had rather haue him to be the authour of death then of life Hee that beleeueth in him is not condemned VVhereas he doth so often so diligently inculcate this point that all the faithfull are out of danger of death wee may gather hence howe necessarie the certaintie and stabilitie of hope is that the conscience may not continually feare and be tormented Therefore he affirmeth againe that there doth no damnation remaine when as we shall beleeue which thing he will expound more at large in the first chapter The presentence is taken in this place for the future according to the custome of the Hebrewe tongue for he will haue the faithfull to be free from the feare of damnation The next sentence but hee that beleeueth not c. Signifieth vnto vs that there is no other remedie whereby any man can escape death As if hee shoulde say that there remaineth nothing but death for those who reiect the life that is giuen theÌ„ in Christ seeing that life coÌ„sisteth only in faith alone He putteth in the preterperfectence of the verbe emphatically that he might the better expresse that all vnbeleeuers are quite vndone And we must note that Christ speaketh peculiarly of those whose impietie shall bewray it selfe in the manifest contempt of the gospel For although it be true that there was neuer any other way to escape death then to flie vnto Christe yet because Christ intreateth in this place of the preaching of the gospel which was to be spread abrode throughout the whole worlde he vttereth these wordes agaynste those who doe wickedly and malitiously extinguish the light which GOD hath kindled 19 And this is the iudgement that light came into the worlde and men loued darkenes more then light for their workes were euill 20 For euery one that doth euill hateth the light and commeth not vnto the light least his workes should bee reproued 21 But he that doth truth commeth to the light that his workes may be made manifest because they are done in God 19 And this is the iudgement He preuenteth the murmurings complainings which profane men are wont to vtter against the too too great rigour as they thinke of GOD when as he dealeth more sharpely with them then they woulde wishe It seemeth to them an harde matter that all those should perish which do not beleeue in Christ. Therfore least any man should ascribe his damnation vnto Christ he teacheth that it is to bee imputed to euery mans owne fault The reason is because infidelitie is a witnesse of an euill conscience VVhereby it appeareth that the wickednesse of the vnbeleeuers doeth keepe them backe from comming to Christ. Some there be who thinke that the signe and tokeÌ„ of daÌ„nation is only set downe in this place But Christ his intent and purpose is to tame the wickednesse of men least after their accustomed maner they turne theyr backes or chide with God as if hee did handle them vniustly whilest that he doth punish their incredulitie with eternall death Therefore he sheweth that such iudgement is iust not subiect to any such false slaunders not only because they deale frowardly who preferre darknesse before light and doe of their owne accord flie from the light which is offered them but because that hatred of the light doth spring only from a giltie and wicked minde There shineth in many a goodly shew of holinesse who notwithstanding are enemies to the gospel but how so euer they appeare to be more holy then angels it is questionlesse that they are hypocrites because they refuse the doctrine of Christ for no other cause saue only because they loue their lurking dennes whereby their filthinesse may be couered Therefore seeing that hypocrisie alone doth make God to bee displeased with men they are all giltie because vnlesse being blinded with pride they did flatter theÌ„ selues in their vices they would be ready and willing to receiue the doctrine of the Gospel 20 For whosoeuer doth euill His meaning is that they do hate the light for this cause because they are euill so muche as in them lyeth they desire to couer their sinnes whereupon it followeth that they do as it were of set purpose nourish the matter of daÌ„nation by driuing away the remedy Therfore we are much deceiued if we think that they are carried with a godly zeale who rage against the gospel seeing that they do rather abhor the light that they may more freely flatter themselues in darknesse 21 But he that doth This seemeth to be spoken vnproperly absurdly vnlesse you will confesse that there are some that be righteous which speake the truth before they be regenerate by the spirite of God VVhich thing agreeth not with the perpetuall doctrine of the scripture For wee know that faith is the roote from which the fruits of good woorkes doe spring To the end that Augustine may resolue this doubt hee expoundeth these wordes doth the truth thus hee which acknowledgeth howe miserable we are and destitute of all power to doe well And indeede this is the true preparation vnto faith when as being inforced with the feeling of our pouertie we flie vnto the grace of God But all this is contrarie to Christe his minde for his meaning was simplie to affirme that those who deale sincerely doe desire nothing more then the light that their workes may be proued and tryed because after that such tryall is made it doth better appeare that they spake the truth before God and were cleane from all deceite But some man will inferre falsly and ignorantly that mens consciences doe not accuse them before faith commeth For Christe doth not say that the elect doe beleeue that they may winne prayse for their good workes but he declareth onely what the infidels woulde doe vnlesse theyr owne consciences did accuse them Furthermore Christe vseth this worde truth because beeing deceiued with the externall shew of workes we doe not consider what lurketh with in Therefore he saith that perfect men and those who are no dissemblers do willingly come foorth into the sight of God who is onely fit to giue iudgement of our workes For those workes are saide in this place to be done in God which he alloweth and are good according to his rule Hereby wee may learne that wee must not iudge of woorkes vnlesse we beholde them with the light of the Gospel because our reason is altogether blinde 22 After these thinges came Iesus and his disciples into the land of Iudea and he was conuersant there with them and did baptise 23 And Iohn was also baptizing in Aenon nigh vnto Salim because there was muche water there Therefore they came and were baptised 24 Because Iohn was not yet cast into prison 25 Therefore there arose a question betweene the disciples of Iohn and the Iewes concerning purging 26 And they came vnto Iohn and said vnto him Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Iâ—rdan to whome thou bearest witnesse beholde he baptiseth and
the Hebrewes 12. 25. comparing the law and the gospell together saith Seeing that they escaped not free who despised him that spake vpon earth take heede that yee despise him not which is from heauen Therefore Christe will be acknowledged in his ministers but so that hee remayne Lorde alone and that they be contented with the degree of seruaunts especially when the matter commeth once to a comparison he will be so distinguished that he may be chiefe 32 And that which hee heard and saw Iohn goeth forward in his office For to the ende that he may make readie disciples for Christe hee commendeth his doctrine for the certaintie thereof that he vttereth nothing but that which he receiued of his father Seeing and hearing are set against all manner doubtfull opinion vaine rumors and all manner of inuentions For he giueth them to vnderstande that he taught nothing but that which he knewe well But some man will say that he deserueth small credite who hath nothing but that which he hath hearde I aunswere that he meaneth by this worde that Christe was taught of his father so that he bringeth nothing but that which is diuine as it was reuealed vnto him by GOD. And that agreeth with all the person of Christe forasmuch as he was sent into the worlde of his father to be an interpreter and Embassadour Afterwarde hee reprehendeth the vnthankefulnes of the worlde which refused so certaine and faithfull a witnesse so wickedly and haynously And also hee remoueth a stumblyng blocke which might turne away many frō the faith hinder the course of many For as we are wont too muche to depende vppon the iudgement of men many do esteeme the Gospel according to the contempt of the world at least whē they see it euery where reiected being preuented with this preiudice they are more loth and slow to beleeue Therefore so often as we see such waywardnes of the worlde yet let this admonition kepe vs in the constant obedience of the same that it is the truth which came from God VVhen hee saith that no man receiueth it his meaning is that there are very few and almost none that are faithfull if they be compared vnto the huge multitude of the wicked 33 And hee that receiued his testimonie Heere he exhorteth and incourageth the godly to imbrace the doctrine of the Gospel without feare As if he shoulde say that there is no cause why they should bee ashamed of their smalenesse of number sithence they haue God to be the authour of their faith who alone is aboundantly sufficient for vs like vnto all Therefore although the whole worlde doth discredit the gospel yet this ought not to keepe backe the godly from subscribing vnto GOD. They haue also that wherin they may quiet and pacifie thēselues when as they know that to beleeue the gospell is nothing els then to subscribe vnto the Oracles of God In the meane while we gather that this is the propertie of faith to leane vnto God and to be established in his word For there can be no subscription vnlesse God doe speake first By which doctrine faith is not only distinguished frō all mans inuentions but also from an vncertaine and doubtfull opinion For it must be answereable vnto the truth of God which is exempted from all doubting Therefore as God cannot lye so it is an absurd thing for the faith to wauer Being armed with this defence we shall continue victorers continually with what engins soeuer Satan do goe about to trouble and shake vs. Out of this place also are we taught howe acceptable a sacrifice faith is before God For as he maketh most account of his truth so we cannot do him any greater worship then whilest that by our faith we professe that he is true then doe we giue him his due honour So men cannot do him any greater iniurie then when they doe not beleeue the gospell For hee cannot be spoyled of his truth but that all his glory and maiestie must be abolished And his truth is after a sort shut vp in the gospel and hee will haue the same knowen there VVherefore the vnbeleeuers leaue nothing for God so much as in them lyeth not that their impietie doth any whit impayre the credit of God but that as much as in them lyeth they reproue and accuse him of vanitie Vnlesse we be more then stony this so excellent a title wherewith faith is adorned ought to kindle in our mindes the most feruent desire of the same For what great honour is this whereunto God doth vouchsafe to extol miserable wretches that they who are by nature nothing els but lying and vanitie should be accounted meete to approoue with their subscription the holy trueth of God 34 For whom God sent Hee confirmeth the sentence next going before For he sheweth that we haue truly to deale with God when as we receiue the doctrine of Christe for Christe came from none other saue only from his heauenly father Therefore it is God alone that speaketh by him And truly we giue lesse honour vnto the doctrine of Christ thē we ought if we doubt to acknowledge it to be diuine Not by measure This place is expounded two maner of wayes for some doe extende it vnto the common dispensation that God who is the fountaine of all good thinges which can neuer be drawen drie is not emptied when he powreth out his gifts vpon men aboundantly They which take water out of any vessell to distribute it doe at length come vnto the bottome but we need not to feare any such thing in God for the aboundance of his giftes shall neuer be so large but that he can exceede the same whensoeuer he will with newe liberalitie This exposition seemeth to haue some colour because the sentence is indefinite yet do I rather follow Augustine who doth interprete this to bee spoken of Christe Neither ought this to be any let that there is as yet no mention made of Christ in this member seeing that the last member doth take away all doubtfulnesse where that is restrained vnto Christ which might seeme to be spoken generally of manie For without doubt these wordes are added expositiuely that the father hath giuen the sonne all things into his hand because he loueth him Therefore they are to be read in one text And the worde of the presentence doth signifie a continuall act For although he was once endowed with the spirite according to the chiefest perfection and yet notwithstanding he floweth continually as out of a fountaine farre and wide hee is therefore not vnfitly saide euen now also to receiue of the father But and if any man had rather expound it simplie the alteration of the tence is not straunge in such verbes Now the sense is manifest that the spirite was not giuen Christe by measure as if the facultie and store of that grace wherein he excelleth were limitted by some measure as Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 12. 7. and Eph. 4. 7.
the Hebrewes Furthermore this is an excellent commendation of the Gospel in that it ministreth vnto vs eternall life As Paule doth testifie that it is the power of God vnto saluation vnto euery one which beleeueth The law truly conteineth life but because it denounceth the giltinesse of eternal death vnto the transgressors it can do no other thing but kill Life is offered vs in the Gospel after a farre other sort namely whilest that God doth reconcile himselfe vnto vs freely in not imputing our sinnes And Peter speaketh no common thing here concerning Christ when as hee saith that he hath the wordes of eternall life but he ascribeth this vnto him as proper to him whereupon followeth that second thing which I touched of late so soone as we are once departed from Christ there remayneth nothing euery where saue death VVherfore there remaineth certaine destruction for all those who being not content to haue him to be their master doe flie away vnto mens inuentions 69 And wee haue beleeued The verbes are of the preterperfecttence but they may be resolued into the presentence but this doth not muche belong vnto the sense Furthermore Peter doth briefly comprehend the summe of faith in these wordes But it seemeth that this confession doth but a little appeartaine vnto the present matter for the question was moued concerning the eating of Christ his flesh I aunswere although the twelue did not by and by comprehend whatsoeuer Christe taught yet is it sufficient that according to their smal measure of â—â—th they confesse him to be the authour of saluation and doe submit themselues vnto him in all thinges The worde beleeued is placed in the former place because the obedience of faith is the beginning of true vnderstanding yea faith it selfe is indeed the eye of the minde But immediatly after it added knowledge which distinguisheth faith from erronious and false opinions For the Turkes the Iewes and the Papists do beleeue but they know nothing ne yet vnderstand any thing But knowledge is annexed vnto faith because we know certainely and vndoubtedly the truth of God not as humane sciences are apprehended but whilest that the spirit sealeth it in our heartes 70 Iesus answered them Seeing that Christ answereth them all wee gather hereby that they spake all by the mouth of Peter Furthermore Christ doth in this place furnish and arme the eleuen Apostles against y â— new offence which was now at hand This had been a greeuous engine of Satan to shake their faith seeing they were brought vnto so smal a number but the fall of Iudas might haue vtterly discouraged them For seeing that Christ had chosen that holy number who woulde haue thought that there coulde any thing bee taken away from the integritie thereof Therefore this admonition is as much as if he shoulde haue saide You are only twelue left of a great company If the vnbeliefe of many hath not made your faith to quaile prepare your selues vnto a newe combate for this bande though it be but a small one shall yet be lesse by one man In that Christ saith that he chose twelue it is not referred vnto the eternall counsell of God for doubtlesse it cannot bee that any of those should fall away who are predestinate vnto life but seeing that they were chosen vnto the office of the Apostleship it was meete that they should excell others in godlinesse and holinesse of life Therefore he put chosen in steede of excellent and those wich were separated from the common sort Is a diuell It is questionles that his meaning was to make Iudas most detestable by this name For they are deceiued that do extenuate the crueltie of the worde and truly we can not sufficiently detest those that doe disalow so holy an office Those teachers are called angels who doe execute their embassage well Therfore he is worthily counted a Diuell who being admitted into such an honorable order doth degenerate through his vnfaithfulnesse and wickednes There is also another reason why God doeth suffer vs to vse more libertie against the reprobate and wicked ministers of Satan then against any other of the common sort of men VVherefore if a diuelish furie doth driue them and mooue them who were chosen to be pastors that they become like vnto bruite beastes and monsters the dignitie of the order ought to be so farre from waxing vile because of this that it may rather bee commended vnto vs seeing that such cruell reuenge doth follow the profanation thereof 71 And he spake of Iudas Although Iudas his owne conscience did accuse him yet doe we not reade that hee was moued so dull are hypocrites that they doe not feele their wounds and their faces are so harde before men that they doe not doubt to preferre them selues before the verie best Chap. 7 1 ANd after these things Iesus walked in Galilee for he would not walke in Iudea because the Iewes sought to kill him 2 And an holy day of the Iewes was at hand the fastening of the Tabernacles 3 Therefore his brethern said vnto him Goe hence and goe into Iurie that thy disciples may also see thy workes which thou doest 4 For no man doth any thing in secrete and he himselfe seeketh to be knowen if thou doest these thinges shew thy selfe vnto the worlde 5 For neither did his brethren beleeue in him 6 Therefore Iesus said vnto them my time is not yet come but your time is alwayes readie 7 The worlde cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the works thereof are euill 8 Goe you vp vnto this feast I goe not vp yet vnto this feast because my time is not yet fulfilled 1 And he walked The Euangelist as it seemeth doth not set downe the whole historie in order but doth gather out of diuers times suche thinges as were worthie to be remembred He saith here that Iesus was conuersant for a time in Galilee because he had no safe abiding place amongest the Iewes If any man doe thinke it an absurd thing y t Christ sought lurking places who was able with his becke to breake and make voyde all the endeuours of his enemies we may easily answere namely that being mindful of the person which was giuen him by his father he would keepe himselfe within the boundes of man For hauing taken vpon him the person of maÌ„ he abased himself vntil such time as his father should lift him vp Therefore he escheweth danger after the maner of men If any man obiect seeing that he knewe that the time of his death was appointed before there was no cause why he shoulde flie that former answere doth also agree with this fitly For he behaued him selfe as a man subiect to perils wherefore he ought not to burst in in to the middest of daungers It is not for vs to marke in entring into daungers what God hath determined with himself concerning vs but what hee commaundeth and prescribeth what our duetie
that a great Prophete of God had appeared he doth not contemne nor neglecte the doctrine which came from heauen but is somewhat desirous to heare the same which desire came only from the feare and reuerence of God Friuolous curiositie doth moue many to enquire after new things greedilie but questionlesse religion and the feeling of conscience did enforce Nicodemus to desire to knowe the doctrine of Christe more familiarly And although it laid hid long time as though it had beene dead yet so soone as Christ was dead it brought foorth such fruite as no man wold euer haue hoped for Rabbi wee knowe These wordes import as much as if hee shoulde haue saide master wee knowe that thou art come as a master or teacher But for as muche as learned men were then commonly called masters Nicodemus saluting Christe in the former place according to the common custome doth call him by the common name and afterward he affirmeth that he was sent of God to be a teacher And vpon this principle dependeth all the authorie of teachers in the Church For seeing that wee must be wise only out of the worde of God we must heare none other saue those in whose mouth God speaketh VVee must also note that although religion was very much corrupted and almost quite abolished amongst the Iewees yet did this maxima still remaine That he was no lawfull teacher that came not from God But because none doe more proudly and carelesly bragge of the title of God then false prophetes we haue heere neede of discretion whereby the spirites may be tryed Therfore Nicodemus addeth that it doth manifestly appeare that Christe is sent of God because God doth more mightilie bewray his power in him then that it can be denied that GOD is present with him And he taketh it for a thing which all men doe confesse that God is wont to worke by his ministers alone that by this means he may seale and confirme the function whereunto he hath called them And that not in vaine seeing that the Lorde would alwayes haue myracles to be seales of his doctrine Moreouer he doth well in this that he maketh GOD the only authour of myracles when he saith that none can doe these signes vnlesse God be with him For it is as much as if he shoulde affirme that they are not done by man but that the power of God reigneth and doth manifestly appeare in them To be briefe seeing that there is a double fruite of myracles the one that they do make a preparation vnto faith secondly that they doe better confirm the same beeing conceiued out of the worde of God Nicodemus had profited well in the former part because he learneth by the myracles that Christe is a true prophete of God Yet this seemeth to be scarce firme enough for seeing that the Prophetes do no otherwise once delude the vnskilful with their deceits then if by true myracles they did proue themselues to bee the ministers of God what difference shall there be betweene truth and lying if faith doe depend vpon myracles Yea Moses doth flatly affirme that wee are tryed by this meanes whether we loue God or no. VVe doe also well knowe the admonition of Peter and Paule that the faithfull do beware of lying signes wherewith Antichriste shall blinde the eyes of many I answer that this commeth to passe through the iust permission of god that they may bee deceiued by the subtiltie of Satan who are worthie but I say that this is no hinderance vnto the godly but that the power of God may appeare vnto the elect in miracles which may be vnto them an approbation of true and sounde doctrine So Paule doth reioyce that his Apostleship was confirmed by signes and myracles Therefore howsoeuer Satan do boast himselfe in darkenesse as Gods Ape yet so soone as mens eyes are opened and the light of spirituall doctrine doth shine myracles doe sufficiently testifie that God is present in suche sort as Nicodemus speaketh of in this place 3 Verily verily I say vnto thee In this that Christ repeateth this worde verily twyse it serueth to procure attention For being about to speake of a thinge of all other the most weightie hee had neede to make Nicodemus more attentiue who woulde otherwise haue set light by all this whole speech this therefore is the ende of the double affirmation But although these wordes seeme to be farre fet and to come out of season yet did Christe begin most fitly at the same For as seede is sowen in wast in an vntilled grounde so the doctrine of the Gospel is sowen in vaine vnlesse the hearer be first tilled and rightly framed vnto obedience and docilitie Christe sawe the minde of Nicodemus full of thornes and choked with many euil weedes so that there was scarce any place left for spirituall all doctrine Therefore this exhortation was insteede of plowing to purge the same least any thing shoulde make the doctrine vnfruitefull VVherefore let vs remember that this was once so spoken to one that the sonne of God speaketh vnto vs all dayly with the same voyce For which of vs will say that he is voide of wicked affections so that hee hath no neede of any such purgation Therefore if we will goe forwarde well and profitablie in the schoole of Christ let vs learne to begin at this Vnlesse a man bee borne againe As if he shoulde say so long as thou hast not that which is the chiefest in the kingdome of God I doe not much passe for this that thou doest acknowledge mee to bee a teacher for this is the first entrance into the kingdom of God that thou become a newe man And because this is a notable sentence it is meete that we throughly examine euery part thereof To see the kingdome of God Doth import as much as to enter into the kingdome of God as it shal appeare anone out of the text But they are deceiued that take the kingdome of God for heauen seeing that it doth rather signifie the spirituall life which is begun in this world through faith and doth growe vp dayly according as faith doth encrease So that the meaning heereof is that no man can truly be gathered into the Churche of God that he may be reckoned amongst the childrē of God but he must first be renued Therefore it is by this briefly declared after what sorte Christianitie doth begin In these wordes we are also taught that we are borne as aliants and men banished from the kingdome of God and that we doe continually dissent from the same vntill such time as the seconde begetting doe change vs. For the sentence is generall whiche comprehendeth all mankinde If Christ had said thus vnto one or a fewe that they cannot come into heauen vnlesse they be first borne againe we might coniecture that he speaketh only of certaine persons but he speaketh of all men without exception For it is an indefinite sentence which is of
the right way Therefore vnlesse wee wyll wilfully lay open our selues vnto VVolues and Theeues wee must take good heede that wee bee not deceiued with visured Pastours or sheepe The name of the Churche is honourable and that for good causes but the more reuerence it deserueth the more diligentlye muste wee marke the difference betwene the true Church and the false Christ doth in this place flatly denie that those are to be accounted pastours whiche boast themselues to be such or that those are to be accounted sheep whiche make boast of the outward markes Hee speaketh of the Iewishe Churche and ours is not much vnlike vnto it in this respect VVe must also marke the ende of his purpose whereof I haue spoken namely that weake consciences be not afraide or faint when as they see those enuiously bent against the Gospell who reigne in the Churche in steede of Pastours that they doe not therfore start backe from the faith because they haue but a few of the coÌ„mon sort of christians to be theyr schoole-fellowes in hearing the doctrine of Christ. Hee that entreth not in They deale foolishly in my iudgement which doe subtillie discusse euery part of this parable Let it therefore be sufficient for vs to holde this summe that seeing that Christe maketh the Church like to a sheepfolde wherin God gathereth together all his children he compareth himselfe to the dore because there is no entrance into the Church saue only through him Heereupon it followeth that those are good sheepheardes which lead men straightway vnto Christ that those are truly gathered into Gods sheepefolde that they may bee reckoned in his flocke who addict themselues to Christ alone And all this is referred vnto doctrine For seeing that all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hid in Christe Col. 2. 3. Hee which turneth aside from him vnto any other doth neither keepe the way nor enter in by the dore Now whosoeuer will not refuse to haue Christ to be his teacher hee shall easily acquit himself of that doubt which maketh so many to stand in doubt which is the church and who are to be heard in steed of shepheards For if those who are called shepeheards do assay to lead vs away from Christe we must flie from them as Christ commandeth vs as froÌ„ theeues and wolues neither must we linke our selues or haue any fellowship with any other flocke saue with that which coÌ„senteth together in the pure faith of the Gospell For this cause Christ exhorteth his disciples to separate themselues from the vnbeleeuing multitude of all the whole nation that they do not suffer themselues to be ruled by the wicked Priestes and that they permit not themselues to be deluded with vayne names 3 To him the porter openeth If any man list to vnderstande God I doe not gainstand him Yea Christ seemeth in this place to set the iudgemeÌ„t of God against the false opinion of men in allowing pastours as if hee should say the world truly doth for the most part delight in some and doth willingly honour them but God in whose hand the gouernment is doth acknowledge and allow none other saue those whiche leade his sheepe this way In that he saith that the sheepe are called by name I referre it vnto the mutuall consent of faith because the scholler and the teacher are coupled together with one spirite of God that the teacher may goe before the scholler may come after VVhereas some do thinke that the priuate knowledge which the sheepheard ought to haue of euery particuler sheepe is hereby expressed I know not whether it be firme enough or no. 4 Because they know his voice Although he speake in this place of the ministers yet will he not so much haue them heard as God when hee speaketh by them For we must marke the exception which he putteth that he alone is a faithfull pastour of the Church who gouerneth his sheepe vnder Christ his guiding And we must note the reason why the sheepe are said to followe because they knowe to discerne the sheepeheardes from wolues by the very voyce This is the spirite of discreâ—ion whereby the elect doe know the truth from the false inuentions of men Therefore in the sheepe of Christ there goeth before the knoweledge of the truth then there is added thereunto an earnest desire to obey that they may not only know what is truth but receiue the same with all their heart And hee doth not only commend the obedience of faith for this cause because the sheepe do come quietly together when they heare the shepheards voyce but also because the doe not giue care to strange voyces neither are they scattered abroad when any man calleth them or rebuketh them 6 This similitude Behold why they did refuse the light of Christe being pute vp with the light of wisedome for they are ouer dull in a matter not very hard In these wordes They vnderstood not what those thynges 〈◊〉 c. the reading is diuers amongst the Grecians some bokes haue it worde for worde They vnderstood not what things he spake The other which I haue followed is more perfect although the sense come all â—o one ende The third is that they did not acknowlege him to be the sonne of god who spake of himselfe but this is not vsed very much 7 Therfore Iesus said vnto them againe verily verily I say vnto you that I am the dore of the sheepe 8 All which came before mee are theeues and robbers but thy sheepe 〈◊〉 not them 9 I am the doore if any man enter in by mee he 〈◊〉 saued and hee shall goe in and goe out and shall finde pasture 10 The theefe commeth not saue only to steale and kill and destroy I came that they may haue life and that they may haue it more abundantly 7 I am the doore Vnlesse this exposition had been added all the whole speech had been allegoricall Now doth he more plainely expounde that which was the chiefest thing in the similitude when he affirmeth that he is the doore of the sheepe And the summe is this as wee haue saide that the head of all the spirituall doctrine wherewith soules are fed is contained in him VVherupon Paul one of the shepheards 1. Cor. 2. 2. esteemed not to know any thing saue Iesus Christ. For these words import asmuch as if Christ had testified that it was he alone vnto whome we must be gathered Therfore he biddeth all those that desire to be saued come vnto him VVherby he giueth vs to vnderstand that all theyr labour is but lost whosoeuer do striue to come vnto God leauing him because there is but one gate that standeth open and all other entrances whatsoeuer are stopt 8 All which came before mee It is worde for worde All howe many soeuer And those which restraine this vnto Iudas of Galilee and such mysse the marke in my iudgement very much and are farre from Christ his meaning For he doth generally set all
because the father is with me 32 These things haue I spoken that yee may haue peace in me ye haue tribulation in the worlde but â—e of good courage I haue ouercome the world 29 The Disciples say vnto him Hereby it appeareth how effectuall that consolation was because it lifted vp vnto great ioyfulnesse those mindes which were before cast downe and discouraged and yet notwithstanding it is certaine that the Disciples knew not as yet what Christe his speech did import But althogh they comprehended it not as yet yet the only smel did refresh theÌ„ In that they cry out that their master speaketh plainely and without any figure they passe measure in that yet according to their meaning they testifie the truth VVhich thing we doe also trie at this day for he that hath tasted but a little only of the doctrine of the Gospell he is more enflamed and fealeth more force in a small quantitie and portion of faith then if he had knowen all Plato Yea the sighes and sobs which the spirite of God stirreth vp in the heartes of the godly doe sufficiently testifie that God worketh by some secrete meanes aboue their capacitie For otherwise Paule woulde not call them vnexpresseable Ro. 8. 26. VVe must thus thinke that the Apostles felt some profiting so that they might truly testifie that Christe his wordes were not now altogether darke vnto them but they were deceiued in that they seemed to themselues to be wiser then they were And the errour proceeded thence because they knew not of what sort the gifte of the soirite should be Therefore they reioyce before the time as if a man should thinke that he were rich when he hath but one crowne of gold They gather by certaine signes that Christ came foorth from God they boast as if they wanted nothing els But they were farre from that knowledge as yet so long as they vnderstood not what Christ should be afterward 31 Now yee beleeue Because the disciples had too great a good liking of themselues Christ telleth them that remembring their infirmitie they must rather keepe themselues within their compasse VVee doe neuer know sufficiently what we lacke and how farre wee are off from the fulnesse of faith vntill we be come vnto some serious experiment and tryall For the thing it selfe doth now declare how weake the faith was which we thoght was perfect Christ calleth back his disciples vnto this and he pronounceth that it shal come to passe shortly that they shal leaue him For persecution is like a touchstone to trie saith whiche whenas it appeareth to be but small those men begin to tremble and shrinke together who were puffed vp before Therefore Christe his interrogation is ironicall and made iestingly as if he should haue saide doe ye boast therefore as if you were filled with faith But there is a triall at hand which shall bewray your emptinesse Our securitie must be brideled thus whilest that it passeth measure too much But it might seeme that there was either no faith at all in the disciples or that it was extinguished then when hauing forsaken Christ they ran vp down I answere that howsoeuer their faith was cast downe and did faint and fayle yet there remained something whence newe slippes myghte spring 32 I am not alone This correction was added to the ende we may know that Christ is no whit impayred when he is forsaken of men For seeing that his trueth and glory is grounded in himselfe and that he doth not depende vpon the faith of the worlde if he chaunce to bee forsaken of the whole world yet neuerthelesse hee remaineth perfect because he is God and needeth not the help of an other In that he saith that his father will bee with him it is as much as if he should say that god is on his side so that he hath no neede to borrow any thing of menne VVhosoeuer shall ponder these thinges he shall stand stedfast when all the whole world is like to fall neither shal the falling of all other ouerthrowe his faith For we doe not giue God his due honour vnlesse hee alone be sufficient for vs. 33 These thinges haue I spoken vnto you Hee repeateth againe how necessary those comfortes were which he vsed to giue them And hee proueth by this reason that much sorow and tribulations are prepared for them Therefore we must first of all note this admonition that all the godly may bee persuaded that their life is subiect to great miserye that they may prepare themselues to suffer and indure them Therefore seeing that the worlde is vnto vs like the surging Sea wee shall not find true peace any where els saue only in Christ. Nowe we must note the meanes and way to enioy the same He saith that they shall haue peace if they goe forwarde in this doctrine VVill we then haue our mindes quiet and free in the middest of afflictions Let vs take good heede vnto this sermon of Christ which shall giue vs peace in him Bee of good cheere As our sluggishnesse ought to be corrected with diuers afflictions and wee must bee awaked to seeke remedie for our miseries so the Lord wil not haue vs to be discouraged but rather to fight ioyfully whiche cannot be vnlesse we be certaine to haue successe For if we fight not knowing whether we shall haue the victorie or no all our desire and endeuour shall fall to the ground by and by Therefore when Christ calleth vs to fight hee furnisheth vs with sure hope of victorie although we must neuerthelesse take some paine Furthermore because there is alwayes in vs great matter of trembling hee telleth vs that we must hope for this cause because hee hath ouercome the worlde not for himselfe alone but for our sakes So it shall come to passe that when we be almost oppressed in our selues wee may be able safely to contemne what miserie soeuer lyeth vpon vs when we beholde that great glory whereunto our head hath attained VVherefore if wee desire to be Christians we must not seeke to bee free from the crosse but let vs be content with this one thing that so long as we fight vnder Christes banner wee are notwithstanding out of daunger euen in the very conflict Christ comprehendeth in this place vnder this woorde worlde whatsoeuer is contrary to the saluation of the godly and especially all the corruptions which Satan abuseth that hee may deceiue vs. Chap. 17. 1 THese thinges spake Iesus and hee lifted vp his eyes towarde heauen and said Father the houre is come glorifie thy sonne that thy sonne may also glorifie thee 2 As thou hast giuen him power of all flesh that he may giue life to all those whom thou hast giuen him 3 And this is eternall life that they may knowe thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent 4 I haue glorified thee vpon earth I haue finished the woorke which thou hadst giuen mee to doe 5 And now
VVherfore we neede not feare least we bee deceiued in beleeuing him forasmuch as it is vnpossible for him to teach any thing but that which is true who hath this office giuen him by God and this desire naturally bred in him to defend the truth VVhosoeuer is of the truth Christe addeth this not so muche for this cause that he might exhort Pilate which he knewe should be in vaine as also that hee might set his doctrine free from the vniust reproches whereunto it was subiect as if he shoulde haue said this is laid to my charge as a crime that I haue professed my selfe to be a king but this is an vndoubted truth which all those receiue reuerently and without doubting whosoeuer are endowed with right iudgement and sound vnderstanding Although he saith not that those are of the truth which see the truth naturally but only in asmuch as they are gouerned by the spirite of God 38 VVhat is truth Some doe thinke that Pilate enquireth curiously as profane men are sometimes wont greedily to desire the knowledge of an vnknowen thing not knowing in the meane season why they desire this for this is their only intent and purpose to feede their eares But I doe rather take it that he vttered in these words some lothsomnesse For Pilate thought that he had no small iniurie done him in that Christ depriueth him of all knowledge of the truth Now we see in Pilate the common disease of all men Although euery mans conscience doth beare him witnesse that he is ignorant yet there are but a few that can abide to confesse it theereby it commeth to passe that moste men doe refuse true doctrine Afterward the Lorde who is a teacher of the humble doth punish the proude as they haue deserued by striking them with blindnesse From the same pride springeth that loathsomenesse that they doe not vouchsafe to submit themselues to learne because all men doe challedge to themselues readinesse and quicknesse of wit The truth is thought to be a common thing but on the other side God doth testifie that it far exceedeth the capacitie of mans minde The same thing falleth out in other thinges likewise The principall points of diuinitie are concerning the curse of mankind corrupt nature mortification of the fleshe newnesse of life free reconciliation by that only sacrifice imputation of righteousnesse whereby a sinner is accepted before god the illumination of the spirit Because these things are Paradoxes the commō sense of men doth contemptiblie refuse them Therfore there are but a few which profit rightly in Gods schoole because there is scarce one amongst ten that taketh any heed to the first rudiments and principles And why so saue only because they measure the hidden wisedome of God according to their owne sense It appeareth hereby that Pilate spake scornefully in y t he goth out by by In summe he is angrie with Christ because hee boasteth that hee bringeth the truth to light which lay hid before Yet this his indignation declareth that the wicked doe neuer so chourlishly reiect the doctrine of the Gospell but that they are touched with some efficacie therof For although Pilate went not so farre that he yeeldeth and submitteth himselfe to bee taught yet is he enforced to feele some pricking inwardly 39 But yee haue a custome Pilate did alwayes tosse this in his minde how he might deliuer Christ from death and seeing that the furie of the people was so great he kept a meane way whereby he might pacifie their mindes which were angrie For he thought that this woulde bee sufficient if Christ being let loose as an euill doer should suffer reproch alwayes afterward And therefore he choseth Barabbas that by comparing him with Christe hee may mittigate the hatred which they had conceiued against Christ. For this Barabbas was hated of all men for the crueltie of his offences For what is more detestable then a murtherer And Luke saith that he was also guiltie of other crimes In that the Iewes preferre him before Christ it commeth to passe through the◠singuler prouidence of God For it was not meete that the sonne of God should be deliuered from death with so shamefull a price Neuerthelesse he was cast downe into extreame ignominie in his death in that he was crucified betweene two theeues when Barabbas was let loose because he had taken the sinnes and offences of all men vpon him which could not otherwise bee purged And the glory of his resurrection which folowed immediately caused the death of it selfe to be a most valiant triumph Furthermore there was a filthie and grosse vice in that custome that the president of Rome did deliuer some one wicked person at Easter This was doone to celebrate the holinesse of the day but in very deed it was nothing els but a filthie profaning of the same For the scripture doth testifie that he is a abhomination before God which acquitteth the guiltie and wicked person Therefore it is farre off that such preposterous pardon should please him Therfore let vs learne by this example that there is nothing more preposterous then to bee desirous to worship God with our own inuentions For so soone as men shall begin to followe their owne imaginations they neuer make an end vntill being fallen into the most extreame dotings they doe manifestly mocke God Therefore the lawe and rule of Gods worship must bee fet from his prescript alone Chap. 19. 1 THen Pilate tooke Iesus and scourged him 2 And the souldiers platted a crowne of thorne and put it vppon his head and they put vppon him a purple garment 3 And said haile king of the Iewes and they smote him with their fists 4. Therfore Pilat went out againe and said vnto them behold I bring him forthe vnto you that yee may know that I find no fault in him 5. Therefore Iesus went forth bearing a crown of thornes and a purple garment Then said he vnto them behold the man 6. Therefore when the chiefe Priestes and officers saw him they cried saying crucifie him crucifie him 7. Pilate saith vnto them Take yee him and crucifie him for I finde no fault in him Pilat tooke Iesus Pilate persisteth in his purpose yet he addeth another reproach to the former because he hopeth that the Iewes will bee content with this meane chastisement when Christ shall be scourged wyth whippes And in that he laboureth so earnestly and profiteth nothinge we must consider therein the heauenly decree whereby Christ was appoynted vnto death Neuerthelesse his innocencie is oftentimes defended auouched by the testimony of the Iudg to the end we may know that he which was free from all faulte himselfe is made guiltye in our steede and that he suffereth the punishment which is due to other mens sinnes In Pylate we haue a notable example of a fearefull conscience he acquiteth Christ by his own mouth and he cōfesseth that there is no fault in him yet he punisheth him as if he were
common coÌ„fession of al the godly which we see Christ alloweth Doutles he wold not haue suffred the honor to be giueÌ„ rashly and falsly vnto himself being taken froÌ„ his father yet he doth flatly allow that which Th. said wherfore this one place is sufficieÌ„t to refute the madnes of Arrius sufficiently For it is altogither vnlawfull to imagine two Gods Moreouer the vnitie of person in Christ is expressed in this place wheÌ„ as the same Christ is called god and lord He calleth him his twise with great force that he may declare that he speaketh according to a liuely earnest feeling of faith 29. Thomas because Christ repreheÌ„deth nothing in Tho. saue only that he was so slow to beleue so that he had need to be drawn vnto the faith violeÌ„tly by the experiences of his senses which is quite contrary to the nature of faith If any man obiect that there is nothing more vnconuenieÌ„t then that faith shuld be called a perswasion conceiued by touching seeing we may easily answer out of y t which I haue already said For Th. was not simply brought by touching or seeing to beleue that christ was his god but being awaked he remeÌ„bred the doctrine which he had almost forgotteÌ„ before For doutles faith cannot flow froÌ„ the bare experiments of things but she must haue her beginning froÌ„ the word of god Therfore christ chideth Tho. for this cause because he did not giue such honour vnto his worde as he ought that he tied faith which coÌ„meth by hearing and ought earnestly to be set vpon the worde vnto the other senses Blessed are those that haue not seene and haue beleeued Christ commendeth faith in this place for this cause because resting vpon the woord alone it doeth not depend vpon the sense reason of the flesh Therfore he doth briefly define the force nature of saith to wit that it staieth not in the present sight but pierceth vnto the heaueÌ„s that it may beleeue those things which are hiddeÌ„ from the sense perceiuing of maÌ„ And truly we must giue god this honor that his truth be vnto vs of sufficient credit of it self Faith hath in deed her sight yet such as doth not abide below in y e world in earthly obiects in which respecte it is called the euidence of inuisible things or of things which appeare not Heb. 11. 1. And Paule 2. Cor. 15. 7. setting it against sight doeth signify that it sticketh not in considering the estate of things present neither doth it looke hither and thither vnto those things which appear in the world but it dependeth vpon the mouth of god and that trusting to the word of God it ouercoÌ„meth the whole world that she may fasten her anker in heauen The summe is that there is no true faith but that which beinge grounded in the woord of God doeth rise vnto the inuisible kingdom of God that it may surpasse all humane apprehension If any man obiect that this saying of Christ disagreeth with that other Math. 13. 16. where he pronounceth that the eyes are blessed whiche see him present I answeare that Christ doeth not speake in that place of the corporall beholding and sight only as in that place but of the reuelation which is coÌ„mon to all the godly sitheÌ„s that he appeared vnto the world to be the redemer therof He coÌ„pareth the apostles with the holy kings and prophets who were holden vnder the dark shadowes of the law of Moses But now he sayth that the condition of the faithful is better because there shineth vnto them a more perfect light yea because the substance truth of the figures is giuen theÌ„ Many wicked men saw christ then with the eies of the flesh who were neuer a whit the happier therefore but we who neuer saw Christ with our eyes do enioy that blessednesse which Christ commendeth VVhereupon it followeth that the eyes are called blessed who consider spiritually that heauenly and diuine thing which is in him For we do at this day behold Christ in the Gospel as if he were present before vs. In which sense Paul sayth vnto the Galathians 3. 1. that he is crucified before our eies VVherfore if we couette to see that in Christe which may make vs happye and blessed let vs learne to beleeue when we see not That which is wrytten 1. Pet. 1. 8. agreeth with these woordes of Christe where the faithfull are commended which loue Christe whome they haue not seene and reioyce with an vnspeakeable ioy although they beholde him not And whereas the Papists doe wrest these woordes to approoue their transubstantiation it is more then friuolous They bidde vs beleeue that Christe is in the shape and likenesse of breade that we may be blessed But we know that Christe did intende nothinge lesse then to make faith subiecte to the inuentions of menne which if it goe but a little beyond the boundes of the woorde it is no more faith Iâ— wee must beleeue all things which wee see not then shall our faith be tied to all monsters which it pleaseth menne to inuent to all fables which they lust to blunder out Therfore to the end this saying of christ may take place that must first be proued out of the woord of God which is called in question They alleage the woord in deede for their transubstantion yet if it be wel expounded it maketh nothing for their doting and folly 30. Many other myracles wroght Iesus before his disciples which are not writteÌ„ in this boke 31. But these thinges are wrytten that yee may beleeue that Iesus is Christe the Sonne of God and that beleeuing yee may haue life in his name 30. Many other Vnlesse this preuention had been added the readers might haue thought that Iohn had omitted none of the myracles which Iesus did that he hath the perfect ful hystory of al things here Therfore Iohn doth testify first that he did only wryte certain things of many not because the other were vnworthy to be recited but because these were sufficient to edify faith And yet it doth not follow thereupon that they were wrought in vaine because they were profitable for that age Secondly although we doe not knowe at this day what they were yet we must not set light by them because we vnderstand that the Gospell was sealed with great aboundance of myracles 31. And these thingâ— By these wordes he signifieth vnto vs that he wrote so much as ought to satisfie vs because it is abundantly sufficient to confirm our faith For he meant to preuent the vaine curiosity of men which cannot be satisfied beareth too much with it self Furthermore Iohn knew wel what the other Euangelists had wrytten And seeing that he inteÌ„ded nothing lesse then to abolish their wrytings without doubt he doth not separate their narration from his Yet it seemeth to be an absurd thing that faith is fouÌ„ded and grounded in myracles which ought wholely to â—eane vnto the
7. 38. The spirite is the perfect maister of trueth 16. 12. Christ receiued the spirite not so much for himselfe as for his 1. 32. VVhat it is to worship in spirite and trueth 4. 23. How this must be vnderstoode that Christe was troubled in the spirit 13. 21. The testimony of the spirit is our onely aide against the inuasion of the world 15. 16. How the spirite is said to testifie of Christe in the same place Christ is present with vs by the trueth and grace of his spirit 12. 6. To what end the faithful doe receiue the spirit in the same place Howe this must be vnderstoode that the spirit speaketh not of himself 16. 13. The duetie of the holy spirit 16. 14. How this muste be vnderstoode that the spirit was not giuen christ by measure 3. 34. The spirite reproueth men two maner of waies 16. 8. VVhy christ added the visible brething in giuing the spirit to the Apostles 20. 22. What men are able to doe beeing depriued of the aid of the holy spirite 14. 18. Iesus gaue vp the ghost 19. 3. How the worship of God is said to consist in the spirit 4. 23. The spirit of giddinesse wherewith Satan driueth the wicked 12 10. The spirite of truth shall declare things to come 16. 13. Spittle Iesus made clay of spittle 9. 6. Sicke The sick man who had laid sick thirtie eight yeeres is made whole by Christ. 5. 9. To whom god hath sent speake the wordes of God 3. 35. Sinagogues christ preacheth in the Sinagogues 6. 59. To be cast out of the Sinagogues 9. 22. and 12. 42. and 16. 2. T Taught Taught of God 6. 45. Teachers It belongeth to Christe alone to frame the teachers of the Church 10. 22. Christ the onely teacher of the Church 20. 21. With what stoutnesse of minde the teachers of the Churche must bee endewed 2. 28. and 8. 29. and 16. 3. Whereuppon the authoritie of teachers dependeth 3. 2. Teaching God hath a double maner of teaching 14. 25. Temple The temple of Ierusalem was builded by Herod 2. 20. To what ende the temple was builded 2. 16. The temple was a figure of the church in the same place Why the temple was called the house of God 2. 16. Christ teacheth in the temple 7 24. 28. and 8. 12. 1. and 18. 20. The temple of the body of christ muste be destroyed by the Iewes 2. 19. 21. Temples VVhye our bodies are called Temples 2. 19. Tempted God will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength 18. 9. Testimonie All men receiue not the testimonie of christ 3. 11. Christ giueth testimony of himselfe 8. 13. 14. 18. The testimony of the father of the sonne 5. 32. 36. 88. The testimony of christ of Iohn Baptist 1. 26. Theefe A thiefe a murtherer 10. 12. 8. Theeues Theeues are crucified with christ 19. 18. Thernades Fastning of the Thernades an holye daye of the Iewes 7. 2. Thankes To giue thanks 11. 2. 3. Thomas Thomas Didymus 11. 16. hee is reprehended for his vnbeliefe Thirst. Let him that is a thirst go vnto Christ 7. 37. To be a thirst for euer and not to be a thirst Title the title of christes cause 19. 19. Troubled Let not your heart be troubled 14. 1. 27. Truth Christ is the truth 14. 6 the truth of God must be defended although all the whole world say nay 5. 18. It is knowen to christe howe much the truthe differeth from figures 19. 10. Truth is taken for perfection of faith 14. 6. The truth shall make you free saith christ 8. 32. God is the fountaine of truth 16. 13. Christ full of truth 1. 17. It is a common thing amonge men to corrupt the truth of God 6. 14. who are saide to be of the truth 18. 37. What it is to do the truth 3. 21. Christe came to beare witnes of the truth 18. 37. The Diuell stood not in the truth Christ speaketh the truth 8. 45. which he hath heard of the father the spirite of truth shall teache all truth 16. 13. Twelue Twelue chosen by christ 6. 7. Time Christ saith that his time is not yet come 7. 6. 8. V Vnitie Vnitie of y e church is grounded no where els saue onely in the faith of the scripture 19. 23. Vnbeliefe How vnbeliefe is called the fountaine cause of all euils 8. 24. 15. 22. Vnbeliefe doth stop the way before vs that we cannot come vnto God 11. 34. He that beleueth not the sonne shall not haue life 3. 38. Vnrighteousnesse Vnrighteousnesse is not in God 7. 23. Vnion The meanes to know the vnion whiche is betweene vs and Christe 14. 20. Voyce The voice of one crying in the wildernesse 1. 23. How horible the voyce of christ shall bee to the wicked in the last iudgement 18. 4. The sheepe shall heare the voice of christ 10 16. Vine VVe must note three things chiefly in the similitude of y e Vine 15. 1. Christ is the true vine 15. 1. VV VVay Howe Christe is called the way the trueh and the life 14. 6. Christ is the way to the father in the same place VVater pots Water pots of stone 2. 6. VVeepe Mary and the Iewes doe weep for Lazarus his death 11. 33 Ye shal mourne weepe 16. 20 Iesus speaketh vnto Magdalen as she wept 20. 15. VVhole Christ made a man euery whit whole 7. 22 Thou art made whole sinne no more 5. 14. VVhippes The sinnes of men are not alwaies to be measured by the whips of God 9. 34. Pilate deliuereth Iesus into the wil of the Iewes beeing whipped 19. 1. VVeaknes Christ his weakenesse ought to vnderprop faith 14. 1. VVicked The wicked are not streightway to be discouered 13. 22. 26. Wicked men must be called vnto Gods iudgement seate 8. 28 VVorship The rule of worshippe which God requireth at our hāds 5. 24. VVhence we must set the law of Gods worship 18. 39. VVorshippers VVho be true worshippers 4. 23. 24. VVoman The comparison of a woman with childe 16. 21. VVord VVhy the Sonne of God is called the word 11. 〈…〉 In what sense the word of Christ is called life 6. 63. The word of christ shal iudg him that reiecteth his words 12. 42. To abide in the word of Christ. 8. 31. To keepe the word of Christ. 8. 51. 14. 23. 24. 15. 20. 17. 6. VVhy the word of God is darke vnto vs. 16. 25. The word of God is truth 17. 17. The word was in the beginning 1. 1. was made fleshe in the same place 14. the worde of God is the onely mark of faith 20. 31. The word of life 6. 68. What knowledge we can conceiue of Christ without the word 6. 19. It is a dangerous thing to inuēt any thing in diuine matters without the word 6. 15. VVe must alwaies hold a mutual consent betweene the word and faith 11. 21. VVith what remedy wee muste cure the
them to abuse the name of God without reproofe so that they were not forsworne It is commaunded that we should religiously performe our oathes to God For he that doth defraud and deceaue his neighbours after that he hath vsed the name of God for it doth iniury not to men onely but to God But the fault is in restraining that to one point which extendeth more largely Some apply this word perfourme to vowes promised to God for relygions sake But the word doth best agree to al couenauntes and promisses confirmed by adding the name of God thereto for then is God made a witnesse between both parties to whom they pledge their faith 34. Sweare not at all This clause not at all hath deceiued many so that they thought that Christ had generally condemned all oathes And many good men were driuen to this vnmeasurable rigor through the vnbrideled libertie of swearing which they sawe abounde throughout the world And the Anabaptistes vnder this pretence haue kept a great stir as though Christe would suffer vs to sweare for no cause for that hee forbiddeth to sweare at all But we must not fetch an exposition out of any other place then out of the wordes of the text presently there followeth neither by heauen nor by the earth VVho seeth not that these kindes of oathes are set downe for interpretation sake which by this numbring of these perticuler oathes might interprete the former sentence The Iewes had certaine extraordinary or indirect as menne saye maner of oathes and when they swore by heauen earth or the altar they counted this almost for nothing And as one sinne ariseth of an other so vnder this colour they faigned that they did not so openly prophane the name of God Christe that he might meete with this sinne saieth that they may not at all sweare either after this maner or after that neither by heauen nor by the earth c. VVhereby wee gather that this phrase not at all is not referred to the substaunce but to the maner of swearing as if he should haue saide neither directly nor indirectly otherwise it were in vaine to rehearse these kindes VVherefore the Anabaptistes doe shewe their grosse ignoraunce and their delight in contention while that frowardly they enforce one word and with closed eies doe passe by the whole meaning of the sentence If any obiect that Christ permitteth no oath I aunswere that the interpreters wordes must bee vnderstoode according to the meaning of the law Therefore this is the summe that the name of God is taken in vaine other waies then by periury Therefore we must refraine from all superfluous oathes but where as there is cause the law doth not only permitte but also commandeth to swear So Christes meaning was nothing else then that al those oathes are vnlawful which by any abuse prophane the sacred name of God the reuerence whereof they ought to preserue Neyther by heauen They are deceiued that say that Christe reprooued these formes of swearing as corrupt because that God alone shoulde be sworne by for the reasons which he bringeth doe rather bend to the coÌ„trary parte because that then also the name of God is sworne by when as heauen and earth are named because there is no parte of the worlde wherein God hath not imprinted some note of his glory Yet this opinion seemeth not to agree with the commaundement of the law whereas God expresly commaundeth to sweare by his name nor yet with diuerse places of the Scripture whereas he complayneth that he is iniuried so oft as his creatures are sworne by I aunswere it is an offence lyke to idolatrie when as eyther the power of iudgement or the aucthoritie of trying witnesses is giuen to them For we must consider the end of swering namely that menne doe appeale vnto God as the reuenger of periurie and the defence of trueth And this honour cannot be giuen to another but that his maiestie shal be prophaned And for this cause the Apostle saieth that one cannot sweare but by the greater and this was peculyer to God alone that he sweareth by himselfe So whosoeuer swore in tymes paste by Moloch or by any other Idoll did so much diminishe from the glory of God in that an other was placed in his roumth as vnderstander of the thoughtes Iudge against their â—oules And they that at this day doe sweare by Angelles or dead Saintes doe spoyle GOD of his honour and do ascribe a vain godhead to those creatures But there is an other thing to be considered when as heauen and earth are sworne by in respect of the maker For the relygion of an oath is not setled vppon the creatures but God alone is called to witnesse they being brought forth as seales of his glory The scripture also calleth heauen the seat of God not that he is included therein but that menne might learne to lyfte their mindes on high so oft as they thinke of him and that they shoulde not imagine any earthly or base thing of him Yea the earth also is therfore called his footestoole that we might knowe that hee being euerye where could not be contained in any certaine place The holynesse of Hierusalem did depende of the promisse therefore it was holy because the Lorde had chosen it for the seat and palace of his Empyre VVhen men swear by their head they lay their lyfe as pledge of their good meaning which is their singuler gyft of God 37. But let your communication be Secondly Christe prescribeth a remedy namely that menne should deale truely and faythfully amongst themselues for then playne speach shall be of more value then an oath is amongst them that knowe no other but corrupt and false dealing And truely this is the best way to reproue and correct vices by to note the fountaines from whence they spring From whence commeth this rash readinesse of swearing but that in so much vanitie in so manye deceites vnconstancy and ficklenesse nothing almost is beleeued Therfore Christe requireth trueth and constancy in our wordes that wee shoulde not neede to sweare anye more For the repetition aswell of the affirmation as of the denyall is for this purpose that wee should keepe our promisses that all vpright dealing maye thereby appeare And beecause that this is the true and lawefull kinde of bargayning where men speake no otherwise with their tongue then they thinke in their hearte Christ saieth that whatsoeuer is more proceedeth of euill And I allowe not their iudgemente that attribute the faulte of swearinge to him that dooth not beleeue the speaker But in my iudgement Christe teacheth that it proceedeth of the vices of men that they are enforced to sweare for if there were vpright dealinge amongste them if they were not diuerse nor inconstant of theyr worde but mayntayned that simplicitie which nature teacheth yet it followeth not but that it is lawefull to sweare so ofte as neede requireth for manye thinges may bee well vsed which ryse of an
more fully kindled in them that their strength become more perfect Are they not all like to a Reede halfe broken and to a smoking matche Therfore lette vs learne to embrace this great goodnesse of Christ who frameth himself so to our infirmity Yet in the meane while lette no man flatter himselfe in his sinnes but let euery man endeuour to profit better in our selues least we wander all our life long or bend turne at euery blast like vnto Reedes but lette vs growe on to be perfect men that we may stand fast against the sundry assaults of sathan Let not our faith be like a few smal sparkes hidden in a darke smoke but let it shewe foorth bright shining beames Nowe by the example of Christ all his ministers haue prescribed vnto them how they ought to behaue themselues But because that vnder pretence of this place some do falsly folishly pretend that mildnesse is generally to be vsed towards all men that difference is to be noted which the Prophet expresly maketh betwene the weake and the obstinate For there are some that are too strong whose hardnesse it were meete should be broken with the violence of a beetle which either endeuour to bring darknesse ouer al places or else are firebrands to kindle consuming fires euery where it is necessary that their smoke shuld be scattered and that their heat shoulde be quenched Therefore as the faithfull ministers of the word must diligently apply themselues that by sparing the weake they may encrease nourish the grace of God which as yet is but small in them so they must in wisedom take good hede that they nourish not the malitious obstinate whiche are nothing like to the smoking flaxe or to the brused Reede 20. Til he bring forth iudgement into victory The wordes of the Prophet are somwhat otherwise namely that he shal bring forth or lead forth iudgement in truth Yet the speach which Mat. vseth is full of great importāce that we may knowe that righteousnesse cannot be placed in the worlde without great strife and labour For the deuill casteth in what lettes and hinderances he may that righteousnesse shoulde not shewe foorth but by great wrestling and that is confirmed by that woorde victory which is not obtained but by fighting For that which presently foloweth the Prophet hath the yles shall waite for his lawe And thoughe Mathewe hath changed the wordes yet he agreeth in sense that the grace of Christ shall be common to the Gentiles Math. 12. Marke 3. Luke 11. 22. Then was brought to hym one possessed with a deuill both blinde and dumme and he healed him so that hee whiche was blinde and dumme bothe spake and sawe 23. And all the people were amased and said Is not this the sonne of Dauid 24. But when the Pharisies heard it they sayd this man casteth deuilles no otherwise out but through Belzebub the prince of deuils 19. And they came home 20. And the multitude assēbled againe so that they coulde not so much as eate bread 21. And when his kinsfolkes heard of it they went out to lay hold on him for they thought he had bene beside himselfe 22. And the Scribes whiche came from Ierusalem sayde He hath Beelzebub and through the prince of deuilles he casteth out deuils 14. Then he cast out a deuill which was dum and when the deuil was gone out the dumme spake and the people wondered 15. But some of them sayde Hee casteth out deuils through Beelzebub the chiefe of the deuils It is not to be doubted but that Marke meaneth some certaine space of time long enough when he descendeth from the myracles to that wicked conspiracie which Christes kinsmen made amongst themselues that they might binde him as a madde man In Mathew and Luke there is expresse mention made of one only myracle by the which the Pharisies tooke occasion of quarrelling But because that they all three agree togither in this latter sentence therefore I thought good heere to set downe that whiche Marke reporteth And it is wonder that there was such frowardnesse in Christes kinsmen which shoulde haue bene the chiefe helpers in furthering the kingdome of God VVhen they see that he hath gotten him any name ambition pricketh them so that they desire to become famous at Ierusalem for they exhorted him that he would goe vppe thither that he might the better aduance himself Now that they see that he is partly hated of the rulers partly subiecte to many euill speaches and also despised of the most part least any daunger or enuie or reproache should come to the whole stocke or kinred they deuise to lay handes vppon him and to binde him at home as a man out of his wittes and that they were so perswaded it appeareth by the wordes of the Euangelist VVhereby we doe first learne howe blinde mans vnderstanding is that iudgeth so peruersly of the manifest glory of God Certainly the power of the holy Ghost did shine most excellently in all Christes wordes deedes so that if it had bene obscure to others howe coulde it be hid from his kinsmen they being so familiarly acquainted But because the maner of life which Christ ledde pleased not the world and so gat him no fauour but rather procured him many mens hatred they faine him to be a madde man Secondly let vs learne that the light of faith commeth not of flesh bloud but of heauenly grace least any mā shuld glory in any other birth but in the new birth of the spirite as Paul warneth vs 2. Cor. 5. 17. If any man will be esteemed in Christ let him be a new creature 22. Then was brought to him Luke calleth the deuill by whome the man was possessed dumme because of the effect yet Mathew sayeth that there was a double plague laid vpon the man It is certain that many are blind and dumme of naturall diseases but it appeareth that this man was blind in his eyes and depriued of his speach though ther was no want in those partes pertaining to the sight or in the proportion of the tongue Also it is no meruaile that Sathan hath so much libertie as to corrupt the senses of the body when as by the iust iudgement of God he corrupteth and peruerteth all the powers of the soule 23. And all the people were amased Heereby we gather that the power of God was manifest to be seene whiche caried the common people whiche was cleare and free from all malitious affection to haue him in admiration For how should it come to passe that al the people should be so amased and wonder but because the matter so compelled them And certainly there is none of vs which may not behold in this hystorie as in a glas the wonderfull power of God whereby it is to be gathered that the Scribes had their minds infected with diuelish poyson which were not afraid to cauil at this so excellent a worke of God But the frute of the
in their blindnesse he ascribeth the faulte of this to them but thereby he the more commendeth the grace giuen to the Apostles which was not in such sorte giuen commonly to all And other cause he assigneth none but the secreat coūsell of God the reason wherof though it be hid from vs yet it was apparant to him as we shall heereafter more plainly perceiue And though parables haue an other ende then to containe darke speaches which God would not that they shoulde be plainly made knowen yet we sayd that this which we haue now in hand was so proposed by Christe that by the continuance of the Allegorie it was as a doutfull riddle 14. So in them is fulfilled the Prophesie He confirmeth and prooueth out of the prophesie of Isai that it is no newe thing if many profite nothing by the word of God because that in times past the olde people were founde in such great blindnesse But this place of the Prophet is diuersly cited in the newe Testament For Paule Actes 28. 26. vpbraiding the Iewes for their obstinate malice sayeth that they were therefore blinded that they could not see the light of the Gospell because they were bitter and rebellious against God So he set down the nearest cause which was to be sene openly in the men But in the Epistle to the Rom. 11. 7. he setteth downe the cause out of a higher a more secreat fountain for he teacheth that the remnants should be saued according to the grace of election and that the rest were blinded according as it is said by Isaias c. the opposition there vsed is to be noted for if the onely free election of God saueth a remnant of the people it foloweth that all other doe pearish by the secreat iudgemēt of God but yet righteous For who are those other which Paule opposeth to the remnantes whiche were chosen but they whome God woulde not shoulde be saued There is the like reason also in Iohn 12. 38. For he sayeth that there were many which beleeued not because that no man beleeueth but they to whom the arme of the Lord is reuealed And presently after he addeth that they could not beleeue because it is wrytten againe Isa. 6. 9. he hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart Christ also had regard vnto this when he referreth it to the secrete counsell of God that the truthe of the Gospell was not generally reuealed to all but set foorth a farre off vnder darke speaches so that nothing was powred into the peoples minds but grosser blindnesse I doe alwaies graunt that whom soeuer God doeth blinde they are found woorthy of this plague but because the next cause doeth not appeare in the persones of the men let this principle remaine alwayes certaine and sure that they are lightened of God to saluation and that by a singular gift whom God hath freely chosen but all the reprobate are depriued of the light of life whether God withdraweth his woorde from them or else holdeth their eyes and eares fast closed that they should not heare nor see Now we see howe Christe applieth the prophesie of the Prophet to the present cause Hearinge yee shall heare The woordes of the Prophet are not recited neither was it needefull for it was sufficient for Christ to shewe that it was no new nor strange example if many be astonished at the word of God The saying of the Prophet was this Go blind their mindes and harden their hearts Mathewe referreth it to the hearers that the faulte of their blindnesse and hardnesse might be saide vppon themselues for the one of them cannot be separated from the other because that as many as are cast off into a reprobate sense do willingly and of a conceiued malice blinde and harden themselues Neither can it be otherwise where as the spirit of God raigneth not wherby the electe are onely ruled VVherefore let this which is added be noted that all they are out of their minde whiche God lighteneth not with the spirite of adoption and therfore they are rather blinded by the word of God yet the fault remaineth in them because they are willingly blinded But the ministers of the woorde may by this comfort themselues if they haue not alwaies such successe of their labours as they desire yea if that many be so far from profiting by their doctrine that they rather become the worse thereby Namely that the same thing befalleth vnto them that the Prophet whom they doe not excell had experience of It were to be wished that all were brought to obey God and it becommeth them to apply and to labour to bring this to passe yet lette them not wonder that the iudgement which was exercised in times past by the ministerie of this Prophet be also fulfilled at this day But we must diligently take hede lest the frute of the gospel pearish throgh our defalt MAR. 12. That they seeing may not discerne It sufficeth to note here briefly that which is more largely entreated of other where that the doctrine is not properly nor by it selfe nor of the owne nature the cause of the blindnesse but by an accidental meanes For as when the purblinde come foorth into the Sunne their eyes are more blinded and that fault is not to be imputed to the Sunne but to their eyes so the woorde of God blindeth and hardeneth the reprobate because it cōmeth through their owne wickednes it is proper naturall to thēselues accidental to the word Least at any time they shoulde tourne This clause sheweth what profite we should haue by hearing and vnderstanding namely that men being turned to God may by him be receiued againe into grace and by enioyinge his mercy they may liue well and happely Therefore the Lorde woulde that his worde should be preached especially for this ende that by renewing the mindes and hearts of menne he might reconcile them to himself But on the contrary side Isai heere sayeth of the reprobate that a stonie hardnesse remaineth in them least they shoulde obtaine mercy and that the effecte of the woorde was taken away from them least their heartes shoulde tourne to repentaunce Vnder this woorde healinge Mathewe comprehendeth the deliuerance from al euilles as the Prophet also doth for they doe Metaphorically compare a people afflicted by the hande of God to a sicke man And when the Lorde releaseth his punishments they say that he healeth But because this health dependeth vppon forgiuenesse of sinnes Marke doeth aptly and wel set downe the cause and fountaine For whence proceedeth the mitigation of punishments but because the Lorde being well pleased with vs bestoweth his blessing vppon vs And though that sometime after he hath forgiuen our sinne he yet ceaseth not to punish vs either that we may the more be humbled or that we may be the more wary heereafter yet because he sheweth some tokens of his fauour hee quickeneth and restoreth vs then because that for the moste parte the
himselfe to a wilfull sluggishnesse The callinge of Christe and the present offering of eternall saluation was manifested to the Scribes as wel by the law and the Prophets as by his own doctrine which was confirmed by myracles There are very many suche at thys day which do pretende that in doubtfull matters they haue iust cause to suspēd their iudgmēt because y t a resolute determination must be waighted for Nay they think this a point of great wisdom of purpose to auoid all inquirie after the truthe As thoughe it were not a poynte of great slouthfulnesse to neglecte the eternall saluation of soules when as they so diligently prouide for those thinges which are of the flesh and of the earth and in the meane season to pretende vaine excuses of grosse and deepe ignoraunce But certaine vnlearned menne doe gather too muche absurdly out of this place that it is not lawfull by looking into the skie to iudge either of temperature or of stormes For Christe rather of the right course of nature argueth that they shoulde iustlye pearish for their vnthankfulnesse which are so quicke wicked in things pertaining to this present life and doe wittingly and willingly ouerwhelme the heauenly light with their owne blockishnesse Mark addeth that Christe sighed in spirite in which wordes he declare it that he took it grieuously bitterly when hee saw these vnthankfull menne so stubburnely to resiste against God And certainly it becommeth all them that are studious of the glory of God and carefull of mannes saluation that nothinge wounde them deepelier with sorowe then when they see the vnbeleeuers of sette purpose stoppe vppe from themselues the meanes whereby they should beleeue and to apply al the witte they haue to that purpose that they might darken the lighte of the woorde and woorkes of God with their mistes I thinke that the worde Spirite is putte heere Emphatically that we might knowe that this sigh◠came of the deepe affection of his heart least any Sophister shoulde say that Christe made but an outwarde shewe of sorowe which he fealt not inwardly For it coulde not be otherwise but that holy soule which was gouerned by the spirite of zeale shoulde be altogither grieued at suche vngodly frowardnesse 57. VVhy iudge you not of your selues Heere Christ openeth the fountaine from whence the mischiefe sprange and toucheth the bile it selfe as it were with a launce namely for that they descended not into their owne consciences nor made there any searche with themselues before God what is right For heereof commeth it that the hypocrites are so proude in their quarelling and that they cast foorth such arrogant speaches into the aire without regarde they gather not their sences togither neither doe they sette themselues before the iudgement seate of GOD that truthe being once knowen mighte haue the victorie Further that which Luke sayeth was spoken to the multitude differeth not from that whiche Mathewe and Marke reporte because that it is probable that Christe did generally bende his speache agaynste the followers and disciples of the Scribes and other suche like contemners of God whome he sawe to be too many so that this complaint or rebuke lighted vppon the whole company of those lewde ones MATH 4. The wicked generation This place was expounded in the 12. chapter And the summe is that the Iewes were satisfied with no signes but that their wicked desire did still prouoke them to tempt God Neither doth he simply cal them an adoulterous generation because they desire any signe which God sometime graunteth to his children but because they or purpose prouoke God therefore hee sayeth that he shall be restored to them again aliue as Ionas was So Mat. reporteth Marke maketh no mention of Ionas yet hath the same sense For this neither could serue for a signe vnto them that Christ being raised frō the dead would send forth the sounding voyce of his gospell into all places Mathew 16. Marke 8. Luke 12. 5. And when his disciples were come to the other side they hadde forgotten to take breade wyll them 6. Then Iesus sayd vnto them Take hede and beware of the leauen of the Pharisies and Sadduces 7. And they thought in themselues saying It is because wee haue brought no bread 8. But Iesus knowing it sayd vnto them O yee of little faith why thinke yee thus in your selues because yee haue brought no breade 9. Do ye not yet perceiue neither remember the fiue leaues when there were fiue thousande menne and howe many baskettes tooke yee vppe 10. Neither the seuen leaues when there were 4000. men and howe many baskets tooke yee vp 11. VVhy perceiue yee not that I said not vnto you cōcerning bread that ye shoulde beware of the leauen of the Pharisies and Sadduces 12. Then vnderstode they that he had not sayd that they shoulde beware of the leauen of breade but of the doctrine of the Pharisies and Sadduces 14. And they hadde forgotten to take bread neither hadde they in the shippe with them but one leafe 15. And he charged them saying Take hede and beware of the leauen of the Pharisies and of the leauen of Herode 16. And they thought amonge themselues saying It is because we haue no breade 17. And when Iesus knewe it he sayde vnto them VVhy reason ye thus because ye haue no bread perceiue yee not yet neither vnderstand haue ye your hearts yet hardened 18. Haue yee eyes and see not and haue yee eares and heare not and doe you not remember 19. VVhen I brake the fiue leaues among the fiue thousand how many baskettes full of broken meate tooke yee vppe they sayde vnto him twelue 20. And when I brake seuen among foure thousand howe many baskettes of the leauings tooke ye vp and they sayd seuen 21. Then he sayd vnto them how is it that yee vnderstand not 1. In the meane time there gathered togither an innumerable multitude of people so that they trode one an other and he beganne to say to his disciples firste take heede to your selues of the leauen of the Pharisies whiche is hypocrisie 5. VVhen the disciples were come Heere Christ of the former matter taketh occasion to exhort his disciples to keepe themselues from all corruptions which might hinder sincere godlinesse The Pharisies had bene there a litle before who had giuen testimonie of a poysoned frowardnesse The Saduces had kept them companie of the other side Herode a moste vile aduersary and corrupter of sound doctrine The disciples being amongst these daungers it was necessary that they shoulde be warned to looke to themselues for when as the wisedome of man doeth incline of it selfe to vanitie and errours when leude deuices false doctrines and suche other mischiefes doe compasse vs about there is nothing more easie for vs then to fall away from the true and naturall puritie of the woord of God If it come to passe that we be so ensnared it can neuer be that true Religion should haue full
hee would saue the secreate purpose of his grace Yet it is demaunded howe God for hys electe sake moderated these calamities and did not altogither destroy the Iewes when as many reprobate desperate leud people were preserued The answeare is easie part of that nation was deliuered that so he might bring forth his electe which were mixed amongest them as seede separate from the chaffe Though both the reprobate and the elect were partakers of this tēporall preseruation yet because it profited not those it is aptly ascribed to these for that the wonderful prouidence of GOD directed it for their preseruation 23. Then if any shall say vnto you He rehearseth againe that whych hee had spoken of deceiuers and not without a cause For there was more daunger lyke to come by thys temptation least miserable men afflicted and troubled being deceiued by a false title shoulde in steade of Christe seeke after spirites and for the helpe of God take holde of the sleightes of the deuil For when the Iewes were so hardly oppressed for contemning theyr redemption and were to be wythdrawne from theyr infidelitie by suche violent remedies Sathan subtilly proposed newe thynges for them to trust in whiche might draw them the further from GOD. And certainly there is nothing more daungerous then when we want counsell in aduersities vnder the pretence of the name of God to be deceiued with lies which doe shutte vppe the gate of repentaunce against vs and encrease the darkenesse of infidelitie and at the length doe carye vs headlong as menne amased wythout hope of recouerie to madnesse So that in respecte of that great danger it was conuenient that the same shoulde be rehearsed and especially sith Christe declareth that the false prophets shall be so throughly furnished to deceiue as with signes and wonders whych shal amase the mindes of the simple For sith that God doeth testifie the presence of hys power by myracles and are therefore seales of true doctrine no meruaile if the deceiuers doe gette credite thereby And in suche maner of scorning doeth God reuenge the vnthankefulnesse of menne that they might beleeue a lye whiche refused the truthe and that they shoulde be blinded more and more which shut theyr eyes at the light offered them And yet he trieth their constancye wythall whych appeareth to be so muche the better while that no subtelties can ouerwhelme them Further sith the Lord sayeth that the Antichristes and the lying prophets shall be furnished wyth myracles there is no cause why the papistes shoulde vnder thys pretence bee so proude or why we shoulde be afraide of their glorious boasting They confirme theyr superstitions by myracles for the sonne of God foretolde that by suche meanes the faith of many shoulde be ouerthrowne VVherefore wise menne ought not to esteeme them so as to account them sufficient of themselues to prooue thys or that kinde of doctrine If they excepte that by thys meanes the myracles should be ouerthrowen and brought to nothing whereby the authoritie as well of the lawe as of the Gospell was established I aunsweare that there was a certaine marke of the spirite grauen in them whych shoulde putte the faithfull out of all doubte and feare of erring for so ofte as God doeth shewe foorth hys power for the confirming of hys children he woorketh not so confusedly but that there shoulde appeare a manifest distinction to shew it free from all deceite Note that the myracles do so confirme the doctrine that the doctrine also doeth so shyne foorth and it scattereth all the cloudes wherewyth sathan darkeneth the mindes of the simple To bee short if we desire to auoide such subtelties let vs holde the signes and the doctrine so ioyned togither as that they may not be separate 24. So that if it were possible they shoulde deceiue the very electe Thys was added to make menne afraide that the faithfull mighte the more carefully apply and bende themselues to beware For where false prophets shoulde passe wyth suche vnbrideled libertie and shoulde haue so great power giuen them to deceiue it were an easie matter for them to entrappe in their guiles the secure and heedelesse people Therefore Christ exhorteth and stirreth vppe his disciples to watche Further hee telleth them also that there is no cause why they shoulde bee troubled at the newnesse of the matter if they shoulde see manye in euery place caried into errour But as hee commaundeth hys to bee carefull least sathan circumuent them ere they be aware so againe he giueth them great occasion for them to hope well wherein they myght quietly repose themselues while hee promiseth them that vnder the defence and keeping of God they should be safe against all the guiles of sathan Therefore thoughe the estate of the godly be fraile and brittle yet they haue a sure pillar shewed them heere whereupon they may rest for it is not possible that they shoulde fall away from saluation whyche haue the sonne of God for their faithfull keeper For they haue not such a strong defence of themselues as may resist the assaultes of Sathan but because they are Christes sheepe whome no manne can take out of hys hande Iohn 10. 28. And it must be noted that the strength and assurednesse of our saluation resteth not in vs but in the secreat election of god For though our saluation is kept by faith as 1. Pet. 1. 5. it is sayde yet it behoueth vs to goe further for wee are therefore safe because the father hath giuen vs to his sonne and the sonne sayeth that nothing shall pearish which is committed to him 25. Beholde I haue tolde you before Marke setteth downe the meaning of the Lorde more fully But take yee heede beholde I haue shewed you all things before By which woordes we are taught that they are without all excuse which are ouerthrowne by those offences whereof Christ hath spoken before For sith the will of God shoulde be a rule to vs it is sufficient for vs that we were warned in time before that so it pleased hym Further when he calleth himselfe faithfull and sayeth that he will not suffer vs to be tempted farther then we shall be able to beare 1. Cor. 10. 13. we shall neuer be without power to resist so that slouthfulnesse nouryshe not our infirmitie 26 Beholde he is in the desart Luke mixeth this speache with an other answeare of Christ for when the Pharisies asked him of the comminge of the kingdome of God he sayd that it should not come with obseruation It followeth in the text set downe by Luke that he tourned to the disciples and sayd that those dayes should come when they shoulde see no more one day of the sonne of man By which words his will was to forewarne vs to walke in the light least the darkenesse of the nyghte should ouertake vs. For this should be a sharp spurre to them to prouoke them to profite so long as they enioyed the presence of Christ sith they
that they offer Christ in the supper proceedeth from a contrary autour And certeinely this is a merueilous chaunge that a mortall manne who is commaunded to take the bodye of Christe shoulde take vppon hym the office to offer vppe the same and so a Priest made of himself should offer vnto God his sonne I goe not presently about to proue with how many sacriliges their faigned oblation dooth abounde it is sufficient for me to proue that it is so far from being any thing like to Christs institution that it is rather directly contrary to the same This is my bodye They saye that the breade was consecrated by these woordes to bee a figure or token of the fleshe of Christe I doe not disallowe so that this woord be rightly and truely vnderstoode So the bread which was ordained to nourish the body Christe doth chuse sanctifie to an other vse that it may beginne to be a spirituall meate And this is that alteration and chaunge whereof the auncient writers of the church do make mention But yet it must be noted that the bread is not consecrated by whispering and breathing ouer it but by the euident doctrine of fayth And truely it is a magicall inchauntment when the consecration is directed to the dead element for the bread is not made a figure of the body of Christ to it selfe but to vs. In summe the consecration is nothing else but a solemne testimony to vs whereby the Lord appointeth an earthly and corruptible signe for a spiritual vse which cannot be except that his commandement and promise be openly declared for the edifying of fayth VVhereby it appeareth againe how wickedly this mistery is prophaned by the Papistes by their secrete whispering and breathing If that Christ doth consecrate the bread when hee telleth vs that it is his body there is no chaunge of substaunce to be imagined but onely to be noted an alteration of the vse If that the worlde had not beene now a long time bewitched by the subtilty of the deuil so that the monstrous opinion of transubstantiation being once brought in it will admitte at this day no light of true interpretatiō of these words it shuld be in vayn to stand longer in searching out the sense Christe saieth the bread is his body He speaketh of the Sacrament But it must of necessity bee confessed that the Sacrament consisteth of a visible sign wherunto the thing signified is conioyned which is the trueth of the same And this also it well knowne of olde that the signe is often called by the name of the thing signified VVherfore no man that is but meanely exercised in the scriptures will deny but that this sacramentall phrase of speach must bee taken metonymically that is the one for the other I omitte the generall figures which are read euery where in the scripture I doe only say this that so oft as the outward signe is saide to be that which it dooth represent all menne doe consent that it is by the figure Metonymia VVhere Baptisme is called the lauar of regeneration Tit. 3. 5. where the rocke which yeelded water to the fathers in the wildernesse is called Christe 1. Corin. 10. 4. where a Doue is called the holy Ghost Iohn 1. 32. No man will deny but that the signes are called by the name of the things which they signifie Therefore how commeth it to passe that they which regard the wordes of the Lorde will not suffer that which is common to all the Sacraments to be applyed to the Supper But they wil haue the simple the litteral sense Then why doth not the same rule hold in all the Sacraments Certeinely except they wil graunt that the rocke was substantially Christ the obiection is but weak wherewith they vrge vs. If we interpret it that the bread is called the body because it is the figure of the body they pretend that the whole doctrine of the scripture is ouerthrown Neither haue we forged now of late this rule for this manner of speache but al men do imbrace the same as deliuered by Augustin from the authority of the auncient fathers that the names of spirituall thinges are improperly ascribed to the signes and that all the places of scripture shuld be so expounded where there is mention made of the Sacramentes Sith wee doe then hold a general rule receiued euery where to what purpose doe they make such outcryes as at a straunge matter not hearde of before But let those mased men cry as they lyst this shall be accepted of men that are wise and modest that there is a sacramentall forme of speaking in these wordes of Christ. VVherof it followeth that the bread because it is the figure of the body of Christ is called the body But there are two kindes of men which doe arise against vs the Papistes being bewitched with their Transubstantion deny that there is any bread because that there remayneth onely a shewe without the substaunce But Paule refuteth their fancy affirming the bread which we breake to be the communion of the body of Christ 1. Corint 10. 16. Then the very nature of the Sacrament abhorreth this their deuise for that it cannot remain perfecte if there should not be a true and perfect outwarde signe For howe shall we learne that our soules are fedde with the flesh of Christ if there were not very bread sette before our eyes but a vaine shewe Further what wil they say of the other sign For Christ said not this is my bloud but This cuppe is Therfore by their rule not onelye the wine but also the substaunce whereof the Cuppe was made should necessarily be transubstantiated into bloud Now that which is sette downe by Matthewe I will not henceforth drinke of the fruit of the vine dooth euidently declare that it was wine which he delyuered to be drunke Therefore the follye of the Papistes is plainely confuted euery way But there are others which doe reiect the figure and presently as frantike men they do receiue the same The bread according to their opinions is truely and properlye the body For they account not of transubstantiation as a matter without all colour of reason But when they are demaunded whether the bread and wine be christ they do answer that the bread is therfore called the body because that vnder this and with this it is receiued And by this answer it is easie to gather that the name of the body is vnproperlye transferred to the bread which is the signe of it And it is meruaile sith these menne doe so oft say that Christ spake this in respect of the sacramentall vnyon that they doe not marke what they saye For what manner of sacramentall vnion is there of the thing signified and of the signe Is it not because the Lord by the secret power of his spirit performeth that which he promyseth So these latter masters of the letter are no lesse to be derided then the Papistes Hytherto I haue
dull or slouthfull 26. Ought not Christ to haue suffered thâ—se things It is not to be doubted but that Christe spake of the office of the Messias as it was described by the Prophets least the death of the crosse should be offensiue and in iourneying three or foure houres hee had space sufficient fully to set foorth the matters Therefore Christe doeth not say in three woordes that hee ought to suffer but hee declareth at large that he was sent to that ende that by the sacrifice of death he might wash away the sins of the world that he might be the purging sacrifice offered for the taking awaye of the cursse that he might wash the sinnes of others from their guiltinesse Luke therefore for the more vehemencie setteth downe this sentence interrogatiuely whereby it is gathered that hee shewed by reasons the necessity of his death The summe is that the disciples did euill to bee troubled at the death of their maister without the which he could not perfourme the partes of Christ for the chiefe poynt of our redemption was his offering vp for by this meanes they shutte vp the gate against him least he shoulde come into his kingdome The which must be noted diligently for sith Christ shoulde want his honour if he shoulde not be accounted a sacrifice for sinnes his onely way into his glory is that hys humbling to be of no reputation Phil. 2. 7. out of the which hee arose a redeemer But we do see at this day how amongst vs they do sinne nothing sooner then in a preposterous order For amongst the multitude of them which doe royally declare Christ to be a king and do extol him with diuine praises scarce euery tenth of them doth think that we haue gotten grace by his death 27. And he began at Moses This place doeth teach how Christe is made manifest vnto vs by the Gospel namely while the knowledge of him is prooued plainly out of the law and the Prophets For no man euer was a more ready and apte teacher of the Gospell then the Lorde hymselfe who as we see fetched the proofe of his doctrine out of the law and the Prophets If any man will except that he began at the rudimentes that the disciples by a little at once biddinge the Prophets fare well myghte passe ouer to the perfecte Gospell this deuice is easily confuted for afterward it shal be sayd that all the Apostles had their minde opened not that they shoulde be wise without the helpe of the lawe but that they might vnderstand the scriptures VVherefore to the ende that Christe may at this day be reuealed vnto vs by the Gospell it is necessarye that Moses and the Prophets shuld come forth before as forerunners VVherof the readers are therefore to be admonished least they shoulde giue eare to fanaticall men which by suppressing the law and the Prophets doe wickedly maime the Gospell As if that God would haue to be vnprofitable what soeuer he at any time spake of his owne Sonne But in what maner they are to be applied to Christe whiche are euery where read of him in the lawe and the Prophets it is not my present purpose to declare It is sufficient briefly to note that Christ is not in vaine called the end of the lawe For though that Moses rather shadowed him foorth darkely and a farre off then expresse him plainly yet this is without controuersie that if in the stocke of Abraham there should not be one head aboue all vnder whome the people should grow into one body the couenant which God made with the holy fathers shoulde be broken and but in vaine Further when as God had commaunded that the Tabernacle and the ceremonies should be framed after the heauenly patterne it foloweth that the sacrifices and all the rites of the temple if they had not their truthe else where should be as a vaine and frutelesse play And this argument doeth the Apostle handle in many woordes in the Epistle to the Hebrewes For holding that principle that the visible ceremonies of the lawe were shadowes of spirituall things he teacheth that Christe is to be soughte in the whole priesthoode of the lawe in the sacrifices and in the forme of the Sanctuarie Bucer also otherwhere doeth wisely diuine that in that obscuritie there was a certaine kinde of interpreatinge the Scripture in vse amongst the Iewes which the father 's deliuered vnto them by hand But I least that I should follow vncertainties am contented with that naturall and simple maner which is euery where to be founde amongest the Prophets who were the most apt interpreaters of the lawe Christe therefore is rightly collected out of the lawe if wee consider that the couenaunt which Christe made with the fathers was made by the helpe of a Mediator The Sanctuarie wherein God testified the presence of his grace was consecrated with bloude The lawe it selfe wyth their promises was confirmed with the sprinkeling of bloud One priest was chosen oute of all the people who shoulde present himselfe in the name of them all in the sight of God not as any mortall man but in a holy habite menne had there no hope of their reconciliation with God but by offering vp of a sacrifice Furthermore very notable is that prophesie of the perpetuitye of the kingdome in the tribe of Iuda But the Prophets themselues as we haue declared haue more plainly described the Mediator yet they themselues had their first knowledge from Moses for they had no other office enioyned them but that they shoulde renew the memory of the couenant more plainly shew the spiritual worship of God establish the hope of saluation in the Mediatour and also that they might the more euidently declare the meane of the reconciliation But because it pleased God to defer the full reuelation vnto the comming of his Sonne it was not a superfluous interpretation 28. And they drewe neare vnto the towne There is no reason why some interpreaters should imagine any other place then Emaus For the iourney was not so long that they shoulde rest in a nearer lodging VVe knowe that seuen miles though a manne for the recreation of his minde should walke but softly are gone at the most in foure houres Therfore I dout not but that Christ went forwarde euen to Emaus Nowe where it is demaunded whether he coulde dissemble who is the eternall truthe of God I doe answeare that the Sonne of GOD was not bounde by thys lawe that he shoulde make all his councels knowen Yet because that simulation is a kinde of lying the knotte is not yet vnlosed especially sith that very many doe drawe this example to a libertye for lyinge But I doe answeare Christ without lying fained as it is here saide in like maner as he shewed himselfe to be a trauailer for the reason of them both is like Augustines answeare is somewhat more subtile lib. 2. ad Consentium cap. 13. Also in his booke of questions vpon the Gospels
place a note of improprietie but it doth rather betoken a true and sounde approbation As when Paule saith walke as the children of light hee will haue vs to testifie by our workes in deede this selfesame thing that wee are the children of light Therefore the Euangelist meaneth that the glory appeared in Christe whiche was meete for the sonne of God and was a certaine and sure testimony of his diuinitie Hee calleth him the only begotten because he is his onlye sonne by nature as if he did place him aboue men and angels and dyd attribute that vnto him which doth not agree with any creature Full of grace This is a confirmation of the next sentence The maiestie of Christe did appeare in other things but the Euangelist did choose this token aboue all other that he may the rather exercise vs in actiue then in the speculatiue knowledge of him whiche thing wee must diligently obserue Truely when Christe went vpon the waters drie foote when he did driue away Diuels did declare his power by other myracles it might haue been knowne that he was the only begotten sonne of God but the Euangelist bringeth foorth a parte of approbation wherby faith reapeth sweete fruite namely because Christ did testifie that he was in deed the fountaine of grace and truth which can neuer be drawen drie It is also saide that Stephen was full of grace but in another sense For the fulnesse of grace in Christe is that fountaine out of which wee must all draw so as we shall hereafter declare more at large This may be expounded by hypallage for the true grace or expositiuely thus that he was ful of grace which is truth or perfection But because he wil repeate the same maner of speeche againe I thinke that the sense is all one in both places He will afterwarde set this grace and truth against the law therfore I interprete it simplie that Christe was knowen to his Apostles to be the sonne of God by this because hee had the fulnesse of all thinges which doe appertaine vnto the spirituall kingdome of God in himselfe Finally because he shewed himselfe in all thinges to bee a redeemer and the Messias indeede which is the most excellent token mark wherby he ought to haue beene knowen from other men 15 Iohn doth testifie of himselfe and cryed saying This is hee of whome I saide he whiche commyng after mee was set before mee because hee was more excellent thâ—n 〈◊〉 16 And wee haue all receiued of his fulnesse and grace for grace 17 Because the Lawe was giuen by Moses grace and truthe were maâ—e by Iesus Christe 18 No man hath seene God at any time the only begotten sonne who is in the bâ—some of the father he hath shewed him 15 Iohn doth testifie Nowe hee declareth what maner of preaching that of Iohns was By the verb of the presentense he denoteth the continuall act And truely this doctrine ought alwayes to bee of force as if the voyce of Iohn did sounde continually in the eares of men So he putteth in afterwarde the worde cryed that hee may signifie that the doctrine of Iohn was not obscure either harde to bee vnderstoode and that he whispered not the same in the eares of a fewe but that he preached Christe openly with a loude voyce The first sentence tendeth to this ende that he was sent for Christes cause and that therefore it was an absurde thing that hee shoulde florish and that Christe shoulde lye vnderfoote This is hee saith he of whom I saide By which words he meaneth that this was his whole intent from the beginning to make Christ knowen and that this was the ende of his sermons like as hee coulde no otherwise execute the office of his embassage theÌ„ by calling his disciples vnto Christe Hee that commeth after mee Although he were a fewe monethes elder then Christ yet he speaketh not in this place of his age but because he had exercised the office of a Prophete some space before Christe came abroade therefore he maketh himselfe former then Christ in time Therefore Christe succeeded Iohn in respect of the publik manifestation That which followeth is thus word for worde hee was made before mee because he was my first But the sense is this that Christ was preferred before Iohn because he was more excellent Therefore he gyueth place to Christe and as the Prouerb goeth he giueth him the light to beare But because he came after him in time hee sheweth that this is no let why he may not be preferred for the desert of his dignitie So it becommeth all men who excell either in the giftes of GOD or degree of honour to remaine in their degree that they may be inferiour to Christe 16 And of his fulnesse Nowe he beginneth to preache of the office of Christe that hee conteineth in himselfe the aboundance of all good thinges so that wee must not fet any part of saluation from any other With God truly is the well of life of righteousnesse of vertue of wisdome but this Well is hydden from vs and wee cannot attaine thereunto But plentie of all these things was laide open to vs in Christ that wee may fet them thence For he is readie to flowe vnto vs of his owne accorde if we make way for him by faith To be briefe he saith plainely that there is no good thing to be sought without Christe although this sentence consisteth vpon moe members For it sheweth first that all of vs are poore and altogether voide of spirituall good thinges For Christ aboundeth to this ende that hee may helpe our want that he may diminish our pouertie that hee may fill the poore and hungry Secondly hee telleth vs that so soone as we are departed from Christ wee doe in vaine seeke euen one droppe of goodnesse because God woulde haue all goodnesse whatsoeuer to remaine in him alone Therefore we shall finde the angels and men to bee drie heauen to be vaine the earth to bee barren and finally all thinges to be nothing worth if wee will be made partakers of the giftes of God by any other meanes then by Christe Thirdly he telleth vs that we neede not to bee afraide of the want of any thing if so be it weâ— drawe out of the fulnesse of Christe which is so perfect in all pointes that we shall perceiue that he is a Well which can neuer be drawen drie And Iohn maketh himselfe one of the rest not for modesties sake but that it may more plainely appeare that there is none at all excepted Yet it is to be doubted whether hee speake generally of all mankinde or he vnderstand those onely who were made partakers of all his good thinges after that Christe was reuealed in the fleshe Certaine it is that all the godly men who liued vnder the lawe did drawe out of the same fulnesse but because Iohn addeth by and by a difference of time it is more like to be true that hee
so that he may now be worshipped euery where without any difference of places or countries 22 You worship you know not what we worship that which we know because saluation is of the Iewes 23 But the houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worshippe the father in spirite and truth for the father requireth to haue such to worship him 24 God is a spirite and they that worship him must worship him in spirite truth 25 The woman saith vnto him I knowe that the Messias shall come who is called Christe therfore when he shall come hee shall tell vs al thinges 26 Iesus saith vnto her I am he that talke with thee Now he doth more at large expound that which he touched briefly concerning the abrogating of the law Yet doth he deuide the sum of his speech into two members in the former hee condemneth the manner of worshipping god vsed among the Samaritanes of superstition error and doeth testifie that the Iewes did worship God wel and lawfully He addeth the cause of the difference because the certaintie of the worship which the Iewes vsed did appeare vnto them out of the worde of God but the Samaritanes had no certaintie from the mouth of God Secondly hee declareth that the rites which the Iewes kept hytherto should shortly haue an end 22 You worship that which you know not A sentence worthie to be remembred wherein we are taught that we must assay nothing rashly and by chaunce in religion because vnlesse knowledge be present we doe not any longer worship God but a false imagination or ghost Therfore by this thunderbolt are throwen downe all good intents as they cal them For we know that men can doe nothing els but erre when their own opinion doth rule them without the word of God or his commandemēt For Christ taking vpon him his countries cause and person doth teache that the Iewes doe much differ from the Samaritanes VVhy so Because of them commeth saluation saith he By which wordes he giueth her to vnderstand that they doe exceede them in this one point because God had concluded the couenant of eternall saluation with them Some do restraine it vnto Christ who came of the Iewes And truly sithence that all the promises of God are sure and certaine in him there is no saluation saue only in him But because it is out of doubt that Christ doth preferre the Iewes for this cause because they doe not worship any vnknowen power but one God who reuealed himselfe vnto them and who hath adopted them to be his people by this word saluation must bee vnderstood that wholesome manifestation which they had by the heauenly doctrine But why doth he say that it is of them when as it is rather committed to them that they alone might enioy it He alludeth in my iudgement vnto that which was foretold by the Prophets that there should a lawe come out of Syon For they were separated for a time frō other people vpon this conditiō that the pure knowledge of god might at length flowe from them vnto the whole worlde Notwithstanding this is the summe that God is not worshipped aright vnlesse he be worshipped according to the certaintie of faith which must needs proceede frō the worde of God wherupon it foloweth y t they fal away vnto idolatry whosoeuer they be that depart frō the worde of god For Christe doth in plaine wordes testifie that an idol or vaine fictiō is set vp insteed of God where mē are ignorāt of the true god hee doth cōdemne all those of ignorāce vnto whō god hath not reuealed himself For so soone as we are once destitute of the light of his word darknes blindnes do reigne And we must note y t when the Iewes had brokē the couenaunt of eternal life with their vnfaithfulnes which was established with their fathers they were depriued of that treasure which they kept then as yet for they were not as yet driuen out of the church of God Nowe seeing that they denie the sonne they haue nothing to doe with the father The same must we thinke of all those who haue fled frō the pure faith of the gospel vnto their own inuentions Howsoeuer they flatter themselues in their stoutnes who worship god according to their own mind or mens traditiōs yet this one voyce thūdering out of heauē doth ouerthrow whatsoeuer diuine holy thing they think they haue You worship that which you knowe not Therefore to the end our religion may be approued of God it must needes leane vnto the knoweledge conceiued out of his worde 23 But the houre commeth and now is The latter member concerning the abrogation of the legall worship followeth VVhen he saith that the houre commeth or shall come he teacheth that the order deliuered by Moses shall not be perpetuall Heb. 9. 10. VVhen he saith that the houre is nowe he maketh an end of the ceremonies and so he telleth her that the time of reformation is fulfilled In the meane while he alloweth the Temple the Priesthood and all rites annexed thereunto as touching the vse of the time past Furthermore to the ende he may declare that God will neither bee worshipped at Ierusalem nor in mount Garizin he taketh vnto himself a deeper principle namely that the true worship of him cosisteth in the spirite For thereupon it followeth that he is rightly called vppon euery where Yet first of all here may a question be asked why and in what sense the worship of God is called spirituall To the end wee may vnderstand this we must note the opposition betweene the spirite and the external figures as betwene the shadowes and the truth Therefore the worship of God is said to consist in the spirite because it is nothing els but the inward faith of the hearte which bringeth forth inuocation secondly the puritie of conscience the deniall of our selues that beeing giuen to obey God we may be vnto him as holy sacrifices Heerupon ariseth another question whether the fathers did worship him spiritually vnder the lawe or no I answere seeing that God is alwayes lyke to himselfe hee allowed no other worship from the beginning of the worlde saue the spirituall worship which was agreeable vnto his nature VVhich thyng Moses doth sufficiently testifie who doth in many places declare that the ende of the lawe did tend to no other end but that the people shold cleaue vnto God with faith and a pure conscience And the prophetes doe more clearely expresse the same when as they sharply inueigh against the hypocrisie of y e people because they thought they had satisfied God after they had offered their sacrifices and executed that externall pompe It is no need to inferre many testimonies here which are common euery where yet are there most notable places before all other in the fiftie Psalme the second of Isayas verse the fiftie eight and threescore and sixt Micheas the fift Amos the seuenth But
authoritie of God Therefore he denieth that he hath any desire of his owne and such a desire as is separated from the commaundement of his father 31 If I testifie of my selfe Hee doth not in this place any whit discredit his owne testimonie which in another place he stoutly defendeth but it is a maner of graunting For because Christe was sufficiently instructed and furnished by another hee passeth not for beeing beleeued himselfe If saith he according to the common custome of men you beleeue not my witnesse which I beare of my selfe let it be so let my testimonie be of no force And we knowe that that is not accounted true and lawfull which euery man saith of himselfe although he doe otherwise speake the truth because no man is a sufficient witnesse in his owne cause And although it be vniust dealing that the sonne of God should be reckoned in this number of men yet will he rather yeeld some part of his right that he may ouercome his enemies with the authoritie of God 33 You sent vnto Iohn and he bare witnesse of the truth 34 But I receiue no witnesse of man but I speake these thinges that you may bee saâ—e 35 He was a burning and a shining light and yee woulde reioyce for a time in his light 36 But I haue a greater testimonie then of Iohn for the workes which the father hath giuen mee to doe the same workes whiche I doe doe testifie of mee that the father hath sent mee 33 You sent vnto Iohn Before he vttereth the testimonie of God hee vrgeth them with the answere of Iohn which they coulde not iustly discredite or distrust For to what purpose serued it to sende vnto him vnlesse they woulde stand to his wordes For they doe sende as vnto a Prophet of God therefore they feigne that his voyce is vnto them in steed of an oracle And although there is another concession or graunt contained in this yet Christ doth plainely cast in their teeth that it was nothing but malice that did hinder them and keepe them backe from beleeuing Therefore we see that this circumstance maketh much to the matter that they sent vnto Iohn and did aske of him as beeing desirous to learne who was the Messias and yet they set light by his answere 34 I receiue not witnes from man But God did not choose him in vaine to bee his witnesse and in another place Acts 1. 8. Christ himselfe affirmeth that his disciples are his witnesses I answere that Christ vseth the testimonie of Iohn not that he needeth it but so farre foorth as it is profitable for vs to haue some confirmation thereby One man borroweth testimonie of another because they cannot want that help The estate of God and Christ is otherwise For if the Philosophers do say that vertue needeth not the helpe of another what hath man in himselfe wherewith he can vnderprop the truth of God And Christe addeth also immediately that he vttered the testimonie of Iohn for theyr sake VVhereby he giueth them to vnderstand that he hath not respect so much vnto himselfe as that hee prouided for men whilest that hee rayseth vp preachers of his gospell by whom hee may make his will knowen vnto vs. VVherein his wonderfull goodnesse doth also shine whilest that he doth applie all thinges vnto our saluation VVherefore it standeth vs vpon to endeuour that he may not take paines in vaine in sauing vs. 35 He was a burning light In that he calleth Iohn a burning light it is a farther argument of their vnthankefulnesse For it followeth that they are blinde of their owne accorde seeing the light of God was set vp before their eyes Therfore the mening of the words is god wold not haue you to eree for hee appointed Iohn to bee a light that his brightnesse might direct you In asmuch therefore as you do not acknowledge me to bee the sonne of God it commeth to passe through voluntarie error There followeth another exprobration that they did not only passe by the light which was offered theÌ„ with shut eyes but did also of set purpose abuse it to oppresse Christ withall For in that they were readie to extol Iohn aboue his iust degree that did arise of a malicious vnfaithfull purpose least there should be any place left for the sonne of God Christe doeth very finely compare this wicked abuse of the heauenly light vnto wantonnesse like as if the good man of the house should set vp a candle in the night season for his seruants that they may doe that worke which he hath commaunded them to doe and they doe translate the vse thereof vnto banquetting and all maner of naughtinesse Furthermore as in these wordes Christe doth accuse the Iewes so hee doth admonish vs all in general that we doe not abuse to wander hyther and thyther the godly teachers whom God hath appointed to direct vs in the right way The experience of all times teacheth how profitable this admonition is God doth take men into his gouernment during the whole course of their life euen vntil they come to the last marke he sendeth his prophets as gouernours Such is the distemperature of men that they had rather leape frowardly without going forward then goe forwarde walking such is their inconstancie and lightnesse that hauing despised and reiected the perpetuall direction they are carryed vnto theyr sodaine affections Therefore saith he for a time or an houre in which word hee toucheth their foolishnes that they thought that the eternall light of god could be extinguished with fraile and vaine frowardnes So deale the Papistes at this day how many godly teachers soeuer the Lord hath giuen to his Churche as burning lights they draw them vnto a contrary vse as if they were determined to blinde their owne eyes with the beholding of the light Neither doe they only abuse the lightes to choake the light of God but doe also triumphe oftentimes in darknenesse as when as they boast of the doltish inuentions of their blabbes brawlers against the pure doctrine of the gospel But that which Christ doth in this place affirme of Iohn Paul maketh common to all the faithfull because hauing the worde of life they ought to shine in the worlde as lightes but Christ teacheth that it belongeth properly vnto the apostles and ministers of the gospel to carry the light before others For seeing that we be all in darknesse being blinde God doth giue vs light by the light of his worde But in this place he doth peculiarly adorne Iohn with this title by whose ministerie God did more plentifully shine vnto his church 36 I haue a greater testimonie After that he hath shewed that the Iewes had wickedly corrupted the gift of God in the person of Iohn he doeth now the second time repeat that which he had said that he had no need of mans testimonie as if he were not sufficient of himselfe Although according to his custome he reclaimeth them vnto the
first manifested in the Gospel but hee of whome the lawe and the Prophetes bare witnesse did openly shew himselfe in the gospel 40 And yee will not He â—oth againe cast in their teeth that nothing letted them but malice to take the life offered in the scriptures For when he saith that they will not he ascribeth the cause of ignorance and blindnesse vnto frowardnesse and stubbornnesse And truly seeing that he offered himselfe so courteously vnto them they must needes be wilfully blinde And sithence that they fled from the light of set purpose yea seeing that they did couet to ouerwhelme the Sun with thier darknes Christ doth sharply chide them for good causes 41 I receiue not glory from men 42 But I knowe you that you haue not the loue of God in you 43 I came in my fathers name and you receiue me not if another come in his owne name him will yee receiue 44 How can yee beleeue who receiue glory one of another and seeke not the glorye that commeth of God alone 45 Thinke not that I will accuse you vnto my father there is one that accuseth you Moses in whom you trust 46 For if you did beleeue Moses you woulde also beleeue mee for hee writte of mee 47 But if you beleeue not his writinges how will you beleeue my wordes 41 I receiue not glory from men He holdeth on in reprehending them and least he be suspected as if he did handle his owne cause he saith first to preuent them that he passeth not for the glory of man neither passeth he neither is he sory for his owne sake that he seeth himselfe to be despised And truly he is greater then that he dependeth vpon mens iudgementes seeing that the wickednesse of all the whole worlde can take nothing from him nor diminishe his highnesse one heyre He standeth so vpon the refuting of the false slaunder that he extolleth himself aboue men After that he inueigheth freely against them and obiecteth vnto them the contempt and hatred of God And although wee bee far distant from Christ in the degree of honour yet must we contemne the sinister iudgements of men Truly we must take great heed that the coÌ„tempt of our selues doe not prouoke vs vnto wrath But let vs rather learne to be angrie for this cause if the honour that is due vnto God be not giuen him Let this holy iealousie burne and vexe vs so often as wee see the worlde to be so vnthankfull that it doth reiect vs. 42 Because you haue not the loue of God The loue of God is in this place taken for the whole sense of Godlinesse For no man can loue God but he must receiue him and wholy submit himselfe vnto him like as againe where the loue of God doth not reigne there can be no desire to obey For which cause Moses putteth downe this briefe some of the law that we loue our God with all our hearte c. Deut. 6. 5. 43 I came Christ proueth by this argument that the Iewes do neither loue nor reuerence God because they wil greedily receiue false prophetes when as they refuse to submit themselues vnto God For hee taketh this for a thing which all men do graunt that this is a signe of a froward and wicked minde when men doe subscribe willingly vnto lyes setting apart the truth If any man doe obiect that this doth come to passe for the most part rather through errour then malice wee may easily answere that no man is subiect to the deceits of Satan saue only so far foorth as he preferreth lyes before y e truth through a certain peruers greedinesse For how commeth it to passe that God speaketh to vs as vnto deafe men and Satan findeth vs redie and willing to heare saue only because being turned away from righteousnesse we desire vnrighteousnes of our owne accord Although we must note that Christ speaketh properly of those whom God hath illuminated peculiarly as hee vouchsafed to graunt this priuiledge vnto the Iewes that being instructed in his law they might keepe the right way of saluation It is certain that such do not giue eare to false teachers vnlesse it be because they desire to be deceiued Therefore Moses saith when false prophetes arise the people is tryed examined by this meanes whether they loue the Lord their God or no. There seemeth to be in many innocent simplicitie but without doubt it is hypocrisie that blindeth their eyes which lurketh within in their minds For it is certaine y t God doth neuer shut the gate against those who knocke that they are neuer deceiued who seeke him sincerely Therefore doth Paule truly ascribe this vnto the vengeance of God when as the power of deluding is graunted to Satan that they may beleeue lyes who hauing reiected the truth did approue vnrighteousnesse and he saith that those men doe perish who haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued So at this day the dissimulatioÌ„ of many is discouered who being addicted vnto the Popes deceite and wicked superstition do fret and fume against the Gospel with poysoned furie For if they had their mindes framed vnto the feare of God that feare should also beget obedience In the name of the father The false prophetes do boast of this title as at this day the Pope doth with full mouth boast that he is Christ his vicar Yea Satan hath deceiued miserable men vnder this colour alone since the beginning But Christe doth in this place note out the thing it selfe and no colour For he doth testifie that he came in the fathers name for this cause because he is both sent of the father and doth faithfully dispatch that which he was commanded to doe Furthermore he distinguisheth by this marke the lawfull teachers of the church from false and corrupt teachers Therfore whosoeuer do extoll themselues and doe arrogate vnto themselues authoritie of their owne ouer soules this place teacheth that they are to be reiected without feare For he that will be accounted the seruant of God must haue nothing that is separated from him Now if wee examine all the Pope his doctrine euen the verye blinde shall see that hee came in his owne name 44 How can you Because it might seeme to be an hard matter that those who had been the houshold schollers of the law and the prophets from their childhood should be condemned of so grosse ignorance and made the enemies of the truth yea it might seeme to be an vncredible thing Christ telleth them what it is that letteth them to beleeue namely because ambition did take away their soundnesse of minde For he speaketh properly vnto the Priestes and Scribes who were so puffed vp with pride that they could not submit themselues vnto God This is a most excellent place which teacheth that y e gate of faith is shut against all those whose mindes are possessed with a vaine desire of earthly glory For he that will be some
in such sort as wee feele it For bread doth not beginne the life but it cherisheth and preserueth the life which is begun But we doe not only retaine life through the benefite of Christe but wee haue the beginning of life through hym VVherefore the similitude is vnproper in some respect But in this there is no absurditie because Christ frameth his talke according to the circumstance of the talke had before The question was mooued whether Moses or Christ himselfe was more excellent in feeding men This is the selfe same reason why hee doth only call it bread because they did only obiect Manna vnto him therfore it was sufficient for him to set against the same another bread The doctrine is simple that our soules do not liue by an inward power that I may so say but that they do borow life of Christ. Hee which commeth vnto me Now he defineth the manner of eating namely when as we receiue him by faith Neither doth it any whit profite the vnbeleeuers that Christ is the bread of life because they continue alwayes emptie but Christ is made our bread then when as wee come hungrie vnto him that he may fill vs. To come vnto Christ and to beleeue haue all one signification in this place but in the former worde the effect of faith is expressed namely that being enforced with the feeling of our pouertie we flie vnto Christe to aske life Furthermore they who gather out of this place that the eating of Christe is nothing els saue faith onely they reason scarse fitly enough and to the purpose I graunt indeed that we eate Christ no otherwise saue only by beleeuingâ— but the â—ating it selfe is rather an effect or fruite of faith then faith Neither doth faith behold Christe alone as being a far off but it imbraceth him that he may be made ours dwell in vs it maketh vs to grow into one body with him to haue one life with him and finally to be one with him Therefore it is true that Christ is eaten by faith alone so that we do also vnderstand after what sort faith ioyneth vs with him Hee shall neuer bee a thirst This seemeth to be added contrary to reason because it is not the office of bread to quench thirst howsoeuer it doeth satisfie hunger Therfore Christ doth attribute more to bread then the nature thereof doth beare I haue alreadie said that he doth only vse the word bread namely because the comparing of Manna with his heauenly power whereby our soules are holden in life did so require In the mean-while he vnderstandeth by bread all the whole summe of food and that according to the common custome of his countrie For the Hebrewes doe take this phrase to eate bread by Synecdoche for to suppe or dine when as we aske our daylie bread we comprehend vnder the same drinke the other parts of our life Therfore the meaning of the words is this whosoeuer shal resort vnto Christe that he may haue life of him he shal want nothing but shall haue sufficient nourishment to maintaine life with 36 But I haue said vnto you Now doth he blame them because they doe wickedly reiect the gift of God which is laid open vnto them And this is too too wicked contempt of god to reiect that which some man doth acknowledge to be giuen by him Vnlesse Christ had made his power knowen vnto them had manifestly declared that he came from god the colour of ignorance might haue extenuated their fault but in that they refuse his doctrine whom they did before confesse to be the Messias of the Lord it is extreeme vnthankfulnes Truly it is true that men doe neuer so resist God of set purpose that they think that they haue to deale with God VVherunto appertaineth that of Paul They would neuer haue crucified the Lord of glory if they had knowen him But the vnbeleeuers because they are blind when they behold the light are worthily said to see that which vanisheth streightway out of their sight because SataÌ„ doth darken their mindes This is questionles that when as he said that they saw he meant not the bodily sight but doth rather touch their voluntarie blindnes in that they might know what he was vnlesse their owne wickednes had letted them 37 VVhatsoeuer the father giueth me Least their vnbeliefe shoulde any whit discredit his doctrine he saith that the cause of so great stubbornenesse is because they are reprobates strangers from the flocke of God Therfore he doth distinguish the elect from the reprobate in this place that his doctrine may neuerthelesse retaine the authoritie although it be not beleeued of many For the wicked do both speake euill of the word of God and do make no account therof because they are not touched with the reuerence of it and many weaklinges and ignorant men doe doubt whether it be the word of god or no because a great part of the world doth refuse it Christ remoueth this stumbling block when as he saith that they are not his whosoeuer doe not beleeue that it is no maruel if such haue no feeling of the truth of God but that all the children of god do imbrace it First of all he saith that they come vnto him whoÌ„soeuer his father giueth him By which words he meaneth y t faith is not in mans choyse will that this man or that may beleeue generally or by chaunce but that God doth choose those whom he may giue vnto his sonne as it were from hand to hand For when hee saith that all that commeth whatsoeuer is giuen we gather therby that all men are not giuen Againe we gather that God doth work with so great efficacie of y â— spirite in his elect that none of them can fall away For the woorde giue importeth as much as if Christ had said whom the father hath chosen them doth he regenerate and he doth appoint them vnto me vnto the obedience of the gospel And him that commeth vnto mee This is added for the comfort of the godly that they may certainly persuade theÌ„selues that they haue accesse vnto Christ through faith and that also they shall be courteously entertained so soone as they haue once committed them selues vnto his tuition whereupon it followeth that the doctrine of the gospel shall bring saluation vnto all the godly because no man offereth himselfe to be Christ his disciple who may not againe perceiue trie that he is a faithful and good teacher 38 Because he came downe from heauen This is a confirmation of the next sentence that we do not seeke Christ in vaine For faith is a worke of God wherby he sheweth that we are his and he appointeth his sonne to be the gouerner of our saluation This was the only purpose of the sonne to fulfill his fathers commandement Therfore he wil neuer cast off those whom the father sendeth VVherby it is plainely prooued that faith shall neuer be voide VVhereas
soeuer he had in himselfe And we must note that there are three degrees of life reckoned vp in this place the liuing father hath the first place who is the foūtain but yet placed farre off and hidden the sonne followeth whō we haue laid out vnto vs as a fountaine through whom life is powred out vnto vs the third is life which we doe draw from him Now wee know the summe because God the father in whose power is life is farre distant from vs Christ is placed in the middle who is the second cause of life that that may come vnto vs thence which should otherwise lie hid in God 58 This is the bread He returneth vnto the comparison of Manna his flesh where he began For he should haue ended his speech thus there is no cause why yee should preferre Moses before me because hee fedde your fathers in the desert seing that I giue you a farre better meat For I bring the heauenly life with me For as it was said before the bread is said to come downe from heauen which tasteth of no earthly or corruptible thing but breatheth out the immortalitie of the kingdome of God They tryed not this power in Manna who were only bent to feed their bellie For whereas there was a double vse of Manna the Iewes with whom Christ disputeth in this place did loke vnto nothing but the corporall meat But the life of the soule is not fraile but groweth to be better vntil the whole man shal be renued 59 These thinges said he in the synagogue teaching in Capernaum 60 Therefore many of his disciples when they had heard saide This is a hard saying who can heare it 61 And when Iesus know in himselfe that his disciples murmured concerning this hee said vnto them doth this offend you 62 If therefore you shall see the sonne of man ascending where he was before 63 It is the spirite that giueth life the flesh profiteth nothing The wordes whiche I speake vnto you are spirite and life 64 But there are some of you that doe not beleeue For Iesus knewe from the beginning who they were that did not beleeue and who it was that shoulde betray him 59 These thinges spake hee in the synagogue Iohn assigneth the place y t we may know that there were many present and secondly that the sermon was made about a graue and waightie matter Yet notwithstanding it followeth by and by that there were scant a few of so great a company who did profite yea this doctrine was vnto a great many who did professe themselues to be Christe his disciples a cause of falling away If the Euangelist had said that only some wer offended that might haue byn counted now a wonder but in that they do ryse against him in troupes do conspire together what maner example shal we say this is VVherfore let vs deeply imprint in our minds this historie lest at any time we doe murmur against Christe when hee speaketh Secondly if wee see anye suche like thing in others let not theyr pryde trouble our faith 60 This is an hard saying Nay there was rather hardnes in their hearts and not in the saying But the reprobates are wont after this sort to gather together stones out of the worde of God whereat they may stumble And when as they runne headlong against Christe through their harde stubbornnesse they complaine that his word is harde which ought rather to make them soft For whosoeuer shall humblie submit himselfe vnto Christ his doctrine hee shall finde no harde or sharpe matter therin and it shal be vnto the vnbeleeuers who shall stubbornely set themselues against it an hammer which breaketh the rockes as the prophete calleth it Ier. 23. 29. Furthermore seeing that the same hardnes is bred in vs al if we iudge according to our owne meaning of the doctrine of Christ there shal be as many paradoxes as wordes VVherefore there remaineth nothing but that euery one doe commende himselfe vnto the direction of the spirite that he may write that in our heartes which otherwise would not enter into our eares VVho can heare it Heere we see how malitious vnbeliefe is For they which vngodlily wickedly reiect the doctrine of saluation being not content with an excuse they dare make the sonne of God giltie in their steed and pronounce him to be vnworthie to be heard So at this day the Papists doe not only boldly refuse the Gospel but doe also thunder out horrible blasphemies least they should seeme to resist God without a cause And truely seeing that they desire darknesse it is no maruell if Satan doe delude them with feigned monsters But that which they by reason of their distemperature cannot endure shall not only be suffered of the modest and those who are easie to be taught but it shall also lift them vp and vphold them In the meane while the reprobate shall doe nothing els with their murmuring raylings but bring vppon themselues a more greeuous destruction 61 And when Iesus knew Christe knew that the offence which the reprobate had taken could not be remoued for the doctrine doth not so much wound them as it doth discouer the rotten gall which they nourished within in their harts yet would he by all means trye whether any of those who were offended were as yet curable intending to stop the mouth of the rest By asking the question he giueth them to vnderstand that they had no cause or at least that in the doctrine it selfe there was no matter of offence In like sort the wickednesse of those men is t◠bee brideled who being only smitten with a dogged madnesse do spea◠euill of the worde of God and their foolishnesse is also to be corrected who rush rashly against the truth He saith that Iesus knew in him selfe because they had not yet freely vttered what did byte them but did feet amongest themselues with a secrete whispering Therefore he preuenteth their open complaints If any doe obiect that their nature was not obscure seeing that they did in plaine wordes refuse Christe his doctrine I confesse in deede that the woordes are playne whiche Iohn recited before but I say also that they did tosse amongest themselues these murmurings and as it were secrete speeches and words after the manner of reuoltes For if they had conferred with Christe there had bin better hope because they had opened him a way vnto doctrine now when as they murmur amongst themselues they exclude themselues frō learning Therefore there is nothing better then when as we doe not at the first vnderstand the Lords meaning to come straightway vnto him that he may open vnto vs all doubtes Doth this offend you Christ seemeth in this place not so much to remoue the offence as to encrease it yet if any man doe more narrowly weigh the cause of the offence there was in this sentence that which ought to haue appeased their mindes The low and base estate of Christ which
did professe that they were of his flocke but their sodaine falling away did discouer their hypocrisie The Euangelist saith that their vnfaithfulnesse when as it was as yet hidden from others was knowen to Christe and that not so much for his sake as that wee may learne not to iudge before we knowe the truth of matters For in that Christ knew it from the beginning this was proper to his diuinitie Our condition is otherwise for because we know not the heartes wee must suspende our iudgement vntill vngodlinesse do bewray it selfe by outward signes and so the tree may be iudged by his fruites 65 And he said therefore haue I saide vnto you that no man can come vnto me vnlesse it shal be giuen him of my father 66 After that many of his disciples went backward neither did they walke any longer with him 67 Therefore Iesus said vnto the twelue will you also goe away 68 Therfore Simon Peter answered him Lorde vnto whom shall wee goe Thou hast the wordes of eternall life 69 And wee haue beleeued and knowen that thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God 70 Iesus answered them haue not I chosen you twelue and one of you is a Diuâ—ll 71 For he spake of Iudas Iscariot the sonne of Simon for hee was about to betray him although he was one of the twelue 65 Therefore haue I saide Hee telleth vs againe that faith is a verye rare and singuler gift of the holy ghoste least wee shoulde maruelye that the Gospell is not euerie where receiued of all men For as we are sinister interpreters wee thinke not so honourably of the Gospell as we ought because the whole worlde doeth not agree thereto For we thinke thus with our selues how can it be that the greater parte of the worlde doth reiect their owne saluation Therfore Christ as signeth the cause why the faithfull are so few because no man commeth vnto faith by his owne quicknesse of witte for all men are blinde vntyll they bee illuminated by the spirite of God and therefore they only are made partakers of so great a good thing whom God doth vouchsafe to make partakers thereof For if this grace were common to all men then shoulde mention be made hereof in this place besides the matter and out of season For we must marke Christ his drift that there are not many who beleeue the Gospell because faith proceedeth from the secrete reuelation of the spirite alone He vseth the woorde giue for that which hee said before drawe VVhereby hee meaneth that God hath none other cause to draw vs saue only because he fauoureth vs freely and of his own accorde For no man doth attaine vnto that by his owne industrie whiche we obtaine by the gift and grace of God 66 After that many of the disciples The Euangelist declareth nowe what great perturbatioÌ„ did followe that Sermon This is a very strange and horrible matter that so mercifull and gentle an inuiting of Christ could estraunge the mindes of many especially those who had giuen him their names before and were such familiar disciples of his But this example is set before vs as a glasse wherein wee may see what great wickednesse frowardnesse and vnthankfulnes there is in the worlde which findeth matter whereat to stumble euen the plaine way least it should come vnto Christ. Many would say that it had been better that no such talke had been moued which was vnto many a cause of falling away but we must thinke farre otherwise For it was requisite that that which was foretold of Christ should appeare in his doctrine and it must now dayly appeare namely that hee is a stone of offence As for vs we must so temper our doctrine that we offend none through our fault So much as in vs lyeth we must keepe all Finally we must beware least by speaking vnaduisedly we trouble the ignorant weak yet can we neuer take so good heed but that the doctrine of Christe is vnto many an occasion of offence because the reprobate being giuen ouer vnto destruction doe suck poyson out of most wholsome meate and gall out of honnie The sonne of GOD knewe well what was profitable yet wee see that hee doth not escape but he offendeth many of his Therfore howso euer many do detest pure doctrine yet is it not lawfull to suppresse the same Onely let the teachers of the Church remember Paule his admonition that the worde of God ought rightly to bee cut and then they must goe forward couragiously through all manner of stumbling blockes And if sobeit it chaunce that many doe fall away let the worde of the Lorde be neuer a whit the lesse sauourye in our mouthes because it doth not please the reprobate for they are too daintie faint hearted whom the falling away of many doth so pearce that they begin also to saint when these men fall VVhen the Euangelist addeth that they walked no longer with Christ his meaning is that their reuolting was not full but that they did only withdraw theÌ„selues froÌ„ keeping coÌ„pany with Christ. Yet doth he coÌ„demne theÌ„ as reuolts VVhence we may learne that wee cannot goe a footes breadth backward but that there stayeth for vs the steepe downefall of vnfaithfull deniall 67 Therefore Iesus saith vnto the twelue Because the Apostles faith might before shaken when as they sawe that there did only remaine suche a few of so many Christ turneth his talke vnto them and teacheth that there is no cause why they shoulde suffer themselues to be carried away with the lightnesse and inconstancie of other men For when as hee asketh them whether they also would depart or no he doth it to confirme their faith For whilest that he setteth himselfe before them with whom they may remaine he doth also exhort theÌ„ that they do not adioyn theÌ„selues vnto the reuoltes And truly if faith shal be grounded in Christ it shall not depend vpon men neither shall it euer quaile although it shall see heauen and earth go together VVe must note the circumstance that Christe beeing depriued of all his Disciples almost doth onely retaine twelue as Esay 6. 16. was commanded first to binde the testimonie seale the law in the disciples Euery one of the faithfull is taught by such examples to followe GOD although hee haue neuer a companion 68 Therefore Simon Peter answered him Simon answereth in this place as els where in the name of them all because they thought all the same saue only y t in Iudas there was no sinceritie Furthernore there are two meÌ„bers of this answer For Peter sheweth a cause why he together with his brethren doth rest vpon Christ because they perceiue that his doctrine is wholesome and liuely vnto them Secondly he confesseth that whyther soeuer they goe when as they haue left him there remaineth nothing but death VVhen as he saith the wordes of life the genetiue case is put in steede of the adiunct which is common amongest
spirite alone which maketh vs meeke and gentle to suffer our selues to bee reprehended and so consequently to offer our selues to be slaine with the sworde of the Gospell 9 And when he had said these thinges vnto them hee abode in Galilee 10 And when his brethren were gone vp then went he himselfe vnto the feast also not openly but as it were priuilie 11 Therefore the Iewes sought him on the holy day and they said where is he 12 And there was much murmuring concerning him in the companies some said hee is good and other some said Nay but he seduceth the multitude 13 Notwithstanding no man spake openly of him for feare of the Iewes 9 He abode in Galilee Here the Euangelist setteth before our eyes on the one side the kinsfolkes of Christ who after the common custome make a shew of the worship of God yet neuerthelesse they are friends with the wicked and therefore they walke without feare On the other side he setteth before vs Christ who being hated of the worlde came priuily into the citie vntill suche time as the necessitie of his office dyd compell him to showe himselfe openly And if sobeit there is nothing more miserable then to bee pulled away from Christe accursed bee that peace whiche costeth so deare that wee muste renounce Christe 11 Therefore the Iewes Here wee must consider in what state the Church did stande For the Iewes did at that time gape after the promised redemption as being hungrie yet when Christ appeareth vnto theÌ„ they stand in doubt hereupon did arise that confused murmuring diuers speeches In that they murmur priuilie it is a signe of the tyrannie which the Priestes and Scribes had taken to themselues Truely it is an horrible example that seeing there was but that Church only vpon the earth there shoulde be set before vs here a confused and disfigured disorder They who gouerne in steed of shepheardes doe keepe the people vnder with feare and terrour in the whole bodie there is filthie wastnesse and dolefull dissipation By the Iewes hee vnderstandeth the common sort which being now accustomed to heare Christ for the space of two yeeres doth seeke him when as hee appeareth not according to his common custome For when as they say where is hee They speake of a knowen man and yet notwithstandyng this woorde doth shew that they were not earnestly affectioned hytherto and that they stande alwayes in doubt 12 Much murmuring He giueth vs to vnderstande that wheresoeuer men did assemble themselues in companies as it falleth out often in great assemblies there passed secrete speeches concerning Christ. The dissentioÌ„ wherof meÌ„tion is made in this place doth declare that there be diuers iudgements of men concerning Christe euen in the middest of the Church And as wee are not afraide to receiue Christ who was condemned long agoe of the most part of his nation so wee must be armed in such sort that we be not troubled with the dissention whiche reigneth at this day Againe we may see how great the rashnesse of men is in matters appertayning vnto God They wold not haue bin so licentious in any small busines but so soone as there ariseth a question concerning the sonne of God and his holy doctrine they doe by and by iudge rashly VVherfore we must keepe so much the greater moderation least we doe rashly condemne our life with the eternall truth of God And if sobeit the worlde doe count vs deceiuers let vs remember that these are Christe his markes so that in the meane season wee doe indeede declare that we speake the truth Furthermore this place sheweth that in a great multitude euen whereas the body it self is confused there are alwayes some who thinke well but these few who are sober minded are ouerrunne of many that are mad 13 Notwithstanding no man spake openly Hee calleth the chiefe gouernours Iewes in this place in whose power the gouernment was They did so hate christ that they suffered no word to be spokeÌ„ on either part not because it greeued them to haue him slaundered but because they thought that it was the best way to burie his name by forgetfulnesse So the enemies of the truth after that they haue tryed that they cannot preuaile by their crueltie they would couet nothing more theÌ„ y t the remembrance thereof may be suppressed and this is all they goe about In that being brought vnder with feare they kept silence that was altogether tyrannicall as I haue saide before For as vnbrideled libertie hath no place in the estate of the Churche when as it is well ordered so when as all libertie is kept vnder with feare that no man dare say any thing it is a most miserable estate The power of Christ did appeare to bee so much the more excellent and wonderfull in that getting an audience amongest his armed enemies and their furious hatred and in suche a fearefull gouernment he did defend the truth as they say with open mouth 14 And when halfe the holy day was past Iesus went vppe into the Temple and taught 15 And the Iewes wondered saying how knoweth this man learning seeing hee neuer learned 16 Iesus answeared them and saide My doctrine is not mine but his that sente mee 17 If any man will doe his will he shall knowe of the doctrine whether it be of god or I speake of my selfe 18 Hee that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory and hee that seeketh the glorye of him that sent him this man speaketh the truth and there is no vnrighteousnesse in him 19 Did not Moses giue you the lawe and none of you doth the lawe why doe ye seeke to kill mee 14 He went vp into the Temple Now wee see that Christ did not so feare that he fayled in his duetie For this was the cause of his tarying that hee might make his Sermon in the most famous assemblie Therefore we may sometimes giue place to daunger but no opportunitie of well doing must be omitted or neglected In that hee teacheth in the Temple he doth this according to the auncient order and custome For when as God commaunded so many ceremonies hee woulde not haue his people to be occupied in colde vain sightes only And that the coÌ„moditie myght appeare it was requisite that doctrine should bee ioyned with them By this meanes outward rytes are liuely images of spirituall thinges when as they haue their forme out of the worde of God And â—ow because the Priestes were almost dumbe and the Scribes did corrupt the pure doctrine with their leauen and false glosses Christ tooke â—ppon him the office of teaching and that for good causes seeing that he was the chiefe priest as he doth shortly after affirme that hee doth take in hand nothing but at his fathers commandement 15 And the Iewes marueiled They are deceiued who thinke y t Christ his talke was so picked that it was greatly liked of For the Iewes doe so wonder that they take an occasion to
man onely of a corporall disease the comparison should haue been nothing worth for circumcision which appertaineth to the health of the soule should be more excellent Therefore Christ ioyneth the spirituall fruit of the myracle with the external benefit done to the bodie and therfore doth worthilie prefer the perfect health of the man before circumcision There may be also another reason of the comparison namely that the Sacraments haue not alwayes their force and effect present but Christ himself wrought effectually in curing the man that was sick of the palsey But I doe rather imbrace that former exposition that the Iewes do maliciously reprochfully find fault with that work wherein the grace of God doth more plainly appeare then in circumcision which they do so much honor that they do think that the Sabboth is not broken by it The marueiling wherof he speaketh doth signifie that murmuring which arose about the fact of Christ because they thought that he durst do more then was lawfull 22 Therefore Moses gaue you circumcision The illatiue worde seemeth not to agree therfore some do take dia tout◠for dia t◠but the Greeke construction is repugnant to their opinion Therfore I do expound it more simplie that circumcision was so commaunded that the vse of that signe was necessary euen vpon the Sabboths as if he should say that it was sufficiently shewed vnto them therby that the worship of the Sabboth is not violated by the works of God that Christ may applie the example of circumcision vnto the present cause yet notwithstanding he vseth a correction by and by when as he saith that Moses was not the first minister of circumcision But this was sufficient for him that Moses who was so straight an exactor of the Sabboth did notwithstanding cōmaund that infants should be circumcised the eight day although it fell vpon the Sabboth day 24 Iudge not After that he had ended his defence he vseth also an expostulation because being carried away w t wicked affections they iudge not according to the thing and the cause Circumcision was reuerenced amongest them for good causes when as it was done vpon the Sabboth day They knew that the law was not broken because the workes of god doe agree well together why do they not thinke the same of the worke of Christe saue only because a preiudice conceiued of the person of Christ doth possesse their mindes Therefore there shall no iudgement be right saue that which shall bee giuen according to the truth of the matter For so soone as the persons come abroade they turne the eyes and senses of all men vnto them so that the truth doth vanishe away by and by As this admonition ought to be of force in all causes and matters so is it more then necessarie when as we haue the heauenly doctrine in hand For ther is nothing which happeneth soner then that wee be estraunged from the same with the hatred and contempt of men 25 Therefore some of the men of Ierusalem saide Is not this he whome they seeke to kill 26 And beholde he speaketh openly and they say nothing to him whether or no doe the rulers know indeed that this is Christ indeed 27 But we know whence this man is but when Christ shall come no man shall know whence hee is 28 Therfore Iesus cryed in the Temple teaching and saying you both know mee and yee know whence I am and I came not of my selfe but he speaketh the truth that sent me whome you know not 29 But I know him because I am of him and he hath sent mee 30 Therfore they sought to take him no man laid hand on him because his hower was not yet come 25 Certaine of the men of Ierusalem Namely such as knew of the lying in wayt of the rulers and which knewe how greatly Christ was hated For the common people as wee saw a little before counted this as a dreame or doting Therfore those who knewe with what outragious hatred the chiefe rulers of their nation were incensed against Christ do not marueile in vaine that Christe was not only openly conuersaunt in the temple they being quiet but that he did also prech freely but they offend in that that in a myracle altogether diuine they do not consider the prouidence of God So carnall men so often as they see any straunge worke of God they marueile indeed but in the meane season there commeth no consideration of Gods power into their minde But it is our dutie more wisely to weigh the workes of God especially seeing that the wicked when as they haue assayed all things doe not so hinder the course of the gospel as they would desire we may surely think that their endeuours are void because God is able to throw them down with his hand being set against them 27 But we know whence this man is Heere we doe see not only howe great the blindnesse of men is when they are to iudge of diuine matters but that this vice is almost ingendred in them that they haue witte enough to lay stumbling blockes before themselues that they may not come vnto the knowledge of the truth There doe oftentimes fall out offences through the subtiltie of Satan which may driue away moste men from Christ but and if the way were plaine and equall euery man would feigne vnto himselfe an offence So long as the rulers knew not Christ this multitude would haue beene letted with their vnbeliefe alone now whenas that impediment is remoued they inuent a new cause least they should come vnto Christ. Yea whereas it was meet that they should be moued with the example of the rulers they are so farre from following that which is right that they do willingly stumble at the first step Euen so men that haue begun well are wont to faile by by in such sort vnles the Lord do direct their goings euē vnto the end Furthermore the argument wherwith they hinder themselues is this The Prophets haue testified that the beginning of Christ shal be vnknowē but we know from whence this man came therefore he is not to bee taken for Christ. Hereby are we taught what a dāgerous thing it is to teare in peeces the scriptures and so consequently Christ himselfe that he may be iudged only by the halfe of himselfe God promised a deliuerer of the seed of Dauid but he challengeth this office euery where vnto himselfe as proper to himselfe Therefore it was requisite that God should be reuealed in the flesh that hee might be the Redeemer of his Church So Micheas assigneth the place where Christ should be borne Out of thee Bethleehem shall arise a captaine that he may gouerne my people But immediately after he speaketh of an higher going out and therefore hidden and secrete These miserable men whilest that they respect nothing in Christ saue that which is subiect to contempt they doe rashlye gather that he is not he that was promised Therefore let
vs learne so to behold Christ being humble in y e flesh that this humilitie which is despised amongest the wicked may extoll vs vnto his heauenly glory So that Bethlehem where he should haue beene borne as he was man shall be vnto vs a gate through which we may goe in vnto the eternall God 28 Therefore Iesus cryed Hee inueigheth with bitter wordes against theyr rashnes because that pleasing themselues proudly in a false opinion they did exclude themselues from the knowledge of the truth As if he shoulde say whilest that you know all thinges you know nothyng And truly there is no worse plague then when as the confidence of that little knowledge which men haue doth make them so drunken that they doe carelesly reiect whatsoeuer is contrarie to their meaning Hee speaketh tauntingly when he saith Yee know mee and yee know from whence I am I came not of my selfe He setteth that which is true against the opinion which they had falsely conceiued as if he should say whilest that you haue your eyes fastened vpon the earth you doe also thinke that I am wholy subiect to these thinges and therefore you contemne me as a base start vp but God will testifie that I came from heauen Therfore howsoeuer you doe reiect mee God will indeede acknowledge that I am his He calleth God true in the same sense wherein Paule calleth him faithful If so be it saith he we be vnsaithful he continueth faithfull he cannot denie himselfe For his drift is this that there is no whit of the credite of the Gospell diminished howsoeuer the worlde doe goe about to supplant it that how much soeuer the wicked do pull from Christ yet doth he remaine perfect because the truth of God remaineth alwayes sound and like to himselfe Christ seeth that he is despised hee is so farre from yeelding that he doth rather couragiously tryumph against their mad arrogancie who set nothing by him It becommeth al the faithfull to be endewed with this inuincible and heroicall stoutnes Yea our faith shall neuer be firme stable vnlesse it set light by the frowardnes of the wicked when as they arise against Christe And 〈◊〉 doth especially become godly teachers trusting to this ayd to goe foreward in defending sound doctrine although the whole world say naâ— So Ieremie calleth God his promiser and reuenger because he is condemned as a deceiuer Thou hast deceiued mee O Lord saith he and I 〈◊〉 deceiued So Isaias being on euery side ouerwhelmed with slaunders reproches he flieth vnto this sanctuarie that â—e shall haue God the approuer of his cause So Paule being oppressed with vniust iudgements prouoketh them all vnto the day of the Lorde counting it sufficient to set God alone against the raging world VVhom yee know not His meaning is that it is no maruell if the Iewes know not him who know not God for this is the beginning of true wisdome to haue respect vnto God VVhen he doth attribute vnto him selfe the knowledge of God he giueth vs to vnderstand that hee is not extolled rashly vnto so great confidence And he teacheth vs by his example that we must not lightly thrust in the name of god that we may boast of our patron and the reuenger of our cause For there are many too bold in boasting of the authoritie of GOD yea there is nothing more readie and bold to reiect the iudgements of all men then frantike persons who make boast of their inuentions insteed of the oracles of God But we are taught by these wordes of Christ that we must take good heed of vaine and friuolous confidence and that then we must ualiantly resist men when as we know the truth of God throughly And he that is certainely persuaded that God is on his side there is no cause why he should feare the crime of insolencie in treading vnderfoote all the loftinesse of the world 29 Because I am of him Some there be that doe so distinguishe these two members that they referre the former vnto the diuine essence of Christe the other vnto the office inioyned him of his father which that be might take vpon him he clothed himselfe with mans flesh nature which although I dare not reiect yet I cannot tell whether Christe woulde speake so subtillie or no. I confesse indeede that the heauenly beginning and arising of Christ may bee gathered thence but yet this is no sufficient proofe of his eternall diuinitie againste the Arrians 30 Therefore they sought to catch him There wanted no will in them to hurt him nay no endeuour and they had strength sufficient VVhy then do they linger in so great heate as though their handes and theyr feete had been bound The Euangelist answereth Because his houre was not yet come VVherby he telleth vs that Christ was couered with his fathers ayde against their strength and furious force And he doth also preuent the offence of the crosse because there is no cause why wee should be troubled when as we heare that Christ was carryed away vnto death not at mans pleasure but because he was aypointed of the father to be such a sacrifice Hence may we gather a generall doctrine For howesoeuer we liue vntill a day yet the houre of euerie mans death is appointed of God It is an hard matter to beleeue that being subiect to so many casualties being laid open vnto so many iniuries layings in wayte of men and wilde beastes being inuironed with so manie diseases yet we are out of all daunger vnlesse it be when the Lorde will call vs away But we must striue with distrust and first of all wee must hold such doctrine as we heare in this place Secondly the ende thereof and the exhortation which is gathered thence that all cares being cast vpon God euery man doe serue in his vocation and that he bee not called away with any feare from his office Yet may no man passe his bounds For we must not go any farther trusting vpon the prouidence of God then God commaundeth 31 And manie of the companie beleeued on him and saide when Christ shall come shall he doe more myracles thâ—n this man doth 32 The Pharisees heard the companie murmuring thâ—se thinges about him and the Pharisees and Priestes sent ministers to take him 33 Therefore Iesus said vnto them yet a litle while am I with you and I go vnto him that sent me 34 Yee shall seeke mee and shall not finde mee and where I am you cannot come 35 Therefore the Iewes said amongest themselues whyther will he goe that we shall not finde him will he goe into the dispersion of the Greekes and teach the Greekes 36 VVhat speech is this that he hath said yee shall seeke me and shall not find mee and whither I goe yee cannot come 31 And many of the companie It might seeme that Christ preached vnto those which were deafe and altogether obstinate yet the Euangelist saith that there followed some fruite
stand although all the people doe faile And we must marke with what argument they are vnderpropped when they doe so proudly vaunt against Christe They say hee hath onlie the riffe raffe and vnskilfull men on his side the rulers and euery notable man is set against him They expresse the Pharisees by name because they had the fame aswell of knowledge as of holinesse aboue other men so that they were as it were the princes of princes This obiection seemeth indeed to haue some colour For vnlesse the gouernours and rulers of the Church haue their authority there can be nothing set down well neither can the estate also continue long in good order VVee know how great the distemperature of the common people is wherefore there must needes deformed confusion ensue immediately where euery man may do what him listeth Therefore the authoritie of those who are gouerners is a necessarie bridle to moderate the order of the Church And it was so prouided by the law of God that if ther should any question or controuersie arise the knowledge thereof should be in the high Priest his power But these men offend in this in that they doe challenge to themselues the chiefest authoritie and doe refuse to submit themselues vnto God God gaue vnto the high Priest the iudgement but he would haue him to giue sentence only according to his lawe Therefore what authoritie soeuer the pastors haue it is subiect to the word of God that being all brought vnder from the highest to the lowest God alone may be aboue them all If pastours who execute their office well and sincerely do challenge to themselues authoritie this shal be an holy and lawfull boasting but whereas the bare authoritie of men is extolled without the woorde of God it is vaine and friuolous bragging But it falleth out oftentimes that the wicked doe rule in the Church So that we must beware that we do attribute nothing vnto men so soone as they depart from the woorde of God VVee see that almost all the Prophetes were vexed with this griefe For these gorgeous titles Princes Prieste and Churche were oftentimes obiected to ouerwhelme their doctrine The Papists being furnished at this day with the same weapons doe no otherwise rage then did the aduersaries of Christ and the Prophetes This is horrible blindenesse that mortall man is not afraid to set himself against God But SataÌ„ driueth them vnto such madnesse who set more by ambition then by the truth of God In the meane season it is our part to giue such reuerence vnto the worde of God as may driue away all the brightnesse of the whole worlde and may desperse the vaine smoakes therof For weâ— stood in bad case if our saluation did depende vppon the will of rulers and that faith were too vnstable which shoulde stand or fall at theyr becke 4â— This companie The first part is a point of pride in that trusting to the title of the Priesthood they would bring al men in subiection vnder them tyrannously The other is that they despice other men as beeing nothing worth like as they are alwayes reprochfull against other men whosoeuer haue better liking of themselues then they ought and the contempt of our brethren doth follow the immoderate loue of our selues They pronounce all the whole common people to be accursed For which cause they colour this with the ignorance of the lawe but there was another thing which lay hid vnder this namely that they thought that there was no holinesse saue only in their order Like as at this day whiâ—lest that the Popish shauelings doe onely make bâ—ast of the title of the Church they despice the lay men as they cal them like profane men But to the end God may throw downe this mad loftines hee preferreth the base and despiced before the most loftie and excellent And me must note that they doe not make their boast of such knoweledge of the lawe as did instruct men vnto godlinesse and the feare of God but of such as they had when as with a lofâ—tie countenance they answered as if they alone were fit interpreters of the law And truly this is true that they are accursed whosoeuer are noâ— taught in the law of god the knowlâ—dge whereof doth sanctifie vs in deed yet this knowledge is not restrained vnto a few that being puffed vp with wicked confidence they may exempt themselues out of the number of other men but it doth appertaine generally vnto all the children of God that they may be gathered together vnto the same obedience of faith â—0 Nicodemus said vnto them The Euangelist describeth Nicodemus vnto vs as an indifferent man who neither dare take vpon him earnestly to defend godly doctrin neither yet can suffer the truth to be oppressed VVhen he saith that it was he that came by night this serueth partly to his commendation and partly to his discommendation Vnlesse he had loued the doctrine of Christ he durst neuer haue set himselfe against the fâ—tie of the wicked For he knew that if any did but once whisper hee should by and by be hated and be in daunger Therefore in that he dare say something though faintly there shineth some small sparkle of godlines out of his hart but seeing that he doth not more freely defend Christ â—â—e doth therein bewray his too great fearfulnesse Therefore the Euangelist giueth vs to vnderstand that hee did yet smell of the lurking dennes of the night and that he is not the true disciple of Christ. Hee saith that he came once by night vnto Christ that he stood openly amongest his enemies and did keepe a place in their tentes VVee must note this so much the more diligently because that many whilest that they doe pretende that they are like vnto Nicodemus hauing on this visure they doe thinke that they can mocke God freely Admit wee doe graunt that which they require that they differ nothing from Niâ—odemus yet I pray you what doth such an example helpe theÌ„ Nicodemus saith that Christ was not to be condemned vntill he were heard truly there might so much be said by a thiefe by a royster For that is well knowen and famous that it is better than the giltie be acquitted then that the innocent be condemned Secondly howsoeuer hee desireth to lighten the person of Christ he leaueth and forsaketh the doctrine it selfe what shall wee finde here that is meete for a godly and faithfull maÌ„ Therefore y â— seed of y â— gospel which brought foorth fruit afterward did as yet lie hid being choked in him VVe shal far more profitablie apply this example vnto another end that the Lord doth ofteÌ„times bring to passe that the doctrine which seemed to haue perished doth by little and little take roote secretely and doth at length after long time shooâ— foorth soâ—e bud at the first like vnto one that is vntimely but afterwarde liuing and hauing sappe like as Nicodemus his faith had news and
him who art thou Iesus saide vnto them from the beginning because I doe also speake vnto you 26 I haue many thinges to speake and iudge of you but hee that sent me is true I speake those thinges in the worlde which I haue heard of him 27 They knewe not that he spake vnto them of the father Therefore Iesus saide vnto them 28 VVhen yee haue lifted vp the sonne of man then shall yee knowe that I am that I doe nothyng of my selfe but like as the father hath taught mee these thynges speake I. 29 And he that hath sent me it with me the father hath not left me alone because I doe alwayes those thinges which please him 25 From the beginning They are muche deceiued that take beginning in the nominatiue case as if Christ did in this place affirme his eternall Godhead There can be no such doubtfulnes in y e Greeke and yet notwithstanding the Greek interpreters doe also vary amongest themselues All doe agree in this that the preposition is to be vnderstood but many doe expound it aduerbially as if Christ did say that this is principally to bee holden Some also as Chrysostome doe reade it in one text The beginning which I also speake vnto you I haue manie thinges both to speake and iudge of you VVhich sentence Nonnus did also gather into a verse Yet the other reading is more vsuall and semeth to mee to bee the true reading Furthermore I interprete ten archâ—n from the beginning and in my iudgement the sense is this I am not start vp of a sodaine but as I was promised in times past nowe doe I come abroade And hee addeth because I doe also speake vnto you wherby he meaneth that he testifieth plainly enough who he is if sobeit they had eares The causall coniunction oti is not put simplie to render a reason as if Christ would prooue that hee was from the beginning because he speaketh now but the affirmeth that his doctrine doth so agree with that euerlastingnesse whereof he maketh mention that it ought to bee accounted insteede of an vndoubted confirmation It may be thus resolued According to the beginning that is he of whom alreadie in times past like as now also I do confirm as it were againe or and truly that which I nowe speake agreeth also with the oracles of all ages so that it is a sure approbation To bee briefe this answere consisteth vpon two members for vnder the worde beginning he comprehendeth the continuall course of all ages since that the couenant of god was established with the fathers VVhenas he saith that he doth also speake he ioyneth his present doctrine with the olde prophesies and teacheth that it dependeth thereupon VVhereupon it followeth that this was the only cause of the Iewish ignorance because they did neither beleeue the Prophetes nor the Gospel For there is one Christ set before them euery where They did feigne that they were the Prophetes schollers and that they had respect vnto the eternall couenant of GOD but in the meane season they refused Christe who was promised from the beginning and did offer himselfe vnto them 26 I haue many things to speake of you Because he saw that he sung a song vnto deafe men he proceedeth no farther in his talke but doth only pronounce that God will reuenge that doctrine which they contemne because he is the authour thereof if saith he I would accuse you your malice and wickednesse doth minister vnto me large matter but I doe now omit that But the father who hath commaunded me to teache hee shall not foreslow his duetie for he will surely defende and deliuer his worde from the wicked and sacrilegious contempt of men The saying of Christ tendeth almost vnto the same ende whereunto that of Paule 2. Tim. 2. 13. If wee shall denie he continueth faithfull be cannot deny himselfe To be briefe he threateneth the iudgement of God vnto the vnbeleeuers who doe not beleeue his worde because he must needs defend his truth And this is the true stabilitie of our faith when as we are persuaded that God alone is sufficient to establish the authoritie of his doctrine although the whole world doe refuse it All those which serue Christe and trust to this ayde may safely conuince the whole world of lying And the things which I haue heard He saith that he vttereth nothing saue that which he hath receiued of the father And this is the only approbation of doctrine when as the minister sheweth that all that proceedeth from God which he speaketh Furthermore we know that Christ did then play the part of a minister therefore it is no marueile if hee doe therefore desire to be heard because he bringeth the commaundements of God vnto men And by his example he prescribeth a common lawe vnto all the whole Church that none be heard saue only hee that speaketh out of the mouth of God But like as he casteth downe the peruers arrogancie of men who thrust in theÌ„selues without the word of God so doth he furnish and arme with inuincible constancie godly teachers who are well assured in theyr consciences of their calling so that whilest that they haue God for their guide they may boldly triumph against all mortall men 27 They knew not Heereby it appeareth how dull those men are whose mindes Satan doth possesse There could nothing bee more certaine then that they are cited vnto the throne of God but they are altogether blinde which thyng chaunceth also dayly vnto other enemies of the Gospell Furthermore such making blinde of them ought to teach vs to feare 28 VVhen ye haue lifted vp Christ being offeÌ„ded with that dulnes which the Euangelist noteth he affirmeth againe that they are altogeather vnworthie to heare any more out of his mouth You haue saith he al your senses as it were bewitched and therfore you vnderstand nothing of these thinges which I speake but there shall once be a time wheÌ„ you shal know that there was a Prophet of god conuersant amoÌ„gst you which spake vnto you Thus must we deale with the wicked they must be called precisely vnto the iudgement seate of the highest Iudge And this knowledge whereof Christ maketh mention is too late when as the wicked being drawen vnto punishment do against their wylles acknowledge God to be their iudge whom they shoulde haue meekely reuerenced Neither doth he promise vnto them amendment of life but he saith plainely that after they shall be striken with a new and vnlooked for feare of Gods wrath the dulnesse wherein they now rest shall bee taken from them So the eyes of Adam were opened that being ashamed in seeking lurking dennes in vaine he might at length perceiue that he was lost Although that knowledge of Adam which might haue beene of it selfe vnprofitable turned to his good through the grace of God but the reprobate being ouerwhelmed with despayre haue their eyes opened only to this ende that they may see
their destruction And God doth bring them to this kinde of knowledge diuers waies For oftentimes being scourged they learne that God is angrie with thē sometimes hee vexeth them inwardly without vsing any outwarde torment sometimes he suffereth them to sleepe vntill hee call them out of the worlde By the worde lifted vp Christ meaneth his death And he maketh mention of his death that hee may foretell them that although they extinguish him according to the flesh yet shall it profite them nothing as if he should say You doe now proudly mock me when I speake vnto you your vngodlinesse shall shortly goe farther to wit euen vnto my death then shall you triumph as if you had obteyned your desire But you shall shortly perceiue by your most wicked destruction howe much my death differeth from destruction He vseth the word lifted vp that he may the more pricke them Their purpose was to drowne Christ in the neathermost hell he affirmeth that this their hope shal be frustrate and that the euent shal be farre contrarie It may be indeed that he alludeth vnto the external maner of his death to wit because he was to be lifted vp vpon the crosse yet he did chiefly regard his glorious successe which followed shortly after contrary to all their expectations He did triumph gloriously ouer Satan before God and the Angels hauing blotted out the hande writing of sinne and abolished the giltinesse of death vpon the crosse but this triumph beganne at length to appear◠vnto men when the Gospel was preached The same thing chaunced afterward the Christ should rise out of the graue and ascend into heauen VVhich thing we must hope for at this day for whatsoeuer the wicked doe inuent to oppresse Christ with in his doctrine church he shall not onely spring vp against their willes but shall turne their wicked endeuours vnto the greater encrease of his kingdome That I am I haue alreadie saide that this is not referred vnto the diuine essence of Christ but vnto his office onely which thing doth also appeare by the text where he denieth that he doth any thing saue onely according to his fathers commaundement For this is as much as if he should say that he is sent of God and that he did discharge is dutie faithfully I doe nothing of my selfe That is I doe not rashly thrust in my selfe to doe any thing The worde speake tendeth to the same ende namely vnto the office of teaching For when Christ will proue that he doth nothing without his fathers commandement he saith that he speaketh according as he teacheth him Therefore this is the summe of the words In all this administration which yee condemne there is nothing myne but I doe onely execute that which God hath enioyned me they be his wordes which you heare out of my mouth and he alone doth gouerne my calling the authour whereof he is Let vs remember that which I haue sometimes touched that these wordes are applyed vnto y e capacitie of the hearers For because they iudged Christ to be one of the common sort of men he denieth that that is his what diuine thing soeuer he hath as if he should say that it is not mans neither of man because y e father teacheth vs by him maketh him the onely schoole master of the Church therfore he affirmeth that he is taught of the father 29 And he that sent me He boastath againe that God through whose conduct aid he doth all things wil be present with him least he labor in vain without fruite as if he should say that y e power of the spirit of God is ioyned with his ministerie All godly teachers must be endowed with the same confidence that they doubt not but be fully assured that the hand of god wil be nigh vnto thē whilest that with a pure cōscience they shew thēselues to bee such ministers vnto him as he requireth For God doth not furnish them with his worde that they may beate the ayre with a cold vain sound but he giueth successe by the secrete working of his spirite he doth also couer thē with his ayde that their enemies beeing throwen downe they may stande inuincible against the whole world And truly if they looke vpon themselues their owne habilitie they must needs fall euery moment Therfore the only way to stand is this if they be persuaded that they are vpholdē with the hand of god But we must note the cause why Christ doth professe that god is on his side that he shall neuer be destitute of his aid namely because he dependeth wholy vpon him doth serue him faithfully For the aduerbe alwaies importeth thus much that he doth obey god not only in some part but that he his altogether without exceptiō addicted to serue obey him Therfore if we couet to trie the same presence of God wee must submit all our reason vnto his gouernment For if our wit do possesse any part of the gouernment because gods blessing shal be absent all our studies shal be in vain if sobeit there appeare for a time some ioyful shew of prosperous successe yet the end shal be vnfortunate VVhen as Christ saith that he was not left alone he complaineth by the way of the vnfaithfulnesse of his nation wherein he did almost finde none which did ioyne handes with hym Neuerthelesse he sheweth that this one thing is sufficient for him that he hath God to be his reuenger So must we also be encouraged at this day least we be discouraged with the smalnesse of the number of the faithfull For although all the whole worlde do gainstand our doctrine yet are we not alone Moreouer it appeareth hereby how foolish the boasting of the Papistes is who passing ouer God doe make their boast of theyr multitude 30 As he spake these things many beleeued on him 31 Therfore Iesus said vnto the Iewes which beleeued in him If you shall abide in my worde you are my disciples indeed 32 And yee shall knowe the truth and the truth shall make you free 33 They answered him we are the seed of Abraham and we neuer serued any man how sayest thou yee shall be free 34 Iesus answered them verily verily I say vnto you that euery one that doth sinne is the seruant of sinne 35 And the seruaunt abideth not in the house euer but the sonne abydeth for euer 36 Therfore if the sonne shal set you free you shal be free indeed 37 I know that you are the seed of Abraham but you seeke to kill mee because my word dwelleth not in you 38 I speake that which I haue seene with my father and you doe that which you haue seene with your father 30 As he spake these things Although the Iewes were then almost like to drie and barren land yet God did not suffer the seed of his worde to perish wholy Therefore there ariseth some fruite amongst so many lets contrarye to hope And
the Euangelist termeth that faith vnproperly which was only a certaine preparation vnto faith For he speaketh no higher thing of them saue onely that they were bente to receiue Christe his doctrine whereunto the next admonition doth also appertaine 31 If you shall abide in my worde Christ doth in this place first of al admonish vs that it is not sufficient if a man begin well vnlesse his proceedings euen vnto the end be answerable By this meanes doth he exhorte those who haue tasted his doctrine vnto the perseuerance of faith whē as he affirmeth that they are his disciples in deede who haue taken deep and sure roote in his worde that they may abide in him He giueth vs to vnderstand that there bee many disciples by profession who notwithstanding are not Disciples indeede neyther doe they also deserue to bee so accounted And he distinguisheth his from hypocrites by this marke that they who haue falsly made their bragge of faith doe either faint so soone as they are begunne to runne or els in the middest of the race but the faithfull goe constantly forwarde vnto the mark Therfore muste wee bee constant that Christe may take vs for his Disciples 32 Yee shall know the truth Hee saith that they shall know the truth who were come vnto some knowledge therof They were as yet very rude and scarce taught in their A B C vnto whom Christ speaketh therefore it is no maruell if hee promise vnto them greater vnderstanding of his doctrine but the sentence is generall Therfore how muche soeuer euery one of vs hath profited in the gospel let him know that he hath neede of new encreasings And Christ vouchsafeth to bestow this reward vpon the constancie of his that he maketh himself more familier with them Although he doth nothing els by this meanes but augment the other gift least any man should thinke that there is any thing repaied vnto mans merit For it is he that fastneth his word in our harts by his spirite the same doth dayly wipe away the clowdes of ignorance in our mindes which do darken the brightnesse of the Gospel Therfore to the end the truth may be reuealed vnto vs to the full we must striue to attaine vnto the knowledge therof with an earnest and constant affection Furthermore it is the same no other truth which Christ teacheth his from the beginning vntill the end but whom he doth lighten a litle in the beginning as it were with small sparkles those doth he at length lighten with perfect light So that the faithfull vntill they shal be fully confirmed are after a sort ignorant of that which they know Notwithstanding there is no so obscure or small knowledg of faith whiche is not effectuall vnto saluation The truth shall make you free He commendeth the knowledge of his Gospel for the fruite which we reape therof or which is all one for the effect namely that it maketh vs free Furthermore this is an vncomparable good thing VVhereupon it followeth that there is nothing better or more to be desired then the knowledge of the Gospell All men do feele bondage and confesse that it is a most miserable thing seeynge that the Gospell deliuereth vs from it it followeth that the treasure of blessed life proceedeth from the same Now must we note what maner libertie Christe speaketh of in this place namely such as setteth vs free from the tyrannie of Satan sinne and death And if sobeit we obtaine the same by the benefit of the Gospel it appeareth hereby that we are all the seruaunts of sinne by nature Furthermore wee must also know the manner of this deliueraunce For so long as we are gouerned by our owne wit and vnderstanding we are the bondslaues of sin but when the Lorde doth regenerate vs with his spirite hee doth also make vs free that being loosed from the miserable snares of Satan we may of our owne accorde obey righteousnesse But regeneration commeth from faith whereby it appeareth that libertie commeth from the Gospel Now let the Papists be packing let them proudly extoll their free will but let vs being gilty in our own cōsciences of our own bondage let vs I say boast only of Christ who is our deliuerer For euen for this cause is the Gospel as it were the rod and signe of our manumission or freedome because it offereth vs vnto Christ and deliuereth vs to bee set free from the yooke of sinne Lastly we must also note this that freedome hath his degrees according to the manner of his faith VVherfore Paul being alreadie set free doth notwithstanding grone as yet desiring to be fully set free 33 The seed of Abraham It is vncertaine whether the Euangelist bringeth in the same men or other speaking I thinke thus that as it falleth out in a great multitude there was answere made vnto Christ and that indeed rather by the despisers then those that beleeued And this is a thing much vsed in the scripture so often as ther is any mention made of the bodie of the people generally to ascribe that vnto all whiche belongeth only vnto the one part Furthermore those that obiect that they are the seed of Abraham that they were alwayes free dyd easily gather out of Christ his wordes that libertie is promised vnto them as vnto seruants They cannot disgest this that they that were an holy elect people should be accounted bond For what did the adoption couenant whereby they were separated from the other nations profite them vnlesse they were counted the children of God Therefore they thinke that they haue iniurie offered them when as libertie is promised vnto them as an accidentall good thing Notwithstanding it may seeme an absurd thing in that they say that they did neuer serue seeing they had byn so often oppressed by other tyrants being then subiect to the Romane Empire they groned vnder the most heauie burden of bōdage Hereby it appeareth how ridiculous their boasting was yet this was some cloake and colour that the vniust gouernment of their enemies did no whit hinder them but that they continued free by right But they erred first in that they did not consider that the right of their adoption was grounded in the mediatour alone For whence came the free seede of Abraham saue only because it is exempted from the common seruitude of mankinde by the singuler grace of the Redeemer And also the other errour is not to bee borne with that whereas they were altogether growen out of kinde yet would they be reckoned amongest the children of Abraham neither did they thinke that it is only the regeneration of the spirit which maketh the lawfull children of Abraham This hath beene a fault almost in all ages too common to referre the extraordinarie giftes of God vnto the beginning of the flesh and to ascribe vnto nature those remedies which god giueth vs to correct our nature In the mean season we see how they do driue away from
made clay of the spittle and laid it vppon the eyes of the blinde 7 And said vnto him Goe wash in the poole of Siloa which is if thou interprete it sent he went therfore and washt and came seeing 8 Therfore the neighbours and those that had seen him before because he was a begger said is not this he that sate and begged 9 Othersome said truly this is he And othersome said he is like him But he saide I am hee 10 Therfore they said vnto him how are thine eyes opened 11 He answered and said The man that is called Iesus made clay and put it vppon mine eyes and said vnto me goe into the poole Siloa wash and after that I went and washed I did see 12 Therfore they said vnto him where is hee hee said I know not 6 Hee spit vpon the earth Christ his purpose was to restore sight to the blinde but he goeth about the matter in such a sort as at the first sight may seeme very absurd for by annointing his eyes with clay hee doth after a sort double his blindnsse who would not haue thought that hee did either mocke the miserable man or els that he toyed like a man that was distract But his meaning was by this meanes to prooue the faith and obedience of the blinde man that he might be an example vnto all men This was no small token of faith that the blinde man hauing embraced the bare worde doth beleeue assuredly that he should haue sight restored vnto him and vpon this hope hee maketh hast to goe thither whyther he was bidden And also this is an excellent commendation of obedience that he doth simplie obey Christ although many things do persuade him to the contrary And this is also a declaration of a true faith when as a godly minde being contented with the plaine worde of God doth promise vnto it selfe that thing which seemeth to bee otherwise vncredible The readinesse of obedience doth followe faith immediately so that hee doth quietly submit himselfe to bee gouerned by God whiche is perswaded that he will be vnto him a faithfull guide It is questionlesse that the suspition and feare of mocking did come into the blinde mans mynde but it was an easie matter for him to break through all impedimēts seeing he was perswaded that it was safetie it selfe to followe Christ. If any man obiect that the blinde manne knewe not what Christe was that hee might gyue vnto him due honour as vnto the sonne of GOD I confesse that indeede but because hee dyd beleeue that he was sent of God submitting himselfe vnto him not doubting but y t he spake the truth he seeth nothing in him but that which is diuine Yea in that hee did addict himselfe wholy vnto Christ in so small knowledge his faith deserueth so much the more praise 7 VVash in the poole Siloa It is certaine that there was no vertue either in y e clay or in y e water of Siloa to cure his eyes but Christ did not once only adorne his myracles with these externall signes freely either that hee might accustome the faithfull vnto the vse of signes or that hee might shew that all thinges are subiect to his will or that he might declare that there was as much power in all creatures as he woulde giue them Yet some doe demaund what the clay made of dust and spittle doth signifie and they expound this to haue been a figure of Christe because the dust doth betoken the earthly nature of the flesh and the spittle which came out of his mouth the diuine essence of the worde But I omit this Allegorie because it hath in it selfe more subtiltie then soundnesse being contented with this simplicitie that like as man was first created of clay so Christ did vse clay in framing his eyes againe shewyng the same power in a part of the body which the father declared in making the whole man or peraduenture his intent was by this signe to declare that it was no harder a matter for him hauing remooued the impediment to open the eyes of one that was blind then for any man to wype away clay and againe that it was in his power to stoppe the sight of eyes in like sort as if any man should stoppe vp the eyes with clay which latter thing pleaseth me better Peraduenture he commaunded him to wash in the poole of Siloa that he myght vpbraide vnto the Iewes that they themselues were to blame because they did not perceiue the power of God which was present with them like as Iesaias doth chide the men of his time in the eight Chapter and sixt verse because setting at nought the waters of Siloa which ran calmely they desire the swift and violent riuers And also it seemeth to me that the same reason did persuade Elizeus to commaund Naaman the Assyrian to wash in Iordan If we beleue Ierome the waters which did spring out of the mount Sion at certaine houres did make this poole The Euangelist setteth downe of set purpose the interpretation of the word Siloa because that well beeing nigh vnto the Temple did dayly put the Iewes in minde of Christ who was to come whom yet notwithstanding they despiced being offered vnto them Therefore the Euangelist setteth out vnto vs the grace of Christe that he alone doth lighten our darknes giue sight to the blind For the estate of our nature is depaynted in the person of this one man namely that all of vs are depriued of light and vnderstanding euen from our mothers wombe and secondly that wee must seeke remedie for this cuill only at Christe his hands And note that although Christe was present then yet woulde hee not haue the signes neglected to reproue the blockishnesse of the nation which did only retaine a vaine shadow of the signes the substance being abolished Herein appeareth also the wonderfull goodnes of Christ that he being the Phisition came of his own accord vnto the blind man and doth not wayte for his prayers in helping him And truly seeing that we are naturally turned away from him we are vtterly vndone vnlesse he meet vs before he be called and preuent vs with his mercie which are drowned in the forgetfulnes of light and life 8 Therfore the neighbours and those that had seene him Not only the neighbours did know the blinde man but also all the inhabitants of the citie because he was a begger and was wont to fit at the gate of the Temple and such do cause the common people to looke vpon them This knowledge of the man did cause the fame of the myracle to bee spread the farther abroade But as vngodlinesse is wittie in darkening the workes of God many men thought that it was not the same man because there appeared in him a new power of God so that the more excellent the maiestie of Gods workes is they finde the lesse credite amongest men But their doubting did serue greatly to prooue the myracle
26 Therfore they saide vnto him againe what did he to thee howe opened hee thine eyes 27 He answered them I told you alreadie and yee heard not what will you heare againe will you also be made his disciples 28 Therefore they rayled on him and said be thou his Disciple wee are Moses his Disciples 29 VVee knowe that God spake vnto Moses but wee knowe not whence