⧠A CATHOLIKE and Ecclesiasticall exposition of the holy Gospell after S. IOHN Gathered out of all the singuler and approued Deuines which the Lorde hath giuen vnto his Church by Augustine Marlorate And translated out of Latin into Englishe by Thomas Timme Minister Seene and allovved according to the order appoynted ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Marshe Anno Domini 1575. ¶ TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Lorde Thomas Earle of Sussex Vicount Fitzwalter Lorde of Egremont and of Burnell one of the Queenes Maiesties Honorable priuie Counsayle and Lorde high Chamberlayne of hir house of the noble order of the Garter Knight Iustice of Oyer of the Forrests Parkes VVarraynes and Chases from Trent Southvvarde and Captayne of the Gentlemen Pentioners And to the right honorable Lady his wyfe encrease of honour and true knowledge in Christ Iesus THE GREAT PROfite which the Christiā minde is to receyue by reading this Booke was the cause why I tooke the paynes to Translate it out of Latin into the English toung and the Recommending therof the more diligently to haue it read was the occasion which moued me to Dedicate my parte therein to your Honors For what Englishe man is there which will not thinke it a Booke most worthy the reading which he seeth warranted by your Names The honorable and generall report whereof hartneth me to present it vnto you wherein ye shall finde the deepe and deuine Euangelist Sainct John the marrow of all Commentaries vppon him vnder the name of Marlorates Collection last and least my faythfull trauell to turne them bothe to the vse of my Countrey The thing I know your Honors will like well bicause as I heare you can skilfully iudge so I doubt not but you haue made your choyce what to reade which so muche bruteth the credite of your abilitie founde out by effect As for my labor may it please your Honors to like it as comming from one which caught with the commendation of your Learning and Wisdome generally noyzed could not but offer my selfe to you as the wondering Queene of Saba could not rest tyll she had seene Salomons person of whose wisdome she had hard so muche And withall I thought it good in offering my labor to your Honors to ioyne you both togither thinking with my selfe that it must needes follow that suche skill and iudgement beeing in so Honorable a man must needes by societie of matche worke like effect in so honorable a Mate Wherefore not to trouble your Honors with longer speache I take my leaue Recommending my poore Paynes to your Honors protection the recompence whereof you shall receiue in your reading of the booke whose fruite will bring by Gods grace health to your soules and continuance of your Honor. Your Honors most humble Thomas Timme ⧠A CATHOLIKE AND ECCLESIASTICALL EXPOsition of the holye Gospell after S. JHON The Argument ALthough the worde of GOD dependeth or hangeth not vpon the auctoritie of men yet notwithstanding 1. Iohn 4. as it is profitable to proue the spirites whether they be of GOD or no So it is necessarie that they which take vppon them the office of teaching in the Churche doe keepe their auctoritie in the same to the ende the testimonie which they bring concerning the truthe maye more firmelie abide with the faythfull But trulie this Gospell which John bringeth is nothing else than a testimonie of Christ Iesus that is to say that Christ is the sonne of God the life of men the light of the worlde the breade of life which came downe from heauen the resurrection the waye the trueth and the life the good Shephearde of the sheepe and to be short the onelie sauiour of the worlde It is conuenient therefore that wee knowe who this was which so beareth witnesse of him which was conuersaunt among men hauing the shewe of a seruaunt Philip. 2. being in the similytude of men and founde in his apparell as a man being tempted in all thinges as we are and yet without sinne This one witnesse is to be credited of vs euen as well as a thousand Heb. 4. because he was one that writ these thinges to the edefying of the Church and for the common profite of all men not by the common fame and report of other men but by that which is most sure and infallible namelie by that which he hearde and saw himselfe euen as hee himselfe speaketh of himselfe in the ende of this historie saying Iohn 19. He vvhich savve bare vvitnesse and his vvitnesse is true and hee knovveth that he speaketh truth that ye might beleeue And in an other place he sayth That vvhich vvas from the beginning vvhich vve haue hearde vvhich vve haue seene which we haue looked vpon and our handes haue handeled of the worde of life we shewe vnto you For this writer of the sacred Historie 1. Iohn 1. or Gospel was in the time of Christ being the brother of the Apostle Iames borne in Galilee and the sonne of Zebede and Salomon as many thinke Of whose calling to the office of an Apostle S. Mathew in the .iiij. Chapter maketh mention aptly therfore he calleth this history the Gospel for he doth more largely and plainelie set forth the diuinity of Christ and the mistery of our redemption than the other Euangelists The which thing being forseene by our Lord and Sauiour Christ called this our Euangelist and his brother also the sonne of Thunder or as Marke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Furthermore the other three Euangelists are very large insetting forth the life and death of Christ but our Euangelist shortely touching those things stādeth more vpō that doctrine by the which both the office of christ and also the power of his death resurrection is explicated And to be short all of them seking to set forth Christ the first three namely Mathew Marke and Luke do set before vs If I may so speake the bodye but Iohn the soule Insomuch that this Gospell maye truelie be called the key which openeth the doore to come to the vnderstanding of the other three For who soeuer shall attaine to the knowledge of Gods power the which is here cunninglie expressed he at the length shall reade with profite that which the other Euangelistes haue written as concerning the redeemer Neyther was it done without the singuler counsell of the holie Ghost that the Gospell written by Mathew Marke and Luke shoulde be published and set foorth in the worlde before that which was written by Iohn for the weake eares of the faithfull were not capeable of so great thunder Therfore it was conuenient that the Incarnation of Christ shoulde fyrst of all be set foorth his Natiuitie described and howe according to the scriptures he was borne of the seede of Abraham of the tribe of Iuda and of the stocke of Dauid by what documents he prooued him selfe to be the true Messias how according to the scriptures he suffered and was buried and rose againe the thirde
Doctrine whiche was brought by him but hath some desyre of the same The which desyre sprange no doubte of the feare and reuerence of GOD. A friuolous and vaine curiositye pricketh some forwarde gréedelye to enquyre after newe thinges but there is no doubte but that Religion and the pricke of Conscience ledde Nicodemus to desire familiarlye to knowe the Doctrine of Christ And although this sparke of Godlinesse laye hidde as it were a long time yet notwithstanding so soone as Christ was dead it brought foorth suche burning Loue towardes our Sauiour Christ which no man euer looked for that hée shewed him selfe in deede to be a Faithfull and true Disciple of Christ Iohn 19 Rabbi we knowe that thou art a teacher R. The disputacion of Nicodemus with Christ is very modest and wise for the disputacion of the rest of the Iewes were eyther captious as was that for the payment of Tribute and concerning the Byll of Diuorcement eyther enuious Math. 22. Math. 19. Math. 22. Iohn 2. as about the resurrection and the great commaundement in the Law or else vnfaithfull and importunate as when they desyred a signe to bée geuen them But the disputacion of Nicodemus is Ciuile and simple for he commeth not vnto Christ to coÌ„tend or maliciously to trye him or to catch him in his wordes but to learne which is the true way to iustification His words therfore are thus muche in effect Mayster wée knowe that thou art come to bée a Maister For séeing at that time learned men were commonlye called Maysters Nicodemus saluteth Christ by this name according to the accustomed manner and afterward affyrmeth him to be sent of God to teache And of this beginning the aucthority of al the Doctors and teachers in the church dependeth For séeing we must take our knowledge from Gods word onely none are to bée heard but they out of whose mouth God speaketh M. Truely it is a forceable waye to promote and further the truth if so be he which teacheth the same be knowne to be sent of God but this preuaileth onelye with the godly as for the wicked they haue no regarde whether theyr teachers are sent from God or no. With the Godly it preuaileth thus muche that at the first they resist not the Doctrine nor the teacher therof although through infirmitye they dare not as yet openlye séeme to fauour the same Whereas contrarye wise the wicked which are blinded with rancour and enuye haue so litle discrecion and regarde to discerne the spirites that they can not bridle theyr malicious mindes He sayth not I knowe that thou art a teacher come from God But sayeth hée VVe know Which we Surelye we Pharisées and Seniors of the people euen wée are constrained by the vertue of those signes and Miracles which we haue séene to knowe and vnderstande that thou art sent from God howsoeuer we resist thée Hypocrites withstande the trueth againste their conscience And this is the manner and disposition of Hipocrites of Iusticiaries and of Simoniakes which make Marchandise of Religion to withstande the knowne and manifest trueth against theyr consciences For no man could do these Miracles Bv. Nicodemus gathereth by the Miracles that Iesus was sent from HeaueÌ„ to be the teacher of the whole world and according to his ignoraunce and want of knowledge he déemeth him to be no better than a Prophet which shewed signes wonders by the helpe of God and not by his owne proper power For saith he No man coulde do these miracles which thou doest except God were with him Therfore because none do more proudly glory boast of the title name of God than false Prophetes it is necessary that we haue that discretion whereby the spirites are proued discerned Therefore Nicodemus affirmeth it to bée manifest that Christ is sent from heauen because God doth so manifestly reueale shewe forth his power in him that it can not be denied but that God is with him And he presumeth that no man will denye but that God doeth commonly worke by his Ministers and seruauntes by no other insomuch that he confirmeth and approueth the office charge committed vnto him And he doeth not so presume without cause séeing it is the Lordes wil that Miracles should be alwayes as seales of his Doctrine And he doth most aptly and truly make God the author of miracles when he saith that no man could do these signes except God were with him For in effect he sayth that they are the déedes and workes of God not of man A. For otherwise spake those Pharisées which spake thus of Christ after he had opened the eyes of the blinde Iohn 9. Iohn 7. This man is not of God for he kepeth not the Sabboth day And in another place Hee seduceth the people Notwithstanding the argument of Nicodemus séemeth not to bée verye strong For séeing false Prophetes haue deceyued the blinde and ignoraunt with their false forged signes no lesse than if they had proued them selues to be the faithful seruaunts of God by true signes in déede what difference shal there be betwene truth a lie if so be faith should be builded vppon Miracles Deut. 13 And Moyses plainely affirmeth that we are tryed by this meanes whether we loue god or no. Wée are not ignoraunt also of the admonition of our Sauiour Christ and of the Apostle Paul where the faithfull are put in minde to beware of false signes with the which Antichrist deludeth Math. 24. 2. Thes 2 and deceyueth many Aunswere is to bée made that they by the iust iudgement of GOD are deceyued by the fallacie and subtile deceytes of Satan whiche haue deserued so to bée Miracles are no certaine profe of the truth alwayes notwithstanding the same doeth not let but that the elect and chosen maye beholde and sée the power of God in Myracles which is to them a confirmation of true and wholesome Doctrine 2. Cor. 12 Rom. 15 Thus Paul reioysed that his Apostleshippe was approoued with signes and wonders Therefore howsoeuer Satan woulde séeme in his darkenesse to Imitate and followe God yet notwithstanding so soone as mennes eyes are opened and that the spirituall light of wisedome doeth appeare Myracles doe sette foorth the same presence of God wherof Nicodemê° here speaketh A. For this cause our sauiour Christ Math. 10 Mar. 10 when he sent foorth his Apostles to Preache the Gospell woulde haue them to seale and confirme the same with Myracles 3. Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto him veryly veryly I say vnto thee except a man be borne againe He can not see the Kingdom of God Jesus aunswered Bv. The manner and waye by the which the Lorde instructed Nicodemus is in manner of a Dialogue For the same is verye plaine simple manifest and euident Dialogues an aunsient kinde of teaching And the Lord in al things hath framed him selfe to our imbecility and weakenesse and hath sought by all
God some saide that they were full of newe Wine Actes 2.7 because they vnderstoode not the power of the holy Ghoste Wherefore wee beeing warned by these examples let vs learne to geue vnto god more reuerence then commonlye we do in considering his workes R. Here therfore appeareth the contempt which we reade of in other places Is not this the Carpentors Sonne is not his mother called Mary Mat. 13.56 and his brethren Iames and Ioses and Simon and Iudas Euenso in this place they saye Mar. 6.3 howe can this fellowes doctrine be receiued as holy when he hath receiued no degrée of scoole He is not oure Rabby he is not our mayster how then shoulde his doctrine be worthie of credite M. Here wee are admonished that the doctrine of Christ was not dispenced with humane knowledge but with diuine power B. But he whiche neclecteth learning when he maye attaine to the same by meanes is vnthankful slouthfull And he which in prouiding ministers to teach the Church preferreth rudenesse before learning contemneth the gift of God and is not mooued with that spirite with the which Paule was mooued when he woulde haue the mistery of the Gospell to be committed to men méete to teache Tit. 1.9 and with the whiche Aquila and Priscilla were mooued when they taught Apollo béeing an elloquent man and mightie in the Scriptures that hée might be more méete to teache Act. 18.24 To this effecte also pertayneth that admonition whiche saint Paule geueth to Timothy 2. Tim 3.14 For this is agréeable to mans nature that one man should teache another As therefore no man will thus reason Moyses Elias and Christe liued for a tyme contrary to the condition of mans nature without meate therefore wée must refuse bodely foode and agayne the Israelites in the wildernesse were fed from heauen withoute tilladge and the benefite of mens labour therefore wée muste vse no laboure nor till the earth euenso verily by this example of Christ no man will infer that the stoody of holy learning is to be despised and that wée lyuing Idelly ought to looke to be taught by miracle 16. Iesus aunswered them and sayde my doctrine is not mine but his that sent me R. The Iewes doe extenuate and dispraise the authority of Christes doctrine bycause of his humility wherfore Christe challengeth the same from the authority of his father whiche sent hym brefely remoouing such wicked suspition and shewing howe he came by his learning and that his doctrine proceded neither from man nor from the Deuel but from God the father whose wisdom worde and Sonne he was My doctrine sayth he is not mine that is of man but of God who hath sent me of whose nature and substaunce I am Wherevppon it is no marueile if so be I am taught and learned with oute mans erudition If then ye desyer to heare God heare me for I am the voyce the speache the worde and the doctrine of God the Father C. In that he denieth the doctrine of his Father to be his he hath respecte vnto the capascitie of his hearers who thought hym to be no better then a man Therefore by concession he requireth to be accounted so much differing from the Father as bringing notwitstanding nothing but that which the Father hath commanded him R. Wherefore thou haste no occasion here to expounde this place of the humane nature of Christe by which he teacheth other matter then deuine thinges For his doctrine doth differ nothing from the doctrine of his father but most symply in these words he doeth declare that he doeth not bring any forged or counterfeit matter but that which is deuine committed in charge to him by the Father C. The summe is this that séeing he teacheth in the Fathers name his doctrine is not of man nor procéeding from man so that the contemners thereof can not escape vnponished Bv. By this place we are taught what doctrine the ministers of the worde ought to bring not humayne but that which is diuine not taken from men but fetcht out of the word of God For they are the messengers and Legates of the moste high God and of the Sonne of God Christ Iesus C. But that which the Iewes accounted For an offence Christ teacheth rather to be a Ladder which should carry them vpwarde to behoulde the glory of God As yf he shoulde saye when ye see a teacher not trayned vp in the Schoole of men knowe ye that he is instructed from aboue For therefore the Father of heauen would haue his Sonne rather to procéede out of the Handicraftes Shop than out of the scooles of the Scribes to the ende the originall of the Gospell might more manifestly appeare lest any man shoulde thinke the same to be framed in earth or shoulde faine some mortall man to be the author of the same So Christe also chose vnto hym rude and ignoraunt Apostles and suffered them for the space of thrée yeres to be in grosse Ignoraunce that he might bring them forth in a moment learned men and as it were Aungels come from heauen Neuerthelesse Christ sheweth from whence we must séeke the authority of spiritual doctrine namely from God aloane 17. If any man will doe his will he shall knowe of the doctrin whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe Bv. This séemeth to be a very conuenient aunswere to an obiection that might be secretly made For the Iewes might haue obiected thou verely sayest that thy doctrine is deuine and come from heauen but howe wilt thou proue it we denying the same R. Wée heare thee speak but whether thou speak the trueth or noe that we knowe not C. What doest thou bragge vnto vs of the worde of God from whome we doe not know whether thou art come or no Why doest thou tel vs that thou teachest nothing without his commaundement the which he will not graunt thée Christ therfore here sayth that true Iudgement commeth from the feare and reuerence of God and that therefore yf their myndes were endued with the feare of God they shoulde easily knowe whether it were true or no whiche he preached By which also he ouerthwartly nippeth them For howe came it to passe that they could not vnderstande but only because they were without the principall poynt of the true vnderstanding that is to saye pietie and desire to obay God Bv. This therefore shall be a rule to iudge of doctrine A rule to iudge of doctrine by first wée must reiect all our affections then we must beléeue the worde of God for fayth is true obedience R. and last of all we must frame our selues to the obedince of Gods word The which if wee doe we shall easily iudge what is true what is false which is true religion and which not Illumination commeth by faith For God doth illuminate our vnderstanding through fayth Wherevpon the Apostle Paule sayde if anye man seeme to bee spirituall let him knowe
thinges which pleased him or else that hée sayde that for so much as hée alwayes dyd those thinges whiche pleased his Father it might certaynelye bée gathered that hée was with him and that he left him not alone Bothe these constructions are true for the Father leaueth not those alone which doe alwayes those thinges which please him and hereby wée maye haue an assured iudgement that God is with vs if so bée we continuallye doe those thinges which please him C. Wherefore if we desyre to haue experience of the same presence of God wée must confourme our selues wholly vnto his wyll and gouernment For if so bée our sence and reason haue any rule at all because the blessing of GOD shal be wanting all our studies and labours shall haue euyll successe And if so be we séeme to haue good successe for a tyme yet notwithstanding the ende at the leangth shal be starke naught M. Many boast of the presence of the grace of GOD and thereby go about to iustifye all kynd of errours because the presence of the holye Ghoste is in the Churche whiche wyll not suffer the same to erre But howe much better were it hereby to proue the presence of the holye Ghoste namelye by theyr Godly and vertuous lyfe in the Churche C. Furthermore when Christ sayth that hée is not left alone he doeth after a sort complaine of the vnbeléefe of his countreye menne amongst whome hée founde almost noane which woulde bée his Disciples Notwithstanding hée sheweth that hée accounteth this one thing sufficient for him that hée hath God his reuenger So wée at this daye ought to bée of good courage and not to fainte because the faythfull are fewe in number For although the whole worlde withstande our Doctrine yet notwithstanding we are not alone Hereby also appeareth howe foolishe the boasting of the Papistes is who setting God asyde boast of their multitude Papistes boast of multitude A. As though the inuinsible and euerlasting trueth of GOD ▪ might bée oppressed by the contempt and multitude of men Therefore it is muche better to heare the voyce of Christ with his lytle slocke and to followe him than to imbrace the doctrine of Antichrist with the greatest part of the world 30. As hee spake these wordes many beleeued on him Bv. Christ hytherto taught moste plainelye both that his Doctrine was deuine sure and infallible and also that hée was the Sonne of GOD the lyght and sauiour of the worlde sent of the Father to illuminate iustifye and saue all them which beléeue in him And this playne and effectuall doctrine of the Lorde wanted not her fruite in the Churche For although the greatest parte of the people and the whole flocke of the Pharisees withstoode the Lorde yet notwithstanding many of all sortes of men beleeued on him The which verylye is the ende of all these thinges whiche hytherto haue béene disputed of namelye that wée also might beléeue in Christ Iesus the true sonne of the lyuing God the Messias the lyfe and lyght of the whole worlde C. Therefore when all hope is past there aryseth some fruite among so many lettes B. For there are Bées neuer wanting which sucke hony out of the flowers of Gods worde howesoeuer the Spiders drawe poyson out of the same M. Let vs learne therefore how that open contencion with the Aduersaryes cōcerning Religion wanteth not fruite if so bée rayling and taunting bée shunned and all thinges dyrected and disposed to the setting foorth of the trueth and to this example of Christ For although the mindes of the obstinate aduersaries receyue no profit who séeke not to know what is true and what false but onelye hunt after theyr owne priuate honour and gayne yet notwithstanding great profite may redoune to those which are sincere and indyfferent hearers of the controuersye Wee haue had experience of these thinges in our tyme in many places Wherevppon our Aduersaryes when suche disputacions should bée concerning Religion cause them to bée holden in secréete without any publyke auditory taking diligent heede least any of the common sorte of people shoulde heare any thing of the same As therefore they are not to bée commended or allowed which with impudent reproches and rayling more lyker players than Diuines doe not beutifye the cause of Christ but defourme it doe not manifest it but obscure it doe not commende it but make the same more odious euen so theyr mallice is to bee detested whiche eyther altogeather denye serious sober Godlye and moderate inquisition and discussing publikelye to bée had concerning the controuersies of our Religion or else do so limmite and bounde them that they serue nothing to the knowledge of the trueth leaste by any meanes the myserable Church might bée holpen C. Moreouer the Euangelist here improperlye speaketh of Fayth which was onelye a certayne preparacion to Fayth for hée commendeth them no farther than that they were proane and ready to receyue the Doctrine of Christ to whiche also appertayneth the next admonicion 31. Then sayde Iesus to the Iewes which beleeued on him Yf ye continewe in my woorde then are yee my verye Disciples Then saide Jesus Bv. Our Lorde and sauiour leauing the wicked Raylers and gently turning to those that beléeued taught them verye notablye what was néedefull and what they should doe M. This example speciallye pertayneth to the ministers of the worde that they also might séeke with all theyr power diligently to teach and to confyrme in the Faythe of the Gospell of Christ those whome they knowe to bée newly come to the doctrine of the Gospell In this businesse the Apostle dilligently applyed hym selfe as a thing most necessarye to be done calling it wateringe taking a similitude of young plantes which are often tims sette in the ground in vayne yf so be the dilligence of wateryng be not adioyned therevnto If ye continue in my worde B. It is likely that there were Ipocrites as most commonly it is séene among those whom the Lorde Iudged to he beléeuers Therefore to noate these and to confirme those which had truelye beléeued the Lord sayde If ye continue in my worde then are ye my very Disciples As if he should saye ye haue nowe hearde the worde and beleued if therefore ye perceuere in the fayth of this word and suffer not your selues to bee remoued from the faith eyther by the power of this worlde or by the offence of my crosse I will acknowledge you for my true dicsiples for they are not true Disciples which one while beleeue and within a litle while after when some offence or persecution aryseth go awaye Perseueraunce C. Here therefore firste of all Christe teacheth that it is not sufficient if so bee a man begine well except he procéede and perseuere vnto the ende And for this cause he exhorteth those which haue tasted of his doctrine to the perseueraunce of fayth when he pronounseth those to be his very Disciples whiche take déepe roote in
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
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
alwayes then haue a consideration of the cause and there is no true consolation any where else in the testimony of a good conscience Bv. For it is a glorious thing for Christes sake and the profession of the trueth to bée in perrill to bée hated of menne and to suffer persecution Againe it is a fowle thing to bée afflicted for euyll doing For therefore sayeth the Apostle Peter See that none of you bee punished as a murderer or as a Theefe or an euyll doer or as a busye bodye in other mennes matters Yf any man suffer as a Christian man let him not bee ashamed but let him glorifye God on this behalfe For herevppon wée ought to bée moued to geue GOD thankes because when the worlde perrisheth in his owne blindnesse GOD geueth his lyghte vnto the Faythfull euen as the palpable darkenesse compassed the Aegiptians rounde aboute when the Children of Israell were in the manifest lyght Also wée must noate that the hatred of Christ commeth for want of vnderstanding when GOD is not knowne For vnbeléefe is alwaye blynde Not that the wicked vnderstande nor knowe nothing but because all theyr knowledge is confounded and sodainlye vanisheth awaye For my names sake M. Here let vs consider what difference there is betwéene God and the world Before God those thinges which the Apostles aske in the name of Christ they receiue before the world the name of Christ is the cause why the Apostles are hated Both these the Apostle felt and after them the true Ministers of the Gospell Because they haue not known him that sent me CYR. By this word sent is mente the whoaâ— mistery of the Incarnation Bv. And it must néedes be that boath the Father and the Mistery of the Incarnation be vnknowen when his name is odiouse by whome the Father is knowen and the causes of the sendinge vnderstoode M. But who sent Christ God the Father Therefore the high Preistes Scribes and Phariseis knewe not God They could not knowe the Father béecause they knewe not the sonne whome he had sent R. They bragged of God and bosted that they were the true worshippers of God but they knewe not God For he whiche will knowe God must knowe him by his word and not by hys owne Immaginations and dreames i. Iohn 3.1 M. Euen so before he sayde vnto them Yee neyther know me nor my Father if ye had knowne me ye would haue knowen my Father also Séeing therefore the world is ignoraunt of God it oughte not to séeme straunge if so be the name of Christ bee odiouse vnto the childeren of this world and if for his sake the Faithfull are made a mocking stock But let this saying of saynt Iohn comfort them Beehold what loue the father hath bestowed on vs that we should be called the sonnes of God For this cause the world knoweth vs not because it knoweth not him What is Christ I praye you in the eyes of the world without the knoweledge of God the Father but meere blasphemy And what are the faythfull seruauntes of Christ but a superstitiouse people For the which cause the vnbeleuers and wise men of this world haue made them alway a iesting stocke But concerninge the ignoraunce of God in the Iewes read in the seuenth chapter going before and the twenty eyght verse 22. Yf I hadde not come and spoken vnto them they should haue hadde no sinne but nowe haue they nothinge to cloake theire synne withall M. He séemed to excuse the vnbeléefe of the Iewes and also their hatered which they bare agaynst him and his disciples by this that hée sayde But al these thinges shal they doe vnto you for my names sake bicause they haue not known him who hath sent mee as though they had not done all thinges of mallice but of Ignoraunce For this cause hee added these wordes C. leste any man shoulde think that this serued to excuse theire falte and hee sheweth that they were maliciouslye blind euenas yf a man should shutte his eyes that he myght nott bée constrayned to sée the lyghte For otherwise it might haue béene obiected vnto Christ yf so bée they knowe not thy father howe commeth it to passe thâ—t thou doest not remedye their erroure Why dyddest thou not prooue whether they weare vnapte to bee taughte yee or noe Hee Aunswereth that hee hath done the duty of a good and faythfull teacher but without profite because mallice woulde not suffer them to come vnto a sounde minde Bv. As yf hee shoulde saye If I had not come and had so expresselye and plainlye opened vnto them the misteryes of the kingdome of GOD and the counsayle and loue of my Father they should haue had no sinne but nowe seeing I the sonne of God haue descended from heauen and haue expounded all the misteries of Gods kingdome and they them selues haue hearde and vnderstoode all thinges and yet would neyther knowe nor vnderstande them it cannot seeme ignoraunce which is maliciouse obstinacy and moste wicked contempt of the knowen trueth C. In these words also Chrrst séemeth to affirme that only vnbeleefe is sinne And there are some which so think For because Faith remitteth and wypeth awaye all synnes they saye that there is but one sinne of vnbeléefe which damneth This is truely spoken because vnbeléefe doth not only kéepe men from being deliuered from the desert of condemnation but also is the well spring and cause of all euels But all that disputation appertaineth nothing at all to this present place For the name of synne is not taken generally but for the circomstaunce of the cause in hand as if Christ should haue sayd that their ignoraunce was inexcusable because they had maliciously reiected God in his person euenas yf we should cal him giltlesse iust and pure whom we would absolue from one only fault of the which he was guilty Therefore this absolution of Christ is restrayned to one kinde of synne because he taketh from the Iewes the pretence of ignoraunce in the contempt and hatered of the Gospell Notwithstanding there aryseth yet a newe question as thus Was not the vnbeléefe which was before the comming of Christ sufficient to condemne men And they are madde men which gather amis of this place that whosoeuer dyed before the comming of Christ without fayth were in a doubtfull case vntill such tyme as Christ manifested him selfe vnto them As though there were not many places of Scripture which testify that the only testimony of conscience was sufficiente for them to condemnation Rom. 5 14 Death sayeth Saint Paul rayned in the world vntill Moyses Rom. 2 12 And in another place hee sayeth that they shall peryshe withoute Lawe which haue synned without the Lawe What then is the meaning of Christ There is in these wordes a concession or graunting because he meaneth that the Iewes haue now nothing any more to excuse their fault withal seing that wittingly willingly they had reiected the life offered vnto them And
speake were done in the Councell of the Phariseis and of the seniors of the people These thinges our Euangelist thought good to repeat as passed ouer in silence by the others and to omit that which the other thrée haue noted R. Christ or the worde of God Gods word accused of heresie and Christ of sedition is aways accused of two things Fyrst it is accused by the high Priests and Bishops of heresie Secondly by the ciuill Magistrate of sedition The first part of this accusation is handled before the high Priest concerning heresie the seconde before Pilate concerning sedition To these also was ioyned Herod who in the action of this Tragedie representeth the wyse men of this worlde for he contemneth and derideth Christ For the Gospel is to the Gentiles foolishnesse bicause it teacheth that the crosse is holy and glorious that death is life and suche like C. Therefore the high Priest asketh Christ a question as if he were some factious person who in gathering Disciples vnto him had brought schisme into the Church he questioneth with him as with a false prophet whiche shuld go about with new peruers opiniōs to corrupt the puritie of fayth But let vs note the hipocrisie of the false hye Priest He enquireth of the doctrine and Disciples of Iesu He myghte aske thys question in respecte of hys authoritie whiche he hadde among the people of God For it apperteyned to the high Prieste specially to defende true and wholsome doctrine and to represse that whiche was false and hurtefull notwithstanding thys appertayned not to the office of a highe Priest to cause a Teacher whiche hadde taughte dayly in the Temple openly before all menne whome he myghte haue hearde and whose doctrine he myghte haue learned of hys owne mouthe to bée taken violently with a bande of Souldiours and to be brought bounde before hym as a malefactour and a seducer of the people to bee condemned and put to death not yet conuicted Thys thyng beséemed not hys person but declared rather the malice of the Highe Prieste He moued thys question in the myddest of armed menne and bondes not that hee myghte knowe the truthe of Christes doctrine but that he myghte seeke and fynde oute some colour of Iustice and iuste condemnation wherwythall to blynde the eyes of the simple Thys fourme of questioning the Popishe Prelates vse at thys daye in suche places where the Gospell is persecuted to the which they haue alwayes annexed Inquisitions bondes and torments bicause they séeke no more to know the truthe than did the high Priest among the Iewes 20. Iesus aunswered him I spake openly to the worlde I euer taught in the Sinagogue and in the Temple whyther all the Iewes resorte and in secrete haue I sayde nothing C. Christe hauing doone the office of a Teather seeketh not anye newe defence yet notwithstanding lest he should forsake the patrocinie of the truthe he sheweth that hee is readie to defende all those thyngs whyche he had taught And wythall hee reproueth the impudencie of the Highe Prieste who enquireth of a moste manyfest matter as if the same were doubtfull Notwithstanding thys place seemeth contrarie to that other saying of Christe Mat 10.27 Math. 13.11 where he commaundeth the Apostles to preach that vppon the house toppes whiche they had harde in secrete Answere herevnto is made When he saythe in thys place that hée hathe spoken nothing in secrete it is to be referred to the substaunce it selfe which was alwayes one though the fourme of teaching were different Mar. 4.14 M. He hadde taughte the Disciples seuerally in secrete certayne things but yet the very same whiche hee hadde taughte in Parables openly before the people neyther yet bycause they shoulde retayne them in secrete but bycause when the tyme came they should preach the same vppon the house toppes He hadde taughte also in priuate houses but not therefore bicause he sought lurking corners and to shunne publique assemblies neyther dyd he teache any other things than the very same which he had taught in the Temple in the Synagogues and in other publique places C. Wherefore he mighte protest with a good conscience that hee hadde freely professed and sincerely publyshed the summe of hys doctrine M. Also we see heere howe the Lorde vsed the Sinagogues and Temples and also what we muste doo according to hys example in Ecclesiasticall assemblies He taughte he offered not Sacryfyce Doctryne belongeth too the people of GOD. Therefore they whiche doo nothing in their Churches but boa and bleate and sacryfyce are not the followers of Christe but of the Iewishe Priestes C. Moreouer very childishe is the error of some which thinke that they are héere codemned by the answere of Christ which handle the worde of God secretly and in closets when they may not publikely preache the same by reason of the tyrannie of the wicked For Christ doth not dispute what is lawfull to be done and what not but his purpose is to refute the impudent malice of Caiphas A. The Apostles also were then to be condemned who preached not onely publikely but also priuately in houses Act. 20.20 21. Why askest thou me aske them which hard me what I haue sayde vnto thē beholde they can tell what I sayde M. Christ would not haue refused the examination of his doctrine if so be these hye Priestes and Prelates had soughte with their whole hart the knowledge of the truth For how could he whiche was readie to dye for the saluation of mortall men haue denied so little labour to teach them which enquired concerning his doctrine But he knew that they sought nothing lesse then to be taught when they enquired of his Disciples and of his Doctrine Wherfore he appealeth to his hearers which were his enemies R. Wherby we learne what boldnesse ought to be in a teacher of the Gospell He dothe not denie the examination of his Doctrine which he knew to be so sounde and true that he referred the high Priest to the testimonie of those which had openly heard the same what maner of persons soeuer they were so that they would set malice and enuie aside He doth not appeale vnto his Disciples but to all generally whiche had heard him in the Temple and in the Sinagogue This testimonie of cōscience for teaching the truth ought to be in euery Minister of the worde in so much that he may also say Aske those whiche haue heard me beholde they can tell what I haue sayde A. The which they may easily do if so be they speake nothing of them selues but speake in the Churche as the wordes of God 1. Pet. 4 11. 1. Cor. 11.23 and if so be they haue receyued from the Lorde that whiche they deliuer vnto others 22. Whē he had thus spoken one of the officers which stood by smote Iesus with a rod saying Aunswerest thou the high Priest so M. This séemed to the seruauntes of the high Priest great contempt of their master
meanes to speake so sensiblye to our vnderstanding that wée might not fayle of his meaning in any poynte And it is a most auncient and approued kinde of teaching to instruct by a Dialogue whiche also the most auncient Philosophers haue vsed B. Therefore whereas our Sauiour Christ so louinglye and familiarlye applyeth this Doctrine to the Imbecilitye of Nicodemus and despised not the same Suche as are weake must bee borne with all we are taught howe to handle such as are weake and to reiect no man which séeketh after the trueth but with all gentlenesse and long suffering to teache and instruct such M. Nicodemus was to be blamed in this that he came not to our sauiour in the daye time but in the night For the which the Lorde might iustlye haue reprooued him But the most méeke and pacient Creatour of all fleshe obiected no suche thing vnto him He sayeth vnto him If so bée thou knowe that I am come a teacher from God and doest planelye perceyue the power of God by the signes which I do why then dost thou come vnto me secréetelye and not openlye in the daye time But hée thought it better a greate deale to open to this good man the verye well spring of euyll Hée perceyued that hée was as yet ignoraunt of the trueth and that he feared man more than God therefore he disputeth with him concerning the verye roote and originall of all wickednesse And whereas our Sauiour Christ twise repeateth this woorde Verylye hée doeth it to make him the more attentiue For hée intending to speake of a matter most waightye and graue of all others coulde not but make Nicodemus more attentiue who otherwise would haue verye slightlye or litle or nothing regarded this whole communication M. But howe doe these wordes of our sauiour Christ aunswere those thinges whereof Nicodemus spake Hee came to our sauiour with good intent and meaning but yet as a Doctour of the Lawe who thought to haue easylye attayned to the vnderstanding of the trueth at the mouth of Christ by his owne wisdome and learning But the Lord euen at the first putteth away this perswasion affirming the Doctrine of the Kingdome of GOD to be such that no mortal man howe worldlye wyse or learned in the Lawe soeuer he bée can vnderstand the same except he bée borne a newe C. Therefore howe farre fetcht or vnapte for the purpose these woordes of our sauiour séeme to bée yet notwithstanding most fetelye hée beginneth therwith For as the séede is cast in vaine vppon the vntilled grounde euen so the Doctrine of the Gospell is Preached in vaine except the hearers bée first framed to obedience and bée made apt to bée taught Therefore if wée will profite in the schoole of Christ wée must learne to beginne here Except a man be borne againe As if he shoulde saye So long as thou hast not that which is most principall in the kingdome of God I make small account of this that thou dost acknowledge me to be a teacher For this is the first steppe into the kingdome of God that thou become a newe man M. This aunswere of our Sauiour Christ ought diligently to bée considered For it comprehendeth twoo speciall thinges necessarye to bée knowne of these which are conuersant in reading of the scriptures One is that no man can knowe what thinges pertayne to the Kingdome of God and to our saluation The second is that the newe man is required to the knowledge of Gods kingdome Bv. Our Sauiour Christ sayth here No man shall see the Kingdome of God For No man shall enter into the kingdome of God C. as shall afterward appeare by the texte But they are deceyued which take the Kingdome of God for Heauen when as rather it signifieth a spirituall life which is begunne in this worlde by faith and doth growe daylye more and more according to the increase of faith Therefore the sence and meaning of this text is that no man can be truely gathered into the Church and be reckned among the Sonnes of GOD except he bée first renewed So that it is here briefelye shewed what is the beginning of Christianisme and hereby also wee are taught that we are borne exiles and banished men from the kingdome of GOD and are at perpetuall enmitie with him vntyll hée alter and chaunge vs by the second byrthe For it is a generall sentence which comprehendeth all mankinde B. At other times our sauiour Christ spake the verye same in other woordes namelye that no man can bée his Disciple except hée denye him selfe and take vp his Crosse and followe him Luke 14. Herevppon the Apostle Paul requireth the newe man and a newe creature in Christ which so soone as it is geuen vnto vs maketh vs to beléeue in his name and to bée the Sonnes of God but it is perfited daylye by the holye Ghost which frameth vs more and more according to the Image and likenesse of GOD. Of the which ye maye reade in all those places here coated in the Margent 2 Cor. 3.4 and .5 Gala. 3.6 Ephe 2.4 Collos 3 But what néede wee cyte the places of Saint Paul when he handeleth the same in no place as the principall poynte of Christes Doctrine C. To bée short by this woorde of the newe byrth hée meaneth not the correction of some one parte but the renouation or renewing of the whole man Wherevppon it followeth that there is nothing in vs but corruption Bv. For the first Byrthe comprehendeth all the strength of mankinde as Witte Reason Vnderstanding wyll and what soeuer wée haue else by nature R. Wherefore mannes frée wyll his merites and whatsoeuer else hée can imagine to bring righteousnesse to him selfe is quite ouerthrowne by this one sentence of our sauiour Christ Wée must therefore laye aside the wisedome of the fleshe and contempne all humane strength that the seconde byrth maye take place in vs. 4. Nicodemus sayth vnto him Howe can a man be borne when hee is oulde Can hee enter into his mothers wombe and be borne againe M. Nicodemus being as yet carnall and sauouring not of the Spirite carnallye vnderstoode those spirituall thinges which were spoken by Christ He knewe not the naturall corruption of the first Natiuitye for if he had hée would haue made another manner of answere C. And although the phrase of speache here vsed by our sauiour Christ was not expressed in the Lawe and the Prophetes yet notwithstanding séeing in some places of scripture Scribs ignoraunt of regeneration mencion is made of renouation or renuing and séeing it is one of the first principles of Faith it may appeare how vainelye the Scribes at that time had trauailed For truely this was not one mans fault to be ignoraunt of the grace of regeneration but euerye one of them occupying them selues about vaine iangeling and questions of no profite neglected the most principall part of Christian Doctrine The like also we maye beholde at this day in the
in Nicodemus which comprehended not those thinges which were spoken 10. Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto him Art thou a Mayster in Israel and knowest not these thinges M. Our Sauiour Christ séemeth to woonder at the scencelesnesse and ignoraunce of Nicodemus being a man learned in the Lawe as if hée had not knowne the same before But by these wordes our Sauiour casteth rather Nicodemus in the téeth with his ignoraunce than woondreth at the same and yet neuerthelesse without disdaine C. For Christ séeing that hée spent the time in vaine with a prowde man and that hée lost his labour in teaching of him falleth to plaine reprehension Bv. And being offended at his dulnesse hée reprooueth his grosse witte as if hée shoulde haue sayde O miserable condition of those shéepe the charge and care of whome is committed to a Pastor so dull and ignoraunt in heauenlye thinges Hitherto thou hast béene accounted of vs one of the chiefe maysters and teachers in Israel but séeing thou art ignoraunt of those thinges whereof euen such as are Disciples and Schollers may bée ashamed to be ignoraunt of men maye meruaile what thou and the Scribes and Pharisees men of thy calling teache the people committed to their charge E. Howe commeth it to passe that thou art ignoraunte of these thinges so common in the Scriptures séeing thou art a teacher of other men For what other thing else meaneth the circumcision of the heart which Moyses so dilligentlye commended vnto you What else was the meaning of the sanctification so often tymes preached to the people but this innouation and spirituall Natiuitie of mens mindes of the whiche I speake The whole Scripture doth sufficientlye testifie Gen. 6.5 and .8.21 that all fleshe is onelye inclined to that which is euill Howe therefore shoulde anye fleshe but that which is borne againe and sanctified enter into the kingdome of God which is the kingdome of righteousnesse What can bée more plaine than that which the Prophet Esay Iere. 31.19 Ezech 11.19 and .36.26 Ieremy and Ezechiel haue spoken concerning the regenerating and renuing spirite Of the same also most plainelye hath the Prophet in his Psalmes prophesied It is meruaile therefore that my doctrine séemeth so straunge vnto thée Beholde here the true waye and maner how prowde persons that are puffed vp with vaine glory and which stande in their owne conceite ought to bée handeled C. For doctrine shall take no place or profite nothing at all vntill suche time as they be cleane purged from the pride of their owne wicked conceypt R. And this is a generall reprehension by which Christe reprooueth the blindnesse of all the Rabbines For Christ so talketh here with Nicodemus that by him hée vnderstandeth the whole order of the Pharisées and Deuines and all the professors of their Leuen M. Therefore let suche as haue the titles and names of Pastors in the Churche Two thinges required in a Pastour and which brag of the same consider how they aunswere and discharge that their calling For two thinges are required in faithfull and true Pastors namelye puritie of Doctrine Purity of doctrine holines of life required in a true Pastour and holinesse of life Concerning the first wée haue mention made here concerning the other reade the thirtéenth of Mathew and the second Chapter to the Romaines 11. Veryly veryly I saye vnto thee we speake that wee knowe and testifie that wee haue seene and ye receiue not our witnesse Veryly Veryly Bv. The Lorde by this sentence declareth how certaine firme the whole doctrine of the Gospell is not onelye in the Doctrine of regeneration but also in all other articles and speciall poyntes of our fayth And this hee confirmeth with an oath the which he is not woonte to doe but in matters most sure and firme M. Séeing therefore there were two thinges to bée reprehended in the Iewes namelye the ignoraunce of deuine matters and the fault of vnbeléefe Christ when he had reprooued the first commeth to the seconde Wee speake that wee knowe A. Some referre these wordes to Christ and to Iohn the Baptist who was sent of God to testifie of the true light CHR. Othersome vnderstande them of the Father and the sonne whome he sent into the worlde Iohn 1.7 For Christ spake those thinges in the worlde which hée had hearde of the Father Iohn 8.26 Othersome saye that the Plurall number is put for the singular by a figure called Enallagen C. But there is no doubte but that Christ here ioyneth him selfe with all the Prophets and Ministers of God and speaketh generallye in the person of them all For Philosophers and other vaine Doctours doe oftentimes bring in those vaine toyes which they them selues haue imagined and deuised But Christ challengeth this as proper to him selfe and to all the seruauntes of God alone that they deliuer nothing but a certaine and vndoubted Doctrine For God sendeth not suche as shoulde prate and talke of thinges doubtful and vnknowne But suche as deliuer to others those things which they haue learned of him in his Schoole B. Here therefore we are taught that no man ought to teache any thing for a trueth and certaintye whereof hée is not most assured 1. Peter .4 All thinges that we speake in the Churche ought to bée as the woordes of God C. Let euery one therefore take héede what is reuealed to him of the Lorde least he goe beyonde the boundes of his Faith and loast he speake those thinges which he hath not heard of the Lorde Bv. Moreouer let all those obserue and weigh this sentence of the Lorde whiche crye that the aucthoritye of the Gospell should bée nothing if so bée the aucthoritye of the Churche had not allowed and confirmed the same For the Doctrine of Christ and of the Apostles hath sufficient aucthority and allowance of it sellfe and néedeth no other testimonye The Gospell needeth not the allowaunce of the Church For it is Authential and set foorth by those which are eye witnesses and most assured of the same hauing for the aucthour thereof the Sonne of God him selfe the wisedome of his Father and the holye Ghost whiche is the true liuing and eternal God speaking by the Apostles And testifye that we haue seene B. As if he should say We testifie euen the verye same thing which fewe of you receiue for some of you haue receiued it The lyke is reade in the first Chapter going before where it is sayde He came into his owne and his owne receiued him not C. By which manner of speache and by this complaint of our Sauiour Christ we gather that this was appointed to the word of God as a fatall destinye in all ages not to bée receyued and beléeued M. Wherevpon also Christ vseth the plurall number saying Ye receyue not C. Because this not receyuing pertayned to the greater number and almost to the whole bodye of the people Therefore Christ thought good to adde this least
it followeth that they refusing the reméedye doe willinglye séeke theyr owne damnation R. But Christ speaketh not here of grosse and outward sinnes as of Theft The light hated of wicked men Murther Adulterye False witnesse Force Luxury Dronkennesse and such lyke which also are condemned of the wise men of this world but of the most excellent vertues of the worlde as of Reason Wisedome and humaine righteousnesse which in this world are counted for most excellent thinges PAR. Therefore as hée which goeth about any wickednesse loueth the night fléeth from the Sunne least his déedes shoulde bée manifest euen so they whose consciences do accuse them hate the light of the Euangelicall trueth by which all thinges that are filthie are bewraied that they maie be reformed in Christ By this reason wicked Kyngs Princes and Potentates which swell with Ambition which are defiled with excesse and filthie pleasure and which are imbrued with the bloode of Innocents haue hated the Light of the Gospell because it condemneth all these thinges In like maner the Popishe Bishops Abbottes Priestes Monkes and Nunnes which repose theyr trust in Masses in Idolles in Purgatorye in wicked Vowes in Indulgences and such lyke do hate Christ and his light which teacheth that al these thinges are vnprofitable more than Vatinius was hated of the Romaines Insomuch that they persecute the Preachers of the Gospell and hang them vppe because they Preache against the Sacred Canonnes against the dignitye Episcopall against the Popes Holinesse and against Peters Keyes That is to saye because they discouer the Tyranny of Antichrist and do fréelye pronounce the dignitye and aucthoritye of Bishoppes to bée forged counterfaite and méere false C. Therefore we are muche deceyued if wée thinke that they are ledde with Godlye zeale whiche rage against the Gospell when as they rather hate and abhorre the light that they maye the more fréelye walke in darkenesse 21. But hee that doeth trueth commeth to the light that his deedes may be knowen howe that they are wrought in God M. That is to saye He which knoweth that hée doeth the trueth and seeketh the same being a hater of all falsehood and lyes hée truely neyther hateth the light nor shunneth the same but loueth it For to doe the trueth is as much to say as to deale faithfully without any manner of deceyte like good and honest men C. But this séemeth to bée spoken improperlye and absurdly except a man would confesse that some are good and true before they bée borne againe by the spirite of God the which is cleane contrary to the whole Doctrine of the scripture for we knowe that faith is the roote from whence doe come all good workes But Christ simply affirmeth that they which deale sincerelye and vprightlye doe desyre nothing more then the light The light a Touchstone to wicked men that theyr workes maye bée approued because by that triall and Touchstone it maye the better appeare that they haue walked vprightlye and purelye before God from all deceyte Therefore it is verye fondlye sayde of some that menne before Faith are wel disposed For Christ sayeth not that the Faithfull do beléeue to the ende they maye haue the prayse of good workes but he onely sheweth what the vnbeleeuing would do if so be theyr owne consciences did not accuse them of euill R. Therefore if Abbottes Monkes Priestes and Friars did the trueth they woulde also come to the light and would suffer theyr condicion to bée tried But hereby they them selues do bewray theyr owne déedes to bée euill For he which doeth the trueth that is hee whose cause is iust whose worke is of Faith which teacheth the truth which is delighted in the trueth which hateth Hipocrisie and lyes which dealeth iustlye and to be short which geueth all glorye vnto God and geueth place to the Preaching of the Gospell hée can abide the light and to haue his cause his workes Doctrine and state tried and examined Wherevpon Christ because his workes and Doctrine are of God hath left vnto all menne frée leaue to pronounce and iudge of them so that they doe it vprightly Iohn 18.20 Enquire sayeth hée of those which haue hearde mee what I sayd vnto them Beholde these knowe what I haue sayd But the Pharisées and their successours will not suffer any man to iudge of theyr Doctrine but will haue all thinges that they teache and decrée simplye and as a manifest trueth to be receyued and allowed C. Therefore our Sauiour Christ vsed this woorde Trueth Because we being deceyued by the outwarde shewe of workes doe not waye and consider what is contayned within And hée calleth those workes wrought in God which are approued of him and are good according to his rule Hereby let vs learne not to iudge of workes except they bée brought to the light of the Gospell because our reason is vtterly blind and corrupt Bv. And séeing Christ of his goodnesse hath called vs to the light of the Gospell let vs vnderstand that it is our partes to doe the trueth with a willing minde the Apostle exhorting vs vnto the same Ephe 5.8 Ye were sometime darkenesse but nowe are you light in the Lorde walke as children of the light for the fruite of the spirite is in all godnesse and righteousnesse and trueth approuing what is acceptable vnto the Lorde And haue no felowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather rebuke them And the Apostle Iohn This is the tidinges which we haue hard of him and declare vnto you that God is light and in him is no darkenesse at all If wee saye that we haue felloweship with him and walke in darkenesse wee lye and doe not the trueth But if wee walke in light euen as hee is light then haue wee fellowship with him 22. After these thinges came Iesus and his Disciples into the Lande of Iurye and there he taryed with them and Baptized M Nowe that the Euangelist hath described the Diologue betwéene Christ and Nicodemus hée consequentlye maketh a waye to bring in the testimony of Iohn the Baptist which most excellentlye hée gaue vnto Christ before hée was shutte vp into Prison For the Euangelist speciallye trauaileth to credite and confirme the Diuinitye and aucthoritye of Christ with most firme testimonies geuen from Heauen Bv. Therefore when the Lorde had obserued the Feaste of Passeouer at Hierusalem and had discharged his office according to the oportunytye of the time Preaching the Gospel of the kingdome C. hée came into that part of Galilee whiche was néere to the Towne of Aenon whiche is situate in the Tribe of Manasse B. that there also hée might exhibite and declare him selfe to bée a sauiour For abiding there and Ministring Baptisme by his Disciples hée brought many Citizens to the Kingdome of God The Lorde Iesus abode not long at Hierusalem for his houre was not yet come that hée shoulde bée gloryfied but towarde his ende hée executed his office moore diligentlye
from heauen Christ therfore will be acknowledged in his Ministers but yet so that hée will be Lorde alone as for the Ministers of GOD they are contented to bee in the order of Seruants specially when comparison is made béetwéene Christ and them He that commeth from heauen is aboue all M. Hée repeateth this sentence first of all to inculcate and imprint the same in the mindes of his Disciples that they might submitte themselues to Christ alone which boath came from heauen and also is aboue al and that they should not depende vpon him who himselfe is subiect to another whome hée knewe to bée preferred before all men by God the Father Secondly to the ende he might the more conuenientlye adioyne and bring in that whiche remaineth vnspoken 32. And what hee hath seene and heard that hee testifieth and no man receyueth his testimonie CHR. Because these by corporal scences of hearing and séeing wée knowe all things certainely and thinke our selues worthie to be beléeued when wée haue séene and hearde as suche that neyther faine nor tell lyes therefore to confirme the matter Saint Iohn saith that Christ testifieth that which hee hath both seene and hearde C. For to the ende his Disciples might obey Christ hée commendeth the Doctrine of Christ by the certainetie of the same because hée vttereth nothing but that which hée hath receyued from the Father B. Therefore Christ teacheth those thinges which are most certaine and approoued true Ioh. 1.18 séeing hée is in the bosome of GOD and the wisdome of the Father M. and hée sayth not Hée speaketh that which hée hath séene and hearde But he testifieth to admonishe them that Christ is not onelye a teacher of Gods trueth but also a moste assured witnesse of all thinges A. For hée sayth Ioh. 8.26 VVhat thinges I haue hearde of him I declare in the worlde And in an other place hee sayth Iohn 15.15 I haue shewed vnto you al things that I haue hearde of my father M. Therefore by this place wée maye note what prerogatiue Christ had aboue Iohn and aboue all other teachers because he coulde and doth by his holy spirite teache the mindes of men as well as by words How many soeuer in this life teache deuine and heauenly thinges howe holye soeuer they be yet notwithstanding they cannot testifie of those things which they teache that they haue séene them in heauen though they be true whiche they speake For those thinges whiche they haue receyued they haue not receyued by knowledge or by fight in heauen but eyther by the reuelation of the holy ghost or else by Fayth in Godes worde but Christ coulde testifie in this worlde those thinges which hée had both hearde and séene And no man receyueth his testimonye Bv. Saint Iohn here doth reproue not onelye the vnbeléefe of his Disciples but also the incredulitie of other of the Iewes who withstoode the Doctrine of Christ notwithstanding that it was most true Iohn 3.11 M. So Christ sayde to Nicodemus VVee speake that wee knowe and testifie that wee haue seene and yee receyue not our witnesse Where hée reprooueth the blindenesse of the Iewes euen as Iohn doth here their incredulity The which notwithstanding is not so to be vnderstoode as though no man receyued the testimonie of Christ séeing the Apostles and diuers others receiued and beléeued the same but hée meaneth that a verye fewe in comparison haue receyued and beléeued it C. For if we compare the beléeuers with the huge multitude of the wicked they will appeare nothing And to receyue the testimonie of Christ is stedfastlye to beléeue in him and to imbrace his worde with thankesgeuing as the most assured testimonye of Gods will This is done but of verye fewe also at this daye For the credite geuen to this Heauenly Doctrine is euen now as litle as it was then He sayeth not And no man heareth his testimony But No man receyueth his testimony For there haue béene alwayes manye hearers thereof But there haue béene fewe receyuers of the same founde A. So this place maye bée expounded euen as that which wée heard before He came into his owne Iohn 1.11 and his owne receyued him not 33. Hee that hath receyued his testimonye hath set to his seale that God is true M. From this verse to the ende of the Chapter Iohn the Baptist noteth twoo thinges Fyrst what prayse and profite hée shall receyue whiche receyueth the Testimonye of Christe Secondlye what hurt shall happen vnto him which receyueth not the same He which receiueth his testimonye hath put to his seale R. That is to saye Hée which beléeueth his woorde hath put to his seale or approueth by his fayth and confession that God is true and kéepeth his promises or else receyueth the testimonye in his hart that those thinges which Christ speaketh are the very woordes of GOD. And this testimony is the holy Ghost certifying and confirming our consciences as a seale that this is the Sonne of GOD in déede and that his woorde Ioh. 15 2â— is the worde of GOD in déede Herevpon Christ sayth VVhen the comforter commeth which is the spirite of trueth hee shall beare witnesse of mee 2. Cor. 1.22 And the Apostle sayth VVhich hath sealed vs and hath geuen the earnest of the spirite into our hartes Epheâ— Also in an other place After yee beleeued yee were sealed with the holy spirite of promise which is the pledge of our inheritaunce C. Saint Iohn also here preuenteth and méeteth by the waye with an offence or stumbling blocke which might tourne many from the fayth and might hinder or at least stop their swiftnesse in their race For the greatest part hangeth to much vpon the iudgement of men and déemeth and iudgeth of the gospell after the contempt of the worlde at the least when it séeth the same in some places to be reiected hauing before conceyued this preiudice it is the more hard and slowe to beléeue Here therefore the man of GOD exhorteth and encourageth the godly boldelye to embrace the doctrine of the Gospell as if hée shoulde haue sayde There is no cause why the Godlye shoulde be ashamed or gréeued at the smalenesse of their number God the aucthor of our fayth is more than al the worlde beside to giue testimonie to the truth séeing that God is the Aucthor of theyr Fayth who himselfe alone is all in al and therfore all sufficient and to be preferred before multitudes Therefore although the whole worlde doe withstande the faith yet notwithstanding this ought not to kéepe good men from the obedience and seruice of GOD. They haue also wherevpon to rest and staye themselues séeing they knowe that to beléeue the Gospell is nothing else than to beléeue thâ— Oracles of GOD. In the meane time wée gather that this is proper to fayth to rest and stay it selfe vpon God Faith staâ—eth it selfe vpon Goâ— and to be grounded and established by his worde
For there cannot be a true fayth before GOD hath spoken by his worde By which Doctrine fayth is discerned not onely from the imaginations of men but also from a doubtfull and wauering opinion For it is necessarie that the same bée agreeing with the truth of GOD which is cléere from all doubtfulnesse Fayth shaketh not Therefore as GOD cannot lye so is it impossible that Faith shoulde wauer or shake Shilding our selues with this Buckler we shall bée sure to ouercome for euer by what meanes soeuer Satan shall assault vs. M. But some will saye what is hée that euer doubted of the truth of God What néede is there then of the Testimony of Christ whereby wée maye knowe God to bée true But Iohn the Baptist speaketh not here simplye of the trueth of God but of that trueth by which the promises made vnto Israel and in Israel to mankinde were fulfilled and performed in Christ Rom. 15.8 So Christ is called the Minister of Circumcision for the trueth of God to confirme the promises made vnto the Fathers This trueth of God can not bée apprehended without wée apprehende also the testimony of Christ And of this trueth Christ him selfe speaketh Iohn 8.31 saying If you abide in my worde then are you my Disciples in deede and ye shall knowe the truth and the truth shal make you free C. Hereby we are also admonished what an acceptable and precious Sacrifice faith is before God For as he estéemeth nothing more than his truth euen so we can doe to him no seruice or worshippe more acceptable than by our faith to professe him to bée true for then we shall geue vnto him his due honour Againe wée can doe vnto him no greater iniurye than not to beléeue the Gospell for hée can not bée spoyled of his trueth and verytye but all his glorye and maiestye must bee cleane abolished M. Therefore looke howe muche the fayth of the Godlye which beléeue in Christ maketh to the glory of God so much on the contrarye parte doeth the vnbeléefe of the vngodly make to his dishonour Not that theyr impietye can make the Faith and trueth of God of none effect but because they reprooue him of vanity To this effect pertaineth the saying of Saint Iohn in another place He which beleeueth in the Sonne of God hath the testimony of God in him selfe 1. Ioh. 5.10 he which beleeueth not God maketh him a lyer because hee hath not beleeued the testimonye which God hath testifyed of his Sonne C. Verylye vnlesse we bée to dull and stonye this so notable a commendation geuen to faith ought to kindle in our mindes a most feruent loue of the same For what great honour is this which God vouchsafeth to bestowe vpon miserable men which by nature are nothing else but lyers and vaine that they neuerthelesse should bée thought méete to confirme and alowe the holye trueth of God by theyr subscription and sealing 34. For he whome God hath sent speaketh the woordes of God For God geueth not the Spirite by measure For he whome God hath sent M. This is the reason why he putteth to his seale that God is true which receiueth the testimony of Christ namelye because the testimonye of Christ is the testimony of God C. because Christ procéeded from no other than from his heauenlye Father Therefore it is God onelye which speaketh by him M. So sayeth the Lorde him selfe Iohn 7.16 My Doctrine is not mine but my Fathers which sent me Also hée sayth The worde which ye heare is not mine but his which sent me Ioh. 14.24 R. Therefore he which heareth Christ heareth God and hée which possesseth Christ by faith possesseth God For God geueth not Some extend this place to the common dispensation because God which is the bottomles well of all goodnesse doth nothing at al empty him selfe when largely and plentifullye God a bottomlesse well of grace hée powreth his giftes vpon men They which powre water out of any Vessell or drawe a Well come at the length to the botome of the same but we néede not feare or doubte of the lyke to bée in God for the more his giftes are bestowed vpon vs the more plentifully they abounde This exposition séemeth to haue some collour because the sentence is somewhat intricate and obscure C. notwithstanding theyr opinion séemeth moore probable whiche interprete this to bée spoken concerning Christ and so the sence and meaning is that the Spirite is not geuen by measure vnto Christ as though the grace in him were to be measured euen as the Apostle Paul teacheth Ephe. 4.7 1. Cor. 12 7 that to euery one is distributed according to the measure of the gyfte so that no one man aboundeth at the full And verylye the Spirite must rest vpon Christ without measure Iohn 1.16 to the ende wée might all receyue of the fulnesse of the same Bv. There is a common Prouerbe Hee geueth by measure that is to saye He geueth sparinglye or nigardlye For hée whiche geueth liberally and bountifullye doeth not measure that which hée geueth but geueth by heape Iohn the Baptist receyued the Spirite by measure as dyd also dyuers others of the Sayntes Wherefore they cannot bée compared vnto Christ so farre they are of from being his equalles But concerning Christ the Prophete Dauid sayeth in his Psalmes Thou hast loued righteousnesse Psal 45.7 and hated Iniquitye wherefore God thy God hath annoynted thee with the Oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Colos 2.9 Also Saint Paul sayeth In Christe dwelleth all fulnesse of the Godhead bodylye and in him ye are complete Christ hath the spirit of God super-aboundantly CHR. Therefore by this note the Sonne of GOD is discerned from the Prophetes and from other holye men For it is impossible that they which haue receyued the Spirite of GOD by measure should geue and bestowe the same vppon others Neyther hath one holye man bestowed the holye Ghost vpon another but all as wée haue sayde haue receyued of the fulnesse of Christ Therefore because Christ is the geuer of the spirite let no man doubte but that he substantiallye possesseth in him selfe the holye Ghost Act. 8.17 If any man obiect and saye that the holye Ghost was geuen by the handes of the Apostles it maye easilye bée aunswered That they made theyr Prayers to the holye Ghost who being intreated came and was sayde to bée geuen by theyr handes For holye Moyses that Saynte of God was not séene to take of the spirite of GOD which was in him and to geue the same vnto others but this is reserued to the Diuine power onely For these workes belong to God alone 35. The Father loueth the Sonne and hath geuen all thinges into his hande The Father loueth the Sonne Bv. Saint Iohn gathereth in fewe woordes all the Misteries of the Gospell into a bréefe compendium or short summe and doeth more plainelye set forth those thinges which hytherto hée
daunsing They meruayle if a man eate fleshe in Lent but they meruell not if all man prouoke GOD to wrath with sinne A. Reade more concerning the obseruation or breaking of the Sabboth in oure exposition of the twelfe Chapter of Mathew beginning at the second verse 24. Iudge not after the vtter appearaunce but iudge with a ryghteouse Iudgement After he had ended his defence hée vseth also reprehension because they being caried awaye with euill affections Deu. 1.16 iudge not rightlye of the cause R. The Law commaundeth Iudges to iudge with a righteous iudgement and not to respect any mans person because the iudgement is Godes Of this Law Christ putteth the Iewes in minde that in this cause concerning the breaking of the Sabboth Iust iudgement they should not with respect of persons neyther with enuie nor with fauour iudge but with iust iudgement that is to say the only cause considered Bv As if hée should saye in iudging of my déede yée must not follow the affection of anger nor of hatred but equitie and the minde of the Lawe Ye shoulde verilye be conuinced of great iniustice if so be in one and the selfe same facte ye iustifie Moyses and condemne mée but your iudgement shall be iust if that be not imputed to me for sinne which was not hurtfull to him Furthermore Circumcision was iustely reuerenced among them When the same was done vppon the Sabboth daye they knew that the Law was not broken because the workes of GOD among themselues doe rightlye agrée And why doe they not so thinke of Christes work but onely because a conceyued preiudice of the person possesseth their mindes therefore the iudgement shall neuer be right except it bée moderated by the truth of the matter For so soone as the persons come in sight they bende their eyes and scences vppon them Preiudice in iudgement so that truth quight vanisheth awaye R. The Iewes excused Moyses because of the aucthoritie of the person of the breaking of the Sabboth although by his decree and by the decrée of the Fathers also an infaunte might be circumsised and sacrifices killed and they accused Christ because of the contempt and basenesse of the person who by the same example of Moses had not cut of a mannes member but had healed the whole man on the Sabboth day Therefore Chirst reuoketh them to the rule of right iudgement C. The which admonicion ought to take place in all causes and matters but most necessarie it is when wée haue to doe with deuine and heauenlye matters For wee are most easilye drawne from the same by the hatred or contempt of men M. For wheras they which commonlye are counted learned men are so greate enimies to wholesome doctrine and are drawne awaye in iudgement who séeth not that this is the fault therof that they haue more respect eyther to the Rulers or to the Bishops or to the persons of the Princes and to the outwarde shewe of religion which the common people best alowe than what is true or false in these matters whereabout they contende And it is to be noated that Christe sayde not I will not haue you simply to iudge of my facte for I am the Lorde of all things and am subiect to no mans iudgement but he sayde Iudge not after the outewarde apperaunce but Iudge with a righteouse Iudgement By whiche wordes verely he doeth not refuse to haue Iudgement geuen of his workes but he requireth that wee Iudge rightly of the same What Insolencie and pride is it then whiche remayneth in the Bishop of Rome who sayth not with Christe whose vicar notwithstanding he boasteth him selfe to be Iudge not after the vtter apperaunce of my dedes but simply he sayth I will not haue you to Iudge of me and of my déedes at all A. So many Théeues Robbers murtherers would say yf it might be graunted them But Christe doth not thus although he were Lord of all but setteth his workes and doctrine before the wicked to bée Iudged so that theey obserue right iudgement As we shall sée also hereafter in the eyghtéene chapter EVS. We gather also by this place that Moyses and christ doe not disagrée as the Iewes thought Moyses Christe agree nay the Lawe and the doctrine of Christ as touching the Spirite doe very well agrée A. As maye also easily be proued by sondery places of Scripture 25. Then sayde some of them of Ierusalem Is not this he whom they goe aboute to kill These thinges shewe howe the doctrine of truth preached to the worlde is receiued what troubles soeuer aryse for the Gospelles sake For after the truth is preached the wauering and constante multitude are deuided into sondery affections M. These men of Ierusalem of whome the Euaungelist speaketh here were not of the Rulers Scribes Phariseis and Seniours of the people but of the Citizens and Indwellers of Ierusalem to whome the beginning of thys lyinge in waight was knowen and who knewe howe greatly Christe was enuied These men therefore kowing what greate hatred the Rulers of theyr nation bare to Christ marueile not in vaine they béeing nowe quiet that Christe woulde not only walke openly in the Temple but also bouldly preache in the same but in this they offende that they doe not waye and consider the prouidence of God in a myracle altogether deuine Euenso carnall men so often as they behoulde some straunge worke of God do marueile but in the meane time there commeth not into their minde any consideration of Gods power But it is our parte more wisely to expende and waye the workes of God specially when the wicked notwithstanding all theyr practises hynder not the race of the Gospell as they desyer because God with his mighty hande doeth caste them downe 26. But lo he speaketh bouldly and they saye nothing to him Doe the Rulers knowe in deede that this is very Christ M. These Citizens séeme to be gréeued that Christe preacheth so fréely the Scribes and Phariseis houlding their peace whose lying in wayte they knewe well ynough Here is to be noated the libertie of Christ in teaching For he did not preache couldly in the Temple as some doe but openly fréely and bouldly So muste they speake which mayntayne the trueth with a good conscience knowing that they do not speake their owne phantasies nor the dreames of other men but the worde and trueth of God in the Church although the same be impugned and withstoode by wicked Bishopes and Rulers of the people It is not sufficient to speake that whiche is trueth but this specially is required that those thinges be spoken whiche are true that the same be spoken truely and bouldely not obscurely but manifestlie not fearfully but constantlye R. Christe knewe well ynough the hatred and liynge in wayte of the Phariseis for he sayde before Bouldnesse in preaching the truth why do ye seke to kill me and yet notwithstanding hée speaketh before them voyde of all feare
hath opened and reuealed to vs the hydden treasures of God They are worthy therefore to perishe miserablye who being called gently and louingly of Christ wander else where Out of his bellye shall flowe Riuers Bv. By this hée meaneth the plenty and abundaunce of al giftes and good works C. For in him he teacheth is stoare and sufficient to fyll vs. The Metaphor in shewe séemeth harde when hée sayth that Ryuers of water of lyfe shal flowe out of the bellye of the faithfull notwithstanding the scence and meaning is plaine inough that the beléeuing shall neuer want any spyrituall goodnesse Hée calleth that the water of lyfe which in springing shal neuer decrease or waxe drye as is sayde before The bellye of the inwarde man is the conscience of the heart And by floodes hée meaneth the manifolde Graces of the Spyrite which are necessary to the spyrituall life of the Soule To bée short here is promised vnto vs as well the perpetuity of the giftes of the spyrite as the plentye of the same 39. But this spake he of the Spyrite which they that beleeue on him should receyue for the holye Ghost was not yet there because Iesus was not yet glorifyed But this spake hee M. Because the woordes of Christ were to the ignoraunt obscure and darke as Parabolicall therefore it séemed necessarye to the Euangelist to expound the same C. The name of water is sometyme geuen to the Spirite because of cleanesse because it belongeth vnto him to purge our fylthinesse but in this place and in such lyke there is not al one manner of speache and that because we are voide of all humour moystnesse of life vntil such time as the spirite of god doth water vs with his spiritual and heauenlye dewe And here is a figure called Synecdoche because all the partes of life are comprehended vnder this one worde of water whereby also wée gather that whosoeuer are not regenerate by the spirite of Christ are to bée counted for dead men although they séeme to them selues to haue lyfe For the holye Ghost was not yet M. These wordes shewe the cause wherefore it was sayde VVhich they should receyue and not rather VVhich they that beleeue haue receyued Because sayeth hée The holye Ghost was not as yet Bv. Hée speaketh not here of the essence of the holye Ghost which is coequall and coeternall with the Father and the Sonne M. For it is written By the worde of the Lorde the Heauens were made and all the powers of them Psal 33.6 by the breath of his mouth And the whole Scripture of the olde Testament doeth testifye no lesse of him than of Christ the worde of God Neyther doth hée speake simplye concerning his working and giftes in the faithfull as though before Christ was gloryfied the holye Ghost dyd not worke in the mindes of the Godlye as well in the tyme of the olde Testament as of the Newe when as he manifestlye declared himselfe in the Prophetes in the Patriarkes in the Godlye Kinges and in all those godlye men which began to cleaue vnto Christ whether they were Apostles or others that many wayes C. But the Euangelist doeth deny that the same grace of the spirite which after the resurrection of Christ was shed out vppon 〈◊〉 was openlye geuen so long as Christ was in this worlde vnder the humâ—â—â— base forme of a seruaunt And hys forsaketh comparatiuelye as when the new Testament is set against the olde God promiseth his spirite to the faythfull as if hée had neuer geuen the same to the Fathers Then verilye the Disciples receiued the first fruites of the spirite for whereof came Fayth but of the Spirite R. And dyd not the Apostles cast out Deuelles by the power of the holye Ghost and confesse Christ to bée the Sonne of GOD before the Crosse And the confession of Fayth is a worke of the holye Ghost and not of fleshe C. Therefore the Euangelist doeth not deny but that the grace of the Spyrite was geuen before the death of Christ to the Children of God but hee affirmeth that the same was not yet so manifest and euident as it should bée afterwarde For this is the principall ornament and bewtye of the kingdome of Christ that hée gouerneth his Church by his holye spyrite But hée tooke then the iust and solemne possession of his kingdome when hee was exalted to the right hande of his Father It is no maruayle therefore if hée deferred the full exhibition of his Spirite vntyll that time Regeneration the feuite of the spirite But it may bée demaunded here whether hée meane the visible graces of the Spyrite or regeneration whiche is the fruicte of Adoption I aunswere The holye Ghost appeared which was promised at the comming of Christ in those visible gyftes as in a glasse notwithstanding properlye hée speaketh here of the power of the holy Ghost by which wée are borne againe in Christ and are made newe creatures 40. Many of the people therefore when they hearde this saying sayde Ofâ— trueth this is the â—â—â—phete Bv. Here is repeateâ—◠〈◊〉 the truth of the Gospell is receyueâ—â— the world For those thinges which hée had spoken euidentlye and plainlye made the multitude diuerslye affected in the which were both good and simple and also wicked and peruerse hearers C. Wherevpon some thinking one thing and some another there roase contencion among the people And there are reckened vp thrée sortes of hearers of Christ Thre sorts of hearers of Christ The first sort confessed Iesus to bée a true Prophete whereby wée gather that they dyd not abhorre his doctrine but howe light and friuolous this confession was it appeareth thereby that they alowing the teacher neyther vnderstoode nor felt what hée meant or spake For they could not trulye imbrace Christ as a Prophete but they must also acknowledge him to bée the Sonne of God and the aucthour of theyr saluation notwithstanding in this they doe well that they thinke some diuine power to bée in Christ which causeth them to reuerence him For being thus apte to bée taught they might easely haue attayned to Faith as is sayde in another place 41. But other sayde this is christ But some sayde shall christ come out of Galilee But other sayde C These dyd better which plainlye confessed Christ M. For they séeme to profite better in the doctrine of Christ than others and to bée better instructed and learned in the holye Scriptures than others Bv. For they acknowledge him to bée the true Messias promised before in the Lawe and the Prophetes which was a true confession For it comprehendeth the whole sum of al the Christian fayth and the Reuelacion thereof is sayde to depende not of fleshe and blood Mat. 16.17 but of the spyrite of God But some sayde shall Christ C. The thirde sorte resist being euyl and vnbeléeuing and corrupted with the Leuen of the Pharisees which do not onely thinke and speake otherwise than dyd the
the holye Ghost Bv. Trueth in this place is opposed or compared with the shadowes of the Lawe And that is trueth Trueth defyned according to the Hebrewe phrase which is the most perfect essence of any thing and the verye absolute perfection it selfe of a matter Therefore to such as perseuere the Lord in processe of time wyll open all the misteryes of pyetie and of the kingdome of God geuing vnto them all knowledge and vnderstanding which maye seeme to appertaine to true Godlinesse And the trueth shall make you free M. This place is excellent and worthy to bée noated The Lorde promiseth to his true Disciples which abyde in his worde fréedome by the trueth which they shall certainely knowe and so hée commendeth the knowledge of the Gospel of the fruite whiche we receyue thereby or of the effect Bv. The trueth I saye which is the Sonne of God Christ Iesus is the delyuerer of the worlde or Faythe it selfe whiche cleaueth vnto the euerlasting trueth maketh vs frée if so be we be the Disciples of Christ perseuering in his worde C. This is an incomparable benefite wherevpon it followeth that there is nothing better than the knowledge of the Gospell All menne féele the yoake of bondage and seruitude and doe confesse the same to bée a myserable thing seeing then the Gospell doeth delyuer vs from the same it followeth that the same is the treasure of the most happye and blessed lyfe Nowe let vs consider what liberty it is which Christe here noateth vnto vs. Bv. Hée speaketh of the libertye of mennes mindes whiche altereth not the state of Fortune setting the bodye free from the Lawe and bondage of the Maister but it deliuereth the minde from sinne Freedome of the minde from wicked and worldly desyres from the Tyranny of the Deuell from the feare of death from the seruitude of humane constitucions and from the yoake of the Lawe C. Wherefore séeing we obtaine that libertye by the benefite of the Gospell it maye thereby appeare that wée are by nature the seruauntes of sinne Wee must also noate the manner of delyueraunce For so long as wée are ruled by our sence and reason wée are bondmen to sinne but when the Lord doeth regenerate vs by his spyrite hée doeth make vs frée that being loused from the miserable bondes of Sathan wee maye wyllinglye serue the Lord in holynesse and righteousnesse al the dayes of our lyfe C. But regeneracion commeth of faith whereby it apeareth that freedome commeth of the Gospell Now let the Papistes bragge of theyr fréewyll wée knowing our owne seruitude and bondage wyll glorye in no other than in Christ R. Christ therefore teacheth in this briefe sentence after what manner wee are brought into the libertye of Gods children Fyrst we must here Christ Secondly we must beléeue that is to saye we must abyde in his worde and endure temptacion and abyde the Lordes leysure thirdlye we must be Disciples of Christ For he which beleeueth in Faith heareth the worde of God he which heareth the woorde of GOD hee is a disciple of GOD Fourthly we must knowe the trueth The worde is the trueth and hée whiche beléeueth the worde hée truely beléeueth the verity Lastly we must be frée And we must noate that libertye hath his degrées according to the manner of his Faith Rom. 8.23 Wherefore Paule being frée grooned styll looking for the full and perfect delyueraunce 33. They aunswered him we bee Abrahams seede and were neuer bonde to any man howe sayest thou Ye shall bee made free C. This aunswere was confusedly made vnto Christ and that by suche as were contemners and not beléeuing And this manner is muche vsed in the scriptures so often as mencion is made of the bodye of the people generallye to ascribe vnto all menne that thing which belongeth onelye to one parte M. The vnbeléeuing Iewes therefore brake foorth into the middest ▪ and there also gayne sayde Christ where there was nothing that appertayned vnto them Bv. They swelled with the nobillitye of theyr auncetours according to the fleshe but they vnderstoode not that the Lorde spake of the libertye of the minde C. They coulde not abyde that they being a chosen and holye people shoulde be brought into bondage For what had the adoption couenaunt profited them by which they were segregated or seperated from other Nations vnlesse they had beene counted the children of God Therfore they thinke that they haue iniurye done vnto them when liberty is offered vnto them as a benefite comming of fauour and grace M. Therfore to the end they might styrre vp the myndes of the simple against Christ they accuse him to bée a sclanderer of the aucthour of the whole Nation as though he made bothe him and his posteritye contemptible with the vyle yoake of seruitude Such spite and disdaine Sathan also vseth when he obiecteth to the ministers of Christ whiche preache the Gospell the contempt of the Saintes as though they dyd abase and discredite euery saint by exhorting menne to repose their trust onely in Christ Hée knoweth that the Saintes among Christians are in great estimation and that they are worshipped of some for gaine and of other some by simple ignoraunce and therefore neyther part can abyde that the Saintes shoulde bée contemned For this cause to hynder the race of Gods worde he rayseth vp certaine Pharisées whiche crye that the Saintes are to bée worshipped whome notwithstanding these Euangelists contemne And neuer were bonde to any man C. It maye séeme verye absurde that they denye them selues to haue béene at any tyme in seruitude séeing they were so oftentymes oppressed of other Tyrauntes and were subiect at that tyme to the Empyre of Rome Hereby wée maye easely perceiue how foolishe and vaine their boasting was and impudencye also in lying notwithstanding here was some pretence or collour because the vniust domination or rule of the enemies was no let but that by right they might abyde free R. For they séemed to haue respect vnto these notable promises as where it is sayde I haue made thee a Father of many Nations Gen. 17.5 I wyll make thee to grow exceedinglye and wyll make Nations of thee Yea Kinges shall proceede of thee Also Ge. 22.17 Thy seede shall possesse the gate of his enemies And in thy seede shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed C. But in this first of all they erred that they dyd not consider that the right of their adoption was founded vpon the Mediatour onely For howe came the séede of Abraham to be frée but onelye because it was exempted from the common seruitude of mankinde by the especiall grace of the redéemer Abrahams seede free by Christ The other error also is lesse tollerable that for so muche as they being bastards woulde not withstanding bée reckened among the children of Abraham and dyd not consider that it was the onelye regeneration of the Spyrite which maketh them the Lawfull Sonnes
appeareth in the brightnesse of his Gospell are blind not only because their foolishnesse is vncouered which before laye hid vnder the darckenes of Infidelity but also because they béeing plunged by the Iuste vengeaunce of God in déeper darckenesse doe loose that litle light which was left vnto them Wée are all borne blynde but yet for al that in the darckenesse of corrupt defiled nature there appeareth still sertain sparckes that men maye differ from brute beastes Nowe yf proude reason béeing puffed vp with truste and confydence of it selfe do refuse to submit it selfe vnto God it shall seeme to be wise without Christe but the bryghtnes of Christ at the length shall make the same foolishnesse because then the vanitie of mans minde doeth begin to appeare when heauenly wisedome doth reueale it selfe But our Sauioure Christ had a farther matter to expresse in these wordes For ypocrites be fore Christ doth shine do not so obstinately resist and withstande God but so soone as the Light doth shine more nerely they doe make open warre againste God This wickednesse and Ingratitude bringeth to passe that their blindnesse is doubled and that God which before had but taken awaye the light from their eyes doth nowe thruste them oute altogether Now let vs noate the summe of this place which is that Christ came into the worlde to illuminate the blynde to bring those quight and cleane oute of their wittes which séeme wise in their owne conceites M. It is no merueile therefor yf the Phariseis saw not that which this blind man sawe when they sayde that Christe was of God whome the blinde man and simple Idiots in the sight of the world knewe to come from God because by the iust Iudgement of God those wise men are blinded by the comming of Christe and those which sawe not of blind are made to sée C. And in the former place Christ made mencion of illumination because this is the proper cause of his comming For he came not to Iudge the worlde but rather that the worlde might be saued by him Ioh. 3.17 Also this vengeaunce or iudgement is not restrained to the person of Christ as though he did not dayly bring this to passe by the Ministers of the Gospell For the whiche cause we ought to take the more héede lest any of vs by our vayne and mad opinion bring this horrible punishement vpon vs. But experience doth teache how truly Christe hath vttered this sentence For wée doe sée that many are stricken with the spirite of giddinesse and madnesse for no other cause but only for that they cannot abyde the rysing sonne of righteousnes The wicked in the tyme of the Lawe receiued this punishment for the Prophete was sent to blynd the people Esay 6.9 that séeing they might not sée 40. And some of the Phariseis whiche vvere vvith him hearde these vvords and saide vnto him Are vvee blinde allso Bv. Thys beggar was made an example for them whiche in déede were starke blynde notwithstanding they acknowledge their blindnesse and Ignoraunce and are illuminated by the grace of Christ And the Phariseis are made an example which thought them selues Iuste and holye séemed in their owne conceite wise ynough and therfore they came not vnto Christ For the which cause they aboade in blindnesse and in the darckenesse of erroures and sinnes euen as the Euaungelist sheweth afterwarde in playne wordes C. They perceyued that they were wounded by that saying of Christe and yet notwithstanding they séeme not to bée of the worste because the open and sworne enemies of Christ did so abhorre Christ that they could not abyde to ioyne them selues vnto him But these coulde abide to heare Christe but yet withoute profite because no man can bée a néere disciple of Christ but he which forsaketh him selfe from the whiche these men were very farre M. They would not séeme to be blinde though they were starcke blynd For they would neither be reckoned among them whome béeing blind the Lord made to sée nor amongest others which saw whom the Lord made blind Wherefore because they were puft vp with Pride they thinking that they shoulde receiue greate iniury yf so bée they were reckoned among the blynd burst forth and saye Are wee blinde also C. As if they should saye Canst thou not make thy selfe famouse but by our reproche Is this to be suffered that thou shouldest get honoure to thy selfe by our contumely And whereas thou dooest promise light to the blinde get thée hence and auaunt with thy goodnes for wée wil not bée illuminated of thée vpon this condition that wée shoulde graunt vnto thee that we haue béene hitherto blind M. Doest thou thinke no better of vs than thou doest of the common vnlearned sorte of people Doest thou think vs to be blind men lyke vnto other vnskilfull persons séeing we haue the key of knowledge and are the masters and teachers of other men Thou camest to geue sight thou sayest vnto the blinde but thou art a seducer of the blinde Thou seducest the blinde vnlearned multitude but thou canst not so deceiue vs which are not blind Hereby wée maye sée that hipocrisy is alwaye proude and spightfull It is a noate of pride that they standing in their owne conceite would haue no parte of their estimation deminished and it is a token of spight that when their disease was discouered they were more offended at Christ euen as if he had more déepely wounded them Hereof commeth the contempte boath of Christe and also of his grace which he offereth In this word also there is contained we a great emphasis and force thereby declaring that although all others were blinde yet they tooke it in euell parte that they should be reckoned among the common sort This is a faulte to common in those which excell others who béeing dronken with disdayne doe almost forget them selues that they are men 41. Iesus saide vnto them if yee were blinde he should haue noe sinne but nowe yee saie we see therefore youre sinne remaineth M. The Lorde doeth so beate the Phariseis with their owne rod that he condemneth vpon them their owne mouth and proueth that to be true which he had spoken C. Howebeit these wordes haue a double meaning and vnderstanding eyther that ignoraunce did somwhat mittigate their falt except they being plainly conuinced did séeke to resist the truth or else that the disease of Ignorance was curable in them yf so be they did acknoledge him The wordes of Christ hereafter confirme the former sentence where Christ sayth Iohn i5 22 If I had not come and spoken vnto them they had had no sinne ▪ c. But because it followeth in the text But nowe they saye that they see this semeth better to agrée if we saye that he is blind who knowing his owne blindnesse seketh remedy for the disease And then this shal be the summe If ye knewe your euel it should not be altogether incurable but nowe because you thinke
the heires of God in déede doe enioye the lyght to the end When hee sayth Beleue in the light No man must thereby gather that the workes of light are not required of the childeren of light for by the workes of light we are declared to be the chidren of the light Bv. To the which effect pertaineth this saying of Paul ye were sometime darknesse but nowe are ye light in the Lorde walke as childeren of the light for the fruite of the spirite consisteth in al goodnes righteousenesse and trueth aprouing what is acceptable vnto the Lorde Ephe. 5.8 and haue no fellowship with the vnfruitefull wordes of darcknes These things spake Iesus C. It maye séeme straunge why he withdrue him self from them who so ernestly desyered to sée him But by the other Euaungelists we maye easily gather that the Euaungelist here speaketh of the enemies of Christ whome the Godly loue and desyer of good and simple men did ver and offend For the straungers that went to méete with Christ followed him till he came into the temple where he chaunced to come among the Scribes and his auncient enemies 37. But though he hadde done so manie miracls before them yet beleeued not they on him M. This ought not to be vnderstood only of that multitude which had mooued the question vnto the Lord concerning the exaltation of Christ but also of al the vnbeléeuing and blinded Iewes before whom the Lord had done many miracles C Therefore let this hinder or trouble no man that Christ was despised of the Iewes this offence the Euangelist putteth awaye shewing that he had many euident testimonies whiche broughte authoritie and credit to him and to hys doctrine but yet that the glory and power of God which euidently shined in the miracles was not séene and perceiued of the blind M. Moreouer the Euaungelist doth not without consideration make mention in this place of the vnbéelefe of the Iewes For he hath so ordered his history that nowe consequently he commeth to the declaration of the death and passion of Christe Béefore therefore he beginneth with the same he thought it necessary to admonish the reader before hande why it came to passe that the same nation and people remained styll so obstinate and vnbeléeuing that they were not afraide to crucefy the sonne of God to take awaye the offence which might here come he layeth the blame of this matter vpon the obstinacy of the Iewes which coulde be reclaimed by no miracles and yet bée iustefyeth Christ who by many miracles called them vnto the faith B. Moreouer when the Euangelist sayth according to his manner as it were speaking generally They beleeued not on him Iohn 8.30 hée ment that very fewe beléeued on him R. For he affirmed before that sertaine beleeued on him 38. That the saying of Esayas the Prophete mighte bee fulfilled which he spake Lorde who shall beleeue our saying and to whom is the arme of the Lord declared C. Because that thing might trouble the mindes of many men howe the Iewes could be so sencelesse and blinde that the visible power of God could nothinge mooue them Iohn of him selfe goeth forward to shewe that faith commeth not by the common sence and vnderstanding of men but by the singuler and rare gift of God and that if was foreshewed long ago concerning Christ that fewe or none should beleeue the Gospel B. This Esayas prophesyed it was mete therfore it should so come to passe and that the prophesy of the prophet should bee fulfilled For he would not haue prophesied of the same except it had bene so appoynted of my father Bv. But the Iewes were not such obstinate personnes because the Prophete dyd foretell that they should be so but he therefore foreshewed the same because they should bée suche Lord who shall beleeue C. This sentence consisteth of twoo partes In the first part Esaias speaking of Christ and foreséeing that whatsoeuer hee had spoken of Christ and also whatsoeuer should bée spoken by the Apostles should bée reiected of the Iewes as one amazed at such as bée in obstinacye hée cryeth out Lorde who shall beleeue our Preachinges And in the seconde parte hée sheweth the cause why the nomber of the beléeuing is so small namelye because God doeth not commonlye illuminate all menne but bestoweth the grace of his spirite onelye vppon a fewe Wherefore if so bée the obstinate infidelitye of a great number among the Iewes ought not to hynder the faithfull although they be fewe in number no more ought wée to bée ashamed at this daye of the Gospell although the same hath fewe Disciples By this word arme it is euident inough that hée vnderstandeth the power of God The Prophete teacheth that the arme of God whiche is included in the doctrine of the Gospell is hydde vntyll the same bée reuealed and withall hée testifyeth that all are not partakers of this reuelation wherevppon it followeth that many are left to their blindnesse being voyde of inwarde lyght who hearing heare not M. Therefore wee haue néede of the Reuelation of the power of God to beléeue the worde of Christ The high Priestes also Scribes and Pharisées sawe the power of God shyning in the workes of Christ and so dyd the reast of the wicked Iewes but they beléeued not because they sawe the same not as the power of GOD but as the power of Sathan therefore also they sayde Hee casteth out Deuelles in Belzebub the chiefe of the Deuelles Luke xi.xv. To cast out Deuelles was a worke of the finger of God but the wicked attributed the same vnto Sathan Wherfore Because they were destitute of the reuelation of the arme of God their eyes were blinded and their heartes were hardened The arme of God in Christ during the tyme of the Crosse séemed to be shortened but in his resurrection againe it declared it selfe to bée a mightye and outstretched arme Therefore we must praye vnto God that hée wyll reueale his arme vnto vs in Christ R. The Apostle Paule cyteth this testimony to exhorte the faithfull not to be discouraged because of the multitude of the vnbeléeuing and the small number of the faithfull neyther yet for the same to forsake the doctrine of the Gospell All sayeth he obeye not the Gospell For Esaias sayeth Rom. x. xvi Lord who hath beleeued our wordes 39. Therfore could they not beleeue because that Esaias sayeth againe He hath blin 40. ded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with theyr eyes and least they should vnderstād with their heart and shoulde be conuerted and I should heale them C. This speache is somewhat more harde because as the wordes importe the waye and power of beléeuing was quyte stopte vp and taken awaye from the Iewes because the Prophesye of the Prophete had appointed them to blindnesse before they had eyther chosen blindnesse or fayth I aunswere that it is no absurditye if it coulde not happen otherwyse than God
world by this noate that they should obserue and kéepe the doctrine of the gospel And that this noate belongeth vnto the beginning of faith because it is the effect of calling And Christ sheweth by these wordes how we shall rightly obaye the Gospell namelye for when our dutyes and externall actions doe spring from the loue of the same For our armes and force and our whole body also laboureth in vaine except the loue of God doe raigne in our heart which gouerneth the externall members Nowe séeing it is sertayne that we kepe the sayings of Christ yf so be we loue him and contrarywise we loue him yf wée kéepe his commaundementes it followeth that we cānot finde in the whoale world the true and perfect loue of hym because there is no man which perfectly keepeth hys commaundementes Notwithstanding their obedience is acceptable vnto God who do all that they can to reach vnto this perfection And my father wil loue him R. In this place we haue the greate and wonderfull benifits of God whiche procéede from the fruites of the Gospell The fyrste is that God the Father loueth the faithfull Nowe if God be with vs Rom 8 3i who can be against vs If the Lorde loue me I will not care what man or Sathan can do vnto me The second is that boath the Sonne and the Father will dwell with him that beléeueth the word of God Than the which benifits what greater can be deuised For the Father the sonne are very bountifull and benificial ghuestes they came not empty handed neyther doe they go awaye without saluting their hoast but as they bringe with them the treasure of all goodnesse euenso they leaue behynde them the blessing of all goodnesse C. And he speaketh not heare of that eternall loue with the which God loued vs before the foundation of the worlde was layd but of the same with the which he sealeth our harts when he maketh vs pertakers of his adoption And he meaneth not that firste illumination but those degrées of faith by whiche the faithfull must goe forward dayly according to this saying to him that hath shal be geuen Therefore the Papistes doe draw amis from this place two sortes of loue with the which we loue God They immagine that we loue God naturally before he doeth regenerate vs with his spirite by whiche aptnesse and readinesse saye they we deserue the grace of regeneration As though the Scriptures dyd not teache and experience plainlye proue that we are quite tourned awaye from God and are haters of him vntyll suche tyme as he chaunge our hearts Wée must remember the purpose of Christ that he and his Father wyl come to confirme the faythfull in the euerlasting assuraunce of grace in such wyse that they maye feele the grace of God to rest vpon them and maye be dayly increased more and more with the gyftes of God A. Therefore we ought to desyre this spirituall presence of Christ in our prayers and not that carnall corporall presence of the which the Papistes dreame The Lord dwelleth in the hartes of his saintes by faith whome the heauens must receiue vntill the time come that all thinges be restoared which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets synce the world beganne 24. Hee that loueth mee not keepeth not my sayings and the vvord vvhich ye heare is not mine but the Fathers vvhich sent me C. Because the faythfull are mixed in this worlde with vnbeleuers and because of necessitye they must be troubled as it were in the tossing and raginge waues of thesea Christ againe confirmeth them by this admonition lest they shoulde be drawen awaye by euell examples As if he should saye Haue no regard vnto the worlde neither depend vpon the same because their shall be all wayes some which shall contemne me and my doctrine but constantly retayne ye to the ende that grace which ye haue allwaye imbraced And herewithall he declareth that the worlde doth suffer Iuste poonishment for his ingratitude when it perisheth in his blindenes when by the contempte of true righteoussnes it bewrayeth his wicked hatred against Christ B. To kepe the sayinges of Christ is nothing else but to beleue that the same is true and wholsome and also to cleue vnto the same with our whole harte euen as we may gather by the Scripture Heare O Israll the ordinaunces and the Lawes which I propose to you this daye that ye maye learne them and take hede to obserue them Yf by keping the commaundementes of God ye vnderstand the fulfilling of them no man shall kepe them but if ye vnderstand it for seeking to fulfill them then all the godly kepe them For he cannot choose but geue him selfe to the keeping of the commaundementes of God which truely knoweth the same to be of God A. Contrarywise not to kepe the Lords sayings is to reiecte the doctrine of Christ and to contemne his commaundementes which all the wycked are wonte to doe And the word which ye heare is not mine C. Leste the disciples should fall or slide awaye for the obstinat wickednes of the worlde Christ seketh againe to confirme his doctrine when he testifieth the same to be of God and not deuised in earth by man And in this consisteth the stedfastnes of our Faith yf so be we know God to be our guide and are grounded vppon nothing else but vppon his eternall truth Therefore howe much soeuer the worlde doth rage in his madnes let vs followe the doctrine of Christ which far surmounteth heauen and earth In deuiding the worlde to be his he frameth him selfe to his disciples as if he shoulde saye that the same was not of men because he faythfully deliuered that which was committed to him of his Father Neuertheles let vs knowe that for somuch as he is the euerlasting wisdome of God he is the onely well spring of doctrine and that they haue spoken by his spirite which haue bene Prophetes from the beginning A. Diuers like sentences vnto this we haue heard before as My doctrine is not mine but my fathers which sent mee Also Those thinges which I haue heard of him I speake in the worlde 25. These thinges haue I spoken vnto you being yet present with you 26. But the comforter which is the holy ghost whome the Father wil sende in my name hee will send in my name he shall teache you all things and bring all thinges to youre remembrance whatsoeuer I haue sayd vnto you The Lord knew well ynough how rude and ignoraunt his Disciples were and that they were not capeable of those thinges which he spake the which they suff ciētly declared by questioning with hym as we haue heard first in Thomas secondly in Phillip and thirdly in Iudas For this cause lesse they shoulde be discouraged he promysed vnto them nowe the second time the holy Ghost the spirit of truthe which shoulde be vnto them a continuall teacher and which shoulde abyde with them
concerning the braunches his Disciples C. And telleth them that they haue felt alreadye in them slues that whiche he had sayd because they were both planted and pourged in him M. As if he shoulde saye You my Disciples which are as braunches are cleane through the word which I haue spoken vnto you B. that is to saye through my doctrine which ye haue receyued For by the same ye are borne againe C. And there is no doubt but that he spake of the externall preaching when he expreslye nameth the worde whiche they had heard from his mouth Not that the voyce vttered by man hath onelye in it selfe such efficacy but in that Christ worketh in the heart by his spirite The voyce it selfe is the instrument of purging B. Therefore they are cleane which beléeue the Gospell and yet notwithstanding are purged that they maye bring foorth more fruite because by the gyft of the Father they profite in the Faith by whiche they are made the sonnes of God in the which the more they profite the more they are lyke vnto God and the more they fructefye aboue others Neuerthelesse Christ meaneth not that his Apostls are without al fault but setteth before them an experiment whereby they maye learne howe necessary the continnacion of grace is R. Therefore they were cleane not for theyr owne righteousnesse sake but for the worde which being reuealed by the spirite after the resurrectioÌ„ wrought cleannesse in the beléeuing Apostles So all Christians in them selues and in theyr owne righteousnesse are sinners but in Christ through the worde which they haue receyued by faith are iust and cleane R. We must also noate how the sanctifycation and purgation of the faithful as in the Scripture attributed to diuers thinges Purgation attributed to diuers thinges in diuers respects For the Father pourgeth by his spirite as the aucthour the worde purgeth as the hande and power of the aucthour the Sacrament purgeth as the instrument and appendix of the word and faith purgeth as it receyueth purgatirn from the Father by the worde wherevnto the Sacrament is tyed For thou shalt beléeue in vaine if thou beléeue not the recorde Rom x 17 A. Because true faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Therefore we must noate all those sayinges which séeme to attribute purgation to diuers thinges as when it is sayde that God hath purifyed the hearts Also Actes xv ix Ye haue cleansed your heartes by obeying the trueth Againe Christ hath sanctifyed the Churche i. Pet. i. xxij cleansing the same by the fountaine of water in the worde of lyfe Ephe. 5.25 Also Hee hath saued vs through the lauer of regeneration Titus 3.5 and of the renuing of the holy ghost All these places spring from one grounde and tende to this ende that we might vnderstande the manner of purgation and the doctrine of of the Gospell C. the which Christ in this place commendeth vnto his Disciples of the fruite to the ende they might be the more prouoked to the meditacion thereof séeing it is as it were the husband mans knife to proyne and cut of rotten and fruiteles twigges 4. Bide in mee and I in you As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abyde in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me C. Againe hée exhorteth his Disciples to studdye and care to retaine and kéepe that grace with the whiche they are endued For the securitye of the fleshe can neuer sufficiently bée awaked And verilye Christ sought nothing else but to gather vs as a Hen doth her Chickins vnder her winges vnder his protection least by our lightnesse we being crept awaye might flee from him to our owne destruction Therefore to proue that hée had not begon the worke of our saluation to leaue the same vnperfecte he promiseth that his spirite shal be alwaies effectuall in vs. Abyde in mée sayeth hée because I am readye to abyde in you R. We abide in Christ by faith Christ abydeth in vs by his worde A. Herevppon Saint Iohn sayeth i Ioh. 3 24 Hee which keepeth his commaundementes abydeth in him and he in him And hereby we know that he abydeth in vs euen by the spirite which he hath geuen vs. Concerning farther matter reade the sixe and fiftye verse of the sixt Chapter going before As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe Bv. More largelye and plainlye hée declareth by sentences what was the coniunction of Christ and of the Saints in the Churche and what fruite sprang from the same in the Church That is to saye that of that onelye coniunction and knitting tageather good fruites doe spring and that without him no good fruite doeth come from any man And the sentences or collations are these As the braunche of it selfe that is to saye of his owne nature and proper strength béeing taken awaye from his vine cannot bring forth any good fruite euenso except we abyde in Christ wée cannot bring foorth of our owne strength any good workes For it is Christ which watereth and norisheth vs by the grace of his spirite as it were by water that we might easilye bring forth the fruites of godlynesse And to the ende we might the more trulye vnderstande the collation he addeth saying 5. I am the Vine Ye are the braunches he that abydeth in mee and I in him the same bringeth forth much frute for without me can ye doe nothing M. Hée declareth and sheweth vnto his Disciples who they are and what he him selfe is lest that should be attributed to the brannches which belongeth vnto the Vine Bv. As if he should say Least ye shoulde bée ignoraunt what I meane by the Vine and what be the braunches Knowe ye that I aloane am that Godlye Vine which beare braunches and by my sap and moysture doe cause the same to fructefye but you my Disciples and so many as beléeue in mée are the braunches who of them selues that is to saye of theyr owne strength bring forth no good fruite For without mee can ye doe nothing This is the conclusion and application of the whoale parrable So long as we are without him we bring forth no good fruite acceptable vnto God because we are not apte to doe good R. What can be spoken more plainly against frée wyll Free wâ—l ouerthrown and against al humane strength be it neuer so strong For as the braunche being cut from the Vine bringeth forth no fruite but wythereth awaye euen so man can doe nothing at all to attaine to righteousnesse and saluation if so bee through vnbeleefe he bée separated from Christ Bv. This place therefore is verye notable and strong against the defendours of frée wyll affirming that it is in our owne strength and power to worke that which is good C. The Papistes notwithstanding do not onelye extenuate this sentence but also wreste and dallye with the same For although in worde onlye they confesse that we can doe nothing
would not haue you so to vnderstand the same as though he should testifye of mée and you hould your peace By you he shall do al thinges as by chosen instruments For I haue chosen you from the beginning to preach the Gospell therefore haue I taken you vnto mée that ye might testefye of all my wordes and déedes Therefore he shall geue testimony of me and ye shal geue testimony also insomuche that looke what he sayeth ye shall saye the same he in your hearts but you in wordes he by inspiring but you by speaking C. Nowe we sée howe fayth commeth by hearing and yet notwithstanding it hath his certainty from the seale of the spirite They which doe not sufficiently knowe the darcknesse of mens mindes thinke that faith is conceiued naturally by preaching onelye And contrarywyse there are some so farre out of their wittes that they cannot abyde externall preaching But wée sée howe Christe ioyneth these two togeather Therefore although there bée no fayth vntyl the spirite of God doe illuminate our mindes and seale oure heartes yet notwithstanding we must not séeke for visions and Oracles from the cloudes but the word which is néere vnto vs in our mouth and harte oughte to haue all our scences occupyed and fastened to the same Esa 59.21 euenas sayth the prophete Esay as I will make this my couenaunte with them sayeth the Lord my spirite which I haue put vppon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not departe out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede c. R. So that this place confirmeth the authority and doctrine of the Apostles For the Comforter suffereth the Apostles which are men to be weake still in the fleshe but it maketh them mightie in doctrine that their worde might not be humayne but the word of God for they preach the word of Christ C. This clause Because ye haue been with me from the begin was therefore added that wee mighte knowe that the Apostles deserued the more credit because they were eye witnesses of those things which they spake A As we maye reade in diuers places but specially in the Acts of the Apostles Acts. x. 41 2. Pet. i. 16. i. Iohn i. 1. C. For the Lord would haue vs to be so prouided for that nothing which apertaned to the confirmation of the Gospell might be wanting vnto vs. ⧠The .xvj. Chapter 1. These thinges haue I sayd vnto you because ye should not be offended C. CHRIST IN these wordes sheweth wherfore hée forewarned his Disciples of the persecution to come declaring that nothing of those thinges which he had spoken was superfluous For séeing that contencions and battailes were prepared for them it was méete and conuenient that they shoulde be armed and prepared for the same And withall he geueth them to vnderstand that if so be they were well instructed in this Doctrine they shoulde be able to fight R. Therefore before Christ comforted his Apostls with the promise of the comforter which comforteth and confyrmeth the heart in all aduersity and nowe he wylleth them to prepare themselues for the Crosse to come lest the wanes of aduersitye flowing vppon them they should bée offended and slyde from the trueth of the Gospell For thus flesh blood is wont to reason Yf this doctrine were true it should not haue so many aduersaryes and persecutours againe if he were the sonne of God the beloued of God he should not be ouerwhelmed with so many euilles Against this offence Christ fortefyeth al his Apostles with his word foreshewing that they and the Faythfull shall suffer proscription persecution excommunication and be kylled least they should saye as ignoraunt men are wont to doe I wyst not of it For this is an oulde custome that the Kinges Princes and Prelates of this worlde shoulde persecute the worde of trueth and by all meanes afflicte the Preachers of the worde Luke 6 23 So dyd they saith he vnto the Prophets which went before you C. Therefore that which Christ sayde then vnto the Apostles is also spoken vnto vs. And fyrst of all let vs noate that Christ sendeth not his Apostles into the field vnarmed and therfore none perishe in this warrefare but through the faulte of their owne cowardlinesse Neyther must we differre the time vntyll we come vnto present necessitye but must rather endeuoure our selues that we being acquainted and familiarlye accustomed with these wordes of Christ maye goe to the battayle when néede shal requyre For there is no doubt but that we haue the victory in our hand so long as these admonitions of Christ shal be fast imprinted in our mindes For when hée sayeth Because ye shoulde not be offended hée geueth vs to vnderstande that there is no perryll least any thing shoulde tourne vs out of the right course But hereby it appereth howe fewe there are which rightlye learne this doctrine because they whiche thinke that they haue this at theyr fingers endes without all daunger when they shoulde come to fight hande to hande fayle and slyde away euen as ignoraunt men that knowe nothing Let vs therefore arme and fortefye our selues with suche weapons as wyl not fayle in tyme of neede M. Hée is offended whiche hath had any thinge happening vnto hym contrarye to his expectation Hee whiche is offended doeth easylye goe backe and chaunge his minde Because therefore the Lorde Iesus sought wholy to exhorte his Disciples to constancye and perseueraunce lest they should forsake him but rather shoulde abide in him the true Vine as good and fruitefull braunches he doeth verye well foretell them of the persecution to come lest when the same shoulde come they might bée offended and so fall awaye Therefore wée are here taught that they doe reason amisse of Predestination whiche doe exclude all dilligent taking héede to shonne euell If so bee saye they the matter be so in destenies that I shal be offended and fall it cannot bee let by any meanes but that I shal be offended and fall although I shonne euerye stombling stoane of offence if it be not in destinies then also it shall not come to passe and so al caution or taking heede is but vaine If these thinges haue reason then is that vaine whiche the Lord hath here spoken These thinges haue I spoken vnto you because yee shoulde not bee offended But it is not in vaine because offence maye and ought to be auoyded Therefore this admonition is verye profitable and necessarye if so be wée waye and consider howe proane wée be to fall at euerye offence and stombling stoane Yf so be the Apostles ought to feare offence who had séene so many wonders done by Christ what is it that we ought to feare being inferiour vnto them 2. They shall excommunicate you ▪ yea the time shall come that vvhosoeuer kylleth you wyll thinke that he doeth God seruice M. Here he speaketh of excommunication by which the Apostles were to be cast
they did put the summe of theire doctrine in writinge To this doctrine whosoeuer thinketh that somewhat must be added as though the same were lame and vnperfect he doth not onely accuse the Apostels of fallse dealyng but also it is blasphemuse agaynst the spirite Yf so be the doctrine the which they haue put in writing came as yet from yong instructed scholler and nouices yet were it not a vaine and superfluose adition but nowe seing their writinges be as it were prepetunall to the Reuelation of the spirite which was promised and performed vnto them their can nothing be added vnto the same without great iniury done vnto the spirite But when we come to the matter it selfe the Papistes are very vayne ridiculouse For they define and afirme that those secretes with the Apostles were not able to conceiue and comprehende were but childishe and trifeling ioyes then the which there can be nothing more vaine and foolish They woulde haue forsooth the holy Ghost to descend from heauen to teach the Apostles how to consecrate their chalices with their altares how to baptize belles and to make holy water and how to selebrat masses But how do fooles and children learne which haue all these thinges at their fingers endes very perfecte M These are Iolly fellowes which place the Instruction and reuelation of the holy ghost in the Church after the Gospel as though those thinges alone which Christ taught in the flesh and which the disciples could conceiue pertayned to the Gospell and that those thinges which the holy ghoste taught after the departure of Christ which the Apostles coulde not conceyue and carrye before they had receyued the holy Ghost are these notable and erce lent ceremonyes of dayes of meales of garmentes and such lyke B. For they contend affirme that these many thinges which Christ saith his Apostles coulde not beare as yet are to be vnderstoode to be those ceremonies whiche haue crept into the Churche and whiche are very gainefull vnto them But what can be more foolishlye spoken R. For séeing those ceremonies doe sauour more of the fleshe than they doe of the spirite how coulde it be that they shoulde be reuealed by the spirite when the spirite and the fleshe are contrarye one to the other Let vs therefore except we will bée vnthankefull vnto GOD staye oure selues and be contented with that doctrine of the whiche the Apostles are authours as the Scripture doth testify seeing the full perfection of heauenlye wisdome is contayned in them whiche maye make the man of God perfect Beyond the same we think it not méete for any man to passe For in this consisteth high breadth and depth to knowe the loue of God which is offered to vs in Christ Ephe 3 28 This knowledge is aboue all other knoweledg as sayeth the Apostle Paul And when he sayeth that all the treasurs of wisedome and knowledge are hidden in Christ Gala. 3 i. he doth not Immagin any vnknowen Christ but such a one as by hys preaching he hath liuely depainted that we maye behold him euenas it were before our eies crucâ—fied But lest any doubt or Ambiguity should remaine Christ hym selfe afterwarde expoundeth his owne wordes shewing what thinges those were which the Apostles could not then beare and with all declareth what the office of the holy Ghost is saying He shall not speak of him selfe but whatsoeuer hee shall heare C. Many restrayne this vnto the spirit of prophesy A. For there wanted not in the Apostles tyme Acts xi 28 some whiche forshewed thinges to come as we may reade of Agabus Acts. xxi xâ— who prophesyed of the famine to come in the Emperoure Claudius dayes and what should happen to Paule at Hierusalem he forshewed to the Bretheren also the Apostles them selues by the reuelation of the spirit prophesyed of many thinges concerning Antichrist and his members Act xx xxix all which thinges are most true i. Tim. 4 i 2 Tim. 3 19 2. Pet 2. i Iude. i 4 C. Howebeit Christ in this place séemeth rather to speake of the state of his spirituall kingdome which the Apostles sawe strayght after his resurrection but yet could not by anye meanes comprehende the same The treasures of this secret wisdome Paule expoundeth in his firste Chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesyans When Christ sayeth that the spirite shall not speake of him self he confyrmeth that which went before He shall leade you into all trueth He meaneth therefore that whatsoeuer the spirit bringeth procéedeth from God Notwithstanding the Maiesty of the spirite is nothing deminished by these wordes as though eyther he were not God or else weare inferioure to the father but they are spoken to the capascity of our mynd For because of the vayle which is before our eyes we do not sufficiently perceyue with howe great Reuerence we ought to receyue those thinges which the spirit reuealeth vnto vs therefore mencion of the Diuinity is made Euen as in another place it is called the earnest by which God hath established our saluation and the seale Ephe. i. i3 by which he sealeth the sertaynty of the same vnto vs. To conclude the purpose of Christ was to teach that the doctrine of the spirite was not of this world Iohn 17. but that it came out of the heauenly sanctuary euenas Christ often times testifieth of his doctrine 14. Hee shall glorifie me for hee shall receiue of mine and shall shewe vnto you C. Nowe Christ sheweth that there shall not come a spirite which shall erect and set vp a newe kingdome but whiche shall rather establish the glory geuen to him of the Father M. Notwithstanding he speaketh not this for the affection of his owne glory but vppon a desyer to pacifye and quiet the mindes of hys Discipls lest they should think that they should so receiue another comforter that they shoulde be seperated deuided from him as though by them he shoulde deale in another mans cause and not in his owne the which they tooke very greuouslye for the loue which they bare vnto hym C. Many dreame that Christ had onely taught hys Disciples the fyrste Principles and afterwardes deliuered vnto them more profounde matters Thus they make noe more accounte of the Gospell than they doe of the lawe the which is sayd to haue bene the Schoolemayster of the Iewes vnto Christ After this error there followeth an other no lesse intollerable as that Christ hauing nowe taken his leaue Gala. 3 24 and béeing entered into hys kingdome had nothing to do and had appoynted the holye Ghost to be in his place From this ground the sacriledge of Popery and of Mahometisme hath come For although these Antichristes are much vnlyke one to the other in many thinges yet notwithstanding they haue all one beginning For they saye that by the Gospell we are entered into the right fayth but yet that we must séeke for the perfection of doctrne from another As though Christ
the Apostles behaued not theÌ„selues so valiantly as it became theÌ„ yet notwithstanding they did fauoure their infirmitie They séeke to hide them selues to auoyd peril yet notwithstaÌ„ding they pluck vp their minds that they may abyd together For otherwise they had béene disperced here and there and one of them woulde haue béene afrayde to looke another in the face After the same manner must we fight with the infirmitie of our fleshe and resiste feare which maketh vs to falle away And Christe doth blesse their zeale in appearing to them béeing gathered together and Thomas is iustly depriued of that grace which all his brethreÌ„ had bicause as a vagrant or waÌ„dring souldier he was departed from the ensigne of vnitie Therfore let al those hereby learne whiche are to fearefull to imbolden them selues and to correcte in them the feare of the flesh Came Iesus and stoode in the middest M. In that Christe when the doores were shut came vnto his disciples which were gathered together for feare of the Iewes to the ende by his apparition he might comforte them béeing in griefe and feare we haue a notable proofe of his diuine power For wheras some think that the doores were opened for him that he might enter in according to the manner of men it disagréeth much with the mind of the Euangelist Therefore we muste not thinke that Christ entred in without miracle to the ende he might declare hys diuine power to make his Disciples the more attentiue Neuerthelesse that is moste false whiche the Papistes affirme as that Christes body perced the doores which were shut This they therefore affyrme that they mighte make his gloryfied body not onely lyke vnto a spirite but also so incomprehensible that no place can contayne the same But the woords of the Euangelist sounde no such thyng bycause he saith not that he entred through the doores that were shut but that hée stoode sodaynely in the middest of hys disciplees when the doores were shutte We knowe that Peter came foorthe of the fast barred prison shal we therfore say that he perced through the middest of the Iron gate This were to absurde and childish let vs coÌ„tent our selues with this that Christ purposed by a notable miracle to confyrme the Apostles in the fayth of his resurrection Peace be vnto you Bv. Christ according to his maner saluteth his beloued disciples For the Iewes vsed this maner of salutation and it continueth with them vntill this â—aye By peace he meaneth integritie and health prosperitie and a blessed lyfe M. Euen as when we say God saue you The Lord vsed this maner of salutacion not onlye at this present but also before his passion A. Concerning this salutacion reade the tenth Chapter of Mathew beginning at the 12. verse 20. And when he had so sayd he shewed vnto them his hands and his syde Then were the disciples glad C. It was meete that this confyrmation shuld be added that it might appere vnto them by all maner of meanes that Christ was risen againe Bv. Least they should imagine him to be a spirite or some other body than that which had hoong vppon the crosse Therfore he sheweth vnto theÌ„ his hands and his side namely the prints of the nailes in his hands and the wound pearced by the speare in his syde M. The Euangelist Luke in his fower and twentie chapter addeth more coÌ„cerning the communication of Christ with his disciples about meate in the 41. verse 21. Then sayd Iesus vnto them againe Peace be vnto you as my father sent me euen so send I you also C. Christ saluted them again to make theÌ„ the more attentiue vnto those things which he spake being matters of great waight and importaunce As my father sent me M. Christ first declared vnto his disciples the reason of his death resurrection out of the scriptures and then he tould them that they should preach remission of sins repentance geue testimonye vnto the gospel C. By which words Christ doth after a sort enter his Apostles into their office to the which before he had choseÌ„ theÌ„ They wer sent before throughout Iewry but only as forerunners which should exhort coÌ„mand men to heare the chief teacher but not as Apostls which shuld take vpon theÌ„ the coÌ„tinual office of teaching And now the lord appointeth theÌ„ as Ambassodors to declare set forth his kingdoÌ„ in the world Therefore let this stand as an vndoubted truth that this is the fyrst time in the which the Apostls wer ordained to be ordinary ministers of the gospel And his wordes are in effect as much as if he shuld sai that he had hitherto don the office of a teacher and that hee hauing ended his course race appointed vnto them their turne For the father had appointed him to be a teacher of the church to this end that he might go before the rest for a time might afterward appoint substitutes in his place to supply his roome For the which cause Paul saith that he hath appointed some in the church to be Apostles other Euangelists Eph. 4.11 other Shepeheardes to gouerne the church vnto the end of the world Bv. Therfore he committeth vnto them their Ambassage and appoynteth theÌ„ to be teachers of the whole world ministers of his church C. First of all then Christ testifyeth that although he him self hath a temporall office of teaching yet notwithstanding that the preaching of the gospel shal abide for euer and lest the doctrine of the Apostles shuld haue lesse authoritie hee coÌ„maundeth theÌ„ to succéed him in the same function which he had receiued of his father And thus it was méete that their ministrie should be authorised for they wer base vnlearned men Bv. But we must take hede lest we abuse these words of the Lord or misconster them For the lord did not send forth his Apostles to offer them selues a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world nether to the ende the father might be called vppon through their name or that by their merittes the whole worlde mighte bée saued Mat. 9.12 Ihon. 6.38 Ihon. 3.17 but that by the preaching of the woorde they myght call men to repentaunce and to remission of sinnes in Christ Therefore the maner how Christ him selfe was sente is noted in the places quoated in the margent This then is referred to the preaching of the gospell euen as he sayth in another place Mar. 28.19 Mar. 16.15 Go ye forth into the whole world and preach the Gospel to euery creature 22. And when he had said those woords he breathed on them and saith vnto them receyue ye the holy Ghost Bv. The Apostles might haue sayd vnto Christ thou laiest a heauy burthen vppon our shoulders We feare Lord that wée are not sufficient for these labours that we want strength insomuch that we shal fainte at the last vnder our burthen This world hath his power his customes receiued from the fathers which it accounteth
denyall of Christ of the which we haue hard had made him vnworthy of the Apostleshippe For how should he be a faythfull teacher of the fayth whiche had so fowlly fallen from the same He was made an Apostle namely with Iudas But so soone as he had forsaken his place office and dignitie he was also depriued of the honor of the Apostleship Bv. Therfore least he might seeme to be remoued for euer from the fellowship and office Apostolical by the thréefolde denyall he is receiued agayne by the trebble confession of his loue and now as well libertie as authoritie to teache is restored vnto him both whiche he had lost through his owne fault And least the infamie of his fall might any thing hynder him Christ quite wipeth and blotteth away the same Such a perfect restitution both for Peter and also for his hearers was most necessarie for him it was necessarie that he mighte the more boldely execute his office beeing assured of his vocation to the whiche he was restored agayne for the hearers also least the fault remayning still in the man mighte haue giueÌ„ some meÌ„ occasion to despise the gospel Simon Ioanna A. Concerning this name we haue spoken before Iohn 1.42 Simon Ioanna sayth our Sauiour louest thou me Bv. The whiche some referre vnto the Disciples that this might be the sence and meaning Louest thou me more than thou doest these thy brethren and fellowes But it séemeth to be the more simple sence and meaning if so be thou vnderstande that Peter was asked whether he loued the Lorde more ferueÌ„tly than did the rest Peraduenture the question rose herehence for that he leauing his felowes in the Skiffe cast him selfe into the lake not tarying the time of rowing and seeking to come first vnto the Lord standing vpoÌ„ the shore Also because he fund the Sauiour very mercifull vnto him in forgeuing his sinne Luke 7.47 by righte the greater loue is required of him For he to whom more is giuen ought to loue more C. But howsoeuer the matter standeth that way it is most certain that the meaning of Christ in these wordes is that no man can faythfully serue the Church and take paynes in féeding the flocke excepte he haue further respecte than vnto men First the office of teaching of it selfe is laborious and troublesome seeing there is nothing more harde and to keepe men vnder the yoke and obedience of God of whom some are weake some lighte some peruerse some dull some slouthful some hard and vnapte to be taught Preaching a harde office Also Satan for his parte thrusteth in al the lettes and stumbling blocks he can deuise to discourage the good shepheard or at lest to weaken him Therfore none shall câ—nstantly go or warde in this office but he in whose hart remayneth the loue of Christe that he forgetting him selfe and wholly adicting him selfe vnto Christ may ouercome all impediments and stayes Thus Paule declared him selfe to be affected when he sayd The loue of Christ bindeth vs. Bv. To be short Christ requireth of the shepheard burning and earnest loue For the Lorde did not aske Peter as one ignorante what was in the harte of Peter or of any other maÌ„ but he sought to imprint this in the mindes of al his Disciples that he must of necessitie be endued with perfect loue toward Iesus Christ whiche taketh vpon him the care of his flocke C. Therfore let them which are called to gouerne the Church remember that if they will eightly and truly execute their office they must first begin at the loue of Christ Yea Lord thou knowest that I loue thee M. So great is the constancie and trust of a good conscience that it is not afrayde to appeale vnto the knowledge of the Lorde and to take the Lorde him selfe for a witnesse Peter sayth not Thou knowest Lorde that I loue thée more than these doo but Thou knovvest Lorde that I loue thee He exalteth not himself aboue the rest neyther doth he ascribe lesse loue vnto them than vnto him selfe but modestly and simply affirmeth that he loueth the Lord. He could iudge no more of other mens harts than they could doo of his For no man knoweth what is in man 1. Cor. 2.11 but the spirite of man that is in him Euen so we must testifie of the truth of our hart that in the meane time we reiecte not others nor presume to iudge of the spirit of other men Feede my Lambes C. The Scripture applyeth this worde Feede metaphorically to all kinde of gouernment But bicause héere he speaketh of the spiritual gouernmeÌ„t of the Church it is good for vs to note in what partes the office of a shepeheard consisteth For we haue héere no vayne or idle dignitie depaynted vnto vs neyther dothe Christe commit any gouernmeÌ„t to a mortal man that he may vse the same at his own pleasure Christ seeing he is properly the only shepheard of the Church who gouerneth and feedeth his sheepe by the worde of saluation Pastors of Christe to feede hys sheepe bicause he vseth the helpe of men to preache doctrine dothe giue also vnto them his name or at lest communicateth the same with them Therefore they are accounted for lawfull and true Pastors before God which gouerne the Churche by the ministerie of the worde vnder the head Christe Whereby we may gather what burthen Christ layeth vpon Peter and vpon what condition he appoynteth him a gouernour of his flocke Whereby also the wickednesse of the Bishoppes of Rome is playnly inough refelled and dysproued whiche wrest this place to establishe the tyrannie of their Popedome To Peter say they it was sayde aboue the rest Feede my Sheepe Why it was spoken rather to him than to the rest we haue shewed before Supremacie of the Pope But there is nothing geuen to Peter in these words whiche is not aswel common to all the Ministers of the Gospell R. For the Apostles haue all one power bicause they haue all one and the selfe same spirite all one worde of the Gospell giuen vnto them to preach C. Therefore the Papistes doo seeke to proue in vayne that Peter was chiefe bicause he was specially spoken vnto aboue the rest But admit and graunt that he had some speciall honor aboue the rest how will they proue that he was placed in the highest degrée of all other He was in deede the chiefest among the Apostles but shall it therof follow that he is the vniuersal Bishop of the whole worlde Verely whatsoeuer Peter hathe receyued doth no more appertayne to the Pope than it dothe to Mahumet For by what right dothe he chalenge to him selfe to be Peters successor And what man in hys right wittes will graunt vnto him that Christ speaketh here of any right of succession Yet notwithstanding he will be counted Peters successor I would to God he were None of vs doth let him but that he may loue Christ and take care and charge to
affirmeth that he is God Now séeing there is one God it foloweth that Christ is one essence with the father and yet notwithstanding that they differ in something R. For the Father imprinteth the Image The sonne is the Image imprinted or expressed The father shineth and the worde is the very same brightnesse which doth shine M. Wherefore we must not feare lest the Euangelist shall appoint a newe God vnto vs against the law of God in the which it is sayde Psal 81 Thou shalt haue no newe God He cannot bée God which is not equall with God in sempiternity It is written There is no God before me neither is there any after me If this word be sprong foorth after God it cannot be God But the Euangelist taketh awaye this feare from vs séeing he saieth not And that word was made God But the worde was God Not because afterward it ceassed to be God God forbid How had that béene God which coulde afterward ceasse to be God But to the ende he might expresse the euerlasting diuinitie of the worde of God the which hath no beginning he sayde and God was the worde That is to saye In the beginning before the worlde was made before all times this worde was God A. But this confession of Christian fayth by occasion was the cause of manye persecutions For when the worlde coulde not attaine to knowe by carnall wisdome howe God woulde be manifested in the fleshe it persecuted the Apostles and Martires of Christ to the death because they séemed to affirme the pluralitie of Goddes when as they with great constancie of minde affirmed that to be true whiche this our Euangelist hath here put downe by plaine wordes namely God is the worde But truely Iohn doth not affirme that God is with God 2. The same was in the beginning with God M. The Euangelist repeateth those thinges which he spake euen now but so that he ioyneth together those thinges which were spoken seuerally For these two being ioyned togither In the beginning was the worde And the worde was with God do attribute vnto the worde an vndoubted Godheade And it is very well that they are repeated ioyntly and together which in déede are ioyned together least occassion shoulde be giuen to the malicious to gather and say that the worde was in the beginning but not by and by coeternall or of like eternitye with God which was somewhat before the worde Therfore he repeateth this that the same was in the beginning with GOD ascribing vnto him the like sempiternitie with GOD. C. And so those two former partes are gathered by him into a short conclusion that he was alwaies and that with God to the ende we might vnderstande the beginning to be before all time Nowe wée sée with how fewe wordes notwithstanding circumspectlie and Godlye the Euangelist hath handled the mistery of the diuinity the which thing if the Christians of olde time would haue followed the churches had not beene so miserablie and daungerouslye deuided neyther shoulde they haue geuen occasion to the subtil and busie aduersaries 1. Cor. 2 to contaminate and obscure the deuine maiesty with their impure inuentions We shall not come into the wholesome knowledge of the diuinitie but by the meanes of the mediator the man Christ Iesus Wherfore it shall be good to learne with Saint Paule to know Christ Iesus and the same crucified that thereby we maye humble ourselues and maye diligentlye prosecute the mortification of our fleshe according to our promise Furthermore we are here admonished not to fainte because we sée in this our time also manye wicked sectes to be sprong vp they are the dartes of Satan against the wholesome truth of the gospell the which is a manifest signe that the truth is amongst vs for otherwise he woulde not stirre 3. All thinges were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made Al things were made by it C. After he hath affirmed the word to be God and declared his eternal essence nowe hée proueth his deuinitie by his workes B. shewing by what meanes he did insinuate and secretlie reueale himselfe to the worlde First of all he did it by creation for by him all thinges were made without him there was nothing made that is made secondely both by the conseruation déede for by his blessing al things liue M. First of all therfore the Euangelist propoundeth the worke of the creation then he passeth to the woorke of redemption And he putteth the worke of creation in a most briefe compendium of all thinges the which Moyses more largely hath described All thinges saith he Heauen Earth Sea and all things else conteyned in them were made by him that is to say Heb. 1. Collos 1. by Christ the worde of God So saith the Apostle By whome hee made the Heauens also Saint Iohn therefore by these wordes doth bring a light vnto that which Moyses hath written to the ende we might vnderstande that those thinges which are written in the first of Genesis as concerning the workes of creation doe set foorth vnto vs the deuinity of Christ R. For Moyses euen in the beginning of Genesis affirmeth that God made all thinges by his worde which is the onelie begotten son of God Christ our Lorde saying Gen. 1. And God sayde Let there bee light and there was light And afterwarde he sayth Againe GOD sayde Let there be a Firmament Let the waters be gathered c. Let vs make man after our owne Image Whereby wée sée that to be true which the Prophet singeth in his Psalme Psal 33. By the worde of the Lorde the heauens were made and all the powers of them by the breath of his mouth Psal 148. And in another place he sayeth He spake the worde and they were made hee commaunded and they were created Colos 1 And the Apostle Paule sayth All thinges were made by him and for him and hee is before all thinges and in him all things consist C. Therfore the Euangelist goeth about here to shewe that the word of God had his eternall action euen in the beginning of the creation of the worlde For séeing that he was incomprehensible at the first in his essence his power was then openlye knowne made manifest by the effect M. But where as the Euangelist sayth in the pretertence or time past that all thinges were made by it we must not thereby gather that after the worlde was created and all thinges therein contayned GOD doth make nothing anye more by his worde but doth suffer all things to be done by chaunse and is as it werein the meane time ydle or a sléepe God forbid For those thinges whiche hée made by his worde hée gouerneth and preserueth with his euerlasting prouidence as testifieth our Sauiour Christ him selfe Iohn 5 saying My Father worketh hitherto and I worke And the Apostle Paule 1. Cor. 12 Gen. 2 VVhich worketh all in all For in that
to come the whiche life the elect haue from him Of the whiche Christ him selfe oftentimes speaketh saying I am the breade of life Iohn 6. which came down from heauen If any man eate of this breade hee shall liue for euer Againe Iohn 11. I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeueth in me though he were dead yet shall he liue Also he sayeth I am the waye the trueth and the life Iohn 14. In this sence also our Euangelist Saint Iohn calleth him in his Epistle 1. Iohn 1. The worde of life Therefore so many as are not made pertakers of the grace of God in Christ are depriued of the true and euerlasting life For without that euerlasting purpose and worde of GOD no man can haue eternall life the which Saint Iohn noted by these woordes in another place saying Hee that hath the Sonne of God 1. Epist 5 hath life and he that hath not the Sonne of God hath not life Notwithstanding we must take héede that we attribute not so the power of quickening to the Sonne of GOD that we take away the same from the Father For as the Father rayseth vp the dead and maketh aliue Iohn 5. euen so the Sonne also quickeneth whom he will And in another place S. Iohn sayth 1. Epist 1. And the life was with the Father And againe As the father hath life in him selfe Iohn 5. so hath he geuen to the sonne to haue life in him selfe And yet notwithstanding ther are not two welles of life euen as there are not twoo Creators nor twoo Gods The Father quickeneth all thinges by his worde euen by it hée hath made all thinges doeth as make all things and preserueth them being made And the life was the light of men AVG. By the light men are lightened but Beastes are not lightened thereby because they haue not mindes capeable of reason and wisedome but man which is made after the Image of God hath a reasonable minde by the which he can perceyue and vnderstand wisedome Therfore that life by which all thinges are made is the light and not of all creatures but of men onely M. So that the Euangelist meaneth not that light by this worde light which pertaineth to the Sonne and doeth lighten the eyes of our body but he meaneth that light by the which the eyes of our minde are illuminated to knowe God And he maketh mention of that part of life by the which men excell all other liuing Creatures As if he should saye that not a common kinde of life was giuen vnto men but such a life as is ioyned with the light of vnderstanding And he separateth man from the number of all other creatures because we perceaue better the power of God in vs by sence than we behold the same a farre of So Saint Paul teacheth that God is not to be sought a farre of Actes 17. because he reuealeth him selfe inwardly in vs. After therefore the Euangelist had set before vs the general consideration of the grace of Christ that he might bring men to a more neare consideration therof he sheweth what is speciallye geuen vnto them namelye that they are not in creation like vnto brute Beastes but are set in a more hye degrée hauing a minde indued with reason and capeable of wisedome that they being indued with this wisdome might be brought to the knowledge of God the verye well of life So sayeth the Prophete Dauid Psal 36. VVith thee is the vvell of life and in thy light shall we see light 5. And the light shineth in darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not And the light shineth in darkenesse A. Here the Euangelist beginneth to note men of ingratitude and blindnesse because by theyr wickednesse they reiecte this light offered vnto them And that we maye vnderstand this thing we must note that the Euangelist first of al admonisheth that the light with the whiche men were indued in the beginning must not be iudged according to theyr present state because in this corrupted and defiled nature the light is turned into darkenesse Notwithstanding he therewith affirmeth that the light of vnderstanding is not cleane put out because in the obscure darkenesse of mans minde certaine sparkes of light as yet do spring vp M. The Euangelist therefore excuseth the Diuinitye and Maiestye of Christ when he sayth that the same hath euer shined vnto mortall men as a certayne most euident and manifest light and he layeth all the blame of the ignoraunce of GOD on the blindnesse of men C. For in that he affirmeth the light to shine in darkenesse that pertayneth nothing at all to the praise of corrupt nature but rather to the taking away of the pretenced cloake of ignorance M. For this light shineth in the world and the mindes of mortall men might by the same haue béene brought to the knowledge of the liuing of God had not theyr mindes béene ouerwhelmed with darkenesse For hée calleth here the blindnesse of mennes mindes vnbeléefe impietye and the ignoraunce of GOD darkenesse For as the eyes that are blinde can not comprehende the light euen so the mindes that are blinded cannot comprehend the light of life A. And as the light is present to the blinde man the whiche notwithstanding is absent from his eyes euen so the light of life is present to mortall men the whiche notwithstanding theyr mindes being oppressed with darkenesse can not attaine C. For since the time that man was alienated and fallen from GOD ignoraunce hath so captiued his minde that what light so euer remaineth in the same lieth suffocated and choked without effect And this thing experience dayly proueth For they which are not borne againe by the spirite of GOD hauing some reason stande for a certaine document that man was not onelye made to breathe but also to vnderstande But there are twoo speciall partes of the light which remayneth as yet in the corrupt nature of man For there is naturallye ingrafted in all men a certaine sound séede of religion or godlinesse Furthermore a difference of good and euill is ingrauen in theyr Consciences But what fruictes at the length come foorth surely that religion Godlynesse which doeth degenerate into a thousand monsterous supersticions and that conscience which doeth altogeather peruert iudgement that it may confounde vice with vertue To conclude the naturall reason which is in man doth neuer direct men vnto Christ But we must note that the Euangelist speaketh only of natural giftes that he doth not as yet touch the grace of regeneration For there are two distinct vertues of the sonne of God the first is that which appeareth in the making of the worlde and in the order of nature the second appeareth in the renuing and repairing of the decayed and defiled nature of man 6. There was a man sent from God whose name was John There was a man sent from GOD. C. Nowe the Euangelist beginneth to shewe how
the worde of God was manifested in the fleshe For Christ did not onelye offer and set him selfe before the eyes of men to be séene but he woulde also be knowne by the testimonie and doctrine of Iohn Yea GOD the father sent him before to be a witnesse to his sonne Christ to the ende all men might the more easilie receyue the saluation offred of him R. Euen as therefore the Lorde GOD when he went about to make the worlde he reuealed him selfe out of the profounde darckenesse that is to say out of nothing by the word Euen so when he went about to restore the Faithfull and to repayre his Church he sent his Sonne appearing outwardlye and in the sight of men euen as if he had béene God in no point vntill at the length the glory of his Godhead more and more appeared for he was couered with the fragillitye of the fleshe and the shame of the Crosse least at the first sight he shoulde be knowen The which thing was foreshewed by Esay saying Esay 53 He is despised and reiected of men he is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities wee hid as it were our faces from him hee was despised and wee esteemed him not Therefore when Christ shoulde come in the fleshe and couered with the shame of the Crosse he did not amis to send before his face a witnesse For so also the Lord foreshewed by Malachy that it shoulde come to passe saying Mala. 3 Beholde I sende my Aungell and he shall prepare the way before thy face This was Iohn the Baptist which was sent of GOD first that he might beare witnesse of Christ although his grace néedeth no testimony for the trueth is a sufficient testimony of him as he him selfe declareth in the fifth Chapiter saying Iohn 5 Ye sent to Ihon and he bare witnesse of the truth But I receyue not the testimonie of man But I speake these things that ye might be safe C. Therfore this our witnes was not ordained because of Christ or for Christes sake AVG. For because the sonne of God was so made man that the godhead laye hid in him there was sent before a great and excellent man by whose testimonie he might be founde more than a man And how coulde this man speake the truth of God Hee aunswereth to that and sayth that he was sent of God C. By the which wordes the Euangelist doth not confirme the calling of Iohn but doth onely make mention of the same by the way For this is not a sufficient certaintie or warraunt when men that runne of them selues boast them selues to be sent of GOD but the Euangelist speaking hereafter somewhat more of this witnesse thought it sufficient in one word to shew that he came not but by the commaundement of God after that we shall sée how hée affirmeth God to be the Aucthor of his ministerie Math. 1. Math. 3. Luke 3. M. And hée beginneth this part very wel of the forerunner Ihon as also the rest of the Euāgelistes doe For from the time of Iohns baptime that light hauing taken vpon it flesh Luke 2. Math. 2. began to be reuealed And although at the time of his Natiuitie certaine beames begā to shine of that light as wée may see in the history of the Shepeherds of Simeon of Anna and of the wisemen yet notwithstanding whatsoeuer light had shined it vanished awaye by and by againe and was almost thirtie yeares euen to the beginning of his preaching obscured and darekened againe For this testimonie of Iohn was reserued kept euen vntill the same time in the which Christ woulde reueale himselfe to the worlde by the preaching of the Gospell and by the working of myracles that hée being the forerunner of Christ might prepare the way before him The whiche thing Iohn the Baptist sufficientlie declared by these wordes saying There standeth one in the middest of you whome ye know not Obiection C. But if any man obiect that the testimonie of Iohn is to weake being but a man that Christ thereby shoulde be proued to be the sonne of God wée may quickelie aunswere Aunswere that Iohn the Baptist is not cited as a priuate witnesse but because he was indued with aucthoritie from God he bare rather the person of an Aungell than of a manne Therefore he is not beautified or commended with the titles of his owne vertues but with this one that he was the Ambassadour of the mightye GOD. CHR. Iudge therefore none of those thinges which are spoken by him to be of man For he spake not those thinges which were his owne but the thinges that belonged to him that sent him and therefore he is called by the Prophete an Angell For it is the office of an Angell to speake nothing of his owne but that for which he is sent C. But we must note that the same which is spoken of Iohn is required to be in al the teachers of the Church namelye that they be called of God that the aucthoritie of teaching maye be founded on no other than on God him selfe For the Prophetes speake against such which runne being not sent of God Iere. 23. Rom. 10. They run sayth he and I sent them not Againe it is sayd Howe shal they preache except they bee sent And to be sent of God is to do the commaundement of God Whose name was Iohn C. The name is here expressed not onelye to discribe the man but also because it was geuen to him vppon consideration of the matter it selfe M. For the very name doeth containe in it selfe the signification of grace And iustlye he obtained this name which should be the foreronner and first preacher of the grace of God which was offered to the world by Christ And therefore by Gods appointment by the Aungell he receyued this name before he was borne and that not without the wonderfull admiration of his Parentes Luke 1. C. But the Lord had respect to the office to the which he ordained Iohn when he commaunded him to be so called by the Angell that thereby all men might knowe him to be a proclaimer of the diuine grace of God 7. The same came for a witnesse to beare witnesse of the light that al menne through him might beleeue The same came for a M. Nowe consequentlye he teacheth to what purpose Iohn was sent of GOD He came sayeth he to testify C. that he might prepare a Churche vnto Christ For he inuiting and calling all men vnto Christ doeth sufficientlye declare that he came not for his owne cause But to know from whence to whom what time Iohn came that which is contained in the thirde of Luke maye serue This our Euangelist after he had sayde that he was sent of GOD addeth this onely which was more necessarye namelye to what purpose he came being sent of God namely to beare witnesse M. The Prophetes also which were before Iohn came to witnesse that is to saye
GOD and the Sauiour of the whole worlde the which is done of vs when we depende wholye vpon him by a sincere fayth and trust and commit our selues wholye as Disciples vnto him Hée sayth not they which are pure and altogither voyde of sinne and worthy to be admitted into the fellowship of this fraternitie but he sayth which beléeue in his name and receyue him that is to saye which acknowledge by fayth the grace offered and receyue it in heart Therefore they which beléeue not receyue not Christ they cannot obtaine this sauing helth and dignity of the sonnes of God in so much that they must of necessitie perish with this world vnder the wrath 13. Which were borne not of bloode nor of the will of the fleshe nor yet of the will of man but of God Which were borne M. These woordes pertayne to the description of them which beléeue in the name of Christ and do receyue the right of the adoption of the sonnes of God They which are such are not borne of fleshe and blood but of God Fleshe and blood begetteth not the Children of God That which is of the fleshe is fleshe Iohn 3 and that which is of the spirite is spirite B. By these woordes the Euangelist meaneth nothing else but the carnall Byrth For he maketh a comparison of the generation of the fleshe and of the spirite reiecting the one and allowing the other C. Neyther is it necessarye that wée vnderstand here by this worde flesh the Woman as many would haue it The Euangelist rather repeating one thing by diuerse woordes goeth about to inculcate the same and to print it more déepelye in our mindes Therefore hée doth secréetelye touche the wicked trust and confidence of the Iewes who had alwayes in theyr monthes the worthinesse of theyr ofspring as though they springing from a holye Progeny were Saintes by nature They had worthelye boasted them selues to bée of the stock of Abraham if they had béene lawfull Children and not bastardes But the boasting of Faith doth arrogate nothing at all from the carnall generation but geueth GOD the praise for all thinges that it hath receyued ◠Therefore S. Iohn in effect sayeth thus much They which beléeue in Christ being before vncleane Gentiles are not borne the sonnes of God out of the wombe or by fleshe and blood but are brought therevnto by the workemanshippe of the holye Ghost And although properly hée hath respect vnto the Iewes which were proude in the fleshe yet notwithstanding of this place a generall Doctrine maye bée gathered namelye that where as wée are counted the Sonnes of GOD it commeth not by the propertye of our nature neyther of our selues but because the Lorde hath begotten vs of his owne fréewill and singuler loue Question A. Notwithstanding the Euangelist séemeth verye vnorderlye to make regeneration the first in order as though it went before faith when as rather it is the effect of Faith and therefore the latter of the twaine Aunsvvere C. I aunswere that it is both first and last in diuers respects because by fayth wée conceyue the incorruptible séede by the which we are borne againe into a newe and diuine life and yet neuerthelesse faith is now the worke of the holye Ghost which dwelleth in none but in the sonnes of God Therefore in diuers respectes faith is a part of our regeneration and an enteraunce into the kingdome of Heauen that wée might bée nombred among the children of God For in that hee illuminateth our mindes with the spirite hee sheweth the worke of regeneration After this maner faith springeth from regeneration as from the well But because wée receyue Christ by the same faith whiche sanctifieth vs wyth his spirite therefore it is sayde to be the beginning of our adoption Therefore in respect of our sence we beginne not to be the sonnes of God but after faith onely M. But we must note what difference there is betwéene them whiche are adopted in this worlde to the inheritaunce of earthlye goodes and those which are adopted to bée the sonnes of God They whiche are adopted to haue the inheritance of earthlye goodes are adopted by grace of good will although they come not of the same fleshe neither are regenerate in minde but abide in the same minde whereof they were before But they which are adopted to bee the Sonnes of God are not borne of the substaunce of God as was Christ the onely begotten sonne of GOD but they being by grace taken for heyres and sonnes are also chaunged in minde and of carnall are made spirituall And this is that which hée sayth But are borne of God Wee gather also by this place that faith commeth not of our selues but is the fruite of spirituall regeneration For the Euāgelist affirmeth that no man can beléeue but hée which is borne of God Faith therefore is a heauenly gift Furthermore wée maye hereby gather that faith is not a colde or bare motion seeing none can beléeue except hée be reformed by the spirite of God 14. And the same woorde became flesh dwelt among vs and we sawe the glorye of it as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and truth And the same worde C. Nowe hée teacheth what that comming of Christ was of the which he had made mencion before saying Hee came into his owne Namelye that hée hauing taken vppon him our fleshe openlye shewed him selfe to the world M. And by the fleshe he vnderstandeth the whole man in somuche that it is al one as if he had sayd And the word beecame man C. For this worde fleshe serueth more to set foorth the force of his minde than if he had sayde That it was made man His purpose was to shew what a vile and base condition the Sonne of GOD tooke vpon him for our sakes comming downe from the throne of his heauenlye glorye The scripture speaking of a man contemptuouslye calleth him fleshe When as therefore the Euangelist calleth the sonne of God fleshe he meaneth that he hath so much abased him selfe that he hath taken vppon him this fleshe subiect to so many miseries R. As to fragillity contempt execration pouertye hunger thirst nakednesse death and damnation and that wee might bee made through him Strong Blessed Ritch Full Immortal and righteous whereby we haue euerlasting saluation For what thing else is fleshe than weakenesse dust and as it were haye and the glorye thereof as the flower of the field which in the morning groweth and in the Euening is cut downe and withered C. But the fleshe is not here taken for the corrupt nature of man as Paule oftentimes taketh it but for the mortall man Verye fonde therefore is Appollinaris which imagined that Christ had a humane bodye onely without a soule For this is a figuratiue kinde of speache because the inferiour part doth comprehende the whole man For by an innumerable sort of testimonies a man may gather that Christ our
all the glorye of the onely begotten sonne of GOD in the dispensing of mans Saluation séeing the same is infinite The Israelites could not beholde the glory of Moyses countenaunce and yet could the eyes of the Apostles beholde the glorye of the onelye begotten sonne of GOD. They sawe surelye so much as was appertayning to the dispensing of our saluation Full of grace and truth B. As if he should saye I haue sayde that we haue seene and plainely beheld the glorye of the onelye begotten sonne of God and that not once or twise onelye because he was full of all grace and trueth M. The Euangelist therfore by these wordes commendeth the conuersation of Christ amongest his Disciples because of twoo thinges with the which the same was replenished namelye with grace and trueth Act. 7. C. Stephen also is sayde to bée full of grace but in another sence For the fulnesse of grace is in Christ he is the well from whence al we must drawe as more largelye hereafter shal be declared Iohn therfore meaneth that Christ was hereby knowne to bee the sonne of GOD because he had in him selfe the fulnesse of all thinges which pertained to the spirituall kingdome of God and because he truelye shewed him selfe in all thinges to bée the redéemer and Messias which is in déede the speciall note by whiche hée shoulde bée discerned from all other B. This fulnesse of grace in Christ was at sondrye times foreshewed by the Prophetes as in the Psalmes and in Esai Psal 49 Psal 89 Esay 16 Ihon. 14 and in other places Trueth in this place maye signifye sinceritye and integrity with the which Christ was alwayes replenished R. I am the waye sayeth he the trueth and the life 15. John beareth witnesse of him and crieth saying This was he of whome I spake He that commeth after me is preferred before me For he was before me Iohn beareth witnesse of him M. Because hée had sayd before that Iohn was sent to this end that he might testifye of Christ the true light which lighteneth euerye man comming into this world and by his testimony had brought most men to beléeue the same it was necessary that hée should adde these testimonyes and shoulde teache that they both testified one thing concerning Christ And he bringeth fiue of his testimonies by the which hée manifested Christ of the whiche wée will speake in order as wée come vnto them Iohn sayth hée beareth witnesse of him namely of the woord incarnate and of the onely begotten sonne of God C. For by the worde of the present tence the Euangelist meaneth the continual acte And truely this Doctrine ought to florishe for euer euen as if the voyce of Iohn did continuallye sounde in the eares of men So also he sayeth that Iohn cryed to declared that the doctrine of Iohn was not obscure and that he did secretelye tell the same in the eares of a fewe but that hée openly with a lowde voyce preached Christ R. This therefore so excellent a man whom the whole multitude reuerenced as a Prophete who for his holinesse and purenesse of life was taken for Christ this so singular a man I say beareth testimonye to Christ of this fulnesse Whereby the wicked obstinacye of the Iewes is noted that hauing so notable a personne to beare witnesse of Christ so plainelye and openlye Preaching of him yet notwithstanding abode in their hardnesse of heart and perished of the which the Euangelist spake before saying He came into his owne and his owne receyued him not And so all excuse is quite taken from them Saying this was he of whome I spake M. This is the testimony of Iohn Before that Christ came to him that is to saye to receyue Baptisme he instructed all men throughout al his race of Preaching of Christ which was nowe readye to come directing them from him selfe vnto Christ Baptizing them not into him selfe but into him and teaching to prepare the way vnto him And this is that which Paul sayth Iohn truelye Baptized with the Baptisme of repentaunce speaking of him that shoulde come after him that they might beléeue that is to saye Actes 19 Of Christ Iesus And hée pointed him out with the finger saying This is he of whome I spake C. By the which woordes he meaneth that this was his purpose from the beginning namely to make Christ known and that this was the ende of his Sermons M. Of this mynde and disposition ought euery Minister of Christ to bée that after the example of Iohn they learne not to preache themselues but Christ and not to suffer any to depend vppon them but to direct and send them vnto Christ So Saint Paul teacheth saying For wee Preache not our selues 2 Cor. 4 but Christ Iesus our Lord and our selues your seruauntes for Christes sake If all were endewed with this minde whiche will séeme to bée ministers of Christ there should be true concord and vnitye through the whole Churche neyther shoulde there bée at any time Scismes in the same C. Moreouer when Iohn the Baptist speaketh of Christe saying Hee which commeth after me although hée was elder than Christ by certaine monethes yet notwithstanding here hée speaketh not of his age But because he had done the office of a Prophete a certaine time before Christ had openlye shewed him selfe therefore by time he preferreth him selfe before Christ Therefore in respect of the publique reuelation of Christ Christ followed Iohn 16. And of his fulnesse haue all we receyued and grace for grace And of his fulnesse haue all wee receyued M. These woordes and that which followeth to the other testimony of Iohn beginning at the ninetéeth verse are referred of some to our Euangelist and not to Iohn the Baptist Although it make no great matter whose woordes these be yet notwithstanding there séemeth to bée no cause why they should bee taken from the testimony of Iohn the Baptist Nowe therfore he beginneth the Sermon touching the office of Christ because hée contayneth in him selfe the affluence and fulnesse of all good thinges insomuch that no part of saluacion is to be sought for of any other With God truely is the well of life of righteousnesse of trueth and of wisedome this well is hidden and shut from vs but in Christ the fulnesse of all these thinges is offered vnto vs. For hée is readye to flowe vnto vs of his owne accorde if so bee we geue vnto him passage by Faith And with Christ is the fulnesse because he hath receiued the spirite without measure Iohn 13 For the Father hath geuen all thinges into his handes The which thing was shadowed in the Lawe by Aron who when he was consecrated Priest had Oyle powred on his head the which for the great plentye thereof ranne downe by his Bearde euen to the skyrtes of his cloathing Psal 133. As therefore the Oyntment vpon the head which ranne downe the Bearde euen Aarons Bearde Euen so Christ was annointed
Euangelist woulde haue this graunted that the Image of all Spirituall blessinges was shaddowed onelye in the Lawe but in Christe perfectlye published and reuealed Wherevppon it followeth that if we separate the Law from Christ there shal nothing remaine therein bare figures In consideration of the which S. Paule sayth Colloss 2 that in the lawe are shadowes but in Christ the body M. And Moyses is sayde to be farre inferiour vnto Christ because he was in the house of GOD as a seruaunt for a testimonye of those thinges whiche shoulde be spoken Heb. 3 but Christ was as Lorde ouer his house C. The truth therefore consisteth in this that by Christ wée obtaine grace which the Lawe coulde not bestow So that this worde grace is taken as well for the frée remission of our sinnes as for the renouation of the heart 18. No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him C. This is very well and aptly added for the confirmation of the former sentence For the knowledge of GOD is the gate by the which wée enter into the fruition of all good thinges Therefore séeing GOD doth reueale himselfe vnto vs by Christ onelye it followeth consequentlye that all thinges be sought for at the handes of Christ M. These thinges therefore doe so agrée with that which goeth before that the aucthoritie of Moyses vppon the which the Iewes did depende because hée talked with God face to face is thereby made inferiour vnto Christ Moyses saw not God nor any other man whether he were of the Prophets or of the Patriarckes C. Furthermore when Iohn sayth that no man hath séene God at any time his wordes are not to be vnderstoode onelye of the external sight of the corporall eye for hée meaneth generallye that séeing God dwelleth in the light which no man can attaine vnto hée cannot be knowne but in Christ 1. Timo. 6 his liuely and expresse Image Wherfore our condition is farre better than the state of the fathers because GOD which at the first lay hid in his secret glory hath now after a sort made himselfe visible For certainely when Christ is called the very expresse image of the father that pertayneth to a speciall benefite of the newe Testament Euen so the Euangelist in this place sheweth vs a newe and straunge thing when he sayth that the onelye begotten sonne which was in the bosome of the Father and before that time hyd is now expressed vnto vs. He commendeth therefore the reuelation of GOD which by the Gospell is brought vnto vs in the which he putteth a difference betwéene vs and the Fathers and doth preferre vs before them If any man obiect and say that God was then also séene of the fathers face to face Obiection as we reade that the Patriarcke Iacob did Gen. 32 Deut. 5 Num. 12 God spake also to the Children of Israel face to face to his seruant Moises we may aunswere that the same sight is in no poynt to be compared to ours Aunsvver For GOD vsing at that time obscurelye to shew him selfe and as it were a far of when hée appeared more gloriously vnto some they sayd that they had séene him face to face Therefore they haue respect vnto their time howbeit they saw not GOD but as it were in shadowes and mystes A singuler vision was that almost farre excéeding all the rest which Moyses obtayned in the mount and yet notwithstanding the Almightie expresly sayth Thou canst not see my face Exod. 33 onely thou shalt see my hinder partes By the which metaphore he declareth that the time of full and perfect reuelation is not yet come R. But now he which séeth Christ séeth the Father also Iohn 14 For the sonne onelye knoweth the Father and hée to whom soeuer the sonne will reueale him C. Therefore this is most certayne Math. 11 that GOD whiche was at the firste inuisible hath now appeared in Christ When hée sayeth that the Sonne is in the Bosome of the Father it is a translation or kinde of speach borrowed of the custome of men who are sayde to admitte those into theyr bosome to whome they commit al secréete matters The place of counsell is the brest Therfore he teacheth that the sonne was euen in the deepe counsel purpose and secréete minde of the Father to the ende wée might knowe that we haue as it were the open and reuealed breast of God in the Gospell Colloss 2 19. And this is the record of John when the Iewes sent Priestes and Leuites from Ierusalem to aske him what art thou And this is the recorde C. Hitherto our Euangelist hath made mencion of the Sermon whiche Iohn made concerning Christ and nowe he commeth to a more famous testimonye geuen to the messengers of the hye Priestes to carrye to Ierusalem Hée sayeth therefore that Iohn openlye confessed wherefore he was sent of GOD. R. And in that the Euangelist so oftentimes maketh mencion of the testimony of Iohn the Baptist it is done speciallye for twoo causes first to cast in the Iewes téeth and to vpbraide them with their impietye which tooke Iohn the Baptist for a man of GOD and the Lordes annointed and yet notwithstanding would not beléeue him concerning the testimony whiche hée bare of Christ and also that he might keepe the godlye Iewes in the fayth of Christ being nothing dismayde with the persecution of the Scribes and Pharisees which contumeliouslye put Christ to the shamefull death of the Crosse Secondly to declare the constancye of Iohn the Baptist in maintayning his former testimony which he had geuen concerning the Messias and to proue that hee was not a Reede shaken with winde M. Whereas therefore the Euangelist sayth Mat. 11 VVhen the Iewes sent from Ierusalem it is not to bée vnderstoode of the common sorte of people which thought well of Iohn but rather of those which bare rule and which could also by theyr owne aucthoritye commaunde the Priestes and Leuites to go whyther they woulde haue them The Euangelist Iohn maketh mention that the Priestes and Leuites were sent from Ierusalem partely that wée might vnderstande by the qualitye of the message the purpose of the senders partely that he might adde a certaine waight and grauitie to the testimonye of Iohn which was not geuen in secréete or to the eares of