are with Christ true Pastours because they entered in to the Church by the worde of the Lord and fed the people of God in the pastures of Christ C. Therefore we must noate by the wordes of Christ that thinges contrary are compared here together but yet betwene the Lawe and the Doctrine of the Gospell there shal be so litle difference and contrarietye found that the Lawe shal appeare to bée nothing else but a preparatiue to the Gospell To be short Christ testifyeth that all doctrines by which the world hath béene seduced from him were nothing but mortall plagues because without him there is nothing but deadly destruction R. therefore all the teachers of humaine tradicions and the carnal interpretours of the Law are Théeues and murderers for with theyr pestilent docttrine they murder soules For they which beléeue lyes doe perishe togeather with the lyes whiche they beléeue C. Neuerthelesse by these we are taught Antiquitie proueth not the truth how much God estéemeth of antiquitye and how much also we ought to esteme of the same so often as it is brought in to contend with Christ For to the end no man myght bee moued herewith that in all ages there haue béene teachers who haue cared for nothing lesse than to direct leade men vnto Christ Christ himselfe expreslye sayth that it maketh no matter how many such there haue béene or howe long agoe they haue béene because this is to be considred that there is but one doore the which whosoeuer leaueth and diggeth vp gates and breaketh vp doores to enter in is a Théefe and a Robber But the Sheepe did not heare them M. By these shéepe hée meaneth the elect C. and hée proueth that they were not of the Churche of God which haue béene led out of the waye by false teachers First of all this is therefore spoken lest when wée behoulde the great multitude of suche as go astraye wée by their example thinke that wée also may go astraye and perish For this is no small consolation and matter of trust when we knowe that Christ hath alwayes defended his shéepe from the manifolde lyings in wayght of woolues and théeues A. To this effect also pertayneth that which hée sayth in another place namely that false Prophetes and false Christes shoulde worke wonders so that many shoulde be seduced and euen the elect also if it were possible Mat 24.24 C. It may bée and often times it commeth to passe that the shéepe doe erre and goe astraye before they be gathered into the Shéepefolde of Christ that is to saye before their calling In like manner it commeth often times to passe that they which haue béene of the housholde of Fayth are straungers for a time and after a sorte doe cease to be sheepe but these thinges are nothing repugnaunt with this sentence of Christ for thys is the simple meaning of Christ that al the elect of God though they haue bene tempted with an innumerable sort of errours are notwithstanding kept in the obedience of godly Fayth least they shoulde be made a praye for Sathan and his ministers And this worke of God is no lesse wonderfull when hée gathereth togither the shéepe that for a time haue gone astraye than if they shoulde haue remayned shutte vp in the shéepefolde for euer For this is alwaye and without exception true that they are not of vs i. Iohn i i9 which goe out from vs but they which are of vs doe abyde with vs to the ende of the worlde Bv. Therefore because the electe haue alwayes the marcke of Goddes Children and of the Lordes slocke printed in their heartes by and by they knowe that the same which is sette forth by false teachers procéedeth from another spirite These shéepe loue Christ desyer christ and séeke after Christ yf any man therefore preach him if any man bring hys word they ioyfully receiue the same whereas they do not know a straungers voyce but flee from the same They are straungers which differ from Christe which want the spirite of Christe and which abhorre the voyce of Christ that is to saye they are straungers which forsake the true Faith The Bishoppe of Rome a false teacher Wherefore let not the Bishop of Rome maruel that we wil not heare his voyce For he preacheth not vnto vs Christ the true Shepheard in him all thinges but he preacheth vnto vs him selfe For he would séeme to bée and would be accounted in déede the heade of the vniuersall Church he boasteth him selfe to be the great Pastoure in earth the vicar of Christ which can bind and remit our sinnes Therefore séeing we are Christes and doe knowe no mans voyce but the voyce of this our Shepheard let that Lycaon with his deceyuours and false teachers go to the place which hée hath deserued Lycaon was a King of the Archades who went about by murder to deface the God Iupiter as Ouid writeth C. But if so bée the number of the Faythfull be lesse then were to be wished also if so be many out of a fewe slide awaye the godly teachers haue herewith all to comforte them selues that Gods elect which are the shéepe of Christ heareth them A. He which knoweth God saith saint Iohn heareth vs. C. It is our partes dilligently to endeuour our selues by all means to seke to bring the whoale world to the vnitie of fayth if it might be in the mean time let vs be contented with our nomber be it neuer so small 9. I am the doore by me if any man enter in hee shall bee safe and shall goe in and out and finde pasture I am the doore R. Twise Christ calleth himselfe the Doore not by superfluous repitition but by a necessarye explication of a double Doore B. For there is a Doore of true pastours and another also for shéepe as we haue declared before in the seauenth verse By me if any man enter C. A notable consolation for the godlye For Christ promiseth vnto them health and a prosperous state Then hée expresseth two partes the first is that they shall go safely whether soeuer it shall be néedefull the seconde is that they shall eate to their contentation By egresse and regresse that is to say by going out and comming in the Scripture often times meaneth all the actions of mans lyfe 2. Par. 2.10 Deu 28.6 Psa 12i 8 M. as in the first Chapter of the seconde booke of Cronicles in the eyght and twentie Chapter of Deuteronomie and in the hundered and one and twentie Psalme C. Therefore in these wordes a double vse of the Gospell is commended vnto vs the first that in Christ our soules shall finde pasture which otherwise are readye to pine and are fedde with nothing but winde the seconde that he will be a sure defence and forte to vs against the inuasion of Wolues and théeues R. For the Gospell the wordes of lyfe righteousnesse saluation lyfe and all Gods graces are pasture
tyranny towards another mans flocke M. Christ vseth the present tence to declare that he is readye to suffer death for his sheepe 16. Other sheepe I haue also whiche are not of this foulde them also must I bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shal be one sheepefould and one sheephearde Other Sheepe I haue C. There is no doubte but that in speaking these wordes he had respeect vnto the Gentiles Bv. minding to shew that the Gentiles also pertayned to the congregation of Gods people But wherefore then and howe doeth he call them other shéepe Which are not of this foulde Of what fould I pray you were they not were they not of the Shéepfoulde of Christ No verilye but of the shéepfoulde of the Iewishe Sinagogue C. For he calleth the gathering togeather of the olde people a Shéepfould by which collection they being taken from among other Nations of the worlde grewe to one bodye and the people of God For God dyd so seuere the Iewes to him selfe from among other people that by Rites and Ceremonyes he dyd as it were hedge and fence them in least they should bée mixed with the vnbeléeuing howbeit the doore of the foulde was the frée couenaunt of God concerning euerlasting lyfe established in Christ Therefore he calleth them other shéepe which had not the same marke but were of another kinde The summe is this that the Pastorall office of Christ is not shut vp in a corner of Iewrye but is extended to the whole worlde Bv. For the shéepe of Christ are not onely in Iewrye and in Galilee but in all places of the worlde For as there are many wolues within the Church so without there are many shéepe C. For the vnbeléeuing in them selues can be thought nothing lesse then shéepe Wherefore this doeth appertaine to the secréete election of the Father because we are shéepe already vnto God before we feele him to be our sheapheard euen as in another place we are sayde to be enemies vnto God at such tyme as he loued vs. For the which cause also Paule saith that God rather knewe vs than we him Gala. 5.10 M. They therefore which at the first were farre from God are made neighboures and Cittezens of the Saintes and of the houshoulde of GOD by Faith Them also must J bring C. Hée geueth vs here to vnderstand that Gods election is sure insomuche that nothing can perishe whiche hée woulde should bée saued For the secreete counsaile and purpose of GOD by which menne are ordained to lyfe is in due time made manifest by calling and this calling also is effectuall when GOD by his spirite regenerateth to him selfe those to bée his children which at the first were borne of fleshe and blood M. Furthermore Christ challengeth this bringing or leading of the shéepe to him selfe when as notwithstanding hée doeth the same by the Ministerye of the worde and by working of the holy ghost Wherevppon Paule also calleth the Apostles Ministers Ioynt-workers or fellowelabourers of God i. Cor. 3.9 Christ therefore bringeth his shéepe by the ministerye of the worde and by the operation of the holye ghoste by which hée inspireth openeth illuminateth regenerateth and gouerneth the heartes of the elect Question C. Notwithstanding here it maye bée demaunded howe the Gentiles were brought that they might be infolded with the Iewes For it was not méete that the Iewes shoulde reiect and forsake the couenaunt which GOD had made with their Fathers that they might become Christes Disciples againe it was not méete that the Gentiles shoulde bée vnder the yoake of the Lawe that being ingraffed into Christ they might be associate with the Iewes Here we must learne the distinction betwéene the substaunce of the couenaunt and external accessions Aunsvvere or commings to For the Gentiles coulde not otherwise come to the Faith in Christ than by imbracing that euerlasting couenaunt in the which was founded the saluation of the worlde Thus were these prophesies fulfilled Esai 19.18 In that daye shall fiue Citties in the lande of Egipte speake the language of Canaan And againe In those dayes shall tenne menne take houlde out of all languages of the Nations Zach. 8.23 euen take houlde of the skirte of him that is a Iewe and saye wee wyll goe with you Also it is sayde that they shall come from farre and ascende into mount Sion Therefore was Abraham called the Father of many Nations Math. 8. xi because there shoulde come from the East and from the West and rest with him in the kingdome of God And thus wée are ioyned to the Iewes in the vnitye of Faith as touching the substaunce but the Ceremonies are abolished least they should let him from reaching forth his hand vnto vs. And they shall heare my voyce Bv. That is to saye They shall receyue the doctrine of the Gospell For because they are of God therefore they knowe the voice of God M. Therefore as it is the office of Christ to leade and gouerne vs so also it is our duties to obaye him The shéepe by nature heare the voyce of the sheaphearde and the elect haue the same propertye not by the benefite of their first Natiuitye but by the gift of God For he which before wée were borne chose vs to life the same also endued our mindes with this that when the howre of our calling commeth wee should heare our heauenly Sheaphearde calling vs and should follow his voyce Thus it is written And they beleeued Actes i3 i4 so many as were foreordained to lyfe Notwithstanding we must take héede least we iudge any man rashly as though he should not appertaine to the number of the elect which doth not come without delaye being called to the kingdome of God For the Apostle Paul dyd strayte waye beléeue and obeye the Gospell Gala. i xlij It is most certaine that they are Gods elect and chosen which heare the voyce of this Sheapheard but it is not by and by so certaine that they are Reprobates which do not forth with heare but make delaye for a tyme. And there shal be one sheapfoulde Bv. When the Gentiles haue receyued the Euangelicall Faith they shal be associate and ioyned to the faithfull people of the Iewes and so of them bothe there shal be one foulde that is of the Iewes and Gentiles there shal be one Church One God sayeth Paul one Fayth Ephe. 4.4 and one Baptisme Therfore we must bée one euen as we are called into one hope Vnitye of the Church M. Hereby we sée whereof the vnity of the Churche of Christ consisteth of the which the Papistes bable and prate so muche at this daye They place the vnitye of the Churche in the Catholike obedience of the Bishop of Rome as though this were the true vnitye of the members of Christ to be vnder the Bishoppe of Rome as vnder the vniuersall heade and to vse these Rites in the Churche which were brought in by
Gospell not to liue at their owne pleasure but that their light might shine before men not to be Princes of this worlde but to beare the crosse wyth Christ Who came not to be ministred vnto Mat. 20.28 but to minister him selfe and to giue his life a redemption for many M. Wherfore let the Bishoppes of Rome marke well and sée how they defend their Lordship which they haue in the Churche vnder the pretence of Christ 19. And for theyr sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also mighte be sanctified through the truthe R. To sanctifie is to ceparate to diuine vses C. Therefore in these words he doth more playnly explicate from whence that sanctificatioÌ„ doth come which is wrought in vs by the doctrine of the Gospell namely bicause he hath consecrated him selfe to the Father that his holinesse mighte appertayne vnto vs. For as the blessinge is extended from the firste fruites to the whole increace euen so the spirite â—f God doth sprinkle vs with the holinesse of Christe and maketâ— vs partakers of the same and that not onely by imputation for by this meanes he is sayde to be made vnto vs righteousnesse but he is also saide to be made vnto vs sanctificaon .1 Cor. 1.30 bicause after a sorte he offereth vs to the Father that by his spirite we may be renued into true holynesse And althoughe this sanctification perteineth to the whole lyfe of Christe yet notwithstanding it is specially to bée seene in the sacrifice of hys death bicause then he appeared to be a true Priest whiche consecrated the Temple the Altar all the Vessels Exod. 29.1 and the people by the power of his spirite A. Euen as before tyme in the Lawe it was shadowed R. Christe therefore sanctifieth him selfe That is he is made the instrument of God the Father by whiche he is glorified he offereth and sacrificeth him selfe that we also may be made the instrumentes and true sacrifices of hys diuine glory Sanctification M. For Christe hath not so sanctified hym selfe for vs that we may abide prophane and farre separate from the communion of his spirite and sanctification but although we be saued by hys onely holynesse yet notwithstanding we are sanctified also by the participation of his spirite They which are voyde of the same promise vnto them selues in vayne the fellowship of Christ Wherevpon the Apostle sayth Rom. 6.4 VVe are buried vvith him by Baptisme into his deathe that lykevvyse as Christe vvas raysed vp from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so vve also shoulde vvalke in nevvnesse of lyfe And in another place he sayth Roma 12.1 Offer vp your bodies a quicke sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God vvhiche is your reasonable seruice This therfore is the sence meaning I sanctifie my self that is I dye for them that they by my death may be filled with the spirite of sanctification and may be made the holy vessels of God by the reuealed spirite of the Gospell M. This the Apostle comprehendeth in these wordes Hebr. 10.10 In the vvhiche will we are made holy euen by the offering of the body of Iesus Christe once for all In the truthe The worde of God is the truth euen as Christ sayd before Therefore the sanctification of the ministers of Christe and of the faythfull Acts. 15.9 Fayth maketh al thinges cleane consisteth in the truthe of Gods worde vppon the whiche fayth is grounded by whiche God purifieth the hartes Without this all things are prophane and vncleane 20. Neuerthelesse I pray not for them alone but for theÌ„ also which shall beleue on me through their preaching R. Thirdly Christe prayeth for all the faythfull whiche should be to the ende of the world This verily bringeth great consolation For if so be through the doctrine of the Gospell we beléeue in Christ there is no cause why we should doubt but that with the Apostles we are vnder Gods protection so that none of vs can perishe This praier of Christ is a quiet hauen into the whiche whosoeuer entereth he is safe from all perill of shipwracke for his wordes are of as great force as if he had solemly sworne that he is carefull for our saluation R. And firste of all this place confirmeth the authoritie of the Apostles agaynst those which very contemptuously extinuate and disprayse the preaching of the Gospell by the Apostles Prou. 20.9 for that they were men also subiect vnto errours And it is true that they were men in lyfe and in workes for who can say my harte is cleane but they preached the doctrine of the Gospel not by humaine but by the diuine ministerie Wherevppon Christe also prayeth for those which shoulde beleeue through their preaching Furthermore let our consciences be confyrmed agaynst the worlde and agaynst all the afflictions of the worlde For so soone as Christe prayed the Father hearde and the father hearing what remayneth but hys grace and readie affection towarde vs C. Let this also suffice vs whiche knowe that our fayth is founded vppon the Gospell preached by the Apoples though the worlde condemne vs a thousande tymes namely that Christe acknowledgeth vs for his speciall charge and coÌ„mendeth vs to his father Ioh. 11.41 of whom he can not choose but be heard C. When he addeth Throgh their preching He very well expresseth the forre and nature of fayth M. Euen as the Apostle Paule also Rom. 10 17 when he sayth that fayth coÌ„meth by hearing And the worde of the Apostles is nothing else but the Gospell which they were commaunded to preach in the worlde Mar. 16.15 C. Wo then vnto the Papistes whose fayth is so farre from thys rule that they are not ashamed most blasphemously to say that the scriptures are like vnto a Shipmans hose and to a nose of waxe and that therefore the tradition of the Churche shall be their direction and rule of fayth But let vs be assured that the same fayth onely is approued of the sonne of God our Iudge alone whiche is conceyued by the doctrine of the Apostles For there shall no certayne testimonie any where else bee founde than in their writinges We muste also note what fayth the word of the Apostles doth bring foorth This Christ declareth when he sayth Which beleeue in me Let nowe the Iewes Turkes and Romishe rable glory of their fayth but it maketh no matter what euery one beleeueth and in whome he beleeueth Euery doctrine hath his fayth but the Apostolicall doctrine begetteth onely the faith in Christ And this faith alone is partaker of this prayer of Christ of the promises concerning euerlasting life 21. That they all maye be one as thou father arte in me and I in thee and that they also may bee one in vs That the world may beleue that thou hast sent me R. That which Christ prayed for his Apostles he nowe also prayeth for all the faythfull that they might be of one fayth
errours Hee maketh him the Sonne of Ioseph and also a Nazarite by birth both which are very false and yet notwithstanding bycause hée sincerelye desired to profite his brother and to reueale Christ this his dilligence is accepted of GOD and hée hath also prosperous successe For truelie euery man must endeuour himselfe soberly to abide within his bounds And wée must not thinke that the Euangelist maketh mention of this thing as though it were worthy of prayse in Phillip that twise he enformeth and falselye reporteth of Christ but his doctrine is commended of him to be profitable howe corrupt and erronious soeuer it was because it tended to this ende to reueale Christ Foolishly hée calleth Iesus the sonne of Ioseph and ignorauntly hée maketh him a Nazarite notwithstanding hée applyeth this to no other than to the sonne of God which was borne at Bethlehem neyther doth hée make a counterfayte Christ but woulde onely haue him knowen to be such a one as Moyses and the Prophets had foreshewed We do sée therfore that this is the speciall poynt in doctrine namely that by all meanes they which heare vs maye come vnto Christ This place also teacheth vs not disdainfully to reiect that which simple and vnlearned men bring vnto vs concerning Christ though it be not so aptly alleaged if so be they direct vs vnto Christ But least we be drawen away by the false imaginations of men from Christ we haue alwayes this remedie at hande that is to saye to séeke for the pure knoledge of the trueth out of the Lawe and the Prophetes B. And in that that Philip sayde vnto Nathanael VVee haue founde him of whom Moyses the Law and the Prophets did write we may coniecture that Nathanael was studious in the Scriptures and had dilligently searched in them for the comming and kingdome of Christ 46. And Nathanael saide vnto him Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth Philip saith vnto him Come and see Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth R. Nathanael is offended at the basenes of the place according to the manner of fleshe and blood which is alwaies offended at abiect thinges because it alwaies aspireth to high and great thinges but God hideth his excellent workes vnder a base forme and showe that he might be wonderfull in his workes C. This godlye man is at the first offended with the vnaduised and rash talke of Phillip for that which he foolishly thought this man certainly beleeueth beside this by the hatred and contempte of the place he had conceiued a wrong Iudgement In like manner except we take héede diligently we shall not be without the same danger For trulye Satan dayly goeth about to staie vs with the like lettes from comming to christ For he seketh diligently to haue many lies spread abroad which may make vs either hate the Gospell or suspect the same that we may feare to taste thereof There is yet another stumbling blocke which he laith in our waie and that is to make Christ séeme contemptible vnto vs. For we doe see what a great offence to many the basenes of the Crosse is the which appeared as well in Christ the head as also in his members M. Nathanael therefore hauing regard to the wordes of the Prophete whiche foreshewed that Christ shoulde bée borne in Bethleem and not in Nazareth demaundeth whether any good thing can come out of Nazareth Mich. 5 So some in the company of the Pharisées sayde Shall Christ come foorth of Galilee Doeth not the Scripture saye that hée shall come of the séede of Dauid and out of the Citye of Bethlehem Come and see B. Iohn 7 When Philip was not able to resolue this doubt hée biddeth him come and sée M. For hée aunswereth nothing to the demaunde of Nathanael but that hée should goe with him to Christ and sée The which notable counsayle Andrewe also vsed before when he brought his brother Simon to Iesus For these twoo Andrew and Philip had so great experiēce in the force vertue of the Diuine power of Christ that with good and assured trust they desired nothing else but that hée should be heard of men being certified that it woulde come to passe that if any heard him they should haue so great experience of the light of the truth that afterwarde they shoulde féele no doubting in them B. Therefore Nathanael had so great a desire to the trueth that out of hand he followed Philippe to Iesus although it séemed to bée contrarye to the Scriptures whiche Philip had shewed And hereby hée got straight waye the knowledge of the Lorde C. For hée suffered his double errour by this inuitacion of Philippe to bee corrected Euen so by his example let vs shewe our selues tractable and readye to bée taught let vs not also refuse to inquyre and searche séeing Christ is alwayes ready to ease vs of those doubtes that trouble vs. And if at any time our obiections can not bée satisfied let vs not yet condemne that whiche is offered vnto vs and seasse to séeke any farther for the trueth 47. Iesus saw Nathanael comming to him and sayth of him behoulde a right Israelite in whome is no guile M. Nathanael was not of theyr crewe which condemned the Doctrine of the trueth before they heard or knew the same and by obstinate impietie could not abide to heare the same Such were the Scribes and Pharisées of the Iewes and that contrary to the Lawe of God as Nicodemus noteth Doeth our Lawe sayeth he iudge any man before it heare him Iohn 7 and know what he hath done Such are the Iudges and Byshops at this day of the Popish Church which very rashely reiect the Doctrine of the gospell condemne and persecute the same And sayeth of him beholde a right C. In that Christ prayseth Nathanael hée doth it not for his sake but vnder his person he propoundeth a common doctrine For séeing there are many which boast them selues to be faythfull which are nothing lesse it is méete that the true and good be discerned from the false and counterfayt by some note or marke Wée know how greatly the Iewes boasted in their Father Abraham when they boasted of the holinesse of their ofspring notwithstanding scarce one of them among an hundred was founde which was not a Bastard and a Stranger from the fayth of his fathers Therefore Christe to the ende hée might take away the cloake from the Hipocrites hée briefely defineth a true Israelite and doth therewith also take away the offence which afterward should arise vppon the wicked contumacie of that Nation For they which woulde be counted the Children of Abraham and the holye people of God became afterwarde mortall and sworne enimies of the Gospell Least therfore the common impietie almost of all estates should discourage or trouble anye man hée admonisheth before hande and in dewe time that among many which pretende the name of true Israelites few are true in déede R. But
séemeth good vnto God so the father wyll bée worshipped Therefore the wyll of God is that wée worshippe and serue him Psa 14.2 The Lorde looked downe from Heauen to see if there were any that would vnderstande and seeke after GOD. And in another place Psa 50.15 Call vpon me in the time of trouble and I wyll heare thee and deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifye me For that mightye God wyll be worshipped and called vppon of vs whome all the Angelles worship that we maye bée made pertakers of his grace and maye haue occasion to glorifye his name So hée sayeth in another place Esay 43.7 Euerye one shal be called by my name for I created him for my glorye formed him and made him Bv. This therefore is an argument taken of the good pleasure of God which is oftentymes reuealed vnto vs in the Scripture M. Wherefore all those Imagined and false worshippes are reiected which man hath deuised and this is prescribed to bee a true note of the worship of God that the same bée according to his Diuine wyll The which Socrates also is sayd to knowe and acknowledge 24. God is a Spirite and they that worshippe him must worship him in spirite and in the trueth Bv. The other argument of the Lord is taken from the nature of God God sayeth hée is a spirite where spirite is opposed against corporall substaunce Therefore God by his nature and substaunce is without a bodye Therefore he néedeth not neyther is hée delighted with corporall thinges neyther can wée winne his fauour with any thing but with the spirite He delighteth in pure sincere and spyritual thinges C. But séeing men are fleshe it is no maruaile if those thinges please them which bée agréeable to theyr disposition HerevpoÌ„ it commeth that many thinges are myxed with the worship of God which are full of corruptions and imperfections But it should become them to consider this aboue all things that they haue to do with God Question who hath no more agréement with fleshe than fire hath with water B. But thou wylt saye if God bée a spirite and therfore wyll haue no other worshippers of him but such as worship him in spirite and in trueth why then gaue hée so many Ceremonies to them of olde tyme Aunsvvere For he was then also a spyrite In déede hée was a spyrite neyther dyd God then regard any other worshippe than that of the spyrite but because the people was then more rude and lyke vnto a Childe it seemed good vnto him so to declare his glorye in a rude and Childishe people and to haue some worshippe especiallye hée required to bée feared and to haue his worde obeyed and that with the whole heart Beholde the worship of Spirite and truth C. Moreouer wée must note that truth is not here coÌ„pared with a lye but with the externall addition of Figures that the substance of spyritual worship might bée pure simple M. But the Bishops could not abyde this simplicity which was most acceptable to the Apostles and to the primitiue Church but so added Ceremonies vpon Ceremonies and beautified the same with outwarde shewe and made it glorious to the eye AV. that as this daye testifieth Christians farre excéede the Gentiles and the Iewes in superstition of external worshippe The which speciallye then preuayled when worldlye wisedome reiecting the word of God ruled the Religion of Christ For howe many is there at this daye which being contented with spirituall worshippe desyre not some externall Ceremonies to worshippe God withall B. When as notwithstanding Christian Religion for many signes receiued of Christ a fewe by which the true worship consisted and the same fewe easie to bée done râ—yall to bée vnderstoode pure to bée obserued M. Therefore this argument taken of the nature of God is most strong of all other and such that it is not onely knowne to the Godlye and faithful but also to many of the Heathen Philosophers and Poetes Whereby theyr madnesse appeareth to be the greater which thinke that they doe greatlye please God with Gold with siluer with Tapers with Images with Bels and with such lyke Gentillity A. Therfore let vs content our selues with this that God wyll be worshipped in spyrite and trueth and not with mans inuentions 25. The Woman sayeth vnto him I wote that Messias shall come which is called christ when he is come he wyl tell vs all thinges J wote that Messias shall come C. Although the Religion of the Samaritanes was impure and confounded with many errours yet notwithstanding they styll beare in minde certaine principles which they had taken out of the Lawe as this of the Messias M. For they also looked for Christ thus farre agréeing with the Iewes although in worship without Christ they greatly disagreed To this Messias therefore the woman appealed when shée knew not how to aunswere the wordes of the Lorde C. For it is probable or likely that when the Woman gathered by the wordes of Christ that there was a wonderfull and strange alteration of the Church at hand shée straight way remembred Christ vnder whome they loked for a perfect reformation of all thinges B. Wherevpon the woman as it were to make an ende of theyr talke I am not ignoraunt sayth shée that Christ promised of God loked for alreadye of thus many ages shall come vntyll whose comming I wyl reserue these questions for hee shall at large declare vnto vs all thinges whatsoeuer thou hast vttered concerning the abrogating of the worship of the Iewes of the Samaritanes and of the Gentiles concerning Religion and concerning the Well and water of lyfe C. Therefore when hée sayeth that Messias shall come hée séemeth to speake of a tyme neare at hande And truelye it maye appeare by many reasons that the mindes of all men for the most part were greatlye comforted by hope of the comming of the Messias which shoulde helpe those that were in miserye and euen at the brinke of destruction Bv. For all the Prophesies were fulfilled the kingdome was taken awaye from Israel and the Priesthoode Gen. 49.10 was subiect to the power and gouernment of the Gentiles according to the olde Prophesie of Israel When he is come he wil tell vs all thinges M. Therefore they which looked for Christe first acknowledged that knowledge of GOD which they had before his comming to bee obscure and imperfect Secondlye that the same should bée made perfect by the comming of Christ because hee should plainelye declare all thinges The whiche twoo thinges are verye necessarye for our times For vnlesse wee knowe that all thinges are obscure and vnperfecte without the knowledge of Christ and that by Christ all thinges necessarye for our Saluacion and the knowledge of God are plentifullye set foorth it can not bee that wée shoulde imbrace the Doctrine of Christ as necessarye to our Saluation C. Wherevppon wée see that this Woman preferreth Christ before Moyses and the Prophetes
the séede of Abraham but yet frée that they might be reckoned the heires of lyfe whome hee sanctifieth with his holy Spirite M. But séeing the Fayth of Abraham is so greatly commended Question that it shoulde be as an example for all other beléeuers to followe why doth Christe rather propounde his workes then his fayth For he sayth not If ye weare the children of Abraham ye would haue the Fayth of Abraham but if ye were the Children of Abraham ye woulde doe the déedes of Abraham I aunswere Because Abrahams fayth was not deade and voyde Aunsvvere but liuely and effectuall the Lord speaketh not of the workes of Abraham which were done without faith but he maketh mencion of the workes of Abraham as of frutes witnesing and declaring his faith because he purposed by manifest Argument to prooue that his aduersaries were degenerate from the pietie of Abraham For if they had had the fayth of Abraham they would haue declared the same by such workes as differeth not from the pietie of Abraham A good trée is knowen by good frute 40. But nowe yee goe aboute to kill mee a man that hath toulde you the truth which I haue heard of God this did not Abraham C. By the effect he declareth that they are not the children of Abraham because they resiste God For what notable thing is commended in Abraham but the obedience of Fayth This therefore is noate of difference so often as wee must put a difference betwéene Straungers and the Sonnes of God For vain titelles howsoeuer the world do estéeme of them are of no estimation with God M. Christ might haue obiected many other workes to the Iewes which they had committed whereby they declared them selues to be degenerate and vnlaufull children For Abraham was liberall but they were couetouse Abraham was sounde and perfect but they were ypocrites Abraham worshipped God aright but they made the howse of the Lordes worshippe a denne of théeues they deuoured widdowes howses which Abraham neuer did Christ I saye might haue obiected some of these thinges but leauing all these thinges he only obiecteth this that they went aboute to kill him For this was such a haynouse dede that no other was comparable vnto the same Wherevpon also in the parable of the vinyarde which was let out vnto the husband man in the latter ende of the same it is sayde that they went about to kill the Sonne which the Father sent vnto them as the heire of the vinyarde Mat. 21.38 Furthermore we are taught by this place that the mynde and purpose to doe any worke is accounted for the worke it selfe yea if thou consyder well the intent to doe any euell thing is worse then the worke it selfe and the intent to doe any good worke is better then the worke it selfe Intent to kil is worse thē slauter it selfe Better is the desyer to doe good to those that are in misery then the almes dede it selfe and the Intent to kill is worse than the murder it selfe The Almes dede maye be so done that it maye displease God concerning the which reade the fyrst of Mathewe A murderouse déede maye be so done that it maye please God as may appeare in the Leuites in Phineis in Iehu and so refused that God maye be displeased for the not dooing of it as wee maye sée in Agag Amalech whome Saule kept aliue Exod. 32 29 Num. 25.7 4. Kin. 10. 1. Kin. 15 8. 3. King 20.42 in Benadab king of Asciria whome Achab sent a way aliue But the desire and intent to doe good cannot displease God euen as the desyer to kill cannot please him A man that hath tould you the truth This oure Sauioure Christe addeth to shewe the wicked Ingratitude of the Iewes and to make it openly knowen that they are the Children of the Deuell because they were such sworne and mortall enemies to true and wholesome doctrine This did not Abraham M. What Did not Abraham kill a man We reade that he slue fower kinges and deliuered his kinsman Lotte out of their handes But the simple mening of Christes wordes is that Abraham was not so cruell as to kill an Innocent man Gen. 14 15 and that he was not so vnthankful as to kill one which instructed him in the truth and so wicked as to kill the Ambassodoure of God as did his posteritie 41 Yee doe the dedes of your father Then sayde they to hym we be not borne of fornication wee haue on father euen God M. We maye behoulde here great moderation in our sauioure Christ As yet he spareth them not by and by openly affirming that the Deuill is their Father the whiche notwithstanding he afterwarde did when they did not onely malapertly saye that they were the sonnes of Abraham but also the children of God Let vs also immitate this modesty that so long as it maye be done with the glory of God we may spare the wicked and to take héede that we do not styrre and mooue them so much as wee maye But rather let vs with méekenesse instruct them yf at any time it may please God to geue vnto them repentaunce and grace to knowe and beeléeue the truth We bee not borne of fornication Bv. These men styll obstinately goe forewarde to mayntaine their nobillitye speciallye when they perceiued by the order of Christes woordes that hée assigned the Deuyll to bée theyr Father Therefore nowe on the contrarye parte they doe not onelye boast themselues to bée the children of Abraham but also the children of God C. Howbeit they accounted it all one thing to be the children of Abraham and the children of GOD. But in this they dyd greatlye erre that they imagined God to bée tyed and bound to the séede of Abraham For thus they reason God chose the séede of Abraham to him selfe therefore séeing wée come of the séede of Abraham we must néedes be the children of God Now we sée how they thought that they receyued holynesse euen from their Mothers wombe because they came of a holye stocke Moreouer they goe about to proue them selues to be the Church of God because they had their originall of the holy Fathers euen as at this daye the continuall succession from the Fathers doeth puffe vp the Papistes and make them too swelling prowd With suche delusions Sathan beguileth them that they might deuide GOD from his worde the Church from the Faith and the kingdom of Heauen from the spirite But if so be the aunswere of Christ were auailable to refell the Iewes it is of no lesse force to conuince them at this daye For Hipocrites wyll alwayes falsefye the name of God but they shall neuer bring to passe but that they shal be accounted lyers of suche as leane to the iudgement of Christ M. We sée here that the wycked aduersaryes of Christ knew well inough that the impietye of false worship was spirituall whoredome and that the same was filthye and to be detested of the
menne for filthye lucers sake to extinguishe the Gospell But wée haue here a sheaphearde set before vs not the Bishoppe of Rome yea neyther Peter nor Paule but Christe the onelye begotten Sonne of God Bv. Furthermore they whiche gather vppon this place that there shal be one daye a mutuall consent and agréement amongst men in the whole world insomuche that none shall remaine an Infidell or vngodlye do erre and know not the Scriptures neyther doe consider what is the state and drifte of this place R. Againe there are some whiche gather of this place that after the last day of Iudgement all both good and euell shal be gathered togeather into one place of eternall lyfe but the opinion of these men is most foolishe For then shall the shéepe bée seperated from the Goates Mat. 25.46 and the iudgement of the shéepe shal be one and the iudgement of the Goates another as the Scripture plainelye testifyeth 17. Therefore doth my Father loue mee because I laye dovvne my life that I might take it againe B. This is a digression by which hée declareth howe hée woulde geue his life for his sheepe not that hee ought death any thing but because he would wyllinglye suffer the same that hée might take his lyfe vnto him agayne by his owne power Wherevpon it commeth that he sayth Herein is the loue of my Father declared in mee Herein it is certaine that I am loued of my Father that I geue my life to take it to me againe For this is deuine power the whiche being séene in mée who wyll not thinke thereby that I am greatlye loued of my Father C. There is also another farther cause why the Father loueth the Sonne For this voice was not heard in vaine from Heauen This is my well beloued Sonne in whome I am wel pleased But because for our sakes also hée was made man and because the father loued him to this ende that he might reconcile vs vnto him it is no maruaile if he affirme that he is therefore loued because our saluacion was dearer vnto him than his owne lyfe Bv. Hereby certainlye it is euident that the Sonne dyed with the good wyll of his Father and that the wyll and purpose of them boathe was all one in redéeming the worlde C. This therefore is a wonderfull commendation of the goodnesse of God which geueth vs iust occasion to wonder at him in that hée doeth not onely powre out his loue into vs but also referreth the same vnto vs as to the fynall cause And verilye Christ had no néede to take vppon him our fleshe in the which hée shoulde bée beloued but onelye that in redéeming of vs it might be a pleadge of his Fatherly mercy M. And it is not without cause that the Lorde maketh mencion here of his fatherlye goodnesse For hée went about to beate downe the mallice of the Phariseis whiche went about to perswade the blinde man that Christ was not of a God but a sinner that therewithall they might perswade that whatsoeuer he spake or dyd was not acceptable vnto God That I might take it to me againe C. Because the hearing of Christes death might not a litle greeue the Disciples and might also greatelye assaye their Faith he comforteth them with the hope of the resurrection which should strayte after followe as if hée shoulde saye that he dyd not dye to bee swallowed vp of death but that he might by and by after aryse a conquerour of death R. As if he shoulde saye Therefore hath GOD the Father glorifyed mée aboue all Creatures because I am obedient to him Phil. 2.8 to the death euen to the death of the Crosse For because I haue descended into the lower partes of the earth and am made the moste abiecte and contemptible performe therefore I wyll ascende aboue all the Heauens and God shall geue vnto mée a name whiche is aboue all names and shall greatlye honour me M. And whereas he arose not straite after hee had suffered the death of the Crosse but tarryed vntyll the thirde daye it was done to take awaye the suspicion of a fayned death and to set forth the glory of the vnwonted and miraculous resurrection Therefore in these wordes he declareth that his death was not after the common manner of menne but dispensatorye because lyfe shoulde presentlye followe death C. And it becommeth vs at this daye so to thinke of the death of Christ Resurrection of Christ that therewithall we remember the glorye of the resurrection So we knowe that he is lyfe because hee hauing fought with death hath mightely ouercome the same and made a noble triumphe A. For by death hee hath destroyed him which had power of death that is to saye the Deuell Heb. 2 i5 and hath made them free which all their lyfe time were meere bondslaues 18. No man taketh it from mee but I laye it downe of my selfe I haue power to laye it downe and haue power to to take it agayne this cōmaundement haue I receyued of my Father No man taketh it from mee M. If so bée to laye downe his lyfe signifyeth nothing else but to dye euen as to take awaye the lyfe is to kyll Howe then sayth he that no man taketh away the same from him Dyd not the Iewes kyll him Yes verilye If then they killed him they also tooke away his lyfe from him In déede they tooke it awaye but they dyd not extorte it from him by violence and against his wyll For they coulde not haue taken the same from him except he would wyllinglye haue dyed Herevppon he addeth this saying But J laye it downe of my selfe The which is not so to bée vnderstoode as if hée woulde kyll him selfe A. as the wicked Iewes obiected vnto him M. but because the laying downe of his lyfe was not in any mannes power but hée him selfe of his owne accorde layde downe the same C. Therefore hée doeth not onely deny that men haue power in them selues to kyll vnlesse hee suffer them but also exempteth him selfe from all force of necessitye But it is otherwise with vs who of necessitye are subiect to death by reason of sinne Christ also him selfe was borne a mortall man but this was voluntarye submission and not violent constraint This therefore pertaineth to the consolacion of the Disciples least when they shoulde sée him shortlye after to bée carried vnto death they might bée discouraged as though he had béene oppressed of his enemies but might know that the same came to passe by the wonderfull prouidence of God that he should suffer death to redéeme the flocke And this is alwayes a profitable doctrine that therefore the death of Christ was a satisfaction for sinnes because it was a voluntarye sacrifice according to that saying of Paule by the obedience of one man many became sinners I haue power to laye it downe R. This is euen the same which hée sayde before namelye that hée therfore suffered because so it