deadly thunderbolt So at this day the Papists doe laugh at and boldly with fire and swoorde persecute the worde of God which is able to mooue stones only because trusting to the deceitfull title of the Churche they thinke that they are able to mocke God and men To be briefe hypocrites so soone as they haue gotten any beautifull cloake doe oppose harde stubbornnesse against God as if hee did not pearce into theyr heartes If yee were the children of Abraham Christ doth more plainly extinguish the degenerate children of Abraham from lawfull children for hee taketh away the very name from all those that are vnlike vnto Abraham It falleth out oftentimes indeede that the children doe not represent in manners their fathers which begate them But Christ doth not dispute in this place of the carnall originall but doth onely deny that they are accounted amongest the children of Abraham before God whiche doe not hold the grace of adoption by faith For seeing that the Lorde had promised vnto the seed of Abraham that he would be their God all the vnbeleeuers which did cast away this promise did thrust thēselues out of the stock of Abraham Therfore the state of the questiō is whether they are to be accounted the children of Abraham or no which doe cast away the blessing offered vnto them in the worde so that they may be neuertheles an holy stock the peculiar people of God and princely priesthood Christe denieth this and that for good causes because they must be borne againe of the spirite which are the children of promise and be new creatures whosoeuer desire a place in the kingdome of God The fleshly stocke of Abraham was no vnprofitable thing or of no valew if sobeit the truth were added For the election of God resteth in the seede of Abraham yet being free so that they are accounted the heires of life whō god doth sanctifie by his spirite 40 And now yee seeke He proueth by the effect that they are not the children of Abraham as they did bragge because they resist God For what is chieflye commended in Abraham but the obedience of faith Therfore this is the marke of the difference so often as wee are to distinguish his children from straungers For vaine titles are nothing worth before God what credite soeuer they carry before men Therefore Christe concludeth againe that they are the children of the Diuell because they are suche deadly enemies vnto true and sounde doctrine 41 VVe are not of fornication They challenge no more to themselues now then before For they thought it was all one to be the sonne of Abraham and of God But they were greatly deceiued therein in that they thought that God was bound vnto all the seed of Abraham For they reason on this wise God adopted vnto himselfe the stocke of Abraham therfore seeing that we are begotten of Abraham we must needs be the children of God VVe see now how they thought that they had holynesse from the wombe because they sprang from an holy roote Finally they affirme that they are the Church of God because they descende from the holy fathers Like as at this day the continuall succession from the holy fathers puffeth vp the Papistes and maketh them more then swell Satan doth so delude them and deceiue them that they separate God from his word the church from faith the kingdome of heauen from the spirite Therefore let vs know that although they be not bastards according to the flesh but boast of the laudible title of the Church yet are they nothing lesse then the children of God who haue corrupted the seede of life For what corners soeuer they runne into yet shall they neuer bee able to escape but that they bee puffed vp with this vaine bragge onely VVe succeede the holy fathers therfore we are the Church And if so be it Christ his answere was sufficient to refute y e Iewes withal it is no lesse sufficient at this day to refute these men It wil neuer be otherwise but y ◠hypocrites will with their most wicked boldnes vainly make boast of the name of God but they shall neuer make those beleeue that will stand to the iudgement of Christ but that these false boastinges whiche they blunder out are ridiculous 42 If God were your father you woulde loue mee for I. This is Christe his argument VVhosoeuer is the child of God he wil acknowledge and loue his first begotten sonne but you hate me therefore there is no cause why you shoulde boast that you are Gods children VVe must diligently note this place that there is no godlinesse no feare of GOD where Christ is reiected Feigned religion pretendeth God boldly but what agreement can they haue with the father who disagree with his only sonne what maner knowledge of God is that where his liuely image is refused And this is the meaning of Christ his wordes when he testifieth that he came from the father For hee giueth vs to vnderstand that all that is diuine which he hath and that therefore it is not likely that the true worshippers of God doe refuse his truth I came not saith he of my selfe you can obiect nothing vnto me which agreeth not with God and finally you shall finde no earthly or humane thyng in my doctrine and in the whole administration thereof For hee intreateth not of his essence but of his doctrine 43 VVhy doe yee not acknowledge my speeche because you cannot heare my woorde 44 You are of your father the Diuell and yee will doe the lustes of your father He was a murtherer frō the beginning stood not in the truth because the truth is not in him VVhen he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne because he is a lyer and the father therof 45 But because I say the truth you beleeue not mee 43 VVhy doy yee not He casteth the stubbornnes of the Iewes in their teeth in this place which was so great that they could not abide to heare him Hence gathereth he that they were caried with a diuelish furie I see no difference betwene speech and word For it is more to say then to speak But it were an vnmeete thing to put the lesser in the former place Many doe distinguish it so that the ende of the interrogation may be in the worde speech as if the interrogation did only consist in these words VVhy doe yee not acknowledge my speech so that the rendring of the reason doth follow immediately because you cannot heare my word But I think they ought rather to be read in one text as if he should haue said what is the cause that my word is barbarous and vnknowen to you that I do you no good by speaking vnto you and so consequently that you cannot vouchsafe to heare that which I speake Therefore he toucheth their dulnes in the former member in the other the stubborne hatred of his doctrine afterward he assigneth the cause of both when as he saith
thēselues the grace of Christ whosoeuer being puffed vp with a vaine confidence doe flatter themselues in their own estate This pride goeth through the whole worlde almost so that there is scarce one amongest an hundred that doth perceiue that he hath need of the grace of God 34 He that doth sin c. An argument drawen from contraries They made their boast that they were free he proueth that they are the seruants of sinne because being subiect to the desires of the flesh they sinne continually And it is a maruell y t mē are not conuinced with their own experience that hauing laid away pride they may learne to humble them selues This thing is at this day too common that the more a mans vices are so much the more fiercely doth he with loftie words extol free wil. And Christ as it seemeth affirmeth no other thing in this place saue that which in times past was tossed amongst the philosophers that those who are addicted vnto their lustes are in the worst bondage But there is a deeper and more hidden sense For he doth not only dispute what euill men doe bring vppon themselues but what maner estate the estate of mans nature is The philosophers thought that euerie man is made a bondslaue at his own pleasure doth returne vnto libertie againe But Christ proueth aduoucheth in this place that al those are subiect to bōdage whō he doth not set free so consequently that they are seruantes by beginning who draw the infection of sin frō corrupt nature we must note the comparison of grace nature whereupon Christ standeth in this place whereby it shall easily appeare that men are spoyled of libertie vnlesse they recouer the same by some other meanes This bondage is so voluntarie that those which offend necessarily are not compelled to sin 35 And the seruant c. He addeth a similitude takē from the lawes the politik law as a seruant although he rule for a time yet is he not the heire of the house whereupon he concludeth that there is no perfect continuall libertie saue that which is obtained through the sonne By this meanes he doth accuse the Iewes of vanitie because they make boast of the shadow insteed of the thing For in that they were the carnal progenie of Abrahā they were nothing els but a shadow they had a place in y e church of God but such an one as Ismael did vsurp vnto himselfe for a short space the seruant triumphing against the free brother The sum is whosoeuer do boast that they are the childrē of Abrahā they haue nothing but a false vanishing show 36 Therfore if the son shal make you free In these words he giueth vs to vnderstād y t the right of liberty appertaineth vnto him alone that al other forasmuch as they are born seruants are set free only through his grace For he doth impart that vnto vs by adoptiō which is proper to himself by nature whilest that we are engrafted into his bodie by faith are made his mēbers So that we must remēber that which I said before that he setteth vs free by the gospel Therefore our liberty is the benefit of Christ but we obtain the same by faith whiche doth also cause Christ to regenerate vs by his spirit VVhēas he saith that they are free indeed there is great force in y ◠aduerb indeed for we must vnderstād the contrary which is the false perswasiō wherwith the Iewes did swell like as euen now a great part of the world imagineth to themselues a kingdom in most miserable subiectiō 37 I know that you are the seed of Abraham I take this to be spoken by a kind of concession Notwithstāding in y e mean season he derideth their foolishnes because they boast of a friuolous title as if he should say admit I graunt you that wherein you do so much flatter your selues Yet what doth it profit those to bee called y e seed of Abrahā who rage against god his ministers who being moued with an vngodly wicked hatred of the truth are carried headlong to shed innocēt blood wherupō it foloweth that they are nothing lesse thē that which they wil be called because they are in no point like vnto Abrahā You seeke to kyll me VVhen he saith y t they seek to put him to death because his word hath no place in thē his meaning is that they are not simply māslears but that they are enforced vnto suche madnes with the hatred of god his truth which is far more cruel For the iniurie doth not thē keep it self within the cōpasse of mē but it doth also dishonour God Hee saith that they cānot receiue his word because their minds are ful fraught with malice so that they cā admit no sound thing 38 That which I haue seen with my father He had oftentimes alreadie made mētiō of his father Now he gathereth by an argument drawen frō contraries that they are both the enemies of God children of the Diuell that resist his doctrine I do only saith he speake that which I haue heard of my father therfore how commeth it to passe that the word of GOD doth so nettle you saue only bicause you haue the father set against you He saith that he speaketh and they doe because he did take vppon him the office of a teacher they did furiously endeuour to extinguish his doctrine Neuerthelesse he setteth his Gospel fre from contempt because it is no maruell if the children of the Diuell doe resist it Some doe translate it doe yee as if Christ did say goe too shew your selues to be the children of the Diuell in resisting me For I do only speake according to the prescript of God 39 They aunswered and saide vnto him Abraham is our father Iesus saieth vnto them If you were the children of Abraham yee woulde doe the workes of Abraham 40 And now yee seeke to kill me a man that haue spoken the truth vnto you which I haue heard of God Abraham did not this 41 You doe the workes of your father Therfore they said vnto him we are not begotten of fornication we haue one father which is God 42 Iesus said vnto them If GOD were your father you woulde loue mee for I came out from God and came neither came I of my selfe but hee sent me 39 Our father Abraham This chiding doeth plainely declare howe proudly and cruelly they despised all Christ his chidinges They challendge this to themselues continually that they are the children of Abraham and not only in that sense because they had Abraham his progenie for their progenitours but because they are an holy kinred gods inheritance the childrē of god Notwithstāding they leane only vnto the confidence of the flesh But the fleshly stocke is nothing els but a meere visure without faith Now we vnderstande what did so blinde them that they tossed Christ to and fro being euen armed with a
that they are the children of the diuell For his meaning was to cut of that wherof they made their boast continually that they were perswaded by reason and iudgement to resist 44 You are of your father the Diuell He doth now more fully expresse that which he spake twise obscurely And we must vnderstand the oppositioÌ„ that they could not be so enuious against the son of god vnles they had the continuall aduersarie of God to be their father Furthermore he calleth them the children of the Diuell not only because they doe imitate him but because they are enforced by him to gainstand Christ. For like as we are called the children of God not only because wee are like him but because he gouerneth vs with his spirite because Christe doth liue in vs that he may make vs like vnto the image of his father so againe the Diuel is called their father whose mindes he blindeth whose heartes he pricketh forward vnto all vnrighteousnesse and finally in whome hee exerciseth his tyranny by working mightily But the Maniches did in vaine and foolishly abuse this place to proue their doting For like as when the scripture calleth vs the children of God it doth not referre this vnto the propagation or beginning of the substance but vnto the grace of the spirite which doth regenerate vs vnto newnes of life so this saying of Christ doth nothing appertain vnto the propagation of the substance but vnto the corruption of nature the cause and beginning whereof is the fall of man In that therefore men are borne the children of the Diuell it is not to be imputed vnto the creation but vnto the vice of sinne And this doth Christ proue by the effect because they are bent readily and willingly to follow the Diuell Hee was a manslear He expresseth what these lustes be and he reckoneth vp two kindes crueltie and lying wherein the Iewes were too like Satan In that he saith he was a manslear he meaneth that he imagined mans destruction For so soone as man was created Satan being pricked forward with a wicked desire to hurt did bende all his force to destroy him And Christ doth not meane the beginning of the creation as if God had giuen him a desire to hurt but he vnderstandeth the corruption of nature in Satan which he got to himselfe which appeareth better out of the second member wher he saith that he stood not in the truth For althogh they would escape who feigne that the Diuell was euill by nature notwithstanding these words doe plainely expres a changing vnto worse that therfore SataÌ„ is a lyar because he fell away froÌ„ the truth Therfore in that he is a lyar it is not therefore because he dissented from the truth by nature but because he fell away from the same by a voluntarie fall This description of Satan is verye profitable for vs that euery man may take heede of his subtiltie and also studie to resist his violence and force For he goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuour and he is furnished with a thousand craftes and â—leightes to deceiue wherefore the faithfull ought so muche the more to be furnished with spirituall weapons to fight and to be giuen to watchfull sobrietie that they may watch Now if Satan cannot put off this affection there is no cause why we should be troubled with this as with some new and vnwonted thing when as errours arise for Satan pricketh forward his children as fannes to make mad the world with their errours And it is no maruell if Satan doe so earnestly endeuour to euer runne the truth for it is the only life of the soule Therefore lying hath a most deadly dart to slea the soule Seeing that all men which haue eyes doe see this image of Satan in Papistrie at this day they must first of all consider with what enemie they make warâ—e and secondly â—â—ie vnto the ayd of Christ their captain vnder whose banner they fight That which followeth next because the truth is not in him is a confirmatioÌ„ of the effect or taken as they say from the latter For because Satan hateth the truth neyther can abyde the same but is rather altogether ful of lyes Christe gathereth hence that hee is altogether fallen from the truth and that he is an enemie to the same Therfore let vs not maruel if hee shew some fruite of his Apostacie VVhen hee speaketh a lie They expounde this commonly thus as if Christe dyd denie that lying did belong vnto GOD the authour of nature and dyd rather say that it came from deprauation But I interprete it more simplie that it is the Diuell his common custome to lye and that hee canne doe nothing els but woorke fraude deceite and guile And yet may we fitly gather out of these words that the Diuell hath this vice of himselfe and that it is so proper vnto him that it is also accidentall For whenas Christe maketh the Diuel the craftes man of lying he doth manifestly separate him from God yea hee affirmeth that he is contrarie vnto him To the same ende tendeth the worde father which is added immediately for Satan is called the father of lying for this cause because he is estraunged from God in whome alone the truth abydeth and from whom as from the onely fountaine it floweth 45 And because He confirmeth the former sentence because seeing that they haue no cause to resist saue onely because they hate the truth they doe openly bewray them selues to bee the children of Satan 46 VVhich of you accuseth mee of sinne And if I speake the truth why doe ye not beleeue me 47 He that is of God heareth the words of God yee heare not because yee are not of God 48 Therfore the Iewes answered and said vnto him doe not we say well that thou art a Samaritane and hast a Diuell 49 Iesus answered I haue not a Diuell but I honour my father and yee haue dishonoured mee 50 And I seeke not my glory there is one that seeketh and iudgeth 46 VVhich of you This interrogation proceedeth from boldnes For seeing that he was giltie of no crime hee triumpheth ouer his aduersaries as a conquerour And yet notwithstanding he doth not say that he is free from their slaunders for whenas they had no matter to speake against him yet did they not cease to raile vpon Christ but he vnderstandeth y t there was no fault in him And thus much doth the word elegehein signifie as the latines doe call it rebuking when as any man is founde giltie indeed And yet notwithstanding they are deceiued who thinke that Christe doeth in this place defende his perfect innocencie wherein he alone did excell amongest men insomuch as he was the son of God For this defence must be restrained vnto the circumstance of the place as if he did deny that any thing can bee obiected vnto him for which he is not the faithfull minister of God Like
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
more euidently shewe the heart of man to be the seat of all euilles he sayeth that the testimonies and fruites are apparant in the sinnes them selues For the woorde Deâ—iling or making vncleane in Greeke is sayd to make Common as a little before Marke sayd common hands for vncleane And it is an Hebrewe phrase for because the Lord had separated the Iewes on this condition that they might be seuered from al the vncleannesse of the Gentiles what soeuer differed from this holinesse they called common or as prophane Mathew 15. Marke 7. Luke 21. And Iesus went thence departed into the câ—astes of Tyrus and Sidon 22. And beholde a woman a Cananite came out of the same coastes cried saying vnto him Haue mercy on me O Lorde the sonne of Dauid my daughter is miserably vexed with a deuil 23. But he answered her not a word Then came to him his Disciples and besought him saying send her away for shee crieth after vs. 24. But he answeared and sayd I am not sent but vnto the lost shepe of the house of Israel 25. Yet â—hee came and worshipped him saying Lord helpe me 26. And he answered and sayd It is not good to take the childreÌ„s bread and to cast it to whelpes 27. But shee said trueth Lord yet in deede the whelps eat of the crums which fall from their masters table 28. Then Iesus answeared and sayd vnto her O womaÌ„ great is thy saith be it to thee as thou desirest and her daughter was made whole as that houre 24. And from thence he arose and went into the borders of Tyrus and Sidon and entred into an house and woulde that no man shoulde haue knowen but he could not be hid 25. For a certain womaÌ„ whose little daughter hadde an vncleane spirit heard of him came and fell at his feete 26. And the woman was a Greeke a Syrophenissian by nation and shee be sought him that he would cast out the deuil out of her daughter 27. But Iesus said vnto her let the children first be sed for it is not good to take the childreÌ„s bred to cast it vnto whelps 28. Then she answered said vnto him trueth Lorde yet in dede the whelps eate vnder the table of the childrens crums 29. Then he said vnto her for this saying go thy way the deuil is gon out of thy daughter 33. And when shee was come home to her house shee founde the deuill departed and her daughter lying on the bed  In this myracle we are taught how the grace of Christ begaÌ„ to spread amongst the Gentiles For though the full time was not yet come wherin Christ should make himselfe knowen to the whole worlde yet it pleased him to giue some tastes of his commoÌ„ mercy which at length was bestowed generally both to the Iewes and Gentiles after his resurrection Also in the woman of Canaan is described a notable image of faith that by making comparison we might knowe that the promised redemption was worthily taken from the Iewes whose vngodlines was so blockish The woman which Mathewe calleth a Canaanite is of Marke sayde to haue bene a Grecian and by nation a Syrophenissian wherein there is no difference for we knowe that it was the common maner of speache amongst the Iewes to call all forraine nations Grecians and therfore that Antithesis betwene the Grecians and the Iewes is often sounde in Paule Also when shee was borne in the coastes of Tyre and Sidon it is no meruaile that shee is called a Syrophenissean when as the region hadde the name of Syria and was a parte of Phoenicia and the Iewes very odiously called all the inhabitants of that land Cananites And it is to be supposed that the most part of them came of the people of Canaan who being banished out of their country toke the next place of refuge in their banishment They doe both agree in this that the woman came of a prophane nation not brought vp in the doctrine of the lawe that shee came of her owne accord to Christ in all humility to seeke aid of him The circumstance is also to be noted which is set downe by Marke that Christ came not thither with banner displaid but as a priuate man that he might hide himself in that corner for a time But Marke speaketh after the common sense of flesh for though Christ foresaw by his diuine spirit what should come to passe yet in as much as he was the seruant ambassadour of the father he kept himselfe after the maner of man within the bounds of the calling laid vpon him therfore it is said that he could not do that which as a man he would haue done In the meane while this circumstance hath great waight for the condemnation of the Iewes that wheÌ„ Christ in opeÌ„ place did set before them the promised redemption with a loud voice and myracles annexed to the same they remained blinde and deafe when yet they boasted themselues to be heires of the couenant of the Lord his peculiar people and a priestly kingdome and this woman which had none of these priuiledges with the children of Abraham vnto whome the couenant in shewe appertained not not being called either with woorde or signe commeth running of her owne free will 22. Haue mercy on me O Lorde Though this woman was a stranger from the Lordes flocke yet she had gotten some tast of godlinesse for without some knowledge of the promises shee coulde not haue called Christ the sonne of Dauid For although the Iewes were almost falne away froÌ„ the pure and sincere doctrine of the law or at the least were turned far aside from the same yet the renoumed fame of the promised redemption flourished And wheÌ„ as the restitution of the church rested vpon the kingdom of Dauid wheÌ„ as there was any speach of the Messias the name of the son of Dauid was coÌ„mon among them this confession was in the mouth of all men But when as true faith was worne out amongest them by the wonderful incredible goodnes of God it came to passe that the sauor of the promisses came to the natioÌ„s that dwelt by them Therfore though this womaÌ„ had not ben familiarly taught by any master neither yet had framed a faith in Christ vnaduisedly to her self but she coÌ„ceiued it out of the law and the prophets VVherfore that dog Seruetus no lesse folishly theÌ„ wickedly abused this exaÌ„ple that he might strip faith bare naked of the promisses After this sense I deny not but that somtimes there may be a faith coÌ„ceiued which alwais hath not an expres distinct knowledge of sound doctrine so that we hold this that faith doth alwaies spring out of the woorde of God and hath his beginning of the true principles so that it may alwayes be annexed to some light of true knowledge 23. But hee answeared her not The Euangelistes doe diuers wayes commend the faith of this woman as nowe of her inuincible
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