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 4â 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
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 coÌpared 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 râyall 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
they thought that the Iewes were polluted if they talked with a Samaritane And although this admiration arose of the Godlye reuerence which they shewed toward their Mayster yet notwithstanding they doe amysse if they maruaile as at an absurd thing in that hée vouchsafed to talke with so base a Woman For why haue they not rather respect vnto them selues For there they shoulde haue founde no lesse matter to bee amased at because they being base menne and as it were the ofscouringes of the people were so highlye exalted And yet notwithstanding in that the Euangelist sayeth that they durst not aske it is profitable to bee noted M. For it is not the parte of a good Disciple rashlye to examine his Maisters doinges but rather to bée so perswaded of his goodnesse and wisedome that hée in no wyse doubte but that whatsoeuer he doeth is done by excellent reason and wisedome C. Therefore if at any time something in the wordes and workes of GOD and of Christe doeth mislyke or displease vs let vs learne not to controule eyther in woorde or thought but rather modestlye to kéepe silence vntyll such time as that bée reuealed to vs from heauen which is hidden from vs. And the foundation of this modestye is the feare of God and the reuerence of Christ M. But out alas that reuerence which wée owe vnto God alone men haue geuen to the Pope of Rome in so much that by certayne of his Lawes it is decréed that no man shall presume to call him to account although he carrye with him infinite numbers of soules vnto hel 28. The Woman then left her water Potte and went her waye into the Citye and sayeth to the men Bv. The Woman made no answere at all being amased and wholye ouercome with the admiracion of the matter For so soone as the Lorde had sayde I am hee which speake vnto thée the Disciples being therwithall come shée went awaye leauing the water pot behind her M. For howe coulde it bée that shée shoulde not bée amased séeing him to talke with her face to face at whose comming all men looked to sée notable thinges R. Behold therefore the fruite of fayth For as Peter sayeth when wée haue once tasted of Christ and receyued him by fayth wée forsake all thinges Mat. 19.27 Beholde wee haue forsaken all and folowed thee For hée which hath put vpon him Christ is a newe creature séeketh for those thinges that are aboue careth for heauenlye thinges and not for earthlye thinges hath his abyding place in heauen and not in earth he séeketh those thinges that belong vnto God and not his owne Bv. Therefore this woman nowe thirsted no more for water when shée had once tasted of the water of lyfe which Christ had promysed vnto her Fayth therefore speciallye bringeth to passe that wée as it were forgetting our selues geue our selues whollye to the seruice of God 29. Come see a Man which tolde mee all thinges that euer I did Is not he Christ Come see a man M. Here is a difference betwéene temporall and spirituall benefites For if a man shoulde finde Treasure in the Fielde hée alone woulde vse the same and would reueale it to none B. But it is the nature of the true knowledge of Christ that he which hath once gotten the same shall desyre nothing more than to communicate the same to others C. For the knowledge of god can not lye secréete or hyd in the heartes of the faythfull but wyll shewe forth it selfe to men For this must néedes bée true I beleeue and therefore I wyll speake Psal 119 1â 2. Cor. 4.13 Rom. 10.10 R. Also it is sayde VVith the heart man beleeueth to righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation C. And so much the more wée must note the vehemencye readines and chearefulnesse of the Woman because a litle sparke of fayth onely inflameth the men of the Citye For she had scarslie tasted of Christ when she proclaymed him in the whole Citye Therefore they which haue but meanely profited in the schoole of Christ maye bée to muche ashamed to bée slouthfull For she sayeth not Goe ye forth and see but Come ye and see For here we sée the nature of those whiche haue once tasted of the trueth howe constantly they retaine the loue of the truth vntyll they haue styrred vppe a desyre in others to knowe the same and wyll not separate them selues from them but desyre to haue their company and fellowshippe in vnderstanding the trueth Iohn 1 4â A. As we may sée in Andrewe and Philippe at another time C. But this séemeth rather worthy reprehension in the woman because shée being as yet rude and not sufficientlye taught passeth the boundes of her fayth I aunswere that shée had done vnaduisedlye if shée had taken vppon her the office of teaching but nowe séeing shée desyreth nothing but that her Citizens should heare Christ speake we may not saye that shée forgetting her selfe went beyond her bondes for shée plaieth the part onely of a Trompet or Bell in calling men vnto Christ Which tolde me all thinges Hereby we sée the Godlye zeale of the Woman who nothing regarded her estimation and credite to magnifye and extoll the name of Christ Actes 22.3 Actes 26.9 1. Cor. 15 9. Gala. 1.13 1. Tim. 1.13 For shée doth not abstaine from repeating her owne reprooche and shame A. Euen so the Apostle Paul in diuers places maketh mencion of his former lyfe which he led without the knowledge of Christ to the ende he might thereby the more notablye commende the grace of God Js not hee Christ C. Because shée speaketh here doubtfullye shée might séeme not to be much moued by the aucthoritye of Christ Because shée was not fytte to reason of so great misteryes shée according to her power séeketh to bring about that her Citizens myght be taught of Christ And this was a notable prouocation to styrre them vppe when shée vppon her owne experience declared him to bée a Prophete For because they could not iudge of his Doctrine this inferiour preparatiue was profitable and méete for them 30. Then they went out of the Citye and came to him M. Thus much the woman brought to passe by her preaching that the people of the Citye went out to Christ of whome notwithstanding as yet they knewe nothing They were not hindered by the vilenesse of the womans person For this matter was wrought by the instincte and prouidence of God Bv. They obiect not to the woman her faultes as wée maye reade that the Iewes dyd to the blinde man saying Thou art altogeather borne in sinne Iohn 9.34 and doest thou teache vs But goe foorth and in verye déede haue experience of that thing which the sinfull woman before in wordes had Preached Wherefore wée must not haue consideracion so muche of the speaker as of that which is spoken vnto vs. B. Here also is to be noted the force of the word of Christ
the holye Ghost Bv. Trueth in this place is opposed or compared with the shadowes of the Lawe And that is trueth Trueth defyned according to the Hebrewe phrase which is the most perfect essence of any thing and the verye absolute perfection it selfe of a matter Therefore to such as perseuere the Lord in processe of time wyll open all the misteryes of pyetie and of the kingdome of God geuing vnto them all knowledge and vnderstanding which maye seeme to appertaine to true Godlinesse And the trueth shall make you free M. This place is excellent and worthy to bée noated The Lorde promiseth to his true Disciples which abyde in his worde fréedome by the trueth which they shall certainely knowe and so hée commendeth the knowledge of the Gospel of the fruite whiche we receyue thereby or of the effect Bv. The trueth I saye which is the Sonne of God Christ Iesus is the delyuerer of the worlde or Faythe it selfe whiche cleaueth vnto the euerlasting trueth maketh vs frée if so be we be the Disciples of Christ perseuering in his worde C. This is an incomparable benefite wherevpon it followeth that there is nothing better than the knowledge of the Gospell All menne féele the yoake of bondage and seruitude and doe confesse the same to bée a myserable thing seeing then the Gospell doeth delyuer vs from the same it followeth that the same is the treasure of the most happye and blessed lyfe Nowe let vs consider what liberty it is which Christe here noateth vnto vs. Bv. Hée speaketh of the libertye of mennes mindes whiche altereth not the state of Fortune setting the bodye free from the Lawe and bondage of the Maister but it deliuereth the minde from sinne Freedome of the minde from wicked and worldly desyres from the Tyranny of the Deuell from the feare of death from the seruitude of humane constitucions and from the yoake of the Lawe C. Wherefore séeing we obtaine that libertye by the benefite of the Gospell it maye thereby appeare that wée are by nature the seruauntes of sinne Wee must also noate the manner of delyueraunce For so long as wée are ruled by our sence and reason wée are bondmen to sinne but when the Lord doeth regenerate vs by his spyrite hée doeth make vs frée that being loused from the miserable bondes of Sathan wee maye wyllinglye serue the Lord in holynesse and righteousnesse al the dayes of our lyfe C. But regeneracion commeth of faith whereby it apeareth that freedome commeth of the Gospell Now let the Papistes bragge of theyr fréewyll wée knowing our owne seruitude and bondage wyll glorye in no other than in Christ R. Christ therefore teacheth in this briefe sentence after what manner wee are brought into the libertye of Gods children Fyrst we must here Christ Secondly we must beléeue that is to saye we must abyde in his worde and endure temptacion and abyde the Lordes leysure thirdlye we must be Disciples of Christ For he which beleeueth in Faith heareth the worde of God he which heareth the woorde of GOD hee is a disciple of GOD Fourthly we must knowe the trueth The worde is the trueth and hée whiche beléeueth the worde hée truely beléeueth the verity Lastly we must be frée And we must noate that libertye hath his degrées according to the manner of his Faith Rom. 8.23 Wherefore Paule being frée grooned styll looking for the full and perfect delyueraunce 33. They aunswered him we bee Abrahams seede and were neuer bonde to any man howe sayest thou Ye shall bee made free C. This aunswere was confusedly made vnto Christ and that by suche as were contemners and not beléeuing And this manner is muche vsed in the scriptures so often as mencion is made of the bodye of the people generallye to ascribe vnto all menne that thing which belongeth onelye to one parte M. The vnbeléeuing Iewes therefore brake foorth into the middest ⪠and there also gayne sayde Christ where there was nothing that appertayned vnto them Bv. They swelled with the nobillitye of theyr auncetours according to the fleshe but they vnderstoode not that the Lorde spake of the libertye of the minde C. They coulde not abyde that they being a chosen and holye people shoulde be brought into bondage For what had the adoption couenaunt profited them by which they were segregated or seperated from other Nations vnlesse they had beene counted the children of God Therfore they thinke that they haue iniurye done vnto them when liberty is offered vnto them as a benefite comming of fauour and grace M. Therfore to the end they might styrre vp the myndes of the simple against Christ they accuse him to bée a sclanderer of the aucthour of the whole Nation as though he made bothe him and his posteritye contemptible with the vyle yoake of seruitude Such spite and disdaine Sathan also vseth when he obiecteth to the ministers of Christ whiche preache the Gospell the contempt of the Saintes as though they dyd abase and discredite euery saint by exhorting menne to repose their trust onely in Christ Hée knoweth that the Saintes among Christians are in great estimation and that they are worshipped of some for gaine and of other some by simple ignoraunce and therefore neyther part can abyde that the Saintes shoulde bée contemned For this cause to hynder the race of Gods worde he rayseth vp certaine Pharisées whiche crye that the Saintes are to bée worshipped whome notwithstanding these Euangelists contemne And neuer were bonde to any man C. It maye séeme verye absurde that they denye them selues to haue béene at any tyme in seruitude séeing they were so oftentymes oppressed of other Tyrauntes and were subiect at that tyme to the Empyre of Rome Hereby wée maye easely perceiue how foolishe and vaine their boasting was and impudencye also in lying notwithstanding here was some pretence or collour because the vniust domination or rule of the enemies was no let but that by right they might abyde free R. For they séemed to haue respect vnto these notable promises as where it is sayde I haue made thee a Father of many Nations Gen. 17.5 I wyll make thee to grow exceedinglye and wyll make Nations of thee Yea Kinges shall proceede of thee Also Ge. 22.17 Thy seede shall possesse the gate of his enemies And in thy seede shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed C. But in this first of all they erred that they dyd not consider that the right of their adoption was founded vpon the Mediatour onely For howe came the séede of Abraham to be frée but onelye because it was exempted from the common seruitude of mankinde by the especiall grace of the redéemer Abrahams seede free by Christ The other error also is lesse tollerable that for so muche as they being bastards woulde not withstanding bée reckened among the children of Abraham and dyd not consider that it was the onelye regeneration of the Spyrite which maketh them the Lawfull Sonnes
GOD and the Sauiour of the whole worlde the which is done of vs when we depende wholye vpon him by a sincere fayth and trust and commit our selues wholye as Disciples vnto him Hée sayth not they which are pure and altogither voyde of sinne and worthy to be admitted into the fellowship of this fraternitie but he sayth which beléeue in his name and receyue him that is to saye which acknowledge by fayth the grace offered and receyue it in heart Therefore they which beléeue not receyue not Christ they cannot obtaine this sauing helth and dignity of the sonnes of God in so much that they must of necessitie perish with this world vnder the wrath 13. Which were borne not of bloode nor of the will of the fleshe nor yet of the will of man but of God Which were borne M. These woordes pertayne to the description of them which beléeue in the name of Christ and do receyue the right of the adoption of the sonnes of God They which are such are not borne of fleshe and blood but of God Fleshe and blood begetteth not the Children of God That which is of the fleshe is fleshe Iohn 3 and that which is of the spirite is spirite B. By these woordes the Euangelist meaneth nothing else but the carnall Byrth For he maketh a comparison of the generation of the fleshe and of the spirite reiecting the one and allowing the other C. Neyther is it necessarye that wée vnderstand here by this worde flesh the Woman as many would haue it The Euangelist rather repeating one thing by diuerse woordes goeth about to inculcate the same and to print it more déepelye in our mindes Therefore hée doth secréetelye touche the wicked trust and confidence of the Iewes who had alwayes in theyr monthes the worthinesse of theyr ofspring as though they springing from a holye Progeny were Saintes by nature They had worthelye boasted them selues to bée of the stock of Abraham if they had béene lawfull Children and not bastardes But the boasting of Faith doth arrogate nothing at all from the carnall generation but geueth GOD the praise for all thinges that it hath receyued â Therefore S. Iohn in effect sayeth thus much They which beléeue in Christ being before vncleane Gentiles are not borne the sonnes of God out of the wombe or by fleshe and blood but are brought therevnto by the workemanshippe of the holye Ghost And although properly hée hath respect vnto the Iewes which were proude in the fleshe yet notwithstanding of this place a generall Doctrine maye bée gathered namelye that where as wée are counted the Sonnes of GOD it commeth not by the propertye of our nature neyther of our selues but because the Lorde hath begotten vs of his owne fréewill and singuler loue Question A. Notwithstanding the Euangelist séemeth verye vnorderlye to make regeneration the first in order as though it went before faith when as rather it is the effect of Faith and therefore the latter of the twaine Aunsvvere C. I aunswere that it is both first and last in diuers respects because by fayth wée conceyue the incorruptible séede by the which we are borne againe into a newe and diuine life and yet neuerthelesse faith is now the worke of the holye Ghost which dwelleth in none but in the sonnes of God Therefore in diuers respectes faith is a part of our regeneration and an enteraunce into the kingdome of Heauen that wée might bée nombred among the children of God For in that hee illuminateth our mindes with the spirite hee sheweth the worke of regeneration After this maner faith springeth from regeneration as from the well But because wée receyue Christ by the same faith whiche sanctifieth vs wyth his spirite therefore it is sayde to be the beginning of our adoption Therefore in respect of our sence we beginne not to be the sonnes of God but after faith onely M. But we must note what difference there is betwéene them whiche are adopted in this worlde to the inheritaunce of earthlye goodes and those which are adopted to bée the sonnes of God They whiche are adopted to haue the inheritance of earthlye goodes are adopted by grace of good will although they come not of the same fleshe neither are regenerate in minde but abide in the same minde whereof they were before But they which are adopted to bee the Sonnes of God are not borne of the substaunce of God as was Christ the onely begotten sonne of GOD but they being by grace taken for heyres and sonnes are also chaunged in minde and of carnall are made spirituall And this is that which hée sayth But are borne of God Wee gather also by this place that faith commeth not of our selues but is the fruite of spirituall regeneration For the EuaÌgelist affirmeth that no man can beléeue but hée which is borne of God Faith therefore is a heauenly gift Furthermore wée maye hereby gather that faith is not a colde or bare motion seeing none can beléeue except hée be reformed by the spirite of God 14. And the same woorde became flesh dwelt among vs and we sawe the glorye of it as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and truth And the same worde C. Nowe hée teacheth what that comming of Christ was of the which he had made mencion before saying Hee came into his owne Namelye that hée hauing taken vppon him our fleshe openlye shewed him selfe to the world M. And by the fleshe he vnderstandeth the whole man in somuche that it is al one as if he had sayd And the word beecame man C. For this worde fleshe serueth more to set foorth the force of his minde than if he had sayde That it was made man His purpose was to shew what a vile and base condition the Sonne of GOD tooke vpon him for our sakes comming downe from the throne of his heauenlye glorye The scripture speaking of a man contemptuouslye calleth him fleshe When as therefore the Euangelist calleth the sonne of God fleshe he meaneth that he hath so much abased him selfe that he hath taken vppon him this fleshe subiect to so many miseries R. As to fragillity contempt execration pouertye hunger thirst nakednesse death and damnation and that wee might bee made through him Strong Blessed Ritch Full Immortal and righteous whereby we haue euerlasting saluation For what thing else is fleshe than weakenesse dust and as it were haye and the glorye thereof as the flower of the field which in the morning groweth and in the Euening is cut downe and withered C. But the fleshe is not here taken for the corrupt nature of man as Paule oftentimes taketh it but for the mortall man Verye fonde therefore is Appollinaris which imagined that Christ had a humane bodye onely without a soule For this is a figuratiue kinde of speache because the inferiour part doth comprehende the whole man For by an innumerable sort of testimonies a man may gather that Christ our
all the glorye of the onely begotten sonne of GOD in the dispensing of mans Saluation séeing the same is infinite The Israelites could not beholde the glory of Moyses countenaunce and yet could the eyes of the Apostles beholde the glorye of the onelye begotten sonne of GOD. They sawe surelye so much as was appertayning to the dispensing of our saluation Full of grace and truth B. As if he should saye I haue sayde that we haue seene and plainely beheld the glorye of the onelye begotten sonne of God and that not once or twise onelye because he was full of all grace and trueth M. The Euangelist therfore by these wordes commendeth the conuersation of Christ amongest his Disciples because of twoo thinges with the which the same was replenished namelye with grace and trueth Act. 7. C. Stephen also is sayde to bée full of grace but in another sence For the fulnesse of grace is in Christ he is the well from whence al we must drawe as more largelye hereafter shal be declared Iohn therfore meaneth that Christ was hereby knowne to bee the sonne of GOD because he had in him selfe the fulnesse of all thinges which pertained to the spirituall kingdome of God and because he truelye shewed him selfe in all thinges to bée the redéemer and Messias which is in déede the speciall note by whiche hée shoulde bée discerned from all other B. This fulnesse of grace in Christ was at sondrye times foreshewed by the Prophetes as in the Psalmes and in Esai Psal 49 Psal 89 Esay 16 Ihon. 14 and in other places Trueth in this place maye signifye sinceritye and integrity with the which Christ was alwayes replenished R. I am the waye sayeth he the trueth and the life 15. John beareth witnesse of him and crieth saying This was he of whome I spake He that commeth after me is preferred before me For he was before me Iohn beareth witnesse of him M. Because hée had sayd before that Iohn was sent to this end that he might testifye of Christ the true light which lighteneth euerye man comming into this world and by his testimony had brought most men to beléeue the same it was necessary that hée should adde these testimonyes and shoulde teache that they both testified one thing concerning Christ And he bringeth fiue of his testimonies by the which hée manifested Christ of the whiche wée will speake in order as wée come vnto them Iohn sayth hée beareth witnesse of him namely of the woord incarnate and of the onely begotten sonne of God C. For by the worde of the present tence the Euangelist meaneth the continual acte And truely this Doctrine ought to florishe for euer euen as if the voyce of Iohn did continuallye sounde in the eares of men So also he sayeth that Iohn cryed to declared that the doctrine of Iohn was not obscure and that he did secretelye tell the same in the eares of a fewe but that hée openly with a lowde voyce preached Christ R. This therefore so excellent a man whom the whole multitude reuerenced as a Prophete who for his holinesse and purenesse of life was taken for Christ this so singular a man I say beareth testimonye to Christ of this fulnesse Whereby the wicked obstinacye of the Iewes is noted that hauing so notable a personne to beare witnesse of Christ so plainelye and openlye Preaching of him yet notwithstanding abode in their hardnesse of heart and perished of the which the Euangelist spake before saying He came into his owne and his owne receyued him not And so all excuse is quite taken from them Saying this was he of whome I spake M. This is the testimony of Iohn Before that Christ came to him that is to saye to receyue Baptisme he instructed all men throughout al his race of Preaching of Christ which was nowe readye to come directing them from him selfe vnto Christ Baptizing them not into him selfe but into him and teaching to prepare the way vnto him And this is that which Paul sayth Iohn truelye Baptized with the Baptisme of repentaunce speaking of him that shoulde come after him that they might beléeue that is to saye Actes 19 Of Christ Iesus And hée pointed him out with the finger saying This is he of whome I spake C. By the which woordes he meaneth that this was his purpose from the beginning namely to make Christ known and that this was the ende of his Sermons M. Of this mynde and disposition ought euery Minister of Christ to bée that after the example of Iohn they learne not to preache themselues but Christ and not to suffer any to depend vppon them but to direct and send them vnto Christ So Saint Paul teacheth saying For wee Preache not our selues 2 Cor. 4 but Christ Iesus our Lord and our selues your seruauntes for Christes sake If all were endewed with this minde whiche will séeme to bée ministers of Christ there should be true concord and vnitye through the whole Churche neyther shoulde there bée at any time Scismes in the same C. Moreouer when Iohn the Baptist speaketh of Christe saying Hee which commeth after me although hée was elder than Christ by certaine monethes yet notwithstanding here hée speaketh not of his age But because he had done the office of a Prophete a certaine time before Christ had openlye shewed him selfe therefore by time he preferreth him selfe before Christ Therefore in respect of the publique reuelation of Christ Christ followed Iohn 16. And of his fulnesse haue all we receyued and grace for grace And of his fulnesse haue all wee receyued M. These woordes and that which followeth to the other testimony of Iohn beginning at the ninetéeth verse are referred of some to our Euangelist and not to Iohn the Baptist Although it make no great matter whose woordes these be yet notwithstanding there séemeth to bée no cause why they should bee taken from the testimony of Iohn the Baptist Nowe therfore he beginneth the Sermon touching the office of Christ because hée contayneth in him selfe the affluence and fulnesse of all good thinges insomuch that no part of saluacion is to be sought for of any other With God truely is the well of life of righteousnesse of trueth and of wisedome this well is hidden and shut from vs but in Christ the fulnesse of all these thinges is offered vnto vs. For hée is readye to flowe vnto vs of his owne accorde if so bee we geue vnto him passage by Faith And with Christ is the fulnesse because he hath receiued the spirite without measure Iohn 13 For the Father hath geuen all thinges into his handes The which thing was shadowed in the Lawe by Aron who when he was consecrated Priest had Oyle powred on his head the which for the great plentye thereof ranne downe by his Bearde euen to the skyrtes of his cloathing Psal 133. As therefore the Oyntment vpon the head which ranne downe the Bearde euen Aarons Bearde Euen so Christ was annointed
knowe Touching the calling of him the Lambe of God and what is thereby to be noted it is already declared in the nine and twenty verse 37 And the two disciples heard him speake and they followed Iesus M. They did as yet directlye folow Iesus forsaking al that they had for they were afterwarde called of Christ but they followed him to get some knowledge of him the whiche when they had gotten they returned to theyr owne againe But let vs note the disposition and example of these twoo first in this that although they were of the Disciples of Iohn with others moe yet notwithstanding they did not so stacker that they woulde not geue eare and credite to his woord as some other of the Disciples did who were nothing moued with all these testimonyes concerning Christ to ioyne them selues vnto Christ naye they vpon a rashe zeale did greatlye withstande the opinion and Iudgement of theyr Maister Secondlye in this that it is shewed wherevpon they were moued to followe Christ The twoo Disciples sayth hee heard him speake and they followed Iesus Therefore by the hearing of the worde which Iohn preached concerning Christ they were moued to followe Christ As yet they had séene no Myracle neyther had they hearde of any Myracle done by Christ Christ therefore was at the first made manifest by Iohn in the woorde and not by the admiration of Myracles And thus are Gods elect satisfied who desyre not Myracles but are content with the worde of God The wicked generation sayde Iohn 6. VVhat signe doest thou that we maye see and beleeue thee And againe Maister Math. 12 wee would see a signe of thee B. Moreouer we sée that God in due time bringeth all thinges to passe Iohn many times before had witnessed bothe to the people and also to his Disciples concerning Christ Iesus and yet notwithstanding it was reserued vntill this moment of time that Christ the Maister of life should bée knowne and that the Disciples of Iohn should geue credite to the testimony of theyr Maister Therefore when the worde of the Gospell is eyther foulye contempned of Hogges or outragiouslye reiected of Dogges it must bée yet constantly and with good hope Preached and committed to the heauenlye Father that he wil make the same effectuall when and in whom it shall please him 38. And Iesus turned about and sawe them follow him and saith vnto them what seke ye They sayd vnto him Rabbi whiche is to saye if one interprete it Maister where dwellest thou C. As Christ had offered him selfe to his Disciples that they might come vnto him euen so nowe they comming vnto him he gently annimateth and exhorteth them Neyther doeth he tarry to let them mooue the question first but asketh them saying VVhat seeke yee M. He was not ignoraunt what they sought for But thus he meant by his gentlenesse to make them more bolde and take from them al shamefastnesse For he doth very wel first of all to demaunde what they seeke because it maketh verye much what they seeke for which followe Christ One sayde vnto Christ Maister I wil followe thée whether soeuer thou goest But because he sought not for that thing in Christ which he shoulde haue sought for he was not admitted to bée a Disciple but hearde it sayde vnto him The Foxes haue holes Math. 8 and the Birdes of the ayre haue nestes but the Sonne of man hath not where to rest his head C. But this so gentle and friendly inuitacion which pertayned to these twoo doth now pertaine vnto all men Wherefore we néede not feare that Christ will hyde him selfe from vs or will denye vs accesse vnto him If he perceyue that we desyre to come vnto him but will rather stretch foorth his hande to helpe our indeuours And howe should not he helpe those that come vnto him which séeketh a farre of those that go astray that he might bring them into the waye They sayde vnto him Rabby M. They woulde not slightlye and with circumstaunces by the waye shewe vnto him what they sought for but as it was néedefull in a matter of waight meant to declare vnto him theyr minde a parte and that more exactly and to vnderstand of him the worde of trueth therefore they aske of him where he dewelleth or as it is in the Gréeke texte where hée abideth C. The name of Rabbi was common to greate men and such as were of honour and great calling But here the Euangelist sheweth another vse of this worde in his time namelye that Doctours and interpretours of the woorde of GOD were saluted with this name Althoughe therefore as yet they knowe not Christ to bee the onelye Maister of his Churche yet notwithstanding they being mooued with the title that Iohn gaue vnto him they doe count him as a Prophete and teacher the whiche is the first steppe to aptnesse to be taught Where dwellest thou By this example we are taught not to be content with the naked bare sight of Christ but also to séeke where his abiding place is that he maye receyue vs as Ghestes For there are some which smel the Gospell a farre of and so they suffer Christ sodainelye to vanishe awaye and to let slippe whatsoeuer they had learned of him And although they were not then made his Disciples yet notwithstanding there is no doubt but that the same night he did more fully instruct them insomuch that a litle after they were wholly addicted vnto him 39. He sayth vnto them Come and see They came and sawe where he dwelt and abode with him that day for it was about the tenth houre Come and see M. Who can sufficientlye expresse this great facillitye and humanity of our sauiour Christ He might honestly haue made a deniall of that whiche they demaunded or in twoo words haue shewed them the place of his abiding but he is so farre from being offended with theyr vntimelye comming that he inuiteth and biddeth them to come and sée his Mansion place when they demaunded where the same was Iohn 6 R. Christ therfore receyueth so many as come to him in faith and reiecteth none Nay he calleth all men vnto him saying Math. 11 Come vnto mee all yee that trauell and are heauy laden and I will ease you Great therefore is the facillitye and gentlenesse of Christ toward these Disciples First he asketh them what they woulde haue and then of him selfe he biddeth them home to his lodging although in time not conuenient no doubt to the ende they might lodge with him all night and might heare more of him But in that he sayth Come and see and sayeth not rather I dwell here or I dwell there It seemeth to declare that no man can knowe Christ a right except he haue experience of the féeling of Christ by faith They shall be all taught sayth the Prophete of God But that feeling of faith commeth not but by the ministerye of the woorde Esay 54 Who so euer
Doctrine whiche was brought by him but hath some desyre of the same The which desyre sprange no doubte of the feare and reuerence of GOD. A friuolous and vaine curiositye pricketh some forwarde gréedelye to enquyre after newe thinges but there is no doubte but that Religion and the pricke of Conscience ledde Nicodemus to desire familiarlye to knowe the Doctrine of Christ And although this sparke of Godlinesse laye hidde as it were a long time yet notwithstanding so soone as Christ was dead it brought foorth suche burning Loue towardes our Sauiour Christ which no man euer looked for that hée shewed him selfe in deede to be a Faithfull and true Disciple of Christ Iohn 19 Rabbi we knowe that thou art a teacher R. The disputacion of Nicodemus with Christ is very modest and wise for the disputacion of the rest of the Iewes were eyther captious as was that for the payment of Tribute and concerning the Byll of Diuorcement eyther enuious Math. 22. Math. 19. Math. 22. Iohn 2. as about the resurrection and the great commaundement in the Law or else vnfaithfull and importunate as when they desyred a signe to bée geuen them But the disputacion of Nicodemus is Ciuile and simple for he commeth not vnto Christ to coÌtend or maliciously to trye him or to catch him in his wordes but to learne which is the true way to iustification His words therfore are thus muche in effect Mayster wée knowe that thou art come to bée a Maister For séeing at that time learned men were commonlye called Maysters Nicodemus saluteth Christ by this name according to the accustomed manner and afterward affyrmeth him to be sent of God to teache And of this beginning the aucthority of al the Doctors and teachers in the church dependeth For séeing we must take our knowledge from Gods word onely none are to bée heard but they out of whose mouth God speaketh M. Truely it is a forceable waye to promote and further the truth if so be he which teacheth the same be knowne to be sent of God but this preuaileth onelye with the godly as for the wicked they haue no regarde whether theyr teachers are sent from God or no. With the Godly it preuaileth thus muche that at the first they resist not the Doctrine nor the teacher therof although through infirmitye they dare not as yet openlye séeme to fauour the same Whereas contrarye wise the wicked which are blinded with rancour and enuye haue so litle discrecion and regarde to discerne the spirites that they can not bridle theyr malicious mindes He sayth not I knowe that thou art a teacher come from God But sayeth hée VVe know Which we Surelye we Pharisées and Seniors of the people euen wée are constrained by the vertue of those signes and Miracles which we haue séene to knowe and vnderstande that thou art sent from God howsoeuer we resist thée Hypocrites withstande the trueth againste their conscience And this is the manner and disposition of Hipocrites of Iusticiaries and of Simoniakes which make Marchandise of Religion to withstande the knowne and manifest trueth against theyr consciences For no man could do these Miracles Bv. Nicodemus gathereth by the Miracles that Iesus was sent from HeaueÌ to be the teacher of the whole world and according to his ignoraunce and want of knowledge he déemeth him to be no better than a Prophet which shewed signes wonders by the helpe of God and not by his owne proper power For saith he No man coulde do these miracles which thou doest except God were with him Therfore because none do more proudly glory boast of the title name of God than false Prophetes it is necessary that we haue that discretion whereby the spirites are proued discerned Therefore Nicodemus affirmeth it to bée manifest that Christ is sent from heauen because God doth so manifestly reueale shewe forth his power in him that it can not be denied but that God is with him And he presumeth that no man will denye but that God doeth commonly worke by his Ministers and seruauntes by no other insomuch that he confirmeth and approueth the office charge committed vnto him And he doeth not so presume without cause séeing it is the Lordes wil that Miracles should be alwayes as seales of his Doctrine And he doth most aptly and truly make God the author of miracles when he saith that no man could do these signes except God were with him For in effect he sayth that they are the déedes and workes of God not of man A. For otherwise spake those Pharisées which spake thus of Christ after he had opened the eyes of the blinde Iohn 9. Iohn 7. This man is not of God for he kepeth not the Sabboth day And in another place Hee seduceth the people Notwithstanding the argument of Nicodemus séemeth not to bée verye strong For séeing false Prophetes haue deceyued the blinde and ignoraunt with their false forged signes no lesse than if they had proued them selues to be the faithful seruaunts of God by true signes in déede what difference shal there be betwene truth a lie if so be faith should be builded vppon Miracles Deut. 13 And Moyses plainely affirmeth that we are tryed by this meanes whether we loue god or no. Wée are not ignoraunt also of the admonition of our Sauiour Christ and of the Apostle Paul where the faithfull are put in minde to beware of false signes with the which Antichrist deludeth Math. 24. 2. Thes 2 and deceyueth many Aunswere is to bée made that they by the iust iudgement of GOD are deceyued by the fallacie and subtile deceytes of Satan whiche haue deserued so to bée Miracles are no certaine profe of the truth alwayes notwithstanding the same doeth not let but that the elect and chosen maye beholde and sée the power of God in Myracles which is to them a confirmation of true and wholesome Doctrine 2. Cor. 12 Rom. 15 Thus Paul reioysed that his Apostleshippe was approoued with signes and wonders Therefore howsoeuer Satan woulde séeme in his darkenesse to Imitate and followe God yet notwithstanding so soone as mennes eyes are opened and that the spirituall light of wisedome doeth appeare Myracles doe sette foorth the same presence of God wherof Nicodemê° here speaketh A. For this cause our sauiour Christ Math. 10 Mar. 10 when he sent foorth his Apostles to Preache the Gospell woulde haue them to seale and confirme the same with Myracles 3. Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto him veryly veryly I say vnto thee except a man be borne againe He can not see the Kingdom of God Jesus aunswered Bv. The manner and waye by the which the Lorde instructed Nicodemus is in manner of a Dialogue For the same is verye plaine simple manifest and euident Dialogues an aunsient kinde of teaching And the Lord in al things hath framed him selfe to our imbecility and weakenesse and hath sought by all
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
one that is borne of the spirite The winde bloweth B This is an explanation of those things which went before But there are some which vnderstande these thinges not of the winde but of the holy Ghost because the Hebrue word Ruah signifieth eyther of them CHR. Other some a grat deal better vnderstand the same which say that the similitude is taken of the wind doe thus apply it to this present place The force of this winde is felt but the originall and cause thereof is not knowne C. But howsoeuer we wrest the scence of Christ let vs holde fast this that Christ borroweth this similitude of the order of nature Nicodemus thought that incredible which hée had hearde of regeneration and of a newe life because his capacitie coulde not reache vnto the same Christ to take from him this scruple or doubt teacheth that the wonderful power of God is to be séene in the corporal life the reason wherof is hid For al men drawe the vitall spirite out of the ayre Euen so the agitation or moouing of the ayre is felt notwithstanding from whence it commeth or whyther it goeth wée know not Yf in this frayle and momentanye lyfe God dealeth so mightelye that wée are constrayned to woonder at his power what an absurde thing is it in the celestiall and supernaturall lyfe to measure his secret worke by the apprehension and capacitie of our mind insomuch that wée will beléeue no more than appeareth Euen so Paule when hée inueyeth against those which therefore reiect the doctrine of the resurrection because it seemeth impossible that the bodye which is now subiect to putrifaction shoulde be blessed with immortality when it is brought to nothing and consumed to dust reprooueth their dulnesse because they consider not the like power of God in the séede Wheate âor 15 Psal 104 For the séede doth not growe vntill it hath suffred putrifaction This is euen the same wonderful wisdome of God of the which the Prophet Dauid cryeth out in his Psalme Therefore they are to grosse and dull whiche being taught by the common order of Nature haue no farther respect to know that the power of God in the spiritual kingdome of Christ is far more mighty and woonderfull He sayth It bloweth whyther it listeth not because the winde hath properlye a will but bicause the agitation and whirling thereof is frée and diuers For the ayre is one while caried this waye another while that waye M. And this is no vnwoonted phrase of speache by which humaine scence séemeth to be giuen to thinges without lyfe So is euery one that is borne of the spirite C. Hereby our Sauiour Christ declareth that the mocion of the holye Ghost and the power of the same maye be as well discerned in the renouation and regeneration of man as wée may perceyue and féele the motion of the ayre and winde in this terrestrial and externall life but yet that the maner howe is hidden from vs and therefore that wée are ingratefull and too to wicked if wée doe not adore and magnifie the incomprehensible power of God in the heauenly life of the which hée hath in this worlde sette before vs so liuelye a vewe and also if wée attribute lesse vnto him in restoring to vs our soules health than in defending the state of our corporall lyfe The application shall be more plaine and manifest if wée thus resolue the wordes of our Sauiour Suche is the power and efficacie of the holy Ghost in a man regenerate PAR. For the spirite of God transformeth and chaungeth mens mindes by secret inspirations The power and effect thereof is felte woonderfull and yet notwithstanding the action of the same is not discerned with the eyes And they which are thus regenerate are not now led with the humaine or fleshly spirite but with the spirite of God which quickeneth and ordereth all thinges Bv. Insomuch that the Apostle feeling the force therof sayth Galat. 2.20 I liue yet nowe not I but Christ liueth in mee And although the inwarde grace of the spirite haue the preheminence in regeneration yet notwithstanding let no good man reiect the preaching of Gods worde by which fayth is planted For it is that immortal incorruptible séede by which men are borne againe to lyfe nor the prayer of the faythfull by which the saintes desire to haue fayth giuen and increased nor baptisme by which wée are sayde to be purged and washed from our sinnes 9. Nicodemus aunswered and sayde vnto him How can these thinges bee B. The houre was not yet fully come in the which Nicodemus shoulde be fully taught all thinges concerning the holye Ghost At the first when he thought that Christ spake of a carnall regeneration hée obiected the impossibility of the same After that when hée vnderstoode that hée spake of another manner of Natiuitie than of that which is carnall as of the Natiuitie by water and the spirite the which was declared vnto him by a similitude hée woondereth as one amazed demaundeth howe these thinges can bée C. Wée sée therefore what specially let hindered Nicodemus Whatsoeuer hée heareth he counteth woonderfull because hée is not able to comprehende it Euen so there is no greater hinderaunce vnto vs than our owne arrogancie because in déede wée alwayes seeke to bée more wise than néedeth and therevpon thorow a diuilish disdaine wée reiect all that our reason cannot comprehende As though it were méete that the vnspeakeable and incomprehensible power of God ought to be restrayned to so straite a measure Wée may after a sorte enquire of the order and maner of Gods workes so that it be done soberlye and reuerentlye But Nicodemus by this demaunde reiecteth that which hée béeléeueth to be impossible as a fable M. And it is not without cause that the Euangelist so dilligentlye putteth downe vnto vs the dulnesse and scencelesnesse of Nicodemus in matters deuine and appertayning to saluation For wée haue in this man some proofe of that which Christ spake before set before vs namelye that it is impossible for anye man to sée the kingdome of God except hée be borne againe Bv. For Nicodemus being so notable a Clarke béeing blinde and ignoraunt after so great light because he was not borne againe sayth How can these thinges bee Whereby it appéereth that he was so amazed at the doctrine of the kingdome of Christ that hée was not onelye ignoraunte of the matter it selfe but also was not able to comprehende the declaration of the same as it was propounded by christ in plaine wordes Euen so at this daye wée sée learned and wise men to be quite sencelesse and foolishe when they come to comprehend the doctrine of Christes kingdome It is no meruaile therfore if they which are the Ministers of the truth doe not by and by perswade euerye one to whome they preache when as Christ with his woordes coulde not at the first perswade Nicodemus But the faulte was not in Christ the teacher but
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
there and shewed many Signes because the time of his gloryfication drewe néere M. But because the time was come to gather togeather the Churches of the Faithfull Two thinges deliuered to the Church Christ beganne to order and appoynt a Churche Bv. And there were twoo thinges speciallye whiche hée deliuered to the Churche with the which hée exerciseth the same namely the Preaching of the Trueth and holye Baptisme C. For althoughe Christe Baptized by his Disciples yet notwithstanding hée is here named as the aucthour of Baptisme the Ministers being left out which did nothing but in his name and at his commaundement R. To the ende wée might knowe that it maketh no matter what manner of person the Minister is in respect of the word and Sacrament AVG. For when the Integritye and purenesse of the Sacrament is handeled it maketh no matter what Faith he is of which geueth the Sacrament It maketh much touching the way of his owne saluacion but as touching the question of the Sacrament it maketh no matter at all R. For the Sacrament hath his integritye from the worde or from the Preaching annexed to the Sacrament but the woorde hath his aucthoritye from God 23. And Iohn also Baptized in Aenon beside Salim because there was muche Water there and they came and were Baptized M. Christ now teaching and Baptizing Iohn as it maye séeme might Lawfullye haue forsaken his office geuen him selfe to rest and haue followed security Iohn 1.29 A. speciallye newe that hée had testifyed of him alreadye that hée was the true Lambe of GOD which taketh awaye the sinne of the worlde M. But because hée was sente by God to teache and to Baptise hée doth not at his owne wyll and pleasure laye aside the office committed vnto to him but looketh and wayteth for the time appointed of GOD. We maye not forsake the Ministery of the worde at out owne pleasure which are called to be Preachers Iere. 23.21 By this example we are taught not to ceasse from executing our office and duetye so long as the administration thereof is permitted For as hée offendeth whiche runneth before hée bée called A. as the Lorde complayneth by the Prophete Ieremye euen so verylye hée offendeth no lesse whiche at his owne pleasure taketh and forsaketh the office which GOD hath committed to him C. The Geographers affyrme that these twoo Townes Aenon and Salim are not farre from the Riuer of Iordane and Iaboc néere vnto the which twoo Townes they make a Citye called Scythopolis Hierome sayth it maketh no matter whether you Reade Salem or Salim C. The cause why Iohn Baptized in Aenon is added for that There was much water there B. Iudea wanting the same verye muche Water of Baptisme sanctifyed by the word of God But the Riuer of Iordane did ouerflowe and yet we reade not that it was consecrated with any Crosses Charracters or Seremonies For the pure Water of Baptisme is Sanctifyed by the word of GOD and by the Godlye vse of the Sacrament In the Actes of the Apostles we reade the lyke hereof where it is sayde And as they went on theyr waye Actes 8.36 they came to a certaine water and the Eunuche sayde See here is water what letteth me to bee Baptized Not that we may at this daye leaue the Temple of God and Baptise in euerye Ryuer Lake or Spring for the Apostle willeth all thinges to bée done decentlye and in order 1. Cor. 14.40 C. By these woordes of Christ wée maye also gather that both Iohn and Christ celebrated Baptisme by ducking the whole bodye in the water Howe be it let vs not bée too Curious in the externall Rite so it bée agréeing with the Spirituall trueth and with the institucion and rule of our Lord and Sauiour 24. For John was not yet cast into Prison M. Therefore the Prison was the ende whiche GOD had appointed for Iohn to finishe his office of Preaching and Baptizing euen as the Crosse was to our Sauiour Christ Deut. 13.5 And yet truelye Prisons and Crosses belong not to true but to false Teachers But this is the lotte of the Godly and of all true Teachers in this most wicked worlde Concerning the Imprisonmente of Iohn the Baptist and his Death reade more in our exposition of Mathew beginning at the thirde verse 25. And there arose a question betweene Iohns Disciples and the Iewes aboute purifying And there arose a Question betweene Iohns Disciples Bv. Now the Euangelist commeth néerer to the matter it selfe of the which hée intended to intreate C. And first of all hée reciteth a controuersye whiche arose by the Disciples of Iohn about Purifying and not in vaine For the lesse that they were instructed in Doctrine the moore bouldlye they put foorth them selues to disputacion according to the Prouerbe Who so boulde as blinde Bayarde If other hadde begonne the contencion with them they might haue beene excused but whereas they being vnable to encounter with the Iewes and yet doe wyllinglye prouooke them therevnto and that rashelye without cause they are muche to blame For the woordes of the Texte import that the question was moued by them And besyde that they deserued blame for theyr rashe contencion about an vnknowne thing which excéeded the reache of theyr knowledge they were also to bée reprehended for another faulte no lesse than this namelye For that they were not so readye to defend and maintaine the Lawfull vse of Baptisme as they were to defende theyr Maysters cause that hée might haue his aucthority styll PAR. For there came many vnto Iohn ContencioÌ betweene the Disciples of Iohn and the Iewes and were Baptized of him many also came to Iesus and were Baptized of his Disciples And herevpon arose enuye in certaine of the Disciples of Iohn against Iesus that he being of late Baptized of Iohn and behaued him selfe as his Disciple and was commended by his testimony vnto the people would now sodenly make himselfe equal with him would also prefer him selfe before him whose Disciples tooke vpon them the administration of that which Iohn alone had hitherto vsed C. Therfore both these faultes were worthy of reprehension because they not waying the consideration of Baptisme make but a trifle of Gods holye institucion and because through wicked Ambition they take theyr Maysters parte against Christ About purifying C. The question was about Purifying because the Iewes had diuers and sundry preceptes concerning Baptisme from the Lawe and being not contente with those Legal rules they vsed many other thinges which they had receyued from theyr Elders A. as ye may more plainely perceiue if ye reade the fiftéenth of Mathew and the seuenth of Marke C. Therefore because a newe rite also and order of Purifying is brought in by Christ and by Iohn the Baptist they hauing alreadye so great plentye and varietye they thinke it verye absurde and without reason M. Wherefore in the Disciples of Iohn we sée a carnall disposition C. who
from heauen Christ therfore will be acknowledged in his Ministers but yet so that hée will be Lorde alone as for the Ministers of GOD they are contented to bee in the order of Seruants specially when comparison is made béetwéene Christ and them He that commeth from heauen is aboue all M. Hée repeateth this sentence first of all to inculcate and imprint the same in the mindes of his Disciples that they might submitte themselues to Christ alone which boath came from heauen and also is aboue al and that they should not depende vpon him who himselfe is subiect to another whome hée knewe to bée preferred before all men by God the Father Secondly to the ende he might the more conuenientlye adioyne and bring in that whiche remaineth vnspoken 32. And what hee hath seene and heard that hee testifieth and no man receyueth his testimonie CHR. Because these by corporal scences of hearing and séeing wée knowe all things certainely and thinke our selues worthie to be beléeued when wée haue séene and hearde as suche that neyther faine nor tell lyes therefore to confirme the matter Saint Iohn saith that Christ testifieth that which hee hath both seene and hearde C. For to the ende his Disciples might obey Christ hée commendeth the Doctrine of Christ by the certainetie of the same because hée vttereth nothing but that which hée hath receyued from the Father B. Therefore Christ teacheth those thinges which are most certaine and approoued true Ioh. 1.18 séeing hée is in the bosome of GOD and the wisdome of the Father M. and hée sayth not Hée speaketh that which hée hath séene and hearde But he testifieth to admonishe them that Christ is not onelye a teacher of Gods trueth but also a moste assured witnesse of all thinges A. For hée sayth Ioh. 8.26 VVhat thinges I haue hearde of him I declare in the worlde And in an other place hee sayth Iohn 15.15 I haue shewed vnto you al things that I haue hearde of my father M. Therefore by this place wée maye note what prerogatiue Christ had aboue Iohn and aboue all other teachers because he coulde and doth by his holy spirite teache the mindes of men as well as by words How many soeuer in this life teache deuine and heauenly thinges howe holye soeuer they be yet notwithstanding they cannot testifie of those things which they teache that they haue séene them in heauen though they be true whiche they speake For those thinges whiche they haue receyued they haue not receyued by knowledge or by fight in heauen but eyther by the reuelation of the holy ghost or else by Fayth in Godes worde but Christ coulde testifie in this worlde those thinges which hée had both hearde and séene And no man receyueth his testimonye Bv. Saint Iohn here doth reproue not onelye the vnbeléefe of his Disciples but also the incredulitie of other of the Iewes who withstoode the Doctrine of Christ notwithstanding that it was most true Iohn 3.11 M. So Christ sayde to Nicodemus VVee speake that wee knowe and testifie that wee haue seene and yee receyue not our witnesse Where hée reprooueth the blindenesse of the Iewes euen as Iohn doth here their incredulity The which notwithstanding is not so to be vnderstoode as though no man receyued the testimonie of Christ séeing the Apostles and diuers others receiued and beléeued the same but hée meaneth that a verye fewe in comparison haue receyued and beléeued it C. For if we compare the beléeuers with the huge multitude of the wicked they will appeare nothing And to receyue the testimonie of Christ is stedfastlye to beléeue in him and to imbrace his worde with thankesgeuing as the most assured testimonye of Gods will This is done but of verye fewe also at this daye For the credite geuen to this Heauenly Doctrine is euen now as litle as it was then He sayeth not And no man heareth his testimony But No man receyueth his testimony For there haue béene alwayes manye hearers thereof But there haue béene fewe receyuers of the same founde A. So this place maye bée expounded euen as that which wée heard before He came into his owne Iohn 1.11 and his owne receyued him not 33. Hee that hath receyued his testimonye hath set to his seale that God is true M. From this verse to the ende of the Chapter Iohn the Baptist noteth twoo thinges Fyrst what prayse and profite hée shall receyue whiche receyueth the Testimonye of Christe Secondlye what hurt shall happen vnto him which receyueth not the same He which receiueth his testimonye hath put to his seale R. That is to saye Hée which beléeueth his woorde hath put to his seale or approueth by his fayth and confession that God is true and kéepeth his promises or else receyueth the testimonye in his hart that those thinges which Christ speaketh are the very woordes of GOD. And this testimony is the holy Ghost certifying and confirming our consciences as a seale that this is the Sonne of GOD in déede and that his woorde Ioh. 15 2â is the worde of GOD in déede Herevpon Christ sayth VVhen the comforter commeth which is the spirite of trueth hee shall beare witnesse of mee 2. Cor. 1.22 And the Apostle sayth VVhich hath sealed vs and hath geuen the earnest of the spirite into our hartes Epheâ Also in an other place After yee beleeued yee were sealed with the holy spirite of promise which is the pledge of our inheritaunce C. Saint Iohn also here preuenteth and méeteth by the waye with an offence or stumbling blocke which might tourne many from the fayth and might hinder or at least stop their swiftnesse in their race For the greatest part hangeth to much vpon the iudgement of men and déemeth and iudgeth of the gospell after the contempt of the worlde at the least when it séeth the same in some places to be reiected hauing before conceyued this preiudice it is the more hard and slowe to beléeue Here therefore the man of GOD exhorteth and encourageth the godly boldelye to embrace the doctrine of the Gospell as if hée shoulde haue sayde There is no cause why the Godlye shoulde be ashamed or gréeued at the smalenesse of their number God the aucthor of our fayth is more than al the worlde beside to giue testimonie to the truth séeing that God is the Aucthor of theyr Fayth who himselfe alone is all in al and therfore all sufficient and to be preferred before multitudes Therefore although the whole worlde doe withstande the faith yet notwithstanding this ought not to kéepe good men from the obedience and seruice of GOD. They haue also wherevpon to rest and staye themselues séeing they knowe that to beléeue the Gospell is nothing else than to beléeue thâ Oracles of GOD. In the meane time wée gather that this is proper to fayth to rest and stay it selfe vpon God Faith staâeth it selfe vpon Goâ and to be grounded and established by his worde
For there cannot be a true fayth before GOD hath spoken by his worde By which Doctrine fayth is discerned not onely from the imaginations of men but also from a doubtfull and wauering opinion For it is necessarie that the same bée agreeing with the truth of GOD which is cléere from all doubtfulnesse Fayth shaketh not Therefore as GOD cannot lye so is it impossible that Faith shoulde wauer or shake Shilding our selues with this Buckler we shall bée sure to ouercome for euer by what meanes soeuer Satan shall assault vs. M. But some will saye what is hée that euer doubted of the truth of God What néede is there then of the Testimony of Christ whereby wée maye knowe God to bée true But Iohn the Baptist speaketh not here simplye of the trueth of God but of that trueth by which the promises made vnto Israel and in Israel to mankinde were fulfilled and performed in Christ Rom. 15.8 So Christ is called the Minister of Circumcision for the trueth of God to confirme the promises made vnto the Fathers This trueth of God can not bée apprehended without wée apprehende also the testimony of Christ And of this trueth Christ him selfe speaketh Iohn 8.31 saying If you abide in my worde then are you my Disciples in deede and ye shall knowe the truth and the truth shal make you free C. Hereby we are also admonished what an acceptable and precious Sacrifice faith is before God For as he estéemeth nothing more than his truth euen so we can doe to him no seruice or worshippe more acceptable than by our faith to professe him to bée true for then we shall geue vnto him his due honour Againe wée can doe vnto him no greater iniurye than not to beléeue the Gospell for hée can not bée spoyled of his trueth and verytye but all his glorye and maiestye must bee cleane abolished M. Therefore looke howe muche the fayth of the Godlye which beléeue in Christ maketh to the glory of God so much on the contrarye parte doeth the vnbeléefe of the vngodly make to his dishonour Not that theyr impietye can make the Faith and trueth of God of none effect but because they reprooue him of vanity To this effect pertaineth the saying of Saint Iohn in another place He which beleeueth in the Sonne of God hath the testimony of God in him selfe 1. Ioh. 5.10 he which beleeueth not God maketh him a lyer because hee hath not beleeued the testimonye which God hath testifyed of his Sonne C. Verylye vnlesse we bée to dull and stonye this so notable a commendation geuen to faith ought to kindle in our mindes a most feruent loue of the same For what great honour is this which God vouchsafeth to bestowe vpon miserable men which by nature are nothing else but lyers and vaine that they neuerthelesse should bée thought méete to confirme and alowe the holye trueth of God by theyr subscription and sealing 34. For he whome God hath sent speaketh the woordes of God For God geueth not the Spirite by measure For he whome God hath sent M. This is the reason why he putteth to his seale that God is true which receiueth the testimony of Christ namelye because the testimonye of Christ is the testimony of God C. because Christ procéeded from no other than from his heauenlye Father Therefore it is God onelye which speaketh by him M. So sayeth the Lorde him selfe Iohn 7.16 My Doctrine is not mine but my Fathers which sent me Also hée sayth The worde which ye heare is not mine but his which sent me Ioh. 14.24 R. Therefore he which heareth Christ heareth God and hée which possesseth Christ by faith possesseth God For God geueth not Some extend this place to the common dispensation because God which is the bottomles well of all goodnesse doth nothing at al empty him selfe when largely and plentifullye God a bottomlesse well of grace hée powreth his giftes vpon men They which powre water out of any Vessell or drawe a Well come at the length to the botome of the same but we néede not feare or doubte of the lyke to bée in God for the more his giftes are bestowed vpon vs the more plentifully they abounde This exposition séemeth to haue some collour because the sentence is somewhat intricate and obscure C. notwithstanding theyr opinion séemeth moore probable whiche interprete this to bée spoken concerning Christ and so the sence and meaning is that the Spirite is not geuen by measure vnto Christ as though the grace in him were to be measured euen as the Apostle Paul teacheth Ephe. 4.7 1. Cor. 12 7 that to euery one is distributed according to the measure of the gyfte so that no one man aboundeth at the full And verylye the Spirite must rest vpon Christ without measure Iohn 1.16 to the ende wée might all receyue of the fulnesse of the same Bv. There is a common Prouerbe Hee geueth by measure that is to saye He geueth sparinglye or nigardlye For hée whiche geueth liberally and bountifullye doeth not measure that which hée geueth but geueth by heape Iohn the Baptist receyued the Spirite by measure as dyd also dyuers others of the Sayntes Wherefore they cannot bée compared vnto Christ so farre they are of from being his equalles But concerning Christ the Prophete Dauid sayeth in his Psalmes Thou hast loued righteousnesse Psal 45.7 and hated Iniquitye wherefore God thy God hath annoynted thee with the Oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Colos 2.9 Also Saint Paul sayeth In Christe dwelleth all fulnesse of the Godhead bodylye and in him ye are complete Christ hath the spirit of God super-aboundantly CHR. Therefore by this note the Sonne of GOD is discerned from the Prophetes and from other holye men For it is impossible that they which haue receyued the Spirite of GOD by measure should geue and bestowe the same vppon others Neyther hath one holye man bestowed the holye Ghost vpon another but all as wée haue sayde haue receyued of the fulnesse of Christ Therefore because Christ is the geuer of the spirite let no man doubte but that he substantiallye possesseth in him selfe the holye Ghost Act. 8.17 If any man obiect and saye that the holye Ghost was geuen by the handes of the Apostles it maye easilye bée aunswered That they made theyr Prayers to the holye Ghost who being intreated came and was sayde to bée geuen by theyr handes For holye Moyses that Saynte of God was not séene to take of the spirite of GOD which was in him and to geue the same vnto others but this is reserued to the Diuine power onely For these workes belong to God alone 35. The Father loueth the Sonne and hath geuen all thinges into his hande The Father loueth the Sonne Bv. Saint Iohn gathereth in fewe woordes all the Misteries of the Gospell into a bréefe compendium or short summe and doeth more plainelye set forth those thinges which hytherto hée
there to bée worshipped But the Samaritanes on the contrarye part pretended the example of the Fathers as alwayes the forsakers of true pietye are wont to doe M. because they had worshipped God in that Mountaine Gen. 33.20 Gen. 22.2 Deu. 27.12 Wee reade of Iacob that hée erected an Alter to the Lorde in that place Some affirme that Abraham offered his sonne Isaac in that place Moreouer this mountaine was chosen to serue God there But those thinges which the Iewes obiected out of the scriptures coÌcerning the Temple of Hierusalem the Samaritanes did not acknowledge for Authenticall For they allowed not the Scriptures sauing onely the fiue Bookes of Moises And this is the same which the woman sayeth here Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountaine and ye saye that in Hierusalem is the place where wee shoulde worship C. But the Samaritanes dyd verye preposterouslye in forsaking the woorde of GOD and following theyr owne Imaginations in worshypping God Whereby also wée maye note howe disorderlye they deale which preferre the examples of the Fathers before the commaundement of God Such are the Papistes which without any respecte of personnes estéeme them for Fathers which are most vnworthy of all others so to bée counted Moreouer let vs here vnderstande not euery kinde of worship for priuate Prayer might euerye where bée vsed but that worship onelye to the which Sacrifices were annexed Math. 14.23 B. For the Lorde him selfe oftentimes sometimes in the mountaine alone sometimes in other places prayed to his Heauenly Father 21. Iesus sayeth vnto her Woman beleeue me the howre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Hierusalem worship the Father Woman M. Although this Womans name was not vnknowen vnto our sauiour Christ yet notwithstanding he doeth not cal her by her proper name but by the common name of her sexe or kinde VVoman First of all because the same was not necessary Shée knewe now well inough that the Lorde had the Spirite of Prophesie Secondlye as yet shée was not made familiar with him And it is a note of familiaritye for a man to call another by his proper name When Christ appeared in the forme of a Straunger to Mary Magdalen first hée called her Woman saying Iohn 2â VVoman why weepest thou For hytherto he would bée vnknowne vnto her But when hée woulde bee knowne hée sayde Mary which voyce had a greate shewe of familiarytye Beleeue me the howre commeth Christ therefore requyreth to bée beléeued at her hande because without this faith the Doctrine of the Spirite and of the kingdome of GOD is deliuered in vaine Bv. As if hée should saye Woman cast out of thy minde all brawles ouerthwart aunsweres and contencions and if thou beléeue me to bée a Prophete as thou professest beléeue my woordes For I will not faine I wyll not lye but wyll simplye and purelye set foorth the trueth M. Sée therefore that thou do not deride those thinges which I speake as thou hast hitherto done but beléeue them in good fayth and doubt of the trueth of nothing that I shall saye A. By this place it appeareth howe disdainefullye and presumptuouslye they deale which exclude the common sort of men from the reading of the scriptures and from the searching out of those thinges which belong to the true worshippe of GOD and soules health For Christ aunswereth not this Woman saying What matter is it to thée whether God bée worshipped in this Mountayne or at Hierusalem which hast so litle feare of GOD that thou dost not abstaine from committing manifest euyll But rather gette thée home to thy house and looke to thy businesse suffer the Doctours to confer and reason among them selues of so great misteryes it becommeth not thée to talke of these matters The Lord obiected none of these thinges to the woman thyrsting after the trueth but rather was contented to reueale vnto her those thinges which excéeded the capasity of such wise men C. And this aunswere of Christ consisteth of twoo partes In the first he brieflye abolisheth the Ceremoniall worshippe which was instituted vnder the Lawe with the same also which the Samaritanes had deuised without the word of God In the other part hée setteth downe the true waye to worship God When he sayth that the howre shall come in the whiche there shall no peculiar or speciall place bée appointed to worshippe God in hée declareth that the same which was appointed by Moyses was but for a tyme the same time being then at hande when the vaile should bée taken away By this meanes the worshippe of God which was shut vp in a corner of Iudea extended it selfe farther in so much that the Samaritanes were partakers of the same also So that Christ speaketh here of the abrogation of the Law concerning the Temple and the Priesthoode and other externall Rites and Ceremonies M. Therfore we sée howe the worshippe of God in the newe Testament is tyed to no place in so muche that the lawe of God made concerning the true worshippe of God ought to bée abrogated notwithstanding the euyll example of Fathers For he sayeth not onelye Ye shall not worship the Father in this Mountaine but also he addeth Question Nor at Hierusalem What then maye some saye did neuer any man after that worshippe God aright at Hierusalem Dyd not the Apostles abide there a certaine time after Christes death Was not the Churche of the Faithfull there after the resurrection of Christ before and after the destruction of the Citye Did not the same worshippe God at Hierusalem I answere Christ speaketh not this to exclude the true worshippers of God from Hierusalem Aunsvvere but to teache that the time is at hande first in the which that shadowed worshippe shall ceasse secondlye in the which God wil be worshipped not onelye in Hierusalem or in the Mount Garizin as before but in the whole world to fulfill this Prophesie Mala. 1.11 From the rysing of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is great among the Gentiles and in euery place Incence shal be offered to my name and a pure offering For my name is great among the Heathen sayeth the Lord of hoastes 1. Tim. 2.8 A. To the which agréeth the Apostle saying I wyll that men in euerye place lyfte vp pure handes For he meaneth that there is now no more difference betwéene the Gentile the Iewe when God is acknowledged to be the Father of all Ephe. 4.6 C. Wherevppon Christ here calleth God the Father whome he séemeth to oppose and set against the Father of whome the woman had made mencion As if he should haue sayde God wyll bée the father of all men that hée maye nowe be worshipped of all men without difference of place or person M. In lyke manner hée geueth to vnderstand that he speaketh with an elect Daughter of God concerning the chosen and Children of God A. For such worship God not onelye as God but as
as they had hearde the testimony of the woman concerning Christe and did béeleue firste of all they wente out of the Citie to sée him on whom they beléeued Then hauing so done and being not contented to haue séene him once they desyred to abide with him for euer and therefore they requested him to tarrie still with them Phili. 1.23 Thus are they alwaies affected which truely knowe and loue Christe So Paule desired to be dissolued and to be with Christe The which Christe also promised to his disciples saying Ioh. 14.3 I will come againe and take you to my selfe that where I am there may ye be also Also Paule foresheweth that this shall not be without greate consolation Thes 4.17 saying And so shall we alwaies bee with the Lorde PAR. Therefore when they had obteyned their desire and sawe him standing before their face they were nothing offended at his base and contemptible forme hauing no manner of kingly shewe but they rather inuite him as the geuer of greate benefites beseech hym that he would vouchsafe to lodge in their Citye And he abode there two daies M. Being intreated he taried for a time such is his humanitie and facilitye by which he willinglye receiueth the petitions of the faithfull specially when they do appertaine to the corroborating and confirming of their faith euen as this petition of the Samaritanes did B. But notwithstanding hée gaue commaundement to his disciples that they shoulde not enter into the Cities of the Samaritanes beecause the time of his full glorification was not yet come But as the calling of the Gentiles appeared in the Magi or wisemen and after that in the Centurion and in others so in this present occasion hee minded to manifest the calling of the Samaritanes The calling of the Gentiles Actes 8.5 which were a certaine kind of people betwéene the Ethnikes and the Iewes the fyrst that receyued the Gospell after the Iewes Wherevpon he tarryed onely twoo dayes with them wheras hée continually Preached the Gospel to the Iewes Rom. 15.8 Mat. 15.24 For hée was the Minister of Circumcision and was specially sent to the lost Sheepe of the house of Israel M. Hée woulde not therefore geue any occasion of offence vnto the Iewes 41. And many mo beleeued because of his owne vvorde C. Here this word beleeued is vsed in another sence than it was before in the nine and thyrtye verse because it doeth not onelye signifye that they were prepared vnto faith but also endewed with a true faith M. Here therefore we sée howe true that is which the Apostle speaketh of faith saying Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 and hearing by the worde of God R. Therefore as the Samaritanes at the first beléeued because of the womans wordes but afterwardes are confirmed in the faith by the woordes of Christ euen so all the faithfull at the fyrst beleeue because of the Apostles woordes and the wordes of the Preachers but are not as yet confyrmed in the faith except Christ by his voyce speake to our hearts and seale vs by his holye spyrite which is the earnest and assurance of our heart For when the spirite of truth shal come Ioh. 16.13 hée wyll leade vs into all trueth Also Paul planteth 1 Cor. 3.7 Apollo watereth but God geueth the increase 42. And sayd to the vvoman Nowe vve beleeue not because of thy saying for vve haue heard him our selues and knowe that this is euen Christ the sauiour of the vvorld And sayd to the Woman M. These thinges are not therefore spoken to the ende we might thinke that the ministerye of this Woman which they had wel vsed was contemned God forbyd but rather to extoll those thinges which they had heard of Christ him selfe aboue the testimony of the woman Naye they séeme to knowe and ackowledge well inough the Womans Ministerye by which they at the first beléeued because they talked with her then they call to minde her wordes by which shée had testifyed of Christ neyther doe they saye Wée neuer beléeued because of thy woordes but Now we beleeue not because of thy wordes Bv. As if they shoulde haue sayde Thou hast not spoken so largelye of Iesus as hée hath deserued For nowe wée our selues hauing had plaine experience of his Diuine power knowe what manner of personne hée is neyther as perswaded by thy woordes onelye doe wée beléeue him to bée the Messias but being conuicted rather by his euident Doctrine wée knowe and vndoubtedly beléeue and truelye confesse that the same Iesus is not onelye the Sauiour of the Iewes but also of the whole world C. Therefore the Euangelist here expresseth what their faith was namelye suche a faith as was conceiued by the woorde of God in so much that they might boast that they had the Sonne of God to bée theyr teacher which is hée alone vppon whose aucthoritye we may safelye staye our selues Hée is not nowe present before our eyes that hée might talke with vs mouth to mouth but by whome soeuer we shall happen to heare him yet our faith can bée reposed in none but in him M. The Samaritanes which speake here speake not as doubtfull but as most assured and that which they beleeue with the heart Rom. 10.10 they most constantlye professe with the mouth For with the heart wée beléeue to righteousnesse and with the mouth wée confesse to Saluation But howe come they to haue this certaine knowledge of Christ They saye not wée haue séene his Miracles but Wee haue hearde him our selues Therefore they attaine vnto fayth not by Myracles but by the hearing of the verye worde of God Iohn 8.17 He which is of God heareth Gods wordes sayeth the Lord. The vnbeléeuing and froward Nation require signes but the elect doe not so but by the hearing of the woorde of God come to the knowledge of Christ So sayde Peter Iohn 6.68 Lord to whom shall we goe thou hast the wordes of eternal life and wee beleeue and confesse that thou art the sonne of the lyuing God And know that this is euen Christ our Sauiour C. This no doubte they haue by hearing Whereby wée gather that the summe of the Gospel within these twoo dayes was more familiarlye Preached vnto them by Christ than afore tyme it had béene at Hierusalem Bv. Also the prompte ready faith of the Samaritans shall condemne the inuincible incredulitye and obstinacye of men in our tyme. For the continuall Preaching of the Gospell amongest vs not two yeres but many yeres can litle or nothing at all perswade many of vs. Of the worlde C. Christ testifyeth that the saluacion whiche hée brought is common to the whole worlde to the ende the Samaritanes might the better vnderstande that it appertayned also vnto them For he called not them to the pertaking of the grace of saluacion as lawfull heyres but he taught that hée came Eph. 2.17 to admit forreyners into the householde of God
which he sawe to bée wrought by Christ for he saw him to be suche a one as healed all men that were sicke but in that hée prayeth him to goe downe to Capernaum it belongeth to imbecillity a Childishe faith as though Christ coulde not restore to health by his worde onelye or by the breath of his mouth Such weakenesse of fayth wée maye beholde in another place in the Disciples of Christ For when the Shippe was ouerwhelmed with Waues they beléeued that Christ was able to saue them but not except hée were awake for hée slepte and they awooke him Math. 8. saying Lorde saue vs wee perishe C. This man therefore had conceyued no other thing than that hée was a Prophete sent of GOD with this commaundement and commission that hée should proue and declare him selfe to bée the seruaunt of GOD by shewing myracles M. Hee requesteth that Christ would goe downe with him and heale his Sonne 2. King 5.11 So Naaman the Syrian trusted that Elyzeus woulde haue come downe to him and haue touched the place of the Leprosie with his hande and standing woulde haue called on the name of his GOD Christ imagined of the people to be but a Prophete Math. 16.14 Math. 22.46 and so haue healed him And this Fayth whiche imagined Christ to bée a certayne Prophete in the beginning was in many men as maye appeare by the aunswere whiche Peter made vnto Christ This also was the first opinion that the Woman of Samaria had conceyued of Christ the which notwithstanding the Lord contempned not but so increased the same that not onely shée but also many of her Cityzens knewe him to bée Christ the Sauiour of the world Euen so here hée whiche doeth not quenche the smoking Flaxe Esai 42.3 Mat. 12.20 enlargeth and helpeth the Rulers faith 48. Then sayd Iesus vnto him Except ye see sygnes and wonders ye wyll not beleeue M. In that the Lorde here vseth the plurall number saying Except ye see signes and wonders ye wyll not beleeue C. hée séemeth generallye to reprehend all the Iewes because they were to desirous of Myracles M. As if hée should saye Howe long are ye so harde harted to beleeue the trueth and by a true faith to embrace the kingdome of GOD which is Preached vnto you that yée wyll not beleeue at all except ye bée constrayned thereunto by signes and wonders Theyr fayth and trust is acceptaple vnto mee which beleeue my bare worde confirmed by no Myracles you beleeue not mée except ye sée signes and wonders M. All they haue this disease of distrust whiche followe the iudgement and wisedome of humane reason rather than the Oracles of God For such is humane reason that except it bée conuinced by euident signes and perswaded by vndoubted argumentes it wyll not beléeue And this is the very same which Paul sayeth The thinges that belong vnto God i. Cor. 2.14 seeme foolishe to worldlye wisedome and are not vnderstoode Wherevppon the Apostle exhorteth vs to become fooles that is to saye beléeuers to vnderstande them For except they bée beléeued they shall not bée vnderstoode But with this disease were both Iewes and Gentiles infected Concerning the Iewes this place speaketh and also the thyrtye and nine verse of the twelfth of Mathew Concerning both Iewes and Gentiles the Apostle sayth The Iewes require signes and the Greekes wisedome i. Cor. 1.21 that is to saye both are distrustfull and beléeue not the woord of GOD in the cause of the kingdome of GOD where fayth is requyred requyring certayne perswations of signes and argumentes C. But howe commeth it to passe that Christe is so sharpe nowe who was wonte gentlye to receyue others which desyred Myracles as wée maye reade here and there of diuers blinde and lame personnes Hée had then verylye some certaine reason which is hydde from vs why he dealt more seuerelye with this man than he was wont to doe with others And peraduenture hée had not so muche respect vnto this man as hée had to the whole Nation He sawe that his Doctrine was litle estéemed and not onely neglected but vtterlye despised all men depending vpon Myracles and being rather amased than wondering at them Incredulitye a detestable vice Therefore that wicked contempte of Gods worde which commonly raigned in them caused him to make this complaint M. For moste detestable is this vice incredulitye by which men refuse to beléeue the worde of God except they bée dryuen therevnto by signes Verye true it is that some of the Fathers in old tyme haue wished a confyrmation by signes least they shoulde doubte of the trueth of the promises we sée also that GOD was not offended with theyr desyres as we maye reade of Gedeon Iudg. 6.7 Esa 38.22 of Ezechias and of others C. But Christ noteth here a farre greater wickednesse For so the Iewes depended vpon Myracles that they had no regarde vnto the worde of God So that all theyr Religion all theyr knowledge of God and all theyr Godlinesse was in myracles R. But that is no true fayth which is conceyued eyther of myracles of signes or wonders For myracles are onely seales and witnesses Therefore they doe not make him which is vnbeléeuing a true beléeuer but they doe confyrme him which is fyrst a beléeuer in his fayth C. They therefore at this daye greatlye offend which crye saying Let vs first sée miracles and then wée wyll geue eare to this Doctrine as though the truth of Christ ought to bée so base in our eyes vnlesse it haue some other stay But although god should heape vppon them an innumerable sort of myracles yet notwithstanding they lye when they saye they wyll beleeue Exod. 5. Ioh. 12.37 There woulde aryse a certaine externall admiration but there woulde followe neuer a whit the more attencion to Doctrine The which wée may plainely behold in Pharao and in the Iewes For the woorde of the Lorde abydeth for euer If they wyll not heare Moyses and the Prophetes Luk. 16.31 neyther wyll they beleeue though one should ryse againe from the dead It is no maruayle therefore if the Lorde doe first of all séeke to cure the diseased Father with distrust before hée restore his Sonne to health For they are more daungerous sicke which are sicke in mynde and ought rather to bée healed then they which are sicke in bodye A. Christ therefore doeth the office in déede of a Byshop of a Pastor and of the Sheepheard of our Soules 49. The Ruler sayeth vnto him Syr come downe or euer that my Sonne dye Because this Ruler was whollye occupyed in minde to delyuer his Sonne from perryll of death hée aunswereth nothing but rather vrgeth the Lorde to make haste before his Sonne geue vp his soule Fatherlye care and affection M. We sée therefore in him first an Image of the affection of Fathers towarde theyr Children by which euerye Father naturallye desyreth the sauing health of his Children the
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
vnderstoode as though the Father had one by him selfe and the Sonne another as we haue also shewed before in the nineteene verse C. For he doth not compare his will and the will of his father together as one contrary to the other but onely confuteth that which they falsely Imagined as that he was rather caried by humayne boldenesse than led by deuine aucthority He doth deny this to be his owne proper affection and contrary to the commaundement of his Father 31. If I testifie of my selfe my testimonye is not true M. By these wordes our Sauiour preuenteth that which his aduersaries might haue obiected against him to troble the mindes of simple and ignoraunt men the whiche also they went about when they sayde Iohn 8 Thou giuest testimony of thy selfe but thy testimony is not true Therefore hée sheweth that hée doth not leane to his owne testimonye nor to the testimonye of any other man but to the testimonye of his heauenlye Father which cannot lye and which in truth far excéedeth all other testimonye To this ende doth those thinges appertaine which are spoken in this parte of the Apology So that when he sayth If I testifie of my selfe my testimony is not true he doth not deminishe the credite of his owne testimony the which mightely hée defendeth in an other place but it is a certayne manner of concession or graunting Because Christ was sufficiently instructed from heauen not to bée credited he is contented As if hée should saye If my testimonie be suspectted of you according to the common maner of men let it be so I make no account of it Wée knowe that nothing is counted true and lawfull which a man speaketh in his owne commendation how truely soeuer hée spake because no man may be a sufficient witnesse in his owne cause And although it is wicked to deale thus with the sonne of God yet notwithstanding he was content to departe from his right that by the aucthority of God he might conuince his enimies 32. There is another that beareth witnesse of me and I am sure the witnesse which hee beareth of me is true A. There are some which by this other witnesse bearer vnderstand Iohn the Baptist making this to be the scence of Christes wordes It séemeth to you that if I beare witnesse of my selfe that the same is not true but now there is another which beareth witnesse of me the which I know to be true but as for you ye saye that ye will not beléeue the same But it is better by this other witnesse bearer to vnderstande God the Father that it may agrée with that which is sayd in another place Iohn 8.18 I am one which beare witnesse of my selfe and my father which hath sent me beareth witnesse of me also B. So that the same which he sayth here is thus muche in effect My wordes are far otherwise than ye take them to be It is God and not this poore Carpenter which beareth witnesse of me and which doth acknowledge his onelye begotten and welbeloued sonne the which testimonye is so sufficient for me that I care not what men think of me M Neither doth he saye simply His testimonye is true But he sayth that hée knoweth his testimonye is true By which words hée doth not onely declare that the testimony of his Father is true but also that he himselfe doth know for a suertie that he doth arrogate nothing to himselfe which of right and by the testimonye of the Father appertained not vnto him 33. Ye sent vnto Iohn and he bare witnesse of the trueth M. Because hée had made mencion of the testimony of the Father nowe to extoll the same and therewithall to shew that his aduersaryes are reprehensible and blameworthye to the consolation and staye of simple mindes hée bringeth in the testimony of Iohn concerning him the which although it were verye notable yet notwithstanding it was contemned and neglected of the Rulars of the Iewes And this maketh verye muche to conuict them that hée sayth not simplye Iohn bare witnesse to the trueth But Ye sent vnto Iohn C. For hée vrgeth them with the aunswere of Iohn the which they coulde not without shame discredite For to what ende shoulde they haue sent vnto him except they meant to stande and geue credite to his sayinges For they sent vnto him as to a Prophete of GOD and séemed to make account of his voyce as of some diuine Oracle And although Christ here after a sort yelded vnto his enemies yet neuerthelesse verye notablye hée reproueth them and casteth in theyr téeth that nothing stayeth them from beléefe but mallice Therefore we see that this circumstance doeth make verye much to the matter that they sent vnto Iohn and as it were with a minde desirous to learne they went vnto him to knowe who was the Messias and yet notwithstanding regarded not his aunswere M. Hée sayeth not And he bare witnesse to mee but he sayth Hee bare witnesse to the truth the which is more certaine and farthest from suspicion And hée calleth the dispensation of the redemption of mankinde which hée had taken in hande the trueth for the which dispensation the sonne of God was sent to take vpon him our fleshe of the which he sayeth in another place I am the way the trueth Iohn 14. and the life But this trueth is alwayes condemned in the worlde for a lye 34. But I receyue not the recorde of man neuerthelesse these thinges I saye that ye might be safe J receyue not the recorde of man M. What meaneth these woordes Question If hée receyue not any mans testimony concerning him selfe wherefore was Iohn sent of God to beare witnesse of the trueth Also the testimonyes of the Apostles were they not the testimonies of men of whome hée saieth You also shall beare witnesse of mee because ye haue beene with me from the beginning Ioh. 15.27 Also hée sayeth Ye shall be witnesses vnto me in all Iewrye and in Samaria and to the vtmost partes of the earth To this we aunswere Actes 1.8 Christ vseth the testimony of Iohn not that hée stoode in néede of the same Aunsvvere but because it was néedefull for vs thereby to be confirmed They which séeke theyr owne glorye do not onely testifye of them selues notable and excellent thinges but do also much estéeme and bragge of the testimonies of suche others as they them selues are But Christ to the ende hée might teache that he sought not his owne glorye euen as before he said he had no néede to beare witnesse of him selfe euen so here hée sayeth that he doth not stande or depend vppon the testimony of Iohn howe great soeuer he be nor of any other man séeing hée hath testimony far greater than the witnesse of man As if he should say Bv. I doe not therefore bring foorth the testimony of Iohn concerning my selfe as though he had made me any whit the better thereby as that I might bée such a
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
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 saluatioÌ 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 1â 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. 11â They which were elected and truely beléeued Moyses they vndoubtedlye beléeued the Lorde 2. Cor. 3â 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
kingdome consulted among them selues to take Iesus and to make him a King perswading them selues that they shoulde haue plentye of all thinges stoare of Vitails Ritches pleasure the glorye of the world libertye and other worldlye commodityes if so bée it were their chaunce to haue suche a King C. But they greatly erred fyrst that they toke liberty to them selues to make them selues a King For the Scripture appointeth this onelye to GOD euen as it is sayd in the Psalme Psal 2.6 I haue appointed my King Furthermore what King woulde they haue him Surelye an earthly King the which was far disagréeing from his person Ioh. 18.36 A. For hée sayth My Kingdome is not of this worlde M. But why rather dyd they not consult to come to heare the worde of GOD of his mouth according to the wordes of the Prophesie the which truelye had beene more agréeable to this confession This is of a trueth the same Prophete than to séeke a kingdome Carnall Christians And this is the manner of carnall Christians to neglect that which pertayneth to the sauing health of the inwarde man and carefullye to séeke that which is earthlye that is to say to disdayne and loathe that which trulye belongeth to Christ and for which cause hée came into this worlde and gréedelye to followe that thing whiche is not comprehended in the dispensation of Christe taken in hande for our saluation and for the which he descended not into the earth C. Hereby let vs learne howe daungerous a thing it is in Diuine matters leauing the word of God to followe our owne sence and Imagination For there is nothing but it doeth corrupt the ouerthwart towardnesse of our minde And what doth the pretence of zeale helpe when as by our ouerthwart and disordered worshippe we are more iniurious to God than if a man should of purpose and wyllingly withstand his glorye It is also here to bée noated that it is sayde that they woulde take him and make him a King C. For they meant violentlye and against his wyll to make him a King The fleshe more busye in his works there is the Spirite M. Thus the fleshe is more vehement in the wycked and vngodlye purposes thereof than is the Spyrite in those thinges which are iust and godlye So Iudas laboured watched made spéede and by no meanes rested vntyl hee had most wyckedlye finyshed that whiche hée had trayterouslye taken in hande Mat. 26.16 In the meane time the Apostles slepte So wée reade of the builders of the Towre of Babilon This they beginne to doe Gen. 11.6 neyther can they nowe be stopped from whatsoeuer they haue Imagined to doe C. But if wée desire to haue that honour acceptable to God and to his Christ which we geue vnto him wée must alwayes consider what it doeth requyre And verylye they which honour GOD after theyr owne inuencions doe after a sort violently withstande him séeing the foundacion of true worship is obedience Hee daparted againe into a Mountaine Iesus whiche desyred a farre better kingdome and who came to this ende to teache vs to contemne Ritches pleasures and the glorye of this worlde being not ignoraunt what they went about withdrewe himselfe againe out of the waye to the Mountayne from whence hée came before to féede them And hée alone went priuilye asyde in such manner that it might not bée thought that he fled R. For his kingdome was not carnall but spirituall as it was notablye discribed before by the Prophetes For the kingdome of Christ is the kingdome of truth of righteousnesse of peace and of euerlasting lyfe Kingdom of Christe is not of this world For these are the Cities and Townes if wée maye so speake ouer which Christ hath the rule For although he doth rule and gouerne in the whole worlde from the one Sea to the other yet notwithstanding hée doth not rule according to the manner of this worlde neyther doth hée desire such a kingdome as the Princes of this world haue Of the which kingdome ye maye reade more in the first of Luke and in the seuen and twentye Chapter of Mathewe And this is not to bée pretermitted that Christ priuilye conueyed him selfe awaye from those that would haue made him a King and wyllinglye offered him selfe to those that sought to carrye him to the Crosse Leauing an euident example behinde him for those to follow which should succéede him in the Crosse For hée can not sincerelye Preache the Gospell whatsoeuer he bée which loueth kingdome and glorye among men For the kingdome of heauen doeth not agrée with the kingdome of this world no more than lyght and darkenesse agrée togeather A. What can that most impudent Antechrist of Rome aunswere to this Bv. Who through ambicion and desire to rule hath oppressed so many in this worlde that he might exalt himselfe aboue all that is worshipped Thes 2.4 boasting him selfe to bée God 16. And vvhen Eeuen vvas come his Disciples went downe to the Sea C. There is no doubt but that Christ went to hyde him selfe vntyll the people were departed awaye Wée knowe howe harde a matter it is to pacifye the seditious multitude And if that had béene openlye attempted which they had conceyued in theyr mindes the errour thereof woulde nowe haue beene spread abroade and than the infamy thereof coulde not so easelye haue béene taken awaye R. Hée woulde not therefore geue any occasion of sedicion least they should falsefye with open mouth haue accused Christ to bée the aucthor thereof C. All the time that hee withdrewe him selfe hée was occupyed in Prayer as also the other Euangelistes report And it maye bée that his prayer was to his Heauenlye Father to correct and amende the intemperaunce of the people B. And whereas his Disciples went downe to the Sea that was not done without his commaundement For he sent them awaye naye Mat. 14.22 hée constrained them to goe for that was a good occasion to get awaye the people 17. And gatte vp into a Shippe and vvent ouer the Sea toward Capernaum and it vvas novve darcke and Iesus vvas not come to them M. Whereas Iohn sayeth that the Disciples went ouer the Sea towardes Capernaum when Marke writeth that the Lord gaue them commaundement to goe before him to Bethsaida it seemeth to haue no disagréement at all Yea Mathewe and Marke wryte that they arriued at the Lande of Genesar the which also séemeth not to agrée with that whiche our Euangelist sayeth here that they went ouer the Sea toward Capernaum But if thou dilligently consider thereof thou shalt finde no disagréement at all In that Marke writeth that the Lorde commaunded them to goe before him to Bethsaida it is not repugnaunt neyther with that which Iohn sayeth here that they went to Capernaum nor with that which hée sayeth with Mathewe that hée arriued at the lande of Genesar For Bethsaida as appeareth by Luke is euen vpon the brinkes side of the
vnthankefull to God are starke blinde at the sight of his power And there is no doubte but that they dyd disdayne and contemne all the myracles whiche hitherto they had séene because Christ did not follow theyr willes and because they did not finde him such a one as they imagined him to bée If they had bene put in hope of earthly felicitie they woulde daylye haue extolled him and without all doubt haue saluted him by the names of a Prophet of the Messias and of the sonne of God but now because hée reprehendeth them for that they were to carnally addicted they thinke it good to heare him no more but doe withstande hym saying VVhat signe shewest thou that wee may see and beleeue thee VVhat doest thou worke Bv. As if they shoulde saye Thou speakest muche in thine owne commendation as though thou wert sent into the worlde to saue and redéeme mankinde R. Thou requirest that wée shoulde beleue in thée as in the Sauiour sent of God thou sayest that Fayth in thée is the worke of GOD whereby the foode of euerlasting lyfe is gotten but doest thou thinke vs so scencelesse and foolishe that thou speaking these thinges wée wyll strayght waye beléeue thée and reuerence thée alone and forsake Moyses and the righteousnesse of the Lawe By what signes by what myracles doest thou confirme the aucthoritye of thy doctrine Bv. But if thou be that manner of man which thou wouldest séeme and be accounted to bée shewe this vnto vs by some heauenlye signes by which wée being conuicted as by inuincible arguments wée maye now boldelye receyue thée and may beléeue thée as the Sonne of GOD and Sauiour of the worlde B. To beléeue here signifyeth wholye to depende vpon him whome thou beléeuest So also the people béeléeued Moyses Exo. 14.31 M. Here wée sée the disposition of carnall men who so long as fayth in Christ is required are enimies of the which wée haue experience in manye at thys daye C. For in the beginning Carnall Gospeleres because they perswade themselues that Christ will be fauorable to their sinnes they earnestlye receyue his Gospell and require no probation of the same but when they are called to denye themselues and to beare the Crosse then they beginne to forsake Christ and to demaunde from whence the Gospell had his beginning to bée shorte Christ is no more their Mayster so soone as hée denyeth their desires M. Othersome require myracles as though the doctrine of Christ were not sufficiently proued al readie boath by miracles also by the Scipturs A. But wisdome is iustified of hir Chrildren 31. Our fathers did eate manna in the wildernesse as it is writen He gaue them breade from heauen B. Hereby it appeareth what these men sought for namely that they might wander vp and downe with the Lorde idelly and be fed of him without labour euen as the people long before had bene fed in the wildernesse forty yeares with Manna C. Therefore our Sauiour Christ gauled them when hée sayde that they came like to brute beastes to fyll their bellyes for they bewraye this theyr grose affection when they require such a Messias as maye féede them M. This is another argument of their witstandinge Christe They obiect Moyses and the Fathers and they pretende their aucthoritie to cloake theyr incredulitie wythall as contrarye to that fayth which Christ required to be in him B. As if they shoulde saye What workest thou that wée maye beléeue thy thy wordes Thou hast once fedde fiue thousande of vs with fiue Loaues and two Fishes but Moyses fedde sixe hundedered thousande of our Fathers or there aboutes with breade from heauen for the space of fortye yeres But as yet thou hast shewed vs no suche signe It is better therefore that wée bée Moyses Disciples than thy Disciples and to depende vpon hys worde than of thine C. But whereas they extoll the grace of GOD in the Manna that they doe verye subtilly to ouerthrowe the Doctrine of Christ by whiche hée commended the moderate desire of corporall meate For on the contrarye parte they doe oppose the glorious name of Manna whiche was called breade from heauen and Aungels foode But the holye Ghost doth not call Manna breade from heauen although GOD fylling the bellyes of hys people as menne fyll Hogges gaue them no better thing Therefore they haue no excuse at all when they doe wickedlye reiect the spirituall foode of the soule whiche GOD now offereth to them M. For Moyses doeth sufficientlye declare why the Lorde did feede the people with Manna saying And hee gaue thee Manna to eate which neyther thou nor thy Fathers knewe to the ende hee might shewe to thee that manne shall not liue by breade onelye but by euerye worde whiche proceedeth out of the mouth of GOD. B. Manna is called the breade of Heauen and of Aungels because it rayned from heauen by the Ministerye of Aungels A. There are some which interprete this to be the breade of Princes or of greate men because of the Hebrue worde whiche in another place signifieth princes and noble men 32. Then Iesus sayde to them verelye verelye I saye vnto you Moyses gaue you not that breade from heauen but my father giueth you the true breade from heauen Verelye I say vnto you Bv. The Lord knowing well ynough howe filthy their affections were aunswered nothing to the signe whiche they required partly because he came not to fill the bellyes of the hungary nor to playe Pageants before euery one Luk. 23.9 for the whiche cause also he made no aunswere to Herod and partly because the daye before he had shewed so manifest a signe to the people that there néeded not the repeticion of many wordes The Lorde had proued by that signe that he was the same Prophete whom hitherto the Fathers had loked for And the very same men whiche in this place require a signe confessed then that trueth whiche nowe they doubte of For they had sayde This is verily that Prophete whiche shoulde come into the worlde Wherefore he faring as thoug he did not sée the rudenesse of the multitude their ingratitude inconstancy and their mallice goeth aboute by pure symplicity to bringe them to true and perfect knoweledge of the mystery of Fayth M. And because he knewe that this people did to muche hange vppon Moyses as though he had geuen to the Fathers those thinges whiche pertayned to lyfe and therefore did not ryghtlye iudge of the miracle of Manna nor truelye vnderstande that celestiall breade much lesse desire the same hée vseth an earnest asseueration But Christ séemeth to denye that which was cited out of the Psalme yet it is otherwise for hée speaketh onelye by comparison The bread of heauen is called Manna which nourisheth the bodye onelye but that is truelye and properlye iudged to be the breade of heauen which is the spirituall nutriment of the soule Therefore Christ here opposeth the worlde against heauen because the incorruptible
Lorde declareth that it is no straunge thinge to hym that the Capernaites séeing did not sée and beléeue in him He came for no other cause into this worlde than for their sakes whome the Father had ordained to euerlasting lyfe and had deliuered to him to be saued and he is most sertainly sure of this that they shall come to him and that he will reiect none of them but will willinglye imbrace euerye on of them but as for other he will not regarde them And thus he sheweth the cause why the Capernaites did not beléeue in hym namely because they were not geuen to hym of the Father C. Therefore lest theyr vnbeléefe shoulde derogate any thing from his doctrine he sayth that the cause of so greate obstinacie is for that they are reprobates and none of the flocke of Christ For this purpose therfore he putteth a difference betwene the elect and the reprobate that the aucthoritie of his Doctrine might stande neuerthelesse although many beleued not the same For the wicked do detracte from the worde of God and doe esteeme the same as nothing because they are not touched with the reuerence thereof and a great many weake and ignoraunt men doe doubte whether that be the word of God or noe which is reiected of the most parte of the worlde For this stumbling blocke Christ prouideth when he denyeth those to be his which beleue not If to suche the trueth of God be vnsauory it is no marueyle but all the children of God imbrace the same First of all we gather oute of thys place that the benefite of faith commeth of the free gift of God the Father not of humaine strengthe Whomesoeuer the father hath geuen to the sonne come to the Sonne C. Therefore faith is not in the wil of men that this or that man may beléeue without exception Fayth is the gift of God as it were by chaunce but God choseth them whom he delyuereth to the Sonne as it were from hand to hande For when he saith All that is geuen we maye gather that all are not geuen Moreouer we gather that GOD doeth worke in his elect with so greate efficacy of the Spirite that none of them do fall awaye from him For this worde of geuing is as muche as if Christe had sayde those whome the Father hath chosen he doth regenerate and addicteth them to me in the obedience of the Gospell Bv. They therefore which beleeue beleeue through the grace of God but they which beleeue not haue to accuse their owne wickednesse and not to finde fault with God Saluation commeth through grace Those whome the father will haue saued he geueth to the Sonne and the Sonne receiueth them And the father geueth when he driueth frameth the wills and affections of men and geueth them power and strength to beleue the word and miracles of the lord Christ The sonne receiueth when he frendly entertayneth all those that come to him and ioyneth them to him selfe And this is the meaning of the Apostle when he sayeth Rom. 8.30 Those whome he hath predestinate he hath called and whome he hath called he hath iustified and whome he hath iustified he hath also glorified M. Furthermore we must noat that Christ speaketh heare not according to that dyuine maiestie and excelency of the eternall worde to the whiche nothinge can be geuen that it hath not but accordinge to the dispensation of the mediation reconcilliation and humayne redemtion whiche he had taken in hande For the Father hath geuen to his Sonne as to a mediator Reconcilor Redéemer out of that sinfull multitude of mortall men those to be sauid whome he hath chosen to lyfe from euerlasting A Wee haue already shewed what it is to come vnto Christ M. For we must not vnderstand that whiche he here speaketh of euery one which commeth vnto hym for the vnbeléeuing Capernaites came vnto him whome notwitstandinge the Father had not geuen to him otherwise they had beleued in him but he speaketh of those which come to him as to the breade of lyfe and to the knowne Sauioure reuealed by the Father Concerning those I saye he saith And him that cometh to me J cast not awaye C. The whiche also partayneth to the consolation of the Godly that they maye be sure that they haue free accesse vnto Christ and shall be gently receyued so soone as they commit them selues to his faith and charge Wherevpon it foloweth that the doctrine of the Gospell shal be helthfull to those that are the children of God because no man offereth him selfe to be a disciple vnto Christe but he whiche feeleth hym and hath experience that hée is a faithfull teacher A. This place therefore agreeth with that whiche wée shall see hereafter Ioh. 18.47 He whiche is of God heareth Gods worde therefore ye do not heare because ye are not of god Agayne Ioh. 10.26 My sheepe heare my voyce and followe me therefore ye doe not beleeue Acte 13.48 because ye are none of my sheepe M. For we reade that they beleeued the word so many as were ordayned to euerlasting lyfe B. They therefore whiche are abiectes to the worlde and are despised as duste maye be of good courage For Christe will louingly receiue them if so be they come to him in faith For he casteth none awaye that come to him in faith he preserueth his to the ende Ioh. 10.18 they shall neuer perish M. For they are Citizens with the Saintes and of the housholde of God wherfore they can neuer be excluded out of the kingdom of God But seing it is knowen to God alone who they are that are geuen to Christe to be sauid and who not Ephe. 2 for the Lorde knoweth who are his yet notwitstanding no man canne be ignoraunt whether he commeth vnto Christe by fayeth and with a desier of heauenly grace 2. Tim. 2.19 or not For what can be more euident and manifest to our harte than that whiche oure harte most of all desiereth 2. Cor. 13.5 Whervpon the Apostle saith Trye and proue youre selues whether ye be in the Faith or no. Do ye not knowe youre selues whether Christe Iesus be in you So that we are made sure by that which is manifest concerning those things which are hidden from vs as whether the father hath geuen vs to the sonne and whether the sonne will cast vs away or no. If wée come to Chist no doubt we are geuen to him of the Father and we shall neuer be cast awaye B. But seeing none can be perswaded of these thinges but the electe that is to say such as are indewed with Gods Spirite and are regenerate who are so farre from being brought to security and slouth by the preaching of these thinges that nothing can so muche styrre them vp to the loue of God and to euery good worke it is playne ynough that they know not what they saye which affirme that these thinges ought not to
the preaching of the Gospell as many dreame To be drawne of the father is to be endued with fayth and with the holye Ghost by which our heartes are sealed and confirmed towarde Christ For the Father geueth fayth to whome he will and on whome he will he hath mercy Rom. 9.18 and whome he will also he maketh harde harted C. It is no violent manner therefore of drawing whiche draweth a man with externall hawling and pulling The holye Ghost draweth men to God of the whiche oure sauiour speaketh here and yet notwithstanding the motion of the holy ghost is so effectuall that it maketh men willing in despight of fleshe and bloud Wherefore that is false and prophane whiche some saye that no man is drawn against his will as though a man were obedient to God by his own motion and will For in that men willingly obaye God it commeth of him who frameth their hartes to his obedience A. Therefore mans fréewill is nothing And I will raise him vp at the last daye Reade the thirtie and nine and fourty verses going before 45. It is wrighten in the Prophetes And they shall be taught of God Euery man therefore that hath hearde and hath learned of the father commeth vnto mee It is wrighten in the Pro. M. Because it might seeme very straunge that he so gretly vrged that no man coulde come vnto him except he were drawne of the Father he bringeth the prophetical testimony coÌcerning the same not that the same was more to be estéemed in it selfe then that whiche he had spoken but because the authority of the Prophetes was of greate credite and estimation with them C. He nameth Prophetes in the plurall number because al the prophecies were gathered together into one body in somuch that all the Prophets may very wel be comprehended in one booke But the place whiche is here cited is to be founde in Esay foure and fiftie chapter and the xiii verse where the Prophete speaking of the repayring of the Churche promiseth to the same sonnes which shal be taught of God Whereby we maye easely gather that the Churche can be no otherwise restoared excepte God taking vppon him the office of a teacher doe bringe the faithfull vnto him B. And not onely the Prophete Esaye teacheth this but the other Prophetes also For there is scarce one Prophet which hath not foreshewed in many wordes that this doctrine of the Father shall be specially in the tyme of Christe For although the fathers were taught and instructed with this doctrine yet notwithstanding it began to be more plentifully bestowed vppon the electe so soone as Christ was glorifyed Bv. If any man desier to haue farther testimony oute of the rest of the Prophetes lette him rede these places coated in the margent C Ier. 31.33 Eze. 36.26 Ioel. 2.28 But this manner of teaching of the whiche the Prophete speaketh consisted not in externall voyce onely but in the secrete operation of the holy ghoste also God calleth outwardely inwardely To be shorte this instruction of God is the inwarde illumination of the harte R. Notwithstanding wée maye not hereby take occation to contemne vocall predication and externall hearing For God verily teacheth but yet by externall meanes for fayth commeth by hearing He geueth his good spirite but yet by the preching of the Gospell he geueth increase but yet by the planting of Paule and by the watering of Apollo Wherfore God teacheth man ministereth faith receyueth doctrine God geueth hys spirite the Apostle ministereth the beléeuer receyueth and so those thinges are ministered and distributed by the seruice of the Apostles whereof God is the author him selfe This particle all ought to be restrayned to Gods elect which only are the naturall Sonnes of the Church Euery man therfore that hath harde Bv. Thrée thinges are put down in order the latter hath his originall of the two firste For they come vnto Christe which beléeue in Christe and they beléeue which haue learned and they haue learned of the father which haue harde the Father To heare therfore hath the firste place and it is properly referred to the institution or inspiration of the father going before For the father teacheth externallye with his worde of trueth by the ministers as by instrumentes and within he doth inflame them by his holy Spirite B. This is to be drawne of the father For the father doth not draw men to the Sonne as a man woulde drawe a stoane or a logge after him but by teaching and perswading C. As Christe therefore at the fyrste did denie men to be féete to beléeue excepte they were drawne euenso now he pronowceth that the grace of the spirite is effecttuall by whiche men are drawen to beléeue of necessitie Freewil ouerthrown By these two members the whole power of frée will is quite ouerthrowen of the whiche the Papistes so greately dreme For if wée come not to Christ before the father drawe vs wee haue not so muche in vs as the beginning of fayth nor redinesse at all to obaye Moreouer if all doe come whome the father teacheth he doth not only geue a desire to beléeu but also fayth it selfe Therefore in that wée willingly obaye by the dyrection of gods holy spirite it is a token of grace and of oure sealing because God shoulde not drawe vs if so be he stretching oute hys hande as it were shoulde leaue oure will in the midest in suspence For he is properly sayde to drawe vs when he extendeth the power of his spirite to the full effecte of fayth They are sayde to heare whiche with all their mynde submit them selues to God speaking within them because the spirit raigneth in their hartes B. Therefore they which come not vnto Christ do not come because eyther they haue harde nothing of the father concerning him or else are not taught so that they haue throughly learned him For the wicked do learne somewhat that is deuine but they learne throughly or sufficiently 46. Not that any man hath seene the Father saue he which is of GOD the same hath seene the Father M. He spake to a carnall people therefore by this adition he woulde prouide that they did not carnally vnderstand that which he spake concerning his Fathers doctrine forsomuche as God is inuisible and can be seene of no man C. And as he hath hitherto comended the grace of his Father euen so nowe he calleth backe all the Faythfull to him aloane For boath ought to be ioyned togither namely that there can no knowledge of Christ be had vntill the Father doth illuminate vs by his holye spirite which by nature are blinde and yet notwithstanding God is sought in vaine before wée haue Christ because the maiestie of God is so highe that mans scence and vnderstanding cannot reache vnto the same naye there is no knowledge of God without Christ His wordes dedepending on that which goeth before are thus muche in effect All men must bée
ascended what is it else but that he descended first into the lower partes of the earth Hée which descended is euen the same also which ascended aboue all heauens Eph. 4.9 to fulfyll all thinges C. In that hée sayeth hée was first in Heauen it doeth not properlye agrée to his humanitye and yet notwithstanding hée speaketh of the Sonne of man But this is no vnwonted maner of speaking when twoo natures in Christe doo make one person and to attribute that to one which is proper to another 63. It is the Spirite that quickeneth the fleshe profyteth nothing The wordes that I speake vnto you are spyrite and lyfe It is the Spyrite that quickeneth M. This parcell contayneth a declaracion of those thinges at the which the Disciples were offended because they séemed harde C. For Christ teacheth that the Iewes receyued no profite by his Doctrine because the same being spyrituall they were but carnall hearers of the same But because this place hath béene diuersly expounded first of all it is needefull that wée haue the true and proper sence of the wordes whereby wée shal easely vnderstand the purpose of Christ In that hée denyeth the fleshe to profite any thing some doe amisse referre the same to the Iewes which were carnall Neyther doe they well whiche affyrme that the fleshe of Christe doeth profite vs nothing in that it is eaten but in that it is Crucifyed but wée must rather eate the same that it maye profite vs when it is Crucified B. Othersome vnderstande this of the Spyrite which the Apostles should receyue after the resurrection and Ascention of Christ affyrming that they had then the true sence of Christes wordes when that most excellent teacher of the trueth had replenished them with most ample knowledge of Christ But their opinion séemeth far better which thinke that these wordes Aloane or Of it selfe ought to bée ioyned therewith as if Christ should haue sayde The fleshe aloane or of it selfe profiteth nothing the which is agréeable to the matter it selfe C. For Christe hath simplye respecte to the manner of eating Hée doeth not therefore so speake as though there were no profite at all to bee receyued by his fleshe Flesh with out the spirite profiteth not but onelye pronounceth the same to bee vnprofitable if it bée remoued from the fleshe For whereof commeth it that the fleshe hath quickening power but because it is spyrituall Therefore whosoeuer stayeth in the terrestriall nature of the fleshe shall finde nothing in the same but that whiche is dead but they which lyft vp theyr eyes to the power of the Spyrite with the which the fleshe is endued shall féele by by theyr affection and by the experience of Fayth that it is not called quickening in vaine Nowe let vs sée how the fleshe of Christ is meate in déede and yet profiteth nothing Surelye it is meate because wée thereby haue gotten lyfe because in it God is pleased because in it wée haue all the partes of saluation complete it profiteth nothing if so bée we iudge and estéeme the same according to the nature and originall thereof For the seede of Abraham which of it selfe is subiect to death doeth not giue lyfe but it doeth receyue of the spyrite to geue vnto vs. Wherefore it doeth become vs also that wée maye bée truelye fed by the same to bring with vs the spyrituall mouth of Fayth The wordes which J speake vnto you are spirite M. Hée doeth not speake of the externall sounde of these wordes but of the sence and meaning of them and hée declareth that hée spake not carnallye of the carnall eating of his fleshe in the which there is no lyfe but spyrituallye of the power of the quickening Spyrite in the which there is lyfe C. In fewe wordes hée teacheth that his Doctrine is spyrituall for this word Spyrite is put for the Adiectiue spyrituall And that worde is called spyrituall which calleth vs vpwarde that the holye Ghoste being our guyde wee maye seeke Christ by Fayth and not in carnall sence in his heauenlye glorye For wée knowe that nothing of those thinges which are spoken can bée comprehended but by Faith It is also worthy to bée noted that hée ioyneth the Spirite with lyfe Hee calleth his worde lyfe of the effecte but he teacheth that the same shall geue lyfe to none but to him who spyritually receyueth the same for whosoeuer receyueth the same otherwise rather draweth to him selfe death than life To the godly this is a most sweete tytle of the Gospel that they are certifyed that the same is ordained for them to saluation they are notwithstanding herewithall admonished to shewe them selues méete Disciples For the woordes being receyued by fayth profite but without faith profite nothing at all 64. But there are some of you that beleeue not For Iesus knewe from the beginning which they were that beleeued not and who should betraye him But there are some of you M. The Lorde is wont to vpbrayd men with theyr vnbeléefe because there can no greater iniurye bée done to God than for men to doubte of his Fayth and trueth Christ againe blameth these men because they being deuoyde of the Spyrite doe wickedly depraue and corrupt his doctrine and by this meanes turne the same to theyr owne destruction For they might haue otherwise obiected and sayde Thou braggest that thy wordes are able to geue lyfe but wée sée no suche thing Hee sayeth therefore that they are a let vnto them selues For vnbeléefe as it is alwaye proudâ shal neuer reape any fruite in the words of Christ Vnbeleefe contemneth Christ because it doeth contemptuouslye despise them Hée sayeth not There are some of you which vnderstande not but hée sheweth the cause wherfore they vnderstand not There are sayth hée some of you which beléeue not and therefore they vnderstande not because they beléeue not By fayth wée are coupled togeather and by vnderstanding wée are quickened fyrst let vs sticke fast throughe Fayth that there maye bée somewhat to geue lyfe by vnderstanding For hée which stycketh not fast resisteth and hée which resisteth doeth not beléeue For howe shall he bée quickened whiche beléeueth not C. Whereas hée sayth onely some of them are vnbeleeuing when as almost euery one of them had his faulte hée séemeth so to saye to this ende least if there were any which as yet were curable they might thereby bée brought to dispayre M. Hée meant therefore by more gentle admonition to bring them to a better minde and not so to cast them of that euery one of them might bée made carefull to obtayne the gyft of Fayth For Jesus knewe from the beginning Bv. This the Euangelist putteth downe to amplifye the aucthoritye and magistye of Christ C. Least any man shoulde thinke that Christ dyd rashlye iudge of his auditors Many professed them selues to bée of his flocke but their sodaine falling awaye bewrayed theyr hipocrisie But the Euangelist sayeth that theyr vnbeléefe whiche was
of vs they had continued with vs. It is necessary that after this manner suche as are proued maye bée knowne i. Cor. 11.19 C. When the Euangelist sayeth that they walked no more with Christ hée meaneth that there was not a full Apostacye but that they withdrewe them selues onelye from the fellowshippe of Christ notwithstanding hée condemneth them as Apostates Whereby wée haue to learne that wée cannot goe backe the breadth of one foote but that wée are readye to forsake Christ 67. Then sayde Iesus vnto the Twelue wyll ye also goe awaye M. Hée maketh no mencion of those which had forsaken him neyther doeth he séeme to bée any whit angery with them but turning him selfe with great modestye to the rest which remayned namely to the twelue Apostles sayde vnto them VVyll ye also goe awaye Bv. Hée doeth not aske this question as though hée were ignoraunt what they thought or what they would doe but hée demaundeth it that he might set their Fayth and the profession of theyr faith as an ensample to the whole Churche to bée followed kept M. and therewith also to declare that he doth staye none of his Disciples from going from him if so bée they bée such as desyre to goe from him because this Apostleship requireth such as come not compelled but voluntaryly and desyrous of heauenly grace C. Hée teacheth also that there is no cause why they should suffer them selues to bée drawne awaye by the lightnesse and inconstancye of other men For hée sheweth him selfe to them to bée hée with whome they shoulde abyde and therewithal exhorteth them not to ioyne them selues companions to Apostates And verylye if so bée the fayth be builded vppon Christ Fayth in Christ neuer shaketh it shall not depend vppon men neyther shall it shake at any time although Heauen and earth shoulde seeme to goe togeather And the cyrcumstaunce is to bée noated that Christ being depriued almost of all his Disciples retayneth onelye Twelue By these and suche lyke examples euerye faythfull man is taught to followe and serue God although hee haue neuer a fellowe M. Let no man therfore faint or be discouraged in this wicked world where verye fewe are founde whiche cleaue faythfullye to the Lorde as though the Lorde had the lesse care of the faythfull because they are both abiect and fewe in number but rather lette vs vndoubtedlye beleeue that our Sheepheard Christ Iesus wyll not neglect or forget one of the least of his shéepe Multitud doth not auayle to saluation For as the multitude of the wicked shall not saue them from destruction so the paucitye or smalnesse of number of the Iuste shall nothing let whereby they may not bée saued M. Also because these were speciallye geuen to Christ of the Father that Gods election might take place it was necessarye that they shoulde abyde and perseuere with him vnto the ende Rom. 11.29 A For the giftes and calling of God are suche that hee can neuer repent him of them For hée is wont to finishe the good worke which hée hath begon in his seruauntes 68. Then Symon Peter aunswered him Lord to whome shal we go Thou hast the vvordes of eternall lyfe Then Simon Peter Bv. Simon Peter hauing alwayes a feruent faith and zeale to Christ Iesus and nowe also making aunswere not in his owne name but in the name of all the rest cryed out with great courage Lord to whome shall wee goe Thou hast the wordes of lyfe C. This was the Iudgement of them all except Iudas who had nothing that was sincere in him M. Peter might haue sayde simplye Lorde wée wyll not goe awaye but hée thought it better to expresse twoo causes of tarrying why hée and his brethren woulde abide styll with Christ First because they vnderstande and perceyue that his doctrine is wholesome and of power to geue lyfe Secondly because whether soeuer they go leauing Christ there is nothing to bée found but death R. By this aunswere of Peter wee plainelye sée the same to bée true which the Apostle writeth saying The preaching of the Crosse is to them that perrishe foolishenesse i. Cor. i. 18 but vnto vs which are saued it is the power of God C. This is a notable commendation of the Gospell that it ministereth vnto vs eternall lyfe Rom. i. 16 being the power of God to saluation to euery one which beléeueth the same For otherwise is lyfe offered to vs in the Gospell when as God fréelye reconcileth him selfe vnto vs 2. Cor. 5.19 not imputing our sinnes to vs. Hereby therefore wée learne that wée must followe our Maister Christ aloane and must cleaue onelye vnto him which can bring to vs euerlasting lyfe Bv. This lyfe is not founde in the Philosophie of Plato or of Aristotle neyther is it to bée founde among the Pharisées and Monkes Death sheweth it selfe in the Institucions of these men death deceyte and destruction is in the whole worlde and falleth vpon the pate of such men as are carelesse and followers of foolishe thinges and hée aloane escapeth death deceyte and destruction whiche faithfullye imbraceth Christ and cryeth with Peter Lorde whether shall wée goe wee wyll abyde with thée for thou hast the wordes of eternall lyfe In thy word in the Scripture in the holy Gospel and in thy selfe is the light the waye the trueth and the lyfe 69. And wee beleeue and are sure that thou art christe the Sonne of the lyuing God M. To those that departed the Lord sayde But there are some among you which beleeue not Verse three score and foure Peter here on the contrarye part to put awaye all suspition of vnbeleefe from him selfe and from the rest of his brethren and might seperate him selfe from the fellowshippe of vnbeléeuers sayeth And wée beléeue and are sure that thou art Christ the sonne of the lyuing God In these words Peter briefly comprehendeth the summe of Faith And hée placeth Faith in the first place because the obedience of Fayth is the beginning of true vnderstanding yea Faith it selfe is the true eye of the minde But strayte after knowledge is added which discerneth Fayth from erronious and false opinions Faith is the eye of the minde For the Turkes the Iewes and the Papistes do beleeue but they knowe nothing Faith and knowledge tyed togeather But Fayth is tyed to knowledge because Gods truth is certainely and vndoubtedly knowne vnto vs not suche truth as mans knowledge is able to apprehende but such as the spirite of God doth seale in our hartes M. Therefore Christian Faith hath this propertye aboue all other to knowe that which it beléeueth that which can neuer bée sayde of any mannes Fayth that euer hath béene or shal be in the worlde because theyr Fayth is not of true but of false thinges R. So that first of all wée must beléeue the woord then followeth knowledge and the vnderstanding of the trueth of the worde B. In Peter the feruencye of
Galilee when others went it maye seeme that his owne conscience did accuse him or else that he taried behinde for want of manly courage and in that he doth not go with his brethren as he was wonte to doe at other tymes he seemeth to bere vnto them some priuy grudge But Christe is contented paciently to abide these thinges hauing the testimonye of an innocent conscience the whiche also he declared to his bretheren when hée shewed vnto them the cause why he was hated of the worlde Let vs learne therefore by this example not to be muche carefull and troubled for any thinge that man Iudgeth of vs so that we knowe our selues to be innocent in the sight of God and do declare the same to those that seeke it as we see oure Lord and sauioure did here It is not possible that we shoulde escape the sinister and wrong iudgement of the reprobate in this worlde the which are euery where at hande whiche waye soeuer we tourne vs or what soeuer we leaue vndone 1. Cor. 4 Wherevpon the Apostle sayde It is a small matter for me to be iudged of you or of mans iudgement Rom 12.17 1. Thes 5.21 for it is the Lorde that iudgeth me A. But we ought not herevpon to neclect our fame or good report for we ought to prouid for honest thinges in the sighte of all men and if it be possible so muche as in vs lyeth to lyue peceable with all men and to obstayne from all shewe of euell But seing we cannot obaye God except we displease men we must voyde of care despise all fauour of men to obaye God aloane Gallath 1. If sayth the Apostle I shoulde please men I were not the seruaunt of God C. For seeing there is nothing more miserable then to be drawne awaye from Christe curssed be that peace which is so preciouse vnto vs that for the same we shoulde renounce Christe 10. But as soone as his brethren were gone vppe then wente hee also vppe to the feaste not openlie but as it were priuily R. Here are two thinges to be noted For in that Christe went vp to Ierusalem at the feaste of Tabernacles he sheweth obedience of his Fathers commaundement and in that he ascendeth priuily he sheweth the wisedome of faith Exo. 23.17 For it becommeth a christian man to fulfill the commaundement of the Lorde with simple obedience and yet neuerthelesse to take hede with good aduice that he tempt not the Lorde Rashnesse ought to be escued For Rashenesse as well in other thinges as in deuine matters bringeth great inconueniences with it A. He might haue withstand his aduersaries as is aforesayde with manifest power but that shoulde haue litle profited vs. R. Therfore by this déede he taught vs that yf so be we at any tyme be in lyke perilles we shoulde with a strong fayth fulfil the commaundement of the Lorde and yet in the meane tyme beware we tempt hym not Luke 21 i8 béeing sertaynly perswaded that not one heare of oure heade shal perishe without the will of oure heauenly Father In that Christe doth nowe assende it is not repugnaunt with that that hée sayde to his brethren that he woulde not ascende For then he declared that he woulde not fulfill theire euell affections nor ascende with them to the feaste of Tabernacles vntill suche tyme as the necessitie of his duty did constrayne hym openly to shew hym selfe but nowe opertunity being offered he ascendeth aloane withoute the company of hys kinsemen whome he refused as carnal to vse in the businesse of the Gospell C. Therefore on the one parte the Euaungelist setteth before our eyes the kynsemen of our sauioure who according to the common manner of men seeme to lyke of the worship of God but yet notwithstanding are frendes to the worlde that is to saye to the wicked and therefore doe walke voyde of care on the other parte he setteth before vs Christe hym selfe who being hated of the world commeth priuily into the Cittie and abydeth in Galile vntill the necessity of his office whiche he had receyued of his Father constrayned hym openly to shewe hym selfe 11. Then sought hym the Iewes at the feste and sayde where is he Bv. In these words the Euangelist reprehendeth the Iudgementes of the common people whiche they had concerning Christ and the Gospell to the ende he might confirme the mindes of the ministers of the worde in lyke discencions lest they shoulde faynt and be discouraged by the lyke Iudgementes and forsake the trueth C. By the Iewes hée vnderstandeth the common peple which béeing nowe accustomed these two yeres to heare Christe required hym when they sawe hym not as they were wont For when they saye Where is hee they meane a man knowen vnto them and yet notwithstanding this demaunde sheweth that they were not hitherto well affected but hong alwayes in doubt Notwitstanding there are some which by the name Iewes in this place vnderstande not the people but the Rulers of the Iewes the high Priests Scribs Pharisées and elders of the people béeing euen the very same of whome sainte Iohn maketh mencion in the first verse going before saying Because the Iewes sought to kill him M. and they saye that it was oprobrious speache whiche the Iewes vsed here as if they shoulde haue sayde where is that Galilean Where is that seducer and deceyuer of the people Where is that blasphemer where is that enemie of the Lawe and breakeâ of the Sabboth For the did not voutsafe to name him euen as Saule did to Dauid when he sayde 1. King 20 27. VVhere is the Sonne of Isai But the former exposition is more probable 12. And muche murmuring of hym was there amonge the people for some said he is God other sayde Naye but he deceyueth the people R. Here we sée the greate abasing of our Lorde and sauioure Christe For he is Iudge of quicke and deade yet notwithstanding he hyding the same suffereth him selfe to be Iudged of the common sorte of people Whereupon there were diuers Iudgementes geuen of him C. For whersoeuer men gathered them selues togeather in companies priuy vardits and iudgementes were geuen of Christe Bv. Many of the common sorte of people whiche had heard hys wordes and séene his miracles sayd that Iesus was a good man and that his cause was good and therefore in his absenc ought not so to be misreported of on the contrary part the Scribes and Pharisées with their adherents both denyed hym to be a good man and also affirmed that hys cause was euell For they sayde He deceiueth the people That is to say he vseth a new and vnwonted kind of teaching which far differeth from that whiche we haue receyued from oure forefathers R. And thus Christe semed to some a good man and to othersome a Seducer of the people and to some suche a one as was possessed with a Douell Euery one in Iudging of Christe declared hys wisedome For it
is the manner of fleshe to arrogate to it selfe the wisedome of Iudgement C. Wherefore here we maye behould howe greate the rashnesse of men is in diuine matters In small matters they were nothing so licentious But when the sonne of God and his doctrine came in question by by they geue their sensure with great rashenesse For the whiche cause we ought diligently to obserue the greater moderation lest vnaduisedly we condemne oure lyfe with the eternall trueth of God But yf the worlde do account vs for deceyuers let vs then remember that Christe oure Mayster was so called in the meane tyme lette vs shewe oure selues to bée true teachers M. Here also wée muste consider that the Seneoures and Rulers of the Iewes had a worse Iudgement of Christe then had the common sort of people For they say not He seduceth vs but he seduceth the people that is the vnlerned the Ignoraunt of Gods Lawe the common multitude the rude and simple whiche were to be taught and instructed and not to bée seduced But this is the pretence of theyr wickednesse C. Whereby we maye gather what was the state of the Churche then For the Iewes as hongry and thirsty men desiered the promised redemtion And yet notwithstanding when Christe appeared vnto them they stoode in suspence and in doubt Herevppon came that confused murmuring and diuersitie of Iudgements M. And they whiche shoulde haue brought the rude and simple to Christe the true and only sauioure of the world account him for a deceiuer and doe driue awaye the people with feare leste they shoulde come to the doctrine of Christ to be taught C. There raigned therefore in the whole body nothing but confusion and disorder 13 Howbeit no man spake openly of hym for feare of the Iewes C. By the name of Iewes he meaneth here the heades of the people to whome the gouernment was committed They were so full of hatered against Christe that they would not suffer one worde to be spoken of hym on eyther parte not that they did mislyke to haue hym euell spoken of but because they did perceyue a better waye then yf his name were quight forgotten So the enemies of the trueth when they sawe that their crueltie did not auayle they desired nothing more than to haue his name quight suppressed the which alone they went aboute 14. Nowe when half of the feast was done Iesus wente vp into the Temple and taught Bv. The fiftéene daye of the moneth the feaste of tabernacles began and continued the space of seuen dayes And coniecture is made that the Lorde came into the Temple of Hierusalem the fourth daye of the feaste of tabernacles whiche was the nintéene daye of October Leui. 13.36 Num. 29. and. 2i Concerninge the order of this feste what thinges were then done Moyses wrighteth at large C. But whereas Christ assendeth teacheth in the Temple he declareth that he did not so feare before that he woulde neclecte the doing of his duty For this was one cause of his delaye at the firste that he might preache when the greatest nomber of people were assembled together R. For yf by nature he had feared death hee woulde not haue taught openly in the Temple But he declareth that the commaundement of the Lorde muste be bouldly executed without feare of perill Therfore it is lawfull somtime to auoyde perill but yet no oportunity to doe good deedes ought to be omitted R. And in that he did not teache before the feaste was halfe done it proceded of a wise foresight séeking hereby to haue the greater nomber of people assembled together and also by this delaye to mittigate the anger of the Phareseis C. Whereas also he teacheth in the temple he obserueth the auncient manner and custome For when God gaue so many ceremonies he did it not because they should only be occupied in could and vaine shewes but he gaue them also doctrine that the profite of them might be knowen And after this manner externall rites are lyuely Immages of spirituall things so longe as they haue theyr forme out of the worde of God Eternall rightes are liuelye Images of spirituall thinges And because the Priestes for the moste parte were at that tyme dumbe and because the Scribes did falsefy and corrupte the pure doctrine with their Leuen Christe tooke vppon hym the office of teachinge as the chéefe high Preist euen as a litle after he testifieth that he toke nothing in hande without the commaundement of his heauenly father This therfore was his hower this was his tyme to sette forth his Fathers glory Despysing therefore all perill he gote hym into the chéefest place and began to teache when the feaste was halfe spente and that the greatest nomber of people were assembled together And here he declared his power who a little before shewed his humility in fleeing C. Yea the power of Christe did more brightly and wonderfully shyne in that he defended and preached the trueth in the midest of his armed enemies and openly inuayed againste the Pharisaicall traditions 15. And the Iewes marueiled saying Howe knoweth hee the Scriptures seeing that hee neauer learned B. The Iewes hauing no occasion to speake euell of the doctrine of Christe seeke notwithstanding to bring the same into discredite with the people marueiling seing he was altogether vnlearned for he was neuer instructed in the pharisaicall doctrine where he had gotten those things which he vttered out of the holy scripturs with great wisedome as though he had don the same by the power of the Deuell or by some other Magycall Science M. They are therefore deceiued whiche thinke that the doctrine of Christ was so receyued that it was had in esteemation and honoure C. For the Iewes marueile as you heare that they might therby take occasion of contempt for suche is the ingratitude of men that in deuining and iudging the workes of God they drawe vnto them selues matter and occasion of error If God deale by vsuall meanes and acustomed waies those meanes whiche appeare vnto oure eyes doe kepe vs and houlde vs backe as a vale from behoulding the deuine power and then we beholde nothing but that whiche is humayne But when the power of God doth shyne extraordinarily and by suche meanes as are vnknowen to the moste parte of men wée are amased insomuche that the same vppon the whiche al oure sences ought to be stayed passeth awaye as a dreame or vayne fantasye For suche is oure pryde that wée nothinge regarde that of the whiche wée sée not some reason This was a wonderful token of the grace and power of God that Christe béeing taught by no scoolemayster had notwithstanding suche intelligence of the Scriptures Naye hee whiche was neuer a Disciple or scoller was the moste notable master and teacher that euer was And for this cause the Iewes despise the grace of God for that it excéedeth their capassitie Euenso in lyke manner when the Apostels did speake the wonderfull workes of
daunsing They meruayle if a man eate fleshe in Lent but they meruell not if all man prouoke GOD to wrath with sinne A. Reade more concerning the obseruation or breaking of the Sabboth in oure exposition of the twelfe Chapter of Mathew beginning at the second verse 24. Iudge not after the vtter appearaunce but iudge with a ryghteouse Iudgement After he had ended his defence hée vseth also reprehension because they being caried awaye with euill affections Deu. 1.16 iudge not rightlye of the cause R. The Law commaundeth Iudges to iudge with a righteous iudgement and not to respect any mans person because the iudgement is Godes Of this Law Christ putteth the Iewes in minde that in this cause concerning the breaking of the Sabboth Iust iudgement they should not with respect of persons neyther with enuie nor with fauour iudge but with iust iudgement that is to say the only cause considered Bv As if hée should saye in iudging of my déede yée must not follow the affection of anger nor of hatred but equitie and the minde of the Lawe Ye shoulde verilye be conuinced of great iniustice if so be in one and the selfe same facte ye iustifie Moyses and condemne mée but your iudgement shall be iust if that be not imputed to me for sinne which was not hurtfull to him Furthermore Circumcision was iustely reuerenced among them When the same was done vppon the Sabboth daye they knew that the Law was not broken because the workes of GOD among themselues doe rightlye agrée And why doe they not so thinke of Christes work but onely because a conceyued preiudice of the person possesseth their mindes therefore the iudgement shall neuer be right except it bée moderated by the truth of the matter For so soone as the persons come in sight they bende their eyes and scences vppon them Preiudice in iudgement so that truth quight vanisheth awaye R. The Iewes excused Moyses because of the aucthoritie of the person of the breaking of the Sabboth although by his decree and by the decrée of the Fathers also an infaunte might be circumsised and sacrifices killed and they accused Christ because of the contempt and basenesse of the person who by the same example of Moses had not cut of a mannes member but had healed the whole man on the Sabboth day Therefore Chirst reuoketh them to the rule of right iudgement C. The which admonicion ought to take place in all causes and matters but most necessarie it is when wée haue to doe with deuine and heauenlye matters For wee are most easilye drawne from the same by the hatred or contempt of men M. For wheras they which commonlye are counted learned men are so greate enimies to wholesome doctrine and are drawne awaye in iudgement who séeth not that this is the fault therof that they haue more respect eyther to the Rulers or to the Bishops or to the persons of the Princes and to the outwarde shewe of religion which the common people best alowe than what is true or false in these matters whereabout they contende And it is to be noated that Christe sayde not I will not haue you simply to iudge of my facte for I am the Lorde of all things and am subiect to no mans iudgement but he sayde Iudge not after the outewarde apperaunce but Iudge with a righteouse Iudgement By whiche wordes verely he doeth not refuse to haue Iudgement geuen of his workes but he requireth that wee Iudge rightly of the same What Insolencie and pride is it then whiche remayneth in the Bishop of Rome who sayth not with Christe whose vicar notwithstanding he boasteth him selfe to be Iudge not after the vtter apperaunce of my dedes but simply he sayth I will not haue you to Iudge of me and of my déedes at all A. So many Théeues Robbers murtherers would say yf it might be graunted them But Christe doth not thus although he were Lord of all but setteth his workes and doctrine before the wicked to bée Iudged so that theey obserue right iudgement As we shall sée also hereafter in the eyghtéene chapter EVS. We gather also by this place that Moyses and christ doe not disagrée as the Iewes thought Moyses Christe agree nay the Lawe and the doctrine of Christ as touching the Spirite doe very well agrée A. As maye also easily be proued by sondery places of Scripture 25. Then sayde some of them of Ierusalem Is not this he whom they goe aboute to kill These thinges shewe howe the doctrine of truth preached to the worlde is receiued what troubles soeuer aryse for the Gospelles sake For after the truth is preached the wauering and constante multitude are deuided into sondery affections M. These men of Ierusalem of whome the Euaungelist speaketh here were not of the Rulers Scribes Phariseis and Seniours of the people but of the Citizens and Indwellers of Ierusalem to whome the beginning of thys lyinge in waight was knowen and who knewe howe greatly Christe was enuied These men therefore kowing what greate hatred the Rulers of theyr nation bare to Christ marueile not in vaine they béeing nowe quiet that Christe woulde not only walke openly in the Temple but also bouldly preache in the same but in this they offende that they doe not waye and consider the prouidence of God in a myracle altogether deuine Euenso carnall men so often as they behoulde some straunge worke of God do marueile but in the meane time there commeth not into their minde any consideration of Gods power But it is our parte more wisely to expende and waye the workes of God specially when the wicked notwithstanding all theyr practises hynder not the race of the Gospell as they desyer because God with his mighty hande doeth caste them downe 26. But lo he speaketh bouldly and they saye nothing to him Doe the Rulers knowe in deede that this is very Christ M. These Citizens séeme to be gréeued that Christe preacheth so fréely the Scribes and Phariseis houlding their peace whose lying in wayte they knewe well ynough Here is to be noated the libertie of Christ in teaching For he did not preache couldly in the Temple as some doe but openly fréely and bouldly So muste they speake which mayntayne the trueth with a good conscience knowing that they do not speake their owne phantasies nor the dreames of other men but the worde and trueth of God in the Church although the same be impugned and withstoode by wicked Bishopes and Rulers of the people It is not sufficient to speake that whiche is trueth but this specially is required that those thinges be spoken whiche are true that the same be spoken truely and bouldely not obscurely but manifestlie not fearfully but constantlye R. Christe knewe well ynough the hatred and liynge in wayte of the Phariseis for he sayde before Bouldnesse in preaching the truth why do ye seke to kill me and yet notwithstanding hée speaketh before them voyde of all feare
no man gaynsaying hym A. This bouldnesse of speache he promised to his Apostlles that being armed by their example so often as wee shoulde preache the trueth at the commaundement of Christe Ephe. 6.19 wée shoulde not consider so muche before whome we speake as in whose name we speake Act. 4.29 This bouldnesse also the Apostle Paule desyered to be geuen hym 27. Howe be it wee knowe this man whence hee is but when Christe commeth no man knovveth whence hee is R. As yf they had sayde we marueile greatly at the silence of our Phariseis who now suffer him publiquely freely to preache whome before they laye in wayte to snare and intrappe peraduenture they them selues are become Christianes and confesse this man to bée Christ But yet wée cannot thinke that they are so farre out of their wittes that they beléeue this man to be Christ For some reporte that Christe shal be vtterly vnknowen when he commeth insomuche that no man shall knowe from whence he commeth but we know that this is the Sonne of Ioseph and that his kynsemen dwell in Nazareth Howe then can he be that Messias promised by the Prophetes and looked for of the people Here wée sée not only howe greate the blyndnesse of men is when they come to Iudge of deuine matters Blindenes in vnderstanding but also that this is a fault naturaltally ingraffed in them namely that they are very skilfull and wise to stoppe and staye them selues from comming to true and perfecte knoweledg Often tymes by the crafte and subteltie of the Deuell it commeth to passe that there ar stombling blockes whiche driue many awaye from Christe but if the waye were neuer so playne and euen yet notwithstanding euery man woulde make a stombling blocke to hym selfe So longe as the Rulers of the people were alienate from Christ onely their Incredulitie was a lette to this people nowe that impediment béeing taken awaye they fayne vnto them selues a newe cause that they might not come to the Fayth Yea when it was méete that they shoulde be monished by the example of the Rulers they are so farre from following that which is right that they willingly stomble in the firste steppe Euenso men are wonte to fall awaye which beginne well except the Lord do directe their stoppes euen till the ende They tooke occasion of offence hereof B. because all thinges whiche were in the Loede were so humble and base that nothing séemed worthy of admyration and because all men knewe from whence he was Hereby wée are taught what a daungerouse thing it is to rent and wrest the Scriptures and so to deuide Christ him selfe that halfe of that which belongeth vnto hym is not Iudged his God promised a deliuerer to come of the séede of Dauid and Christe in diuers places challengeth this to him selfe Therfore it was méete that it shoulde be God manifested in the fleshe whiche shoulde bée the Redéemer of his Churche Mich. 5.2 So Mycheas nameth the place where Christe shoulde be borne but by and by after hée prophesieth of more high degrée but yet the same to be secrete and hid B. Herevppon therefore they looked for Christe to bée suche a one as his comming should be vnknowen and whose power and workes shoulde be from the beginning of the worlde But these miserable men respecting nothing in Christe but that whiche might be séene rashly gather that he was not the same whiche was promised R. Esay 42.1 Esay 53.3 Esay 62.11 Zach. 9.9 Dan. 9.26 They shoulde haue red the reste of the Prophets whiche foreshewed many thinges concerning the humilitie of oure sauioure Christe C. Let vs learne therefore so to behoulde the humilitie of Christ in the fleshe that the same humilitie whiche the wicked despise maye bring vs to his heauenly glory So Bethlehem where he was appoynted to be borne man shall be a gate to vs where wée maye enter into the euerlasting Kingdome of God 28. Then Cryed Iesus in the Temple as he taught saying yee boath knowe me and whence I am ye knowe and I am not come of my selfe but hee that sent mee is true whome ye knowe not Then cryed Jesus M. Nowe the Euaungelist addeth the wordes of Christe by whiche he aunswered to the Iudgement of the Citizens of Ierusalem concerning hym Bv. Shewing who and from whence he is the which he doeth with a more loude voyce that not only they whiche were nere but also all that were in the Churche might playnly heare For that place was verie féete to preach forth the glory of God C. But he doeth with sharpe wordes inuey against their rashnesse because they proudly pleasing them selues in their false opinion excluded them selues from the knowledge of the trueth As if hee shoulde saye ye knowing all thinges knowe nothing And verily there is not a worse plague then when the perswation of a little knowledge which men haue doth so bewitche them that they carelesly reiecte whatsoeuer they in their owne sence vnderstand He speaketh Ironice or meaning the contrary when he sayeth Ye both know me and whence I am ye know B. For he meaneth that they are deceiued and that they know not the same whereof they boasted namely from whence he was And J am not come of my selfe C. Hée opposeth that which is true against the false opinion whiche they had conceyued As if hée shoulde saye While ye fasten youre eyes so stedfastly vppon the earth ye thinke also that ye ought so to looke vppon mée and so yée despise me as a base Sonne of the earth But God shall testifie that I came from heauen Wherefore how soeuer ye reiecte me God will accknowledge mée to bée hys Sonne M. This is a very familliar saying of Christ by whiche he testifieth that the Father sent hym to the ende we might knowe that there is nothing in him but that whiche is deuine But he that sent me is true C. He calleth God true in that sence in the whiche the Apostle calleth hym faythfull If we be vnbeleeuing sayth he he abideth faithfull who cannot denie hym selfe For his meaning is 2. Tim. 2.13 that the credite of the Gospell is neuer a white the lesse howesoeuer the worlde goeth about to frustrate the same and that Christe abydeth whole howesoeuer the wicked go aboute to deuide hym and to detract from hym because the trueth of God doth alwaye abyde sounde and like it selfe Christe séeeth hym selfe to bée contemned and therefore hée beareth not with them but mightely withstandeth their arrogancie With this inuincible and heroicall fortitude all the faithfull ought to be indued yea our Fayth shall neuer be stable and firme except wée make a scorne of the peruerse frowardenesse of the wicked when they rebell against Christe But specially it is mete that Godly teachers being hereby incouraged shoulde goe forwarde in defending wholesome doctrine yea though the whole worlde striue againste the same So Ieremy so Esay and so Paul thought it
sufficient to set God only againste the raging worlde R. Also this trueth of God maye bée referred to the promises which the Scriptures testifie to be made of God concerning Christe For Christ was sent of God Rom. 15.8 for the trueth of God to confirme the promises made vnto the Fathers Whome ye knowe not C. He declareth that it is no marueile yf he were not knowen to the Iewes Knowledg of God commeth by Christ which knewe not God For this is the true beginning of wisedome to haue respecte vnto God R. To knowe God is not to haue the Law or to know the Lawe or to speake and glory of God but knowe Christ through faith is truly to knowe God For Christ is the face forme Image worde and purpose of God the Father Reiecting therefore Christ they doe glory of God the Father in vayne as wee shall sée hereafter 29. But I knowe hym for I am of hym and he hath sent me C. He declareth that he is not thus boulde rashly or withoute cause And by his example he teacheth vs that we ought not lightly to vse the name and to boaste of the same as of the patron and reuenger of oure cause For there are many to boulde in boasting of Gods authoritie yea those men which boast their owne inuencions for deuine oracles wil vse nothing sooner to condemne the Iudgementes of all other men then the name and authoritie of God But by these wordes of Christe we are taught to beware of vayne confidence Vaine confidence is to be estewed and wée muste then bouldly stryue against men when the truth of God is manifest vnto vs and when we are sure that God standeth on oure side M. Therfore Christ speaketh of the sure vndoubted knowledge of God of the whiche he aloane maye truely boaste R. Because no man hath séene God at any time but his onely Sonne which is in the bosome of the father Iohn 1.18 Mat. 11.27 who hath shewed him vnto vs. For no man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale hym For J am of him By this place may be gathered the celestiall originall of Christ M And that he is the true Messias Bv. For he was not sent of God as other prophetes were but as the Sauiour of the whole world and the true Mediatour betwéene God and man 30. Then they sought to take hym but no man layed handes on hym because his houre was not yet come C. There wanted neyther will neyther dilligence nor power to hurte oure sauioure Christe Howe then commeth it to passe that in so greate mallice and spight they are astonied euen as if their handes and their féete were bound The Euaungelist sheweth the cause hereof saying Because his howre was not yet come By whiche wée are admonished that Christe was protected and defended by God againste their force and outragious crueltie And with all he taketh away the offence which might come by the crosse because there is no cause why wee shoulde be troubled when we heare that Christe was not caried to Death at the will and pleasure of men but was appoynted to be made such a sacrifice by the decrée and will of his Father Bv. Therfore Godes deuine protection and prouidence is here commended vnto vs to the whiche whosoeuer wholy committeth himselfe shall go forwarde voyde of all feare in the Lordes businesse C. For hereof is gathered a generall doctrine For howsoeuer wée liue from day to day yet notwithstanding with GOD euery mans houre of death is appoynted It is a matter Incredible that wée béeing subiecte to so many casualties and haps to so many iniuries of men and of wilde beastes and béeing besette with so many sickenesses and diseases should notwithstanding bée withoute the gonshote of all daungers except it be when it is Gods pleasure to call vs but wée muste fight and striue continually against oure distruste And firste of all we must note here what doctrine we heare then the ende wherevnto it tendeth and thirdly the exhortation that is taken of the same that casting all our cares vpon God we maye followe oure vocation and not swarue from oure dutie through anye feare Neuerthelesse lette no man passe hys boundes For it is not méete that the truste of Gods prouidence shoulde be extended farther than God hymselfe hath commaunded B. Wherefore lette vs only seeke to set forth the Glory of God and as for other thinges he will care for neyther shall any thing happen to vs before oure houre be come and then whatsoeuer happeneth shal be for oure saluation Concerning the whiche reade the one and twentie chapter of Luke the eyghteene verse R. This if we beléeue whensoeuer any affliction aryseth wée will not dispayre we will not séeke for vayne helpe we will attempt no euell but will patiently abide the hand of the Lorde looking for Helpe from aboue Neyther is there any cause why thou shouldest distruste that God will deale otherwise with thée than hee hath done with Christ Gen. 45.8 â kin 24.5 Psal 18 25 4. kin 6.14 Act. 9.25 Act. 12.8 For looke howe the heade fareth so shall the members As it as to be sene in Ioseph in Dauid in Elizeus in Paule in Peter and many other mo 31. Many of the people beleeued on him and sayde when Christe commeth will he do moe miracles than these that this man hath done Many of the people beleeued Bv. This also pertayneth to consolation that as the wicked are multiplyed from daye to daye euenso godly simple and good men shall neuer be wanting to beléeue the Gospell C. Christe might haue séemed to preache to deafe and obstinate persones yet notwithstanding the Euaungelist sayth that there followed some fruite M. Because the Kingdome of God cannot be preached withoute fruite C. Therefore howsoeuer some do fret and fume some deride and othersome Cauill whereof diuers discencions maye aryse yet notwithstanding the preaching of the Gospell shall not bée vnprofitable Wherefore the séede must be sown and we must patiently abide vntill continuance of tyme bring forth fruite When Christ commeth B. These men hauing the séede of God might haue séene great thinges in the Lorde namely such great signes and myracles as greater could not be herevppon also they knewe Christ hymselfe beeing nothing offended at his humilitie at his stocke and kindred or at his conuersation C. But because they rather depended vppon miracles than leaned to doctrine and were not as yet fully perswaded that Iesus was Christ the sonne of God this worde beleeued is improperly vsed that is to saye because they weare redy to heare him and shewed them selues apt to be taught of him as of a master such preparation of faith is called fayth Therefore in that the holy Ghoste voutsafeth to call a smale sparke of good affection by so honorable a title we ought thereby to be incouraged and not to doubte but that the least faith shal be
M. Those thinges in the worde of the Lorde which concerned the Iewes they styll dissembled as that they should dye in their sinnes but those thinges which appertained to Christ him selfe or to his Father they malliciouslye prosecuted R. For hee sayde before If yee beleeue not that I am therefore importunatelye they enquire who he is when as before hée sayde that hée was the breade of lyfe the light of the world and had hytherto taught that hée was the sonne of God M. In so muche that they sayde thou testifyest of thy selfe but thy testimony is not true They had heard therfore inough whome hée had sayde him selfe to bée if so bée they woulde haue beléeued his wordes So that they doe not aske with this minde and purpose to knowe who hée was but to intrappe and snare him againe Bv. For they had séene and heard many thinges whereby they might haue knowne who he was if so bee their vnbeleefe and hardnesse of heart whiche is the roote of all euell had not let them Maliciouslye therefore and of the contempte of the person of Christ they aske him VVho art thou M. As if he shoulde saye Thou sayest that wee shall dye in our sinnes except we beléeue that thou arthe Whome makest thou thy selfe Whome shal we thinke thée to bée As though we were ignoraunt who thou art Thus are wée wonte to speake contemptouslye to those whome wée thinke doe too much exalt them selues aboue their state and who forgetting their owne imbecillitie and weakenesse waxe too proude that we maye saye VVho art thou A. All the Godlye oughte so long as they are in this worlde to prepare them selues againste suche questions as these bée whiche declare nothing but contempte after the example of Christ arming them selues with patience and not to bée vnmindefull of the woordes of the Apostle where hée sayth The worlde knoweth not you because it knoweth not him For if Christ were vnknowne vnto the world what maruaile is it if so bée his Disciples whome he hath chosen out of the worlde are neither knowne nor beloued of the same From the beginning M. M. This aunswere of Christ to many menne séemeth obscure and is diuerslye expounded of Interpreters Some vnderstand it so as if Christ had called him selfe the beginning Bv. but it is put aduerbiallye and is in stéede of this whiche we saye At the firste As if he should haue sayde I did not sodainlye arise but am come forth in the middest euen as I was promised long before And whatsoeuer I nowe speake it is agréeing with that whiche hath béene spoken in all ages To be shorte this aunswere consisteth of twoo partes for by this word beginning he comprehendeth all that time since the which the Lawe of GOD was geuen to the Fathers In saying also that he spake from the begnning hée ioyneth his present doctrine with the auncient Prophesies and teacheth that it dependeth vpon them Whervpon it followeth that the Iewes had no other cause of their ignoraunce than this that they beléeued not neyther the Prophetes nor the Gospell for euerye where Christ onely is set before their eyes They fained them selues to bee the Disciples of the Phrophetes and to haue respecte to the eternall couenant of GOD and yet they reiected Christe whiche was promysed from the beginning and offered him selfe before them 26. I haue many thinges to saye and to iudge of you yea and hee that sent mee is true and I speake to the worlde those things which I haue heard of him R. Nowe he vseth a commination or threatening against the contemners and deriders of his worde C. Because that hee sawe that hée lost his labour hée prosecuteth the matter no further but onely pronounceth that GOD wyl bée a reuenger of that Doctrine whiche they contemne because hée is the authour of the same as if hée should say Yf so bée I woulde accuse you your mallice and wickednesse geueth mée occation inough Bv. I might cast in your téeth many hainous offences but because I knowe that ye woulde bée thereby the worse C. I wyll nowe omit them But my Father whiche hath geuen mée aucthoritye to teache will doe his office and wyll defende his word from the wicked contempt of men Bv. For GOD is the euerlasting and infallible trueth C. To the same ende almost partaineth the saying of Christ which that of the Apostle Paule doeth where hée sayth 2. Tim. 2.13 If we bee vnfaithfull he abideth faythfull he cannot deny him selfe In fyne he threatneth the vnbeléeuing with the iudgement of GOD whiche discreedite his worde because it is necessarye that he defende his trueth And this is the true stabillitye of our Faith when we make God aloane sufficient to establishe the aucthoritye of his doctrine although the whole worlde doe reiect the same Whosoeuer they bée that presuming of this defence shall faithfullye serue Christ they maye bouldlye conuince the whole worlde of a lye And I speake to the worlde As if he should say Those things which I haue heard of GOD with whome I was before I came into the world I speake nowe in the worlde that nowe the contempt of my Doctrine maye redounde to the Ignominy of my Father Therefore the Gospell is the worde and reuelation of GOD vttered by the mouth of the sonne of GOD to the worlde The which veryly is a great commendacion of the Doctrine of Christ or of the Gospell the lyke whereof a man shall seldome fynd wherefore it deserueth to bée written in the heartes of the Godly in goulden letters C. Hée sayeth therefore that hée bringeth forth nothing but that whiche hée hath receyued of the Father who enioyned vnto him his office Moreouer by his example he prescribeth a common Lawe to the whole Church that no man might bée hearde but he which speaketh out of the mouth of God M. For if Christ hath spoken nothing in this worlde which hée hath not heard of GOD the Father by whome he was sente what mortall man maye teache any Doctrine in the Churche which is not come from God They therefore are sincere teachers in the Churche whiche can truely saye Those thinges which we haue hearde of the Lorde whose Ministers we are wée speake in the worlde the reast are to be shunned and auoyded as workers of iniquitye and seducers C. Wherefore as he noateth the peruerse arrogancy of men which intrude them selues without the word of God so hée instructeth armeth with inuincible constancy all Godlye teachers which are assured of their calling that hauing God theyr Captaine and defender they maye bouldly withstande all mortall men 27. Howbeit they vnderstoode not that he spake to them of his Father M. These wordes are put downe by the Euangelist in stéede of a Parenthisis to noate the dull vnderstanding of the hearers As if he shoulde saye The Iewes being blinde and deafe and therefore wanting theyr common sence vnderstande not as yet that Christe spake these thinges of his
thinges which pleased him or else that hée sayde that for so much as hée alwayes dyd those thinges whiche pleased his Father it might certaynelye bée gathered that hée was with him and that he left him not alone Bothe these constructions are true for the Father leaueth not those alone which doe alwayes those thinges which please him and hereby wée maye haue an assured iudgement that God is with vs if so bée we continuallye doe those thinges which please him C. Wherefore if we desyre to haue experience of the same presence of God wée must confourme our selues wholly vnto his wyll and gouernment For if so bée our sence and reason haue any rule at all because the blessing of GOD shal be wanting all our studies and labours shall haue euyll successe And if so be we séeme to haue good successe for a tyme yet notwithstanding the ende at the leangth shal be starke naught M. Many boast of the presence of the grace of GOD and thereby go about to iustifye all kynd of errours because the presence of the holye Ghoste is in the Churche whiche wyll not suffer the same to erre But howe much better were it hereby to proue the presence of the holye Ghoste namelye by theyr Godly and vertuous lyfe in the Churche C. Furthermore when Christ sayth that hée is not left alone he doeth after a sort complaine of the vnbeléefe of his countreye menne amongst whome hée founde almost noane which woulde bée his Disciples Notwithstanding hée sheweth that hée accounteth this one thing sufficient for him that hée hath God his reuenger So wée at this daye ought to bée of good courage and not to fainte because the faythfull are fewe in number For although the whole worlde withstande our Doctrine yet notwithstanding we are not alone Hereby also appeareth howe foolishe the boasting of the Papistes is who setting God asyde boast of their multitude Papistes boast of multitude A. As though the inuinsible and euerlasting trueth of GOD ⪠might bée oppressed by the contempt and multitude of men Therefore it is muche better to heare the voyce of Christ with his lytle slocke and to followe him than to imbrace the doctrine of Antichrist with the greatest part of the world 30. As hee spake these wordes many beleeued on him Bv. Christ hytherto taught moste plainelye both that his Doctrine was deuine sure and infallible and also that hée was the Sonne of GOD the lyght and sauiour of the worlde sent of the Father to illuminate iustifye and saue all them which beléeue in him And this playne and effectuall doctrine of the Lorde wanted not her fruite in the Churche For although the greatest parte of the people and the whole flocke of the Pharisees withstoode the Lorde yet notwithstanding many of all sortes of men beleeued on him The which verylye is the ende of all these thinges whiche hytherto haue béene disputed of namelye that wée also might beléeue in Christ Iesus the true sonne of the lyuing God the Messias the lyfe and lyght of the whole worlde C. Therefore when all hope is past there aryseth some fruite among so many lettes B. For there are Bées neuer wanting which sucke hony out of the flowers of Gods worde howesoeuer the Spiders drawe poyson out of the same M. Let vs learne therefore how that open contencion with the Aduersaryes coÌcerning Religion wanteth not fruite if so bée rayling and taunting bée shunned and all thinges dyrected and disposed to the setting foorth of the trueth and to this example of Christ For although the mindes of the obstinate aduersaries receyue no profit who séeke not to know what is true and what false but onelye hunt after theyr owne priuate honour and gayne yet notwithstanding great profite may redoune to those which are sincere and indyfferent hearers of the controuersye Wee haue had experience of these thinges in our tyme in many places Wherevppon our Aduersaryes when suche disputacions should bée concerning Religion cause them to bée holden in secréete without any publyke auditory taking diligent heede least any of the common sorte of people shoulde heare any thing of the same As therefore they are not to bée commended or allowed which with impudent reproches and rayling more lyker players than Diuines doe not beutifye the cause of Christ but defourme it doe not manifest it but obscure it doe not commende it but make the same more odious euen so theyr mallice is to bee detested whiche eyther altogeather denye serious sober Godlye and moderate inquisition and discussing publikelye to bée had concerning the controuersies of our Religion or else do so limmite and bounde them that they serue nothing to the knowledge of the trueth leaste by any meanes the myserable Church might bée holpen C. Moreouer the Euangelist here improperlye speaketh of Fayth which was onelye a certayne preparacion to Fayth for hée commendeth them no farther than that they were proane and ready to receyue the Doctrine of Christ to whiche also appertayneth the next admonicion 31. Then sayde Iesus to the Iewes which beleeued on him Yf ye continewe in my woorde then are yee my verye Disciples Then saide Jesus Bv. Our Lorde and sauiour leauing the wicked Raylers and gently turning to those that beléeued taught them verye notablye what was néedefull and what they should doe M. This example speciallye pertayneth to the ministers of the worde that they also might séeke with all theyr power diligently to teach and to confyrme in the Faythe of the Gospell of Christ those whome they knowe to bée newly come to the doctrine of the Gospell In this businesse the Apostle dilligently applyed hym selfe as a thing most necessarye to be done calling it wateringe taking a similitude of young plantes which are often tims sette in the ground in vayne yf so be the dilligence of wateryng be not adioyned therevnto If ye continue in my worde B. It is likely that there were Ipocrites as most commonly it is séene among those whom the Lorde Iudged to he beléeuers Therefore to noate these and to confirme those which had truelye beléeued the Lord sayde If ye continue in my worde then are ye my very Disciples As if he should saye ye haue nowe hearde the worde and beleued if therefore ye perceuere in the fayth of this word and suffer not your selues to bee remoued from the faith eyther by the power of this worlde or by the offence of my crosse I will acknowledge you for my true dicsiples for they are not true Disciples which one while beleeue and within a litle while after when some offence or persecution aryseth go awaye Perseueraunce C. Here therefore firste of all Christe teacheth that it is not sufficient if so bee a man begine well except he procéede and perseuere vnto the ende And for this cause he exhorteth those which haue tasted of his doctrine to the perseueraunce of fayth when he pronounseth those to be his very Disciples whiche take déepe roote in
his worde and abide in the same R. For he which abideth to the ende the same shal be safe Mat. 10.22 C. Therefore by this noate he putteth a difference béetwéene hipocrites and his true disciples because they which haue falsely boasted of fayth do by and by faint in the midest of theyr race but the faithfull constantly goe foreward to the goale Therfore we must endeuour our selues to bée constaunt that we may be counted the true Disciples of Christ R. To this effect partayneth the parrable of the seede which Christ propoundeth in another place where the sundrye and dyuers condicions of such as receyue the Gospell is manifestly declared Mat. 13.3 M. But by this notable exhortacion Three thinges to be noted thrée thinges necessary to be knowen are signifyed The fyrst is whereof Fayth in Christ doeth come The seconde is what we must beleue concerning Christ the thyrd is in what fayth in Christ is to bée continued and confyrmed If sayth he yee abyde in my worde Therefore they had alreadye ioyned them selues to his word so sone as they beganne to beléeue they conceyued fayth by the hearing of the worde of the Lord as the Euangelist also taught when hée sayde Rom. 10.17 As hee spake these thinges many beleeued on him So the Apostle sayth that fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Secondly if so bée fayth commeth by hearing of the worde of the Lord and if it bée our part to abyde in the same and that we ought not to beléeue any other thing than the verye same which is set before vs by the worde whereby we conceyue Faith and in beleeuing the whiche wée abyde howe foolishe are they which at this daye saye they knowe not what they ought to beléeue and what not If so be they were abyding in the word of the Lorde they should knowe what to beléeue But because they haue already applyed their eares and mind to humane doctrine it commeth to passe that they being ignoraunt of Gods truth are caryed about with euery winde of doctrine the which the Apostle forbiddeth Thirdlye this also is manifest Eph. 4.14 in what Christian fayth ought to bée maintayned and confirmed when he sayeth If ye abyde in my worde So that wée must abyde in that from whiche we haue conceyued our fayth Wée are begotten by the worde of truth through fayth and by the same wée are strengthned and confirmed So the Apostle sayeth that some are ordained teachers Euangelistes Iam. 1.18 i. Pe 1.23 and Shéepheards that not onely wee might come to the vnitye of Fayth but might also bée confyrmed in the same Ephe. 2.13 and may growe vnto a perfecte man Wherevppon it followeth that they which abyde not in the word of Christ but are caryed about with sundry strange doctrines dispersed by offences and are quite drawne awaye from the trueth by the Crosse by threatninges and persecutions are not the true Disciples of Christ Iesus Concerning these Saint Iohn sayeth They went from vs 1. Ioh. 2.19 but they were not of vs. It is great glorye to bée a Disciple of Christ whiche is the Sonne of the lyuing God Some doe boaste that they haue béene the Disciples of Socrates of PythagoraÌs and of Aristotle but these were menne and erred them selues and led others also into errour But Christ is the trueth and the lyght of the worlde whosoeuer followeth him walketh not in darkenesse but shall haue the lyght of life M. Wherefore they which obiect vnto vs the loue of Christ toward his Church as to his Spouse and doe thereby gather that it can not bee that hée shoulde forsake the same and suffer the same to fall into errour and doe also pretend that auncient Fayth of the Church of Rome and of the Apostolicall doctrine Rom. 1.8 of the which Paule maketh mencion replenished at this daye withall supersticions errours and false worshippinges and Ecclesiasticall tyranny doe reason as if it were sufficient to the retayning of the trueth that Christ abydeth all one for euer and is not chaunged and because the Church of Rome long agoe receyued the Apostolicall Fayth and requireth not of the Faythfull that they also should abyde in Christe and in his worde when as the Apostle him selfe sayth that there should come a defection and Apostacy in the Church 2. The. 2.3 But rather let them proue vnto vs that the Church of Rome hath constantlye aboade vnto this daye in the worde of the Lorde and in the Doctrine of the Apostles 32. And ye shall knowe the trueth and the trueth shal make you free Bv. But how dyd they beléeue when as yet they knewe not the trueth Question Verylye Fayth leaneth to the trueth and apprehendeth the same therefore they are not ignoraunt of the trueth which beléeue I aunswere C. Hée sayeth that they shall knowe the trueth Aunsvvere whiche come to any knowledge of the same As yet they were verye rude and scarce entered to whome Christ here speaketh therefore it is no maruaile if so bée he promise vnto them more large vnderstanding of his doctrine but it is a generall sentence Bv. For the knoledge of Christians hath degrées and steppes and the knowledge of the trueth increaseth in processe of tyme as maye bée gathered by many other places of scripture C. Wherefore howe greatlye soeuer any of vs haue profited in the Gospell wée must styll procéede and goe foreward daylye And Christe vouchsafeth to geue this rewarde vnto the constancye of his Disciples that hee maketh him selfe more famillyarlye knowne vnto them For hée it is which ingraueth his word into our heartes by his holye spyrite he it is which daylye dryueth awaye the clowdes of darknesse out of our mindes whiche obscure the brightnesse of the Gospell Therefore to the ende the trueth may appeare vnto vs at the full we must seriouslye and constantly cleaue vnto the same M. Let vs also noate to whome the trueth is here promised not to all but onely to the true Disciples of Christ and they are the electe which are geuen to Christ of God the Father concerning whome reade the seuen and thirtye verse of the sixt Chapter going before The Reprobate therefore haue no hope to knowe and vnderstande the trueth although they beare the name of Christ and are vnder the profession of his faith and are learned and wyse according to this worlde The secreate of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him The Apostle sayeth that this trueth is the misterye of GOD in Christe Iesus Psa 25.14 the whiche is hydden from this worlde Ro. 16.25 that is to saye from the wisedome reason and vnderstanding of all fleshe And for this cause it can not bée that any other should loke for this knowledge of the truth than they which are the true and vnfained disciples of Christ the which knowledge is gotten no otherwyse than by the reuelacion of Iesus Christ in
fruite Ver. 37. Also of the good Trée wée saye in the Winter This Trée bringeth forth good fruite Iohn 13.27 So these Iewes to whome Christe made aunswere in this place dyd then commit the sinne of murther not in acte but in thought meditacion and purpose when they spake these thinges vnto the Lorde For they sought to kyll him as he shortlye after sayde vnto them Ye seeke to kyll mee So the Lorde sayde to Iudas in the time of the Supper That thou doest doe quickly And what was the miserable wretche then doing In action he was at Supper but in thought and minde he was betraying the Lorde The Lord speaketh not of that which hée dyd in action but of that which hée dyd in heart and in minde and yet notwithstanding the Lorde sayde not That whiche thou wylt doe but That which thou doest do quicklye So to fulfill the Lawe and the commaundementes is taken in the Scriptures for a desire to doe the Lawe and the commaundementes Therefore to committe sinne is not simplye to sinne but to haue a desire to sinne although sinne be not finished in act Euen as to doe good is not simplye to doe good in act and deede but to haue a desire to good although the good worke come not alwayes in act Moreouer although boath the elect and the reprobate doe sinne yet not withstanding the elect doe not committe sinne but the reprobate onely For they which are of God as they haue séede of God in them euen so they detest synne from their hearte and that which they detest they cannot studiouslye meditate and fynishe This matter Saint Iohn very notably handleth in his fyrst Epistle The which notwithstanding fauoureth not the secte of the Annabaptistes which by these places goe about to proue that a Christian man symplye cannot synne affirming also because they will bee counted true Christians that they are cleane without sinne and that they can by no means synne the which is a most subtill practise of Sathan in them that hée maye bring the weake mindes of the godlye whiche doe féele the force of synne in them selues to desperation But there is no mencion of sinne made here generally but of a willing desyer and meditation to synne as we haue sayde 35. And the seruaunt abideth not in the house for euer but the Sonne abydeth euer Bv. Now followeth the denouncing of punishment belonging to seruauntes vnder the similitude taken from lawes and pollitique gouernment As the seruaunt though for a tyme hée rule and gouerne is not neuerthelesse the master of the house but is thrust out of the Doores or chaunged at the pleasure of his Lorde euenso the bondeseruaunt of sinne though for a time he playe the Hipocrite and counterfaite pietye and séeme to haue God fauourable vnto him is notwithstanding in due tyme excluded from the presence of God and fellowshippe of Sayntes for the house figureth the fellowshippe of God and of the Saintes C. Whervpon it foloweth that there is no libertye perfecte and perpetuall but that which is gotten by the Sonne of God By this meanes Christ reproueth the Iewes of vanitye because they bragge of a counterfaite shew as if they had the thing it selfe For wheras they were the carnall progeny of Abraham they were nothing but counterfaites They had aucthority in the Church of God but such authoritie as Ismael vsurped to him selfe for a short time the seruaunt exalting him selfe against the true and lawfull Sonne The summe is this whosoeuer boaste themselues to be the sonnes of Abraham doe nothing else but make a certaine colored and counterfayte shewe 36. If therefore the Son make you free then arre you free in deede M. Christ speaketh here of hymselfe but in the thirde person Bv. As if hée shoulde saye Whosoeuer trulye desireth to be frée and to be the heyre of euerlasting lyfe let him séeke to be made frée by me which am the Sonne of GOD that is to saye Let him beléeue mée and abyde in my wordes and the truth shall make him frée C. By these wordes hée declareth that the power of freedome belongeth to hym aloane and that all other being borne seruants are not made frée but by hys grace onelye For whatsoeuer he hath proper by nature hée giueth vnto vs by adoption when we are by faith ingraffed in his body and are made his members Therefore our goodnesse commeth by the fréedome of Christ Freedome commeth by Christ but yet we obtaine the same by fayth Which also bringeth to passe that Christ doth regenerate vs by his holye spirite M. This clause in déede reiecteth all the fréedome that commeth by fleshe and bloud because the same is not true libertie So that libertie is sought in vain without Christ For he geueth vnto vs his Spirite whereby wée béeing free follow with willing mindes those thinges that belong vnto God which only is true libertie For what doth it profite in fleshe to the rule the whole worlde and in mind to be the seruaunt of death For so long as concupiscence beareth any rule inv vs as it bringeth vs to synne so also it leadeth vs to death For the reward of sinne is death Rom. 6.26 Iam. 1 Rom. 8.13 Also S. Iames saith Lust when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne and Sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death And the Apostle Paule sayth yf ye liue according to the fleshe ye shall dye 37. I knowe that yee are Abrahams seede but yee seeke means to kill mee because my worde hath noe place in you Bv. Now our sauioure Christ doth more strongly confute the swelling and vaine glory and boasting which was in the Iewes by which they boasted them selues to be the seede that is to saye the posteritie of Abraham As if hée shoulde say Admitte I shoulde graunt vnto you this thing in the which yée so greately glory what notwithstandyng doth it profite them to be called the Children of Abraham which rage and fume against God and his ministers who being mooued with wicked hatered against the trueth are swiftly caried to shedde innocente bloud R. Ye are in déede the posteritie of Abraham but not the true spirituall but the carnall seede the which maye manifestlye appeare hereby for that ye go about to kill mée beléeuing not my word For so were the carnall sonnes of Abraham woont to persecute the spiritual B. These thinges he spake spiritually to those hipocrites and enimies the Iewes which beléeued not in him Gala. 4.29 Howbeit hée ment by these wordes to declare vnto those men also that God nothing regardeth the libertie of the fleshe Hée taught that boath true libertie and nobillitie must be estéemed and iudged by workes and that it is nothing to be borne after the flesh of AbrahaÌ if the spirite of Abraham be not also adioyned there vnto whereof followeth both the lyfe and purpose of Abraham C. When hée sayth that they sought to kill him because his worde had no place
in them hée meaneth not that they were simplye murderers but that they were driuen to suche made outrage and outragious madnesse by the hatred of GOD and his truth which is muche more worse For then the murder is not onely committed against men but also against God R. And because the Iewes were carnall they beléeued not the worde of Christ which cannot bée comprehended by humaine reason but by fayth onelye M. Therefore the preaching of the worde of God doth reueale the qualitie of the hearers discerneth the elect from the reprobate Euen as it is sayd hereafter He that is of God heareth Gods word ye therfore heare not because ye are not of God Furthermore the worde of God must be heard not only with our corporall eares but must also be receyued inwardelye into our heartes For although thou heare the worde of God and vnderstande the same except thou followe it and bring it to effect it cannot be truely sayd that it hath place in thée Euen so the worde of Christ hath then truely place in vs when the same hath place in our hearte and worketh in vs his effect that is to saye the worde of fayth to beléeue the wordes of doctrine to vnderstande the wordes of admonition to follow the wordes of consolation to comfort the wordes of pacience to beare and so of the rest Also the worde of God worketh by degrées insomuche that the worde of GOD taketh place in some more than in othersome according to the measure of fayth which God giueth to euerye man Bv. Wée sée also that vnbeléefe is the verye welspring of all wickednesse and there it taketh place where the worde of GOD is excluded 38. I speake that which I haue seene with my Father and ye doe that whiche yee haue seene wyth your Father C. He gathereth an argument of the contraries that they are boath enemies vnto God and the Children of the Deuell which resist his doctrine I saith he bring forth nothing but that which I haue learned of my Father Howe commeth it to passe then that the worde of God doth so greatly offende you but because my Father doeth not fauoure you R. My heauenly Father is true Nowe séeing my father hath wholy expressed hym selfe in me I cannot but speake the truth I haue learned no other thing of my Father of whome I was borne before all worldes and from euerlasting I sayde that I am the light of the worlde and that I came to saue the faithful that I am the Welle and the bread of lyfe these thinges are no lyes for so my Father taught me to speake because I am his naturall Sonne But ye doe that which yée haue seene with your Father His desire is to kil to enuie and to slay the which thinges also yée doe C. Hée sayth that hée speaketh and that they doe because hée executed the office of a teacher and they furiouslye went a boute to extinguishe hys doctrine Some traslate it And doe yee that c. As if Christ shoulde haue sayde Goe to shewe your selues to bee the Children of the Deuill by resisting mée for I speake nothing but out of the mouth of GOD. M. Let vs here learne by euident and certaine noates to put a difference betwéene the Children of God and the Children of the Diuell the which shall bee verye easie if so bee wee well vnder stande the nature of those two Princes The Elect are taught of the Lorde and doe gréedelye imbrace and obserue hys worde which is the truth The Children of the Deuill imbrace lyes and séeke with all their might to extinguish the light of the truth and to kill the preachers of the Gospell The which thing they learne of their father the Deuill Luk. 8.12 who wholly endeuoreth him selfe to pulle the word out of the hearts of men lest in beleeuing they shoulde be saued 39. They aunswered and sayde vnto him Abraham is our father IESVS sayth vnto them If ye were Abrahames children yee woulde doe the works of Abraham They aumswered Bv. They did smell well ynough that the Lorde thought their Father to be the aucthor of wickednesse the diuell himselfe now therefore with subtill questions they goe about to draw out somewhat out of the aunswere of the Lorde which shoulde be against the Patriarke Abraham that thereby they might stir vp the people to destroy Iesus as a calumniator and slaunderer of the holye Patriarke M. Therefore they so frame their aunswere that they doe not so much defende theyr owne estimation as the estimation of Abraham as though the Lord had deminished the same when hée sayde And yee doe that which yee haue seene with your Father As if they shoulde saye Take héede what thou sayest Our Father is Abraham a man most holye and acceptable vnto GOD R. which is an absolute example for vs all to leade our liues Why then doest thou speake euill of him as though hée had taught vs that which were wicked Doest thou thinke that it is lawfull for thée to slaunder all good men at thy pleasure without punishment Wée will not suffer such thinges As wée doe nothing that is euill euen so our Father Abraham hath taught vs nothing that is euell Bv. Wee therefore desyer to knowe of thée whether Abraham did any thing at any time which became not a good a Iust and a holy man to doe C. This altrication doth euidently declare howe proudly they contemned all the reprehensyons of Christe Still they arrogate this vnto them selues that they are the Children of Abraham and not only in that sence that they came of the progeny of Abraham but also that they were a holy people the inheritaunce of God and the children of God But this truste was wholy in the fleshe and carnall quight voyde of true Faith Euenso in lyke manner all ypocrites so soone as they haue gotten some cloake they obstinately resist God as though he could not see into their hartes If ye were Abrahams children M. The inuincible truth wanteth not true and euident argumentes to defend it selfe and to confute the contradiction of the wicked Here Christe conuinceth the vnbeléeuing Iewes to be none of the children of Abraham C And more euedently putteth a difference betwéene the true and the vnlawfull children of Abraham For he taketh from all those whiche are vnlyke to Abraham euen the very name It commeth often times to passe that the Children ar vnlike in manners their Parentes who begat them but Christ speaketh not here of carnall ofspring but only denyeth them to bee counted for the children of Abraham before god which do not retayne by fayth the grace of adoption For seeing the Lorde promised to the séede of Abraham to be their God all the vnbeléeuing which reiected this promise did cut of them selues from the stocke of Abraham The Carnall stocke of Abraham was not altogether vnprofitably and of no moment if so be trueth were Ioyned to the same For Gods election resteth in
the séede of Abraham but yet frée that they might be reckoned the heires of lyfe whome hee sanctifieth with his holy Spirite M. But séeing the Fayth of Abraham is so greatly commended Question that it shoulde be as an example for all other beléeuers to followe why doth Christe rather propounde his workes then his fayth For he sayth not If ye weare the children of Abraham ye would haue the Fayth of Abraham but if ye were the Children of Abraham ye woulde doe the déedes of Abraham I aunswere Because Abrahams fayth was not deade and voyde Aunsvvere but liuely and effectuall the Lord speaketh not of the workes of Abraham which were done without faith but he maketh mencion of the workes of Abraham as of frutes witnesing and declaring his faith because he purposed by manifest Argument to prooue that his aduersaries were degenerate from the pietie of Abraham For if they had had the fayth of Abraham they would haue declared the same by such workes as differeth not from the pietie of Abraham A good trée is knowen by good frute 40. But nowe yee goe aboute to kill mee a man that hath toulde you the truth which I haue heard of God this did not Abraham C. By the effect he declareth that they are not the children of Abraham because they resiste God For what notable thing is commended in Abraham but the obedience of Fayth This therefore is noate of difference so often as wee must put a difference betwéene Straungers and the Sonnes of God For vain titelles howsoeuer the world do estéeme of them are of no estimation with God M. Christ might haue obiected many other workes to the Iewes which they had committed whereby they declared them selues to be degenerate and vnlaufull children For Abraham was liberall but they were couetouse Abraham was sounde and perfect but they were ypocrites Abraham worshipped God aright but they made the howse of the Lordes worshippe a denne of théeues they deuoured widdowes howses which Abraham neuer did Christ I saye might haue obiected some of these thinges but leauing all these thinges he only obiecteth this that they went aboute to kill him For this was such a haynouse dede that no other was comparable vnto the same Wherevpon also in the parable of the vinyarde which was let out vnto the husband man in the latter ende of the same it is sayde that they went about to kill the Sonne which the Father sent vnto them as the heire of the vinyarde Mat. 21.38 Furthermore we are taught by this place that the mynde and purpose to doe any worke is accounted for the worke it selfe yea if thou consyder well the intent to doe any euell thing is worse then the worke it selfe and the intent to doe any good worke is better then the worke it selfe Intent to kil is worse theÌ slauter it selfe Better is the desyer to doe good to those that are in misery then the almes dede it selfe and the Intent to kill is worse than the murder it selfe The Almes dede maye be so done that it maye displease God concerning the which reade the fyrst of Mathewe A murderouse déede maye be so done that it maye please God as may appeare in the Leuites in Phineis in Iehu and so refused that God maye be displeased for the not dooing of it as wee maye sée in Agag Amalech whome Saule kept aliue Exod. 32 29 Num. 25.7 4. Kin. 10. 1. Kin. 15 8. 3. King 20.42 in Benadab king of Asciria whome Achab sent a way aliue But the desire and intent to doe good cannot displease God euen as the desyer to kill cannot please him A man that hath tould you the truth This oure Sauioure Christe addeth to shewe the wicked Ingratitude of the Iewes and to make it openly knowen that they are the Children of the Deuell because they were such sworne and mortall enemies to true and wholesome doctrine This did not Abraham M. What Did not Abraham kill a man We reade that he slue fower kinges and deliuered his kinsman Lotte out of their handes But the simple mening of Christes wordes is that Abraham was not so cruell as to kill an Innocent man Gen. 14 15 and that he was not so vnthankful as to kill one which instructed him in the truth and so wicked as to kill the Ambassodoure of God as did his posteritie 41 Yee doe the dedes of your father Then sayde they to hym we be not borne of fornication wee haue on father euen God M. We maye behoulde here great moderation in our sauioure Christ As yet he spareth them not by and by openly affirming that the Deuill is their Father the whiche notwithstanding he afterwarde did when they did not onely malapertly saye that they were the sonnes of Abraham but also the children of God Let vs also immitate this modesty that so long as it maye be done with the glory of God we may spare the wicked and to take héede that we do not styrre and mooue them so much as wee maye But rather let vs with méekenesse instruct them yf at any time it may please God to geue vnto them repentaunce and grace to knowe and beeléeue the truth We bee not borne of fornication Bv. These men styll obstinately goe forewarde to mayntaine their nobillitye speciallye when they perceiued by the order of Christes woordes that hée assigned the Deuyll to bée theyr Father Therefore nowe on the contrarye parte they doe not onelye boast themselues to bée the children of Abraham but also the children of God C. Howbeit they accounted it all one thing to be the children of Abraham and the children of GOD. But in this they dyd greatlye erre that they imagined God to bée tyed and bound to the séede of Abraham For thus they reason God chose the séede of Abraham to him selfe therefore séeing wée come of the séede of Abraham we must néedes be the children of God Now we sée how they thought that they receyued holynesse euen from their Mothers wombe because they came of a holye stocke Moreouer they goe about to proue them selues to be the Church of God because they had their originall of the holy Fathers euen as at this daye the continuall succession from the Fathers doeth puffe vp the Papistes and make them too swelling prowd With suche delusions Sathan beguileth them that they might deuide GOD from his worde the Church from the Faith and the kingdom of Heauen from the spirite But if so be the aunswere of Christ were auailable to refell the Iewes it is of no lesse force to conuince them at this daye For Hipocrites wyll alwayes falsefye the name of God but they shall neuer bring to passe but that they shal be accounted lyers of suche as leane to the iudgement of Christ M. We sée here that the wycked aduersaryes of Christ knew well inough that the impietye of false worship was spirituall whoredome and that the same was filthye and to be detested of the
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
the truth yet notwithstanding the trueth is neuer in him because hee speaketh the same to no other ende then to deceiue and to destroy Wherevppon Christ suffered hym not to speke though he spake the truth Luk. 4.41 Paule also would not suffer the spirit of Southsaying Act. 16.17 though he confessed the truth For that is a daungerouss trueth which bringeth credite to a mortall lye No heretique or false apostle at any tyme got credite and fauoure among men by mere lies but in mingeling some trueth with his doctrine he hath deceiued the minde of the simple When he speaketh a lye Bv. First this place teacheth that the falte of a lye is not to be layde vpon God the author of nature but it commeth rather of deprauation and corruption C Secondly that the Deuell is accustomed to lye and that he canne do nothing else but deceiue For he is a lyar and the Father of the. The deuell by his owne nature is a lyar not that he was so created of God but as he hath by his owne infidilitie gotten the same Insomuch that he is the father of lying because he is alienated from God in whome aloane all trueth abydeth and from whome the same doth flow as from a springing well R. For Sathan is not the Father of Lying and the author of the same because God is by hym selfe as Marcion dreameth but because hée aboade not in the trueth Lyes come of Sathan for he hauyng forsaken the trueth the lye succéeded of his owne accorde in stede of the same Bv. Sathan therefore is the welspring original and beginning of lying of eror of Sinne and of all euell euen as on the contrary parte God is the welspring of all truth and the truth it selfe 45 And beecause I tell you the truth therefore ye beleeue mee not M. He retourneth vnto that whiche he obiected vnto them before saying VVhy doe yee not knowe my speache Because ye cannot heare my worde When therefore he had opposed him selfe against the Deuell as the teacher of trueth he addeth by and by Because I tell you the trueth therefore yee beleue me not To declare that they hated his doctrine for no other cause than for that he spake the truth otherwise if hée had spoken lyes they woulde haue beléeued hym Bv. This he spake that by the similitude and lykenesse of their manners and disposition he might prooue the Iewes neyther to be the children of Abraham nor the Children of God but of Sathan C. Because séeing they had no cause to resist but onely for that they hated and coulde not abide the trueth they openly declared them selues to bée the children of Sathan M In this place wée sée that the truth to reprobate men is the cause of vnbeléefe which contrarywise to the elect is the cause and foundation of faith Neyther doth Christ simply vpbrayde the Iewes with this that speakinge the truth they woulde not beléeue but for that they did not beléeue because hee spake the trueth and no lye So in humayne matters nothing commeth more often to passe than this that men geue hede and credite to such as tell the moste false and vayne thinges but when they shoulde beleeue the trueth the greatest parte of men beléeue not and al because the trueth is set before them being redy to receyue a false lye If so be Micheas had tould King Achab a lye the king woulde easily haue beléeued him but because he vttered the truth the king could scarce abide to here him Bv. So that heare the nature and disposition of the Children of the Deuell is described 3. Kin. 22.8 These are lyke to their Father in quallitie in worde and in deede they feare not God they detest and abhorre all faith truth and puritie they despise and contemne the worde of God they followe Rapine murther and bloudshed they are enemies to all men and good profitable to none but to such onlye by whome they looke to haue greater profite and aduauntage agayne by hipocrisie they hide and discouer all thinges Whosoeuer frameth and ordereth hym selfe by this glasse searching out the grounde of his harte and iudging of his owne wordes and déedes he shall thereby learne whether he bee the Childe of God or the childe of the Deuell For so many as haue hated the truth and are indued with the spirite of lying and are ready to lye are of the Deuell and contrariwise they whiche are true and which speake the trueth from their hart are endued with the spirite of God And who hateth not to haue fellowship with the deuell Againe who doth not greatly estéeme and desyer to haue fellowshippe with God Wherefore let vs detest this deuelish vice that is this aptnesse and readines of lying and with oure whoale harte let vs loue the trueth let vs consider that true religion is prooued and declared by godlynesse and not by titelles Therefore it doth not profite vs to be called in name Christians except we be Christians in déede A. Iudas béeing aduanced to the dignitie of an Apostle loued lyes more than trueth and therefore Christe who knoweth not howe to lye called hym a deuell For the wicked ypocrite was more lyke the father of lyes than the Father of trueth 46. Which of you doth reprooue me of syn And if I speake the trueth why doe yee not beleeue me Bv. As hipocrisie is euer like it selfe and hath alwayes one cloake or other for it selfe so heare the Iewes consyderyng them selues thought thus secretly in them selues We want not lawefull causes whereby we maye refuse to béeleue thy preaching M. For in that wée doe not beléeue thée it is not because wée cannot here the truth and are of the Deuell as thou sayest of vs but because thou art a seducer not preaching the trueth but withstanding vs. To this secrete obiection Christe aunswereth by this Interrogation C. whiche procéedeth of faith and trust For when he knewe that his enemies coulde reproch hym with nothing he tryumpheth ouer them as victor And yet notwithstanding he doth not saye that he is frée from their slaunders For although they had no occasion to speake euell yet neuerthelesse they ceassed not to rayle on Christ but he knewe that he had not deserued the same And the gréeke worde Elegcheim sygnifieth to conuince which is when a man is not onely reprooued of some falte but also playnly conuinced to be giltie of the same But this defence is not referred to the perfect Innocencie of lyfe by which as he was the Sonne of God he excelled all other men but it ought to be restrayned to the circomstaunce of the place as yf a man shoulde saye that no man could obiect any matter against hym to prooue hym not to bee a faythfull Minister of God i. Cor 4. euen as the apostle also boasteth that hée knoweth naught by him selfe For this Appollogy or defence is not extended to to the whoale lyfe but is a defence of
his doctrine onely and Apostleshippe Euenso Christ here defendeth rather the cause of his doctrine then of his person A. As yf he shoulde saye If in all my office I shewe my selfe a faythfull minister of God ye haue nothing to cloake your incredulytie with all and to excuse the same For I teache truely I shewe the wyll of my father vnto you no terrestriall or humaine thing can be founde in my doctrine therefore ye cannot conuince the same of a lye Wherefore If I tell you the trueth why doe ye not beeleue me If so be ye cannot Iustely speake euell of my doctrine why do yee refuse to beléeue the same R. By this place we learne that we ought to beléeue him that speaketh the trueth without all contradiction Certaine of the Iewes refused to heare Christ because hée Preached without Ecclesiasticall authority othersome because none of the Pharisées and Rulers heléeued on him many could not abide to heare him because he was a Galilean and the reast could not awaye with his doctrine because he regarded not the decrées and customes of the Fathers But the Lorde the aucthor of trueth vrgeth against all these thinges shewing that hée knoweth no reason that shoulde staye any man from beléeuing the truth Wherefore then doe not menne in our time séeke the trueth to what purpose doe they séeke for so many excuses If those thinges bée not true whiche the Ministers doe teache let them be confuted by euident argumentes if they bée true why bée they not quietly receyued One sayth this doctrine is new another sayth that it is Scismaticall another sayth that it appertayneth to the Pope to refourme doctrine others obiect the Fathers others the counsailes others Ecclesiasticall ordinaunces and some séeke to set custome against the Gospell But what néede these delayes Let them saye simplye This doctrine is not true but let them proue it also If they be not able so to doe why doe they not subscribe vnto the trueth Ye shall heare the cause 47. Hee that is of God heareth Gods words yee therefore heare them not because ye are not of God B. That is to saye He which hath the spirite of God he which is elected of God he heareth the worde of God and receyueth the same by Faith C. Now Christ more vehementlye inueyeth against the Iewes being assured of the trueth of his doctrine For theyr impietye was not obscure when they were so obstinate in reiecting the word of God He had shewed that nothing coulde bée obiected vnto him which he had not taught out of the mouth of God he concludeth therefore that they haue noe felloweshippe with God because they here not R As if he shoulde saye Therefore ye doe not beléeue because ye are not the children of God but the Children of lying Sathan Yée are not borne of God and Therefore it is no merueile yf ye receiue not my wordes which am the Sonne of God For he which is of God heareth gods worde 1. Cor. 44. but he which is of Sathan contemneth the truth of Gods worde Bv. There is therfore no other cause why ye heare not the words of God which I speak neyther receiue nor beléeue them than this because ye are not borne of God but of the Deuell M. To be of God in this place is not to be borne or regenerate by the Spirit and word of God but to be elected and predestinate to lyfe before the Creation of the worlde Act â3 â wherevpon also the christian faith is called the fayth of the elect And they are sayde to haue beléeued so many as were foreordayned vnto lyfe So that although they are by nature blinde and the children of wrathe yet notwithstanding when the time of their calling commeth they receyue that grace of the holye Ghoste whiche some call the preuenting spyrite and their hartes are opened that they maye receyue the séede of Gods worde through the which being apprehended by Faith they are iustifyed and regenerated Example of this wée haue in the Mayde that wrought purple of whome Luke testifieth in the actes of the Apostles C. By this place therefore wée are taught that there is not a more manyfest sygne of a reprobate mynde than whan a man cannot beare the doctrine of Christ although otherwyse in the shewe hée séemeth to bee an Aungell Whereas if so bée wée willingly imbrace the same wée haue as it were a visyble sygne of our election For hee which hath the worde hath God him selfe but he whiche reiecteth the same depriueth him selfe both of lyfe and also yf righteousnesse Wherefore we ought to feare nothing more than least we fall into this horrible Iudgement A. For it is no light commination where with Christ threatneth the Iewes saying The kingdome of God shal be taken from you Mat. 21.43 and geuen to a Nation that wyll bring forth better frute of the same 48. Then aunswered the Iewes and sayde vnto him Saye we not well that thou art a Samaritane and hast the Deuell M. This aunswere of the highe Priestes Scribes and Phariseis containeth an impudent malicious sclaunder C. More and more they bewraye how that they are bewitched of Sathan who being plainlye conuinced yet notwithstanding are not afrayde to rushe foorth euen through the middest of desperation B. Thus is conuicted impietye wont to fare when it is not able to aunswere to the trueth then it falleth to rayling and sclaunder They were manifestly proued to be the children of the Deuell therefore they reply againe without any shew of truth that the Lorde was a Samaritane and had the Deuell Meaning by this double sclaunder to declare that Christ was a detestable man and lead with an euyll spyrite Because the Iewes accounted the Samaritanes for Apostatas and corrupters of the Lawe so often as they intended to defame any man they woulde call him a Samaritane Nowe therefore because they had no greater cryme wherwithall they might defame Christ they rashlye and without iudgement vse that common reproche R. As if they should saye What Darest thou defende the trueth of thy doctrine before vs séeing thou art worse than any Heretique or Apostata For thy doctrine is the doctrine of Sathan and not to GOD thou speakest of the Deuell and not out of the mouth of God For we are holy people a Priestlye stocke a holye Nation and suche a Nation to whome God hath whoally geuen him selfe but thou according to the manner of the Samaritanes pronouncest vs not to bée of God it must néedes be therefore that thy false doctrine is of Sathan Bv. The lyke reproches and sclaunders they cast foorth at this daye who are gréeued at the Preaching of the Gospell For they call the Preachers of the Gospell Apostataes sedicious personnes Scismatikes workers by Deuelles Seducers and such lyke R. least the wicked and vngodly might séeme to haue no cause of their vnbeléefe 49. Iesus aunswered I haue not the Deuell but I honour my Father and
first is whether there Sonne were blinde secondlye whether hée were borne blinde and thirdlye howe he receiued his sight C. They doe subtillye include more in this their question that they might take awaye all occasion of aunswere according to the wonted manner of all such as are oppressours of the trueth 20. His Father and Mother aunswered them and sayde We know that this is our sonne and that hee was 21. borne blinde But by what meanes hee nowe seeth we cannot tell or who hath opened his eyes cannot we tell he is olde inough aske him let him answere for him selfe C. The Parentes of the blinde man aunswere onelye to the one halfe of the captious question whiche the Pharisées propounded vnto them They affirme him to bée their sonne and to bée borne blinde also wherevppon it followeth that hée dyd not naturallye sée but by miracle but the thirde thing whiche was howe he receiued his sight they cleane omit because that was obious vnto the eares of the Phariseis Bv. referring that vnto their Sonne saying Hee is olde inough aske him But by this theyr vngodly silence they bewraye their ingratitude For verylye they receiuing so notable a benefite shoulde haue béene whollye moued to set forth his name But being made afearde they bury so muche as iâ them lyeth the grace of God sauing that they appoint their Sonne to testifye the same for them which should both with lesse enuye and also with greater Faith declare the whole matter as it was done But yet for all this the holye Ghost by the mouth of the Euangelist condemneth their softnesse in that they dyd not that which became them Howe much lesse excuse then shall they haue whiche by trayterous denial do quite and cleane ouerthrowe Christ with his Doctrine with his miracles with his power and with his grace 22. Suche wordes spake his Father and Mother because they feared the Iewes For the Iewes had decreed already that if any man did confesse that he vvas Christ he should be excommunicate out of the Sinagogue Bv. In these wordes Saint Iohn rendereth a reason why the Parentes dyd not aunswere to the third question of the Phariseis not because they knewe not the aucthour and manner of the benefite bestowed on theyr Sonne vut rather because they being afearde durste not confesse before the Phariseis the vndoubted trueth M. Therefore they knewe more than they confessed That whiche they them selues had done they fréelye and without perrill confesse for they had begotten and brought forth a blinde man but that which Christ had done they dare not confesse Therefore this is a frée confession of the blindnesse whiche is in men before the cruell Phariseis but of the illuminacion which Christ worketh not so Both are true but both haue not their true confession in this worlde Thou mayest confesse without daunger the euill that commeth of men as that thou wast borne in sinne but the grace goodnesse that commeth by Christ whereby this euill is taken awaye the Pharisaicall tiranny wyll not suffer thée fréelye to confesse For the Iewes had decreed alreadye Excommunâcation is auncient B. Hereby it maye easilye bée gathered that it beganne now to bée reported that Iesus was Christ C. Furthermore this place teacheth vs that the custome and manner of excommunication hath béene euer of olde time For excommunication was not then first of all inuented but nowe that excommunication which was vsed long before against Apostataas and contemners of the lawe for a punishment was vsed and conuerted against the Disciples of Christ It hath not therefore béene the corruption of one time or age that the sacred institucions of GOD haue béene corrupted by men The whiche also hath béene among Christians For it can scarsly be expressed what barbarous tyrannye the false Bishoppes haue exercised in subduing the people insomuche that one durste scarse to mutter against them and wée sée also at this daye what crueltye commeth by this thunderbolt of excommunication against all the worshippers of God But wée bouldlye contemne excommunication when it is vsed at the wyll and pleasure of men contrarye to the institucion of the same R. For as there is a double communion so there is a double excommunication the one is internall the other is externall The internall communion consisteth of one holy Ghost of one faith of one Christ and of one Lorde which is Father of all The internall excommunication is that when man through infydelitye agréeth not with the Godly in one spirite in one fayth and in one Christ howe Godlye outwardlye soeuer hee séeme to bée The externall communion is the communion of the word and Sacraments The externall excommunication is the depriuation of those thinges Nowe the wicked man which sayeth in his heart there is no God is alway excommunicated howbeit he is not subiecte to mans iudgement if so bée he bée not an offence vnto the Churche by the fruites of impietye Mat. 18.17 1. Cor. 5.11 For if so bee he doe offend the Church of the Lord with the filthynesse of his facts he ought to be cast out But if any man be cast out of the Church for the word of God or for the confession of Christ by excommunication it is a blessing and not a curse Deu. 23.5 for Baalam also cursed the people of God but the Lord turned the same into blessing A. Moreouer though the right of excommunication was so notably corrupted in the olde Church yet notwithstanding Christ by his comming woulde not haue the same to bée cleane taken away but restored the same to his puritye that it might remaine with vs styll Euenso at this daye though in the Papacye this holy discipline of the Church bée profaned and abused yet notwithstanding we ought rather dilligently to restore the same to the former integritye than quite and cleane to abolishe it There was neuer any thing so well begunne in the worlde but that by the wickednesse of men the same hath béene corrupted Sathan should haue to much libertye graunted him Good things corrupted ought not to be cleane taken awaye if so bée euerye thing might be frustrate and cleane taken awaye which is corrupted For then shoulde we haue no Baptisme no Supper of the Lorde neyther any Religion no part of the which he hath left frée from corruption I. In this place also we maye noate howe yll the worlde can suffer and abide true righteousnesse What greater innocencye at any tyme what greater modesty what greater homage and seruice towardes al men at all times coulde be seene than was in Christ And yet notwithstanding the Potentates and Rulars of the worlde coulde with suche hatered persecute him that they iudged all those vnworthye of theyr companye whiche testifyed any goodnesse to come from him though neuer so truelye and all vnder the pretence of righteousnesse and of the loue of God Wherefore then shoulde we bée troubled when the worlde hateth vs and casteth vs out of his
Sinagogues E. Wée ought rather to reioyce and bée glad because wée being not forsaken of Christ holde fast the hope of euerlasting lyfe 23. Then againe called they the man that vvas blynde and sayd vnto him Geue GOD the prayse vvee knowe that this man is a Synner E. The Phariseis are verye carefull and dilligente to obscure and hynder the glorye of GOD in Christ For as Sathan neuer resteth but alwayes goeth séeking whome hée may deuoure so the wicked being the instrumentes of Sathan doe continuallye séeke to hynder the glory of Christ and to hurt the godlye M. These Iewes had laboured in vaine in calling and in examyning the Parentes of the blind man For they failed so much of theyr purpose that they more confirmed this miracle than they obscured the same Wherefore they returne to the former practise subtillye séeking to defame the aucthour of this miracle and for that cause they call before them againe the man whiche had béene blinde after they had sent awaye his Parentes C. And there is no doubte but that they being ashamed called the blynde man whom at the first they found to firme and constant Thus the more vehementlye they striue against God the more they entangle and insnare them selues Bv. They séeke nowe by another way to drawe this man from the confession of the trueth that is to saye by fayre speaches and by the pretence of the glorye of God C. For they exhorte him by a speciall preface to geue the glory vnto God but by by they forbyd him imperiously that he aunswere according to the reason of his owne minde Geue God the prayse R. They vsed this solemne forme of speache when they required any man to sweare as is to bée séene in the ninetéene Chapter of the seuenth booke of Iosephus R. By these wordes they gaue him to vnderstand that no small dishonour was done vnto GOD if so bée any man by his name went about to deceyue And verilye so often as any of vs shall sweare this preface ought to come into our mindes that the trueth maye bée no lesse precious vnto vs than the glorye of God But we sée that Hipocrites when they pretende the greatest reuerence of God they doe not onelye dissemble but also impudentlye deceiue for wickedly they go about to make the blind man to swere vpon their wordes to the manifest dishonour of God B. For by the name of sinner they meant that the Lorde sought to transgresse the Lawe of GOD As if they shoulde saye It is plaine that hée is a dishonest and wicked person M. And they speake vppon their aucthoritye when they saye Wee knowe As if they shoulde saye It is not méete that any man shoulde thinke otherwyse than we thinke whiche haue skill and knowledge of all thinges Let it therefore satisfye thée that we so thinke After the same maner also at this day our Bishoppes and Phariseis taking vpon them the aucthoritie of Magistrats doe bouldly pronounce what they lust as though they hauing the keyes of knowledge ought to be beléeued whatsoeuer they speake as when they saye Wée knowe that this Doctrine sauoureth of Heresie wée knowe that these and these men are Heretiques C. Thus God reuealeth the wicked counsailes of the wicked howsoeuer they goe about with diuers coullers and fayned shadowes to couer the same 25. Hee aunswered and sayd whether he be a sinner or no I cannot tell one thing I am sure of that whereas I was blind now I see M. The Euangelist doth not in vaine vse so great dilligence in putting downe vnto vs in wryting the aunsweres of this blinde man For they are such that no man can choose but maruaile more at the light and sight of the internall man than of the externall man The Phariseis had sayde VVee knowe that this man is a sinner that is to saye a wicked and lewde person What therefore sayest thou Geue the glorye vnto God confesse the trueth To these wordes the blind man aunswered Whether he be a sinner or no. C. The which wordes ought to be expounded ironice that is to saye meaning that hée was iust that he might more sharpely gaule them A little before he had confessed him to be a Prophet when hée sawe hée profited nothing suspending his iudgement of the person he propoundeth the matter it selfe For hée woulde not swarue one whit from the true testimonye concerning him Therefore this graunting vnto them doth not want a scorne and mocke as if hée shoulde saye Bv. Whether Iesus bée a wicked man or no it maketh no matter vnto mée it is not my parte to iudge him this one thing I can trulye testifie the which also I haue found true by experience that whereas before I was blinde I now sée M. Wherefore that which ye require at my handes to be done I cannot doe with a good conscience by which I am constrayned to thinke of him as of a notable Prophet and not as of a sinner and an enemie to God and as I am constrained to thinke of him so also I will Iudge and speake of him This blinde man was moued nether with threatninges nor with faire woordes but doth constantly and bouldely proclayme that which gréeued the aduersaries and which they woulde if they had coulde haue taken out of the heartes and mouthes of all men M. Therefore this man although hée were a laye man and vnlerned could not abide vnwisely rashly to subcribe and agrée against his owne conscience to the opinion of the Rabbines and Pharisées Bv. Thus the simple truth of the Gospell by imbecillytie and weakenesse ouercommeth the strong mighty thinges of thys worlde 26. Then sayde they to him againe what did hee to thee Howe opened he thine eies M. Now the Pharisées retourne to the straight examination of the worke of Christ with the which they began at the first And because they thought they had gotten a simple man and an Idiot before them whom they might easilye beguile with theyr crafte and subtiltie they examine him by certaine shorte Interrogatories that hée aunswering the lesse circumspectly might be by them intrapped and that they might thereby get occasion to blame and reprehende the facte of Christ whereby they might depriue him of the glorye of the miracle C. Verilye séeing wée sée the wicked to be so busy careful to bring their wicked actions about wée may be ashamed of our slouth and negligence in handeling the worke of Christ so negligentlye 27. Hee aunswered them I toulde you yere while and yee did not heare wherfore would ye heare it againe Will ye also be his Disciples C. Séeing the enimies of Christ sought occasion by all meanes to speake euill of him and to darcken and obcure the myracle the Lorde doth notablye frustrat their deuises without the quayling of the blinde mans constancye for hée doth only persist in his constancy but doth also freely and seuerely reprehend them for that they sought to ouerwhelme the truth which was
appeareth in the brightnesse of his Gospell are blind not only because their foolishnesse is vncouered which before laye hid vnder the darckenes of Infidelity but also because they béeing plunged by the Iuste vengeaunce of God in déeper darckenesse doe loose that litle light which was left vnto them Wée are all borne blynde but yet for al that in the darckenesse of corrupt defiled nature there appeareth still sertain sparckes that men maye differ from brute beastes Nowe yf proude reason béeing puffed vp with truste and confydence of it selfe do refuse to submit it selfe vnto God it shall seeme to be wise without Christe but the bryghtnes of Christ at the length shall make the same foolishnesse because then the vanitie of mans minde doeth begin to appeare when heauenly wisedome doth reueale it selfe But our Sauioure Christ had a farther matter to expresse in these wordes For ypocrites be fore Christ doth shine do not so obstinately resist and withstande God but so soone as the Light doth shine more nerely they doe make open warre againste God This wickednesse and Ingratitude bringeth to passe that their blindnesse is doubled and that God which before had but taken awaye the light from their eyes doth nowe thruste them oute altogether Now let vs noate the summe of this place which is that Christ came into the worlde to illuminate the blynde to bring those quight and cleane oute of their wittes which séeme wise in their owne conceites M. It is no merueile therefor yf the Phariseis saw not that which this blind man sawe when they sayde that Christe was of God whome the blinde man and simple Idiots in the sight of the world knewe to come from God because by the iust Iudgement of God those wise men are blinded by the comming of Christe and those which sawe not of blind are made to sée C. And in the former place Christ made mencion of illumination because this is the proper cause of his comming For he came not to Iudge the worlde but rather that the worlde might be saued by him Ioh. 3.17 Also this vengeaunce or iudgement is not restrained to the person of Christ as though he did not dayly bring this to passe by the Ministers of the Gospell For the whiche cause we ought to take the more héede lest any of vs by our vayne and mad opinion bring this horrible punishement vpon vs. But experience doth teache how truly Christe hath vttered this sentence For wée doe sée that many are stricken with the spirite of giddinesse and madnesse for no other cause but only for that they cannot abyde the rysing sonne of righteousnes The wicked in the tyme of the Lawe receiued this punishment for the Prophete was sent to blynd the people Esay 6.9 that séeing they might not sée 40. And some of the Phariseis whiche vvere vvith him hearde these vvords and saide vnto him Are vvee blinde allso Bv. Thys beggar was made an example for them whiche in déede were starke blynde notwithstanding they acknowledge their blindnesse and Ignoraunce and are illuminated by the grace of Christ And the Phariseis are made an example which thought them selues Iuste and holye séemed in their owne conceite wise ynough and therfore they came not vnto Christ For the which cause they aboade in blindnesse and in the darckenesse of erroures and sinnes euen as the Euaungelist sheweth afterwarde in playne wordes C. They perceyued that they were wounded by that saying of Christe and yet notwithstanding they séeme not to bée of the worste because the open and sworne enemies of Christ did so abhorre Christ that they could not abyde to ioyne them selues vnto him But these coulde abide to heare Christe but yet withoute profite because no man can bée a néere disciple of Christ but he which forsaketh him selfe from the whiche these men were very farre M. They would not séeme to be blinde though they were starcke blynd For they would neither be reckoned among them whome béeing blind the Lord made to sée nor amongest others which saw whom the Lord made blind Wherefore because they were puft vp with Pride they thinking that they shoulde receiue greate iniury yf so bée they were reckoned among the blynd burst forth and saye Are wee blinde also C. As if they should saye Canst thou not make thy selfe famouse but by our reproche Is this to be suffered that thou shouldest get honoure to thy selfe by our contumely And whereas thou dooest promise light to the blinde get thée hence and auaunt with thy goodnes for wée wil not bée illuminated of thée vpon this condition that wée shoulde graunt vnto thee that we haue béene hitherto blind M. Doest thou thinke no better of vs than thou doest of the common vnlearned sorte of people Doest thou think vs to be blind men lyke vnto other vnskilfull persons séeing we haue the key of knowledge and are the masters and teachers of other men Thou camest to geue sight thou sayest vnto the blinde but thou art a seducer of the blinde Thou seducest the blinde vnlearned multitude but thou canst not so deceiue vs which are not blind Hereby wée maye sée that hipocrisy is alwaye proude and spightfull It is a noate of pride that they standing in their owne conceite would haue no parte of their estimation deminished and it is a token of spight that when their disease was discouered they were more offended at Christ euen as if he had more déepely wounded them Hereof commeth the contempte boath of Christe and also of his grace which he offereth In this word also there is contained we a great emphasis and force thereby declaring that although all others were blinde yet they tooke it in euell parte that they should be reckoned among the common sort This is a faulte to common in those which excell others who béeing dronken with disdayne doe almost forget them selues that they are men 41. Iesus saide vnto them if yee were blinde he should haue noe sinne but nowe yee saie we see therefore youre sinne remaineth M. The Lorde doeth so beate the Phariseis with their owne rod that he condemneth vpon them their owne mouth and proueth that to be true which he had spoken C. Howebeit these wordes haue a double meaning and vnderstanding eyther that ignoraunce did somwhat mittigate their falt except they being plainly conuinced did séeke to resist the truth or else that the disease of Ignorance was curable in them yf so be they did acknoledge him The wordes of Christ hereafter confirme the former sentence where Christ sayth Iohn i5 22 If I had not come and spoken vnto them they had had no sinne ⪠c. But because it followeth in the text But nowe they saye that they see this semeth better to agrée if we saye that he is blind who knowing his owne blindnesse seketh remedy for the disease And then this shal be the summe If ye knewe your euel it should not be altogether incurable but nowe because you thinke
your selues whoale yée abide desperate M. They were therefore blinde wherevpon in another place he calleth them blind leaders of the blind but not as were the Idiots and simple sorte Mat. i5 i4 otherwise he would haue sayde as he sayth here They should haue had no sinne yf so be they had béene blind and Ignorant of the sacred Scriptures as were the vnlearned C. Notwithstanding when he sayeth that they which are blind haue no sinne he doth not therby excuse Ignoraunce as though it were no synne only he geueth vs to vnderstande that the disease maye haue a remedy when the same is felt in time because when the blind man commeth to be restoared to his sight the Lorde is ready to helpe R. As if Christ shoulde haue sayde if so be you knewe your blindnesse the synne of vnbeléefe would not abide in you but puttinge awaye infidellitie yee woulde beleeue in mée but because yee doe not knowe your blindnesse therefore ye abide vnbeléeuing C. For they are incurable who hauing no feeling of their synnes despise the grace of God R. Therefore that is horrible blindnesse to be Ignoraunt of our blindnesse euen as not to knowe our sickenesse is almost a disease incurable the which we may behould in mad men And as the firste step to recouer helth is to acknoweledge our Infirmitie euenso the first steppe to Fayth is to knowe our impietie and Ignoraunce i. Ioh. i 8 To this effecte appertayneth that which saint Iohn hath writen in another place saying If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and Iuste to forgeeue vs oure sinnes and the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne shall cleanse vs from all Iniquitie B. Wée sée also here playnly that hée condemneth this synne namely the refusall and contempte of the trueth when men knowe the same wherevpon there is no doubt but that they shall haue pardon remission with saint Paule which sinne only by ignoraunce and either neglect the trueth or else persecute the same The truth shal be knowen at the length to the reprobate in suchwise that they them selues shall saye they sée and shall haue all collers and pretence of Ignoraunce taken awaye from them Suche also were these Phariseis They had heard those thinges of the Lord and saw such thinges in him that their mindes were constrayned to acknoweledge him to be a Prophete of God and yet for all this Sathan did so carry them that they did persecute hym with mortall hatered Therfore their sinne remained Sinne against the holye ghost without pardon or remission they hauing synned agaynst the holy Ghost setting them selues so openly against the words and déedes of the Lord. Bv. We haue also here a sure and infallible Iudgement of the trueth pronounced against the maintainers of frée will For yf these men were blynd that is to say if they knewe their seruitude infirmity and corruption by sinne they shoulde be illuminated by the grace of Christ but now because they sée that is because they boast of the strength of the fleshe and do not only magnifie the grace of Christ blyndnesse and syn remaineth in them And hée sayth plainly Your synne remayneth For in saintes also there is synne but it is taken awaye it is not imputed it doth not remaine in the wicked only there remaineth sinne and damnation M. There is therfore a passing synne and a remaining synne To this effect parteyneth this saying He which beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting lyfe but hee which beleeueth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abydeth on him Let vs therfore beléeue in the Sonne of God let vs confesse vnto him our sinnes that we being illuminated by him and absolued from our sinnes wée may come at the last to that light which no man can attaine vnto ⧠The tenth Chapter 1. Verely verely I saye vnto you hee that entereth not in by the Doore into the Sheepefoulde but clymeth vp some other way the same is a Theefe and a Robber Verily verily J saye vnto you M. BECAVSE the Priestes Scribes and Pharisées did not onely submitte themselues vnto Christ but also did chaleng vnto themselues power and aucthoritie ouer the people of God euen as if they had bene their true pastours and guides and therefore coulde not abyde that the vnlearned multitude shoulde beléeue in Christ and shoulde follow him as shéepe doe theyr sheapehearde the Lorde doth verye well boath to the confusion of false pastours and also to the confirmation of the simple propounde all this whole matter after the manner of a Prouerbe by which hée doth describe what difference there is betwéene true and false pastours whiche take vpon them the office of féeding the Shéepe C. And because the fewnesse and small number of the faythfull might muche discredite hys doctrine hée goeth about to proue that not all which vsurpe office in the Churche are to be reckoned in the number of Pastours and sheepe Shepe and the Sheaphearde but that the true Pastours are discerned from reprobates and the true shéepe from those that bee counterfaytes by thys marcke if so be that hee bee the onelye scope and the beginning and ending of all thinges This admonition is necessary for all ages and times but especially for this our age For there is not a more pestilent plague to the Church than when wolues créepe in vnder the cloake of pastoures Christ doth plainly here deny them to be counted for pastoures which boast that they ought so to be taken and accounted of or that they ought to be nombered among the shéepe which glory in externall signes He speaketh here of the Iudaicall Church and in this poynt there is noe greate difference betwéene that and oures He that entereth not in R. Christ doeth not by naked and bare wordes euen at the first teach that he is a shepheard but by this parable suspendeth the mindes of his auditoures that afterwarde by the exposition of the same he might make that which in the beginning they heard not without admiration and a desier to knowe to sinke deper into their mindes C. But they doe foolishly which discus very curiously euery part of this parable Let it therefore suffice and satisfie to hould this summe namely that forsomuch as Christ maketh his Church like vnto a shepfould into the which God gathereth all his shéepe together he compareth himself to a dore because there is no other enterance into the Church than by him Herevpon it followeth that they are good Pastoures which lead the right waye vnto Christ they which geue them selues to Christ aloane are rightly sayd to be gathered into Gods shepfould and to be of his flocke Moreouer all this is referred to doctrine For seeing in Christ all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hid he which swerueth from him is neither in the right waye nor yet is like to enter in by the dore Therefore we shall easyly know which is the true Church and who
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 passe and then if they could not snare him with wordes to laye hand on him Therfore Christ although he semed to be as it were taken already yet by the wonderful power of God escaped out of their handes C. By which we are taught that we are not geuen as a praye to the wicked whome the Lorde doeth often times bridell at his will and pleasure M. Therefore it is not vnlawefull for the Minister of Christ to séeke to escape out of the handes of the wicked 40. And went awaye againe beyonde Iordane into the place vvhere Iohn before hadde baptized And there hee aboade M. Christ leauing Hierusalem went ouer Iordane for because that Region as a sanctuarye serued for his securitie and rest For such was the corruption and wickednesse of the Cittizens of Hierusalem that the farther any place was from them the more conuenient the same was for Christ and againe the more néere the more perilouse it was for him to abide in because of the wickednesse of the Iewes whenas notwithstanding yf there hadde bene any place in the whoale world féete for the preaching of Gods kingdome Hierusalem should haue bene the same A. The Lawe saith the Prophete shal go forth of Sion and the word of the lorde out of Hierusalem i. King 24. M Euenso the nerer that a man is to the Cittie of Rome yf he be a good man the more he is in daunger C. Christ therefore taught vs by his example to vse occasion Where Iohn before had baptised Bv. He went aparte into that place that by his presence he might bring in rememberaunce the testimonie of Iohn which he bare vnto Christe and that hee might drawe many to Iesus the Sauioure of the worlde that is to saye to him selfe Wherevpon also it followeth 41. And manie resorted vnto him and saide Iohn dyd noe miracle but all thinges that Iohn spake of this man were true And many resorted to him M. As the light sette vpon a Candelsticke cannot be hidde so the truth of God allthough it be condemned of the reprobate findeth many which followe the same though it flée away Bv. faithfull Shéepe will neuer forsake their sheapheard M. There was a tipe before of this matter in Dauid to whome he fléeing from the face of Saule Esa 57.20 manye are sayde to come out of Iury. Euenso the counsailes of the wicked by whiche they séeke to extinguishe the trueth haue so litle successe that they rather serue for the furtheraunce of the same A. A notable example whereof wée haue here and also in the storye of the blind man The which I would to God they would marcke and consider whiche séeke to extinguish the light of the Gospel in euerye Cittie C. Therefore this concourse of people here sheweth that Christ sought not to be solitarye that hée might cease from doing of his dutie but that hée might erect the sanctuarye of God in the desarte when as Ierusalem which was his proper seate had reiected him And verely this was the horrible vengeaunce of God that when the temple which God had chosen was become adenne of Théeues the Church of God should be gathered togither in a prophane place Ihon did no miracle Bv. Many beléeued in Christ being driuen therevnto partely by the doctrine of Iohn and partely by the signes of Christ but specially they were drawne by the spirite of God C. They gather that Christe was more excelent than Iohn because hée had done so many myracles whereas Iohn had done no myracle Bv. God woulde haue no miracles done by Iohn least the people shoulde haue attributed to much vnto him and therfore hée would haue him onely to teache and to testifie R. For as the bodye of Moyses and his Sepulchre are hid vnto this present daye Deu 34 6 and that by the iuste prouidence of God least that supersticicious flesh in visiting the bodye of Moyses shoulde committe Idolatrie euen so for iust cause Iohn than whome otherwise there arose not a greater among womens Children wrought no miracle For if so bée the gift of myracles had bene ioyned to his doctrine and holynesse of lyfe the people coulde scarce haue bene drawne from beléeuing hym to be Christ For the giftes of God are distributed according to his deuine will not all to euerye one but to euerye one somewhat euen as the members of the bodye haue not all one action Neyther maketh it any matter before God to bée endued with many giftes Rom. i2 but to beléeue in Christ is the acceptable worke and labour For fayth is that onely necessarye gift which Iustifieth and saueth all other giftes whether they be spirituall or corporall serue not to iustification but to the edification of the Churche This is the cause why Iohn wrought no myracle Bv. But the Lorde would haue his sonne to be famous with myracles M. For this glory was due vnto Christe who also being glorified wrought greater myracles by the hands of his seruauntes than euer hée dyd by himselfe when he was vpon the earth C. Notwithstanding wée must noate that wée must not alwaye iudge by myracles although myracles Ma 24 24 2 Thes 2.9 Math. 7.12 being ioyned to doctrine haue no small wayght But all things that Iohn spake C. This séemeth not to be spoken of them but added by the Euaungelist to teache that they were led by a double argument to beléeue in Christ because in very déede they sawe that the testimony was true which Iohn bare vnto him and also bycause his miracles made him more famouse M. Wée sée here howe the hearing of the worde of God though not presentlye vnderstoode serueth in due tyme to knowe the trueth A. The word of God séemeth sometime to be preched in vaine but at the length it bringeth forth fruite in due time 42. And many beleeued on him there M. Where did they beléeue In that place into the which the Lorde was fled by reason of the maliciouse wickednesse of the Iewes Therefore these men were so disposed that so soone as they sawe the glory of the miracles of Christ and were admonished of the truth of the sayings of Iohn they were so litle offended by that flyght that they did not only still beléeue the truth which Christe preached but also condemned the mallice of the Iewes I would to God this present age had many such who knowing the trueth would still retaine the same in their hartes againste all offences and lettes which the wicked can obiect ⧠The eleuenth Chapter 1. A certaine man was sicke named Lazarus of Bethany the towne of Mary and hir sister Martha A certaine man was sicke R. THIS whoale Chapter almost maketh onelye a discourse of the raysing vp of Lazarus howbeit a shorter discourse myght haue bene made of the same But the Euangelist doth not wythout cause so largely describe the same For all thinges are wrighten for our learning M. For amonges the reste of the miracles which Christ
spirite sayth VVo vnto you when all men prayse you for so did their Fathers vnto the false Prophts The flesh sayth Hée is a wise man and lyke to come to promosion that wil séeke to please God and man The Spirite sayth Mat 6.24 Gal i i0 i Ioh 2 xv No man can serue two maysters And againe If so bee I shoulde please men I were not the seruaunt of Christe For if any man loue the worlde the loue of the Father is not in him To conclude The flesh sayth So many as haue preached the worde of truth vnto men haue bene horriblely punished and haue myserablelye perished Apoca i4 i3 But the Spirite sayth Blessed are the deade which dye in the Lorde for they rest from their labours Wherfore feare not them which can kill the bodye and cannot kill the soule but feare him which can cast boath bodye and soule into hell fyer 9. Iesus aunswered Are there not twelue hours of the day If any man walke in the daye hee stumbleth not because hee seeth the light of this worlde C. This place hath bene diuerselye expounded but this is the true sence and meaning of the same First of all the Lorde borroweth a similitude from the night and the daye For if any man walke in the darckenesse it is no meruayle if hée stumble slyppe and go out of the waye but the light of the sonne in the daye time shaweth the waye And the calling of God is like the daye light whych wyll not suffer vs to go out of the waye or to stumble Therefore whosoeuer obayeth the worde of GOD and taketh nothing in hande but at his commaundement hee shall haue God his guide and director and vpon truste hereof hée maye securely and without feare go on his way For whosoeuer walketh in his wayes shall haue his aungelles to attende vpon him and to kéepe him that hee dashe not his foote against the stoane Christ therfore bearing himself bolde vpon this defence boldely goeth forwarde into Iury not fearing to be stoaned because there is no daunger of erring where God taking vpon him the office of the Sonne doth illuminate our steppes and moderate our course B. This therefore is the scence and meaning of that which Christ sayth As there are twelue hours of the day in the which men may walke and doe theyr busynesse for hée whiche will walke or doe any thing in the night easyly stumbleth so haue I my daye which is ended by the houres thereof therefore in this daye I must finish all those thinges which my Father hath committed vnto mée This day now draweth towardes night and is almost at an ende the houre is at hande when I must go out of the worlde to my Father Wherefore how greatlye so euer the Iewes are my enymies I wyll finishe my workes whyle I haue day and for this cause I must go boath into Iury and also to Hierusalem and sette forth my Fathers glorye hée shall take charge of vs and defende vs. The lyke allegorye the Lorde vsed in the ninth Chapter going before C. By these wordes wée are taught that so often as a man will followe his owne counsayle and purpose without Goddes calling hys whole lyâe is nothing else but a wandering and straying course and they which seeme most wise in theyr owne conceytes when they aske not counsayle at the Lords mouth and haue not theyr actions guided by his spirite doe like blind men groape in the darcke R. If any man obiect Why doeth Christ then somtime flee Obiection yf so be his enemies ar able to do nothing within the appoynted and limmited time A. Euen as he plainly declared when he sayd to sertaine of the Pharise is which perswaded him to shonne the fury of Herod For he sayde to them Luk. i3 3i Go and tell that fox behould I cast out Deuels and heale the people to daye and to morrowe and the third day I shall be perfited Neuerthelesse I must walke to daye and to morrowe and the daye following Aunsvvere R. I aunswere Christ therefore fled because his office as yet was not fulfilled the which béeing ended he willingly deliuered him selfe into the hands of hys enemies And he fled to teach vs that we ought not to tempte God but to vse those Iust and Lawfull meanes which God hath set before vs vntil the race and course of our gospell be finished That whiche is spoken of the ministerye of the Gospell ought to be vnderstood of the whole life of euery man For this corporall lyfe is set and appoynted within his bounds and limittes as it is writen Short are the days of man thou hast the nomber of his months Iob. i4 5 thou hast appoynted his bondes which hee cannot passe For if so be our hears which are the smalest things are nombered in the sight of God how much more are the dayes and howers of our lyfe nombered before God Wherefore so long as a man walketh within the compasse of twelue howers of the daye in the time of his appoynted life and in his owne calling his life shall not be impaired by any perill C. And this knowledge is very necessary for vs for the faithful can scarse moue their foote to followe God who must goe before vs in our vocation but Sathan by and by casteth in our way a houndered stombling blockes and séeketh by al meanes to stop vs. But so soone as the Lorde by his bryght Light willeth vs to goe forward wee must goe on with good courage although we be beset with many deaths because he neuer commaundeth vs to go forwarde but he incourageth vs with his promise that we maye be assured whatsoeuer we take in hand at his commaundement shall haue good successe He is oure Chariot whiche carieth vs without wearinesse through all tedious waies vntill we come to the hauen of reste In fine we are taught that the eyes of the Lord are euer ouer them to kéepe and preserue them which are ready to fulfill his will and commaundement Againe hereby also wee gather that the whoale rase of that mans life is accursed of the Lord who neglecting his word followeth his owne fantasy and doeth what hee thinketh good in hys owne eyes Bv. Wherfore true fortitude of the mind springeth from the fayth in Christ by which carefull feare is driuen awaye and by the loue of piette is quight rooted out of our heartes C. And Christ here according to his wonted manner deuideth the daye into twelue houres For although the dayes in sommer and winter doe differ yet notwithstanding the daye hath alwayes twelue houres and the night as many M Christ vsed no curiosity in humaine matters but tooke all thinges in good parte which common vse mayntayned with impietye 11. These thinges said hee and after that hee saide vnto them oure friende Lazarus sleepeth but I go to awake him out of slepe B. By this allegory the Lorde gaue his Disciples to vnderstand that he woulde
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 bouÌd 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
this faith was not liuely in them and not so vertuouse as it beecame the same because Christ geueth not vnto his Disciples the spirite of feare but the spirite of constancye insomuche that they dare bouldlye confesse that whiche they haue learned of him And although it is not likely that these men were quight dumbe yet notwithstanding because they made no true confession the Euaungelist simply denieth that they professed theyr fayth For this had bene true and lawfull confession to haue openlye geuen their name and professed Christ Wherefore let no man flatter himselfe which in anye parte hydeth and dissembleth his faithe leste he should incurre the displeasure and hatered of men For although the name of Christ be odiouse that feare is not excusable which maketh vs slide from the confession of his name though but the breadth of a heare Bv. A great number at this daye haue the very same disease that these Rulers had For they vnderstand the doctrine of trueth they know the lawful vse of the sacramentes that papistry is contrary to the doctrine of the Gospell and that in the papacy the Sacramentes are not ministred accordinge to the institution of the Lorde all these thinges they sée and knowe but yet neuertheles for feare and the loue of temporall thinges they communicate with the very same they haulte on both sydes and do not bouldly confesse the trueth All these men verely do greatly offende and ought not to be confyrmed in their errour to beleue that it is sufficient if so bee they retayne that which is true in their harte and do thinke well in their minde of the Gospell and in the meane time haue a lyking of these abhominations instituted against the word of God that is to saye they come vnto the masse not as to the masse but as vnto the Lordes Supper God hateth that hipocriticall dissimulation and loueth trueth and sinceritie Concerninge excommunication reade the ninth Chapter going before beginning at the .22 verse 43. For they loued the prayse of men more then the praise of God R. Thou mayest sée in this place the cause why fewe of the Rulers mightye men and wise men doe not sincerelye confesse the Gospell Because the Gospell bringeth with it the Crosse and the forsaking of earthlye goodes Nowe séeing the Rulers coulde not abide to forsake their tyranny and séeing it séemed foolishe to the wise men to resigne the wisdome of reasone to the bare and weake worde of the gospell it hath euer to come to passe that very fewe mightie and wise men truely confessed Christ According to the saying of Sainte Paule Behould your calling bretheren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mightie not many of high degre are called but God hath chosen the foolishe thinges of this world to confounde the wise C. The Euangelist laieth no supersticioÌ to these menes charge but onely sayth that they sought to auoyde the reproche and disprayse of men For yf so be ambition preuayled more with them than the feare of God it followeth that they were delyuered by a certayne light feare of concience Nowe let the readers noate how greatly God misliketh and condemneth theire feare who dissemble their faithe before men for feare of displeasure What worse thing can there be yea what can be more beastly than to preferre the vaine liking and commendation of men before the Iudgement of God And he pronounceth all those to be suche who forsake the displeasure of men when they should confesse a pure true faith and that iustely For the Apostell commending the inuinsyble constancie of Moyses Heb. âi 27. saith that he endured euen as though he hadde séene him which is inuisible By which wordes he geueth vs to vnderstande that when a man fasteneth his eyes vppon God his harte will be inuincible more faste than an Adamant stoan Hervpon therfore commeth that cowardlines which maketh vs to fal to false dissimulation because wee haue wholy respect vnto this world For the sincere aspect and behoulding of God doth driue away all smoake and vanitie of ritches and honours It is not therefore a small and veniall offence as some imagine to deny Christ seeing the holy Ghost in this place sayth that those Rulers which confessed not Christe loued the prayse of men more than the glory of God Bv. And Christe himselfe sayth He which denieth mee before men shall be denied of mee before my Father which is in heauen Mat. 10.33 C. To loue the prayse of men in this place signifieth to desire to be in estimation and fauoure among men Therefore the Euaungelist meaneth that these Rulers were so addicted vnto the worlde that they rather desired to please men than God R. The prayse of men is to be counted honest good and wise the glorye and prayse of God is to be obiected contemned scorned crucified and to be cruellye slaine For by these meanes Christ entered into the kingdome of his Father and the Father by them was glorified in the worlde Hee therefore which preferreth the prayse of men before the glorye of God is vaine and miserable seeing the praise of men tendeth to reproache and shame but the glory of God bringeth to euerlasting lyfe 44. Iesus cryed and sayd Hee that beleeueth on me beleeueth not on mee but on him that sent mee M. All this place contayneth a serious and summarie declaration by which the Lorde maketh plaine protestation concerning himselfe and his dispensation as that hée doth not defende his owne cause that hée came not at his owne pleasure but that hée was sent of the Father that hée is the light of the world sent to doe good and not harme that hee spake nothing of himselfe and therefore that they which beléeue in him beeleéue not in him but in the father which sent him and that hee iudgeth not the vnbeleeuing but that they must be iudged by the word which he hath preached And by this his serious contestation hys purpose was in plaine wordes to gyue his last farwell to this blinde and obstinate people to lay the blame of vnbelefe vppon their owne heades and manifestlye to testefie of his righteousnesse and innocencie And this hee did not symply and in the eares of one or two but freely and with a lowde voyce which the Euaungelist noateth by these wordes Iesus cryed and sayde So did the saintes of God in olde time protest before the people shewing that they had omitted nothing Deut 32 1. Iosua 23.4 King 12 3. Act. 20.33 which pertayned to the office committed vnto them as Moyses Iosua Samuell and Paule B. Also the purpose of our sauiour Christ was by his example speaking of him selfe with so loude a voyce than the which nothing greued more the Pharises to incourag those fearfull Rulers which beleeued on him that with him they might dispise the Pharises in respect of God And that they might do this he bringeth a moste vrgent and stronge reasone affirminge that
Euen as the father bad me so J speake R. As if hée shoulde saye when I call my selfe the Well of lyfe the quickening breade the light of the worlde the resurrection and the life I speake these things because my Father so commaunded me to the ende that he which would drincke which woulde be filled which would sée rise againe and liue euerlastinglye might come vnto me and beléeue in mee A. For these things I speake that yée might attaine to euerlasting saluation through mée ⧠The .xiij. Chapter 1 Before the feaste of Passouer when Iesus knewe that hys hovvre was come that hee should depart out of this worlde vnto the Father when hee loued his which were in the worlde vnto the ende hee loued them Before the feast of Passouer B. THE other Euangelystes in this place bring in the Historie of the holy Supper And the whole misterye hereof was ordayned to thys ende that by the breade which wée breake and by the Cuppe which wée blesse we are made pertakers of the bodye and bloude of the Lorde and wherby also the Lorde doth more and more liue in vs and wee in him Therefore séeing Saint Iohn hath alreadie spoken of the Lordes wordes concerning the true perticipation of his bodye and bloude in his sixt Chapter hée omitteth here the narration of the Supper for the right of the Eucharist beganne long before to bee familier and well knowne to all Christians Pretermitting therefore those thinges which pertaine to the Eucharist C. and manye other thinges also which hée knewe were put downe by Mathew and the rest hée taketh in hande to intreate of that thing which they had omitted as of this stoarie concerning the washing of the Disciples When Jesus knewe that his houre was come M. The Euangelist writeth this to forewarne the Reader that hée thinke not that any of those thinges which hée shall reade in the Chapter following happened without the foresight and knowledge of Christ For he was ignoraunt of none of those thinges which he suffered A. Iudas verelye the Disciples not knowing of the same conspired with the Rulers and high Priestes to betray Iesus but the same was not vnknowen vnto Christ Wherevpon it is sayd hereafter And Iesus knowing all thinges that shoulde come on him went forth Therefore so often as the enemies of the truth shall practise any thing against vs lette vs committe all thinges vnto him who can prouide for vs and our matters well ynough That J shoulde departe out of this world C. This is a speach worthy to be noated for it is referred to the knoweledge of Christ that he knewe his death to bée a passage vnto the heauenlye kingdome of God Wherefore yf hée making hast thyther did not let to loue hys Disciples as he was wont there is no cause now why wée should think that his affection is altered And nowe séeing hée is the firste béegotten among the dead this difinition of death pertayneth to the whoale body of the Church because it is a passage vnto God from the which the faythfull are as yet pilgrimes M. Therefore let vs so think and speak of our death 2. Cor. 5.4 that we maye also call the same a passage out of this world vnto the Father Let vs consider who and what this world is and wée shall desyer the death of the body because by the same wée go oute of this worlde into a moste happy estate voyde of all trouble sorrowe affliction and payne It maketh very much to the purpose that he vseth this word father To goe out of this world which is a vale of miseries and full of wickednesse and so passe not to the worse but vnto the better and not simply to the better but to the father also is suche a notable benefite that the sonne of God béeing afflicted and oppressed in this world could wishe for nothing better Vnto the ende he loued them C. Although the Euaungeliste doeth hereafter more plainly declare to what ende Christ washed his Disciples feete yet notwithstanding heare hee beeginneth to shewe afore hande in one worde that by this signe he would haue his constant and euerlasting loue declared with the which hee once loued them that when they had lost his presence and company yet they might be sertainly sure that hee was not ouerwhelmed in death the which perswacion also ought nowe to cleane in oure hartes The wordes are that Christ had loued hys Disciples whiche weare in the worlde Wherefore although we seeme to bee farre of from Christe yet notwithstanding let vs knowe that hee behouldeth vs because hee loueth his that are in the worlde For there is no doubte but that hee nowe beareth the same affection toward vs which he retained euen at this verye poynt of death M. But the Originall roote and cause is in Christe him selfe and not in his Disciples If so be the cause of this loue had bene in the Disciples it had not continued to the ende It is necessary therefore that the same rest in Christ who loueth those that are his with vnspeable loue vnto the ende CYR. And verilye when hée mighte haue escaped the crueltie of the Iewes and the paine of the Crosse hee so loued his that he refused not to dye for the life of all men And that this is the most perfecte loue our Sauiour Christ him selfe testifyeth This is my commaundement that ye loue one another Ioh. 15.13 euen as I haue loued you Greater loue can no man haue than this that a man should geue his lyfe for his friendes 2. And when Supper was done and that the Deuell had now put into the heart of Iudas Iscariot Simons Sonne to betraye him M. There are some which thinke that it ought to be thus red And supper beeing prepared For it maye be doubted whether these thinges were done after Supper or in Supper time AVG. It is very likely that Supper was not fully ended that is to saye that the Table was not yet taken awaye séeing it followeth by and by that the Lord tooke a morsell of bread and offered the same to Iudas And that the Deuell had now put into the heart of Iudas C. This the Euaungelist hath added not only to shew the wonderful patience of Christ who voutsafed to washe suche a wicked and false Traytors féete but also that he sought occasion to vse that tyme in the which he shoulde finishe the laste acte of his lyfe béeinge nere vnto death And whereas he sayeth that Iudas went about to betraye Christ by the impulsion of the Deuell he doth it to expresse the crueltie and hainousenes of the fault For this was more then a horrible and tragicall facte in the which the efficacie of Sathan declared it selfe B. Insomuch that it maye séeme not to come from mans minde C. It is very true that man committeth no manner of euell wherevnto the Deuell doth not stirre him but as the offence is more detestable and haynouse so the furye of
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
in their mindes and should teach tel them all those things which they had so often tymes all ready heard but not playnly inough for them to vnderstand partly because of their rudenes and partlye by reason of the sorrow of their hartes C. The Lorde at that time sowed the seede of doctrine which for a time laye as it were choaked in his Disciples Therfore he exhorteth them to hope wel vntill such time as the doctrine brought fruit whiche as yet might seme vnprofitable In fine he affirmeth vnto theÌ that plentifull matter of consolation was in that doctrine whiche they had heard The whiche although it dyd not by and by appeare vnto them yet neuerthelesse he wylleth them to be of good cheare vntill the Spirite the internall Scoolemaster spake the same in their harts A very profitable admonitioÌ for al men Except we haue by and by all that Christ teacheth we are weary and count our labour lost in trauelyng about obscure matters But we must bring with vs prompt docillytie and aptnesse to be taughte wee must geue dilligent eare be attentiue yf so be we desire to profit in the Scoole of God but specially we haue néede of sufferance vntyl such tyme as the spirit doth reueale that which as we thinke we haue red and hard very often This poonishment Esay threateneth to the vnbeleuing that the worde of God should be vnto them as a shut booke but the Lorde doth after this manner oftentimes humble his seruaunts Therefore we must paciently and quietly wayâe for the tyme of reuelation and must not therefore reiect the worde R. Fyrst of all we learne by this place that the holy Ghost is geuen to the Church of God the Father through the Mediatour Christ who hath purchassed the same of the Father that wée might be the sonnes of God by adoption C. Secondly we learne that the external preaching of the Gospel shal be to no purpose excepte the derection of the spirite be Ioyned therewith Therefore God vseth to teach by two maner of wayes namely by the outward sounde of his worde proceding out of mens mouthes and by the inwarde operation of his holy spirit and this be doth at diuers times according to his goodwil and pleasure T. Example here of we haue in the Actes of the Apostells of whome Saynt Luke wrighteth thus VVhose hart the Lorde opened so that he gaue dillygent heede vnto those thinges whiche Paull preached M. For we shall be alwaye taught in vaine withoute the Spirite of God be our teacher except he teach inwardly in the hart al doctrine is in effectuall yea although Christ should preache the same with his owne mouth Moreouer we are taught that the Doctrine of the Apostles is not of men but procéeding from the Spirite of GOD. For what other thing did they teache than that same which they had receyued from the holye Ghost R. This place is wonderfully construed by the wicked For they saye that Christ taught not all thinges but reserued many thinges for his Apostles to be reuealed by the holye Ghost of the which number they Iudge those wicked ceremonies of the Masse to bée But what doth Christ speake here C. What are all those thinges the teacher whereof hée promiseth that the Spirite shall be Hee shall sayth hee teach you al things and bring all thinges into your remembrance what ye shal do Wherevpon it followeth that there shall no newe reuelations In these fewe wordes all those things are confuted which Sathan hath brought into the church vnder the pretence of the holy ghost The Mahumetes and the Pope haue all one beginning of religion they boath affirming that the perfection of doctrine is not contained in the scripture but procéedeth from the reuelation of the spirite With these also agrée the Anabaptists and the Libertines But they are ledde by a sedusing Spirite and not by the spirite of Christ who thruste in straung Doctrine contrarye to the Gospell For Christ promiseth the holye Ghost which shoulde as asubscriber confirme the doctrine of the Gospell M. For the holye Ghost deliuered no other doctrine to the Apostles than the very same which they had hearde before out of the mouthe of Christ Let vs therefore take héede of those which boaste of the reuelations of the holy Ghost if so be they offer vnto vs straunge Doctrine contrarye to that which wée haue receyued of Christ 27. Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the worlde geueth giue I vnto you let not your hearts be greeued neither feare Peace I leaue with you Bv. The Lord persisteth still in all one argument of consolation M. And hee obserueth the manner of friendes departing away who when they take theyr leaue of theyr friendes are wont to leaue somewhat with them in steade of a blessing and doe wishe them peace and health C. By the name of peace hée meaneth prosperous successe alluding to the manner of his countrie as if hée shoulde saye I leaue with you my farewell M. And very aptly he placed this worde leaue to giue his Disciples to vnderstande that hée left his peace with them after his departing Peace wished and giuen by christ to his Apostles C. But strayght after he addeth that this peace is far more excelent than that which is commonly among men who often times for an outwarde shewe and fashion onelye haue peace in theyr mouth or if they doe wishe peace from theyr hearte to any man yet notwithstanding are not able in verie déed to giue the same But Christ sheweth that his peace doth not consiste in bare wishing but that it is also Ioyned with effecte As if he should saye I haue toulde you allready that I will not leaue you comfortles and that ye shall not dwell in the earth destitute of my helpe For although I be absente in bodye yet notwithstanding I will be present with you as God deliuering you from all euells in suche wise that your enemies shall neuer be able notwithstandinge their great malisse to dawnt your courage Thus ye shal be free from feare and Godes power shall protect you which shall reueale such secret misteries to your quiet mind as other mens mindes are not able to comprehende And nowe I giue vnto you peace not simplye or the common peace but my peace And because there is great difference betwéene the peace of the worlde and the peace of Christ hée addeth by and by these wordes Not as the worlde giueth giue J vnto you For the worlde calleth that peace which the truth calleth warre as the ydle and secure lyfe in pleasures not troubled with aduersitie For many misfortunes calamities and the iust wrath of GOD also followeth this A. For when the wicked shall saye Peace Peace of this worlde and all thinges are safe then shall sodayne destruction come vpon them euen as vpon a woman trauayling with Childe 1. Thes 5.3 and they shall not escape Bv. But the
concerning the braunches his Disciples C. And telleth them that they haue felt alreadye in them slues that whiche he had sayd because they were both planted and pourged in him M. As if he shoulde saye You my Disciples which are as braunches are cleane through the word which I haue spoken vnto you B. that is to saye through my doctrine which ye haue receyued For by the same ye are borne againe C. And there is no doubt but that he spake of the externall preaching when he expreslye nameth the worde whiche they had heard from his mouth Not that the voyce vttered by man hath onelye in it selfe such efficacy but in that Christ worketh in the heart by his spirite The voyce it selfe is the instrument of purging B. Therefore they are cleane which beléeue the Gospell and yet notwithstanding are purged that they maye bring foorth more fruite because by the gyft of the Father they profite in the Faith by whiche they are made the sonnes of God in the which the more they profite the more they are lyke vnto God and the more they fructefye aboue others Neuerthelesse Christ meaneth not that his Apostls are without al fault but setteth before them an experiment whereby they maye learne howe necessary the continnacion of grace is R. Therefore they were cleane not for theyr owne righteousnesse sake but for the worde which being reuealed by the spirite after the resurrectioÌ wrought cleannesse in the beléeuing Apostles So all Christians in them selues and in theyr owne righteousnesse are sinners but in Christ through the worde which they haue receyued by faith are iust and cleane R. We must also noate how the sanctifycation and purgation of the faithful as in the Scripture attributed to diuers thinges Purgation attributed to diuers thinges in diuers respects For the Father pourgeth by his spirite as the aucthour the worde purgeth as the hande and power of the aucthour the Sacrament purgeth as the instrument and appendix of the word and faith purgeth as it receyueth purgatirn from the Father by the worde wherevnto the Sacrament is tyed For thou shalt beléeue in vaine if thou beléeue not the recorde Rom x 17 A. Because true faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Therefore we must noate all those sayinges which séeme to attribute purgation to diuers thinges as when it is sayde that God hath purifyed the hearts Also Actes xv ix Ye haue cleansed your heartes by obeying the trueth Againe Christ hath sanctifyed the Churche i. Pet. i. xxij cleansing the same by the fountaine of water in the worde of lyfe Ephe. 5.25 Also Hee hath saued vs through the lauer of regeneration Titus 3.5 and of the renuing of the holy ghost All these places spring from one grounde and tende to this ende that we might vnderstande the manner of purgation and the doctrine of of the Gospell C. the which Christ in this place commendeth vnto his Disciples of the fruite to the ende they might be the more prouoked to the meditacion thereof séeing it is as it were the husband mans knife to proyne and cut of rotten and fruiteles twigges 4. Bide in mee and I in you As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abyde in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me C. Againe hée exhorteth his Disciples to studdye and care to retaine and kéepe that grace with the whiche they are endued For the securitye of the fleshe can neuer sufficiently bée awaked And verilye Christ sought nothing else but to gather vs as a Hen doth her Chickins vnder her winges vnder his protection least by our lightnesse we being crept awaye might flee from him to our owne destruction Therefore to proue that hée had not begon the worke of our saluation to leaue the same vnperfecte he promiseth that his spirite shal be alwaies effectuall in vs. Abyde in mée sayeth hée because I am readye to abyde in you R. We abide in Christ by faith Christ abydeth in vs by his worde A. Herevppon Saint Iohn sayeth i Ioh. 3 24 Hee which keepeth his commaundementes abydeth in him and he in him And hereby we know that he abydeth in vs euen by the spirite which he hath geuen vs. Concerning farther matter reade the sixe and fiftye verse of the sixt Chapter going before As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe Bv. More largelye and plainlye hée declareth by sentences what was the coniunction of Christ and of the Saints in the Churche and what fruite sprang from the same in the Church That is to saye that of that onelye coniunction and knitting tageather good fruites doe spring and that without him no good fruite doeth come from any man And the sentences or collations are these As the braunche of it selfe that is to saye of his owne nature and proper strength béeing taken awaye from his vine cannot bring forth any good fruite euenso except we abyde in Christ wée cannot bring foorth of our owne strength any good workes For it is Christ which watereth and norisheth vs by the grace of his spirite as it were by water that we might easilye bring forth the fruites of godlynesse And to the ende we might the more trulye vnderstande the collation he addeth saying 5. I am the Vine Ye are the braunches he that abydeth in mee and I in him the same bringeth forth much frute for without me can ye doe nothing M. Hée declareth and sheweth vnto his Disciples who they are and what he him selfe is lest that should be attributed to the brannches which belongeth vnto the Vine Bv. As if he should say Least ye shoulde bée ignoraunt what I meane by the Vine and what be the braunches Knowe ye that I aloane am that Godlye Vine which beare braunches and by my sap and moysture doe cause the same to fructefye but you my Disciples and so many as beléeue in mée are the braunches who of them selues that is to saye of theyr owne strength bring forth no good fruite For without mee can ye doe nothing This is the conclusion and application of the whoale parrable So long as we are without him we bring forth no good fruite acceptable vnto God because we are not apte to doe good R. What can be spoken more plainly against frée wyll Free wâl ouerthrown and against al humane strength be it neuer so strong For as the braunche being cut from the Vine bringeth forth no fruite but wythereth awaye euen so man can doe nothing at all to attaine to righteousnesse and saluation if so bee through vnbeleefe he bée separated from Christ Bv. This place therefore is verye notable and strong against the defendours of frée wyll affirming that it is in our owne strength and power to worke that which is good C. The Papistes notwithstanding do not onelye extenuate this sentence but also wreste and dallye with the same For although in worde onlye they confesse that we can doe nothing
shall séeke no other thing than that which pleaseth him secondlye that they shall be so déere and acceptable in the sight of GOD that whatsoeuer they wyll by his clemencye they shall receyue So also sayeth the Prophete Dauid He wyll fulfyll the desire of them that feare him Psal 145 hee also wyll heare theyr crye and wyll helpe them And my wordes abide in you Bv. In these fewe wordes hée expoundeth who they bée whiche abyde in Christe namelye they in whome the wordes of Christ doe abyde And the wordes of Christ doe abyde in the Faithfull For these by faith doe receyue the Euangelicall doctrine of Christ and retayne the same C. Therefore when they forsake the doctrine of the Gospel they séeke after Christ in vaine M. Lastlye wée must noate that Christ sayde not Whatsoeuer ye wyll ye shall doe But Aske what ye wyll and it shal be done for you For although the faithful seruauntes of Christe are acceptable vnto GOD yet notwithstanding they haue not power to do what they wyll or no attribute any thing to theyr right or merites but ought to depende vppon the grace of God onelye and to aske those thinges of him which are necessarye For the Lorde knoweth what thinges they haue néede of and is readye to doe and to geue vnto them whatsoeuer hée knoweth to bée profitable vnto them but to nourishe faith and trust in their harts hée geueth vnto them the spirite of prayer that they maye requyre all thinges at his hande by humble peticion Bv. Therefore to what ende should we retaine Christ corporally if so be otherwyse he geue vnto his faithfull seruants that which they require and is alwaye readye to helpe them Doeth he séeme to be absent which fulfilleth the desires of his seruauntes Wherefore wée ought not to be discouraged from praier though wee haue not the corporall presence of the Lorde 8. Herein is my Father glorified that ye beare muche fruite and become my Disciples C. This is a confirmation of the sentence going before For he sheweth that we must not doubte but that he heareth the prayers of his seruauntes when they desire to be made fruitefull because this speciallye appertayneth to the setting forth of his glorye R. But is not the Father glorious by his owne nature Howe then can we glorifye him The Father verilye is glorious in him selfe from euerlasting but yet he doth not alwayes appeare manifestlye to bée glorious Euen as he is wonderfull most wyse and liberall from euerlasting yet notwithstanding hée hath not so appeared before the condicion of the worlde For his wisedome power and liberallitye was shewed afterwarde in the creation of the world Thus he was alwaies glorifyed by his owne nature yet not manifestly His glory is declared when he sanctifyeth the elect and maketh them to bring forth fruite that is to saye to beléeue and to loue Faith vanquisheth the Deuell And loue the world For by faith all the deceites of Sathan are ouercome and by loue all the iniuryes of the world are subdued For who would haue known that the power of God ouer Sathan had béene so great and all the rule and principallity of this worlde if so be the same had not béene manifested in the faithfull when they ouercome Sathan and the worlde Therfore the Father is glorifyed God is glorifyed by faith when one beléeueth and by Faith is made a Disciple of Christ that is to saye the sonne of God by adoption He is also gloryfied when fayth bringeth forth the fruite of loue in the beléeuing For it is the glory of God to ouercome sinnes by Christe to boast of the righteousnesse of Christ The Father is not gloryfied by ceremonies by mannes inuencions by frée wil and by humaine strength but he is gloryfied by Faith and charitye Wherefore if we wyll glorifye the Father let vs beléeue in the sonne let vs abyde in the worde of the sonne and let vs loue one another euen as Christ hath loued vs. C. For he pronounceth here that he hath none in his flocke but suche as fructefye to the glorye of God Bv. To the which effecte pertaineth this saying of Christ Let your lyght so shine before men Math 5.16 that they may see your good works and glorifye your Father whiche is in heauen And become my Disciples M. This ought not so to be vnderstoode as though by fructefying wee were made the Disciples of Christ because we must first be true Disciples of Christ and then to doe the workes of Disciples His wordes are as muche as if he had sayd And declare your selues to bee my true Disciples by abyding in my worde For if ye abyde in my word then are ye my verye Disciples Iohn 8 31. and ye shall knowe the trueth and the trueth shall make you free 9. As the Father hath loued mee euen so haue I loued you continue in my loue M. Hée goeth forewarde in exhorting his Disciples to abyde in his loue And in this place he taketh an argument to perswade by his owne example and the example of his Father C. By which wordes his purpose was to expresse a farre greater matter than the common sort doe deny or iudge For here they make a loÌg discourse but beside the purpose concerning the secréete loue of the father with the which he hath been alwayes affected toward his sonne wheÌ as rather the purpose of Christ was to laye as it were in our lap the sure pledge of his diuine loue toward vs. Therfore that whiche they imagine appertaineth nothing to this present place But the loue of the which mencion is made here is to be referred vnto our selues because Christ testifieth that hee is loued of the Father in that he is the head of the Church For he which séeketh to know how he is loued of God without a Mediator bringeth him selfe into a Labyrinth in the which he shall finde no way to get forth Therefore we must cast our eyes vppon Christ in whom we shal finde the pledge of Gods loue For vpon him the whole loue of God is layde that from him it might flowe to his members For this cause he is sayde to be the well beloued sonne in whome the Father is well pleased But we must noate the ende Math. 3.7 which is That we maye be acceptable vnto God So that we may behold the Fatherlye loue of God toward vs all in him euen as in a glasse because he is not loued for his owne sake but to Ioyne vs with the Father vnto him R. Therfore as the Father loued the Sonne and gaue vnto him all good thinges sustained him vnder the Crosse and deliuered his soule out of hell so the Sonne also loueth the Faithfull and geueth vnto them all those graces which he hath receiued from the Father beareth them vp vnder the Crosse bringeth them from death to life and deliuereth them out of Hell Abide ye in my loue Some expounde these
fructefying to haue frée accesse vnto the Father C. Therefore this part was not added as not appertayning to that which weÌt before as it maye séeme to be For séeing the office and labour of teaching doth far surpasse the strength of man Sathan geueth many assaultes against the same which they are neuer able to abyde but by the strength and power of God Thereforee âst the Apostles shoulde bée discouraged Christ stayeth them vp with a notable coÌfort As if he should say If ye shal haue more worke than ye shal be able to finishe in your office my Father wyl helpe you whose hand is prest and ready to helpe you so often as ye desyre the same in my name And in verye déede whereas some teachers geue ouer theyr office eyther for that they are sleuthful or else because they dispaire and are discouraged it commeth so to passe because they are not exercised in feruent praier Wherefore let this promise of Christ styrre vs vp to call vpon God For whosoeuer knoweth that the successe of this worke commeth only from God he wyll offer his labor vnto him with feare and trimbling and contrariwise if a man distrusting his labour do neglect the helpe of God or when he cometh to the pushe doeth cast away his speare and shield hée shall profite nothing Finally these two vices must be shunned namelye arrogancy distrust because as they do careleslâye forsake the helpe of God who thinke that they haue alreadye the matter in theyr owne hande so also in many straites they faint because they doe not consider that they fighte armed with the power of God vnder whose banner they fight 17. This coÌmaund I you that ye loue togeather C. This also was added in due and conuenient order to the ende the Apostls might know that mutuall loue was speciallye required to be in the Ministers Concorde buildeth vp Gods Church whereby they might builde the Churche of God with concorde For there can be no greater let than when euerye one laboureth by himselfe and do not ioyntlye conferre and labour togeather in one worke Except therefore the Ministers haue brotherly loue among them selues whatsoeuer they take in hand it shal not prospere so that the building of Gods Churche shall not goe forewarde Bv. Therefore the wordes of the Lord are thus muche in effect I woulde not haue you which are my Disciples to followe men whiche are geuen vnto the worlde which doe hate and deuoure one another for the loue of Ritches and honour I woulde not haue you after that sort to contende among your selues because the world alwayes conteÌdeth with you But rather I wyll and commaund you to cleaâe and ioyne togeather in the sweete bond of loue That loue mutual concorde shall bring to passe that ye shall the more easilye and stronglye beare the hatered and persecutions of the worlde R. Let this therefore moue you to loue one another because ye shall haue none in the worlde which loue you truely and sincerelye no the worlde shall rather hate you Wherfore sée that ye loue one another 18. Yf the worlde hate you Ye knowe that it hated me before it hated you M. The dilligent reader may hereby perceyue that the Lorde omitted nothing at his departure which might eyther instruct eyther moue either exhort or else confirme comfort his Disciples Hytherto he had taught admonished and comforted them diuers sondry wayes C. After therefore he had armed them to the battaile he also exhorteth them to patience For the Gospell cannot so soone be preached but the worlde is by and by on a roare Wherefore it can neuer be that Godlye teachers should be frée from the hatered of the worlde A. For if so bée so many as wyll lyue Godlye in Christ Iesu 2. Tim 3 i2 shall suffer persecution how can they escape the Crosse which preache the worde of trueth which is hated of the whoale world C. Christ therefore in good tyme gaue this admonition to his Apostls lest the same might haue happened to them which commonly befalleth vnarmed and ignoraunt Souldiours who for want of skyll are verye boulde before they sée their enemyes but when they come to the battayle they turne their backes and ronne awaye And Christ doeth not onely forewarne his Disciples lest any newe or soddaine matter should happen vnto them but also confirmeth them by his example as if he shoulde saye I haue exhorted you that aboue all thinges ye séeke to loue one another the which shall cause you dillygently to execute your office to the whiche I haue chosen you But I knowe that the world wyll be as troublesome to you as it hath béene to mée Therefore when the worlde shall requite you with deadly hatered for so great a benefite ⪠whiche you bryng vnto them consider that it hath also hated me whiche am your Maister and farre more excellent than you Bv. By the worlde hée vnderstandeth men lyuing in the world and following the desires of their fleshe iudging all thinges after the fashion of this worlde who are ignoraunt of God and of the misteryes of the kingdome of God And these men are of twoo sortes Some are Hipocrites who woulde séeme to bée followers of vertue to hate vnrighteousnesse and to bée the true worshippers of the true God by the stoodye and loue of true Religion when as in verye déede they are dissemblers neglectours of vertue supersticious men vaine worshippers of God by traditions of men Such were the Pharisées among the Iewes Othersome are Epicures which neyther imbrace righteousnesse nor regarde honestye onely following the fleshe and the pleasures of the same and if any among them séeme to bée honest yet notwithstanding they are worshippers of Idolles and contemners of the true worship of God Such were the most part of the Gentiles And this world or rather worldlye men cannot choose but hate the preaching of the Gospell and the Preachers of the same For they doe greatly accuse and condempne supersticion false righteousnesse pleasures good intencions hipocrisie and impietye they preache Christ the true righteousnesse and sauing health they exhort to holinesse and they them selues lyue purely and Godly repose their trust in God and loke for the life of the worlde to come C. But suche must be armed by the example of Christ For it is not méete that séeing he was hated of the worlde they whiche represent his personne shoulde haue the worlde their friende Before it hated you A. Concerning the hatered of the world against Christ and his Ministers reade the seuenth Chapter going before beginning at the seuenth verse 19. Yf yee were of the vvorlde the worlde would loue his owne Howbeit because ye are not of the vvorlde but I haue chosen you out of the vvorld therfore the vvorld hateth you B. Although worldlye men doe neuer truelye loue one another because euerye one séeketh onely for him selfe yet notwithstanding they detest nothing more than the sincere loue
of God Herevnto they are driuen by Sathan their Prince that oulde enemy of God Wherevpon if so be the Apostles had not béene chosen out of the worlde and endewed with the spirite which is an enemye to the Prince of this world although they had not béene beloued of the men of this worlde yet notwithstanding they had béene borne withall and loued of some But they séeking the glorye of God styrred vp the whoale worlde against them that is to saye all those whiche were not endued with the spirite of God C. This therefore is another consolation that the Apostles were therefore hated of the worlde because they were selected and chosen out of the same And this is their true felicitye and glorye because after this manner they haue escaped out of destruction for this worlde is euen vowed to destruction i. Cor. xi 32 Herevppon the Apostle sayth VVhen we are iudged we are corrected of the Lorde lest wee shoulde be condempned with the world Nowe if they were elected out of this worlde it followeth that they were part of this worlde and that they were seperated by the onelye mercye of God from the rest Gala. i. 4 A. Euen as the Apostle Paule sheweth in these wordes VVhich gaue him selfe for our sinnes to delyuer vs from this present euyll worlde according to the wyll of God and our Father M. Here we sée the cause for the which false and counterfaite doctrine is more easilye receyued of men than that which is true For the world loueth his owne But euery one is a lyar Psa 116 xi It is no maruaile therfore if the world fauour the teachers of lyes and errours i. Iohn 4 5 and be enuious to the rest A. Wherevpon Saint Iohn sayeth They are of the worlde therefore the world heareth them Therefore it cannot be but that they shall haue continuall warre with men whiche wyll shewe them selues to bée the faithfull Ministers of Christ C. Yet notwithstanding that exhortacion of Saint Paul is not repugnaunt with this Doctrine Romae ii i8 when he sayeth So much as in you lyeth haue peace with all men For the exception which is added is as much as if he had sayde that wée must looke what is lawfull and meete for vs to doe lest we séeking to please the worlde suffer corruptions abuses of the same For the same Apostle sayeth in another place Doe I seeke to please men For if I had hytherto pleased men Gala. i. x I had not beene the seruaunt of God But there may yet another question be moued For we sée that the wicked which are of this worlde are not commonlye hated but also detested and abhorred of the greater parte Here the worlde loueth not his owne I aunswere Earthlye men whiche are lead by the scence and motion of the fleshe do neuer truely hate sinne but onely so farre foorth as they haue a care for their owne commodity and losse Howbeit the purpose of Christ was not to denye but that there was mortall war contencion among those of the worlde onely he minded so shewe that the world hated nothing but that whiche belonged to God in the Faithfull And hereby also it doeth appeare howe fondly the Annabaptistes do erre who gather by this argument aloane that they are the seruauntes of God because they displease the greater sort of men 20. Remember the word that I saide vnto you The Seruaunte is not greater than the Lord Yf they haue persecuted mee they will also persecute you Yf they haue kepte my saying they will keepe youres also Remember the worde that I sayde M. Concerning this word of Christ reade the sixtéene verse of the thirtéene Chapter going before C. This is a confirmation of the sentence going before where Christ sayde that he was hated of the worlde who notwithstanding was more excellent than his Disciples For it is not méete that the condition of the seruaunt shoulde bée better than his Maisters M. By this place we are taught how muche it becommeth vs not onelye to heare the worde of God but also to remember the same For as it is not sufficient to haue money for the present time except thou kéepe the same also for necessarye vses so also we must thinke of the worde of the Lorde To heare the worde of Christ and not kéepe the same in mynde is as if a man shoulde get money and by and by wast and spende the same The wordes of Christ must bée kept for necessitye to come Also we sée that the Apostles were the seruauntes of Christ although he made account of theÌ not as of seruauntes but as of friendes If they haue persecuted mee Bv. As if he should saye Yf they haue not spared me which am your Lord and Prince excellent and mightye boath in word and also in power but haue greatlye persecuted me it is not lyke that they wyll spare you which are far inferiour vnto me If they haue kepte my saying C. When he had spoken of the persons he maketh mencion also of doctrine For there is nothing that troubleth the Godly more than when they see the doctrine of God to bée prowdlye contempned of men M. Hée must néedes be a verye prowde Disciple whiche perswadeth him selfe that hée can so delyuer the doctrine of trueth vnto the worlde that those thinges which he teacheth shall bée receiued and kept when Christ him selfe missed of the same If any man demaund saying to what ende then preached hee and why did he commaunde his Disciples to preach this word so hated and despised of the world We answere Firste there were many of the electe which had receyued the same worde of truthe for whose sake it was méete that the Gospell should be publiquely taught Secondlye it was necessarye that the trueth shoulde bée set before the Reprobates to the ende they might haue no excuse of theyr vnbeléefe euen as it shal be shewed in the twoo and twentye and foure and twenty verses following When Christ sayeth your doctrine and mine it is to bée referred to the Ministerye There is but one onelye teacher of the Churche whiche is Christ but hée woulde haue his Doctrine of the which he was the first Minister to bée preached by his Apostles A. Wherevppon in the seuentéene Chapter following hée calleth his word theyrs when hée sayeth Neuerthelesse I pray not for them aloane i. Pet. 4. i5 but for them also whiche shall beleeue on me through their worde 21. But all these thinges will they doe vnto you for my names sake because they haue not knowne him that sent me M. Hée nowe sheweth the principall cause of the hatered and persecution of his Disciples by the worlde namelye the mousterous madnesse that is in the worlde being so outragious against the doctrine of saluation through ignoraunce For no man could wyttinglye presume to withstande GOD. Therefore it is ignoraunce and blindnesse whiche maketh the worlde so boulde as to resist Christ Wée must
would not haue you so to vnderstand the same as though he should testifye of mée and you hould your peace By you he shall do al thinges as by chosen instruments For I haue chosen you from the beginning to preach the Gospell therefore haue I taken you vnto mée that ye might testefye of all my wordes and déedes Therefore he shall geue testimony of me and ye shal geue testimony also insomuche that looke what he sayeth ye shall saye the same he in your hearts but you in wordes he by inspiring but you by speaking C. Nowe we sée howe fayth commeth by hearing and yet notwithstanding it hath his certainty from the seale of the spirite They which doe not sufficiently knowe the darcknesse of mens mindes thinke that faith is conceiued naturally by preaching onelye And contrarywyse there are some so farre out of their wittes that they cannot abyde externall preaching But wée sée howe Christe ioyneth these two togeather Therefore although there bée no fayth vntyl the spirite of God doe illuminate our mindes and seale oure heartes yet notwithstanding we must not séeke for visions and Oracles from the cloudes but the word which is néere vnto vs in our mouth and harte oughte to haue all our scences occupyed and fastened to the same Esa 59.21 euenas sayth the prophete Esay as I will make this my couenaunte with them sayeth the Lord my spirite which I haue put vppon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not departe out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede c. R. So that this place confirmeth the authority and doctrine of the Apostles For the Comforter suffereth the Apostles which are men to be weake still in the fleshe but it maketh them mightie in doctrine that their worde might not be humayne but the word of God for they preach the word of Christ C. This clause Because ye haue been with me from the begin was therefore added that wee mighte knowe that the Apostles deserued the more credit because they were eye witnesses of those things which they spake A As we maye reade in diuers places but specially in the Acts of the Apostles Acts. x. 41 2. Pet. i. 16. i. Iohn i. 1. C. For the Lord would haue vs to be so prouided for that nothing which apertaned to the confirmation of the Gospell might be wanting vnto vs. ⧠The .xvj. Chapter 1. These thinges haue I sayd vnto you because ye should not be offended C. CHRIST IN these wordes sheweth wherfore hée forewarned his Disciples of the persecution to come declaring that nothing of those thinges which he had spoken was superfluous For séeing that contencions and battailes were prepared for them it was méete and conuenient that they shoulde be armed and prepared for the same And withall he geueth them to vnderstand that if so be they were well instructed in this Doctrine they shoulde be able to fight R. Therefore before Christ comforted his Apostls with the promise of the comforter which comforteth and confyrmeth the heart in all aduersity and nowe he wylleth them to prepare themselues for the Crosse to come lest the wanes of aduersitye flowing vppon them they should bée offended and slyde from the trueth of the Gospell For thus flesh blood is wont to reason Yf this doctrine were true it should not haue so many aduersaryes and persecutours againe if he were the sonne of God the beloued of God he should not be ouerwhelmed with so many euilles Against this offence Christ fortefyeth al his Apostles with his word foreshewing that they and the Faythfull shall suffer proscription persecution excommunication and be kylled least they should saye as ignoraunt men are wont to doe I wyst not of it For this is an oulde custome that the Kinges Princes and Prelates of this worlde shoulde persecute the worde of trueth and by all meanes afflicte the Preachers of the worde Luke 6 23 So dyd they saith he vnto the Prophets which went before you C. Therefore that which Christ sayde then vnto the Apostles is also spoken vnto vs. And fyrst of all let vs noate that Christ sendeth not his Apostles into the field vnarmed and therfore none perishe in this warrefare but through the faulte of their owne cowardlinesse Neyther must we differre the time vntyll we come vnto present necessitye but must rather endeuoure our selues that we being acquainted and familiarlye accustomed with these wordes of Christ maye goe to the battayle when néede shal requyre For there is no doubt but that we haue the victory in our hand so long as these admonitions of Christ shal be fast imprinted in our mindes For when hée sayeth Because ye shoulde not be offended hée geueth vs to vnderstande that there is no perryll least any thing shoulde tourne vs out of the right course But hereby it appereth howe fewe there are which rightlye learne this doctrine because they whiche thinke that they haue this at theyr fingers endes without all daunger when they shoulde come to fight hande to hande fayle and slyde away euen as ignoraunt men that knowe nothing Let vs therefore arme and fortefye our selues with suche weapons as wyl not fayle in tyme of neede M. Hée is offended whiche hath had any thinge happening vnto hym contrarye to his expectation Hee whiche is offended doeth easylye goe backe and chaunge his minde Because therefore the Lorde Iesus sought wholy to exhorte his Disciples to constancye and perseueraunce lest they should forsake him but rather shoulde abide in him the true Vine as good and fruitefull braunches he doeth verye well foretell them of the persecution to come lest when the same shoulde come they might bée offended and so fall awaye Therefore wée are here taught that they doe reason amisse of Predestination whiche doe exclude all dilligent taking héede to shonne euell If so bee saye they the matter be so in destenies that I shal be offended and fall it cannot bee let by any meanes but that I shal be offended and fall although I shonne euerye stombling stoane of offence if it be not in destinies then also it shall not come to passe and so al caution or taking heede is but vaine If these thinges haue reason then is that vaine whiche the Lord hath here spoken These thinges haue I spoken vnto you because yee shoulde not bee offended But it is not in vaine because offence maye and ought to be auoyded Therefore this admonition is verye profitable and necessarye if so be wée waye and consider howe proane wée be to fall at euerye offence and stombling stoane Yf so be the Apostles ought to feare offence who had séene so many wonders done by Christ what is it that we ought to feare being inferiour vnto them 2. They shall excommunicate you ⪠yea the time shall come that vvhosoeuer kylleth you wyll thinke that he doeth God seruice M. Here he speaketh of excommunication by which the Apostles were to be cast
being before the world beganne who afterwarde when the fulnesse of tyme came abasing himselfe and taking vpon him the forme of a seruaunt Gal 4 4 was made man Whome at the laste God set on his right hande in heauenlye places farre aboue all rule power and mighte and dominion and euery name that is named Ephe i 20 not in this worlde onely but also in the world to come Therefore it is euident that hée is not a newe or temporall God For if so bée his glorye be eternall himselfe also must nedes be sempiternall Moreouer wee haue here a manifest didistintion betwene him and the person of the Father Where by wee gather not onely that God is eternall but also that the worde of God is eternall begotten of the Father before all worlds The Lorde sayth he hath possessed mée in the begynning of hys wayes Proue 8 22 I was before hys workes of oulde I was set vp from euerlasting from the beginning and before the earth Therefore he prayeth not to receyue any new thing but that againe the forme and glorye of God which for a time lay hid myght be manifested in him by the resurrection R. By thys example wee also are taught that when wee are deliuered vnto the Crosse and doe sustayne ignominye and reproche wée bende our eies to that glorye of the Children of GOD Mat 25 34 which wée shall haue with the Father prepared before the beginning of the worlde Rom. 8 i8 For so Chryst maketh mention of hys kingdome that it was prepared before the beginning of the worlde for all the faithfull Also the Apostle Paule sayth that the afflictions of thys tyme are not worthy of the glorye which shall be shewed vppon vs and hée sayth that God hath predestinate vs that we might be made lyke vnto the Image of his sonne 6. I haue declared thy name vnto the men whiche thou gauest me out of the world thine they were and thou gauest them me and they haue kept thy woorde M. Thus farre Christ hath prayed for the glorifying of him selfe and of his father and nowe he beginneth to praye vnto the father for his Disciples Fyrste this place sheweth that Christ is a setter forth and glorifyer of the fathers name A. And the name of God in this place is not a sertaine bare word but the very same which we ought to think know beléeue and preach concerning God as of the moste louing Father and onelye preseruer of mankynd that to manifeste his name and to manifeste him or to make him knowen may be all one The name of God is mercy remission of sinnes goodnesse righteousenesse redemption and saluation All these are made manyfest are reueled concerning God through the Gospell The Iewes had heard much of God before the comming of Christ but yet notwithstanding they knowe not this his name which was manifested by Christ but as they receiued the same at the mouth of Christ By these wordes of Christ also we artaught that the name of thâ father is not reuealed but only to the electe He had taught and wrought myracles openly but yet for all that none knew the name of the father but onlye the elect C. There wanted no dilligence in Christ to call all men vnto God but his labor was onely profitable and effectuall to the elect His preaching was heard of all men which preaching manyfested the name of God neyther did he lette to defende his glory before the obstinate Why then doth he saye that he manyfested hym selfe onlye to a fewe but only beecause the elect alone do profite by the inward instruction and reuelation of the spirite Vnderstand therefore that not al to whome the Gospell is preached are truely effectually taught but they only whose mindes are illumined The cause hereof Christ assigneth to Gods election because he putteth no other difference why he omitting some manyfested hys fathers name to othersome but onelye because they weare geuen Faith proceedeth froÌ predestination Wherevppon it followeth that fayth springeth from Gods eternall predestination and that it is not generally geuen to al men because all appertayne not vnto Christ WheÌ he addeth saying out of the world he playnly teacheth that his Apostles were sometime of the world as were also the rest of the elect and geuen vnto Christ The father might haue geuen Aungels from heauen to his Sonne Christe by whose meanes he might haue manifested his name to the worlde but hée thought it better to choose sertayne oute of the world that is to saye oute of the nomber of them which were conceyued in synne and subiecte to death and so geue them vnto Christ to be his Disciples in whome there might appeare a sertayne vewe of the Heauenlye grace For they were as were others also by nature the children of wrath But concerning this we haue spoken more in the fiftéene chapter before Thine they were and thou gauest them mee M All thynges belong vnto God the father but two manner of wayes All thinges are his in that he is Creatoure and Lord of all thinges whether in heauen or in the earth thus the wicked and reprobate are his Agayne all they are his specially whome he hath elected and receiued into his fauoure These are chosen to life he gaue them vnto his sonne the only sauiour and Mediatoure to be saued when by the preaching of the Gospell hée called them to fayth in hym Therefore in these words is noated the eternitie of election and also bowe we ought to consider of the same Christ declareth that they were alwayes the electe of God Wherefore GOD discerneth them from the reprobate not by fayth or by any merite but by his méere and frée grace because when they weare farthest from him yet in his secret counsayl and purpose he accounted them for his The assurance and safety consysteth in this that he hath geuen al those to his sonne to kepe whom he hath chosen least they shoulde perish and herevnto we must bende our eyes that we may know for sertayne that we are in the number of Gods children For in him is Godes predestination hid and in Christ onelye the same is reuealed R. For he will saue none but suche as beleeue in Christ For hee hath appoynted Christ to bee a Mediatour an intercessor and a iustefier Wherevpon hée sayth They were thine that is to say they were elected of thée and thou haste geuen them vnto me that is thou hast so ordayned that they shoulde be saued by mée Wherefore I woulde not haue thée first to séeke thy selfe in God but in Christ in whome if thou finde thy selfe by fayth be thou sure that God hath predestinate thée to lyfe And they haue kept thy worde M. Hée sayth not sympely And they haue hearde thy worde but And they haue kept thy worde It is one thing to heare with oure eares the worde of truth and another thing to feele and retaine the same with our hearte This onelye
theire desiers whiche exceeded very much by this meanes which he prescribeth Hee promiseth not vnto his disciples the grace of his Father which might deliuer them from all care and labour but whiche mighte arme them with inuincible fortitude agaynste theyr enemies and defende them agaynste the huge heape of dissentions whych they shoulde sustayne Therfore if we desire to bee saued according too the Rule of Christe we muste not desire to be frée from euils neyther muste wee praye vnto God to deliuer vs by and by into blessed reste and peace but we must coÌtente our selues with a sure truste and hope of victorye and must stronglye and constantly resiste all euils from the which Christe prayeth hys father that wée may haue a happy deliuerance 1. Cor. 10.13 R. For God is faithful which wil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strengh Mat. 6.13 but in the midest of temptation will make awaye that we may be able to beare it M. To thys effecte perteyneth this petition of the Lordes prayer Leade vs not into teÌptation but deliuer vs from euill C. To be shorte God taketh not those that are his out of the worlde bicause hee woulde not haue them Idle and sloughfull yet notwithstanding he deliuerethe them from euill leste they shoulde be destroyed For he woulde haue them fyghte but he woulde not haue them wounded to deathe R. Therefore by this woorde Euill vnderstande not affliction Crosse and death but sinne impietie infidelitie and falling a way from the Gospell the which euil being taken away other euills wil turne to good For in that Christe hath taken a waye synne the euills and wages of synne remayning hee declareth his glory and power by which of euill hee maketh good For deathe bycause it is the rewarde of synne and the Crosse bicause it is the hyer of sinne are euills but synne beeyng taken a waye by faythe they are made good and they must abyde with the Godly in this worlde that they may be proued and purged as it were through fyre 17. Sanctify theÌ through thy truth thy worde is the truthe M. Before hee sayde I haue giuen vnto them thy worde nowe he prayeth that they mighte bee sanctified with the spirite of God at their entering into the Apostleship whereby the truthe of God mighte be spred throughout the whole worlde that is to saie that they mighte supplie his roome and bee confyrmed Therefore this sanctification comprehendeth the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof that it mighte also bee extended to all the béeleeuing though not Apostles the whiche is brought to passe when God renueth vs by hys holy Spyrite and confyrmeth the grace of renouation in vs and continueth the same to the ende Fyrste of all therefore hee prayethe that the Father woulde sanctifie hys disciples that is too saye that hee woulde whollye addiecte them vnto him and take them too him selfe as a holie and principall charge Secondlye hee shewethe the manner howe hee woulde haue them sanctifyed and that not withoute cause For there are sertayne braynesicke Menne whiche babble and prate muche of sanctification but doe omit the truthe of God by whiche hee consecrateth vs too him selfe Moreouer bycause others no lesse mad than they do tryffle and toie with that truth of the which ther is mention made here and do in the meane time neglecte the worde Christ plainelie affirmeth that the truth is no wher els to be found than ãâ¦ã which doth ãâ¦ã is it ãâã For ãâ¦ã be sâââled with âââpe and work according to the custome of the lawe saââg the bloude of Christ is mutable and hâddeâ from our eyes Therfore it is ãâã the consciences by the worde of the Gospel which is the truth And the word is this Christ dyed for vs ãâ¦ã for my ââeepe âake ye ãâ¦ã thys is my body which iâ giuen for your drynke yeâ this is my bloude âhiche is shed for you And suche lyke 1 Pet. â 18 Ioh â 1â.15 Mat. 26 26 Ephe. â 26 In this sence Paule affirmeth that the church is clensed by the fountayne of water in the worde of life R. Also Christ sayth Now are ye all cleane through the vvorde which I haue spoken vnto you And Peter sayth Ioh. 15.3 Purifying your soules in obeying the truth by the spirit C. It is God onely whiche sanctifieth 1. Pet. 1.22 A. I am the Lorde sayth he vvhich sanctifie you but bicause his Gospell is the power of saluation to euerye one that beleeueth whosoeuer forsaketh that meane Rom. 1.19 he must needes be more filthe euery day than other Truthe here by excellencie is taken for the light of Heauenly wisedome in the which God hath reuealed him selfe vnto vs that hée mighte make vs lyke ãâ¦ã 18. As thou dyddest send me into the worlde euen so also haue I sente them into the worlde C By another Argumente he confirmeth his prayer namely bicause his and the Apostels calling was all one Now sayth he I commit vnto them that office which hytherto I my selfe haue sustayned and borne at thy commandement Therefore it is necessary that they be instructed and armed with the power of thy spirite that they maye bee able too beare so greate a burthen M. And he vseth here according to the Hebrue phras one tence for another as I haue sent for I will sende For hee sente them not vntyll after his resurrection Mar. 16.15 Also here we haue to noate who they are whiche may hope that this heauenly santification shal bee geuen them to discharge the office of preachyng There are some whiche runne of them selues vncalled and there are other some which beeing only taught and called of men runne without the diuine disposition and calling of God Neyther of them haue to hope for the sanctification of the spirite But they whome Christ sendeth into the worlde which are sanctified by the spirite of God to be ministers of the truth Suche were the Apostles whom Christ inteÌded to send foorth into the world euen as he him selfe was sent foorth of the Father Also we muste weye how greatly we oughte to esteeme the doctrine of the Apostles Althoughe they were men yet notwithstanding by the testimonie of Christe him selfe they were so sent into the worlde euen as he was sente of the Father Therefore he which heareth them heareth God hym selfe and he which despiseth them despiseth God Luk. 10.16 Finally let vs consider to what ende the Apostles were sente into the worlde R. They were sente of Christe euen as Christ was sente of the Father Nowe Christe was sente to shewe the will of his Father that is to saye the Gospell he was also sente to be a lyuely example and to beare the crosse M. not to rule in the worlde after the manner of men but to be as it were the seuaunte oâ others when as notwithstanding he was Lorde of all R. Euen so also the Apostles were sente not to teache mans inuentions but the
Gospell not to liue at their owne pleasure but that their light might shine before men not to be Princes of this worlde but to beare the crosse wyth Christ Who came not to be ministred vnto Mat. 20.28 but to minister him selfe and to giue his life a redemption for many M. Wherfore let the Bishoppes of Rome marke well and sée how they defend their Lordship which they haue in the Churche vnder the pretence of Christ 19. And for theyr sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also mighte be sanctified through the truthe R. To sanctifie is to ceparate to diuine vses C. Therefore in these words he doth more playnly explicate from whence that sanctificatioÌ doth come which is wrought in vs by the doctrine of the Gospell namely bicause he hath consecrated him selfe to the Father that his holinesse mighte appertayne vnto vs. For as the blessinge is extended from the firste fruites to the whole increace euen so the spirite âf God doth sprinkle vs with the holinesse of Christe and maketâ vs partakers of the same and that not onely by imputation for by this meanes he is sayde to be made vnto vs righteousnesse but he is also saide to be made vnto vs sanctificaon .1 Cor. 1.30 bicause after a sorte he offereth vs to the Father that by his spirite we may be renued into true holynesse And althoughe this sanctification perteineth to the whole lyfe of Christe yet notwithstanding it is specially to bée seene in the sacrifice of hys death bicause then he appeared to be a true Priest whiche consecrated the Temple the Altar all the Vessels Exod. 29.1 and the people by the power of his spirite A. Euen as before tyme in the Lawe it was shadowed R. Christe therefore sanctifieth him selfe That is he is made the instrument of God the Father by whiche he is glorified he offereth and sacrificeth him selfe that we also may be made the instrumentes and true sacrifices of hys diuine glory Sanctification M. For Christe hath not so sanctified hym selfe for vs that we may abide prophane and farre separate from the communion of his spirite and sanctification but although we be saued by hys onely holynesse yet notwithstanding we are sanctified also by the participation of his spirite They which are voyde of the same promise vnto them selues in vayne the fellowship of Christ Wherevpon the Apostle sayth Rom. 6.4 VVe are buried vvith him by Baptisme into his deathe that lykevvyse as Christe vvas raysed vp from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so vve also shoulde vvalke in nevvnesse of lyfe And in another place he sayth Roma 12.1 Offer vp your bodies a quicke sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God vvhiche is your reasonable seruice This therfore is the sence meaning I sanctifie my self that is I dye for them that they by my death may be filled with the spirite of sanctification and may be made the holy vessels of God by the reuealed spirite of the Gospell M. This the Apostle comprehendeth in these wordes Hebr. 10.10 In the vvhiche will we are made holy euen by the offering of the body of Iesus Christe once for all In the truthe The worde of God is the truth euen as Christ sayd before Therefore the sanctification of the ministers of Christe and of the faythfull Acts. 15.9 Fayth maketh al thinges cleane consisteth in the truthe of Gods worde vppon the whiche fayth is grounded by whiche God purifieth the hartes Without this all things are prophane and vncleane 20. Neuerthelesse I pray not for them alone but for theÌ also which shall beleue on me through their preaching R. Thirdly Christe prayeth for all the faythfull whiche should be to the ende of the world This verily bringeth great consolation For if so be through the doctrine of the Gospell we beléeue in Christ there is no cause why we should doubt but that with the Apostles we are vnder Gods protection so that none of vs can perishe This praier of Christ is a quiet hauen into the whiche whosoeuer entereth he is safe from all perill of shipwracke for his wordes are of as great force as if he had solemly sworne that he is carefull for our saluation R. And firste of all this place confirmeth the authoritie of the Apostles agaynst those which very contemptuously extinuate and disprayse the preaching of the Gospell by the Apostles Prou. 20.9 for that they were men also subiect vnto errours And it is true that they were men in lyfe and in workes for who can say my harte is cleane but they preached the doctrine of the Gospel not by humaine but by the diuine ministerie Wherevppon Christe also prayeth for those which shoulde beleeue through their preaching Furthermore let our consciences be confyrmed agaynst the worlde and agaynst all the afflictions of the worlde For so soone as Christe prayed the Father hearde and the father hearing what remayneth but hys grace and readie affection towarde vs C. Let this also suffice vs whiche knowe that our fayth is founded vppon the Gospell preached by the Apoples though the worlde condemne vs a thousande tymes namely that Christe acknowledgeth vs for his speciall charge and coÌmendeth vs to his father Ioh. 11.41 of whom he can not choose but be heard C. When he addeth Throgh their preching He very well expresseth the forre and nature of fayth M. Euen as the Apostle Paule also Rom. 10 17 when he sayth that fayth coÌmeth by hearing And the worde of the Apostles is nothing else but the Gospell which they were commaunded to preach in the worlde Mar. 16.15 C. Wo then vnto the Papistes whose fayth is so farre from thys rule that they are not ashamed most blasphemously to say that the scriptures are like vnto a Shipmans hose and to a nose of waxe and that therefore the tradition of the Churche shall be their direction and rule of fayth But let vs be assured that the same fayth onely is approued of the sonne of God our Iudge alone whiche is conceyued by the doctrine of the Apostles For there shall no certayne testimonie any where else bee founde than in their writinges We muste also note what fayth the word of the Apostles doth bring foorth This Christ declareth when he sayth Which beleeue in me Let nowe the Iewes Turkes and Romishe rable glory of their fayth but it maketh no matter what euery one beleeueth and in whome he beleeueth Euery doctrine hath his fayth but the Apostolicall doctrine begetteth onely the faith in Christ And this faith alone is partaker of this prayer of Christ of the promises concerning euerlasting life 21. That they all maye be one as thou father arte in me and I in thee and that they also may bee one in vs That the world may beleue that thou hast sent me R. That which Christ prayed for his Apostles he nowe also prayeth for all the faythfull that they might be of one fayth
for deuine lawes it hath Priestes and Philosophers which are learned elloqueÌt and of greate authoritie agaynst whom thou settest vs which are naked vnprepared vnlearned and barbarous men C. Therefore bicause almost no mortall man was fitte for so heard an office therfore Christ endueth his Apostles with the spirit of grace And in déed it is a thing far surpassing the strength and power of man to gouerne the Church of God to prefer the Ambassage of eternall saluation to erect the kingdome of God in earth and to lift vp men vnto heauen Wherfore it is no maruayle if so be none be found fitte but hee which is endued with the holye ghost 1. Cor. 12. For no man can speak one word of Christ except the holy Ghost gouerne his tong so far is euery one from the faythfull discharging of so notable an office But this glory beloÌgeth only vnto christ to frame appoynt those teachers which he setteth ouer his Church For therefore he receyued the fulnes of the spirite that he might geue vnto euery one of the measure of the same And séeing he is the only Shepeheard of the Church it is necessarie that those Ministers whose labour he vseth in the Church haue the power of the spirite from him the which he declared by an externall signe when he breathed vppon his Apostles What horrible sacriledge theÌ is that of the papists which take that honour vnto them selues which belongeth vnto the sonne of God C. For their consecrating Bishops depraue these woordes when in making their Masse Priestes they boast that they breath out the holy Ghost by belching But the matter it self doth plainly declare how much their filthy breathing doth differ from the deuine breathing of Christ bicause of brutish horses they do nothing els but make ignorant asses Wherefore they vsurpe vnto themselues the glorye of the diuinitie which professe that they geue the holy ghost by breathing We must also note that Christ indueth them with necessary giftes whom he calleth to the pastorall offices that thei may be able to execute their office or at least not vnprepared for the same Therefore let vs beleue that they are lawfull pastors of the Church who as it may appere are endued with the grace of the spirite But some will say Obiection if so be Christ at this tyme gaue the holye Ghost by breathing the sending of the holy Ghost afterward may séeme superfluous Answer Answere The holy Ghost was so geuen to the Apostls in this place that they were only sprinckeled with his grace and not endued with his full power For wheÌ the spirite appered in fyery tonges lighting vppon them they were wholy renued But at this tyme he did not so ordaine them preachers of his Gospell that they might biandby go forth to the same but rather as it is sayd in another place hée commaundeth them to be quiet Luk. 24.42 and to abyde in the Citie vntil such tyme as they wer endued with power from aboue And when Christ might haue geuen grace to his Apostles by secret inspiration he added therunto visible breathing to the end he might not onlye instructe them with wordes but confyrme them also with a certayne signe Ier. 19.10 to the ende the myndes of the disciples might doubt the lesse of the truth of the promise The like signe Ieremy vsed in threatning destruction of Ierusalem But we must also note that the word is ioyned to the externall and visible signe For hereof sacramentes take their force Not that the efficacie of the spirite is included in the voyce which soundeth in the eares but bicause the effecte of all those things whiche the faythfull vnderstande and féele by sacraments dependeth vpon the testimonie of the worde Christ breatheth vpon his Apostles but they receiue not only brething but also the holy ghost And wherefore but onely bicause Christe promiseth vnto them Thus it commeth to passe in Sacraments Whervpon we may gather that whatsoeuer sacraments men haue deuised are nothing els but méere toyes bicause there caÌ be no truth in signes but where the worde of God is present 23. Whosoeuers sins yee remit they are remitted vnto theÌ and whosoeuers sins ye retaine they are retained C. After that Christ had ordeined and appoynted Ambassadours to be sent foorth into the world now more expresly be describeth the office or ministerie of his Apostles and comprehendeth in fewe wordes the summe of the Gospel For this power of remitting of sinnes must not be separated from the office of teaching Sinnes remitted by Christ to that which héere it is annexed M. The sonne of God him selfe came into this world and suffered the death of the crosse to bring remission of sinnes vnto mankinde So said the Angell Mat. 1.21 Lu. 24.47 Rom. 4.6 He shall deliuer his people from their sinnes For in this consisteth our saluation that our sinnes are fréely forgiuen vs euen as damnation standeth in the retayning of them Remission of sinnes pronounced by the Apostles C. Therfore the speciall ende of preaching the Gospell is that men may he reconciled vnto God bicause remission of sinnes is frée euen as the Apostle Paule teacheth in the fyfth Chapter of his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians where vpon this consideration he calleth the Gospel the ministery of recoÌciliation Many other things the Gospell conteyneth but this is the speciall thing which God intreateth of in the same that he might receyue men into his fauour not imputing vnto them their sinnes They therefore whiche will shewe them selues faythfull ministers of the Gospell muste be very paynefull in this poynt For the Gospell dothe differ speciallye from prophane Philosophie in this Saluation consisteth in free remission of sinnes that it placeth the saluation of mankinde in the free remission of sinnes For héereof come other benefytes of God as that God illuminateth and regenerateth vs by his holy spirite that he maketh vs lyke vnto hymselfe and armeth vs with inuincible fortitude agaynst the worlde and the diuell So that the whole doctrine of pietie and the spirituall buylding of God standeth vpon this foundation that God deliuering vs from all our sinnes adopteth vs to be his sonnes M. But it maye be demaunded Obiection howe Christe giueth vnto his Apostles power to remitte sinnes seeing it belongeth only vnto God to remitte sinnes Answere Answere Christe so commaundeth his Apostles to remit sinnes that he doth not geue vnto them that whiche belongeth vnto him selfe It is proper to him selfe to remit sinnes this honor as it is proper to him selfe he doth not geue vnto hys Apostles but commaundeth them in his name to pronounce remission of sinnes that by them he might reconcile men vnto God And to speake properly he hym selfe alone forgiueth sinnes by hys Apostles Notwithstanding this was giuen to establishe our fayth when he so greatly extolleth their power that he maketh them witnesses onely and proclaymers of this grace and not the authors of the
féede his flocke But neglecting the loue of Christe the moste highe Shepheard and reiecting the office of feeding to boast of succession is extreme impudencie and follie Bv. This also hath a singuler emphasis that Christ sayd not Feede thy shéepe Act. 20.28 1. Pet. 1.18 but feede my shéepe feed my lambs For he hath made vs a peculier people to him selfe by the redemption of his bloud Ministers therfore are shepheards of the Lordes flocke and not Lordes G. Moreouer heereby it dothe playnely appeare what great care Christ hath for our saluation when he doth so specially commit the same vnto Shepheards M. Also wee must not lightly passe this that Christe calleth all the faythfull his Lambes For he giueth vs to vnderstande that as yet they are tender and are therefore to be fed with greater care and diligence euen as ther is commonly greater care had for the feeding of yong Lambes than for olde sheepe bicause the hope of the flocke consisteth in them 16. He sayth vnto him the seconde time Simon Ioanna louest thou me c. A. Agayne the Lord asketh Peter whether he loue him laying vppon him the same burthen which he did before saying Feede my sheepe Bv. That is to say refreshe comfort reproue admonishe and teache with the worde of truth M. Here is the office of a Shepheard expressed For the verbe which we haue heere dothe not onely signifie to feede but also to gouerne and rule Thus the minister of Christe ought to feede the Lords sheepe with the prouander of doctrine and to direct and gouerne them with the worde of admonition and correction C. Moreouer Christe did not commit all generally vnto Peter to others to be fedde but onely his lambs and sheepe Euery good shepheard muste seeke to bââng all vnto Christe And bicause they can not discerne betweene sheepe and wilde beastes we must séeke by all meanes possible to tame those that are more like Wolues than sheepe But when they haue done all they can it is but lost labour which is not bestowed vpon the chosen sheepe 17. He sayth vnto him the third time SimoÌ Ioanna louest thou me c. M. Peter was very sory by the remembraunce of those things which were past least the same might happen vnto hym agayne which happened before when he presuming and bragging ouermuch had a miserable fall C. Or else he thinketh that he is secretly nipte and blamed as not answering to the minde purpose of Christ But we shewed before that this repetition is not superfluous Also Peter as yet had not experience howe deepe this loue of Christ ought to be imprinted in their mindes who were to withstande an innumerable sorte of perils Afterwarde he learned by experience that this strayte examination was not vayne Also in hys person all they which wil take vpon them the charge of gouerning the Church are taughte not lightly but deepely to examine them selues what zeale they are endued withall least they runne back or faynt in the middest of their course We also are taught to be quiet and patient when soeuer the Lorde shall straytly or roughly examine vs bicause he hath iust causes of that thing of the whiche oftentimes we are ignoraunt 18. Verely verely I saye vnto thee when thou wast young thou gyrdedst thy self and walkedst whyther thou wouldest but when thou shalt be olde thou shalt stretch foorth thy hands another shall gyrde thee c. Bv. After that Christ had receyued Peter into the company of the Apostles and had restored him to his name and office prescribing what he should doo namely loue and feede C. He armeth him also agaynst the battell whiche was at hande And so he dothe not onely require of him fayth and diligence but also an inuincible courage in perils and constancie in bearing the crosse willing him to be readie to suffer death so often as neede shall require Bv. Whereby he declareth what all teachers of the Gospell and faythfull pastors must looke for to receyue at thys worlde namely greeuous afflictions and in the ende shamefull death C. For although the condition of all Pastors be not alike yet notwithstanding this admonition perteyneth to all in some parte The Lorde spareth many and requireth not their blud being only coÌtented with this that so long as they liue they wholly consecrate theÌ selues vnto him in fayth But yet bicause Sathan biddeth battell dayly they muste be alwayes prepared to dye whiche take vppon them the office of feeding bicause they haue to doo not onely with sheepe but with wolues When thou wast yong M. Christ doth not heere so muche put a difference betweene youth and old age as betweene the time of worldly peace and tyrannical persecution C. And by this worde of gyrding he comprehendeth all outwarde actions by whiche a man frameth him selfe and his life Howbeit many thinke that the kinde of death whiche Peter suffered is heere noted bicause he was hanged with his armes stretched out But what kinde of death soeuer it was that Peter suffered it is better to be ignoraunt of the same than to beleeue doubtfull tales Bv. Therfore the simple sence is this Before that Peter was a preacher of the truthe that is to say an Apostle of Christe he had libertie to lyue as he lysted the world did not hate him But so soone as he was made the seruant of Iesus Christ and a preacher of the Euangelicall truth Iohn 5.19 the whole worlde was against him For the whole world lieth in wickednesse But the Gospel preacheth to the whole world righteousnes Therfore it accuseth kings Princes high and lowe riche and poore And herevpon it commeth that the preachers of the truth are hated of all estates and degrees of men euen to the death C. Now in Peter we haue a notable spectacle of the estate and condition of vs all Many liue in ease and pleasure before they be called of Christ but so soone as they haue giuen their name vnto hym and are receyued for disciples they suffer greeuous conflicts they are in perill and at deathes doore This condition though it be harde and paynfull yet notwithstanding we must beare the same paciently For he knoweth our infirmitie he will lay no more vpon vs than we shal be able to beare A. 1. Cor. 10.13 So he bare with Peter so long as he was tender and weake euen as he said vnto him Iohn 13.36 VVhither I go thou canst not follovve me but thou shalt follovve me heereafter And leade thee whither thou wouldest not C. It seemeth absurde that Christ saith his death shall not be voluntarie For as he hath no constancie so hath he no prayse of Martyrdome which is caried violently to death agaynst his wil. M. But we must distinguish here betweene the will of the spirite and the wil of the flesh C. For this ought to be referred to the battell of the spirite and the flesh which the godly feele in them For
inioyned to beare As if he should say It maketh no matter vnto thée neither hast thou any thing to doo to demaunde what shall become of thy fellow leaue this to my wil only consider of thy selfe and prepare thy selfe to follow whither soeuer thou art called R. Haue regard to thine own calling and not to an other mans I will haue a regarde to others my selfe If he abide and suffer no cruell death he abideth to me Bv. Yea if it be my will that he shal not dye but to abide in the state he is in now vntil I come to iudgement and that the same should be good for him what hast thou to doo with it I will haue thée nor no man else curiously to search out Gods counsayles or to discusse other mens callings Iohn is mine and I will vse him at my pleasure Therfore that which I sayd euen now I say agayne Luke 9.62 No man putting his hande to theÌ Plough and looking backe is meete for the kingdome of God R. I would to God that this sentence were imprinted in all mens mindes that euery one mighte learne to haue his duty in remembrance For what art thou sayth the Apostle which iudgest another mans seruant Rom. 14.4 To his owne master he standeth or falleth M. Notwithstanding we must here distinguish betweene that care which procedeth of curiosity Care procedeth of loue and of curiositie that which procedeth of loue C. For all care for our brethren is not superfluous if it obserue a meane then is it not curiositie but a good care M. This is curiositie to searche and séeke how long this or that man shall liue and whether he shall be riche or poore the which many do by curious artes rather then attending and regarding Christian charitie Let vs say If so be GOD wyll haue this Prince or that Tyrant to rayne vntill the ende of the world what is it to vs Let vs follow Christ our Captayn C. To be short let euery one of vs haue respecte vnto our neighboures to see if wee can draw them vnto Christ rather than by their offences to do euel our selues Vntil I come Math. 25.31 Act. 1.11 M. Therfore he geueth vs to vnderstand that he wil come agayne into this world the which also in other places is more playnly affirmed 23. Then went this saying abroade among the brethren that the same disciple should not dye c. C. The Euangelist declareth that an error sprong vp among the disciples by mistaking the wordes of Christ that Iohn shuld neuer dye M. The Euangelist therfore thought good to interprete truly the words of Christ not vnderstood but rashly taken least when he him self wer dead any note of vntruth might with offence be ascribed vnto the wordes of the Lord. Among the brethren C. He meaneth these Apostles which wer present at that saying not that the name of brethren appertayneeh to them alone Bv. For all Christians were called brethren But bicause they were the sanctifyed fyrst fruites of vnitie It may also be that others besyde the eleuen which wer preseÌt are noted Bv. Hereby we gather how apte and ready men are to erre For if so be those men which were as it were the fyrst pillers of the Church stombled at such a strawe what will we do which haue such great stombling blockes layd in our way C. Howbeit it is lyke that this error continued no longer among them than vntill they were replenished by the holy ghost Bv. Error springeth of diuers causes Error springeth of diuerse causes but specially of these two that is to say eyther of our affection which iudgeth not rightly of the eternall maiestie of god or else by some small wresting of the word of god Of wrong affection toward Iesus thus the disciples gathered Iesus loueth Iohn therefore Iohn shall not dye For those whom humaine affection loueth it wisheth to liue for euer To the wresting of the word of Christ this appertayned bicause they absolutely pronounced that Iohn should abyde in his present state vntill Christ came againe whereas he spake conditionally If I will haue him tary till I come what is that to thee C. Thus verye profytably Christ teacheth vs to our edification and that also very plainly but we by our corrupt and wicked imaginations do obscure darken the light Christ would not pronounce any thing certayne concerning Iohn but only approue that he had full power of life and death So that of it selfe it was a simple and profytable doctrine but the disciples deuise and imagine more than was spoken Wherfore that we may be safe from the same perill let vs learne soberlye to conceyue that which is spoken out of the worde of God M. Also by the present care of the Euangelist we are taught how circumspect we ought to be in reading the wordes of Christ the which one letter being added or taken away or chaunged may bee so peruerted that they will not testefye a truth but a lye and will serue to mayntayne contentions specially seeing it is a very hard matter to take away quite out of mens mindes an error once conceyued if so be it haue anye shewe of authoritie from Christ The which happened in this cause concerning the death of Iohn For such is the wickednes of mans nature that it rusheth headlong into all vanitie WherupoÌ it coÌmeth to passe that this error also of the which the Euangelist hath warned vs to take héed is yet in the world For ther want not some which deny that he is dead M. but haue fayned that wheÌ he had commaunded his sepulcher to be digged and was put into the same the next day after it was found emptie Iohn being caried aliue corporallye into paradise to Enoch and Elias who shall come at the latter day to warre agaynst Antechrist C. Wherfore wée see that ther is no ende of erring except wee simply imbrace that which the Lorde hath deliuered reiect all other Imaginations comments and surmises Bv. These thinges teache vs not to trust to much to our owne wisedome lest we lightly necligently handel the Scriptures but rather let vs reede them in the feare of God and with often prayers knowing that we are ful of error darknes but do receiue the true perfecte illumination from aboue 24. The same discyple is he whiche testefieth of these thyngs wrote these things and we knowe that hys testymonye is true Bv. This is the conclusion appendix of this deuine history by which Sainct Iohn happely knitteth vp the woorke C. And bicause hytherto he hath made mention of him selfe vnder the third perso he now expresseth that hee is euen the very same to the ende he being an eye witnes and one that speaketh by experience mighte bring more weighte aucthoritie to his worde Bv. There is great modestie to be followed in his wordes For he neyther speaketh nor writeth any thing of him self arrogantly or boldly He
when he purposed to perswade the truth For nothing can staye or holde backe them whome hée hath purposed to call but they wyll forsake all and folow him whome they knowe to bee the Sauiour A. As for example Zache Mathewe Paul and the other Apostles 31. In the meane vvhyle his Disciples prayed him saying Mayster eate Bv. Here also the Euangelist incerteth or weaneth in the talke betwéene Christ and his Disciples begonne concerning the Apostleshippe and Preaching of the Gospell to the Gentiles The which verye well agréed with this present place a great number of Samaritanes and Gentiles comming nowe apace to the Preaching of the Gospell M. Therefore the Disciples being ignoraunt what the Lord had done and seeing that hée had no appetite to eate and yet notwithstanding knewe that he was wearye of his Iourneye and trauayle put him in mind and prayed him also to eate that is to saye that hée woulde refreshe and strengthen his bodye by eating And this which the Disciples did was not rashlye or vnmannerlye done but procéeded rather of a Godlye care which men alwayes haue for those whome they loue otherwyse it might séeme verye vnciuill and rude that the Seruaunt shoulde wyll his Mayster to eate 32. He sayde vnto them I haue meate to eate that ye vvote not of R. Looke what manner of person the man is so he speaketh and so he thinketh Herevppon the Apostles as yet but carnall speake of carnal meate and carnally vnderstand the word of Christ but Christ being Spyrituall speaketh of Spyrituall foode A. And as hée tooke occasion vppon the water which the woman would haue drawne out of the well to speake of the Spyrituall water and to teach the woman euen so he toke occasion of the meate which the disciples offered him to prepare them to make them readye for that Ambassage on which hée meant to sende them C. And in déede the Metaphor of the Meate and Drinke hath the greater Grace because it was brought in very aptlye and in good time of the present talke CYR. Because therefore they shoulde bée the teachers of the whole worlde hée teacheth them by his example that they must haue greater care for mennes Saluacion than for theyr owne bodyes and must prefer the Kingdome of God before all bodyly commodities M. Hée sayeth not I am not Hungrye eate ye But I haue meate to eate By which wordes hée meant to styrre vppe the mindes of the Disciples and to make them attentiue to those thinges which should followe And so taking occasion of theyr request he applieth his talke vnto the present businesse to prouoke them to desyre that meate C. God verylye permitteth vs to Eate and Drynke so that we bée not drawne from that which is principall and a greater matter than meate That is to saye that euerye one maye followe his vocation M. So that Christ doth not here forbidde his Disciples to eate meate which they had bought for the necessitye of the bodye and to satisfye nature but hee putteth them in minde of farther matter It is no holinesse but rather Hipocrisie to constraine men against theyr wylles to abstaine from necessarye meate A. But of this matter wée haue spoken before in our Commentarye vpon Mathewe Chapter twelue Verse fortye and eyght 33. Therefore sayde the Disciples among them selues Hath any man brought him ought to eate Mat. 16.7 M. The Disciples vnderstoode him that hée spake of the meate of the bodye as in other places also when hée spake of the Leuen of the Pharisées And when hée sayde that Lazarus sléepte Iohn 11.11 they vnderstoode him that hée spake of bodylye sléepe M. And because they sawe him talke familliarly with the Woman it may be that they suspected her to haue brought him some notable meate which hée had eaten But he sayde not I haue nowe eaten meate which ye knowe not of but I haue meate to eate which ye knowe not of A. What maruaile is it then if sometimes we be not able to vnderstand the wordes of Christ when we sée that the same happened here to the Apostles them selues M. But in that they doe not rashelye demaunde of this matter but saye among them selues Hath any man brought him ought to eate It is to bée imputed to the lyke modestye wherof wée spake before in the Seuen and twentye verse naye rather the confyrmation of the same M. the which the Euangelist thought not good to omitte 34. Iesus sayeth vnto them My meate is to doe the wyll of of him that sent me M. The Lorde beareth with the modestye of the Disciples wyllinglye and of his owne accorde declaring vnto them that whiche they durst not demaunde to the ende they might vnderderstande of what meate hée spake The meate which hée had then to eate he calleth the execution of his Fathers wyll signifying that the same to him is not onelye most auncient but also that there is nothing in the which he more deliteth or in the which he woulde more wylinglye exercise him selfe As for example Dauid who to the ende Psal 19.11 he might commende the Lawe of God doeth not onelye saye that the same is precious vnto him but also more swéete than Honye Therefore to the ende we maye followe Christ we not onelye diligentlye must serue God but also so diligent to doe his commaundements that the same should not bée painefull or gréeuous vnto vs. M. But Christ meaneth here that worke and labour which hée had taken alreadye with the woman namelye that hée might bring to this Citye the true knowledge of God by the preaching of the Gospell B. As if he shoulde saye I desyre this aboue all thinges that the wyll of my Father maye bée fulfilled which is that many men maye knowe and féele his goodnesse which is in mée and by mée A. Euen as he sayeth in another place This is the wyll of him that sent mee Iohn 6.40 that euerye one whiche seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him shoulde haue euerlasting life And againe hée sayeth I must bee Baptized with a Baptisme Iohn 10.18 and howe am I pained tyll it bee ended By which wordes he declareth that hée earnestlye desyreth to doe the wyll of his Father that is to saye to dye for the Saluacion of his people euen as he had receyued a commaundement from the Father To doe the wyll of him that sent mee C He doeth plainelye enough declare what was the wyll of his Father which hée sought to fulfyl namely to discharge that office committed vnto him Euen so in lyke manner euery man must haue respect vnto his vocation least he attribute that vnto GOD which hée hath rashelye taken vpon him after his owne phantasie Moreouer what the office of Christ was it is well enough knowne namelye to enlarge the Kingdome of God to restoore lost soules to lyfe and to set foorth the lyght of the Gospell and last of all to bring Saluacion to the world Christ being wéeryed
in it except it receyue the same from Christ Otherwyse it were but vayne and superfluous to geue lyght vnto lyght C. Therefore without Christ there is not one sparke of true light There maye appeare some shewe of bryghtnesse hut it is lyke to a sodayne flashe which doeth nothing else but dasell the eyes Bv. Moreouer the Lorde promised in the Scriptures long before that hee woulde geue this lyght as whan it is sayde The Lorde hath sworne in truth to Dauid and he wyll not shrinke from it saying Psa 132.11 Of the fruyte of thy bodye wyll I sette vppon thy throane If they sonnes keepe my couenaunt and my testimonies that I shall teache them there sonnes also shall sytte vppon thy throne for euer For the Lorde hath chosen Zion and loued to dwell in it saying This is my rest for euer here wyll I dwell for I haue a delight therein There wyll I make the horne of Dauid to bud for I haue ordayned a lyght for myne annoynted To this promyse the Prophetes had oftentimes respect as is to bée séene in dyuerse places As in Esay where the father sayth I haue geuen thee to bee light to the Gentilles 3. Kin. 11.36 3. Kin. 15.4 2. Cor. 21.7 Esay 49.6 that thou mightest bee my saluation to the worldes ende Wherevnto that Iust man Simeon afterwarde alluding sayth that Iesus was geuen to be a light to the Gentilles Luk. 2.32 C. Furthermore we must noate that the partes of illumening are not restrayned to the parson of Christe For although he be farre from our bodely syght yet notwithstadding he doth daily illumen vs by the doctryne of his Gospell and by the secret power of his holy Spirite Notwithstanding we haue not yet a ful definition of this light except we learne that we are illumined by the Gospel and by the Spirite of Christe to the ende we maye knowe that in hym is hydden the well of all knowledge and wisedom Therefore as Sathan is sayde to be the Prince of darcknesse Sathan is the Prince of darcknes because the works that he worketh in the Children of vnbeléefe are euell and corrupt insomuche that by them the wicked fall headlong as it were blynded into distruction So Christ Iesus is set before vs as the true Sonne of righteousenesse that by the benefite of his light we maye be illumined in the midest of the darckenesse of this worlde and maye be brought to eternall life A. And by what reason the name of light maye agrée with the Law with the apostells also and with the faithfull we haue shewed in the eyght verse of the fyrst Chapter Hee that followeth mee C. Here is the exhortation of Doctryne whych the promise strayght after added confirmeth For when we heare that they are out of the daunger of erring which committe them selues vnto Christe to be gouerned it is méete that we shoulde be stirred vp to followe Whervnto he himselfe draweth vs as it were by reaching out his hande vnto vs. This large and greate promise also ought very muche to mooue vs that wée which direct our eyes vnto Christ are sure to walke in the right waye without erring through the middest of darcknesse M. Therefore it is not ynough that Christe is the light of the worlde that we might not walke in darcknesse but it is necessarye that wée follow him They which tourne themselues another waye and which followe not this light but are enimies to the same as they are not illumined by the beames thereof so necessarily they walke in darckenesse Neyther is it sufficient to know the same that darckenesse maye be shunned but wee must also walke in it For hée sayth not Hée which knoweth me walketh not in darckenesse but which followeth me He doth not by and by walke in the light which knoweth the light he doth not by and by followe Christ the light of truth which hath receyued the knowledge of Christ R. To followe Christ in this place is to beléeue in Christ Bv. For by faith that light is receyued and Christ is made our light shining in our heartes Some in this worlde followeth one thing and some a nother as honours riches pleasures and I cannot tell how many such kinde of vanities But those whiche are wise followe Christe by whome they receyue greate profite For they whyche followe hym shall not walke in darkenesse shall not wallowe in wickednesse which are called the workes of darckenesse but shall haue the light of life Iohn 6 4â R. For hée which beléeueth in mée sayth our Sauiour hath euerlasting lyfe C. Therefore the faythfull shall walke most constantlye vntill they come to the marke For this to them is an euerlasting lyfe Wherefore there is no cause why wée shoulde feare to faynt in the myddest of our iourney séeing that hée leadeth vs vnto life And it is no meruayle if there bée suche grose and palpable darckenesse of errors and suspicions in the worlde when as there are so fewe which beholde Christ B. For hée which beléeueth not in Christe nor followeth thys lyght as hée wanteth this his spirite so it is necessary that he walke in darkenesse that is to saye that he followe carnall reson the bonde seruaunt of euill desires whereby hée followeth alwayes that which is hurtefull For what hurtfull thing is it which he followeth not God set aside 13. The Pharisees therefore sayde vnto him thou beareste recorde of thy selfe thy recorde is not true PAR. The Phariseis being swallowed vp of the manifest light of the truth and blinded therewith neyther féele nor sée the light nay they renew the contention and begin anew altrication against Christ by which notwithstanding the doctrine and truth of the Gospell is rather more manifested than obscured These men feared leaste the people forsaking them woulde haue followed Iesus by whiche they knewe that theyr auchoritye shoulde not a little decaye yet notwithstanding they coulde not hitherto by any reasons refell and confute the true doctrine of Christ and his mightie and wonderfull déedes They fall therefore nowe againe to their woonted cauilles to proue if peraduenture they myght bring the rude and simple people to haue Iesus in suspicion of arrogancye and vaine boasting C. They obiect a common saying That no man is to be trusted in hys owne cause As if they shoulde saye R. Thou commendest thy selfe but that commendation or testimonye which a man geueth of himselfe is of no aucthoritie or credite It is the parte of an arrogant man and not of one that speaketh the truth to boast and commende hymselfe wée beléeue not thine owne testimonye But proue out of the worde of GOD that thou art the verye same whome thou preachest thy selfe to be and wée will beléeue thée Doeste thou thinke vs to be so scencelesse that wée will by and by receyue thy worde as deuine We are Doctors of the Lawe wherefore except thou proue thy preaching by the Lawe wée will not beléeue thée but wyll
exclude thée out of the Sinagoge as a lying heritique Behoulde here wyth what security and bouldenesse impietye and hypocrisie obiect vnto the Prince of godlynesse and truth the lye M. The malice of the Pharisées could not be at rest Esay 57.20 For the hearte of the wicked is as the boyling Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vppe myre and dyrte The more the brightnesse of this light dyd reueale it selfe in Christ the more this wicked kinde of men was inflamed with malice It gréeued them much that the temptation by the Adulterous woman had no better successe They retourne therefore to the fight and contention euen as flyes to the flame of a burning Candle C. And rashlye they say that hée speaketh in vayne except hée bringe better proofe then hys owne wordes M séeing it is written Let another man prayse thee Pro. 27.2 and not thy owne mouth a straunger and not thy owne lippes A. But willinglye they were ignoraunt that Christ had sayde vnto them Iohn 5.34 I receyue not testimonye from man but I speake these thinges that yee might bee saued M. Wée are taught therefore in this place that it is no meruayle if so bée the Preachers of the truth are accounted as lyers of the wicked Children of the Deuill when as these Doctors durst openlye wyth such boldenesse resiste the truth it selfe But lette this one thing suffice Deut. 18. i9 That God one day wil take vengance of those which despise the doctrine of his Prophete whome hée sendeth vnto them 14. Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto them though I beare recorde of my selfe yet my recorde is true for I knowe whence I came and whether I goe but ye can not tell whence I come and whether I goe Bv. Christ by this demonstracion plainelye proueth that hée is the sonne of God and verye God him selfe and that the Doctrine of the Gospell is most certaine C. also that this testimonye hath credite and aucthoritye inough because hée is no priuate personne taken from among the common sort of men but a farre more excellent person M. Hée doth not denye but that he testifyeth of him selfe but hée denyeth that his testimony is false And this he doth by making a distinction C. For when hée sayeth hée knoweth from whence he came and whether he would goe he exempteth him selfe from the coÌmon number of men The sence and meaning therefore is this Although euery man is suspected in his owne cause and although it bée prouided by lawes that no man speaking in his owne cause should bée credited yet notwithstanding this can take no place in the Sonne of God which is aboue the whole worlde For hée is not to bée reackenedin the order of menne but hath this priueledge from the Father to gouerne all men with his worde aloane B. Here thou séest that the Lord sayd by immitacion or concession ââhn 5.31 If I testifye of my selfe my testimony is not true For because hée knewe from whence hée came and whether hée would goe that is to saye that hée was the sonne of GOD and the euerlasting woord of the Father which tooke vppon him our humane nature whiche also hée woulde shortlye after extoll and aduaunce into the glorye of his Father knowing these thinges hée coulde not but speake that whiche was most true that is to saye diuine and coulde testifye nothing of him selfe but that which was in lyke manner most true But the Iewes knewe neyther of them boath and therefore they coulde not beléeue the true testimonye whiche hee gaue of him selfe C. For Christ in these woordes testifyeth that hee had not his beginning of the worlde but that he came from God and therefore not méete and right that his Doctrine whiche is Diuine should bée subiect to mans Lawes But because he then had vpon him the fourme of a seruaunt and was humble and méeke hée was despised for the which cause he putteth them in minde of the glorious Resurrection whiche hée should haue which in déede was a manifest shewe and proofe of his hydden and vnknowne Diuinitye at the first When hée sayeth that hee knoweth and they knowe not he geueth vs to vnderstande that his glorye is nothing diminished by their vnbeléefe B. As for example If so bée an Ambassadour shoulde come from the Emperoure promisyng greate benefytes vnto vs in the name of the Emperoure if wée wyll obeye his commaundementes and wée denying to beléeue him hée should saye I know from whence I came and whether I gooe I am sure that I am the Emperours Ambassadour sent for those consideracions which I haue declared vnto you to him also I wyll returne and shew him how I haue done my businesse and wyll receyue the condigne reward of my labours Therefore what thinges soeuer I testifye of my Ambassage they are true but you which knowe not from whence I came and whyther I goe refuse to geue credite vnto mée M. By this place also Christ declareth that the Iewes had falselye boasted before saying VVee knowe from whence this fellowe is but when Christ shall come no man shall knowe whence he is 15. Yee Iudge after the fleshe I iudge no man Ye Iudge after the fleshe C. This place maye bée expounded twoo manner of wayes eyther that they iudged of him after the wicked sence and vnderstanding of their fleshe or else that they iudged of him according to the outwarde shewe of his person For fleshe is sometyme taken for the outwarde shewe of man and boath sences doe verye well agrée with this place because whether the affections of the fleshe beare rule or whether the beholding of the person doe preuaile in Iudgement there neyther trueth nor equitye take place Notwithstanding the sence seemeth to be more certayne if so be we make here a comparison betwéene the fleshe and the spyrite as if hee should therefore deny them to bee lawfull and meete Iudges because they were not guided by the spirite As if hée should saye Yee iudge of my woordes and deedes after your wicked affections hauing no part of the Spyrite of GOD in you therefore ye erre RV And this is the onely cause why menne erre and iudge amisse of Diuine matters I iudge no man A. Some distinguishe thus that he iudgeth not as man iudgeth othersome referre it to the tyme because hée being in earth tooke not vppon him as yet the office of a Iudge C. But more rightlye it is ioyned with the sentence following that the sence may bee thus Christ Iudgeth not and if he doe iudge his iudgement is fyrme and authenticall because it is diuine So that the formar parte where he denyeth that hée iudgeth ought rather to bée restrayned to the cyrcumstaunce of this present place For that hée might the better conuince his enemies of pride hée vseth this comparison because they vsurped to them selues lycence to Iudge preposterously and yet neuerthelesse coulde not abyde him teaching simplye and abstayning from the