he receiueth vs into his fauor and votsafeth to account vs as his frendes euenas he sayde a little before If ye keepe my commaundementes ye shall abide in my loue For the helthfull grace of God hath appeared to all men teaching vs that denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts we should liue soberly and righteouslye and Godly in this present worlde But prophane and wicked men who by wicked contempt of the Gospell do waxe wanton against Christ doe renounce his freinshippe If ye do whatsoeuer I commaund you M. He sayeth not If ye doe whatsoeuer I doe but If ye doe whatsoeuer I commaunde you Christe didde many thinges which hee hath geuen to vs in commaundement He fasted forty dayes but he did not command vs to doe the like Bv. In these wordes therefore he commendeth vnto vs the Euaungelical preceptes Math. 15.3 and not the traditions of men which in another place he sharpelye reprehendeth 15. Hencefoorth call I not you seruauntes for the seruaunte knoweeth not vvhat his Lord doeth but you haue I called friendes for all thinges that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knovven vnto you C. By another argument he declareth his loue towarde his Disciples namely for that he made him self wholy knowen vnto them euenas there is alwaye familliar communication among friends As yf he should saye I haue broughte much more vnto you than a mortall man commonly bringeth vnto his seruauntes M. For that which friendes were wont to doe that I haue done vnto you For I haue hydde none of those thinges from you which I haue heard only and secretly of my Father but haue reuealed them all to your conscience C. Therefore lette this be a pledge of my loue towards you that louingly and friendly I haue declared vnto you those secrets of heauenly wisedome wiche I haue heard of my father Bv. This serueth greatly for oure consolation and comforte For by our nature and natiuity we are enemies vnto God seruants of the Deuell and of synne men ignorant of God and of his counsailes yea of our owne saluation but the sonne of God dyed and suffered for vs of enemies he hath made vs frends and of seruants he hath made vs houshould Sonnes to whome by the spirite and the preaching of the Gospell he openeth all the misteries and secretes of the Father in such wise that they can be Ignoraunt of none of those thinges which appertayne vnto sonnes to knowe Otherwise there are many counsails and workes of God which are neither profitable to be knoweÌ„ nor yet of men to be desyered C. Therefore it is certaine that Christe didde not make all things known to his Disciples which he knew him selfe neither was it possible for them to attaine to the heith of such misteryes And séeing the wisedom of God is incomprehensible he hath geuen by measure to euery one so muche as is necessary to knoweledge Therefore when he sayeth that he hath reuealed all thinges it ought to be restrained to the personne and office of a Mediatoure He hath made him selfe a meane betwéene God and vs. who hath receiued all oute of the secrete sanctuary of God by which he hath deliuered vnto vs as it were from hand to hand Therefore Christ lefte nothing vntoulde vnto his Disciples which appertaineth to oure saluation or which were necessary for vs to knowe but faithfully dispensed them euenas he had receiued them of the father C. It is then a notable title of the Gospell which we haue here of the Gospell that the harte of Christ is there sayd to be reuealed that we néede not to bee doubtfull of his loue There is noe cause why we should desyer to ascende aboue the Cloudes or wishe to go downe into the déepe to séeke the sertainty of our saluation lette this testimony of loue satisfy vs which is contayned in the Gospell because the same will neuer deceiue Moyses sayd vnto the auncient people VVhat nation is so great vnto whome the Godes come so nere vnto them Deut. 4.7 as the Lorde our God is nere vnto vs in all that wee call vnto him for Bv. But we are muche more noble and excellent in that God hath wholy expressed him selfe in his sonne Bv. Where are then those good fellows which falsly affirme that the Lorde hath not geuen all thinges vnto his Church Herevpon also they take occasion to establishe and appoynte what they liste in the Church as though he would reueale that by them vnto vs which he would not reueale by his owne sonne A like matter I warrant you Truth sayeth that all thinges are deliuered vnto vs Godlynesse telleth vs that the Apostle conceleth nothing from the church but that they faithfullye deliuered all thinges vnto the same and lefte them afterwards in writing least they should be forgotten A. For Paule also testifieth that he deliuered vnto the faithfull all the counsaile of God C. By whiche their wicked ingratitude is condemned who béeing not content with the wonderfull wisedome of the Gospell Acts. 20.27 proudlye ronne to newe speculations 16. Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordayned you to goe and bringe forth fruite and that youre fruite shoulde remayne that whatsoeuer yee aske of the Father in my name hee maie geue it you Bv. Now leste the Disciples shoulde ouer Ioye and wax proude for that they had heard them selues of enemies to be made friendes and the sonnes of of God by the death of Christ C. Hée more playnly sheweth that it ought not to be attributed vnto their owne merite but to his grace that they are come to so greate honour For when he denyeth himselfe to be chosen of them it is as much as if he shoulde saye that whatsoeuer they haue it is not gotten by their owne strength and Industery The common sorte doe faine here a certaine concourse of the deuine grace and also of humaine will but this Antithesis or comparisonne é haue chosen you I am not chosen of you doth wholly callenge thae vnto Christe aloane whiche they were wâ—nt to deuide betwéene him and man as yf it had beene sayde that man is not mooued of his owne accord to séeke after Christe vntill he were firste sought Here is nothing spoken concerning the common election of the Godly by which they are adopted the sonnes of God but of that perticuler election by whiche hée had chosen his Disciples to the office of preaching the Gospell Luk. 6. xiij as is to be séene in Luke and in another place it is sayd Haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuell Iohn 6.70 C. But yf so be they were chosen fréelye without any desert one their parte to the Apostolicall office it is moste sertaine that the same election is much more frée by which of the sonnes of wrath and of the cursed séede we are made heires of euerlasting life Moreouer Christe in this place so commendeth his grace by which
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
they ought to haue a farther regard than to the commodityes of this present lyfe B. But they thought that this meate might be gotten by theyr workes therefore they demaunded what they should doe to worke the workes of God that is to saye which might bée acceptable vnto GOD and which might bye that meate C. But they which thus demaund are partlye deceyued because they knowe not the waye howe to worke for they doe not consider that GOD doth geue vnto vs by the hand of his sonne whatsoeuer is necessarye to the Spyrituall lyfe Fyrst of all they demaund what they must doe then when they come to speake of the worckes of God they wander they knowe not whether Thus they bewraye theyr ignoraunce of the grace of God M. And thys errour hath béene in all ages and tymes that men haue thought to wynne saluation by their workes C. Howbeit these men séeme here proudlye to reason with Christ as though he had reproued them vniustlye as if they shoulde saye Doest thou thinke that wée haue no care for euerlasting lyfe What is that then which thou requyrest at our handes more then that whiche wée doe B. Haue wée not the Lawe of Moyses by which wée are iustified and by which wée learne what workes they are whiche GOD requireth at our handes to bée done Doest thou make a newe Lawe by whiche wée ought to frame our lyues What workes canst thou recken to vs which are not comprehended and expressed in the Lawe of Moyses R. Wée are Circumcised we offer Sacrifices daylye wée eate no Swynes fleshe wee kéepe the Sabboth daye and wée fast are not these good workes whereby wée maye bée iustifyed Doth not GOD require these thinges at our handes by the Lawe Wée are called a holye people but howe should wée bée holy but by the righteousnesse of the Lawe Therefore they séeme not to question with Christe vppon a Godly desyre whiche they haue to learne but vppon contempte disdayne and presumption as though they were alreadye sufficientlye instructed out of the Lawe what workes God requyreth to attaine to righteousnesse A. But they went farre astraye And therefore 39. Iesus aunswered and sayde to them This is the vvorcke of GOD that ye beleeue on him whom hee hath sent M. Hée doeth not onelye aunswere the question of this people but also expoundeth that part of the admonicion where hée sayd Labour for the meate which perisheth not B. And here is a fygure called Imitacion For because they asked the question concerning workes and no workes can performe that which they sought for namelye the foode of euerlasting lyfe the Lorde Imitated them the worke hée called Faythe which is an assured perswasion of the goodnesse of GOD and an vndoubted hope of saluacion from him the which fayth the inspiration of the holye Ghoste worketh in the myndes of the elect Verse 44. which hereafter hée calleth the drawing of his Father C. Because therefore they had spoken of workes Christ putteth them in minde of one worke that is to saye of Fayth by which hée declareth that whatsoeuer menne take in hand without Fayth is vaine and vnprofitable and that Fayth onely sufficeth because God requyreth this alone at our handes that we beléeue For there is here a secréete comparison betweene Fayth and the workes of men As if hée should saye Men busye them selues in vaine when they séeke to please God without Fayth euen as if they which comming out of the waye can not attaine the Goale R. For it is Faith onelye whiche iustifyeth Faith only iustifieth and this worke aloane God requyreth to the fulfylling of the Law For fayth apprehendeth Christ and Christ is the fulfylling of the Lawe to righteousnesse to all that beléeue And hereby wée maye learne that carnall strength mannes wyll workes Rom. 10.4 and humayne deuises the externall obseruation of the Lawe Sacrifices and the kéeping of the Sabboth are of no force to attayne to righteousnesse but onelye Fayth in Christ whiche is the gyft of GOD and not to bée gotten by mannes strength C. And yet notwithstanding this place is not against loue as though other workes were superfluous For Fayth neyther excludeth Loue nor no other good workes séeing it contayneth all good workes in it selfe For fayth is called the onelye worke of GOD because wée possessinge Christ by the same are made the sonnes of GOD that hee maye gouerne vs by his spyrite Because therefore Christe doeth not seperate from Fayth the fruites thereof it is no maruayle if hée place in the same if wée may so speake the Helme and Rudder of the Shippe M. But if this question had béene proposed to any Pharisée hée woulde haue vsed another maner of aunswere and rather haue sayde A. Pharisees This is the worke of GOD that ye bée Circumcised that ye bée Purifyed that ye kéepe the Sabboth daye that ye offer Sacrifices and that ye doe suche lyke workes as these Or if the same question had béene proposed to any Papiste hée woulde by and by haue aunswered A. Papist This is the worke of GOD to fast often to Praye muche to heare Masses to goe to Confession and suche lyke with the which vngodlye menne doe daylye more and more defyle them selues not regarding this onelye worke of GOD without the which no man can attayne to euerlasting lyfe C. Moreouer vayne is theyr cauill whiche by the pretence of this place contend that wée are iustifyed by good workes séeing that Fayth doeth iustifye and seeing the same is also called the worke of God First of all it is manifest that Christ speaketh improperlye when hée geueth to Faythe the name of working Rom. 3.17 euen as Paule also doeth when hée compareth the Lawe of Fayth and the Lawe of workes togeather Secondlye when wée denye men to bée iustifyed by workes wée meane those workes by the merite whereof men thinke they maye wynne Gods fauoure But as for fayth it bringeth nothing vnto GOD but rather setteth a man naked and emptye before GOD that hée maye put on Christ and be replenished with his grace Wherefore fayth is a passiue worke Faith doth not iustifye as a Meretoryous worke to the which no rewarde maye bée geuen neyther doeth it bring any other righteousnesse than that which he receyueth of Christ 30. They sayde therefore vnto him what signe shewest thou then that we maye see and beleeue thee What doest thou vvorke What signe C. This wickednesse doeth sufficientlye declare howe truelye it is sayde in another place Mat. 12.39 This wicked generation seeketh a signe They were at the first drawne vnto Christ by the wonderfull shewe of signes and being amased at the sight of a newe myracle they confessed Christ to bée the Messias and vppon hope hereof they would haue made him a King and yet nowe they requyre a signe as of one whome they knewe not and had neuer séene before Wherevpon commeth suche sodayne forgetfulnesse but because they béeing
hath opened and reuealed to vs the hydden treasures of God They are worthy therefore to perishe miserablye who being called gently and louingly of Christ wander else where Out of his bellye shall flowe Riuers Bv. By this hée meaneth the plenty and abundaunce of al giftes and good works C. For in him he teacheth is stoare and sufficient to fyll vs. The Metaphor in shewe séemeth harde when hée sayth that Ryuers of water of lyfe shal flowe out of the bellye of the faithfull notwithstanding the scence and meaning is plaine inough that the beléeuing shall neuer want any spyrituall goodnesse Hée calleth that the water of lyfe which in springing shal neuer decrease or waxe drye as is sayde before The bellye of the inwarde man is the conscience of the heart And by floodes hée meaneth the manifolde Graces of the Spyrite which are necessary to the spyrituall life of the Soule To bée short here is promised vnto vs as well the perpetuity of the giftes of the spyrite as the plentye of the same 39. But this spake he of the Spyrite which they that beleeue on him should receyue for the holye Ghost was not yet there because Iesus was not yet glorifyed But this spake hee M. Because the woordes of Christ were to the ignoraunt obscure and darke as Parabolicall therefore it séemed necessarye to the Euangelist to expound the same C. The name of water is sometyme geuen to the Spirite because of cleanesse because it belongeth vnto him to purge our fylthinesse but in this place and in such lyke there is not al one manner of speache and that because we are voide of all humour moystnesse of life vntil such time as the spirite of god doth water vs with his spiritual and heauenlye dewe And here is a figure called Synecdoche because all the partes of life are comprehended vnder this one worde of water whereby also wée gather that whosoeuer are not regenerate by the spirite of Christ are to bée counted for dead men although they séeme to them selues to haue lyfe For the holye Ghost was not yet M. These wordes shewe the cause wherefore it was sayde VVhich they should receyue and not rather VVhich they that beleeue haue receyued Because sayeth hée The holye Ghost was not as yet Bv. Hée speaketh not here of the essence of the holye Ghost which is coequall and coeternall with the Father and the Sonne M. For it is written By the worde of the Lorde the Heauens were made and all the powers of them Psal 33.6 by the breath of his mouth And the whole Scripture of the olde Testament doeth testifye no lesse of him than of Christ the worde of God Neyther doth hée speake simplye concerning his working and giftes in the faithfull as though before Christ was gloryfied the holye Ghost dyd not worke in the mindes of the Godlye as well in the tyme of the olde Testament as of the Newe when as he manifestlye declared himselfe in the Prophetes in the Patriarkes in the Godlye Kinges and in all those godlye men which began to cleaue vnto Christ whether they were Apostles or others that many wayes C. But the Euangelist doeth deny that the same grace of the spirite which after the resurrection of Christ was shed out vppon 〈◊〉 was openlye geuen so long as Christ was in this worlde vnder the humâ—â—â— base forme of a seruaunt And hys forsaketh comparatiuelye as when the new Testament is set against the olde God promiseth his spirite to the faythfull as if hée had neuer geuen the same to the Fathers Then verilye the Disciples receiued the first fruites of the spirite for whereof came Fayth but of the Spirite R. And dyd not the Apostles cast out Deuelles by the power of the holye Ghost and confesse Christ to bée the Sonne of GOD before the Crosse And the confession of Fayth is a worke of the holye Ghost and not of fleshe C. Therefore the Euangelist doeth not deny but that the grace of the Spyrite was geuen before the death of Christ to the Children of God but hee affirmeth that the same was not yet so manifest and euident as it should bée afterwarde For this is the principall ornament and bewtye of the kingdome of Christ that hée gouerneth his Church by his holye spyrite But hée tooke then the iust and solemne possession of his kingdome when hee was exalted to the right hande of his Father It is no maruayle therefore if hée deferred the full exhibition of his Spirite vntyll that time Regeneration the feuite of the spirite But it may bée demaunded here whether hée meane the visible graces of the Spyrite or regeneration whiche is the fruicte of Adoption I aunswere The holye Ghost appeared which was promised at the comming of Christ in those visible gyftes as in a glasse notwithstanding properlye hée speaketh here of the power of the holy Ghost by which wée are borne againe in Christ and are made newe creatures 40. Many of the people therefore when they hearde this saying sayde Ofâ— trueth this is the â—â—â—phete Bv. Here is repeateâ—◠〈◊〉 the truth of the Gospell is receyueâ—â— the world For those thinges which hée had spoken euidentlye and plainlye made the multitude diuerslye affected in the which were both good and simple and also wicked and peruerse hearers C. Wherevpon some thinking one thing and some another there roase contencion among the people And there are reckened vp thrée sortes of hearers of Christ Thre sorts of hearers of Christ The first sort confessed Iesus to bée a true Prophete whereby wée gather that they dyd not abhorre his doctrine but howe light and friuolous this confession was it appeareth thereby that they alowing the teacher neyther vnderstoode nor felt what hée meant or spake For they could not trulye imbrace Christ as a Prophete but they must also acknowledge him to bée the Sonne of God and the aucthour of theyr saluation notwithstanding in this they doe well that they thinke some diuine power to bée in Christ which causeth them to reuerence him For being thus apte to bée taught they might easely haue attayned to Faith as is sayde in another place 41. But other sayde this is christ But some sayde shall christ come out of Galilee But other sayde C These dyd better which plainlye confessed Christ M. For they séeme to profite better in the doctrine of Christ than others and to bée better instructed and learned in the holye Scriptures than others Bv. For they acknowledge him to bée the true Messias promised before in the Lawe and the Prophetes which was a true confession For it comprehendeth the whole sum of al the Christian fayth and the Reuelacion thereof is sayde to depende not of fleshe and blood Mat. 16.17 but of the spyrite of God But some sayde shall Christ C. The thirde sorte resist being euyl and vnbeléeuing and corrupted with the Leuen of the Pharisees which do not onely thinke and speake otherwise than dyd the
them selues headlong into the midest of the fier of Godes wrath Do wee not sée the same furye in many at this daye whose consciences hauing no sence and feeling at all doe scofe and deryde all that they heare spoken of the horrible Iudgement of God 23 And hee saied vnto them yee are from beneath I am from aboue ye are of this world I am not of this world And he sayd vnto them M. Christ doeth so aunswere vnto their secréete whispering that hée declareth boath wherefore they can not come to the place whether hée is going and also wherefore hée sayd that they should dye in their sinnes Ye sayeth he are from beneath C. Because they were not worthye to bée taught hée onelye minded shortlye and sharpelye to reprehende them pronouncing in this place that they doe not vnderstande his Doctrine because they were farre from the Kingdome of God Bv. As if hée should saye The cause of your errour and blindnesse is for that ye are quite voyde of the holye Ghoste and are of this worlde that is to saye ye are earthlye and carnall and sauour whollye of this world But I am from aboue and am not of this worlde that is to saye I teache spirituall heauenly and not worldly thinges Except therefore as newe borne ye chaunge youre mindes ye shall neuer vnderstande any whitte of my Philosophy C. For vnder these wordes worlde and from beneathe he comprehendeth all that men haue vy nature For Sinne Death Affliction Glory Pompe Ritches Power and such lyke carnall thinges are from beneathe and of this worlde C. And thus he putteth discrepaunce and difference betwéene his Gospell and the wisedom and vnderstanding of mannes minde because the Gospell is heauenlye wisedome and our minde stayeth it selfe vppon the earth So that noane shal be a méete Disciple for Christ but such as he hath conformed by his spyrite And herevppon it commeth that Fayth is so seldome founde in the worlde because naturally all mankinde is alienated from Christ Faith syldom found in the world except those whom hée lyfteth vp by speciall grace of his holye Spyrite R. For no man can attayne to those thinges which belong to the kingdome of Heauen that is to saye to righteousnesse to Fayth to reioysing in the holye Ghost and to eternall felicity by his owne reason and strength but by the power of Christ M. Moreouer Christ doeth not deny in himselfe the Natiuitye of the fleshe when hée sayeth that he is not of this world but the communion and partetaking of sinne and of corruption which commeth through sinne the sugiestion of Sathan In this sence hée denyeth his Apostles to bée of this worlde because he exempteth them by the grace of his spyrite from the spottes and pollusions of this worlde A. In lyke manner all the Godlye though they bee in this worlde Ioh. i5 19 mixte with wicked and vngodlye men yet notwithstanding they are not sayde to be of this worlde because GOD hath taken them out of this present wicked world Phili. 3.20 and their conuersation is heauenly 24. I sayde therefore vnto you that you shall dye in your sinnes For if ye beleeue not that I am he ye shall dye in your synnes J sayde therefore vnto you M. The ioyning togeather of these sentences doe manifestlye declare that so many as are of this worlde are subiect vnto death For hée sayth not simplye I sayde vnto you that ye shall dye but I sayde therefore vnto you that ye shall dye Wherefore Because yee are of this worlde For he hath respecte to the declaration doing before So Paule sayth that the worlde is subiect to damnation saying when we are Iudged of the Lorde we are corrected 1. Co. 11 i2 leste wee sholde be condemned with the worlde That you shall die in youre sinnes C. Nowe he putteth the plurall number Sinnes whereas he vsed before the synguler nomber Sinne but in the same sence sauing that in the former place his purpose was to noate that vnbeléefe is the well spring and cause of all euelles not because Incredulitie only is sinne or deathe because the same aloane maketh vs guiltie before God of eternall death but because it doth draw vs awaye from Christe and doeth depriue vs of his grace by which we ought to séeke for deliueraunce from all oure synnes In that therefore the Iewes through obstinate mallice do reiect the medicine they geue vnto them selues a mortall wounde and herevppon it commeth to passe that they heape on sinne vppon another M. Furthermore by this place wée maye gather that death is due vnto sinne as the Scripture in diuers places teacheth Death reward of sin Rom. 6.22 1. Cor i5 We maye also gather that oure destruction commeth of our owne sinnes and not of the sinnes of other men It maye bee that we maye bee made pertakers of other mens synnes and so also of theyr punishmente but he which is free from sinne and doth not dot defyle hym selfe with other mens sinnes is also frée from the rewarde of sinne Rom. 6.23 that is to say death For the Soule whiche hath synned shall dye Eâ—ec i8 4 the sonne shall not beare the Iniquitie of the Father nor the father the iniquitie of the Sonne the righteousnesse of the Iust man shal be vppon him and the wickednesse of the vngodly vpon them Yf ye beleue not that I am hee What he hath added nothing And because he hath added nothing it is muche which he hath commended For they looked that he shoulde haue declared what he was and yet notwithstanding he did not shewe the same C. There is therefore in this manner of speache a greate emphacis and force because all those thinges which the Scriptures attributed to the Messias are to be vnderstoode Notwithstanding the summe and principall poynt is the repayring of the Church the beginning whereof is the light of fayth whereof duly spring righteousnesse and newenesse of lyfe Some of the Fathers haue drawne amis this thing to the deuine essence of Christe and do Ioyne that with him which is wrighten in Exodus I am that I am Exod. 3 when as he speaketh heare of the dutie which he oweth toward vs. This sentence is worthy to be noated for men do neuer sufficiently consider the euelles in the wich they are ouerwhelmed and although they are constrayned to acknowledge their destruction yet notwithstanding neglecting Christe they séeke for vaine remedies Wherefore wee must here noate that vntill the grace of Christ which is our deliuerer doe reueale it selfe all kinde of wickednesse doth abounde 25. Then sayde they vnto him who arte thou And Iesus sayth vnto them Euen the verye same thing that I sayde to you from the beginning Who art thou Bv. Bv. Wonderfull liberty of questioning or rather carnall lycence is graunted to the enemies of Christ and much more wonderfull doeth the patience and long suffering of our Sauiour Christe appeare in all these thinges
in them hée meaneth not that they were simplye murderers but that they were driuen to suche made outrage and outragious madnesse by the hatred of GOD and his truth which is muche more worse For then the murder is not onely committed against men but also against God R. And because the Iewes were carnall they beléeued not the worde of Christ which cannot bée comprehended by humaine reason but by fayth onelye M. Therefore the preaching of the worde of God doth reueale the qualitie of the hearers discerneth the elect from the reprobate Euen as it is sayd hereafter He that is of God heareth Gods word ye therfore heare not because ye are not of God Furthermore the worde of God must be heard not only with our corporall eares but must also be receyued inwardelye into our heartes For although thou heare the worde of God and vnderstande the same except thou followe it and bring it to effect it cannot be truely sayd that it hath place in thée Euen so the worde of Christ hath then truely place in vs when the same hath place in our hearte and worketh in vs his effect that is to saye the worde of fayth to beléeue the wordes of doctrine to vnderstande the wordes of admonition to follow the wordes of consolation to comfort the wordes of pacience to beare and so of the rest Also the worde of God worketh by degrées insomuche that the worde of GOD taketh place in some more than in othersome according to the measure of fayth which God giueth to euerye man Bv. Wée sée also that vnbeléefe is the verye welspring of all wickednesse and there it taketh place where the worde of GOD is excluded 38. I speake that which I haue seene with my Father and ye doe that whiche yee haue seene wyth your Father C. He gathereth an argument of the contraries that they are boath enemies vnto God and the Children of the Deuell which resist his doctrine I saith he bring forth nothing but that which I haue learned of my Father Howe commeth it to passe then that the worde of God doth so greatly offende you but because my Father doeth not fauoure you R. My heauenly Father is true Nowe séeing my father hath wholy expressed hym selfe in me I cannot but speake the truth I haue learned no other thing of my Father of whome I was borne before all worldes and from euerlasting I sayde that I am the light of the worlde and that I came to saue the faithful that I am the Welle and the bread of lyfe these thinges are no lyes for so my Father taught me to speake because I am his naturall Sonne But ye doe that which yée haue seene with your Father His desire is to kil to enuie and to slay the which thinges also yée doe C. Hée sayth that hée speaketh and that they doe because hée executed the office of a teacher and they furiouslye went a boute to extinguishe hys doctrine Some traslate it And doe yee that c. As if Christ shoulde haue sayde Goe to shewe your selues to bee the Children of the Deuill by resisting mée for I speake nothing but out of the mouth of GOD. M. Let vs here learne by euident and certaine noates to put a difference betwéene the Children of God and the Children of the Diuell the which shall bee verye easie if so bee wee well vnder stande the nature of those two Princes The Elect are taught of the Lorde and doe gréedelye imbrace and obserue hys worde which is the truth The Children of the Deuill imbrace lyes and séeke with all their might to extinguish the light of the truth and to kill the preachers of the Gospell The which thing they learne of their father the Deuill Luk. 8.12 who wholly endeuoreth him selfe to pulle the word out of the hearts of men lest in beleeuing they shoulde be saued 39. They aunswered and sayde vnto him Abraham is our father IESVS sayth vnto them If ye were Abrahames children yee woulde doe the works of Abraham They aumswered Bv. They did smell well ynough that the Lorde thought their Father to be the aucthor of wickednesse the diuell himselfe now therefore with subtill questions they goe about to draw out somewhat out of the aunswere of the Lorde which shoulde be against the Patriarke Abraham that thereby they might stir vp the people to destroy Iesus as a calumniator and slaunderer of the holye Patriarke M. Therefore they so frame their aunswere that they doe not so much defende theyr owne estimation as the estimation of Abraham as though the Lord had deminished the same when hée sayde And yee doe that which yee haue seene with your Father As if they shoulde saye Take héede what thou sayest Our Father is Abraham a man most holye and acceptable vnto GOD R. which is an absolute example for vs all to leade our liues Why then doest thou speake euill of him as though hée had taught vs that which were wicked Doest thou thinke that it is lawfull for thée to slaunder all good men at thy pleasure without punishment Wée will not suffer such thinges As wée doe nothing that is euill euen so our Father Abraham hath taught vs nothing that is euell Bv. Wee therefore desyer to knowe of thée whether Abraham did any thing at any time which became not a good a Iust and a holy man to doe C. This altrication doth euidently declare howe proudly they contemned all the reprehensyons of Christe Still they arrogate this vnto them selues that they are the Children of Abraham and not only in that sence that they came of the progeny of Abraham but also that they were a holy people the inheritaunce of God and the children of God But this truste was wholy in the fleshe and carnall quight voyde of true Faith Euenso in lyke manner all ypocrites so soone as they haue gotten some cloake they obstinately resist God as though he could not see into their hartes If ye were Abrahams children M. The inuincible truth wanteth not true and euident argumentes to defend it selfe and to confute the contradiction of the wicked Here Christe conuinceth the vnbeléeuing Iewes to be none of the children of Abraham C And more euedently putteth a difference betwéene the true and the vnlawfull children of Abraham For he taketh from all those whiche are vnlyke to Abraham euen the very name It commeth often times to passe that the Children ar vnlike in manners their Parentes who begat them but Christ speaketh not here of carnall ofspring but only denyeth them to bee counted for the children of Abraham before god which do not retayne by fayth the grace of adoption For seeing the Lorde promised to the séede of Abraham to be their God all the vnbeléeuing which reiected this promise did cut of them selues from the stocke of Abraham The Carnall stocke of Abraham was not altogether vnprofitably and of no moment if so be trueth were Ioyned to the same For Gods election resteth in
him but that which was diuine yea in that he hauing so small knowledge of Christe gaue and submitted him selfe whollye vnto him his Faith and ready obedience deserueth the more praise Bv. Wherefore if we simplye beléeue the worde of God and contemne not the Sacramentes of the Lorde he wyl geue and performe vnto vs all that hée hath promised A. For he is Faithfull 2. Tim. 2.13 hée knoweth not howe to lye and he cannot deny him selfe 8. So the neyghboures and they that had seene him before vvhen he vvas blind sayde Is not this he that sate and begged Bv. Here the Euangelist sheweth howe this miracle was made knowne first to the common sort of people and after that to the Rulars M. The blind man after he was restored to his sight returned first of all from the Poole of Syloh to his friendes and acquaintance with great ioye For his Parentes were alyue in that Citye as ye shall sée anon And herevppon came the occasion of reuealing and publishing this miracle For if he had aboade among straungers and those which knewe him not the miracle of his illuminacion had styll remained vnknowne C. Howbeit the blind man was not onelye knowne to his neyghbours but also to many of the inhabitauntes of the Citye because hée was wont to syt begging at the Gate of the Temple and such among the common sort of people dyd the more beholde him B. And thus we sée howe all thinges serue the Lorde For in this that this man was a beggar it serued somewhat to the setting forth of the glorye of God for herevpon it came that he was known to many and so hée was knowne more and more 9. Some sayde this is he other sayde he is lyke him Hee him selfe sayde I am euen hee C. As impietye is cunning and expert inough in obseuring the workes of God many thought that it was not the same man because in him the vnwonted and wonderfull power of God was to be séene euenso the more bright that the maiestie of the workes of God is the lesse credite and faith it hath among men But their doubting was a helpe and furtheraunce to allowe and confirme the Gospell because hereby it came to passe that by their proclayming of it the blind man dyd the more set forth the grace of Christ Bv. In whome we maye behoulde the nature and disposition of suche as are illuminated by Christ These men with him geue testimony vnto the trueth they do simply and truely set forth the workes of the Lorde and they doe expreslye confesse Christ M. Also no Christian whiche is made partaker of the grace of Christ by repentaunce ought to deny what he was before his conuersion but to confesse him selfe howe euill soeuer he hath béen to the glory praise of the grace of Christ Math. 9.9 So Mathewe is not ashamed to confesse that he was a Publicane before his conuersion Paule also in diuers places of his Epistles maketh mencion of his condicion before his conuersion that he might the more largely commend the grace of Christ i. Cor. 15.9 Galat. i.iij. Acts. 22.4 Acts. 26.9 At this daye they whiche from base estate and as it were from the dunghill are aduaunced to honour doe notablye dissemble their former condition whereby they deserue to be restored to the same againe 10. Therefore sayde they vnto him howe are thine eyes opened M. They which thus demaunde doe testifye so farre forth of the miracle of illuminacion that they declare that they sée not howe it is possible that the eyes of one that is borne blinde shoulde bée opened and so by demaunding they set forth the glorye of Christ wyll they nyll they 11. Hee aunswered and sayde The man that is called Iesus made claye and annointed mine eyes and sayde vnto mee Goe to the Poole Syloe and washe And when I went and vvashed I receiued my sight R. Hée simplye openeth the matter as it was I went and washed and I sée After faith commeth health and after health commeth the confession of the name of Christ C. This good successe and happye fruite of obedience teacheth vs to set all lettes Impediments aside and bouldlye to goe forward whether soeuer the Lorde calleth vs and let vs not doubte but that whatsoeuer wée take in hande shall haue prosperous successe if so bée we bée lead and guided by him 13. Then sayde they vnto him Where is he He sayd I cannot tell Bv. This argueth that the blinde man had not as yet séene Iesus neyther knewe him by his Face or countenaunce M. For Iesus dyd not abyde in that place vntyll the blinde man returned from the Poole of Syloe with his eyes opened Bv. but as he dyd verye often at other times so here also so soone as he had sent him to the Poole he went apart that by his example hée might teache vs humilitie and modesty M. He had done the worke of his Father after the which he departed 13. They brought to the Pharisees him that a lytle before was blinde C. The narration whiche nowe followeth doeth declare that the wicked are so farre from profiting by the worde of God that the more they are vrged by the power thereof the more they spewe out theyr conceyued poyson The restoring of the sight to the blinde man ought verilye to haue mollefied stoany heartes but the Pharisées being astonished at the newnesse and greatnesse of the thing should haue stayed so long vntyl they had tryed and found whether it were a Diuine worke or no but the hatered of Christ made them so rashe madde that by and by they condemne that whiche they heard to bée done by him Bv. Therefore so soone as the miracle of Christ was knowne to the common sort of people it was also knowne to the Rulars C. And the Euangelist nameth the Pharisées not because other sectes were fauourable vnto Christ but because this secte was more boulde and stoute to defende the present state than the rest For hipocrisie is alwaye cruel and prowde Hipocrisy euer cruell and proude And it is vncertaine with what minde they brought this blind man to the Phariseis B. Some thinke that they desired to tell them that the Lorde whome they so persecuted was not an euil man hauing done so great a miracle C. It may bée also that many flatterers to please the Phariseis sought to obscure and ouerthrowe the glorye of the miracle Othersome thinke it more likelye that the greater part of the common people suspending their iudgement would haue the Rulars and gouernours to bée Arbiters and Iudges of the matter In the meane time they being wyllingly blinde in the bright Sunne shine bring darkenesse to them selues to obscure his light This is the preposterous religion of the common sort of people which adoreth and reuerenceth the wicked tirants of the Churche vnder the pretence of diuine reuerence but as for God they contemne both in wordes and workes or at least
will encreace that which he hath begon in vs. And wée must créepe béefore we haue strength geuen to vs to ronne swiftly And as Christ doth beare with vs in our imperfection euenso let vs learne not to cast of our weake Bretheren which as yet are far from the marck It is to be wished that al didde ronne with good courage but If anye doe ronne slowely so that he kéepe the waye let vs hope well CYR. Some think that by these wordes it was ment that Péeter after the assention of the Lord should be crucefyed but it maketh no matter what kind of death the Apostle of Christ suffered 37. Peeter sayd vnto him Lorde why cannot I follow thee nowe I will ieoparde my lyfe for thy sake C. Péeter by these words declareth that he was gréeued at the answere of Christ Hee vnderstoode that he was put in mind of his owne infirmitie whereby he gathred that his owne fault was a let vnto him that he could not presentlye followe Christ But yet he was not fully perswaded of this For by nature mankind is puffed vp with trust of his owne strength M. He doth not demaund and saye when shall I followe thée if I cannot followe thée nowe but he sayth VVhy cannot I follw the nowe As if he should saye R Doest thou think that I hauing receiued so many benifits of the wil be so vnthankfull that I will forsake thee Thou hast chosen mee to be an Apostle I haue tasted of the heauenly Ioye vpon mounte Thabor I haue wrought miracles in thy name and what benefite is it that I haue not receiued of thée howe then can I forsake thée being in great peril of thy lyfe I wil ventur◠my lyfe for thée yea I will dye for thée so far am I from forsaking thée C. These wordes of Peter shew what an opinion we haue conceiued of oure selues and howe we trust to our owne strength where vpon it cōmeth that wée dare doe any thing without callinge for the help of God when as notwithstanding we can do nothing But concerning this read more in the twentie six chapter of Mathew in the thirty thrée verse 38. Iesus aunswered hym wilte thou ieoparde thy lyfe for my sake verily verily I say vnto thee the Cocke shall not crowe till thou haue denied me thrise M. Peeter séemed to prooue Christ a liar in denying that so bouldly which the Lord declared vnto him Therefore Christ séeketh more and more to beate downe the arrogancy of Peeter leste hée béeing puffed vp aboue measure shoulde bée to prowd of his owne strength And Christ would not contend with him but thought it better to let him haue experience of his owne strength euenas fooles are serued who are neuer wise but when they are punished Peter promiseth inuincible constancie and he speaketh according to the sincere affection of hys mind but it is blind and presumptuouse bouldnesse because he considereth not what was geuen vnto him Therefore the Lord correcteth that rashenesse As if he should saye R. What is that I heare Wilt thou Péeter dye for mée who came to dye for thée M. But I saye vnto thée that thou shalt be so aferd and discouraged that thou shalt not only forsake mée with the rest but shalt also deny mee euen as if thou haddest neuer knowen mée and that not once but twise yea thrise and with suche spéede that thou shalt deny mée before the Cock crowe But because this example pertaineth vnto vs let all men learne to waye and consider their owne infirmities and imperfections leste they be to prowd vppon vaine confidence Wée cannot presume to muche vpon the grace of God but here the secure presumption of the fleshe is reprehended seeing that faith bringeth forth rather feare and carefulnesse Hée suffereth the due and condinge punishement of his arrogancy wherefore that God may stay vs vp by his power let vs learne to forsake oure owne strength and to flée to him in time ⧠The Xiiij. Chapter 1. And he saide vnto his Disciples let not your hartes be troubled ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me Let not your hearts be troubled THIS whoale Chapeter is mixed with consolations with doctrines witht exhortacions and with promises The Lorde comforteth his sorrowefull and troubled Disciples instructeth them concerninge the father exhorteth them to beléeue in him to loue him to keepe his sayings promiseth them place in heauen the gift of the holy Ghost the hearing of their praiers his retourne vnto them againe the loue and grace of his Father and laste of al his peace And he doeth not without cause vse so many wordes to confirme his Disciples who had so daungerouse and fearfull a battaile prepared for them For this was no smal temptation that which in a litle while after they shoulde sée him hanging uppon the Crosse in the which sight there was nothing to bee seene but matter of vtter desperation Seeing the hower of so greate trouble was at hand he sheweth them a remedy lest they beeing ouercome should quaile M. In him we see the Image of that Priest Heb. 4.15 who béeing him selfe tempted in all thinges can haue compassion vppon all those that are tempted euenas the Apostle describeth him vnto vs. Hée knoweth that his disciples are men and ar easily troubled with sorrowful things I would to God that they which are of some estimation in the Churche were thus affected toward the weake euenas Christ was affected toward his whome he willeth not to be troubled C. Wée must alwayes consider the circumstance of time in that Christ would haue hys Disciples to stand strong and withoute feare when all thinges might séeme to bring present death and desperation M. For hée knewe that none of those things should hurt him how dangerouse and mortall soeuer they séemed to bée Therefore wée must alwayes vse thys Buckler to withstand such conflictes It cannot bée but that we shall feele diuers motions but we must be so affeard and troubled that we do not fall The faithful therefore are sayd not to be troubled because they leaning vnto the word of God although they bee oppressed with great troubles yet notwithstandinge they constantly go forward Ye beleue in God beleue also in me C. Christ doth not only encourage hys Disciples by exhorting them vnto constancy but doth also teach from whence they must seeke for theyr strength namly from Faith by which he is acknoweledged to be the Sonne of God who is able ynough of him selfe to defend those that are his This is the true waye to stande yf so be our fayth be reposed in Christ and yf so be it doth behould him when he helpeth vs euen as yf hée were present For this is the meaning of that whiche as sayth There is no cause why yee should be troubled for my departure Bv. For yf so bee ye haue grounded youre fayth vppon God he shal saue you and I also will saue you euenas I haue promised oftenne times heretofore For
take away the sins of the worlde by his death The whiche to bringe to passe he suffered Sathan for a shorte tyme to triumphe ouer them as conquerer Therefore Christe did not resiste Sathan that he might obay his fathers will and decrée and might so offer his obedience a◠a price and ransome for our righteousenesse M. To this effecte partaineth that which Paule wrighteth saying That Christe was obedient to his Father to the death euen to the death of the crosse Iohn i0 i8 A. Also Christ a litle before testified that he receiued this commaundement from the Father that he should geue his lyfe for his shéepe M. Therfore in that we are redeemed by the death and bloud of of Christe Iesus it was done at the commandement of the Father Obedience in Christe declared his loue towardes his father Furthermore seinge the obedience of Christ declared how greatly he loued his Father let vs also learne after his example not onely by the obseruation of his commaundementes but also by the pacient bearinge of the Crosse layed vpon vs to declare howe greatly we loue God the Father It is a hard matter to loue such a Father as layeth the crosse vpon his Children but hee doeth the same for our health And although we doe paciently beare the Crosse yet notwithstanding we cannot reache to that perfection which was in Christes example who not for his owne but for our benifite bare the crosse which the Father layde vpon him Furthermore in these words we are taught that this loue and obedience of Christ declared in the passion of the Crosse is to be proposed and set before the worlde He sayth not symply That ye might know but That the worlde may knowe that I loue the Father This knowledge serueth greatlye to the learning of saluation which is purchased for vs by the blessed bloude of Christ Rise let vs go hence B. R. Bv. Manye thinke that Christ when he had spoken these wordes went to another place and that he spake those thinges which follow as he walked C. But séeing saynt Iohn sayth hereafter that Christ went foorth it séemeth more lykelye that the purpose of Christe was to exhorte his Disciples ▪ to shewe the same obedience towardes GOD of the which they had so notable an example in him not that hee led them foorth at the same moment ⧠The XV. Chapter 1 I am the true Vine my Father is the Husbandeman CHRIST our Sauioure in this Chapter exhorteth his Disciples to abyde in him and to loue him then hée encourageth them against the hatred of the worlde to the which they shoulde be subiect R. After therefore hée hadde taught who he was and wherefore hée went by the Crosse to the Father now hée teacheth what benifites he possesseth by and in his Father not to retaine them to himselfe aloane but to communicate them with the faithfull And this he teacheth by an excelent similitude and fine allegorye ◠B. the which he playnelye explicateth C. Also the summe of this similitude is that we are barren and drye by nature sauing that we being ingraffed into Christe doe drawe from him newe strength and moysture But it is néedefull to discusse euerye propertie of the Vine but onely summarily to consider to what ende Christ applieth this similitude Therefore there are thrée speciall partes The first is That we haue no strength of our selues to doe good but from him the seconde That we hauing roote in him are purged and garnished by the father the third is that he cutteth of the vnfruitfull braunches that they mighte be cast into the fyer and burnte All men almoste are ashamed to deny that whatsoeuer good thing they haue it commeth from God but afterwarde they fayne that they haue a vniuersall grace geuen vnto them as though it were naturally ingraffed in them But Christ specialy standeth vpon this poynt that vitall Moysture doeth spring from him aloane wherevppon it followeth that mans nature is vnfruitfull and voyde of all goodnesse because no man knoweth the nature of the vine vntill he be ingrafted in the same But this is geuen by spetial grace to the elect alone The firste authoure therefore of all good thinges is the father who planteth vs by his hand but the beginning of lyfe is in Christ out of whome we beginne to take roote in him When he calleth hym selfe the true vine it is as yf he had sayd I am the vine in déede Therefore men do weary themselues in vain in séeking for strength from any other because profitable fruite cōmeth from no other than from the branches springing from mée For Christ compareth him selfe to the vine growing in the earth and vs to the braunches springing out of the same Bv. This allegory is taken out of the writinges of the Prophetes who in diuers places compare the Church to the vinyarde and men in the Church to vines Psal 8.9 Es 3 13 57 Ier 2 21 Ier i2 i0 Osee i0 i and the workes of fayth of loue and of righteousnesse to grapes Therfore when the Lord calleth him selfe the true vine we must not so vnderstande him as if hée were naturally and substantially a vine For naturallye and substantially he is God and man and not a vine but representeth the true comely fruitfull noble and plentifull vine AVG. Therefore he is called a vine by a similitude not by proprietye euen as he is called a shéepe a Lambe a Lion a Rock a corner stone such like frō which such similitudes are brought And my father is a husband man CYR. He calleth the Father a husbande man lest this might séeme to be done of the Sonne aloane which is the wonderfull worke of the whoale Trinitie For the father planted Christ the true vine when he made the word to become fleshe that the same might be perfecte God and perfect man M. Therefore the Mistery of our Mediation and saluation dependeth vpon the counsayle prouidence of our heauenly father who lyke a husband man planted and trimmed this vine for vs and doth also at this daye plant the same in the hartes of the faithfull In the which matter hys Aposteles are workers with hym Most aptly therefore when he called him selfe a vine i Cor 3 9. he made mention also of the husband man shewing that by the care prouidence and gubernation of God we ar brought to vertue and continued in the same For as the vine trée nourisheth her braunches euen so the husband man visiteth veweth and proyneth his vine 2. Euery braunche that beareth not fruite in me he will take awaye and euery branch that beareth fruite will hee purg that it may bring forth more fruite M. By these wordes he expresseth the husbandry of the father to the whiche the faythfull seruauntes of Christ are subiecte euenas the braunches of thys vine And he declareth that the ende and drifte of this husbandry is that the braunches might bring forth fruite C. But because some do