once about the the beginning of his Embassage and againe when he was redie to go out of the world to his father M. So soone therfore as he was entred into the Citye hée vewed the Temple Let this be the chéefe care of all men not onely of Bishops but also of al Magistrates that the kingdom and worship of God be sought for A. Concerning the prophanacion of the Temple and the couetousnesse of the Priestes reade the one and twentye of Mathewe 15. And when hee had made as it were a scourge of small cords he droue them all out of the Temple with the Shepe and Oxen and powred out the changers money and ouerthrew the tables Christ by and by goeth about to purge the Temple plainely affirming that the Temple of the Lorde is not a place of Marchandize Notwithstanding it may bée demaunded why hée began not first with doctrine for this séemeth to bée a troublesome and preposterous waye to correcte vice with violence before the same were assayed to bée remedyed by Doctrine But Christ had respecte to another matter For because the time was nowe at hande in the which hée shoulde openly discharge the office inioyned to him of the father he woulde after a sorte take possession of the Temple and plainelye declare his Diuine aucthoritye And to the ende all men might bée attentiue vnto his Doctrine it was méete that theyr sluggishe mindes shoulde bée wakened with a newe and vnwonted déede The Temple was now a place of heauenlye Doctrine When he went about to restore the puritye of Doctrine it was méete that he shoulde shewe him selfe to bée Lorde of the Temple Moreouer he coulde not bring any otherwise the Sacrifices and exercises of Godlynesse to theyr spirituall ende than in taking awaye the abuse Therefore this thing which hée did was a certaine beginning of that reformacion for the which hée was sent of the Father M. They which teache that externall euilles are not to bee taken awaye which are in the Churche except they bée first taken out of the hearts of men may by this place learne to alter their opinion For by this reason Christe shoulde firste haue taken Couetousnesse out of the heartes of the Iewes and afterwardes haue reformed the Temple But we sée the contrarye to bée done here of Christe He cast the Byars and Sellers out of the Temple although they kept couetousnes in theyr brestes 16. And hee sayde vnto them that soulde Dooues Haue these thinges hence and make not my fathers house a house of marchandise M. He doth not simplye dislike that Shéepe Oxen and Dooues are soulde to them which came farre of to offer Sacrifice séeing the same was appointed in the Lawe but because they were soulde in the Temple and because the Temple was made a house of marchandise which was a filthye token of speciall couetousnesse These thinges might haue béene soulde in certayne places without the Temple So at another time he suffered not a vessell to bée caryed through the Temple Wherfore if he so pourged this Temple which in a short time should perishe that it might not bée a house of marchandise what shall we thinke that he will do vnto those Temples at this daye in the which not onelye all thinges are soulde for filthye gaine but also such thinges as are most pernicious and altogeather fained are set forth to sale The Sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ is soulde 2. Peter 2. whiche they saye the Priest maketh being a mere fayned lye The deliueraunce of Soules out of Purgatorye is soulde when as theyr Purgatorye after death is nothing else but a Money matter of Priestes Remission of Sinnes is soulde whiche cannot bée bought The merites of Saintes with many thinges more offered to sale which money in déede in no wise may purchase He that considereth of these thinges what will he iudge of these Churches but onelye that they bée places of fayned marchaundise C. But the Temple was called the house of Prayer because God would there bée speciallye called vppon and because hée had ordayned the same for spirituall exercises R. The Temple of Ierusalem also was called the Temple of the Lorde and the house of God because it was consecrated for a shadowe of Christ in which Christ the Father heareth those that praye and whose onelye Sacrifice is acceptable to the Father Wherevpon our sauiour Christ sayeth VVhatsoeuer ye aske the Father in my name Iohn â—6 he will geue it you Beholde he sayeth In my name not in a Temple of stone For the howre will come when the Father wil be worshipped neyther in Ierusalem nor in the Mountaine but in spirite and trueth C. The other Euangelistes say that hée spake more seuerelye at the seconde time that he caste them out of the Temple namelye that they made of the Temple a denne of Théeues Math. 21. But hée admonisheth them not to prophane the Temple of God in turning it to other vse then God had apointed the same And in making mention of the Father he declareth him selfe to bée the sonne of God that he might challenge to him selfe the right and aucthoritye to pourge the Temple 17. And his Disciples remembred that it was written The zeale of thine house hath euen eaten me And his Disciples remembred B. Namelye after Christ was risen againe when they vnderstode the Scriptures by receyuing the holye Ghost as the Euangelist him selfe expoundeth in that which followeth C. For we must not thinke that they remembred this place of Scripture when Christ did this déede but afterwardes when they being taught from aboue considered with them selues what this déede of Christe should meane and so by the direction of the spirite this place of Scripture commeth into theyr minde And truelye the cause of Gods workes doeth not alwayes come into our mindes out of hand But afterwardes in continuaunce of time he reuealeth his purpose vnto vs. And this is a very fitte bridle to restraine our bouldnesse least we shoulde at any time murmure against God if wée at any time should dislike of those thinges which he doeth For therefore GOD doeth deferre the perfect reuelation of his worckes to staye and keepe vs in the boundes of modestye And the place whiche is here cited is taken out of the Psalme 69. Psal 69. And in the name of Temple Dauid by a figure called Sinecdochen comprehendeth the whole worshippe of GOD. For these are the words of the Prophete For the zeale of thy house hath eaten me Verse 9. and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen vppon mee Where the seconde member aunswereth to the first and is nothing else but a repeticion The effecte of bothe partes is this that Dauid was so carefull to maintaine the glorye of God that he willinglye bare al manner of reproches with the which the reprobate reproched God yea hée burned with such a zeale that this one affection ouercame all other And in this sence truely hée
nothing else then to vnderstande to remember to knowe and to thinke Faith is not an opinion M. we muste note that to beléeue Christe is by fayth to receaue his worde and to beléeue the father is to beléeue that hée sente his sonne into this worlde to bée the redéemer of the same Therefore we must beléeue God not symplye as God of the which faith the Iewes bragge but as the father in the sonne and as the sender in him that sent He which wanteth this faith may bée reckened among the blinded Iewes not among Christians He that heareth my woorde Bv. Therefore the firste thing in the order of saluation iustification is to heare the worde but not euery ones worde but the wordes of Christe onely our Iustifier sauiour And herein is required preaching Ro. 10.14 For how shal they heare with out a preacher It is necessary therefore that the worde of Christ doe make vs redy to heare when as the Inuentions of men and the constitutions of the fathers are excluded For faith cleaueth to the word of God not to the worde of men C. Christ afterward commendeth the fruite of obedience saying Hath euerlasting life Life eternall the frute of faith to the ende we might be the more readye and willing to perfourme the same For who can be so flinty harted but that he can be contented willingly to submit him selfe vnto Christe when hée séeth the rewarde of euerlasting life set before him And yet notwithstanding we sée howe fewe he winneth vnto him by this clemencie Such is our wickednes that we hadde rather willingly perishe then to geue our selues to the obedience of the sonne of God that through him we might bée saued Furthermore the aucthoritye of the Gospel is confirmed by these wordes of our sauiour Christ For Christ testifieth that he came from God and not from man Euen as in another place he affirmeth that hée speaketh not of him selfe but that which the Father hath committed vnto him Ioh. 14.10 M. And it ought not to deminish anye thing of the sonnes honour that hée is sent of the father as the Ambassadour of the Emperour is inferiour to him that sent him Bv. But in that the sonne is sent it belongeth rather to dispensation then to Imbecillitie M. The Ambassadour hath deseruedly lesse honour then the Emperour because he is neither the Sonne nor the Lorde nor yet of suche power as the Emperour is but a Minister and a seruant But Christ was sent into this worlde not as a seruant of his Lorde but as a sonne of his father not as one of lesse power but as his equal in al thinges not as of another nature and substaunce but as coequall and coeternall with him in euery condition Christe equall to the father touching the Godhead and therfore worthy to be no lesse honoured then the father yf the father hadde taken vppon him our fleshe and descended from heauen as he hath done Bv. For therfore the father sent the eternal word that in him he might manifestlye declare him selfe vnto vs. For the sonne is a most proper Character of the Fathers substance Heb. 1.3 AVG. Therefore the Sonne is sent of the father but not separated from the father And shall not come into iudgement M. Because God hath not sent his sonne into the world to Iudge the world but that the worlde might bée saued through him Iohn 3.17 Christe here confirmeth the sentence going before concerning eternall lyfe Math. 1.21 For he came to saue his people from their sinnes And sinnes being taken awaye the power of death is at an ende Rom. 6.23 1. Cor. 15.56 because the rewarde of synne is death and the sting of death is sinne C. We therefore are out of the perill of death because we are deliuered by the benefite of Christe Bv. as the Apostle teacheth in the eight chapter to the Romanes But is escaped from death to lyfe Our sauiour Christe doth not without déepe consideration affirme that we are alredye escaped from death because the séede of life by which we are called 1. Pet. 1.23 is incorruptible in the Sonnes of God and because they are already through hope with Christe in the heauenlye glory Ephe. 2.6 Luk. 17.21 and also haue within them the kingdome of God For although their life is hidden with God in Christe Colos 3.3 yet notwithstanding they ceasse not to possesse the same through faith and in that they are deliuered from death and do knowe them selues to bée in safetye through the protection of Christ they do not therfore ceasse to be in peace Neuerthelesse let vs remember that the faithful are so in life in this present world that they alwaies carrye about with them the matter or cause of death But the spirit which dwelleth in them is life which at the length shall abolishe the reliques of death 1. Cor. 15 26 For that saying of Paul is most true The last enemy that shal be destroyed is death And yet in this place the full deliuerance from death or the perfite exhibition of life is not handeled But although that lyfe is but begon in vs yet neuerthelesse Christ pronounceth the same to be so certaine to the faithful that they ought not to be afraid of death no maruaile they being ingraffed in him which is the bottomlesse wel of lyfe M. This place also maketh verye much to the confuting of their opinion which most impudently affirme that the soules of such as dye dye togeather with their bodies and of their opinion also which say that they slepe after death vntil the day of iudgement For that which Christe speaketh here cannot be vnderstoode of the body The soule passeth frō death to life because it passeth from death to the graue but of the soule which passeth from the death of the body to life Euen as Christ in plaine woordes sayde to the Théefe This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise And the Apostle Paul saith Luk. 23.43 Philip. 1.23 I desyre to be dissolued and to bee with Christ euidently shewing that it will come to passe that he should be in spirite with Christe so soone as hée should be discharged and loosed from the bondes of the body Otherwise Christe lyued in him insomuch that he had no neede so greatly to desire the dissolution of the body to this thing Galat. 2.10 except he had beléeued that his spirite being entered after death into euerlasting life shoulde spéedyly come vnto Chiste A Howbeit this place ought properlye to be vnderstoode and expounded of that escaping and passage from death to lyfe which is by faith as we haue declared alredye Bv. For so soone as a man truelye beléeueth the word of Christ he passeth from death to life Christ beginneth to liue in him which is the life of the soule R. Therefore death in the faithful shal be swallowed vp and made the gate
the holye Ghost Bv. Trueth in this place is opposed or compared with the shadowes of the Lawe And that is trueth Trueth defyned according to the Hebrewe phrase which is the most perfect essence of any thing and the verye absolute perfection it selfe of a matter Therefore to such as perseuere the Lord in processe of time wyll open all the misteryes of pyetie and of the kingdome of God geuing vnto them all knowledge and vnderstanding which maye seeme to appertaine to true Godlinesse And the trueth shall make you free M. This place is excellent and worthy to bée noated The Lorde promiseth to his true Disciples which abyde in his worde fréedome by the trueth which they shall certainely knowe and so hée commendeth the knowledge of the Gospel of the fruite whiche we receyue thereby or of the effect Bv. The trueth I saye which is the Sonne of God Christ Iesus is the delyuerer of the worlde or Faythe it selfe whiche cleaueth vnto the euerlasting trueth maketh vs frée if so be we be the Disciples of Christ perseuering in his worde C. This is an incomparable benefite wherevpon it followeth that there is nothing better than the knowledge of the Gospell All menne féele the yoake of bondage and seruitude and doe confesse the same to bée a myserable thing seeing then the Gospell doeth delyuer vs from the same it followeth that the same is the treasure of the most happye and blessed lyfe Nowe let vs consider what liberty it is which Christe here noateth vnto vs. Bv. Hée speaketh of the libertye of mennes mindes whiche altereth not the state of Fortune setting the bodye free from the Lawe and bondage of the Maister but it deliuereth the minde from sinne Freedome of the minde from wicked and worldly desyres from the Tyranny of the Deuell from the feare of death from the seruitude of humane constitucions and from the yoake of the Lawe C. Wherefore séeing we obtaine that libertye by the benefite of the Gospell it maye thereby appeare that wée are by nature the seruauntes of sinne Wee must also noate the manner of delyueraunce For so long as wée are ruled by our sence and reason wée are bondmen to sinne but when the Lord doeth regenerate vs by his spyrite hée doeth make vs frée that being loused from the miserable bondes of Sathan wee maye wyllinglye serue the Lord in holynesse and righteousnesse al the dayes of our lyfe C. But regeneracion commeth of faith whereby it apeareth that freedome commeth of the Gospell Now let the Papistes bragge of theyr fréewyll wée knowing our owne seruitude and bondage wyll glorye in no other than in Christ R. Christ therefore teacheth in this briefe sentence after what manner wee are brought into the libertye of Gods children Fyrst we must here Christ Secondly we must beléeue that is to saye we must abyde in his worde and endure temptacion and abyde the Lordes leysure thirdlye we must be Disciples of Christ For he which beleeueth in Faith heareth the worde of God he which heareth the woorde of GOD hee is a disciple of GOD Fourthly we must knowe the trueth The worde is the trueth and hée whiche beléeueth the worde hée truely beléeueth the verity Lastly we must be frée And we must noate that libertye hath his degrées according to the manner of his Faith Rom. 8.23 Wherefore Paule being frée grooned styll looking for the full and perfect delyueraunce 33. They aunswered him we bee Abrahams seede and were neuer bonde to any man howe sayest thou Ye shall bee made free C. This aunswere was confusedly made vnto Christ and that by suche as were contemners and not beléeuing And this manner is muche vsed in the scriptures so often as mencion is made of the bodye of the people generallye to ascribe vnto all menne that thing which belongeth onelye to one parte M. The vnbeléeuing Iewes therefore brake foorth into the middest ▪ and there also gayne sayde Christ where there was nothing that appertayned vnto them Bv. They swelled with the nobillitye of theyr auncetours according to the fleshe but they vnderstoode not that the Lorde spake of the libertye of the minde C. They coulde not abyde that they being a chosen and holye people shoulde be brought into bondage For what had the adoption couenaunt profited them by which they were segregated or seperated from other Nations vnlesse they had beene counted the children of God Therfore they thinke that they haue iniurye done vnto them when liberty is offered vnto them as a benefite comming of fauour and grace M. Therfore to the end they might styrre vp the myndes of the simple against Christ they accuse him to bée a sclanderer of the aucthour of the whole Nation as though he made bothe him and his posteritye contemptible with the vyle yoake of seruitude Such spite and disdaine Sathan also vseth when he obiecteth to the ministers of Christ whiche preache the Gospell the contempt of the Saintes as though they dyd abase and discredite euery saint by exhorting menne to repose their trust onely in Christ Hée knoweth that the Saintes among Christians are in great estimation and that they are worshipped of some for gaine and of other some by simple ignoraunce and therefore neyther part can abyde that the Saintes shoulde bée contemned For this cause to hynder the race of Gods worde he rayseth vp certaine Pharisées whiche crye that the Saintes are to bée worshipped whome notwithstanding these Euangelists contemne And neuer were bonde to any man C. It maye séeme verye absurde that they denye them selues to haue béene at any tyme in seruitude séeing they were so oftentymes oppressed of other Tyrauntes and were subiect at that tyme to the Empyre of Rome Hereby wée maye easely perceiue how foolishe and vaine their boasting was and impudencye also in lying notwithstanding here was some pretence or collour because the vniust domination or rule of the enemies was no let but that by right they might abyde free R. For they séemed to haue respect vnto these notable promises as where it is sayde I haue made thee a Father of many Nations Gen. 17.5 I wyll make thee to grow exceedinglye and wyll make Nations of thee Yea Kinges shall proceede of thee Also Ge. 22.17 Thy seede shall possesse the gate of his enemies And in thy seede shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed C. But in this first of all they erred that they dyd not consider that the right of their adoption was founded vpon the Mediatour onely For howe came the séede of Abraham to be frée but onelye because it was exempted from the common seruitude of mankinde by the especiall grace of the redéemer Abrahams seede free by Christ The other error also is lesse tollerable that for so muche as they being bastards woulde not withstanding bée reckened among the children of Abraham and dyd not consider that it was the onelye regeneration of the Spyrite which maketh them the Lawfull Sonnes
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
Sathan had a wicked desier to hurt him insomuch that he went about with all his might to destroye hym Bv. and working error and rebellion in our parents Adam and Eue he slue all mankinde The same also within a while after armed Caine to destroye his brother Abell And dayly throughout the whoale world he stirreth vp wicked and vngodly men to murther For he reioyceth in bloud in warres in theft and in the destruction of men and only because hee enuieth the felicitie and happinesse of others But Christ meaneth not here the beginning of the creation as though God had endewed the Deuell with a desier to hurte but he condemneth the wickednesse of Sathans nature whiche he hath taken to him selfe M. Neyther ought it to séeme absurd to any man that the Deuell is sayde to be the autor of death when as notwithstanding the Apostle séemeth to attribute the same to our firste parent saying As by one man sinne entereth into the worlde and by sinne Death c. For these two went together namely the Temptor and the Obayer of Temptacion Sathan was the Temptor and perswador to transgression and sinne by enuie mixing with the same a lye yet notwithstanding hée had fayled of his purpose if so be Adam had not harckned to his perswasion and transgressed Gods commaundement Therefore as touching that enuie of the Deuell the roote of euell temtation and also as touching the lye of perniciouse perswasyon it is truely attributed to the Deuell that hée is the firste author of death againe as touching the assent of Adam and the transgression of Gods commaundement it is rightly by the Apostle ascribed to Adam that he was the author of synne and death to all his posteritie insomuch that there is no disagréement at all here betwene Christ and the Apostle As for example if so bee amonge the enemies besieging a Cittie one of them doe with sertaine false perswasyons perswade and intice one of the principall Cittizens to betraye the Cittie vnto them insomuche that he harkeneth therevnto whereby be boath betrayeth his Countrey and also maketh the Cittie to be sacked and destroyed boath the perswading enemie and also the betraying Cittizen which contemning the false perswasions of the enemie might haue kepte his fayth whiche he did owe vnto his countrey are rightly sayd to be the aucthours of this destruction Euenso the mortalitie of mankinde is aptly referred to the mallice and enuie of the Deuell but yet not without the falt of our parentes And aboade not in the trueth C. These wordes playnly expresse a chaung and alteration to the worse and therefore Sathan is a lyer not from the creation but because he fell from the trueth Therefore in that he is a lyer it is not because he hath bene alwayes by nature an ennemy to the truth but because he fell voluntarily from the same Bv. God made the Deuell good in the beginning for all his workes are good He did set him in the trueth from the which hée coulde neuer haue fallen except he had sometyme stoode in the same Of hym was required by the moste Iust God Fayth or fidilitie thankefulnesse and the acknowledging of God the Creatour who had geuen him strength to perseuer yf he had woulde for he might haue stande yf he had woulde But through his owne falte and wickednesse he aboade not in the trueth that is to say in the puritie in the which he was made For by Infedilitie he fell C. This discription of Sathan is very profitable for vs that euery man maye learne to béeware of his subtill snares 1. Pet. 5.8 and to resist him For he goeth about continually like a roaring Lyon séeking whome he may deuoure and he hath a thousand wayes to deceiue AVG. We haue not red that the Deuell hath at any time vsed any externall armoure to kill a man neyther that hée hath playde the murderer with his hand but he hath vsed lying and pernicious perswasion M. This is the worse and moste Deuelishe kinde of murther when the body is not only killed with the sworde but also when both soule and body with a blasphemouse lye against the worde of God is made subiect not only to Temporal but also to euerlasting death C. So much the more therefore it behooueth the Faithfull to be armed with spirituall armoure to fighte and to be sober and watche M. Therefore the Apostle when he feared this kinde of murther sayde I feare leste by any meanes that as the serpent beguiled Eue through his subteltie 2. Cor. 11.3 euenso your mindes shoulde be corrupted from the singlenesse that is toward Christ For the serpent had the false Apostles Ministers of this murder by whose dilligence he sought to bryng to passe that thing whiche he had begon in the beginning to the destruction of mankind such false Aposteles he hath alwayes had among the Gentiles among the Iewes and amonge the Christians C. Therefore yf Sathan cannot put of this affection there is no cause why we shoulde he troubled as at some newe or straunge thing when we sée diuers errors to spring vp for Sathan sendeth forth his Instrumentes to trouble and to deceiue the worlde And it is noe marueile yf so be Sathan séeke so dilligently to ouerwhelme the light of the trueth for it is the onely lyfe of the soul Therefore he vseth lying as a mortall darte to destroye the soule Because there is no truth in him C. This is a confirmation taken of the effecte For because Sathan hateth the trueth and cannot abide the same but fauoreth altogether of lyes Christe gathereth therevpon that he was taken and quight tourned awaye from the trueth R. Neither is it repugnaunt to this sentence of Christ Iob. 1.10 Math. 4.6 when we reade that Sathan hath sometime spoken the truth as when he sayde Thou haste blessed the worke of his hands and his substance is increased in the Land Also it is writen he shall geue his aungeles charge ouer thee Again Thou art Christ the Sonne of God Luk. 4.41 Act. 16.17 Moreouer These men are the seruauntes of the moste high God whiche shewe vnto vs the waye of saluation These I saye and such like sentences are nothing repugnaunt with these wordes of Christ For it is one thinge sometime to speake the trueth and another thing to haue the truth within one Euenas it is one thing sometime to tell a lye and another thing to bée a continuall lyar The trueth is in them which do not onely sometime speake that whiche is true but do loue the trueth and doe speake those thinges which they speake for the loue which they owe vnto the truth A man shall finde some whiche speake the trueth not for the Loue they beare to the trueth but for the loue either of glory or of gayn or else for the hatred which they beare to some man Of those it cannot bee sayde that the trueth is in them Although therefore Sathan sometime speaketh
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
account of death Christ by his example inuiteth vs willingly to suffer the same We maye bée ashamed veryly to refuse so great honour as to bee his Disciples but verilye he doeth admitte vs into the nomber of his Disciples vpon no other condicion than that we shoulde followe that waye whiche he sheweth vnto vs. For hee is our guide vnto the waye of death Therefore the bytternesse of death is after a sort mittigated and made swéete when we consider that we are in but the same condicion of death that the Sonne of God was Wherefore there is so lytle cause that we should forsake Christ because of the Crosse that we ought rather for his sake to desire death R. This therefore is agréeable to that which the other Euangelistes report out of his mouth If any man wyll followe mee let him denye him selfe and take vp his crosse Mat. 16.24 and followe mee To the same effect also pertayneth that which followeth And where J am there shal also my minister be C. For he requireth that his Ministers would not refuse to submitte them selues vnto death to the which they shall sée him goe before them For it is not meete that the minister or seruaunt shoulde haue any thing by him selfe which his Lorde and Maister hath not Bv. For Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example to followe his steppes i. Pet 2.21 The which whosoeuer doeth he shall receyue that honour also which our sauiour Christ promiseth here saying Jf any man minister vnto me him wyll my Father honour M. The which ought to encourage all the Ministers of Christ For they ought to consider that when they serue Christ they serue the sonne of God the father wyll honour them though not for their owne sake yet for his sonnes sake It is a great matter to minister vnto the seruaunt of God but muche more is it to minister vnto the sonne of God and to be honoured of the father for the sonne 27. Nowe is my soule troubled and what shall I say Father saue mee from this howre but therefore came I into this hower Nowe is my soule troubled C. This sentence in the beginning seemeth to differre muche from that which hée spake before For before he declared a heroycall fortitude when he exhorted his Disciples not onelye to suffer death but also wyllingly and earnestlye to desire the same so often as néede required and nowe he confesseth his cowardlinesse in fléeing death Notwithstanding we reade nothing here which doeth not notablye agrée euen as the proper experience of the faithful doth teach euerye man If so bée such as are scoffers scorners do laugh it is no maruaile For this cannot be vnderstoode without action practise Moreouer it is profitable for our saluation yea most necessarye that the sonne of God should be so affected In his death we must specially consider the expiation or appeasing of his fathers wrath by which he turned from vs the wrath malediction of God The which he could not haue done without the taking of our gyltinesse vpon him Therefore it was méete that the death which he suffered shoulde be full of horrour because hee coulde not make satisfaction for vs without the sence and féeling of Gods horrible iudgement Whereby the stinge and heauy burthen of sinne is better felt and knowne the seuere punishment whereof the heauenlye Father required of his onely begotten sonne Let vs knowe therefore that death was not a sport or playe vnto Christ but that hee was caste into extreame tormentes for our sakes And it is not absurde that the sonne of God should be so troubled For his diuinity being hidden and not manifesting his force did after a sort sléepe to geue place vnto the sacrifice of pacification And Christ him selfe had not onelye put vppon him our fleshe but also humane affections For these affections were voluntary in him Feare of â—eath in Christ because he was not constrained to feare but because of his owne accorde he made him selfe subiect vnto feare Notwithstanding we must be sure that he dyd not feare fainedlye but truelye and in verye déede Howbeit in this he was vnlyke to other men that he had his affections stayed within the obedience of Gods righteousnesse as we haue sayde before Another profite also which wée haue hereby is this If so bée Christ had béene nothing troubled by the feare of death what one amongst vs would haue thought that his example pertained vnto vs For we suffer not death without the féeling of griefe and paine But when we heare that there was no stéely strength in him we take vnto vs courage to followe him neyther doeth the infirmitye of the fleshe staye vs which feareth death but that we followe our Captaine to the fight Bv. Therefore as he is man hée was troubled gréeued and afeard of death R. Euen as he sayde in another place My soule is sorowfull vnto death And what shall I saye Mat. 26.38 M. In this place wée haue an expresse example of a troubled minde and that in him whiche coulde not bée capeable of so great perturbation if hée had woulde A troubled minde doeth many wayes dispute with it selfe one while in clyming to this another to that vncertaine what to saye or doe C. Here therefore as before our eyes we doe sée how much our saluation cost the Sonne of GOD who being brought into extreame trouble as he was man knew neyther in wordes nor by counsayle howe to expresse the vehemencye of his gréefe and therefore his last refuge was to fall to prayer wherein hée desyreth to be deliuered from death Moreouer because he sawe him selfe to bée appointed by the eternall purpose of GOD to bée a Sacrifice for sinnes hee by and by correcteth that Prayer whiche hée made in great sorrowe and trouble of minde that he might whollye submitte him selfe vnto the wyll of his Father R. Therefore the spirite prayeth and the fleshe prayeth but the spirite ouercommeth the fleshe For the wyll of Christe was nothing contrarye to the wyll of his Father but looke what the Father willed the Sonne willed the same Therefore when he prayeth to bée deliuered from death it is neyther properlye the voyce of the Diuinitye nor of the humanitye but of a voluntary emptying and abasing of himselfe by whiche Christ tooke vppon him the affections of nature sinne excepted The fleshe prayeth to bée delyuered from the Crosse and cannot wyshe the same but the spirite correcteth and ouer commeth the same saying But therefore came I into this worlde to suffer to dye and to bée Crucified C. Wherefore in this place wée must noate fiue degrées The first place containeth a complaint which bursteth foorth of excéeding gréefe and sorrow secondly he feeleth him selfe to be past al remedy and least he should be ouerwhelmed with feare he demaundeth of him selfe what he should saye thirdly he fléeeth vnto the Father and desireth hym to be his deliueret fourthlye he
Euen as the father bad me so J speake R. As if hée shoulde saye when I call my selfe the Well of lyfe the quickening breade the light of the worlde the resurrection and the life I speake these things because my Father so commaunded me to the ende that he which would drincke which woulde be filled which would sée rise againe and liue euerlastinglye might come vnto me and beléeue in mee A. For these things I speake that yée might attaine to euerlasting saluation through mée ⧠The .xiij. Chapter 1 Before the feaste of Passouer when Iesus knewe that hys hovvre was come that hee should depart out of this worlde vnto the Father when hee loued his which were in the worlde vnto the ende hee loued them Before the feast of Passouer B. THE other Euangelystes in this place bring in the Historie of the holy Supper And the whole misterye hereof was ordayned to thys ende that by the breade which wée breake and by the Cuppe which wée blesse we are made pertakers of the bodye and bloude of the Lorde and wherby also the Lorde doth more and more liue in vs and wee in him Therefore séeing Saint Iohn hath alreadie spoken of the Lordes wordes concerning the true perticipation of his bodye and bloude in his sixt Chapter hée omitteth here the narration of the Supper for the right of the Eucharist beganne long before to bee familier and well knowne to all Christians Pretermitting therefore those thinges which pertaine to the Eucharist C. and manye other thinges also which hée knewe were put downe by Mathew and the rest hée taketh in hande to intreate of that thing which they had omitted as of this stoarie concerning the washing of the Disciples When Jesus knewe that his houre was come M. The Euangelist writeth this to forewarne the Reader that hée thinke not that any of those thinges which hée shall reade in the Chapter following happened without the foresight and knowledge of Christ For he was ignoraunt of none of those thinges which he suffered A. Iudas verelye the Disciples not knowing of the same conspired with the Rulers and high Priestes to betray Iesus but the same was not vnknowen vnto Christ Wherevpon it is sayd hereafter And Iesus knowing all thinges that shoulde come on him went forth Therefore so often as the enemies of the truth shall practise any thing against vs lette vs committe all thinges vnto him who can prouide for vs and our matters well ynough That J shoulde departe out of this world C. This is a speach worthy to be noated for it is referred to the knoweledge of Christ that he knewe his death to bée a passage vnto the heauenlye kingdome of God Wherefore yf hée making hast thyther did not let to loue hys Disciples as he was wont there is no cause now why wée should think that his affection is altered And nowe séeing hée is the firste béegotten among the dead this difinition of death pertayneth to the whoale body of the Church because it is a passage vnto God from the which the faythfull are as yet pilgrimes M. Therefore let vs so think and speak of our death 2. Cor. 5.4 that we maye also call the same a passage out of this world vnto the Father Let vs consider who and what this world is and wée shall desyer the death of the body because by the same wée go oute of this worlde into a moste happy estate voyde of all trouble sorrowe affliction and payne It maketh very much to the purpose that he vseth this word father To goe out of this world which is a vale of miseries and full of wickednesse and so passe not to the worse but vnto the better and not simply to the better but to the father also is suche a notable benefite that the sonne of God béeing afflicted and oppressed in this world could wishe for nothing better Vnto the ende he loued them C. Although the Euaungeliste doeth hereafter more plainly declare to what ende Christ washed his Disciples feete yet notwithstanding heare hee beeginneth to shewe afore hande in one worde that by this signe he would haue his constant and euerlasting loue declared with the which hee once loued them that when they had lost his presence and company yet they might be sertainly sure that hee was not ouerwhelmed in death the which perswacion also ought nowe to cleane in oure hartes The wordes are that Christ had loued hys Disciples whiche weare in the worlde Wherefore although we seeme to bee farre of from Christe yet notwithstanding let vs knowe that hee behouldeth vs because hee loueth his that are in the worlde For there is no doubte but that hee nowe beareth the same affection toward vs which he retained euen at this verye poynt of death M. But the Originall roote and cause is in Christe him selfe and not in his Disciples If so be the cause of this loue had bene in the Disciples it had not continued to the ende It is necessary therefore that the same rest in Christ who loueth those that are his with vnspeable loue vnto the ende CYR. And verilye when hée mighte haue escaped the crueltie of the Iewes and the paine of the Crosse hee so loued his that he refused not to dye for the life of all men And that this is the most perfecte loue our Sauiour Christ him selfe testifyeth This is my commaundement that ye loue one another Ioh. 15.13 euen as I haue loued you Greater loue can no man haue than this that a man should geue his lyfe for his friendes 2. And when Supper was done and that the Deuell had now put into the heart of Iudas Iscariot Simons Sonne to betraye him M. There are some which thinke that it ought to be thus red And supper beeing prepared For it maye be doubted whether these thinges were done after Supper or in Supper time AVG. It is very likely that Supper was not fully ended that is to saye that the Table was not yet taken awaye séeing it followeth by and by that the Lord tooke a morsell of bread and offered the same to Iudas And that the Deuell had now put into the heart of Iudas C. This the Euaungelist hath added not only to shew the wonderful patience of Christ who voutsafed to washe suche a wicked and false Traytors féete but also that he sought occasion to vse that tyme in the which he shoulde finishe the laste acte of his lyfe béeinge nere vnto death And whereas he sayeth that Iudas went about to betraye Christ by the impulsion of the Deuell he doth it to expresse the crueltie and hainousenes of the fault For this was more then a horrible and tragicall facte in the which the efficacie of Sathan declared it selfe B. Insomuch that it maye séeme not to come from mans minde C. It is very true that man committeth no manner of euell wherevnto the Deuell doth not stirre him but as the offence is more detestable and haynouse so the furye of
daye and shewed himselfe aliue againe to his Disciples after that ascending into the heauens that so fayth increasing by little and litle there might be a way made to receyue the more hie documents of the diuinitie of Christ But there be manie that thinke that John was speciallie led to wirte to this ende and purpose namelie that he might defende the diuinitie of Christ against the wicked blasphemyes of Ebion Cerinthus and Carpocrates But what soeuer occasion hee had then to write there is notwithstanding no doubt but that GOD had a farther regarde to his Churche He did therefore so guide the pen of the Euangelist to write that the partes being deuided amongst them he might bring the whole bodie to a perfect worke And whereas they haue placed John in the fourth seate it was done vpon the consideration of the time in the which hee wrote namelie when he was in exile or when hee was called backe againe as some affirme from the death of Domitian ⧠A CATHOLIKE EXPOSItion vpon the Gospell of Saint JOHN The first Chapter IN the beginning was the Worde and the Word was with God and God was the Worde Jn the beginning was the woorde CHR. ALL THE other Euangelistes beginning at the incarnation Iohn pretermittyng the Conception Natiuity Education and growing of christ setteth before vs euen at the first his eternal generation saying In the beginning was the worde B. For to the ende he might expresse the diuinity of the Lorde Iesus he called him in his Epistle also the worde of life which was from the beginning 1. Ihon. 1 C. And by this exordium or preface he doth declare the eternall diuinitie of Christ to the ende we may know that God is eternal which was made manifest in the fleshe 1. Timo. 3 But this is the purpose of the Euangelist to shewe that the restoring of mankinde to the fauour of GOD and to euerlasting righteousnesse must néedes be brought to passe by the sonne of God séeing by his power all thinges were created as well in heauen as in earth both thinges visible and inuisible whether they bée maiestie or Lordeshippe eyther rule or power séeing he alone breatheth life and strength into all creatures and continueth them in their estate Collos 1 and specially in man himselfe hée hath made a singuler shewe and proofe both of his power and also of his grace insomuch that although Adam fell and transgressed yet for all that he ceassed not to be louing liberall and mercifull vnto his posteritie R. And this is the purpose of the Euangelist vntill he commeth to these wordes contayned in the sixt verse There was a man sent of GOD. c. In the which hée doth first of all teache the diuinitie of Christ by the which all things are created and then he setteth before vs his humanitie the which to the faythfull is the waye of recreation or creating againe For it doth verie well agree that they which are created by Christ shoulde also by him be created againe C. But wheras he calleth the sonne of GOD the word this séemeth to bée the true and simple cause namelie for that first of all he is the eternall wisedome and will of God secondly the verye expresse Image of his purpose and counsell For as the worde is sayd to be the Caracter or declaration of the mynde in men euen so this is not without cause also attributed vnto GOD that hee shoulde be sayde to expresse himselfe by his worde A. Therefore whether yée call the worde Logon in Gréeke or as Erasmus hath Sermonem beware lest you thinke that his proper essence is trulie as it is in it selfe expressed by this appellation M. For it is a Metaphoricall speache which being applied to our capacitie and vnderstanding maye describe vnto vs some shadow of that thing of the which he mindeth here to speake For it is taken of the similitude of our minde the whiche although it ruleth the whole man yet notwithstanding it is inuisible and vnknowen except the purpose and counsel which it hath conceyued bée bewrayed and made manifest vnto others by worde by whiche in déede a certaine Image of our minde is set before others to beholde Euen so God also whiche is that omnipotent power the creatour and preseruer of al thinges who for that he perceth all thinges is called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 theō is compared so far as that incomprehensible nature of the deuine Maiestye maye bée shadowed to the minde by whiche all this worlde is gouerned and the Lorde Christ his onely begotten sonne is compared to the word because by him the knowledge of God is reuealed to mortall men Colos 1. So Paul calleth Christ the Image of the inuisible God So Christ him selfe sayd Iohn 14. Philip he which seeth mee seeth my Father also And againe No man commeth to my Father that is to saye to the knowledge and fellowship of the Father but by me Iohn 11. Also it is sayde No man hath seene God at any time The sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hath shewed him vnto vs. C. Therefore as God did manifest him selfe in sauing the worlde by this worde euen so he had the same in his will and purpose at the first that there might bée a double relation the first to God the seconde to men A. Lest any man should with Seruetus imagine that this eternall word had his beginning when it was pronounced and put foorth in the creation of the worlde As though in déede it were not before that time that his power was knowen by the eternall worke But our Euangelist teacheth here another maner of matter not assigning to the worde any beginning of time but saying that it was from the beginning he goeth beyond all Ages and times For hée sayeth In the beginning was the worde R. In what beginning Eyther we must simplye vnderstande In principio or in the beginning to be that beginning which the Latines call Inprimis or at the first eyther without the preposition In as Principio or Primum and so to haue it limitted and comprehended in time Or else to saye In the beginning that is to saye The worde is without the compasse of time incomprehensible and vnspeakeable and so the worde was with that beginning in the whiche GOD sayde Fiat lux Let there be light Howbeit hée was neuer without being Gene. 1 there was neuer any time in the whiche he was not For hée is the brightnesse of the glorye of his Father Hebr. 1. and the expresse Image of his substance He was neuer absent from the Father nor neuer out of his sight For thus he sayth in Salomon Prou. 8. The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his waye I was before his worke of olde I was set vp from euerlasting from the beginning and before the earth B. In the which place Salomon by the name of wisedome meaneth the power
to saye that onlye Sacrifice Christ Iesus So we reade that this Lambe was slaine from the beginning of the worlde Reuela 13 C. Saint Iohn therefore goeth about to shewe that there remayneth nothing nowe for sinners but that they flée vnto Christ theyr refuge to the ende he might ouerthrowe all satisfactions offeringes and redemptions of men being nothing but false and forged collusions of Satan our enemye This woorde taketh awaye maye be twoo manner of wayes expounded 1. Peter 2 Esay 53. eyther that Christ hath taken vppon him selfe the burthen wherewith wée were oppressed or else that hée quite abolisheth sinnes CHR. Furthermore in that hée sayeth Taketh in the present tence the continuall action of taking awaye is ment For the offering which he once made alwayes standeth of force Let vs knowe therefore that wée now at the last for Christ his sake are reconciled vnto God the Father if wée take the right waye vnto his death and if we doo beléeue that hée was the onelye Sacrifice nayled to the Crosse which taketh away our sinnes R. Furthermore Christ doth not so take awaye sinnes that it maye bée lawfull for euerye man licentiouslye to liue as him lysteth as the carnall falsely gather but that we should liue vnto God Rom. 6 and to righteousnesse For wheresoeuer sinnes are taken awaye by faith there in stéede thereof succedeth the Spirite mortifying from thencefoorth the dreags of sinne Touching the exposition of the nexte verse reade that whiche is spoken of in the fifteenth verse going before 31. And I knewe him not but that he should be declared to Israel Therfore am I come baptizing with water And I knewe him not C. Least men should thinke this testimonye to bée geuen eyther for fauour or friendship hée preuenteth that doubte affirming that he hath no other knowledge of Christ than that which came from heauen to him M. Although therfore hée knewe him to be in the middest of Israel yet for all that he knewe him not by face for there was no familiaritye betwéene them Christ had led his life in Nazareth of Galilee being there with the Carpenter Ioseph and nowe at the first he came from Nazareth to Iordan But Iohn liued in the wildernesse among the beasts and inhabitauntes of the Wildernesse Least therfore by a wrong suspicion and doubte the testimony should be discredited which was geuen to Christ he addeth saying And I knewe him not But that he should be declared to Israel He came to Baptize for this principall cause though this was not the onelye cause He came truelye to Iordan preaching the Baptisme of repentaunce that by this occasion he might knowe him whome before he knewe not that being knowne of him he might reueale him to Israel He Baptized also to this ende that he might bring the heartes of the Israelites to repentaunce and by this meanes might prepare the waye of the Lorde which was at hande Notwithstanding he sayeth well that he came to this ende that Christ might be made manifest vnto Israel For vnlesse this be done al the rest profiteth nothing This thing ought al the Ministerie of Iohn the Apostles to do Moreouer except repentaunce be ioyned vnto it Christ is declared in vaine C. And séeing it was necessarye that Iohn should be sent of GOD that hée might lawfullye Baptize we maye gather herevppon that no man hath libertye of him selfe to institute Sacraments for this right onelye pertayneth to God Euen as our Sauiour Christ in another place to prooue the Baptisme of Iohn demaundeth whether it was from Heauen or of men Math. 21 For the exposition of the twoo verses following reade the thyrde Chapter of Mathew 34. And I sawe and bare recorde that he is the sonne of God M. Although Iohn knewe Christ whome hée had shewed to bée present and of whome he had Preached before this time to be the Sonne of GOD yet notwithstanding by the foresayde Heauenlye inauguration contayned in thirtye and twoo and thirtye and thrée verses he knewe this Iesus whome before hée knewe not to bée the Sonne of God And he knewe this not by the vision onelye but by the voyce also of the Father which came from Heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne Math. 3. C. So that this signe was added because of confirmation and that not so muche in respect of Iohn as for all our sakes M. But séeing Christ is in the Scriptures called the sonne of Dauid Question why doeth not Iohn say And I sawe and testifyed that he is the sonne of Dauid Aunsvver Because that although hée hadde made noe lye yet notwithstanding he shoulde not sufficiently haue set foorth the glory of Christ And this is worthy to be nooted that he witnessed Christ to be the sonne of God because Christ shoulde be the gyuer of the holy Ghost and because the honour office of reconcilyng men vnto God belongeth to no other beside him M. And this knowledge and faith of the Sonne of GOD as it springeth of the diuine reuelation so it maketh a man blessed as Christ plainelye declared to Peter in the sixtéenth chapter of Mathew Math. 16 35. The next daye after John stode againe and two of his disciples B. By litle and litle the Euangelist passeth by narration from the testimonyes of Iohn to the testimonies which his owne déedes and sayinges gaue to the Lorde And séeing it was the office of Iohn to reueale Christ vnto Israel hath he thus farre foorth made mention of that story passing ouer without doubt many thinges which Iohn preached concerning the Lorde The other thrée Euangelistes haue more largelye written of that which hée hath omitted with the which the Godly are satisfied M. But this is the last testimonye of Iohn concerning Christ among those whiche the Euangelist meant to repeate Who in affirming Iohn to stand commendeth his diligence in reuealing Christ as one that sought al occasion to fulfill his office C. Here furthermore we sée howe base and simple the beginning of the Churche was Iohn truelye prepared Disciples for Christ but Christ nowe beginneth him selfe to prepare his Church 36. And behelde Iesus as hee walked by and sayeth Beholde the Lambe of God M. From whence and whyther hée walked the Euangelist sheweth not But it is likelye that Christ according to the great humilitye of his minde as hée vouchsafed to receyue Iohns Baptisme so also he was contented to heare his Sermons which he communicated to the people and so it came to passe when the Sermon was ended because it was nowe almost euentide that hée went to that place where he meant to rest all night But it appeareth by this appellation of Christ that Iohn oftentimes called Christ the Lambe of God taking away the sinnes of the worlde and that notwithout cause for it is the office of a good teacher not once onely but oftentimes to inculcate those thinges into the eares of his auditours which are necessarye for them to
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 earthlye thinges and can desyre nothing but that which is against GOD. But Christ is here set before vs as the onely reméedy against that mortal sting of the Serpent Who is therefore called the Serpent because hée is like vnto sinfull men Heb. 7.26 And hée is compared to a Serpent of Brasse because he is pure and cleansed from all filthinesse of sinne Holye Innocent and vndefiled 1. Pet. 2.7 Also hée is called the Brasen Serpent because hée is fyrme and a sure Rocke of defence for all such as put their trust in him 15. That all that beleeue in him should not perishe but haue life euerlasting M. Thus the trueth agréeth with the figure The Brasen Serpent was not exalted without cause neyther for it selfe but for the healing of those which otherwise had béene but dead Euen so Christ is exalted by the Preaching of the Gospell Ephe. 2.3 that wée which are borne by nature the Children of wrathe might bée cured so that wee beholde him whiche is the aucthour and finisher of our Faith Heb 12.2 Wherevppon also it is sayde that hée hath cleansed and puryfied his Churche Ephe. 5.26 in the woorde of life For as they which behelde the Serpent lifted vppe were healed from perishing and restoored to lyfe euen so they whiche beléeue in Christ Preached shall not perishe but haue eternall life M. The Brasen Serpent was a remeedye onelye against corporall and temporall death but Christ is a remeedye against eternal and spirituall death C. This certainelye is a notable report of Faith Faith deliuereth froÌ„ eternal destruction that it is sayde to deliuer vs from euerlasting death and destruction For Christ went plainelye about to expresse and declare that although we séeme to bée borne to death yet notwithstanding we haue most certaine deliueraunce from the same offered to vs through faith in him And thus death Our meriâ—s obtaine not eternal life which otherwise hangeth ouer vs is not to bée feared Furthermore if eternall life bée obtayned by faith where are then our merites where are our workes Who can attaine to righteousnes by his workes to euerlasting life by his merites C. Also Christ vseth the generall worde All bothe to call all men to the participation of life and also to cutte of all excuse from vnbeléeuers M. Therefore Christ Iesus is readye to bestowe eternall life vppon all those that beléeue in him without respect of personnes for louinglye hée calleth all vnto him Bv. Olde men Yong men Women Learned Vnlearned Poore Rich Iewes and Gentiles and to bée short he calleth all kinde of menne which Laboure and are Laden with the heauye burthen of sinne that hée maye refreshe them and indewe them with euerlasting life C. Notwithstanding let vs here note and consider that life is so generallye promised to all men that beléeue in Christ Mat 11.23 that yet faith is the condition annexed to the promise which faith appertayneth not to all For Christ is exhibited and offered vnto all notwithstanding 2. Thess 3. GOD openeth the eyes of the elect onelye that they maye séeke him by faith 16. For so GOD loued the worlde that hee gaue his onelye begotten Sonne that all that beleeue in him shoulde not perish but haue euerlasting life R. Our Sauiour Christ goeth on still in the former disputation still more plainely opening and declaring that righteousnesse commeth not by the Law but by the behoulding of the Serpent that is to saye by fayth in Christ and therewithall sheweth the first cause and principall originall of our saluation No peace of Conscience without Gods loue and that because wée shoulde not be least in doubt For our myndes haue no peaceable rest or quietnesse in the which they may staie them selues vntill we come to the frée loue of God Therfore as the whole substance of our saluation consisteth in no other then in Christ so we must sée wherby Christ is vnited vnto vs why he is offered to vs to be our sauiour Loue in God and faith in vs bringet 〈◊〉 vs life eternal Both these thinges are beare distinctly put downe vnto vs the first is a liuely faith in Christ The second is the loue of God by which he so loued the worlde that hée sent life to the same by his onely Sonne to saue mankinde from destruction And this order is diligently to be noted For when the originall of our saluation commeth in question by and by according to our naturall ambition burst foorth diuelish imaginations of our owne merites Wée faine that God is therefore mercifull because hée hath respect to none but those whome hée iudgeth worthy Mercy of God maketh mans merites frustrate But the Scripture doth euery where extoll his méere and simple mercie which cleane abolisheth all merites And this is the verye meaning of our Sauiour in these wordes when hée appoynteth the cause in Gods mercye M. Therefore the loue of God with the which hée hath loued the world hath so determined that the worlde shoulde be saued by the sending of the Sonne And our Sauiour doth slightlye passe ouer this loue but doth dilligentlye amplyfie and inculcate the same when hée maketh mention of the sending of the onelye begotten sonne of god who was giuen vnto vs as a most certaine and vndoubted pledge of his fatherly loue towarde vs. R. Whereof then commeth saluation whereof commeth iustification whereof commeth the hope of eternall lyfe Come these from the worthinesse or merites of men God forbidde but they haue their originall of the loue of God For wée had alwayes aboade so much as wée coulde in our sinnes in death and in hell except God of his entire loue with the whiche hée loued vs being as yet miserable sinners had not giuen his onelye begotten sonne for vs. Herevppon the Apostle sayth In this is loue not that wee loued him for the fleshe is vtterlye voyde of the knowledge of God but because hee loued vs first 1. Ioh 4.10 and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes And the Apostle Paule sayth Rom. 5.8 GOD commendeth or declareth his loue towarde vs in that when as yet wee were miserable sinners Christ died for vs. Sinne bringeth with it death C. Without all doubt where sinne raigneth wée shall finde nothing but the wrath of God which bringeth with it death Therefore it is onlye mercye which reconcyleth vs vnto God that therewithall we might be restored vnto lyfe If any man demaund in whome this loue is founded The Apostle Paule aunswereth Ephe. 1.5 That it is founded in the purpose of his will Notwithstanding this manner of speache séemeth to be contrarye to manye testimonies of Scriptures which place the first and principall foundation of Gods loue towarde vs in Christ and doe shew that without him wée are displeasing and hatefull vnto GOD. But wée must remember that the hydden and secret loue with the which God hath
loued vs because it springeth from his eternall purpose is aboue all other causes but that his grace which he woulde haue to be made manifest vnto vs and by which wée haue assuraunce of saluation beginneth at the reconciliation made by Christ For séeing wée must néedes graunt that he hateth all sinne and wickednesse howe canne wée assure our selues to bée in his loue and fauour vntill our sinnes are cleane put awaye for the which hée is iustly angry with vs. Thus the blood of Christ must bée the meane to make God fauorable vnto vs before wee can haue any manner of féeling of his Fatherly loue and clemencie B. And Christ is called the onely begotten Sonne of GOD because hée is the heade of Gods children and haue all receyued of the fulnesse of his grace that wee also might be the sonnes of GOD. Moreouer there was neuer any man beside him Heb. 7.26 that was without sinne and which bare the full and perfect Image of God for hée onely is innocent And this name of the onely begotten sonne Christ by nature but wee by adoption are the sonnes of God appertayneth to Christ by right bicause by nature hee is the onely Sonne of God but wee by adoption being ingraffed into his bodye Therefore this name of onelye begotten Sonne is put downe vnto vs to expresse the vehemencie of Gods loue towarde vs. For because men doe not easilye perswade themselues to bée beloued of God to take awaye all doubt from vs hée expressely sayth That God hath so greatlye loued vs that for our sakes hée hath not spared his onelye begotten sonne Seing then God hath sufficientlye declared vnto vs his loue hée shall not be a little iniurious to Christ that not contented with this testimonye shall doubt still and make no more accounte of Christ than if one of the common sorte of men had béene giuen to death But wée must rather waye and consider of how great price God estéemed his sonne to whome our saluation was so precious that he woulde redéeme the same with the price of his onelye begotten sonne Euen so the Apostle setteth this loue of God towarde vs before our eyes to be considered Rom. 8.32 saying which spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all howe also with him shall hee not giue vnto vs all thinges That euerye one which beleeueth in hym should not perish A. Concerning these wordes reade the fifteenth verse going before 17. For God sent not his sonne into the world to condempne the worlde but that the worlde might be saued through him M. These wordes appertayne to the enlarging setting foorth of the loue of God with the whiche hée hath so loued this worlde that hée hath giuen his onelye begotten Sonne to the same Hée might by the sending of his Sonne vtterly condempne and destroy the worlde For the worlde by his wickednesse and impietie hath deserued perpetuall condemnation but such is the loue of GOD towarde the same that hée had rather spare it and by sending his sonne to bee a Sauiour sought rather to offer the cause of saluation than of condemnation Therefore this is here attributed to the loue of God because hée would not take vengaunce of the wickednesse of the worlde and because the same loue was so great that by the excellencie thereof it hath repressed the seuerity of the iudgement by which hée might iustlye haue condemned the worlde R. The will therefore of the Father is to saue by the sonne But what for all this Surelye although our sinnes condemne vs yet the father saueth vs by the sonne If we bée afflicted by the crosse the Father saueth vs by his Sonne If we be ouerwhelmed with death yet the Father saueth vs by the sonne Therefore let vs stedfastlye beléeue and leane to this worde God sent not his Sonne into the worlde to condempne the world but that the worlde might be saued through him For hereby thou mayest receyue great comforte and consolation in all thy afflictions Bv. For our Lorde Iesus Christ shall come in the Clowds of Heauen Math. 26 and .24 to iudge both the quicke and the dead with great power and Maiestye But it will bée in the ende of the worlde first Nowe hée commeth not as a Iudge but as a most merciful Sauiour Therfore although now thy great sinnes doe accuse thée and condemne thée consider that this is the time of grace and mercy and feare not but bée of good courage and so shalt thou finde grace and fauour Ezech. 18 and .23 R. For thus sayth the Lorde I liue which will not the death of a sinner but rather that lie tourne from his wickednesse and liue Bv. Therefore if thou bée conuerted and repose thy whole trust in the Sonne of GOD who suffered for thée that hée might make satisfaction for thy sinnes Rom. 8.31 and reconcile thée vnto God thou shalt bée safe 1. Iohn 2.1 For Paule sayeth If God be with vs who can be against vs And Saint Iohn sayeth If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for our sinnes alone but for the sinnes also of the whole worlde Luke 19. and .10 To this effect also appertayneth this Euangelicall sentence The Sonne of man commeth to saue that whiche was lost and diuers other such like sentences E. Moreouer that which is spoken in another place Iohn 9.39 is nothing contrarye to these wordes of our Sauiour Christ I came to iudgement into the worlde that they which see not might see and that they which see might bee made blinde For in these wordes he declareth what his comming shal be to many but in this place what speciallye it shal be to the whole worlde Iohn 12. and .47 So is that to bée taken which hée sayth in another place For I came not to iudge the world C. To iudge here is taken for to condemne as in many other places also Therefore in that he denyeth that he came to condemne the world hée noteth thereby the proper ende of his comming For howe néedelesse was it that Christ shoulde come to destroye vs which were to much alreadye ouerwhelmed with destruction Therefore in Christ wée must consider nothing but that God of his infinite mercye and goodnesse Rom. 8.33 sought to helpe vs and to deliuer vs from destruction B. And as hée cannot sinne to condemnation which is borne of God the Lord at the length by his holy spirite purging out all sinne Ioh. 5.24 and vndoubtedly pardoning whatsoeuer is committed Euen so such a one cannot bée iudged that is to saye condemned For by Christ hée hath passed from death to life And being assured of Gods loue and fauour in Christ hath alreadye eternall life Wherefore whatsoeuer belongeth vnto sinne and death must decrease and fade away Othersome which beléeue not in the name of the onelye begotten Sonne of
God haue not neyther can haue at any time him which maye deliuer them from their sinnes Therefore miserablye they perishe in their sinnes Wherevpon because it is not geuen to them to beléeue in christ they are alredy iudged and condemned no lesse than hée which hauing receiued a deadlye wound and hauing no Surgian is sure to dye or than hée which being adiudged to dye hath no redéemer Euen so verylye Christ redéemeth not them eternallye from euerlasting death to whome it is not geuen to beléeue in Christ For he alone deliuereth from death and that by faith onelye C. They therefore which reiect that grace which is offered in him are worthye to finde him a Iudge and a seuere punisher of such wicked and fowle contempte Of the which we haue a plaine testimonye in the Gospell For séeing it is the power of God to saluation Rom. 1.16 to all that beleeue the same most wicked is theyr ingratitude which make it a sauour of death vnto death 2. Cor. 10.6 Both these did the Apostle Paul very well expresse when hée sayde that hée had in a readynesse the vengeaunce against all the aduersaryes of his Doctrine when the obedience of the Godlye is fulfilled For his woordes are as muche in effect as if hée shoulde haue sayde that the Gospell principally doeth belong to the Faithfull that it may bée vnto them Saluation and then to the wicked that it maye bée vnto them condemnacion because they contemning the grace of Christ had rather haue him the aucthour of death than of life This word worlde is twise repeated that no man might thinke him selfe excluded if so be he continue in faith 18. He that beleeueth in him shal not be condemned But he that beleueth not is condemned already because hee beIeeueth not in the name of the onelye begotten sonne of God He that beleeueth in him R. This is the summe of all Preaching He that beleeueth in Christ shal not bee condemned Hee that bleeueth not is condemned alreadye A. As it is also sayde in another place Mark 16. He which beleeueth and is Baptized shal be saued But he which beleeueth not shal be condemned M. Therefore it is Faith which maketh vs partakers of the Grace of Christ and deliuereth vs from iudgement Faith iustifieth before God And for this cause the Apostle attributeth iustification before God to Fayth the which iustification is nothing else but remission of our sinnes purchased by the blood of Christ so that not to bée iudged is euen as muche as to saye as to be iustified to bée absolued from sinnes and to bée accounted for iust He sayeth not Whosoeuer beléeueth in him is without sinne and therfore cannot bée iudged But he sayeth whosoeuer beléeueth in him is not iudged that is to saye by the grace and mercye of God hée is saued the sentence of deserued condemnacion also being taken awaye So the Apostle Paule sayeth There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesu Rom 8. C. And whereas our Sauiour Christ so oftentimes and so diligentlye inculcateth and affirmeth that all the faithfull are out of the perrill of death we maye thereby gather howe necessarye the certaintye and stabilitye of faith is to take awaye the trembling and oppressing feare of conscience Therefore hée pronounceth againe that there remaineth no condemnacion so soone as we beléeue the which also moore at large he speaketh of in the fifth Chapter following Bv. But if for faithes sake a man is not iudged as the trueth it selfe here plainlye affirmeth Where is nowe Indulgences and Pardons Where are the Ronishie Satisfactions Yea where is the fire of Purgatory and such like humaine imaginations and phantasies Surelye they are vanished away and perished for euer For the trueth hath sayde which ought neuer to bée forgotten Who so euer beléeueth in him is not iudged But hee that beleeueth not This is the other part of the sentence for it is double and consisteth of contraries C. And it teacheth vs that there is no other reméedye by which any man maye escape death than by beléeuing in the Sonne of God as if hée should haue sayd there remayneth nothing but death for all those Faith contayneth life which reiect that life offered to them in Christ because life consisteth onely in Faith R. Therefore as nothing saueth but faith so nothing condemneth but infidelitye And faith therefore saueth because it receyueth al good things from Christ and worketh also all goodnesse in the â—â—beléeuer For as it receiueth righteousnesse of christ euen so it bestoweth the same againe into the bosomes of our brethren workes of Faith by the works of Charitye But vnbeléefe therefore condemneth because it reiecteth and contemneth all the graces of Christ and is the cause of all wickednesse Vnbelefe condemneth For as it receyueth all vnrighteousnesse from Satan which is the father of a lye euen so also it committeth all euyll Workes of vnbelefe against GOD and men it doth nothing that is iust it alwaye sinneth it continuallye breaketh the Lawe of God Wherefore this is a most iust sentence Whosoeuer beleueth not is condemned already C. And he vseth the Preterperfect tence of the Verbe for a greater Emphasis of force to the ende he might thereby the better expresse and declare that there remayneth nothing but vtter destruction for vnbeléeuers But wée must noote that Christ speaketh speciallye of those whose impietye shall bewraye them selues in the manifest contempt of the Gospell M. For wée must not apply this sentence to euerye one that beléeueth not For the Apostle Paul sometime beléeued not the Preaching of the Gospell naye hée persecuted the same and yet notwithstanding afterwarde when the time of his calling was come by beleeuing hée was saued and escaped the iudgement of God Also the elect are for a time in vnbeléefe but not for euer A. Herevppon the Apostle sayeth VVe our selues Titus 3.3 were sometime foolishe disobedient deceyued seruing diuers lustes and voluptuousnesse liuing in maliciousnesse and enuye full of hate hating one another But after that the loue and kindnesse of our Sauiour God to manward appeared c. M. Therfore in this place hée speaketh of those whiche perseuere in vnbeléefe And hée addeth the reason Because he beleeueth not in the name of Bv. As if hée should saye There is geuen to the worlde one onely sauiour which should take our sinnes from vs malediction and condemnation and should abolish them by his diuine power that euery one which beléeueth in him may bée absolued from his sinnes from malediction and eternall death as the Innocent and onelye begotten sonne of God and that hée may bée an heyre of euerlasting life and blessednesse Without this there is no other benediction Purgation Satisfaction Absolution and saluation wherevppon it consequently followeth that hée is yet in his sinnes and subiect to death and damnation whiche hath not this sonne in whome alone consisteth life and redemption
hath spoken of Fayth and the vertue thereof To the ende therefore hée might shewe that the faith of the Godlye is not in vaine whiche is reposed in Christe hée declareth that all power to saue is wholye geuen to the Sonne because hée is loued exceedinglye of the Father M. Iohn Baptiste had hearde the Heauenlye voyce by which the Father spake from Heauen saying Math. 3.17 This is my welbeloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased Nowe the whole inheritaunce cannot but belong to the welbeloued sonne Therefore when Iohn was about to saye And hath geuen all thinges into his hande Hée verye well added first The Father loueth the Sonne Question C. But what is the meaning of this reason Doeth hée hate all others Aunswere is made herevnto Aunsvvere that hée speaketh not here of the common loue with the which God loueth men and other workes of his handes but of that singuler and speciall loue which beginning at the Sonne floweth from thence to all other Creatures For this loue of God by which hée louing his Sonne loueth vs also bringeth to passe that hee doeth communicate vnto vs by his hande all good thinges Bv. Wherevppon the Apostle Paul sayeth He loued vs in his welbeloued Sonne Ephe 1.6 And hath geuen all thinges into M. These fewe woordes appertaine greatlye to our Faith by which wée depende vpon Christ as vpon the Lord of all Bv. For all thinges as well visible as inuisible and whatsoeuer else without exception hath the father geuen vnto him M. to be in his power in his proper possession and in his disposition gouernmēt Bv. I say he hath geuen vnto him all thinges not that in respect of his Diuine nature he wanted them at any time or that hée was not equall with the Father in omnipotencye For hée sayth Glorifye me nowe O Father with thy selfe with the same glorye which I had with thee before the beginning of the world CYR. but because when the fulnesse of time was come the Son of God was incarnate and made man and was humbled to the death euen to the death of the Crosse therefore God hath exalted him according to the nature which he hath taken is sayd to haue receiued some what not as from another but as his owne proper right M. and he is sayd so to haue receyued the same not to refer that to him selfe alone which he hath receyued but liberallye to dispence the same to others In consideration whereof he calleth all men vnto him saying Come vnto me all ye that trauayle Mat. 11.27 c. Also he sayeth All power is geuen to me Mat. 28.18 both in heauen and in earth Go ye therefore vnto al Nations Neyther tooke he this power by force or violence nor yet dyd he buie the same the which happeneth as we sée in the kingdome of Antichrist but tooke the same naturallye of the Father as the onely begotten and welbeloued Sonne of God Bv. The which is done for our sakes For as it is sayde hée hath receyued all those thinges for vs and distributeth them vnto vs and maketh them subiect vnto our power that wée might bée Lordes of Life of Death of Men of Deuils and of al other thinges according to the saying of the Apostle VVhether it bee Paul or Apollo 1. Cor. 3.22 or Cephas eyther the worlde eyther life eyther death whether they be present things or things to come al are youres And ye are Christes and Christ is Gods Of the lyke benefite of God Psal 8.7 and of the same glory appertayning to men speaketh the Prophete Dauid in his Psalmes 36. He that beleeueth on the Sonne hath euerlasting life hee that beleeueth not the Sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth on him He that beleeueth on the Sonne C. Hée addeth this to the ende wée might not onelye knowe that all grace and goodnesse is to bée sought in Christ but also that we might knowe howe to gette and enioye the same He sayeth that the waye to enioye grace and euerlasting lyfe is by fayth Faith obtaineth saluation in Christe and not without good reason because by the same we possesse Christ who bringeth with him righteousnesse and lyfe the fruite of righteousnesse M. He sayeth not simplye Hee that beleeueth but He that beleeueth in the Sonne By the which note the Christian faith is distinguished from the fayth of other Nations yea from the faith of the Iewes because we beléeue in the sonne of God Christ Iesus whome the whole worlde contemneth and derydeth This is our foolishnesse in this worlde Hath euerlasting life Bv. Hée speaketh here in the present tence Life euerlasting in this life saying Hee hath he sayth not Hee shall haue for he possesseth already euerlasting life wayting in hope for that which hée is assured he shall haue Moreouer the faithfull féele in this carnal life Vitall motions of the Spirite and life it selfe Gala. 2.20 the Apostle witnessing I liue yet nowe not I but Christ liueth in me and the life that I nowe liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God which loued me and gaue him selfe for mee Life is set against Death against Malediction and Condemnation signifying Iustification absolucion happinesse and euerlasting blessednesse He that beleeueth not the Sonne C. As he propounded life in Christ to allure vs vnto him by the swéetenesse of the same euen so nowe hée denounseth vnto them eternall death which beléeue not in Christ Hée sayeth not simplye Hee which beleeueth not but He which beleeueth not the Sonne For all vnbeléefe is not condemned but that onelye which despiseth the Sonne of God He which beléeueth none of the Fathers nor the Bishoppe of Rome is not vnder this sentence of condemnation so that he beléeue the Sonne of God C. Also this sentence doeth properly pertaine vnto them as it is sayde in another place which reiecte the Gospell preached vnto them For although all mankinde is wrapped in lyke destruction yet notwithstanding greater vengeaunce shal fall vpon those which refuse the Sonne of God to be theyr deliuerer Shall not see life That is to saye he shall neuer enioye life M. By this manner of speache Life and enteraunce into the Kingdome of Heauen is not denied to the vnbeléeuing without an Emphasis as if hée shoulde saye He which beléeueth not shall be so farre from hauing euerlasting life that he shall neuer enioye so much as the sight of the same Bv. So sayde our Sauiour Christ to Nicodemus Iohn 3.3 Except a man bee borne againe hee can not see the Kingdome of GOD. Also hée sayeth Except ye beleeue that I am hee Iohn 8.24 ye shall dye in your sinnes But the wrath of God abideth on him The wrath of God is here apposed against life therefore it comprehendeth all miserye Calamitye Vnhappinesse Sicknesse Pouertye Vengeaunce Death Sinne Malediction Punishment and torment AVG. He sayeth not The
Spring whiche hée calleth Iacobs well because it is credible and likelye that Iacob Digged a well there Gen. 21.2 Gen. 26.15 following the example of his Fathers Abraham and Isaac M. And whereas this péece of ground and this Well of the which the Euangelist maketh mention haue retayned in them selues The memorye of the Godly abideth for euer so many Ages and so long time the remembraunce of the Patriarche Iacob we maye thereby bée admonished and taught howe sure and stable the memorye of the Godlye abideth euen in this worlde This place was of greater fame by reason of the remembraunce of Iacob than the high mountaines of Robbers whose memorye sodainelye vanisheth away Let vs leaue vnto our Posterity the remembraunce of Godlynesse which is much more precious than Golde Jesus then being weery Here beginneth the History When the Disciples were entered into the Citye to bye meate the Lord sate in the meane time beside the Well as wayting their returne not entring with them into the Citye bothe that hée might not geue them an euident occasion of offence and also that hée might attende the finishing of that worke which hée knew hée should take in hande For hée sate sayth the Euangelist being weery of his Iourney by the Welles side C. Hée did not fayne a wéerinesse but he was wéery in déede For to the ende hée might the more effectuallye suffer the Passions of a naturall man hée tooke vpon him our infirmities R. For hée came into this world to declare that hée is our high Priest with his Father The office of the high Priest It is the office of the high Priest to Care to Praye and to make intercession for the People and to take the sinnes of the People vppon him selfe the which maye manifestlye inough appeare out of the olde Lawe Nowe howe can Christ suffer with vs and bée touched with our Infirmyties except hée were subiect to those affections and infirmities before Therfore hée is one while described to bée Hungrye another while Thirstye another whyle Wéerye another whyle Scourged another while Crucified another while Dying to the ende wée maye knowe that wée haue an high Priest that hath felt in him selfe our infirmities and so maye haue a sure hope and trust in all aduersities For Christ knoweth howe wée are minded and affected in them and of what helpe wée stande in néede séeing that hée him selfe hath borne the lyke This matter is verye wel handeled by the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 2.14 and .4.15 M. This also belongeth to the confirmation of our Faith by which wée beléeue that Christ was not onelye GOD but also perfect man in all thinges like vnto vs sinne excepted For in that hée was wéerye of his Iourney hée doeth not declare thereby his Diuinitye but rather his humanitye and the Imbecillitye of the fleshe according to the which hée suffered Hunger Thyrste Wéerinesse sorrowes and death it selfe It was necessarye that by these and such lyke arguments the true Assumption of our fleshe in the which the redemption and reconciliation of mankinde was made perfecte shoulde bée declared Moreouer these thinges prescribe and set before vs an example of true humilitye and modestye to followe The Lord was wéerye of his Iourneye Wherefore because hée vsed not to Ryde but alwaies went on Foote what Iourney so euer he tooke in hande CHR. Humblye according to the condition of the place hée sate by the welles side and that alone without any garde and without any Cushen or Boulster of ease M. Woe therefore bée to our Pride woe bée to our nicenesse and follye The Lorde of Heauen for our sake tooke vppon him our fleshe and put vppon him the formes of humilitye of modestye and of temperaunce for vs to followe but as for vs we séeke by all Nicenesse and Immodest behauiour to lose that which hée hath purchased Bv. Therefore the Lorde tooke his Iourney on Foote and not on Horsebacke or in his Coache or Charriot that by his example he might condemne the excesse and carnall pleasure of our Bishoppes C. Wherevpon when the Euangelist sayth that Christ sate thus hée doth expresse as it were the ghesture and behauiour of a wéerye man Bv. But yet after his labours hée sought reste least any man should thinke that the body ought to bée Tyred aboue measure The body must not be oppressed with labour For God doeth not allowe immoderate exercise by which man doth accellerate and hasten his death before the time A. Herevppon the Apostle teacheth that the care of the fleshe ought not altogeather to bée cast of but hée addeth Ro. 13.14 saying And make not prouision for the fleshe to fulfill the lustes of the same And it was about the sixte howre V. The Euangelist according to his manner describeth all thinges diligentlye Bv. Hée calleth that the sixt houre which to vs is the Noonetide CHR. to the ende wée might knowe that the Lord was wéerye not onely by his labour but also with the heate of the Noonetide For the Sunne comming towarde his height doubleth the labour and maketh the Iourney more painefull C. And séeing the daye hath twelue howres from the rysing of the Sunne vntill the setting of the same the sixt howre was the mid daye or twelue of the Clocke at highe Noone as wée call it R. about which time the heate of the daye is most feruent and prouoketh Thirste B. Wherby it appeareth that the Lord had occasion to aske Drinke of the woman A. Wée are taught also by this Circumstaunce of the time to haue greater consideration of the mind than of the body seeing that Christ sent not his Disciples to buye meate for their Dinner before it was high Noone Let vs therefore remember this lesson which Christ hath geuen vnto all those which are his Fyrst seeke the Kingdome of God Mat. 6.33 and the righteousnesse thereof and all other thinges whereof yee haue neede shal be geuen vnto you The which rule gluttonous and Riotous personnes obserue not whiche betimes in the morning make haste to Breakfast before they haue serued God to whome the Lord by his Prophete Esay 5.11 threatneth extreame destruction except they repent 7. And there came a woman of Samaria to drawe water Iesus sayeth vnto her Geue me drinke And there came a woman M. We saw before in the person of Christ a base exordium or beginning and now a base or contemptible instrument of great matters is brought in First the Woman then what woman namelye a Woman of Samaria and if this bée not inough a common woman a harlotte a Woman polluted and defiled with vncleannes Coulde he vse his Apostles as instrumentes to offer the knowledge of his heauenly grace to this Citie yea veryly But so it was conuenient for the glorye of Gods grace that those thinges which were infyrme weake and loste should bée cured and saued with the first So it was méete that she
which the Children verye seldome consider Thou shalt neuer finde in all the Euangelicall Historyes any one Sonne which came vnto Christe and sayde Math. 17.14 and .9.18 and .15.22 Lorde come downe before that my father dye But ye shall often reade of this affection and care of Parentes for theyr Children which they haue vttered vnto Christ M. Howebeit also it appeareth in this man what corrupt preposterous loue some Parentes beare toward their Children For hée onelye séeketh the corporall health of his Sonne neglecting the Spirituall and true lyfe which the Lorde had begonne to teache He sayth not Lord helpe our fayth and the saluation of our Soules but as for our bodylye health Loue in many Parentes corrupte toward theyr Children let that bée as it séemeth good in the eyes of God But hée sayeth and that earnestlye Lorde come downe before my Sonne dye And what Father at any time came to the Lorde and sayde Lorde my Sonne hath no feare of God whereby I perceyue that hée is sicke in Soule and in great perill helpe him I beséeche thée Also they which at this daye desyre the Prayers of the Churche howe many of them is there I praye you which desyre the congregation to praye vnto God for them that they maye haue fayth the feare of God and patience 50. Iesus sayth vnto him go thy way thy sonne lyueth The man beleeued the worde that Iesus had sayde vnto him and went his waye Jesus sayeth vnto him Bv. The Lorde in verye déede confesseth that hée can doe muche more then the Ruler trusted he coulde do being the Lorde of lyfe and death which can both retayne the lyfe when it is departing from the body and also when it is cleane gone call the same againe For hée sayeth Goe thy waie thy Sonne liueth C. signifying that hée is escaped out of the perrill of death But séeing this man procéeding and perseuering in intreating and praying Christ obtained at the leangth his heartes desyre thou mayest gather that Christ dyd not reprehend him because he would wholly reiect him and refuse his praiers but rather to correct that vice which staied him from comming to the true fayth And we sayde alreadye before that this reprehension belonged rather to all the people than to one man Moreouer here the singuler humanitye and gentlenesse of our Sauiour Christ appeareth in that hée bearing with the mannes rudenesse extended his power farther than hée looked for Hée requested that Christ would heale his sonne by comming vnto him Hée thought that he could heale his sicke Sonne of his disease but he dyd not beléeue that he could rayse his Sonne being dead from death to lyfe and therefore hée vrgeth him to make haste least death preuent him R. and by this making of haste hee declareth his incredulitye For vnbeleefe maketh haste but Fayth wayteth and tarieth the Lordes leasure Faith taryeth the Lordes leasure Esa 28 1â— And therefore the Prophete sayeth Hee which beleeueth shall not make haste C. Seeing then Christ beareth with both these infyrmityes we maye hereby gather of howe great price hée esteemeth euen the least faith This also is worthy to bée noted that Christ in not satisfying his wil and desire worketh by meanes which we thought not of to helpe vs to the ende wée might learne not to prescribe vnto him any thing The man beleeued the woorde R. Therefore by this word of Christ not onelye the Sonne is healed but also the Fathers fayth encreased and confirmed And as the Sonne by this woorde as by a soueraigne Medicine receyueth health so also the Father receyueth strength of Faith For that fayth is strong and firme which is conceyued by the woorde and not by Myracles A. But dyd he not beleeue at the first Howe had hée come vnto Christ to obtaine any thing at his hande except hée had béene indued with some faith I aunswere Bv. Hée dyd at the first beléeue the Lorde for hée had not come vnto him if hée had not first conceyued some notable hope of his power and clemencye but so soone as he heard his worde and vnderstoode his promise he beléeued more firmelye Therefore hée troubled the Lorde no farther but went his waye and as hée beléeued hée founde his Sonne restoored to health C. For because he came with this perswacion that Christ was a Prophete of God therefore hée was so readye to beléeue that taking holde of one worde he printed the same in his mynde And although hée dyd not so reuerentlye estéeme and thinke of the power of Christ as it became him yet notwithstanding a short promise made him to conceyue sodainelye an assured hope insomuch that he beleeued the lyfe of his Sonne to bée included in the onelye woorde of Christ Promptnesse in beleeuing the worde of God With this promptnesse and readinesse ought euery one of vs to receyue the worde of God but sildome or neuer shall suche present effect followe in the hearers For howe many bée there which profite so much at the hearing of many Sermons as this prophane man profited at the hearing of one worde Wherefore wée must vse the more dilligence in shaking of our dulnesse and sâ—outh and especially wée must praye vnto God that it wyll please him so to worke in our heartes that wée maye bée no lesse readye to beléeue than hée is gentle and readye to promise 51 And as he vvas nowe going downe the seruauntes met him and told him saying Thy sonne lyueth Bv. That whiche nowe followeth doeth set foorthe as well the power of Christe as the effecte and nature of Fayth to the ende the Myracle maye bée more notable and more purelye purged from all euyll suspicion and also that the force of fayth maye more and more appeare A. For there is no doubt but that all these thinges were done by the prouidence of God M. The Lad was healed by the power of the woord of Christ otherwyse hée had dyed by the contagiousnesse of his sicknesse But this was knowen as yet to no man The Seruauntes brought woorde that his Sonne was recouered but howe and by whose power hée was reuyued that they knewe not Therefore the méeting of the seruauntes with him by the waye and the glad tydinges which they brought vnto the sorrowfull Father serued thus farre to the setting foorth of the glorye of Christ that hée might bée sayd to haue spoken the trueth concerning the sonne restoored to health though hee were absent the which seemeth to bée done by the spyrite of Prophesie and also to bée beléeued of the Father as a Propheticall Oracle C. Moreouer with the efficacye of the worde here is also described the effecte of Fayth For as Christ restored the Sonne to lyfe which was nowe at the poynt of death euen so the Father by his fayth in a moment recouered and receyued againe his Sonne safe and sounde Let vs knowe therefore that so often as the Lorde offereth vnto vs his benefites his power
to lyfe 25. Verylye Verylie I saye vnto you the houre shall come and nowe is when the dead shal heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare shal liue Verilie Verilie J saie vnto you the houre shall come M. Now againe the thirde tyme he vseth this earnest affirmacion whiche greatly expresseth his minde first of all speaking not onely seriously and constantly but also of serious certaine and and waighty matters secondly requiring of the hearers an vndoubted faith also C. For the Euangelist so often times setting before vs the sonne of God swearing in the cause of our saluation we may thereby perceiue fyrst of all howe carefull he is for vs and secondly how néedefull it is that the credit of the Gospel be established and confyrmed The effect of faith of the which Christ here speaketh séemeth to be incredible Therefore by an othe hée affirmeth that the voice of his Gospell is of such quickening power that it is able to raise vp the dead B. There are some whiche vnderstand this worde of Christe of the resurrection or life of mens bodyes go about to proue the same by the example of Lazarus of the widdowes sonne C. but it is euident enough by the text that Christe doth speake of spirituall death Fyrst of al Christ admonisheth vs that we are all dead before he doth quicken vs. And hereby it appeareth what the whole nature of man is able to dooe concernyng the attaynyng to saluation It is verye true that there remayneth in the soule of man some remnant of lyfe for vnderstanding iudgement will and all the sences are partes of life but because there is no part which may aspire to life eternall it is no maruaile yf the whole man so farre forth as appertaineth to the kingdome of God be counted deade And of this death the Apostle speaketh in more wordes when he saith that we were farre from the pure and sincere reason of the mind and in the cogitacion of our hartes enemies to God and his righteousnes and being blind erred in darcknesse were geuen to euyll concupiscence If this corrupt nature haue no strength to attayne to righteousnesse it foloweth that the life of God is extinguished in vs. The grace of Christ the resurrection from death And so the grace of Christ is the true resurrection from death Also this grace is giuen to vs by the Gospel Not that the externall preaching of the same is of suche force which often times goeth in at one eare and commeth out at the other but because Christ speaketh within to our hartes by his holy Spirite that we may by faith receiue the lyfe offered vnto vs. R. Therefore to heare the voyce of the Sonne of God is not onely to heare those carnall wordes with our bodilye eares but to beléeue with the hart Wherfore they that beléeue are iustified For to beléeue with the heart maketh a man righteous Faith iustifieth Rom. 10.10 Gen. 15.6 Abacc 2.4 Also it is sayde Abraham beleeued God and that was imputed to him for righteousnesse Againe it is sayd the iust shall liue by faith For Christe doth not speake here of dead men but he only vnderstādeth the elect whose eares God doeth open that they may receiue the voyce of his Sonne which can restoore them to life Yea Christe distinctly in his wordes commendeth vnto vs two kyndes of grace when he sayth that the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God Two kyndes of grace and liue For it is no lesse against nature for the dead to heare then to be restoared to lyfe from which they were fallen Therefore both these belong to the secrete powere of God A. For experience teacheth vs that the Reprobates haue eyes Esay 6.9 but yet they cannot see they haue also eares but yet they cannot heare and the Gospell of Christ is to thē a sauioure of death vnto death 2. Co. 2.16 When he sayth The houre shall come and nowe it is he speaketh as of an vnwonted and straunge thing And verily the preaching of the Gospell was the new and sodaine resurrection of the worlde A. Wherevppon when Christ taught Mar. 1.17 many sayde VVhat newe doctrine is this And Paul Preaching the resurrection of the dead some sayde Acts. 17.18 This man seemeth to bee a tydinges bringer of newe Deuilles C. If any man demaund whether the word of God hath not alwayes geuen lyfe to men aunswere maye bée made that the Doctrine of the Lawe and the Prophetes being ordayned for Gods people had rather this propertye and office to maintaine those in lyfe which were begotten to GOD The office of the lawe and gospel then to reduce from death But the office of the Gospell was to bring the Gentiles which before were banished menne from the kingdome of God enemies to God and voyde of all hope of saluacion into the society of life R. as also the Apostle teacheth in his Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 2.11 26. For as the Father hath life in him selfe so lykewise hath hee geuen to the Sonne to haue lyfe in him selfe M. In these woordes hée geueth a reason why he sayd that the dead should bée raysed vp and quickened by the voyce of the Sonne of God C. and withall he sheweth whereof it commeth that his voyce hath so great efficacye namelye because he is the well of lyfe and poureth the same into men by his voyce For lyfe coulde not flowe vnto vs out of his mouth except the cause and originall thereof were in him Neyther is God sayde to haue lyfe in him onely because hee alone lyueth by his owne proper power and vertue but because he contayning in him selfe the fulnesse of lyfe quickeneth all thinges And this belongeth properlye to God alone euen as it is sayde VVith thee is the well of life Psal 36.9 Hereby wée gather that this title is properlye ascribed vnto Christ in that hée was manifested in the fleshe M. and this hée receyued of the Father when the worde was made fleshe Iohn 1.14 Therefore in that hée is the sonne of God hée hath all thinges of him selfe but in that hée is the sonne of man he hath receyued all thinges from the Father 27. And he hath geuen him power also to iudge because he is the sonne of man And he hath geuen him power C. Againe he repeateth that power is geuen to him of the father that he might haue full power of all thinges both in Heauen and in earth for this worde Iudge is taken for rule and empyre as before But wée must principallye note the reason which hée nowe addeth Because he is the sonne of man M. To bée the sonne of man according to the phrase of Scripture is nothing else than to be a verye man euen as in that he is sayde to bée the sonne of God is meant that he is verye God for euery one is that naturallye which he is when hée
taught of the father Holy ghost our schole mayster the which teaching must not be such that a man shall sée the father in this fleshe but the Children of God shall be taught by the inward working of the spirit 1. Cor. 2.10 For they vpon whome it breatheth shal search out the profound misteries of God Mat. 11.27 To this effect also pertayneth this sentence No man knoweth the sonne but the Father also No man hath seene God at any tyme Ioh. 1.18 the only begotten sonne whiche is in the bosome of the Father he hath shewed him to vs. C. When he saith that the father is onely knowen to him he meaneth that this office properly belongeth vnto him selfe to manifeste him to men whiche otherwise is hidden far from vs. 47. Verely verily I saye vnto you hee that putteth his trust in mee hath euerlasting lyfe R By thys sentence our sauioure Christe declareth how we are made the disciples of his father namely by fayth in Christe Iesus by whiche it commeth to passe that wée obtayne euerlasting life What it is to beléeue in Christe wee haue before declared For we muste not immagine a confused and vaine fayth whiche spoyleth Christe of his power suche a faith is that which the Papistes haue who beléeue of Christe as they list them selues for therefore we obtayne lyfe by fayth because we knowe that in Christe all the partes of lyfe are contayned 48. I am the breade of life M. After that Christe had answered those murmurers and had sufficiently prouided for that offence which they hadde taken by the humilitye of his fleshe and by the knowledge whyche they had of hym he nowe consequently maketh repetition of those thinges whiche he had spoken and returneth to that whiche he had begonne concerning Manna R. shewing by a notable comparison howe muche better this quickening breade whiche he offereth is than the oulde Manna 49. You re fathers did eate Manna in the wildernesse and are dead M. This verse is two wayes expounded Some vnderstande it generally of all those Fatheres of the Iewes whiche did eate Manna in Moyses time in the desart as well Godly as vngodly insomuche that the Lord speaketh here in this place not of the death of the soule but of the body But othersome expound it of the wicked only whiche did eate Manna withoute fayth of the trueth in the whiche is lyfe and therefore are also deade that is to saye they perished euerlastingly But it séemeth not necessarye that wée here distinguishe betwéene the beléeuing and the vnbeléeuing Iewes C Onelye Christ sayth that Manna was a corruptible meate to their Fathers M. being foode not of the soule but of the body not sempiternall but temporall which coulde not saue them from death C. It followeth therefore that mens soules finde foode no where but in him whereby they maye be fedde into euerlasting lyfe 1. Cor. 10.3 For we must remember what was spoken in another place that there is no mention made here of Manna as Christ was a secrete figure For in that respect Paule calleth hym spiritual meat but here Christ frameth his speache to his hearers who being onely carefull for the féeding of their bellies had no farther consideration of any thinge in Manna He doth therefore Iustly pronounce that their fathers are deade that is to saye which were in like manner addicted to their bellies 50. This is that breade whiche commeth downe from heauen that if any man eate therof hee shoulde not dye C. Christ inuiteth and calleth those to whome hée speaketh to eate when he sayth that hée came that a man might eate For this kinde of speache is as muche as if he shoulde saye that hée is to bée eaten of so manye as will eate Shall not dye M. Christians dye aswell as other mortal men but they dye onely in bodye for a time and not in soule for euer And although the soules of the vnbeléeuing are immortall also yet notwithstanding their condicion is mortall and miserable insomuch that being aliue in pleasure they are counted deade 1. Tim. 5.6 Euen as the Apostle speaketh of the Widdow which liued in pleasure For the lyfe of the vnbeléeuing is not the true lyfe but a false imagination of lyfe and a mere phantasie by which they thinke themselues to lyue aloane when as indéede they are starcke deade Wee must also noate the vniuersall formes of speaking when he sayth If any man eate For by this manner of speache hée meaneth that hée is offered to all men insomuch that whosoeuer vseth hym shall be preserued in lyfe 51. I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen If any eate of this bread he shall lyue for euer And the breade that I wyll gyue is my fleshe which I will giue for the lyfe of the worlde The Lord doth often tymes repeate this that all that beléeue in him shall haue euerlasting lyfe C. Because there is nothing more necessarie to bée knowne howe hardelye fayth taketh place in vs and howe soone it vanisheth awaye againe Wée all desire lyfe but in séeking of the same wée foolishlye wander in by wayes and the greater parte despise the same when it is offered For what is he that doth not fayne and promise lyfe vnto hym selfe withoute Christe And what is he that is satisfied and contented with Christe aloane Therfore this repetition is not superfluouse when Christ so often tymes affirmeth that it is he whiche geueth lyfe to the worlde For he taketh vnto him selfe aloane the name of breade that he might remoue out of oure myndes al false and fayned hope of lyfe Christ is the breade of lyfe M. What can the glory and plenty of terrene thinges profite in the whiche there is no life yf so be wée loose this breade in the whiche alone all saluation and euerlasting lyfe doeth consiste C. He nowe calleth that the liuing breade whiche before he called the bread of lyfe and all in one sence Afterwarde he sayth it came from heauen because in this worlde the figure whereof passeth and vanisheth awaye the spirituall and incorruptible lyfe is not to be found but onely in the heauenly kingdome of God So often as he maketh mencion of this worde Eate he exhorteth vs to faith whiche onely bringeth to passe that wée enioye this breade to lyfe And this is not in vayne because there are but a fewe whiche will voutsafe to reache out theyr hande to put this breade to their mouth naye when the Lord putteth the same to their mouthes they will scarse taste of the same but some fill them selues ful of wynde and othersome béeing lyke to Tantalus doe hungar and ar like to starue with meate before their mouthes And the breade that I will giue C. Because this secrete powre of geuing lyfe concerning whiche he spake might be referred to his diuine essens he nowe descendeth to the second degrée and teacheth that lyfe is included in his fleshe that men
from thence maye drawe the same vnto them Lyfe is included in the flesh of Christ It is the wonderfull counsayle of God verily that he hath set before vs lyfe in that fleshe in the which before there was nothinge but the matter and cause of death And thus he prouideth for oure infir mitie when he calleth vs not to séeke lyfe aboue the clowdes but offereth the same vnto vs in the earth no lesse then if hée shoulde lyfte vs vp to the gates of his kingdome Neuerthelesse he correcting the pride of oure nature proueth the humillitie and obedience of faith when he commaundeth suche as are lyke to perishe to seeke lyfe in hys fleshe whiche in outwarde shewe is contemtible and base B. For the saluation of the Sainctes coulde not be finished except he had geuen hys fleshe for vs to death As therfore he did profite and accomplish oure saluation by death and was truelye made oure redéemer euenso the Fayeth of Christe cannot stande except wée beleeue in the death crosse and passion of Christe Wherevppon the Apostle testifieth that he woulde not seeme to knowe any other thing than Iesus and the same crucefied For the satisfaction of oure synnes was made vppon the Crosse the which was the satisfaction of Gods righteousnesse the appeasing of the Fathers wrath and the gate of immortalitye Herevpon to shewe howe he woulde finishe oure saluation and with what fayth we must eate him he sayth that the breade which he will geue vnto those that are hys is his owne fleshe C. But this séemeth not to belong to the nature of fleshe that it shoulde quicken and geue lyfe to mens soules I answere although this vertue doth come from some other thinge then from fleshe yet notwithstanding there is no let but that thys name maye be aptly geuen to the same For as the eternall worde of God is the well of lyfe euenso hys fleshe as a water pipe doth poure lyfe into vs which resteth in the diuinitie And in this sence it is called liuing or quickening because it doth geue vnto vs that lyfe whiche it doth borrowe from another M. And we must noate that Christ speaketh not hereof all maner of fleshe but onely of his owne And the breade which I will giue sayth hee is my fleshe Therefore lyfe consisteth not neither in the oblations of beastes neither in any mortall mans fleshe but only in the fleshe of Christ C. This word Geue is dyuerslye taken the firste geuing of the whiche Christe at the firste made mencion is dayly to be séene so often as Christe offereth hym selfe to vs In the second place he noateth that donation onely whiche was made vppon the Crosse when he offered him selfe a sacrifice to the Father and an oblation of a swéete smell vnto God Ephe. 5.2 C. For then he gaue hym selfe to death for the lyfe of men and nowe he inuiteth vs to taste the frute of hys death For that offering once offered shoulde nothing at all profite vs except wée did nowe eate the same in the holy supper Bv. Therfore when he sayth that he will geue the same for the lyfe of the worlde his meaning is this I will geue my selfe too death that the worlde by my death may lyue For the worlde is deade in sinnes but the sonne of God dyed in the fleshe least the second death should raigne ouer the faithful And thus the sonne of God doeth quicken C. And this is to bée noted that Christ taketh vnto him the part of offering vp his fleshe Whereby it appeareth what abhomination the Papistes doe commit when they vsurpe that to them selues in theyr Masse whiche belongeth to that highe Priest onely M. For it could bée done of no other than of him who offered vp his fleshe to GOD his Father once for all 52. The Iewes then contended among them selues saying Howe can this fellowe geue vs his fleshe to eate Bv. There aryseth againe another contencion among the hearers or auditorye of Christ by reason of his wordes which were not rightly vnderstoode M. For alway those that are carnall carnallye vnderstand the wordes of Christ and therfore they are oftentimes offended and being offended fall to contencion among them selues For it offended them that he had sayd that hée would geue his fleshe for the lyfe of the world C. And the Euangelist nameth the Iewes againe not for honors sake but rather to cast in their téeth theyr incredulitye for that they receyued not the familiar doctrine concerning euerlasting lyfe or at least because they do not modestly enquire of a matter doubtfull as yet and obscure vnto them for this is a signe of piuishe frowardnesse and contempte whereas hée sayth that they contende among them selues And they which thus contentiously dispute do hynder them selues from attayning to the knowledge of the truth Bv. They murmured before because the Lord had sayd that hée descended from heauen and that hée was the sonne of God and now they openlye contende because hée sayd And the breade which I wyl geue for the lyfe of the world is my fleshe Euen as if his meaning had béene that his fleshe ought to bée eaten as men eate fleshe which they bye in the Shambles Therfore they crye Howe can this fellowe geue vs his fleshe C Notwithstanding this is not simply to bée reprehended in them that they enquire after the maner howe for then Abraham and the blessed Virgin shoulde deserue the same reprehension Therefore they are eyther deceyued by ignoraunce or else they doe amisse who forsaking braules and contencion which the Euangelist onely condemneth debate curiously discusse this question Howe as though the Iewes ought not to haue enquired of the manner of eating But verily this ought rather to be imputed to slouthfull negligence than to the obedience of Faith if so bée wyttingly and wyllingly wée kéepe the knots of doubtfulnesse vnknit which are dissolued by the word of the Lorde Wherefore wée may not onely enquire of the manner of eating of the fleshe of Christ but also apprehend and take holde of him so farre foorth as the Scripture offereth him vnto vs. Away then with that vaine pretence of humillitye Wée must onely obserue this moderation in the secreete workes of God least we desire to know more than hée hath set downe to vs in his worde B. It is lykelye that the Iewes tooke holde of that onelye which might geue them most easelye occasion to cauill For they dyd not thinke in verye déede that the Lord woulde geue his fleshe to bée so eaten as men eate béefe yet notwithstanding they contende and speake euen as Christ had so meant But this greatlye troubled them that Iesus by his allegoryes affirmed him selfe to bée Christ to bée God and the geuer of eternall life and that hée being the Sonne of man would geue the same fleshe blood which they sawe and moreouer which sounded yll in their eares that hée woulde geue the same by that his
whith heauenly foode For when he affirmeth that his fleshe is meate in dede hys meaning is that those soules are like to famishe which wante this meate Therefore thou shalt then fynde lyfe in Christe if so be thou séeke the matter and substaunce of lyfe in his fleshe For so soone as wée forsake the Sacrifice of hys deathe there is nothing before oure eyes but death neyther doth he bring vs any other waye to felyng of hys diuine power than by his death and resurrection M. Therefore he speketh of the redemption of mankynde whiche shoulde be by hys death for the whiche cause he intended to offer his fleshe and bloode a sacrifice to hys father for the remission of the sinnes of the whole worlde Question But why doth he seuerally make mencion of hys bloode which is contained in the fleshe Aunsvvere I aunswere Christe in this had respect and regarde te our rudenesse For when distinctly he expresseth meate and drinke by them selues he putteth vs in mynde that the lyfe whiche he geueth is perfect and complete in each poynt lest we shoulde fayne and immagine to our selues some halfe and vnperfect lyfe as yf he shoulde saye that wée shall want no parte of lyfe if so bée wée eate hys fleshe and drinke his blood Euenso in the supper whiche agreeth with this doctrine beinge not contented with the signe of breade he ioyneth therevnto the Cuppe that hauing therein a doule pledge of lyfe we maye be contented with hym aloane for he shal finde no parte of lyfe in Christe whiche doeth not beléeue that Christe alone is his lyfe 56. He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in hym He that eateth my fleshe M. These words pertayne to the similitude of suche as eate and drinke to this ende that he might more amply declare the premisses Meate and drinke is tourned into the fleshe and bloude of the eater and drinker of the same euenso they abyding in hym and he in them haue lyfe Otherwise meate withoute the eater or not abyding in hym that hath eaten the same doth not nourishe insomuche that lyfe cannot consist yf so be the eater and the meate be seperated a sonder These thinges are temporall and incorruptible and therefore imperfect to set forth the power of Christe and yet notwithstanding they doe after a sorte set forth a sertayne Image of hym and doe teache vs this that it is necessarily required that he which will haue eternal lyfe must haue Christe the true foode of lyfe abyding in him in suche wise that he maye by no meanes be seperated And whosoeuer eateth his fleshe and drinketh his bloud hath Christ abyding in him and he also in hym C. Séeing therefore Christe aloane contayneth lyfe in him selfe he prescribeth vnto vs here a waye howe we shall inioye the same namely if so be we eate his fleshe euen as yf he shoulde denye hym selfe to be oures otherwayes then by eating hym thorowe fayth For he shall neuer come to the God Christe whiche neglecteth man Wherfore yf thou wilt be pertaker of any thing with Christe thou must firste of al take hede that thou doest not dispise or disdayne hys fleshe Bv. Therefore in these wordes the misterye of his Incarnation and passion is more euidently and fully expressed so that he eateth the fleshe and drynketh the bloud of Christe whiche with a firme fayth beleueth that Christe the true Sonne of the liuing God was incarnate crucefied raysed againe for him that hée washed vs with his dloude from all oure sinnes and hath reconciled vs to God his father Whosoeuer beleeueth this hath lyfe within hym euen the quickening spirite of Christe the power of righteousnesse and redemtion and so Christe lyueth in hym he in Christ Dwelleth in me and I in him M. Because this meate and drink are not subiect to corruption but haue alwaye in them power to geue lyfe therefore he vsed the worde quickening to this ende that it maye agrée with that whereas he promised euerlasting lyfe to suche as eate his fleshe and drinke his bloud C. For this is as muche as if hée had sayde that this is the onely bonde of vnity and that by this meanes he doeth growe with vs when oure fayth doeth rest and staye it selfe vppon his death Bv. This place therefore of the Gospell doth agrée with that of the Apostle where he sayth Rom 3. we knowe that a man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by Faith in Christe Furthermore hereby wée maye gather that he speaketh not of the external signe of breade of whiche many of the vnbeléeuing doe eate who notwithstanding are farre from Christe Also their error is hereby confuted which thinke that Iudas did no lesse receiue the body of Christe then the reste of the Disciples seeing that Christe gaue the bread to all For this is moste sertayne that Iudas was neuer a member of Christe and it is moste absurd to make the fleshe of Christe deade fleshe and withoute spirite also they are very foolishe whiche dreame of any eating of the fleshe of Christe withoute faithe whenas onely faith is the mouth of the soule A. Therefore where faith wanteth Faith the mouth of the soule there is no eating of the fleshe of Christe 57. And the lyuinge Father hath sent me and I liue by the Father euen so hee that eateth me shall lyue by the meanes of me And the liuing Father M. This particle also serueth for the declaration of that whiche goeth before Bv. And that there might be no manner of doubt in so greate a misterye of oure saluation he doth yet more strongly confyrme that whiche hée had sayde namely that his fleshe is meate in déede and his bloud drinke in dede Insomuche that suche as were nourished therewith shoulde be without all perill of death C. Nowe therefore he passeth to the principall cause because the principall originall of life is in the Father And he preuenteth an obiection because he might séeme to detract that from God whiche belongeth to God in making him selfe the cause of lyfe So therefore he maketh him selfe the author of lyfe that he confesseth that to bée geuen hym from another whiche he ministereth to other As if he shoulde saye R. The father is lyfe in déede so also am I the true lyfe forsomuche as the Father hath wholy inprinted hym selfe in me I will not reserue this lyfe whiche the Father hath geuen to me to my selfe aloane as a spightfull and enuious person but I will also communicate the same with the faythfull that euerye one which beleeueth in me may haue that life whiche I possesse through the Father For For this cause am I sent into the worlde that euerye one which beléeueth in mée maye be pertaker of all those good thinges and graces which through the Father I possesse by nature C. Let vs noate that hée framed this occasion also to their capacity with whom hée
acceptable vnto God M. Here we sée that one and the selfe same preaching of the Gospell doth profite the simpler sort to instruction but to the other it geueth matter of contradiction In like manner the signes and miracles of oure sauioure Christe were sette before all mens eyes to be seene by the sight and diligent consideration whereof the elect beléeued on hym B. But the Reprobate coulde behoulde nothing in Christe but base and contemptible thinges whereat they were offended 32. The Pharise is heard that the people murmured suche thinges concerning him and the Phariseis and highe Priestes sent seruauntes to take him M. The more that the glory of christ did declare it selfe to the people the more the mallice the spight and furie of the Pharisées increased for the Phariseis were appoynted as Scoutes to seeke all occasion to suppresse Christe In the former place or roome the Euangelist nameth them aloane after hée ioyneth with them the high Priestes with whome also they tooke parte There is no doubte but that as these Phariseis were the most zelous obseruers of the Lawe so were they the most zelous enemies of al other vnto Christ but because they were not able aloane to oppresse Christe they referred the matter to the whole order of Priesthoode So that they which otherwise were enemies and at contention betwéene them selues doe nowe by the helpe of Sathan agrée together and conspire among themselues againste the Sonne of God A. Euen as we reade of Herode and Pilate when Christe was brought before them to bee Iudged Luk. 23.12 for then they were made friends betwéene whome before there was hartburning and grudge Bv. And it greatly gréeued the high Priestes that the people neglecting the Religion of the Phariseis and as it were despising those holy men followed Christe and his doctryne which was quight repugnaunt to the doctrine of the Phariseis Therefore the wicked Iewes mynding to stay this rumore concerning Christe suborned publique soldiers whiche might bring hym bounde M. In the whiche we maye noate the nature of wicked Hipocrites At the first when they sought to kyll Christ they pretended the breaking of the Sabboth when as notwithstanding the breaking of the Sabboth did not offende them but the obscuring of their owne name But so soone as they heare this rumoure of the people concerning Christ they were in such a rage that they went aboute openly to laye violent hand on hym So impietie somwhile seketh to shed innocent bloud priuily but when it hath not successe then it openly bursteth forth So Saule at the firste laye priuily in wayte to destroye Dauid 1. Kin. i8 iâ— but when his rage was more hoat he began with open warre and persecution to séeke his death Thus also are Hipocrites woont to behaue them selues who in the Churche séeke not Christe but eyther the estimation of their owne name eyther gayne eyther kingdome or else the impunitie of offences who at the firste pretended the zeale of God but are so mad at the laste that all men maye see what it is they looke for and what offendeth them C. Moreouer yf so be the Phariseis were so whoat so carefully diligent to defende the corrupt state of the Churche howmuche more vehement ought we to be in defending the kingdome of Christe For the madnesse of the Papistes is no lesse at this daye to extinguishe the gospell M. Last of all it appeareth how prepostourous the Iudgement and how peruerse the counsaile of the reprobate is The multitude murmure and Christ is commaunded to be taken Why doe they not rather instruct the murmuring multitude in the truth or reprehende them But this is the maner of the worlde being voyde of the spirite of God After this manner the vpper Captaine commaunded Paule to be caryed vp into the Castle and bade that he shoulde be scourged and examined that hée might know wherefore they cryed so on hym Act 22.24 whereas rather hée ought to haue stopt the mouthes of those impudent Dogges which continually barcked at the little flocke of Christ 33. Then sayde Iesus vnto them yet am I a little while with you and then go I vnto him that sent mee Bv. When Iesus knew what they priuilye went about he declared vnto them in certaine darcke sentences boath that their conspiracies shoulde be vayne and also that hée woulde in a shorte time of his owne frée will offer vp hys bodye to the death of the crosse for the redemption of the whole worlde and so vnder a sertaine hydden and darke speache hée declareth vnto them the mistery of the dispensation that hee should shortly dye after that ascende into heauen and so to come from thence to iudge hys enimies C. There are some which thinke these wordes to be spoken to the asassemblye of people which were present and other some to the seruauntes which were sent to take Christe But there is no doubt but that Christ properly speaketh to his enimies which sought hys destruction For hée derydeth theyr practises because in vaine they take them in hande vntill the time came which his Father had decréeed As if hée shoulde saye M. I séeme to you to be intollerable and therefore you seeke with all your might and mayne to destroye mée Be quiete a while for I meane not to be with you verye longe R. There is no cause why you shoulde be carefull so take awaye my lyfe least I shoulde escape your handes For séeing I am so welcome vnto you as smoake to your eyes and thornes to your féete I meane not to trouble you wyth my presence any long time M. Onely a lyttle while I will be troublesome vnto you R. For I will go vnto him that sent mée Bv. I will not flée from you but will willinglye offer my selfe to the death when the time shall come that by the crosse and death I shall enter into the glorye of the Father and shall possesse the kingdome ouer all creatures By these wordes hée declareth that neyther his lyfe nor his death was at their will but that there was a time appoynted to him of his father Luk. 13.3 â—i which must néedes be fulfilled A. Euen as hée made aunswere to certaine in another place Go yee and tell that Foxe Behould I cast out Deuilles and heale the people to daye and to morrowe and the thirde daye I shal bee perfected I go vnto him that sent mee C. By these wordes hée declareth that death cannot destroy him but rather that so soone as hée hath put of his mortal bodye hée will declare himselfe to be the sonne of God by the glorious triumphe of his resurrection Moreouer herevpon is to be gathered a generall admonicion For Christ is presentlye with vs so often as hée calleth vs by the preaching of the Gospel to the hope of saluation Ephe. 2.17 For the preaching of the Gospell is not in vaine called the discention of Christ vnto vs. If so be wée will take
that is to saye they call him Mayster whose Disciples they woulde not be This is the manner of ypocrits to carry a shewe of that whiche is not in them A. But not euery one that sayth Lorde Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen Mat. 7.21 but he whiche doeth the will of my Father whiche is in heauen 5 Moyses in the Law commanded vs that suche shoulde be stoned But what sayest thou M. The Phariseis knewe the Law and also how to cite the same in another bodies cause and when they saw it serue for their purpose They knewe also what ponishement the Lawe layed vpon Sinners when other mens synnes came into Iudgement but when they them selues offended againste the Lawe then ther was not so much as mention made of the same But the Lawe doeth not only commaunde this that the haynouse offender should be ponished neither was the Lawe only made to this ende that we might knowe when other men sinne and when they are to be condemned but it doth also commaund that no man oppresse the Innocent and as Nicodemus sayde that no man be Iudged before his cause be hearde and furthermore it was geuen to this end that euery man might behoulde in the same as in a glasse the deformitie of synnes and the corruption of mans nature But ypocrites which desier only to Iudge othermen are blynde in theyr owne synnes but more quicke of sight than Linceus in behoulding other mens faltes Linceus a man who coulde see shippes on the Sea 130. miles from him could nomber thē also could see through a stoane wall as sōe write C. Furthermore their dishonesty was so greate in seking occasion to cauill the whiche also they bewraye with their owne mouth For they saye that they haue a manyfeste commaundement in the Lawe Wherevppon it muste needes followe that they deale maliciously in séeking and demaunding of the same as of a doubtfull matter But their purpose was to constraine Christe to forsake his office of preaching that he might seeme to be a man wauering and inconstant R. They cyte the Law out of the twenty chapter of Leuitticus where it is sayde And the man that commiteth adultery with another mans wife because he hath committed adultery with his neighbours wife Leui. 20 i0 the adulterer and the adulteresse shall boath die the death But the Lawe doeth not therefore punishe the synnes and offences of men as though the punishement of the sworde were a satisfaction for sinne Ponishmēt of the Lawe doth not satisfie for sinne for the death of Christe onely hath made satisfaction for sinne but offendours ar punished by the sword for examples sake that the people might feare to offende and leste in tyme sinne and wickednesse might be counted for vertue and righteousnesse For the sin that is left vnpunished is not knowen to be sinne If any man obiecte the déede of Phinees the which is commended to come as it were from a deuyne zeale Sin vnpunished is not known for sinne and is sayd to tourne away the wrath of God from the Children of Israel I aunswere that the dede of Phinees was not a satisfactorious punishment of sinne Num. 25. for no punishment sauing the onely ponishment of Christe Iesus hath satisfied for sinnes but by this cruell stabbing as it maye séeme of Phinees the rest of the Israelites were made afearde to committe Whordome with the Daughters of Moab and Idolatry with Baal peor that knowing their Impiety they might repent by which repentaunce the wrath of the Lorde is pacefied Wherefore Phinehes is sayde by hys facte to haue appeased the Lordes wrath not that any death is so cruel which may satisfie for sinne but because hereby the people was brought into the right waye and to repentaunce Magistrats appese the wrath of God by ponishing sin by whiche the Lord is pleased yf so be it procéede from fayth So euery faithfull Magistrate by punishing with the sworde horryble offences and by their punishmentes drawing the wicked people to repentanc is sayde to appease the wrath of the Lorde and to take awaye sinne 6. This they sayde to tempte hym that they might accuse him But Iesus stouped downe and with his finger hee wrote on the ground This they sayde to tempte M. The Euaungeliste nowe expresseth with what minde the Scribes and Phariseis brought the adulterouse woman vnto Christe namely not to admonishe him or to make him circomspecte but to tempte to accuse and to destroye hym All temtation or tryal is not euell For God tempteth his seruantes one fréend is tempted of another the childe is tryed by the Father Temtatiō generaly is not euell the Wyfe by her Husbande the Seruaunt by his Master not that they might be hurt by triall but rather that they might thereby be profited The Deuill also tempteth Mat 4.3 i Thes 35. wherevpon also he is called a temptor in the Scripture M. Also enemies vse to tempt not to profite thereby but to hurte and to destroye This kynde of temtation is wicked and playne Deuelishe Therefore the lord hath exhorted vs to beware of those which tempt with an euell minde when as he willeth vs not only to be Innocent as doues but also wise as serpentes Mat. 20 i6 R. Therefore because Christe preached him selfe to be gentle and lowly in hart Mat xi 26. Mat. 9.5 Lu. 7.48.50 and because also they had hearde him say so often tymes Go thy waye thy faith hath saued thee on the one side they sett before him this sinfull woman on the other syde the Lawe C. to the ende they might catche Christe in a trippe by the prouidence of the Lawe For it was not méete to absolute any whome the Lawe condemned If he shoulde subscribe to the Lawe he might seeme after a sort to bée contrary to him selfe R. And so they had taken occasion to discredyt him with the people and to conuince him of a lye as one which preached many thinges concerning remission of sinnes whiche notwithstanding hée did not performe But Iesus stouped downe PAR. Iesus who by his deuine wisedome knewe the secrete thoughtes of the harte so deluded the mallice and subteltie of his aduersaries that he deliuered the synfull woman oute of the hands of those that went about to stoane her and yet notwithstanding did not discharge her of punishment lest he might séeme to offende against Moyses and the pollityke Lawes and againe that hée might not condemne the cause of his comming into this worlde which was to saue sinners M. What it was that Christe wroate because the euaungelist himselfe doth not shewe as we cannot define so we maye not to curiously searche after the same Bv. It séemeth to some that hée wroate these wordes vppon the ground Ye are earth and ye Iudge of the earth M. Othersome thinke that hee wroate the very same whiche he aunswered afterwerde in wordes Many thinke that he wroate some more
them selues headlong into the midest of the fier of Godes wrath Do wee not sée the same furye in many at this daye whose consciences hauing no sence and feeling at all doe scofe and deryde all that they heare spoken of the horrible Iudgement of God 23 And hee saied vnto them yee are from beneath I am from aboue ye are of this world I am not of this world And he sayd vnto them M. Christ doeth so aunswere vnto their secréete whispering that hée declareth boath wherefore they can not come to the place whether hée is going and also wherefore hée sayd that they should dye in their sinnes Ye sayeth he are from beneath C. Because they were not worthye to bée taught hée onelye minded shortlye and sharpelye to reprehende them pronouncing in this place that they doe not vnderstande his Doctrine because they were farre from the Kingdome of God Bv. As if hée should saye The cause of your errour and blindnesse is for that ye are quite voyde of the holye Ghoste and are of this worlde that is to saye ye are earthlye and carnall and sauour whollye of this world But I am from aboue and am not of this worlde that is to saye I teache spirituall heauenly and not worldly thinges Except therefore as newe borne ye chaunge youre mindes ye shall neuer vnderstande any whitte of my Philosophy C. For vnder these wordes worlde and from beneathe he comprehendeth all that men haue vy nature For Sinne Death Affliction Glory Pompe Ritches Power and such lyke carnall thinges are from beneathe and of this worlde C. And thus he putteth discrepaunce and difference betwéene his Gospell and the wisedom and vnderstanding of mannes minde because the Gospell is heauenlye wisedome and our minde stayeth it selfe vppon the earth So that noane shal be a méete Disciple for Christ but such as he hath conformed by his spyrite And herevppon it commeth that Fayth is so seldome founde in the worlde because naturally all mankinde is alienated from Christ Faith syldom found in the world except those whom hée lyfteth vp by speciall grace of his holye Spyrite R. For no man can attayne to those thinges which belong to the kingdome of Heauen that is to saye to righteousnesse to Fayth to reioysing in the holye Ghost and to eternall felicity by his owne reason and strength but by the power of Christ M. Moreouer Christ doeth not deny in himselfe the Natiuitye of the fleshe when hée sayeth that he is not of this world but the communion and partetaking of sinne and of corruption which commeth through sinne the sugiestion of Sathan In this sence hée denyeth his Apostles to bée of this worlde because he exempteth them by the grace of his spyrite from the spottes and pollusions of this worlde A. In lyke manner all the Godlye though they bee in this worlde Ioh. i5 19 mixte with wicked and vngodlye men yet notwithstanding they are not sayde to be of this worlde because GOD hath taken them out of this present wicked world Phili. 3.20 and their conuersation is heauenly 24. I sayde therefore vnto you that you shall dye in your sinnes For if ye beleeue not that I am he ye shall dye in your synnes J sayde therefore vnto you M. The ioyning togeather of these sentences doe manifestlye declare that so many as are of this worlde are subiect vnto death For hée sayth not simplye I sayde vnto you that ye shall dye but I sayde therefore vnto you that ye shall dye Wherefore Because yee are of this worlde For he hath respecte to the declaration doing before So Paule sayth that the worlde is subiect to damnation saying when we are Iudged of the Lorde we are corrected 1. Co. 11 i2 leste wee sholde be condemned with the worlde That you shall die in youre sinnes C. Nowe he putteth the plurall number Sinnes whereas he vsed before the synguler nomber Sinne but in the same sence sauing that in the former place his purpose was to noate that vnbeléefe is the well spring and cause of all euelles not because Incredulitie only is sinne or deathe because the same aloane maketh vs guiltie before God of eternall death but because it doth draw vs awaye from Christe and doeth depriue vs of his grace by which we ought to séeke for deliueraunce from all oure synnes In that therefore the Iewes through obstinate mallice do reiect the medicine they geue vnto them selues a mortall wounde and herevppon it commeth to passe that they heape on sinne vppon another M. Furthermore by this place wée maye gather that death is due vnto sinne as the Scripture in diuers places teacheth Death reward of sin Rom. 6.22 1. Cor i5 We maye also gather that oure destruction commeth of our owne sinnes and not of the sinnes of other men It maye bee that we maye bee made pertakers of other mens synnes and so also of theyr punishmente but he which is free from sinne and doth not dot defyle hym selfe with other mens sinnes is also frée from the rewarde of sinne Rom. 6.23 that is to say death For the Soule whiche hath synned shall dye Eâ—ec i8 4 the sonne shall not beare the Iniquitie of the Father nor the father the iniquitie of the Sonne the righteousnesse of the Iust man shal be vppon him and the wickednesse of the vngodly vpon them Yf ye beleue not that I am hee What he hath added nothing And because he hath added nothing it is muche which he hath commended For they looked that he shoulde haue declared what he was and yet notwithstanding he did not shewe the same C. There is therefore in this manner of speache a greate emphacis and force because all those thinges which the Scriptures attributed to the Messias are to be vnderstoode Notwithstanding the summe and principall poynt is the repayring of the Church the beginning whereof is the light of fayth whereof duly spring righteousnesse and newenesse of lyfe Some of the Fathers haue drawne amis this thing to the deuine essence of Christe and do Ioyne that with him which is wrighten in Exodus I am that I am Exod. 3 when as he speaketh heare of the dutie which he oweth toward vs. This sentence is worthy to be noated for men do neuer sufficiently consider the euelles in the wich they are ouerwhelmed and although they are constrayned to acknowledge their destruction yet notwithstanding neglecting Christe they séeke for vaine remedies Wherefore wee must here noate that vntill the grace of Christ which is our deliuerer doe reueale it selfe all kinde of wickednesse doth abounde 25. Then sayde they vnto him who arte thou And Iesus sayth vnto them Euen the verye same thing that I sayde to you from the beginning Who art thou Bv. Bv. Wonderfull liberty of questioning or rather carnall lycence is graunted to the enemies of Christ and much more wonderfull doeth the patience and long suffering of our Sauiour Christe appeare in all these thinges
fruite Ver. 37. Also of the good Trée wée saye in the Winter This Trée bringeth forth good fruite Iohn 13.27 So these Iewes to whome Christe made aunswere in this place dyd then commit the sinne of murther not in acte but in thought meditacion and purpose when they spake these thinges vnto the Lorde For they sought to kyll him as he shortlye after sayde vnto them Ye seeke to kyll mee So the Lorde sayde to Iudas in the time of the Supper That thou doest doe quickly And what was the miserable wretche then doing In action he was at Supper but in thought and minde he was betraying the Lorde The Lord speaketh not of that which hée dyd in action but of that which hée dyd in heart and in minde and yet notwithstanding the Lorde sayde not That whiche thou wylt doe but That which thou doest do quicklye So to fulfill the Lawe and the commaundementes is taken in the Scriptures for a desire to doe the Lawe and the commaundementes Therefore to committe sinne is not simplye to sinne but to haue a desire to sinne although sinne be not finished in act Euen as to doe good is not simplye to doe good in act and deede but to haue a desire to good although the good worke come not alwayes in act Moreouer although boath the elect and the reprobate doe sinne yet not withstanding the elect doe not committe sinne but the reprobate onely For they which are of God as they haue séede of God in them euen so they detest synne from their hearte and that which they detest they cannot studiouslye meditate and fynishe This matter Saint Iohn very notably handleth in his fyrst Epistle The which notwithstanding fauoureth not the secte of the Annabaptistes which by these places goe about to proue that a Christian man symplye cannot synne affirming also because they will bee counted true Christians that they are cleane without sinne and that they can by no means synne the which is a most subtill practise of Sathan in them that hée maye bring the weake mindes of the godlye whiche doe féele the force of synne in them selues to desperation But there is no mencion of sinne made here generally but of a willing desyer and meditation to synne as we haue sayde 35. And the seruaunt abideth not in the house for euer but the Sonne abydeth euer Bv. Now followeth the denouncing of punishment belonging to seruauntes vnder the similitude taken from lawes and pollitique gouernment As the seruaunt though for a tyme hée rule and gouerne is not neuerthelesse the master of the house but is thrust out of the Doores or chaunged at the pleasure of his Lorde euenso the bondeseruaunt of sinne though for a time he playe the Hipocrite and counterfaite pietye and séeme to haue God fauourable vnto him is notwithstanding in due tyme excluded from the presence of God and fellowshippe of Sayntes for the house figureth the fellowshippe of God and of the Saintes C. Whervpon it foloweth that there is no libertye perfecte and perpetuall but that which is gotten by the Sonne of God By this meanes Christ reproueth the Iewes of vanitye because they bragge of a counterfaite shew as if they had the thing it selfe For wheras they were the carnall progeny of Abraham they were nothing but counterfaites They had aucthority in the Church of God but such authoritie as Ismael vsurped to him selfe for a short time the seruaunt exalting him selfe against the true and lawfull Sonne The summe is this whosoeuer boaste themselues to be the sonnes of Abraham doe nothing else but make a certaine colored and counterfayte shewe 36. If therefore the Son make you free then arre you free in deede M. Christ speaketh here of hymselfe but in the thirde person Bv. As if hée shoulde saye Whosoeuer trulye desireth to be frée and to be the heyre of euerlasting lyfe let him séeke to be made frée by me which am the Sonne of GOD that is to saye Let him beléeue mée and abyde in my wordes and the truth shall make him frée C. By these wordes hée declareth that the power of freedome belongeth to hym aloane and that all other being borne seruants are not made frée but by hys grace onelye For whatsoeuer he hath proper by nature hée giueth vnto vs by adoption when we are by faith ingraffed in his body and are made his members Therefore our goodnesse commeth by the fréedome of Christ Freedome commeth by Christ but yet we obtaine the same by fayth Which also bringeth to passe that Christ doth regenerate vs by his holye spirite M. This clause in déede reiecteth all the fréedome that commeth by fleshe and bloud because the same is not true libertie So that libertie is sought in vain without Christ For he geueth vnto vs his Spirite whereby wée béeing free follow with willing mindes those thinges that belong vnto God which only is true libertie For what doth it profite in fleshe to the rule the whole worlde and in mind to be the seruaunt of death For so long as concupiscence beareth any rule inv vs as it bringeth vs to synne so also it leadeth vs to death For the reward of sinne is death Rom. 6.26 Iam. 1 Rom. 8.13 Also S. Iames saith Lust when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne and Sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death And the Apostle Paule sayth yf ye liue according to the fleshe ye shall dye 37. I knowe that yee are Abrahams seede but yee seeke means to kill mee because my worde hath noe place in you Bv. Now our sauioure Christ doth more strongly confute the swelling and vaine glory and boasting which was in the Iewes by which they boasted them selues to be the seede that is to saye the posteritie of Abraham As if hée shoulde say Admitte I shoulde graunt vnto you this thing in the which yée so greately glory what notwithstandyng doth it profite them to be called the Children of Abraham which rage and fume against God and his ministers who being mooued with wicked hatered against the trueth are swiftly caried to shedde innocente bloud R. Ye are in déede the posteritie of Abraham but not the true spirituall but the carnall seede the which maye manifestlye appeare hereby for that ye go about to kill mée beléeuing not my word For so were the carnall sonnes of Abraham woont to persecute the spiritual B. These thinges he spake spiritually to those hipocrites and enimies the Iewes which beléeued not in him Gala. 4.29 Howbeit hée ment by these wordes to declare vnto those men also that God nothing regardeth the libertie of the fleshe Hée taught that boath true libertie and nobillitie must be estéemed and iudged by workes and that it is nothing to be borne after the flesh of Abrahā if the spirite of Abraham be not also adioyned there vnto whereof followeth both the lyfe and purpose of Abraham C. When hée sayth that they sought to kill him because his worde had no place
to abide in his worde Bv. This parte Faith quicneth mans soule If a man comprehendeth all mortall men and excludeth none of what age sexe or condicion soeuer he be of Hee shall not see death C. Because so soone as Faith hath quickened the soule of man death can wounde and kyll no more B. And the Faithfull by the vndoubted hope of the blessed Resurrection when they dye are rather sayde to sléepe than to dye in the meane time being in soule in euerlasting lyfe and blisse with the Lorde For what else is the meaning of this which Christ sayth Hee shall neuer see death but because he sawe another death from the which he came to deliuer vs that is to saye the seconde death Death euerlasting euerlasting daath death of hell fyre the death of dampnation with the Deuell and his aungelles that is death in déede M. Therefore neuer to sée death is nothing else but to haue euerlasting lyfe So that we may noate and learne here that Faith is the way to Immortallity Bv. And that Christians doe truely lyue and neuer dye although in this worlde they be more lyke to dead men than to liuing men and to dye in body like other men A. For the saying of Christ here is moste true to the whiche also agréeeth this place Euery one which liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer die Ioh. 11.26 52. Then sayde the Iewes vnto him now knowe we that thou haste the Deuell Abraham is deade and the Prophetes and thou sayest if a man keepe my sayinges hee shall neuer taste of death M. Leauing that whiche the Lorde had obiected for the defence of his doctryne the Iewes agayne according to their maner craftely wrest those things which they thought might serue theire tourne to cauell C For the reprobate abyde still in their senclesnesse and are no more touched or mooued with promises than with threatnings insomuch that they can neyther be allured nor drawen vnto Christ They doe falsely interprete the wordes of Christ when they transferre his spirituall doctrine to the body M. Christe spake of that very and euerlasting death of Hell fyer of the death of body and soule together C. For this death none of the Faithfull shall sée because they beeing borne of incorruptible séede in dying to liue because they béeing ioyned to Christe their head cannot be extinguished by death because death to them is a passage into the heauenly kingdome and because the spirite dwelling in them as lyfe for righteousnesse sake But these men béeing carnall vnderstand no deliueraunce from death but that which openly appeareth in the body and do cauill at the wordes of Christ as if he had spoken only of the death of the body C. And this falt is to common and generall in the worlde many making no account almost of the grace of Christ because they onely carnally iudge of the same Therefore lest we doe the lyke we must awaken oure mindes that they maye féele the spirituall lyfe in the midest of death A. The which shall come to passe yf fo bee by true fayth wée kéepe the word of the Lord Iesu 53. Art thou greater then oure Father Abraham whiche is dead And the Prophetes are dead whom makest thou thy selfe M. Here it appeareth how these maliciouse men went about to make Christ to be hated and enuied of the people by making mencion againe of Abraham and the Prophetes as though Christ had spoken somewhat that had béene repugnaunt to Abraham and the Prophetes This therefore was another falte in them that they went about by the shyning brightnesse of Abraham and of the Saintes to obscure the glory of Christe But as the brightnesse of the sunne doth obscure and darken al the starres euenso Christ with his excéeding shyne and glory doth make all the glory of Saintes to vanishe awaye therefore they deale vniustely and preposterously in comparing the seruauntes with the Lorde and they are iniuriouse also to Abraham and the Prophetes in abusing their name against Christ M. Abraham verely was great before God and so were the Prophets but yet for al this why might not he come after them which was much more greater then they C. But this wickednesse hath béene almost in all ages and is also to be founde at this daye that the wicked renting and deuiding the workes of GOD doe make him as were contrarye to himselfe God manifested and declared his name by the Apostles and Martires the Papists make Idoles to themselues of the Apostles and Martires which they set in Godes seate Doe they not by this meanes make vnto themselues of the graces of God instrumentes to ouerthrowe the power of God For how little shall remayne for GOD and Christ if so bée the Saintes maye haue that which the Papistes so liberallye giue vnto them Wherefore wée must knowe that the whole order of Goddes kingdome is confounded Saintes at infeeiour to God except the Prophetes Apostles and Saintes bee farre inferiour vnto Christ and verely wée cannot speake more reuerentlye and honorably of the saintes than when wée make them inferiour vnto Christe B. The argument of the Iewes was that not onelye they which beléeued Abraham and the Prophets were deade but also Abraham and the Prophtes themselues and therefore that the Lorde spake without reason in preferring hymselfe before the holye Fathers and the Prophettes 54. Iesus aunswered If I honour my selfe my honour is nothing it is my Father that honoreth me which ye saye is your God C. Before hée maketh aunswere to the foresayde vnequall comparison hée sheweth that hée séeketh not his owne glorye and so hée preuenteth their cauill For Christ in that hée was a man did not gloryfye himselfe but God dyd glorifie him B. Therefore hée speaketh thys by Immitation or by concession as hée spake many thinges before C. And hée sheweth that hée desireth no glorye but that which the Father giueth into hym M. Here a common place maye bee handeled concerning the vanitie of glory which carnall men séeke in this worlde This glorye the Lorde sayth is nothing though hee shoulde séeke the same If so be the glorye of Christ were nothing if he had glorified himselfe I pray you what mortall man will you shewe me which may attaine the true and perfyte glorye in glorifying himselfe Therefore that is true glorye which is giuen to God Jt is my father which honoureth mee Bv. That is to saye my Father testifyeth mée to be suche a one as I affirme my selfe to bée And hée testifyeth the same by Oracles by signes by myracles and by many argumentes Therefore I arrogate nothing vnto my selfe by ambition and in that I exalte my selfe aboue the Patriarkes and Prophetes and doe promise lyfe and immortalitye I doe so exalte my selfe and promise as the sonne of GOD. By these wordes wée are taught that when God glorifyeth hys Sonne hée will not suffer that the world shall contemne him and escape vnpunished But the faythfull may
be suspected as a blasphemer of God they begyne to cast stoanes at hym C. And it is very lykely that they dyd this Leu. 24.16 as though Christ ought to haue bene stoaned according to the prescript of the Lawe Whereby we maye gather howe greate the madnesse of a rashe zeale is Seale with out knowledge M. After that these men had contended a while in wordes they tourne them at the last to stoanes to vniust force and to bloody murther by which they make an ende of their disputacion This hapned not only to Christ Act. 7. but also to Stéephen and before Christe and Stephen to the Prophetes and after that to the rest of the preachers of Christ But Iesus hid him selfe C. There is no doubt but that Christ by his secrete power deliuered him selfe but yet notwithstanding vnder the form and shewe of humilitie For he woulde not declare hys diuinitie at the full but left somewhat to his humayne infirmitie M. And he teacheth that we ought to flée the mallice and crueltie of the wicked rather than to resist violence with force R. And that all Lawfull meanes ought to be sought for rather then that God should be tempted And hee went out of the Temple M. This is moste sure that Christe will not abyde in their Temples whiche go aboute to extinguishe the doctrine of trueth and to shed the bloud of the teachers C Thehefore the wicked Priests and Scribes hauing put Christ to flight in whome al the fulnesse of the deitie dwelt kept the possession of the external temple But yet they are farre deceyued in thinking that they haue a temple voyd of God Euen so at this daye the Pope and his Prelates when they haue warred against Christ and prophaned the Church foolishely boast in the counterfeyte shewe of the Church ⧠The ninth Chapter 1. And as Iesus passed by he saw a man which was blinde from his birth And as Iesus passed by C IN this chapter the Euangelist describeth the restoaring of the blynde man to hys sight mixing there with the Doctrine which commendeth the frute of the miracle B. The tyme was come for the Lorde to reueale his power more openly And looke howe much this serued for the saluation of the Godly so much also it serued for the destruction of the wicked but yet thus farre forth the glorye of God was to be reuealed to the wicked that thereby they might be the more blinded M. As Christ passed by he sawe thys blinde man not at aduenture or by chaunce but by the deuine prouidence of GOD. Which was blinde from his birth B. This circumstaunce is added apartelye that the greatnes of the thing might be considered the newnes also and truth of the miracle and partelye to set forth vnto vs a misterye putting vs in minde that we are all borne blinde and corrupted with original sin AVG. For al mankinde is that blinde man For this blindenesse was in the first man by reason of sinne from whome wée all haue our originall not onelye of death but also of iniquitie Bv. Furthermore the Lord dyd the more dilligentlye behoulde him because hée considered with himselfe as hée was God that this was the same GOD by whome the glorye of GOD shoulde bée greatly manifested 2. And his Disciples asked hym saying Maister who didde sinne this man or his Father and Mother that hee was borne blinde M. The Disciples were moued hereby to aske this question because they sawe that the Lorde did so dilligentlye behoulde this blinde man Bv. So soone as calamities appeare wée iudge them by and by to be punishmentes for sinne C. because the Scriptures testifieth that all gréefes and vexations to the whiche mankinde is subiect doe come of synne Bv. For so the friendes of Iob reasoned R. affirming that afflictions are alwaies the paines and punishmentes of sinnes C. But here men doe erre thrée wayes For séeing euerye one is a seuere Iudge and a narrowe searcher of other mens faultes verye fewe vse the same seueritie and systing of themselues If so be my brother be in aduersity and trouble by and by I acknowledge the iudgement of God but if God laye a more heauie burthen vpon my owne shoulders I winke and will not sée my owne sinnes But in waying and considering punishmentes euerye man ought to begin at himselfe and to spare none lesse than himselfe The seconde errour is in too much rigour because so soone as any of vs are touched with the hande of GOD wée interpret the same to be Goddes deadelye hatred and so wée heape sinne vpon synne and doe almost dispayre of hys sauing health but contrariwise in extenuating our synnes wée scarce haue any knowledge or féeling of our synne when we haue committed a gréeuous and heynous offence Thirdely wée offende when without respect wée condemne all those whome God exerciseth with the Crosse Sinne is the original of affliction It is most certaine that al miseries take their originall and beginning at synne but yet God afflicteth his seruauntes for diuers causes For as hée doth not take vengeaunce on some mens synnes in this worlde Affliction commeth for diuers causes but deferreth the punishmentes vntill another lyfe that hee may then vse them with more seuerity euen so oftentimes hée dealeth more hardlye with his faythfull seruaunts not because they haue committed greater synnes than other men but to mortefie in them the concupisences of the flesh Yea sometime not respecting their synnes hée only tryeth their obedience or else exerciseth their pacience Euen as we sée that the holye man Iobe was afflicted that by his aduersytie his godlinesse might bée the better knowne Wherefore there are two thinges here to be noated the first is that iudgement doth often times beginne at the house of GOD and that hee ouerpassing the wicked doth seuerelye punishe hys seruauntes and doth more sharpelye scourge in correcting the vices of his Churche The second is that there are diuers endes why he aflicted men For he suffered Peeter and Paule to be executed by the cruell tormenter no lesse then yf they had béene wicked théeues Whereby we gather that in the punishmentes of men the causes of the same cannot be well discerned M. Moreouer this so absurd a question of the disciples came of the common opinion at that time namely that the soule of this blynd man had sinned before in some other man by the desert whereof he was blind in body from his natiuitie C. For it euedently appeareth by other places of Scripture that the reiterated or second generation which Pithagoras taught was beléeued and receiued of them Hereby wee sée what a déepe Labyrinth the curiosity of men is specially when presumtuouse bouldnesse is ioyned therewith They sawe some to be borne Lame some sqinte eyed and some starke blinde and other some monsterouse in body Nowe when they ought to haue reuerenced the Iudgementes of God they woulde in these workes haue sene a manifest
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
aunswere to take awaye all care from his Disciples least they shoulde be gréeued to sée him so secure and carelesse in the perill of his friende Hée denyeth this disease to be deadelye but rather affirmeth the same to be a meane to sette forth his glorye M. As if hée shoulde saye Lazarus is not falne into this sickenesse to dye of the same as commenlye it hapneth to others but this infirmitye or sykenesse is sent vnto hym by the secret purpose and counsayle of God to this ende that GOD maye thereby be glorified occasyon being therby offered to his Sonne by the same to declare hys power and to magnifie hys name C. And although Lazarus was deade yet notwithstanding because shortelye after Christ restoared him to lyfe hée hauing respect to this ishue and successe sayth that it is not a sycknesse vnto death M. For Lazarus wythin two dayes after dyed of the same syckenesse but not to sleepe in death with other dead bodyes vntil the day of Iudgment but that he might be restoared to life by the Sonne of God and might by his death minister occasyon to gloryfy him Therefore the Lorde had more respect vnto the consideration and cause of deth then to the death it selfe and therefore more truelye he ascribed this sickenesse to the cause of death which made to the glory of God more then to death it selfe C. Moreouer Christ in this place properly noated the glory of God which was Ioyned with his office For we knowe that when the Reprobate perishe the glory of God doth noe lesse shine in their death then in the saluation of the godly That the sonne of God might be glorified Bv. That is to saye he shal be raysed vp by my power whereby I shal be glorified For by that worke many shall gather that I am the true sonne of the lyuing God the life and the quickener of them that beléeue For it followeth towarde the ende of the myracle Vers 45 Many therefore of the Iewes which came to Marie and had seene the thinges which Iesus had done beleeued in him C. By this place wee gather that God woulde be so knowne in the person of the sonne that what honor soeuer God requiereth to be geuen to himselfe shoulde be giuen to his sonne Bv. Wherevpon Christe sayde The Father hath geuen all Iudgement to the Sonne Ioh. 5.23 that all might honor the sonne as they honor the father Hee which honoreth not the Sonne honoreth not the Father which hath sent him C. Wherefore the Turkes and Iewes béeing contumeliouse vnto Christe in vaine professe them selues to honoure God nay by this meanes they goe about to banish God from them 5. Iesus loued Martha and her Sister and Lazarus M. This the Euaungelist addeth because of the words of Mary and Martha which they tould by message vnto the Lord saying Lorde behould he whome thou louest is sicke Iesus loued not only Lazarus but also his sisters Bv. that is to saye all this houshoulde and family which were Godly disposed M. For Christ loued all men in that he came into the worlde to be the sauioure and redéemer of all men and not onely those which were then liuing and which were in the worlde before but those also which should be vpō the earth vnto the worlds ende We reade not that Paule had any familliarity with Christe in this worlde when he was vpon the earth and yet neuerthelesse he sayeth Neuerthelesse I liue Gala 2.26 yet now not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life which I nowe liue in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God which loued me and gaue him selfe for me And as he was a man liuing among men he was led by humane affections So he is sayd here to loue this Lazarus Martha and Mary and so also wée reade that he loued Iohn the Apostle Iohn i5 i4 and so no doubt he loued all his Apostes and called them his friendes 6. when he had hearde therefore that hee was sicke hee aboade two dayes still in the same place where hee was C. These wordes séeme contrary to that which went before that Christe should abyde two dayes on the other syde of Iordan as neglecting the life of Lazarus and yet notwithstanding is sayde to loue him and his sisters for séeing loue causeth care he shoulde haue made haste without delaye M. But this delaye nether hurt Lazarus nor yet was offensiue to the Lawe of loue and frenship but 〈◊〉 profyted him very much agréed with frendshippe and amitie and also serued greatly for the glory of God Lazarus was his frind but more frenly was the glory of his Father C. Therefore séeing Christe is the only mirror of the grace of God wée are taught by this his delaye not to Iudge of the loue of God according to the present state of thinges Béeing intreated hée often times diferreth his helpe eyther to make vs more feruent in prayer or else to excercise our patience and obedience Bv. Let no man therefore think much yf so be the louers of true pietie and godlynesse be afflicted with the calamityes of this worlde God faring as though he cared not for the same Gen 4 i0 eyther because so it is expedient for them which suffer or else because it so serueth for the setting forth of his glory B. So he left Abel in the hande of his brother but after his death his bloud cryed for vengeaunce Gen 39.20 So he left Ioseph a long time in the dungeon of the prison but afterward he aduaunced him to honoure So he left the Israelites a long time in cruel bondage whome notwithstanding at the length he deliuered with a mightie hand and out-stretched arme C. Let the faithfull therefore so craue helpe at the handes of God that they learne to suspend their desiers if so be at any time he be more slowe to helpe and deliuer then necessity requireth For howsoeuer he stayeth he sléepeth not neyther is hee vnmindfull of those that are his In the meane time let vs bée sure of this that he would all whome he loueth to be saued 7. Then sayde hee after that to his Disciples Let vs goe into Iewrye againe M. The Disciples being as yet but weake stoode greatly in feare of the mallice of the Iewes therfore Christ thought good to make them strong against they tooke their Iourney For he knew that they could not abide to heare so much as Iewry spoken of But he might haue gone into Iewry without them and neuer haue tould them of the matter yet he neither would returne into Iewrye without them nor yet leaue their minds vnprepared for so perillous a iourneye And therefore he sayeth Let vs goe into Iury againe C. By which wordes also be declareth that he had a care for Lazarus when his Disciples thought that he had forgotten him or at lest that he made lesse account of the life of Lazarus than he did of other matters M.
but be heard of God so that they â—ende to the glory of his name 29. The people therefore that stoode by and hearde it sayde that it thoundered other sayde an Aungell spake to him C. This verily is wonderful that the people which stoode by should be amazsed at so manifest a miracle Som lyke deafe men Iudged that to be a confused sound which God spake plainly other some not so senceles and dull yet notwithstanding diminishing much the maiestie of the diuine voyce faine an Aungell to be the aucthoure of the same But the very same also is to be seene at thys daye among men For God speaketh playnly ynough in the Gospell and the force and power of the spirite sheweth it selfe which ought to shake both heauen and earth but the doctrine thereof is so could with many euen as though it came from a mortall man only to other some the word of God is stammering speache a barbarouse voyce and as it were a thonder But yet that voyce was not heard without profite For besyde the apostles there were some which did not interpret much amis But the Euaungeliste thought good to noat bréefely what is wont to be done generally in the world namely for that the greater parte hearing God to speake plainly and effectually heareth not Therefore that which the Euaungeliste attributeth heare to this multitude belongeth vnto the same but in parte only 30. Iesus aunswered and sayde This voyce came not beecause of mee but for your sakes M. The hearers thought that this voyce came to comfort hym He therefore expoundeth vnto them the cause of the same saying This voyce came not because of me C. But had Christ no néede of comfort and confirmation or had the Father lesse care for him than for vs Wee muste houlde this principle as Christ for our sake tooke vpon hym our fleshe euen so what good thing soeuer he receiued of the Father the same was bestowed for our sake Furthermore this also is true that the voyce came from heauen because of the people For he had no néede of any external myracle Also this is a secrete reprehension béecause the Iewes were as deaf as a stone to heare the voyce of God For seing God spake for their sakes their ingratitude is voyde of excuse seeing they apply not their eares to heare 31. Nowe is the Iudgement of this worlde nowe shall the Prince of this worlde be caste oute M. Christ in these wordes séemeth to expound the heauenly voyce which had sayd I haue both glorified it and will also glorifie it againe For what else is it to glorify the name of God in this worlde then to beate downe and ouerthrow the kingdome of Sathan the Prince of this worlde C. Therefore the Lord hauing ended the battaile already doth triumphe not only as the ouercommer of feare but also as the conqueror of death For notably he setteth forth the fruite of hys death which might haue bene to the disciples the cause of feare and trouble of minde This word Iudgement signifieth in some mens opinions reformation to othersome damnation But the first signification is best as that the world shal be reformed and restoared to hys lawful order For we knowe that without Christ there is nothing but confusion in this world And although Christ had begoone already to erect the kingdome of God yet notwithstanding his death was the true beginning of a princelye state in déede and the full reformation of the worlde Notwithstanding wee must noate that this reformation of the worlde could not be made before the kingdome of Sathan were abolished fleshe trodden vnder foote and whatsoeeuer else was against the righteousnes of God Finally it was necessary the mortification should go before the renuing of the world Wherefore Christ pronounceth that the Prince of this world must be caste forth because hereof commeth confusioÌ„ deformity that while Sathan vsurpeth tyranny Iniquitie doeth abounde Therefore Sathan béeing caste forthe the worlde is called from defection to bée subiecte to the gouernmente of God B. For in Iudgement matters are wonte to bée altered and reformed Luk. xi.xxi. In the worlde Sathan had quietly exercised his tyranny till a stronger than he came and spoyled him C. If any man demaunde howe Sathan was caste foorth in the death of Christ Question who dayly maintayneth warre against the flocke of Christ â—unsvvere we aunswere that this eiection is not restrayned to any shorte tyme but that the notable effecte of the death of Christ is described whiche dayely appeareth A. Therefore we must dayly fight against the sondery assaultes of Sathan for hée séeketh lyke a roring Lyon continually whome hé maye deuowre notwithstanding wee must so fight that by Christ wée maye assure oure selues of the victory Sathan the Prince of this world by Rapine Psal 24 M And hée is called the Prince of this worlde not because hée is the Lawefull Prince of the same but by rapine by which hée hath made mankynde subiecte vnto him by synne Otherwyse the earth is the Lordes and all that therein is the compasse of the worlde and they that dwell therein 1. Cor. 4.4 Ephe. 2.2 The Apostle Paule calleth him the God of this worlde which worketh in the children of vnbeléefe by whome they are helde captiue to his will and pleasure M. For his kingdom is in the harts of the vnbeléeuing but by the power of Christ he is cast out of the harts of mortall men And nowe wée must take héede lest hée gette enteraunce againe into hys ould seate Christ and the Princes of this worlde cannot raygne together Christ béeing let in erpelleth Sathan and Sathan béeing receiued Ioh. 10.16 Christ departeth For there is no agréement betwéene Christ and Beliall 32. And if I were lift vp from the earth I will drawe all vnto mee In that oure sauioure speaketh here so generally that by his death he wil draw all men vnto him it is to be referred to the sonnes of God whiche are of the flocke Also hée vsed this generall speache because the church of God was to be gathered boath out of the Gentiles and also out of the Iewes 2 Cor. 6.16 according to this place There shal be one Shepheard and one Shepfoulde 33. This hee sayd signifying what death hee should dye There is no doubte therefore but that the scence and meaning of this place is that the Crosse shal be lyke vnto a Chariot by which he should carry all the faithfull with hym to his Father as if Christ should saye B. ye shall exalte me and set me in my true glory when yée lifte me vp vppon the Crosse Ye shall lifte vp my body from the earth that it maye dye with great Ignominy and so ye shall thinke not only to caste mée downe but also vtterly to destroye mée Of the which your purpose ye shall so faile that by the very same death yée shall exalt me in déede from the earth into the kingdome of
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
was wickedly betrayed of his domisticall enemie euen so the like condition abideth for the Childeren of God After these mens opinions this is the sence In that one of my disciples is a wicked traytor it is no newe or vnwonted thing in the worlde but rather that is put in practise at this daye whiche the Scripture testifieth to be done longe agoe But séeing the same was shadowed in Dauid which was more fully afterward to be seene in Christ their Iudgement séemeth better which affirme the same properly to be fulfilled whiche Dauid had forshewed by the spirite of prophesy M. Thus therefore he séemeth to shew a reason wherefore he chose Iudas for that he was not ignorant what he was least that which shoulde come to passe might seeme to happen vnawares vnto him Moreouer to lift vp the héele metaphorically signifieth vnder the cooller of frendshippe to set vppon one by deceite that he maye bée oppressed vnawares Nowe that which Christ suffered béeing our head and example we must also patiently suffer béeing his members M. In this place also the authority of the Scripture is commended because all thinges in the same are necessarily fulfilled Wherefore we must take héede that we do not doubt of the fulfilling of them because the holy Ghost whatsoeuer he doth in the Scriptures whether it be by teaching or reprehending by threatning or promising by terrifiyng or comfortyng cannot lye A. For as Christ sayeth the scripture cannot but bee fulfilled Ioh. 10.35 Esay 40.8 because the word of the Lorde abydeth for euer 11. Nowe I tell you beefore it come that when it is come to passe yee might beeleue that I am hee C. By this sentence he admonisheth his Disciples that there is so litle cause why they should stomble or fall because a traytor shall come out of their company that they ought rather thereby to be the better confirmed in faith For excepte we did behould with our eyes the verye same in the Church which was forshewed concerning the troubles and contentions of the same we might haue Iuste occasion to doubt of prophesyes But seeing the trueth of the Scripture doth agrée with our experience then we haue better intelligence that God hath a care for vs and that we are gouerned by hys prouidence M. Therefore let vs noat to what ende Christ went aboute to confirme the mindes of his Apostles in the fayth towardes hym They had séene manye of his miracles and of late when hée raysed vp Lazarus oute of the graue when he had béene dead fowre dayes they stoode by and yet notwithstanding it was so great a matter to beleeue in him that they had also néede to be comforted and confirmed in that faith by the Scriptures of the Prophetes C. Moreouer by these wordes That yee might beleeue that J am hee He geueth vs to vnderstand that hée is the same messias which was promised Not that the treason of Iudas beganne to bring the Disciples vnto the Fayth for they knewe him already and had confessed who he was but because their faith profited more Iohn 6.69 when they came vnto the experience of those thinges which they had heard before out of the mouth of Christ And nowe we maye two wayes vnderstand the same as that he sayeth that the Disciples shall beleeue when they see the matter come to passe because nothing was hidden from him or else that none of thos things should faile him which the Scripture testifieth concerning Christ Both these sentences maye serue well B Therefore when they sawe that he knewe all thinges before they came to passe and yet notwithstanding woulde willingly suffer the same they mighte easily know that he was very Christe and God Howbéeit they did better way and vnderstand these thinges when they were more amply endued with the holy Ghost Concerning the exposition of the twenty verse reade in our commentary vppon the tenth Chapter of Mathewe beginning at the forty verse 21. When Iesus thus sayde hee was troubled in spirite and testifyed and sayde verilye verily I saye vnto you that one of you shall betraye mee C. The more holy that the Apostolicall office is and the greater the excelency of the same the more filthy and detestable was the treason of Iudas Therefore such and so great wickednesse brought horror of mind into Christ him selfe when he séeeth that holy office to be defiled by the vnspeakable witnes of one man in whom the Maiesty of God should haue shined B. And this perturbation constraned him to speake more plainly of the traitor and according to his wonted manner to testify with an oath that it was one of his chosen Disciples Apostles which should betray him As if he should saye Beholde to what great dignitie I haue aduaunced you For I haue made you so great that whosoeuer receiueth you receiueth my father also but Oh wickednesse Oh straunge cruelty one of you I saye of you twelue of you Apostls whom whosoeuer heareth heareth me and my father to whome whosoeuer doth good doth it to me and to my Father shal betray me to death C. And this was not a fained passion in Christ but he was in déede througly so affected and troubled This is necessary to be knowen of vs because his zeale is sett before for immitation that wée might seriously abhorre these monsterouse synnes which do ouerthrowe the holy order of God and of hys Church AVG. Awaye then with the Arguments of the Philosophers which say that these perturbations come not into the minde of a wise man God hath made the wisedome of this world foolishnesse i. Cor. i. 20 Wée maye reade the like wordes in the one and twenty verse of the twentye sixe Chapter of Mathewe 22. Then the Disciples looked one on another doubting of whome hee spake C. They whose consciences accused them not were much agréeue at the saying of Christ only Iudas was so obstinate and hardned in his wickednesse that hée was not touched at al. So great was the authority of Christ with the Disciples that they were sertainly perswaded that he did or spake nothing rashly B. Therefore they looked one vppon another eyther because they were amased or else because thereby they woulde sée if they could fynd out the traytour by his countenaunce But Sathan hadde banished out of the heart of Iudas al reuerence that he might be more hard then the flint stoan to repell all admonitions Bv. For al the rest béeing wonderfully troubled and greeued he notwithstanding hee knewe in his owne conscience him selfe to be giltie was neither a feard neyther ashamed nor abashed to come to the holy Surper and coulde also abide without blushing that the Lorde should looke vppon him whom he knew not to be ignorāt of any of his thoughts So great was the plague of couetousenesse and such liberty he had to abuse the knowen libertie of the Lorde And allthough Christ might seme to deale scarse frendly in suffering his guiltlesse Disciples to
after the which he séemeth to doe béecause the traytor was already gone forth to finishe his Trayterouse acte wherevpon came shortely after the béeginning of his glorification B As yf he should saye the time will come anon to finishe by my death my base estate and to beginne the time of my glory This is so nere that me thinkes I am alredy glorifyed me thinkes I am Christ alredy worshypped throughout the whoale worlde And God is glorified in him C. This is added in stéede of confirmation Therefore he nowe sheweth how he should bring glory vnto him selfe by such a death namely because he should gloryfy God his father For in the crosse of Christ the vnspeable goodnesse of God appered vnto the whole world for by the same sinne was abolished Death destroied the power of hel vanquished euerlasting saluation geuen to men 32. If God bee glorifyed in him God shall also glorifye him in him selfe and shall straight waye glorify him He meaneth that the glory of the Sonne is the glory of God the Father The glory of Christ is the glory of God And the Father was glorifyed by the son first of al by the obedience of the crosse death So Peter also glorified God by his deth Secondly because he was made knowen to the world to be the son of God So also God is glorifyed by vs when by oure good workes occasion to gloryfy him as our father is geuen to mortall men Thirdly God is glorifyed by Christ béecause he brought this worlde to the knoledge of him boath by his heauenly doctrine and also hy his miracles So all they glorify God which sette forth the knowledg of him in this world C. Christ therefore gathereth that he shall haue a glorious triumph by death in the which he sought only to glorify his father For the Father did not so séeke hys glorye by the Death of his sonne but that hée made him pertaker of the same with him also should suffer for a short time great glory should apeare in his death that which was fulfilled For the death of the Crosse dyd so lytle obscure the glorye of Christ that thereby the same dyd more brightlye shine for thereby apeared his vnspeakeable loue towardes mankinde his exceeding righteousnesse in making satisfaction for sinne and in pacifying the wrath of God and his wonderfull power in subduing death and destroying Sathan This doctrine is also to be applied vnto vs because although the whole world do conspire our infamye yet notwithstanding if we séeke sincerelye and with our whole heart to glorifye God there is no doubte but that he also wyll glorifye vs. i. Kin. 2.30 For he sayeth Him which glorifyeth mee wyll I glorifye And shall strayte waye glorifye him C. Christ encreaseth the consolacion by the shortnesse of the tyme least that delay should cause the disciples to doubt And although this glorye beganne at the daye of his resurrection yet notwithstanding that propagation is noted whiche followed straite after when by the power of the Gospell and of the holye Ghost he raysing vp the dead created vnto him selfe a newe people 33. Litle children yet a litle vvhile am I vvith you Ye shal seeke me and as I sayde vnto the Iewes vvhether I goe thyther can yee not come also to you saie I nowe R. Some wryters affirme that Swannes a lytle before their death sing verye swéetelye euen so Christ hauing at all tymes most gentlye dealt and spoken to his Disciples yet notwithstanding being neare vnto death hee handeleth them more friendlye calling them lytle children than the which name what can be more acceptable and swéete to a Godlye man C. By this gentle speache he declareth that he doeth not therefore goe awaye from them because he had lesse care for their saluation séeing hée loued them tenderlye He tooke vpon him our fleshe to this ende that he might bée our brother but in that other name there is greater vehemēcy of loue expressed And because it could not bée but that the departure of Christ would be a great grefe vnto the Disciples therefore he tolde them before hande that he should not bée long with them and therewithall exhorteth them to patience As if he shoulde saye Bv. Verye shortly lytle children the wicked shall laye handes on mee and carry me vnto death R. For the Crosse wayteth mee at the doores and by the Crosse I wyll goe out of this world vnto the Father and obtaine righteousnesse saluation and euerlasting lyfe for al that beleeue Ye shall seeke me M. That is to say It wyl shortly come to passe that ye shal desire my presence and haue a wonderful longing after me And as J sayde vnto the Jewes C. He repeateth vnto them the verye same wordes which he had spoken vnto the Iewes but in another scence For he sayeth that they cannot followe patientlye to suffer his temporall absence and he doeth as it were bridle them that they might keepe them selues within their compasse vntill they had finished their battaile in this earth He doth not therefore seclude them for euer from the Kingdome of God as he had done the Iewes but only commandeth them patientlye to abide his leysure vntyll such time as hée might bring them vnto him into his heauenly kingdome Reade the seueth and eight chapters going before beginning at the .34 and .21 verses 34. A newe commaundement geue I vnto you That ye loue togeather as I haue loued you that euen so ye loue one another M. After hée had foretolde them certaine thinges concerning his departure C. he addeth to the consolation an exhortacion to loue one another As if he shoulde saye When I am absent from you in bodye shewe by your mutuall loue that ye haue not béene taught by me in vaine let this be your continuall studye let it be your speciall meditacion that ye be farre from all disdaine loftinesse of minde Ielousye Enuye vaineglorye and from strifes and contencious C. Why he calleth this a newe commaundement there are diuers opinions Some thinke this to bée the reason that forsomuch as all that was prescribed in the Law concerning loue was lyteral and externall Christ writ the same in the heartes of the faythfull by his holye spirite And so in their opinion the Lawe is newe which he setteth forth after a newe fashion that it might haue his full strength But this seemeth to be far fetchte and contrarye to the purpose of Christ Other some expounde it to be called a new commaundement because although the Lawe doeth commaunde loue yet notwitstanding because it is mixed with many Ceremonies and circumstaunces depending vppon the same the doctrine of loue doeth not there so euidently appeare and contrarywise in the Gospell the perfection of loue is appointed without any shaddowes This interpretacion is not to be despysed Howbeit Christ séemed to speake now simply For we know that Lawes in the beginning are kept diligently but are by lytle and lytle
of Faith The worlde saith he cannot receiue the Spirite because it knoweth not the same but ye know it because it abideth with you Therefore it is the Spirit only which dwelling in vs offereth it selfe to be knowne whereas to other it is vnknowne and incomprehensible R. And by the name of worlde all the most wyse holy mighty and rych of the same are vnderstood for these are called the pillers of the world whom the world only receiuith and hath in admiration Wherfore the spirit is neuer les found than amonge the moste mightye of this worlde For they loue lying and hipocrisie they are blinded with their giftes They cānot therfore abide the spirit reprouing them of lyes and drawynge them from their giftes vnto the geuer M. By this place we are also taught that the world is altogether wicked an enemy vnto God subiect to the spirit of lyes And this is the fountayne from whence so many heresies errors false worshippyngs such lyke do come into the world It is much that he saith that the spirit of truth cannot be receiued of this worlde as yf a man should say that the spirit of sobriety The world is the welspringe of Herely cannot be receiued of droonkards the spirit of humilytie of prowde men nor the Spirite of shamfastnesse of impudent persons For this worlde is so blinded with the spirit of lying that it can neither see nor vnderstand the truth of God Fynally we muste noate that the faithfull are therefore called the temples of the holy Ghost because in them the holy Ghost doth truly dwell and abyde 18. I will not leaue you comfortlesse but will come vnto you M. Some vnderstande this of the retourne of Christ vnto his Disciples after his resurrection A. But other some a great deale better refer the same vnto the comming of the holy Ghost Bv. As if Christ shoulde haue sayde ye shall thinke when I am gone from you in my bodely presence that you are Orphants without a father but yf you consider the matter well I wyl neuer leaue you R. For I wyll come vnto you with the Spirite of consolation which shall help you with fatherly affection in all aduersitie So beneficiall shall my departure be vnto you so great profite shall my death bring vnto you C. This place teacheth what men are and what they can doe being withoute the Spirit of consolation they are Orphants which are reddy to suffer all deceits and iniures vnméete to gouerne them selues and apte of them selues to do nothing The only remedy hereof is for Christ to gouerne vs by his spirite the whiche he promiseth he wyll do Fyrste of all therfore the Disciples are put in minde of their owne imbecillity to the end they distrusting them selues may depend vpon the defence of Christe alone secondly he promising vnto them a remedy putteth them in good comforte because he promiseth that he wyll not leaue them 19. Yet a litle while and the world shall see me no more but ye shal se me because I liue and ye shal liue also M. By this thretning Christ declareth that the vnbeleuing ar vnworthy to enioy his sight any more C. withal prosecuteth the commendation of his spetiall grace which ought to suffice the Disciples to ease them and to take awaye their sorrowe When sayeth he I shall goe out of the sight of the worlde I will neuerthelesse be with you R. For shortly after my death I will go out of the sighte of the worlde that it shall sée me no more but I will be alwayes presente with you Bv. By the world he meaneth carnall men and such as are not regenerate which are vnbeléeuing and liue in the world after the maner of the world Also this word shall sée is by a Metaphor transferred from the body to the mynd Therefore carnall men and vnbeléeuers do not sée do not vnderstand nor beleeue Iesus to be the Sonne of God and yet neuerthelesse very man who by his death bringeth to life and redéemeth all mankind from damnation C. Therefore to the ende we maye enioye the secret behoulding of Christ we must not Iudge of his presence and absence according to the reason of the fleshe but we must behould his power with the eyes of our faith And thus it commeth to passe that the Faithfull doe alwayes behould and haue present with them Christ in spirite though he bee farre from them in body Because I liue and yee C. These wordes maye be construed two wayes eyther that this sentence is a confirmation of that which went beefore or else that it ought to be red seuerally as that therefore the faithfull shall liue because Christ loueth But the former scence séemeth beste to agrée out of the which we maye gather thys Doctryne that Christ is the cause of our lyfe M. For we are dead and oure lyfe is hidde with Christ in God Colos 3 3. In the beginning he noateth the cause why hee would be séene of his disciples and not of the world because Christ cannot bée séene but according to the spiritual life of the which the worlde is quite voyde The worlde seeeth not Christ and no meruaile for death is the cause of blindnesse But so soone as it beginneth to liue in Spirite it hath eyes to sée Christ 20. That daye shall yee knowe that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you R. Many by this Daye of the which Christ speaketh heare vnderstande the feast of Penticoste C. But he rather vnderstandeth all that time from the first declaration of the power of his spirite vnto the laste resurrection For then they beganne to knowe but it was a sertaine sciender instruction because as yet the holy Ghost had not so effectually wrought in them For to this effecte his wordes tende that it cannot be knowen by a certaine trifeling speculation and vaine curiositie what the sacred and misticall vnion betwixte him and vs is and againe what manner of vnion is betwixt him and his father but rather that this is the only way to know him when he powreth into vs his lyfe by the secret efficacy of his spirite And that is the experiment of faith of the which we spake a litle before Bv. But the Sonne after one manner is in the father and after another manner in vs. For by nature he is in the Father and in vs by participation by grace or by the felloweship of the spirite Concerning beath we haue spoken before in the sixt and tenth Chapters And Sainte Iohn in the Epistle sayeth Hereby wee knowe that we abyde in him i. Yoh 4 1◠and he in vs because he hath geuen to vs of his spirite C. Therefore we are sayde to be in him because we beeing graffed into his body ar made pertakers of righteousenesse and of all goodnesse he is sayde to be in vs because he declareth by the efficacye of his spirite that hee is the cause and authoure
in our hartes saying Let the peace of God haue the victorie in your hartes Colo. 3.15 And in another place The peace of God which passeth all vnderstandinge keepe your hartes and mindes through christ Iesus Phili. 4.7 C. And there is sayde to be the Ioye of Christe and our Ioye in diuers respectes That is the Ioy of Christ which is geuen of him vnto vs for he is the author and cause of the same Esai 53.5 The cause of our Ioy for that wée are deliuered from sinne and death the chastisement of oure peace béeing vppon him And he is the Authore because by his spirite he taketh feare and sorrowe out of our hearts whereof commeth this excéeding Ioye Our ioye is sayde to be in another respecte because wee inioye him so soone as hee is geuen vnto vs. Ioye in Christ and in vs. Nowe when our sauiour Christ pronounceth that hée therefore spake these thinges that his Disciples mighte haue Ioye we gather that whosoeuer doe truely profite by this sermone shall haue mater wherby to quiet themselus And that your ioy might be full Bv. He meaneth the most perfect Ioye the which wanteth nothing so that Christ promiseth vnto his Disciples Ioyes and the fulnesse of all Ioye C. Not that the faithfull shal be frée from all heauinesse and sorrowe but because they shall haue excéeding cause of Ioye in such wise that no feare care and sorrowe shall ouerwhelme them For they to whome it is geuen to Ioye and reioyce in Christ shal be excéeding Ioyfull and mery whether it be in life or in death in prosperitye or in miserye Notwithstanding there are some which referre this Ioye in the second place to the fruition of eternall lyfe Othersome saye that this is the meaning these thinges haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy might be in you that is to saye that yée might only reioyce in these thinges in the which I reioyce For so ye shall bée strong to fight and vpon hope of sauing men ye shall willingly suffer perills reioysing not a little because the will of the Father who woulde haue all men come to the knoweledge of the trueth to the vttermost of my power shall be fulfilled This ioye therefore haue I chosen this also yf ye shal haue ye shal haue sincere and perfect Ioy. A. But the first exposition is best to to liked 12. This is my commandement that ye loue togeather as I haue loued you M. Because he had spoken of the kéeping of his commaundementes he repeateth by occasion his commandement and more largely speaketh of the vsinge of mutuall loue of the whiche allso hee spake a little before C For séeing it is méete to direct our life according to the commaundement of Christ wee muste firste of all consider what he willeth and commaundeth to be done And he sayth that aboue all thinges he delighteth to haue mutuall loue among the faithfull By order wée must haue firste the loue and reuerence of God but because the true probation thereof is loue towards our neyghboure he specialle maketh mention of the same Bv. As if Christ should saye Some commaund one thing and some another and there is neyther forme nor ende of commandements but I commend vnto you only loue loue one another C. And as before in a generall forme of doctrine so nowe in a particuler he setteth before vs an example to followe For he loued all his Disciples to the end they shoulde in like manner loue one another B. And al his commaundements are finished in this onely commaundement of mutuall loue 13. Greater loue hath no man than this that a man bestowe his lyfe for his frendes C. Christe sometime commendeth the greatnesse of his loue towarde vs that he myght thereby the better establishe and confirme the trust of our saluation but nowe hée goeth farther that hee might inflame vs by his example to loue our Bretheren Notwithstanding he Ioyneth boath together For he would haue vs to taste by Faith the excéeding swéetnesse of his goodnesse then by this reason he allureth vs to the study and desyer of loue Ephe. v. ij So in lyke manner the Apostle Paule sayeth VValke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath geuen him selfe an oblation and a sacrifice of a sweete smell vnto God i. Ioh 3.16 A. Also saint Iohn sayeth Hereby know we loue because he hath geuen his life for vs and we ought to geue our liues for our bretheren C. God mighte haue redeemed vs with his worde in a moment yf so be for oure sakes it had not seemed better vnto him by not sparing his only begotten sonne to declare in his personne what great care he hath for our saluation Now they must haue to hard and stoany hartes which wil not be mollefyed with such vnspeakeable swéetnesse of Gods loue Bv. Man hath nothing in this worlde more pretiouse than life He hadde rather hasard his riches and whatsoeuer else he hath in this worlde rather then to suffer his life to come into peril Math. i6 26. Wherevpon the Lord sayth in the Gospel what doth it profyte a man if hee winne the whoal world and lose his own soule Or what shall a man geue to redeeme his owne soule withall Wherfore among men there is not a greter token of loue then if a man geue his life for his freind Therefore great and vnspekable is the loue of the sonne of God towarde vs by which he voutsafed to dye for vs. Rom. v.x. C Notwithstanding it maye be demanded howe Christ dyed for his frindes séeing that we were his enemies before he reconciled vs euenas the Apostle Paule testifieth C. For he hauing satisfied for synne by the sacrifice of hys death put away quite the enmity which was betwéene God and vs. The solution of this question maye be taken oute of the sixtéene verse of the third Chapter going before where wée sayde that in respect of our selues there is enmitye betéene God and vs vntill such time as our synnes are abolished by the death of Christ but we then sayde that the cause of this grace exhibited in Christ was the euerlasting loue of God by which also he loued his enemies A. Christe therefore dyed for his freindes who notwithstanding were vniust For so sayth Peter Christ dyed once for sinnes the iust for the vniust to bring vs vnto God 14. Ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoeuer I commaunde you Bv. Christ requireth in the faythfull a notable loue and desyer of Godlinesse lest they should boaste in vayne that Christ dyed for the saluation of the worlde they in the meane time liuing to the worlde which they are wont to doe which are perswaded that the Gospell beareth with sinnes and that Christian liberty is leaue to synne They Iudg and doe farre otherwise who truly loue Christ C. But Christ meaneth not that wée haue gotten suche honoure by our own merite but onlye sheweth vppon what condition
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
theire desiers whiche exceeded very much by this meanes which he prescribeth Hee promiseth not vnto his disciples the grace of his Father which might deliuer them from all care and labour but whiche mighte arme them with inuincible fortitude agaynste theyr enemies and defende them agaynste the huge heape of dissentions whych they shoulde sustayne Therfore if we desire to bee saued according too the Rule of Christe we muste not desire to be frée from euils neyther muste wee praye vnto God to deliuer vs by and by into blessed reste and peace but we must coÌ„tente our selues with a sure truste and hope of victorye and must stronglye and constantly resiste all euils from the which Christe prayeth hys father that wée may haue a happy deliuerance 1. Cor. 10.13 R. For God is faithful which wil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strengh Mat. 6.13 but in the midest of temptation will make awaye that we may be able to beare it M. To thys effecte perteyneth this petition of the Lordes prayer Leade vs not into teÌ„ptation but deliuer vs from euill C. To be shorte God taketh not those that are his out of the worlde bicause hee woulde not haue them Idle and sloughfull yet notwithstanding he deliuerethe them from euill leste they shoulde be destroyed For he woulde haue them fyghte but he woulde not haue them wounded to deathe R. Therefore by this woorde Euill vnderstande not affliction Crosse and death but sinne impietie infidelitie and falling a way from the Gospell the which euil being taken away other euills wil turne to good For in that Christe hath taken a waye synne the euills and wages of synne remayning hee declareth his glory and power by which of euill hee maketh good For deathe bycause it is the rewarde of synne and the Crosse bicause it is the hyer of sinne are euills but synne beeyng taken a waye by faythe they are made good and they must abyde with the Godly in this worlde that they may be proued and purged as it were through fyre 17. Sanctify theÌ„ through thy truth thy worde is the truthe M. Before hee sayde I haue giuen vnto them thy worde nowe he prayeth that they mighte bee sanctified with the spirite of God at their entering into the Apostleship whereby the truthe of God mighte be spred throughout the whole worlde that is to saie that they mighte supplie his roome and bee confyrmed Therefore this sanctification comprehendeth the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof that it mighte also bee extended to all the béeleeuing though not Apostles the whiche is brought to passe when God renueth vs by hys holy Spyrite and confyrmeth the grace of renouation in vs and continueth the same to the ende Fyrste of all therefore hee prayethe that the Father woulde sanctifie hys disciples that is too saye that hee woulde whollye addiecte them vnto him and take them too him selfe as a holie and principall charge Secondlye hee shewethe the manner howe hee woulde haue them sanctifyed and that not withoute cause For there are sertayne braynesicke Menne whiche babble and prate muche of sanctification but doe omit the truthe of God by whiche hee consecrateth vs too him selfe Moreouer bycause others no lesse mad than they do tryffle and toie with that truth of the which ther is mention made here and do in the meane time neglecte the worde Christ plainelie affirmeth that the truth is no wher els to be found than 〈…〉 which doth 〈…〉 is it 〈◊〉 For 〈…〉 be sâ—â—â—led with â—â—â—pe and work according to the custome of the lawe saâ—â—g the bloude of Christ is mutable and hâ—ddeâ— from our eyes Therfore it is 〈◊〉 the consciences by the worde of the Gospel which is the truth And the word is this Christ dyed for vs 〈…〉 for my â—â—eepe â—ake ye 〈…〉 thys is my body which iâ— giuen for your drynke yeâ— this is my bloude â—hiche is shed for you And suche lyke 1 Pet. â— 18 Ioh â— 1â—.15 Mat. 26 26 Ephe. â— 26 In this sence Paule affirmeth that the church is clensed by the fountayne of water in the worde of life R. Also Christ sayth Now are ye all cleane through the vvorde which I haue spoken vnto you And Peter sayth Ioh. 15.3 Purifying your soules in obeying the truth by the spirit C. It is God onely whiche sanctifieth 1. Pet. 1.22 A. I am the Lorde sayth he vvhich sanctifie you but bicause his Gospell is the power of saluation to euerye one that beleeueth whosoeuer forsaketh that meane Rom. 1.19 he must needes be more filthe euery day than other Truthe here by excellencie is taken for the light of Heauenly wisedome in the which God hath reuealed him selfe vnto vs that hée mighte make vs lyke 〈…〉 18. As thou dyddest send me into the worlde euen so also haue I sente them into the worlde C By another Argumente he confirmeth his prayer namely bicause his and the Apostels calling was all one Now sayth he I commit vnto them that office which hytherto I my selfe haue sustayned and borne at thy commandement Therefore it is necessary that they be instructed and armed with the power of thy spirite that they maye bee able too beare so greate a burthen M. And he vseth here according to the Hebrue phras one tence for another as I haue sent for I will sende For hee sente them not vntyll after his resurrection Mar. 16.15 Also here we haue to noate who they are whiche may hope that this heauenly santification shal bee geuen them to discharge the office of preachyng There are some whiche runne of them selues vncalled and there are other some which beeing only taught and called of men runne without the diuine disposition and calling of God Neyther of them haue to hope for the sanctification of the spirite But they whome Christ sendeth into the worlde which are sanctified by the spirite of God to be ministers of the truth Suche were the Apostles whom Christ inteÌ„ded to send foorth into the world euen as he him selfe was sent foorth of the Father Also we muste weye how greatly we oughte to esteeme the doctrine of the Apostles Althoughe they were men yet notwithstanding by the testimonie of Christe him selfe they were so sent into the worlde euen as he was sente of the Father Therefore he which heareth them heareth God hym selfe and he which despiseth them despiseth God Luk. 10.16 Finally let vs consider to what ende the Apostles were sente into the worlde R. They were sente of Christe euen as Christ was sente of the Father Nowe Christe was sente to shewe the will of his Father that is to saye the Gospell he was also sente to be a lyuely example and to beare the crosse M. not to rule in the worlde after the manner of men but to be as it were the seuaunte oâ— others when as notwithstanding he was Lorde of all R. Euen so also the Apostles were sente not to teache mans inuentions but the
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
powers of Christe the Prophete repeateth thys Esa 11.4 that he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouthe and shall slay the wycked with the breath of hys lippes 2. Thes 2.8 The Apostle Paule suspendeth the fulfilling of this Prophesie vnto the ende of the worlde yet notwithstanding we sée dayly that the wicked doo fall with their fury and pride at the voyce of christ But then when they fel which came to bind Christ was shewed a visible token of that feare which al the wicked manger their heads féele within them when Christ speaketh to them by his ministers Moreouer séeing this was as it were accidentall to the voyce of Christe whose propertie it is to rayse vp miserable men whiche lye in the shadowe of death he will vse no doubt thys power towards vs to exalt vs vp into heauen R. And this is manifest that the same worde of God whiche is to the wicked iudgemente is to the Godly consolation For at other times Christe comforted his Disciples when they were afrayde Mat. 14.27 Luk. 24.39 with these wordes I am he Also VVhy are yee troubled it is I Therefore that whiche the Lorde threatneth to the wicked in the Lawe is in these wordes manifefestly to be séene For Moses sayth The Lorde shall geue thee a trembling harte Deut. 28.65 Esa 57.21 and looking too returne till thine eyes fall oute and a sorrovvfull minde Psal 110.1 And the Prophete saythe The vvicked haue no peace M. Let the wicked therefore consider what shall befall on the enimies of Christe For this contayneth a figure of that whiche happeneth and shall happen to all the enimies of Christe namely confusion and vtter destruction It is prophesied that the enimies of Christe shall be made his footestoole The enemies of Christe of the whiche we haue so greate a multitude heere consisted of Iudas the hypocrite and false Apostle of the seruantes of the highe Priests and of the Romaine souldiers In these we sée what the enemies of Christ are oftentymes some are hypocrites some are superstitious and other some worldlinges but in due time when Christe shall shewe hym selfe they shall vtterly be destroyed and though they bée lyfted vp alofte yet shall they bée caste downe to the grounde flat and shall bee broughte to duste A. For the wycked shall not be able to stande but shall be lyke the duste Psal 1.5 whiche the wynde scattereth away from the face of the earth 7. Then asked he them agayne whome seeke ye They sayde Iesus of Nazareth C. Hereby it doth appeare howe great the blindenesse is with the whiche the Lorde striketh the mindes of the wicked and howe horrible their obstinacie is after that Sathan hath bewitched them by the iuste iudgement of God The Oxe and the Asse when they fall haue some féelyng but these men hauing had manyfest experience of the deuine power of Christ do no lesse securely go forwarde than if they had not seene so muche as the shadowe of a man in him Nay Iudas him selfe is not moued Let vs learne therefore to feare the iudgement of God by whiche the Reprobate béeing suffered to fall into the hands of Satan are more sencelesse than brute beasts For Sathan no doubt was the author of this so great wickednesse 8. Iesus answered I haue tolde you that I am he If ye seeke me therfore let these go their way 9. That the saying might be fulfilled whiche he spake Of them which thou gauest me haue I not lost one R. Although he were taken yet he retayned his authoritie and power styll For the power of the worde can not be bounde For the Apostles had not gone awaye without hurte excepte the Aduersaries had béene restrayned of their furie by the efficacie of this commaundement By the same efficacie of the word he restored to Malchus hys eare Luk. 22.51 that we might learne the power of the worde in the middest of impotencie and weaknesse A. But was it not lawfull for him whiche deliuered others to delyuer hym selfe also out of the hands of hys enemies C. But he mynded to play the parte of a good shephearde to defende hys flocke He sawe the rauening of the Wolues he taryeth not vntill they come to the Sheepe of whiche he was appoynted the keeper but wythstandeth them betyme Wherefore let vs not doubte so often as wycked men or the Diuell rise vp agaynst vs but that we shall haue by and by the same helpe Moreouer Christe hath by his example prescribed a rule to the Shepheardes whiche they muste followe if so be they will duely fulfill their office That the saying might be fulfilled R. The Euangelist alleageth the saying of Christe to teache that the same is effectuall For if so bee the saying of Christe hadde not beene effectuall howe coulde the Disciples haue escaped thys perill and shunned suche wylfull madnesse of the people their aduersaries specially Peter who strake with the sword Notwithstanding this sentence seemeth to be broughte out of order whiche seemeth rather to appertayne to mennes soules than to their bodies For Christe dydde saue and preserue the Apostles in safetie as touching their bodyes to the ende but he rather spake thys that in the middest of continuall daungers and in deathe it selfe theyr eternall saluation shoulde be in safetie I aunswere The Euangelist speaketh not simply of their corporall lyfe but meaneth rather that Christ sparing them for a time prouided for their euerlasting saluation Let vs consider howe greate theyr imbecilitie was as yet What would they haue doone thinke you if they had béene broughte to the pinche Séeing therefore Chryste woulde not tempte them aboue their strengthe he deliuered them from eternall destruction And héereby we may gather a generall doctrine namely that althoughe oure fayth bée proued by many temptations yet notwithstanding we shall neuer come into extreme perilles but he wyll geue vnto vs strengthe and abilitie to beare the same AVG. Therefore bicause the Apostles were not as yet sufficiently confyrmed in the Faythe to retayne the confession of the truth and had bothe denyed Christe and also peryshed the Lord would saue them M. Furthermore they were specially chosen to the preaching of the Kyngdome of God and were not onely so geuen vnto Christe that they might be saued but also to Preache the worde of lyfe vnto others and to serue Chryste For thys office they were to be preserued Wherefore if they had béene taken and slayne of their enemies they had perished to Chryste vnto whome they brought foorth muche fruite by the preaching of the worde Concerning that which followeth vntil yée come to the .19 verse reade our Commentarie vpon the .26 of Mathew beginning at the .51 verse 19. The hye Priest then asked Iesus of his disciples of his doctrine R. This hye Priest was Caiphas for Annas had straightway posted ouer Christe vnto Caiphas M. These things and many mo of the which the other Euangelists
sentence but bicause by their prudence they might deliuer the oppressed to the iudge as the matter concerning him were sufficiently examined and knowen M. They made haste to finishe their purpose leste the wicked acte might be preuented or let by any tumult or trouble C. The Romaines called as wel the house of the Lieftenante as the Tribunall seate where iudgement was commonly giuen the iudgement haule It was in the morning A. Reade the exposition of this in the 27. of Mathew in the .11 verse Also concerning the reste of this chapter reade our commentarie vpon the sayd 27. chap. begynning at the sayd verse ⧠The .19 Chapter Then Pilate toke Iesus therfore and scurged him M. IT appeareth by that whiche followeth wherefore Pilate caused the Lord to be scourged R. He saw that the Iewes were so enuious against Christ that no persuation nor fayre speach could stay them from murdering him Wherefore to auoide a greater mischiefe whiche was the kylling of an Innocente hée chose a lesse punishmente C. Hopyng that the Iewes by this meane punishement would be contēted whē Christ was scourged M. But this purpose of Pilate though it were directed to auoyde the necessitie of killing Christe yet notwithstanding it can not be defended as well done For he shoulde fréely haue deliuered the Innocente and haue deliuered him out of the handes of the wicked and not to haue scourged him C. And whereas he laboreth so earnestly and profyteth nothing we muste therein consider Gods decrée by whiche Christe was appointed to death Yet notwithstanding his innocency was often times mayntayned by the testimony of the Iudge to the ende we might knowe that he béeing frée in all thinges from sinne was made gylty for others and sustayned the punishemente due for the sinnes of other R. Moreouer the Lord declared in his onely begotten Sonne how he will haue hys Electe and adopted sonnes to be handled in this worlde For if he suffered his onely begotten Sonne to be scourged how much more will he suffer his adopted Sonnes too be whipped and scourged Pro. 3.12 Apoc. 3.19 Whome the Lorde loueth sayth Salomon he correcteth and he scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth 2. And the souldiers wounde a Crowne of Thornes and put it on hys head and they did on hym a purple garment This no doubte was done at the commaundement of Pilate to set some note of offence vppon the Sonne of God bycause he made him selfe a king and this he did to fulfill the madnesse of the Iewes as if he had beene perswaded that Christe was rightly accused of them Notwithstanding the souldiers wente beyond their commission and delte more cruelly with Christe then they were commaunded euen as all the wicked are wente to doo who when any occasion of euill doing is offered vnto them gréedely take the same R. For the souldiers with contempte Crowne Christe put on him Purple and giue him a reede in his right hand for they heard that he desired a kingdome but while the wicked deryde and contemne him the purpose of God hath his effect For by these ceremonies Christe is set in his kingdome and it is declared that the kingdome of Christe is not of this world that is to say glorious in the flesh adorned with pompe mightie in external power but a thorney and purple kyngdome that is subiecte to afflictions and passions 4. Pilate wente foorthe agayne and said vnto them Behoulde I bryng hym foorth vnto you that ye may knowe that I finde no fault in hym M. Pilate testifieth againe of the innocency of Iesu A And therfore he pronounceth sentence againste him selfe For if so be Christe be subiect to no fault why was he wipped by the commaundemente of the Iudge After the same manner the tyrants at this day whiche cruelly vexe and torment the professors of the Gospel pronoūce many thinges against them selues wherby they shall one day be iudged For they say Woonderfull is the condition of these heretiques they haue nothing in their mouth but the woorde of God they talke alway of God and of Christe and contenting them selues with the word of the Gospell they contemne humaine traditions as superfluous many suche lyke thinges they speake by which they pronounce the cause of the Godly to be most Iuste and them selues moste wicked wretches R. As touching the ciuill law Christe of right shoulde haue beene sette at lybertie seeing the sentence of the Iudge was satisfied and the Ciuill lawes can geue to one cause but one punishemente But this is the lotte of Christ and of the Gospell in this worlde to haue wrong and iniustice in this worlde offered him For as at another tyme Christ was condemned by the Phariseis hys cause not heard and the Gospell contemned before it was knowen euen so at this time Christe though he were cleare and quit by the sentence of the Iudge yet notwithstanding impietie would haue hir pleasure 5. Then came Iesus foorth wearing a crowne of thorne and a robe of purple and Pilate sayth vnto them behoulde the man M. To the ende Pilate might somewhat pacifie the Iewes and might bring them to humaine compassion and pitie he fyrst pronounceth Christe to be an innocente secondly he willeth them to behold with more pittifull eyes the man myserably handeled and intreated and to laye asyde their furie As if he shoulde say if ye be men haue pittie vppon thys poore man miserably intreated if he be iuste discharge the Innocent R. But they were so farre from being satisfied and appeased that they waxed more outerageous than they were before crying with a lowde voyce Crucyfie him Crucifie him With the lyke voyce the mad Ethnix cryed out againste the Christians saying To the Beastes To the Beastes Away with the Church robbers away with them A. So the Papistes at thys day cry out against the professors of the Gospell To the fyre To the fyre To whome we may more modestly answere To the Scriptures To the Scriptures and as the Prophet speaketh To the lawe and to the testimony But these miserable men heare not this voyce C. Wonderfull verely was the madnes of the people of the Iewes and theyr crueltie no lesse whose myndes coulde not bée moued to pittie and mercie by so sorrowfull a sight But God was the moderator of all these thinges that hée myght reconcile the worlde to him selfe by the death of hys Sonne A. Concerning the verses following reade oure commentarie vppon the .27 of Mathew beginning at the .23 verse 31. The Iewes therfore because it was the prepartion of the Sabbath that the bodies shoulde not remayne on the crosse on the Sabbath day for that Sabbath day was a hie day besought Pilate that theyr legges myght be broken and that they myght be taken downe M. Thus far commeth the hystorie of the passion and crucifying of the Lorde and the Euangelist goeth forward with that which happened after the death of Christe C. Therfore that whiche he telleth concerning the Iewes
that whiche was false than that whiche was true and foreshewed by the Lord him selfe in playn wordes She suspected that he was remoued to some other Sepulcher when as he was neither in that nor in any other but was risen agayne So in doubtfull matters we rather fall into suspition of that which is false than of that which is true Bv. Notwithstanding by this complaynt it came to passe that occasion was giuē to the Disciples more diligently to searche out the truth For therefore Mary Magdalene tolde that vnto Peter and Iohn which she vnderstoode that they mighte more narrowly discusse the whole matter The which they also did as appeareth by that which foloweth 3. Peter therefore wente foorth and that other Disciple and came to the sepulcher M. When Peter Iohn vnderstoode that Mary had foūd the sepulcher without the Lord caried frō thence to another place they went also togither out of the City bicause they would know the truth came at last to the sepulchre C. But it is maruel seing ther was so litle faith almost none at al aswel in the disciples as in the women that ther was notwithstāding so gret a zeale feruēt a desire And in déede it can not be but that pietie draue thē to séeke Christ Therefore there remayned some séede of fayth in their harts but choked as it were for a time insomuch that they knewe not that they had that which they had So the holy Ghost worketh oftentimes in the Elect after a secret maner Wherfore we must be persuaded that there was some secrete roote frō the which we sée fruit to spring M. For as touching Peter we see that although he were greatly fallen in denying the Lord yet notwithstāding he retayned his accustomed mind affection towarde him Whervpon here also though the disciples were in feare yet neuerthelesse he doubted not to go foorth to the Lords Sepulchre He sayd not What haue I to doo to go to the sepulcher of our dead Lorde whom most filthily I denied whē he was aliue and in perill He thinketh of none of this but ioyneth himselfe to the rest of the Disciples agayn and retayneth a sincere mind toward Christ such is their disposition which fall not so muche of malicious wickednesse as of infirmitie of the flesh 4. They ran bothe together the other Disciple did outrun Peter and came firste to the Sepulchre Bv. We haue a notable example lefte vnto vs in these two Disciples For they run with a feruent desire and very carefully diligētly they search out al things M. They runne I say both togither but the one is more swift on foote than the other and commeth first to the Goale Héereby we are taught not to looke that they which are chiefe and excell others in singuler giftes should runne all alike in the race of Christ least one shoulde contemne another 5. And when he had stouped downe he saw the linnē clothes lying yet went he not in M. The Lords sepulcher was so made that none standing vprighte but stouping down could see into the same Euē so such are the mysteries of the deathe of the buriall of the resurrection of the Lord that they can neither be séene knowen nor cōsidered but of those which haue an humble and lowly mind They wil not be séene of such as are proud and hye mynded yea though they be called Apostles Bishops Priests and Doctours 6. Then came Simon Peter following him and wēt into the sepulcher and saw the linnen clothes lye 7. And the Napkin that was about his head not lying with the lynnen clothes but wrapped togither in a place by it selfe R. Although Iohn came fyrst to the sepulchre when he sawe the linnen clothes lye aside he went not in peraduenture stayed with feare or els to tell Peter newes who came more slowly after him And in ciuill matters too much hast is reproued by this prouerbe A softe fyre maketh swéete malte that is to saye thou muste not be too rashe nor too slowe but make hast not with rashnesse but wyth consultation not with heat but with prudence not with lust but with deliberatiō C. Therfore in the Peter who made lesse hast entred notwithstāding first into the sepulchre we therby lerne that there is more giuen to many in retiring thā apereth at the first sight And sometimes we see it cōmeth to passe that many which in the beginning were very hote do waxe cay cold that many which brag most at the fyrst when they come to the cōflict turne their backs run away and cōtrariwise that they which wer thoght to be cold slow when peril cōmeth ar most forward coragious And he saw the linnen clothes C. These lynnen clothes were as it were Relikes to confyrme the faith of the Resurrection For it is not like that the body was stripte to be caried to another place For neyther enimie nor friende would haue done suche a deede And the napkin that was about his head M. The Euangelist is wonderfull diligent in noting and describing all things so exactly For it was not withoute cause that the napkin which was about his head was layde from the linnen clothes in a seuerall place by it selfe For hereby the beholders of the same might quickly see that none of those things were wanting in the which the body of Christ was wrapped that there might be a perfect testimonie of his resurrection and that all suspition of remouing his hody might be taken away The Lorde lefte his apparel which he vsed in this lyfe with the souldiers before he was executed vpon the Crosse but he left the linnen clothes and the napkin which was about his head with the which he being dead was infolded and buried in the Sepulchre when he rose again from death For he béeing raysed to the glory of immortalitie mynded to come no more into thys miserable lyfe therefore he had no more anye neede of those garments and linnen clothes So in lyke maner we must dye with Christ that we may wholly forsake this newe lyfe and we must so ryse from death that we must leaue the Reliques of sinne in Baptisme as in the graue A. Concerning the exposition of the eyght and ninth verses following reade our Commentarie vpon the .28 of Math. 10. Then the disciples wēt away agayne to their owne house R. It is like that the Disciples returned home agayne with suspended and doubtfull minds For although S. Iohn sayth that he beleeued yet notwithstanding that fayth was not fyrme but had onely a certayne small taste of the myracle vntill suche tyme as he was afterwarde better confyrmed And in deede a sounde fayth could not be conceyued by a bare sight onely Moreouer Christ did not shewe hymselfe vnto them vntill suche time as they were better awaked from their carnall blindnesse They had shewed a notable token of their zeale in running to the sepulchre notwithstanding Christe was hiddē from
the Apostles behaued not theÌ„selues so valiantly as it became theÌ„ yet notwithstanding they did fauoure their infirmitie They séeke to hide them selues to auoyd peril yet notwithstaÌ„ding they pluck vp their minds that they may abyd together For otherwise they had béene disperced here and there and one of them woulde haue béene afrayde to looke another in the face After the same manner must we fight with the infirmitie of our fleshe and resiste feare which maketh vs to falle away And Christe doth blesse their zeale in appearing to them béeing gathered together and Thomas is iustly depriued of that grace which all his brethreÌ„ had bicause as a vagrant or waÌ„dring souldier he was departed from the ensigne of vnitie Therfore let al those hereby learne whiche are to fearefull to imbolden them selues and to correcte in them the feare of the flesh Came Iesus and stoode in the middest M. In that Christe when the doores were shut came vnto his disciples which were gathered together for feare of the Iewes to the ende by his apparition he might comforte them béeing in griefe and feare we haue a notable proofe of his diuine power For wheras some think that the doores were opened for him that he might enter in according to the manner of men it disagréeth much with the mind of the Euangelist Therefore we muste not thinke that Christ entred in without miracle to the ende he might declare hys diuine power to make his Disciples the more attentiue Neuerthelesse that is moste false whiche the Papistes affirme as that Christes body perced the doores which were shut This they therefore affyrme that they mighte make his gloryfied body not onely lyke vnto a spirite but also so incomprehensible that no place can contayne the same But the woords of the Euangelist sounde no such thyng bycause he saith not that he entred through the doores that were shut but that hée stoode sodaynely in the middest of hys disciplees when the doores were shutte We knowe that Peter came foorthe of the fast barred prison shal we therfore say that he perced through the middest of the Iron gate This were to absurde and childish let vs coÌ„tent our selues with this that Christ purposed by a notable miracle to confyrme the Apostles in the fayth of his resurrection Peace be vnto you Bv. Christ according to his maner saluteth his beloued disciples For the Iewes vsed this maner of salutation and it continueth with them vntill this â—aye By peace he meaneth integritie and health prosperitie and a blessed lyfe M. Euen as when we say God saue you The Lord vsed this maner of salutacion not onlye at this present but also before his passion A. Concerning this salutacion reade the tenth Chapter of Mathew beginning at the 12. verse 20. And when he had so sayd he shewed vnto them his hands and his syde Then were the disciples glad C. It was meete that this confyrmation shuld be added that it might appere vnto them by all maner of meanes that Christ was risen againe Bv. Least they should imagine him to be a spirite or some other body than that which had hoong vppon the crosse Therfore he sheweth vnto theÌ„ his hands and his side namely the prints of the nailes in his hands and the wound pearced by the speare in his syde M. The Euangelist Luke in his fower and twentie chapter addeth more coÌ„cerning the communication of Christ with his disciples about meate in the 41. verse 21. Then sayd Iesus vnto them againe Peace be vnto you as my father sent me euen so send I you also C. Christ saluted them again to make theÌ„ the more attentiue vnto those things which he spake being matters of great waight and importaunce As my father sent me M. Christ first declared vnto his disciples the reason of his death resurrection out of the scriptures and then he tould them that they should preach remission of sins repentance geue testimonye vnto the gospel C. By which words Christ doth after a sort enter his Apostles into their office to the which before he had choseÌ„ theÌ„ They wer sent before throughout Iewry but only as forerunners which should exhort coÌ„mand men to heare the chief teacher but not as Apostls which shuld take vpon theÌ„ the coÌ„tinual office of teaching And now the lord appointeth theÌ„ as Ambassodors to declare set forth his kingdoÌ„ in the world Therefore let this stand as an vndoubted truth that this is the fyrst time in the which the Apostls wer ordained to be ordinary ministers of the gospel And his wordes are in effect as much as if he shuld sai that he had hitherto don the office of a teacher and that hee hauing ended his course race appointed vnto them their turne For the father had appointed him to be a teacher of the church to this end that he might go before the rest for a time might afterward appoint substitutes in his place to supply his roome For the which cause Paul saith that he hath appointed some in the church to be Apostles other Euangelists Eph. 4.11 other Shepeheardes to gouerne the church vnto the end of the world Bv. Therfore he committeth vnto them their Ambassage and appoynteth theÌ„ to be teachers of the whole world ministers of his church C. First of all then Christ testifyeth that although he him self hath a temporall office of teaching yet notwithstanding that the preaching of the gospel shal abide for euer and lest the doctrine of the Apostles shuld haue lesse authoritie hee coÌ„maundeth theÌ„ to succéed him in the same function which he had receiued of his father And thus it was méete that their ministrie should be authorised for they wer base vnlearned men Bv. But we must take hede lest we abuse these words of the Lord or misconster them For the lord did not send forth his Apostles to offer them selues a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world nether to the ende the father might be called vppon through their name or that by their merittes the whole worlde mighte bée saued Mat. 9.12 Ihon. 6.38 Ihon. 3.17 but that by the preaching of the woorde they myght call men to repentaunce and to remission of sinnes in Christ Therefore the maner how Christ him selfe was sente is noted in the places quoated in the margent This then is referred to the preaching of the gospell euen as he sayth in another place Mar. 28.19 Mar. 16.15 Go ye forth into the whole world and preach the Gospel to euery creature 22. And when he had said those woords he breathed on them and saith vnto them receyue ye the holy Ghost Bv. The Apostles might haue sayd vnto Christ thou laiest a heauy burthen vppon our shoulders We feare Lord that wée are not sufficient for these labours that we want strength insomuch that we shal fainte at the last vnder our burthen This world hath his power his customes receiued from the fathers which it accounteth
for deuine lawes it hath Priestes and Philosophers which are learned elloquēt and of greate authoritie agaynst whom thou settest vs which are naked vnprepared vnlearned and barbarous men C. Therefore bicause almost no mortall man was fitte for so heard an office therfore Christ endueth his Apostles with the spirit of grace And in déed it is a thing far surpassing the strength and power of man to gouerne the Church of God to prefer the Ambassage of eternall saluation to erect the kingdome of God in earth and to lift vp men vnto heauen Wherfore it is no maruayle if so be none be found fitte but hee which is endued with the holye ghost 1. Cor. 12. For no man can speak one word of Christ except the holy Ghost gouerne his tong so far is euery one from the faythfull discharging of so notable an office But this glory belōgeth only vnto christ to frame appoynt those teachers which he setteth ouer his Church For therefore he receyued the fulnes of the spirite that he might geue vnto euery one of the measure of the same And séeing he is the only Shepeheard of the Church it is necessarie that those Ministers whose labour he vseth in the Church haue the power of the spirite from him the which he declared by an externall signe when he breathed vppon his Apostles What horrible sacriledge thē is that of the papists which take that honour vnto them selues which belongeth vnto the sonne of God C. For their consecrating Bishops depraue these woordes when in making their Masse Priestes they boast that they breath out the holy Ghost by belching But the matter it self doth plainly declare how much their filthy breathing doth differ from the deuine breathing of Christ bicause of brutish horses they do nothing els but make ignorant asses Wherefore they vsurpe vnto themselues the glorye of the diuinitie which professe that they geue the holy ghost by breathing We must also note that Christ indueth them with necessary giftes whom he calleth to the pastorall offices that thei may be able to execute their office or at least not vnprepared for the same Therefore let vs beleue that they are lawfull pastors of the Church who as it may appere are endued with the grace of the spirite But some will say Obiection if so be Christ at this tyme gaue the holye Ghost by breathing the sending of the holy Ghost afterward may séeme superfluous Answer Answere The holy Ghost was so geuen to the Apostls in this place that they were only sprinckeled with his grace and not endued with his full power For whē the spirite appered in fyery tonges lighting vppon them they were wholy renued But at this tyme he did not so ordaine them preachers of his Gospell that they might biandby go forth to the same but rather as it is sayd in another place hée commaundeth them to be quiet Luk. 24.42 and to abyde in the Citie vntil such tyme as they wer endued with power from aboue And when Christ might haue geuen grace to his Apostles by secret inspiration he added therunto visible breathing to the end he might not onlye instructe them with wordes but confyrme them also with a certayne signe Ier. 19.10 to the ende the myndes of the disciples might doubt the lesse of the truth of the promise The like signe Ieremy vsed in threatning destruction of Ierusalem But we must also note that the word is ioyned to the externall and visible signe For hereof sacramentes take their force Not that the efficacie of the spirite is included in the voyce which soundeth in the eares but bicause the effecte of all those things whiche the faythfull vnderstande and féele by sacraments dependeth vpon the testimonie of the worde Christ breatheth vpon his Apostles but they receiue not only brething but also the holy ghost And wherefore but onely bicause Christe promiseth vnto them Thus it commeth to passe in Sacraments Whervpon we may gather that whatsoeuer sacraments men haue deuised are nothing els but méere toyes bicause there cā be no truth in signes but where the worde of God is present 23. Whosoeuers sins yee remit they are remitted vnto thē and whosoeuers sins ye retaine they are retained C. After that Christ had ordeined and appoynted Ambassadours to be sent foorth into the world now more expresly be describeth the office or ministerie of his Apostles and comprehendeth in fewe wordes the summe of the Gospel For this power of remitting of sinnes must not be separated from the office of teaching Sinnes remitted by Christ to that which héere it is annexed M. The sonne of God him selfe came into this world and suffered the death of the crosse to bring remission of sinnes vnto mankinde So said the Angell Mat. 1.21 Lu. 24.47 Rom. 4.6 He shall deliuer his people from their sinnes For in this consisteth our saluation that our sinnes are fréely forgiuen vs euen as damnation standeth in the retayning of them Remission of sinnes pronounced by the Apostles C. Therfore the speciall ende of preaching the Gospell is that men may he reconciled vnto God bicause remission of sinnes is frée euen as the Apostle Paule teacheth in the fyfth Chapter of his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians where vpon this consideration he calleth the Gospel the ministery of recōciliation Many other things the Gospell conteyneth but this is the speciall thing which God intreateth of in the same that he might receyue men into his fauour not imputing vnto them their sinnes They therefore whiche will shewe them selues faythfull ministers of the Gospell muste be very paynefull in this poynt For the Gospell dothe differ speciallye from prophane Philosophie in this Saluation consisteth in free remission of sinnes that it placeth the saluation of mankinde in the free remission of sinnes For héereof come other benefytes of God as that God illuminateth and regenerateth vs by his holy spirite that he maketh vs lyke vnto hymselfe and armeth vs with inuincible fortitude agaynst the worlde and the diuell So that the whole doctrine of pietie and the spirituall buylding of God standeth vpon this foundation that God deliuering vs from all our sinnes adopteth vs to be his sonnes M. But it maye be demaunded Obiection howe Christe giueth vnto his Apostles power to remitte sinnes seeing it belongeth only vnto God to remitte sinnes Answere Answere Christe so commaundeth his Apostles to remit sinnes that he doth not geue vnto them that whiche belongeth vnto him selfe It is proper to him selfe to remit sinnes this honor as it is proper to him selfe he doth not geue vnto hys Apostles but commaundeth them in his name to pronounce remission of sinnes that by them he might reconcile men vnto God And to speake properly he hym selfe alone forgiueth sinnes by hys Apostles Notwithstanding this was giuen to establishe our fayth when he so greatly extolleth their power that he maketh them witnesses onely and proclaymers of this grace and not the authors of the
same And therefore the Apostle Paule saith 2. Cor. 5.20 VVe are messangers in the roome of Christ euen as though God dyd beseeche you through vs so pray vve you in Christes steede that yee be reconciled to God And we oughte not to estéeme of this vnspeakeable treasure any whit the lesse bicause it is offered to vs in earthen vessels but wee haue rather cause to giue thaÌ„ks vnto God which hath giuen such honor vnto meÌ„ that they may represent his owne person and the person of his sonne in pronouncing remission of sinnes Moreouer heereby appeareth the madnesse and blindnesse of the Papistes Absolution of the Papistes which wrest and abuse this place to their magicall absolutions But Christe dyd not héere appoynt his Apostles to be auriculer confessours but publique preachers of his Gospel Wherefore we must consider the maner of remitting of sinnes that we may knowe what power this is which is giuen to the Apostles And whosoeuers sinnes yee retayne Christ addeth this seconde parte to terrifie the contemners of his Gospell to the ende they may know that their pride shal not escape vnpunished Therefore as the Ambassage of saluation and eternall lyfe was enioyned the Apostles so also they had vengeance committed vnto them to vse agaynst all those wicked ones whiche should reiecte the saluation offered vnto them as the Apostle Paule teacheth Bv. So that the Apostles forgaue men their sinnes when by the preaching of the Gospell they taught that the faythful had their sinnes forgiuen them Retayning sinnes and that they were endued with life by the death and resurrection of Christ Iesus And they retayned sinnes when they pronounced the wrath of God to rest vpon al vnbeleuers It is proper vnto the Gospell that we are reconciled vnto God 2. Cor. 10.6 but it is accidental that the vnbeleeuing are addicted vnto death Notwithstanding wée must note that whosoeuer heareth the preaching of the Gospell and doth not imbrace remission of sinnes there offered is in the state of eternall damnation 2. Cor. 2.16 For as the sonne of God is the sauour of life vnto life to them that beléeue so also he is the sauour of death vnto death to the Infidels A. Concerning the larger exposition of this place reade our Commentarie vpon the .16 Chapter of Matthew and begyn at the nynth verse also at the .18 verse of the .18 chapter 24. But Thomas one of the twelue whiche is called Didimus was not wyth them when Iesus came R. As the fall of Peter is before described at large not to the reproche of Peters fall but that the Scripture myghte set before vs the vayne presumption of flesh euen so in this place S. Iohn describeth the vnbelefe of Thomas not to discredite him by ripping vp his sinne but to set foorth in Thomas the nature of flesh Bv. For Thomas representeth all those who iudge the resurrection of the fleshe to be impossible and therefore doo make a scorne at the same And the vnbeleefe of thys Apostle is therefore set downe that the faythfull myghte thereby bée the better confyrmed and strengthened He was not onely slowe and harde to beléeue but also hys obstinacie made hym desire to feele and handle the body of Christe béeing not contented with the sighte of the same R. Furthermore in this Historie wee acknowledge the woonderfull Iudgementes of God For as God wyncked at the brethren of Ioseph and suffered them to be ledde by enuie agaynst Ioseph at the fyrst secondly to sell him and lastly to lye vnto their Father but to this ende that béeing fallen the deeper when they were deliuered they mighte the more manyfestly see and acknowledge the hande and power of the Lorde Euen so Christe wynketh at the vnbeléefe of Thomas but with this iudgemeÌ„t The iudgementes of god in Thomas hys vnbeleefe that not so muche hys faythe as oures mighte be the more confyrmed For by the vnbeléefe of Thomas oure beléefe was furthered M. In that Thomas was not with the rest some thinke the cause to be this bicause he was not as yet returned from the flighte whiche he tooke for feare 25. The other Disciples sayde vnto him wee haue seene the Lord. But he sayd vnto theÌ„ excepte I see in hys hands the print of the nayles and thrust my hande into his side I will not beleeue C. Here is noted the originall and welsyring of the fault bicause euery maÌ„ will be wise in his owne conceyte and flattereth him self too much Bv. Thomas doth not desire simply to sée the Lorde but rather seeketh for the printes of the nayles and markes in the flesh for so he sayth he will beleeue that Christ is truely rysen agayne As if he shoulde say Ye are disceyued no doubt by some phantasie or spirite I therefore will not beleeue except I see his body yea and least my sight be deceyued except I put these my hands into the printe of the nayles in his hands and my finger into the wounde of his side These wordes contayne nothing sounding to fayth but onely a sensuall iudgemente The lyke happeneth to all those which are so addicted vnto them selues that they giue no heede or credite vnto the worde of God 26. And after eyght days agayne hys Disciples were with him and Thomas with them Then came Iesus c. M. This was the eight day after his resurrection which we may name the Sonday The same day the Disciples were gathered togither agayne In whome we maye note the nature of sincere loue There is a common prouerbe Like will to like They were all lyke affected towarde Christ therfore they desired to be in one assembly And they did paciently beare the vnbeleefe of Thomas vntill suche time as he should be cured by Christ him selfe They did not excommunicate him but admitted him into their fellowship withoute grudging And Thomas also him selfe although he beleeued not those who tolde him of the Lordes resurrection yet notwithstanding he could not keepe him selfe out of the companie of the Apostles and Disciples Héereby wee are put in minde to foster and maynteine mutuall loue and not to forsake the bonde of Christian charitie for some lighte contention C. Concerning the comming in of Christ and the salutation which he vsed reade the .19 verse going before 27. After that sayde he to Thomas Bring thy finger hither and see my handes and reache hither thy haÌ„d thrust it into my side and be not faythlesse but beleeuing M. The Lorde dothe not tarrye vntill Thomas preuenteth him but eâ—â—â—eth him that thing first without the which he had sayde he woulde not beleeue that thereby he might not onely beleeue the resurrection but mighte also be pearced in conscience and that he might knowe that he was not ignoraunt of those things which he had spoken vnto the rest of the Apostles telling him of the Resurrection C. Hereby also we gather what care he had to prouide bothe for the confirmation of our faythe and
Prophets perfecte God and perfecte man the mediator of God and men the highe Legate of the father the onely author of perfect felicitie Bv. Who by hys death hathe put away death and by his resurrection hath restored to lyfe The Sonne of God Bicause among men there was none founde méete to bring suche notable matters to passe as to reconcile vs to the father to make satisfaction for sinnes to destroy death to ouerthrowe the kingdome of Sathan and to bring vnto vs true righteousnesse and saluation therefore God sente and gaue vnto vs his onely begotten sonne A. For all are gone out of the way all are beoome vnprofitable Psal 14.3 Rom. 3.12 there is none that dothe good no not one C. Moreouer seeing the name of sonne dothe belong vnto Christe onely it followeth that he is not a sonne by adoption but by nature Wherefore in this name the eternall Diuinitie of Christe is conteyned M. Reade more heereof in our Annotations vpon the .16 verse of the .16 chapter of Matthew And that in beleeuing yee might haue life Bv. Now Sainct Iohn addeth the fruite of fayth to restrayne the desire of men least they should desire to knowe more than were sufficient to obteyne lyfe For what wickednesse were this not to be contented with eternall saluation and to séeke to passe the boundes of the heauenly kingdome M. The ende of the Scriptures concerning Iesus is Faythe in Christe the sonne of God and the ende of faith in Christ is euerlasting life Bv. For bothe the Prophetes and the rest of the Apostles also sayde Haba 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 1. Pet. 1.9 that the iuste man shall lyue by fayth Concerning our restoring to lyfe by Christ reade our Annotations vpon the third chapter before the 16. verse Through his name Bv. He addeth this to declare that we haue lyfe by the merites and vertue of Chryste For in shewing that oure righteousnesse commeth hy the grace of Chryste hée excludeth all mans merites M. Therefore wée haue lyfe by the name of Christ that is to say through Christ for Christ in Christ to the glory of Christe bycause we are Christes and doo apperteine to his name if so be we beléeue in him For we are geuen vnto hym of the Father A. Also there are many places of Scripture which testify that we haue life gyuen vnto vs by the name of Christ Iesus onely Act. 4.12 Act. 10.43 1. Ihon. 2.12 Such are these whiche I haue coted in the margent The xxj Chapter 1 Afterwarde did Iesus shewe hym selfe agayne to hys disciples at the sea of Tyberias and on thys wise shewed he hym selfe Bv. SOme thinke that thys chapter was not added by Iohn but by some other bycause Sainct Iohn cōcludeth his historie in the ende of the twenty chapter But they see not that in the twentith chapter those argumentes onely are spoken of by whiche the resurrection of the Lorde was manifested at Hierusalem that in this one twentith chapter those thinges are named Mat. 26.32 by which he approued the truth of his resurrection in Galile Therfore of the twentith chapter he concludeth the narratiō of those signes which were shewed at Hierusalem But bicause the Lorde had specially promised that streight after his Resurrcection he would go into Galile and there shewed him selfe alyue againe vnto his disciples S. Ihon lest he mighte séeme to omitte any thing which appertayned to a full and perfecte history hath in this chapter added the reuelation of the Resurrection made in Galile M. But when this apparition was made we cannot sertaynely tell for that the Euangeliste speaketh not of any time It is moste sertayne that the Apostles according to the commaundement of the Lorde lefte Hierusalem and came to Galile after the eight daye of his resurrectiō Wherin we haue to note the dilligence of Christ who sought to cōfyrme his disciples in the faith of the Resurrection Yf so be he had sought onely to haue made them beleeue his resurrection he had done that oute of hand the fyrst day of the same neither was it néede full to vse many signes and apparitions for that cause but bycause it was not sufficiente once onely too knowe the truth of the resurrection excepte they did percist in the knowledge and faith of the same by inuincible constancie it was necessarie too instructe and confyrme them by many signes by the space of forty dayes So also wee haue néede to be strengthned in the knowledge of that truth whiche we haue once receyued Therefore Christe hathe so ordered hys Church that we might not onely be illumined but also confirmed euen to the end of the world by the worde by Sacramēts and by the often operations of the holy Ghost 2. There were together Simon Peter and Thomas whiche is called Didimus c. C. Saynct Iohn declareth that Christ apeared to seuen of his disciples amongst whome he reckeneth Thomas not for estimations sake so muche as that we might the sooner beléeue by his testimony M. Simon Peter was of Bethsaida a citie of Galile bordering vppon the Sea which in other places is called the lake of Genazareth but here the Sea of Tiberias This Peter the rest S. Iohn nameth as witneses to proue the truthe sertainety of the resurrection of Christ 3. Symon Peter sayth vnto them I go a fishing They say vnto him we also will go with thee They went their way entered into a ship immediatly and that night caught they nothing Bv. Here fyrst is set downe the occasion by which the manifestation was made For when Symon Peter was come into hys owne countrey with his disciples least hée should be idle and liue vpon other mens cost and charge went a fyshing and tooke with him the rest of his disciples C. And this trauayle of Peter in fyshing oughte not to be iudged vnséemely vnméete for his office He was only ordayned an Apostle by breathing as yet as we haue sayde before in the twentie chapter but he ceased for a little while vntil he were endued with new power For he was not as yet commaunded to go forth to execute the office of teaching but was only admonished of his calling to come that he and the rest might know that they were not chosen frō the beginning in vayne In the meane tyme they do that which they were accustomed to do and which became priuate men vntill such tyme as they were called of the lord to do other busines The Apostle Paule euen in the middest of his race of preaching got his liuing with his hāds but he had another consideration For so the time gaue hym leaue least handy labors might drawe him away from teaching But Peter and his fellowes bicause they were frée from al publique function gaue them selues wholly vnto fishing Bv. Therfore herein labour is commended to vs all and idlenes condemned And that night caught they nothing M. In that they tooke nothing it
calleth him self a disciple not a doctor who notwitstanding farre excelled all the Doctors and teachers in the worlde Let then those greedy hunters after vain glorie blushe and be ashamed who are contented with no tytels bee they neuer so honourabie and large Iohn the Baptiste called hym selfe a voyce crying in the wildernes Peter and Paul which are the lightes of the whole world name them selues the Seruantes and Ministers of Iesu Christe But Iohn also calleth hym selfe a witnes bicause the Lorde had saide ye shall be witnesses of these thinges A witnes speaketh nothing of hys owne but faithfully doth declare those things onely which he hath eyther seene or hearde Wherefore that which he had heard of the Lord and had séene hym do and suffer simplely and trulye euenas they were spoken and done he hath vttred and declared M. This therefore is the very same disciple whome hee hath so often sayde was specially beloued of the Lorde and yet hathe he not once in all his booke sette to his name lest he might incurre the suspicion of arrowgancy Yet notwithstanding it is not too be forbidden that the names of aucthors shoulde be set vnto theire bookes the which may stand too very good vse and purpose so that vayne glory be not sought And we knowe that hys testimony is true Bv. Nowe Saincte Iohn very-seriously affirmeth that he hath faythfully and truely deliuered the pure simple truthe Euen as in another place also That which we haue hearde which we haue seene vvith our eyes which we haue looked vppon â–ª and our handes haue handled of the worde of lyfe wee shewe vnto you For his meaning is that the Apostolicall doctrine is moste true and approued euen as sayd Peter we haue not followed deceitfall fables when we opened vnto you the power and comming of the Lorde Iesus but with our eyes we sawe hys Maiestie A. Concerning the reste which may be brought to the exposition of this place reade the .35 verse of the .19 chapter before For there he geeueth the lyke testimony to that which he hath writen 55. There are also many other thinges whiche Iesus dyd the which if they shoulde bee written euery one I suppose the worlde coulde not contayne the bokes that should be written Iohn 20.30 Bv. This place agréeth with that which the Apostle sayd before how that not al the signes of the Lordes resurrectioÌ„ were written but those onely which were sufficient to perswade men to beleeue in the Lorde Iesus that by him they attayne to life euerlasting and true blessednes M. The very same he séemeth now to repeate agayne but yet not without some differeÌ„ce Before he spake of the signes after the Resurrection but here hee speaketh of those signes generally whiche Christe wrought and shewed from the fyrst to the laste all the which he sayth are not written neyther in this booke nor in any other C. Therefore leste any man should suspecte his word as one speaking pertially bicause he was loued of Christe he cutteth off this obiection saying that he hath omitted ouerpassed more than he hathe written Neyther doth he speake of euery action of Christ but of those which appertayned to his publique office M. And the reason hereof he sayth is the innumerable multitude of Christes deedes saying that the whole worlde woulde not contayne those bookes which should be written if all perticulers were written By which hiperbolicall speacke his mind was to expresse that multitude of bookes which muste be written if all the actions of Christe were to be written Hiderbole is an excessiue speach eyther in aduauncing or deâ—â—praesting any thinge C. Neither ought we to Iudge this an absurd Hiperbole seeing we beare with many thinges in prophane wryters We must not only consider the number of Christes workes but also we muste way the weighte and greatnes of them The diuine maiestie of Christe which to mans sence and vnderstanding â—s infinite did in those his works wonderfully shine If the Euangelist hauing respecte vnto this as one astonished exclameth that the whole worlde is not able to conceiue and comprehende a iust and full narration who will maruell B. And verely seeing the actes of Christe were almoste infinite who coulde haue remeÌ„bred or wayed al things with fruite To what end then should they haue béen written For it had not beene meete that we should haue neglected them C. Furthermore he is not to be repreheÌ„ded for vsing an olde and accustomed figure to coÌ„mend the excellency of the workes of Christe Bv. Furthermore who seeth not that the same is a full and perfecte kynde of doctrine which leadeth bringeth vnto that ende to the whiche it is ordeyned and appointed But the EuaÌ„gelical history was ordeyned to shew vnto vs a way how we might obtayne eternall life the which we obtayne by fayth in Christe the whiche way it doth most playnely and plentifully teach vs. Therefore it followeth that the Gospel is a most perfect kynd of doctrine and that the Euangelists haue put a suÌ„me in writing which may suffice to instructe vs in the fayth and also to leade vs in the waye to euerlasting life although they haue not deliuered vnto vs worde for worde all thinges that Christe both spake and did B. Those thinges therefore are written whiche beeing well wayed are plentiful inoughe to instruct vs in al godlynes I wold to God they were so exactly discussed to imbrace Godlynes as they are narrowly sifted stretched to maintayne contencions and braules C. Wherfore he is sufficiently learned and instructed whiche hathe profited in the reading of this Scripture And verely séeing the Apostles ar ordeined of God to be witnesses vnto vs as they haue faythfully done their duetie so also is it our parte wholly to depend vppon their testimony and too desire no more than they haue vttred specially seeing their pennes haue beene dyrected and gouerned by the assured prouidence of God lest withouermuch matter they should oppresse our weake capacitie and yet notwithstanding hauing choyse might deliuer so much vnto vs as he which is only wyse and the welspring it selfe of Godes wisedome knewe to bee expedient for vs. A. But to make an ende of this exposition of S. Iohn let vs note that we haue here described truly offred vnto vs our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ that true and naturall sonne of God consubstantiall and coequall with the Father in all things but in the fulnesse of time according to the Prophets he was incarnate for vs he suffered he truely dyed and was vndoubtedly raysed agayne from death and was made King and Lorde of all things This Christ seeing he is appoynted of God the father and geuen vnto vs to be the fulnesse of all grace and truth that Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the worlde that Ladder and gate of heauen that exalted Serpent which maketh the deadly poyson hurtlesse that water refreshing the thirstie that Sonne reconciling vs to the Father that bread of lyfe that lighte of the worlde that Shepheard of the shéepe the doore the resurrectioÌ„ the lyfe the growing wheat corne the Conqueror of the prince of this worlde the example of lyfe the waye the truthe the true and fruitfull vine to be short the redemption saluation satisfaction and righteousnesse of all the faythfull in the whole world Séeing I say Christe is the plentiful treasurie of all these riches and graces vnto vs let vs giue thanks vnto God the Father of the same Iesu Christ who hath not spared his onely sonne but hath giuen him for vs to redeeme vs from all iniquitie and to make vs a holye and acceptable people vnto him selfe deuoutly giuen to all good workes that béeing now deliuered by the bloud of Christ from the hande of all our enemies we might serue him in holynesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our lyfe To him be Glory Empire and Dominion now and for euer Amen FINIS Laus Deo ¶ IMPRINTED AT LONDON by Thomas Marshe dwelling in Fleetstreete neare vnto Sainct Dunsions Church
Therefore although he semed to speake vnto deafe men for a time yet notwithstanding afterwarde it appered that he did not spend his winde in vaine but that he sowed the sede in the grounde which was afterwarde to bring forthe frute And as Christ speaketh héere of his worde and of the fulfillinge of thinges euen so his death Resurrection and ascention into heauen do growe together with doctrine that they maye bringe forth Faithe in vs. A. Moreouer he speaketh here almoste the same which he did when he made mention of the treason of Iudas Nowe I tell you before it is come that when it is come to passe ye might beleeue that I am he Iohn 13.16 And in the sixtene chapter folowing But these thinges haue I spoken vnto you that when the time shall come ye maye remember that I toulde you By which wordes he sheweth a plaine Argument of his diuinitye to the confirmation of his disciples Faith 38 Hereafter will I not taulke manye wordes with you for the Prince of this worlde cōmeth hath naught in mee Bv. Nowe in playne words he sheweth that be would die for the saluation and Redemption of mankinde For he shewing that death and bondes wayted for him saith Now shall my first ministerie ceasse by which I abased my selfe euen to the forme of a seruant For the hower of my passion is at hande By which saiing he minded to make his Disciples more attentiue and more deepely to printe his doctrine in their mindes For fulnes often times bringeth loathsomenesse and that is more earnestly desired which is harde to be gotten and that which tarieth but a while is moste set by Therefore he telleth them that he will shortly go from them to the ende they might be the more desierouse to heare his doctrine And although Christ should teach vs all our life time without ceassing yet notwithstanding this sentence might be applied to our vse also because seing the race of our life is but shorte we must vse occation A. lest we beinge blynded in our owne wickednes do contemne his voyce which talketh with vs at this daye For the Prince of this world C. Hée might simplely haue saide that he should dy and that nowe the hower of his death was at hande but he speaketh by circomstance to cōfirme their mindes leste they being terrefied with so horrible and fearefull a kinde of death should falle awaye For to beleue in him being crucefied is nothing else but to seke life amonge the deade First of al he saith that this power shall be geuen to sathan then he addeth that he suffereth the same not be cause he was therevnto constrained but that he might obay his Father A. But why the Deuell is called the prince of this world we haue shewed in the twelueth chapter going before C. And by the name of worlde be comprehendeth all mankinde For there is but one redemer which deliuereth vs out of this horrible seruitude But seing this poonishment came by the sinne of the first man euen as dayly it encreasseth more and more through new sinnes let vs learne both to hate our selues and our sinnes also For we are so captiue vnder the Rule of Sathan that notwithstanding this seruitude which is voluntarie shall not excuse vs and make vs blamelesse Wée muste also noate thot the same is attributed here to the deuell which is done by wicked men For it is no vnwonted thinge to attribut that to the capitaine which was done by the whole armie of the Capitaine Sathan was the Captaine of Iudas and of the murdering Iewes who caused them to commit such horible wickednes C. Therefore when the wicked are caried by the motion of Sathan whatsoeuer they do is iustly saide to be his work M. Also this place teacheth what they ought to looke for of this world in the which the Deuell is Prince secondely how he vseth wicked men as his soldiers to persecute Godes electe And hath naught in me B. Sathan hath power ouer those that are subiect to sinne For he worketh in the children of disobedience Therefore seing the Lorde was pure from all sinne Sathan had no power at all in him C. Howbeit these wordes maye haue a farther meaninge For Christ speaketh not here of his purenes alone but also of his deuine power whiche was not subiecte vnto death For it was mete for the Disciples to knowe that hee was not obnoxius to infirmytye leste they should think to basely of his power But in this generall sentence that former sentence is concluded that in subduing death he was not bounde to Sathan Whervppon is gathered that he tooke vpon him our tourne when he submitted him selfe to death Bv. R. Othersome also noat here that Sathan had no power in Christ because the members and instrumentes of Sathan could not obtayne that whiche they desired For they purposed to destroye Christ and to blot out his name for euer but he when he hoong vpon the crosse and was euen in death shooke the earth and wrought suche wonders as beséemed the Sonne of God straight after he arose from death to lyfe and assended into heauen where he raigneth ouer the whole world Sathan had no power in Christ Therefore the power of sathan could preuaile nothing againste the Lorde of light and lyfe This is no small consolation to the faithfull For the Lorde Iesus hath ouer come for vs sin death and sathan Wherfore if sathan had no power in the head neither shall he haue any power in the members For the victory life and innocencye of Christ Iesus is ours by Faith Therefore yf at the hower of death the Prince of this world come vnto thée be not afrayde consider that he hath bente and vsed all his force againste the Sauiour and preuailed not but was ouerthrowne him selfe when he thought to haue gotten the victory The Lorde Iesus got the victory for thy sake and thou shalte ouercome in hym R. But if Sathan had no power ouer Christ why then did he preuail so muche that he brought him to the death of the Crosse For shortly after Christ died and that the most shamful death of al others euen the death of the Crosse Heare now the cause hereof in these words of our Sauiour following 31. But that the worlde may know that I loue the Father and as the Father gaue me a cōmaundement euen so doe I ▪ Rise let vs goe hence But that the worlde might know B. That is to say Therefore I wyll geue place to the power of Sathan and delyuer my selfe into the handes of sinners that the world may know that I loue the Father C. We haue in this to noate that Gods decree here standeth in the hiest place lest we should think that christ was so caried to death by the violence of Sathan that some thing happened to him beside the purpose of God For it is God whiche hath ordayned his sonne to be the prepitiatory and which would
take away the sins of the worlde by his death The whiche to bringe to passe he suffered Sathan for a shorte tyme to triumphe ouer them as conquerer Therefore Christe did not resiste Sathan that he might obay his fathers will and decrée and might so offer his obedience a◠a price and ransome for our righteousenesse M. To this effecte partaineth that which Paule wrighteth saying That Christe was obedient to his Father to the death euen to the death of the crosse Iohn i0 i8 A. Also Christ a litle before testified that he receiued this commaundement from the Father that he should geue his lyfe for his shéepe M. Therfore in that we are redeemed by the death and bloud of of Christe Iesus it was done at the commandement of the Father Obedience in Christe declared his loue towardes his father Furthermore seinge the obedience of Christ declared how greatly he loued his Father let vs also learne after his example not onely by the obseruation of his commaundementes but also by the pacient bearinge of the Crosse layed vpon vs to declare howe greatly we loue God the Father It is a hard matter to loue such a Father as layeth the crosse vpon his Children but hee doeth the same for our health And although we doe paciently beare the Crosse yet notwithstanding we cannot reache to that perfection which was in Christes example who not for his owne but for our benifite bare the crosse which the Father layde vpon him Furthermore in these words we are taught that this loue and obedience of Christ declared in the passion of the Crosse is to be proposed and set before the worlde He sayth not symply That ye might know but That the worlde may knowe that I loue the Father This knowledge serueth greatlye to the learning of saluation which is purchased for vs by the blessed bloude of Christ Rise let vs go hence B. R. Bv. Manye thinke that Christ when he had spoken these wordes went to another place and that he spake those thinges which follow as he walked C. But séeing saynt Iohn sayth hereafter that Christ went foorth it séemeth more lykelye that the purpose of Christe was to exhorte his Disciples ▪ to shewe the same obedience towardes GOD of the which they had so notable an example in him not that hee led them foorth at the same moment ⧠The XV. Chapter 1 I am the true Vine my Father is the Husbandeman CHRIST our Sauioure in this Chapter exhorteth his Disciples to abyde in him and to loue him then hée encourageth them against the hatred of the worlde to the which they shoulde be subiect R. After therefore hée hadde taught who he was and wherefore hée went by the Crosse to the Father now hée teacheth what benifites he possesseth by and in his Father not to retaine them to himselfe aloane but to communicate them with the faithfull And this he teacheth by an excelent similitude and fine allegorye ◠B. the which he playnelye explicateth C. Also the summe of this similitude is that we are barren and drye by nature sauing that we being ingraffed into Christe doe drawe from him newe strength and moysture But it is néedefull to discusse euerye propertie of the Vine but onely summarily to consider to what ende Christ applieth this similitude Therefore there are thrée speciall partes The first is That we haue no strength of our selues to doe good but from him the seconde That we hauing roote in him are purged and garnished by the father the third is that he cutteth of the vnfruitfull braunches that they mighte be cast into the fyer and burnte All men almoste are ashamed to deny that whatsoeuer good thing they haue it commeth from God but afterwarde they fayne that they haue a vniuersall grace geuen vnto them as though it were naturally ingraffed in them But Christ specialy standeth vpon this poynt that vitall Moysture doeth spring from him aloane wherevppon it followeth that mans nature is vnfruitfull and voyde of all goodnesse because no man knoweth the nature of the vine vntill he be ingrafted in the same But this is geuen by spetial grace to the elect alone The firste authoure therefore of all good thinges is the father who planteth vs by his hand but the beginning of lyfe is in Christ out of whome we beginne to take roote in him When he calleth hym selfe the true vine it is as yf he had sayd I am the vine in déede Therefore men do weary themselues in vain in séeking for strength from any other because profitable fruite cōmeth from no other than from the branches springing from mée For Christ compareth him selfe to the vine growing in the earth and vs to the braunches springing out of the same Bv. This allegory is taken out of the writinges of the Prophetes who in diuers places compare the Church to the vinyarde and men in the Church to vines Psal 8.9 Es 3 13 57 Ier 2 21 Ier i2 i0 Osee i0 i and the workes of fayth of loue and of righteousnesse to grapes Therfore when the Lord calleth him selfe the true vine we must not so vnderstande him as if hée were naturally and substantially a vine For naturallye and substantially he is God and man and not a vine but representeth the true comely fruitfull noble and plentifull vine AVG. Therefore he is called a vine by a similitude not by proprietye euen as he is called a shéepe a Lambe a Lion a Rock a corner stone such like frō which such similitudes are brought And my father is a husband man CYR. He calleth the Father a husbande man lest this might séeme to be done of the Sonne aloane which is the wonderfull worke of the whoale Trinitie For the father planted Christ the true vine when he made the word to become fleshe that the same might be perfecte God and perfect man M. Therefore the Mistery of our Mediation and saluation dependeth vpon the counsayle prouidence of our heauenly father who lyke a husband man planted and trimmed this vine for vs and doth also at this daye plant the same in the hartes of the faithfull In the which matter hys Aposteles are workers with hym Most aptly therefore when he called him selfe a vine i Cor 3 9. he made mention also of the husband man shewing that by the care prouidence and gubernation of God we ar brought to vertue and continued in the same For as the vine trée nourisheth her braunches euen so the husband man visiteth veweth and proyneth his vine 2. Euery braunche that beareth not fruite in me he will take awaye and euery branch that beareth fruite will hee purg that it may bring forth more fruite M. By these wordes he expresseth the husbandry of the father to the whiche the faythfull seruauntes of Christ are subiecte euenas the braunches of thys vine And he declareth that the ende and drifte of this husbandry is that the braunches might bring forth fruite C. But because some do