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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
once about the the beginning of his Embassage and againe when he was redie to go out of the world to his father M. So soone therfore as he was entred into the Citye hée vewed the Temple Let this be the chéefe care of all men not onely of Bishops but also of al Magistrates that the kingdom and worship of God be sought for A. Concerning the prophanacion of the Temple and the couetousnesse of the Priestes reade the one and twentye of Mathewe 15. And when hee had made as it were a scourge of small cords he droue them all out of the Temple with the Shepe and Oxen and powred out the changers money and ouerthrew the tables Christ by and by goeth about to purge the Temple plainely affirming that the Temple of the Lorde is not a place of Marchandize Notwithstanding it may bée demaunded why hée began not first with doctrine for this séemeth to bée a troublesome and preposterous waye to correcte vice with violence before the same were assayed to bée remedyed by Doctrine But Christ had respecte to another matter For because the time was nowe at hande in the which hée shoulde openly discharge the office inioyned to him of the father he woulde after a sorte take possession of the Temple and plainelye declare his Diuine aucthoritye And to the ende all men might bée attentiue vnto his Doctrine it was méete that theyr sluggishe mindes shoulde bée wakened with a newe and vnwonted déede The Temple was now a place of heauenlye Doctrine When he went about to restore the puritye of Doctrine it was méete that he shoulde shewe him selfe to bée Lorde of the Temple Moreouer he coulde not bring any otherwise the Sacrifices and exercises of Godlynesse to theyr spirituall ende than in taking awaye the abuse Therefore this thing which hée did was a certaine beginning of that reformacion for the which hée was sent of the Father M. They which teache that externall euilles are not to bee taken awaye which are in the Churche except they bée first taken out of the hearts of men may by this place learne to alter their opinion For by this reason Christe shoulde firste haue taken Couetousnesse out of the heartes of the Iewes and afterwardes haue reformed the Temple But we sée the contrarye to bée done here of Christe He cast the Byars and Sellers out of the Temple although they kept couetousnes in theyr brestes 16. And hee sayde vnto them that soulde Dooues Haue these thinges hence and make not my fathers house a house of marchandise M. He doth not simplye dislike that Shéepe Oxen and Dooues are soulde to them which came farre of to offer Sacrifice séeing the same was appointed in the Lawe but because they were soulde in the Temple and because the Temple was made a house of marchandise which was a filthye token of speciall couetousnesse These thinges might haue béene soulde in certayne places without the Temple So at another time he suffered not a vessell to bée caryed through the Temple Wherfore if he so pourged this Temple which in a short time should perishe that it might not bée a house of marchandise what shall we thinke that he will do vnto those Temples at this daye in the which not onelye all thinges are soulde for filthye gaine but also such thinges as are most pernicious and altogeather fained are set forth to sale The Sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ is soulde 2. Peter 2. whiche they saye the Priest maketh being a mere fayned lye The deliueraunce of Soules out of Purgatorye is soulde when as theyr Purgatorye after death is nothing else but a Money matter of Priestes Remission of Sinnes is soulde whiche cannot bée bought The merites of Saintes with many thinges more offered to sale which money in déede in no wise may purchase He that considereth of these thinges what will he iudge of these Churches but onelye that they bée places of fayned marchaundise C. But the Temple was called the house of Prayer because God would there bée speciallye called vppon and because hée had ordayned the same for spirituall exercises R. The Temple of Ierusalem also was called the Temple of the Lorde and the house of God because it was consecrated for a shadowe of Christ in which Christ the Father heareth those that praye and whose onelye Sacrifice is acceptable to the Father Wherevpon our sauiour Christ sayeth VVhatsoeuer ye aske the Father in my name Iohn â—6 he will geue it you Beholde he sayeth In my name not in a Temple of stone For the howre will come when the Father wil be worshipped neyther in Ierusalem nor in the Mountaine but in spirite and trueth C. The other Euangelistes say that hée spake more seuerelye at the seconde time that he caste them out of the Temple namelye that they made of the Temple a denne of Théeues Math. 21. But hée admonisheth them not to prophane the Temple of God in turning it to other vse then God had apointed the same And in making mention of the Father he declareth him selfe to bée the sonne of God that he might challenge to him selfe the right and aucthoritye to pourge the Temple 17. And his Disciples remembred that it was written The zeale of thine house hath euen eaten me And his Disciples remembred B. Namelye after Christ was risen againe when they vnderstode the Scriptures by receyuing the holye Ghost as the Euangelist him selfe expoundeth in that which followeth C. For we must not thinke that they remembred this place of Scripture when Christ did this déede but afterwardes when they being taught from aboue considered with them selues what this déede of Christe should meane and so by the direction of the spirite this place of Scripture commeth into theyr minde And truelye the cause of Gods workes doeth not alwayes come into our mindes out of hand But afterwardes in continuaunce of time he reuealeth his purpose vnto vs. And this is a very fitte bridle to restraine our bouldnesse least we shoulde at any time murmure against God if wée at any time should dislike of those thinges which he doeth For therefore GOD doeth deferre the perfect reuelation of his worckes to staye and keepe vs in the boundes of modestye And the place whiche is here cited is taken out of the Psalme 69. Psal 69. And in the name of Temple Dauid by a figure called Sinecdochen comprehendeth the whole worshippe of GOD. For these are the words of the Prophete For the zeale of thy house hath eaten me Verse 9. and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen vppon mee Where the seconde member aunswereth to the first and is nothing else but a repeticion The effecte of bothe partes is this that Dauid was so carefull to maintaine the glorye of God that he willinglye bare al manner of reproches with the which the reprobate reproched God yea hée burned with such a zeale that this one affection ouercame all other And in this sence truely hée
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
from heauen Christ therfore will be acknowledged in his Ministers but yet so that hée will be Lorde alone as for the Ministers of GOD they are contented to bee in the order of Seruants specially when comparison is made béetwéene Christ and them He that commeth from heauen is aboue all M. Hée repeateth this sentence first of all to inculcate and imprint the same in the mindes of his Disciples that they might submitte themselues to Christ alone which boath came from heauen and also is aboue al and that they should not depende vpon him who himselfe is subiect to another whome hée knewe to bée preferred before all men by God the Father Secondly to the ende he might the more conuenientlye adioyne and bring in that whiche remaineth vnspoken 32. And what hee hath seene and heard that hee testifieth and no man receyueth his testimonie CHR. Because these by corporal scences of hearing and séeing wée knowe all things certainely and thinke our selues worthie to be beléeued when wée haue séene and hearde as suche that neyther faine nor tell lyes therefore to confirme the matter Saint Iohn saith that Christ testifieth that which hee hath both seene and hearde C. For to the ende his Disciples might obey Christ hée commendeth the Doctrine of Christ by the certainetie of the same because hée vttereth nothing but that which hée hath receyued from the Father B. Therefore Christ teacheth those thinges which are most certaine and approoued true Ioh. 1.18 séeing hée is in the bosome of GOD and the wisdome of the Father M. and hée sayth not Hée speaketh that which hée hath séene and hearde But he testifieth to admonishe them that Christ is not onelye a teacher of Gods trueth but also a moste assured witnesse of all thinges A. For hée sayth Ioh. 8.26 VVhat thinges I haue hearde of him I declare in the worlde And in an other place hee sayth Iohn 15.15 I haue shewed vnto you al things that I haue hearde of my father M. Therefore by this place wée maye note what prerogatiue Christ had aboue Iohn and aboue all other teachers because he coulde and doth by his holy spirite teache the mindes of men as well as by words How many soeuer in this life teache deuine and heauenly thinges howe holye soeuer they be yet notwithstanding they cannot testifie of those things which they teache that they haue séene them in heauen though they be true whiche they speake For those thinges whiche they haue receyued they haue not receyued by knowledge or by fight in heauen but eyther by the reuelation of the holy ghost or else by Fayth in Godes worde but Christ coulde testifie in this worlde those thinges which hée had both hearde and séene And no man receyueth his testimonye Bv. Saint Iohn here doth reproue not onelye the vnbeléefe of his Disciples but also the incredulitie of other of the Iewes who withstoode the Doctrine of Christ notwithstanding that it was most true Iohn 3.11 M. So Christ sayde to Nicodemus VVee speake that wee knowe and testifie that wee haue seene and yee receyue not our witnesse Where hée reprooueth the blindenesse of the Iewes euen as Iohn doth here their incredulity The which notwithstanding is not so to be vnderstoode as though no man receyued the testimonie of Christ séeing the Apostles and diuers others receiued and beléeued the same but hée meaneth that a verye fewe in comparison haue receyued and beléeued it C. For if we compare the beléeuers with the huge multitude of the wicked they will appeare nothing And to receyue the testimonie of Christ is stedfastlye to beléeue in him and to imbrace his worde with thankesgeuing as the most assured testimonye of Gods will This is done but of verye fewe also at this daye For the credite geuen to this Heauenly Doctrine is euen now as litle as it was then He sayeth not And no man heareth his testimony But No man receyueth his testimony For there haue béene alwayes manye hearers thereof But there haue béene fewe receyuers of the same founde A. So this place maye bée expounded euen as that which wée heard before He came into his owne Iohn 1.11 and his owne receyued him not 33. Hee that hath receyued his testimonye hath set to his seale that God is true M. From this verse to the ende of the Chapter Iohn the Baptist noteth twoo thinges Fyrst what prayse and profite hée shall receyue whiche receyueth the Testimonye of Christe Secondlye what hurt shall happen vnto him which receyueth not the same He which receiueth his testimonye hath put to his seale R. That is to saye Hée which beléeueth his woorde hath put to his seale or approueth by his fayth and confession that God is true and kéepeth his promises or else receyueth the testimonye in his hart that those thinges which Christ speaketh are the very woordes of GOD. And this testimony is the holy Ghost certifying and confirming our consciences as a seale that this is the Sonne of GOD in déede and that his woorde Ioh. 15 2â— is the worde of GOD in déede Herevpon Christ sayth VVhen the comforter commeth which is the spirite of trueth hee shall beare witnesse of mee 2. Cor. 1.22 And the Apostle sayth VVhich hath sealed vs and hath geuen the earnest of the spirite into our hartes Epheâ— Also in an other place After yee beleeued yee were sealed with the holy spirite of promise which is the pledge of our inheritaunce C. Saint Iohn also here preuenteth and méeteth by the waye with an offence or stumbling blocke which might tourne many from the fayth and might hinder or at least stop their swiftnesse in their race For the greatest part hangeth to much vpon the iudgement of men and déemeth and iudgeth of the gospell after the contempt of the worlde at the least when it séeth the same in some places to be reiected hauing before conceyued this preiudice it is the more hard and slowe to beléeue Here therefore the man of GOD exhorteth and encourageth the godly boldelye to embrace the doctrine of the Gospell as if hée shoulde haue sayde There is no cause why the Godlye shoulde be ashamed or gréeued at the smalenesse of their number God the aucthor of our fayth is more than al the worlde beside to giue testimonie to the truth séeing that God is the Aucthor of theyr Fayth who himselfe alone is all in al and therfore all sufficient and to be preferred before multitudes Therefore although the whole worlde doe withstande the faith yet notwithstanding this ought not to kéepe good men from the obedience and seruice of GOD. They haue also wherevpon to rest and staye themselues séeing they knowe that to beléeue the Gospell is nothing else than to beléeue thâ— Oracles of GOD. In the meane time wée gather that this is proper to fayth to rest and stay it selfe vpon God Faith staâ—eth it selfe vpon Goâ— and to be grounded and established by his worde
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
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
namelye because hée was naturally begotten of the Father from euerlasting to bée the proper naturall and onlye begotten Sonne of God coequall with the Father in all thinges of the same essence glorye and power and not his adopted sonne as all the Saintes are called the sonnes of God AV. Wherevppon it is added And made him selfe equall with God Otherwise wée saye all Our Father which art in heauen Math. 6. ◠Wée reade also that the Iewes sayde Esa 63.16 Seing thou art our Father Therefore they were not angerye because hee sayde that God was his Father but because hée dyd so call him after a farre other maner than men doe Beholde the Iewes vnderstande that which the Arrians vnderstand not who so confessed Christ to bée GOD that they dyd not acknowledge him to be equall with his Father as though there coulde bée founde any inequallitye in one simple essence of God AV. Therefore hée being in the forme of GOD Philip. 2.6 thought it no robberye to bee equall with God that is to saye but hée was in that in the which he was borne because the Father had begotten him equall 19. Then aunswered Iesus and sayde vnto them Verylye veryly I saye vnto you the sonne can doe nothyng of hym selfe but that he seeth the Father doe for whatsoeuer hee doeth that doth the sonne also Then aunswered Iesus and saide C. That which the Iewes obiected though it were sclaunderous yet notwithstanding Christe is so farre from confuting the same that he openly affirmeth it to be true Bv. For he proueth by strong argumentes that hée is the naturall sonne of God equall to the Father in all thinges M. affirming that his workes are none of his but the workes of his father and that therefore the Sabboth is not broken by them Neither doth he simplye affirme this but that which is more namely that it cannot be that the Sonne should do any thing that the father doeth not C. And first of all he standeth vppon this poynte that the same was a diuine worke which the Iewes founde fault withall to the ende they might knowe that they muste contende with God yf so be they condemne that which of necessitie must be ascribed vnto him Iohn 6.38 B. And nowe these wordes The sonne can doe nothing of him selfe I seeke not mine owne will Also If I beare witnesse of my selfe my witnesse is not true are spoken by imitation Hitherto the Lorde imitated the Iewes who thought him not to be all one with the father and yet notwithstanding he was of some substaunce with the father made man after the wil of his father insomuch that he neither thought nor did any thing which was not both the wil and worke of his father Also this place the Arrian hath abused seking to proue hereby that the sonne is lesse then the father But there is no mencion here made of the bare diuinitie of Christe neyther doth that which followeth symplye belong to the eternall worde of God but doth onely belong to the sonne of God in that he was manifested in the fleshe And his purpose is to declare by these wordes that they doe greatlye erre which thinke that they haue to do with a mortall man when they accuse Christe concerning diuine workes For this cause he so vehemently affirmeth that he and his father wrought this worke ioyntly togeather Bv. And lest any man shoulde imagine anye other infirmitie or imbecillitie in the sonne he addeth by interpretation saying For whatsoeuer hee doth that doth the sonne also to the ende that nothing might be left to the working father which the sonne in like manner worketh not M. This place ought well to bée wayed and considered of vs to this ende that we might heare and waye whatsoeuer our sauiour Christ hath said or don not as the wordes and déedes of a man but as the wordes of God the Father that we maye knowe that the Father doeth speake and worke in Christe 20. For the father loueth the sonne and sheweth him all thinges that hee him selfe doth and hee wyll shewe him greater thinges then these because yee shoulde marueile For the Father loueth M. Hée speaketh after the manner of men of Diuine matters the which notwithstanding can neuer be properlye and fullye set foorth by humane thinges For who is so sencelesse that hée knoweth not howe weake imperfect and corrupt fatherlye loue is in humane nature nor lyke in any point almost to that deuine loue which GOD beareth towarde his sonne and yet notwithstanding hée hath taken an argument from the same of his Fathers loue toward him euen as in another place speaking of the vngodly Luk. 11.13 sayeth If ye being euyll knowe howe to geue good thinges vnto your children howe much more shall your heauenlye Father geue his good spirite to those that aske the same C. But Christ speaketh here as a mediatour least any man should referre it to that internall loue of the diuinitye For it agréeth verye wel that Christe hauing taken vpon him our fleshe should bée loued of his father Yea wée knowe that hée was disceuered as wel from Angels as from men by this notable title This is my beloued sonne c. For wée knowe that Christ Mat. 3.17 Mat. 17.5 in whome the whole loue of God should rest was elected that from thence as from a flowing well it might flowe vnto vs. For Christ is loued of the father as hée is the head of the Churche Hée teacheth that this loue is the cause why the father bringeth all thinges to passe by his handes Gods loue commeth to vs by Christ For when hée sayeth here that the father sheweth all thinges vnto him he meaneth that hée doth communicate all thinges with him As if hée shoulde saye As the father hath made mée partaker of his minde so also hée hath powred vppon me his power that in my workes the glorye of GOD may shine yea to the ende that men might séeke for no Diuine thing which they shoulde not finde in mée And verylye without Christ Gods power shall bée sought in vaine CYR. Therefore the father sheweth vnto the sonne those thinges which hée doeth not as paynted or written in Tables or as teaching him being ignoraunt for the sonne knoweth all thinges as God but so expressing him selfe whollye in the nature of his sonne that whatsoeuer hée hath in him selfe hée sheweth the same in his sonne Therefore it is sayde Mat. 11.27 No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and no man knoweth the Sonne but the Father R. Therefore if thou wilt knowe and vnderstande the secretes of the father make haste to the Sonne Heb. 1.3 who is the lyuelye and expresse Image of the father For the iudgementes of God are vnsearcheable and his wayes can not bée founde out but yet in Christ Rom. 11 3◠and by Christe his iudgementes are knowne and his wayes manifest vnto vs. And he wyll shewe him greater thinges
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
Lorde declareth that it is no straunge thinge to hym that the Capernaites séeing did not sée and beléeue in him He came for no other cause into this worlde than for their sakes whome the Father had ordained to euerlasting lyfe and had deliuered to him to be saued and he is most sertainly sure of this that they shall come to him and that he will reiect none of them but will willinglye imbrace euerye on of them but as for other he will not regarde them And thus he sheweth the cause why the Capernaites did not beléeue in hym namely because they were not geuen to hym of the Father C. Therefore lest theyr vnbeléefe shoulde derogate any thing from his doctrine he sayth that the cause of so greate obstinacie is for that they are reprobates and none of the flocke of Christ For this purpose therfore he putteth a difference betwene the elect and the reprobate that the aucthoritie of his Doctrine might stande neuerthelesse although many beleued not the same For the wicked do detracte from the worde of God and doe esteeme the same as nothing because they are not touched with the reuerence thereof and a great many weake and ignoraunt men doe doubte whether that be the word of God or noe which is reiected of the most parte of the worlde For this stumbling blocke Christ prouideth when he denyeth those to be his which beleue not If to suche the trueth of God be vnsauory it is no marueyle but all the children of God imbrace the same First of all we gather oute of thys place that the benefite of faith commeth of the free gift of God the Father not of humaine strengthe Whomesoeuer the father hath geuen to the sonne come to the Sonne C. Therefore faith is not in the wil of men that this or that man may beléeue without exception Fayth is the gift of God as it were by chaunce but God choseth them whom he delyuereth to the Sonne as it were from hand to hande For when he saith All that is geuen we maye gather that all are not geuen Moreouer we gather that GOD doeth worke in his elect with so greate efficacy of the Spirite that none of them do fall awaye from him For this worde of geuing is as muche as if Christe had sayde those whome the Father hath chosen he doth regenerate and addicteth them to me in the obedience of the Gospell Bv. They therefore which beleeue beleeue through the grace of God but they which beleeue not haue to accuse their owne wickednesse and not to finde fault with God Saluation commeth through grace Those whome the father will haue saued he geueth to the Sonne and the Sonne receiueth them And the father geueth when he driueth frameth the wills and affections of men and geueth them power and strength to beleue the word and miracles of the lord Christ The sonne receiueth when he frendly entertayneth all those that come to him and ioyneth them to him selfe And this is the meaning of the Apostle when he sayeth Rom. 8.30 Those whome he hath predestinate he hath called and whome he hath called he hath iustified and whome he hath iustified he hath also glorified M. Furthermore we must noat that Christ speaketh heare not according to that dyuine maiestie and excelency of the eternall worde to the whiche nothinge can be geuen that it hath not but accordinge to the dispensation of the mediation reconcilliation and humayne redemtion whiche he had taken in hande For the Father hath geuen to his Sonne as to a mediator Reconcilor Redéemer out of that sinfull multitude of mortall men those to be sauid whome he hath chosen to lyfe from euerlasting A Wee haue already shewed what it is to come vnto Christ M. For we must not vnderstand that whiche he here speaketh of euery one which commeth vnto hym for the vnbeléeuing Capernaites came vnto him whome notwitstandinge the Father had not geuen to him otherwise they had beleued in him but he speaketh of those which come to him as to the breade of lyfe and to the knowne Sauioure reuealed by the Father Concerning those I saye he saith And him that cometh to me J cast not awaye C. The whiche also partayneth to the consolation of the Godly that they maye be sure that they haue free accesse vnto Christ and shall be gently receyued so soone as they commit them selues to his faith and charge Wherevpon it foloweth that the doctrine of the Gospell shal be helthfull to those that are the children of God because no man offereth him selfe to be a disciple vnto Christe but he whiche feeleth hym and hath experience that hée is a faithfull teacher A. This place therefore agreeth with that whiche wée shall see hereafter Ioh. 18.47 He whiche is of God heareth Gods worde therefore ye do not heare because ye are not of god Agayne Ioh. 10.26 My sheepe heare my voyce and followe me therefore ye doe not beleeue Acte 13.48 because ye are none of my sheepe M. For we reade that they beleeued the word so many as were ordayned to euerlasting lyfe B. They therefore whiche are abiectes to the worlde and are despised as duste maye be of good courage For Christe will louingly receiue them if so be they come to him in faith For he casteth none awaye that come to him in faith he preserueth his to the ende Ioh. 10.18 they shall neuer perish M. For they are Citizens with the Saintes and of the housholde of God wherfore they can neuer be excluded out of the kingdom of God But seing it is knowen to God alone who they are that are geuen to Christe to be sauid and who not Ephe. 2 for the Lorde knoweth who are his yet notwitstanding no man canne be ignoraunt whether he commeth vnto Christe by fayeth and with a desier of heauenly grace 2. Tim. 2.19 or not For what can be more euident and manifest to our harte than that whiche oure harte most of all desiereth 2. Cor. 13.5 Whervpon the Apostle saith Trye and proue youre selues whether ye be in the Faith or no. Do ye not knowe youre selues whether Christe Iesus be in you So that we are made sure by that which is manifest concerning those things which are hidden from vs as whether the father hath geuen vs to the sonne and whether the sonne will cast vs away or no. If wée come to Chist no doubt we are geuen to him of the Father and we shall neuer be cast awaye B. But seeing none can be perswaded of these thinges but the electe that is to say such as are indewed with Gods Spirite and are regenerate who are so farre from being brought to security and slouth by the preaching of these thinges that nothing can so muche styrre them vp to the loue of God and to euery good worke it is playne ynough that they know not what they saye which affirme that these thinges ought not to
whith heauenly foode For when he affirmeth that his fleshe is meate in dede hys meaning is that those soules are like to famishe which wante this meate Therefore thou shalt then fynde lyfe in Christe if so be thou séeke the matter and substaunce of lyfe in his fleshe For so soone as wée forsake the Sacrifice of hys deathe there is nothing before oure eyes but death neyther doth he bring vs any other waye to felyng of hys diuine power than by his death and resurrection M. Therefore he speketh of the redemption of mankynde whiche shoulde be by hys death for the whiche cause he intended to offer his fleshe and bloode a sacrifice to hys father for the remission of the sinnes of the whole worlde Question But why doth he seuerally make mencion of hys bloode which is contained in the fleshe Aunsvvere I aunswere Christe in this had respect and regarde te our rudenesse For when distinctly he expresseth meate and drinke by them selues he putteth vs in mynde that the lyfe whiche he geueth is perfect and complete in each poynt lest we shoulde fayne and immagine to our selues some halfe and vnperfect lyfe as yf he shoulde saye that wée shall want no parte of lyfe if so bée wée eate hys fleshe and drinke his blood Euenso in the supper whiche agreeth with this doctrine beinge not contented with the signe of breade he ioyneth therevnto the Cuppe that hauing therein a doule pledge of lyfe we maye be contented with hym aloane for he shal finde no parte of lyfe in Christe whiche doeth not beléeue that Christe alone is his lyfe 56. He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in hym He that eateth my fleshe M. These words pertayne to the similitude of suche as eate and drinke to this ende that he might more amply declare the premisses Meate and drinke is tourned into the fleshe and bloude of the eater and drinker of the same euenso they abyding in hym and he in them haue lyfe Otherwise meate withoute the eater or not abyding in hym that hath eaten the same doth not nourishe insomuche that lyfe cannot consist yf so be the eater and the meate be seperated a sonder These thinges are temporall and incorruptible and therefore imperfect to set forth the power of Christe and yet notwithstanding they doe after a sorte set forth a sertayne Image of hym and doe teache vs this that it is necessarily required that he which will haue eternal lyfe must haue Christe the true foode of lyfe abyding in him in suche wise that he maye by no meanes be seperated And whosoeuer eateth his fleshe and drinketh his bloud hath Christ abyding in him and he also in hym C. Séeing therefore Christe aloane contayneth lyfe in him selfe he prescribeth vnto vs here a waye howe we shall inioye the same namely if so be we eate his fleshe euen as yf he shoulde denye hym selfe to be oures otherwayes then by eating hym thorowe fayth For he shall neuer come to the God Christe whiche neglecteth man Wherfore yf thou wilt be pertaker of any thing with Christe thou must firste of al take hede that thou doest not dispise or disdayne hys fleshe Bv. Therefore in these wordes the misterye of his Incarnation and passion is more euidently and fully expressed so that he eateth the fleshe and drynketh the bloud of Christe whiche with a firme fayth beleueth that Christe the true Sonne of the liuing God was incarnate crucefied raysed againe for him that hée washed vs with his dloude from all oure sinnes and hath reconciled vs to God his father Whosoeuer beleeueth this hath lyfe within hym euen the quickening spirite of Christe the power of righteousnesse and redemtion and so Christe lyueth in hym he in Christ Dwelleth in me and I in him M. Because this meate and drink are not subiect to corruption but haue alwaye in them power to geue lyfe therefore he vsed the worde quickening to this ende that it maye agrée with that whereas he promised euerlasting lyfe to suche as eate his fleshe and drinke his bloud C. For this is as muche as if hée had sayde that this is the onely bonde of vnity and that by this meanes he doeth growe with vs when oure fayth doeth rest and staye it selfe vppon his death Bv. This place therefore of the Gospell doth agrée with that of the Apostle where he sayth Rom 3. we knowe that a man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by Faith in Christe Furthermore hereby wée maye gather that he speaketh not of the external signe of breade of whiche many of the vnbeléeuing doe eate who notwithstanding are farre from Christe Also their error is hereby confuted which thinke that Iudas did no lesse receiue the body of Christe then the reste of the Disciples seeing that Christe gaue the bread to all For this is moste sertayne that Iudas was neuer a member of Christe and it is moste absurd to make the fleshe of Christe deade fleshe and withoute spirite also they are very foolishe whiche dreame of any eating of the fleshe of Christe withoute faithe whenas onely faith is the mouth of the soule A. Therefore where faith wanteth Faith the mouth of the soule there is no eating of the fleshe of Christe 57. And the lyuinge Father hath sent me and I liue by the Father euen so hee that eateth me shall lyue by the meanes of me And the liuing Father M. This particle also serueth for the declaration of that whiche goeth before Bv. And that there might be no manner of doubt in so greate a misterye of oure saluation he doth yet more strongly confyrme that whiche hée had sayde namely that his fleshe is meate in déede and his bloud drinke in dede Insomuche that suche as were nourished therewith shoulde be without all perill of death C. Nowe therefore he passeth to the principall cause because the principall originall of life is in the Father And he preuenteth an obiection because he might séeme to detract that from God whiche belongeth to God in making him selfe the cause of lyfe So therefore he maketh him selfe the author of lyfe that he confesseth that to bée geuen hym from another whiche he ministereth to other As if he shoulde saye R. The father is lyfe in déede so also am I the true lyfe forsomuche as the Father hath wholy inprinted hym selfe in me I will not reserue this lyfe whiche the Father hath geuen to me to my selfe aloane as a spightfull and enuious person but I will also communicate the same with the faythfull that euerye one which beleeueth in me may haue that life whiche I possesse through the Father For For this cause am I sent into the worlde that euerye one which beléeueth in mée maye be pertaker of all those good thinges and graces which through the Father I possesse by nature C. Let vs noate that hée framed this occasion also to their capacity with whom hée
the séede of Abraham but yet frée that they might be reckoned the heires of lyfe whome hee sanctifieth with his holy Spirite M. But séeing the Fayth of Abraham is so greatly commended Question that it shoulde be as an example for all other beléeuers to followe why doth Christe rather propounde his workes then his fayth For he sayth not If ye weare the children of Abraham ye would haue the Fayth of Abraham but if ye were the Children of Abraham ye woulde doe the déedes of Abraham I aunswere Because Abrahams fayth was not deade and voyde Aunsvvere but liuely and effectuall the Lord speaketh not of the workes of Abraham which were done without faith but he maketh mencion of the workes of Abraham as of frutes witnesing and declaring his faith because he purposed by manifest Argument to prooue that his aduersaries were degenerate from the pietie of Abraham For if they had had the fayth of Abraham they would haue declared the same by such workes as differeth not from the pietie of Abraham A good trée is knowen by good frute 40. But nowe yee goe aboute to kill mee a man that hath toulde you the truth which I haue heard of God this did not Abraham C. By the effect he declareth that they are not the children of Abraham because they resiste God For what notable thing is commended in Abraham but the obedience of Fayth This therefore is noate of difference so often as wee must put a difference betwéene Straungers and the Sonnes of God For vain titelles howsoeuer the world do estéeme of them are of no estimation with God M. Christ might haue obiected many other workes to the Iewes which they had committed whereby they declared them selues to be degenerate and vnlaufull children For Abraham was liberall but they were couetouse Abraham was sounde and perfect but they were ypocrites Abraham worshipped God aright but they made the howse of the Lordes worshippe a denne of théeues they deuoured widdowes howses which Abraham neuer did Christ I saye might haue obiected some of these thinges but leauing all these thinges he only obiecteth this that they went aboute to kill him For this was such a haynouse dede that no other was comparable vnto the same Wherevpon also in the parable of the vinyarde which was let out vnto the husband man in the latter ende of the same it is sayde that they went about to kill the Sonne which the Father sent vnto them as the heire of the vinyarde Mat. 21.38 Furthermore we are taught by this place that the mynde and purpose to doe any worke is accounted for the worke it selfe yea if thou consyder well the intent to doe any euell thing is worse then the worke it selfe and the intent to doe any good worke is better then the worke it selfe Intent to kil is worse thē slauter it selfe Better is the desyer to doe good to those that are in misery then the almes dede it selfe and the Intent to kill is worse than the murder it selfe The Almes dede maye be so done that it maye displease God concerning the which reade the fyrst of Mathewe A murderouse déede maye be so done that it maye please God as may appeare in the Leuites in Phineis in Iehu and so refused that God maye be displeased for the not dooing of it as wee maye sée in Agag Amalech whome Saule kept aliue Exod. 32 29 Num. 25.7 4. Kin. 10. 1. Kin. 15 8. 3. King 20.42 in Benadab king of Asciria whome Achab sent a way aliue But the desire and intent to doe good cannot displease God euen as the desyer to kill cannot please him A man that hath tould you the truth This oure Sauioure Christe addeth to shewe the wicked Ingratitude of the Iewes and to make it openly knowen that they are the Children of the Deuell because they were such sworne and mortall enemies to true and wholesome doctrine This did not Abraham M. What Did not Abraham kill a man We reade that he slue fower kinges and deliuered his kinsman Lotte out of their handes But the simple mening of Christes wordes is that Abraham was not so cruell as to kill an Innocent man Gen. 14 15 and that he was not so vnthankful as to kill one which instructed him in the truth and so wicked as to kill the Ambassodoure of God as did his posteritie 41 Yee doe the dedes of your father Then sayde they to hym we be not borne of fornication wee haue on father euen God M. We maye behoulde here great moderation in our sauioure Christ As yet he spareth them not by and by openly affirming that the Deuill is their Father the whiche notwithstanding he afterwarde did when they did not onely malapertly saye that they were the sonnes of Abraham but also the children of God Let vs also immitate this modesty that so long as it maye be done with the glory of God we may spare the wicked and to take héede that we do not styrre and mooue them so much as wee maye But rather let vs with méekenesse instruct them yf at any time it may please God to geue vnto them repentaunce and grace to knowe and beeléeue the truth We bee not borne of fornication Bv. These men styll obstinately goe forewarde to mayntaine their nobillitye speciallye when they perceiued by the order of Christes woordes that hée assigned the Deuyll to bée theyr Father Therefore nowe on the contrarye parte they doe not onelye boast themselues to bée the children of Abraham but also the children of God C. Howbeit they accounted it all one thing to be the children of Abraham and the children of GOD. But in this they dyd greatlye erre that they imagined God to bée tyed and bound to the séede of Abraham For thus they reason God chose the séede of Abraham to him selfe therefore séeing wée come of the séede of Abraham we must néedes be the children of God Now we sée how they thought that they receyued holynesse euen from their Mothers wombe because they came of a holye stocke Moreouer they goe about to proue them selues to be the Church of God because they had their originall of the holy Fathers euen as at this daye the continuall succession from the Fathers doeth puffe vp the Papistes and make them too swelling prowd With suche delusions Sathan beguileth them that they might deuide GOD from his worde the Church from the Faith and the kingdom of Heauen from the spirite But if so be the aunswere of Christ were auailable to refell the Iewes it is of no lesse force to conuince them at this daye For Hipocrites wyll alwayes falsefye the name of God but they shall neuer bring to passe but that they shal be accounted lyers of suche as leane to the iudgement of Christ M. We sée here that the wycked aduersaryes of Christ knew well inough that the impietye of false worship was spirituall whoredome and that the same was filthye and to be detested of the
ye haue dishonoured mee C. Séeing the twoo opprobries with the which Christ was sclaundered tended to one ende Christ refelleth them vnder one when hee sayth that he séeketh the honour of his Father For he must needes bee gouerned by the Spirite of God and must also be the faithfull seruaunt of God which doth truly and sincerelye honour him M. Let vs here noate the most honest modestye best beséeming a man that is graue and innocent The Lord Iesus coulde not more modestlye and simplye defende his doctrine than by this simple plaine and manifest deniall But they which wyll vse this simplicitye of denying in putting awaye such crimes as are layde to theyr charge must winne fyrst and get credite to themselues by the innocensie of theyr lyfe otherwise they shal be farre from this example of Christ In time past honest and graue menne haue béene beléeued without an oathe but nowe our innocensie shall hardlye winne credite by many oathes B. Christ therfore helde him selfe simplye content that hée had withstoode the sclaunder sauing that with all hée put them in the mynde of the iudgemente which hong ouer their headdes when hée sayeth But J honour my father and yee haue dishonoured mee C. By which wordes hée ioyneth his and his Fathers glorye togeather As if hée shoulde saye I arrogate nothing to my selfe that shall not turne to the glorye of my Father for in me his maiestye shyneth whose power and rule I haue Séeing therefore I am so euell intreated of you ye are contumeliouslye against God him selfe M. We are taught here to looke for nothing but ignominye and shame at their handes whose glorye and Hipocrisie we ouerthrowe through the zeale of maintayning the woorde and glorye of God Wée knowe well inough this saying of Christ Math i0 25 If so be they haue called the Maister of the house Belzebub howe much more wil cal the seruants so Whosoeuer therefore is not prepared to beare and suffer all manner of reproche shal manifestlye declare that he is not led by the spyrite of Gods children 50. I seeke not my owne praise there is one that seeketh and iudgeth M. For they might haue obiected vnto him ambition saying C. This gréeueth thée that thou art not honourablye intreated of vs and therefore thou doest so vehemently inueye against vs. Thou séeketh praise in this world thou wouldest be counted greate yet thou wouldest séeme to be a carefull séeker of the glory of god They might I say haue obiected these thinges except he had protested that he was not lead by the priuate affection of his fleshe to seeke his owne honour but rather the honour and praise of God There is one that seeketh and Iudgeth M. This clause containeth a comminacion least they should thinke that this their sclaunder should escape vnpunished R. For he affirmeth that God wyl take vengeaunce of this iniury C. As if he should saye Ye sclaunder my doctrine as if the same procéeded and came from the Deuell thinke ye that ye shall escape vnpunished for this For séeing my doctrine is the doctrine of God ye doe not onely sclaunder me but God my Father also Wherfore he shall defend his owne glorye which ye sclaunder and séeke to discredite I as I doe not séeke my owne praise so I am not a reuenger of my owne reproche B. Therfore I wyll not presently take vengeaunce on the same A. but notwithstanding my Father wyl not suffer the cōtumely of his doctrine to escape vnpunished Deut. i8 i9 R. euen as also he him selfe hath promised C. Moreouer though there be great difference betwéen vs and Christ let notwithstanding euerye one know for a suerty that if he séeke the glorye of God with his whole heart he shall receyue great prayse of God for wee shall alwayes finde this sentence most true Hee which honoureth me wyll I aduaunce to honour If he bée not onelye contempned among men but also sclaundered and reproched let him patientlye wayte for the comming of the Lorde M. Furthermore Pacience in aduersity so the faithful ought to behaue them selues in bearing iniurye done vnto them that thereby they maye put the reprobate in minde of the iudgement of GOD and also declare theyr innocencye 1. Kin. 24.13 Thus wée reade that Dauid dyd Let the Lorde sayth he bee a Iudge to Iudge betweene thee and mee And so Christ in lyke manner in this place Wherevpon the Apostle Peter hath written of him 1. Pet. 2.23 VVhich when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committed the vengeaunce to him that Iudgeth righteouslye 51. Verilye verilye I say vnto you if a man keepe my saying hee shall neuer see death Verily verily I saye Bv. The contencion being ended at the last the Lorde returneth to that againe from whence hée was digressed repeating againe the sum of the Gospell that is to say of our saluation the which hytherto he had so often times inculcated in that his disputacion And there is no doubte but that he knewe some to bée curable in that multitude and also that othersome were not enemies to his doctrine Therefore his purpose was so to terrifye the mindes of the wicked that notwithstanding hee might leaue matter of consolation to the Godlye or that hee might allure those vnto him which as yet were not lost Wherfore although the greater parte doe forsake the worde of God yet notwithstanding a Godlye teacher ought neuer to bée so muche occupied in reproouing the wicked but that he maye also dispence to the Children of GOD the doctrine of Saluation and maye séeke also to bring suche as are not altogeather vncurable to a good and Godlye minde M. So that because he had begonne to commende his worde he returneth to the same commendacion of his worde Bv. and he beginneth with an oath that our Faith might bée the more confirmed and that there might bee no occation of doubting M. So farre is the Lorde from repenting him of that which he had most trulye spoken that he repeateth and affirmeth the same again As if he should saye Although ye make account of me as of a Samaritane and a Demoniake although ye attribute my sayinges to the Deuyll yet notwithstanding I am the verye same whose wordes are the words of lyfe insomuch that I dare bouldlye affirme that he shal neuer sée death which kéepeth my word I saye which kéepeth it and not whiche onelye readeth it heareth it or knoweth it And he kéepeth the worde of Christ which receyueth the same by Faith and layeth vp the same in his heart out of the which hée expresseth boath wordes and déedes C. For Christ requireth suche Disciples as not onely heare his wordes or professe with the mouth that they lyke of his doctrine but such as kepe and laye vp the same as a most precious treasure M. To bée shorte To kéepe the worde of the Lorde is euen the same which he sayd before namelye
first is whether there Sonne were blinde secondlye whether hée were borne blinde and thirdlye howe he receiued his sight C. They doe subtillye include more in this their question that they might take awaye all occasion of aunswere according to the wonted manner of all such as are oppressours of the trueth 20. His Father and Mother aunswered them and sayde We know that this is our sonne and that hee was 21. borne blinde But by what meanes hee nowe seeth we cannot tell or who hath opened his eyes cannot we tell he is olde inough aske him let him answere for him selfe C. The Parentes of the blinde man aunswere onelye to the one halfe of the captious question whiche the Pharisées propounded vnto them They affirme him to bée their sonne and to bée borne blinde also wherevppon it followeth that hée dyd not naturallye sée but by miracle but the thirde thing whiche was howe he receiued his sight they cleane omit because that was obious vnto the eares of the Phariseis Bv. referring that vnto their Sonne saying Hee is olde inough aske him But by this theyr vngodly silence they bewraye their ingratitude For verylye they receiuing so notable a benefite shoulde haue béene whollye moued to set forth his name But being made afearde they bury so muche as iâ— them lyeth the grace of God sauing that they appoint their Sonne to testifye the same for them which should both with lesse enuye and also with greater Faith declare the whole matter as it was done But yet for all this the holye Ghost by the mouth of the Euangelist condemneth their softnesse in that they dyd not that which became them Howe much lesse excuse then shall they haue whiche by trayterous denial do quite and cleane ouerthrowe Christ with his Doctrine with his miracles with his power and with his grace 22. Suche wordes spake his Father and Mother because they feared the Iewes For the Iewes had decreed already that if any man did confesse that he vvas Christ he should be excommunicate out of the Sinagogue Bv. In these wordes Saint Iohn rendereth a reason why the Parentes dyd not aunswere to the third question of the Phariseis not because they knewe not the aucthour and manner of the benefite bestowed on theyr Sonne vut rather because they being afearde durste not confesse before the Phariseis the vndoubted trueth M. Therefore they knewe more than they confessed That whiche they them selues had done they fréelye and without perrill confesse for they had begotten and brought forth a blinde man but that which Christ had done they dare not confesse Therefore this is a frée confession of the blindnesse whiche is in men before the cruell Phariseis but of the illuminacion which Christ worketh not so Both are true but both haue not their true confession in this worlde Thou mayest confesse without daunger the euill that commeth of men as that thou wast borne in sinne but the grace goodnesse that commeth by Christ whereby this euill is taken awaye the Pharisaicall tiranny wyll not suffer thée fréelye to confesse For the Iewes had decreed alreadye Excommunâ—cation is auncient B. Hereby it maye easilye bée gathered that it beganne now to bée reported that Iesus was Christ C. Furthermore this place teacheth vs that the custome and manner of excommunication hath béene euer of olde time For excommunication was not then first of all inuented but nowe that excommunication which was vsed long before against Apostataas and contemners of the lawe for a punishment was vsed and conuerted against the Disciples of Christ It hath not therefore béene the corruption of one time or age that the sacred institucions of GOD haue béene corrupted by men The whiche also hath béene among Christians For it can scarsly be expressed what barbarous tyrannye the false Bishoppes haue exercised in subduing the people insomuche that one durste scarse to mutter against them and wée sée also at this daye what crueltye commeth by this thunderbolt of excommunication against all the worshippers of God But wée bouldlye contemne excommunication when it is vsed at the wyll and pleasure of men contrarye to the institucion of the same R. For as there is a double communion so there is a double excommunication the one is internall the other is externall The internall communion consisteth of one holy Ghost of one faith of one Christ and of one Lorde which is Father of all The internall excommunication is that when man through infydelitye agréeth not with the Godly in one spirite in one fayth and in one Christ howe Godlye outwardlye soeuer hee séeme to bée The externall communion is the communion of the word and Sacraments The externall excommunication is the depriuation of those thinges Nowe the wicked man which sayeth in his heart there is no God is alway excommunicated howbeit he is not subiecte to mans iudgement if so bée he bée not an offence vnto the Churche by the fruites of impietye Mat. 18.17 1. Cor. 5.11 For if so bee he doe offend the Church of the Lord with the filthynesse of his facts he ought to be cast out But if any man be cast out of the Church for the word of God or for the confession of Christ by excommunication it is a blessing and not a curse Deu. 23.5 for Baalam also cursed the people of God but the Lord turned the same into blessing A. Moreouer though the right of excommunication was so notably corrupted in the olde Church yet notwithstanding Christ by his comming woulde not haue the same to bée cleane taken away but restored the same to his puritye that it might remaine with vs styll Euenso at this daye though in the Papacye this holy discipline of the Church bée profaned and abused yet notwithstanding we ought rather dilligently to restore the same to the former integritye than quite and cleane to abolishe it There was neuer any thing so well begunne in the worlde but that by the wickednesse of men the same hath béene corrupted Sathan should haue to much libertye graunted him Good things corrupted ought not to be cleane taken awaye if so bée euerye thing might be frustrate and cleane taken awaye which is corrupted For then shoulde we haue no Baptisme no Supper of the Lorde neyther any Religion no part of the which he hath left frée from corruption I. In this place also we maye noate howe yll the worlde can suffer and abide true righteousnesse What greater innocencye at any tyme what greater modesty what greater homage and seruice towardes al men at all times coulde be seene than was in Christ And yet notwithstanding the Potentates and Rulars of the worlde coulde with suche hatered persecute him that they iudged all those vnworthye of theyr companye whiche testifyed any goodnesse to come from him though neuer so truelye and all vnder the pretence of righteousnesse and of the loue of God Wherefore then shoulde we bée troubled when the worlde hateth vs and casteth vs out of his
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
to him of God the Father and that therefore the whole cause belongeth as well to God as to him selfe and for this cause that it is impossible that any man should pull the shéepe out of his handes which his Father hath geuen him As if hée shoulde saye My hande is my Fathers hande and my shéepe are my Fathers shéepe No man can take them from me because no man can take them out of my Fathers hande C. A notable place by which wée are taught that the saluation of all the elect is no lesse sure than the power of God is inuincible Hereby also wee gather how vaine the trust of the Papistes is which resteth vpon frée will vppon their owne strength and vppon the merites of workes Christ hath farre otherwise taught those that are his that they may know that they are in this worlde as in the middest of a woode and in the handes of théeues and furthermore that they are naked and subiect to the praye and carrye in theyr owne bosome the dagger and cause of death that bearing themselues boulde vppon the onelye custody and defence of God they maye walke securely without feare 30. And I and my Father are one M. As if hée shoulde saye I doe nothing in this matter I haue nothing I can doe nothing I giue nothing and I am nothing of my selfe without my father All that are mine are his and whatsoeuer hee hath or doth it is myne and hée worketh the same by mée Wée doe all one thing neyther are wée deuided But Christ doth not dispute here concerning the vnitie of substaunce but of the consent and agreement whych he hath with the Father as that whatsoeuer Christ doeth is confirmed by the Fathers power Howbeit the auncient Fathers haue referred this place to the deuine substaunce of Christ against the heritiques 31. Then the Iewes tooke vppe stoanes againe to stoane him withall C. As pietie is zealous in defending the glorye of GOD which the spirite of God doth moderate so infidelitie is the Mother of madnesse and the Deuill doth so prouoake the wicked that they desire and seeke nothing but murder Bv. The Iewes being mooued and stirred vp with the wordes of Christ tooke vp stoanes as wée reade that they dyd at a nother time in the ende of the eyght Chapter going before Thys successe sheweth with what minde they questioned with Christ For a manifest confession of the which they fayned themselues to be verye desirous made them by and by to fall into outragious madnesse and yet notwithstanding there is no doubt but that when they were thus violentlye caried to oppresse Christ they pretended the coulour and cloake of iudgement Deu. i3 5 Leui 24.16 as though they did the thing according to forme of Lawe where God commaundeth false Prophetes to be stoaned to death 32. IESVS aunswered them manye good vvorkes haue I shevved you from my Father For vvhich of them do ye stoane mee M. To the ende Christe might reprehande theyr vnspeakeable mallice and madnesse hee doth not onely obiect hys innocencye but also which is more hys notable and wonderful beneficience shewed towardes them C. and hee doth not onelye deny them to haue any cause why they shoulde so rage but doth also accuse them of ingratitude for that they so vnthankefullye requighted the benifites of God neyther doth hee saye that hee had well deserued at their handes for one or two workes sake but sayth that hee had béene benefyciall vnto them in many thinges As if hée shoulde saye M. What cause haue yee against mee whereby I maye séeme worthy vnto you to be stoaned to death Bv. Malefactours were wont to be punished and stoaned to death but as for mée what euell haue I done What haue I deserued which haue hurt no man but haue shewed an innumerable sorte of benefites to euery one of you and the same from my Father that is to saye by my deuyne power C. For his meaning is that God was the authoure of those workes And this interrogation is of greater waight to pricke their consciences then if he had spoken by a simple affirmatiue To shew good workes is an Hebrewe phrase in steede of to doe good workes the whiche phrase is often times vsed in the holy Scriture as when it is sayde Many say who will shewe vs anie good Psal 4.7 Psal 60 5 Psal 71 20 Also Thou haste shewed thy people hard thinges Againe Thou hast shewed me great trobles For the Lord had done many good works already by which he had brought health vnto men and had thereby shewed what they ought to haue looked for at his hands namely nothing but assured saluation and euerlasting life This he exhorted the Iewes to beleeue and declared that all his workes belonged to the Father that they might assuredly beléeue hym And these were the thinges which so stirred them being nothing but good and wholsome workes Rightly therefore he déemaunded of them for which of his good workes they went aboute to stoane him M. It was extreame Ingratitude and wickednesse to render euell for so many benefites and to go aboute to kill the benefactoure Psal 35 i2 Of such vnthankfull persons Dauid complaineth saying They rendered me euell for good Therefore yf so be in like manner euell shal be rendered to any man for good let him comfort him selfe with the lot of Christ of the prophetes and of the Apostles 33. The Iewes answered him saying For thy good workes sake wee stoane thee not but for thy blasphemie and because that thou beeinge a man makest thy self God R. The wisdome of this worlde will not séeme vniustly and wickedly to persecute Christe and his Gospell Wherefore they faine and Immagine causes against the Gospell and the setters forth of the same which they thinke worthy of punishment the which it pretendeth to cloake the enuie against Christ and the worde of God C. Wherefore it is necessary that a good conscience be vnto vs as a brasen wall by which we maye strongly repell the reproaches and sclaunders with the which we are misereported of For how soeuer they couler cloak their mallice what ignominy soeuer they bring vnto vs for a time if we fight for gods cause he will not deny him selfe but will defend and maintaine his trueth R. Christe was accused of blasphemie against God and of Sedition against Sesar The Prophetes were accused of defection from the Lawe and of seducing The Apostles and Martires were accused partly of sedition and partly of blasphemy against God And so great wickednesse are spread abroade of the Godly before the reason and wisedome of the worlde that whosoeuer killeth them he thinketh that he doth vnto God good seruice as shall bee sayde in the sixeteenth Chapter following M. Here the enemies of Christe are constrained to acknowledge his good workes For they say not thy works are euil but they acknoweledg that to be true which he sayde I haue shewed vnto you manye good
workes And yet notwithstanding they doe not giue him thankes for these good workes but theyr mallice had so blinded them that although they coulde not condemne the workes of Christ yet neuerthelesse they went about to stoane him to death Many such enimies of the truth there are at this daye which condemne the louers of the Gospell whose life and doinges they cannot condemne C. The name of blasphemie the whiche prophane wrighters vse generaly for euery kinde of reproche the Scripture referreth vnto God Blasphemy of two sorts when hys maiestie and glorye is defaced And there are two sortes of blasphemie as eyther when God is robbed of his proper honour R. as if so be a man shoulde arrogate that vnto himselfe which is proper to God or else when any thing is attributed and giuen to him which his nature will not beare Therefore they call Christ a sacrilegious and blasphemous person because hée being a mortall man vsurped to himselfe deuine honour And this was a true definition of blasphemie yf so be Christe had bene nothing more then a man Onely they sinne in this that they refuse to behoulde the diuinity whhich was euident to be séene in his miracles 34. Iesus aunswered them is it not writen in your Lawe I saide yee are Gods Bv. The Lord doth wonderfully temper and frame his aunswere C And doeth clere him self of the crime which was obiected vnto him not denying him selfe to be the Sonne of God but defending the same to be truly spoken And he vseth an Argument taken not of the equalles but of the lesse to the more The scripture calleth them Godes to whome God geueth an honorable function he therefore is farre more worthy of this titell of honour whom God hath chosen to excell all others Wherevpon it followeth that they are euell and false interpretours which doe admit the fyrste but in the second do take occasions of offence B. he vseth this word lawe here for Scripture which often times is called the Lawe C. But the testimony which our Sauioure Christ bringeth is taken oute of the eyghtie two Psalme where the Lord findeth falte with the Kings and Iudges of the earth Psal 28.6 Exod. 22 which abuse their Rule and power tyrannically to enioy their owne pleasure to oppresse the miserable and to commit all wickednesse at their will B. That is to saye which Iudge falslye C. And he vpbraideth them that they were so forgetfull how and from whence they receiued so great dignitie and béecause they prophaned the name of God This Christ applyeth to the presente cause that they are honoured with the name of Gods who are appoynted ministers to gouern the world In the same sence also the Scripture calleth aungels Gods because by them the glory of God doth shine in the world 35. If hee called them Godes vnto whome the vvorde of GOD vvas spoken and the Scripture cannot bee broken C. By these wordes oure Sauiour Christ meaneth that Princes are ordered by the sure commaundement of God Rule appoynted of God Whereby we gather that gouernement and rule sprang not vp rashelye or by the errour of men but by the will and appointment of God because hée would haue politticall order among men and gouernement by equitie and lawes For the which cause Paule calleth them Rebelles vnto God which resyst power because there is no power but the same is appoynted of God Rom. 13. i If any man obiect that other callinges also are of God and are allowed of him and yet for all that Husbandemen Neateheardes Shoomakers and suche lyke are not called Godes we aunswere that this is not general that whosoeuer are called of God to some kinde of lyfe shoulde be called Godes but Christ speaketh of Kinges whome God hath aduaunced to a hyer degrée that they might rule and excell To be shorte we knowe that magistrates are therefore Gods because God hath committed gouernement vnto them M. And Christ might haue sayde If so be he call Iudges and princes Goddes but it pleased him rather to saye If hee called them Goddes vnto whome the worde of God was spoken that hée might also noate the subiection of Iudges and Princes and might extoll the maiestie of GOD. For the worde of God in this place is taken for the commaundementes which GOD commaundeth and inioyneth them to obserue And the Scripture cannot be broken C That is to saye The doctrine of the Scripture is inuiolable insomuch that it neyther can nor ought to be dissolued and broken of any man This place ought to be well noated that the Scripture may haue his aucthoritye M. For the same is manye wayes defaced by wicked men and by the wisemen of this worlde when they eyther adde vnto the same straunge and forged doctrine or else corrupt the same by sinister and wrong exposytions drawing it into a contrarye scence But the Scripture cannot be broken or made frustrate And wherefore because it is giuen by deuine inspiration and leaneth not vppon humaine but vpon diuine aucthoritie 36. Saye yee of him whome the Father hath sanctified and sent into the worlde Thou blasphemest because I sayde I am the sonne of God Saye yee of him whome the Father C. There is a certaine sanctificatiō which belongeth to all the godly but Christ in this place chalengeth a far more excelent snactifycation namely for that he is one chosen out from amongst all others that in him the power of the Spirite and the maiestie of God maye appeare Ioh 6.27 Euen as hée himselfe sayeth that hée was sealed of the same Father M. Hée sayth not Whome the Father hath begotten béecause hée thought it better to signify vnto vs that he hath receyued the dispensation of mankinde and the state of a kingdome of hys heauenlye Father as hée is a man Wherevpon also hée added this And sent into the world The Father hath sent hys Sonne Iohn ◠i6 Esay 6i i Luk 4.18 not onely vnto you Israelites but into the worlde For so GOD loued the worlde that hée gaue his onelye begotten sonne So that this sanctifycation in other places is called annoyting And thys is properlye referred to the person of Christ Math 3 i6 as hée was manifested in the fleshe M. And concerning this sanctifycation the aperition of the Dooue testifyed which Iohn the Baptist sawe lighting vpon the heade of Christ when hée baptised him in Iordan Therefore the father hath sanctifyed the sonne by whome we also are sanctifyed by whome he giueth vnto vs the spirite of sanctifycation by reason wherof the Apostles in diuers places calleth the faithful seruauntes of Christ sanctified Thou blasphemest C. The Arians haue wrested this place to prooue that Christ by nature is not God But Christ doth not here dispute who he is in him selfe but what men ought to Iudge of him by his miracles being in humain fleshe For we can neuer apprehend his eternall diuinity except wee imbrace him as he is appoynted a redéemer
spirite sayth VVo vnto you when all men prayse you for so did their Fathers vnto the false Prophts The flesh sayth Hée is a wise man and lyke to come to promosion that wil séeke to please God and man The Spirite sayth Mat 6.24 Gal i i0 i Ioh 2 xv No man can serue two maysters And againe If so bee I shoulde please men I were not the seruaunt of Christe For if any man loue the worlde the loue of the Father is not in him To conclude The flesh sayth So many as haue preached the worde of truth vnto men haue bene horriblely punished and haue myserablelye perished Apoca i4 i3 But the Spirite sayth Blessed are the deade which dye in the Lorde for they rest from their labours Wherfore feare not them which can kill the bodye and cannot kill the soule but feare him which can cast boath bodye and soule into hell fyer 9. Iesus aunswered Are there not twelue hours of the day If any man walke in the daye hee stumbleth not because hee seeth the light of this worlde C. This place hath bene diuerselye expounded but this is the true sence and meaning of the same First of all the Lorde borroweth a similitude from the night and the daye For if any man walke in the darckenesse it is no meruayle if hée stumble slyppe and go out of the waye but the light of the sonne in the daye time shaweth the waye And the calling of God is like the daye light whych wyll not suffer vs to go out of the waye or to stumble Therefore whosoeuer obayeth the worde of GOD and taketh nothing in hande but at his commaundement hee shall haue God his guide and director and vpon truste hereof hée maye securely and without feare go on his way For whosoeuer walketh in his wayes shall haue his aungelles to attende vpon him and to kéepe him that hee dashe not his foote against the stoane Christ therfore bearing himself bolde vpon this defence boldely goeth forwarde into Iury not fearing to be stoaned because there is no daunger of erring where God taking vpon him the office of the Sonne doth illuminate our steppes and moderate our course B. This therefore is the scence and meaning of that which Christ sayth As there are twelue hours of the day in the which men may walke and doe theyr busynesse for hée whiche will walke or doe any thing in the night easyly stumbleth so haue I my daye which is ended by the houres thereof therefore in this daye I must finish all those thinges which my Father hath committed vnto mée This day now draweth towardes night and is almost at an ende the houre is at hande when I must go out of the worlde to my Father Wherefore how greatlye so euer the Iewes are my enymies I wyll finishe my workes whyle I haue day and for this cause I must go boath into Iury and also to Hierusalem and sette forth my Fathers glorye hée shall take charge of vs and defende vs. The lyke allegorye the Lorde vsed in the ninth Chapter going before C. By these wordes wée are taught that so often as a man will followe his owne counsayle and purpose without Goddes calling hys whole lyâ—e is nothing else but a wandering and straying course and they which seeme most wise in theyr owne conceytes when they aske not counsayle at the Lords mouth and haue not theyr actions guided by his spirite doe like blind men groape in the darcke R. If any man obiect Why doeth Christ then somtime flee Obiection yf so be his enemies ar able to do nothing within the appoynted and limmited time A. Euen as he plainly declared when he sayd to sertaine of the Pharise is which perswaded him to shonne the fury of Herod For he sayde to them Luk. i3 3i Go and tell that fox behould I cast out Deuels and heale the people to daye and to morrowe and the third day I shall be perfited Neuerthelesse I must walke to daye and to morrowe and the daye following Aunsvvere R. I aunswere Christ therefore fled because his office as yet was not fulfilled the which béeing ended he willingly deliuered him selfe into the hands of hys enemies And he fled to teach vs that we ought not to tempte God but to vse those Iust and Lawfull meanes which God hath set before vs vntil the race and course of our gospell be finished That whiche is spoken of the ministerye of the Gospell ought to be vnderstood of the whole life of euery man For this corporall lyfe is set and appoynted within his bounds and limittes as it is writen Short are the days of man thou hast the nomber of his months Iob. i4 5 thou hast appoynted his bondes which hee cannot passe For if so be our hears which are the smalest things are nombered in the sight of God how much more are the dayes and howers of our lyfe nombered before God Wherefore so long as a man walketh within the compasse of twelue howers of the daye in the time of his appoynted life and in his owne calling his life shall not be impaired by any perill C. And this knowledge is very necessary for vs for the faithful can scarse moue their foote to followe God who must goe before vs in our vocation but Sathan by and by casteth in our way a houndered stombling blockes and séeketh by al meanes to stop vs. But so soone as the Lorde by his bryght Light willeth vs to goe forward wee must goe on with good courage although we be beset with many deaths because he neuer commaundeth vs to go forwarde but he incourageth vs with his promise that we maye be assured whatsoeuer we take in hand at his commaundement shall haue good successe He is oure Chariot whiche carieth vs without wearinesse through all tedious waies vntill we come to the hauen of reste In fine we are taught that the eyes of the Lord are euer ouer them to kéepe and preserue them which are ready to fulfill his will and commaundement Againe hereby also wee gather that the whoale rase of that mans life is accursed of the Lord who neglecting his word followeth his owne fantasy and doeth what hee thinketh good in hys owne eyes Bv. Wherfore true fortitude of the mind springeth from the fayth in Christ by which carefull feare is driuen awaye and by the loue of piette is quight rooted out of our heartes C. And Christ here according to his wonted manner deuideth the daye into twelue houres For although the dayes in sommer and winter doe differ yet notwithstanding the daye hath alwayes twelue houres and the night as many M Christ vsed no curiosity in humaine matters but tooke all thinges in good parte which common vse mayntayned with impietye 11. These thinges said hee and after that hee saide vnto them oure friende Lazarus sleepeth but I go to awake him out of slepe B. By this allegory the Lorde gaue his Disciples to vnderstand that he woulde
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
with him know thou therfore that I and he are all one in diuinitie and deuine maiestye which cannot be seene with corporall eyes 10. Beleeuest thou not that I am in the father and the Father in me the words that I speak vnto you I speake not of my selfe but the father that dwelleth in mee is he that doth the workes C. Some refer this to the deuine essence of Christ C. But they do better which refer it to the maner of reuelation For Christ in respect of his secret dietie is neuer a whit more knowne vnto vs than the father But he is sayd to be the expresse Image of God because God hath wholy reuealed himselfe in hym by his exceeding goodnesse wisedome and power Neither haue the ancient Fathers done amisse which bringe testimonye from hence to defende the Diuinitie of Christ but because Christe doth not simplye dispute who he is in him selfe but whom we ought to acknowledge him to be it is rather a tytell of his power than of his essence The father therefore is sayde to be in Christ because the ful diuinitie dwelleth in hym and agayne Christ is sayd to be in the father because by his diuine power he declareth him selfe to be all one with him The wordes that I speak Vnto you B. He proueth of the effecte that God ought to be sought for in no other than in him M. As if he should saye My very doctrine proueth me to be in the father and the father in me For it is not humane but deuine and such that it playnly setteth foorth the sone of God Also you your selues haue confessed before that I haue in me the woordes of eternall lyfe and that ye knewe and beléeued that I am the sonne of God R. Yf therfore my woord be the worde of my father and my works the works of the Father he whiche wyll know the Father muste of necessitie beléeue my word and behould my works in faith For no man knoweth the father but by the son and no man knoweth God but by his word C. Yf any man obiect against this that all the Prophetes are to be counted the sonnes of God because they spake by the inspiration of the spirit and had God the author of their doctrine we may easly answer that we must consider what the doctrine containeth For the Prophetes sende their Disciples to an other but Christ retaineth them in hym selfe We must also remember what the Apostle wrighteth namely how that God speaketh nowe from Heauen by the mouth of his son who speake as it were out of the earth by Moyses By workes he vnderstandeth not onely Myracles but also the declaration of his diuine power 11. Beleeue mee that I am in the Father and the Father in mee or els beleeue mee for the workes sake C. Fyrst of all he requireth his Disciples to beléeue his testimony when he affirmeth himselfe to be the son of God Notwithstanding because they had bin hitherto to slow he doth priueli nip their negligence Yf so be saith he my affirmation be not of credit inough with you and yf ye make so small account of mee that ye thinke my wordes are not to be beléeued at the lest consider my power whiche is the visible Image of the presence of God It was very strange that they should not depend vpon the mouth of Christ séeing that euery word which he spake ought to haue binne beleeued without doubtyng But Christ here reprehendeth his Disciples for that they being so often toulde of one thing profited so litle He doth not teach what is the nature of Faith but testifieth that he hath that which may suffice to reproue the vnbeleeuers In that he sayeth agayne I am in the father and the father in me It is not superfluous for we sée by dayly experiēce how nature pricketh vs forward to vaine curiositie 12 Verely verely I say vnto you he that beleueth on me the works that I do the same shal he do also and greater workes than these shal hee doe because I goe vnto the father B. The purpose of Christe in these wordes is that he might perswade his Disciples not to be sorye for his departure from them which should hapen vnto them for the best but rather to prepare them selues stoutly and dilygently to discharge the office of the Gospell C. For what so euer Christe had spokē of him selfe hitherto vnto his disciples it was tēporal in respect of them Therefore without the adding of this part the consolation had not bin full and perfect specially séeing in remembring the benefites our memory is fraile In the which matter we néede no other examples For when God hath heaped vpon vs all manner of benefites yf he cease but halfe a month we wyll thinke that he is dead In consideration of this Christ doth not only speake of his present power which his Apostles at that time behelde with their eyes but also promiseth that they shall haue a perpetuall féelinge of the same euer after And verely he dyd not onely while he was on the earth declare his diuinitie but also after he was gone vnto the Father the faithfull had experience of the same But we are either dull or so wycked that we nether consider God in his works nor Christ in the workes of God And greater works then these shal he do A These words are diuersly expounded by Interpreters Some restrayne these workes vnto the myracles whiche the Apostles wrought after the resurrection of Christe the which that they might proue to be greater then those that Christ wrought they alledge that which Luke writeth of the shaddow of Peter But the rising of Lazarus was a more wonderful woorke than the simple helyng of sicke persons Other some referre it to the number of myracles sayinge that the Apostles wrought greater miracles because they wrought more in nomber Act. 15.16 both in Hierusalem in other parts of the worlde they affirme this place to agrée with that in Marke And these signes shall follow them that beleeue Mat. 16 i7 In my name they shall caste out Deuills c. C. But this is the simple meanyng of Christ that his power was so little tyed to that presence of his bodye by whiche he proued him selfe to be the son of God that the same should be set forth by more and greater experimentes he being absent For straight after the assention of Christ followed the wonderfull conuersion of the world in whiche the diuinitie of Christ more mightely declared it selfe than whan he liued among men Thus we see that the approbation of the diuinitye of Christe was not shutte vp in his parson but spread throughoute the whole body of the Churche But to doe this of the which he speketh here is neither proper to the Apostells aloane nor common to all the Godly but belongeth to the whole body of the Church Because I go to the father C. The reason why the Apostles should do greater
world by this noate that they should obserue and kéepe the doctrine of the gospel And that this noate belongeth vnto the beginning of faith because it is the effect of calling And Christ sheweth by these wordes how we shall rightly obaye the Gospell namelye for when our dutyes and externall actions doe spring from the loue of the same For our armes and force and our whole body also laboureth in vaine except the loue of God doe raigne in our heart which gouerneth the externall members Nowe séeing it is sertayne that we kepe the sayings of Christ yf so be we loue him and contrarywise we loue him yf wée kéepe his commaundementes it followeth that we cānot finde in the whoale world the true and perfect loue of hym because there is no man which perfectly keepeth hys commaundementes Notwithstanding their obedience is acceptable vnto God who do all that they can to reach vnto this perfection And my father wil loue him R. In this place we haue the greate and wonderfull benifits of God whiche procéede from the fruites of the Gospell The fyrste is that God the Father loueth the faithfull Nowe if God be with vs Rom 8 3i who can be against vs If the Lorde loue me I will not care what man or Sathan can do vnto me The second is that boath the Sonne and the Father will dwell with him that beléeueth the word of God Than the which benifits what greater can be deuised For the Father the sonne are very bountifull and benificial ghuestes they came not empty handed neyther doe they go awaye without saluting their hoast but as they bringe with them the treasure of all goodnesse euenso they leaue behynde them the blessing of all goodnesse C. And he speaketh not heare of that eternall loue with the which God loued vs before the foundation of the worlde was layd but of the same with the which he sealeth our harts when he maketh vs pertakers of his adoption And he meaneth not that firste illumination but those degrées of faith by whiche the faithfull must goe forward dayly according to this saying to him that hath shal be geuen Therefore the Papistes doe draw amis from this place two sortes of loue with the which we loue God They immagine that we loue God naturally before he doeth regenerate vs with his spirite by whiche aptnesse and readinesse saye they we deserue the grace of regeneration As though the Scriptures dyd not teache and experience plainlye proue that we are quite tourned awaye from God and are haters of him vntyll suche tyme as he chaunge our hearts Wée must remember the purpose of Christ that he and his Father wyl come to confirme the faythfull in the euerlasting assuraunce of grace in such wyse that they maye feele the grace of God to rest vpon them and maye be dayly increased more and more with the gyftes of God A. Therefore we ought to desyre this spirituall presence of Christ in our prayers and not that carnall corporall presence of the which the Papistes dreame The Lord dwelleth in the hartes of his saintes by faith whome the heauens must receiue vntill the time come that all thinges be restoared which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets synce the world beganne 24. Hee that loueth mee not keepeth not my sayings and the vvord vvhich ye heare is not mine but the Fathers vvhich sent me C. Because the faythfull are mixed in this worlde with vnbeleuers and because of necessitye they must be troubled as it were in the tossing and raginge waues of thesea Christ againe confirmeth them by this admonition lest they shoulde be drawen awaye by euell examples As if he should saye Haue no regard vnto the worlde neither depend vpon the same because their shall be all wayes some which shall contemne me and my doctrine but constantly retayne ye to the ende that grace which ye haue allwaye imbraced And herewithall he declareth that the worlde doth suffer Iuste poonishment for his ingratitude when it perisheth in his blindenes when by the contempte of true righteoussnes it bewrayeth his wicked hatred against Christ B. To kepe the sayinges of Christ is nothing else but to beleue that the same is true and wholsome and also to cleue vnto the same with our whole harte euen as we may gather by the Scripture Heare O Israll the ordinaunces and the Lawes which I propose to you this daye that ye maye learne them and take hede to obserue them Yf by keping the commaundementes of God ye vnderstand the fulfilling of them no man shall kepe them but if ye vnderstand it for seeking to fulfill them then all the godly kepe them For he cannot choose but geue him selfe to the keeping of the commaundementes of God which truely knoweth the same to be of God A. Contrarywise not to kepe the Lords sayings is to reiecte the doctrine of Christ and to contemne his commaundementes which all the wycked are wonte to doe And the word which ye heare is not mine C. Leste the disciples should fall or slide awaye for the obstinat wickednes of the worlde Christ seketh againe to confirme his doctrine when he testifieth the same to be of God and not deuised in earth by man And in this consisteth the stedfastnes of our Faith yf so be we know God to be our guide and are grounded vppon nothing else but vppon his eternall truth Therefore howe much soeuer the worlde doth rage in his madnes let vs followe the doctrine of Christ which far surmounteth heauen and earth In deuiding the worlde to be his he frameth him selfe to his disciples as if he shoulde saye that the same was not of men because he faythfully deliuered that which was committed to him of his Father Neuertheles let vs knowe that for somuch as he is the euerlasting wisdome of God he is the onely well spring of doctrine and that they haue spoken by his spirite which haue bene Prophetes from the beginning A. Diuers like sentences vnto this we haue heard before as My doctrine is not mine but my fathers which sent mee Also Those thinges which I haue heard of him I speake in the worlde 25. These thinges haue I spoken vnto you being yet present with you 26. But the comforter which is the holy ghost whome the Father wil sende in my name hee will send in my name he shall teache you all things and bring all thinges to youre remembrance whatsoeuer I haue sayd vnto you The Lord knew well ynough how rude and ignoraunt his Disciples were and that they were not capeable of those thinges which he spake the which they suff ciētly declared by questioning with hym as we haue heard first in Thomas secondly in Phillip and thirdly in Iudas For this cause lesse they shoulde be discouraged he promysed vnto them nowe the second time the holy Ghost the spirit of truthe which shoulde be vnto them a continuall teacher and which shoulde abyde with them
in their mindes and should teach tel them all those things which they had so often tymes all ready heard but not playnly inough for them to vnderstand partly because of their rudenes and partlye by reason of the sorrow of their hartes C. The Lorde at that time sowed the seede of doctrine which for a time laye as it were choaked in his Disciples Therfore he exhorteth them to hope wel vntill such time as the doctrine brought fruit whiche as yet might seme vnprofitable In fine he affirmeth vnto theÌ„ that plentifull matter of consolation was in that doctrine whiche they had heard The whiche although it dyd not by and by appeare vnto them yet neuerthelesse he wylleth them to be of good cheare vntill the Spirite the internall Scoolemaster spake the same in their harts A very profitable admonitioÌ„ for al men Except we haue by and by all that Christ teacheth we are weary and count our labour lost in trauelyng about obscure matters But we must bring with vs prompt docillytie and aptnesse to be taughte wee must geue dilligent eare be attentiue yf so be we desire to profit in the Scoole of God but specially we haue néede of sufferance vntyl such tyme as the spirit doth reueale that which as we thinke we haue red and hard very often This poonishment Esay threateneth to the vnbeleuing that the worde of God should be vnto them as a shut booke but the Lorde doth after this manner oftentimes humble his seruaunts Therefore we must paciently and quietly wayâ—e for the tyme of reuelation and must not therefore reiect the worde R. Fyrst of all we learne by this place that the holy Ghost is geuen to the Church of God the Father through the Mediatour Christ who hath purchassed the same of the Father that wée might be the sonnes of God by adoption C. Secondly we learne that the external preaching of the Gospel shal be to no purpose excepte the derection of the spirite be Ioyned therewith Therefore God vseth to teach by two maner of wayes namely by the outward sounde of his worde proceding out of mens mouthes and by the inwarde operation of his holy spirit and this be doth at diuers times according to his goodwil and pleasure T. Example here of we haue in the Actes of the Apostells of whome Saynt Luke wrighteth thus VVhose hart the Lorde opened so that he gaue dillygent heede vnto those thinges whiche Paull preached M. For we shall be alwaye taught in vaine withoute the Spirite of God be our teacher except he teach inwardly in the hart al doctrine is in effectuall yea although Christ should preache the same with his owne mouth Moreouer we are taught that the Doctrine of the Apostles is not of men but procéeding from the Spirite of GOD. For what other thing did they teache than that same which they had receyued from the holye Ghost R. This place is wonderfully construed by the wicked For they saye that Christ taught not all thinges but reserued many thinges for his Apostles to be reuealed by the holye Ghost of the which number they Iudge those wicked ceremonies of the Masse to bée But what doth Christ speake here C. What are all those thinges the teacher whereof hée promiseth that the Spirite shall be Hee shall sayth hee teach you al things and bring all thinges into your remembrance what ye shal do Wherevpon it followeth that there shall no newe reuelations In these fewe wordes all those things are confuted which Sathan hath brought into the church vnder the pretence of the holy ghost The Mahumetes and the Pope haue all one beginning of religion they boath affirming that the perfection of doctrine is not contained in the scripture but procéedeth from the reuelation of the spirite With these also agrée the Anabaptists and the Libertines But they are ledde by a sedusing Spirite and not by the spirite of Christ who thruste in straung Doctrine contrarye to the Gospell For Christ promiseth the holye Ghost which shoulde as asubscriber confirme the doctrine of the Gospell M. For the holye Ghost deliuered no other doctrine to the Apostles than the very same which they had hearde before out of the mouthe of Christ Let vs therefore take héede of those which boaste of the reuelations of the holy Ghost if so be they offer vnto vs straunge Doctrine contrarye to that which wée haue receyued of Christ 27. Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the worlde geueth giue I vnto you let not your hearts be greeued neither feare Peace I leaue with you Bv. The Lord persisteth still in all one argument of consolation M. And hee obserueth the manner of friendes departing away who when they take theyr leaue of theyr friendes are wont to leaue somewhat with them in steade of a blessing and doe wishe them peace and health C. By the name of peace hée meaneth prosperous successe alluding to the manner of his countrie as if hée shoulde saye I leaue with you my farewell M. And very aptly he placed this worde leaue to giue his Disciples to vnderstande that hée left his peace with them after his departing Peace wished and giuen by christ to his Apostles C. But strayght after he addeth that this peace is far more excelent than that which is commonly among men who often times for an outwarde shewe and fashion onelye haue peace in theyr mouth or if they doe wishe peace from theyr hearte to any man yet notwithstanding are not able in verie déed to giue the same But Christ sheweth that his peace doth not consiste in bare wishing but that it is also Ioyned with effecte As if he should saye I haue toulde you allready that I will not leaue you comfortles and that ye shall not dwell in the earth destitute of my helpe For although I be absente in bodye yet notwithstanding I will be present with you as God deliuering you from all euells in suche wise that your enemies shall neuer be able notwithstandinge their great malisse to dawnt your courage Thus ye shal be free from feare and Godes power shall protect you which shall reueale such secret misteries to your quiet mind as other mens mindes are not able to comprehende And nowe I giue vnto you peace not simplye or the common peace but my peace And because there is great difference betwéene the peace of the worlde and the peace of Christ hée addeth by and by these wordes Not as the worlde giueth giue J vnto you For the worlde calleth that peace which the truth calleth warre as the ydle and secure lyfe in pleasures not troubled with aduersitie For many misfortunes calamities and the iust wrath of GOD also followeth this A. For when the wicked shall saye Peace Peace of this worlde and all thinges are safe then shall sodayne destruction come vpon them euen as vpon a woman trauayling with Childe 1. Thes 5.3 and they shall not escape Bv. But the
peace of Christ is benediction saluation iustification prosperitie health peace of conscience constancie in aduersitie and the spirite of the Lorde it selfe pacefying and confirming our heartes M. Herevpon the bestower of so greate a benefite Ecay 9 â—â— is called the Prince of peace And they which enioye this peace Bv. howsoeuer Sathan doth rage and the worlde sturre yet notwithstanding they shall be in saftie in the middest of the garboyle M. Of this peace the Apostle speaketh when hee sayth VVe being iustefyed by fayth Rom 5.1 Phil 4.7 haue peace with God thorowe our Lorde Iesus Christ A. And in another place The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding keepe your hearts and mindes through Iesus Christ oure Lorde This peace the worlde can neither giue nor take away Let not your hartes be greeued C. Againe he seeketh to take from them that griefe which his Disciples had conceyued of hys departure M. For it is not méete that they shoulde be greeued or feare which are consecrated to the kingdome of God and garded and protected by the highest Againe the feare of the hearâ— causeth Gods cause often times to be forsaken whereas a stoute and inuincible minde iâ— apt for the kingdome of god and constantly serueth him 28. Ye haue hearde how J sayde vnto you I go away and come againe vnto you Yf ye loued mee ye would verely reioyce because I saide I goe vnto the Father for the Father is greater than I. C. He denyeth that they haue anye cause to feare because they wanting only his corporall presence had neuerthelesse his true presence by the spirite Bv. As if Christ shoulde haue sayde Ye vnderstande that I go awaye and why I go awaye namely for your saluation and that by my death and departure I will neither forsake you nor neglect you For I will come vnto you by my resurrection shewing my selfe vnto you a liue againe And although then I shal be with you onely the space of fortye daies and shall straight after ascende into heauen yet notwithstanding I will sende from thence the holy Ghost by whome I will abyde euen in the middest of you so that ye haue no cause to feare that I will leaue you comfortelesse C. With this kinde of presence let vs learne to houlde our selues contented and let vs not follow the fleshe which alwayes tyeth God to hir externall imaginations If yee loued me ye woulde verilie reioice R. Carnall loue taketh it verye gréeuouslye that a louing friende shoulde bée taken awaye but spiritual loue is otherwise affecte C. No doubt the Disciples loued Christ but otherwise than became them For they were somewhat carnall insomuch that they coulde not abide that he shoulde be taken from them Whereas if they had loued him spiritually they woulde haue desiered nothing more than his returne to the father For the father is greater than J. C. This place hath bene diuerselye wrested The Arians to prooue Christ to be a cartaine secondarie God obiected that he was lesse than the Father The auncient Fathers to cutte of all occasion of this cauill sayde that this ought to be referred to the humaine nature But as the Arians wickedly abused thys testimonye euen so the aunswere and solution of the Fathers was neyther true nor agréeing to the purpose of Christ For Christ speaketh here neyther of his humane nature nor yet of his eternall deuinytie but according to our weake capascity he made him selfe a meane betwene vs and God And because we are not able to reache vnto the highte of God Christ descended vnto vs that he might lifte vs vp vnto the same Yee should reioyce saith he for that I retorne to the Father because this is the laste marke where vnto ye ought to tende He doth not shew in those wordes what he differeth from the Fathere but wherfore he descended vnto vs namely to vnite vs vnto God vntill we be come vnto this we stande as it werein a race We also immagine but a halfe and torne Christ except he leade vs vnto God Like vnto this is that place of Paule where he saith That Christ hath deliuered vp his kingdome to God the Father that God might be all in all Christ verily raigneth not onely in humane nature but also as he was manifested God in the flesh How then shall he leaue his kingdome Surely thus because the Diuinitye which we maye nowe behoulde only in the face of Christ shall then bée openly sene in it selfe This is onely the difference for that Paule in that place describeth the laste perfection of the deuine glory and brightnes whose beames began to shine so soone as Christe ascended into heauen But to the end this mistrie may more euidently appere we must speake yet more grosely Christ compareth not here his Fathers diuinity with his neyther doth he compare his human nature with the diuine escence of the Father but rather the present state with the heauenlye glory into the which he was shortly after to be receyuid As yf he should saye Ye desire to haue me stil in the worlde but it is better for me that I ascende into heauen B. For his purpose was to giue them to vnderstande that GOD the Father was infinitelye greater than hée that is that he should enioye with him the most excelent felycity wher as he had liued here in misery and calamitye R. For by death hée entered into the kingdome of the Father C. Therefore let vs learne so to behould Christ abaâ—ed in the flesh that he maye bring vs to the well of blessed immortality For he is not made our Captayne and guide to leade vs onely to the speare of the Moone or Sonne but to make vs one with God the Father 29. And novve haue I shewed you before it come that when it is come to passe ye might beleeue M. What sayde hée All those thinges verely which hée had spoken concerning the Comforter of the true felicitie which they shoulde haue by him and of the vnspeakeable power by which they should doe greater workes than the Lorde him selfe had done C. It was méete that the Disciples shoulde be oftetnimes admonished concerning this matter because it was a misterye farre surmounting the capacitie of men And he saith that he foresheweth what shall come to passe that when it is come to passe they might beléeue For this was a profitable confirmation of theire Faith when they should call to minde the prophesies of Christ and should sée that with their eyes fulfiled which they had harde out of his mouth before As if he should saye R. I knowe that ye do not now enioye these thinges of the which I speake B. notwithstanding I thought good to foreshewe you of those thinges which shall happen vnto you after my departure and which shall profite you muche more than my carnall presence hath done that when they shall come to passe ye maye the more firmely beléeue that I am Christ the sauioure of the world C.
corrupt the grace of God and others by sleuth choake suppresse the same and othersom by malice by these wordes he séeketh to make men carefull when he pronounceth that all they shal be cut from the vine which are vnfruitefull braunches Bv. For as the husband man doeth proyne and cut of the vnfruitful braunches euen so the heauenlye Father doth cut of and caste awaye vnfruitefull men And the fruites or clusters of Grapes hanging vppon the boughes or branches are the workes of faith of the spirite and of charitie euenas the prophet Esay and the Apostle Paul do plainly expound the same Esay 5 2 Gala 5 22 Ephe 5 9 C. But it maye be demaunded yf hee can want fruite which is ingrafted in Christe Wee aunswere Manye are thought to be in the vine by the Iudgment of men which in very déede haue no roote at all in the same Euenso in the Prophetes the Lorde calleth his people of Israell his vine which by externall profession hadde the name of the Church B. Therefore euen as tares are in the kingdome of God and corrupt fishes in the nette of the Gospell and the man wanting the wedding garmente in the Mariage of Christ euenso there ar some but in name only which are sayd to be in Christ hauing onelye an out warde shewe and not a true fayth Wherefore at the length these are cutte of and are caste into hell fyre as vnfruitefull and vnprofitable braunches R. Moreouer this sentence aunswereth that curiositye of the fleshe which is wonte vnreuerently to reason of predestination and according to the disposition thereof togather that none whome the Lorde hath elected to euerlasting life can bee dampned although he liue neuer so wickedly and in like manner that none of them whom the Lord hath appoynted to eternall fyer can be saued yea though he liue neuer so well and that therefore he will liue at his owne pleasure for sayeth he how carefully soeuer I worke the Lordes decrée cannot be altered To this Christ here aunswereth saying Euery braunche that beareth not fruite in mee hee will take away As yf he should say What hast thou to doe with the secreat predestination of God Sée thou to this that thou abyde in mée and bryng forth fruite The rest are to be committed to the dispensation and wisdome of God For although thou séeme to be predestinate to euerlasting saluation and yet notwithstanding bringest not forth fruite thou shalt be cast into the fyer as are commonly vnfruitfull braunches It is wrighten of Saule that he was elected to be in the Lordes vinyard and that hée was a good man and that a better then he was not found in Israell yet notwithstanding he was reiected euenas the Lord sayde to Samuell i King i6 Howe longe wilt thou mourne for Saule seing I haue caste him awaye from raigning ouer Israell In lyke manner the Lord sayeth Ier 2◠24 If so be Ieconias the sonne of Ioachim were the signit on my right hand I would pul him of Esay 5 7 The Tribe of Iuda also was a chosen people yet notwithstanding it was reiected And the Apostle sayeth thou whiche standest stedfast in faith bee not highe minded but feare for seeing that God spared not the naturall braunches take heede lest it come to passe Rom xi 2i that he spare not thee A. The which thinges are not therefore spoken that the faithfull might take occasion to doubte of their saluation but to the ende carnall securitie and slouth might be taken awaye from men R. For it is moste sertaine that Gods decrée can not be altered by any man For the gifts calling of God are without repētaunce because hee is not as a man which repenteth him and calleth back Rom xi 29 the sentence whiche he hath once decreed Therefore this standeth as a firme decrée that whomsoeuer God hath chosen before the foundation of the worlde Gods election abides firm Ioh i0 29 hée cannot perish for no man taketh the shéepe out of this shephéerds hand that whom soeuer he hath reiected he cannot be saued although he do all the workes of saynctes so irretractable and vnmoouable is the sentence of God Feare therefore and haue respect to the onelye hād of him that chooseth that thou mayst enioye saluation through our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ And euery branche that beareth fruit C. By these wordes hee teacheth that the faithful least they should degenerate haue néede of dayly purging proining that they can bring forth no good thing without God set to his hand For it wyl not suffice that wée were once made the children of adoption except God doe profite the course of grace in vs. He speaketh here of Purgation because our fleshe aboundeth with superfluous and hurtful vices in bringing forth of the whiche it is to fruitefull increasing and budding forth without ende except we bée purged and proyned by the hande of God R. The proyning of the Trée is not to the destruction of the same but that it might bring forth more fruite for otherwyse the same growing to high and spreading forth his braunches without pruning cleansing would ouergrow wyther and beare no fruite Purgation of the fleshe by the heauenly Phisition Euenso the fleshe in the most holye if it might haue libertye to doe what it lusteth God if it were possible shoulde bée drawne out of the diuine throane of his Maiestye Heare what the King of Babell sayeth I wyll ascende into heauen I wyll be lyke to the most high Esai 14 i3 The King of Tyre also spake the lyke I am God and I syt in Gods seate Eze. 28. ij How greatlye doeth the fleshe swell being stuffed with benefites and neuer proyned with the Crosse Therefore the Father whiche is the husbandman purgeth the branche that is to saye beateth downe and humbleth the faithfull man with the Crosse renueth his heart washeth the féete of his affections mortifyeth the reliques of the fleshe Therefore we must consider in this similitude of proyning the fruite of the Crosse For the Lorde afflicteth not to destroye but to saue euen as the husbandman proyneth the braunche not to cut of all but to purge and cleanse the same that it might bring forth fruite more plentifullye Bv. Therefore these wordes agrée with this sentence of the Lorde Hee that is washed needeth not to saue to washe his feete Ioh. i3 x but is cleane euery whit For the Saintes so soone as they are holye haue néede of farther and more ample sanctification C. Therefore when he sayth that the Vines are purged that they maye bring forth more fruite he sheweth how greatlye the godly ought to goe frreward and to profite in all Godlynesse 3. Nowe are ye cleane through the worde whiche I haue spoken vnto you M. He hauing hitherto spoken of him selfe the Vine and of his Father the husbandman and nowe consequentlye hée expoundeth the allegorye and speaketh
wordes that Christ required of his Disciples mutuall loue But othersome much better who take and vnderstande the loue of Christ actiuely For hee woulde haue vs to enioy for euer the loue wherewith hee hath loued vs and therefore hee willeth vs to take héede least wee depriue our selues of the same For many do reiect the grace offered vnto them and many cast away that which they haue in their handes So soone therefore as wee are once receiued into the grace of Christ we muste take héede leste through our owne fault we fall from the same M. He is the vine and he powreth his nature and goodnesse into the braunches so long as they abyde in the stocke that they maye be partakers of the liuelye bloud and Iuyce of the same Whoso abydeth not in hym they perishe not through his but by their owne faulte C. Notwistanding whereas some inferre vppon these wordes that there is no efficacie in the grace of God except the same be holpen by our constancie it is but vayne For we doe not graunte that the spirite doth only require of vs those thinges which are in our power but doth also shewe what ought to bée done that yf so be wée lacke strength we maye séeke for the same from him Euenas when Christ exhorteth vs here to perseuerance we must not leaue to our owne Industerye and strength but wée must pray him which commandeth that hee wyll confirme vs in his loue 10. If yee keepe my commaundementes yee shal abide in my loue euen as I haue keapt my fathers commandements and abide in his loue A. Leste any man should abuse this place we must noat that Christ sayth not yf ye kéepe my commaundements ye shall deserue my loue but ye shall abide in my loue M. For the obedience and kéeping of the commaundements of Christ is not the cause wherfore we are loued but rather the conceruation of his grace which happeneth euen to the vnworthy He did not therefore beginne to loue vs Merits are not the cause of Gods loue because we haue kept his commaundementes neyther hath he chosen vs because we deserued the same but hée hath both loued and chosen vs fréely and without al maner of desert on our part That we might abyde in this grace he requireth at our hands that we kéepe his commaundementes C. For this is the best manner of perseuerance to followe him whether he calleth vs. Rom. 8.1 For they which are in Christ walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite For these are alwayes ioyned together faith whiche apprehendeth the frée loue of Christ a good conscience and newenes of life And in déede Christ doeth not reconcile the Faithfull vnto the father that they might do what they lyst but to the ende he guiding them with his spirite might kéepe them vnder hys fathers hand and subiection Wherevppon it followeth that they doe reiect the loue of Christ which proue not them selues by true obedience to be his Disciples But it séemeth a very strayght and hard matter that the obseruation of the commaundementes of Christ shoulde bée required at our handes in the which is contayned the exacte perfection of righteousenesse which is more then we are able to doe For thereof it commeth that the loue of Christ is voyd excepte we be as pure as Aungels This maye easily bee aunswered â–ª for séeing Christ speaketh heare of a desier to leade a holy and godly life he doth not exclude that which is the principall poynt in his doctryne namely the frée imputatioÌ„ of righteousnesse whereby it commeth to passe that by acceptation and grace our workes which béeing of them selues lame impure deserue to be reiected are pleasant vnto God Therefore the faithfull are sayde to kéepe the commaundementes of Christ when they apply their whâ—ale studyes and minde to kéepe them although they come nothing neere the mark because they are loosed from that rigour of the Lawe Deu 27. â—6 Gala. 3 â— where it is sayd Cursed be euery one that continueth not in all thinges contained in this booke to fulfill them M. For whatsoeuer imperfection commeth by the infirmity of the fleshe is fréely forgeuen by the grace of the mediation of the bloud of Christ Euen as I haue kept my fathers coÌ„mandemeÌ„nts C. As wée are elected in Christ euenso in him is expressed at the full the Image of our callyng Good cause therefore hée hath to sette him selfe heare before hys Disciples for an example to be followed to the Immitation whereof al the Godly will frame them selues In mée sayeth he ye maye behoulde the verye same which he requireth of you For you sée howe truely I am addicted to the obedience of my father and in the same I will continue He in lyke manner hath not loued mée for a litle or shorte tyme but his loue towardes me abydeth for euer This conformitie of the heade and the members must we haue alwayes before our eyes not only to the ende the faithfull may séeke to conforme them selues to the example of Christ but also that they maye trust to be better reformed dayly by his spirite that they may walke in newenesse of lyfe to the end R. Therefore Christ is the only example of life the which euery one must followe if so be he desyer to liue a Christian mans life The Godly also maye be examples of life but no otherwaye than in Christ that is to say so far forth as they followe Christ Whereuppon Paule setting him selfe before others to be followed sayeth i. Cor. 4. i6 i Cor xi i Therefore I exhort you that ye be followers of mee And in another place he expoundeth him selfe sayng be ye followers of me euen as I followe Christ For suche an example whereby our life must be framed muste be perfecte in euery poynte But wee cannot haue a more perfecte example of life than in Christ for he doth not only go before vs teache vs with his voyce but also by his vertue in vs through Fayth he bringeth to passe that we may followe his example otherwise we are moste weake and vnapte to doe the leste good worke 11. These thinges haue I spoken vnto you that my ioye mighte remaine in you and that youre ioye mighte bee full A. As Christ a litle before left his peace with his Disciples putting a difference betwéene the same worldly peace euenso nowe he offereth vnto them the true and perfecte Ioye far more excelente than the Ioye of the worlde Bv. Hée speaketh not of that Ioye which he hym selfe hath in him selfe but of that whiche we conceiue of him by fayth The same springeth from the Faith which al they that are iustified by grace haue with God Therefore so often as wée heare of his fatherly loue towarde vs lette vs know that wée haue great occasion of Ioye insomuch that with quiet consciences wee may be assured of our saluation A. This Ioye the Apostle wisheth that that we may féele
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
what thing worthy of hatered did the most méeke and louing Lord Iesus commit He deliuered from destruction he deliuered from the tyranny of the Deuell he extinguished the strength of synne he broughte manking out of seruitud and bondage into the gloriouse libertie of Gods childeren he hath geuen vnto men the participation of the holy Ghost and the kingdome of heauen to be our dwellyng place Wherefore he was rather to be commended of all men than to be hated But none of these thinges could mooue them For they hated him without any cause whome they should most entirely haue loued B. That which is written in the Psalme he sayeth was written in the Lawe because by the name of Law hée vnderstood the whoale Scripture C. Also the whoale doctrine of the Prophetes was nothing else but an Appendix of the Lawe And we know that the Ministery of Moyses continued but tyll Christes tyme of the which wee haue spoken in the seuentéene verse of the eyght Chapter going before Also he calleth it theyr lawe not for honours sake but that they might be more sharplye nipt with a familiar tytle As yf he should say they haue a Law geuen vnto them as it were by birthright in the which they sée their manners liuely drawen forth vnto them M. Where we haue to noate howe the wicked by their wickednesse fulfill those thinges which are foreshewed in the holy Scriptures The Iewes knewe this place of Scripture and yet notwithstanding they were so blinded that they did not perceiue that they fulfilled the same by hating Christ yea and if any had toulde them of the same they would in no wise haue acknoweledged it 26. But when the comforter is come whome I will send vnto you from the father euen the spirite of trueth whiche proceedeth of the Father he shall testefie of mee Bv. This also pertaineth to the consolation of the sayntes in persecutions which they suffer for the confession and preaching of the trueth of the Gospell C. For after Christ hath shewed that the Apostles ought not to estéeme any whit the lesse of the Gospell because the same hath many aduersaryes euen in the Church it selfe nowe he setteth against their wicked madnesse the testimony of the Spirite As yf he should saye the worlde shall rage agaynst you to some your Doctrine shal be a iestinge stocke and othersome shall deteste and abhorre the same but there shal be no such violent motions which shall shake the strength of your fayth when the holy Ghost is geuen vnto you which shall stablishe you by his testimony Bv. For I knowe howe hard a charge it séemeth vnto you to be which I nowe committe vnto you ye your selues féele howe vnapte and vnprepared ye are to take a matter of so great waight vppon you ye feare I knowe this world armed with wisedome pollicie and with all manner of helpes and strength But I would not haue you carefull the holy Ghost shal be geuen vnto you which shall geue testimony of me in this world and that with so great power that though this world rage neuer so mightely yet it shall preuaile nothing And this verely is our onlye comfort and staye when the world is on a roare on euery syde that the trueth of God beeing sealed by the holy Ghost in oure hartes it regardeth nothing that is in the world For yf so bée it were subiect vnto the Iudgement of men our Fayth shoulde dayly bée ouerthrowen a houndered times Therfore we must diligentlye noate howe we must staye our selues in the midest of so great troubles namelye thus because we haue not receiued the spirite of this world but the spirite of God we knowe what thinges God geueth vnto vs. This only witnesse doeth mightely repell disperse and ouerthrow whatsoeuer the world extolleth to obscure and beat down the power and glory of God Whosoeuer shal be endued with this spirite they haue so litle cause to be discouraged by the hatered and contempte of this worlde that euery one of them shall be conquerers and ouercommers of the same A. For this is the victory which ouercōmeth the world 1. Ioh. 5.4 euen our fayth In the meane time wée must beware that we do not depend vpon men For so soon as Fayth beginneth so to wander yea so soone as the same beginneth to goe forth of the sanctuary of God it must needes be miserably tossed Therefore it muste bee reuoked and brought to the inward and secret working of the spirite which the faithfull knowe to be geuen them from heauen And the spirit is sayd to testify of Christ because it retayneth and kéepeth the same fayth in him aloan that we might not séeke any part of our saluation in any other Moreouer he calleth the holy Ghost the comforter that is to saye our Instructor our aduocate and patrone that we bearing our selues bould vppon his defēce should neuer feare For Christ went about by this title to confirme and strengthen our fayth lest it should quail in temptations whom J will sēd vnto you C. He sayeth that he will sende his spirit from his Father and that the same shal procéede from the Father to make the same of more authority For the tstimony of the spirite could not suffice against so many strong assaults except we were perswaded that the same proceeded frō god Therefore it is Christ which sendeth his spirite but out from the heauenly glory to the ende we might know that the same is not a humaine gifte but the assured pledge of Gods grace But wheras in this place it is called the spirite of trueth it is to be applyed to the present circumstance For we must vnder stande an Antithesys or comparison for because without this witnesse men are diuersly caryed thys way and that way and knowe not where safely to rest but wheresoeuer he speaketh there hée deliuereth mens mindes from all doubting and feare of erroure A. Wherevpon the Apostle sayth It is God which stablisheth vs with you in Christ and hath anoynted vs which hath also sealed vs 2. Cor. i. 2i and hath geuen the earnest of the spirite into our heartes B. This spirit worketh all righteousnesse and truth in the sayntes it gloryfyeth Christ makinge them bould to confesse hym to be the only sauioure yt teacheth all thinges and maketh all those thinges which Christe hath spoken to be vnderstoode to bee shorte it leadeth into all trueth and therefore it is properly called the spirite of trueth 27. And yee shall beare wittenesse also because ye haue been with me from the beginning C. The meaning of Christe in these wordes is not that the testimony of the spirite is such that the Apostles shoulde haue the same priuately and aloane but that he would by them spread the same farther because they should be the Instrumentes of the spirite euenas he had spoken by their mouth As if Chryste shoulde haue sayde Bv. When I saye that the spirite shall beare witnesse of mee I
that comforter will not come vnto you But if I departe I will sende him vnto you B. He bringeth them from the consideration of his departure to thinke of his instante kingdome M. to the ende they considering the profite which they shall haue by his departure might put awaye all sorrowe and heauinesse of hearte C. Therefore hée testifieth that his absence shall be profitable that they myght cease to desire to haue him present before their eyes and he vseth the forme of an oath For because wée are carnall thereis nothing more hard than to plucke this preposterous affection out of our mindes by which we pull Christ out of heauen vnto vs. And hée sayde that this was profitable for them because they coulde not be endued with the holye Ghost except hée forsake the worlde For this presence of Christ is more profitable and to be desyered of vs by whiche hée offereth himselfe vnto vs by the grace and power of hys spirite than if hee were present before our eyes M. Also let vs noate that hée sayth not It is good for mée that I goe awaye but It is good for you Let vs well remember this sayinge of Christ For it is proper vnto him to doe all thinges for vs and for our profite and nothing for himselfe The voyce of Caiphas that false high Prieste was far otherwise Ioh xi xâ— For he sayde according to his owne faction It is good for vs that one man dye for the people On the contrarye parte the voyce of Christ is It is good for you So the Apostle sayde Phil i 27 I am in a straight betwixt two hauing a desire to be loosed and to be with Christ which is much farre better Neuerthelesse to abidein the flesh is more needefull for you Séeing therefore Christ the Sonne of God was so carefull for oure profite let no man hereafter séeke that which is hys owne i Cor i0 24 but euerye man anothers welth M Therefore Christ ascended to his Father for our profite euen as for our profite hée descended from heauen For hée is entered into the verye heauens to appeare now in the sight of god for vs. Heb 9 24 But hée being in earth Math 3. i6 coulde hée not sende hys spirite the which as wée know came and rested vpon hym when he was baptised and which was neuer seperate from him Wée answere C. Christ taketh this as graunted vnto him that what soeuer the father hath decréed shall stand And verely when the Lorde hath once shewed what he will haue done it is but foolishnesse to dispute about the possibilitye Therefore let it content vs to knowe that Christ departing corporallye not onely the holy Ghost but also the Father and the sonne are spirituallye present with the faythfull R. For Christ hadde preached much of his kingdome of lyfe and of righteousnes but so long as he was present in bodye the Apostles looked for nothing that was in him but that which was carnall as for a carnall kingdome corporall lyfe and for externall righteousnesse But after he was risen againe and ascended into the heauens it was manifested by the reuelation of the spirite that the kingdome of Christ is not corporall nor his life carnall i. Pet 2.25 but that his kingdome and life are spirituall that is deuine and euerlasting A. For hée is the true Shepherde and Bishoppe of our soules 8 And when he is come he will rebuke the worlde of sinne and of righteousnes and of iudgment C. Omitting the varietie of expositions which the obscurenes of this place hath occasioned wée will dilygently and brefely declare the meaninge of Christe in these wordes Hée had promised his spirite vnto his Disciples and now hée commendeth the excelencie of the gyfte by the effecte because this spirite shall not onely gouerne sustayne and defend them alone but shall also more largely shed foorth his power and efficacye He will rebuke the worlde of sinne That is to saye he will not remaine shut vp in you but his power shall shew foorth it selfe in you to the whole worlde Therefore he promiseth vnto them his spirite which shall be the Iudge of the worlde and by which theire preachinge shal be so liuely and effectuall that it shall rule and subdue those which before by vnbrideled libertie wente at randam without feare or awe But wée must noate that Christ speaketh not here of secrete reuelations but of the power of the spirite which appeareth in the externall doctrine of the Gospell and in the outwarde voyce of man For wherof commeth it that the voice of a man shoulde pearce and enter into mens mindes take roote there and fructefie making of stoanye heartes fleshie hartes and renewing men 2 Cor 3 6 but onelye because the spirite of Christ quickeneth the same Otherwise it should be a â—ead letter and a vaine sounde euen as Paull plainly teacheth when he calleth himself the Minister of the Spirite because God wrought mightely in his doctrine The sence meaning therefore is that when the Apostles shoulde bée indewed with the spirite they should also be armed with heauenly and deuine power wherby they should haue iurisdiction and Rule ouer the whole worlde But this is rather attributed to the spirit than to them because they shall haue nothing of theire owne power being only ministers and instrumentes but the spirit oenely shall rule in them Vnder this name world he cemprehendeth as well those which should be truly conuerted vnto Christe as hipocrites and reprobates For the spirite rebuketh men by to wayes in the preaching of the Gospell For some are seriously touched insomuch that they humble them selues of their owne accorde and do willingly yelde them selues vnto the Iudgemente by which they are condemned Other some althouge they cannot cléere them selues yet notwithstandinge they do not yéelde with their whole harte nether submit them selues to the power and rule of the holy Ghoste but being rather constrained do fret and fâ—me inwardely and being conuinced and confounded do not cease notwithstanding to be obstinate To rebuke in this place signifieth to conuince As if hée should say he shall make manyfest that the wrath of God is reueled from heauen against all fleshe againste all mortall men who although for the moste parte they fayned and counterfeyted godlines haue helde notwithstanding the truth of GOD reuealed vnto them in all impietye and vnrighteousnes as sayth the Apostle C. And the saying of Saint Paule in his fourtéene Chapter of his Epistell to the Corinthians serueth greatly to the vnderstanding of this place where hée speaketh of a lyuely kind of rebukeing as when God bringeth his electe by the preaching of the Gospell to repentance In fine we haue here described vnto vs in Christ the singuler excelency of the holy Ghost because God by his meanes wyll erecte his tribunall seat to iudge the whole world 9. Of sinne because they beleeue not on mee C. He sayeth that the
iudgement of the Spirite doth begin at the demonstration of sinne For this is the begininge of spirituall doctrine that men are borne in sinne that they haue nothinge in them selues but the cause of sinne As yf he should saye The Spirit when he commeth shall shewe and conuince that sinne raigneth in the world withoute mee Wherfore infidelytie is here named because it doth seperate vs from Christ and so bringeth to passe that ther is nothing left in vs but sinne To be short in these wordes is condemned the corruption of humane nature least we should thinke that we haue any drop of perfection in vs without Christ M. Therfore we see here that it is expressed by a manyfest sentence that not to beleue in Christe is sinne For it is the commaundement of God that wée beleue in his sonne 10. Of righteousenes be cause I goe to my Father and ye shall se me no more C. We muste noate here the order of degrées which Christe vttereth Nowe he saith that the world shall be rebuked of 〈◊〉 righteousnes for men do not hoongar and thirste after righteousnesse nay they disdaynfully reiecte what so euer is spoken of the same excepte they be touched with the féeling of sin Specially we must thus iudge of the Faithful that they cannot profite in the Gospell except they be first humbled the whiche cannot be without the knowing of their sinnes It is the proper Office of the Law to call mens Consciences to the Iudgment of God and to wounde them with feare but the Gospell cannot be rightly preached but it muste bring from sin to righteousenes and from death to lyfe Therfore it is necessarye that it borrow from the Lawe this firste parte of the whiche Christe speaketh here Moreouer by righteousenesse in this place Christ vnderstandeth that righteousnes which is geuen to vs by his grace Christ sayth that he geueth not this without his fathers consent that not without cause For as he rose agayne for our iustification so now he sitteth at the right hande of the Father that he mighte vse that power which is geuen to him and might so fulfill al thinges In fine he neuer sendeth from his heauenly glory the odore of his righteousenesse vnto the worlde but the Spirite pronounceth by the Gospell that this is one way by whiche we are counted iuste Therefore this seconde degrée of the coniunction of sinne that the Spirite might plainly proue and shewe vnto the worlde what true righteousenesse is namely that Christe by his assencion into Heauen hath appoynted the kingdome of lyfe and now sitteth at the right hand of the Father that he may stablish true righteousnes A. Therefore there is no other waye to obtayne true righteousnesse than to imbrace the Gospell with true Faith For he which trulye beléeueth is trulye iustified 11. Of Iudgement because the prince of this worlde is iudged already C. Iudgement in this place signifieth right and equitie as in diuers other places of the Scripture also and it is the contrary to that which is disordered dispersed cōfounded This therfore is the sence That Sathan so longe as he hath rule doth mix disorder and trouble all thinges that there might be a foule and deformed order of the workes of God but when he is put from his tyranny by Christ that then the worlde is repayred and good order beginneth to appere Thus the Spirite rebuketh and conuinceth the world of Iudgement That is to say Christ hauing ouercome the Prince of Iniquitie restoreth into good order those thinges whiche before were confounded and out of frame M. Sathan therefore was ouercome by the comming of the sone of God as by the more mightie but that is then knowne when by the power of the spirite the kingdome of Christ shineth in the harts of mortall men A. Concerning the which reade in the twelfth Chapter goyng before and the xxxi verse 12. I haue yet manie things to say vnto you but ye cannot beare them away now 13. Howbeit when he is come which is the spirite of truthe hee will leade you into al truth He shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer he shall heare that he shall speake and he will shew you thinges to come M. It appeareth that the Lord among all other consolations proposed this before his Disciples as chiefe and that hee afterwarde doubled the same because they should receyue the holy Ghost to be their teacher comforter and Aduocate by whom they should be led and gouerned in all thinges By this promise he incourageth them to reueale the sorrow and heauinesse of their hart by which it came to passe that they coulde not well vnderstande those thinges which were spoken C. And because there was no other stay but doctrine vppon whiche they might reste he geueth them to vnderstande that he hath tempered the same according to their capasitie As if hee should say Yf that be not sufficient to stablishe and staye you whiche ye haue heard of mee staye a while For heareafter you being taught by the instruction of the Spirit shall want nothing he shall profite and finish that in you which is as yet but newly begon M. Here the Ministers of the worde haue an example to folow namely that they them selues might haue a consideration of the weaknes of others whom they take in hand to instructe either in Doctrine or in Dissiplyne and to burthen them with no more than they ca◠presently beare For there are sertayne increments and measures of the giftes of Christ in the minds of the faithful insomuch the all men are not capeable of al thinges Yf so be ye should by and by at the fyrste chopexpounde vnto a Iewe newlye instructed the misterye of the holy Trinitie according to the fulnesse of our Faith neither his vnderstanding can conceiue it nor his memory carye it away C. Now it may be demaunded what thinges those were whiche the Apostels as yet were not apt to learne The Papistes to thruste in their owne inuentions in steade of deuine Oracles do wickedly abuse this place Christe say they promised new reuelations vnto his apostles Therefore we must not content our selues with the Scriptures only aboue the which Christe called his Disciples But séeing Christe houldeth his peace which of vs can say either those be they or those be they Or if he dare presume to say so how wyll hee proue it Who is so vaine or rashe who although hee spake these thinges which are true will afirme without any deuine testymony that they are those thinges which the Lorde woulde not they speake C. Moreouer the Spirite is called the perfecte scolmaster of trueth which Christ promised vnto his Apostles But to what end promised he the same but onely that they might deliuere the same wisdome which they had receiued from him That spirite is geuen the which beinge their guid and directour they discharged the office committed vnto them The same spirite had led them into all truethe when
they did put the summe of theire doctrine in writinge To this doctrine whosoeuer thinketh that somewhat must be added as though the same were lame and vnperfect he doth not onely accuse the Apostels of fallse dealyng but also it is blasphemuse agaynst the spirite Yf so be the doctrine the which they haue put in writing came as yet from yong instructed scholler and nouices yet were it not a vaine and superfluose adition but nowe seing their writinges be as it were prepetunall to the Reuelation of the spirite which was promised and performed vnto them their can nothing be added vnto the same without great iniury done vnto the spirite But when we come to the matter it selfe the Papistes are very vayne ridiculouse For they define and afirme that those secretes with the Apostles were not able to conceiue and comprehende were but childishe and trifeling ioyes then the which there can be nothing more vaine and foolish They woulde haue forsooth the holy Ghost to descend from heauen to teach the Apostles how to consecrate their chalices with their altares how to baptize belles and to make holy water and how to selebrat masses But how do fooles and children learne which haue all these thinges at their fingers endes very perfecte M These are Iolly fellowes which place the Instruction and reuelation of the holy ghost in the Church after the Gospel as though those thinges alone which Christ taught in the flesh and which the disciples could conceiue pertayned to the Gospell and that those thinges which the holy ghoste taught after the departure of Christ which the Apostles coulde not conceyue and carrye before they had receyued the holy Ghost are these notable and erce lent ceremonyes of dayes of meales of garmentes and such lyke B. For they contend affirme that these many thinges which Christ saith his Apostles coulde not beare as yet are to be vnderstoode to be those ceremonies whiche haue crept into the Churche and whiche are very gainefull vnto them But what can be more foolishlye spoken R. For séeing those ceremonies doe sauour more of the fleshe than they doe of the spirite how coulde it be that they shoulde be reuealed by the spirite when the spirite and the fleshe are contrarye one to the other Let vs therefore except we will bée vnthankefull vnto GOD staye oure selues and be contented with that doctrine of the whiche the Apostles are authours as the Scripture doth testify seeing the full perfection of heauenlye wisdome is contayned in them whiche maye make the man of God perfect Beyond the same we think it not méete for any man to passe For in this consisteth high breadth and depth to knowe the loue of God which is offered to vs in Christ Ephe 3 28 This knowledge is aboue all other knoweledg as sayeth the Apostle Paul And when he sayeth that all the treasurs of wisedome and knowledge are hidden in Christ Gala. 3 i. he doth not Immagin any vnknowen Christ but such a one as by hys preaching he hath liuely depainted that we maye behold him euenas it were before our eies crucâ—fied But lest any doubt or Ambiguity should remaine Christ hym selfe afterwarde expoundeth his owne wordes shewing what thinges those were which the Apostles could not then beare and with all declareth what the office of the holy Ghost is saying He shall not speak of him selfe but whatsoeuer hee shall heare C. Many restrayne this vnto the spirit of prophesy A. For there wanted not in the Apostles tyme Acts xi 28 some whiche forshewed thinges to come as we may reade of Agabus Acts. xxi xâ— who prophesyed of the famine to come in the Emperoure Claudius dayes and what should happen to Paule at Hierusalem he forshewed to the Bretheren also the Apostles them selues by the reuelation of the spirit prophesyed of many thinges concerning Antichrist and his members Act xx xxix all which thinges are most true i. Tim. 4 i 2 Tim. 3 19 2. Pet 2. i Iude. i 4 C. Howebeit Christ in this place séemeth rather to speake of the state of his spirituall kingdome which the Apostles sawe strayght after his resurrection but yet could not by anye meanes comprehende the same The treasures of this secret wisdome Paule expoundeth in his firste Chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesyans When Christ sayeth that the spirite shall not speake of him self he confyrmeth that which went before He shall leade you into all trueth He meaneth therefore that whatsoeuer the spirit bringeth procéedeth from God Notwithstanding the Maiesty of the spirite is nothing deminished by these wordes as though eyther he were not God or else weare inferioure to the father but they are spoken to the capascity of our mynd For because of the vayle which is before our eyes we do not sufficiently perceyue with howe great Reuerence we ought to receyue those thinges which the spirit reuealeth vnto vs therefore mencion of the Diuinity is made Euen as in another place it is called the earnest by which God hath established our saluation and the seale Ephe. i. i3 by which he sealeth the sertaynty of the same vnto vs. To conclude the purpose of Christ was to teach that the doctrine of the spirite was not of this world Iohn 17. but that it came out of the heauenly sanctuary euenas Christ often times testifieth of his doctrine 14. Hee shall glorifie me for hee shall receiue of mine and shall shewe vnto you C. Nowe Christ sheweth that there shall not come a spirite which shall erect and set vp a newe kingdome but whiche shall rather establish the glory geuen to him of the Father M. Notwithstanding he speaketh not this for the affection of his owne glory but vppon a desyer to pacifye and quiet the mindes of hys Discipls lest they should think that they should so receiue another comforter that they shoulde be seperated deuided from him as though by them he shoulde deale in another mans cause and not in his owne the which they tooke very greuouslye for the loue which they bare vnto hym C. Many dreame that Christ had onely taught hys Disciples the fyrste Principles and afterwardes deliuered vnto them more profounde matters Thus they make noe more accounte of the Gospell than they doe of the lawe the which is sayd to haue bene the Schoolemayster of the Iewes vnto Christ After this error there followeth an other no lesse intollerable as that Christ hauing nowe taken his leaue Gala. 3 24 and béeing entered into hys kingdome had nothing to do and had appoynted the holye Ghost to be in his place From this ground the sacriledge of Popery and of Mahometisme hath come For although these Antichristes are much vnlyke one to the other in many thinges yet notwithstanding they haue all one beginning For they saye that by the Gospell we are entered into the right fayth but yet that we must séeke for the perfection of doctrne from another As though Christ
third day he wyll rayse vs vp and we shall liue in his sight C. Therefore because the Crosse of Christ hath alway included in it victory Christ doth very aptly compare the sorrow whiche is conceiued thereby to the sorrowe of a Woman traueilinge with childe Rom. ◠2 which sorrow is tourned to ioye by the reward of a Childe But because this is the state and condition of al creatures to trauaile and groane vntyll the last day of redemption let vs know that we must sighe and groane also vntyll such times as we being deliuered out of the continuall miseries of this present lyfe do plainly see the fruite of our faith For the faithful are lyke vnto a woman whiche hath brought foorth a Childe in that they are borne againe in Christ and are already entered into the celestiall kingdome of God and euerlasting lyfe but they are like vnto great bellyed and traueilyng Women in that as yet they are captiues in the prison of the fleshe wayting for that happy state whiche lyeth hid from their eyes When he saith that he will sée his Disciples againe he meaneth when he shall returne to visite them with grace of his Spirite that they may haue the sight of him for euer R. For christ séeth vs when he sendeth his holy Spirite by which as by a Seale he sealeth and confirmeth our harts that we may haue the ioye of the Spirite for euer euen as he addeth saying And your ioye shall no man take from you This perpetuity and euerlastinge continuance doth make the ioye more precious For herevppon it followeth that those sorrowes are lighte 2 Cor 4 i7 and patiently to be suffered whiche are momentany Also by these wordes Christe sheweth what is true ioye Ioyes of the vvorlde are transitorye It muste néedes be that the ioyes of the world are transitory and sodenlye vanishinge away for that they consist in corcuptible and momentanie thinges Therefore we muste come vnto the resurrection of Christ in the which there is eternall stabillitie and continuance Ioy euerlasting is Iesus Because therfore Christ himselfe is the ioye of the godly it is saide to be euerlasting For Christe dyeth no more Rom. 6.9 death hath no more power ouer him Therfore the faithfull neuer want true matter of ioy M wherfore that is not true sorrow which is tourned into euerlasting ioy neither is that true ioy which is conuerted into sorrow which shal neuer haue an endde The wicked then are moste vnhappye and miserable which ioye in this world and shall afterward sorrow weepe and lament for euer and contrariwise most blessed and happy are the children of god whiche mourne wéepe and lament in this life but in the life to come shal ioye for euer And that which christ saith here that there ioye shal be perpetuall agréeeth with that he sayd before 23. And in that daye shal ye ask me no question verely verely I saye vnto you whatsoeuer ye shal aske the father in my name hee wyll geue it you C. After that Christ had promysed ioye vnto his Disciples which shoulde come of inuincible fortitude and constancye now he promiseth vnto them another grace of the Spirite that is to say suche light of vnderstandyng as by the same they should reach vnto heauenly mysteries At this time when Christe talked with them there was such great dulnes in them that euery scruple caused them to stay an◠to doubt For as children whiche learne but their Primer cannot reade on verse through without stops and staies euen so in euery word of Christ almost there was one offence or other whiche made the Disciples to staye but within awhile after being illuminated by the holy Ghoste they had no more stayes and lettes but were famylierly acquainted with the wisedome of God insomuche that they wente forwarde withoute stoombling through the secret misteries of God M Moreouer there are some who by that daye of the which Christ maketh mencion here vnderstand that time whiche passed betwéene the day of his resurection and his assention into heauen Othersome more truly extend the same vnto the ende f the worlde from that time in the which the holy Ghoste was sent vnto the Apostles For the Apostls differing nothing from children naye being more lyke vnto blockes then men how sodenlye they were chaunged by the instruction of the Spirite of God we may playnly sée in the Actes of the Apostles Act 2 i7 Therfore whereas he denieth that they shall aske any thinge he hath this meaning Ioel ◠8 R. In that day in the which I wil send vnto you the holy Ghoste all these thinges shall be reuealed vnto you of the which I haue tould you C. Not because the Apostles did cease euen when they were moste wise to demaunde at the mouth of Christe but there is onely here a comparison of a double state as if Christ should say that their rudenes should be corected in such wise that they which dyd stut and stammer in euery small thing should easely attaine to all perfection To this agréeth the saying of Hieremy And they shal teach no more euery man his neighbore saying Know the Lorde for they shal all know me from the least of them vnto the greatest He doth not take away prophesie neyther doth he abolish that doctrine which ought to florish in the kingdome of christ but he rather denieth that groase ignoraunce shall take place when all men are taught of God the which ignoraunce possesseth the mindes of men vntyll such time as Christ the sone of righteousnes illuminateth them by the bright beames of his Spirite Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father A. For the exposition of this place read the 13. and 14. verses of the 14. Chapter goyng before 24. Hitherto haue yee asked nothing in my name aske and ye shal receiue that your ioye may be full A. This séemeth at the firste fight very absurde that the Apostles asked nothing before that time in the name of Christ when as Luke maketh mencion that they desired Christ to teach them a for◠of prayer Teach vs say they to pray a Iohn taught his Disciples Agayne it is not lyke that they were so long conuersaunt with Christ but that they obserued that rule and forme of prayer which the lawe prescribed Beside this it is very probable that they vsed to pray though for temporal things onely seeing Christ taught them first to séeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse therof The which they performed afterwarde as may appeare by this their petition Lorde encrease our faith But Christe by these wordes sought to bring his Disciples to the knowledge of the true mediator C. For he had allredy sufficiētly declared him selfe vnto them to be the very same mediatour but their knowledge was so obscure that they could not as yet frame their prayers aright in his name And it is no absurditie to saye that they prayed vnto God vpon trust of the
sayth that he retourneth vnto the Father that they myght certainelye beléeue that by his departure they shoulde loose none of those benifites which hee hath brought because he sheddeth and powreth out of his heauenly glorye the power and efect of his death and resurrection Therefore he left the worlde when he putting of our infirmities was receyued vp into heauen but yet notwithstanding we are made pertakers of his grace because hée sitteth at the right hande of his Father and gouerneth the whoale worlde 29. His Disciples sayde vnto him Loe novve taulkest thou plainely and speakest no prouerbe 30. Novv are vvee sure that thou knovvest all thiÌ„gs nedest not that any man should aske thee any question â–ª therefore beleeue wee that thou camest from God M. The disciples because they did not as yet suffitiently knowe them selues boaste in these wordes that they knowe more then in very dede they knew The lorde had sayde These thinges haue I spoken to you by prouerbes the time will come when I shall no more speake vnto you by prouerbes but I shall shew you plainly of my fathere The Discipls contrary wise saye Lo now talkest thou playnly and speakest no prouerbe They thought that they vnderstode all thinges and that ther was no prouerbiall obscuritiy in the wordes of Christ B. But when the Lorde had at large declared his greate loue towardes them they also in like manner began to burne in loue towardes him they thought that they conceyued much and they perswaded them selues of more than they coulde eyther conceiue or do R. Therefore it was an opinion and not knowledge presumption and not Fayth in that they confesse nowe that they playnely vnderstande the wordes of Christ For they vnderstande not as yet what this meaneth that hée wente to the Father for to vnderstande this they needed the reuealing spirite C. In that therefore they exclayme nowe that theyr Mayster speaketh playnelye and without figure they go to farre yet notwithstanding they speake as it was in deede and which also wée finde true at this daye For hée which hath tasted but a little of the doctrine of the Gospell is more zealous and hath more féeling of Fayth than if hee knewe and well vnderstoode all Plato Yea the sighes which the Spirite of GOD stirreth vp in the heartes of the Godly are manifest testimonies that God doth worke by a secrete meanes aboue theyr capassitie For otherwise Pauele woulde not haue called them groaninges which cannot bee expressed So that wée must thinke that the Apostles felt some profite in suche wise that they might trulye saye Rom 8 26 that the wordes of Christe were not altogeather prouerbiall but they were deceyued in this in that they séemed vnto themselues to know more than they dyd But hereof came the error that they knew not what the gifte of the Spirite shoulde be They triumph therefore before the time euen as if a man shoulde thinke him selfe verye rytche hauing but one péece of goulde in his pursse They gather by sertaine signes that Christ procéeded from GOD and they glorye as though there were nothing wanting But as yet they were farre from that knowledge so long as they knâ—we not what Christ shoulde be vnto them afterwarde A. Also they playnely ynough declare theyr dulnesse in knowing Christ by this that they saye Now are wee sure that thou knowest all thinges as though now and neuer before they ought to knowe that Christ knowe all thinges and hereby to beleeue that hée came out from God M. To what ende then had they séene so many and so greate myracles Of the which notwithstanding Nicodemus saide VVee know that thou art come a teacher from God Iohn 3 2 For no man can do the signes which thou doest except god were with him Iohn 6 69 Furthermore yf so be they did not beleue vntill now that he came from God what ment they to say before we beleue and knowe that thou art Christ the sonne of the lyueing God Thus we sée that faith in the knowledge of Christ was often times so weake in the Apostles that euer now and than they néeded confirmation They beleeued before that he came from God into this worlde but that faith and knowledge had as yet muche obscuritie weakenes whervpon it came to passe that so soone as they receyued anye light and confirmation by and by they thouht that they did truely and certainly know and beléeue although as yet when they spake these thinges their knowledg was obscure and their faith weake ynough the which that which followeth doeth testefye 31. Iesus aunswered them doe yee nowe beleeue 32. Beholde the hower draweth nye and is alreadye come that yee shall bee scattered euerye manne to his owne and shall leaue mee aloane and yet am I not aloane â–ª for the father is wyth mee M. Christ speaketh not this to caste in their téeth their slownesse to beléeue because at the laste they did but beginne to beleeue after they had séene so many myracles but rather to forwarne them and put them in mynde of the temtation to come C. For because they stoode to much in theyr owne conceit Christ putteth them in mynde of their owne infirmitie to the ende they mighte kéepe them selues within their compasse We neuer know well what we lack and howe farre we are from the fulnesse of fayth vntill we come to some seriouse tryall for then proofe maketh plaine howe weake our fayth is which we thought to be perfect and strong Of this Christ putteth his Disciples in mynde and pronounceth that it wyll shortly come to passe that they shal forsake him And this interrogation of Christ is Ironicall as yf he hadde sayd Do ye thus boast as though ye were strong in fayth A tryal is at hand wich will plainlye shewe your imbecillitie For persecution is like a touchstoane to prooue fayth a little whereof when it apeareth maketh them to feare and to stoupe which before weare to lofty M. Therefore there are heare two thinges to be consydered the one is that it ought not to séeme straunge yf there be some which in tyme of peace beléeue and when persecution commeth goe backward séeing the very same hapened to the Apostles The other is that wée oughte to be put in minde of this Infirmitie while as yet we beléeue that wée may think wiihin our selues nowe wée beleeue but when aduersite commeth what wyll we then doe This forwarning will bring to passe not only that we shall be wary and circomspect but also modest and perpetually depending vppon the grace of Christ Mannes minde is vnstable Mans mynde is vnstaple and chaungeable according to the tyme and state insomuch that the mindes and manners of the most parte are according to the tyme. Hobeit I am not aloan C. This correction was added to the ende we maye knowe that nothing is derogated from Christe when he is forsaken of men For séeing in him selfe his power and glory is
as the Gentiles which beléeue in him without whome there is no saluation Actes 4 12. C. Here hée added two Epithetes or tytles as the true and onelye because fyrst it is necessarye that fayth doe discerne God from the vayne imaginations of menne and imbracing him with fyrme assuraunce shoulde neuer fayle or swarue secondlye that menne myght iudge nothing to bée lame or vnperfect in God and hée might content them selues with him aloane This therefore is the meaning That they may acknowledge thée for the true God But by this meanes he séemeth to depriue him selfe of the ryght and name of the deuinitye Yf any man replye and saye Obiection that the name of GOD belongeth as well vnto Christe as to the Father then the same question shal be moued concerning the holye ghost For if so bée the Father onelye and the Sonne bée one GOD than the holye Ghost is put out of his degrée the whiche is no lesse absurde The aunswere herevnto is easelye made Aunsvvere If a man marke and consider well the manner of speache whiche Christe vseth in dyuers places of the Gospell of Saint Iohn of the whiche the Readers haue béene so often admonished alreadye that they cannot forget it Christ appearing in the forme of a man placeth the power essence and maiestye of GOD vnder the person of his Father Therefore there is but one true God the Father of Christ That is to saye that GOD which promised vnto the worlde long a goe a redéemer is one But in Christ wée shall fynde boath the vnitye and veritye of the dietye because Christ was therefore abased that hée might exalt vs. When we are come thus farre than his diuine Maiestie sheweth it selfe then is hée whollye knowne in the Father and the Father whollye in him In fine he which seperateth Christ from the diuinitye of the Father as doe the Iewes Turkes and Arrians he as yet knoweth not which is the onely true God but doeth rather deuise vnto him selfe a straunge God C. Therefore we are commaunded to knowe God and Christ whome he hath sent by whome as by his stretched out hand he draweth vs vnto him R. Also this place verye well agréeth with that where it is sayde I am the resurrection and the lyfe he that beleeueth on mee Ioh. ii â—5 though he were dead yet shall he lyue and whosoeuer lyueth and beleeueth in mee shall not dye for euer For fayth in Christ is the true knowledge of God Wherefore fayth is eternall lyfe because it possesseth Christ which is righteousnesse saluation and lyfe M. For this is the true God and eternall lyfe Iohn 5.20 C. But whereas it séemeth vnto some vniust that menne shoulde perishe for the ignoraunce of God onelye it commeth hereof Psal 36.9 because they doe not waye and consider that the well of lyfe is in the power of God onelye and that all they which haue forsaken him are depriued of lyfe Ephe. 4.18 Nowe séeing men come not vnto GOD but by faith infidelitye must of necessitye kéepe vs in death If anye man obiect and say Heb 11 6 that such as are iust otherwise and innocentes shall haue iniurye if they bée demaunded which want knowledge we may readilye aunswere that there is nothing ryght and sincere in menne so long as they abyde in theyr corrupt nature Gen 8 2i For the thought of mannes heart is euell euen from his childhoode Colloss 3 i0 but we are renewed as Paul testifyeth after the Image of GOD through knowledge 4. I haue glorifyed thee on the earth I haue fynished the worke vvhiche thou gauest me to doe M. Nowe hee speaketh of that by which he aduaunced the glorye of his fathers name boath by doctrine and by signes all the race of his dispensation ascribinge vnto him continuallye all thinges both him selfe and his doctrine and also the powers of his Miracles C. Yea in these wordes he comprehendeth al the partes of his Ministery meaning that hée hath finished all the whoale course of his calling for then was the due and full time when hée shoulde bée receyued vp into heauenlye glory For although the speciall parte was yet behinde namely the sacryfice of his death by whiche he made satisfaction for the sinnes of all men yet notwithstanding because the houre of death was nowe at hande he speaketh euen as if he had already suffered the same When he sayth I haue finished the worke which thou gauest me to he teacheth that the obedience by whiche God is gloryfied is not exercised in those workes which we in our owne lyking choose to bée good but in those workes which God committeth to euerye one to finishe Here let the Bishoppes and other Pastours take héede howe they depart out of this life whether they also can saye Wée haue gloryfied thée O Lorde vppon earth we haue finished the worke whiche thou gauest vs to doe C. This therefore is the summe of Christes wordes that he is set of the Father in the possession of his kingdom because hée hauing ended his race there wanted nothing more for him to do but onely to bring forth the fruite and effect by the power of the spirite of all those thinges which hee had done in the earth by the commaundement of his Father according to this saying of Paule Hee made him selfe of no reputacion takinge on him the forme of a seruaunt he humbled him selfe and became obedient to the death euen to the death of the crosse Phil 2.8 wherefore God hath exalted him and geuen him a name whiche is aboue euerye name 5. And now glorifie thou mee O Father with thine owne selfe with the glorie which I had with thee or euer the vvorlde vvas C. He now wisheth to be glorified with the Father not that the Father shoulde glorifie him within without witnesse but to the ende he being gloriouse receyued into heauen maye there declare his might and power that euery knée boath in heauen in earth and vnder the earth maye bowe Rom 6 i0 Therefore these wordes wyth thine owne selfe are compared with terrestriall and transitorye glory euen as the Apostle Paule when he saith that hée is once deade vnto sinne but now alyue vnto God expresseth the blessed immortalytye afterwarde hée declareth that hée desireth no borrowed or transitorye glorye but onelye that hée maye appeare to be suche a one in the fleshe as he was before the worlde was made or to speake more plainelye that the deuine maiestie which he alway had might nowe shine in the personne of the Mediatour and in the fleshe of manne which he had taken vpon him A. This place serueth greatlye to the confutation of the Arrians For although hee speake of the glorification of a man in the forme of a seruaunt yet notwithstanding the same Christ as hée is the worde of God which was in the beginning wyth God and God coescentiall with the Father and coequall in glorie had hys
he addeth another cause why he prayed so earnestly for hys Disciples bicause shortly they should be destitute of his corporall presence by enioying the whiche they were as yet cherefull So long as he was conuersaunt with them he gathered them and nourished them euen as a Henne doth hir Chickens vnder his winges and nowe gooing away he desireth of the Father to protect and defende them the whiche he dothe in respect of them For he séeketh to remedie their feare that they mighte staye themselues vpon God him selfe to whome he nowe deliuered them as it were from hande to hande M. Therefore nowe we see howe the moste faythfull and louyng Lorde was not so desirous to go vnto the Father that he regarded not the condition of his Disciples but carefully considereth in what state to leaue them after his departure Héereof commeth no small consolation when wee heare that the Lorde is the more carefull for the saluation of hys when he leaueth them according to hys Corporall presence For heereof wee maye gather that we also at thys day labouring in the world are regarded of hym in so muche that hee sendeth helpe vnto vs when wee are in trouble euen from hys heauenly glory Holy Eather kepe thorough thy owne name M. Hee knewe that they shoulde be subiect to many daungers in this world and therefore hee prayeth that they maye be preserued by hys Fathers prouidence C. For all hys prayer tendeth too that ende least hys Disciples shoulde bée discouraged as though their Corporall state shoulde bee the woorse by the misse of the Corporall presence of their Maister As if he should say My Apostles shall abyde persecution of the worlde for the Gospell Wherefore I praye that they faynte not vnder the heauie burthen of the crosse M. He addeth In thy name For bicause they were consecrated to the name of God and shoulde suffer many aduersities in the worlde for his sake he prayeth that they maye bee preserued in or by hys name R. For the name of GOD is a most strong tower Prou. 18.10 Therefore the name of GOD can defende the Faythfull man from all euils and from the dartes of Sathan C. The summe then is thys When the Corporall sighte of Chryste is taken from the Disciples they sustayne no losse bycause God receyueth them into his protection whose power is euerlasting He ascribeth the maner of sauing saying That they may be one For those whome the heauenly Father hath decreed to saue he gathereth into the holy vnitie of fayth and of the spirit But bicause it is not sufficient for mē to agrée togither in one he addeth this Euen as we are one For then our vnitie shall be happie if so be it set foorth the Image of God the father and of Christ euen as the waxe in the which the King or Signet is printed carieth the marke or print of the same A. But concerning the vnitie of the father and the sonne reade the tenth Chapter going before beginning at the .30 verse and in the verse folowing 12. Whyle I was wyth them in the worlde I kepte them in thy name those that thou gauest mee haue I kepte and none of them is loste but that loste childe that the Scripture mighte bee fulfilled C. Christe sayth that he hath kepte them in hys Fathers name bicause he made hym selfe onely a Mynister whiche dyd nothyng but by the power of GOD. Hée therefore thynketh it not méete that they shoulde nowe peryshe as though the power of GOD by hys departure were extinguished or beade R. As if hée shoulde say Hytherto I haue confyrmed the Apostles wyth the worde of the Gospell yea I haue lefte nothynge vndoone that myghte keepe them wythin the bandes and duetie of Faythe and I haue kepte them that none shoulde perishe but onely that Iudas Iscarioth of whose fall the Scripture before testified And nowe because I am gooing away I committe them to thy charge For I shall be delyuered too the Aduersaries and shall bée lefte in the handes of the wycked that in deryding mée they shall saye He saued others hym selfe he can not saue Wherefore I resigne them ouer into thy hande that they maye bee preserued from all euill C. But this séemeth very absurde that Chryste shoulde sette ouer vnto GOD the offyce of sauyng and preseruing as thoughe he hauyng ended the course of hys lyfe leassed to bee their kéeper But this is thus aunswered That Chryste speaketh onely héere of the visible custodie whiche had an ende in the death of Christe For so long as he was conuersaunte on earth he needed not to borrowe any other power to preserue hys Disciples But all this is referred too the person of the Mediator whiche appeared in the fourme of a seruaunte for a tyme. But nowe he commaundeth his Disciples so soone as they beginne to wante but the least helpe to lyfte vp theyr eyes to heauen Whereby wée gather that Chryste dothe no lesse preserue the faythfull at this daye than he hathe doone in tyme paste but after an other manner because the deuyne Maiestie openly shineth in him R. For if so be Christe kepte and preserued hys before hee entered into the Kyngdome of hys Father and satisfyed the desire of the Faythfull concernyng ioye howe muche more shall he keepe them nowe seeing he hathe iustified them by hys Deathe and Resurrection For nowe oure saluation is more neere than when wee beleeued And seeyng when as yet wée were Synners Chryste dyed for vs muche more nowe wee beeing iustified by his bloud Rom. 5.6 shall bée saued through hym from wrath M. Furthermore let vs note héere howe Chryste saythe that he hath kept hys Disciples in the worlde For suche is thys worlde that the Electe haue nede of Gods preseruation so long as they are in the same C. Whereas he maketh exception heere of Iudas it is not wythout cause For althoughe he were none of the Elect and of Gods flocke yet notwithstāding the dignitie of his office made him seeme so to be Neither woulde any man haue thought otherwise of hym so long as he was in that office Therefore in respect of Grammer the exception is improper but if we consider the matter all men will say that it behoued Christe so to speake Moreouer lest any man shuld thinke that the eternall election of God was voyde in the destruction of Iudas he addeth héerewithal that he was the sonne of perdition by whiche words he giueth to vnderstand that his ruine and destruction which sodenly appeared in the sight of men was from the beginning knowne vnto God It appeareth therefore very well that Chryste knewe for whome he prayed and for whome he prayed not M. By this perdition of Iudas wée may gather that there is no hope of saluation for those whiche following the steppes of Iudas persecute the truthe of Chryste for filthye gayne whereby they manyfestly declare that they are borne the children of perdition seeyng the same happened too
Gospell not to liue at their owne pleasure but that their light might shine before men not to be Princes of this worlde but to beare the crosse wyth Christ Who came not to be ministred vnto Mat. 20.28 but to minister him selfe and to giue his life a redemption for many M. Wherfore let the Bishoppes of Rome marke well and sée how they defend their Lordship which they haue in the Churche vnder the pretence of Christ 19. And for theyr sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also mighte be sanctified through the truthe R. To sanctifie is to ceparate to diuine vses C. Therefore in these words he doth more playnly explicate from whence that sanctificatioÌ„ doth come which is wrought in vs by the doctrine of the Gospell namely bicause he hath consecrated him selfe to the Father that his holinesse mighte appertayne vnto vs. For as the blessinge is extended from the firste fruites to the whole increace euen so the spirite â—f God doth sprinkle vs with the holinesse of Christe and maketâ— vs partakers of the same and that not onely by imputation for by this meanes he is sayde to be made vnto vs righteousnesse but he is also saide to be made vnto vs sanctificaon .1 Cor. 1.30 bicause after a sorte he offereth vs to the Father that by his spirite we may be renued into true holynesse And althoughe this sanctification perteineth to the whole lyfe of Christe yet notwithstanding it is specially to bée seene in the sacrifice of hys death bicause then he appeared to be a true Priest whiche consecrated the Temple the Altar all the Vessels Exod. 29.1 and the people by the power of his spirite A. Euen as before tyme in the Lawe it was shadowed R. Christe therefore sanctifieth him selfe That is he is made the instrument of God the Father by whiche he is glorified he offereth and sacrificeth him selfe that we also may be made the instrumentes and true sacrifices of hys diuine glory Sanctification M. For Christe hath not so sanctified hym selfe for vs that we may abide prophane and farre separate from the communion of his spirite and sanctification but although we be saued by hys onely holynesse yet notwithstanding we are sanctified also by the participation of his spirite They which are voyde of the same promise vnto them selues in vayne the fellowship of Christ Wherevpon the Apostle sayth Rom. 6.4 VVe are buried vvith him by Baptisme into his deathe that lykevvyse as Christe vvas raysed vp from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so vve also shoulde vvalke in nevvnesse of lyfe And in another place he sayth Roma 12.1 Offer vp your bodies a quicke sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God vvhiche is your reasonable seruice This therfore is the sence meaning I sanctifie my self that is I dye for them that they by my death may be filled with the spirite of sanctification and may be made the holy vessels of God by the reuealed spirite of the Gospell M. This the Apostle comprehendeth in these wordes Hebr. 10.10 In the vvhiche will we are made holy euen by the offering of the body of Iesus Christe once for all In the truthe The worde of God is the truth euen as Christ sayd before Therefore the sanctification of the ministers of Christe and of the faythfull Acts. 15.9 Fayth maketh al thinges cleane consisteth in the truthe of Gods worde vppon the whiche fayth is grounded by whiche God purifieth the hartes Without this all things are prophane and vncleane 20. Neuerthelesse I pray not for them alone but for theÌ„ also which shall beleue on me through their preaching R. Thirdly Christe prayeth for all the faythfull whiche should be to the ende of the world This verily bringeth great consolation For if so be through the doctrine of the Gospell we beléeue in Christ there is no cause why we should doubt but that with the Apostles we are vnder Gods protection so that none of vs can perishe This praier of Christ is a quiet hauen into the whiche whosoeuer entereth he is safe from all perill of shipwracke for his wordes are of as great force as if he had solemly sworne that he is carefull for our saluation R. And firste of all this place confirmeth the authoritie of the Apostles agaynst those which very contemptuously extinuate and disprayse the preaching of the Gospell by the Apostles Prou. 20.9 for that they were men also subiect vnto errours And it is true that they were men in lyfe and in workes for who can say my harte is cleane but they preached the doctrine of the Gospel not by humaine but by the diuine ministerie Wherevppon Christe also prayeth for those which shoulde beleeue through their preaching Furthermore let our consciences be confyrmed agaynst the worlde and agaynst all the afflictions of the worlde For so soone as Christe prayed the Father hearde and the father hearing what remayneth but hys grace and readie affection towarde vs C. Let this also suffice vs whiche knowe that our fayth is founded vppon the Gospell preached by the Apoples though the worlde condemne vs a thousande tymes namely that Christe acknowledgeth vs for his speciall charge and coÌ„mendeth vs to his father Ioh. 11.41 of whom he can not choose but be heard C. When he addeth Throgh their preching He very well expresseth the forre and nature of fayth M. Euen as the Apostle Paule also Rom. 10 17 when he sayth that fayth coÌ„meth by hearing And the worde of the Apostles is nothing else but the Gospell which they were commaunded to preach in the worlde Mar. 16.15 C. Wo then vnto the Papistes whose fayth is so farre from thys rule that they are not ashamed most blasphemously to say that the scriptures are like vnto a Shipmans hose and to a nose of waxe and that therefore the tradition of the Churche shall be their direction and rule of fayth But let vs be assured that the same fayth onely is approued of the sonne of God our Iudge alone whiche is conceyued by the doctrine of the Apostles For there shall no certayne testimonie any where else bee founde than in their writinges We muste also note what fayth the word of the Apostles doth bring foorth This Christ declareth when he sayth Which beleeue in me Let nowe the Iewes Turkes and Romishe rable glory of their fayth but it maketh no matter what euery one beleeueth and in whome he beleeueth Euery doctrine hath his fayth but the Apostolicall doctrine begetteth onely the faith in Christ And this faith alone is partaker of this prayer of Christ of the promises concerning euerlasting life 21. That they all maye be one as thou father arte in me and I in thee and that they also may bee one in vs That the world may beleue that thou hast sent me R. That which Christ prayed for his Apostles he nowe also prayeth for all the faythfull that they might be of one fayth
of one spirite Ephe. 4.5 and of one Baptisme and might acknowledge one Lorde C. Therfore he prefixeth agayne the scope of our felicitie in vnitie and not without cause For this is the destruction of mankinde that the same béeing drawen and fallen from God is lame dispersed and confounded in it selfe Therefore the repayring therof is contrary namely that the same must grow togither into one body euen as the Apostle Paule saith He gaue some Apostles Ephe. 4.13 and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Shepheardes and Teachers to the gathering togither of the Saincts into the vvorke of ministration into the edifying of the bodye of Christ till we all meete togither into the vnitie of fayth Wherefore so often as Christ maketh mention of vnitie Vnitie in Christ let vs remember howe horrible the dissipation and confusion of the worlde is without him Furthermore let vs know that this is the beginning of a happie life if so be we all are gouerned and do liue by the only spirite of God Vnity is the gift of God M. But withall let vs remember that this vnitie commeth not but by the gifte of God Therfore Christ prayeth the Father that he woulde giue vnto them to be one This gift is not gotten but by the spirite of God The spirite of the fleshe and of the worlde is not the spirite of vnitie but of discordes R. Among the wicked there is not one fayth for one beleeueth in his fasting another in his sacrifices this fellow beleeueth in Sainct Nicholas and that fellowe in Sainct Michaell some in the blessed Virgin and other some in Sainct Anne and looke howe many men so many Goddes there are among the wicked Therefore the true vnitie is among Christians only which are of one spirite whiche haue one Lorde and one Sauiour C. Moreouer we must note that so often as Christ in this chapter pronounceth him selfe to be one with the Father he speaketh not simply of his deuine essence but is called one in the person of a Mediator in that he is our head A. Sainct Iohn comprehendeth this coniunction of the which Christ speaketh heere in few words saying 1. Iohn 1.3 That vvhiche vvee haue seene and heard wee shew vnto you that you also mighte haue fellowsippe with vs and that our fellowship may be with the Father and wyth his sonne Iesus Christ 1. Ioh. 2.24 Rom. 12.4 1. Cor. 12.12 And in another place If that abide in you which ye haue heard from the beginning yee shall continue in the Sonne and in the Father That the worlde maye beleeue C. Some by this worde vvorlde vnderstande the Elect which at that time were dispersed But bicause throughout thys whole Chapter by the world he meaneth the Reprobate the contrary sentence and opition is better allowed In the .25 verse folowing he separateth the world of the which he speaketh héere from the faythfull And this worde Beleeue is improperly put by the Euangelist for the word knovv seeing the wicked béeing conuinced by experience it selfe do vnderstande and perceyue the heauenly and diuine glory of Christ Thus it commeth to passe that in beleeuing they beléeue not bicause this sence and vnderstanding dothe not pearch into the internall affection of the minde And this is the iust iudgement and vengeance of God that the eyes of the reprobate shuld be blinded with the brightnes of his diuine glory which are vnworthy of his sincere sighte R. Christ therefore prayeth his Father that he woulde confyrme the faythfull in one spirite that all the worlde may know that he came by deuine authoritie into this worlde And this began fyrst to be fulfilled Act. 4.32 when by the sending of the holy Ghost the faythfull had one harte and one mynde The which thing was wonderfull in the eyes of the worlde in so muche that the wycked were constrayned to cry This is the finger of God and the right hande of the most highe 22. And the glory whiche thou gauest me I haue giuen them that they also may be one as we also are one C. Marke and consider that there was suche an example expressed in Christe of perfect blessednesse that he had nothing proper to him selfe but was rather made riche to enriche all those that are hys faythfull seruaunts This is our blessednesse that the image of God should be repayred and framed anew whiche before was decayed and destroyed by sinne For Christe not onely as he is the eternall worde of God is his liuely Image but also hathe the expresse picture of his Fathers glory ingrauen in his humayne nature of the whiche he is made partaker with vs that he mighte transfigure his members into the same The same also Paule teacheth 2. Cor. 3.18 VVe all beholde as in a myrrour the glory of the Lorde with his face open and are chaunged into the same similitude from glorye to glorye Whervpon it foloweth that none shall be counted for a Disciple of Christ but he in whom the glory of God imprinted by the Image of Christe as by a signet is expressed Notwithstāding ther are some which by this glory which Christ confesseth that he hath receyued from his Father vnderstande the loue with the whiche he was loued of the Father before the foundation of the worlde of the whiche glory he will speake anone Other some refere it to the glory of Myracles and to that ample power of the spirite By which the first beleeuers that is to saye the Disciples wrought greater Myracles than the Lord him selfe that this place mighte agree with that of Marke The signes shal follovve them that beleeue Ma◠16.17 In my name they shall caste oute Deuils They shall speake with nevv tongues c. The reste by this worde Glory vnderstande the Gospell the whiche Christe gaue vnto the beléeuers For if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more shall the ministration of righteousnesse excell in glory But the first exposition is best to be allowed 23. I in them and thou in me that they be made perfect in one that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loued thē as thou hast loued me M. Christ speaketh not héere of that perfection of vnitie by which he is one with the Father but of that manner of vnitie by which he is vnited in the Father and the Father in him And he speaketh as a Mediator by whome we are made one with God C. For his purpose is to shewe that all the fulnesse of goodnesse and that also which was hidden in God was now openly to be séene in him that he might make his members partakers of the same euen as the water flowing from the Condite head to diuers places by pipes serueth diuers Cities and watereth sundry fieldes When he addeth And hast loued them as thou hast loued me He noteth the cause and originall of loue As if he should say Bicause thou haste loued them thou
haste loued me For there is but one only Christ which can be sayd to be welbeloued Furthermore the heauenly father loueth all the members with the same loue with the whiche he hath loued the Churche that he maye loue no man but in Christ But for this reade more in the .3.14 and .16 chapters before 24. Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me where I am that they may se my glory which for thou haste gyuen me thou louedst mee before the foundation of the worlde M. Whereas Christe sayth heere to his Father I will it is not spoken commaundingly but in the way of petition C. For I wil in this place is as much to say as I desire Notwithstanding there maye bee double vnderstanding in the same eyther that he woulde haue his disciples to enioye his externall presence or els that God woulde bring them at the laste into his heauenly kingdome whyther he wente before Thus to see the glorye some expound to haue the participatioÌ„ of that glory which Christ hath other some to feele with the sence of faith what Christ is how great his maiestie is also But all things well wayed considered we must beleeue that Christe speaketh of the perfecte blessednes of the Godly As if he shuld say that his prayer and peticion was not graunted vntill suche tyme as they were receiued vp into heauen vnto him Thus we muste vnderstand the sighte of his glory They then sawe the glory of Christe when he was presente with them euen as if men should see a small lighte shining through the narrow chinks or crakes of a â—oore or walle when they are shutte into a darke place Now Christ wishet that they might profite so long vntill they enioyed the perfecte lighte in the kingdome of heauen In effecte he prayeth that the Father woulde bring them forward more more vntill such time as hee brought them vnto the full sight of his glory M. By thys place wee see what manner of prayer it was which Christe made namely no vncertayne or doubtfull prayer but an assured and faythfull prayer too obtayne that which he asketh C. When he addeth For thou louedst me befor the beeginning It doth far better agree with the person of the mediator than with the bare deuinitie of Christ A. By this place we gather that the faithfull are oute of perill seeing they are partakers of the same glory with the which Christ is endued of the Father for the head is not seperated from the meÌ„bers R. Therefore whether the faythfull are in death or in life they ar with Christ Whereupon the Prophet sayth if I walke in the middest of the shadowe of deathe I will feare none ill bicause thou art with me 25. O righteous Father the worlde also hath not knowen thee but I haue knowen thee and these haue knovven that thou haste sente me M. Againe he commeÌ„deth in his disciples the knowledge of god the father the which he manifested vnto them Of this he spake before And here he repeateth the same againe discerning his disciples from thys world and accusing the world in this that the same knoweth not God the Father C. Therefore of ryghte Christe of a singuler affection commendeth his disciples whom the vnbeleefe of the worlde did not hinder from the knowledge of god M. The lyke sentence almost thou haste before in these words And ye haue not knoweÌ„ him but I haue knowen him Also it agréeth with the .8 verse of this chapter C. In calling the Father righteous he condemneth the world and the wickednes of the same As if he shoulde saye Although the worlde do proudly despise and reiecte God yet not withstanding he looseth nothing therebye but remayneth still as glorious a God and a righteous as he was before By whiche wordes he teacheth that the fayth of the Godly ought to be so founded in God that thoughe the whole worlde shoulde falle yet the same shoulde neuer shake Also we muste note the order of faith which is here described The sonne onely whiche came foorth of the bosome of the Father dothe properly knowe the Father Therefore al they which desire to come vnto God must of necessitie receiue Christ which coÌ„meth to meete them and muste wholy addicte them selues vnto hym And he when he is knowen wil at the last bring his disciples to God the Father 26. And I haue declared vnto them thy name and wil declare it that the loue wherewith thou haste loued me may be in them and I in them M. By this place it dothe appeare that the knowledge of gods name is not seperated from the knowledge of the dispensation and mediation of Christe by whiche hee is knowen to be the Mediator sent into thys world C. When he saith that he hath manifested vnto them hys fathers name hée meaneth that hee hath done the office of a teacher but yet that hee vsed not onelye the sounde of a voice but also the secret reuelation of the spirite to manifest the father And bicause the faith of the disciples was as yet but weake hee promiseth with al increace of this knowledge B. For we must here continually increase in the knowledge of god C. And thus he prepareth theÌ„ to hope for more large knowledge and grace of the spirite Also although hee speaketh of the Apostles yet wee may gather thereby a generall exhortation that we may studie dayly to profite and not to thinke that wee haue run so wel but that there remayneth yet a greate deale of our race so longe as we are in this fleshe M. Wherfore let vs seeke for the increase of this knowledge of God at the handes of Christ the perfection wherof we shal haue at the last in the life to come That the loue wherewith thou hast loued me C. That is to say that thou mayst loue theÌ„ in me Or els That the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may also extend it self vnto them For the loue wherewith God loued vs too speake properly is euen the very same with the whiche hee loued hys Sonne from the beeginning that in hym he might make vs acceptable to hym selfe And verely in respecte of oure selues wee are odious vnto God without Christe but theÌ„ he beginneth to loue vs wheÌ„ we begin to growe into the bodye of his welbeeloued sonne This is an vnspeakeable priuiledge when we knowe that Chryste was beloued of his Father for our sakes that wee might bee for euer pertakers of the same loue M. We muste note also that the knowledge of God doth bring vs into this wonderfull fellowship of Gods loue C. But wee muste note these wordes And I in them By whiche wee are taught that wee are no otherwise comprehended in that loue of the whiche hee speaketh than if Christe doo dwell in vs. For as the Father can not beholde the Sonne but hee muste haue before hys eyes his whole body euen so if we will haue him to beholde vs
power of his resurrection whiche was moste principall Wherfore it is no maruell if suche grosse affections put a vayle before hir eyas 16. Iesus saythe vnto hir Mary She turneth hir self and said vnto him Rabbony whiche is to say Master C. In that Christe suffered Mary to erre for a shorte time it is profitable for vs to confirme our fayth but nowe wyth one worde he reuoketh hir from errour M. He sayth not I am he whom thou séekest for whose sake thou wepest so much but he calleth hir by hir proper name as one familiar friende speaketh to another and that with suche a voyce as was best knowen vnto the woman C. At the first he spake vnto hir as a stranger but now taking vpon him the person of a Master he speaketh vnto hir as to a Disciple euē as we heard before that a good shepheard calleth all the shepe of his flocke by name Iohn 10.3 The voice therfore of this shepeherd perceth into the mind of Mary openeth her eyes moueth al her sences affecteth her forthwith to geue her self vnto christ For She tourned hir selfe and said vnto him Rabboni M. The Euangelist in saying that Marie tourned hir selfe about againe meaneth that she tourned hir face again to the Sepulcher whither peraduenture hir heart was bent A. For she had a feruent vnspeakeable desyre to fynde the Lord but so soone as she heard and vnderstoode the voice of her Shepeheard she biandby cryed with great ioye and admiration Rabboni C. Thus in Mary we haue depainted to vs the Image of our calling For this is our only enteraunce into the true knowledge of Christ if so be he know vs fyrst and do familiarlye call vs vnto him not with that common voyce which generally soundeth in the eares of all men but by which he doth specially cal those shepe which are geuen vnto him of the father Hereuppon the Apostle Paule sayth Gal. 4.9 After that ye knew God yea rather wer known of God And the efficacie of the word appeareth hereby that Mary gaue biandby vnto Christ that honour which was due vnto him For the name of Rabboni is not only honorable but contayneth also the profession of obedience Therefore Marye declareth her self to be a disciple of christ and submitteth her selfe vnto him as to a maister This is a wonderfull and secret conuersion of mans mynde when God illuminating the same by his holye spirite maketh the same of blynde sodenly to sée perfectly The like example we haue almost in the two disciples which were going to Emaus A. For when as at the fyrst their eyes were held that they knew not Christ Luk. 24.30 at the length when he toke bread and blessed and brake the same their eies were opened and they knew him whom before they iudged to be a straunger C. Furthermore the example of Marye ought to be an exhortation vnto vs that so many as Christ calleth vnto him do answer him presently again without delay 17. Iesus sayth vnto her touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my father but goe to my brethren and saye vnto them I ascend vnto my father your father and to my god your God B. Mary wold haue imbrased Christ for the exceding loue ioy which she had because she saw Christ present again in the flesh But when the Lord sawe that she wondered at his carnall presence more than was mete seking to lift vp her mynde to heauenly thinges and to the imbracinges of faith forbad her to touch him saying Touch me not C. Notwithstanding this séemeth not to agree with the narration of Mathew Mat. 28.9 For he plainlye writeth that the women imbrased the féete of Christ And seeing afterward he would haue his disciples to handle and to feele him what cause was ther why he should forbid Mary to touch him Obiection M. For he said vnto Thomas brīg hither thy finger and see my hands and put thy finger into my syde and be not faithles but beleuing C. The solution hereof is very easy if so be we consider that the women were not prohibited the touching of Christ before such tyme as they were too busy and desirous to touche him Answere For no doubt he did not forbid thē to touch him so far forth as it was nedefull to take away all doubt but when he saw that they were to busye in impracing his féete hée moderated and corrected that rashe zeale For they depēded vppon his corporal presence neyther did they know anye other way to enioy him than if he dwelt among them vppon the earth M. Moreouer bicause his disciples doubted whether he were truly risen again or no and bicause the same which appeared vnto them was iudged of them to be but a vision Luk. 24.37 to the end they might beleeue the resurrection he sayd Feele and see for a spirite hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue Also Thomas had sayde Except I see the print of his nailes in his handes and put my finger into the print of the nayles and my hande into his side I will not beleue Therfore Christ did very well in offering him selfe to be felte of him A. But in Marye there was no suche doubting that there should neede any further feeling but it was requisite that she shuld come to a further faith and to more plain vnderstanding of the kingdome of Christ least she should abase him in cogitation more than there was cause C. We must also note the reason which Christ addeth For I am not yet ascended to my Father For by these wordes he commaundeth the woman to suspend their affection vntill suche time as hee was ascended into the glory of his kingdome Furthermore he sheweth the fayth of his resurrection not such a faith as they imagined to them selues as that when he was risen againe he should raigne triumphe in the world but rather that by his ascension into heauen he shold take possession of that kingdome which was promised vnto him and sitting at the right hande of his Father might gouerne the Church by the power of his spirit Therfore the sence and meaning of his wordes is that the state of his resurrection is not full and perfecte vntill such time as he sit at the right hand of his Father in the kingdome of heauen As if he should say B. Think not bicause ye sée me presente in the flesh that ye haue obtayned the fruition of all good thinges I sayd before vnto my disciples that it was good for them that I should go vnto my Father to whom when I had ascended I would send my spirite the comforter and bring all things to passe for them These thinges ye ought to looke for and not to make such account of my corporall presence Abstaine therfore from this earnest touching lest ye be to much addicted to my carnal presence ye ought hereafter to imbrace me by faith raigning in heauē C. But this
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 onely and Apostleshippe Euenso Christ here defendeth rather the cause of his doctrine then of his person A. As yf he shoulde saye If in all my office I shewe my selfe a faythfull minister of God ye haue nothing to cloake your incredulytie with all and to excuse the same For I teache truely I shewe the wyll of my father vnto you no terrestriall or humaine thing can be founde in my doctrine therefore ye cannot conuince the same of a lye Wherefore If I tell you the trueth why doe ye not beeleue me If so be ye cannot Iustely speake euell of my doctrine why do yee refuse to beléeue the same R. By this place we learne that we ought to beléeue him that speaketh the trueth without all contradiction Certaine of the Iewes refused to heare Christ because hée Preached without Ecclesiasticall authority othersome because none of the Pharisées and Rulers heléeued on him many could not abide to heare him because he was a Galilean and the reast could not awaye with his doctrine because he regarded not the decrées and customes of the Fathers But the Lorde the aucthor of trueth vrgeth against all these thinges shewing that hée knoweth no reason that shoulde staye any man from beléeuing the truth Wherefore then doe not menne in our time séeke the trueth to what purpose doe they séeke for so many excuses If those thinges bée not true whiche the Ministers doe teache let them be confuted by euident argumentes if they bée true why bée they not quietly receyued One sayth this doctrine is new another sayth that it is Scismaticall another sayth that it appertayneth to the Pope to refourme doctrine others obiect the Fathers others the counsailes others Ecclesiasticall ordinaunces and some séeke to set custome against the Gospell But what néede these delayes Let them saye simplye This doctrine is not true but let them proue it also If they be not able so to doe why doe they not subscribe vnto the trueth Ye shall heare the cause 47. Hee that is of God heareth Gods words yee therefore heare them not because ye are not of God B. That is to saye He which hath the spirite of God he which is elected of God he heareth the worde of God and receyueth the same by Faith C. Now Christ more vehementlye inueyeth against the Iewes being assured of the trueth of his doctrine For theyr impietye was not obscure when they were so obstinate in reiecting the word of God He had shewed that nothing coulde bée obiected vnto him which he had not taught out of the mouth of God he concludeth therefore that they haue noe felloweshippe with God because they here not R As if he shoulde saye Therefore ye doe not beléeue because ye are not the children of God but the Children of lying Sathan Yée are not borne of God and Therefore it is no merueile yf ye receiue not my wordes which am the Sonne of God For he which is of God heareth gods worde 1. Cor. 44. but he which is of Sathan contemneth the truth of Gods worde Bv. There is therfore no other cause why ye heare not the words of God which I speak neyther receiue nor beléeue them than this because ye are not borne of God but of the Deuell M. To be of God in this place is not to be borne or regenerate by the Spirit and word of God but to be elected and predestinate to lyfe before the Creation of the worlde Act â—3 â— wherevpon also the christian faith is called the fayth of the elect And they are sayde to haue beléeued so many as were foreordayned vnto lyfe So that although they are by nature blinde and the children of wrathe yet notwithstanding when the time of their calling commeth they receyue that grace of the holye Ghoste whiche some call the preuenting spyrite and their hartes are opened that they maye receyue the séede of Gods worde through the which being apprehended by Faith they are iustifyed and regenerated Example of this wée haue in the Mayde that wrought purple of whome Luke testifieth in the actes of the Apostles C. By this place therefore wée are taught that there is not a more manyfest sygne of a reprobate mynde than whan a man cannot beare the doctrine of Christ although otherwyse in the shewe hée séemeth to bee an Aungell Whereas if so bée wée willingly imbrace the same wée haue as it were a visyble sygne of our election For hee which hath the worde hath God him selfe but he whiche reiecteth the same depriueth him selfe both of lyfe and also yf righteousnesse Wherefore we ought to feare nothing more than least we fall into this horrible Iudgement A. For it is no light commination where with Christ threatneth the Iewes saying The kingdome of God shal be taken from you Mat. 21.43 and geuen to a Nation that wyll bring forth better frute of the same 48. Then aunswered the Iewes and sayde vnto him Saye we not well that thou art a Samaritane and hast the Deuell M. This aunswere of the highe Priestes Scribes and Phariseis containeth an impudent malicious sclaunder C. More and more they bewraye how that they are bewitched of Sathan who being plainlye conuinced yet notwithstanding are not afrayde to rushe foorth euen through the middest of desperation B. Thus is conuicted impietye wont to fare when it is not able to aunswere to the trueth then it falleth to rayling and sclaunder They were manifestly proued to be the children of the Deuell therefore they reply againe without any shew of truth that the Lorde was a Samaritane and had the Deuell Meaning by this double sclaunder to declare that Christ was a detestable man and lead with an euyll spyrite Because the Iewes accounted the Samaritanes for Apostatas and corrupters of the Lawe so often as they intended to defame any man they woulde call him a Samaritane Nowe therefore because they had no greater cryme wherwithall they might defame Christ they rashlye and without iudgement vse that common reproche R. As if they should saye What Darest thou defende the trueth of thy doctrine before vs séeing thou art worse than any Heretique or Apostata For thy doctrine is the doctrine of Sathan and not to GOD thou speakest of the Deuell and not out of the mouth of God For we are holy people a Priestlye stocke a holye Nation and suche a Nation to whome God hath whoally geuen him selfe but thou according to the manner of the Samaritanes pronouncest vs not to bée of God it must néedes be therefore that thy false doctrine is of Sathan Bv. The lyke reproches and sclaunders they cast foorth at this daye who are gréeued at the Preaching of the Gospell For they call the Preachers of the Gospell Apostataes sedicious personnes Scismatikes workers by Deuelles Seducers and such lyke R. least the wicked and vngodly might séeme to haue no cause of their vnbeléefe 49. Iesus aunswered I haue not the Deuell but I honour my Father and
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