Gospell not to liue at their owne pleasure but that their light might shine before men not to be Princes of this worlde but to beare the crosse wyth Christ Who came not to be ministred vnto Mat. 20.28 but to minister him selfe and to giue his life a redemption for many M. Wherfore let the Bishoppes of Rome marke well and sée how they defend their Lordship which they haue in the Churche vnder the pretence of Christ 19. And for theyr sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also mighte be sanctified through the truthe R. To sanctifie is to ceparate to diuine vses C. Therefore in these words he doth more playnly explicate from whence that sanctificatioÌ„ doth come which is wrought in vs by the doctrine of the Gospell namely bicause he hath consecrated him selfe to the Father that his holinesse mighte appertayne vnto vs. For as the blessinge is extended from the firste fruites to the whole increace euen so the spirite â—f God doth sprinkle vs with the holinesse of Christe and maketâ— vs partakers of the same and that not onely by imputation for by this meanes he is sayde to be made vnto vs righteousnesse but he is also saide to be made vnto vs sanctificaon .1 Cor. 1.30 bicause after a sorte he offereth vs to the Father that by his spirite we may be renued into true holynesse And althoughe this sanctification perteineth to the whole lyfe of Christe yet notwithstanding it is specially to bée seene in the sacrifice of hys death bicause then he appeared to be a true Priest whiche consecrated the Temple the Altar all the Vessels Exod. 29.1 and the people by the power of his spirite A. Euen as before tyme in the Lawe it was shadowed R. Christe therefore sanctifieth him selfe That is he is made the instrument of God the Father by whiche he is glorified he offereth and sacrificeth him selfe that we also may be made the instrumentes and true sacrifices of hys diuine glory Sanctification M. For Christe hath not so sanctified hym selfe for vs that we may abide prophane and farre separate from the communion of his spirite and sanctification but although we be saued by hys onely holynesse yet notwithstanding we are sanctified also by the participation of his spirite They which are voyde of the same promise vnto them selues in vayne the fellowship of Christ Wherevpon the Apostle sayth Rom. 6.4 VVe are buried vvith him by Baptisme into his deathe that lykevvyse as Christe vvas raysed vp from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so vve also shoulde vvalke in nevvnesse of lyfe And in another place he sayth Roma 12.1 Offer vp your bodies a quicke sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God vvhiche is your reasonable seruice This therfore is the sence meaning I sanctifie my self that is I dye for them that they by my death may be filled with the spirite of sanctification and may be made the holy vessels of God by the reuealed spirite of the Gospell M. This the Apostle comprehendeth in these wordes Hebr. 10.10 In the vvhiche will we are made holy euen by the offering of the body of Iesus Christe once for all In the truthe The worde of God is the truth euen as Christ sayd before Therefore the sanctification of the ministers of Christe and of the faythfull Acts. 15.9 Fayth maketh al thinges cleane consisteth in the truthe of Gods worde vppon the whiche fayth is grounded by whiche God purifieth the hartes Without this all things are prophane and vncleane 20. Neuerthelesse I pray not for them alone but for theÌ„ also which shall beleue on me through their preaching R. Thirdly Christe prayeth for all the faythfull whiche should be to the ende of the world This verily bringeth great consolation For if so be through the doctrine of the Gospell we beléeue in Christ there is no cause why we should doubt but that with the Apostles we are vnder Gods protection so that none of vs can perishe This praier of Christ is a quiet hauen into the whiche whosoeuer entereth he is safe from all perill of shipwracke for his wordes are of as great force as if he had solemly sworne that he is carefull for our saluation R. And firste of all this place confirmeth the authoritie of the Apostles agaynst those which very contemptuously extinuate and disprayse the preaching of the Gospell by the Apostles Prou. 20.9 for that they were men also subiect vnto errours And it is true that they were men in lyfe and in workes for who can say my harte is cleane but they preached the doctrine of the Gospel not by humaine but by the diuine ministerie Wherevppon Christe also prayeth for those which shoulde beleeue through their preaching Furthermore let our consciences be confyrmed agaynst the worlde and agaynst all the afflictions of the worlde For so soone as Christe prayed the Father hearde and the father hearing what remayneth but hys grace and readie affection towarde vs C. Let this also suffice vs whiche knowe that our fayth is founded vppon the Gospell preached by the Apoples though the worlde condemne vs a thousande tymes namely that Christe acknowledgeth vs for his speciall charge and coÌ„mendeth vs to his father Ioh. 11.41 of whom he can not choose but be heard C. When he addeth Throgh their preching He very well expresseth the forre and nature of fayth M. Euen as the Apostle Paule also Rom. 10 17 when he sayth that fayth coÌ„meth by hearing And the worde of the Apostles is nothing else but the Gospell which they were commaunded to preach in the worlde Mar. 16.15 C. Wo then vnto the Papistes whose fayth is so farre from thys rule that they are not ashamed most blasphemously to say that the scriptures are like vnto a Shipmans hose and to a nose of waxe and that therefore the tradition of the Churche shall be their direction and rule of fayth But let vs be assured that the same fayth onely is approued of the sonne of God our Iudge alone whiche is conceyued by the doctrine of the Apostles For there shall no certayne testimonie any where else bee founde than in their writinges We muste also note what fayth the word of the Apostles doth bring foorth This Christ declareth when he sayth Which beleeue in me Let nowe the Iewes Turkes and Romishe rable glory of their fayth but it maketh no matter what euery one beleeueth and in whome he beleeueth Euery doctrine hath his fayth but the Apostolicall doctrine begetteth onely the faith in Christ And this faith alone is partaker of this prayer of Christ of the promises concerning euerlasting life 21. That they all maye be one as thou father arte in me and I in thee and that they also may bee one in vs That the world may beleue that thou hast sent me R. That which Christ prayed for his Apostles he nowe also prayeth for all the faythfull that they might be of one fayth
beléeue and are gathered into the shepefoulde of Christe 48. Doth any of the Rulers or Phariseis beleeue on him The Phariseis doe so blame their Ministers and souldyers that notwithstanding they maye haue them still at their commaundement For by these wordes they signifie that it is an absurd thing that they should not stand though the common multitude did fall But let vs sée what argument they haue to bere vp them selues why the should so proudly contemne Christ He hath saye they the common and rude sort of people on his syde but as for the chéefe Rulers and Magistrates they are agaynste hym They name the phariseis for that they excelled others in knoweledge and in holynesse so that they were counted the Princes of Princes M. But firste of all they testifie against them selues that they beléeue not in the Sonne of God when as they shoulde haue béen the first of all other whiche should haue imbraced Gods truth Thus these miserable men glory and boaste in that in the which they ought rather to be sorrowfull C. For although this obiection which they make vnto the souldyers séeme to haue some coller seeing the rulers and Gouernours of the Church ought to haue their authority as the Lawe commaundeth in this notwithstanding these men offended Deut. 17.8 because they arrogating to them selues the cheefest authority would not be subiect to God God in déede committed Iudgement to the high Priest but yet he would not haue him to pronounce the same withoute his Lawe What authoritye soeuer therefore Pastoures haue it dependeth vppon the worde of God that euery man from the highest to the lowest maye abide in his calling and God only maye haue the prayse It cōmeth often times to passe that the wicked beare Rule in the Church wherfore we muste take héede that wee attribute nothing vnto men when they depart from the worde of God We sée that all the Prophetes almoste were thus molested and troubled for to ouerthrow their doctrine these greate titels of high Pristes of Princes and of the Church was obiected vnto them The Papistes vsing the same weapons at this day are no lesse outragious than were the aduersaries of Christ and of the Prophetes in oulde time This is horrible and fearfull blyndnesse that a mortall man dare presume to sette himselfe againste God But to suche madnesse hath Sathan brought them that esteeme more their owne Ambition than they doe the truth of God Neuerthelesse it is oure parte to geue that reuerence to the word of God which maye obscure and extinguishe the glory of the world and maye driue awaye the vayne smoake of the same For it should goe euell with vs yf so be our saluation shoulde depende vppon the will and plesure of Princes and to vnstable shoulde that Fayth be which should eyther stand of fall at their becke M Here also we sée howe harde a matter it is for them to beléeue the Gospell of Christe which haue rule and gouernment in the Church of God and are famouse by the meanes of doctrine Wherefore that whiche these men bringe against the doctrine of Christ doth greatly make for the same For the same is more to be approued because suche come not to the same rather than if they did imbrace it And this is manifeste that it serueth not worldly glory and estimation but the glory of God otherwise this kinde of men would haue béene the firste that shoulde haue imbraced the same For it is verye incom Therefore we must haue respecte not vnto men but vnto god who can deceiue no man 49. But this common people which know not the Lawe are cursed C. The fyrste parte was Pride because they bearing them selues bould vp on the titell of the Priesthoode woulde haue all men to be subiect vnto them The seconde is contempt or disdaine for that they despise the reste as of noe price euen as they are alwayes contumeliouse to others which haue to much lyking of them selues and alwayes the contempt of oure brethren followeth the ouermuch loue of our selues Which knowe not the Lawe M. But if thou consider well the common people came nerer the true knowledge of the Lawe than did these rulers and Phariseis If thou haue respect vnto their life no doubt it was more conformable to the Rule of the Lawe If thou haue respecte to theyr fayth thou shalt fynde that they were more obedient to the Lawe of God then the other were For it is the principall poynt of the Lawe to knowe synne and to imbrace the grace of God propounded and offered in Christe Furthermore if so be this people were Ignoraunt of the Lawe whose falt was it Was not the falte in the Rulers and Phariseis For it was their partes to instruct and feede the people of God with the word of God and of the prophetes but when Christe their chéefe and moste excelent teacher came he founde them as they them selues confesse ignoraunt of the lawe of God Therefore they bring this testimonye concerning the ignoraunce of the people against themselues So also let vs answere those which at this day saye ignoraunce in the people is thorow the Priestes negligence The rude and vnlearned multitude followeth this newe doctrine by which ignoraunt men are seduced If so be the people of Christ be rude vnlearned and ignoraunt of the holye Scriptures and is therefore seduced why haue not you that be Maysters and teachers of the Churches better instructed and taught them Why haue you taken from them so many yeres the reading of the Scriptures and doe also at this daye depriue them of the same by fire and sworde C. There is also another cause why they pronounce the people to bée accursed They pretende the ignoraunce of the Lawe but there was another cause namely for that they thought there was no hollinesse but in their owne order Euen as at this daye the popish shaueling Priestes boasting themselues aloane to be of the Churche do contemne the laye people as they call them euen as if they were prophane But GOD to beate downe thys madnesse and pryde doth preferre the humble contemned before those that are so highly exalted And wée must noate here that they boast of the knowledge of the Lawe by which they did not instruct men in godlinesse and in the feare of God but of that knowledge by which they onelye were counted méete interpretors of the Lawe Knowledg Gods lawe doth sane tifie vs. and to aunswere doubtes and obiections It is verye true that they are accursed whiche are not taught and instructed in the Lawe of God Psal 19.9 the knowledge whereof doth truely sanctifie vs but this knowledge is not restrayned to a fewe that they being puffed vp with a wicked trust and confidence might deuide themselues from other men but it doth generallye belong to all the Children of God that from the leaste to the greatest all maye be vnder the obedience of fayth 51. Nicodemus sayth vnto
are with Christ true Pastours because they entered in to the Church by the worde of the Lord and fed the people of God in the pastures of Christ C. Therefore we must noate by the wordes of Christ that thinges contrary are compared here together but yet betwene the Lawe and the Doctrine of the Gospell there shal be so litle difference and contrarietye found that the Lawe shal appeare to bée nothing else but a preparatiue to the Gospell To be short Christ testifyeth that all doctrines by which the world hath béene seduced from him were nothing but mortall plagues because without him there is nothing but deadly destruction R. therefore all the teachers of humaine tradicions and the carnal interpretours of the Law are Théeues and murderers for with theyr pestilent docttrine they murder soules For they which beléeue lyes doe perishe togeather with the lyes whiche they beléeue C. Neuerthelesse by these we are taught Antiquitie proueth not the truth how much God estéemeth of antiquitye and how much also we ought to esteme of the same so often as it is brought in to contend with Christ For to the end no man myght bee moued herewith that in all ages there haue béene teachers who haue cared for nothing lesse than to direct leade men vnto Christ Christ himselfe expreslye sayth that it maketh no matter how many such there haue béene or howe long agoe they haue béene because this is to be considred that there is but one doore the which whosoeuer leaueth and diggeth vp gates and breaketh vp doores to enter in is a Théefe and a Robber But the Sheepe did not heare them M. By these shéepe hée meaneth the elect C. and hée proueth that they were not of the Churche of God which haue béene led out of the waye by false teachers First of all this is therefore spoken lest when wée behoulde the great multitude of suche as go astraye wée by their example thinke that wée also may go astraye and perish For this is no small consolation and matter of trust when we knowe that Christ hath alwayes defended his shéepe from the manifolde lyings in wayght of woolues and théeues A. To this effect also pertayneth that which hée sayth in another place namely that false Prophetes and false Christes shoulde worke wonders so that many shoulde be seduced and euen the elect also if it were possible Mat 24.24 C. It may bée and often times it commeth to passe that the shéepe doe erre and goe astraye before they be gathered into the Shéepefolde of Christ that is to saye before their calling In like manner it commeth often times to passe that they which haue béene of the housholde of Fayth are straungers for a time and after a sorte doe cease to be sheepe but these thinges are nothing repugnaunt with this sentence of Christ for thys is the simple meaning of Christ that al the elect of God though they haue bene tempted with an innumerable sort of errours are notwithstanding kept in the obedience of godly Fayth least they shoulde be made a praye for Sathan and his ministers And this worke of God is no lesse wonderfull when hée gathereth togither the shéepe that for a time haue gone astraye than if they shoulde haue remayned shutte vp in the shéepefolde for euer For this is alwaye and without exception true that they are not of vs i. Iohn i i9 which goe out from vs but they which are of vs doe abyde with vs to the ende of the worlde Bv. Therefore because the electe haue alwayes the marcke of Goddes Children and of the Lordes slocke printed in their heartes by and by they knowe that the same which is sette forth by false teachers procéedeth from another spirite These shéepe loue Christ desyer christ and séeke after Christ yf any man therefore preach him if any man bring hys word they ioyfully receiue the same whereas they do not know a straungers voyce but flee from the same They are straungers which differ from Christe which want the spirite of Christe and which abhorre the voyce of Christ that is to saye they are straungers which forsake the true Faith The Bishoppe of Rome a false teacher Wherefore let not the Bishop of Rome maruel that we wil not heare his voyce For he preacheth not vnto vs Christ the true Shepheard in him all thinges but he preacheth vnto vs him selfe For he would séeme to bée and would be accounted in déede the heade of the vniuersall Church he boasteth him selfe to be the great Pastoure in earth the vicar of Christ which can bind and remit our sinnes Therefore séeing we are Christes and doe knowe no mans voyce but the voyce of this our Shepheard let that Lycaon with his deceyuours and false teachers go to the place which hée hath deserued Lycaon was a King of the Archades who went about by murder to deface the God Iupiter as Ouid writeth C. But if so bée the number of the Faythfull be lesse then were to be wished also if so be many out of a fewe slide awaye the godly teachers haue herewith all to comforte them selues that Gods elect which are the shéepe of Christ heareth them A. He which knoweth God saith saint Iohn heareth vs. C. It is our partes dilligently to endeuour our selues by all means to seke to bring the whoale world to the vnitie of fayth if it might be in the mean time let vs be contented with our nomber be it neuer so small 9. I am the doore by me if any man enter in hee shall bee safe and shall goe in and out and finde pasture I am the doore R. Twise Christ calleth himselfe the Doore not by superfluous repitition but by a necessarye explication of a double Doore B. For there is a Doore of true pastours and another also for shéepe as we haue declared before in the seauenth verse By me if any man enter C. A notable consolation for the godlye For Christ promiseth vnto them health and a prosperous state Then hée expresseth two partes the first is that they shall go safely whether soeuer it shall be néedefull the seconde is that they shall eate to their contentation By egresse and regresse that is to say by going out and comming in the Scripture often times meaneth all the actions of mans lyfe 2. Par. 2.10 Deu 28.6 Psa 12i 8 M. as in the first Chapter of the seconde booke of Cronicles in the eyght and twentie Chapter of Deuteronomie and in the hundered and one and twentie Psalme C. Therefore in these wordes a double vse of the Gospell is commended vnto vs the first that in Christ our soules shall finde pasture which otherwise are readye to pine and are fedde with nothing but winde the seconde that he will be a sure defence and forte to vs against the inuasion of Wolues and théeues R. For the Gospell the wordes of lyfe righteousnesse saluation lyfe and all Gods graces are pasture
of God For in that Chapter by a figure called Prosopopoeia hée bringeth in wisedome speaking of her selfe howe all thinges were made by her as is there to be seene at large Our Euangelist Iohn in this place therefore speaketh more profoundly then Moyses doeth in his Genesis the firste Chapter For hée sayth not In the beginning God made the worde Gene. 1 as Moyses sayth In the beginning God made Heauen and Earth But hée sayth In the beginning was the worde That wée might vnderstande the same to bée from euerlasting to bée euen alreadye in the beginning of thinges and not to haue his beginning then By this worde he leadeth vs beyonde the begynning of all thinges euen to the Eternitie it selfe to the which notwithstanding the cogitacion of our minde can neuer attaine not that wée shoulde curiouslye searche for the same but that wée shoulde beléeue and adore the Eternitye of the worde least wée might thinke as certayne Heretiques doe that the same beganne firste to bée at the beginning of the Creation of all Creatures or else when hée was borne of the Virgin Marye And therefore hée him selfe sayeth I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last Reue. 1. A. And in another place hée sayeth Verylye verylye I saye vnto you before Abraham was I am The whiche thing the Apostle also confirmeth with these woordes Iohn 8 Iesus Christ yesterdaye and to daye the same also is for euer Heb. 13. And the word was with GOD. M. Because the Euangelist had sayde In the beginning was the worde that is to saye before the worlde was before any thing was made when thinges were nowe readye to haue theyr beginning yea before all these thinges was the word it followed that hée should shewe where it was It coulde bée in no place nor in no time because as yet there was neyther place nor time Where was it then naye where coulde it bée The Apostle aunswereth and sayeth It was with God Truelye it coulde bée no where else But againe it maye here bée demaunded where God was when as nothing was created Heare wée must staye For GOD coulde bée in no place neyther can hée bée at this time séeing he is infinite neyther can the heauen of heauens comprehende him as Salomon sayth 1. King 8. Iohn therefore putteth a difference betwéene this worde and all other thinges created and doth also attribute vnto him a distinct substaunce from the father For the Euangelist should haue absurdelye sayde that he had béene alwayes with GOD except he had had a certaine proper subsisting in God Therfore this place is of great force to confute the error of Sabellius because hée sheweth that the sonne doth differ from the father Wherefore although men ought to speake soberlye and modestlye of so great misteries and secrete thinges yet notwithstanding the aunsient writers of the Churche are worthie to be excused who when they coulde no otherwise defende the true and sincere doctrine against the double and deceytfull wordes of Heritiques were constrayned to deuise and inuent certayne woordes the which notwithstanding shoulde sounde or signifie no other thing than that which was already put downe in the sacred Scriptures They sayde that there were thrée Hypostases or persons in one simple essence of God vnderstanding by the name of persons seueral properties in GOD which offer themselues to our mindes to be séene The which separation Math. 28 Christ also confirmeth in these wordes Goe yee foorth and teache all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost And Saint Iohn 1. Iohn 5 in his Epistle sayth There are three which beare witnesse in heauen the Father the VVorde and the holye Ghost and these three are one M. Moreouer whereas Christ is sayde to bée borne of the Father and comming out from the Father to come into the worlde it is not so to be vnderstoode that hée being borne of the Father and come from the Father was separated from him that this which Iohn sayth And the worde was with GOD might bée vnderstoode of some time when hée was not the Sonne of the Father and when that hée was come from the Father hée was no more with the Father GOD forbidde It fareth so among vs which are mortall men But it goeth not so with GOD and his worde For the word of GOD neyther in being borne nor in going foorth is separated from GOD the Father euen as neyther the brightnesse from the sunne nor the heate from the fire by going foorth is separated nor the counsell of the hearte is separated from the wise man in bringing the same to a worke euen as the Apostle in diuers places witnesseth saying Ehe 1 Blessed be GOD the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs in all maner spirituall blessing in heauenlie thinges by Christ according as hee had chosen vs in him before the foundation of the worlde Therefore wée are chosen of God before the beginning of the worlde But how In Christ sayth hee that is to say by the worde purpose of God which was with him in the beginning And in another place who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus before the worlde began but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Sauiour Iesus Christ 2. Tim. 1 Therefore the grace of God is giuen vnto vs before the worlde was made when as in déede we were not But howe In that purpose and worde of GOD Christ which was with God in the beginning The like wordes we haue almost in his Epistle to Tytus where he sayth that eternall life was promised before the beginning of the worlde and that by the worde of God which is manifested by the preaching of the Gospell And God was the Word R. The Sonne is not onely with God the father but he is God also for the father and the sonne are two persons but one God and one essence M. And this is gathered by the two premises or propositions going before namelye where he sayde that this worde was in the beginning and that it was with GOD so that this sentence is nowe as it were the conclusion For whatsoeuer was not made in the beginning but had his being before and was also with God the same is God But Christ the worde of God was in the beginning with GOD therefore he is God For how shoulde he not be GOD which is the wisedome of God the worde of God the vertue the power of God and the Sonne of God Howe shoulde he not be God which is euerlasting hauing neyther beginning nor ende of dayes How shoulde he not be God which was alwayes with God and shall be for euer C. Least any man therefore shoulde remaine scrupulous or doubtfull of the deuine essence of God Saint Iohn plainely
errours Hee maketh him the Sonne of Ioseph and also a Nazarite by birth both which are very false and yet notwithstanding bycause hée sincerelye desired to profite his brother and to reueale Christ this his dilligence is accepted of GOD and hée hath also prosperous successe For truelie euery man must endeuour himselfe soberly to abide within his bounds And wée must not thinke that the Euangelist maketh mention of this thing as though it were worthy of prayse in Phillip that twise he enformeth and falselye reporteth of Christ but his doctrine is commended of him to be profitable howe corrupt and erronious soeuer it was because it tended to this ende to reueale Christ Foolishly hée calleth Iesus the sonne of Ioseph and ignorauntly hée maketh him a Nazarite notwithstanding hée applyeth this to no other than to the sonne of God which was borne at Bethlehem neyther doth hée make a counterfayte Christ but woulde onely haue him knowen to be such a one as Moyses and the Prophets had foreshewed We do sée therfore that this is the speciall poynt in doctrine namely that by all meanes they which heare vs maye come vnto Christ This place also teacheth vs not disdainfully to reiect that which simple and vnlearned men bring vnto vs concerning Christ though it be not so aptly alleaged if so be they direct vs vnto Christ But least we be drawen away by the false imaginations of men from Christ we haue alwayes this remedie at hande that is to saye to séeke for the pure knoledge of the trueth out of the Lawe and the Prophetes B. And in that that Philip sayde vnto Nathanael VVee haue founde him of whom Moyses the Law and the Prophets did write we may coniecture that Nathanael was studious in the Scriptures and had dilligently searched in them for the comming and kingdome of Christ 46. And Nathanael saide vnto him Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth Philip saith vnto him Come and see Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth R. Nathanael is offended at the basenes of the place according to the manner of fleshe and blood which is alwaies offended at abiect thinges because it alwaies aspireth to high and great thinges but God hideth his excellent workes vnder a base forme and showe that he might be wonderfull in his workes C. This godlye man is at the first offended with the vnaduised and rash talke of Phillip for that which he foolishly thought this man certainly beleeueth beside this by the hatred and contempte of the place he had conceiued a wrong Iudgement In like manner except we take héede diligently we shall not be without the same danger For trulye Satan dayly goeth about to staie vs with the like lettes from comming to christ For he seketh diligently to haue many lies spread abroad which may make vs either hate the Gospell or suspect the same that we may feare to taste thereof There is yet another stumbling blocke which he laith in our waie and that is to make Christ séeme contemptible vnto vs. For we doe see what a great offence to many the basenes of the Crosse is the which appeared as well in Christ the head as also in his members M. Nathanael therefore hauing regard to the wordes of the Prophete whiche foreshewed that Christ shoulde bée borne in Bethleem and not in Nazareth demaundeth whether any good thing can come out of Nazareth Mich. 5 So some in the company of the Pharisées sayde Shall Christ come foorth of Galilee Doeth not the Scripture saye that hée shall come of the séede of Dauid and out of the Citye of Bethlehem Come and see B. Iohn 7 When Philip was not able to resolue this doubt hée biddeth him come and sée M. For hée aunswereth nothing to the demaunde of Nathanael but that hée should goe with him to Christ and sée The which notable counsayle Andrewe also vsed before when he brought his brother Simon to Iesus For these twoo Andrew and Philip had so great experiēce in the force vertue of the Diuine power of Christ that with good and assured trust they desired nothing else but that hée should be heard of men being certified that it woulde come to passe that if any heard him they should haue so great experience of the light of the truth that afterwarde they shoulde féele no doubting in them B. Therefore Nathanael had so great a desire to the trueth that out of hand he followed Philippe to Iesus although it séemed to bée contrarye to the Scriptures whiche Philip had shewed And hereby hée got straight waye the knowledge of the Lorde C. For hée suffered his double errour by this inuitacion of Philippe to bee corrected Euen so by his example let vs shewe our selues tractable and readye to bée taught let vs not also refuse to inquyre and searche séeing Christ is alwayes ready to ease vs of those doubtes that trouble vs. And if at any time our obiections can not bée satisfied let vs not yet condemne that whiche is offered vnto vs and seasse to séeke any farther for the trueth 47. Iesus saw Nathanael comming to him and sayth of him behoulde a right Israelite in whome is no guile M. Nathanael was not of theyr crewe which condemned the Doctrine of the trueth before they heard or knew the same and by obstinate impietie could not abide to heare the same Such were the Scribes and Pharisées of the Iewes and that contrary to the Lawe of God as Nicodemus noteth Doeth our Lawe sayeth he iudge any man before it heare him Iohn 7 and know what he hath done Such are the Iudges and Byshops at this day of the Popish Church which very rashely reiect the Doctrine of the gospell condemne and persecute the same And sayeth of him beholde a right C. In that Christ prayseth Nathanael hée doth it not for his sake but vnder his person he propoundeth a common doctrine For séeing there are many which boast them selues to be faythfull which are nothing lesse it is méete that the true and good be discerned from the false and counterfayt by some note or marke Wée know how greatly the Iewes boasted in their Father Abraham when they boasted of the holinesse of their ofspring notwithstanding scarce one of them among an hundred was founde which was not a Bastard and a Stranger from the fayth of his fathers Therefore Christe to the ende hée might take away the cloake from the Hipocrites hée briefely defineth a true Israelite and doth therewith also take away the offence which afterward should arise vppon the wicked contumacie of that Nation For they which woulde be counted the Children of Abraham and the holye people of God became afterwarde mortall and sworne enimies of the Gospell Least therfore the common impietie almost of all estates should discourage or trouble anye man hée admonisheth before hande and in dewe time that among many which pretende the name of true Israelites few are true in déede R. But
in Nicodemus which comprehended not those thinges which were spoken 10. Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto him Art thou a Mayster in Israel and knowest not these thinges M. Our Sauiour Christ séemeth to woonder at the scencelesnesse and ignoraunce of Nicodemus being a man learned in the Lawe as if hée had not knowne the same before But by these wordes our Sauiour casteth rather Nicodemus in the téeth with his ignoraunce than woondreth at the same and yet neuerthelesse without disdaine C. For Christ séeing that hée spent the time in vaine with a prowde man and that hée lost his labour in teaching of him falleth to plaine reprehension Bv. And being offended at his dulnesse hée reprooueth his grosse witte as if hée shoulde haue sayde O miserable condition of those shéepe the charge and care of whome is committed to a Pastor so dull and ignoraunt in heauenlye thinges Hitherto thou hast béene accounted of vs one of the chiefe maysters and teachers in Israel but séeing thou art ignoraunt of those thinges whereof euen such as are Disciples and Schollers may bée ashamed to be ignoraunt of men maye meruaile what thou and the Scribes and Pharisees men of thy calling teache the people committed to their charge E. Howe commeth it to passe that thou art ignoraunte of these thinges so common in the Scriptures séeing thou art a teacher of other men For what other thing else meaneth the circumcision of the heart which Moyses so dilligentlye commended vnto you What else was the meaning of the sanctification so often tymes preached to the people but this innouation and spirituall Natiuitie of mens mindes of the whiche I speake The whole Scripture doth sufficientlye testifie Gen. 6.5 and .8.21 that all fleshe is onelye inclined to that which is euill Howe therefore shoulde anye fleshe but that which is borne againe and sanctified enter into the kingdome of God which is the kingdome of righteousnesse What can bée more plaine than that which the Prophet Esay Iere. 31.19 Ezech 11.19 and .36.26 Ieremy and Ezechiel haue spoken concerning the regenerating and renuing spirite Of the same also most plainelye hath the Prophet in his Psalmes prophesied It is meruaile therefore that my doctrine séemeth so straunge vnto thée Beholde here the true waye and maner how prowde persons that are puffed vp with vaine glory and which stande in their owne conceite ought to bée handeled C. For doctrine shall take no place or profite nothing at all vntill suche time as they be cleane purged from the pride of their owne wicked conceypt R. And this is a generall reprehension by which Christe reprooueth the blindnesse of all the Rabbines For Christ so talketh here with Nicodemus that by him hée vnderstandeth the whole order of the Pharisées and Deuines and all the professors of their Leuen M. Therefore let suche as haue the titles and names of Pastors in the Churche Two thinges required in a Pastour and which brag of the same consider how they aunswere and discharge that their calling For two thinges are required in faithfull and true Pastors namelye puritie of Doctrine Purity of doctrine holines of life required in a true Pastour and holinesse of life Concerning the first wée haue mention made here concerning the other reade the thirtéenth of Mathew and the second Chapter to the Romaines 11. Veryly veryly I saye vnto thee we speake that wee knowe and testifie that wee haue seene and ye receiue not our witnesse Veryly Veryly Bv. The Lorde by this sentence declareth how certaine firme the whole doctrine of the Gospell is not onelye in the Doctrine of regeneration but also in all other articles and speciall poyntes of our fayth And this hee confirmeth with an oath the which he is not woonte to doe but in matters most sure and firme M. Séeing therefore there were two thinges to bée reprehended in the Iewes namelye the ignoraunce of deuine matters and the fault of vnbeléefe Christ when he had reprooued the first commeth to the seconde Wee speake that wee knowe A. Some referre these wordes to Christ and to Iohn the Baptist who was sent of God to testifie of the true light CHR. Othersome vnderstande them of the Father and the sonne whome he sent into the worlde Iohn 1.7 For Christ spake those thinges in the worlde which hée had hearde of the Father Iohn 8.26 Othersome saye that the Plurall number is put for the singular by a figure called Enallagen C. But there is no doubte but that Christ here ioyneth him selfe with all the Prophets and Ministers of God and speaketh generallye in the person of them all For Philosophers and other vaine Doctours doe oftentimes bring in those vaine toyes which they them selues haue imagined and deuised But Christ challengeth this as proper to him selfe and to all the seruauntes of God alone that they deliuer nothing but a certaine and vndoubted Doctrine For God sendeth not suche as shoulde prate and talke of thinges doubtful and vnknowne But suche as deliuer to others those things which they haue learned of him in his Schoole B. Here therefore we are taught that no man ought to teache any thing for a trueth and certaintye whereof hée is not most assured 1. Peter .4 All thinges that we speake in the Churche ought to bée as the woordes of God C. Let euery one therefore take héede what is reuealed to him of the Lorde least he goe beyonde the boundes of his Faith and loast he speake those thinges which he hath not heard of the Lorde Bv. Moreouer let all those obserue and weigh this sentence of the Lorde whiche crye that the aucthoritye of the Gospell should bée nothing if so bée the aucthoritye of the Churche had not allowed and confirmed the same For the Doctrine of Christ and of the Apostles hath sufficient aucthority and allowance of it sellfe and néedeth no other testimonye The Gospell needeth not the allowaunce of the Church For it is Authential and set foorth by those which are eye witnesses and most assured of the same hauing for the aucthour thereof the Sonne of God him selfe the wisedome of his Father and the holye Ghost whiche is the true liuing and eternal God speaking by the Apostles And testifye that we haue seene B. As if he should say We testifie euen the verye same thing which fewe of you receiue for some of you haue receiued it The lyke is reade in the first Chapter going before where it is sayde He came into his owne and his owne receiued him not C. By which manner of speache and by this complaint of our Sauiour Christ we gather that this was appointed to the word of God as a fatall destinye in all ages not to bée receyued and beléeued M. Wherevpon also Christ vseth the plurall number saying Ye receyue not C. Because this not receyuing pertayned to the greater number and almost to the whole bodye of the people Therefore Christ thought good to adde this least
rather with all our might to séeke the aduauncement of his glorye that by the sincere Preaching of Gods word as the Lord him selfe signified to Peter saying Simon Ioanna Louest thou mee Ioh. 21.15 more then these Feede my Lambes And the Apostle Paule saith It is required at the hands of stewardes that they be found faithfull 1. Cor. 4.2 Therefore hée cannot be a true Minister of Christ which is not a friende to Christ Wherevpon the Apostle speaking of himselfe affirmeth that hée is a friende to the true Bridegrome of this Churche saying For I am gelous ouer you with godlye gelousie 2. Cor. 11.2 For I haue coupled you to one man to present you a chaste Virgin vnto Christ R. Therefore Christ is the Bridegroome and the Churche is the Spouse C. And as hée truelye offreth himselfe vnto vs that hée may be oures euen so at our handes iustlye hée requireth that fayth and loue which the wife oweth to the husbande And as for the chastitie which he requireth that specially consisteth in the obedience of the Gospell and in our constancye in the pure simplicitie of the same A. Herevppon the Apostle Peter writeth to the faithful saying 1. Pet. 1.22 Yee which haue purified your soules through the spirite in obeying the truth C. Therefore wée must be subiect to Christ alone hée must bée our only head we must not swarue the breadth of a héere from the truth of the Gospell and Christ aboue all other must be glorified that hée maye retaine and kéepe the right and place of the Bridegroome But what say you to the Ministers Veryly the sonne of God calleth them to attende vpon him in the time of celebrating the sacred marriage Wherefore it belongeth vnto them to séeke by all meanes possible to deliuer vnto the bridegroome whose care is committed vnto them a pure and chaste Virgin But they which séeke to bring the church rather to themselues than vnto Christ doe falselye violate the mariage which they ought to honest and adorne And looke how Christ doth endew his Disciples with the greater honour in making them kéepers of his Spouse the greater is their infidelitie if they séeke not to preserue his right vnuiolated M. For the Ministers ought to stande and heare what the Bridegroome commaundeth and then to induce others to his obedience Wherevpon Saint Iohn sayth not that hée reioyceth because of the Bridegroome but bicause of the Bridegroomes voyce A. The which saying I woulde to GOD were well noted of those which are not afrayde to obiect the auctoritie of the Church against the very worde of Christ as though Christ the onelye and true Spouse of the Churche had lefte an imperfect and lame doctrine to the faythfull For hée sayth I saye not vnto you Iohn 15. that ye are seruauntes because the seruaunt knoweth not what his mayster doth But I haue called you friendes because I haue declared vnto you all thinges that I haue hearde of my Father M. Therfore al auctority is giuen to the Bridegroome not to the Bride To the Bridegroome is giuen a voyce to speake and to commaund to the Bride is giuen eares to heare according to this saying Hearken O daughter and see Psal 45.11 and incline thine eare C. Therefore Iohn the Baptist affirmeth that hée hath obtayned his full desire in that hée séeeth Christ to raigne and to haue that audience which hée deserueth Bv. As if hée shoulde saye As hée which is not the Bridegroome but a friende to the Bridegroome and a looker on neyther enuieth the Bridegrooms felicitie nor taketh awaye his Bride but rather reioyceth for the mariage made betwéene them boath and standyng by reioyceth hereat secretlye in his heart and not openlye because hée séeth the labour which hée tooke in making the mariage to haue prosperous successe and the Bride which is brought of the Bridegroome to enioye most swéete and pleasaunt companye of the same Euen so I béeing a Foorerunner of Christ not the Bridegroome but a friende of the Bridegroome wholy desiring that the people of GOD maye be associate and vnited to his mariage neyther doe I enuie his great glory neither wil I pull from him his people but doe most hartely reioyce that I haue lyued vnto this daye most happelye with my eyes to behold and sée that my Preaching hath not béene in vaine but that all men spéedelye come vnto Christ to whome I haue hitherto inuited them this my excéeding Ioye I saye is fulfilled C. Verylye whosoeuer is so affected that hée will séeke Christ and not him selfe and is contented to haue Christes honour aduaunced shall faithfully and profitablye gouerne the Churche But whosoeuer shall decline eyther to the right hande or to the lefte from this waye shal be an vnchaste Adulterer and can not chose but corrupt and defile the Spouse of Christ 30. Hee must increase but I must decrease R. This is a very short sentence but yet worthy to bée noted C. For because Iohn was at the first highly aduaunced by the Lorde hée sheweth that hée receyued this honour but for a time and must nowe that the Sonne of righteousnesse is rysen geue place Therefore hée doth not onely repell and reiect the vaine titles of honour which men ignorantly and erroniouslye had geuen vnto him but also séeketh carefullye that the true and lawfull honour which the Lord had bestowed vpon him shoulde not obscure the glory of christ For this cause he saith that hitherto hée was counted for a great Prophete and that hée was appointed to enioye his Dignitye vntill the comming of Christ to whome hée ought to render vp the same B. As if he should saye Nowe I haue throughlye discharged my Office Bv. I sayd that Christ should come yea I haue Preached that hée is come alreadye I haue promised remission of sinnes and all other graces in him and to this Christ I haue called all men therfore there remayneth nothing now but that hée alone shoulde liue Teache Florishe Raigne and should bée all in al to his Saintes in the Churche neyther must there bée had any regarde to me anye lenger for it is méete that his glory should bée alone increased in the worlde and be knowne vnto men and contrarywise that my name as the name of a Minister or Seruaunt decreased M. And it is to bée noted that hée sayth not He increaseth and I am deminished for his Disciples saw this were sorye for it and complayned thereof but to the ende he might admonishe them that there was nothing done but that which of necessitie must be done and whiche ought not nor coulde not be let or hindered hée sayth Hee must increase but I must decrease And Christ increased when his knowledge and glorye shined more and more in the mindes of men Iohn diminished when the opinion of his name decreased before those which came to heare Christ Bv. Otherwise Iohn kéepeth his glorye and honour in the Churche
in the office of teaching For in her words is contained a secréete Antithesis or comparison betwéene Christ and the Prophetes in that shée maketh them to bée but Disciples as it were vnto Christ Furthermore shee meaneth that Christ is the vtmost ende of wisedome beyonde the which it is vnlawfull for any man to goe I woulde to GOD that they which nowe boast them selues to bée the pyllers of the Churche woulde but followe this sillye Woman that they might bée rather contented with the simple Doctrine of Christ than to take vnto them selues suche aucthoritye as to ioyne therewith theyr owne inuentions Bv. For they make Lawes to daye whiche to morrowe they abrogate and they thinke that they maye doe what they lyst them selues But this place prooueth that Christe hath taught all thinges that are necessarye to the knowledge of GOD and not friuolous or curious thinges C. Wherevppon commeth the Popishe and Mahumetishe Religion but onely of those wicked forged inuentions which they haue deuised to fyll vp the Doctrine of the Gospell and to profite the same as though without such doting dreames it shoulde bée lame But whosoeuer wyll be well instructed in the Schoole of Christ let him séeke no other Maysters neyther admitte them being fullye perswaded that treasures of all wisedome and knowledge are layde vp in Christ in so muche that hée ought to be hearde and no other euen as the Father hath commaunded 26. Iesus sayth vnto her I that speake vnto thee am hee M. Because it séemed that the woman now lacked nothing but this one thing that shée shoulde know the instructour heauenly teacher of al thinges whose cōming she looked for to bée nowe present therefore without all dissimulacion hée manifesteth him selfe vnto her saying J that speake vnto thee am hee R. By which voyce the woman dyd not onelye receyue full iustification by fayth but is also certified in her conscience that this is that very Christ which is righteousnesse 1. Cor. 10.1 sanctification and redemption This is that voyce the which if Christ speake in our heartes it cannot be but we must féele most passing swéetenesse of Gods grace or shal be replenished with all Heauenlye ioye For it is the force of the Gospell to pacifye the conscience terrifyed with the knowledge and féeling of sinnes because it is the power of God to saluation to euerye one that beléeueth Rom. 1.16 When the Lord confesseth him selfe to the woman to bée the Messias he offereth him selfe no doubte to be her teacher to the ende hée might satisfye her conceyued hope Therefore it is likely that there folowed more plentifull Doctrine to quenche her Thyrst And he thought hée would shew suche a document and example of his grace vppon this poore woman that hée would manifestly declare vnto all men that hée wyll neuer forsake his office where a teacher is requyred Therefore there is no doubte but that he shal be wel instructed and taught whome hée findeth a prepared and apte Disciple but they whiche disdayne to submitte them selues vnto his lore as we sée that many proude and prophane men do or they which looke for more perfecte wisedome from some other as doe the Turkes and Papistes are worthy to bée drowned in the Labyrinth of all errours M. Wheras he doth not onely saye I am hee but addeth also whiche speake vnto thee hée doth it to this ende that the woman might waye and consider the gifte of God of the which hée had made mencion in the beginning of this communication to whome it was geuen not onely to see and knowe Christ the sonne of God but also to haue him with her alone preaching vnto her with all gentlenesse the wordes of lyfe A. Truelye a great and vnspeakeable gifte of God that not onely the sonne of God came into the world but also spake to sinners that they which reiecte him might haue no excuse Wherefore Psa 95. ◠if wée wyll heare his voyce let vs not harden our heartes Deu. 18. ◠least God powre his vengeaunce vppon vs who hath sent so great a Prophete vnto vs yea the Lorde of all Prophetes Question M. But here it may be demaunded why the Lord doth manifest him selfe in so plaine wordes declaring him selfe to be Christ when as he forbade his Disciples to declare the same to any man before his death and resurrection I aunswere Aunsvvere Although of it selfe it be not only indifferent but also good that hée was knowen to bée Christ yet notwithstanding for certaine causes he would not haue the same made cōmon vnto many but vnto certaine selected speciall personnes before the fulnesse of time was come But these were not knowne vnto the Disciples therfore hée forbad them to reueale this secréete to any Notwithstanding what was the let why hée dyd not manifest him selfe to those whome he would séeing hée knewe well inough that from the beginning who they were which should not beléeue on him Ioh. 6.64 There are certayne dispensations of good thinges which are not to bée committed to euery one but to those onelye which by their wisedome know how to bestowe and direct all thinges to the edification and profite of the elect Wherefore wee are here admonished not to require an account of the Diuine dispensation or disposing why the Lord geueth to one and denyeth to another the verye selfe and same thing in it selfe verye good Bv. By the verye same reason we sée that the Lorde doeth not at the beginning of the talke declare him selfe to the Woman to be the Messias For no doubte shée had slyded awaye from him as accounting him to be but aproude and arrogaunt boaster of him selfe But nowe going forewarde by degrées shée not perceyuing whereabout he went he conueyed him selfe wholye into her breast and so made her beléeuing 27. And immediatelye came his Disciples and maruayled that hee talked with the Woman Yet no man sayde vvhat seekest thou Or vvhy talkest thou with her And immediatlye came his Disciples M. These thinges are not added by the Euangelist without great diligence For hée meaneth hereby that the prouidence of GOD kepte backe the Disciples whiche were absente so long as the Lorde was vnknowne to this Woman least they by any maner of meanes might hynder theyr communication but so soone as the Lorde had made him selfe manifest vnto her they returned For wée maye reade howe the Disciples went about at one time or other Math. 19.13.14 Mar. 10.13 to hynder eyther by theyr importunitye or else by theyr vndiscrete zeale the good workes of our Sauiour Christ as the Euangelistes testifye Bv. Least therefore by any manner of meanes this godlye conference might bée broken of and not continue to the ende Christ woulde not haue his Disciples returne before he had manifested him selfe to the Woman And maruailed C. There maye bée twoo causes of this admiration eyther because they were offended at the vilenesse of the personne or else because
haue them onely in Bookes and so layd vp as our treasure as we saee many men doe neyther yet are they geuen that we might simplye and sleightlye reade them as though it were sufficient to reade eyther that by a supersticious opinion the reading of them might bée in stéede of worship and diuine seruice as we sée the Papistes do and as the Iewes continuallye doe on the Sabboth dayes but they are geuen to this ende that they might bée read with diligence and with a minde desirous to finde out those thinges which belong to true knowledge and true godlinesse The readers of the Scriptures must bée searchers and not corrupters wresters dreamers or supersticious murmurers Howe the scriptures ought to be read And the Scriptures do not require any searching but that whiche is godlye humble and desirous to knowe and imbrace one trueth onely otherwise a man maye finde some which reade the Scriptures but not to searche out Gods truth but rather to hinder the same Euen so Herode inquired out the truth out of the Scriptures concerning the place where Christ should bée borne not to the ende he might worshippe him Mat. 2.4 but rather to destroye him Also the Pharisées sayde to Nicodemus Searche the Prophetes and see howe that a Prophete commeth not out of Galilee Iohn 7.52 They sayd not And see what is written in the Scriptures concerning Christ So in lyke manner wicked and vngodlye men do search the scriptures to corrupt the same to theyr owne destruction C. By this woorde Scripture is vnderstoode the olde Testament For Christ dyd not first of all beginne to bée manifested in the Gospell but hauing testimony out of the lawe and the Prophetes he openlye exhibited him selfe in the Gospell Therfore that which Christ sayeth here agréeth with that which he spake vnto his Apostles after his resurrection Luk. 24.44 saying These are the wordes which I spake vnto you when I was yet with you that all must needes bee fulfilled whiche were written of mee in the lawe of Moyses and in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes But nowe it were an infinite labour to gather into one those testymonies of Scripture which pertaine to the manifesting of Christ notwithstanding we maye beholde some of them in the foure and twentye of Luke 40. And yet wyll ye not come to me that ye might haue light A. Hée meaneth that men labour in vaine in reading of the Scriptures except their onelye dryft bée to finde out Christ in them M. He sayth not And ye come not but And ye wyll not come to mee that ye maye haue lyfe C. in which woords hée againe casteth in theyr téeth that nothing staye them from obtayning that lyfe which is offered in the Scriptures but their owne mallice For in saying that they wyl not hée assigneth the cause of theyr ignoraunce and blindnesse to theyr owne wicked obstinacye And verylye séeing he so wyllingly offered him selfe vnto them it must néedes bée that they were wyllinglye blinde And séeing they dyd séeke by all meanes to shonne the lyght nay séeing they dyd séeke to obscure and darken the bright sonne with the darkenesse of theyr vnbeléefe Christ doeth iustlye more sharpelye reprehend them M. And beholde here what a false perswacion can doe They would not come vnto Christ that they might haue life by him And wherefore Because they thought that they had euerlasting lyfe alreadye Therefore so many as dyd thinke that they had already obtayned saluation come not vnto Christ the sauiour Hee which thinketh him selfe whole and sounde commeth not to the Phisition So it happened to the Disciples of Iohn who for the opinion of saluation whiche they had conceyued of Iohn were against Christ when as Iohn sent all men vnto Christ After the same manner also we sée that the Papistes at this daye reiect the Doctrine of Christ which is the power of God to saluation to euery beléeuer through the opinion of saluation which they haue conceyued in them selues in that they thinke them selues to bée in the Church of Christ but out of the which no man can bée saued but the same Church doeth not drawe awaye men from the Gospell of Christ but rather sendeth all men to his Doctrine Let them take héede which boast and bragge of the Gospell and woord of God least conceyuing the lyke opinion they doe not truely heare Christ the Lorde of lyfe nor so truelye follow him as they ought 41. I receyue not praise of men B. In these wordes our sauiour preuenteth the sclaunder wherewith the Iewes might haue sclandered him to bée ambicious because hee had cast them in the téeth with theyr contempt of him who was so manifestly commended in the Scriptures R. As if bée should say I would not haue you to thinke that I cal you vnto me and that I wyll you to beleeue my word because I am ambicious and desirous of praise Bée it far from me that I shoulde seeke the praise and commendacion of men For if I were any thing desirous of glorye I woulde neuer haue so abased my selfe as to haue taken vpon me humayne fleshe but I speake these thinges being desirous of your saluation I séeke not my selfe but you C. neyther am I gréeued that I sée my selfe contemned but I séeke the glorye of God the Father and the safety of you all And so he goeth forwarde in refelling the sclaunder that he extolleth him selfe aboue all men For in déede hée is so great and mightye that he ought not to depende vppon the Iudgement of men when as the wickednesse of the whole worlde can detract nothing at all from him nor diminishe one héere 's breadth of his power 42. But I know you that ye haue not the loue of God in you M. Hée nowe manifestlye declareth whereof hée gathered the original of theyr Incredulitye namelye hereof that they had no loue of God in them As if hée should saye It is not hidden or vnknowne to mée for what cause ye come not vnto me Yée faine that ye haue the loue of God and ye wyll séeme to persecute me because I am against the commaundement and glory of God as a wicked man and a breaker of the Sabboth daye a blasphemer of God and a seeker of vaineglorye But howsoeuer ye deceyue and blinde simple and ignoraunt men with this hipocriticall pretence ye can not deceyue mée Yée are not vnlyke your Forefathers For as they honoured GOD with theyr Lippes and despised him in their heartes euen so ye through Hipocrisye woulde séeme to loue GOD with your mouthes whome notwithstanding ye loue not in your heartes with your mouth ye speake of God but with your heart ye séeke your selues For I know you throughlye who and what ye are what ye do and wherevnto also ye haue respect B. For whosoeuer haue any manner of loue or feeling of GOD do also receyue his woord so farre they are from reiecting the Sonne of God Ioh.
God onely Howe can ye beleeue Bv. Here he openeth the originall and cause of theyr vnbeléefe C. Because it might séeme very harde that they which were domesticall Disciples of the Lawe and the Prophetes from theyr Childhoode should bée condemned of such grosse Ignoraunce and appointed to bée enemies of the trueth naye it might séeme a thing incredible Christ sheweth what dyd hinder them from beléeuing namely Ambicion which possesseth their whole minde For properly he speaketh vnto the Priests and Scribes who swelling with Pride coulde not submit them selues vnto God B. They which beléeue giue all glory vnto God for they séeke for all thinges at his hande The which thing they can not doe which séeke and receyue glorye of men For they séeme to be somewhat Vaine glorious mindes are voyde of faith and attribute much vnto them selues And this is a notable place teaching all men that the gate of Faith is shutte vp against those whose mindes are desirous of terrene and vaineglorye For it must néedes be that he which wyll be some body in the worlde must bée a vacabonde and ronne awaye from God But a man commeth to the obedience of heauenlye doctrine when he thinketh that he ought to séeke all his life tyme to bée in the loue and fauoour of God A. Herevppon it is sayde Iames. 4. Hee which wyll be a friende of this worlde is an enemye to God If any man loue the worlde 1. Ioh. 2.15 the loue of the Father is not in him M. Christ doth not in this place condempne Ciuill honestye when one man honoureth another but he speaketh against suche as are vaine glorious and séeke after honour The Apostles commaundeth the faithfull to goe one before another in honour Also Peter sayth Rom. 12.10 Honour all men 1. Pe. 2.17 But there is difference betwéene honouring of other men and séeking to bée honoured of other men For the fyrst belongeth to Christian faith the other not so Question But howe doth these wordes agrée with those which the Euangelist hath in that which followeth where he saith Neuerthelesse Ioh. 12.24 among the Rulers many beleeued on him but because of the Pharisees they dyd not confesse him least they should bee excommunicate For they loued the prayse of men more than the prayse of God Wée aunswere that there are twoo kindes of fayth Aunsvvere Faith of two kinds the first is that which commeth by Miracles or by a manifest declaration of the trueth the other is that whiche commeth by hearing the worde of God through the grace of the holy ghost Concerning these thinges reade that whiche goeth before in the ende of the seconde Chapter Verse 23. Faith that commeth by hearing iustifyeth The first kinde of faith doeth not iustifye the heartes but the latter kinde doeth both iustify and also bring lyfe Concerning the first of these the Euangelist speaketh but of the latter faith the Lorde speaketh here the whiche Fayth they can not haue which séeke moore the prayse of menne than they doe the glorye of GOD. For this Fayth as it beléeueth so it bothe speaketh and lyueth I beléeued sayeth the Prophete and therefore I spake A. Hée therefore which wylbe a true Disciple of Christ must of necessitye both heare and followe the Apostle which speaketh thus 1. Cor. 3.18 Let no man deceyue him selfe If any man among you seeme to him selfe to bee wyse in this worlde let him bee a foole that hee maye bee wyse Galat. 6.3 And in another place If any man seeme in his owne eyes to bee somewhat when in deede he is nothing he deceyueth his owne minde To bée short if so bée we wyll bée capable of Diuine and Heauenlye wisedome i. Cor. 14.10 wée must be litle children not in vnderstanding but in mallice because God hath hidden his secréete misteryes from the wise and prudent of this world and hath reuealed them to Babes Mat. 11.24 For where Ambicion is there can not bée Faith 45. Doe not thinke that I wyll accuse you to my Father there is one that accuseth you euen Moyses in whome ye trust Do not thinke that I wyll accuse you Bv. Hée concludeth his demonstration with a commination or threatening the which hée prosecuteth in fewe wordes but yet most effectuall threatning to the Iewes eternall dampnation if so bée they goe forewarde in their vnbeléefe and hardnesse of heart Threatning ought to be vsed when gētle admonition wyll not serue C. For towarde the obstinate and stubborne this waye must bée vsed when Doctrine and friendlye admonitions wyll not preuaile There are very fewe which openlye deryde GOD but there are verye many which being sworne enemyes vnto GOD doe dallye and trifle with him in theyr heartes fayning to them selues that hée is mercifull and fauourable to them Euen so at this day Gods enemies which wickedly treade the Doctryne of Christe vnder theyr féete are notwithstanding as proude as if they were Gods dere friendes For who can perswade the Papistes that there is Christianisme any where but amongst them Such were the Scribes with whom our sauiour Christ disputed here When they were notable contemners of the lawe yet they greatly bragged of Moises insomuch that they did not let to holde him out against Christ as a buckeler If hée had threatned them that hée him selfe woulde haue béene to them a heauye and an intollerable enemye hée knewe that they woulde haue contempned it Therefore hée sayeth that Moyses wyll accuse them the which they much more estéemed than the other For because they litle regarded the Doctrine of Christ and affirmed that they obserued the discipline of Moises saying VVe are Moyses Disciples Iohn 9 2◠wee knowe that God spake to Moyses But as for this fellowe wee wote not whence he is necessarilye nowe he affirmeth that Moyses of whome they boasted was of them despysed also and that they néeded no other accusar for that all other holding theyr peace the lawe of Moyses was suffficient to condemne all the Iewes which beléeued not in him Bv. But neuerthelesse wée must not here imagine a grose manner of accusation by which Moyses nowe being in eternall blisse shoulde be vexed For because the Iewes did not beléeue their Moyses testifiyng of Christ and threatening euerlasting destruction to them which beléeued not Christ they are sayd to be accused of Moyses whose owne conciences doe accuse them C. For Christ hadde no other respect than that he might quayle the trust of hipocrites which falsely gloried in the reuerence of Moyses Euen as if a man at this daye shoulde saye vnto the Papistes that they shoulde haue no greater enimies vnto them than the holye Fathers of the Churche whome so falsely they haue alleaged M. So it maye be sayde to those which falsely bragge of the Apostle Peter and of his aucthoritie that they shal haue Peter whose doctrine they little regarde a bytter accuser before God A. And to be
the preaching of the Gospell as many dreame To be drawne of the father is to be endued with fayth and with the holye Ghost by which our heartes are sealed and confirmed towarde Christ For the Father geueth fayth to whome he will and on whome he will he hath mercy Rom. 9.18 and whome he will also he maketh harde harted C. It is no violent manner therefore of drawing whiche draweth a man with externall hawling and pulling The holye Ghost draweth men to God of the whiche oure sauiour speaketh here and yet notwithstanding the motion of the holy ghost is so effectuall that it maketh men willing in despight of fleshe and bloud Wherefore that is false and prophane whiche some saye that no man is drawn against his will as though a man were obedient to God by his own motion and will For in that men willingly obaye God it commeth of him who frameth their hartes to his obedience A. Therefore mans fréewill is nothing And I will raise him vp at the last daye Reade the thirtie and nine and fourty verses going before 45. It is wrighten in the Prophetes And they shall be taught of God Euery man therefore that hath hearde and hath learned of the father commeth vnto mee It is wrighten in the Pro. M. Because it might seeme very straunge that he so gretly vrged that no man coulde come vnto him except he were drawne of the Father he bringeth the prophetical testimony cōcerning the same not that the same was more to be estéemed in it selfe then that whiche he had spoken but because the authority of the Prophetes was of greate credite and estimation with them C. He nameth Prophetes in the plurall number because al the prophecies were gathered together into one body in somuch that all the Prophets may very wel be comprehended in one booke But the place whiche is here cited is to be founde in Esay foure and fiftie chapter and the xiii verse where the Prophete speaking of the repayring of the Churche promiseth to the same sonnes which shal be taught of God Whereby we maye easely gather that the Churche can be no otherwise restoared excepte God taking vppon him the office of a teacher doe bringe the faithfull vnto him B. And not onely the Prophete Esaye teacheth this but the other Prophetes also For there is scarce one Prophet which hath not foreshewed in many wordes that this doctrine of the Father shall be specially in the tyme of Christe For although the fathers were taught and instructed with this doctrine yet notwithstanding it began to be more plentifully bestowed vppon the electe so soone as Christ was glorifyed Bv. If any man desier to haue farther testimony oute of the rest of the Prophetes lette him rede these places coated in the margent C Ier. 31.33 Eze. 36.26 Ioel. 2.28 But this manner of teaching of the whiche the Prophete speaketh consisted not in externall voyce onely but in the secrete operation of the holy ghoste also God calleth outwardely inwardely To be shorte this instruction of God is the inwarde illumination of the harte R. Notwithstanding wée maye not hereby take occation to contemne vocall predication and externall hearing For God verily teacheth but yet by externall meanes for fayth commeth by hearing He geueth his good spirite but yet by the preching of the Gospell he geueth increase but yet by the planting of Paule and by the watering of Apollo Wherfore God teacheth man ministereth faith receyueth doctrine God geueth hys spirite the Apostle ministereth the beléeuer receyueth and so those thinges are ministered and distributed by the seruice of the Apostles whereof God is the author him selfe This particle all ought to be restrayned to Gods elect which only are the naturall Sonnes of the Church Euery man therfore that hath harde Bv. Thrée thinges are put down in order the latter hath his originall of the two firste For they come vnto Christe which beléeue in Christe and they beléeue which haue learned and they haue learned of the father which haue harde the Father To heare therfore hath the firste place and it is properly referred to the institution or inspiration of the father going before For the father teacheth externallye with his worde of trueth by the ministers as by instrumentes and within he doth inflame them by his holy Spirite B. This is to be drawne of the father For the father doth not draw men to the Sonne as a man woulde drawe a stoane or a logge after him but by teaching and perswading C. As Christe therefore at the fyrste did denie men to be féete to beléeue excepte they were drawne euenso now he pronowceth that the grace of the spirite is effecttuall by whiche men are drawen to beléeue of necessitie Freewil ouerthrown By these two members the whole power of frée will is quite ouerthrowen of the whiche the Papistes so greately dreme For if wée come not to Christ before the father drawe vs wee haue not so muche in vs as the beginning of fayth nor redinesse at all to obaye Moreouer if all doe come whome the father teacheth he doth not only geue a desire to beléeu but also fayth it selfe Therefore in that wée willingly obaye by the dyrection of gods holy spirite it is a token of grace and of oure sealing because God shoulde not drawe vs if so be he stretching oute hys hande as it were shoulde leaue oure will in the midest in suspence For he is properly sayde to drawe vs when he extendeth the power of his spirite to the full effecte of fayth They are sayde to heare whiche with all their mynde submit them selues to God speaking within them because the spirit raigneth in their hartes B. Therefore they which come not vnto Christ do not come because eyther they haue harde nothing of the father concerning him or else are not taught so that they haue throughly learned him For the wicked do learne somewhat that is deuine but they learne throughly or sufficiently 46. Not that any man hath seene the Father saue he which is of GOD the same hath seene the Father M. He spake to a carnall people therefore by this adition he woulde prouide that they did not carnally vnderstand that which he spake concerning his Fathers doctrine forsomuche as God is inuisible and can be seene of no man C. And as he hath hitherto comended the grace of his Father euen so nowe he calleth backe all the Faythfull to him aloane For boath ought to be ioyned togither namely that there can no knowledge of Christ be had vntill the Father doth illuminate vs by his holye spirite which by nature are blinde and yet notwithstanding God is sought in vaine before wée haue Christ because the maiestie of God is so highe that mans scence and vnderstanding cannot reache vnto the same naye there is no knowledge of God without Christ His wordes dedepending on that which goeth before are thus muche in effect All men must bée
spake For hée compareth himselfe with his father onelye in respect of hys flesh For although the father be the beginning of life yet notwithstanding the eternall worde it selfe is also properlye lyfe But the eternal diuinitie of Christ is not here handeled because hée propoundeth him selfe as hée being cloathed with our flesh manifested himselfe to the worlde Whereas therefore hée sayth that hée liueth by the Father it doth not belong to the bare diuinitie neyther also doth it simplye agrée with the human nature but it is a title of the Sonne of GOD manifested in the fleshe Furthermore wée knowe that it is no vnwonted thing to Christ to ascribe to the Father whatsoeuer is deuine in himselfe Bv. It is also to be noated that hée sayth shall liue by the meanes of me Iustification commeth by Grace For in that we are Iustified quickened and blessed it commeth not by our owne merite but by the mere goodnesse of Christe And therefore the Lorde sayth by the mouth of the Prophet I will redeeme thee Esec 36.22 Three degrees of life not for thy sake but for my owne sake C. We muste also noate that there are reckened here thrée degrees of lyfe The firste degree hath God the lyuing Father who is a springing well but secrete and hidden The seconde degree hath the sonne who is as a conduite pype by whome lyfe is powred into vs. The thirde is that lyfe which we drawe from hym So that because God the Father in whome consisteth lyfe is farre from vs Christe is appoynted as a meane whiche is the seconde cause of lyfe that from him that might come to vs whiche otherwise lyeth secrete and hid in God This sentence therefore agréeeth with that whiche went before where the Lorde sayde Iohn 5.29 As the father hath life in himselfe so hath he geuen to the Sonne to haue life in him selfe For in diuers other places he calleth him selfe lyfe 58. This is that breade whiche came downe from heauen not as youre fathers did eate manna and are dead hee that eateth this breade shall liue euer This is that breade M. When the Iewes obiected vnto Christe the fathers which were fed of Moyses by manna he aunswered to the same thrée thinges one was that Moyses did not geue vnto them bread from heauen and that the bread whiche the Fathers did eate in the desart was not the true breade of heauen because the eaters of the same were subiecte to death The seconde was that the Father geueth the true breade of heauen the whiche breade he him selfe is The thirde is that the eaters of this bread haue euerlasting lyfe Nowe therefore to finishe this dialogue he retourneth to the comparison of Manna and of his flesh where with he began This is the summe of his wordes There is no cause why ye shoulde preferre Moyses before me because hée fed youre Fathers in the wildernesse séeing that I haue farre better meate to geue vnto you than that was for I bring with mée celestiall and euerlasting lyfe For that bread is sayde to descend from Heauen which hath no earthlye or corruptible taste but geueth the Immortallity of Gods kingdome This vertue they felt not in Manna which onely sought to fyll their bellye For there being twoo vses of the same the Iewes with whome Christ here disputed respected nothing but the corporall foode But the lyfe of the Soule is not transitorye but groweth more and moore tyll the whole man bée renued Bv. And it is manifest by these places that Faith in Christ iustifyeth all those that beléeue 59. These thinges sayde he in the Sinagogue as hee taught in Capernaum Bv. Nowe the Euangelist noateth the place where these thinges were done and spoken according to the Historicall manner thereby to declare the vndoubted trueth and certaintye of the matter C. and also that wée might knowe that there were then many present when these thinges were spoken Bv. For this talke and disputacion concerning Faith and the effecte of Fayth was in a great assemblye of the Iewes that is to saye in a Schoole Temple or Church because it pertayned to the right instruction of the whole Chuch and of the vniuersall worlde C. Hée signifyeth that this Sermon was made as of a graue and serious matter M. and that Christ was found of the Capernaites in the Sinagogue into the whiche hée entered to teache that they might heare him speaking of so great misteries For hee woulde teache openlye Ioh. 18.20 that hée might haue many witnesses of his Doctrine Euen as hée bouldlye affirmed before the highe Priest As hee taught in Capernaum This is a notable prerogatiue of the Citye of Capernaum that they had Christ him selfe to bée their teacher and that openlye not once or twyse but oftentimes What thing more profitable coulde happen to this Citye than this that the Sonne of GOD shoulde bée the teacher of the same It was iustly sayd to bée lyfted vp to Heauen Those Cityes waxe proude in the which sometyme certaine notable men haue lyued or else haue done some notable thing But howe muche more notable was that which happened to this Citye Mat. 11.23 But when it dyd contempne this singular grace and abused the same it was iustlye sayd to bée deiected to the pit of hell The Romanistes bragge of Peter and Paules seate and vnder the pretence hereof haue inuaded and wonne the gouernment of the Christian world haue exalted them selues euen to the Heauens Good Lorde what woulde they haue done if so bée Christ had taught so oftentimes among them But nowe séeing they doe not retaine the Doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles in their proper place what else remaineth for them now than the greater condemnacion All these Churches whiche haue by the goodnesse and mercye of God the sound and wholsome doctrine of the Gospell which other Churches want must haue this example of the Capernaites alwayes before their eyes 60. Many therefore of his Disciples when they had heard this sayde This is an harde saying Who can abyde the hearing of it Many therefore of his Disciples M. All that which is contained betwéene this verse and the ende of the Chapter concerneth the Discyples of Christ C. Fyrst of all it is declared that there were verye fewe among this great multitude which receiued any profite naye this doctrine was the occasion that many whiche professed them selues to bée the Disciples of Christe fell away If the Euangelist had sayd that onelye a fewe had béene offended it had béene almost a wonder but in that a great multitude ryse and conspire against him what example shall wee say it is M. It is no maruaile therefore if the rude multitude dyd not receyue the misticall wordes of Christes when that his owne Disciples could not abyde the hearing of them Wherefore let this Historye bée printed in our heartes least that at any time wée trouble Christ when he is speaking and if wée see the lyke
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
C. Nowe followeth the ende and issue of all this platforme If anye man consider with himselfe what the kingdome of the Priesthood was at that time how great their madnesse and also how great their preperation and on the other part how naked bare vnprouided and destitude of all mans help Christ was there is nothing to be seene but destruction M. The Pharises and hye Prists conspired tegether consulted gaue commaundementes sent foorth Souldiers and yet for all that did not onely bringe nothinge to passe but also retourned home more troubled then before C. Therfore in that so stronge a conspiracy of it selfe came to nothinge and all they as waues of the Sea brake them selues with their owne violence and force who seeth not that they were scattered by the mighty hand of God Bv. For there is no counsaile against the Lorde Pro. 2◠M. And this is a lyuely Image of those counsailes and assembles which are not gathered together in the Lorde Esa 4◠A. For onely the counsell of the Lorde shall stande and his wyl shal be doone C. For the Lorde is neuer changed but is alway lyke hymselfe So that so often as he wyl he shall frustrate the deuises of his enemies who although they haue all thinges at hand are redy to bring their purpose to passe yet notwithstandinge shall departe with losse of their labour And we haue often times sene that whatsoeuer the enimies haue practized to destroye the Gospell hath bene by the wonderful grace of God by and by made frustrate and voyde M. And the knowledg of Christ more famouse and manifest to all men ⧠The eyght Chapter 1. JESVS went vnto mount Oliuet R THIS HISTOry concerning the adulterous woman contained betwen this and the twelue verse C. was not knowne to the Gréeks whervppon many thinke that it was borrowed from some other place and here inserted But because it hath bene alwayes receaued of the Lattine Churches and is found in the most auncient bookes of the Greeks and containeth nothing vnworthy of the Apostolicall spirite B. the same also maye be reade with great fruite R. Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall Historye in the laste chapter of his thirde booke saith that the same is wrighten after the Hebrues But whatsoeuer he was that wright this story it was worthye to be kept from perishinge For it teacheth very notably that al men how righteous so euer they seeme to be in outward shewe are equalye and as much before the Iudgment of God vngodly and subiect to sinne as the manifest wicked Vnto mount Oliuet B. The Lorde being in Ierusalem often times went aside into this mountayne to praye and that moste commonly in the night for in the daye tyme he taught in the temple preaching vnto the people the grace of his heauenly Father Luk. 21.37 For there was no other thinge that became him better or was more profitable for men seeing the knowledge of the father and of him is euerlasting life Iohn 17.3 Concerning prayer and his going aside to praye reade the sixst verse of the sixst chapter of Mathewe 2. And early in the Morning he came againe into the temple and all the people came to hym and he sate downe and taught them And early in the morning M. The Euaungelist here commendeth vnto vs boath the diligence of the Lorde and of the people He sayth not simply he came agayne into the Temple but he sayth Early in the morning hee came againe into the Temple And hée noateth the dilligence of the people when he sayth And all the people came to him The Euaungelist Luke more plainly sayeth And all the people came to him into the Temple Luk. 21.38 to heare him Bv. Therfore let slouthful and ydell men be ashamed of their negligence to whome it is swéete and plesaunt to sléepe in the manifest daylight and doe seldome or neuer enter into the Church or Congregation of the Godly Let boath the teacher and the Disciple learne that the morning tyde is the moste apte and conuenient tyme to atchiue great matters and to laboure in deuine and holy thinges M. The Popishe Canons and monkes doe rushe early into their Temples but not with that minde to that end that Christ did Christ went to sée those Shéepe which he had begon to féede early in the morning but what these men séeke in theyr Temples the whole world knoweth And he sate downe and taught them Bv. He sheweth that the Churche hath not a more excelent Treasure than the doctrine of Godlynesse and that there is no Ministery or seruice in the Churche more acceptable than teaching Teaching most acceptable seruic to God In that Christe taught sytting the maiestie of his doctrine is expressed Howbeit wée reade not that he alwayes taught sitting as wée sawe in the seauenth Chapter going before the seauen and thirtie verse A. But it maketh no matter whether hée that teacheth sitte or stande so that hée bouldely preache vnto the people of God wholesome doctrine 3. And the Scribes and Pharisees brought vnto him a woman taken in adulterye and when they had set hir in the midest C. The Euaungelist meaneth that this matter was deuised among the Scribes and Pharises of set purpose to intrap and snare our sauiour Christ B They saw that the Lorde was wonderful pittifull gentle toward sinners and therefore they hoped that he woulde set this adulterouse woman at lybertye contrary to the Law of Moyses and so to geue vnto them occasion to be reuenged on hym as a breaker of Gods lawe C. Hée meaneth the Pharisées because they were principall in the order of the Scribes M But what was the cause why they brought the Adulterouse Woman aloane and not the Adulteror Leni 20.10 Deut. 22.22 séeing the Lawe was made as well for adulterouse men as for adulterous women that boath might be put to death It is not sertaine whether they tooke the man with the woman or no and if they did take them boath together why did they not aswel bring him as her but onely because they brought the woman aloane to the Lord for some euell purpose But if we behoulde the corruption of this present age we shall finde it moste euident that at this day whoremongars and adulterouse men escape frée for the moste parte and the women only are punished specially if the men be of anye countenaunce substaunce or greate parentage So that the weaker vessell is ponished and the strongar goeth frée Adultery ponished with death in the oulde Lawe This inequalitie the Lawe of God doeth not approue which appoynteth as well the man as the woman taken in adultery to be punished by death 4. They sayde vnto him Mayster this woman was taken in adultery euen as the deede was doing B. They salute hym by the name of mayster but with the same affection mind that they had Mat. 22.16 when they demaunded of him the question concerning tribute
M. Those thinges in the worde of the Lorde which concerned the Iewes they styll dissembled as that they should dye in their sinnes but those thinges which appertained to Christ him selfe or to his Father they malliciouslye prosecuted R. For hee sayde before If yee beleeue not that I am therefore importunatelye they enquire who he is when as before hée sayde that hée was the breade of lyfe the light of the world and had hytherto taught that hée was the sonne of God M. In so muche that they sayde thou testifyest of thy selfe but thy testimony is not true They had heard therfore inough whome hée had sayde him selfe to bée if so bée they woulde haue beléeued his wordes So that they doe not aske with this minde and purpose to knowe who hée was but to intrappe and snare him againe Bv. For they had séene and heard many thinges whereby they might haue knowne who he was if so bee their vnbeleefe and hardnesse of heart whiche is the roote of all euell had not let them Maliciouslye therefore and of the contempte of the person of Christ they aske him VVho art thou M. As if he shoulde saye Thou sayest that wee shall dye in our sinnes except we beléeue that thou arthe Whome makest thou thy selfe Whome shal we thinke thée to bée As though we were ignoraunt who thou art Thus are wée wonte to speake contemptouslye to those whome wée thinke doe too much exalt them selues aboue their state and who forgetting their owne imbecillitie and weakenesse waxe too proude that we maye saye VVho art thou A. All the Godlye oughte so long as they are in this worlde to prepare them selues againste suche questions as these bée whiche declare nothing but contempte after the example of Christ arming them selues with patience and not to bée vnmindefull of the woordes of the Apostle where hée sayth The worlde knoweth not you because it knoweth not him For if Christ were vnknowne vnto the world what maruaile is it if so bée his Disciples whome he hath chosen out of the worlde are neither knowne nor beloued of the same From the beginning M. M. This aunswere of Christ to many menne séemeth obscure and is diuerslye expounded of Interpreters Some vnderstand it so as if Christ had called him selfe the beginning Bv. but it is put aduerbiallye and is in stéede of this whiche we saye At the firste As if he should haue sayde I did not sodainlye arise but am come forth in the middest euen as I was promised long before And whatsoeuer I nowe speake it is agréeing with that whiche hath béene spoken in all ages To be shorte this aunswere consisteth of twoo partes for by this word beginning he comprehendeth all that time since the which the Lawe of GOD was geuen to the Fathers In saying also that he spake from the begnning hée ioyneth his present doctrine with the auncient Prophesies and teacheth that it dependeth vpon them Whervpon it followeth that the Iewes had no other cause of their ignoraunce than this that they beléeued not neyther the Prophetes nor the Gospell for euerye where Christ onely is set before their eyes They fained them selues to bee the Disciples of the Phrophetes and to haue respecte to the eternall couenant of GOD and yet they reiected Christe whiche was promysed from the beginning and offered him selfe before them 26. I haue many thinges to saye and to iudge of you yea and hee that sent mee is true and I speake to the worlde those things which I haue heard of him R. Nowe he vseth a commination or threatening against the contemners and deriders of his worde C. Because that hee sawe that hée lost his labour hée prosecuteth the matter no further but onely pronounceth that GOD wyl bée a reuenger of that Doctrine whiche they contemne because hée is the authour of the same as if hée should say Yf so bée I woulde accuse you your mallice and wickednesse geueth mée occation inough Bv. I might cast in your téeth many hainous offences but because I knowe that ye woulde bée thereby the worse C. I wyll nowe omit them But my Father whiche hath geuen mée aucthoritye to teache will doe his office and wyll defende his word from the wicked contempt of men Bv. For GOD is the euerlasting and infallible trueth C. To the same ende almost partaineth the saying of Christ which that of the Apostle Paule doeth where hée sayth 2. Tim. 2.13 If we bee vnfaithfull he abideth faythfull he cannot deny him selfe In fyne he threatneth the vnbeléeuing with the iudgement of GOD whiche discreedite his worde because it is necessarye that he defende his trueth And this is the true stabillitye of our Faith when we make God aloane sufficient to establishe the aucthoritye of his doctrine although the whole worlde doe reiect the same Whosoeuer they bée that presuming of this defence shall faithfullye serue Christ they maye bouldlye conuince the whole worlde of a lye And I speake to the worlde As if he should say Those things which I haue heard of GOD with whome I was before I came into the world I speake nowe in the worlde that nowe the contempt of my Doctrine maye redounde to the Ignominy of my Father Therefore the Gospell is the worde and reuelation of GOD vttered by the mouth of the sonne of GOD to the worlde The which veryly is a great commendacion of the Doctrine of Christ or of the Gospell the lyke whereof a man shall seldome fynd wherefore it deserueth to bée written in the heartes of the Godly in goulden letters C. Hée sayeth therefore that hée bringeth forth nothing but that whiche hée hath receyued of the Father who enioyned vnto him his office Moreouer by his example he prescribeth a common Lawe to the whole Church that no man might bée hearde but he which speaketh out of the mouth of God M. For if Christ hath spoken nothing in this worlde which hée hath not heard of GOD the Father by whome he was sente what mortall man maye teache any Doctrine in the Churche which is not come from God They therefore are sincere teachers in the Churche whiche can truely saye Those thinges which we haue hearde of the Lorde whose Ministers we are wée speake in the worlde the reast are to be shunned and auoyded as workers of iniquitye and seducers C. Wherefore as he noateth the peruerse arrogancy of men which intrude them selues without the word of God so hée instructeth armeth with inuincible constancy all Godlye teachers which are assured of their calling that hauing God theyr Captaine and defender they maye bouldly withstande all mortall men 27. Howbeit they vnderstoode not that he spake to them of his Father M. These wordes are put downe by the Euangelist in stéede of a Parenthisis to noate the dull vnderstanding of the hearers As if he shoulde saye The Iewes being blinde and deafe and therefore wanting theyr common sence vnderstande not as yet that Christe spake these thinges of his
thinges which pleased him or else that hée sayde that for so much as hée alwayes dyd those thinges whiche pleased his Father it might certaynelye bée gathered that hée was with him and that he left him not alone Bothe these constructions are true for the Father leaueth not those alone which doe alwayes those thinges which please him and hereby wée maye haue an assured iudgement that God is with vs if so bée we continuallye doe those thinges which please him C. Wherefore if we desyre to haue experience of the same presence of God wée must confourme our selues wholly vnto his wyll and gouernment For if so bée our sence and reason haue any rule at all because the blessing of GOD shal be wanting all our studies and labours shall haue euyll successe And if so be we séeme to haue good successe for a tyme yet notwithstanding the ende at the leangth shal be starke naught M. Many boast of the presence of the grace of GOD and thereby go about to iustifye all kynd of errours because the presence of the holye Ghoste is in the Churche whiche wyll not suffer the same to erre But howe much better were it hereby to proue the presence of the holye Ghoste namelye by theyr Godly and vertuous lyfe in the Churche C. Furthermore when Christ sayth that hée is not left alone he doeth after a sort complaine of the vnbeléefe of his countreye menne amongst whome hée founde almost noane which woulde bée his Disciples Notwithstanding hée sheweth that hée accounteth this one thing sufficient for him that hée hath God his reuenger So wée at this daye ought to bée of good courage and not to fainte because the faythfull are fewe in number For although the whole worlde withstande our Doctrine yet notwithstanding we are not alone Hereby also appeareth howe foolishe the boasting of the Papistes is who setting God asyde boast of their multitude Papistes boast of multitude A. As though the inuinsible and euerlasting trueth of GOD ▪ might bée oppressed by the contempt and multitude of men Therefore it is muche better to heare the voyce of Christ with his lytle slocke and to followe him than to imbrace the doctrine of Antichrist with the greatest part of the world 30. As hee spake these wordes many beleeued on him Bv. Christ hytherto taught moste plainelye both that his Doctrine was deuine sure and infallible and also that hée was the Sonne of GOD the lyght and sauiour of the worlde sent of the Father to illuminate iustifye and saue all them which beléeue in him And this playne and effectuall doctrine of the Lorde wanted not her fruite in the Churche For although the greatest parte of the people and the whole flocke of the Pharisees withstoode the Lorde yet notwithstanding many of all sortes of men beleeued on him The which verylye is the ende of all these thinges whiche hytherto haue béene disputed of namelye that wée also might beléeue in Christ Iesus the true sonne of the lyuing God the Messias the lyfe and lyght of the whole worlde C. Therefore when all hope is past there aryseth some fruite among so many lettes B. For there are Bées neuer wanting which sucke hony out of the flowers of Gods worde howesoeuer the Spiders drawe poyson out of the same M. Let vs learne therefore how that open contencion with the Aduersaryes cōcerning Religion wanteth not fruite if so bée rayling and taunting bée shunned and all thinges dyrected and disposed to the setting foorth of the trueth and to this example of Christ For although the mindes of the obstinate aduersaries receyue no profit who séeke not to know what is true and what false but onelye hunt after theyr owne priuate honour and gayne yet notwithstanding great profite may redoune to those which are sincere and indyfferent hearers of the controuersye Wee haue had experience of these thinges in our tyme in many places Wherevppon our Aduersaryes when suche disputacions should bée concerning Religion cause them to bée holden in secréete without any publyke auditory taking diligent heede least any of the common sorte of people shoulde heare any thing of the same As therefore they are not to bée commended or allowed which with impudent reproches and rayling more lyker players than Diuines doe not beutifye the cause of Christ but defourme it doe not manifest it but obscure it doe not commende it but make the same more odious euen so theyr mallice is to bee detested whiche eyther altogeather denye serious sober Godlye and moderate inquisition and discussing publikelye to bée had concerning the controuersies of our Religion or else do so limmite and bounde them that they serue nothing to the knowledge of the trueth leaste by any meanes the myserable Church might bée holpen C. Moreouer the Euangelist here improperlye speaketh of Fayth which was onelye a certayne preparacion to Fayth for hée commendeth them no farther than that they were proane and ready to receyue the Doctrine of Christ to whiche also appertayneth the next admonicion 31. Then sayde Iesus to the Iewes which beleeued on him Yf ye continewe in my woorde then are yee my verye Disciples Then saide Jesus Bv. Our Lorde and sauiour leauing the wicked Raylers and gently turning to those that beléeued taught them verye notablye what was néedefull and what they should doe M. This example speciallye pertayneth to the ministers of the worde that they also might séeke with all theyr power diligently to teach and to confyrme in the Faythe of the Gospell of Christ those whome they knowe to bée newly come to the doctrine of the Gospell In this businesse the Apostle dilligently applyed hym selfe as a thing most necessarye to be done calling it wateringe taking a similitude of young plantes which are often tims sette in the ground in vayne yf so be the dilligence of wateryng be not adioyned therevnto If ye continue in my worde B. It is likely that there were Ipocrites as most commonly it is séene among those whom the Lorde Iudged to he beléeuers Therefore to noate these and to confirme those which had truelye beléeued the Lord sayde If ye continue in my worde then are ye my very Disciples As if he should saye ye haue nowe hearde the worde and beleued if therefore ye perceuere in the fayth of this word and suffer not your selues to bee remoued from the faith eyther by the power of this worlde or by the offence of my crosse I will acknowledge you for my true dicsiples for they are not true Disciples which one while beleeue and within a litle while after when some offence or persecution aryseth go awaye Perseueraunce C. Here therefore firste of all Christe teacheth that it is not sufficient if so bee a man begine well except he procéede and perseuere vnto the ende And for this cause he exhorteth those which haue tasted of his doctrine to the perseueraunce of fayth when he pronounseth those to be his very Disciples whiche take déepe roote in
his worde and abide in the same R. For he which abideth to the ende the same shal be safe Mat. 10.22 C. Therefore by this noate he putteth a difference béetwéene hipocrites and his true disciples because they which haue falsely boasted of fayth do by and by faint in the midest of theyr race but the faithfull constantly goe foreward to the goale Therfore we must endeuour our selues to bée constaunt that we may be counted the true Disciples of Christ R. To this effect partayneth the parrable of the seede which Christ propoundeth in another place where the sundrye and dyuers condicions of such as receyue the Gospell is manifestly declared Mat. 13.3 M. But by this notable exhortacion Three thinges to be noted thrée thinges necessary to be knowen are signifyed The fyrst is whereof Fayth in Christ doeth come The seconde is what we must beleue concerning Christ the thyrd is in what fayth in Christ is to bée continued and confyrmed If sayth he yee abyde in my worde Therefore they had alreadye ioyned them selues to his word so sone as they beganne to beléeue they conceyued fayth by the hearing of the worde of the Lord as the Euangelist also taught when hée sayde Rom. 10.17 As hee spake these thinges many beleeued on him So the Apostle sayth that fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Secondly if so bée fayth commeth by hearing of the worde of the Lord and if it bée our part to abyde in the same and that we ought not to beléeue any other thing than the verye same which is set before vs by the worde whereby we conceyue Faith and in beleeuing the whiche wée abyde howe foolishe are they which at this daye saye they knowe not what they ought to beléeue and what not If so be they were abyding in the word of the Lorde they should knowe what to beléeue But because they haue already applyed their eares and mind to humane doctrine it commeth to passe that they being ignoraunt of Gods truth are caryed about with euery winde of doctrine the which the Apostle forbiddeth Thirdlye this also is manifest Eph. 4.14 in what Christian fayth ought to bée maintayned and confirmed when he sayeth If ye abyde in my worde So that wée must abyde in that from whiche we haue conceyued our fayth Wée are begotten by the worde of truth through fayth and by the same wée are strengthned and confirmed So the Apostle sayeth that some are ordained teachers Euangelistes Iam. 1.18 i. Pe 1.23 and Shéepheards that not onely wee might come to the vnitye of Fayth but might also bée confyrmed in the same Ephe. 2.13 and may growe vnto a perfecte man Wherevppon it followeth that they which abyde not in the word of Christ but are caryed about with sundry strange doctrines dispersed by offences and are quite drawne awaye from the trueth by the Crosse by threatninges and persecutions are not the true Disciples of Christ Iesus Concerning these Saint Iohn sayeth They went from vs 1. Ioh. 2.19 but they were not of vs. It is great glorye to bée a Disciple of Christ whiche is the Sonne of the lyuing God Some doe boaste that they haue béene the Disciples of Socrates of Pythagorās and of Aristotle but these were menne and erred them selues and led others also into errour But Christ is the trueth and the lyght of the worlde whosoeuer followeth him walketh not in darkenesse but shall haue the lyght of life M. Wherefore they which obiect vnto vs the loue of Christ toward his Church as to his Spouse and doe thereby gather that it can not bee that hée shoulde forsake the same and suffer the same to fall into errour and doe also pretend that auncient Fayth of the Church of Rome and of the Apostolicall doctrine Rom. 1.8 of the which Paule maketh mencion replenished at this daye withall supersticions errours and false worshippinges and Ecclesiasticall tyranny doe reason as if it were sufficient to the retayning of the trueth that Christ abydeth all one for euer and is not chaunged and because the Church of Rome long agoe receyued the Apostolicall Fayth and requireth not of the Faythfull that they also should abyde in Christe and in his worde when as the Apostle him selfe sayth that there should come a defection and Apostacy in the Church 2. The. 2.3 But rather let them proue vnto vs that the Church of Rome hath constantlye aboade vnto this daye in the worde of the Lorde and in the Doctrine of the Apostles 32. And ye shall knowe the trueth and the trueth shal make you free Bv. But how dyd they beléeue when as yet they knewe not the trueth Question Verylye Fayth leaneth to the trueth and apprehendeth the same therefore they are not ignoraunt of the trueth which beléeue I aunswere C. Hée sayeth that they shall knowe the trueth Aunsvvere whiche come to any knowledge of the same As yet they were verye rude and scarce entered to whome Christ here speaketh therefore it is no maruaile if so bée he promise vnto them more large vnderstanding of his doctrine but it is a generall sentence Bv. For the knoledge of Christians hath degrées and steppes and the knowledge of the trueth increaseth in processe of tyme as maye bée gathered by many other places of scripture C. Wherefore howe greatlye soeuer any of vs haue profited in the Gospell wée must styll procéede and goe foreward daylye And Christe vouchsafeth to geue this rewarde vnto the constancye of his Disciples that hee maketh him selfe more famillyarlye knowne vnto them For hée it is which ingraueth his word into our heartes by his holye spyrite he it is which daylye dryueth awaye the clowdes of darknesse out of our mindes whiche obscure the brightnesse of the Gospell Therefore to the ende the trueth may appeare vnto vs at the full we must seriouslye and constantly cleaue vnto the same M. Let vs also noate to whome the trueth is here promised not to all but onely to the true Disciples of Christ and they are the electe which are geuen to Christ of God the Father concerning whome reade the seuen and thirtye verse of the sixt Chapter going before The Reprobate therefore haue no hope to knowe and vnderstande the trueth although they beare the name of Christ and are vnder the profession of his faith and are learned and wyse according to this worlde The secreate of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him The Apostle sayeth that this trueth is the misterye of GOD in Christe Iesus Psa 25.14 the whiche is hydden from this worlde Ro. 16.25 that is to saye from the wisedome reason and vnderstanding of all fleshe And for this cause it can not bée that any other should loke for this knowledge of the truth than they which are the true and vnfained disciples of Christ the which knowledge is gotten no otherwyse than by the reuelacion of Iesus Christ in
be suspected as a blasphemer of God they begyne to cast stoanes at hym C. And it is very lykely that they dyd this Leu. 24.16 as though Christ ought to haue bene stoaned according to the prescript of the Lawe Whereby we maye gather howe greate the madnesse of a rashe zeale is Seale with out knowledge M. After that these men had contended a while in wordes they tourne them at the last to stoanes to vniust force and to bloody murther by which they make an ende of their disputacion This hapned not only to Christ Act. 7. but also to Stéephen and before Christe and Stephen to the Prophetes and after that to the rest of the preachers of Christ But Iesus hid him selfe C. There is no doubt but that Christ by his secrete power deliuered him selfe but yet notwithstanding vnder the form and shewe of humilitie For he woulde not declare hys diuinitie at the full but left somewhat to his humayne infirmitie M. And he teacheth that we ought to flée the mallice and crueltie of the wicked rather than to resist violence with force R. And that all Lawfull meanes ought to be sought for rather then that God should be tempted And hee went out of the Temple M. This is moste sure that Christe will not abyde in their Temples whiche go aboute to extinguishe the doctrine of trueth and to shed the bloud of the teachers C Thehefore the wicked Priests and Scribes hauing put Christ to flight in whome al the fulnesse of the deitie dwelt kept the possession of the external temple But yet they are farre deceyued in thinking that they haue a temple voyd of God Euen so at this daye the Pope and his Prelates when they haue warred against Christ and prophaned the Church foolishely boast in the counterfeyte shewe of the Church ⧠The ninth Chapter 1. And as Iesus passed by he saw a man which was blinde from his birth And as Iesus passed by C IN this chapter the Euangelist describeth the restoaring of the blynde man to hys sight mixing there with the Doctrine which commendeth the frute of the miracle B. The tyme was come for the Lorde to reueale his power more openly And looke howe much this serued for the saluation of the Godly so much also it serued for the destruction of the wicked but yet thus farre forth the glorye of God was to be reuealed to the wicked that thereby they might be the more blinded M. As Christ passed by he sawe thys blinde man not at aduenture or by chaunce but by the deuine prouidence of GOD. Which was blinde from his birth B. This circumstaunce is added apartelye that the greatnes of the thing might be considered the newnes also and truth of the miracle and partelye to set forth vnto vs a misterye putting vs in minde that we are all borne blinde and corrupted with original sin AVG. For al mankinde is that blinde man For this blindenesse was in the first man by reason of sinne from whome wée all haue our originall not onelye of death but also of iniquitie Bv. Furthermore the Lord dyd the more dilligentlye behoulde him because hée considered with himselfe as hée was God that this was the same GOD by whome the glorye of GOD shoulde bée greatly manifested 2. And his Disciples asked hym saying Maister who didde sinne this man or his Father and Mother that hee was borne blinde M. The Disciples were moued hereby to aske this question because they sawe that the Lorde did so dilligentlye behoulde this blinde man Bv. So soone as calamities appeare wée iudge them by and by to be punishmentes for sinne C. because the Scriptures testifieth that all gréefes and vexations to the whiche mankinde is subiect doe come of synne Bv. For so the friendes of Iob reasoned R. affirming that afflictions are alwaies the paines and punishmentes of sinnes C. But here men doe erre thrée wayes For séeing euerye one is a seuere Iudge and a narrowe searcher of other mens faultes verye fewe vse the same seueritie and systing of themselues If so be my brother be in aduersity and trouble by and by I acknowledge the iudgement of God but if God laye a more heauie burthen vpon my owne shoulders I winke and will not sée my owne sinnes But in waying and considering punishmentes euerye man ought to begin at himselfe and to spare none lesse than himselfe The seconde errour is in too much rigour because so soone as any of vs are touched with the hande of GOD wée interpret the same to be Goddes deadelye hatred and so wée heape sinne vpon synne and doe almost dispayre of hys sauing health but contrariwise in extenuating our synnes wée scarce haue any knowledge or féeling of our synne when we haue committed a gréeuous and heynous offence Thirdely wée offende when without respect wée condemne all those whome God exerciseth with the Crosse Sinne is the original of affliction It is most certaine that al miseries take their originall and beginning at synne but yet God afflicteth his seruauntes for diuers causes For as hée doth not take vengeaunce on some mens synnes in this worlde Affliction commeth for diuers causes but deferreth the punishmentes vntill another lyfe that hee may then vse them with more seuerity euen so oftentimes hée dealeth more hardlye with his faythfull seruaunts not because they haue committed greater synnes than other men but to mortefie in them the concupisences of the flesh Yea sometime not respecting their synnes hée only tryeth their obedience or else exerciseth their pacience Euen as we sée that the holye man Iobe was afflicted that by his aduersytie his godlinesse might bée the better knowne Wherefore there are two thinges here to be noated the first is that iudgement doth often times beginne at the house of GOD and that hee ouerpassing the wicked doth seuerelye punishe hys seruauntes and doth more sharpelye scourge in correcting the vices of his Churche The second is that there are diuers endes why he aflicted men For he suffered Peeter and Paule to be executed by the cruell tormenter no lesse then yf they had béene wicked théeues Whereby we gather that in the punishmentes of men the causes of the same cannot be well discerned M. Moreouer this so absurd a question of the disciples came of the common opinion at that time namely that the soule of this blynd man had sinned before in some other man by the desert whereof he was blind in body from his natiuitie C. For it euedently appeareth by other places of Scripture that the reiterated or second generation which Pithagoras taught was beléeued and receiued of them Hereby wee sée what a déepe Labyrinth the curiosity of men is specially when presumtuouse bouldnesse is ioyned therewith They sawe some to be borne Lame some sqinte eyed and some starke blinde and other some monsterouse in body Nowe when they ought to haue reuerenced the Iudgementes of God they woulde in these workes haue sene a manifest
your selues whoale yée abide desperate M. They were therefore blinde wherevpon in another place he calleth them blind leaders of the blind but not as were the Idiots and simple sorte Mat. i5 i4 otherwise he would haue sayde as he sayth here They should haue had no sinne yf so be they had béene blind and Ignorant of the sacred Scriptures as were the vnlearned C. Notwithstanding when he sayeth that they which are blind haue no sinne he doth not therby excuse Ignoraunce as though it were no synne only he geueth vs to vnderstande that the disease maye haue a remedy when the same is felt in time because when the blind man commeth to be restoared to his sight the Lorde is ready to helpe R. As if Christ shoulde haue sayde if so be you knewe your blindnesse the synne of vnbeléefe would not abide in you but puttinge awaye infidellitie yee woulde beleeue in mée but because yee doe not knowe your blindnesse therefore ye abide vnbeléeuing C. For they are incurable who hauing no feeling of their synnes despise the grace of God R. Therefore that is horrible blindnesse to be Ignoraunt of our blindnesse euen as not to knowe our sickenesse is almost a disease incurable the which we may behould in mad men And as the firste step to recouer helth is to acknoweledge our Infirmitie euenso the first steppe to Fayth is to knowe our impietie and Ignoraunce i. Ioh. i 8 To this effecte appertayneth that which saint Iohn hath writen in another place saying If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and Iuste to forgeeue vs oure sinnes and the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne shall cleanse vs from all Iniquitie B. Wée sée also here playnly that hée condemneth this synne namely the refusall and contempte of the trueth when men knowe the same wherevpon there is no doubt but that they shall haue pardon remission with saint Paule which sinne only by ignoraunce and either neglect the trueth or else persecute the same The truth shal be knowen at the length to the reprobate in suchwise that they them selues shall saye they sée and shall haue all collers and pretence of Ignoraunce taken awaye from them Suche also were these Phariseis They had heard those thinges of the Lord and saw such thinges in him that their mindes were constrayned to acknoweledge him to be a Prophete of God and yet for all this Sathan did so carry them that they did persecute hym with mortall hatered Therfore their sinne remained Sinne against the holye ghost without pardon or remission they hauing synned agaynst the holy Ghost setting them selues so openly against the words and déedes of the Lord. Bv. We haue also here a sure and infallible Iudgement of the trueth pronounced against the maintainers of frée will For yf these men were blynd that is to say if they knewe their seruitude infirmity and corruption by sinne they shoulde be illuminated by the grace of Christ but now because they sée that is because they boast of the strength of the fleshe and do not only magnifie the grace of Christ blyndnesse and syn remaineth in them And hée sayth plainly Your synne remayneth For in saintes also there is synne but it is taken awaye it is not imputed it doth not remaine in the wicked only there remaineth sinne and damnation M. There is therfore a passing synne and a remaining synne To this effect parteyneth this saying He which beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting lyfe but hee which beleeueth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abydeth on him Let vs therfore beléeue in the Sonne of God let vs confesse vnto him our sinnes that we being illuminated by him and absolued from our sinnes wée may come at the last to that light which no man can attaine vnto ⧠The tenth Chapter 1. Verely verely I saye vnto you hee that entereth not in by the Doore into the Sheepefoulde but clymeth vp some other way the same is a Theefe and a Robber Verily verily J saye vnto you M. BECAVSE the Priestes Scribes and Pharisées did not onely submitte themselues vnto Christ but also did chaleng vnto themselues power and aucthoritie ouer the people of God euen as if they had bene their true pastours and guides and therefore coulde not abyde that the vnlearned multitude shoulde beléeue in Christ and shoulde follow him as shéepe doe theyr sheapehearde the Lorde doth verye well boath to the confusion of false pastours and also to the confirmation of the simple propounde all this whole matter after the manner of a Prouerbe by which hée doth describe what difference there is betwéene true and false pastours whiche take vpon them the office of féeding the Shéepe C. And because the fewnesse and small number of the faythfull might muche discredite hys doctrine hée goeth about to proue that not all which vsurpe office in the Churche are to be reckoned in the number of Pastours and sheepe Shepe and the Sheaphearde but that the true Pastours are discerned from reprobates and the true shéepe from those that bee counterfaytes by thys marcke if so be that hee bee the onelye scope and the beginning and ending of all thinges This admonition is necessary for all ages and times but especially for this our age For there is not a more pestilent plague to the Church than when wolues créepe in vnder the cloake of pastoures Christ doth plainly here deny them to be counted for pastoures which boast that they ought so to be taken and accounted of or that they ought to be nombered among the shéepe which glory in externall signes He speaketh here of the Iudaicall Church and in this poynt there is noe greate difference betwéene that and oures He that entereth not in R. Christ doeth not by naked and bare wordes euen at the first teach that he is a shepheard but by this parable suspendeth the mindes of his auditoures that afterwarde by the exposition of the same he might make that which in the beginning they heard not without admiration and a desier to knowe to sinke deper into their mindes C. But they doe foolishly which discus very curiously euery part of this parable Let it therefore suffice and satisfie to hould this summe namely that forsomuch as Christ maketh his Church like vnto a shepfould into the which God gathereth all his shéepe together he compareth himself to a dore because there is no other enterance into the Church than by him Herevpon it followeth that they are good Pastoures which lead the right waye vnto Christ they which geue them selues to Christ aloane are rightly sayd to be gathered into Gods shepfould and to be of his flocke Moreouer all this is referred to doctrine For seeing in Christ all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hid he which swerueth from him is neither in the right waye nor yet is like to enter in by the dore Therefore we shall easyly know which is the true Church and who
pleased him and the wyll of his Father not because eyther Caiphas or Pilate constrained him Wherevpon it is sayd The Kinges of the earth stoode vppe and the Rulers came togeather against the Lorde and against his Christ And of a truth against thy holye Childe Iesus whome thou hast annoynted boath Herode and also Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles Acts. 4.27 and the people of Israell gathered them selues togeather for to doe whatsoeuer thy hande and thy counsayle determined before to bee done So all the Godlye are afflicted not because theyr aduersaryes can doe any thing by their owne power againste Godlye who are vnder the hande and most mightye protection of GOD but because so it pleaseth the wyll of theyr Father whiche is in Heauen the which wyll is executed by the wicked to theyr extreame destruction but to the greate profite of the Godly This commaundement haue I receyued M. Hée nowe openeth the well spring of his power namelye his Fathers commaundement And by this commaundement hée vnderstandeth that wyll of God and that eternall counsaile by which hée had determined to sende his Sonne into this worlde and to geue him to death for the redemption of mankind C. Of the which counsayle of the Father hée therefore putteth vs in minde that wée might knowe that hée hath so greate care of our saluation that hée hath geuen to vs his onelye begotten Sonne so deare and precious vnto him And Christe him selfe whiche came into the worlde to shewe him selfe obedient to his Father confyrmeth this that hée hath no other respect in all thinges than to doe vs good M. Therefore Christ in all thinges shewed him selfe obedient to his Father Herevppon it is sayde It is written in the volume of thy booke concerning mee that I shoulde doe thy wyll Psa 40.8 O my GOD I am content to doe it A. And hereafter hée sayth The Prince of this world commeth and findeth nothing in mee but that the world maye knowe that I loue the Father Iohn i4 i3 and as the Father commaunded me so I doe M. This is true obedience whiche dependeth not onelye of the déede but also of the diuine wyll 19. There was a discention therefore againe amonge the Iewes for these sayinges B. The more that Christ bewrayed his diuinitye the more euidentlye appeared the difference betwéene the electe and the Reprobate Bv. And as trueth and pietye is alwaye lyke it selfe so falsehood and impietye differeth not a strawe breadth from it selfe C. This was the fruite of the Sermon of Christ that he alwayes wonne some Disciples or other to him selfe but because his doctrine had many aduersaryes thereof came the contencion that they whiche at the first were as it were one bodye of the Churche might bée deuided among them selues For with one consent all menne professed that they worshipped the GOD of Abraham and that they followed the Lawe of Moyses Christ the hande of vnitie but now when Christ came among them they began to disagrée for his sake If so be that profession had béene true Christ which is the most excellent bond of Charitye and whose office it is to gather the dispersed togeather woulde not haue dissolued and broken theyr consent and agréement but by the lyght of his Gospel he bewrayed the hipocrisy of many who hauing onelye a false and counterfaite shewe boasted them selues to bée the people of God Contencions come by wicked men Thus also the wickednesse of many men in these daies bringeth to passe that the Church is troubled with dissentions and that contencions are so feruent in the meane tyme they which trouble the peace lay the blame vpon the professors of the Gospell calling them Scismatiks For for this cause speciallye the Godlye are offended at the Papistes because their doctrine hath shaken the quiete state of the Churche But if so bée they woulde peaceablye submitte them selues vnto Christ and would subscribe vtno the trueth all contencions troubles would strayte waye be appeased But seeing they frete and fume against Christ and wyll not suffer the Godlye witnesses of Christ to bée at reste except the trueth of God maye lye hyd and Christ maye be banished from his kingdome they falselye obiect the faulte of Scisme which all menne sée ought rather to be imputed vnto them Therefore we must alwayes consider and sée in Scismatikes who they he which depart from GOD and his pure doctrine M. And the Euangelist in saying that there arose a contencion again sendeth the readers to those things which he hath declared in the Chapters going before as in the seuenth and ninth Chapters Ioh. 7.43 Iohn 9.16 Bv. For there these verye same Iewes withstanding the manifest trueth doe cause no small troubles 20. And many of them sayde Hee hath the Deuell and is mad why heare ye him M. This Cauill also the aduersaryes of Christ vsed before C. They doe defame Christ with the most odious reproche that they can deuise that all menne might abhorre to heare him M. For they coulde not abyde that people should heare him with delyte and admiration for the whiche cause they went about to turne awaye the mindes of the simple from him that they might not heare him any more afterward C. So the wicked least they should bée constrained to geue place vnto GOD doe furiouslye contemne him and doe styrre vp others also to the lyke madnesse least that the wordes of Christ at any time shoulde bée hearde with silence and quietnesse But the doctrine of Christ is able sufficientlye to defende it selfe against all Cauilles M. These wicked ones are verye like vnto them which doe priuitye sclaunder the ministers of Christ least they should bée hearde 21. Other sayde These are not the woordes of him that hath the Deuell Can the Deuell open the eyes of the blinde Bv. They which loue the trueth constantlye defende the same M. and do defende Christ against the sclaunder of the wicked by twoo argumentes the first is by his founde and vnblameable doctrine the other is taken of the present power of his miracles For he which hath a Deuell can not hyde his madnesse but bewrayeth the same both by wordes and déedes For a man which is possessed with a Deuell can neyther speake nor doe those thinges which one that hath his wittes can doe C. That therefore which these good men saye is as muche as if they should require that iudgement might bée geuen according to the matter it selfe For trueth as we sayde before doeth alwaye sufficientlye defende it selfe And this is the onelye buckeler of our Fayth that the wicked can neuer bring to passe but that the power and wisedome of God shall shine in the Gospell R. Also this varietye of iudgementes concerning Christ is written for our learning that wée might learne the nature of this worlde For the world must bée iudged of Christ but beholde nowe it vsurpeth aucthority vnto it selfe to iudge Christ Howe greate therefore
to passe and then if they could not snare him with wordes to laye hand on him Therfore Christ although he semed to be as it were taken already yet by the wonderful power of God escaped out of their handes C. By which we are taught that we are not geuen as a praye to the wicked whome the Lorde doeth often times bridell at his will and pleasure M. Therefore it is not vnlawefull for the Minister of Christ to séeke to escape out of the handes of the wicked 40. And went awaye againe beyonde Iordane into the place vvhere Iohn before hadde baptized And there hee aboade M. Christ leauing Hierusalem went ouer Iordane for because that Region as a sanctuarye serued for his securitie and rest For such was the corruption and wickednesse of the Cittizens of Hierusalem that the farther any place was from them the more conuenient the same was for Christ and againe the more néere the more perilouse it was for him to abide in because of the wickednesse of the Iewes whenas notwithstanding yf there hadde bene any place in the whoale world féete for the preaching of Gods kingdome Hierusalem should haue bene the same A. The Lawe saith the Prophete shal go forth of Sion and the word of the lorde out of Hierusalem i. King 24. M Euenso the nerer that a man is to the Cittie of Rome yf he be a good man the more he is in daunger C. Christ therefore taught vs by his example to vse occasion Where Iohn before had baptised Bv. He went aparte into that place that by his presence he might bring in rememberaunce the testimonie of Iohn which he bare vnto Christe and that hee might drawe many to Iesus the Sauioure of the worlde that is to saye to him selfe Wherevpon also it followeth 41. And manie resorted vnto him and saide Iohn dyd noe miracle but all thinges that Iohn spake of this man were true And many resorted to him M. As the light sette vpon a Candelsticke cannot be hidde so the truth of God allthough it be condemned of the reprobate findeth many which followe the same though it flée away Bv. faithfull Shéepe will neuer forsake their sheapheard M. There was a tipe before of this matter in Dauid to whome he fléeing from the face of Saule Esa 57.20 manye are sayde to come out of Iury. Euenso the counsailes of the wicked by whiche they séeke to extinguishe the trueth haue so litle successe that they rather serue for the furtheraunce of the same A. A notable example whereof wée haue here and also in the storye of the blind man The which I would to God they would marcke and consider whiche séeke to extinguish the light of the Gospel in euerye Cittie C. Therefore this concourse of people here sheweth that Christ sought not to be solitarye that hée might cease from doing of his dutie but that hée might erect the sanctuarye of God in the desarte when as Ierusalem which was his proper seate had reiected him And verely this was the horrible vengeaunce of God that when the temple which God had chosen was become adenne of Théeues the Church of God should be gathered togither in a prophane place Ihon did no miracle Bv. Many beléeued in Christ being driuen therevnto partely by the doctrine of Iohn and partely by the signes of Christ but specially they were drawne by the spirite of God C. They gather that Christe was more excelent than Iohn because hée had done so many myracles whereas Iohn had done no myracle Bv. God woulde haue no miracles done by Iohn least the people shoulde haue attributed to much vnto him and therfore hée would haue him onely to teache and to testifie R. For as the bodye of Moyses and his Sepulchre are hid vnto this present daye Deu 34 6 and that by the iuste prouidence of God least that supersticicious flesh in visiting the bodye of Moyses shoulde committe Idolatrie euen so for iust cause Iohn than whome otherwise there arose not a greater among womens Children wrought no miracle For if so bée the gift of myracles had bene ioyned to his doctrine and holynesse of lyfe the people coulde scarce haue bene drawne from beléeuing hym to be Christ For the giftes of God are distributed according to his deuine will not all to euerye one but to euerye one somewhat euen as the members of the bodye haue not all one action Neyther maketh it any matter before God to bée endued with many giftes Rom. i2 but to beléeue in Christ is the acceptable worke and labour For fayth is that onely necessarye gift which Iustifieth and saueth all other giftes whether they be spirituall or corporall serue not to iustification but to the edification of the Churche This is the cause why Iohn wrought no myracle Bv. But the Lorde would haue his sonne to be famous with myracles M. For this glory was due vnto Christe who also being glorified wrought greater myracles by the hands of his seruauntes than euer hée dyd by himselfe when he was vpon the earth C. Notwithstanding wée must noate that wée must not alwaye iudge by myracles although myracles Ma 24 24 2 Thes 2.9 Math. 7.12 being ioyned to doctrine haue no small wayght But all things that Iohn spake C. This séemeth not to be spoken of them but added by the Euaungelist to teache that they were led by a double argument to beléeue in Christ because in very déede they sawe that the testimony was true which Iohn bare vnto him and also bycause his miracles made him more famouse M. Wée sée here howe the hearing of the worde of God though not presentlye vnderstoode serueth in due tyme to knowe the trueth A. The word of God séemeth sometime to be preched in vaine but at the length it bringeth forth fruite in due time 42. And many beleeued on him there M. Where did they beléeue In that place into the which the Lorde was fled by reason of the maliciouse wickednesse of the Iewes Therefore these men were so disposed that so soone as they sawe the glory of the miracles of Christ and were admonished of the truth of the sayings of Iohn they were so litle offended by that flyght that they did not only still beléeue the truth which Christe preached but also condemned the mallice of the Iewes I would to God this present age had many such who knowing the trueth would still retaine the same in their hartes againste all offences and lettes which the wicked can obiect ⧠The eleuenth Chapter 1. A certaine man was sicke named Lazarus of Bethany the towne of Mary and hir sister Martha A certaine man was sicke R. THIS whoale Chapter almost maketh onelye a discourse of the raysing vp of Lazarus howbeit a shorter discourse myght haue bene made of the same But the Euangelist doth not wythout cause so largely describe the same For all thinges are wrighten for our learning M. For amonges the reste of the miracles which Christ
bretheren thou knowest not whether Christ be a Mayster or no. But séeing a great many loue their brethren very couldly but none so effectually as they ought we maye thereby perceiue howe farre wée are yet from the perfect light of fayth M. Moreouer this place maye specially be obiected vnto them who when they beare the doctrine of the Gospel say who knoweth not these thinges Therfore let it be sayde vnto them If yee knowe these thinges blessed are yee if yee doe them A. Contrarywise if ye know these thinges and doe them not ye are accursed and miserable Iam. 4 17 For to him that knoweth how to doe good and doeth it not to him it is synne Luk. 12.47 And the seruante that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shal be beaten with many strypes 18. I speake not of you all I knowe whome I haue chosen but that the Scripture might bee fulfilled Hee that eateth bread with mee hath lifte vppe his heele againste mee C. Againe he sheweth that there is one among his Disciples whiche is in very déede nothing lesse than a Disciple and this he doth partly for Iudas sake to the ende he might make him the more inexcusable and partly for the other disciples sake lest the false Iudas should make any of them to slide back And hée doth not only animate them to persiste in their vocation notwithstanding the fall of Iudas but also because the felicity of the which he spake pertained not to all men he teacheth that the same ought to be the more earnestly sought for of all men and when they haue founde it with the greater constancie to abide in the same And now this their stedfast standing he attributeth to their election For as the strength of man is weake and fraile so it staggereth at euery small puffe of winde and falleth with the leste thruste yf so be the Lord stayeth not vp the same with his hand But because be gouerneth those whome he hath chosen how subtily soeuer Sathan séeketh to worke their destruction he shall profite nothinge at all but with firme constancie they shall perseuere vnto the ende And not onely perseueraunce is here attributed to election but also the beginning of pietye Howe commeth it to passe that one loueth the word of God more thaÌ„ another Surely because he is elected Election is the cause of pietye Again how commeth it to passe that the same goeth on still in Godlinesse of life but only because the purpose of God is sure which perfiteth that worke which he hath begone Furthermore this is the principall difference betwéene the Children of God and the vnbeléeuing that the one are drawen to saluation by the spirite of Adoption and the other by their vnbrideled and lasciuiouse fleshe to damnation Otherwise Christ might haue sayde I know what euery one of you shal be but leste they should arrogate any thing vnto them selues but might knowe rather that they differed from Iudas by grace only and not by their owne power hee setteth before them the frée election vppon the which they were builded Wherefore let vs hereby learne to way and consider all the parts of oure saluation Iohn 6.70 And whereas in another place he reckneth vp Iudas among the elect it is another manner of speaking and not a contrary For there the Temporall election is noted by which God doth appoynt vs to some certaine and spetiall worke as Saul who was chosen to be a King notwithstanding that he was a reprobate but nowe Christ speaketh of the eternall election by which we are made the sonns of God and by which God hath predestinated vs to life before the foundation of the worlde was layed Also somtime God doth adourne the Reprobates with the giftes of the holy Ghoste to execute that office which he committeth vnto them So there shined in King Saule prinâ—ly vertues for a time So Iudas also had notable giftes beseeming an Apostle of Christ But the Spirite of sanctification which God geueth only to his childeren is another manner of spirite For he renueth them by the same in minde and harte that they might be in his sight holy and irreprehensible Also they haue in them a liuely roote which cannot bee plucked vp at any time because the Adoption of God is without repentaÌ„ce that is to saye God neuer faileth those whom he hath chosen Notwithstanding this abideth firme that it beloÌ„geth vnto the deuine election that we imbracing the doctrine of Christ by faith do also attaine life and that this is the only cause of our blessednesse by which we differ from the Reprobate that they béeing destitute of the grace of the Spirit come to destruction but wée haue Christ our watchman who gouerneth vs with his hand and defendeth vs by his power M. We sée also here howe those thinges whiche concerne onelye the good are commonlye also spoken vnto them amongst whom euell personnes also are mixte Those thinges whiche the Lorde had spoken vnto his disciples to instruct them he so spake vnto them as if they had pertained vnto all when as notwithstanding they dyd not appertaine to all euenas he in this place plainly testifieth Therefore let no man in the Church bée offended yf so be he heare Christians among whome as yet there are many wicked prophane persons to be called godly and holy men if so be he heare the doctrine of life commonly preached to all men when as faith and pietie belongeth not to all yf so be he heare all Christians generaly reprehended of sinne when as notwithstanding all are not culpable euenas we sée that the Apostle reprehendeth the Corinthians Let him alwayes consider and say within hym selfe i. Cor. i. xi these thinges pertaine not to all Furthermore Christ here geueth euident testimony of his diuinity firste of all when he affirmeth that he doth not Iudge after the manner of men secondly when he maketh him selfe the authoure of election For this knoweledge of the whiche hée speaketh in this place is proper only vnto God but this other is more effectuall when he sayth that they were elected of hym before the creation of the worlde For this so notable a declaration of hys deuine power ought to mooue vs more then if the scripture did call him God a hoondered times That the scripture might be fulfilled C. It might séeme very absurd that he which was chosen to so honorable an office was not also endued with true godlinesse for it might easily be obiected Why did Christ choose one to be an Apostle which should fall from his Apostelship And why did he create him an Apostle whome he knewe should be such a wicked and naughtie person To this therefore Christ aunswereth that necesarily it was so because it was forshewed and knowen also aforhand to the Prophet Dauid For some thinke that the prophesye is cited which properly belongeth vnto Christ othersome think it to be a simple comparison that like as Dauid
in their mindes and should teach tel them all those things which they had so often tymes all ready heard but not playnly inough for them to vnderstand partly because of their rudenes and partlye by reason of the sorrow of their hartes C. The Lorde at that time sowed the seede of doctrine which for a time laye as it were choaked in his Disciples Therfore he exhorteth them to hope wel vntill such time as the doctrine brought fruit whiche as yet might seme vnprofitable In fine he affirmeth vnto theÌ„ that plentifull matter of consolation was in that doctrine whiche they had heard The whiche although it dyd not by and by appeare vnto them yet neuerthelesse he wylleth them to be of good cheare vntill the Spirite the internall Scoolemaster spake the same in their harts A very profitable admonitioÌ„ for al men Except we haue by and by all that Christ teacheth we are weary and count our labour lost in trauelyng about obscure matters But we must bring with vs prompt docillytie and aptnesse to be taughte wee must geue dilligent eare be attentiue yf so be we desire to profit in the Scoole of God but specially we haue néede of sufferance vntyl such tyme as the spirit doth reueale that which as we thinke we haue red and hard very often This poonishment Esay threateneth to the vnbeleuing that the worde of God should be vnto them as a shut booke but the Lorde doth after this manner oftentimes humble his seruaunts Therefore we must paciently and quietly wayâ—e for the tyme of reuelation and must not therefore reiect the worde R. Fyrst of all we learne by this place that the holy Ghost is geuen to the Church of God the Father through the Mediatour Christ who hath purchassed the same of the Father that wée might be the sonnes of God by adoption C. Secondly we learne that the external preaching of the Gospel shal be to no purpose excepte the derection of the spirite be Ioyned therewith Therefore God vseth to teach by two maner of wayes namely by the outward sounde of his worde proceding out of mens mouthes and by the inwarde operation of his holy spirit and this be doth at diuers times according to his goodwil and pleasure T. Example here of we haue in the Actes of the Apostells of whome Saynt Luke wrighteth thus VVhose hart the Lorde opened so that he gaue dillygent heede vnto those thinges whiche Paull preached M. For we shall be alwaye taught in vaine withoute the Spirite of God be our teacher except he teach inwardly in the hart al doctrine is in effectuall yea although Christ should preache the same with his owne mouth Moreouer we are taught that the Doctrine of the Apostles is not of men but procéeding from the Spirite of GOD. For what other thing did they teache than that same which they had receyued from the holye Ghost R. This place is wonderfully construed by the wicked For they saye that Christ taught not all thinges but reserued many thinges for his Apostles to be reuealed by the holye Ghost of the which number they Iudge those wicked ceremonies of the Masse to bée But what doth Christ speake here C. What are all those thinges the teacher whereof hée promiseth that the Spirite shall be Hee shall sayth hee teach you al things and bring all thinges into your remembrance what ye shal do Wherevpon it followeth that there shall no newe reuelations In these fewe wordes all those things are confuted which Sathan hath brought into the church vnder the pretence of the holy ghost The Mahumetes and the Pope haue all one beginning of religion they boath affirming that the perfection of doctrine is not contained in the scripture but procéedeth from the reuelation of the spirite With these also agrée the Anabaptists and the Libertines But they are ledde by a sedusing Spirite and not by the spirite of Christ who thruste in straung Doctrine contrarye to the Gospell For Christ promiseth the holye Ghost which shoulde as asubscriber confirme the doctrine of the Gospell M. For the holye Ghost deliuered no other doctrine to the Apostles than the very same which they had hearde before out of the mouthe of Christ Let vs therefore take héede of those which boaste of the reuelations of the holy Ghost if so be they offer vnto vs straunge Doctrine contrarye to that which wée haue receyued of Christ 27. Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the worlde geueth giue I vnto you let not your hearts be greeued neither feare Peace I leaue with you Bv. The Lord persisteth still in all one argument of consolation M. And hee obserueth the manner of friendes departing away who when they take theyr leaue of theyr friendes are wont to leaue somewhat with them in steade of a blessing and doe wishe them peace and health C. By the name of peace hée meaneth prosperous successe alluding to the manner of his countrie as if hée shoulde saye I leaue with you my farewell M. And very aptly he placed this worde leaue to giue his Disciples to vnderstande that hée left his peace with them after his departing Peace wished and giuen by christ to his Apostles C. But strayght after he addeth that this peace is far more excelent than that which is commonly among men who often times for an outwarde shewe and fashion onelye haue peace in theyr mouth or if they doe wishe peace from theyr hearte to any man yet notwithstanding are not able in verie déed to giue the same But Christ sheweth that his peace doth not consiste in bare wishing but that it is also Ioyned with effecte As if he should saye I haue toulde you allready that I will not leaue you comfortles and that ye shall not dwell in the earth destitute of my helpe For although I be absente in bodye yet notwithstanding I will be present with you as God deliuering you from all euells in suche wise that your enemies shall neuer be able notwithstandinge their great malisse to dawnt your courage Thus ye shal be free from feare and Godes power shall protect you which shall reueale such secret misteries to your quiet mind as other mens mindes are not able to comprehende And nowe I giue vnto you peace not simplye or the common peace but my peace And because there is great difference betwéene the peace of the worlde and the peace of Christ hée addeth by and by these wordes Not as the worlde giueth giue J vnto you For the worlde calleth that peace which the truth calleth warre as the ydle and secure lyfe in pleasures not troubled with aduersitie For many misfortunes calamities and the iust wrath of GOD also followeth this A. For when the wicked shall saye Peace Peace of this worlde and all thinges are safe then shall sodayne destruction come vpon them euen as vpon a woman trauayling with Childe 1. Thes 5.3 and they shall not escape Bv. But the
of God Herevnto they are driuen by Sathan their Prince that oulde enemy of God Wherevpon if so be the Apostles had not béene chosen out of the worlde and endewed with the spirite which is an enemye to the Prince of this world although they had not béene beloued of the men of this worlde yet notwithstanding they had béene borne withall and loued of some But they séeking the glorye of God styrred vp the whoale worlde against them that is to saye all those whiche were not endued with the spirite of God C. This therefore is another consolation that the Apostles were therefore hated of the worlde because they were selected and chosen out of the same And this is their true felicitye and glorye because after this manner they haue escaped out of destruction for this worlde is euen vowed to destruction i. Cor. xi 32 Herevppon the Apostle sayth VVhen we are iudged we are corrected of the Lorde lest wee shoulde be condempned with the world Nowe if they were elected out of this worlde it followeth that they were part of this worlde and that they were seperated by the onelye mercye of God from the rest Gala. i. 4 A. Euen as the Apostle Paule sheweth in these wordes VVhich gaue him selfe for our sinnes to delyuer vs from this present euyll worlde according to the wyll of God and our Father M. Here we sée the cause for the which false and counterfaite doctrine is more easilye receyued of men than that which is true For the world loueth his owne But euery one is a lyar Psa 116 xi It is no maruaile therfore if the world fauour the teachers of lyes and errours i. Iohn 4 5 and be enuious to the rest A. Wherevpon Saint Iohn sayeth They are of the worlde therefore the world heareth them Therefore it cannot be but that they shall haue continuall warre with men whiche wyll shewe them selues to bée the faithfull Ministers of Christ C. Yet notwithstanding that exhortacion of Saint Paul is not repugnaunt with this Doctrine Romae ii i8 when he sayeth So much as in you lyeth haue peace with all men For the exception which is added is as much as if he had sayde that wée must looke what is lawfull and meete for vs to doe lest we séeking to please the worlde suffer corruptions abuses of the same For the same Apostle sayeth in another place Doe I seeke to please men For if I had hytherto pleased men Gala. i. x I had not beene the seruaunt of God But there may yet another question be moued For we sée that the wicked which are of this worlde are not commonlye hated but also detested and abhorred of the greater parte Here the worlde loueth not his owne I aunswere Earthlye men whiche are lead by the scence and motion of the fleshe do neuer truely hate sinne but onely so farre foorth as they haue a care for their owne commodity and losse Howbeit the purpose of Christ was not to denye but that there was mortall war contencion among those of the worlde onely he minded so shewe that the world hated nothing but that whiche belonged to God in the Faithfull And hereby also it doeth appeare howe fondly the Annabaptistes do erre who gather by this argument aloane that they are the seruauntes of God because they displease the greater sort of men 20. Remember the word that I saide vnto you The Seruaunte is not greater than the Lord Yf they haue persecuted mee they will also persecute you Yf they haue kepte my saying they will keepe youres also Remember the worde that I sayde M. Concerning this word of Christ reade the sixtéene verse of the thirtéene Chapter going before C. This is a confirmation of the sentence going before where Christ sayde that he was hated of the worlde who notwithstanding was more excellent than his Disciples For it is not méete that the condition of the seruaunt shoulde bée better than his Maisters M. By this place we are taught how muche it becommeth vs not onelye to heare the worde of God but also to remember the same For as it is not sufficient to haue money for the present time except thou kéepe the same also for necessarye vses so also we must thinke of the worde of the Lorde To heare the worde of Christ and not kéepe the same in mynde is as if a man shoulde get money and by and by wast and spende the same The wordes of Christ must bée kept for necessitye to come Also we sée that the Apostles were the seruauntes of Christ although he made account of thē not as of seruauntes but as of friendes If they haue persecuted mee Bv. As if he should saye Yf they haue not spared me which am your Lord and Prince excellent and mightye boath in word and also in power but haue greatlye persecuted me it is not lyke that they wyll spare you which are far inferiour vnto me If they haue kepte my saying C. When he had spoken of the persons he maketh mencion also of doctrine For there is nothing that troubleth the Godly more than when they see the doctrine of God to bée prowdlye contempned of men M. Hée must néedes be a verye prowde Disciple whiche perswadeth him selfe that hée can so delyuer the doctrine of trueth vnto the worlde that those thinges which he teacheth shall bée receiued and kept when Christ him selfe missed of the same If any man demaund saying to what ende then preached hee and why did he commaunde his Disciples to preach this word so hated and despised of the world We answere Firste there were many of the electe which had receyued the same worde of truthe for whose sake it was méete that the Gospell should be publiquely taught Secondlye it was necessarye that the trueth shoulde bée set before the Reprobates to the ende they might haue no excuse of theyr vnbeléefe euen as it shal be shewed in the twoo and twentye and foure and twenty verses following When Christ sayeth your doctrine and mine it is to bée referred to the Ministerye There is but one onelye teacher of the Churche whiche is Christ but hée woulde haue his Doctrine of the which he was the first Minister to bée preached by his Apostles A. Wherevppon in the seuentéene Chapter following hée calleth his word theyrs when hée sayeth Neuerthelesse I pray not for them aloane i. Pet. 4. i5 but for them also whiche shall beleeue on me through their worde 21. But all these thinges will they doe vnto you for my names sake because they haue not knowne him that sent me M. Hée nowe sheweth the principall cause of the hatered and persecution of his Disciples by the worlde namelye the mousterous madnesse that is in the worlde being so outragious against the doctrine of saluation through ignoraunce For no man could wyttinglye presume to withstande GOD. Therefore it is ignoraunce and blindnesse whiche maketh the worlde so boulde as to resist Christ Wée must
what thing worthy of hatered did the most méeke and louing Lord Iesus commit He deliuered from destruction he deliuered from the tyranny of the Deuell he extinguished the strength of synne he broughte manking out of seruitud and bondage into the gloriouse libertie of Gods childeren he hath geuen vnto men the participation of the holy Ghost and the kingdome of heauen to be our dwellyng place Wherefore he was rather to be commended of all men than to be hated But none of these thinges could mooue them For they hated him without any cause whome they should most entirely haue loued B. That which is written in the Psalme he sayeth was written in the Lawe because by the name of Law hée vnderstood the whoale Scripture C. Also the whoale doctrine of the Prophetes was nothing else but an Appendix of the Lawe And we know that the Ministery of Moyses continued but tyll Christes tyme of the which wee haue spoken in the seuentéene verse of the eyght Chapter going before Also he calleth it theyr lawe not for honours sake but that they might be more sharplye nipt with a familiar tytle As yf he should say they haue a Law geuen vnto them as it were by birthright in the which they sée their manners liuely drawen forth vnto them M. Where we haue to noate howe the wicked by their wickednesse fulfill those thinges which are foreshewed in the holy Scriptures The Iewes knewe this place of Scripture and yet notwithstanding they were so blinded that they did not perceiue that they fulfilled the same by hating Christ yea and if any had toulde them of the same they would in no wise haue acknoweledged it 26. But when the comforter is come whome I will send vnto you from the father euen the spirite of trueth whiche proceedeth of the Father he shall testefie of mee Bv. This also pertaineth to the consolation of the sayntes in persecutions which they suffer for the confession and preaching of the trueth of the Gospell C. For after Christ hath shewed that the Apostles ought not to estéeme any whit the lesse of the Gospell because the same hath many aduersaryes euen in the Church it selfe nowe he setteth against their wicked madnesse the testimony of the Spirite As yf he should saye the worlde shall rage agaynst you to some your Doctrine shal be a iestinge stocke and othersome shall deteste and abhorre the same but there shal be no such violent motions which shall shake the strength of your fayth when the holy Ghost is geuen vnto you which shall stablishe you by his testimony Bv. For I knowe howe hard a charge it séemeth vnto you to be which I nowe committe vnto you ye your selues féele howe vnapte and vnprepared ye are to take a matter of so great waight vppon you ye feare I knowe this world armed with wisedome pollicie and with all manner of helpes and strength But I would not haue you carefull the holy Ghost shal be geuen vnto you which shall geue testimony of me in this world and that with so great power that though this world rage neuer so mightely yet it shall preuaile nothing And this verely is our onlye comfort and staye when the world is on a roare on euery syde that the trueth of God beeing sealed by the holy Ghost in oure hartes it regardeth nothing that is in the world For yf so bée it were subiect vnto the Iudgement of men our Fayth shoulde dayly bée ouerthrowen a houndered times Therfore we must diligentlye noate howe we must staye our selues in the midest of so great troubles namelye thus because we haue not receiued the spirite of this world but the spirite of God we knowe what thinges God geueth vnto vs. This only witnesse doeth mightely repell disperse and ouerthrow whatsoeuer the world extolleth to obscure and beat down the power and glory of God Whosoeuer shal be endued with this spirite they haue so litle cause to be discouraged by the hatered and contempte of this worlde that euery one of them shall be conquerers and ouercommers of the same A. For this is the victory which ouercōmeth the world 1. Ioh. 5.4 euen our fayth In the meane time wée must beware that we do not depend vpon men For so soon as Fayth beginneth so to wander yea so soone as the same beginneth to goe forth of the sanctuary of God it must needes be miserably tossed Therefore it muste bee reuoked and brought to the inward and secret working of the spirite which the faithfull knowe to be geuen them from heauen And the spirit is sayd to testify of Christ because it retayneth and kéepeth the same fayth in him aloan that we might not séeke any part of our saluation in any other Moreouer he calleth the holy Ghost the comforter that is to saye our Instructor our aduocate and patrone that we bearing our selues bould vppon his defēce should neuer feare For Christ went about by this title to confirme and strengthen our fayth lest it should quail in temptations whom J will sēd vnto you C. He sayeth that he will sende his spirit from his Father and that the same shal procéede from the Father to make the same of more authority For the tstimony of the spirite could not suffice against so many strong assaults except we were perswaded that the same proceeded frō god Therefore it is Christ which sendeth his spirite but out from the heauenly glory to the ende we might know that the same is not a humaine gifte but the assured pledge of Gods grace But wheras in this place it is called the spirite of trueth it is to be applyed to the present circumstance For we must vnder stande an Antithesys or comparison for because without this witnesse men are diuersly caryed thys way and that way and knowe not where safely to rest but wheresoeuer he speaketh there hée deliuereth mens mindes from all doubting and feare of erroure A. Wherevpon the Apostle sayth It is God which stablisheth vs with you in Christ and hath anoynted vs which hath also sealed vs 2. Cor. i. 2i and hath geuen the earnest of the spirite into our heartes B. This spirit worketh all righteousnesse and truth in the sayntes it gloryfyeth Christ makinge them bould to confesse hym to be the only sauioure yt teacheth all thinges and maketh all those thinges which Christe hath spoken to be vnderstoode to bee shorte it leadeth into all trueth and therefore it is properly called the spirite of trueth 27. And yee shall beare wittenesse also because ye haue been with me from the beginning C. The meaning of Christe in these wordes is not that the testimony of the spirite is such that the Apostles shoulde haue the same priuately and aloane but that he would by them spread the same farther because they should be the Instrumentes of the spirite euenas he had spoken by their mouth As if Chryste shoulde haue sayde Bv. When I saye that the spirite shall beare witnesse of mee I
speake were done in the Councell of the Phariseis and of the seniors of the people These thinges our Euangelist thought good to repeat as passed ouer in silence by the others and to omit that which the other thrée haue noted R. Christ or the worde of God Gods word accused of heresie and Christ of sedition is aways accused of two things Fyrst it is accused by the high Priests and Bishops of heresie Secondly by the ciuill Magistrate of sedition The first part of this accusation is handled before the high Priest concerning heresie the seconde before Pilate concerning sedition To these also was ioyned Herod who in the action of this Tragedie representeth the wyse men of this worlde for he contemneth and derideth Christ For the Gospel is to the Gentiles foolishnesse bicause it teacheth that the crosse is holy and glorious that death is life and suche like C. Therefore the high Priest asketh Christ a question as if he were some factious person who in gathering Disciples vnto him had brought schisme into the Church he questioneth with him as with a false prophet whiche shuld go about with new peruers opiniōs to corrupt the puritie of fayth But let vs note the hipocrisie of the false hye Priest He enquireth of the doctrine and Disciples of Iesu He myghte aske thys question in respecte of hys authoritie whiche he hadde among the people of God For it apperteyned to the high Prieste specially to defende true and wholsome doctrine and to represse that whiche was false and hurtefull notwithstanding thys appertayned not to the office of a highe Priest to cause a Teacher whiche hadde taughte dayly in the Temple openly before all menne whome he myghte haue hearde and whose doctrine he myghte haue learned of hys owne mouthe to bée taken violently with a bande of Souldiours and to be brought bounde before hym as a malefactour and a seducer of the people to bee condemned and put to death not yet conuicted Thys thyng beséemed not hys person but declared rather the malice of the Highe Prieste He moued thys question in the myddest of armed menne and bondes not that hee myghte knowe the truthe of Christes doctrine but that he myghte seeke and fynde oute some colour of Iustice and iuste condemnation wherwythall to blynde the eyes of the simple Thys fourme of questioning the Popishe Prelates vse at thys daye in suche places where the Gospell is persecuted to the which they haue alwayes annexed Inquisitions bondes and torments bicause they séeke no more to know the truthe than did the high Priest among the Iewes 20. Iesus aunswered him I spake openly to the worlde I euer taught in the Sinagogue and in the Temple whyther all the Iewes resorte and in secrete haue I sayde nothing C. Christe hauing doone the office of a Teather seeketh not anye newe defence yet notwithstanding lest he should forsake the patrocinie of the truthe he sheweth that hee is readie to defende all those thyngs whyche he had taught And wythall hee reproueth the impudencie of the Highe Prieste who enquireth of a moste manyfest matter as if the same were doubtfull Notwithstanding thys place seemeth contrarie to that other saying of Christe Mat 10.27 Math. 13.11 where he commaundeth the Apostles to preach that vppon the house toppes whiche they had harde in secrete Answere herevnto is made When he saythe in thys place that hée hathe spoken nothing in secrete it is to be referred to the substaunce it selfe which was alwayes one though the fourme of teaching were different Mar. 4.14 M. He hadde taughte the Disciples seuerally in secrete certayne things but yet the very same whiche hee hadde taughte in Parables openly before the people neyther yet bycause they shoulde retayne them in secrete but bycause when the tyme came they should preach the same vppon the house toppes He hadde taughte also in priuate houses but not therefore bicause he sought lurking corners and to shunne publique assemblies neyther dyd he teache any other things than the very same which he had taught in the Temple in the Synagogues and in other publique places C. Wherefore he mighte protest with a good conscience that hee hadde freely professed and sincerely publyshed the summe of hys doctrine M. Also we see heere howe the Lorde vsed the Sinagogues and Temples and also what we muste doo according to hys example in Ecclesiasticall assemblies He taughte he offered not Sacryfyce Doctryne belongeth too the people of GOD. Therefore they whiche doo nothing in their Churches but boa and bleate and sacryfyce are not the followers of Christe but of the Iewishe Priestes C. Moreouer very childishe is the error of some which thinke that they are héere codemned by the answere of Christ which handle the worde of God secretly and in closets when they may not publikely preache the same by reason of the tyrannie of the wicked For Christ doth not dispute what is lawfull to be done and what not but his purpose is to refute the impudent malice of Caiphas A. The Apostles also were then to be condemned who preached not onely publikely but also priuately in houses Act. 20.20 21. Why askest thou me aske them which hard me what I haue sayde vnto thē beholde they can tell what I sayde M. Christ would not haue refused the examination of his doctrine if so be these hye Priestes and Prelates had soughte with their whole hart the knowledge of the truth For how could he whiche was readie to dye for the saluation of mortall men haue denied so little labour to teach them which enquired concerning his doctrine But he knew that they sought nothing lesse then to be taught when they enquired of his Disciples and of his Doctrine Wherfore he appealeth to his hearers which were his enemies R. Wherby we learne what boldnesse ought to be in a teacher of the Gospell He dothe not denie the examination of his Doctrine which he knew to be so sounde and true that he referred the high Priest to the testimonie of those which had openly heard the same what maner of persons soeuer they were so that they would set malice and enuie aside He doth not appeale vnto his Disciples but to all generally whiche had heard him in the Temple and in the Sinagogue This testimonie of cōscience for teaching the truth ought to be in euery Minister of the worde in so much that he may also say Aske those whiche haue heard me beholde they can tell what I haue sayde A. The which they may easily do if so be they speake nothing of them selues but speake in the Churche as the wordes of God 1. Pet. 4 11. 1. Cor. 11.23 and if so be they haue receyued from the Lorde that whiche they deliuer vnto others 22. Whē he had thus spoken one of the officers which stood by smote Iesus with a rod saying Aunswerest thou the high Priest so M. This séemed to the seruauntes of the high Priest great contempt of their master
the Apostles behaued not theÌ„selues so valiantly as it became theÌ„ yet notwithstanding they did fauoure their infirmitie They séeke to hide them selues to auoyd peril yet notwithstaÌ„ding they pluck vp their minds that they may abyd together For otherwise they had béene disperced here and there and one of them woulde haue béene afrayde to looke another in the face After the same manner must we fight with the infirmitie of our fleshe and resiste feare which maketh vs to falle away And Christe doth blesse their zeale in appearing to them béeing gathered together and Thomas is iustly depriued of that grace which all his brethreÌ„ had bicause as a vagrant or waÌ„dring souldier he was departed from the ensigne of vnitie Therfore let al those hereby learne whiche are to fearefull to imbolden them selues and to correcte in them the feare of the flesh Came Iesus and stoode in the middest M. In that Christe when the doores were shut came vnto his disciples which were gathered together for feare of the Iewes to the ende by his apparition he might comforte them béeing in griefe and feare we haue a notable proofe of his diuine power For wheras some think that the doores were opened for him that he might enter in according to the manner of men it disagréeth much with the mind of the Euangelist Therefore we muste not thinke that Christ entred in without miracle to the ende he might declare hys diuine power to make his Disciples the more attentiue Neuerthelesse that is moste false whiche the Papistes affirme as that Christes body perced the doores which were shut This they therefore affyrme that they mighte make his gloryfied body not onely lyke vnto a spirite but also so incomprehensible that no place can contayne the same But the woords of the Euangelist sounde no such thyng bycause he saith not that he entred through the doores that were shut but that hée stoode sodaynely in the middest of hys disciplees when the doores were shutte We knowe that Peter came foorthe of the fast barred prison shal we therfore say that he perced through the middest of the Iron gate This were to absurde and childish let vs coÌ„tent our selues with this that Christ purposed by a notable miracle to confyrme the Apostles in the fayth of his resurrection Peace be vnto you Bv. Christ according to his maner saluteth his beloued disciples For the Iewes vsed this maner of salutation and it continueth with them vntill this â—aye By peace he meaneth integritie and health prosperitie and a blessed lyfe M. Euen as when we say God saue you The Lord vsed this maner of salutacion not onlye at this present but also before his passion A. Concerning this salutacion reade the tenth Chapter of Mathew beginning at the 12. verse 20. And when he had so sayd he shewed vnto them his hands and his syde Then were the disciples glad C. It was meete that this confyrmation shuld be added that it might appere vnto them by all maner of meanes that Christ was risen againe Bv. Least they should imagine him to be a spirite or some other body than that which had hoong vppon the crosse Therfore he sheweth vnto theÌ„ his hands and his side namely the prints of the nailes in his hands and the wound pearced by the speare in his syde M. The Euangelist Luke in his fower and twentie chapter addeth more coÌ„cerning the communication of Christ with his disciples about meate in the 41. verse 21. Then sayd Iesus vnto them againe Peace be vnto you as my father sent me euen so send I you also C. Christ saluted them again to make theÌ„ the more attentiue vnto those things which he spake being matters of great waight and importaunce As my father sent me M. Christ first declared vnto his disciples the reason of his death resurrection out of the scriptures and then he tould them that they should preach remission of sins repentance geue testimonye vnto the gospel C. By which words Christ doth after a sort enter his Apostles into their office to the which before he had choseÌ„ theÌ„ They wer sent before throughout Iewry but only as forerunners which should exhort coÌ„mand men to heare the chief teacher but not as Apostls which shuld take vpon theÌ„ the coÌ„tinual office of teaching And now the lord appointeth theÌ„ as Ambassodors to declare set forth his kingdoÌ„ in the world Therefore let this stand as an vndoubted truth that this is the fyrst time in the which the Apostls wer ordained to be ordinary ministers of the gospel And his wordes are in effect as much as if he shuld sai that he had hitherto don the office of a teacher and that hee hauing ended his course race appointed vnto them their turne For the father had appointed him to be a teacher of the church to this end that he might go before the rest for a time might afterward appoint substitutes in his place to supply his roome For the which cause Paul saith that he hath appointed some in the church to be Apostles other Euangelists Eph. 4.11 other Shepeheardes to gouerne the church vnto the end of the world Bv. Therfore he committeth vnto them their Ambassage and appoynteth theÌ„ to be teachers of the whole world ministers of his church C. First of all then Christ testifyeth that although he him self hath a temporall office of teaching yet notwithstanding that the preaching of the gospel shal abide for euer and lest the doctrine of the Apostles shuld haue lesse authoritie hee coÌ„maundeth theÌ„ to succéed him in the same function which he had receiued of his father And thus it was méete that their ministrie should be authorised for they wer base vnlearned men Bv. But we must take hede lest we abuse these words of the Lord or misconster them For the lord did not send forth his Apostles to offer them selues a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world nether to the ende the father might be called vppon through their name or that by their merittes the whole worlde mighte bée saued Mat. 9.12 Ihon. 6.38 Ihon. 3.17 but that by the preaching of the woorde they myght call men to repentaunce and to remission of sinnes in Christ Therefore the maner how Christ him selfe was sente is noted in the places quoated in the margent This then is referred to the preaching of the gospell euen as he sayth in another place Mar. 28.19 Mar. 16.15 Go ye forth into the whole world and preach the Gospel to euery creature 22. And when he had said those woords he breathed on them and saith vnto them receyue ye the holy Ghost Bv. The Apostles might haue sayd vnto Christ thou laiest a heauy burthen vppon our shoulders We feare Lord that wée are not sufficient for these labours that we want strength insomuch that we shal fainte at the last vnder our burthen This world hath his power his customes receiued from the fathers which it accounteth
denyall of Christ of the which we haue hard had made him vnworthy of the Apostleshippe For how should he be a faythfull teacher of the fayth whiche had so fowlly fallen from the same He was made an Apostle namely with Iudas But so soone as he had forsaken his place office and dignitie he was also depriued of the honor of the Apostleship Bv. Therfore least he might seeme to be remoued for euer from the fellowship and office Apostolical by the thréefolde denyall he is receiued agayne by the trebble confession of his loue and now as well libertie as authoritie to teache is restored vnto him both whiche he had lost through his owne fault And least the infamie of his fall might any thing hynder him Christ quite wipeth and blotteth away the same Such a perfect restitution both for Peter and also for his hearers was most necessarie for him it was necessarie that he mighte the more boldely execute his office beeing assured of his vocation to the whiche he was restored agayne for the hearers also least the fault remayning still in the man mighte haue giueÌ„ some meÌ„ occasion to despise the gospel Simon Ioanna A. Concerning this name we haue spoken before Iohn 1.42 Simon Ioanna sayth our Sauiour louest thou me Bv. The whiche some referre vnto the Disciples that this might be the sence and meaning Louest thou me more than thou doest these thy brethren and fellowes But it séemeth to be the more simple sence and meaning if so be thou vnderstande that Peter was asked whether he loued the Lorde more ferueÌ„tly than did the rest Peraduenture the question rose herehence for that he leauing his felowes in the Skiffe cast him selfe into the lake not tarying the time of rowing and seeking to come first vnto the Lord standing vpoÌ„ the shore Also because he fund the Sauiour very mercifull vnto him in forgeuing his sinne Luke 7.47 by righte the greater loue is required of him For he to whom more is giuen ought to loue more C. But howsoeuer the matter standeth that way it is most certain that the meaning of Christ in these wordes is that no man can faythfully serue the Church and take paynes in féeding the flocke excepte he haue further respecte than vnto men First the office of teaching of it selfe is laborious and troublesome seeing there is nothing more harde and to keepe men vnder the yoke and obedience of God of whom some are weake some lighte some peruerse some dull some slouthful some hard and vnapte to be taught Preaching a harde office Also Satan for his parte thrusteth in al the lettes and stumbling blocks he can deuise to discourage the good shepheard or at lest to weaken him Therfore none shall câ—nstantly go or warde in this office but he in whose hart remayneth the loue of Christe that he forgetting him selfe and wholly adicting him selfe vnto Christ may ouercome all impediments and stayes Thus Paule declared him selfe to be affected when he sayd The loue of Christ bindeth vs. Bv. To be short Christ requireth of the shepheard burning and earnest loue For the Lorde did not aske Peter as one ignorante what was in the harte of Peter or of any other maÌ„ but he sought to imprint this in the mindes of al his Disciples that he must of necessitie be endued with perfect loue toward Iesus Christ whiche taketh vpon him the care of his flocke C. Therfore let them which are called to gouerne the Church remember that if they will eightly and truly execute their office they must first begin at the loue of Christ Yea Lord thou knowest that I loue thee M. So great is the constancie and trust of a good conscience that it is not afrayde to appeale vnto the knowledge of the Lorde and to take the Lorde him selfe for a witnesse Peter sayth not Thou knowest Lorde that I loue thée more than these doo but Thou knovvest Lorde that I loue thee He exalteth not himself aboue the rest neyther doth he ascribe lesse loue vnto them than vnto him selfe but modestly and simply affirmeth that he loueth the Lord. He could iudge no more of other mens harts than they could doo of his For no man knoweth what is in man 1. Cor. 2.11 but the spirite of man that is in him Euen so we must testifie of the truth of our hart that in the meane time we reiecte not others nor presume to iudge of the spirit of other men Feede my Lambes C. The Scripture applyeth this worde Feede metaphorically to all kinde of gouernment But bicause héere he speaketh of the spiritual gouernmeÌ„t of the Church it is good for vs to note in what partes the office of a shepeheard consisteth For we haue héere no vayne or idle dignitie depaynted vnto vs neyther dothe Christe commit any gouernmeÌ„t to a mortal man that he may vse the same at his own pleasure Christ seeing he is properly the only shepheard of the Church who gouerneth and feedeth his sheepe by the worde of saluation Pastors of Christe to feede hys sheepe bicause he vseth the helpe of men to preache doctrine dothe giue also vnto them his name or at lest communicateth the same with them Therefore they are accounted for lawfull and true Pastors before God which gouerne the Churche by the ministerie of the worde vnder the head Christe Whereby we may gather what burthen Christ layeth vpon Peter and vpon what condition he appoynteth him a gouernour of his flocke Whereby also the wickednesse of the Bishoppes of Rome is playnly inough refelled and dysproued whiche wrest this place to establishe the tyrannie of their Popedome To Peter say they it was sayde aboue the rest Feede my Sheepe Why it was spoken rather to him than to the rest we haue shewed before Supremacie of the Pope But there is nothing geuen to Peter in these words whiche is not aswel common to all the Ministers of the Gospell R. For the Apostles haue all one power bicause they haue all one and the selfe same spirite all one worde of the Gospell giuen vnto them to preach C. Therefore the Papistes doo seeke to proue in vayne that Peter was chiefe bicause he was specially spoken vnto aboue the rest But admit and graunt that he had some speciall honor aboue the rest how will they proue that he was placed in the highest degrée of all other He was in deede the chiefest among the Apostles but shall it therof follow that he is the vniuersal Bishop of the whole worlde Verely whatsoeuer Peter hathe receyued doth no more appertayne to the Pope than it dothe to Mahumet For by what right dothe he chalenge to him selfe to be Peters successor And what man in hys right wittes will graunt vnto him that Christ speaketh here of any right of succession Yet notwithstanding he will be counted Peters successor I would to God he were None of vs doth let him but that he may loue Christ and take care and charge to