Church should not be left destitude of able Ministers and when the life of the Pastoure shoulde be so assaulted of the enemies that their rage and madnesse could be appeaced no wayes else but by his absence But in no wise they would permit this libertie if so be the perill were general and appertaining to the woale â—locke Flight in time of persecution and that it were thought that the Pastoure fled more to saue hys owne life being afraide of Death then to doe good because the example of his fléeling in this order shall do more harme then his life shall profite or doe good euer after M. Therefore it maketh great matter wherefore howe and who it is that fléeeth euenas also it maketh great matter wherefore who and howe the shéepe be fed For as he is not by and by a true shepe heard which leadeth forth the shéepe vnto Pasture euenso he is not straight way a hyerling which in time of persecution fléeth for a time He which is a hyerling doth not only flée when hee séeeth the wolfe comming but he also is a hyerling which in securitie féedeth the shéepe béecause of his wages he which in feeding hath the affection of a Pastour is not made a hyerling by fléeing seing he was not a hyerling before Paule was not a Hyerling when he taught at Damascus and preached Christ therefore by fleing hée was not made an hyerling The hyerling fléeeth for that cause as sayeth Christ because he is a hyerling and hath no care for the shéepe For this cause Paule did not slee who if it had so plesed the Lord was redy to dye but because the Bretheren did vrge him to flée insomuch that they did let him downe in a Basket ouer the wall he sled that hée might serue Christ longer And this is that which the Lorde sayeth If so be they persecute you in one Cittie flee vnto another Mat 10.23 R Verely in this there can scarse any certaine Rule be prescribed when wée shoulde flee and when we shoulde not flee For there is a time when Christe fled againe there is a time when he did not slée but willingly went to méete his aduersaries There is a time when Paule was lette downe ouer the wall in a basket againe there is a time when he sayde VVhat doe yee weeping and troubling mye hart for I am not onely readye to be bounde but also to dye at Hierusalem for the name of the Lorde Iesu For euery man hath the appoynted time of his office the whiche béeing not finished hee maye shoonne and auoyde manifeste perielles least God be tempted notwithstandinge wée must so flée that our office be not neglected Euenas our sauiour Christ sayth There are twelue howres in the daye If any man walke in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this worlde But if any man walke in the night he stumbleth Ioh. 11.9 because he hath no light in him Act. 20.8 Bv. Sathan and his ministers are the Wolues which scatter the flocke and therefore we must beware of them 13. So the hierling fleeth because he is a hiereling and careth not for the sheepe C. That is to saye He whiche hath respecte vnto the fléece and not to the slocke howsoeuer he deceyue men in the quiet state and tyme of the Church when trouble aryseth wil shewe his falsehoode and treacherye PAR. For there are some whiche in tyme of prosperitye are carefull inough for the flocke but in tyme of perrill they leaue the flocke to be dispersed and made a praye of the Wolfe For they saye within them selues What if it perishe I loose nothing my hyer is sure inough and if any parte thereof be lost I had rather forgoe the same than to contend for other mens cattaile with the Wolfe 14. I am the good sheepheard and knowe mine and am known of mine M. Hée repeateth this to declare in him selfe the condicions of the true and good Shéepheard and so to shewe himselfe to differre in disposition from hyerlinges And I knowe mine C. In these wordes hée commendeth his loue towardes vs for knowledge commeth of loue and bringeth also with it a care 2. Tim 2 i9 Ioh. 13 18 R. The Lord knoweth who are his Also it is sayde I knowe whome I haue chosen M. There are two kindes of knowledge The one is Knowledge of two sortes by which wée knowe what a thing is By this kinde of knowledge al thinges are knowne vnto Christ not onlye the sheepe but also the Goates the Wolues the Théeues and the Murderers and that infernall Sathan also The other is that by which wknow such things as are our owne yea by which we knowe them kéepe them and defende them By this kinde of knowledge the Reprobates are not knowne but the electe onely For to them it shal be sayd Math 7.23 Depart from mee ye workers of iniquitye And againe Verylye verylye I saye vnto you I knowe ye not Math 25.12 As Christ therefore hath a speciall care ouer his shéepe because they heare his voyce and followe him euen so he geueth vs to vnderstande that hée hath no care at all for those whiche obeye not the Gospell euen as in the second member he repeateth and confirmeth that whiche he had spoken before namelye that he is in like manner knowen of his shéepe 15. As the Father knoweth mee so knowe I the Father and I laye downe my lyfe for the sheepe M. There is a mutuall knowlegde of familliars and néere friendes The heauenlye Father hath a sonne whome he knoweth to bée his and of whome he is acknowledged againe to bée the Father Euen so Christ hath shéepe which he knoweth and of whome in like manner he is knowne C. Insomuch that it is no more possible that he should forget vs than it is possible that the Father shoulde reiect or neglect him M. The father séemed as though hée had forsaken his sonne vpon the Crosse whome notwithstanding he acknoweledged to be moste dere vnto him Euenso although Christ sometime séemeth to leaue and forsake his shéepe in the midest of afflictions yet notwithstanding he wil neuer leaue them in perill but will haue a continuall care for them C. In the meane time he woulde haue vs to do our duty to him againe because as he doeth bestowe all that power which he hath receiued of the father to helpe vs so hee woulde haue vs obedient and seruiceable vnto him againe And I laye downe my life Bv. As if he shoulde saye I haue not without cause called the congregation of the faithfull my shéepe For I haue washed them with my bloud I haue by my death brought them to life and I haue geuen my selfe for them not redéeming them with Goulde and Siluer but with my owne lyfe whereby Iustly I affirme them to be mine Let them therefore consider what account they wyll make to the Prince of Sheapheardes which haue vsed crueltye and
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
belongeth to the Elect whome the Father hath giuen to the Sonne The other is common to all that haue eares to heare A. My shéepe sayth hée heare my voyce R. For the elect heare and beléeue the Gospell the other are obstinate Therefore so manye as are ordayned to euerlasting life beléeue C. This therefore is the thirde degrée The first is frée election The seconde is that donation by which wee are committed to the custodie of Christ and being receyued of Christ are gathered through fayth into the sheepefoulde The worde of God vanisheth awaye from the reprobate but it taketh déepe roote in the elect whereby they are sayd to obserue and keepe A. Wherefore Christ sayd not in vaine vnto the Iewes Ye seeke to kill mee because my wordes abydeth in you And in the parrable of the séede that they had no roote which beleeue but for a time Luke 8.13 and in time of temptation go away 7 Nowe theye haue knowene that all thinges vvhatsoeuer thou haste geuen mee are of thee C. here is expressed that which is principal in faith when men so beleue in Christ ▪ that faith stayeth not it selfe vpon the sight of flesh but conceiue his deuine power For when he saith Now they haue knowen that all thinges whatsoeuer thou hast geuen mee he meaneth the faithfull that whatsoeuer they haue they fele and know the sonne to be celestiall and deuine And verely except wee know him in Christe wee must needes continuallye wauer and be vnstayed R. Therefore because the elect doe beleeue the Gospell therefore they knowe that it is no humayne inuention but the worde of the Father come from the Father and the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth But the worde of the Crosse to them which perishe is foolishnesse Rom. 1.16 1. Cor. 1.18 Thou sée est also this place that knowledge followeth Fayth and goeth not before the same as we sawe also before in the thrée score and nine verse of the sixt Chapter 8 For I haue geuen vnto them the wordes which thou gauest mee and they haue receyued them and haue knowne surely that I came out from thee and they haue beleeued that thou dyddest sende me R. Nowe hee declareth what that is which the Father hath gyuen vnto hym namelye the Gospell the which was committed by the Father to the Sonne that hee might preache the same vnto the worlde Whosoeuer therefore receyueth the gospell of CHRIST by fayth he shall truelye knowe Chryst who beyng knowne GOD is also knowne And the knoweledge of the Father and the Sonne by the Holye Gospell is lyfe euerlasting C. Therefore leaste anye Man shoulde thynke that hys doctryne is of Man or sprong from the Earth hee pronounceth in these wordes that GOD is the Authour of the same And hee speaketh after hys manner in the Personne of the Mediatoure when he saith that hee hath taught that onelye whych hée had receyued of the Father For because thys condicion in the flesh was as yet base and because vnder the fourme of a Seruaunt hys deuyne maiestye laye hydde hee assygneth GOD vnder the person of the Father Neuerthelesse we must remember that whych Saynte Iohn in the begynnyng howe that Chryste in that hee is the eternall worde of GOD was alwayes one GOD wyth the Father Therefore the meanynge is that Chryste was a faythfull wytnesse of GOD vnto the Disciples that theyr fayth myghte bee founded vppon none other than vppon the worde of GOD seyng the Father hymselfe hath spoken in the Sonne M. Here therfore wee see that Christ delyuereth nothyng to hys Dysciples ▪ but that whych he hadde receyued from the Father so much doe althynges depende vppon the woorde of GOD that the Sauiour hymselfe the Sonne of GOD woulde preach nothynge else vnto mortall men then the worde of hys Father geuen vnto hym to thys ende that hee might preache the same vnto the worlde Let then the teachers of humaine tradicions bee ashamed of their great presumption in tying the consciences of men to humaine tradicions and imaginations when there can come no peace of conscience but from the woorde of God delyuered to the Apostles by the Sonne of God And they haue knowne surelie that I came out That which hee had touched before hee nowe repeateth in other wordes For Christe to come out from the Father and to bee sent of the Father is euen as muche as that which wente before where Christe sayth that whatsoeuer he hath is of the Father M He might haue made mention of sygnes whiche testifie also that he came out from God but this is the noate of the Children of God to beléeue his worde C. The sume is this that fayth ought rightlye to behoulde Christ but so that it déeme and iudge no earthlye or contemptible thing to be in him and that it ought to be lifted vp to his deuine power that it may certainelye be perswaded that God and whatsoeuer belongeth vnto God is perfytelye in him B. Behoulde here therefore the order of saluation First of all the Gospell is preached to the elected then it is giuen vnto them to beléeue thirdelye in the Gospell and by it God is knowne hereof by and by spring a trust in him and the loue of him from whence consequentlye groweth the loue and desire of pietie and holynesse and also the duetye which we owe vnto oure brethren C. Also we maye noat that in the first parte of this sentence Christ vseth this worde knowen and in the latter part this worde beleue For there by he teacheth vs that wee cannot knowe God truly without fayth in the which there is such assuraunce and sertayntie that it is rightly called knoweledge A. How Christ went out from the Father wee haue shewed before 9 I praye for them I praye not for the world but for them which thou haste geuen mee for they are thine R. Before Christ prayed for him selfe to be gloryfyed nowe he prayeth for his Apostles And this prayer is a brasen wall for the Disciples whereby they may stande stedfast in all aduersityes and whereby they maye ouercome sinne death and Sathan C. Therefore after Christ had shewed that he could bring his Disciples into his fathers fauoure nowe he maketh a prayer for the same in the which he sheweth that he desyereth nothinge but that which is agreeable vnto hys fathers wil because be commendeth those only to hys father whom he of his owne accord loueth M. Christ in praying putteth a difference betwéene the electe and the reprobate and prayeth 〈◊〉 only for the electe and not for the world but also expreslye prenounceth that hée prayeth for them and not for the worlde He calleth his those which the Father hath geuen him and he calleth the vnbeleeuers the reprobate and those whome the father hath not geuen vnto him the worlde C. So that he playnly affirmeth that he prayeth not for the worlde because he cared for his owne flocke only which
wée muste be the true members of hys bodye B. Therefore when wee are absolutelye Godly it shall appeare that we are deere and acceptable vnto God R. And wee must well remember the prayer coÌ„tayned in this Chapter For if so be Christ prayed for him selfe for his Apostles and for al those that should beleeue by the preaching of the Apostles it must needes be in an effectuall prayer For howe could it be that the son which was obediente to the death of the Crosse shuld be repulsed Wherfore let vs bee fullye perswaded that neyther death neyther life neyther Angels neither rule nether power nether things presente nor thinges to come neither heigth nor depth neither any other creature shal be able to seperat vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord. ⧠The .18 Chapter 1. When Iesus had spoken these words he went foorth with his Disciples ouer the brooke Cedron where was a Garden into the which he entred with his Disciples M. IN this Chapter the Euangelist begynneth to declare the historie of the Lordes passion in the declaration wherof he omitteth many things whiche are to be read in the other three Euangelistes the which he doth of purpose euen as he hath set downe many things worthy of remembraunce whiche the other thrée haue let passe with silence R. Therfore hitherto was noted the Sermon which Christ made at his last Supper by which Christ most fully declared and manifested him selfe to his Disciples to the ende we might know what grace and goodnesse he conteyneth in him selfe specially vnder the crosse Also he prayed that all those that beléeue in him might be sanctified that they might be one with him and that the loue with the which the Father loued him might be in them Therfore his Sermon and Prayer béeing ended he went foorth with his Disciples ouer the brooke Cedron M. Some thinke that this brooke was called the brooke of Ceders bicause many Ceder trees grew about the same C. But it is very like notwithstaÌ„ding that this name came vp through error For of the valley or brooke of Cedron there is mention oftentimes made in the Scriptures M. Where the Hebrewe worde dothe not signifie Ceder trees but dimnes or darknesse R. Concerning the whiche brooke we reade in the booke of Kings 2. Kin. 15.23 4. kin 23.4 C. This place therfore was so called bicause of the darknesse bicause it was a deepe valley and muche shadowed Howbeit we will not contende much about this Specially we haue to consider the purpose of the Euangelist in naming this place For hys purpose was to shewe that Christ went willingly to death He came into that place which he knew was well knowne vnto Iudas And to what ende but only to offer him selfe to Iudas and into the handes of his enemies For he came not vnto this place without foresight of that which folowed séeing he was ignorant of nothing whiche was to come to passe M. Wherefore Christ passing ouer the brooke Cedron entred into the Garden not to flée from his Persecuters but that he might go to that agony whiche was to come according to Gods appoyntment If he went ouer the brooke CedroÌ„ bicause he would flée away his best way had bin through the wildernesse and not to haue entred into this Garden C. He went not therfore to seeke a place to hide him selfe in but he entred into the Garden that he might haue more libertie to pray The other Euangelists say that he went out vnto the mount of Oliues Mat 26.36 and they make mention of a certayne place which is called Gâ—thsemane the which hath no discrepance seeing that the historie of Dauid also sayth 2. kin 15.23 that the people when they had passed ouer the brooke Cedron went towarde the way of Oliuet 2. Iudas also whiche betrayed him knewe the place for Iesus ofttimes resorted thither with his Disciples R. As Christ is not betrayed but of an Apostle and his chiefe Disciple and that to those to whom he him selfe was the truthe and whose office and function was a shadowe and tipe of him Persecution of the Gospell by Disciples Mat. 23.37 Act. 7.52 that is to say to the high Priestes and Scribes euen so the worde of the Gospell is almost neuer betrayed but of suche as know the same and are friends in shew and very seldome it suffreth persecution of straungers The Gentiles killed not the Prophets but the Iewes which boasted of the worde of the Lord. The Phariseis cast out the Apostles Antechrist is not suche a one as denyeth Christ but a boster of the name of Christ and yet he persecuteth the Gospel So the hypocriticall Monkes Priests Bishops Popes and such like haue onely the outwarde name of Christians and seeke to betray and to destroy Christ 3. Iudas then after he had receiued a band of men and officers of the high Priests and Phariseys came thither with lanternes and torches and weapons R. With what force strength doth Iudas set vpon Christ Or by what power do the souldiers of Iudas persecute the Gospel Not with reasons sentences of scripture except peraduenture the same be wrested to serue their turne not with probable arguments but with the corporall sword with weapons with afflictions all kinde of torments If this be to ouercome who haue greater conquest victorie than tyrants fighting with crueltie And if this be to play the champion who is more bould stout than théeues Reade the .26 of Mat. beginning at the .47 verse concerning the other two verses folowing also reade the same chapter 6. Assoone then as he had said vnto theÌ„ I am he they went backwarde and fel to the grounde C. The Euangelist sheweth what great vertue and power the Lorde breathed with one voyce to the ende we myghte know that the wicked had power ouer him no further than he gaue them leaue He gently aunswereth that he is the very same whome they sought for and yet notwithstanding hee casteth them prostrate vppon the earth euen as if it had béene with the violent puffe or blast of a whirle wynde or with the flashing stroke of lightning Therefore he wanted no power to restrayne their handes if it had so pleased him but he woulde obey his Father by whose decrée he knewe he was called and appoynted to deathe Aug. For where is nowe thys ambushmente of Souldiers Where is nowe theyr terrour and fortification of weapons One voyce strake repulsed and prostrated without force of weapon the outrageous hatefull multitude and terrible with weapons For God lay hydden in the fleshe and the sempiternall day was so shadowed and couered wyth humayne members that darknes sought with Lanternes and Fyrebrandes to kill the same What wyll he doo which shall come to iudge whiche dyd thys that he might be iudged But this purpose was to put in proofe that efficacie whiche the Prophet Esay attributeth to hys word Amongest other the mightie
⧠A CATHOLIKE and Ecclesiasticall exposition of the holy Gospell after S. IOHN Gathered out of all the singuler and approued Deuines which the Lorde hath giuen vnto his Church by Augustine Marlorate And translated out of Latin into Englishe by Thomas Timme Minister Seene and allovved according to the order appoynted ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Marshe Anno Domini 1575. ¶ TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Lorde Thomas Earle of Sussex Vicount Fitzwalter Lorde of Egremont and of Burnell one of the Queenes Maiesties Honorable priuie Counsayle and Lorde high Chamberlayne of hir house of the noble order of the Garter Knight Iustice of Oyer of the Forrests Parkes VVarraynes and Chases from Trent Southvvarde and Captayne of the Gentlemen Pentioners And to the right honorable Lady his wyfe encrease of honour and true knowledge in Christ Iesus THE GREAT PROfite which the Christiā minde is to receyue by reading this Booke was the cause why I tooke the paynes to Translate it out of Latin into the English toung and the Recommending therof the more diligently to haue it read was the occasion which moued me to Dedicate my parte therein to your Honors For what Englishe man is there which will not thinke it a Booke most worthy the reading which he seeth warranted by your Names The honorable and generall report whereof hartneth me to present it vnto you wherein ye shall finde the deepe and deuine Euangelist Sainct John the marrow of all Commentaries vppon him vnder the name of Marlorates Collection last and least my faythfull trauell to turne them bothe to the vse of my Countrey The thing I know your Honors will like well bicause as I heare you can skilfully iudge so I doubt not but you haue made your choyce what to reade which so muche bruteth the credite of your abilitie founde out by effect As for my labor may it please your Honors to like it as comming from one which caught with the commendation of your Learning and Wisdome generally noyzed could not but offer my selfe to you as the wondering Queene of Saba could not rest tyll she had seene Salomons person of whose wisdome she had hard so muche And withall I thought it good in offering my labor to your Honors to ioyne you both togither thinking with my selfe that it must needes follow that suche skill and iudgement beeing in so Honorable a man must needes by societie of matche worke like effect in so honorable a Mate Wherefore not to trouble your Honors with longer speache I take my leaue Recommending my poore Paynes to your Honors protection the recompence whereof you shall receiue in your reading of the booke whose fruite will bring by Gods grace health to your soules and continuance of your Honor. Your Honors most humble Thomas Timme ⧠A CATHOLIKE AND ECCLESIASTICALL EXPOsition of the holye Gospell after S. JHON The Argument ALthough the worde of GOD dependeth or hangeth not vpon the auctoritie of men yet notwithstanding 1. Iohn 4. as it is profitable to proue the spirites whether they be of GOD or no So it is necessarie that they which take vppon them the office of teaching in the Churche doe keepe their auctoritie in the same to the ende the testimonie which they bring concerning the truthe maye more firmelie abide with the faythfull But trulie this Gospell which John bringeth is nothing else than a testimonie of Christ Iesus that is to say that Christ is the sonne of God the life of men the light of the worlde the breade of life which came downe from heauen the resurrection the waye the trueth and the life the good Shephearde of the sheepe and to be short the onelie sauiour of the worlde It is conuenient therefore that wee knowe who this was which so beareth witnesse of him which was conuersaunt among men hauing the shewe of a seruaunt Philip. 2. being in the similytude of men and founde in his apparell as a man being tempted in all thinges as we are and yet without sinne This one witnesse is to be credited of vs euen as well as a thousand Heb. 4. because he was one that writ these thinges to the edefying of the Church and for the common profite of all men not by the common fame and report of other men but by that which is most sure and infallible namelie by that which he hearde and saw himselfe euen as hee himselfe speaketh of himselfe in the ende of this historie saying Iohn 19. He vvhich savve bare vvitnesse and his vvitnesse is true and hee knovveth that he speaketh truth that ye might beleeue And in an other place he sayth That vvhich vvas from the beginning vvhich vve haue hearde vvhich vve haue seene which we haue looked vpon and our handes haue handeled of the worde of life we shewe vnto you For this writer of the sacred Historie 1. Iohn 1. or Gospel was in the time of Christ being the brother of the Apostle Iames borne in Galilee and the sonne of Zebede and Salomon as many thinke Of whose calling to the office of an Apostle S. Mathew in the .iiij. Chapter maketh mention aptly therfore he calleth this history the Gospel for he doth more largely and plainelie set forth the diuinity of Christ and the mistery of our redemption than the other Euangelists The which thing being forseene by our Lord and Sauiour Christ called this our Euangelist and his brother also the sonne of Thunder or as Marke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Furthermore the other three Euangelists are very large insetting forth the life and death of Christ but our Euangelist shortely touching those things stādeth more vpō that doctrine by the which both the office of christ and also the power of his death resurrection is explicated And to be short all of them seking to set forth Christ the first three namely Mathew Marke and Luke do set before vs If I may so speake the bodye but Iohn the soule Insomuch that this Gospell maye truelie be called the key which openeth the doore to come to the vnderstanding of the other three For who soeuer shall attaine to the knowledge of Gods power the which is here cunninglie expressed he at the length shall reade with profite that which the other Euangelistes haue written as concerning the redeemer Neyther was it done without the singuler counsell of the holie Ghost that the Gospell written by Mathew Marke and Luke shoulde be published and set foorth in the worlde before that which was written by Iohn for the weake eares of the faithfull were not capeable of so great thunder Therfore it was conuenient that the Incarnation of Christ shoulde fyrst of all be set foorth his Natiuitie described and howe according to the scriptures he was borne of the seede of Abraham of the tribe of Iuda and of the stocke of Dauid by what documents he prooued him selfe to be the true Messias how according to the scriptures he suffered and was buried and rose againe the thirde
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
GOD and the Sauiour of the whole worlde the which is done of vs when we depende wholye vpon him by a sincere fayth and trust and commit our selues wholye as Disciples vnto him Hée sayth not they which are pure and altogither voyde of sinne and worthy to be admitted into the fellowship of this fraternitie but he sayth which beléeue in his name and receyue him that is to saye which acknowledge by fayth the grace offered and receyue it in heart Therefore they which beléeue not receyue not Christ they cannot obtaine this sauing helth and dignity of the sonnes of God in so much that they must of necessitie perish with this world vnder the wrath 13. Which were borne not of bloode nor of the will of the fleshe nor yet of the will of man but of God Which were borne M. These woordes pertayne to the description of them which beléeue in the name of Christ and do receyue the right of the adoption of the sonnes of God They which are such are not borne of fleshe and blood but of God Fleshe and blood begetteth not the Children of God That which is of the fleshe is fleshe Iohn 3 and that which is of the spirite is spirite B. By these woordes the Euangelist meaneth nothing else but the carnall Byrth For he maketh a comparison of the generation of the fleshe and of the spirite reiecting the one and allowing the other C. Neyther is it necessarye that wée vnderstand here by this worde flesh the Woman as many would haue it The Euangelist rather repeating one thing by diuerse woordes goeth about to inculcate the same and to print it more déepelye in our mindes Therefore hée doth secréetelye touche the wicked trust and confidence of the Iewes who had alwayes in theyr monthes the worthinesse of theyr ofspring as though they springing from a holye Progeny were Saintes by nature They had worthelye boasted them selues to bée of the stock of Abraham if they had béene lawfull Children and not bastardes But the boasting of Faith doth arrogate nothing at all from the carnall generation but geueth GOD the praise for all thinges that it hath receyued ◠Therefore S. Iohn in effect sayeth thus much They which beléeue in Christ being before vncleane Gentiles are not borne the sonnes of God out of the wombe or by fleshe and blood but are brought therevnto by the workemanshippe of the holye Ghost And although properly hée hath respect vnto the Iewes which were proude in the fleshe yet notwithstanding of this place a generall Doctrine maye bée gathered namelye that where as wée are counted the Sonnes of GOD it commeth not by the propertye of our nature neyther of our selues but because the Lorde hath begotten vs of his owne fréewill and singuler loue Question A. Notwithstanding the Euangelist séemeth verye vnorderlye to make regeneration the first in order as though it went before faith when as rather it is the effect of Faith and therefore the latter of the twaine Aunsvvere C. I aunswere that it is both first and last in diuers respects because by fayth wée conceyue the incorruptible séede by the which we are borne againe into a newe and diuine life and yet neuerthelesse faith is now the worke of the holye Ghost which dwelleth in none but in the sonnes of God Therefore in diuers respectes faith is a part of our regeneration and an enteraunce into the kingdome of Heauen that wée might bée nombred among the children of God For in that hee illuminateth our mindes with the spirite hee sheweth the worke of regeneration After this maner faith springeth from regeneration as from the well But because wée receyue Christ by the same faith whiche sanctifieth vs wyth his spirite therefore it is sayde to be the beginning of our adoption Therefore in respect of our sence we beginne not to be the sonnes of God but after faith onely M. But we must note what difference there is betwéene them whiche are adopted in this worlde to the inheritaunce of earthlye goodes and those which are adopted to bée the sonnes of God They whiche are adopted to haue the inheritance of earthlye goodes are adopted by grace of good will although they come not of the same fleshe neither are regenerate in minde but abide in the same minde whereof they were before But they which are adopted to bee the Sonnes of God are not borne of the substaunce of God as was Christ the onely begotten sonne of GOD but they being by grace taken for heyres and sonnes are also chaunged in minde and of carnall are made spirituall And this is that which hée sayth But are borne of God Wee gather also by this place that faith commeth not of our selues but is the fruite of spirituall regeneration For the Euāgelist affirmeth that no man can beléeue but hée which is borne of God Faith therefore is a heauenly gift Furthermore wée maye hereby gather that faith is not a colde or bare motion seeing none can beléeue except hée be reformed by the spirite of God 14. And the same woorde became flesh dwelt among vs and we sawe the glorye of it as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and truth And the same worde C. Nowe hée teacheth what that comming of Christ was of the which he had made mencion before saying Hee came into his owne Namelye that hée hauing taken vppon him our fleshe openlye shewed him selfe to the world M. And by the fleshe he vnderstandeth the whole man in somuche that it is al one as if he had sayd And the word beecame man C. For this worde fleshe serueth more to set foorth the force of his minde than if he had sayde That it was made man His purpose was to shew what a vile and base condition the Sonne of GOD tooke vpon him for our sakes comming downe from the throne of his heauenlye glorye The scripture speaking of a man contemptuouslye calleth him fleshe When as therefore the Euangelist calleth the sonne of God fleshe he meaneth that he hath so much abased him selfe that he hath taken vppon him this fleshe subiect to so many miseries R. As to fragillity contempt execration pouertye hunger thirst nakednesse death and damnation and that wee might bee made through him Strong Blessed Ritch Full Immortal and righteous whereby we haue euerlasting saluation For what thing else is fleshe than weakenesse dust and as it were haye and the glorye thereof as the flower of the field which in the morning groweth and in the Euening is cut downe and withered C. But the fleshe is not here taken for the corrupt nature of man as Paule oftentimes taketh it but for the mortall man Verye fonde therefore is Appollinaris which imagined that Christ had a humane bodye onely without a soule For this is a figuratiue kinde of speache because the inferiour part doth comprehende the whole man For by an innumerable sort of testimonies a man may gather that Christ our
without measure most aboundantly with the holy Ghost and hath powred the same vpon the Beard and skirtes of his cloathing that is to saye vpon the faithfull And as in the first Natiuitye wée all receyued of the fulnesse of Adam euen so in the newe byrth wée all are ouerwhelmed with the fulnesse of Christ For Adam is a Tipe of Christ as Saint Paul sheweth in the fift Chapter to the Romanes C. But to returne to the woords of Iohn the Baptist First of all he sheweth that wée are voyde euery one of vs of al spiritual goodnesse For Christ aboundeth to this ende that hée might supplye and helpe our lacke ease our neede and satisfye our hunger M. The whiche Saint Paul confirmeth by these words VVhat hast thou O man 1. Cor. 4 which thou hast not receyued C. Secondlye he admonisheth that so soone as we depart from Christ wée doe in vaine séeke for any benefite bée it neuer so small because GOD will haue all goodnesse to rest in him alone Therefore wée shal finde Angels and men drye Heauen voyde the Earth barren to bée short all thinges nothing if we will be made partakers of the giftes of God otherwise than by Christ Thirdly he teacheth that we ought not to feare lest we should want any good thing if so bée we drawe at the fulnesse of Christ the which is so filled with al heauenlye treasure that we shall féele the same to bee in verye déede a bottomlesse well And Iohn maketh him selfe one of the reste that wanteth perfection not for modestye sake but that it maye euidentlye appeare that none at all ought to bée excepted M. Let vs heare therefore both the voyce of GOD and also the voice of his Saintes The voyce of God is Math. 1◠Esay 55 Come vnto me I will refreshe you Heare me and your soule shall liue The voyce of the Saintes is We haue nothing of our selues those thinges which we haue come from another Craue of him of whose fulnesse we all haue receyued By this place also they are to be admonished taught which haue so receiued of this fulnesse of Christ that they possesse more than others eyther in the knowledge of GOD eyther in temporall blessinges that they inuert not nor abuse the nature of Christes benefites For as they came vnto vs of his frée liberalitye and goodnesse so they must bée communicated and geuen by vs to others liberallye that the néede of others maye bée supplyed and holpen by our fulnesse He doth iniurye to the benefites of Christ receyued which eyther gréedelye kéepeth them to him selfe or which by filthye riote vainelye wasteth them Of this matter saint Paul admonisheth vs in his Epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 8 And grace for grace M. This place is diuerslye expounded Some vnderstande the first grace to bée that by the which through Faith we receyue remission of our sinnes the other grace to bée life euerlasting the which kind of grace is geuen to the faithfull according to this saying of the Apostle but the grace of God is eternall life Rom. 6 But other some will haue the first to bée that whiche in the olde Testament was geuen to the Iewes the other to be more copious and large and geuen to all men C. But the simple sence and meaning of the texte seemeth to bée this that whatsoeuer graces GOD doeth powre vppon vs they doe also spring from this well For whatsoeuer wée receyue of Christ he doeth not onelye geue it vnto vs as GOD but also the Father hath so geuen al thinges into the handes of Christ that whatsoeuer we receyue from God they come to vs by Christ as by a Conduite Pipe They iudge therefore rightlye which saye that we are watered by the graces powred vppon Christ This was the oyntment with the whiche he was annoynted that he might annoint vs all with him Wherevpon hée is called Christ that is to saye annoynted and we Christians that is to say annointed of him R. Therfore we haue receyued grace that is to saye God the Father fauoureth vs for grace that is to say because he fauoureth Christ his Sonne whose brethren we are and in whome we beléeue For this sayeth hée is my beloued Sonne Math. 3 in whome I am well pleased Wherefore the Father also loueth vs which by faith are made members of his Sonne M. First of all therefore we haue here to learne that we receyue not grace for our owne merites sake but for the worthinesse of Christ and his sake Secondlye let vs be admonished by the example of the Israelites not to neglecte the benefites of the grace of Christ A. that is as the Apostle sayeth That we receiue not the grace of God in vaine 2. Cor. 6 Thirdlye that we knowing how that wée receyue the blessinges of GOD in this life fréelye by Christ be confyrmed in the faith and hope of the blessinges to come Esay 64 2. Cor. 2 the glorye and greatnesse whereof the eare hath not hearde the eye hath not séene neyther hath it at any time entered into the heart of man For it can not bée that he which is touched with no féeling of the benefites of God receyued in this life shoulde conceiue in his minde a certaine hope of the blessinges to come 17 For the Lawe was geuen by Moyses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ B. In that hée maketh mention of Moises by collation it is done by a figure called Occupatio For the Iewes alwayes boasted of Moyses althoughe in déede they beléeued him not Iohn therefore attributeth to Moyses that which was right namelye that the Lawe was geuen by him for he stoode betwéene God and the Children of Israel that he might shewe them the word of the Lord. For by this Law Christ set aparte they were so farre from finding fauour in the eyes of the Lorde that they were altogether guiltye of impietye and execrable For the Lawe accurseth so many as obserue not all those thinges which it commaundeth Herevppon it is that Paul calleth the Lawe the administration of death and condemnacion and a kylling Letter Deut. 27 Gala. 3 2. Cor. 3 A. But when we come vnto Christ we finde in him grace C. that is to saye the Spirituall fulfilling of those thinges which the lawe contayned in the letter we finde also in him trueth that is to saye a firme and sounde stabillitye of thinges The Euangelist therefore teacheth howe muche inferyoure the Mynisterye of Moyses was to the power of Christ M. Moreouer these twoo grace and trueth are oftentimes in the Scripture ioyned togeather C. but here by a figure called Hypallage they are bothe aptlye referred to one ende as if he had sayde That grace by which the trueth of the lawe standeth was at the length offered in Christ But because the sence wyll remaine all one it maketh no matter whether they bée ioyned or separated This truely is certayne that the
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
ascended what is it else but that he descended first into the lower partes of the earth Hée which descended is euen the same also which ascended aboue all heauens Eph. 4.9 to fulfyll all thinges C. In that hée sayeth hée was first in Heauen it doeth not properlye agrée to his humanitye and yet notwithstanding hée speaketh of the Sonne of man But this is no vnwonted maner of speaking when twoo natures in Christe doo make one person and to attribute that to one which is proper to another 63. It is the Spirite that quickeneth the fleshe profyteth nothing The wordes that I speake vnto you are spyrite and lyfe It is the Spyrite that quickeneth M. This parcell contayneth a declaracion of those thinges at the which the Disciples were offended because they séemed harde C. For Christ teacheth that the Iewes receyued no profite by his Doctrine because the same being spyrituall they were but carnall hearers of the same But because this place hath béene diuersly expounded first of all it is needefull that wée haue the true and proper sence of the wordes whereby wée shal easely vnderstand the purpose of Christ In that hée denyeth the fleshe to profite any thing some doe amisse referre the same to the Iewes which were carnall Neyther doe they well whiche affyrme that the fleshe of Christe doeth profite vs nothing in that it is eaten but in that it is Crucifyed but wée must rather eate the same that it maye profite vs when it is Crucified B. Othersome vnderstande this of the Spyrite which the Apostles should receyue after the resurrection and Ascention of Christ affyrming that they had then the true sence of Christes wordes when that most excellent teacher of the trueth had replenished them with most ample knowledge of Christ But their opinion séemeth far better which thinke that these wordes Aloane or Of it selfe ought to bée ioyned therewith as if Christ should haue sayde The fleshe aloane or of it selfe profiteth nothing the which is agréeable to the matter it selfe C. For Christe hath simplye respecte to the manner of eating Hée doeth not therefore so speake as though there were no profite at all to bee receyued by his fleshe Flesh with out the spirite profiteth not but onelye pronounceth the same to bee vnprofitable if it bée remoued from the fleshe For whereof commeth it that the fleshe hath quickening power but because it is spyrituall Therefore whosoeuer stayeth in the terrestriall nature of the fleshe shall finde nothing in the same but that whiche is dead but they which lyft vp theyr eyes to the power of the Spyrite with the which the fleshe is endued shall féele by by theyr affection and by the experience of Fayth that it is not called quickening in vaine Nowe let vs sée how the fleshe of Christ is meate in déede and yet profiteth nothing Surelye it is meate because wée thereby haue gotten lyfe because in it God is pleased because in it wée haue all the partes of saluation complete it profiteth nothing if so bée we iudge and estéeme the same according to the nature and originall thereof For the seede of Abraham which of it selfe is subiect to death doeth not giue lyfe but it doeth receyue of the spyrite to geue vnto vs. Wherefore it doeth become vs also that wée maye bée truelye fed by the same to bring with vs the spyrituall mouth of Fayth The wordes which J speake vnto you are spirite M. Hée doeth not speake of the externall sounde of these wordes but of the sence and meaning of them and hée declareth that hée spake not carnallye of the carnall eating of his fleshe in the which there is no lyfe but spyrituallye of the power of the quickening Spyrite in the which there is lyfe C. In fewe wordes hée teacheth that his Doctrine is spyrituall for this word Spyrite is put for the Adiectiue spyrituall And that worde is called spyrituall which calleth vs vpwarde that the holye Ghoste being our guyde wee maye seeke Christ by Fayth and not in carnall sence in his heauenlye glorye For wée knowe that nothing of those thinges which are spoken can bée comprehended but by Faith It is also worthy to bée noted that hée ioyneth the Spirite with lyfe Hee calleth his worde lyfe of the effecte but he teacheth that the same shall geue lyfe to none but to him who spyritually receyueth the same for whosoeuer receyueth the same otherwise rather draweth to him selfe death than life To the godly this is a most sweete tytle of the Gospel that they are certifyed that the same is ordained for them to saluation they are notwithstanding herewithall admonished to shewe them selues méete Disciples For the woordes being receyued by fayth profite but without faith profite nothing at all 64. But there are some of you that beleeue not For Iesus knewe from the beginning which they were that beleeued not and who should betraye him But there are some of you M. The Lorde is wont to vpbrayd men with theyr vnbeléefe because there can no greater iniurye bée done to God than for men to doubte of his Fayth and trueth Christ againe blameth these men because they being deuoyde of the Spyrite doe wickedly depraue and corrupt his doctrine and by this meanes turne the same to theyr owne destruction For they might haue otherwise obiected and sayde Thou braggest that thy wordes are able to geue lyfe but wée sée no suche thing Hee sayeth therefore that they are a let vnto them selues For vnbeléefe as it is alwaye proud◠shal neuer reape any fruite in the words of Christ Vnbeleefe contemneth Christ because it doeth contemptuouslye despise them Hée sayeth not There are some of you which vnderstande not but hée sheweth the cause wherfore they vnderstand not There are sayth hée some of you which beléeue not and therefore they vnderstande not because they beléeue not By fayth wée are coupled togeather and by vnderstanding wée are quickened fyrst let vs sticke fast throughe Fayth that there maye bée somewhat to geue lyfe by vnderstanding For hée which stycketh not fast resisteth and hée which resisteth doeth not beléeue For howe shall he bée quickened whiche beléeueth not C. Whereas hée sayth onely some of them are vnbeleeuing when as almost euery one of them had his faulte hée séemeth so to saye to this ende least if there were any which as yet were curable they might thereby bée brought to dispayre M. Hée meant therefore by more gentle admonition to bring them to a better minde and not so to cast them of that euery one of them might bée made carefull to obtayne the gyft of Fayth For Jesus knewe from the beginning Bv. This the Euangelist putteth downe to amplifye the aucthoritye and magistye of Christ C. Least any man shoulde thinke that Christ dyd rashlye iudge of his auditors Many professed them selues to bée of his flocke but their sodaine falling awaye bewrayed theyr hipocrisie But the Euangelist sayeth that theyr vnbeléefe whiche was
other but also goe about to destroye the good séede that was conceyued in the heartes of the good M. Here we sée howe the confession of the trueth is strayte waye subiect to the confession of such as erre The sincerer sort sayd This is Christ these by and by gainsaye them not simplye saying Hee is not Christ but going subtillye about to proue that hée is not Christ neyther can bée This confession therefore of Christian Fayth was no sooner vttered but it was withstoode and gainesayde This lot belongeth to the Doctrine of the trueth for euer against the which it is necessarye that wée confirme and fortifye our consciences C. But least these wicked men might seeme rashlye to reiect Christ they arme them selues with testimonye of Scripture which although they wrest amis against Christ yet notwithstanding it hath some shewe of trueth In this onelye they are deceyued that they make Christ to bée of Galilee But wherevppon commeth this ignoraunce but of contempt For if it had not béene greuous to them to enquyre Christ had appeared vnto them gloryous vnder boath titles being borne in Bethleem and the sonne of Dauid But such is our nature In trifeling matters wee are ashamed to bée ignoraunt but as for Heauenlye matters wee make no account of them B. This scruple also offended Nathanaell but because hée sought the trueth hée went neuerthelesse to the Lord without the sight of any signe to heare what hee taught or promised But these men had séene so many signes and had heard so many Sermons plainly Preached by which if they had béene of God without all doubte they woulde haue beene so addicted to him that they woulde neuer haue thought of the place of his byrth or or haue asked the Lorde concerning the same But they dyd onely aske to withstande the trueth and not to learne Therefore by the iust Iudgement of God they knewe not where the Lorde was borne which was to them an occasion of offence Beholde howe men of the Scriptures them selues which leade vs by the hand to Christ make a let and staye that they come not vnto him M. It is no newe thing therefore that the Aduersaries of the truth at this day doe falselye bring the testimonies of the Scriptures against the Doctrine of the Gospell This is the olde subtiltye of Sathan to bring that to a contrarye sence Knowledg of scripture not sufficient without application which was geuen of God to testifye of the trueth But it is not inough to vnderstand the places of Scripture in them selues except also wee knowe very well wherevnto they are applied 42. Sayth not the Scripture that Christ shal come of the seede of Dauid and out of the Towne of Bethlehem where Dauid was 43. So was there discencion among the people because of him 44. And some of them woulde haue taken him but no man laid handes on him C. By this example wée are taught that it ought not to séeme wonderfull vnto vs at this day if so be men be deuided among themselues by contencions Wée sée that there rose a Scisme by the words of Christ and that not among the Gentiles which were alienate from the fayth but in the middest of the Churche of God and in the beginning of the Church Shall therefore the doctrine of Christ be blamed as the aucthor of troubles Bv. Shall it therefore follow that Christ is the aucthour of dissention and sedition They rather are to he counted the aucthours of strifes who being Rebelles to God and disobedient to the truth doe procéede to defende their lyes imaginations and errors against the manifest and knowne truth C. Yea howsoeuer the whole worlde be troubled so precious is the truth of God Cōtentiōs amonge Gods people that it is to be wished that at the least it may be receiued of a fewe Theris no cause therefore why our consciences shoulde be troubled when wée sée that they which woulde be counted the people of God doe diuerslye contende among themselues Wée knowe what Christ himselfe hath foreshewed Mat. 10.35 namelye that he came to bring into the world fyer sworde diuision and seperation C. Howbeit wée must noate that discentions haue not properlye their beginning of the Gospell for there can be no firme agréement but in the certaine truth Whereas therefore they haue peace among themselues which are ignoraunte of God that commeth rather of dulnesse and scencelesnesse in vnderstanding then by true consent To be shorte what contencions soeuer doe arise when the Gospell is preached the first cause and originall of them is in men but then as awaked out of a dreame they begin to mooue stir R. For Christe which is the Prince of peace Esay 9.5 cannot be the aucthor of discention But men being impacient at the preaching thereof are troubled by theyr owne infidelitye A. Wherefore the whole blame of discention is to be layde neyther vpon Christ nor vpon his doctrine but vpon the depraued and corrupt nature of man 44. And some of them woulde haue taken him but no man laid handes on him C. By these wordes the Euaungelist declareth that Christ was not onelye contemned of them but also cruellye assalted as supersticion is alway cruell Also wée sée that the will and deuises of wicked men is brought to naught except the will and consent of the Lorde be ioyned therewith For wée must ascribe it to the prouidence of God that theyr practises are made voyde For because Christes houre was not yet come as it is sayd before by the power and might of his heauenly Father hée ouercame all perilles A. Reade the thirtie verse of this Chapter going before 45. Then came the seruauntes to the highe Priestes and Pharisies and they sayde vnto them why haue ye not brought him Bv. Nowe Iohn retourning to that which he began a little before to speake concerning the seruauntes of the highe Priestes addeth what was done to the Souldiours whome they had sent foorth to take Iesus M. No doubt there was a counsayle called and gathered togither and thys retourne of the Souldiours was gréedelye looked for For lyke rauening Wolues they gaped for the Lordes death PAR. hoping to satisfie their rauenous desyre and cruell hatred with the innocent bloude of Christ but the Souldiours bring not Christ And they sayde vnto them M. They doe not tarrye to heare what the Souldiours woulde saye but because they see them to retourne emptie handed and with lost laboure they are not able to abide and refraine anye longer but burst foorth and being disapoynted of their hope they reason the matter with them why they brought not hym bounde whome they commaunded to be brought saying Why haue ye not brought him M. By these words they declare that they looked for nothing lesse then their voide retourne and therefore doe meruaile how it commeth to passe that they bring him not C. Here wee maye behoulde how blinde the arrogancie of the wicked is They haue in
raise Lazarus from death wherevpon he did more rightly call the death of Lazerus a sléepe than death C. But greate was the rude Ignoraunce of the disciples which vnderstoode Christ to speake of naturall sléepe For although it bée a metaphoricall speache yet notwithstanding it is so commonly vsed in the Scripture that it ought to haue béene knowne to all the Iewes M. And hée coulde haue raysed vp this Lazarus being absent and a great waye euen as he restoared the Centurians seruaunt and the Rulers sonne to health but the consideration of this myracle did so require that hée should be present at the working of the same least anye occasion might haue bene giuen to the wicked to obscure his glory but that all men might know for a suretie that this Lazarus which had bene deade fowre dayes was raysed vp by his presence voyce and power And for this cause hée woulde not rayse vp neyther the ruler of the Sinagogues Daughter nor the Widdowes Sonne being absent Math. 9 i5 Luk. 7.14 but present In the ende of the worlde also hée can rayse vp all mortall men with hys power onelye insomuch that hée neede not descende to vs any more from heauen but the consideration of his glorye and maiestie requireth the same that so great a wonder may be wrought before the whoale worlde Wee must also noate that the Lorde sayde not Let vs goe into Iury againe but I go to awake Lazarus out of sleepe Hee would haue his Disciples companions with him in his iourney but he woulde not haue them fellowes with him in the miracle C. Here also hée commendeth his power in this that hee sayth hée will goe to rayse vppe Lazarus by whiche wâ—rdes hée sheweth himselfe to be Lord of death when hee sayth that hee rayseth those vp whome hee restoareth to lyfe Also seeing by this worde sleepeth hée noateth onelye the sléepe of the bodye some doe very fondelye drawe the same to mens soules 12. Then saide his Disciples Lord if hee sleepe hee shall doe well ynough M. The aunswere of Christ contayneth two thinges Fyrst for what cause hée must retourne into Iurye although the Iewes were so cruell Secondlye what hee woulde doe in Iurye To the first the Disciples make no aunswere but to the other they saye If hee sleepe hee shall doe well ynough by whiche they perswade Christ not to go into Iurye And yet notwithstanding they doe not subtilly wrest the wordes of Christ to theyr owne commoditie but because they thought that hee had spoken of a sléepe they redilye take the same as an occasion to shoone the perill 13. Howbeit Iesus spake of his death but they thought that hee had spoken of the naturall sleepe M. The Euaungelist addeth the exposytion of the wordes of Christ to declare the rudenesse of hys Disciples by which it came to passe that they vnderstande not the meaning of his wordes It ought therfore to seeme straunge vnto vs if so bée some at the first doe not vnderstande the Metaphoricall and parabolicall speaches of the Lorde seeing the same hapened vnto them which ought to haue vnderstoode them better by reason of theyr daylye familiaritye and acquaintaunce with the same Notwithstanding herewithall wée must consyder how that wée are more prone and readye to receyue and imbrace those interpretations of the worde of God which seme to defende the imbecillitye of our flesh than we are to agrée vnto those thinges which with perill and danger serue to the setting foorth of Goddes glorye And herevpon it commeth that while wée gréedely imbrace those things which séeme to agrée vnto our fleshe we oftentimes misse of the true scence and meaning of the wordes A. When Iesus hymselfe spake of the excelency of his kingdome before his disciples Math i4 by by there arose a contention among them who should be the greatest and when hee spake of the crosse and of the euilles which hée should suffer at the handes of the Iewes they vnderstoode not what hée sayde 14. Then sayd Iesus vnto them plainely Lazarus is deade M. Because they vnderstoode him not and therefore aunswered not to the matter hée speaketh nowe that thyng plainely which before hée had spoken obscurelye C. Great is the goodnesse of Christ in bearing with so greate dulnesse in his Disciples And verilye hée did therefore diferre the time to endue them with more ample grace of the spirite that they being renewed and chaunged in a moment the myracle myght be the greater M. They decerued to haue bene sharpely reproued of the Lord no lesse than was Peter by him at a nother time but because this cowardlines was not in one or two of them aloane but in them all Mat. 16.25 he dealt more gentlye with them and instructeth them by a more playne and manifest speache in the truth that they myght nowe haue lesse cause to doubt A. And this hee did to teache vs also by his example not to reiect such Disciples as are yet rude ignoraunt and carnall but gentlye to beare with them vntyll suche time as they haue attayned to more knowledge of the truth 15. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there because yee maye beleeue neuerthelesse let vs go vnto him C. He meaneth that this absence was profitable for them because hys power shoulde not haue bene so manifest if so be he had holpen Lazarus out of hande For the nerer that the workes of God come to the ordinarye and common course of nature the lesse glorye they haue the which daily experience teacheth to be true For if so be he reache out his hand vnto vs at the first we regarde not his helpe Therefore to the ende his disciples might knowe that the resurrection of Lazarus was verely deuine it was necessary that he should differ the same that it might be paste all mans helpe Whensoeuer therefore God doth suffer vs béeing ouerwhelmed with misery to ly and languishe let vs knowe that he doeth it for our health Because yee maye beleeue R. What is it ye shoulde beléeue Fyrste that I am that very Christ the Sauioure of the worlde which rayse the dead from the graue that so ye maye be confirmed in that faith by that myracle wich I am aboute to worke Secondly that I am ready in the mideste of afflictions and doe care for your saluation when as ye your selues are Ignoraunt of the same C. So that his meaning is not that this was the fyrst rudiment and beginning of faith in them but the confirmation of a faith alredy begon as yet weake and vnperfect Neuertheles he sheweth that vnles God had declared his power they would not haue beléeued A. Here also we maye behoulde the fruite and ende of miracls For miracls tend to this ende that men may be won to the Faith or at least may be confirmed in the faith But lette vs go vnto him M. To whome To Lazarus to a dead man but what can be done to
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
begonne because of their mallice but although he groaned in him selfe for the cause aforesayd yet neuerthelesse hée goeth foreward to the graue of dead Lazarus Let vs learne therefore in this place not to aunswere by and by to all speaches of wicked men nor to ceasse from doing the worke of God eyther for the blindnesse mallice reproche sclaunder or ingratitude of wicked men but constantlye to goe forewarde Jt was a Caue A. Concerning the buriall of the faithfull and the comlinesse obserued in the same reade our exposition vppon the foureteene Chapter of Saint Mathewe beginning at the twelfth verse C. There follow diuerse circumstaunces in the raysing vp of Lazarus which doe more set forth the power of Christ as the time of fowre dayes that the Sepulchre had a stoane layde vppon it the which Christ commanded to be taken vp in the sight of al men For it foloweth 39. Iesus saide take ye away the stoane Martha the Sister of him that was dead saide vnto him Lorde by this time he stinketh for hee hath beene dead fowre daies R. The beginning of the workes of God as it séemeth foolishe so also it séemeth to bée childishe For beholde hée whiche went about to rayse vp a dead man cōmaundeth the stoane to be taken away as though by the same power of the worde he could not remoue awaye the stoane from the doore of the Sepulchre or could not bring forth the lyue man through the stoane Why then doeth he that which is greater and committeth lesse matters to others to be done For afterward he commaunded others to loose the napkins that were tyed about his face M. He coulde in déede by the same power haue taken away the stoane by which he went about to restore a dead man to lyfe but hée thought it better to vse their labour about all such lyke thinges which stode by reseruing onely vnto him selfe the power to rayse vp the dead man R. first that so many as were present might bée more assured witnesses of the myracle and secondlye to teache vs to hope well in matters that fall out contrarye to our expectacion For whereas hee commaundeth to take away the stoane it séemeth to argue some impotencye to bee in him but the same impotencye at the leangth breaketh out and sheweth it selfe mightye force and power Lorde by this time he stinketh The infidelitye of Martha serued verye muche to the commendacion of the miracle For so the Lorde is wont to turne euell into good not by our dilligence and labour but by his most wyse dispensation M. This Sister confesseth that the dead Carkas doth sauour or stinks affirming openlye the same to haue béene buryed fowre dayes that euery one might haue the power of Christ in greater admiration For Gods glorye is oftentimes so set forth in vs that by our miserye corruption infirmitye and destruction the maiestye of Gods power is made more manifest Acts 26. x. i. Cor. i5 9 ◠Tim i. 13 So Paul when he would commend the glorye of the grace of GOD which was shewed in him with open mouth confesseth in diuers places that he was a persecutour and an aduersarye to the grace of God C. Notwithstanding that which Martha speaketh here is a signe of distrust as is sayde because shée iudgeth the power of Christ to be lesse than it is for because nothing agréeth lesse with lyfe than corruption and stincke Martha gathereth that there is nowe no hope of remedye Euenso when preposterous cogitacions occupy our mindes God after a sort is driuen from vs least he shoulde finishe his worke in vs. Martha verilye dyd so litle further the raysing of her brother that for her hée might haue lien for euer in the graue because she being past al hope of lyfe went also about to hinder Christe from raysing him vp and yet notwithstanding shée had nothing lesse in her mind This the imbecillitye of Faith bringeth to passe that we being drawne this waye and that waye might fight and contend with our selues Martha lyed not when shee sayde I knowe that whatsoeuer thou askest of God hée wyll geue it thée but a confounded faith doth lytle helpe except the same bée put in vse when we come to the present matter Moreouer in Martha wee maye beholde howe many defections of Faith there be euen in the best Shee was the first that came to méete Christ this was no small testimony of pietye and yet notwithstanding shée ceaseth not to set and laye stoppes and stayes before him in his waye Therfore that we may haue successe vnto the grace of God let vs learne to attribute vnto him farre greater power than our sences can comprehend And if so bée the first promise of God will not content and satisfye vs yet at the least when he confirmeth vs the seconde and thirde tyme let vs be quiet and content after the example of Martha 40. Iesus saide vnto her saide I not vnto thee that if thou diddest beleeue thou shouldest see the glorye of God M. By these woordes our sauiour Christ went about to erect and comfort the sorrowfull minde of Martha which was also weake in the Faith and to direct bring her to this that she woulde with a stedfast and constant minde haue onely regarde to the miracle to come C. And withall he doeth reprehend her distrust for that she had not conceiued hope by the hearing of his promise As if Christ should haue sayde Bv. Thou doest obiect the stinke of the corrupted and putrifyed body whereby thou doest gather with thy selfe that the stoane shal be remoued from the graue in vain and a waye made for him to aryse which shall neuer come forth But the eyes of the faithfull must not bée fixed vpon this earth and earthlye substaunce neither must their eares be open to the reasons of fleshe whiche alwaye rebelleth against God it is necessarye to call to minde the worde of God to remember his promises haue them alwaies before thine eyes and to leane and staye thy selfe whollye vpon them Remember Martha therefore my wordes Hath that failed which I sayde vnto thée euen nowe that if thou diddest beléeue by the death of thy brother the glorye of God should be declared Hath that failed which I promised vnthée saying Thy Brother shall ryse againe Therefore the stinke putrifaction and corruption neyther doth nor can hinder the glorye of God any thing at all Onely beléeue and thou shalt finde God true and omnipotent C. And by this place it doeth appeare that he spake somwhat more vnto Martha than Iohn in wordes hath expressed howe this same was the meaning of Christ when hée called him selfe the resurrection and the life When he sayeth Jf thou diddest beleeue thou shouldest see His meaning is not that the resurrectiō of Lazarus which was done to the glorye of God depended vpon the fayth of Martha but he seemeth rather to meane thus that Martha had not seene the glorye of God if so bee
be they suffer hym to procéede as he hath be gonne But what if hee be sent of God will they reiecte the Lordes Prophet to haue peace with the Romaines These and such lyke are their counsailes which do not truely with their whole harte reuerence and feare God They make no accoumpt what is méete and right to be done because they hange onely vpon the ende and successe And this is one way to haue godly deliberation fyrst to seeke what is pleasant vnto God secondlye to followe withoute feare what so euer he prescribeth to be done and not to be dismayde with anye fere though we be be set with thowsand deathes For we muste not frame our actions according to euery puâ—e of wind but according to the wyl of the almighty God who so euer securely contemneth perils and simplye obayeth God shall haue at the length happy successe For aboue the hope and expectation of all men God blesseth that constancye which is founded vpon the obedience of his word but the wary aduice and diligence of the wicked and vnbeléeuing shall haue suche euyll successe that the more fearefull they are the more they ensnare theÌ„selues M. For such is the condition of worldly wisedome that séeking to be wise and warye it gathereth amis and saith yf we suffer this and this then this and that shal happen But the chance of this Die fel otherwise Yf so be all men had beleeued in Christe the Romanes had not come but because through vnbeleefe they rebelled againste God and knewe not the time of their visitation and afterward they rebelled against the Romaines not for Religion but for tributs sake it came to pas by the iust Iugement of God that they were spoyled of the Romaines and loste the Cittie Ierusalem with the whole countrye Thus is the wisedome of this worlde made foolishnesse in Gods matters that it might thereof be a fearde of destruction whereof saluation might be gotten and might therby seeke saluation wherby nothyng is gotten but vndoubted destruction Pro. i0 24 C. And thus we sée that to be most true which is spoken by Salomon That happeneth to the wiked man which he most of all feareth C. Moreouer in this History we haue a liuelye discription of the forme and manner of our age They which desyre to be counted prouident and circumspecte haue alwaye this one songe in their mouthes that there muste be alwayes a care had for the common tranquillitie and that the nouation which we seeke wanteth not many daungers And after they haue shewed their spight and enuy againste vs they can finde no better way to withstande all troubles than to bury Christ As though all things should prosper wel with them notwithstaÌ„ding their so wicked contempt of Gods grace when they séeke to staye and pacefye troubles by abolishing the doctrine of saluation But that which the wicked feare shall happen vnto them as we sayd before By this worde Rome it is vncertaine whether they meane the Temple or the country In both they feared their safety For the Temple beinge ouerthrowne the Sacrifices ceased the solemne worship of God and the inuocation of his name Therefore if they had any care for Religion it was méete that they should becarefull for the Temple And this might nowe moue them greatly to defend the state of the Church lest they should be carried agayne out of their Land They remembred as yet the exile of Babilon which was the seuere punnishment of God They gather therefore that excepte Christe be destroyed the state of the Church cannot be in safety 49. And one of them named caiphas being the hihge Preist that same yeare said vnto them ye perceiue no thing at all 50. Nor consider that it is expedient for vs that one man dye for the People and not that all the people perishe M. The auctorytie of this high Prieste is therfore spoken of by the Euangelist that we might know what moued other to consent and agrée vnto hym He was the highe Prieste for the same yeare Wherfore he might easely draw others vnto his opinion C. But he doth not call him the highe Prieste for the same yeare because it was a yearely office onelye but because the same beinge bought and soulde was geuen to diuers men contrarye to the prescript of the Lawe God woulde not haue that honorable office to be ended but by the death of a man but all thinges being out of order and confounded it came to passe that the Romaynes at their owne pleasure placed displaced the Priestes M. Therefore this highe Prieste according to his pontificall maiestie thus spake Fyrste of all therfore he condemneth the rest of ygnoraunce and want of forsight in that they knowe nothing neyther consyder what was expediente for the order of Priesthood secondly he geueth his owne Iudgment what is profitable for them and necessarye for them to doe C. And lastely propoundeth vnto them on only remedy to be in safety which must com by killing an innocent Bv. He thinketh it beste not to consult longe but to destroye Iesus out of hand for saith he it is better that one sedicious man shoulde perishe than that a great nomber should he beinge safe be ouer ronne by Warre C. Behould into what wickednes they burst foorth who without the feare of God take counsell rather of fleshe and bloude than of the worde of God For the wordes of Caiphas are as muche in effecte as if he shoulde saye that the wrathe of God muste bée prouoked that they maye haue prosperous successe in all thinges Wherefore let vs hereby learne neuer to seperate that whiche is profitable from that whiche is lawfull when as we can looke for no good or ioyfull thinge but onely from the blessinge of God the whiche is promised not to the wicked and Rebelious whiche séeke for helpe from the Deuyll but to the faithfull who symplye walke in his wayes A. Wicked therefore and deuilishe is this counsaile of Caiphas 51. This spake he not of hym selfe but beinge hye Prieste that same yeare he prophesied that Iesus shoulde dye for the people C. The Euangelist speaketh this not as though Caiphas spake by chaunce he knewe not what him selfe for he spake accordyng to his owne proper sence but the Euangelist geueth vs to vnderstand that his tongue was guided by God because God had a déeper matter to vtter by his mouth then came into his mind B. For he spake by the instinct of God though vnwittingly C. Caiphas therfore was at that time as it were double tounged For he vttered his wicked and cruell purpose of killing Christe whiche he had conceiued in his mind But God tourned his tongue another way that in a doubtfull speach he might vtter a prophesie For God would haue a Heauenly Oracle to prosede out of the pontificall and Priestly seat to the ende the Iewes might be frée from excuse For although amonge that great assembly no mans concience was touched yet
notwithstandinge they felt afterwarde that their blindnes was not to be forgeuen And the impiety of Caiphas did not let but his tongue might be the instrument of the holy Ghost because God had more respect to the Priesthoode which he had appointed than to the personne of men Num 2◠8 After the same manner he blessed his people by the mouth of Balaam whom he had endued with the Spirite of prophesye B. For as God ordayneth and chooseth good and godly Maiestrats that by them he maye worke many notable thinges euen for as muche as he hath the hartes of al men in his hands yet notwithstanding speciallye he is wount to moue the hartes of those men as we may reade often times in the holy prouerbs Kings hart are in the hand of god Herevppon oftentimes they do speake vnwittingly those thinges which belong to another manner of ende then they ar done or spoken by them and do bring an other maner of matter to passe than euer they thought vpon Wée are al the instruments of God but speciailye they which are in auctorytie God therefore worketh muche more by them than by others Psal 82 6 Whervpon also they are called Godes and the sonnes of the most highest M. Hereby we gather that the gifte of prophesie is geuen not onely to good men but also to the reprobat being set in publique office Prophesye cōmeth out of the mouth of wicked men sometime euen as oftentimes it is permitted to the wicked to work Miracles as we may read in the seuenth Chapter of Mathew So also we reade of Saule i Kin i0 i0 who beinge annoynted with the kingly vnction by Samuell began to prophesie with the rest of the Prophets B But as Caiphas vnderstoode not his prophisie so other Reprobates also by whom God reuealeth his misteries vnderstande not those thinges whiche they speake but geue onely a sounde without a minde whereas the godly alwayes vnderstande so muche of those thinges whereof they prophesy as is requisit for their saluation and necessary for the office which they discharge C. Moreouer very fonde are the Papistes and to ridiculous who gather herevppon that we muste counte for an Oracle whatsoeuer it pleaseth the Bysshop of Rome to bable First if we graunt vnto them that whosoeuer is a high Preist is alway a prophete yet notwithstanding of necessitye they muste prooue that the Bysshop of Rome is created by the commaundement of God For the Priesthood of one man is quight abolyshed by the comminge of Christe neyther doo wée reade that God at anye tyme after that had appoynted one man to gouerne the whole Church Secondlye if we graunt vnto them that the office and honour of the high Priste was translated to the Byshop of Rome let vs see what it profited the Pristes that they imbraced the prophesie of Caiphas to subscribe vnto his iudgemente they conspire the death of Christ Be such obedience farre from vs which should draw vs to horible Apostacy in denying the sonne of God Caiphas blasphemeth and prophecieth with on voyce they which obai his word do contemne the prophesie and imbrace the blasphemye That the lyke happen not to vs let vs take héede that we heare not the Romish Caiphas That Jesus should dye for the people B. This prophesie of Caiphas is the summe of al prophesies namely that saluation commeth to the electe by the death of Christ M. The Iewes dyd put Christe to death to get honor to them selues but Christe dyed that by his death he might redéeme the world 52. And not for the people onely but that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroade C. First of all the Euangelest sheweth that our saluation doth consiste in this if Christ do gather vs together in one For so he reconcileth vs vnto his Father in whom is the well of life Wherby we gather that mankind was disperced and alienate from God Psal 36.9 vntyll suche time as the Children of God were gathered together in one vnder Christ Thus the communion of Saints is the preparation to euerlasting lyfe because al they abyde in death whom Christ gathereth not vnto the Father as we shall sée in the 17. Chapter followyng Paule also teacheth that Christe was therfore sent of God Ephe. i. i0 that he might gather together what so euer thinges were in Heauen and in Earth Wherefore that we may enioy the saluation which Christ hath brought al disagrement taken away we must be at one with God with Angels and among our selues The cause and pledge of this vnitie was the death of Christ by which he brought all thinges to him selfe but we are gathered dayly by the Gospel into the shepfould of Christe The Euangelist also meaneth that the reconcillyation which Christ made is extended also to the Gentiles R. For euery one that trusteth in him shal not be confounded There is no difference betwéene the Iewes and the Greeks Rom. i0 For there is one Lord of all who is ryche to all that call vppon him For Christ gathereth the dispearsed sonnes of God together in one spirituall body and not into a corporall bodye For there is one faith one bodye and one spirite euen as ye are called in one hope of your callyng one Lord one faith and one Baptisme Ephe. 4.4 Therefore althoughe the godlye are by distaunce of place farre asunder yet notwithstanding they are alwayes gathered tegether into one in the Lord C. But how are they called the children of God who being miserably dispearced and in error were the enemies of God Although they were by error the enemies of God and nothing lesse then Sheepe yet notwithstandinge in harte and mind they were the Sonnes of God Therefore he calleth them Sonnes of their election before they were called who at the last by faith beganne to be manifested both to them selues and also to others A. Concerning the which reade the sixteene verse of the x. Chapter goyng before 53. Then from that daye forth they tooke counsaile tegether to put him to death Bv. There séemed to be Iuste and Lawefull cause found for the which Iesus as the common troubler of the whol country might be put to death Therefore nowe they séeke occasyon euery howre that they might put the same in execution whiche they séemed to haue wysely consulted of By which is to bée noated the nature bouldnesse and perseueraunce of the wicked in a matter once cruelly begon A. For what greater crueltie and madnesse can there be deuised than when the members with one consente séeke the destruction of the heade Yet notwithstanding wée sée also at this daye that the counsailes of men tend to this ende that the trueth of God maye be oppressed which al men ought to desyer specially of those which haue the chiefe seate in the Church 54. Iesus therefore walked no more openlye amonge the Iewes But wente hys waye thence vnto a
to so great obstinacy not by erroure and foolishnes but by brutish dogged mallice insomuch that they are not afeard to warre agaynst God R. For admit that Christ brake the Sabboth daye made hym selfe equall with God and hadde caused sedytyon what fault had Lazarus committed that he should dye Hee was raysed from death But is it a faulte to receiue a benifite M. What did Lazarus sauing that he béeing raysed out of the graue lyued to the glory of Christe his qickener This the high Priests thought suficient cause to put him to death What other thinge do they at this daye which do not onely séeke to extinguish the doctrine of Christ but also to kill those who by the same are raysed and quickned as it were from death 11. Because that for his sake manye of the Iewes went awaye and beleeued on Iesus Bv. Christ had wrought many myracls but neyther the restoaring of the half to his limmes nor the geuing of syght to the blind nor any other miracle made them so mad as did this For this was by nature more wonderful and done after many other And verely it was wonderfull to sée and heare a man which had bene deade fowre dayes to speake and walke Furthermore when he had geuen sighte to the blind man he séemed to haue broken the Sabboth but séeing they had here no such occation to complayne they are prouoked against him that was healed Moreouer the blind man was a beggar but as for Lazarus he was a man of welth the which may be gathered hereby for that many of the Iewes came out of the Cittie to comfort his sisters and because the miracle was done in the presence of many with admiration of all men Therefore many came to Christ to Bethanie M. And the high Priestes were not offended so much that many beléeued in Christ as they were that they went awaye for this vexed them for this going awaye was a cleane forsaking of the Phariseis For they whiche beléeued in Christ cast of their yoake At this day also the Bishoppes of Rome would easily be contented to suffer the doctrine of the Gospell if so be men by the same were not drawen vnto Christe but vnto them A. But no man is to be reckoned among the nomber of the Disciples of Christe which will not followe hys teacher For Christes shéepe heare his voyce and followe Therefore that we maye hould fast the doctrine of Christ we must reiecte the whoale doctrine of Antechrist and forsake his wicked ceremonies Ioh. i0 27 For what felloweshippe is there betwéene righteousenesse and vnrighteousenesse what communion betwéene light and darcknes what agréement with Christ and Belial Or what parte hath a faithfull man with an Infidell Or howe agreeth the temple of God with Images 2 Cor 6 4 C. Moreouer seeing Sathan wholy bendeth hym selfe to ouerthrowe the workes of God or at least to obscure them it is oure partes continually to thinke vpon them 12. On the nexte daye muche people that were com to the feast vvhen they hearde that Iesus shoulde come to Hierusalem Bv. The glory of the Lorde Christ increased more and more the Iewes his enemies fretting and fuming in the meane tyme at the same Concerning the exposition of the twoo nexte verses following reade our Commentary vppon the one and twentie Chapter of Mathew beginning at the fift and eyght verses 16. These thinges vnderstoode not his diciples at the firste but when Iesus vvas glorified then remembered they that suche thinges were wrighten of him and that suche thinges they had done vnto hym C. Euen as the séede doth not springe by and by after it is cast into the ground so the fruite of the works of God doth not strayght waye appeare The Apostles were the Ministers of God to fulfill the prophesye but what they did they vnderstoode not They harde the crye of the multitude and that no confused crye but such a crye as proclaimed Christ to be a King yet notwithstandinge they knewe not to what ende nor what it ment It was therefore vnto them a dumbe and vaine shewe vntil the Lord opened their eyes M. Here also we are taught to obaye the wordes of Christ although we vnderstand not by and by to what end they tende Then they remembered C. Here the cause of that grosse ignoraunce is noated which went before knowledge because they had not then the Scripture their guide and Scoolemaistris to directe their mindes to righte and pure consideration For we withoute we haue firste the worde of God are starcke blind neyther yet is it sufficient that the worde of God doth shyne vnto vs except the holy ghost doth illuminate our eyes This grace Christ gaue vnto his disciples after hys resurrection because as yet the ful tyme was not come in the which he shoulde powre forth the riches of his spirite in ample manner vntill he was receiued vp into heauenly glory And we béeing taught by this example let vs learne to Iudge of all thinges which pertaine vnto Christ by the Scripture and not after the scence of our owne fleshe Also let vs consider that this is a speciall grace of the spirite to be instructed by the same in continuaunce of tyme that we might not be without sence and vnderstanding when we call to minde the workes of God 17. The people that was with him when hee called Lazarus out of his graue and raysed hym from death bare recorde M. The Euangeliste cannot forgette the miracle of the raysing vp of Lrzarus C. Therefore he repeateth againe that which he had spoken before that a great many béeing mooued by the fame of the myracle went forth to mete Christ For therefore they went forth by heapes becaus euery where the rumor concerning the raysing vp of Lazarus was spred abroade These men therefore had Iuste cause to attribute the honour of Christe vnto the Sonne of Marye séeing they had such knoweledge of hys wonderfull power M. And thus we sée that the more the wicked desyer to haue the trueth buryed the more God doth open the mouthes of the Godly to the manifestation and setting forth of the same and geueth vnto them suche courage that they doe not onely speake that which they knowe to bée true but doe constantly mayntaine the same 19. The Phariseis therefore sayd among them selues perceiue ye how yee preuaile nothing behoulde al the whoal worlde goeth after him Bv. The more the glory of the Lorde encreased the more the anger wrath and fury of the enemies of Christe also was inflamed notwithstanding they are conuinced and ouerwhelmed with the huge heape of Christs gloriouse acts and by his euident preaching insomuch that as mad men and men wanting counsail they are constrained almost to dispayre for they crye with greate fury and outrage Perceiue ye howe ye preuaile nothing C. By which wordes they prouoke them selues to greater madnesse For it is a sertaine exprobration and reprehention of their negligence as if
to passe the boundes of Gods worde The Papistes haue rashly and without any good grounde deuised the Inuocation of Saintes vpon their owne braine and nowe to haue some false coullour out of the worde of God they corrupte and teare the scripture Sirre we would faine see Jesus M. These Gréekes call Philip Sir and hée refuseth not the same It was the custome of those countreyes to call men of wealth and countenaunce by that name Wherevppon also Mary Magdalen called Christ at the Sepulchre after hée was rysen Syr when as notwithstanding shée tooke him to bée a Gardiner Of the whiche wee haue spoken in the fowrth Chapter going before Ioh. 20 M. The Apostles dyd not gainesay this custome Men of countenāce may be called Syr neyther were they scrupulous in the same as we sée the Anabaptistes to bée 23. And Iesus aunswered thē saying The houre is come that the son of man must be glorified A. Many expound this of the death of Christ because by the same the glorye of Christ was set forth So that nowe according to their mindes Christ pronounceth the time of his death to bée at hand C. But it is better to referre the same to the preaching of the Gospell as if he had sayd that the knowledge of him must shortly bee spread through all the partes of the world And thus he salued the feare into the which he might bring his Disciples by his death For he sheweth that there is no cause why they should bee discoraged because the doctrine of the Gospell shal be published neuerthelesse throughout the whole world And least this cogitacion of his glory might shortlye after vanishe away when he should be iudged to dye hanged on the Crosse buryed he sheweth that the ignominy of his death should nothing at all hinder his glorye 24. Verilye verily I saye vnto you except the wheate corne fall into the ground and dye it abideth alone if it dye it bringeth forth much fruite M. The purpose of our sauiour Christ by this similitude was to draw his Disciples the Gréekes which were present from the vaine looking for earthly glory C. He compareth his death vnto sowing the which when it séemeth to tende vnto the losse of the wheate is the cause of great encrease and plenty And although this admonicion was most necessarye at that instant yet notwithstanding it hath a continuall vse in the Church And first of all it is méete to beginne at the head That terrible shewe of malediction and ignominy which appeareth in the death of Christ doth not onely obscure his glorye but doth take away the same quite out of our sight Therfore we must not stick in the death only but the fruite which the resurrection hath brought forth must also be considered And so it shall nothing hinder but that his glory shal apeare and shine From hence also we must come to the members For we do not only think that we do perishe in death Collos 3 3 but we doe also thinke that our life is like vnto continuall death Therefore we shal be vtterly quayled except we haue this consolation by which Paule doeth erect vs 2. Cor 4 i6 Though our outward man perishe yet our inward man is renued daye by day Let this therefore be the continual meditacion of the Godlye when they are pressed with diuers sorrowes when they are hungerye naked sicke when they are vexed with iniuries when they séeme euery moment to be swalowed vp of death that this is the sowing which in due time wyll bring forth her fruite B. Therefore that which Christ speaketh here hath this scence and meaning Ye haue séene with howe greate pompe the people of the Iewes haue receyued me nowe also ye sée howe these forreyners desyre mée therefore learne ye to séeke for life and saluation by death For as a wheate corne except it fal into the ground die bringeth forth no fruit euen so I vnles I dye remaine fruitles But when I am dead I wyll fructefye in the whoale worlde by bringing many vnto my Father Then shall my Gospell bring foorth fruite with al creatures which are vnder heauen So in lyke maner your death shal be fruitefull both to your selues and also to others Therfore bée not to desirous of this life but after my example commit the same vnto the wyll of my Father 25. Hee that loueth his life shall destroy it and hee that hateth his life in this vvorlde shall keepe it vnto life eternall C. Christ ioyneth to his doctrine exhortacion For if so be we must dye to bring forth fruite we must patientlye suffer God to mortifye vs Bv. For the faithfull shal neuer come any other way to glory than by affliction and the mortification of their fleshe séeing Christ the head of the faithfull entered not into his glorye but by his Crosse and passion C. And because he compareth loue and hatered togeather wee must consider what it is to loue and hate our lyfe He which by the immoderate desyre of this present lyfe cannot leaue this worlde except he bée constrayned is sayd to loue his life but he which by contempt of this lyfe goeth with a good courage vnto death is sayde to hate his lyfe Not that we ought simplye to hate our lyfe which is iustlye reckoned among the chiefest benefites of God but because the faithfull ought wyllingly to forgoe the same when it hindereth them from accesse vnto Christ euen as if a man shoulde cast from his shoulders some waightye and heauye burthen when he would go with spéede to any place To be short simplye it is not euyll to loue this lyfe so that we leade the same onelye as pilgrimes hauing alwaye regarde vnto the worke that is set before vs. For this is the lawful meane and waye to loue this lyfe if so be we abyde in the same so long as it shall seeme good vnto the Lorde and are readye at his wyll and pleasure to departe out of the same or to speake brieflye if we as holding the same in our handes do offer the same as a sacryfice vnto God Whosoeuer is otherwise addicted to this present lyfe looseth his lyfe that is hee casteth the same into euerlasting destruction Concerning the farther exposition of this place reade our commentarye vpon the nine and thirty verse of the tenth Chapter of Saint Mathews Gospell 26. Yf any man minister vnto mee let him followe mee and vvhere I am there shall also my Minister bee Yf any man minister vnto mee him vvyll my Father honour Jf any man minister vnto mee A. Because the Lord meant to sende foorth his Apostles into the worlde to preache the Gospell of the kingdome of heauen by these wordes he prepareth them valiauntlye and constauntlye to discharge so notable an office although the worlde shoulde assaulte them many wayes And this doctrine ought to bee extended to all the Ministers of Christe C. For that we might the lesse make
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
declare I confesse by that your great sorrowe how familyerly ye loue mée but I wyll that ye shewe your loue by another Argument For yf ye loue me indéede shewe that your loue towards me by the obseruation of my commaundements B. Therfore he willeth them diligently to obserue those thinges which he had commaudded them that is to saye constantly to beleeue in him to contemne the world bouldly to confesse Christ before the world to haue mutuall loue one towards another the rest which are contained in these things C. This is profitable doctrine because amonge those which seeme vnto them selues to loue Christ there are very fewe which truly serue him But here contrary wise the true loue of Christ is required to the obseruation of his doctrine as the onely rule M. He saith not if ye loue me dispute of my commaundements or see that others obserue and keepe my commuandements For the declaration of loue consisteth not in disputations nor in the vrging of others to obserue and kéepe them for this may be done euen of those which séeke not Christe but them selues but it consisteth in this yf thou thy selfe be an obseruer of them A. Furthermore Christ sendeth not his Disciples vnto the coÌ„mandements or vaine constitutions of men but to his owne commaundements For he hath not appointed them to be Seruauntes of men but to be faithfull Ministers vnto hym C. Moreouer also we are put in mind how vitious al other affection are when as not so muche as our loue towarde Christ is without fault except it be framed to pure obedience 16. And I will praye the father and he shall geue you another coÌ„forter that he maye bide with you for euer C This remedy he addeth to mitigate sorrow which the Disciples might conceiue by the absence of Christ notwithstanding therewithal Christ promiseth that he wyll geue strength and abillitie that his commaundements may be kept For otherwise his exhortation had bene to small purpose Therefore he prouideth for the same in time and teacheth that how far soeuer he was distant from them in bodye yet notwithstanding he woulde not suffer them to be quite destitude of helpe because he would be present with them by his holy sprite He calleth here the gift of the father the spirit which he himselfe wil obtayne by his prayers In an other place he promiseth that he wyl geue the same Ioh. i6 7 Both are truly and aptly sayde For in that Christ is our Mediatour and aduocate he obtaineth at his handes the spirite of grace In that he is God he geueth the same of him selfe vnto vs. The meaning of this place is this I was geuen of the Father to be a comforter vnto you not for a time but to abide with you for euer R. For Christ by his death and passion purchased to the faithfull the holy ghost which is nothing els but the inspiration of God by which he inspireth our hartes and moueth the same to holy godly iust right and deuine thinges that we might thinke speake and doe nothing day and night but that which is holy and deuine C. This name of comforter is as well geuen vnto Christ as to the holy Ghost and that by right for it appertaineth vnto them both to comfort and exhorte vs and also to defend vs. Christ was the patrone and defender of his Disciples so longe as he was in this world afterwarde he then committed them to the tuition garde of his spirit Yf any man demaunde whether we at this day are not vnder the protection of Christ we may answer that Christe is our euerlasting defender but not after a visible maner So long as he was in the world he openly shewed himselfe vnto them to be a defender but now he defendeth vs by his spirite A. For he saith I wyl be with you vnto the end of the world C. He calleth the same an other comforter by reason of the difference of benefits which we haue from them both it was proper vnto Christe to make satisfaction for the sinnes of the worlde to pacefie the wrathe of God to redéeme men from death to bringe vnto them righteousnesse and lyfe but it belongeth vnto the spirit to make vs partakers as well of Christe him selfe as of all his his owne benefits How be it the distinction of the parsons is not hereby gathered amisse For it is necessary that the holy Ghost do differ from the sonne R. But had not the Apostles the holy Ghost before the death of Christ yes verely had they for they could not haue beléeued in Christe but by the workyng of the holy Ghost but they had the same more abouÌ„dantly and plentifully when Christe was gloryfied euen as we haue shewed in the seuenth chapter goyng before in the xxxix verse 17 Euen the Spirite of truthe whome the world cannot receiue because the worlde seeth hym not neither knoweth hym but ye knowe him for he dwelleth with you shal be in you C. Christ now geueth a new tytel vnto the spirit calling the same the master of truth B. Wherby he meaneth that the holy Ghost is by his owne nature truthe because he is God The same spirite is true and the reueler of truth it is pure sound sincer constant fyrme and faithfull without all deceite tyll such time as we ar taught of hym all our myndes are full of vanitie and lies Whom the worlde cannot receiue C. To the end be might the more comforte his Disciples he sheweth the excelency of this spirit with all the vnspekablâ— loue of the father towardes them in geuing to them his holy spirite which the whole world could not receiue C. For by this Antithesis or comparison he amplyfieth the excelencye of his grace the whiche God geueth onely to his elect For his meanynge is that it is no common gift of the which the whole world is depriued In the whiche sence also the Prophet saith Behould darknesse shal couer the earth and a thick miste the people but the Lorde shall aryse vpon thee and his glory shal be seene in thee For the mercy of God deserueth the more prayse toward the Churche when by a singular priuiledge he extolleth the same aboue the whole world Bv. For as the Deuyll dwelleth in the worlde and by his vncleanesse casteth the wicked into distruction euen so the holy Ghoste dwelleth and worketh with the Sainctes that by his purâ—ty and holynesse he may bringe the faithfull to eternall and blessed lyfe Neuertheles withal christ exhorteth his Disciples that they take héede lest they put from them that grace of the spirite being puffed vp with vnderstandyng of the flesh Worldly wise men count all that the Scripture speaketh concerning Christ to be as a dreame because they presuming vpon their owne reason do dispise heauenly illumination Neuertheles the words of Christ do declare that no man can haue any vnderstandyng of the Spirit by humane sence and reason but by the onley experience
iudgement of the Spirite doth begin at the demonstration of sinne For this is the begininge of spirituall doctrine that men are borne in sinne that they haue nothinge in them selues but the cause of sinne As yf he should saye The Spirit when he commeth shall shewe and conuince that sinne raigneth in the world withoute mee Wherfore infidelytie is here named because it doth seperate vs from Christ and so bringeth to passe that ther is nothing left in vs but sinne To be short in these wordes is condemned the corruption of humane nature least we should thinke that we haue any drop of perfection in vs without Christ M. Therfore we see here that it is expressed by a manyfest sentence that not to beleue in Christe is sinne For it is the commaundement of God that wée beleue in his sonne 10. Of righteousenes be cause I goe to my Father and ye shall se me no more C. We muste noate here the order of degrées which Christe vttereth Nowe he saith that the world shall be rebuked of 〈◊〉 righteousnes for men do not hoongar and thirste after righteousnesse nay they disdaynfully reiecte what so euer is spoken of the same excepte they be touched with the féeling of sin Specially we must thus iudge of the Faithful that they cannot profite in the Gospell except they be first humbled the whiche cannot be without the knowing of their sinnes It is the proper Office of the Law to call mens Consciences to the Iudgment of God and to wounde them with feare but the Gospell cannot be rightly preached but it muste bring from sin to righteousenes and from death to lyfe Therfore it is necessarye that it borrow from the Lawe this firste parte of the whiche Christe speaketh here Moreouer by righteousenesse in this place Christ vnderstandeth that righteousnes which is geuen to vs by his grace Christ sayth that he geueth not this without his fathers consent that not without cause For as he rose agayne for our iustification so now he sitteth at the right hande of the Father that he mighte vse that power which is geuen to him and might so fulfill al thinges In fine he neuer sendeth from his heauenly glory the odore of his righteousenesse vnto the worlde but the Spirite pronounceth by the Gospell that this is one way by whiche we are counted iuste Therefore this seconde degrée of the coniunction of sinne that the Spirite might plainly proue and shewe vnto the worlde what true righteousenesse is namely that Christe by his assencion into Heauen hath appoynted the kingdome of lyfe and now sitteth at the right hand of the Father that he may stablish true righteousnes A. Therefore there is no other waye to obtayne true righteousnesse than to imbrace the Gospell with true Faith For he which trulye beléeueth is trulye iustified 11. Of Iudgement because the prince of this worlde is iudged already C. Iudgement in this place signifieth right and equitie as in diuers other places of the Scripture also and it is the contrary to that which is disordered dispersed cōfounded This therfore is the sence That Sathan so longe as he hath rule doth mix disorder and trouble all thinges that there might be a foule and deformed order of the workes of God but when he is put from his tyranny by Christ that then the worlde is repayred and good order beginneth to appere Thus the Spirite rebuketh and conuinceth the world of Iudgement That is to say Christ hauing ouercome the Prince of Iniquitie restoreth into good order those thinges whiche before were confounded and out of frame M. Sathan therefore was ouercome by the comming of the sone of God as by the more mightie but that is then knowne when by the power of the spirite the kingdome of Christ shineth in the harts of mortall men A. Concerning the which reade in the twelfth Chapter goyng before and the xxxi verse 12. I haue yet manie things to say vnto you but ye cannot beare them away now 13. Howbeit when he is come which is the spirite of truthe hee will leade you into al truth He shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer he shall heare that he shall speake and he will shew you thinges to come M. It appeareth that the Lord among all other consolations proposed this before his Disciples as chiefe and that hee afterwarde doubled the same because they should receyue the holy Ghost to be their teacher comforter and Aduocate by whom they should be led and gouerned in all thinges By this promise he incourageth them to reueale the sorrow and heauinesse of their hart by which it came to passe that they coulde not well vnderstande those thinges which were spoken C. And because there was no other stay but doctrine vppon whiche they might reste he geueth them to vnderstande that he hath tempered the same according to their capasitie As if hee should say Yf that be not sufficient to stablishe and staye you whiche ye haue heard of mee staye a while For heareafter you being taught by the instruction of the Spirit shall want nothing he shall profite and finish that in you which is as yet but newly begon M. Here the Ministers of the worde haue an example to folow namely that they them selues might haue a consideration of the weaknes of others whom they take in hand to instructe either in Doctrine or in Dissiplyne and to burthen them with no more than they ca◠presently beare For there are sertayne increments and measures of the giftes of Christ in the minds of the faithful insomuch the all men are not capeable of al thinges Yf so be ye should by and by at the fyrste chopexpounde vnto a Iewe newlye instructed the misterye of the holy Trinitie according to the fulnesse of our Faith neither his vnderstanding can conceiue it nor his memory carye it away C. Now it may be demaunded what thinges those were whiche the Apostels as yet were not apt to learne The Papistes to thruste in their owne inuentions in steade of deuine Oracles do wickedly abuse this place Christe say they promised new reuelations vnto his apostles Therefore we must not content our selues with the Scriptures only aboue the which Christe called his Disciples But séeing Christe houldeth his peace which of vs can say either those be they or those be they Or if he dare presume to say so how wyll hee proue it Who is so vaine or rashe who although hee spake these thinges which are true will afirme without any deuine testymony that they are those thinges which the Lorde woulde not they speake C. Moreouer the Spirite is called the perfecte scolmaster of trueth which Christ promised vnto his Apostles But to what end promised he the same but onely that they might deliuere the same wisdome which they had receiued from him That spirite is geuen the which beinge their guid and directour they discharged the office committed vnto them The same spirite had led them into all truethe when
féede his flocke But neglecting the loue of Christe the moste highe Shepheard and reiecting the office of feeding to boast of succession is extreme impudencie and follie Bv. This also hath a singuler emphasis that Christ sayd not Feede thy shéepe Act. 20.28 1. Pet. 1.18 but feede my shéepe feed my lambs For he hath made vs a peculier people to him selfe by the redemption of his bloud Ministers therfore are shepheards of the Lordes flocke and not Lordes G. Moreouer heereby it dothe playnely appeare what great care Christ hath for our saluation when he doth so specially commit the same vnto Shepheards M. Also wee must not lightly passe this that Christe calleth all the faythfull his Lambes For he giueth vs to vnderstande that as yet they are tender and are therefore to be fed with greater care and diligence euen as ther is commonly greater care had for the feeding of yong Lambes than for olde sheepe bicause the hope of the flocke consisteth in them 16. He sayth vnto him the seconde time Simon Ioanna louest thou me c. A. Agayne the Lord asketh Peter whether he loue him laying vppon him the same burthen which he did before saying Feede my sheepe Bv. That is to say refreshe comfort reproue admonishe and teache with the worde of truth M. Here is the office of a Shepheard expressed For the verbe which we haue heere dothe not onely signifie to feede but also to gouerne and rule Thus the minister of Christe ought to feede the Lords sheepe with the prouander of doctrine and to direct and gouerne them with the worde of admonition and correction C. Moreouer Christe did not commit all generally vnto Peter to others to be fedde but onely his lambs and sheepe Euery good shepheard muste seeke to bâ—â—ng all vnto Christe And bicause they can not discerne betweene sheepe and wilde beastes we must séeke by all meanes possible to tame those that are more like Wolues than sheepe But when they haue done all they can it is but lost labour which is not bestowed vpon the chosen sheepe 17. He sayth vnto him the third time SimoÌ„ Ioanna louest thou me c. M. Peter was very sory by the remembraunce of those things which were past least the same might happen vnto hym agayne which happened before when he presuming and bragging ouermuch had a miserable fall C. Or else he thinketh that he is secretly nipte and blamed as not answering to the minde purpose of Christ But we shewed before that this repetition is not superfluous Also Peter as yet had not experience howe deepe this loue of Christ ought to be imprinted in their mindes who were to withstande an innumerable sorte of perils Afterwarde he learned by experience that this strayte examination was not vayne Also in hys person all they which wil take vpon them the charge of gouerning the Church are taughte not lightly but deepely to examine them selues what zeale they are endued withall least they runne back or faynt in the middest of their course We also are taught to be quiet and patient when soeuer the Lorde shall straytly or roughly examine vs bicause he hath iust causes of that thing of the whiche oftentimes we are ignoraunt 18. Verely verely I saye vnto thee when thou wast young thou gyrdedst thy self and walkedst whyther thou wouldest but when thou shalt be olde thou shalt stretch foorth thy hands another shall gyrde thee c. Bv. After that Christ had receyued Peter into the company of the Apostles and had restored him to his name and office prescribing what he should doo namely loue and feede C. He armeth him also agaynst the battell whiche was at hande And so he dothe not onely require of him fayth and diligence but also an inuincible courage in perils and constancie in bearing the crosse willing him to be readie to suffer death so often as neede shall require Bv. Whereby he declareth what all teachers of the Gospell and faythfull pastors must looke for to receyue at thys worlde namely greeuous afflictions and in the ende shamefull death C. For although the condition of all Pastors be not alike yet notwithstanding this admonition perteyneth to all in some parte The Lorde spareth many and requireth not their blud being only coÌ„tented with this that so long as they liue they wholly consecrate theÌ„ selues vnto him in fayth But yet bicause Sathan biddeth battell dayly they muste be alwayes prepared to dye whiche take vppon them the office of feeding bicause they haue to doo not onely with sheepe but with wolues When thou wast yong M. Christ doth not heere so muche put a difference betweene youth and old age as betweene the time of worldly peace and tyrannical persecution C. And by this worde of gyrding he comprehendeth all outwarde actions by whiche a man frameth him selfe and his life Howbeit many thinke that the kinde of death whiche Peter suffered is heere noted bicause he was hanged with his armes stretched out But what kinde of death soeuer it was that Peter suffered it is better to be ignoraunt of the same than to beleeue doubtfull tales Bv. Therfore the simple sence is this Before that Peter was a preacher of the truthe that is to say an Apostle of Christe he had libertie to lyue as he lysted the world did not hate him But so soone as he was made the seruant of Iesus Christ and a preacher of the Euangelicall truth Iohn 5.19 the whole worlde was against him For the whole world lieth in wickednesse But the Gospel preacheth to the whole world righteousnes Therfore it accuseth kings Princes high and lowe riche and poore And herevpon it commeth that the preachers of the truth are hated of all estates and degrees of men euen to the death C. Now in Peter we haue a notable spectacle of the estate and condition of vs all Many liue in ease and pleasure before they be called of Christ but so soone as they haue giuen their name vnto hym and are receyued for disciples they suffer greeuous conflicts they are in perill and at deathes doore This condition though it be harde and paynfull yet notwithstanding we must beare the same paciently For he knoweth our infirmitie he will lay no more vpon vs than we shal be able to beare A. 1. Cor. 10.13 So he bare with Peter so long as he was tender and weake euen as he said vnto him Iohn 13.36 VVhither I go thou canst not follovve me but thou shalt follovve me heereafter And leade thee whither thou wouldest not C. It seemeth absurde that Christ saith his death shall not be voluntarie For as he hath no constancie so hath he no prayse of Martyrdome which is caried violently to death agaynst his wil. M. But we must distinguish here betweene the will of the spirite and the wil of the flesh C. For this ought to be referred to the battell of the spirite and the flesh which the godly feele in them For
we doo neuer obey God with such a willing free minde but the world seeketh to drawe vs a contrarie way R. Death is alway vnsauery to the flesh the flesh is most vnwilling to dye C. Whervpon the Apostle complayneth The good which I wold do I not but the euil which I vvould not that doo I. Rom. 7.19 Therfore Peter in the flesh was vnwilling but in the spirit willing to dye G. Furthermore we haue to note that all men naturally feare death Death feared by nature bicause it is contrary to nature to desire to be dissolued Therefore Christ though with his whole hart he was framed to the obedieÌ„ce of God he wisheth death away This doctrine therfore is necessarie to be knowne For it stirreth vs vp to pray bicause we can neuer ouercome the feare of death without the singuler helpe of God therfore our onely way is to submit our selues vnder his holy hande to be ordered at his pleasure 19. That spake he signifying by what death he shuld glorify God And wheÌ„ he had spoken this he saith vnto him Follow me M. The Euangelist expoundeth the words of Christ by which he gaue Peter to vnderstande that he should be slayn for the doctrine of the Gospell C. This addition of S. Iohn is of great weight For although all the godly ought to seeke to glorifie God whether it be by life or by death yet S. Iohn thought good to adorne their death with a speciall title whiche with their bloud seale the Gospell of Christ and set foorth his name Phil. 1.19 Bv. That punishmeÌ„t which the confessors of Christ suffer is extreme reprochefull and full of ignominy but the truthe calleth suche deathes and suche punishments glorious bicause the holy Martyrs of God by death do glorifie God and are glorified also them selues by that eternall glory M. The Euangelist doth not say by what death Peter should dye nor yet by what death he shoulde deserue euerlasting life but he sayth Signifying by vvhat death he should glorifie God Therefore the death of the godly which they suffer for Christes sake bringeth not destruction vnto them as the blinde world iudgeth neyther doth it deserue eternall lyfe but hath onely thys commendation that it glorifieth God The which whosoeuer doth he hathe to comforte him selfe with this voyce of the Lorde 1. Kin. 2.30 Apoc. 14.13 I will glorifie them whiche glorifie me Blessed therefore are the deade which dye in the Lorde Follow me C. Hâ—â—re Christ declareth wherefore he foreshewed the violent death of Peter namely that he might prepare Peter to patience sufferance Séeing sayth he thou must suffer death by my example follow thy captayne M. Therfore the Lord propoundeth his example to Peter as if he should say Thou knowest how I haue liued in this world how diligently I haue fed the shéepe which the father hath giuen me what I haue suffered of the wicked for this cause and from wheÌ„ce I am now raysed to eternall lyfe and glory Héereby frame thy selfe after my example hereby take heede what thou doest hereby know what to looke for and thou shalt finde consolation R. For thou shalte dye a cruell death Therfore prepare thy selfe for the afflictions to come and take heede to thy calling This ought to be no small consolation vnto vs how sharpe soeuer death séemeth to bée seeing the sonne of God offereth him selfe before our eyes with hys blessed resurrection which is our triumph agaynst death Bv. So that this place playnly sheweth that all the Ministers of the church ought to be folowers of Christ in whom they shall finde see and learne al that apperteyneth to the discharging of their ministerie In him is the most excellent loue both of God the father and also of the flock committed vnto him in him is a burning and discrete zeale he teacheth sincere swéete and sharpe doctrine he is most pure in maners and in example of lyfe he giueth strength and patience to euery one in perils and he is most long suffering To this Shepheard let euery Pastor in the Church haue respect Iohn 8.12 For he is the light of the worlde who so followeth him walketh not in darknesse but shall haue the light of life 20. Peter turned about saw the disciple whom Iesus loued following him c. Bv. Although Peter was restored and placed in his Apostolicall office yet neuerthelesse he retayneth stil in himself the relikes of humaine nature and imbecilitie which procedeth froÌ„ the corruptioÌ„ of sin M. For wheÌ„ he was coÌ„maÌ„ded to folow the lord he doth not so muche consider that vocation as he hath respect vnto others Bv. For looking behinde him he saw Iohn following and seeing he knew thot he was more deare vnto him than the reste he greatly maruelled what death he should dye M. Whervpon he moueth the question concerning his lot saying Lorde vvhat shall he doo For he thought it very absurde that he should be called alone and Iohn omitted whom Christe had alwayes so greatly loued A. Concerning the leauing of Iohn on Christes breste reade the .23 verse of the .13 chap. before Lorde what shall he do C. We haue here in Peter an example not onely of our superfluous but also of hurtfull curiositie when as by the the beholding of others we are draweÌ„ away froÌ„ our office For we being by nature seuere and narrowe examiners rather of other mens liues than our owne do therby seke to shift off our selues For by this cullour of excuse we willingly deceiue our selues namely that other are no better than we as though their slouth and folly were our discharge Scarse the hundreth person doth consider this saying of S. Paule Gal. 6.5 Euery man shall beare his ovvne burthen Wherfore in the person of one man this is a generall reprehensioÌ„ of al those which looke rounde about them how other men behaue them selues but neglecte their owne dutie and charge which God enioyneth them faythfully to execute Of tenne God will choose one whome he will exercise eyther with excéeding sorrowes or with gréeuous labour the other nyne he will suffer to liue in peace or at least will lightly exercise them He vseth not all men alike but trieth euery one as it seemeth good vnto him Seeing therfore ther are diuers kinds of Christian warfare let euery man learne to kéepe his owne raye and order least as idle persons we enquiring after this or that prouoke our heauenly Captayne to displeasure agaynst vs to whom we ought to be in suche subiection that we shuld forget al such things as appertain not to the doing of our duties 22. Iesus sayth vnto him If I will haue him to tarry till I come what is that to thee Follow thou me Bv. The Lord Iesus reprehendeth the curious and vnprofitable demaunde of Peter Bv. and calleth him into the way in the which he must go willing him to consider not the burtheÌ„ of other men but what he him selfe is
inioyned to beare As if he should say It maketh no matter vnto thée neither hast thou any thing to doo to demaunde what shall become of thy fellow leaue this to my wil only consider of thy selfe and prepare thy selfe to follow whither soeuer thou art called R. Haue regard to thine own calling and not to an other mans I will haue a regarde to others my selfe If he abide and suffer no cruell death he abideth to me Bv. Yea if it be my will that he shal not dye but to abide in the state he is in now vntil I come to iudgement and that the same should be good for him what hast thou to doo with it I will haue thée nor no man else curiously to search out Gods counsayles or to discusse other mens callings Iohn is mine and I will vse him at my pleasure Therfore that which I sayd euen now I say agayne Luke 9.62 No man putting his hande to thē Plough and looking backe is meete for the kingdome of God R. I would to God that this sentence were imprinted in all mens mindes that euery one mighte learne to haue his duty in remembrance For what art thou sayth the Apostle which iudgest another mans seruant Rom. 14.4 To his owne master he standeth or falleth M. Notwithstanding we must here distinguish betweene that care which procedeth of curiosity Care procedeth of loue and of curiositie that which procedeth of loue C. For all care for our brethren is not superfluous if it obserue a meane then is it not curiositie but a good care M. This is curiositie to searche and séeke how long this or that man shall liue and whether he shall be riche or poore the which many do by curious artes rather then attending and regarding Christian charitie Let vs say If so be GOD wyll haue this Prince or that Tyrant to rayne vntill the ende of the world what is it to vs Let vs follow Christ our Captayn C. To be short let euery one of vs haue respecte vnto our neighboures to see if wee can draw them vnto Christ rather than by their offences to do euel our selues Vntil I come Math. 25.31 Act. 1.11 M. Therfore he geueth vs to vnderstand that he wil come agayne into this world the which also in other places is more playnly affirmed 23. Then went this saying abroade among the brethren that the same disciple should not dye c. C. The Euangelist declareth that an error sprong vp among the disciples by mistaking the wordes of Christ that Iohn shuld neuer dye M. The Euangelist therfore thought good to interprete truly the words of Christ not vnderstood but rashly taken least when he him self wer dead any note of vntruth might with offence be ascribed vnto the wordes of the Lord. Among the brethren C. He meaneth these Apostles which wer present at that saying not that the name of brethren appertayneeh to them alone Bv. For all Christians were called brethren But bicause they were the sanctifyed fyrst fruites of vnitie It may also be that others besyde the eleuen which wer presēt are noted Bv. Hereby we gather how apte and ready men are to erre For if so be those men which were as it were the fyrst pillers of the Church stombled at such a strawe what will we do which haue such great stombling blockes layd in our way C. Howbeit it is lyke that this error continued no longer among them than vntill they were replenished by the holy ghost Bv. Error springeth of diuers causes Error springeth of diuerse causes but specially of these two that is to say eyther of our affection which iudgeth not rightly of the eternall maiestie of god or else by some small wresting of the word of god Of wrong affection toward Iesus thus the disciples gathered Iesus loueth Iohn therefore Iohn shall not dye For those whom humaine affection loueth it wisheth to liue for euer To the wresting of the word of Christ this appertayned bicause they absolutely pronounced that Iohn should abyde in his present state vntill Christ came againe whereas he spake conditionally If I will haue him tary till I come what is that to thee C. Thus verye profytably Christ teacheth vs to our edification and that also very plainly but we by our corrupt and wicked imaginations do obscure darken the light Christ would not pronounce any thing certayne concerning Iohn but only approue that he had full power of life and death So that of it selfe it was a simple and profytable doctrine but the disciples deuise and imagine more than was spoken Wherfore that we may be safe from the same perill let vs learne soberlye to conceyue that which is spoken out of the worde of God M. Also by the present care of the Euangelist we are taught how circumspect we ought to be in reading the wordes of Christ the which one letter being added or taken away or chaunged may bee so peruerted that they will not testefye a truth but a lye and will serue to mayntayne contentions specially seeing it is a very hard matter to take away quite out of mens mindes an error once conceyued if so be it haue anye shewe of authoritie from Christ The which happened in this cause concerning the death of Iohn For such is the wickednes of mans nature that it rusheth headlong into all vanitie Wherupō it cōmeth to passe that this error also of the which the Euangelist hath warned vs to take héed is yet in the world For ther want not some which deny that he is dead M. but haue fayned that whē he had commaunded his sepulcher to be digged and was put into the same the next day after it was found emptie Iohn being caried aliue corporallye into paradise to Enoch and Elias who shall come at the latter day to warre agaynst Antechrist C. Wherfore wée see that ther is no ende of erring except wee simply imbrace that which the Lorde hath deliuered reiect all other Imaginations comments and surmises Bv. These thinges teache vs not to trust to much to our owne wisedome lest we lightly necligently handel the Scriptures but rather let vs reede them in the feare of God and with often prayers knowing that we are ful of error darknes but do receiue the true perfecte illumination from aboue 24. The same discyple is he whiche testefieth of these thyngs wrote these things and we knowe that hys testymonye is true Bv. This is the conclusion appendix of this deuine history by which Sainct Iohn happely knitteth vp the woorke C. And bicause hytherto he hath made mention of him selfe vnder the third perso he now expresseth that hee is euen the very same to the ende he being an eye witnes and one that speaketh by experience mighte bring more weighte aucthoritie to his worde Bv. There is great modestie to be followed in his wordes For he neyther speaketh nor writeth any thing of him self arrogantly or boldly He