Sathan had a wicked desier to hurt him insomuch that he went about with all his might to destroye hym Bv. and working error and rebellion in our parents Adam and Eue he slue all mankinde The same also within a while after armed Caine to destroye his brother Abell And dayly throughout the whoale world he stirreth vp wicked and vngodly men to murther For he reioyceth in bloud in warres in theft and in the destruction of men and only because hee enuieth the felicitie and happinesse of others But Christ meaneth not here the beginning of the creation as though God had endewed the Deuell with a desier to hurte but he condemneth the wickednesse of Sathans nature whiche he hath taken to him selfe M. Neyther ought it to séeme absurd to any man that the Deuell is sayde to be the autor of death when as notwithstanding the Apostle séemeth to attribute the same to our firste parent saying As by one man sinne entereth into the worlde and by sinne Death c. For these two went together namely the Temptor and the Obayer of Temptacion Sathan was the Temptor and perswador to transgression and sinne by enuie mixing with the same a lye yet notwithstanding hée had fayled of his purpose if so be Adam had not harckned to his perswasion and transgressed Gods commaundement Therefore as touching that enuie of the Deuell the roote of euell temtation and also as touching the lye of perniciouse perswasyon it is truely attributed to the Deuell that hée is the firste author of death againe as touching the assent of Adam and the transgression of Gods commaundement it is rightly by the Apostle ascribed to Adam that he was the author of synne and death to all his posteritie insomuch that there is no disagréement at all here betwene Christ and the Apostle As for example if so bee amonge the enemies besieging a Cittie one of them doe with sertaine false perswasyons perswade and intice one of the principall Cittizens to betraye the Cittie vnto them insomuche that he harkeneth therevnto whereby be boath betrayeth his Countrey and also maketh the Cittie to be sacked and destroyed boath the perswading enemie and also the betraying Cittizen which contemning the false perswasions of the enemie might haue kepte his fayth whiche he did owe vnto his countrey are rightly sayd to be the aucthours of this destruction Euenso the mortalitie of mankinde is aptly referred to the mallice and enuie of the Deuell but yet not without the falt of our parentes And aboade not in the trueth C. These wordes playnly expresse a chaung and alteration to the worse and therefore Sathan is a lyer not from the creation but because he fell from the trueth Therefore in that he is a lyer it is not because he hath bene alwayes by nature an ennemy to the truth but because he fell voluntarily from the same Bv. God made the Deuell good in the beginning for all his workes are good He did set him in the trueth from the which hée coulde neuer haue fallen except he had sometyme stoode in the same Of hym was required by the moste Iust God Fayth or fidilitie thankefulnesse and the acknowledging of God the Creatour who had geuen him strength to perseuer yf he had woulde for he might haue stande yf he had woulde But through his owne falte and wickednesse he aboade not in the trueth that is to say in the puritie in the which he was made For by Infedilitie he fell C. This discription of Sathan is very profitable for vs that euery man maye learne to béeware of his subtill snares 1. Pet. 5.8 and to resist him For he goeth about continually like a roaring Lyon séeking whome he may deuoure and he hath a thousand wayes to deceiue AVG. We haue not red that the Deuell hath at any time vsed any externall armoure to kill a man neyther that hée hath playde the murderer with his hand but he hath vsed lying and pernicious perswasion M. This is the worse and moste Deuelishe kinde of murther when the body is not only killed with the sworde but also when both soule and body with a blasphemouse lye against the worde of God is made subiect not only to Temporal but also to euerlasting death C. So much the more therefore it behooueth the Faithfull to be armed with spirituall armoure to fighte and to be sober and watche M. Therefore the Apostle when he feared this kinde of murther sayde I feare leste by any meanes that as the serpent beguiled Eue through his subteltie 2. Cor. 11.3 euenso your mindes shoulde be corrupted from the singlenesse that is toward Christ For the serpent had the false Apostles Ministers of this murder by whose dilligence he sought to bryng to passe that thing whiche he had begon in the beginning to the destruction of mankind such false Aposteles he hath alwayes had among the Gentiles among the Iewes and amonge the Christians C. Therefore yf Sathan cannot put of this affection there is no cause why we shoulde he troubled as at some newe or straunge thing when we sée diuers errors to spring vp for Sathan sendeth forth his Instrumentes to trouble and to deceiue the worlde And it is noe marueile yf so be Sathan séeke so dilligently to ouerwhelme the light of the trueth for it is the onely lyfe of the soul Therefore he vseth lying as a mortall darte to destroye the soule Because there is no truth in him C. This is a confirmation taken of the effecte For because Sathan hateth the trueth and cannot abide the same but fauoreth altogether of lyes Christe gathereth therevpon that he was taken and quight tourned awaye from the trueth R. Neither is it repugnaunt to this sentence of Christ Iob. 1.10 Math. 4.6 when we reade that Sathan hath sometime spoken the truth as when he sayde Thou haste blessed the worke of his hands and his substance is increased in the Land Also it is writen he shall geue his aungeles charge ouer thee Again Thou art Christ the Sonne of God Luk. 4.41 Act. 16.17 Moreouer These men are the seruauntes of the moste high God whiche shewe vnto vs the waye of saluation These I saye and such like sentences are nothing repugnaunt with these wordes of Christ For it is one thinge sometime to speake the trueth and another thing to haue the truth within one Euenas it is one thing sometime to tell a lye and another thing to bée a continuall lyar The trueth is in them which do not onely sometime speake that whiche is true but do loue the trueth and doe speake those thinges which they speake for the loue which they owe vnto the truth A man shall finde some whiche speake the trueth not for the Loue they beare to the trueth but for the loue either of glory or of gayn or else for the hatred which they beare to some man Of those it cannot bee sayde that the trueth is in them Although therefore Sathan sometime speaketh
him but that which was diuine yea in that he hauing so small knowledge of Christe gaue and submitted him selfe whollye vnto him his Faith and ready obedience deserueth the more praise Bv. Wherefore if we simplye beléeue the worde of God and contemne not the Sacramentes of the Lorde he wyl geue and performe vnto vs all that hée hath promised A. For he is Faithfull 2. Tim. 2.13 hée knoweth not howe to lye and he cannot deny him selfe 8. So the neyghboures and they that had seene him before vvhen he vvas blind sayde Is not this he that sate and begged Bv. Here the Euangelist sheweth howe this miracle was made knowne first to the common sort of people and after that to the Rulars M. The blind man after he was restored to his sight returned first of all from the Poole of Syloh to his friendes and acquaintance with great ioye For his Parentes were alyue in that Citye as ye shall sée anon And herevppon came the occasion of reuealing and publishing this miracle For if he had aboade among straungers and those which knewe him not the miracle of his illuminacion had styll remained vnknowne C. Howbeit the blind man was not onelye knowne to his neyghbours but also to many of the inhabitauntes of the Citye because hée was wont to syt begging at the Gate of the Temple and such among the common sort of people dyd the more beholde him B. And thus we sée howe all thinges serue the Lorde For in this that this man was a beggar it serued somewhat to the setting forth of the glorye of God for herevpon it came that he was known to many and so hée was knowne more and more 9. Some sayde this is he other sayde he is lyke him Hee him selfe sayde I am euen hee C. As impietye is cunning and expert inough in obseuring the workes of God many thought that it was not the same man because in him the vnwonted and wonderfull power of God was to be séene euenso the more bright that the maiestie of the workes of God is the lesse credite and faith it hath among men But their doubting was a helpe and furtheraunce to allowe and confirme the Gospell because hereby it came to passe that by their proclayming of it the blind man dyd the more set forth the grace of Christ Bv. In whome we maye behoulde the nature and disposition of suche as are illuminated by Christ These men with him geue testimony vnto the trueth they do simply and truely set forth the workes of the Lorde and they doe expreslye confesse Christ M. Also no Christian whiche is made partaker of the grace of Christ by repentaunce ought to deny what he was before his conuersion but to confesse him selfe howe euill soeuer he hath béen to the glory praise of the grace of Christ Math. 9.9 So Mathewe is not ashamed to confesse that he was a Publicane before his conuersion Paule also in diuers places of his Epistles maketh mencion of his condicion before his conuersion that he might the more largely commend the grace of Christ i. Cor. 15.9 Galat. i.iij. Acts. 22.4 Acts. 26.9 At this daye they whiche from base estate and as it were from the dunghill are aduaunced to honour doe notablye dissemble their former condition whereby they deserue to be restored to the same againe 10. Therefore sayde they vnto him howe are thine eyes opened M. They which thus demaunde doe testifye so farre forth of the miracle of illuminacion that they declare that they sée not howe it is possible that the eyes of one that is borne blinde shoulde bée opened and so by demaunding they set forth the glorye of Christ wyll they nyll they 11. Hee aunswered and sayde The man that is called Iesus made claye and annointed mine eyes and sayde vnto mee Goe to the Poole Syloe and washe And when I went and vvashed I receiued my sight R. Hée simplye openeth the matter as it was I went and washed and I sée After faith commeth health and after health commeth the confession of the name of Christ C. This good successe and happye fruite of obedience teacheth vs to set all lettes Impediments aside and bouldlye to goe forward whether soeuer the Lorde calleth vs and let vs not doubte but that whatsoeuer wée take in hande shall haue prosperous successe if so bée we bée lead and guided by him 13. Then sayde they vnto him Where is he He sayd I cannot tell Bv. This argueth that the blinde man had not as yet séene Iesus neyther knewe him by his Face or countenaunce M. For Iesus dyd not abyde in that place vntyll the blinde man returned from the Poole of Syloe with his eyes opened Bv. but as he dyd verye often at other times so here also so soone as he had sent him to the Poole he went apart that by his example hée might teache vs humilitie and modesty M. He had done the worke of his Father after the which he departed 13. They brought to the Pharisees him that a lytle before was blinde C. The narration whiche nowe followeth doeth declare that the wicked are so farre from profiting by the worde of God that the more they are vrged by the power thereof the more they spewe out theyr conceyued poyson The restoring of the sight to the blinde man ought verilye to haue mollefied stoany heartes but the Pharisées being astonished at the newnesse and greatnesse of the thing should haue stayed so long vntyl they had tryed and found whether it were a Diuine worke or no but the hatered of Christ made them so rashe madde that by and by they condemne that whiche they heard to bée done by him Bv. Therefore so soone as the miracle of Christ was knowne to the common sort of people it was also knowne to the Rulars C. And the Euangelist nameth the Pharisées not because other sectes were fauourable vnto Christ but because this secte was more boulde and stoute to defende the present state than the rest For hipocrisie is alwaye cruel and prowde Hipocrisy euer cruell and proude And it is vncertaine with what minde they brought this blind man to the Phariseis B. Some thinke that they desired to tell them that the Lorde whome they so persecuted was not an euil man hauing done so great a miracle C. It may bée also that many flatterers to please the Phariseis sought to obscure and ouerthrowe the glorye of the miracle Othersome thinke it more likelye that the greater part of the common people suspending their iudgement would haue the Rulars and gouernours to bée Arbiters and Iudges of the matter In the meane time they being wyllingly blinde in the bright Sunne shine bring darkenesse to them selues to obscure his light This is the preposterous religion of the common sort of people which adoreth and reuerenceth the wicked tirants of the Churche vnder the pretence of diuine reuerence but as for God they contemne both in wordes and workes or at least
him to be sent of GOD and to wyll his Fathers wyll and also to bée equall with him in power For he wrought other myracles also without prayer Mar. 9.25 as when hée sayde to the Deuell Math. 8.2 come forth of him and to the Leprouse man which sayde If thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane Math. 9.6 I wyll bee thou cleane And to him that was sicke of the Paulsey Aryse take vp thy bed and walke Luk. 7.8 A. In lyke manner when hée raysed vp the Widdowes sonne from death we reade not that he prayed but sayde onelye Yong man I saye vnto thee aryse Mar. 5 4i Neyther yet when he raysed vp Iayrus Daughter Therefore although he could haue raised vp Lazarus with the wagging of his finger yet notwithstanding thus it behoued all thinges to be done because of the people whiche stoode by 43. And when hee thus had spoken he cried with a loude voyce Lazarus come forth M. He woulde haue all men heare with what words he raysed vp the dead man least any man should thinke that he dyd any thing supersticiouslye or by magicall arte Furthermore it was also necessarye that they shoulde heare howe constantly and without doubting with great confidence and aucthoritye he commaunded the dead man to aryse and to this ende he cryed aloude C. And whereas he toucheth not the dead body with his hande but cryeth onelye with a loude voyce his power therein doeth more manifestly appeare and withal he commendeth vnto vs the wonderfull and secréete efficacye of his worde For howe doeth Christ restore lyfe vnto the dead but by his worde Wherefore in the raysing vp of Lazarus he vsed a visible signe of spirituall grace the which wee féele daylye by the scence of Faith in shewing his voyce to bée a quickening voyce R. As therefore hée made the worlde by his worde so by his worde he raysed the dead man to the ende we might learne that the Gospell is the power of God to saluation to all that beléeue For as Lazarus being dead in body was brought againe by the word to corporall lyfe euen so we being dead in sinnes by the word receiued are restoared into the euerlasting lyfe of righteousnesse Reade the fiue and twentye verse ' of the fifte Chapter before 44. And hee that was dead came forth boūd hande and foote with graue cloathes and his face vvas bounde with a napkin Iesus sayde vnto them Loose him and let him goe And he that was dead Bv. This is a manifest declaration of the diuinitye of our Lord and sauiour Christ that his power is not voyde and ineffectuall but lyuely and quickening For nowe he performeth that in verye deede which he had spoken before namelye that he is the resurrection and the lyfe For so sone as Lazarus which was dead and buryed heard the voyce of the Sonne of God he came foorth sound and whoale in body And his face was bound with a napkin C. The Euangelist maketh mencion of Graue cloathes and the napkin to the ende we might knowe that Lazarus came foorth of the Sepulchre euen as hee was layde in the same Also the Iewes retaine this maner of buriall at this day wrapping the body in one péece of Linnen and the head with a towell or napkin seuerall as we maye reade in the nintéene Chapter folowing Graue clothes is all the ritches we carrye out of this world with vs. i. Tim. 6.7 Bv. And whereas Lazarus came foorth bounde hand foote all new writers almost thinke it to bée done by a newe miracle But hereby we may gather and sée what Ritches wee carrye foorth of this worlde with vs namelye our wynding sheete and graue cloathes according to the saying of the Apostle VVee brought nothing into this worlde neyther maye we carrye any thing out of the same Loose him and let him goe C. This was also commaunded to bée done to amplifye the glorye of the myracle that the Iewes might feele with their handes the worke of God whiche they sawe with their eyes R. For hée whiche had put awaye death with the power of his worde coulde eyther haue made the grauecloathes to haue fallen of by their owne accorde or else that Lazarus shoulde haue vnbounde him selfe but Christ would haue the handes of the standers by Auriculer confession to be witnesses of the miracle But to ridiculous are the Papistes who vpon this place ground their auriculer confession Christ saye they would haue Lazarus after he had restored him to life to be loosed by his Disciples therefore it is not sufficient for vs to be reconciled vnto God except the Church also forgeue vs our sinnes But wherevppon doe they define and gather that the office of loosing Lazarus was inioyned the Disciples We rather gather by the text that it was enioyned the Iewes to the ende they might haue all scruple of doubting taken from them A. Therfore this place serueth no more their turne to auriculer confession than doeth that other of the tenne Lepers in the seuentéene Chapter of Luke the which also they haue wickedly abused 45. Then many of the Iewes which came to Marye and had seene the thinges which Iesus dyd beleeued on him Bv. As in the former Chapters it hath diuers times appeared howe the world is affected at the workes of God and at the preaching of the gospel so the same apeareth to vs againe in this present Chapter For some obey Gods calling receiue the holy institucion of God and iudge rightly of Gods workes euen as dyd these men who séeing the wonderfull miracle beléeued Iesus to be the Messias But other some beléeue not obey not the workes and wordes of the Lord but doe rather speake euell of the same betraye the same and goe about with all their strength to obscure and ouerwhelme the manifest trueth M. Many beléeued but not all because all were not chosen to life C. Therefore Christ dyd not suffer the miracle which he had wrought to be without fruite because by this meanes he brought some vnto faith For there is a double vse of myracles namelye that they maye eyther prepare vs vnto faith or else maye confirme vs in the same The former vse the Euangelist noateth here For his meaning is that they of whome he speaketh wondered reuerenced the deuine power of Christ that they might be his Disciples otherwise the bare miracle could not suffice vnto faith Therefore by the worde Beleeued in this place we ought to vnderstande nothing else but the docillitye and redinesse to imbrace the doctrine of Christ as we haue shewed before Therefore the Iewes which came to comfort Mary and were brought vnto faith by this signe receyued thereby no small consolation 46. But some of them went theyr wayes to the Phariseis and told them what Iesus had done M. Here the nature and disposition of peruerse and obstinate personnes is discribed They had séene no other thing nor lesse than the
errours Hee maketh him the Sonne of Ioseph and also a Nazarite by birth both which are very false and yet notwithstanding bycause hée sincerelye desired to profite his brother and to reueale Christ this his dilligence is accepted of GOD and hée hath also prosperous successe For truelie euery man must endeuour himselfe soberly to abide within his bounds And wée must not thinke that the Euangelist maketh mention of this thing as though it were worthy of prayse in Phillip that twise he enformeth and falselye reporteth of Christ but his doctrine is commended of him to be profitable howe corrupt and erronious soeuer it was because it tended to this ende to reueale Christ Foolishly hée calleth Iesus the sonne of Ioseph and ignorauntly hée maketh him a Nazarite notwithstanding hée applyeth this to no other than to the sonne of God which was borne at Bethlehem neyther doth hée make a counterfayte Christ but woulde onely haue him knowen to be such a one as Moyses and the Prophets had foreshewed We do sée therfore that this is the speciall poynt in doctrine namely that by all meanes they which heare vs maye come vnto Christ This place also teacheth vs not disdainfully to reiect that which simple and vnlearned men bring vnto vs concerning Christ though it be not so aptly alleaged if so be they direct vs vnto Christ But least we be drawen away by the false imaginations of men from Christ we haue alwayes this remedie at hande that is to saye to séeke for the pure knoledge of the trueth out of the Lawe and the Prophetes B. And in that that Philip sayde vnto Nathanael VVee haue founde him of whom Moyses the Law and the Prophets did write we may coniecture that Nathanael was studious in the Scriptures and had dilligently searched in them for the comming and kingdome of Christ 46. And Nathanael saide vnto him Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth Philip saith vnto him Come and see Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth R. Nathanael is offended at the basenes of the place according to the manner of fleshe and blood which is alwaies offended at abiect thinges because it alwaies aspireth to high and great thinges but God hideth his excellent workes vnder a base forme and showe that he might be wonderfull in his workes C. This godlye man is at the first offended with the vnaduised and rash talke of Phillip for that which he foolishly thought this man certainly beleeueth beside this by the hatred and contempte of the place he had conceiued a wrong Iudgement In like manner except we take héede diligently we shall not be without the same danger For trulye Satan dayly goeth about to staie vs with the like lettes from comming to christ For he seketh diligently to haue many lies spread abroad which may make vs either hate the Gospell or suspect the same that we may feare to taste thereof There is yet another stumbling blocke which he laith in our waie and that is to make Christ séeme contemptible vnto vs. For we doe see what a great offence to many the basenes of the Crosse is the which appeared as well in Christ the head as also in his members M. Nathanael therefore hauing regard to the wordes of the Prophete whiche foreshewed that Christ shoulde bée borne in Bethleem and not in Nazareth demaundeth whether any good thing can come out of Nazareth Mich. 5 So some in the company of the Pharisées sayde Shall Christ come foorth of Galilee Doeth not the Scripture saye that hée shall come of the séede of Dauid and out of the Citye of Bethlehem Come and see B. Iohn 7 When Philip was not able to resolue this doubt hée biddeth him come and sée M. For hée aunswereth nothing to the demaunde of Nathanael but that hée should goe with him to Christ and sée The which notable counsayle Andrewe also vsed before when he brought his brother Simon to Iesus For these twoo Andrew and Philip had so great experiēce in the force vertue of the Diuine power of Christ that with good and assured trust they desired nothing else but that hée should be heard of men being certified that it woulde come to passe that if any heard him they should haue so great experience of the light of the truth that afterwarde they shoulde féele no doubting in them B. Therefore Nathanael had so great a desire to the trueth that out of hand he followed Philippe to Iesus although it séemed to bée contrarye to the Scriptures whiche Philip had shewed And hereby hée got straight waye the knowledge of the Lorde C. For hée suffered his double errour by this inuitacion of Philippe to bee corrected Euen so by his example let vs shewe our selues tractable and readye to bée taught let vs not also refuse to inquyre and searche séeing Christ is alwayes ready to ease vs of those doubtes that trouble vs. And if at any time our obiections can not bée satisfied let vs not yet condemne that whiche is offered vnto vs and seasse to séeke any farther for the trueth 47. Iesus saw Nathanael comming to him and sayth of him behoulde a right Israelite in whome is no guile M. Nathanael was not of theyr crewe which condemned the Doctrine of the trueth before they heard or knew the same and by obstinate impietie could not abide to heare the same Such were the Scribes and Pharisées of the Iewes and that contrary to the Lawe of God as Nicodemus noteth Doeth our Lawe sayeth he iudge any man before it heare him Iohn 7 and know what he hath done Such are the Iudges and Byshops at this day of the Popish Church which very rashely reiect the Doctrine of the gospell condemne and persecute the same And sayeth of him beholde a right C. In that Christ prayseth Nathanael hée doth it not for his sake but vnder his person he propoundeth a common doctrine For séeing there are many which boast them selues to be faythfull which are nothing lesse it is méete that the true and good be discerned from the false and counterfayt by some note or marke Wée know how greatly the Iewes boasted in their Father Abraham when they boasted of the holinesse of their ofspring notwithstanding scarce one of them among an hundred was founde which was not a Bastard and a Stranger from the fayth of his fathers Therefore Christe to the ende hée might take away the cloake from the Hipocrites hée briefely defineth a true Israelite and doth therewith also take away the offence which afterward should arise vppon the wicked contumacie of that Nation For they which woulde be counted the Children of Abraham and the holye people of God became afterwarde mortall and sworne enimies of the Gospell Least therfore the common impietie almost of all estates should discourage or trouble anye man hée admonisheth before hande and in dewe time that among many which pretende the name of true Israelites few are true in déede R. But
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
pleased him and the wyll of his Father not because eyther Caiphas or Pilate constrained him Wherevpon it is sayd The Kinges of the earth stoode vppe and the Rulers came togeather against the Lorde and against his Christ And of a truth against thy holye Childe Iesus whome thou hast annoynted boath Herode and also Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles Acts. 4.27 and the people of Israell gathered them selues togeather for to doe whatsoeuer thy hande and thy counsayle determined before to bee done So all the Godlye are afflicted not because theyr aduersaryes can doe any thing by their owne power againste Godlye who are vnder the hande and most mightye protection of GOD but because so it pleaseth the wyll of theyr Father whiche is in Heauen the which wyll is executed by the wicked to theyr extreame destruction but to the greate profite of the Godly This commaundement haue I receyued M. Hée nowe openeth the well spring of his power namelye his Fathers commaundement And by this commaundement hée vnderstandeth that wyll of God and that eternall counsaile by which hée had determined to sende his Sonne into this worlde and to geue him to death for the redemption of mankind C. Of the which counsayle of the Father hée therefore putteth vs in minde that wée might knowe that hée hath so greate care of our saluation that hée hath geuen to vs his onelye begotten Sonne so deare and precious vnto him And Christe him selfe whiche came into the worlde to shewe him selfe obedient to his Father confyrmeth this that hée hath no other respect in all thinges than to doe vs good M. Therefore Christ in all thinges shewed him selfe obedient to his Father Herevppon it is sayde It is written in the volume of thy booke concerning mee that I shoulde doe thy wyll Psa 40.8 O my GOD I am content to doe it A. And hereafter hée sayth The Prince of this world commeth and findeth nothing in mee but that the world maye knowe that I loue the Father Iohn i4 i3 and as the Father commaunded me so I doe M. This is true obedience whiche dependeth not onelye of the déede but also of the diuine wyll 19. There was a discention therefore againe amonge the Iewes for these sayinges B. The more that Christ bewrayed his diuinitye the more euidentlye appeared the difference betwéene the electe and the Reprobate Bv. And as trueth and pietye is alwaye lyke it selfe so falsehood and impietye differeth not a strawe breadth from it selfe C. This was the fruite of the Sermon of Christ that he alwayes wonne some Disciples or other to him selfe but because his doctrine had many aduersaryes thereof came the contencion that they whiche at the first were as it were one bodye of the Churche might bée deuided among them selues For with one consent all menne professed that they worshipped the GOD of Abraham and that they followed the Lawe of Moyses Christ the hande of vnitie but now when Christ came among them they began to disagrée for his sake If so be that profession had béene true Christ which is the most excellent bond of Charitye and whose office it is to gather the dispersed togeather woulde not haue dissolued and broken theyr consent and agréement but by the lyght of his Gospel he bewrayed the hipocrisy of many who hauing onelye a false and counterfaite shewe boasted them selues to bée the people of God Contencions come by wicked men Thus also the wickednesse of many men in these daies bringeth to passe that the Church is troubled with dissentions and that contencions are so feruent in the meane tyme they which trouble the peace lay the blame vpon the professors of the Gospell calling them Scismatiks For for this cause speciallye the Godlye are offended at the Papistes because their doctrine hath shaken the quiete state of the Churche But if so bée they woulde peaceablye submitte them selues vnto Christ and would subscribe vtno the trueth all contencions troubles would strayte waye be appeased But seeing they frete and fume against Christ and wyll not suffer the Godlye witnesses of Christ to bée at reste except the trueth of God maye lye hyd and Christ maye be banished from his kingdome they falselye obiect the faulte of Scisme which all menne sée ought rather to be imputed vnto them Therefore we must alwayes consider and sée in Scismatikes who they he which depart from GOD and his pure doctrine M. And the Euangelist in saying that there arose a contencion again sendeth the readers to those things which he hath declared in the Chapters going before as in the seuenth and ninth Chapters Ioh. 7.43 Iohn 9.16 Bv. For there these verye same Iewes withstanding the manifest trueth doe cause no small troubles 20. And many of them sayde Hee hath the Deuell and is mad why heare ye him M. This Cauill also the aduersaryes of Christ vsed before C. They doe defame Christ with the most odious reproche that they can deuise that all menne might abhorre to heare him M. For they coulde not abyde that people should heare him with delyte and admiration for the whiche cause they went about to turne awaye the mindes of the simple from him that they might not heare him any more afterward C. So the wicked least they should bée constrained to geue place vnto GOD doe furiouslye contemne him and doe styrre vp others also to the lyke madnesse least that the wordes of Christ at any time shoulde bée hearde with silence and quietnesse But the doctrine of Christ is able sufficientlye to defende it selfe against all Cauilles M. These wicked ones are verye like vnto them which doe priuitye sclaunder the ministers of Christ least they should bée hearde 21. Other sayde These are not the woordes of him that hath the Deuell Can the Deuell open the eyes of the blinde Bv. They which loue the trueth constantlye defende the same M. and do defende Christ against the sclaunder of the wicked by twoo argumentes the first is by his founde and vnblameable doctrine the other is taken of the present power of his miracles For he which hath a Deuell can not hyde his madnesse but bewrayeth the same both by wordes and déedes For a man which is possessed with a Deuell can neyther speake nor doe those thinges which one that hath his wittes can doe C. That therefore which these good men saye is as muche as if they should require that iudgement might bée geuen according to the matter it selfe For trueth as we sayde before doeth alwaye sufficientlye defende it selfe And this is the onelye buckeler of our Fayth that the wicked can neuer bring to passe but that the power and wisedome of God shall shine in the Gospell R. Also this varietye of iudgementes concerning Christ is written for our learning that wée might learne the nature of this worlde For the world must bée iudged of Christ but beholde nowe it vsurpeth aucthority vnto it selfe to iudge Christ Howe greate therefore
to so great obstinacy not by erroure and foolishnes but by brutish dogged mallice insomuch that they are not afeard to warre agaynst God R. For admit that Christ brake the Sabboth daye made hym selfe equall with God and hadde caused sedytyon what fault had Lazarus committed that he should dye Hee was raysed from death But is it a faulte to receiue a benifite M. What did Lazarus sauing that he béeing raysed out of the graue lyued to the glory of Christe his qickener This the high Priests thought suficient cause to put him to death What other thinge do they at this daye which do not onely séeke to extinguish the doctrine of Christ but also to kill those who by the same are raysed and quickned as it were from death 11. Because that for his sake manye of the Iewes went awaye and beleeued on Iesus Bv. Christ had wrought many myracls but neyther the restoaring of the half to his limmes nor the geuing of syght to the blind nor any other miracle made them so mad as did this For this was by nature more wonderful and done after many other And verely it was wonderfull to sée and heare a man which had bene deade fowre dayes to speake and walke Furthermore when he had geuen sighte to the blind man he séemed to haue broken the Sabboth but séeing they had here no such occation to complayne they are prouoked against him that was healed Moreouer the blind man was a beggar but as for Lazarus he was a man of welth the which may be gathered hereby for that many of the Iewes came out of the Cittie to comfort his sisters and because the miracle was done in the presence of many with admiration of all men Therefore many came to Christ to Bethanie M. And the high Priestes were not offended so much that many beléeued in Christ as they were that they went awaye for this vexed them for this going awaye was a cleane forsaking of the Phariseis For they whiche beléeued in Christ cast of their yoake At this day also the Bishoppes of Rome would easily be contented to suffer the doctrine of the Gospell if so be men by the same were not drawen vnto Christe but vnto them A. But no man is to be reckoned among the nomber of the Disciples of Christe which will not followe hys teacher For Christes shéepe heare his voyce and followe Therefore that we maye hould fast the doctrine of Christ we must reiecte the whoale doctrine of Antechrist and forsake his wicked ceremonies Ioh. i0 27 For what felloweshippe is there betwéene righteousenesse and vnrighteousenesse what communion betwéene light and darcknes what agréement with Christ and Belial Or what parte hath a faithfull man with an Infidell Or howe agreeth the temple of God with Images 2 Cor 6 4 C. Moreouer seeing Sathan wholy bendeth hym selfe to ouerthrowe the workes of God or at least to obscure them it is oure partes continually to thinke vpon them 12. On the nexte daye muche people that were com to the feast vvhen they hearde that Iesus shoulde come to Hierusalem Bv. The glory of the Lorde Christ increased more and more the Iewes his enemies fretting and fuming in the meane tyme at the same Concerning the exposition of the twoo nexte verses following reade our Commentary vppon the one and twentie Chapter of Mathew beginning at the fift and eyght verses 16. These thinges vnderstoode not his diciples at the firste but when Iesus vvas glorified then remembered they that suche thinges were wrighten of him and that suche thinges they had done vnto hym C. Euen as the séede doth not springe by and by after it is cast into the ground so the fruite of the works of God doth not strayght waye appeare The Apostles were the Ministers of God to fulfill the prophesye but what they did they vnderstoode not They harde the crye of the multitude and that no confused crye but such a crye as proclaimed Christ to be a King yet notwithstandinge they knewe not to what ende nor what it ment It was therefore vnto them a dumbe and vaine shewe vntil the Lord opened their eyes M. Here also we are taught to obaye the wordes of Christ although we vnderstand not by and by to what end they tende Then they remembered C. Here the cause of that grosse ignoraunce is noated which went before knowledge because they had not then the Scripture their guide and Scoolemaistris to directe their mindes to righte and pure consideration For we withoute we haue firste the worde of God are starcke blind neyther yet is it sufficient that the worde of God doth shyne vnto vs except the holy ghost doth illuminate our eyes This grace Christ gaue vnto his disciples after hys resurrection because as yet the ful tyme was not come in the which he shoulde powre forth the riches of his spirite in ample manner vntill he was receiued vp into heauenly glory And we béeing taught by this example let vs learne to Iudge of all thinges which pertaine vnto Christ by the Scripture and not after the scence of our owne fleshe Also let vs consider that this is a speciall grace of the spirite to be instructed by the same in continuaunce of tyme that we might not be without sence and vnderstanding when we call to minde the workes of God 17. The people that was with him when hee called Lazarus out of his graue and raysed hym from death bare recorde M. The Euangeliste cannot forgette the miracle of the raysing vp of Lrzarus C. Therefore he repeateth againe that which he had spoken before that a great many béeing mooued by the fame of the myracle went forth to mete Christ For therefore they went forth by heapes becaus euery where the rumor concerning the raysing vp of Lazarus was spred abroade These men therefore had Iuste cause to attribute the honour of Christe vnto the Sonne of Marye séeing they had such knoweledge of hys wonderfull power M. And thus we sée that the more the wicked desyer to haue the trueth buryed the more God doth open the mouthes of the Godly to the manifestation and setting forth of the same and geueth vnto them suche courage that they doe not onely speake that which they knowe to bée true but doe constantly mayntaine the same 19. The Phariseis therefore sayd among them selues perceiue ye how yee preuaile nothing behoulde al the whoal worlde goeth after him Bv. The more the glory of the Lorde encreased the more the anger wrath and fury of the enemies of Christe also was inflamed notwithstanding they are conuinced and ouerwhelmed with the huge heape of Christs gloriouse acts and by his euident preaching insomuch that as mad men and men wanting counsail they are constrained almost to dispayre for they crye with greate fury and outrage Perceiue ye howe ye preuaile nothing C. By which wordes they prouoke them selues to greater madnesse For it is a sertaine exprobration and reprehention of their negligence as if
howe they besought Pilate that the bodies might be taken downe it serueth to the confirmation of our faith fyrste because it sheweth that the same was fullfilled in the person of Christe which was foreshewed in the Scrptures secondly bicause it contayneth a misterie of no small weight A. In the meane tyme notwithstanding the Iewes bewraie their hypocrisie when they require that the bodies may be taken downe from the Crosses Deu. 21.23 M. The lawe of Moses commaunded that the body hanged vpon the trée shuld the same day that it was hanged be taken downe buried R. The Iewes very diligently obserue this lawe being made only for ciuility and humanities sake whereas otherwise they transgressed the whole law Who wold not haue iudged these to be holy men Who would haue suspected that they wold haue killed Christ against the law seing them such diligent obseruers of the law Therefore to the end they might religiously obserue their Sabbath they are very carefull for the outward pollution in the meane time not cōsidering how wicked a déed it is to kill an innosent man So a litle before we sawe that they entered not into the iudgement haule least they should defile them selues when as their impietie defiled and polluted the whole Countrey 22. Then came the souldiers brake the legges of the first and of the other which was crucified with him 23. But when they came to Iesus sawe that he was dead alredy they brake not his legges G. Whereas whē they had broken the legs of the two theues they foūd Christ dead and therefore touch not his body we may therin behold an extraordinary worke of Gods prouidence Heathen and prophane men will saye that it commeth naturally to passe that one man dyeth sooner than another but he that shall wey and consider the whole order of the history shal be constrayned to ascribe it to the secrete purpose of God in the iudgement of god that the spedy death of Christ stayed them from breaking his legges 34. But one of the soldiers with a spear thrust him into the syde forthwith came there out bloud and water In that his side was pearsed with a speare by the Souldier it was done to approue his death but god had a further respect as we shall sée anon But very childish is the imagination of the Papistes which haue made of this speare man a Longius fayning the proper name of a man to make the matter more fabulous they say that this Souldier was before blinde and receiuing his sight was conuerted to the faith And therefore they haue canonized him a Saint If such Saintes be their patrones when they pray vnto God what I pray you shal they attayne at any tyme but thei are worthy which leauing christ séeke after dead men to be deceyued and blynded by the Diuell And forthwith came therout bloud water C. Some were deceiued fayning heare a miracle For it is a natural thing for blud when it is congealed and hath lost his redines to be lyke water Therefore this was no miraculous thing that water gushed out of his syde with bloud hee being dead And the purpose of the Euangelist was to declare that his narration was confyrmed by testimonies of Scripture which he afterward addeth and specially that he might put the faithfull in mynd of that which hee sayeth in another place 1. Ihon. 5.6 namelye that Christ came by water and bloud By which words he declareth that Christ brought with him the true satisfaction and the liuely fountaine For remission of sins righteousnes and the puritie of the soule were fygured in the law by these two signes namely by sacrifyces and washinges In sacrifyces bloud satisfyed for sinnes and was the pryce to satisfye the wrath of God Washings were testimonies of true puritie and remedies to pourge away vncleannes and to wash away the spottes of the fleshe But least fayth should stay any more vppon these elementes S. Ihon testifyeth in his Epistle that the fulfilling and fulnesse of both graces is in Christ and heere he giueth vs a visible signe of the same thing To the same ende pertayne those Sacramentes which Christ hath lefte vnto hys Church For in Baptisme the purgation and puritie of the soule which appeareth by newnesse of life is declared And the Supper is a pledge of the satisfaction made But they differ farre from the figures of the olde Lawe bicause they offer Christ as if he were present whome the figures of the Law shewed a farre off Wherfore we may affirme that our Sacraments flowed out of the side of Christ Sacramentes flowed out of Christes side For thē we are truly washed away from our spottes and are renued into a holy life then we are redeemed from death and do liue in the presence of God when Baptisme and the Supper of the Lorde doo leade vs vnto Christes side that from thence we may draw that as from a liuely spring by fayth whiche they do figure and signifie 35. And he that saw it bare recorde and his record is true and he knoweth that he sayth true that ye might beleeue also M. This S. Iohn addeth for the more certentie of the matter shewing that in a cause of Christian fayth we must leane to those things which are certayne and true To the same effect pertayne these words And vve savv his glory Iohn 1.14 as the glory of the only begotten Sonne of the Father And agayne Iohn 3.11 1. Iohn 1.1 2. Pet. 1.16 Ephe. 4.14 1. Ioh. 2.24 That vvhich vve knovv vve speake and vve testifie that vvhich vvee haue seene M. Furthermore in that he bringeth god for a witnesse of those things to be true whiche he writeth saying And he knovveth that he sayth true we haue an example of a Christian teacher He whiche speaketh or teacheth in the Church ought not only to speake but also to testifie and that of suche true and manifest things as he him self nothing doubteth of so that he him selfe may say I know that I speake those things whiche are true A man shall finde diuers which teache the truthe notwithstanding they are vncertayne whether they speake truthe or no bicause they haue not the true and vndoubted meaning of those things which they speake but the letter onely Furthermore we sée to what ende the Euangelist hath written namely to this ende that we might beléeue bicause in him the Scriptures are fulfilled He was not content with his owne fayth but sought also to bring others vnto the same 36. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled Ye shal not break a bone of him M. The souldiers brake the bones of the théeues whiche were crucified wyth Christ but they left the bones of Christ vntouched bicause bothe God had so appoynted and it was also prefigured in the Passouer C. For this testimonie was taken out of the twelfth chapter of Exodus where Moses intreateth of the Pascall