⧠A CATHOLIKE and Ecclesiasticall exposition of the holy Gospell after S. IOHN Gathered out of all the singuler and approued Deuines which the Lorde hath giuen vnto his Church by Augustine Marlorate And translated out of Latin into Englishe by Thomas Timme Minister Seene and allovved according to the order appoynted ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Marshe Anno Domini 1575. ¶ TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Lorde Thomas Earle of Sussex Vicount Fitzwalter Lorde of Egremont and of Burnell one of the Queenes Maiesties Honorable priuie Counsayle and Lorde high Chamberlayne of hir house of the noble order of the Garter Knight Iustice of Oyer of the Forrests Parkes VVarraynes and Chases from Trent Southvvarde and Captayne of the Gentlemen Pentioners And to the right honorable Lady his wyfe encrease of honour and true knowledge in Christ Iesus THE GREAT PROfite which the Christiā minde is to receyue by reading this Booke was the cause why I tooke the paynes to Translate it out of Latin into the English toung and the Recommending therof the more diligently to haue it read was the occasion which moued me to Dedicate my parte therein to your Honors For what Englishe man is there which will not thinke it a Booke most worthy the reading which he seeth warranted by your Names The honorable and generall report whereof hartneth me to present it vnto you wherein ye shall finde the deepe and deuine Euangelist Sainct John the marrow of all Commentaries vppon him vnder the name of Marlorates Collection last and least my faythfull trauell to turne them bothe to the vse of my Countrey The thing I know your Honors will like well bicause as I heare you can skilfully iudge so I doubt not but you haue made your choyce what to reade which so muche bruteth the credite of your abilitie founde out by effect As for my labor may it please your Honors to like it as comming from one which caught with the commendation of your Learning and Wisdome generally noyzed could not but offer my selfe to you as the wondering Queene of Saba could not rest tyll she had seene Salomons person of whose wisdome she had hard so muche And withall I thought it good in offering my labor to your Honors to ioyne you both togither thinking with my selfe that it must needes follow that suche skill and iudgement beeing in so Honorable a man must needes by societie of matche worke like effect in so honorable a Mate Wherefore not to trouble your Honors with longer speache I take my leaue Recommending my poore Paynes to your Honors protection the recompence whereof you shall receiue in your reading of the booke whose fruite will bring by Gods grace health to your soules and continuance of your Honor. Your Honors most humble Thomas Timme ⧠A CATHOLIKE AND ECCLESIASTICALL EXPOsition of the holye Gospell after S. JHON The Argument ALthough the worde of GOD dependeth or hangeth not vpon the auctoritie of men yet notwithstanding 1. Iohn 4. as it is profitable to proue the spirites whether they be of GOD or no So it is necessarie that they which take vppon them the office of teaching in the Churche doe keepe their auctoritie in the same to the ende the testimonie which they bring concerning the truthe maye more firmelie abide with the faythfull But trulie this Gospell which John bringeth is nothing else than a testimonie of Christ Iesus that is to say that Christ is the sonne of God the life of men the light of the worlde the breade of life which came downe from heauen the resurrection the waye the trueth and the life the good Shephearde of the sheepe and to be short the onelie sauiour of the worlde It is conuenient therefore that wee knowe who this was which so beareth witnesse of him which was conuersaunt among men hauing the shewe of a seruaunt Philip. 2. being in the similytude of men and founde in his apparell as a man being tempted in all thinges as we are and yet without sinne This one witnesse is to be credited of vs euen as well as a thousand Heb. 4. because he was one that writ these thinges to the edefying of the Church and for the common profite of all men not by the common fame and report of other men but by that which is most sure and infallible namelie by that which he hearde and saw himselfe euen as hee himselfe speaketh of himselfe in the ende of this historie saying Iohn 19. He vvhich savve bare vvitnesse and his vvitnesse is true and hee knovveth that he speaketh truth that ye might beleeue And in an other place he sayth That vvhich vvas from the beginning vvhich vve haue hearde vvhich vve haue seene which we haue looked vpon and our handes haue handeled of the worde of life we shewe vnto you For this writer of the sacred Historie 1. Iohn 1. or Gospel was in the time of Christ being the brother of the Apostle Iames borne in Galilee and the sonne of Zebede and Salomon as many thinke Of whose calling to the office of an Apostle S. Mathew in the .iiij. Chapter maketh mention aptly therfore he calleth this history the Gospel for he doth more largely and plainelie set forth the diuinity of Christ and the mistery of our redemption than the other Euangelists The which thing being forseene by our Lord and Sauiour Christ called this our Euangelist and his brother also the sonne of Thunder or as Marke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Furthermore the other three Euangelists are very large insetting forth the life and death of Christ but our Euangelist shortely touching those things stādeth more vpō that doctrine by the which both the office of christ and also the power of his death resurrection is explicated And to be short all of them seking to set forth Christ the first three namely Mathew Marke and Luke do set before vs If I may so speake the bodye but Iohn the soule Insomuch that this Gospell maye truelie be called the key which openeth the doore to come to the vnderstanding of the other three For who soeuer shall attaine to the knowledge of Gods power the which is here cunninglie expressed he at the length shall reade with profite that which the other Euangelistes haue written as concerning the redeemer Neyther was it done without the singuler counsell of the holie Ghost that the Gospell written by Mathew Marke and Luke shoulde be published and set foorth in the worlde before that which was written by Iohn for the weake eares of the faithfull were not capeable of so great thunder Therfore it was conuenient that the Incarnation of Christ shoulde fyrst of all be set foorth his Natiuitie described and howe according to the scriptures he was borne of the seede of Abraham of the tribe of Iuda and of the stocke of Dauid by what documents he prooued him selfe to be the true Messias how according to the scriptures he suffered and was buried and rose againe the thirde
daye and shewed himselfe aliue againe to his Disciples after that ascending into the heauens that so fayth increasing by little and litle there might be a way made to receyue the more hie documents of the diuinitie of Christ But there be manie that thinke that John was speciallie led to wirte to this ende and purpose namelie that he might defende the diuinitie of Christ against the wicked blasphemyes of Ebion Cerinthus and Carpocrates But what soeuer occasion hee had then to write there is notwithstanding no doubt but that GOD had a farther regarde to his Churche He did therefore so guide the pen of the Euangelist to write that the partes being deuided amongst them he might bring the whole bodie to a perfect worke And whereas they haue placed John in the fourth seate it was done vpon the consideration of the time in the which hee wrote namelie when he was in exile or when hee was called backe againe as some affirme from the death of Domitian ⧠A CATHOLIKE EXPOSItion vpon the Gospell of Saint JOHN The first Chapter IN the beginning was the Worde and the Word was with God and God was the Worde Jn the beginning was the woorde CHR. ALL THE other Euangelistes beginning at the incarnation Iohn pretermittyng the Conception Natiuity Education and growing of christ setteth before vs euen at the first his eternal generation saying In the beginning was the worde B. For to the ende he might expresse the diuinity of the Lorde Iesus he called him in his Epistle also the worde of life which was from the beginning 1. Ihon. 1 C. And by this exordium or preface he doth declare the eternall diuinitie of Christ to the ende we may know that God is eternal which was made manifest in the fleshe 1. Timo. 3 But this is the purpose of the Euangelist to shewe that the restoring of mankinde to the fauour of GOD and to euerlasting righteousnesse must néedes be brought to passe by the sonne of God séeing by his power all thinges were created as well in heauen as in earth both thinges visible and inuisible whether they bée maiestie or Lordeshippe eyther rule or power séeing he alone breatheth life and strength into all creatures and continueth them in their estate Collos 1 and specially in man himselfe hée hath made a singuler shewe and proofe both of his power and also of his grace insomuch that although Adam fell and transgressed yet for all that he ceassed not to be louing liberall and mercifull vnto his posteritie R. And this is the purpose of the Euangelist vntill he commeth to these wordes contayned in the sixt verse There was a man sent of GOD. c. In the which hée doth first of all teache the diuinitie of Christ by the which all things are created and then he setteth before vs his humanitie the which to the faythfull is the waye of recreation or creating againe For it doth verie well agree that they which are created by Christ shoulde also by him be created againe C. But wheras he calleth the sonne of GOD the word this séemeth to bée the true and simple cause namelie for that first of all he is the eternall wisedome and will of God secondly the verye expresse Image of his purpose and counsell For as the worde is sayd to be the Caracter or declaration of the mynde in men euen so this is not without cause also attributed vnto GOD that hee shoulde be sayde to expresse himselfe by his worde A. Therefore whether yée call the worde Logon in Gréeke or as Erasmus hath Sermonem beware lest you thinke that his proper essence is trulie as it is in it selfe expressed by this appellation M. For it is a Metaphoricall speache which being applied to our capacitie and vnderstanding maye describe vnto vs some shadow of that thing of the which he mindeth here to speake For it is taken of the similitude of our minde the whiche although it ruleth the whole man yet notwithstanding it is inuisible and vnknowen except the purpose and counsel which it hath conceyued bée bewrayed and made manifest vnto others by worde by whiche in déede a certaine Image of our minde is set before others to beholde Euen so God also whiche is that omnipotent power the creatour and preseruer of al thinges who for that he perceth all thinges is called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 theō is compared so far as that incomprehensible nature of the deuine Maiestye maye bée shadowed to the minde by whiche all this worlde is gouerned and the Lorde Christ his onely begotten sonne is compared to the word because by him the knowledge of God is reuealed to mortall men Colos 1. So Paul calleth Christ the Image of the inuisible God So Christ him selfe sayd Iohn 14. Philip he which seeth mee seeth my Father also And againe No man commeth to my Father that is to saye to the knowledge and fellowship of the Father but by me Iohn 11. Also it is sayde No man hath seene God at any time The sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hath shewed him vnto vs. C. Therefore as God did manifest him selfe in sauing the worlde by this worde euen so he had the same in his will and purpose at the first that there might bée a double relation the first to God the seconde to men A. Lest any man should with Seruetus imagine that this eternall word had his beginning when it was pronounced and put foorth in the creation of the worlde As though in déede it were not before that time that his power was knowen by the eternall worke But our Euangelist teacheth here another maner of matter not assigning to the worde any beginning of time but saying that it was from the beginning he goeth beyond all Ages and times For hée sayeth In the beginning was the worde R. In what beginning Eyther we must simplye vnderstande In principio or in the beginning to be that beginning which the Latines call Inprimis or at the first eyther without the preposition In as Principio or Primum and so to haue it limitted and comprehended in time Or else to saye In the beginning that is to saye The worde is without the compasse of time incomprehensible and vnspeakeable and so the worde was with that beginning in the whiche GOD sayde Fiat lux Let there be light Howbeit hée was neuer without being Gene. 1 there was neuer any time in the whiche he was not For hée is the brightnesse of the glorye of his Father Hebr. 1. and the expresse Image of his substance He was neuer absent from the Father nor neuer out of his sight For thus he sayth in Salomon Prou. 8. The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his waye I was before his worke of olde I was set vp from euerlasting from the beginning and before the earth B. In the which place Salomon by the name of wisedome meaneth the power
the worde of God was manifested in the fleshe For Christ did not onelye offer and set him selfe before the eyes of men to be séene but he woulde also be knowne by the testimonie and doctrine of Iohn Yea GOD the father sent him before to be a witnesse to his sonne Christ to the ende all men might the more easilie receyue the saluation offred of him R. Euen as therefore the Lorde GOD when he went about to make the worlde he reuealed him selfe out of the profounde darckenesse that is to say out of nothing by the word Euen so when he went about to restore the Faithfull and to repayre his Church he sent his Sonne appearing outwardlye and in the sight of men euen as if he had béene God in no point vntill at the length the glory of his Godhead more and more appeared for he was couered with the fragillitye of the fleshe and the shame of the Crosse least at the first sight he shoulde be knowen The which thing was foreshewed by Esay saying Esay 53 He is despised and reiected of men he is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities wee hid as it were our faces from him hee was despised and wee esteemed him not Therefore when Christ shoulde come in the fleshe and couered with the shame of the Crosse he did not amis to send before his face a witnesse For so also the Lord foreshewed by Malachy that it shoulde come to passe saying Mala. 3 Beholde I sende my Aungell and he shall prepare the way before thy face This was Iohn the Baptist which was sent of GOD first that he might beare witnesse of Christ although his grace néedeth no testimony for the trueth is a sufficient testimony of him as he him selfe declareth in the fifth Chapiter saying Iohn 5 Ye sent to Ihon and he bare witnesse of the truth But I receyue not the testimonie of man But I speake these things that ye might be safe C. Therfore this our witnes was not ordained because of Christ or for Christes sake AVG. For because the sonne of God was so made man that the godhead laye hid in him there was sent before a great and excellent man by whose testimonie he might be founde more than a man And how coulde this man speake the truth of God Hee aunswereth to that and sayth that he was sent of God C. By the which wordes the Euangelist doth not confirme the calling of Iohn but doth onely make mention of the same by the way For this is not a sufficient certaintie or warraunt when men that runne of them selues boast them selues to be sent of GOD but the Euangelist speaking hereafter somewhat more of this witnesse thought it sufficient in one word to shew that he came not but by the commaundement of God after that we shall sée how hée affirmeth God to be the Aucthor of his ministerie Math. 1. Math. 3. Luke 3. M. And hée beginneth this part very wel of the forerunner Ihon as also the rest of the Euāgelistes doe For from the time of Iohns baptime that light hauing taken vpon it flesh Luke 2. Math. 2. began to be reuealed And although at the time of his Natiuitie certaine beames begā to shine of that light as wée may see in the history of the Shepeherds of Simeon of Anna and of the wisemen yet notwithstanding whatsoeuer light had shined it vanished awaye by and by againe and was almost thirtie yeares euen to the beginning of his preaching obscured and darekened againe For this testimonie of Iohn was reserued kept euen vntill the same time in the which Christ woulde reueale himselfe to the worlde by the preaching of the Gospell and by the working of myracles that hée being the forerunner of Christ might prepare the way before him The whiche thing Iohn the Baptist sufficientlie declared by these wordes saying There standeth one in the middest of you whome ye know not Obiection C. But if any man obiect that the testimonie of Iohn is to weake being but a man that Christ thereby shoulde be proued to be the sonne of God wée may quickelie aunswere Aunswere that Iohn the Baptist is not cited as a priuate witnesse but because he was indued with aucthoritie from God he bare rather the person of an Aungell than of a manne Therefore he is not beautified or commended with the titles of his owne vertues but with this one that he was the Ambassadour of the mightye GOD. CHR. Iudge therefore none of those thinges which are spoken by him to be of man For he spake not those thinges which were his owne but the thinges that belonged to him that sent him and therefore he is called by the Prophete an Angell For it is the office of an Angell to speake nothing of his owne but that for which he is sent C. But we must note that the same which is spoken of Iohn is required to be in al the teachers of the Church namelye that they be called of God that the aucthoritie of teaching maye be founded on no other than on God him selfe For the Prophetes speake against such which runne being not sent of God Iere. 23. Rom. 10. They run sayth he and I sent them not Againe it is sayd Howe shal they preache except they bee sent And to be sent of God is to do the commaundement of God Whose name was Iohn C. The name is here expressed not onelye to discribe the man but also because it was geuen to him vppon consideration of the matter it selfe M. For the very name doeth containe in it selfe the signification of grace And iustlye he obtained this name which should be the foreronner and first preacher of the grace of God which was offered to the world by Christ And therefore by Gods appointment by the Aungell he receyued this name before he was borne and that not without the wonderfull admiration of his Parentes Luke 1. C. But the Lord had respect to the office to the which he ordained Iohn when he commaunded him to be so called by the Angell that thereby all men might knowe him to be a proclaimer of the diuine grace of God 7. The same came for a witnesse to beare witnesse of the light that al menne through him might beleeue The same came for a M. Nowe consequentlye he teacheth to what purpose Iohn was sent of GOD He came sayeth he to testify C. that he might prepare a Churche vnto Christ For he inuiting and calling all men vnto Christ doeth sufficientlye declare that he came not for his owne cause But to know from whence to whom what time Iohn came that which is contained in the thirde of Luke maye serue This our Euangelist after he had sayde that he was sent of GOD addeth this onely which was more necessarye namelye to what purpose he came being sent of God namely to beare witnesse M. The Prophetes also which were before Iohn came to witnesse that is to saye
to beare witnesse of the incredulity and impietye of the Israelites but this Iohn came to testifie of the light Christ that is to saye he came to this ende that he might shewe the rysing of this light and might be the foreronner and setter foorth of the same to the people of Israel For him whome the Prophetes foreshewed shoulde come Iohn the Baptist pointed out with the finger That al men through him might beleeue M. He sayth not simply That al men might beleue but he addeth throw him that is to say that all men being moued by the aucthority of Iohn and beléeuing his testimonye might knowe this light and imbrace the same It was necessary therefore that such a witnesse shoulde be sente as the Israelites might geue credite vnto For this cause he was so indued with the grace of GOD that he made all men to beholde him He was sayeth our Sauiour Christ speaking of Iohn Ihon. 5 Math. 3 Math. 11 Mat. 1 Luk. 1 A burning and shyning light For all Ierusalem went out to him He neyther eate breade nor dranke Wine His meate was Locustes and wilde Honye his apparell of Camelles héere and a Girdle of a Skinne about his Loines Hée was indued with the spirite and power of Helias He called all men with seuerity to repentance sparing neither the hie Priests Scribes Luke 3 nor Pharisees whome he called generation of Vipers He dealt seuerelye with Herode the King Math. 14. as we maye reade in Mathewe Therefore the testimonie of Iohn tendeth to this ende which hée beareth of Christ that we beléeue in him Fayth is that by the which we behold this light know the same and imbrace it By this grace was set foorth to the worlde not onelie the testimonye which Iohn bare concerning Christ but also the testimony of all the Apostles and Euangelistes both by voyce and writing And therfore it is sayde in the ende of this Gospell These thinges are written that yee might beleeue that Iesu is the son of god But what is the profite of this fayth The profit saith he of this fayth is that yée beléeuing might haue life through his name Moreouer the grace of this light 1. Tim. 2 must be set before all men for God woulde haue all men to bée saued and to come to the knowledge of the the truth Also it is sad Luke 3 Preache ye the Gospell to euerye creature c. B. Wherevppon Saint Iohn Baptist Preached the Gospell to the Souldiours and Publicans 8. He was not that light but was sent to beare witnesse of the light He was not that light B. By this newe Preaching of the Kingdome of Heauen many thought that this Iohn was the same light of the world which was commonly talked of the same word also by which al things were made But the Euangelist sayth he was not the same light M. For wée reade that he had so great aucthoritye a-among the Israelites that they sayd among them selues Is not this Christ Least therefore his excéeding brightnesse shoulde obscure the glory of Christ Luke 3 the Euangelist teacheth that he was not the light M. He was the light truelye but not the same light whereof it is here spoken which is the light of men the well of all light the woorde and the Sonne of God The Apostles also are called the light of the world Math. 5 And Paul calleth the beléeuing in Christ the light Yee were sometimes saith he Darknesse but now are ye light in the Lord Ephe. 5. But they are so called in another maner of respect C. For all the Godlye are called light in the Lorde because they being lightened with his spirite do not onelye see to them selues but also do direct others by theyr example into the waye of saluation The Apostles also are specially called the light because they preferre the light of the Gospell which driueth awaye the darkenesse of the worlde But the Euangelist here intreateth of the onely and euerlasting wel of light M. Iohn therfore was a light but he was set on fire and illuminated by this light For as the mountaine in the morning before the Sunne appeareth vnto men is lightened with his beames euen so are all the Saintes of God light in the Lorde of whom they are illuminated R. Wherefore this place putteth a difference not only betweene Christ and Iohn but also betwéene Christ and al the Saints Patriarks Prophets Apostles and Martyrs For neither Iohn nor any other of all the Saintes were the true light but were onelye proclaimers and setters forth of the true light M. Let vs therefore hereby learne to estéeme of the Saintes as they are made and appointed of GOD and no otherwise But was sent to beare witnesse of the light A. Iohn therefore repeateth this againe to shew what men ought to iudge of them which being sent of God preach the word vnto the world Least we attribute any thing of that vnto them which pertaineth onelye to the Sonne of God M. For great is the wilfull folly of the world in this point Eyther it reiecteth altogether the witnesses of Christ and despiseth them or else it geueth reuerence and honoureth them aboue Christ The Iewes at the first receyued Iohn for the Messias Christ him selfe which was not Christ yet they receyued not the testimony which he bare vnto Christ Euen so the Corinthians litle or nothing at all regarded Paul that singular Preacher of the kingdome of Christ but they made more of the false Apostles than appertayned to the Mynisters of of Christ 1. Cor. 4 insomuch that the Apostle was faine to shewe them what they ought to thinke of the Ministers of Christ and what not And we our selues haue had experience what great estimation the worlde hath had and yet hath of dead Saintes and of the Byshops of Rome and others and howe litle it regardeth the true Ministers of Christ 9. He was the true light lightening euerye man that commeth into the worlde Hee was the true light C. The true light is not here opposed or compared to the false light but the Euangelist here goeth about to put a difference betwéene our sauiour Christ and al other least that any man should thinke that he is euen the same light no better than the which angels men are said to be But this is the difference that whatsoeuer is bright and shining in Heauen and in earth it borroweth his brightnesse from another But Christ is light of him selfe and shining by him selfe and lightening with his brightnesse the whole worlde insomuche that there is no other cause or Originall of brightnesse but hee Hée called therefore that the true light to whose nature it is proper to shine M. Therefore this is the first note by the whiche Christ is discerned from Iohn and from all other Apostles For Iohn and the Apostles were light as it is sayde before but not the true light that is to
all the glorye of the onely begotten sonne of GOD in the dispensing of mans Saluation séeing the same is infinite The Israelites could not beholde the glory of Moyses countenaunce and yet could the eyes of the Apostles beholde the glorye of the onelye begotten sonne of GOD. They sawe surelye so much as was appertayning to the dispensing of our saluation Full of grace and truth B. As if he should saye I haue sayde that we haue seene and plainely beheld the glorye of the onelye begotten sonne of God and that not once or twise onelye because he was full of all grace and trueth M. The Euangelist therfore by these wordes commendeth the conuersation of Christ amongest his Disciples because of twoo thinges with the which the same was replenished namelye with grace and trueth Act. 7. C. Stephen also is sayde to bée full of grace but in another sence For the fulnesse of grace is in Christ he is the well from whence al we must drawe as more largelye hereafter shal be declared Iohn therfore meaneth that Christ was hereby knowne to bee the sonne of GOD because he had in him selfe the fulnesse of all thinges which pertained to the spirituall kingdome of God and because he truelye shewed him selfe in all thinges to bée the redéemer and Messias which is in déede the speciall note by whiche hée shoulde bée discerned from all other B. This fulnesse of grace in Christ was at sondrye times foreshewed by the Prophetes as in the Psalmes and in Esai Psal 49 Psal 89 Esay 16 Ihon. 14 and in other places Trueth in this place maye signifye sinceritye and integrity with the which Christ was alwayes replenished R. I am the waye sayeth he the trueth and the life 15. John beareth witnesse of him and crieth saying This was he of whome I spake He that commeth after me is preferred before me For he was before me Iohn beareth witnesse of him M. Because hée had sayd before that Iohn was sent to this end that he might testifye of Christ the true light which lighteneth euerye man comming into this world and by his testimony had brought most men to beléeue the same it was necessary that hée should adde these testimonyes and shoulde teache that they both testified one thing concerning Christ And he bringeth fiue of his testimonies by the which hée manifested Christ of the whiche wée will speake in order as wée come vnto them Iohn sayth hée beareth witnesse of him namely of the woord incarnate and of the onely begotten sonne of God C. For by the worde of the present tence the Euangelist meaneth the continual acte And truely this Doctrine ought to florishe for euer euen as if the voyce of Iohn did continuallye sounde in the eares of men So also he sayeth that Iohn cryed to declared that the doctrine of Iohn was not obscure and that he did secretelye tell the same in the eares of a fewe but that hée openly with a lowde voyce preached Christ R. This therefore so excellent a man whom the whole multitude reuerenced as a Prophete who for his holinesse and purenesse of life was taken for Christ this so singular a man I say beareth testimonye to Christ of this fulnesse Whereby the wicked obstinacye of the Iewes is noted that hauing so notable a personne to beare witnesse of Christ so plainelye and openlye Preaching of him yet notwithstanding abode in their hardnesse of heart and perished of the which the Euangelist spake before saying He came into his owne and his owne receyued him not And so all excuse is quite taken from them Saying this was he of whome I spake M. This is the testimony of Iohn Before that Christ came to him that is to saye to receyue Baptisme he instructed all men throughout al his race of Preaching of Christ which was nowe readye to come directing them from him selfe vnto Christ Baptizing them not into him selfe but into him and teaching to prepare the way vnto him And this is that which Paul sayth Iohn truelye Baptized with the Baptisme of repentaunce speaking of him that shoulde come after him that they might beléeue that is to saye Actes 19 Of Christ Iesus And hée pointed him out with the finger saying This is he of whome I spake C. By the which woordes he meaneth that this was his purpose from the beginning namely to make Christ known and that this was the ende of his Sermons M. Of this mynde and disposition ought euery Minister of Christ to bée that after the example of Iohn they learne not to preache themselues but Christ and not to suffer any to depend vppon them but to direct and send them vnto Christ So Saint Paul teacheth saying For wee Preache not our selues 2 Cor. 4 but Christ Iesus our Lord and our selues your seruauntes for Christes sake If all were endewed with this minde whiche will séeme to bée ministers of Christ there should be true concord and vnitye through the whole Churche neyther shoulde there bée at any time Scismes in the same C. Moreouer when Iohn the Baptist speaketh of Christe saying Hee which commeth after me although hée was elder than Christ by certaine monethes yet notwithstanding here hée speaketh not of his age But because he had done the office of a Prophete a certaine time before Christ had openlye shewed him selfe therefore by time he preferreth him selfe before Christ Therefore in respect of the publique reuelation of Christ Christ followed Iohn 16. And of his fulnesse haue all we receyued and grace for grace And of his fulnesse haue all wee receyued M. These woordes and that which followeth to the other testimony of Iohn beginning at the ninetéeth verse are referred of some to our Euangelist and not to Iohn the Baptist Although it make no great matter whose woordes these be yet notwithstanding there séemeth to bée no cause why they should bee taken from the testimony of Iohn the Baptist Nowe therfore he beginneth the Sermon touching the office of Christ because hée contayneth in him selfe the affluence and fulnesse of all good thinges insomuch that no part of saluacion is to be sought for of any other With God truely is the well of life of righteousnesse of trueth and of wisedome this well is hidden and shut from vs but in Christ the fulnesse of all these thinges is offered vnto vs. For hée is readye to flowe vnto vs of his owne accorde if so bee we geue vnto him passage by Faith And with Christ is the fulnesse because he hath receiued the spirite without measure Iohn 13 For the Father hath geuen all thinges into his handes The which thing was shadowed in the Lawe by Aron who when he was consecrated Priest had Oyle powred on his head the which for the great plentye thereof ranne downe by his Bearde euen to the skyrtes of his cloathing Psal 133. As therefore the Oyntment vpon the head which ranne downe the Bearde euen Aarons Bearde Euen so Christ was annointed
without measure most aboundantly with the holy Ghost and hath powred the same vpon the Beard and skirtes of his cloathing that is to saye vpon the faithfull And as in the first Natiuitye wée all receyued of the fulnesse of Adam euen so in the newe byrth wée all are ouerwhelmed with the fulnesse of Christ For Adam is a Tipe of Christ as Saint Paul sheweth in the fift Chapter to the Romanes C. But to returne to the woords of Iohn the Baptist First of all he sheweth that wée are voyde euery one of vs of al spiritual goodnesse For Christ aboundeth to this ende that hée might supplye and helpe our lacke ease our neede and satisfye our hunger M. The whiche Saint Paul confirmeth by these words VVhat hast thou O man 1. Cor. 4 which thou hast not receyued C. Secondlye he admonisheth that so soone as we depart from Christ wée doe in vaine séeke for any benefite bée it neuer so small because GOD will haue all goodnesse to rest in him alone Therefore wée shal finde Angels and men drye Heauen voyde the Earth barren to bée short all thinges nothing if we will be made partakers of the giftes of God otherwise than by Christ Thirdly he teacheth that we ought not to feare lest we should want any good thing if so bée we drawe at the fulnesse of Christ the which is so filled with al heauenlye treasure that we shall féele the same to bee in verye déede a bottomlesse well And Iohn maketh him selfe one of the reste that wanteth perfection not for modestye sake but that it maye euidentlye appeare that none at all ought to bée excepted M. Let vs heare therefore both the voyce of GOD and also the voice of his Saintes The voyce of God is Math. 1◠Esay 55 Come vnto me I will refreshe you Heare me and your soule shall liue The voyce of the Saintes is We haue nothing of our selues those thinges which we haue come from another Craue of him of whose fulnesse we all haue receyued By this place also they are to be admonished taught which haue so receiued of this fulnesse of Christ that they possesse more than others eyther in the knowledge of GOD eyther in temporall blessinges that they inuert not nor abuse the nature of Christes benefites For as they came vnto vs of his frée liberalitye and goodnesse so they must bée communicated and geuen by vs to others liberallye that the néede of others maye bée supplyed and holpen by our fulnesse He doth iniurye to the benefites of Christ receyued which eyther gréedelye kéepeth them to him selfe or which by filthye riote vainelye wasteth them Of this matter saint Paul admonisheth vs in his Epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 8 And grace for grace M. This place is diuerslye expounded Some vnderstande the first grace to bée that by the which through Faith we receyue remission of our sinnes the other grace to bée life euerlasting the which kind of grace is geuen to the faithfull according to this saying of the Apostle but the grace of God is eternall life Rom. 6 But other some will haue the first to bée that whiche in the olde Testament was geuen to the Iewes the other to be more copious and large and geuen to all men C. But the simple sence and meaning of the texte seemeth to bée this that whatsoeuer graces GOD doeth powre vppon vs they doe also spring from this well For whatsoeuer wée receyue of Christ he doeth not onelye geue it vnto vs as GOD but also the Father hath so geuen al thinges into the handes of Christ that whatsoeuer we receyue from God they come to vs by Christ as by a Conduite Pipe They iudge therefore rightlye which saye that we are watered by the graces powred vppon Christ This was the oyntment with the whiche he was annoynted that he might annoint vs all with him Wherevpon hée is called Christ that is to saye annoynted and we Christians that is to say annointed of him R. Therfore we haue receyued grace that is to saye God the Father fauoureth vs for grace that is to say because he fauoureth Christ his Sonne whose brethren we are and in whome we beléeue For this sayeth hée is my beloued Sonne Math. 3 in whome I am well pleased Wherefore the Father also loueth vs which by faith are made members of his Sonne M. First of all therefore we haue here to learne that we receyue not grace for our owne merites sake but for the worthinesse of Christ and his sake Secondlye let vs be admonished by the example of the Israelites not to neglecte the benefites of the grace of Christ A. that is as the Apostle sayeth That we receiue not the grace of God in vaine 2. Cor. 6 Thirdlye that we knowing how that wée receyue the blessinges of GOD in this life fréelye by Christ be confyrmed in the faith and hope of the blessinges to come Esay 64 2. Cor. 2 the glorye and greatnesse whereof the eare hath not hearde the eye hath not séene neyther hath it at any time entered into the heart of man For it can not bée that he which is touched with no féeling of the benefites of God receyued in this life shoulde conceiue in his minde a certaine hope of the blessinges to come 17 For the Lawe was geuen by Moyses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ B. In that hée maketh mention of Moises by collation it is done by a figure called Occupatio For the Iewes alwayes boasted of Moyses althoughe in déede they beléeued him not Iohn therefore attributeth to Moyses that which was right namelye that the Lawe was geuen by him for he stoode betwéene God and the Children of Israel that he might shewe them the word of the Lord. For by this Law Christ set aparte they were so farre from finding fauour in the eyes of the Lorde that they were altogether guiltye of impietye and execrable For the Lawe accurseth so many as obserue not all those thinges which it commaundeth Herevppon it is that Paul calleth the Lawe the administration of death and condemnacion and a kylling Letter Deut. 27 Gala. 3 2. Cor. 3 A. But when we come vnto Christ we finde in him grace C. that is to saye the Spirituall fulfilling of those thinges which the lawe contayned in the letter we finde also in him trueth that is to saye a firme and sounde stabillitye of thinges The Euangelist therefore teacheth howe muche inferyoure the Mynisterye of Moyses was to the power of Christ M. Moreouer these twoo grace and trueth are oftentimes in the Scripture ioyned togeather C. but here by a figure called Hypallage they are bothe aptlye referred to one ende as if he had sayde That grace by which the trueth of the lawe standeth was at the length offered in Christ But because the sence wyll remaine all one it maketh no matter whether they bée ioyned or separated This truely is certayne that the
Euangelist woulde haue this graunted that the Image of all Spirituall blessinges was shaddowed onelye in the Lawe but in Christe perfectlye published and reuealed Wherevppon it followeth that if we separate the Law from Christ there shal nothing remaine therein bare figures In consideration of the which S. Paule sayth Colloss 2 that in the lawe are shadowes but in Christ the body M. And Moyses is sayde to be farre inferiour vnto Christ because he was in the house of GOD as a seruaunt for a testimonye of those thinges whiche shoulde be spoken Heb. 3 but Christ was as Lorde ouer his house C. The truth therefore consisteth in this that by Christ wée obtaine grace which the Lawe coulde not bestow So that this worde grace is taken as well for the frée remission of our sinnes as for the renouation of the heart 18. No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him C. This is very well and aptly added for the confirmation of the former sentence For the knowledge of GOD is the gate by the which wée enter into the fruition of all good thinges Therefore séeing GOD doth reueale himselfe vnto vs by Christ onelye it followeth consequentlye that all thinges be sought for at the handes of Christ M. These thinges therefore doe so agrée with that which goeth before that the aucthoritie of Moyses vppon the which the Iewes did depende because hée talked with God face to face is thereby made inferiour vnto Christ Moyses saw not God nor any other man whether he were of the Prophets or of the Patriarckes C. Furthermore when Iohn sayth that no man hath séene God at any time his wordes are not to be vnderstoode onelye of the external sight of the corporall eye for hée meaneth generallye that séeing God dwelleth in the light which no man can attaine vnto hée cannot be knowne but in Christ 1. Timo. 6 his liuely and expresse Image Wherfore our condition is farre better than the state of the fathers because GOD which at the first lay hid in his secret glory hath now after a sort made himselfe visible For certainely when Christ is called the very expresse image of the father that pertayneth to a speciall benefite of the newe Testament Euen so the Euangelist in this place sheweth vs a newe and straunge thing when he sayth that the onelye begotten sonne which was in the bosome of the Father and before that time hyd is now expressed vnto vs. He commendeth therefore the reuelation of GOD which by the Gospell is brought vnto vs in the which he putteth a difference betwéene vs and the Fathers and doth preferre vs before them If any man obiect and say that God was then also séene of the fathers face to face Obiection as we reade that the Patriarcke Iacob did Gen. 32 Deut. 5 Num. 12 God spake also to the Children of Israel face to face to his seruant Moises we may aunswere that the same sight is in no poynt to be compared to ours Aunsvver For GOD vsing at that time obscurelye to shew him selfe and as it were a far of when hée appeared more gloriously vnto some they sayd that they had séene him face to face Therefore they haue respect vnto their time howbeit they saw not GOD but as it were in shadowes and mystes A singuler vision was that almost farre excéeding all the rest which Moyses obtayned in the mount and yet notwithstanding the Almightie expresly sayth Thou canst not see my face Exod. 33 onely thou shalt see my hinder partes By the which metaphore he declareth that the time of full and perfect reuelation is not yet come R. But now he which séeth Christ séeth the Father also Iohn 14 For the sonne onelye knoweth the Father and hée to whom soeuer the sonne will reueale him C. Therefore this is most certayne Math. 11 that GOD whiche was at the firste inuisible hath now appeared in Christ When hée sayeth that the Sonne is in the Bosome of the Father it is a translation or kinde of speach borrowed of the custome of men who are sayde to admitte those into theyr bosome to whome they commit al secréete matters The place of counsell is the brest Therfore he teacheth that the sonne was euen in the deepe counsel purpose and secréete minde of the Father to the ende wée might knowe that we haue as it were the open and reuealed breast of God in the Gospell Colloss 2 19. And this is the record of John when the Iewes sent Priestes and Leuites from Ierusalem to aske him what art thou And this is the recorde C. Hitherto our Euangelist hath made mencion of the Sermon whiche Iohn made concerning Christ and nowe he commeth to a more famous testimonye geuen to the messengers of the hye Priestes to carrye to Ierusalem Hée sayeth therefore that Iohn openlye confessed wherefore he was sent of GOD. R. And in that the Euangelist so oftentimes maketh mencion of the testimony of Iohn the Baptist it is done speciallye for twoo causes first to cast in the Iewes téeth and to vpbraide them with their impietye which tooke Iohn the Baptist for a man of GOD and the Lordes annointed and yet notwithstanding would not beléeue him concerning the testimony whiche hée bare of Christ and also that he might keepe the godlye Iewes in the fayth of Christ being nothing dismayde with the persecution of the Scribes and Pharisees which contumeliouslye put Christ to the shamefull death of the Crosse Secondly to declare the constancye of Iohn the Baptist in maintayning his former testimony which he had geuen concerning the Messias and to proue that hee was not a Reede shaken with winde M. Whereas therefore the Euangelist sayth Mat. 11 VVhen the Iewes sent from Ierusalem it is not to bée vnderstoode of the common sorte of people which thought well of Iohn but rather of those which bare rule and which could also by theyr owne aucthoritye commaunde the Priestes and Leuites to go whyther they woulde haue them The Euangelist Iohn maketh mention that the Priestes and Leuites were sent from Ierusalem partely that wée might vnderstande by the qualitye of the message the purpose of the senders partely that he might adde a certaine waight and grauitie to the testimonye of Iohn which was not geuen in secréete or to the eares of the common people onelye but to such as were seriouslye sent from the Elders of the people yea from the Elders of that famous City Ierusalem But with what purpose came these messengers to Iohn Surelye the people had béene nowe without Prophetes a long time And Iohn came sodainly foorth vnlooked for Euerye man looked nowe for the comming of the Messias as wee maye sée in the storye of the Woman of Samaria I knowe sayeth shee That the Messias shall come whiche is Christe Iohn 4 when hee therefore commeth hee shall shewe vs all
thinges C. Least therefore the Priestes should séeme to bée slouthfull in theyr office if they shoulde dissemble and neglecte a matter of so great waight they demaund of Iohn who he is Therefore in the beginning they dealt not craftely but rather being moued with the desire of the redemption they coueted to knowe whether Iohn were Christ yea or no because he beganne to alter the accustomed manner in the Churche Howe be it it cannot bée denyed but that there was in them an ambicious desyre to kéepe theyr right but yet at this time they went about nothing lesse than to geue the honour of Christ vnto another It appeareth therfore that there was a common fame of Iohn which styrred vp the mindes of all men 20. And he confessed and denied not and sayde plainely I am not that Christ R. He confessed the trueth and denied not hée did not retract the testimonie which was geuen before vnto Christ but truely againe as before he geueth testimonie vnto him Mala. 4 C. He confessed therfore plainly and without dissimulacion or circumstaunces that he is not Christ M. I would to God that they which take vpon them no small countenaunce in the Church of Christ woulde followe this constancie of mynde and sincerity towarde Christe 21 And they asked him what then Art thou Elias And hee sayth I am not art thou that Prophet and he answered No. And they asked him what then C. Why doe they name Elias rather then Moyses M. The very times did declare that the comming of Christ was euen at hande before whom Elias should come according to the prophesie of Malachy Malath 4 R. They enquire therefore after Elyas the Thesbite which was in the time of Achab the King For although they had red in the Prophet Malachy that the Prophet Elyas shoulde be sent before the great and fearefull day of the Lorde came the which is the comming of Christ being a blynding of the vnbeleeuing yea iudgement and damnation to them yet notwithstanding as they were a carnall people so they vnderstood carnally not that another shoulde bée sent in the spirite and power of Elias the Thesbite but euen the verye same Elias which was taken vp into heauen in the fiery Chariot C. or at the least they being deceyued with the common errour imagined that the soule shoulde come in an other bodye B. By this errour Herode was deceyued Math. 14 thinking that Iohn whome he had beheaded was now aliue againe and was called Iesus By this errour also part of the common people thought the Lorde to be Elias Math. 16 part Hieremias or some one of the Prophetes When as Iohn therefore had denied himselfe to be Christ the messengers asked him if he were not Elias the Thesbite And he sayth I am not A. And yet notwithstanding our sauiour Christ which cannot lye affirmed him to be Elias But Iohn meaneth that hée is not Elias in person but in spirite and power and so our Sauiour Christ calleth him Elias Art thou that Prophet Although this worde that be added in this place yet notwithstanding it hath no Emphasis or force And afterwarde the messengers declare sufficientlye that they vnderstoode another Prophet beside Christ For they sayde If thou bee neyther Christ nor Elias neyther a Prophet In the which wordes we sée diuers persons to be noted least any man shoulde restraine this vnto Christ They demaunde therefore simply if hée be not a Prophet sent of God And he aunswered No. Iohn in denying this thing doth not lye for modesties sake but doth sincerelye euen from his heart separate him selfe from the number of the Prophetes and yet for all that this aunswere is not contrarye to the wordes of Christ which calleth him a Prophet and more than a Prophet For by those wordes Math. 11 he doth nothing else but bring a certaine authoritye and credite to his doctrine and doth also extoll the office committed vnto him 22. Then sayde they vnto him what art thou that we maye giue an aunswere to them that sent vs what sayest thou of thy selfe M. By these aunsweres of Iohn the messengers of the Iewes had hitherto learned nothing else than that he was neyther Christ nor Elias nor any of the Prophetes For this onelye they demaunded Therefore they obiect theyr aucthorytye of whome they were sente least they should returne to them againe emptye and vncertaine of theyr aunswere Touching the exposition of the other twoo verses following reade the third of Mathew beginning at the third verse 25. And they asked him and sayde vnto him Why baptizest thou then if thou be not Christ nor Elias neyther a Prophet R. Although the most holye and best learned were sent vnto Iohn yet notwithstanding he is not so moued with theyr aucthoritye that he would depart from the trueth to the whiche he had borne witnesse And although they were the most learned of all others in the lawe yet notwithstanding they vnderstoode not the aunswere of Iohn which was taken out of the Scriptures and therefore like blindemen they goe forewarde Wherfore say they Baptizest thou That is to saye séeing thou art nothing but a vanishing voyce séeing thou art neyther Christ nor Helias nor a Prophet who then hath geuen thée aucthoritye to teache newe thinges and to innouate olde rites and Customes For although thou teach the trueth and doest consecrate the people vnto GOD by newe Rites yet notwithstanding because thou art neyther annoynted nor ordered by our Byshoppes thou oughtest not of thine owne rashnesse to vsurpe vnto thy selfe so great aucthoritye Wherefore thou shalt bée excommunicated and cast out of the synagogue except thou eyther retracte that which thou hast done or else doest agree to the dignitye of our Byshoppes M. For who gaue thée this power to bring vnto the people newe Ceremonies contrarye to the aucthoritye of the Lawe and the order of Priesthood For howsoeuer thou leade an austere life yet for all that it is not méete for thee to bring in newe Ceremonies without our aucthoritye as though our Lawe were not pure inough of it selfe C. In appointing these thrée degrées namelye if thou bée neyther Christ nor Elias nor that Prophete they séeme to reason verye aptelye They graunted all power to bée in the Messias hand They conceiued also this opinion that at the comming of Elias the renuing both of the kingdome and of the Church should bée begon And to the Prophetes they graunt it lawfull to discharge that office that is enioyned them Therefore herevpon they conclude that it is a newe inuented thing vnlawfull that Iohn should take vpon him to Baptise without the outwarde calling But in this they are deceyued that they acknowledge him not to bée Elias of whom Malachy maketh mention although he denye him selfe to bée that Elias of whome they dreamed M. Furthermore they quite ouerpasse the Prophecye of Esai when as they might haue gathered thereby what the cause was that he Baptized namelye
to saye that onlye Sacrifice Christ Iesus So we reade that this Lambe was slaine from the beginning of the worlde Reuela 13 C. Saint Iohn therefore goeth about to shewe that there remayneth nothing nowe for sinners but that they flée vnto Christ theyr refuge to the ende he might ouerthrowe all satisfactions offeringes and redemptions of men being nothing but false and forged collusions of Satan our enemye This woorde taketh awaye maye be twoo manner of wayes expounded 1. Peter 2 Esay 53. eyther that Christ hath taken vppon him selfe the burthen wherewith wée were oppressed or else that hée quite abolisheth sinnes CHR. Furthermore in that hée sayeth Taketh in the present tence the continuall action of taking awaye is ment For the offering which he once made alwayes standeth of force Let vs knowe therefore that wée now at the last for Christ his sake are reconciled vnto God the Father if wée take the right waye vnto his death and if we doo beléeue that hée was the onelye Sacrifice nayled to the Crosse which taketh away our sinnes R. Furthermore Christ doth not so take awaye sinnes that it maye bée lawfull for euerye man licentiouslye to liue as him lysteth as the carnall falsely gather but that we should liue vnto God Rom. 6 and to righteousnesse For wheresoeuer sinnes are taken awaye by faith there in stéede thereof succedeth the Spirite mortifying from thencefoorth the dreags of sinne Touching the exposition of the nexte verse reade that whiche is spoken of in the fifteenth verse going before 31. And I knewe him not but that he should be declared to Israel Therfore am I come baptizing with water And I knewe him not C. Least men should thinke this testimonye to bée geuen eyther for fauour or friendship hée preuenteth that doubte affirming that he hath no other knowledge of Christ than that which came from heauen to him M. Although therfore hée knewe him to be in the middest of Israel yet for all that he knewe him not by face for there was no familiaritye betwéene them Christ had led his life in Nazareth of Galilee being there with the Carpenter Ioseph and nowe at the first he came from Nazareth to Iordan But Iohn liued in the wildernesse among the beasts and inhabitauntes of the Wildernesse Least therfore by a wrong suspicion and doubte the testimony should be discredited which was geuen to Christ he addeth saying And I knewe him not But that he should be declared to Israel He came to Baptize for this principall cause though this was not the onelye cause He came truelye to Iordan preaching the Baptisme of repentaunce that by this occasion he might knowe him whome before he knewe not that being knowne of him he might reueale him to Israel He Baptized also to this ende that he might bring the heartes of the Israelites to repentaunce and by this meanes might prepare the waye of the Lorde which was at hande Notwithstanding he sayeth well that he came to this ende that Christ might be made manifest vnto Israel For vnlesse this be done al the rest profiteth nothing This thing ought al the Ministerie of Iohn the Apostles to do Moreouer except repentaunce be ioyned vnto it Christ is declared in vaine C. And séeing it was necessarye that Iohn should be sent of GOD that hée might lawfullye Baptize we maye gather herevppon that no man hath libertye of him selfe to institute Sacraments for this right onelye pertayneth to God Euen as our Sauiour Christ in another place to prooue the Baptisme of Iohn demaundeth whether it was from Heauen or of men Math. 21 For the exposition of the twoo verses following reade the thyrde Chapter of Mathew 34. And I sawe and bare recorde that he is the sonne of God M. Although Iohn knewe Christ whome hée had shewed to bée present and of whome he had Preached before this time to be the Sonne of GOD yet notwithstanding by the foresayde Heauenlye inauguration contayned in thirtye and twoo and thirtye and thrée verses he knewe this Iesus whome before hée knewe not to bée the Sonne of God And he knewe this not by the vision onelye but by the voyce also of the Father which came from Heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne Math. 3. C. So that this signe was added because of confirmation and that not so muche in respect of Iohn as for all our sakes M. But séeing Christ is in the Scriptures called the sonne of Dauid Question why doeth not Iohn say And I sawe and testifyed that he is the sonne of Dauid Aunsvver Because that although hée hadde made noe lye yet notwithstanding he shoulde not sufficiently haue set foorth the glory of Christ And this is worthy to be nooted that he witnessed Christ to be the sonne of God because Christ shoulde be the gyuer of the holy Ghost and because the honour office of reconcilyng men vnto God belongeth to no other beside him M. And this knowledge and faith of the Sonne of GOD as it springeth of the diuine reuelation so it maketh a man blessed as Christ plainelye declared to Peter in the sixtéenth chapter of Mathew Math. 16 35. The next daye after John stode againe and two of his disciples B. By litle and litle the Euangelist passeth by narration from the testimonyes of Iohn to the testimonies which his owne déedes and sayinges gaue to the Lorde And séeing it was the office of Iohn to reueale Christ vnto Israel hath he thus farre foorth made mention of that story passing ouer without doubt many thinges which Iohn preached concerning the Lorde The other thrée Euangelistes haue more largelye written of that which hée hath omitted with the which the Godly are satisfied M. But this is the last testimonye of Iohn concerning Christ among those whiche the Euangelist meant to repeate Who in affirming Iohn to stand commendeth his diligence in reuealing Christ as one that sought al occasion to fulfill his office C. Here furthermore we sée howe base and simple the beginning of the Churche was Iohn truelye prepared Disciples for Christ but Christ nowe beginneth him selfe to prepare his Church 36. And behelde Iesus as hee walked by and sayeth Beholde the Lambe of God M. From whence and whyther hée walked the Euangelist sheweth not But it is likelye that Christ according to the great humilitye of his minde as hée vouchsafed to receyue Iohns Baptisme so also he was contented to heare his Sermons which he communicated to the people and so it came to passe when the Sermon was ended because it was nowe almost euentide that hée went to that place where he meant to rest all night But it appeareth by this appellation of Christ that Iohn oftentimes called Christ the Lambe of God taking away the sinnes of the worlde and that notwithout cause for it is the office of a good teacher not once onely but oftentimes to inculcate those thinges into the eares of his auditours which are necessarye for them to
therefore séeketh where Christ abideth where GOD dwelleth let him heare the worde and followe it then shall he be sure to finde Christ Wherevpon the Apostle Peter sayeth 2. Pet. 1 VVee haue a right sure worde of Prophecie where vnto if ye take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place Psal 119 yee doe well And the Prophete Dauid sayeth Thy word is a light to my pathes and a Lanterne to my feete They came and sawe where he dwelt M. They saye not we will come to morrowe it is nowe euening but with a thankefull minde they receyue the gentlenesse of Christ and the occasion also offered to talke with him But what they hearde of Christ the Euangelist heare maketh no mention notwithstanding by that whiche followeth somewhat appeareth that they sawe and hearde those thinges whereby they came to the knowledge of Christ For hereafter it is sayde that Andrewe tolde his Brother Simon saying Wee haue founde Messias For it was about the tenth houre C. That is to saye the euening was at hande By this circumstaunce of the time wee gather that these twoo Disciples had suche a desyre to heare and knowe Christ that they were not carefull for theyr nightes lodging The Children of this worlde are farre otherwise who alwayes are weary and vnmeete to followe Christ 40. One of the two whiche heard John speake and followed him was Andrew Simon Peters brother C. The purpose of the Euangelist vnto the ende of the Chapter is this that wée might knowe howe the Disciples were brought by litle and litle to Christ Here he speaketh of Peter afterwarde hee wyll make mention of Philip and Nathanael 41. The same founde his brother Simon first and sayde vnto him We haue founde Messias which is by interpretacion annointed The same found his Brother B. In that Andrewe founde Simon Peter his brother in Iudea eyther by chaunse or looked for it is an argument that hée for Religions sake went to Iohn the Baptist although peraduenture hée was not his continuall Disciple It is a token truelye that they liued together one with another because when they were called the seconde time to the perpetuall fellowshippe of the Lorde of the whiche Mathewe and Marke make mention they were a Fishing togeather Math. 4 Mark 1 M. Touching the other Disciples of Iohn whatsoeuer is affirmed this is certaine that this Andrewe was the first after Iohn in this that he went about to make Christ knowne the which thing the Euangelist declareth in saying not simplye The same founde his Brother Simon but the same found his brother Simon first And no man will deny but that this is spoken by the Euangelist to his prayse But there is no mention made where he founde him We haue found Messias That which is in the Hebrew text Messias is in the Gréeke texte Christos and in the Latine texte Vnctus which thrée woordes haue all one sence and signifie annointed But these wordes VVe haue founde Messias seeme to bée spoken with great Emphasis or force and doe note that Simon also to whome Andrewe toulde this newes burned marueilouslye in desire towarde Christ For his woordes are thus much in effect Reioyce brother for him whom both of vs haue sought so carefullye we haue founde euen the sauiour Christ Iohn 4. Hée spake not doubtfullye as did the Woman of Samaria whiche sayde Is not he Christ But as one fullye certified Andrewe sayeth wée haue founde Messias 42. And brought him to Iesus And Iesus behelde him and sayde Thou art Simon the Sonne of Iona thou shalt be called Cephas whiche is by interpretacion a stone And brought him to Iesus E. By these wordes we sée what is the force of fayth so sone as we are borne a newe in Christ by fayth by and by our minde sheweth it selfe to another and beginneth to declare how great goodnesse it hath founde and it is not possible that fayth shoulde bée ydle for it wyll confesse Christ eyther with the mouth though there were a thousande deathes set before our eyes or else by charitie towardes our neyghbour by which it is knowne who is a Disciple of Christ C. Andrew had scarce one sparke of faith and yet notwithstanding with the same hée doth illuminate his brother Simon Woe then vnto our sluggishnesse yf we being more fullye illumined doe not endeuoure our selues to make others pertakers of the same grace Yea wée maye sée those thinges in Andrew which Esay requireth of the sonnes of God namely that euery mā lay holde on his neighbor that he say Come let vs ascende to the Mounte of the Lord Esay 2 and he shal teach vs. For Andrew reacheth out his band to his brother but to this ende that hée might be a Disciple in the schoole of Christ M. So are they woonte to doe which are in loue with the trueth which they haue knowne Math. 25 And this is the duetie of a good seruaunt to vse the Talent well that hée hath receyued for the behoofe of his mayster And in that this Andrewe went about first of all to win his brother Simon to the Lorde it is a token of naturall and true loue the which truelye is taken from the godlie in Christ For it is the Husbandes part first to winne the Wife the Parents their Children the Brother his Brother the Mayster his Seruauntes and the Maiestrates to winne their Subiectes to the Lorde C. Furthermore the purpose of God is here to be noted in that he woulde haue Peter which did farre excell the other to be brought to the knowledge of Christ by the worke and ministerye of Andrew to the ende none of vs although wée excel shoulde thinke scorne to be taught of the inferiour B. The efficacie also of Gods calling is here to be considered For so soone as Simon was called to Iesus by his brother he followed So as many as are chosen shal receyue the Gospell being called of God and drawne of the father to the sonne Iohn 6 A. For all that my Father geueth me saith Christ shall come vnto me B. Wée knowe not the time when God wyll call in heart those that are his for large is the mercye of God and therfore the ministery of the Gospell must still be vsed towarde them which shew not them selues to be Dogges or Hogges Thou art Simon the sonne of Iona. R. Whereas our text hath the sonne of Iona Nonnus readeth it the sonne of Iohn and not of Iona. To the which agréeeth this place Simon Iohanna Iohn 21 or Simon the sonne of Iohn louest thou mée But it is likely that the Father of Simon was called in Ebrue Iochanan or in the Chalde tongue Iochanna wherevppon the letter of aspiration being altered out of his place and s put to the ende came Iohannes the which also afterwarde being made short became Ionas And Iochanan or Iochanna doe signifie that which we call in Englishe Iohn and is as much to saye
neyther let any be curious to knowe as though hée had done any notable wonders more nowe than he was wont to doe 24. But Iesus did not coÌ„mit him selfe vnto them because hee knewe all men C. That is to say Christ did not take them for his owne Disciples but rather made account of them as light and vaine The place is diligently to be noted howe that not all which professe them selues to be the disciples of Christ are thought to bee such in his sight For the Euangelist sayeth here Because he knewe them all There is nothing more daungerous than Hipocrisie both for diuers caâ—ses and also because it is a vice more then common There is no man almost whiche liketh not of him selfe and when wee deceaue our selues with vaine perswations we thinke that GOD is blinde But here we are taught howe much his iudgement doeth differ from ours For hée is a searcher of the heart and raines nothing is secréete vnto him Men may be deceyued with externall shewes but God can not be mocked Let vs therefore bée sure of this that that they are the true Disciples of Christ which are allowed of him For the Lord knoweth who are his 2. Tim. 2 And as this is a great comfort to the children of God that they are knowne of him so also it ought to bring great terrour to the mindes of the vngodlye that they are knowne vnto him which shall come to iudge bothe the quicke and the dead 25. And needed not that any should testifye of man for hee knewe what was in man C. Whereas the Euangelist sayeth that Christ knoweth all it is to be referred to those of whom mencion is made before But because some man might doubt whence Christ had this knowledge the Euangelist cutting of this doubte or question aunswereth that whatsoeuer is in men hidden from our eyes is séene of Christ But wee may not hereof gather that no man ought to be trusted because that which is in man is not knowne vnto vs For no man knoweth what is in man but the spirite of man that is in man First because we are such that wée stand in néede one of anothers helpe Secondly because we are euill and ready to condemne But least we should alwayes bee deceaued by Ipocrites it belongeth to Christ onely to endue vs with the spirite of discretion whereby we maye discerne them from suche as meane simplye and truelye the which gifte wée must obtaine at his handes by Prayer ⧠The thirde Chapter 1. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes There was a man C. THE PVRpose of the Euangelist S. Iohn in this Chapter is to set foorth certayne of the woordes and déedes of our Lorde and sauiour Christ that by them he maye bee knowne to be the sauiour of the worlde the eternall power of GOD yea and God him selfe Séeing therefore in the Chapter going before hée made mencion of twoo of his notable and wonderfull déedes by which his Diuinitye might plainelye appeare hée thought it nowe meete to adioyne therevnto the communication which he had with Nicodemus the Pharisee and a chiefe Ruler among the Iewes in the which he plainelye expresseth by his owne words both what he cause to â—oe that we might be Citezens of his Kingdome and also what he requireth of vs. It seemeth that the Euangelist entereth into the narration of this Historye with the same purpose and intent that he did enter into the narration of those thinges which are set at the latter ende of the chapter going before namely to shew that theyr obstinacye is inexcusable which desyred of Christ that a signe might be geuen vnto them because he had shewed so many notable Miracles that the Pharisées them selues also were constrained to acknowledge his Diuine operation The Euangelist also setteth before our eyes in the person of Nicodemus how friuolous and vaine theyr faith is which being moued by Myracles sodainely became Disciples of Christ For this man séeing hée was a Pharisee and one of the chiefe rulers of the people in his countrey ought for to haue excelled others For among the common sort of people lightnesse raigneth much Of the Pharisees M. There was no secte that more enuied Christ than the sect of the Pharisées For they were puffed vp with an opinion of holinesse and with theyr aucthoritye by which they excelled other of the Iewes but Christ vncouered the Hipocrisie of these men and therfore they did hate him to the death A. But touching that wich partayneth to theyr secte and originall reade our exposition vpon the third Chapter of Mathew C. This was great honour to Nicodemus that he was a Pharisée and a Ruler of the Iewes but the Euangelist doth not giue him this tytle for honors sake but rather noteth that the same was an obstacle and let vnto him from comming with a frée and quiet mind vnto Christ Whereby we are admonished that they which excell in the world are very much wrapped with troublesome snares that they can not aspire vnto Heauen But the EuaÌ„gelist doth not only make mencion that Nicodemus was by order a Pharisée but also one of the chiefe rulers of the people that is to saye one of the Seniours and Ecclesiasticall Doctours as maye appeare by the wordes of Christ Arte thou a Maister in Israel and knowest not these thinges Called Nicodemus M. The Euangelist putteth downe his name to bring the more credite and aucthoritye to the Historye 2. The same came to Iesus by night and sayde vnto him Rabbi wee knowe that thou art a teacher come from God for no man could do these myracles that thou doest except God were with him The same came to Jesus by night B. Here come twoo thinges to be noted 1. Timo. 2 The first is that the Lord God hath those that are his among all sortes of men which would that all men shoulde bée saued and come to the knowledge of the trueth The second is that the elect can not but at the length they must come vnto the Lorde according to the saying of our sauiour Christ Iohn 6 All that my Father geueth mee shall come vnto me C. Notwithstanding in that he commeth in the night we maye gather that hée was too to fearefull for he was blinded in his owne conceyte It might bée also that shame did staye him because suche men as are ambicious thinke that they haue for euer lost their fame if they descend from the stately degrée of a Maister to the order of a Scholler And there is no doubte but that this man was puffed vppe with a foolishe opinion of his owne knowledge To bée short séeing he did make great account of him selfe hée woulde not willinglye lease anye part of his estimation And yet for all that hée séemeth to shewe some sparke of Godlinesse to bée in him in that he hearing a Prophete of God to be come doeth not contempne or neglect the
it followeth that they refusing the reméedye doe willinglye séeke theyr owne damnation R. But Christ speaketh not here of grosse and outward sinnes as of Theft The light hated of wicked men Murther Adulterye False witnesse Force Luxury Dronkennesse and such lyke which also are condemned of the wise men of this world but of the most excellent vertues of the worlde as of Reason Wisedome and humaine righteousnesse which in this world are counted for most excellent thinges PAR. Therefore as hée which goeth about any wickednesse loueth the night fléeth from the Sunne least his déedes shoulde bée manifest euen so they whose consciences do accuse them hate the light of the Euangelicall trueth by which all thinges that are filthie are bewraied that they maie be reformed in Christ By this reason wicked Kyngs Princes and Potentates which swell with Ambition which are defiled with excesse and filthie pleasure and which are imbrued with the bloode of Innocents haue hated the Light of the Gospell because it condemneth all these thinges In like maner the Popishe Bishops Abbottes Priestes Monkes and Nunnes which repose theyr trust in Masses in Idolles in Purgatorye in wicked Vowes in Indulgences and such lyke do hate Christ and his light which teacheth that al these thinges are vnprofitable more than Vatinius was hated of the Romaines Insomuch that they persecute the Preachers of the Gospell and hang them vppe because they Preache against the Sacred Canonnes against the dignitye Episcopall against the Popes Holinesse and against Peters Keyes That is to saye because they discouer the Tyranny of Antichrist and do fréelye pronounce the dignitye and aucthoritye of Bishoppes to bée forged counterfaite and méere false C. Therefore we are muche deceyued if wée thinke that they are ledde with Godlye zeale whiche rage against the Gospell when as they rather hate and abhorre the light that they maye the more fréelye walke in darkenesse 21. But hee that doeth trueth commeth to the light that his deedes may be knowen howe that they are wrought in God M. That is to saye He which knoweth that hée doeth the trueth and seeketh the same being a hater of all falsehood and lyes hée truely neyther hateth the light nor shunneth the same but loueth it For to doe the trueth is as much to say as to deale faithfully without any manner of deceyte like good and honest men C. But this séemeth to bée spoken improperlye and absurdly except a man would confesse that some are good and true before they bée borne againe by the spirite of God the which is cleane contrary to the whole Doctrine of the scripture for we knowe that faith is the roote from whence doe come all good workes But Christ simply affirmeth that they which deale sincerelye and vprightlye doe desyre nothing more then the light The light a Touchstone to wicked men that theyr workes maye bée approued because by that triall and Touchstone it maye the better appeare that they haue walked vprightlye and purelye before God from all deceyte Therefore it is verye fondlye sayde of some that menne before Faith are wel disposed For Christ sayeth not that the Faithfull do beléeue to the ende they maye haue the prayse of good workes but he onely sheweth what the vnbeleeuing would do if so be theyr owne consciences did not accuse them of euill R. Therefore if Abbottes Monkes Priestes and Friars did the trueth they woulde also come to the light and would suffer theyr condicion to bée tried But hereby they them selues do bewray theyr owne déedes to bée euill For he which doeth the trueth that is hee whose cause is iust whose worke is of Faith which teacheth the truth which is delighted in the trueth which hateth Hipocrisie and lyes which dealeth iustlye and to be short which geueth all glorye vnto God and geueth place to the Preaching of the Gospell hée can abide the light and to haue his cause his workes Doctrine and state tried and examined Wherevpon Christ because his workes and Doctrine are of God hath left vnto all menne frée leaue to pronounce and iudge of them so that they doe it vprightly Iohn 18.20 Enquire sayeth hée of those which haue hearde mee what I sayd vnto them Beholde these knowe what I haue sayd But the Pharisées and their successours will not suffer any man to iudge of theyr Doctrine but will haue all thinges that they teache and decrée simplye and as a manifest trueth to be receyued and allowed C. Therefore our Sauiour Christ vsed this woorde Trueth Because we being deceyued by the outwarde shewe of workes doe not waye and consider what is contayned within And hée calleth those workes wrought in God which are approued of him and are good according to his rule Hereby let vs learne not to iudge of workes except they bée brought to the light of the Gospell because our reason is vtterly blind and corrupt Bv. And séeing Christ of his goodnesse hath called vs to the light of the Gospell let vs vnderstand that it is our partes to doe the trueth with a willing minde the Apostle exhorting vs vnto the same Ephe 5.8 Ye were sometime darkenesse but nowe are you light in the Lorde walke as children of the light for the fruite of the spirite is in all godnesse and righteousnesse and trueth approuing what is acceptable vnto the Lorde And haue no felowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather rebuke them And the Apostle Iohn This is the tidinges which we haue hard of him and declare vnto you that God is light and in him is no darkenesse at all If wee saye that we haue felloweship with him and walke in darkenesse wee lye and doe not the trueth But if wee walke in light euen as hee is light then haue wee fellowship with him 22. After these thinges came Iesus and his Disciples into the Lande of Iurye and there he taryed with them and Baptized M Nowe that the Euangelist hath described the Diologue betwéene Christ and Nicodemus hée consequentlye maketh a waye to bring in the testimony of Iohn the Baptist which most excellentlye hée gaue vnto Christ before hée was shutte vp into Prison For the Euangelist speciallye trauaileth to credite and confirme the Diuinitye and aucthoritye of Christ with most firme testimonies geuen from Heauen Bv. Therefore when the Lorde had obserued the Feaste of Passeouer at Hierusalem and had discharged his office according to the oportunytye of the time Preaching the Gospel of the kingdome C. hée came into that part of Galilee whiche was néere to the Towne of Aenon whiche is situate in the Tribe of Manasse B. that there also hée might exhibite and declare him selfe to bée a sauiour For abiding there and Ministring Baptisme by his Disciples hée brought many Citizens to the Kingdome of God The Lorde Iesus abode not long at Hierusalem for his houre was not yet come that hée shoulde bée gloryfied but towarde his ende hée executed his office moore diligentlye
there and shewed many Signes because the time of his gloryfication drewe néere M. But because the time was come to gather togeather the Churches of the Faithfull Two thinges deliuered to the Church Christ beganne to order and appoynt a Churche Bv. And there were twoo thinges speciallye whiche hée deliuered to the Churche with the which hée exerciseth the same namely the Preaching of the Trueth and holye Baptisme C. For althoughe Christe Baptized by his Disciples yet notwithstanding hée is here named as the aucthour of Baptisme the Ministers being left out which did nothing but in his name and at his commaundement R. To the ende wée might knowe that it maketh no matter what manner of person the Minister is in respect of the word and Sacrament AVG. For when the Integritye and purenesse of the Sacrament is handeled it maketh no matter what Faith he is of which geueth the Sacrament It maketh much touching the way of his owne saluacion but as touching the question of the Sacrament it maketh no matter at all R. For the Sacrament hath his integritye from the worde or from the Preaching annexed to the Sacrament but the woorde hath his aucthoritye from God 23. And Iohn also Baptized in Aenon beside Salim because there was muche Water there and they came and were Baptized M. Christ now teaching and Baptizing Iohn as it maye séeme might Lawfullye haue forsaken his office geuen him selfe to rest and haue followed security Iohn 1.29 A. speciallye newe that hée had testifyed of him alreadye that hée was the true Lambe of GOD which taketh awaye the sinne of the worlde M. But because hée was sente by God to teache and to Baptise hée doth not at his owne wyll and pleasure laye aside the office committed vnto to him but looketh and wayteth for the time appointed of GOD. We maye not forsake the Ministery of the worde at out owne pleasure which are called to be Preachers Iere. 23.21 By this example we are taught not to ceasse from executing our office and duetye so long as the administration thereof is permitted For as hée offendeth whiche runneth before hée bée called A. as the Lorde complayneth by the Prophete Ieremye euen so verylye hée offendeth no lesse whiche at his owne pleasure taketh and forsaketh the office which GOD hath committed to him C. The Geographers affyrme that these twoo Townes Aenon and Salim are not farre from the Riuer of Iordane and Iaboc néere vnto the which twoo Townes they make a Citye called Scythopolis Hierome sayth it maketh no matter whether you Reade Salem or Salim C. The cause why Iohn Baptized in Aenon is added for that There was much water there B. Iudea wanting the same verye muche Water of Baptisme sanctifyed by the word of God But the Riuer of Iordane did ouerflowe and yet we reade not that it was consecrated with any Crosses Charracters or Seremonies For the pure Water of Baptisme is Sanctifyed by the word of GOD and by the Godlye vse of the Sacrament In the Actes of the Apostles we reade the lyke hereof where it is sayde And as they went on theyr waye Actes 8.36 they came to a certaine water and the Eunuche sayde See here is water what letteth me to bee Baptized Not that we may at this daye leaue the Temple of God and Baptise in euerye Ryuer Lake or Spring for the Apostle willeth all thinges to bée done decentlye and in order 1. Cor. 14.40 C. By these woordes of Christ wée maye also gather that both Iohn and Christ celebrated Baptisme by ducking the whole bodye in the water Howe be it let vs not bée too Curious in the externall Rite so it bée agréeing with the Spirituall trueth and with the institucion and rule of our Lord and Sauiour 24. For John was not yet cast into Prison M. Therefore the Prison was the ende whiche GOD had appointed for Iohn to finishe his office of Preaching and Baptizing euen as the Crosse was to our Sauiour Christ Deut. 13.5 And yet truelye Prisons and Crosses belong not to true but to false Teachers But this is the lotte of the Godly and of all true Teachers in this most wicked worlde Concerning the Imprisonmente of Iohn the Baptist and his Death reade more in our exposition of Mathew beginning at the thirde verse 25. And there arose a question betweene Iohns Disciples and the Iewes aboute purifying And there arose a Question betweene Iohns Disciples Bv. Now the Euangelist commeth néerer to the matter it selfe of the which hée intended to intreate C. And first of all hée reciteth a controuersye whiche arose by the Disciples of Iohn about Purifying and not in vaine For the lesse that they were instructed in Doctrine the moore bouldlye they put foorth them selues to disputacion according to the Prouerbe Who so boulde as blinde Bayarde If other hadde begonne the contencion with them they might haue beene excused but whereas they being vnable to encounter with the Iewes and yet doe wyllinglye prouooke them therevnto and that rashelye without cause they are muche to blame For the woordes of the Texte import that the question was moued by them And besyde that they deserued blame for theyr rashe contencion about an vnknowne thing which excéeded the reache of theyr knowledge they were also to bée reprehended for another faulte no lesse than this namelye For that they were not so readye to defend and maintaine the Lawfull vse of Baptisme as they were to defende theyr Maysters cause that hée might haue his aucthority styll PAR. For there came many vnto Iohn Contenciō betweene the Disciples of Iohn and the Iewes and were Baptized of him many also came to Iesus and were Baptized of his Disciples And herevpon arose enuye in certaine of the Disciples of Iohn against Iesus that he being of late Baptized of Iohn and behaued him selfe as his Disciple and was commended by his testimony vnto the people would now sodenly make himselfe equal with him would also prefer him selfe before him whose Disciples tooke vpon them the administration of that which Iohn alone had hitherto vsed C. Therfore both these faultes were worthy of reprehension because they not waying the consideration of Baptisme make but a trifle of Gods holye institucion and because through wicked Ambition they take theyr Maysters parte against Christ About purifying C. The question was about Purifying because the Iewes had diuers and sundry preceptes concerning Baptisme from the Lawe and being not contente with those Legal rules they vsed many other thinges which they had receyued from theyr Elders A. as ye may more plainely perceiue if ye reade the fiftéenth of Mathew and the seuenth of Marke C. Therefore because a newe rite also and order of Purifying is brought in by Christ and by Iohn the Baptist they hauing alreadye so great plentye and varietye they thinke it verye absurde and without reason M. Wherefore in the Disciples of Iohn we sée a carnall disposition C. who
being wholly occupyed in the personnes of menne haue litle regarde to the veritye of doctrine R. For this contencion is plaine carnall and procéeding from Ambicion as also the Disciples of Christ accused a certaine man whiche cast out Deuilles in the name of Christ and yet followed not them for that they thought that aucthoritye to worcke Myracles Mar. 9.38 Mat. 18.1 Luk. 22.24 was geuen whollye vnto them Furthermore they contended too carnallye about the Supremacye M. And it is not onely in this place spoken of the Disciples of Iohn Mat. 9.14 that they laboured for their Mayster against Christ by the Spirite of Emulacion for wée haue the lyke in the ninth of Mathewe But notwithstanding all this there was no contencion betwéene Christe and Iohn neyther did Iohn séeke any other thing but that hée might decrease as Christ increased Bv. Therefore by this example wée sée howe much wée maye hurt the peace and tranquillitye of the Churche The vnitye of the Churche rent by leaning to muche to Gods Ministers if wée attribute to much to Gods Ministers For so both the glory which belongeth vnto Christ the Creatour is geuen to Creatures and also the vnity of the Churche rente when as one is addicted to this minister and another to that Therefore the Apostle sayeth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1.12 1. Cor. 3.4 I heare that there are contentions among you For euerye one sayeth I am of Paule and I am of Apollo and I am of Cephas and I am of Christ Is Christ deuided VVas Paule Crucifyed for you Math. 23.8 Eyther were yee baptized in the name of Paule To this ende also pertayneth the saying of Christe Bee not ye called Lordes for one is your Lorde euen Christ C. Therefore they are here noted which are rather ledde with the vaine and wicked loue of menne than with the Loue of GOD and therefore wee are admonished to haue regarde to this one thing and to séeke by all meanes possible that Christ alone maye bée glorified 1. Cor. 4.1 A. And as for all others let vs estéeme them as the Ministers of Christ and as dispensatours of the misteries of God 26. And they came vnto Iohn and sayde vnto him Rabbi he that was with thee beyonde Iordane to whome thou barest witnesse beholde the same baptizeth and all men come to him And they came to Iohn PAR. The Disciples of Iohn went about to tourne awaye the People from the Baptisme of Iesu and to perswade that the Baptisme of Iohn was more effectuall to washe awaye sinnes than the Baptisme of our Lord Iesu The which thing when they coulde not perswade the people vnto they came vnto Iohn making complaint vnto him and thinking that he woulde take it in euill part and by some meanes or other restraine this emulation M. And they finde no faulte with the Legal purifyinges but with the Baptisme of Christ and by the spirite of emulation they are fullye bente against Christ for Iohns sake Euen as Iosuah Num. 11.28 was zelous for Moyses And truely this emulation or enuye is so muche the worse for that contemptuouslye they speake of Christ For to extenuate and abase Christ they geue him no manner of title of reuerence whereas they call Iohn Maister As if they shoulde haue sayde Hée which ioyned him selfe to thée as a friende and fauourer of thy cause and which was Baptized of thée of whome also for honours sake thou barest witnesse as of a holye manne beholde the same being nowe conuerted and tourned another waye abuseth thy Testimonye against thée presuming to Baptize and hath gone so farre that all men nowe come to him the which no doubt will fall out greatlye to the defasing of thy honoure and fame R. Therefore wée praye thée that by thy aucthoritye thou wouldest forbidde him and his Disciples to Baptize for it is a venture if they procéede least we bée forsaken and despised for all men forsaking vs gooe to them and are Baptized Bv. Beholde the fruites of a rashe zeale without knowledge Zeale with out knowledge B. Hereby also it appeareth how sone good men may bée made the aucthours of sectes against theyr wylles To whome thou barest witnesse C. By this argument eyther they gooe about to make Christ inferiour to Iohn or else to make him bound vnto Iohn because hée was come to honour For they count it for a great benefite that Iohn had geuen to Christ such glorious titles and names concerning the Messias And whereas they adde that all men come vnto Christe that procéedeth of moste wicked enuye For they feare leaste theyr Mayster shall be forsaken straight waye of the multitude A. The lyke almost spake the high Priestes and Pharisées of Christ saying If wee let him goe thus Iohn 11.48 Ioh. 12.19 Iohn 8.12 all men wyll beleeue on him Also sayde they Ye see that ye profite nothing Behold all the whole worlde goeth after him But I woulde to GOD all the worlde woulde followe Christe For hée whiche followeth him walketh not in darckenesse but hath the lyght of lyfe 27. John aunswered and sayde A man can receyue nothing except it bee giuen him from aboue Certaine referre these woordes vnto Christ as though Iohn should accuse his Disciples of wicked presumption against God in going about to take away From Christ that which was giuen him of his Father As if he shoulde haue sayde No man wyll vsurpe or take any such thing vppon him except it be geuen him from aboue Let it not therfore offende you that hée gathereth Disciples vnto him by Baptisme and that many come vnto him I woulde to God that both you and all other men would acknowledge him for a Maister and principall teacher In vaine therefore ye goe about to abase him whome God hath exalted But other some thinke it to bée an exclamation into the which he bursteth foorth euen for verye gréefe that his Disciples had so litle profited And verylye they were to much blinded in séeking to make him no better than his seruaunt whome they had heard so often to bée Christ Therefore Iohn might haue iustlye pronounced that hée had spent his labour in vaine in teaching men both Deafe and sencelesse vntill they were renewed in minde But theyr sentence is more probable which referre these woordes to Iohn as if hée should haue sayde It is not in your nor my power to make myselfe great because euerye one of vs must bée such as it shal please God to appoint Heb. 5.5 For hée which is the sonne of GOD hath not honoured him selfe what man is hée that dare presume to couette more then it shall please the Lorde to geue him Therefore it doeth not appertayne to my aucthoritye to staye Christ from his office for this is my office onely whiche I haue receyued from God to prepare the waye before Christ that I maye bée the voyce of a Cryer in the Wildernesse to Baptise with Water
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
Math. 11.11 because among womens Children there arose not a greater than Iohn the Baptist For hée shall be counted for euer as a good faythfull and true witnesse of the Sonne of God and yet not for the Messias as manye then thought him to bée But for a faythfull Forerunner and Minister of the Messias The which I woulde to God they woulde dilligentlye noate and consider which at this daye make much prating of the intercessions and worship of Saintes R. By this sentence also wée are admonished that all the auctorities dignities offices righteousnesse wisdome and power of men must fall downe that the aucthority dignitie office righteousnesse wisdome and power of Christ may be established 31. Hee that commeth from an highe is aboue all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth He that commeth from heauen is aboue all He that commeth from an high Bv. Thus farre Saint Iohn hath remoued the sinister and false opinion which the people had conceyued of him now hée declareth his minde and iudgement concerning Christ C. and sheweth by another similitude howe much Christ differeth from all other men and howe greatly hée excelleth them For he compareth him to the King and moste excellent Gouernor who speaking from his high throne is to be hearde for the reuerence of his Emperies sake But hée teacheth that it is sufficient for him to speake from of his footestoole Bv. As if hée shoulde saye This man is not a man onelye as ye thinke but God also and hée commeth from an high and hath béene from the beginning by whome all thinges were made and therefore hée teacheth thinges both heauenlye and deuine Why then shoulde not all men come vnto him Therefore hée sayth that Christ came from an high not onlye in that hée is God but also because in him there is nothing to be séene but that which is full of maiestie and heauenlye M. And whereas it is sayde that Christ descended from aboue it is no otherwise to be vnderstoode than of the prerogatiue of the originall by which he came into this worlde not onelye from heauen but also from God the Father being the onely begotten sonne of God For otherwise the Angelles come from heauen to whome notwithstanding that dignitye doth not belong which is here giuen to Christ Who sayth I went out from the father and came into the world Ioh. 16.28 B. Furthermore to the ende hée might most euidently set before the eyes of all men the dignitie and excellency of the sonne of God and might alure the whole world and his Disciples to worship to heare to embrace and to receiue him hée addeth that Christ Js aboue all M. That is to saye aboue all mortall men and aboue all creatures yea aboue the very Aungels Hée sayth not He shall be aboue all But he is aboue all because hée doth not declare of what estimation Christ was among the Iewes to whom hée was the outecaste of the people Esay 53.3 Psal 22.7 a worme and no man yea and the reproch of men but how he was estéemed in the sight of God his Father Heb. 1.2 Bv. For all thinges are subiect vnto him hée is the Lorde of all and is subiect to none according to his deuine substaunce but he is equall with his Father and ruleth ouer all Hee that is of the earth is earthlye C. That is to saye He that is of the earth sauoureth of his originall and according to the condition of his nature stayeth himselfe vppon the order of heauenlye thinges Christ onlye speaketh from Heauen This therefore hée affirmeth to bée proper onelye vnto Christ to speake from an high because hée speaketh from heauen Therfore hée calleth Christ heauenlye 1. Cor. 15. euen as the Apostle calleth him in that collation in the which hée compareth him to Adam And by these wordes mannes nature is extenuated and abased to the ende all fleshe may learne to abase and humble it selfe before GOD. Euen so must mans nature be humbled and abased when it is compared with that which is deuine and celestiall So Abraham when hée talked with the Angell of God sayde Gen. 18.27 I haue begonne to speake with GOD and am but dust and asshes Euen so so often as wée are drawne vnto pride wée must bée put in mind of our owne imbecility basenesse and corruption as first from whence wée are namely from the earth secondlye what wée are namelye terrestrial and earthlye thirdelye what wée are able to doe or what are those thinges which wée speake thinke and doe as of our selues namelye terren and earthly Therfore whosoeuer shall consider these thinges dilligentlye and with his heart Mans corrupt nature beateth downe his Pride hée shall not boast nor exalte himselfe neyther against man nor against GOD. B. And if it fortune that mans dignitie at anye time be extolled it is so extolled and commended in respect of the Image of God which hée hath ingraued in man But because Psa 49 1◠when hée was in honour hée vnderstoode not therefore hée is compared to the Beastes that are without vnderstanding and is made lyke vnto them And therefore it is néedefull that he shoulde bée alwayes put in minde of his basenesse and of his profite Question C. But it may be demaunded if Iohn the Baptist came not also from heauen in respect of his vocation and office and was therfore to be hearde the Lorde speaking by his mouth For he séemeth to be iniurious to the heauenly doctrine which hée preached M. For séeing hée speaketh generallye of all men and putteth himselfe without all doubt in the same number howe can that belong vnto hym which he sayth And speaketh of the Earth Are those thinges which hée preached and the testimonies which hée bare vnto Christ and the Baptisme wherewith he baptized Christ earthlye If they bee earthlye how can the Euaungelist saye Iohn 1.6 There was a man sent from God whose name was Iohn In like manner Mat. 21 2◠howe doth Christ argue and affirme that the Baptisme of Iohn was from heauen Luke 7 3◠Also in another place he calleth the Baptisme of Iohn the Counsell of God despised of the Pharisées If these thinges are not of the earth but heauenly how then doeth he saye here of him selfe Hee which is of the earth is earthlye Aunsvvere and speaketh of the earth C. Aunswere here vnto maye thus bée made This which Iohn here speaketh is not simply spoken but comparatiuelye If wée consider of Ministers by them selues they speake as it were from Heauen with great aucthority that which is commaunded them of God but so soone as they beginne to apose them or compare them with Christ we ought not So the Apostle comparing the Lawe with the Gospell sayeth Hebr. 12.25 If they escaped not which refused hym that spake on earth muche more shall wee not escape If we turne awaye from him that speaketh
wrath of God shall come on him but The wrath of God abydeth on him All mortall menne which are borne bring with them the wrath of God and that for the sinne whiche they haue drawne from Adam But the Sonne of God came hauing no sinne and hauing on him our fleshe was amongest vs to turne awaye the wrath of God if so bée man woulde receyue the grace of GOD offered vnto him He therefore whiche beléeueth not the Sonne the wrath of GOD abideth on him What wrath is that Surelye the verye same of the which the Apostle speaketh saying Ephe. 2.3 VVe are by nature the children of wrath C. And although they which are naturally condemned are reprobates already yet notwithstanding they bring new death vnto them selues by their owne infidelity Math. 16.19 And to this end the power of Binding and Losing is geuen to the Ministers For this is the Iust punishment of mans contumacye and Pride that they which shake of the wholsome Yoke of GOD do tye them selues with the bonds of death M. Here therefore is appointed the perpetuitye and duraunce of the wrath of God and of the punishment of the wicked For as it is necessarye that he should liue vnto God who so euer he be that is capable of his euerlasting goodnesse for he is not the God of the dead but of the liuing so it is necessarye that he be guilty and destroyed for euer which is subiect to the euerlasting wrath of God through incredulity Herevpon it is sayd Math. 3.12 That he wyl burne the chaffe with vnquencheable fire They shall go into euerlasting torment Their worme shall not die Math. 25.46 Esa 66.24 and the fyre shall not be quenched R. This is a notable Sermon of Iohn the Baptist the which we ought alwayes to remember For he preacheth vnto vs Christ and setteth him before vs to the ende we might know what great treasures of blessings wée possesse in him through fayth Bv. Let vs therefore often times diligentlye reade ouer the same and déepely consider the same in our minde and then wée shall reape thereby the most pleasaunt fruites of the liuelye knowledge and fayth of Christ which from time to time shall increase and grow more and more and abide firme and sounde for euer ⧠The fourth Chapter 1. As soone as the Lorde knew how the Pharisees had hearde that Iesus made and baptized mo disciples than IOHN R. IN THE BEginning of the former Chapter the Euangelist hath described the true waye of Iustifying Nowe in this Chapter hée addeth the example of true Iustification in the Harlot of Samaria least that Doctrine should séeme friuolous and vaine for want of an example Bv. All the partes of this Historye are very wel knitte togeather For now the Euangelist passeth from the communication of Christ Nicodemus and from the Testimonye of Iohn to describe another conference betwéene the Lorde and the Woman of Samaria C. And first of all hée sheweth the cause why our Sauiour Christ went out of Iudea For when he knewe that the Pharisées were euyll affectioned hée woulde not put him selfe in daunger of theyr furye before the appointed time came Therefore leauing Iewrye hée went againe into Galilee Wherefore hée came not of purpose into Samaria there to abyde but because hée must passe through the same into Galilee Assoone as the Lorde knew M. The Euangelist speaketh not here as though the Lord were at any time ignoraunt of the practises of his enemies for he néede not be admonished of the deuises of his enemies for he knewe theyr euyll Cogitacions therfore hée shunned their fury C. The Euangelist maketh menciō only of the Pharisees which were sworne enemies vnto Christ not that the other Scribes were his friendes but because this secte of the Pharisées then raigned and were mad vnder the pretence of a Godlye zeale Saint Iohn sayth here that these men heard howe that Christ made and Baptized moe Disciples than Iohn the Baptist but he sayeth not that they sawe this First of all this was hereticall by the Sacerdotall or Priestly Iudgement for this might haue deuided the Church and haue bread Schismes For so many as became the Disciples of Christ and were Baptized went to a newe Churche and imbrasing the Yoke of Christ were drawne from the gouernment of the Pharisées Scribes and Priestes C. Moreouer their mindes being sturred vp before by the gathering togeather of Disciples by Iohn they were nowe the more exasperate and set on fyre when they sawe that Christ came and drewe more Disciples after him than Iohn had done For from the time that Iohn preached him selfe to bée nothing else but the forerunner of the Sonne of GOD the greater number followed Christ and the Ministerye of Iohn beganne nowe to ceasse And so by lytle and litle hée resigned to Christ the office of teaching and Baptizing A. as hée him selfe had sayd Math. 3 He must increase but I must decrease The Lorde made Disciples that is to saye hée wanne vnto him hearers and bounde them vnto him with the knot of Religion And in verye déede the hearers of the Lorde haue béene alwayes called from the beginning Disciples afterward Christians 2. Though that Iesus him selfe Baptized not but his Disciples A. It is sayde in the twoo and twentye verse of the Chapter going before that Christ was in Iewrye and that he there Baptized the which Saint Iohn here expoundeth saying that hée Baptized by his Disciples AVG. Therefore the Lorde Baptized Christ baptized not yet did baptize and Baptized not For he Baptized because it was he that cleansed washed and purified the sinnes hée Baptized not because hée vsed not the outward Sacrament of dipping or ducking in the Water The Disciples vsed the Ministerye of the bodye and hée Ioyned thervnto his Maiestie and grace B. Therefore the Lorde Baptized by the Ministerye of his Disciples This outwarde signe was committed to the Ministerye of the Churche and to this Ministery Christ chose his Apostles As therefore by this the Church ought to be ordred gouerned euen so hée thought good to prepare his Apostles to the same and to enter them into this holy ministerye M. For hée sayde afterwarde to his Apostles Goe ye foorth Mat. 28.19 Mat. 16 1◠and teache all Nations and Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holye Ghost C. So that we sée that the same is called the Baptisme of Christe which is ministred by the handes of other menne to the ende we might knowe that Baptisme doeth not depende vpon the person of the Minister but that the force thereof doeth whollye hang vpon the aucthour in whose name and at whose commaundement the same is ministred Whereby wée haue a singular consolation for séeing we know that our Baptisme is of no lesse efficasie to cleanse and to renewe vs than if the same were geuen to vs of the sonne of God him selfe
as they had hearde the testimony of the woman concerning Christe and did béeleue firste of all they wente out of the Citie to sée him on whom they beléeued Then hauing so done and being not contented to haue séene him once they desyred to abide with him for euer and therefore they requested him to tarrie still with them Phili. 1.23 Thus are they alwaies affected which truely knowe and loue Christe So Paule desired to be dissolued and to be with Christe The which Christe also promised to his disciples saying Ioh. 14.3 I will come againe and take you to my selfe that where I am there may ye be also Also Paule foresheweth that this shall not be without greate consolation Thes 4.17 saying And so shall we alwaies bee with the Lorde PAR. Therefore when they had obteyned their desire and sawe him standing before their face they were nothing offended at his base and contemptible forme hauing no manner of kingly shewe but they rather inuite him as the geuer of greate benefites beseech hym that he would vouchsafe to lodge in their Citye And he abode there two daies M. Being intreated he taried for a time such is his humanitie and facilitye by which he willinglye receiueth the petitions of the faithfull specially when they do appertaine to the corroborating and confirming of their faith euen as this petition of the Samaritanes did B. But notwithstanding hée gaue commaundement to his disciples that they shoulde not enter into the Cities of the Samaritanes beecause the time of his full glorification was not yet come But as the calling of the Gentiles appeared in the Magi or wisemen and after that in the Centurion and in others so in this present occasion hee minded to manifest the calling of the Samaritanes The calling of the Gentiles Actes 8.5 which were a certaine kind of people betwéene the Ethnikes and the Iewes the fyrst that receyued the Gospell after the Iewes Wherevpon he tarryed onely twoo dayes with them wheras hée continually Preached the Gospel to the Iewes Rom. 15.8 Mat. 15.24 For hée was the Minister of Circumcision and was specially sent to the lost Sheepe of the house of Israel M. Hée woulde not therefore geue any occasion of offence vnto the Iewes 41. And many mo beleeued because of his owne vvorde C. Here this word beleeued is vsed in another sence than it was before in the nine and thyrtye verse because it doeth not onelye signifye that they were prepared vnto faith but also endewed with a true faith M. Here therefore we sée howe true that is which the Apostle speaketh of faith saying Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 and hearing by the worde of God R. Therefore as the Samaritanes at the first beléeued because of the womans wordes but afterwardes are confirmed in the faith by the woordes of Christ euen so all the faithfull at the fyrst beleeue because of the Apostles woordes and the wordes of the Preachers but are not as yet confyrmed in the faith except Christ by his voyce speake to our hearts and seale vs by his holye spyrite which is the earnest and assurance of our heart For when the spirite of truth shal come Ioh. 16.13 hée wyll leade vs into all trueth Also Paul planteth 1 Cor. 3.7 Apollo watereth but God geueth the increase 42. And sayd to the vvoman Nowe vve beleeue not because of thy saying for vve haue heard him our selues and knowe that this is euen Christ the sauiour of the vvorld And sayd to the Woman M. These thinges are not therefore spoken to the ende we might thinke that the ministerye of this Woman which they had wel vsed was contemned God forbyd but rather to extoll those thinges which they had heard of Christ him selfe aboue the testimony of the woman Naye they séeme to knowe and ackowledge well inough the Womans Ministerye by which they at the first beléeued because they talked with her then they call to minde her wordes by which shée had testifyed of Christ neyther doe they saye Wée neuer beléeued because of thy woordes but Now we beleeue not because of thy wordes Bv. As if they shoulde haue sayde Thou hast not spoken so largelye of Iesus as hée hath deserued For nowe wée our selues hauing had plaine experience of his Diuine power knowe what manner of personne hée is neyther as perswaded by thy woordes onelye doe wée beléeue him to bée the Messias but being conuicted rather by his euident Doctrine wée knowe and vndoubtedly beléeue and truelye confesse that the same Iesus is not onelye the Sauiour of the Iewes but also of the whole world C. Therefore the Euangelist here expresseth what their faith was namelye suche a faith as was conceiued by the woorde of God in so much that they might boast that they had the Sonne of God to bée theyr teacher which is hée alone vppon whose aucthoritye we may safelye staye our selues Hée is not nowe present before our eyes that hée might talke with vs mouth to mouth but by whome soeuer we shall happen to heare him yet our faith can bée reposed in none but in him M. The Samaritanes which speake here speake not as doubtfull but as most assured and that which they beleeue with the heart Rom. 10.10 they most constantlye professe with the mouth For with the heart wée beléeue to righteousnesse and with the mouth wée confesse to Saluation But howe come they to haue this certaine knowledge of Christ They saye not wée haue séene his Miracles but Wee haue hearde him our selues Therefore they attaine vnto fayth not by Myracles but by the hearing of the verye worde of God Iohn 8.17 He which is of God heareth Gods wordes sayeth the Lord. The vnbeléeuing and froward Nation require signes but the elect doe not so but by the hearing of the woorde of God come to the knowledge of Christ So sayde Peter Iohn 6.68 Lord to whom shall we goe thou hast the wordes of eternal life and wee beleeue and confesse that thou art the sonne of the lyuing God And know that this is euen Christ our Sauiour C. This no doubte they haue by hearing Whereby wée gather that the summe of the Gospel within these twoo dayes was more familiarlye Preached vnto them by Christ than afore tyme it had béene at Hierusalem Bv. Also the prompte ready faith of the Samaritans shall condemne the inuincible incredulitye and obstinacye of men in our tyme. For the continuall Preaching of the Gospell amongest vs not two yeres but many yeres can litle or nothing at all perswade many of vs. Of the worlde C. Christ testifyeth that the saluacion whiche hée brought is common to the whole worlde to the ende the Samaritanes might the better vnderstande that it appertayned also vnto them For he called not them to the pertaking of the grace of saluacion as lawfull heyres but he taught that hée came Eph. 2.17 to admit forreyners into the householde of God
namelye because hée was naturally begotten of the Father from euerlasting to bée the proper naturall and onlye begotten Sonne of God coequall with the Father in all thinges of the same essence glorye and power and not his adopted sonne as all the Saintes are called the sonnes of God AV. Wherevppon it is added And made him selfe equall with God Otherwise wée saye all Our Father which art in heauen Math. 6. ◠Wée reade also that the Iewes sayde Esa 63.16 Seing thou art our Father Therefore they were not angerye because hee sayde that God was his Father but because hée dyd so call him after a farre other maner than men doe Beholde the Iewes vnderstande that which the Arrians vnderstand not who so confessed Christ to bée GOD that they dyd not acknowledge him to be equall with his Father as though there coulde bée founde any inequallitye in one simple essence of God AV. Therefore hée being in the forme of GOD Philip. 2.6 thought it no robberye to bee equall with God that is to saye but hée was in that in the which he was borne because the Father had begotten him equall 19. Then aunswered Iesus and sayde vnto them Verylye veryly I saye vnto you the sonne can doe nothyng of hym selfe but that he seeth the Father doe for whatsoeuer hee doeth that doth the sonne also Then aunswered Iesus and saide C. That which the Iewes obiected though it were sclaunderous yet notwithstanding Christe is so farre from confuting the same that he openly affirmeth it to be true Bv. For he proueth by strong argumentes that hée is the naturall sonne of God equall to the Father in all thinges M. affirming that his workes are none of his but the workes of his father and that therefore the Sabboth is not broken by them Neither doth he simplye affirme this but that which is more namely that it cannot be that the Sonne should do any thing that the father doeth not C. And first of all he standeth vppon this poynte that the same was a diuine worke which the Iewes founde fault withall to the ende they might knowe that they muste contende with God yf so be they condemne that which of necessitie must be ascribed vnto him Iohn 6.38 B. And nowe these wordes The sonne can doe nothing of him selfe I seeke not mine owne will Also If I beare witnesse of my selfe my witnesse is not true are spoken by imitation Hitherto the Lorde imitated the Iewes who thought him not to be all one with the father and yet notwithstanding he was of some substaunce with the father made man after the wil of his father insomuch that he neither thought nor did any thing which was not both the wil and worke of his father Also this place the Arrian hath abused seking to proue hereby that the sonne is lesse then the father But there is no mencion here made of the bare diuinitie of Christe neyther doth that which followeth symplye belong to the eternall worde of God but doth onely belong to the sonne of God in that he was manifested in the fleshe And his purpose is to declare by these wordes that they doe greatlye erre which thinke that they haue to do with a mortall man when they accuse Christe concerning diuine workes For this cause he so vehemently affirmeth that he and his father wrought this worke ioyntly togeather Bv. And lest any man shoulde imagine anye other infirmitie or imbecillitie in the sonne he addeth by interpretation saying For whatsoeuer hee doth that doth the sonne also to the ende that nothing might be left to the working father which the sonne in like manner worketh not M. This place ought well to bée wayed and considered of vs to this ende that we might heare and waye whatsoeuer our sauiour Christ hath said or don not as the wordes and déedes of a man but as the wordes of God the Father that we maye knowe that the Father doeth speake and worke in Christe 20. For the father loueth the sonne and sheweth him all thinges that hee him selfe doth and hee wyll shewe him greater thinges then these because yee shoulde marueile For the Father loueth M. Hée speaketh after the manner of men of Diuine matters the which notwithstanding can neuer be properlye and fullye set foorth by humane thinges For who is so sencelesse that hée knoweth not howe weake imperfect and corrupt fatherlye loue is in humane nature nor lyke in any point almost to that deuine loue which GOD beareth towarde his sonne and yet notwithstanding hée hath taken an argument from the same of his Fathers loue toward him euen as in another place speaking of the vngodly Luk. 11.13 sayeth If ye being euyll knowe howe to geue good thinges vnto your children howe much more shall your heauenlye Father geue his good spirite to those that aske the same C. But Christ speaketh here as a mediatour least any man should referre it to that internall loue of the diuinitye For it agréeth verye wel that Christe hauing taken vpon him our fleshe should bée loued of his father Yea wée knowe that hée was disceuered as wel from Angels as from men by this notable title This is my beloued sonne c. For wée knowe that Christ Mat. 3.17 Mat. 17.5 in whome the whole loue of God should rest was elected that from thence as from a flowing well it might flowe vnto vs. For Christ is loued of the father as hée is the head of the Churche Hée teacheth that this loue is the cause why the father bringeth all thinges to passe by his handes Gods loue commeth to vs by Christ For when hée sayeth here that the father sheweth all thinges vnto him he meaneth that hée doth communicate all thinges with him As if hée shoulde saye As the father hath made mée partaker of his minde so also hée hath powred vppon me his power that in my workes the glorye of GOD may shine yea to the ende that men might séeke for no Diuine thing which they shoulde not finde in mée And verylye without Christ Gods power shall bée sought in vaine CYR. Therefore the father sheweth vnto the sonne those thinges which hée doeth not as paynted or written in Tables or as teaching him being ignoraunt for the sonne knoweth all thinges as God but so expressing him selfe whollye in the nature of his sonne that whatsoeuer hée hath in him selfe hée sheweth the same in his sonne Therefore it is sayde Mat. 11.27 No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and no man knoweth the Sonne but the Father R. Therefore if thou wilt knowe and vnderstande the secretes of the father make haste to the Sonne Heb. 1.3 who is the lyuelye and expresse Image of the father For the iudgementes of God are vnsearcheable and his wayes can not bée founde out but yet in Christ Rom. 11 3◠and by Christe his iudgementes are knowne and his wayes manifest vnto vs. And he wyll shewe him greater thinges
onely to the Sonne of God As though Christ ascending into Heauen had vtterlye forsaken this office and ought not rather to raygne vntyll hée haue put all his enemies vnder his féete M. If therefore Christe bée appointed of the Father Psal 110.1 to bée the Iudge of all menne 1. Cor. 15.25 hée must néedes bée most wyse and suche a one as no man can deceyue Herevppon hée is sayde to bée a knower of secréetes and a searcher of heartes M. that wée hauing gotten suche a Iudge maye learne to walke before him all the dayes of our lyfe in sinceritye of the heart euen as if wée were alwaye before his face and in his sight 23. Because that all men shoulde honour the Sonne euen as they honour the Father Hee that honoureth not the Sonne the same honoureth not the Father whiche hath sent him Because that all men R. As the father hath geuen all power of Iudgement to the sonne so he will be honoured in the person of his sonne C. For he doth not so raigne in the person of Christe as though hée him selfe liued idelye in heauen as slouthfull Kinges are wount to do but béecause he might declare his mightie power presence in Christ For what other thing signifieth these woordes Because that all men shoulde honour the sonne then that the father would bee knowne and woorshipped in the Sonne God the Father in Christe Therefore it is our parte to séeke God the father in Christe there to beholde his power and there to worship him For the father hath wholly poured him selfe into the sonne To what ende Surely to the ende that al men might honour the Sonne that is to saye that whosoeuer will attaine to saluation in God worship God and beléeue in God hée might do this by his sonne Christe For no man can obtaine saluation in God without Christe Saluation onely in Christe because Gods sauing health is placed wholly in Christ In like manner no man can worship God but by Christe because Christe is the wisdome and power of God Moreouer Iohn 10.9 Iohn 14.9 no man can beléeue in God but by Christ because Christ is the Dore the waye the truth the life Wherefore He that honoreth not the sonne the same honoreth not the Father C. All men will confesse that God ought to be worshipped insomuch that we haue this féeling and vnderstanding ingraffed in vs by nature there is no man that dare deny this honour vnto God Yet neuerthelesse mens minds erre and go astraie in seking after God Hereuppon come so many false Gods hereuppon commeth such abhominable Idolatry Therefore we shall fynde the true God no where else then in Christ neither shall we otherwise rightly worship him then in kissing his deere sonne Psal 2.12 as the Prophet Dauid teacheth Bv. Therefore if any man woulde worship the father without the Sonne as do the Iewes and Turkes as though he hadde not a sonne like and coequall with him in all thinges he misseth the worship of the father For he cannot be a father which wanteth a sonne R. We must note therefore that the name of God when it is separated from Christ is nothing else but a vaine fantasie and Imagination Wherefore whosoeuer he bée that desireth to haue his worship acceptable vnto the true God let him not depart from Christe R. For whosoeuer reiecteth Christ by infidelitie reiecteth God The Ethnicke also affirmeth that he worshippeth God the creator of heauen earth the Iewe also saith the like of him selfe and the wicked man which is a Christian onely in name braggeth of the same but because Christ to the Ethnike is foolishnes to the Iewe an offence and to the wicked contempte 1. Cor. 1 23. none of them do truely beléeue in God neither truely worship God for he will not be worshiped but by Iesus Christe C. Whereuppon the Euangelist Sainct Iohn saith in his Epistle 1. Ioh. 2.22 The same is Antechriste which denieth the father and the sonne And the Apostle Paule writeth that it is the will of God that euery tongue shal confesse that the Lorde is Iesus Christe to the glory God the father Philip. 2.11 C. Neither was the condicion of the fathers otherwise vnder the Law For although they had an obscure sight of Christ vnder shadowes yet notwithstanding God neuer reuealed him self without Christ But now so soone as Christ was exhibited in the fleshe and was appoynted to bee our King all the world ought to haue submitted it selfe vnto him as vnto God the Father For séeing the father hath commaunded him to sit on his right hand whatsoeuer he be that imagineth a God without Christ he maymeth one halfe of him R. But what honour is that which appertaineth to the sonne It followeth 24. Veryly Verylye I saye vnto you He that heareth my woorde and beeleeueth on him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shal not come into Iudgement but is escaped from death to life Verily Verilie I saye vnto you C. Here is expressed what manner of honour is required lest any manne shoulde thinke that the same consisteth in some external right only or in vaine ceremonies R. For Christ séeketh not externall honour which superstitious men geue vnto him but hée séeketh for faith because to beléeue is to geue the greatest honour that maye bée to the father and the sonne The Gospel is the the Scepter of Christ C. Whereuppon the doctrine of the Gospell is as a Scepter vnto Christ by which he gouerneth the faithfull whome the father hath made subiect vnto him And this definition is firste of all worthy to bée noted Nothing is more vsuall and common then the false profession of Christianisme For the Papistes which are the moste sworne enemies vnto Christe doe notwithstanding too impudently bragge and boast of his name but here Christe requireth of vs no other honour then that we shoulde obey his Gospel Whereuppon it followeth that what honour soeuer hipocrits geue vnto Christ it is nothing els but a Iudas kisse How often tymes soeuer they call him a king they do nothing but spoile him of his kingdome and power so long as they beléeue not the gospell M. Therefore hée which heareth not the woorde of Christe that is to saye which receiueth it not as the worde of the sonne of God sent into this worlde of the father for our saluation he it is which greatly dishonoureth the sonne and the Father Ioh. 4.44 He said that a Prophet was not without honour sauing in his owne country It is a Discredite to the Prophet sent of God yf so be his word be not beléeued And in another place this discredit is said to be vnbeliefe the which happened to the sonne of God among the Nazarites R. Moreouer Mar. 6.6 because to beléeue séemeth to many to be a thing so easy In somuch that they thinke they beleeue when they only heare this name thinking that to beléeue is
one as I was not before he gaue testimony of me that is to say that I should not haue béene God except hée had sayd that I am the sonne of GOD for I am that naturally that which hée sayde I was but for your sakes rather do I bring his testimonie For because hée was of great auctoritye among you I thought that ye woulde the more readily haue beléeued his wordes and so thorow fayth in mée haue obtayned euerlasting lyfe C. Therefore Christ here declareth that he hath not so much respect vnto him selfe as he hath to profite men when hee rayseth vp Preachers of his Gospell by whome hée maye certifie vs of his wyll In the which also his wonderfull goodnesse doeth greatlye shyne in that he séeketh to frame all thinges to our saluation Wherefore wée also must endeuour our selues to sée that hée bée not carefull in vaine for our soules health M. Christ sayth not I speake these thinges to make you ashamed and to defend my Innocencye against your blasphemie the which vndoubtedlye of all other he might most iustlye haue spoken and those thinges whiche hée dyd speake might of them selues haue made them ashamed Hée rather desyred to speake that which both onely appertayned to him and also ought iustly to haue taken from them all outragious furye and desyre to destroye him For what man wyll séeke his destruction whome hée knoweth to be so friendlye vnto him that he séeketh nothing more than his profite and safetye Let this bée an example for all the Ministers of Christ to folowe that in speaking they neyther séeke theyr owne glorye Ministers ought not to seeke theyr owne glorye or reuenge but the saluation of their hearers If this minde were in all those that take vpon them the office of teaching the Church of Christ at this daye should be frée from a number of contencions and perrilles And it were necessarye that they shoulde practise this not onely in woordes as a number of Hipocrites doe but also in theyr conuersation and fatherly affection towarde the faithfull seruauntes of Christ and also to instructe those that resist the trueth with all méekenesse if it maye please God at any time to geue them repentaunce that they maye bée conuerted and beléeue M. Furthermore we must yet a litle farther discusse these woordes of our sauiour Christ for they doe nothing derogate from the testimonye of Iohn which he bare to the trueth but Christ sayeth that hée hath no néede of mans testimony séeing he hath the testimony of his father which farre excelleth all other Wherevppon hée sayeth not And ye shall not receyue any mans testimony concerning mée For that which Iohn and which the Apostles after Iohn dyd testifye concerning the trueth was so directed by GOD to this ende that all mankinde might bée brought to the knowledge of the trueth and bée saued So that they haue nothing here for their purpose who to cloake their vnbeléefe do derogate from the wrytinges of the Prophetes Apostles and Euangelistes vnder this pretence that the Prophets Apostles and Euangelistes were men and that Christ him selfe doeth not alow the testimonye of men concerning him These vngodlye men do not consider what is the vse of those testimonyes which are geuen to the trueth by the instinct of the holy ghost in men 35. Hee was a burning and a shining light and ye woulde for a season haue reioysed in his light He was a burning Bv. Least any man shoulde thinke that this testimony of Iohn was eleuated and depressed by these woordes of the Lorde hée commendeth Iohn him selfe to the ende hée might make his testimony commendable also R. For hée was not that true lyght yet notwithstanding Iohn 1.8 hée was a bright Candell geuing testimonye concerning the true lyght hée was a famous preacher of the trueth being zealous in fayth and trueth mightelye séeking to aduaunce the glorye of the Gospell M. Therefore by this metaphoricall speache he greatly praiseth and commendeth the holines of Iohn and therewith all also declareth what was his office For not onely this belongeth to a burning light that the same shoulde be bright and cleare of it selfe but also that it should with the brightnesse of the same illuminate all that is round aboute it So Iohn Baptist a Candell it was not sufficient for saint Iohn to be a holy man hym selfe but this also speacially appertayned to his office to bring the hartes of the Israelites by the preaching of repentaunce and the kingedome of God and by geuyng testimony to Christe to the knoweledge of the trueth Ministers ought to be burning lightes After this manner a faithfull minister of Christe ought to bée a burning candell whiche is lightned in a darke place to the end that they which are in the same might sée Not only this is required that the minister be an honest and Innocent man but also that he be suche a one as will shew forth the light which he hath receyued to those whiche are committed to his charge Luk. 8.16 So sayeth oure sauioure Christ No man lighting a candel putteth the same vnder a Bushell But if the light be darknesse howe great is the darknesse C. Moreouer whereas our sauioure calleth Iohn a burninge light he doth thereby the more reproue the Ingratitude of the Iewes for it foloweth that they were willingly blynd when they refused the candel of God which was set before their eyes As if he shoulde saye God would not haue you to erre for he appoynted Iohn to be a Candel that by his light he might direct you in the right way Therefore in that ye do not knowe me to be the sonne of God your voluntary errour is the cause therof A. Euenso they which at this day are willyngly blynde in the midest of the lyght of the gospell haue no excuse For the Lorde seketh by the preachinge of his worde Mat. 5.14 to bring men out of darknesse into light in consideration whereof he called his apostles the light of the worlde that the darkenesse of ignorance being driuen awaye the harts of mortal men may be illuminated with the knoledge of god and true piety And ye would for a season haue reioysed C. Nowe followeth the other reproche in that they dyd not onelye shut theyr eyes against the trueth which was offered to them but also sought all the meanes they could by abusing the same to oppresse Christ For in that they were so readye to extolle Iohn aboue his proper degrée that procéeded of an euyll and wicked purpose that the sonne of God might haue no place Christ very notablye compareth this wicked abuse of the heauenlye light to lasciuiousnesse euen as if the good man of the house should light a Candle in the night for his seruantes to do that which hée hath commaunded them to do and they then to vse the same to banquetting and to wantonnesse By this place wée are admonished not to abuse Godlye teachers whome
God hath appointed to guide vs in the right waye to wander at our leysure whether we lust Bv. For many are well affected in the beginning of Preaching for the loue of noueltie but within a while after do forsake the gospel againe following pleasures and corrupt affections which they estéeme more than the loue of godlynesse For a season C. By these wordes hée reproueth theyr folishnesse because they thought that the eternall light of God might bée extinguished by vaine way wardnesse and vnconstant follye Euen so at this daye the Papistes abuse all those godlye teachers and Doctours which the Lord hath geuen to his Church as bright Candelles as though they went about to dasell theyr eyes by beholding the light And they doe not onelye abuse the Candelles to obscure the light but they doe also oftentimes reioyce in darkenesse 36. But I haue greater wytnesse than the witnesse of Iohn for the workes whiche the Father hath geuen me to finishe the same workes that I doe beare witnesse of me that the Father hath sent me But I haue greater witnesse C. After hée had shewen in the person of Iohn that the Iewes had wickedlye corrupted the gift of God nowe secondlye hée repeateth that which hée had spoken as that he hath no néede of the testimony of man his owne witnesse being sufficient for him selfe Howebeit because hée sawe that he was despised hee citeth them according to his manner before his father As if he shoulde saye Bv. Thus farre forth ye haue hearde great thinges but ye shall heare greater thinges Ye haue Iohns testimony concerning me but nowe beholde a greater testimony namelye the testimony of my workes For there can not bée a more certaine testimony than the déedes them selues the which I doe not in my owne name but in my fathers name M. Let vs note here howe circumspectlye and wiselye he saieth not I haue a testimony much more certaine and true than the testimony of Iohn but he sayth Greater than the testimony of Iohn least he might so extoll the testimony of the Father concerning him selfe that the testimony of Iohn thereby shoulde bée quite discredited For whatsoeuer Iohn did testifye concerning Christ the same was of God neyther was it any whit contrarye from that which the Father by his workes testified of him But if ye compare the testimony of the workes of Christ which he had receyued of the Father with the testimony of Iohn ye shal finde that it is much more excellent and notable For as that Lucifer or morning Starre though it be a true testimony of the rysing of the Sunne yet notwithstanding is inferiour and nothing so euident as the Sunne beames it selfe which shine throughout the whole world ▪ euen so Iohn though his testimony were true concerning Christ yet notwithstanding it was far inferior more obscure than the bright shewe of Christes workes For the workes which the father hath geuen me R. The second thing whereby Christ proueth that he was sent of the Father are workes or Myracles M The vse wherof are here declared vnto vs when Christ sayeth They testifye of me Therefore they are not dumbe signes but lyuelye signes and therefore not simplie to be behelde but effectuallye to be hearde according to thys place The heauens declare the glory of God c. These speake not and yet notwithstanding their sounde hath gone forth into all landes and their wordes into the vtmost partes of the earth Psal 19.1 A. Euen so the wonderfull workes of Christ though they séeme to bée dumbe yet notwithstanding most euidentlye they set foorth his mightye vertue and power but to them to whome he hath geuen eares to heare M. Euen as appeareth in Nicodemus who being moued by the power and testimony of Christes workes Iohn 3. acknowledgeth that Christ is come a teacher sent from God For as a good Trée is knowne by his good fruite euen so the Lorde Iesus hath sufficientlye by his workes proued him selfe to bée the sonne of God Iohn 10.25 R. The workes sayth hée which I do in my Fathers name they beare witnesse of me C. It may here be demaunded whether miracles are sufficient ynough to proue Christ to be the sonne of God Question when as the Prophetes haue done the lyke M. Furthermore neyther the Iewes nor the Turkes doe denye the myracles of Christ but yet neyther of them doe acknowledge the testimonye whereof the Lorde here maketh mention Aunsvvere C. We aunswere Those signes and myracles which the Lorde wrought by the handes of his Prophets went not beyonde that ende for the which they were appoynted to be wrought which was that they might declare them to be the Ministers of God who otherwise coulde haue had neyther aucthoritie nor credite But God ment more highlye to extoll his sonne And this purpose of God in miracles must be taken for the ende and scope Therefore if the Iewes through malice had not willingly shutte their eyes the vertue of Christes signes might sufficiently haue declared who and what maner of person he was euen as hée himselfe sayth Yf I had not done among them the workes which no other man hath done Iho. 15.24 they had no sinne but now they haue seene and hated not onlye mee but also my Father M. As touching the Turkes although after a sorte they doe acknowledge some deuine power to bée in the myracles of Christ yet notwithstanding they wyll in no wise acknowledge him to be the sonne of God being vtterly blinded and deceiued by the false prophet Mahomet The Turkes denye Christ to be the son of God They say that God cannot haue a sonne séeing hée hath not a wife So foolish and blind they are that they wil not acknowledge the Image of the fatherly goodnesse power in Christ the sonne of God the which notwithstanding his works haue made him more euident and cléere than the Sonne 37. And the Father himselfe which hath sent me hath borne witnesse of me Ye haue not hearde his voyce at any time nor sene his shape And the Father himselfe which hath sent me Bv. Some restrayne this to the voyce which was hearde in the Baptisme of Christ but it ought to be farther extended C. For in the preterperfect tence or time past he sayth The Father hath testified to declare that hée commeth not foorth vnknowne because aforetime in the lawe and the Prophets the Father had made him manifest by tokens that he might bring his noates markes with him wherby hée might be knowne For God did testifie of his sonne so often as he promised saluation to his people the Iewes or the full restoring of the kingdome of Israell So it became the Iewes to haue the perpetuall substaunce of Christ out of the scriptures before hée shoulde be manifested in the fleshe Whereas they contemne him he being present and doe reiect him thereby they doe manifestly declare that they haue no taste of the Lawe the whiche also
Christ casteth in their téeth And yet they bragged of the knowledge of the Lawe euen as if they had come out of Gods owne bosome Ye haue not heard his voyce M. Because the Iewes chalenged to themselues a certaine singuler and peculier knoweldge of God aboue all other nations that were in the worlde because their forefathers had hearde his voyce and because Moyses had talked with him face to face and had receyued the Lawe from his mouth and for the opinion which they had conceyued of these men they did not onely despise all other nations in respect of themselues but also carelesly reiected the doctrine and admonition boath of Iohn and also of Christ the Lorde by these wordes most aptlye taketh away the opinion of diuine knowledge which they thought they had and plainelye affirmeth that they are nothing but plaine Atheistes that is to say without minde and féeling of God and haue no fellowshippe at all with him C. For here are thrée Metophoricall kind of speaches by which he meant to teache that they were far from the knowledge of God For as men make them selues knowne by countinaunce and by worde euen so God sendeth foorth his voice vnto vs by the voyce of his Prophetes and hath in the Sacramentes as it were taken vpon him a visible forme that wée may know him according to our capacitye Bv. For as God by his nature is inuisible for God is a spirite so hée is neyther séene with corporall eyes Ihu 4.24 not yet clarefied nor yet hearde with these corporall and corruptible eares Neuerthelesse he geueth vnto his seruauntes certaine signes of his presence and speaketh vnto men in such manner of speache as maye bée vnderstoode For so he appeared and spake to the Prophetes M. Wherfore that which wée reade in Deutronomy Deu. 4.10 concerning the voice of God which the Israelites heard is no otherwise to bée vnderstoode than that they hearde the voyce of an Aungell and not the proper voice of God A. But when Christ was made manifest in the fleshe wée had after a sort in him a visible Image of the inuisible Father he him selfe saying He which seeth me Iohn 14.9 seeth my father also C. Hée therefore which doeth not acknowledge God in his liuelye and expresse Image doeth sufficientlye thereby declare that he worshippeth no God at all but a God of his owne imagination Therefore the Apostle sayeth that the Iewes haue a vaile before their eyes 2. Cor. 3.14 least they should behold the glorye of God in the face of Christ 38. His worde haue ye not abiding in you for whom he hath sent him ye beleeue not M. That is to saye Ye neyther vnderstande his minde nor meaning neyther haue you grafted and rooted in your heartes his worde which was geuen to your forefathers Neyther doeth hée simplye saye And ye haue not his worde But he addeth this In you for otherwise they had the worde of God in Bookes in their mouthes and in theyr eares but in their heartes they had it not C. But this is the true profite when the worde of God hath roote in vs and abideth in our heartes for euer Christ sayeth that the heauenly doctrine had no place in the Iewes because they receyued not the sonne of God whome the same commended euerye where and rightly he obiecteth this vnto them For God had not spoken by Moyses and the Prophetes in vaine And the purpose of Moyses is nothing else but to cal al men vnto Christ the right waye wherevpon it is manifest that they are not the Disciples of Moyses which reiect Christ M. Therefore Christ speaketh here to the Iewes as he dyd in another place Iohn 8.9 Ye neyther knowe me nor my Father A. Also he sayeth Iohn 8. â—7 Ye seeke to kyll me because my worde hath no place in you C. For how can he haue the word of lyfe abiding in him which repelleth the life it selfe Howe shall hée imbrace the Doctrine of the same which séeketh all that hée can to destroye the soule of the lawe For the Lawe without Christ is imperfect and voyde The nerer therefore that a man commeth to the knowledge of Christ the more he hath profited in the worde of God Wherefore howe much soeuer the Iewes Turkes Heretiques and Papistes doe boast of the worde of God yet notwithstanding because they reiect him whome the father hath sent and doe not beléeue him their boasting is in vaine because they haue not the woorde of God abyding in them 39. Searche the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall lyfe and they are they which testifye of me R. The fourth testimony is brought from the Scriptures M. The Iewes had the Scriptures namelye the Lawe the Prophetes and the Psalmes of the whiche they did not a lytle bragge as though it were sufficient to euerlasting lyfe simplye to haue and to reade the Scriptures diuinelye inspired and not more necessarye dyligently to reade the same and to know and imbrace by faith Christ the sonne of GOD promised in them in whome alone all saluation and lyfe consisteth C. Therfore Christ here reproueth theyr foolishe boasting because they professed that they had lyfe in the Scriptures when as they tooke hold onelye on the dead letter For he doth not simplye reprehende vs because wée séeke lyfe in the Scriptures séeing they are prouided and appointed to vs for the same purpose for the word of the Lord is called the worde of lyfe and saluation The scriptures ordained of all men to be red because they which reade the Scriptures by fayth in Christ are instructed to saluation shal find in déede in them euerlasting life but he commendeth this that the Iewes thought that the Scripture was able to quicken them when as they were farre from the true sence and meaning thereof maye when they seeke to suppresse the light of lyfe contayned in them For howe coulde the Lawe bring lyfe without Christ who alone bringeth the same They therefore whiche reade the Scriptures without fayth in Christ Rom. 7.7 2. Cor. 3.9 shall finde nothing in them but the kylling Letter as the Apostle Paul teacheth Moreouer we are taught by this place to séeke the knowledge of Christ out of the scriptures For they which Imagine of Christ what they lyst them selues shal haue at the last nothing but a vayne phantasye Christ knowne by the scriptures Fyrst of all therefore let vs noate that Christ can be truly known by no other meanes than by the scriptures The which being so it followeth that we must reade the scriptures with this minde that we maye finde Christ there Whosoeuer declyneth from this scope and ende howe so euer hée spendeth his whole lyfe and wearyeth him selfe in reading hée shall neuer attaine to the knowledge of the trueth For what can wée knowe and vnderstands without the wisedome of God M. The Scriptures are geuen to vs from aboue not to the ende we might
kingdome consulted among them selues to take Iesus and to make him a King perswading them selues that they shoulde haue plentye of all thinges stoare of Vitails Ritches pleasure the glorye of the world libertye and other worldlye commodityes if so bée it were their chaunce to haue suche a King C. But they greatly erred fyrst that they toke liberty to them selues to make them selues a King For the Scripture appointeth this onelye to GOD euen as it is sayd in the Psalme Psal 2.6 I haue appointed my King Furthermore what King woulde they haue him Surelye an earthly King the which was far disagréeing from his person Ioh. 18.36 A. For hée sayth My Kingdome is not of this worlde M. But why rather dyd they not consult to come to heare the worde of GOD of his mouth according to the wordes of the Prophesie the which truelye had beene more agréeable to this confession This is of a trueth the same Prophete than to séeke a kingdome Carnall Christians And this is the manner of carnall Christians to neglect that which pertayneth to the sauing health of the inwarde man and carefullye to séeke that which is earthlye that is to say to disdayne and loathe that which trulye belongeth to Christ and for which cause hée came into this worlde and gréedelye to followe that thing whiche is not comprehended in the dispensation of Christe taken in hande for our saluation and for the which he descended not into the earth C. Hereby let vs learne howe daungerous a thing it is in Diuine matters leauing the word of God to followe our owne sence and Imagination For there is nothing but it doeth corrupt the ouerthwart towardnesse of our minde And what doth the pretence of zeale helpe when as by our ouerthwart and disordered worshippe we are more iniurious to God than if a man should of purpose and wyllingly withstand his glorye It is also here to bée noated that it is sayde that they woulde take him and make him a King C. For they meant violentlye and against his wyll to make him a King The fleshe more busye in his works there is the Spirite M. Thus the fleshe is more vehement in the wycked and vngodlye purposes thereof than is the Spyrite in those thinges which are iust and godlye So Iudas laboured watched made spéede and by no meanes rested vntyl hee had most wyckedlye finyshed that whiche hée had trayterouslye taken in hande Mat. 26.16 In the meane time the Apostles slepte So wée reade of the builders of the Towre of Babilon This they beginne to doe Gen. 11.6 neyther can they nowe be stopped from whatsoeuer they haue Imagined to doe C. But if wée desire to haue that honour acceptable to God and to his Christ which we geue vnto him wée must alwayes consider what it doeth requyre And verylye they which honour GOD after theyr owne inuencions doe after a sort violently withstande him séeing the foundacion of true worship is obedience Hee daparted againe into a Mountaine Iesus whiche desyred a farre better kingdome and who came to this ende to teache vs to contemne Ritches pleasures and the glorye of this worlde being not ignoraunt what they went about withdrewe himselfe againe out of the waye to the Mountayne from whence hée came before to féede them And hée alone went priuilye asyde in such manner that it might not bée thought that he fled R. For his kingdome was not carnall but spirituall as it was notablye discribed before by the Prophetes For the kingdome of Christ is the kingdome of truth of righteousnesse of peace and of euerlasting lyfe Kingdom of Christe is not of this world For these are the Cities and Townes if wée maye so speake ouer which Christ hath the rule For although he doth rule and gouerne in the whole worlde from the one Sea to the other yet notwithstanding hée doth not rule according to the manner of this worlde neyther doth hée desire such a kingdome as the Princes of this world haue Of the which kingdome ye maye reade more in the first of Luke and in the seuen and twentye Chapter of Mathewe And this is not to bée pretermitted that Christ priuilye conueyed him selfe awaye from those that would haue made him a King and wyllinglye offered him selfe to those that sought to carrye him to the Crosse Leauing an euident example behinde him for those to follow which should succéede him in the Crosse For hée can not sincerelye Preache the Gospell whatsoeuer he bée which loueth kingdome and glorye among men For the kingdome of heauen doeth not agrée with the kingdome of this world no more than lyght and darkenesse agrée togeather A. What can that most impudent Antechrist of Rome aunswere to this Bv. Who through ambicion and desire to rule hath oppressed so many in this worlde that he might exalt himselfe aboue all that is worshipped Thes 2.4 boasting him selfe to bée God 16. And vvhen Eeuen vvas come his Disciples went downe to the Sea C. There is no doubt but that Christ went to hyde him selfe vntyll the people were departed awaye Wée knowe howe harde a matter it is to pacifye the seditious multitude And if that had béene openlye attempted which they had conceyued in theyr mindes the errour thereof woulde nowe haue beene spread abroade and than the infamy thereof coulde not so easelye haue béene taken awaye R. Hée woulde not therefore geue any occasion of sedicion least they should falsefye with open mouth haue accused Christ to bée the aucthor thereof C. All the time that hee withdrewe him selfe hée was occupyed in Prayer as also the other Euangelistes report And it maye bée that his prayer was to his Heauenlye Father to correct and amende the intemperaunce of the people B. And whereas his Disciples went downe to the Sea that was not done without his commaundement For he sent them awaye naye Mat. 14.22 hée constrained them to goe for that was a good occasion to get awaye the people 17. And gatte vp into a Shippe and vvent ouer the Sea toward Capernaum and it vvas novve darcke and Iesus vvas not come to them M. Whereas Iohn sayeth that the Disciples went ouer the Sea towardes Capernaum when Marke writeth that the Lord gaue them commaundement to goe before him to Bethsaida it seemeth to haue no disagréement at all Yea Mathewe and Marke wryte that they arriued at the Lande of Genesar the which also séemeth not to agrée with that whiche our Euangelist sayeth here that they went ouer the Sea toward Capernaum But if thou dilligently consider thereof thou shalt finde no disagréement at all In that Marke writeth that the Lorde commaunded them to goe before him to Bethsaida it is not repugnaunt neyther with that which Iohn sayeth here that they went to Capernaum nor with that which hée sayeth with Mathewe that hée arriued at the lande of Genesar For Bethsaida as appeareth by Luke is euen vpon the brinkes side of the
lyfe is onely to be sought for in the kingdome of GOD. Moreouer truth in this place is not compared with figures as oftentymes else where it is but Christ respecteth what is the true lyfe of man namelye by whiche hée differeth from brute Beastes and by which hée excelleth among creatures Bv. Moyses truely gaue corporal meate which nourished mens bodyes and not their soules preseruing the lyfe natural but nothing profiting the lyfe spirituall neyther came the same â—ut of heauen but rayned onely out of the clowdes But my father giueth you C. As if he should say The Manna which Moyses gaue did profite nothing to heauenly lyfe but now the true breade of heauen is offered to you A. Before he had sayde VVhich the sonne of man shall giue vnto you and nowe hée maketh the Father rather aucthor of this gift than himselfe but hée meaneth that the same is giuen by his hande So the Antithesis or comparison is not béetwéene God and Moyses but betweene Moyses and Christ But Christ nameth the Father héere for more reuerence sake as if hée shoulde saye Acknowledge me to bee the Minister of GOD by whose hande hee will féede your soules to euerlasting lyfe Bv. For the Father sent the sonne into the earth for thk accomplishing of mans saluation So that no creature can giue the true breade of life to men So impossible it was that Moyses shoulde giue the same by corporall meate 2. Cor. 10 C. But this séemeth to disagrée with the doctrine of Paule For the Apostle calleth man spirituall foode But wée aunswere Christ speaketh here according to their capasitie wyth whome hée had to doe Rom. 4.11 neyther is thys vnwoonted and siledome founde in the Scripture Wée sée howe diuerselye Paule himselfe speaketh of circumsition when he handeleth the Institution of the same Hée confesseth that it was the Seale of Fayth but when hée contendeth with false Apostles hée rather maketh it the seale of malediction Let vs here consider what was obiected to Christ namelye that hée was not prooued to bée the Messias except he did supplye the want of corporall foode Therefore hée doth not sette before their eyes of what thing man was a figure but denyeth this to be the true breade with the which Moyses filled mens bellies 33. For the breade of GOD is hee which commeth downe from heauen and giueth lyfe to the worlde For the breade of God is hee Bv. Nowe more playnelye and fully hée explayneth that whiche hée had spoken euen nowe concerning the breeade C. And hée reasoneth thus The same is the bread of heauen whiche came downe from heauen to geue lyfe to this worlde In Manna there was noe suche thinge Therefore the same was not the heauenly breade Neuerthelesse he confirmeth that whiche he sayde before that he was sent of the Father to feede men after a farre more excelent manner then Moyses did Manna descended not from Goddes kingdome Man descended from the visible heauen that is to saye out of the clowdes but not from the euerlastinge kingdome of GOD from whence lyfe floweth vnto vs wherefore it was not the true breade of heauen as was this breade whome GOD sent for the lyfe of the worlde He calleth nowe that the breade of-GOD whiche before he called the bread of heauen not that the same proceded from any other then from GOD who sustaineth vs with breade in this present lyfe but because he is iudged diuine whiche quickeneth soules to blessed immortality B. For this bread is GOD who alone by his spirite and by his and the knoweledge of the Father feedeth to lyfe that is to saye causeth men to liue for euer in blisse VVhiche commeth doune from heauen C. In the descendinge from heauen two thinges are to be noated firste that we haue diuine lyfe in Christe because he is come from GOD that he might be to vs the authour of life secondly because the celestiall lyfe is nere vnto vs insomuche that we shall not neede neyther to ascende aboue the cloudes nor sayle ouer the sea to seeke the same For therefore Christ descended to vs because no man coulde assende to hym And giueth lyfe to the worlde This place teacheth that the whole worlde is dead to God Life onely in Christ so farre forth as the same is not quickened by Christ because life shall neuer be founde in anye other than in him So that here all manner of worshippe belonging boath to the Iewes and also to the Gentiles is reiected all the Philosophye and wisdome of the Gentiles and all the rites and ceremonyes of the Iewes with the whole Lawe haue no manner of power to quicken otherwise GOD had sent his Sonne in vaine which is this heauenlye breade to quicken and to saue the worlde M. All men here for the most parte by this worde worlde vnderstande the elect euen as they doe in this place also Iohn 3 16. So GOD loued the worlde that he gaue his onelye begotten Sonne that all that beleeue in him shoulde not perishe but haue life euerlasting 34 Then sayde they vnto him Lorde euermore giue vs thys breade C. There is no doubte but that they speake Ironice that is to saye meaning the contrarye thereby to noate Christe of vanity because he boasted that he woulde geue the breade of life M. As yf they shoulde haue sayde we are so farre from gainsaying this breade of the which thou speakest that we desire allwayes to receyue the same of thee that we may neuer die but liue for euer R. Verely yf thou wouldest euer geue vs this bread we would then acount thée to be that great Messias and woulde worshippe thée for Christ For if thou wouldest performe that which thou doest promise wée shoulde prosper well wée should not sweat with labour but should liue in most pleasaunt ease But canst thou giue that to vs whiche thou thy selfe wantest Thou promisest breade of lyfe and yet thou wantest boath a Garner and Wheate to bake corporall breade with all howe then canst thou giue vs that more precious breade Bv. After this manner spake the woman of Samaria Lorde giue me this water that I thirst not nor come hither to draw Euen so fleshe and bloode derideth the Gospell because the same being in outwarde shewe verye base and contemptible promiseth all euerlasting goodnesse when as in the meane time it suffereth the faythfull to hunger to thirst to pine with colde to be banished and to be slayne Mat. 27.42 Luk. 4.23 So also it was sayd to Christ He saued others but himselfe he coulde not saue And in another place Phisition heale thy selfe Euen so wicked men when they reiect the promises of God being not content with this one wickednesse make Christ the cause and aucthor of theyr infidelity 35. And Iesus sayde vnto them I am the bread of life hee that commeth to me shall not hunger and he that beleueth on me shall neuer thirst I am the bread of lyfe
fruite Ver. 37. Also of the good Trée wée saye in the Winter This Trée bringeth forth good fruite Iohn 13.27 So these Iewes to whome Christe made aunswere in this place dyd then commit the sinne of murther not in acte but in thought meditacion and purpose when they spake these thinges vnto the Lorde For they sought to kyll him as he shortlye after sayde vnto them Ye seeke to kyll mee So the Lorde sayde to Iudas in the time of the Supper That thou doest doe quickly And what was the miserable wretche then doing In action he was at Supper but in thought and minde he was betraying the Lorde The Lord speaketh not of that which hée dyd in action but of that which hée dyd in heart and in minde and yet notwithstanding the Lorde sayde not That whiche thou wylt doe but That which thou doest do quicklye So to fulfill the Lawe and the commaundementes is taken in the Scriptures for a desire to doe the Lawe and the commaundementes Therefore to committe sinne is not simplye to sinne but to haue a desire to sinne although sinne be not finished in act Euen as to doe good is not simplye to doe good in act and deede but to haue a desire to good although the good worke come not alwayes in act Moreouer although boath the elect and the reprobate doe sinne yet not withstanding the elect doe not committe sinne but the reprobate onely For they which are of God as they haue séede of God in them euen so they detest synne from their hearte and that which they detest they cannot studiouslye meditate and fynishe This matter Saint Iohn very notably handleth in his fyrst Epistle The which notwithstanding fauoureth not the secte of the Annabaptistes which by these places goe about to proue that a Christian man symplye cannot synne affirming also because they will bee counted true Christians that they are cleane without sinne and that they can by no means synne the which is a most subtill practise of Sathan in them that hée maye bring the weake mindes of the godlye whiche doe féele the force of synne in them selues to desperation But there is no mencion of sinne made here generally but of a willing desyer and meditation to synne as we haue sayde 35. And the seruaunt abideth not in the house for euer but the Sonne abydeth euer Bv. Now followeth the denouncing of punishment belonging to seruauntes vnder the similitude taken from lawes and pollitique gouernment As the seruaunt though for a tyme hée rule and gouerne is not neuerthelesse the master of the house but is thrust out of the Doores or chaunged at the pleasure of his Lorde euenso the bondeseruaunt of sinne though for a time he playe the Hipocrite and counterfaite pietye and séeme to haue God fauourable vnto him is notwithstanding in due tyme excluded from the presence of God and fellowshippe of Sayntes for the house figureth the fellowshippe of God and of the Saintes C. Whervpon it foloweth that there is no libertye perfecte and perpetuall but that which is gotten by the Sonne of God By this meanes Christ reproueth the Iewes of vanitye because they bragge of a counterfaite shew as if they had the thing it selfe For wheras they were the carnall progeny of Abraham they were nothing but counterfaites They had aucthority in the Church of God but such authoritie as Ismael vsurped to him selfe for a short time the seruaunt exalting him selfe against the true and lawfull Sonne The summe is this whosoeuer boaste themselues to be the sonnes of Abraham doe nothing else but make a certaine colored and counterfayte shewe 36. If therefore the Son make you free then arre you free in deede M. Christ speaketh here of hymselfe but in the thirde person Bv. As if hée shoulde saye Whosoeuer trulye desireth to be frée and to be the heyre of euerlasting lyfe let him séeke to be made frée by me which am the Sonne of GOD that is to saye Let him beléeue mée and abyde in my wordes and the truth shall make him frée C. By these wordes hée declareth that the power of freedome belongeth to hym aloane and that all other being borne seruants are not made frée but by hys grace onelye For whatsoeuer he hath proper by nature hée giueth vnto vs by adoption when we are by faith ingraffed in his body and are made his members Therefore our goodnesse commeth by the fréedome of Christ Freedome commeth by Christ but yet we obtaine the same by fayth Which also bringeth to passe that Christ doth regenerate vs by his holye spirite M. This clause in déede reiecteth all the fréedome that commeth by fleshe and bloud because the same is not true libertie So that libertie is sought in vain without Christ For he geueth vnto vs his Spirite whereby wée béeing free follow with willing mindes those thinges that belong vnto God which only is true libertie For what doth it profite in fleshe to the rule the whole worlde and in mind to be the seruaunt of death For so long as concupiscence beareth any rule inv vs as it bringeth vs to synne so also it leadeth vs to death For the reward of sinne is death Rom. 6.26 Iam. 1 Rom. 8.13 Also S. Iames saith Lust when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne and Sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death And the Apostle Paule sayth yf ye liue according to the fleshe ye shall dye 37. I knowe that yee are Abrahams seede but yee seeke means to kill mee because my worde hath noe place in you Bv. Now our sauioure Christ doth more strongly confute the swelling and vaine glory and boasting which was in the Iewes by which they boasted them selues to be the seede that is to saye the posteritie of Abraham As if hée shoulde say Admitte I shoulde graunt vnto you this thing in the which yée so greately glory what notwithstandyng doth it profite them to be called the Children of Abraham which rage and fume against God and his ministers who being mooued with wicked hatered against the trueth are swiftly caried to shedde innocente bloud R. Ye are in déede the posteritie of Abraham but not the true spirituall but the carnall seede the which maye manifestlye appeare hereby for that ye go about to kill mée beléeuing not my word For so were the carnall sonnes of Abraham woont to persecute the spiritual B. These thinges he spake spiritually to those hipocrites and enimies the Iewes which beléeued not in him Gala. 4.29 Howbeit hée ment by these wordes to declare vnto those men also that God nothing regardeth the libertie of the fleshe Hée taught that boath true libertie and nobillitie must be estéemed and iudged by workes and that it is nothing to be borne after the flesh of Abrahā if the spirite of Abraham be not also adioyned there vnto whereof followeth both the lyfe and purpose of Abraham C. When hée sayth that they sought to kill him because his worde had no place
be encouraged reuerently to worship Christ by these voyces sounding from heauen Psal 2.12 Psal 96.8 Phil. 2.10 Math. 17.5 Gen. 49.10 Kisse the sonne Let all the Angelles worship him Let euery knee bow to him Heare him The people shall be gaehered vnto him 55. And yet ye haue not knowne him but I know him and if I say I know him not I shall be a lyer lyke vnto you but I know him and kepe him saying M. Because he knew that his aduersaries boasted and bragged of the knoweledge of God whenas notwithstanding they were voyde of the same C. Hée wresteth from them the false pretence of the name of God Bv. As if he shoulde saye As by false Religion ye worship God so ye falsly chalenge to your selues the knowledge of him He is spirituall but ye sauoure nothing but that whiche is carnall C. By this place we learne what is the lawfull profession of faith namely that which procéedeth from true knoweledge and wherof commeth that knowledge but of the word Therefore whosoeuer bosteth of the name of God without the worde of God they doe nothing else but lye But I knowe him Christ opposeth or setteth the truste of his conscience against the peruerse péeuishnesse of his aduersaries And thus ought all the seruauntes of God to bee minded and to houlde them selues contented with this that they haue God on their syde yea though the whoale world ryse vp against them Thus Inuincible stoode all the Prophetes and Apostles a gainste the Terrible assaultes of the worlde But where the perfecte knowledge of God is wanting nothing maye staye and vphoulde vs. And if I saye J knowe him not Bv. As if he shoulde say I am constrayned to speake these things with so great an oath C For the necessitie of my office forceth mée to speake because silence is a false betraying of the trueth A notable place by which we are taught that God doeth reueale hym selfe vnto vs to this ende that wée might professe the fayth of the harte with the mouth so often as néede requireth And this ought not a litle to terrifie vs that they which dissemble to please men and doe eyther deny Gods trueth or doe counterfeyte the same with wicked deuises are not lightly reprehended but are sent to the Children of the Deuell 56 Youre Father Abraham was glad to see my daye and sawe it and reioyced C. Nowe He maketh aunswere to that which they had obiected concerning Abraham and he graunteth to them in worde only that which before he had denyed namely that Abraham was theyr Father shewing that Abraham was saued by fayth Bv As If he shoulde saye Ye thinke that your Father Abraham is dead And I séeme vnto you to speake that which is wicked in affirming that they which kéepe my worde shall liue for euer and neuer dye but I saye truely that Abraham lyueth and that all his lyfe tyme he desireth nothing more then to se my kingdome florishe he desyered me béeing absent and ye despise me beeing present C. That which Christ speaketh heare of Abraham aloane belongeth to al the Saintes But yet this Doctrine hath more wayght and force in the Person of Abraham because he is the Father of the whoale Church This worde Daye in this place signifieth the time of Chistes kingdome from the which Christ hauing taken vpon him our fleshe appeared vnto the worlde to fulfill the office of a redéemer Some will haue it to signifie eternitie and othersome the Crosse of Christ And this place nothing disagréeeth with that where it is sayde Many Kings and prophetes desiered to see those daies which ye see and haue not seene them because Luk. 10.24 séeing faith in the behoulding of Christ hath his degréese it came to passe that the oulde Prophetes behoulde Christ a farre of euen as he was promised vnto them yet notwithstanding he might not bée seene present as hée reuealed hymselfe familiarly to men when he descended from heauen Let all the godly learne heare by the example of Abraham to staye them selues vppon Christ aloane and alwayes to haue respect vnto him that they maye haue continuall occasion of reioysing with a godly Father 57. Then sayde the Iewes thou art not yet fiftie yeres oulde and haste thou seene Abraham M. The promises of God séeme foolishe to humayne reason The Iewes againe according to their wonted mallice make no aunswere to those thinges which concerning them selues but are so geuen to cauill that they take hould only of those thinges out of the wordes of Christ which might haue any shewe to serue their tourne to cauill C. They go aboute to confute the saying of Christ by an Impossibilitie because hee made him selfe equal in age to Abraham which was dead many yeres before and he him selfe not yet fiftie yeres of age For although Christ was not as yet fowre and thirtie yeres oulde yet notwithstanding they graunt vnto him mo yeres lest they might séeme to deale with him to exactly and precisely As yf they shoulde saye Thou verely canst not make thy selfe so oulde that thou canste Boaste thy selfe to be fiftie Bv. Behould therefore thy great impudencie in lying séeing all men knowe howe that Abraham dyed many yeres agoe 58. Iesus sayde vnto them verely verely I saye vnto you before Abraham was I am M. That which the Iewes did falsely discredite as vnreasonable and as a monsterouse lye Christ himselfe constantly mayntayneth C. And because the vnbéeleuing and Carnall Iudged after the aspect and apperaunce only Hée putteth them here in mynde that he hath somewhat greater and higher than humayne shewe and reason the whiche being hidden from the vnderstanding of the fleshe is beheld with the eyes of Faith only Therefore by these wordes Christ exempteth hym selfe from the common sorte of men and chalengeth to him selfe a deuine and heauenly power the sence and féeling whereof hath béene shedde forth vppon all ages euen from the béeginning of the worlde Also this place agréeeth with that saying of the Apostle Christ yesterdaye to daye and for euer Heb. 13.8 For he was knowen to be a mediatoure from the beginning in whome God the father should be pleased In that notwithstanding the grace of the mediator hath béene shewed forth in all ages this dependeth vpon his eternall diuinitie So that this saying of Christ containing a notable commendation of the deuine essence CHR. And the verbe of the present tence or time maketh it of the more wayght For it signifieth that the same state was equall alike from the beginning to the ende B Therfore that which hée saieth here signifieth the same Iohn 1.1 that this place doth In the beginning was the word 59. Then tooke they vp stoanes to cast at him but Iesus hyd him selfe and went out of the Tempell M. They perceiued that the Lorde spake that of him selfe which as it was not humayne so it sette forth the glory of his diuinity And therefore to make him to
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
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
countrie nye to the wildernesse into a Cittie which is called Ephraim and there continued with his Disciples Iesus therfore walked no more openly C. The Euangelist shâ—weth that Christe fled againe when hée perceiued the fury and madnes of his enemies against him Notwithstanding let vs note that he did not so flée that he might forsake his Fathers calling for he sought nothing else but to tarry the appoynted howre of his death that he might then willingly suffer the same M. Moreouer to walke openly among the people belongeth vnto them who walke innocently and vnblamable euenas they walke secretlye whose consciences accuse them and cannot abyde the light but eyther for shame or for feare of the Magistrate lurcke in darcknesse This commeth to passe among that people wher Iustice and true Iudgment is shewed but where iniustice and tyranny is exercised there it is otherwise they which do euel there walke openly they which leade an innocent lyfe and liue godly are constrained to walke secretely This happened to Christ the most holy of all men as maye appeare in other places and that not among the Gentils but among the Iewes that is to saye among the people of God What marueile is it then yf so be it be not Lawfull for a Christian to walke openly among Christians for the tyranny of wicked Princes and magistrates A. But in what state were the Iewes then when the true light of righteousnes forsooke them Into a Cittie M. Christ went not now into the wildernes as he did at the beginninge of his preaching but into the Cittie nere vnto the desert Strayght after Baptisme he wente into the wildernes but he did so at that time for another consideratioÌ„ Mat. 4 i. as because of the conflict which he should haue with Sathan the tempter But he at this time so shonned the company of the wicked that he did not abstaine from helping others that were more sounde and from preaching the trueth For he came not to dwel among beastes but among men for whose saluation he also dyed So hée sayde not to his disciples Mat. 23. If they persecute you flée out of one Cittie to the beastes into the wildernesse or the mountaynes but flee into another Cittie Let the ministers of Christ followe this example in the tyme of persecution Acts. 9.29 for thus did the Apostle Paule and the reste of the Apostles Which is called Ephraim C. The name of the Cittie which the Euaungelist here putteth downe vnto vs was eyther then falsly pronounced or else newe For we knowe howe the language was altered after the exile into Babylon and the Citties and townes also insomuche that it is no merueile yf so bée certaine places be reckoned vp of whose antiquitie we haue no knoweledge And there continued C. The Euaungelist here calleth not all those his Disciples whiche receiued his doctrine but which daily attended vppon hym and were companions with hym in dyet and fare A. Whome hée had chosen from the time that he first began to teach and retayned with him in the time of his persecution Whervpon in Luke he promised them a large reward when he sayd you are they which haue abidden with me in my temptations Luk 22 28 And I appoynte vnto you a kingdom as my Father hath appoynted vnto mee that yee maye eate and drink at my table in my kingdome and sitte on seattes Iudging the twelue tribes of Israell 55. And the Ievves Easter was nye atte hande and manye wente oute of the countrie vp to Hierusalem before the Easter to purifie themselues Bv. After that Iohn had declared the cause and frute of the Lordes passion he also declareth the time of the same of the which we haue spoken at large in the twenty sixe Chapter of Mathew Deut. i6 i5 It was not Lawefull to cellebrate this feast but in the holy Cittie according to the prescript Lawe There came therefore a great multitude of people out of Galile out of Palestine and out of all Iewrie and out of other partes of the kingdome of Israell to cellebrate this feast of passouer To purifie them selues C. This was not precisely commaunded that they should purify them selues before the feast of Passouer Therefore the Euaungelist sayeth not that there came all but many For it was not lawfull for any vnclean person to eate of the Pascall Lambe Heb 9.9 M. But we leauing all the pury fâ—yngs and washinges of the Iewes which continued of right vntill the time of reformation as the Apostle testifyeth 2. Cor. 7 i to the ende we maye cellebrate the Passouer which is lefte vnto the people of God i. Cor. 5.7 let vs wash our selues from al filthynesse of the fleshe and spirit working holynesse with the fear of God R. For Christ our Passouer is offered 56 Then sought they for Iesus and spake among them selues as they stood in the temple what thinke ye seinge hee commeth not vnto the feaste daye There are some which referre these wordes to be spoken of the enemies of Christe who onely sought to destroye Christ C. But séeing the purpose of the Euaungelist is to shewe howe notable the fame of Christ was throughoute all Iewery this place séemeth rather to be vnderstode of those who sought Christe not for any euell purpose but with a sertaine Godly desyer and desyered to sée hym personally All they which came into the Temple speciallye sought for Christ and had there communication of hym And although they sought him after the manner of men yet notwihstanding in séeking hym they declare that the tyranny of the Priestes was the cause that he did not openly shewe him selfe 57. The high Priestes and Pharisees had giuen a commaundement that if anye man knew where hee were hee shoulde shewe it that they might take him M. They suspected that the Lord would hide himselfe in one place or other though he came to Ierusalem and therfore by the vertue and aucthoritye of a Synode they gaue commaundement vnto the Cittizens that if anye man knew where hee was hee shoulde bring them worde that they might take him that is to saye that they might bryng the sentence of their Sinode counsaile to effect Bv. This vncessaunt labour of the wicked to bring their euill purpose to passe doth no doubt condemne our ydlenesse in good matters M. And we sée here the abuse of power The aucthoritie of Priesthoode verilye came from GOD but not to the ende that hée might make his subiectes Ministers of vnrighteousnesse and betrayers of innocent bloode In this that the high Priests and Pharisées commaunded the Cittizens that if any man knewe where Iesus was he shoulde bring them worde that they might take him we may perceyue the power and aucthoritie of commaunding subiectes This the adioyned sentence of the counsayle confyrmed Boath of them were so greate that it was lawfull for no man to resist them Therefore wicked Prelates abuse them boath neyther do they abuse
theyr owne persons onely but their subiectes also For so they make them so much as in them lyeth the Ministers of murder and impietie by commaunding them to betraye innocent bloode M. If any man by this place demaunde whether by the obedience due to the Maigstrate the subiecte is bounde to betraye any man whose death is sought we answer in few words First it is not lawful to betray an Innocent Secondly if he be guiltye and an offender whose death is sought for we must consider what he is If he be sought for to this ende that he might be punished because he hath offeÌ„ded once or twise let no good man be easely moued to bewray him but if he be suche a one which ought to be put to death as an opeÌ„ enemy to the common wealth then let no good man if he know where he is i. Kin. i9 i2 be afrayd to bring him foorth A. Consider the example of Dauid and of the Prophetes i. Kin. i8 3 whom that faithfull Ahab in time of persecution did hyde in Caues ⧠The Xij. Chapter 1. Then Iesus sixe dayes before the Passouer came to Bethany where Lazarus had beene deade whome hee raysed from death THIS HISstorye the Euangelist Mathew writeth in the sixe and twentie chapter Marke in his fourtéene Chapter But Luke maketh no mention at all of the same And it séemeth that these three Euangelistes Mathew Marke and Iohn seeme to haue al one cause to write the same which is that they might reueale wherevâ—on Iudas Iscariot was mooued to betraye the Lorde namelye for that the occasion of gaine was taken from him which hée looked for by the precious oyntment if so be the same had beene soulde Sathan so pricking hym forwarde that strayght after the effucion of this oyntment hée being reprooued of the Lorde went vnto the Highe Prists and made a bargaine with them for the betraing of the Lord. B. Therefore as the hower of the Lords death approched so also he drew neare vnto the place of the same Thus the Spirite of God leadeth the children of God to those thinges which are appoynted them from aboue Heb. i2 in due and conuenient time Only let vs followe this our Captaine and finisher of our faith C. We sée also that their iudgement was to rash whiche thought that Christ would not come Wherby we are taught not to make such haste but patiently and quietly to tarry vntill the oportunitye commeth which we know not of Christ coÌ„meth first to Bethany that thrée dayes after he might come to Ierusalem In the meane time the purpose of our Sauiour Christ was to geue vnto Iudas conuenient time and place to betray hym that he might be a prepared Sacrifice at the appoynted howre For he was not ignoraunt what should come to passe Iohn i0 but he went willingly to be offred A. Before when his enemies sought his death he fled because his howre was not come but knowing now that the appoynted time of his death was come he willingly offred him selfe to his enemies such an earnest desire he had to redéeme mankind C. And seing he came six dayes to Bethany before Ester we may gether by Mathew and Marke that he tarried fowre dayes there M. His purpose was to erect and comfort those of Bethany before his passion For he knew that they were in peril because Ierusalem was so neare A. The Euangelist maketh mention of Lazarus to bringe in minde the late Myracle 2. There they made him a Supper and Martha serued but Lazarus was one of them that sate at the Table with him C. What day they made him the feast in the which he was annoynted of Mary Iohn doth not declare but it séemeth that it was shortlye after his comming thither But Lazarus was one of them M. This the Euaungelist addeth to confirm the trueth of his resurrection For by this feast it was declared in the which Lazarus sate at meate with others that Lazarus and not a phantasye or Spiryte in stede of Lazarus was come out of the graue and restoared to humayne life R. For this cause also he commaunded meate to be geuen to the Damsell whome he had restoared to lyfe Mar. 3 43 And hée hym selfe béeing rysen againe woulde eate with his disciples to the ende they might not doubt of the sertaintie of hys resurrection Luk. 24.43 Wherevppon Peter also vseth this Argument to prooue the resurrection of Christ Act. i0 4i as that he did eate and drinke with them after he was risen agayne Concerning the exposition of the rest of this stoarye vntill ye come to the ninth verse following reade our Commentary vppon the twentie sixe Chapter of Mathewe beginning at the seuenth verse 9. Muche people of the Ievves therefore had knoweledge that hee vvas there and they came not for Iesus sake onelie but that they myght see Lazarus also whome he raised from death M. The Lord could not be hid in Bethanie a place boath nere vnto Hierusalem and also nowe famouse for the raysing vp of Lazarus Therefore a great nomber of the Iewes specially of those which came from farre from all places thereaboute for the feaste at Ierusalem which was at hand to be purified knowing that he was at Bethany went out of the Cittie thether that they might see boath Iesus and also Lazarus C. And verely the nerer that the tyme of Christes death approached the more famous it was méete that his name should be in all mens mouthes that the same might be a meane to bring them to the more fulnesse of faith after his death Bv This people so litle feared the Edictes of the high Priestes by which they forbadde all men to Ioyne them selues vnto Christ and were so farre from the obaying of the same that they did the more dilligently followe Christ and enquire after hym M. Let vs knowe therefore that the doctrine of truth is such that althogh wicked Inquisytors go aboute to extinguishe the Gospel yet notwithstanding the same doth more openly and brightly shine in the sight of all men For as it is light so also it loueth to shine C. When the Euaungelist sayth that those Iewes came not for Iesus sake only but also to sée Lazarouse his meaning is that they came to behoulde the wonderful power of Christ in Lazarus 10. But the high Priestes helde a counsaile that they might putte Lazarus to death also Bv. This is a rare and newe example of vnspeakable madnesse and beastly cruelty that the high Priests and Pharaseis consulted to kill Lazarus C. This was outragiouse fury to kill him whom all men might sée to be raised vp by the mightie power of God But this is that spirite of madnesse by whiche Sathan prouoketh the wicked so that they will neuer ceasse to be mad though God cause heauen and earth to fighte againste them For this so wicked a consultation is therefore described that we might know that the enemies of Christ were brought
the heires of God in déede doe enioye the lyght to the end When hee sayth Beleue in the light No man must thereby gather that the workes of light are not required of the childeren of light for by the workes of light we are declared to be the chidren of the light Bv. To the which effect pertaineth this saying of Paul ye were sometime darknesse but nowe are ye light in the Lorde walke as childeren of the light for the fruite of the spirite consisteth in al goodnes righteousenesse and trueth aprouing what is acceptable vnto the Lorde Ephe. 5.8 and haue no fellowship with the vnfruitefull wordes of darcknes These things spake Iesus C. It maye séeme straunge why he withdrue him self from them who so ernestly desyered to sée him But by the other Euaungelists we maye easily gather that the Euaungelist here speaketh of the enemies of Christ whome the Godly loue and desyer of good and simple men did ver and offend For the straungers that went to méete with Christ followed him till he came into the temple where he chaunced to come among the Scribes and his auncient enemies 37. But though he hadde done so manie miracls before them yet beleeued not they on him M. This ought not to be vnderstood only of that multitude which had mooued the question vnto the Lord concerning the exaltation of Christ but also of al the vnbeléeuing and blinded Iewes before whom the Lord had done many miracles C Therefore let this hinder or trouble no man that Christ was despised of the Iewes this offence the Euangelist putteth awaye shewing that he had many euident testimonies whiche broughte authoritie and credit to him and to hys doctrine but yet that the glory and power of God which euidently shined in the miracles was not séene and perceiued of the blind M. Moreouer the Euaungelist doth not without consideration make mention in this place of the vnbéelefe of the Iewes For he hath so ordered his history that nowe consequently he commeth to the declaration of the death and passion of Christe Béefore therefore he beginneth with the same he thought it necessary to admonish the reader before hande why it came to passe that the same nation and people remained styll so obstinate and vnbeléeuing that they were not afraide to crucefy the sonne of God to take awaye the offence which might here come he layeth the blame of this matter vpon the obstinacy of the Iewes which coulde be reclaimed by no miracles and yet bée iustefyeth Christ who by many miracles called them vnto the faith B. Moreouer when the Euangelist sayth according to his manner as it were speaking generally They beleeued not on him Iohn 8.30 hée ment that very fewe beléeued on him R. For he affirmed before that sertaine beleeued on him 38. That the saying of Esayas the Prophete mighte bee fulfilled which he spake Lorde who shall beleeue our saying and to whom is the arme of the Lord declared C. Because that thing might trouble the mindes of many men howe the Iewes could be so sencelesse and blinde that the visible power of God could nothinge mooue them Iohn of him selfe goeth forward to shewe that faith commeth not by the common sence and vnderstanding of men but by the singuler and rare gift of God and that if was foreshewed long ago concerning Christ that fewe or none should beleeue the Gospel B. This Esayas prophesyed it was mete therfore it should so come to passe and that the prophesy of the prophet should bee fulfilled For he would not haue prophesied of the same except it had bene so appoynted of my father Bv. But the Iewes were not such obstinate personnes because the Prophete dyd foretell that they should be so but he therefore foreshewed the same because they should bée suche Lord who shall beleeue C. This sentence consisteth of twoo partes In the first part Esaias speaking of Christ and foreséeing that whatsoeuer hee had spoken of Christ and also whatsoeuer should bée spoken by the Apostles should bée reiected of the Iewes as one amazed at such as bée in obstinacye hée cryeth out Lorde who shall beleeue our Preachinges And in the seconde parte hée sheweth the cause why the nomber of the beléeuing is so small namelye because God doeth not commonlye illuminate all menne but bestoweth the grace of his spirite onelye vppon a fewe Wherefore if so bée the obstinate infidelitye of a great number among the Iewes ought not to hynder the faithfull although they be fewe in number no more ought wée to bée ashamed at this daye of the Gospell although the same hath fewe Disciples By this word arme it is euident inough that hée vnderstandeth the power of God The Prophete teacheth that the arme of God whiche is included in the doctrine of the Gospell is hydde vntyll the same bée reuealed and withall hée testifyeth that all are not partakers of this reuelation wherevppon it followeth that many are left to their blindnesse being voyde of inwarde lyght who hearing heare not M. Therefore wee haue néede of the Reuelation of the power of God to beléeue the worde of Christ The high Priestes also Scribes and Pharisées sawe the power of God shyning in the workes of Christ and so dyd the reast of the wicked Iewes but they beléeued not because they sawe the same not as the power of GOD but as the power of Sathan therefore also they sayde Hee casteth out Deuelles in Belzebub the chiefe of the Deuelles Luke xi.xv. To cast out Deuelles was a worke of the finger of God but the wicked attributed the same vnto Sathan Wherfore Because they were destitute of the reuelation of the arme of God their eyes were blinded and their heartes were hardened The arme of God in Christ during the tyme of the Crosse séemed to be shortened but in his resurrection againe it declared it selfe to bée a mightye and outstretched arme Therefore we must praye vnto God that hée wyll reueale his arme vnto vs in Christ R. The Apostle Paule cyteth this testimony to exhorte the faithfull not to be discouraged because of the multitude of the vnbeléeuing and the small number of the faithfull neyther yet for the same to forsake the doctrine of the Gospell All sayeth he obeye not the Gospell For Esaias sayeth Rom. x. xvi Lord who hath beleeued our wordes 39. Therfore could they not beleeue because that Esaias sayeth againe He hath blin 40. ded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with theyr eyes and least they should vnderstād with their heart and shoulde be conuerted and I should heale them C. This speache is somewhat more harde because as the wordes importe the waye and power of beléeuing was quyte stopte vp and taken awaye from the Iewes because the Prophesye of the Prophete had appointed them to blindnesse before they had eyther chosen blindnesse or fayth I aunswere that it is no absurditye if it coulde not happen otherwyse than God
Euen as the father bad me so J speake R. As if hée shoulde saye when I call my selfe the Well of lyfe the quickening breade the light of the worlde the resurrection and the life I speake these things because my Father so commaunded me to the ende that he which would drincke which woulde be filled which would sée rise againe and liue euerlastinglye might come vnto me and beléeue in mee A. For these things I speake that yée might attaine to euerlasting saluation through mée ⧠The .xiij. Chapter 1 Before the feaste of Passouer when Iesus knewe that hys hovvre was come that hee should depart out of this worlde vnto the Father when hee loued his which were in the worlde vnto the ende hee loued them Before the feast of Passouer B. THE other Euangelystes in this place bring in the Historie of the holy Supper And the whole misterye hereof was ordayned to thys ende that by the breade which wée breake and by the Cuppe which wée blesse we are made pertakers of the bodye and bloude of the Lorde and wherby also the Lorde doth more and more liue in vs and wee in him Therefore séeing Saint Iohn hath alreadie spoken of the Lordes wordes concerning the true perticipation of his bodye and bloude in his sixt Chapter hée omitteth here the narration of the Supper for the right of the Eucharist beganne long before to bee familier and well knowne to all Christians Pretermitting therefore those thinges which pertaine to the Eucharist C. and manye other thinges also which hée knewe were put downe by Mathew and the rest hée taketh in hande to intreate of that thing which they had omitted as of this stoarie concerning the washing of the Disciples When Jesus knewe that his houre was come M. The Euangelist writeth this to forewarne the Reader that hée thinke not that any of those thinges which hée shall reade in the Chapter following happened without the foresight and knowledge of Christ For he was ignoraunt of none of those thinges which he suffered A. Iudas verelye the Disciples not knowing of the same conspired with the Rulers and high Priestes to betray Iesus but the same was not vnknowen vnto Christ Wherevpon it is sayd hereafter And Iesus knowing all thinges that shoulde come on him went forth Therefore so often as the enemies of the truth shall practise any thing against vs lette vs committe all thinges vnto him who can prouide for vs and our matters well ynough That J shoulde departe out of this world C. This is a speach worthy to be noated for it is referred to the knoweledge of Christ that he knewe his death to bée a passage vnto the heauenlye kingdome of God Wherefore yf hée making hast thyther did not let to loue hys Disciples as he was wont there is no cause now why wée should think that his affection is altered And nowe séeing hée is the firste béegotten among the dead this difinition of death pertayneth to the whoale body of the Church because it is a passage vnto God from the which the faythfull are as yet pilgrimes M. Therefore let vs so think and speak of our death 2. Cor. 5.4 that we maye also call the same a passage out of this world vnto the Father Let vs consider who and what this world is and wée shall desyer the death of the body because by the same wée go oute of this worlde into a moste happy estate voyde of all trouble sorrowe affliction and payne It maketh very much to the purpose that he vseth this word father To goe out of this world which is a vale of miseries and full of wickednesse and so passe not to the worse but vnto the better and not simply to the better but to the father also is suche a notable benefite that the sonne of God béeing afflicted and oppressed in this world could wishe for nothing better Vnto the ende he loued them C. Although the Euaungeliste doeth hereafter more plainly declare to what ende Christ washed his Disciples feete yet notwithstanding heare hee beeginneth to shewe afore hande in one worde that by this signe he would haue his constant and euerlasting loue declared with the which hee once loued them that when they had lost his presence and company yet they might be sertainly sure that hee was not ouerwhelmed in death the which perswacion also ought nowe to cleane in oure hartes The wordes are that Christ had loued hys Disciples whiche weare in the worlde Wherefore although we seeme to bee farre of from Christe yet notwithstanding let vs knowe that hee behouldeth vs because hee loueth his that are in the worlde For there is no doubte but that hee nowe beareth the same affection toward vs which he retained euen at this verye poynt of death M. But the Originall roote and cause is in Christe him selfe and not in his Disciples If so be the cause of this loue had bene in the Disciples it had not continued to the ende It is necessary therefore that the same rest in Christ who loueth those that are his with vnspeable loue vnto the ende CYR. And verilye when hée mighte haue escaped the crueltie of the Iewes and the paine of the Crosse hee so loued his that he refused not to dye for the life of all men And that this is the most perfecte loue our Sauiour Christ him selfe testifyeth This is my commaundement that ye loue one another Ioh. 15.13 euen as I haue loued you Greater loue can no man haue than this that a man should geue his lyfe for his friendes 2. And when Supper was done and that the Deuell had now put into the heart of Iudas Iscariot Simons Sonne to betraye him M. There are some which thinke that it ought to be thus red And supper beeing prepared For it maye be doubted whether these thinges were done after Supper or in Supper time AVG. It is very likely that Supper was not fully ended that is to saye that the Table was not yet taken awaye séeing it followeth by and by that the Lord tooke a morsell of bread and offered the same to Iudas And that the Deuell had now put into the heart of Iudas C. This the Euaungelist hath added not only to shew the wonderful patience of Christ who voutsafed to washe suche a wicked and false Traytors féete but also that he sought occasion to vse that tyme in the which he shoulde finishe the laste acte of his lyfe béeinge nere vnto death And whereas he sayeth that Iudas went about to betraye Christ by the impulsion of the Deuell he doth it to expresse the crueltie and hainousenes of the fault For this was more then a horrible and tragicall facte in the which the efficacie of Sathan declared it selfe B. Insomuch that it maye séeme not to come from mans minde C. It is very true that man committeth no manner of euell wherevnto the Deuell doth not stirre him but as the offence is more detestable and haynouse so the furye of
theyr head Some haue falsely iudged this sop to bee the signe of the body of Christ for that it was reached vnto him without the action of the Supper But they doe groslye erre which imagine that the Deuell entered essentially into Iudas for the Euangelist speaketh onelye concerning force and efficacye And we are taught by this fearefull example what greeuous punishment abydeth al those which profane the benefites of the Lorde by theyr abuse That which thou doest doe quicklye R. Christ commaundeth not Iudas to playe the Traitour for howe can righteousnesse commaunde iniquitye but it is rather a voyce of detesting Hytherto the Lorde had sought to reuoake him by diuers meanes but hée preuayled not and therefore nowe hee speaketh vnto him as to one past care as if he shoulde saye Séeing thou art become so impudent and bearest such a Traiterous hart against mée I geue the leaue to goe and that whiche thou doest and seekest to bring to passe do and accomplishe quicklye C. Thou shalt perishe when the apointed time of thy destruction is come And in this thing hée playeth the part of a Iudge who iudgeth not to death those whose destruction hee desyreth but those who by theyr owne faulte haue brought them selues to destruction already R. For Christ speaketh here as Parents commonly do to desperate vngratious children For commonlye they saye to suche My sonne for so much as I can not wynne thée by any gentle admonition or bring thée to a better lyfe by any benefites for the more I do thée good the worse thou art therefore goe whether thou wylt goe thou ronnagate for thou shalt not escape vnpunished because thou abusest the goodnesse of thy Father to thy iniquitye Are not these Propheticall wordes of callamitye to come rather than of commaunding Euen so sayeth the Prophete◠Drinke and be dronken spewe and fall◠and ryse no more M. Most true therefore is the saying of the Apostle Despisest thou the Ritches of his goodnesse and patience and long sufferaunce Iere. 25.27 not knowing that the kindnesse of God leadeth thee to rapentance But thou after thy stubbornes and heart that can not repent Rom. 2.4 heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the daye of wrath 28. That wyst no man at the Table for what intēt he spake vnto him M. The Lorde so spake to the conscience of the Traitour that the rest knewe not what he meant C. For eyther Iohn as yet had not told vnto others what he had heard of Christ or else they were so amazed that they vnderstoode not yea it is lykelye that Iohn himselfe was astonished at the hearing of the same But that whiche happened then to the Disciples we may sée oftentimes in the Church namely that very fewe of the faithfull can discerne Hipocrits whome the Lord in plaine wordes condemneth M. Furthermore a good man maye so prycke the conscience of him that hath done euyll in the presence of others to whome his wickednesse is not yet knowne that he alone maye vnderstand what is spoken 29. Some of thē thought because Iudas had the bagge that Iesus had sayde vnto him Bye those thinges that wee haue neede of against the Feast or that hee should geue somthing to the poore C. It doeth euidently inough apeare vnto all men howe great the pouerty of our Sauiour Christ was yet notwithstanding he gaue somewhat of that lytle which he had vnto the poore to teache vs to doe the lyke For the Apostle would not haue surmised that hée had spoken of the poore but because he was accustomed to helpe them Howe Christ and his Apostls vsed money M. We see therefore howe Christ his Apostles vsed money One parte they imployed to bye necessarye thinges and the other part they bestowed vpon the poore Cōpare herewith the treasures of the Churche of Rome of the Byshops and of the Monasteries and sée howe they are bestowed Bv. This place also maketh against begging Monkes who counterfaiting beggerye wyll séeme to haue nothing of theyr owne and yet gather togeather great heapes of Ritches In lyke manner also against the Anabaptistes who trouble the consciences of simple men Anabaptists would haue theyr neighbors goodes common and doe exclude them out of the fellowshippe of the godlye except they make theyr goodes common to theyr brethren that is to say to erronyous Anabaptists 30. Assone then as he had receiued the Sop hee went immediatly out and it was night B. This séemeth to bée added by the Euangelist boath to declare the wicked crueltye of this miserable man and also that Iudas by receyuing the Sop and by the wordes of the Lorde was as it were by a certaine force of his goodnesse cast forth insomuch that he coulde neyther chaunge his wicked purpose nor yet abyde the vnspeakeable lenity of Christ After the same manner the Reprobate the more the goodnesse of God is shewed towardes them the more wicked and outragious they are And it was night Bv. That is to saye it was nowe Euentide The circumstaunce of time in this place noateth the earnest desyre of the Traitour to atchieue his purpose who coulde not be stayed by the vnseasonable time of the night Iohn 3.20 But the Prince of darkenesse delighteth in darknesse and they which do euyll hate the lyght M. Wherevpon Christ when hée was taken sayde to his enemies This is your houre and the power of darknes Luk. 22.53 Bv. Iudas therefore chose the night and darknesse as a conuenient tyme for his purpose And thus are all Reprobates caried with whome no admonitions can preuaile And this ende hath the contempte of Gods worde and an impenitent life 31. Therefore when he was gone oute Iesus sayde now is the sonne of man glorified and God is glorified in him M. Nowe the Euaungelist consequentlye sheweth what the Lorde spake after the departure and defection of Iudas the Traytor vnto the Disciples to the confirmation of their fayth C. The last hower was at hande hée knewe howe weake the mindes of hys Disciples were therfore he sought by al meanes he could to staye them vppe leste they should quaile The onelye rememberaunce of the Crosse doeth make vs a feard except we also remember this consolation that Christ triumphed as conqueror of Sathan and death vpon the Crosse What therefore might happen vnto the Disciples when they should shortlye after see Christ caryed vnto Death and reprochfully entreated mighte not such a heauy and sorrowefull sight haue a hondered tymes ouerthrowen them Wherfore Christ prouideth for this perill and bringeth them from the behoulding of the externall aspecte of death to the spirituall fruite Therefore howe shameful soeuer the Death of the Crosse séemeth to bée which béeing considered aloane maye confounde the faithfull Christ notwithstanding testifieth that the same to him is gloryouse saying Nowe is the sonne of man glorified M. Hee speaketh in the preter tence whenas notwithstanding he mente the glorifycation which was to come shortly
would not haue you so to vnderstand the same as though he should testifye of mée and you hould your peace By you he shall do al thinges as by chosen instruments For I haue chosen you from the beginning to preach the Gospell therefore haue I taken you vnto mée that ye might testefye of all my wordes and déedes Therefore he shall geue testimony of me and ye shal geue testimony also insomuche that looke what he sayeth ye shall saye the same he in your hearts but you in wordes he by inspiring but you by speaking C. Nowe we sée howe fayth commeth by hearing and yet notwithstanding it hath his certainty from the seale of the spirite They which doe not sufficiently knowe the darcknesse of mens mindes thinke that faith is conceiued naturally by preaching onelye And contrarywyse there are some so farre out of their wittes that they cannot abyde externall preaching But wée sée howe Christe ioyneth these two togeather Therefore although there bée no fayth vntyl the spirite of God doe illuminate our mindes and seale oure heartes yet notwithstanding we must not séeke for visions and Oracles from the cloudes but the word which is néere vnto vs in our mouth and harte oughte to haue all our scences occupyed and fastened to the same Esa 59.21 euenas sayth the prophete Esay as I will make this my couenaunte with them sayeth the Lord my spirite which I haue put vppon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not departe out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede c. R. So that this place confirmeth the authority and doctrine of the Apostles For the Comforter suffereth the Apostles which are men to be weake still in the fleshe but it maketh them mightie in doctrine that their worde might not be humayne but the word of God for they preach the word of Christ C. This clause Because ye haue been with me from the begin was therefore added that wee mighte knowe that the Apostles deserued the more credit because they were eye witnesses of those things which they spake A As we maye reade in diuers places but specially in the Acts of the Apostles Acts. x. 41 2. Pet. i. 16. i. Iohn i. 1. C. For the Lord would haue vs to be so prouided for that nothing which apertaned to the confirmation of the Gospell might be wanting vnto vs. ⧠The .xvj. Chapter 1. These thinges haue I sayd vnto you because ye should not be offended C. CHRIST IN these wordes sheweth wherfore hée forewarned his Disciples of the persecution to come declaring that nothing of those thinges which he had spoken was superfluous For séeing that contencions and battailes were prepared for them it was méete and conuenient that they shoulde be armed and prepared for the same And withall he geueth them to vnderstand that if so be they were well instructed in this Doctrine they shoulde be able to fight R. Therefore before Christ comforted his Apostls with the promise of the comforter which comforteth and confyrmeth the heart in all aduersity and nowe he wylleth them to prepare themselues for the Crosse to come lest the wanes of aduersitye flowing vppon them they should bée offended and slyde from the trueth of the Gospell For thus flesh blood is wont to reason Yf this doctrine were true it should not haue so many aduersaryes and persecutours againe if he were the sonne of God the beloued of God he should not be ouerwhelmed with so many euilles Against this offence Christ fortefyeth al his Apostles with his word foreshewing that they and the Faythfull shall suffer proscription persecution excommunication and be kylled least they should saye as ignoraunt men are wont to doe I wyst not of it For this is an oulde custome that the Kinges Princes and Prelates of this worlde shoulde persecute the worde of trueth and by all meanes afflicte the Preachers of the worde Luke 6 23 So dyd they saith he vnto the Prophets which went before you C. Therefore that which Christ sayde then vnto the Apostles is also spoken vnto vs. And fyrst of all let vs noate that Christ sendeth not his Apostles into the field vnarmed and therfore none perishe in this warrefare but through the faulte of their owne cowardlinesse Neyther must we differre the time vntyll we come vnto present necessitye but must rather endeuoure our selues that we being acquainted and familiarlye accustomed with these wordes of Christ maye goe to the battayle when néede shal requyre For there is no doubt but that we haue the victory in our hand so long as these admonitions of Christ shal be fast imprinted in our mindes For when hée sayeth Because ye shoulde not be offended hée geueth vs to vnderstande that there is no perryll least any thing shoulde tourne vs out of the right course But hereby it appereth howe fewe there are which rightlye learne this doctrine because they whiche thinke that they haue this at theyr fingers endes without all daunger when they shoulde come to fight hande to hande fayle and slyde away euen as ignoraunt men that knowe nothing Let vs therefore arme and fortefye our selues with suche weapons as wyl not fayle in tyme of neede M. Hée is offended whiche hath had any thinge happening vnto hym contrarye to his expectation Hee whiche is offended doeth easylye goe backe and chaunge his minde Because therefore the Lorde Iesus sought wholy to exhorte his Disciples to constancye and perseueraunce lest they should forsake him but rather shoulde abide in him the true Vine as good and fruitefull braunches he doeth verye well foretell them of the persecution to come lest when the same shoulde come they might bée offended and so fall awaye Therefore wée are here taught that they doe reason amisse of Predestination whiche doe exclude all dilligent taking héede to shonne euell If so bee saye they the matter be so in destenies that I shal be offended and fall it cannot bee let by any meanes but that I shal be offended and fall although I shonne euerye stombling stoane of offence if it be not in destinies then also it shall not come to passe and so al caution or taking heede is but vaine If these thinges haue reason then is that vaine whiche the Lord hath here spoken These thinges haue I spoken vnto you because yee shoulde not bee offended But it is not in vaine because offence maye and ought to be auoyded Therefore this admonition is verye profitable and necessarye if so be wée waye and consider howe proane wée be to fall at euerye offence and stombling stoane Yf so be the Apostles ought to feare offence who had séene so many wonders done by Christ what is it that we ought to feare being inferiour vnto them 2. They shall excommunicate you ▪ yea the time shall come that vvhosoeuer kylleth you wyll thinke that he doeth God seruice M. Here he speaketh of excommunication by which the Apostles were to be cast
him selfe loueth you becase ye haue loued me and haue beleued that I came out from God A. These wordes séeme quite and cleane to ouerthrowe all that the Lorde had spoken to his Diciples concerning intercession to his Father Obiection For he addeth that it is superfluous for him to praye vnto the Father Did he not before declare him selfe to be God and man in these wordes I will pray vnto the father Iohn i4 i6 and he shall giue you another comforter that he maye abide with you for euer Also Saint Iohn in another place calleth him our aduocate Rom 8 34 And Paule testefieth that he maketh interssion for vs. Heb 7 25 The same also is confirmed in the Hebrues But Christe doth not simplely denie in this place Aunsvvere that he wyl be an Intercessor but onely sheweth that his Father is so ready of him selfe to helpe them that he will willingly geue vnto them whatsoeuer they shal aske Christ our Intercessor B. Therfore Christ doth alwaye make Intercession for those that are his vntill such time as the number of them be full For that which he saith here and in the sixe and twenty verse how that it is not nedfull that he should praye vnto the Father for them is spoken in this respecte that hee had already obtayned his fathers fauoure toowardes them who at that time did both fauoure and imbrace them as the faithfull beléeuers in Christ M. This place is dilygentely to bée noated specialy against those which haue thrust in the Intercession of dead saintes into the Church because we haue no accesse vnto God for our sinnes saye they therefore we muste haue the saintes to be Intercessors for vs Euen as we cannot be admitted vnto the speach of a King before we vse some of his househoulde officers as meanes for vs. But Christe doth not in this sorte set his Father before vs whome he maketh so gentle and louing vnto vs that he sayth he will aske nothing for vs as for men voyde and destitute of his loue A. This Fatherly affection towards vs Esa 65 24 the Lorde him selfe also testifieth by hys Prophet saying It shall come to passe that before they call I will aunswer and before they aske I will heare to the ende we might not doubt but to finde the Father fauorable vnto vs so soone as wée call vpon him in the name of his Sonne For hee alwayes heareth him seeing hée is his onely begotten and most déere Sonne in whome hée is well pleased C. Moreouer when Christ is sayde to praye vnto the Father and to make intercession for vs let vs not imagine any carnall thing of him as though bée falling downe at his Fathers feete made such humble prayers for vs but the power and force of his sacrifice by which he hath once purchased the fauour of God towarde vs is alwaye lyuelye and effectuall and the bloude which he hath once shed for our righteousnesse is a continuall intercession for vs. Because ye haue loued me and haue beleued M. Christ in these wordes expresseth the cause of the loue of God the Father towarde vs shewing howe fayth in hym and the loue of him doe get vnto vs the loue of God the Father by which it commeth to passe that wée obtaine all things at his hande R. As if he shoulde saye because ye haue loued me and beleeued my Gospell therefore I haue reconsiled you vnto God that he may be now your Father ye are made the Sonnes of God by fayth in mee ye are made fellowe heyres of all Godes graces wherefore by me ye shall haue a readye waye to come vnto the Father C. By these wordes we are taught that there is one only bond of our coniunction with God And we are ioyned by true fayth which commeth from sincere affection the which he noteth by the name of loue For none doe beleeue purely in Christ but they whiche loue him with theyr whole heart Wherefore by this word loue he hath wel expressed the force and nature of faith But yf so be God beginneth to loue vs so sone as we loue Christ it foloweth that the beginninge of our saluation is of our selues because wée preuent the grace of God But contrary to this we haue many testimonies of Scripture i Iohn 4 i0 as these I will make them to loue me Agayne Not because wee loued him firste It shall not néede to repeate more places Rom 4 i7 because there is nothing more certayne then this doctrine That the lorde caleth those thinges that be not as though they were Ezech 36.26 that hee restoareth the dead to life Easy 65. that he maketh of stoany hartes hartes of flesh that he appereth vnto them which seke him not and that he loueth all those that are his before they are in this respecte we are sayde to be loued of God when we loue Christ because we haue a pledge of his loue whom before we abhorred as a seuere and cruell Iudge towarde vs. AVG. Therefore the Father loueth vs because we loue the Sonne hauing receaued of the father and the sonne that wee might loue the Father and the sonne 28 I went out from the Father and came into the vvorlde againe 1 leaue the vvorlde and goe to the Father C. This sentence commendeth vnto vs the deuine loue in Christ For we should haue no true fayth in hym yf we dydde not apprehende his deuine power For his death and resurrection the two pillors of fayth shoulde profite vs lytle or nothing at all except his heauenlye power be annexed vnto them Therefore we must imbrace Christ by a true and sincere fayth as the counsaile and power of God Let vs also consider to what ende hée came out from God namely that hee might be vnto vs wisdom sanctification righteousnes and redemption M. For this cause he sayth not simpely I am sent of God into this worlde Iohn 1 6 but I went out from the Father and came into the worlde Iohn also was sent of God the rest of the Prophetes also were sent of whome notwithstanding that cannot be sayde which Christ speaketh here of himselfe saying I went out from the father and came into the worlde that we might consider that to be in Christ Philiq 27 which is no other R But some will say how went hée out from the Father whiche was neuer seperated from him and howe goeth he out of the worlde when as all thinges in the same are ordered and gouerned by his power and care Hée wente oute from the Father because he abased himselfe taking vppon him the forme of a seruaunt He is gone out of the worlde because hee was contemned crucified and slaine by the worlde But all these thinges were done that he might goe vnto the Father that is to saye that he might bring man into the kingdome of God that hee myght make him Lorde ouer sinne the Crosse death and hell C. Therefore hee
Lambe And S. Iohn taketh this as graunted vnto him that the same Lamb was a signe of the true and only sacrifice by which the Church should be redéemed Neyther maketh it any matter that the same was offered for a remembraunce of the redemption alreadie made For so god would haue that benefite celebrated that it might promise spirituall deliueraunce vnto the Church in time to come Wherfore without all controuersie the Apostle Paule applieth that forme of eating the Pascal Lambe which Moses prescribeth vnto Christ By this analogie and similitude fayth gathereth no small fruite because the same shall beholde saluation offered in Christ in all the Ceremonies of the Lawe 37. And agayne another Scripture saith They shal loke on him whoÌ„ they pearced This place is taken out of the twelfth chapter of the prophesie of Zacharie B. Deut. 32.35 And it agreeth with that whiche is written in Deutronomie wher it is said Vengeance is mine and I will repay By whiche places séeing the punishemente of the wicked is deferred for a long time to come the spirite signifyeth that the wicked shall preuaile and haue the vpper hande in thys worlde but yet so that they shall sley them selues with their owne sworde For the more they prosper in their euill dooinges the more iuste their cause is thought of them to be Therefore béeing blynded they runne headlong into the greeuous iudgemente of God Therefore they whiche goe aboute too expounde this place concerning Christe according to the letter do too violently racke the same For the Euangelist doth not alleage the same to that ende but rather to shewe that Christe is that God whiche long agoe complayned by Zachary that the Iewes had perced him to the harte For there God speaketh after the manner of men signifying that he is wounded with the wickednes of the people but specially with the wicked coÌ„tempte of his worde euen as that man is wounded to death whose harte is perced Now bicause Christ Iesus is God manifested in the fleshe Esay 6.10 Saincte Iohn sayth that the same was openly fulfylled in his visible fleshe which his diuine maiesty according to that manner whiche it might suffer suffered of the Iewes Not that God is subiecte to the iniuries of men or that the reproches and slaunders of mortall men can reache from the earth vnto him but bicause he woulde expresse by this manner of speach of how great sacriledge the impietie of man was giltie when proudly and presumptuously it extendeth it selfe to heauen And rightly S. Ihon ascribeth that to the Iewes which was done by the hand of a Romaine souldiour Euen as in another place they are sayd to haue crucifyed the Sonne of God although they touched not his body with their fynger They shall see him M. As touching this séeing some therby vnderstand the conuersion of the Iewes Act. 2.3.9 Act. 3.15 of the which we haue an example in the second of the Actes of the Apostles R. For then they began to haue respect vnto him whom they pearced in mourning and repentaunce Othersome interprete the same of the punishemente of the wicked to come as we sayde before Both which are comprehended in this place if we wel consider of the same namely that a remnante shall be gathered by God from amonge this loste nation shal also shewe his horrible punishment and vengeance vpon all the contemners of his grace For we knowe that they were wont to scorne the Prophets no lesse than if they had tolde a tale without the commandemeÌ„t of God This sayth the Lord shal not escape vnpunished bicause he will him selfe defende his owne cause Concerning the rest of this chap. reade the .27 of Mat. 56. vers The twentith Chapter 1. The first day of the Sabbaths came Mary Magdalene early when it was yet dark vnto the sepulcher and sawe the stone taken away from the graue HItherto wee beholde nothing in the passioÌ„ of Christ outwardly in Christ Rom. 1.4 thaÌ„ a very abiect maÌ„ forsakeÌ„ of God But nowe by the resurrectioÌ„ it is manifestly declared that he is the sonne of God And first of al we must haue a consideration of the works of God by the resurrectioÌ„ For as God began the resurrectioÌ„ in Christe by a cleane coÌ„trary worke that is say Death the beginning of life by deiecting casting down into the extreme pit of hell euen so he beginneth ioy with sorow glory with ignominy shame and life with death C. But bicause the resurrection of Christ is the principall Article of our faith without which the hope of euerlasting life lieth dead therefore the Euangelists do stand the more vpon â—he probatioÌ„ of the same Rom. 4.25 Roma 6.4 1. Cor. 15.3 Euen as this our Euangelist gathereth many testimonies by which we may be certified that Christe rose agayne from the dead A. The vertue of whose resurrection the Apostle Paule in diuers places sheweth at large but specially in his Epistle to the Romanes C. But it may seeme very absurde that S. Iohn doth not bring more approued and credible witnesses for he beginneth with a woman But thus this saying was fulfilled 1. Cor. 1.7 that God hath chosen the weake foolish and conteÌ„ptible things of this world to confound the wisdome power and glory of the fleshe A. And in that there seemeth to be some varietie betweene this our EuaÌ„gelist and the other thrée reade our Commentarie vpon the .28 of Matth. the first verse and there you shall see a playne reconciliation of those places which séeme to varie 2. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whoÌ„ Iesus loued and sayth vnto them They haue taken away the Lorde out of the graue we can not tell where they haue layde him R. Althogh this woman was not as yet endued with a perfect fayth yet notwithstanding she rightly endeuoured her selfe to manyfest the glory of the sonne of God M. Mary therefore runneth with speede to Peter and Iohn eyther for that they were best knowen vnto her or els because they were gathered into one companie She maketh hast by running béeing feruently affected by the spirite And bicause she found the graue emptie contrarie to her expectation forgetting the woordes of Christe shee conceyueth a wrong suspition in hir minde that the body of the Lord was translated into some other more seemly decent sepulchre the other being but rude and inconuenient though peraduenture fitte for the purpose of the Iewes beeing neere vnto mount Caluerie where he was crucified or els she iudged that the body of Christ was remoued for some other cause which shee knew not of R. Therefore wéeping and crying she commeth to Peter and Iohn saying They haue taken avvay the Lorde out of the graue She speaketh of the body of the Lorde and she calleth him hir Lorde thoughe he were buried so she was affected towarde the Lorde Iesus But this woman rather suspected
that whiche was false than that whiche was true and foreshewed by the Lord him selfe in playn wordes She suspected that he was remoued to some other Sepulcher when as he was neither in that nor in any other but was risen agayne So in doubtfull matters we rather fall into suspition of that which is false than of that which is true Bv. Notwithstanding by this complaynt it came to passe that occasion was giuē to the Disciples more diligently to searche out the truth For therefore Mary Magdalene tolde that vnto Peter and Iohn which she vnderstoode that they mighte more narrowly discusse the whole matter The which they also did as appeareth by that which foloweth 3. Peter therefore wente foorth and that other Disciple and came to the sepulcher M. When Peter Iohn vnderstoode that Mary had foūd the sepulcher without the Lord caried frō thence to another place they went also togither out of the City bicause they would know the truth came at last to the sepulchre C. But it is maruel seing ther was so litle faith almost none at al aswel in the disciples as in the women that ther was notwithstāding so gret a zeale feruēt a desire And in déede it can not be but that pietie draue thē to séeke Christ Therefore there remayned some séede of fayth in their harts but choked as it were for a time insomuch that they knewe not that they had that which they had So the holy Ghost worketh oftentimes in the Elect after a secret maner Wherfore we must be persuaded that there was some secrete roote frō the which we sée fruit to spring M. For as touching Peter we see that although he were greatly fallen in denying the Lord yet notwithstāding he retayned his accustomed mind affection towarde him Whervpon here also though the disciples were in feare yet neuerthelesse he doubted not to go foorth to the Lords Sepulchre He sayd not What haue I to doo to go to the sepulcher of our dead Lorde whom most filthily I denied whē he was aliue and in perill He thinketh of none of this but ioyneth himselfe to the rest of the Disciples agayn and retayneth a sincere mind toward Christ such is their disposition which fall not so muche of malicious wickednesse as of infirmitie of the flesh 4. They ran bothe together the other Disciple did outrun Peter and came firste to the Sepulchre Bv. We haue a notable example lefte vnto vs in these two Disciples For they run with a feruent desire and very carefully diligētly they search out al things M. They runne I say both togither but the one is more swift on foote than the other and commeth first to the Goale Héereby we are taught not to looke that they which are chiefe and excell others in singuler giftes should runne all alike in the race of Christ least one shoulde contemne another 5. And when he had stouped downe he saw the linnē clothes lying yet went he not in M. The Lords sepulcher was so made that none standing vprighte but stouping down could see into the same Euē so such are the mysteries of the deathe of the buriall of the resurrection of the Lord that they can neither be séene knowen nor cōsidered but of those which haue an humble and lowly mind They wil not be séene of such as are proud and hye mynded yea though they be called Apostles Bishops Priests and Doctours 6. Then came Simon Peter following him and wēt into the sepulcher and saw the linnen clothes lye 7. And the Napkin that was about his head not lying with the lynnen clothes but wrapped togither in a place by it selfe R. Although Iohn came fyrst to the sepulchre when he sawe the linnen clothes lye aside he went not in peraduenture stayed with feare or els to tell Peter newes who came more slowly after him And in ciuill matters too much hast is reproued by this prouerbe A softe fyre maketh swéete malte that is to saye thou muste not be too rashe nor too slowe but make hast not with rashnesse but wyth consultation not with heat but with prudence not with lust but with deliberatiō C. Therfore in the Peter who made lesse hast entred notwithstāding first into the sepulchre we therby lerne that there is more giuen to many in retiring thā apereth at the first sight And sometimes we see it cōmeth to passe that many which in the beginning were very hote do waxe cay cold that many which brag most at the fyrst when they come to the cōflict turne their backs run away and cōtrariwise that they which wer thoght to be cold slow when peril cōmeth ar most forward coragious And he saw the linnen clothes C. These lynnen clothes were as it were Relikes to confyrme the faith of the Resurrection For it is not like that the body was stripte to be caried to another place For neyther enimie nor friende would haue done suche a deede And the napkin that was about his head M. The Euangelist is wonderfull diligent in noting and describing all things so exactly For it was not withoute cause that the napkin which was about his head was layde from the linnen clothes in a seuerall place by it selfe For hereby the beholders of the same might quickly see that none of those things were wanting in the which the body of Christ was wrapped that there might be a perfect testimonie of his resurrection and that all suspition of remouing his hody might be taken away The Lorde lefte his apparel which he vsed in this lyfe with the souldiers before he was executed vpon the Crosse but he left the linnen clothes and the napkin which was about his head with the which he being dead was infolded and buried in the Sepulchre when he rose again from death For he béeing raysed to the glory of immortalitie mynded to come no more into thys miserable lyfe therefore he had no more anye neede of those garments and linnen clothes So in lyke maner we must dye with Christ that we may wholly forsake this newe lyfe and we must so ryse from death that we must leaue the Reliques of sinne in Baptisme as in the graue A. Concerning the exposition of the eyght and ninth verses following reade our Commentarie vpon the .28 of Math. 10. Then the disciples wēt away agayne to their owne house R. It is like that the Disciples returned home agayne with suspended and doubtfull minds For although S. Iohn sayth that he beleeued yet notwithstanding that fayth was not fyrme but had onely a certayne small taste of the myracle vntill suche tyme as he was afterwarde better confyrmed And in deede a sounde fayth could not be conceyued by a bare sight onely Moreouer Christ did not shewe hymselfe vnto them vntill suche time as they were better awaked from their carnall blindnesse They had shewed a notable token of their zeale in running to the sepulchre notwithstanding Christe was hiddē from
Prophets perfecte God and perfecte man the mediator of God and men the highe Legate of the father the onely author of perfect felicitie Bv. Who by hys death hathe put away death and by his resurrection hath restored to lyfe The Sonne of God Bicause among men there was none founde méete to bring suche notable matters to passe as to reconcile vs to the father to make satisfaction for sinnes to destroy death to ouerthrowe the kingdome of Sathan and to bring vnto vs true righteousnesse and saluation therefore God sente and gaue vnto vs his onely begotten sonne A. For all are gone out of the way all are beoome vnprofitable Psal 14.3 Rom. 3.12 there is none that dothe good no not one C. Moreouer seeing the name of sonne dothe belong vnto Christe onely it followeth that he is not a sonne by adoption but by nature Wherefore in this name the eternall Diuinitie of Christe is conteyned M. Reade more heereof in our Annotations vpon the .16 verse of the .16 chapter of Matthew And that in beleeuing yee might haue life Bv. Now Sainct Iohn addeth the fruite of fayth to restrayne the desire of men least they should desire to knowe more than were sufficient to obteyne lyfe For what wickednesse were this not to be contented with eternall saluation and to séeke to passe the boundes of the heauenly kingdome M. The ende of the Scriptures concerning Iesus is Faythe in Christe the sonne of God and the ende of faith in Christ is euerlasting life Bv. For bothe the Prophetes and the rest of the Apostles also sayde Haba 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 1. Pet. 1.9 that the iuste man shall lyue by fayth Concerning our restoring to lyfe by Christ reade our Annotations vpon the third chapter before the 16. verse Through his name Bv. He addeth this to declare that we haue lyfe by the merites and vertue of Chryste For in shewing that oure righteousnesse commeth hy the grace of Chryste hée excludeth all mans merites M. Therefore wée haue lyfe by the name of Christ that is to say through Christ for Christ in Christ to the glory of Christe bycause we are Christes and doo apperteine to his name if so be we beléeue in him For we are geuen vnto hym of the Father A. Also there are many places of Scripture which testify that we haue life gyuen vnto vs by the name of Christ Iesus onely Act. 4.12 Act. 10.43 1. Ihon. 2.12 Such are these whiche I haue coted in the margent The xxj Chapter 1 Afterwarde did Iesus shewe hym selfe agayne to hys disciples at the sea of Tyberias and on thys wise shewed he hym selfe Bv. SOme thinke that thys chapter was not added by Iohn but by some other bycause Sainct Iohn cōcludeth his historie in the ende of the twenty chapter But they see not that in the twentith chapter those argumentes onely are spoken of by whiche the resurrection of the Lorde was manifested at Hierusalem that in this one twentith chapter those thinges are named Mat. 26.32 by which he approued the truth of his resurrection in Galile Therfore of the twentith chapter he concludeth the narratiō of those signes which were shewed at Hierusalem But bicause the Lorde had specially promised that streight after his Resurrcection he would go into Galile and there shewed him selfe alyue againe vnto his disciples S. Ihon lest he mighte séeme to omitte any thing which appertayned to a full and perfecte history hath in this chapter added the reuelation of the Resurrection made in Galile M. But when this apparition was made we cannot sertaynely tell for that the Euangeliste speaketh not of any time It is moste sertayne that the Apostles according to the commaundement of the Lorde lefte Hierusalem and came to Galile after the eight daye of his resurrectiō Wherin we haue to note the dilligence of Christ who sought to cōfyrme his disciples in the faith of the Resurrection Yf so be he had sought onely to haue made them beleeue his resurrection he had done that oute of hand the fyrst day of the same neither was it néede full to vse many signes and apparitions for that cause but bycause it was not sufficiente once onely too knowe the truth of the resurrection excepte they did percist in the knowledge and faith of the same by inuincible constancie it was necessarie too instructe and confyrme them by many signes by the space of forty dayes So also wee haue néede to be strengthned in the knowledge of that truth whiche we haue once receyued Therefore Christe hathe so ordered hys Church that we might not onely be illumined but also confirmed euen to the end of the world by the worde by Sacramēts and by the often operations of the holy Ghost 2. There were together Simon Peter and Thomas whiche is called Didimus c. C. Saynct Iohn declareth that Christ apeared to seuen of his disciples amongst whome he reckeneth Thomas not for estimations sake so muche as that we might the sooner beléeue by his testimony M. Simon Peter was of Bethsaida a citie of Galile bordering vppon the Sea which in other places is called the lake of Genazareth but here the Sea of Tiberias This Peter the rest S. Iohn nameth as witneses to proue the truthe sertainety of the resurrection of Christ 3. Symon Peter sayth vnto them I go a fishing They say vnto him we also will go with thee They went their way entered into a ship immediatly and that night caught they nothing Bv. Here fyrst is set downe the occasion by which the manifestation was made For when Symon Peter was come into hys owne countrey with his disciples least hée should be idle and liue vpon other mens cost and charge went a fyshing and tooke with him the rest of his disciples C. And this trauayle of Peter in fyshing oughte not to be iudged vnséemely vnméete for his office He was only ordayned an Apostle by breathing as yet as we haue sayde before in the twentie chapter but he ceased for a little while vntil he were endued with new power For he was not as yet commaunded to go forth to execute the office of teaching but was only admonished of his calling to come that he and the rest might know that they were not chosen frō the beginning in vayne In the meane tyme they do that which they were accustomed to do and which became priuate men vntill such tyme as they were called of the lord to do other busines The Apostle Paule euen in the middest of his race of preaching got his liuing with his hāds but he had another consideration For so the time gaue hym leaue least handy labors might drawe him away from teaching But Peter and his fellowes bicause they were frée from al publique function gaue them selues wholly vnto fishing Bv. Therfore herein labour is commended to vs all and idlenes condemned And that night caught they nothing M. In that they tooke nothing it
séemeth to be so ordered by gods dispositiō and appointment C. For god had suffered thē to labor weary them selues in vaine al the night to make the miracle more manifest For if they had taken any thing the power of Christ would not so quickly and so euidentlye haue appeared but laboring all the night in vain then sodenly inclosing a great multitude of fishes they haue iust occasion geuen them to acknowledge the grace of the lord Bv. By this place we are taught that all mans labour is in vaine except the lord prosper blesse his endeuour R. For so long as we labour wtout Christ we labour in vaine And this is the cause why they which oftentymes take most paynes are most poore For they sée not God in their labour God is not séene but by the word The father is not séene but by the sonne What then saith the sonne The father clotheth thée the father nourisheth thée Therfore if by faith thou begin to labour in this word of the sonne thou shalt truly see god in thy labour who will throughly blesse thée whatsoeuer thou takest in hand it shall prosper C. Also God doth oftentimes exercise the faithfull euen as he hath don the Apostles to commend vnto them his blessing If so be alwayes all thinges which they take in hand should haue good successe no man almost wold impute the fruit gain of his labour to the blessing of god euery one would boast of his owne labour kisse his owne hands but when sometyme they wearye thēselues wtout profite if so be afterward any better fruit chaunce to come they are cōstrained to acknowledge somwhat that is extraordinary Thus it cōmeth to passe that they begin to attribute the prayse of prosperous successe vnto the grace of God 4 But when the morning was come Iesus stood on the shore neuerthelesse the disciples knewe not that it was Iesus Iesus saith vnto them children haue ye any meate c. Bv. The disciples knew not christ either that they were far frō the shore or else bicause their eyes wer held as wer the eies of those disciples which were going to Emaus M. But Christ most frendly calleth vnto thē saying Children haue ye any meate By this voyce is set forth that fatherly affectiō which Christ beareth toward al those which will be his disciples M. Christ demaundeth this question as a marchaunte come thither to buy fyshe And when hée asketh them if they haue any meate hée meaneth fish But the disciples supposing that he had bene some other man which came to the lake to buy fyshe answered him that they had nothing 6. And he saith vnto thē cast out the net on the ryght syde of the ship and ye shall finde c. C. Christ commaundeth not as by the right and authoritie of a Master but geueth frendly aduice as one of the people M. And by this admonition hee prepareth away for the miracle For it was necessary that they shuld haue this watch word before that they might afterward know wherunto they might referre this sodayne and vnloked for multitude of fishes And wheras Christ did not make the fyshes of their owne accord to leape into the disciples Ship but be rather would haue them to be taken by the inclosier of their net By this image we are taught that the gospell is néedfull to be preached euen among the elect by the ministrie of the Apostles that they may be saued C. The disciples not knowing what to do and being without hope of fruite easilye yelded to the counsayle of him whome they tooke to be a straunger If so bee any man had geuen them suche counsayle at the fyrst pitch they would not haue bene so ready to obaye The which is therfore spoken least any man should maruayle that they were so obedient séeing they were so far spente with labour Therefore bicause they had taken nothing they obeyed the worde of the Lord though vnknowne vnto them if peraduenture they might at the last take some fish to carry home with them C. Howbeit this is no commen example of sufferaunce and patience that they continue their labour after the day lighte which they had spent without profite all that might And verely if so be we submit our selues to the blessing of him we must patiently wayte for the same For ther is nothing more vnméete than bi andby to pull back our hand from our labour if it appere not profytable The nakednes of Peter testifieth that the Apostles had laboured very sore and yet notwithstanding they let not to cast in their net a freshe that they might omit no occasiō Notwithstanding in that they obeyed the commaundement of Christ it cannot be ascribed vnto faith For they heard him as a straunger Now if so be at any tyme our vocation séemeth yrkesome bicause our labour and trauayle is without fruite yet notwithstanding when the Lord exhorteth vs to go forewarde let vs be of good chéere we shall haue at the last good successe in due tyme. 7. Then sayd the disciple whom Iesus loued it is the lord When Symon Peter heard that it was the lord he gyrt hys coate vnto hym for he was naked and sprang into the sea M. This disciple beloued of Iesus was Iohn who wrote these thinges Hée was the fyrst which knew the Lord by the inclosing of the wonderfull companye of fyshes of whom he enformed Peter also R. Therfore it appereth for what cause they had taken nothing all the night long and afterwards drew a great multitude of fishes into the Ship namely for no other cause than that they might thereby the more plainly know the Lord euen as oftentimes our praiers séeme to be vaine if so be anye thing contrary vnto our desyre happen And with this purpose the Lord doth work contrary to our prayers that he may afterward more fully graūt vs the petitions of our hearts may be more largely glorifyed in vs. Moreouer the Euangelist by his example teacheth that when we haue good successe contrary to our expectation wee must lift vp our myndes vnto the Lord bicause we ought biandby to remember that this benefyte procéeded from his grace which is the author of all goodnes This godly knowledge of the deuine grace which Iohn had in his mynde brought him to the knowledge of Christ also For he knew not Christ with his bodely eyes but bicause he was perswaded that this aboundance of fysh was geuen vnto them of God hee gathereth that it was Christ which directed theyr handes And sprāg into the sea As faith was fyrst in Iohn so Peter biandby excelleth him in feruencie of the spirit when setting all feare of perill asyde hée casteth him self into the lake R. For Christ being knowne no daunger is feared C. Notwithstāding it is vncertaine whether he did walke vpon the sea or swim to the shore Let it suffyce vs to know this that he leauing the ship tooke his way not rashlye
we doo neuer obey God with such a willing free minde but the world seeketh to drawe vs a contrarie way R. Death is alway vnsauery to the flesh the flesh is most vnwilling to dye C. Whervpon the Apostle complayneth The good which I wold do I not but the euil which I vvould not that doo I. Rom. 7.19 Therfore Peter in the flesh was vnwilling but in the spirit willing to dye G. Furthermore we haue to note that all men naturally feare death Death feared by nature bicause it is contrary to nature to desire to be dissolued Therefore Christ though with his whole hart he was framed to the obedieÌ„ce of God he wisheth death away This doctrine therfore is necessarie to be knowne For it stirreth vs vp to pray bicause we can neuer ouercome the feare of death without the singuler helpe of God therfore our onely way is to submit our selues vnder his holy hande to be ordered at his pleasure 19. That spake he signifying by what death he shuld glorify God And wheÌ„ he had spoken this he saith vnto him Follow me M. The Euangelist expoundeth the words of Christ by which he gaue Peter to vnderstande that he should be slayn for the doctrine of the Gospell C. This addition of S. Iohn is of great weight For although all the godly ought to seeke to glorifie God whether it be by life or by death yet S. Iohn thought good to adorne their death with a speciall title whiche with their bloud seale the Gospell of Christ and set foorth his name Phil. 1.19 Bv. That punishmeÌ„t which the confessors of Christ suffer is extreme reprochefull and full of ignominy but the truthe calleth suche deathes and suche punishments glorious bicause the holy Martyrs of God by death do glorifie God and are glorified also them selues by that eternall glory M. The Euangelist doth not say by what death Peter should dye nor yet by what death he shoulde deserue euerlasting life but he sayth Signifying by vvhat death he should glorifie God Therefore the death of the godly which they suffer for Christes sake bringeth not destruction vnto them as the blinde world iudgeth neyther doth it deserue eternall lyfe but hath onely thys commendation that it glorifieth God The which whosoeuer doth he hathe to comforte him selfe with this voyce of the Lorde 1. Kin. 2.30 Apoc. 14.13 I will glorifie them whiche glorifie me Blessed therefore are the deade which dye in the Lorde Follow me C. Hâ—â—re Christ declareth wherefore he foreshewed the violent death of Peter namely that he might prepare Peter to patience sufferance Séeing sayth he thou must suffer death by my example follow thy captayne M. Therfore the Lord propoundeth his example to Peter as if he should say Thou knowest how I haue liued in this world how diligently I haue fed the shéepe which the father hath giuen me what I haue suffered of the wicked for this cause and from wheÌ„ce I am now raysed to eternall lyfe and glory Héereby frame thy selfe after my example hereby take heede what thou doest hereby know what to looke for and thou shalt finde consolation R. For thou shalte dye a cruell death Therfore prepare thy selfe for the afflictions to come and take heede to thy calling This ought to be no small consolation vnto vs how sharpe soeuer death séemeth to bée seeing the sonne of God offereth him selfe before our eyes with hys blessed resurrection which is our triumph agaynst death Bv. So that this place playnly sheweth that all the Ministers of the church ought to be folowers of Christ in whom they shall finde see and learne al that apperteyneth to the discharging of their ministerie In him is the most excellent loue both of God the father and also of the flock committed vnto him in him is a burning and discrete zeale he teacheth sincere swéete and sharpe doctrine he is most pure in maners and in example of lyfe he giueth strength and patience to euery one in perils and he is most long suffering To this Shepheard let euery Pastor in the Church haue respect Iohn 8.12 For he is the light of the worlde who so followeth him walketh not in darknesse but shall haue the light of life 20. Peter turned about saw the disciple whom Iesus loued following him c. Bv. Although Peter was restored and placed in his Apostolicall office yet neuerthelesse he retayneth stil in himself the relikes of humaine nature and imbecilitie which procedeth froÌ„ the corruptioÌ„ of sin M. For wheÌ„ he was coÌ„maÌ„ded to folow the lord he doth not so muche consider that vocation as he hath respect vnto others Bv. For looking behinde him he saw Iohn following and seeing he knew thot he was more deare vnto him than the reste he greatly maruelled what death he should dye M. Whervpon he moueth the question concerning his lot saying Lorde vvhat shall he doo For he thought it very absurde that he should be called alone and Iohn omitted whom Christe had alwayes so greatly loued A. Concerning the leauing of Iohn on Christes breste reade the .23 verse of the .13 chap. before Lorde what shall he do C. We haue here in Peter an example not onely of our superfluous but also of hurtfull curiositie when as by the the beholding of others we are draweÌ„ away froÌ„ our office For we being by nature seuere and narrowe examiners rather of other mens liues than our owne do therby seke to shift off our selues For by this cullour of excuse we willingly deceiue our selues namely that other are no better than we as though their slouth and folly were our discharge Scarse the hundreth person doth consider this saying of S. Paule Gal. 6.5 Euery man shall beare his ovvne burthen Wherfore in the person of one man this is a generall reprehensioÌ„ of al those which looke rounde about them how other men behaue them selues but neglecte their owne dutie and charge which God enioyneth them faythfully to execute Of tenne God will choose one whome he will exercise eyther with excéeding sorrowes or with gréeuous labour the other nyne he will suffer to liue in peace or at least will lightly exercise them He vseth not all men alike but trieth euery one as it seemeth good vnto him Seeing therfore ther are diuers kinds of Christian warfare let euery man learne to kéepe his owne raye and order least as idle persons we enquiring after this or that prouoke our heauenly Captayne to displeasure agaynst vs to whom we ought to be in suche subiection that we shuld forget al such things as appertain not to the doing of our duties 22. Iesus sayth vnto him If I will haue him to tarry till I come what is that to thee Follow thou me Bv. The Lord Iesus reprehendeth the curious and vnprofitable demaunde of Peter Bv. and calleth him into the way in the which he must go willing him to consider not the burtheÌ„ of other men but what he him selfe is
inioyned to beare As if he should say It maketh no matter vnto thée neither hast thou any thing to doo to demaunde what shall become of thy fellow leaue this to my wil only consider of thy selfe and prepare thy selfe to follow whither soeuer thou art called R. Haue regard to thine own calling and not to an other mans I will haue a regarde to others my selfe If he abide and suffer no cruell death he abideth to me Bv. Yea if it be my will that he shal not dye but to abide in the state he is in now vntil I come to iudgement and that the same should be good for him what hast thou to doo with it I will haue thée nor no man else curiously to search out Gods counsayles or to discusse other mens callings Iohn is mine and I will vse him at my pleasure Therfore that which I sayd euen now I say agayne Luke 9.62 No man putting his hande to thē Plough and looking backe is meete for the kingdome of God R. I would to God that this sentence were imprinted in all mens mindes that euery one mighte learne to haue his duty in remembrance For what art thou sayth the Apostle which iudgest another mans seruant Rom. 14.4 To his owne master he standeth or falleth M. Notwithstanding we must here distinguish betweene that care which procedeth of curiosity Care procedeth of loue and of curiositie that which procedeth of loue C. For all care for our brethren is not superfluous if it obserue a meane then is it not curiositie but a good care M. This is curiositie to searche and séeke how long this or that man shall liue and whether he shall be riche or poore the which many do by curious artes rather then attending and regarding Christian charitie Let vs say If so be GOD wyll haue this Prince or that Tyrant to rayne vntill the ende of the world what is it to vs Let vs follow Christ our Captayn C. To be short let euery one of vs haue respecte vnto our neighboures to see if wee can draw them vnto Christ rather than by their offences to do euel our selues Vntil I come Math. 25.31 Act. 1.11 M. Therfore he geueth vs to vnderstand that he wil come agayne into this world the which also in other places is more playnly affirmed 23. Then went this saying abroade among the brethren that the same disciple should not dye c. C. The Euangelist declareth that an error sprong vp among the disciples by mistaking the wordes of Christ that Iohn shuld neuer dye M. The Euangelist therfore thought good to interprete truly the words of Christ not vnderstood but rashly taken least when he him self wer dead any note of vntruth might with offence be ascribed vnto the wordes of the Lord. Among the brethren C. He meaneth these Apostles which wer present at that saying not that the name of brethren appertayneeh to them alone Bv. For all Christians were called brethren But bicause they were the sanctifyed fyrst fruites of vnitie It may also be that others besyde the eleuen which wer presēt are noted Bv. Hereby we gather how apte and ready men are to erre For if so be those men which were as it were the fyrst pillers of the Church stombled at such a strawe what will we do which haue such great stombling blockes layd in our way C. Howbeit it is lyke that this error continued no longer among them than vntill they were replenished by the holy ghost Bv. Error springeth of diuers causes Error springeth of diuerse causes but specially of these two that is to say eyther of our affection which iudgeth not rightly of the eternall maiestie of god or else by some small wresting of the word of god Of wrong affection toward Iesus thus the disciples gathered Iesus loueth Iohn therefore Iohn shall not dye For those whom humaine affection loueth it wisheth to liue for euer To the wresting of the word of Christ this appertayned bicause they absolutely pronounced that Iohn should abyde in his present state vntill Christ came againe whereas he spake conditionally If I will haue him tary till I come what is that to thee C. Thus verye profytably Christ teacheth vs to our edification and that also very plainly but we by our corrupt and wicked imaginations do obscure darken the light Christ would not pronounce any thing certayne concerning Iohn but only approue that he had full power of life and death So that of it selfe it was a simple and profytable doctrine but the disciples deuise and imagine more than was spoken Wherfore that we may be safe from the same perill let vs learne soberlye to conceyue that which is spoken out of the worde of God M. Also by the present care of the Euangelist we are taught how circumspect we ought to be in reading the wordes of Christ the which one letter being added or taken away or chaunged may bee so peruerted that they will not testefye a truth but a lye and will serue to mayntayne contentions specially seeing it is a very hard matter to take away quite out of mens mindes an error once conceyued if so be it haue anye shewe of authoritie from Christ The which happened in this cause concerning the death of Iohn For such is the wickednes of mans nature that it rusheth headlong into all vanitie Wherupō it cōmeth to passe that this error also of the which the Euangelist hath warned vs to take héed is yet in the world For ther want not some which deny that he is dead M. but haue fayned that whē he had commaunded his sepulcher to be digged and was put into the same the next day after it was found emptie Iohn being caried aliue corporallye into paradise to Enoch and Elias who shall come at the latter day to warre agaynst Antechrist C. Wherfore wée see that ther is no ende of erring except wee simply imbrace that which the Lorde hath deliuered reiect all other Imaginations comments and surmises Bv. These thinges teache vs not to trust to much to our owne wisedome lest we lightly necligently handel the Scriptures but rather let vs reede them in the feare of God and with often prayers knowing that we are ful of error darknes but do receiue the true perfecte illumination from aboue 24. The same discyple is he whiche testefieth of these thyngs wrote these things and we knowe that hys testymonye is true Bv. This is the conclusion appendix of this deuine history by which Sainct Iohn happely knitteth vp the woorke C. And bicause hytherto he hath made mention of him selfe vnder the third perso he now expresseth that hee is euen the very same to the ende he being an eye witnes and one that speaketh by experience mighte bring more weighte aucthoritie to his worde Bv. There is great modestie to be followed in his wordes For he neyther speaketh nor writeth any thing of him self arrogantly or boldly He
calleth him self a disciple not a doctor who notwitstanding farre excelled all the Doctors and teachers in the worlde Let then those greedy hunters after vain glorie blushe and be ashamed who are contented with no tytels bee they neuer so honourabie and large Iohn the Baptiste called hym selfe a voyce crying in the wildernes Peter and Paul which are the lightes of the whole world name them selues the Seruantes and Ministers of Iesu Christe But Iohn also calleth hym selfe a witnes bicause the Lorde had saide ye shall be witnesses of these thinges A witnes speaketh nothing of hys owne but faithfully doth declare those things onely which he hath eyther seene or hearde Wherefore that which he had heard of the Lord and had séene hym do and suffer simplely and trulye euenas they were spoken and done he hath vttred and declared M. This therefore is the very same disciple whome hee hath so often sayde was specially beloued of the Lorde and yet hathe he not once in all his booke sette to his name lest he might incurre the suspicion of arrowgancy Yet notwithstanding it is not too be forbidden that the names of aucthors shoulde be set vnto theire bookes the which may stand too very good vse and purpose so that vayne glory be not sought And we knowe that hys testimony is true Bv. Nowe Saincte Iohn very-seriously affirmeth that he hath faythfully and truely deliuered the pure simple truthe Euen as in another place also That which we haue hearde which we haue seene vvith our eyes which we haue looked vppon â–ª and our handes haue handled of the worde of lyfe wee shewe vnto you For his meaning is that the Apostolicall doctrine is moste true and approued euen as sayd Peter we haue not followed deceitfall fables when we opened vnto you the power and comming of the Lorde Iesus but with our eyes we sawe hys Maiestie A. Concerning the reste which may be brought to the exposition of this place reade the .35 verse of the .19 chapter before For there he geeueth the lyke testimony to that which he hath writen 55. There are also many other thinges whiche Iesus dyd the which if they shoulde bee written euery one I suppose the worlde coulde not contayne the bokes that should be written Iohn 20.30 Bv. This place agréeth with that which the Apostle sayd before how that not al the signes of the Lordes resurrectioÌ„ were written but those onely which were sufficient to perswade men to beleeue in the Lorde Iesus that by him they attayne to life euerlasting and true blessednes M. The very same he séemeth now to repeate agayne but yet not without some differeÌ„ce Before he spake of the signes after the Resurrection but here hee speaketh of those signes generally whiche Christe wrought and shewed from the fyrst to the laste all the which he sayth are not written neyther in this booke nor in any other C. Therefore leste any man should suspecte his word as one speaking pertially bicause he was loued of Christe he cutteth off this obiection saying that he hath omitted ouerpassed more than he hathe written Neyther doth he speake of euery action of Christ but of those which appertayned to his publique office M. And the reason hereof he sayth is the innumerable multitude of Christes deedes saying that the whole worlde woulde not contayne those bookes which should be written if all perticulers were written By which hiperbolicall speacke his mind was to expresse that multitude of bookes which muste be written if all the actions of Christe were to be written Hiderbole is an excessiue speach eyther in aduauncing or deâ—â—praesting any thinge C. Neither ought we to Iudge this an absurd Hiperbole seeing we beare with many thinges in prophane wryters We must not only consider the number of Christes workes but also we muste way the weighte and greatnes of them The diuine maiestie of Christe which to mans sence and vnderstanding â—s infinite did in those his works wonderfully shine If the Euangelist hauing respecte vnto this as one astonished exclameth that the whole worlde is not able to conceiue and comprehende a iust and full narration who will maruell B. And verely seeing the actes of Christe were almoste infinite who coulde haue remeÌ„bred or wayed al things with fruite To what end then should they haue béen written For it had not beene meete that we should haue neglected them C. Furthermore he is not to be repreheÌ„ded for vsing an olde and accustomed figure to coÌ„mend the excellency of the workes of Christe Bv. Furthermore who seeth not that the same is a full and perfecte kynde of doctrine which leadeth bringeth vnto that ende to the whiche it is ordeyned and appointed But the EuaÌ„gelical history was ordeyned to shew vnto vs a way how we might obtayne eternall life the which we obtayne by fayth in Christe the whiche way it doth most playnely and plentifully teach vs. Therefore it followeth that the Gospel is a most perfect kynd of doctrine and that the Euangelists haue put a suÌ„me in writing which may suffice to instructe vs in the fayth and also to leade vs in the waye to euerlasting life although they haue not deliuered vnto vs worde for worde all thinges that Christe both spake and did B. Those thinges therefore are written whiche beeing well wayed are plentiful inoughe to instruct vs in al godlynes I wold to God they were so exactly discussed to imbrace Godlynes as they are narrowly sifted stretched to maintayne contencions and braules C. Wherfore he is sufficiently learned and instructed whiche hathe profited in the reading of this Scripture And verely séeing the Apostles ar ordeined of God to be witnesses vnto vs as they haue faythfully done their duetie so also is it our parte wholly to depend vppon their testimony and too desire no more than they haue vttred specially seeing their pennes haue beene dyrected and gouerned by the assured prouidence of God lest withouermuch matter they should oppresse our weake capacitie and yet notwithstanding hauing choyse might deliuer so much vnto vs as he which is only wyse and the welspring it selfe of Godes wisedome knewe to bee expedient for vs. A. But to make an ende of this exposition of S. Iohn let vs note that we haue here described truly offred vnto vs our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ that true and naturall sonne of God consubstantiall and coequall with the Father in all things but in the fulnesse of time according to the Prophets he was incarnate for vs he suffered he truely dyed and was vndoubtedly raysed agayne from death and was made King and Lorde of all things This Christ seeing he is appoynted of God the father and geuen vnto vs to be the fulnesse of all grace and truth that Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the worlde that Ladder and gate of heauen that exalted Serpent which maketh the deadly poyson hurtlesse that water refreshing the thirstie that Sonne reconciling vs to the Father that bread of lyfe that lighte of the worlde that Shepheard of the shéepe the doore the resurrectioÌ„ the lyfe the growing wheat corne the Conqueror of the prince of this worlde the example of lyfe the waye the truthe the true and fruitfull vine to be short the redemption saluation satisfaction and righteousnesse of all the faythfull in the whole world Séeing I say Christe is the plentiful treasurie of all these riches and graces vnto vs let vs giue thanks vnto God the Father of the same Iesu Christ who hath not spared his onely sonne but hath giuen him for vs to redeeme vs from all iniquitie and to make vs a holye and acceptable people vnto him selfe deuoutly giuen to all good workes that béeing now deliuered by the bloud of Christ from the hande of all our enemies we might serue him in holynesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our lyfe To him be Glory Empire and Dominion now and for euer Amen FINIS Laus Deo ¶ IMPRINTED AT LONDON by Thomas Marshe dwelling in Fleetstreete neare vnto Sainct Dunsions Church
desart where the Lorde fed the multitude For Luke sayeth that the Lord went a part by shippe into a desart place of the Citye of Bethsaida Therefore the Lorde commaunded him to goe before him towarde Bethsaida to the side of the shoare eyther because this was the more conuenient place of passage or else because by this commaundement he intended somewhat else which is vnknown to vs. That also which Mathewe and Marke haue that they went ouer to the lande of Genesar is nothing contrary to that which Iohn writeth that they went to Capernaum because they speake generallye of the lande to the which they arriued and Iohn perticularlye of the Citye Capernaum to whiche they came Therfore there is no such disagréement betwéene these places as maye at the first sight séeme to be And it was nowe darke C. Iohn pretermitteth many Circumstaunces which the other haue as by reading them ye may sée 18. And the Sea arose vvith a great wynde that blewe This history is expounded in the fouretéene Chapter of Mathew from the fortye and eyght verse vnto the fiftye and thrée verse 19. So vvhen they had rowed about fiue and twenty or thirty furlongs they saw Iesus walking on the Sea and drawing nye to the Ship and they vvere afrayde B. Because the Disciples of Christ did not sufficiently perceiue and knowe the Lordes power by the miracle of the Loaues they were to be exercised by this perryll and daunger of the Sea R. For the Tempest of the Sea was not raysed about the Disciples by chaunce but by the wise dispensation of Christ he being absent whereby his presence might the more earnestlye bée desired of his Disciples and might learne howe necessary Christ was in aduersitye Afflictions Euenso the godly are afflicted with Crosses with afflictions and with calamities that they might with more feruent prayer call vppon Christ by faith Contrarywyse the wicked the more they are afflicted the farther they goe from God For they do not acknowledge the Lorde in tribulation but Sathan C. And it may séeme very absurd that the Disciples of Christ are so vexed when others haue quiet sayling but so the Lord oftentimes exerciseth his with greuous perrilles that they may the more familliarlye knowe him in tyme of their deliueraunce A. Reade for larger matter in the fouretéene of Mathew and in the sixt of Marke also 20. But he sayeth vnto them It is I bee not afrayde C. Here S. Iohn setteth before vs as in a glasse what knowledge of Christ it is we can conceyue without the worde and what it bringeth For if he geue vnto vs but a bare shewe of his Diuinitye onelye by and by wée fall to our owne imaginations and euery man maketh to him selfe an Idoll in stéede of Christ After the error of the minde followeth trembling and confused feare of the mind Knowledge of God commeth rather by the worde than by Miracles But when he beginneth to speake by and by by his voyce we receiue sound and perfect knowledge and then we haue ioye in our mindes and peace of conscience For there is great waight in those wordes It is I be not afrayd For we are here taught that we haue sufficient cause of trust in the presence of Christ in so much that we maye bée in peace and safetye But this pertayneth to none sauing onelye to the Disciples of Christ for afterwarde wée shall sée that the wicked by the same voyce were throwne downe at his féete The voyce of Christ wyll discerne the wicked from the Children of GOD Iohn 18.6 for hée is sent a Iudge to destroye the reprobate and vnbeléeuing wherefore they can not abyde his sight but they are by and by confounded But the godlye who knowe that hée is geuen to them for a mercifull Sauiour so soone as they heare his woorde whiche is to them a sure pledge both of his Diuine loue and also of theyr saluation doe recouer their strength as it were from death to lyfe and doe ioyfullye beholde the cléere skye after the stormye tempest and doe dwell in the earth in peace and being conquerers of all euill doe set his defence against all perrilles 21. And they would haue receyued him into the Shippe and immediatelye the Ship was at the land whether they went The other Euangelistes saye that they receyued him into the Shippe the which our Euangelist doeth not denye but sayeth that by and by the Shippe arriued to the lande whether they went The Miracle consisted in this that hée walked vppon the Sea and that hée made the Sea calme and thyrdly that the Ship by and by arriued to lande by the power of Christ Mathewe addeth a fourth part concerning Peter in the fouretéene Chapter C. Therefore we sée here that the Lorde doeth not onelye erect and comfort his Disciples with his worde but also in very deede deliuereth them from feare allaying the tempest M. Let vs learne therefore by this example to whome wée are bounde for this that being so oftentimes tempted wée are not ouercome in temptacions 22. The daye following when the people which stoode on the other side of the Sea sawe that there was no other Ship there saue that one wherevnto his Discyples were entered and that Iesus went not in vvith his Disciples into the Shippe but that his Discyples were gone awaye alone Bv. By lytle and lytle the Eangelist descendeth to more nygh occasions of that most diuine sermon which the Lord made in the schole of the Capernaits cōcerning the summe and briefe Compendium of our Religion namelye that hée is the true Sonne of God sent of the Father from Heauen into the world to quicken all mankinde of the which quickening the faithfull that beléeue in him are partakers But the circumstances which the Euangelist putteth downe here pertaine to this ende to teache that the multitude perceiued that Christ went ouer the Lake by his diuine power and not by Marriners skyll That therefore which Christ dyd in walking vpon the Water dyd not onely profite the Disciples to confirme their faith but was yet more fruitefull because the day folowing the whole multitude might easilye gather that he was carried ouer by his owne power and not by Shippe 23. Howbeit there came other Shippes from Tiberias nye vnto the place where they did eate bread after that the Lorde had geuen thankes After the Lord had geuen thankes C. This repeticion of thankesgiuing is not in vaine For his meaning is that Christ obtained by Praiers that those fewe Loaues dyd suffise to féede so many men and because we are colde and slowe to Praier he doeth twise put vs in minde of the same Therefore wée ought the more to noate this saying because we sée at this daye a great part of the worlde lyke brute Beastes to giue them selues to security 24. When the People therefore sawe that Iesus was not there neither his Disciples they also toke Shipping and came to Capernaum seeking for