once about the the beginning of his Embassage and againe when he was redie to go out of the world to his father M. So soone therfore as he was entred into the Citye hée vewed the Temple Let this be the chéefe care of all men not onely of Bishops but also of al Magistrates that the kingdom and worship of God be sought for A. Concerning the prophanacion of the Temple and the couetousnesse of the Priestes reade the one and twentye of Mathewe 15. And when hee had made as it were a scourge of small cords he droue them all out of the Temple with the Shepe and Oxen and powred out the changers money and ouerthrew the tables Christ by and by goeth about to purge the Temple plainely affirming that the Temple of the Lorde is not a place of Marchandize Notwithstanding it may bée demaunded why hée began not first with doctrine for this séemeth to bée a troublesome and preposterous waye to correcte vice with violence before the same were assayed to bée remedyed by Doctrine But Christ had respecte to another matter For because the time was nowe at hande in the which hée shoulde openly discharge the office inioyned to him of the father he woulde after a sorte take possession of the Temple and plainelye declare his Diuine aucthoritye And to the ende all men might bée attentiue vnto his Doctrine it was méete that theyr sluggishe mindes shoulde bée wakened with a newe and vnwonted déede The Temple was now a place of heauenlye Doctrine When he went about to restore the puritye of Doctrine it was méete that he shoulde shewe him selfe to bée Lorde of the Temple Moreouer he coulde not bring any otherwise the Sacrifices and exercises of Godlynesse to theyr spirituall ende than in taking awaye the abuse Therefore this thing which hée did was a certaine beginning of that reformacion for the which hée was sent of the Father M. They which teache that externall euilles are not to bee taken awaye which are in the Churche except they bée first taken out of the hearts of men may by this place learne to alter their opinion For by this reason Christe shoulde firste haue taken Couetousnesse out of the heartes of the Iewes and afterwardes haue reformed the Temple But we sée the contrarye to bée done here of Christe He cast the Byars and Sellers out of the Temple although they kept couetousnes in theyr brestes 16. And hee sayde vnto them that soulde Dooues Haue these thinges hence and make not my fathers house a house of marchandise M. He doth not simplye dislike that Shéepe Oxen and Dooues are soulde to them which came farre of to offer Sacrifice séeing the same was appointed in the Lawe but because they were soulde in the Temple and because the Temple was made a house of marchandise which was a filthye token of speciall couetousnesse These thinges might haue béene soulde in certayne places without the Temple So at another time he suffered not a vessell to bée caryed through the Temple Wherfore if he so pourged this Temple which in a short time should perishe that it might not bée a house of marchandise what shall we thinke that he will do vnto those Temples at this daye in the which not onelye all thinges are soulde for filthye gaine but also such thinges as are most pernicious and altogeather fained are set forth to sale The Sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ is soulde 2. Peter 2. whiche they saye the Priest maketh being a mere fayned lye The deliueraunce of Soules out of Purgatorye is soulde when as theyr Purgatorye after death is nothing else but a Money matter of Priestes Remission of Sinnes is soulde whiche cannot bée bought The merites of Saintes with many thinges more offered to sale which money in déede in no wise may purchase He that considereth of these thinges what will he iudge of these Churches but onelye that they bée places of fayned marchaundise C. But the Temple was called the house of Prayer because God would there bée speciallye called vppon and because hée had ordayned the same for spirituall exercises R. The Temple of Ierusalem also was called the Temple of the Lorde and the house of God because it was consecrated for a shadowe of Christ in which Christ the Father heareth those that praye and whose onelye Sacrifice is acceptable to the Father Wherevpon our sauiour Christ sayeth VVhatsoeuer ye aske the Father in my name Iohn â—6 he will geue it you Beholde he sayeth In my name not in a Temple of stone For the howre will come when the Father wil be worshipped neyther in Ierusalem nor in the Mountaine but in spirite and trueth C. The other Euangelistes say that hée spake more seuerelye at the seconde time that he caste them out of the Temple namelye that they made of the Temple a denne of Théeues Math. 21. But hée admonisheth them not to prophane the Temple of God in turning it to other vse then God had apointed the same And in making mention of the Father he declareth him selfe to bée the sonne of God that he might challenge to him selfe the right and aucthoritye to pourge the Temple 17. And his Disciples remembred that it was written The zeale of thine house hath euen eaten me And his Disciples remembred B. Namelye after Christ was risen againe when they vnderstode the Scriptures by receyuing the holye Ghost as the Euangelist him selfe expoundeth in that which followeth C. For we must not thinke that they remembred this place of Scripture when Christ did this déede but afterwardes when they being taught from aboue considered with them selues what this déede of Christe should meane and so by the direction of the spirite this place of Scripture commeth into theyr minde And truelye the cause of Gods workes doeth not alwayes come into our mindes out of hand But afterwardes in continuaunce of time he reuealeth his purpose vnto vs. And this is a very fitte bridle to restraine our bouldnesse least we shoulde at any time murmure against God if wée at any time should dislike of those thinges which he doeth For therefore GOD doeth deferre the perfect reuelation of his worckes to staye and keepe vs in the boundes of modestye And the place whiche is here cited is taken out of the Psalme 69. Psal 69. And in the name of Temple Dauid by a figure called Sinecdochen comprehendeth the whole worshippe of GOD. For these are the words of the Prophete For the zeale of thy house hath eaten me Verse 9. and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen vppon mee Where the seconde member aunswereth to the first and is nothing else but a repeticion The effecte of bothe partes is this that Dauid was so carefull to maintaine the glorye of God that he willinglye bare al manner of reproches with the which the reprobate reproched God yea hée burned with such a zeale that this one affection ouercame all other And in this sence truely hée
meanes to speake so sensiblye to our vnderstanding that wée might not fayle of his meaning in any poynte And it is a most auncient and approued kinde of teaching to instruct by a Dialogue whiche also the most auncient Philosophers haue vsed B. Therefore whereas our Sauiour Christ so louinglye and familiarlye applyeth this Doctrine to the Imbecilitye of Nicodemus and despised not the same Suche as are weake must bee borne with all we are taught howe to handle such as are weake and to reiect no man which séeketh after the trueth but with all gentlenesse and long suffering to teache and instruct such M. Nicodemus was to be blamed in this that he came not to our sauiour in the daye time but in the night For the which the Lorde might iustlye haue reprooued him But the most méeke and pacient Creatour of all fleshe obiected no suche thing vnto him He sayeth vnto him If so bée thou knowe that I am come a teacher from God and doest planelye perceyue the power of God by the signes which I do why then dost thou come vnto me secréetelye and not openlye in the daye time But hée thought it better a greate deale to open to this good man the verye well spring of euyll Hée perceyued that hée was as yet ignoraunt of the trueth and that he feared man more than God therefore he disputeth with him concerning the verye roote and originall of all wickednesse And whereas our Sauiour Christ twise repeateth this woorde Verylye hée doeth it to make him the more attentiue For hée intending to speake of a matter most waightye and graue of all others coulde not but make Nicodemus more attentiue who otherwise would haue verye slightlye or litle or nothing regarded this whole communication M. But howe doe these wordes of our sauiour Christ aunswere those thinges whereof Nicodemus spake Hee came to our sauiour with good intent and meaning but yet as a Doctour of the Lawe who thought to haue easylye attayned to the vnderstanding of the trueth at the mouth of Christ by his owne wisdome and learning But the Lord euen at the first putteth away this perswasion affirming the Doctrine of the Kingdome of GOD to be such that no mortal man howe worldlye wyse or learned in the Lawe soeuer he bée can vnderstand the same except he bée borne a newe C. Therefore howe farre fetcht or vnapte for the purpose these woordes of our sauiour séeme to bée yet notwithstanding most fetelye hée beginneth therwith For as the séede is cast in vaine vppon the vntilled grounde euen so the Doctrine of the Gospell is Preached in vaine except the hearers bée first framed to obedience and bée made apt to bée taught Therefore if wée will profite in the schoole of Christ wée must learne to beginne here Except a man be borne againe As if he shoulde saye So long as thou hast not that which is most principall in the kingdome of God I make small account of this that thou dost acknowledge me to be a teacher For this is the first steppe into the kingdome of God that thou become a newe man M. This aunswere of our Sauiour Christ ought diligently to bée considered For it comprehendeth twoo speciall thinges necessarye to bée knowne of these which are conuersant in reading of the scriptures One is that no man can knowe what thinges pertayne to the Kingdome of God and to our saluation The second is that the newe man is required to the knowledge of Gods kingdome Bv. Our Sauiour Christ sayth here No man shall see the Kingdome of God For No man shall enter into the kingdome of God C. as shall afterward appeare by the texte But they are deceyued which take the Kingdome of God for Heauen when as rather it signifieth a spirituall life which is begunne in this worlde by faith and doth growe daylye more and more according to the increase of faith Therefore the sence and meaning of this text is that no man can be truely gathered into the Church and be reckned among the Sonnes of GOD except he bée first renewed So that it is here briefelye shewed what is the beginning of Christianisme and hereby also wee are taught that we are borne exiles and banished men from the kingdome of GOD and are at perpetuall enmitie with him vntyll hée alter and chaunge vs by the second byrthe For it is a generall sentence which comprehendeth all mankinde B. At other times our sauiour Christ spake the verye same in other woordes namelye that no man can bée his Disciple except hée denye him selfe and take vp his Crosse and followe him Luke 14. Herevppon the Apostle Paul requireth the newe man and a newe creature in Christ which so soone as it is geuen vnto vs maketh vs to beléeue in his name and to bée the Sonnes of God but it is perfited daylye by the holye Ghost which frameth vs more and more according to the Image and likenesse of GOD. Of the which ye maye reade in all those places here coated in the Margent 2 Cor. 3.4 and .5 Gala. 3.6 Ephe 2.4 Collos 3 But what néede wee cyte the places of Saint Paul when he handeleth the same in no place as the principall poynte of Christes Doctrine C. To bée short by this woorde of the newe byrth hée meaneth not the correction of some one parte but the renouation or renewing of the whole man Wherevppon it followeth that there is nothing in vs but corruption Bv. For the first Byrthe comprehendeth all the strength of mankinde as Witte Reason Vnderstanding wyll and what soeuer wée haue else by nature R. Wherefore mannes frée wyll his merites and whatsoeuer else hée can imagine to bring righteousnesse to him selfe is quite ouerthrowne by this one sentence of our sauiour Christ Wée must therefore laye aside the wisedome of the fleshe and contempne all humane strength that the seconde byrth maye take place in vs. 4. Nicodemus sayth vnto him Howe can a man be borne when hee is oulde Can hee enter into his mothers wombe and be borne againe M. Nicodemus being as yet carnall and sauouring not of the Spirite carnallye vnderstoode those spirituall thinges which were spoken by Christ He knewe not the naturall corruption of the first Natiuitye for if he had hée would haue made another manner of answere C. And although the phrase of speache here vsed by our sauiour Christ was not expressed in the Lawe and the Prophetes yet notwithstanding séeing in some places of scripture Scribs ignoraunt of regeneration mencion is made of renouation or renuing and séeing it is one of the first principles of Faith it may appeare how vainelye the Scribes at that time had trauailed For truely this was not one mans fault to be ignoraunt of the grace of regeneration but euerye one of them occupying them selues about vaine iangeling and questions of no profite neglected the most principall part of Christian Doctrine The like also we maye beholde at this day in the
wise with GOD. But wée are to nothing more vnwilling therfore wée must embrace the sentence of our Sauiour Christ here namelye that all our scences doe vanish awaye and fayle vs when wée come to the déepe consideration of GOD. But after our Sauiour hath excluded vs from the kingdome of heauen hée straightway offereth to vs a remedye when hée addeth saying that it is giuen to the Sonne of man which is denied to all other Christ ascended into heauen to leade vs thither For whereas he ascended into heauen he did not thyther ascende for his owne priuate sake alone but that hée might be vnto vs a guide and a director or preparer of the waye And for this cause hée hath called him selfe The Sonne of man B. That is to saye perfect man least we shoulde doubt to haue entraunce with him thyther who therefore tooke vpon him our fleshe that hée might make vs pertakers with him of all good thinges Séeing therfore he is the onely Counsellor of his Father Esay 9.6 he admitteth vs to the knowledge of his secret misteries which otherwise shoulde lye hidde And to this effect pertaine the wordes of the Euaungelist before where hée sayth No man hath seene GOD at any time Iohn 1.18 the onelye begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the Father Iohn 14.6 hee hath declared him And in an other place our Sauiour Christ sayth I am the way the truth and the life No man commeth to the Father but by mee R. For hée is the treasury of Gods wisdome and knowledge nay hée is the wisdome of God it selfe which reuealeth himselfe to Babes Obiection M. But howe doth Christ affirme that no man hath ascended into heauen but the sonne of man 2. King 2. seing it is written of Elias that he ascended by a whirle wind into heauen I answere Aunsvvere That Christ speaketh not here of a Corporall ascention but of that ascention by which men come to the light of the diuinitie that cannot be attained vnto and to the knowledge of the heauenlye misteries of Godes will Elias at the firste although hée were in bodye caught vp into heauen yet notwithstanding hee knewe not the secretes of the heauens onelye knowne to GOD Ephe. 3.10 and hidden from the verye Angelles But he that came downe from heauen Now our sauiour beginneth to direct his speache to make declaration of the reason of the Dispensation and Incarnation which he had taken in hand This discention or comming downe from heauen is the Incarnation of the worde by which the onelye begotten Sonne of God was made the Sonne of man Euen the same which is in heauen C. There is no cause why this saying should séeme harde and absurde vnto vs in that he affirmeth him selfe to be in heauen when as he dwelt on earth because in Christ by reason of the vnitie of the person that which is proper to the nature of one is transferred giuen to another The which is very often vsed in the Scripture as when it is sayde That GOD hath purchased himselfe a Churche by his blood Christ therfore which is in heauen tooke vpon him our fleshe Acts 20.28 that by reaching to vs his brotherlye hande hée might lifte vs vp with him into heauen 14. And as Moyses lyfted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man be lifted vp M. These wordes and those which followe containe an exposition of the dispensation which hée had taken vppon him whereby hée being the onely begotten Sonne of his father descended from heauen into this worlde to redéeme mankinde C. Therefore Christ here more plainely declareth Christ our enterance into heauen wherefore hée sayde that the kingdome of heauen was open to him alone namely that he might bring all those thither which will follow him theyr leader and guide For hée affirmeth that hée must plainely and openlye be offered to all men that hée maye powre out his vertue and power vppon all Num. 21.8 The storye whiche here is rather touched than expounded is written in the Booke of Numbers Bv. Where wée reade that Moyses prayed for the people which were afflicted with strange Serpentes for their murmuring and hardenesse of heart But the Lorde commaunded Moyses to erect and set vp a Brasen Serpent for a signe by the sight whereof those that were stong with the Serpent were healed C. To be exalted here signifieth to be set and placed in a plaine and high place that all men may sée This is done by the preaching of the Gospell For where as some vnderstande these woordes to be spoken of the exalting and lifting vp of our Sauiour Christ vpon the Crosse it agréeeth not with the text and is very farre from the purpose of Christ Therefore the simple sence and meaning of these words is That Christe shoulde be set vp and displaied like an Ensigne by the preaching of the Gospell whom all men shoulde behold with their eyes as Esayas before had Prophesied saying Esay 2.2 It shall be in the last dayes that the mountaine of the house of the Lorde shall be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flow vnto it Of this exaltation the lifting vp of the brasen Serpent by Moyses was a type or figure the sight whereof was a present remedye to all those which were mortallye stong with Serpents Wherefore Christ maketh mention of the same in this place to this ende and purpose namely to teache that the doctrine of the Gospell must be set before all men to beholde and consider the same that so many as beholde him with the eies of fayth may attaine to eternall saluation Whereby wée may gather that Christ is plainely set before our eyes in the Gospell least any man shoulde complaine or finde faulte with obscuritie and that this manifestation or reuelation of Christ is common to all men Fayth most effectually beeholdeth Christ Galath 3.1 who by fayth may sée him as effectuallye as if hée were present before their eyes euen as the Apostle sayth that hée is described before our eyes when hée is truely preached And this similitude is not impertinent or farre fetcht For as the Serpent of Brasse was but an externall shewe of a Serpent Christ the brasen serpent our saluation and contayned nothing within that was hurtfull or venemous Bv. Euen so Christ tooke vpon him the forme and similitude of sinful fleshe in all thinges hauing our true and carnall substaunce in euerye point most disagréeing and far from all sinne C. to the ende hée might heale that deadlye wounde of sinne that is in vs. Bv. For that olde Serpent did sting verye foore our father Adam in Paradise and euerye one of vs also which are borne of Adam hée hath so infected with his Pestiferous Poyson that in all the rase of our life wée are whole addicted and geuen to selfe loue and to the desire
it followeth that they refusing the reméedye doe willinglye séeke theyr owne damnation R. But Christ speaketh not here of grosse and outward sinnes as of Theft The light hated of wicked men Murther Adulterye False witnesse Force Luxury Dronkennesse and such lyke which also are condemned of the wise men of this world but of the most excellent vertues of the worlde as of Reason Wisedome and humaine righteousnesse which in this world are counted for most excellent thinges PAR. Therefore as hée which goeth about any wickednesse loueth the night fléeth from the Sunne least his déedes shoulde bée manifest euen so they whose consciences do accuse them hate the light of the Euangelicall trueth by which all thinges that are filthie are bewraied that they maie be reformed in Christ By this reason wicked Kyngs Princes and Potentates which swell with Ambition which are defiled with excesse and filthie pleasure and which are imbrued with the bloode of Innocents haue hated the Light of the Gospell because it condemneth all these thinges In like maner the Popishe Bishops Abbottes Priestes Monkes and Nunnes which repose theyr trust in Masses in Idolles in Purgatorye in wicked Vowes in Indulgences and such lyke do hate Christ and his light which teacheth that al these thinges are vnprofitable more than Vatinius was hated of the Romaines Insomuch that they persecute the Preachers of the Gospell and hang them vppe because they Preache against the Sacred Canonnes against the dignitye Episcopall against the Popes Holinesse and against Peters Keyes That is to saye because they discouer the Tyranny of Antichrist and do fréelye pronounce the dignitye and aucthoritye of Bishoppes to bée forged counterfaite and méere false C. Therefore we are muche deceyued if wée thinke that they are ledde with Godlye zeale whiche rage against the Gospell when as they rather hate and abhorre the light that they maye the more fréelye walke in darkenesse 21. But hee that doeth trueth commeth to the light that his deedes may be knowen howe that they are wrought in God M. That is to saye He which knoweth that hée doeth the trueth and seeketh the same being a hater of all falsehood and lyes hée truely neyther hateth the light nor shunneth the same but loueth it For to doe the trueth is as much to say as to deale faithfully without any manner of deceyte like good and honest men C. But this séemeth to bée spoken improperlye and absurdly except a man would confesse that some are good and true before they bée borne againe by the spirite of God the which is cleane contrary to the whole Doctrine of the scripture for we knowe that faith is the roote from whence doe come all good workes But Christ simply affirmeth that they which deale sincerelye and vprightlye doe desyre nothing more then the light The light a Touchstone to wicked men that theyr workes maye bée approued because by that triall and Touchstone it maye the better appeare that they haue walked vprightlye and purelye before God from all deceyte Therefore it is verye fondlye sayde of some that menne before Faith are wel disposed For Christ sayeth not that the Faithfull do beléeue to the ende they maye haue the prayse of good workes but he onely sheweth what the vnbeleeuing would do if so be theyr owne consciences did not accuse them of euill R. Therefore if Abbottes Monkes Priestes and Friars did the trueth they woulde also come to the light and would suffer theyr condicion to bée tried But hereby they them selues do bewray theyr owne déedes to bée euill For he which doeth the trueth that is hee whose cause is iust whose worke is of Faith which teacheth the truth which is delighted in the trueth which hateth Hipocrisie and lyes which dealeth iustlye and to be short which geueth all glorye vnto God and geueth place to the Preaching of the Gospell hée can abide the light and to haue his cause his workes Doctrine and state tried and examined Wherevpon Christ because his workes and Doctrine are of God hath left vnto all menne frée leaue to pronounce and iudge of them so that they doe it vprightly Iohn 18.20 Enquire sayeth hée of those which haue hearde mee what I sayd vnto them Beholde these knowe what I haue sayd But the Pharisées and their successours will not suffer any man to iudge of theyr Doctrine but will haue all thinges that they teache and decrée simplye and as a manifest trueth to be receyued and allowed C. Therefore our Sauiour Christ vsed this woorde Trueth Because we being deceyued by the outwarde shewe of workes doe not waye and consider what is contayned within And hée calleth those workes wrought in God which are approued of him and are good according to his rule Hereby let vs learne not to iudge of workes except they bée brought to the light of the Gospell because our reason is vtterly blind and corrupt Bv. And séeing Christ of his goodnesse hath called vs to the light of the Gospell let vs vnderstand that it is our partes to doe the trueth with a willing minde the Apostle exhorting vs vnto the same Ephe 5.8 Ye were sometime darkenesse but nowe are you light in the Lorde walke as children of the light for the fruite of the spirite is in all godnesse and righteousnesse and trueth approuing what is acceptable vnto the Lorde And haue no felowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather rebuke them And the Apostle Iohn This is the tidinges which we haue hard of him and declare vnto you that God is light and in him is no darkenesse at all If wee saye that we haue felloweship with him and walke in darkenesse wee lye and doe not the trueth But if wee walke in light euen as hee is light then haue wee fellowship with him 22. After these thinges came Iesus and his Disciples into the Lande of Iurye and there he taryed with them and Baptized M Nowe that the Euangelist hath described the Diologue betwéene Christ and Nicodemus hée consequentlye maketh a waye to bring in the testimony of Iohn the Baptist which most excellentlye hée gaue vnto Christ before hée was shutte vp into Prison For the Euangelist speciallye trauaileth to credite and confirme the Diuinitye and aucthoritye of Christ with most firme testimonies geuen from Heauen Bv. Therefore when the Lorde had obserued the Feaste of Passeouer at Hierusalem and had discharged his office according to the oportunytye of the time Preaching the Gospel of the kingdome C. hée came into that part of Galilee whiche was néere to the Towne of Aenon whiche is situate in the Tribe of Manasse B. that there also hée might exhibite and declare him selfe to bée a sauiour For abiding there and Ministring Baptisme by his Disciples hée brought many Citizens to the Kingdome of God The Lorde Iesus abode not long at Hierusalem for his houre was not yet come that hée shoulde bée gloryfied but towarde his ende hée executed his office moore diligentlye
but rather let vs séeke to reduce them after the ensample of Christ to the ryght pathe of trueth 16. Iesus sayth vnto her Goe call thy Husbande and come hyther B. Christ séeking to beate downe the malepartnesse of this woman commanded her to goe and call her Husbande thereby takyng occasion to put her in minde of her euyll life paste C. For when he saw that shée scoffed and Iested at all thinges which he spake he prouided a verye apte reméedye for this euyl for he striketh the Womans conscience with the féeling of her sinne And this againe is a notable example of his mercy for that almost he draweth her against her will which wyllinglye would not come Neuerthelesse we must here note that they must be wounded with the féeling of sinne which are to secure and almost past féeling For to such the Doctrine of Christ wyll séeme as a Tale vntyll they being Sited to the Tribunall and Iudgement seate of God are constrayned to feare him as theyr Iudge whome before they despised After the same manner also all those must bée handeled which in scoffing malepartnesse are not afrayde to rebell against the Doctrine of Christ to the ende they maye know that this their wickednesse shall not escape vnpunished For so great is the ostinacye of a greate many that they wyll neuer vouchsafe to heare him except they bée constrained therevnto Therefore so often as we sée the Oyle of Christ to bée vnsauerye we must mingle the same with Vineger that it maye beginne to sauour Yea this is necessarye for euerye one of vs for we are not seriouslye affected when Christ speaketh except we bée awaked by repentaunce M. For except we be affected with the féeling of our sinnes the largenesse of Gods grace shal be commended to vs in vaine For this cause the Preaching of repentaunce was appointed to go before the Gospel of grace Mark 1.4 15. And it pricketh more if we be but once admonished of our sinnes by others speciallye of our secréete sinnes than if the same were done ten times in the secréesie of our conscience This woman also knew that the Husband which shée had was not her Husbande notwithstanding she could not in the meane time bée brought to repentaunce by the Prycke of her owne Conscience but was driuen therevnto by another mans admonition The like also happened to Dauid 2. King 13. For he was not ignoraunt of his sinnes but yet neuerthelesse he was not drawen vnto repentaunce vntill hée was reproued by the Prophete Nathan And for this cause at the least it shal be profitable to come to Sermons that hauing gotten at the length a féeling of our sinnes we maye repent This therefore the more principall parte is necessarye for vs all that we maye bée made pertakers of Heauenlye grace The other is that we maye acknowledge Christ to bée that well of grace This commeth to passe by the Preaching of the Gospell which leadeth vs to the knowledge of Christ Without this repentaunce is Preached in vaine Bv. And certainelye so often as the righteous Lorde reproueth and reprehendeth our sinnes he doth it to no other purpose than that we shoulde acknowledge our disease and ronne to the Phisition and bée healed We must also here note the modestye and gentlenesse of Christ He might haue sayde What pratest thou of Heauenlye thinges and derydest the woordes of life seeing thou art a vile Strumpet Or else he might haue sayde Goe and call that Adulterer with whome thou hast vnlawful company But because his purpose was to deliuer her out of misery hée thought good not to prouooke her but to bring her faire and softlye to the knowledge and féeling of her owne vncleannesse This example of our Sauiour Christ must bée followed where there is hope of repentaunce where the same is not but by obstinate impenitencye the Doctrine of trueth is resisted there greater seueritye must be vsed Mat. 23.13 Luke 11.42 Luke 20.23 Ioh. 8.44 Euen as we may reade that our sauiour Christ did in diuers places against the Scribes and Pharisees impudent and obstinate enemies of the grace of God 17. The Woman aunswered and sayd vnto him J haue no Husbande M. As yet shée speaketh careleslye and although after a sorte simplye shée confesseth that which is true not suspecting what would followe yet notwithstanding she aunswereth not without carnall wisedome I haue sayeth she no Husbande Bv. desiring to couer her filthinesse and denying Matrimonye dissembled in the meane time Adultery C. Therefore the fruite of that admonition by whiche Christ intended to pricke and prouoke the Womans mind to repentaunce appeared not as yet And truelye the Dronken loue of our selues doeth so dasell our sences that the first prickes and prouocations doth nothing at all moue vs. But Christ verye aptlye prouideth for this dulnesse more forceablye pressing the sore 18. Iesus sayde vnto her Thou hast well sayd J haue no Husbande For thou haste had fiue Husbandes and he whome thou now hast is not thy Husband In that saydest thou truelye C. Christ nowe plainelye layeth her faulte before her M. and conuinceth her secréete sinne that shée might be touched with the féeling thereof and knowing her selfe might desyre the Heauenlye grace and gift of God which was offered Then also he doeth greatly Insinuate him selfe and créepe into her Conscience and bringeth her to this passe that shée beginneth to haue a better Iudgement of him Bv. For by these thinges he declared his Diuinity Iohn 1. séeking by all meanes to profite the Woman euen as he dealte also with Nathanael M. And hée taketh occasion of this matter by the womans aunswere and that verye friendlye and calmelye as it were cōmending her because in making this aunswere shée had tolde no lye but so that with that her commendacion he reuealeth that which shée for shame had kéepte secréete C. But it séemeth here that not one faulte of whoredome onelye is noted For in that shée is sayd to haue had fiue Husbandes it is credible that shee made so often chaunge of Husbandes because shée being a Malepart and disobedient wife constrayned them to bée diuorced from her As if Christ should haue sayde When God had ioyned thée to lawfull Husbandes thou neuer madest an ende of sinning vntyl by many infamous Diuorces thou haddest brought thy selfe to plaine whoredome For he to whome thou kéepest thy selfe is not thy lawfull Husbande but a secréete Whoremonger and yet notwithstanding thou in thine owne iudgement thinkest thy selfe an honest woman thou iustifiest thy selfe saying I haue done no euyll 19. The Woman sayeth vnto him Syr I perceyue that thou art a Prophete C. Here nowe appeareth the fruite of reprehension For the Woman doeth not onelye modestlye acknowledge her faulte but also sheweth her selfe prompt readye to heare the Doctrine of Christ which before shée reiected Repentaunce the beginning of true Docillitye Therefore as we sayde before repentaunce is the beginning of true
docillitye and aptnesse to bée taught and the opening of the gate to enter into the Schoole of Christ R. For shée being confounded by the iudgement of the Lorde and brought to the knowledge and féeling of her sinne is made sorrowfull and carefull to séeke a reméedye for her terrified Conscience by reason of sinne M. In the which we maye beholde a difference betwéene the electe and the reprobate when they are admonished of theyr sinnes The Reprobates when they are for some cause reprehended of theyr sinne they eyther denye that they haue committed any such thing or else subtillye excuse the same For the plaine deniers of sinne Actes 5.2 1. Kin. 15.20 committed we haue these examples Annanias and Saphira for the other wée haue King Saule who subtillye excused his disobedience Othersome there are who when they be reprehended are angrye in so muche that they rayle and séeke to bée reuenged Mat. 6.17 Mat. 21 4◠Actes 7.57 so dealt the wicked Kinges of Israel with the Prophetes so dealt Herode with Iohn the Baptist and so the highe Priestes Scribes and Pharisées behaued them selues toward Christ and toward Stephen whome they Martired A. But the elect so soone as they are admonished by the seruauntes of God of theyr sinnes and are called to repentaunce by the Preaching of the woorde fréelye confesse theyr sinne and with great submission of minde 2. King 12. 12. Esay 39.8 Actes 2.37 call for the helpe of God as Dauid Ezechias and the hearers of Peters Sermon M. Euen so this Woman of Samaria so sone as shée heard that her sinne was reuealed and obiected vnto her she neyther denyeth it nor is angrye neyther yet excuseth the same but truelye acknowledgeth and confesseth the same saying Lord I perceiue that thou art a Prophete that is to saye Learned and instructed in the Lawe of the Lorde I perceyue that thou arte an Interpretour of the Scripture For howe couldest thou with suche exquisite Iudgemente pronounce of my sinnes if thou haddest not the knowledge of the Lawe or howe can it bée that thou shouldest so plainelye knowe my secreete sinnes vnlesse thou were indued with the Spirite of Prophesie Wherefore I pray thée to helpe mée sillye wretche and teache me the waye by which I maye escape and extinguishe the fire of my Conscience now burning by the acknowledging of my sinne For séeing thou hast reuealed my sinne vnto mée I thinke it méete that thou shewe vnto mée the righteousnesse by which I maye be deliuered from my sinne Thou hast brought mée into death bring me therefore againe into life Thou hast placed mée in Hell but exalt mée out of Hell into the Kingdome of Heauen C. The woman by this her example teacheth vs that when any teacher or Preacher is sent vnto vs we should vse the same occasion least we bee vnthankfull vnto God who neuer sendeth Prophetes vnto vs but he doeth as it were reache out his hande vnto vs and call vs vnto him For Saint Paul sayth that they which haue the gift of teaching are sent to vs from God Rom. 10.15 Two sorts of Prophetes M. And here let vs note that there are twoo kindes of Prophetes The first are they which eyther foresée thinges to come or else knowe déedes secreetlye done by the instinct of the holye Ghost suche were Samuel Elias Elizeus Esay and Ieremy The seconde are they which are Interpretours of Gods worde and setters foorth of Gods wyll vnto the people as call them from their sinnes and exhort them to repentaunce and to a Godly conuersation 4. King 4 1.38 And such were the Sonnes of the Prophetes of the which wée maye Reade in the Booke of the Kinges 1. Cor. 14.32 A. The woordes of the woman here maye bée referred to both sortes when shée calleth Christ a Prophete notwithstanding properlye to the first because shée perceyued that to bée open and manifest to Christ which shée knewe was secréete and vnknowne to others 20. Our Fathers worshipped in this mountaine and ye saye that in Hierusalem is the place where menne ought to worship B. For so muche as that which followeth sufficientlye proueth that this woman was a Daughter of Abraham and chosen to euerlasting life there is no doubt but that of Godly Deuocion she questioned with the Lord concerning the true worshippe of God For when shée had confessed the Lorde to bée a Prophete shée beganne by and by to reason about the worship of God M. That therefore is false which some Imagine affirming that the woman subtilly began to slide and digresse to another matter because shée coulde not abide the foresayde reprehension C. But shée rather goeth from that which was perticular to the generall and being taught concerning her sinne shée desyreth to bée generallye instructed in the pure worshippe of GOD. And in that shée séeketh to learne of the Prophete shée dealeth verye orderlye least in worshipping God shée shoulde erre For there is nothing more disordered than to faine and deuise sundrye sortes of worshippe without the word of God M. Therfore such questions as concerne Religion are not to bée propounded to euerye one but to those alone as haue not onelye a zeale but are also indued with a speciall knowledge of pietye and trueth C. Furthermore it is well inough knowne that there was a continuall contencion betwéene the Iewes and the Samaritanes about the true manner of worshipping For although the people of Cuthah and other straungers who when the tenne Tribes were in Banishment were translated into Samaria had receyued the Rightes of the Lawe being therevnto constrained by punishmentes 4. Kin. 17.27 and professed that they worshipped the true God of Israel yet notwithstanding theyr Religion was lame and diuers wayes corrupted which was not tollerable among the Iewes But this contencion was more vehement after the Temple built vppon Mount Garizin by Manasses the sonne of Iohn the high Priest and by the Brother of Iaddi at what tyme Darius the last King of the Persians helde Iudea by the hand and power of the Liefetenaunt Sanabalet M. Therefore the contencion was concerning the manner and the place of worshipping God The Iewes affirmed that God was to bée worshipped at Hierusalem and in no other place The Samaritanes had theyr peculiar and speciall Temple in Mount Garezin where they sayde God ought to bee worshipped onely That Mountaine is higher than the rest Iosep An. 11 Chap. 7. and bordereth vppon the Citye of the Sichimites Iosephus maketh mencion both of this Mountaine and of the Temple also vppon the same The Iewes had to maintayne theyr worshippe the worde of God first Deu. 14.23 Deu. 16.5 because it was not lawfull to appoint vnto God an imagined worshippe nor any place for the same but must retaine that onely which God had appointed for him selfe therby to be worshipped and serued 1. Chro. 17.12 Furthermore after God had forsaken the Tabernacle in Silo he chose mount Sion
the Father the Spirite bearing witnesse vnto theyr spirites that they are the Sonnes of God and crying in theyr heartes Abba Father The Reprobate Rom. 8.16 Gala. 4.6 although they séeme to worshippe God yet they knowe not what true worshippe meaneth and doe alwaye abide in darkenesse although the lyght of the trueth doe shine more bright than the Sunne 22. Ye worship ye wote not what we knowe what wee worship For Saluation commeth of the Iewes Ye worshippe ye wote not what M. Because hée had sayde that the worshippe of bothe as well of the Iewes as of the Samaritanes should ceasse least he might séeme to haue nowe better lyking of the Temple of God at Hierusalem than of that which the Samaritanes had in Mount Garizin Bv. or myght seeme to make the Samaritanes worshippe equall with the Religion of the Iewes hée putteth downe a difference betwéene them both in these words and that no trifling one but a difference of great waight C. Notwithstanding hée deuideth the sum of his oration into twoo partes In the first he condemneth the forme of worshipping God which the Samaritanes vsed as supersticious and erronious and alloweth the worship of God among the Iewes as good and lawfull And he addeth the cause of this difference namely because the Iewishe worshippe was grounded vpon the word of God but that of the Samaritanes had nothing certaine from Gods mouth to maintayne the same Secondlye hée declareth that the Rites which the Iewes had hytherto obserued and kept shoulde shortlye haue an ende B. Therefore because the worshippe whiche was at Hierusalem at that tyme was stayed vppon the worde of God and that of the Samaritanes false by the Immitacion of the Fathers without the worde of God he repressed here the vaine bragging of the Samaritanes and affyrmeth that they worship they knowe not what That is to saye they worshipped God after a fashion of the whiche they were vncertayne whether it were acceptable before God or no naye it was reiected by playne oracles from God Therefore he taught the Woman that it was not méete for the Samaritanes to boast of theyr Religion and to preferre the same before the Religion of the Iewes C. This sentence of our sauiour Christ is worthy to bée noted by which wée are taught that wée ought to doe nothing rashelye or vnaduisedly in Religion because vnlesse knowledge be present to direct vs wée worship God no longer but a phantasie Wherfore by this sentence Good intencion ouerthrow all good intencions as menne call them are ouerthrowen for we knowe that men can doe nothing else but erre when they are ledde by their owne opinion and imagination without the worde of God M. For in the true worshippe of God there is required not onelye an Intencion to worshippe the true God but it is néedefull also that we haue knowledge to worshippe that we may bée certaine of our worshippe whether it please God or no. For saluation commeth of the Iewes B. Some restraine this vnto Christ who being the Sauiour of the worlde Rom. 1. ◠was a Iewe by byrth C. But because there is no doubte but that Christ therefore preferreth the Iewes because they worshipped one God alone and no vnknowen God which reuealed him selfe vnto them and had chosen them to be his people vnder the name of Saluation that sauing manifestacion or reuelation which they had out of his worde ought to bée vnderstoode But why doeth hée say that saluation commeth from the Iewes when as rather it was hidde Question and layde vp in them that they alone might enioye the same Hée séemeth to allude vnto that whiche was spoken before by the Prophetes Aunsvvere Esay 2.3 That the Lawe should come from Sion For therefore were they segregated for a time from other people that from them at the leangth the pure knowledge of God might flowe to the whole world B. For the Gospell was deriued and brought from the Iewes to the whole worlde Lu. 24.47 And before the time of the Gospell the pure knowledge and Doctrine of God florished in no other nation than among the Iewes and it is likelye whatsoeuer the wyse men of the Gentiles haue euer taught that the same was euer borrowed of the Iewes Rom. 1.17 C. But this is the summe that if wee wyll haue our Religion allowable before God we must staye the same vpon the knowledge conceyued out of the worde of GOD. Wherevpon it followeth that they must néedes fall to Idolatrye which forsake the word of God M. Moreouer Christ ioyneth him selfe with the worshippers of God who notwithstanding is not onlye worshipped as true God of the faithfull but of the Angels them selues with the Father and the holye ghost But in that hée tooke vppon him the forme of a Seruaunt and was made man in that respect he worshipped the Father and was made obedient to him Phili 2.8 euen to the death of the Crosse 23. But the houre commeth and nowe is when the true worshippers shal worship the Father in spyrite and in the trueth for such the Father also requireth to worship him The houre commeth C. Nowe followeth the seconde part concerning the abrogating of the Legal worship M. whereby he teacheth what is the worship of the New Testament at the comming whereof those olde Ceremonies which were eyther at Hierusalem in vse or in any other place ought to ceasse And so hée admonisheth that the time of reformation is fulfilled Heb. 9.10 Therefore wée must note here the Antithesis or comparison betwéene the spirite and externall figures as betwéene shadowes the trueth Therfore the worship of God is sayde to stand by the spyrite because it is nothing else but the inward faith of the heart which bringeth forth inuocation secondlye the puritye of Conscience the denying of our selues that we maye bée whollye addicted and bent to the seruice of God Herevpon aryseth a question Question Did not the Fathers worship God spyritually vnder the Lawe I answere for so much as God is alwayes one God Aunsvvere hée hath not from the beginning of the worlde allowed any other worship than that which is Spyrituall which might agrée with his nature Of the which matter Moyses him selfe is a sufficient witnesse who declareth in many places that this is the onelye ende of the Lawe that the people cleaue vnto God in faith Deu. 10.12 and in a pure conscience But the Prophetes more plainely haue expressed this thing when they doe seuerelye inueye against the Hipocrisie of the people because they thought that God was pleased with that externall worship onelye Psal 50.8 Esay 1 11. Mic. 6.7 Amos. 8 14 with the offering of sacrifices Of the which wée may reade in the fiftéene Chapter of Mathew beginning at the eyght verse For such the Father also requireth to worship him M. This is the reason why the true worshippers worshippe the Father in Spyrite and in trueth namely because so it
is euer at hand to performe whatsoeuer hée promiseth so that our vnbeléefe bée not a let vnto the same Wée confesse that this is not alwaies often or commonly séene that the Lord by and by stretcheth foorth his hande to helpe vs but so often as hée differreth the same hée doeth it vppon good consideration and for our profite And although it doeth not alwayes by one manner of meane helpe his seruauntes yet notwithstanding no mans Fayth shal be in vaine but wée shall know that it is very true which the prophete teacheth that the promises of God Abac. 2.3 when they seeme to tarrye long do then most spéedelye come 52. Then enquyred hee of them vvhen he beganne to amende and they sayde vnto him Yesterdaye at the seuenth houre the feuer left him M. To the ende it might appeare whether his sonne were healed by chance or by the singuler power of Christ the father enquyred what tyme his Sonne beganne to amende C. The which hée dyd being moued therevnto by the secréete impulsion of Gods spyrite to the ende the trueth of the Myracle might the moore euidentlye appeare For we are to proane and readye by nature to obscure and darken the lighte and glorie of God and Sathan also séeketh by all meanes possible to kepe from vs the sighte of all hys wounderfull woorkes Wherefore to the ende all his woorkes maye haue their deserued prayse it is necessarye that they bée made so euident and playne vnto vs that there bée no occasion of doubting lefte How vnthankefull therefore soeuer men be yet notwithstanding this circumstance will not suffer so notable a woorke of Christe to bée ascribed vnto fortune M. Therefore the truthe and power of the woorde of Christe is suche that it neuer passeth without a sure and vndoubted experiment of it selfe and the more diligentlye it is examined the more manifest and certaine it is Truth the more it is examined the more certaine it is The power which Christe shewed in healing of this childe had bene hydden yf so bée the curiositie of the father had not enquired after the hower of his healing Thomas woulde not beléeue them that toulde him of the resurrection of Christe Ioh. 20.28 except he might haue experiment bothe by séeing and féeling the same But this kinde of experiment was so farre from detracting any thing from the truthe of Christes resurrection that it could not be made more manifest and certaine by any other waye R. This Ruler therefore enquireth the hower firste to declare his faithe which he hadde conceiued before by the woorde and secondly to the ende he might drawe his whole familye vnto faithe 57. So the Father knewe that it was done the same hower in the which Iesus said vnto hym Thy sonne lyueth And he beleeued and al his housholde So the Father knewe A. Let vs also learne after this manner to behaue our selues that the truthe of our woordes and actions may appeare more in déede than in woordes yf so be they be examined We sée that the Lorde vsed not manye woordes to shewe and commend vnto him the myracle but lefte the same to the truthe of that whiche hée intended to do which shoulde sufficiently declare the truthe of his woorde And he beleeued R. Did he not also beléeue before What is it then whiche the Euangelist sayth now C. For this séemeth verye absurde to make mencion of the beginning of Faith in that man whose faith he commended at the firste neither can the woorde of beléeuing in this place he referred to the procéeding of faithe But we muste note that the man being a Iewe and trayned vp in the doctrine of the lawe had some taste of faithe when he came vnto Christ And whereas afterward he beléeued the woorde of Christ that was a perticuler faithe which extended no farther then to the life of his sonne but now he began to beléeue after another maner because he hauing imbraced the doctrine of Christ professed him selfe to be one of his disciples So that now he doth not onely beléeue that his sonne is restored to health againe by the benefite of Christe but also acknowledgeth Christe to be the sonne of God and geueth his name to the Gospel M. Beholde therefore the fruite of this miracle namely the increase and confirmation of faithe And all his houshold C. This Ruler had his whole houshold fellow professors with him of the Gospell who were witnesses with him of the miracle Of the whole houshould there was not one whiche knewe what aunswere the Lord had made to the good man of the house but onely he him selfe which hearde the same but he toulde them all thinges and reuealed vnto them the vertue and power of Christe Bv. to the ende his whole familie might come with him to Christianisme The which thing not onely the maisters of houshouldes but also their whole families ought to consider thereby to learne what is their duetye yf so bée they wyll lyue godly in Christe namely to geue themselues wholly vnto God and to beleeue in Christe the sonne of God M. and by mutuall conference of the woord of God among them selues to edifie one another in the faith of Christe 54. This is againe the seconde miracle that Iesus did when he was come out of Iurie into Galilee Bv. The Euangelist maketh mencion of this to the ende we might vnderstande that the Lorde woulde by this meanes builde vp the foundacion of his kingdome which was layde among the Galileans and herewithall hée declareth that his purpose is to describe certayne speciall and notable miracles of our Lord and sauiour Christe to the setting forth of his power and to the teaching of the trueth of faith M. Neither ought it to séeme absurde to any man that the Euangelist so diligently declareth this thing séeing one only houshould or family was wonne by this miracle for this is not vnwoonted or straunge yf we waye and consider first of al how much the Lord esteemeth the saluation of one which is not comparable to so great a houshould as this was and also what small béeginninges of heauenly thinges and of the kingdome of God are woont to growe into a greate masse One house maye bée to a whole Citie euen as that littell leauen of the number of the Appostles was to the whole worlde For in what great estimation the faithfull are with God though they bée fewe in number and amount to the number of ten the family of Lot may bee an example for euer ⧠The fyfth Chapter 1. After this was there a Feast day of the Iewes and Iesus went vp to Hierusalem After this was there a Feast Bv. THIS PREsent Historye doeth speciallye teache and declare vnto vs the corporall benefite whiche the Lorde bestowed vppon the Lame Man and howe hée tooke from him his disease which by no arte was Curable and therefore without hope of recouerye whereby he declared againe that hée is the omnipotent Lorde of all
onely to the Sonne of God As though Christ ascending into Heauen had vtterlye forsaken this office and ought not rather to raygne vntyll hée haue put all his enemies vnder his féete M. If therefore Christe bée appointed of the Father Psal 110.1 to bée the Iudge of all menne 1. Cor. 15.25 hée must néedes bée most wyse and suche a one as no man can deceyue Herevppon hée is sayde to bée a knower of secréetes and a searcher of heartes M. that wée hauing gotten suche a Iudge maye learne to walke before him all the dayes of our lyfe in sinceritye of the heart euen as if wée were alwaye before his face and in his sight 23. Because that all men shoulde honour the Sonne euen as they honour the Father Hee that honoureth not the Sonne the same honoureth not the Father whiche hath sent him Because that all men R. As the father hath geuen all power of Iudgement to the sonne so he will be honoured in the person of his sonne C. For he doth not so raigne in the person of Christe as though hée him selfe liued idelye in heauen as slouthfull Kinges are wount to do but béecause he might declare his mightie power presence in Christ For what other thing signifieth these woordes Because that all men shoulde honour the sonne then that the father would bee knowne and woorshipped in the Sonne God the Father in Christe Therefore it is our parte to séeke God the father in Christe there to beholde his power and there to worship him For the father hath wholly poured him selfe into the sonne To what ende Surely to the ende that al men might honour the Sonne that is to saye that whosoeuer will attaine to saluation in God worship God and beléeue in God hée might do this by his sonne Christe For no man can obtaine saluation in God without Christe Saluation onely in Christe because Gods sauing health is placed wholly in Christ In like manner no man can worship God but by Christe because Christe is the wisdome and power of God Moreouer Iohn 10.9 Iohn 14.9 no man can beléeue in God but by Christ because Christ is the Dore the waye the truth the life Wherefore He that honoreth not the sonne the same honoreth not the Father C. All men will confesse that God ought to be worshipped insomuch that we haue this féeling and vnderstanding ingraffed in vs by nature there is no man that dare deny this honour vnto God Yet neuerthelesse mens minds erre and go astraie in seking after God Hereuppon come so many false Gods hereuppon commeth such abhominable Idolatry Therefore we shall fynde the true God no where else then in Christ neither shall we otherwise rightly worship him then in kissing his deere sonne Psal 2.12 as the Prophet Dauid teacheth Bv. Therefore if any man woulde worship the father without the Sonne as do the Iewes and Turkes as though he hadde not a sonne like and coequall with him in all thinges he misseth the worship of the father For he cannot be a father which wanteth a sonne R. We must note therefore that the name of God when it is separated from Christ is nothing else but a vaine fantasie and Imagination Wherefore whosoeuer he bée that desireth to haue his worship acceptable vnto the true God let him not depart from Christe R. For whosoeuer reiecteth Christ by infidelitie reiecteth God The Ethnicke also affirmeth that he worshippeth God the creator of heauen earth the Iewe also saith the like of him selfe and the wicked man which is a Christian onely in name braggeth of the same but because Christ to the Ethnike is foolishnes to the Iewe an offence and to the wicked contempte 1. Cor. 1 23. none of them do truely beléeue in God neither truely worship God for he will not be worshiped but by Iesus Christe C. Whereuppon the Euangelist Sainct Iohn saith in his Epistle 1. Ioh. 2.22 The same is Antechriste which denieth the father and the sonne And the Apostle Paule writeth that it is the will of God that euery tongue shal confesse that the Lorde is Iesus Christe to the glory God the father Philip. 2.11 C. Neither was the condicion of the fathers otherwise vnder the Law For although they had an obscure sight of Christ vnder shadowes yet notwithstanding God neuer reuealed him self without Christ But now so soone as Christ was exhibited in the fleshe and was appoynted to bee our King all the world ought to haue submitted it selfe vnto him as vnto God the Father For séeing the father hath commaunded him to sit on his right hand whatsoeuer he be that imagineth a God without Christ he maymeth one halfe of him R. But what honour is that which appertaineth to the sonne It followeth 24. Veryly Verylye I saye vnto you He that heareth my woorde and beeleeueth on him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shal not come into Iudgement but is escaped from death to life Verily Verilie I saye vnto you C. Here is expressed what manner of honour is required lest any manne shoulde thinke that the same consisteth in some external right only or in vaine ceremonies R. For Christ séeketh not externall honour which superstitious men geue vnto him but hée séeketh for faith because to beléeue is to geue the greatest honour that maye bée to the father and the sonne The Gospel is the the Scepter of Christ C. Whereuppon the doctrine of the Gospell is as a Scepter vnto Christ by which he gouerneth the faithfull whome the father hath made subiect vnto him And this definition is firste of all worthy to bée noted Nothing is more vsuall and common then the false profession of Christianisme For the Papistes which are the moste sworne enemies vnto Christe doe notwithstanding too impudently bragge and boast of his name but here Christe requireth of vs no other honour then that we shoulde obey his Gospel Whereuppon it followeth that what honour soeuer hipocrits geue vnto Christ it is nothing els but a Iudas kisse How often tymes soeuer they call him a king they do nothing but spoile him of his kingdome and power so long as they beléeue not the gospell M. Therefore hée which heareth not the woorde of Christe that is to saye which receiueth it not as the worde of the sonne of God sent into this worlde of the father for our saluation he it is which greatly dishonoureth the sonne and the Father Ioh. 4.44 He said that a Prophet was not without honour sauing in his owne country It is a Discredite to the Prophet sent of God yf so be his word be not beléeued And in another place this discredit is said to be vnbeliefe the which happened to the sonne of God among the Nazarites R. Moreouer Mar. 6.6 because to beléeue séemeth to many to be a thing so easy In somuch that they thinke they beleeue when they only heare this name thinking that to beléeue is
one as I was not before he gaue testimony of me that is to say that I should not haue béene God except hée had sayd that I am the sonne of GOD for I am that naturally that which hée sayde I was but for your sakes rather do I bring his testimonie For because hée was of great auctoritye among you I thought that ye woulde the more readily haue beléeued his wordes and so thorow fayth in mée haue obtayned euerlasting lyfe C. Therefore Christ here declareth that he hath not so much respect vnto him selfe as he hath to profite men when hee rayseth vp Preachers of his Gospell by whome hée maye certifie vs of his wyll In the which also his wonderfull goodnesse doeth greatlye shyne in that he séeketh to frame all thinges to our saluation Wherefore wée also must endeuour our selues to sée that hée bée not carefull in vaine for our soules health M. Christ sayth not I speake these thinges to make you ashamed and to defend my Innocencye against your blasphemie the which vndoubtedlye of all other he might most iustlye haue spoken and those thinges whiche hée dyd speake might of them selues haue made them ashamed Hée rather desyred to speake that which both onely appertayned to him and also ought iustly to haue taken from them all outragious furye and desyre to destroye him For what man wyll séeke his destruction whome hée knoweth to be so friendlye vnto him that he séeketh nothing more than his profite and safetye Let this bée an example for all the Ministers of Christ to folowe that in speaking they neyther séeke theyr owne glorye Ministers ought not to seeke theyr owne glorye or reuenge but the saluation of their hearers If this minde were in all those that take vpon them the office of teaching the Church of Christ at this daye should be frée from a number of contencions and perrilles And it were necessarye that they shoulde practise this not onely in woordes as a number of Hipocrites doe but also in theyr conuersation and fatherly affection towarde the faithfull seruauntes of Christ and also to instructe those that resist the trueth with all méekenesse if it maye please God at any time to geue them repentaunce that they maye bée conuerted and beléeue M. Furthermore we must yet a litle farther discusse these woordes of our sauiour Christ for they doe nothing derogate from the testimonye of Iohn which he bare to the trueth but Christ sayeth that hée hath no néede of mans testimony séeing he hath the testimony of his father which farre excelleth all other Wherevppon hée sayeth not And ye shall not receyue any mans testimony concerning mée For that which Iohn and which the Apostles after Iohn dyd testifye concerning the trueth was so directed by GOD to this ende that all mankinde might bée brought to the knowledge of the trueth and bée saued So that they haue nothing here for their purpose who to cloake their vnbeléefe do derogate from the wrytinges of the Prophetes Apostles and Euangelistes vnder this pretence that the Prophets Apostles and Euangelistes were men and that Christ him selfe doeth not alow the testimonye of men concerning him These vngodlye men do not consider what is the vse of those testimonyes which are geuen to the trueth by the instinct of the holy ghost in men 35. Hee was a burning and a shining light and ye woulde for a season haue reioysed in his light He was a burning Bv. Least any man shoulde thinke that this testimony of Iohn was eleuated and depressed by these woordes of the Lorde hée commendeth Iohn him selfe to the ende hée might make his testimony commendable also R. For hée was not that true lyght yet notwithstanding Iohn 1.8 hée was a bright Candell geuing testimonye concerning the true lyght hée was a famous preacher of the trueth being zealous in fayth and trueth mightelye séeking to aduaunce the glorye of the Gospell M. Therefore by this metaphoricall speache he greatly praiseth and commendeth the holines of Iohn and therewith all also declareth what was his office For not onely this belongeth to a burning light that the same shoulde be bright and cleare of it selfe but also that it should with the brightnesse of the same illuminate all that is round aboute it So Iohn Baptist a Candell it was not sufficient for saint Iohn to be a holy man hym selfe but this also speacially appertayned to his office to bring the hartes of the Israelites by the preaching of repentaunce and the kingedome of God and by geuyng testimony to Christe to the knoweledge of the trueth Ministers ought to be burning lightes After this manner a faithfull minister of Christe ought to bée a burning candell whiche is lightned in a darke place to the end that they which are in the same might sée Not only this is required that the minister be an honest and Innocent man but also that he be suche a one as will shew forth the light which he hath receyued to those whiche are committed to his charge Luk. 8.16 So sayeth oure sauioure Christ No man lighting a candel putteth the same vnder a Bushell But if the light be darknesse howe great is the darknesse C. Moreouer whereas our sauioure calleth Iohn a burninge light he doth thereby the more reproue the Ingratitude of the Iewes for it foloweth that they were willingly blynd when they refused the candel of God which was set before their eyes As if he shoulde saye God would not haue you to erre for he appoynted Iohn to be a Candel that by his light he might direct you in the right way Therefore in that ye do not knowe me to be the sonne of God your voluntary errour is the cause therof A. Euenso they which at this day are willyngly blynde in the midest of the lyght of the gospell haue no excuse For the Lorde seketh by the preachinge of his worde Mat. 5.14 to bring men out of darknesse into light in consideration whereof he called his apostles the light of the worlde that the darkenesse of ignorance being driuen awaye the harts of mortal men may be illuminated with the knoledge of god and true piety And ye would for a season haue reioysed C. Nowe followeth the other reproche in that they dyd not onelye shut theyr eyes against the trueth which was offered to them but also sought all the meanes they could by abusing the same to oppresse Christ For in that they were so readye to extolle Iohn aboue his proper degrée that procéeded of an euyll and wicked purpose that the sonne of God might haue no place Christ very notablye compareth this wicked abuse of the heauenlye light to lasciuiousnesse euen as if the good man of the house should light a Candle in the night for his seruantes to do that which hée hath commaunded them to do and they then to vse the same to banquetting and to wantonnesse By this place wée are admonished not to abuse Godlye teachers whome
haue them onely in Bookes and so layd vp as our treasure as we saee many men doe neyther yet are they geuen that we might simplye and sleightlye reade them as though it were sufficient to reade eyther that by a supersticious opinion the reading of them might bée in stéede of worship and diuine seruice as we sée the Papistes do and as the Iewes continuallye doe on the Sabboth dayes but they are geuen to this ende that they might bée read with diligence and with a minde desirous to finde out those thinges which belong to true knowledge and true godlinesse The readers of the Scriptures must bée searchers and not corrupters wresters dreamers or supersticious murmurers Howe the scriptures ought to be read And the Scriptures do not require any searching but that whiche is godlye humble and desirous to knowe and imbrace one trueth onely otherwise a man maye finde some which reade the Scriptures but not to searche out Gods truth but rather to hinder the same Euen so Herode inquired out the truth out of the Scriptures concerning the place where Christ should bée borne not to the ende he might worshippe him Mat. 2.4 but rather to destroye him Also the Pharisées sayde to Nicodemus Searche the Prophetes and see howe that a Prophete commeth not out of Galilee Iohn 7.52 They sayd not And see what is written in the Scriptures concerning Christ So in lyke manner wicked and vngodlye men do search the scriptures to corrupt the same to theyr owne destruction C. By this woorde Scripture is vnderstoode the olde Testament For Christ dyd not first of all beginne to bée manifested in the Gospell but hauing testimony out of the lawe and the Prophetes he openlye exhibited him selfe in the Gospell Therfore that which Christ sayeth here agréeth with that which he spake vnto his Apostles after his resurrection Luk. 24.44 saying These are the wordes which I spake vnto you when I was yet with you that all must needes bee fulfilled whiche were written of mee in the lawe of Moyses and in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes But nowe it were an infinite labour to gather into one those testymonies of Scripture which pertaine to the manifesting of Christ notwithstanding we maye beholde some of them in the foure and twentye of Luke 40. And yet wyll ye not come to me that ye might haue light A. Hée meaneth that men labour in vaine in reading of the Scriptures except their onelye dryft bée to finde out Christ in them M. He sayth not And ye come not but And ye wyll not come to mee that ye maye haue lyfe C. in which woords hée againe casteth in theyr téeth that nothing staye them from obtayning that lyfe which is offered in the Scriptures but their owne mallice For in saying that they wyl not hée assigneth the cause of theyr ignoraunce and blindnesse to theyr owne wicked obstinacye And verylye séeing he so wyllingly offered him selfe vnto them it must néedes bée that they were wyllinglye blinde And séeing they dyd séeke by all meanes to shonne the lyght nay séeing they dyd séeke to obscure and darken the bright sonne with the darkenesse of theyr vnbeléefe Christ doeth iustlye more sharpelye reprehend them M. And beholde here what a false perswacion can doe They would not come vnto Christ that they might haue life by him And wherefore Because they thought that they had euerlasting lyfe alreadye Therefore so many as dyd thinke that they had already obtayned saluation come not vnto Christ the sauiour Hee which thinketh him selfe whole and sounde commeth not to the Phisition So it happened to the Disciples of Iohn who for the opinion of saluation whiche they had conceyued of Iohn were against Christ when as Iohn sent all men vnto Christ After the same manner also we sée that the Papistes at this daye reiect the Doctrine of Christ which is the power of God to saluation to euery beléeuer through the opinion of saluation which they haue conceyued in them selues in that they thinke them selues to bée in the Church of Christ but out of the which no man can bée saued but the same Church doeth not drawe awaye men from the Gospell of Christ but rather sendeth all men to his Doctrine Let them take héede which boast and bragge of the Gospell and woord of God least conceyuing the lyke opinion they doe not truely heare Christ the Lorde of lyfe nor so truelye follow him as they ought 41. I receyue not praise of men B. In these wordes our sauiour preuenteth the sclaunder wherewith the Iewes might haue sclandered him to bée ambicious because hee had cast them in the téeth with theyr contempt of him who was so manifestly commended in the Scriptures R. As if bée should say I would not haue you to thinke that I cal you vnto me and that I wyll you to beleeue my word because I am ambicious and desirous of praise Bée it far from me that I shoulde seeke the praise and commendacion of men For if I were any thing desirous of glorye I woulde neuer haue so abased my selfe as to haue taken vpon me humayne fleshe but I speake these thinges being desirous of your saluation I séeke not my selfe but you C. neyther am I gréeued that I sée my selfe contemned but I séeke the glorye of God the Father and the safety of you all And so he goeth forwarde in refelling the sclaunder that he extolleth him selfe aboue all men For in déede hée is so great and mightye that he ought not to depende vppon the Iudgement of men when as the wickednesse of the whole worlde can detract nothing at all from him nor diminishe one héere 's breadth of his power 42. But I know you that ye haue not the loue of God in you M. Hée nowe manifestlye declareth whereof hée gathered the original of theyr Incredulitye namelye hereof that they had no loue of God in them As if hée should saye It is not hidden or vnknowne to mée for what cause ye come not vnto me Yée faine that ye haue the loue of God and ye wyll séeme to persecute me because I am against the commaundement and glory of God as a wicked man and a breaker of the Sabboth daye a blasphemer of God and a seeker of vaineglorye But howsoeuer ye deceyue and blinde simple and ignoraunt men with this hipocriticall pretence ye can not deceyue mée Yée are not vnlyke your Forefathers For as they honoured GOD with theyr Lippes and despised him in their heartes euen so ye through Hipocrisye woulde séeme to loue GOD with your mouthes whome notwithstanding ye loue not in your heartes with your mouth ye speake of God but with your heart ye séeke your selues For I know you throughlye who and what ye are what ye do and wherevnto also ye haue respect B. For whosoeuer haue any manner of loue or feeling of GOD do also receyue his woord so farre they are from reiecting the Sonne of God Ioh.
shorte so it maye bée sayde to all those that worshippe deade saintes as Gods that in time to come they shall haue no greater enimies than those to whome they presume to giue that glory that belongeth to Christ C. And hereby let vs learne that wée must not glory in the Scriptures because except we worship the Sonne of God in true obedince of Fayth there shal arise in the latter day against vs so many accusers as God hath raysed vp witnesses vnto him Jn whome ye trust Hée doth not accuse them of suspition as though they ascribe the cause of their saluation vnto Moyses but he meaneth that they leaned vnto Moyses amis as though they shoulde haue him a patrone and defender of wicked obstinacie For after this maner they are sayde to repose their trust in Moyses 46. For if ye had beleeued Moyses yee woulde haue beleeued me for he wrote of me If ye had beleeued Moyses B. By the holy Ghost onely wée beléeue the worde of GOD. Therefore if they had beléeued Moyses they had had the holy Ghost no doubt the searcher of the profounde misteries of God by whiche they hauing boldenesse coulde not choose but know and acknowledge God offering himselfe to be knowne muche more playnely in Christ than in Moses C. Hée sheweth therefore why Moyses shall be their accuser namelye because they reiect his doctrine And we knowe that there can be no greater iniury done to the seruaunts of God than to haue their doctrine contemned slaundered Furthermore looke what Ministers the Lorde hath appoynted for his worde of the same worde also they must be reuengers Ministers are techers to saluatiō and witneses to damnation Therefore the Lorde hath made his Prophetes to represent two personages as to be maysters and teachers of the godly to saluation and sleyers of the reprobate by their testimonye For he wrote of mee Bv. Christ verily was the onely scope of Moyses as they which knowe that Christ is the ende and the life of the law can well ynough testifie also But if any man being not content therwith desireth to haue probation hereof let him first of all dilligently reade the Epistle to the Hebrues Acts. 7.2 to which also agréeeth the saying or sermon of Steeuen than let him noate what testimonies the Apostle Paule applyeth to this purpose A Let him also sée those thinges which are noated in the xxiiii Chapter of Luke beginning at the .xxvii. verse C To be shorte without Christ the whole ministerye of Moyses vanisheth away 47. But if ye beleeue not his wrightings how shall ye beleeue my wordes M. What was then the aucttoritye of Moyses greater than the auctoritie of Christ C. For Christ séemeth here to ascribe more credite to Moses than to himselfe and yet wée knowe that by the voyce of the Gospell heauen and earth were shaken But Christ frameth his speache to those with whome hée had to doe For the Iewes without all controuersie greatly estéemed the aucthority of the Law So it coulde not be but that Christ shoulde be inferiour to Moyses To this ende pertayneth the Antithesis or secret comparison in this verse of wrightinges and of wordes for hereby hée doth exagerate and amplifie their infidelitie that the truth of God being as it were written in tables had notwithstanding no fayth nor credite among them M. Therefore Christ béeing compared with Moyses had scarce in the eyes of the Iewes the place of a shadowe A. But if we haue respect to the condition and dignitie of them boathe Christ is to be preferred before Moses there shall appeare great difference For looke howe muche honour hée hath that buildeth the house more than the house it selfe so muche more glorye was hée worthy of than Moyses Also Moyses was faythfull in that house as a trusty seruaunt for to giue witnesse of those thinges which were afterwarde to bée spoken Heb. 3.3.56 but Christ ruled the whole house as the sonne himselfe And hée is not onely by right preferred before Moyses but also before all other creatures M. Howbeit here is no question of the person but of the doctrine Wherevpon Christ sayth not If yee beleeue Moyses But If ye beleeue not his wrightinges least anye man shoulde thinke that this ought to be referred to the personne of Moyses and not rather to the doctrine which he sent foorth by the commaundement of God So when Paule sayde to Agrippa Acte 27 Doest thou beleeue the Prophets O king Agrippa I know that thou beleeuest the whiche is not to be referred to the Prophets themselues but to their doctrine Moreouer let vs learne to séeke Christ and to know him by the scriptures and diligentlye to studye and trauayle in them not to follow the deade letter as the Iewes did much lesse to persecute Christ as Herod did but to séeke to come to the knowledge of God through Iesus Christ Acte 1◠as did they of whome we maye reade in the Actes of the Apostles As touching the blindenesse of the Iewes which receyued no fruite or profite at all by the often reading of the Lawe and the Prophetes because they reiected Christ the end of the Lawe let vs noate what great wickednesse and ingratitude it is willinglye to reiect the profered light to contemne the sonne of God sent of God to saluation B. Howbeit there is yet another cause of their ignoraunce namelye because it séemed good to the Lorde to preferre the blindenesse of the Iewes vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles came in of the which yée may reade in the eleuenth chapter to the Romaines Rom. 11◠They which were elected and truely beléeued Moyses they vndoubtedlye beléeued the Lorde 2. Cor. 3◠the vale being then remooued with the whiche their mindes are nowe couered For this is most certaine that they beléeue not Moyses that beléeue not Christ ⧠The syxt Chapter 1. After these thinges Iesus went his waye ouer the Sea of Galile which is the Sea of Tiberias After these thinges Bv. WHen the Lord Iesus had so faithfully diligentlye and plainelye expounded the principal poynt of our religion and had declared himselfe to be the natural sonne of God the sauiour of all that beléeue the Cittizens and hearers of Ierusalem shoulde vpon iust consideration haue receyued the truth but because they doe reiect it the Lorde also reiecteth them leauing them to their errours and to their darcknesse and getteth him into Galile as hée had also done before C. But whereas Iohn hath vsuallye gathered those actes and sayinges of Christ which the other Euaungelistes haue passed and omitted here in this place hée repeateth contrarye to his maner the history of a miracle which the other Euangelistes haue declared but he doeth it vppon good consideration namely that from the same he might passe to the sermon of Christ which was made the daye following in Capernaum because they were matters so nere ioyned together Wherefore all this narration doth agreée with
put from them that disordered care of the bellye and receyue the present occasion of heauenly foode So when hée sayde to Martha Martha Martha Lu. 10.41 thou art troubled about many thinges but one is necessarye Mary hath chosen the better parte which shall not bee taken from her hée dyd not condemne the duetye of Hospitallity and diligence and entertayning of Ghostes which is commended in Abraham and is commended to vs in the Apostle but that ouermuche care about worldly thinges Gen. 18.3 Heb. 13.2 by which it came to passe that shée neglected the present grace of Heauenlye Doctrine which Marye more highlye estéemed than to neglect the same by the care of corporall thinges C. And Christ here by a Metaphor calleth all that pertayneth to newnesse of lyfe meate For wée knowe that our Soules are fed by the doctrine of the Gospell when the same is effectual in vs by the power of the holye Ghost The Gospell is the foode of out soules Therefore séeing faith is the lyfe of the soule whatsoeuer nourisheth and increaseth fayth is verye well compared to meate But for that which endureth Hée calleth this kynde of meate incorruptible and sayeth that the same endureth to euerlasting lyfe to the ende wee might knowe that our soules are not fed for a daye but are nourished for the hope of blessed immortallitye for the Lorde doeth heginne the worcke of our Saluation that he may profite and accomplishe the same against the daye of his comming it is méete therefore that wée receyue the gyftes of the Spyrite that they maye bée pledges and seales to vs of euerlasting lyfe For although the reprobate hauing once tasted of this meate doe perbrake it vp againe and can not retaine it yet notwithstanding the Soules of the faythfull doe féele his force abyding in them when they do perceyue that the power of the holye Ghoste in his gyftes is not corruptible but euer abyding Heauenlye things and earthlye thinges M. Wherefore they which haue onelye regarde to an earthlye lyfe are occupyed in earthlye thinges but they which respect an eternall and heauenly lyfe are whollye geuen to euerlasting and celestiall thinges The sonnes of GOD also vse earthlye thinges being endued with the hope of euerlasting lyfe but they vse them for the necessitye of nature and so that thou mayest perceyue that they loke for a farre better thing than this present life C. Moreouer vaine and wicked is theyr opinion whiche by this worde Labour gather that wée by oure workes deserue euerlasting lyfe for Christ as is sayde figuratiuelye exhorteth menne to applye them selues to the meditacion of a Heauenly lyfe being most commonly affected to the world Also Christ him selfe taketh away all doubte when hée addeth Whiche meate the Sonne of man shall giue to you For in that wée obtayne it by his gyfte Heauen is not gotten by merites no man getteth the same by his owne industrye and labour There is in these wordes some shewe of contrarietye but the reconciliation is easilye made because the spirituall meate of the Soule is the frée gyft of Christe and because it becommeth vs to bende our whole heart and minde to bée partakers of so great a benefite M. Hée sayth not which the sonne of man shall obtayne for you but VVhiche the Sonne of man shall geue vnto you 1. Pet. 2.25 Therefore the Sonne of man is the Lord of lyfe and the Shéephearde of our Soules Otherwise how coulde hée geue vnto vs the meate of lyfe But to bée the Lorde of lyfe and the Shéephearde of our soules is not suche a thing that it can simplye belong to the Sonne of man bee he neuer so holye and neuer so myghtye no nor to that holye and mighty Moyses It is necessarye therefore that this Sonne of man bee endued with diuine power Christ the sonne of man and the sonne of God by whiche he maye geue this foode of eternall lyfe Christ then is boath the Sonne of man and the Sonne of GOD that is to saye God and man And whereas in speaking of so great a matter he calleth him selfe the Sonne of man and not the Sonne of God it is not without cause For hée speaketh as the mediatour betwéene GOD and men and frameth him selfe to the weake capasity of his hearers Math. 9.6 So in another place he sayeth That ye maye know that the Sonne of man hath power in earth to forgeue sinnes For him hath God the Father sealed C. Hée confirmeth the sentence going before because hée was sent of the Father to that intent and purpose And by an apte Metaphor hée alludeth to the auncient and vsuall manner of sealing for what so euer men woulde haue confirmed by their aucthority they seale with their Ringes Euen so Christ that hée might not séeme to take any thing vppon him pronounceth that these duties were enioyned to him of the Father and that this decrée of the Father is made manifest as it were by a plaine and expresse seale A. So that the Father hath sealed him that is to saye hath annointed him with the holye Ghost aboue all his fellowes that hée might bee the sauiour of all men and the Lorde of Angelles This is hée which knoweth the Father alone and maketh others also to knowe him by sending the holye Ghost into the heartes of his Disciples the teacher of all trueth C. Herevppon it followeth that their labour is not in vaine which commit theyr Soules to Christ to bée fed Let vs knowe then that in Christ wée haue lyfe set before vs that euery one of vs might aspyre to the same not by chance but by assured hope of the succes Notwithstanding wée are herewithall taught that they are accounted counterfaytes before GOD which geue this prayse to any other than to Christ Whereby it is manifest that the Papistes are falsefiers of all partes of their doctrine For so many as place meanes of saluation in any other than in Christ they doe as it were cancell and race this seale of GOD which aloane is authentical and wickedlye corrupt the same But wée least wée should fall into this horrible sinne do learne to serue Christe whollye and aloane and to leaue vnto him all that the Father hath geuen him M. The Iewes also in vaine perswade them selues that they haue lyfe without this Mediatour because they séeke for that in GOD the Father which hée would haue sought for in his Sonne The Turkes also forsaking this Mediatoure doe admitte the Intercescion of Mahomet and others Acts. 4.12 But there is but one onelye waye to the Father namelye Christ Iesus and there is Saluation in no other than in him 28. Then sayd they vnto him what shall we do that we might worke the workes of God B. By this that the Lord exhorted to worke or to séeke the meate which abydeth to euerlasting lyfe these men easelye gathered and vnderstoode that hée spake of Spirituall meate C. and that
sufficientlye knowne vnto them For hée casteth in their téeth their péeuishe hatred of Christ Bv. As if hée shoulde say I declared to you euen nowe the acte and the manner also most truelye how the fame was done the which yée haue hearde and no doubt doe vnderstande the same to what ende then shoulde I nowe repeate the same againe except ye therefore make suche dilligent enquirie that when ye exactlye know the matter ye also will be his Disciples The whiche hée spake ironice skorning the madnesse of the blinde Doctors C. For by these wordes he meaneth that although they were conuicted a hundred times they were so malicious that they woulde neuer giue place This verelye is greate boldenesse that a contemptitible and base man yea a very Begger durst take vpon him so carelesly to prouoke against him the wrath and displeasure of the high Priestes If so small a beginning of Fayth onelye when it is come to the battayle made him so boulde what excuse shall they haue which being great Preachers of the Gospell holde theyr peace and are starcke dumbe being out of all daunger and perill 28 Then rated they him and sayde Bee thou his Disciple wee are Moises Disciples Bv. The Pharisées being greatly moued and displeased with the boldenesse of the Begger aunswered nothing but onely rated and reprooued hym The Euanngeliste doth not expresse and name the reproches and tauntes which these holy men vsed against this blinde man M. But it is like that whatsoeuer the furious madnesse of anger might moue them to speake that they vttered against him in great displeasure And amongst many this was one that they called him a forsaker of the Lawe For in their iudgement hée coulde not be a disciple of Christ but he muste forsake the Lawe of Moyses Setting these two as one repugnaunt to the other C. Euen as doe the Papistes at this daye who let not to oppose and sette the mother Church agaynste the Gospell of Christ 2. Cor. 3 i7 A. Thus hipocrites are wont to rent and teare God when they collerably pretend his name If so be Christ be the soule of the Lawe as Paule teacheth what shall the Lawe be being seperated from hym but a dead body By this example we are taught that God is not truly heard of any man but of him which geueth attentiue héede vnto his voyce and vnderstandeth what he speaketh and what he meaneth R. Wherefore we haue the nature of wicked hipocrisie very well depaynted to vs in these wordes For hipocrisy boasteth of God boasteth of the Fathers obseruing nothing lesse than the word of God and the fathers So also the Phariseis professed them selues to be the Disciples of Moises and yet beléeued not the word of Moyses Deu. i8 i5 For thus he writeth A prophete will I raise vp from among youre bretheren M. Séeing therefore Moyses was only A scoolmayster directing hys Disciples vnto Christe if so be they had béene his very Discipls they would haue nowe forsaken Moyses and cleaued vnto Christ But they woulde neyther be the Disciples of Moyses nor yet the Disciples of Christ 29. Wee are sure that God spake vnto Moises as for this fellowe wee knowe not from vvhence hee is As if they should saye There is no cause why we should make him our mayster Moyses is our mayster and teacheth vs whome we are sure that God hath sent approuing the same by many and sondry signes but from whence this fellow is come we knowe not naye séeing hée is lewde and wicked we coniecture and gather that hee is not sente of God at all C. This therefore which they saye that they knowe not Christ from whence hée is is not referred to his countrey or natiue place but to the Prophetical office For they alledge that they haue noe knowledge of this vocation that they might receyue him as a Prophete sent of God M. They boast that they know howe that God spake vnto Moyses but it was also required that they shoulde knowe what God spake vnto Moyses and that they shoulde not onelye knowe it but also shoulde imbrace it with Fayth and obedience and shoulde imbrace not suche parte thereof as pleased them but euerye whit of it and shoulde interpret the fame not after their owne scence and imagination but according to the true scence of the Spirite If they had done these thinges they had not reiected Christ Let them noate and marke this clause which graunt that the scriptures of boath testamentes haue the aucthorytie of the worde of God and yet for all that doe little regarde those thinges that are contayned in them except it be so farre forth as they serue for their tourne That which Nicodemus spake differeth farre from this saying of the Phariseis which affirme that they know not from whence the Lord came For hée sayde VVee know that thou art a teacher sent from God For no man can doe these signes which thou doest except God were with him 30. The man aunswered and sayd vnto them This is a merueilous thing that yee wotte not from whence he is and yet hee hath opened mine eies Bv. As they disputed the fayth of thys Begger increased God increasing grace in his harte whereby hée bouldely contemning all his aduersaries and despising all perilles as all the faythfull are wont to doe publikelye toke vpon him when the matter so required to defend the cause of our sauiour and of the truth and to confute the corrupt toyes ond tryfles of the Scribes and Pharisées M. Concerning Moyses hée aunswereth nothing at all for they made mention of him besyde the purpose but hée aunswereth to those thinges where they sayde that they knewe not from whence Iesus was and that hée was a sinner C. Therefore hée ouerthwartlye robbeth them for that they being nothing mooued with so notable a myracle fayne that the calling of Christ was vnknowne vnto them as if hée should saye that it was not méete that so notable a proofe of the deuine power shoulde be nothing regarded and that the vocation of Christ so confirmed and approued shoulde notwithstanding haue no credite with them Bv. I meruayle sayth hée that yée know not from whence Iesus mine illuminator came R I can hardly be perswaded to beléeue that ye knowe not from whence hée is when his workes declare that hée was sent of God C. Also the more hée vrgeth their grose dulnesse and malice the more hée reasoneth of the nature of God 31. For we bee sure that GOD heareth not sinners but if anye man bee a worshipper of GOD and obedient vnto hys vvill hym heareth hee Bv. As if hée shoulde saye Euen now yée obiected vnto mée that Iesus was a wicked and lewde person Tell me I praye you whether GOD heareth godlye or vngodlye and wicked men All men saye that GOD heareth the prayers of the godlye and refuseth the prayers of the wicked The godlye by fayth knowe God by fayth they call vpon GOD and by
God C. By which aunswere it appeareth that he was apt and ready to be taught although as yet he knewe litle or nothing concerning Christ As if he should saye M. I am ready so soone as he shal be declared vnto me to imbrace him He calleth him Lorde according to the manner of his country which called the better sort of men Lordes And we must noate that the blind man desiereth to bée taught of the Prophete Christ for now he was perswaded that Christ was sent of God Wherefore he doeth not rashely béeleue his doctrine 37. And Iesus sayde vnto him Thou haste boath seene hym and it is hee whiche talketh with thee R. That fayth which is conceiued by myracles is not a true faith but that which commeth by the hearing of the word of God is the true Faith For miracles doe not bring fayth but doe only confirme that fayth which was conceiued before by the worde Wherefore that the blynd man which was now restoared to his syght might truely béeleeue Christ creapeth into his harte by his worde whereby he might be made a beleuer as one borne of newe seede which is immortall Iesus woulde be acknoweledged of him for Christ that from this beginning of Fayth he might bring him to more ful and perfect knowledge of him Bv For fayth hath his degréese and his increasinges M. The Preterperfectence semeth here to bée put for the present tence For before this time this blinde man had not séene the Lorde Furthermore we must noate that the knowledge of Christ is not denyed to those that aske the same seriously and with their whoale heart and which are ready to beléeue although in the sight of the worlde they bée neuer so base and abiecte 38. And hee sayde Lorde I beleeue and hee worshipped him Lorde J beleeue Bv. As if he shoulde saye I beléeue that thou art the Sonne of God and I repose my whoale trust and confidence in thée M. Here wée sée that the true knowledge of the Sonne of God whiche is conceiued by his word doth not onely beget faith but also the confession of Fayth This blynd man doth not saye what I thinke of thee I will kéepe to my selfe but by and by before them al which were present setting all shame aside and feare he confesseth hys Fayth boath in word and in worke And he worshipped him C. It may be demaunded whether hée gaue vnto Christ diuine worshippe or no. The word which the Euaungelist vseth sygnifieth nothing else but a sertayn veneration declared by the bowing of the knée or by such lyke outward signes Notwitstanding it is lykely that some rare and vnwonted kinde of worshippe is heare noated as that this blind man gaue much more honor vnto Christ than belonged eyther to a man or to a Prophete Bv. For although we reade often tymes in the Scriptures that men haue wor shipped men that is to saye that they haue done their obeysaunce and dutifull curtesey yet notwithstanding here the circumstaunces do proue that this place ought to be vnderstode of that odoration which belongeth to the Sonne of God only C. Although therefore the blind man had not profited so farre that hée knewe Christ to be God manifested in the fleshe being perswaded notwithstanding that Iesus was the Sonne of God he as one rauished of his wittes by admiration prostrated him selfe before him M. This place playnely ynough proueth the diuinitie of our sauiour Christ seing he requireth men to beléeue in him and suffereth hym selfe at diuers times to be worshipped Bv. Let the Iewes and Turkes prate with the Arians at their pleasure deniing Iesus which was borne of Mary to bée the Sonne of GOD. The trueth which cannot lye the moste mightie myracles which cannot be denyed and the power which sencibly worketh in the Faythfull testifie Iesus the Sonne of Mary to be the true and natural Sonne of God M. coessential with the father and coequall with him in Diuinitie maiestie and honoure 39. Then Iesus sayde vnto him I am come to Iudgement in this worlde that they which see not might see And that they which see might bee made blinde I am come to Iudgement C. Christ in this place calleth that Iudgement by which he restored things confounded and dispersed into their due and Lawful order Notwithstanding he geueth vs to vnderstand that this was done by the wonderfull counsayle of God and contrary to the sence and vnderstanding of men And verely there séemeth nothing more contrary to humaine reason than that they should be blinded from the light of the worlde which sée This therefore is one of Gods secrete Iudgementes by which he casteth downe the pride of men B. And he alludeth to that sight which hée had geuen to the blynd man As if hée should saye As I haue made thée béeing starck blind to see in body so I geue vnto thée to others also which thos wise men of this worlde contemne in diuine matters as blinde the eyes of the Spirite that ye maye sée vnderstand loue and possesse those thinges whiche yée neuer sawe and which seeing ye would not sée and which thinges also make you blessed for euer Thus those wise men which haue séene many things vnknowen to the common sorte of people and doe think that as yet they shal sée more by the shining brightnesse which I teache because they béeing borne of the Deuel want the eyes of the Spirite doe I bereue of all knoweledge of the trueth that they maye misse of all vnderstanding of that which is right and that they being starcke blinde maye stumble and be broken vpon mée whiche am the head corner stoane immoouable vpon whome also I my selfe will fall at the Laste and grind them al to Poulder C. Also we must noate that the blindnesse of the which mention is made here commeth not so much of Christ as it doth by the falte and corruption of men For he doeth not properly blynde any man by his owne nature but because the reprobate doe desyer nothing more than to extinguish his light it is necessary that the eyes of their mindes which are infected with mallice and wickednes be darckened and shut vp by the light offered vnto them In fine forsomuch as Christ by his owne nature is the light of the worlde this is accidentall that some by his comming be made blynd By the waye of graunting he calleth those which sée Ironicée vnbeléeuing béecause they béeing blinde do thinke them selues very quicke syghted and wise and béeing puffed vp with this truste they will not voutsafe to heare the voyce of God and without Christe the wisedome of the fleshe hath a gloriouse shewe because the worlde doth not knowe what it is to bée wise in déede Therefore Christ sayeth that they do sée which deceiuing themselues and others vnder the foolish truste of wisedome are caried awaye with their owne sence and do make account of their owne Immaginations as of wisedome Such so soone as Christe
will retourne to you againe R. For I will not so goe away that I will be quite separated from you I will not so goe awaye that I will not retourne againe I will not so enter into the kingdome of my Father that I will retayne the same to my selfe aloane but for youre cause I goe and I so goe that I will come againe receiue you vnto me C. Moreouer this comming againe heare oughte not to be vnderstoode of the holy ghoste as though Christ would geue vnto hys Disciples a newe presence of him selfe in the spirite It is very true that Christ dwelleth in vs and in vs by his holye spirite but he speaketh here of the laste daye of Iudgement in the whiche hee shall come at the length to gather those that be his together And verily hée doth dayly prepare a place for vs yf so be wée haue respecte vnto the whoale body of the Church Wherevppon it followeth that the full time of our enteraunce into heauen is not yet come This the Apostle doth notably expresse in the fourth Chapter of his firste Epistle to the Thessalonians M. Lette vs remember therefore that Christ is come againe into this world The worlde beleeueth not this The cause of hys firste comming was that all they which were elected vnto lyfe from the beginning might be called vnto the grace of the kingdome of God The seconde cause of his comming shal be that the foresayde elected maye be taken vp into Euerlasting mansions This shal be broughte to passe by the ministery of Aungels Math. 13 And this second comming of Christ is desired so long vntyll a place is prouided in heauen for euery one And this caling of the electe shal be fulfilled here in earth the which béeing once ended and fulfilled this moste corrupt and wicked worlde shall haue an ende This wicked worlde shall haue an ende when the nomber of Gods elect is full A. Reade the twentyth sixe verse of the twelfth chapter going before 4. And whether I go yee know and the vvay ye knowe B. Because he would comfort his disciples concerning his departure it is necessary that we vnderstand this of that waye by which his disciples should followe hym vnto the Father C. Howebeit withall Christ teacheth that his death is not destruction but a passag to the father Therefore we haue here to noate twoo thinges The fyrst is that wee beholde Christ in his heauenlye glorye and blessed immortallity with the eyes of faith Secondlye that wée knowe him to bée the first fruites of our lyfe and the waye which was shut vp against vs is nowe opened vnto vs by him This he vttereth more plainlye in another place saying Mat. i6 24 M. Hee which wyll followe me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse and followe mee Christ him selfe is the waye to heauen that by him and after him we may come to heauenly thinges 5. Thomas sayde vnto him Lorde we knowe not whether thou goest and howe is it possible for vs to know the waye Bv. The Disciples being much gréeued marked not what the Lorde sayde vnto them and iudging to groslye of the wordes of the Lorde vnderstande not his minde and purpose C. And although at the first sight the aunswere of Thomas séemeth to disagrée with the saying of Christ yet notwithstanding his purpose was not to discréedite his Maister Notwithstanding it may be demaunded howe he denied that which the Lord had affirmed We aunswere that there are oftentimes in the Saintes confused vnderstandinges because they doe not way and consider the manner and reason of that which is plainlye set before them So the calling of the Gentiles was prophesied by the Prophetes to come of the true scence of Faith Ephe. 3 9 the which notwithstanding the Apostle Paule affirmeth to bée a misterye hydden from them Therefore when the Apostles shoulde beléeue that Christ went vnto the Father and yet notwithstanding knew not howe he should get that kingdome Thomas iustly affirmeth that they knew not whether hee went Therevppon hée gathereth the waye is more obscure For before wée enter into the race wée must knowe whether it tendeth M. By this place wée gather that no man knoweth the waye to heauenlye thinges except he fyrst knowe that Christ our sauiour and Mediatour is gone thyther 6. Iesus sayth vnto them I am the waye the trueth and the lyfe no man commeth vnto the Father but by me R. This is the principall poynt and sum of the whole Gospell that Christ is the waye the trueth and the lyfe C. Christ doeth not dyrectlye aunswere vnto the question yet notwithstanding he omitteth nothing which is necearye to bée knewne The curiositye of Thomas was to bée bridled therefore Christ doth not shewe what his condicion shal be with the Father but standeth vppon a more necessery point Thomas would wyllinglye haue hearde what Christe should doe in heauen euen as we oftentimes doe to muche wearye our selues with such subtile and curious poyntes But wee ought rather to applye our mindes how we shal be partakers of the blessed resurrection to come Wherfore the sum of this sentence is that whosoeuer getteth Christ she ll want nothing and that therefore he goeth beyonde all perfection which is not contented with him alone And he speaketh of their degrées as if he should saye that he is the beginning the middest and the ende Wherevppon it followeth that we must begin with him goe forewarde in him and ende at him We must not séeke for higher wisdome than that which leadeth vs to euerlasting lyfe This he affirmeth shal be founde in him And hée also pronounceth that the same must bee sought for in no other Hée teacheth moreouer that he is in the waye by whiche onelye wée must come thyther Therefore least hée shoulde fayle vs in any part he reacheth out his hande to those that goe astray and doeth humble himselfe so far that he directeth sucking Children hee hauing professed him selfe to bée a Captaine forsooke not his seruauntes in the midst of their race but made them partakers of the trueth At the last he made them partakers of that trueth than the which nothing more excellent can be deuised Bv. Therefore in these wordes all the Misteries of the Gospell are comprehended and from hence the ryuers of lyfe doe spring C. Séeing therefore that Christ is the waye there is no cause why the weake and ignoraunte shoulde complaine that they are forsaken of him seeing he is the truth and the lyfe he containeth in him selfe wherewithall to satisfye euen the most perfect Trueth in this place is taken of some to bée the wholsome lyght of heauenly wisedome And of othersome to be the substaunce of lyfe and of all spiritual graces which is compared with figures and shadowes Euen as when it is sayde Grace and trueth came by Christ Iesus But more rightlye it is taken for the perfection of Faith Iohn 1.7 euen as the waye is
séemeth good vnto God so the father wyll bée worshipped Therefore the wyll of God is that wée worshippe and serue him Psa 14.2 The Lorde looked downe from Heauen to see if there were any that would vnderstande and seeke after GOD. And in another place Psa 50.15 Call vpon me in the time of trouble and I wyll heare thee and deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifye me For that mightye God wyll be worshipped and called vppon of vs whome all the Angelles worship that we maye bée made pertakers of his grace and maye haue occasion to glorifye his name So hée sayeth in another place Esay 43.7 Euerye one shal be called by my name for I created him for my glorye formed him and made him Bv. This therefore is an argument taken of the good pleasure of God which is oftentymes reuealed vnto vs in the Scripture M. Wherefore all those Imagined and false worshippes are reiected which man hath deuised and this is prescribed to bee a true note of the worship of God that the same bée according to his Diuine wyll The which Socrates also is sayd to knowe and acknowledge 24. God is a Spirite and they that worshippe him must worship him in spirite and in the trueth Bv. The other argument of the Lord is taken from the nature of God God sayeth hée is a spirite where spirite is opposed against corporall substaunce Therefore God by his nature and substaunce is without a bodye Therefore he néedeth not neyther is hée delighted with corporall thinges neyther can wée winne his fauour with any thing but with the spirite He delighteth in pure sincere and spyritual thinges C. But séeing men are fleshe it is no maruaile if those thinges please them which bée agréeable to theyr disposition HerevpoÌ„ it commeth that many thinges are myxed with the worship of God which are full of corruptions and imperfections But it should become them to consider this aboue all things that they haue to do with God Question who hath no more agréement with fleshe than fire hath with water B. But thou wylt saye if God bée a spirite and therfore wyll haue no other worshippers of him but such as worship him in spirite and in trueth why then gaue hée so many Ceremonies to them of olde tyme Aunsvvere For he was then also a spyrite In déede hée was a spyrite neyther dyd God then regard any other worshippe than that of the spyrite but because the people was then more rude and lyke vnto a Childe it seemed good vnto him so to declare his glorye in a rude and Childishe people and to haue some worshippe especiallye hée required to bée feared and to haue his worde obeyed and that with the whole heart Beholde the worship of Spirite and truth C. Moreouer wée must note that truth is not here coÌ„pared with a lye but with the externall addition of Figures that the substance of spyritual worship might bée pure simple M. But the Bishops could not abyde this simplicity which was most acceptable to the Apostles and to the primitiue Church but so added Ceremonies vpon Ceremonies and beautified the same with outwarde shewe and made it glorious to the eye AV. that as this daye testifieth Christians farre excéede the Gentiles and the Iewes in superstition of external worshippe The which speciallye then preuayled when worldlye wisedome reiecting the word of God ruled the Religion of Christ For howe many is there at this daye which being contented with spirituall worshippe desyre not some externall Ceremonies to worshippe God withall B. When as notwithstanding Christian Religion for many signes receiued of Christ a fewe by which the true worship consisted and the same fewe easie to bée done râ—yall to bée vnderstoode pure to bée obserued M. Therefore this argument taken of the nature of God is most strong of all other and such that it is not onely knowne to the Godlye and faithful but also to many of the Heathen Philosophers and Poetes Whereby theyr madnesse appeareth to be the greater which thinke that they doe greatlye please God with Gold with siluer with Tapers with Images with Bels and with such lyke Gentillity A. Therfore let vs content our selues with this that God wyll be worshipped in spyrite and trueth and not with mans inuentions 25. The Woman sayeth vnto him I wote that Messias shall come which is called christ when he is come he wyl tell vs all thinges J wote that Messias shall come C. Although the Religion of the Samaritanes was impure and confounded with many errours yet notwithstanding they styll beare in minde certaine principles which they had taken out of the Lawe as this of the Messias M. For they also looked for Christ thus farre agréeing with the Iewes although in worship without Christ they greatly disagreed To this Messias therefore the woman appealed when shée knew not how to aunswere the wordes of the Lorde C. For it is probable or likely that when the Woman gathered by the wordes of Christ that there was a wonderfull and strange alteration of the Church at hand shée straight way remembred Christ vnder whome they loked for a perfect reformation of all thinges B. Wherevpon the woman as it were to make an ende of theyr talke I am not ignoraunt sayth shée that Christ promised of God loked for alreadye of thus many ages shall come vntyll whose comming I wyl reserue these questions for hee shall at large declare vnto vs all thinges whatsoeuer thou hast vttered concerning the abrogating of the worship of the Iewes of the Samaritanes and of the Gentiles concerning Religion and concerning the Well and water of lyfe C. Therefore when hée sayeth that Messias shall come hée séemeth to speake of a tyme neare at hande And truelye it maye appeare by many reasons that the mindes of all men for the most part were greatlye comforted by hope of the comming of the Messias which shoulde helpe those that were in miserye and euen at the brinke of destruction Bv. For all the Prophesies were fulfilled the kingdome was taken awaye from Israel and the Priesthoode Gen. 49.10 was subiect to the power and gouernment of the Gentiles according to the olde Prophesie of Israel When he is come he wil tell vs all thinges M. Therefore they which looked for Christe first acknowledged that knowledge of GOD which they had before his comming to bee obscure and imperfect Secondlye that the same should bée made perfect by the comming of Christ because hee should plainelye declare all thinges The whiche twoo thinges are verye necessarye for our times For vnlesse wee knowe that all thinges are obscure and vnperfecte without the knowledge of Christ and that by Christ all thinges necessarye for our Saluacion and the knowledge of God are plentifullye set foorth it can not bee that wée shoulde imbrace the Doctrine of Christ as necessarye to our Saluation C. Wherevppon wée see that this Woman preferreth Christ before Moyses and the Prophetes