people of God and therefore they would not séeme to be pertakers of the same By the which wordes they chalenge to themselues both pietye and also the true worship of God Therefore it is no rare and vnwonted thing that Hipocrites being farre from all true sincere pietye and from the worship of God shoulde chalenge vnto them selues both of them These men were so blynde that they had no consideration of their parents which came betwéene Abraham and them béeing by the testimony of the Scripture Idolaters but considered only the firste originall of their nation and boasted of the couenaunt which God once made with them So boulde also are the Papistes at this daye who although they be the posteritie of Idolaters and Idolaters them selues yet neuerthelesse because of the pure beginninges of Christiamisme and the signe of Gods couenaunt doe saye euen as these Iewes did we ar not borne of fornication 42. Iesus sayde vnto them if God were your father truelye ye woulde loue me for I proceded forth and came from God neyther came I of my selfe but he sent mee Bv. Christ refelleth this wicked bould and impudent bosting of the Iewes and for certaine causes conuinceth them of a lye M. And he reasoneth of the nature of true Sonnes after this manner C. Whosoeuer is the sonne of God knoweth and loueth his firste begotten sonne but you hate mée therefore there is noe cause why you shoulde boaste youre selues to be the children of God This place is dilligently to be noated that there is no pietie no feare of God where Christ is reiected False and counterfayte religion boldelye boasteth of God but what agréement can they haue with the Father which disagrée with the only sonne what knowledge of GOD is this where his liuely image is reiected In vaine therfore doe the Iewes in vaine doe the Turkes boaste of the true worshippe of God when as with obstinate minde they reiect al knowledge of the sonne of God C. When Christ sayth that hée came from God hée giueth the Iewes to vnderstande that they cannot obiect anye thing vnto him which is contrarye to the will and pleasure of God and that no terrestriall or humaine thing can be founde in his doctrine and office For he doth not speake here of deuine essence as some thinke but of his office 43. Why doe yee not knowe my speache euen because ye cannot know my word Hée addeth another argument wherby hée euidently proueth that they are not the Children of God C. and withal casteth in their téeth their obstinacye which was such that they coulde not abyde to heare him speake Herevppon hée gathereth that they were caried headelonge with diuelishe mallice and outrage As if hée should say M. They which are the true Sonnes of GOD cannot be ignoraunt of the voice of their Fathers house Bv. If therefore yée be the Sonnes of God what I praye you is the cause why ye know not my voyce He speaketh vnto you by mée Children commonly know their parentes voyce euen as shéepe know the voyce of their shéepehearde But seeing yée knowe not my doctrine which appertayneth to my father it is out of all controuersie that yée are none of my Fathers Children 44. Yee are of your father the Deuill and the lustes of youre Father will ye doe hee was a murderer from the beginning and aboade not in the truth because there is no truth in in him When he speaketh a lye hee speaketh of his owne for hee is a lyer and the Father of the same thing Ye are of the father M. Thus farre foorth hee hath proued that they are neyther the Sonnes of Abraham nor the sonnes of God the which they falsely chalenged to them selues and now consequentlye he sheweth who is their true father C. And that which before he had spoken obscurelye he now openly discouereth namely that they are the children of the Deuyll The Deuil a murderer But we must vnderstand here the Antithesis or comparison that they could not be such mortal enemies to the son of god except they had a father whiche were a perpetuall enemy to God M. As if he should say Now ye pretende God to be your father when as indeede ye are neither the true sones of Abraham nor of God in one word I wyl shew you who is youre father whome you expresse euen as his very sonnes boath in disposition and in manners yea who are such as I finde you to be whome soeuer you fayne your selues to be and whatsoeuer you would be accounted of in this world ye haue the Deuell to your Father C. And hee calleth them the children of the Deuill not because they did imitate him but also because by his impulsion they were caried to warre against Christ For as wée are called the sonnes of GOD not onelye because wée are lyke vnto him but also because hée doth gouerne vs by his holy spirite and because Christ doth liue and growe in vs that hée might make vs lyke vnto the Image of his Father so againe the Deuill is sayd to be their Father whose mindes hée blindeth and whose heartes hée instigateth and pricketh forwarde to all vnrighteousnesse in whome also he ruling mightely excerciseth his tirannye M. The Maniches haue abused this place and such like insomuch that they haue made two beginnings one of euill thinges and the other of good thinges C. But in vaine For as when the Scripture calleth vs the Children of God the same doeth not belong to the originall of substaunce but to the grace of the spyrite which doeth regenerate vs to newnesse of lyfe euen so this saying of Christ doeth nothing appertaine to the originall of substaunce but to the corruption of nature the cause and originall whereof is the fall of man In that therefore menne are borne the children of the Deuyll we must not impute the same to the creacion but to the wickednesse of sinne Christ proueth this of the effecte because they are proue of their owne accorde and mynde to followe the Deuyll M. After this manner he calleth Iudas the Deuyll as wée hearde before in the sixte Chapter verse thrée scoore and ten not in that he was a man but in that hée was a Traytour A. And Saint Iohn sayeth in his Epistle that Caine was of that wicked because he slewe his brother 1. Iho. 3.12 And hée affirmeth him which sinneth to bée of the Deuyll All which thinges are spoken not in respect of the creation but in respect of imitation least any man shoulde referre the same vnto the naturall and substanciall originall He was a murderer from the beginning C. Christ expresseth what those desires are which the vngodly of their owne accorde and mind followe and he repeateth two kindes namely Crueltie and liyng in the which thinges the Iewes weare too lyke to the Deuell In that he sayth He was a murtherer he geueth vs to vnderstande that he sought mans destruction For so soone as man was created
the truth yet notwithstanding the trueth is neuer in him because hee speaketh the same to no other ende then to deceiue and to destroy Wherevppon Christ suffered hym not to speke though he spake the truth Luk. 4.41 Paule also would not suffer the spirit of Southsaying Act. 16.17 though he confessed the truth For that is a daungerouss trueth which bringeth credite to a mortall lye No heretique or false apostle at any tyme got credite and fauoure among men by mere lies but in mingeling some trueth with his doctrine he hath deceiued the minde of the simple When he speaketh a lye Bv. First this place teacheth that the falte of a lye is not to be layde vpon God the author of nature but it commeth rather of deprauation and corruption C Secondly that the Deuell is accustomed to lye and that he canne do nothing else but deceiue For he is a lyar and the Father of the. The deuell by his owne nature is a lyar not that he was so created of God but as he hath by his owne infidilitie gotten the same Insomuch that he is the father of lying because he is alienated from God in whome aloane all trueth abydeth and from whome the same doth flow as from a springing well R. For Sathan is not the Father of Lying and the author of the same because God is by hym selfe as Marcion dreameth but because hée aboade not in the trueth Lyes come of Sathan for he hauyng forsaken the trueth the lye succéeded of his owne accorde in stede of the same Bv. Sathan therefore is the welspring original and beginning of lying of eror of Sinne and of all euell euen as on the contrary parte God is the welspring of all truth and the truth it selfe 45 And beecause I tell you the truth therefore ye beleeue mee not M. He retourneth vnto that whiche he obiected vnto them before saying VVhy doe yee not knowe my speache Because ye cannot heare my worde When therefore he had opposed him selfe against the Deuell as the teacher of trueth he addeth by and by Because I tell you the trueth therefore yee beleue me not To declare that they hated his doctrine for no other cause than for that he spake the truth otherwise if hée had spoken lyes they woulde haue beléeued hym Bv. This he spake that by the similitude and lykenesse of their manners and disposition he might prooue the Iewes neyther to be the children of Abraham nor the Children of God but of Sathan C. Because séeing they had no cause to resist but onely for that they hated and coulde not abide the trueth they openly declared them selues to bée the children of Sathan M In this place wée sée that the truth to reprobate men is the cause of vnbeléefe which contrarywise to the elect is the cause and foundation of faith Neyther doth Christ simply vpbrayde the Iewes with this that speakinge the truth they woulde not beléeue but for that they did not beléeue because hee spake the trueth and no lye So in humayne matters nothing commeth more often to passe than this that men geue hede and credite to such as tell the moste false and vayne thinges but when they shoulde beleeue the trueth the greatest parte of men beléeue not and al because the trueth is set before them being redy to receyue a false lye If so be Micheas had tould King Achab a lye the king woulde easily haue beléeued him but because he vttered the truth the king could scarce abide to here him Bv. So that heare the nature and disposition of the Children of the Deuell is described 3. Kin. 22.8 These are lyke to their Father in quallitie in worde and in deede they feare not God they detest and abhorre all faith truth and puritie they despise and contemne the worde of God they followe Rapine murther and bloudshed they are enemies to all men and good profitable to none but to such onlye by whome they looke to haue greater profite and aduauntage agayne by hipocrisie they hide and discouer all thinges Whosoeuer frameth and ordereth hym selfe by this glasse searching out the grounde of his harte and iudging of his owne wordes and déedes he shall thereby learne whether he bee the Childe of God or the childe of the Deuell For so many as haue hated the truth and are indued with the spirite of lying and are ready to lye are of the Deuell and contrariwise they whiche are true and which speake the trueth from their hart are endued with the spirite of God And who hateth not to haue fellowship with the deuell Againe who doth not greatly estéeme and desyer to haue fellowshippe with God Wherefore let vs detest this deuelish vice that is this aptnesse and readines of lying and with oure whoale harte let vs loue the trueth let vs consider that true religion is prooued and declared by godlynesse and not by titelles Therefore it doth not profite vs to be called in name Christians except we be Christians in déede A. Iudas béeing aduanced to the dignitie of an Apostle loued lyes more than trueth and therefore Christe who knoweth not howe to lye called hym a deuell For the wicked ypocrite was more lyke the father of lyes than the Father of trueth 46. Which of you doth reprooue me of syn And if I speake the trueth why doe yee not beleeue me Bv. As hipocrisie is euer like it selfe and hath alwayes one cloake or other for it selfe so heare the Iewes consyderyng them selues thought thus secretly in them selues We want not lawefull causes whereby we maye refuse to béeleue thy preaching M. For in that wée doe not beléeue thée it is not because wée cannot here the truth and are of the Deuell as thou sayest of vs but because thou art a seducer not preaching the trueth but withstanding vs. To this secrete obiection Christe aunswereth by this Interrogation C. whiche procéedeth of faith and trust For when he knewe that his enemies coulde reproch hym with nothing he tryumpheth ouer them as victor And yet notwithstanding he doth not saye that he is frée from their slaunders For although they had no occasion to speake euell yet neuerthelesse they ceassed not to rayle on Christ but he knewe that he had not deserued the same And the gréeke worde Elegcheim sygnifieth to conuince which is when a man is not onely reprooued of some falte but also playnly conuinced to be giltie of the same But this defence is not referred to the perfect Innocencie of lyfe by which as he was the Sonne of God he excelled all other men but it ought to be restrayned to the circomstaunce of the place as yf a man shoulde saye that no man could obiect any matter against hym to prooue hym not to bee a faythfull Minister of God i. Cor 4. euen as the apostle also boasteth that hée knoweth naught by him selfe For this Appollogy or defence is not extended to to the whoale lyfe but is a defence of
exclude thée out of the Sinagoge as a lying heritique Behoulde here wyth what security and bouldenesse impietye and hypocrisie obiect vnto the Prince of godlynesse and truth the lye M. The malice of the Pharisées could not be at rest Esay 57.20 For the hearte of the wicked is as the boyling Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vppe myre and dyrte The more the brightnesse of this light dyd reueale it selfe in Christ the more this wicked kinde of men was inflamed with malice It gréeued them much that the temptation by the Adulterous woman had no better successe They retourne therefore to the fight and contention euen as flyes to the flame of a burning Candle C. And rashlye they say that hée speaketh in vayne except hée bringe better proofe then hys owne wordes M séeing it is written Let another man prayse thee Pro. 27.2 and not thy owne mouth a straunger and not thy owne lippes A. But willinglye they were ignoraunt that Christ had sayde vnto them Iohn 5.34 I receyue not testimonye from man but I speake these thinges that yee might bee saued M. Wée are taught therefore in this place that it is no meruayle if so bée the Preachers of the truth are accounted as lyers of the wicked Children of the Deuill when as these Doctors durst openlye wyth such boldenesse resiste the truth it selfe But lette this one thing suffice Deut. 18. i9 That God one day wil take vengance of those which despise the doctrine of his Prophete whome hée sendeth vnto them 14. Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto them though I beare recorde of my selfe yet my recorde is true for I knowe whence I came and whether I goe but ye can not tell whence I come and whether I goe Bv. Christ by this demonstracion plainelye proueth that hée is the sonne of God and verye God him selfe and that the Doctrine of the Gospell is most certaine C. also that this testimonye hath credite and aucthoritye inough because hée is no priuate personne taken from among the common sort of men but a farre more excellent person M. Hée doth not denye but that he testifyeth of him selfe but hée denyeth that his testimony is false And this he doth by making a distinction C. For when hée sayeth hée knoweth from whence he came and whether he would goe he exempteth him selfe from the coÌ„mon number of men The sence and meaning therefore is this Although euery man is suspected in his owne cause and although it bée prouided by lawes that no man speaking in his owne cause should bée credited yet notwithstanding this can take no place in the Sonne of God which is aboue the whole worlde For hée is not to bée reackenedin the order of menne but hath this priueledge from the Father to gouerne all men with his worde aloane B. Here thou séest that the Lord sayd by immitacion or concession â—â—hn 5.31 If I testifye of my selfe my testimony is not true For because hée knewe from whence hée came and whether hée would goe that is to saye that hée was the sonne of GOD and the euerlasting woord of the Father which tooke vppon him our humane nature whiche also hée woulde shortlye after extoll and aduaunce into the glorye of his Father knowing these thinges hée coulde not but speake that whiche was most true that is to saye diuine and coulde testifye nothing of him selfe but that which was in lyke manner most true But the Iewes knewe neyther of them boath and therefore they coulde not beléeue the true testimonye whiche hee gaue of him selfe C. For Christ in these woordes testifyeth that hee had not his beginning of the worlde but that he came from God and therefore not méete and right that his Doctrine whiche is Diuine should bée subiect to mans Lawes But because he then had vpon him the fourme of a seruaunt and was humble and méeke hée was despised for the which cause he putteth them in minde of the glorious Resurrection whiche hée should haue which in déede was a manifest shewe and proofe of his hydden and vnknowne Diuinitye at the first When hée sayeth that hee knoweth and they knowe not he geueth vs to vnderstande that his glorye is nothing diminished by their vnbeléefe B. As for example If so bée an Ambassadour shoulde come from the Emperoure promisyng greate benefytes vnto vs in the name of the Emperoure if wée wyll obeye his commaundementes and wée denying to beléeue him hée should saye I know from whence I came and whether I gooe I am sure that I am the Emperours Ambassadour sent for those consideracions which I haue declared vnto you to him also I wyll returne and shew him how I haue done my businesse and wyll receyue the condigne reward of my labours Therefore what thinges soeuer I testifye of my Ambassage they are true but you which knowe not from whence I came and whyther I goe refuse to geue credite vnto mée M. By this place also Christ declareth that the Iewes had falselye boasted before saying VVee knowe from whence this fellowe is but when Christ shall come no man shall knowe whence he is 15. Yee Iudge after the fleshe I iudge no man Ye Iudge after the fleshe C. This place maye bée expounded twoo manner of wayes eyther that they iudged of him after the wicked sence and vnderstanding of their fleshe or else that they iudged of him according to the outwarde shewe of his person For fleshe is sometyme taken for the outwarde shewe of man and boath sences doe verye well agrée with this place because whether the affections of the fleshe beare rule or whether the beholding of the person doe preuaile in Iudgement there neyther trueth nor equitye take place Notwithstanding the sence seemeth to be more certayne if so be we make here a comparison betwéene the fleshe and the spyrite as if hee should therefore deny them to bee lawfull and meete Iudges because they were not guided by the spirite As if hée should saye Yee iudge of my woordes and deedes after your wicked affections hauing no part of the Spyrite of GOD in you therefore ye erre RV And this is the onely cause why menne erre and iudge amisse of Diuine matters I iudge no man A. Some distinguishe thus that he iudgeth not as man iudgeth othersome referre it to the tyme because hée being in earth tooke not vppon him as yet the office of a Iudge C. But more rightlye it is ioyned with the sentence following that the sence may bee thus Christ Iudgeth not and if he doe iudge his iudgement is fyrme and authenticall because it is diuine So that the formar parte where he denyeth that hée iudgeth ought rather to bée restrayned to the cyrcumstaunce of this present place For that hée might the better conuince his enemies of pride hée vseth this comparison because they vsurped to them selues lycence to Iudge preposterously and yet neuerthelesse coulde not abyde him teaching simplye and abstayning from the
in them hée meaneth not that they were simplye murderers but that they were driuen to suche made outrage and outragious madnesse by the hatred of GOD and his truth which is muche more worse For then the murder is not onely committed against men but also against God R. And because the Iewes were carnall they beléeued not the worde of Christ which cannot bée comprehended by humaine reason but by fayth onelye M. Therefore the preaching of the worde of God doth reueale the qualitie of the hearers discerneth the elect from the reprobate Euen as it is sayd hereafter He that is of God heareth Gods word ye therfore heare not because ye are not of God Furthermore the worde of God must be heard not only with our corporall eares but must also be receyued inwardelye into our heartes For although thou heare the worde of God and vnderstande the same except thou followe it and bring it to effect it cannot be truely sayd that it hath place in thée Euen so the worde of Christ hath then truely place in vs when the same hath place in our hearte and worketh in vs his effect that is to saye the worde of fayth to beléeue the wordes of doctrine to vnderstande the wordes of admonition to follow the wordes of consolation to comfort the wordes of pacience to beare and so of the rest Also the worde of God worketh by degrées insomuche that the worde of GOD taketh place in some more than in othersome according to the measure of fayth which God giueth to euerye man Bv. Wée sée also that vnbeléefe is the verye welspring of all wickednesse and there it taketh place where the worde of GOD is excluded 38. I speake that which I haue seene with my Father and ye doe that whiche yee haue seene wyth your Father C. He gathereth an argument of the contraries that they are boath enemies vnto God and the Children of the Deuell which resist his doctrine I saith he bring forth nothing but that which I haue learned of my Father Howe commeth it to passe then that the worde of God doth so greatly offende you but because my Father doeth not fauoure you R. My heauenly Father is true Nowe séeing my father hath wholy expressed hym selfe in me I cannot but speake the truth I haue learned no other thing of my Father of whome I was borne before all worldes and from euerlasting I sayde that I am the light of the worlde and that I came to saue the faithful that I am the Welle and the bread of lyfe these thinges are no lyes for so my Father taught me to speake because I am his naturall Sonne But ye doe that which yée haue seene with your Father His desire is to kil to enuie and to slay the which thinges also yée doe C. Hée sayth that hée speaketh and that they doe because hée executed the office of a teacher and they furiouslye went a boute to extinguishe hys doctrine Some traslate it And doe yee that c. As if Christ shoulde haue sayde Goe to shewe your selues to bee the Children of the Deuill by resisting mée for I speake nothing but out of the mouth of GOD. M. Let vs here learne by euident and certaine noates to put a difference betwéene the Children of God and the Children of the Diuell the which shall bee verye easie if so bee wee well vnder stande the nature of those two Princes The Elect are taught of the Lorde and doe gréedelye imbrace and obserue hys worde which is the truth The Children of the Deuill imbrace lyes and séeke with all their might to extinguish the light of the truth and to kill the preachers of the Gospell The which thing they learne of their father the Deuill Luk. 8.12 who wholly endeuoreth him selfe to pulle the word out of the hearts of men lest in beleeuing they shoulde be saued 39. They aunswered and sayde vnto him Abraham is our father IESVS sayth vnto them If ye were Abrahames children yee woulde doe the works of Abraham They aumswered Bv. They did smell well ynough that the Lorde thought their Father to be the aucthor of wickednesse the diuell himselfe now therefore with subtill questions they goe about to draw out somewhat out of the aunswere of the Lorde which shoulde be against the Patriarke Abraham that thereby they might stir vp the people to destroy Iesus as a calumniator and slaunderer of the holye Patriarke M. Therefore they so frame their aunswere that they doe not so much defende theyr owne estimation as the estimation of Abraham as though the Lord had deminished the same when hée sayde And yee doe that which yee haue seene with your Father As if they shoulde saye Take héede what thou sayest Our Father is Abraham a man most holye and acceptable vnto GOD R. which is an absolute example for vs all to leade our liues Why then doest thou speake euill of him as though hée had taught vs that which were wicked Doest thou thinke that it is lawfull for thée to slaunder all good men at thy pleasure without punishment Wée will not suffer such thinges As wée doe nothing that is euill euen so our Father Abraham hath taught vs nothing that is euell Bv. Wee therefore desyer to knowe of thée whether Abraham did any thing at any time which became not a good a Iust and a holy man to doe C. This altrication doth euidently declare howe proudly they contemned all the reprehensyons of Christe Still they arrogate this vnto them selues that they are the Children of Abraham and not only in that sence that they came of the progeny of Abraham but also that they were a holy people the inheritaunce of God and the children of God But this truste was wholy in the fleshe and carnall quight voyde of true Faith Euenso in lyke manner all ypocrites so soone as they haue gotten some cloake they obstinately resist God as though he could not see into their hartes If ye were Abrahams children M. The inuincible truth wanteth not true and euident argumentes to defend it selfe and to confute the contradiction of the wicked Here Christe conuinceth the vnbeléeuing Iewes to be none of the children of Abraham C And more euedently putteth a difference betwéene the true and the vnlawfull children of Abraham For he taketh from all those whiche are vnlyke to Abraham euen the very name It commeth often times to passe that the Children ar vnlike in manners their Parentes who begat them but Christ speaketh not here of carnall ofspring but only denyeth them to bee counted for the children of Abraham before god which do not retayne by fayth the grace of adoption For seeing the Lorde promised to the séede of Abraham to be their God all the vnbeléeuing which reiected this promise did cut of them selues from the stocke of Abraham The Carnall stocke of Abraham was not altogether vnprofitably and of no moment if so be trueth were Ioyned to the same For Gods election resteth in
Sathan had a wicked desier to hurt him insomuch that he went about with all his might to destroye hym Bv. and working error and rebellion in our parents Adam and Eue he slue all mankinde The same also within a while after armed Caine to destroye his brother Abell And dayly throughout the whoale world he stirreth vp wicked and vngodly men to murther For he reioyceth in bloud in warres in theft and in the destruction of men and only because hee enuieth the felicitie and happinesse of others But Christ meaneth not here the beginning of the creation as though God had endewed the Deuell with a desier to hurte but he condemneth the wickednesse of Sathans nature whiche he hath taken to him selfe M. Neyther ought it to séeme absurd to any man that the Deuell is sayde to be the autor of death when as notwithstanding the Apostle séemeth to attribute the same to our firste parent saying As by one man sinne entereth into the worlde and by sinne Death c. For these two went together namely the Temptor and the Obayer of Temptacion Sathan was the Temptor and perswador to transgression and sinne by enuie mixing with the same a lye yet notwithstanding hée had fayled of his purpose if so be Adam had not harckned to his perswasion and transgressed Gods commaundement Therefore as touching that enuie of the Deuell the roote of euell temtation and also as touching the lye of perniciouse perswasyon it is truely attributed to the Deuell that hée is the firste author of death againe as touching the assent of Adam and the transgression of Gods commaundement it is rightly by the Apostle ascribed to Adam that he was the author of synne and death to all his posteritie insomuch that there is no disagréement at all here betwene Christ and the Apostle As for example if so bee amonge the enemies besieging a Cittie one of them doe with sertaine false perswasyons perswade and intice one of the principall Cittizens to betraye the Cittie vnto them insomuche that he harkeneth therevnto whereby be boath betrayeth his Countrey and also maketh the Cittie to be sacked and destroyed boath the perswading enemie and also the betraying Cittizen which contemning the false perswasions of the enemie might haue kepte his fayth whiche he did owe vnto his countrey are rightly sayd to be the aucthours of this destruction Euenso the mortalitie of mankinde is aptly referred to the mallice and enuie of the Deuell but yet not without the falt of our parentes And aboade not in the trueth C. These wordes playnly expresse a chaung and alteration to the worse and therefore Sathan is a lyer not from the creation but because he fell from the trueth Therefore in that he is a lyer it is not because he hath bene alwayes by nature an ennemy to the truth but because he fell voluntarily from the same Bv. God made the Deuell good in the beginning for all his workes are good He did set him in the trueth from the which hée coulde neuer haue fallen except he had sometyme stoode in the same Of hym was required by the moste Iust God Fayth or fidilitie thankefulnesse and the acknowledging of God the Creatour who had geuen him strength to perseuer yf he had woulde for he might haue stande yf he had woulde But through his owne falte and wickednesse he aboade not in the trueth that is to say in the puritie in the which he was made For by Infedilitie he fell C. This discription of Sathan is very profitable for vs that euery man maye learne to béeware of his subtill snares 1. Pet. 5.8 and to resist him For he goeth about continually like a roaring Lyon séeking whome he may deuoure and he hath a thousand wayes to deceiue AVG. We haue not red that the Deuell hath at any time vsed any externall armoure to kill a man neyther that hée hath playde the murderer with his hand but he hath vsed lying and pernicious perswasion M. This is the worse and moste Deuelishe kinde of murther when the body is not only killed with the sworde but also when both soule and body with a blasphemouse lye against the worde of God is made subiect not only to Temporal but also to euerlasting death C. So much the more therefore it behooueth the Faithfull to be armed with spirituall armoure to fighte and to be sober and watche M. Therefore the Apostle when he feared this kinde of murther sayde I feare leste by any meanes that as the serpent beguiled Eue through his subteltie 2. Cor. 11.3 euenso your mindes shoulde be corrupted from the singlenesse that is toward Christ For the serpent had the false Apostles Ministers of this murder by whose dilligence he sought to bryng to passe that thing whiche he had begon in the beginning to the destruction of mankind such false Aposteles he hath alwayes had among the Gentiles among the Iewes and amonge the Christians C. Therefore yf Sathan cannot put of this affection there is no cause why we shoulde he troubled as at some newe or straunge thing when we sée diuers errors to spring vp for Sathan sendeth forth his Instrumentes to trouble and to deceiue the worlde And it is noe marueile yf so be Sathan séeke so dilligently to ouerwhelme the light of the trueth for it is the onely lyfe of the soul Therefore he vseth lying as a mortall darte to destroye the soule Because there is no truth in him C. This is a confirmation taken of the effecte For because Sathan hateth the trueth and cannot abide the same but fauoreth altogether of lyes Christe gathereth therevpon that he was taken and quight tourned awaye from the trueth R. Neither is it repugnaunt to this sentence of Christ Iob. 1.10 Math. 4.6 when we reade that Sathan hath sometime spoken the truth as when he sayde Thou haste blessed the worke of his hands and his substance is increased in the Land Also it is writen he shall geue his aungeles charge ouer thee Again Thou art Christ the Sonne of God Luk. 4.41 Act. 16.17 Moreouer These men are the seruauntes of the moste high God whiche shewe vnto vs the waye of saluation These I saye and such like sentences are nothing repugnaunt with these wordes of Christ For it is one thinge sometime to speake the trueth and another thing to haue the truth within one Euenas it is one thing sometime to tell a lye and another thing to bée a continuall lyar The trueth is in them which do not onely sometime speake that whiche is true but do loue the trueth and doe speake those thinges which they speake for the loue which they owe vnto the truth A man shall finde some whiche speake the trueth not for the Loue they beare to the trueth but for the loue either of glory or of gayn or else for the hatred which they beare to some man Of those it cannot bee sayde that the trueth is in them Although therefore Sathan sometime speaketh
his doctrine onely and Apostleshippe Euenso Christ here defendeth rather the cause of his doctrine then of his person A. As yf he shoulde saye If in all my office I shewe my selfe a faythfull minister of God ye haue nothing to cloake your incredulytie with all and to excuse the same For I teache truely I shewe the wyll of my father vnto you no terrestriall or humaine thing can be founde in my doctrine therefore ye cannot conuince the same of a lye Wherefore If I tell you the trueth why doe ye not beeleue me If so be ye cannot Iustely speake euell of my doctrine why do yee refuse to beléeue the same R. By this place we learne that we ought to beléeue him that speaketh the trueth without all contradiction Certaine of the Iewes refused to heare Christ because hée Preached without Ecclesiasticall authority othersome because none of the Pharisées and Rulers heléeued on him many could not abide to heare him because he was a Galilean and the reast could not awaye with his doctrine because he regarded not the decrées and customes of the Fathers But the Lorde the aucthor of trueth vrgeth against all these thinges shewing that hée knoweth no reason that shoulde staye any man from beléeuing the truth Wherefore then doe not menne in our time séeke the trueth to what purpose doe they séeke for so many excuses If those thinges bée not true whiche the Ministers doe teache let them be confuted by euident argumentes if they bée true why bée they not quietly receyued One sayth this doctrine is new another sayth that it is Scismaticall another sayth that it appertayneth to the Pope to refourme doctrine others obiect the Fathers others the counsailes others Ecclesiasticall ordinaunces and some séeke to set custome against the Gospell But what néede these delayes Let them saye simplye This doctrine is not true but let them proue it also If they be not able so to doe why doe they not subscribe vnto the trueth Ye shall heare the cause 47. Hee that is of God heareth Gods words yee therefore heare them not because ye are not of God B. That is to saye He which hath the spirite of God he which is elected of God he heareth the worde of God and receyueth the same by Faith C. Now Christ more vehementlye inueyeth against the Iewes being assured of the trueth of his doctrine For theyr impietye was not obscure when they were so obstinate in reiecting the word of God He had shewed that nothing coulde bée obiected vnto him which he had not taught out of the mouth of God he concludeth therefore that they haue noe felloweshippe with God because they here not R As if he shoulde saye Therefore ye doe not beléeue because ye are not the children of God but the Children of lying Sathan Yée are not borne of God and Therefore it is no merueile yf ye receiue not my wordes which am the Sonne of God For he which is of God heareth gods worde 1. Cor. 44. but he which is of Sathan contemneth the truth of Gods worde Bv. There is therfore no other cause why ye heare not the words of God which I speak neyther receiue nor beléeue them than this because ye are not borne of God but of the Deuell M. To be of God in this place is not to be borne or regenerate by the Spirit and word of God but to be elected and predestinate to lyfe before the Creation of the worlde Act â—3 â— wherevpon also the christian faith is called the fayth of the elect And they are sayde to haue beléeued so many as were foreordayned vnto lyfe So that although they are by nature blinde and the children of wrathe yet notwithstanding when the time of their calling commeth they receyue that grace of the holye Ghoste whiche some call the preuenting spyrite and their hartes are opened that they maye receyue the séede of Gods worde through the which being apprehended by Faith they are iustifyed and regenerated Example of this wée haue in the Mayde that wrought purple of whome Luke testifieth in the actes of the Apostles C. By this place therefore wée are taught that there is not a more manyfest sygne of a reprobate mynde than whan a man cannot beare the doctrine of Christ although otherwyse in the shewe hée séemeth to bee an Aungell Whereas if so bée wée willingly imbrace the same wée haue as it were a visyble sygne of our election For hee which hath the worde hath God him selfe but he whiche reiecteth the same depriueth him selfe both of lyfe and also yf righteousnesse Wherefore we ought to feare nothing more than least we fall into this horrible Iudgement A. For it is no light commination where with Christ threatneth the Iewes saying The kingdome of God shal be taken from you Mat. 21.43 and geuen to a Nation that wyll bring forth better frute of the same 48. Then aunswered the Iewes and sayde vnto him Saye we not well that thou art a Samaritane and hast the Deuell M. This aunswere of the highe Priestes Scribes and Phariseis containeth an impudent malicious sclaunder C. More and more they bewraye how that they are bewitched of Sathan who being plainlye conuinced yet notwithstanding are not afrayde to rushe foorth euen through the middest of desperation B. Thus is conuicted impietye wont to fare when it is not able to aunswere to the trueth then it falleth to rayling and sclaunder They were manifestly proued to be the children of the Deuell therefore they reply againe without any shew of truth that the Lorde was a Samaritane and had the Deuell Meaning by this double sclaunder to declare that Christ was a detestable man and lead with an euyll spyrite Because the Iewes accounted the Samaritanes for Apostatas and corrupters of the Lawe so often as they intended to defame any man they woulde call him a Samaritane Nowe therefore because they had no greater cryme wherwithall they might defame Christ they rashlye and without iudgement vse that common reproche R. As if they should saye What Darest thou defende the trueth of thy doctrine before vs séeing thou art worse than any Heretique or Apostata For thy doctrine is the doctrine of Sathan and not to GOD thou speakest of the Deuell and not out of the mouth of God For we are holy people a Priestlye stocke a holye Nation and suche a Nation to whome God hath whoally geuen him selfe but thou according to the manner of the Samaritanes pronouncest vs not to bée of God it must néedes be therefore that thy false doctrine is of Sathan Bv. The lyke reproches and sclaunders they cast foorth at this daye who are gréeued at the Preaching of the Gospell For they call the Preachers of the Gospell Apostataes sedicious personnes Scismatikes workers by Deuelles Seducers and such lyke R. least the wicked and vngodly might séeme to haue no cause of their vnbeléefe 49. Iesus aunswered I haue not the Deuell but I honour my Father and
pleased him and the wyll of his Father not because eyther Caiphas or Pilate constrained him Wherevpon it is sayd The Kinges of the earth stoode vppe and the Rulers came togeather against the Lorde and against his Christ And of a truth against thy holye Childe Iesus whome thou hast annoynted boath Herode and also Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles Acts. 4.27 and the people of Israell gathered them selues togeather for to doe whatsoeuer thy hande and thy counsayle determined before to bee done So all the Godlye are afflicted not because theyr aduersaryes can doe any thing by their owne power againste Godlye who are vnder the hande and most mightye protection of GOD but because so it pleaseth the wyll of theyr Father whiche is in Heauen the which wyll is executed by the wicked to theyr extreame destruction but to the greate profite of the Godly This commaundement haue I receyued M. Hée nowe openeth the well spring of his power namelye his Fathers commaundement And by this commaundement hée vnderstandeth that wyll of God and that eternall counsaile by which hée had determined to sende his Sonne into this worlde and to geue him to death for the redemption of mankind C. Of the which counsayle of the Father hée therefore putteth vs in minde that wée might knowe that hée hath so greate care of our saluation that hée hath geuen to vs his onelye begotten Sonne so deare and precious vnto him And Christe him selfe whiche came into the worlde to shewe him selfe obedient to his Father confyrmeth this that hée hath no other respect in all thinges than to doe vs good M. Therefore Christ in all thinges shewed him selfe obedient to his Father Herevppon it is sayde It is written in the volume of thy booke concerning mee that I shoulde doe thy wyll Psa 40.8 O my GOD I am content to doe it A. And hereafter hée sayth The Prince of this world commeth and findeth nothing in mee but that the world maye knowe that I loue the Father Iohn i4 i3 and as the Father commaunded me so I doe M. This is true obedience whiche dependeth not onelye of the déede but also of the diuine wyll 19. There was a discention therefore againe amonge the Iewes for these sayinges B. The more that Christ bewrayed his diuinitye the more euidentlye appeared the difference betwéene the electe and the Reprobate Bv. And as trueth and pietye is alwaye lyke it selfe so falsehood and impietye differeth not a strawe breadth from it selfe C. This was the fruite of the Sermon of Christ that he alwayes wonne some Disciples or other to him selfe but because his doctrine had many aduersaryes thereof came the contencion that they whiche at the first were as it were one bodye of the Churche might bée deuided among them selues For with one consent all menne professed that they worshipped the GOD of Abraham and that they followed the Lawe of Moyses Christ the hande of vnitie but now when Christ came among them they began to disagrée for his sake If so be that profession had béene true Christ which is the most excellent bond of Charitye and whose office it is to gather the dispersed togeather woulde not haue dissolued and broken theyr consent and agréement but by the lyght of his Gospel he bewrayed the hipocrisy of many who hauing onelye a false and counterfaite shewe boasted them selues to bée the people of God Contencions come by wicked men Thus also the wickednesse of many men in these daies bringeth to passe that the Church is troubled with dissentions and that contencions are so feruent in the meane tyme they which trouble the peace lay the blame vpon the professors of the Gospell calling them Scismatiks For for this cause speciallye the Godlye are offended at the Papistes because their doctrine hath shaken the quiete state of the Churche But if so bée they woulde peaceablye submitte them selues vnto Christ and would subscribe vtno the trueth all contencions troubles would strayte waye be appeased But seeing they frete and fume against Christ and wyll not suffer the Godlye witnesses of Christ to bée at reste except the trueth of God maye lye hyd and Christ maye be banished from his kingdome they falselye obiect the faulte of Scisme which all menne sée ought rather to be imputed vnto them Therefore we must alwayes consider and sée in Scismatikes who they he which depart from GOD and his pure doctrine M. And the Euangelist in saying that there arose a contencion again sendeth the readers to those things which he hath declared in the Chapters going before as in the seuenth and ninth Chapters Ioh. 7.43 Iohn 9.16 Bv. For there these verye same Iewes withstanding the manifest trueth doe cause no small troubles 20. And many of them sayde Hee hath the Deuell and is mad why heare ye him M. This Cauill also the aduersaryes of Christ vsed before C. They doe defame Christ with the most odious reproche that they can deuise that all menne might abhorre to heare him M. For they coulde not abyde that people should heare him with delyte and admiration for the whiche cause they went about to turne awaye the mindes of the simple from him that they might not heare him any more afterward C. So the wicked least they should bée constrained to geue place vnto GOD doe furiouslye contemne him and doe styrre vp others also to the lyke madnesse least that the wordes of Christ at any time shoulde bée hearde with silence and quietnesse But the doctrine of Christ is able sufficientlye to defende it selfe against all Cauilles M. These wicked ones are verye like vnto them which doe priuitye sclaunder the ministers of Christ least they should bée hearde 21. Other sayde These are not the woordes of him that hath the Deuell Can the Deuell open the eyes of the blinde Bv. They which loue the trueth constantlye defende the same M. and do defende Christ against the sclaunder of the wicked by twoo argumentes the first is by his founde and vnblameable doctrine the other is taken of the present power of his miracles For he which hath a Deuell can not hyde his madnesse but bewrayeth the same both by wordes and déedes For a man which is possessed with a Deuell can neyther speake nor doe those thinges which one that hath his wittes can doe C. That therefore which these good men saye is as muche as if they should require that iudgement might bée geuen according to the matter it selfe For trueth as we sayde before doeth alwaye sufficientlye defende it selfe And this is the onelye buckeler of our Fayth that the wicked can neuer bring to passe but that the power and wisedome of God shall shine in the Gospell R. Also this varietye of iudgementes concerning Christ is written for our learning that wée might learne the nature of this worlde For the world must bée iudged of Christ but beholde nowe it vsurpeth aucthority vnto it selfe to iudge Christ Howe greate therefore