so that he may now be worshipped euery where without any difference of places or countries 22 You worship you know not what we worship that which we know because saluation is of the Iewes 23 But the houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worshippe the father in spirite and truth for the father requireth to haue such to worship him 24 God is a spirite and they that worship him must worship him in spirite truth 25 The woman saith vnto him I knowe that the Messias shall come who is called Christe therfore when he shall come hee shall tell vs al thinges 26 Iesus saith vnto her I am he that talke with thee Now he doth more at large expound that which he touched briefly concerning the abrogating of the law Yet doth he deuide the sum of his speech into two members in the former hee condemneth the manner of worshipping god vsed among the Samaritanes of superstition error and doeth testifie that the Iewes did worship God wel and lawfully He addeth the cause of the difference because the certaintie of the worship which the Iewes vsed did appeare vnto them out of the worde of God but the Samaritanes had no certaintie from the mouth of God Secondly hee declareth that the rites which the Iewes kept hytherto should shortly haue an end 22 You worship that which you know not A sentence worthie to be remembred wherein we are taught that we must assay nothing rashly and by chaunce in religion because vnlesse knowledge be present we doe not any longer worship God but a false imagination or ghost Therfore by this thunderbolt are throwen downe all good intents as they cal them For we know that men can doe nothing els but erre when their own opinion doth rule them without the word of God or his commandemēt For Christ taking vpon him his countries cause and person doth teache that the Iewes doe much differ from the Samaritanes VVhy so Because of them commeth saluation saith he By which wordes he giueth her to vnderstand that they doe exceede them in this one point because God had concluded the couenant of eternall saluation with them Some do restraine it vnto Christ who came of the Iewes And truly sithence that all the promises of God are sure and certaine in him there is no saluation saue only in him But because it is out of doubt that Christ doth preferre the Iewes for this cause because they doe not worship any vnknowen power but one God who reuealed himselfe vnto them and who hath adopted them to be his people by this word saluation must bee vnderstood that wholesome manifestation which they had by the heauenly doctrine But why doth he say that it is of them when as it is rather committed to them that they alone might enioy it He alludeth in my iudgement vnto that which was foretold by the Prophets that there should a lawe come out of Syon For they were separated for a time frō other people vpon this conditiō that the pure knowledge of god might at length flowe from them vnto the whole worlde Notwithstanding this is the summe that God is not worshipped aright vnlesse he be worshipped according to the certaintie of faith which must needs proceede frō the worde of God wherupon it foloweth y t they fal away vnto idolatry whosoeuer they be that depart frō the worde of god For Christe doth in plaine wordes testifie that an idol or vaine fictiō is set vp insteed of God where mē are ignorāt of the true god hee doth cōdemne all those of ignorāce vnto whō god hath not reuealed himself For so soone as we are once destitute of the light of his word darknes blindnes do reigne And we must note y t when the Iewes had brokē the couenaunt of eternal life with their vnfaithfulnes which was established with their fathers they were depriued of that treasure which they kept then as yet for they were not as yet driuen out of the church of God Nowe seeing that they denie the sonne they haue nothing to doe with the father The same must we thinke of all those who haue fled frō the pure faith of the gospel vnto their own inuentions Howsoeuer they flatter themselues in their stoutnes who worship god according to their own mind or mens traditiōs yet this one voyce thūdering out of heauē doth ouerthrow whatsoeuer diuine holy thing they think they haue You worship that which you knowe not Therefore to the end our religion may be approued of God it must needes leane vnto the knoweledge conceiued out of his worde 23 But the houre commeth and now is The latter member concerning the abrogation of the legall worship followeth VVhen he saith that the houre commeth or shall come he teacheth that the order deliuered by Moses shall not be perpetuall Heb. 9. 10. VVhen he saith that the houre is nowe he maketh an end of the ceremonies and so he telleth her that the time of reformation is fulfilled In the meane while he alloweth the Temple the Priesthood and all rites annexed thereunto as touching the vse of the time past Furthermore to the ende he may declare that God will neither bee worshipped at Ierusalem nor in mount Garizin he taketh vnto himself a deeper principle namely that the true worship of him cosisteth in the spirite For thereupon it followeth that he is rightly called vppon euery where Yet first of all here may a question be asked why and in what sense the worship of God is called spirituall To the end wee may vnderstand this we must note the opposition betweene the spirite and the external figures as betwene the shadowes and the truth Therefore the worship of God is said to consist in the spirite because it is nothing els but the inward faith of the hearte which bringeth forth inuocation secondly the puritie of conscience the deniall of our selues that beeing giuen to obey God we may be vnto him as holy sacrifices Heerupon ariseth another question whether the fathers did worship him spiritually vnder the lawe or no I answere seeing that God is alwayes lyke to himselfe hee allowed no other worship from the beginning of the worlde saue the spirituall worship which was agreeable vnto his nature VVhich thyng Moses doth sufficiently testifie who doth in many places declare that the ende of the lawe did tend to no other end but that the people shold cleaue vnto God with faith and a pure conscience And the prophetes doe more clearely expresse the same when as they sharply inueigh against the hypocrisie of y e people because they thought they had satisfied God after they had offered their sacrifices and executed that externall pompe It is no need to inferre many testimonies here which are common euery where yet are there most notable places before all other in the fiftie Psalme the second of Isayas verse the fiftie eight and threescore and sixt Micheas the fift Amos the seuenth But
deadly thunderbolt So at this day the Papists doe laugh at and boldly with fire and swoorde persecute the worde of God which is able to mooue stones only because trusting to the deceitfull title of the Churche they thinke that they are able to mocke God and men To be briefe hypocrites so soone as they haue gotten any beautifull cloake doe oppose harde stubbornnesse against God as if hee did not pearce into theyr heartes If yee were the children of Abraham Christ doth more plainly extinguish the degenerate children of Abraham from lawfull children for hee taketh away the very name from all those that are vnlike vnto Abraham It falleth out oftentimes indeede that the children doe not represent in manners their fathers which begate them But Christ doth not dispute in this place of the carnall originall but doth onely deny that they are accounted amongest the children of Abraham before God whiche doe not hold the grace of adoption by faith For seeing that the Lorde had promised vnto the seed of Abraham that he would be their God all the vnbeleeuers which did cast away this promise did thrust thēselues out of the stock of Abraham Therfore the state of the questiō is whether they are to be accounted the children of Abraham or no which doe cast away the blessing offered vnto them in the worde so that they may be neuertheles an holy stock the peculiar people of God and princely priesthood Christe denieth this and that for good causes because they must be borne againe of the spirite which are the children of promise and be new creatures whosoeuer desire a place in the kingdome of God The fleshly stocke of Abraham was no vnprofitable thing or of no valew if sobeit the truth were added For the election of God resteth in the seede of Abraham yet being free so that they are accounted the heires of life whō god doth sanctifie by his spirite 40 And now yee seeke He proueth by the effect that they are not the children of Abraham as they did bragge because they resist God For what is chieflye commended in Abraham but the obedience of faith Therfore this is the marke of the difference so often as wee are to distinguish his children from straungers For vaine titles are nothing worth before God what credite soeuer they carry before men Therefore Christe concludeth againe that they are the children of the Diuell because they are suche deadly enemies vnto true and sounde doctrine 41 VVe are not of fornication They challenge no more to themselues now then before For they thought it was all one to be the sonne of Abraham and of God But they were greatly deceiued therein in that they thought that God was bound vnto all the seed of Abraham For they reason on this wise God adopted vnto himselfe the stocke of Abraham therfore seeing that we are begotten of Abraham we must needs be the children of God VVe see now how they thought that they had holynesse from the wombe because they sprang from an holy roote Finally they affirme that they are the Church of God because they descende from the holy fathers Like as at this day the continuall succession from the holy fathers puffeth vp the Papistes and maketh them more then swell Satan doth so delude them and deceiue them that they separate God from his word the church from faith the kingdome of heauen from the spirite Therefore let vs know that although they be not bastards according to the flesh but boast of the laudible title of the Church yet are they nothing lesse then the children of God who haue corrupted the seede of life For what corners soeuer they runne into yet shall they neuer bee able to escape but that they bee puffed vp with this vaine bragge onely VVe succeede the holy fathers therfore we are the Church And if so be it Christ his answere was sufficient to refute y e Iewes withal it is no lesse sufficient at this day to refute these men It wil neuer be otherwise but y ◠hypocrites will with their most wicked boldnes vainly make boast of the name of God but they shall neuer make those beleeue that will stand to the iudgement of Christ but that these false boastinges whiche they blunder out are ridiculous 42 If God were your father you woulde loue mee for I. This is Christe his argument VVhosoeuer is the child of God he wil acknowledge and loue his first begotten sonne but you hate me therefore there is no cause why you shoulde boast that you are Gods children VVe must diligently note this place that there is no godlinesse no feare of GOD where Christ is reiected Feigned religion pretendeth God boldly but what agreement can they haue with the father who disagree with his only sonne what maner knowledge of God is that where his liuely image is refused And this is the meaning of Christ his wordes when he testifieth that he came from the father For hee giueth vs to vnderstand that all that is diuine which he hath and that therefore it is not likely that the true worshippers of God doe refuse his truth I came not saith he of my selfe you can obiect nothing vnto me which agreeth not with God and finally you shall finde no earthly or humane thyng in my doctrine and in the whole administration thereof For hee intreateth not of his essence but of his doctrine 43 VVhy doe yee not acknowledge my speeche because you cannot heare my woorde 44 You are of your father the Diuell and yee will doe the lustes of your father He was a murtherer frō the beginning stood not in the truth because the truth is not in him VVhen he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne because he is a lyer and the father therof 45 But because I say the truth you beleeue not mee 43 VVhy doy yee not He casteth the stubbornnes of the Iewes in their teeth in this place which was so great that they could not abide to heare him Hence gathereth he that they were caried with a diuelish furie I see no difference betwene speech and word For it is more to say then to speak But it were an vnmeete thing to put the lesser in the former place Many doe distinguish it so that the ende of the interrogation may be in the worde speech as if the interrogation did only consist in these words VVhy doe yee not acknowledge my speech so that the rendring of the reason doth follow immediately because you cannot heare my word But I think they ought rather to be read in one text as if he should haue said what is the cause that my word is barbarous and vnknowen to you that I do you no good by speaking vnto you and so consequently that you cannot vouchsafe to heare that which I speake Therefore he toucheth their dulnes in the former member in the other the stubborne hatred of his doctrine afterward he assigneth the cause of both when as he saith
Christ. 19. 17. Rest. Whence our mindes haue rest and quietnesse 12. 14. Men doe not come vnto God by the leading of their reason 1. 5. Riuers Riuers of running water shall flow out of his belly 7. 38. Rulers Hath any of the Rulers beleeued in him 7. 48. Manye Rulers beleeuing are afraid of excommunication 12. 42. The Ruler his sonne is healed 4. 47. S Sabboth The Sabboth of God 5. 17. Sabellinis Sabellinis his error 1. 1 Sacraments inuēted by men are nothing els but mocking stockes 20. 22. VVhēce the Sacraments do borrow their force 20. 22. In the Sacraments wee must respect the proportion of the signes with the truth 1. 32. The scripture speaketh two maner of wayes of the Sacraments 1. 26. It is not in mans wil to institute Sacraments 1. 31. God sheweth himselfe vnto vs in the Sacraments 5. 37. Sacrifice Almes is an acceptable Sacrifice to God 12. 8. Sacrifices To what the Popishe Sacrifices are made 20. 22. Saftie Wherein our saftie consisteth 17. 14. Our safetie is ioyned with the safetis of the Apostles 17. 20. Saluation What our saluation did cost the sonne of God 12. 27. The cause fountaine of our saluation 3. 16. How carefull God is for our saluation 15. 13. How this must be vnderstoode that saluatiō is of the Iewes 4. 22. Wherein the summe of our saluation consisteth 11. 51. Saluation of the Iewes 4. 22. Samaritane Christ asketh drinke of the Samaritane 4. 7. Christ is called a Samaritane 8. 48. The Samaritanes haue no fellowshiship with the Iewes 4. 9. Sanctifie Christ prayeth the father to sanctifie the Apostles 17. 7. How the father is saide to haue sactified the sonne 10. 36. To be sanctified in the truth 17 19. To sanctifie themselues after the maner of the Iewes 11. 55. Sanctification Out of what fountaine the sanctification floweth which commeth by the doctrine of the gospel 17. 9. Sanctification is not finished the first day in the elect 17. 17. What the sanctification which christ wisheth to the disciples doth comprehed in the same place Satan How Satan is said to haue entred into Iudas 13. 27. VVho they be that are subiect to the lyes of Satan 15. 43. Satan entreth into Iudas 13. 27 Saue Christ came to saue 72. 4. Sauiour The sauiour of the world 4. 42. Scatered To bee scatered vnto their owne 16. 22. The scattering abroade of the Gentiles Scattered abroade 11. 52. Scripture The Scripture cannot be broken 10. 35. The scripture fulfilled 17. 12. and 19. 28. and 36. The Apostles beleeue the scripture 2. 22. VVe must set the knowlege of Christ from the scripture 5. 39. VVith what mind we must read the scripture In the same place VVhat Iohn meaneth by the word scripture in the same place VVe must not boast of the scriptures in vaine 5. 45. Howe dangerous a thing it is to pull in peeces the scriptures 7. 27. f The Scriptures doe testifie o◠Christ. 5. 39. Sealed Hath sealed that God is true 3. 34. Seene How christ is saide to bee seene whilest that hee dwelleth by his spirite in the Disciples 16. 16. 22. VVhat it is to see the kingdome of God 3. 3. How this must bee vnderstoode that no man hath seene God at any time 1. 18. How the fathers are said to haue seene God 1. 18. He that seeth Christe seeeth the father 14. 9. To see the sonne and to beleeue in him 6. 40. They are blessed who haue not seene and haue beleeued 20. 9. That those that see may bee made blinde 9. 39. Seeke Ye shall seeke me and shall not finde mee 7. 34. 13. 35. Iewes seeke signes wonders otherwise they doe not beleeue 4. 48. 6. 30. Sepulchre VVhy God woulde haue his sonne laid in a new sepulchre 19. 41. Serpent VVhether the brasen serpent was vnto the Iewes a Sacrament 3. 14. Seruetus Seruetus his wicked opinion 1. 1. and 14. Seruant The seruant is not greater then his master 33. 16. and 15. 20. A seruant and a sonne 8. 35. The Apostles were not the seruants but the friendes of Christe 15. 15. In what sense Christe saith that they are the seruants of sinne who commit sinne 8. 34. Sheepe In what sense they are called sheepe which do not beleeue as yet 10. 16. The woorde sheepe is taken two maner of wayes 10. 8. Christ his sheepe 10. 25. Shape The shape of God is not seene 5. 7. Sheepfold The sheepefolde of the sheepe 10. 1. and 16. Signes To doe signes 7. 31. The first signe of Christ. 2. 11. The second 4. 54. All the signes of Christe are not written 20. 30. 21. 25. The multitude followe Christe because of his signes 6. 2. Sichar Sichar 4. 5. Sleepe Sleepe 11. 13. To sleep for to be dead 11. 12. 13. 14. Siloe Siloe 7. 7. Siloe a poole 9. 7. VVhy Christe commaunded the blind to be washed in Siloa in the same place Sitting Christ teacheth sitting 8. 2. Similitude How the similitude of a womanne labouring with childe ought to be applied vnto vs. 16. 21 Simon Christ sat at meate in the house of Symon the Pharise 12. 3. Sin Sinne no more 5. 14. 8. 11 They are to bee wounded with the feeling of sinne whoe are too carelesse 4. 16. To die in sinne 8. 21. 24. The comforter shall reproue the world of sinne 16. 8. Infirmitie for sinne 9. 2. How this must be vnderstoode that sinners are not heard of God 9. 31. Son Christ is the Sonne of God 1. 49. VVhy Christ is called the sonne of man 3. 33. The name Sonne appertaineth to Christ alone 20. 31. God wil be knowne in the person of the sonne 11. 4. There are two distincte vertues in the sonne of God 1. 5. How this ought to be vnderstood that the Son doth nothing of himself 5. 16. 30. The Son of God did not ascend into heauē for himself alone 14. 2. Why we are accounted the Sons of God 1. 13. How we are called the sonnes of God and the sons of the deuill 8. 44. Sonnes of God by fayth 1. 12. Sons of God dispearsed among the Gentiles 11. 52. The difference of the dyinge of the Sonnes of God and the reprobate 19. 30. The sonne of perdition 17. Sonnes of Abraham 8. 37. Soppe A soppe 13. 27. Sorow Sorowe hath filled your hearts 16. 6. Sorow must bee turned to ioye 16. 20. Speach Speach which is heard 6. 60. Spirit This word spirit is taken two maner of waies in Iohn 3. 6. That the spirit and water are taken both for one thing 3. 15. God is a spirit 4. 14. The holy spirit came down vpon Christ in the likenes of a doue 1. 32. Proceedeth from the father 15. 26. 6. is giuen to the apostles in the same place 20. 22. That is spirite which is borne of the spirit 3. 6. The holy spirit is the only fountaine of sound vnderstanding 14. 17. VVhye the spirite is signified by water in the scripture 4. 10. 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
is knowne to all men that the people could not be otherwise brought to beleeue that God would be mercifull to them any otherwise but by bringing in that couenaunt which was established in Christ that he plainely speaketh of the redemption to come as it was reuealed in Christ. Hether belong many notable places which doe verie plainly prophesie of Christ and shew him forth as it were with a finger But especially that seale of the couenaunt of God is to bee remembred the which if any man neglect hee shall neuer vnderstande any thing in the Prophetes as the Iewes miserably wandred in reading of the scripture for that they being onely curious in wordes they strayed farre from the purpose 71. Deliuerance from our enemies Zachary doth more plainely set forth the power and office of Christ. And truely it would profit vs litle or nothing to heare that Christ was giuen vs except we also knew what good hee brought vs. For this cause therefore he doth more fully teach to what end the horne of saluation was erected euen that the faithfull might bee preserued from their enemies It is not to be doubted but that Zacharias knew well ynough that the greatest warre that the Church of GOD hath is not with fleshe and bloud but with Sathan and all his retinewe wherewith he doth deceitfully deuise the destruction of vs all And although that outward enemies doe also molest the Church and that it is deliuered from them by Christ yet seeing that the kingdome of Christ is spirituall this sentence is spoken especially of Sathan the prince of this world and of his powers Againe the miserable condition of men without Christ is here noted that is that they lye prostrate vnder the tyrannie of the deuill for otherwise Christ could not deliuer his children out of his hand that is from his power Yet this place doth declare that the Church especially liueth amongst her enemies while shee remaineth in this world and is alwaies in daunger of their violence if Christ were not present to helpe But this is the inestimable grace of Christ that our saluation remaineth certaine and safe although our enemies doe compasse vs on euery side And although it is a hard speech when he saith that hee wil send deliueraunce from our enemies yet the sense is not hard because that no deuises of our enemies or strengthes no deceites no forces can hinder God but that he deliuering vs from them will perpetuallye preserue vs. 72. That he would shew mercy Zachary doth teach vs ageine from whence this redemption commeth euen from the mercy of God and from the couenaunt of his free grace For hee declareth the cause why it pleased God to saue his people euen because he was mindefull of his couenant hath he shewed his mercie And he is said to be mindefull of his couenaunt because that his so long delaying might seeme to be a certaine forgetfulnesse for he suffered the people afflicted with most grieuous mischiefes to languish This order is diligently to be obserued that god was lead of his own meere mercie to make the couenaunt with the fathers Then he hauing made the couenant he was bound by his word to perfourm the saluatiō of men Thirdly that what thing soeuer is good he giueth it in Christ that so he might sanctifie al his promises that so the faith of them should be no otherwise established but when the fulnesse should appeare in Christ. There is promised in the couenaunt forgiuenes of sinnes but the same is to be had in the bloud of Christ there is promised righteousnes but the same is giuen by the satisfactiō of Christ there is promised life but it is not to be sought but in the death and resurrection of Christ. And this is the cause why God cōmanded in times past that the book of the law also shuld be sprinckled with the blood of the sacrifice It is also worthy to be obserued that Zachary extendeth to the fathers that are dead the mercy which was shewd in his age that they al in cōmon might receiue the fruite of the same For hereof it foloweth that the grace power of Christ cannot be cōtained within the straits of this fraile life but that it is eternal And it cannot be ended by the death of the flesh seeing that both the soules are free from death and also that a resurrection doth follow the destruction of the flesh As therfore neither Abraham nor any of the saintes could by their own power or merits obtaine saluation for them selues so there is a common saluation shewed forth in Christ to all the fathfull aswell to them that are dead as to them that are aliue 73. According to the oath The preposition is not expressed in the greek but it is sufficiently known that it is the cōmon vse of that tongue whē the nowne is put in the accusatiue case without a word to gouerne it that then a proposition is to be vnderstood wherof it may be gouerned He maketh mention of his oath that he might the better set forth how sure and holy his truth is for God doth so much submit him selfe to our capacitie that he vouchsafeth to vse his name as a stay and helpe of our infirmitie wherefore if the bare promises doe not suffice vs let vs yet remember this confirmation and if that take not all doubt from vs wee are too vnthankful to God and iniurious to his holy name That he would giue vs. Zachary doth not declare what the couenaunt of God doth conteine in al and euery of the particular pointes of the samet But he teacheth for what purpose GOD in his mercie dealt so louingly with his people when he redeemed them that is that they being redeemed should addict and vow them selues wholy to worship the aucthour of their saluation Therefore as the free goodnes of God is the efficient cause of mans saluation so the finall cause is that men by liuing a godlie and a holy life might glorifie the name of God the which is diligently to be noted that we being mindefull of our calling might learne to referre the grace of god to his true vse These sentences I say are to be considered that we are not called to vncleannes but to holines that wee are redeemed with a great price not that we should be seruauntes to the desires of the flesh or that we should runne on in vnbrideled libertie but that Christ might reigne in vs that wee by adoption are placed into the houshold of God that we againe as children should obey our father For Tit 2. 11. In this appeareth the goodnes of God Philanthropia that denying worldly lusts we should liue soberly righteously and godly Therfore Paule in the Ep. Rom. 12. 1. when that he would effectually exhort the faithful that in newnes of life they shoulde offer vp them selues vnto God and that by putting off the old man forsaking the former mind they should giue vnto him a reasonable
entrap the minde of her husband by subtleties but in vain so long as Herodes coÌ„science withstode it shee coulde not destroy that holy man Then followed an other feare least any tumulte shoulde arise through the hainous crueltie of his death But Marke toucheth only what staid Herode from giuing present place to the harlots requests for Herodias desired that Iohn had bene secreatly put to death assoone as he was cast into prison But Herode reuerenced the holy man so that he woulde willingly haue obeied his counsels Also the feare here mentioned was not a feare conceiued of the estimation of an other as we feare them which gette some authoritie and credite thoughe wee esteeme them vnworthy the honour but this feare was a willing reuerence because Herode durst not despise him whom he was perswaded to be a holy manne and a faithfull minister of God And this is worthy to be noted for though Iohn hadde experience that it was profitable for him many waies to be in some credite with the Tetrarche yet he feared not to displease him when he could not otherwise keepe his fauor then by winking treacherously at his notorious infamous wickednesse He might haue said that he regarded not his own priuate commodities neither had any other respect then of the common profite For it is certaine that he sought nothing ambitiously but Herode was obedient to him in holy counsels whiche appertained to the lawfull administration of the kingdome But because he sawe that this kinde of recompence was not lawfull that he might by betraying the truthe gette some shewes and likings he chuseth of a frende rather to make him his ennemie then by flattery or silence to nourishe the sinne which he is enforced seuerely to reprehend Iohn therefore by his example prescribeth a certaine rule to godly teachers that they should not dissemble nor winke at vices of Princes though they should of that price buy their fauour profitable for the common estate But the spirit of God doeth shew vnto vs in Herode as in a glasse that it befalleth oft times that they which worship not god sincerely are yet ready in some poynt to obey his coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts so that they may haue some liberty graunted to them by release But wheÌ„ they are more straightly dealt with they become not only obstinate but by casting off the yoake also mad There is therefore no cause why they should please themselues which yelde obedience to many good counsels vntil they haue learned to yeld to themselues wholely to God 6. VVhen Herodes birthe day was kepte The Euangelistes doe nowe begin to declare by what fraude Herodias brought the destruction of Iohn to passe at length which she had long time practised and occasion was giuen her by a solemne 〈◊〉 kept when Herode celebrated his birth day For 〈…〉 scarcely be but that those great bankets should besides luxury pride 〈…〉 and other wickednesses also drawe many other mischiefes with it Not that it is euil of it selfe to make a rich banket but such is the readinesse of mannes witte to wantonnesâ—e that the raines being lette louse they doe easily runne out of course That ancient custome cannot be disallowed for solemnizing a birth day euery yere for that day as oft as it commeth admonisheth euery one or vs to giue thaÌ„kes to God by whom he was brought into this life hath now by his blessing passed ouer many yeares then that he should remember how yll and vnprofitably he hath suffered the time to pearish which was graunted of God Lastly that he shoulde commend himselfe the rest of his life to the protection of the same God But there is nothing so pure which the worlde will not corrupt with her sinnes for the most part prophaneth with filthy corruptions the birthe day which ought to be holy and almoste no sumptuous banket is free from dissolute wantonnesse first there is too much drunke then is a doore opened to filthy and vnmodest speaches lastly no temperance is holden at all This mooued holy Iob his sonnes banketting togither by course to offer sacrifice because that he thought that men could neuer moderate themselues so wel when companions do inuite eache other to be mery but that offence should grow many wayes So it came to passe that Herode meaning to entertaine his guests sumptuously suffred his wifes daughter to daÌ„ce Heereby it also appeareth what the discipline of that court was for though many gaue themselues liberty then to dance yet it was a vile note of whorish wantonnes for a damsel mariageable to dance But filthy Herodias had so framed her daughter Salome after her own maners lest she shuld shame her And what folowed then namely the vngodly slaughter of the godly Prophet for the heat of wine in Herode so flamed that he forgetting grauity wisedom promised that he would giue to a dauncing damsell euen to the one halfe of his kingdome Truely a shamefull example that a drunken king doeth not only abide to looke vpon with fauourable eyes so shameful a shew of his housholde but also promiseth so great a reward VVherfore let vs learne carefully to resist the deuil least he entrap vs in such snares MAR. 24. So the went foorth and sayd to her mother It is no maruaile that Herodias should make so great account of the death of Iohn That many do coniecture that she was kindled with desire of reueÌ„ge is voyd of reason for the feare of diuorcement rather troubled and vexed her as for the most parte where whoremasters begin to loath they are ashamed of their own lust But she hoped by this offence to haue Herode the more bound vnto her if the couenaunt of the adulterous bedde were confirmed and sealed by the bloud of the Prophet as with a sacrifice Therefore that she might rule hereafter without care she would haue him put to death whom she found to be her alone enemy VVhereby we are also taught what miserable griefe alwayes tormenteth an euill conscience Iohn was kepte in bandes the imperious and cruell womanne myght haue forbidden all people from speaking with him and comminge to him yet she resteth not but is vexed with care and feare vntyll the Prophet shuld be made away This also much auaileth to the shewing forth of the efficacie of the woorde of God that the voyce of the holy manne though shutte vppe in prison doeth so vexe the minde of the kings wife as a most grieuous torment 26. The king was very sorie Religion was vanished out of his heart as we sayd but because he foreseeth how odious the crime wold be he feareth the infamie and also the danger hereof it commeth to passe that he repeÌ„teth him of his own lightnesse Yet he dare not deny the dauncer least he should be accounted inconstant as though it were worse to retracte that which he rashly and fondly promised then to be constant in a most detestable offence But because he will not in respecte of
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
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
the Hebrewes 12. 25. comparing the law and the gospell together saith Seeing that they escaped not free who despised him that spake vpon earth take heede that yee despise him not which is from heauen Therefore Christe will be acknowledged in his ministers but so that hee remayne Lorde alone and that they be contented with the degree of seruaunts especially when the matter commeth once to a comparison he will be so distinguished that he may be chiefe 32 And that which hee heard and saw Iohn goeth forward in his office For to the ende that he may make readie disciples for Christe hee commendeth his doctrine for the certaintie thereof that he vttereth nothing but that which he receiued of his father Seeing and hearing are set against all manner doubtfull opinion vaine rumors and all manner of inuentions For he giueth them to vnderstande that he taught nothing but that which he knewe well But some man will say that he deserueth small credite who hath nothing but that which he hath hearde I aunswere that he meaneth by this worde that Christe was taught of his father so that he bringeth nothing but that which is diuine as it was reuealed vnto him by GOD. And that agreeth with all the person of Christe forasmuch as he was sent into the worlde of his father to be an interpreter and Embassadour Afterwarde hee reprehendeth the vnthankefulnes of the worlde which refused so certaine and faithfull a witnesse so wickedly and haynously And also hee remoueth a stumblyng blocke which might turne away many frō the faith hinder the course of many For as we are wont too muche to depende vppon the iudgement of men many do esteeme the Gospel according to the contempt of the world at least whē they see it euery where reiected being preuented with this preiudice they are more loth and slow to beleeue Therefore so often as we see such waywardnes of the worlde yet let this admonition kepe vs in the constant obedience of the same that it is the truth which came from God VVhen hee saith that no man receiueth it his meaning is that there are very few and almost none that are faithfull if they be compared vnto the huge multitude of the wicked 33 And hee that receiued his testimonie Heere he exhorteth and incourageth the godly to imbrace the doctrine of the Gospel without feare As if he shoulde say that there is no cause why they should bee ashamed of their smalenesse of number sithence they haue God to be the authour of their faith who alone is aboundantly sufficient for vs like vnto all Therefore although the whole worlde doth discredit the gospel yet this ought not to keepe backe the godly from subscribing vnto GOD. They haue also that wherin they may quiet and pacifie thēselues when as they know that to beleeue the gospell is nothing els then to subscribe vnto the Oracles of God In the meane while we gather that this is the propertie of faith to leane vnto God and to be established in his word For there can be no subscription vnlesse God doe speake first By which doctrine faith is not only distinguished frō all mans inuentions but also from an vncertaine and doubtfull opinion For it must be answereable vnto the truth of God which is exempted from all doubting Therefore as God cannot lye so it is an absurd thing for the faith to wauer Being armed with this defence we shall continue victorers continually with what engins soeuer Satan do goe about to trouble and shake vs. Out of this place also are we taught howe acceptable a sacrifice faith is before God For as he maketh most account of his truth so we cannot do him any greater worship then whilest that by our faith we professe that he is true then doe we giue him his due honour So men cannot do him any greater iniurie then when they doe not beleeue the gospell For hee cannot be spoyled of his truth but that all his glory and maiestie must be abolished And his truth is after a sort shut vp in the gospel and hee will haue the same knowen there VVherefore the vnbeleeuers leaue nothing for God so much as in them lyeth not that their impietie doth any whit impayre the credit of God but that as much as in them lyeth they reproue and accuse him of vanitie Vnlesse we be more then stony this so excellent a title wherewith faith is adorned ought to kindle in our mindes the most feruent desire of the same For what great honour is this whereunto God doth vouchsafe to extol miserable wretches that they who are by nature nothing els but lying and vanitie should be accounted meete to approoue with their subscription the holy trueth of God 34 For whom God sent Hee confirmeth the sentence next going before For he sheweth that we haue truly to deale with God when as we receiue the doctrine of Christe for Christe came from none other saue only from his heauenly father Therefore it is God alone that speaketh by him And truly we giue lesse honour vnto the doctrine of Christ thē we ought if we doubt to acknowledge it to be diuine Not by measure This place is expounded two maner of wayes for some doe extende it vnto the common dispensation that God who is the fountaine of all good thinges which can neuer be drawen drie is not emptied when he powreth out his gifts vpon men aboundantly They which take water out of any vessell to distribute it doe at length come vnto the bottome but we need not to feare any such thing in God for the aboundance of his giftes shall neuer be so large but that he can exceede the same whensoeuer he will with newe liberalitie This exposition seemeth to haue some colour because the sentence is indefinite yet do I rather follow Augustine who doth interprete this to bee spoken of Christe Neither ought this to be any let that there is as yet no mention made of Christ in this member seeing that the last member doth take away all doubtfulnesse where that is restrained vnto Christ which might seeme to be spoken generally of manie For without doubt these wordes are added expositiuely that the father hath giuen the sonne all things into his hand because he loueth him Therefore they are to be read in one text And the worde of the presentence doth signifie a continuall act For although he was once endowed with the spirite according to the chiefest perfection and yet notwithstanding he floweth continually as out of a fountaine farre and wide hee is therefore not vnfitly saide euen now also to receiue of the father But and if any man had rather expound it simplie the alteration of the tence is not straunge in such verbes Now the sense is manifest that the spirite was not giuen Christe by measure as if the facultie and store of that grace wherein he excelleth were limitted by some measure as Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 12. 7. and Eph. 4. 7.
the 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
spirite alone which maketh vs meeke and gentle to suffer our selues to bee reprehended and so consequently to offer our selues to be slaine with the sworde of the Gospell 9 And when he had said these thinges vnto them hee abode in Galilee 10 And when his brethren were gone vp then went he himselfe vnto the feast also not openly but as it were priuilie 11 Therefore the Iewes sought him on the holy day and they said where is he 12 And there was much murmuring concerning him in the companies some said hee is good and other some said Nay but he seduceth the multitude 13 Notwithstanding no man spake openly of him for feare of the Iewes 9 He abode in Galilee Here the Euangelist setteth before our eyes on the one side the kinsfolkes of Christ who after the common custome make a shew of the worship of God yet neuerthelesse they are friends with the wicked and therefore they walke without feare On the other side he setteth before vs Christ who being hated of the worlde came priuily into the citie vntill suche time as the necessitie of his office dyd compell him to showe himselfe openly And if sobeit there is nothing more miserable then to bee pulled away from Christe accursed bee that peace whiche costeth so deare that wee muste renounce Christe 11 Therefore the Iewes Here wee must consider in what state the Church did stande For the Iewes did at that time gape after the promised redemption as being hungrie yet when Christ appeareth vnto theÌ„ they stand in doubt hereupon did arise that confused murmuring diuers speeches In that they murmur priuilie it is a signe of the tyrannie which the Priestes and Scribes had taken to themselues Truely it is an horrible example that seeing there was but that Church only vpon the earth there shoulde be set before vs here a confused and disfigured disorder They who gouerne in steed of shepheardes doe keepe the people vnder with feare and terrour in the whole bodie there is filthie wastnesse and dolefull dissipation By the Iewes hee vnderstandeth the common sort which being now accustomed to heare Christ for the space of two yeeres doth seeke him when as hee appeareth not according to his common custome For when as they say where is hee They speake of a knowen man and yet notwithstandyng this woorde doth shew that they were not earnestly affectioned hytherto and that they stande alwayes in doubt 12 Much murmuring He giueth vs to vnderstande that wheresoeuer men did assemble themselues in companies as it falleth out often in great assemblies there passed secrete speeches concerning Christ. The dissentioÌ„ wherof meÌ„tion is made in this place doth declare that there be diuers iudgements of men concerning Christe euen in the middest of the Church And as wee are not afraide to receiue Christ who was condemned long agoe of the most part of his nation so wee must be armed in such sort that we be not troubled with the dissention whiche reigneth at this day Againe we may see how great the rashnesse of men is in matters appertayning vnto God They wold not haue bin so licentious in any small busines but so soone as there ariseth a question concerning the sonne of God and his holy doctrine they doe by and by iudge rashly VVherfore we must keepe so much the greater moderation least we doe rashly condemne our life with the eternall truth of God And if sobeit the worlde doe count vs deceiuers let vs remember that these are Christe his markes so that in the meane season wee doe indeede declare that we speake the truth Furthermore this place sheweth that in a great multitude euen whereas the body it self is confused there are alwayes some who thinke well but these few who are sober minded are ouerrunne of many that are mad 13 Notwithstanding no man spake openly Hee calleth the chiefe gouernours Iewes in this place in whose power the gouernment was They did so hate christ that they suffered no word to be spokeÌ„ on either part not because it greeued them to haue him slaundered but because they thought that it was the best way to burie his name by forgetfulnesse So the enemies of the truth after that they haue tryed that they cannot preuaile by their crueltie they would couet nothing more theÌ„ y t the remembrance thereof may be suppressed and this is all they goe about In that being brought vnder with feare they kept silence that was altogether tyrannicall as I haue saide before For as vnbrideled libertie hath no place in the estate of the Churche when as it is well ordered so when as all libertie is kept vnder with feare that no man dare say any thing it is a most miserable estate The power of Christ did appeare to bee so much the more excellent and wonderfull in that getting an audience amongest his armed enemies and their furious hatred and in suche a fearefull gouernment he did defend the truth as they say with open mouth 14 And when halfe the holy day was past Iesus went vppe into the Temple and taught 15 And the Iewes wondered saying how knoweth this man learning seeing hee neuer learned 16 Iesus answeared them and saide My doctrine is not mine but his that sente mee 17 If any man will doe his will he shall knowe of the doctrine whether it be of god or I speake of my selfe 18 Hee that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory and hee that seeketh the glorye of him that sent him this man speaketh the truth and there is no vnrighteousnesse in him 19 Did not Moses giue you the lawe and none of you doth the lawe why doe ye seeke to kill mee 14 He went vp into the Temple Now wee see that Christ did not so feare that he fayled in his duetie For this was the cause of his tarying that hee might make his Sermon in the most famous assemblie Therefore we may sometimes giue place to daunger but no opportunitie of well doing must be omitted or neglected In that hee teacheth in the Temple he doth this according to the auncient order and custome For when as God commaunded so many ceremonies hee woulde not haue his people to be occupied in colde vain sightes only And that the coÌ„moditie myght appeare it was requisite that doctrine should bee ioyned with them By this meanes outward rytes are liuely images of spirituall thinges when as they haue their forme out of the worde of God And â—ow because the Priestes were almost dumbe and the Scribes did corrupt the pure doctrine with their leauen and false glosses Christ tooke â—ppon him the office of teaching and that for good causes seeing that he was the chiefe priest as he doth shortly after affirme that hee doth take in hand nothing but at his fathers commandement 15 And the Iewes marueiled They are deceiued who thinke y t Christ his talke was so picked that it was greatly liked of For the Iewes doe so wonder that they take an occasion to
end it might euidently appeare that they were vnworthy of all pardon and mercie And we must note that he speaketh not of his bare comming but of that which was ioyned with doctrin For they had not been giltie of so great a fault because of the presence of his body only but the contempt of the doctrine by him deliuered was that which made them vnexcusable 23 Hee that hateth mee An excellent place whereby we are taught that no man hateth the doctrine of the gospel but he bewrayeth his vngodlinesse agaynst God Many men pretend another thing in words for when as they loath the Gospell yet will they seeme to bee excellent worshippers of God but they are but trifles for the contempt of God lurketh within So that it commeth to passe that Christ discouereth the hypocrisie of many by y e light of his doctrine Cōcerning which thing we haue spoken more chap. 3. 20. vpon that place hee that doeth euill hateth the light And againe cha 5. 23. he that honoureth not the soone honoureth not the father 24 If I had not done the workes Hee comprehendeth in my iudgement vnder this worde workes all those tokens of his diuine glory whiche hee shewed For the proued plainely both by myracles and by the power of the holy Ghost and by other testimonies that he was the sonne of God so that the Maiestie of the only begotten sonne did plainely appeare in him as we had in the first chapter Concerning the myracles whiche he wrought it is commonly obiected that he neither wrought more nor greater then Moses and the Prophetes The answere is knowen that Christ excelleth in myracles in this respect because he was not the minister only but properly the authour For hee vsed his owne name his owne commaundement his owne power to worke myracles But as I haue saide he comprehendeth generally all the testimonies of the heauenlye and spirituall power whereby his Diuinitie was reuealed They haue seene and heard Hee concludeth that his enemies cannot escape by running away for as much as they despised the power whiche was altogether diuine as might manifestly appeare For God shewed foorth his power plainely in the sonne wherefore it was in vaine for them to say that they had only to deale with a mortall man This place teacheth vs to be attentiue and readie to weigh the woorkes of God wherein whilest that hee sheweth his power hee will haue due honour giuen and ascribed vnto himselfe VVhereupon it followeth that they are vnthankfull towardes God and malicious whosoeuer do darken his giftes or passe ouer the same contemptuously 25 But that it may bee fulfilled That which is contrary to nature seemeeth to be vncredible but there is nothing more contrary to reason then to hate God therefore Christe saith that their minds are infected with so great wickednesse that they hated him for nothing and without a cause VVhereby he amplifieth their wickednesse Christe citeth a place out of the Psal. 35. 19. which he saith is nowe fulfilled not because the same thing dyd not befall Dauid before but that hee may touch the obstinate wickednesse of his nation which discending by lineall discent from the great graundfathers vnto the fourth generation did reigne without ende as if hee should say that they were no better then their fathers which hated Dauid without a cause By lawe hee meaneth the Psalmes because all the doctrine of the Prophetes was nothing els but an appurtenance of the lawe we know that Moses his ministerie did endure vntill the time of Christ. Furthermore he calleth it their law not for honours sake but that they may be sorer pricked with the familiar title as if he should say they haue the lawe giuen them by heritable right wherein they see their manners liuely painted out 26 And when After that Christ hath told his disciples that the gospel ought to be neuer a whit the lesse esteemed because it hath many aduersaries euen in the very Church he setteth the testimonie of the spirite now against their vngodly furie wherwith their consiences being vnderpropt they can neuer fall as if he should say the worlde shall rage against you your doctrine shall be mocked of some othersome shall also accurse it but there shal be no such violent motions that they shall bee able to ondermine the firmenesse of your faith after that the holy ghost 〈◊〉 bee giuen you that hee may establishe you by his testimonie And truly this is our only ayde whenas the world is all on an vprore that the truth of God being sealed vp in our harts by the spirite doth despice whatsoeuer it in the world For if it were subiect to mens iudgements It should fall out that our faith shoulde bee ouerwhelmed an hundred times dayly Therefore we must note where we must stand amongest so many turmoyles to wit because wee haue not receiued the spirite of this worlde but the spirite which is of God that we may know those thinges which are giuen vs of GOD. Hee is the only witnesse he doth mightily beate downe scatter abroade ouerthrowe what thing soeuer this world hath set vpon high to darken or suppresie gods truth VVhosoeuer shall be endowed with this spirit they are so far frō being discouraged through the hatred contempt of the worlde that euery one of them shall ouercome the whole worlde in the meane season wee must beware that we depend not vpon the respect of men For so long as our faith shall wander in such sort yea so soone as it shall goe out of the sanctuarie of God it must needes waner miserably Therfore it must bee called backe vnto the inwarde and secrete testimonie of the spirite which the faithfull knowe is giuen them from heauen The spirite is said to testifie of Christ because it retaineth and stayeth our saith in him alone that we may seeke no part of saluation els where he calleth him the comforter Againe to the end we may not feare so long as we trust to his ayde For Christ meant to fortifie our faith by this title least it should faint in any temptations That must also be applied vnto this present circumstance in that he calleth him the spirit of truth For we must vnderstande the opposition that men are carried about diuersly without this witnesse neither doe they rest soundly any where and that when and wheresoeuer he speaketh he deliuereth mens minds from all doubting and from feare of deceit In that he saith that hee will send him from the father and againe that hee proceedeth from the father it serueth to augment the weight of his authoritie For the testimonie of the spirite should not be sufficient against suche strong inuasions against so many such forcible engines vnlesse we were persuaded that he came from God Therfore it is Christ that sendeth the spirite but out of his heauenly glory to the end we may know that it is not mans gift but a sure pledge of Gods grace VVhereby appeareth
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
common coÌ„fession of al the godly which we see Christ alloweth Doutles he wold not haue suffred the honor to be giueÌ„ rashly and falsly vnto himself being taken froÌ„ his father yet he doth flatly allow that which Th. said wherfore this one place is sufficieÌ„t to refute the madnes of Arrius sufficiently For it is altogither vnlawfull to imagine two Gods Moreouer the vnitie of person in Christ is expressed in this place wheÌ„ as the same Christ is called god and lord He calleth him his twise with great force that he may declare that he speaketh according to a liuely earnest feeling of faith 29. Thomas because Christ repreheÌ„deth nothing in Tho. saue only that he was so slow to beleue so that he had need to be drawn vnto the faith violeÌ„tly by the experiences of his senses which is quite contrary to the nature of faith If any man obiect that there is nothing more vnconuenieÌ„t then that faith shuld be called a perswasion conceiued by touching seeing we may easily answer out of y t which I haue already said For Th. was not simply brought by touching or seeing to beleue that christ was his god but being awaked he remeÌ„bred the doctrine which he had almost forgotteÌ„ before For doutles faith cannot flow froÌ„ the bare experiments of things but she must haue her beginning froÌ„ the word of god Therfore christ chideth Tho. for this cause because he did not giue such honour vnto his worde as he ought that he tied faith which coÌ„meth by hearing and ought earnestly to be set vpon the worde vnto the other senses Blessed are those that haue not seene and haue beleeued Christ commendeth faith in this place for this cause because resting vpon the woord alone it doeth not depend vpon the sense reason of the flesh Therfore he doth briefly define the force nature of saith to wit that it staieth not in the present sight but pierceth vnto the heaueÌ„s that it may beleeue those things which are hiddeÌ„ from the sense perceiuing of maÌ„ And truly we must giue god this honor that his truth be vnto vs of sufficient credit of it self Faith hath in deed her sight yet such as doth not abide below in y e world in earthly obiects in which respecte it is called the euidence of inuisible things or of things which appeare not Heb. 11. 1. And Paule 2. Cor. 15. 7. setting it against sight doeth signify that it sticketh not in considering the estate of things present neither doth it looke hither and thither vnto those things which appear in the world but it dependeth vpon the mouth of god and that trusting to the word of God it ouercoÌ„meth the whole world that she may fasten her anker in heauen The summe is that there is no true faith but that which beinge grounded in the woord of God doeth rise vnto the inuisible kingdom of God that it may surpasse all humane apprehension If any man obiect that this saying of Christ disagreeth with that other Math. 13. 16. where he pronounceth that the eyes are blessed whiche see him present I answeare that Christ doeth not speake in that place of the corporall beholding and sight only as in that place but of the reuelation which is coÌ„mon to all the godly sitheÌ„s that he appeared vnto the world to be the redemer therof He coÌ„pareth the apostles with the holy kings and prophets who were holden vnder the dark shadowes of the law of Moses But now he sayth that the condition of the faithful is better because there shineth vnto them a more perfect light yea because the substance truth of the figures is giuen theÌ„ Many wicked men saw christ then with the eies of the flesh who were neuer a whit the happier therefore but we who neuer saw Christ with our eyes do enioy that blessednesse which Christ commendeth VVhereupon it followeth that the eyes are called blessed who consider spiritually that heauenly and diuine thing which is in him For we do at this day behold Christ in the Gospel as if he were present before vs. In which sense Paul sayth vnto the Galathians 3. 1. that he is crucified before our eies VVherfore if we couette to see that in Christe which may make vs happye and blessed let vs learne to beleeue when we see not That which is wrytten 1. Pet. 1. 8. agreeth with these woordes of Christe where the faithfull are commended which loue Christe whome they haue not seene and reioyce with an vnspeakeable ioy although they beholde him not And whereas the Papists doe wrest these woordes to approoue their transubstantiation it is more then friuolous They bidde vs beleeue that Christe is in the shape and likenesse of breade that we may be blessed But we know that Christe did intende nothinge lesse then to make faith subiecte to the inuentions of menne which if it goe but a little beyond the boundes of the woorde it is no more faith Iâ— wee must beleeue all things which wee see not then shall our faith be tied to all monsters which it pleaseth menne to inuent to all fables which they lust to blunder out Therfore to the end this saying of christ may take place that must first be proued out of the woord of God which is called in question They alleage the woord in deede for their transubstantion yet if it be wel expounded it maketh nothing for their doting and folly 30. Many other myracles wroght Iesus before his disciples which are not writteÌ„ in this boke 31. But these thinges are wrytten that yee may beleeue that Iesus is Christe the Sonne of God and that beleeuing yee may haue life in his name 30. Many other Vnlesse this preuention had been added the readers might haue thought that Iohn had omitted none of the myracles which Iesus did that he hath the perfect ful hystory of al things here Therfore Iohn doth testify first that he did only wryte certain things of many not because the other were vnworthy to be recited but because these were sufficient to edify faith And yet it doth not follow thereupon that they were wrought in vaine because they were profitable for that age Secondly although we doe not knowe at this day what they were yet we must not set light by them because we vnderstand that the Gospell was sealed with great aboundance of myracles 31. And these thingâ— By these wordes he signifieth vnto vs that he wrote so much as ought to satisfie vs because it is abundantly sufficient to confirm our faith For he meant to preuent the vaine curiosity of men which cannot be satisfied beareth too much with it self Furthermore Iohn knew wel what the other Euangelists had wrytten And seeing that he inteÌ„ded nothing lesse then to abolish their wrytings without doubt he doth not separate their narration from his Yet it seemeth to be an absurd thing that faith is fouÌ„ded and grounded in myracles which ought wholely to â—eane vnto the
bodie in the worlde must needes wander and vanish away so that he cannot goe forward vnto God A man doth then prepare himselfe vnto the obedience of the heauenly doctrine when he thinketh that he ought to seek this especially during his whole life that he approue him selfe vnto God But that peruers confidence wherby hypocrites do extoll thēselues before god seemeth to be a greater let then is worldly ambition and we knowe that the Scribes were sore sicke also of that disease VVe may easily answere for Christe his mening was to pluck from their faces the false visour of holines wherwith they deceiued the ignorant people Therefore he doth as it were with his finger poynt out the grosser vice whereby all men might perceiue that they were nothing lesse then that which they woulde bee accounted to be Againe although hypocrisie do boast it self against God yet is it alwayes ambitious in the worlde and before men Yea this is the only vanitie which puffeth vs vp euen wicked confidence whylest that wee stande rather to our owne and the iudgement of other men then of God For he that doth truly set God before him as a iudge hee must needes fall downe flat being discouraged and throwen downe Therfore he that will seeke glory of God alone must needes being confounded with the shame of himselfe flie vnto his free mercie And truly those that haue respect vnto God doe see themselues to be condemned and lost and that there remaineth nothing whereof they may boast besides the grace of Christ such desire of glory shall alwayes be ioyned with humilitie And as touching this present place Christe giueth vs to vnderstand that men are no otherwise prepared to receiue the doctrine of the Gospel saue only when as they turne all their senses hauing drawen them from the world vnto God alone and doe earnestly consider that they haue to deale with him that forgetting the delights wherewith they are wont to deceiue themselues they may discend into their owne consciences VVherefore it is no maruell if the Gospel doe finde at this day but a few that are easie to be taught seeing ambition carryeth all men hyther and thyther It is no maruell also if many doe fall away from the profession of the gospel for being carryed away with their owne vanitie they doe flie away VVherefore wee ought the more earnestly to seeke this one thing that being contemptible and as it were castawayes in the sight of the worlde and beeyng cast downe in our selues wee may be reckoned amongest the children of God 45 Thinke not VVe must take this order with the obstinate and stubborne when we see that they profite nothing by doctrine and friendlye admonitions to that we cite them to appeare before Gods iudgement seate There are but a few that mocke God openly but very manie doe carelesly mocke him with vaine flatterings whom they are set against as enemies feignyng that he is mercifull vnto them So at this day our Gyants who doe wickedly treade vnderfoote all the whole doctrine of Christ doe yet notwithstanding waxe as proude as if they were Gods deare friendes For who can persuade the Papists that Christianitie is any where els saue only amongest them Such were the Scribes with whom Christ disputeth in this place VVhereas they were great contemners of the lawe yet did they boast much of Moses so that they were not afraide to set him against Christ as a buckler If he had threatned that he himselfe would be vnto them an heauie and vntoilerable aduersarie he knew that all this would haue been contemned therefore he denounceth that there is an accusation prepared for them by Moses They are deceiued who thinke that there is a difference set downe in this place betweene the office of Christ and of Moses because it is the office of the law to accuse the infidels For Christ doth not respect that but only that he might take from the hypocrites all confidence who did falsly boast of the reuerence of Moses Like as if at this day any man should obiect vnto the Papistes that the holy teachers of the Church haue no more deadly enemies then they whose title they do wickedly corrupt Furthermore let vs learne hereby that we must not boast of the scriptures in vaine because vnlesse we worship the sonne of God with y e true obedience of faith they shall rise to accuse vs at the last day whome God raysed vp to be witnesses there VVhenas he saith that they hope in Moses he doth not accuse thē of superstition as if they did ascribe the cause of their saluation vnto Moses but his meaning is that they did wickedly leane vnto Moses his aid as if they could haue him to be a patrone of their wicked stubbornnesse 46 For if ye did beleeue He sheweth why Moses shal be their accuser to wit because they refuse his doctrine And we know that there can no greater iniurie be done to the seruants of God then when as their doctrine is despised or slandered Secondly those whom the Lord hath made ministers of his word they must also be defenders of it Therfore he gaue vnto all his prophets a double person that they should teach y e godly vnto saluation that they should at length thrust thrugh the reprobate with their testimonie VVheras Christ saith that Moses writ of him it needeth no long proofe amongst those who know that Christe is the end of the law and the soule therof But if any man being not contented therwith doth desire to see the places I counsel him first that he reade diligently the Epistle to the Hebrewes wherwith also Stephen his sermon agreeth in the 7◠chap. of the Acts. Secondly that he marke when Paule applieth testimonies vnto his purpose I cōfesse in deed that ther are few places wherin Moses doth openly preach Christ but to what end serued the Tabernacle sacrifices all ceremonies saue only that they might be figures formed according to that first example which was shewed him in the mount Therefore without Christ all Moses his ministerie is in vain Againe we see how he doth continually call backe the people vnto the couenant of the fathers which was established in Christ in somuch y t he maketh Christ y e principall point ground worke of the couenant Neither was this vnknowen to the holy fathers who had alwaies respect vnto the mediator A longer treatise would not agree with the breuitie which I desire 47 For if you beleeue not his words Christ seemeth in this place to make himselfe to be of lesse credite then Moses but we knowe that heauen and earth was shaken with the voyce of the gospel But Christ frameth his speech vnto those vnto whom he speaketh For without all doubt the authoritie of the lawe was holy amongest the Iewes so that it coulde not bee but that Christ was inferiour vnto Moses Hereunto appertaineth the opposition of writinges and wordes For he doth therby exaggerate their
infidelitie that the truth of God being as it were written in tables is yet of no credite amongest them Chap. 6 1 AFterwarde went Iesus ouer the Sea of Galilee which is called Tyberias 2 And there followed him a great multitude because they sawe his myracles which hee did vpon those that were diseased 3 And Iesus went vp into the mountaine and sate their with his disciples 4 And Easter a feast day of the Iewes was neere 5 Therefore when Iesus had lift vp his eyes and sawe that a great multitude came vnto him hee saieth vnto Phillip VVhence shall wee buse bread that these may eate 6 Furthermore hee saide this trying him for hee himselfe knewe what hee would doe 7 Phillip answered him two hundred pennie woorth of bread are not sufficient for them that euerie one of them may take a little 8 One of his disciples said vnto him Andrew Simon Peters brother 9 Heere is a lad that hath fiue barly loues aâ—d two little fishes but what are these amongest so many 10 And Iesus said Make the men sit downe And there was much grasse in that place Therefore the men sate down in number about fiue thousand 11 And Iesus tooke the loaues and hauing giuen thankes hee gaue to the disciples and the disciples to them that were set down and in like sort of the fishes so much as they would 12 And after they were satisfied he said vnto his disciples Gather the fragments which remaine that nothing bee lost 13 Therefore they gathered them togeather and they filled twelue baskets with the fragments which remained of the fiue barly loaues to those that had eaten 1 Afterward went Iesus VVheras Iohn is wont to gather the wordes and deedes of Christe which the other three had passed ouer in this place he repeateth an historie of a myracle which they had set downe contrary to his custome but he doth this for a certaine purpose that he may thence passe ouer vnto Christe his sermon which hee made the day following in Capernaum because they were matters which were ioyned together VVherefore although the other haue this narration aswel as he yet hath it this peculiar thing that it tendeth to another end as we shall see Some say that this was done anone after the death of Iohn Baptist by which circumstance of time they note the cause of the departure of Christe For so soone as tyrants haue their handes once imbrewed with blood they waxe more cruell euen as the distemperature of drinking doth make drunkeÌ„ men more thristie Therfore Christ his meaning was to pacifie the furie of Herod with his absence Hee taketh the sea of Galilee for the lake Genesara VVhen he saith that it was called Tyberias he doth better expresse the place whyther Christe went Neither was all the lake thus called but only a part thereof which was neere to the banke whereon Tyberias stood 2 There followed him a great multitude because Hereupon followed such desire to follow Christe that so soone as they had seene his power in myracles they were persuaded that he was some great Prophet and sent of God And here the Euangelist passeth ouer that whiche the other three recite that a part of the day was spent in teaching and healing the sicke and that when it was now almost Sunne set he was requested by his disciples that he would send the people away For it was sufficient for him to gather the summe briefly that vpon this occasion he might leade and bring vs vnto the rest of the text which shall follow afterwarde And here we see first of al how desirous the people was to heare Christ that hauing all of them forgotten themselues they doe quietly waite for the night in a desert place VVherfore our dulnes or rather sluggishnes is so much the more vnexcuseable seeing that we are so far froÌ„ preferring the heauenly doctrine of Christ before the care of hunger that euery little let doth call vs away from meditating vpon eternall life Yea it falleth out very seldome that Christe findeth vs free from the hinderaunces of the world VVe are all of vs so far from following him into a desart mountaine that there is scarse one amongst ten y t can afoord to receiue him at home amidst all commodities And although this bee a common disease throughout all the world yet is it certaine that no man is apt for the kingdome of God but he that can learne to desire the foode of the soule more earnestly hauing shaken off suche daintines then that his belly shal be any let vnto him And because the flesh doth alwayes pricke vs forward to seeke the commodities thereof wee must also note this againe that Christ doth willingly take care for those who neglect themselues Neither doth he wait and stay vntill such time as being hungrie they crie that they perish through pouertie and that they haue no meat but he prepareth meate for them before he is requested Some man will say that this is no continual thing because we do oftentimes see that the godly whilest that they are vtterly addicted vnto the kindome of God do yet hunger and almost pine away through hunger I answer that although Christ will proue our faith pacience by this meanes yet doth he behold from heauen our pouertie and is carefull to help the same so far foorth as is expedient for vs and in that he helpeth not the same by by I answere that he doth that for good cause though the same bee hidden from vs. 3 He went vp into a mountaine VVithout doubt Christ sought som secrete and by place vntill the feast day of Easter therfore is it said that he sate downe in the mountaine with the disciples Hee tooke such counsell according to man but in the meane season the counsel of God was otherwise which he did willingly obey Although therfore he did eschew the sight of men yet doth he suffer himselfe to be brought foorth as it were into a most famous theater by the hand of God For there was greater resort in the desart mountaine then in some populous citie his fame also became greater by reason of the myracle then if hee had stand in the midst of the market of Tyberias wherfore we are taught by this exaÌ„ple so to take counsel concerning things present that if so be it they fall out otherwise then we thought we be not sory that God is aboue vs who can order all things by his will 5 He saith vnto Phillip The rest say that that which wee doe in this place reade to haue been spoken to Phillip alone was spoken to them all but in that there is no absurditie For it is likely that Phillip spake as all of them thought therfore Christ answereth him peculiarly Like as immediately after he bringeth in Andrewe speaking whereas the other doe assigne the speech vnto them all together He tryeth the disciples in the person of Phillip whether they did looke for such a