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
though he were dead yet shall hee liue Bv. Nowe Christ more plainelye reuealing himselfe sayth that he cannot onely by his prayers obtaine lyfe but also that hée is the lyfe it selfe of all that beléeue yea the liuing God which can rayse from the deade and preserue in life M. Hée knewe that Martha hadde not as yet the true knowledge of him and that therefore shée thought of the resurrection as did the rest of the Iewes who although they beléeued that the same shoulde bée yet notwithstanding by whose power the same shoulde bée they knew not because they wanted the true knowledge of Christ Wherefore that hée might signifie vnto Martha that hee was the rayser vp and quickener of deade men by whome the resurrection of the deade shoulde bée and whiche coulde also at that present restoare hir deade brother vnto life hée sayth I am the resurrection and the life B. that is to saye the authour of resurrection and lyfe and that power of GOD to rayse and to quicken As if hee shoulde saye Why hast thou respect vnto the resurrection to come concerning the which thou hast such an opinion as though it were not to be wrought by my power If thou knewest mée thou wouldest also knowe that I haue power geuen mée to rayse vp and to quicken and therefore wouldest nowe desyre mée to raise vp thy brother C. Therefore fyrst of all Christ affirmeth himselfe to be the resurrection and and the lyfe and afterwarde hée expoundeth boath partes of the sentence seuerallye In the fyrst parte hée calleth himselfe the resurrection because by order men are restoared from death before they are in the state of lyfe And verilye all mankinde is ouerwhelmed in death Therefore no man shall haue life but hee which is fyrste risen from death So Christ teacheth himselfe to be the beginning of life and afterwarde hée addeth that the perpetuitie of lyfe is the works of his grace And the exposytion which followeth straight after sheweth plainely that hée spake of spirituall lyfe as He that beleueth on me Wherefore then is Christ the resursurection because hée doth regenerate the Children of Adam which were alienate from GOD by synne that they may beginne to leade a newe lyfe of the which wée haue spoken in the fifte Chapter going before And the Apostle Paule very notabelye interpreteth this place in the seconde Chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians Let them bable then what they liste which affyrme that men are prepared by the motion of nature to receiue the grace of God It is as much as yf they should saye that the dead walke Faith is the resurrrection of the soule For wheras men haue lyfe breath sence vnderstanding and will the same tendeth to destruction because there is no part of the soule which is not corrupted and maymed And so it commeth to passe that death euerye where hath the vpper hande and kingdome For the death of the soule is an alienation from God Therefore they which beléeue in Christe whereas they were deade before beginne to liue because Fayth is the spirituall Resurrection of the soule and doth after a sorte animate the soule it selfe that it maye liue vnto God according to this saying The dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God and they that here it shall liue It is a notable titel of faith verely that Christ powring life into vs deliuereth vs from death 3. King i7 4 Kin 9.4 M. And that whiche Christ testifieth of him selfe can belong to no other We doe reade that holy men haue raysed vp some from the dead Rom. i5 i7 i Cor i5 21. as Elias and Elizeus But yet none of them was the resurrection and the life but Christ only 26. And vvhosoeuer lyueth and beleueth in mee shall neuer dye Beleeuest thou this The Lord Iesus had spoken two things which he orderly expoundeth He proued him selfe to be the resurrection when hée taught that life is restoared to the dead by faith C. Now followeth the exposition of the second member namely howe Christ is the life because he neuer suffereth the life which he hath once geuen to decaye but preserueth the same vnto the ende For what should become of men in so greate fragillitie of the fleshe if so bée they hauing once gotten life should bée left afterwarde vnto them selues Therfore it must néedes be that the continual state of life be founded vpon the power of the same Christ that he maye finishe that which he hath begon And the faithfull are therefore sayde neuer to dye because their mindes béeing renued with the incorruptible séede haue the spirite of Christ abyding in them by whiche they liue dayly For although the body be subiect vnto death because of sinne yet notwithstanding Rom 8 i0 the spirite is life for righteousenesse sake 2. Cor. 4 i6 Yea though the outward mâ—n perish yet the inward man is renued daye by daye And death it selfe is to them a sertain deliuerance from the seruitude of death Death is a deliuerance from the seruitude of death Iohn 5. R. There is no cause therefore whye they that beléeue shoulde feare and abhorre death because they haue passed already from death to life Beleeuest thou this C. Christ séemeth at the first sight to speake therefore of the spirituall lyfe that he might withdrawe the minde of Martha from her present desier Martha desiring that her brother might be restored to lyfe Christ aunswereth that he is the author of a farre more excelent lyfe because by his heauenly power he quickeneth the soules of the faythfull But there is no doubt but that he speaketh of a double grace Generally therfore there is no doubte but that he commendeth the spirituall lyfe which he geueth to all those that are his but hereby he ment to geue a tast of that power which he woulde afterwarde declare in raising vp of Lazarus M. And Christe knewe what Martha beléeued and what shée beléeued not he doeth not demaund therefore this question to the end he might learn but that he might drawe from her a confession of that fayth which he knew to be in her at that tyme. For it is not ynough for vs to beeléeue with the hart but it is also required that we confesse that with the mouth whiche we beléeue with the harte A. Furthermore Christe saith not vnderstandest thou this But Beleuest thou this For the ministers of God cannot be vnderstoode except they be vnderstode by faith 27. Shee sayde vnto him Ye Lord I beleeue that thou arte Christe the sonne of the liuinge GOD whiche should come into the world M. It séemeth that Martha vnderstoode not the wordes of Christ and that shée knewe not that which shée sayde shée beléeued namely what it is to be Christ the sonne of God Neuerthelesse there is no doubte but that shée had that Faith in Christ that shée doubted nothing at all of his wordes C. And to prooue that shée beléeued the
them selues and think that they shall escape vnpunished for abusing Christe he addeth heare a horrible threatening that although he rest and suffer yet his only doctrine shall suffice to condem them euen as in an other place he sayde that there shoulde neede no other iudge but Moises in whom they dyd glory Therfore the sence is this Iohn 5.45 I earnestlye desiring your saluation doo not vse my auctorytie in condemninge you but doo wholely séeke to saue that whiche was loste yet thinke not ye that you are therfore escaped the hand of God Bv. For they shall not escape vnpunished and go away without iudgement which contemne and reiecte the sonne of God C. For to speake of the least the onely worde which ye haue despised shall be a sufficient and meete Iudge And receyueth not my wordes C. This latter part is an exposition of that which wente before M. For in these wordes it is declared â—hat it is to obiect the Sonne of God and what they are which reiected him C. For because men haue hypocrisy ingraffed in them by nature there is nothing more easy for them than in words to boste that they are ready to receiue Christe and we sée how common this vaine boasting is euen amonge the most wicked Wherefore we muste remember this definition namelye that Christe is reiected when we imbrace not the pure doctrine of the Gospoll M. euen as to receiue Christe is nothing else but to receyue his worde by a liuely faithe C. The Papistes bragge with openne mouthe of the worde of God but so soone as the same is preached ther is nothing more hatfull vnto them These kisse Christ as Iudas did Therefore let vs learne to include him in his worde and geue vnto him that worshipe of obedience onely which he requireth The worde that I haue spoken C. He could not by a more gloriousse tytle extoll the authority of the Gospell than when he geueth the power of Iudgeing vnto the same For accordinge to these wordes the laste Iudgement shall be nothing else than an approuinge of the doctrine of the Gospell For Christ shall site vpon his tribunall seate but he affirmeth that he will pronounce that sentence out of his worde which he nowe preacheth This threatninge ought to make the wicked much afearde when they cannot escape the Iudgement of his doctrine which they nowe so prowdly contemne Againe hereby commeth a wonderfull consolation to the godly that howsoeuer they are now condemned of the worlde they are notwithstandinge already Iustefied in heauen because whersoeuer the faith of the Gospell hath this feate the tribunall seate of God is errected to saue We bearing our selues bould vpon this aucthoritye there is no cause why wée should care for the Papistes with theire preposterous Iudgementes because our faith reacheth aboue the Angels Bv. Therefore let vs well remember this and let vs take hede that we despise not the Lorde speaking to vs in his Gospell 49 For I haue not spoken of my selfe but the father which sente me he gaue mee commaundement what I should saye and what I shoulde speake C. Leste the externall shewe of man should deminish any thinge of the maiesty of God Christ calleth vs from the fame vnto his Father And for this cause he maketh mention so often times of his Father And verely seing it is greate wickednes to transfer vnto any other any parte of the deuine glory it is necessary that the same worde come from God to which Iudgment is geuen Bv. Christ therefore in these wordes doth very strongly maintaine the whole doctrine of his Gospell and proueth the same not to be humane but deuine vndoubted and authenticall C. Also here hée putteth a difference betwéene him and his Father not according to the deuine person simplye but rather according to the fleshe least the Doctrine being iudged to be of man shoulde haue the lesse waight and auctoritye Moreouer if so be the conciences of men shoulde be subiect vnto humaine lawes this reason of Christ shoulde not serue that his word shall be a Iudge because the same hath not come from man according to the saying of Saincte Iames There is one Lawe geuer which is able to saue and to destroye Moreouer hereby we maye gather what wicked and cruel sacriledge that is that the Pope dare presume to binde mens consciences vnto his immaginations for by this meanes he arrogateth more vnto him selfe then doth the sonne of God who denyeth that he speaketh any thing but according to the commaundement and prescript of hys Father A. The which he doth not only here affirme but very often also for the commendation of his doctrine as in the seuenth and eyghte Chapters goinge before 50 And I knowe that his commaundemente is lyfe euerlastinge whatsoeuer I speake therefore euen as the father badde mee so I speake C. Againe he commendeth the fruicte of his doctrine to the ende al men might the more willingly submit them selues vnto the same M. For hee sayeth not simply And his commaundement is euerlasting life but he sayeth I knowe that hys commaundemente is euerlastinge lyfe This is the testimony of the trueth and of the will of God towardes mankind He knewe what to teache and wherefore he was sent namely to preach the doctrine of eternall lyfe and for this cause was he sent of the Father that hee might be to the faithfull the author of euerlasting life This certainly also beecommeth the Ministers of Christ who ought to teach no other thing then that which they haue receiued in commaundement The which if they doo they also maye saye VVe speake not of our selues but hee which hath sent vs hath giuen vs a commaundement what wee shoulde teache and we know that his commaundement is eternall lyfe An excellent tytle verylye of the doctrine of Christ For the Gospell of Christe is the commaundement of God to euerlasting life that is to saye it is the doctrine or preaching of grace committed by the Father to Christ the sonne of God to eternall lyfe which he promiseth to them that beléeue in him R. For this commaundement the Father hath giuen to the sonne that hee shoulde descende into this worlde and saue all those that beeléeue For so God loued the whrlde that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that euery one which beléeueth in him should not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting M. The Lawe also was commaunded to Moyses but it was giuen vppon Mount Sina with feare trembling and leading to death but the Gospell is the commaundement of God giuen to Christ the sonne of God preached in Sion and spreade from thence throughout the whoale worlde being peaceable and swéete and wrighten by the spirite of God in the tables of their heartes which beleeue offering remission of sinnes and euerlasting lyfe to all that beléeue C. It is meete therefore that they féele the vengeaunce of God which are so wickedly bent that they now refuse him to be the Aucthor of lyfe
from our mothers wombe but our carnall nature Therefore it followeth that wée are naturallye banished out of the kingdome of God and being depriued of the celestiall life doe abide vnder the bondage of death This word fleshe doth signifye the whole man For fleshe in this place doth not onelye signify the bodye but also the Soule and euery part of man For the Papistes do very fondlye restraine it to that parte which they call sensuall because by this meanes the argument of Christ shoulde bée verye vaine as to saye that the second byrth is néedefull because some parte of vs is corrupted and defiled But if any man obiect and saye that there remaineth yet some parte of Gods giftes in this our degenerate and corrupt nature and therevppon conclude that we are not in euery part paruerted and polluted Wée maye easilye aunswere to this obiection and saye That those giftes whiche GOD lefte in vs after the fall of Adam in respect of them selues are highlye to bée estéemed and praysed but séeing the contagion and corruption of sinne hath difunded and spread it selfe throughout euery part we shall finde nothing in vs pure and frée from all pollusion Wherfore as we haue naturally some knowledge of God whereas there is ingraffed in vs a certaine discretion to iudge betwéene good and euill Whereas wée haue wit and reason to defende this present life and whereas wée excell the brute Beasts in so many notable giftes Mans nature defiled these thinges of them selues and as they proceede from God are verye notable but all thinges are defiled in vs no lesse than the Wine that is vnsauery through stinking Vesselles being made thereby verye hurtful Therefore because man is by nature from his Mothers Byrth onelye carnall hée must bée transformed againe by the Spirite that he maye beginne to be spirituall And this worde spirite is here taken twoo manner of wayes namelye for grace and for the effect of grace For in the first place Christ teacheth that the holye ghost is the onelye aucthour of a pure and reformed nature In the second place hée teacheth that we are spiritual so sone as wée are renued by the vertue of the same R. Of this manner of renuing the Apostle also speaketh saying The Lawe of the spirite of life setteth me free from the power of sinne and death through Iesus Christ For what the Lawe coulde not doe by that part by which it was weake through the flesh that did God by sending his owne sonne in the similltude of sinfull fleshe Euen by sinne condemned sinne in the fleshe Rom. 8. that the righteousnesse of the Lawe might bee fulfilled in vs whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite For they that are carnall are carnally minded But they that are spirituall are spirituall ye minded To be carnallye minded is death but to bee spirituallye minded is life and peace Because that the fleshlye minde is enmity against God for it is not obedient to the lawe of God neyther can bee So then they that are in the fleshe can not please God But ye are not in the fleshe but in the spirite If so be that the spirite of God dwell in you M. In this place the Apostle attributeth first to the fleshe and then to the spirite certaine thinges which make very wel for the declaration of the woords of Christ He geueth to the fleshe twoo impossible thinges The first is that it cannot obeye the Law of God The seconde that it can not please God Herevppon it followeth that the same is vnder the power of sinne and death as an enemie vnto God and that the Doctrine of the Letter whiche hée here calleth the Lawe cannot reforme the same in so muche that it standeth altogeather in neede of the Heauenlye power by whiche wee are regenerate Then he geueth that to the spirite which fulfilleth the iustification of the Lawe that is to saye which maketh man spirituall For the Law requireth a spirite conformable The spirite of God is the aucthor of our regeneration and agréeing with the will of God Such a will doth the holy ghost begette The spirite therfore deliuereth from the power of Sinne and death and quickeneth and therefore it is called the spirite of life C. But it is verye absurde which some haue gathered vppon this place of Christ namelye that wée take our beginning of our first Parentes not onelye in body but also in soule For Christ sayth nothing here but that wée are all carnall according to our Byrth and that our nature doth sauour and taste of nothing but fleshe in this respect that we bee borne mortall men into the worlde For he doth here simplye distinguishe betwéene the naturall and supernaturall gifte 7. Meruaile not that I sayde vnto thee Yee must be borne againe M. This sentence maye be referred as well to those thinges which goe before as to that which followeth B. as if the Lorde shoulde saye Thou hast heard good cause and reason Nicodemus why I sayde that no man can enter into the kingdome of GOD except hée bée borne againe meruaile not therefore M. But if wée referre it to that which followeth then wée must vnderstande that the Lorde went about to take from Nicodemus by the similitude following the maze which Nicodemus had conceyued by the straungenesse of the thing which hée hearde C. The which wée must not so take as though the Lorde woulde haue so notable a worke of God in mans regeneration to bee little esteemed of Nicodemus but hee woulde not haue him to woonder leaste his fayth shoulde bee hindered For manye reiect that which is difficile and hearde to bée vnderstoode as friuolous and vaine To be shorte wee must not doubt but that we are framed againe by Gods spirite and are made newe men although the maner how the same is brought to passe be not reuealed vnto vs. Ye must be borne againe M. First of all our Sauiour Christ excludeth himselfe from this necessitie of being borne againe not because hee had not the substaunce of fleshe of the which he was borne but because hée was not so borne of the same that he had néede of regeneration as other mortall men had and haue which are conceyued and borne vnder sinne Then he ioyneth Nicodemê° a learned man in the Lawe and the Prophetes and a Pharisey to the rest and includeth him to this necessitie of reregeneration with all other men Psal 53.4 Rom. 1.12 Heb. 7.16 R. For all haue gone out of the waye all are become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Luke 1.35 But Christe by right is exempted from this corruption seeing that hée is exempted from sinners Wherevppon the Angell sayde vnto Mary That holye thing which shall bee borne of thee shall be called the Sonne of GOD. 8. The winde bloweth whyther it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell vvhence it commeth and vvhyther it goeth So is euery
of Abraham And this faulte hath béene to common and generall in all Ages to referre to the oryginall of the fleshe the extraordinarye giftes of God and to ascribe vnto nature those remedies which God appointeth to correct the same 34. Iesus answered them Verilye verily I say vnto you that whosoeuer commytteth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne C. Here he vseth an argument of the contraries They boasted themselues to be frée but he proueth them to be the seruauntes of sinne because they being subiecte to the desyres of the fleshe dooe sinne daylye Bv. Ye thinke your selues sayth hée to bee verye frée but in déede ye are seruauntes For this is most certaine that hée is a seruaunt to that thing wherevnto hée is become obedient ye shewe your selues obedient to sinne therefore ye are the seruauntes of sinne and so by consequent the Deuell is your Lorde and Maister for hée ruleth here ouer suche as are subiect to sinne And it is maruaile that men are not conuinced and constrained by their owne experience to laye aside all Pride and to learne to humble them selues Also it is too common a thing at this day that the more a man is ouerwhelmed with sinne the more stoutly he braggeth and boasteth of frée wyll It is not true Captiuitye nor true seruitude if so be a man be borne a seruant of a Handmayde or be taken in the warre or doeth by Lawe sell him selfe into anothers power or if he bée shut into close prison but hée is a Captyue whiche is vnder the power of sinne and the Deuyll R. And such Captiues and seruaunts are all men by theyr owne nature Rom. 5.12 Because by one man sinne entered into the whole worlde and so by synne death came vppon all For by Adam all his posteritie became subiect to sinne to affliction death hell and to the cruell tyrannye of the Diuell And the Lawe and right of Sinne is to kill for the wages of sinne is death the Lawe of death is to condemne the Lawe of afflictions is to bring trouble and misery and the power and aucthoritye of Sathan is to destroye To these powers Adam hath made vs and all our strength subiect by hys obedience And this is so greate captiuitye and seruitude as greater cannot be deuised For whosoeuer is in this seruitude and bondage hée can doe nothing with a frée will hée hath no peace of conscience hée hath no rest howe frée soeuer he bée in bodye Out of this Captiuitye no Captiue coulde euer deliuer another Man captiued to sinne Wherefore Christ the Sonne of GOD descended from Heauen and was made man and by his Crosse Death and Resurrection hath deliuered vs from the Lawe and power of sinne leaste the same shoulde kyll vs from the power of death least the same shoulde condemne vs from the power of afflictions least they shoulde trouble vs and bring vs to miserye and from the power of Sathan least he should destroy vs. And hee hath restored vs to righteousnesse Christ hath made vs free to ioye to lyfe and into the fauour of the most mightye GOD and hath made vs the Sonnes of GOD whiche were before the bondeslaues of Sathan Also this true libertye must not bée drawne to carnall and to humaine desires but to faith and loue which are twoo workes of the holye Ghost setting vs at libertye Wherefore Faith is the Rular and Mistres in Sinnes in afflictions in death and in hell Faith ouercommeth sinne For it teacheth that we are so deliuered from them that they haue no power at all in vs neyther can destroy or condemne vs. Moreouer the reliques of sinne are purged awaye by faith and in stéede of sinnes the righteousnesse of GOD which is Christ is set In so muche that whatsoeuer true fayth commaundeth being dyrected to the worde which is Christ it cannot chose but bee righteousnesse howe muche so euer it séeme outwardlye to bée sinne Faith is the mistres in the libertye of spirituall thinges Nowe as Fayth is the Mistres in the liberiye of spirituall thinges so charitye is the Ladye in the libertye of corporall thinges as of Foode Apparell Moneye and suche kinde of earthlye benefites In these thinges wée must be so frée as charitye wyll suffer For although by the Lawe and libertye of Faith all externall thinges are frée yet notwithstanding the vse of this libertye is left vnto the dispensation of Charity as all meates by the Lawe of Fayth are frée For all thinges are cleane and that which entereth into the mouth of a man doeth not the defile the man notwithstanding charitye dispenseth the vse of this libertye T it i.xv. Mat xv xi i. Cor 8 13. Charity is the mistres of corporal thinges Wherevppon the Apostle Paule sayth If so bee meate offende my brother I wyll neuer eate fleshe Also hée sayth I maye doe all thinges but all thinges are not expedient For wée muste haue respecte vnto charitye So also the whole earth all heauen and the whole Sea and all thinges in them are frée by Faith For the earth is the Lordes and the fulnesse of the same and wée are the Lordes Wherefore the whole earth is frée for vs and oures also but charitye dispenseth the vse of this libertye which wyll not suffer mée to benefite my selfe to the iniurye and hurte of my neighboure For charitye stealeth not deceiueth not playeth not the Tyraunt neyther offendeth our neighbour in worde but if so bée it standeth in néede of any thing that is our neyghbours it séeketh to winne the same by intreatye and for money taking nothing without the good wyll of our neighbour Brieflye by Faith we are called into the most excellent libertye of the Children of GOD and by charitye wée are called into the seruice of our neigboure as the Apostle sayeth Owe nothing to any man but this that yée loue one another C. This therefore is the purpose of Christ Rom. xiij 8 to shewe that all are subiecte to sinne whome he deliuereth not insomuche that they are seruauntes euen from their birth taking the contagion and infection of Sinne of the corrupt nature Wée must also noate the comparison betwéene nature and grace vpon the which Christ here standeth whereby it shall easilye appeare that men are spoyled of libertie except they recouer the same from some other Bv. To this effect partayneth the whoale sixt Chapter almost of the Epistle of Saint Paule to the Romaynes where hée speaketh of this seruitude of sinne C. Moreouer this seruitude is so voluntarye that they which necessarily synne are notwithstanding not constrained to synne M. To synne here noateth and sygnifyeth not the symple acte but the verye purpose indeauoure and meditation of a corrupt minde and the wickednesse of depraued and defiled nature although the worke of syn follow not and is not as yet come into action insomuch that the Reprobates maye be sayde to synne euen as euell trées are sayde to bring foorth euyll
as the Gentiles which beléeue in him without whome there is no saluation Actes 4 12. C. Here hée added two Epithetes or tytles as the true and onelye because fyrst it is necessarye that fayth doe discerne God from the vayne imaginations of menne and imbracing him with fyrme assuraunce shoulde neuer fayle or swarue secondlye that menne myght iudge nothing to bée lame or vnperfect in God and hée might content them selues with him aloane This therefore is the meaning That they may acknowledge thée for the true God But by this meanes he séemeth to depriue him selfe of the ryght and name of the deuinitye Yf any man replye and saye Obiection that the name of GOD belongeth as well vnto Christe as to the Father then the same question shal be moued concerning the holye ghost For if so bée the Father onelye and the Sonne bée one GOD than the holye Ghost is put out of his degrée the whiche is no lesse absurde The aunswere herevnto is easelye made Aunsvvere If a man marke and consider well the manner of speache whiche Christe vseth in dyuers places of the Gospell of Saint Iohn of the whiche the Readers haue béene so often admonished alreadye that they cannot forget it Christ appearing in the forme of a man placeth the power essence and maiestye of GOD vnder the person of his Father Therefore there is but one true God the Father of Christ That is to saye that GOD which promised vnto the worlde long a goe a redéemer is one But in Christ wée shall fynde boath the vnitye and veritye of the dietye because Christ was therefore abased that hée might exalt vs. When we are come thus farre than his diuine Maiestie sheweth it selfe then is hée whollye knowne in the Father and the Father whollye in him In fine he which seperateth Christ from the diuinitye of the Father as doe the Iewes Turkes and Arrians he as yet knoweth not which is the onely true God but doeth rather deuise vnto him selfe a straunge God C. Therefore we are commaunded to knowe God and Christ whome he hath sent by whome as by his stretched out hand he draweth vs vnto him R. Also this place verye well agréeth with that where it is sayde I am the resurrection and the lyfe he that beleeueth on mee Ioh. ii â—5 though he were dead yet shall he lyue and whosoeuer lyueth and beleeueth in mee shall not dye for euer For fayth in Christ is the true knowledge of God Wherefore fayth is eternall lyfe because it possesseth Christ which is righteousnesse saluation and lyfe M. For this is the true God and eternall lyfe Iohn 5.20 C. But whereas it séemeth vnto some vniust that menne shoulde perishe for the ignoraunce of God onelye it commeth hereof Psal 36.9 because they doe not waye and consider that the well of lyfe is in the power of God onelye and that all they which haue forsaken him are depriued of lyfe Ephe. 4.18 Nowe séeing men come not vnto GOD but by faith infidelitye must of necessitye kéepe vs in death If anye man obiect and say Heb 11 6 that such as are iust otherwise and innocentes shall haue iniurye if they bée demaunded which want knowledge we may readilye aunswere that there is nothing ryght and sincere in menne so long as they abyde in theyr corrupt nature Gen 8 2i For the thought of mannes heart is euell euen from his childhoode Colloss 3 i0 but we are renewed as Paul testifyeth after the Image of GOD through knowledge 4. I haue glorifyed thee on the earth I haue fynished the worke vvhiche thou gauest me to doe M. Nowe hee speaketh of that by which he aduaunced the glorye of his fathers name boath by doctrine and by signes all the race of his dispensation ascribinge vnto him continuallye all thinges both him selfe and his doctrine and also the powers of his Miracles C. Yea in these wordes he comprehendeth al the partes of his Ministery meaning that hée hath finished all the whoale course of his calling for then was the due and full time when hée shoulde bée receyued vp into heauenlye glory For although the speciall parte was yet behinde namely the sacryfice of his death by whiche he made satisfaction for the sinnes of all men yet notwithstanding because the houre of death was nowe at hande he speaketh euen as if he had already suffered the same When he sayth I haue finished the worke which thou gauest me to he teacheth that the obedience by whiche God is gloryfied is not exercised in those workes which we in our owne lyking choose to bée good but in those workes which God committeth to euerye one to finishe Here let the Bishoppes and other Pastours take héede howe they depart out of this life whether they also can saye Wée haue gloryfied thée O Lorde vppon earth we haue finished the worke whiche thou gauest vs to doe C. This therefore is the summe of Christes wordes that he is set of the Father in the possession of his kingdom because hée hauing ended his race there wanted nothing more for him to do but onely to bring forth the fruite and effect by the power of the spirite of all those thinges which hee had done in the earth by the commaundement of his Father according to this saying of Paule Hee made him selfe of no reputacion takinge on him the forme of a seruaunt he humbled him selfe and became obedient to the death euen to the death of the crosse Phil 2.8 wherefore God hath exalted him and geuen him a name whiche is aboue euerye name 5. And now glorifie thou mee O Father with thine owne selfe with the glorie which I had with thee or euer the vvorlde vvas C. He now wisheth to be glorified with the Father not that the Father shoulde glorifie him within without witnesse but to the ende he being gloriouse receyued into heauen maye there declare his might and power that euery knée boath in heauen in earth and vnder the earth maye bowe Rom 6 i0 Therefore these wordes wyth thine owne selfe are compared with terrestriall and transitorye glory euen as the Apostle Paule when he saith that hée is once deade vnto sinne but now alyue vnto God expresseth the blessed immortalytye afterwarde hée declareth that hée desireth no borrowed or transitorye glorye but onelye that hée maye appeare to be suche a one in the fleshe as he was before the worlde was made or to speake more plainelye that the deuine maiestie which he alway had might nowe shine in the personne of the Mediatour and in the fleshe of manne which he had taken vpon him A. This place serueth greatlye to the confutation of the Arrians For although hee speake of the glorification of a man in the forme of a seruaunt yet notwithstanding the same Christ as hée is the worde of God which was in the beginning wyth God and God coescentiall with the Father and coequall in glorie had hys
inioyned to beare As if he should say It maketh no matter vnto thée neither hast thou any thing to doo to demaunde what shall become of thy fellow leaue this to my wil only consider of thy selfe and prepare thy selfe to follow whither soeuer thou art called R. Haue regard to thine own calling and not to an other mans I will haue a regarde to others my selfe If he abide and suffer no cruell death he abideth to me Bv. Yea if it be my will that he shal not dye but to abide in the state he is in now vntil I come to iudgement and that the same should be good for him what hast thou to doo with it I will haue thée nor no man else curiously to search out Gods counsayles or to discusse other mens callings Iohn is mine and I will vse him at my pleasure Therfore that which I sayd euen now I say agayne Luke 9.62 No man putting his hande to thē Plough and looking backe is meete for the kingdome of God R. I would to God that this sentence were imprinted in all mens mindes that euery one mighte learne to haue his duty in remembrance For what art thou sayth the Apostle which iudgest another mans seruant Rom. 14.4 To his owne master he standeth or falleth M. Notwithstanding we must here distinguish betweene that care which procedeth of curiosity Care procedeth of loue and of curiositie that which procedeth of loue C. For all care for our brethren is not superfluous if it obserue a meane then is it not curiositie but a good care M. This is curiositie to searche and séeke how long this or that man shall liue and whether he shall be riche or poore the which many do by curious artes rather then attending and regarding Christian charitie Let vs say If so be GOD wyll haue this Prince or that Tyrant to rayne vntill the ende of the world what is it to vs Let vs follow Christ our Captayn C. To be short let euery one of vs haue respecte vnto our neighboures to see if wee can draw them vnto Christ rather than by their offences to do euel our selues Vntil I come Math. 25.31 Act. 1.11 M. Therfore he geueth vs to vnderstand that he wil come agayne into this world the which also in other places is more playnly affirmed 23. Then went this saying abroade among the brethren that the same disciple should not dye c. C. The Euangelist declareth that an error sprong vp among the disciples by mistaking the wordes of Christ that Iohn shuld neuer dye M. The Euangelist therfore thought good to interprete truly the words of Christ not vnderstood but rashly taken least when he him self wer dead any note of vntruth might with offence be ascribed vnto the wordes of the Lord. Among the brethren C. He meaneth these Apostles which wer present at that saying not that the name of brethren appertayneeh to them alone Bv. For all Christians were called brethren But bicause they were the sanctifyed fyrst fruites of vnitie It may also be that others besyde the eleuen which wer presēt are noted Bv. Hereby we gather how apte and ready men are to erre For if so be those men which were as it were the fyrst pillers of the Church stombled at such a strawe what will we do which haue such great stombling blockes layd in our way C. Howbeit it is lyke that this error continued no longer among them than vntill they were replenished by the holy ghost Bv. Error springeth of diuers causes Error springeth of diuerse causes but specially of these two that is to say eyther of our affection which iudgeth not rightly of the eternall maiestie of god or else by some small wresting of the word of god Of wrong affection toward Iesus thus the disciples gathered Iesus loueth Iohn therefore Iohn shall not dye For those whom humaine affection loueth it wisheth to liue for euer To the wresting of the word of Christ this appertayned bicause they absolutely pronounced that Iohn should abyde in his present state vntill Christ came againe whereas he spake conditionally If I will haue him tary till I come what is that to thee C. Thus verye profytably Christ teacheth vs to our edification and that also very plainly but we by our corrupt and wicked imaginations do obscure darken the light Christ would not pronounce any thing certayne concerning Iohn but only approue that he had full power of life and death So that of it selfe it was a simple and profytable doctrine but the disciples deuise and imagine more than was spoken Wherfore that we may be safe from the same perill let vs learne soberlye to conceyue that which is spoken out of the worde of God M. Also by the present care of the Euangelist we are taught how circumspect we ought to be in reading the wordes of Christ the which one letter being added or taken away or chaunged may bee so peruerted that they will not testefye a truth but a lye and will serue to mayntayne contentions specially seeing it is a very hard matter to take away quite out of mens mindes an error once conceyued if so be it haue anye shewe of authoritie from Christ The which happened in this cause concerning the death of Iohn For such is the wickednes of mans nature that it rusheth headlong into all vanitie Wherupō it cōmeth to passe that this error also of the which the Euangelist hath warned vs to take héed is yet in the world For ther want not some which deny that he is dead M. but haue fayned that whē he had commaunded his sepulcher to be digged and was put into the same the next day after it was found emptie Iohn being caried aliue corporallye into paradise to Enoch and Elias who shall come at the latter day to warre agaynst Antechrist C. Wherfore wée see that ther is no ende of erring except wee simply imbrace that which the Lorde hath deliuered reiect all other Imaginations comments and surmises Bv. These thinges teache vs not to trust to much to our owne wisedome lest we lightly necligently handel the Scriptures but rather let vs reede them in the feare of God and with often prayers knowing that we are ful of error darknes but do receiue the true perfecte illumination from aboue 24. The same discyple is he whiche testefieth of these thyngs wrote these things and we knowe that hys testymonye is true Bv. This is the conclusion appendix of this deuine history by which Sainct Iohn happely knitteth vp the woorke C. And bicause hytherto he hath made mention of him selfe vnder the third perso he now expresseth that hee is euen the very same to the ende he being an eye witnes and one that speaketh by experience mighte bring more weighte aucthoritie to his worde Bv. There is great modestie to be followed in his wordes For he neyther speaketh nor writeth any thing of him self arrogantly or boldly He
Papistes For they wearying them selues all theyr life time with secréete speculations whatsoeuer properly appertaineth to the true worship of God to the assuraunce of our saluation and to Godly life they know no more than doeth the Cobler or Cowheard the course of the Starres and pleasing them selues in straunge mysteries they do cōtempne the more necessary doctrine of the Scriptures as though they were too well learned to spende theyr time in reading of them It is no maruaile therefore if Nicodemus do stumble here as it were at a strawe For this is the iust iudgement of GOD that they which thinke them selues to bée the greatest and best learned Doctours to whome the simplicitye of the common Doctrine séemeth base should bée sencelesse blind in the least Articles R. For neyther can humane reason attaine to that which is diuine nor yet any mortal man to those things which belong to Gods spirite 1. Cor. 2 naye those thinges whiche are spoken vnto him séeme foolishe For as a vessell retayneth the sauoure and smell which it hath once gotten and afterwardes when other liquour is put into it doeth make it to relishe of the same euen so our reason at the beginning of our Natiuitye is seasoned with carnallitye and carnall affections in so muche that whatsoeuer afterwarde it heareth it vnderstandeth according to his oulde relishe that is to saye carnallye and doeth by and by reiect all suche thinges as passe humane capacitye M. For it enquireth howe God can bée incarnate How a Virgin can bring foorth a Childe Howe a man Crucified and Buryed can bée the sauiour of the worlde Howe Baptisme can take awaye sinne Howe can Christ geue his Fleshe to eate and suche like Misteryes of our Faith All these thinges blinde reason condemneth as foolishnesse and derideth them 5. Iesus answered verylye verylye I saye vnto thee Except a man bee borne of water and of the spirite He can not enter into the Kingdome of God Verylye verylye I saye vnto thee Bv. Nicodemus vnderstoode not the opinion concerning Regeneration or newe Byrthe of man therefore our louing and mercifull Sauioure moore plainlye expoundeth those thinges whiche before he spake misticallye teaching that to be borne againe is nothing else than to be borne of water of the spirite and that the same is the very true maner of regeneration But all men for the most part by this sentence of our Sauiour Christ vnderstande Baptisme Baptisme and many of them do hereby make Baptisme so necessarye that they affirme it impossible for a man to attaine to saluation except he be washed with the water of Baptisme and so disorderlye they include the assuraunce of our saluation vnder the signe when as the wole Scripture attributeth the grace and power of regeneration to the holye ghost Marke 16.16 Titus 3.5 1. Pet. 3.12 as may appeare in diuers places of Scripture but speciallye by these places noted in the margent C. And as touching this place we ought to vnderstand the same simplye of mans regeneration and not of Baptisme For the purpose of Christ was to exhort Nicodemus to newnesse of life because hée was not capable of the Gospell vntil he were a newe man Therefore this is the simple meaning of this sentence That it behooueth vs to bée borne againe that wée maye be the Sonnes of GOD and also that the holye Ghost is the aucthour of this seconde byrth For Nicodemus dreaming of a Pithagoricall Regeneration Christ to waken and remoue him from that errour added this for an interpretacion of that which he spake before namelye that man was not naturally borne againe The holy ghost the aucthour of our regeneration neyther was it néedefull that a man shoulde haue a newe body but that he is borne againe when hée is renewed by the grace of the holye Ghost both in soule and minde And therefore by these wordes Spirite and water hée vnderstandeth all one thing The which interpretacion ought not to séeme in any mans sence to strayte and farre fetcht For it is a common phrase of speache in the Scripture when mencion is made of the Spirite to adde the name of Water and Fyre to expresse the force of the same In thirde of Mathew it is sayde that Christ baptized with the holy Ghost Math. 3.11 and with fire in the which place there is no difference in sence betwéene fyre and the holye Ghost but doth onelye signifie what the efficacye of Gods spirite is in vs. And where as here wee haue the name of water set before the spirite it maketh no great matter nay rather this maner of speache soundeth better than that other of Mathew because the plaine sence and meaning followeth the Metaphore as if Christ should haue sayde No man is the sonne of God vntil such time as hée is renewed and borne againe by water that is to saye by the spirite which purgeth vs anewe and which by his grace and power in vs inspireth and replenisheth vs with the moysture of a heauenly life séeing by nature wée are altogither drye and withered And vppon good consideration our Sauiour Christ bringeth this phrase of speache vsed in the Scriptures to set before Nicodemus his ignoraunce and blindenesse For Nicodemus shoulde haue knowne at the last that the same which was spoken by our sauiour Christ was taken out of the common doctrine of the Prophets Therefore by water is ment nothing else but the inwarde purgation and moysture of the holye Ghost So that the second is but an explycation of the first Wherevpon also our Sauiour when hée addeth a reason why wée ought to be borne againe making no mencion of water teacheth that the newnesse of life which hée requireth is wrought by the holy ghost Wherfore it foloweth that water must not be separated from the spirite 6. That whiche is borne of the fleshe is fleshe and that whiche is borne of the spirite is spirite B. This is a reason of that whiche went before For therefore no man vnborne againe can enter into the kingdome of God because all that is borne of fleshe is nothing else by that first and naturall Natiuitye but fleshe And fleshe and blood can not enter into the kingdom of Heauen For by the knowledge of GOD wée are made partakers of his kingdome Iohn 17.3 1. Cor. 2.14 for it is sayde This is life eternall O Father to knowe thee c. Now man which is fleshe can not vnderstand those thinges which belong vnto GOD. Therefore it is necessarye that so many as shall enter into the kingdome of God bée transformed and spirituall that is to saye so many as wyll bée the Sonnes of God C. Therefore Christ proueth by an argument of the contraryes that wée are all shut out of the kingdome of God except we haue entrance by regeneratiō For hée taketh this as graunted vnto him namelye that wée cannot enter into the kingdome of God except we become spirituall But wée bring nothing