GOD and the Sauiour of the whole worlde the which is done of vs when we depende wholye vpon him by a sincere fayth and trust and commit our selues wholye as Disciples vnto him Hée sayth not they which are pure and altogither voyde of sinne and worthy to be admitted into the fellowship of this fraternitie but he sayth which beléeue in his name and receyue him that is to saye which acknowledge by fayth the grace offered and receyue it in heart Therefore they which beléeue not receyue not Christ they cannot obtaine this sauing helth and dignity of the sonnes of God in so much that they must of necessitie perish with this world vnder the wrath 13. Which were borne not of bloode nor of the will of the fleshe nor yet of the will of man but of God Which were borne M. These woordes pertayne to the description of them which beléeue in the name of Christ and do receyue the right of the adoption of the sonnes of God They which are such are not borne of fleshe and blood but of God Fleshe and blood begetteth not the Children of God That which is of the fleshe is fleshe Iohn 3 and that which is of the spirite is spirite B. By these woordes the Euangelist meaneth nothing else but the carnall Byrth For he maketh a comparison of the generation of the fleshe and of the spirite reiecting the one and allowing the other C. Neyther is it necessarye that wée vnderstand here by this worde flesh the Woman as many would haue it The Euangelist rather repeating one thing by diuerse woordes goeth about to inculcate the same and to print it more déepelye in our mindes Therefore hée doth secréetelye touche the wicked trust and confidence of the Iewes who had alwayes in theyr monthes the worthinesse of theyr ofspring as though they springing from a holye Progeny were Saintes by nature They had worthelye boasted them selues to bée of the stock of Abraham if they had béene lawfull Children and not bastardes But the boasting of Faith doth arrogate nothing at all from the carnall generation but geueth GOD the praise for all thinges that it hath receyued ◠Therefore S. Iohn in effect sayeth thus much They which beléeue in Christ being before vncleane Gentiles are not borne the sonnes of God out of the wombe or by fleshe and blood but are brought therevnto by the workemanshippe of the holye Ghost And although properly hée hath respect vnto the Iewes which were proude in the fleshe yet notwithstanding of this place a generall Doctrine maye bée gathered namelye that where as wée are counted the Sonnes of GOD it commeth not by the propertye of our nature neyther of our selues but because the Lorde hath begotten vs of his owne fréewill and singuler loue Question A. Notwithstanding the Euangelist séemeth verye vnorderlye to make regeneration the first in order as though it went before faith when as rather it is the effect of Faith and therefore the latter of the twaine Aunsvvere C. I aunswere that it is both first and last in diuers respects because by fayth wée conceyue the incorruptible séede by the which we are borne againe into a newe and diuine life and yet neuerthelesse faith is now the worke of the holye Ghost which dwelleth in none but in the sonnes of God Therefore in diuers respectes faith is a part of our regeneration and an enteraunce into the kingdome of Heauen that wée might bée nombred among the children of God For in that hee illuminateth our mindes with the spirite hee sheweth the worke of regeneration After this maner faith springeth from regeneration as from the well But because wée receyue Christ by the same faith whiche sanctifieth vs wyth his spirite therefore it is sayde to be the beginning of our adoption Therefore in respect of our sence we beginne not to be the sonnes of God but after faith onely M. But we must note what difference there is betwéene them whiche are adopted in this worlde to the inheritaunce of earthlye goodes and those which are adopted to bée the sonnes of God They whiche are adopted to haue the inheritance of earthlye goodes are adopted by grace of good will although they come not of the same fleshe neither are regenerate in minde but abide in the same minde whereof they were before But they which are adopted to bee the Sonnes of God are not borne of the substaunce of God as was Christ the onely begotten sonne of GOD but they being by grace taken for heyres and sonnes are also chaunged in minde and of carnall are made spirituall And this is that which hée sayth But are borne of God Wee gather also by this place that faith commeth not of our selues but is the fruite of spirituall regeneration For the Euāgelist affirmeth that no man can beléeue but hée which is borne of God Faith therefore is a heauenly gift Furthermore wée maye hereby gather that faith is not a colde or bare motion seeing none can beléeue except hée be reformed by the spirite of God 14. And the same woorde became flesh dwelt among vs and we sawe the glorye of it as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and truth And the same worde C. Nowe hée teacheth what that comming of Christ was of the which he had made mencion before saying Hee came into his owne Namelye that hée hauing taken vppon him our fleshe openlye shewed him selfe to the world M. And by the fleshe he vnderstandeth the whole man in somuche that it is al one as if he had sayd And the word beecame man C. For this worde fleshe serueth more to set foorth the force of his minde than if he had sayde That it was made man His purpose was to shew what a vile and base condition the Sonne of GOD tooke vpon him for our sakes comming downe from the throne of his heauenlye glorye The scripture speaking of a man contemptuouslye calleth him fleshe When as therefore the Euangelist calleth the sonne of God fleshe he meaneth that he hath so much abased him selfe that he hath taken vppon him this fleshe subiect to so many miseries R. As to fragillity contempt execration pouertye hunger thirst nakednesse death and damnation and that wee might bee made through him Strong Blessed Ritch Full Immortal and righteous whereby we haue euerlasting saluation For what thing else is fleshe than weakenesse dust and as it were haye and the glorye thereof as the flower of the field which in the morning groweth and in the Euening is cut downe and withered C. But the fleshe is not here taken for the corrupt nature of man as Paule oftentimes taketh it but for the mortall man Verye fonde therefore is Appollinaris which imagined that Christ had a humane bodye onely without a soule For this is a figuratiue kinde of speache because the inferiour part doth comprehende the whole man For by an innumerable sort of testimonies a man may gather that Christ our
For there cannot be a true fayth before GOD hath spoken by his worde By which Doctrine fayth is discerned not onely from the imaginations of men but also from a doubtfull and wauering opinion For it is necessarie that the same bée agreeing with the truth of GOD which is cléere from all doubtfulnesse Fayth shaketh not Therefore as GOD cannot lye so is it impossible that Faith shoulde wauer or shake Shilding our selues with this Buckler we shall bée sure to ouercome for euer by what meanes soeuer Satan shall assault vs. M. But some will saye what is hée that euer doubted of the truth of God What néede is there then of the Testimony of Christ whereby wée maye knowe God to bée true But Iohn the Baptist speaketh not here simplye of the trueth of God but of that trueth by which the promises made vnto Israel and in Israel to mankinde were fulfilled and performed in Christ Rom. 15.8 So Christ is called the Minister of Circumcision for the trueth of God to confirme the promises made vnto the Fathers This trueth of God can not bée apprehended without wée apprehende also the testimony of Christ And of this trueth Christ him selfe speaketh Iohn 8.31 saying If you abide in my worde then are you my Disciples in deede and ye shall knowe the truth and the truth shal make you free C. Hereby we are also admonished what an acceptable and precious Sacrifice faith is before God For as he estéemeth nothing more than his truth euen so we can doe to him no seruice or worshippe more acceptable than by our faith to professe him to bée true for then we shall geue vnto him his due honour Againe wée can doe vnto him no greater iniurye than not to beléeue the Gospell for hée can not bée spoyled of his trueth and verytye but all his glorye and maiestye must bee cleane abolished M. Therefore looke howe muche the fayth of the Godlye which beléeue in Christ maketh to the glory of God so much on the contrarye parte doeth the vnbeléefe of the vngodly make to his dishonour Not that theyr impietye can make the Faith and trueth of God of none effect but because they reprooue him of vanity To this effect pertaineth the saying of Saint Iohn in another place He which beleeueth in the Sonne of God hath the testimony of God in him selfe 1. Ioh. 5.10 he which beleeueth not God maketh him a lyer because hee hath not beleeued the testimonye which God hath testifyed of his Sonne C. Verylye vnlesse we bée to dull and stonye this so notable a commendation geuen to faith ought to kindle in our mindes a most feruent loue of the same For what great honour is this which God vouchsafeth to bestowe vpon miserable men which by nature are nothing else but lyers and vaine that they neuerthelesse should bée thought méete to confirme and alowe the holye trueth of God by theyr subscription and sealing 34. For he whome God hath sent speaketh the woordes of God For God geueth not the Spirite by measure For he whome God hath sent M. This is the reason why he putteth to his seale that God is true which receiueth the testimony of Christ namelye because the testimonye of Christ is the testimony of God C. because Christ procéeded from no other than from his heauenlye Father Therefore it is God onelye which speaketh by him M. So sayeth the Lorde him selfe Iohn 7.16 My Doctrine is not mine but my Fathers which sent me Also hée sayth The worde which ye heare is not mine but his which sent me Ioh. 14.24 R. Therefore he which heareth Christ heareth God and hée which possesseth Christ by faith possesseth God For God geueth not Some extend this place to the common dispensation because God which is the bottomles well of all goodnesse doth nothing at al empty him selfe when largely and plentifullye God a bottomlesse well of grace hée powreth his giftes vpon men They which powre water out of any Vessell or drawe a Well come at the length to the botome of the same but we néede not feare or doubte of the lyke to bée in God for the more his giftes are bestowed vpon vs the more plentifully they abounde This exposition séemeth to haue some collour because the sentence is somewhat intricate and obscure C. notwithstanding theyr opinion séemeth moore probable whiche interprete this to bée spoken concerning Christ and so the sence and meaning is that the Spirite is not geuen by measure vnto Christ as though the grace in him were to be measured euen as the Apostle Paul teacheth Ephe. 4.7 1. Cor. 12 7 that to euery one is distributed according to the measure of the gyfte so that no one man aboundeth at the full And verylye the Spirite must rest vpon Christ without measure Iohn 1.16 to the ende wée might all receyue of the fulnesse of the same Bv. There is a common Prouerbe Hee geueth by measure that is to saye He geueth sparinglye or nigardlye For hée whiche geueth liberally and bountifullye doeth not measure that which hée geueth but geueth by heape Iohn the Baptist receyued the Spirite by measure as dyd also dyuers others of the Sayntes Wherefore they cannot bée compared vnto Christ so farre they are of from being his equalles But concerning Christ the Prophete Dauid sayeth in his Psalmes Thou hast loued righteousnesse Psal 45.7 and hated Iniquitye wherefore God thy God hath annoynted thee with the Oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Colos 2.9 Also Saint Paul sayeth In Christe dwelleth all fulnesse of the Godhead bodylye and in him ye are complete Christ hath the spirit of God super-aboundantly CHR. Therefore by this note the Sonne of GOD is discerned from the Prophetes and from other holye men For it is impossible that they which haue receyued the Spirite of GOD by measure should geue and bestowe the same vppon others Neyther hath one holye man bestowed the holye Ghost vpon another but all as wée haue sayde haue receyued of the fulnesse of Christ Therefore because Christ is the geuer of the spirite let no man doubte but that he substantiallye possesseth in him selfe the holye Ghost Act. 8.17 If any man obiect and saye that the holye Ghost was geuen by the handes of the Apostles it maye easilye bée aunswered That they made theyr Prayers to the holye Ghost who being intreated came and was sayde to bée geuen by theyr handes For holye Moyses that Saynte of God was not séene to take of the spirite of GOD which was in him and to geue the same vnto others but this is reserued to the Diuine power onely For these workes belong to God alone 35. The Father loueth the Sonne and hath geuen all thinges into his hande The Father loueth the Sonne Bv. Saint Iohn gathereth in fewe woordes all the Misteries of the Gospell into a bréefe compendium or short summe and doeth more plainelye set forth those thinges which hytherto hée
the Father the Spirite bearing witnesse vnto theyr spirites that they are the Sonnes of God and crying in theyr heartes Abba Father The Reprobate Rom. 8.16 Gala. 4.6 although they séeme to worshippe God yet they knowe not what true worshippe meaneth and doe alwaye abide in darkenesse although the lyght of the trueth doe shine more bright than the Sunne 22. Ye worship ye wote not what we knowe what wee worship For Saluation commeth of the Iewes Ye worshippe ye wote not what M. Because hée had sayde that the worshippe of bothe as well of the Iewes as of the Samaritanes should ceasse least he might séeme to haue nowe better lyking of the Temple of God at Hierusalem than of that which the Samaritanes had in Mount Garizin Bv. or myght seeme to make the Samaritanes worshippe equall with the Religion of the Iewes hée putteth downe a difference betwéene them both in these words and that no trifling one but a difference of great waight C. Notwithstanding hée deuideth the sum of his oration into twoo partes In the first he condemneth the forme of worshipping God which the Samaritanes vsed as supersticious and erronious and alloweth the worship of God among the Iewes as good and lawfull And he addeth the cause of this difference namely because the Iewishe worshippe was grounded vpon the word of God but that of the Samaritanes had nothing certaine from Gods mouth to maintayne the same Secondlye hée declareth that the Rites which the Iewes had hytherto obserued and kept shoulde shortlye haue an ende B. Therefore because the worshippe whiche was at Hierusalem at that tyme was stayed vppon the worde of God and that of the Samaritanes false by the Immitacion of the Fathers without the worde of God he repressed here the vaine bragging of the Samaritanes and affyrmeth that they worship they knowe not what That is to saye they worshipped God after a fashion of the whiche they were vncertayne whether it were acceptable before God or no naye it was reiected by playne oracles from God Therefore he taught the Woman that it was not méete for the Samaritanes to boast of theyr Religion and to preferre the same before the Religion of the Iewes C. This sentence of our sauiour Christ is worthy to bée noted by which wée are taught that wée ought to doe nothing rashelye or vnaduisedly in Religion because vnlesse knowledge be present to direct vs wée worship God no longer but a phantasie Wherfore by this sentence Good intencion ouerthrow all good intencions as menne call them are ouerthrowen for we knowe that men can doe nothing else but erre when they are ledde by their owne opinion and imagination without the worde of God M. For in the true worshippe of God there is required not onelye an Intencion to worshippe the true God but it is néedefull also that we haue knowledge to worshippe that we may bée certaine of our worshippe whether it please God or no. For saluation commeth of the Iewes B. Some restraine this vnto Christ who being the Sauiour of the worlde Rom. 1. ◠was a Iewe by byrth C. But because there is no doubte but that Christ therefore preferreth the Iewes because they worshipped one God alone and no vnknowen God which reuealed him selfe vnto them and had chosen them to be his people vnder the name of Saluation that sauing manifestacion or reuelation which they had out of his worde ought to bée vnderstoode But why doeth hée say that saluation commeth from the Iewes when as rather it was hidde Question and layde vp in them that they alone might enioye the same Hée séemeth to allude vnto that whiche was spoken before by the Prophetes Aunsvvere Esay 2.3 That the Lawe should come from Sion For therefore were they segregated for a time from other people that from them at the leangth the pure knowledge of God might flowe to the whole world B. For the Gospell was deriued and brought from the Iewes to the whole worlde Lu. 24.47 And before the time of the Gospell the pure knowledge and Doctrine of God florished in no other nation than among the Iewes and it is likelye whatsoeuer the wyse men of the Gentiles haue euer taught that the same was euer borrowed of the Iewes Rom. 1.17 C. But this is the summe that if wee wyll haue our Religion allowable before God we must staye the same vpon the knowledge conceyued out of the worde of GOD. Wherevpon it followeth that they must néedes fall to Idolatrye which forsake the word of God M. Moreouer Christ ioyneth him selfe with the worshippers of God who notwithstanding is not onlye worshipped as true God of the faithfull but of the Angels them selues with the Father and the holye ghost But in that hée tooke vppon him the forme of a Seruaunt and was made man in that respect he worshipped the Father and was made obedient to him Phili 2.8 euen to the death of the Crosse 23. But the houre commeth and nowe is when the true worshippers shal worship the Father in spyrite and in the trueth for such the Father also requireth to worship him The houre commeth C. Nowe followeth the seconde part concerning the abrogating of the Legal worship M. whereby he teacheth what is the worship of the New Testament at the comming whereof those olde Ceremonies which were eyther at Hierusalem in vse or in any other place ought to ceasse And so hée admonisheth that the time of reformation is fulfilled Heb. 9.10 Therefore wée must note here the Antithesis or comparison betwéene the spirite and externall figures as betwéene shadowes the trueth Therfore the worship of God is sayde to stand by the spyrite because it is nothing else but the inward faith of the heart which bringeth forth inuocation secondlye the puritye of Conscience the denying of our selues that we maye bée whollye addicted and bent to the seruice of God Herevpon aryseth a question Question Did not the Fathers worship God spyritually vnder the Lawe I answere for so much as God is alwayes one God Aunsvvere hée hath not from the beginning of the worlde allowed any other worship than that which is Spyrituall which might agrée with his nature Of the which matter Moyses him selfe is a sufficient witnesse who declareth in many places that this is the onelye ende of the Lawe that the people cleaue vnto God in faith Deu. 10.12 and in a pure conscience But the Prophetes more plainely haue expressed this thing when they doe seuerelye inueye against the Hipocrisie of the people because they thought that God was pleased with that externall worship onelye Psal 50.8 Esay 1 11. Mic. 6.7 Amos. 8 14 with the offering of sacrifices Of the which wée may reade in the fiftéene Chapter of Mathew beginning at the eyght verse For such the Father also requireth to worship him M. This is the reason why the true worshippers worshippe the Father in Spyrite and in trueth namely because so it
the preaching of the Gospell as many dreame To be drawne of the father is to be endued with fayth and with the holye Ghost by which our heartes are sealed and confirmed towarde Christ For the Father geueth fayth to whome he will and on whome he will he hath mercy Rom. 9.18 and whome he will also he maketh harde harted C. It is no violent manner therefore of drawing whiche draweth a man with externall hawling and pulling The holye Ghost draweth men to God of the whiche oure sauiour speaketh here and yet notwithstanding the motion of the holy ghost is so effectuall that it maketh men willing in despight of fleshe and bloud Wherefore that is false and prophane whiche some saye that no man is drawn against his will as though a man were obedient to God by his own motion and will For in that men willingly obaye God it commeth of him who frameth their hartes to his obedience A. Therefore mans fréewill is nothing And I will raise him vp at the last daye Reade the thirtie and nine and fourty verses going before 45. It is wrighten in the Prophetes And they shall be taught of God Euery man therefore that hath hearde and hath learned of the father commeth vnto mee It is wrighten in the Pro. M. Because it might seeme very straunge that he so gretly vrged that no man coulde come vnto him except he were drawne of the Father he bringeth the prophetical testimony cōcerning the same not that the same was more to be estéemed in it selfe then that whiche he had spoken but because the authority of the Prophetes was of greate credite and estimation with them C. He nameth Prophetes in the plurall number because al the prophecies were gathered together into one body in somuch that all the Prophets may very wel be comprehended in one booke But the place whiche is here cited is to be founde in Esay foure and fiftie chapter and the xiii verse where the Prophete speaking of the repayring of the Churche promiseth to the same sonnes which shal be taught of God Whereby we maye easely gather that the Churche can be no otherwise restoared excepte God taking vppon him the office of a teacher doe bringe the faithfull vnto him B. And not onely the Prophete Esaye teacheth this but the other Prophetes also For there is scarce one Prophet which hath not foreshewed in many wordes that this doctrine of the Father shall be specially in the tyme of Christe For although the fathers were taught and instructed with this doctrine yet notwithstanding it began to be more plentifully bestowed vppon the electe so soone as Christ was glorifyed Bv. If any man desier to haue farther testimony oute of the rest of the Prophetes lette him rede these places coated in the margent C Ier. 31.33 Eze. 36.26 Ioel. 2.28 But this manner of teaching of the whiche the Prophete speaketh consisted not in externall voyce onely but in the secrete operation of the holy ghoste also God calleth outwardely inwardely To be shorte this instruction of God is the inwarde illumination of the harte R. Notwithstanding wée maye not hereby take occation to contemne vocall predication and externall hearing For God verily teacheth but yet by externall meanes for fayth commeth by hearing He geueth his good spirite but yet by the preching of the Gospell he geueth increase but yet by the planting of Paule and by the watering of Apollo Wherfore God teacheth man ministereth faith receyueth doctrine God geueth hys spirite the Apostle ministereth the beléeuer receyueth and so those thinges are ministered and distributed by the seruice of the Apostles whereof God is the author him selfe This particle all ought to be restrayned to Gods elect which only are the naturall Sonnes of the Church Euery man therfore that hath harde Bv. Thrée thinges are put down in order the latter hath his originall of the two firste For they come vnto Christe which beléeue in Christe and they beléeue which haue learned and they haue learned of the father which haue harde the Father To heare therfore hath the firste place and it is properly referred to the institution or inspiration of the father going before For the father teacheth externallye with his worde of trueth by the ministers as by instrumentes and within he doth inflame them by his holy Spirite B. This is to be drawne of the father For the father doth not draw men to the Sonne as a man woulde drawe a stoane or a logge after him but by teaching and perswading C. As Christe therefore at the fyrste did denie men to be féete to beléeue excepte they were drawne euenso now he pronowceth that the grace of the spirite is effecttuall by whiche men are drawen to beléeue of necessitie Freewil ouerthrown By these two members the whole power of frée will is quite ouerthrowen of the whiche the Papistes so greately dreme For if wée come not to Christ before the father drawe vs wee haue not so muche in vs as the beginning of fayth nor redinesse at all to obaye Moreouer if all doe come whome the father teacheth he doth not only geue a desire to beléeu but also fayth it selfe Therefore in that wée willingly obaye by the dyrection of gods holy spirite it is a token of grace and of oure sealing because God shoulde not drawe vs if so be he stretching oute hys hande as it were shoulde leaue oure will in the midest in suspence For he is properly sayde to drawe vs when he extendeth the power of his spirite to the full effecte of fayth They are sayde to heare whiche with all their mynde submit them selues to God speaking within them because the spirit raigneth in their hartes B. Therefore they which come not vnto Christ do not come because eyther they haue harde nothing of the father concerning him or else are not taught so that they haue throughly learned him For the wicked do learne somewhat that is deuine but they learne throughly or sufficiently 46. Not that any man hath seene the Father saue he which is of GOD the same hath seene the Father M. He spake to a carnall people therefore by this adition he woulde prouide that they did not carnally vnderstand that which he spake concerning his Fathers doctrine forsomuche as God is inuisible and can be seene of no man C. And as he hath hitherto comended the grace of his Father euen so nowe he calleth backe all the Faythfull to him aloane For boath ought to be ioyned togither namely that there can no knowledge of Christ be had vntill the Father doth illuminate vs by his holye spirite which by nature are blinde and yet notwithstanding God is sought in vaine before wée haue Christ because the maiestie of God is so highe that mans scence and vnderstanding cannot reache vnto the same naye there is no knowledge of God without Christ His wordes dedepending on that which goeth before are thus muche in effect All men must bée
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
account of death Christ by his example inuiteth vs willingly to suffer the same We maye bée ashamed veryly to refuse so great honour as to bee his Disciples but verilye he doeth admitte vs into the nomber of his Disciples vpon no other condicion than that we shoulde followe that waye whiche he sheweth vnto vs. For hee is our guide vnto the waye of death Therefore the bytternesse of death is after a sort mittigated and made swéete when we consider that we are in but the same condicion of death that the Sonne of God was Wherefore there is so lytle cause that we should forsake Christ because of the Crosse that we ought rather for his sake to desire death R. This therefore is agréeable to that which the other Euangelistes report out of his mouth If any man wyll followe mee let him denye him selfe and take vp his crosse Mat. 16.24 and followe mee To the same effect also pertayneth that which followeth And where J am there shal also my minister be C. For he requireth that his Ministers would not refuse to submitte them selues vnto death to the which they shall sée him goe before them For it is not meete that the minister or seruaunt shoulde haue any thing by him selfe which his Lorde and Maister hath not Bv. For Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example to followe his steppes i. Pet 2.21 The which whosoeuer doeth he shall receyue that honour also which our sauiour Christ promiseth here saying Jf any man minister vnto me him wyll my Father honour M. The which ought to encourage all the Ministers of Christ For they ought to consider that when they serue Christ they serue the sonne of God the father wyll honour them though not for their owne sake yet for his sonnes sake It is a great matter to minister vnto the seruaunt of God but muche more is it to minister vnto the sonne of God and to be honoured of the father for the sonne 27. Nowe is my soule troubled and what shall I say Father saue mee from this howre but therefore came I into this hower Nowe is my soule troubled C. This sentence in the beginning seemeth to differre muche from that which hée spake before For before he declared a heroycall fortitude when he exhorted his Disciples not onelye to suffer death but also wyllingly and earnestlye to desire the same so often as néede required and nowe he confesseth his cowardlinesse in fléeing death Notwithstanding we reade nothing here which doeth not notablye agrée euen as the proper experience of the faithful doth teach euerye man If so bée such as are scoffers scorners do laugh it is no maruaile For this cannot be vnderstoode without action practise Moreouer it is profitable for our saluation yea most necessarye that the sonne of God should be so affected In his death we must specially consider the expiation or appeasing of his fathers wrath by which he turned from vs the wrath malediction of God The which he could not haue done without the taking of our gyltinesse vpon him Therefore it was méete that the death which he suffered shoulde be full of horrour because hee coulde not make satisfaction for vs without the sence and féeling of Gods horrible iudgement Whereby the stinge and heauy burthen of sinne is better felt and knowne the seuere punishment whereof the heauenlye Father required of his onely begotten sonne Let vs knowe therefore that death was not a sport or playe vnto Christ but that hee was caste into extreame tormentes for our sakes And it is not absurde that the sonne of God should be so troubled For his diuinity being hidden and not manifesting his force did after a sort sléepe to geue place vnto the sacrifice of pacification And Christ him selfe had not onelye put vppon him our fleshe but also humane affections For these affections were voluntary in him Feare of â—eath in Christ because he was not constrained to feare but because of his owne accorde he made him selfe subiect vnto feare Notwithstanding we must be sure that he dyd not feare fainedlye but truelye and in verye déede Howbeit in this he was vnlyke to other men that he had his affections stayed within the obedience of Gods righteousnesse as we haue sayde before Another profite also which wée haue hereby is this If so bée Christ had béene nothing troubled by the feare of death what one amongst vs would haue thought that his example pertained vnto vs For we suffer not death without the féeling of griefe and paine But when we heare that there was no stéely strength in him we take vnto vs courage to followe him neyther doeth the infirmitye of the fleshe staye vs which feareth death but that we followe our Captaine to the fight Bv. Therefore as he is man hée was troubled gréeued and afeard of death R. Euen as he sayde in another place My soule is sorowfull vnto death And what shall I saye Mat. 26.38 M. In this place wée haue an expresse example of a troubled minde and that in him whiche coulde not bée capeable of so great perturbation if hée had woulde A troubled minde doeth many wayes dispute with it selfe one while in clyming to this another to that vncertaine what to saye or doe C. Here therefore as before our eyes we doe sée how much our saluation cost the Sonne of GOD who being brought into extreame trouble as he was man knew neyther in wordes nor by counsayle howe to expresse the vehemencye of his gréefe and therefore his last refuge was to fall to prayer wherein hée desyreth to be deliuered from death Moreouer because he sawe him selfe to bée appointed by the eternall purpose of GOD to bée a Sacrifice for sinnes hee by and by correcteth that Prayer whiche hée made in great sorrowe and trouble of minde that he might whollye submitte him selfe vnto the wyll of his Father R. Therefore the spirite prayeth and the fleshe prayeth but the spirite ouercommeth the fleshe For the wyll of Christe was nothing contrarye to the wyll of his Father but looke what the Father willed the Sonne willed the same Therefore when he prayeth to bée deliuered from death it is neyther properlye the voyce of the Diuinitye nor of the humanitye but of a voluntary emptying and abasing of himselfe by whiche Christ tooke vppon him the affections of nature sinne excepted The fleshe prayeth to bée delyuered from the Crosse and cannot wyshe the same but the spirite correcteth and ouer commeth the same saying But therefore came I into this worlde to suffer to dye and to bée Crucified C. Wherefore in this place wée must noate fiue degrées The first place containeth a complaint which bursteth foorth of excéeding gréefe and sorrow secondly he feeleth him selfe to be past al remedy and least he should be ouerwhelmed with feare he demaundeth of him selfe what he should saye thirdly he fléeeth vnto the Father and desireth hym to be his deliueret fourthlye he
of Faith The worlde saith he cannot receiue the Spirite because it knoweth not the same but ye know it because it abideth with you Therefore it is the Spirit only which dwelling in vs offereth it selfe to be knowne whereas to other it is vnknowne and incomprehensible R. And by the name of worlde all the most wyse holy mighty and rych of the same are vnderstood for these are called the pillers of the world whom the world only receiuith and hath in admiration Wherfore the spirit is neuer les found than amonge the moste mightye of this worlde For they loue lying and hipocrisie they are blinded with their giftes They cānot therfore abide the spirit reprouing them of lyes and drawynge them from their giftes vnto the geuer M. By this place we are also taught that the world is altogether wicked an enemy vnto God subiect to the spirit of lyes And this is the fountayne from whence so many heresies errors false worshippyngs such lyke do come into the world It is much that he saith that the spirit of truth cannot be receiued of this worlde as yf a man should say that the spirit of sobriety The world is the welspringe of Herely cannot be receiued of droonkards the spirit of humilytie of prowde men nor the Spirite of shamfastnesse of impudent persons For this worlde is so blinded with the spirit of lying that it can neither see nor vnderstand the truth of God Fynally we muste noate that the faithfull are therefore called the temples of the holy Ghost because in them the holy Ghost doth truly dwell and abyde 18. I will not leaue you comfortlesse but will come vnto you M. Some vnderstande this of the retourne of Christ vnto his Disciples after his resurrection A. But other some a great deale better refer the same vnto the comming of the holy Ghost Bv. As if Christ shoulde haue sayde ye shall thinke when I am gone from you in my bodely presence that you are Orphants without a father but yf you consider the matter well I wyl neuer leaue you R. For I wyll come vnto you with the Spirite of consolation which shall help you with fatherly affection in all aduersitie So beneficiall shall my departure be vnto you so great profite shall my death bring vnto you C. This place teacheth what men are and what they can doe being withoute the Spirit of consolation they are Orphants which are reddy to suffer all deceits and iniures vnméete to gouerne them selues and apte of them selues to do nothing The only remedy hereof is for Christ to gouerne vs by his spirite the whiche he promiseth he wyll do Fyrste of all therfore the Disciples are put in minde of their owne imbecillity to the end they distrusting them selues may depend vpon the defence of Christe alone secondly he promising vnto them a remedy putteth them in good comforte because he promiseth that he wyll not leaue them 19. Yet a litle while and the world shall see me no more but ye shal se me because I liue and ye shal liue also M. By this thretning Christ declareth that the vnbeleuing ar vnworthy to enioy his sight any more C. withal prosecuteth the commendation of his spetiall grace which ought to suffice the Disciples to ease them and to take awaye their sorrowe When sayeth he I shall goe out of the sight of the worlde I will neuerthelesse be with you R. For shortly after my death I will go out of the sighte of the worlde that it shall sée me no more but I will be alwayes presente with you Bv. By the world he meaneth carnall men and such as are not regenerate which are vnbeléeuing and liue in the world after the maner of the world Also this word shall sée is by a Metaphor transferred from the body to the mynd Therefore carnall men and vnbeléeuers do not sée do not vnderstand nor beleeue Iesus to be the Sonne of God and yet neuerthelesse very man who by his death bringeth to life and redéemeth all mankind from damnation C. Therefore to the ende we maye enioye the secret behoulding of Christ we must not Iudge of his presence and absence according to the reason of the fleshe but we must behould his power with the eyes of our faith And thus it commeth to passe that the Faithfull doe alwayes behould and haue present with them Christ in spirite though he bee farre from them in body Because I liue and yee C. These wordes maye be construed two wayes eyther that this sentence is a confirmation of that which went beefore or else that it ought to be red seuerally as that therefore the faithfull shall liue because Christ loueth But the former scence séemeth beste to agrée out of the which we maye gather thys Doctryne that Christ is the cause of our lyfe M. For we are dead and oure lyfe is hidde with Christ in God Colos 3 3. In the beginning he noateth the cause why hee would be séene of his disciples and not of the world because Christ cannot bée séene but according to the spiritual life of the which the worlde is quite voyde The worlde seeeth not Christ and no meruaile for death is the cause of blindnesse But so soone as it beginneth to liue in Spirite it hath eyes to sée Christ 20. That daye shall yee knowe that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you R. Many by this Daye of the which Christ speaketh heare vnderstande the feast of Penticoste C. But he rather vnderstandeth all that time from the first declaration of the power of his spirite vnto the laste resurrection For then they beganne to knowe but it was a sertaine sciender instruction because as yet the holy Ghost had not so effectually wrought in them For to this effecte his wordes tende that it cannot be knowen by a certaine trifeling speculation and vaine curiositie what the sacred and misticall vnion betwixte him and vs is and againe what manner of vnion is betwixt him and his father but rather that this is the only way to know him when he powreth into vs his lyfe by the secret efficacy of his spirite And that is the experiment of faith of the which we spake a litle before Bv. But the Sonne after one manner is in the father and after another manner in vs. For by nature he is in the Father and in vs by participation by grace or by the felloweship of the spirite Concerning beath we haue spoken before in the sixt and tenth Chapters And Sainte Iohn in the Epistle sayeth Hereby wee knowe that we abyde in him i. Yoh 4 1◠and he in vs because he hath geuen to vs of his spirite C. Therefore we are sayde to be in him because we beeing graffed into his body ar made pertakers of righteousenesse and of all goodnesse he is sayde to be in vs because he declareth by the efficacye of his spirite that hee is the cause and authoure
concerning the braunches his Disciples C. And telleth them that they haue felt alreadye in them slues that whiche he had sayd because they were both planted and pourged in him M. As if he shoulde saye You my Disciples which are as braunches are cleane through the word which I haue spoken vnto you B. that is to saye through my doctrine which ye haue receyued For by the same ye are borne againe C. And there is no doubt but that he spake of the externall preaching when he expreslye nameth the worde whiche they had heard from his mouth Not that the voyce vttered by man hath onelye in it selfe such efficacy but in that Christ worketh in the heart by his spirite The voyce it selfe is the instrument of purging B. Therefore they are cleane which beléeue the Gospell and yet notwithstanding are purged that they maye bring foorth more fruite because by the gyft of the Father they profite in the Faith by whiche they are made the sonnes of God in the which the more they profite the more they are lyke vnto God and the more they fructefye aboue others Neuerthelesse Christ meaneth not that his Apostls are without al fault but setteth before them an experiment whereby they maye learne howe necessary the continnacion of grace is R. Therefore they were cleane not for theyr owne righteousnesse sake but for the worde which being reuealed by the spirite after the resurrectioÌ„ wrought cleannesse in the beléeuing Apostles So all Christians in them selues and in theyr owne righteousnesse are sinners but in Christ through the worde which they haue receyued by faith are iust and cleane R. We must also noate how the sanctifycation and purgation of the faithful as in the Scripture attributed to diuers thinges Purgation attributed to diuers thinges in diuers respects For the Father pourgeth by his spirite as the aucthour the worde purgeth as the hande and power of the aucthour the Sacrament purgeth as the instrument and appendix of the word and faith purgeth as it receyueth purgatirn from the Father by the worde wherevnto the Sacrament is tyed For thou shalt beléeue in vaine if thou beléeue not the recorde Rom x 17 A. Because true faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Therefore we must noate all those sayinges which séeme to attribute purgation to diuers thinges as when it is sayde that God hath purifyed the hearts Also Actes xv ix Ye haue cleansed your heartes by obeying the trueth Againe Christ hath sanctifyed the Churche i. Pet. i. xxij cleansing the same by the fountaine of water in the worde of lyfe Ephe. 5.25 Also Hee hath saued vs through the lauer of regeneration Titus 3.5 and of the renuing of the holy ghost All these places spring from one grounde and tende to this ende that we might vnderstande the manner of purgation and the doctrine of of the Gospell C. the which Christ in this place commendeth vnto his Disciples of the fruite to the ende they might be the more prouoked to the meditacion thereof séeing it is as it were the husband mans knife to proyne and cut of rotten and fruiteles twigges 4. Bide in mee and I in you As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abyde in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me C. Againe hée exhorteth his Disciples to studdye and care to retaine and kéepe that grace with the whiche they are endued For the securitye of the fleshe can neuer sufficiently bée awaked And verilye Christ sought nothing else but to gather vs as a Hen doth her Chickins vnder her winges vnder his protection least by our lightnesse we being crept awaye might flee from him to our owne destruction Therefore to proue that hée had not begon the worke of our saluation to leaue the same vnperfecte he promiseth that his spirite shal be alwaies effectuall in vs. Abyde in mée sayeth hée because I am readye to abyde in you R. We abide in Christ by faith Christ abydeth in vs by his worde A. Herevppon Saint Iohn sayeth i Ioh. 3 24 Hee which keepeth his commaundementes abydeth in him and he in him And hereby we know that he abydeth in vs euen by the spirite which he hath geuen vs. Concerning farther matter reade the sixe and fiftye verse of the sixt Chapter going before As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe Bv. More largelye and plainlye hée declareth by sentences what was the coniunction of Christ and of the Saints in the Churche and what fruite sprang from the same in the Church That is to saye that of that onelye coniunction and knitting tageather good fruites doe spring and that without him no good fruite doeth come from any man And the sentences or collations are these As the braunche of it selfe that is to saye of his owne nature and proper strength béeing taken awaye from his vine cannot bring forth any good fruite euenso except we abyde in Christ wée cannot bring foorth of our owne strength any good workes For it is Christ which watereth and norisheth vs by the grace of his spirite as it were by water that we might easilye bring forth the fruites of godlynesse And to the ende we might the more trulye vnderstande the collation he addeth saying 5. I am the Vine Ye are the braunches he that abydeth in mee and I in him the same bringeth forth much frute for without me can ye doe nothing M. Hée declareth and sheweth vnto his Disciples who they are and what he him selfe is lest that should be attributed to the brannches which belongeth vnto the Vine Bv. As if he should say Least ye shoulde bée ignoraunt what I meane by the Vine and what be the braunches Knowe ye that I aloane am that Godlye Vine which beare braunches and by my sap and moysture doe cause the same to fructefye but you my Disciples and so many as beléeue in mée are the braunches who of them selues that is to saye of theyr owne strength bring forth no good fruite For without mee can ye doe nothing This is the conclusion and application of the whoale parrable So long as we are without him we bring forth no good fruite acceptable vnto God because we are not apte to doe good R. What can be spoken more plainly against frée wyll Free wâ—l ouerthrown and against al humane strength be it neuer so strong For as the braunche being cut from the Vine bringeth forth no fruite but wythereth awaye euen so man can doe nothing at all to attaine to righteousnesse and saluation if so bee through vnbeleefe he bée separated from Christ Bv. This place therefore is verye notable and strong against the defendours of frée wyll affirming that it is in our owne strength and power to worke that which is good C. The Papistes notwithstanding do not onelye extenuate this sentence but also wreste and dallye with the same For although in worde onlye they confesse that we can doe nothing
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
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
Papistes For they wearying them selues all theyr life time with secréete speculations whatsoeuer properly appertaineth to the true worship of God to the assuraunce of our saluation and to Godly life they know no more than doeth the Cobler or Cowheard the course of the Starres and pleasing them selues in straunge mysteries they do cōtempne the more necessary doctrine of the Scriptures as though they were too well learned to spende theyr time in reading of them It is no maruaile therefore if Nicodemus do stumble here as it were at a strawe For this is the iust iudgement of GOD that they which thinke them selues to bée the greatest and best learned Doctours to whome the simplicitye of the common Doctrine séemeth base should bée sencelesse blind in the least Articles R. For neyther can humane reason attaine to that which is diuine nor yet any mortal man to those things which belong to Gods spirite 1. Cor. 2 naye those thinges whiche are spoken vnto him séeme foolishe For as a vessell retayneth the sauoure and smell which it hath once gotten and afterwardes when other liquour is put into it doeth make it to relishe of the same euen so our reason at the beginning of our Natiuitye is seasoned with carnallitye and carnall affections in so muche that whatsoeuer afterwarde it heareth it vnderstandeth according to his oulde relishe that is to saye carnallye and doeth by and by reiect all suche thinges as passe humane capacitye M. For it enquireth howe God can bée incarnate How a Virgin can bring foorth a Childe Howe a man Crucified and Buryed can bée the sauiour of the worlde Howe Baptisme can take awaye sinne Howe can Christ geue his Fleshe to eate and suche like Misteryes of our Faith All these thinges blinde reason condemneth as foolishnesse and derideth them 5. Iesus answered verylye verylye I saye vnto thee Except a man bee borne of water and of the spirite He can not enter into the Kingdome of God Verylye verylye I saye vnto thee Bv. Nicodemus vnderstoode not the opinion concerning Regeneration or newe Byrthe of man therefore our louing and mercifull Sauioure moore plainlye expoundeth those thinges whiche before he spake misticallye teaching that to be borne againe is nothing else than to be borne of water of the spirite and that the same is the very true maner of regeneration But all men for the most part by this sentence of our Sauiour Christ vnderstande Baptisme Baptisme and many of them do hereby make Baptisme so necessarye that they affirme it impossible for a man to attaine to saluation except he be washed with the water of Baptisme and so disorderlye they include the assuraunce of our saluation vnder the signe when as the wole Scripture attributeth the grace and power of regeneration to the holye ghost Marke 16.16 Titus 3.5 1. Pet. 3.12 as may appeare in diuers places of Scripture but speciallye by these places noted in the margent C. And as touching this place we ought to vnderstand the same simplye of mans regeneration and not of Baptisme For the purpose of Christ was to exhort Nicodemus to newnesse of life because hée was not capable of the Gospell vntil he were a newe man Therefore this is the simple meaning of this sentence That it behooueth vs to bée borne againe that wée maye be the Sonnes of GOD and also that the holye Ghost is the aucthour of this seconde byrth For Nicodemus dreaming of a Pithagoricall Regeneration Christ to waken and remoue him from that errour added this for an interpretacion of that which he spake before namelye that man was not naturally borne againe The holy ghost the aucthour of our regeneration neyther was it néedefull that a man shoulde haue a newe body but that he is borne againe when hée is renewed by the grace of the holye Ghost both in soule and minde And therefore by these wordes Spirite and water hée vnderstandeth all one thing The which interpretacion ought not to séeme in any mans sence to strayte and farre fetcht For it is a common phrase of speache in the Scripture when mencion is made of the Spirite to adde the name of Water and Fyre to expresse the force of the same In thirde of Mathew it is sayde that Christ baptized with the holy Ghost Math. 3.11 and with fire in the which place there is no difference in sence betwéene fyre and the holye Ghost but doth onelye signifie what the efficacye of Gods spirite is in vs. And where as here wee haue the name of water set before the spirite it maketh no great matter nay rather this maner of speache soundeth better than that other of Mathew because the plaine sence and meaning followeth the Metaphore as if Christ should haue sayde No man is the sonne of God vntil such time as hée is renewed and borne againe by water that is to saye by the spirite which purgeth vs anewe and which by his grace and power in vs inspireth and replenisheth vs with the moysture of a heauenly life séeing by nature wée are altogither drye and withered And vppon good consideration our Sauiour Christ bringeth this phrase of speache vsed in the Scriptures to set before Nicodemus his ignoraunce and blindenesse For Nicodemus shoulde haue knowne at the last that the same which was spoken by our sauiour Christ was taken out of the common doctrine of the Prophets Therefore by water is ment nothing else but the inwarde purgation and moysture of the holye Ghost So that the second is but an explycation of the first Wherevpon also our Sauiour when hée addeth a reason why wée ought to be borne againe making no mencion of water teacheth that the newnesse of life which hée requireth is wrought by the holy ghost Wherfore it foloweth that water must not be separated from the spirite 6. That whiche is borne of the fleshe is fleshe and that whiche is borne of the spirite is spirite B. This is a reason of that whiche went before For therefore no man vnborne againe can enter into the kingdome of God because all that is borne of fleshe is nothing else by that first and naturall Natiuitye but fleshe And fleshe and blood can not enter into the kingdom of Heauen For by the knowledge of GOD wée are made partakers of his kingdome Iohn 17.3 1. Cor. 2.14 for it is sayde This is life eternall O Father to knowe thee c. Now man which is fleshe can not vnderstand those thinges which belong vnto GOD. Therefore it is necessarye that so many as shall enter into the kingdome of God bée transformed and spirituall that is to saye so many as wyll bée the Sonnes of God C. Therefore Christ proueth by an argument of the contraryes that wée are all shut out of the kingdome of God except we haue entrance by regeneratiō For hée taketh this as graunted vnto him namelye that wée cannot enter into the kingdome of God except we become spirituall But wée bring nothing
from our mothers wombe but our carnall nature Therefore it followeth that wée are naturallye banished out of the kingdome of God and being depriued of the celestiall life doe abide vnder the bondage of death This word fleshe doth signifye the whole man For fleshe in this place doth not onelye signify the bodye but also the Soule and euery part of man For the Papistes do very fondlye restraine it to that parte which they call sensuall because by this meanes the argument of Christ shoulde bée verye vaine as to saye that the second byrth is néedefull because some parte of vs is corrupted and defiled But if any man obiect and saye that there remaineth yet some parte of Gods giftes in this our degenerate and corrupt nature and therevppon conclude that we are not in euery part paruerted and polluted Wée maye easilye aunswere to this obiection and saye That those giftes whiche GOD lefte in vs after the fall of Adam in respect of them selues are highlye to bée estéemed and praysed but séeing the contagion and corruption of sinne hath difunded and spread it selfe throughout euery part we shall finde nothing in vs pure and frée from all pollusion Wherfore as we haue naturally some knowledge of God whereas there is ingraffed in vs a certaine discretion to iudge betwéene good and euill Whereas wée haue wit and reason to defende this present life and whereas wée excell the brute Beasts in so many notable giftes Mans nature defiled these thinges of them selues and as they proceede from God are verye notable but all thinges are defiled in vs no lesse than the Wine that is vnsauery through stinking Vesselles being made thereby verye hurtful Therefore because man is by nature from his Mothers Byrth onelye carnall hée must bée transformed againe by the Spirite that he maye beginne to be spirituall And this worde spirite is here taken twoo manner of wayes namelye for grace and for the effect of grace For in the first place Christ teacheth that the holye ghost is the onelye aucthour of a pure and reformed nature In the second place hée teacheth that we are spiritual so sone as wée are renued by the vertue of the same R. Of this manner of renuing the Apostle also speaketh saying The Lawe of the spirite of life setteth me free from the power of sinne and death through Iesus Christ For what the Lawe coulde not doe by that part by which it was weake through the flesh that did God by sending his owne sonne in the similltude of sinfull fleshe Euen by sinne condemned sinne in the fleshe Rom. 8. that the righteousnesse of the Lawe might bee fulfilled in vs whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite For they that are carnall are carnally minded But they that are spirituall are spirituall ye minded To be carnallye minded is death but to bee spirituallye minded is life and peace Because that the fleshlye minde is enmity against God for it is not obedient to the lawe of God neyther can bee So then they that are in the fleshe can not please God But ye are not in the fleshe but in the spirite If so be that the spirite of God dwell in you M. In this place the Apostle attributeth first to the fleshe and then to the spirite certaine thinges which make very wel for the declaration of the woords of Christ He geueth to the fleshe twoo impossible thinges The first is that it cannot obeye the Law of God The seconde that it can not please God Herevppon it followeth that the same is vnder the power of sinne and death as an enemie vnto God and that the Doctrine of the Letter whiche hée here calleth the Lawe cannot reforme the same in so muche that it standeth altogeather in neede of the Heauenlye power by whiche wee are regenerate Then he geueth that to the spirite which fulfilleth the iustification of the Lawe that is to saye which maketh man spirituall For the Law requireth a spirite conformable The spirite of God is the aucthor of our regeneration and agréeing with the will of God Such a will doth the holy ghost begette The spirite therfore deliuereth from the power of Sinne and death and quickeneth and therefore it is called the spirite of life C. But it is verye absurde which some haue gathered vppon this place of Christ namelye that wée take our beginning of our first Parentes not onelye in body but also in soule For Christ sayth nothing here but that wée are all carnall according to our Byrth and that our nature doth sauour and taste of nothing but fleshe in this respect that we bee borne mortall men into the worlde For he doth here simplye distinguishe betwéene the naturall and supernaturall gifte 7. Meruaile not that I sayde vnto thee Yee must be borne againe M. This sentence maye be referred as well to those thinges which goe before as to that which followeth B. as if the Lorde shoulde saye Thou hast heard good cause and reason Nicodemus why I sayde that no man can enter into the kingdome of GOD except hée bée borne againe meruaile not therefore M. But if wée referre it to that which followeth then wée must vnderstande that the Lorde went about to take from Nicodemus by the similitude following the maze which Nicodemus had conceyued by the straungenesse of the thing which hée hearde C. The which wée must not so take as though the Lorde woulde haue so notable a worke of God in mans regeneration to bee little esteemed of Nicodemus but hee woulde not haue him to woonder leaste his fayth shoulde bee hindered For manye reiect that which is difficile and hearde to bée vnderstoode as friuolous and vaine To be shorte wee must not doubt but that we are framed againe by Gods spirite and are made newe men although the maner how the same is brought to passe be not reuealed vnto vs. Ye must be borne againe M. First of all our Sauiour Christ excludeth himselfe from this necessitie of being borne againe not because hee had not the substaunce of fleshe of the which he was borne but because hée was not so borne of the same that he had néede of regeneration as other mortall men had and haue which are conceyued and borne vnder sinne Then he ioyneth Nicodemê° a learned man in the Lawe and the Prophetes and a Pharisey to the rest and includeth him to this necessitie of reregeneration with all other men Psal 53.4 Rom. 1.12 Heb. 7.16 R. For all haue gone out of the waye all are become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Luke 1.35 But Christe by right is exempted from this corruption seeing that hée is exempted from sinners Wherevppon the Angell sayde vnto Mary That holye thing which shall bee borne of thee shall be called the Sonne of GOD. 8. The winde bloweth whyther it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell vvhence it commeth and vvhyther it goeth So is euery
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
effectuall the knowledge of his graces is namely of suche force that it wyll incourage and allure our myndes to desyre the same If thou knewest sayeth our Sauiour Christe thou wouldest haue asked Therefore hée went about to make the Woman more desyrous least shée shoulde contemptuouslye reiect the lyfe offered vnto her And he would haue geuen thee of the Water of lyfe This is a playne argument of Gods great goodnesse and lyberallitye by which he doeth not onely consider howe miserable wée are and of what benefites we stande in néede but also allureth vs to craue those thinges which are prepared and readye to bée offered vnto vs so that we aske them For hée testifieth that if wée make our Prayers vnto him they shall not bée in vaine And truelye without this perswasion and trust wée shoulde haue but a colde desyre to praye But séeing Christ méeteth by the waye with those that come vnto him and is readye to fyll euerye Hungrye Soule there is nowe no place or excuse left for slouthfulnesse and negligence But there is none but wyll thinke that this is spoken generally vnto all menne except he bée stayed by incredulitye A. For it is not promised in vaine Aske and ye shall receyue seeke and yee shall finde Math. 7â— Mar. 11. â—â— knocke and it shal be opened vnto you VVhatsoeuer thinges ye desyre when ye praye beleeue that ye receyue them and yee shall haue them C. Yea we sée that not onelye the liberallitye of God but also whiche is greatlye to bée wondered at the Lord of all thinges hath put vpon him such entire loue that hauing taken on him our fleshe and therewith also our miserye is come downe vnto vs and being Hungrye and Thyrstye craueth of vs those thinges whiche bée Earthlye that by this occasion he might bestow vpon vs in lyke manner his heauenlye and euerlasting treasures Hée who him selfe is the well of lyfe desyreth water to bée geuen vnto him out of a Well by a base and abiecte woman and hée promiseth vnto her againe the water of lyfe Euen so 2. Cor. 8.9 for our sake hée was made poore that wée by him might bée made Ritche So in lyke manner he became Hungrye and Thyrstye that he might féede vs with heauenlye Foode and refreshe vs with the Water of lyfe A. And so often as the Poore shall craue our Almesse Almes deedes to bée refeshed let vs remember that Christ beggeth in theyr personne not to spoyle vs of our goodes if wée geue any thing in his name but rather to exchaunge with vs heauenlye and euerlasting thinges for those thinges which are corporall and transitorye As wée may reade in the Gospell Mat. 10.42 and .25.40 B. Furthermore note here howe Christ maketh a comparison betwéene Drinke and the holye Ghoste whome metaphoricallye hée calleth water of lyfe C. And this Metaphor as it is common so it contayneth notable reason For wée are lyke vnto drye and barren grounde without any dewe or moysture vntyll suche tyme as the Lorde doeth water vs by his holye Spyrite In another place also the spirite is called cleare Water but in another sence because it purgeth and washeth awaye the Spottes with the which wée are polluted and defiled But here and in suche lyke places the secréete refreshing is handeled by which hée quickeneth defendeth and perfiteth life in vs. B. As therefore the liuelye and springing water doeth euer flowe to asswage and coole the thyrst of men euen so the holye Ghost bearing witnesse to our Spirites that we are the Sonnes of God doeth for euer expell the thyrst of the Godlye vntyll at the last it doeth make them perfectlye blessed and doeth perpetuallye comfort them by a sure and certaine Fayth concerning the which reade the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Romanes Rom. 8.16 Gala. 4.9 C. Therefore Christ thought good to oppose or set Water against the vanitye of all good men with the which mankinde is troubled and oppressed And he calleth it the water of lyfe not onely of the effect as of quickening but also he alludeth to diuers kindes of waters Therefore it is called liuelye because it springeth and floweth from a liuely well So that in these wordes Christ doeth excellentlye and brieflye declare what manner of person hée is and what hée bestoweth vppon his faithfull seruauntes namelye all fulnesse of lyfe and perfection of felycitye B. If therefore a man shall make Metaphors and Allegories after this manner they shal be firme and very profitable to teache in the Churche 11. The Woman sayeth vnto him Syr thou hast nothing to draw with and the Well is deepe From whence then hast thou that Water of life M. This Woman calleth our Sauiour Christ Maister or Syr after the common manner of Wiues which are accustomed to call theyr Husbandes so for reuerence sake and not onelye women vsed this manner of speache but also menne speciallye towardes suche as were Straungers Gene. 24.18 Rebecca sayde vnto the seruaunt of Abraham Drinke Syr. Marye Magdalene sayd vnto Christ suspecting him to be a Gardiner Syr Ioh. 20.15 if thou haue taken him awaye c. Abraham Lot and Gedeon Gen. 18.3 Gen. 19.8 Iudg. 6.13 Acts. 16.30 called the Angelles which appeared to them in the lykenesse of Straungers by the name of Lorde or Syr. The kéeper of the Prison also called Paul and Silas whiche were Prisoners by the same name Wherefore they haue slender reasons to alleadge which by this name thinke that this woman beganne nowe to haue more than common knowledge of Christ C. Naye rather shee despised Christ and deryded him Shée vnderstoode well inough that Christ spake figuratiuelye but shée reprehendeth him by a contrary figure as if shée had sayd that hée had promised more than he was able to performe As therefore the Samaritanes were despised of the Iewes euen so the Iewes were despysed of the other in lyke maner 12. Art thou greater than our Father Iacob whiche gaue vs the well and he him selfe dranke thereof and his children and his cattell B. Shée thought that the Lorde arrogated to him selfe power to make a wel as dyd Moyses who caused Water to flowe out of the harde Rocke C. Whervppon shée accuseth him of arrogancye because hée preferred him selfe before the holy Patriarche Iacob as if he should say Iacob was contented with this well for his owne vse and for the vse of his whole familye and hast thou better water What an vngodly comparison this is it maye hereby appeare that shée compareth the seruaunt with his Lorde and a mortall man to the liuing God and yet notwithstanding howe many be there at this daye which commit the same faulte Wherfore we must take the more diligent héede least we so farre extoll the personnes of men that we obscure thereby the glorye of God The giftes of God truelye are reuerently to be imbraced where so euer they appeare Therefore it is méete and lawfull to
to lyfe 25. Verylye Verylie I saye vnto you the houre shall come and nowe is when the dead shal heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare shal liue Verilie Verilie J saie vnto you the houre shall come M. Now againe the thirde tyme he vseth this earnest affirmacion whiche greatly expresseth his minde first of all speaking not onely seriously and constantly but also of serious certaine and and waighty matters secondly requiring of the hearers an vndoubted faith also C. For the Euangelist so often times setting before vs the sonne of God swearing in the cause of our saluation we may thereby perceiue fyrst of all howe carefull he is for vs and secondly how néedefull it is that the credit of the Gospel be established and confyrmed The effect of faith of the which Christ here speaketh séemeth to be incredible Therefore by an othe hée affirmeth that the voice of his Gospell is of such quickening power that it is able to raise vp the dead B. There are some whiche vnderstand this worde of Christe of the resurrection or life of mens bodyes go about to proue the same by the example of Lazarus of the widdowes sonne C. but it is euident enough by the text that Christe doth speake of spirituall death Fyrst of al Christ admonisheth vs that we are all dead before he doth quicken vs. And hereby it appeareth what the whole nature of man is able to dooe concernyng the attaynyng to saluation It is verye true that there remayneth in the soule of man some remnant of lyfe for vnderstanding iudgement will and all the sences are partes of life but because there is no part which may aspire to life eternall it is no maruaile yf the whole man so farre forth as appertaineth to the kingdome of God be counted deade And of this death the Apostle speaketh in more wordes when he saith that we were farre from the pure and sincere reason of the mind and in the cogitacion of our hartes enemies to God and his righteousnes and being blind erred in darcknesse were geuen to euyll concupiscence If this corrupt nature haue no strength to attayne to righteousnesse it foloweth that the life of God is extinguished in vs. The grace of Christ the resurrection from death And so the grace of Christ is the true resurrection from death Also this grace is giuen to vs by the Gospel Not that the externall preaching of the same is of suche force which often times goeth in at one eare and commeth out at the other but because Christ speaketh within to our hartes by his holy Spirite that we may by faith receiue the lyfe offered vnto vs. R. Therefore to heare the voyce of the Sonne of God is not onely to heare those carnall wordes with our bodilye eares but to beléeue with the hart Wherfore they that beléeue are iustified For to beléeue with the heart maketh a man righteous Faith iustifieth Rom. 10.10 Gen. 15.6 Abacc 2.4 Also it is sayde Abraham beleeued God and that was imputed to him for righteousnesse Againe it is sayd the iust shall liue by faith For Christe doth not speake here of dead men but he only vnderstādeth the elect whose eares God doeth open that they may receiue the voyce of his Sonne which can restoore them to life Yea Christe distinctly in his wordes commendeth vnto vs two kyndes of grace when he sayth that the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God Two kyndes of grace and liue For it is no lesse against nature for the dead to heare then to be restoared to lyfe from which they were fallen Therefore both these belong to the secrete powere of God A. For experience teacheth vs that the Reprobates haue eyes Esay 6.9 but yet they cannot see they haue also eares but yet they cannot heare and the Gospell of Christ is to thē a sauioure of death vnto death 2. Co. 2.16 When he sayth The houre shall come and nowe it is he speaketh as of an vnwonted and straunge thing And verily the preaching of the Gospell was the new and sodaine resurrection of the worlde A. Wherevppon when Christ taught Mar. 1.17 many sayde VVhat newe doctrine is this And Paul Preaching the resurrection of the dead some sayde Acts. 17.18 This man seemeth to bee a tydinges bringer of newe Deuilles C. If any man demaund whether the word of God hath not alwayes geuen lyfe to men aunswere maye bée made that the Doctrine of the Lawe and the Prophetes being ordayned for Gods people had rather this propertye and office to maintaine those in lyfe which were begotten to GOD The office of the lawe and gospel then to reduce from death But the office of the Gospell was to bring the Gentiles which before were banished menne from the kingdome of God enemies to God and voyde of all hope of saluacion into the society of life R. as also the Apostle teacheth in his Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 2.11 26. For as the Father hath life in him selfe so lykewise hath hee geuen to the Sonne to haue lyfe in him selfe M. In these woordes hée geueth a reason why he sayd that the dead should bée raysed vp and quickened by the voyce of the Sonne of God C. and withall he sheweth whereof it commeth that his voyce hath so great efficacye namelye because he is the well of lyfe and poureth the same into men by his voyce For lyfe coulde not flowe vnto vs out of his mouth except the cause and originall thereof were in him Neyther is God sayde to haue lyfe in him onely because hee alone lyueth by his owne proper power and vertue but because he contayning in him selfe the fulnesse of lyfe quickeneth all thinges And this belongeth properlye to God alone euen as it is sayde VVith thee is the well of life Psal 36.9 Hereby wée gather that this title is properlye ascribed vnto Christ in that hée was manifested in the fleshe M. and this hée receyued of the Father when the worde was made fleshe Iohn 1.14 Therefore in that hée is the sonne of God hée hath all thinges of him selfe but in that hée is the sonne of man he hath receyued all thinges from the Father 27. And he hath geuen him power also to iudge because he is the sonne of man And he hath geuen him power C. Againe he repeateth that power is geuen to him of the father that he might haue full power of all thinges both in Heauen and in earth for this worde Iudge is taken for rule and empyre as before But wée must principallye note the reason which hée nowe addeth Because he is the sonne of man M. To bée the sonne of man according to the phrase of Scripture is nothing else than to be a verye man euen as in that he is sayde to bée the sonne of God is meant that he is verye God for euery one is that naturallye which he is when hée
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
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
appeareth in the brightnesse of his Gospell are blind not only because their foolishnesse is vncouered which before laye hid vnder the darckenes of Infidelity but also because they béeing plunged by the Iuste vengeaunce of God in déeper darckenesse doe loose that litle light which was left vnto them Wée are all borne blynde but yet for al that in the darckenesse of corrupt defiled nature there appeareth still sertain sparckes that men maye differ from brute beastes Nowe yf proude reason béeing puffed vp with truste and confydence of it selfe do refuse to submit it selfe vnto God it shall seeme to be wise without Christe but the bryghtnes of Christ at the length shall make the same foolishnesse because then the vanitie of mans minde doeth begin to appeare when heauenly wisedome doth reueale it selfe But our Sauioure Christ had a farther matter to expresse in these wordes For ypocrites be fore Christ doth shine do not so obstinately resist and withstande God but so soone as the Light doth shine more nerely they doe make open warre againste God This wickednesse and Ingratitude bringeth to passe that their blindnesse is doubled and that God which before had but taken awaye the light from their eyes doth nowe thruste them oute altogether Now let vs noate the summe of this place which is that Christ came into the worlde to illuminate the blynde to bring those quight and cleane oute of their wittes which séeme wise in their owne conceites M. It is no merueile therefor yf the Phariseis saw not that which this blind man sawe when they sayde that Christe was of God whome the blinde man and simple Idiots in the sight of the world knewe to come from God because by the iust Iudgement of God those wise men are blinded by the comming of Christe and those which sawe not of blind are made to sée C. And in the former place Christ made mencion of illumination because this is the proper cause of his comming For he came not to Iudge the worlde but rather that the worlde might be saued by him Ioh. 3.17 Also this vengeaunce or iudgement is not restrained to the person of Christ as though he did not dayly bring this to passe by the Ministers of the Gospell For the whiche cause we ought to take the more héede lest any of vs by our vayne and mad opinion bring this horrible punishement vpon vs. But experience doth teache how truly Christe hath vttered this sentence For wée doe sée that many are stricken with the spirite of giddinesse and madnesse for no other cause but only for that they cannot abyde the rysing sonne of righteousnes The wicked in the tyme of the Lawe receiued this punishment for the Prophete was sent to blynd the people Esay 6.9 that séeing they might not sée 40. And some of the Phariseis whiche vvere vvith him hearde these vvords and saide vnto him Are vvee blinde allso Bv. Thys beggar was made an example for them whiche in déede were starke blynde notwithstanding they acknowledge their blindnesse and Ignoraunce and are illuminated by the grace of Christ And the Phariseis are made an example which thought them selues Iuste and holye séemed in their owne conceite wise ynough and therfore they came not vnto Christ For the which cause they aboade in blindnesse and in the darckenesse of erroures and sinnes euen as the Euaungelist sheweth afterwarde in playne wordes C. They perceyued that they were wounded by that saying of Christe and yet notwithstanding they séeme not to bée of the worste because the open and sworne enemies of Christ did so abhorre Christ that they could not abyde to ioyne them selues vnto him But these coulde abide to heare Christe but yet withoute profite because no man can bée a néere disciple of Christ but he which forsaketh him selfe from the whiche these men were very farre M. They would not séeme to be blinde though they were starcke blynd For they would neither be reckoned among them whome béeing blind the Lord made to sée nor amongest others which saw whom the Lord made blind Wherefore because they were puft vp with Pride they thinking that they shoulde receiue greate iniury yf so bée they were reckoned among the blynd burst forth and saye Are wee blinde also C. As if they should saye Canst thou not make thy selfe famouse but by our reproche Is this to be suffered that thou shouldest get honoure to thy selfe by our contumely And whereas thou dooest promise light to the blinde get thée hence and auaunt with thy goodnes for wée wil not bée illuminated of thée vpon this condition that wée shoulde graunt vnto thee that we haue béene hitherto blind M. Doest thou thinke no better of vs than thou doest of the common vnlearned sorte of people Doest thou think vs to be blind men lyke vnto other vnskilfull persons séeing we haue the key of knowledge and are the masters and teachers of other men Thou camest to geue sight thou sayest vnto the blinde but thou art a seducer of the blinde Thou seducest the blinde vnlearned multitude but thou canst not so deceiue vs which are not blind Hereby wée maye sée that hipocrisy is alwaye proude and spightfull It is a noate of pride that they standing in their owne conceite would haue no parte of their estimation deminished and it is a token of spight that when their disease was discouered they were more offended at Christ euen as if he had more déepely wounded them Hereof commeth the contempte boath of Christe and also of his grace which he offereth In this word also there is contained we a great emphasis and force thereby declaring that although all others were blinde yet they tooke it in euell parte that they should be reckoned among the common sort This is a faulte to common in those which excell others who béeing dronken with disdayne doe almost forget them selues that they are men 41. Iesus saide vnto them if yee were blinde he should haue noe sinne but nowe yee saie we see therefore youre sinne remaineth M. The Lorde doeth so beate the Phariseis with their owne rod that he condemneth vpon them their owne mouth and proueth that to be true which he had spoken C. Howebeit these wordes haue a double meaning and vnderstanding eyther that ignoraunce did somwhat mittigate their falt except they being plainly conuinced did séeke to resist the truth or else that the disease of Ignorance was curable in them yf so be they did acknoledge him The wordes of Christ hereafter confirme the former sentence where Christ sayth Iohn i5 22 If I had not come and spoken vnto them they had had no sinne ▪ c. But because it followeth in the text But nowe they saye that they see this semeth better to agrée if we saye that he is blind who knowing his owne blindnesse seketh remedy for the disease And then this shal be the summe If ye knewe your euel it should not be altogether incurable but nowe because you thinke
But whereof commeth that they are indued with the spirite of God and the other not This verilye is the cause that the one are ordained to lyfe and the other to death that the one are geuen to the Sonne to bée saued the other not so Let vs geue therefore this glorye vnto the Lorde that he maye geue his Spirite without the helpe of oure workes The whiche when hee hath determined to geue we our selues maye worke therewith to instruct and teache notwithstanding if he geue vnto them the vnderstandinge of our worde by the same Spyrite to whome wée speake Bv. Moreouer in this place Christ speaketh three thinges of his Shéepe First they heare not euery voice but my voice and they heare not with the eares of their bodye onelye but also with the eares of their minde Secondlye as they knowe the voice of the Sheaphearde and receyue their shéepehearde with greate pleasure loue him and reuerence him so in lyke manner the Sheaphearde knoweth them receyueth saueth iustifyeth and sanctifyeth them Thirdlye they doe not lye Idellye in the myre neyther doe they vnaduisedly wander through the fieldes and wooddes but doe followe the sheephearde framing all thinges after the prescripte example of the Sheapheard vppon whome onely they depende vpon whome aloane they looke continuallye following Heauenlye and euerlasting thinges and contrarywise forsaking earthlye and momentary thinges This is the disposition these are the manners and déedes of the Shéepe of Christ from the which these vnbeleeuing Iewes were most voide C. Furthermore this is no small consolation to all godlye teachers that howe lytle soeuer the greater part of the worlde doeth harken vnto Christ yet notwithstanding hee hath his sheepe which hee knoweth and of whome in like manner he is knowne Let them studye so muche as in them lyeth to gather the whole worlde vnto the sheapfoulde of Christ but when they haue not successe according to their desire let them content them selues with this one thing that by their labour so many as are sheepe shal be gathered togeather 28. And I geue vnto them eternall lyfe and they shall neuer perishe neyther shall any man pluck them out of my hande And I geue vnto them eternall lyfe M. So hée sayde before I came that they might haue lyfe Bv. But all menne knowe that none geueth life euerlasting but God onelye Therefore it followeth that Christ is natural God So that more fullye plainelye and firmelye he sheweth him selfe to bee the true Messias the true Sonne of the true liuelye and euerlyuing God coequall with the Father in all thinges M. seeing there is no mortall man found which can geue this present lyfe which is momentany muche lesse that euerlasting life which is without ende the which notwithstanding Christ geueth vnto his shéepe This worde Geue excludeth all mannes merites And the present tence or time which he in this place vseth signifieth that the faithfull in this worlde doe receiue the right and scaling of euerlasting life by faith in Christ Iohn 17.3 A. For it is euident that euerlasting lyfe consisteth in the knowledge of God and of his Sonne And they shall neuer perishe M. Therefore wee receyue from Christ not onelye euerlasting lyfe but also perpetuall defence and safetye who by his omnipotent power deliuereth his from destruction and from all euilles M. We must also noate that he sayeth not They shall neuer loose or lacke any thing but They shall neuer perishe It is one thing if any of our goodes perishe and another thing if wée perishe our selues Bothe happen to the wicked and vnbeleeuing they doe destroye both their Ritches and them selues From a Christian those thinges whiche are earthlye maye bée taken awaye if it seeme so good vnto the Lorde but hée can not perishe Sathan also hath no small power geuen him ouer the goodes of the Godlye A. yea Iob. 2. and vpon their bodyes also as we maye reade of holy Iob M. but vppon them selues no power at all Howe happy then are they which cannot perishe although they loose much of their externall goodes Contrarywise how miserable and vnhappy are they whiche so gréedelye gape after corporall Ritches that they eyther feare or bewayle the losse of them making no count at all that they them selues maye bée saued for euer Who séeth not that this destruction turneth most to our losse by which not our goodes but our selues doe perishe T. Of this losse our Sauiour speaketh thus What doth it aduantage a man if he winne the whole world and loose his owne soule Neyther shall any man plucke them out of my hande Bv. The Sonnes hand in this place is nothing else but his power his Maiesty care helpe and defence M. Hée sayth not Neither shall any man goe about to take them out of my hande but Neither shall any man plucke them out of my hande For although the Shéepe which the Father hath committed vnto Christ can not bée taken from him yet notwithstanding they are subiecte to many snares and lyings in wayte PAR. For shéepe are simple innocent and destitute of all the helpes of this present lyfe Sathan can neuer pull Gods elect out of the handes of Christ against these the worlde with all his power setteth him selfe But yet Sathan shall neuer bée of such power that hee shall bée able to plucke them out of the handes of Christ The worlde hath the aucthority of the Phariseis the dignitye of the Priestes it hath armed Kinges Gouernours Iudges Throanes Prisons Chaines scourges Axes Banishments Deaths and whatsoeuer else to terrifye a constaunt minde It hath on the contrarye part◠pleasures Ritches Honours Dignityes and whatsoeuer else to corrupte mindes that are incorrupted All these snares and baytes the world vseth to plucke the sheepe out of the handes of Christe Iesus but no man can plucke them out of his hande M. Furthermore Sathan him selfe goeth about lyke a roaring Lion séeking whome he maye deuoure and whome hée maye ouercome by his temptacions and subtile sleyghtes to these are added sinnes the tormentes of consciences the horrour of death and hel it selfe But none of these shall pull the shéepe out of the handes of the sheaphearde C. This is the incomparable fruite of Faith that Christ biddeth vs to be secure and sure when we are gathered hy Faith into his sheapfoulde But wee must also noate with what staye this certaintye is vphoulden that is to saye because he shal be the faithfull kéeper of our saluation For hee testifieth that it is in his hande And if this wyll not suffice heare what followeth 29. My Father whiche hath geuen them me is greater than all and no man is able to take them out of my Fathers hande M. Because it séemed verye rashe that he shoulde attribute so great power vnto him selfe seeing he appeared to be no better then a man hee addeth that his power is not humaine but deuine and that his sheepe are not gotten by humaine strength but geuen
In that therfore he sendeth not his Disciples into Iewry but goeth with them him selfe not sending them alone in so perillous a Iourney he doeth the duty of a good shéepheard which bringeth not his shéepe into daunger but guideth them and taketh part with them 8. His Disciples sayd vnto him Maister the Iewes latelye sought to stoane thee and wylt thou go thither again Bv. The Disciples greatlye fearing death and abhorring perilles diswaded Iesus from going againe into Iewrye M. the which notwithstanding they seme not to doe without lawfull cause For sometime it commeth to passe that for want of foresight we fall into perils but it is great rashnesse if we so do wyttinglye and wyllingly without any necessity Bothe these twoo namely want of foresight and rashnesse the Disciples in this place séeme to obiecte against Christ Want of foresight because he went before vnto them of Iewry who like mortal enemies went about to stoane him Rashnesse because he would goe againe into Iewrye after by flight he had escaped the cruell mallice of the Iewes R. but this counsayle of the Disciples sprang from the wisedome of the fleshe For it séemeth foolish to humane reason if so be a man put him selfe into present perilles For séeing we counte him wyse whome other mennes harmes doe make to beware what a madde man doe we iudge him to be who wyll not take héede by his owne harmes C. Howbeit whereas the Disciples do séeke to terrifye Christ paraduenture they doe it not so much for his sake as for their owne because they feared them selues Therefore in séeking to auoide the Crosse and are ashamed to confesse the same they pretend a care for their Maister The like we may sée daily in others For they which for feare of the Crosse cease from doing their dutye make many cloakes and delayes to couer their faulte least they might séeme without iust cause to defraude God of his due obedience A. And nowe hereby apeareth a great and wonderfull conflicte betweene the fleshe and the spirite For when the spirite séeketh whollye to obaye God the flesh with all his might rebelleth against the same insomuch that the godly man who onelye séeketh to further the glorye of God is constrayned to abyde many assaultes of the fleshe and the Deuell Bv. Therfore in these disciples of Christ haue a patterne of the infirmitye drawing vs from those thinges which make to the aduauncing of Gods glorye A. The fleshe shunneth the Crosse and desyreth rather ease and pleasure and séeketh by all meanes to drawe a man from the obedience of God R. So Peeter wisely in his opinion admonished Christ not to put him self into the hands of the high Priests but Christ sayd vnto him Come after mee Sathan thou sauorest not the thinges that are of God but the thinges that are of men Mat. i6 22 But if so be we haue no such externall Sathan to drawe vs from the dooing of our duty we shal whether we wil or no cary an internall Sathan with vs for what is oure fleshe else but a certaine Deuell who a thousand wayes disquieteth and troubleth vs. Galat. i i7 A. Euen as the Apostle writeth saying The fleshe lusteth contrary to the Spirite and the spirite contrary to the flesh these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do what ye would The flesh saith Ministers of Gods at Hierusalem are whipped stoaned burnt therfore there is no going thither but the Spirit sayeth That which I saye vnto you in darknesse speake ye in the light and that whiche I tel you in the eare prech ye on the house toppes Mat i0 27 The fleshe sayeth If so be you speake the trueth ye shall haue many enemies for Veritas odium parit that is trueth bringeth hatered but if thou canste dissemble thou shalt easily haue the fauoure of men Iam 4 4 But the spirite sayeth Hee that willbee a friend of this world is an enemie vnto God The fleshe sayeth he which sheweth him selfe a shéepe shal be deuored of the wolfe Luke 2i i9 The Spirite sayth Possesse your soules in patience The fleshe sayeth To confesse Christ before men is not without daunger Mat i0 32 The Spirite sayth Euery one that acknowledgeth me before men will I acknowledge before my father which is in heauen The fleshe sayeth Take héede how thou speak of the Gospell of Christ for if thou be caste into prison for the same how canst thou then defend thy cause The Spirite sayeth VVhen they deliuer you vp be not carefull what to speak Mat i0 16 for in the same howre it shal be geuen you what to speake The fleshe sayeth Preach not the trueth to euery one but to those only which will gladly heare thée for so shalt thou not come in daunger The spirite sayeth Behould I send you forth as shepe among wolues Mat 28 i9 Go ye forth therefore and teach al nations The fleshe sayeth The Phariseis expell and excommunicate all those that confesse Iesus to be Christe The Spirite sayeth Luke 6 22 Blessed are ye when men hate you and seperate you from their company and raile on you and put out youre names as an euell thing for the Sonne of manes sake The fleshe sayeth It is a hard thing to fall into the handes of men The spirite sayeth It is a horrible thing to fall into the handes of God Heb. i0 3i ▪ The flesh sayth Let a man looke well alwaye to him selfe The spirite sayeth He whiche loueth his life shall loose it Iohn i2 25 The fleshe sayeth The nature of man is to hate nothing more than the trueth to what ende shall the same be preached then vnto them Act. 5 29 The Spirite sayeth It is better to obey God than men The fleshe saith the worlde is so obstinate that it is neuer a whit the better for the preaching of the word The spirite sayeth Yf so be thou admonish the wicked man to forsake hys wicked waye Ezech. 33 6 and he conuert not from the same he shall dye in his iniquitie and thou haste deliuered thine owne soule The fleshe sayeth It is a shame for a man to be openly punished The spirite saieth i Pet. 4 See that none of you be punished as a theefe as a murderer or as a malefactoure If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God on this behalfe The fleshe sayeth It is plesaunt to enioy the pleasures and lustes of the harte and it is payne to mortifie and kill them The Spirit sayth wo vnto you ritch mē because you haue cōsolatiō Luke 6 24 wo vnto you which are full for yee shall honger woe vnto you that laugh for yee shall morne and weepe The fleshe sayth There is nothing more precious than a good name the which notwithstanding is brought in perill through the confession of the name of Christ Luke 6 26 The
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
they shoulde saye that the common sorte of people did forsake them and followe Christ because they were to slowe and fauorable This manner of speach desperat men do vse when they prepare them selues to doe any euell Wherefore yf so be the enemies of God are so sharpe set to doe that which is euell howe much more constant ought we to be in a good cause The Phariseis by their owne voyce condemne them selues affirming that the more they seeke to intrappe snare betraye and to excommunicate Christ the more his glory encreaceth Euenso the wicked not knowing theyr owne Iudgement are condemned M. Also we haue heare to noate what fruite and profit the aduersaries of Christe and of the trueth maketh their account to haue by their practises namely this that the worlde go not after Christ and his trueth Christ is the light he which goeth after him disdayneth with his harte the darknesse of mens traditions and casteth from him the yoake of humaine mastershippe Therefore they bent their whoal minde to restraine the worlde from following after Christ When they coulde not bring this to pas and sawe the feruente desyer of the people they sayde Behould all the whoale world goeth And thus doe the Bishopes and Phariseis of the Antichristian Kingdome behaue them selues leste the worlde knowing the truth should follow Christ But if it séeme good vnto the Lord to set forth the light of his trueth before this latter and corrupt world all the aduersaryes that are shall not preuail against it and they shall not only preuaile nothing but also séeing the zeale and desyer of the world toward the truth are constrained to saye Pro. 2i 30. ye sée that we profite nothing behould the world goeth after this doctrine A For there is no wisdome nor prudence nor counsail against the Lord. Bv. Therefore lette those miserable wretches be mad so long as they list Christ the Lorde doth raine and shal raigne in the midest of hys enemies 20. There were sertaine Greekes among them that came to worship at the feaste C. Many interprete this place of the Barbarians But because it followeth afterward that they came to worship we ought not to vnderstand the same of the vncircumcised For this was seuerly forbidden by the Romain Laws and the officers and Magistrates of the Romaine Empire gaue strayght charge and commaundement that no man leauing the religion of his country should follow Iudaisme And the Iewes which were dispersed through Asya and Greece had libertie to go ouer the Sea to offer sacryfyces in the temple Furthermore the Iewes would neuer suffer the Gentiles to be mingled with them in the solem worship of God béecause by this meanes they thought them selues their temple their sacrifices to be polluted A. For we know what happened in Paules tyme. For when the Iewes which were of Asia sawe him in the Temple they caused a tumulte and layd handes on him crying Men of Israell helpe this is the man that teacheth all men euerye where against the people and the lawe and this place he hath also brought Greekes into the temple Acts 21.27 and hath polluted this holy place For they had seene before with him in the Cittye Trophinus an Ephesian whome they supposed that Paule had brought into the temple These Gréekes therefore of whome the Euangelist Sainte Iohn speaketh were Iewes notwithstanding because they dwelt farre of on the other syde of the Sea it is no maruaile if the Euangelist bring them in as soiourners and straungers not knowing any of those thinges that were than done in Ierusalem and thereabouts The scence therefore and meaning of this place is that Christ was receyued and acknowledged for a King not onely of the indwellers of Iewrye which came out of the Townes and Cities at the feast day but also that his fame was spread a far of euen to the men that dwelt on the other side of the Sea That came to worship C. This also they might haue done in their countrey but Saint Iohn speaketh here of solempne worshippe which was ioyned with sacrifices For although Religion and pietie were not tyed to the Temple yet for all that it was not lawful to offer sacrifices else where neyther had they in any other place the Arke of the Testimony which was a signe of Gods presence Euerye man daylye spirituallye worshipped GOD in his house yet notwithstanding the Saintes whiche were vnder the Lawe were bounde to worshippe eternallye according as they were commaunded by Moyses to the which end the feast dayes were ordained Wherefore if these men came so farre with great cost with labour and paine and not without peril and daunger that they might not neglect the externall profession of their Godlynesse what excuse can we haue at this day except we can testifye that we worship the true God at home at our house The worship of the Lawe is at an ende but the Lord hath appointed Baptisme his holye Supper and the vse of prayer which he hath left to the Church for the faithful to exercise them selues therein Therfore the neglecting of these things doth declare that we are to coulde in the exercise of Godlinesse 21. The same came therfore vnto Philip which was of Bethsaida a Citie of Galilee and desired him saying Sir wee would faine see Iesus M. In these men wee haue an example both of modestye and also of prouidence of modestye in that they doe not rushe rashlye into the Lordes presence without his wyll but do séeke to obtaine that which they desired by his good wyll This declareth that they thought humblye of them selues and honourablye of Christ Of prudence in that they come not to euerye one but to such a one as was a Disciple and familliar friend of Christ In this matter they vse not the helpe of any Pharisey or high Priest who had nothing to doe with Christ C. This therefore is a signe of reuerence that they doe compell Christ but doe seeke to haue accesse vnto him by Philip. For reuerence alwayes begetteth modesty M. By this example wée are taught whose helpe to vse if so bee we haue a desire to come to the knowledge of Christ Men can doe nothing here being without the spirite and fellowship of Christ whether they bée doctours or Maisters or high Priestes or Pharisées but wee must common with the true Disciples by whose ministerye accesse vnto the knowledge and sight of Christ maye be gotten C. But whereas the Papistes gather vppon this place that we must praye vnto the dead that they may be patrones and Aduocates for vs vnto the Christe and the Father it is so rediculous and vaine that it needeth no refutacion Prayer to the dead grounded on this place The Gréekes talke with Philip face to face but he which calleth vpon the dead from whome he is farre distaunt doeth he I praye you the lyke But these are the fruites of humaine bouldnesse after that the same hath taken libertie
heauen to sytte at the ryght hand of my father From whence by sending the holy Ghost I will first of all bring that thing to passe which ye thinke to avoyd by killing mée namely that the whoale world that is to saye all mankind maye followe mée For I will drawe all men vnto me they béeing perswaded by my spirite that I am the sauioure of the worlde 34 The people aunswered hym wee haue heard out of the Law that Christ bydeth euer and howe sayest thou the sonne of man muste bee lifte vppe who is that Sonne of man M. The people vnderstoode that the Lorde spake of his exaltation by whiche he shoulde be put to death Therefore they obiect vnto him saying we haue heard out of the Lawe C. There is no doubte but that there purpose was maliciously to cauill at the wordes of Christ therefore their owne mallice blindeth them that they can sée nothing in the cleare light They saye that they will not account Iesus for Christ because hée sayde hee should dye whenas the Lawe promised euerlasting continuaunce to the Messias Iohn 8.17 As though boath were not exppressed in the Lawe that so soone as Christ was dead his kingdome should florishe for euer But these men take occasion to cauill of the last parte 2 Kin. 7.16 Psalm 4.7 Psal 72.17 Psa 89.30 Psa 100.4 Psa 127.2 Esai 9.7 Esai 40.8 Ezec. 37.25 M Here they call the Scripture of the oulde Testament the Lawe euenas Christ vsed this worde Lawe before But the testimonies of Scripture wherevnto they leaned were these which I haue coated in the Margent C. But the originall of this error was for that they looked for worldelye Pompe to be in the Messias and in his kingdome Hereuppon it came to passe that they reiected Christ because he was not according to their fantasy and Immagination A. But verily they shoulde fyrst of al haue consydered this which Peeter teacheth namely howe that the spirite of Christ which was in the Prophetes testified the afflictions that Christ shoulde suffer i. Pet. i. xi and the glory that should follow the same For what other thing did Esay and Danyell prophesy of Esay 53.2 Dan. 9 26 Therefore the Iewes are worthy of no excuse whiche for this cause would not receiue Iesus to be Christ for that he was subiect vnto death For it behooued Christ to suffer and so to enter into his glory Luk. 24.26 Who is that sonne of man This question containeth a mocke or scorne as though Christ by that shorte refutation had nothing to saye Wherby it appeareth howe arrogant Ignorance is For it is as much as if they had sayd goe thy waye nowe and boast thy self to be Christ when as thy owne confession argueth that thou hast no affinitie or symilitude of the same 35. Then sayde Iesus vnto them yet a little while is the light with you walke while yee haue lighte leste the darckenesse come one you For hee that walketh in the darcke wotteth not whether hee goeth Bv. He might in fewe wordes haue made aunswere by the distinction of the two natures namely that one and the selfe same Messias is boath mortal and immortall for according to the deuine nature he is immortall and mortall according to his humaine nature notwithstanding hée thought it better in one worde to make an obscure aunswere and more plentifullye to exhort them vnto the Faith Howebéeit by this aunswere hee did frendly admonishe vs and sharply reprehend them for he reprehendeth them because they were blind in the lighte and also threatneth to take shortly his light from them When he sayeth that yet a litle while his light shall remaine with them hee confirmeth that which he had sayde before concerning his death For allthough he meaneth not the light of hys corporall presence but the lighte of the Gospell yet notwithstanding he alludeth vnto his departure As if he shoulde saye When I departe I will not ceasse to be light so that I shall loose nothinge by your darcknesse When he sayeth that they haue the light he geueth them a priuy nippe for that they béeing wilfully blind forsooke the light and therefore he geueth them to vnderstand that they were vnworthy to be answered because they sought to bring vnto themselues occasion of error As if he should saye whatsoeuer I forshewe concerning the crosse ye make a laughing matter at the same and despise it Wherefore the Gospell shal be preached vnto you yet a little while and yée shall not long haue Christe with you which is the true light For the time wil come when Christ and the Gospell shal be taken from you and ye shal be cast in vtter darckenesse and blindnesse It were better therefore that nowe whyle occasion is offered you yée would not neglect the haruest of your saluation For hée which forsloweth the haruesâ—e shall honger in winter but hee whiche fetcheth his haruest in sommer is wise Nowe is youre haruest nowe ye haue the light with you sée therefore that yée so walke that the darcknesse comprehende you not and when the nighte is come ye be blind M. In fine he sheweth them of that wherof he spake in another place saying Mat 21 43 The kingdome of God shal be taken from you and geuen to a nation that will being forth better fruite of the same C. Furthermore in that he sayeth that the light shall shine vnto them but a litle while that belongeth to all the vnbéeléeuing for the Scripture promiseth that the Sonne of righteousenesse shall ryse and shine vpon the Children of God and shall neuer sette The sonne hereafter shall not shine vnto you in the daye time Esay 60 16 nor the moone in the night but the Lord shal be youre euerlasting light Notwithstanding all men muste walke warely because darcknesse followe the contempt of the light The which also is the cause why such darke and cloudy night hath béene before this tyme many ages in the world because few would com to the bright shine of heauenly wisedome For Christ doth shine vnto vs by hys Gospell that we might follow the way of saluation which he sheweth Therefore they which vse not the grace of God do put out the Light somuch as in them lyeth He that walketh in Bv. he sheweth the discommoditye which the vnbeléeuing receiue and to terrifye them the more he sheweth how miserable their condition is who béeing destitude of the light do erre all their life long for they cannot mooue theire foote withoute falling or the perill of stombling And Christ nowe pronounceth vs to bee in darcknesse except hee shine vnto vs. 36. While ye haue light beleeue on the lighte that yee maye bee the children of the lighte These thinges spake Iesus and departed and hidde bim selfe from them Bv. This exhortation to Faith is verye graue and waightie to the which he addeth a most large reward C. For hee calleth those children of the light who béeing
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
declare I confesse by that your great sorrowe how familyerly ye loue mée but I wyll that ye shewe your loue by another Argument For yf ye loue me indéede shewe that your loue towards me by the obseruation of my commaundements B. Therfore he willeth them diligently to obserue those thinges which he had commaudded them that is to saye constantly to beleeue in him to contemne the world bouldly to confesse Christ before the world to haue mutuall loue one towards another the rest which are contained in these things C. This is profitable doctrine because amonge those which seeme vnto them selues to loue Christ there are very fewe which truly serue him But here contrary wise the true loue of Christ is required to the obseruation of his doctrine as the onely rule M. He saith not if ye loue me dispute of my commaundements or see that others obserue and keepe my commuandements For the declaration of loue consisteth not in disputations nor in the vrging of others to obserue and kéepe them for this may be done euen of those which séeke not Christe but them selues but it consisteth in this yf thou thy selfe be an obseruer of them A. Furthermore Christ sendeth not his Disciples vnto the coÌ„mandements or vaine constitutions of men but to his owne commaundements For he hath not appointed them to be Seruauntes of men but to be faithfull Ministers vnto hym C. Moreouer also we are put in mind how vitious al other affection are when as not so muche as our loue towarde Christ is without fault except it be framed to pure obedience 16. And I will praye the father and he shall geue you another coÌ„forter that he maye bide with you for euer C This remedy he addeth to mitigate sorrow which the Disciples might conceiue by the absence of Christ notwithstanding therewithal Christ promiseth that he wyll geue strength and abillitie that his commaundements may be kept For otherwise his exhortation had bene to small purpose Therefore he prouideth for the same in time and teacheth that how far soeuer he was distant from them in bodye yet notwithstanding he woulde not suffer them to be quite destitude of helpe because he would be present with them by his holy sprite He calleth here the gift of the father the spirit which he himselfe wil obtayne by his prayers In an other place he promiseth that he wyl geue the same Ioh. i6 7 Both are truly and aptly sayde For in that Christ is our Mediatour and aduocate he obtaineth at his handes the spirite of grace In that he is God he geueth the same of him selfe vnto vs. The meaning of this place is this I was geuen of the Father to be a comforter vnto you not for a time but to abide with you for euer R. For Christ by his death and passion purchased to the faithfull the holy ghost which is nothing els but the inspiration of God by which he inspireth our hartes and moueth the same to holy godly iust right and deuine thinges that we might thinke speake and doe nothing day and night but that which is holy and deuine C. This name of comforter is as well geuen vnto Christ as to the holy Ghost and that by right for it appertaineth vnto them both to comfort and exhorte vs and also to defend vs. Christ was the patrone and defender of his Disciples so longe as he was in this world afterwarde he then committed them to the tuition garde of his spirit Yf any man demaunde whether we at this day are not vnder the protection of Christ we may answer that Christe is our euerlasting defender but not after a visible maner So long as he was in the world he openly shewed himselfe vnto them to be a defender but now he defendeth vs by his spirite A. For he saith I wyl be with you vnto the end of the world C. He calleth the same an other comforter by reason of the difference of benefits which we haue from them both it was proper vnto Christe to make satisfaction for the sinnes of the worlde to pacefie the wrathe of God to redéeme men from death to bringe vnto them righteousnesse and lyfe but it belongeth vnto the spirit to make vs partakers as well of Christe him selfe as of all his his owne benefits How be it the distinction of the parsons is not hereby gathered amisse For it is necessary that the holy Ghost do differ from the sonne R. But had not the Apostles the holy Ghost before the death of Christ yes verely had they for they could not haue beléeued in Christe but by the workyng of the holy Ghost but they had the same more abouÌ„dantly and plentifully when Christe was gloryfied euen as we haue shewed in the seuenth chapter goyng before in the xxxix verse 17 Euen the Spirite of truthe whome the world cannot receiue because the worlde seeth hym not neither knoweth hym but ye knowe him for he dwelleth with you shal be in you C. Christ now geueth a new tytel vnto the spirit calling the same the master of truth B. Wherby he meaneth that the holy Ghost is by his owne nature truthe because he is God The same spirite is true and the reueler of truth it is pure sound sincer constant fyrme and faithfull without all deceite tyll such time as we ar taught of hym all our myndes are full of vanitie and lies Whom the worlde cannot receiue C. To the end be might the more comforte his Disciples he sheweth the excelency of this spirit with all the vnspekablâ— loue of the father towardes them in geuing to them his holy spirite which the whole world could not receiue C. For by this Antithesis or comparison he amplyfieth the excelencye of his grace the whiche God geueth onely to his elect For his meanynge is that it is no common gift of the which the whole world is depriued In the whiche sence also the Prophet saith Behould darknesse shal couer the earth and a thick miste the people but the Lorde shall aryse vpon thee and his glory shal be seene in thee For the mercy of God deserueth the more prayse toward the Churche when by a singular priuiledge he extolleth the same aboue the whole world Bv. For as the Deuyll dwelleth in the worlde and by his vncleanesse casteth the wicked into distruction euen so the holy Ghoste dwelleth and worketh with the Sainctes that by his purâ—ty and holynesse he may bringe the faithfull to eternall and blessed lyfe Neuertheles withal christ exhorteth his Disciples that they take héede lest they put from them that grace of the spirite being puffed vp with vnderstandyng of the flesh Worldly wise men count all that the Scripture speaketh concerning Christ to be as a dreame because they presuming vpon their owne reason do dispise heauenly illumination Neuertheles the words of Christ do declare that no man can haue any vnderstandyng of the Spirit by humane sence and reason but by the onley experience
for deuine lawes it hath Priestes and Philosophers which are learned elloquēt and of greate authoritie agaynst whom thou settest vs which are naked vnprepared vnlearned and barbarous men C. Therefore bicause almost no mortall man was fitte for so heard an office therfore Christ endueth his Apostles with the spirit of grace And in déed it is a thing far surpassing the strength and power of man to gouerne the Church of God to prefer the Ambassage of eternall saluation to erect the kingdome of God in earth and to lift vp men vnto heauen Wherfore it is no maruayle if so be none be found fitte but hee which is endued with the holye ghost 1. Cor. 12. For no man can speak one word of Christ except the holy Ghost gouerne his tong so far is euery one from the faythfull discharging of so notable an office But this glory belōgeth only vnto christ to frame appoynt those teachers which he setteth ouer his Church For therefore he receyued the fulnes of the spirite that he might geue vnto euery one of the measure of the same And séeing he is the only Shepeheard of the Church it is necessarie that those Ministers whose labour he vseth in the Church haue the power of the spirite from him the which he declared by an externall signe when he breathed vppon his Apostles What horrible sacriledge thē is that of the papists which take that honour vnto them selues which belongeth vnto the sonne of God C. For their consecrating Bishops depraue these woordes when in making their Masse Priestes they boast that they breath out the holy Ghost by belching But the matter it self doth plainly declare how much their filthy breathing doth differ from the deuine breathing of Christ bicause of brutish horses they do nothing els but make ignorant asses Wherefore they vsurpe vnto themselues the glorye of the diuinitie which professe that they geue the holy ghost by breathing We must also note that Christ indueth them with necessary giftes whom he calleth to the pastorall offices that thei may be able to execute their office or at least not vnprepared for the same Therefore let vs beleue that they are lawfull pastors of the Church who as it may appere are endued with the grace of the spirite But some will say Obiection if so be Christ at this tyme gaue the holye Ghost by breathing the sending of the holy Ghost afterward may séeme superfluous Answer Answere The holy Ghost was so geuen to the Apostls in this place that they were only sprinckeled with his grace and not endued with his full power For whē the spirite appered in fyery tonges lighting vppon them they were wholy renued But at this tyme he did not so ordaine them preachers of his Gospell that they might biandby go forth to the same but rather as it is sayd in another place hée commaundeth them to be quiet Luk. 24.42 and to abyde in the Citie vntil such tyme as they wer endued with power from aboue And when Christ might haue geuen grace to his Apostles by secret inspiration he added therunto visible breathing to the end he might not onlye instructe them with wordes but confyrme them also with a certayne signe Ier. 19.10 to the ende the myndes of the disciples might doubt the lesse of the truth of the promise The like signe Ieremy vsed in threatning destruction of Ierusalem But we must also note that the word is ioyned to the externall and visible signe For hereof sacramentes take their force Not that the efficacie of the spirite is included in the voyce which soundeth in the eares but bicause the effecte of all those things whiche the faythfull vnderstande and féele by sacraments dependeth vpon the testimonie of the worde Christ breatheth vpon his Apostles but they receiue not only brething but also the holy ghost And wherefore but onely bicause Christe promiseth vnto them Thus it commeth to passe in Sacraments Whervpon we may gather that whatsoeuer sacraments men haue deuised are nothing els but méere toyes bicause there cā be no truth in signes but where the worde of God is present 23. Whosoeuers sins yee remit they are remitted vnto thē and whosoeuers sins ye retaine they are retained C. After that Christ had ordeined and appoynted Ambassadours to be sent foorth into the world now more expresly be describeth the office or ministerie of his Apostles and comprehendeth in fewe wordes the summe of the Gospel For this power of remitting of sinnes must not be separated from the office of teaching Sinnes remitted by Christ to that which héere it is annexed M. The sonne of God him selfe came into this world and suffered the death of the crosse to bring remission of sinnes vnto mankinde So said the Angell Mat. 1.21 Lu. 24.47 Rom. 4.6 He shall deliuer his people from their sinnes For in this consisteth our saluation that our sinnes are fréely forgiuen vs euen as damnation standeth in the retayning of them Remission of sinnes pronounced by the Apostles C. Therfore the speciall ende of preaching the Gospell is that men may he reconciled vnto God bicause remission of sinnes is frée euen as the Apostle Paule teacheth in the fyfth Chapter of his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians where vpon this consideration he calleth the Gospel the ministery of recōciliation Many other things the Gospell conteyneth but this is the speciall thing which God intreateth of in the same that he might receyue men into his fauour not imputing vnto them their sinnes They therefore whiche will shewe them selues faythfull ministers of the Gospell muste be very paynefull in this poynt For the Gospell dothe differ speciallye from prophane Philosophie in this Saluation consisteth in free remission of sinnes that it placeth the saluation of mankinde in the free remission of sinnes For héereof come other benefytes of God as that God illuminateth and regenerateth vs by his holy spirite that he maketh vs lyke vnto hymselfe and armeth vs with inuincible fortitude agaynst the worlde and the diuell So that the whole doctrine of pietie and the spirituall buylding of God standeth vpon this foundation that God deliuering vs from all our sinnes adopteth vs to be his sonnes M. But it maye be demaunded Obiection howe Christe giueth vnto his Apostles power to remitte sinnes seeing it belongeth only vnto God to remitte sinnes Answere Answere Christe so commaundeth his Apostles to remit sinnes that he doth not geue vnto them that whiche belongeth vnto him selfe It is proper to him selfe to remit sinnes this honor as it is proper to him selfe he doth not geue vnto hys Apostles but commaundeth them in his name to pronounce remission of sinnes that by them he might reconcile men vnto God And to speake properly he hym selfe alone forgiueth sinnes by hys Apostles Notwithstanding this was giuen to establishe our fayth when he so greatly extolleth their power that he maketh them witnesses onely and proclaymers of this grace and not the authors of the
his doctrine but that the whole faulte and blame of ignorance rested in them which were negligent and disobedient and withall he proueth him selfe to be the Messias and sheweth the cause vnto the Iewes why they dyd not beléeue the same C. Christ doeth not make semblaunt as though he were Christ neyther yet doeth hee teache them as though they were apte to bée taught but doeth rather cast their mallice in their téeth in the whiche they were obstinate because hytherto they had profited nothing being taught by the worde and workes of God He imputeth it therefore vnto theyr faulte that he is not knowne of them As if he shoulde saye My doctrine of it selfe is easie inough to be vnderstoode but the faulte is in you because ye doe maliciously withstand God By whose wordes onelye menne are taught that I am Christ Wherefore séeing ye onely behold my contemptible shewe and base condition because I come not in Kinglye Pompe as ye looked for it cannot bée that ye shoulde beléeue my worde But goe to bée ignoraunt of my personne as the Lawe commaundeth that no mannes person shoulde bée knowen in iudgement and take houlde of my worde and iudge according to my word and not according to the outwarde shewe and then it cannot bée but that ye shall beléeue The workes that I doe C. Hée speaketh of workes also that hée might conuince them of double obstinacye For beside his doctrine they had euident testimonye in miracles if they had not béene to vnthankfull vnto God When hée addeth Jn my Fathers name M. Hée geueth vs to vnderstande that to beléeue in Christ is also to beléeue in God the Father and to reiect Christ is to reiecte the Father Bv. The same argument also hée vsed in the fifte Chapter going before 26. But yee beleeue not because ye are not of my Sheepe as I sayd vnto you M. Secondlye hée sayeth Ye beleeue not For vnbeléefe is reprehensible when men beléeue not the worde of the sonne of GOD the most excellent Sheapheard the which in the wordes going before he obiected vnto them And this incredulitye is inexcusable when men beléeue not the workes of God Euen as he him selfe wyll declare hereafter in plaine wordes saying Ioh. i5 If so be I had not come and had not spoken vnto them they had had no sinne c. But nowe hée alleadgeth a farther cause why they beléeued neyther his miracles nor his doctrine namelye because they were Reprobates And wée must noate the purpose of Christ For because they boasted them selues to bée the Churche of God least their vnbeléefe should derogate any thing from the Gospell hée pronounceth that the gyfte of Faith is speciall And veryly to the ende men may know God it is necessarye that they first of all knowe them selues Galat. 4.9 as sayeth the Apostle Paule also they to whome God hath no respecte must néedes bée alway farre from him M. Whereby we gather that they can not beléeue Christ Titu i.i. which pertain not vnto Christ Therfore the fayth in Christ is not the Faith of Goates of Dogges or of Swine but of Shéepe that is to saye of the elect as sayeth the Apostle Bv. The Reprobate haue no simple disposition and apte to bée taught but a harde variable wanton corrupt and peruerse disposition because they wyll not suffer them selues to be purged and restored R. They are the Sheepe of Christes which heare Christes voice The Phariseis heare not the voice of Christ for they knowe his person but not his worde therefore they neyther are his shéepe neyther beléeue nor are saued C. If any man should murmuringlye obiecte and saye that the cause of vnbeléefe resteth in God because it is in his power onely to make shéepe we must aunswere that hée is frée from all blame séeing men by their owne voluntarye wickednesse reiect his grace God getteth so muche Fayth vnto him selfe as sufficeth but the wyld Beastes are neuer tame vntyll suche time as by the spirite of God they are turned into Shéepe They whiche are suche shall séeke in vaine to laye the blame of their madnesse vppon GOD which is proper to their owne nature To bée short Christ geueth vs to vnderstande that it is no maruaile if so bee he haue fewe that imbrace his Gospell because so many as by the spirite of GOD are not subiect to the obedience of Faith are vntamed and wilde Beastes Wherefore it is muche more vnméete and absurde that the authoritye of the Gospell shoulde depend vppon the faith of menne but rather let the faithfull waye and consider howe muche more they are bounde vnto GOD than they whiche are blinde when as they them selues by the illumination of the spirite are drawne vnto Christ M. Hereby also we sée that we must not by and by conceale the trueth before those which beléeue not For although the vnbeléeuing are vnworthy to heare the same and are none of the electe yet notwithstanding it is so appoynted by God that the Gospell of grace should also bee preached to the Reprobate and vnbeléeuing not because there is any hope that they shoulde beléeue but because it is so méete that the light of the trueth shoulde aboue all other thinges shyne before the eyes of all men as doeth this visible Sonne and also take from them all excuse that the iudgement of God maye bée iust by which the vnbeleeuing shal be damned Last of all the Ministers of the Gospel haue here wherewithall to comfort them selues if so bée their labour be not profitable to all men 27. My Sheepe heare my voyce and I knowe them and they followe mee M. Christ doeth not in vaine repeate the condicions of the Sheepe and of the Pastour For this is a great consolation in aduersitye that Christe is our Sheaphearde and that wée are his Shéepe C. Now therefore hée proueth by the contraries that they are none of his shéepe because they beléeue not the Gospell For those whome God hath elected he effectuallye calleth and so by Faith the Shéepe of Christ are proued And therefore the name of shéepe is geuen to the Faithfull because they submitte them selues to be gouerned vnder the hande of the most mightye Sheaphearde and forsaking their former brutishe wildenesse doe shewe them selues tractable and obedient B. By these wordes Christ plainlye teacheth that all thinges depende vpon the deuine election and that they to whome it is geuen to be shéepe can neuer perishe For in this place we doe heare that they onelye heare the voice of Christe that is to saye doe receyue the same by fayth which are shéepe Nowe whereof shall it come that some are shéepe that is to saye capeable of the doctrine of Christ and others not No doubte because the one are indued with the good spirite of God and the other not so For the Apostle Paul doeth attribute the knowledge of diuine thinges i Cor. 2 i4 to such as are endued with the spirite of God