bring foorth fruite euery where because it doeth not alwayes fall vppon frutefull and good grounde He rehearseth foure sortes of hearers of whiche the first receiue no seede The seconde sort seeme to receiue seede but so that it taketh no roote to liue by in the third sort the corne is choaked so there remaineth a fourth part which bringeth foorth fruit Not that of foure hearers one or tenne of fortie do embrace the doctrine and bring foorth fruite for it was not the purpose of Christ to appoynt a certain definite number nor to deuide them of whom he spake into equall portions but that there is not alwaies one and the same encrease of faith where the word is sowed but sometime in more aboundance sometime in lesse he onely teacheth them that through diuers faultes the seede of life pearisheth in many in whome it either presently corrupteth or wythereth or by little and little degenerateth But that we may profite the better by this admonition it is to be noted that he maketh no mention of the despisers which doe openly withstand the word but they only are noted here in whom there seemeth to be some aptnesse to be taught But if the greater part of these doeth vanishe away what shall become of the rest of the worlde from whome the doctrine of saluation is openly debarred Nowe I wil come to the perticular poyntes 19. VVhen soeuer a manne heareth the woorde of the kingdome and vnderstandeth i◠not First he maketh mention of barren and hard groundes which receiue not the sede inwardly because their hearts are not prepared Such he cōpareth to hard and dry earth which is in the common hi◠way which by continuall treading vppon becommeth hard as pauement I woulde we had not so many of this sort at this day as we haue which thoughe they offer themselues to heare yet they stande as menne amased and feele no taste of it at all and to speake in fewe woordes they differ little from blockes or stones wherefore it is no maruell if they vanishe altogether away Christe sayeth that the woorde was sowen in their hearts whiche though it be an improper speache yet is it not without reason for the sinne and wickednesse of menne taketh not away the nature from the woorde but it retaineth still the force of seede And that is diligently to be noted least we should thinke that the graces of God lost their forces though they be not effectuall in vs. For in respecte of God the woorde is sowed in their hearts but the hearts of all doe not receiue with meekenesse that which is graffed in them as Iames exhorteth 1. 21. The Gospell therefore is alwayes in power a frutefull seede but not in deede In Luke it is added that the deuill taketh away the sede out of their hearts least they beleeuing shoulde be saued VVhereby we gather that as hungry birdes behaue themselues in seedes time so assoone as the doctrine is deliuered this enemie of our saluation is present and laboureth by violence to take the same away before it canne take moysture and bringe foorth fruite This also is no small praise of faith in that it is called the cause of our saluation 20. Hee that receiued seede in the stonie grounde This sorte differeth from the former for the temporall faith or faith for a season as a conceiuing of seede promiseth some fruite at the beginning but their hearts are not so well and throughly brought in order as may suffice to giue continuall nourishment to the same Of this sorte of menne also we see too many at this day whiche doe greedely embrace the Gospel which shortly after doe waxe faint because there is no liuely affection in them to strengthen and continue them in constancie VVherefore let euery man examine himselfe throughly least his hastinesse which giueth a great shew speedily vanish as men say as a flame of stubble For except the woorde doe throughly pearce the whole heart and take deepe rootes in the same the faith cannot haue continuall moysture to maintaine the same to continue This readinesse is worthy to be praised in that they receiue the woorde of God assoone as it is vttered and that without delay and with ioy yet we must know that it is to no purpose vntil that faith shall gather a perfect strength least it wither in the first springing As for example Christ sayeth that they which are such are offended with the trouble of persecution And certainly as the barrennesse of the grounde is tried by the heat of the sunne so persecution and affliction discouereth their vanitie which are lightly touched I know not with what affection and are not well endued with an earnest desire of godlinesse Such are called by Mathew and Marke temporisers not onely because they professing thēselues to be Christes disciples for a time and after fall away into temptation but because they seeme also to themselues to haue a true faith and therefore in Luke Christ sayth that they beleeue for a time because that honour which they giue to the gospell is like to faith Yet notwithstandinge it is to be noted that they are not truely regenerate with incorruptible seede whiche neuer fadeth as Peter teacheth 1. Pet. 1. 4. for that saying of Isaias 40. 8. The word of our God shall stande for euer is fulfilled in the hearts of the faithfull in whom the trueth of God once setled neuer fadeth away but flourisheth euen to the ende Yet they which doe louingly and with some reuerence receiue the woord of God they do beleue after a sort because they differ from the vnbeleeuers which either will not giue credite to God when he speaketh or despise his worde Onely let vs knowe that none are partakers of true faith but they which being sealed with the spirit of adoption doe call God father from their heart Also as that spirite is neuer extinguished so it is impossible that the faith which it hath once engraued in the hearts of the godly should vanish away and pearish 22. He that receiueth the seede among thornes In the thirde place he rehearseth them which were inwardly apt to nourish the seede sowen if they suffered not the same otherwise to bee corrupted and spoyled Christe compareth the pleasures of the wolrde as euill desires couetousnesse and other affections of the flesh to thornes Though Mathew onely mentioneth the cares of the worlde with couetousnesse but the meaning is all one for vnder this word is comprehended the baites of pleasures wherof Luke maketh mention and all kinde of euill desire For as thornes and other noysome weedes doe choake vppe the corne which woulde otherwise prosper and growe vppe so the wicked affections of the fleshe preuaile in the hearts of menne and ouergrowe the faith so that they ouerwhelme the force of the heauenly doctrine which is not yet ripe And though the euill desires doe possesse the heart of man before the woorde of the Lorde make any shewe there yet they
the Euangelist termeth that faith vnproperly which was only a certaine preparation vnto faith For he speaketh no higher thing of them saue onely that they were bente to receiue Christe his doctrine whereunto the next admonition doth also appertaine 31 If you shall abide in my worde Christ doth in this place first of al admonish vs that it is not sufficient if a man begin well vnlesse his proceedings euen vnto the end be answerable By this meanes doth he exhorte those who haue tasted his doctrine vnto the perseuerance of faith whē as he affirmeth that they are his disciples in deede who haue taken deep and sure roote in his worde that they may abide in him He giueth vs to vnderstand that there bee many disciples by profession who notwithstanding are not Disciples indeede neyther doe they also deserue to bee so accounted And he distinguisheth his from hypocrites by this marke that they who haue falsly made their bragge of faith doe either faint so soone as they are begunne to runne or els in the middest of the race but the faithfull goe constantly forwarde vnto the mark Therfore muste wee bee constant that Christe may take vs for his Disciples 32 Yee shall know the truth Hee saith that they shall know the truth who were come vnto some knowledge therof They were as yet very rude and scarce taught in their A B C vnto whom Christ speaketh therefore it is no maruell if hee promise vnto them greater vnderstanding of his doctrine but the sentence is generall Therfore how muche soeuer euery one of vs hath profited in the gospel let him know that he hath neede of new encreasings And Christ vouchsafeth to bestow this reward vpon the constancie of his that he maketh himself more familier with them Although he doth nothing els by this meanes but augment the other gift least any man should thinke that there is any thing repaied vnto mans merit For it is he that fastneth his word in our harts by his spirite the same doth dayly wipe away the clowdes of ignorance in our mindes which do darken the brightnesse of the Gospel Therfore to the end the truth may be reuealed vnto vs to the full we must striue to attaine vnto the knowledge therof with an earnest and constant affection Furthermore it is the same no other truth which Christ teacheth his from the beginning vntill the end but whom he doth lighten a litle in the beginning as it were with small sparkles those doth he at length lighten with perfect light So that the faithfull vntill they shal be fully confirmed are after a sort ignorant of that which they know Notwithstanding there is no so obscure or small knowledg of faith whiche is not effectuall vnto saluation The truth shall make you free He commendeth the knowledge of his Gospel for the fruite which we reape therof or which is all one for the effect namely that it maketh vs free Furthermore this is an vncomparable good thing VVhereupon it followeth that there is nothing better or more to be desired then the knowledge of the Gospell All men do feele bondage and confesse that it is a most miserable thing seeynge that the Gospell deliuereth vs from it it followeth that the treasure of blessed life proceedeth from the same Now must we note what maner libertie Christe speaketh of in this place namely such as setteth vs free from the tyrannie of Satan sinne and death And if sobeit we obtaine the same by the benefit of the Gospel it appeareth hereby that we are all the seruaunts of sinne by nature Furthermore wee must also know the manner of this deliueraunce For so long as we are gouerned by our owne wit and vnderstanding we are the bondslaues of sin but when the Lorde doth regenerate vs with his spirite hee doth also make vs free that being loosed from the miserable snares of Satan we may of our owne accorde obey righteousnesse But regeneration commeth from faith whereby it appeareth that libertie commeth from the Gospel Now let the Papists be packing let them proudly extoll their free will but let vs being gilty in our own cōsciences of our own bondage let vs I say boast only of Christ who is our deliuerer For euen for this cause is the Gospel as it were the rod and signe of our manumission or freedome because it offereth vs vnto Christ and deliuereth vs to bee set free from the yooke of sinne Lastly we must also note this that freedome hath his degrees according to the manner of his faith VVherfore Paul being alreadie set free doth notwithstanding grone as yet desiring to be fully set free 33 The seed of Abraham It is vncertaine whether the Euangelist bringeth in the same men or other speaking I thinke thus that as it falleth out in a great multitude there was answere made vnto Christ and that indeed rather by the despisers then those that beleeued And this is a thing much vsed in the scripture so often as ther is any mention made of the bodie of the people generally to ascribe that vnto all whiche belongeth only vnto the one part Furthermore those that obiect that they are the seed of Abraham that they were alwayes free dyd easily gather out of Christ his wordes that libertie is promised vnto them as vnto seruants They cannot disgest this that they that were an holy elect people should be accounted bond For what did the adoption couenant whereby they were separated from the other nations profite them vnlesse they were counted the children of God Therefore they thinke that they haue iniurie offered them when as libertie is promised vnto them as an accidentall good thing Notwithstanding it may seeme an absurd thing in that they say that they did neuer serue seeing they had byn so often oppressed by other tyrants being then subiect to the Romane Empire they groned vnder the most heauie burden of bōdage Hereby it appeareth how ridiculous their boasting was yet this was some cloake and colour that the vniust gouernment of their enemies did no whit hinder them but that they continued free by right But they erred first in that they did not consider that the right of their adoption was grounded in the mediatour alone For whence came the free seede of Abraham saue only because it is exempted from the common seruitude of mankinde by the singuler grace of the Redeemer And also the other errour is not to bee borne with that whereas they were altogether growen out of kinde yet would they be reckoned amongest the children of Abraham neither did they thinke that it is only the regeneration of the spirit which maketh the lawfull children of Abraham This hath beene a fault almost in all ages too common to referre the extraordinarie giftes of God vnto the beginning of the flesh and to ascribe vnto nature those remedies which god giueth vs to correct our nature In the mean season we see how they do driue away from
myracle is to be noted that they which saw it were amased and enquired amoÌ„gst themselues whether Iesus were the Christ. For the power of God being knowen they are led as by the hand to faith not that they profite at the first so much as they shuld for they speake doutfully but this is no small frâ—â—te that they stirre vp themselues more diligently to consider the glory of Christ. Some take it to be a ful affirmation but the woordes sound no suche thinge and the matter it selfe sheweth that they being amased at a thing vnloked for coulde not giue a perfect iudgement but onely that it came into their mindes that it might be that he should be the Christ. 24. But the Pharisies sayd Because they cannot deny a matter so euident and so plaine yet they doe malitiously slaunder that which Christ did by the power of God neither doe they onely obscure the praise of the myracle but they endeuour to bring it into slaunder as thoughe it had beene wrought by some magicall Exorcisme and that worke which could not be attributed to man they attribute to the deuill as to the author therof Of the woord Beelzebub I haue spoken in the 10. chapter And we haue spoken in the 9. chapter of the gouernment amongst deuils For it is not an opinion gathered of the errour or superstition of the common people that the Scribes held that there was one that was princely ruler amongst the wicked spirites but of a receiued opinion amongest the godly that as Christ is the head of the church so the reprobate should haue their head Math. 12. Marke 3. Luke 11. 25. But Iesus knew their thoughts said to theÌ„ euery kingdoÌ„ deuided against it selfe shall be brought to naught and euery citie or house deuided against it selfe shall not stand 26. So if sathan cast out sathan he is deuided against himself how shall then his kingdome endure 27. Also if I through Beelzebub cast out deuils by whome do your children cast them out Therefore they shal be your iudges 28. But if I cast out deuils by the spirit of God then is the kingdom of God came vnto you 29. Else how can a maÌ„ enter in to a strong mans house spoile his goodes except he first binde the strong man and then spoile his house 30. Hee that is not with mee is against mee and he that gathereth not with me scatereth 31. VVherfore I say vnto you euery sinne blasphemy shal be forgiueÌ„ vnto men but the blasphemy agaiÌ„st the holy ghost shall not be forgiuen vnto men 32. And who soeuer shal speake a word against the son of man it shal be forgiuen him but who soeuer shal speake against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiuen him neither in this worlde nor in the world to come 23. But he called them vnto him said vnto theÌ„ in parables how can sathan driue out sathan 24. For if a kingdom be deuided againste it selfe that kingdome cannot stande 25. Or if a house be deuided againste it selfe that house cannot continue 26. So if sathan make insurrection against himselfe and bee deuided hee can not endure but is at an ende 27. No man can enter into a strong maÌ„s house and take away his goodes except hee first binde that stronge man and then spoile his house 28. Verely I say vnto you al sinnes shall be forgiuen vnto the children of men blasphemies wherewith they blaspheme 29. But he that blasphemeth against the holy Ghost shall neuer haue forgiuenesse but is culpable of eternall damnation 30. Because they sayd he had an vncleane spirite 17. But he knew their thoughts and saide vnto them euery kingdoÌ„ deuided agaiÌ„st it self shal be desolate a house deuided agaiÌ„st a house falleth 18. So if satan also be deuided against hiÌ„self how shall his kingdoÌ„ stand because yee say that I caste out deuils through Belzebub 19. If I through Belzebub cast out deuils by whom do your childreÌ„ cast them out Therfore shal they be your iudges 20. But if I by the â—inger of God cast out deuils doutles the kingdom of God is come vnto you as VVhâ—Ì„ a strong man armed kepeth his house the things that hee possesseth are in peace 22. But when a straÌ„ger then he commeth vpon him ouercommeth him he taketh from him all his armor wherâ—â— he trusted deuideth his spoiles 23. He that is not with mee is against me and he that gathereth not with me scatterâ—â— Luke 12. 10. And who soeuer shall speake a word against the sonne of man it shal be forgiuen him but vnto him that shall blaspheme the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiuen 25. But Iesus knew their thoghts Thogh Christ knew wel enogh had oft tried that the Scribes vsed of malice to wrest whatsoeuer he did to the worst part yet it is euident that Math. and Luke doe meane that Christe knew their harts And it semeth that they spake openly to Christ that he might heare their cauils but Christ by his diuine spirit knew of what mind they cauild For it commeth oft to passe that men iudge proposterously which fal through ignorance do not impugne the truth of purpose nor nourish any secret or hidden poyson in theÌ„ but are only caried hedlong with rashnesse Therefore the meaning of this text is that Christe did so much the more vehemently enuey against them because he was witnes iudge of the malice which they had conceiued inwardly Euery kingdom He first confuteth the cauil obiected against him by a common prouerb Yet that confutation seemeth not to be so ful for we know with what sleights sathan sometimes deludeth men making a shewe of variance that he may therby snare the minds of men in superstitions For the Exorcismes in poperie are nothing else but deuised and fained conflictes of sathan against himself But there can be no such suspition in Christ for he so casteth out deuils that he maketh them hole and sound to God As oft as the deuill hath this conflict with himselfe he so suffreth himself to be bound in iest that he himselfe yet hath the victorie and triumpheth But Christ assaulteth the deuill with open defiance so that he casteth him cleane out and leaueth him not any place to rest in Hee ouerthroweth him not on the one side that he may be stroÌ„ger on the other but he vtterly ouerthroweth all his deuices Therefore Christ reasoneth aptly that he hath no felowship with him for this father of deceit hath no other purpose but to vpholde and maintaine his kingdom If any Obiecte that the deuils are oft caried with a wilde giddinesse and a blind madnesse to ouerthrow themselues the answer is ready The meaning of Christes words is that there is nothing more absurd then that the deuil should willingly ouerthrowe that power that he hath ouer men who endeuoreth and applieth all the meanes he can to haue them in his bondage Furthermore Christ so vseth the coÌ„mon prouerbs
had rather haue him to be the authour of death then of life Hee that beleeueth in him is not condemned VVhereas he doth so often so diligently inculcate this point that all the faithfull are out of danger of death wee may gather hence howe necessarie the certaintie and stabilitie of hope is that the conscience may not continually feare and be tormented Therefore he affirmeth againe that there doth no damnation remaine when as we shall beleeue which thing he will expound more at large in the first chapter The presentence is taken in this place for the future according to the custome of the Hebrewe tongue for he will haue the faithfull to be free from the feare of damnation The next sentence but hee that beleeueth not c. Signifieth vnto vs that there is no other remedie whereby any man can escape death As if hee shoulde say that there remaineth nothing but death for those who reiect the life that is giuen theÌ„ in Christ seeing that life coÌ„sisteth only in faith alone He putteth in the preterperfectence of the verbe emphatically that he might the better expresse that all vnbeleeuers are quite vndone And we must note that Christ speaketh peculiarly of those whose impietie shall bewray it selfe in the manifest contempt of the gospel For although it be true that there was neuer any other way to escape death then to flie vnto Christe yet because Christ intreateth in this place of the preaching of the gospel which was to be spread abrode throughout the whole worlde he vttereth these wordes agaynste those who doe wickedly and malitiously extinguish the light which GOD hath kindled 19 And this is the iudgement that light came into the worlde and men loued darkenes more then light for their workes were euill 20 For euery one that doth euill hateth the light and commeth not vnto the light least his workes should bee reproued 21 But he that doth truth commeth to the light that his workes may be made manifest because they are done in God 19 And this is the iudgement He preuenteth the murmurings complainings which profane men are wont to vtter against the too too great rigour as they thinke of GOD when as he dealeth more sharpely with them then they woulde wishe It seemeth to them an harde matter that all those should perish which do not beleeue in Christ. Therfore least any man should ascribe his damnation vnto Christ he teacheth that it is to bee imputed to euery mans owne fault The reason is because infidelitie is a witnesse of an euill conscience VVhereby it appeareth that the wickednesse of the vnbeleeuers doeth keepe them backe from comming to Christ. Some there be who thinke that the signe and tokeÌ„ of daÌ„nation is only set downe in this place But Christ his intent and purpose is to tame the wickednesse of men least after their accustomed maner they turne theyr backes or chide with God as if hee did handle them vniustly whilest that he doth punish their incredulitie with eternall death Therefore he sheweth that such iudgement is iust not subiect to any such false slaunders not only because they deale frowardly who preferre darknesse before light and doe of their owne accord flie from the light which is offered them but because that hatred of the light doth spring only from a giltie and wicked minde There shineth in many a goodly shew of holinesse who notwithstanding are enemies to the gospel but how so euer they appeare to be more holy then angels it is questionlesse that they are hypocrites because they refuse the doctrine of Christ for no other cause saue only because they loue their lurking dennes whereby their filthinesse may be couered Therefore seeing that hypocrisie alone doth make God to bee displeased with men they are all giltie because vnlesse being blinded with pride they did flatter theÌ„ selues in their vices they would be ready and willing to receiue the doctrine of the Gospel 20 For whosoeuer doth euill His meaning is that they do hate the light for this cause because they are euill so muche as in them lyeth they desire to couer their sinnes whereupon it followeth that they do as it were of set purpose nourish the matter of daÌ„nation by driuing away the remedy Therfore we are much deceiued if we think that they are carried with a godly zeale who rage against the gospel seeing that they do rather abhor the light that they may more freely flatter themselues in darknesse 21 But he that doth This seemeth to be spoken vnproperly absurdly vnlesse you will confesse that there are some that be righteous which speake the truth before they be regenerate by the spirite of God VVhich thing agreeth not with the perpetuall doctrine of the scripture For wee know that faith is the roote from which the fruits of good woorkes doe spring To the end that Augustine may resolue this doubt hee expoundeth these wordes doth the truth thus hee which acknowledgeth howe miserable we are and destitute of all power to doe well And indeede this is the true preparation vnto faith when as being inforced with the feeling of our pouertie we flie vnto the grace of God But all this is contrarie to Christe his minde for his meaning was simplie to affirme that those who deale sincerely doe desire nothing more then the light that their workes may be proued and tryed because after that such tryall is made it doth better appeare that they spake the truth before God and were cleane from all deceite But some man will inferre falsly and ignorantly that mens consciences doe not accuse them before faith commeth For Christe doth not say that the elect doe beleeue that they may winne prayse for their good workes but he declareth onely what the infidels woulde doe vnlesse theyr owne consciences did accuse them Furthermore Christe vseth this worde truth because beeing deceiued with the externall shew of workes we doe not consider what lurketh with in Therefore he saith that perfect men and those who are no dissemblers do willingly come foorth into the sight of God who is onely fit to giue iudgement of our workes For those workes are saide in this place to be done in God which he alloweth and are good according to his rule Hereby wee may learne that wee must not iudge of woorkes vnlesse we beholde them with the light of the Gospel because our reason is altogether blinde 22 After these thinges came Iesus and his disciples into the land of Iudea and he was conuersant there with them and did baptise 23 And Iohn was also baptizing in Aenon nigh vnto Salim because there was muche water there Therefore they came and were baptised 24 Because Iohn was not yet cast into prison 25 Therefore there arose a question betweene the disciples of Iohn and the Iewes concerning purging 26 And they came vnto Iohn and said vnto him Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Iâ—rdan to whome thou bearest witnesse beholde he baptiseth and
the worship of God was in such sort spirituall vnder the law that yet notwithstanding being intangled in so many external ceremonies it did seeme to smell of some carnall and earthly thing Therefore Paule calleth the ceremonies the flesh and the beggerly elemēts of the world In like sort the Authour to the Hebrewes saith that the old sanctuarie with his appurtenances was earthly Therefore we may fitly say that the worship of the law was in his substance spirituall in respect of the forme it was after a sort carnall and earthly For all that way was shadowish the truth whereof appeareth now plainely Nowe we see wherein the Iewes did agre with vs and wherein they did dissent from vs. God would in all ages be worshipped with faith prayers thansgiuing purenesse of heart and innocencie of life neyther was he euer delighted in any other sacrifices but there were in the lawe diuers additions so that the spirite and truth did lye hid vnder diuers shadowes but now the veile of the Temple beeing rent there is nothing obscure or couered VVe haue indeede at this day certaine externall exercises of godlinesse whereof our ignorance hath neede but suche is their meane and sobrietie that they doe not darken the plaine truth of Christ. Finally we haue that plainely expressed which was shadowed vnto the fathers And this difference was not only confounded in time of poperie but quite ouerthrowen For there is no lesse thicknesse of shadowes there then there was in times past in time of Iudaisme But it cannot be denied that Christe doth here put a manifest difference betwene vs and the Iewes Out at what starting holes soeuer they seeke to escape it is manifest that we are only vnlike to the fathers in the externall forme because that they worshipping God spiritually were tyed to ceremonies which were abolished by the cōming of Christ. Therfore so much as in them lyeth they spoyle the Church of Christe of his presence whosoeuer doe burthen the same with an immoderate companie of ceremonies Neither doe I passe for these vaine colours that many of the common people haue as great neede of such helpes at this day as they had in times past amongest the Iewes For wee must alwayes respect after what sort the Lord would haue his Church to be gouerned because he alone knoweth best what is expedient for vs. And it is certayne that nothing is more contrary to the order which God hath appoynted then the grosse and twice carnall pompe which reigneth in papistrie The shadowes of the lawe indeede did couer the spirite but these visares doe altogether disfigure him VVherefore wee must in no case winke at such filthie and vnseemely corruptions Howsoeuer craftie men or those who are too fearefull to correct vices doe obecte that these are thinges indifferent and that therefore they are indifferētly to be taken truly it is not tollerable that the rule which Christ hath prescribed should be violated The true worshippers Christ seemeth briefly by the way to touche the stubbor nesse of many whiche brake foorth afterwarde For we know how stoutly the Iewes did defend the ceremonies whereunto they were accustomed Although this sentence reacheth further For seeing that he knew that the worlde would neuer be free from corruption therefore he separateth the true and right worshipers from the peruers and feigned VVith which testimonie being furnished let vs not doubt to condemne the Papistes in al their inuentions and to contemne their reproches For what need haue we to feare when we heare that this bare and plaine worship doth please God which the papistes doe contemne because it is not full stuffed with ceremonies And what doth the vaine pompe of the fleshe profite them whereby as Christ doth testifie the spirit is extinguished It appeareth plainly by that which goeth before what it is to worship God in spirite and truth namely taking away the shadowes of the olde rites simply to retaine that which is spirituall in the worship of God For the truth of Gods worship consisteth in the spirite the ceremonies they were a certaine accidentall thing And heere we must note againe that truth is not compared with lying but with the externall accession of figures so that the substance of the spirituall worship is pure and plaine as they say 24 God is a spirite This is a confirmation drawen from the verie nature of God Seeing that men are flesh it is no maruell if those thinges please them which are aunswerable to their nature Hereupon it commeth to passe that they inuent manie things in the worship of God whiche being full of vaine boasting haue in them no soundnesse But it is meete for them first of all to weigh this throughly that they haue to do with God who doth no more agree with the flesh then fire with water This one cogitation only ought to suffice to bridle the wantonnesse of our wit when as we are occupied about the worshipping of God that hee is so vnlike vnto vs that those thinges which please vs doe most of all displease him But admit hypocrites be so blinded with their pride that they are not afraide to make God subiect to their will or rather luste yet let vs know that this modestie hath not the lowest roome in the worship of God howsoeuer we thinke it pleaseth according to the flesh Furthermore because we cannot ascend vnto his hignesse let vs remēber that we must fet a rule out of his word wherby we may be directed The fathers doe oftentimes cite this place against the Arrians to proue the diuinitie of the spirite but it is falsly wrested thyther because Christ doth in this place simply affirme that his father is of a spirituall nature and that therefore he is not moued with friuolous thinges as men are wont by reason of their lightnes 25 The Mesiias shall come Although religion was vncleane and mixed with many errors amongest the Samaritanes yet were there certaine groundes which were taken out of the lawe imprinted in their mindes as was this of y e Messias And it is likely that seeing that the woman did gather out of Christ his wordes that there was an vnwonted kinde of change at hande which shoulde befall the Churche of GOD shee did straightway call to minde Christ vnder whom they hoped for a perfect manifestation of all thinges VVhen she saith that the Messias shal come she seemeth to speake of a time that was nigh at hand And truly it appeareth euery where by many arguments that the mindes of all menne did then wayte for the cōming of the Messias who should restore things which were miserablie destroyed and gone to decay This is out of doubt that the woman preferreth Christ before Moses and all the prophetes in the office of teaching For she comprehendeth three thinges in a few wordes First that the doctrine of the law was not altogether perfect but that there were only rudiments deliuered there For vnlesse there had been a
what those thinges be which the Apostles could not beare Hee shall declare vnto you those thinges which shall come saieth he Some doe restraine this vnto the spirite of prophecie but in my iudgment he meaneth rather the estate of his spirituall kingdome whiche shoulde come suche as the Apostles saw shortely after his resurrection but they could in no case comprehend it then Therfore he doth not promise thē prophecies concerning things which shuld happen after their death but he only giueth thē to vnderstand that the nature of his kingdome shal be of an other sorte and the glory farre greater then they can nowe conceiue in their mindes The treasures of which hidden wisdome which the heauenly Aungels doe learne by the Church with admiration Paule expoundeth and vnfoldeth in the Epistle to the Ephesians from the first chapter vntil the ende of the fourth VVherefore there is no cause why we shuld fette it out of the Popes tresurie or chest For he shal not speake of himselfe This is a confirmation of that clause hee shal leade you into all trueth VVe know that God is the fountaine of truth and that there is no certeine or sound thing without him VVherefore to the end the Apostles may safely or assuredly beleeue the oracles of the spirite Christ affirmeth that they are diuine as if hee should say that all that floweth from God which the spirit shal bring And yet the maiestie of the spirit is no whitte diminished by these woordes as if hee were not God or were inferiour to the father but they are referred vnto the capacitie of our minde For because we doe not sufficiently comprehende by reason of the vale put betweene with how great reuerence we ought to receiue those thinges which the spirite reuealeth vnto vs therefore there is expresse mention made of his diuinitie like as hee is called els where the earnest wherby God doth confirme vnto vs our saluatiō and the seale wherby he sealeth vnto vs the certeintie thereof In sum Christ meant to teach that the doctrine of the spirit is not of this worlde as if it were bred in the ayre but that it shal come out of the secrete places of the heauenly sanctuary Ephe. 1. 3. 14. Hee shall glorifie me Now Christ telleth them that the spirite shall not come that he may erect some new kingdome but rather that he may establish the glory giuen him of the father For many men dreame that Christ taught onely that he might deliuer the first rudimentes and that he might send the disciples afterwarde into an higher schoole By this meanes they make no more account of the gospel then of the law which is said Galath 3. 24. to haue beene a schoole maister to the olde people There is an other errour which is no more to be borne with then this which followeth is that Christ hauing taken his leaue as if he had made an end of ruling were nothing now They thrust the spirit into his place From this fountaine did flow the sacrileges of the Pope and Mahomet For although these Antichristes doe much differ one from another yet they haue both one principle to witte that we are entred into the right faith by the gospel but yet we must fette the perfection of doctrine somwhere else which may throughly pullish vs. If the scripture be obiected to the Pope he saith that we ought not to stay there because the spirite which came vpon afterward hath lifted vs vppe aboue it by many additions Mahomet saith that without his Alcharan men do alwayes continue children therefore the world was falsly bewitched vnder colour of the spirit to depart from the plaine trueth of Christ. For so soone as the spirite is pluckte away from the word of Christ the gate is set open vnto all manner of dotinges and seducinges The like way of deceiuing hath beene assayed in our time by many frantik fellowes The doctrine which is written seemed to them to be litterall therefore it pleased thē to coine a new kinde of diuinitie which should consist vpon reuelations Now we see how litle superfluitie there was in Christ his admonition that he shuld be glorified by the spirit which he would send to the end we might know that this is the office of the spirit to establish Christe his kingdom and to defend and confirme for euer whatsoeuer the Father hath giuen him Then to what end serueth the doctrine of the spirit not that it may lead vs away from the schoole of Christ but rather that tha◠voice may be established whereby we are commanded to heare him Otherwise he should take somewhat from Christ his glory The reason is added He shall take of mine saith Christ in which woordes he giueth vs to vnderstand that we receiue the spirit to this end that we may enioy his benefites For what dooth he giue vs That wee may be washed by the bloud of Christe that sinne may be abolished in vs through his death that our old man may be crucified that his resurrection may be able to reforme vs vnto newnes of life finally that we may be partakers of his good thinges Therfore the spirit giueth vs nothing aparte from Christ but taketh that from Christ which he powreth ouer into vs. The same must we thinke of doctrine For he doth not illuminate vs that he may lead vs away euen a litle from Christ but that he may fulfil that which Paul saith 1. Cor. That Christ is made vnto vs wisdom and againe he openeth those treasures which are hidden in Christ. In sum he enricheth vs with no other but with the riches of Christe that he may shew forth his glory in al things 15. VVhat things soeuer the father hath they are mine Because Christ might seeme to take from his father that which he chalengeth to himself he cōfesseth that he hath that from the father which he imparteth vnto vs by the spirit And when as he saith that al things which the father hath are his he speaketh in the person of a mediatour because we must draw out of his fulnes He hath alwaies respect vnto vs as hath bin said but we see how the more part of men deceiue thēselues which passing ouer Christ seeke God here and there Other some expound it that that is common to the sonne whatsoeuer the father hath inasmuch as the same is God But hee intreateth not so much in this place of the hidden inward that I may so call it power as of his office which was enioyned him towarde vs. Finally he commendeth his riches that he may inuite vs to enioy thē and he reckoneth the spirit amongst the gifts which we receiue of the father by his hand 16. A litle while and you see me not and againe a litle while and yee see me because I goe to my father 17. Therfore certeine of his disciples said amongst themselues what is this that hee saith vnto vs A litle while and ye see me not and againe a
7. 38. The spirite is the perfect maister of trueth 16. 12. Christ receiued the spirite not so much for himselfe as for his 1. 32. VVhat it is to worship in spirite and trueth 4. 23. How this must be vnderstoode that Christe was troubled in the spirit 13. 21. The testimony of the spirit is our onely aide against the inuasion of the world 15. 16. How the spirite is said to testifie of Christe in the same place Christ is present with vs by the trueth and grace of his spirit 12. 6. To what end the faithful doe receiue the spirit in the same place Howe this must be vnderstoode that the spirit speaketh not of himself 16. 13. The duetie of the holy spirit 16. 14. How this muste be vnderstoode that the spirit was not giuen christ by measure 3. 34. The spirite reproueth men two maner of waies 16. 8. VVhy christ added the visible brething in giuing the spirit to the Apostles 20. 22. What men are able to doe beeing depriued of the aid of the holy spirite 14. 18. Iesus gaue vp the ghost 19. 3. How the worship of God is said to consist in the spirit 4. 23. The spirit of giddinesse wherewith Satan driueth the wicked 12 10. The spirite of truth shall declare things to come 16. 13. Spittle Iesus made clay of spittle 9. 6. Sicke The sick man who had laid sick thirtie eight yeeres is made whole by Christ. 5. 9. To whom god hath sent speake the wordes of God 3. 35. Sinagogues christ preacheth in the Sinagogues 6. 59. To be cast out of the Sinagogues 9. 22. and 12. 42. and 16. 2. T Taught Taught of God 6. 45. Teachers It belongeth to Christe alone to frame the teachers of the Church 10. 22. Christ the onely teacher of the Church 20. 21. With what stoutnesse of minde the teachers of the Churche must bee endewed 2. 28. and 8. 29. and 16. 3. Whereuppon the authoritie of teachers dependeth 3. 2. Teaching God hath a double maner of teaching 14. 25. Temple The temple of Ierusalem was builded by Herod 2. 20. To what ende the temple was builded 2. 16. The temple was a figure of the church in the same place Why the temple was called the house of God 2. 16. Christ teacheth in the temple 7 24. 28. and 8. 12. 1. and 18. 20. The temple of the body of christ muste be destroyed by the Iewes 2. 19. 21. Temples VVhye our bodies are called Temples 2. 19. Tempted God will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength 18. 9. Testimonie All men receiue not the testimonie of christ 3. 11. Christ giueth testimony of himselfe 8. 13. 14. 18. The testimony of the father of the sonne 5. 32. 36. 88. The testimony of christ of Iohn Baptist 1. 26. Theefe A thiefe a murtherer 10. 12. 8. Theeues Theeues are crucified with christ 19. 18. Thernades Fastning of the Thernades an holye daye of the Iewes 7. 2. Thankes To giue thanks 11. 2. 3. Thomas Thomas Didymus 11. 16. hee is reprehended for his vnbeliefe Thirst. Let him that is a thirst go vnto Christ 7. 37. To be a thirst for euer and not to be a thirst Title the title of christes cause 19. 19. Troubled Let not your heart be troubled 14. 1. 27. Truth Christ is the truth 14. 6 the truth of God must be defended although all the whole world say nay 5. 18. It is knowen to christe howe much the truthe differeth from figures 19. 10. Truth is taken for perfection of faith 14. 6. The truth shall make you free saith christ 8. 32. God is the fountaine of truth 16. 13. Christ full of truth 1. 17. It is a common thing amonge men to corrupt the truth of God 6. 14. who are saide to be of the truth 18. 37. What it is to do the truth 3. 21. Christe came to beare witnes of the truth 18. 37. The Diuell stood not in the truth Christ speaketh the truth 8. 45. which he hath heard of the father the spirite of truth shall teache all truth 16. 13. Twelue Twelue chosen by christ 6. 7. Time Christ saith that his time is not yet come 7. 6. 8. V Vnitie Vnitie of y e church is grounded no where els saue onely in the faith of the scripture 19. 23. Vnbeliefe How vnbeliefe is called the fountaine cause of all euils 8. 24. 15. 22. Vnbeliefe doth stop the way before vs that we cannot come vnto God 11. 34. He that beleueth not the sonne shall not haue life 3. 38. Vnrighteousnesse Vnrighteousnesse is not in God 7. 23. Vnion The meanes to know the vnion whiche is betweene vs and Christe 14. 20. Voyce The voice of one crying in the wildernesse 1. 23. How horible the voyce of christ shall bee to the wicked in the last iudgement 18. 4. The sheepe shall heare the voice of christ 10 16. Vine VVe must note three things chiefly in the similitude of y e Vine 15. 1. Christ is the true vine 15. 1. VV VVay Howe Christe is called the way the trueh and the life 14. 6. Christ is the way to the father in the same place VVater pots Water pots of stone 2. 6. VVeepe Mary and the Iewes doe weep for Lazarus his death 11. 33 Ye shal mourne weepe 16. 20 Iesus speaketh vnto Magdalen as she wept 20. 15. VVhole Christ made a man euery whit whole 7. 22 Thou art made whole sinne no more 5. 14. VVhippes The sinnes of men are not alwaies to be measured by the whips of God 9. 34. Pilate deliuereth Iesus into the wil of the Iewes beeing whipped 19. 1. VVeaknes Christ his weakenesse ought to vnderprop faith 14. 1. VVicked The wicked are not streightway to be discouered 13. 22. 26. Wicked men must be called vnto Gods iudgement seate 8. 28 VVorship The rule of worshippe which God requireth at our hāds 5. 24. VVhence we must set the law of Gods worship 18. 39. VVorshippers VVho be true worshippers 4. 23. 24. VVoman The comparison of a woman with childe 16. 21. VVord VVhy the Sonne of God is called the word 11. 〈…〉 In what sense the word of Christ is called life 6. 63. The word of christ shal iudg him that reiecteth his words 12. 42. To abide in the word of Christ. 8. 31. To keepe the word of Christ. 8. 51. 14. 23. 24. 15. 20. 17. 6. VVhy the word of God is darke vnto vs. 16. 25. The word of God is truth 17. 17. The word was in the beginning 1. 1. was made fleshe in the same place 14. the worde of God is the onely mark of faith 20. 31. The word of life 6. 68. What knowledge we can conceiue of Christ without the word 6. 19. It is a dangerous thing to inuēt any thing in diuine matters without the word 6. 15. VVe must alwaies hold a mutual consent betweene the word and faith 11. 21. VVith what remedy wee muste cure the
heauen is 109. 2. Kingdome of heauen for the new state of the Church 169. 19. 295. 11. 596. 23. 767. 43. The key of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ is the free adoption of God 339. 27. what the kingdome of God is 193. 10. It reacheth farre 296. 12. It is first to be sought for 208. 33. The kingdome of GOD consisteth of righteousnes ibid. The knitting together of the commandements of God 617. 23. L. OF Latria and Dulia a friuolous distinction 133. 10. The vse of laying on of hands 448. 32 520. why the Law is deuided into two tables 598. 40. The Law containeth perfecte righteousnes 170. 21. 176. 31. The Lawe comprehendeth a rule to liue wel 594. 26. The Law comprehendeth the doctrin of the Prophets 106. The Law to man is impossible 528. 26. why the Law is called an heauy burden 607. 4. The Law and Prophetes put for the old Testament 402. 27. The Law and Prophets put for the precepts of the second table 2. 16. 12 The righteousnes of the Law 523. 17. The abrogation of the Law is set in the preaching of Iohn 106. The summe of the law 6. 6. The ende of the Law is the deniall of man 524. 19. The consent of the Law and the Gospel 166. 17. The difference of the Law and the Gospell 19. 23. 126. 1. 106. 296. 16. The weakenesse of the Law is from our fleshe 171. 21. Nothing in the world is more sure then the trueth of the Law 168. 18. The least in the kingdome of heaueÌ„ in what sense greater then Iohn 169. 19. The worde leauen is diuersly taken 362 454. 6. 456. 12. The fasting of Leut 126. 1. Whether Leprosie bee a iust cause of diuorcement 516. 9. Libertie to sinne is not to bee taken out of the Gospel 298. 29. Liberalitie is commended 182. 42. and 183. 35. 200. 19. 525. 19. What the Monks think of the actiue contemplatiue life 371. 38. The life of the godly is coÌ„pared to gayning by occupying 554. 20. Life eternal is of Gods free mercie 208. 32. The vprightnes of life consisteth of godlynes and righteousnes 87. 25. The vncertein shortnes of mans life 374 16 393. 9. 659. 40. The perpetuitie of a blessed life 400. 26. what it is to finde life 287. 39. the tyrannous law of the vnmarried lyfe 28. 23. Howe farre sole life is acceptable vnto God 519 12. The Papistes imagine sole life to be an Angelicall estate ibid. Light put for reason 202. 22. Liturgia putte for the executinge of the Priestes office 18. 23. what it is to looke backe 327. 61. Loue of our selues looke selfe loue Loue is not the cause of forgiuenes 369. 47. why Luke beginneth the history of the Gospel with Iohn Baptist 4. why Luke fetcheth the petegree of christ from Nathan 54. Whoe are Lunatike 148. 23. 479. 17. M THe place of Macrobius 97. 16. The Anabaptistes doe banishe the magistrate from the Church 542. 25. The duetie of a godly magistrate 390. 23 Christ is the onely maister 291. 2. Malachy the last of the lawful prophets 106. Man destitute of Gods protection is a miserable creature 264. 9. The condition of man without Christ is miserable 45. 71. 63. 21. 72. 10 89. 32. 136. 14. 138. 18. 144. 13. 266. 38. 313. 28. 336. 43. 345. 25. 459. 17. 521. 14. The conuersion of man is the worke of God 12. 16. The passions of man in respect of them selues not sinfull 320. 8. To man sometimes is giuen that which is proper to God 12. 16. 119. 438. 9. 498. 15. Man necessarilye is either good or euill 333. 33. Howe the infirmitie of man is to be remedied 528. 26. The witlesse fancie of Manicheus coÌ„cerning the body of Christ 23. 31. The Maniches haue feigned two beginninges 34. Many put for diuerâ—e 544. 28. The witlesse fancie of Marcieou touching the body of Christ 23. 31. Mariage pure and holy 86. 22. Mariage lawfull for the ministers of the word 18 23. The enemie of mariage is Sathan 518. The troubles of mariage ibid. The duetie of the maried ibid. How Mary the Virgin is cosen to Elizabeth 29. 36. whye Mary came vnto Elizabeth 31. 39. How Mary is the mother of the Lorde 33. 43. why Mary is blessed 33. 45. Mary wel exercised in the doctrin of the scripture 40. 54. the stocke of Mary is from Dauid 53. the thankfulnes of Mary 34. 46. The perpetuall virginitie of Mary 68. 25. the pouertie of Mary 86. 24. the exceeding great felicitie of Mary 338 27. the godlines and modestie of Mary 339 19. the importunitie of Mary 340. 48. what praise the Papistes giue to Marye 339. 27. why God would haue Mary to be maried 61. 19. the hospitalitie of Martha in what point faultie 371. 38. the canstancie of Christes martires 276. 19. the difference of Christes martyrs and of wicked men 160. 10. how merueiling may agree to Christ 232 10. The detestable abhomination of the masse 689. 26. Mathew did not write the Gospell in the Hebrew tongue 82. 6. Mathew didde write the Gospell in the Greeke tongue ibid. Mathew was called from the receite of custome vnto the apostleshippe 242 9. the purpose of Mathew in describing the genealogie of Christ 57. Mercy is promised to the faythfull 159. 7. Mercy is commended 159. 7. 245. 13 317. 7. 504. 21. Merit de congrue 526. 21. Merit de condigno is a deuillishe deuise 404. Merite of manne is taken away 49. 77. 58. 6. 142. 25. 185. 45. 197. 13. 208. 32. 269. 8. 347 11. 368. 41. 403. 404. 10. 469. 27. The defenders of merit 335. 37. 393 9. 554. 15. 672. 34. The Rabbines imagine the comming of the Messias to be after two maners 476 10. How the pastours must vse mildnes 324 19. The Minister of the worde looke pastour The commendation of the ministerie of the worde 12. 16. 26. 19. 34. 45. 76. 15. 77. 17. 306. 16. 309. 25. 339. 27. Miracles are not to be separated froÌ„ the word 268. 1. The myracles of the Papistes 647. 23. The greedye desire of Myracles 228. 45. The ende of Christes myracles 152. 17. The glory of God is the fruite of miracles 260. 27. The fruit of miracles 325. 23. 379. 12 449. 37. 647. 23. the lawful vse of miracles 268. 1. 803 17. 806. 20. modestie is necessary for christiaÌ„s 535. 16 The Monks of the precepts of God haue made counsailes 185. 44. What manner state of perfection the Monkes deuise to themselues 525. 19. the Monkes make of wicked men deuils 613. 15. After what sorte the life of Monkes is 371. 38. 613. 15. The vaine boasting of Monkes 529. The superstition of Monkes 112. 4. Monothelites are heretikes 706. 39. how Moses appeared in the trasfiguration
heape sinnes vpon sinnes 779. 11. the reprobates are willingly blinded 350. 350. 14. they are inexcusable 362. 34 the diuell is the heade of the Reprobates 675. 41. the punishments of the Reprobate horrible 122. 12. and 359. 41. and 398. 22. and 399. 23. their blockishnesse 762. 51. VVhy God would haue his word preached to the Reprobates 445. 24. and 795. 46. VVhy the doctrine of saluation is deadly vnto them 439. 13. the church is burthened with Reprobates vntill the end of the world 358. 39. Resurrection farre exceedeth manneâ— capacitie 590. 29. Reuelations are not to be looked for 401. 27. Reward is not promised but of the meere good wil of God 403. Howe rewarde is promised vnto good works 469. 27. 672. 34. in what sense Rewarde is promised to fastings 199. Reward is freely offered 534. 1. How the woord Reward is to be vnderstoode 189. 5. why the scripture vseth the name of Reward 403. 469. 27. the papistes abuse the name of Reward 161. 12. 672. 34. what it is to receiue the rewarde of the iust 290. 41. who are Rich in God 375. 21. Richmen not shutte out of the kingdome of god 162. 24. and 203. 24. 400. 25. and 526. 21. and 550. 8. Richesse of themselues not euil 394. 9. Richesse make not a man happy 162. 24. Righteousnesse put for the obseruation of the lawe 122. 13. Righteousnesse of faith ibidem Righteousnesse of the lawe 523. 17. Righteousnesse is taught in the lawe 6. 6. Righteousnesse in the obseruation of the lawe 523. 17. Righteousnesse putte in the forgiuenesse of sinnes 49. 77. Righteousnes not established in the world but with great adoe 324. 20. Righteousnes for spirituall newnes of life 208. 33. Who is to bee accounted righteous 7. 6. The wisdom of the righteous is their faith 14. 17. From whence the Romanes gather theyr supremacy 268. 2. The rule to liue godly and iustly 6. 6. 48. 75. 216. 12. The rule of equitie 216. 12. A rule for praising Angels and men 36. 48. S SAbboth put for a weeke 409. 10. The lawfull manner of keeping the Sabboth 13. 7. 16. 318. 27. 319 10. 379. 14. 15. 384. 5. The Sacraments that are feigned 573. 25. The nature of the Sacraments 689. 26. How farre Sacrifices are acceptable vnto God 599. 32. the Sacrificers of the Pope are dumb dogs 256. 36. The Saduces setre vpon Christ craftilye 588. The errour of the Saduces 588. 23. â—he imitation of the saintes is foolish 126 1. 251. 20. From whence the Papists gather the patronage and help of saints which are dead 393. 9. 401. 27. 444. 23. Salt taken for the wisdom of the spirit 165. 50. the Apostles and al the faithfull are the salt of the earth 163. 13. What it is to haue salte in himselfe 165. 50. saluation proceedeth of the onely electioÌ„ of God 440. 13. saluation grounded vpon the meere goodnes of God 304. 21. Al the partes of our saluatioÌ„ are in christ 88. 30. the Summe of our saluation 88. 30. what it is to salute in the way 302. 2. the superstition of the Samaritanes 511. 52. Sampson a figure of Christ. 106. 23. VVhye Saraâ—s laughter was reprooued 15. 18. Howe Sathan is the prince of this world 45. 71. and 329. 29. sathan is the head of the reprobate 320. 24. and 675. 41. sathan is the deuiser of all euils 198. 13. sathan is a most fierce enimie of mannes saluation 127. 1. and 128. 1. 198. 13. and 262. 28. and 264. 31. and 353. 19. sathan directlye assaulteth the Faithe of Christ 128. 3. sathan an aduersarye of righteousnesse 324. 20. sathan an ennemie to mariage 518. sathan most greedie to doe harme 262. 28. and 264. 10. and 479. 17. hee can doe nothing against Gods will 329. 29. sathan rageth not at his pleasure againste the sonnes of God 725. 71. sathan a corrupter of the holy scriptures 131. 6. sathan trembleth at the sight of GOD. 263. 29. sathan endeuoureth to bring the Gospell in suspition 149. sathan is sayde to goe out of men when Christ commeth 336. 43. sathan is not vanquished but with exceeding great striuing 482. 21. sathan can not be cast out but by the son of God only 336. 43. the subteltie of sathan 16. 18. and 220. 15. and 247. 14. and 546. 31. and 601. 42. and 647. 23. and 696. 31. the pollicie of sathan 336. 43. sathans purpose in temptynge Christe 128. 3. the tyrannie of sathan fensed wyth sundry stronge defences on euerye side 329. 29. Howe miserable it is to bee subiecte to the tyrannie of Sathan 262. 28. the desire of sathan is to hurte menne 264. 10. sathans desire to ouerthrow the glory of Christ 379. 15. sathans cunning in oppressing the truth 12. 16. and 455. 6. and 459. 15. sathans cunninge in ouerthrowinge the ministery of the word 12. 16. his dominion or rule ouer men 307. 18. and 336. 43. sathans kingdome is vnder the Empire of Christ 263. 6. the destruction of Sathans kingdome 206. 18. the satisfactions of the papistes are ouerthrowne 544. 28. How much the Scribes and high priests hated Christ 82. 4. the vnthankfulnesse of the Scribes 328. 28. the pride of the Scribes 244. 12. the scripture is the spiritual armor 129. 4. the scripture is reuerently to be handled 137. 16. the diuision of the scripture 794. 44. the corruption of the scripture is from ambition 162. 24. the reading of the scripture is grown out of vse vnder the Pope 137. 16. the ignorance of the scriptures is the fouÌ„taine of all errours 590. 29. Scurrilitie is condemned 335. 36. securitie from the small number of the godly 216. 13. selfeloue bred in men by nature 287. 39. Howe hurtful selfeloue is 173. 25. and 214. 9. 327. 27. 596. 39. Seruetus denied the diuinitie of Christe 25. 32. Seruetus his error touching confuse faith 44. 3. Sâ—ed put for euery kinde of made wine 21. 15. Shâ—t a doubtfull woord 271. 9. the word signe vnproperly vsed 342. 39. the papists require signes 451. 1. VVhether it be yll to demaunde a signe 341. 39. and 453. 1. VVhy Christe vsed an outwarde signe 379. 12. Simeon knewe Christ from his infancie 87. 25. How Simeon blessed Christ 90. 34. why similitudes are often obscure 346. 10. 349. 13. not exactly to be sifted 485. 2. and 554. 20. Christian simplicitie 274. 16. Sinners put for wicked men 186. 46. 243. 29. 368. 37. what sinne is vnpardonable 331. 31. the confession of sinne is profitable 494. 21. Sinnes are not to bee wayed by present punishments 377. 2. sinnes after death are not forgiuen 332 32. sinnes two wayes forgiuen 505. 21. Remission of sinnes is a part of the gospel 109. 2. remission of sinnes is first of all to be desired 7. 6. and 240. 2. remission of sinnes contrary to satisfaction 197. the libertie to sinne not taken out of the gospel 298. 29. the condition of Slaues 403. This
ruines of the same the power of that kingdome to be euerlasting and yet notwithstanding a young slyppe should ryse out of the stock of lesse both the which things ought to be fulfilled God did suffer the rule which he had erected in the trybe of Iuda to be kept downe for a season that the greater might be the diligence of the people to hope for the kingdome of Christ. VVhen the hope of the faythfull was as it were cutte off by the destruction of that chosen counsell sodenly the Lorde clearely shone forth And now this belongeth to the course of the historie whilst that the time of this thing being done was noted But not rashlye vnder the name of the king was also noted the miserable state of the tyme that the Iewes might knowe that they should turne their eyes vnto the Messyas if that they assuredly had in estimation the league of God Zacharias of the course of Abia. It is knowne by sacred hystorie that the familyes of the Priestes were deuided by Dauid into certaine orders In the which thing Dauid attempted nothing against the commaundement of the lawe GOD did appoynt the priesthoode to Aaron and his Sonnes the rest of the Leuites he appoynted to lesser offices In that thing nothing was altered of Dauid but his deuice was partely to beware least any thing should be doone tumultuously among the people And partely to preuent ambition and also to bring to passe that a few should not take all the charge vnto them selues and the greater parte sitte ydle at home And in that distribution Abia the Sonne of Eliazar possessed the eight place Zachary therefore was of the priestly stocke and also of the posteritie of Eleazar who succeeded his father in the hygh Priestes office But how Elizabeth when that she was of the daughters of Aaron could be cosine to Mary I will shewe in his place And Luke dooth mention the stocke of Elizabeth for honours sake for it was lawefull for Zachary according to the lawe to take vnto him to wife a daughter of a Leuite of the common sort Of this equall wedlock therfore it doth appeare that this man was not despisedin his degree 6. Both were iust before God A right and good testimonie doth he giue vnto them not onely that they behaued them selues holily and vprightly before men but they were accounted iuste before GOD. And also Luke doth briefly define that iustice That they walked in the commaundementes of the Lorde both are diligently to be noted For although that to this end Zachary and Elizabeth are praised that we might knowe that the lantern which bare light before the Sonne of God was not chosen out of an vnknowne stocke but out of a most famous holy place yet notwithstanding vnder their examples there is shewed to vs a rule of lyuing godly and righteously Therefore in framing of a mans lyfe well this is chiefest that we should endeuour our selues to be approued before god And we know a sincere heart pure conscience chiefly to be required of him Therfore an ouerthwart order it is if any man litle esteeming the vprightnesse of his heart should only frame his outward life in obedience of the lawe For it is to be kept in memorie that God to whome we are commaunded to haue regarde looketh not vpon the outward visor of workes but especially the heart Furthermore in the seconde place let obedience be added that is let not any man frame vnto him selfe without the word of GOD a newe kinde of righteousnesse which shall please him but let vs suffer our selues to be ruled by the power of God For neither is this definition to be neglected those to bee righteous which frame their life after the preceptes of the lawe in the which it is agreed all faigned worshippings to bee nothing regarded with God and the course of mans life to bee wandring and erronious assoone as it shall departe from his lawe Betweene preceptes and iustifyinges there is this difference that the latter name is properlye referred to the exercises of godlynesse and diuine worshippinges the first is more vniuersall and it dooth aswell pertaine to the woorshippe of God as to the duetie of charitie For hukim which with the Hebrewes doth signifie statutes or decrees the Greeke interpreter hath translated instifications hukim commonly in holye scripture dooth signifie ceremonies in the which the people exercised them selues in worshipping of God and confession of fayth And although that hypocrites in that poynt are meruailous curious and exquisite yet they haue nothing like with Zacharyas and Elizabeth For sincore woorshippers of GOD as those two were doe not greedily snatch vnto them naked and vaine ceremonies but being bente vppon the trueth they spirituallye obserue them But leawde and counterfeite menne although they dayly wearle them selues in outwarde ceremonies yet beecause they doe not obserue them as they were commaunded of the Lorde they doe nothing but lose their labour Chiefely in these two woordes Luke dooth comprehende the whole law But if Zachary and Elizabeth were vnblamable as concerning the keeping of the law they had no neede of Christ For the ful obseruing of the law doth bring with it life and where there is no transgression the arrained state doth cease I answere that these reportes of praise wherewithall these children of God royally are adorned are to be taken with some exception For it is expedient to coÌ„sider diligently how God should deale with them euen according to his couenaunt which he made with them whereof the chiefest poynt is free reconciliation and dayly forgiuenes whereby he pardoneth them their offences â—ust and vnreprouable therefore are they thought because that all their life doth witnesse them to be auowed to righteousnesse the feare of GOD to reigne in them while there is a certaine example of godlynes But when their godly endeuour did farre differ from perfection it could not please God without forgiuenes and mercy VVherefore the iustice which is praysed in them dependeth vppon the free mercie of God VVhereby it commeth to passe that he accounteth not what unrighteousnes sooner remaineth in them So it is necessary to vnderstand what soeuer is found in scripture of the righteousnes of men that it ouerthrow not forgiuenes of sinnes to the which it leaneth no otherwise then the building to the foundation They that say that Zachary and Elizabeth were simply iust by faith because that they freely pleased God by the mediatour doe wrieth Lukâ— wordes into a contrary sense As concerning the matter it selfe they neither say nothing nor yet all I graunt the righteousnes which is ascribed to them ought not to be imputed to the desert of woorkes but to the loue of Christ. The Lord yet notwithstanding because he imputed not sinne vnto them hath thought their holy life although vnperfect to bee worthy the title of iust The foolishnes of the Papistes will easily be refelled For they lay this which is attributed to Zachary against the
and childishly trifle whiche affirme that this name of Iesu was geuen him because he shoulde be called Immanuel For Mathew doth not only snatch at one onely clause but hee comprehendeth what thing so euer was heauenly and diuine in the conception of Christe to that purpose also appertaineth that note of vniuersalitie Now lette vs see howe aptly this prophesie of Isaias is cited thē place is sufficiently knowen and muche spoken of chap. 7. 14. But the Iewes according to their woonted malice depraue the same althoughe that they therein shew no lesse blinde and foolish then a wicked hatred of Christ and of the truthe And many of their Rabbines were growen to that impudencie that they expounded the same of king Ezechias who was at that time borne and was about 15. yeare olde I pray you what maner of libertie of lying is this that they will rather ouerthrowe the order of nature and hide a yong manne againe in his mothers wombe that he mighte be borne at 16. yeares of age then they will admitte the truthe to come to light But these ennemies of Christ are woorthy to be stricken of God with the spirite of giddinesse and astonishment that they might so be besotted Others fain vnto themselues some vnknowen sonne of king Achaz whome the Prophete foretolde that shoulde bee borne But I demaunde by what right he was called Immanuel and howe the earth was subiecte to his gouernment who as a priuate man ended his life without honour for shortly after the same Prophet appoynteth that same childe who so euer he was Lorde of the earthe and they as foolishly doe bable which will that this shoulde be spoken of the Prophet his sonne and truely the Christian wryters were in this matter very grossely deceiued in drawing that prophesie whiche foloweth in the next chapter to Christ. The Prophet there sayeth that by a vision he was commaunded to keepe companie with his wife and the Sonne which he had begotten had this name geuen him by God Make haste and spoyle for in that place is onely noted the vehemencie of the warre which was at hande with horrible destruction wherby it may easily be gathered that these matters were altogether diuers Therefore let vs seeke the righte sense of this place when that at the besieging of the citie of Ierusalem kinge Achaz was afraide naye hee was almoste dismayde with feare a Prophet was sente vnto hym who shoulde promisse that GOD woulde bee the keeper of the Citie But seeinge a simple promisse did not comforte hys confused minde the Prophette was commaunded to geue him what signe so euer hee shoulde aske either in heauen or in earthe VVhen as that wicked hypocrite coueringe his infidelitie refused a signe the Prophette vrged him more hardlye and at the lengthe sayd Yet God shall geue vnto you a signe for beholde the Virgine shall conceiue and bear a sonne c. we interprete this to be spoken of Christ in this manner All you the posteritie of Dauid you endeuour as much as in you lieth to blotte out and abolish the fauour promised vnto you for the Prophet expresly nameth the house of Dauid in reproche yet your vnfaithfulnesse shall neuer bring to passe but that the truth of God shall haue the vpper hand God promiseth that this citie shall be safe and free from the ennemies But if his worde be not sufficient he is ready to geue you a token of assurance at your pleasure you exclude bothe the graces you driue them frō you yet God wil stand fast in the assurance of his couenaunt for the promised redeemer shall come in whome God will perfectly present himselfe vnto his people The Iewes obiect that Isaias shoulde haue done foolishly and absurdly if he shoulde haue geuen to those men in that age such a signe as should be shewed eight hundred yeres after or there about And heere they very proudly lift vp thēselues because that this obiection was let slippe and buried either through the vnskilfulnesse or the carelesnesse of the Christians But the answere seemeth not hard to me if we obserue that the couenaunt of adoption was geuen vnto the Iewes whereof all the rest of God his benefites shoulde depend Therfore there was a general promise wherby God had chosen the children of Abraham as a people for himselfe vpon the which couenant all the special promisses had their ground Againe the Messias was the foundation of this couenant Now we perceiue that the cause of the deliueraunce of this citie was for that it was the sanctuarie of God and that the redemer was to come out from thence This respect being taken away Ierusalem should haue pearished a 100. times Now let the godly readers consider seeing that the king had openly reiected the signe offered him from God was it not conuenient for the Prophet to goe to the Messias as if he shuld haue sayd Although this age is vnworthy of that deliuerance which I promised from the Lord yet God being mindefull of his couenant shal deliuer this citie from the enemies That he might therefore shewe them no particular signe to testifie his fauour this one ought to be enough more then enough that the Messias should come of the stock of Dauid And it is to be noted that the Prophet calleth the vnbeleuers to the general couenant to be a maner of reproofe because that they did admit no particular signe Now it is sufficiently proued as I thinke that when as the gate was shut against al myracles it was high time for the Prophet to repaire to Christe that the vnbeleeuers might know that there was no other cause of their deliuerance then the couenant which was made with the fathers And by this wonderfull maner of teaching it was the wil of God to testifie to all ages that he therfore continually was so merciful to the childrē of Abraham because he had made a free couenant with them in Christ and not for any of their deserts But the Iewes with an other cauil endeuour to shift away this our iudgemēt because that presently it foloweth in the text of the Prophet Afore the childe shall haue knowledge to eschew the euil and to chuse the good the land shal be forsaken of 2. kings c. Heereof they gather that the birth of the childe is promised which shoulde not be long delaied otherwise that should not agree which is spoken of the change of the kingdoms so hard at hand which the Prophet declared should be before the infant had passed the one halfe of his age I answer when as Isaias had brought him as a signe which should be the author of saluation and saide that an infant should be borne which shoulde be the true Immanuel or that I may vse Paules worde God manifested in the flesh 1. Tim. 3. 16. He then generally speaketh of all the infants of that age for the which matter there is a strong reason at hand For hauing first spoken of the generall
the heauenlye life But Luk declareth the true nature of godlines wheÌ„ he saith that the witnesse of the Angell was in steede of a rule to the Shepheardes to the which they directed all thinges For then is faith rightly holpe by the workes of God if it directeth al thinges to that purpose that the trueth of God which is reuealed in his word may more clearely shine forth 21. That the childe should be circumcised That which generally is to be coÌ„sidered of circumcision let the readers fetch out of Ge. 17. 10. It shal be sufficient at this time briefly to touch those things which beelong to the person of Christ. God would that his sonne should be circumcised that he might be subiect to the lawe for circumcision was a solempne signe wherewith the Iewes were initiated into the obseruation of the lawe Paule declareth the end Gal. 4. 4. when he saith that he was made vnder the law that he might redeeme them which were vnder the law Therfore Christ taking circumcision professed himself a seruaunt of the law that he might obtaine libertie for vs. And so by this meane not onelye the seruitude of the lawe was abolyshed by him but the shadow of the ceremonie was applyed to his sound and perfect bodye that it might soone take an end For although the abrogating of it depended of the death and resurrection of Christ yet this was a certaine beginning of the same that the sonne of god suffered himselfe to be circuÌ„cised His name was then called Iesus This place also witnesseth that it was a manner receiued amongst the Iewes that on the day of circumcision they gaue names to their children as we at this day vse to doe at baptisme But the Euangeliste noteth two thinges that the name of Iesu was not giuen vnto the sonne of God rashely or for the pleasure of men but that the Angel brought it from heauen TheÌ„ that Ioseph Mary obeyed the coÌ„mandement of God this is the consent of our faith with the word of God that that word going before wee should speake to the same and our faith shoulde answere to his promises Especiallye Luke commendeth vnto vs the order of publishing of the word when hee saieth that saluation was testified by the mouth of men which was promised by the Angell from aboue through the grace of Christ. Matth. 2. Marke Luke 1. VVhen Iesus then was borne at Bethlehem in Iudea in the dayes of Herâ—â—e the king beholde there came wise men from the East to Ierusalem 2. Saying where is the king of the Iewes that is borne for we have seene his starre in the East and are come to worship him 3. VVhen king Herod heard this hee was troubled and all Ierusalem with him 4. And gathering togeather all the chieâ—â— Priestes and Scribes of the people he asked of them where Christ should be borne 5. And they sayde vnto him at Bethlehem in Iudea for so it is written by the Prophet 6. And thou Bethlehem in the lande of Iuda arâ— not the least among the princes of Iuda for out of thee shall come the gouernour that shal feede my people Israel   1. VVhen Iesus was then borne Matthew concealeth the cause whye Christ was borne at Bethlehem but the spirit of God who had appointed the Euangelistes as his Scribes seemeth aduisedly so to moderate their stile that with most notable consent they al write one and the same historie though it be in diuers manners that thereby the trueth of God might be the more certeine and euident when as it was openly manifest that his witnesses did not purposely before consent to speake but euery one separate from other nor hauing one respecte of an other did simply and freely write that which the spirite taught them Furthermore here is a historie declared worthy to be remembred that God fetched wisemen out of Chaldea or Persia which should come into Iudea to worship Christ where hee lay without honour and contemned Truely a wonderfull counsell of God that God would his Sonne should come forth into the world vnder this obscure humilitie yet hee excellently adorned him as with phrases so with other tokens least any thing for the triall of our faith had beene wanting from his diuine maiestie yet here is to be noted a notable harmonie of thinges seeming to be repugnant The starre from heauen declareth him to be a king whose throane is the beastâ— stall because that hee is denied a place euen amoÌ„gst the common sorte of men His maiestie shineth in the East which not onely appeareth not in Iudea but is also difiled with many reproches To what purpose is this namely the heauenly fathers will was to appoynt that the starre and the wisemen should lead vs the right way to his sonne but yet hee stripped him naked of all earthly honour that we might know his kingdome to be spirituall VVherefore this storie is not onely profitable because that God brought these wisemen to his sonne as the first fruites of the Gentiles but also because hee woulde set forth the kingdome of his sonne as with the praise of them so of the starre for the helpe of our fayth least the wicked and malitious dispite of his own nation should cause him to be despised of vs. It is sufficiently knowne that the Astrologers and Philosophers with the Perseans the Chaldeans were called Mag. i. wisemen Therfore is is easily to be coniectured that these came out of Persia. Furthermore how many they were in number it is better not to know because the Euangeliste doth not expresse it then rashly to affirme for certaine that which is doubtfull A childish errour lead the Papistes that they imagined them to be three because Matthew saith that they offered gold franckencense and mirrh as if hee should distinctly assigne a proper office to euery of them and that rather hee should not declare that these three thinges were generally offered by them VVhosoeuer that old writer was whose vnperfecte commentarie vppon Matthew beareth the name of Chrisostome and is accompted amongst Chrisostomes workes saith that they were fourteene which hath no more colour except that peraduenture it came by tradition of the fathers yet that same also hath no assuraunce But the Papistes are more then ridiculous which imagined to themselues that they were kinges because they did read that beefore sayde Psal. 72. 10. That the kinges of Tharsis of the Iles and of Saba should come which should offer giftes to the Lord Verily they are wise workemen who that they might giue a newe shape to men they haue begun at the turning of the worlde for of the South and VVest they haue made the East And it is not to be doubted but that by the iust reuenge of God they were so amased that their grosse ignoraunce might be laid open to the reproofe of al men who made no religion to corrupt the trueth of God and to turne the fame into a lye But here is first
order much lesse to be brought to nothing In summe as far as the wicked thinke that nothing is taken from themselues so much reuerence they will graunt to God and to the scripture But when that Christ hand to hand striueth with ambition couetousnes pride vaine hope hypocrisie and deceites then forgetful of all modestie they are caried into madnesse Therfore let vs know that wicked affections are the chiefe cause of blinding the enemies of the trueth which turne light into darknesse 6. And thou Bethlehem It is not to be doubted but that the Scribes did faithfully cite the wordes of the text in their own tongue as it is in the Prophet but it was enough for Matthew to note the place and because that he writ in Greeke he followed the allowed translation For by this place and such others it is easily gathered that the Gospel was not written by him in the Hebrew tongue Furthermore this is alwaies to be obserued as oft as the apostles do cite any testimonie of scripture although they render it not word for word nay sometime they are far from the same yet they are very aptly and fitly applyed of them to the matter VVherefore let the readers alwayes marke to what purpose the Euangelistes bring the places of scripture let them not stand scrupulously vpō euery word but let them be content with this one thing that the scripture is neuer wrested by them into a diuers sense but that it is properly applyed to the peculiar and proper vse And certeinly seeing it was their purpose to giue milke to drink to infants and nouices in the faith which were not yet able to take sound meat no religion staid them that lesse diligently and exactly they should enquire what the scripture teacheth of the sonne of god and so that taste which the Apostles giue them should lead them to the fountaine Now let vs returne to the prophesie of Micheah These are the words that are read in the Prophet and thou Bethlehem Ephrathah art litle to be among the thousands of Iudah yet out of thee shal he come forth vnto me that shal be the ruler in Israel Matthew for Ephrathah putteth Iuda but in the same sense for the mind of Micheah was onely by this note to put a difference betweene this Bethlehem whereof he speaketh that other in the tribe of Zabulon There is more difficultie in the rest of the text for the Prophet saith that Bethlehem is litle that it should be accounted amongst the gouernours in Iuda Matthew on the other side extolleth the dignitie as that it should be one of the chiefe This cause mooued many interpreters that they reade this place of the Prophet interrogatiuely yet some of a better iudgment thought that Matthew would in this chaunge set forth the praise of the grace of God because that his poore and obscure towne was made a place of the birth of this great king But although that Bethlehem excelled in this honour yet it profited nothing the dwellers there so that it rather fell into a grieuouser destruction because that the redeemer was worse then vnworthily receiued thither Mathew also for a rular putteth this word shephearde yet he expresseth both two for that he declareth that Christ should be the captaine of the people and that the office of feeding was committed vnto him Matthew 2. Marke Luke 7. Then Herod priuilye called the wisemen and diligently enquired of them the time of the starre that appeared 8. And sent them to Bethlehem saying goe and search diligently for the babe and when ye haue found him bring me word againe that I may come also and worship him 9. So when they had hearde the king they departed and loe the starre which they had seene in the East went before them till it came and stoode ouer the place where the babe was 10. And when they sawe the starre they reioyced with an exceeding great ioy 11. And went into the house and founde the babe with Mary his mother and fell downe and worshipped him and opened their treasures and presented vnto him gifts euen gold and incense mirrh 12. And after they were warned of God in a dream that they should not go againe to Herod they returned into their countrey another way   7. Herod priuily called the wisemen The tirant durst not shew his feare carefulnes least he shuld so arme the people with audacitie with whō he knew himself hated therfore opēly he dissebleth the cause as thogh it per tained not to him But priuily he enquireth that he may preuent the present peril But although an euil cōscience made him feareful yet it is not to be doubted but that stroke his mind with an vnusual feare that being destitute of counsell distraught in mind he was for the time amased For there is no easier a matter then vnder the cloak of humanitie to suborne a cōpanion from amongst the courtiers which espying out y e whole matter might presētly return Certenly Herod was wonderful subtil ther was in him a rare magnanimity so that it is the more to be wōdred at that now in so extreame daunger when as he had a remedie at hand that he should lie astonished half dead wherfore we may know that it was wonderfull that the sonne of God did then escape the iawes of the Lyon And the Lorde at this day doth no lesse bewitch his enemies least they should deuise a thousande sleightes to hurte to destroy his Church nay that they often take not the occasions which are in a readinesse And the Lord by an other meanes as wee shall see laughed to scorne and mocked the subtiltie wherewith hee had deceaued the wisemen faigning that he himselfe would come to worshippe him But as Heord fearing the tumult of the people was bereft of his minde so againe he was so madde that he did neither doubt nor feare to stirre vp God against himselfe for he knew that if a king was borne that he was ordained of God that hee might raise vp the decayed throane of Dauid Therefore he sets not vpon men but foolishly he presumes to war with God Both therefore is to be noted that hee was taken with a spirite of giddines that he might strik God yet he dealt very childishly because his counsell was brought to naught so that he was euen as a blind manne which gropeth in the darke 9. VVhen they had heard the king they departed Truely this was a vile sluggishnes of the Iewes that none of them kept companie with these strāgers that they might goe see the king promised to their nation The Scribes shew them the way and assigne the place where he is borne yet they suffer them to goe alone and no man stirres foote Peraduenture they feared the crueltie of Herod but this was also a wicked vnthankfulnesse that they woulde incurre no daunger for the obtaining of the saluation offered them and that they set lesse by the grace of God
the seconde cause was that hee might take away the vile reproche whiche the rude and ignoraunt woulde charge him with For it appeareth that the Scribes charged hys doctrine wyth this faulte in so muche as he presently inueigheth against them VVee must consider this purpose of Christe that he so calleth and exhorteth the Iewes to receiue the Gospell that yet hee keepeth them vnder obedience of the lawe then hee mightily refelleth those vnwoorthye reproches and cauilles wherewith the ennemies sought to bringe his preaching into slaunder and suspition For if anye minde to restore thinges confused into a better estate hee muste alwayes vse this wisedome and moderation that the people maye knowe that the eternall woorde of God is touched thereby and that there is no newe thing thrust in whych derogateth any thing from the scripture least any suspition of repugnancie shoulde weaken the faith of the godly and leaste that rashe vnaduised menne shoulde become insolent vnder pretence of holinesse Lastly that the prophane contempte of the woorde of God maye be staied and that religion be not brought into no reputation amongst the vnlearned And this defence of Christe wherewith hee excuseth his doctrine oughte to comforte vs if we at this day suffer the like reproaches The same faulte was also obiected against Paule that hee was an Apostate from the lawe of God wherefore it is no maruell if the Papistes out of the same mould doe coyne the like againste vs. And by the example of Christe it is meete to auoide slaunderous reportes yet so that the truthe may be freely professed though it be subiecte to many vniust reproches I came not to destroy God hadde promised a newe couenaunt at the comming of Christe but hee sheweth also that it shall not be diuers from the firste but that thys rather was the ende that the league whiche he hadde made with his people from the beginning might be sanctified for euer I will wryte sayeth hee my lawes in their heartes and I will forgette their sinnes By these woordes hee is so farre from departing from the former couenaunt that hee rather affirmeth that it shall then be established and confirmed when â—s the newe shall come in place And that was the meaning of the wordes of Christe when hee sayde that he came to fulfill the lawe For hee fulfilled it truelye quickeninge the deade letter with his spirite then hee in deede perfourmed that whyche before was shewed onelye vnder figures So that the cursse beinge abrogate the subiection is taken awaye and a libertye purchased for the faithfull and nothynge is derogated from the doctrine of the lawe but onelye expoundeth the minde of the lawe geuer as appeareth Galathians the thirde and the fourthe Chapiters Therefore as concernynge the doctrine wee maye not imagine anye abrogation of the Lawe by the comminge of Christe For sithe it is an euerlasting rule of a godly and a holy life it must be vnchangeable as the iustice of God is one and the same whiche is therein comprehended As concerning the Ceremonies thoughe they maye be accounted as a certaine addition to the same yet the onely vse of them was abrogate but the signification was the more approoued So that the commyng of Christ did not derogate anye thing from the ceremonies but rather the truth of the shadowes being shewen foorth doeth obtaine the more assured credite vnto them while wee beholding the perfecte effecte doe acknowledge that they are not vaine nor vnprofitable Therefore lette vs learne to keepe this sacred knotte of the lawe and the gospel inuiolable which many do wickedly dissolue And it doeth much auaile to the establishing of the truth of the gospell while wee heare that it is nothing else but the fulfilling of the law so that in a mutuall consent they shewe that God is the authour of them both 18. Till heauen and earth pearish Luke vseth other woordes but the same sense It is more easie for heauen and earth to passe away then that one title of the lawe shoulde fall For it was the will of Christ to teach in both places that there is nothing so sure in the whole frame of the worlde as is the certaine truth of the lawe and that in euery poynte of the same Some doe verye subtillye play with the woorde vntill as if that the passing of heauen and earth which shall be in the last daye of iudgement shoulde putte an ende to the lawe and the Prophets And truely as the tongues shall then cease and prophesies be abolished so I thincke that the wrytten lawe wyth the exposition shall cease But because I thinke that Christe spake more simply I will not feede the readers eares with suche deuices Therefore lette it suffice vs to vnderstande this that heauen shoulde fall and the whole frame of the worlde shoulde come together rather then the certaintie of the lawe shoulde wauer But what is the meaninge of this all thinges of the lawe shall be perfourmed euen to the least title For we see how farre menne are from the perfecte fulfilling of the lawe euen they that are regenerate with Gods spirite I aunsweare this fulfilling is not referred to the life of menne but to the perfecte truthe of the doctrine as if hee shoulde say there is nothing inconstante in the lawe and nothyng putte rashly in the same Therefore it cannot bee that one letter of the same should vanish away 19. VVhosoeuer therefore shall breake Heere Christe speaketh namelye of the preceptes of life or of the ten woordes according to which prescript order it becommeth all the children of God to frame their liues Therefore he pronounceth them to be false and peruerse teachers which keepe not their disciples vnder obedience of the lawe and that they are vnwoorthy to haue a place in the Churche whiche diminish the authoritie of the lawe in the least parte of the same and that they are good and faithfull ministers of God whiche teache the obseruation of the lawe as well in example of life as in woordes Also hee calleth them the leaste commaundements of the lawe according to the sense and iudgement of men for thoughe there is not like waight in all the commaundementes but while they be compared betweene themselues some are lesse then other yet may we nothing soner esteme and account that as little wherof the heauenly lawgeuer hath voutchsaued to geue a commaundemente For what sacriledge were it contemptuously to receiue that which commeth out of his mouth For by this meanes his maiestie shuld haue bene abased wherefore whereas Christ calleth them the least preceptes is a kinde of yeelding to our vnderstanding VVhen hee sayeth he shall be called least is an allusion to that was sayde before of the commaundementes but the meaning is euidente they that bring the doctrine of the law into conteÌ„pt yea though it be but in one sillable shal be reiected as the woorst sort of men The kingdome of heauen is taken for the renouation of the
them to abuse the name of God without reproofe so that they were not forsworne It is commaunded that we should religiously performe our oathes to God For he that doth defraud and deceaue his neighbours after that he hath vsed the name of God for it doth iniury not to men onely but to God But the fault is in restraining that to one point which extendeth more largely Some apply this word perfourme to vowes promised to God for relygions sake But the word doth best agree to al couenauntes and promisses confirmed by adding the name of God thereto for then is God made a witnesse between both parties to whom they pledge their faith 34. Sweare not at all This clause not at all hath deceiued many so that they thought that Christ had generally condemned all oathes And many good men were driuen to this vnmeasurable rigor through the vnbrideled libertie of swearing which they sawe abounde throughout the world And the Anabaptistes vnder this pretence haue kept a great stir as though Christe would suffer vs to sweare for no cause for that hee forbiddeth to sweare at all But we must not fetch an exposition out of any other place then out of the wordes of the text presently there followeth neither by heauen nor by the earth VVho seeth not that these kindes of oathes are set downe for interpretation sake which by this numbring of these perticuler oathes might interprete the former sentence The Iewes had certaine extraordinary or indirect as menne saye maner of oathes and when they swore by heauen earth or the altar they counted this almost for nothing And as one sinne ariseth of an other so vnder this colour they faigned that they did not so openly prophane the name of God Christe that he might meete with this sinne saieth that they may not at all sweare either after this maner or after that neither by heauen nor by the earth c. VVhereby wee gather that this phrase not at all is not referred to the substaunce but to the maner of swearing as if he should haue saide neither directly nor indirectly otherwise it were in vaine to rehearse these kindes VVherefore the Anabaptistes doe shewe their grosse ignoraunce and their delight in contention while that frowardly they enforce one word and with closed eies doe passe by the whole meaning of the sentence If any obiect that Christ permitteth no oath I aunswere that the interpreters wordes must bee vnderstoode according to the meaning of the law Therefore this is the summe that the name of God is taken in vaine other waies then by periury Therefore we must refraine from all superfluous oathes but where as there is cause the law doth not only permitte but also commandeth to swear So Christes meaning was nothing else then that al those oathes are vnlawful which by any abuse prophane the sacred name of God the reuerence whereof they ought to preserue Neyther by heauen They are deceiued that say that Christe reprooued these formes of swearing as corrupt because that God alone shoulde be sworne by for the reasons which he bringeth doe rather bend to the coÌ„trary parte because that then also the name of God is sworne by when as heauen and earth are named because there is no parte of the worlde wherein God hath not imprinted some note of his glory Yet this opinion seemeth not to agree with the commaundement of the law whereas God expresly commaundeth to sweare by his name nor yet with diuerse places of the Scripture whereas he complayneth that he is iniuried so oft as his creatures are sworne by I aunswere it is an offence lyke to idolatrie when as eyther the power of iudgement or the aucthoritie of trying witnesses is giuen to them For we must consider the end of swering namely that menne doe appeale vnto God as the reuenger of periurie and the defence of trueth And this honour cannot be giuen to another but that his maiestie shal be prophaned And for this cause the Apostle saieth that one cannot sweare but by the greater and this was peculyer to God alone that he sweareth by himselfe So whosoeuer swore in tymes paste by Moloch or by any other Idoll did so much diminishe from the glory of God in that an other was placed in his roumth as vnderstander of the thoughtes Iudge against their â—oules And they that at this day doe sweare by Angelles or dead Saintes doe spoyle GOD of his honour and do ascribe a vain godhead to those creatures But there is an other thing to be considered when as heauen and earth are sworne by in respect of the maker For the relygion of an oath is not setled vppon the creatures but God alone is called to witnesse they being brought forth as seales of his glory The scripture also calleth heauen the seat of God not that he is included therein but that menne might learne to lyfte their mindes on high so oft as they thinke of him and that they shoulde not imagine any earthly or base thing of him Yea the earth also is therfore called his footestoole that we might knowe that hee being euerye where could not be contained in any certaine place The holynesse of Hierusalem did depende of the promisse therefore it was holy because the Lorde had chosen it for the seat and palace of his Empyre VVhen men swear by their head they lay their lyfe as pledge of their good meaning which is their singuler gyft of God 37. But let your communication be Secondly Christe prescribeth a remedy namely that menne should deale truely and faythfully amongst themselues for then playne speach shall be of more value then an oath is amongst them that knowe no other but corrupt and false dealing And truely this is the best way to reproue and correct vices by to note the fountaines from whence they spring From whence commeth this rash readinesse of swearing but that in so much vanitie in so manye deceites vnconstancy and ficklenesse nothing almost is beleeued Therfore Christe requireth trueth and constancy in our wordes that wee shoulde not neede to sweare anye more For the repetition aswell of the affirmation as of the denyall is for this purpose that wee should keepe our promisses that all vpright dealing maye thereby appeare And beecause that this is the true and lawefull kinde of bargayning where men speake no otherwise with their tongue then they thinke in their hearte Christ saieth that whatsoeuer is more proceedeth of euill And I allowe not their iudgemente that attribute the faulte of swearinge to him that dooth not beleeue the speaker But in my iudgement Christe teacheth that it proceedeth of the vices of men that they are enforced to sweare for if there were vpright dealinge amongste them if they were not diuerse nor inconstant of theyr worde but mayntayned that simplicitie which nature teacheth yet it followeth not but that it is lawefull to sweare so ofte as neede requireth for manye thinges may bee well vsed which ryse of an
are pressed downe and so it commeth to passe that they being not moued with the miseries of men doe neuer thinke vppon anye remedie And now they pleasing thēselues wil not abyde to be brought into order and they think themselues vnworthy to be accounted amōgst sinners Christe reproueth this second errour by aunswering that the whole nead not a Physition For by a figure hee teacheth that they are therefore offended at the beholding of sinners because they chaleng thēselues to be righteous Because saieth hee you are hole you despise the sicke so that you loath them and the sight of them is troublesome vnto you but it behoueth a Phisition to be farre otherwise After he sheweth that he must take vpon him the parte of a Phisition because that he was sent of the father to call sinners And though Christe beeginneth with reprouing thē yet if we desire to profit in his doctrine that must be especially holden which hee setteth downe in the second place namely that his comming was that he might giue life to the dead that he might iustifie the guiltie and condemned that hee might cleanse the polluted and them that are defiled with filthynesse that hee might pull them that are lost euen from the helles that he might cloth thē with his glory which are couered with filthinesse that hee might renew thē that are corrupte with the filthynesse of sinnes and prepare them for a blessed immortalitie If wee consider that this is his duetie and the ende of his comminge If wee remember that for this cause hee put vppon him our flesh shedde his bloud became a sacrifice of death and descended euen to hell it shall neuer seeme straunge vnto vs the vilest amongst menne euen those that are couered with a dunghill of sinnes are gathered by him into saluation Hee seemeth to thee to be vnworthy of the grace of Christe whom thou doost abhorre why then became Christ a sacrifice for sinne and accursed but that hee might reach out his hand to accursed sinners Now if wee beginne to loath that both Baptisme and also the holye Supper dooth ioyne vs in company with wicked menne so that their companye shall seeme to defile vs with any blotte let vs presently enter into our selues to search our owne sinnes without flattery And this examination shall bringe vs to this passe that wee will gladly suffer our selues to be washed in the same fountaine with the moste vncleane so that we wyll not refuse that righteousnesse whiche hee commonlye offreth to all the wicked that lyfe giuen to the dead and saluation to them that were lost 13. Goe yee and learne Hee sendeth them away and commaundeth them to departe because they seemed to be stubborn and such as would not learne Or he sheweth that they contend with God and the prophet which through pride being become cruell do grudge that the wretched should be holpen and that phisicke should be ministred to the sicke This testimonie is taken our of the prophet Osea 6. 6. where the Prophette preaching of the vengeaunce of God against the Iewes least they should take exception that they obserued the outward worship of God as they were accustomed in securitie to bragge of their ceremonies he affirmeth that GOD is not pleased with their sacrifices where their mindes are voyde of godlynesse and their manners estraunged from integritie and righteousnes But that GOD saieth that hee will not haue sacrifices appeareth by the second clause to bee spoken by comparison that the knowledge of God is more to be desired then sacrifices By which words he doth not precisely reiecte sacrifices but hee maketh lesse accounte of them then of godlynesse and fayth Yet wee must so account that fayth and spirituall worshippe doe of themselues please God that charitie and the dueties of men towardes their neighbours are required for themselues The sacrifices are but accidentes as they say which are of no estimation or account wheras trueth it self is wanting Of the which thing I haue entreated more at large vppon the tenth chapter to the Hebrewes In that word mercy the figure synecdoche is to be noted For vnder one parte the Prophet comprehendeth what duetie soeuer we owe vnto our brethren For I came not Although this is spoken to ouerthrow the pride and the hypocrisie of the Scribes yet it generally containeth a very profitable doctrine For wee are admonished that the grace of Christe shall no otherwise profit vs then while we being grieued with our sinnes and sighing vnder the burthen of them doe humbly come vnto him Againe dryue some to despayre so that they casting by all shame doe throwe themselues into all filthines It was no offence to gather tribute or custome but when as the Publycans saw themselues reiected as prophane and detestable menne through the common reproach they did not despise but reioysed in the company of the infamous and sometime they thrust in thēselues amongst the adulterers the drunkards and such lyke whose wickednes they would haue condemned and they woulde haue bene nothing like them if they had not beene driuen to this necessitie by open hatred and reproaches MAT. 11. VVhy eateth your maister with Publycans The Scribes doe assault the disciples of Christ and that they may procure them to fal away they lay forth that which at the first sight is euill and shamefull For to what purpose became he a peculyer maister to them but that they shuld withdraw themselues from the common people that they might lead a more holy life But it seemeth that he leadeth them from an honest and tollerable estate of lyfe to a prophane lycentiousnesse that they might defile themselues with filthy guestes This reproach might haue dryuen the disciples which were as yet but rude and flexible to forsake theyr maister But they doe well in that they make their complainte to theyr maister because they themselues were not sufficientlye armed againste this cauill for Christ aunswering for them confirmeth them against the time to come 12. The Hole nead not By Christes aunsweare it appeareth that the Scribes offended two wayes that they made no account of the office of Christ and that in sparing their owne faultes they doe proudly despise all other VVhich thing must therfore be noted because that this disease hath alwayes beene too common For hypocrites being full and drounken with a windy hope of their owne righteousnesse doe not accounte wherefore Christ was sent into the earth they know not in how great a labyrinth of mischiefes mankinde is drowned how horryble a wrath and curse of God doth lye vpon all men and with how confused a heap of sinnes they are pressed downe and so it commeth to passe that they being not moued with the miseries of men doe neuer thinke vppon anye remedie And now they pleasing thēselues wil not abyde to be brought into order and they think themselues vnworthy to be accounted amōgst sinners Christe reproueth this second errour by aunswering that the whole nead not a
Physition For by a figure hee teacheth that they are therefore offended at the beholding of sinners because they chaleng theÌ„selues to be righteous Because saieth hee you are hole you despise the sicke so that you loath them and the sight of them is troublesome vnto you but it behoueth a Phisition to be farre otherwise After he sheweth that he must take vpon him the parte of a Phisition because that he was sent of the father to call sinners And though Christe beeginneth with reprouing theÌ„ yet if we desire to profit in his doctrine that must be especially holden which hee setteth downe in the second place namely that his comming was that he might giue life to the dead that he might iustifie the guiltie and condemned that hee might cleanse the polluted and them that are defiled with filthynesse that hee might pull them that are lost euen from the helles that he might cloth the with his glory which are couered with filthinesse that hee might renew theÌ„ that are corrupte with the filthynesse of sinnes and prepare them for a blessed immortalitie If wee consider that this is his duetie and the ende of his comminge If wee remember that for this cause hee put vppon him our flesh shedde his bloud became a sacrifice of death and descended euen to hell it shall neuer seeme straunge vnto vs the vilest amongst menne euen those that are couered with a dunghill of sinnes are gathered by him into saluation Hee seemeth to thee to be vnworthy of the grace of Christe whom thou doost abhorre why then became Christ a sacrifice for sinne and accursed but that hee might reach out his hand to accursed sinners Now if wee beginne to loath that both Baptisme and also the holye Supper dooth ioyne vs in company with wicked menne so that their companye shall seeme to defile vs with any blotte let vs presently enter into our selues to search our owne sinnes without flattery And this examination shall bringe vs to this passe that wee will gladly suffer our selues to be washed in the same fountaine with the moste vncleane so that we wyll not refuse that righteousnesse whiche hee commonlye offreth to all the wicked that lyfe giuen to the dead and saluation to them that were lost 13. Goe yee and learne Hee sendeth them away and commaundeth them to departe because they seemed to be stubborn and such as would not learne Or he sheweth that they contend with God and the prophet which through pride being become cruell do grudge that the wretched should be holpen and that phisicke should be ministred to the sicke This testimonie is taken our of the prophet Osea 6. 6. where the Prophette preaching of the vengeauance of God against the Iewes least they should take exception that they obserued the outward worship of God as they were accustomed in securitie to bragge of their ceremonies he affirmeth that GOD is not pleased with their sacrifices where their mindes are voyde of godlynesse and their manners estraunged from integritie and righteousnes But that GOD saieth that hee will not haue sacrifices appeareth by the second clause to bee spoken by comparison that the knowledge of God is more to be desired then sacrifices By which words he doth not precisely reiecte sacrifices but hee maketh lesse accounte of them then of godlynesse and fayth Yet wee must so account that fayth and spirituall worshippe doe of themselues please God that charitie and the dueties of men towardes their neighbours are required for themselues The sacrifices are but accidentes as they say which are of no estimation or account wheras trueth it self is wanting Of the which thing I haue entreated more at large vppon the tenth chapter to the Hebrewes In that word mercy the figure synecdoche is to be noted For vnder one parte the Prophet comprehendeth what duetie soeuer we owe vnto our brethren For I came not Although this is spoken to ouerthrow the pride and the hypocrisie of the Scribes yet it generally containeth a very profitable doctrine For wee are admonished that the grace of Christe shall no otherwise profit vs then while we being grieued with our sinnes and fighing vnder the burthen of them doe humbly come vnto him Again weake consciences are here put in a certeine hope for they nead not feare least Christe should reiect sinners because that he descended from his heauenly glory to call them But that clause is also to be considered to repentaunce that we myght know that our forgiuenesse is not such as nourisheth sinnes but such as calleth vs to endeuour our selues to lyue holyly and godly For hee reconcileth vs to the father with this condition that beeing redeemed with his bloud wee shoulde offer our selues true sacrifices as Paule teacheth Titus 2 12. Heerein appeareth the mercy and loue of GOD that denying worldlye lustes wee shoulde lyue soberlye and righteoussly c. Matth. 9. Marke 2. Luke 5. 14. Then came the disciples of Iohn to him saying why do we and the Pharises fast oft and thy disciples fast not 15. And Iesus sayd vnto them can the children of the mariag chamber mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them but the dayes will come when the bridegroome shall be taken from them and then shall they faste 16. Moreouer no manne peeceth an olde garmente with a peece of new cloath for that that shoulde fill it vp taketh awaye from the garment and the breaâ—h is worse 17. Neither doe they put new wine into olde vesseles for then the vessels woulde breake and the wine would be spilte and the vesselles should perish but they put new wine into new vessels and so are both preserued 18. And the disciples of Iohn the Pharises did fast and came and said vnto him why doe the disciples of Iohn and the Pharises fast and thy disciples fast not 19. And Iesus saide vnto them can the children of the mariage fast whiles the bridgroome is with them as longe as they haue the bridegrome with them they cannot fast 20. But the dayes wil come when the bridgegroome shal be taken from them and then shall they fast in those dates 21. Also no man soweth a peecâ— of newe cloath in an olde garment for else the new peece taketh away the filling vp from the old the breach is worse 22. Lykewiâ—e no manne putteth newe wine into olde vesselles for else the newe breaketh the vesselles and the wine runneth out and the vessels are loste but new wine muste be putte into newe vesselles 33. Then they sayde vnto him why doâ— the disciples of Iohn fast often and pray and the disciples of the Pharises also but thine eate and drink 34. And he said vnto them canne yee make the children of the weddinge chamber to fast as long as the bridgrome is with them 35. But the dayes â—will come euen when the brid rom shall bee taken from them then shall they faste in those dayes 36. Againe hee spake also to them in a parable no manne putteth a
passe In this place Mathew sheweth nothing else but that Christ ceased not from the course of his office while the Apostles laboured other where Therefore assone as he had sent them with their commandements to go through Iudes he applied himself to teaching in Galile But there is waight and force in that woord commaunding for Mathewe declareth that they had not a free embassage permitted them but that it was prescribed and tolde to them what they should say and how they should behaue themselues 2. And when Iohn heard The Euangelists doe not meane that Iohn was moued with myracles so that then at lēgth he acknowledged the mediatour but because he saw that Christ became famous and accounting that the ful and perfect time was come wherein his testimonie was approued in him he sent his disciples to him That is too absurde that some thinke that he sent for his own cause also as thogh that he had not ben fully perswaded and plainly taught him to be the Christ. That is also a friuolous imagination of them which imagine that when the Baptist was neare his death he should demand of Christ what message he should beare frō his mouth to the fathers which were dead But it is euidēt that this holy crier of Christ because he saw himself not to be farre distant from the ende of his race and that his disciples remained as yet in suspence thoughe he had bestowed much labour in teaching them sought this last remedy to heale their infirmitie He faithfully behaued himselfe in this as I said that his disciples might embrace Christe without delay Sith by daily calling vpon they had profited so litle he doth not feare without a cause least after his death they should fal away wholely therefore by sending them to Christe his will was to waken their slouthfulnesse throughly Againe the pastours of the Churche are in this place admonished of their duety that they shoulde not endeuour to holde disciples addict◠or as it were bounde to them but to directe them to Christe who is the only maister Iohn at the beginning professed himself not to be the bridegrome Therfore which is the part of a faithful frend of the bridegromes he offereth a chast and a pure spouse to Christ himselfe who is the only bridegrome of the Church Paule 2. Cor. 11. 2. declareth that he had the same care and the example of them both is proposed to all the ministers of the Gospell to folowe 3. Art thou he that should come Iohn taketh that for graunted which the disciples had learned from their childehode For it was a common lesson of godlinesse amongst all the Iewes that there should come a Christ the author of saluation of perfecte blessednesse wherefore he moueth no question of that principle but demandeth only whether Iesus is that promised redemer For it behoued them after they were perswaded of the redemption promised in the law and the prophets to embrace the same offred in the person of Christ. VVhē he addeth shal we loke for another In this clause he sharply reproueth their slouthfulnes which being taught so certainly before should wauer so long with doutful mindes He also sheweth what is the nature and force of faith namely that being grounded in the truth of God it looketh not about hither or thither nor varieth that being content with Christ alone it turneth not any other way Goe and shew Iohn As Iohn had taken the person of an other vpon him so he cōmandeth to cary word back again to him which should rather haue bene obserued of his disciples That he answereth not simply he doeth it first for that purpose because it were better the thing it selfe shuld speake then that hee might giue his forerunner more free scope of teaching yet he doth not giue him in his myracles a naked matter without fourm but he applieth the myracles to their end out of the Oracles of the Prophets And he noteth one place especially out of the 35. chapter of Isaiah an other out of the 61 that the disciples of Iohn might know that to be fulfilled and performed whiche the Prophet witnessed of the kingdome of Christe In the first place is contained a description of the kingdome of Christ vnder the which gouernment God promiseth that he will be so liberal bountiful that he would help remedy al diseases And it is no dout but that he speaketh of a spiritual deliuerance from al euils miseries But Christ by outward signes as is said before sheweth that he came to be a spiritual phisition to cure soules So it came to passe that the disciples might depart without any wauering doubt hauing a plaine answere without obscure or vaine circumstances The last place is like to the first in this that teaching that the treasures of the grace of God for the world were proposed in Christ it declareth that Christe was peculiarly sent to the pore the afflicted And he alleageth this prophesie purposely partly that he might teach all his humilitie partly that he mighte take away the offence which the wisedom of flesh might conceiue at his contemptible flocke For as we are proud by nature we esteme almost of nothing except it be sette foorth with muche glory But the Churche of Christe being gathered of poore menne is furthest of all from that gay and gorgious shewe From hence hathe the contempte of the Gospell crepte into manye because it is not receiued of all great menne and of menne of greate dignitie But howe ouerthwarte and wicked thys estimation of the Gospell is CHRISTE doeth admonishe vs by the nature of the Gospell it selfe when as it is sente but to the poore and abiectes wherof it foloweth that it is no new thing or ought that shoulde trouble vs if it be despised of all the mighty which being pufte vp with their richesse doe leaue no void place for the grace of God nay if it be refused of the most part of men there is no cause why we shoulde maruell when as there is scarce the hundreth man which swelleth not with a vain confidence And as Christ defendeth his gospel from contempt so againe he declareth who they be that are fit to receiue the grace of saluation which is there offered and he calling louingly miserable sinners to the hope of saluation he raiseth them into an assured hope For it is certaine that the poore are called whose condition is miserable and vile and whiche are nothing accounted of Therefore as euery man is most abiect meane let not his pouertie cause him to despaire but lette it comfort him the rather to seeke after Christ. But let vs remember that none else are accoūted poore but they that thinke themselues to be such that is whiche lye oppressed with the feeling of their owne pouertie 6. And blessed is he By this clause it was the wil of Christ to teach that if any will remaine constant and firme in the faith of the Gospel
in their blindnesse he ascribeth the faulte of this to them but thereby he the more commendeth the grace giuen to the Apostles which was not in such sorte giuen commonly to all And other cause he assigneth none but the secreat coūsell of God the reason wherof though it be hid from vs yet it was apparant to him as we shall heereafter more plainly perceiue And though parables haue an other ende then to containe darke speaches which God would not that they shoulde be plainly made knowen yet we sayd that this which we haue now in hand was so proposed by Christe that by the continuance of the Allegorie it was as a doutfull riddle 14. So in them is fulfilled the Prophesie He confirmeth and prooueth out of the prophesie of Isai that it is no newe thing if many profite nothing by the word of God because that in times past the olde people were founde in such great blindnesse But this place of the Prophet is diuersly cited in the newe Testament For Paule Actes 28. 26. vpbraiding the Iewes for their obstinate malice sayeth that they were therefore blinded that they could not see the light of the Gospell because they were bitter and rebellious against God So he set down the nearest cause which was to be sene openly in the men But in the Epistle to the Rom. 11. 7. he setteth downe the cause out of a higher a more secreat fountain for he teacheth that the remnants should be saued according to the grace of election and that the rest were blinded according as it is said by Isaias c. the opposition there vsed is to be noted for if the onely free election of God saueth a remnant of the people it foloweth that all other doe pearish by the secreat iudgemēt of God but yet righteous For who are those other which Paule opposeth to the remnantes whiche were chosen but they whome God woulde not shoulde be saued There is the like reason also in Iohn 12. 38. For he sayeth that there were many which beleeued not because that no man beleeueth but they to whom the arme of the Lord is reuealed And presently after he addeth that they could not beleeue because it is wrytten againe Isa. 6. 9. he hath blinded their eyes and hardned their heart Christ also had regard vnto this when he referreth it to the secrete counsell of God that the truthe of the Gospell was not generally reuealed to all but set foorth a farre off vnder darke speaches so that nothing was powred into the peoples minds but grosser blindnesse I doe alwaies graunt that whom soeuer God doeth blinde they are found woorthy of this plague but because the next cause doeth not appeare in the persones of the men let this principle remaine alwayes certaine and sure that they are lightened of God to saluation and that by a singular gift whom God hath freely chosen but all the reprobate are depriued of the light of life whether God withdraweth his woorde from them or else holdeth their eyes and eares fast closed that they should not heare nor see Now we see howe Christe applieth the prophesie of the Prophet to the present cause Hearinge yee shall heare The woordes of the Prophet are not recited neither was it needefull for it was sufficient for Christ to shewe that it was no new nor strange example if many be astonished at the word of God The saying of the Prophet was this Go blind their mindes and harden their hearts Mathewe referreth it to the hearers that the faulte of their blindnesse and hardnesse might be saide vppon themselues for the one of them cannot be separated from the other because that as many as are cast off into a reprobate sense do willingly and of a conceiued malice blinde and harden themselues Neither can it be otherwise where as the spirit of God raigneth not wherby the electe are onely ruled VVherefore let this which is added be noted that all they are out of their minde whiche God lighteneth not with the spirite of adoption and therfore they are rather blinded by the word of God yet the fault remaineth in them because they are willingly blinded But the ministers of the woorde may by this comfort themselues if they haue not alwaies such successe of their labours as they desire yea if that many be so far from profiting by their doctrine that they rather become the worse thereby Namely that the same thing befalleth vnto them that the Prophet whom they doe not excell had experience of It were to be wished that all were brought to obey God and it becommeth them to apply and to labour to bring this to passe yet lette them not wonder that the iudgement which was exercised in times past by the ministerie of this Prophet be also fulfilled at this day But we must diligently take hede lest the frute of the gospel pearish throgh our defalt MAR. 12. That they seeing may not discerne It sufficeth to note here briefly that which is more largely entreated of other where that the doctrine is not properly nor by it selfe nor of the owne nature the cause of the blindnesse but by an accidental meanes For as when the purblinde come foorth into the Sunne their eyes are more blinded and that fault is not to be imputed to the Sunne but to their eyes so the woorde of God blindeth and hardeneth the reprobate because it cōmeth through their owne wickednes it is proper naturall to thēselues accidental to the word Least at any time they shoulde tourne This clause sheweth what profite we should haue by hearing and vnderstanding namely that men being turned to God may by him be receiued againe into grace and by enioyinge his mercy they may liue well and happely Therefore the Lorde woulde that his worde should be preached especially for this ende that by renewing the mindes and hearts of menne he might reconcile them to himself But on the contrary side Isai heere sayeth of the reprobate that a stonie hardnesse remaineth in them least they shoulde obtaine mercy and that the effecte of the woorde was taken away from them least their heartes shoulde tourne to repentaunce Vnder this woorde healinge Mathewe comprehendeth the deliuerance from al euilles as the Prophet also doth for they doe Metaphorically compare a people afflicted by the hande of God to a sicke man And when the Lorde releaseth his punishments they say that he healeth But because this health dependeth vppon forgiuenesse of sinnes Marke doeth aptly and wel set downe the cause and fountaine For whence proceedeth the mitigation of punishments but because the Lorde being well pleased with vs bestoweth his blessing vppon vs And though that sometime after he hath forgiuen our sinne he yet ceaseth not to punish vs either that we may the more be humbled or that we may be the more wary heereafter yet because he sheweth some tokens of his fauour hee quickeneth and restoreth vs then because that for the moste parte the
saying bringeth cleannesse but that they being nowe cleane before shoulde shewe themselues to the priestes But they are double fooles not considering what a silthy blot of infamie they cast vpon their confession They haue behaued themselues well if of al the multitude of them which haue gone to the Priestes the tenth part onely returneth to Christe and all the rest are wickedly alienated away For they cannot pretende this as a title of their confession but that it shal be lawfull to returne againe this fruite of the same vpon them that none returned from the Priests to giue glory to God But these trifles being let passe we vnderstand to what end there was mention made of the Priestes It came to passe as they went Heere appeared the diuine power of Christe and of his wordes and heere also was an instruction giuen howe much obedience of faith shoulde please God for heereof came their sodaine health that they beinge of good hope doubted not to take their iourney at Christ his commaundement If that that vanishing faith wanting a liuely roote onely brought out the herbe was yet adorned of God with a wonderfull effecte howe much more excellent a reward remaineth for our faith if it be setled sincerely and perfectly in God For thoughe the health of the body profited not the 9. Lepers to saluation but for their â—leeting and fraile faith they onely obtained a temporall gifte yet vnder this figure it is shewed vs how effectuall a true faith shal be 15. Then one of them It is vncertaine whether he returned in the midste of the iourney and Lukes wordes seeme to signifie the same yet it semeth more probable to me that he came not to giue thanks vntill he had heard the iudgement of the Priestes For it behoued him to be restored by the Priests to the common societie neither was it lawfull for neglectinge the commaundement of Christ to defraude the temple of God of the sacrifice except that other coniecture shall rather like you assoone as he sawe himselfe cleansed before he desired the testimonie of the Priestes beinge caried with a holy and godly zeale came to the authour that hee might begin his sacrifice at thankesgiuing But in Christes wordes there is an vpbraiding of the whole nation for he doeth odiously compare one stranger with many Iewes because it was a common thing amongst them to deuoure the benefites of God without any sense of godlinesse And hereof it commeth to passe that by so many and so notable myracles Christe had almost no name amongest them Yet let vs know that we are generally condemned all by this complaint except we become thankefull to God for his benefites 19. Thy faith hath saued thee Some interpreaters do restraine this worde sauing to the cleansing of the flesh but if it be so sith Christ commendeth the liuely faith in this Samaritane it may be demaunded howe the other nine were saued for they had all generally like health Thus therefore it is to be noted that Christe heere iudged otherwise of the gifte of God then prophane men doe namely as comfortable token and pledge of the loue of the father The other nine Leapers were healed but because they do wickedly blotte out the grace of God their vnthankfulnesse hindereth and polluteth the health it selfe so that they take not that profite by the same which they ought Therefore only faith sanctifieth the giftes of God that they may be pure to vs and being ioyned with a lawful vse they may be to our saluation To be short Christ declareth by this worde how we should vse the benefites of God rightly VVherby we gather that the eternall saluation of the soule is ioyned togither with this temporall gift The Samaritane is saued by his faith How Certainly not so that he was healed of his leaprousie for this was common with the rest but because he is accepted into the number of the children of GOD in that he receiued a token of a fatherly loue at his hand 20. And when he was demaunded of the Pharisies This question vndoubtedly was moued in scorne For when as Christ had spoken daily of the being of the kingdome of God at hand and that there was no chaunge of the outward state amongest the Iewes the wicked and malitious menne thought this to be a plausible coulour to vexe and trouble him by Therfore as if he should speakein vain and trifle of the kingdom of God they doe aske him iestingly when at length that kingdome shall come Yet if any shall thinke that they rather asked this question of grosse ignoraÌ„ce then to scorne at I doe not striue against it The kingdom of God commeth not Christ in my iudgement neglecting those dogges applieth his answeare to his disciples as being after prouoked by the wicked he tooke thereby occasion to teach them And so their malice being laughed to scrone by the Lorde while the truth is defended from their cauils it sheweth it selfe the more Christ here vseth this word obseruation for great glory as if he shuld deny the kingdome of God to come loftily as in a pomp For he declareth that they are much deceiued which seeke the kingdome of God whiche is not carnall or earthly with fleshly eyes when it is nothing else but an inwarde and spirituall renewing of the soule for he teacheth them that they do peruersly against the nature of that kingdome which looke about hither or other that they might obserue some visible notes as if he shoulde haue sayde the restitution of the Churche which God hath promised must be sought inwardly for he giuing to his electe a heauenly newnesse of life setteth vp his kingdome in them And so he doeth ouerthwartly reprooue the slouthfulnesse of the Pharisies because they aspire to nothing but that whiche is earthly and transitorie Yet it is to be noted that Christ only spake of the beginnings of the kingdom of God because that we begin nowe to be reformed by the spirite according to the image of God that then a perfecte renewing of vs and of the world might follow in his time Mathewe 13. Marke 6. Luke 53. And it came to passe that when Iesus had ended these Parables he departed thence 54. And came into his owne countrey and taught them in their Synagogue so that they were astonied and sayd whence commeth this wisedom great workes vnto this man 55. Is not this the Carpenters sonne Is not his mother called Marie and his brethren Iames and Ioses and Simon and Iudas 56. And are not his sisters all with vs VVhence then hath hee all these things 57. And they were offended with him Then Iesus sayde to them a Prophet is not wythout honour saue in his owne countrey and in his owne house 58. And he did not many great workes there for their vnbeliefs sake 1. Afterwardes he departed thence came into his owne countrey and his disciples followed him 2. And when the Sabboth was come he began to teache
his smal army of the huge multitude of his enemies â— Sa. 14. 6. And as the blessing of God satisfied as wel with one loafe as with 20. is enoughe to feede a great multitude so if that be wanting a hundred loaues shall not suffice to feede ten men for where the staffe of bread shal be broken though the meale be yelded by waight from the mil and the bread from the ouen yet shal it not auaile to stuffe the belly by deuouring it The three daies fasting whereof Christ speaketh must be vnderstoode not that they abide three daies without meat but because there was no great prouision in those desart places so that of necessity there wanted ordinarie foode Also that in those hotte regions there is lesse stomacke to eate then vnder our grosse and colde aire wherefore it is no maruell if they abstained the longer from meat 33. VVhere should we gette so much bread in the wildernesse The disciples doe bewray too beastly a blockishnesse that then at the least they call not to minde that which they had learned of the power and grace of Christe which they might haue applied to this present vse but as if they had neuer sene any such thing they forget to seeke for remedy of him And because the like sluggishnesse doeth daily creepe vppon vs so muche more heede must be taken least at any time our mindes be withdrawen from considering the benefits of God that the experience of the times past may teache vs hereafter to hope for the same that God hath now once or oftner bestowed vpon vs. Mathewe 16. Marke 8. Luke 12. 1. Then came the Pharisies and Sadduces and did tempt him desiring him to shewe them a signe from heauen 2. But he aunsweared and sayde vnto them when it is euening yee say faire weather for the skie is redde 3. And in the morninge yee say To day shal be a tempest for the skie is redde and lowringe O hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie and can yee not discerne the signes of the times 4. The wicked generation and adoulterous seeketh a signe and there shall no signe be giuen it but the signe of the Prophet Ionas so hee left them and departed 11. And the Pharisies came foorth and began to dispute with him seekinge of hym a signe from heauen tempting him 12. Then he sighed depely in his spirite and sayde why doeth this generation seeke a sign Verily I say vnto you a signe shal not be giuen vnto this generation 13. So hee left them and went into the shippe againe and departed to the other side 54. Then sayde hee to the people when yee see a cloude rise out of the VVest straight way yee say a showre commeth and so it is 55. And when yee see the South winde blowe yee say that it will be hoate and it commeth to passe 56. Hypocrites yee canne discerne the face of the earth and of the skie but why discerne yee not this time 57. Yea and why iudge ye not of your selues what is right 1. Then came the Pharisies Marke sayeth that they began to dispute whereof may be gathered that when they were ouercome with reasons this was their last refuge as obstinate menne so oft as they are driuen to extremities yet least they shoulde be enforced to subscribe to the truthe they commonly vse to pretende somwhat besides the cause And though the maner of their disputation is not expressed yet it seemeth likely to mee that they brabled about the callinge of Christe why he durst innouate any thing why he lifted vppe and bare him selfe so high as if that by his comming the kingdome of God shoulde bee restored to the estate of the same VVhen there remained nothing that they might obiect against his doctrine they desired to haue a signe giuen them from heauen But it is certaine that they woulde not haue yeelded more to a hundred signes then they did to the testimonies of the scripture Note also that the power of Christ was manifested to their sight already by many myracles and might as it were be haÌ„dled with their hands They despise the signes whereby Christe reuealed himselfe familiarly vnto them therefore howe muche lesse woulde they profite by an obscure signe fetched from farre So the Papistes at this day as if the doctrine of the Gospell hadde neuer bene established doe desire to haue it confirmed vnto them by newe myracles It is also to be noted that when the Pharisies had great contention with the Sadduces neither was it onely a bitter hatred but there were daily hotte strifes betweene them yet nowe they doe mutually ioyne togither against Christ so when the wicked are at debate yet their deadly discordes hinder them not but that they will conspire against God and as it were by making leagues they doe ioyne handes togither to ouâ—throwe the truthe By the worde Tempting the Euangelists doe signâ—â—â—e that they came not with sincere mindes nor with a desire to learne but to take him by deceit for that they thought should be denied them or at the least that Christ coulde not doe it as they imagined For because they accounted no better of him but vilely and basely they had no other purpose then by shewing his base estate to ouerthrow that estimation which he had heeretofore gotten amongst the people So the vnbeleuers are said to tempt God as oft as they not obtaining what soeuer their pleasure desireth doe fall to murmuring and doe charge God with want of power 2. VVhen it is euening In these woordes Christe declareth that his power is sufficiently declared so that they might know the time of their visitation if they did not flee the open light by the shutting of their eyes of their owne accorde And he vseth a notable similitude and very fitte for the purpose though the course of the aire is changeable so that now of a sodaine a tempest riseth now vnlooked for it waxeth cleare yet nature directing them menne by signes doe prognosticate before whether the day shall be faire or foule Therfore Christ demaundeth why they do not know the kingdome of God being reuealed by as euident signes as the other for hereby it certainly appeared that they were too muche giuen to earthly and transitorie commodities contemninge what soeuer pertained to the heaueÌ„ly and spirituall life and they were not thus blind so much by ignorance as of wilfull malice Therefore hee calleth them also hypocrites because they fained to seeke that which being shewed them they woulde not see Further the same reproofe doeth almost appertaine to the whole worlde for because that menne doe bende their witte and applie theyr senses to the present vse there is almost no manne who is not wise enoughe in this behalfe or at the least hauing obtained some meane knowledge followeth that which is expedient Then whereof commeth it that we vnderstande not those signes whereby God calleth vs vnto him but because that euery manne giueth
possession of vs. But that the matter may more euidently appeare let vs consider Christes woordes 6. Take heede of the leauen of the Pharisies Mat. ioyneth the Sadduces with the Pharisies Marke putteth Herode in those secondes roume Luke maketh meÌ„tion only of the Pharisies Though it is vncertaine whether Luke rehearseth the same speach of Christ and defineth the leauen to be hypocrisie also doth briefly set down this senteÌ„ce as if there were no doutfulnesse in the woordes And though the Metaphore of leauen which is here applied to false doctrine might other where be transferred to hypocrisie of life and behauiour or else that the same was spoken twise yet there is no absurdity if we say that those sayings which the other two according to the course of the hystorie doe set forth more largely by Luke are touched somwhat otherwise as not in the same place or order so that yet there be no difference in the matter If it be lawfull to folow this coÌ„iecture hypocrisie shall signify somewhat else then a counterfait and fained shew of wisedome namely the fountaine it selfe and matter of vaine pompe which boasting of some great thing before men is of no estimation before God For as the eyes of the Lorde as Ieremie witnesseth 5. 3. behold the truth so by his word he directeth the faithful in perfect holinesse that with a perfecte and sincere heart they may cleaue vnto righteousnesse according to that saying Deut. 10. 12. And now O Israel what doeth the Lorde require of thee but that thou shouldest cleaue vnto him with all thy heart and with all thy soule But on the contrary side the spirituall worship being neglected they doe bring in the traditions of men fading colours as if God could be caught with such baites For although the outwarde ceremonies serue to make a shew yet before God they are but childish triâ—â—es further then we be exercised by them in true holinesse Nowe we vnderstande why Luke put hypocrisie in steade of fained doctrine and vnder this name hee comprehendeth the leauens of menne which doe onely puffe vppe with a vaine shewe and before God haue no soundnesse in them nay they drawe the mindes of menne from the right studie of godlinesse to vaine rites not to be esteemed But because that Mathew his exposition is plainer it shall be best to rest vpon that VVhen the Lorde had reprooued the Disciples they at the length vnderstoode that they were commaunded to take heede of the doctrine it is certaine that this was the meaning of Christe to arme them against the present corruptions with the which they were coÌ„passed on euery side And therfore he speaketh expresly of the Pharisies and Sadduces because those two sectes tyrannously raigned at that time in the Churche and wyth their corrupt doctrines they ouerwhelmed the doctrine of the Lawe and of the Prophets so that there remained almost nothing sounde or perfect Further it is demaunded wherfore Marke putteth Herode amongst the number of false teachers who professed no suche thing I aunsweare when as he was halfe a Iewe degenerate and vnfaithfull he endeuoured by all the subtelties he coulde to drawe the people after him For this is the maner of all Apostates to adde some mixture that a newe Religion may spring which may abolish the former Therefore because that he endeuoured craftily to ouerthrowe the principles of the true and auncient religion that that religion might at the length flourish which shoulde be most agreeable to his tyrannie and because he endeuoured to bringe in a newe kinde of Iudaisme the Lord doeth not without cause commaunde also to beware of his leauen For as the Scribes scattered their errours out of the temple of God so Herodes court was an other shoppe of sathan for the forginge of other errours As we see the like in Poperie at this day Antichrist doeth not vomite his subtleties only out of the Churches and dennes of Sophisters and Monkes but he also proppeth vp his kingdom with the helpe of courtly diuinitie so as he wil omitte no craft And as Christe then mette with those present euilles and gaue his warninge to beware of that which was most noysome we being warned by this example let vs learne wisely to weigh what corruptions may annoy vs. A man may sooner mixe fire and water togither then make the inuentions of the Pope to agree with the Gospel Therfore who soeuer desireth with good faith to become Christes disciple lette him studie to keepe hys soule pure from those leauens If he be nowe already infected with the same lette him labour so muche the more in cleansing himselfe vntill no more dregges nor filthinesse sticke in him And now because that on the other part troublesome men do attempt diuers wayes to corrupt sounde doctrine the faithfull must watch diligently for the auoiding of suche subtleties so as they may celebrate a continual Passeouer with the sweete bread of truth And because that vile wickednesse noysome leauen and most deadly poyson ouerwhelmeth nowe euery place let men imploy all their senses to this warning most necessary of all 1. VVhy thinke you thus in your selues The disciples do againe declare how euil they haue profited both by their masters doctrine also by his woÌ„derfull works For that which he had said of taking hede of leauen they so tooke as if Christ wold only draw them from the outward felowship For because that it was a custome receiued amongst the Iewes that they should not eate meate togither with prophane menne the disciples thought that the Pharisies were of the same sort number And this ignoraÌ„ce was to be tolerated in some sorte but because they forgate so late a benefite they thinke not that the remeady is in Christes hande that they should not be compelled to defile themselues with meate and drinke he rebuketh them more sharply as they were well woorthy and certainly this vnthankfulnesse was too grosse when as they hadde so lately seene bread created of nothing for the satisfying of many thousandes of menne and that being twise done nowe to take care for breade as if the same power were not remaining in the master still By the which woordes we doe gather that all they are condemned of infidelitie whiche hauing once or twice tried the power of God doe afterward distrust For as faith nourisheth the remembrance of the gifts of God in our hearts so except the same faith be ouerwhelmed they will neuer be forgotten â—â— They vnderstoode that he had spoken of the doctrine It is not hard to bee vnderstoode but that Christ opposeth this word leauen against the simple and pure word of God Christe taketh the same beefore in the good parte when he saide that the Gospel was like to leauen but the scripture for the most parte doth hereby signifie any thing that is added whereby the naturall purity of any thing is hindered But in this place these two contraries doe without doubt aunswere the one to
Ezechiell maketh mention chap. 47. 9. and those waters going out from the temple doe spread themselues to the East to the west Though we do vse churches at this day for the meeting of y e holy assēblies yet it is for an other cause for since that Christ came he is not proposed vs in an outwarde and shadowish image as hee was in tymes past to the fathers vnder the lawe Furthermore it is to be noted that the Prophet by this woord prayer meaneth the whole worshippe of God For though there was at that time great aboundaunce of ceremonies yet God in few words taught the Iewes to what end al those ceremonies should be referred namely that they might spiritually worship him as it is more plainely set downe in the fiftie Psalme For there dooth God also call backe all the exercises of godlynesse to prayer But you haue made it Christe declareth that the complainte of Ieremiah belongeth also to his time wherein the Temple was no lesse defiled The Prophet rebuketh the hypocrites which strengthning themselues with the temple tooke themselues a libertie to sinne For where it was the purpose of God to instructe the Iewes by outward signes as instructions to true godlynes as it is a common matter for hypocrites to turne trueth into a lye as if it were sufficient to apply themselues to outward ceremonies they were content with the vaine pretence of the Temple But the Prophet cryeth out against them that GOD is not tied to the temple or bounde to ceremonies and therefore they boasted in vaine of the name of the temple which they had made a denne of theeues For as theeues doe more boldly sinne in their dennes beecause they hope they shall escape without punishment so the hypocrites grow to be bolde vnder a faigned pretence of godlinesse so that almost they are in hope to deceiue God Further because that the Metaphor of a denne reacheth to all corruptions Christ doth very aptly apply the place of the Prophet to this present cause Marke addeth that Christ forbadde that no man should cary any vessell through the temple that is hee would not suffer anye prophane thing to be seene there for by the word vessell the Hebrewes doe signifie all kinde of furniture for a house In summe Christ tooke away whatsoeuer hindered the reuerence and maiestie of the temple 14. The blinde and the halte came vnto him Least that authoritie which Christe hadde taken vppon him more then hee was woont shoulde bee suspected of rashnesse hee confirmed the same by miracles Therefore healed he the blinde and the halte in the Temple that it might be manifestly knowne that the right honour of the Messias belonged to him For the Prophetes doe describe and sette him forth with these markes whereby wee see agayne that which I spake of a litle beefore that it is not the parte of euerye of the people to immitate this deede of Christe leaste that vnaduisedlye that manne shoulde lyft vppe himselfe into the throane of the Messias This is to be noted that the halt and the blynd which were healed were witnesses of the diuine power of Christe as if God from heauen should sanctifie with his voyce the speach of the multitude 15. VVhen the chiefe Priestes and Scribes saw the miracles Luke declareth that the Pharises beganne to murmur now by the way The disciples then onely cryed and they would haue them commaunded to silence Christ aunswered that they laboured in vaine for God woulde rather make the stones to cry then that hee woulde suffer the kingdome of hys Sonne to be ouerwhelmed It is to be supposed that when there was no end of crying but that the children also ioyned themselues to them the Scribes and Priestes waxed more angry and then they assaulted Christe againe And they seeme to nippe him very scornefully while they caste in his teeth that he seeketh for praise of children Further it is to be noted whereof they toke their offence That they were malitious wicked and deadly contēners of God it appeareth by this that they are as much vexed at the myracles as at the happy and ioyfull cryes But now I seeke after some speciall matter what it was that should vexe them most VVe know how fiercely they fought for their estate for hottely they sought to maintaine that tyrannye which they hadde once vsurped And this had bene no small imparing of their kingdome if it shuld be lawful for the people to giue Christ the tytle of a king yea euen in the smallest matters they would haue the decrees holden for Oracles so that it shuld not be lawfull for to allow or to reiect any thing but according to theyr pleasure Therefore they thinke it an absurd and peruerse course for the people to giue title of Messias to any man whō they shal not think worthy of that degree And certeinly it was meete if they would haue done theyr duety that they should haue gone before the whole people as leaders and guydes For the Priestes were created to this end that al menne might aske for the knowledge of the law of God from their lippes and also that they might be the Aungelles and interpreters of the GOD of hostes Mal. 1. 7. But because they had wickedly extinguished the light of the trueth Christ aunswereth them very aptly that they shal preuaile nothing in seeking to suppresse the doctrine of saluation because the stones shall rather vtter it And in these wordes is contained a secrete graunt for Christ doth not deny this to be a preposterous order that the vnlearned common people and children shoulde first celebrate with their speach the comming of the Messias but because y t they do malitiouslye choake the trueth which shoulde be the approued witnesses of the same it is no meruaile if God raise vppe others and to their shame chuse children to doe it Heereby we reape no litle comfort for though the wicked labour all the wayes they can deuise to darken hide the kingdome of Christ here we heare that they labour in vaine They hope that when of that company which promote the kingdome of Christe they shal kil some and restraine others with feare that they shal obtaine theyr purpose But the Lord wil deceiue them for he wil rather giue mouthes and tongues to stones rather then the kingdom of his Sonne shall want witnesses 16. Read yee neuer The Scribes and Priests tooke occasion to quarrell at this that Christ suffered the children to call him a king as the wicked ones doe alwayes disdainfully despise the humility of Christes disciples Christ reproueth this malice with the testimony of Dauid who also maketh the very infants preachers of his glory These are the very wordes Out of the mouth of babes and sucklinges hast thou ordained strengthe Psal. 8. 3. whereby Dauid declareth that though all tongues should kepe silence God needeth not any other Rethoricians to set foorth his power then yong infantes which as yet hang vppon
not hands vppon Christ let vs know that it was because God hadde brideled them VVhereby no smal comfort doeth also come to the faithfull when they heare that they are shielded by the hande of God so that they escape as it were the iawes of death Math. 22. Marke 12. Luke 20. 15. Then went the Pharisies tooke counsell howe they might tangle him in talke 16. And they sent vnto him their disciples with the Herodians saying Maister we knowe that thou art true and teachest the way of God truely neyther carest for any manne for thou considerest not the personne of menne 17. Tell vs therefore how thinkest thou Is it lawfull to giue tribute vnto Caesar or not 18. But Iesus perceiued their wickednesse and said why tempt yee me yee hypocrites 19. Shew me the tribute money and they brought him a penie 20. And he said vnto them whose is this image and superscription 21. They sayd vnto him Caesars Then sayde he vnto them Giue therefore to Caesar the thinges which are Caesars and giue vnto God those thinges whiche are Gods 22. And when they heard it they marueiled and left him and went their way 13. And they sent vnto him certaine of the Pharisies and of the Herodians that they might take him in his talke 14. And when they came they sayd vnto him Master we know that thou art true and carest for no manne for thou considerest not the person of menne but teachest the way of God truely Is it lawful to giue tribute to Caesar or not 15. Shoulde we giue it or shoulde we not giue it But he knew their hypocrisie and sayd vnto them why tempte yee me Bring me a pennye that I may see it 16. So they brought it and he sayd vnto them whose is this image and superscription and they sayd vnto hym Caesars 17. Then Iesus answeared sayd vnto them Giue to Caesar the thinges that are Caesars and so God those that are Gods and they marueiled at him 20. And they watched him and sent foorth spies which shuld saiâ—e theÌ„selues iust men to take him in his talke and to deliuer him vnto the power and authâ—ritie of the gouernour 21. And they asked him saying Maister wee knowe that thou sayest and teachest righte neither doest thou accept mans person but teachest the way of god truely 22. Is it lawfull for vs to giue Caesar tribute or no 23. But he perceiued their craftinesse and sayde vnto them why tempt yee mee 24. Shewe me a pennye whose image superscription hath it They answeared and sayd Caesars 25. Then hee sayde vnto them Giue then vnto Caesar the thinges whiche are Caesars and to God those which are Gods 26. And they coulde not reprooue his sayinge before the people but they marueiled at his answeare and held their peace VVheÌ„ the Pharisies had tried al other waies against christ at the last they thought this the best way to destroy him if they could deliuer him to the gouernour as a seditious person and one that sought after innouations Ther was about that time a great question amongst the Iewes coÌ„cerning tribute as we haue sene other wher for when as the Romanes had traÌ„slated to themselues the tribute which God in the law of Moses coÌ„manded to be paid to himself the Iewes in all places were offeÌ„ded thought it a hainous offence and not to be borne that prophane men shoulde pull in this maner to theÌ„selues that which of right appertained to God Further when as that paying of tribute appoynted by the law was a witnes of their adoption they thought themselues spoiled of the honour due to them Now the porer any man was the bolder he was in hope of his pouerty to raise stirres and tumults Therefore the Pharisies do deuise this subtelty to catch Christ in so that he should ensnare himselfe which way soeuer he shuld answer If he shuld deny to pay it he shuld be guilty of sedition But if he shuld graunt that it shuld be paid of right he shuld be accounted as an enemye to his owne nation and a betraier of the liberty of their countrey But this was their speciall purpose to alienate the people from him This is the catching which the Euangelistes doe note for they thinke that they haue so laid a snare on euerye side for Christe that now he could not escape But because they were his professed enemies knewe that they were therefore suspected they suborned some of theyr own disciples as Mat. reporteth But Luke calleth them spies or deceitful persons which shuld fain theÌ„selues to be righteous that is they shuld pretend a simple honest desire to learne For this faining to be righteous is not generally takeÌ„ but is restrained to this present cause for they shuld not haue ben admitted but vnder pretence of a sincere affection desire to learne they ioyne the Herodians to them who had a greater fauour to the Romane Empire wherby they were the apter to lay an accusation to his charge But it is woorth the labour to note how they being at sharpe dissention amongst theÌ„selues could yet agree togither to destroy Christ so great was their hatred against him VVee haue shewed other where what maner of sect this was For when as Herode was but half a Iew or a degenerate and adoulterous professour of the law whosoeuer woulde kepe the lawe exactly in euery poynt condemned him and his prophane kinde of worshipping and he had his flatterers which would cast a colour vppon his corrupt doctrine So besides other sectes there was also sprung vp at that time a courtly religion 16. Master wee knowe This is that righteousnesse which they dissemble while they do flatteringly crouch vnto Christ as if they were desirous to learne and they do not only pretend to be godly but seme also to be wel perswaded of his doctrine For if they had spoken from their heart this had ben sincere dealing So by their wordes there may be a definition gathered of a true and faithful teacher such as they fain Christ to be They say that he is true teacheth the way of God that is he that is a faithful interpreater of God and that in truthe that is without any corruption The way of God is opposed against inuentions of men and all forraine and straunge doctrines and truthe is sette against ambition couetousnesse and other wicked affections which doe vsually corrupte the pure manner of teachinge Therefore wee muste accounte him for a lawful teacher whyche bryngeth not in the deuices of menne nor departeth from the pure woorde of GOD but deliuereth as it were by hande that which he hath learned from his mouth further with a sincere mind to doe good he applyeth the doctrine to the benefit saluation of the people and corrupteth it not with any corruption As concerninge this last clause Paule 2. Cor. 2. 17. in saying that he hath not made merchaÌ„dise of the word of God declareth that there are some which
they rather acknowledged God to be the iudge of the world that al things appertaining to man are gouerned by his prouidence but sith they tyed aswell the reward of the godlye as the paynes due to the wicked to this present life though they had sayd truely that euery manne is now handled equally according to his desart yet this was too preposterous to shutte vp the promises of God into so narow corners Now experyence doth euidently declare that their folly was too grosse sith it is euident that the rewarde which is layde vp for the good is deferd to an other lyfe and the punishmentes are not powred vppon the wicked in this world To be short there cannot be imagined any thing more absurde then this fantasie that menne created after the image of God should perish like beastes But howe vile and monstrous a matter was this when as some opinion at the least of the life to come remained euery where amongst the prophane and blynde Idolaters of the Gentiles that this seede of godlynes shoulde be abolished amongst the Iewes the peculyar people of God VVhat should I say that when they saw the holy Fathers that they made haste to the heauenlye life and the couenaunte which God made with them is spirituall and eternall muste they not be more blinde then blockes which coulde not see in so cleare a light But first this was a iust rewarde for them which had rente the Church of God into sectes then God in this maner reuenged the wicked contempt of his doctrine 24. Mayster Moses sayde Sith it might haue sufficed to haue proposed the matter simply to what end made they such a preface namelye they doe craftily pretend Moses name to proue those mariages lawefull whiche were made not after the pleasure of menne but by the commaundement and ordinaunce of God himselfe also it is necessarye that God himselfe should agree with himselfe This therefore was their snare if God will in time to come gather the faithfull into his kingdome then will he restore vnto them that which he had giuen them in the worlde therefore what shall become of that womanne whom God had giuen to seauen men So all the godlesse and Heretikes doe frame their cauils wherwith they could deforme the true doctrine of godlynesse and make the seruauntes of Christ ashamed yea the Papistes endeuoring to entrappe vs as past all shame doe openly scorne at God and his word Therefore it is not without cause that Paule Tit. 1. 9. would haue the doctor furnished with weapons wherewith he may driue backe the enemies to the truth As concerning this law wherein GOD commaundeth the next kinsmen in bloud to succeede the dead in marriage if the first should die without children this was the reason that the woman which was married into any family should receiue seede therof This must not be vnderstoode of naturall brethren but of cosines and such like for it were incest to marry within the degrees forbidden by the law 29. Yee are deceiued not knowing the Scriptures Though Christ speaketh to the Saduces yet this reproofe doth generally belong to all deuisers of false doctrines For sith God doth plainely shew himselfe vnto vs in the Scriptures the ignaraunce of them is the fountaine and cause of all errours But this is no small comfort to the godly that they shal be safe and out of the daunger of errour so long as with an humble and modest desire to learne they shall seeke in the scriptures what is right and true Christes ioyning the power of God with his word is to be referred to the circumstaunce of this present matter because the resurrection far exceedeth the capacitie of mannes vnderstanding it wil be incredible vnto vs vntyll our mindes behold the great power of God which is able to subdue all thinges to himselfe as Paule teacheth Phylippians 3. 11. Further it was necessary that the Sadduces should be deceiued because they did falslye measure the glorye of the heauenly lyfe with the presente estate Yet in the meane season doe wee teache that they doe iudge and speake ryghtlye and wyselye of the misteries of the kyngdome of heauen whiche doe ioyne the power of GOD togeather with the scriptures 30. They are as the Aungelles of God Hee meaneth not that the chyldren of God shal be when they are rysen in all thinges lyke vnto the angelles but so farre as they shall be free from all infirmitie of this presente lyfe as if he shoulde saye that they were no more subiecte to the thinges which this transitory and corrupt life hath neede of Luke dooth more plainely set forth the reason of the similitude because they could not die againe therefore they should not bring forth their fruite as vpon earth And he speaketh of the faythful onely because there was no question of the reprobate But it is demaunded why hee saith that they shall then bee the sons of God because they shal be the children of the resurrection sith the Lord doth vouchsafe this honour to his faithfull ones though they be shutte vp in the pryson of the frayle body And how should we bee the heires of eternall lyfe if God shoulde not acknowledge vs nowe for children I aunswere after we are grafted into the bodye of Christe by fayth God adopteth vs for children and the spirit is a witnesse seale marke pledge of this adoption so that in hope hereof wee may freely cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 6. But though wee knowe that wee are the sonnes of God yet because it doth not yet appeare what we shall be vntill we be trasfigured and see him in his glory as he is wee are not in effect accounted as sonnes And though we be regenerate by the spirite of God yet because our lyfe is hidde as yet the manifestation of the same shall make a true and perfect difference betweene vs and straungers In this sense is our adoption deferd by Paule to the Rom. 8. 13. to the last daye LV. 37. And that the dead shall rise againe After Christe had confuted that absurdity obiected against him now he confirmeth the doctrine of the last resurrection by the testimonie of the Scripture And wee muste keepe this order that the enemies of the trueth hauing their quarels answered may vnderstand that they striue against the word of GOD. For vntill they be ouercome by the testimony of the scripture they may alwaies murmurre and grudge Christ citeth a place out of Moses beecause he had to doe with the Sadduces who gaue but small credit to the Prophetes at the most they accounted no better of them then we do of the booke of Ecclesiasticus or the hystory of the Machabes Also seeing they alleadged Moses he had rather turne him backe againe vpon the then to obiect any one of the Prophetes Further hee had not this purpose to gather al the places of scripture that serued for this purpose as we see the Apostles in lyke manner did
common to all But the purpose of Christ was to drawe such an aunswere out of the Pharisee as that hee myght thereby condemne himselfe For sith that this maisterly determination had taken place amongst them that no man is our neighbour but hee which is our friend if Christe had precisely asked him the question at one word he would neuer haue graunted that all menne are comprehended vnder this name neighbour which he vrgeth him to confesse by the similitude which he bringeth forth And the summe is that the greatest straunger is our neighbour beecause GOD hath so tyed all men togeather that euery of them shoulde helpe others Yet at the firste hee doth properly rebuke the Iewes and Priestes beecause that when they boasted themselues to bee the Sonnes of one Father and that they were separate from all other nations by a priueledge of adoption that they might be God his holye inheritaunce yet they despysed and had eache other in barbarous and beastly contempt as if there were no neighbourhood betweene them For it is not to be doubted but that Christe describeth this cruell neglect of charitie whereof they were guiltie But as I sayde this is the chiefe purpose the neighbourhood which bindeth vs to doe each for other is not tyed to friends or kinsefolkes but to belong to al mankinde To proue this Christ compareth the SamaritaÌ„ to the priest the Leuit. It is very well knowne howe the Iewes hated the Samaritanes with a mortal hatred so that there was great discord euen amongst them that dwelt neere together Now saieth Christ a Iewe a citisen of Iericho when as he iourneyed to Hierusalem being wounded of theeues was neglected aswell by the Leuite as by the Priest which came by him as hee lay halfe dead but he was louinglye prouided for by the Samaritan and at the length hee asketh which of the three was neighbour to this Iew. This subtil Doctour could not shift away but that he must preferre the Samaritan beefore the other two For here may be seene as in a glasse the felowshippe and neighbourhood of menne which the Scribes endeuoured to wipe away with their wicked cauill And the mercy which this enemy shewed to the Iewe declareth by the direction and instruction of nature that manne was made for mannes sake whereof the mutual bond of neighbourhood amongste all menne is concluded The Allegory whiche the patrons of free will doe coyne out of this place is so foolish that it needeth not to be confuted In their opinion the condition of Adam after his fall is described vnder this figure of the wounded manne VVhereof they inferre that the power to doe well was not altogeather quenched in him beecause it is sayde onely that hee was halfe dead As though that it should be Christes purpose to speake in this place of the corruption of mannes nature and to shewe howe deadly or curable a wound Sathan gaue Adam and as though hee sayde not plainelye and without a figure Iohn 5. 25. All menne are dead but they whom hee maketh aliue by his voice The other Allegory hath no more colour in it which yet is so much accepted as that it is receiued for an oracle almoste by all mennes allowaunce They imagined this Samaritan to bee Christe because hee is our keeper they say that wine and oyle were powred into the wound because that Christ healeth vs with repentance and the promise of grace They haue forged a thyrde subtiltie that Christe dooth not restore to health presently but committeth vs to the Churche as to an Inne keeper to bee healed by litle and a litle I graunte that euerye of these is very plausible but the Scripture must bee more reuerenced then to take this libertie thus to alter the sense of the same But it is manifest to euery man that these imaginations were deuised by curious men againste Christes minde MAT. 40. In these two commaundementes Nowe I returne to Matthew where Christe saieth that all the lawe and the Prophetes dependeth vppon these two commaundementes not that he would restraine the whole doctrine of the Scripture to this but because that whatsoeuer is commaunded anye where of the rule of holye and righteous lyfe â—houlde be referred to these two heades For Christe dooth not generallye declare what the lawe and the Prophetes doe containe but in his speach hee saieth that nothinge else is requyred in the lawe and the Prophetes but that euery manne should loue God and his neighbours as if hee shoulde haue sayde the summe of a godlye and vpright lyfe is contayned and included in the worshippe of GOD and loue of men as Paule saieth Romans 13. 10. that loue is the fulfillinge of the lawe VVherefore certeine ignoraunt people doe wickedly snatch at this saying of Christe as if that wee shoulde search no further in the law and the Prophetes For as there is a difference betweene the promises and the commaundementes so Christ doth not generallye declare in this place what must be learned out of the word of God but according to the circumstaunce of the matter he sheweth to what end all the commaundementes are directed yet the free remission of sinnes whereby wee are reconciled to God the hope of calling vppon God the marke of our enheritaunce to come and all other partes of fayth though they haue the highest place of the law doe not depende vppon these two commaundementes For it is one thing to demaunde that which is due and another thing to offer that which wee want Mark noteth the same thing in other wordes that there is none other commaundement greater then these MAR. 32. VVell Mayster thou hast sayde the trueth Onelye Mark maketh mention that the Scribe was humbled And it is worthy to bee noted that he which malitiously and deceitfully assaulted Christe did not onely with silence giue place to the trueth but hee subscribeth to Christe openly and freely So we see that hee was not one of that sorte of enemies whose obstinacie was incurable for though they shoulde be ouercome a hundred tymes yet they doe not cease to sette themselues against the trueth euery waye But it is to bee gathered by this aunswere that Christ did not precisely comprehend the rule of lyfe in two words onely but as occasion was giuen he enueighed against the feigned counterfeit holynesse of the Scribes who giuing themselues only to outward ceremonies made no account almost of the spirituall worship of God and there was no great reckoning of charity amongst them And thogh the Scribe had some such corruptions yet as it commeth sometymes to passe hee had conceiued the seede of true knowledge out of the Lawe which laye hydde and smothered in his heart and by reason heereof hee yeeldeth suffereth himselfe to be reclaymed from that corrupt course This yet seemeth not to fall out well that the sacrifices which are parte of the worshippe of God and apperteine to the firste table of the law should be lesse esteemed then
altogeather or at the least to arise against him altogether inuenteth this subtill deuise to worshippe a shadow of GOD for God so it vseth the like mockery with the Prophetes VVhereof there is too plaine experience in Popery for they beeing not contente with the lawfull reuerence of the Apostles and Martyres doe worshippe them as Gods and what honours soeuer they doe heape vppe togeather they do not thinke that they doe exceede measure yet by their raging against the faithfull they doe declare how they would worshippe the Apostles and Martires if they were aliue at this day and shoulde doe their office they did in times past For why are they so outragious against vs but because we desire that the doctrine which the Apostles and Martyres sealed with their bloud might be receiued and flourish Further sith the holye seruauntes of God esteemed it more pretious then their owne life would they spare theyr life which doe so outragiously persecute the doctrine Therefore let them adorne the Images of Saintes with incense candelles flowers and with all kinde of pompes at theyr pleasure if Peter were now aliue they would teare him in peeces they would ouerthrow Paule with stones if Christ himself liued yet in the world they would roast him with a small fire And because the Lord saw the Scribes and sacrificers of his time seeke to be praysed of the people as holy worshippers of the Prophetes he reproueth them for deceitfull dealing because they doe not onely refuse the Prophets which were presently sent vnto them but they doe cruelly trouble them And therein doth their vile dissimulation and grosse impudency bewraye it selfe while they desire to seeme religious in worshipping of the dead and labour to ouerthrow them that are aliue 30. If we had beene in the dayes of our fathers Christ spake not this in vaine For though he doe not accuse them in the person of their Fathers nor doth impute it as a faulte to them for that they were murtherers chyldren yet he doth by the way reproue their vaine boasting because they vsed to glory of their kinred who yet were the offspring of bloudy enemies of GOD. The sentence therefore must bee expounded thus The worship which you do to the Prophetes which are dead is as you think a sacrifice for your fathers sinnes Therefore I doe nowe conclude this that you doe glory in vaine of a holy kinred when you come of vngodly and wicked parentes Goe now and couer your wickednes with their godlynes whose hands you confesse were defiled with innocent bloud But you commit a farre greater offence for the sacrilegious madnes of your fathers which you doe condemne in the sepulchres of the dead you doe follow in murthering them that liue VVherefore he concludeth at the length that in this matter they were not degenerate from theyr fathers as if that he should haue sayde your nation doth not begin nowe to rage against the Prophetes of God for this is an olde order this custome was vsed of the fathers to be short this manner of dealing is as it were planted in you But hee doth not commaund them to doe as they doe as to kill the holy teachers but he dooth figuratiuely declare that by right of enheritaunce they doe arise against the seruauntes of God and haue lybertie giuen them to oppresse the trueth for by this meanes they fulfill the wickednesse whiche was wanting in their fathers and they weaue vp the webbe which they beganne And in these wordes hee doth not onely say that they are past hope and such as cannot bee brought againe to their right minde but hee admonisheth the simple that it is no meruaile if the Prophetes of God be euill handled by murtherers children 33. O generation of vipers After that Christ hath shewed that the Scrib◠are not onely wicked enemies of godlye doctrine and faithlesse corruptours of the worshippe of God but also deadly plagues of the Church he making an end of his speach inueigheth more sharpely against them as it is necessary that hypocrits should be violētly shaken or driuen from their dainties and drawne as it were before the tribunall seate of God that they might be terrified yet Christ had not onelye respect vnto thē but his purpose was to make all the people afraide that all might beeware of the like destruction But how hard and intollerable these sharpe wordes were to these reuerend maisters may bee gathered by this that their gouernment had now bene peaceably setled to them by longe custome so that no man durst murmur against them And without doubt many were offended at this freedome of Christ his words they were so bitter and he was accounted very froward and immodeste for that hee durst speake so reproachfully of the order of the Scribes as at this daye many dainty men cannot abide to heare any thing spoken sharply of the Popish cleargy But because that Christ had to doe with most vile hipocrites which were not onelye puft vp with a disdainefull contempte of God and were drunken with a vaine confidence in themselues but they had bewitched the common people with their vaine shewes therefore it was necessary that he should deale the vehementlyer against them therfore he calleth them serpentes aswell in nature as in manners then hee pronounceth a vengance against them which they shal not escape except they repent speedily 34. Therefore behold I send Luke setteth it downe somewhat plainelier VVherefore the wisdome of God also sayd which some interpreters doe expound thus I which am the eternall wisdome of God doe pronounce of you Yet I doe rather allow that God shoulde speake this vnder the person of his wisdome after the vsuall manner of the scripture so the sense should be this God hath spoken of you beefore in the spirite of prophesie what should come to passe I graunt that the very wordes of this sentence are not read in any place but because that God dooth euery where reproue the vntamed frowardnesse of this people Christe maketh as it were a briefe collection and sheweth more plainely in this mouing the Lord to speake againe what the iudgment of God was of the incurable wickednesse of this nation For it might seeme a wonder if the teachers hadde done nothing worthy the noting why the Lorde would tyre them out spidily For so men doe reason God loseth his labour when hee sendeth his word to the reprobate whom he knoweth to bee obstinate And the hypocrites doe hope that God is mercifull and fauourable to them because they had dayly preachers of the heauenly doctrine amongst them as though this onely were sufficient that the outward worde was preached amongst them though they would neuer learne any thing therby So the Iewes made great boast of themselues that they farre excelled all other nations in this their hauing of Prophetes and doctours as if they had deserued so great an honor and that this had bene an euident signe of their dignitie Christ that he might beate
absurditye if in prayers there be not alwaies a present consideration of all things for the keeping of a distincte order But in that after Marke which Christ sayeth that all things are possible with God tend not to this end as to set his power at controuersie wyth his vnchangeable truth and constancy but because there was no hope as it vseth to come to passe in things that are without hope of recouerie he throweth himselfe into the power of God By the word cup or pot as it is sayd other where is noted the prouidence of God which disposeth to all men a measure of the crosse and of afflictions euen as the housholder measureth out a part to euery seruant deuideth the portions amōgst the children Neuerthelesse not as I will VVe do see how Christ restraineth his affection euen at the first and bringeth himselfe quickly into order But first here it may be demanded howe his wil was free from all fault which yet agreed not with the will of God For if the will of God be the only rule of that which is good and right it followeth that all affections which do differ from the same are corrupt I do answear though this is the true right line to haue all our affections framed to the will of God yet there is a certaine shewe of some ouerthwart difference which is not faulty nor is imputed for sinne as if any man should desire to see the estate of the church quiet and flourishing if he shoulde desire to haue the children of God freed from troubles that all superstitions should be taken away the rage of the wicked repressed that they shuld not hurt Sith these things of themselues are good the faithfull may rightly desire them though the pleasure of God be otherwise who wil haue his sonne to raigne amongst enemies his children to be exercised vnder the crosse and the victory of faith and the Gospell to be made glorious wyth the contrary assaults of sathā VVhe see how the praiers may be godly which in shew do differ from the wil of God because that God wold not haue vs alwaies exactly scrupulously to search what he shall determine but he permitteth vs to search from him that which is mete for the capacity of our vnderstanding Yet the question is not throughly answeared For when it was sayd euen now that all the affectiōs of Christ were rightly ordred how doth he now correct himself for he bringeth his affection so downe into order as if he should haue been out of order Truely that patient moderation wherof I spake doeth not appeare in hys firste prayer for as much as in him lieth he refuseth denieth to execute the office of the mediator I answear there was no fault in it that the terrour of death being set before him there came withall such a darknesse that all other thinges beinge sette aside hee brake oute to that praier Neither is it necessary subtilly here to dispute whether he coulde be forgetfull of our saluation for this one thing shoulde suffice vs when he brake into this prayer for the auoiding of death he thoght not of other things which might haue stopped the same If any man will except that the first motion which shoulde haue beene brideled before it had runne out any further was not so tempered as it was meete it should I answear in the corruption of our nature there cannot be seene the heate of affections with that temperature that was in Christ but this honour must be giuen to the sonne of God that we iudge not him by our selues For al the affections of the flesh do so burne in vs that they breake out into a froward stubbernnesse or at the least they haue some dregges mixed wyth them And so Christ was mooued both with sorrow and feare that yet he kept himselfe within measure Nay as diuers partes in a song differing amongst themselues are so farre from hauing any discord that they do rather make an agreeable and a sweete harmonie so in Christe there was a notable example of a due proportion betweene the wils of God men how without contrariety repugnācie they do differ amongst themselues This place doeth euidently declare that the olde heretikes which were called the Monothelites were too folish in that they imagined Christ to be endued with one the same wil. Neither yet as he was God willed he any other thing then the father Therefore it followeth that the affections of his humane soule were distinguished from the secreat counsel of God But now if it was meete that Christ should leade his wil prisoner that he might make it subiect to the wil of god though it was so wel ordred how carefully must we kepe vnder the libertye of our affectiōs which alwaies are both caried without cōsideration hedlong and are filled with frowardnesse If that the spirite of God shoulde gouerne vs so that we would nothing but that which is agreable to reason yet we owe this obedience to God to beare with patience that our praiers are not alwaies graūted For this is the modesty of faith to graūt to god that he shuld determine otherwise then we desire This rule must be especially holden where we haue not any certaine special promisse that we aske not any thing but vnder this condition that God shoulde fulfil that which he hath determined which cannot be but by our resigning of our vowes vnto him Now it is demanded what Christ profited by praier The Apostle to the Heb. chap. 5. 7. sayth that he was heard of his feare for so that place may be expoūded and not as it is commonly red for his reuerence further that shuld not agree if Christ had simply feared death for he was not deliuered from the same VVherof it followeth that for feare of a greater euil he was driuē to pray against death For when he sawe the wrath of God set against him for that he stode at his seat of iudgement loaden with the sins of all the world it was necessary for him to fear at the bottomlesse depth of death Therfore though he sustained death yet because the sorrowes of death were losed as Pet. teacheth Act. 2. 24. in the wrastling he went away conquerour the Apostle hath good cause to say that he was heard of his feare Vnlearned men do heere rise vp and they cry out that it is a thing vnwoorthy that Christ should be afraid of being swallowed vp of death But I woulde that they shoulde answeare me what feare doe they thinke it was that wrong drops of bloud out of Christ for that mortal sweat could neuer haue come but of a fearfull vnwonted horror If any man at this day shuld sweat forth bloud that in such abundance that the drops ranne down to the ground it shuld be an incredible wonder if this shuld befall to any man for fear of death we would say that he had a faint a womannish hart They
Apostles Marke also agreeth with them wryting that Mary came and told these things to the disciples which wept MAR. 11. And when they heard Marke onely maketh mention of the testimony of Mary alone Yet I am perswaded that the commaundemēts of Christ were done generally by them al and this place doth the better confirme that which I sayd euen nowe that there is no repugnancie betwene the Euangelists while one doth particularly assigne that to Mary Magdalene which according to others was commen to all thoughe not in like degree But the disciples were grown to be marueilous sluggish that they remembred not that that was fulfilled which they hadde oft times heard of the master If the women had tolde any thing which before had not been heard of there had been good cause why in a matter incredible there had beene no credite giuen to their report but now they must needes be exceeding blockish who doe account for a fable or a dreame a matter so oft promised and witnessed by the sonne of God when it is reported to be fulfilled by them whiche had seene the same Further sith that they were depriued of a right vnderstanding throughe their owne vnbeliefe they doe not onely refuse the light of the truthe but they doe reiecte it as a fantasie as Luke declareth Heereby it appeareth that they so yeelded to the temptation that almoste all the taste of Christes woordes was cleane forgotten LV. 12. Then arose Peter I doe not thinke but that Luke hath heere inuerted the order of the hystory as it is easie to gather by the woordes of Iohn and in my iudgement it is not amisse that the woord Running be resolued into the preterpluperfect tence And they which are but meanly exercised in the scripture doe knowe that this is vsuall amongest the Hebrewes to reporte afterwarde those things whiche were omitted in their place But Luke by this circumstance doth the more exaggerate the hardnesse of the Apostles in that they despised the womens woordes when yet Peter had now seene the sepulchre emptye and by a manifest signe of the resurrection was driuen into admiration Mathew 28. Marke ◠Luke 11. Now when they were gone beholde some of the watche came into the citie and shewed vnto the hie priests all things that were done 12. And they gathered them togither with the Elders and tooke counsel and gaue large money vnto the souldiours 13. Saying say his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept 14. And if the gouernour heare of this we will perswade him and saue you harmelesse 15. So they tooke the money and did at they were taughte and this sayinge is noised among the Iewes vnto this day   11. Nowe when they were gone It is not only to be supposed but the matter it selfe declareth that the soldiours to whome the keeping of the sepulchre was committed were so corrupted by rewardes that they were ready to lie at the Priests appoyntment They knewe very well that the Priests feared nothing more then that it should be reported that Christ arose the third day after his death they knew that they wer sent thether for that purpose that by keeping the corpes they might putte away that report The men therfore being giuen to gain yea seeking gain euery way after they hadde lost their labour this way they doe deuise a newe meanes to gette money But where Mathew sayeth that some of the watche came it is vncertaine whether a few subtile fellowes of them went alone to counsel from the rest or whether they were sent in the generall name of them all The seconde part by coniecture seemeth rather to be true for Mathew doth afterwards say that the reward of periurie was giuen not to one or two but generallye to the souldiours It is certaine that whether al of them or but a part of thē cōspired yet they sought to gain by the cruel vnappeaceable hatred of the priests against Christ. Further sith they had them guilty of the offence they abuse their euil conscience for to wrest mony from them For as almost all wicked menne doe the priests knowing their owne leudnesse to the ende they myght couer their shame are compelled to corrupt the souldiours with a large reward Also it doth heereby appeare that after the reprobate haue once cast themselues headlong into sinne they are then caught in new sinnes and while they would defend their name before men they doe carelesly neglecte their sinnes against God These wretches doe not onely hire the soldiours with rewardinge them but also if the offence shoulde be brought into iudgement they doe cast their name and life in daunger And what compelleth them besides the losse of the money to come into great pearill but because their obstinate furye suffereth them not to goe backe vntill they should heape sinnes vppon sinnes 15. And this saying is noysed This was the greatest woorke of Gods vengeance for the blinding of the Iewes that the resurrection of Christ was buried in the periurie of the soldiours and that so vaine a lie should be receiued And heereby it appeareth that they which did not thynke that Christ was risen were deceiued in a voluntary errour as the worlde doeth willingly offer it selfe to be deceiued with the fleightes of Sathan For there had beene no neede of any long searche if any man woulde but haue opened his eyes The armed soldiours doe say that the body of Christ was stolen from them by a weake fearefull small and vnarmed company of men VVhat shewe of colour They doe adde that this was done while they were a sleepe Howe then doe they imagine that it was stolne If there had ben any suspition of the disciples why folowed they not after them VVhy made they no stirre This therfore was but a childish shift which they had not escaped with without punishment if the matter had come before a righteous and a stout gouernor But through Pilates winking it came to passe that so great wickednesse escaped As we doe see it doeth fal out daily that prophane iudges haue but smal regarde where truth is ouerwhelmed by deceit and malice but rather if they doe feare no incommodity they do seeme to ioyne in leudnesse togither with the treacherous varlets And thoughe this may seeme to be hard that God should suffer this false rumour to be spred for the extinguishing of the glory of his sonne yet to his iust vengeance that honour must be giuen which is due For that nation was worthy that the clouds should take the light from them as we do perceiue by this that a vayne and friuolous lie should be so greedily snatched vppe Further sith that almost all had stumbled at the stone of offence it was meete that theyr eyes shoulde be darkened least they shoulde see that the cuppe of giddinesse was giuen them to drinke of to be shorte they were cast into all kinde of madnesse as it was spoken of before in the
dull or slouthfull 26. Ought not Christ to haue suffered thâ—se things It is not to be doubted but that Christe spake of the office of the Messias as it was described by the Prophets least the death of the crosse should be offensiue and in iourneying three or foure houres hee had space sufficient fully to set foorth the matters Therefore Christe doeth not say in three woordes that hee ought to suffer but hee declareth at large that he was sent to that ende that by the sacrifice of death he might wash away the sins of the world that he might be the purging sacrifice offered for the taking awaye of the cursse that he might wash the sinnes of others from their guiltinesse Luke therefore for the more vehemencie setteth downe this sentence interrogatiuely whereby it is gathered that hee shewed by reasons the necessity of his death The summe is that the disciples did euill to bee troubled at the death of their maister without the which he could not perfourme the partes of Christ for the chiefe poynt of our redemption was his offering vp for by this meanes they shutte vp the gate against him least he shoulde come into his kingdome The which must be noted diligently for sith Christ shoulde want his honour if he shoulde not be accounted a sacrifice for sinnes his onely way into his glory is that hys humbling to be of no reputation Phil. 2. 7. out of the which hee arose a redeemer But we do see at this day how amongst vs they do sinne nothing sooner then in a preposterous order For amongst the multitude of them which doe royally declare Christ to be a king and do extol him with diuine praises scarce euery tenth of them doth think that we haue gotten grace by his death 27. And he began at Moses This place doeth teach how Christe is made manifest vnto vs by the Gospel namely while the knowledge of him is prooued plainly out of the law and the Prophets For no man euer was a more ready and apte teacher of the Gospell then the Lorde hymselfe who as we see fetched the proofe of his doctrine out of the law and the Prophets If any man will except that he began at the rudimentes that the disciples by a little at once biddinge the Prophets fare well myghte passe ouer to the perfecte Gospell this deuice is easily confuted for afterward it shal be sayd that all the Apostles had their minde opened not that they shoulde be wise without the helpe of the lawe but that they might vnderstand the scriptures VVherefore to the ende that Christe may at this day be reuealed vnto vs by the Gospell it is necessarye that Moses and the Prophets shuld come forth before as forerunners VVherof the readers are therefore to be admonished least they shoulde giue eare to fanaticall men which by suppressing the law and the Prophets doe wickedly maime the Gospell As if that God would haue to be vnprofitable what soeuer he at any time spake of his owne Sonne But in what maner they are to be applied to Christe whiche are euery where read of him in the lawe and the Prophets it is not my present purpose to declare It is sufficient briefly to note that Christ is not in vaine called the end of the lawe For though that Moses rather shadowed him foorth darkely and a farre off then expresse him plainly yet this is without controuersie that if in the stocke of Abraham there should not be one head aboue all vnder whome the people should grow into one body the couenant which God made with the holy fathers shoulde be broken and but in vaine Further when as God had commaunded that the Tabernacle and the ceremonies should be framed after the heauenly patterne it foloweth that the sacrifices and all the rites of the temple if they had not their truthe else where should be as a vaine and frutelesse play And this argument doeth the Apostle handle in many woordes in the Epistle to the Hebrewes For holding that principle that the visible ceremonies of the lawe were shadowes of spirituall things he teacheth that Christe is to be soughte in the whole priesthoode of the lawe in the sacrifices and in the forme of the Sanctuarie Bucer also otherwhere doeth wisely diuine that in that obscuritie there was a certaine kinde of interpreatinge the Scripture in vse amongst the Iewes which the father 's deliuered vnto them by hand But I least that I should follow vncertainties am contented with that naturall and simple maner which is euery where to be founde amongest the Prophets who were the most apt interpreaters of the lawe Christe therefore is rightly collected out of the lawe if wee consider that the couenaunt which Christe made with the fathers was made by the helpe of a Mediator The Sanctuarie wherein God testified the presence of his grace was consecrated with bloude The lawe it selfe wyth their promises was confirmed with the sprinkeling of bloud One priest was chosen oute of all the people who shoulde present himselfe in the name of them all in the sight of God not as any mortall man but in a holy habite menne had there no hope of their reconciliation with God but by offering vp of a sacrifice Furthermore very notable is that prophesie of the perpetuitye of the kingdome in the tribe of Iuda But the Prophets themselues as we haue declared haue more plainly described the Mediator yet they themselues had their first knowledge from Moses for they had no other office enioyned them but that they shoulde renew the memory of the couenant more plainly shew the spiritual worship of God establish the hope of saluation in the Mediatour and also that they might the more euidently declare the meane of the reconciliation But because it pleased God to defer the full reuelation vnto the comming of his Sonne it was not a superfluous interpretation 28. And they drewe neare vnto the towne There is no reason why some interpreaters should imagine any other place then Emaus For the iourney was not so long that they shoulde rest in a nearer lodging VVe knowe that seuen miles though a manne for the recreation of his minde should walke but softly are gone at the most in foure houres Therfore I dout not but that Christ went forwarde euen to Emaus Nowe where it is demaunded whether he coulde dissemble who is the eternall truthe of God I doe answeare that the Sonne of GOD was not bounde by thys lawe that he shoulde make all his councels knowen Yet because that simulation is a kinde of lying the knotte is not yet vnlosed especially sith that very many doe drawe this example to a libertye for lyinge But I doe answeare Christ without lying fained as it is here saide in like maner as he shewed himselfe to be a trauailer for the reason of them both is like Augustines answeare is somewhat more subtile lib. 2. ad Consentium cap. 13. Also in his booke of questions vpon the Gospels
There is therfore great weight in these words that they went forth preached euery where which euen now for feare durst not speake in their secreat corner For so vnloked for a conuersion in a moment could not be done by man And therfore Marke addeth The Lord wrought with them signifying that this was the very worke of god Yet this phrase of speach doth not make a partition betwene their worke or labor and the grace of God as if that they of themselues could doe any thing but he meaneth simply y t they were holpe of God because that according to the flesh they shuld haue attēpted that in vaine which is yet wrought by them I graunt that the ministers of the word are called fellow helpers of God 1. Cor. 3. 9. in as much as he vseth their ministery but it is to be noted that ther is no power in them but that which he giueth them Further they do preuail nothing by planting by watering except the secreat working of the spirit do cause it to encrease Confirmed the word Marke here in my iudgement doth note a part of that which he had generally set down immediatly before For the Lord wrought with thē by other meanes least the preaching of his gospel shuld be in vain but this was a notable testimony of his help that he cōfirmed the same by myracles And this place teacheth to what ende myracles muste be referred that it is not lawfull to draw them after peruerse corruptions for that they doe serue the Gospell VVhereof it followeth that the holy order of God is inuerted if they be drawne away from the word of God whereof they are appurtenances to the adorning of vngodly doctrines or are drawn to colour out corrupt worshippings LAVS DEO THE holy Gospel of Iesus Christ according to Iohn with the Commentary of M. Iohn Caluine Faithfully translated out of Latine into english by Christopher Fetherstone student in Diuinitie TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORD ROBERT DVDLEY EARLE OF LEYCESTER BARON OF DENBIGH Maister of the Horse to the Queenes Maiestie Knight of the noble order of the Garter one of the Queenes Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsel Chanselour of the most famous Vniuersitie of Oxford Christopher Fetherstone wisheth encrease of spirituall giftes long life happy dayes and encrease of honour IT IS AN OLDE SAYing Right honourable and no lesse true then olde that faleable wines neede no iuic bush which prouerb importeth thus much that thinges which are of thē selues good and commendable haue not anye at least no great neede of commendation If therefore I shouldee with fine filed phrases with gaye geason woordes with straunge examples and notable hystories compound some long prologue and tedious Preface in commendation of this most excellent work and Commentarie of that famous member and faithfull Doctour of Gods Church Maister Iohn Caluine I might cause your Honour to suspect the fondnesse thereof I my selfe should seeme to doubte of the goodnesse thereof and finally minister occasion to many to condemne me of folly Omitting therefore that which is needlesse I discend vnto that which is needefull to wit to excuse my selfe of arrogancie wherof some may accuse me in that I dare presume to dedicate vnto yonr honour this my translation vnto whom I am altogether vnknowen The loade stone as men say writers do testifie and experience doth teach hath in it selfe such power force and vertue that it draweth iron vnto it though it be farre distant right so vertue doth drawe men vnto it and the reporte thereof causeth men to loue those whom they haue not seene to reuerence those of whō they haue only heard Which thing sithence it is so there is no cause why I shoulde either bee accused of arrogancie or condemned of impudencie for approching so boldly vnto your honour and for suffering this my translation to appear in your name For your friendes confesse and your foes cannot iustly denie that God hath placed in your noble brest greate aboundance of most heroicall vertues I omit to speake of that rare report of your vnfeigned religion which refoundeth euery where and redoundeth to your prayse I should be tedious if I should set downe particulerly the most vndoubted testimonies of your faithfulnesse toward your dread Soueraigne I shoulde seeme to flatter if I should extoll that godly magnanimitie wherewith the Lord hath endued you to maintaine his truth to defend the Realm to sub due those proud aspiring papists That great and earnest care which your honour hath alwaies had and euen now hath to support the poore ministers of the word and gospell of Iesus Christ in Gods cause in good causes hath in it selfe sufficient force to enforce not only mee but all thankfull heartes by word and writing to bewray all thankfulnesse dutifulnesse towards your good honor As this so that singuler liberalitie vsed at all times by your Lordship towards my friends hath caused me in dedicating of this booke to your honour to testifie some part of my thankfull minde in their behalfe And heere I am to craue pardon of you whiche I hope I shall easily obtaine for that I haue not behaued my selfe finely as I might though faithfully as I ought in this my worke And thus fearing prolixitie I conclude praying vnto the Lorde God of heauen and earth that King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes that he will graunt vnto your honour and to the rest whom he hath placed in the like degree of dignitie his holy spirite that spirite of wisdome and vnderstanding that you may thereby be so directed that all your thoughts woordes and workes may tend to the setting foorth of Gods glory the maintenance of true religion the preseruation of the Realme So shall England haue wealth be voide of woe enioy solace be free from sorrow possesse plentie not tast of pouertie inherite pleasure and not see paine Whiche God graunt Your Honours most humble and obedient Christopher Fetherstone To the Reader BEing instantly requested Gentle Reader by my godlie zealous friendes to enterprice the translating of this most learned Commentarie of M. Iohn Caluine and being persuaded thereunto by manie godlie reasons whereof Gods glory the profite of his Church should bee the chiefe I coulde not nor woulde not refuse to take that charge vpon mee vnlesse I should haue forgotten my dutie towardes God his Churche and my friendes and now for asmuch Gentle Reader as the principall recompence of my paines shall bee that profite whiche thou shalt reape by the reading of this my translation I beseech thee refuse not to take some paines in reading the same I haue not stuft it full of strange wordes deriued of the Latin which might no lesse molest thee then if they continued Latin as they were I haue not racked the phrases to make them runne smoothly to please 〈…〉 and so digressed from the truth and meaning of the authour but so much as possible I could I haue translated
conscience not only the grace of adoption but also the newnesse of life and other giftes of the holy Ghoste For seeing that faith doeth receiue Christe as it is saide it bringeth vs after a sort into the possession of all his good giftes So that according to our sense we begin not to be the children of God vntyl such time as we haue faith And if sobeit the inheritaunce of eternall life be the fruite of adoption wee see howe the Euangelist ascribeth all our saluation to the grace of Christe alone And surely howe narrowly soeuer men doe sift themselues they shall finde nothing meete for the children of God but that which Christe hath bestowed vpon them 14 And the woorde was made fleshe and dwelt amongest vs and wee sawe the glory of it as the glory of the only begotten of the father ful of grace and of truth 14 And the worde was made flesh Nowe he teacheth after what sort Christe came whereof he made mention namely that hauing put on our flesh he shewed himselfe openly to the worlde And although the Euangelist doth briefly touch this vnspeakeable secrete and mysterie that the sonne of God did put on mans nature yet is this breuitie merueilous plaine Certaine foolishe fellowes doe heere delude and toye with friuolous shiftes that it is saide that the woorde was made fleshe because God did sende his sonne into the worlde being made man as hee had conceiued in his minde As if that worde were a shadowish vaine conception of the minde But wee haue shewed that the true person in the Essence of God is expressed in this worde Moreouer the worde fleshe is of greater force to expresse his minde then if hee had saide that he was made man His meaning was to shew vnto howe vile and base an estate the sonne of God came downe from the highnesse of his heauenly glory and all for our sake VVhen as the Scripture speaketh of man contemptuously hee calleth him fleshe Therefore albeit there is so great difference betweene the spirituall glory of the woorde of God and the rotten dregges of our fleshe yet notwithstanding the sonne of God did abase hymselfe so muche that hee tooke vpon him this flesh which is subiect to so great miserie But flesh is not takeÌ„ in this place for the corrupt nature as Paule doth oftentimes take it but for the mortal man although it doth by contempt signifie his frayle brittle nature Psalme 78. 39. Hee remembred them because they are fleshe Isay. 40. 6. All fleshe is grasse and in suche like places Yet must we note herewithall that this is a kinde of speeche wherein is Synechdoche because the inferiour parte comprehendeth the whole man Therefore did Apolinaris dote who feigned that Christe did take vpon him the body of man only without the soule for wee may gather out of infinite testimonies that hee was no lesse indued with the soule then with the body And when the scripture calleth men fleshe it doth not therefore depriue them of soules Therefore the sentence is plaine that the word which was begotten of God before the beginning of the worlde and whiche did alwayes abide with the father was made man In this poynt of faith wee must chiefly holde two thinges that the two natures in Christ dyd so growe togeather into one person that one and the same Christe is very God and man And the other that the vnitie of the person doth no whit let but that the natures may remaine distinct so that the diuinitie doth retaine whatsoeuer is proper to it and that the humanitie hath also seuerally whatsoeuer belongeth to it Therefore whensoeuer Satan did goe about by heretikes to ouerthrowe sounde doctrine with diuers dotings hee alwayes brought in the one of these errors eyther that Christ was the sonne of God and of man so confusedly that neyther his diuinitie remained in hym neyther was he coÌ„passed about with the true nature of maÌ„ or els that he was so clothed with the fleshe that hee was as it were double and had two natures Thus dyd Nestorius in times past plainely confesse both natures but hee made one Christe God and another man On the contrarie when Eutiches did acknowledge one Christ to be the sonne of God and of man he left hym neither of the two natures but feigned that they were both mixed together And Seruetus at this day feigneth with the Anabaptists such a Christe as is confusedly coÌ„pounded of a double nature as a diuine man In woorde hee affirmeth that hee is God but if you receiue his vaine glosses the diuinitie was turned for a time into the humaine nature and nowe againe is the humane nature swallowed vp of the diuinitie The wordes of the Euangeliste serue fitly for the refuting of both these sacriligies VVhen hee saith that the worde was made fleshe the vnitie of the person is plainely gathered hence for it is not meete that there shoulde bee another man now beside him who was alwayes very God seeing that it is said that that God was made man Againe seeing that this woorde woorde is attributed distinctly vnto Christe as hee is man it followeth that Christe ceased not to bee that which he was before wheÌ„ he was made man and that there was nothing altered in that eternall essence of God which put vpon it fleshe Finally the sonne of God began to bee man in suche sorte that notwithstandynge hee is as yet that eternall woorde whiche hath no beginnyng of time And dwelt They that expounde that the fleshe was vnto Christe as an house they doe not vnderstande the meaning of the Euangelist For doubtlesse he doth not here assigne vnto Christe a perpetuall abiding amongst vs but he saith that he was conuersant amongest vs for a season For the word escenâ—sen which hee vseth is fet from tabernacles Therfore it doth signifie nothing els saue this y t Christ did execute that functioÌ„ vpon earth which was inioyned him or that he did not appeare one moment onely but that he did abide amongst men vntil such time as he did finish the course of his office But heere may a question be moued whether he doth speake of men in generall or of himselfe alone and the other Disciples who sawe that with theyr eies whiche hee saith I doe rather allowe this latter for hee addeth by and hy And wee sawe his glory For although the glory of Christe might haue beene seene of all men yet was it vnknowen to the greatest parte because of their blindnesse only a fewe saw this manifestation of his glory whose eyes the holy spirite did open The summe is that Christ was so knowen as he was man that he shewed in himselfe some farre greater and more excellent thing VVhereupon it followeth that the maiestie of God was not extenuated although it were compassed about with the flesh it laide hid indeede vnder the humilitie of the fleshe yet so that it sent foorth the brightnesse thereof As is not in this
doth here commende and set foorth that plentifull aboundance of good thynges which Christe brought foorth with his commyng For wee knowe that the benefites of God were tasted more sparingly vnder the lawe and that so soone as Christ was reuealed in the fleshe they were powred out in great aboundance euen vnto the full Not that anye of vs hath greater aboundance of the spirite then had Abraham but I speake of the ordinarie dispensation and of the manner and meanes of dispensing Therefore to the ende that Iohn may the better inuite his Disciples vnto Christe he telleth them that the aboundance of all those good thinges which they want is offered them in him Although there shall be no absurditie therein if so be it we extend it farther yea the text may be read thus verye well that all the fathers from the beginning of the worlde did drawe all those giftes which they had from Christe because although the lawe was giuen by Moses yet did they not obtaine grace thereby Notwithstanding I haue shewed before what I like best namely that Iohn doth in this place compare vs with the fathers that by this comparison hee may amplifie that which is giuen vs. And grace for grace It is well knowen howe Augustine expoundeth this place namely that al good things are giuen vs now then of God and that eternall life is not repaide to our merites as a due rewarde but that this is a poynt of more liberalitie that God doth so reward the former graces and crown his giftes in vs. This truely is godly and finely saide but it is not very fit for this place The sense were more plaine if thou shouldst take this worde anti comparitiuely as if he shoulde say that whatsoeuer graces the Lorde heapeth vpon vs they doe in like sort flowe from this fountaine It may also bee vnderstood as a note of the finall cause that we do receiue grace nowe that the Lorde may once accomplishe the worke of our saluatioÌ„ Notwithstanding I do rather subscribe vnto their iudgement who say that wee are watered with the graces which are powred out vppon Christe For that which we recoâ—â—e of Christe hee doth not onely giue it vs as God but the father hath bestowed it vpon him that it might flowe vnto vs as through a conduit This is the oyntmente wherewith hee was annoynted that hee myght annoynt vs all togeather with hym wherevppon hee is called Christe wee Christians 17 Because the lawe was giuen by Moses It is a preuention wherein hee preuenteth a contrarie obiection For Moses was so greatly esteemed amongest the Iewes that they did hardly admit any thing that was contrary to him Therfore the EuaÌ„gelist teacheth how far inferior the ministerie of Moses was to the power of Christe And also this comparison doth not a little beautifie the power of Christe For seeing that the Iewes did make so great account of Moses that they did attribute vnto him all honour that might bee the Euangelist telleth them that that was but a very small thing which Moses brought if it be compared with the grace of Christe For that was otherwise a great let that they thought they had that by the lawe whiche we doe obteine by Christe alone But we must note the contraposition when he setteth the lawe against grace and truth for his meaning is that the lawe wanted both these And truth in my iudgement is taken for the firme and sound stabilitie of things By this worde Grace I vnderstande the spirituall fulfilling of those thinges the bare letter whereof was contained in the lawe And these two voyces may be referred by Hypallage both vnto one thing As if he had saide that grace wherein the truth of the lawe consisteth was reuealed at length in Christ. But because the same sense shall remaine it maketh no great matter whether thou couple them together or distinguish them This truely is certaine that this is the Euangelists meaning that the image of spirituall good things was only shadowed in the law and that they are perfectly fulfilled in Christe whereupon it followeth if thou separate the law from Christe there remaineth nothing there but vaine figures In which respect Paul saith Collos. 2. 17. That therein are the shadowes that the body is in Christ. Yet notwithstaÌ„ding we must not imagine that there was any thing shewed deceitfully in the lawe for Christ is the soule which quickneth that which should otherwise be dead in the lawe But the shooteth heere at another marke namely of what force the law is of it selfe and without Christ. And the Euangelist saith that there is no sounde thing found in it vntyll wee come vnto Christe Furthermore this truth consisteth in that that we obteine grace through Christe which the lawe could not giue vs. Therefore I take this worde grace generally aswell for the free remission of sins as for the renuing of the hearte For seeing that the Euangelist doth in this place briefly note the difference betwene the old new Testament which is described more at large Ier. 31. 31. hee coÌ„preheÌ„deth vnder this worde whatsoeuer belongeth vnto the spirituall righteousnesse And the partes thereof are two that God doth reconcile himselfe vnto vs freely by not imputing our sinnes and that he doth ingraue in the heartes of men his lawe and doth frame men inwardly by his spirite to obey him wherby it appeareth that the law is falsly and vnproperly expounded if sobeit it retaine any in it or keepe theÌ„ back from comming to Christe 18 No man hath seene God at any time This is most fitly added to confirme the next sentence withall For the knowledge of God is the gate whereby we enter in into the fruition of all goodnesse Therfore seeing that God doth reueale himselfe vnto vs by Christe alone it followeth heereupon that we must desire craue all thinges of Christe This course of doctrine is diligentlye to bee noted There is nothynge that seemeth to bee more common then this that euery one of vs doth receiue those thinges which God doth offer vnto vs according to the measure of our faith but there are but a fewe that thinke that we must bring the vessell of faith of the knowledge of God wherby we may draw This that he saith that no man hath seene God at any time is not only to be vnderstoode of the externall sight of the bodily eyes for hee giueth vs to vnderstande generally seeing that God dwelleth in light which none can come vnto he caÌ„not be knoweÌ„ but only in Christ his liuely image Furthermore they doe commonly expounde this place on this wise Seeing that the bare maiestie of God is hidden in it selfe it coulde neuer be comprehended saue only forasmuch as it reuealed it self in Christe and that therefore God was knowen to the fathers only in Christe But I doe rather thinke that the Euangelist doth heere holde on in the comparison namely how farre better our estate is then the estate
gessing Therefore that is more true when he saw that hee was despised in his countrie Nazareth he went vnto some other place VVherfore it followeth immediatly that he came into the citie Cana. And in this that it is added also that he was receiued of the GalileaÌ„s because of his myracles it was a signe of reuereÌ„ce and not of contempt A prophet in his owne countrie I doe not doubt but that this sentence was prouerbiall wee know that that is taken vp for a prouerbe which coÌ„meth often to passe VVherefore we must not straitly require that it should alwayes be true as though that had neede alwaies to be true which is there said Certaine it is that Prophets are more commended els where then in their owne countrie and 〈◊〉 may also somtimes come to passe doth indeed chance that a Prophet is no lesse reuerenced of his owne countriemen then of strangers but the prouerb teacheth what is more common namely that Prophets are rather honoured els where in any place then amongst their owne countrie men And this prouerbe may haue a double beginning meaning For this is a coÌ„mon vice that looke whomsoeuer we see lie crying in their cradles and toying childishly those doe wee despise during their whole life As if they had still continued in childhood There is also an other euill whiche reigneth more amongest those that are of acquaintance namely emulation Notwithstanding I am persuaded that y â— prouerb did arise hereupon because prophetes were so badly entertained in their owne nation For good and godly men when as they sawe so great vnthankfulnesse toward God in Iudea so great contempt of the word so great stubbornnes they might worthily thus complaine that God his prophetes are neuer lesse reuerenced any where then in their owne countrie If wee like better of the former sense the woorde prophete shal be taken generally for euery teacher as Paule calleth Epâ—â—enides the Prophet of the Cretians They receiued him VVee know not whether this honour did long continue or no. For there is nothing wherunto we are more bent then to forget God his benefits Neither doth Iohn make mention of this to any other end saue only that we may know y t Christ did worke myracles in the sight presence of many so that they were preached farre wide There is one commoditie of myracles set downe againe that they make a way for doctrine for they make Christe to bee reuerenced 46 Therefore Iesus came againe into Cana of Galilee where hâ—â— rained water into â—ine And there was a certaine ruler whose sonne was sicke in Capernaum 47 VVhen he had heard that Iesus was come out of Iudea into Galilee he went vnto him requested him that he would go downe heale his son for we was almost dead 48 Therfore Iesus said vnto him Except you see signes and wonders yee will not beleeue 49 The Ruler himselfe said vnto him Master goe downe before my childe die 50 Iesus said vnto him goe thy way thy sonne liueth The man beleeued the worde that Iesus had spoken and went 51 And as he was nowe going downe the seruants met him and told saying thy sonne liueth 52 Therefore he demaunded of them at what houre he began to amend and they said vnto him yesterday at the seuenth houre the feuer left him 53 Therefore the father knewe that it was the same houre wherein Iesus saide vnto him thy sonne liueth And he beleeued and all his house 54 This seconde myracle did Iesus againe when hee came out of Iudea into Galilâ—â— 54 There was a certaine This is the truer reading although Erasmus doth thinke otherwise I graunt that there were at that time some that were called râ—guli or princes who are now called Dukes or Barons or Earles but such was the estate of Galilee at that time that none of that degree could dwell in Capernaum Furthermore I suppose that it was some of Herods Court. For they who thinke that hee was sent by Caesar haue no colour But the Euangelist expressed this by name because in such a person the myracle was more famous 47 VVhen hee had hearde that Iesus In that he craueth helpe of Christ this truly was some token of faith but in that hee appointeth Christe the way and meane how to helpe it appeareth thereby how great his ginorance was For hee tyeth the power of Christe vnto his corporal presence He had conceiued no other thing of Christe saue only that hee was a Prophete sent of God with this commaundement and power to proue by shewing and working wonders that hee was the minister of God Yet Christ winking at this fault although it was worthie blame doth sharply chide him for another cause nay hee chideth all the Iewes generally because they were too desirous to see wonders But whence is it that Christe is nowe so sharpe set who was wont so courteously to entertaine others that desired myracles There was some particular reason which we knowe not of which moued him to deale more sharply with this man then he was wont And peraduenture hee did not so much respect him as the whole nation Hee saw that his doctrine was but of small authoritie and that it was not only neglected but also altogether despised in the meane season he saw that they were wholy set vpon myracles that all their senses were rather filled with some amasednesse then admiration Therefore that wicked contempt of the word which reigned then commonly did wrest out of him this complaint True it is that euen some of the saints haue sometimes desired to haue confirmation from myracles least the truth of the promises should stagger with them and we doe also see that God was not offended therewith seeing that hee yeelded vnto their requestes But Christe noteth in this place a farre greaterâ— frowardnesse For the Iewes did so depende vpon myracles that they left nothing for the worde And firste of all there was this fault amongest them that the dull and carnall did no whit reuerence doctrine vnlesse they were awaked by myracles For it was meete that the worde of God wherein they were trained vp from their tender yeeres should haue beene more then familier vnto them secondly when wonders were wrought there did so small profite follow that being astonied they waxed dul So that their religion was nothing there was amongest them no knowledge of God in exercise of godlines saue only in myracles VVhereunto that vpbraiding which Paule vseth tendeth the Iewes seeke signes For his meaning is that they were addicted vnto signes without reason measure and that they were neither moued with the grace of Christe or promises of eternall life or secret working of the spirite but that they did rather lothsomly refuse the gospel because they can disgest nothing but signes And woulde to God there were not many at this day infected with the same disease ther is nothing more common then these wordes Let myracles goe before
ought not to prouoke vs vnto wastfulnesse Therfore let those who haue aboundance remember that they shal once giue an account of their immoderate store vnlesse they do bestow the ouerplus diligently and faithfully vpon good vses and suche as God alloweth 14 Therefore when those men had seene the myracle which Iesus had wrought they said truly this man is the Prophete which shall come into the worlde 15 Therefore when Iesus knew that they would come and carry him away that they might make him a king he departed againe into the mountaine alone 16 And when it was euening his disciples went downe vnto the sea 17 And going into a ship they came ouer the sea into Capernaum and it was nowe darke and Iesus came not vnto them 18 And the sea did swell with a great winde which did blow 19 Therefore when as they were gone forwarde fiue and twentie furlonges or thirtie they see Iesus walking vpon the sea and when he drew nigh vnto the ship they were afraide 20 And hee saith vnto them It is I be not afraid 21 Therefore they would haue receiued him into the ship and by and by the ship ariued at the land whereunto they went 14 Therefore when those men The myracle seemeth to haue some successe in that they doe acknowledge Christ to bee the Messias for that was Christ his only drift but they doe by and by turne that knoweledge which they had cōceaued cōcerning Christ vnto another end And this vice is ouer cōmon amongest men to corrupt with their lyes ouerthrow gods truth so sone as he hath once reuealed himself vnto thē yea when they seeme to bee entred into the right way they do by and by degenerate from themselues 15 That they might make him a king VVhereas those men were determined to giue vnto Christ the title and honour of a king that did proceede from some reason and in this point were they greatly deceiued that they did take to themselues libertie to make a king for the Scripture saith that this belongeth to God alone as it is Psal. 2. 6. I haue set my king c. Secondly of what sort do they faine his kingdom to be namely an earthly kingdome which is altogether contrarie to his person Let vs hereby learne how dangerous a thing it is to inuent any thing according to our own reason in matters appertaining vnto God forsakyng the worde of God For there is nothing which the froward quicknesse of our wit cannot corrupt And what doth the colour of zeale helpe when as we are more contumelious against God through our disordered worshippe then if any man shoulde impugne his glory of set purpose VVe know how furious the endeuours of the enemies were to extinguish Christes glory That was the extreamest violence when he was nayled vpon the crosse But by this meanes both saluation was obtained for the world and Christ himselfe triumphed gloriously ouer death Satā If he had now suffered himself to be made a king he had quite ouerthrowē his spirituall kingdome the gospel had bin eternally slaundered the hope of saluation had been quite extinguished This is the successe which feigned worshippinges and honours rashly inuented by men haue that they doe onely dishonour God hauing spoyled him of his true honour VVe must also note the worde carry away For they would carry away Christe saith the Euangelist that is they woulde violently make him a king although it were against his will VVherfore if we be desirous to haue that honor which we giue vnto him to be approued of him we must alwayes regard what he requireth And truly those who thrust vpon God honours inuented by themselues they doe him iniurie after a sort seeing that obedience is the foundation of the true worship Furthermore we doe hereby learne how reuerently we must remaine in the pure and simple worde of GOD because so sone as we turne aside but a little the truth is infected with our leauens so that it is nowe made vnlike to it selfe They had out of the worde of God that the promised redeemer should be a king but they inuent of their owne head an earthly kingdome and they giue him a kingdome contrary to the worde of God So so often as we doe mixe our opinions with the worde of God faith doth degenerate into friuoulous coniectures Therefore let the faithfull accustome themselues vnto modestie least Satan carry them away into a peruers feruentnesse of zeale so that they doe violently runne vpon God like Gyants who is then worshipped aright when as we imbrace him offering himselfe vnto vs. And it is a wonder that there was such headlong boldnesse in fiue thousand men that they were not afraide least they should prouoke the weapons of Pilate of the Empire of Rome against thē by creating a new king It is certaine that they would neuer haue gone so farre vnlesse trusting to the Oracles of the Prophetes they had hoped that God was on their side and that by that meanes they should haue the vpper hande But in the meane season they doe erre in feigning a kingdome which the prophetes did no where commend Therfore they are so farre from hauing God to further these their indeuours that Christ doth rather withdraw himselfe The same thing caused miserable men to wander so longe in darknesse in tyme of Papistrie as if God had been absent because they were so bolde as to pollute all his worshippe with theyr inuentions 16 His Disciples went downe It is questionles that Christe meant to stay out of sight vntill suche time as the companie was gone VVee know how hard a matter it is to stay the vprores of the people but if that had beene openly assayed which they had conceiued in theyr mindes the rumour had ben spread abroad by and by And then afterward it had not been so easie a matter to haue wiped away the blot In the meane season he employeth all the time in prayer as the other Euangelistes doe report peraduenture that God the father woulde redresse that distemperature of the people In that he goeth ouer the lake myraculously this is profitable for the Disciples to confirme their faith againe And the fruite spreadeth farther because all the people mighte easily gather that he came thither by his owne power and not in anye ship For they did beset the banke from which hee must of necessitie launch and they could scarse haue been pulled away from thence vnlesse they had seene the disciples goe another way 17 It was now darke Iohn passeth ouer many circumstances whiche the other put in as is that that they had striuen certaine houres with a contrarie winde For it is likely that after the first darknes of the night began there arose some tempest And they say that Christ appeared to the Disciples in the fourth watch They who gesse that they were yet in the middest of the lake when Christe appeared vnto them because Iohn saith that they were
in such sort as wee feele it For bread doth not beginne the life but it cherisheth and preserueth the life which is begun But we doe not only retaine life through the benefite of Christe but wee haue the beginning of life through hym VVherefore the similitude is vnproper in some respect But in this there is no absurditie because Christ frameth his talke according to the circumstance of the talke had before The question was mooued whether Moses or Christ himselfe was more excellent in feeding men This is the selfe same reason why hee doth only call it bread because they did only obiect Manna vnto him therfore it was sufficient for him to set against the same another bread The doctrine is simple that our soules do not liue by an inward power that I may so say but that they do borow life of Christ. Hee which commeth vnto me Now he defineth the manner of eating namely when as we receiue him by faith Neither doth it any whit profite the vnbeleeuers that Christ is the bread of life because they continue alwayes emptie but Christ is made our bread then when as wee come hungrie vnto him that he may fill vs. To come vnto Christ and to beleeue haue all one signification in this place but in the former worde the effect of faith is expressed namely that being enforced with the feeling of our pouertie we flie vnto Christe to aske life Furthermore they who gather out of this place that the eating of Christe is nothing els saue faith onely they reason scarse fitly enough and to the purpose I graunt indeed that we eate Christ no otherwise saue only by beleeuingâ— but the â—ating it selfe is rather an effect or fruite of faith then faith Neither doth faith behold Christe alone as being a far off but it imbraceth him that he may be made ours dwell in vs it maketh vs to grow into one body with him to haue one life with him and finally to be one with him Therefore it is true that Christ is eaten by faith alone so that we do also vnderstand after what sort faith ioyneth vs with him Hee shall neuer bee a thirst This seemeth to be added contrary to reason because it is not the office of bread to quench thirst howsoeuer it doeth satisfie hunger Therfore Christ doth attribute more to bread then the nature thereof doth beare I haue alreadie said that he doth only vse the word bread namely because the comparing of Manna with his heauenly power whereby our soules are holden in life did so require In the mean-while he vnderstandeth by bread all the whole summe of food and that according to the common custome of his countrie For the Hebrewes doe take this phrase to eate bread by Synecdoche for to suppe or dine when as we aske our daylie bread we comprehend vnder the same drinke the other parts of our life Therfore the meaning of the words is this whosoeuer shal resort vnto Christe that he may haue life of him he shal want nothing but shall haue sufficient nourishment to maintaine life with 36 But I haue said vnto you Now doth he blame them because they doe wickedly reiect the gift of God which is laid open vnto them And this is too too wicked contempt of god to reiect that which some man doth acknowledge to be giuen by him Vnlesse Christ had made his power knowen vnto them had manifestly declared that he came from god the colour of ignorance might haue extenuated their fault but in that they refuse his doctrine whom they did before confesse to be the Messias of the Lord it is extreeme vnthankfulnes Truly it is true that men doe neuer so resist God of set purpose that they think that they haue to deale with God VVherunto appertaineth that of Paul They would neuer haue crucified the Lord of glory if they had knowen him But the vnbeleeuers because they are blind when they behold the light are worthily said to see that which vanisheth streightway out of their sight because SataÌ„ doth darken their mindes This is questionles that when as he said that they saw he meant not the bodily sight but doth rather touch their voluntarie blindnes in that they might know what he was vnlesse their owne wickednes had letted them 37 VVhatsoeuer the father giueth me Least their vnbeliefe shoulde any whit discredit his doctrine he saith that the cause of so great stubbornenesse is because they are reprobates strangers from the flocke of God Therfore he doth distinguish the elect from the reprobate in this place that his doctrine may neuerthelesse retaine the authoritie although it be not beleeued of many For the wicked do both speake euill of the word of God and do make no account therof because they are not touched with the reuerence of it and many weaklinges and ignorant men doe doubt whether it be the word of god or no because a great part of the world doth refuse it Christ remoueth this stumbling block when as he saith that they are not his whosoeuer doe not beleeue that it is no maruel if such haue no feeling of the truth of God but that all the children of god do imbrace it First of all he saith that they come vnto him whoÌ„soeuer his father giueth him By which words he meaneth y t faith is not in mans choyse will that this man or that may beleeue generally or by chaunce but that God doth choose those whom he may giue vnto his sonne as it were from hand to hand For when hee saith that all that commeth whatsoeuer is giuen we gather therby that all men are not giuen Againe we gather that God doth work with so great efficacie of y â— spirite in his elect that none of them can fall away For the woorde giue importeth as much as if Christ had said whom the father hath chosen them doth he regenerate and he doth appoint them vnto me vnto the obedience of the gospel And him that commeth vnto mee This is added for the comfort of the godly that they may certainly persuade theÌ„selues that they haue accesse vnto Christ through faith and that also they shall be courteously entertained so soone as they haue once committed them selues vnto his tuition whereupon it followeth that the doctrine of the gospel shall bring saluation vnto all the godly because no man offereth himselfe to be Christ his disciple who may not againe perceiue trie that he is a faithful and good teacher 38 Because he came downe from heauen This is a confirmation of the next sentence that we do not seeke Christ in vaine For faith is a worke of God wherby he sheweth that we are his and he appointeth his sonne to be the gouerner of our saluation This was the only purpose of the sonne to fulfill his fathers commandement Therfore he wil neuer cast off those whom the father sendeth VVherby it is plainely prooued that faith shall neuer be voide VVhereas
soeuer he had in himselfe And we must note that there are three degrees of life reckoned vp in this place the liuing father hath the first place who is the foūtain but yet placed farre off and hidden the sonne followeth whō we haue laid out vnto vs as a fountaine through whom life is powred out vnto vs the third is life which we doe draw from him Now wee know the summe because God the father in whose power is life is farre distant from vs Christ is placed in the middle who is the second cause of life that that may come vnto vs thence which should otherwise lie hid in God 58 This is the bread He returneth vnto the comparison of Manna his flesh where he began For he should haue ended his speech thus there is no cause why yee should preferre Moses before me because hee fedde your fathers in the desert seing that I giue you a farre better meat For I bring the heauenly life with me For as it was said before the bread is said to come downe from heauen which tasteth of no earthly or corruptible thing but breatheth out the immortalitie of the kingdome of God They tryed not this power in Manna who were only bent to feed their bellie For whereas there was a double vse of Manna the Iewes with whom Christ disputeth in this place did loke vnto nothing but the corporall meat But the life of the soule is not fraile but groweth to be better vntil the whole man shal be renued 59 These thinges said he in the synagogue teaching in Capernaum 60 Therefore many of his disciples when they had heard saide This is a hard saying who can heare it 61 And when Iesus know in himselfe that his disciples murmured concerning this hee said vnto them doth this offend you 62 If therefore you shall see the sonne of man ascending where he was before 63 It is the spirite that giueth life the flesh profiteth nothing The wordes whiche I speake vnto you are spirite and life 64 But there are some of you that doe not beleeue For Iesus knewe from the beginning who they were that did not beleeue and who it was that shoulde betray him 59 These thinges spake hee in the synagogue Iohn assigneth the place y t we may know that there were many present and secondly that the sermon was made about a graue and waightie matter Yet notwithstanding it followeth by and by that there were scant a few of so great a company who did profite yea this doctrine was vnto a great many who did professe themselues to be Christe his disciples a cause of falling away If the Euangelist had said that only some wer offended that might haue byn counted now a wonder but in that they do ryse against him in troupes do conspire together what maner example shal we say this is VVherfore let vs deeply imprint in our minds this historie lest at any time we doe murmur against Christe when hee speaketh Secondly if wee see anye suche like thing in others let not theyr pryde trouble our faith 60 This is an hard saying Nay there was rather hardnes in their hearts and not in the saying But the reprobates are wont after this sort to gather together stones out of the worde of God whereat they may stumble And when as they runne headlong against Christe through their harde stubbornnesse they complaine that his word is harde which ought rather to make them soft For whosoeuer shall humblie submit himselfe vnto Christ his doctrine hee shall finde no harde or sharpe matter therin and it shal be vnto the vnbeleeuers who shall stubbornely set themselues against it an hammer which breaketh the rockes as the prophete calleth it Ier. 23. 29. Furthermore seeing that the same hardnes is bred in vs al if we iudge according to our owne meaning of the doctrine of Christ there shal be as many paradoxes as wordes VVherefore there remaineth nothing but that euery one doe commende himselfe vnto the direction of the spirite that he may write that in our heartes which otherwise would not enter into our eares VVho can heare it Heere we see how malitious vnbeliefe is For they which vngodlily wickedly reiect the doctrine of saluation being not content with an excuse they dare make the sonne of God giltie in their steed and pronounce him to be vnworthie to be heard So at this day the Papists doe not only boldly refuse the Gospel but doe also thunder out horrible blasphemies least they should seeme to resist God without a cause And truely seeing that they desire darknesse it is no maruell if Satan doe delude them with feigned monsters But that which they by reason of their distemperature cannot endure shall not only be suffered of the modest and those who are easie to be taught but it shall also lift them vp and vphold them In the meane while the reprobate shall doe nothing els with their murmuring raylings but bring vppon themselues a more greeuous destruction 61 And when Iesus knew Christe knew that the offence which the reprobate had taken could not be remoued for the doctrine doth not so much wound them as it doth discouer the rotten gall which they nourished within in their harts yet would he by all means trye whether any of those who were offended were as yet curable intending to stop the mouth of the rest By asking the question he giueth them to vnderstand that they had no cause or at least that in the doctrine it selfe there was no matter of offence In like sort the wickednesse of those men is t◠bee brideled who being only smitten with a dogged madnesse do spea◠euill of the worde of God and their foolishnesse is also to be corrected who rush rashly against the truth He saith that Iesus knew in him selfe because they had not yet freely vttered what did byte them but did feet amongest themselues with a secrete whispering Therefore he preuenteth their open complaints If any doe obiect that their nature was not obscure seeing that they did in plaine wordes refuse Christe his doctrine I confesse in deede that the woordes are playne whiche Iohn recited before but I say also that they did tosse amongest themselues these murmurings and as it were secrete speeches and words after the manner of reuoltes For if they had conferred with Christe there had bin better hope because they had opened him a way vnto doctrine now when as they murmur amongst themselues they exclude themselues frō learning Therefore there is nothing better then when as we doe not at the first vnderstand the Lords meaning to come straightway vnto him that he may open vnto vs all doubtes Doth this offend you Christ seemeth in this place not so much to remoue the offence as to encrease it yet if any man doe more narrowly weigh the cause of the offence there was in this sentence that which ought to haue appeased their mindes The low and base estate of Christ which
stand although all the people doe faile And we must marke with what argument they are vnderpropped when they doe so proudly vaunt against Christe They say hee hath onlie the riffe raffe and vnskilfull men on his side the rulers and euery notable man is set against him They expresse the Pharisees by name because they had the fame aswell of knowledge as of holinesse aboue other men so that they were as it were the princes of princes This obiection seemeth indeed to haue some colour For vnlesse the gouernours and rulers of the Church haue their authority there can be nothing set down well neither can the estate also continue long in good order VVee know how great the distemperature of the common people is wherefore there must needes deformed confusion ensue immediately where euery man may do what him listeth Therefore the authoritie of those who are gouerners is a necessarie bridle to moderate the order of the Church And it was so prouided by the law of God that if ther should any question or controuersie arise the knowledge thereof should be in the high Priest his power But these men offend in this in that they doe challenge to themselues the chiefest authoritie and doe refuse to submit themselues vnto God God gaue vnto the high Priest the iudgement but he would haue him to giue sentence only according to his lawe Therefore what authoritie soeuer the pastors haue it is subiect to the word of God that being all brought vnder from the highest to the lowest God alone may be aboue them all If pastours who execute their office well and sincerely do challenge to themselues authoritie this shal be an holy and lawfull boasting but whereas the bare authoritie of men is extolled without the woorde of God it is vaine and friuolous bragging But it falleth out oftentimes that the wicked doe rule in the Church So that we must beware that we do attribute nothing vnto men so soone as they depart from the woorde of God VVee see that almost all the Prophetes were vexed with this griefe For these gorgeous titles Princes Prieste and Churche were oftentimes obiected to ouerwhelme their doctrine The Papists being furnished at this day with the same weapons doe no otherwise rage then did the aduersaries of Christ and the Prophetes This is horrible blindenesse that mortall man is not afraid to set himself against God But SataÌ„ driueth them vnto such madnesse who set more by ambition then by the truth of God In the meane season it is our part to giue such reuerence vnto the worde of God as may driue away all the brightnesse of the whole worlde and may desperse the vaine smoakes therof For weâ— stood in bad case if our saluation did depende vppon the will of rulers and that faith were too vnstable which shoulde stand or fall at theyr becke 4â— This companie The first part is a point of pride in that trusting to the title of the Priesthood they would bring al men in subiection vnder them tyrannously The other is that they despice other men as beeing nothing worth like as they are alwayes reprochfull against other men whosoeuer haue better liking of themselues then they ought and the contempt of our brethren doth follow the immoderate loue of our selues They pronounce all the whole common people to be accursed For which cause they colour this with the ignorance of the lawe but there was another thing which lay hid vnder this namely that they thought that there was no holinesse saue only in their order Like as at this day whiâ—lest that the Popish shauelings doe onely make bâ—ast of the title of the Church they despice the lay men as they cal them like profane men But to the end God may throw downe this mad loftines hee preferreth the base and despiced before the most loftie and excellent And me must note that they doe not make their boast of such knoweledge of the lawe as did instruct men vnto godlinesse and the feare of God but of such as they had when as with a lofâ—tie countenance they answered as if they alone were fit interpreters of the law And truly this is true that they are accursed whosoeuer are noâ— taught in the law of god the knowlâ—dge whereof doth sanctifie vs in deed yet this knowledge is not restrained vnto a few that being puffed vp with wicked confidence they may exempt themselues out of the number of other men but it doth appertaine generally vnto all the children of God that they may be gathered together vnto the same obedience of faith â—0 Nicodemus said vnto them The Euangelist describeth Nicodemus vnto vs as an indifferent man who neither dare take vpon him earnestly to defend godly doctrin neither yet can suffer the truth to be oppressed VVhen he saith that it was he that came by night this serueth partly to his commendation and partly to his discommendation Vnlesse he had loued the doctrine of Christ he durst neuer haue set himselfe against the fâ—tie of the wicked For he knew that if any did but once whisper hee should by and by be hated and be in daunger Therefore in that he dare say something though faintly there shineth some small sparkle of godlines out of his hart but seeing that he doth not more freely defend Christ â—â—e doth therein bewray his too great fearfulnesse Therefore the Euangelist giueth vs to vnderstand that hee did yet smell of the lurking dennes of the night and that he is not the true disciple of Christ. Hee saith that he came once by night vnto Christ that he stood openly amongest his enemies and did keepe a place in their tentes VVee must note this so much the more diligently because that many whilest that they doe pretende that they are like vnto Nicodemus hauing on this visure they doe thinke that they can mocke God freely Admit wee doe graunt that which they require that they differ nothing from Niâ—odemus yet I pray you what doth such an example helpe theÌ„ Nicodemus saith that Christ was not to be condemned vntill he were heard truly there might so much be said by a thiefe by a royster For that is well knowen and famous that it is better than the giltie be acquitted then that the innocent be condemned Secondly howsoeuer hee desireth to lighten the person of Christ he leaueth and forsaketh the doctrine it selfe what shall wee finde here that is meete for a godly and faithfull maÌ„ Therefore y â— seed of y â— gospel which brought foorth fruit afterward did as yet lie hid being choked in him VVe shal far more profitablie apply this example vnto another end that the Lord doth ofteÌ„times bring to passe that the doctrine which seemed to haue perished doth by little and little take roote secretely and doth at length after long time shooâ— foorth soâ—e bud at the first like vnto one that is vntimely but afterwarde liuing and hauing sappe like as Nicodemus his faith had news and
thēselues the grace of Christ whosoeuer being puffed vp with a vaine confidence doe flatter themselues in their own estate This pride goeth through the whole worlde almost so that there is scarce one amongest an hundred that doth perceiue that he hath need of the grace of God 34 He that doth sin c. An argument drawen from contraries They made their boast that they were free he proueth that they are the seruants of sinne because being subiect to the desires of the flesh they sinne continually And it is a maruell y t mē are not conuinced with their own experience that hauing laid away pride they may learne to humble them selues This thing is at this day too common that the more a mans vices are so much the more fiercely doth he with loftie words extol free wil. And Christ as it seemeth affirmeth no other thing in this place saue that which in times past was tossed amongst the philosophers that those who are addicted vnto their lustes are in the worst bondage But there is a deeper and more hidden sense For he doth not only dispute what euill men doe bring vppon themselues but what maner estate the estate of mans nature is The philosophers thought that euerie man is made a bondslaue at his own pleasure doth returne vnto libertie againe But Christ proueth aduoucheth in this place that al those are subiect to bōdage whō he doth not set free so consequently that they are seruantes by beginning who draw the infection of sin frō corrupt nature we must note the comparison of grace nature whereupon Christ standeth in this place whereby it shall easily appeare that men are spoyled of libertie vnlesse they recouer the same by some other meanes This bondage is so voluntarie that those which offend necessarily are not compelled to sin 35 And the seruant c. He addeth a similitude takē from the lawes the politik law as a seruant although he rule for a time yet is he not the heire of the house whereupon he concludeth that there is no perfect continuall libertie saue that which is obtained through the sonne By this meanes he doth accuse the Iewes of vanitie because they make boast of the shadow insteed of the thing For in that they were the carnal progenie of Abrahā they were nothing els but a shadow they had a place in y e church of God but such an one as Ismael did vsurp vnto himselfe for a short space the seruant triumphing against the free brother The sum is whosoeuer do boast that they are the childrē of Abrahā they haue nothing but a false vanishing show 36 Therfore if the son shal make you free In these words he giueth vs to vnderstād y t the right of liberty appertaineth vnto him alone that al other forasmuch as they are born seruants are set free only through his grace For he doth impart that vnto vs by adoptiō which is proper to himself by nature whilest that we are engrafted into his bodie by faith are made his mēbers So that we must remēber that which I said before that he setteth vs free by the gospel Therefore our liberty is the benefit of Christ but we obtain the same by faith whiche doth also cause Christ to regenerate vs by his spirit VVhēas he saith that they are free indeed there is great force in y ◠aduerb indeed for we must vnderstād the contrary which is the false perswasiō wherwith the Iewes did swell like as euen now a great part of the world imagineth to themselues a kingdom in most miserable subiectiō 37 I know that you are the seed of Abraham I take this to be spoken by a kind of concession Notwithstāding in y e mean season he derideth their foolishnes because they boast of a friuolous title as if he should say admit I graunt you that wherein you do so much flatter your selues Yet what doth it profit those to bee called y e seed of Abrahā who rage against god his ministers who being moued with an vngodly wicked hatred of the truth are carried headlong to shed innocēt blood wherupō it foloweth that they are nothing lesse thē that which they wil be called because they are in no point like vnto Abrahā You seeke to kyll me VVhen he saith y t they seek to put him to death because his word hath no place in thē his meaning is that they are not simply māslears but that they are enforced vnto suche madnes with the hatred of god his truth which is far more cruel For the iniurie doth not thē keep it self within the cōpasse of mē but it doth also dishonour God Hee saith that they cānot receiue his word because their minds are ful fraught with malice so that they cā admit no sound thing 38 That which I haue seen with my father He had oftentimes alreadie made mētiō of his father Now he gathereth by an argument drawen frō contraries that they are both the enemies of God children of the Diuell that resist his doctrine I do only saith he speake that which I haue heard of my father therfore how commeth it to passe that the word of GOD doth so nettle you saue only bicause you haue the father set against you He saith that he speaketh and they doe because he did take vppon him the office of a teacher they did furiously endeuour to extinguish his doctrine Neuerthelesse he setteth his Gospel fre from contempt because it is no maruell if the children of the Diuell doe resist it Some doe translate it doe yee as if Christ did say goe too shew your selues to be the children of the Diuell in resisting me For I do only speake according to the prescript of God 39 They aunswered and saide vnto him Abraham is our father Iesus saieth vnto them If you were the children of Abraham yee woulde doe the workes of Abraham 40 And now yee seeke to kill me a man that haue spoken the truth vnto you which I haue heard of God Abraham did not this 41 You doe the workes of your father Therfore they said vnto him we are not begotten of fornication we haue one father which is God 42 Iesus said vnto them If GOD were your father you woulde loue mee for I came out from God and came neither came I of my selfe but hee sent me 39 Our father Abraham This chiding doeth plainely declare howe proudly and cruelly they despised all Christ his chidinges They challendge this to themselues continually that they are the children of Abraham and not only in that sense because they had Abraham his progenie for their progenitours but because they are an holy kinred gods inheritance the childrē of god Notwithstāding they leane only vnto the confidence of the flesh But the fleshly stocke is nothing els but a meere visure without faith Now we vnderstande what did so blinde them that they tossed Christ to and fro being euen armed with a
that they are the children of the diuell For his meaning was to cut of that wherof they made their boast continually that they were perswaded by reason and iudgement to resist 44 You are of your father the Diuell He doth now more fully expresse that which he spake twise obscurely And we must vnderstand the oppositioÌ„ that they could not be so enuious against the son of god vnles they had the continuall aduersarie of God to be their father Furthermore he calleth them the children of the Diuell not only because they doe imitate him but because they are enforced by him to gainstand Christ. For like as we are called the children of God not only because wee are like him but because he gouerneth vs with his spirite because Christe doth liue in vs that he may make vs like vnto the image of his father so againe the Diuel is called their father whose mindes he blindeth whose heartes he pricketh forward vnto all vnrighteousnesse and finally in whome hee exerciseth his tyranny by working mightily But the Maniches did in vaine and foolishly abuse this place to proue their doting For like as when the scripture calleth vs the children of God it doth not referre this vnto the propagation or beginning of the substance but vnto the grace of the spirite which doth regenerate vs vnto newnes of life so this saying of Christ doth nothing appertain vnto the propagation of the substance but vnto the corruption of nature the cause and beginning whereof is the fall of man In that therefore men are borne the children of the Diuell it is not to be imputed vnto the creation but vnto the vice of sinne And this doth Christ proue by the effect because they are bent readily and willingly to follow the Diuell Hee was a manslear He expresseth what these lustes be and he reckoneth vp two kindes crueltie and lying wherein the Iewes were too like Satan In that he saith he was a manslear he meaneth that he imagined mans destruction For so soone as man was created Satan being pricked forward with a wicked desire to hurt did bende all his force to destroy him And Christ doth not meane the beginning of the creation as if God had giuen him a desire to hurt but he vnderstandeth the corruption of nature in Satan which he got to himselfe which appeareth better out of the second member wher he saith that he stood not in the truth For althogh they would escape who feigne that the Diuell was euill by nature notwithstanding these words doe plainely expres a changing vnto worse that therfore SataÌ„ is a lyar because he fell away froÌ„ the truth Therfore in that he is a lyar it is not therefore because he dissented from the truth by nature but because he fell away from the same by a voluntarie fall This description of Satan is verye profitable for vs that euery man may take heede of his subtiltie and also studie to resist his violence and force For he goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuour and he is furnished with a thousand craftes and â—leightes to deceiue wherefore the faithfull ought so muche the more to be furnished with spirituall weapons to fight and to be giuen to watchfull sobrietie that they may watch Now if Satan cannot put off this affection there is no cause why we should be troubled with this as with some new and vnwonted thing when as errours arise for Satan pricketh forward his children as fannes to make mad the world with their errours And it is no maruell if Satan doe so earnestly endeuour to euer runne the truth for it is the only life of the soule Therefore lying hath a most deadly dart to slea the soule Seeing that all men which haue eyes doe see this image of Satan in Papistrie at this day they must first of all consider with what enemie they make warâ—e and secondly â—â—ie vnto the ayd of Christ their captain vnder whose banner they fight That which followeth next because the truth is not in him is a confirmatioÌ„ of the effect or taken as they say from the latter For because Satan hateth the truth neyther can abyde the same but is rather altogether ful of lyes Christe gathereth hence that hee is altogether fallen from the truth and that he is an enemie to the same Therfore let vs not maruel if hee shew some fruite of his Apostacie VVhen hee speaketh a lie They expounde this commonly thus as if Christe dyd denie that lying did belong vnto GOD the authour of nature and dyd rather say that it came from deprauation But I interprete it more simplie that it is the Diuell his common custome to lye and that hee canne doe nothing els but woorke fraude deceite and guile And yet may we fitly gather out of these words that the Diuell hath this vice of himselfe and that it is so proper vnto him that it is also accidentall For whenas Christe maketh the Diuel the craftes man of lying he doth manifestly separate him from God yea hee affirmeth that he is contrarie vnto him To the same ende tendeth the worde father which is added immediately for Satan is called the father of lying for this cause because he is estraunged from God in whome alone the truth abydeth and from whom as from the onely fountaine it floweth 45 And because He confirmeth the former sentence because seeing that they haue no cause to resist saue onely because they hate the truth they doe openly bewray them selues to bee the children of Satan 46 VVhich of you accuseth mee of sinne And if I speake the truth why doe ye not beleeue me 47 He that is of God heareth the words of God yee heare not because yee are not of God 48 Therfore the Iewes answered and said vnto him doe not we say well that thou art a Samaritane and hast a Diuell 49 Iesus answered I haue not a Diuell but I honour my father and yee haue dishonoured mee 50 And I seeke not my glory there is one that seeketh and iudgeth 46 VVhich of you This interrogation proceedeth from boldnes For seeing that he was giltie of no crime hee triumpheth ouer his aduersaries as a conquerour And yet notwithstanding he doth not say that he is free from their slaunders for whenas they had no matter to speake against him yet did they not cease to raile vpon Christ but he vnderstandeth y t there was no fault in him And thus much doth the word elegehein signifie as the latines doe call it rebuking when as any man is founde giltie indeed And yet notwithstanding they are deceiued who thinke that Christe doeth in this place defende his perfect innocencie wherein he alone did excell amongest men insomuch as he was the son of God For this defence must be restrained vnto the circumstance of the place as if he did deny that any thing can bee obiected vnto him for which he is not the faithfull minister of God Like
those that will keepe it as a precious treasure he saith they shall not see death because where faith doth quicken the soule of man death cannot giue any deadly wounde any more hauing his sting beaten back poyson wyped away 52 Now we know The wicked persist in their dulnesse neither are they touched any more with promises then with threatnings so that they can neither be led nor drawen vnto Christ. VVhereas some doe thinke that they craftily wrest the wordes because they say tast of death which they heard not of Christ I thinke it is scarse sound I do rather thinke that the phrases did signifie all one thing amongest the Hebrues To tast of death and to see death for to die But in this they are false interpreters because they apply the spirituall doctrine of Christe vnto the body None of the faithfull shall see death because being borne againe of vncorruptible seed they liue euen by dying because beeing ioyned vnto Christ their head they cannot be extinguished by death because death is vnto them a passage into the kingdome of heauen because the spirit that dwelleth in them is life for righteousnes vntill he swallow vp the death which remaineth But these men as they are carnall so they do acknowledge no deliuerance from death but such as may appeare openly in the body And this disease is too coÌ„moÌ„ in the world so that most men do almost make no account of the grace of Christ because they esteeme the same only by the sense of the flesh Therfore least the same befall vs our mindes are to be awaked that they may be made partakers of the spirituall life in the middest of death 53 Then our father This is the other vice because they endeuour to darken the glory of Christe with the brightnesse of Abraham and the saintes But as the brightnesse of the Sun doth darken all the starres so all the glory which is in the Saintes must vanish away at the vnmeasurable brightnesse of Christ. Therefore they deale vniustly and peruersly in that they set the seruantes against the master Nay moreouer they are iniurious vnto Abraham and the Prophets whilest that they abuse their name against Christ. But this frowardnes hath also reigned almost in al ages and it doth as yet reigne at this day that the wicked by pulling in peeces the workes of God doe make him as it were their aduersarie God did make his name knowen by the Apostles and martyres the Papistes make vnto themselues Idols of the Apostles Martires that they may supplie the place of God doe they not by this meanes forge vnto themselues of the graces of God engins to pul down his power For what remaineth vnto God or Christe if the Saintes haue that which the Papistes doe giue vnto them lauishingly Therfore we must knowe that all the order of the kingdome of GOD is confounded vnlesse the Prophetes Apostles and all the Saintes bee farre inferiour vnto Christe that hee alone may excell them all And truly we cannot speake more honourably of the Saints then whenas we put them vnder Christ. But howsoeuer the Papistes doe deceiue the vnskilfull by boasting that they are good worshippers of the Saintes yet they are iniurious both vnto God and them because they pull downe Christ by setting them vp And truely they offende double in this that they preferre the Saintes before Christ in theyr doctrine secondly in that cloathing them with that which they take from Christ they doe almost dispoyle Christe of his power 54 If I glorifie Before hee answere them concerning that vnequall comparison he saith first that hee seeketh not his owne glory by this meanes he answereth their slaunder If any man obiect that Christ did also glorifie himselfe we may readily answere that hee did this not after the manner of men but hauing God for his authour and guyde for in this place as in many other he separateth himselfe from God by a kinde of graunting In summe he affirmeth that he desireth no glâ—ry saue that which is giuen him of his father And we are taught by these wordes that sithence God doth gloryfie his son hee will not suffer the world to contemne him freely In the meane season these voyces of god sounding from heauen ought not a little to encourage the faithfull to worship Christ reuerently Kisse the sonne Let all the Angels worship him Let euery knee boâ—e vnto him heare him let the Gentiles seeke after him let all flesh be hambled Furthermore we are admonished by these words that all that glory is vaine and nothing worth which men doe purchase to themselues of themselues Therfore what blinde ambition is this when as we are busie about nothing Therefore let vs alwayes haue that saing of Paule before our eyes 2. Cor. 10. 17. Hee that commendeth himselfe is not allowed but he whom God commendeth And because we are all destitute of the glory of God let vs learne to glory in Christ alone for asmuch as hee maketh vs partakers of his glory through grace VVho you say He wresteth from them the false colour and cloake of the name of God which they were wont to catch at I knowe saith he how boldly you boast that you are the people of God but that is a false title because you doe not acknowledge GOD. VVhence wee doe also learne what profession of faith is lawfull namely that which springeth from true knowledge and whence commeth that knowledge but froÌ„ the word therfore whosoeuer make boast of the name of God without the word of God they do nothing els but lie In the meane season Christ setteth the boldnes of his conscience against their frowardnesse And thus doth it become all the seruaunts of God to haue theyr mindes so setled that they be content with this one thing that God is on their side although all the whole world do rebell against him Thus did the couragiousnesse of the Prophets Apostles stand inuincible against al y e horrible brunts of y e whole world because they knew who it was that sent them And whereas the perfect knowledge of God is wanting there is nothing that can hold vs vp 55 And if I shall say By this clause Christ doth testifie that he is enforced by the necessitie of his office to speake because his silence should be a traiterous betraying of the truth An excellent sentence that God doth reueale himself vnto vs to this end that we may with our mouth profes amongest men the faith of our heart when neede requireth For doubtlesse this ought not a litle to terrifie vs that they which do dissemble for mans sake and do either denie the truth of God or disfigure the same with false inuentions and glosses are not only a little weakened but are euen sent away to be the sonne of Satan 56 Your father Abraham reioyced to see my daye and hee sawe it and was glad 57 Therfore the Iewes said vnto him Thou hast not yet fifty
opinion of wisdome but experience teacheth vs how truly Christ vttered this same sentence For we see many men smitten with the spirite of giddinesse and furye for no other cause saue onely because they cannot abyde the rising of the sunne of righteousnesse Adam liued at that time and he was endued with the true light of vnderstanding when he lost that diuine good thing by desiring to see morâ— then was lawfull for him Nowe if when wee are drowned in blindnes and being thus humbled of the Lord wee do yet neuerthelesse flatter our selues in our darknes and set our phrensie sense and vnderstanding against the heauenly wisedome it is no maruell yf Gods vengeance waxe heauie vppon vs so that wee bee made double blinde This punishment was laid vpon the wicked vnder the lawe for Iesayas is sent to make blinde the old people that in seeing they may not see Make blinde the hearte of this people and aggrauate their eares c. Iesaias 6. 9. And the more fully the brightnesse of the diuine light did shew forth it selfe in Christ then in the Prophets so much the more manifestly plainely ought this example of making blinde to appeare as at this day the noone day light of the Gospell doth driue the hypocrites headlong into extreame madnes 40 Certain of the Pharisees had heard They did by and by perceiue that they were wounded with that saying of Christ and yet they seem not to haue byn of y e worst sort Because those which were his opeÌ„ deadly enemies did more abhor Christ then that they would adioyne themselues vnto him but these men could abide to heare Christe but all in vaine because no man is a fit disciple of Christes saue only he that hath put off himselfe from which thing these men are farre Furthermore this interrogation did spring from indignation because they thought they had open iniurie done vnto them if they were reckoned amongest those that are blinde and also it hath a show of a proud contempt of the grace of Christ together with a mocke As if they should say Canst not thou therefore become famous without our reproch Shall we suffer this that thou shalt purchase vnto thy selfe honour by our shame And whereas thou promisest newe light to the blinde get thee hence and be packing with thy benefit for we will not pay so deare for our lightning that thou mayest hereby prooue that wee haue beene blinde hytherto Hereby it appeareth that hypocrisie is alwayes proud and poysonfull It is a point of pride in that being content with themselues they wil lose nothing of that which they haue of poysonfulnes in y t wheÌ„ their disease is shewed them they are netled as if they were sore hurt and doe chide Christ. Hence commeth the contempt of Christ of the grace which he offereth There is great force in this worde also because their meaning is that although all the rest be blinde yet is it vnmeete that they should be reckoned amongst the common sort It is a vice too familier with those which are placed aboue other men that being almost drunkeÌ„ with pride they doe forget that they are men If you were blinde These wordes may haue a double meaning eyther that ignorance did somewhat extenuate their fault vnlesse being manyfestly conuict they would striue of set purpose against the truth or that the disease of ignorance which was in them was medicinable if so be it they would acknowledge it The wordes of Christ which we shall haue in the fifteenth Chapter do confirme the former sentence If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should haue no sinne c. But because it followeth heere in the text that they say that they see to the end the opposites may the better answere one another this seemeth the better to agree if you expound him to be blinde who knowing his blindnesse doth seek remedie for his disease After this sort the summe shal be if you did acknowledge your griefe it should not be altogether vncurable but now because you thinke that you are sound yee coÌ„tinue desperate VVhen as he saith that they haue no sinne whiche are blinde hee doth not so excuse ignorance as if it were innocent and without the giltinesse of a fault his meaning is only that it is a readie remedie for the disease when it is throughly perceiued because when the blinde man is desirous to be deliuered God is ready to help him And they are vncurable who being amazed in their miseries doe despise the grace of God Chap. 10. 1 VErily verilie I say vnto you hee that entreth not into the sheepefolde by the dore but climbeth vp some other way he is a theefe and a robber 2 And hee that entreth in by the dore hee is the sheepehearde of the shâ—epe 3 Vnto him the porter openeth and the sheepe heare his voyce and he calleth his owne sheepe by name and leadeth them out 4 And when he hath sent out his owne sheepe hee goeth before them and the sheepe follow him because they know his voice 5 But a stranger doe they not follow but flie from him because they knowe not the voyce of strangers 6 This similitude spake Iesus vnto them and they vnderstoode not what these thinges were whiche hee spake vnto them 1 Verily verily I say vnto you Because Christe had to deale with the Scribes and Priestes who were accounted the pastours of the Churche if he woulde haue his doctrine receiued it was requisite that they should be dispoyled of the honour of this title And furthermore the small number of those that beleeued might haue muche discredited his doctrine Therefore he auoucheth that they are not al to be accounted sheepheardes or sheepe which vsurpe an outwarde place in the Church but that the lawfull pastours are knowen froÌ„ the reprobate the true sheepe are knowen from the false by this marke if he be the only marke whereat they doe all ayme the beginning and the end This admonition hath beene for all ages profitable and is at this day moste necessarie There is no plague more hurtfull to y e church then wheÌ„ wolues creepe in in shepheards clothing VVe know also what great occasioÌ„ of offence it giueth when bastardes or degenerate Israelites do boast themselues to bee the children of the Church and vnder this colour do mocke y e faithfull The Churche hath been almost throughout all ages subiect to both these euilles but there is at this day nothing whiche doeth more trouble the ignorant and weake then when they see the greatest enemies of the Gospel haue the sanctuarie of GOD in possession For they are not easily perswaded that that is the doctrine of Christe which the Pastours of the Churche doe so valiauntly and stoutly gainstand Againe because the greater part is ledde about through diuers errours by false doctrines whylest euery one of them looketh vnto and waiteth for another no man almost suffereth himself to be brought into
out of the hand of God For howsoeuer I hold my peace that word which you haue despised is a fitte iudge And doth not receiue my wordes The latter member expoundeth the former for because hypocrisie is naturally engrafted in men they canne do nothing more readily then onely in word boaste that they are ready to receiue Christ. And we know how cōmon this boasting is euen amōgst the worst men VVherefore we must marke this definition that Christ is reiected when as we doe not imbrace the pure doctrine of the Gospell The Papistes doe with full and open mouth blunder out the name of Christ but so soone as his sincere trueth is brought abroad there is nothing which is more detested amongst them such men kysse Christe as did Iudas Therfore let vs learne to include him in his word and to giue him the worship of obedience which he requireth only The word which I speake The authority of the Gospell coulde not haue had greater commendation giuen it then when as the power of iudgement is attributed vnto it For according to these words the last iudgment shal be nothing else but an approbation of the doctrine of the Gospell Christe him selfe shal goe vppe into his iudgement seate but hee affirmeth that hee wil giue sentence according to the word whiche is now preached This denuntiation ought to make the wicked sore afrayd when as they shall not be able to escape the iudgment of that doctrine which they do now so proudly floute Notwithstanding Christ his meaning is that they are now depriued of feeling when as he maketh mention of the last iudgement For he telleth them that that punishment shal then manifestly appeare which they doe now mocke Againe the godly may gather hence an inestimable comforte that howsoeuer they are condemned of the world yet do they not doubt but that they are acquited in heauen beecause wheresoeuer the faith of the Gospell hath a place the iudgemente seate of God is erected there to saue There is no cause why wee should passe for the Papists with their peruerse iudgements so long as we trust to this right because our faith doth surpasse the Angels 49. Because I speake not of myselfe Least the outwarde shape of manne should any whitte impaire the maiesty of God Christ dooth euer nowe and then call vs vnto the Father For this cause dooth hee so often make mention of the Father And truely seeing that it is wickednes to translate any iot of Gods glory vnto any other it must needes be that that word came from GOD whereunto the iudgement is ascribed In this place Christ distinguisheth himselfe from the Father not simplye according to his diuine persō but rather according to the flesh least his doctrin being esteemed after the maner of men shuld be of lesse weight importāce But and if the consciences were subiect to the doctrine and lawes of mē this reason shuld not agree which Christ bringeth My word saith he shal iudge because it came not frō mā according to that saying of Ia. 4. 11. There is one lawgiuer c. Moreouer we gather hence what monstrous sacriledge this is that the Pope durste tye mennes soules vnto his inuentions for by thys meanes hee taketh more to hymselfe then the Sonne of God whoe sayeth that he speaketh onelye according to his Fathers appointmente 50. His commaundement is eternal lyfe Hee commendeth againe the fruite of his doctrine to the ende al menne may the more willingly submitte themselues thereunto And nowe it is meete that the wicked doe feele Gods vengeaunce whom they now refuse and wil not haue to be vnto them the authour of life Chap. 13. 1. BEfore the holye daye of Easter when Iesus knewe that his houre was come that he should go out of this worlde vnto the father seeing that he loued his which were in the world vntil the end loued he them 2. VVhen supper was ended when as the deuil had now put into the hart of Iudas the son of Simon Iscariot to betray him 3. VVhen Iesus knew that the father had giuen al things into his hands and that he came out from God and should go vnto God 4. He rose from supper and layd down his cloathes and hauing taken a linnen towell he girded himself 5. Then put he water into a bason and began to wash the disciples feete and to wype them with the towel wherwith he was girded 6. Therefore he came to Simon Peter who saith vnto him Lord doest thou wash my feete 7. Iesus answered and said vnto him what I doe thou knowest not yet but thou shalte know hereafter 1. Before the holy day Iohn passeth ouer many thinges of sette purpose which he knew Matthew and Luke had recited and hee himselfe taketh in hande to handle that whiche hee knew they had omitted of which number the hystory of the washing of the feete is And although he will more plainely declare afterward to what end Christ washed his disciples feete yet doth he in one word in this place sette down that the constant and perpetuall loue wherewith hee once loued them was declared by that token so that although hee were taken out of their sight yet might they certeinelye perswade themselues that this loue was not quenched by death VVhich perswasion muste sticke faste euen in our heartes at this daye The woordes are that Christ loued those euen vntil the end which were in the world VVhy doth he describe the Apostls by this Periphrasis saue onely that we may know that Christe cared so muche the more for them because they were in a daungerous and harde warfare as wee are VVherefore although we seeme to be farre off from Christ yet we must knowe that he hath respect vnto vs because he loueth his who are conuersant in the world Neither nede we to doubt but that he beareth the lyke affection euen now which he had at that instant when he loued them That hee might goe out of this worlde vnto the father This phrase is woorthy the nothing for it is referred vnto Christ his knowledge in that he knew that his death was a passage vnto the heauenly kingdome of God And if so bee it when as he made haste thither he ceased not to loue hys as he was woont there is no cause why we shoulde thinke that his affection is now altered Now for asmuch as he is the first begotten of the dead this definition of death doth appertaine vnto the whole body of the church that it is a passage vnto God from whome the faithfull are now estranged 2. VVhen supper was done VVee shall anon handle more at large in hys place the whole purpose of Christ in washing his disciples feete and also the fruite of this hystory let vs now follow the text He saieth that this was done at such time as Iudas was determined to betraye Christe not onely that he might shew forth the wonderfull patience of Christ who could abide to wash such a
the manner of men secondly when he maketh himselfe the authour of Election For this knowledge whereof he speaketh is proper to God but this other thing is more effectuall when he testifieth that hee did choose those that were chosen before the creation of the worlde For this so excellent a token of his diuine power ought to moue vs more then if the Scripture should call him God an hundred times That the scripture may be fulfilled It might haue seemed to haue been an absurd thing that he that was elected to be of so honourable an order should not also haue beene endowed with true godlinesse For it was a readie obiection why Christe had not chosen him whom he meant to make one of his Apostles Yea why he made him an Apostle whom he knew would be such a wicked fellow Therefore he telleth them that it was meete it should be so because it was foretolde or at least that this was no new thing because Dauid had tryed the same For some doe thinke that the prophesie whiche is cited belongeth properly to Christe Some other doe thinke that it is a plaine comparison that as Dauid was betrayed by an houshold enemie and that vniustly euen so Gods children are subiect to the like estate As those men think the sense should bee whereas one of my disciples i◠a wicked traytour and betraier of his master this is not the first falshood of that sort that hath been in the world but rather that commeth to passe at this day whiche the scripture doth testifie was done in times past But forasmuche as that was shadowed in Dauid which did appeare more plainely afterwarde in Christ I doe willingly agree with the former sort who say that that was properly fulfilled which Dauid had foretold by the spirite of prophesie Psal. 41. 10. Othersome think that it is an vnperfect sentence wherein the principall verbe must be vnderstood But if you reade it in one texte that the scripture may be fulfilled Hee that eateth bread with mee hee lifteth vp his heele against mee there shal be nothing wanting Furthermore to lift vp the heele doth signifie metaphorically to set vpon any man craftily vnder pretence of friendship that he may be oppressed at vnawares Now we must suffer that thing patiētly also who are Christs members which Christ who is our head and patterne hath suffered And truly this hath been an ordinarie thing almost in all ages in the Church that it hath no greater and more deadly enemies then those that be of the housholde of the Churche VVherefore least suche crueltie doe trouble the faithfull let them accustome themselues betimes to suffer traytours 19 Now I tell you of it He telleth his Disciples in this sentence that they haue so small cause to faint because there is one reprobate gone out from amongest them that their faith ought the better to be confirmed For vnlesse we should see that in the Church with our eyes which was fortetold concerning her troubles and combates wee shoulde for good causes doubt where the prophesies were become But when as y e truth of the scripture agreeth with our experience then doe we the better perceiue that god careth for vs that we are gouerned by his prouidence In these wordes that you may beleeue that I am he giueth thē vs to vnderstand that he was that Messias which was promised Not that the treason which Iudas wrought did beginne to bring the Disciples vnto faith but because their faith was the more encreased whenas they came vnto the experience of those things which they had heard before out of the mouth of Christ. And now there may be a double sense and meaning in these words so that he may say that they should beleeue when the thing was come to passe because he knew al thinges or that hee wanted nothing of all those things which the scripture doth testifie concerning Christ. But because they doe both agree reasonable wel with the wordes the readers may for me choose whether they will 20 Verily verily I say vnto you There is either a new speech set downe in this place whiche is vnperfect or els Christe preuenteth an offence which was about to arise by reason of the wicked fact of Iudas For the Euangelistes doe not alwayes knit togeather the whole Sermons of Christ but doe sometimes gather together diuers sentences briefly although it is more likely that Christ meant to cure and preuent the offence It appeareth too plainly how apt wee are to receiue woundes by euill examples wherby it commeth to passe that the falling away of one man doth wound two hundreth more to extinguish their faith but the constancie of tenne or twentie godly men can scarse edifie one Therefore seeing that Christ did set such a monster before their eyes it was necessary for him to reach out his hand vnto the disciples least beeing stroken with this noueltie they should goe backwarde Neither had hee respect vnto thē only but he prouided for those that should come after them also For otherwise the remembraunce of Iudas might hurt vs much at this day For whenas the Diuell cannot estrange vs frō Christ by causing vs to hate his doctrine he maketh vs either weary of it or els causeth vs to contemne it because of the ministers But this admonition of Christ doth shew that it is an vniust thing that the vngodlinesse of certaine which behaue themselues wickedly and vngodlily in theyr office should any whit empayre the Apostolicall dignitie The reason is because we must haue respect vnto God the author of the ministerie in whom we shall finde nothing that is worthie of contempt and secondly Christ himselfe who is appointed of the father to be the onely teacher speaketh by his Apostles Therfore whosoeuer doth not vouchsafe to receiue the ministers of the Gospell he reiecteth Christ in them and God in Christ. Foolish are the Papists and absurd whilest that they wrest this title and commendation to establish their tyrannie For first of al they adorne themselues with other mens begged feathers wheras they are nothing like to Christ his Apostles secondly although we graunt them to be Apostles Christ meant nothing lesse in this place thē to giue his right vnto men For what other thing is it to receiue those whom Christ sendeth but to giue them place that they may fulfill the function which is enioyned them 21 VVhen Iesus had said thus he was troubled in the spirit and said verily verily I say vnto you that one of you shall betray mee 22 Then the Disciples looked one vppon another doubting of whome hee dyd speake 23 Furthermore one of Iesus his Disciples whome Iesus loued leaned vppon his breast 24 Therefore Simon Peter beckoned vnto him that hee should aske who it was of whom hee spake 25 Therefore when he leaned vpon Iesus his breast he saith vnto him Lorde who is it 26 Iesus answered he it is to whom I shall giue this soppe after that
how fryuolous the subtiltie of the Grecians was when as they denyed vnder colour of these wordes that the spirite proceedeth from the sonne For Christ nameth the father heere as he is wont to the end he may make vs behold his diuinitie 27 And yee beare witnesse Christe giueth vs to vnderstande that the testimonie of the spirite is not such that the Apostles haue it for themselues alone and enioy it themselues alone but that it spreadeth it selfe farther abroad by them because they should bee the instruments of the spirite as he spake by their mouth VVe see now how faith commeth by hearing and yet it hath the certaintie which it hath from the seale earneste of the spirite Those menne which know not sufficiently the mist of mans minde they thinke that faith is conceiued naturally by preaching only and on the other side many brianesicke men cannot away with preaching whilest y t they breath out secrete reuelations and inspirations But wee see how Christe ioyneth these thinges togeather Therefore although there is no faith vntill the spirite of God do lighten our mindes and seale our heartes yet must wee not fet visions or oracles from the cloudes but the worde which is nigh vs in our mouth and heart Deu. 13. 14. ought to haue all our senses tyed to it and set fast vpon it As Isay as saith most excellently 59. 21. This is my couenaunt saith the Lorde my spirite which I haue put vpon thee and my woordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not faile c. This clause yee haue been with mee from the beginning is added for this cause that we may know that the Apostles deserue more credite because they saw these thinges with their eies which they preach a saith Iohn that which we haue hard which we haue seene which our hands haue handeled 1. Iohn 1. 1. For the Lorde would that we should be so prouided for by all meanes that there might bee nothing wanting whiche might approoue the Gospell fully Chap. 16. 1 THese thinges haue I spoken vnto you that yee may not bee offended 2 They shall make you straungers from their Sinagogue but the houre commeth that whosoeuer shall kill you hee may thinke that hee doth God good seruice 3 And these things shall they doe vnto you because they haue not knowen the father nor yet mee 4 But I haue spoken these thinges vnto you that when their houre commeth you may remember that I haue tolde you And I haue not spoken these thinges vnto you from the beginning because I was with you 5 And now I goe to him that sent me and none of you asketh mee whither goest thou 6 But because I haue spoken these thinges sorrow hath filled your heart 7 But I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe for if I goe not the comforter will not come vnto you but and if I shall goe I will send him vnto you 1 These things haue I spoken vnto you He saith againe that none of these thinges which he hath spoken are superfluous for seeing that fights combates are prepared for them they were to be furnished with lawfull weapons before the time And in the meane season hee giueth them to vnderstande that if they doe well muse vppon this doctrine they shall be able to resist Let vs also remember that that is spoken to vs also whiche was spoken then to the Apostles And first of all wee must note that Christ sendeth not his into the battel vnarmed and that therefore â—o man faileth in this warfare saue only through the fault of his owne slouthfulnesse Neither must wee waite and stay vntill we come vnto the present matter but we must endeuour that being acquainted with these speches of Christ we may enter the combate when need requireth Neither neede wee doubt but that wee shall obtaine the victorie so long as these admonitions of Christ remaine deepely imprinted in our mindes For whenas he saith leat yee bee offended hee giueth vs to vnderstand that we neede not feare least we be turned aside out of the righte course with any thing But it appeareth heereby how fewe doe rightlye learne this doctrine in that those menne which seeme to remember it when they are free from daunger doe quayle and yeelde when they are to enter the battaile as if they were rude and ignoraunte Therefore lette vs so buckle these weapons vnto vs that they neuer fall away from vs. 2. Straungers from their Synagogue This was no light offence to trouble their mindes withall that they were to be driuen like wicked menne out of the company of the godly at least of those which did boast that they were the people of God and made their bragge of the title of the Church For the faythfull are not onely subiect to persecution but vnto reproaches and slaunder as Paule saieth 1. Cor. 4. 9. 10. Notwithstanding Christ byddeth them stand stoutly euen against this inuasion because although they be thrust out of the Synagogues yet neuerthelesse they remayne in the kyngdome of God The summe is that wee muste not be discouraged with the peruerse iudgements of menne but that we must valyauntly endure the reproach of the crosse of Christe being coÌ„tent with this one thing that God alloweth our cause which menne do vniustly and wickedly condemne Furthermore we gather heereby that the ministers of the Gospel are not onely euil intreated by the professed enemyes of the Gospel but that they are slaundered sometimes euen by those which seeme to be of the houshold of the Church yea very pillars The Scribes and Pharisees and Priestes by whom the Apostles were coÌ„demned did boast that they were appointed by God to be iudges of the Church and indeede the ordinary gouernment of the Churche was in their power and the function of iudgeing came from God not froÌ„ men but they had corrupted al the order which GOD had appoynted with theyr tyranny So that it came to passe that the power which was grauÌ„ted vnto them to edification was nothing else but a monstrous oppression of the seruauntes of God excommunication which ought to haue beene a medicine to purge the Church was turned to banish godlynesse out of the same Seeing that the Apostles tried that in their time there is no cause why the Pope his cursses shuld greatly terrifie vs wherwith he thundreth against vs for the testimonie of the Gospel For we muste not feare least they hurt vs any more then these olde ones did the Apostles Yea we ought to desire nothing more then that wee may be straungers from that congregation out of which Christ is banished Neuerthelesse let vs note that the discipline which God ordayned in his Church from the beginning was not abolyshed by that grosse abuse For seeinge that Sathan is wholly occupied about this that he may corrupt al Gods institutions we must not yeelde vnto him that that may be quite takeÌ„ away because of corruptions which God hath
is a manifest distinction made heere betweene his person and the person of the father VVhence wee gather that God is not only eternall but that the worde of God is also eternall which was begotten of the father before the beginning of the worlde 6 I haue declared thy name to the menne whiche thou gauest mee out of the worlde thine they were and thou gauest them mee and they haue kepte thy woorde 7 Nowe haue they knowne that all thinges whiche thou hast giuen mee are of thee 8 Because I haue giuen them the wordes which thou gauest mee and they haue receiued them and they haue knowen indeede that I came foorth from thee and they haue beleeued that thou hast sent mee 9 I pray for them I pray not for the worlde but for them whom thou hast giuen me because they are thine 10 And all mine are thine and thyne are mine and I am glorified in them 11 And I am no longer in the worlde and they are in the worlde and I come vnto thee O holy father keepe them in they name whom thou hast giuen mee that they may be one as we are one 6 I haue declared thy name Christ beginneth here to pray vnto the father for his Disciples And he commendeth their safetie now with the like affection of loue wherewith he was about to suffer death for them straightway And the first reason of this his commendation is because they haue embraced the doctrine whiche maketh men the children of God truly and indeede There was no faithfulnesse and diligence wanting in Christ to call al men vnto God but his labour was effectual profitable only in the elect his preaching was commoÌ„ to all men which did declare and make manifest the name of God neither ceased hee to aâ—ouch his glory amongest the obstinate VVhy saith he then that hee declared it only vnto a fewe saue only because the elect alone doe profite being taught inwardly by the spirite Gather therefore that all men before whom doctrine is set are not taught truly and effectually but those only whose minds are illuminated Christ assigneth the cause vnto Gods election because he putteth no other difference why passing ouer some he declared the name of the father vnto othersome saue only because they were giuen him VVhereupon it followeth that faith floweth from the secrete predestination of God and that therefore it is not giuen vnto all men in generall because all men doe not appertaine vnto Christ. VVhen he addeth Thine they were and thou gauest them me the eternitie of election is first of all noted and secondly how we must consider it Christ declareth that the elect were alwayes Gods Therefore God distinguisheth them from the reprobate not by faith or any merite but by meere grace because whilest that they are the farthest most estraunged from him yet he accounteth them his owne in his hidden counsell The certaintie consisteth in that that he giueth all those to his sonne to keepe whom he hath chosen least they perishe And wee must turne our eyes vnto this that we may knowe assuredly that we are of the order of the children of GOD. For Gods predestinaâ—â—tion is hidden in it selfe and it is reuealed vnto vs in Christe alone They haue kept thy worde This is the third degree For the first is free election the second that giuing whereby we passe ouer into Christes tuitioÌ„ Being receiued by Christ we are gathered by faith into his sheepfolde The worde of God is soone forgotten amongest the reprobate but it taketh roote in the elect whereby they are said to keepe it 7 Now they haue knowen That which is the chiefest thing in faith is expressed here whilest that wee beleeue in Christ in such sort that faith stayeth not in the beholding of the fleshe but conceiueth his diuine power For when he saith They know that all these things are of thee which thou hast giuen mee he meaneth that the faithfull doe perceiue that all that whiche they haue is celestiall and diuine And truly vnlesse we lay holde vppon God in Christ we must needes stagger continually 8. And they haue receiued them Hee expresseth the manner of thys knowledge because they haue receiued the doctrine which he taught And least any manne shoulde thinke that his doctrine was of manne or that it sprange vppe in the earth he professeth that GOD is the authour thereof when hee sayeth The woordes which thou haste giuen mee haue I giuen vnto them Hee speaketh according to his custome in the person of a mediatour or minister when hee sayeth that he hath taught that onely which hee receiued of the father For in as muche as his estate in the fleshe was yet base and his diuine Maiestie lay hidde vnder the shape of a seruaunt he doeth rather signifie God vnder the person of the father Neuerthelesse we must remember that which Iohn testified in the beginning that in as muche as Christe was the eternall woorde of God he was alwayes one God wyth the father The sense therefore is thys that Christe was a faithfull witnesse of GOD amongest the Disciples that their faith might be grounded in the onely trueth of God seeingâ— that the Father himselfe spake in the Sonne But the receiuinge whereof he speaketh commeth thence because he declared the Fathers name vnto them effectually And they haue knowen in deede Hee repeateth the selfe same thinge in other woordes which he hadde touched before For that Christe came foorth from the Father and that he was sent of the Father are as muche as that which went before that al thâ—se things are of the Father which he hath The summe is that faith must straight way beholde Christe yet so that it conceiue no earthly and contemptible thing of hym but that it be caryed vpwarde vnto his diuine power that it maye be fullye perswaded that it hath God and what soeuer is Gods perfectly in him VVe must also note that he vseth this worde knowen in the former member and afterward this woord beleeued for by this meanes he teacheth vs that there can be nothing rightly knowen concerning God saue only by faith and that there is so great certaintie in faith that it may worthely be called knowledge 9. I pray for them Christ hath hitherto rehearsed that whiche might purchase fauour for the Disciples with the father nowe hee frameth the prayer it selfe wherein hee declareth that hee asketh nothynge but that whiche is agreeable to the will of the father because hee doeth onelye commende those vnto the father whome hee loueth of hys owne accorde For hee sayeth flatly that hee prayeth not for the world because he is carefull for none but for his owne flocke whiche he hath receiued from the fathers hande Yet this may seeme to be an absurde thynge for there canne no better rule of prayer be inuented then if wee followe Christe our guide and maister But we are commaunded to praye for all menne and againe Christe himselfe prayed
the person of y e mediator who appeared for a time vnder the person of a seruaunt And now hee commaundeth his Disciples to lift vp their senses straightway into heauen whenas they shall begin to lacke externall ayde VVhereby we gather that Christ doth no lesse keepe the faithfull at this day then in times past but after another sort because his diuine maiestie appeareth manifestly in them VVhom thou hast giuen mee He vseth the same argument againe that it is an vnmeete thing that the father should cast away those whome his sonne kept at his commaundement euen vntil the end of his ministerie as if he should say I haue faithfully executed perfourmed that which was enioyned mee by thee least any thing should perish in my hande nowe seeing that thou takest that againe which thou hadst giuen me to keepe it is thy part and duetie to prouide that it may remaine safe VVhereas he acepteth Iudas he doth it not without reason For although he was not of the elect and of the true and naturall flocke of God yet the dignitie of his office did beare that shew Neither would any man haue thought otherwise of him so long as he stood in such an excellent order It is therefore concerning the Grammer an vnproper exception but if we weigh the matter it was requisite that Christe shoulde speake thus according to the common meaning of men And least any man should thinke that the eternall election of God was any whit weakened in the destruction and ruine of Iudas hee added also that he was the sonne of perdition By whiche wordes he giueth vs to vnderstand that God knew long agoe his fall which happened sodainly in the sight of men For the Hebrewes doe call him the sonne of perdition which is a lost man or giuen ouer to destruction That the Scripture might bee fulfilled This is referred vnto the next sentence Iudas fell away that the scripture might be fulfilled But a man shall falsly gather thence that the falling away of Iudas is rather to bee imputed to God then to himselfe because he was necessarily enforced to doe it by reason of the prophesie For the euent of thyngs must not bee ascribed vnto the prophesies therefore because it was foretolde therein For doubtlesse the Prophetes denounce nothing els but that which should come to passe though they held their peace Therfore we must not set the cause of thinges thence I confesse that there is nothing which commeth to passe but it is ordeined of God but the question is now only concerning the scripture whether the foretelling and prophesies doe lay any necessitie vpon men or no which I haue already shewed to be false For Christe intendeth not to lay the cause of Iudas his destruction vpon the scripture but he meant only to take away the matter of offence which might haue shaken many weake soules and the meanes whereby he taketh it away is because the spirite of GOD hath testified in times past that it should so come to passe For we are almost afraid when we see and heare new thinges which come sodainly This is a verie profitable admonition and such as reacheth farre For how commeth it to passe at this day that most men do faint by reason of offences saue onely because they remember not the testimonies of the scripture wherewith God hath well armed his whilest that he hath in time foretold what euils soeuer they should see 13 These thingsspeake I in the worlde Chirst sheweth here that he praied not for the Disciples so earnestly as if he did doubt of or were careful sory for their state to come but rather that he might remedie their carefulnesse and heauinesse VVe knowe howe greatly our mindes are bent vnto externall helpes if wee can espie any offer themselues wee catch them greedily and doe not suffer our selues to bee pluckt away from them easilie Therefore Christe prayeth vnto his father in presence of the Disciples not that he needeth to say any thing but that he may take from them doubting I speake saith hee in the worlde that is when they heare mee that their heartes may be quiet For their safetie was alreadie in safegarde seeing that Christ had put it into the hand of God He calleth that his ioy which the Disciples should conceiue from him or if you will haue it more briefly whereof he is the authour cause and pledge For there is nothing but feare and vnquietnesse in vs and we haue peace and quietnesse in Christ alone 14 I haue giuen them thy worde and the world hath hated them because they are not of the worlde as I am not of the world 15 I doe not aske that thou shouldest take them out of the worlde but that thou shuldest keepe them from euill 16 They are not of the world as I am not of the world 17 Sanctifie them in thy truth thy worde is the truth 18 As thou hast sense mee into the worlde I haue also sent them into the worlde 19 And I sanctifie my selfe for them that they also may bee sanctified in the truth 14 I haue giuen them thy worde Hee commendeth the disciples to the father for another cause because they haue neede of his helpe because the worlde hateth them Hee doth also set downe the cause of the hatred because they haue embraced the worde of God which the worlde cannot away with as if hee shoulde say It is thy part to defend them who are hated of the world for thy wordes sake VVe must now remember that we harde lately that the ende of this prayer is that Christ his ioy may be fulfilled in vs. Therefore so often as the furie of the worlde is kindled against vs in such sort that we seeme not to bee farre from destruction let vs straightway learne to hold vp this buckler that God will neuer forsake those who labour for the Gospell Hee saith that the Disciples are not of the worlde because they are separated from the worlde whomsoeuer he regenerateth by his spirite Therefore God wil not suffer his sheepe to wander amongst wolues but he sheweth himselfe to be their pastour 15 I doe not aske that thou shouldest take them out of the worlde He teacheth wherein the safetie of the godly consisteth not that beeing exempted from all trouble they shoulde liue at ease and daintily but that they may remayne safe in the middest of daungers through Gods helpe Neither doth he tell his father what is expedient but hee doth rather prouide for the infirmitie of those that be his that they may temper their petitiōs which for the most part passe their boundes by this way and meanes which he prescribeth In summe he doth not promise the disciples his fathers grace y t it may set thē free from all care labour but he promiseth them such grace as may minister vnto them inuincible strength against their enemies may not suffer thē to be ouerwhelmed with the huge heape of combates which they
shall suffer Therefore if wee couet to be preserued according to the rule whiche Christe hath deliuered wee must not wishe to be free from euilles neither must we pray God to translate vs by and by into blessed rest but let vs bee content with the certaine and sure hope of victorie and let vs in the meane season resist all euilles valiauntly from whiche that wee may escape Christ hath prayed vnto the father In summe Christ taketh not his out of the wold because he will not haue them to be soft an slouthfull yet notwithstanding he deliuereth them from euill that they may not be ouerwhelmed For he will haue them to striue but hee will not suffer them to be wounded to death 16 They are not of the worlde likeas Hee repeateth againe that all the whole worlde hateth them to the end that his heauenly father may the more beningly help them he doth also declare that this hatred procedeth not from their offence or fault but because the world hateth God and Christ. 17 Sanctifie them in thy truth This sanctification comprehendeth the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof to wit when God doth renue vs by his spirite and confirmeth and prosecuteth vnto the ende the grace of renouation Therefore he requesteth first that the father woulde sanctifie his disciples that is that he woulde addict them wholy vnto himselfe and challenge them as an holy flocke Secondly hee assigneth the meanes and manner of sanctification and that not without cause For brainsick men doe babble many things foolishly concerning sanctification yet they passe ouer gods truth wherby he consecrateth vs vnto himselfe Again because other mē being ful out as foolish do trifle cōcerning the truth and doe in the meane season neglect the woorde Christe saith plainely that the truth is no where els saue only in the worde by which truth God doth sanctifie his children For the woorde is taken for the gospell whiche the Apostles had alreadie hearde proceede from the mouth of their master and which they should shortly preach vnto others In this sense Paule teacheth Ephe. 5 2. 6. that the Churche is made cleane in the fountaine of water in the worde of life It is god alone that sanctifieth but because the Gospell is his power vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 1. 16. whosoeuer hee bee that departeth from the meane hee must needes waxe more and more vile Truth is taken in this place by the excellencie for the light of the heauenly wisedome wherein God reuealeth himselfe vnto vs that hee may conforme vs and make vs like to his owne image The externall preaching of the worde doth not this of it selfe which the reprobate do wickedly profane but let vs remember tha◠Christe speaketh of the electe whome the spirite doth regenerate effectually by the woorde And seeing that the Apostles were not altogether voide of this grace wee must gather out of Christ his wordes that this sanctification is not finished in vs the first day but that wee goe forwarde in the same during our whole life vntill God doe fulfill vs with his righteousnesse when we haue put off the flesh 18 As thou hast sent mee He confirmeth his prayer with another argument to wit because he and the Apostles haue both one calling I saith he doe put vppon them the same person which at thy commandement I haue borne hytherto Therefore they must needes bee furnished with thy spirite that they may bee able to beare so great a burthen 19 And for their sakes doe I sanctifie my selfe He doth more plainely declare by these wordes out of what fountaine that sanctification doeth flowe which is wrought in vs by the doctrine of the Gospell to wit because hee hath consecrated and dedicated himselfe vnto the father that his holinesse might come vnto vs. For the blessing is spread abroad from the first fruites vnto al the other fruite so the spirit of God sprinkleth vs with Christe his holinesse and maketh vs partakers thereof and that not by imputation only for by this meanes he is said to bee made vnto vs righteousnesse 1. Cor. 1. 13. but he is also saide to bee made vnto vs sanctification because he hath offered vs vnto his father after a sort in his owne person that wee may bee renued by his spirite into true holinesse Furthermore although this sanctification doe appertaine vnto the whole life of Christ yet it is made most apparant in the sacrifice of his death because hee appeared then to be y ◠true Priest which should consecrate the temple the altar all the vessels and the people by the power of his spirite 20 And I pray not for them only but for those which shall beleeue in mee by theyr worde 21 That they may be all one as thou O father in me and I in thee that they may be one also in vs that the worlde may beleeue that thou hast sent me 22 And I haue giuen thē the glory which thou gauest me that they may be one as we are one 23 I in them and thou in mee that they may be made one and that the world may knowe that thou hast sen◠mee and hast loued them as thou hast loued mee 20 And I pray not for thē onely Hee extendeth that prayer farther nowe wherein he comprehendeth the Disciples only hytherto to wit vnto all the Disciples of the Gospell which should be vnto the ende of the worlde This is certainely notable matter of hope for if wee beleeue in Christ through the doctrine of the Gospell wee neede not to doubt but that wee are alreadie gathered with the Apostles into the faithfull custodie least any of vs doe perish This prayer of Christ is a quiet hauen wherein whosoeuer arriueth he is free from all danger of shipwracke For it is as muche as if Christ had sworne by solemne wordes that he careth greatly for our safetie And he beginneth with his Apostles that their safetie wherof we are certaine might make vs also more certain that we our selues shal be safe Therefore so often as Satan assaulteth vs let vs learne to holde vp this buckler that wee are not in vaine ioyned vnto the Apostles by the holy mouth of the sonne of God that the safetie of vs all might be included as it were in the same bundle Therefore there is nothing which ought more vehemently to pricke vs forwarde to embrace the Gospell For as it is an vncomparable good thing for vs to be offered to God by the hand of Christ that we may bee preserued from destruction so we ought worthily to preferre the loue and care thereof before all other thinges The slouthfulnesse of the worlde in this point is wonderfull All men are desirous to bee safe Christ deliuereth the sure and certaine way and meanes to obtayne the same from whiche if any man turne aside there remaineth no good hope for him yet there is scarse one amongst an hundreth which doth vouchsafe to receiue that which
all other most odious to the end that hauing ended that hee maye acquite the partie accused The aunswere which Christe maketh tendeth to this ende that there is no colour in that accusation So that it containeth a refutation made by the way as if hee should say there is a crime laid to my charge ridiculously whereof there cannot be the very least suspition in me Pilate seemeth to haue taken it grieuously that Christe had demaunded why he suspected him Therefore hee vpbraydeth vnto him disdainfully that what euill soeuer is it commeth of his owne nation I saieth he sit as a iudge they be no straungers but thine owne countreymenne which accuse thee therefore there is no cause why thou shouldest inwrappe me in your discorde Ye might liue quietly for me and the Romanes but yee your selues are vnto your selues a cause of trouble part wherof I am enforced to suffer against my will 36. My kingdome He confesseth in these wordes that he is a king yet he putteth away and purgeth the slaunderous reporte so muche as was sufficient to proue his innocencie For he denieth that there is any disagreement betweene his kingdome and the politike order as if he shuld say I am falsely accused as if I had assayed to trouble or alter somewhat in the publike estate I haue preached concerning the kingdome of God but that is spirituall Therefore there is no cause why ye shoulde suspecte me for an vsurper or one that desireth to attaine to a kingdome by ambition or vnlawfull meanes Christe vsed this defence being 〈…〉 before Pilate but the same doctrine is profitable for all the godly 〈◊〉 the ende of the worlde For if Christe his kingdome were earthlye it shuld be vnstable and subiect to falling because the fashion of this world passeth Nowe because it is called heauenly he dooth also defend and auouch the perpetuitie and continuaunce thereof So that if it so fall out that the whole compasse of the earth be weakened and subuerted our consciences shal cōtinue neuerthelesse stable if so be it they take heede vnto christ his kingdome not onely amongst mouinges and shakinges but also amidst horrible ruines and destructions If we bee tyrannously vexed by the wicked yet our saluation and safetie persisteth whole and sound vnto vs in the kingdome of Christ which is not subiect to the wil of men Finally sithence y e the world rageth cōtinually with continuall stormes the kingdome of Christ is separated thence wherein we must seeke for quietnes and peace Furthermore we are taught of what sorte the nature of this kingdome is For if it didde make vs happy according to the fleshe and did bring vs ritches pleasures and whatsoeuer is to be wished for the vses of this present life it should smel of the earth and the world but now how miserable soeuer our estate be to looke to yet perfect felicitie remayneth safe for vs. VVe doe also learne heere who those be which appertaine vnto this kingdome namely those who being renewed by the spirite of God doe meditate vppon the heauenlye life in holynesse and righteousnesse Although we must also note that it is not denied but that the kingdome of Christ is in this worlde For we know that it hath a place in our mindes as Christ saieth also in another place the kingdome of God is within you Luke 17. 21. But to speake properlye the kingdome of God which dwelleth in vs is as it were a stranger in the world because the estate therof is altogeather vnlike My seruaunts would surely fight He proueth that he had not ambitiouslye aspired vnto a kingdome because no man stirreth no man taketh weapon in hande For if any priuate man doe vsurpe vnto himselfe a kingdome it must needes be that he is ayded by seditious persons There appeareth no such thing in Christe therefore it followeth that hee is no earthly king But heere may a question be moued whether it be lawfull to defend the kingdom of Christ with weapons or no. For when as the Princes are commaunded to kisse the sonne Psal. 2. 11. they are not onely commaunded to submit themselues priuately vnto his gouernmente but also that they employ al their power which they haue to defend the Church and maintaine godlines First of all I aunswere that they deale disorderly and ignorauntly who deduct this consequence that the pure worshippe of God and the doctrine of the Gospell ought not to bee defended with weapons because Christ is not then defended in his owne person For Christ doth onely reason according to this present fact how friuolous that is which the Iewes had slaunderously layd to his charge And secondly although godlye kinges doe defende Christes kingdome with the sword yet this is done some other way then earthly kingdome are woont to be defended For as the kingdome of Christ is spirituall so it must be grounded in doctrine and the power of the spirit In like sorte is the edifying thereof finished For neither the lawes and edicts of men neither yet their penalties doe come vnto the consciences yet this letteth not but that princes may defende the kingdome of Christ accidentally partly whilest that they ordaine externall discipline partly whilest that they ayde the Church againste the wicked But it commeth to passe through the frowardnesse of the worlde that the kyngdome of Christ is rather establyshed by the bloud of Martyrres then by the helpe and ayde of weapons 37. Therfore Pilat said vnto him art thou then a king Iesus answered him thou saiest that I am a king To this end was I borne and to this end came I into the world that I may beare witnesse of the trueth whosoeuer is of the trueth he heareth my voice 38 Pilate saith vnto him what is trueth And when he had said thus he went out againe vnto the Iewes and said vnto them I find no fault in him 39. But ye haue a custome that I shuld let one loose vnto you at Easter will yee then that I let lose vnto you the king of the Iewes 40. Therfore they cried al againe saying not him but Barabbas and Barabbas was a murtherer 37. Thou saist that I am Although Pilat vnderstoode already by the former answer y t christ did chalēg to himself some kingdom yet christ affirmeth this self sāe thing more plainly being not cōtēt therwith he addeth an other sentēce which is as it were a certain sealing of that saying Whēce we gather that the doctrine of the kingdome of Christe is no common doctrine seeing that he thought it worthie of so great asseueration or auouching This is a general sentence I was borne for this cause that I may bear witnesse of the truth yet it is especially to be applyed vnto the circumstance of this place But the wordes signifie thus much that this is a naturall thing for Christe to speake the truth and secondly that he was sent of the father to this end and that therfore this is his proper office
appointeth to be teachers of his Church For the fulnesse of the spirite is powred out vppon him for this cause that hee may giue it to euerye one by measure Againe seeing that he remaineth the onely pastour of the Church he must needes shewe forth the power of his spirite in his Mynisters whose diligence he vseth VVhich thing he did also testifie by the externall signe when hee breathed vppon his Apostles For this shuld not agree vnlesse the spirite didde proceede from him VVherefore the sacriledge of the Papists is so muche the more detestable who take to themselues the honour whiche is proper to the Sonne of GOD. For theyr horned Byshoppes doe boaste that they breathe out the spirite by belchinge when they make their Masse Priestes But the thinge it selfe sheweth plainelye enough how much their stincking breath dooth differ from the breathing of Christe because they make nothinge else but Asses of horses Moreouer Christe dooth not onelye imparte vnto his disciples the spirite whiche hee receiued but hee giueth it as it is his owne seeing that it is common to his Father and him Therfore they vsurpe to themselues the glorye of the diuinitie whosoeuer do professe that they giue the spirit by breathing And nowe wee muste note that CHRISTE furnisheth those with necessarye gyftes whome hee calleth vnto the pastorall office that they may be able to discharge their duetie and function or at least that they may not come emptie and naked VVhich thing if it be true the foolishe bragging of the Papystes is easilye refuted who whylest they doe highlye extoll theyr hierarchie or holye gouernaunce cannot shewe euen the verye leaste sparke of the holye Ghoste in their Bishops They will haue vs beleeue that those are lawfull pastours of the church and so consequentlye Apostles and Christes vicares who are as it appeareth emptie of all the graces of the holy Ghost But there is a certain rule prescribed vnto vs in this place to esteeme their callinge by and to iudge thereof who gouerne the Churche of God if we see them endued with the holy Ghost Notwythstanding Christe meant chiefly to auouche and defend the dignitye of the Apostolicall order For it was meete that their authoritie shoulde be singular who were chosen to bee the firste and chiefe to preache the Gospell But and if Christe gaue them his spirite then by breathinge vppon them the sendinge of the holy Ghost which followed afterwarde seemeth to be superfluous I aunsweare that the spirite was giuen the Apostles in this place in suche sort that they were onely sprinkled with this grace and were not endowed wyth the perfecte power thereof For when the holy Ghoste appeared in fiery tongues vppon them they were throughly renewed And truely he doeth not so appoynte them nowe to preache his Gospell that hee sendeth them straightway vnto the woorke but rather as it is else where Actes 1. 4. he commaunded them to rest And if we weigh all things wel he doeth not so much furnishe them with necessary giftes at this present time as appoynt and make them instruments of his spirite againste the tyme to come VVherfore this breathing ought to be referred and extended for the moste parte vnto that great and honourable sendinge of the spirite which he had promised so often Furthermore Christ coulde haue giuen his grace vnto his apostles by secreat inspiration yet would he adde the visible breathing to confirme them the better Christ tooke this signe from the common custome of the scripture which doth commonly coÌ„pare the spirit vnto winde The reason of which similitude is briefly expounded before in the third chapter But let the readers marke that the word is also ioyned with the externall and visible signe For euen hence doe the sacraments borrow their force Not because the force of the spirit is included in the voice which soundeth in the eares but because the effect of al those things which the faithful haue and gather by of the sacramentes dependeth vpon the testimonie of the word Christ breatheth vpon the Apostles they doe not only receiue the blast but the spirite also And why saue onely because Christ promiseth them the holye Ghost In like sort we put on Christe in Baptisme we are washed with his bloud our old man is crucified that the righteousnes of God may reigne in vs. VVe are fed spiritually in the holy supper with the flesh and bloud of Christ. VVhence commeth such force saue onely from the promise of Christ who bringeth to passe and perfourmeth that by his spirit which he promiseth in word Therefore let vs knowe that whatsoeuer sacramentes men haue inuented they are nothing else but meere toyes or friuolous pastimes because the signes can haue no trueth saue onely when the word of God is present And because they do neuer mocke thus in holy things without wicked blaspheming of God and the destructioÌ„ of their soules they must take good heede of such iuglings of Satan If any man obiect that that is not to be found fault with which the popish bishops do when they consecrate their Masse priests with breathing beecause the word of Christ is there annexed to the signe we may readilye answere that Christ spak not to his Apostles that hee might institute a continual sacrament in the Church but that he would once declare and testifie that which we said of late that the spirite commeth from him alone and againe that he neuer enioyneth any office but that he doth also minister power vnto his ministers and furnisheth them with hability I omit that the Masse priests are made in popery to a far other or rather a contrary end to wit to slea Christe daily whereas the Apostles were created to offer vp men in sacrifice with the sword of the gospel Neuerthelesse we must also hold that that Christe alone dooth giue all those good things which he figureth and promiseth For hee doth not bid the Apostles receiue the spirit from the external breathing but froÌ„ himselfe 23. VVhose sinnes ye shal remit It is not to be douted but that Christe doth briefly comprehend in this place the sum of the gospel For we must not separate this power to forgiue sinnes from the office of teaching whervnto it is annexed in one text Christ had said a litle before as the liuing father hath sent me so do I send you also now dooth he declare to what end that embassage â—â—ndeth and what it meaneth Hee doth only put in that which was necessary that he giueth them the holy Ghost least they shuld do any thing of theÌ„selues Therfore this is the principal end of the preaching of the Gospel that men may be reconciled vnto God whiche commeth to passe by the free forgiuenes of sinnes as Paul also teacheth 2. Cor. 5. 18. VVhere he calleth the Gospell in this respect the ministery of reconciliation The Gospel containeth many other things but GOD doth this principally there that he may receiue men into fauour by not
worde for worde whiche the learned by conference shall wel perceiue Long time haue the godly desired to haue this worke published in the English tongue seeing they haue their desire now my request vnto thē is to accept of my paines herein I dare not good Reader presume so farre vppon mine owne skill as to say that there is no faultes committed heerein but I am earnestly to desire thee rather courteously to amend them then curiously to condemne me for them And thus trusting to thy curtisie I committe thee to the tuition of the Almightie who so direct thee by his spirite that by reading thou maiest profite Thine in the Lorde Christopher Fetherstone The Commentarie of Iohn Caluine vpon the Gospel after Iohn The Preface ¶ To the right honorable Lordes the Syndiques and Senate of Geneua his right reuerende Lordes Iohn Caluine wisheth from the Lorde the spirit of wisdome and strength and prosperous successe of gouernement AS often as I call to mynde that saying of Christe wherin he maketh so great accoūt of that dutie of humanitie which is bestowed vpon the gathering together of strangers that he maketh account of it as done to him I do therewithall remember vnto how great honour hee hath vouchsafed to promote you who hath made your Citie a place not for one or a few to dwell in but a common Inne for his Church to lodge in Hospitalitie hath not only been cōmended amongst the Heathen but it hath also bin accounted one of the chiefest vertues and therfore in whomsoeuer they wold condemne extreeme barbarisme and manner altogether vnciuill they called them axenous or men which were not giuen to hospitalitie But farre more excellent is your praise bicause the Lord hath appointed you in these troublesome miserable times to be those vnto whose tuition the godly might cōmit thēselues vnder whose feathers the innocent might be shrouded whom the tyrannie of Antichrist being no lesse sauage then sacriligious doth chase driue away out of their own countries natiue soyle And this is not all but he hath also dedicated an holy house amongest you vnto his owne name where he may be worshipped sincerely Whosoeuer he be that indeuoureth either publikelie to cut off or priuilie to take away the least part of these two he doth not only goe about to disfigure your Citie beeing spoyled of her principal ornaments but also he maliciously enuieth the helth therof For althogh those godly good turnes which are here done vnto Christ his dispearsed members doe cause the wicked like dogs to bark against you yet ought this one recōpence to suffice you y t the angels frō heauen the childrē of God out of all partes of the worlde doe blesse you so that you may freely despise their rotten railing who make no more conscience neither are more ashamed to spue out whatsoeuer against God himself thē against you which going about to slander you doe begin first to blaspheme God Althogh this self same occasion doth inflame y e hatred of many against you yet ought you to be no whit afraid therfore so long as he wil assist you against their fury who hath promised y t he will faithfully keepe those cities wherin the doctrine of his gospel is preached and any resting place is prepared for those godly mē whō the world cānot away with I omit to speak of this that you neede not to care for pacifying of this kinde of enemies seeing that there is no mā who hateth you for the gospels sake who wold not either haue you destroied or oppressed But admit we graunt that the sworn enimies of soūd doctrine do hate you for no other cause saue this because they see you defend the same yet setting light by their practises threatnings you must valiantly maintain these two inuincible fortresses y e worship of pure religiō the godly care to nourish the Church which Christ hath cōmitted to you that you may broude the same vnder your wings As touching those railinges wherwith the pope his meritorious brawlers doe molest vs y t we are fallē away frō the Church because we dissent frō the Sea of Rome would to God we could testifie with full cōfidēce before God his angels that wee are most far distāt frō that pollutiō as we can acquit our selues of y ◠crime which they vse to lay to our charge They make their boast of the catholike church who haue left no part of al the doctrine of the law the gospel free from filthy corruptions who haue prophaned the whole worship of God with the stink of superstition who haue not been afraid to corrupt all god his decrees with their inuētions Yea the multitude of errors wherwith they haue subuerted al religiō is so vniuersal that they are sufficiēt to ouerwhelme destroy the church an 100. times Therfore we cā neuer extol so highly as it deserueth the infinit goodnes of God wherby it is come to passe that wee escaping myraculously out of that deadly gulf haue the anchor of our faith firmly fixed in the soūd eternal truth of god And truly this one Cōmentarie shall sufficiētly testifie as I hope that papistrie is nothing els but a monster composed of innumerable errors of Satā that that church which they obiect vnto vs is more confused thē Babylō In the mean season I wil freely cōfes y e truth that we are not far enough distāt from the filth of that pit whose contagion doth spread it self too far Antichrist doth cōplayne that we are slipt away from him but we are compelled to mourne for that too too many of his vices wherwith he hath infected the world do remaine amongst vs. Vnto vs is restored the sincere puritie of doctrine perfect religion the simple worship of God the right order of the sacramēts which was deliuered by Christ. But the chifest cause why there is not amongst vs such reformatiō of maners amēdment of life as there ought to be is this because a great part being as yet mindful of that vnbrideled libertie wherewith the Papistes doe freely waxe wāton against God cannot accustome thēselues to Christes yoke Therefore whereas our aduersaries to the ende they may cause the vnskilful vniustly to hate vs do contemptuously crie out that we haue broken all good order discipline their false slander is refuted sufficiently with this one thynge though wee doe hold our peace in that there is nothyng aboute whiche wee haue greater contention amongest our selues then this namely our rigour which as some men thynke is immoderate But seeinge that you are able verye well to witnesse with mee and those who are my fellowes in office that wee are no more seuere or straite then the necessitie of our office doeth require and also inforce vs to bee as we doe rest safely in the iudgement of your cōscicience so on the otherside you may easily iudge as though the matter were before you how ridiculous the
as if men did preuent God with theyr loue which is an absurde thing for when as we were enemies he reconciled vs vnto himselfe Rom. 5. 10. And the woordes of Iohn 1. Io. 4. 10. are well knowne not that we loued him first but that he loued vs first But he disputeth not in this place of the cause and the effect Therfore it is falsely gathered that the loue wherewith we embrace Christ goeth before the loue of God towards vs in order For Christes only meaning is this that all those shall bee blessed which shall loue him beecause they shall be loued of him and his father againe not that God beginneth to loue thē then first of al but because they haue some testimony of his fatherly loue engrauen in their heartes To the same end tendeth that mēber which followeth immediately I will show my selfe vnto him Knowledge goeth before loue I confesse but Christe meant thus much that hee wyll graunt vnto the pure woorshippers and obseruers of his doctrine that they shall goe forward dayly in fayth that is I will make them drawe neerer more familiarly vnto me Gather hence that the fruite of godlynes is going forwarde in the knowledge of Christe For he that hath promised that he will giue vnto him that hath reiecting hypocrites hee maketh all those to goe forward in the faith whoe haue imbraced the doctrine of the Gospel from their hart and do frame themselues wholy to obey him And heereby it commeth to passe that seeing many goe backward we can scarse see euery tenth person go forward in the right course beecause the greater part is vnworthy to haue Christe to reueale himself vnto it Note here that greater knowledge of Christ is set before vs as a singuler reward of our loue toward Christe wherupon it followeth that it is an vncomparable treasure 22. Iudas saieth vnto him It is not without cause that hee asketh whye Christ containeth his light amongst a fewe who is the sonne of righteousnes by whom all the whole world ought to be lightened Therefore it seemeth to be an vnmeete thing that hee should shew forth his bright beames onely vnto a few and should not spread abroade his brightnesse euerye where without difference Christe his aunswere dooth not expounde the whole question beecause there is no mention made there of the first cause why Christe dooth keepe himselfe close from the more parte when as he reuealeth himselfe vnto a fewe For to say the trueth hee founde all menne a like at the beeginning that is altogeather strangers from him wherefore hee canne chuse none that loueth him but he chuseth of his enemies that he may bende their heartes to loue him but hee chuseth of his enemies that hee maye bende their heartes to loue him Yet would hee not touch that difference at this present beecause it serued not for his purpose His meaning was to exhort his Disciples vnto the earnest study of godlines that they might goe forward the better in the fayth Therefore he was contented to distinguishe them by this marke from the worlde that they keepe the doctrine of the gospel And this marke followeth the beginning of fayth because it is the effect of calling Christ had admonished the disciples else wher of his free calling and hee putteth them in minde of the selfe same thing afterwarde hee dooth now onely bydde them studie to keepe his doctrine and to lead a godly life Furthermore Christ sheweth in these woordes how we doe rightly obey the Gospell to witte when our dueties and externall actions doe arise from the loue of him For the handes the feete and the whole bodie labour in vaine vnlesse the loue of God doe reigne in the heart that it may gouerne the externall members Now forasmuch as it is certeine that we doe keepe Christes commaundementes inasmuch as wee loue him it followeth that the perfect loue of him canne be found no where in the world because there is no man that canne keepe his commaundements perfectly Yet God accepteth their obedience who desire with a sincere endeuour to attaine vnto this marke 23. My father will loue him VVe haue already declared that the loue of GOD is not placed in the seconde order as if it didde followe our godlynesse as the cause of loue but that the faithfull may be fully perswaded that God accepteth that obedience which they doe to the Gospel and they maye euer nowe and then looke for newe encreasings of giftes VVee will come vnto him whiche loueth mee that is hee shall perceiue that the grace of GOD abydeth in him and hee shall bee encreased daylye more and more with the giftes of GOD. Therefore he speaketh of loue not of that eternall loue wherewith hee embraced those that were not yet borne beefore the creation of the worlde but after that he fealeth the same in our heartes when as he maketh vs partakers of his adoption Moreouer hee meaneth not the firste illumination but those degrees of fayth whereby the faythfull muste goe forwarde continuallye according to that of Matthew 13. 12. To him that hath shal be giuen Therefore the Papistes doe falsly gather out of this place the double loue wherewith we loue GOD. They fayne that wee loue GOD naturally before hee dooth regenerate vs by his spirit and that by this preparation wee deserue the grace of regeneration As if the scripture dooth not teach euerye where and experience it selfe dooth crye that wee are altogether turned awaye from GOD and infected and filled with the hatred of him vntill suche time as hee chaung our hearts Therfore we must note that purpose of Christ that he his father will come that they maye confirme the faithfull in the perpetuall hope of grace 24. Hee that loueth not mee Beecause the faythfull are mingled amongste the vnfaythfull and they muste needes bee tossed with diuerse stormes as in the raginge seaes Christe confirmeth them againe with this admonition that they bee not carried awaye with euil examples as if hee shoulde saye regarde not the worlde so that you depende thereuppon beecause there will alwayes bee some which will despyse mee and my doctrine but holde faste that grace euen vntyll the ende which you haue once embraced Neuerthelesse hee giueth vs also to vnderstande that the worlde is iustlye plagued for the vnthankfulnes which is in it when as it perisheth in blindnesse when it bewrayeth wicked hatred against Christe through the contempte of true ryghteousnesse And the woorde which yee heare Leaste the Disciples shoulde fainte and fayle through the stubbernnesse of the worlde hee purchaseth aucthoritie to his doctrine againe when as hee testifieth that it is of God and that it is not feigned by manne vppon the earth And in this consisteth the strength of our fayth if wee knowe that God is our guide and that wee are grounded no where else saue onely in his eternal trueth Therfore howsoeuer the worlde dooth goe madde with frowardnesse yet let vs followe Christe
his doctrine which mounteth aboue the heauen and earth VVhen as hee saieth that his woorde is not his hee applieth himselfe vnto the Disciples as if hee should say that it is not of manne beecause hee delyuereth that faythfully which is enioyned him of his father Neuerthelesse wee knowe that in asmuche as hee is the eternall wisdome of GOD hee is the onelye fountaine of all doctrine and that all the Prophetes spake by hys spirite whiche were from the beegynning 25. Those things haue I spoken vnto you whilst I am with you 26. But the comforter the holye spirite whome my Father shall sende in my name hee shall teache you all thinges and shall tell you all thinges whiche I haue tolde you 27. Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the worlde giueth giue I it vnto you Let not your heart be troubled nor feare 28. You haue heard what I haue said vnto you I go and I come vnto you if you did loue me verely you would reioyce because I haue said I go vnto the father because the father is greater then I. 25. These thinges haue I spoken Hee addeth this for this cause that they maye not bee discouraged although they haue not profited in the faith as they oughte For hee didde then spreade abroade the seede of doctrine whiche laye hydde for a tyme in the Disciples Therefore he exhorteth them to hope well vntill that doctrine bring forth fruit which maye seeme to bee vnprofitable nowe In summe hee testifieth that they hadde plentifull matter of comforte in the doctrine which they had hearde And if so beit it appeare not vnto them by and by hee byddeth them bee of good courage vntyll the spirite which is the inwarde mayster doe speake the selfe same thing in their heartes This admonition is verye profitable for vs all Vnlesse wee doe by and by vnderstande whatsoeuer Christe teacheth there commeth vppon vs loathsomenesse and it irketh vs to bestowe labour in vaine in thinges which are obscure But we must bring ready docilytie or easines to be taught wee muste giue eare and retaine attentiuenes if we will profitte as wee oughte in the schole of GOD. And aboue all thinges wee haue neede of patience vntyll the spirite doe reueale that whiche wee seemed to haue hearde and reade oftentymes in vaine VVherefore lette not the desire to learne quailâ— in vs neither fall into dispaire when as we doe not by and by vnderstande Christe his meaninge when he speaketh Lette vs know that this is spoken to vs all the spirite shall tell you at length those thinges which I haue spoken Isaias 29. 11. denounceth this punishment vnto the vnbeleeuers that the woord of GOD is vnto them as a closed booke but the Lorde dooth also oftentimes humble those that bee his by this meanes Therefore wee must waite paciently and meekely for the time of the reuelation neither must we refuse the worde therefore And seeing that Christ dooth testifie that this office is proper to the holy Ghost to teach the Apostles that which they had alreadye learned out of his mouth it followeth that the outward preaching is in vaine and nothing worth vnlesse the teaching of the spirit be added thereunto Therefore GOD hath a double manner of teaching for hee soundeth in our eares out of the mouth of manne and he speaketh vnto vs within by his spirite and he dooth that sometimes in one moment sometimes at diuerse times as seemeth best to him Marke what those all thinges be which he promyseth the spirit shall teache Hee shall tell you or hee shall bring into your memory all thinges whatsoeuer I haue tolde you VVhereuppon it followeth that hee shall not forge any newe reuelations VVee may refute with this one woorde what inuentions soeuer Sathan hath broughte into the Church from the beeginning vnder colour of the spirite Mahomet and the Pope haue a common principle of religion that the perfection of doctrine is not contained in the scripture but that there is a certeine higher thing reuealed by the spirit Out of the same sinke haue the Anabaptistes and Libertines drawne theyr dotinges in our time But that is a seducing spirite not the spirite of Christe whiche bryngeth in anye inuention whiche agreeth not with the Gospell For CHRIST promyseth a spyrâ—te whiche shall confirme the doctrine of the Gospell as a subscriber I haue declared beefore what it is to sende the spirite in the fathers name 27. Peace I leaue with you By this word peace he meaneth the prosperous successe which menne are woont to wish one to another when as they meete togeather or one parteth from another For this word peace importeth thus much in the Hebrew tongue Therefore he alludeth vnto the coÌ„mon custome of his countrey as if he shuld say I leaue you my farewel But he addeth immediately after that this peace is of far more valewe then it is vsually amongst menne who haue peace in their mouth for the most parte onely for the cold ceremonies sake or if they do wish it vnto any manne in good earnest yet canne they not giue it in deede But Christ telleth them that this peace is not placed in the bare vaine wish but is ioyned with the effect The summe is this that hee departeth in body but his peace continueth with his disciples that is that they shall be alwayes blessed through his blessing Let not your heart be troubled He correcteth their feare againe which the disciples had conceiued by his departure He saieth that they hadde no cause to feare beecause they doe onelye wante his corporall presence and doe enioye his true presence by the spirite Lette vs also learne to be contente with this manner of presence neyther let vs pamper the flesh which doth alwayes tie God vnto the externall inuentions thereof 28. If yee did loue me VVithout doubt the Disciples loued Christ yet otherwise then they ought For there was some carnal thing mixed with it so that they could not suffer him to bee taken away from them But and if they had loued him spiritually there coulde nothing haue pleased them better then this that he should returne vnto the father Beecause the father is greater thâ—n I. This place was diuersly wrested The Arrians to the ende they might proue that Christ was a secondary God did obiect that he was lesser then the father the fathers which held and maintayned the trueth to the end they might cutte off all occasion of such a cauill did say that this ought to bee referred vnto his humane nature But as the Arrians did wickedly abuse this testimonie so the answere of the fathers was neither right neither yet agreeable For there is no mention made in this place either of the humane nature of Christe ne yet of hys eternall diuinitie but according to the capacitie of our infirmitie he maketh himselfe the meane betweene vs and God And truely because wee are not able to attaine vnto the highnes