Prophetes but yet no man was euer comparable vnto Christ For he did all thinges by hys owne power neyther did he hurt to any man but profited al men C. For in this Christ excelled in miracles because he was not a seruaunt as were the rest but was properly the authoure himselfe For he vsed his owne name his owne empery and his owne power to work myracles Moreouer by the name of workes he comprehendeth all those tokens of hys diuine glory which he shewed For both by miracles and by the power of the holy Ghost and by other documentes also he plainly proued him self to be the Son of God But nowe haue they both seene C. Nowe he concludeth that his enemies cannot escape by any maner of excuse because they had despised his power which plainly apeared to be diuine For God had reuealed his Maiestie in his sonne wherefore they should saye in vaine that they had to do only with a mortall man If he had only sayd But now they haue séene and not beléeued their falt hadde béen the lesse but when he saith that they sawe and hated boath him and his father he taketh from them all excuse C. This place teacheth vs how attentiue wée ought to be in considering the workes of God in the which when he declareth his power he would haue that honoure geuen vnto him which is due Wherevppon it followeth that they are vnthankfull vnto God which obscure his giftes or contemptuouslye ouer passe them 25. But this commeth to passe that the worde might be fulfilled that is wrighten in theire Lawe They hated me wih out cause C. That which is supernaturall séemeth to be Incredible But there is nothing more vnreasonable than to hate God Therefore Christ sayth that their myndes were so stuffed with mallice that they hated without a cause to the ende he might amplifye they re wickednesse And he alledgeth a place cut of the Psalme which he sayth is now fulfilled not that the same had not happened before vnto Dauid Psal 35.19 but because he would reprehend the obstinate wickednesse of that nation which continued from age to age without ende as yf he shoulde saye that they were nothing better then their Fathers which weare enemies vnto Dauid without a cause M. The Prophet often tymes complaineth as well in his owne as in Christes name Psa 25 19. Psa 69.5 that he was hated of his enemies without a cause And this is not without great consolation yf so be our conscience bearing vs witnesse we béeing giltlesse and innocent are subiect to the vniust hatered of wicked men so that we can saye with the Prophet and with Christ They hate mee without a cause Bv. For that which is spoken of Christ must also be vnderstoode of his members For as he was hated of them vniustly and with out deserte who oughte to haue loued him euenso the worlde persecuteth the godly for no other cause then for that they geue good counsayle condemne vnrighteousnesse and commend sanctimony and a blessed life for the which they were to be beloued and not to be hated CYR. For no man can tell what cause they had to hate For
did not here plainly affirme that the holy Ghost hath no other office than to establishe the kingdome of the sonne of God and to ratefye and confirme that for euer which the Father hath geuen vnto him To what ende then pertayneth the doctryne of the spirite Math. 17 5 Not to drawe vs from the scoole of Christ but rather to establishe and confirme that voyce by which we are commaunded to hear him Otherwise he should diminishe the glory of Christ which sayeth Hee shall glorify mee c As if he should saye After the holye Ghost shal be reuealed ye shall preach the Gospell to the whoale world and ye shall tell foorth my most gloryous vyctorye ouer the worlde sinne death Sathan and hell the which shall tourn to my great glory M. Let them noate and consider this which bragge and boast of the instruction and reuelation of the holy Ghost in the Churche The worke of the holye Ghost is not to gloryfye our strength wisdome and merittes but Christ which cannot bee glorifyed but in our heartes mortefyed and voyde of our owne ryghteousnesse C. When Christ addeth that the holye Ghoste shall take of his he geueth vs to vnderstande that we receiue his spirite to this ende that we might enioye his benefits For what doth it profite vs Surely it bringeth to passe that we are washed with the bloud of Christ that sinne is abolished by his death in vs that our ould man is crucefyed that his resurrection is of power to bring vs to newnesse of lyfe and finally that wée be pertakers of all his benefits and graces Therefore the spirite geueth vs nothing which is not in Christe but taketh from Christe to geue vnto vs. The lyke also wee muste thinke of doctrine i. Cor. i 30. For he doth not illuminate vs to drawe vs any whit from Christ but to fulfill that which Christ speaketh namely how that Christ is made vnto vs wisedome For it openeth vnto vs those treasures which are hidden in Christ To be short the Spirite doth in ritch vs with no other treasures than with the ritches of Christ that in all thinges Christe may be gloryfyed 15. All thinges that the father hath are myne Therefore sayde I not vnto you that hee shall take of mine and shewe vnto you C. Because Christ had séemed to haue spoken arrogantly lest he myght seeme to deminishe the glory of the father in saying Because he shall receiue of mine he strayght waye maketh mencion of the Father and confesseth that he hath all that from the father which he geueth vnto vs by his spirit But when he sayth that al things which the Father hath are his he speaketh in the person of a mediatoure because they shoulde drawe and receiue from the fulnesse of the same He alwayes hath respect vnto vs and speaketh of his Ritches to inuite vs to enioye the same and among the benefites which by his hand wée receiue from the Father hée reckoneth vp the spirite M. Let vs consider therefore of what dignitye the sonne of GOD is If all thinges are his whiche belong vnto the Father then is he of equall wisedome power and dignitye with the Father Mat. 11.27 and Lorde of all Herevpon it commeth that the Apostle Paule sayeth All thinges are youres and you are Christes i. Cor. 3.21 and Christ is Goddes M. Howebeit Christ speaketh not so muche here of his secréete power as hée doeth of his office 16. After a while and yee shall not see me and againe after a while and ye shall see me for I go to the Father M. The tyme was euen at hande that the Disciples being depriued of the presence of Christ shoulde bée verye heauy and sorrowfull the which sorrowe strayte after the resurrection of Christ shoulde bée tourned into greate ioye By the promise of this euerlasting ioye to come hée comforteth their mindes againe with these wordes B. I therefore speake vnto you of the holye Ghost the comforter by whome hereafter ye must be taught all thinges because the tyme is verye short which I haue to tarrye with you in the fleshe For euen anon I shal be caryed to death but shortly after I shal be restored to you againe but after another manner that is to saye by the presence of my spirite C. Howebeit othersome expounde it thus Ye shall sée me when I am rysen againe from the dead but it shall bée but for a short tyme because strayte after I shal be receyued into heauen But by this consolation he doth rather mittigate the sorrowe which they might conceyue by his absence affyrming that the same shoulde not bée long and so he commendeth the grace of his spirite by which he shoulde be with them for euer And it ought not to séeme absurde that he affyrmeth him selfe to be séene when he dwelleth in his Disciples by his spyrite for although he bée not discerned with our eyes yet notwithstanding Faith beholdeth Christes presence his presence is felt and seene with the eyes of fayth It is true which the Apostle sayeth VVee knowe that so long as wee are at home in the bodye 2. Cor 5.6 wee are absent from the Lorde For wee walke by fayth not after outward apperance Therefore the grace of the spirite is a glasse for vs in the which Christ wyll be séene according to this saying of Paule Though wee haue knowne Christ after the fleshe 2. Cor. 5 6 nowe yet henceforth knowe wee him henceforth no more 17. Then saide some of his Disciples betvven them selues vvhat is this that hee saieth 18. vnto vs After a vvhile and ye shall not see me and again after a vvhile and ye shall see me and that I go to the Father M. The matter it selfe of the which the Lorde spake as it was rare and seldome hearde so was it obscure vnto the Disciples and not easye to bée conceyued R. For fleshe and blood is deaffe at the Preaching of the Crosse and vnderstandeth nothing that is spoken of the Crosse For howe oftentimes had hée toulde his Apostles that hée woulde goe vnto the Father and take possession of a newe kingdome Howe often had hée made mencion of his Passion Notwithstanding they doe not as yet vnderstande the same so blynde is our nature in the worde of God without the spirite of Christ Suche is the doctrine of Christ that it requireth not carnall hearers but spirituall bearers and this is the cause that so fewe doe truelye vnderstand the same Notwithstanding wée must noate that not all but some of the Apostles not vnderstanding the wordes of the Lorde spake thus among them selues for they were not al of like capascity and wisedome 19. Iesus perceiued that they would aske him and sayde vnto them Doe yee enquire among your selues of that I saide After a while and ye shal not see mee and againe after a whyle ye shall see me R. This is an example of gentlenesse and carefulnesse Of gentlenesse in
him selfe loueth you becase ye haue loued me and haue beleued that I came out from God A. These wordes séeme quite and cleane to ouerthrowe all that the Lorde had spoken to his Diciples concerning intercession to his Father Obiection For he addeth that it is superfluous for him to praye vnto the Father Did he not before declare him selfe to be God and man in these wordes I will pray vnto the father Iohn i4 i6 and he shall giue you another comforter that he maye abide with you for euer Also Saint Iohn in another place calleth him our aduocate Rom 8 34 And Paule testefieth that he maketh interssion for vs. Heb 7 25 The same also is confirmed in the Hebrues But Christe doth not simplely denie in this place Aunsvvere that he wyl be an Intercessor but onely sheweth that his Father is so ready of him selfe to helpe them that he will willingly geue vnto them whatsoeuer they shal aske Christ our Intercessor B. Therfore Christ doth alwaye make Intercession for those that are his vntill such time as the number of them be full For that which he saith here and in the sixe and twenty verse how that it is not nedfull that he should praye vnto the Father for them is spoken in this respecte that hee had already obtayned his fathers fauoure toowardes them who at that time did both fauoure and imbrace them as the faithfull beléeuers in Christ M. This place is dilygentely to bée noated specialy against those which haue thrust in the Intercession of dead saintes into the Church because we haue no accesse vnto God for our sinnes saye they therefore we muste haue the saintes to be Intercessors for vs Euen as we cannot be admitted vnto the speach of a King before we vse some of his househoulde officers as meanes for vs. But Christe doth not in this sorte set his Father before vs whome he maketh so gentle and louing vnto vs that he sayth he will aske nothing for vs as for men voyde and destitute of his loue A. This Fatherly affection towards vs Esa 65 24 the Lorde him selfe also testifieth by hys Prophet saying It shall come to passe that before they call I will aunswer and before they aske I will heare to the ende we might not doubt but to finde the Father fauorable vnto vs so soone as wée call vpon him in the name of his Sonne For hee alwayes heareth him seeing hée is his onely begotten and most déere Sonne in whome hée is well pleased C. Moreouer when Christ is sayde to praye vnto the Father and to make intercession for vs let vs not imagine any carnall thing of him as though bée falling downe at his Fathers feete made such humble prayers for vs but the power and force of his sacrifice by which he hath once purchased the fauour of God towarde vs is alwaye lyuelye and effectuall and the bloude which he hath once shed for our righteousnesse is a continuall intercession for vs. Because ye haue loued me and haue beleued M. Christ in these wordes expresseth the cause of the loue of God the Father towarde vs shewing howe fayth in hym and the loue of him doe get vnto vs the loue of God the Father by which it commeth to passe that wée obtaine all things at his hande R. As if he shoulde saye because ye haue loued me and beleeued my Gospell therefore I haue reconsiled you vnto God that he may be now your Father ye are made the Sonnes of God by fayth in mee ye are made fellowe heyres of all Godes graces wherefore by me ye shall haue a readye waye to come vnto the Father C. By these wordes we are taught that there is one only bond of our coniunction with God And we are ioyned by true fayth which commeth from sincere affection the which he noteth by the name of loue For none doe beleeue purely in Christ but they whiche loue him with theyr whole heart Wherefore by this word loue he hath wel expressed the force and nature of faith But yf so be God beginneth to loue vs so sone as we loue Christ it foloweth that the beginninge of our saluation is of our selues because wée preuent the grace of God But contrary to this we haue many testimonies of Scripture i Iohn 4 i0 as these I will make them to loue me Agayne Not because wee loued him firste It shall not néede to repeate more places Rom 4 i7 because there is nothing more certayne then this doctrine That the lorde caleth those thinges that be not as though they were Ezech 36.26 that hee restoareth the dead to life Easy 65. that he maketh of stoany hartes hartes of flesh that he appereth vnto them which seke him not and that he loueth all those that are his before they are in this respecte we are sayde to be loued of God when we loue Christ because we haue a pledge of his loue whom before we abhorred as a seuere and cruell Iudge towarde vs. AVG. Therefore the Father loueth vs because we loue the Sonne hauing receaued of the father and the sonne that wee might loue the Father and the sonne 28 I went out from the Father and came into the vvorlde againe 1 leaue the vvorlde and goe to the Father C. This sentence commendeth vnto vs the deuine loue in Christ For we should haue no true fayth in hym yf we dydde not apprehende his deuine power For his death and resurrection the two pillors of fayth shoulde profite vs lytle or nothing at all except his heauenlye power be annexed vnto them Therefore we must imbrace Christ by a true and sincere fayth as the counsaile and power of God Let vs also consider to what ende hée came out from God namely that hee might be vnto vs wisdom sanctification righteousnes and redemption M. For this cause he sayth not simpely I am sent of God into this worlde Iohn 1 6 but I went out from the Father and came into the worlde Iohn also was sent of God the rest of the Prophetes also were sent of whome notwithstanding that cannot be sayde which Christ speaketh here of himselfe saying I went out from the father and came into the worlde that we might consider that to be in Christ Philiq 27 which is no other R But some will say how went hée out from the Father whiche was neuer seperated from him and howe goeth he out of the worlde when as all thinges in the same are ordered and gouerned by his power and care Hée wente oute from the Father because he abased himselfe taking vppon him the forme of a seruaunt He is gone out of the worlde because hee was contemned crucified and slaine by the worlde But all these thinges were done that he might goe vnto the Father that is to saye that he might bring man into the kingdome of God that hee myght make him Lorde ouer sinne the Crosse death and hell C. Therefore hee
he had receiued of his Fathers hande Notwithstanding this might seeme very absurde For there cannot be a better Rule of prayer deuised then if wee follow Christ our Captayne and mayster Math. 5 4 But we are commaunded to praye for all men yea euen for our enemies i Tim 2 1 Also the Apostle exhorteth that before al things prayers supplications intercessions and thanks geuing be made for all men Luk. 23 34 C. Furthermore Christ him selfe prayed after this Indifferently for all men saying Father forgeue them for they wotte not what they doe M. Moreouer it is the office of a Mediatoure not only to praye but also to offer And he offered him selfe vppon the Crosse for all men 2 Cor. 5 15 For as sayth Paul Christ dyed for all men Fynally Saint Iohn sayeth that he is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whoal world i Iohn 2 2 How then sayeth he that he prayeth not for the worlde seeing he dyed for all men Question and was the propitiation for the synnes of the whoale world C. This maye bée bréefly aunswered that these prayers which séeme to be made for all men are notwithstanding restrained to the electe of God Aunsvvere We ought to wish this and that man to be saued and so to comprehende all mankind because as yet we cannot distinguish the elect from the Reprobate yet notwithstanding we praye therewithall for the comming of Gods kingdome wishing that he would destroy his enemies This is euen as much as to praye for the saluation of all men whom wée knowe to be created after the Image of GOD and which are of the same nature that we are of and do leaue their destruction to the Iudgement of GOD whom he knoweth to be reprobates There was another sertayne spetiall cause of this prayer which ought not to be drawen into example For Christes prayer procéeded not only from the bare scence of fayth and loue but also from the féeling of his fathers secret Iudgementes which are hidden from vs so long as we walke through faith M. Therefore because wee knowe not who they are which so appertayne vnto the world that they can neuer be drawen away from the same it is méete that wée wishe well vnto all men and to declare our good wil by praier C. Furthermore by these wordes we gather that they whome it pleaseth God to loue out of this world shal be heirs of eternall lyfe and that this difference depended not vpon mans merites but vpon the méere good will and grace of God For the which place the cause of election in men muste fyrst beginne with fayth Christ plainly pronounceth that they were the fathers whiche were geuen vnto him And it is sertayne that they are therefore geuen that they might beléeue and that fayth commeth of this donation If so be this donation bée the originall of faith and that election go beefore the same what else can followe but that we confes that they are fréely chosen whom God will haue to be saued from amonge the rest of the worlde Nowe séeing Christ prayeth only for the elect the fayth of election is necessary for vs if so be we will haue our saluation commended to him of the father Therefore they doe great iniury to the faithfull which séeke to race oute of their mindes the knoweledg of their election to the ende they might depriue them of the helpe of Christe They also are here reprooued whiche vnder the pretence of their election geue them selues to all licentiousenesse of life and to negligence and sleweth in the work of the Lord whenas the same ought rather to mooue them to all godlinesse euenas Christ teacheth by hys example Furthermore whereas Christ prayeth not for the worlde but only for the elect it bringeth great horror and feare For for this cause the world ronneth headlong to all kynde of wickednesse to death to hell and into euerlasting condempnation for only the vnbeléeuinge for whom Christ prayeth ouercome in Christ through prayer all the euelles of the world and of the Deuell But the world by the Iust Iudgement of God is geuen ouer into a reprobate mynde and is lefte vnto his owne will and pleasure Wherefore as it liueth wickedly so by the horrible Iudgement of God it is cōdemned M. Here also we are taught to loue these hartely whom we knowe to belong vnto Christe and to the father and for that cause to make our earnest prayers vnto God for them 10. And all mine ar thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them R. This is a confyrmation of Christes prayer For Christ obtaineth that at the hands of the father which he prayeth for because al things belonging to the father are his the which he would not haue sayd yf he had not bene the sonne equall with the father M. To the father béelongeth the sempiternal diuinitie wisedome power goodnesse all honor and glory heauen earth and all thinges in them Aungels men and whatsoeuer else therefore all these thinges also belong vnto Christ whom the father hath made heire of all thinges C. Christe therefore speaketh this to shewe that he shall sertainly be heard of the father Hebr. i. 2. As if he should saye I commend no other vnto thée than those whom thou knowest to be thyne owne because I haue nothing which thou haste not Therfore I will not be denied R. Notwithstanding he séemeth heare to speake spetially of the electe These thinges are so common vnto the father and to Christ that Christ taketh none to be saued but those whome the father hath elected for the same purpose and all those whom God hath elected those Christ taketh into his charge and saueth When he addeth And J am glorified in thē he sheweth that he hath iuste cause to haue care for the electe and to séeke their saluation seeing they seeke whollye to sette forth his glory As if he should saye I am now going out of the world these shall abyde in the world and shall glorify me that is to saye they shall preach to the whole world my victory and triumphe ouer sinne death and hell C. And this is a notable confirmation of our faith that Christ wil neauer ceasse to haue care for our saluation if so be he be gloryfyed And to gloryfy Christ is fyrst of all to beleeue in him as in the sonne of God secondly for his sake to doe and suffer al thynges thirdly to seeke dilligently to bring al men to beleue in him to professe his name and to imbrace his truth and fourthly to expresse his spirite in al things by the exercise of true godlinesse Al which thinges are loked for at their handes which are geuen to Christ of the father 11. And now am I not in the worlde and they are in the woorlde and I come too thee Holy father kepe thorough thy owne name them which thou hast giuen me that they may also be one as we are C. Nowe
a familiar Apostle of Chryste That the Scripture might be fulfilled By this place a man shoulde gather amisse that the fall of Iudas shoulde rather be imputed to GOD than to him selfe bicause of the necessitie whiche was layde vppon hym by the Prophesie For the successe and sequell of matters oughte not therefore to be ascribed vnto Prophesies bicause the same is there foreshewed Neyther doo the Prophetes prophesie anye other thyng than the verye same whiche shoulde come to passe though they helde their peace Therefore wée muste not thynke the cause of any thing to be in them Most certayne it is that nothing happeneth but by the ordinaunce of GOD but the question is nowe onely concerning the Scripture whether their predictions and Prophesies bring any necessitie with them to men or no the whiche wée haue shewed alreadie to bee false Neyther was it the purpose of Christe to impute the cause of the destruction of Iudas vnto the Scripture but only to take away the occasion of offence whiche mighte trouble weake myndes And the reason why offence myghte be taken awaye was bicause the spirite of God had before testified that the same shoulde so come to passe For commonly at newe and vnwonted things we are muche afrayde This is a very necessarie admonition For how cōmeth it to passe at thys day that the greater parte of men so easily fall at euery stumbling blocke but bicause they remember not the testimonies of Scripture A. But of what Scripture is this that Christe speaketh for he expresseth not the place no more than he dydde in the eyghtéenth verse of the thirteenth Chapter before B. Wée must note that as what soeuer is written of the afflictions of the Sainctes the same dothe belong to the Lorde the head of the Sainctes yea and is fulfilled in hym Euen so it followeth that what soeuer is written of the enemies of Christe shoulde not only agrée but also be fulfilled in the enemies of Christe Héerevppon the Apostle Peter sayth Let his habitation be deserte and no man be dvvelling therein Act. 1.20 And his Byshopricke let another take Psal 69.26 The whiche place he alleageth as spoken of Iudas The whiche Psalme and the hundred and nyne also doo specially intreate of the Lordes punishment and of his enemies notwithstanding the contentes of them were first fulfilled in Dauid as in the figure of Christe and in his enemies which were types of the enemies of Christe but yet figuratiuely and truely fulfilled at the last in the Lorde and in hys enemies Héerevppon it séemeth that the Lorde spake in this present place of those things which are written in the sixtie nine Psal concerning his enemies By this place also we are taught that the holy Scripture can not be frustrate euen as Christ taught in the tenth chapter gooing before And therefore those thinges contayned in the same whether they appertayne to the saluation of the Godly or to the destruction of the Reprobate are so certaynely to be beleeued that wée néede nothing to doubte but that they shall be saued to whome the same promiseth saluation and those destroyed to whome soeuer the same threatneth destruction 13. Nowe come I to thee these words speake I in the worlde that they mighte haue my Ioy fullfilled in them selues C. Here Christe sheweth that he dyd not therefore so earnestly pray vnto the Father for his disciples as though hee were carefull for theire state to come but rather to ease them of theire care and sorrow M. He spake these thinges in the hearing of his disciples not bycause of him selfe or his Father but for their sakes As if he shoulde say hitherto haue I kept them in the worlde but nowe I come vnto thee wherfore I nowe commende them vnto thy prouidence And I speake these thinges that they might reioyce in my name knowing in what fauour I am with thee C. He calleth it his ioy bycause he him selfe was the aucthor cause and pledge of the same For in vs there is nothing but terror feare vnquietnes and sorrow and in Christe alone peace and Ioy. A. And this verse agreeth with that where Christe speaketh vnto his disciples after thys manner These thinges haue I spoken vnto you that my Ioye might remayne in you Iohn 15.11 and that your ioy mighte befull Compare the exposition of bothe places together and thou shalte haue the true meanynge of Christe 14. I haue geuen them thy worde and the worlde hathe hated them bycause they are not of the worlde euen as I also am not of the worlde C. For another cause hee commendeth the disciples vnto the Father bycause for the hatred of the worldes sake they had néede of his helpe And with all he sheweth the cause of the hatred namely for that they imbrace the word of God which the worlde can not abyde R. As if he shuld saye I haue preached vnto them the Gospel which they in like manner shal set foorthe hereafter too the whole worlde and for the same shall suffer persecution of the worlde For they are not of the worlde that is to say they teach those things which are contrary to the worlde for they preach impietie to be there wher the world placeth righteousnes and that they make sinne which the world coūteth Innocensy besyde al this they fashion not them selues after the maner of this world for they allowe of the will of God and dislike of those thinges which please the worlde C. Now we must note that cal it to minde which we hearde euē now that the ende of this prayer was that the Ioye of Christe might be fullfilled in vs. Therefore so often as the fury and rage of this worlde is so kendled in against vs that we seeme to be nere vnto destructiō let vs holde before vs this targuet that God neuer forsaketh them which labor for the Gospell He saith that they are not of the worlde bycause all they are seperated from thē which are regenerate by the spirite of God God therefore will not suffer his sheepe to wander amōg wolues but he will shewe him selfe a sheepehard vnto them A. But cōcerning these things we haue spoken more in the .15 Chapter going before and in the .9 verse of the same In lyke manner in what sence Christ is said not to be of this world read the .23 verse of the .8 chapter going before 15. I praye not that thou shoulde take them out of thys worlde but that thou keepe them from euill Christe dothe not teache hys father what he shoulde do vnto the Apostles ▪ and what not he speaketh these thinges bycause of the disciples whiche stode by for whom he prayed to the end they might knowe that this was the deuine custody that they might be preserued and kept in this euill and wicked worlde that they mighte not bee circumuented with the wickednes of the same C. Therfore Christ prouideth for their infirmitie to the ende he might temper
sentence but bicause by their prudence they might deliuer the oppressed to the iudge as the matter concerning him were sufficiently examined and knowen M. They made haste to finishe their purpose leste the wicked acte might be preuented or let by any tumult or trouble C. The Romaines called as wel the house of the Lieftenante as the Tribunall seate where iudgement was commonly giuen the iudgement haule It was in the morning A. Reade the exposition of this in the 27. of Mathew in the .11 verse Also concerning the reste of this chapter reade our commentarie vpon the sayd 27. chap. begynning at the sayd verse ⧠The .19 Chapter Then Pilate toke Iesus therfore and scurged him M. IT appeareth by that whiche followeth wherefore Pilate caused the Lord to be scourged R. He saw that the Iewes were so enuious against Christ that no persuation nor fayre speach could stay them from murdering him Wherefore to auoide a greater mischiefe whiche was the kylling of an Innocente hée chose a lesse punishmente C. Hopyng that the Iewes by this meane punishement would be contēted whē Christ was scourged M. But this purpose of Pilate though it were directed to auoyde the necessitie of killing Christe yet notwithstanding it can not be defended as well done For he shoulde fréely haue deliuered the Innocente and haue deliuered him out of the handes of the wicked and not to haue scourged him C. And whereas he laboreth so earnestly and profyteth nothing we muste therein consider Gods decrée by whiche Christe was appointed to death Yet notwithstanding his innocency was often times mayntayned by the testimony of the Iudge to the ende we might knowe that he béeing frée in all thinges from sinne was made gylty for others and sustayned the punishemente due for the sinnes of other R. Moreouer the Lord declared in his onely begotten Sonne how he will haue hys Electe and adopted sonnes to be handled in this worlde For if he suffered his onely begotten Sonne to be scourged how much more will he suffer his adopted Sonnes too be whipped and scourged Pro. 3.12 Apoc. 3.19 Whome the Lorde loueth sayth Salomon he correcteth and he scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth 2. And the souldiers wounde a Crowne of Thornes and put it on hys head and they did on hym a purple garment This no doubte was done at the commaundement of Pilate to set some note of offence vppon the Sonne of God bycause he made him selfe a king and this he did to fulfill the madnesse of the Iewes as if he had beene perswaded that Christe was rightly accused of them Notwithstanding the souldiers wente beyond their commission and delte more cruelly with Christe then they were commaunded euen as all the wicked are wente to doo who when any occasion of euill doing is offered vnto them gréedely take the same R. For the souldiers with contempte Crowne Christe put on him Purple and giue him a reede in his right hand for they heard that he desired a kingdome but while the wicked deryde and contemne him the purpose of God hath his effect For by these ceremonies Christe is set in his kingdome and it is declared that the kingdome of Christe is not of this world that is to say glorious in the flesh adorned with pompe mightie in external power but a thorney and purple kyngdome that is subiecte to afflictions and passions 4. Pilate wente foorthe agayne and said vnto them Behoulde I bryng hym foorth vnto you that ye may knowe that I finde no fault in hym M. Pilate testifieth againe of the innocency of Iesu A And therfore he pronounceth sentence againste him selfe For if so be Christe be subiect to no fault why was he wipped by the commaundemente of the Iudge After the same manner the tyrants at this day whiche cruelly vexe and torment the professors of the Gospel pronoūce many thinges against them selues wherby they shall one day be iudged For they say Woonderfull is the condition of these heretiques they haue nothing in their mouth but the woorde of God they talke alway of God and of Christe and contenting them selues with the word of the Gospell they contemne humaine traditions as superfluous many suche lyke thinges they speake by which they pronounce the cause of the Godly to be most Iuste and them selues moste wicked wretches R. As touching the ciuill law Christe of right shoulde haue beene sette at lybertie seeing the sentence of the Iudge was satisfied and the Ciuill lawes can geue to one cause but one punishemente But this is the lotte of Christ and of the Gospell in this worlde to haue wrong and iniustice in this worlde offered him For as at another tyme Christ was condemned by the Phariseis hys cause not heard and the Gospell contemned before it was knowen euen so at this time Christe though he were cleare and quit by the sentence of the Iudge yet notwithstanding impietie would haue hir pleasure 5. Then came Iesus foorth wearing a crowne of thorne and a robe of purple and Pilate sayth vnto them behoulde the man M. To the ende Pilate might somewhat pacifie the Iewes and might bring them to humaine compassion and pitie he fyrst pronounceth Christe to be an innocente secondly he willeth them to behold with more pittifull eyes the man myserably handeled and intreated and to laye asyde their furie As if he shoulde say if ye be men haue pittie vppon thys poore man miserably intreated if he be iuste discharge the Innocent R. But they were so farre from being satisfied and appeased that they waxed more outerageous than they were before crying with a lowde voyce Crucyfie him Crucifie him With the lyke voyce the mad Ethnix cryed out againste the Christians saying To the Beastes To the Beastes Away with the Church robbers away with them A. So the Papistes at thys day cry out against the professors of the Gospell To the fyre To the fyre To whome we may more modestly answere To the Scriptures To the Scriptures and as the Prophet speaketh To the lawe and to the testimony But these miserable men heare not this voyce C. Wonderfull verely was the madnes of the people of the Iewes and theyr crueltie no lesse whose myndes coulde not bée moued to pittie and mercie by so sorrowfull a sight But God was the moderator of all these thinges that hée myght reconcile the worlde to him selfe by the death of hys Sonne A. Concerning the verses following reade oure commentarie vppon the .27 of Mathew beginning at the .23 verse 31. The Iewes therfore because it was the prepartion of the Sabbath that the bodies shoulde not remayne on the crosse on the Sabbath day for that Sabbath day was a hie day besought Pilate that theyr legges myght be broken and that they myght be taken downe M. Thus far commeth the hystorie of the passion and crucifying of the Lorde and the Euangelist goeth forward with that which happened after the death of Christe C. Therfore that whiche he telleth concerning the Iewes
Lorde declareth that it is no straunge thinge to hym that the Capernaites séeing did not sée and beléeue in him He came for no other cause into this worlde than for their sakes whome the Father had ordained to euerlasting lyfe and had deliuered to him to be saued and he is most sertainly sure of this that they shall come to him and that he will reiect none of them but will willinglye imbrace euerye on of them but as for other he will not regarde them And thus he sheweth the cause why the Capernaites did not beléeue in hym namely because they were not geuen to hym of the Father C. Therefore lest theyr vnbeléefe shoulde derogate any thing from his doctrine he sayth that the cause of so greate obstinacie is for that they are reprobates and none of the flocke of Christ For this purpose therfore he putteth a difference betwene the elect and the reprobate that the aucthoritie of his Doctrine might stande neuerthelesse although many beleued not the same For the wicked do detracte from the worde of God and doe esteeme the same as nothing because they are not touched with the reuerence thereof and a great many weake and ignoraunt men doe doubte whether that be the word of God or noe which is reiected of the most parte of the worlde For this stumbling blocke Christ prouideth when he denyeth those to be his which beleue not If to suche the trueth of God be vnsauory it is no marueyle but all the children of God imbrace the same First of all we gather oute of thys place that the benefite of faith commeth of the free gift of God the Father not of humaine strengthe Whomesoeuer the father hath geuen to the sonne come to the Sonne C. Therefore faith is not in the wil of men that this or that man may beléeue without exception Fayth is the gift of God as it were by chaunce but God choseth them whom he delyuereth to the Sonne as it were from hand to hande For when he saith All that is geuen we maye gather that all are not geuen Moreouer we gather that GOD doeth worke in his elect with so greate efficacy of the Spirite that none of them do fall awaye from him For this worde of geuing is as muche as if Christe had sayde those whome the Father hath chosen he doth regenerate and addicteth them to me in the obedience of the Gospell Bv. They therefore which beleeue beleeue through the grace of God but they which beleeue not haue to accuse their owne wickednesse and not to finde fault with God Saluation commeth through grace Those whome the father will haue saued he geueth to the Sonne and the Sonne receiueth them And the father geueth when he driueth frameth the wills and affections of men and geueth them power and strength to beleue the word and miracles of the lord Christ The sonne receiueth when he frendly entertayneth all those that come to him and ioyneth them to him selfe And this is the meaning of the Apostle when he sayeth Rom. 8.30 Those whome he hath predestinate he hath called and whome he hath called he hath iustified and whome he hath iustified he hath also glorified M. Furthermore we must noat that Christ speaketh heare not according to that dyuine maiestie and excelency of the eternall worde to the whiche nothinge can be geuen that it hath not but accordinge to the dispensation of the mediation reconcilliation and humayne redemtion whiche he had taken in hande For the Father hath geuen to his Sonne as to a mediator Reconcilor Redéemer out of that sinfull multitude of mortall men those to be sauid whome he hath chosen to lyfe from euerlasting A Wee haue already shewed what it is to come vnto Christ M. For we must not vnderstand that whiche he here speaketh of euery one which commeth vnto hym for the vnbeléeuing Capernaites came vnto him whome notwitstandinge the Father had not geuen to him otherwise they had beleued in him but he speaketh of those which come to him as to the breade of lyfe and to the knowne Sauioure reuealed by the Father Concerning those I saye he saith And him that cometh to me J cast not awaye C. The whiche also partayneth to the consolation of the Godly that they maye be sure that they haue free accesse vnto Christ and shall be gently receyued so soone as they commit them selues to his faith and charge Wherevpon it foloweth that the doctrine of the Gospell shal be helthfull to those that are the children of God because no man offereth him selfe to be a disciple vnto Christe but he whiche feeleth hym and hath experience that hée is a faithfull teacher A. This place therefore agreeth with that whiche wée shall see hereafter Ioh. 18.47 He whiche is of God heareth Gods worde therefore ye do not heare because ye are not of god Agayne Ioh. 10.26 My sheepe heare my voyce and followe me therefore ye doe not beleeue Acte 13.48 because ye are none of my sheepe M. For we reade that they beleeued the word so many as were ordayned to euerlasting lyfe B. They therefore whiche are abiectes to the worlde and are despised as duste maye be of good courage For Christe will louingly receiue them if so be they come to him in faith For he casteth none awaye that come to him in faith he preserueth his to the ende Ioh. 10.18 they shall neuer perish M. For they are Citizens with the Saintes and of the housholde of God wherfore they can neuer be excluded out of the kingdom of God But seing it is knowen to God alone who they are that are geuen to Christe to be sauid and who not Ephe. 2 for the Lorde knoweth who are his yet notwitstanding no man canne be ignoraunt whether he commeth vnto Christe by fayeth and with a desier of heauenly grace 2. Tim. 2.19 or not For what can be more euident and manifest to our harte than that whiche oure harte most of all desiereth 2. Cor. 13.5 Whervpon the Apostle saith Trye and proue youre selues whether ye be in the Faith or no. Do ye not knowe youre selues whether Christe Iesus be in you So that we are made sure by that which is manifest concerning those things which are hidden from vs as whether the father hath geuen vs to the sonne and whether the sonne will cast vs away or no. If wée come to Chist no doubt we are geuen to him of the Father and we shall neuer be cast awaye B. But seeing none can be perswaded of these thinges but the electe that is to say such as are indewed with Gods Spirite and are regenerate who are so farre from being brought to security and slouth by the preaching of these thinges that nothing can so muche styrre them vp to the loue of God and to euery good worke it is playne ynough that they know not what they saye which affirme that these thinges ought not to