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
loued vs because it springeth from his eternall purpose is aboue all other causes but that his grace which he woulde haue to be made manifest vnto vs and by which wée haue assuraunce of saluation beginneth at the reconciliation made by Christ For séeing wée must néedes graunt that he hateth all sinne and wickednesse howe canne wée assure our selues to bée in his loue and fauour vntill our sinnes are cleane put awaye for the which hée is iustly angry with vs. Thus the blood of Christ must bée the meane to make God fauorable vnto vs before wee can haue any manner of féeling of his Fatherly loue and clemencie B. And Christ is called the onely begotten Sonne of GOD because hée is the heade of Gods children and haue all receyued of the fulnesse of his grace that wee also might be the sonnes of GOD. Moreouer there was neuer any man beside him Heb. 7.26 that was without sinne and which bare the full and perfect Image of God for hée onely is innocent And this name of the onely begotten sonne Christ by nature but wee by adoption are the sonnes of God appertayneth to Christ by right bicause by nature hee is the onely Sonne of God but wee by adoption being ingraffed into his bodye Therefore this name of onelye begotten Sonne is put downe vnto vs to expresse the vehemencie of Gods loue towarde vs. For because men doe not easilye perswade themselues to bée beloued of God to take awaye all doubt from vs hée expressely sayth That God hath so greatlye loued vs that for our sakes hée hath not spared his onelye begotten sonne Seing then God hath sufficientlye declared vnto vs his loue hée shall not be a little iniurious to Christ that not contented with this testimonye shall doubt still and make no more accounte of Christ than if one of the common sorte of men had béene giuen to death But wée must rather waye and consider of how great price God estéemed his sonne to whome our saluation was so precious that he woulde redéeme the same with the price of his onelye begotten sonne Euen so the Apostle setteth this loue of God towarde vs before our eyes to be considered Rom. 8.32 saying which spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all howe also with him shall hee not giue vnto vs all thinges That euerye one which beleeueth in hym should not perish A. Concerning these wordes reade the fifteenth verse going before 17. For God sent not his sonne into the world to condempne the worlde but that the worlde might be saued through him M. These wordes appertayne to the enlarging setting foorth of the loue of God with the whiche hée hath so loued this worlde that hée hath giuen his onelye begotten Sonne to the same Hée might by the sending of his Sonne vtterly condempne and destroy the worlde For the worlde by his wickednesse and impietie hath deserued perpetuall condemnation but such is the loue of GOD towarde the same that hée had rather spare it and by sending his sonne to bee a Sauiour sought rather to offer the cause of saluation than of condemnation Therefore this is here attributed to the loue of God because hée would not take vengaunce of the wickednesse of the worlde and because the same loue was so great that by the excellencie thereof it hath repressed the seuerity of the iudgement by which hée might iustlye haue condemned the worlde R. The will therefore of the Father is to saue by the sonne But what for all this Surelye although our sinnes condemne vs yet the father saueth vs by the sonne If we bée afflicted by the crosse the Father saueth vs by his Sonne If we be ouerwhelmed with death yet the Father saueth vs by the sonne Therefore let vs stedfastlye beléeue and leane to this worde God sent not his Sonne into the worlde to condempne the world but that the worlde might be saued through him For hereby thou mayest receyue great comforte and consolation in all thy afflictions Bv. For our Lorde Iesus Christ shall come in the Clowds of Heauen Math. 26 and .24 to iudge both the quicke and the dead with great power and Maiestye But it will bée in the ende of the worlde first Nowe hée commeth not as a Iudge but as a most merciful Sauiour Therfore although now thy great sinnes doe accuse thée and condemne thée consider that this is the time of grace and mercy and feare not but bée of good courage and so shalt thou finde grace and fauour Ezech. 18 and .23 R. For thus sayth the Lorde I liue which will not the death of a sinner but rather that lie tourne from his wickednesse and liue Bv. Therefore if thou bée conuerted and repose thy whole trust in the Sonne of GOD who suffered for thée that hée might make satisfaction for thy sinnes Rom. 8.31 and reconcile thée vnto God thou shalt bée safe 1. Iohn 2.1 For Paule sayeth If God be with vs who can be against vs And Saint Iohn sayeth If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for our sinnes alone but for the sinnes also of the whole worlde Luke 19. and .10 To this effect also appertayneth this Euangelicall sentence The Sonne of man commeth to saue that whiche was lost and diuers other such like sentences E. Moreouer that which is spoken in another place Iohn 9.39 is nothing contrarye to these wordes of our Sauiour Christ I came to iudgement into the worlde that they which see not might see and that they which see might bee made blinde For in these wordes he declareth what his comming shal be to many but in this place what speciallye it shal be to the whole worlde Iohn 12. and .47 So is that to bée taken which hée sayth in another place For I came not to iudge the world C. To iudge here is taken for to condemne as in many other places also Therefore in that he denyeth that he came to condemne the world hée noteth thereby the proper ende of his comming For howe néedelesse was it that Christ shoulde come to destroye vs which were to much alreadye ouerwhelmed with destruction Therefore in Christ wée must consider nothing but that God of his infinite mercye and goodnesse Rom. 8.33 sought to helpe vs and to deliuer vs from destruction B. And as hée cannot sinne to condemnation which is borne of God the Lord at the length by his holy spirite purging out all sinne Ioh. 5.24 and vndoubtedly pardoning whatsoeuer is committed Euen so such a one cannot bée iudged that is to saye condemned For by Christ hée hath passed from death to life And being assured of Gods loue and fauour in Christ hath alreadye eternall life Wherefore whatsoeuer belongeth vnto sinne and death must decrease and fade away Othersome which beléeue not in the name of the onelye begotten Sonne of
1. Ioh. 5.10 To this effect pertayneth that saying of Iohn If wee receyue the testimonye of men the testimonye of God is greater And so foorth tyl ye come to these words Hee which hath the sonne hath life and hee which hath not the Sonne hath not life M. Therefore wée looke for the comming of Christ not as of a Iudge but as a deliuerer and redéemer But to the wicked and vnbeléeuing hée shall come a terrible and fearefull Iudge Heb. 2.2 Bv. For if they escaped not the iudgement of God which despised the sending and woordes of Angelles muche lesse shal they escape the horrible iudgement of God Heb. 10.27 which woulde not beléeue the onely begotten sonne of God For there wayteth for them a certaine fearefull looking for the comming of the Iudge and a burning fyre which shall deuoure his aduersaryes 19. And this is the condempnation that light is come into the worlde and men loued darkenesse more then light because theyr deedes weare euill And this is the condemnacion M. Because hée sayde that the vnbeléeuer was Iudged alreadye and condemned by his owne wickednesse hée addeth and declareth that the reason and order of this iudgement is suche that no man can not chose but acknowledge the same C. Therefore hée preuenteth by aunswere the murmurings and grudgings whiche prophane and wicked men are woont to vse to reprooue the seuere rigour as they thinke of God when he dealeth more sharpelye with them than they woulde haue him It séemeth to bée verye harde that euerye one which beléeueth not shoulde bée damned Therefore least any man should ascribe his damnation to Christ hée teacheth that euerye man must impute the same to his proper faulte The reason is because Infidelitye is the witnesse of an euyll conscience Whereby it is plaine that the wickednesse of vnbeléeuers doth hinder them from comming to Christ There are some which thinke that there is onely noted here the signe of damnation But the purpose of our Sauiour Christ here is to bridle the wickednesse of menne least they should presume according to theyr manner to contende and reason the cause with GOD as though hée dealt vniustlye with them in punishing theyr infidelitye with eternall death Therefore hée teacheth that such iudgement is iust and frée from all sclaunder not onely because they doe wickedlye which preferre darkenesse before light and doe willingly shonne the light offered vnto them but also because that hatered of the light procéedeth not but from a wicked mind which accuseth and condemneth it selfe of euil B. Wherefore the principall point and substaunce of their whole condemnation is Predestination that they can not preferre Christ before theyr owne desyres because so many as are damned were iudged and condemned before they were borne Ephe 1.4 euen as also with God so many as are saued were saued before the foundation of the worlde For as these were elected before the foundation of the worlde so were the other reiected before the worlde was made Reprobation And this reprobation doeth then appeare when they reiect the Gospell of grace offered vnto them and had rather bée ignoraunt of Christ that is to say to want the light than to receyue him and to attaine to life By the which contempt of the Gospell they doe accomplishe and fill vppe the measure of theyr wickednesse to the full that is to saye they geue occasion to haue theyr iudgement and condemnation sealed and fulfilled M. Therefore in this they are inexcusable that they doe willinglye reiect and refuse that grace offered vnto them which most earnestlye they ought to imbrace and desyre B. By darkenesse is here meant the ignoraunce of Christ and whatsoeuer else worldly men loue more than Christ For they which are not borne of God as they can not heare the worde of God so it is necessarye that they preferre the ignoraunce of Christ before they knowledge him and so to loue darkenesse more then light M. When he sayth that light came into the worlde hée meaneth that all thinges in this worlde are replenished and full of darkenesse For what can bée founde in this world without Christ Darckenesse is all thinges in this world without Christ but darkenesse Bv. That is to saye the concupiscence of the fleshe the ignoraunce of God Impietye Errour blindnesse of the minde Supersticion Idolatrye wickednesse of life filthinesse vncleannesse prophane talke Gluttony Dronkennesse and an infinite number of suche like wickednesses For it followeth in the wordes of the Lorde Because theyr deedes were euyll B. This is the cause why the wicked are enemies to the light of life Christ the light of God Christ is the light of God by which whatsoeuer is euyll is reprooued For howe can Iniustice be hid when righteousnesse is in place how can foolishnesse not be séene when it is compared with wisedome Nowe fleshe in the which there is no goodnesse can abide nothing lesse than to haue the same vncouered and therfore it can not choose but hate Christ whiche manifesteth and reuealeth all thinges and therefore they must be renewed and borne againe which receyue Christ M. The reason therefore why those men namelye the Scribes High Priestes and Pharisees and those of that sect loue darkenesse more then light is because theyr déedes are euyll that is to saye because theyr owne consciences bare them witnesse that al theyr works were euyll Bv. By this woorde workes hée vnderstandeth euill intentes thoughtes woordes and workes Out of these woordes the Apostle borroweth this saying If our Gospell bee yet hid 2. Cor. 4.3 it is hidde in them that are lost In whome the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which beleeue not least the light of the Gospell of the glory of Christ which is the Image of God should shine vnto them Therfore in that they perishe they perishe through theyr owne faulte séeing the most mercifull Lorde hath done his part but they wyll not do their duetye If the Sicke man perishe whiche wyll not bewraye his disease to the Phisition least hée should bée healed maye he not pronounce of him selfe that hée perished through his owne faulte Euen so men that are louers of this worlde are enemies to the light offered to them because their déedes are euill A. It is no maruaile therefore if they ronne headlong into destruction 20. For euerye one that euyll doeth hateth the light Neyther cometh to the light least his dedes should be reproued M. This is a generall sentence taken of the disposition of the reprobates the sence whereof is this B. hée is commonlye sayde to hate the trueth which doeth amisse Séeing therefore the wicked can not abide Christ the light of God it is most certaine that they are euill and that theyr déedes are euil also C. For therefore the Light is odious vnto them because they and their dedes are euill and doo séeke to couer theyr sinnes so muche as they can wherevppon
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
fleshe which he woulde giue to the death this verily was that which troubled them offended them and drewe them away from the Lorde and gaue them occasion to murmure Dalying therefore with the worde of the Lorde they wrested the same to another scence than hée spake the same 53. Iesus therefore sayde vnto them verelye I saye vnto you except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drink his bloode ye haue no lyfe in you C. Déepe displeasure moued our sauiour Christ at this time to sweare when he saw his grace with such prowd contempt to be reiected For hée doth not vse nowe simple doctrine but to terrefie them mingleth threatnings therewith For hée denownceth euerlasting destruction to all whiche shall refuse to séeke for to receyue life from his fleshe Bv. And that which they sayde was absurde and impossible to be done that hée proueth to be most necessarye but in sounde scence and not in that carnall and grosse scence C. As if hée shoulde saye if ye contemne my fleshe know ye for a suretie that there remayneth to you no other hope of lyfe This vengeaunce hangeth ouer the heades of all such as are contemners of the grace of Christ that they and their pride shal perishe togither And they are to be vrged with this precise seueritie least they procéede in flattering themselues For if so be we threaten death to the sicke which despise remedy by Phisicke prouided what shall wée saye or doe to the wicked who séeke to abolishe lyfe so much as in them lyeth The flesh of the sonne of man B. He calleth himselfe here the sonne of man that hée might the more stronglye confounde that false iudgement which they had of him For in that hée appeared to be a man and base in outwarde shewe they thought him to be madde and out of his wittes to arrogate vnto himselfe so muche Therefore hée acknowledged himselfe to be the sonne of man a vile and abiect man but yet to shewe herewithall what laye hidde in the contemned and abiect shewe of hys manhod he denied any man to haue eternal life which did not eate of the son of man and drinke his bloode that is to saye which had not Christ liuing in him being assured that hée is redéemed by his sacrifice and made the sonne and heyre of God C. The scence therefore is this contemne mée as yée list the base and and abiect shew of my fleshe yet notwithstanding life is included in this contemtible fleshe of the which if you depriue your selues ye shall finde nothing else where to quicken you It was a grose errour of the Fathers which thought that infauntes were depriued of euerlasting lyfe except they giue vnto them the Eucharist For there is no word here of the Sacrament of the bodye and blood of Christ but Christ goeth forwarde in the Metaphor of the eating of hys fleshe and of the drinking of his bloode which he had begon Neyther doe the Bohemians rightly procéede when they go about to prooue by this testimonie that the vse of the Cuppe ought to be giuen to all alyke As touching Infants the institution of Christ doth seclud them from the supper because they cannot as yet proue examine them selues Infantes ought not to be pertakers of the Lordes Supper neyther yet celebrate the remembraunce of Christes death the whiche thing the Apostle Paule teacheth to be necessary for all those whiche come to the communion of the Supper The same Institution maketh the cuppe as well as the breade common to al men for it commaundeth that wée drinke all of the same Math. 26 27. R. Therefore to eate the fleshe and to drinke the bloude of Christe is to beléeue that Christe suffered for oure synnes A. For hym hath God made a reconciler through faith in his bloud to declare his iustice for the remission of synnes paste Rom. 10.4 Ye haue no life in you M. His meaning is that al they are deade whiche eate not this fleshe of the sonne of manne and drinke his bloud A. For as wée are all dead throughe synne so thorowe faith in Christe wée are made alyue as the Scripture teacheth 54. Who so eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude hath eternall lyfe and I will rayse him vp at the last daye VVho so eateth my flesh M. He still bouldely repeateth that which went before as commonlye they doe which speake the truth C. and hée confirmeth that which is hard to be béeleued as that mens soules are no otherwise fedde with his fleshe and bloude than the bodye is sustayned with meate and drinke M. For hée speaketh more manifestlye than hée did before when hée expresselye nameth himselfe Verelye to eate the Lorde is to abide in the Lorde and the Lorde to abide in vs. B. After this manner also we doe commonlye in these words to Eate to Drinke vnderstande not onelye the taking of meate but also the nutriment and sustentation of lyfe whiche procéedeth of the same These words pertaine not to the lords Supper Furthermore by these wordes of our Lorde it doth playnely appeare that all this place is vnaptlye and falselye expounded concerning the Supper For if it were true that this were to be referred to the Supper of the Lorde 1. Cor. 11.30 than all the that vnworthyly presume to the same being made pertakers of the body and bloude of Christ haue therewithall lyfe but we know that manye eate the same to their owne destruction and damnation And verilye it were verye fonde and vntimelye then to speake of the Supper when as yet hee had not instituted the same Therefore it is most certaine that hée speaketh here of the continual eating by fayth Notwithstanding wée must confesse that thereis nothing spoken here which is not figured in the Supper and truelye giuen to the faythfull and therfore Christ made his holy Supper to bée as it were a seale to this sermon And this is the cause why our Euaungelist Iohn maketh mention of thys Supper And J will rayse him vp at the last daye M. Hée promiseth euerlasting lyfe before the resurrection to the ende wée might know that the faythfull are endued with euerlasting lyfe by Christ while they are in this lyfe euen as it is sayde in another place C. And Christ so often ioyneth the resurrection to euerlasting lyfe because our saluation is hid euen vntill that daye Therefore what Christ will giue vnto vs no man can féele but hee which hauing ouercome the worlde setteth before his eyes the last resurrection 55. For my flesh is meate in dede and my blood is drinke in deede This is the reason why he whiche eateth the fleshe of Christe and drinketh his bloode hath euerlasting lyfe Because sayeth hée my fleshe is meate in déede and my bloode is drinke in déede C. As the body with hongar doth languishe and pine awaye euen so the soule doth by and by perishe yf so be the same be not fed
before saying Shew thy selfe to the world when as in déede they vnderstoode those forenamed persons hée also rightly calleth them the worlde but so that therewithal hée noateth them of a worldly disposition As if hee should saye yee inuite me by this word world to the high Priestes Scribes and Pharisées of Ierusalem to shew my selfe before them Ye truely and iustly cal them the worlde for they are nothing else but worldely And because the worlde loueth that which is his owne the world cannot hate you which are worldelye and the children of this worlde being pertakers of corruption and of worldly wickednesse R. The Pharises hate not you the mightie men doe not persecute you because yée are all of like impietie of lyke wicked manners ye imbrace their doctrine as holye and whatsoeuer they saye ye accounte it an Oracle Wherefore they call you obedient children of the Sinagoge so farre they are from persecuting and hating you but the worlde that is the wise mightye and holye men of this worlde hate me not onely because I doe disagrée with theyr impietie but also doe reproue and reprehende all their workes righteousnesse holynesse wisdome and power as abhominable in the sight of GOD. A. For that which is highlye estéemed in the sight of men is abhominable in the sight of God Luk. 16.15 C. Therefore hée conuinceth them to be carnall when hée sayth that the worlde cannot hate them R. Christ therefore woulde not followe the carnal affections of his kinsemen C. Furthermore by these wordes the Lorde Iesus doth signifie that the Gospell cannot be truely preached but that the whole world must be cited as guiltie before the tribunall seate of GOD that so fleshe and bloode maye be troden downe and brought to nought Iohn 16. ◠according to this saying VVhen the holye Ghost commeth it shall reprooue the worlde of sinne Herewithall also wée learne that the pride which is naturallye ingraffed in men is so greate that they flatter and lyke of themselues in their vices For when they are reprehended they woulde not be angerye except they being blinded with the ouermuche loue of themselues did flatter themselues in theyr euill Onelye Gods spirite doth make vs gentle and méeke to abide reprehention insomuche that willingly wée offer our selues to be slaine with the sword of the Gospell Humilitie resteth where the spirite of God abydeth B. This also is to be noted that we cannot haue the loue and friendeshippe of the worlde except wée giue our consent to the euill workes thereof For if so be wée séeke to maintaine the glorye of God aloane and do pronounce onelye GOD to be good and doe séeke also to conuince the worlde of sinne by and by it persecuteth vs euen as afore time it persecuted Christ And to reproue the worlde is not onelye to inuey against that groser sorte of sinners for that the world can beare but also to testifie that the workes therof are euill that is to saye that it is wholy voyde of righteousnesse and goodnesse and that it cannot attaine to true righteousnesse but by Christ M. For the nature of the worde is to enter through euen to the deuiding a sonder of the soule and the spirite and of the Ioyntes and the marowe and discerneth the thoughtes A. What pretence soeuer therefore the worlde hath for the hating of the professors of the gospell there can be no other cause than that which Christ hath foreshewed namely because the faithfull doe testify that the workes of the worlde are euel Heb. 4.12 M. The Iewes those ypocrites went aboute to kill Christ as a transgressor of the Saboth but there laye a nother mischife secrete in their harts of the which not so muche as Pilat was ignorant for he knowe that for enuy they had deliuered him vp to death Euenso they which at this daye hate the Ministeres of the Gospell ascribe the cause to the loue of the Church calling them enimies and forsakers of the churh when as they themselues are not louers of the Churche but sekers of their owne vayne glory And they pretende that to magistrats whiche they knowe they cannot abyde calling them seditious persones as though they them selues wished wel to magistrates when as in déede no men are nor euer haue béene greater enemies to magistrates then they themselues haue bene Iohn 3.20 B. But they will not come to the true light of Godes worde leste their euell déedes shoulde bée reproued 8. Go ye vp vnto this feaste I will not go vppe yet vnto this feaste for my tyme is not yet full come M. There is no doubte but that the Lorde woulde haue instructed them and kept them with him longar yf so be they had béene of a sincere harte and had erred symply but because they were led by the spirite of enuy and had an euel opinion of hym he left them to their owne counsayles They had herde and séene many wonderfull miracles they ought to haue knowen who and howe greate he was if so be they had not ben blinded with mallice furthermore for kindreds sake they shoulde haue bene better affected towardes him Iustly therefore he sendeth them awaye from him to go whether they will Thus doth God alwayes deale in his Iustice with the vnbeléeuing and obstinate insomuche that when they will not be otherwise ruled he leaueth them to their owne immaginations that they may eyther walke in them or else tourne to hym by repentaunce Heare O my people and I will protest vnto the O Israell if thou wilt harken vnto me let there be no straunge God in thee neither worship thou any forreine God For I am the Lorde thy God whiche brought thee out of the lande of Egipt open thy mouth wide and I will fill it But my people woulde not heare my voyce and Israell would not obaye me So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their harte and they haue walked in their owne counsailes Psal 81.8 As therefore it cannot be gathered by those wordes that the Lord doth not care for the saluation of his people and doeth reiect the infirme and weake for he sayeth afterwarde I woulde my people had harkened to me and Israell had walked in my wayes I woulde sonne haue humbled their enimies so verely wée must not here gather that the Lorde had not a care for the saluation of his brethren because he so lightly sendeth them from hym saying Go ye vp vnto this feast But wée must rather vnderstande howe vnméete and inconuenient a thing it is to constraine wicked and mallicious persons against their willes to be pertakers of that grace which with all their strength and might they reiect and contemne Iohn 3.19 For it is most iust that they shoulde erre and wander in darckenesse which loue darckenesse more than light 9. When hee had sayde these wordes vnto them he aboade still in Galilee M. In that Christ ascended not to Ierusalem but aboade still in
exclude thée out of the Sinagoge as a lying heritique Behoulde here wyth what security and bouldenesse impietye and hypocrisie obiect vnto the Prince of godlynesse and truth the lye M. The malice of the Pharisées could not be at rest Esay 57.20 For the hearte of the wicked is as the boyling Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vppe myre and dyrte The more the brightnesse of this light dyd reueale it selfe in Christ the more this wicked kinde of men was inflamed with malice It gréeued them much that the temptation by the Adulterous woman had no better successe They retourne therefore to the fight and contention euen as flyes to the flame of a burning Candle C. And rashlye they say that hée speaketh in vayne except hée bringe better proofe then hys owne wordes M séeing it is written Let another man prayse thee Pro. 27.2 and not thy owne mouth a straunger and not thy owne lippes A. But willinglye they were ignoraunt that Christ had sayde vnto them Iohn 5.34 I receyue not testimonye from man but I speake these thinges that yee might bee saued M. Wée are taught therefore in this place that it is no meruayle if so bée the Preachers of the truth are accounted as lyers of the wicked Children of the Deuill when as these Doctors durst openlye wyth such boldenesse resiste the truth it selfe But lette this one thing suffice Deut. 18. i9 That God one day wil take vengance of those which despise the doctrine of his Prophete whome hée sendeth vnto them 14. Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto them though I beare recorde of my selfe yet my recorde is true for I knowe whence I came and whether I goe but ye can not tell whence I come and whether I goe Bv. Christ by this demonstracion plainelye proueth that hée is the sonne of God and verye God him selfe and that the Doctrine of the Gospell is most certaine C. also that this testimonye hath credite and aucthoritye inough because hée is no priuate personne taken from among the common sort of men but a farre more excellent person M. Hée doth not denye but that he testifyeth of him selfe but hée denyeth that his testimony is false And this he doth by making a distinction C. For when hée sayeth hée knoweth from whence he came and whether he would goe he exempteth him selfe from the coÌ„mon number of men The sence and meaning therefore is this Although euery man is suspected in his owne cause and although it bée prouided by lawes that no man speaking in his owne cause should bée credited yet notwithstanding this can take no place in the Sonne of God which is aboue the whole worlde For hée is not to bée reackenedin the order of menne but hath this priueledge from the Father to gouerne all men with his worde aloane B. Here thou séest that the Lord sayd by immitacion or concession â—â—hn 5.31 If I testifye of my selfe my testimony is not true For because hée knewe from whence hée came and whether hée would goe that is to saye that hée was the sonne of GOD and the euerlasting woord of the Father which tooke vppon him our humane nature whiche also hée woulde shortlye after extoll and aduaunce into the glorye of his Father knowing these thinges hée coulde not but speake that whiche was most true that is to saye diuine and coulde testifye nothing of him selfe but that which was in lyke manner most true But the Iewes knewe neyther of them boath and therefore they coulde not beléeue the true testimonye whiche hee gaue of him selfe C. For Christ in these woordes testifyeth that hee had not his beginning of the worlde but that he came from God and therefore not méete and right that his Doctrine whiche is Diuine should bée subiect to mans Lawes But because he then had vpon him the fourme of a seruaunt and was humble and méeke hée was despised for the which cause he putteth them in minde of the glorious Resurrection whiche hée should haue which in déede was a manifest shewe and proofe of his hydden and vnknowne Diuinitye at the first When hée sayeth that hee knoweth and they knowe not he geueth vs to vnderstande that his glorye is nothing diminished by their vnbeléefe B. As for example If so bée an Ambassadour shoulde come from the Emperoure promisyng greate benefytes vnto vs in the name of the Emperoure if wée wyll obeye his commaundementes and wée denying to beléeue him hée should saye I know from whence I came and whether I gooe I am sure that I am the Emperours Ambassadour sent for those consideracions which I haue declared vnto you to him also I wyll returne and shew him how I haue done my businesse and wyll receyue the condigne reward of my labours Therefore what thinges soeuer I testifye of my Ambassage they are true but you which knowe not from whence I came and whyther I goe refuse to geue credite vnto mée M. By this place also Christ declareth that the Iewes had falselye boasted before saying VVee knowe from whence this fellowe is but when Christ shall come no man shall knowe whence he is 15. Yee Iudge after the fleshe I iudge no man Ye Iudge after the fleshe C. This place maye bée expounded twoo manner of wayes eyther that they iudged of him after the wicked sence and vnderstanding of their fleshe or else that they iudged of him according to the outwarde shewe of his person For fleshe is sometyme taken for the outwarde shewe of man and boath sences doe verye well agrée with this place because whether the affections of the fleshe beare rule or whether the beholding of the person doe preuaile in Iudgement there neyther trueth nor equitye take place Notwithstanding the sence seemeth to be more certayne if so be we make here a comparison betwéene the fleshe and the spyrite as if hee should therefore deny them to bee lawfull and meete Iudges because they were not guided by the spirite As if hée should saye Yee iudge of my woordes and deedes after your wicked affections hauing no part of the Spyrite of GOD in you therefore ye erre RV And this is the onely cause why menne erre and iudge amisse of Diuine matters I iudge no man A. Some distinguishe thus that he iudgeth not as man iudgeth othersome referre it to the tyme because hée being in earth tooke not vppon him as yet the office of a Iudge C. But more rightlye it is ioyned with the sentence following that the sence may bee thus Christ Iudgeth not and if he doe iudge his iudgement is fyrme and authenticall because it is diuine So that the formar parte where he denyeth that hée iudgeth ought rather to bée restrayned to the cyrcumstaunce of this present place For that hée might the better conuince his enemies of pride hée vseth this comparison because they vsurped to them selues lycence to Iudge preposterously and yet neuerthelesse coulde not abyde him teaching simplye and abstayning from the
heauenly Father C. Hereby it appeareth howe dull of vnderstanding they are whose myndes Sathan possesseth There coulde bée nothing more euident than for them to be cited before the Tribunall seate of GOD but they are starke blynde the which happeneth dayly to other enemyes of the Gospell M. It is no maruayle therefore if so bée the Ministers of the worde are not of many men easelye vnderstoode in matters of wayght seeing we see here that the same happened to Christ him selfe C. Neuerthelesse suche blindnesse in menne oughte to make vs afearde Bv. For suche is the dull vnderstanding of all those which bring not sincere myndes to the Preaching of the Gospell 28. Then sayd Iesus vnto them when ye haue lyft vp an high the Sonne of man then shall ye knowe that I am hee and that I doe nothing of my selfe but as my Father hath taught me euenso I speake these thinges When ye haue exalted M. The Lorde knewe that whatsoeuer hée spake or wrought dyd so lytle preuayle with the vnbeléeuing Iewes that they neyther beléeued nor knewe who hée was and that they sought onely to deliuer him vp to death as though by this detestable déede they should greatly helpe their Kingdome the which should bring vnto them vndoubted destruction and that then especially it should bée manifest that they had wickedlye behaued them selues toward the Sonne of God This thing the Lorde threatning sayth Then shall ye knowe C. As if yée shoulde saye All your sences are nowe as if they were bewitched and therefore ye vnderstande none of those thinges which I speake but the tyme shall one daye come when ye shall knowe that a Prophete of GOD was among you and spake with you M. Yee bende your selues whollye to kyll mee and ye thinke that all my Doctrine and my name also maye bée suppressed if I bée slaine but the contrarye shall appeare O miserable men Yee shall exalt and Crucifye mée but ye shall bée so farre from obtayning that which ye loke for that then ye shal know that I haue not lyed vnto you but that he is the very same whome a litle before ye could not abide to knowe And in this sence the woordes of Christ seame to containe a threatening eyther of those thinges whiche happened after hée was Crucifyed as when the Sunne was darkened the Rockes rente or else of those thinges which happened after his resurrection and the sending of the holye Ghost by the Preaching of the Apostles and the wonderfull workes of God whiche then were done For then they were cōstrayned whether they would or no to acknowledge the power of God so mightely shewing it selfe euen as we reade that they sayd VVhat shall we doe to these men for a manifest signe is done by thē Acts. 4.16 and is openly known to all those that dwell in Ierusalem and wee cannot denie it But that it bee noysed noe further among the people let vs threaten and charge them that they speake henceforth to no man in this name C. Or else this commination maye be extended further that by the same they might be precisely called of Christ to the Iudgement seate of the most high Iudg. For so must the wicked contemners of Gods worde be delt withall But this is to late and vntimely a knowledge of the which Christe here maketh mencion when the wicked béeing drawen to punishment doe acknoweledg God against their willes to be their Iudge whome quietly they ought to reuerence For hée doth not promise vnto them repentaunce but pronounceth that when they are stricken with a newe and vnwonted horror sodainelye of the wrath of GOD they shall be awaked out of the slouth and securytye in the whiche they now sléepe Gen. 3.7 So Adames eyes were opened insomuch that being ashamed he sought in vaine to hyde himselfe knowing that he was in the middest of destruction Howbeit that knowledge which Adam had being of it selfe vnprofitable by the grace of God tourned to his benifite But the reprobates being ouerwhelmed with desperation haue their eyes opened onlye to this ende that they may behoulde their owne destruction And GOD bringeth them to this kinde of knowledge by diuers meanes For oftentimes they being driuen thervnto with scourges doe learne that GOD is their enimie sometime vsing no torment hée vexeth them in minde and oftentimes hée suffereth them to sléepe vntill hée take them quight and cleane out of thys worlde By these wordes Lyft vp Christ noateth his death B. For the Iewes lifted vp the Lorde when they thought that they had giuen hym the greatest fall by the most shamefull deathe of the Crosse For by that deathe they ended his seruile and paynful office that so the father might exalt his abased Sonne to his right hande C. For thereby afterwarde it came to passe that Christ ascended out of the Sepulcher into the kingdome of heauen The which also we at this daye muste hope for For whatsoeuer the wicked take in hand to oppresse Christ in his doctrine and Church shal not only appeare in despight of their téeth but also he shall tourne their wicked practises to the greter furtheraunce of his Kingdome That I am hee This is not referred to the deuine essence of Christ but onely to his office the which also doeth more euidently appeare by the order of the texte where he denyeth hym selfe to doe any thinge without the commaundement of his father For this is as muche as if hee shoulde saye that he is sent of God and that hée doth faythfully discharge his office A. I doe nothing of my selfe Reade the ninetéene verse of the fifte Chapter going before 29. And hee that sent mee is with mee the father hath not left mee aloane for I doe alwayes those things that please him C. Agayne he boasteth of GOD by whose ayde and helpe he dyd all thinges and who neuer forsooke him least he shoulde labour in vayne and without profyte as if he had sayd that the power of the Spyrite of GOD was ioyned with his office It is meete that all Godlye teachers be endued with this trust and not to doubt but that the hande of God wyll be nere vnto them so that they with a pure conscience shewe them selues to bée suche Ministers as he woulde haue them to bée For GOD hath not appointed them by his worde to beate the Ayre but by the secreate efficacye of his spyrite hée geueth successe vnto his worde and also defendeth them with his power that theyr enemies being put to the foyle they maye bée able to stande against the whole worlde And if they consider themselues and theyr goodes they must needes fall euerye houre Therefore the onelye waye to stand is if they bée perswaded that they are holden vp by the hande of God For I doe alwayes those thinges M. These woordes haue a double vnderstanding eyther to bée vnderstoode that hée sayde ▪ that therefore the Father hath not left him aloane because hée alwayes dyd those
to abide in his worde Bv. This parte Faith quicneth mans soule If a man comprehendeth all mortall men and excludeth none of what age sexe or condicion soeuer he be of Hee shall not see death C. Because so soone as Faith hath quickened the soule of man death can wounde and kyll no more B. And the Faithfull by the vndoubted hope of the blessed Resurrection when they dye are rather sayde to sléepe than to dye in the meane time being in soule in euerlasting lyfe and blisse with the Lorde For what else is the meaning of this which Christ sayth Hee shall neuer see death but because he sawe another death from the which he came to deliuer vs that is to saye the seconde death Death euerlasting euerlasting daath death of hell fyre the death of dampnation with the Deuell and his aungelles that is death in déede M. Therefore neuer to sée death is nothing else but to haue euerlasting lyfe So that we may noate and learne here that Faith is the way to Immortallity Bv. And that Christians doe truely lyue and neuer dye although in this worlde they be more lyke to dead men than to liuing men and to dye in body like other men A. For the saying of Christ here is moste true to the whiche also agréeeth this place Euery one which liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer die Ioh. 11.26 52. Then sayde the Iewes vnto him now knowe we that thou haste the Deuell Abraham is deade and the Prophetes and thou sayest if a man keepe my sayinges hee shall neuer taste of death M. Leauing that whiche the Lorde had obiected for the defence of his doctryne the Iewes agayne according to their maner craftely wrest those things which they thought might serue theire tourne to cauell C For the reprobate abyde still in their senclesnesse and are no more touched or mooued with promises than with threatnings insomuch that they can neyther be allured nor drawen vnto Christ They doe falsely interprete the wordes of Christ when they transferre his spirituall doctrine to the body M. Christe spake of that very and euerlasting death of Hell fyer of the death of body and soule together C. For this death none of the Faithfull shall sée because they beeing borne of incorruptible séede in dying to liue because they béeing ioyned to Christe their head cannot be extinguished by death because death to them is a passage into the heauenly kingdome and because the spirite dwelling in them as lyfe for righteousnesse sake But these men béeing carnall vnderstand no deliueraunce from death but that which openly appeareth in the body and do cauill at the wordes of Christ as if he had spoken only of the death of the body C. And this falt is to common and generall in the worlde many making no account almost of the grace of Christ because they onely carnally iudge of the same Therefore lest we doe the lyke we must awaken oure mindes that they maye féele the spirituall lyfe in the midest of death A. The which shall come to passe yf fo bee by true fayth wée kéepe the word of the Lord Iesu 53. Art thou greater then oure Father Abraham whiche is dead And the Prophetes are dead whom makest thou thy selfe M. Here it appeareth how these maliciouse men went about to make Christ to be hated and enuied of the people by making mencion againe of Abraham and the Prophetes as though Christ had spoken somewhat that had béene repugnaunt to Abraham and the Prophetes This therefore was another falte in them that they went about by the shyning brightnesse of Abraham and of the Saintes to obscure the glory of Christe But as the brightnesse of the sunne doth obscure and darken al the starres euenso Christ with his excéeding shyne and glory doth make all the glory of Saintes to vanishe awaye therefore they deale vniustely and preposterously in comparing the seruauntes with the Lorde and they are iniuriouse also to Abraham and the Prophetes in abusing their name against Christ M. Abraham verely was great before God and so were the Prophets but yet for al this why might not he come after them which was much more greater then they C. But this wickednesse hath béene almost in all ages and is also to be founde at this daye that the wicked renting and deuiding the workes of GOD doe make him as were contrarye to himselfe God manifested and declared his name by the Apostles and Martires the Papists make Idoles to themselues of the Apostles and Martires which they set in Godes seate Doe they not by this meanes make vnto themselues of the graces of God instrumentes to ouerthrowe the power of God For how little shall remayne for GOD and Christ if so bée the Saintes maye haue that which the Papistes so liberallye giue vnto them Wherefore wée must knowe that the whole order of Goddes kingdome is confounded Saintes at infeeiour to God except the Prophetes Apostles and Saintes bee farre inferiour vnto Christ and verely wée cannot speake more reuerentlye and honorably of the saintes than when wée make them inferiour vnto Christe B. The argument of the Iewes was that not onelye they which beléeued Abraham and the Prophets were deade but also Abraham and the Prophtes themselues and therefore that the Lorde spake without reason in preferring hymselfe before the holye Fathers and the Prophettes 54. Iesus aunswered If I honour my selfe my honour is nothing it is my Father that honoreth me which ye saye is your God C. Before hée maketh aunswere to the foresayde vnequall comparison hée sheweth that hée séeketh not his owne glorye and so hée preuenteth their cauill For Christ in that hée was a man did not gloryfye himselfe but God dyd glorifie him B. Therefore hée speaketh thys by Immitation or by concession as hée spake many thinges before C. And hée sheweth that hée desireth no glorye but that which the Father giueth into hym M. Here a common place maye bee handeled concerning the vanitie of glory which carnall men séeke in this worlde This glorye the Lorde sayth is nothing though hee shoulde séeke the same If so be the glorye of Christ were nothing if he had glorified himselfe I pray you what mortall man will you shewe me which may attaine the true and perfyte glorye in glorifying himselfe Therefore that is true glorye which is giuen to God Jt is my father which honoureth mee Bv. That is to saye my Father testifyeth mée to be suche a one as I affirme my selfe to bée And hée testifyeth the same by Oracles by signes by myracles and by many argumentes Therefore I arrogate nothing vnto my selfe by ambition and in that I exalte my selfe aboue the Patriarkes and Prophetes and doe promise lyfe and immortalitye I doe so exalte my selfe and promise as the sonne of GOD. By these wordes wée are taught that when God glorifyeth hys Sonne hée will not suffer that the world shall contemne him and escape vnpunished But the faythfull may
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
spirite sayth VVo vnto you when all men prayse you for so did their Fathers vnto the false Prophts The flesh sayth Hée is a wise man and lyke to come to promosion that wil séeke to please God and man The Spirite sayth Mat 6.24 Gal i i0 i Ioh 2 xv No man can serue two maysters And againe If so bee I shoulde please men I were not the seruaunt of Christe For if any man loue the worlde the loue of the Father is not in him To conclude The flesh sayth So many as haue preached the worde of truth vnto men haue bene horriblely punished and haue myserablelye perished Apoca i4 i3 But the Spirite sayth Blessed are the deade which dye in the Lorde for they rest from their labours Wherfore feare not them which can kill the bodye and cannot kill the soule but feare him which can cast boath bodye and soule into hell fyer 9. Iesus aunswered Are there not twelue hours of the day If any man walke in the daye hee stumbleth not because hee seeth the light of this worlde C. This place hath bene diuerselye expounded but this is the true sence and meaning of the same First of all the Lorde borroweth a similitude from the night and the daye For if any man walke in the darckenesse it is no meruayle if hée stumble slyppe and go out of the waye but the light of the sonne in the daye time shaweth the waye And the calling of God is like the daye light whych wyll not suffer vs to go out of the waye or to stumble Therefore whosoeuer obayeth the worde of GOD and taketh nothing in hande but at his commaundement hee shall haue God his guide and director and vpon truste hereof hée maye securely and without feare go on his way For whosoeuer walketh in his wayes shall haue his aungelles to attende vpon him and to kéepe him that hee dashe not his foote against the stoane Christ therfore bearing himself bolde vpon this defence boldely goeth forwarde into Iury not fearing to be stoaned because there is no daunger of erring where God taking vpon him the office of the Sonne doth illuminate our steppes and moderate our course B. This therefore is the scence and meaning of that which Christ sayth As there are twelue hours of the day in the which men may walke and doe theyr busynesse for hée whiche will walke or doe any thing in the night easyly stumbleth so haue I my daye which is ended by the houres thereof therefore in this daye I must finish all those thinges which my Father hath committed vnto mée This day now draweth towardes night and is almost at an ende the houre is at hande when I must go out of the worlde to my Father Wherefore how greatlye so euer the Iewes are my enymies I wyll finishe my workes whyle I haue day and for this cause I must go boath into Iury and also to Hierusalem and sette forth my Fathers glorye hée shall take charge of vs and defende vs. The lyke allegorye the Lorde vsed in the ninth Chapter going before C. By these wordes wée are taught that so often as a man will followe his owne counsayle and purpose without Goddes calling hys whole lyâ—e is nothing else but a wandering and straying course and they which seeme most wise in theyr owne conceytes when they aske not counsayle at the Lords mouth and haue not theyr actions guided by his spirite doe like blind men groape in the darcke R. If any man obiect Why doeth Christ then somtime flee Obiection yf so be his enemies ar able to do nothing within the appoynted and limmited time A. Euen as he plainly declared when he sayd to sertaine of the Pharise is which perswaded him to shonne the fury of Herod For he sayde to them Luk. i3 3i Go and tell that fox behould I cast out Deuels and heale the people to daye and to morrowe and the third day I shall be perfited Neuerthelesse I must walke to daye and to morrowe and the daye following Aunsvvere R. I aunswere Christ therefore fled because his office as yet was not fulfilled the which béeing ended he willingly deliuered him selfe into the hands of hys enemies And he fled to teach vs that we ought not to tempte God but to vse those Iust and Lawfull meanes which God hath set before vs vntil the race and course of our gospell be finished That whiche is spoken of the ministerye of the Gospell ought to be vnderstood of the whole life of euery man For this corporall lyfe is set and appoynted within his bounds and limittes as it is writen Short are the days of man thou hast the nomber of his months Iob. i4 5 thou hast appoynted his bondes which hee cannot passe For if so be our hears which are the smalest things are nombered in the sight of God how much more are the dayes and howers of our lyfe nombered before God Wherefore so long as a man walketh within the compasse of twelue howers of the daye in the time of his appoynted life and in his owne calling his life shall not be impaired by any perill C. And this knowledge is very necessary for vs for the faithful can scarse moue their foote to followe God who must goe before vs in our vocation but Sathan by and by casteth in our way a houndered stombling blockes and séeketh by al meanes to stop vs. But so soone as the Lorde by his bryght Light willeth vs to goe forward wee must goe on with good courage although we be beset with many deaths because he neuer commaundeth vs to go forwarde but he incourageth vs with his promise that we maye be assured whatsoeuer we take in hand at his commaundement shall haue good successe He is oure Chariot whiche carieth vs without wearinesse through all tedious waies vntill we come to the hauen of reste In fine we are taught that the eyes of the Lord are euer ouer them to kéepe and preserue them which are ready to fulfill his will and commaundement Againe hereby also wee gather that the whoale rase of that mans life is accursed of the Lord who neglecting his word followeth his owne fantasy and doeth what hee thinketh good in hys owne eyes Bv. Wherfore true fortitude of the mind springeth from the fayth in Christ by which carefull feare is driuen awaye and by the loue of piette is quight rooted out of our heartes C. And Christ here according to his wonted manner deuideth the daye into twelue houres For although the dayes in sommer and winter doe differ yet notwithstanding the daye hath alwayes twelue houres and the night as many M Christ vsed no curiosity in humaine matters but tooke all thinges in good parte which common vse mayntayned with impietye 11. These thinges said hee and after that hee saide vnto them oure friende Lazarus sleepeth but I go to awake him out of slepe B. By this allegory the Lorde gaue his Disciples to vnderstand that he woulde
they do beléeue in God which beleue on him and that they whiche knowe him knowe God also the which is eternall life C. The summe is this that fayth in Christ resteth not vppon any mortall man but vppon God Ihon. 17.3 because hée findeth nothing in Christ but that which is deuine yea in his face hée behouldeth God For how shall we vnderstande those thinges which hée here speaketh but onelye because a man appeared vnto men when God was hydde and not séene Also leaste they should thinke that hée was the same onelye whome they sawe heé requiereth to bee beléeued to be such a one and of so great maiestie as is the Father for sayth hee whosoeuer beléeueth in mée hée beleeueth not in me that is to saye in that which be seeth but in the Father and he which beléeueth the father must of necessitye beléeue that he hath a sonne and so consequentlye hée that beleeueth in the father must also beleeue in the sonne Therefore hée doth truelye profite in the Gospell who staying himsele vpon this Fayth doth beléeue GOD and not men and doth stande strong and stedfast against all the assaultes of Sathan The faythfull are sayde not to beleeue in Christ when they do not persiste in the humaine behouldynge of hym For hee here comparing hym selfe with the Father commaundeth vs to haue respect vnto the power of God because the infirmitye of the fleshe of it selfe hath no strength Here after when hée shall exhorte his Disciples to beléeue in him the seence shall be otherwise For there God is not compared with man but Christ is reuealed with all his giftes which ought to be sufficient to retaine our faith 45. And hee that seeth me seeth him that sent mee Question M. Seing that God is a Spirite and a Spirite cannot be séene how doth hee sée God which seeth Christe Iohn 4.24 Iohn 1.18 1. Tim 9.19 Moreouer no man hath séene God at any time for he dwelleth in the light that no man can attaine vnto Aunsvvere I aunswer C. Séeing in this place is taken for knowledge For to the ende he might well and throughlye pacefye those conciences which otherwise should be muche disquieted and troubled hee calleth vs to the Father For therefore the stabillitie of fayth is sure and firme because it is aboue the worlde And in that man who truelye knoweth Christ the glory of God doth shyne that we might be assured that the Fayth which we haue in hym doth not depende vpon man but vppon the eternall God because it ariseth from the fleshe of Christ vnto the diuinitie The which if it be so it ought not onely to be fixed continually in our hearte but also it ought bouldelye and voyde of all feare to shewe it â—â—â—fe in our tongue so often as néede requiereth A according to this saying Psal 116.10 I beleeued and therfore I spake 46. I am come a light into the world that whosoeuer beleueth on me shoulde not abyde in darknesse C. To the ende he might make his disciples more strong and valiant he goeth forward still in preachyng the assurance of Faith And first of all he testifieth that he came into the world to be a light wherby men might forsake darknesse and error sinne and death condemnation to the which all men are subiect and he sheweth also the meane how to attayne so notable a benefite saying That whosoeuer beleeveth on me should not Bv. For to the ende he might coÌ„municat vnto men al those things which he hath he came downe from Heauen and was incarnate but he geueth them vnto vs by faith Wherfore by faith Christ with al that he hath is ours Wherevpon the seconde time he repeated faith requiering his Disciples to beeléeue in hym C. Also he accuseth all those of ingratitude who being instructed and taught by his Gospel do not deuide them selues from the vnbeleeuing For the more notable a benifyte that this is to be called from darckenesse into light the lesse excuse haue they who eyther by their slouth or negligence choake and put out the light which is kindeled in them Therefore that we might haue seuerall degrées fyrst of all Christ teacheth that hée is a lyght more for others sakes than for his owne secondelye that hée is a light not onely to Aungelles but also to men thirdely that he was manifested in the fleshe to giue foorth a bright shine A. But how Christ is called a lyght wée haue shewed before in the first Chapter the fowrth verse in the eyght Chapter the twelfe verse and in the ninth Chapter the fyfte verse 47. And if anye man heare my wordes and beleue not I iudge him not for I came not to iudge the worlde but to saue the VVorlde C. After that the Lorde had spoken of his grace and exhorted his Disciples to the constancy of faith he nowe begineth to touch the Rebels earnestly reprehending them C. How be it here also he dealeth not so seuerely with them as their wickednesse deserued who wilfully reiected God For he omitteth to iudge of these men because he came rather to saue all In the first place we must noat that he speaketh not here of euery vnbeléeuer but of those which willinglye and wylfullye reiect the doctryne of the Gospell preached vnto them M. For properly he cannot be sayde to be vnbeléeuinge whiche hath not hearde that is to say to whom the Gospell hath not bene preached He speaketh therefore of those which doo willingly dispise the light of the Gospell offred vnto them C. Wherfore then wyll not Christ condeme them because he heare laying auÌ„d for a time the parson of a iudge to the ende al I might be the more encouraged to repentance offereth saluation generally to al and spreadeth foorth his Armes to imbrace euery one Howbeit he amplyfieth the crime by no smale circumstance if so be they refuse so gentile and swéet a callyng For it is as much as if he had sayd Behoulde I stande present to call men and forgetting the parsone of a Iudge I séeke to draw all men vnto mée and to deliuer them from destruction whiche haue bin twise lost No man therefore is damned for the contempte of the Gospell but he whiche dispising the amiable message of saluation would willingly bringe destruction to hymselfe This worde Iudge in this place signifieth to condemne as in diuers other places also â—â—d to saue ought to be referred only to the proper office of Christ For in that the vnbeleeuers are more greuously and deply condemned for the gospels sake it is accentall of his nature A. Iohn 3.17 The lyke sentence we reade when Christ saide God sent not his sonne into the worlde to condemne the worlde but that the world might be saued thorow hym 48. He that refuseth me and receiueth not my wordes hath one that iudgeth him the word that I haue spoken the same shal iudge him in the laste daye C. Least the wicked might perswade
out by the Rulers of the Iewes out of the Churche of God C. This was no light offence to trouble their mindes that they should be driuen out of the company of the Godlye as wicked and naughtye men and that of those which hoast them selues to bée the people of God and gloryed in the tytle of the Churche Therefore in that hée sayeth they shal be excommunicated his meaning is this They shall cast you out of theyr Sinagogues they shall condempne you of impietye and heresie they wyll restraine you of water fyre and suche necessaryes they wyll banishe you and sell your goodes and they wyll account you not for Israelites but for Gentiles and Athiestes C. For the Godlye are subiect not onelye to persecutions but also to ignominy and reproche Euen as sayth the Apostle Paul Mee thinketh that God hath set foorth vs which are the last Apostles i. Cor. 4.9 as it were men appointed vnto death For we are made a gasing stocke vnto the world and to the Aungelles and to men Christ notwithstanding commaundeth to stande fyrme and stedfast against this temptacion because though they bée thrust out of Sinagogues yet neuerthelesse they shal abide in the kingdome of God The sum is that we ought not to bée discouraged by the peruerse iudgemēts of menne but rather stronglye to beare the opprobrie and shame of the Crosse of Christ being contented with this one thing that our cause whiche menne scornfully condemne is allowed of God Also hereby wée gather that the Ministers of the Gospell are not onelye euell intreated of the sworne enemies of the Gospell but also sometimes sclandered and euell spoken of by those which séeme to bée of the Churche and of the houshoulde of Christ and Pyllers of the Churche The Scribes high Priestes by whom the Apostles were condemned boasted that they were apointed of God to bée the Iudges of the Churche And in déede the ordinarye gouernment of the church was in their hands the office of Iudging came from God not from mē But by their tyrrany they had corrupted the whoale order instituted of God Thus it came to passe that the power which was graunted vnto them to edifycation was nothing else but siuyll oppression of the seruauntes of God excommunication which should haue bene a medicine to pourge the Churche was conuerted to banishe all impietye out of the same The which séeing the Apostles perceiued in their age there is no cause why wee shoulde be afrayde at this daye of the Popes curse with the which he thretneth vs because of the testimony of the Gospell For they canne doe vs no more harme than these ould excommunications dyd vnto the Apostles nay we ought to desyer nothing more than to be out of that company from whence Christe is banished But concerning excommunication and the abuse of the same read the ninth Chapter going before But the time shall come M. Christ sheweth what great hatered of the worlde the Apostles were like to sustayne It might séeme a light matter to be expelled and caste oute of the company of some men For what hurt was it to the Apostle to be expelled out of the Sinagogues of the Iewes As thoughe they should not shortly after haue gone out of the same though they had not bene expelled R. Therfore paraduenture it was tollerable ynough for them to suffer proscription and exile excepte the wicked should haue vtterly killed the Godly And peraduenture it was tollerable that they myghte also be slayne excepte the world should acknowledge without blushing that they doe wickedly and shoulde openly confesse that it doth therefore kyl the Godly because they beleeue in God and because they haue taught that which is godly but the world is so farre from confessing this that it will rather bee thought to doe well and to doe God good seruice by slaying the godly This is the true crosse C. For nowe of it selfe it is a verye harde matter for the Godly to be cruelly vexed but it is much more sharpe and gréeuouse that the Iniuryes whiche are done vnto the childeren of GOD by the wicked should be counted for iust due punishmentes belouging to their faltes But we must be so strong and boulde in a good conscience that we must patiently suffer our selues to be so oppressed till Christ shall appeare from heauen to defende our and his cause who wyll take vengeaunce vppon those which haue not knowen God C. But it is merueile that the enemies of the trueth when their owne conscience doth accuse them can beare such a fayre shewe not onely before men but also challenge vnto them selues prayse beefore God for theyr most wicked crueltye Wee aunswere Hipocrites although their owne conscience doth accuse them yet notwithstanding they always flatter and deceiue them selues They are ambitiouse cruell and prowde but yet they couer all these vices with the pretence of zeale by which they promise vnto them selues impunitye To this also is ioyned a sertayne furiouse dronkennesse after they haue imbrued them selues wyth the bloud of martyres R. Wherefore the worlde beeing wyse will not séeme to doe euell to persecute the worde of the Lord nor to kill the true Euaungelistes For it professeth that it loueth and honoreth these it professeth that it beleeueth the word of the Lord but it sayeth that it will not beare with bringers in of newe thinges with the disturbers of the peace and with the contempners of humaine and diuine ryghteousnesse and that it doth not beleeue their worde to be the word of God but rather a fained immagination found out to trouble and disturbe all Religion and loue of honestye And thus are the godlye slayne of the world as the authours of all euell that not without shewe of perswation and probable reasonne For Christ also hym selfe was fastened to the Crosse not as the sonne of God but as an enemie vnto him R. So his disciples were thought vnworthy to liue vpon the earth A. Wherfore we being in suche straytes let vs imbrace the worde of the Lorde Iesu with a liuely fayth let vs in pacience possesse our soules 3. And suche thinges will they doe vnto you because they haue not knowne the Father neither yet me C. Christ doth not in vayne bring his Apostles vnto this consideration that there is one onely cause why the vnbeléeuing doe so rage against the godlye namely because they knowe not God Notwithstanding this is not spoken to extenuate their fault but rather that the Apostles might with a good courage despise their blinde madnesse R. As yf he should saye They boaste of GOD but they knewe not GOD because they persecute the worde of God And he which persecuteth the worde of God persecuteth God himselfe and knoweth not God although he boaste of him For God is knowne by his worde which is the Sonne of God C. Moreouer by these wordes wee are taught what great wickednesse the ignoraunce of God is whiche maketh them
being before the world beganne who afterwarde when the fulnesse of tyme came abasing himselfe and taking vpon him the forme of a seruaunt Gal 4 4 was made man Whome at the laste God set on his right hande in heauenlye places farre aboue all rule power and mighte and dominion and euery name that is named Ephe i 20 not in this worlde onely but also in the world to come Therefore it is euident that hée is not a newe or temporall God For if so bée his glorye be eternall himselfe also must nedes be sempiternall Moreouer wee haue here a manifest didistintion betwene him and the person of the Father Where by wee gather not onely that God is eternall but also that the worde of God is eternall begotten of the Father before all worlds The Lorde sayth he hath possessed mée in the begynning of hys wayes Proue 8 22 I was before hys workes of oulde I was set vp from euerlasting from the beginning and before the earth Therefore he prayeth not to receyue any new thing but that againe the forme and glorye of God which for a time lay hid myght be manifested in him by the resurrection R. By thys example wee also are taught that when wee are deliuered vnto the Crosse and doe sustayne ignominye and reproche wée bende our eies to that glorye of the Children of GOD Mat 25 34 which wée shall haue with the Father prepared before the beginning of the worlde Rom. 8 i8 For so Chryst maketh mention of hys kingdome that it was prepared before the beginning of the worlde for all the faithfull Also the Apostle Paule sayth that the afflictions of thys tyme are not worthy of the glorye which shall be shewed vppon vs and hée sayth that God hath predestinate vs that we might be made lyke vnto the Image of his sonne 6. I haue declared thy name vnto the men whiche thou gauest me out of the world thine they were and thou gauest them me and they haue kept thy woorde M. Thus farre Christ hath prayed for the glorifying of him selfe and of his father and nowe he beginneth to praye vnto the father for his Disciples Fyrste this place sheweth that Christ is a setter forth and glorifyer of the fathers name A. And the name of God in this place is not a sertaine bare word but the very same which we ought to think know beléeue and preach concerning God as of the moste louing Father and onelye preseruer of mankynd that to manifeste his name and to manifeste him or to make him knowen may be all one The name of God is mercy remission of sinnes goodnesse righteousenesse redemption and saluation All these are made manyfest are reueled concerning God through the Gospell The Iewes had heard much of God before the comming of Christ but yet notwithstanding they knowe not this his name which was manifested by Christ but as they receiued the same at the mouth of Christ By these wordes of Christ also we artaught that the name of th◠father is not reuealed but only to the electe He had taught and wrought myracles openly but yet for all that none knew the name of the father but onlye the elect C. There wanted no dilligence in Christ to call all men vnto God but his labor was onely profitable and effectuall to the elect His preaching was heard of all men which preaching manyfested the name of God neyther did he lette to defende his glory before the obstinate Why then doth he saye that he manyfested hym selfe onlye to a fewe but only beecause the elect alone do profite by the inward instruction and reuelation of the spirite Vnderstand therefore that not al to whome the Gospell is preached are truely effectually taught but they only whose mindes are illumined The cause hereof Christ assigneth to Gods election because he putteth no other difference why he omitting some manyfested hys fathers name to othersome but onelye because they weare geuen Faith proceedeth frō predestination Wherevppon it followeth that fayth springeth from Gods eternall predestination and that it is not generally geuen to al men because all appertayne not vnto Christ Whē he addeth saying out of the world he playnly teacheth that his Apostles were sometime of the world as were also the rest of the elect and geuen vnto Christ The father might haue geuen Aungels from heauen to his Sonne Christe by whose meanes he might haue manifested his name to the worlde but hée thought it better to choose sertayne oute of the world that is to saye oute of the nomber of them which were conceyued in synne and subiecte to death and so geue them vnto Christ to be his Disciples in whome there might appeare a sertayne vewe of the Heauenlye grace For they were as were others also by nature the children of wrath But concerning this we haue spoken more in the fiftéene chapter before Thine they were and thou gauest them mee M All thynges belong vnto God the father but two manner of wayes All thinges are his in that he is Creatoure and Lord of all thinges whether in heauen or in the earth thus the wicked and reprobate are his Agayne all they are his specially whome he hath elected and receiued into his fauoure These are chosen to life he gaue them vnto his sonne the only sauiour and Mediatoure to be saued when by the preaching of the Gospell hée called them to fayth in hym Therefore in these words is noated the eternitie of election and also bowe we ought to consider of the same Christ declareth that they were alwayes the electe of God Wherefore GOD discerneth them from the reprobate not by fayth or by any merite but by his méere and frée grace because when they weare farthest from him yet in his secret counsayl and purpose he accounted them for his The assurance and safety consysteth in this that he hath geuen al those to his sonne to kepe whom he hath chosen least they shoulde perish and herevnto we must bende our eyes that we may know for sertayne that we are in the number of Gods children For in him is Godes predestination hid and in Christ onelye the same is reuealed R. For he will saue none but suche as beleeue in Christ For hee hath appoynted Christ to bee a Mediatour an intercessor and a iustefier Wherevpon hée sayth They were thine that is to say they were elected of thée and thou haste geuen them vnto me that is thou hast so ordayned that they shoulde be saued by mée Wherefore I woulde not haue thée first to séeke thy selfe in God but in Christ in whome if thou finde thy selfe by fayth be thou sure that God hath predestinate thée to lyfe And they haue kept thy worde M. Hée sayth not sympely And they haue hearde thy worde but And they haue kept thy worde It is one thing to heare with oure eares the worde of truth and another thing to feele and retaine the same with our hearte This onelye
the Apostles behaued not theÌ„selues so valiantly as it became theÌ„ yet notwithstanding they did fauoure their infirmitie They séeke to hide them selues to auoyd peril yet notwithstaÌ„ding they pluck vp their minds that they may abyd together For otherwise they had béene disperced here and there and one of them woulde haue béene afrayde to looke another in the face After the same manner must we fight with the infirmitie of our fleshe and resiste feare which maketh vs to falle away And Christe doth blesse their zeale in appearing to them béeing gathered together and Thomas is iustly depriued of that grace which all his brethreÌ„ had bicause as a vagrant or waÌ„dring souldier he was departed from the ensigne of vnitie Therfore let al those hereby learne whiche are to fearefull to imbolden them selues and to correcte in them the feare of the flesh Came Iesus and stoode in the middest M. In that Christe when the doores were shut came vnto his disciples which were gathered together for feare of the Iewes to the ende by his apparition he might comforte them béeing in griefe and feare we haue a notable proofe of his diuine power For wheras some think that the doores were opened for him that he might enter in according to the manner of men it disagréeth much with the mind of the Euangelist Therefore we muste not thinke that Christ entred in without miracle to the ende he might declare hys diuine power to make his Disciples the more attentiue Neuerthelesse that is moste false whiche the Papistes affirme as that Christes body perced the doores which were shut This they therefore affyrme that they mighte make his gloryfied body not onely lyke vnto a spirite but also so incomprehensible that no place can contayne the same But the woords of the Euangelist sounde no such thyng bycause he saith not that he entred through the doores that were shut but that hée stoode sodaynely in the middest of hys disciplees when the doores were shutte We knowe that Peter came foorthe of the fast barred prison shal we therfore say that he perced through the middest of the Iron gate This were to absurde and childish let vs coÌ„tent our selues with this that Christ purposed by a notable miracle to confyrme the Apostles in the fayth of his resurrection Peace be vnto you Bv. Christ according to his maner saluteth his beloued disciples For the Iewes vsed this maner of salutation and it continueth with them vntill this â—aye By peace he meaneth integritie and health prosperitie and a blessed lyfe M. Euen as when we say God saue you The Lord vsed this maner of salutacion not onlye at this present but also before his passion A. Concerning this salutacion reade the tenth Chapter of Mathew beginning at the 12. verse 20. And when he had so sayd he shewed vnto them his hands and his syde Then were the disciples glad C. It was meete that this confyrmation shuld be added that it might appere vnto them by all maner of meanes that Christ was risen againe Bv. Least they should imagine him to be a spirite or some other body than that which had hoong vppon the crosse Therfore he sheweth vnto theÌ„ his hands and his side namely the prints of the nailes in his hands and the wound pearced by the speare in his syde M. The Euangelist Luke in his fower and twentie chapter addeth more coÌ„cerning the communication of Christ with his disciples about meate in the 41. verse 21. Then sayd Iesus vnto them againe Peace be vnto you as my father sent me euen so send I you also C. Christ saluted them again to make theÌ„ the more attentiue vnto those things which he spake being matters of great waight and importaunce As my father sent me M. Christ first declared vnto his disciples the reason of his death resurrection out of the scriptures and then he tould them that they should preach remission of sins repentance geue testimonye vnto the gospel C. By which words Christ doth after a sort enter his Apostles into their office to the which before he had choseÌ„ theÌ„ They wer sent before throughout Iewry but only as forerunners which should exhort coÌ„mand men to heare the chief teacher but not as Apostls which shuld take vpon theÌ„ the coÌ„tinual office of teaching And now the lord appointeth theÌ„ as Ambassodors to declare set forth his kingdoÌ„ in the world Therefore let this stand as an vndoubted truth that this is the fyrst time in the which the Apostls wer ordained to be ordinary ministers of the gospel And his wordes are in effect as much as if he shuld sai that he had hitherto don the office of a teacher and that hee hauing ended his course race appointed vnto them their turne For the father had appointed him to be a teacher of the church to this end that he might go before the rest for a time might afterward appoint substitutes in his place to supply his roome For the which cause Paul saith that he hath appointed some in the church to be Apostles other Euangelists Eph. 4.11 other Shepeheardes to gouerne the church vnto the end of the world Bv. Therfore he committeth vnto them their Ambassage and appoynteth theÌ„ to be teachers of the whole world ministers of his church C. First of all then Christ testifyeth that although he him self hath a temporall office of teaching yet notwithstanding that the preaching of the gospel shal abide for euer and lest the doctrine of the Apostles shuld haue lesse authoritie hee coÌ„maundeth theÌ„ to succéed him in the same function which he had receiued of his father And thus it was méete that their ministrie should be authorised for they wer base vnlearned men Bv. But we must take hede lest we abuse these words of the Lord or misconster them For the lord did not send forth his Apostles to offer them selues a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world nether to the ende the father might be called vppon through their name or that by their merittes the whole worlde mighte bée saued Mat. 9.12 Ihon. 6.38 Ihon. 3.17 but that by the preaching of the woorde they myght call men to repentaunce and to remission of sinnes in Christ Therefore the maner how Christ him selfe was sente is noted in the places quoated in the margent This then is referred to the preaching of the gospell euen as he sayth in another place Mar. 28.19 Mar. 16.15 Go ye forth into the whole world and preach the Gospel to euery creature 22. And when he had said those woords he breathed on them and saith vnto them receyue ye the holy Ghost Bv. The Apostles might haue sayd vnto Christ thou laiest a heauy burthen vppon our shoulders We feare Lord that wée are not sufficient for these labours that we want strength insomuch that we shal fainte at the last vnder our burthen This world hath his power his customes receiued from the fathers which it accounteth
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
affirmeth that he is God Now séeing there is one God it foloweth that Christ is one essence with the father and yet notwithstanding that they differ in something R. For the Father imprinteth the Image The sonne is the Image imprinted or expressed The father shineth and the worde is the very same brightnesse which doth shine M. Wherefore we must not feare lest the Euangelist shall appoint a newe God vnto vs against the law of God in the which it is sayde Psal 81 Thou shalt haue no newe God He cannot bée God which is not equall with God in sempiternity It is written There is no God before me neither is there any after me If this word be sprong foorth after God it cannot be God But the Euangelist taketh awaye this feare from vs séeing he saieth not And that word was made God But the worde was God Not because afterward it ceassed to be God God forbid How had that béene God which coulde afterward ceasse to be God But to the ende he might expresse the euerlasting diuinitie of the worde of God the which hath no beginning he sayde and God was the worde That is to saye In the beginning before the worlde was made before all times this worde was God A. But this confession of Christian fayth by occasion was the cause of manye persecutions For when the worlde coulde not attaine to knowe by carnall wisdome howe God woulde be manifested in the fleshe it persecuted the Apostles and Martires of Christ to the death because they séemed to affirme the pluralitie of Goddes when as they with great constancie of minde affirmed that to be true whiche this our Euangelist hath here put downe by plaine wordes namely God is the worde But truely Iohn doth not affirme that God is with God 2. The same was in the beginning with God M. The Euangelist repeateth those thinges which he spake euen now but so that he ioyneth together those thinges which were spoken seuerally For these two being ioyned togither In the beginning was the worde And the worde was with God do attribute vnto the worde an vndoubted Godheade And it is very well that they are repeated ioyntly and together which in déede are ioyned together least occassion shoulde be giuen to the malicious to gather and say that the worde was in the beginning but not by and by coeternall or of like eternitye with God which was somewhat before the worde Therfore he repeateth this that the same was in the beginning with GOD ascribing vnto him the like sempiternitie with GOD. C. And so those two former partes are gathered by him into a short conclusion that he was alwaies and that with God to the ende we might vnderstande the beginning to be before all time Nowe wée sée with how fewe wordes notwithstanding circumspectlie and Godlye the Euangelist hath handled the mistery of the diuinity the which thing if the Christians of olde time would haue followed the churches had not beene so miserablie and daungerouslye deuided neyther shoulde they haue geuen occasion to the subtil and busie aduersaries 1. Cor. 2 to contaminate and obscure the deuine maiesty with their impure inuentions We shall not come into the wholesome knowledge of the diuinitie but by the meanes of the mediator the man Christ Iesus Wherfore it shall be good to learne with Saint Paule to know Christ Iesus and the same crucified that thereby we maye humble ourselues and maye diligentlye prosecute the mortification of our fleshe according to our promise Furthermore we are here admonished not to fainte because we sée in this our time also manye wicked sectes to be sprong vp they are the dartes of Satan against the wholesome truth of the gospell the which is a manifest signe that the truth is amongst vs for otherwise he woulde not stirre 3. All thinges were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made Al things were made by it C. After he hath affirmed the word to be God and declared his eternal essence nowe hée proueth his deuinitie by his workes B. shewing by what meanes he did insinuate and secretlie reueale himselfe to the worlde First of all he did it by creation for by him all thinges were made without him there was nothing made that is made secondely both by the conseruation déede for by his blessing al things liue M. First of all therfore the Euangelist propoundeth the worke of the creation then he passeth to the woorke of redemption And he putteth the worke of creation in a most briefe compendium of all thinges the which Moyses more largely hath described All thinges saith he Heauen Earth Sea and all things else conteyned in them were made by him that is to say Heb. 1. Collos 1. by Christ the worde of God So saith the Apostle By whome hee made the Heauens also Saint Iohn therefore by these wordes doth bring a light vnto that which Moyses hath written to the ende we might vnderstande that those thinges which are written in the first of Genesis as concerning the workes of creation doe set foorth vnto vs the deuinity of Christ R. For Moyses euen in the beginning of Genesis affirmeth that God made all thinges by his worde which is the onelie begotten son of God Christ our Lorde saying Gen. 1. And God sayde Let there bee light and there was light And afterwarde he sayth Againe GOD sayde Let there be a Firmament Let the waters be gathered c. Let vs make man after our owne Image Whereby wée sée that to be true which the Prophet singeth in his Psalme Psal 33. By the worde of the Lorde the heauens were made and all the powers of them by the breath of his mouth Psal 148. And in another place he sayeth He spake the worde and they were made hee commaunded and they were created Colos 1 And the Apostle Paule sayth All thinges were made by him and for him and hee is before all thinges and in him all things consist C. Therfore the Euangelist goeth about here to shewe that the word of God had his eternall action euen in the beginning of the creation of the worlde For séeing that he was incomprehensible at the first in his essence his power was then openlye knowne made manifest by the effect M. But where as the Euangelist sayth in the pretertence or time past that all thinges were made by it we must not thereby gather that after the worlde was created and all thinges therein contayned GOD doth make nothing anye more by his worde but doth suffer all things to be done by chaunse and is as it werein the meane time ydle or a sléepe God forbid For those thinges whiche hée made by his worde hée gouerneth and preserueth with his euerlasting prouidence as testifieth our Sauiour Christ him selfe Iohn 5 saying My Father worketh hitherto and I worke And the Apostle Paule 1. Cor. 12 Gen. 2 VVhich worketh all in all For in that
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
meaning thereby his resurrection which was to come C. But all these thinges he doth figuratiuely handling the vnfaithfull as they deserued and setting him selfe frée from theyr contempte It did not appeare as yet that they were obstinate but Christ did sufficientlye perceyue what their affection was Notwithstanding it may bée demaunded séeing he did so many Myracles why hée speaketh but of one myracle here It may bée aunswered that Christ therefore made no mencion of the rest of his Myracles because his resurrection only was sufficient to stoppe their mouthes and also because he would not set foorth the power of God before them to bée a mocking stocke For therefore also he spake figuratiuelye of the glorye of his resurrection R. Also howe the Temple of Hierusalem shadowed Christ hée him selfe in this place declareth Destroye sayeth hée this Temple that is to say yée shall kyll me which am that true Temple in the whiche all true Prayers being made are heard in the which only God is found fauourable C. Wée must also note that our bodies are called the Temple of GOD but in another sence that is Colos 2 1. Timo. 3 because by the force of his spirite God dwelleth in vs but in Christ the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodelye as sayeth the Apostle in so much that God is truely manifested in the fleshe And I will raise it againe C. Here Christ challengeth vnto him selfe the glorye of his resurrection when as notwithstanding the Scripture testifieth that it is the worke of God the father But these twoo thinges doe verye well agree togeather For to the ende the Scripture might commende vnto vs the power of God it doeth plainlye ascribe the raysing againe of the Sonne from death to the Father but Christ doeth here speciallye set foorth his Diuinitye M. This place therefore doeth agrée with that which we shall sée afterwarde where Christe speaketh thus I put awaye my life from mee Iohn 10 that I may take it to me againe No man taketh the same awaye from mee Iohn 10 but I put it awaye of my selfe I haue power to put it awaye and I haue power to take it to me againe 20. Then sayd the Iewes Fortye and sixe yeres was this Temple a building and wilt thou reare it vppe in three daies M. The Iewes vnderstoode that to be spoken of the temple built of stone which hée vnderstoode of his Bodye and they iudge in the answere of Christ great rashnesse to consiste in so muche that they did iudge him to bée mad not by his déedes onelye but also hy his woordes As if they should saye What madnesse is this in thée that thou darest promise that this Temple shal be built in thrée dayes againe if it bée destroyed séeing that with so great labour and coste it was a building Fortye and sixe yeres And here is to be noted that whereas the Iewes sayde that the Temple was a building sixe and fortye yeres it agréeth with the Prophesie of Daniel Dan. 9. and .25 And although in the booke of Esdras the Temple seemeth to bée built in a farre shorter time whereby some contrarietye maye bée gathered yet notwithstanding there is no repugnancye at all For so soone as the Sanctuarye was erected before the building of the Temple was finished they beganne to offer Sacrifices Afterwarde by the slothe and negligence of the people the worke was lefte vndone for a long time as euidently appeareth by the complaintes of Aggeus For hée doeth there seuerelye blame them Agg◠1 because they were to diligent in building theyr owne houses and verye negligent in leauing the Lordes house vnfinished Touching the exposition of the one and twenty verse reade the ninetéenth going before 22. As soone therfore as he was risen frō death againe his Disciples remembred that hee thus had sayde and they beleeued the Scriptures and the wordes whiche Iesus had sayde As soone therfore as hee was risen M. For then he opened theyr sence and vnderstanding that they might vnderstande the Scriptures Luk. 24 as sayeth the Euangelist Luke At the first the Disciples vnderstoode not Christ when he spake but afterward that Doctrine which séemed to bée spoken in vaine brought foorth his fruite in due time Therefore although many things in the déedes and wordes of the Lorde bée obscure for a time yet for all that we must not dispayre to obtaine that whiche by and by we can not attaine vnto M. That which Thomas vnderstoode not vppon the verye daye of the resurrection of Christ Iohn 20 he vnderstoode the eyght daye after Although therefore the reprobate abide in theyr blindnesse and walke in darkenesse yet notwithstanding the elect are alwayes lightened in theyr time and by the calling of Christ come to the knowledge of God C. The texte also is here to bée noted namelye that they beléeued the Scripture and the worde of Christ For the Euangelist hereby meaneth that they conferring the Scripture with the word of Christ were holpen that they might goe foreward in the faith Bv. The which thing is put downe to bée a Doctrine and an example vnto vs that we comparing both the wordes and déedes with the Scriptures may beleue Iesus to be the sonne of God a King and hye Priest and the Sauiour of the worlde 23. When hee was in Ierusalem at the Passeouer in the Feast day many beleeued on his name when they saw his miracles which he did M. There wanteth not some reason that the Euangelist added these wordes to that which went before For the rude and ignoraunt reader might haue béene much offended at the aunswere of Christ as though he of purpose neglected the saluacion of these Iewes which desired a signe to bée geuen vnto them hée being able to shewe them signes inowe with the which he might haue made his glory manifest Therefore for the ignorants sake he séemeth to make mencion of these thinges to the ende he might shewe that Christ had a care for all men but that hée shewed suche euident miracles in the Feast of Passeouer that many being then present at the feast at Hierusalem and moued by the light of the Myracles beléeued on his name Iohn therfore verye aptlye addeth this narration to that whiche goeth before But to the purpose Christ gaue not suche a signe as the Iewes desired for hée perceyuing that by many myracles which hee had already shewed he had profited nothing but brought them to a vaine shewe of Faith he thought it not good to graunt vnto them theyr desires as vnworthy Here was some profite of signes that many thereby beléeued on the name of Christ in so much that they professed to followe his Doctrine This theyr faith although it was not as yet perfect yet in time it might become perfect this fayth might be a profitable preparation to celebrate the name of Christ vnto others M. But what signes they were which our sauiour Christ shewed the Euangelist maketh no mencion
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
in Nicodemus which comprehended not those thinges which were spoken 10. Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto him Art thou a Mayster in Israel and knowest not these thinges M. Our Sauiour Christ séemeth to woonder at the scencelesnesse and ignoraunce of Nicodemus being a man learned in the Lawe as if hée had not knowne the same before But by these wordes our Sauiour casteth rather Nicodemus in the téeth with his ignoraunce than woondreth at the same and yet neuerthelesse without disdaine C. For Christ séeing that hée spent the time in vaine with a prowde man and that hée lost his labour in teaching of him falleth to plaine reprehension Bv. And being offended at his dulnesse hée reprooueth his grosse witte as if hée shoulde haue sayde O miserable condition of those shéepe the charge and care of whome is committed to a Pastor so dull and ignoraunt in heauenlye thinges Hitherto thou hast béene accounted of vs one of the chiefe maysters and teachers in Israel but séeing thou art ignoraunt of those thinges whereof euen such as are Disciples and Schollers may bée ashamed to be ignoraunt of men maye meruaile what thou and the Scribes and Pharisees men of thy calling teache the people committed to their charge E. Howe commeth it to passe that thou art ignoraunte of these thinges so common in the Scriptures séeing thou art a teacher of other men For what other thing else meaneth the circumcision of the heart which Moyses so dilligentlye commended vnto you What else was the meaning of the sanctification so often tymes preached to the people but this innouation and spirituall Natiuitie of mens mindes of the whiche I speake The whole Scripture doth sufficientlye testifie Gen. 6.5 and .8.21 that all fleshe is onelye inclined to that which is euill Howe therefore shoulde anye fleshe but that which is borne againe and sanctified enter into the kingdome of God which is the kingdome of righteousnesse What can bée more plaine than that which the Prophet Esay Iere. 31.19 Ezech 11.19 and .36.26 Ieremy and Ezechiel haue spoken concerning the regenerating and renuing spirite Of the same also most plainelye hath the Prophet in his Psalmes prophesied It is meruaile therefore that my doctrine séemeth so straunge vnto thée Beholde here the true waye and maner how prowde persons that are puffed vp with vaine glory and which stande in their owne conceite ought to bée handeled C. For doctrine shall take no place or profite nothing at all vntill suche time as they be cleane purged from the pride of their owne wicked conceypt R. And this is a generall reprehension by which Christe reprooueth the blindnesse of all the Rabbines For Christ so talketh here with Nicodemus that by him hée vnderstandeth the whole order of the Pharisées and Deuines and all the professors of their Leuen M. Therefore let suche as haue the titles and names of Pastors in the Churche Two thinges required in a Pastour and which brag of the same consider how they aunswere and discharge that their calling For two thinges are required in faithfull and true Pastors namelye puritie of Doctrine Purity of doctrine holines of life required in a true Pastour and holinesse of life Concerning the first wée haue mention made here concerning the other reade the thirtéenth of Mathew and the second Chapter to the Romaines 11. Veryly veryly I saye vnto thee we speake that wee knowe and testifie that wee haue seene and ye receiue not our witnesse Veryly Veryly Bv. The Lorde by this sentence declareth how certaine firme the whole doctrine of the Gospell is not onelye in the Doctrine of regeneration but also in all other articles and speciall poyntes of our fayth And this hee confirmeth with an oath the which he is not woonte to doe but in matters most sure and firme M. Séeing therefore there were two thinges to bée reprehended in the Iewes namelye the ignoraunce of deuine matters and the fault of vnbeléefe Christ when he had reprooued the first commeth to the seconde Wee speake that wee knowe A. Some referre these wordes to Christ and to Iohn the Baptist who was sent of God to testifie of the true light CHR. Othersome vnderstande them of the Father and the sonne whome he sent into the worlde Iohn 1.7 For Christ spake those thinges in the worlde which hée had hearde of the Father Iohn 8.26 Othersome saye that the Plurall number is put for the singular by a figure called Enallagen C. But there is no doubte but that Christ here ioyneth him selfe with all the Prophets and Ministers of God and speaketh generallye in the person of them all For Philosophers and other vaine Doctours doe oftentimes bring in those vaine toyes which they them selues haue imagined and deuised But Christ challengeth this as proper to him selfe and to all the seruauntes of God alone that they deliuer nothing but a certaine and vndoubted Doctrine For God sendeth not suche as shoulde prate and talke of thinges doubtful and vnknowne But suche as deliuer to others those things which they haue learned of him in his Schoole B. Here therefore we are taught that no man ought to teache any thing for a trueth and certaintye whereof hée is not most assured 1. Peter .4 All thinges that we speake in the Churche ought to bée as the woordes of God C. Let euery one therefore take héede what is reuealed to him of the Lorde least he goe beyonde the boundes of his Faith and loast he speake those thinges which he hath not heard of the Lorde Bv. Moreouer let all those obserue and weigh this sentence of the Lorde whiche crye that the aucthoritye of the Gospell should bée nothing if so bée the aucthoritye of the Churche had not allowed and confirmed the same For the Doctrine of Christ and of the Apostles hath sufficient aucthority and allowance of it sellfe and néedeth no other testimonye The Gospell needeth not the allowaunce of the Church For it is Authential and set foorth by those which are eye witnesses and most assured of the same hauing for the aucthour thereof the Sonne of God him selfe the wisedome of his Father and the holye Ghost whiche is the true liuing and eternal God speaking by the Apostles And testifye that we haue seene B. As if he should say We testifie euen the verye same thing which fewe of you receiue for some of you haue receiued it The lyke is reade in the first Chapter going before where it is sayde He came into his owne and his owne receiued him not C. By which manner of speache and by this complaint of our Sauiour Christ we gather that this was appointed to the word of God as a fatall destinye in all ages not to bée receyued and beléeued M. Wherevpon also Christ vseth the plurall number saying Ye receyue not C. Because this not receyuing pertayned to the greater number and almost to the whole bodye of the people Therefore Christ thought good to adde this least
the aucthoritye of the Gospell might be deminished through the ingratitude of the people For because a verye fewe imbraced the Doctrine of trueth and the most parte of the worlde reiected the same it must be brought from contempt least the Maiestye thereof be therefore the lesse regarded because almost the whole worlde despiseth the same So that we may out of this place note twoo speciall Lessons The first is that we ought not in any poynt to dislike of the Gospell although it hath fewe disciples on earth As if Christ should haue sayde Howe so euer ye refuse my Doctrine it abydeth neuerthelesse firme and stable because the hardnesse of heart and incredulitye that is in men shall neuer bring to passe but that God shall for euer abide iust and true Rom. 3.3 The second is that they shal not escape vnpunished which at this daye séeke to discredite the Gospell séeing it is the sacred and most excellent trueth of God With this Buckler it behoueth vs to bée garded Fayth founded vpon God that wée maye goe forwarde in the obedience of the Gospell against the obstinacie of men And we must holde this as a most certaine trueth that our faith is founded vpon God but so soone as we haue God our aucthour we ought bouldlye as men caryed aboue the Heauens rather to despise the whole world than that the infidelity of some should trouble vs. M. Also it is a plaine argument of miserable blindnesse that the testimony of those men which testifye nothing but those things which they know for a certaine trueth should bée reiected Lyes preferred before trueth when as there is no lye so impudent and notable which in this world is not receiued And this of al other is the most iust iudgemeÌ„t of God that they which receiue not the doctrine of truth brought vnto them by the Ministers of God should imbrace the illusions of certaine lies brought in by the Apostles of Satan 2. The. 2.11 as the Apostle Paul teacheth Of the which we haue a horrible example in King Achab who gaue credite to spirites of errour after he had taken displeasure against the Prophete of God and would not heare him because hée tolde those thinges which rather displeased 1. King 22.29 than pleased him yet notwithstanding they were true 12. If I haue tolde you of earthly thinges and ye beleeue not howe shall ye beleeue if I tell you of heauenly thinges R. By earthly thinges Christ vnderstandeth the Doctrine of the lawe or else those rustical earthly similitudes which he was wont to vse by heauenly things he vnderstaÌ„deth the doctrine of wholsome strong meate which appertaineth onely to such as be strong For so the Apostle Paul sayth that he taught the Corinthians saying 1. Cor. 3.1.2 I coulde not speake vnto you brethreÌ„ as vnto spiritual but as vnto carnal euen as vnto babes in Christ I gaue you milk to drink not meate c. C. Or as it pleaseth other some this may simplye be referred to the forms maners of teaching For albeit the whole Sermon of our sauiour christ were heauenly yet for all that he spake so familiarlye that the sermon after a sort may séeme earthly Furthermore these words ought not to be restrained to the Sermon alone For here the vsuall maner of teaching which our sauiour Christ vsed that is to saye the simplicitye of the common sort is coÌ„pared with pompe sumptuous shewes to the which ambitious men are to much addicted A. So Paule affirmeth that hée did not preache the Gospel to the Corinthians in a glorious shewe of wordes of humaine wisdome 1. Cor. 2.4 C. Therefore Christ concludeth that the faulte resteth in Nicodemus and in such as hée himselfe is if so be they profite not in the doctrine of the Gospell And this is a great faulte in many men who so curiouslye schoolelike séeke to instruct and teache others Herevpon it commeth to passe that the greatest part of men delight in hie and secret misteryes and speculations Herevppon also it commeth to passe that many men estéeme the lesse of the Gospell because they finde not in the same things delectable to their eares And therefore they will not vouchsafe to occupie themselues in the studie of this base and common doctrine But certainelye this is to muche wickednesse in vs that wée shoulde therefore the lesse estéeme of Gods worde because it hath pleased him to frame the same to our rudenesse Therefore Barborosnesse in the Scripture is for our weaknesse whereas the Lorde doth speake grosselye and barbarouslye in the Scripture let vs know that it is done for our sakes Whosoeuer he be that shal pretende to be offended at suche barbarietie in the Scripture because hée will not beléeue the same lyeth For he which wyll not imbrace God when he is néere vnto him will much lesse ascende vnto him aboue the clowdes Bv. Wée also gather that hereby it is lawfull for vs more sharpely to reprooue their dulnesse who when they haue both plentifullye and plainely hearde the doctrine of the truth by reason of their dull scencelessenesse cannot for all that comprehende or conceyue the same Mat. 15.16 A. So Christ spake vnto his Apostles when they vnderstoode not a matter of it selfe most plaine saying Are ye as yet without vnderstanding 13. And no man asceÌ„deth vp to heaueÌ„ but he that came downe from heauen euen the sonne of man which is in heaueÌ„ And no man ascendeth vp to heauen R. When our sauiour Christ had reproued sharpelye the whole order of the Pharisées he returneth to the argument of the disputacion shewing from whence wée mâ—â—â— fetche true righteousnesse C. And againe he exhorteth Nicodemus not to trust to him selfe nor to his dexteritye of wit for so much as no mortall man by his owne industrye can pearce the heauens but hée which is guided thither by the Sonne of God B. The Heauen signifieth the light that no man can attaine vnto in the which God dwelleth 1. Timo. 6.16 and the reuealed brightnesse of the Diuine Maiestye C Therfore the ascending into Heauen signifieth the pure knowledge and light of Gods misteries and of Spirituall vnderstanding Hither as no man coulde knowe the Father but the onelye begotten sonne of God so none coulde ascende but hée For Christ teacheth the same here which the Apostle doth in another place saying Mortall man doth not vnderstande those thinges which belong to God 1. Cor. 2.14 Therfore hée separateth all humaine vnderstanding and wisdome from deuine matters because it cannot sufficiently reache vnto God But wée must note the wordes that only Christ which is celestial ascendeth into heauen and all others to be shut out of the same For in the first part he doth humble vs when as he excludeth the whole world from heauen 1. Cor. 3.18 The Apostle Paule willeth euery one to be a Foole in his owne eyes if he desire to be
wise with GOD. But wée are to nothing more vnwilling therfore wée must embrace the sentence of our Sauiour Christ here namelye that all our scences doe vanish awaye and fayle vs when wée come to the déepe consideration of GOD. But after our Sauiour hath excluded vs from the kingdome of heauen hée straightway offereth to vs a remedye when hée addeth saying that it is giuen to the Sonne of man which is denied to all other Christ ascended into heauen to leade vs thither For whereas he ascended into heauen he did not thyther ascende for his owne priuate sake alone but that hée might be vnto vs a guide and a director or preparer of the waye And for this cause hée hath called him selfe The Sonne of man B. That is to saye perfect man least we shoulde doubt to haue entraunce with him thyther who therefore tooke vpon him our fleshe that hée might make vs pertakers with him of all good thinges Séeing therfore he is the onely Counsellor of his Father Esay 9.6 he admitteth vs to the knowledge of his secret misteries which otherwise shoulde lye hidde And to this effect pertaine the wordes of the Euaungelist before where hée sayth No man hath seene GOD at any time Iohn 1.18 the onelye begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the Father Iohn 14.6 hee hath declared him And in an other place our Sauiour Christ sayth I am the way the truth and the life No man commeth to the Father but by mee R. For hée is the treasury of Gods wisdome and knowledge nay hée is the wisdome of God it selfe which reuealeth himselfe to Babes Obiection M. But howe doth Christ affirme that no man hath ascended into heauen but the sonne of man 2. King 2. seing it is written of Elias that he ascended by a whirle wind into heauen I answere Aunsvvere That Christ speaketh not here of a Corporall ascention but of that ascention by which men come to the light of the diuinitie that cannot be attained vnto and to the knowledge of the heauenlye misteries of Godes will Elias at the firste although hée were in bodye caught vp into heauen yet notwithstanding hee knewe not the secretes of the heauens onelye knowne to GOD Ephe. 3.10 and hidden from the verye Angelles But he that came downe from heauen Now our sauiour beginneth to direct his speache to make declaration of the reason of the Dispensation and Incarnation which he had taken in hand This discention or comming downe from heauen is the Incarnation of the worde by which the onelye begotten Sonne of God was made the Sonne of man Euen the same which is in heauen C. There is no cause why this saying should séeme harde and absurde vnto vs in that he affirmeth him selfe to be in heauen when as he dwelt on earth because in Christ by reason of the vnitie of the person that which is proper to the nature of one is transferred giuen to another The which is very often vsed in the Scripture as when it is sayde That GOD hath purchased himselfe a Churche by his blood Christ therfore which is in heauen tooke vpon him our fleshe Acts 20.28 that by reaching to vs his brotherlye hande hée might lifte vs vp with him into heauen 14. And as Moyses lyfted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man be lifted vp M. These wordes and those which followe containe an exposition of the dispensation which hée had taken vppon him whereby hée being the onely begotten Sonne of his father descended from heauen into this worlde to redéeme mankinde C. Therefore Christ here more plainely declareth Christ our enterance into heauen wherefore hée sayde that the kingdome of heauen was open to him alone namely that he might bring all those thither which will follow him theyr leader and guide For hée affirmeth that hée must plainely and openlye be offered to all men that hée maye powre out his vertue and power vppon all Num. 21.8 The storye whiche here is rather touched than expounded is written in the Booke of Numbers Bv. Where wée reade that Moyses prayed for the people which were afflicted with strange Serpentes for their murmuring and hardenesse of heart But the Lorde commaunded Moyses to erect and set vp a Brasen Serpent for a signe by the sight whereof those that were stong with the Serpent were healed C. To be exalted here signifieth to be set and placed in a plaine and high place that all men may sée This is done by the preaching of the Gospell For where as some vnderstande these woordes to be spoken of the exalting and lifting vp of our Sauiour Christ vpon the Crosse it agréeeth not with the text and is very farre from the purpose of Christ Therefore the simple sence and meaning of these words is That Christe shoulde be set vp and displaied like an Ensigne by the preaching of the Gospell whom all men shoulde behold with their eyes as Esayas before had Prophesied saying Esay 2.2 It shall be in the last dayes that the mountaine of the house of the Lorde shall be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flow vnto it Of this exaltation the lifting vp of the brasen Serpent by Moyses was a type or figure the sight whereof was a present remedye to all those which were mortallye stong with Serpents Wherefore Christ maketh mention of the same in this place to this ende and purpose namely to teache that the doctrine of the Gospell must be set before all men to beholde and consider the same that so many as beholde him with the eies of fayth may attaine to eternall saluation Whereby wée may gather that Christ is plainely set before our eyes in the Gospell least any man shoulde complaine or finde faulte with obscuritie and that this manifestation or reuelation of Christ is common to all men Fayth most effectually beeholdeth Christ Galath 3.1 who by fayth may sée him as effectuallye as if hée were present before their eyes euen as the Apostle sayth that hée is described before our eyes when hée is truely preached And this similitude is not impertinent or farre fetcht For as the Serpent of Brasse was but an externall shewe of a Serpent Christ the brasen serpent our saluation and contayned nothing within that was hurtfull or venemous Bv. Euen so Christ tooke vpon him the forme and similitude of sinful fleshe in all thinges hauing our true and carnall substaunce in euerye point most disagréeing and far from all sinne C. to the ende hée might heale that deadlye wounde of sinne that is in vs. Bv. For that olde Serpent did sting verye foore our father Adam in Paradise and euerye one of vs also which are borne of Adam hée hath so infected with his Pestiferous Poyson that in all the rase of our life wée are whole addicted and geuen to selfe loue and to the desire
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
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
hath spoken of Fayth and the vertue thereof To the ende therefore hée might shewe that the faith of the Godlye is not in vaine whiche is reposed in Christe hée declareth that all power to saue is wholye geuen to the Sonne because hée is loued exceedinglye of the Father M. Iohn Baptiste had hearde the Heauenlye voyce by which the Father spake from Heauen saying Math. 3.17 This is my welbeloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased Nowe the whole inheritaunce cannot but belong to the welbeloued sonne Therefore when Iohn was about to saye And hath geuen all thinges into his hande Hée verye well added first The Father loueth the Sonne Question C. But what is the meaning of this reason Doeth hée hate all others Aunswere is made herevnto Aunsvvere that hée speaketh not here of the common loue with the which God loueth men and other workes of his handes but of that singuler and speciall loue which beginning at the Sonne floweth from thence to all other Creatures For this loue of God by which hée louing his Sonne loueth vs also bringeth to passe that hee doeth communicate vnto vs by his hande all good thinges Bv. Wherevppon the Apostle Paul sayeth He loued vs in his welbeloued Sonne Ephe 1.6 And hath geuen all thinges into M. These fewe woordes appertaine greatlye to our Faith by which wée depende vpon Christ as vpon the Lord of all Bv. For all thinges as well visible as inuisible and whatsoeuer else without exception hath the father geuen vnto him M. to be in his power in his proper possession and in his disposition gouernmēt Bv. I say he hath geuen vnto him all thinges not that in respect of his Diuine nature he wanted them at any time or that hée was not equall with the Father in omnipotencye For hée sayth Glorifye me nowe O Father with thy selfe with the same glorye which I had with thee before the beginning of the world CYR. but because when the fulnesse of time was come the Son of God was incarnate and made man and was humbled to the death euen to the death of the Crosse therefore God hath exalted him according to the nature which he hath taken is sayd to haue receiued some what not as from another but as his owne proper right M. and he is sayd so to haue receyued the same not to refer that to him selfe alone which he hath receyued but liberallye to dispence the same to others In consideration whereof he calleth all men vnto him saying Come vnto me all ye that trauayle Mat. 11.27 c. Also he sayeth All power is geuen to me Mat. 28.18 both in heauen and in earth Go ye therefore vnto al Nations Neyther tooke he this power by force or violence nor yet dyd he buie the same the which happeneth as we sée in the kingdome of Antichrist but tooke the same naturallye of the Father as the onely begotten and welbeloued Sonne of God Bv. The which is done for our sakes For as it is sayde hée hath receyued all those thinges for vs and distributeth them vnto vs and maketh them subiect vnto our power that wée might bée Lordes of Life of Death of Men of Deuils and of al other thinges according to the saying of the Apostle VVhether it bee Paul or Apollo 1. Cor. 3.22 or Cephas eyther the worlde eyther life eyther death whether they be present things or things to come al are youres And ye are Christes and Christ is Gods Of the lyke benefite of God Psal 8.7 and of the same glory appertayning to men speaketh the Prophete Dauid in his Psalmes 36. He that beleeueth on the Sonne hath euerlasting life hee that beleeueth not the Sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth on him He that beleeueth on the Sonne C. Hée addeth this to the ende wée might not onelye knowe that all grace and goodnesse is to bée sought in Christ but also that we might knowe howe to gette and enioye the same He sayeth that the waye to enioye grace and euerlasting lyfe is by fayth Faith obtaineth saluation in Christe and not without good reason because by the same we possesse Christ who bringeth with him righteousnesse and lyfe the fruite of righteousnesse M. He sayeth not simplye Hee that beleeueth but He that beleeueth in the Sonne By the which note the Christian faith is distinguished from the fayth of other Nations yea from the faith of the Iewes because we beléeue in the sonne of God Christ Iesus whome the whole worlde contemneth and derydeth This is our foolishnesse in this worlde Hath euerlasting life Bv. Hée speaketh here in the present tence Life euerlasting in this life saying Hee hath he sayth not Hee shall haue for he possesseth already euerlasting life wayting in hope for that which hée is assured he shall haue Moreouer the faithfull féele in this carnal life Vitall motions of the Spirite and life it selfe Gala. 2.20 the Apostle witnessing I liue yet nowe not I but Christ liueth in me and the life that I nowe liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God which loued me and gaue him selfe for mee Life is set against Death against Malediction and Condemnation signifying Iustification absolucion happinesse and euerlasting blessednesse He that beleeueth not the Sonne C. As he propounded life in Christ to allure vs vnto him by the swéetenesse of the same euen so nowe hée denounseth vnto them eternall death which beléeue not in Christ Hée sayeth not simplye Hee which beleeueth not but He which beleeueth not the Sonne For all vnbeléefe is not condemned but that onelye which despiseth the Sonne of God He which beléeueth none of the Fathers nor the Bishoppe of Rome is not vnder this sentence of condemnation so that he beléeue the Sonne of God C. Also this sentence doeth properly pertaine vnto them as it is sayde in another place which reiecte the Gospell preached vnto them For although all mankinde is wrapped in lyke destruction yet notwithstanding greater vengeaunce shal fall vpon those which refuse the Sonne of God to be theyr deliuerer Shall not see life That is to saye he shall neuer enioye life M. By this manner of speache Life and enteraunce into the Kingdome of Heauen is not denied to the vnbeléeuing without an Emphasis as if hée shoulde saye He which beléeueth not shall be so farre from hauing euerlasting life that he shall neuer enioye so much as the sight of the same Bv. So sayde our Sauiour Christ to Nicodemus Iohn 3.3 Except a man bee borne againe hee can not see the Kingdome of GOD. Also hée sayeth Except ye beleeue that I am hee Iohn 8.24 ye shall dye in your sinnes But the wrath of God abideth on him The wrath of God is here apposed against life therefore it comprehendeth all miserye Calamitye Vnhappinesse Sicknesse Pouertye Vengeaunce Death Sinne Malediction Punishment and torment AVG. He sayeth not The
what a speciall comforte and vnspeakeable Ioye maye wée haue thereby And this is sufficient to confute the Annabaptistes Anabaptistes confâ—red which affirme that Baptisme is defiled and vnperfect by the sinne and wickednesse of the Minister and for this cause they greatelye trouble the Churche as sometime did the Donatistes But concerning this matter we haue spoken sufficientlye before in the thirde Chapter the twoo and twentie verse M. By this place also wee maye easylye gather that the office of teaching is farre better than the office of Baptizing The Lorde Preached him selfe The office of teaching excelleth the office of baptizing but hée Baptized by the handes and Ministerye of other men For the Preaching of the Gospell is an office of greater power and more plentifullye setteth foorth the Grace and knowledge of God than the Ministerye of Baptising euen as it is a worke of greater Industrye and cunning to prepare the Wrastler to the Game than to geue the Garlande and price to those that winne B. Christ therefore was contented to teache and by the signe of imposition of handes to giue the spirite of God and other giftes and straight way permitted the Apostles to baptize M. So sayth Paule that hée was not sent to Baptize but to preache 1. Cor. 1.17 And Peter himselfe béeing present baptized not the house of Cornelius Acte 10.48 but commaunded them to be baptized There ought to be in the Churche boath preaching Ministers and Baptising Ministers Therefore there must be an order obserued in the Churche that they which excell others may haue the most excellent offices committed vnto them 3. Hee left Iury and departed againe into Galilee He left Iury. R. Christ by reason of the persecution of the Pharisees fléeeth out of Iudea not for feare of death for hée therefore descended from heauen that hée might dye for men but because as yet he had scarselye begon his office for the whiche hée was come For so soone as hée had done this hée went foorth to méete his enimies Iohn 18.4 so far hée was from fléeing death So Paule by the Brethren was lette downe in a Basket ouer the Wall in the night Act. 9.25 and fled but when he hadde discharged his office and calling hée was readie not onely to be bounde but also to dye at Hierusalem for the name of the Lorde Iesu Act. 21.13 And departed againe into Galilee C. Why doth hée séeke to hide himselfe in Galilee as though hée woulde not be knowne when he shoulde rather haue made him selfe manifest I aunswere that Christ woulde obserue an order in his doinges and soo vsed the oportunitie of the time that he did not let passe or forslew one moment Therefore hée determined to finishe his course in good order and with discretion Whereby also wée are taught that wée ought to be of such stoute courage that wée shoulde not be so terrified with any feare Persecution may be fled sometime but wée shoulde go forwarde in our office and that wée shoulde not be boulde in casting our selues rashelye into perils R. Christe coulde with his becke onelye haue withstande all his enimies But for our sakes hée abased himselfe taking vpon him the forme of a seruaunt Phil. 2.7 Heb. 2.18 and woulde be subiect to infirmities that hée might helpe those which are tempted 4. For it was so that hee must needes go thorowe Samaria These wordes are an introduction to the Historie of the woman of Samaria For the Euaungelist sayth that the Lord was constrained by necessitie to passe by Samaria the which coulde not be done without offence to the Iewes Hée saith therefore that these countreys or regions were so placed that going from Iury to Galilee hée coulde not passe except hée went through Samaria which laye betwéene them C. Christ then came not of set purpose into Samaria but because the necessitie of the iourney did so require For vntill hée had opened passage to the Gospell by his resurrection it was necessarie that he shoulde be occupied in gathering togither the lost shéepe of the house of Israel for the which hée was sent Wherevppon he is called a Minister of the Circumcision Rom. 15.8 And at the first preaching of the Apostles Math. 10.5 hée forbadde them to goe to teach the Samaritanes Least therefore Christ shoulde séeme to doe any thing contrary to that which hée had commaunded the Euangelist thought good to pretermitte this B. For Luke testifyeth that if a man wyll goe out of Galilee to Iudea Luke 9.52 hée must passe through the Countrey of Samaria M. But the Euangelist by the name of Samaria meaneth not that Samaria which afterwarde the name being chaunged was called Sebaste but the Countreye lying about the same as maye bée gathered by the texte For it is added 5. Then came hee to a Citye of Samaria whiche is called Sichar besides the possession that Iacob gaue to his sonne Ioseph B. Iosephus writeth that Sichima which bordereth vppon mount Garizin which is higher than al the mountaines of Samaria was the chiefe or Metropolitane Citye of Samaria in the time of Alexander the greate Herevppon it is lykelye that the same Sichima is called by the Euangelist Sichar C. which also was called Sichem the Inhabitauntes whereof were Trayterouslye slaine Gen. 34.25 Iud. 9.49 by Simeon and Leui and which Abimelech notwithstanding that hée was borne in the same afterwarde destroyed and made euen with the grounde But so notable and excellent was the place that the thirde time a Citye was builded there againe which in Hieromes time was called Naples And the Euangelist taketh awaye all controuersye by adding so many circumstaunces For it maye euidently appeare by Moyses Ge. 48.22 where that fielde was which Iacob gaue vnto the sonnes of Ioseph M. And the Euangelist maketh mencion of this geuing to commende the Faith of Iacob who being at the point of death and not vnmindefull of the promise made concerning the Lande of Canaan by faith gaue this platte of grounde to his Sonne Ioseph But if Iacob gaue this place for an Inheritaunce to his Sonne Ioseph Question Howe came it to passe that none of his posteritye but Samaritanes that is to saye a forraine Nation brought thyther out of Babilon were founde there by our sauiour Christ Reade the Historye in the seuentéene Chapter of the Seconde Booke of Kinges Aunsvvere I aunswere That God deuided the Lande to the Sonnes of menne insomuch that euery Nation was appointed his dwelling place But as we sée by this example it commeth oftentimes to passe by the iust iudgement of God that the reprobate are cast out of theyr owne Nations which their Auncestours haue receiued of God with singular grace and fauour 6. And there was Iacobs well Iesus then being wearye of his Iourneye sate thus on the well and it was about the sixte hower And there was Iacobs well R. The Euangelist maketh mencion of this
séemeth good vnto God so the father wyll bée worshipped Therefore the wyll of God is that wée worshippe and serue him Psa 14.2 The Lorde looked downe from Heauen to see if there were any that would vnderstande and seeke after GOD. And in another place Psa 50.15 Call vpon me in the time of trouble and I wyll heare thee and deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifye me For that mightye God wyll be worshipped and called vppon of vs whome all the Angelles worship that we maye bée made pertakers of his grace and maye haue occasion to glorifye his name So hée sayeth in another place Esay 43.7 Euerye one shal be called by my name for I created him for my glorye formed him and made him Bv. This therefore is an argument taken of the good pleasure of God which is oftentymes reuealed vnto vs in the Scripture M. Wherefore all those Imagined and false worshippes are reiected which man hath deuised and this is prescribed to bee a true note of the worship of God that the same bée according to his Diuine wyll The which Socrates also is sayd to knowe and acknowledge 24. God is a Spirite and they that worshippe him must worship him in spirite and in the trueth Bv. The other argument of the Lord is taken from the nature of God God sayeth hée is a spirite where spirite is opposed against corporall substaunce Therefore God by his nature and substaunce is without a bodye Therefore he néedeth not neyther is hée delighted with corporall thinges neyther can wée winne his fauour with any thing but with the spirite He delighteth in pure sincere and spyritual thinges C. But séeing men are fleshe it is no maruaile if those thinges please them which bée agréeable to theyr disposition HerevpoÌ„ it commeth that many thinges are myxed with the worship of God which are full of corruptions and imperfections But it should become them to consider this aboue all things that they haue to do with God Question who hath no more agréement with fleshe than fire hath with water B. But thou wylt saye if God bée a spirite and therfore wyll haue no other worshippers of him but such as worship him in spirite and in trueth why then gaue hée so many Ceremonies to them of olde tyme Aunsvvere For he was then also a spyrite In déede hée was a spyrite neyther dyd God then regard any other worshippe than that of the spyrite but because the people was then more rude and lyke vnto a Childe it seemed good vnto him so to declare his glorye in a rude and Childishe people and to haue some worshippe especiallye hée required to bée feared and to haue his worde obeyed and that with the whole heart Beholde the worship of Spirite and truth C. Moreouer wée must note that truth is not here coÌ„pared with a lye but with the externall addition of Figures that the substance of spyritual worship might bée pure simple M. But the Bishops could not abyde this simplicity which was most acceptable to the Apostles and to the primitiue Church but so added Ceremonies vpon Ceremonies and beautified the same with outwarde shewe and made it glorious to the eye AV. that as this daye testifieth Christians farre excéede the Gentiles and the Iewes in superstition of external worshippe The which speciallye then preuayled when worldlye wisedome reiecting the word of God ruled the Religion of Christ For howe many is there at this daye which being contented with spirituall worshippe desyre not some externall Ceremonies to worshippe God withall B. When as notwithstanding Christian Religion for many signes receiued of Christ a fewe by which the true worship consisted and the same fewe easie to bée done râ—yall to bée vnderstoode pure to bée obserued M. Therefore this argument taken of the nature of God is most strong of all other and such that it is not onely knowne to the Godlye and faithful but also to many of the Heathen Philosophers and Poetes Whereby theyr madnesse appeareth to be the greater which thinke that they doe greatlye please God with Gold with siluer with Tapers with Images with Bels and with such lyke Gentillity A. Therfore let vs content our selues with this that God wyll be worshipped in spyrite and trueth and not with mans inuentions 25. The Woman sayeth vnto him I wote that Messias shall come which is called christ when he is come he wyl tell vs all thinges J wote that Messias shall come C. Although the Religion of the Samaritanes was impure and confounded with many errours yet notwithstanding they styll beare in minde certaine principles which they had taken out of the Lawe as this of the Messias M. For they also looked for Christ thus farre agréeing with the Iewes although in worship without Christ they greatly disagreed To this Messias therefore the woman appealed when shée knew not how to aunswere the wordes of the Lorde C. For it is probable or likely that when the Woman gathered by the wordes of Christ that there was a wonderfull and strange alteration of the Church at hand shée straight way remembred Christ vnder whome they loked for a perfect reformation of all thinges B. Wherevpon the woman as it were to make an ende of theyr talke I am not ignoraunt sayth shée that Christ promised of God loked for alreadye of thus many ages shall come vntyll whose comming I wyl reserue these questions for hee shall at large declare vnto vs all thinges whatsoeuer thou hast vttered concerning the abrogating of the worship of the Iewes of the Samaritanes and of the Gentiles concerning Religion and concerning the Well and water of lyfe C. Therefore when hée sayeth that Messias shall come hée séemeth to speake of a tyme neare at hande And truelye it maye appeare by many reasons that the mindes of all men for the most part were greatlye comforted by hope of the comming of the Messias which shoulde helpe those that were in miserye and euen at the brinke of destruction Bv. For all the Prophesies were fulfilled the kingdome was taken awaye from Israel and the Priesthoode Gen. 49.10 was subiect to the power and gouernment of the Gentiles according to the olde Prophesie of Israel When he is come he wil tell vs all thinges M. Therefore they which looked for Christe first acknowledged that knowledge of GOD which they had before his comming to bee obscure and imperfect Secondlye that the same should bée made perfect by the comming of Christ because hee should plainelye declare all thinges The whiche twoo thinges are verye necessarye for our times For vnlesse wee knowe that all thinges are obscure and vnperfecte without the knowledge of Christ and that by Christ all thinges necessarye for our Saluacion and the knowledge of God are plentifullye set foorth it can not bee that wée shoulde imbrace the Doctrine of Christ as necessarye to our Saluation C. Wherevppon wée see that this Woman preferreth Christ before Moyses and the Prophetes
vntyll the ende of the Lawe and the flourishing Youth succéeded the Preaching of the Gospell euen so then saluation began to waxe rype the which the Prophetes had onelye sowen before 37. And herein is the saying true That one soweth and another reapeth R. Therefore the Prophetes are the sowers and the Apostles are the Reapers That which the Prophetes sowed the Apostles reaped Also to sowe is to Preache the Lawe and to Preache the Gospell is to Reape the offered Christ C. For this was a common Prouerbe by which was meant that many oftentimes receyued the fruite of other mennes labours Howbeit this namelye that hee which laboureth is greeued that another man shoulde take awaye the fruite of his labour is otherwyse because the Prophetes and the Apostles were pertakers one of the others Ioye And yet neuerthelesse it followeth not herevppon that the Prophetes are witnesses or priuye to those thinges which at this daye are done in the Churche because the purpose of Christ tendeth to no other ende than to shewe that the Prophetes taught with this mind and desyre that they might reioyce ouer that fruite which they had not leaue to gather The comparison which the Apostle Peter vseth 1. Pet. 1.12 is not much vnlyke this sauing that he generallye exborteth all the Faithful whereas Christ speaketh to his Disciples onelye 38. I sent you to reape that whereon ye bestowed no labour other men laboured and ye are entred into theyr labours Bv. As if he should saye The Prophetes by theyr labours made the fallowes and by theyr Doctrine prepared the worlde being as yet vnrulye and stubborne for the Gospell yée nowe succeede them and enter into theyr Labours and take a worke in hand alreadye begonne the worlde euen now wyllinglye receyuing the Gospell and mortall men séeking violentlye to enter into the kingdome of Heauen R. In saying I sende you hée declareth that they were appointed Reapers by his meere grace and not by theyr merite According to that which hee sayeth in another place Ioh. 15.16 I haue chosen you and ye haue not chosen mee Question c. M. But here it may bée demaunded howe the Apostles were sent to Reape when Paul sayth I haue planted i. Cor. 3.6 Apollo hath watered but God hath geuen the encrease Also hée sayth Ye are Gods husbandrye Agayne I haue layd the foundation and another hath builded thereon And in another place hée sayeth i. Cor. 9.11 If wee sowe vnto you spyrituall thinges thinke not much if we reape your carnall thinges Therefore Paul was sent of the Lorde rather to Sowe than to Reape Was then the Apostleship of Paul Aunsvvere differing from the Apostleship of the rest Surelye it was differing from the rest so long as they Preached to the Iewes and hée to the Gentiles For that which Christ here speaketh vnto his Disciples séemeth to appertaine chieflye to that first sending foorth in the which the Apostles were sent foorth to the lost Shéepe of the house of Israel as we reade in the tenth Chapter of Mathew in the which Nation the Prophetes also laboured It was one thing to preach the kingdome of God among the Gentiles and another thing to preache the same among the Iewes for the one knewe not God and the other were trained vp in the Lawe and the Prophetes Bv. Moreouer these woordes of the Lorde ought alwayes to bee before the eyes of all Preachers of Gods worde that thereby they maye be encouraged to bee faithfull and dilligent in discharging the office committed vnto them when as they knowe that the Labour which they bestowe in teaching shal be so profitable for them and so fruitefull to Christ and the Churche 39. Many of the Samaritanes of that Citye beleeued on him for the saying of the woman which testifyed that hee tolde her all that she had done Bv. The Euangelist now returneth to the former Historye and more fullye describeth the prompte obedience and the growing of fayth of the Citizens of Sychar otherwise called Samaria The calling of the Gentiles foreshewed R. And hée declareth howe greatlye the reporte which the woman made of him preuailed with them Whereby it appeareth that they had a hope and desyre of the promised Messias B. Moreouer this soddaine conuersion of the Samaritanes was a foreshewing of the calling of the Gentiles and therefore the Lorde would haue the same magnified as may plainelye appeare when as at the testimonye of one sillye Woman scant of good name many straight way and that Samaritanes beléeued the Gospell and imbraced Christ M. For what had she sayde of Christ Sayde shée that by the word of his power he could cōmaund all thinges as Men Spyrites Death Life Diseases the Sea and the Winde many of the which thinges the Iewes sawe and yet beléeued not Shée neyther saw nor spake of any of these thinges but this onelye shée sayde that Christ had tolde her all thinges that euer shée had done Who therefore séeth not howe soone these Samaritanes beléeued and the readinesse and maturity of this Haruest What else maye wée note here but that when the hartes of mortal men are made apte by the inspiration of the holye Ghost to receyue the trueth Faith commeth by the holye Ghost the kingdome of God is set forewarde with litle labour and oftentimes by such personnes as are verye base The ripe apple often times falleth from the trée without much labour yea at the onely shaking of the same by a childe but such as are scant ripe will scarce fall with the hurling and beating of a Cudgell and being by violence shaken downe they are so sower that they were better vntouched Euen so in like maner where the spiritual haruest is there euen a Samaritane woman bringeth many vnto Christe The haruest of the spirite is easy but where the spirituall haruest is not there the Apostles them selues sweate and labour in vaine C. This woorde beléeued signifieth herein properly that they were stirred vp by the woordes of the woman to acknowledge Christe to bee a prophete For this is as it were but the beginning of faith when mens mindes are prepared to receaue the profered Doctrine Such enterance into faith is here called honourably Faith to the ende we might know how reuerently God estéemeth of his woorde in making their onely docillity so honourable which are not as yet taught But in this that Faith of theirs sheweth it selfe that they haue a desire to profyte for the which cause they desire to haue Christe abyde with them 40 So when the Samaritanes were come to hym they besought hym that he would tarry with them and he aboade there two dayes So when the Samaritanes were come M. In these woordes is described the quallity of faith which commeth by the ministery of the preached Gospell By this the minde of the beleeuer is inflamed firste to sée him of whom so great things are published and beléeued Euen so these Samaritanes so soone
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
which he sawe to bée wrought by Christ for he saw him to be suche a one as healed all men that were sicke but in that hée prayeth him to goe downe to Capernaum it belongeth to imbecillity a Childishe faith as though Christ coulde not restore to health by his worde onelye or by the breath of his mouth Such weakenesse of fayth wée maye beholde in another place in the Disciples of Christ For when the Shippe was ouerwhelmed with Waues they beléeued that Christ was able to saue them but not except hée were awake for hée slepte and they awooke him Math. 8. saying Lorde saue vs wee perishe C. This man therefore had conceyued no other thing than that hée was a Prophete sent of GOD with this commaundement and commission that hée should proue and declare him selfe to bée the seruaunt of GOD by shewing myracles M. Hee requesteth that Christ would goe downe with him and heale his Sonne 2. King 5.11 So Naaman the Syrian trusted that Elyzeus woulde haue come downe to him and haue touched the place of the Leprosie with his hande and standing woulde haue called on the name of his GOD Christ imagined of the people to be but a Prophete Math. 16.14 Math. 22.46 and so haue healed him And this Fayth whiche imagined Christ to bée a certayne Prophete in the beginning was in many men as maye appeare by the aunswere whiche Peter made vnto Christ This also was the first opinion that the Woman of Samaria had conceyued of Christ the which notwithstanding the Lord contempned not but so increased the same that not onely shée but also many of her Cityzens knewe him to bée Christ the Sauiour of the world Euen so here hée whiche doeth not quenche the smoking Flaxe Esai 42.3 Mat. 12.20 enlargeth and helpeth the Rulers faith 48. Then sayd Iesus vnto him Except ye see sygnes and wonders ye wyll not beleeue M. In that the Lorde here vseth the plurall number saying Except ye see signes and wonders ye wyll not beleeue C. hée séemeth generallye to reprehend all the Iewes because they were to desirous of Myracles M. As if hée should saye Howe long are ye so harde harted to beleeue the trueth and by a true faith to embrace the kingdome of GOD which is Preached vnto you that yée wyll not beleeue at all except ye bée constrayned thereunto by signes and wonders Theyr fayth and trust is acceptaple vnto mee which beleeue my bare worde confirmed by no Myracles you beleeue not mée except ye sée signes and wonders M. All they haue this disease of distrust whiche followe the iudgement and wisedome of humane reason rather than the Oracles of God For such is humane reason that except it bée conuinced by euident signes and perswaded by vndoubted argumentes it wyll not beléeue And this is the very same which Paul sayeth The thinges that belong vnto God i. Cor. 2.14 seeme foolishe to worldlye wisedome and are not vnderstoode Wherevppon the Apostle exhorteth vs to become fooles that is to saye beléeuers to vnderstande them For except they bée beléeued they shall not bée vnderstoode But with this disease were both Iewes and Gentiles infected Concerning the Iewes this place speaketh and also the thyrtye and nine verse of the twelfth of Mathew Concerning both Iewes and Gentiles the Apostle sayth The Iewes require signes and the Greekes wisedome i. Cor. 1.21 that is to saye both are distrustfull and beléeue not the woord of GOD in the cause of the kingdome of GOD where fayth is requyred requyring certayne perswations of signes and argumentes C. But howe commeth it to passe that Christe is so sharpe nowe who was wonte gentlye to receyue others which desyred Myracles as wée maye reade here and there of diuers blinde and lame personnes Hée had then verylye some certaine reason which is hydde from vs why he dealt more seuerelye with this man than he was wont to doe with others And peraduenture hée had not so muche respect vnto this man as hée had to the whole Nation He sawe that his Doctrine was litle estéemed and not onely neglected but vtterlye despised all men depending vpon Myracles and being rather amased than wondering at them Incredulitye a detestable vice Therefore that wicked contempte of Gods worde which commonly raigned in them caused him to make this complaint M. For moste detestable is this vice incredulitye by which men refuse to beléeue the worde of God except they bée dryuen therevnto by signes Verye true it is that some of the Fathers in old tyme haue wished a confyrmation by signes least they shoulde doubte of the trueth of the promises we sée also that GOD was not offended with theyr desyres as we maye reade of Gedeon Iudg. 6.7 Esa 38.22 of Ezechias and of others C. But Christ noteth here a farre greater wickednesse For so the Iewes depended vpon Myracles that they had no regarde vnto the worde of God So that all theyr Religion all theyr knowledge of God and all theyr Godlinesse was in myracles R. But that is no true fayth which is conceyued eyther of myracles of signes or wonders For myracles are onely seales and witnesses Therefore they doe not make him which is vnbeléeuing a true beléeuer but they doe confyrme him which is fyrst a beléeuer in his fayth C. They therefore at this daye greatlye offend which crye saying Let vs first sée miracles and then wée wyll geue eare to this Doctrine as though the truth of Christ ought to bée so base in our eyes vnlesse it haue some other stay But although god should heape vppon them an innumerable sort of myracles yet notwithstanding they lye when they saye they wyll beleeue Exod. 5. Ioh. 12.37 There woulde aryse a certaine externall admiration but there woulde followe neuer a whit the more attencion to Doctrine The which wée may plainely behold in Pharao and in the Iewes For the woorde of the Lorde abydeth for euer If they wyll not heare Moyses and the Prophetes Luk. 16.31 neyther wyll they beleeue though one should ryse againe from the dead It is no maruayle therefore if the Lorde doe first of all séeke to cure the diseased Father with distrust before hée restore his Sonne to health For they are more daungerous sicke which are sicke in mynde and ought rather to bée healed then they which are sicke in bodye A. Christ therefore doeth the office in déede of a Byshop of a Pastor and of the Sheepheard of our Soules 49. The Ruler sayeth vnto him Syr come downe or euer that my Sonne dye Because this Ruler was whollye occupyed in minde to delyuer his Sonne from perryll of death hée aunswereth nothing but rather vrgeth the Lorde to make haste before his Sonne geue vp his soule Fatherlye care and affection M. We sée therefore in him first an Image of the affection of Fathers towarde theyr Children by which euerye Father naturallye desyreth the sauing health of his Children the
which the Children verye seldome consider Thou shalt neuer finde in all the Euangelicall Historyes any one Sonne which came vnto Christe and sayde Math. 17.14 and .9.18 and .15.22 Lorde come downe before that my father dye But ye shall often reade of this affection and care of Parentes for theyr Children which they haue vttered vnto Christ M. Howebeit also it appeareth in this man what corrupt preposterous loue some Parentes beare toward their Children For hée onelye séeketh the corporall health of his Sonne neglecting the Spirituall and true lyfe which the Lorde had begonne to teache He sayth not Lord helpe our fayth and the saluation of our Soules but as for our bodylye health Loue in many Parentes corrupte toward theyr Children let that bée as it séemeth good in the eyes of God But hée sayeth and that earnestlye Lorde come downe before my Sonne dye And what Father at any time came to the Lorde and sayde Lorde my Sonne hath no feare of God whereby I perceyue that hée is sicke in Soule and in great perill helpe him I beséeche thée Also they which at this daye desyre the Prayers of the Churche howe many of them is there I praye you which desyre the congregation to praye vnto God for them that they maye haue fayth the feare of God and patience 50. Iesus sayth vnto him go thy way thy sonne lyueth The man beleeued the worde that Iesus had sayde vnto him and went his waye Jesus sayeth vnto him Bv. The Lorde in verye déede confesseth that hée can doe muche more then the Ruler trusted he coulde do being the Lorde of lyfe and death which can both retayne the lyfe when it is departing from the body and also when it is cleane gone call the same againe For hée sayeth Goe thy waie thy Sonne liueth C. signifying that hée is escaped out of the perrill of death But séeing this man procéeding and perseuering in intreating and praying Christ obtained at the leangth his heartes desyre thou mayest gather that Christ dyd not reprehend him because he would wholly reiect him and refuse his praiers but rather to correct that vice which staied him from comming to the true fayth And we sayde alreadye before that this reprehension belonged rather to all the people than to one man Moreouer here the singuler humanitye and gentlenesse of our Sauiour Christ appeareth in that hée bearing with the mannes rudenesse extended his power farther than hée looked for Hée requested that Christ would heale his sonne by comming vnto him Hée thought that he could heale his sicke Sonne of his disease but he dyd not beléeue that he could rayse his Sonne being dead from death to lyfe and therefore hée vrgeth him to make haste least death preuent him R. and by this making of haste hee declareth his incredulitye For vnbeleefe maketh haste but Fayth wayteth and tarieth the Lordes leasure Faith taryeth the Lordes leasure Esa 28 1â— And therefore the Prophete sayeth Hee which beleeueth shall not make haste C. Seeing then Christ beareth with both these infyrmityes we maye hereby gather of howe great price hée esteemeth euen the least faith This also is worthy to bée noted that Christ in not satisfying his wil and desire worketh by meanes which we thought not of to helpe vs to the ende wée might learne not to prescribe vnto him any thing The man beleeued the woorde R. Therefore by this word of Christ not onelye the Sonne is healed but also the Fathers fayth encreased and confirmed And as the Sonne by this woorde as by a soueraigne Medicine receyueth health so also the Father receyueth strength of Faith For that fayth is strong and firme which is conceyued by the woorde and not by Myracles A. But dyd he not beleeue at the first Howe had hée come vnto Christ to obtaine any thing at his hande except hée had béene indued with some faith I aunswere Bv. Hée dyd at the first beléeue the Lorde for hée had not come vnto him if hée had not first conceyued some notable hope of his power and clemencye but so soone as he heard his worde and vnderstoode his promise he beléeued more firmelye Therefore hée troubled the Lorde no farther but went his waye and as hée beléeued hée founde his Sonne restoored to health C. For because he came with this perswacion that Christ was a Prophete of God therefore hée was so readye to beléeue that taking holde of one worde he printed the same in his mynde And although hée dyd not so reuerentlye estéeme and thinke of the power of Christ as it became him yet notwithstanding a short promise made him to conceyue sodainelye an assured hope insomuch that he beleeued the lyfe of his Sonne to bée included in the onelye woorde of Christ Promptnesse in beleeuing the worde of God With this promptnesse and readinesse ought euery one of vs to receyue the worde of God but sildome or neuer shall suche present effect followe in the hearers For howe many bée there which profite so much at the hearing of many Sermons as this prophane man profited at the hearing of one worde Wherefore wée must vse the more dilligence in shaking of our dulnesse and sâ—outh and especially wée must praye vnto God that it wyll please him so to worke in our heartes that wée maye bée no lesse readye to beléeue than hée is gentle and readye to promise 51 And as he vvas nowe going downe the seruauntes met him and told him saying Thy sonne lyueth Bv. That whiche nowe followeth doeth set foorthe as well the power of Christe as the effecte and nature of Fayth to the ende the Myracle maye bée more notable and more purelye purged from all euyll suspicion and also that the force of fayth maye more and more appeare A. For there is no doubt but that all these thinges were done by the prouidence of God M. The Lad was healed by the power of the woord of Christ otherwyse hée had dyed by the contagiousnesse of his sicknesse But this was knowen as yet to no man The Seruauntes brought woorde that his Sonne was recouered but howe and by whose power hée was reuyued that they knewe not Therefore the méeting of the seruauntes with him by the waye and the glad tydinges which they brought vnto the sorrowfull Father serued thus farre to the setting foorth of the glorye of Christ that hée might bée sayd to haue spoken the trueth concerning the sonne restoored to health though hee were absent the which seemeth to bée done by the spyrite of Prophesie and also to bée beléeued of the Father as a Propheticall Oracle C. Moreouer with the efficacye of the worde here is also described the effecte of Fayth For as Christ restored the Sonne to lyfe which was nowe at the poynt of death euen so the Father by his fayth in a moment recouered and receyued againe his Sonne safe and sounde Let vs knowe therefore that so often as the Lorde offereth vnto vs his benefites his power
is euer at hand to performe whatsoeuer hée promiseth so that our vnbeléefe bée not a let vnto the same Wée confesse that this is not alwaies often or commonly séene that the Lord by and by stretcheth foorth his hande to helpe vs but so often as hée differreth the same hée doeth it vppon good consideration and for our profite And although it doeth not alwayes by one manner of meane helpe his seruauntes yet notwithstanding no mans Fayth shal be in vaine but wée shall know that it is very true which the prophete teacheth that the promises of God Abac. 2.3 when they seeme to tarrye long do then most spéedelye come 52. Then enquyred hee of them vvhen he beganne to amende and they sayde vnto him Yesterdaye at the seuenth houre the feuer left him M. To the ende it might appeare whether his sonne were healed by chance or by the singuler power of Christ the father enquyred what tyme his Sonne beganne to amende C. The which hée dyd being moued therevnto by the secréete impulsion of Gods spyrite to the ende the trueth of the Myracle might the moore euidentlye appeare For we are to proane and readye by nature to obscure and darken the lighte and glorie of God and Sathan also séeketh by all meanes possible to kepe from vs the sighte of all hys wounderfull woorkes Wherefore to the ende all his woorkes maye haue their deserued prayse it is necessarye that they bée made so euident and playne vnto vs that there bée no occasion of doubting lefte How vnthankefull therefore soeuer men be yet notwithstanding this circumstance will not suffer so notable a woorke of Christe to bée ascribed vnto fortune M. Therefore the truthe and power of the woorde of Christe is suche that it neuer passeth without a sure and vndoubted experiment of it selfe and the more diligentlye it is examined the more manifest and certaine it is Truth the more it is examined the more certaine it is The power which Christe shewed in healing of this childe had bene hydden yf so bée the curiositie of the father had not enquired after the hower of his healing Thomas woulde not beléeue them that toulde him of the resurrection of Christe Ioh. 20.28 except he might haue experiment bothe by séeing and féeling the same But this kinde of experiment was so farre from detracting any thing from the truthe of Christes resurrection that it could not be made more manifest and certaine by any other waye R. This Ruler therefore enquireth the hower firste to declare his faithe which he hadde conceiued before by the woorde and secondly to the ende he might drawe his whole familye vnto faithe 57. So the Father knewe that it was done the same hower in the which Iesus said vnto hym Thy sonne lyueth And he beleeued and al his housholde So the Father knewe A. Let vs also learne after this manner to behaue our selues that the truthe of our woordes and actions may appeare more in déede than in woordes yf so be they be examined We sée that the Lorde vsed not manye woordes to shewe and commend vnto him the myracle but lefte the same to the truthe of that whiche hée intended to do which shoulde sufficiently declare the truthe of his woorde And he beleeued R. Did he not also beléeue before What is it then whiche the Euangelist sayth now C. For this séemeth verye absurde to make mencion of the beginning of Faith in that man whose faith he commended at the firste neither can the woorde of beléeuing in this place he referred to the procéeding of faithe But we muste note that the man being a Iewe and trayned vp in the doctrine of the lawe had some taste of faithe when he came vnto Christ And whereas afterward he beléeued the woorde of Christ that was a perticuler faithe which extended no farther then to the life of his sonne but now he began to beléeue after another maner because he hauing imbraced the doctrine of Christ professed him selfe to be one of his disciples So that now he doth not onely beléeue that his sonne is restored to health againe by the benefite of Christe but also acknowledgeth Christe to be the sonne of God and geueth his name to the Gospel M. Beholde therefore the fruite of this miracle namely the increase and confirmation of faithe And all his houshold C. This Ruler had his whole houshold fellow professors with him of the Gospell who were witnesses with him of the miracle Of the whole houshould there was not one whiche knewe what aunswere the Lord had made to the good man of the house but onely he him selfe which hearde the same but he toulde them all thinges and reuealed vnto them the vertue and power of Christe Bv. to the ende his whole familie might come with him to Christianisme The which thing not onely the maisters of houshouldes but also their whole families ought to consider thereby to learne what is their duetye yf so bée they wyll lyue godly in Christe namely to geue themselues wholly vnto God and to beleeue in Christe the sonne of God M. and by mutuall conference of the woord of God among them selues to edifie one another in the faith of Christe 54. This is againe the seconde miracle that Iesus did when he was come out of Iurie into Galilee Bv. The Euangelist maketh mencion of this to the ende we might vnderstande that the Lorde woulde by this meanes builde vp the foundacion of his kingdome which was layde among the Galileans and herewithall hée declareth that his purpose is to describe certayne speciall and notable miracles of our Lord and sauiour Christe to the setting forth of his power and to the teaching of the trueth of faith M. Neither ought it to séeme absurde to any man that the Euangelist so diligently declareth this thing séeing one only houshould or family was wonne by this miracle for this is not vnwoonted or straunge yf we waye and consider first of al how much the Lord esteemeth the saluation of one which is not comparable to so great a houshould as this was and also what small béeginninges of heauenly thinges and of the kingdome of God are woont to growe into a greate masse One house maye bée to a whole Citie euen as that littell leauen of the number of the Appostles was to the whole worlde For in what great estimation the faithfull are with God though they bée fewe in number and amount to the number of ten the family of Lot may bee an example for euer ⧠The fyfth Chapter 1. After this was there a Feast day of the Iewes and Iesus went vp to Hierusalem After this was there a Feast Bv. THIS PREsent Historye doeth speciallye teache and declare vnto vs the corporall benefite whiche the Lorde bestowed vppon the Lame Man and howe hée tooke from him his disease which by no arte was Curable and therefore without hope of recouerye whereby he declared againe that hée is the omnipotent Lorde of all
at once without any space betwéene but as myracles haue theyr ende so also they ought to haue their meane Euen as Christ also teacheth 1. King 4.32 1. Kin. 17. ◠Luke 4.25 when he sayth that so many dyed in the dayes of Elizeus and none were raysed vp sauing one onely Childe and that there were so many famished Widdowes in the time of drought and one alone was reléeued by Elias Euen so the Lorde thought it sufficient to make declaracion of his presence to a fewe sicke personnes M. Moreouer the Euangelist sheweth that this was a myraculous kinde of healing of sicke personnes in thrée thinges fyrst when hée maketh mencion of troubling of the water to the ende thou mayest knowe that before this styring or troubling the Poole had no force or vertue at all to heale Secondlye hée sayeth that hée was made whole which descended first into the water to declare that after the sayd first any other whatsoeuer descended into the water in vaine Thyrdlye hée addeth that hée was made whole of whatsoeuer disease hée had to the ende thou mayest knowe that this vertue of healing was deuine and most perfect C. But the manner of healing which is here described doeth sufficiently teach vs that there is nothing more vnméete than that men should make the workes of God subiect to theyr iudgement For what helpe or remedye maye a man hope to haue of troubled water Faire and cleare water is more apte and méete to restoore health than that whiche is troubled Wherefore then is it troubled C. But thus the Lorde doeth make vs to forsake our owne iudgement and to yéelde to the obedience of Faith Wée followe to gréedelye those thinges whiche please our carnall reason without the woorde of God Therefore to the ende hee may make vs obedient vnto him hée doeth oftentimes set before vs those thinges which are contrarye to our reason R. For the Lorde executeth and finisheth his workes vnder a contrarye shewe Hée worketh lyfe by death than the which there is nothing moore contrarye to life hée worketh ioye by sorrowe libertye by Captiuitye the which is most contrarye to libertye C. Example wée haue in Naaman the Syrian whome for the curing of his Leprosie the Prophete sent to Iordan who at the first made a Iest of that which afterward hée felte in déede that God doth so worke contrary to humane reason that notwithstanding hee doeth neuer frustrate or deceyue vs. R. So Elizeus healed the waters of Hierico 2. Kin. 5.10 in casting salt into them in which there was death and barrennesse the thing being quite contrarye for otherwise Salt being put into water 2. Kin. 2.20 bringeth barrennesse and not fertillitye But as the waters of Hierico were not healed by Salte euen so in this place the troubled water healed not the sicke otherwise it hadde healed all those that had come into it at all tymes without respect of fyrst or last C. But hée so commendeth the externall signe that by the syght thereof all sicke menne might bee constrayned to haue respect vnto him the onelye aucthour of grace Bathes without God are of no force or vertue Bv. If therefore the Bathes that bée in Swicerland in Iuliers in Sicilie in Valeria in Englande and diuers other Countreyes doe helpe those that are diseased the same is to bée attributed to the goodnesse of God For there are no earthlye thinges which haue in them any force or vertue to helpe men except they bée made effectuall by the power of him that is omnipotent Neuerthelesse those benefites whiche are geuen to vs by meanes are not to bée contempned neyther ought wée to abuse them For all the giftes of God ought to bée vsed to the glorye of God to our soules health and for the necessitye of our bodye C. But wée must alwayes beware that wée doo not ascribe that to creatures which belongeth onely to God 5. And a certayne man was there whiche had beene diseased thyrtye and eyght yeeres Bv. After the description of the place of the time the occasion of the benefite of Christ the benefite it selfe is now added with the circumstaunces by which it was made more manifest For the Lord dyd not take at a venture some one sicke person from among the multitude to heale the same but hée chose out one amongst all the rest which was most miserable both for the daungerousnesse of the disease and also for the long continuaunce of the same and finallye suche a one as especiallye wanted the helpe of others R. So that the Euangelist therfore maketh mencion of the continuaunce of the disease fyrst of all that the greatenesse of the Miracle might bée commended secondlye to teache that hée was not by chaunse troubled with so gréeuous and languishing a disease the space of eyght and thyrtye yéeres and that his griefe was not prolonged by chaunce neyther that hée was without any consideration preuented by others which went into the water before him neyther that without cause he wanted a man which might put him into the Poole after the troubling of the water For all these thinges were thus disposed and ordered by the wyll of God that Christ might bée gloryfied Iohn 9.1 A. The lyke maye bee sayde of him which was borne blinde And of Lazarus Iohn 11.39 which was not onelye sicke but also dyed and laye foure dayes in the Graue wayting for Christ Also of the woman whiche was diseased with the bloodye flyre Math. 9.20 for the space of twelue yeres and of that other woman whiche had the spirite of infirmitye eyghtéene yeres could not lyft vp her selfe aright vntyll such time as Christ healed her R. Euen so let vs certainelye beléeue that all our infirmityes Luk. 13.11 and afflictions doe continue with vs the longer especiallye by the wyll and pleasure of God that hée at the length maye bée gloryfied And the name of GOD is gloryfied when as by some déede or other the power wisedome or mercye of God is manifested that thereby the godlye maye beginne to prayse him and learne to trust in him and to feare him according as it is sayde in the Psalme Psal 50.15 Call vppon mee in the daye of trouble and I wyll delyuer thee and thou shalt glorifye mee R. If therefore thou bée afflicted not with an hourelye but with a continuall Crosse suffer the hande of the Lorde I beséeche thée pacientlye which afflicteth thée of good wyll I woulde not haue thee throughe infidellytye to grudge or to thinke the time long but by Fayth abyde his leasure being assured that although the Lorde tarrye long yet notwithstanding when hée commeth hée wyll come quicklye and wyll not bée slowe Habac. 2.3 M. But concerning the name of this sicke man there is no mencion made for hée had no manner of estimation in this worlde by reason of his miserable state and condition For suche is the manner of the world that it
deale That which serueth their turne to cauill they take but that which toke away all occasion of cauill they let alone A. So in the cause of the blinde man the Pharisées make mention onely of the claye which Christe made on the Sabboth daye but of so greate a miracle they speake not one woorde 13. And he that was healed wist not who it was for Iesus had gotten him selfe away because there was prease of people in that place And he that was healed wist not who it was M. A wonderful thing Christ was vnknowne to this sick man which was the aucthour of his health He remembred nothing concerning Christ but these two thinges namely the woorde which he had harde the which he obeyed and the health which he recouered by the vertue thereof but he was he knewe not no not so much as his name C. Herebye therefore we gather that it cannot bée attributed to this mans faith that hée was made whole who beeing made whole knewe not his Phisition and yet notwithstanding in that hée toke vp his bed at the commaundement of Christ it séemeth to be done by the directrix faith In very déede as we muste confesse that there was some impulsion of faith in him so by the order of the texte it euidentlye appeareth that he was whollye expert of sound doctrine and of the pure light vpon the which hee shoulde haue stayed him selfe Bv. Therefore at this time he aunswereth nothing to their question but deliberateth with him selfe and considereth of more dilligent enquirie and examination But the Euangelist Iohn addeth the cause why many knew not the aucthour of so greate a miracle saying For Iesus had gotten him selfe away C. Christ woulde not haue the glorye and praise of so notable a woorke to vanish away and to bée quite out of remembraunce but would haue the same knowen before that he professed hym selfe to be the aucthour thereof Therefore he got him selfe out of the way for a littell while that the Iewes might Iudge of the matter it selfe without hauing any respect of the person M. And also that he might not séeme to desyre the common praise of the people thinking it better to suffer the matter it selfe to prayse and extol the diuine power Vaine glory auoyded by Christe Thus they alwayes behaue them selues which séeke not their owne glory but to do good Othersome say that he went apart lest he might prouoke the malice of the Iewes to bée more vehement against him by his presence R. Therefore although he could haue destroyed his aduersaries with the breth of his mouth yet he abased him self euen to extreame impotencie and went aparte priuily from among the multitude not because his nature feared death but to the ende we might learne by his example not to tempte God but to shunne the madnes of such as are angry vntil their anger be somewhat asswaged For Heauie saith Salamon is a stone and the sande waighty but a fooles wrath is heuier then them both 14. Afterwarde Iesus found him in the temple and sayd vnto him Beholde thou art made whole synne no more lest a worse thing comme vnto thee Afterward Iesus found him in the temple Bv. Hitherto the truth of the miracle hath béen dilligently discussed and now Iesus shalbée declared manifestly to be the aucthour of the miracle For Iesus offereth him selfe againe to the man that was healed more fully instructing him that he is euen the verye same of whom he receiued his health C. It appeareth therefore that Christe did not hyde him selfe for a time that the remembraunce of his benefite might perishe for now of his owne accorde hée openly shewed him selfe In the former place he ment to haue the woorke onely knowne and now hée would haue him selfe proclaimed to bée the aucthour B. leste the deuine woorke shoulde bée oppressed through enuy but being receiued as it was méete it might proue vnto the godly that he is the sonne of God and so they might be confirmed in the faith but the wicked to whom al thinges turne to the woorst might be the more blinded M. Let vs note here into what places the Lord got him selfe when he was come to Hierusalem vppon occasion of the feaste dayes Before it is saide that hee came to that famous Lazarhouse in which laye a great multitude of sicke persons Here also we sée that he entred into the temple of the which is spoken before in the fourteene verse of the second chapter The Temple was the house of God the house of faith and the house of worship To this place he came not to offer according to the lawe The temple is the place of worship but to aduance the kingdome of God neuerthelesse we are taught by his example to come into Ecclesiasticall places with reuerence that in them with the rest of the members of the Church we may exercise those things which belong to piety and to faith and to charitie towardes our neighbour Also it séemeth that the man which was restored to health went straight way after he was healed into the Temple to geue thankes to God from whome he knewe all good thinges to come for his health A. Let vs also therefore learne to geue condigne thanks for those benefyts which God bestoweth on vs lest the same ingratitude which was found in the nine Lepers that were clensed Thankes geuing for Godes benefites do make vs altogether vnworthy of the fauour of God And said vnto him Behold thou art nowe made whole M. Hée which hath cured the sicke admonisheth those whome he hath healed after the manner of Phisitions to preserue their receiued health by good dyet lest by sinning they loose that which they haue receiued through grace What is the meaning of this els then to desire that we may constantly and firmely retaine that benefite which we haue receiued at his handes And in very déede Curates haue néede to be verie vigilant lest the grace receiued be lost againe by negligence C. Christe therefore declareth by these woordes that we do abuse the benefits of God vnlesse we be thankful for them For Christ doth not cast the man in the téeth with that which he had geuen him but doth onely teach that hée is therfore healed that being mindfull of the grace receiued he may woorship God his deliuerer all the daies of his life And to this ende God hath redéemed vs and bestowed an infinite nomber of other béenefits vpon vs that we might be thankfull vnto him Bv. Furthermore Sinne is the cause of sicknes let vs learne by these woordes of our sauiour Christe that the vices of the minde are the cause of the diseases of the bodye for the moste parte For the Lorde doth often times scourge our sinnes with the whip of sicknesse and corporall griefes C. What euyl soeuer therefore we suffer we must impute the same to our sinnes for the calamities which are incident to men come not by chanes but are
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
is borne C. The meaning of Christ is that he came foorth vnto men adorned with such power that he might communicate and bestowe that vppon them which hée had receyued of his Father And in that hée is man he was ordained by the Father to bée the aucthour of lyfe least we should seeke him a farre of For Christ hath not receyued any thing whereof he him selfe stoode in néede but rather to make vs ritche with his abundaunt treasure The summe and meaning is that in the man Christ the same is reuealed vnto vs which was hidden in God and the lyfe which men before could not attaine vnto is nowe at hand M. Also it is worthy to be noted that when he might haue sayde Because he is man he chose rather to saye Because he is the sonne of man Let this serue our faith against those which teach that Christ tooke fleshe not of the vyrgin Mary that is to saye of the séede of Abraham whiche the whole Scripture teacheth but that he brought the same with him from heauen But Christ here plainelye calleth him selfe the Sonne of man and not man onely 28. Maruaile not at this for the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce Maruaile not at this B. It was great and wonderful which Christ arrogated to him selfe the admiration whereof that he might somewhat diminishe and might cause the same to bée beléeued hée affyrmed that he would do that which was much more wonderfull namelye that he woulde with his voyce that is to saye with his power raise all the dead to lyfe in the last daye R. Before hée spake of the resurrection which is by fayth Resurrection by fa◠and the resurrection by the fle◠which is by iustification and nowe he speaketh of the fleshe C. But hée séemeth to reason verye vnfitlye when he bringeth the confirmation of that which he had spoken before from the last resurrection Obiection For it is no greater worke to rayse mennes bodyes than it is to rayse theyr soules To this aunswere maye be made Aunsvvere that there is not here of the matter it selfe comparison made which is greater and which is lesse but of humane sence and vnderstanding For men as they are carnall doe wonder at nothing but that which is externall and visible Herevppon it commeth that they careleslye omit the resurrection of the soule but haue the resurrection of the fleshe in great admiration Moreouer this our grosse desire bringeth to passe that those thinges do make more to the confirmation of fayth which are séene with the eye than those thinges which maye bée conceyued by fayth onelye Because hée speaketh nowe of the last daye hée addeth not this restraint And nowe it is as he doeth before in the fiue and twentye verse but doeth simplye pronounce that the tyme shall come Jn the which they that are in the graues M. This is not so to bée stretched that wee should vnderstande that they onely shal be raysed vp in the latter day whose bodyes are buried in Graues and Sepulchers and to exclude those which eyther are drowned in the water burnt to Ashes in the fyre or deuoured of wyld Beasts as we haue read of diuers Christian Martyrs who haue thus ended their lyues C. But because the dead are commonly for the most part buryed by a figure called Synecdoche hée vnderstandeth all which were dead and this is of greater force than if hée had sayd the dead onely Shall heare his voyce M. By these few wordes the faith of Christians is deserued from the faith of the Iewes For the Iewes beléeue the general resurrection of our bodies but they doe not beléeue that the same shal be by the power of the voyce of Christ the sonne of God But this is here plainely affyrmed in these words when he saith Shal heare his voyce This voyce the Apostle attributeth to the Archangel as to the Minister of Christ 1. Thess 4 16. saying For the Lorde him selfe shall descende from heauen in a shoute and in the voyce of the Archangell and in the Trumpe of God and the dead in Christ shall ryse first For this worke he shall bring to passe and finishe by his power Mat. 12.30 Mat. 24.31 but yet hée wyl vse the Ministerye of Aungelles as appeareth in Mathew And the Apostle maketh mencion of the last Trumpe at the sounde whereof the dead shall ryse Therefore the voyce of Christ is that Angelicall Trumpet which by the name and power of Christ shall raise vp the dead Euen as that is the voyce of the King which is proclaimed by the Harold in the Kinges name so is that the voice of Christ which by the Gospell of grace is preached throughout the whole world in the name of Christ M. Also this is not sleightly to bée passed ouer that the houre of the last Iudgement is sayde to come The last day of iudgment This Iudgement while we are séeking to enioye the vanitye of this world and spend the time commeth on a pace Let vs therefore bée careful and vigilaunt in the exercise of godlynesse first because wée heare that the houre of Iudgement shall come secondlye because wée knowe not the time thereof A. The which two thinges are to bée considered Luk. 21.36 that wée maye learne howe wée ought to stande before the sonne of man For wée must all bée brought before the Tribunall seate of Christ that euery man may receyue the workes of his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad as Christ consequently sheweth saying 29. And shal come forth they that haue done good vnto the resurrection of lyfe and they that haue done euyll vnto the resurrection of dampnation And shall come forth R. Because the resurrection of the fleshe is common to all men as well to the vngodlye as to the Godly Christ nowe maketh a difference speaking of the state of both in this resurrection and bée pointeth out the faithfull by theyr good workes euen as hée teacheth in a nother place that Mat. 7.7 the Trée maye be knowne by his fruite And hée commendeth their workes in the which they began to exercise themselues from the time of their calling For the Théefe to whome Christ promised lyfe which all his life time was giuen to wickednesse aspired at the last cast to godlinesse But because hée is become a newe man and beginneth of a bondeslaue of sinne to be a seruaunt of righteousnesse God calleth not the whole rase of his former life to an account Moreouer those sinnes which the godly dayly committe are not imputed to thē For without pardon and forgiuenesse there was neuer any man in the whole worlde which can be thought to haue liued well Good workes without grace are euill workes Naye there can be no good woorke reckened to be in any man but in him alone whose sinnes GOD hath forgiuen forasmuch as our best déedes
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
haue them onely in Bookes and so layd vp as our treasure as we saee many men doe neyther yet are they geuen that we might simplye and sleightlye reade them as though it were sufficient to reade eyther that by a supersticious opinion the reading of them might bée in stéede of worship and diuine seruice as we sée the Papistes do and as the Iewes continuallye doe on the Sabboth dayes but they are geuen to this ende that they might bée read with diligence and with a minde desirous to finde out those thinges which belong to true knowledge and true godlinesse The readers of the Scriptures must bée searchers and not corrupters wresters dreamers or supersticious murmurers Howe the scriptures ought to be read And the Scriptures do not require any searching but that whiche is godlye humble and desirous to knowe and imbrace one trueth onely otherwise a man maye finde some which reade the Scriptures but not to searche out Gods truth but rather to hinder the same Euen so Herode inquired out the truth out of the Scriptures concerning the place where Christ should bée borne not to the ende he might worshippe him Mat. 2.4 but rather to destroye him Also the Pharisées sayde to Nicodemus Searche the Prophetes and see howe that a Prophete commeth not out of Galilee Iohn 7.52 They sayd not And see what is written in the Scriptures concerning Christ So in lyke manner wicked and vngodlye men do search the scriptures to corrupt the same to theyr owne destruction C. By this woorde Scripture is vnderstoode the olde Testament For Christ dyd not first of all beginne to bée manifested in the Gospell but hauing testimony out of the lawe and the Prophetes he openlye exhibited him selfe in the Gospell Therfore that which Christ sayeth here agréeth with that which he spake vnto his Apostles after his resurrection Luk. 24.44 saying These are the wordes which I spake vnto you when I was yet with you that all must needes bee fulfilled whiche were written of mee in the lawe of Moyses and in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes But nowe it were an infinite labour to gather into one those testymonies of Scripture which pertaine to the manifesting of Christ notwithstanding we maye beholde some of them in the foure and twentye of Luke 40. And yet wyll ye not come to me that ye might haue light A. Hée meaneth that men labour in vaine in reading of the Scriptures except their onelye dryft bée to finde out Christ in them M. He sayth not And ye come not but And ye wyll not come to mee that ye maye haue lyfe C. in which woords hée againe casteth in theyr téeth that nothing staye them from obtayning that lyfe which is offered in the Scriptures but their owne mallice For in saying that they wyl not hée assigneth the cause of theyr ignoraunce and blindnesse to theyr owne wicked obstinacye And verylye séeing he so wyllingly offered him selfe vnto them it must néedes bée that they were wyllinglye blinde And séeing they dyd séeke by all meanes to shonne the lyght nay séeing they dyd séeke to obscure and darken the bright sonne with the darkenesse of theyr vnbeléefe Christ doeth iustlye more sharpelye reprehend them M. And beholde here what a false perswacion can doe They would not come vnto Christ that they might haue life by him And wherefore Because they thought that they had euerlasting lyfe alreadye Therefore so many as dyd thinke that they had already obtayned saluation come not vnto Christ the sauiour Hee which thinketh him selfe whole and sounde commeth not to the Phisition So it happened to the Disciples of Iohn who for the opinion of saluation whiche they had conceyued of Iohn were against Christ when as Iohn sent all men vnto Christ After the same manner also we sée that the Papistes at this daye reiect the Doctrine of Christ which is the power of God to saluation to euery beléeuer through the opinion of saluation which they haue conceyued in them selues in that they thinke them selues to bée in the Church of Christ but out of the which no man can bée saued but the same Church doeth not drawe awaye men from the Gospell of Christ but rather sendeth all men to his Doctrine Let them take héede which boast and bragge of the Gospell and woord of God least conceyuing the lyke opinion they doe not truely heare Christ the Lorde of lyfe nor so truelye follow him as they ought 41. I receyue not praise of men B. In these wordes our sauiour preuenteth the sclaunder wherewith the Iewes might haue sclandered him to bée ambicious because hee had cast them in the téeth with theyr contempt of him who was so manifestly commended in the Scriptures R. As if bée should say I would not haue you to thinke that I cal you vnto me and that I wyll you to beleeue my word because I am ambicious and desirous of praise Bée it far from me that I shoulde seeke the praise and commendacion of men For if I were any thing desirous of glorye I woulde neuer haue so abased my selfe as to haue taken vpon me humayne fleshe but I speake these thinges being desirous of your saluation I séeke not my selfe but you C. neyther am I gréeued that I sée my selfe contemned but I séeke the glorye of God the Father and the safety of you all And so he goeth forwarde in refelling the sclaunder that he extolleth him selfe aboue all men For in déede hée is so great and mightye that he ought not to depende vppon the Iudgement of men when as the wickednesse of the whole worlde can detract nothing at all from him nor diminishe one héere 's breadth of his power 42. But I know you that ye haue not the loue of God in you M. Hée nowe manifestlye declareth whereof hée gathered the original of theyr Incredulitye namelye hereof that they had no loue of God in them As if hée should saye It is not hidden or vnknowne to mée for what cause ye come not vnto me Yée faine that ye haue the loue of God and ye wyll séeme to persecute me because I am against the commaundement and glory of God as a wicked man and a breaker of the Sabboth daye a blasphemer of God and a seeker of vaineglorye But howsoeuer ye deceyue and blinde simple and ignoraunt men with this hipocriticall pretence ye can not deceyue mée Yée are not vnlyke your Forefathers For as they honoured GOD with theyr Lippes and despised him in their heartes euen so ye through Hipocrisye woulde séeme to loue GOD with your mouthes whome notwithstanding ye loue not in your heartes with your mouth ye speake of God but with your heart ye séeke your selues For I know you throughlye who and what ye are what ye do and wherevnto also ye haue respect B. For whosoeuer haue any manner of loue or feeling of GOD do also receyue his woord so farre they are from reiecting the Sonne of God Ioh.
shorte so it maye bée sayde to all those that worshippe deade saintes as Gods that in time to come they shall haue no greater enimies than those to whome they presume to giue that glory that belongeth to Christ C. And hereby let vs learne that wée must not glory in the Scriptures because except we worship the Sonne of God in true obedince of Fayth there shal arise in the latter day against vs so many accusers as God hath raysed vp witnesses vnto him Jn whome ye trust Hée doth not accuse them of suspition as though they ascribe the cause of their saluation vnto Moyses but he meaneth that they leaned vnto Moyses amis as though they shoulde haue him a patrone and defender of wicked obstinacie For after this maner they are sayde to repose their trust in Moyses 46. For if ye had beleeued Moyses yee woulde haue beleeued me for he wrote of me If ye had beleeued Moyses B. By the holy Ghost onely wée beléeue the worde of GOD. Therefore if they had beléeued Moyses they had had the holy Ghost no doubt the searcher of the profounde misteries of God by whiche they hauing boldenesse coulde not choose but know and acknowledge God offering himselfe to be knowne muche more playnely in Christ than in Moses C. Hée sheweth therefore why Moyses shall be their accuser namelye because they reiect his doctrine And we knowe that there can be no greater iniury done to the seruaunts of God than to haue their doctrine contemned slaundered Furthermore looke what Ministers the Lorde hath appoynted for his worde of the same worde also they must be reuengers Ministers are techers to saluatiō and witneses to damnation Therefore the Lorde hath made his Prophetes to represent two personages as to be maysters and teachers of the godly to saluation and sleyers of the reprobate by their testimonye For he wrote of mee Bv. Christ verily was the onely scope of Moyses as they which knowe that Christ is the ende and the life of the law can well ynough testifie also But if any man being not content therwith desireth to haue probation hereof let him first of all dilligently reade the Epistle to the Hebrues Acts. 7.2 to which also agréeeth the saying or sermon of Steeuen than let him noate what testimonies the Apostle Paule applyeth to this purpose A Let him also sée those thinges which are noated in the xxiiii Chapter of Luke beginning at the .xxvii. verse C To be shorte without Christ the whole ministerye of Moyses vanisheth away 47. But if ye beleeue not his wrightings how shall ye beleeue my wordes M. What was then the aucttoritye of Moyses greater than the auctoritie of Christ C. For Christ séemeth here to ascribe more credite to Moses than to himselfe and yet wée knowe that by the voyce of the Gospell heauen and earth were shaken But Christ frameth his speache to those with whome hée had to doe For the Iewes without all controuersie greatly estéemed the aucthority of the Law So it coulde not be but that Christ shoulde be inferiour to Moyses To this ende pertayneth the Antithesis or secret comparison in this verse of wrightinges and of wordes for hereby hée doth exagerate and amplifie their infidelitie that the truth of God being as it were written in tables had notwithstanding no fayth nor credite among them M. Therefore Christ béeing compared with Moyses had scarce in the eyes of the Iewes the place of a shadowe A. But if we haue respect to the condition and dignitie of them boathe Christ is to be preferred before Moses there shall appeare great difference For looke howe muche honour hée hath that buildeth the house more than the house it selfe so muche more glorye was hée worthy of than Moyses Also Moyses was faythfull in that house as a trusty seruaunt for to giue witnesse of those thinges which were afterwarde to bée spoken Heb. 3.3.56 but Christ ruled the whole house as the sonne himselfe And hée is not onely by right preferred before Moyses but also before all other creatures M. Howbeit here is no question of the person but of the doctrine Wherevpon Christ sayth not If yee beleeue Moyses But If ye beleeue not his wrightinges least anye man shoulde thinke that this ought to be referred to the personne of Moyses and not rather to the doctrine which he sent foorth by the commaundement of God So when Paule sayde to Agrippa Acte 27 Doest thou beleeue the Prophets O king Agrippa I know that thou beleeuest the whiche is not to be referred to the Prophets themselues but to their doctrine Moreouer let vs learne to séeke Christ and to know him by the scriptures and diligentlye to studye and trauayle in them not to follow the deade letter as the Iewes did much lesse to persecute Christ as Herod did but to séeke to come to the knowledge of God through Iesus Christ Acte 1◠as did they of whome we maye reade in the Actes of the Apostles As touching the blindenesse of the Iewes which receyued no fruite or profite at all by the often reading of the Lawe and the Prophetes because they reiected Christ the end of the Lawe let vs noate what great wickednesse and ingratitude it is willinglye to reiect the profered light to contemne the sonne of God sent of God to saluation B. Howbeit there is yet another cause of their ignoraunce namelye because it séemed good to the Lorde to preferre the blindenesse of the Iewes vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles came in of the which yée may reade in the eleuenth chapter to the Romaines Rom. 11◠They which were elected and truely beléeued Moyses they vndoubtedlye beléeued the Lorde 2. Cor. 3◠the vale being then remooued with the whiche their mindes are nowe couered For this is most certaine that they beléeue not Moyses that beléeue not Christ ⧠The syxt Chapter 1. After these thinges Iesus went his waye ouer the Sea of Galile which is the Sea of Tiberias After these thinges Bv. WHen the Lord Iesus had so faithfully diligentlye and plainelye expounded the principal poynt of our religion and had declared himselfe to be the natural sonne of God the sauiour of all that beléeue the Cittizens and hearers of Ierusalem shoulde vpon iust consideration haue receyued the truth but because they doe reiect it the Lorde also reiecteth them leauing them to their errours and to their darcknesse and getteth him into Galile as hée had also done before C. But whereas Iohn hath vsuallye gathered those actes and sayinges of Christ which the other Euaungelistes haue passed and omitted here in this place hée repeateth contrarye to his maner the history of a miracle which the other Euangelistes haue declared but he doeth it vppon good consideration namely that from the same he might passe to the sermon of Christ which was made the daye following in Capernaum because they were matters so nere ioyned together Wherefore all this narration doth agreée with
being distributed among fiue thousande men euery hundred part shall haue for his share eyghtéene pence thrée farthinges Six mites make a far thing and thrée mites and thrée fift partes of a mite But nowe adde to the fiue thousande a thousande women and children mo so shal you finde that Phillip here alloweth to euery perticuler person of the general number of sixe thousande thrée mites worth of breade to eate But it may be as commonly it commtth to passe in a great multitude that there were thought to be a great manye more B. Marke sheweth that they sayde Let vs go and bye two hundred peny worth of breade Mark 6.37 It séemed therefore that they had so much mony And thus louing they were that they were ready to bestow all that euer they had for the vse of the people C. Neuerthelesse Phillip went about to terrifie Christ with the greatnesse of such a multitude as if hée shoulde haue sayde that they had not monye ynough to féede the people A. For Christ had sayde giue ye them to eate 8. One of his disciples Andrew Symon Peters brother sayth vnto him 9. There is a little Lad here which hath fiue barlye loaues and two fishes but what are they among so manye Reade our exposition of the fourtenth Chapter of Mathew beginning at the seuentéenth verse 10. And Iesus sayd make the people sit downe Ther was much grasse in the place So the men sate downe in nomber about fiue thousand Make the people sitte A. Reade thirtie and nine verse of the sixt chapter of Marke So the men sate C. In that the Disciples had no better hope and trust and had forgotten so worthily to consider of his power as they ought to haue done they are to be reprehended Obedience in the Disciples and in the people but yet notwithstanding their prompte obedience deserueth no smale praise in that they nowe obaye his commaundement not knowing what he intended to doe or what successe that whiche they did should haue The like obeydience also was in the people For they all satte downe at one commaunding worde being vnsertayne of the ende The like readines of obayinge wée maye behold in the wayting seruaunts whiche seruid at the mariage in Cana of Galile For when they sawe that the wyne fayled and that there was water sufficient yet notwithstanding at the Lordes commaundement they filled vp the waterpottes with water to the full Iohn 2.7 C. And this is the probation of a true faith when God commaundeth men to walke as it were in darknesse That we may thus obaye let vs lerne not to be wise in oure owne conceite but to trust for prosperouse successe in confused thinges seeing we followe God our Captaine which will neuer disapoynt his seruauntes B. Moreouer the Euaungelist hath set downe to vs the tyme the place and other circomstaunces for his purpose was with dilligence and faithfulnesse seriously to set forth the trueth A. Concerninge the nomber of those that sate downe ye may read in the fouretéene chapter of Mathew beginning at the one and twenty verse 11 And Iesus toke the bread and vvhen he had geuen thanks he gaue to the disciples and the Discipls to them that vvere set dovvne and likevvyse of the fishes as much as they wold For the exposition of this verse reade the fouretéenth Chapter of Mathew beginning at the nintéenth verse 12. When they had eaten ynough he sayd to his Disciples gather vp the broken meate that remayneth that nothing be lost B. These thinges are not onelye spoken to commende and set foorth the myracle but also to declare that the works and benifites of the Lord Iesu are most perfect For although the multitude of people was fedde to the full yet notwithstanding there remayned an ouerplus of the breade and of the fishes M. By these wordes also wée are taught that the Lord woulde haue none of his good gyftes to be vnprofitablely lost C. And herewithall also the Lorde admonisheth and exhorteth his Disciples and followers to liberalitie and honest sparing For the great bountifulnesse of GOD Ritches maye not ryotouslye be spent ought not to prouoke vs to ryot prodigallitye and excesse Therefore let them which haue aboundaunce remember that they shall one daye geue an account of theyr excéeding plentye except they doe faithfullye imploye the same to honest and good vses 13. And they gathered it togeather and filled twelue baskets with the broken Meate of the fiue barleye Loaues which broken meate remained to them that had eaten Reade the exposition of this verse in the fouretéene Chapter of Mathew beginning at the twenty verse 14. Then those menne when they had seene the myracle that Iesus dyd sayde This is of a truth the same prophete that should come into the world A. The other Euangelistes make no mencion of this thanksegeuing but in stéede thereof Mathewe and Marke put downe the number of those which had eaten of the Loaues Fishes of the which matter our Euangelist hath made mencion before alreadye So that this séemeth to bée some profite that procéeded of the miracle that they confesse the Messias to bée the aucthor of the same And this was all that Christ looked for M. For the sight and sence of the Myracle moued theyr mindes to this to thinke that this Iesus was not simplye a Prophete Den. 28.15 but that Prophete whome Moyses foreshewed should come The which place no doubte by reason of the Publique reading of the Lawe was commonly knowne C. But that knowledge which they haue conceyued of Christ they by and by turne amysse to another ende And this is no smal faulte in menne that so sone as God hath reuealed him selfe vnto them they peruert and corrupt his trueth with lyes yea when they haue entered into the right waye they doe by and by degenerate from them selues R. Now Christ was counted a Prophete among the common people because hée had fed them and had fylled their bellyes but afterwarde when hée commaunded to geue vnto Cesaer those thinges which belong to Cesaer hée was a flatterer and when hée bare his Crosse hée was a seducer of the people and not worthy to lyue vpon the earth For whether the fortune of temporall thinges doe inclyne thyther the Iudgement and affection of the waueryng multitude is carryed 15. When Iesus therefore perceyued that they vvoulde come and take him to make him a King he departed againe into a Mountayne him selfe aloane When Iesus perceyued R. First of all wée sée by this déede that the disposition of the common sort of people is suche that they wyll sooner féele the benefite of theyr bellye than of theyr minde They had séene greater Miracles and yet notwithstanding they neuer gaue vnto him so magnificent a name thus much could the fulnesse of the belly preuayle And nowe being as yet but rude and grosse they loking for suche a Messias as shoulde challenge to himselfe a worldlyke
vnthankefull to God are starke blinde at the sight of his power And there is no doubte but that they dyd disdayne and contemne all the myracles whiche hitherto they had séene because Christ did not follow theyr willes and because they did not finde him such a one as they imagined him to bée If they had bene put in hope of earthly felicitie they woulde daylye haue extolled him and without all doubt haue saluted him by the names of a Prophet of the Messias and of the sonne of God but now because hée reprehendeth them for that they were to carnally addicted they thinke it good to heare him no more but doe withstande hym saying VVhat signe shewest thou that wee may see and beleeue thee VVhat doest thou worke Bv. As if they shoulde saye Thou speakest muche in thine owne commendation as though thou wert sent into the worlde to saue and redéeme mankinde R. Thou requirest that wée shoulde beleue in thée as in the Sauiour sent of God thou sayest that Fayth in thée is the worke of GOD whereby the foode of euerlasting lyfe is gotten but doest thou thinke vs so scencelesse and foolishe that thou speaking these thinges wée wyll strayght waye beléeue thée and reuerence thée alone and forsake Moyses and the righteousnesse of the Lawe By what signes by what myracles doest thou confirme the aucthoritye of thy doctrine Bv. But if thou be that manner of man which thou wouldest séeme and be accounted to bée shewe this vnto vs by some heauenlye signes by which wée being conuicted as by inuincible arguments wée maye now boldelye receyue thée and may beléeue thée as the Sonne of GOD and Sauiour of the worlde B. To beléeue here signifyeth wholye to depende vpon him whome thou beléeuest So also the people béeléeued Moyses Exo. 14.31 M. Here wée sée the disposition of carnall men who so long as fayth in Christ is required are enimies of the which wée haue experience in manye at thys daye C. For in the beginning Carnall Gospeleres because they perswade themselues that Christ will be fauorable to their sinnes they earnestlye receyue his Gospell and require no probation of the same but when they are called to denye themselues and to beare the Crosse then they beginne to forsake Christ and to demaunde from whence the Gospell had his beginning to bée shorte Christ is no more their Mayster so soone as hée denyeth their desires M. Othersome require myracles as though the doctrine of Christ were not sufficiently proued al readie boath by miracles also by the Scipturs A. But wisdome is iustified of hir Chrildren 31. Our fathers did eate manna in the wildernesse as it is writen He gaue them breade from heauen B. Hereby it appeareth what these men sought for namely that they might wander vp and downe with the Lorde idelly and be fed of him without labour euen as the people long before had bene fed in the wildernesse forty yeares with Manna C. Therefore our Sauiour Christ gauled them when hée sayde that they came like to brute beastes to fyll their bellyes for they bewraye this theyr grose affection when they require such a Messias as maye féede them M. This is another argument of their witstandinge Christe They obiect Moyses and the Fathers and they pretende their aucthoritie to cloake theyr incredulitie wythall as contrarye to that fayth which Christ required to be in him B. As if they shoulde saye What workest thou that wée maye beléeue thy thy wordes Thou hast once fedde fiue thousande of vs with fiue Loaues and two Fishes but Moyses fedde sixe hundedered thousande of our Fathers or there aboutes with breade from heauen for the space of fortye yeres But as yet thou hast shewed vs no suche signe It is better therefore that wée bée Moyses Disciples than thy Disciples and to depende vpon hys worde than of thine C. But whereas they extoll the grace of GOD in the Manna that they doe verye subtilly to ouerthrowe the Doctrine of Christ by whiche hée commended the moderate desire of corporall meate For on the contrarye parte they doe oppose the glorious name of Manna whiche was called breade from heauen and Aungels foode But the holye Ghost doth not call Manna breade from heauen although GOD fylling the bellyes of hys people as menne fyll Hogges gaue them no better thing Therefore they haue no excuse at all when they doe wickedlye reiect the spirituall foode of the soule whiche GOD now offereth to them M. For Moyses doeth sufficientlye declare why the Lorde did feede the people with Manna saying And hee gaue thee Manna to eate which neyther thou nor thy Fathers knewe to the ende hee might shewe to thee that manne shall not liue by breade onelye but by euerye worde whiche proceedeth out of the mouth of GOD. B. Manna is called the breade of Heauen and of Aungels because it rayned from heauen by the Ministerye of Aungels A. There are some which interprete this to be the breade of Princes or of greate men because of the Hebrue worde whiche in another place signifieth princes and noble men 32. Then Iesus sayde to them verelye verelye I saye vnto you Moyses gaue you not that breade from heauen but my father giueth you the true breade from heauen Verelye I say vnto you Bv. The Lord knowing well ynough howe filthy their affections were aunswered nothing to the signe whiche they required partly because he came not to fill the bellyes of the hungary nor to playe Pageants before euery one Luk. 23.9 for the whiche cause also he made no aunswere to Herod and partly because the daye before he had shewed so manifest a signe to the people that there néeded not the repeticion of many wordes The Lorde had proued by that signe that he was the same Prophete whom hitherto the Fathers had loked for And the very same men whiche in this place require a signe confessed then that trueth whiche nowe they doubte of For they had sayde This is verily that Prophete whiche shoulde come into the worlde Wherefore he faring as thoug he did not sée the rudenesse of the multitude their ingratitude inconstancy and their mallice goeth aboute by pure symplicity to bringe them to true and perfect knoweledge of the mystery of Fayth M. And because he knewe that this people did to muche hange vppon Moyses as though he had geuen to the Fathers those thinges whiche pertayned to lyfe and therefore did not ryghtlye iudge of the miracle of Manna nor truelye vnderstande that celestiall breade much lesse desire the same hée vseth an earnest asseueration But Christ séemeth to denye that which was cited out of the Psalme yet it is otherwise for hée speaketh onelye by comparison The bread of heauen is called Manna which nourisheth the bodye onelye but that is truelye and properlye iudged to be the breade of heauen which is the spirituall nutriment of the soule Therefore Christ here opposeth the worlde against heauen because the incorruptible
Lorde declareth that it is no straunge thinge to hym that the Capernaites séeing did not sée and beléeue in him He came for no other cause into this worlde than for their sakes whome the Father had ordained to euerlasting lyfe and had deliuered to him to be saued and he is most sertainly sure of this that they shall come to him and that he will reiect none of them but will willinglye imbrace euerye on of them but as for other he will not regarde them And thus he sheweth the cause why the Capernaites did not beléeue in hym namely because they were not geuen to hym of the Father C. Therefore lest theyr vnbeléefe shoulde derogate any thing from his doctrine he sayth that the cause of so greate obstinacie is for that they are reprobates and none of the flocke of Christ For this purpose therfore he putteth a difference betwene the elect and the reprobate that the aucthoritie of his Doctrine might stande neuerthelesse although many beleued not the same For the wicked do detracte from the worde of God and doe esteeme the same as nothing because they are not touched with the reuerence thereof and a great many weake and ignoraunt men doe doubte whether that be the word of God or noe which is reiected of the most parte of the worlde For this stumbling blocke Christ prouideth when he denyeth those to be his which beleue not If to suche the trueth of God be vnsauory it is no marueyle but all the children of God imbrace the same First of all we gather oute of thys place that the benefite of faith commeth of the free gift of God the Father not of humaine strengthe Whomesoeuer the father hath geuen to the sonne come to the Sonne C. Therefore faith is not in the wil of men that this or that man may beléeue without exception Fayth is the gift of God as it were by chaunce but God choseth them whom he delyuereth to the Sonne as it were from hand to hande For when he saith All that is geuen we maye gather that all are not geuen Moreouer we gather that GOD doeth worke in his elect with so greate efficacy of the Spirite that none of them do fall awaye from him For this worde of geuing is as muche as if Christe had sayde those whome the Father hath chosen he doth regenerate and addicteth them to me in the obedience of the Gospell Bv. They therefore which beleeue beleeue through the grace of God but they which beleeue not haue to accuse their owne wickednesse and not to finde fault with God Saluation commeth through grace Those whome the father will haue saued he geueth to the Sonne and the Sonne receiueth them And the father geueth when he driueth frameth the wills and affections of men and geueth them power and strength to beleue the word and miracles of the lord Christ The sonne receiueth when he frendly entertayneth all those that come to him and ioyneth them to him selfe And this is the meaning of the Apostle when he sayeth Rom. 8.30 Those whome he hath predestinate he hath called and whome he hath called he hath iustified and whome he hath iustified he hath also glorified M. Furthermore we must noat that Christ speaketh heare not according to that dyuine maiestie and excelency of the eternall worde to the whiche nothinge can be geuen that it hath not but accordinge to the dispensation of the mediation reconcilliation and humayne redemtion whiche he had taken in hande For the Father hath geuen to his Sonne as to a mediator Reconcilor Redéemer out of that sinfull multitude of mortall men those to be sauid whome he hath chosen to lyfe from euerlasting A Wee haue already shewed what it is to come vnto Christ M. For we must not vnderstand that whiche he here speaketh of euery one which commeth vnto hym for the vnbeléeuing Capernaites came vnto him whome notwitstandinge the Father had not geuen to him otherwise they had beleued in him but he speaketh of those which come to him as to the breade of lyfe and to the knowne Sauioure reuealed by the Father Concerning those I saye he saith And him that cometh to me J cast not awaye C. The whiche also partayneth to the consolation of the Godly that they maye be sure that they haue free accesse vnto Christ and shall be gently receyued so soone as they commit them selues to his faith and charge Wherevpon it foloweth that the doctrine of the Gospell shal be helthfull to those that are the children of God because no man offereth him selfe to be a disciple vnto Christe but he whiche feeleth hym and hath experience that hée is a faithfull teacher A. This place therefore agreeth with that whiche wée shall see hereafter Ioh. 18.47 He whiche is of God heareth Gods worde therefore ye do not heare because ye are not of god Agayne Ioh. 10.26 My sheepe heare my voyce and followe me therefore ye doe not beleeue Acte 13.48 because ye are none of my sheepe M. For we reade that they beleeued the word so many as were ordayned to euerlasting lyfe B. They therefore whiche are abiectes to the worlde and are despised as duste maye be of good courage For Christe will louingly receiue them if so be they come to him in faith For he casteth none awaye that come to him in faith he preserueth his to the ende Ioh. 10.18 they shall neuer perish M. For they are Citizens with the Saintes and of the housholde of God wherfore they can neuer be excluded out of the kingdom of God But seing it is knowen to God alone who they are that are geuen to Christe to be sauid and who not Ephe. 2 for the Lorde knoweth who are his yet notwitstanding no man canne be ignoraunt whether he commeth vnto Christe by fayeth and with a desier of heauenly grace 2. Tim. 2.19 or not For what can be more euident and manifest to our harte than that whiche oure harte most of all desiereth 2. Cor. 13.5 Whervpon the Apostle saith Trye and proue youre selues whether ye be in the Faith or no. Do ye not knowe youre selues whether Christe Iesus be in you So that we are made sure by that which is manifest concerning those things which are hidden from vs as whether the father hath geuen vs to the sonne and whether the sonne will cast vs away or no. If wée come to Chist no doubt we are geuen to him of the Father and we shall neuer be cast awaye B. But seeing none can be perswaded of these thinges but the electe that is to say such as are indewed with Gods Spirite and are regenerate who are so farre from being brought to security and slouth by the preaching of these thinges that nothing can so muche styrre them vp to the loue of God and to euery good worke it is playne ynough that they know not what they saye which affirme that these thinges ought not to
taught of the father Holy ghost our schole mayster the which teaching must not be such that a man shall sée the father in this fleshe but the Children of God shall be taught by the inward working of the spirit 1. Cor. 2.10 For they vpon whome it breatheth shal search out the profound misteries of God Mat. 11.27 To this effect also pertayneth this sentence No man knoweth the sonne but the Father also No man hath seene God at any tyme Ioh. 1.18 the only begotten sonne whiche is in the bosome of the Father he hath shewed him to vs. C. When he saith that the father is onely knowen to him he meaneth that this office properly belongeth vnto him selfe to manifeste him to men whiche otherwise is hidden far from vs. 47. Verely verily I saye vnto you hee that putteth his trust in mee hath euerlasting lyfe R By thys sentence our sauioure Christe declareth how we are made the disciples of his father namely by fayth in Christe Iesus by whiche it commeth to passe that wée obtayne euerlasting life What it is to beléeue in Christe wee haue before declared For we muste not immagine a confused and vaine fayth whiche spoyleth Christe of his power suche a faith is that which the Papistes haue who beléeue of Christe as they list them selues for therefore we obtayne lyfe by fayth because we knowe that in Christe all the partes of lyfe are contayned 48. I am the breade of life M. After that Christe had answered those murmurers and had sufficiently prouided for that offence which they hadde taken by the humilitye of his fleshe and by the knowledge whyche they had of hym he nowe consequently maketh repetition of those thinges whiche he had spoken and returneth to that whiche he had begonne concerning Manna R. shewing by a notable comparison howe muche better this quickening breade whiche he offereth is than the oulde Manna 49. You re fathers did eate Manna in the wildernesse and are dead M. This verse is two wayes expounded Some vnderstande it generally of all those Fatheres of the Iewes whiche did eate Manna in Moyses time in the desart as well Godly as vngodly insomuche that the Lord speaketh here in this place not of the death of the soule but of the body But othersome expound it of the wicked only whiche did eate Manna withoute fayth of the trueth in the whiche is lyfe and therefore are also deade that is to saye they perished euerlastingly But it séemeth not necessarye that wée here distinguishe betwéene the beléeuing and the vnbeléeuing Iewes C Onelye Christ sayth that Manna was a corruptible meate to their Fathers M. being foode not of the soule but of the body not sempiternall but temporall which coulde not saue them from death C. It followeth therefore that mens soules finde foode no where but in him whereby they maye be fedde into euerlasting lyfe 1. Cor. 10.3 For we must remember what was spoken in another place that there is no mention made here of Manna as Christ was a secrete figure For in that respect Paule calleth hym spiritual meat but here Christ frameth his speache to his hearers who being onely carefull for the féeding of their bellies had no farther consideration of any thinge in Manna He doth therefore Iustly pronounce that their fathers are deade that is to saye which were in like manner addicted to their bellies 50. This is that breade whiche commeth downe from heauen that if any man eate therof hee shoulde not dye C. Christ inuiteth and calleth those to whome hée speaketh to eate when he sayth that hée came that a man might eate For this kinde of speache is as muche as if he shoulde saye that hée is to bée eaten of so manye as will eate Shall not dye M. Christians dye aswell as other mortal men but they dye onely in bodye for a time and not in soule for euer And although the soules of the vnbeléeuing are immortall also yet notwithstanding their condicion is mortall and miserable insomuch that being aliue in pleasure they are counted deade 1. Tim. 5.6 Euen as the Apostle speaketh of the Widdow which liued in pleasure For the lyfe of the vnbeléeuing is not the true lyfe but a false imagination of lyfe and a mere phantasie by which they thinke themselues to lyue aloane when as indéede they are starcke deade Wee must also noate the vniuersall formes of speaking when he sayth If any man eate For by this manner of speache hée meaneth that hée is offered to all men insomuch that whosoeuer vseth hym shall be preserued in lyfe 51. I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen If any eate of this bread he shall lyue for euer And the breade that I wyll gyue is my fleshe which I will giue for the lyfe of the worlde The Lord doth often tymes repeate this that all that beléeue in him shall haue euerlasting lyfe C. Because there is nothing more necessarie to bée knowne howe hardelye fayth taketh place in vs and howe soone it vanisheth awaye againe Wée all desire lyfe but in séeking of the same wée foolishlye wander in by wayes and the greater parte despise the same when it is offered For what is he that doth not fayne and promise lyfe vnto hym selfe withoute Christe And what is he that is satisfied and contented with Christe aloane Therfore this repetition is not superfluouse when Christ so often tymes affirmeth that it is he whiche geueth lyfe to the worlde For he taketh vnto him selfe aloane the name of breade that he might remoue out of oure myndes al false and fayned hope of lyfe Christ is the breade of lyfe M. What can the glory and plenty of terrene thinges profite in the whiche there is no life yf so be wée loose this breade in the whiche alone all saluation and euerlasting lyfe doeth consiste C. He nowe calleth that the liuing breade whiche before he called the bread of lyfe and all in one sence Afterwarde he sayth it came from heauen because in this worlde the figure whereof passeth and vanisheth awaye the spirituall and incorruptible lyfe is not to be found but onely in the heauenly kingdome of God So often as he maketh mencion of this worde Eate he exhorteth vs to faith whiche onely bringeth to passe that wée enioye this breade to lyfe And this is not in vayne because there are but a fewe whiche will voutsafe to reache out theyr hande to put this breade to their mouth naye when the Lord putteth the same to their mouthes they will scarse taste of the same but some fill them selues ful of wynde and othersome béeing lyke to Tantalus doe hungar and ar like to starue with meate before their mouthes And the breade that I will giue C. Because this secrete powre of geuing lyfe concerning whiche he spake might be referred to his diuine essens he nowe descendeth to the second degrée and teacheth that lyfe is included in his fleshe that men
from thence maye drawe the same vnto them Lyfe is included in the flesh of Christ It is the wonderfull counsayle of God verily that he hath set before vs lyfe in that fleshe in the which before there was nothinge but the matter and cause of death And thus he prouideth for oure infir mitie when he calleth vs not to séeke lyfe aboue the clowdes but offereth the same vnto vs in the earth no lesse then if hée shoulde lyfte vs vp to the gates of his kingdome Neuerthelesse he correcting the pride of oure nature proueth the humillitie and obedience of faith when he commaundeth suche as are lyke to perishe to seeke lyfe in hys fleshe whiche in outwarde shewe is contemtible and base B. For the saluation of the Sainctes coulde not be finished except he had geuen hys fleshe for vs to death As therfore he did profite and accomplish oure saluation by death and was truelye made oure redéemer euenso the Fayeth of Christe cannot stande except wée beleeue in the death crosse and passion of Christe Wherevppon the Apostle testifieth that he woulde not seeme to knowe any other thing than Iesus and the same crucefied For the satisfaction of oure synnes was made vppon the Crosse the which was the satisfaction of Gods righteousnesse the appeasing of the Fathers wrath and the gate of immortalitye Herevpon to shewe howe he woulde finishe oure saluation and with what fayth we must eate him he sayth that the breade which he will geue vnto those that are hys is his owne fleshe C. But this séemeth not to belong to the nature of fleshe that it shoulde quicken and geue lyfe to mens soules I answere although this vertue doth come from some other thinge then from fleshe yet notwithstanding there is no let but that thys name maye be aptly geuen to the same For as the eternall worde of God is the well of lyfe euenso hys fleshe as a water pipe doth poure lyfe into vs which resteth in the diuinitie And in this sence it is called liuing or quickening because it doth geue vnto vs that lyfe whiche it doth borrowe from another M. And we must noate that Christ speaketh not hereof all maner of fleshe but onely of his owne And the breade which I will giue sayth hee is my fleshe Therefore lyfe consisteth not neither in the oblations of beastes neither in any mortall mans fleshe but only in the fleshe of Christ C. This word Geue is dyuerslye taken the firste geuing of the whiche Christe at the firste made mencion is dayly to be séene so often as Christe offereth hym selfe to vs In the second place he noateth that donation onely whiche was made vppon the Crosse when he offered him selfe a sacrifice to the Father and an oblation of a swéete smell vnto God Ephe. 5.2 C. For then he gaue hym selfe to death for the lyfe of men and nowe he inuiteth vs to taste the frute of hys death For that offering once offered shoulde nothing at all profite vs except wée did nowe eate the same in the holy supper Bv. Therfore when he sayth that he will geue the same for the lyfe of the worlde his meaning is this I will geue my selfe too death that the worlde by my death may lyue For the worlde is deade in sinnes but the sonne of God dyed in the fleshe least the second death should raigne ouer the faithful And thus the sonne of God doeth quicken C. And this is to bée noted that Christ taketh vnto him the part of offering vp his fleshe Whereby it appeareth what abhomination the Papistes doe commit when they vsurpe that to them selues in theyr Masse whiche belongeth to that highe Priest onely M. For it could bée done of no other than of him who offered vp his fleshe to GOD his Father once for all 52. The Iewes then contended among them selues saying Howe can this fellowe geue vs his fleshe to eate Bv. There aryseth againe another contencion among the hearers or auditorye of Christ by reason of his wordes which were not rightly vnderstoode M. For alway those that are carnall carnallye vnderstand the wordes of Christ and therfore they are oftentimes offended and being offended fall to contencion among them selues For it offended them that he had sayd that hée would geue his fleshe for the lyfe of the world C. And the Euangelist nameth the Iewes againe not for honors sake but rather to cast in their téeth theyr incredulitye for that they receyued not the familiar doctrine concerning euerlasting lyfe or at least because they do not modestly enquire of a matter doubtfull as yet and obscure vnto them for this is a signe of piuishe frowardnesse and contempte whereas hée sayth that they contende among them selues And they which thus contentiously dispute do hynder them selues from attayning to the knowledge of the truth Bv. They murmured before because the Lord had sayd that hée descended from heauen and that hée was the sonne of God and now they openlye contende because hée sayd And the breade which I wyl geue for the lyfe of the world is my fleshe Euen as if his meaning had béene that his fleshe ought to bée eaten as men eate fleshe which they bye in the Shambles Therfore they crye Howe can this fellowe geue vs his fleshe C Notwithstanding this is not simply to bée reprehended in them that they enquire after the maner howe for then Abraham and the blessed Virgin shoulde deserue the same reprehension Therefore they are eyther deceyued by ignoraunce or else they doe amisse who forsaking braules and contencion which the Euangelist onely condemneth debate curiously discusse this question Howe as though the Iewes ought not to haue enquired of the manner of eating But verily this ought rather to be imputed to slouthfull negligence than to the obedience of Faith if so bée wyttingly and wyllingly wée kéepe the knots of doubtfulnesse vnknit which are dissolued by the word of the Lorde Wherefore wée may not onely enquire of the manner of eating of the fleshe of Christ but also apprehend and take holde of him so farre foorth as the Scripture offereth him vnto vs. Away then with that vaine pretence of humillitye Wée must onely obserue this moderation in the secreete workes of God least we desire to know more than hée hath set downe to vs in his worde B. It is lykelye that the Iewes tooke holde of that onelye which might geue them most easelye occasion to cauill For they dyd not thinke in verye déede that the Lord woulde geue his fleshe to bée so eaten as men eate béefe yet notwithstanding they contende and speake euen as Christ had so meant But this greatlye troubled them that Iesus by his allegoryes affirmed him selfe to bée Christ to bée God and the geuer of eternall life and that hée being the Sonne of man would geue the same fleshe blood which they sawe and moreouer which sounded yll in their eares that hée woulde geue the same by that his
ascended what is it else but that he descended first into the lower partes of the earth Hée which descended is euen the same also which ascended aboue all heauens Eph. 4.9 to fulfyll all thinges C. In that hée sayeth hée was first in Heauen it doeth not properlye agrée to his humanitye and yet notwithstanding hée speaketh of the Sonne of man But this is no vnwonted maner of speaking when twoo natures in Christe doo make one person and to attribute that to one which is proper to another 63. It is the Spirite that quickeneth the fleshe profyteth nothing The wordes that I speake vnto you are spyrite and lyfe It is the Spyrite that quickeneth M. This parcell contayneth a declaracion of those thinges at the which the Disciples were offended because they séemed harde C. For Christ teacheth that the Iewes receyued no profite by his Doctrine because the same being spyrituall they were but carnall hearers of the same But because this place hath béene diuersly expounded first of all it is needefull that wée haue the true and proper sence of the wordes whereby wée shal easely vnderstand the purpose of Christ In that hée denyeth the fleshe to profite any thing some doe amisse referre the same to the Iewes which were carnall Neyther doe they well whiche affyrme that the fleshe of Christe doeth profite vs nothing in that it is eaten but in that it is Crucifyed but wée must rather eate the same that it maye profite vs when it is Crucified B. Othersome vnderstande this of the Spyrite which the Apostles should receyue after the resurrection and Ascention of Christ affyrming that they had then the true sence of Christes wordes when that most excellent teacher of the trueth had replenished them with most ample knowledge of Christ But their opinion séemeth far better which thinke that these wordes Aloane or Of it selfe ought to bée ioyned therewith as if Christ should haue sayde The fleshe aloane or of it selfe profiteth nothing the which is agréeable to the matter it selfe C. For Christe hath simplye respecte to the manner of eating Hée doeth not therefore so speake as though there were no profite at all to bee receyued by his fleshe Flesh with out the spirite profiteth not but onelye pronounceth the same to bee vnprofitable if it bée remoued from the fleshe For whereof commeth it that the fleshe hath quickening power but because it is spyrituall Therefore whosoeuer stayeth in the terrestriall nature of the fleshe shall finde nothing in the same but that whiche is dead but they which lyft vp theyr eyes to the power of the Spyrite with the which the fleshe is endued shall féele by by theyr affection and by the experience of Fayth that it is not called quickening in vaine Nowe let vs sée how the fleshe of Christ is meate in déede and yet profiteth nothing Surelye it is meate because wée thereby haue gotten lyfe because in it God is pleased because in it wée haue all the partes of saluation complete it profiteth nothing if so bée we iudge and estéeme the same according to the nature and originall thereof For the seede of Abraham which of it selfe is subiect to death doeth not giue lyfe but it doeth receyue of the spyrite to geue vnto vs. Wherefore it doeth become vs also that wée maye bée truelye fed by the same to bring with vs the spyrituall mouth of Fayth The wordes which J speake vnto you are spirite M. Hée doeth not speake of the externall sounde of these wordes but of the sence and meaning of them and hée declareth that hée spake not carnallye of the carnall eating of his fleshe in the which there is no lyfe but spyrituallye of the power of the quickening Spyrite in the which there is lyfe C. In fewe wordes hée teacheth that his Doctrine is spyrituall for this word Spyrite is put for the Adiectiue spyrituall And that worde is called spyrituall which calleth vs vpwarde that the holye Ghoste being our guyde wee maye seeke Christ by Fayth and not in carnall sence in his heauenlye glorye For wée knowe that nothing of those thinges which are spoken can bée comprehended but by Faith It is also worthy to bée noted that hée ioyneth the Spirite with lyfe Hee calleth his worde lyfe of the effecte but he teacheth that the same shall geue lyfe to none but to him who spyritually receyueth the same for whosoeuer receyueth the same otherwise rather draweth to him selfe death than life To the godly this is a most sweete tytle of the Gospel that they are certifyed that the same is ordained for them to saluation they are notwithstanding herewithall admonished to shewe them selues méete Disciples For the woordes being receyued by fayth profite but without faith profite nothing at all 64. But there are some of you that beleeue not For Iesus knewe from the beginning which they were that beleeued not and who should betraye him But there are some of you M. The Lorde is wont to vpbrayd men with theyr vnbeléefe because there can no greater iniurye bée done to God than for men to doubte of his Fayth and trueth Christ againe blameth these men because they being deuoyde of the Spyrite doe wickedly depraue and corrupt his doctrine and by this meanes turne the same to theyr owne destruction For they might haue otherwise obiected and sayde Thou braggest that thy wordes are able to geue lyfe but wée sée no suche thing Hee sayeth therefore that they are a let vnto them selues For vnbeléefe as it is alwaye proud◠shal neuer reape any fruite in the words of Christ Vnbeleefe contemneth Christ because it doeth contemptuouslye despise them Hée sayeth not There are some of you which vnderstande not but hée sheweth the cause wherfore they vnderstand not There are sayth hée some of you which beléeue not and therefore they vnderstande not because they beléeue not By fayth wée are coupled togeather and by vnderstanding wée are quickened fyrst let vs sticke fast throughe Fayth that there maye bée somewhat to geue lyfe by vnderstanding For hée which stycketh not fast resisteth and hée which resisteth doeth not beléeue For howe shall he bée quickened whiche beléeueth not C. Whereas hée sayth onely some of them are vnbeleeuing when as almost euery one of them had his faulte hée séemeth so to saye to this ende least if there were any which as yet were curable they might thereby bée brought to dispayre M. Hée meant therefore by more gentle admonition to bring them to a better minde and not so to cast them of that euery one of them might bée made carefull to obtayne the gyft of Fayth For Jesus knewe from the beginning Bv. This the Euangelist putteth downe to amplifye the aucthoritye and magistye of Christ C. Least any man shoulde thinke that Christ dyd rashlye iudge of his auditors Many professed them selues to bée of his flocke but their sodaine falling awaye bewrayed theyr hipocrisie But the Euangelist sayeth that theyr vnbeléefe whiche was
of vs they had continued with vs. It is necessary that after this manner suche as are proued maye bée knowne i. Cor. 11.19 C. When the Euangelist sayeth that they walked no more with Christ hée meaneth that there was not a full Apostacye but that they withdrewe them selues onelye from the fellowshippe of Christ notwithstanding hée condemneth them as Apostates Whereby wée haue to learne that wée cannot goe backe the breadth of one foote but that wée are readye to forsake Christ 67. Then sayde Iesus vnto the Twelue wyll ye also goe awaye M. Hée maketh no mencion of those which had forsaken him neyther doeth he séeme to bée any whit angery with them but turning him selfe with great modestye to the rest which remayned namely to the twelue Apostles sayde vnto them VVyll ye also goe awaye Bv. Hée doeth not aske this question as though hée were ignoraunt what they thought or what they would doe but hée demaundeth it that he might set their Fayth and the profession of theyr faith as an ensample to the whole Churche to bée followed kept M. and therewith also to declare that he doth staye none of his Disciples from going from him if so bée they bée such as desyre to goe from him because this Apostleship requireth such as come not compelled but voluntaryly and desyrous of heauenly grace C. Hée teacheth also that there is no cause why they should suffer them selues to bée drawne awaye by the lightnesse and inconstancye of other men For hée sheweth him selfe to them to bée hée with whome they shoulde abyde and therewithal exhorteth them not to ioyne them selues companions to Apostates And verylye if so bée the fayth be builded vppon Christ Fayth in Christ neuer shaketh it shall not depend vppon men neyther shall it shake at any time although Heauen and earth shoulde seeme to goe togeather And the cyrcumstaunce is to bée noated that Christ being depriued almost of all his Disciples retayneth onelye Twelue By these and suche lyke examples euerye faythfull man is taught to followe and serue God although hee haue neuer a fellowe M. Let no man therfore faint or be discouraged in this wicked world where verye fewe are founde whiche cleaue faythfullye to the Lorde as though the Lorde had the lesse care of the faythfull because they are both abiect and fewe in number but rather lette vs vndoubtedlye beleeue that our Sheepheard Christ Iesus wyll not neglect or forget one of the least of his shéepe Multitud doth not auayle to saluation For as the multitude of the wicked shall not saue them from destruction so the paucitye or smalnesse of number of the Iuste shall nothing let whereby they may not bée saued M. Also because these were speciallye geuen to Christ of the Father that Gods election might take place it was necessarye that they shoulde abyde and perseuere with him vnto the ende Rom. 11.29 A For the giftes and calling of God are suche that hee can neuer repent him of them For hée is wont to finishe the good worke which hée hath begon in his seruauntes 68. Then Symon Peter aunswered him Lord to whome shal we go Thou hast the vvordes of eternall lyfe Then Simon Peter Bv. Simon Peter hauing alwayes a feruent faith and zeale to Christ Iesus and nowe also making aunswere not in his owne name but in the name of all the rest cryed out with great courage Lord to whome shall wee goe Thou hast the wordes of lyfe C. This was the Iudgement of them all except Iudas who had nothing that was sincere in him M. Peter might haue sayde simplye Lorde wée wyll not goe awaye but hée thought it better to expresse twoo causes of tarrying why hée and his brethren woulde abide styll with Christ First because they vnderstande and perceyue that his doctrine is wholesome and of power to geue lyfe Secondly because whether soeuer they go leauing Christ there is nothing to bée found but death R. By this aunswere of Peter wee plainelye sée the same to bée true which the Apostle writeth saying The preaching of the Crosse is to them that perrishe foolishenesse i. Cor. i. 18 but vnto vs which are saued it is the power of God C. This is a notable commendation of the Gospell that it ministereth vnto vs eternall lyfe Rom. i. 16 being the power of God to saluation to euery one which beléeueth the same For otherwise is lyfe offered to vs in the Gospell when as God fréelye reconcileth him selfe vnto vs 2. Cor. 5.19 not imputing our sinnes to vs. Hereby therefore wée learne that wée must followe our Maister Christ aloane and must cleaue onelye vnto him which can bring to vs euerlasting lyfe Bv. This lyfe is not founde in the Philosophie of Plato or of Aristotle neyther is it to bée founde among the Pharisées and Monkes Death sheweth it selfe in the Institucions of these men death deceyte and destruction is in the whole worlde and falleth vpon the pate of such men as are carelesse and followers of foolishe thinges and hée aloane escapeth death deceyte and destruction whiche faithfullye imbraceth Christ and cryeth with Peter Lorde whether shall wée goe wee wyll abyde with thée for thou hast the wordes of eternall lyfe In thy word in the Scripture in the holy Gospel and in thy selfe is the light the waye the trueth and the lyfe 69. And wee beleeue and are sure that thou art christe the Sonne of the lyuing God M. To those that departed the Lord sayde But there are some among you which beleeue not Verse three score and foure Peter here on the contrarye part to put awaye all suspition of vnbeleefe from him selfe and from the rest of his brethren and might seperate him selfe from the fellowshippe of vnbeléeuers sayeth And wée beléeue and are sure that thou art Christ the sonne of the lyuing God In these words Peter briefly comprehendeth the summe of Faith And hée placeth Faith in the first place because the obedience of Fayth is the beginning of true vnderstanding yea Faith it selfe is the true eye of the minde But strayte after knowledge is added which discerneth Fayth from erronious and false opinions Faith is the eye of the minde For the Turkes the Iewes and the Papistes do beleeue but they knowe nothing Faith and knowledge tyed togeather But Fayth is tyed to knowledge because Gods truth is certainely and vndoubtedly knowne vnto vs not suche truth as mans knowledge is able to apprehende but such as the spirite of God doth seale in our hartes M. Therefore Christian Faith hath this propertye aboue all other to knowe that which it beléeueth that which can neuer bée sayde of any mannes Fayth that euer hath béene or shal be in the worlde because theyr Fayth is not of true but of false thinges R. So that first of all wée must beléeue the woord then followeth knowledge and the vnderstanding of the trueth of the worde B. In Peter the feruencye of
Faith to confession is to bée noated Charity in fauourable iudgement Charitye also appeareth in him in that hée Iudgeth well of all the rest of his fellowe Disciples For looke what hée him selfe thought of the Lorde hée doubteth not to thinke the same of them seeing hée aunswereth for them who were neuer asked before any suche question saying And wée beleeue c. But this confession séemeth nothing to appertayne to the present cause For the question was mooued concerning the eating of Christes fleshe I aunswere Although the twelue had not by and by the knowledge of all thinges that the Lorde taught yet notwithstanding it is sufficient that they according to the measure of theyr fayth doe confesse him td be the Aucthour of saluation and do submit themselues to him in all things M. For at another time they prayed for the increase of their fayth saying Luke 17.5 Lorde increase our fayth A. Moreouer the aunswere of Peter doth very well agree with the wordes of Christ when hee sayde The wordes which I speake vnto you are spirite and lyfe And Peter confesseth that hée hath the wordes of eternall lyfe wherevppon there is no doubte but that Christ is the Sonne of the liuing God 7. Iesus aunswereth them haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a Deuill Iesus aunswereth them M. These thinges were spoken by the Lorde to singuler purpose Peter being of a good nature and disposition thought that all the rest of his fellowe Apostles were endewed with the same sinceritye and faythfulnesse of mynde that hée was endewed with of the whiche hée séemed after a sort to boast Hée knewe that this number of the Apostles was singularlye and speciallye chosen from among the rest of the Disciples by the Lorde for the whiche cause hée coulde not otherwyse thinke but that they were faythfull and sincere whome the Lorde so speciallye had chosen the to dignity of the Apostleship and therefore bouldlye as perswaded not onelye of his owne Fayth but of the Fayth of the rest of his fellowes hée fayde And we beleeue Nowe the Lord séeking to take away this securitye and perswation not onelye from him but also from the rest and further also to signifye vnto them that it was no maruaile that among the multitude of the Disciples whiche were not chosen by him but followed him of theyr owne fréewyll many forsooke him through theyr vnbeleefe when as in that small number of the Apostles which hée had speciallye chosen there was one to bée founde which was not onelye vnbeléeuing but also whiche was a great deale worse a Deuell the Lord I saye séeking these thinges sayeth Haue not J chosen you Twelue and one of you is a Deuill B. The Gréekes call him the Deuell whome the Hebrewes call Sathan By this therefore that he sayde that Iudas was a Deuell hée meant that hée was his aduersarye and enemye and not a Disciple although he were chosen with others into the number of the Disciples by externall calling and was as yet among them C. For where Christe sayeth that hée had chosen Twelue it is not referred to the externall purpose of GOD for it is not possible that any of them shoulde fall awaye which are predestinate to euerlasting lyfe but séeing they were chosen to the office of Apostleship it became them to goe before others in pietye and holinesse Therefore hée putteth here chosen for the most notable and excellent among the common sort of people M. Concerning their election reade the thyrde of Marke and the sixte of Luke And Mathewe repeateth their names in order in the tenthe Chapter And when hée calleth Iudas a Deuell there is no doubte but that hée meant by this name to make him verye detestable For they are deceyued which extenuate the odious title of this vyce And verylye they whiche prophane so holye an office cannot bée sufficientlye hated and detested Those Aungelles are called teachers which doe verye well discharge theyr Ambassage Rightlye Mala. 2.7 therefore hée is called the Deuell which being chosen into so honorable an office doeth by his owne wickednesse degenerate from the same There is also another reason why suche are called Deuelles namelye because GOD doth geue more lybertye to Sathan to preuayle against the Reprobate and wicked Ministers than against any other of the common sort of people Wherefore if so bée they which are chosen to bée Pastours bée carryed awaye with Deuillishe madnesse insomuche that they are lyke vnto brute Beastes wée must not despise the dignitye of the office but must rather commend the same séeing such sharpe vengeaunce followeth the prophanation of the same Bv. Iudas is here called the Deuell not so much because hée was a Traytour as for that hée made him selfe a Minister and instrument for the Deuell to worke by 71. He spake of Iudas Iscariot the Sonne of Symon for hee it was that shoulde betray him beeing one of the twelue M The Euaungelist séeketh dilligently to defende the innocencie of the rest of the Apostles and woulde not haue anye wrong or false suspition to lyght vpon the true and sincere Apostles of Christ Let all these imitate this dilligence which desire that the auctoritie of the ecclesiasticall ministerye maye stande safe and sounde C. And although Iudas conscience did accuse him yet notwithstanding wee do not reade that hee was any whit mooued So dull are Hipocrites that they do not féele their woundes in the sight of men they are so brasen faced that they will not let to preferre themselues before the best men R. We see therefore howe that all which seeme to be elected are not elected Bv. Let no man therefore to much flatter himselfe and be secure because of certaine giftes which he hath receyued For hée which had obtained so great gyftes that hée could worke signes by which he was growne to wonderfull couetousnesse coulde receyue no profite neyther by benifites neyther by giftes neyther by the companye of Christ neyther by the washing of his feete neyther by the participation of the table neyther by the kéeping of the money but all these things were meanes to bring him to destruction ⧠The seauenth Chapter 1. After these thinges Iesus went about in Galilee for hee woulde not go about in Iury because that the Iewes sought to kill him After these thinges B. IN THE FIFTE Chapter going béefore the Euaungelist declareth that the IEVVES went aboute to kill our Sauiour Christe for healing the man on the Sabboth daye whiche was diseased eyght and thirtye yeres and because hée made hymselfe equall with his Father These thinges hée repeateth here in one worde to shewe the cause wherefore hée went at this time into Galilee Bv. For the Lord doth willingly withdrawe himselfe from bloude thirstye men and from conspiratours of murther and his spirite shall rest vpon the gentle and humble and vppon suche as reuerence his worde M. The Nobilitye and fame of the land of the Iewes by reason
what I write vnto you i. Cor. i4 37 that they are the commaundementes of the Lorde but if any man bee ignoraunt let him be ignoraunt He-which wanteth fayth seeketh not the will of God but his owne wyll neyther truely vnderstandeth he anye thing of matters holy and deuine C. No other thing than doth keepe vs backe from a true and sincere iudgement but our owne indocillitye and stubbornenesse and we suffer the iust punishment of our hipocrisie so often as Sathan doth deceiue vs who daylye lyeth in wayght to beguile vs and layeth trappes and snares to entangle vs. So Moyses teacheth vs that when false Prophetes doe arise we are tempted and proued of the Lorde Deut. 13.3 For they shall neuer be deceyued which are of a sincere and vpright heart R. For hée which truelye abydeth God shall easilye vnderstande and knowe whether the doctrine whiche is taught be of God or procéeded from some vaine imagination of Phantasie Hereby it appeareth how foolish they are at this daye which feare the perill of erring so much that they refuse vtterlye to reade the holy scriptures by which feare they hinder themselues from all learning and knowledge Math. 7.7 for it is not sayde in vaine knocke and it shall be opened vnto you But let vs not doubte but that if wée giue our selues wholye to the obedience of God hée will giue vnto the spirite of discretion which shall be euer our guide and directour 18. He that speaketh of himselfe speaketh his owne prayse but he that seketh his praise that sent him the same is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him M. Hée addeth a sertaine argument wherby it is manifest whether hée spake of God or of himselfe C. For hée putteth to his doctrine another noate wherby it maye be knowne whether it be of God or of man For whatsoeuer setteth foorth the glorye of God is holye and deuine but whatsoeuer serueth to the ambition of men and in extolling them obscureth the glorye of GOD doth not onely deserue no credite but also ought seuerelye to be reiected R. Now if so be wée examine the doctrine of Christ by this rule I praye you what did Christ séeke for in his doctrine did hée not séeke the saluation of men and the glorye of God his Father he sought not his owne fame or the prayse of the people Ioh. 6.15 If so be hée had sought these thinges hée woulde not haue fled into the desarte when the Iewes woulde haue taken him and made him a King Neyther woulde hée willinglye haue offered himselfe to the Crosse but woulde haue forsaken the same The doctrine of the Pope concerning the supremacie of the seate of Rome and concerning the superiority aboue all the kinges of the earth séeketh hys owne prayse it is not therefore of God It shall be lawful also by this rule to iudge of the sondrye contentations and interpretations of the holy Scriptures concerning merites and the rewarde of workes concerning fréewill and suche lyke For that doctrine which most séeketh the glorye of God and deminisheth humaine strength is to be preferred and receyued before any other And we shall more glorifie God if so be we acknowledge him not to be couetouse and a sertayne nigardly sparer whiche geueth nothing withoute price and rewarde but a certaine liberall dispencer which giueth and bestoweth all his graces and benifites fréelye and we shall more gloryfie God if wée confesse oure power and strength to be nothing as in déede they are not but onely God to bée the worker boath of the will and also of the worke in vs. Phil. 2.13 Saint Paule also commaundeth that prophecie that is to saye Rom. i2 6 the interpretacion of the scripture shoulde proceede from the analogy or proportion of faith Therefore if thou bring diuers interpretations of Scripture to the rule of fayth it shall be an easie matter to discerne betwéene them C. Hereby also wée are taught that no man can faythfullye discharge the office of a Teacher in the Church but he which béeing voyde of Ambition seeketh only to aduaunce the glory of God R. Lastly the ende of them is to bée considered which despising the glory of God seeke their owne prayse fleshe beginneth at glory and endeth in contempte but Criste beginneth with Chrosse and shame and maketh an ende with greate glory and honoure And no vnrighteousnesse is in him M. The Lorde speaketh not here of euerye kinde of vnrighteousnesse for no man setting Christe aside is perfectlye righteous but hée speaketh here of sedusing vnrighteousnesse and deceyte meaning him to be vniust whiche intrudeth himselfe into the office of teaching to deceyue and to séeke his owne glorye M. Hée sayth not And no vnrighteousnesse shall be ascribed vnto him but And there is no vnrighteousnes in him For the wicked and vngodly attributed to Christ himselfe errour and vnrighteousnesse although hée sought nothing but the glorye of GOD his Father by whome hée was sent but there was no vnrighteousnesse in him 19. Did not Moses giue you a lawe and yet none of you keepeth the lawe why go ye aboute to kill mee They which haue well considered of the Euaungelicall histories knowe that the same doe contayne sertaine mixed matters the which the Euaungelistes thought sufficient so to ioyne togither that of those fewe wordes and actes which they haue written Christ might be knowne neyther were they curious to make mention in order of all thinges whiche the Lorde boath did and spake Herevppon thou mayst sée that an apt and feete beginning wanteth often tymes in their writinges an ende Euenso in this place the Euangeliste doth not shewe by a continuall order the wordes whiche our Sauioure spake but only taketh oute the principall poyntes of matters whiche appertayne to the sum of the whoale The Scribes and high Priestes were inflamed with hatered against hym because he had healed the man sicke of the paulsey the whiche they professed they did of the zeale and loue whiche they bare vnto the lawe To refell this their hypocrisie he bringeth nowe an argument not of the matter but of the personne For because they all licenciously liued still in their sinnes as if they had neuer knowen or hearde the Lawe of God here thereby gathereth that they were touchid with no zeale or loue of Gods Lawe But this defence was not sufficient to prooue his cause For admit that they vse a false pretence to couer their hatred yet notwithstanding it doth not follow that Christ did well if he committed any thing contrary to the prescripte Lawe For we cannot excuse oure owne falts by excusing other men But Christ here Ioyneth two members together With the firste he striketh the consiences of his enemies and when they proudly boasted them selues to bée the Patrones and defenders of the lawe he plucked from their faces this visor and hipocriticall shewe For he casteth in their téethe their sufferaunce in permitting the Lawe to be broken
hath opened and reuealed to vs the hydden treasures of God They are worthy therefore to perishe miserablye who being called gently and louingly of Christ wander else where Out of his bellye shall flowe Riuers Bv. By this hée meaneth the plenty and abundaunce of al giftes and good works C. For in him he teacheth is stoare and sufficient to fyll vs. The Metaphor in shewe séemeth harde when hée sayth that Ryuers of water of lyfe shal flowe out of the bellye of the faithfull notwithstanding the scence and meaning is plaine inough that the beléeuing shall neuer want any spyrituall goodnesse Hée calleth that the water of lyfe which in springing shal neuer decrease or waxe drye as is sayde before The bellye of the inwarde man is the conscience of the heart And by floodes hée meaneth the manifolde Graces of the Spyrite which are necessary to the spyrituall life of the Soule To bée short here is promised vnto vs as well the perpetuity of the giftes of the spyrite as the plentye of the same 39. But this spake he of the Spyrite which they that beleeue on him should receyue for the holye Ghost was not yet there because Iesus was not yet glorifyed But this spake hee M. Because the woordes of Christ were to the ignoraunt obscure and darke as Parabolicall therefore it séemed necessarye to the Euangelist to expound the same C. The name of water is sometyme geuen to the Spirite because of cleanesse because it belongeth vnto him to purge our fylthinesse but in this place and in such lyke there is not al one manner of speache and that because we are voide of all humour moystnesse of life vntil such time as the spirite of god doth water vs with his spiritual and heauenlye dewe And here is a figure called Synecdoche because all the partes of life are comprehended vnder this one worde of water whereby also wée gather that whosoeuer are not regenerate by the spirite of Christ are to bée counted for dead men although they séeme to them selues to haue lyfe For the holye Ghost was not yet M. These wordes shewe the cause wherefore it was sayde VVhich they should receyue and not rather VVhich they that beleeue haue receyued Because sayeth hée The holye Ghost was not as yet Bv. Hée speaketh not here of the essence of the holye Ghost which is coequall and coeternall with the Father and the Sonne M. For it is written By the worde of the Lorde the Heauens were made and all the powers of them Psal 33.6 by the breath of his mouth And the whole Scripture of the olde Testament doeth testifye no lesse of him than of Christ the worde of God Neyther doth hée speake simplye concerning his working and giftes in the faithfull as though before Christ was gloryfied the holye Ghost dyd not worke in the mindes of the Godlye as well in the tyme of the olde Testament as of the Newe when as he manifestlye declared himselfe in the Prophetes in the Patriarkes in the Godlye Kinges and in all those godlye men which began to cleaue vnto Christ whether they were Apostles or others that many wayes C. But the Euangelist doeth deny that the same grace of the spirite which after the resurrection of Christ was shed out vppon 〈◊〉 was openlye geuen so long as Christ was in this worlde vnder the humâ—â—â— base forme of a seruaunt And hys forsaketh comparatiuelye as when the new Testament is set against the olde God promiseth his spirite to the faythfull as if hée had neuer geuen the same to the Fathers Then verilye the Disciples receiued the first fruites of the spirite for whereof came Fayth but of the Spirite R. And dyd not the Apostles cast out Deuelles by the power of the holye Ghost and confesse Christ to bée the Sonne of GOD before the Crosse And the confession of Fayth is a worke of the holye Ghost and not of fleshe C. Therefore the Euangelist doeth not deny but that the grace of the Spyrite was geuen before the death of Christ to the Children of God but hee affirmeth that the same was not yet so manifest and euident as it should bée afterwarde For this is the principall ornament and bewtye of the kingdome of Christ that hée gouerneth his Church by his holye spyrite But hée tooke then the iust and solemne possession of his kingdome when hee was exalted to the right hande of his Father It is no maruayle therefore if hée deferred the full exhibition of his Spirite vntyll that time Regeneration the feuite of the spirite But it may bée demaunded here whether hée meane the visible graces of the Spyrite or regeneration whiche is the fruicte of Adoption I aunswere The holye Ghost appeared which was promised at the comming of Christ in those visible gyftes as in a glasse notwithstanding properlye hée speaketh here of the power of the holy Ghost by which wée are borne againe in Christ and are made newe creatures 40. Many of the people therefore when they hearde this saying sayde Ofâ— trueth this is the â—â—â—phete Bv. Here is repeateâ—◠〈◊〉 the truth of the Gospell is receyueâ—â— the world For those thinges which hée had spoken euidentlye and plainlye made the multitude diuerslye affected in the which were both good and simple and also wicked and peruerse hearers C. Wherevpon some thinking one thing and some another there roase contencion among the people And there are reckened vp thrée sortes of hearers of Christ Thre sorts of hearers of Christ The first sort confessed Iesus to bée a true Prophete whereby wée gather that they dyd not abhorre his doctrine but howe light and friuolous this confession was it appeareth thereby that they alowing the teacher neyther vnderstoode nor felt what hée meant or spake For they could not trulye imbrace Christ as a Prophete but they must also acknowledge him to bée the Sonne of God and the aucthour of theyr saluation notwithstanding in this they doe well that they thinke some diuine power to bée in Christ which causeth them to reuerence him For being thus apte to bée taught they might easely haue attayned to Faith as is sayde in another place 41. But other sayde this is christ But some sayde shall christ come out of Galilee But other sayde C These dyd better which plainlye confessed Christ M. For they séeme to profite better in the doctrine of Christ than others and to bée better instructed and learned in the holye Scriptures than others Bv. For they acknowledge him to bée the true Messias promised before in the Lawe and the Prophetes which was a true confession For it comprehendeth the whole sum of al the Christian fayth and the Reuelacion thereof is sayde to depende not of fleshe and blood Mat. 16.17 but of the spyrite of God But some sayde shall Christ C. The thirde sorte resist being euyl and vnbeléeuing and corrupted with the Leuen of the Pharisees which do not onely thinke and speake otherwise than dyd the
other but also goe about to destroye the good séede that was conceyued in the heartes of the good M. Here we sée howe the confession of the trueth is strayte waye subiect to the confession of such as erre The sincerer sort sayd This is Christ these by and by gainsaye them not simplye saying Hee is not Christ but going subtillye about to proue that hée is not Christ neyther can bée This confession therefore of Christian Fayth was no sooner vttered but it was withstoode and gainesayde This lot belongeth to the Doctrine of the trueth for euer against the which it is necessarye that wée confirme and fortifye our consciences C. But least these wicked men might seeme rashlye to reiect Christ they arme them selues with testimonye of Scripture which although they wrest amis against Christ yet notwithstanding it hath some shewe of trueth In this onelye they are deceyued that they make Christ to bée of Galilee But wherevppon commeth this ignoraunce but of contempt For if it had not béene greuous to them to enquyre Christ had appeared vnto them gloryous vnder boath titles being borne in Bethleem and the sonne of Dauid But such is our nature In trifeling matters wee are ashamed to bée ignoraunt but as for Heauenlye matters wee make no account of them B. This scruple also offended Nathanaell but because hée sought the trueth hée went neuerthelesse to the Lord without the sight of any signe to heare what hee taught or promised But these men had séene so many signes and had heard so many Sermons plainly Preached by which if they had béene of God without all doubte they woulde haue beene so addicted to him that they woulde neuer haue thought of the place of his byrth or or haue asked the Lorde concerning the same But they dyd onely aske to withstande the trueth and not to learne Therefore by the iust Iudgement of God they knewe not where the Lorde was borne which was to them an occasion of offence Beholde howe men of the Scriptures them selues which leade vs by the hand to Christ make a let and staye that they come not vnto him M. It is no newe thing therefore that the Aduersaries of the truth at this day doe falselye bring the testimonies of the Scriptures against the Doctrine of the Gospell This is the olde subtiltye of Sathan to bring that to a contrarye sence Knowledg of scripture not sufficient without application which was geuen of God to testifye of the trueth But it is not inough to vnderstand the places of Scripture in them selues except also wee knowe very well wherevnto they are applied 42. Sayth not the Scripture that Christ shal come of the seede of Dauid and out of the Towne of Bethlehem where Dauid was 43. So was there discencion among the people because of him 44. And some of them woulde haue taken him but no man laid handes on him C. By this example wée are taught that it ought not to séeme wonderfull vnto vs at this day if so be men be deuided among themselues by contencions Wée sée that there rose a Scisme by the words of Christ and that not among the Gentiles which were alienate from the fayth but in the middest of the Churche of God and in the beginning of the Church Shall therefore the doctrine of Christ be blamed as the aucthor of troubles Bv. Shall it therefore follow that Christ is the aucthour of dissention and sedition They rather are to he counted the aucthours of strifes who being Rebelles to God and disobedient to the truth doe procéede to defende their lyes imaginations and errors against the manifest and knowne truth C. Yea howsoeuer the whole worlde be troubled so precious is the truth of God Cōtentiōs amonge Gods people that it is to be wished that at the least it may be receiued of a fewe Theris no cause therefore why our consciences shoulde be troubled when wée sée that they which woulde be counted the people of God doe diuerslye contende among themselues Wée knowe what Christ himselfe hath foreshewed Mat. 10.35 namelye that he came to bring into the world fyer sworde diuision and seperation C. Howbeit wée must noate that discentions haue not properlye their beginning of the Gospell for there can be no firme agréement but in the certaine truth Whereas therefore they haue peace among themselues which are ignoraunte of God that commeth rather of dulnesse and scencelesnesse in vnderstanding then by true consent To be shorte what contencions soeuer doe arise when the Gospell is preached the first cause and originall of them is in men but then as awaked out of a dreame they begin to mooue stir R. For Christe which is the Prince of peace Esay 9.5 cannot be the aucthor of discention But men being impacient at the preaching thereof are troubled by theyr owne infidelitye A. Wherefore the whole blame of discention is to be layde neyther vpon Christ nor vpon his doctrine but vpon the depraued and corrupt nature of man 44. And some of them woulde haue taken him but no man laid handes on him C. By these wordes the Euaungelist declareth that Christ was not onelye contemned of them but also cruellye assalted as supersticion is alway cruell Also wée sée that the will and deuises of wicked men is brought to naught except the will and consent of the Lorde be ioyned therewith For wée must ascribe it to the prouidence of God that theyr practises are made voyde For because Christes houre was not yet come as it is sayd before by the power and might of his heauenly Father hée ouercame all perilles A. Reade the thirtie verse of this Chapter going before 45. Then came the seruauntes to the highe Priestes and Pharisies and they sayde vnto them why haue ye not brought him Bv. Nowe Iohn retourning to that which he began a little before to speake concerning the seruauntes of the highe Priestes addeth what was done to the Souldiours whome they had sent foorth to take Iesus M. No doubt there was a counsayle called and gathered togither and thys retourne of the Souldiours was gréedelye looked for For lyke rauening Wolues they gaped for the Lordes death PAR. hoping to satisfie their rauenous desyre and cruell hatred with the innocent bloude of Christ but the Souldiours bring not Christ And they sayde vnto them M. They doe not tarrye to heare what the Souldiours woulde saye but because they see them to retourne emptie handed and with lost laboure they are not able to abide and refraine anye longer but burst foorth and being disapoynted of their hope they reason the matter with them why they brought not hym bounde whome they commaunded to be brought saying Why haue ye not brought him M. By these words they declare that they looked for nothing lesse then their voide retourne and therefore doe meruaile how it commeth to passe that they bring him not C. Here wee maye behoulde how blinde the arrogancie of the wicked is They haue in
office of a Iudge 16. And if I also iudge my iudgement is true for I am not aloane but I and the Father that sent me C. This is a correction of the formor verse least hée might seeme vtterlye to forsake his right If I iudge sayth hée my iudgement is true that is to saye it deserueth aucthoritie And hereof commeth the aucthoritie because hée doth nothing but at the commandement of his Father R. For hee is the Sonne of God and therefore his testimonye is the testimony of God and his commendation is the commendation of God For these wordes I am not aloane is asmuch as if he shoulde denye hymselfe to be from among the number of men but rather to be considered with that person which the father had put vppon him But why doeth hée not rather defende and maintaine his deuinity the which hée might truely and iustely haue done Namely because his diuinitie laye hyd vnder the vayle of his fleshe he placeth before them his father to the ende it might be the more manifest notwithstanding to this effect tendeth his oration that whatsoeuer he did or taught might be thought to be deuine 17 And it is also writen in youre lawe that the Testimonie of two men is true M. Because he taulked with those whiche boasted very muche of the zeale and knowledge of the Lawe he citeth the testimonie of the Law lest he might séeme to arrogate to him self more then was right and méete This place is to be found in the seuenteene and ninetene Chapters of Deutronomium R. Not that the testimonie of two men is alwayes true but because it is to be counted for true M. For otherwise the testimony of two may be false as is to be séene in the twentie one Chapter of the thirde booke of Kings and in the twentie sixe of Mathewe and the syxst of the Actes C. But the argument of Christe at the firste syght maye séeme infirme and weake because no man is to be admitted a witnesse in his owne cause But we must remember howe we sayde euen nowe that Christ ought to bee exempted from among the common sorte of men because he is neyther a priuate man neither handeleth his owne pryuate busynesse M. Wee muste also noate that he sayde not here But I and the Father which begotte me leste hée shoulde make the Iewes to haue a suspition of Ioseph whome the moste part of men thought to be his father Mat. 13.55 but hée sayde I and my father which sent mee to admonishe them that he spake of god his heauenly Father by whom he was sent into this worlde C. In that he putteth a difference betwéene hym and his father he frameth him selfe to the capascitie of his hearers and that for his office sake because he was then the minister of the Father and therefore he maketh hym the author of all his doctrine as also he did very often at other times 19. Then sayde they vnto him where is thy Father Iesus aunswered ye neyther knowe mee nor yet my father yf ye had knowne mee ye should haue knoen my father also Where is thy father M. Because the Lorde had the second tyme made mention of the father by whome he was sent and had made hym the author of all those thinges whiche he spake or did and sayde that he was not aloane but that he had the father with him the Phariseis demaunded of him where his Father is C. And there is no doubt but that in the way of skoffing they demande this question R. as if they should say thou doest apeale to the testimony of thy Father but where or who is that thy Father of whome thou speakest so much Wée knowe thy Father Ioseph the Carpenter but hée is a man which is a lyer as well as thou M. Doest thou so muche regarde him that for his sake beinge a man and a Galilean wée shoulde giue more credite vnto thy testimonies than to Moyses R. Moreouer the testimonies of the father concerning the Sonne are to be suspected because the Iudgements of fathers for the moste parte whiche they haue of theire children are corrupt with blynde loue C. So that by these wordes they deny that they haue anye suche estimation of the Father that for his sake they shoulde geue any credit to the Sonne And herevpon it commeth that Christ is so presumtuously contemned at this daye because fewe consyder that he is sent of God Ye neither know mee nor my Father M. In these wordes the Lord casteth his aduersaries in the téeth with their Ignoranceth and voutsafe not to make them a direct aunswere They enquired after the Father and yet neuerthelesse they hauing the sonne before their eyes in séeing sawe not This therefore was the iust punishment of pride and wicked ingratitude that they which famyliarly despised the Sonne of God béeing familiarly offered vnto them should neuer come to the father For how should any mortall man assend vnto the height of God except he bée lifted vp a loft by his hande But GOD in Christe hath caste downe him selfe into the base estate of men that he might reache vnto vs his hande They which after this manner reiect God approchyng vnto them are they not worthy to be expulsed oute of heauen Therefore the Lord doth rightly make aunswere not only of the knowledge of the father but also of the knowledge of him selfe saying Ye neither knowe mee nor my father R. As yf he shoulde saye ye enquire after the Father to whose testimony I haue appealed as though ye had sufficient knoweledge concerning mée R. But when ye beléeue not in mee yee cannot knowe my father For no man hath sene God at anye tyme The only bogotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the father hath reueled him vnto vs. Wherefore yf ye will knowe the Father beléeue in me For Christ is onely knowen by faith And he which knoweth Christ knoweth the father For Christ is the very expresse Image of the Father insomuche that in Christ aloane we haue the whole expresse will of God C. Moreouer as they are depriued of all true knowledge which forsaking Christ striue to ascende into heauen euen so whosoeuer directeth his mind and all his sences vnto Christ shall be led the ryght waye vnto the Father for the Apostle truly sayth that we do euidently looke God in the face vnder the person of Christ by the glasse of the Gespell This verely is an vnspeakable reward of the obedience of fayth 2. Cor. 3.18 that hée which humbleth him selfe before Christ doth ascend aboue the heauens euen to those mysteries which the Aungells doe addore 20. These wordes spake Iesus in the Treasurye as hee taught in the Temple and no man layde hands on hym for hys hower was not yet come M. These wordes containe the discription of the place whiche the Euangeliste addeth to make the story of more credite and to the ende we maye knowe that Christ spake these wordes in a
M. Those thinges in the worde of the Lorde which concerned the Iewes they styll dissembled as that they should dye in their sinnes but those thinges which appertained to Christ him selfe or to his Father they malliciouslye prosecuted R. For hee sayde before If yee beleeue not that I am therefore importunatelye they enquire who he is when as before hée sayde that hée was the breade of lyfe the light of the world and had hytherto taught that hée was the sonne of God M. In so muche that they sayde thou testifyest of thy selfe but thy testimony is not true They had heard therfore inough whome hée had sayde him selfe to bée if so bée they woulde haue beléeued his wordes So that they doe not aske with this minde and purpose to knowe who hée was but to intrappe and snare him againe Bv. For they had séene and heard many thinges whereby they might haue knowne who he was if so bee their vnbeleefe and hardnesse of heart whiche is the roote of all euell had not let them Maliciouslye therefore and of the contempte of the person of Christ they aske him VVho art thou M. As if he shoulde saye Thou sayest that wee shall dye in our sinnes except we beléeue that thou arthe Whome makest thou thy selfe Whome shal we thinke thée to bée As though we were ignoraunt who thou art Thus are wée wonte to speake contemptouslye to those whome wée thinke doe too much exalt them selues aboue their state and who forgetting their owne imbecillitie and weakenesse waxe too proude that we maye saye VVho art thou A. All the Godlye oughte so long as they are in this worlde to prepare them selues againste suche questions as these bée whiche declare nothing but contempte after the example of Christ arming them selues with patience and not to bée vnmindefull of the woordes of the Apostle where hée sayth The worlde knoweth not you because it knoweth not him For if Christ were vnknowne vnto the world what maruaile is it if so bée his Disciples whome he hath chosen out of the worlde are neither knowne nor beloued of the same From the beginning M. M. This aunswere of Christ to many menne séemeth obscure and is diuerslye expounded of Interpreters Some vnderstand it so as if Christ had called him selfe the beginning Bv. but it is put aduerbiallye and is in stéede of this whiche we saye At the firste As if he should haue sayde I did not sodainlye arise but am come forth in the middest euen as I was promised long before And whatsoeuer I nowe speake it is agréeing with that whiche hath béene spoken in all ages To be shorte this aunswere consisteth of twoo partes for by this word beginning he comprehendeth all that time since the which the Lawe of GOD was geuen to the Fathers In saying also that he spake from the begnning hée ioyneth his present doctrine with the auncient Prophesies and teacheth that it dependeth vpon them Whervpon it followeth that the Iewes had no other cause of their ignoraunce than this that they beléeued not neyther the Prophetes nor the Gospell for euerye where Christ onely is set before their eyes They fained them selues to bee the Disciples of the Phrophetes and to haue respecte to the eternall couenant of GOD and yet they reiected Christe whiche was promysed from the beginning and offered him selfe before them 26. I haue many thinges to saye and to iudge of you yea and hee that sent mee is true and I speake to the worlde those things which I haue heard of him R. Nowe he vseth a commination or threatening against the contemners and deriders of his worde C. Because that hee sawe that hée lost his labour hée prosecuteth the matter no further but onely pronounceth that GOD wyl bée a reuenger of that Doctrine whiche they contemne because hée is the authour of the same as if hée should say Yf so bée I woulde accuse you your mallice and wickednesse geueth mée occation inough Bv. I might cast in your téeth many hainous offences but because I knowe that ye woulde bée thereby the worse C. I wyll nowe omit them But my Father whiche hath geuen mée aucthoritye to teache will doe his office and wyll defende his word from the wicked contempt of men Bv. For GOD is the euerlasting and infallible trueth C. To the same ende almost partaineth the saying of Christ which that of the Apostle Paule doeth where hée sayth 2. Tim. 2.13 If we bee vnfaithfull he abideth faythfull he cannot deny him selfe In fyne he threatneth the vnbeléeuing with the iudgement of GOD whiche discreedite his worde because it is necessarye that he defende his trueth And this is the true stabillitye of our Faith when we make God aloane sufficient to establishe the aucthoritye of his doctrine although the whole worlde doe reiect the same Whosoeuer they bée that presuming of this defence shall faithfullye serue Christ they maye bouldlye conuince the whole worlde of a lye And I speake to the worlde As if he should say Those things which I haue heard of GOD with whome I was before I came into the world I speake nowe in the worlde that nowe the contempt of my Doctrine maye redounde to the Ignominy of my Father Therefore the Gospell is the worde and reuelation of GOD vttered by the mouth of the sonne of GOD to the worlde The which veryly is a great commendacion of the Doctrine of Christ or of the Gospell the lyke whereof a man shall seldome fynd wherefore it deserueth to bée written in the heartes of the Godly in goulden letters C. Hée sayeth therefore that hée bringeth forth nothing but that whiche hée hath receyued of the Father who enioyned vnto him his office Moreouer by his example he prescribeth a common Lawe to the whole Church that no man might bée hearde but he which speaketh out of the mouth of God M. For if Christ hath spoken nothing in this worlde which hée hath not heard of GOD the Father by whome he was sente what mortall man maye teache any Doctrine in the Churche which is not come from God They therefore are sincere teachers in the Churche whiche can truely saye Those thinges which we haue hearde of the Lorde whose Ministers we are wée speake in the worlde the reast are to be shunned and auoyded as workers of iniquitye and seducers C. Wherefore as he noateth the peruerse arrogancy of men which intrude them selues without the word of God so hée instructeth armeth with inuincible constancy all Godlye teachers which are assured of their calling that hauing God theyr Captaine and defender they maye bouldly withstande all mortall men 27. Howbeit they vnderstoode not that he spake to them of his Father M. These wordes are put downe by the Euangelist in stéede of a Parenthisis to noate the dull vnderstanding of the hearers As if he shoulde saye The Iewes being blinde and deafe and therefore wanting theyr common sence vnderstande not as yet that Christe spake these thinges of his
thinges which pleased him or else that hée sayde that for so much as hée alwayes dyd those thinges whiche pleased his Father it might certaynelye bée gathered that hée was with him and that he left him not alone Bothe these constructions are true for the Father leaueth not those alone which doe alwayes those thinges which please him and hereby wée maye haue an assured iudgement that God is with vs if so bée we continuallye doe those thinges which please him C. Wherefore if we desyre to haue experience of the same presence of God wée must confourme our selues wholly vnto his wyll and gouernment For if so bée our sence and reason haue any rule at all because the blessing of GOD shal be wanting all our studies and labours shall haue euyll successe And if so be we séeme to haue good successe for a tyme yet notwithstanding the ende at the leangth shal be starke naught M. Many boast of the presence of the grace of GOD and thereby go about to iustifye all kynd of errours because the presence of the holye Ghoste is in the Churche whiche wyll not suffer the same to erre But howe much better were it hereby to proue the presence of the holye Ghoste namelye by theyr Godly and vertuous lyfe in the Churche C. Furthermore when Christ sayth that hée is not left alone he doeth after a sort complaine of the vnbeléefe of his countreye menne amongst whome hée founde almost noane which woulde bée his Disciples Notwithstanding hée sheweth that hée accounteth this one thing sufficient for him that hée hath God his reuenger So wée at this daye ought to bée of good courage and not to fainte because the faythfull are fewe in number For although the whole worlde withstande our Doctrine yet notwithstanding we are not alone Hereby also appeareth howe foolishe the boasting of the Papistes is who setting God asyde boast of their multitude Papistes boast of multitude A. As though the inuinsible and euerlasting trueth of GOD ▪ might bée oppressed by the contempt and multitude of men Therefore it is muche better to heare the voyce of Christ with his lytle slocke and to followe him than to imbrace the doctrine of Antichrist with the greatest part of the world 30. As hee spake these wordes many beleeued on him Bv. Christ hytherto taught moste plainelye both that his Doctrine was deuine sure and infallible and also that hée was the Sonne of GOD the lyght and sauiour of the worlde sent of the Father to illuminate iustifye and saue all them which beléeue in him And this playne and effectuall doctrine of the Lorde wanted not her fruite in the Churche For although the greatest parte of the people and the whole flocke of the Pharisees withstoode the Lorde yet notwithstanding many of all sortes of men beleeued on him The which verylye is the ende of all these thinges whiche hytherto haue béene disputed of namelye that wée also might beléeue in Christ Iesus the true sonne of the lyuing God the Messias the lyfe and lyght of the whole worlde C. Therefore when all hope is past there aryseth some fruite among so many lettes B. For there are Bées neuer wanting which sucke hony out of the flowers of Gods worde howesoeuer the Spiders drawe poyson out of the same M. Let vs learne therefore how that open contencion with the Aduersaryes cōcerning Religion wanteth not fruite if so bée rayling and taunting bée shunned and all thinges dyrected and disposed to the setting foorth of the trueth and to this example of Christ For although the mindes of the obstinate aduersaries receyue no profit who séeke not to know what is true and what false but onelye hunt after theyr owne priuate honour and gayne yet notwithstanding great profite may redoune to those which are sincere and indyfferent hearers of the controuersye Wee haue had experience of these thinges in our tyme in many places Wherevppon our Aduersaryes when suche disputacions should bée concerning Religion cause them to bée holden in secréete without any publyke auditory taking diligent heede least any of the common sorte of people shoulde heare any thing of the same As therefore they are not to bée commended or allowed which with impudent reproches and rayling more lyker players than Diuines doe not beutifye the cause of Christ but defourme it doe not manifest it but obscure it doe not commende it but make the same more odious euen so theyr mallice is to bee detested whiche eyther altogeather denye serious sober Godlye and moderate inquisition and discussing publikelye to bée had concerning the controuersies of our Religion or else do so limmite and bounde them that they serue nothing to the knowledge of the trueth leaste by any meanes the myserable Church might bée holpen C. Moreouer the Euangelist here improperlye speaketh of Fayth which was onelye a certayne preparacion to Fayth for hée commendeth them no farther than that they were proane and ready to receyue the Doctrine of Christ to whiche also appertayneth the next admonicion 31. Then sayde Iesus to the Iewes which beleeued on him Yf ye continewe in my woorde then are yee my verye Disciples Then saide Jesus Bv. Our Lorde and sauiour leauing the wicked Raylers and gently turning to those that beléeued taught them verye notablye what was néedefull and what they should doe M. This example speciallye pertayneth to the ministers of the worde that they also might séeke with all theyr power diligently to teach and to confyrme in the Faythe of the Gospell of Christ those whome they knowe to bée newly come to the doctrine of the Gospell In this businesse the Apostle dilligently applyed hym selfe as a thing most necessarye to be done calling it wateringe taking a similitude of young plantes which are often tims sette in the ground in vayne yf so be the dilligence of wateryng be not adioyned therevnto If ye continue in my worde B. It is likely that there were Ipocrites as most commonly it is séene among those whom the Lorde Iudged to he beléeuers Therefore to noate these and to confirme those which had truelye beléeued the Lord sayde If ye continue in my worde then are ye my very Disciples As if he should saye ye haue nowe hearde the worde and beleued if therefore ye perceuere in the fayth of this word and suffer not your selues to bee remoued from the faith eyther by the power of this worlde or by the offence of my crosse I will acknowledge you for my true dicsiples for they are not true Disciples which one while beleeue and within a litle while after when some offence or persecution aryseth go awaye Perseueraunce C. Here therefore firste of all Christe teacheth that it is not sufficient if so bee a man begine well except he procéede and perseuere vnto the ende And for this cause he exhorteth those which haue tasted of his doctrine to the perseueraunce of fayth when he pronounseth those to be his very Disciples whiche take déepe roote in
his worde and abide in the same R. For he which abideth to the ende the same shal be safe Mat. 10.22 C. Therefore by this noate he putteth a difference béetwéene hipocrites and his true disciples because they which haue falsely boasted of fayth do by and by faint in the midest of theyr race but the faithfull constantly goe foreward to the goale Therfore we must endeuour our selues to bée constaunt that we may be counted the true Disciples of Christ R. To this effect partayneth the parrable of the seede which Christ propoundeth in another place where the sundrye and dyuers condicions of such as receyue the Gospell is manifestly declared Mat. 13.3 M. But by this notable exhortacion Three thinges to be noted thrée thinges necessary to be knowen are signifyed The fyrst is whereof Fayth in Christ doeth come The seconde is what we must beleue concerning Christ the thyrd is in what fayth in Christ is to bée continued and confyrmed If sayth he yee abyde in my worde Therefore they had alreadye ioyned them selues to his word so sone as they beganne to beléeue they conceyued fayth by the hearing of the worde of the Lord as the Euangelist also taught when hée sayde Rom. 10.17 As hee spake these thinges many beleeued on him So the Apostle sayth that fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Secondly if so bée fayth commeth by hearing of the worde of the Lord and if it bée our part to abyde in the same and that we ought not to beléeue any other thing than the verye same which is set before vs by the worde whereby we conceyue Faith and in beleeuing the whiche wée abyde howe foolishe are they which at this daye saye they knowe not what they ought to beléeue and what not If so be they were abyding in the word of the Lorde they should knowe what to beléeue But because they haue already applyed their eares and mind to humane doctrine it commeth to passe that they being ignoraunt of Gods truth are caryed about with euery winde of doctrine the which the Apostle forbiddeth Thirdlye this also is manifest Eph. 4.14 in what Christian fayth ought to bée maintayned and confirmed when he sayeth If ye abyde in my worde So that wée must abyde in that from whiche we haue conceyued our fayth Wée are begotten by the worde of truth through fayth and by the same wée are strengthned and confirmed So the Apostle sayeth that some are ordained teachers Euangelistes Iam. 1.18 i. Pe 1.23 and Shéepheards that not onely wee might come to the vnitye of Fayth but might also bée confyrmed in the same Ephe. 2.13 and may growe vnto a perfecte man Wherevppon it followeth that they which abyde not in the word of Christ but are caryed about with sundry strange doctrines dispersed by offences and are quite drawne awaye from the trueth by the Crosse by threatninges and persecutions are not the true Disciples of Christ Iesus Concerning these Saint Iohn sayeth They went from vs 1. Ioh. 2.19 but they were not of vs. It is great glorye to bée a Disciple of Christ whiche is the Sonne of the lyuing God Some doe boaste that they haue béene the Disciples of Socrates of Pythagorās and of Aristotle but these were menne and erred them selues and led others also into errour But Christ is the trueth and the lyght of the worlde whosoeuer followeth him walketh not in darkenesse but shall haue the lyght of life M. Wherefore they which obiect vnto vs the loue of Christ toward his Church as to his Spouse and doe thereby gather that it can not bee that hée shoulde forsake the same and suffer the same to fall into errour and doe also pretend that auncient Fayth of the Church of Rome and of the Apostolicall doctrine Rom. 1.8 of the which Paule maketh mencion replenished at this daye withall supersticions errours and false worshippinges and Ecclesiasticall tyranny doe reason as if it were sufficient to the retayning of the trueth that Christ abydeth all one for euer and is not chaunged and because the Church of Rome long agoe receyued the Apostolicall Fayth and requireth not of the Faythfull that they also should abyde in Christe and in his worde when as the Apostle him selfe sayth that there should come a defection and Apostacy in the Church 2. The. 2.3 But rather let them proue vnto vs that the Church of Rome hath constantlye aboade vnto this daye in the worde of the Lorde and in the Doctrine of the Apostles 32. And ye shall knowe the trueth and the trueth shal make you free Bv. But how dyd they beléeue when as yet they knewe not the trueth Question Verylye Fayth leaneth to the trueth and apprehendeth the same therefore they are not ignoraunt of the trueth which beléeue I aunswere C. Hée sayeth that they shall knowe the trueth Aunsvvere whiche come to any knowledge of the same As yet they were verye rude and scarce entered to whome Christ here speaketh therefore it is no maruaile if so bée he promise vnto them more large vnderstanding of his doctrine but it is a generall sentence Bv. For the knoledge of Christians hath degrées and steppes and the knowledge of the trueth increaseth in processe of tyme as maye bée gathered by many other places of scripture C. Wherefore howe greatlye soeuer any of vs haue profited in the Gospell wée must styll procéede and goe foreward daylye And Christe vouchsafeth to geue this rewarde vnto the constancye of his Disciples that hee maketh him selfe more famillyarlye knowne vnto them For hée it is which ingraueth his word into our heartes by his holye spyrite he it is which daylye dryueth awaye the clowdes of darknesse out of our mindes whiche obscure the brightnesse of the Gospell Therefore to the ende the trueth may appeare vnto vs at the full we must seriouslye and constantly cleaue vnto the same M. Let vs also noate to whome the trueth is here promised not to all but onely to the true Disciples of Christ and they are the electe which are geuen to Christ of God the Father concerning whome reade the seuen and thirtye verse of the sixt Chapter going before The Reprobate therefore haue no hope to knowe and vnderstande the trueth although they beare the name of Christ and are vnder the profession of his faith and are learned and wyse according to this worlde The secreate of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him The Apostle sayeth that this trueth is the misterye of GOD in Christe Iesus Psa 25.14 the whiche is hydden from this worlde Ro. 16.25 that is to saye from the wisedome reason and vnderstanding of all fleshe And for this cause it can not bée that any other should loke for this knowledge of the truth than they which are the true and vnfained disciples of Christ the which knowledge is gotten no otherwyse than by the reuelacion of Iesus Christ in
the holye Ghost Bv. Trueth in this place is opposed or compared with the shadowes of the Lawe And that is trueth Trueth defyned according to the Hebrewe phrase which is the most perfect essence of any thing and the verye absolute perfection it selfe of a matter Therefore to such as perseuere the Lord in processe of time wyll open all the misteryes of pyetie and of the kingdome of God geuing vnto them all knowledge and vnderstanding which maye seeme to appertaine to true Godlinesse And the trueth shall make you free M. This place is excellent and worthy to bée noated The Lorde promiseth to his true Disciples which abyde in his worde fréedome by the trueth which they shall certainely knowe and so hée commendeth the knowledge of the Gospel of the fruite whiche we receyue thereby or of the effect Bv. The trueth I saye which is the Sonne of God Christ Iesus is the delyuerer of the worlde or Faythe it selfe whiche cleaueth vnto the euerlasting trueth maketh vs frée if so be we be the Disciples of Christ perseuering in his worde C. This is an incomparable benefite wherevpon it followeth that there is nothing better than the knowledge of the Gospell All menne féele the yoake of bondage and seruitude and doe confesse the same to bée a myserable thing seeing then the Gospell doeth delyuer vs from the same it followeth that the same is the treasure of the most happye and blessed lyfe Nowe let vs consider what liberty it is which Christe here noateth vnto vs. Bv. Hée speaketh of the libertye of mennes mindes whiche altereth not the state of Fortune setting the bodye free from the Lawe and bondage of the Maister but it deliuereth the minde from sinne Freedome of the minde from wicked and worldly desyres from the Tyranny of the Deuell from the feare of death from the seruitude of humane constitucions and from the yoake of the Lawe C. Wherefore séeing we obtaine that libertye by the benefite of the Gospell it maye thereby appeare that wée are by nature the seruauntes of sinne Wee must also noate the manner of delyueraunce For so long as wée are ruled by our sence and reason wée are bondmen to sinne but when the Lord doeth regenerate vs by his spyrite hée doeth make vs frée that being loused from the miserable bondes of Sathan wee maye wyllinglye serue the Lord in holynesse and righteousnesse al the dayes of our lyfe C. But regeneracion commeth of faith whereby it apeareth that freedome commeth of the Gospell Now let the Papistes bragge of theyr fréewyll wée knowing our owne seruitude and bondage wyll glorye in no other than in Christ R. Christ therefore teacheth in this briefe sentence after what manner wee are brought into the libertye of Gods children Fyrst we must here Christ Secondly we must beléeue that is to saye we must abyde in his worde and endure temptacion and abyde the Lordes leysure thirdlye we must be Disciples of Christ For he which beleeueth in Faith heareth the worde of God he which heareth the woorde of GOD hee is a disciple of GOD Fourthly we must knowe the trueth The worde is the trueth and hée whiche beléeueth the worde hée truely beléeueth the verity Lastly we must be frée And we must noate that libertye hath his degrées according to the manner of his Faith Rom. 8.23 Wherefore Paule being frée grooned styll looking for the full and perfect delyueraunce 33. They aunswered him we bee Abrahams seede and were neuer bonde to any man howe sayest thou Ye shall bee made free C. This aunswere was confusedly made vnto Christ and that by suche as were contemners and not beléeuing And this manner is muche vsed in the scriptures so often as mencion is made of the bodye of the people generallye to ascribe vnto all menne that thing which belongeth onelye to one parte M. The vnbeléeuing Iewes therefore brake foorth into the middest ▪ and there also gayne sayde Christ where there was nothing that appertayned vnto them Bv. They swelled with the nobillitye of theyr auncetours according to the fleshe but they vnderstoode not that the Lorde spake of the libertye of the minde C. They coulde not abyde that they being a chosen and holye people shoulde be brought into bondage For what had the adoption couenaunt profited them by which they were segregated or seperated from other Nations vnlesse they had beene counted the children of God Therfore they thinke that they haue iniurye done vnto them when liberty is offered vnto them as a benefite comming of fauour and grace M. Therfore to the end they might styrre vp the myndes of the simple against Christ they accuse him to bée a sclanderer of the aucthour of the whole Nation as though he made bothe him and his posteritye contemptible with the vyle yoake of seruitude Such spite and disdaine Sathan also vseth when he obiecteth to the ministers of Christ whiche preache the Gospell the contempt of the Saintes as though they dyd abase and discredite euery saint by exhorting menne to repose their trust onely in Christ Hée knoweth that the Saintes among Christians are in great estimation and that they are worshipped of some for gaine and of other some by simple ignoraunce and therefore neyther part can abyde that the Saintes shoulde bée contemned For this cause to hynder the race of Gods worde he rayseth vp certaine Pharisées whiche crye that the Saintes are to bée worshipped whome notwithstanding these Euangelists contemne And neuer were bonde to any man C. It maye séeme verye absurde that they denye them selues to haue béene at any tyme in seruitude séeing they were so oftentymes oppressed of other Tyrauntes and were subiect at that tyme to the Empyre of Rome Hereby wée maye easely perceiue how foolishe and vaine their boasting was and impudencye also in lying notwithstanding here was some pretence or collour because the vniust domination or rule of the enemies was no let but that by right they might abyde free R. For they séemed to haue respect vnto these notable promises as where it is sayde I haue made thee a Father of many Nations Gen. 17.5 I wyll make thee to grow exceedinglye and wyll make Nations of thee Yea Kinges shall proceede of thee Also Ge. 22.17 Thy seede shall possesse the gate of his enemies And in thy seede shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed C. But in this first of all they erred that they dyd not consider that the right of their adoption was founded vpon the Mediatour onely For howe came the séede of Abraham to be frée but onelye because it was exempted from the common seruitude of mankinde by the especiall grace of the redéemer Abrahams seede free by Christ The other error also is lesse tollerable that for so muche as they being bastards woulde not withstanding bée reckened among the children of Abraham and dyd not consider that it was the onelye regeneration of the Spyrite which maketh them the Lawfull Sonnes
in them hée meaneth not that they were simplye murderers but that they were driuen to suche made outrage and outragious madnesse by the hatred of GOD and his truth which is muche more worse For then the murder is not onely committed against men but also against God R. And because the Iewes were carnall they beléeued not the worde of Christ which cannot bée comprehended by humaine reason but by fayth onelye M. Therefore the preaching of the worde of God doth reueale the qualitie of the hearers discerneth the elect from the reprobate Euen as it is sayd hereafter He that is of God heareth Gods word ye therfore heare not because ye are not of God Furthermore the worde of God must be heard not only with our corporall eares but must also be receyued inwardelye into our heartes For although thou heare the worde of God and vnderstande the same except thou followe it and bring it to effect it cannot be truely sayd that it hath place in thée Euen so the worde of Christ hath then truely place in vs when the same hath place in our hearte and worketh in vs his effect that is to saye the worde of fayth to beléeue the wordes of doctrine to vnderstande the wordes of admonition to follow the wordes of consolation to comfort the wordes of pacience to beare and so of the rest Also the worde of God worketh by degrées insomuche that the worde of GOD taketh place in some more than in othersome according to the measure of fayth which God giueth to euerye man Bv. Wée sée also that vnbeléefe is the verye welspring of all wickednesse and there it taketh place where the worde of GOD is excluded 38. I speake that which I haue seene with my Father and ye doe that whiche yee haue seene wyth your Father C. He gathereth an argument of the contraries that they are boath enemies vnto God and the Children of the Deuell which resist his doctrine I saith he bring forth nothing but that which I haue learned of my Father Howe commeth it to passe then that the worde of God doth so greatly offende you but because my Father doeth not fauoure you R. My heauenly Father is true Nowe séeing my father hath wholy expressed hym selfe in me I cannot but speake the truth I haue learned no other thing of my Father of whome I was borne before all worldes and from euerlasting I sayde that I am the light of the worlde and that I came to saue the faithful that I am the Welle and the bread of lyfe these thinges are no lyes for so my Father taught me to speake because I am his naturall Sonne But ye doe that which yée haue seene with your Father His desire is to kil to enuie and to slay the which thinges also yée doe C. Hée sayth that hée speaketh and that they doe because hée executed the office of a teacher and they furiouslye went a boute to extinguishe hys doctrine Some traslate it And doe yee that c. As if Christ shoulde haue sayde Goe to shewe your selues to bee the Children of the Deuill by resisting mée for I speake nothing but out of the mouth of GOD. M. Let vs here learne by euident and certaine noates to put a difference betwéene the Children of God and the Children of the Diuell the which shall bee verye easie if so bee wee well vnder stande the nature of those two Princes The Elect are taught of the Lorde and doe gréedelye imbrace and obserue hys worde which is the truth The Children of the Deuill imbrace lyes and séeke with all their might to extinguish the light of the truth and to kill the preachers of the Gospell The which thing they learne of their father the Deuill Luk. 8.12 who wholly endeuoreth him selfe to pulle the word out of the hearts of men lest in beleeuing they shoulde be saued 39. They aunswered and sayde vnto him Abraham is our father IESVS sayth vnto them If ye were Abrahames children yee woulde doe the works of Abraham They aumswered Bv. They did smell well ynough that the Lorde thought their Father to be the aucthor of wickednesse the diuell himselfe now therefore with subtill questions they goe about to draw out somewhat out of the aunswere of the Lorde which shoulde be against the Patriarke Abraham that thereby they might stir vp the people to destroy Iesus as a calumniator and slaunderer of the holye Patriarke M. Therefore they so frame their aunswere that they doe not so much defende theyr owne estimation as the estimation of Abraham as though the Lord had deminished the same when hée sayde And yee doe that which yee haue seene with your Father As if they shoulde saye Take héede what thou sayest Our Father is Abraham a man most holye and acceptable vnto GOD R. which is an absolute example for vs all to leade our liues Why then doest thou speake euill of him as though hée had taught vs that which were wicked Doest thou thinke that it is lawfull for thée to slaunder all good men at thy pleasure without punishment Wée will not suffer such thinges As wée doe nothing that is euill euen so our Father Abraham hath taught vs nothing that is euell Bv. Wee therefore desyer to knowe of thée whether Abraham did any thing at any time which became not a good a Iust and a holy man to doe C. This altrication doth euidently declare howe proudly they contemned all the reprehensyons of Christe Still they arrogate this vnto them selues that they are the Children of Abraham and not only in that sence that they came of the progeny of Abraham but also that they were a holy people the inheritaunce of God and the children of God But this truste was wholy in the fleshe and carnall quight voyde of true Faith Euenso in lyke manner all ypocrites so soone as they haue gotten some cloake they obstinately resist God as though he could not see into their hartes If ye were Abrahams children M. The inuincible truth wanteth not true and euident argumentes to defend it selfe and to confute the contradiction of the wicked Here Christe conuinceth the vnbeléeuing Iewes to be none of the children of Abraham C And more euedently putteth a difference betwéene the true and the vnlawfull children of Abraham For he taketh from all those whiche are vnlyke to Abraham euen the very name It commeth often times to passe that the Children ar vnlike in manners their Parentes who begat them but Christ speaketh not here of carnall ofspring but only denyeth them to bee counted for the children of Abraham before god which do not retayne by fayth the grace of adoption For seeing the Lorde promised to the séede of Abraham to be their God all the vnbeléeuing which reiected this promise did cut of them selues from the stocke of Abraham The Carnall stocke of Abraham was not altogether vnprofitably and of no moment if so be trueth were Ioyned to the same For Gods election resteth in
ye haue dishonoured mee C. Séeing the twoo opprobries with the which Christ was sclaundered tended to one ende Christ refelleth them vnder one when hee sayth that he séeketh the honour of his Father For he must needes bee gouerned by the Spirite of God and must also be the faithfull seruaunt of God which doth truly and sincerelye honour him M. Let vs here noate the most honest modestye best beséeming a man that is graue and innocent The Lord Iesus coulde not more modestlye and simplye defende his doctrine than by this simple plaine and manifest deniall But they which wyll vse this simplicitye of denying in putting awaye such crimes as are layde to theyr charge must winne fyrst and get credite to themselues by the innocensie of theyr lyfe otherwise they shal be farre from this example of Christ In time past honest and graue menne haue béene beléeued without an oathe but nowe our innocensie shall hardlye winne credite by many oathes B. Christ therfore helde him selfe simplye content that hée had withstoode the sclaunder sauing that with all hée put them in the mynde of the iudgemente which hong ouer their headdes when hée sayeth But J honour my father and yee haue dishonoured mee C. By which wordes hée ioyneth his and his Fathers glorye togeather As if hée shoulde saye I arrogate nothing to my selfe that shall not turne to the glorye of my Father for in me his maiestye shyneth whose power and rule I haue Séeing therefore I am so euell intreated of you ye are contumeliouslye against God him selfe M. We are taught here to looke for nothing but ignominye and shame at their handes whose glorye and Hipocrisie we ouerthrowe through the zeale of maintayning the woorde and glorye of God Wée knowe well inough this saying of Christ Math i0 25 If so be they haue called the Maister of the house Belzebub howe much more wil cal the seruants so Whosoeuer therefore is not prepared to beare and suffer all manner of reproche shal manifestlye declare that he is not led by the spyrite of Gods children 50. I seeke not my owne praise there is one that seeketh and iudgeth M. For they might haue obiected vnto him ambition saying C. This gréeueth thée that thou art not honourablye intreated of vs and therefore thou doest so vehemently inueye against vs. Thou séeketh praise in this world thou wouldest be counted greate yet thou wouldest séeme to be a carefull séeker of the glory of god They might I say haue obiected these thinges except he had protested that he was not lead by the priuate affection of his fleshe to seeke his owne honour but rather the honour and praise of God There is one that seeketh and Iudgeth M. This clause containeth a comminacion least they should thinke that this their sclaunder should escape vnpunished R. For he affirmeth that God wyl take vengeaunce of this iniury C. As if he should saye Ye sclaunder my doctrine as if the same procéeded and came from the Deuell thinke ye that ye shall escape vnpunished for this For séeing my doctrine is the doctrine of God ye doe not onely sclaunder me but God my Father also Wherfore he shall defend his owne glorye which ye sclaunder and séeke to discredite I as I doe not séeke my owne praise so I am not a reuenger of my owne reproche B. Therfore I wyll not presently take vengeaunce on the same A. but notwithstanding my Father wyl not suffer the cōtumely of his doctrine to escape vnpunished Deut. i8 i9 R. euen as also he him selfe hath promised C. Moreouer though there be great difference betwéen vs and Christ let notwithstanding euerye one know for a suerty that if he séeke the glorye of God with his whole heart he shall receyue great prayse of God for wee shall alwayes finde this sentence most true Hee which honoureth me wyll I aduaunce to honour If he bée not onelye contempned among men but also sclaundered and reproched let him patientlye wayte for the comming of the Lorde M. Furthermore Pacience in aduersity so the faithful ought to behaue them selues in bearing iniurye done vnto them that thereby they maye put the reprobate in minde of the iudgement of GOD and also declare theyr innocencye 1. Kin. 24.13 Thus wée reade that Dauid dyd Let the Lorde sayth he bee a Iudge to Iudge betweene thee and mee And so Christ in lyke manner in this place Wherevpon the Apostle Peter hath written of him 1. Pet. 2.23 VVhich when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committed the vengeaunce to him that Iudgeth righteouslye 51. Verilye verilye I say vnto you if a man keepe my saying hee shall neuer see death Verily verily I saye Bv. The contencion being ended at the last the Lorde returneth to that againe from whence hée was digressed repeating againe the sum of the Gospell that is to say of our saluation the which hytherto he had so often times inculcated in that his disputacion And there is no doubte but that he knewe some to bée curable in that multitude and also that othersome were not enemies to his doctrine Therefore his purpose was so to terrifye the mindes of the wicked that notwithstanding hee might leaue matter of consolation to the Godlye or that hee might allure those vnto him which as yet were not lost Wherfore although the greater parte doe forsake the worde of God yet notwithstanding a Godlye teacher ought neuer to bée so muche occupied in reproouing the wicked but that he maye also dispence to the Children of GOD the doctrine of Saluation and maye séeke also to bring suche as are not altogeather vncurable to a good and Godlye minde M. So that because he had begonne to commende his worde he returneth to the same commendacion of his worde Bv. and he beginneth with an oath that our Faith might bée the more confirmed and that there might bee no occation of doubting M. So farre is the Lorde from repenting him of that which he had most trulye spoken that he repeateth and affirmeth the same again As if he should saye Although ye make account of me as of a Samaritane and a Demoniake although ye attribute my sayinges to the Deuyll yet notwithstanding I am the verye same whose wordes are the words of lyfe insomuch that I dare bouldlye affirme that he shal neuer sée death which kéepeth my word I saye which kéepeth it and not whiche onelye readeth it heareth it or knoweth it And he kéepeth the worde of Christ which receyueth the same by Faith and layeth vp the same in his heart out of the which hée expresseth boath wordes and déedes C. For Christ requireth suche Disciples as not onely heare his wordes or professe with the mouth that they lyke of his doctrine but such as kepe and laye vp the same as a most precious treasure M. To bée shorte To kéepe the worde of the Lorde is euen the same which he sayd before namelye
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
vs. 5. So long as I am in the worlde I am the lyght of the vvorlde C. This is spoken by a figure called Occupatio For it might séeme absurde that Christ doeth prefixe vnto him selfe a tyme of working least as though hée shoulde bée in perryll to bée ouertaken and preuented with the night as other men are For hee compareth him selfe to the Sonne whiche illuminateth the earth with his brightnesse yet notwithstanding when it setteth it maketh daye to ceasse Therefore he geueth them to vnderstande that his death shal be as it were the Sunne setting not an obscuring or extinguishing of his light but a depriuing of the worlde of the syght of the same Neuerthelesse he teacheth that when he was made manifest in the fleshe then the daye of the worlde was perfectlye light and shyning It is verye true that Christ hauing fulfilled and discharged his office hath wrought no lesse mightelye by his ministers than he dyd by him selfe when he was in the worlde For Paule also doeth properlye applye this to the time of his Preaching namelye howe that God which in the beginning commaunded the light to shyne out of darkenesse dyd then shyne in the face of Christ by the Gospell And nowe also Christe doeth no lesse shyne in the worlde 2. Cor. 4.6 than he dyd when he was conuersaunt among menne The whiche is most true but it letteth not but that he ought to execute that by him selfe whiche was committed to him of the Father at what tyme hée was manifested in the fleshe to that ende Also it letteth not but that his corporall presence might be the true and singular lyght of the world the brightnesse wherof hath appeared in all ages For from whence had the Fathers in olde tyme light how also haue we light at this daye but by the bright beames of Christe offered Wherevppon it followeth that whosoeuer haue not Christ to be their directoure they wander as it were blinde men groping in the darke confusedlye and without order A. You maye reade more concerning the lyght Christ in the first Chapter in the thirde and in the eyght Chapters going before 6. Assone as he had thus spoken hee spatte on the grounde and made claye of the spittle and he anointed with the claye the eyes of the blinde Bv. Hée ioyneth to his wordes the déede declaring by the verye worke that hée is the light and the illumination of the whole worlde But by a newe and wonderfull meane hée openeth the eyes of the blinde For hee whiche anointeth or wypeth a mans eyes with claye doeth after a sorte encrease his blindnesse Who woulde not haue thought that eyther hée had mocked the poore man or else that lyke a madde man hée had dallyed played with himselfe But by this meanes hée thought hée woulde trye the Fayth and the obedience of these menne that he might bée an example for all men to followe For this is a true experiment and tryal of Faith when a godlye minde being content with the simple worde of GOD doeth promise that vnto him selfe whiche otherwise séemeth incredible The readinesse of obedience followeth Faith at the harde héeles insomuche that hée wyllinglye submytteth him selfe vnto God whiche is perswaded that hée will be vnto him an assured guide and staye R. Christ might haue healed him with his worde onelye as hee healed certayne others but hee thought good to heale after this manner that he might trye the Fayth and the obedience of the blinde man C. and might therewithall declare that as at the first man was made of claye so in opening mennes eyes hee vsed claye shewing that power in part of the bodye which the Father declared in the whole workmanshippe of man Or it maye bee that hee purposed to declare by this signe that it was no more harde for him to open the eyes of the blinde than to wipe of claye or dyrt from any man 7. And sayde vnto him Goe washe thee in the Poole of Syloe which by interpretacion is as muche to say as sent He went his waye therefore and washed and came againe seeing B. The Lorde to open the eyes of this blinde man vsed those thinges in the whiche no man coulde haue thought any suche power at all to haue béene but woulde rather haue Iudged it to be the worke of his power Bv. Furthermore he declared that the elements are not to be despised although saluacion and iustification come not by them which by his institucion serue for a misterye Of the whiche kinde is the Water in Baptisme and the Breade and Wine in the Lordes Supper and such lyke B. For he alone bringeth all thinges to passe by his power Therefore in that he vouchsafeth to vse certaine Creatures in this worke hee doeth it not to finishe the worke but to honoure his Creatures the which he admitteth to the Ministerye of his goodnesse and to the working with his power C. But he commaundeth to washe in the Poole of Siloe paraduenture to caste the Iewes in the teeth with this that they them selues were in the faulte that they felte not the present power of God Esai 8.6 euen as also the Prophete Esaye reproueth the men in his tyme for that they refused the softe running waters of Syloh and desyred the strong and mighty Riuers And this also seemeth to bee the cause why Elizeus commaunded Naaman the Syrian to washe in Iordan Hi◠The Poole of Siloh was at the foote of mount Sion which dyd not breake and spring forth continuallye but onely at certaine howres and on certaine dayes and came through certaine hoales and guttes of the harde Rocke with a great roaring noise C. And the Euangelist vppon good consideration addeth the interpretacion of the worde because that fountaine or spring being nere vnto the Temple dyd dayly put the Iewes in minde of Christ to come whome notwithstanding being offered vnto them they despised Bv. And the Lordes minde was to declare that he was that promised Messias which was sent and the most plentifull and wholsome well of all goodnesse and felicitie of the which whosoeuer dronke shoulde neuer thirste euen as it is sayd before Hee went his waye and washed M. The blind man dyd not fall away from Christ when hee sawe that his eyes were annointed with claye neither dyd he deryde the commaundement of Christ when he was sent to the Poole of Syloh but as there he gaue place vnto the worke of Christ euenso here hée wyllinglye obeyed his commaundement although all these thinges séemed ridiculous to humaine reason yet notwithstanding he whollye submitted him selfe vnto Christ C. If any man obiecte and saye that the blinde man knewe not who Christ was that he might geue vnto him that due honour whiche belonged to the sonne of GOD that is verye true but because he dyd beléeue that he was sent of God and submitted him selfe vnto him nothing doubting but that he was true and iuste he dyd beholde and sée nothing in
him but that which was diuine yea in that he hauing so small knowledge of Christe gaue and submitted him selfe whollye vnto him his Faith and ready obedience deserueth the more praise Bv. Wherefore if we simplye beléeue the worde of God and contemne not the Sacramentes of the Lorde he wyl geue and performe vnto vs all that hée hath promised A. For he is Faithfull 2. Tim. 2.13 hée knoweth not howe to lye and he cannot deny him selfe 8. So the neyghboures and they that had seene him before vvhen he vvas blind sayde Is not this he that sate and begged Bv. Here the Euangelist sheweth howe this miracle was made knowne first to the common sort of people and after that to the Rulars M. The blind man after he was restored to his sight returned first of all from the Poole of Syloh to his friendes and acquaintance with great ioye For his Parentes were alyue in that Citye as ye shall sée anon And herevppon came the occasion of reuealing and publishing this miracle For if he had aboade among straungers and those which knewe him not the miracle of his illuminacion had styll remained vnknowne C. Howbeit the blind man was not onelye knowne to his neyghbours but also to many of the inhabitauntes of the Citye because hée was wont to syt begging at the Gate of the Temple and such among the common sort of people dyd the more beholde him B. And thus we sée howe all thinges serue the Lorde For in this that this man was a beggar it serued somewhat to the setting forth of the glorye of God for herevpon it came that he was known to many and so hée was knowne more and more 9. Some sayde this is he other sayde he is lyke him Hee him selfe sayde I am euen hee C. As impietye is cunning and expert inough in obseuring the workes of God many thought that it was not the same man because in him the vnwonted and wonderfull power of God was to be séene euenso the more bright that the maiestie of the workes of God is the lesse credite and faith it hath among men But their doubting was a helpe and furtheraunce to allowe and confirme the Gospell because hereby it came to passe that by their proclayming of it the blind man dyd the more set forth the grace of Christ Bv. In whome we maye behoulde the nature and disposition of suche as are illuminated by Christ These men with him geue testimony vnto the trueth they do simply and truely set forth the workes of the Lorde and they doe expreslye confesse Christ M. Also no Christian whiche is made partaker of the grace of Christ by repentaunce ought to deny what he was before his conuersion but to confesse him selfe howe euill soeuer he hath béen to the glory praise of the grace of Christ Math. 9.9 So Mathewe is not ashamed to confesse that he was a Publicane before his conuersion Paule also in diuers places of his Epistles maketh mencion of his condicion before his conuersion that he might the more largely commend the grace of Christ i. Cor. 15.9 Galat. i.iij. Acts. 22.4 Acts. 26.9 At this daye they whiche from base estate and as it were from the dunghill are aduaunced to honour doe notablye dissemble their former condition whereby they deserue to be restored to the same againe 10. Therefore sayde they vnto him howe are thine eyes opened M. They which thus demaunde doe testifye so farre forth of the miracle of illuminacion that they declare that they sée not howe it is possible that the eyes of one that is borne blinde shoulde bée opened and so by demaunding they set forth the glorye of Christ wyll they nyll they 11. Hee aunswered and sayde The man that is called Iesus made claye and annointed mine eyes and sayde vnto mee Goe to the Poole Syloe and washe And when I went and vvashed I receiued my sight R. Hée simplye openeth the matter as it was I went and washed and I sée After faith commeth health and after health commeth the confession of the name of Christ C. This good successe and happye fruite of obedience teacheth vs to set all lettes Impediments aside and bouldlye to goe forward whether soeuer the Lorde calleth vs and let vs not doubte but that whatsoeuer wée take in hande shall haue prosperous successe if so bée we bée lead and guided by him 13. Then sayde they vnto him Where is he He sayd I cannot tell Bv. This argueth that the blinde man had not as yet séene Iesus neyther knewe him by his Face or countenaunce M. For Iesus dyd not abyde in that place vntyll the blinde man returned from the Poole of Syloe with his eyes opened Bv. but as he dyd verye often at other times so here also so soone as he had sent him to the Poole he went apart that by his example hée might teache vs humilitie and modesty M. He had done the worke of his Father after the which he departed 13. They brought to the Pharisees him that a lytle before was blinde C. The narration whiche nowe followeth doeth declare that the wicked are so farre from profiting by the worde of God that the more they are vrged by the power thereof the more they spewe out theyr conceyued poyson The restoring of the sight to the blinde man ought verilye to haue mollefied stoany heartes but the Pharisées being astonished at the newnesse and greatnesse of the thing should haue stayed so long vntyl they had tryed and found whether it were a Diuine worke or no but the hatered of Christ made them so rashe madde that by and by they condemne that whiche they heard to bée done by him Bv. Therefore so soone as the miracle of Christ was knowne to the common sort of people it was also knowne to the Rulars C. And the Euangelist nameth the Pharisées not because other sectes were fauourable vnto Christ but because this secte was more boulde and stoute to defende the present state than the rest For hipocrisie is alwaye cruel and prowde Hipocrisy euer cruell and proude And it is vncertaine with what minde they brought this blind man to the Phariseis B. Some thinke that they desired to tell them that the Lorde whome they so persecuted was not an euil man hauing done so great a miracle C. It may bée also that many flatterers to please the Phariseis sought to obscure and ouerthrowe the glorye of the miracle Othersome thinke it more likelye that the greater part of the common people suspending their iudgement would haue the Rulars and gouernours to bée Arbiters and Iudges of the matter In the meane time they being wyllingly blinde in the bright Sunne shine bring darkenesse to them selues to obscure his light This is the preposterous religion of the common sort of people which adoreth and reuerenceth the wicked tirants of the Churche vnder the pretence of diuine reuerence but as for God they contemne both in wordes and workes or at least
first is whether there Sonne were blinde secondlye whether hée were borne blinde and thirdlye howe he receiued his sight C. They doe subtillye include more in this their question that they might take awaye all occasion of aunswere according to the wonted manner of all such as are oppressours of the trueth 20. His Father and Mother aunswered them and sayde We know that this is our sonne and that hee was 21. borne blinde But by what meanes hee nowe seeth we cannot tell or who hath opened his eyes cannot we tell he is olde inough aske him let him answere for him selfe C. The Parentes of the blinde man aunswere onelye to the one halfe of the captious question whiche the Pharisées propounded vnto them They affirme him to bée their sonne and to bée borne blinde also wherevppon it followeth that hée dyd not naturallye sée but by miracle but the thirde thing whiche was howe he receiued his sight they cleane omit because that was obious vnto the eares of the Phariseis Bv. referring that vnto their Sonne saying Hee is olde inough aske him But by this theyr vngodly silence they bewraye their ingratitude For verylye they receiuing so notable a benefite shoulde haue béene whollye moued to set forth his name But being made afearde they bury so muche as iâ— them lyeth the grace of God sauing that they appoint their Sonne to testifye the same for them which should both with lesse enuye and also with greater Faith declare the whole matter as it was done But yet for all this the holye Ghost by the mouth of the Euangelist condemneth their softnesse in that they dyd not that which became them Howe much lesse excuse then shall they haue whiche by trayterous denial do quite and cleane ouerthrowe Christ with his Doctrine with his miracles with his power and with his grace 22. Suche wordes spake his Father and Mother because they feared the Iewes For the Iewes had decreed already that if any man did confesse that he vvas Christ he should be excommunicate out of the Sinagogue Bv. In these wordes Saint Iohn rendereth a reason why the Parentes dyd not aunswere to the third question of the Phariseis not because they knewe not the aucthour and manner of the benefite bestowed on theyr Sonne vut rather because they being afearde durste not confesse before the Phariseis the vndoubted trueth M. Therefore they knewe more than they confessed That whiche they them selues had done they fréelye and without perrill confesse for they had begotten and brought forth a blinde man but that which Christ had done they dare not confesse Therefore this is a frée confession of the blindnesse whiche is in men before the cruell Phariseis but of the illuminacion which Christ worketh not so Both are true but both haue not their true confession in this worlde Thou mayest confesse without daunger the euill that commeth of men as that thou wast borne in sinne but the grace goodnesse that commeth by Christ whereby this euill is taken awaye the Pharisaicall tiranny wyll not suffer thée fréelye to confesse For the Iewes had decreed alreadye Excommunâ—cation is auncient B. Hereby it maye easilye bée gathered that it beganne now to bée reported that Iesus was Christ C. Furthermore this place teacheth vs that the custome and manner of excommunication hath béene euer of olde time For excommunication was not then first of all inuented but nowe that excommunication which was vsed long before against Apostataas and contemners of the lawe for a punishment was vsed and conuerted against the Disciples of Christ It hath not therefore béene the corruption of one time or age that the sacred institucions of GOD haue béene corrupted by men The whiche also hath béene among Christians For it can scarsly be expressed what barbarous tyrannye the false Bishoppes haue exercised in subduing the people insomuche that one durste scarse to mutter against them and wée sée also at this daye what crueltye commeth by this thunderbolt of excommunication against all the worshippers of God But wée bouldlye contemne excommunication when it is vsed at the wyll and pleasure of men contrarye to the institucion of the same R. For as there is a double communion so there is a double excommunication the one is internall the other is externall The internall communion consisteth of one holy Ghost of one faith of one Christ and of one Lorde which is Father of all The internall excommunication is that when man through infydelitye agréeth not with the Godly in one spirite in one fayth and in one Christ howe Godlye outwardlye soeuer hee séeme to bée The externall communion is the communion of the word and Sacraments The externall excommunication is the depriuation of those thinges Nowe the wicked man which sayeth in his heart there is no God is alway excommunicated howbeit he is not subiecte to mans iudgement if so bée he bée not an offence vnto the Churche by the fruites of impietye Mat. 18.17 1. Cor. 5.11 For if so bee he doe offend the Church of the Lord with the filthynesse of his facts he ought to be cast out But if any man be cast out of the Church for the word of God or for the confession of Christ by excommunication it is a blessing and not a curse Deu. 23.5 for Baalam also cursed the people of God but the Lord turned the same into blessing A. Moreouer though the right of excommunication was so notably corrupted in the olde Church yet notwithstanding Christ by his comming woulde not haue the same to bée cleane taken away but restored the same to his puritye that it might remaine with vs styll Euenso at this daye though in the Papacye this holy discipline of the Church bée profaned and abused yet notwithstanding we ought rather dilligently to restore the same to the former integritye than quite and cleane to abolishe it There was neuer any thing so well begunne in the worlde but that by the wickednesse of men the same hath béene corrupted Sathan should haue to much libertye graunted him Good things corrupted ought not to be cleane taken awaye if so bée euerye thing might be frustrate and cleane taken awaye which is corrupted For then shoulde we haue no Baptisme no Supper of the Lorde neyther any Religion no part of the which he hath left frée from corruption I. In this place also we maye noate howe yll the worlde can suffer and abide true righteousnesse What greater innocencye at any tyme what greater modesty what greater homage and seruice towardes al men at all times coulde be seene than was in Christ And yet notwithstanding the Potentates and Rulars of the worlde coulde with suche hatered persecute him that they iudged all those vnworthye of theyr companye whiche testifyed any goodnesse to come from him though neuer so truelye and all vnder the pretence of righteousnesse and of the loue of God Wherefore then shoulde we bée troubled when the worlde hateth vs and casteth vs out of his
Sinagogues E. Wée ought rather to reioyce and bée glad because wée being not forsaken of Christ holde fast the hope of euerlasting lyfe 23. Then againe called they the man that vvas blynde and sayd vnto him Geue GOD the prayse vvee knowe that this man is a Synner E. The Phariseis are verye carefull and dilligente to obscure and hynder the glorye of GOD in Christ For as Sathan neuer resteth but alwayes goeth séeking whome hée may deuoure so the wicked being the instrumentes of Sathan doe continuallye séeke to hynder the glory of Christ and to hurt the godlye M. These Iewes had laboured in vaine in calling and in examyning the Parentes of the blind man For they failed so much of theyr purpose that they more confirmed this miracle than they obscured the same Wherefore they returne to the former practise subtillye séeking to defame the aucthour of this miracle and for that cause they call before them againe the man whiche had béene blinde after they had sent awaye his Parentes C. And there is no doubte but that they being ashamed called the blynde man whom at the first they found to firme and constant Thus the more vehementlye they striue against God the more they entangle and insnare them selues Bv. They séeke nowe by another way to drawe this man from the confession of the trueth that is to saye by fayre speaches and by the pretence of the glorye of God C. For they exhorte him by a speciall preface to geue the glory vnto God but by by they forbyd him imperiously that he aunswere according to the reason of his owne minde Geue God the prayse R. They vsed this solemne forme of speache when they required any man to sweare as is to bée séene in the ninetéene Chapter of the seuenth booke of Iosephus R. By these wordes they gaue him to vnderstand that no small dishonour was done vnto GOD if so bée any man by his name went about to deceyue And verilye so often as any of vs shall sweare this preface ought to come into our mindes that the trueth maye bée no lesse precious vnto vs than the glorye of God But we sée that Hipocrites when they pretende the greatest reuerence of God they doe not onelye dissemble but also impudentlye deceiue for wickedly they go about to make the blind man to swere vpon their wordes to the manifest dishonour of God B. For by the name of sinner they meant that the Lorde sought to transgresse the Lawe of GOD As if they shoulde saye It is plaine that hée is a dishonest and wicked person M. And they speake vppon their aucthoritye when they saye Wee knowe As if they shoulde saye It is not méete that any man shoulde thinke otherwyse than we thinke whiche haue skill and knowledge of all thinges Let it therefore satisfye thée that we so thinke After the same maner also at this day our Bishoppes and Phariseis taking vpon them the aucthoritie of Magistrats doe bouldly pronounce what they lust as though they hauing the keyes of knowledge ought to be beléeued whatsoeuer they speake as when they saye Wée knowe that this Doctrine sauoureth of Heresie wée knowe that these and these men are Heretiques C. Thus God reuealeth the wicked counsailes of the wicked howsoeuer they goe about with diuers coullers and fayned shadowes to couer the same 25. Hee aunswered and sayd whether he be a sinner or no I cannot tell one thing I am sure of that whereas I was blind now I see M. The Euangelist doth not in vaine vse so great dilligence in putting downe vnto vs in wryting the aunsweres of this blinde man For they are such that no man can choose but maruaile more at the light and sight of the internall man than of the externall man The Phariseis had sayde VVee knowe that this man is a sinner that is to saye a wicked and lewde person What therefore sayest thou Geue the glorye vnto God confesse the trueth To these wordes the blind man aunswered Whether he be a sinner or no. C. The which wordes ought to be expounded ironice that is to saye meaning that hée was iust that he might more sharpely gaule them A little before he had confessed him to be a Prophet when hée sawe hée profited nothing suspending his iudgement of the person he propoundeth the matter it selfe For hée woulde not swarue one whit from the true testimonye concerning him Therefore this graunting vnto them doth not want a scorne and mocke as if hée shoulde saye Bv. Whether Iesus bée a wicked man or no it maketh no matter vnto mée it is not my parte to iudge him this one thing I can trulye testifie the which also I haue found true by experience that whereas before I was blinde I now sée M. Wherefore that which ye require at my handes to be done I cannot doe with a good conscience by which I am constrayned to thinke of him as of a notable Prophet and not as of a sinner and an enemie to God and as I am constrained to thinke of him so also I will Iudge and speake of him This blinde man was moued nether with threatninges nor with faire woordes but doth constantly and bouldely proclayme that which gréeued the aduersaries and which they woulde if they had coulde haue taken out of the heartes and mouthes of all men M. Therefore this man although hée were a laye man and vnlerned could not abide vnwisely rashly to subcribe and agrée against his owne conscience to the opinion of the Rabbines and Pharisées Bv. Thus the simple truth of the Gospell by imbecillytie and weakenesse ouercommeth the strong mighty thinges of thys worlde 26. Then sayde they to him againe what did hee to thee Howe opened he thine eies M. Now the Pharisées retourne to the straight examination of the worke of Christ with the which they began at the first And because they thought they had gotten a simple man and an Idiot before them whom they might easilye beguile with theyr crafte and subtiltie they examine him by certaine shorte Interrogatories that hée aunswering the lesse circumspectly might be by them intrapped and that they might thereby get occasion to blame and reprehende the facte of Christ whereby they might depriue him of the glorye of the miracle C. Verilye séeing wée sée the wicked to be so busy careful to bring their wicked actions about wée may be ashamed of our slouth and negligence in handeling the worke of Christ so negligentlye 27. Hee aunswered them I toulde you yere while and yee did not heare wherfore would ye heare it againe Will ye also be his Disciples C. Séeing the enimies of Christ sought occasion by all meanes to speake euill of him and to darcken and obcure the myracle the Lorde doth notablye frustrat their deuises without the quayling of the blinde mans constancye for hée doth only persist in his constancy but doth also freely and seuerely reprehend them for that they sought to ouerwhelme the truth which was
sufficientlye knowne vnto them For hée casteth in their téeth their péeuishe hatred of Christ Bv. As if hée shoulde say I declared to you euen nowe the acte and the manner also most truelye how the fame was done the which yée haue hearde and no doubt doe vnderstande the same to what ende then shoulde I nowe repeate the same againe except ye therefore make suche dilligent enquirie that when ye exactlye know the matter ye also will be his Disciples The whiche hée spake ironice skorning the madnesse of the blinde Doctors C. For by these wordes he meaneth that although they were conuicted a hundred times they were so malicious that they woulde neuer giue place This verelye is greate boldenesse that a contemptitible and base man yea a very Begger durst take vpon him so carelesly to prouoke against him the wrath and displeasure of the high Priestes If so small a beginning of Fayth onelye when it is come to the battayle made him so boulde what excuse shall they haue which being great Preachers of the Gospell holde theyr peace and are starcke dumbe being out of all daunger and perill 28 Then rated they him and sayde Bee thou his Disciple wee are Moises Disciples Bv. The Pharisées being greatly moued and displeased with the boldenesse of the Begger aunswered nothing but onely rated and reprooued hym The Euanngeliste doth not expresse and name the reproches and tauntes which these holy men vsed against this blinde man M. But it is like that whatsoeuer the furious madnesse of anger might moue them to speake that they vttered against him in great displeasure And amongst many this was one that they called him a forsaker of the Lawe For in their iudgement hée coulde not be a disciple of Christ but he muste forsake the Lawe of Moyses Setting these two as one repugnaunt to the other C. Euen as doe the Papistes at this daye who let not to oppose and sette the mother Church agaynste the Gospell of Christ 2. Cor. 3 i7 A. Thus hipocrites are wont to rent and teare God when they collerably pretend his name If so be Christ be the soule of the Lawe as Paule teacheth what shall the Lawe be being seperated from hym but a dead body By this example we are taught that God is not truly heard of any man but of him which geueth attentiue héede vnto his voyce and vnderstandeth what he speaketh and what he meaneth R. Wherefore we haue the nature of wicked hipocrisie very well depaynted to vs in these wordes For hipocrisy boasteth of God boasteth of the Fathers obseruing nothing lesse than the word of God and the fathers So also the Phariseis professed them selues to be the Disciples of Moises and yet beléeued not the word of Moyses Deu. i8 i5 For thus he writeth A prophete will I raise vp from among youre bretheren M. Séeing therefore Moyses was only A scoolmayster directing hys Disciples vnto Christe if so be they had béene his very Discipls they would haue nowe forsaken Moyses and cleaued vnto Christ But they woulde neyther be the Disciples of Moyses nor yet the Disciples of Christ 29. Wee are sure that God spake vnto Moises as for this fellowe wee knowe not from vvhence hee is As if they should saye There is no cause why we should make him our mayster Moyses is our mayster and teacheth vs whome we are sure that God hath sent approuing the same by many and sondry signes but from whence this fellow is come we knowe not naye séeing hée is lewde and wicked we coniecture and gather that hee is not sente of God at all C. This therefore which they saye that they knowe not Christ from whence hée is is not referred to his countrey or natiue place but to the Prophetical office For they alledge that they haue noe knowledge of this vocation that they might receyue him as a Prophete sent of God M. They boast that they know howe that God spake vnto Moyses but it was also required that they shoulde knowe what God spake vnto Moyses and that they shoulde not onelye knowe it but also shoulde imbrace it with Fayth and obedience and shoulde imbrace not suche parte thereof as pleased them but euerye whit of it and shoulde interpret the fame not after their owne scence and imagination but according to the true scence of the Spirite If they had done these thinges they had not reiected Christ Let them noate and marke this clause which graunt that the scriptures of boath testamentes haue the aucthorytie of the worde of God and yet for all that doe little regarde those thinges that are contayned in them except it be so farre forth as they serue for their tourne That which Nicodemus spake differeth farre from this saying of the Phariseis which affirme that they know not from whence the Lord came For hée sayde VVee know that thou art a teacher sent from God For no man can doe these signes which thou doest except God were with him 30. The man aunswered and sayd vnto them This is a merueilous thing that yee wotte not from whence he is and yet hee hath opened mine eies Bv. As they disputed the fayth of thys Begger increased God increasing grace in his harte whereby hée bouldely contemning all his aduersaries and despising all perilles as all the faythfull are wont to doe publikelye toke vpon him when the matter so required to defend the cause of our sauiour and of the truth and to confute the corrupt toyes ond tryfles of the Scribes and Pharisées M. Concerning Moyses hée aunswereth nothing at all for they made mention of him besyde the purpose but hée aunswereth to those thinges where they sayde that they knewe not from whence Iesus was and that hée was a sinner C. Therefore hée ouerthwartlye robbeth them for that they being nothing mooued with so notable a myracle fayne that the calling of Christ was vnknowne vnto them as if hée should saye that it was not méete that so notable a proofe of the deuine power shoulde be nothing regarded and that the vocation of Christ so confirmed and approued shoulde notwithstanding haue no credite with them Bv. I meruayle sayth hée that yée know not from whence Iesus mine illuminator came R I can hardly be perswaded to beléeue that ye knowe not from whence hée is when his workes declare that hée was sent of God C. Also the more hée vrgeth their grose dulnesse and malice the more hée reasoneth of the nature of God 31. For we bee sure that GOD heareth not sinners but if anye man bee a worshipper of GOD and obedient vnto hys vvill hym heareth hee Bv. As if hée shoulde saye Euen now yée obiected vnto mée that Iesus was a wicked and lewde person Tell me I praye you whether GOD heareth godlye or vngodlye and wicked men All men saye that GOD heareth the prayers of the godlye and refuseth the prayers of the wicked The godlye by fayth knowe God by fayth they call vpon GOD and by
your selues whoale yée abide desperate M. They were therefore blinde wherevpon in another place he calleth them blind leaders of the blind but not as were the Idiots and simple sorte Mat. i5 i4 otherwise he would haue sayde as he sayth here They should haue had no sinne yf so be they had béene blind and Ignorant of the sacred Scriptures as were the vnlearned C. Notwithstanding when he sayeth that they which are blind haue no sinne he doth not therby excuse Ignoraunce as though it were no synne only he geueth vs to vnderstande that the disease maye haue a remedy when the same is felt in time because when the blind man commeth to be restoared to his sight the Lorde is ready to helpe R. As if Christ shoulde haue sayde if so be you knewe your blindnesse the synne of vnbeléefe would not abide in you but puttinge awaye infidellitie yee woulde beleeue in mée but because yee doe not knowe your blindnesse therefore ye abide vnbeléeuing C. For they are incurable who hauing no feeling of their synnes despise the grace of God R. Therefore that is horrible blindnesse to be Ignoraunt of our blindnesse euen as not to knowe our sickenesse is almost a disease incurable the which we may behould in mad men And as the firste step to recouer helth is to acknoweledge our Infirmitie euenso the first steppe to Fayth is to knowe our impietie and Ignoraunce i. Ioh. i 8 To this effecte appertayneth that which saint Iohn hath writen in another place saying If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and Iuste to forgeeue vs oure sinnes and the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne shall cleanse vs from all Iniquitie B. Wée sée also here playnly that hée condemneth this synne namely the refusall and contempte of the trueth when men knowe the same wherevpon there is no doubt but that they shall haue pardon remission with saint Paule which sinne only by ignoraunce and either neglect the trueth or else persecute the same The truth shal be knowen at the length to the reprobate in suchwise that they them selues shall saye they sée and shall haue all collers and pretence of Ignoraunce taken awaye from them Suche also were these Phariseis They had heard those thinges of the Lord and saw such thinges in him that their mindes were constrayned to acknoweledge him to be a Prophete of God and yet for all this Sathan did so carry them that they did persecute hym with mortall hatered Therfore their sinne remained Sinne against the holye ghost without pardon or remission they hauing synned agaynst the holy Ghost setting them selues so openly against the words and déedes of the Lord. Bv. We haue also here a sure and infallible Iudgement of the trueth pronounced against the maintainers of frée will For yf these men were blynd that is to say if they knewe their seruitude infirmity and corruption by sinne they shoulde be illuminated by the grace of Christ but now because they sée that is because they boast of the strength of the fleshe and do not only magnifie the grace of Christ blyndnesse and syn remaineth in them And hée sayth plainly Your synne remayneth For in saintes also there is synne but it is taken awaye it is not imputed it doth not remaine in the wicked only there remaineth sinne and damnation M. There is therfore a passing synne and a remaining synne To this effect parteyneth this saying He which beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting lyfe but hee which beleeueth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abydeth on him Let vs therfore beléeue in the Sonne of God let vs confesse vnto him our sinnes that we being illuminated by him and absolued from our sinnes wée may come at the last to that light which no man can attaine vnto ⧠The tenth Chapter 1. Verely verely I saye vnto you hee that entereth not in by the Doore into the Sheepefoulde but clymeth vp some other way the same is a Theefe and a Robber Verily verily J saye vnto you M. BECAVSE the Priestes Scribes and Pharisées did not onely submitte themselues vnto Christ but also did chaleng vnto themselues power and aucthoritie ouer the people of God euen as if they had bene their true pastours and guides and therefore coulde not abyde that the vnlearned multitude shoulde beléeue in Christ and shoulde follow him as shéepe doe theyr sheapehearde the Lorde doth verye well boath to the confusion of false pastours and also to the confirmation of the simple propounde all this whole matter after the manner of a Prouerbe by which hée doth describe what difference there is betwéene true and false pastours whiche take vpon them the office of féeding the Shéepe C. And because the fewnesse and small number of the faythfull might muche discredite hys doctrine hée goeth about to proue that not all which vsurpe office in the Churche are to be reckoned in the number of Pastours and sheepe Shepe and the Sheaphearde but that the true Pastours are discerned from reprobates and the true shéepe from those that bee counterfaytes by thys marcke if so be that hee bee the onelye scope and the beginning and ending of all thinges This admonition is necessary for all ages and times but especially for this our age For there is not a more pestilent plague to the Church than when wolues créepe in vnder the cloake of pastoures Christ doth plainly here deny them to be counted for pastoures which boast that they ought so to be taken and accounted of or that they ought to be nombered among the shéepe which glory in externall signes He speaketh here of the Iudaicall Church and in this poynt there is noe greate difference betwéene that and oures He that entereth not in R. Christ doeth not by naked and bare wordes euen at the first teach that he is a shepheard but by this parable suspendeth the mindes of his auditoures that afterwarde by the exposition of the same he might make that which in the beginning they heard not without admiration and a desier to knowe to sinke deper into their mindes C. But they doe foolishly which discus very curiously euery part of this parable Let it therefore suffice and satisfie to hould this summe namely that forsomuch as Christ maketh his Church like vnto a shepfould into the which God gathereth all his shéepe together he compareth himself to a dore because there is no other enterance into the Church than by him Herevpon it followeth that they are good Pastoures which lead the right waye vnto Christ they which geue them selues to Christ aloane are rightly sayd to be gathered into Gods shepfould and to be of his flocke Moreouer all this is referred to doctrine For seeing in Christ all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hid he which swerueth from him is neither in the right waye nor yet is like to enter in by the dore Therefore we shall easyly know which is the true Church and who
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
Church should not be left destitude of able Ministers and when the life of the Pastoure shoulde be so assaulted of the enemies that their rage and madnesse could be appeaced no wayes else but by his absence But in no wise they would permit this libertie if so be the perill were general and appertaining to the woale â—locke Flight in time of persecution and that it were thought that the Pastoure fled more to saue hys owne life being afraide of Death then to doe good because the example of his fléeling in this order shall do more harme then his life shall profite or doe good euer after M. Therefore it maketh great matter wherefore howe and who it is that fléeeth euenas also it maketh great matter wherefore who and howe the shéepe be fed For as he is not by and by a true shepe heard which leadeth forth the shéepe vnto Pasture euenso he is not straight way a hyerling which in time of persecution fléeth for a time He which is a hyerling doth not only flée when hee séeeth the wolfe comming but he also is a hyerling which in securitie féedeth the shéepe béecause of his wages he which in feeding hath the affection of a Pastour is not made a hyerling by fléeing seing he was not a hyerling before Paule was not a Hyerling when he taught at Damascus and preached Christ therefore by fleing hée was not made an hyerling The hyerling fléeeth for that cause as sayeth Christ because he is a hyerling and hath no care for the shéepe For this cause Paule did not slee who if it had so plesed the Lord was redy to dye but because the Bretheren did vrge him to flée insomuch that they did let him downe in a Basket ouer the wall he sled that hée might serue Christ longer And this is that which the Lorde sayeth If so be they persecute you in one Cittie flee vnto another Mat 10.23 R Verely in this there can scarse any certaine Rule be prescribed when wée shoulde flee and when we shoulde not flee For there is a time when Christe fled againe there is a time when he did not slée but willingly went to méete his aduersaries There is a time when Paule was lette downe ouer the wall in a basket againe there is a time when he sayde VVhat doe yee weeping and troubling mye hart for I am not onely readye to be bounde but also to dye at Hierusalem for the name of the Lorde Iesu For euery man hath the appoynted time of his office the whiche béeing not finished hee maye shoonne and auoyde manifeste perielles least God be tempted notwithstandinge wée must so flée that our office be not neglected Euenas our sauiour Christ sayth There are twelue howres in the daye If any man walke in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this worlde But if any man walke in the night he stumbleth Ioh. 11.9 because he hath no light in him Act. 20.8 Bv. Sathan and his ministers are the Wolues which scatter the flocke and therefore we must beware of them 13. So the hierling fleeth because he is a hiereling and careth not for the sheepe C. That is to saye He whiche hath respecte vnto the fléece and not to the slocke howsoeuer he deceyue men in the quiet state and tyme of the Church when trouble aryseth wil shewe his falsehoode and treacherye PAR. For there are some whiche in tyme of prosperitye are carefull inough for the flocke but in tyme of perrill they leaue the flocke to be dispersed and made a praye of the Wolfe For they saye within them selues What if it perishe I loose nothing my hyer is sure inough and if any parte thereof be lost I had rather forgoe the same than to contend for other mens cattaile with the Wolfe 14. I am the good sheepheard and knowe mine and am known of mine M. Hée repeateth this to declare in him selfe the condicions of the true and good Shéepheard and so to shewe himselfe to differre in disposition from hyerlinges And I knowe mine C. In these wordes hée commendeth his loue towardes vs for knowledge commeth of loue and bringeth also with it a care 2. Tim 2 i9 Ioh. 13 18 R. The Lord knoweth who are his Also it is sayde I knowe whome I haue chosen M. There are two kindes of knowledge The one is Knowledge of two sortes by which wée knowe what a thing is By this kinde of knowledge al thinges are knowne vnto Christ not onlye the sheepe but also the Goates the Wolues the Théeues and the Murderers and that infernall Sathan also The other is that by which wknow such things as are our owne yea by which we knowe them kéepe them and defende them By this kinde of knowledge the Reprobates are not knowne but the electe onely For to them it shal be sayd Math 7.23 Depart from mee ye workers of iniquitye And againe Verylye verylye I saye vnto you I knowe ye not Math 25.12 As Christ therefore hath a speciall care ouer his shéepe because they heare his voyce and followe him euen so he geueth vs to vnderstande that hée hath no care at all for those whiche obeye not the Gospell euen as in the second member he repeateth and confirmeth that whiche he had spoken before namelye that he is in like manner knowen of his shéepe 15. As the Father knoweth mee so knowe I the Father and I laye downe my lyfe for the sheepe M. There is a mutuall knowlegde of familliars and néere friendes The heauenlye Father hath a sonne whome he knoweth to bée his and of whome he is acknowledged againe to bée the Father Euen so Christ hath shéepe which he knoweth and of whome in like manner he is knowne C. Insomuch that it is no more possible that he should forget vs than it is possible that the Father shoulde reiect or neglect him M. The father séemed as though hée had forsaken his sonne vpon the Crosse whome notwithstanding he acknoweledged to be moste dere vnto him Euenso although Christ sometime séemeth to leaue and forsake his shéepe in the midest of afflictions yet notwithstanding he wil neuer leaue them in perill but will haue a continuall care for them C. In the meane time he woulde haue vs to do our duty to him againe because as he doeth bestowe all that power which he hath receiued of the father to helpe vs so hee woulde haue vs obedient and seruiceable vnto him againe And I laye downe my life Bv. As if he shoulde saye I haue not without cause called the congregation of the faithfull my shéepe For I haue washed them with my bloud I haue by my death brought them to life and I haue geuen my selfe for them not redéeming them with Goulde and Siluer but with my owne lyfe whereby Iustly I affirme them to be mine Let them therefore consider what account they wyll make to the Prince of Sheapheardes which haue vsed crueltye and
workes And yet notwithstanding they doe not giue him thankes for these good workes but theyr mallice had so blinded them that although they coulde not condemne the workes of Christ yet neuerthelesse they went about to stoane him to death Many such enimies of the truth there are at this daye which condemne the louers of the Gospell whose life and doinges they cannot condemne C. The name of blasphemie the whiche prophane wrighters vse generaly for euery kinde of reproche the Scripture referreth vnto God Blasphemy of two sorts when hys maiestie and glorye is defaced And there are two sortes of blasphemie as eyther when God is robbed of his proper honour R. as if so be a man shoulde arrogate that vnto himselfe which is proper to God or else when any thing is attributed and giuen to him which his nature will not beare Therefore they call Christ a sacrilegious and blasphemous person because hée being a mortall man vsurped to himselfe deuine honour And this was a true definition of blasphemie yf so be Christe had bene nothing more then a man Onely they sinne in this that they refuse to behoulde the diuinity whhich was euident to be séene in his miracles 34. Iesus aunswered them is it not writen in your Lawe I saide yee are Gods Bv. The Lord doth wonderfully temper and frame his aunswere C And doeth clere him self of the crime which was obiected vnto him not denying him selfe to be the Sonne of God but defending the same to be truly spoken And he vseth an Argument taken not of the equalles but of the lesse to the more The scripture calleth them Godes to whome God geueth an honorable function he therefore is farre more worthy of this titell of honour whom God hath chosen to excell all others Wherevpon it followeth that they are euell and false interpretours which doe admit the fyrste but in the second do take occasions of offence B. he vseth this word lawe here for Scripture which often times is called the Lawe C. But the testimony which our Sauioure Christ bringeth is taken oute of the eyghtie two Psalme where the Lord findeth falte with the Kings and Iudges of the earth Psal 28.6 Exod. 22 which abuse their Rule and power tyrannically to enioy their owne pleasure to oppresse the miserable and to commit all wickednesse at their will B. That is to saye which Iudge falslye C. And he vpbraideth them that they were so forgetfull how and from whence they receiued so great dignitie and béecause they prophaned the name of God This Christ applyeth to the presente cause that they are honoured with the name of Gods who are appoynted ministers to gouern the world In the same sence also the Scripture calleth aungels Gods because by them the glory of God doth shine in the world 35. If hee called them Godes vnto whome the vvorde of GOD vvas spoken and the Scripture cannot bee broken C. By these wordes oure Sauiour Christ meaneth that Princes are ordered by the sure commaundement of God Rule appoynted of God Whereby we gather that gouernement and rule sprang not vp rashelye or by the errour of men but by the will and appointment of God because hée would haue politticall order among men and gouernement by equitie and lawes For the which cause Paule calleth them Rebelles vnto God which resyst power because there is no power but the same is appoynted of God Rom. 13. i If any man obiect that other callinges also are of God and are allowed of him and yet for all that Husbandemen Neateheardes Shoomakers and suche lyke are not called Godes we aunswere that this is not general that whosoeuer are called of God to some kinde of lyfe shoulde be called Godes but Christ speaketh of Kinges whome God hath aduaunced to a hyer degrée that they might rule and excell To be shorte we knowe that magistrates are therefore Gods because God hath committed gouernement vnto them M. And Christ might haue sayde If so be he call Iudges and princes Goddes but it pleased him rather to saye If hee called them Goddes vnto whome the worde of God was spoken that hée might also noate the subiection of Iudges and Princes and might extoll the maiestie of GOD. For the worde of God in this place is taken for the commaundementes which GOD commaundeth and inioyneth them to obserue And the Scripture cannot be broken C That is to saye The doctrine of the Scripture is inuiolable insomuch that it neyther can nor ought to be dissolued and broken of any man This place ought to be well noated that the Scripture may haue his aucthoritye M. For the same is manye wayes defaced by wicked men and by the wisemen of this worlde when they eyther adde vnto the same straunge and forged doctrine or else corrupt the same by sinister and wrong exposytions drawing it into a contrarye scence But the Scripture cannot be broken or made frustrate And wherefore because it is giuen by deuine inspiration and leaneth not vppon humaine but vpon diuine aucthoritie 36. Saye yee of him whome the Father hath sanctified and sent into the worlde Thou blasphemest because I sayde I am the sonne of God Saye yee of him whome the Father C. There is a certaine sanctificatiō which belongeth to all the godly but Christ in this place chalengeth a far more excelent snactifycation namely for that he is one chosen out from amongst all others that in him the power of the Spirite and the maiestie of God maye appeare Ioh 6.27 Euen as hée himselfe sayeth that hée was sealed of the same Father M. Hée sayth not Whome the Father hath begotten béecause hée thought it better to signify vnto vs that he hath receyued the dispensation of mankinde and the state of a kingdome of hys heauenlye Father as hée is a man Wherevpon also hée added this And sent into the world The Father hath sent hys Sonne Iohn ◠i6 Esay 6i i Luk 4.18 not onely vnto you Israelites but into the worlde For so GOD loued the worlde that hée gaue his onelye begotten sonne So that this sanctifycation in other places is called annoyting And thys is properlye referred to the person of Christ Math 3 i6 as hée was manifested in the fleshe M. And concerning this sanctifycation the aperition of the Dooue testifyed which Iohn the Baptist sawe lighting vpon the heade of Christ when hée baptised him in Iordan Therefore the father hath sanctifyed the sonne by whome we also are sanctifyed by whome he giueth vnto vs the spirite of sanctifycation by reason wherof the Apostles in diuers places calleth the faithful seruauntes of Christ sanctified Thou blasphemest C. The Arians haue wrested this place to prooue that Christ by nature is not God But Christ doth not here dispute who he is in him selfe but what men ought to Iudge of him by his miracles being in humain fleshe For we can neuer apprehend his eternall diuinity except wee imbrace him as he is appoynted a redéemer
of his Father Moreouer Christ in this place did not plainly testifie who he was but specially went aboute to refell and put away the sclaunder which his enemies brought vpon him Because I said J am the Sonne of God M He saide not Because I am God but because I am the Sonne of God that he might beare with the infirmitie of his hearers who could better abyde that hée shoulde call him selfe the Sonne of God then to saye I am God 37. If I do not the vvorkes of my Father beleeue mee not 38. But if I doe and if yee beleeue not mee beleeue the vvorkes that ye may knovve and beleeue that the Father is in mee and I in him Bv. He calleth the workes which he did the workes of his father that is to saye deuine workes For they are not therefore called the fathers workes because the Sonne doeth not the same but because hee doeth them by the same power and vertue by the which he is equall with the Father If so be sayeth he I doe not such works as no man can doe but God only beléeue mée not C. This is a kind of graunting as if hée should saye I would haue you bound to beléeue mée for no other cause then yf the thing appeare manifest ynough vnto you ye may bouldly reiect mée and escape vnpunished if so be God hath not openly testifyed of mée M. I woulde to God they woulde speake thus which boast them selues to be Christes vicars and the Successors of the Apostles The Romishe Anticrist sayth in wordes I am the vicar of Christ and he so violently requireth him selfe to be credited that he threatneth to such as deny it a thousand deaths when as notwithstanding by his workes he sheweth him selfe plainly not to be Christ but Antecriste not the vicar of Christe but the Minister of Sathan In wordes hée sayth I am the seruaunt of the seruants of God but by his workes he declareth him selfe to be Lord of Lords In wordes he sayth I am the head of the Church but by his workes he declareth him selfe to be the plague of the Church he would be counted moste holye when as his workes shewe him to bee moste prophane What néede many wordes let hym saye If I do not the workes of the vicar of Christe of the seruaunt of the seruauntes of God and of the moste holye man beléeue me not Let the rest of the Bishopes saye the lyke which woulde be counted good and true shepheardes If so be we doe not the workes of good Bishopes beléeue vs not Let vs also saye which boast of Iustification by faith If so be we doe not the workes of those that are Iustified and of those that béeléeue then beléeue vs not But if J doe and if yee beleeue not C. As if he shoulde saye To the ende I maye suffer you to doubte of my doctrine I maye not denye the miracles which I haue shewed to be of God therefore yée do willingly reiect God and not man In this place wée are taught not to be so discouraged with the basenesse and contempt of any mans persō that we should refuse to beléeue those workes whiche geue euident testimonie to the truth For often tims it commeth to passe that God worketh great thinges by simple men That ye maye knowe and. C. In that he placeth faith after knowledge hée doth it because he had to do with vnbeléeuers who vnlesse they were wonne and constrained by experience neuer would geue place vnto God For suche as are rebelliouse and obstinate will alwaies knowe before they beléeue And yet notwithstanding God doth so beare with vs that by the knowledge of his workes hée maketh vs apt to béeléeue But the knoweledge of God and of his secrete wisedome by order followeth Faith Because the obedience of Faith openeth to vs the gate of the kingdome of heauen A. Concerning the coniunction of faith and knowledge reade in the first Chapter going before beginning at the sixtie nine verse That the father is in me and I in him C. He repeateth the same which he had spoken before in other wordes saying I and the father are one M. For that vnity is betweene the father and the Sonne that the Sonne is in the father and the father in the same The father saith he is in me that is to saye the power and vertu of God sheweth forth it self plainly in me And I am in the father that is to say I do nothing without the helpe of God insomuch that there is a mutuall coniunction betwéene me and my father For he speaketh not here of the vnitie of escence but of the manifestation of the diuine power in the person of Christ whereby it shall appeare that he is sente of God A. The very same he repeateth in the tenth verse of the fowrtéene Chapter following and that in the same sence 39. Againe they went aboute to take him and hee escaped oute of theyr handes Againe they wente aboute Bv. Reason can take no place with mad men M. The Lord coulde not more plainly and expresly defend those thinges which he had spoken in making aunswer against the sclaunder which they had deuised but they were so far from yéelding vnto the trueth that they sought to laye handes vppon the Lorde They had thus behaued them selues often times before as we maye sée in the fifte and seuenth chapters C. But nowe they goe aboute to apprehend him that they might drawe him out of the Temple to be stoaned For their madnesse was nothing mittigated by the wordes of Christ But this was a shamefull thing that when they coulde not aunswere his Argumentes they should vse violence and stoanes by which they séeke to intercept him M. They haue nowe forgotten that their like practises at another time tooke noone effecte But this is the nature of the wicked alwais to attempt that which they haue falsely conceiued although that whiche they go aboute bée neuer so often made frustrate This thing appeared in the Iewes as also in Saule their predecessoure For although often times he found by experience that he went about in vaine to apprehend Dauid and had sworne vnto him that he would not persecute him any more yet neuerthelesse when he came againe to his ould disposition hée sought to sley Dauid Esai 2.3 And in these our dayes we haue many of these examples For what man is ignoraunt howe busily the souldyers of Antichrist haue sought and doe dailye séeke to subuerte the truth of Christ To be short this is a most firme and true sentence The harte of the wicked is lyke the raging sea i. King 22. which cannot be quiet And he escaped out of their hands B. By his deuine power he escaped out of their handes which sought to apprehende him At the first he was as it were shutte vp in their handes For the Iewes had beset him on euery syde to take him fyrste with wordes to sée yf they could haue brought it
wrought during the time that be preached there was none more wonderfull than this and therefore hee thought it necessary to noate boath the name and also the kindered and exactly to describe the place with the rest of the circumstaunces specially séeing he knew that none of the other Euaungelistes made any mention of this miracle Therefore fyrste of al it is worthy to be noated and remembered For beside that Christ in this miracle left vnto vs a testimony of his diuine power he also sette before vs an expresse Image of our Resurrection in the end of the world to the end we might knowe the scope of our Faith howe that Death is no Death and that Christe is our resurrection and life C. Furthermore this was as it were the latter act and conclusion for nowe the time of his death approched It is no merueile therefore if so be he specially sette forth his glory in that worke the memory wherof he would haue throughly imprinted in the mindes of his seruauntes that it might be a sertaine sealing of all those miracles that were done before Christ had raised vp other dead folkes at other times but nowe hée declared his power vpon a dead and putrified carcasse B. For the nerer that the daye whiche was prescribed vnto the Lorde drue toward euening in the which he should finishe the office of a Redéemer the more plainly boath by wordes and also by déedes he reuealed who hée was and wherefore he came in the fleshe R. And thus beginneth the hystory M. When Iesus was come ouer Iordane into the place where Iohn at the firste baptized and had taried there a while a sertaine man named Lazarus fell sicke And to the end we might knowe who this Lazarus was Iohn saith that hee was of Bethany the towne of Mary and Martha his sisters whose Brother he was C. The which is therefore expressed because the fame of Lazarus was more obscure than the fame of his sisters For these holy women were wont to lodge Christ as we maye reade in the tenth chapter of saint Luke 2. It was that Marye whiche anoynted the LORDE with oyntmente and wyped his feete with her heare whose Brother Lazerouse vvas sicke Bv. Because the Gospell maketh mention of many Maries here there is a difference put betwéene this Mary and the reste namely that it was the very same which anoynted the Lord. M. And this is put downe here by Anticipation B. For the Euaungelist declareth this anoynting in the chapter following C. Therefore there is greate Ignoraunce in them which immagine this Mary the sister of Lazerus to be that infamus woman of whome Luke maketh mention in his seuenth Chapter The making mention of the oyntment ocasioned this errour and also because in both places mention is made of Simon in whose house the acte was done as though it were not manifest that Christ was often times anoynted and that in diuers places The synfull woman of whome Luke speaketh anoynted Christ at Ierusalem wheare she dwelt Also Mary of Bethany did the like in her towne And the pretertence Anoynted which the Euaungelist vseth ought not to be referred to the time in the which the same was done of the which the Euaungeliste heare intreateth but to the time in the which he wroate as if he shoulde saye this is that Mary whiche afterwarde powered out her oyntment for the which cause there arose a murmuring among the Disciples Bv. To be short this woman is sayd to haue anoynted the Lord euen as Iudas is saide to haue betrayed Christe M. Math. i0 4 Moreouer in that Lazarus Mary and Mrtha dwelt together we haue an example of brotherly amity concord and agreement Vnitie of Bretheren pleaseth the Lorde The Lorde is delighted with such vnity of Bretheren and systers insomuche that it was not in vain that the Lord had company and felloweshippe with this Lazarus Mary and Martha It is a true saying the loue and vnitie of bretheren is seldome found Suche is the corruption of oure nature that bretheren very seldome well agrée together Very fewe remember this saying of Christe Blessed are the peace makers for they shal be called the Children of God 3. Therefore his sisters sent vnto him saying Lorde beehoulde hee whome thou loueste is sicke Therfore his sisters sent B. For they trusted that yf the Lorde had bene present their brother shoulde not haue dyed the which boath of them affirmed to the Lorde Lord behould he whom thou louest C A shorte message but yet notwithstanding Christ might hereby gather what the two sisters would haue For vnder this complaint they doe modestly insinuate their Supplication that hee might helpe R. Hereby we maye learne a forme of prayer C. We are not forbidden to vse any long forme of prayer notwithstanding this is the summe that we ought to cast oure cares and whatsoeuer else disquieteth vs into the Lords lappe that he may helpe vs. Thus doe these women deale with Christ they doe familiarly vtter theire gréefe vnto him thereby hoping to haue ease B. They prescribe nothing vnto the Lorde they think it suficient to tell vnto their louing benificiall and wise frende howe the case stoode with them and in what perill they were in C. It is also to be noated that they haue hope to obtaine helpe vpon the loue of Christe M. In that they make no mencion of their brother neyther doe craue in expresse wordes that he would come and deliuer him from his disease they so did vppon truste and familiaritie whereby they made accounte that the disease of theyr brother woulde mooue the Lorde to haue no lesse care for the same than hée had for any thing that appertained to him selfe C. And this is a rule alwaye to be obserued in true praier For where the loue of God is there is vndoubted and present health because hée doth not loue and forsake Bv. Therefore these systers Humanity toward the sicke shewing themselues to be natural and louing to their brother ouer and aboue the example which they leaue vnto vs of pietie and humanitye which wée shoulde showe towarde sicke persons doe teache vs in all our necessityes to runne first vnto Christ which loueth vs all most intyrelye to whome wée must prescribe nothing he knoweth when to helpe and to whome it is néedefull R. Let fayth onely tye God to necessitie that helpe and reléefe may torne to the glorye of his name For if so bée the time and the manner howe be prescribed then the helpe is ascribed to humaine wisedome 4. When Iesus hearde that hee sayde This infirmitie is not vnto death but for the glorye of God that the Sonne of God might be glorified thereby M. Christ knewe before that Lazarus was sicke but the Euaungelist describing this matter in order as it was done sayth that the Lorde spake these thinges when hée had hearde the message which Mary and Martha had sent vnto him C. And his purpose was by thys
aunswere to take awaye all care from his Disciples least they shoulde be gréeued to sée him so secure and carelesse in the perill of his friende Hée denyeth this disease to be deadelye but rather affirmeth the same to be a meane to sette forth his glorye M. As if hée shoulde saye Lazarus is not falne into this sickenesse to dye of the same as commenlye it hapneth to others but this infirmitye or sykenesse is sent vnto hym by the secret purpose and counsayle of God to this ende that GOD maye thereby be glorified occasyon being therby offered to his Sonne by the same to declare hys power and to magnifie hys name C. And although Lazarus was deade yet notwithstanding because shortelye after Christ restoared him to lyfe hée hauing respect to this ishue and successe sayth that it is not a sycknesse vnto death M. For Lazarus wythin two dayes after dyed of the same syckenesse but not to sleepe in death with other dead bodyes vntil the day of Iudgment but that he might be restoared to life by the Sonne of God and might by his death minister occasyon to gloryfy him Therefore the Lorde had more respect vnto the consideration and cause of deth then to the death it selfe and therefore more truelye he ascribed this sickenesse to the cause of death which made to the glory of God more then to death it selfe C. Moreouer Christ in this place properly noated the glory of God which was Ioyned with his office For we knowe that when the Reprobate perishe the glory of God doth noe lesse shine in their death then in the saluation of the godly That the sonne of God might be glorified Bv. That is to saye he shal be raysed vp by my power whereby I shal be glorified For by that worke many shall gather that I am the true sonne of the lyuing God the life and the quickener of them that beléeue For it followeth towarde the ende of the myracle Vers 45 Many therefore of the Iewes which came to Marie and had seene the thinges which Iesus had done beleeued in him C. By this place wee gather that God woulde be so knowne in the person of the sonne that what honor soeuer God requiereth to be geuen to himselfe shoulde be giuen to his sonne Bv. Wherevpon Christe sayde The Father hath geuen all Iudgement to the Sonne Ioh. 5.23 that all might honor the sonne as they honor the father Hee which honoreth not the Sonne honoreth not the Father which hath sent him C. Wherefore the Turkes and Iewes béeing contumeliouse vnto Christe in vaine professe them selues to honoure God nay by this meanes they goe about to banish God from them 5. Iesus loued Martha and her Sister and Lazarus M. This the Euaungelist addeth because of the words of Mary and Martha which they tould by message vnto the Lord saying Lorde behould he whome thou louest is sicke Iesus loued not only Lazarus but also his sisters Bv. that is to saye all this houshoulde and family which were Godly disposed M. For Christ loued all men in that he came into the worlde to be the sauioure and redéemer of all men and not onely those which were then liuing and which were in the worlde before but those also which should be vpō the earth vnto the worlds ende We reade not that Paule had any familliarity with Christe in this worlde when he was vpon the earth and yet neuerthelesse he sayeth Neuerthelesse I liue Gala 2.26 yet now not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life which I nowe liue in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God which loued me and gaue him selfe for me And as he was a man liuing among men he was led by humane affections So he is sayd here to loue this Lazarus Martha and Mary and so also wée reade that he loued Iohn the Apostle Iohn i5 i4 and so no doubt he loued all his Apostes and called them his friendes 6. when he had hearde therefore that hee was sicke hee aboade two dayes still in the same place where hee was C. These wordes séeme contrary to that which went before that Christe should abyde two dayes on the other syde of Iordan as neglecting the life of Lazarus and yet notwithstanding is sayde to loue him and his sisters for séeing loue causeth care he shoulde haue made haste without delaye M. But this delaye nether hurt Lazarus nor yet was offensiue to the Lawe of loue and frenship but 〈◊〉 profyted him very much agréed with frendshippe and amitie and also serued greatly for the glory of God Lazarus was his frind but more frenly was the glory of his Father C. Therefore séeing Christe is the only mirror of the grace of God wée are taught by this his delaye not to Iudge of the loue of God according to the present state of thinges Béeing intreated hée often times diferreth his helpe eyther to make vs more feruent in prayer or else to excercise our patience and obedience Bv. Let no man therefore think much yf so be the louers of true pietie and godlynesse be afflicted with the calamityes of this worlde God faring as though he cared not for the same Gen 4 i0 eyther because so it is expedient for them which suffer or else because it so serueth for the setting forth of his glory B. So he left Abel in the hande of his brother but after his death his bloud cryed for vengeaunce Gen 39.20 So he left Ioseph a long time in the dungeon of the prison but afterward he aduaunced him to honoure So he left the Israelites a long time in cruel bondage whome notwithstanding at the length he deliuered with a mightie hand and out-stretched arme C. Let the faithfull therefore so craue helpe at the handes of God that they learne to suspend their desiers if so be at any time he be more slowe to helpe and deliuer then necessity requireth For howsoeuer he stayeth he sléepeth not neyther is hee vnmindfull of those that are his In the meane time let vs bée sure of this that he would all whome he loueth to be saued 7. Then sayde hee after that to his Disciples Let vs goe into Iewrye againe M. The Disciples being as yet but weake stoode greatly in feare of the mallice of the Iewes therfore Christ thought good to make them strong against they tooke their Iourney For he knew that they could not abide to heare so much as Iewry spoken of But he might haue gone into Iewry without them and neuer haue tould them of the matter yet he neither would returne into Iewrye without them nor yet leaue their minds vnprepared for so perillous a iourneye And therefore he sayeth Let vs goe into Iury againe C. By which wordes also be declareth that he had a care for Lazarus when his Disciples thought that he had forgotten him or at lest that he made lesse account of the life of Lazarus than he did of other matters M.
raise Lazarus from death wherevpon he did more rightly call the death of Lazerus a sléepe than death C. But greate was the rude Ignoraunce of the disciples which vnderstoode Christ to speake of naturall sléepe For although it bée a metaphoricall speache yet notwithstanding it is so commonly vsed in the Scripture that it ought to haue béene knowne to all the Iewes M. And hée coulde haue raysed vp this Lazarus being absent and a great waye euen as he restoared the Centurians seruaunt and the Rulers sonne to health but the consideration of this myracle did so require that hée should be present at the working of the same least anye occasion might haue bene giuen to the wicked to obscure his glory but that all men might know for a suretie that this Lazarus which had bene deade fowre dayes was raysed vp by his presence voyce and power And for this cause hée woulde not rayse vp neyther the ruler of the Sinagogues Daughter nor the Widdowes Sonne being absent Math. 9 i5 Luk. 7.14 but present In the ende of the worlde also hée can rayse vp all mortall men with hys power onelye insomuch that hée neede not descende to vs any more from heauen but the consideration of his glorye and maiestie requireth the same that so great a wonder may be wrought before the whoale worlde Wee must also noate that the Lorde sayde not Let vs goe into Iury againe but I go to awake Lazarus out of sleepe Hee would haue his Disciples companions with him in his iourney but he woulde not haue them fellowes with him in the miracle C. Here also hée commendeth his power in this that hee sayth hée will goe to rayse vppe Lazarus by whiche wâ—rdes hée sheweth himselfe to be Lord of death when hee sayth that hee rayseth those vp whome hee restoareth to lyfe Also seeing by this worde sleepeth hée noateth onelye the sléepe of the bodye some doe very fondelye drawe the same to mens soules 12. Then saide his Disciples Lord if hee sleepe hee shall doe well ynough M. The aunswere of Christ contayneth two thinges Fyrst for what cause hée must retourne into Iurye although the Iewes were so cruell Secondlye what hee woulde doe in Iurye To the first the Disciples make no aunswere but to the other they saye If hee sleepe hee shall doe well ynough by whiche they perswade Christ not to go into Iurye And yet notwithstanding they doe not subtilly wrest the wordes of Christ to theyr owne commoditie but because they thought that hee had spoken of a sléepe they redilye take the same as an occasion to shoone the perill 13. Howbeit Iesus spake of his death but they thought that hee had spoken of the naturall sleepe M. The Euaungelist addeth the exposytion of the wordes of Christ to declare the rudenesse of hys Disciples by which it came to passe that they vnderstande not the meaning of his wordes It ought therfore to seeme straunge vnto vs if so bée some at the first doe not vnderstande the Metaphoricall and parabolicall speaches of the Lorde seeing the same hapened vnto them which ought to haue vnderstoode them better by reason of theyr daylye familiaritye and acquaintaunce with the same Notwithstanding herewithall wée must consyder how that wée are more prone and readye to receyue and imbrace those interpretations of the worde of God which seme to defende the imbecillitye of our flesh than we are to agrée vnto those thinges which with perill and danger serue to the setting foorth of Goddes glorye And herevpon it commeth that while wée gréedely imbrace those things which séeme to agrée vnto our fleshe we oftentimes misse of the true scence and meaning of the wordes A. When Iesus hymselfe spake of the excelency of his kingdome before his disciples Math i4 by by there arose a contention among them who should be the greatest and when hee spake of the crosse and of the euilles which hée should suffer at the handes of the Iewes they vnderstoode not what hée sayde 14. Then sayd Iesus vnto them plainely Lazarus is deade M. Because they vnderstoode him not and therefore aunswered not to the matter hée speaketh nowe that thyng plainely which before hée had spoken obscurelye C. Great is the goodnesse of Christ in bearing with so greate dulnesse in his Disciples And verilye hée did therefore diferre the time to endue them with more ample grace of the spirite that they being renewed and chaunged in a moment the myracle myght be the greater M. They decerued to haue bene sharpely reproued of the Lord no lesse than was Peter by him at a nother time but because this cowardlines was not in one or two of them aloane but in them all Mat. 16.25 he dealt more gentlye with them and instructeth them by a more playne and manifest speache in the truth that they myght nowe haue lesse cause to doubt A. And this hee did to teache vs also by his example not to reiect such Disciples as are yet rude ignoraunt and carnall but gentlye to beare with them vntyll suche time as they haue attayned to more knowledge of the truth 15. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there because yee maye beleeue neuerthelesse let vs go vnto him C. He meaneth that this absence was profitable for them because hys power shoulde not haue bene so manifest if so be he had holpen Lazarus out of hande For the nerer that the workes of God come to the ordinarye and common course of nature the lesse glorye they haue the which daily experience teacheth to be true For if so be he reache out his hand vnto vs at the first we regarde not his helpe Therefore to the ende his disciples might knowe that the resurrection of Lazarus was verely deuine it was necessary that he should differ the same that it might be paste all mans helpe Whensoeuer therefore God doth suffer vs béeing ouerwhelmed with misery to ly and languishe let vs knowe that he doeth it for our health Because yee maye beleeue R. What is it ye shoulde beléeue Fyrste that I am that very Christ the Sauioure of the worlde which rayse the dead from the graue that so ye maye be confirmed in that faith by that myracle wich I am aboute to worke Secondly that I am ready in the mideste of afflictions and doe care for your saluation when as ye your selues are Ignoraunt of the same C. So that his meaning is not that this was the fyrst rudiment and beginning of faith in them but the confirmation of a faith alredy begon as yet weake and vnperfect Neuertheles he sheweth that vnles God had declared his power they would not haue beléeued A. Here also we maye behoulde the fruite and ende of miracls For miracls tend to this ende that men may be won to the Faith or at least may be confirmed in the faith But lette vs go vnto him M. To whome To Lazarus to a dead man but what can be done to
a dead man that one should take a Iorny for him A man that should so speake might seeme to humaine reson very foolish But the sonne of God speketh another manner of thing when he sayeth Let vs go vnto him The comming of the son of God to a dead man is not in vaine for he bringeth life with him In the end of the world he shal com to dead men and raise them vp to life which the strength of mortall men could neuer doe R. Wée see also howe great care Christ hath for those which are his Lazarus is sicke Dyeth and féeleth not the helpe of Christe but yet neuerthelesse Christe speaketh of him and is very carefull for him And his care is not in vaine For Lazarus shal be raised from death A. The life commeth with spéede to put death to flight 16. Then sayde Thomas whiche is called Didimus vnto hys fellowe Disciples let vs also goe that wee maye dye with him Then saide Thomas R. This exhortation of Thomas procéeded rather of rashnesse then of fayth C. Hytherto the Disciples had gone aboute to withhoulde Christe and nowe Thomas is ready to followe but withoute Faith At least he doeth not arme and comfort him selfe with the promise of Christe to followe him ioyfully and with a good courage For these wordes Let vs also go that we maye dye with him shewe that he rather despayred than beleeued seeing they should haue bene assured of life M. The Lorde sayde not I goe to dye in Iury but I goe to raise vp Lazarus Thomas therefore should haue sayd let vs go that we maye see the glory of God rather then let vs goe and dye with him Howbeit the pronoune Relatiue hym maye be expounded as well of Lazarus as of Christ But if we expound it of Lazarus then is it spoken Ironice as yf he had sayde What shall yt profite vs to goe thether except we cannot otherwise shewe the dutie of friendes than if wee dye with him But many like better of another sence wich is that Thomas refused not to dye with Christ But this sprang of rashe zeale because he ought rather to haue bene encouraged by the faith of the promise Moreouer in that he saith Thomas was called Didimus is not so to be vnderstoode as though Thomas were his proper name and Didimus his sir name For the same which the gréekes call Didimus the Hebrues call Thomas 17. Then vvent Iesus and found that hee had lyen in his graue fovvre daies allreadie M. The Lorde so appoynted his Iorny that he came to Bethanie the fowrth daye after the departure of Lazarus It is likely that Lazarus was dead too days before Christ toke his Iorney and that he spent other two dayes before he ended the same He might haue come sooner but hee rather desyred to finde him dead than sicke and to haue lyen fowre dayes in the Sepulcher than two dayes that he might the more euidently declare his deuine power and therefore he would not come vnto Bethany before the fowrth daye after his disceasse 18. Bethanie vvas nie vnto Hierusalem aboute a fifteene furlonges of C. The Euaungelist dilligently prosecuteth those thinges which serue for the the sertaintie of the stoary He sheweth how nere Ierusalem was to the village of Bethanye lest any man should marueile that many of his frends came from thence to comfort the Sisters whome the Lord would haue to be witnesses of the miracle For although they were mooued herevnto by the duty of humanitie yet notwithstanding by the secrete counsaile of God they were gathered there together for another ende leste that the resurrection of Lazarus should be obscure and vnknowen or should haue only domesticall witnesses Bv. Therefore God by his wonderfull counsaile and forsight chose this place in the which the greatest miracles that euer Christe wrought was shewed that whether the Phariseis would or no the very déede it selfe might proclaime and prooue Iesus to be the Sonne of the lyuing God C. But hereby appeared the wicked ingratitude of that people who by and by forgot so manifest a shew token of the power of God done in so open and knowen a place in so great an assembly of men and almoste at the gates of the Cittie Naye the Iewes maliciously shutting their eyes would not sée that which laye open before their eyes to be seene And it is no newe thing that those men which so gréedely desyer miracles shoulde bee dull and senceles when they come to the consideration of them The distaunce betwéene Hierusalem and Bethany of the which mention is made here was lesse then two miles For a furlong contayneth syx hondered foote that is to saye a hoondered and fiue and twentie paces 19. And many of the Iewes came to Martha and Marie to comfort them ouer their Brother M. what manner of persones these Iewes were we shall sée in that which followeth C. Their only purpose was to comfort the sisters for their dead brother but God as we sayd before had another purpose And hereby it doth appeare that the house of Lazarus and his sisters was very sumptuouse and well furnished for entertainement Also because it is a naturall thing that the death of kinsmen and frendes should cause sorrowe and mourning this duty of the which the Euaungelist speaketh is not to be discommended except the same doe excéede i. Thes 4 A. Necessary therefore is the exhortacion of the Apostle when he willeth the Faithfull not to excéede in bewaling the dead M. It is also to be noated that the Iewes knowing not howe to benefite the dead sought so much as they could to comfort the liuing And this was the manner of the Church of the faithfull in ould time at their funeralls but after that the spyrite of errors of superstitions and of gaine crept into the mindes of the Bishopes and Prelates that which our Elders vsed to the consolation of suche as were aliue was tourned to obsequi and helpe of the dead 20. Martha as soone as shee heard that Iesus was comming went out and mette hym but Marie sate still in the house M. The Euaungelist goeth forward in the narration of the history And hée beginneth the story of Martha whereby it doeth appeare that shée was principall in the gouernment of the house eyther for that shée was the elder or for some other cause In this Martha we haue an example boath of hospitallitie and also of reuerence Martha met Christ boath as a gheste and also as her Lord and thus are wée wont to goe forth and méete our frendes to entertaine and welcome them frendly So Abraham and Lotte met and entertained their ghestes with Ioy. So the Subiects goe forth to méete with kinges and Princes Gen. 18 i Gen i9 i Fyrst of all therefore let vs be frendly in entertaining our frends and ghestes and loyall with reuerence towards our elders and betters C. Notwithstanding it maye be that Martha went forth of the house to
méete Christe that shée might secretly entertaine him because hée had but lately escaped out of perill and the fury of his enemies was scarsly appeased which beeing a litle mittigated by his departure into Galile by the hearing of hys retourne againe might haue more violently burst forth But Mary sate still in the house M Mary knewe not of the comming of Christ the which yf she had no doubt shée woulde haue gone forth with her sister to méete him 21. Then sayd Martha vnto Iesus Lorde yf thou hadest beene here my brother had not dyed M. It besemeth him which receiueth and entertaineth a ghest to vse frendlye words in saluting and welcomming that so he maye declare his good wil and frenly hart So Martha here speaketh vnto the Lorde and she beginneth with a complaynt howebeit by this meanes shée doeth modestly declare her mind As yf she should saye Thou Lorde by thy presence couldest haue deliuered my brother from death yea thou canst do it yet because God wil deny thée nothing And speaking thus shée doeth rather followe her affection then kepe her vnder the rule of fayth For these wordes partely procéeded from Faith but the affections of the mind were mixt therewith which caried her yond her bonds For in that she perswaded her selfe that her brother should not haue dyed yf so be Christe had bene present where learneth shée so to beleeue verely it was not conceiued of any promis of Christ It followeth therfore that she rather fulfilled hir owne desiers than obaied Christ It procéeded of Faith that she attributed vnto Christs power and great godnesse but in that she perswadeth her selfe of more than she had receiued or heard of Christ she passeth the boundes of faith For we must alwayes obserue the mutuall consent and agréement betwéene the word and faith lest a man perswade him selfe of any thing without the warraunt of Gods worde Moreouer it may be that Martha leaned to much to the corporall presence of Christ Therefore the faith of Martha being mixt with immoderate desiers and not altogether frée from superstition could not perfectlye shine only the sparkes thereof appeare in these wordes Shée reckened Christ among the men of God whose prayers are heard and who obtaine many things at the handes of God For yf so be shée had had the true vnderstanding of hys power shée would rather haue sayde I knowe that nothing is impossible vnto thée But the Lorde was not ignoraunt of this imperfection of faith in Martha and in others neyther did he seuerely reiecte the same but bare patiently with it and when he sawe conuenient time increased the same This méeknesse and pacience the Apostle set before vs to followe saying him that is weke in the faith receiue 23. Iesus sayde vnto her thy brother shall ryse againe M. The Lord made no aunswere to Martha complaining of his absence For he rather desyered to shewe the reason of his absence by the power of the raysing vp the dead man than by hys wordes C. But the clemency of Christ is wonderfull who bearing with the infirmitie of Martha in those thinges aforesayd of him selfe promised more vnto her then shée her selfe durst openly and preciselye aske M. As if Christ should haue sayde Be of good cheare I knowe what thou wouldest haue thou shalt haue thy desyer thou shalt receiue thy brother Bv. Thou doest beléeue that I béeing a good man and one in the fauoure of God can easily obtaine at his handes what I will yea if it were life for thy buried brother but I promise now vnto thée that thy brother shall arise againe by the power of mine which I haue of the father M. Al they haue to noate this word of consolation which are sorrowfull for the departure of their friendes out of thys lyfe Let them bee perswaded that they heare this from the mouth of Christ thy Father shall ryse agayne thy sonne shal ryse againe thy brother shal ryse again and thy frend shall ryse againe Moreouer in that he sayth not plainlie I wyll raise him vp but He shall rise againe it is to be attributed to modesty and humilitie whiche the Lorde teacheth euery where 24. Martha sayeth vnto hym I knowe that hee shall ryse againe in the resurrection at the laste daye Againe Martha bewrayeth the weakenesse of her faith For a weake faith looketh for nothing but common chaunce and fortune but true faith hath not respect vnto common course but to Gods promise C. Here therefore the excéeding fearfulnesse of Martha bewrayeth it selfe in that shée doeth extenuate the saying of Christ We sayde a litly before that shée went farther then was méete when by her owne fantasy she immagined a sertaine hope to her selfe and nowe shée is slipte into the contrary vice who when Christ reched forth his hand vnto her stoode stil trembling Wherefore we must take héede vnto our selues lest we béeing destitute of the word of GOD ground our hope vpon this or that when there is no cause and againe least the Lord opening hys mouth should finde our hearts to cloase and strayght shut A. But we sée that when Christ taught Martha she hearde him not without some fruite M. Faith of the resurrection derided by worldlings For firste of all shée beléeued that the last day should one daye come This faith the Children of this world do deride and mocke who think that this worlde will continue and abyde for euer Secondly shée beléeued that the resurrection of the dead should bée in the last day This faith the Saduceis did not alowe neither can humaine reason comprehend the same And shée doth not only saye that the resurrection of the dead shal be but I know that he shall rise againe in the laste daye So Iob speaketh I knowe that my redemer liueth and that I shal rise out of the earth in the last daye M. And of the faith of the general resurrection of all men shee taketh an argument of the speciall resurrection of her brother After the same manner also let vs gather All men shall ryse againe Therefore I also shall rise againe They shall ryse againe to euerlasting lyfe which beleeue in Christ therefore I also shall ryse againe God for Christes sake doth pardon and forgeue the penytent and beléeuing therefore also he will pardon and forgeue me God will not forsake those that trust in hym therfore he will not forsake me God resisteth the proude therefore he will resist the pride of Antichrist C. By this aunswere Martha would haue spoken more then shée durste hope for by the words of christ as if she should saye If so be thou speake and meane of the last resurrection I doubt not but that my brother shall rise againe in the last daye and vpon trust hereof I comforte my selfe but I know not whether thou giue mée to vnderstande some greater matter yea or no. 25. Iesus sayth vnto hir I am the resurrection and the lyfe hee that beleeueth on mee yea
same concerning Christ as that he was the resurrection and the life shée aunswereth that shée beléeueth him to be Christ and the sonne of God as in déede this knowledge comprehendeth in it selfe the sum of all goodnesse For we must alwayes consider to what ende the Messias was promised and what office the Prophets alwayes gaue vnto him R. And this confession is lyke vnto that which Peter made in the sixtéene chapter of Mathew C. And Martha in confessing him to bée the same which shoulde come into the world confirmeth her faith by the Prophesinges of the Prophetes Wherevppon it followeth that we ought to looke and hope for a full reformation of all thinges and for perfect felicitye at his handes 28. And as sone as shee had so sayd shee went her vvaye and called Marye her Sister secreatlye saying The Maister is come and calleth for thee Bv. Thus farre we hard the talke betweene the Lorde and Martha and now followeth the communication betwéene the Lord and Mary the which although it be very short and containeth nothing which hath not béene spoken of before yet notwithstanding it hath circumstances annexed to it which are neither to be contemned nor yet vnprofitable C. And it is likely that Christ stoode styl without the village at the request of Martha least he should come among so great an assembly of men For shee feared peryll because Christ had but latelye escaped the snare of death Therefore least the fame of his comming shoulde bée spread any farther shée priuilye enformed her sister of the same The Maister is come C. The name of Maister sheweth what estimation Christ had among godlye Matrones Howbeit they haue not as yet profited so much as they shoulde haue done and yet this was much that they had whollye addicted them selues vnto him as his Disciples 29. Assone as shee heard that shee arose quickly and came vnto him C. This sodaine and spéedy comming of Mary to méete Christ declareth no small reuerence M. There were many Iewes present which came from Ierusalem and sate by very sorrowful that they might comfort her ouer her dead brother Shée leauing all these so soone as shée knewe that Iesus was come and that he called for her made haste without delaye to come vnto him and not in vaine For the Iewes brought nothing with them but wordes with the which they could not satisfy a sorrowfull mind but this Christ brought with him the resurrection and the lyfe 30. Iesus was not yet come into the towne but was in that place where Martha mette him Bv. Therefore he wayted for Mary whome he commaunded to be called for séeking for a conuenient place to worke the miracle because the graue was not farre from thence for the custome was then to make the Monumentes of suche departed this lyfe by the hye wayes side M. And in this that the Lorde woulde not goe into the house to ease and refreshe him selfe before hée had fynished the worcke of the glorye of GOD in raysing vp Lazarus for the which hee came wée haue an example set before vs to followe that wée also might execute and finishe those thinges which concerne the glory of God before wée doe any thing else according to the saying of Christ Fyrst of all seeke the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Mat. 6.33 and all other thinges shal be geuen to you He is scant a faithfull seruaunt to his Lorde which séeketh the refreshing of his body and other priuate commodities before those things which concerne the glorye and profite of his Maister A. The seruaunt of Abraham woulde neyther eate nor drinke Gen. 24.33 vntyll hée had faithfullye discharged his Maisters errande and message 31. The Iewes then which were vvith her in the house cōforted her vvhen they sawe Marye that she arose vp hastely and vvent out follovved her saying Shee goeth vnto the graue to vveepe there C. Although by the sufferance of Christ Martha went home againe that shée might priuilye call her Sister from the multitude yet notwithstanding the purpose of our sauiour Christ tended to another ende namelye that he might haue them witnesses of his miracle This thing they thought not vpon but it was no newe thing that men should be brought as it were out of darkenesse by the secréete prouidence of God to a place whether they minded not to come M. For humaine matters are oftentimes so disposed by the purpose of God that by the occasion of those thinges which we purpose to doe we fall into those thinges which we neuer thought vppon C. They thought that Martha went to the graue according to the manner of those which séeke occasions to prouoke them to mourne For this is a common faulte among men that when the husbande hath lost his Wyfe or the Wyfe her Husbande the Father his Childe or the Childe the Father they by and by ambiciously séeke by al meanes possible to encrease their gréefe And many practised diuers sleights and subtile meanes to this ende Wherefore it was the dutye of these men to fetche backe Marye least by the sight of the Sepulchre shée might be occasioned to mourne but they durst not deale so sharpely with her but bare with her intemperate gréefe and went with her And thus oftentimes it commeth to passe that their consolations comfortes do lytle auayle which doe to much flatter with their friendes 32. Then when Marye vvas come vvhere Iesus vvas and sawe him shee fell downe at his feete and sayeth vnto him Lord if thou haddest beene here my brother had not beene dead M. The Euangelist in saying that Mary fell downe at the féete of Christ expresseth the singuler affection of loue and reuerence which shée bare towards him R. Shée is not afeard of the presence of the Iewes whome shée knewe not to be very gratious vnto the Lorde neither dyd shée regard their friendship which they declared in comming to comfort her nor yet doeth shée feare their iudgement but as shée bare a louing and reuerent heart toward the Lord so shée shewed her selfe in the sight of all men without desemulation C. And herby we gather that the Lorde was worshipped and serued in that house far suppassing the common manner of men For although men were wont to prostrate them selues before Kinges and Princes yet notwithstanding because Christ in the outward shewe of the flesh had nothing that was Kinglye and glorious Mary fell downe at his feete to another ende The which she would not haue done except she had beene perswaded that he had béene the son of God Lorde if thou haddest beene here M. Shée vseth the same wordes vnto the Lord which Martha had vsed before C. And although she séemeth in shewe to speake honourablye vnto Christ yet notwithstanding we shewed euen now what faulte was contayned in these words For the power of Christ which filled and doeth fyll heauen and earth ought not to be restrayned to his corporall presence 33. When
him to be sent of GOD and to wyll his Fathers wyll and also to bée equall with him in power For he wrought other myracles also without prayer Mar. 9.25 as when hée sayde to the Deuell Math. 8.2 come forth of him and to the Leprouse man which sayde If thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane Math. 9.6 I wyll bee thou cleane And to him that was sicke of the Paulsey Aryse take vp thy bed and walke Luk. 7.8 A. In lyke manner when hée raysed vp the Widdowes sonne from death we reade not that he prayed but sayde onelye Yong man I saye vnto thee aryse Mar. 5 4i Neyther yet when he raysed vp Iayrus Daughter Therefore although he could haue raised vp Lazarus with the wagging of his finger yet notwithstanding thus it behoued all thinges to be done because of the people whiche stoode by 43. And when hee thus had spoken he cried with a loude voyce Lazarus come forth M. He woulde haue all men heare with what words he raysed vp the dead man least any man should thinke that he dyd any thing supersticiouslye or by magicall arte Furthermore it was also necessarye that they shoulde heare howe constantly and without doubting with great confidence and aucthoritye he commaunded the dead man to aryse and to this ende he cryed aloude C. And whereas he toucheth not the dead body with his hande but cryeth onelye with a loude voyce his power therein doeth more manifestly appeare and withal he commendeth vnto vs the wonderfull and secréete efficacye of his worde For howe doeth Christ restore lyfe vnto the dead but by his worde Wherefore in the raysing vp of Lazarus he vsed a visible signe of spirituall grace the which wee féele daylye by the scence of Faith in shewing his voyce to bée a quickening voyce R. As therefore hée made the worlde by his worde so by his worde he raysed the dead man to the ende we might learne that the Gospell is the power of God to saluation to all that beléeue For as Lazarus being dead in body was brought againe by the word to corporall lyfe euen so we being dead in sinnes by the word receiued are restoared into the euerlasting lyfe of righteousnesse Reade the fiue and twentye verse ' of the fifte Chapter before 44. And hee that was dead came forth boūd hande and foote with graue cloathes and his face vvas bounde with a napkin Iesus sayde vnto them Loose him and let him goe And he that was dead Bv. This is a manifest declaration of the diuinitye of our Lord and sauiour Christ that his power is not voyde and ineffectuall but lyuely and quickening For nowe he performeth that in verye deede which he had spoken before namelye that he is the resurrection and the lyfe For so sone as Lazarus which was dead and buryed heard the voyce of the Sonne of God he came foorth sound and whoale in body And his face was bound with a napkin C. The Euangelist maketh mencion of Graue cloathes and the napkin to the ende we might knowe that Lazarus came foorth of the Sepulchre euen as hee was layde in the same Also the Iewes retaine this maner of buriall at this day wrapping the body in one péece of Linnen and the head with a towell or napkin seuerall as we maye reade in the nintéene Chapter folowing Graue clothes is all the ritches we carrye out of this world with vs. i. Tim. 6.7 Bv. And whereas Lazarus came foorth bounde hand foote all new writers almost thinke it to bée done by a newe miracle But hereby we may gather and sée what Ritches wee carrye foorth of this worlde with vs namelye our wynding sheete and graue cloathes according to the saying of the Apostle VVee brought nothing into this worlde neyther maye we carrye any thing out of the same Loose him and let him goe C. This was also commaunded to bée done to amplifye the glorye of the myracle that the Iewes might feele with their handes the worke of God whiche they sawe with their eyes R. For hée whiche had put awaye death with the power of his worde coulde eyther haue made the grauecloathes to haue fallen of by their owne accorde or else that Lazarus shoulde haue vnbounde him selfe but Christ would haue the handes of the standers by Auriculer confession to be witnesses of the miracle But to ridiculous are the Papistes who vpon this place ground their auriculer confession Christ saye they would haue Lazarus after he had restored him to life to be loosed by his Disciples therefore it is not sufficient for vs to be reconciled vnto God except the Church also forgeue vs our sinnes But wherevppon doe they define and gather that the office of loosing Lazarus was inioyned the Disciples We rather gather by the text that it was enioyned the Iewes to the ende they might haue all scruple of doubting taken from them A. Therfore this place serueth no more their turne to auriculer confession than doeth that other of the tenne Lepers in the seuentéene Chapter of Luke the which also they haue wickedly abused 45. Then many of the Iewes which came to Marye and had seene the thinges which Iesus dyd beleeued on him Bv. As in the former Chapters it hath diuers times appeared howe the world is affected at the workes of God and at the preaching of the gospel so the same apeareth to vs againe in this present Chapter For some obey Gods calling receiue the holy institucion of God and iudge rightly of Gods workes euen as dyd these men who séeing the wonderfull miracle beléeued Iesus to be the Messias But other some beléeue not obey not the workes and wordes of the Lord but doe rather speake euell of the same betraye the same and goe about with all their strength to obscure and ouerwhelme the manifest trueth M. Many beléeued but not all because all were not chosen to life C. Therefore Christ dyd not suffer the miracle which he had wrought to be without fruite because by this meanes he brought some vnto faith For there is a double vse of myracles namelye that they maye eyther prepare vs vnto faith or else maye confirme vs in the same The former vse the Euangelist noateth here For his meaning is that they of whome he speaketh wondered reuerenced the deuine power of Christ that they might be his Disciples otherwise the bare miracle could not suffice vnto faith Therefore by the worde Beleeued in this place we ought to vnderstande nothing else but the docillitye and redinesse to imbrace the doctrine of Christ as we haue shewed before Therefore the Iewes which came to comfort Mary and were brought vnto faith by this signe receyued thereby no small consolation 46. But some of them went theyr wayes to the Phariseis and told them what Iesus had done M. Here the nature and disposition of peruerse and obstinate personnes is discribed They had séene no other thing nor lesse than the
this faith was not liuely in them and not so vertuouse as it beecame the same because Christ geueth not vnto his Disciples the spirite of feare but the spirite of constancye insomuche that they dare bouldlye confesse that whiche they haue learned of him And although it is not likely that these men were quight dumbe yet notwithstanding because they made no true confession the Euaungelist simply denieth that they professed theyr fayth For this had bene true and lawfull confession to haue openlye geuen their name and professed Christ Wherefore let no man flatter himselfe which in anye parte hydeth and dissembleth his faithe leste he should incurre the displeasure and hatered of men For although the name of Christ be odiouse that feare is not excusable which maketh vs slide from the confession of his name though but the breadth of a heare Bv. A great number at this daye haue the very same disease that these Rulers had For they vnderstand the doctrine of trueth they know the lawful vse of the sacramentes that papistry is contrary to the doctrine of the Gospell and that in the papacy the Sacramentes are not ministred accordinge to the institution of the Lorde all these thinges they sée and knowe but yet neuertheles for feare and the loue of temporall thinges they communicate with the very same they haulte on both sydes and do not bouldly confesse the trueth All these men verely do greatly offende and ought not to be confyrmed in their errour to beleue that it is sufficient if so bee they retayne that which is true in their harte and do thinke well in their minde of the Gospell and in the meane time haue a lyking of these abhominations instituted against the word of God that is to saye they come vnto the masse not as to the masse but as vnto the Lordes Supper God hateth that hipocriticall dissimulation and loueth trueth and sinceritie Concerninge excommunication reade the ninth Chapter going before beginning at the .22 verse 43. For they loued the prayse of men more then the praise of God R. Thou mayest sée in this place the cause why fewe of the Rulers mightye men and wise men doe not sincerelye confesse the Gospell Because the Gospell bringeth with it the Crosse and the forsaking of earthlye goodes Nowe séeing the Rulers coulde not abide to forsake their tyranny and séeing it séemed foolishe to the wise men to resigne the wisdome of reasone to the bare and weake worde of the gospell it hath euer to come to passe that very fewe mightie and wise men truely confessed Christ According to the saying of Sainte Paule Behould your calling bretheren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mightie not many of high degre are called but God hath chosen the foolishe thinges of this world to confounde the wise C. The Euangelist laieth no supersticioÌ„ to these menes charge but onely sayth that they sought to auoyde the reproche and disprayse of men For yf so be ambition preuayled more with them than the feare of God it followeth that they were delyuered by a certayne light feare of concience Nowe let the readers noate how greatly God misliketh and condemneth theire feare who dissemble their faithe before men for feare of displeasure What worse thing can there be yea what can be more beastly than to preferre the vaine liking and commendation of men before the Iudgement of God And he pronounceth all those to be suche who forsake the displeasure of men when they should confesse a pure true faith and that iustely For the Apostell commending the inuinsyble constancie of Moyses Heb. â—i 27. saith that he endured euen as though he hadde séene him which is inuisible By which wordes he geueth vs to vnderstande that when a man fasteneth his eyes vppon God his harte will be inuincible more faste than an Adamant stoan Hervpon therfore commeth that cowardlines which maketh vs to fal to false dissimulation because wee haue wholy respect vnto this world For the sincere aspect and behoulding of God doth driue away all smoake and vanitie of ritches and honours It is not therefore a small and veniall offence as some imagine to deny Christ seeing the holy Ghost in this place sayth that those Rulers which confessed not Christe loued the prayse of men more than the glory of God Bv. And Christe himselfe sayth He which denieth mee before men shall be denied of mee before my Father which is in heauen Mat. 10.33 C. To loue the prayse of men in this place signifieth to desire to be in estimation and fauoure among men Therefore the Euaungelist meaneth that these Rulers were so addicted vnto the worlde that they rather desired to please men than God R. The prayse of men is to be counted honest good and wise the glorye and prayse of God is to be obiected contemned scorned crucified and to be cruellye slaine For by these meanes Christ entered into the kingdome of his Father and the Father by them was glorified in the worlde Hee therefore which preferreth the prayse of men before the glorye of God is vaine and miserable seeing the praise of men tendeth to reproache and shame but the glory of God bringeth to euerlasting lyfe 44. Iesus cryed and sayd Hee that beleeueth on me beleeueth not on mee but on him that sent mee M. All this place contayneth a serious and summarie declaration by which the Lorde maketh plaine protestation concerning himselfe and his dispensation as that hée doth not defende his owne cause that hée came not at his owne pleasure but that hée was sent of the Father that hée is the light of the world sent to doe good and not harme that hee spake nothing of himselfe and therefore that they which beléeue in him beeleéue not in him but in the father which sent him and that hee iudgeth not the vnbeleeuing but that they must be iudged by the word which he hath preached And by this his serious contestation hys purpose was in plaine wordes to gyue his last farwell to this blinde and obstinate people to lay the blame of vnbelefe vppon their owne heades and manifestlye to testefie of his righteousnesse and innocencie And this hee did not symply and in the eares of one or two but freely and with a lowde voyce which the Euaungelist noateth by these wordes Iesus cryed and sayde So did the saintes of God in olde time protest before the people shewing that they had omitted nothing Deut 32 1. Iosua 23.4 King 12 3. Act. 20.33 which pertayned to the office committed vnto them as Moyses Iosua Samuell and Paule B. Also the purpose of our sauiour Christ was by his example speaking of him selfe with so loude a voyce than the which nothing greued more the Pharises to incourag those fearfull Rulers which beleeued on him that with him they might dispise the Pharises in respect of God And that they might do this he bringeth a moste vrgent and stronge reasone affirminge that
honoureth Christe with that parte with the whiche wée are to be honoured of him and dishonoureth him with that with the which he is to be honoured For the Religion of supersticion is commonlye preposterous In sinning it is moued with no reuerence towards GOD but in praying for remission of sinnes wée wyll séeme to shewe reuerence towardes God confessing but yet supersticiouslye I wyll not saye wickedlye that wée are so vnworthye that we shoulde not presume to come into the presence of God to craue helpe at his handes And as it is true that we are vnworthy to come into the presence of GOD so it is Godlye to confesse our vnworthinesse But that pietye turneth to supersticion and impiety if for our vnworthinesse wée exclude the ministerye of Christ 7. Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto him What I doe thou wottest not nowe but thou shalt knowe hereafter M. The Lorde declareth that hée doeth another thing besyde the washing of theyr feete For otherwyse Peter had not erred when hée sayde Doest thou washe my feete For this thing the Lord did and yet he sayde not I wash not thy feete but what I doe thou wottest not nowe but thou shalt knowe hereafter B. For hée did not washe the Desciples feete to make them cleane but to the ende they might learne mutual loue This Péeter knewe not of then but afterwarde hee heard the same of the Lord but truly he vnderstoode the same when he receiued the holy Ghost and called to mynd all the wordes and déedes of Christ C. Furthermore by these wordes of the Lorde we are taught to obaye Christ although there appeare no reason why he woulde haue this or that to bee done In a house well ordered the counsail resteth onlye in the mayster of the house to whome the seruauntes ought to submitte them selues Therefore he is to presumtuouse which eschueth the power and neglecteth the commaundement of God because hee knoweth no reason of of the same Also this admonition doth further extend it selfe as that we should not think much to be ignoraunt of those thinges which God would haue hidden from vs so a time For this kind of ygnoraunce is better learned than any knoweledge when wee geue place vnto the Lorde to excell vs in wisdome 8. Peeter sayeth vnto him Thou shalte neuer washe my feete Iesus aunswered hym if I wash thee not thou haste no parte with mee R This wylfulnesse of Peter procéeded of the zeale of God but not according to knowledge wherefore it is carnall affection and not spirituall worshippe C. Thus farre forth his modestye was to be excused howbeit the same wanted not faulte but nowe it offended more for that it being reproued gaue not place And this is commonlye seene that errour and obstinate wyll are ioyned togeather It is a notable collour that disobedience should spring of reuerence but because he doth not sipmly obeye the commandement he doth loose his labour in séeking to honour Christ This therefore is the true wisedome of faith to allowe and reuerently to imbrace as well and orderlye done whatsoeuer commeth from the Lorde For verilye otherwise we cannot sanctifye his name because except we iudge the same to be excellentlye well done which he doeth our fleshe wyll neuer obeye and geue that honour which is due vnto him but by constraint To bee short except man doe forsake him selfe in iudging of the worckes of God although he haue a desyre to honour God pride wyll alwaye lurke vnder the shewe of humilitye C. Peter had hearde the Lord saye that there was somewhat in this washing whiche he shoulde knowe afterwarde whereby he shoulde haue béene bridled from resisting the Lorde any further But he was to shamefast It is not good shamefastnesse whiche excéedeth so muche that it resisteth the grace and loue of God towardes vs. Some are oftentimes so affected with this ouer much shame that they dare not call vppon God in the time of neede but make intercessours of the Saintes Of the which we haue spoken a litle before Jf I washe thee not Bv. The Lorde Iesus vehementlye reprehending the refusall of Peter sheweth and openeth the misterye of this washing which is the fruite of his Passion of his comming into this world C. Yet notwithstanding he doeth not plainelye expresse for what cause he determined to washe his Disciples féete onelye by a similitude taken from the soule to the body he teacheth that he doeth no newe thing or vnbeséeming his person in washing his Disciples féete Notwithstanding the Lorde sheweth what foolishe circumspection Peter vsed The lyke shall happen vnto vs so soone as the Lord beginneth to contend with vs. Because Christ was there Lord and Maister Peter thinketh it verye absurde that he shoulde washe his féete But in repelling this office he refuseth the principall part of his saluacion For this sentence contayneth a generall doctrine namelye that all of vs are filthye and defiled before God vntyll Christ wyâ—e awaye our spottes Nowe séeing that he challengeth to him selfe aloane this office of cleansing let euerye one offer vnto him his vncleannesse to bée purged that he maye haue place among the sonnes of God M. Herevppon the Apostle sayeth Knowe yee not that the vniust shall haue no enheritaunce in the Kingdome of God 1 Cor 6.9 Ephe. 5.5 Bee not deceyned and so forth C. Moreouer there are some whiche referre this worde VVashe vnto the frée remission of sinnes and there are other some also which referre the same to newnes of lyfe and a thirde sort vppon good consideration referre it to both For Christ washeth vs when he wipeth awaye our sinnes by the offering vp of him selfe least they shoulde come into iudgement Moreouer he washeth vs when by his holye spirite he abolisheth the wicked and sinfull desires of the fleshe 9. Simon Peter sayeth vnto him Lorde not my feete onelye but also the handes and the head M. Peter hearing such a graue and intollerable threatening submitteth himselfe wholly vnto the wyl of Christ being nowe readye to suffer not onelye his féete to bée washed but his handes and his head that is to saye his whoale body As if he shoulde saye Before I suffer my selfe to be seperated from thée I wyll suffer whatsoeuer thou wylt Bv. I doe geue not onelye my féete to be washed but also I offer my selfe with all that I haue vnto thee C. This necessitye was a méete Mistres to tame him Therefore laying aside contencion he geueth place But he wyll nowe bée washed euerye whitte And he truelye confesseth that he is whollye in euerye part defiled and that therefore he is nothing profited if so be one part onely bée washed 10. Iesus sayeth to him Hee that is washed needeth not saue to washe his feete but is cleane euerye whitte And ye are cleane but not all A. As by a certaine obstinate wyll Peter at the first resisted Christ going about to washe his féete C. euen so here againe through rashnesse he erreth
in that hee maketh small account of the benefite already receiued For he speaketh as though he had receiued no remission of sinne and no sanctification of the spirite Therefore here also he is iustlye reprehended of Christ For he putteth him in minde of that which he had bestowed vpon him before howbeit vnder the person of one man hee also admonisheth all his Disciples that being mindfull of the grace receyued they doe consider what is néedefull for them as yet in time to come Fyrst of all he sayeth that the faithfull are wholye cleane not that they are cleane through euery part so that they shoulde no more haue any spotte in them but because they were cleansed in the speciall part the kingdome being taken from sinne that the kingdome of God might haue the right preheminence euen as if a man shoulde saye that the whole bodye is sounde because it is infected with no generall disease Therefore we must declare our selues to be the Disciples of Christ by newnes of lyfe séeing he preacheth him selfe to bee the aucthour of puritye in the Disciples of Christ Moreouer this other similitude also is brought to the present matter least the washing of féete should be reiected of Peter as vaine and absurd For as Christ washed from the head to the féete those whome he made his Disciples euenso in those whome he hath cleansed the lower part must be daylye purged For the children of God are not whollye regenerated the first daye that they should desyre nothing but heauenly life But haue rather the reliques of fleshe abyding in them with the which al their life tyme they haue a contynuall battel Therefore all the affections and cares of this lyfe are Metophoricallye called féete For if so be the spirite possessed all the partes of man we should haue nothing to do any more with the spottes of this worlde Ecles 3 5. Ephe. 4.22 A. But Christ shall alway finde matter in vs to purge For the which cause we are commaunded to mortifye oure members which are vpon the earth and to put of the olde man vntyll such time as we be throughly cleansed C. Here therefore Christ speaketh not of remission of sinnes but of renouacion the which Christ by lytle and litle and by continuall degrées deliuereth those that are his quite and cleane from the desires of the fleshe And ye are cleane but not all C. This proposition is as it were the Minor in the Silogisme Wherevppon it followeth that the washing of féete properlye becommeth them R. But howe are they cleane which a lytle after denyed Christ Wée sayde euen nowe that this must be referred to the sanctification of the spirite Verilye those that beléeue and are elected in the blood of Christ are alwayes cleane ◠Ioh. 1.7 for the blood of Iesus Christe the Sonne of GOD doeth make vs cleane from all sinne but in them selues they are sinners ronneawayes and Apostatas AV. For the verye humane affections without the whiche we lyue not in this mortall lyfe are as it were féete when wee are affected with humayne thinges and we are so affected that if so bee we saye we haue no synne wée deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs. Therefore he doeth dayly washe our féete who maketh intercession for vs and wee daylye confesse in the Lordes Prayer when we saye Forgeue vs our dettes as wee forgeue our detters that we haue néede to washe our féete that is to saye to dyrect the wayes of our spirituall treadinges But not all C. This exception is added to the ende euerye man might examine him selfe if peraduenture Iudas might bee touched with affection to repent Howbeit his purpose was to confirme and stay the rest of his Disciples aforehand least the cruell facte which should afterward appeare shoulde trouble them as if it had béene conceyued in a heauenlye heart indued with grace Notwithstanding vppon wyse consideration hee nameth no man least he should take awaye all occasion of repentaunce from him But seeing in déede he was past all hope of recouerye this admonicion serued onelye to encrease his faulte but it profited the Disciples verye muche because thereby the diuinity of Christ was the better knowne vnto them Furthermore they vnderstoode that puritye was not a common gyft of the holy ghost Bv. Wonderfull therefore was the méekenesse and gentlenesse of Christ Iesus who neyther bewrayed to others the knowne Traytour nor yet secluded her from the washing af his feete nor from the holy Supper nor yet from the Communion of his holye bodye and blood onelye hee pricked his wicked Conscience that so hee mighte repent after hee knewe that the Lord was not ignoraunt of his treason 11. For he knewe who it was that should betray him therefore sayde hee Yee are not all cleane M. The Euangelist sayeth not For he knewe who it was which beléeued on him but who it was that should betraye him Therefore this treason by which Iudas bytrayed his Lord was so filthy and vncleane that it cannot be in those which haue béene once washed He which is once washed of Christ although hee haue neuer so foule féete yet notwithstanding he is neuer so impure as to betraye Christ his purifyer Therfore so many as for money and filthye gaine sell Christ in the Church whether they bee Apostles or Apostolicall whether they bee Popes or Pontifical Priestes they are not of that nomber which hath béene once washed and are cleansed throughly but are whollye vncleane with Iudas the Traitour A. Concerning farther matter which appertainech to this place reade the seuentye verse of the sixt Chapter going before 12 So after hee had washed their feete and receiued bis cloathes and was set downe againe hee sayde vnto them wote ye what I haue done to you M. The Ceremony whith Christ vsed before his Disciples had béene to small purpose if so be he had ioyned doctrine to the same C. Wherefore hée nowe declareth to what ende hée washed his Disciples feete Nowe therefore he sheweth a reason of his doing and when hée sayeth VVote yee what I haue done vnto you M. he asketh not the same as doubtfull C. but sheweth that he hyd the same from his Disciples for a time that prouing their obedience hée might in time reueale that vnto them which afore was vnméete to bée known Neyther doth he staye tyll they demaunded the meaning of his déede but he preuenteth them him selfe The lyke shall happen vnto vs if so bée we suffer him to leade vs by the hande throughe vnknowne wayes 13. Yee call mee Maister and Lorde and ye saye vvell for so am I. M. The Lorde taking an argument of his Disciples wordes so teacheth them what they ought to doe that they cannot deny the same except they would deny that which they had spoken before They had alwayes in theyr mouthes Maister Lorde Lorde but they litle considered howe to behaue them selues in theyr conuersation as his Disciples according to those
names Therefore he doth argue verye well of their owne wordes what they ought to doe Thus also let vs consider of our selues Wée cal Christ our Lord and master but where is the obedieÌ„ce due to a Lord and Maister We cal him our sauiour and redemer but where is faith and truste Where is loue due to a sauiour and redéemer Wée call God our Father but wée lyttle consider what hee speaketh by a Prophete M. Yf I be your Father Malac. 1.6 where is my honour Yf I be your Lorde where is my feare Wee are muche deceyued in this that wée doe not sufficientlye waye what those voyces require whiche came out of our mouthes whether they belong vnto God our Father or to Christ our Lorde or to those with whome wée haue to doe in this life whether they bée superioures as Magistrates Ministers of the worde â–ª Parentes and such lyke or wheter they be our equalls as bretheren kinsfolkes and neighbours or our inferioures as children seruants and subiectes And ye saye well for so am I. Therefore he sayeth well which calleth Christ our Lord and Maister for he is our Lord and Maister only Euenas he him selfe affirmeth in this place and in the twentie thrée of mathew He allso which calleth him our only Redéemer Sauiour Mediatoure and Shephearde sayeth well for he is so in déede But hée sayth not wel which calleth wolues Shepheardes Antechrist the vickar of Christ the most filthy and abhominable holy and cleane which calleth a tyrant a father Simonicall Princes and flowe bellies not seeking Christ but their owne honoure and bellies Bishoppes which calleth the most carnall Cardinalles and spirituall personnes and the worshippe of the belly the worshippe of God 14. If I then your Lorde and Mayster haue washed youre feete yee also ought to wash one anothers feete C. He vseth here an argument from the more to the lesse Pride will not suffer vs to haue that equallity and felloshippe among vs which wée should haue But Christ which is farre aboue vs all doeth humble him selfe to make the proude ashamed who forgetting their state and degrée do exempt them selus from brotherly felloweshippe For whome thinketh mortall man him selfe to be yf he refuse to beare the burthen of his bretheren to apply him selfe to the manners of others and to doe those duties by which the vnitie of the Church is maintayned The summe is this that the same man doth arrogate to muche vnto him selfe who considereth not that he doth therefore liue among his weake bretheren willingly to doe those duties which seeme vncomelye B. For Christe doeth not only require the washing of the féete but also all the duties of true due For it is a figure called Sinecdoche by which we must vnderstand by that which is most seruile all other duties For he which so humbleth him selfe that he is contented to wash his enemies fete what seruice and duty will he refuse to doe C. We must also noate that Christe sayeth that he geueth an example For it is not méete that all his déedes shoulde be drawen into example and immitation Popishe imitacion of Christ B. The Bishoppe of Roome too apishly followeth Christ in many thinges and in this he would séeme to followe Christ washing once in a yeare the féete of sertaine poore folke which haue béene washed before and not only washed but also perfumed with swéete odours and waters And thus by a bare and naked Cereremony they thinke that they haue done very well and when they haue done it they can be contented to contemne their brethren and cruelly to teare the members of Christ and to spitte in his face Wherefore that commicall Pompe is nothing else but a filthye scorninge of Christ And verely Christ doth not heare commend vnto vs a yearlye ceremony but commaundeth vs al our life tyme to 〈◊〉 â—ady to washe our brethrens feete When Abigaâ—l sayde vnto the messengers of Dauid i. Ki. 25.41 Behould let thy handmayde be a seruaunt to wash the feete of the seruauntes of my Lord she ment not such a counterfeit seruice as the Immitating enemies of Christ do vse but she ment that shee would be so obediente loyall and seruiceable to Dauid that shée would not refuse to washe euen the féete of his seruauntes So Paule vnderstoode washing of féete when he requireth the good and vertuouse wydowe i. Ti 5. x to be a washer of the faintes féete that is to saye to be seruiceable vnto them in each poynt M. Finally it is to be noated that Christ sayeth not yée ought to washe my feete but To washe one anothers feete Therefore he doth not so much require that we should doe the lyke vnto him as that we shoulde séeke one anothers profite And peraduenture euery one of vs would be ready if Christ were presente to washe his féete yea none of vs would thinke our selues worthy ynough to doe that seruice vnto him but we shal hardly fynd one which will do the same naye which will acknoweledge that he oughte to do the same to another as the brother to washe his brothers féete the seruant his felowe seruauntes féete and specially they which excel others to washe their inferioures féete That Romish Byshoppe which calleth hym selfe the seruaunte of the seruauntes of God thinketh that Kings and Emperours owe suche reuerence and subiection vnto him that when he sytteth not in the Maiestie of Christ but of Antichrist they ought to kisse his féete But when will that seruaunt of the seruauntes of God submitte him selfe at the féete of subiectes after the example of Christ who rydeth with to muche Pride vppon the shoulders of those whome Christ hath redeemed with his bloude This fellowe boasteth him selfe to be the vicar of Christ and the successour of Peeter Concerning the exposition of the fiftéene and sixteene verses following reade our commentary vppon the tenth chapter of Mathewe beginning at the twentie fowre verse 17. If yee knowe these thinges happye are ye if ye doe them B. That is to saye yf yee rightly vnderstand these thinges insomuch that yee performe them then are yée blessed For the more lyke we are vnto God the more are we blessed And we cannot be more lyke to God in any thing then in liberallitie towardes all men Math. 5.45 So we shall be perfect euenas he is perfect who blesseth the euell as well as the good And he is that goodnesse it selfe by whome al thinges liue and haue their béeing A. For this is that which Luke as it were expounding it sayeth Luk. 6 36 Be yee mercifull euen as your father is mercifull C. Therefore nothing deserueth to bée called true knoweledge which leadeth the faithfull so farre that they desyer to be like vnto their head It is rather a vaine Immagination and fantasye which behouldeth not Christ and these thinges which belong vnto Christe inwardly Hereby thou mayest gather that vntill such time as thou hast learned to submit thy selfe vnto thy
was wickedly betrayed of his domisticall enemie euen so the like condition abideth for the Childeren of God After these mens opinions this is the sence In that one of my disciples is a wicked traytor it is no newe or vnwonted thing in the worlde but rather that is put in practise at this daye whiche the Scripture testifieth to be done longe agoe But séeing the same was shadowed in Dauid which was more fully afterward to be seene in Christ their Iudgement séemeth better which affirme the same properly to be fulfilled whiche Dauid had forshewed by the spirite of prophesy M. Thus therefore he séemeth to shew a reason wherefore he chose Iudas for that he was not ignorant what he was least that which shoulde come to passe might seeme to happen vnawares vnto him Moreouer to lift vp the héele metaphorically signifieth vnder the cooller of frendshippe to set vppon one by deceite that he maye bée oppressed vnawares Nowe that which Christ suffered béeing our head and example we must also patiently suffer béeing his members M. In this place also the authority of the Scripture is commended because all thinges in the same are necessarily fulfilled Wherefore we must take héede that we do not doubt of the fulfilling of them because the holy Ghost whatsoeuer he doth in the Scriptures whether it be by teaching or reprehending by threatning or promising by terrifiyng or comfortyng cannot lye A. For as Christ sayeth the scripture cannot but bee fulfilled Ioh. 10.35 Esay 40.8 because the word of the Lorde abydeth for euer 11. Nowe I tell you beefore it come that when it is come to passe yee might beeleue that I am hee C. By this sentence he admonisheth his Disciples that there is so litle cause why they should stomble or fall because a traytor shall come out of their company that they ought rather thereby to be the better confirmed in faith For excepte we did behould with our eyes the verye same in the Church which was forshewed concerning the troubles and contentions of the same we might haue Iuste occasion to doubt of prophesyes But seeing the trueth of the Scripture doth agrée with our experience then we haue better intelligence that God hath a care for vs and that we are gouerned by hys prouidence M. Therefore let vs noat to what ende Christ went aboute to confirme the mindes of his Apostles in the fayth towardes hym They had séene manye of his miracles and of late when hée raysed vp Lazarus oute of the graue when he had béene dead fowre dayes they stoode by and yet notwithstanding it was so great a matter to beleeue in him that they had also néede to be comforted and confirmed in that faith by the Scriptures of the Prophetes C. Moreouer by these wordes That yee might beleeue that J am hee He geueth vs to vnderstand that hée is the same messias which was promised Not that the treason of Iudas beganne to bring the Disciples vnto the Fayth for they knewe him already and had confessed who he was but because their faith profited more Iohn 6.69 when they came vnto the experience of those thinges which they had heard before out of the mouth of Christ And nowe we maye two wayes vnderstand the same as that he sayeth that the Disciples shall beleeue when they see the matter come to passe because nothing was hidden from him or else that none of thos things should faile him which the Scripture testifieth concerning Christ Both these sentences maye serue well B Therefore when they sawe that he knewe all thinges before they came to passe and yet notwithstanding woulde willingly suffer the same they mighte easily know that he was very Christe and God Howbéeit they did better way and vnderstand these thinges when they were more amply endued with the holy Ghost Concerning the exposition of the twenty verse reade in our commentary vppon the tenth Chapter of Mathewe beginning at the forty verse 21. When Iesus thus sayde hee was troubled in spirite and testifyed and sayde verilye verily I saye vnto you that one of you shall betraye mee C. The more holy that the Apostolicall office is and the greater the excelency of the same the more filthy and detestable was the treason of Iudas Therefore such and so great wickednesse brought horror of mind into Christ him selfe when he séeeth that holy office to be defiled by the vnspeakable witnes of one man in whom the Maiesty of God should haue shined B. And this perturbation constraned him to speake more plainly of the traitor and according to his wonted manner to testify with an oath that it was one of his chosen Disciples Apostles which should betray him As if he should saye Beholde to what great dignitie I haue aduaunced you For I haue made you so great that whosoeuer receiueth you receiueth my father also but Oh wickednesse Oh straunge cruelty one of you I saye of you twelue of you Apostls whom whosoeuer heareth heareth me and my father to whome whosoeuer doth good doth it to me and to my Father shal betray me to death C. And this was not a fained passion in Christ but he was in déede througly so affected and troubled This is necessary to be knowen of vs because his zeale is sett before for immitation that wée might seriously abhorre these monsterouse synnes which do ouerthrowe the holy order of God and of hys Church AVG. Awaye then with the Arguments of the Philosophers which say that these perturbations come not into the minde of a wise man God hath made the wisedome of this world foolishnesse i. Cor. i. 20 Wée maye reade the like wordes in the one and twenty verse of the twentye sixe Chapter of Mathewe 22. Then the Disciples looked one on another doubting of whome hee spake C. They whose consciences accused them not were much agréeue at the saying of Christ only Iudas was so obstinate and hardned in his wickednesse that hée was not touched at al. So great was the authority of Christ with the Disciples that they were sertainly perswaded that he did or spake nothing rashly B. Therefore they looked one vppon another eyther because they were amased or else because thereby they woulde sée if they could fynd out the traytour by his countenaunce But Sathan hadde banished out of the heart of Iudas al reuerence that he might be more hard then the flint stoan to repell all admonitions Bv. For al the rest béeing wonderfully troubled and greeued he notwithstanding hee knewe in his owne conscience him selfe to be giltie was neither a feard neyther ashamed nor abashed to come to the holy Surper and coulde also abide without blushing that the Lorde should looke vppon him whom he knew not to be ignorāt of any of his thoughts So great was the plague of couetousenesse and such liberty he had to abuse the knowen libertie of the Lorde And allthough Christ might seme to deale scarse frendly in suffering his guiltlesse Disciples to
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
forgotten againe tyl at the leangth they growe out of vse Therefore Christ the better to imprint the doctrine of loue in the mindes of his disciples commendeth the same of newnesse As if he should say I would haue you alwayes to remember this commaundement euen as if it were a Law newlye made To bée short we sée that the purpose of Christ in this place was to exhort his Disciples vnto loue least at any time they should suffer them selues to be drawen from the loue of the same or suffer the doctrine thereof to go out of their mindes And howe necessarye this admonicion was Loue commaunded to the Disciples daylye experience teacheth Therefore Christ geueth vnto loue this tytle of newnesse to stryre vs vp alway to imbrace the same A. And for this cause Saint Iohn in another place calleth the same newe i. Ioh. 2.7 That ye loue togeather C. Loue is extended euen to straungers and forreiners because all are of one fleshe all are created after the Image of God But because the Image of God doeth more euidently shine in those that are regenerated it is méete that the bond of loue be much more straite among the Disciples of Christ Gala. 6.20 i. â—e i. 22 i. Ioh. 3. i4 euen as the Apostle Paul exhorteth Loue hath his originall from GOD and is referred vnto him There can bée no mutuall affection of loue but onely in those that are gouerned by one spirite Christ therfore noateth here to the first degrée of loue Loue extendech it selfe to all men But we noate also that as the goodnesse of God doeth extend it selfe to the whole worlde euen so we must loue all men yea euen those which do hate vs that we may be the children of our heauenly Father which suffereth his sonne to shine vppon the good and en the euyll 35. In this shall all men knowe that yee are my Disciples if ye haue loue one to another C. Christ confirmeth againe that which hee had spoken before that they were taught in vaine in his schoole which loue not mutually among them selues As if hée should say Not only your selues shal knowe that you are my Disciples but your profession also shal be proued true before others Bv. The Disciples of other maisters are knowen by their titelles by their Apparell and by diuers other noates R. The Disciples of Antichriste are knowen by their rounding and shauing by their disguised apparell and by their externall Ceremonies The Disciples of Moyses are known by Circumcision by their holy and Sabboth dayes and by their sacrifices Loue is the badge of Christes Disciples but all men in the whoale worlde shall knowe by one noat and badge that ye are my very and true Disciples yf so be ye retaine suche loue among you as I shewe vnto you Therefore séeing Christ hath prescribed this to be the only and sertaine noate to knowe his discipls by are they not fooles and mad men who forsaking so playne and absolute a commaundement séeke other noates For there are some that think they shall be true Christians yf so be they can créepe into a Monkes Coole if so be they builde Temples and erect alters come to Masses and do obserue such like traditions of men Therfore séeing Christ discerneth his Disciples by loue from other Disciples they weary them selues in vaine who forsaking loue forge vnto them selues newe worshippes the which vanitie is to bee séene at this daye in the Papacy And it is not superfluouse that Christ standeth so much vppon this poynt For selfloue doth so rule vs for the most parte that true loue is cleane banished away Wherefore whosoeuer desiereth to bée a true Disciple of Christ let him frame and direct his whoale lyfe to loue his bretheren and dayly practise the same Neyther is there any cause why the enemies of Gods truth should by this place extenuate the frée iustification which commeth by faith For we our selues doe acknoweledge and confesse that there is no fayth without loue but we knowe that loue springeth from faith For the whiche cause the Apostle Paule commendeth to the Churches of Galatia faith which worketh thorowe loue Gala. 5.6 36. Simon Peeter sayd vnto hym Lorde whether goeste thou Iesus aunswered hym whether I goe thou canst not followe mee nowe but thou shalte follow mee afterwards M. Againe the loue of Simon towardes the Lord bewrayed it selfe Hee was very loth to be seperated from him whom he so entierly loued béeing redy to follow him whether soeuer he went Therefore when he heard the Lord saye whether I goe thether yee cannot come with a troubled mind he demaunded saying Lord whether goest thou C. Whereby it appeareth how great the rudenesse of Peeter was who béeing so oftentimes admonished of the death and departure of Christ was now troubled as if he had neuer heard any whit of the same Howebéeit in this we are to like vnto him For we heare dayelye out of the mouth of Christ all thinges apte and méete for this life and necessary to be knowen but when wee come vnto the matter we are no lesse astonished than nouices which neuer heard of the same M. Péeter maketh no aunswere to those thinges concerning mutuall loue which the Lord had commaunded But leauing that demandeth whether Christ went C. By which wordes he declareth that he had to great a desyer of the carnall presence of Christ For he thought this very vnméete that Christ should goe to another place and he be left behinde VVhether J goe thou canst not followe me Now he more plainly vttereth that which he had spokeÌ„ before whether I go thether can ye not come C. And withall he brideleth the importunate desyre of Péeter And he speaketh precisely as it became a Maister notwithstanding strayt after he mittigateth the sharpnesse of hys wordes teaching that he shall be seperated from them but for a short time M. Heare we must noate that there are certaine times and momentes appoynted of God to euery faithfull man in the which they departing out of this life maye followe their Lord before the which times noane maye followe him Peeter in déede had his time comming to followe the Lord as here also it is sayd but he had his moments and appoynted time of the which mencion is made in the eyghtéenth verse of the one twenty Chapter following C. In this place therefore we are taught to submitte our prayers vnto God lest they passe their boundes the which if they doe we must suffer them to be restrayned with thys brydell Moreouer lest we should faynt or be discouraged let vs remember the consolation which strayght after he addeth promising that we shall one daye come vnto him For he meaneth that Péeter as yet was not méete to beare his crosse but as a gréene and vntimely plant yet notwithstanding that in continuaunce of time he should bée made apte for the same Wherefore wée must pray vnto God that he
will encreace that which he hath begon in vs. And wée must créepe béefore we haue strength geuen to vs to ronne swiftly And as Christ doth beare with vs in our imperfection euenso let vs learne not to cast of our weake Bretheren which as yet are far from the marck It is to be wished that al didde ronne with good courage but If anye doe ronne slowely so that he kéepe the waye let vs hope well CYR. Some think that by these wordes it was ment that Péeter after the assention of the Lord should be crucefyed but it maketh no matter what kind of death the Apostle of Christ suffered 37. Peeter sayd vnto him Lorde why cannot I follow thee nowe I will ieoparde my lyfe for thy sake C. Péeter by these words declareth that he was gréeued at the answere of Christ Hee vnderstoode that he was put in mind of his owne infirmitie whereby he gathred that his owne fault was a let vnto him that he could not presentlye followe Christ But yet he was not fully perswaded of this For by nature mankind is puffed vp with trust of his owne strength M. He doth not demaund and saye when shall I followe thée if I cannot followe thée nowe but he sayth VVhy cannot I follw the nowe As if he should saye R Doest thou think that I hauing receiued so many benifits of the wil be so vnthankfull that I will forsake thee Thou hast chosen mee to be an Apostle I haue tasted of the heauenly Ioye vpon mounte Thabor I haue wrought miracles in thy name and what benefite is it that I haue not receiued of thée howe then can I forsake thée being in great peril of thy lyfe I wil ventur◠my lyfe for thée yea I will dye for thée so far am I from forsaking thée C. These wordes of Peter shew what an opinion we haue conceiued of oure selues and howe we trust to our owne strength where vpon it cōmeth that wée dare doe any thing without callinge for the help of God when as notwithstanding we can do nothing But concerning this read more in the twentie six chapter of Mathew in the thirty thrée verse 38. Iesus aunswered hym wilte thou ieoparde thy lyfe for my sake verily verily I say vnto thee the Cocke shall not crowe till thou haue denied me thrise M. Peeter séemed to prooue Christ a liar in denying that so bouldly which the Lord declared vnto him Therefore Christ séeketh more and more to beate downe the arrogancy of Peeter leste hée béeing puffed vp aboue measure shoulde bée to prowd of his owne strength And Christ would not contend with him but thought it better to let him haue experience of his owne strength euenas fooles are serued who are neuer wise but when they are punished Peter promiseth inuincible constancie and he speaketh according to the sincere affection of hys mind but it is blind and presumptuouse bouldnesse because he considereth not what was geuen vnto him Therefore the Lord correcteth that rashenesse As if he should saye R. What is that I heare Wilt thou Péeter dye for mée who came to dye for thée M. But I saye vnto thée that thou shalt be so aferd and discouraged that thou shalt not only forsake mée with the rest but shalt also deny mee euen as if thou haddest neuer knowen mée and that not once but twise yea thrise and with suche spéede that thou shalt deny mée before the Cock crowe But because this example pertaineth vnto vs let all men learne to waye and consider their owne infirmities and imperfections leste they be to prowd vppon vaine confidence Wée cannot presume to muche vpon the grace of God but here the secure presumption of the fleshe is reprehended seeing that faith bringeth forth rather feare and carefulnesse Hée suffereth the due and condinge punishement of his arrogancy wherefore that God may stay vs vp by his power let vs learne to forsake oure owne strength and to flée to him in time ⧠The Xiiij. Chapter 1. And he saide vnto his Disciples let not your hartes be troubled ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me Let not your hearts be troubled THIS whoale Chapeter is mixed with consolations with doctrines witht exhortacions and with promises The Lorde comforteth his sorrowefull and troubled Disciples instructeth them concerninge the father exhorteth them to beléeue in him to loue him to keepe his sayings promiseth them place in heauen the gift of the holy Ghost the hearing of their praiers his retourne vnto them againe the loue and grace of his Father and laste of al his peace And he doeth not without cause vse so many wordes to confirme his Disciples who had so daungerouse and fearfull a battaile prepared for them For this was no smal temptation that which in a litle while after they shoulde sée him hanging uppon the Crosse in the which sight there was nothing to bee seene but matter of vtter desperation Seeing the hower of so greate trouble was at hand he sheweth them a remedy lest they beeing ouercome should quaile M. In him we see the Image of that Priest Heb. 4.15 who béeing him selfe tempted in all thinges can haue compassion vppon all those that are tempted euenas the Apostle describeth him vnto vs. Hée knoweth that his disciples are men and ar easily troubled with sorrowful things I would to God that they which are of some estimation in the Churche were thus affected toward the weake euenas Christ was affected toward his whome he willeth not to be troubled C. Wée must alwayes consider the circumstance of time in that Christ would haue hys Disciples to stand strong and withoute feare when all thinges might séeme to bring present death and desperation M. For hée knewe that none of those things should hurt him how dangerouse and mortall soeuer they séemed to bée Therefore wée must alwayes vse thys Buckler to withstand such conflictes It cannot bée but that we shall feele diuers motions but we must be so affeard and troubled that we do not fall The faithful therefore are sayd not to be troubled because they leaning vnto the word of God although they bee oppressed with great troubles yet notwithstandinge they constantly go forward Ye beleue in God beleue also in me C. Christ doth not only encourage hys Disciples by exhorting them vnto constancy but doth also teach from whence they must seeke for theyr strength namly from Faith by which he is acknoweledged to be the Sonne of God who is able ynough of him selfe to defend those that are his This is the true waye to stande yf so be our fayth be reposed in Christ and yf so be it doth behould him when he helpeth vs euen as yf hée were present For this is the meaning of that whiche as sayth There is no cause why yee should be troubled for my departure Bv. For yf so bee ye haue grounded youre fayth vppon God he shal saue you and I also will saue you euenas I haue promised oftenne times heretofore For
will retourne to you againe R. For I will not so goe away that I will be quite separated from you I will not so goe awaye that I will not retourne againe I will not so enter into the kingdome of my Father that I will retayne the same to my selfe aloane but for youre cause I goe and I so goe that I will come againe receiue you vnto me C. Moreouer this comming againe heare oughte not to be vnderstoode of the holy ghoste as though Christ would geue vnto hys Disciples a newe presence of him selfe in the spirite It is very true that Christ dwelleth in vs and in vs by his holye spirite but he speaketh here of the laste daye of Iudgement in the whiche hee shall come at the length to gather those that be his together And verily hée doth dayly prepare a place for vs yf so be wée haue respecte vnto the whoale body of the Church Wherevppon it followeth that the full time of our enteraunce into heauen is not yet come This the Apostle doth notably expresse in the fourth Chapter of his firste Epistle to the Thessalonians M. Lette vs remember therefore that Christ is come againe into this world The worlde beleeueth not this The cause of hys firste comming was that all they which were elected vnto lyfe from the beginning might be called vnto the grace of the kingdome of God The seconde cause of his comming shal be that the foresayde elected maye be taken vp into Euerlasting mansions This shal be broughte to passe by the ministery of Aungels Math. 13 And this second comming of Christ is desired so long vntyll a place is prouided in heauen for euery one And this caling of the electe shal be fulfilled here in earth the which béeing once ended and fulfilled this moste corrupt and wicked worlde shall haue an ende This wicked worlde shall haue an ende when the nomber of Gods elect is full A. Reade the twentyth sixe verse of the twelfth chapter going before 4. And whether I go yee know and the vvay ye knowe B. Because he would comfort his disciples concerning his departure it is necessary that we vnderstand this of that waye by which his disciples should followe hym vnto the Father C. Howebeit withall Christ teacheth that his death is not destruction but a passag to the father Therefore we haue here to noate twoo thinges The fyrst is that wee beholde Christ in his heauenlye glorye and blessed immortallity with the eyes of faith Secondlye that wée knowe him to bée the first fruites of our lyfe and the waye which was shut vp against vs is nowe opened vnto vs by him This he vttereth more plainlye in another place saying Mat. i6 24 M. Hee which wyll followe me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse and followe mee Christ him selfe is the waye to heauen that by him and after him we may come to heauenly thinges 5. Thomas sayde vnto him Lorde we knowe not whether thou goest and howe is it possible for vs to know the waye Bv. The Disciples being much gréeued marked not what the Lorde sayde vnto them and iudging to groslye of the wordes of the Lorde vnderstande not his minde and purpose C. And although at the first sight the aunswere of Thomas séemeth to disagrée with the saying of Christ yet notwithstanding his purpose was not to discréedite his Maister Notwithstanding it may be demaunded howe he denied that which the Lord had affirmed We aunswere that there are oftentimes in the Saintes confused vnderstandinges because they doe not way and consider the manner and reason of that which is plainlye set before them So the calling of the Gentiles was prophesied by the Prophetes to come of the true scence of Faith Ephe. 3 9 the which notwithstanding the Apostle Paule affirmeth to bée a misterye hydden from them Therefore when the Apostles shoulde beléeue that Christ went vnto the Father and yet notwithstanding knew not howe he should get that kingdome Thomas iustly affirmeth that they knew not whether hee went Therevppon hée gathereth the waye is more obscure For before wée enter into the race wée must knowe whether it tendeth M. By this place wée gather that no man knoweth the waye to heauenlye thinges except he fyrst knowe that Christ our sauiour and Mediatour is gone thyther 6. Iesus sayth vnto them I am the waye the trueth and the lyfe no man commeth vnto the Father but by me R. This is the principall poynt and sum of the whole Gospell that Christ is the waye the trueth and the lyfe C. Christ doeth not dyrectlye aunswere vnto the question yet notwithstanding he omitteth nothing which is necearye to bée knewne The curiositye of Thomas was to bée bridled therefore Christ doth not shewe what his condicion shal be with the Father but standeth vppon a more necessery point Thomas would wyllinglye haue hearde what Christe should doe in heauen euen as we oftentimes doe to muche wearye our selues with such subtile and curious poyntes But wee ought rather to applye our mindes how we shal be partakers of the blessed resurrection to come Wherfore the sum of this sentence is that whosoeuer getteth Christ she ll want nothing and that therefore he goeth beyonde all perfection which is not contented with him alone And he speaketh of their degrées as if he should saye that he is the beginning the middest and the ende Wherevppon it followeth that we must begin with him goe forewarde in him and ende at him We must not séeke for higher wisdome than that which leadeth vs to euerlasting lyfe This he affirmeth shal be founde in him And hée also pronounceth that the same must bee sought for in no other Hée teacheth moreouer that he is in the waye by whiche onelye wée must come thyther Therefore least hée shoulde fayle vs in any part he reacheth out his hande to those that goe astray and doeth humble himselfe so far that he directeth sucking Children hee hauing professed him selfe to bée a Captaine forsooke not his seruauntes in the midst of their race but made them partakers of the trueth At the last he made them partakers of that trueth than the which nothing more excellent can be deuised Bv. Therefore in these wordes all the Misteries of the Gospell are comprehended and from hence the ryuers of lyfe doe spring C. Séeing therefore that Christ is the waye there is no cause why the weake and ignoraunte shoulde complaine that they are forsaken of him seeing he is the truth and the lyfe he containeth in him selfe wherewithall to satisfye euen the most perfect Trueth in this place is taken of some to bée the wholsome lyght of heauenly wisedome And of othersome to be the substaunce of lyfe and of all spiritual graces which is compared with figures and shadowes Euen as when it is sayde Grace and trueth came by Christ Iesus But more rightlye it is taken for the perfection of Faith Iohn 1.7 euen as the waye is
taken for the beginning and first rudiments This is the sum That if any decline from Christ he can doe nothing but erre if so bée any rest not in him he shal finde notsting but wynde and vanitye if so be any goe beyonde him he shall finde death in steede of lyfe B. Therefore Christ in this place preacheth him selfe to bee God and the onelye sauiour euen as he hath done in other places when he called him selfe the bread of lyfe the lyght of the worlde the doore and the shéepfould of God the good Sheepheard the resurrection and the lyfe and suche lyke No man commeth vnto the Father This is an exposition of that whiche went before For he is therefore the waye because hée leadeth vs vnto the Father and the trueth and the lyfe because in him we beholde the Father R. All other thinges do discourage vs that we dare not appeare vnto the father As first of all humaine reason for the same knoweth not God and by howe many benefites soeuer the same is constrayned to knowe that there is a God yet notwithstanding it knoweth not howe to come vnto him nor howe to worshippe him Secondly Sinne and the Law by which is declared that God is angery with vs wherefore by them we are driuen from comming vnto him Lastely Sinne and the Lawe driue vs from God the Maiestie of God ▪ which is higher than by humaine strength we can reache vnto the same Only Christ only the word is the onlye waye to reach vnto the father Bv. By this sentence also all Iewes and Turks are excluded from the company and presence of the father because they come not vnto the father by Christ For in Christ only consisteth righteousenesse reconcilliation and our life Let vs therefore goe forward in the righte way Christ and lette vs not suffer our selues to be drawen from the same because it leadeth to euerlasting life C. Finally Concerning inuocation this truely may be sayde that God heareth no prayers but these which are made in Christe 7. If ye had knowen me ye had knowen my father also and nowe ye knowe him and haue seene him C. Hée confyrmeth that whiche wée sayde before that it is hurtfull and foolishe curiositye when men being not contented with Christ do seeke by ouerthwart wayes to come vnto God They confesse that there is nothing better thā the knowledge of God but when he commeth nere vnto them and doeth familliarlye insinuaty him selfe than they begine curiously to searche and seeke for him aboue the clowdes whome they wyl not beholde being present Christ therefore reprehendeth his Disciples for that the doe not acknowledge the fulnesse of the Deitie to be exhibited in him I sée saith he that ye haue neither rightly nor truly hitherto known me because as yet ye know not the liuely Image of my father which is expressed in me R. For no man hath séene God at any tyme the only begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father hath declared hym And now ye knowe him C. He addeth this not onely to mytygate the sharpnesse of the reprehention but also to accuse them of vnthankfulnesse and slouth except they way and consider what is geuen vnto them For he rather spake this to the cōmendation of his owne doctrine then to extoll the faith of his disciples His meaning therefore is that God is now to be séene if so be they woulde open their eyes In this word Sene the sertainty of faith is expressed How be it some referre the same to the sertainty of myracles For looke howe manye myracles Christ wrought in his Fathers name so many testomnies he had of hys deuine power 8. Phillip saith vnto him Lorde shew vs the Father and it suffiseth vs. M. The Apostles as yet were not sufficiently exercised in sprituall matters and therfore because thei had hard Christ speake very much of his father they semed to desire to se him so as thei had séen the sonne with their corporall eyes face to face as though God might be sene as a man is séene B. Thus therfore Phillip as one more desierous to learne than the other Disciples interrupteth the Lord desiring to haue some corporall and visible sight of God the which being sene they woulde desire nothing more C. But it semeth very absurde that the Apostles shoulde thus disturbe the Lorde For to what end had he spoken but only to teache the verye same thinge of the which Phillip demaundeth Notwithstanding there is here no fault described to be in them which is not to be found in our selues We professe that we séeke after God ernestly but when he commeth into our sight we are starke blinde R. For humane reason is not contented with the word by which the Father and his wyll is learned but wil be satisfied by signes and by palpable féelyng The Apostles had before their eyes Christ the Image of the Father and yet notwithstandinge they desire to sée the Father Wherefore their vnbeleefe is reprehended as followeth 9. Iesus saith vnto him Haue I bene so longe time with you and yet hast thou not knowne mee Phillip he that hath sene me hath sene the Father and how sayest thou then shew vs the Father C. Iustly Christ reprehendeth Phillip because he had not the pure eies of faith He had God present before hym in Christ and yet notwithstanding he dyd not behould hym What dyd hinder hym but his owne ingratitude The which Christ casteth in his téeth as if he shoulde saye haue I so loste my labour in teachinge you and in workyng Myracles before you I haue bene now a long tyme with you I haue wrought many Myracles many wayes I haue taught my selfe to be the sonne of God I haue taught that no man hath sene God at any tyme that I am he alone which hath expressed God I haue taught that the wyll of God is good and sweete towardes them that beleeue in hym That is to saye I haue playnlye taught that God is the Father of the faithfull through mee and do not ye yet know the father Euen so at this daye they profite little or nothing in the Gospel who being not content with Christe onely curiouslye séeke after God whereby at the lengthe they are brought into error This foolishe desire springeth of the humilytie and basenesse of Christe the which is far amisse seing in the same he setteh foorth the vnspeakable goodnesse of his Father M. But because Phillip might saye in his harte I sayde not shew vnto vs who thou thy selfe art but shew vnto vs the father and thou obiectest vnto me that I know not thee wheras I speak not of the knowledge or sight of thée but of the father To this cogitation which Christ was not ignorant of he answereth saying Phillip he that hath sene me Bv. As if he should say Phillip thou doest desire to se my father as though I did differ from my father in essence nature and were not all one
Myracles than Christ him selfe is because he goyng to take possesion of his kingdome woulde more fully shewe foorth his power from heauen Whereby it appeareth that nothyng of his glory was deminished in that his Apostles wrought more excelentlye after his departure who were onely his Instrumentes Yea Philip. 2. hereby it appeareth that he sitteth at the right hand of his Father that euery knée might bowe before hym R. For to go vnto the father in this place is for Christ being now not only God but also man by his death and resurrection to enter into the kingdome of his father to sit at his right hand and to take vppō him the rule of all cretures The which appeared then to the worlde when the Apostles and their true successors preached the Gospell in diuers partes 13. And what so euer ye aske in my name that wyll I doe that the father may be gloryfied in the Sonne Bv. Now he vttereth an other Argument of his deuinitie ▪ the whiche being rightly waied wonderfully comforteth I wyll do saith he for you what so euer you aske in my name For I am God And it belongeth vnto God alone to heare the prayers of al men to graunt and fulfill all mens desyres B. Therfore he geueth a reason of that which he had sayde that the beléeuing in hym should worke greater workes than he wrought which he specially promised to his Disciples at that time present His meaning therfore is this think not that incredible whiche I haue promised vnto you Wherefore what soeuer ye shall aske in my name I wyll geue vnto you But he spake of those workes and Myracles by whiche the Father should be gloryfied in the Sonne That is to say by whiche he was acknowleged to be the sauiour of the world lest any man should drawe this promise to euery thing The glorye of God is the health of his Saintes Prayer accordinge to Gods glori and therefore before all other thinges they pray that his name may be sanctified and that his kingdome might come neither do they pray for any thing vnto the whiche they are not moued by the spirit of God M. To aske in the name of Christ is to pray for somwhat which either pertayneth to his name or kingdome Act. 4. or els by the prorogatiue of his name may be hoped to be obtayned After the firste manner the Apostles prayed to God the father as we may reade in the actes of the Apostles After the other manner al the faithfull pray J wyll doo it By these wordes he declareth that he is not onely a mediatour but also the Lord of all thinges who can graunt al things that we aske yea and as he can so also he will He teacheth also what the end is whervnto all our prayers must be directed namely that the Father may be gloryfied by the Sonne Therfore those thinges which are such that they cannot be done to the glorye of the Father by the Son are neither rightly asked of vs nor yet can be obtayned So that this place agréeth with this saying of Paule That euery tongue should confes that the Lord Iesus Christ Phil. 2. xi is to the glory of God the father The end of all prayers is the hallowyng of Gods name But the lawfull way to sanctifie is here expressed namelye in the son and by the sonne For when the maiestie of God is hidden from vs in it selfe it shineth in Christ when his hand is hidden we haue the same visible in Christ Therefore in those benefits which the father bestoweth vpon vs we must not seperate hym from the sonne according to this saying He which honoreth not the sonne honoreth not the father Ioh. 5.23 14. If ye shall aske any thinge in my name I will doe it R. Christ repeateth one thing twise that those thinges might be more assured whiche he promiseth For we obtayne nothing at the handes of the father but by the son C. The repeticion thereof is not superfluous All men see and féele that they are vnworthye to approche vnto God yet notwithstanding the greater part rush forth like madd men and bouldly yea rather proudly talketh with God Afterward when that vnworthynesse of the which we speake euen now cōmeth in their mindes euery man deuiseth for him selfe new meanes But God calling vs vnto hym setteth before vs one Mediatour by whom he wil be intreated and also fauorable vnto vs ▪ But here agayne the corruption of humaine wisdome triumpheth because the greater part forsakyng the true way wearieth it selfe in crocked and by wayes This therefore commeth to passe because the power and goodnesse of God is not apprehended as it should in Christ There is also a second error namely the not remembring that we are al iustly driuen from the accesse and comming vnto God vntill we ar called of him and that we are not called but by his Sonne Wherefore yf we think one testimony insufficient yet not withstanding let vs knowe that for as muche as Christ doth the seconde time intreat that the Father must be praied vnto in his name he doth as it were lay his hand vpon vs lest we should trauaile in vayne in seeking after ther patrones and helps A. For there is one onely Mediatour of God and men the man Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 2.5 Therfore if any man sin we haue an aduocate with the Father the righteous 1. Ioh ◠1 and he is a propitiation for our sinnes not for our sins only but also for the sins of the whole worlde Concerning the which matter reade more in the .vii. of Mathew beginning at the seuenth verse 15. Yf ye loue me kepe my cōmaundements M. This verse contayneth an exhortation ioyned with comfortable promises Bv. The spirit of the Lorde throughout the whole scripture doth not only shew and teach playnly the trueth but also most vehementlye vrgeth that wée shoulde receiue and retayne the same when we know it wherevpon our Lord also in this present place ioyneth an exhortation to the consolation and deuine doctrine by all meanes vrging his Disciples in them the whole Churche to receyue and retayne these thyngs and to exercise them selues in them C. It was true and sincere loue with the which the Disciples loued Christ the which notwithstanding was somwhat mixed with supersticion the which also happeneth oftentimes vnto vs. For they were out of the way in desiring to retayne Christ styll in the world That he might correct this vice he commaundeth them to bend their loue another way namely to the obseruing of those commaundementes which he had geuen them As if he should say I haue taught you by this my worde that I go to my father I haue taught you why I goe and what fruit commeth vnto you thereby and to the whole Church But because ye here that I shall dye ye are greatly troubled euen as men are wont to be for the departure of their fréendes and ye
in their mindes and should teach tel them all those things which they had so often tymes all ready heard but not playnly inough for them to vnderstand partly because of their rudenes and partlye by reason of the sorrow of their hartes C. The Lorde at that time sowed the seede of doctrine which for a time laye as it were choaked in his Disciples Therfore he exhorteth them to hope wel vntill such time as the doctrine brought fruit whiche as yet might seme vnprofitable In fine he affirmeth vnto theÌ„ that plentifull matter of consolation was in that doctrine whiche they had heard The whiche although it dyd not by and by appeare vnto them yet neuerthelesse he wylleth them to be of good cheare vntill the Spirite the internall Scoolemaster spake the same in their harts A very profitable admonitioÌ„ for al men Except we haue by and by all that Christ teacheth we are weary and count our labour lost in trauelyng about obscure matters But we must bring with vs prompt docillytie and aptnesse to be taughte wee must geue dilligent eare be attentiue yf so be we desire to profit in the Scoole of God but specially we haue néede of sufferance vntyl such tyme as the spirit doth reueale that which as we thinke we haue red and hard very often This poonishment Esay threateneth to the vnbeleuing that the worde of God should be vnto them as a shut booke but the Lorde doth after this manner oftentimes humble his seruaunts Therefore we must paciently and quietly wayâ—e for the tyme of reuelation and must not therefore reiect the worde R. Fyrst of all we learne by this place that the holy Ghost is geuen to the Church of God the Father through the Mediatour Christ who hath purchassed the same of the Father that wée might be the sonnes of God by adoption C. Secondly we learne that the external preaching of the Gospel shal be to no purpose excepte the derection of the spirite be Ioyned therewith Therefore God vseth to teach by two maner of wayes namely by the outward sounde of his worde proceding out of mens mouthes and by the inwarde operation of his holy spirit and this be doth at diuers times according to his goodwil and pleasure T. Example here of we haue in the Actes of the Apostells of whome Saynt Luke wrighteth thus VVhose hart the Lorde opened so that he gaue dillygent heede vnto those thinges whiche Paull preached M. For we shall be alwaye taught in vaine withoute the Spirite of God be our teacher except he teach inwardly in the hart al doctrine is in effectuall yea although Christ should preache the same with his owne mouth Moreouer we are taught that the Doctrine of the Apostles is not of men but procéeding from the Spirite of GOD. For what other thing did they teache than that same which they had receyued from the holye Ghost R. This place is wonderfully construed by the wicked For they saye that Christ taught not all thinges but reserued many thinges for his Apostles to be reuealed by the holye Ghost of the which number they Iudge those wicked ceremonies of the Masse to bée But what doth Christ speake here C. What are all those thinges the teacher whereof hée promiseth that the Spirite shall be Hee shall sayth hee teach you al things and bring all thinges into your remembrance what ye shal do Wherevpon it followeth that there shall no newe reuelations In these fewe wordes all those things are confuted which Sathan hath brought into the church vnder the pretence of the holy ghost The Mahumetes and the Pope haue all one beginning of religion they boath affirming that the perfection of doctrine is not contained in the scripture but procéedeth from the reuelation of the spirite With these also agrée the Anabaptists and the Libertines But they are ledde by a sedusing Spirite and not by the spirite of Christ who thruste in straung Doctrine contrarye to the Gospell For Christ promiseth the holye Ghost which shoulde as asubscriber confirme the doctrine of the Gospell M. For the holye Ghost deliuered no other doctrine to the Apostles than the very same which they had hearde before out of the mouthe of Christ Let vs therefore take héede of those which boaste of the reuelations of the holy Ghost if so be they offer vnto vs straunge Doctrine contrarye to that which wée haue receyued of Christ 27. Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the worlde geueth giue I vnto you let not your hearts be greeued neither feare Peace I leaue with you Bv. The Lord persisteth still in all one argument of consolation M. And hee obserueth the manner of friendes departing away who when they take theyr leaue of theyr friendes are wont to leaue somewhat with them in steade of a blessing and doe wishe them peace and health C. By the name of peace hée meaneth prosperous successe alluding to the manner of his countrie as if hée shoulde saye I leaue with you my farewell M. And very aptly he placed this worde leaue to giue his Disciples to vnderstande that hée left his peace with them after his departing Peace wished and giuen by christ to his Apostles C. But strayght after he addeth that this peace is far more excelent than that which is commonly among men who often times for an outwarde shewe and fashion onelye haue peace in theyr mouth or if they doe wishe peace from theyr hearte to any man yet notwithstanding are not able in verie déed to giue the same But Christ sheweth that his peace doth not consiste in bare wishing but that it is also Ioyned with effecte As if he should saye I haue toulde you allready that I will not leaue you comfortles and that ye shall not dwell in the earth destitute of my helpe For although I be absente in bodye yet notwithstanding I will be present with you as God deliuering you from all euells in suche wise that your enemies shall neuer be able notwithstandinge their great malisse to dawnt your courage Thus ye shal be free from feare and Godes power shall protect you which shall reueale such secret misteries to your quiet mind as other mens mindes are not able to comprehende And nowe I giue vnto you peace not simplye or the common peace but my peace And because there is great difference betwéene the peace of the worlde and the peace of Christ hée addeth by and by these wordes Not as the worlde giueth giue J vnto you For the worlde calleth that peace which the truth calleth warre as the ydle and secure lyfe in pleasures not troubled with aduersitie For many misfortunes calamities and the iust wrath of GOD also followeth this A. For when the wicked shall saye Peace Peace of this worlde and all thinges are safe then shall sodayne destruction come vpon them euen as vpon a woman trauayling with Childe 1. Thes 5.3 and they shall not escape Bv. But the
corrupt the grace of God and others by sleuth choake suppresse the same and othersom by malice by these wordes he séeketh to make men carefull when he pronounceth that all they shal be cut from the vine which are vnfruitefull braunches Bv. For as the husband man doeth proyne and cut of the vnfruitful braunches euen so the heauenlye Father doth cut of and caste awaye vnfruitefull men And the fruites or clusters of Grapes hanging vppon the boughes or branches are the workes of faith of the spirite and of charitie euenas the prophet Esay and the Apostle Paul do plainly expound the same Esay 5 2 Gala 5 22 Ephe 5 9 C. But it maye be demaunded yf hee can want fruite which is ingrafted in Christe Wee aunswere Manye are thought to be in the vine by the Iudgment of men which in very déede haue no roote at all in the same Euenso in the Prophetes the Lorde calleth his people of Israell his vine which by externall profession hadde the name of the Church B. Therefore euen as tares are in the kingdome of God and corrupt fishes in the nette of the Gospell and the man wanting the wedding garmente in the Mariage of Christ euenso there ar some but in name only which are sayd to be in Christ hauing onelye an out warde shewe and not a true fayth Wherefore at the length these are cutte of and are caste into hell fyre as vnfruitefull and vnprofitable braunches R. Moreouer this sentence aunswereth that curiositye of the fleshe which is wonte vnreuerently to reason of predestination and according to the disposition thereof togather that none whome the Lorde hath elected to euerlasting life can bee dampned although he liue neuer so wickedly and in like manner that none of them whom the Lord hath appoynted to eternall fyer can be saued yea though he liue neuer so well and that therefore he will liue at his owne pleasure for sayeth he how carefully soeuer I worke the Lordes decrée cannot be altered To this Christ here aunswereth saying Euery braunche that beareth not fruite in mee hee will take away As yf he should say What hast thou to doe with the secreat predestination of God Sée thou to this that thou abyde in mée and bryng forth fruite The rest are to be committed to the dispensation and wisdome of God For although thou séeme to be predestinate to euerlasting saluation and yet notwithstanding bringest not forth fruite thou shalt be cast into the fyer as are commonly vnfruitfull braunches It is wrighten of Saule that he was elected to be in the Lordes vinyard and that hée was a good man and that a better then he was not found in Israell yet notwithstanding he was reiected euenas the Lord sayde to Samuell i King i6 Howe longe wilt thou mourne for Saule seing I haue caste him awaye from raigning ouer Israell In lyke manner the Lord sayeth Ier 2◠24 If so be Ieconias the sonne of Ioachim were the signit on my right hand I would pul him of Esay 5 7 The Tribe of Iuda also was a chosen people yet notwithstanding it was reiected And the Apostle sayeth thou whiche standest stedfast in faith bee not highe minded but feare for seeing that God spared not the naturall braunches take heede lest it come to passe Rom xi 2i that he spare not thee A. The which thinges are not therefore spoken that the faithfull might take occasion to doubte of their saluation but to the ende carnall securitie and slouth might be taken awaye from men R. For it is moste sertaine that Gods decrée can not be altered by any man For the gifts calling of God are without repētaunce because hee is not as a man which repenteth him and calleth back Rom xi 29 the sentence whiche he hath once decreed Therefore this standeth as a firme decrée that whomsoeuer God hath chosen before the foundation of the worlde Gods election abides firm Ioh i0 29 hée cannot perish for no man taketh the shéepe out of this shephéerds hand that whom soeuer he hath reiected he cannot be saued although he do all the workes of saynctes so irretractable and vnmoouable is the sentence of God Feare therefore and haue respect to the onelye hād of him that chooseth that thou mayst enioye saluation through our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ And euery branche that beareth fruit C. By these wordes hee teacheth that the faithful least they should degenerate haue néede of dayly purging proining that they can bring forth no good thing without God set to his hand For it wyl not suffice that wée were once made the children of adoption except God doe profite the course of grace in vs. He speaketh here of Purgation because our fleshe aboundeth with superfluous and hurtful vices in bringing forth of the whiche it is to fruitefull increasing and budding forth without ende except we bée purged and proyned by the hande of God R. The proyning of the Trée is not to the destruction of the same but that it might bring forth more fruite for otherwyse the same growing to high and spreading forth his braunches without pruning cleansing would ouergrow wyther and beare no fruite Purgation of the fleshe by the heauenly Phisition Euenso the fleshe in the most holye if it might haue libertye to doe what it lusteth God if it were possible shoulde bée drawne out of the diuine throane of his Maiestye Heare what the King of Babell sayeth I wyll ascende into heauen I wyll be lyke to the most high Esai 14 i3 The King of Tyre also spake the lyke I am God and I syt in Gods seate Eze. 28. ij How greatlye doeth the fleshe swell being stuffed with benefites and neuer proyned with the Crosse Therefore the Father whiche is the husbandman purgeth the branche that is to saye beateth downe and humbleth the faithfull man with the Crosse renueth his heart washeth the féete of his affections mortifyeth the reliques of the fleshe Therefore we must consider in this similitude of proyning the fruite of the Crosse For the Lorde afflicteth not to destroye but to saue euen as the husbandman proyneth the braunche not to cut of all but to purge and cleanse the same that it might bring forth fruite more plentifullye Bv. Therefore these wordes agrée with this sentence of the Lorde Hee that is washed needeth not to saue to washe his feete Ioh. i3 x but is cleane euery whit For the Saintes so soone as they are holye haue néede of farther and more ample sanctification C. Therefore when he sayth that the Vines are purged that they maye bring forth more fruite he sheweth how greatlye the godly ought to goe frreward and to profite in all Godlynesse 3. Nowe are ye cleane through the worde whiche I haue spoken vnto you M. He hauing hitherto spoken of him selfe the Vine and of his Father the husbandman and nowe consequentlye hée expoundeth the allegorye and speaketh
without Christ yet notwithstanding they fayne a certaine power in vs which of it selfe is not sufficient to worke except it bée holpen with the grace of God For they wyll not abyde that a man should bée so empty and free from power and strength to worke that which is good but that hée maye doe somewhat of him selfe But the wordes of Christ so plainlye spoken cannot in such wyse be colloured Such therefore is the imagination of the Papistes that they affirme that without Christ we can doe nothing and yet notwithstanding being holpen by him that we can doe somewhat of our selues without his grace But Christ pronounceth the contrarye as that wée can doe nothing of our selues The braunch sayeth hée bringeth forth no fruite of it selfe Therefore he doeth not onelye here commende the helpe of his grace which helpeth ioyntlye with him but also depriueth vs whollye of all vertue and strength sauing that aloane which he geueth vnto vs. Bv. Wherefore these wordes VVithout mee maye bée thus resolued Ye can doe nothing that is good except ye haue strength and power from me So that a man can doe no good thing by humayne strength but as for euell he can doe of him selfe C. They haue yet another cauill For they pretende that the braunche hath somewhat by his owne nature because if so bée another vnfruitefull braunche be grafted into the Vine it wyll bring forth nothing But this is easilye refuted because Christ doth not shewe here what the braunches haue in them before they bée in the Vine but he rather sheweth that then we beginne to bée braunches when we growe togeather in him Also the Scripture in another place sheweth that before we are in him we are drye and vnprofitable wood M. Therefore wée must noate that he sayeth not VVithout you I can doe nothing but VVithout me ye can doe nothing The Vine although hée loose his vnfruitefull braunches can neuerthelesse bring foorth of him selfe other braanches by which he maye fructefye Therefore let no man glorye and beast against Christ as though we being destroyed which beare his name hée coulde not haue braunches and Cittezens of his Kingdome God can rayse vp of stones Children to Abraham But rather let vs consider this that we can doe nothing without Christ Mat. ij◠ix which is profitable for our saluation Bv. These thinges therefore doe agrée with the Euangelical and Apostolical doctrine For the Apostle sayeth that we are not able as of our selues to thinke a good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 And againe he sayeth It is God that worketh in vs both to wyll and to worke M. Wherevpon Phil. 2 13 Christ sayeth not VVithout me ye can doe lytle But VVithout me ye can doe nothing least that any goodnesse without the grace of God shoulde bée attributed to humaine strength And whereas he sayeth not simplye Ye can do nothing but addeth also VVithout mee it is dilligentlye to be noated For although a man can doe nothing of him selfe without Christ yet notwithstanding with Christ ye shall doe verye muche as with his lyfe from whome he receyueth strength and spirite to worke Therefore let no Faythfull man nor braunche of Christ saye simplye I can not doe good but let him adde therewithall of my selfe that is to saye without Christ and to the glory of Christ let him saye Phil. 4 13 I can doe all thinges by him whiche comforteth mee Ephe 2 10 A For wee are his workemanshippe builded in Christ Iesus to good workes which GOD hath prepared that we might walke in them 6. If a man byde not in me he is cast forth as a braunche and wythereth and men gather them and cast them into the fyre and they burne A. This is an exposition of that which hée had sayde calling his Father the husbandman and saying Euery branche that beareth not fruite in mee hee wyll take awaye C. And when he had set before his Disciples the punishment of ingratitude he addeth this also to styrre vp his Disciples to perseuerance It belongeth verilye vnto God to continewe vs in him but yet this is not a superfluous exhortacion to feare least our proude fleshe doe destroye vs. They are sayde to wyther lyke dead brauches whiche are cut of from Christe because as the beginning of strength and lyfe commeth from him euen so doth the ende and countinuaunce of the same Not that any of the elect at any tyme are geuen ouer and blinded but because many Hipocrites are gréene and doe florishe in outwarde shewe whiche afterwarde in yelding theyr fruite doe frustrate the hope of theyr Lorde and Maister Bv. For they doe not abyde in Christ which haue not a sounde and constaunt Faith but are wrapped in the filthynesse and vncleannesse of this world And such shall not bée cast forth but are alreadye cast forth out of the societye and inheritaunce of Christ and of the Saintes Iohn 3.36 euen as the faithfull in the Gospell are sayde to haue lyfe alreadye M. Finallye this place concerneth the condempnacion of Reprobates Mat. 3. xij Math. 13.24 and degenerate Christians whose punishment is boath here and in other places set forth 7. Yf ye abide in me and my vvoordes abide in you aske vvhat ye will and it shal be done for you Bv. Hee prosecuteth farther the coniunction of Christ and of the Saintes to the ende it might be a more effectuall consolation and withall hee encourageth them to perseueraunce C. For because the Faithfull doe oftentimes féele them selues to bée leaue and far from that notable fatnesse whiche maye serue to geue plentifull fruite therefore this was added that whatsoeuer thinges they haue néede of which are in Christ the same is prepared for them so soone as they aske it of God R. This is lyke vnto that which Christ sayeth in another place And all thinges whatsoeuer ye aske in prayer Math. 21. beleeuing ye shall receyue C. A verye profitable admonition For to the ende the Lord might exercise vs in prayer hée suffereth vs oftentymes to hungar but if wée come vnto him for reléefe hée wyll not fayle vs i. Cor. i. 5 but wyll geue vnto vs out of his most plentifull treasury whatsoeuer we haue neede of M. Yet notwithstanding we haue not such liberty geuen vs here that we may aske what we wyll simplye without any farther regarde For it is not méete that wée shoulde aske according to our owne wyll but according to the wyll of God For so we reade And this is the trust that wee haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his wyll hee heareth vs. Therefore these wordes of the Lorde are not simplye and seuerallye to bee vnderstoode but ioyntlye with that which goeth before where he sayth If ye abyde in me and my wordes abyde in you For hee meaneth that they which abyde in him and haue his wordes abyding in them shal be so disposed that they shall not disagrée from his wyll and
he receiueth vs into his fauor and votsafeth to account vs as his frendes euenas he sayde a little before If ye keepe my commaundementes ye shall abide in my loue For the helthfull grace of God hath appeared to all men teaching vs that denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts we should liue soberly and righteouslye and Godly in this present worlde But prophane and wicked men who by wicked contempt of the Gospell do waxe wanton against Christ doe renounce his freinshippe If ye do whatsoeuer I commaund you M. He sayeth not If ye doe whatsoeuer I doe but If ye doe whatsoeuer I commaunde you Christe didde many thinges which hee hath geuen to vs in commaundement He fasted forty dayes but he did not command vs to doe the like Bv. In these wordes therefore he commendeth vnto vs the Euaungelical preceptes Math. 15.3 and not the traditions of men which in another place he sharpelye reprehendeth 15. Hencefoorth call I not you seruauntes for the seruaunte knoweeth not vvhat his Lord doeth but you haue I called friendes for all thinges that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knovven vnto you C. By another argument he declareth his loue towarde his Disciples namely for that he made him self wholy knowen vnto them euenas there is alwaye familliar communication among friends As yf he should saye I haue broughte much more vnto you than a mortall man commonly bringeth vnto his seruauntes M. For that which friendes were wont to doe that I haue done vnto you For I haue hydde none of those thinges from you which I haue heard only and secretly of my Father but haue reuealed them all to your conscience C. Therefore lette this be a pledge of my loue towards you that louingly and friendly I haue declared vnto you those secrets of heauenly wisedome wiche I haue heard of my father Bv. This serueth greatly for oure consolation and comforte For by our nature and natiuity we are enemies vnto God seruants of the Deuell and of synne men ignorant of God and of his counsailes yea of our owne saluation but the sonne of God dyed and suffered for vs of enemies he hath made vs frends and of seruants he hath made vs houshould Sonnes to whome by the spirite and the preaching of the Gospell he openeth all the misteries and secretes of the Father in such wise that they can be Ignoraunt of none of those thinges which appertayne vnto sonnes to knowe Otherwise there are many counsails and workes of God which are neither profitable to be knoweÌ„ nor yet of men to be desyered C. Therefore it is certaine that Christe didde not make all things known to his Disciples which he knew him selfe neither was it possible for them to attaine to the heith of such misteryes And séeing the wisedom of God is incomprehensible he hath geuen by measure to euery one so muche as is necessary to knoweledge Therefore when he sayeth that he hath reuealed all thinges it ought to be restrained to the personne and office of a Mediatoure He hath made him selfe a meane betwéene God and vs. who hath receiued all oute of the secrete sanctuary of God by which he hath deliuered vnto vs as it were from hand to hand Therefore Christ lefte nothing vntoulde vnto his Disciples which appertaineth to oure saluation or which were necessary for vs to knowe but faithfully dispensed them euenas he had receiued them of the father C. It is then a notable title of the Gospell which we haue here of the Gospell that the harte of Christ is there sayd to be reuealed that we néede not to bee doubtfull of his loue There is noe cause why we should desyer to ascende aboue the Cloudes or wishe to go downe into the déepe to séeke the sertainty of our saluation lette this testimony of loue satisfy vs which is contayned in the Gospell because the same will neuer deceiue Moyses sayd vnto the auncient people VVhat nation is so great vnto whome the Godes come so nere vnto them Deut. 4.7 as the Lorde our God is nere vnto vs in all that wee call vnto him for Bv. But we are muche more noble and excellent in that God hath wholy expressed him selfe in his sonne Bv. Where are then those good fellows which falsly affirme that the Lorde hath not geuen all thinges vnto his Church Herevpon also they take occasion to establishe and appoynte what they liste in the Church as though he would reueale that by them vnto vs which he would not reueale by his owne sonne A like matter I warrant you Truth sayeth that all thinges are deliuered vnto vs Godlynesse telleth vs that the Apostle conceleth nothing from the church but that they faithfullye deliuered all thinges vnto the same and lefte them afterwards in writing least they should be forgotten A. For Paule also testifieth that he deliuered vnto the faithfull all the counsaile of God C. By whiche their wicked ingratitude is condemned who béeing not content with the wonderfull wisedome of the Gospell Acts. 20.27 proudlye ronne to newe speculations 16. Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordayned you to goe and bringe forth fruite and that youre fruite shoulde remayne that whatsoeuer yee aske of the Father in my name hee maie geue it you Bv. Now leste the Disciples shoulde ouer Ioye and wax proude for that they had heard them selues of enemies to be made friendes and the sonnes of of God by the death of Christ C. Hée more playnly sheweth that it ought not to be attributed vnto their owne merite but to his grace that they are come to so greate honour For when he denyeth himselfe to be chosen of them it is as much as if he shoulde saye that whatsoeuer they haue it is not gotten by their owne strength and Industery The common sorte doe faine here a certaine concourse of the deuine grace and also of humaine will but this Antithesis or comparisonne é haue chosen you I am not chosen of you doth wholly callenge thae vnto Christe aloane whiche they were wâ—nt to deuide betwéene him and man as yf it had beene sayde that man is not mooued of his owne accord to séeke after Christe vntill he were firste sought Here is nothing spoken concerning the common election of the Godly by which they are adopted the sonnes of God but of that perticuler election by whiche hée had chosen his Disciples to the office of preaching the Gospell Luk. 6. xiij as is to be séene in Luke and in another place it is sayd Haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuell Iohn 6.70 C. But yf so be they were chosen fréelye without any desert one their parte to the Apostolicall office it is moste sertaine that the same election is much more frée by which of the sonnes of wrath and of the cursed séede we are made heires of euerlasting life Moreouer Christe in this place so commendeth his grace by which
fructefying to haue frée accesse vnto the Father C. Therefore this part was not added as not appertayning to that which weÌ„t before as it maye séeme to be For séeing the office and labour of teaching doth far surpasse the strength of man Sathan geueth many assaultes against the same which they are neuer able to abyde but by the strength and power of God Thereforee â—st the Apostles shoulde bée discouraged Christ stayeth them vp with a notable coÌ„fort As if he should say If ye shal haue more worke than ye shal be able to finishe in your office my Father wyl helpe you whose hand is prest and ready to helpe you so often as ye desyre the same in my name And in verye déede whereas some teachers geue ouer theyr office eyther for that they are sleuthful or else because they dispaire and are discouraged it commeth so to passe because they are not exercised in feruent praier Wherefore let this promise of Christ styrre vs vp to call vpon God For whosoeuer knoweth that the successe of this worke commeth only from God he wyll offer his labor vnto him with feare and trimbling and contrariwise if a man distrusting his labour do neglect the helpe of God or when he cometh to the pushe doeth cast away his speare and shield hée shall profite nothing Finally these two vices must be shunned namelye arrogancy distrust because as they do careleslâ—ye forsake the helpe of God who thinke that they haue alreadye the matter in theyr owne hande so also in many straites they faint because they doe not consider that they fighte armed with the power of God vnder whose banner they fight 17. This coÌ„maund I you that ye loue togeather C. This also was added in due and conuenient order to the ende the Apostls might know that mutuall loue was speciallye required to be in the Ministers Concorde buildeth vp Gods Church whereby they might builde the Churche of God with concorde For there can be no greater let than when euerye one laboureth by himselfe and do not ioyntlye conferre and labour togeather in one worke Except therefore the Ministers haue brotherly loue among them selues whatsoeuer they take in hand it shal not prospere so that the building of Gods Churche shall not goe forewarde Bv. Therefore the wordes of the Lord are thus muche in effect I woulde not haue you which are my Disciples to followe men whiche are geuen vnto the worlde which doe hate and deuoure one another for the loue of Ritches and honour I woulde not haue you after that sort to contende among your selues because the world alwayes conteÌ„deth with you But rather I wyll and commaund you to cleaâ—e and ioyne togeather in the sweete bond of loue That loue mutual concorde shall bring to passe that ye shall the more easilye and stronglye beare the hatered and persecutions of the worlde R. Let this therefore moue you to loue one another because ye shall haue none in the worlde which loue you truely and sincerelye no the worlde shall rather hate you Wherfore sée that ye loue one another 18. Yf the worlde hate you Ye knowe that it hated me before it hated you M. The dilligent reader may hereby perceyue that the Lorde omitted nothing at his departure which might eyther instruct eyther moue either exhort or else confirme comfort his Disciples Hytherto he had taught admonished and comforted them diuers sondry wayes C. After therefore he had armed them to the battaile he also exhorteth them to patience For the Gospell cannot so soone be preached but the worlde is by and by on a roare Wherefore it can neuer be that Godlye teachers should be frée from the hatered of the worlde A. For if so bée so many as wyll lyue Godlye in Christ Iesu 2. Tim 3 i2 shall suffer persecution how can they escape the Crosse which preache the worde of trueth which is hated of the whoale world C. Christ therefore in good tyme gaue this admonition to his Apostls lest the same might haue happened to them which commonly befalleth vnarmed and ignoraunt Souldiours who for want of skyll are verye boulde before they sée their enemyes but when they come to the battayle they turne their backes and ronne awaye And Christ doeth not onely forewarne his Disciples lest any newe or soddaine matter should happen vnto them but also confirmeth them by his example as if he shoulde saye I haue exhorted you that aboue all thinges ye séeke to loue one another the which shall cause you dillygently to execute your office to the whiche I haue chosen you But I knowe that the world wyll be as troublesome to you as it hath béene to mée Therefore when the worlde shall requite you with deadly hatered for so great a benefite â–ª whiche you bryng vnto them consider that it hath also hated me whiche am your Maister and farre more excellent than you Bv. By the worlde hée vnderstandeth men lyuing in the world and following the desires of their fleshe iudging all thinges after the fashion of this worlde who are ignoraunt of God and of the misteryes of the kingdome of God And these men are of twoo sortes Some are Hipocrites who woulde séeme to bée followers of vertue to hate vnrighteousnesse and to bée the true worshippers of the true God by the stoodye and loue of true Religion when as in verye déede they are dissemblers neglectours of vertue supersticious men vaine worshippers of God by traditions of men Such were the Pharisées among the Iewes Othersome are Epicures which neyther imbrace righteousnesse nor regarde honestye onely following the fleshe and the pleasures of the same and if any among them séeme to bée honest yet notwithstanding they are worshippers of Idolles and contemners of the true worship of God Such were the most part of the Gentiles And this world or rather worldlye men cannot choose but hate the preaching of the Gospell and the Preachers of the same For they doe greatly accuse and condempne supersticion false righteousnesse pleasures good intencions hipocrisie and impietye they preache Christ the true righteousnesse and sauing health they exhort to holinesse and they them selues lyue purely and Godly repose their trust in God and loke for the life of the worlde to come C. But suche must be armed by the example of Christ For it is not méete that séeing he was hated of the worlde they whiche represent his personne shoulde haue the worlde their friende Before it hated you A. Concerning the hatered of the world against Christ and his Ministers reade the seuenth Chapter going before beginning at the seuenth verse 19. Yf yee were of the vvorlde the worlde would loue his owne Howbeit because ye are not of the vvorlde but I haue chosen you out of the vvorld therfore the vvorld hateth you B. Although worldlye men doe neuer truelye loue one another because euerye one séeketh onely for him selfe yet notwithstanding they detest nothing more than the sincere loue
of God Herevnto they are driuen by Sathan their Prince that oulde enemy of God Wherevpon if so be the Apostles had not béene chosen out of the worlde and endewed with the spirite which is an enemye to the Prince of this world although they had not béene beloued of the men of this worlde yet notwithstanding they had béene borne withall and loued of some But they séeking the glorye of God styrred vp the whoale worlde against them that is to saye all those whiche were not endued with the spirite of God C. This therefore is another consolation that the Apostles were therefore hated of the worlde because they were selected and chosen out of the same And this is their true felicitye and glorye because after this manner they haue escaped out of destruction for this worlde is euen vowed to destruction i. Cor. xi 32 Herevppon the Apostle sayth VVhen we are iudged we are corrected of the Lorde lest wee shoulde be condempned with the world Nowe if they were elected out of this worlde it followeth that they were part of this worlde and that they were seperated by the onelye mercye of God from the rest Gala. i. 4 A. Euen as the Apostle Paule sheweth in these wordes VVhich gaue him selfe for our sinnes to delyuer vs from this present euyll worlde according to the wyll of God and our Father M. Here we sée the cause for the which false and counterfaite doctrine is more easilye receyued of men than that which is true For the world loueth his owne But euery one is a lyar Psa 116 xi It is no maruaile therfore if the world fauour the teachers of lyes and errours i. Iohn 4 5 and be enuious to the rest A. Wherevpon Saint Iohn sayeth They are of the worlde therefore the world heareth them Therefore it cannot be but that they shall haue continuall warre with men whiche wyll shewe them selues to bée the faithfull Ministers of Christ C. Yet notwithstanding that exhortacion of Saint Paul is not repugnaunt with this Doctrine Romae ii i8 when he sayeth So much as in you lyeth haue peace with all men For the exception which is added is as much as if he had sayde that wée must looke what is lawfull and meete for vs to doe lest we séeking to please the worlde suffer corruptions abuses of the same For the same Apostle sayeth in another place Doe I seeke to please men For if I had hytherto pleased men Gala. i. x I had not beene the seruaunt of God But there may yet another question be moued For we sée that the wicked which are of this worlde are not commonlye hated but also detested and abhorred of the greater parte Here the worlde loueth not his owne I aunswere Earthlye men whiche are lead by the scence and motion of the fleshe do neuer truely hate sinne but onely so farre foorth as they haue a care for their owne commodity and losse Howbeit the purpose of Christ was not to denye but that there was mortall war contencion among those of the worlde onely he minded so shewe that the world hated nothing but that whiche belonged to God in the Faithfull And hereby also it doeth appeare howe fondly the Annabaptistes do erre who gather by this argument aloane that they are the seruauntes of God because they displease the greater sort of men 20. Remember the word that I saide vnto you The Seruaunte is not greater than the Lord Yf they haue persecuted mee they will also persecute you Yf they haue kepte my saying they will keepe youres also Remember the worde that I sayde M. Concerning this word of Christ reade the sixtéene verse of the thirtéene Chapter going before C. This is a confirmation of the sentence going before where Christ sayde that he was hated of the worlde who notwithstanding was more excellent than his Disciples For it is not méete that the condition of the seruaunt shoulde bée better than his Maisters M. By this place we are taught how muche it becommeth vs not onelye to heare the worde of God but also to remember the same For as it is not sufficient to haue money for the present time except thou kéepe the same also for necessarye vses so also we must thinke of the worde of the Lorde To heare the worde of Christ and not kéepe the same in mynde is as if a man shoulde get money and by and by wast and spende the same The wordes of Christ must bée kept for necessitye to come Also we sée that the Apostles were the seruauntes of Christ although he made account of thē not as of seruauntes but as of friendes If they haue persecuted mee Bv. As if he should saye Yf they haue not spared me which am your Lord and Prince excellent and mightye boath in word and also in power but haue greatlye persecuted me it is not lyke that they wyll spare you which are far inferiour vnto me If they haue kepte my saying C. When he had spoken of the persons he maketh mencion also of doctrine For there is nothing that troubleth the Godly more than when they see the doctrine of God to bée prowdlye contempned of men M. Hée must néedes be a verye prowde Disciple whiche perswadeth him selfe that hée can so delyuer the doctrine of trueth vnto the worlde that those thinges which he teacheth shall bée receiued and kept when Christ him selfe missed of the same If any man demaund saying to what ende then preached hee and why did he commaunde his Disciples to preach this word so hated and despised of the world We answere Firste there were many of the electe which had receyued the same worde of truthe for whose sake it was méete that the Gospell should be publiquely taught Secondlye it was necessarye that the trueth shoulde bée set before the Reprobates to the ende they might haue no excuse of theyr vnbeléefe euen as it shal be shewed in the twoo and twentye and foure and twenty verses following When Christ sayeth your doctrine and mine it is to bée referred to the Ministerye There is but one onelye teacher of the Churche whiche is Christ but hée woulde haue his Doctrine of the which he was the first Minister to bée preached by his Apostles A. Wherevppon in the seuentéene Chapter following hée calleth his word theyrs when hée sayeth Neuerthelesse I pray not for them aloane i. Pet. 4. i5 but for them also whiche shall beleeue on me through their worde 21. But all these thinges will they doe vnto you for my names sake because they haue not knowne him that sent me M. Hée nowe sheweth the principall cause of the hatered and persecution of his Disciples by the worlde namelye the mousterous madnesse that is in the worlde being so outragious against the doctrine of saluation through ignoraunce For no man could wyttinglye presume to withstande GOD. Therefore it is ignoraunce and blindnesse whiche maketh the worlde so boulde as to resist Christ Wée must
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
did not here plainly affirme that the holy Ghost hath no other office than to establishe the kingdome of the sonne of God and to ratefye and confirme that for euer which the Father hath geuen vnto him To what ende then pertayneth the doctryne of the spirite Math. 17 5 Not to drawe vs from the scoole of Christ but rather to establishe and confirme that voyce by which we are commaunded to hear him Otherwise he should diminishe the glory of Christ which sayeth Hee shall glorify mee c As if he should saye After the holye Ghost shal be reuealed ye shall preach the Gospell to the whoale world and ye shall tell foorth my most gloryous vyctorye ouer the worlde sinne death Sathan and hell the which shall tourn to my great glory M. Let them noate and consider this which bragge and boast of the instruction and reuelation of the holy Ghost in the Churche The worke of the holye Ghost is not to gloryfye our strength wisdome and merittes but Christ which cannot bee glorifyed but in our heartes mortefyed and voyde of our owne ryghteousnesse C. When Christ addeth that the holye Ghoste shall take of his he geueth vs to vnderstande that we receiue his spirite to this ende that we might enioye his benefits For what doth it profite vs Surely it bringeth to passe that we are washed with the bloud of Christ that sinne is abolished by his death in vs that our ould man is crucefyed that his resurrection is of power to bring vs to newnesse of lyfe and finally that wée be pertakers of all his benefits and graces Therefore the spirite geueth vs nothing which is not in Christe but taketh from Christe to geue vnto vs. The lyke also wee muste thinke of doctrine i. Cor. i 30. For he doth not illuminate vs to drawe vs any whit from Christ but to fulfill that which Christ speaketh namely how that Christ is made vnto vs wisedome For it openeth vnto vs those treasures which are hidden in Christ To be short the Spirite doth in ritch vs with no other treasures than with the ritches of Christ that in all thinges Christe may be gloryfyed 15. All thinges that the father hath are myne Therefore sayde I not vnto you that hee shall take of mine and shewe vnto you C. Because Christ had séemed to haue spoken arrogantly lest he myght seeme to deminishe the glory of the father in saying Because he shall receiue of mine he strayght waye maketh mencion of the Father and confesseth that he hath all that from the father which he geueth vnto vs by his spirit But when he sayth that al things which the Father hath are his he speaketh in the person of a mediatoure because they shoulde drawe and receiue from the fulnesse of the same He alwayes hath respect vnto vs and speaketh of his Ritches to inuite vs to enioye the same and among the benefites which by his hand wée receiue from the Father hée reckoneth vp the spirite M. Let vs consider therefore of what dignitye the sonne of GOD is If all thinges are his whiche belong vnto the Father then is he of equall wisedome power and dignitye with the Father Mat. 11.27 and Lorde of all Herevpon it commeth that the Apostle Paule sayeth All thinges are youres and you are Christes i. Cor. 3.21 and Christ is Goddes M. Howebeit Christ speaketh not so muche here of his secréete power as hée doeth of his office 16. After a while and yee shall not see me and againe after a while and ye shall see me for I go to the Father M. The tyme was euen at hande that the Disciples being depriued of the presence of Christ shoulde bée verye heauy and sorrowfull the which sorrowe strayte after the resurrection of Christ shoulde bée tourned into greate ioye By the promise of this euerlasting ioye to come hée comforteth their mindes againe with these wordes B. I therefore speake vnto you of the holye Ghost the comforter by whome hereafter ye must be taught all thinges because the tyme is verye short which I haue to tarrye with you in the fleshe For euen anon I shal be caryed to death but shortly after I shal be restored to you againe but after another manner that is to saye by the presence of my spirite C. Howebeit othersome expounde it thus Ye shall sée me when I am rysen againe from the dead but it shall bée but for a short tyme because strayte after I shal be receyued into heauen But by this consolation he doth rather mittigate the sorrowe which they might conceyue by his absence affyrming that the same shoulde not bée long and so he commendeth the grace of his spirite by which he shoulde be with them for euer And it ought not to séeme absurde that he affyrmeth him selfe to be séene when he dwelleth in his Disciples by his spyrite for although he bée not discerned with our eyes yet notwithstanding Faith beholdeth Christes presence his presence is felt and seene with the eyes of fayth It is true which the Apostle sayeth VVee knowe that so long as wee are at home in the bodye 2. Cor 5.6 wee are absent from the Lorde For wee walke by fayth not after outward apperance Therefore the grace of the spirite is a glasse for vs in the which Christ wyll be séene according to this saying of Paule Though wee haue knowne Christ after the fleshe 2. Cor. 5 6 nowe yet henceforth knowe wee him henceforth no more 17. Then saide some of his Disciples betvven them selues vvhat is this that hee saieth 18. vnto vs After a vvhile and ye shall not see me and again after a vvhile and ye shall see me and that I go to the Father M. The matter it selfe of the which the Lorde spake as it was rare and seldome hearde so was it obscure vnto the Disciples and not easye to bée conceyued R. For fleshe and blood is deaffe at the Preaching of the Crosse and vnderstandeth nothing that is spoken of the Crosse For howe oftentimes had hée toulde his Apostles that hée woulde goe vnto the Father and take possession of a newe kingdome Howe often had hée made mencion of his Passion Notwithstanding they doe not as yet vnderstande the same so blynde is our nature in the worde of God without the spirite of Christ Suche is the doctrine of Christ that it requireth not carnall hearers but spirituall bearers and this is the cause that so fewe doe truelye vnderstand the same Notwithstanding wée must noate that not all but some of the Apostles not vnderstanding the wordes of the Lorde spake thus among them selues for they were not al of like capascity and wisedome 19. Iesus perceiued that they would aske him and sayde vnto them Doe yee enquire among your selues of that I saide After a while and ye shal not see mee and againe after a whyle ye shall see me R. This is an example of gentlenesse and carefulnesse Of gentlenesse in
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
sayth that he retourneth vnto the Father that they myght certainelye beléeue that by his departure they shoulde loose none of those benifites which hee hath brought because he sheddeth and powreth out of his heauenly glorye the power and efect of his death and resurrection Therefore he left the worlde when he putting of our infirmities was receyued vp into heauen but yet notwithstanding we are made pertakers of his grace because hée sitteth at the right hande of his Father and gouerneth the whoale worlde 29. His Disciples sayde vnto him Loe novve taulkest thou plainely and speakest no prouerbe 30. Novv are vvee sure that thou knovvest all thiÌ„gs nedest not that any man should aske thee any question â–ª therefore beleeue wee that thou camest from God M. The disciples because they did not as yet suffitiently knowe them selues boaste in these wordes that they knowe more then in very dede they knew The lorde had sayde These thinges haue I spoken to you by prouerbes the time will come when I shall no more speake vnto you by prouerbes but I shall shew you plainly of my fathere The Discipls contrary wise saye Lo now talkest thou playnly and speakest no prouerbe They thought that they vnderstode all thinges and that ther was no prouerbiall obscuritiy in the wordes of Christ B. But when the Lorde had at large declared his greate loue towardes them they also in like manner began to burne in loue towardes him they thought that they conceyued much and they perswaded them selues of more than they coulde eyther conceiue or do R. Therefore it was an opinion and not knowledge presumption and not Fayth in that they confesse nowe that they playnely vnderstande the wordes of Christ For they vnderstande not as yet what this meaneth that hée wente to the Father for to vnderstande this they needed the reuealing spirite C. In that therefore they exclayme nowe that theyr Mayster speaketh playnelye and without figure they go to farre yet notwithstanding they speake as it was in deede and which also wée finde true at this daye For hée which hath tasted but a little of the doctrine of the Gospell is more zealous and hath more féeling of Fayth than if hee knewe and well vnderstoode all Plato Yea the sighes which the Spirite of GOD stirreth vp in the heartes of the Godly are manifest testimonies that God doth worke by a secrete meanes aboue theyr capassitie For otherwise Pauele woulde not haue called them groaninges which cannot bee expressed So that wée must thinke that the Apostles felt some profite in suche wise that they might trulye saye Rom 8 26 that the wordes of Christe were not altogeather prouerbiall but they were deceyued in this in that they séemed vnto themselues to know more than they dyd But hereof came the error that they knew not what the gifte of the Spirite shoulde be They triumph therefore before the time euen as if a man shoulde thinke him selfe verye rytche hauing but one péece of goulde in his pursse They gather by sertaine signes that Christ procéeded from GOD and they glorye as though there were nothing wanting But as yet they were farre from that knowledge so long as they knâ—we not what Christ shoulde be vnto them afterwarde A. Also they playnely ynough declare theyr dulnesse in knowing Christ by this that they saye Now are wee sure that thou knowest all thinges as though now and neuer before they ought to knowe that Christ knowe all thinges and hereby to beleeue that hée came out from God M. To what ende then had they séene so many and so greate myracles Of the which notwithstanding Nicodemus saide VVee know that thou art come a teacher from God Iohn 3 2 For no man can do the signes which thou doest except god were with him Iohn 6 69 Furthermore yf so be they did not beleue vntill now that he came from God what ment they to say before we beleue and knowe that thou art Christ the sonne of the lyueing God Thus we sée that faith in the knowledge of Christ was often times so weake in the Apostles that euer now and than they néeded confirmation They beleeued before that he came from God into this worlde but that faith and knowledge had as yet muche obscuritie weakenes whervpon it came to passe that so soone as they receyued anye light and confirmation by and by they thouht that they did truely and certainly know and beléeue although as yet when they spake these thinges their knowledg was obscure and their faith weake ynough the which that which followeth doeth testefye 31. Iesus aunswered them doe yee nowe beleeue 32. Beholde the hower draweth nye and is alreadye come that yee shall bee scattered euerye manne to his owne and shall leaue mee aloane and yet am I not aloane â–ª for the father is wyth mee M. Christ speaketh not this to caste in their téeth their slownesse to beléeue because at the laste they did but beginne to beleeue after they had séene so many myracles but rather to forwarne them and put them in mynde of the temtation to come C. For because they stoode to much in theyr owne conceit Christ putteth them in mynde of their owne infirmitie to the ende they mighte kéepe them selues within their compasse We neuer know well what we lack and howe farre we are from the fulnesse of fayth vntill we come to some seriouse tryall for then proofe maketh plaine howe weake our fayth is which we thought to be perfect and strong Of this Christ putteth his Disciples in mynde and pronounceth that it wyll shortly come to passe that they shal forsake him And this interrogation of Christ is Ironicall as yf he hadde sayd Do ye thus boast as though ye were strong in fayth A tryal is at hand wich will plainlye shewe your imbecillitie For persecution is like a touchstoane to prooue fayth a little whereof when it apeareth maketh them to feare and to stoupe which before weare to lofty M. Therefore there are heare two thinges to be consydered the one is that it ought not to séeme straunge yf there be some which in tyme of peace beléeue and when persecution commeth goe backward séeing the very same hapened to the Apostles The other is that wée oughte to be put in minde of this Infirmitie while as yet we beléeue that wée may think wiihin our selues nowe wée beleeue but when aduersite commeth what wyll we then doe This forwarning will bring to passe not only that we shall be wary and circomspect but also modest and perpetually depending vppon the grace of Christ Mannes minde is vnstable Mans mynde is vnstaple and chaungeable according to the tyme and state insomuch that the mindes and manners of the most parte are according to the tyme. Hobeit I am not aloan C. This correction was added to the ende we maye knowe that nothing is derogated from Christe when he is forsaken of men For séeing in him selfe his power and glory is
that euell Where hée sayeth that they haue ouercome who are as yet in the middest of the skyrmyshe But our condition differeth far from theyrs which fight vnder the standerdes of men For Mars to them is doubtfull and the successe of the battaile vncertaine but wee before wée encounter with the enemye are conquerours because our head Christ hath once ouercome the whole worlde for vs when he ouercame Satan the Prince of this world So that hée maye paraduenture afflicte the children of God but hee can neuer haue the victorye for that the cause belongeth to Gods kingdome By the name of the world in this place Christ reprehendeth all that is contrarye to the saluation of the Godlye in speciallye all corruptions the whiche Sathan abuseth to intrappe and beguile vs. B. Therefore the worlde is so ouercome by Christ that it maye onelye profite vs but not hurte vs yf so bée through Faith which is the victorye of the worlde wée cleaue faste vnto Christ to the end ⧠The .xvij. Chapter 1. These wordes spake Iesus and lyfte vp his eyes to heauen and sayde Father the houre is come glorifye thy sonne that thy sonne also maye glorifye thee R. HITHERTO from the thirtéen Chapter Christe hath taught that he was sent of the Father into this world and that hee woulde goe to the Father againe Beside this he confirmed with many comfortable consolalations all those that beléeue in him against the offence of the Crosse specially with the last comfortable precept in the Chapter going before Be of good cheere I haue ouercome the worlde For wherevnto soeuer thou haue respect whether it bée vnto corporall thinges or spirituall thinges the Crosse is alwaye obiected C. Wherefore the comming of the holye Ghost being promised by him he made them to haue better hope and also debated the matter at large concerning the glorye and excellencye of his kingdome R. And nowe he prayeth his Father fyrst that his Father would glorifye him seeing that the Ministerye of the Gospell was now fulfilled and the power of his glorifycation come Then he prayeth for his Apostles And last of all for all such as should beleeue through the Preaching of the Apostles M. Therfore Christ addeth a Prayer to that doctrine by the which he instructed and confirmed his Apostles and such a prayer as agreed with the present cause of the which he had spoken so largely This is a most excellent order and dilligentlye to bée obserued and noated not onelye of all the Ministers of Christ but also of the Faithfull that they turne from Doctrine to prayer For doctrine wyll be coulde except the same bée made effectuall by God Wherefore hee geueth an example to teachers not onelye to bée painefull in Preaching the worde but also by vsing prayer therewith to call for helpe from God that it woulde please him by his benediction to make the same fruitefull M. For whether thou teache or bée taught wée must not looke to receiue encrease and fruite by man but we must make our humble prayers vnto GOD who geueth boath to him that teacheth and to him that heareth increase and profite C. To bée short this prayer of Christ 1 Cor 3 7 was as it were a sealing of the former doctrine boath that it might bée fyrme in it selfe and also that the Disciples might geue credite therevnto and stedfastly beléeue it C. And in this Chapter Christ manifesteth his Priesthoode of whome it is written Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Also Psal ii0 4 In the dayes of his fleshe hee offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto God Heb. 5 2 which could saue him from death and he was hearde out of the feare M. Christ taught before nowe he prayeth Prayer preaching ioyned togither shortlye after he purposed to offer vp him selfe an acceptable sacrifice to God his Father C. And wheras Iohn sayth that Christ prayed lyfting vp hys eyes vnto heauen it was a token of greate feruencye in prayer For by thys Iesture he declared that hys minde and affection was rather in heauen than in earthe that leauing men he myght haue familliare talke wyth God Also he looked vppe to Heauen not because God is included ther who replenisheth the whole earth but because hys Maiestie there specially appeareth Ierem. 27. But concerning thys matter we haue spokē more in the eleuenth Chapter goyng before begynning at the fourty and one verse Father the houre is come M. In that Christ prayed openly and in the heareyng of hys Disciples it was not done wythout cause He loueth sylence and secrete prayer Math. 6.6 as Christ him selfe not onely in wordes but also by his owne déede taught in goynge aparte when he woulde praye into the wildernesse Math. 14.23 or else into some solitarye place but that kinde of prayer which the Lord vsed here was not onelye done for prayers sake but also for consolation and instruction And thys maner of open praier did not onelye perfite the Disciples but hath also brought vnto vs great consolation and instruction C. Fyrste of all Christ prayeth that hys owne kingdome might be glorifyed that he againe might set foorth the glory of hys Father He sayeth the hower is come bycause althoughe he was manifested by miracles and by all maner of power to bée the Sonne of God yet notwythstanding as yet hys spirituall kingdome was obscure which shortlye after gloriouslye shined Also he sayeth that the hower was come not which man had appoynted but the hower which was decreede by God R. But some wyll saye what meaneth thys that Christe prayed beyng assured of hys glorification I aunswere that assuraunce is the principall cause of hys prayer For except thou be sure certayne to obtayne thou prayest in vayne Prayer if it be effectuall proceedeth from faith For effectuall prayer muste spring from fayth and fayth is dyrected to the fyrme and stable promyse of God Wherefore except fayth be annexed to the vndoubted promyse it cannot bee that thou shouldest obtayne Math. 6.12 Thus we praye daylye Forgiue vs our dettes as wee forgiue our detters when as Christ purchased vpon the Crosse remission of our dettes many yeares before C. Therefore thys prayer was not superfluous because Christ so dependeth vppon the wyll of God that notwythstandyng be knewe that he must pray for that which was promised vnto hym sertainelye to come to passe God vndoubtedly wyll bring that to passe which he hath decrede though the whole worlde doe gaynesaye and resiste the same but yet neuerthelesse it is our parte to craue that at hys handes by prayer which hée hath promised bycause thys is the vse of promyses to styrre vs vppe to praye M. Furthermore we must consider that he saith not God glorifye me but Father glorifye thy sonne Fyrst of all it expresseth a trust and prerogatiue of the Sonne towardes the Father then it putteth a difference betwene the
theire desiers whiche exceeded very much by this meanes which he prescribeth Hee promiseth not vnto his disciples the grace of his Father which might deliuer them from all care and labour but whiche mighte arme them with inuincible fortitude agaynste theyr enemies and defende them agaynste the huge heape of dissentions whych they shoulde sustayne Therfore if we desire to bee saued according too the Rule of Christe we muste not desire to be frée from euils neyther muste wee praye vnto God to deliuer vs by and by into blessed reste and peace but we must coÌ„tente our selues with a sure truste and hope of victorye and must stronglye and constantly resiste all euils from the which Christe prayeth hys father that wée may haue a happy deliuerance 1. Cor. 10.13 R. For God is faithful which wil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strengh Mat. 6.13 but in the midest of temptation will make awaye that we may be able to beare it M. To thys effecte perteyneth this petition of the Lordes prayer Leade vs not into teÌ„ptation but deliuer vs from euill C. To be shorte God taketh not those that are his out of the worlde bicause hee woulde not haue them Idle and sloughfull yet notwithstanding he deliuerethe them from euill leste they shoulde be destroyed For he woulde haue them fyghte but he woulde not haue them wounded to deathe R. Therefore by this woorde Euill vnderstande not affliction Crosse and death but sinne impietie infidelitie and falling a way from the Gospell the which euil being taken away other euills wil turne to good For in that Christe hath taken a waye synne the euills and wages of synne remayning hee declareth his glory and power by which of euill hee maketh good For deathe bycause it is the rewarde of synne and the Crosse bicause it is the hyer of sinne are euills but synne beeyng taken a waye by faythe they are made good and they must abyde with the Godly in this worlde that they may be proued and purged as it were through fyre 17. Sanctify theÌ„ through thy truth thy worde is the truthe M. Before hee sayde I haue giuen vnto them thy worde nowe he prayeth that they mighte bee sanctified with the spirite of God at their entering into the Apostleship whereby the truthe of God mighte be spred throughout the whole worlde that is to saie that they mighte supplie his roome and bee confyrmed Therefore this sanctification comprehendeth the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof that it mighte also bee extended to all the béeleeuing though not Apostles the whiche is brought to passe when God renueth vs by hys holy Spyrite and confyrmeth the grace of renouation in vs and continueth the same to the ende Fyrste of all therefore hee prayethe that the Father woulde sanctifie hys disciples that is too saye that hee woulde whollye addiecte them vnto him and take them too him selfe as a holie and principall charge Secondlye hee shewethe the manner howe hee woulde haue them sanctifyed and that not withoute cause For there are sertayne braynesicke Menne whiche babble and prate muche of sanctification but doe omit the truthe of God by whiche hee consecrateth vs too him selfe Moreouer bycause others no lesse mad than they do tryffle and toie with that truth of the which ther is mention made here and do in the meane time neglecte the worde Christ plainelie affirmeth that the truth is no wher els to be found than 〈…〉 which doth 〈…〉 is it 〈◊〉 For 〈…〉 be sâ—â—â—led with â—â—â—pe and work according to the custome of the lawe saâ—â—g the bloude of Christ is mutable and hâ—ddeâ— from our eyes Therfore it is 〈◊〉 the consciences by the worde of the Gospel which is the truth And the word is this Christ dyed for vs 〈…〉 for my â—â—eepe â—ake ye 〈…〉 thys is my body which iâ— giuen for your drynke yeâ— this is my bloude â—hiche is shed for you And suche lyke 1 Pet. â— 18 Ioh â— 1â—.15 Mat. 26 26 Ephe. â— 26 In this sence Paule affirmeth that the church is clensed by the fountayne of water in the worde of life R. Also Christ sayth Now are ye all cleane through the vvorde which I haue spoken vnto you And Peter sayth Ioh. 15.3 Purifying your soules in obeying the truth by the spirit C. It is God onely whiche sanctifieth 1. Pet. 1.22 A. I am the Lorde sayth he vvhich sanctifie you but bicause his Gospell is the power of saluation to euerye one that beleeueth whosoeuer forsaketh that meane Rom. 1.19 he must needes be more filthe euery day than other Truthe here by excellencie is taken for the light of Heauenly wisedome in the which God hath reuealed him selfe vnto vs that hée mighte make vs lyke 〈…〉 18. As thou dyddest send me into the worlde euen so also haue I sente them into the worlde C By another Argumente he confirmeth his prayer namely bicause his and the Apostels calling was all one Now sayth he I commit vnto them that office which hytherto I my selfe haue sustayned and borne at thy commandement Therefore it is necessary that they be instructed and armed with the power of thy spirite that they maye bee able too beare so greate a burthen M. And he vseth here according to the Hebrue phras one tence for another as I haue sent for I will sende For hee sente them not vntyll after his resurrection Mar. 16.15 Also here we haue to noate who they are whiche may hope that this heauenly santification shal bee geuen them to discharge the office of preachyng There are some whiche runne of them selues vncalled and there are other some which beeing only taught and called of men runne without the diuine disposition and calling of God Neyther of them haue to hope for the sanctification of the spirite But they whome Christ sendeth into the worlde which are sanctified by the spirite of God to be ministers of the truth Suche were the Apostles whom Christ inteÌ„ded to send foorth into the world euen as he him selfe was sent foorth of the Father Also we muste weye how greatly we oughte to esteeme the doctrine of the Apostles Althoughe they were men yet notwithstanding by the testimonie of Christe him selfe they were so sent into the worlde euen as he was sente of the Father Therefore he which heareth them heareth God hym selfe and he which despiseth them despiseth God Luk. 10.16 Finally let vs consider to what ende the Apostles were sente into the worlde R. They were sente of Christe euen as Christ was sente of the Father Nowe Christe was sente to shewe the will of his Father that is to saye the Gospell he was also sente to be a lyuely example and to beare the crosse M. not to rule in the worlde after the manner of men but to be as it were the seuaunte oâ— others when as notwithstanding he was Lorde of all R. Euen so also the Apostles were sente not to teache mans inuentions but the
wée muste be the true members of hys bodye B. Therefore when wee are absolutelye Godly it shall appeare that we are deere and acceptable vnto God R. And wee must well remember the prayer coÌ„tayned in this Chapter For if so be Christ prayed for him selfe for his Apostles and for al those that should beleeue by the preaching of the Apostles it must needes be in an effectuall prayer For howe could it be that the son which was obediente to the death of the Crosse shuld be repulsed Wherfore let vs bee fullye perswaded that neyther death neyther life neyther Angels neither rule nether power nether things presente nor thinges to come neither heigth nor depth neither any other creature shal be able to seperat vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord. ⧠The .18 Chapter 1. When Iesus had spoken these words he went foorth with his Disciples ouer the brooke Cedron where was a Garden into the which he entred with his Disciples M. IN this Chapter the Euangelist begynneth to declare the historie of the Lordes passion in the declaration wherof he omitteth many things whiche are to be read in the other three Euangelistes the which he doth of purpose euen as he hath set downe many things worthy of remembraunce whiche the other thrée haue let passe with silence R. Therfore hitherto was noted the Sermon which Christ made at his last Supper by which Christ most fully declared and manifested him selfe to his Disciples to the ende we might know what grace and goodnesse he conteyneth in him selfe specially vnder the crosse Also he prayed that all those that beléeue in him might be sanctified that they might be one with him and that the loue with the which the Father loued him might be in them Therfore his Sermon and Prayer béeing ended he went foorth with his Disciples ouer the brooke Cedron M. Some thinke that this brooke was called the brooke of Ceders bicause many Ceder trees grew about the same C. But it is very like notwithstaÌ„ding that this name came vp through error For of the valley or brooke of Cedron there is mention oftentimes made in the Scriptures M. Where the Hebrewe worde dothe not signifie Ceder trees but dimnes or darknesse R. Concerning the whiche brooke we reade in the booke of Kings 2. Kin. 15.23 4. kin 23.4 C. This place therfore was so called bicause of the darknesse bicause it was a deepe valley and muche shadowed Howbeit we will not contende much about this Specially we haue to consider the purpose of the Euangelist in naming this place For hys purpose was to shewe that Christ went willingly to death He came into that place which he knew was well knowne vnto Iudas And to what ende but only to offer him selfe to Iudas and into the handes of his enemies For he came not vnto this place without foresight of that which folowed séeing he was ignorant of nothing whiche was to come to passe M. Wherefore Christ passing ouer the brooke Cedron entred into the Garden not to flée from his Persecuters but that he might go to that agony whiche was to come according to Gods appoyntment If he went ouer the brooke CedroÌ„ bicause he would flée away his best way had bin through the wildernesse and not to haue entred into this Garden C. He went not therfore to seeke a place to hide him selfe in but he entred into the Garden that he might haue more libertie to pray The other Euangelists say that he went out vnto the mount of Oliues Mat 26.36 and they make mention of a certayne place which is called Gâ—thsemane the which hath no discrepance seeing that the historie of Dauid also sayth 2. kin 15.23 that the people when they had passed ouer the brooke Cedron went towarde the way of Oliuet 2. Iudas also whiche betrayed him knewe the place for Iesus ofttimes resorted thither with his Disciples R. As Christ is not betrayed but of an Apostle and his chiefe Disciple and that to those to whom he him selfe was the truthe and whose office and function was a shadowe and tipe of him Persecution of the Gospell by Disciples Mat. 23.37 Act. 7.52 that is to say to the high Priestes and Scribes euen so the worde of the Gospell is almost neuer betrayed but of suche as know the same and are friends in shew and very seldome it suffreth persecution of straungers The Gentiles killed not the Prophets but the Iewes which boasted of the worde of the Lord. The Phariseis cast out the Apostles Antechrist is not suche a one as denyeth Christ but a boster of the name of Christ and yet he persecuteth the Gospel So the hypocriticall Monkes Priests Bishops Popes and such like haue onely the outwarde name of Christians and seeke to betray and to destroy Christ 3. Iudas then after he had receiued a band of men and officers of the high Priests and Phariseys came thither with lanternes and torches and weapons R. With what force strength doth Iudas set vpon Christ Or by what power do the souldiers of Iudas persecute the Gospel Not with reasons sentences of scripture except peraduenture the same be wrested to serue their turne not with probable arguments but with the corporall sword with weapons with afflictions all kinde of torments If this be to ouercome who haue greater conquest victorie than tyrants fighting with crueltie And if this be to play the champion who is more bould stout than théeues Reade the .26 of Mat. beginning at the .47 verse concerning the other two verses folowing also reade the same chapter 6. Assoone then as he had said vnto theÌ„ I am he they went backwarde and fel to the grounde C. The Euangelist sheweth what great vertue and power the Lorde breathed with one voyce to the ende we myghte know that the wicked had power ouer him no further than he gaue them leaue He gently aunswereth that he is the very same whome they sought for and yet notwithstanding hee casteth them prostrate vppon the earth euen as if it had béene with the violent puffe or blast of a whirle wynde or with the flashing stroke of lightning Therefore he wanted no power to restrayne their handes if it had so pleased him but he woulde obey his Father by whose decrée he knewe he was called and appoynted to deathe Aug. For where is nowe thys ambushmente of Souldiers Where is nowe theyr terrour and fortification of weapons One voyce strake repulsed and prostrated without force of weapon the outrageous hatefull multitude and terrible with weapons For God lay hydden in the fleshe and the sempiternall day was so shadowed and couered wyth humayne members that darknes sought with Lanternes and Fyrebrandes to kill the same What wyll he doo which shall come to iudge whiche dyd thys that he might be iudged But this purpose was to put in proofe that efficacie whiche the Prophet Esay attributeth to hys word Amongest other the mightie
powers of Christe the Prophete repeateth thys Esa 11.4 that he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouthe and shall slay the wycked with the breath of hys lippes 2. Thes 2.8 The Apostle Paule suspendeth the fulfilling of this Prophesie vnto the ende of the worlde yet notwithstanding we sée dayly that the wicked doo fall with their fury and pride at the voyce of christ But then when they fel which came to bind Christ was shewed a visible token of that feare which al the wicked manger their heads féele within them when Christ speaketh to them by his ministers Moreouer séeing this was as it were accidentall to the voyce of Christe whose propertie it is to rayse vp miserable men whiche lye in the shadowe of death he will vse no doubt thys power towards vs to exalt vs vp into heauen R. And this is manifest that the same worde of God whiche is to the wicked iudgemente is to the Godly consolation For at other times Christe comforted his Disciples when they were afrayde Mat. 14.27 Luk. 24.39 with these wordes I am he Also VVhy are yee troubled it is I Therefore that whiche the Lorde threatneth to the wicked in the Lawe is in these wordes manifefestly to be séene For Moses sayth The Lorde shall geue thee a trembling harte Deut. 28.65 Esa 57.21 and looking too returne till thine eyes fall oute and a sorrovvfull minde Psal 110.1 And the Prophete saythe The vvicked haue no peace M. Let the wicked therefore consider what shall befall on the enimies of Christe For this contayneth a figure of that whiche happeneth and shall happen to all the enimies of Christe namely confusion and vtter destruction It is prophesied that the enimies of Christe shall be made his footestoole The enemies of Christe of the whiche we haue so greate a multitude heere consisted of Iudas the hypocrite and false Apostle of the seruantes of the highe Priests and of the Romaine souldiers In these we sée what the enemies of Christ are oftentymes some are hypocrites some are superstitious and other some worldlinges but in due time when Christe shall shewe hym selfe they shall vtterly be destroyed and though they bée lyfted vp alofte yet shall they bée caste downe to the grounde flat and shall bee broughte to duste A. For the wycked shall not be able to stande but shall be lyke the duste Psal 1.5 whiche the wynde scattereth away from the face of the earth 7. Then asked he them agayne whome seeke ye They sayde Iesus of Nazareth C. Hereby it doth appeare howe great the blindenesse is with the whiche the Lorde striketh the mindes of the wicked and howe horrible their obstinacie is after that Sathan hath bewitched them by the iuste iudgement of God The Oxe and the Asse when they fall haue some féelyng but these men hauing had manyfest experience of the deuine power of Christ do no lesse securely go forwarde than if they had not seene so muche as the shadowe of a man in him Nay Iudas him selfe is not moued Let vs learne therefore to feare the iudgement of God by whiche the Reprobate béeing suffered to fall into the hands of Satan are more sencelesse than brute beasts For Sathan no doubt was the author of this so great wickednesse 8. Iesus answered I haue tolde you that I am he If ye seeke me therfore let these go their way 9. That the saying might be fulfilled whiche he spake Of them which thou gauest me haue I not lost one R. Although he were taken yet he retayned his authoritie and power styll For the power of the worde can not be bounde For the Apostles had not gone awaye without hurte excepte the Aduersaries had béene restrayned of their furie by the efficacie of this commaundement By the same efficacie of the word he restored to Malchus hys eare Luk. 22.51 that we might learne the power of the worde in the middest of impotencie and weaknesse A. But was it not lawfull for him whiche deliuered others to delyuer hym selfe also out of the hands of hys enemies C. But he mynded to play the parte of a good shephearde to defende hys flocke He sawe the rauening of the Wolues he taryeth not vntill they come to the Sheepe of whiche he was appoynted the keeper but wythstandeth them betyme Wherefore let vs not doubte so often as wycked men or the Diuell rise vp agaynst vs but that we shall haue by and by the same helpe Moreouer Christe hath by his example prescribed a rule to the Shepheardes whiche they muste followe if so be they will duely fulfill their office That the saying might be fulfilled R. The Euangelist alleageth the saying of Christe to teache that the same is effectuall For if so bee the saying of Christe hadde not beene effectuall howe coulde the Disciples haue escaped thys perill and shunned suche wylfull madnesse of the people their aduersaries specially Peter who strake with the sword Notwithstanding this sentence seemeth to be broughte out of order whiche seemeth rather to appertayne to mennes soules than to their bodies For Christe dydde saue and preserue the Apostles in safetie as touching their bodyes to the ende but he rather spake thys that in the middest of continuall daungers and in deathe it selfe theyr eternall saluation shoulde be in safetie I aunswere The Euangelist speaketh not simply of their corporall lyfe but meaneth rather that Christ sparing them for a time prouided for their euerlasting saluation Let vs consider howe greate theyr imbecilitie was as yet What would they haue doone thinke you if they had béene broughte to the pinche Séeing therefore Chryste woulde not tempte them aboue their strengthe he deliuered them from eternall destruction And héereby we may gather a generall doctrine namely that althoughe oure fayth bée proued by many temptations yet notwithstanding we shall neuer come into extreme perilles but he wyll geue vnto vs strengthe and abilitie to beare the same AVG. Therefore bicause the Apostles were not as yet sufficiently confyrmed in the Faythe to retayne the confession of the truth and had bothe denyed Christe and also peryshed the Lord would saue them M. Furthermore they were specially chosen to the preaching of the Kyngdome of God and were not onely so geuen vnto Christe that they might be saued but also to Preache the worde of lyfe vnto others and to serue Chryste For thys office they were to be preserued Wherefore if they had béene taken and slayne of their enemies they had perished to Chryste vnto whome they brought foorth muche fruite by the preaching of the worde Concerning that which followeth vntil yée come to the .19 verse reade our Commentarie vpon the .26 of Mathew beginning at the .51 verse 19. The hye Priest then asked Iesus of his disciples of his doctrine R. This hye Priest was Caiphas for Annas had straightway posted ouer Christe vnto Caiphas M. These things and many mo of the which the other Euangelists
speake were done in the Councell of the Phariseis and of the seniors of the people These thinges our Euangelist thought good to repeat as passed ouer in silence by the others and to omit that which the other thrée haue noted R. Christ or the worde of God Gods word accused of heresie and Christ of sedition is aways accused of two things Fyrst it is accused by the high Priests and Bishops of heresie Secondly by the ciuill Magistrate of sedition The first part of this accusation is handled before the high Priest concerning heresie the seconde before Pilate concerning sedition To these also was ioyned Herod who in the action of this Tragedie representeth the wyse men of this worlde for he contemneth and derideth Christ For the Gospel is to the Gentiles foolishnesse bicause it teacheth that the crosse is holy and glorious that death is life and suche like C. Therefore the high Priest asketh Christ a question as if he were some factious person who in gathering Disciples vnto him had brought schisme into the Church he questioneth with him as with a false prophet whiche shuld go about with new peruers opiniōs to corrupt the puritie of fayth But let vs note the hipocrisie of the false hye Priest He enquireth of the doctrine and Disciples of Iesu He myghte aske thys question in respecte of hys authoritie whiche he hadde among the people of God For it apperteyned to the high Prieste specially to defende true and wholsome doctrine and to represse that whiche was false and hurtefull notwithstanding thys appertayned not to the office of a highe Priest to cause a Teacher whiche hadde taughte dayly in the Temple openly before all menne whome he myghte haue hearde and whose doctrine he myghte haue learned of hys owne mouthe to bée taken violently with a bande of Souldiours and to be brought bounde before hym as a malefactour and a seducer of the people to bee condemned and put to death not yet conuicted Thys thyng beséemed not hys person but declared rather the malice of the Highe Prieste He moued thys question in the myddest of armed menne and bondes not that hee myghte knowe the truthe of Christes doctrine but that he myghte seeke and fynde oute some colour of Iustice and iuste condemnation wherwythall to blynde the eyes of the simple Thys fourme of questioning the Popishe Prelates vse at thys daye in suche places where the Gospell is persecuted to the which they haue alwayes annexed Inquisitions bondes and torments bicause they séeke no more to know the truthe than did the high Priest among the Iewes 20. Iesus aunswered him I spake openly to the worlde I euer taught in the Sinagogue and in the Temple whyther all the Iewes resorte and in secrete haue I sayde nothing C. Christe hauing doone the office of a Teather seeketh not anye newe defence yet notwithstanding lest he should forsake the patrocinie of the truthe he sheweth that hee is readie to defende all those thyngs whyche he had taught And wythall hee reproueth the impudencie of the Highe Prieste who enquireth of a moste manyfest matter as if the same were doubtfull Notwithstanding thys place seemeth contrarie to that other saying of Christe Mat 10.27 Math. 13.11 where he commaundeth the Apostles to preach that vppon the house toppes whiche they had harde in secrete Answere herevnto is made When he saythe in thys place that hée hathe spoken nothing in secrete it is to be referred to the substaunce it selfe which was alwayes one though the fourme of teaching were different Mar. 4.14 M. He hadde taughte the Disciples seuerally in secrete certayne things but yet the very same whiche hee hadde taughte in Parables openly before the people neyther yet bycause they shoulde retayne them in secrete but bycause when the tyme came they should preach the same vppon the house toppes He hadde taughte also in priuate houses but not therefore bicause he sought lurking corners and to shunne publique assemblies neyther dyd he teache any other things than the very same which he had taught in the Temple in the Synagogues and in other publique places C. Wherefore he mighte protest with a good conscience that hee hadde freely professed and sincerely publyshed the summe of hys doctrine M. Also we see heere howe the Lorde vsed the Sinagogues and Temples and also what we muste doo according to hys example in Ecclesiasticall assemblies He taughte he offered not Sacryfyce Doctryne belongeth too the people of GOD. Therefore they whiche doo nothing in their Churches but boa and bleate and sacryfyce are not the followers of Christe but of the Iewishe Priestes C. Moreouer very childishe is the error of some which thinke that they are héere codemned by the answere of Christ which handle the worde of God secretly and in closets when they may not publikely preache the same by reason of the tyrannie of the wicked For Christ doth not dispute what is lawfull to be done and what not but his purpose is to refute the impudent malice of Caiphas A. The Apostles also were then to be condemned who preached not onely publikely but also priuately in houses Act. 20.20 21. Why askest thou me aske them which hard me what I haue sayde vnto thē beholde they can tell what I sayde M. Christ would not haue refused the examination of his doctrine if so be these hye Priestes and Prelates had soughte with their whole hart the knowledge of the truth For how could he whiche was readie to dye for the saluation of mortall men haue denied so little labour to teach them which enquired concerning his doctrine But he knew that they sought nothing lesse then to be taught when they enquired of his Disciples and of his Doctrine Wherfore he appealeth to his hearers which were his enemies R. Wherby we learne what boldnesse ought to be in a teacher of the Gospell He dothe not denie the examination of his Doctrine which he knew to be so sounde and true that he referred the high Priest to the testimonie of those which had openly heard the same what maner of persons soeuer they were so that they would set malice and enuie aside He doth not appeale vnto his Disciples but to all generally whiche had heard him in the Temple and in the Sinagogue This testimonie of cōscience for teaching the truth ought to be in euery Minister of the worde in so much that he may also say Aske those whiche haue heard me beholde they can tell what I haue sayde A. The which they may easily do if so be they speake nothing of them selues but speake in the Churche as the wordes of God 1. Pet. 4 11. 1. Cor. 11.23 and if so be they haue receyued from the Lorde that whiche they deliuer vnto others 22. Whē he had thus spoken one of the officers which stood by smote Iesus with a rod saying Aunswerest thou the high Priest so M. This séemed to the seruauntes of the high Priest great contempt of their master
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
also for Thomas hys fayth For this was not done for Thomas his sake onely but for our sakes also that nothing might be wanting whiche mighte confyrme our fayth M. Moreouer in that Christe spake these thinges to Thomas not in secrete but openly before all the Apostles it was not done without cause For this vnbeleefe of Thomas was not secrete but manyfest vnto the rest of the Apostles Wherefore there was no cause why eyther hys estimation or his shame shoulde be spared For why shoulde he be ashamed openly to be cured who was not ashamed openly to offende A manyfest woâ—â—de must haue a manyfest plaster Therfore let vs hereby learne what is the forme of ChristiaÌ„ discipline Christian discipline Let these things which are secret be secretly corrected and these things which are manyfest he manifestly reprehended Also this open reprehension of Thomas serued greatly to the confirmation of the other Disciples which were present Euen so Paule willeth that they which sinne openly be openly reproued that others may feare For he which by his vnbeleefe stayeth others froÌ„ the fayth of Christe muste suffer hym selfe to be cured by open correction C. But wonderfull and monstrous was the vnbeleefe of Thomas who béeing not contente with the simple sighte of Christe woulde haue his hands also witnesses of the resurrection And thus he was not onely obstinate but also proude and contumelious agaynst Christe But nowe at the laste when he had seene Christe he oughte to haue beene ashamed and afrayde And yet as thoughe he had knowen no faulte by him selfe he bouldly and without feare putteth in his hande For we may easily gather by the wordes of the Euangelist that he dyd not repent hym before he was conuinced by touching Thus when we geue lesse honour to the worde of the Lorde than is méete there creepeth into our hartes by little and little obstinacie which bringeth with it contempt whereby all reuerence of him and his worde it quite taken from vs. Wherefore we muste take the more payne in brideling the lasciuiousnesse of our nature least by obstinacie we quenche the féelyng of pietie and shut vp the gate of fayth agaynst our selues 28. Thomas answered sayde vnto him My Lorde and my God Bv. Thomas so soone as he had seene and touched knowing bothe the face and also the wonted voyce of the Lorde is awaked and euen as a man when he hath beene out of his wits and commeth againe to him selfe he crieth out saying My Lorde and my God For an abrupte spéeahe hath alway great vehemencie And there is no doubte but that shame constrayned him thus to crye whereby he might condemne his former slouthe Bv. But this as it is a moste briefe confession of a true fayth so also it is moste absolute For Thomas gathereth by the true resurrection of the bodye that hee was Iesus and the Lorde that is to say the Redéemer and the king of all Also God that is to saye the life and conceruation of all creatures and not onely the God and Lorde of all things but also his God and his Lorde For he doth not crye Thou art Lord and God but My Lorde and my God Therfore suche sodayne exclamation sheweth that fayth was not cleane extinguished in him thoughe it were buried for a tyme. For he toucheth not the diuinitie of Christe in his side nor in his hands but he gathereth muche more by those signes than they did shewe And whereof came this but onely bicause he returned to him selfe from obliuion Also who woulde haue thoughte that so great fayth would haue followed suche obstinate vnbeleefe Act. 9.2 So Paule in the beginning was a most cruel persecuter of the Church notwithstaÌ„ding afterwarde he became a most faythfull Apostle For these wonderfull iudgementes of God are described to this ende and purpose that wee mighte learne to know the wonderfull goodnesse of God who turneth euill into good C. For the same whiche happened to Thomas happeneth sometyme to manye Who castyng the feare of God asyde for a tyme runne at randam in so muche that there appeareth no fayth at all to bee in them but so soone as they are chastised with Gods correction subduing flesh and bloude they retourne to a better mynde 2. Kin. 12.13 The whyche we may beholde in Dauid after the shorte admonition of the Prophet For it commeth to passe by the wonderfull goodnesse of God that the Electe forsaking not the faythe doo neuer so farre fall but they soone ryse agayne Wherefore wee muste take carefull heede that we fall not away from the faythe Notwithstanding let vs bee sure of thys that GOD dothe holde backe the faythful with a secret bridle least they should fall to their destruction and doth alway kepe in their hartes some sparks of faith Christian fayth which afterwards in due time he kindleth by the blast of his spirite M. We see also heere what is the confession of a christian fayth He is a true Christian which confesseth with his hart that Christ is his Lorde and God for we see that this confession is approued of Christ He woulde neuer haue suffered the honor taken from his father to be giuen vnto him falsly But he confirmeth that which Thomas spake Therefore if he had not beene God he woulde neuer haue aproued this confession of Thomas Wherefore this one place is sufficient to ouerthrow the heresie of the Arrians C. Héereby let vs learne to be brought from the man Christe vnto the true God Christ For that our fayth may come vnto the diuinitie of Christ we must fyrste beginne with that knowledge whiche is most easie bicause our fayth doth profite and go forwarde by degrées so that wee apprehending Chryste in earth borne in a stable and hanged vpon the crosse may come at the length vnto the glory of his resurrection and from thence to his eternall lyfe and power in the which his diuine Maiestie shineth 29. Iesus sayth vnto him Thomas bicause thou haste seene me thou haste beleeued blessed are they that haue not seene yet haue beleeued Bv. Least anye man shoulde saye these thinges were spoken and written concerning the Apostle Thomas they appertayne not vnto mée the Lorde extendeth the same vnto all the faythfull pronouncing them blessed whiche haue not seene and yet beleeued C. Christe reprehendeth nothing in Thomas but onely bicause he was so slowe to beléeue that hee was violently to bee drawen vnto the faythe by the experiment of his sences the whiche is quite contrarie to the nature of fayth Blessed are they that haue not seene M. According to the Hebrew phrase he vseth the Preterperfect tence for the Present tence He dothe not condemne the faythe of Thomas to the whiche he hadde exhorted him saying Be not faithlesse but beleeuing But condemneth their faythe whiche seeing not are contented with the hearing of the woorde of God onely So when he sayth Blessed are they vvhyche heare the vvorde of God and
keepe it he dothe not denie that to bee true whiche the woman had sayde Blessed is the vvombe that bare thee and the pappes that gaue thee sucke but extolleth those whiche heare the worde of God and keepe it C. Therefore Christe heere for this consideration commendeth fayth bicause the same beeing contente with the simple worde of God dependeth not vppon the sence and reason of fleshe and bloud So that he comprehendeth the force and nature of fayth in a briefe definition namely that it standeth not in the present aspecte but pearceth vnto the heauens and beleeueth those thinges whiche are hidden from humayne vnderstanding To this effect pertayne these sentences Fayth is an assurance of things which are hoped for Heb. 11.11 1. Cor. 5.7 and a certenty of things which are not seene Aso VVe walke by fayth not after outvvarde appearaunce The which places signifie that fayth hath his aspecte but yet suche aspecte as stayeth not on the worlde and vppon earthly obiectes If any man obiect and saye that this place is contrarie to that where he pronoūceth those eyes to be blessed which beholde him present We answere Mat. 13.16 That Christ doth not speake there of a corporal aspect only as he doth in this place but of the reuelation which is common to al the godly from the time that he came to be the redéemer of the world He compareth the Apostles with the holy Kings Prophets which were held vnder the obscure shadowes of Moses law But now he saith that the state of the faythfull is blessed bicause more perfecte lighte shineth vnto them yea bicause the substaunce and truthe of figures is offered vnto them Many of the wycked behelde Chryste wyth the eyes of the fleshe at that tyme who notwithstanding were neuer a whit the more blessed but we whiche neuer sawe Christe with oure eyes are made partakers of this blessednes which Christ héere commendeth Blessednesse of those that see not Christ Gal. 3.1 Whervpon it followeth that those eyes are called blessed whiche spiritually consider that in him which is heauenly and diuine For at this day we beholde Christ in the Gospell no lesse than if he were present before vs. M. Therefore let no man say O that I had lyued in the dayes of Christe and had seene with mine eyes those his myracles We beleeue that they are muche more blessed whiche see not than those whiche haue seene 1. Pet. 1.8 C. If therefore wee desire to sée that in Christe whiche maketh vs happie and blessed let vs learne to beleue when we see not Wheras therefore the Papists wrest these words to proue their Transubstantiation it is too friuolous and vayne That wée maye be blessed they cōmaunde vs to beleeue that Christ is in the fourme of breade but the purpose of Christ was nothing lesse than to make our fayth subiect to the inuentions of man the which fayth if it passe neuer so little the boundes of the worde it ceasseth now to be fayth If so be we must beléeue generally all thinges which are not séene then our fayth shall be subiect to all monstruous myracles to all fables and forged lyes Therefore to the ende thys sentence of Christe maye take place we must fyrst of all proue that by the worde of God of the which we do doubte The Papistes bring the worde of God for their Transubstantiation but false expounded and vnaptly alleaged Bv. Let vs therfore kéepe our selues within our prescript boundes and let vs beléeue that Christ is our Lorde our life and our resurrection in that he him selfe is risen agayne from death 30. And many other signs truely did Iesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this booke M. When the Euangelist did write these thing many other signes also concerning the Lordes resurrection came vnto hys minde the whiche he might haue put in writing aswell as these but bicause he had alreadie determined with him selfe concerning the quantitie of his booke and was alreadie come to the measure of the same least any man should thinke that he had written all the signes which Christe did after his resurrection that the Lord appeared not passing once or twice to his Disciples to confirme his resurrection he thought good to adde these thinges vnto his Narration C. As if he should say Let no man thinke that he hath heere a full and perfect historie Bv. For the Lorde Iesus did declare by many other Argumentes signes tokens and demonstrations the truth of his resurrectiō and of his diuine power and that so euidently that the disciples might not only vnderstād the same but also might see with their eyes touch with their hāds the Lord Iesus restored to life might beléeue that he was risen agayn frō death But al these things haue I not perticulerly repeated in this my Euangelical work Act. 10.41 not that they wer vnworthy to be remembred but bicause these things were sufficient to the edification of Fayth 31. These things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is Christe the sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name Bv. Here the Euangelist addeth the cause and ende of those thinges whiche he hath hytherto declared to the ende the Reader mighte knowe how to profite in reading these things saying That yee might beleeue that this Iesus of whom I testifie that he is risen agayne who by so many signes declare to his disciples after his death that he is risen to life is Christe the sonne of God that is to say that Messias only begottē sonne of God whome the father acording to the Scriptures sente into this worlde to bee a sauiour and Mediator C. Therefore by these words he geueth vs to vnderstande that he hath put in writing so muche as is sufficiente to satisfye vs because the same is sufficient inoughe for the confyrmation of oure fayth For he mynded to preuente the vayne curiositie of men whiche is seldome or neuer satisfied Also Sainct Iohn was not ignoraunt what the other Euangelistes hadde written But seeing hee intendeth nothing lesse than to abolishe their writings he dothe not sepadate their Narration from hys saying that this is the ende of the Scriptures that we might beléeue that Iesus is the sonne of God C. Notwithstanding it séemeth absurde that fayth should be grounded vpon myracles which ought to be wholly tyed to the promises of God and of his worde Answere Myracles are appoynted héere to serue for no other vse than to be helpes and stayes of fayth For they serue to prepare mens mindes that they may geue more reuerence vnto the worde of God Myracles confirm our fayth R. Therefore myracles doo confyrme a mans fayth but they geue not fayth For they which beléeue not by the worde bot myracles do fall away in time of temptation That Iesus is Christ Bv. That is to saye the Messias promised in the Lawe and in the
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
féede his flocke But neglecting the loue of Christe the moste highe Shepheard and reiecting the office of feeding to boast of succession is extreme impudencie and follie Bv. This also hath a singuler emphasis that Christ sayd not Feede thy shéepe Act. 20.28 1. Pet. 1.18 but feede my shéepe feed my lambs For he hath made vs a peculier people to him selfe by the redemption of his bloud Ministers therfore are shepheards of the Lordes flocke and not Lordes G. Moreouer heereby it dothe playnely appeare what great care Christ hath for our saluation when he doth so specially commit the same vnto Shepheards M. Also wee must not lightly passe this that Christe calleth all the faythfull his Lambes For he giueth vs to vnderstande that as yet they are tender and are therefore to be fed with greater care and diligence euen as ther is commonly greater care had for the feeding of yong Lambes than for olde sheepe bicause the hope of the flocke consisteth in them 16. He sayth vnto him the seconde time Simon Ioanna louest thou me c. A. Agayne the Lord asketh Peter whether he loue him laying vppon him the same burthen which he did before saying Feede my sheepe Bv. That is to say refreshe comfort reproue admonishe and teache with the worde of truth M. Here is the office of a Shepheard expressed For the verbe which we haue heere dothe not onely signifie to feede but also to gouerne and rule Thus the minister of Christe ought to feede the Lords sheepe with the prouander of doctrine and to direct and gouerne them with the worde of admonition and correction C. Moreouer Christe did not commit all generally vnto Peter to others to be fedde but onely his lambs and sheepe Euery good shepheard muste seeke to bâ—â—ng all vnto Christe And bicause they can not discerne betweene sheepe and wilde beastes we must séeke by all meanes possible to tame those that are more like Wolues than sheepe But when they haue done all they can it is but lost labour which is not bestowed vpon the chosen sheepe 17. He sayth vnto him the third time SimoÌ„ Ioanna louest thou me c. M. Peter was very sory by the remembraunce of those things which were past least the same might happen vnto hym agayne which happened before when he presuming and bragging ouermuch had a miserable fall C. Or else he thinketh that he is secretly nipte and blamed as not answering to the minde purpose of Christ But we shewed before that this repetition is not superfluous Also Peter as yet had not experience howe deepe this loue of Christ ought to be imprinted in their mindes who were to withstande an innumerable sorte of perils Afterwarde he learned by experience that this strayte examination was not vayne Also in hys person all they which wil take vpon them the charge of gouerning the Church are taughte not lightly but deepely to examine them selues what zeale they are endued withall least they runne back or faynt in the middest of their course We also are taught to be quiet and patient when soeuer the Lorde shall straytly or roughly examine vs bicause he hath iust causes of that thing of the whiche oftentimes we are ignoraunt 18. Verely verely I saye vnto thee when thou wast young thou gyrdedst thy self and walkedst whyther thou wouldest but when thou shalt be olde thou shalt stretch foorth thy hands another shall gyrde thee c. Bv. After that Christ had receyued Peter into the company of the Apostles and had restored him to his name and office prescribing what he should doo namely loue and feede C. He armeth him also agaynst the battell whiche was at hande And so he dothe not onely require of him fayth and diligence but also an inuincible courage in perils and constancie in bearing the crosse willing him to be readie to suffer death so often as neede shall require Bv. Whereby he declareth what all teachers of the Gospell and faythfull pastors must looke for to receyue at thys worlde namely greeuous afflictions and in the ende shamefull death C. For although the condition of all Pastors be not alike yet notwithstanding this admonition perteyneth to all in some parte The Lorde spareth many and requireth not their blud being only coÌ„tented with this that so long as they liue they wholly consecrate theÌ„ selues vnto him in fayth But yet bicause Sathan biddeth battell dayly they muste be alwayes prepared to dye whiche take vppon them the office of feeding bicause they haue to doo not onely with sheepe but with wolues When thou wast yong M. Christ doth not heere so muche put a difference betweene youth and old age as betweene the time of worldly peace and tyrannical persecution C. And by this worde of gyrding he comprehendeth all outwarde actions by whiche a man frameth him selfe and his life Howbeit many thinke that the kinde of death whiche Peter suffered is heere noted bicause he was hanged with his armes stretched out But what kinde of death soeuer it was that Peter suffered it is better to be ignoraunt of the same than to beleeue doubtfull tales Bv. Therfore the simple sence is this Before that Peter was a preacher of the truthe that is to say an Apostle of Christe he had libertie to lyue as he lysted the world did not hate him But so soone as he was made the seruant of Iesus Christ and a preacher of the Euangelicall truth Iohn 5.19 the whole worlde was against him For the whole world lieth in wickednesse But the Gospel preacheth to the whole world righteousnes Therfore it accuseth kings Princes high and lowe riche and poore And herevpon it commeth that the preachers of the truth are hated of all estates and degrees of men euen to the death C. Now in Peter we haue a notable spectacle of the estate and condition of vs all Many liue in ease and pleasure before they be called of Christ but so soone as they haue giuen their name vnto hym and are receyued for disciples they suffer greeuous conflicts they are in perill and at deathes doore This condition though it be harde and paynfull yet notwithstanding we must beare the same paciently For he knoweth our infirmitie he will lay no more vpon vs than we shal be able to beare A. 1. Cor. 10.13 So he bare with Peter so long as he was tender and weake euen as he said vnto him Iohn 13.36 VVhither I go thou canst not follovve me but thou shalt follovve me heereafter And leade thee whither thou wouldest not C. It seemeth absurde that Christ saith his death shall not be voluntarie For as he hath no constancie so hath he no prayse of Martyrdome which is caried violently to death agaynst his wil. M. But we must distinguish here betweene the will of the spirite and the wil of the flesh C. For this ought to be referred to the battell of the spirite and the flesh which the godly feele in them For
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
B. The Lorde who knewe that there was in this multitude his elect whiche hearde him with fruite and that the Gospell must be openlye preached to others also that they might haue no excuse being nothing at all dismayde with their wickednesse rashenesse and disdaine which deryed him began openlye to tell them boath who was this celestiall breade in déede and also howe they might attayne the same C. Fyrst of all hee teacheth that they haue before their face that breade which mockingly they required secondelye hée reprehendeth them But hée beginneth with doctrine that he might declare them to be conuinced of the greater ingratitude M. Hée might haue sayde I am the Sauiour and the quickener but there is more consolation swéetenesse contayned in this that hée calleth hymselfe the breade of lyfe For first of all what other vse is there of breade than to féede and nourishe Euen so verelye the Sonne of God descended to vs from heauen for no other cause than that hée might be to vs meate and lyfe furthermore how precious bread is to the hungary how gréedely the same is sought experience teacheth Euenso how gréedely this breade of lyfe Christ ought to be sought for of vs it is declared by this metaphore of the breade the whiche figure to teache the rude and ignoraunte is more apt and méete than simple and playne speache Howbeit wee must noate Breade doth not giue life that by this worde breade the quickening power of Christ is not to be expressed as wée féele the same for breade doth not giue lyfe but doth onely nourish and preserue the same in that state in the which it is But by the benifite and goodnesse of Christ wée doe not onely retayne lyfe but haue also the beginning of lyfe Wherefore this similitude is improper in some parte But there is no absurditye at all in this because Christ frameth his Oration and talke by the circomstaunce of that which he spake before He that commeth to me M. Now he sheweth how this breade may be taken to bring lyfe and defineth the manner of eating whiche is when wée receyue the same by fayth For it doth nothing at all profite the vnbeléeuing that Christ is the breade of lyfe because they alwayes abyde empty but Christ is then made our breade when wée come hungerye vnto him that hée may fyll vs. B. To come vnto Christ is to receyue him for our Sauiour and to consecrate our selues wholy vnto him To whome soeuer it is gyuen to doe this hée shall not hunger that is to saye hée shall want no good thing The very same also hee now speaketh by another allegory And he that beleeueth on me In lyke maner to beléeue in Christ is to come vnto Christ and to acknowledge him our Sauiour but not to thirst is to want no good thing but to be throughly blessed the which beginneth to be here in those which haue giuen themselues wholy vnto Christ by fayth and it is finished when this bodye of ours being restored againe in the latter daye by the power of Christ shall beare hys Image 1. Cor. 15.49 which is the heauenly Adam Shall neuer thirst C. This séemeth to be added without reason because the office of the breade is not to quenche thirst but to put awaye hunger Therefore Christ attributeth more to the bread than the nature therof will beare But in that hée taketh the name of breade onelye hée doth it to this ende because hée had so made his comparison with his heauenlye power by which our soules are sustained in lyfe Neuerthelesse by this worde breade hée vnderstandeth all maner of nutriment and that according to the common maner of his countrey For the Hebrues by a figure called Sinecdoche which is when parte is put for the whole vse to call dinner and supper eating of breade and in the fourtéenth Chapter of Luke Also when wée aske of God our daylye breade wée comprehende drinke and the other necessarie partes of our lyfe The scence and meaning therof is this Whosoeuer shall come to Christ to receyue lyfe of him shall be fylled with all manner of necessaryes to the full R. To this also the prophetes had respect when they promised plenty of all good thinges at the comming of the Messias as when the Prophete sayeth They shall not be hongary neither shall they be thirstie neither shall heate smite them nor the Sonne For he that hath compassion on them shall leade them Esa 49 1◠euen to the Springes of waters shall he driue them To be shorte he hath all thinges whiche by faith possesseth Christe For Christ is the treasure of all good thinges and on the contrary parte he hath nothing although he possesseth all the riches of this worlde which hath not Christe by Fayth Yf therfore thou wante thou haste not faith Yf thou hast saith thou wantest not 36. But I saye vnto you that yee also haue seene mee and yet ye beleeue not M. In these wordes he striketh the hardenesse and obstinacie of their harts by whiche it came to passe that they séeing sawe not neither yet beleued affirming that this their incredulity was the cause that they coulde not taste the vertue of this bread that the same would bringe to passe that they shoulde heare in vaine whatsoeuer was spoken concerning that bread C. For they doe wickedly reiecte the gyft offered to them and therfore he taketh from them all excuse For excepte he had declared vnto them his power and had made manifest that he came from God the pretence of ignoraunce might haue mittigated their falt but in that they doe reiecte his doctrine whome before they confessed to be the Lordes Messias it is extreme disdaine and contempt It is most true that men would neuer haue so wilfully resisted God if so be they had known with whome they had to doe according to the saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. 2.8 They woulde neuer haue crucefied the Lord of glory if so be they had knowen him but because the vnbeléeuing are blinde in the cleare light they are rightly said to sée that which by and by vanisheth out of their sight because Sathan darkeneth their myndes This is without all controuersy that whereas he sayd they had seene it ought not to be vnderstoode of bodily sight but ought rather to be taken for wilfull blindnesse because they might haue knowen who he had béene had it not bene that they were lette by their owne mallice B. Therefore he noteth that whiche he had saide a litlle before Ye seeke mee not because yee sawe the signes For by the signes they sawe who he was namely the very sonne of God yet not withstanding they did not beleeue because it was not geuen them from the Father as straight waye he sheweth 37 All that the Father geueth me shal com to me and him that commeth to me I cast not awaye All that the father geueth me M. By these wordes the
that is to saye they call him Mayster whose Disciples they woulde not be This is the manner of ypocrits to carry a shewe of that whiche is not in them A. But not euery one that sayth Lorde Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen Mat. 7.21 but he whiche doeth the will of my Father whiche is in heauen 5 Moyses in the Law commanded vs that suche shoulde be stoned But what sayest thou M. The Phariseis knewe the Law and also how to cite the same in another bodies cause and when they saw it serue for their purpose They knewe also what ponishement the Lawe layed vpon Sinners when other mens synnes came into Iudgement but when they them selues offended againste the Lawe then ther was not so much as mention made of the same But the Lawe doeth not only commaunde this that the haynouse offender should be ponished neither was the Lawe only made to this ende that we might knowe when other men sinne and when they are to be condemned but it doth also commaund that no man oppresse the Innocent and as Nicodemus sayde that no man be Iudged before his cause be hearde and furthermore it was geuen to this end that euery man might behoulde in the same as in a glasse the deformitie of synnes and the corruption of mans nature But ypocrites which desier only to Iudge othermen are blynde in theyr owne synnes but more quicke of sight than Linceus in behoulding other mens faltes Linceus a man who coulde see shippes on the Sea 130. miles from him could nomber thē also could see through a stoane wall as sōe write C. Furthermore their dishonesty was so greate in seking occasion to cauill the whiche also they bewraye with their owne mouth For they saye that they haue a manyfeste commaundement in the Lawe Wherevppon it muste needes followe that they deale maliciously in séeking and demaunding of the same as of a doubtfull matter But their purpose was to constraine Christe to forsake his office of preaching that he might seeme to be a man wauering and inconstant R. They cyte the Law out of the twenty chapter of Leuitticus where it is sayde And the man that commiteth adultery with another mans wife because he hath committed adultery with his neighbours wife Leui. 20 i0 the adulterer and the adulteresse shall boath die the death But the Lawe doeth not therefore punishe the synnes and offences of men as though the punishement of the sworde were a satisfaction for sinne Ponishmēt of the Lawe doth not satisfie for sinne for the death of Christe onely hath made satisfaction for sinne but offendours ar punished by the sword for examples sake that the people might feare to offende and leste in tyme sinne and wickednesse might be counted for vertue and righteousnesse For the sin that is left vnpunished is not knowen to be sinne If any man obiecte the déede of Phinees the which is commended to come as it were from a deuyne zeale Sin vnpunished is not known for sinne and is sayd to tourne away the wrath of God from the Children of Israel I aunswere that the dede of Phinees was not a satisfactorious punishment of sinne Num. 25. for no punishment sauing the onely ponishment of Christe Iesus hath satisfied for sinnes but by this cruell stabbing as it maye séeme of Phinees the rest of the Israelites were made afearde to committe Whordome with the Daughters of Moab and Idolatry with Baal peor that knowing their Impiety they might repent by which repentaunce the wrath of the Lorde is pacefied Wherefore Phinehes is sayde by hys facte to haue appeased the Lordes wrath not that any death is so cruel which may satisfie for sinne but because hereby the people was brought into the right waye and to repentaunce Magistrats appese the wrath of God by ponishing sin by whiche the Lord is pleased yf so be it procéede from fayth So euery faithfull Magistrate by punishing with the sworde horryble offences and by their punishmentes drawing the wicked people to repentanc is sayde to appease the wrath of the Lorde and to take awaye sinne 6. This they sayde to tempte hym that they might accuse him But Iesus stouped downe and with his finger hee wrote on the ground This they sayde to tempte M. The Euaungeliste nowe expresseth with what minde the Scribes and Phariseis brought the adulterouse woman vnto Christe namely not to admonishe him or to make him circomspecte but to tempte to accuse and to destroye hym All temtation or tryal is not euell For God tempteth his seruantes one fréend is tempted of another the childe is tryed by the Father Temtatiō generaly is not euell the Wyfe by her Husbande the Seruaunt by his Master not that they might be hurt by triall but rather that they might thereby be profited The Deuill also tempteth Mat 4.3 i Thes 35. wherevpon also he is called a temptor in the Scripture M. Also enemies vse to tempt not to profite thereby but to hurte and to destroye This kynde of temtation is wicked and playne Deuelishe Therefore the lord hath exhorted vs to beware of those which tempt with an euell minde when as he willeth vs not only to be Innocent as doues but also wise as serpentes Mat. 20 i6 R. Therefore because Christe preached him selfe to be gentle and lowly in hart Mat xi 26. Mat. 9.5 Lu. 7.48.50 and because also they had hearde him say so often tymes Go thy waye thy faith hath saued thee on the one side they sett before him this sinfull woman on the other syde the Lawe C. to the ende they might catche Christe in a trippe by the prouidence of the Lawe For it was not méete to absolute any whome the Lawe condemned If he shoulde subscribe to the Lawe he might seeme after a sort to bée contrary to him selfe R. And so they had taken occasion to discredyt him with the people and to conuince him of a lye as one which preached many thinges concerning remission of sinnes whiche notwithstanding hée did not performe But Iesus stouped downe PAR. Iesus who by his deuine wisedome knewe the secrete thoughtes of the harte so deluded the mallice and subteltie of his aduersaries that he deliuered the synfull woman oute of the hands of those that went about to stoane her and yet notwithstanding did not discharge her of punishment lest he might séeme to offende against Moyses and the pollityke Lawes and againe that hée might not condemne the cause of his comming into this worlde which was to saue sinners M. What it was that Christe wroate because the euaungelist himselfe doth not shewe as we cannot define so we maye not to curiously searche after the same Bv. It séemeth to some that hée wroate these wordes vppon the ground Ye are earth and ye Iudge of the earth M. Othersome thinke that hee wroate the very same whiche he aunswered afterwerde in wordes Many thinke that he wroate some more
secrete matter as many of their haynouse sinns which tempted him Bv. Some thinke that the Lord vsed here only the Iesture of his bodye which boath he and manye other wise men often tyme vsed C. And some running to allegories think that by this meanes the difference betweene the Lawe and the Gospell was noated because Christe woulde not write in tables of stoane but in man which is dust and earth But to omitte all these we must rather saye that Christe vsed this Iesture to shewe that he so litle regarded theyr wordes that he would scant vouchsafe to geue eare vnto them Euen as If one when another is telling a tale shoulde with his finger drawe lines vpon a wall or shoulde tourne his backe or by some suche like sygne shoulde declare that he geueth little heede to that which is spoken Euenso at this day when sathan by many waies goeth about to draw vs from the right order of teaching we ought in contempt to omitte many thinges which he obiecteth vnto vs. The Papistes doe séeke to weary vs so much as they maye with many vaine Cauills in discussing of the whiche if so be Godlye teachers shoulde busily occupie them selues they shoulde begine to weaue Penelopes webbe Penelope a woman who to delay her louers desiered his liberti til she had wouen a web which being grated her shee did euer onweaâ—e that in the nighte whiche shee had wouen in the daye Suche delayes therefore whiche doe nothing hinder the race of the Gospell are wisely neglected 7. So when they continued asking hym he lifte vppe hym selfe and sayde vnto them lette him that is amonge you withoute sinne caste the first stoane at her So when they continued Therefore they did not vrge him once only but diuerse tymes and required an aunswere to the propounded question They gathered that the Lorde did feare the snare which was layed to catche and that he coulde not make an aunswere withoutâ— perill Herevppon they doe more vehemently and Instantly vrge hym to aunswere For they thinke it impossible that he shoulde escape If hée aunswered but a litle Bv. When they thus abused the Lordes gentlenesse and as conquerers triumphed ouer hym and went aboute to wreste as it were an answer out of his mouth the Lorde erected and lifted vp him selfe M. O how greedy think you they were nowe to receaue the wordes from his mouth when they sawe that he lifted vp him selfe and began to open his mouthe to geue them an answer Surely the Wolfe was neuer more greedye of his pray What then was his answer Let him that is among you without sinne R. A moste wise answer by whiche Christ neyther findeth falt with the sentence of the Lawe concerning Adulterie nor yet retracteth his doctrine concerning remission of sinnes M His aduersaries looked for another manner of aunswere But Christ speaketh according to the manner and custome of the Lawe For the Lorde God commaunded that the witnesses by whose testimonie Iudgement was geuen should by their owne handes stoane the malefactors and offenders Deut. i7 7 because men shoulde haue the greater conscience in geuyng testimonye For many men rashly take vpon them an oath to ouerthrowe their brother because they doe not consider that a mortal wounde is geuen vnto them by theyr tongue Howbeit in this the wordes of Christ differ from the prescripte of the Lawe because there God simply admonisheth that no man ought to be condemned by witnesse but he whome the witnesses will kill with their owne handes but here Christe requireth perfect Innocencie to be in the witnesses to the end that no man might take vpon him to conuince another of any crime but suche a one as shoulde be pure and perfect and without all faulte himselfe And that wiche he spake then to a fewe we must vnderstand as spoken to vs all namely that whosoeuer accuseth another must sette before him selfe the Lawe of Innocencie otherwise we doe not persecute the offence but are rather enemies to the personnes of men M. But this place séemeth to be suche that it taketh awaye quight from among men all vse of magistrates of Lawes and of punishmentes C. For what Iudge can there be found whose concience doth not accuse him in some matter or other Question What witnesse can there come forth but he hath one falt or another He séemeth therefore to remooue all witnesses from the Barre and all Iudges from the tribunall seate M. Moreouer yf so be he shoulde cast the first stoane at the adulterous woman whiche was without sin why than did not Christe him selfe this when as beside him there neuer liued any man in the worlde which was not a sinner Heb. 7.26 He shoulde therefore haue done that him selfe which he aunswered to others in wordes because hée was seperated from among synners and had no synne neyther was there any guile founde in hys mouth 1. Pet. 2.22 C. I aunswere This is not a precise and simple interdict and prohibition by which Christe forbiddeth synners to doe their office in correcting and punishing other mens offences Aunsvvere but he onely reprehendeth ypocrites who being to seuere and cruell Iudges of other men do quietly passouer their owne synnes No mans sinnes therefore shal be a lette vnto them but that he maye correct other mens faltes and punish them also so often as nede shal require so that he hateth as well in him selfe as in another that thing which is to be condemned Yea euery man ought to beginne here and to aske his conscience and to be a witnesse and Iudge against him selfe before hee come to other men And so it shall come to passe that wée shall warre agaynst synnes withoute hatred agaynst anye man Bv. In these wordes therefore due correction and the autority of the sworde against offenders is not taken awaye only the mallice of the Pharisées and Elders is reproued and restrayned They woulde séeme to be iust before men and the maintayners of the Lawe when as notwithstanding they were trasgressors of the same and had neyther loue nor zeale to obserue and kéepe the same Wherefore the Lorde did so frame his answere that he did boath admonish them of their synnes and also brouht the Adulterouse woman to repentaunce R. To the same effecte also we reade that he aunswered in another place to some which tould him of the Galileans whose bloud pilate mingled with their sacrifices Think ye sayth he that those Galileans which suffered those thinges were greater sinners than the other Galileans Luke i3 I tell you naye but except ye repent ye shall all in like manner perishe A. We sée therfore that this is the drift of Christe to bring men to repentaunce the which cannot be except there go before a seriouse knowledge of synne to the which he sought here to bryng his aduersaries 8. And agayne hee stouped downe and wrote one the grounde By this Iesture he declared that they had the aunswere whiche they
Iesus therfore sawe her weepe and the Iewes also weeping which came with her hee groned in the spirite and vvas troubled in him selfe Bv. The Lorde aunswereth nothing to the complaint of Mary For he had reasoned the matter sufficientlye with Martha to whome he had promised notable thinges as that it woulde come to passe that Lazarus should be raised from death to lyfe againe Wherefore the tyme and occasion was nowe come not to dispute farther of the resurrection but to performe that which he had promised B. Furthermore when he sawe Marye altogeather in morning and the Iewes to mourne and wéepe with her also the present wéeping so moued him that he him selfe wepte also B. Thus he dyd sorrow with those that sorrowed and declared him selfe both to be a verye man and also endued with true loue The cause of such affection the Euangelist expresseth when hée sayeth that hée wept when he saw Mary the rest wéeping Howbeit there is no doubt but that he had a farther respect namelye to the cōmon misery of mankind For hée remembred the charge committed to him of the Father and wherfore he was sent into the worlde namelye that he might deliuer vs from all euyll This as he dyd in very déede so he would shewe that he dyd the same with the serious affection of the minde Therefore hée going about to raise vp Lazarus Christ lamented the miserye of mankinde testifyed with groning in the spirite with greefe and with teares that he was no lesse affected and grieued for our miserye than if he had béene in the same him selfe For the sonne of God hauing taken vppon him our fleshe Heb. 4. woulde also of his owne accorde take vpon him our affections that he might differre nothing from his brethren but in sinne onely And herein hee declared him selfe to bée our brother that we might knowe that wée had such a mediatour as knoweth easily howe to haue compassion vppon our infirmityes he him selfe hauing had experience of the same in his fleshe If any man obiect and saye Question Séeing the passions of menne are vicious it is not conuenient that the Sonne of God should bée partaker of them with vs Wée aunswere that there is great difference betwéene Christ and vs. Aunsvvare For therefore our affections are vitious because they excéede and haue no measure but the affections in Christ because they tended to the obedience of GOD and did not excéede were without blame or faulte For if so bée thou compare his passions with oures thou shalt find so great difference betwéene them as there is betwéene fayre springing water and foule dyrtye puddle Christ greatlye troubled him selfe and was much moued but so notwithstanding that he kepte him felfe within the compasse of his Fathers wyll Bv. To bee short when Saint Iohn sayeth that Iesus groaned in his spirite he meaneth that he was so moued in the bowelles of mercye that for the time he could not speake This motion alway goeth before teares in such as are vehemently affected For the like also we reade of Ioseph Ge. 43.30 who being moued with compassion toward his brother sought where to wéepe 34. And sayde where haue ye laide him They saide Lorde come and see M. This is not to so bée vnderstoode as though Christ knewe not in what place Lazarus was buryed For hée who being so farre of knew without any mans report that he was dead how coulde he also be ignoraunt of the place of his buriall God forbyd we should suspect this in Christ from whome no man can kéepe him selfe howe secréetely soeuer he bée hyd He demaunded therfore this question not to learne but to auoide the wicked suspicion of the Iewes least hee might séeme to doe any thing fradulentlye in this matter 35. And Iesus wept M. These teares came in very good order and time before the miracle that the infirmitye of the fleshe might be ioyned in this worke with the power of God that if so bée the diuine maiestye shewed in the raysing vppe of Lazarus should discourage any from comming to Christ his weeping pittye and compassion might draw them backe againe and also that if so be any were offended at the infirmity of weeping he might be moued to beléeue in the Sonne of God by his power in raysing vp Lazarus 36. Then sayd the Iewes Beholde howe he loued him 37. And some of them sayde coulde not hee whiche opened the eies of the blind haue made that this man also should not haue dyed R. Parte construed the teares of Christ to the best and part to the worst C. And Saint Iohn describeth vnto vs a double iudgement concerning Christ for these former sort which sayde Behold how he loued him although they thought not so honorably of Christ as they shoulde haue done as attributing nothing vnto him but that which was humaine doe notwithstanding speake more indifferently and modestly of him than the other who maliciously murmured against him for that he dyd not saue and kéepe Lazarus from death For although they do commend the power of Christ cōcerning the which the other sayd nothing yet notwithstanding they do not the same without a certaine reproche Hereby it doth euidentlye inough appeare that the miracles which Christ had already wrought were very well knowne vnto them but the more filthy was their ingratitude that they let not to make exclamation against him because in one part he ceassed and satisfied not their expectation After the same manner men haue béene alwayes vnthankfull vnto God are vnthankfull styll Except he satisfye our desires in euery point we fall by and by to murmuring and grudging saying Seeing he hath beene alwayes hytherto wont to helpe why doth he now faile me So we reade of the Israelites when they were in the desart Can God also geue meate vnto his people in the wildernesse Behold he stroake the Roche so that water gushed out withal and can he geue bread also But this their murmuring prouoked the Lorde to anger as we shal see if we reade the thrée scoore and eightéene Psalm beginning at the ninetéen verse 38. Iesus therfore againe groaned in him selfe and came to the graue It was a Caue and a stoane layde vpon it C. Because Christ came to the Sepulchre not as an idle looker on but as a wrastler which prepareth him selfe to trye maisteries it is no maruaile if he groane againe For the violent tiranny of death whiche he went about to ouercome was before his eyes M. There are some which thinke that this groaning procéeded of disdaine and displeasure because the vnbeleefe of the which we haue spoken dyd offend him But the former reason séemeth to bée more apte namelye because he had more regard to the matter it selfe than to menne M. We must also note here an example of patience He aunswered not the wicked ones as he might haue done and as they deserued neither dyd he ceasse from finishing the worke which hée had