1. Ioh. 5.10 To this effect pertayneth that saying of Iohn If wee receyue the testimonye of men the testimonye of God is greater And so foorth tyl ye come to these words Hee which hath the sonne hath life and hee which hath not the Sonne hath not life M. Therefore wée looke for the comming of Christ not as of a Iudge but as a deliuerer and redéemer But to the wicked and vnbeléeuing hée shall come a terrible and fearefull Iudge Heb. 2.2 Bv. For if they escaped not the iudgement of God which despised the sending and woordes of Angelles muche lesse shal they escape the horrible iudgement of God Heb. 10.27 which woulde not beléeue the onely begotten sonne of God For there wayteth for them a certaine fearefull looking for the comming of the Iudge and a burning fyre which shall deuoure his aduersaryes 19. And this is the condempnation that light is come into the worlde and men loued darkenesse more then light because theyr deedes weare euill And this is the condemnacion M. Because hée sayde that the vnbeléeuer was Iudged alreadye and condemned by his owne wickednesse hée addeth and declareth that the reason and order of this iudgement is suche that no man can not chose but acknowledge the same C. Therefore hée preuenteth by aunswere the murmurings and grudgings whiche prophane and wicked men are woont to vse to reprooue the seuere rigour as they thinke of God when he dealeth more sharpelye with them than they woulde haue him It séemeth to bée verye harde that euerye one which beléeueth not shoulde bée damned Therefore least any man should ascribe his damnation to Christ hée teacheth that euerye man must impute the same to his proper faulte The reason is because Infidelitye is the witnesse of an euyll conscience Whereby it is plaine that the wickednesse of vnbeléeuers doth hinder them from comming to Christ There are some which thinke that there is onely noted here the signe of damnation But the purpose of our Sauiour Christ here is to bridle the wickednesse of menne least they should presume according to theyr manner to contende and reason the cause with GOD as though hée dealt vniustlye with them in punishing theyr infidelitye with eternall death Therefore hée teacheth that such iudgement is iust and frée from all sclaunder not onely because they doe wickedlye which preferre darkenesse before light and doe willingly shonne the light offered vnto them but also because that hatered of the light procéedeth not but from a wicked mind which accuseth and condemneth it selfe of euil B. Wherefore the principall point and substaunce of their whole condemnation is Predestination that they can not preferre Christ before theyr owne desyres because so many as are damned were iudged and condemned before they were borne Ephe 1.4 euen as also with God so many as are saued were saued before the foundation of the worlde For as these were elected before the foundation of the worlde so were the other reiected before the worlde was made Reprobation And this reprobation doeth then appeare when they reiect the Gospell of grace offered vnto them and had rather bée ignoraunt of Christ that is to say to want the light than to receyue him and to attaine to life By the which contempt of the Gospell they doe accomplishe and fill vppe the measure of theyr wickednesse to the full that is to saye they geue occasion to haue theyr iudgement and condemnation sealed and fulfilled M. Therefore in this they are inexcusable that they doe willinglye reiect and refuse that grace offered vnto them which most earnestlye they ought to imbrace and desyre B. By darkenesse is here meant the ignoraunce of Christ and whatsoeuer else worldly men loue more than Christ For they which are not borne of God as they can not heare the worde of God so it is necessarye that they preferre the ignoraunce of Christ before they knowledge him and so to loue darkenesse more then light M. When he sayth that light came into the worlde hée meaneth that all thinges in this worlde are replenished and full of darkenesse For what can bée founde in this world without Christ Darckenesse is all thinges in this world without Christ but darkenesse Bv. That is to saye the concupiscence of the fleshe the ignoraunce of God Impietye Errour blindnesse of the minde Supersticion Idolatrye wickednesse of life filthinesse vncleannesse prophane talke Gluttony Dronkennesse and an infinite number of suche like wickednesses For it followeth in the wordes of the Lorde Because theyr deedes were euyll B. This is the cause why the wicked are enemies to the light of life Christ the light of God Christ is the light of God by which whatsoeuer is euyll is reprooued For howe can Iniustice be hid when righteousnesse is in place how can foolishnesse not be séene when it is compared with wisedome Nowe fleshe in the which there is no goodnesse can abide nothing lesse than to haue the same vncouered and therfore it can not choose but hate Christ whiche manifesteth and reuealeth all thinges and therefore they must be renewed and borne againe which receyue Christ M. The reason therefore why those men namelye the Scribes High Priestes and Pharisees and those of that sect loue darkenesse more then light is because theyr déedes are euyll that is to saye because theyr owne consciences bare them witnesse that al theyr works were euyll Bv. By this woorde workes hée vnderstandeth euill intentes thoughtes woordes and workes Out of these woordes the Apostle borroweth this saying If our Gospell bee yet hid 2. Cor. 4.3 it is hidde in them that are lost In whome the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which beleeue not least the light of the Gospell of the glory of Christ which is the Image of God should shine vnto them Therfore in that they perishe they perishe through theyr owne faulte séeing the most mercifull Lorde hath done his part but they wyll not do their duetye If the Sicke man perishe whiche wyll not bewraye his disease to the Phisition least hée should bée healed maye he not pronounce of him selfe that hée perished through his owne faulte Euen so men that are louers of this worlde are enemies to the light offered to them because their déedes are euill A. It is no maruaile therefore if they ronne headlong into destruction 20. For euerye one that euyll doeth hateth the light Neyther cometh to the light least his dedes should be reproued M. This is a generall sentence taken of the disposition of the reprobates the sence whereof is this B. hée is commonlye sayde to hate the trueth which doeth amisse Séeing therefore the wicked can not abide Christ the light of God it is most certaine that they are euill and that theyr déedes are euil also C. For therefore the Light is odious vnto them because they and their dedes are euill and doo séeke to couer theyr sinnes so muche as they can wherevppon
before saying Shew thy selfe to the world when as in déede they vnderstoode those forenamed persons hée also rightly calleth them the worlde but so that therewithal hée noateth them of a worldly disposition As if hee should saye yee inuite me by this word world to the high Priestes Scribes and Pharisées of Ierusalem to shew my selfe before them Ye truely and iustly cal them the worlde for they are nothing else but worldely And because the worlde loueth that which is his owne the world cannot hate you which are worldelye and the children of this worlde being pertakers of corruption and of worldly wickednesse R. The Pharises hate not you the mightie men doe not persecute you because yée are all of like impietie of lyke wicked manners ye imbrace their doctrine as holye and whatsoeuer they saye ye accounte it an Oracle Wherefore they call you obedient children of the Sinagoge so farre they are from persecuting and hating you but the worlde that is the wise mightye and holye men of this worlde hate me not onely because I doe disagrée with theyr impietie but also doe reproue and reprehende all their workes righteousnesse holynesse wisdome and power as abhominable in the sight of GOD. A. For that which is highlye estéemed in the sight of men is abhominable in the sight of God Luk. 16.15 C. Therefore hée conuinceth them to be carnall when hée sayth that the worlde cannot hate them R. Christ therefore woulde not followe the carnal affections of his kinsemen C. Furthermore by these wordes the Lorde Iesus doth signifie that the Gospell cannot be truely preached but that the whole world must be cited as guiltie before the tribunall seate of GOD that so fleshe and bloode maye be troden downe and brought to nought Iohn 16. ◠according to this saying VVhen the holye Ghost commeth it shall reprooue the worlde of sinne Herewithall also wée learne that the pride which is naturallye ingraffed in men is so greate that they flatter and lyke of themselues in their vices For when they are reprehended they woulde not be angerye except they being blinded with the ouermuche loue of themselues did flatter themselues in theyr euill Onelye Gods spirite doth make vs gentle and méeke to abide reprehention insomuche that willingly wée offer our selues to be slaine with the sword of the Gospell Humilitie resteth where the spirite of God abydeth B. This also is to be noted that we cannot haue the loue and friendeshippe of the worlde except wée giue our consent to the euill workes thereof For if so be wée séeke to maintaine the glorye of God aloane and do pronounce onelye GOD to be good and doe séeke also to conuince the worlde of sinne by and by it persecuteth vs euen as afore time it persecuted Christ And to reproue the worlde is not onelye to inuey against that groser sorte of sinners for that the world can beare but also to testifie that the workes therof are euill that is to saye that it is wholy voyde of righteousnesse and goodnesse and that it cannot attaine to true righteousnesse but by Christ M. For the nature of the worde is to enter through euen to the deuiding a sonder of the soule and the spirite and of the Ioyntes and the marowe and discerneth the thoughtes A. What pretence soeuer therefore the worlde hath for the hating of the professors of the gospell there can be no other cause than that which Christ hath foreshewed namely because the faithfull doe testify that the workes of the worlde are euel Heb. 4.12 M. The Iewes those ypocrites went aboute to kill Christ as a transgressor of the Saboth but there laye a nother mischife secrete in their harts of the which not so muche as Pilat was ignorant for he knowe that for enuy they had deliuered him vp to death Euenso they which at this daye hate the Ministeres of the Gospell ascribe the cause to the loue of the Church calling them enimies and forsakers of the churh when as they themselues are not louers of the Churche but sekers of their owne vayne glory And they pretende that to magistrats whiche they knowe they cannot abyde calling them seditious persones as though they them selues wished wel to magistrates when as in déede no men are nor euer haue béene greater enemies to magistrates then they themselues haue bene Iohn 3.20 B. But they will not come to the true light of Godes worde leste their euell déedes shoulde bée reproued 8. Go ye vp vnto this feaste I will not go vppe yet vnto this feaste for my tyme is not yet full come M. There is no doubte but that the Lorde woulde haue instructed them and kept them with him longar yf so be they had béene of a sincere harte and had erred symply but because they were led by the spirite of enuy and had an euel opinion of hym he left them to their owne counsayles They had herde and séene many wonderfull miracles they ought to haue knowen who and howe greate he was if so be they had not ben blinded with mallice furthermore for kindreds sake they shoulde haue bene better affected towardes him Iustly therefore he sendeth them awaye from him to go whether they will Thus doth God alwayes deale in his Iustice with the vnbeléeuing and obstinate insomuche that when they will not be otherwise ruled he leaueth them to their owne immaginations that they may eyther walke in them or else tourne to hym by repentaunce Heare O my people and I will protest vnto the O Israell if thou wilt harken vnto me let there be no straunge God in thee neither worship thou any forreine God For I am the Lorde thy God whiche brought thee out of the lande of Egipt open thy mouth wide and I will fill it But my people woulde not heare my voyce and Israell would not obaye me So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their harte and they haue walked in their owne counsailes Psal 81.8 As therefore it cannot be gathered by those wordes that the Lord doth not care for the saluation of his people and doeth reiect the infirme and weake for he sayeth afterwarde I woulde my people had harkened to me and Israell had walked in my wayes I woulde sonne haue humbled their enimies so verely wée must not here gather that the Lorde had not a care for the saluation of his brethren because he so lightly sendeth them from hym saying Go ye vp vnto this feast But wée must rather vnderstande howe vnméete and inconuenient a thing it is to constraine wicked and mallicious persons against their willes to be pertakers of that grace which with all their strength and might they reiect and contemne Iohn 3.19 For it is most iust that they shoulde erre and wander in darckenesse which loue darckenesse more than light 9. When hee had sayde these wordes vnto them he aboade still in Galilee M. In that Christ ascended not to Ierusalem but aboade still in
vs. 5. So long as I am in the worlde I am the lyght of the vvorlde C. This is spoken by a figure called Occupatio For it might séeme absurde that Christ doeth prefixe vnto him selfe a tyme of working least as though hée shoulde bée in perryll to bée ouertaken and preuented with the night as other men are For hee compareth him selfe to the Sonne whiche illuminateth the earth with his brightnesse yet notwithstanding when it setteth it maketh daye to ceasse Therefore he geueth them to vnderstande that his death shal be as it were the Sunne setting not an obscuring or extinguishing of his light but a depriuing of the worlde of the syght of the same Neuerthelesse he teacheth that when he was made manifest in the fleshe then the daye of the worlde was perfectlye light and shyning It is verye true that Christ hauing fulfilled and discharged his office hath wrought no lesse mightelye by his ministers than he dyd by him selfe when he was in the worlde For Paule also doeth properlye applye this to the time of his Preaching namelye howe that God which in the beginning commaunded the light to shyne out of darkenesse dyd then shyne in the face of Christ by the Gospell And nowe also Christe doeth no lesse shyne in the worlde 2. Cor. 4.6 than he dyd when he was conuersaunt among menne The whiche is most true but it letteth not but that he ought to execute that by him selfe whiche was committed to him of the Father at what tyme hée was manifested in the fleshe to that ende Also it letteth not but that his corporall presence might be the true and singular lyght of the world the brightnesse wherof hath appeared in all ages For from whence had the Fathers in olde tyme light how also haue we light at this daye but by the bright beames of Christe offered Wherevppon it followeth that whosoeuer haue not Christ to be their directoure they wander as it were blinde men groping in the darke confusedlye and without order A. You maye reade more concerning the lyght Christ in the first Chapter in the thirde and in the eyght Chapters going before 6. Assone as he had thus spoken hee spatte on the grounde and made claye of the spittle and he anointed with the claye the eyes of the blinde Bv. Hée ioyneth to his wordes the déede declaring by the verye worke that hée is the light and the illumination of the whole worlde But by a newe and wonderfull meane hée openeth the eyes of the blinde For hee whiche anointeth or wypeth a mans eyes with claye doeth after a sorte encrease his blindnesse Who woulde not haue thought that eyther hée had mocked the poore man or else that lyke a madde man hée had dallyed played with himselfe But by this meanes hée thought hée woulde trye the Fayth and the obedience of these menne that he might bée an example for all men to followe For this is a true experiment and tryal of Faith when a godlye minde being content with the simple worde of GOD doeth promise that vnto him selfe whiche otherwise séemeth incredible The readinesse of obedience followeth Faith at the harde héeles insomuche that hée wyllinglye submytteth him selfe vnto God whiche is perswaded that hée will be vnto him an assured guide and staye R. Christ might haue healed him with his worde onelye as hee healed certayne others but hee thought good to heale after this manner that he might trye the Fayth and the obedience of the blinde man C. and might therewithall declare that as at the first man was made of claye so in opening mennes eyes hee vsed claye shewing that power in part of the bodye which the Father declared in the whole workmanshippe of man Or it maye bee that hee purposed to declare by this signe that it was no more harde for him to open the eyes of the blinde than to wipe of claye or dyrt from any man 7. And sayde vnto him Goe washe thee in the Poole of Syloe which by interpretacion is as muche to say as sent He went his waye therefore and washed and came againe seeing B. The Lorde to open the eyes of this blinde man vsed those thinges in the whiche no man coulde haue thought any suche power at all to haue béene but woulde rather haue Iudged it to be the worke of his power Bv. Furthermore he declared that the elements are not to be despised although saluacion and iustification come not by them which by his institucion serue for a misterye Of the whiche kinde is the Water in Baptisme and the Breade and Wine in the Lordes Supper and such lyke B. For he alone bringeth all thinges to passe by his power Therefore in that he vouchsafeth to vse certaine Creatures in this worke hee doeth it not to finishe the worke but to honoure his Creatures the which he admitteth to the Ministerye of his goodnesse and to the working with his power C. But he commaundeth to washe in the Poole of Siloe paraduenture to caste the Iewes in the teeth with this that they them selues were in the faulte that they felte not the present power of God Esai 8.6 euen as also the Prophete Esaye reproueth the men in his tyme for that they refused the softe running waters of Syloh and desyred the strong and mighty Riuers And this also seemeth to bee the cause why Elizeus commaunded Naaman the Syrian to washe in Iordan Hi◠The Poole of Siloh was at the foote of mount Sion which dyd not breake and spring forth continuallye but onely at certaine howres and on certaine dayes and came through certaine hoales and guttes of the harde Rocke with a great roaring noise C. And the Euangelist vppon good consideration addeth the interpretacion of the worde because that fountaine or spring being nere vnto the Temple dyd dayly put the Iewes in minde of Christ to come whome notwithstanding being offered vnto them they despised Bv. And the Lordes minde was to declare that he was that promised Messias which was sent and the most plentifull and wholsome well of all goodnesse and felicitie of the which whosoeuer dronke shoulde neuer thirste euen as it is sayd before Hee went his waye and washed M. The blind man dyd not fall away from Christ when hee sawe that his eyes were annointed with claye neither dyd he deryde the commaundement of Christ when he was sent to the Poole of Syloh but as there he gaue place vnto the worke of Christ euenso here hée wyllinglye obeyed his commaundement although all these thinges séemed ridiculous to humaine reason yet notwithstanding he whollye submitted him selfe vnto Christ C. If any man obiecte and saye that the blinde man knewe not who Christ was that he might geue vnto him that due honour whiche belonged to the sonne of GOD that is verye true but because he dyd beléeue that he was sent of God and submitted him selfe vnto him nothing doubting but that he was true and iuste he dyd beholde and sée nothing in
of God For in that Chapter by a figure called Prosopopoeia hée bringeth in wisedome speaking of her selfe howe all thinges were made by her as is there to be seene at large Our Euangelist Iohn in this place therefore speaketh more profoundly then Moyses doeth in his Genesis the firste Chapter For hée sayth not In the beginning God made the worde Gene. 1 as Moyses sayth In the beginning God made Heauen and Earth But hée sayth In the beginning was the worde That wée might vnderstande the same to bée from euerlasting to bée euen alreadye in the beginning of thinges and not to haue his beginning then By this worde he leadeth vs beyonde the begynning of all thinges euen to the Eternitie it selfe to the which notwithstanding the cogitacion of our minde can neuer attaine not that wée shoulde curiouslye searche for the same but that wée shoulde beléeue and adore the Eternitye of the worde least wée might thinke as certayne Heretiques doe that the same beganne firste to bée at the beginning of the Creation of all Creatures or else when hée was borne of the Virgin Marye And therefore hée him selfe sayeth I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last Reue. 1. A. And in another place hée sayeth Verylye verylye I saye vnto you before Abraham was I am The whiche thing the Apostle also confirmeth with these woordes Iohn 8 Iesus Christ yesterdaye and to daye the same also is for euer Heb. 13. And the word was with GOD. M. Because the Euangelist had sayde In the beginning was the worde that is to saye before the worlde was before any thing was made when thinges were nowe readye to haue theyr beginning yea before all these thinges was the word it followed that hée should shewe where it was It coulde bée in no place nor in no time because as yet there was neyther place nor time Where was it then naye where coulde it bée The Apostle aunswereth and sayeth It was with God Truelye it coulde bée no where else But againe it maye here bée demaunded where God was when as nothing was created Heare wée must staye For GOD coulde bée in no place neyther can hée bée at this time séeing he is infinite neyther can the heauen of heauens comprehende him as Salomon sayth 1. King 8. Iohn therefore putteth a difference betwéene this worde and all other thinges created and doth also attribute vnto him a distinct substaunce from the father For the Euangelist should haue absurdelye sayde that he had béene alwayes with GOD except he had had a certaine proper subsisting in God Therfore this place is of great force to confute the error of Sabellius because hée sheweth that the sonne doth differ from the father Wherefore although men ought to speake soberlye and modestlye of so great misteries and secrete thinges yet notwithstanding the aunsient writers of the Churche are worthie to be excused who when they coulde no otherwise defende the true and sincere doctrine against the double and deceytfull wordes of Heritiques were constrayned to deuise and inuent certayne woordes the which notwithstanding shoulde sounde or signifie no other thing than that which was already put downe in the sacred Scriptures They sayde that there were thrée Hypostases or persons in one simple essence of God vnderstanding by the name of persons seueral properties in GOD which offer themselues to our mindes to be séene The which separation Math. 28 Christ also confirmeth in these wordes Goe yee foorth and teache all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost And Saint Iohn 1. Iohn 5 in his Epistle sayth There are three which beare witnesse in heauen the Father the VVorde and the holye Ghost and these three are one M. Moreouer whereas Christ is sayde to bée borne of the Father and comming out from the Father to come into the worlde it is not so to be vnderstoode that hée being borne of the Father and come from the Father was separated from him that this which Iohn sayth And the worde was with GOD might bée vnderstoode of some time when hée was not the Sonne of the Father and when that hée was come from the Father hée was no more with the Father GOD forbidde It fareth so among vs which are mortall men But it goeth not so with GOD and his worde For the word of GOD neyther in being borne nor in going foorth is separated from GOD the Father euen as neyther the brightnesse from the sunne nor the heate from the fire by going foorth is separated nor the counsell of the hearte is separated from the wise man in bringing the same to a worke euen as the Apostle in diuers places witnesseth saying Ehe 1 Blessed be GOD the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs in all maner spirituall blessing in heauenlie thinges by Christ according as hee had chosen vs in him before the foundation of the worlde Therefore wée are chosen of God before the beginning of the worlde But how In Christ sayth hee that is to say by the worde purpose of God which was with him in the beginning And in another place who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus before the worlde began but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Sauiour Iesus Christ 2. Tim. 1 Therefore the grace of God is giuen vnto vs before the worlde was made when as in déede we were not But howe In that purpose and worde of GOD Christ which was with God in the beginning The like wordes we haue almost in his Epistle to Tytus where he sayth that eternall life was promised before the beginning of the worlde and that by the worde of God which is manifested by the preaching of the Gospell And God was the Word R. The Sonne is not onely with God the father but he is God also for the father and the sonne are two persons but one God and one essence M. And this is gathered by the two premises or propositions going before namelye where he sayde that this worde was in the beginning and that it was with GOD so that this sentence is nowe as it were the conclusion For whatsoeuer was not made in the beginning but had his being before and was also with God the same is God But Christ the worde of God was in the beginning with GOD therefore he is God For how shoulde he not be GOD which is the wisedome of God the worde of God the vertue the power of God and the Sonne of God Howe shoulde he not be God which is euerlasting hauing neyther beginning nor ende of dayes How shoulde he not be God which was alwayes with God and shall be for euer C. Least any man therefore shoulde remaine scrupulous or doubtfull of the deuine essence of God Saint Iohn plainely
things of nothing M. Yea truelye he coulde haue done it What néede was there then of the element of water Surely this water which he vsed made the miracle more euident than if he had made wine of nothing For else it might haue béene thought that hée had done it by coniuration and so there shoulde not haue béene so manifest testimonye of the truth if hée had filled the emptie vessels with wine And they filled them vp to the brimme C. This commaundement might haue séemed foolish and vaine to the wayting seruauntes for there was water sufficient before but after this maner God commonly dealeth with vs that his power might haue the greater successe vnlooked for 8. And hee sayth vnto them Dravve oute novv and beare vnto the Gouernour of the feast and they bare it Bv. We reade not that Christ spake any thing at the turning of the water or vsed anye monsterous wordes as the Coniurers doe For with him to will is to speake and to speake is to will Euen as therefore before time hée spake the worde and they were made he commaunded and all things had their being Psal 148. Euen so now also because he would and cōmaunded by his secret power the water is tourned into wine his power working the very same that it wrought in the beginning Psal 14◠in the creation of heauen and earth M. But why doeth he rather sende it to the gouernour of the feast than to the Bridegrome or to his ghestes An order in this thing was to be kept by which the myracle might be made more manifest If the Wine had béene brought first to the Bridegrome or to his Ghestes they woulde haue thought that the gouernour of the Feast had brought the same by his prouision that it had béene kept hitherto by his care The gouernour of the feast knew that there was no wine And therfore the Wine was brought first of all vnto him by good order for the more certaintye of the matter C. The Euangelist calleth him the gouernor of the feast whiche was made chiefe ouerséer of the Table whome we commonlye call the Sewer not that it was so great a Banquet that such officers were required but because the honourable names are also transferred to the Marriages of the Poore out of the order of Banquetting of the Ritche And they bare it C. In that the Ministers so willingly obey the commaundement of Christ wée may thereby gather that there was much dignitye and reuerence in him A. So in another place when he commaunded the multitude to sit downe Iohn ◠they obeye him although they sée no preparation before them 9. When the Ruler of the Feast had tasted of the water that was made Wine and knewe not whence it was but the Ministers which drewe the water knewe the gouerner of the Feast called the Bridegrome When the Ruler of the Feast had tasted Bv. Nowe the excellent and famous Myracle of the Lord is reuealed his clemencye commended and his power and glorye praysed But the ministers which drewe the water knewe M. He could without the helpe of the Ministers haue filled the water Pottes with water of the water made Wine but it was méete that the Miracle should be so disposed that they might be his witnesses And for this cause they are commaunded to fill the water Pottes a fresh that afterwards the Wine being drawn out of them they might vndoubtedlye knowe whereof it was made So he commaunded his Disciples to sée howe many Loaues they had then when he had blessed hée gaue to them to set before the people and last of all he commaunded to take vp the fragments All the which Miracles were done that they might haue certaine experience of the Miracle done And God vseth this manner of working Miracles in the world verye much insomuch that he will not do many thinges without the helpe of men which hée could otherwise do He could bring all thinges out of the earth which wée vse without the worke of Plowing Planting and watering but he hath so appointed that we must Plant and Water and he wyll geue the encrease not that it is so necessarie to be done but that we might séeke for the wonderfull certaine knowledge might so be norished growe in the faith 10. And sayth vnto him Euery man at the beginning doth set forth good Wine and when the Ghestes haue well dronk then that which is vvorse but thou hast kept the good Wine vntill novve M. The Gouernour of the feast thought that this Wine had béene kept hytherto by want of discretion in the Bridegroome Concerning the goodnesse whereof he witnesseth saying Thou hast kept the good VVine vntill this time For this cause the Euangelist thought good to set before vs these words of the gouernour of the feast although he erred thinking that the Bridegroome had kept the Wine vntill this time that there might be sound and perfect testimonyes concerning the Wine first from whence it came concerning which the Ministers testified secondelye what Wine it was that is to saye the best concerning which the Gouernour of the feast beareth witnesse Bv. Whereby it is manifestly declared that the Gouernor of the feast tasted no other Wine than that which the Lord had made For it is sayde that he knewe not whence it was to the ende wée might vnderstande that hée spake nothing because of Christ but that he vttered his minde simply and truely concerning the Wine as it was in déede M. But by these wordes of the gouernour of the feast the maner and disposition of this world is liuely depainted in that first of all they are woont to sette before men the best and chiefest thinges to eate drinke and after that those thinges that are worse Euen so they which sell doe first of all shew vnto the Byars those thinges which are chiefest and best but in proces of time they will serue them with worse and worse They also which become seruauntes doe at the first shewe themselues verye dilligent that afterwardes when they haue gotten credite they maye more easyly beguile their maysters R. For the worlde as a man would thinke promiseth all good thinges with great prosperitie But as wée commonly sée in the winding vp it leaueth vnto vs nothing but diseases afflictions calamities and death On the contrarie parte Christe euen at the first layeth on the shoulders of his seruaunts the crosse imprisonment persecution and death but at the last he giueth vnto them ioye and peace of conscience with euerlasting life 11. This beginning of miracles did Iesus in Cana of Galilee and shewed foorth his glorye and his Disciples beleeued on him This beginning of miracles did Jesus C. The meaning is that this was the first miracle that Christ our Sauiour wrought For whereas the Aungels tolde the Sheepeheardes that hée was borne in Bethlehem Luke 2 Math. 2 Mark 3 whereas the starre appeared to the wise men whereas the
meaning thereby his resurrection which was to come C. But all these thinges he doth figuratiuely handling the vnfaithfull as they deserued and setting him selfe frée from theyr contempte It did not appeare as yet that they were obstinate but Christ did sufficientlye perceyue what their affection was Notwithstanding it may bée demaunded séeing he did so many Myracles why hée speaketh but of one myracle here It may bée aunswered that Christ therefore made no mencion of the rest of his Myracles because his resurrection only was sufficient to stoppe their mouthes and also because he would not set foorth the power of God before them to bée a mocking stocke For therefore also he spake figuratiuelye of the glorye of his resurrection R. Also howe the Temple of Hierusalem shadowed Christ hée him selfe in this place declareth Destroye sayeth hée this Temple that is to say yée shall kyll me which am that true Temple in the whiche all true Prayers being made are heard in the which only God is found fauourable C. Wée must also note that our bodies are called the Temple of GOD but in another sence that is Colos 2 1. Timo. 3 because by the force of his spirite God dwelleth in vs but in Christ the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodelye as sayeth the Apostle in so much that God is truely manifested in the fleshe And I will raise it againe C. Here Christ challengeth vnto him selfe the glorye of his resurrection when as notwithstanding the Scripture testifieth that it is the worke of God the father But these twoo thinges doe verye well agree togeather For to the ende the Scripture might commende vnto vs the power of God it doeth plainlye ascribe the raysing againe of the Sonne from death to the Father but Christ doeth here speciallye set foorth his Diuinitye M. This place therefore doeth agrée with that which we shall sée afterwarde where Christe speaketh thus I put awaye my life from mee Iohn 10 that I may take it to me againe No man taketh the same awaye from mee Iohn 10 but I put it awaye of my selfe I haue power to put it awaye and I haue power to take it to me againe 20. Then sayd the Iewes Fortye and sixe yeres was this Temple a building and wilt thou reare it vppe in three daies M. The Iewes vnderstoode that to be spoken of the temple built of stone which hée vnderstoode of his Bodye and they iudge in the answere of Christ great rashnesse to consiste in so muche that they did iudge him to bée mad not by his déedes onelye but also hy his woordes As if they should saye What madnesse is this in thée that thou darest promise that this Temple shal be built in thrée dayes againe if it bée destroyed séeing that with so great labour and coste it was a building Fortye and sixe yeres And here is to be noted that whereas the Iewes sayde that the Temple was a building sixe and fortye yeres it agréeth with the Prophesie of Daniel Dan. 9. and .25 And although in the booke of Esdras the Temple seemeth to bée built in a farre shorter time whereby some contrarietye maye bée gathered yet notwithstanding there is no repugnancye at all For so soone as the Sanctuarye was erected before the building of the Temple was finished they beganne to offer Sacrifices Afterwarde by the slothe and negligence of the people the worke was lefte vndone for a long time as euidently appeareth by the complaintes of Aggeus For hée doeth there seuerelye blame them Agg◠1 because they were to diligent in building theyr owne houses and verye negligent in leauing the Lordes house vnfinished Touching the exposition of the one and twenty verse reade the ninetéenth going before 22. As soone therfore as he was risen frō death againe his Disciples remembred that hee thus had sayde and they beleeued the Scriptures and the wordes whiche Iesus had sayde As soone therfore as hee was risen M. For then he opened theyr sence and vnderstanding that they might vnderstande the Scriptures Luk. 24 as sayeth the Euangelist Luke At the first the Disciples vnderstoode not Christ when he spake but afterward that Doctrine which séemed to bée spoken in vaine brought foorth his fruite in due time Therefore although many things in the déedes and wordes of the Lorde bée obscure for a time yet for all that we must not dispayre to obtaine that whiche by and by we can not attaine vnto M. That which Thomas vnderstoode not vppon the verye daye of the resurrection of Christ Iohn 20 he vnderstoode the eyght daye after Although therefore the reprobate abide in theyr blindnesse and walke in darkenesse yet notwithstanding the elect are alwayes lightened in theyr time and by the calling of Christ come to the knowledge of God C. The texte also is here to bée noted namelye that they beléeued the Scripture and the worde of Christ For the Euangelist hereby meaneth that they conferring the Scripture with the word of Christ were holpen that they might goe foreward in the faith Bv. The which thing is put downe to bée a Doctrine and an example vnto vs that we comparing both the wordes and déedes with the Scriptures may beleue Iesus to be the sonne of God a King and hye Priest and the Sauiour of the worlde 23. When hee was in Ierusalem at the Passeouer in the Feast day many beleeued on his name when they saw his miracles which he did M. There wanteth not some reason that the Euangelist added these wordes to that which went before For the rude and ignoraunt reader might haue béene much offended at the aunswere of Christ as though he of purpose neglected the saluacion of these Iewes which desired a signe to bée geuen vnto them hée being able to shewe them signes inowe with the which he might haue made his glory manifest Therefore for the ignorants sake he séemeth to make mencion of these thinges to the ende he might shewe that Christ had a care for all men but that hée shewed suche euident miracles in the Feast of Passeouer that many being then present at the feast at Hierusalem and moued by the light of the Myracles beléeued on his name Iohn therfore verye aptlye addeth this narration to that whiche goeth before But to the purpose Christ gaue not suche a signe as the Iewes desired for hée perceyuing that by many myracles which hee had already shewed he had profited nothing but brought them to a vaine shewe of Faith he thought it not good to graunt vnto them theyr desires as vnworthy Here was some profite of signes that many thereby beléeued on the name of Christ in so much that they professed to followe his Doctrine This theyr faith although it was not as yet perfect yet in time it might become perfect this fayth might be a profitable preparation to celebrate the name of Christ vnto others M. But what signes they were which our sauiour Christ shewed the Euangelist maketh no mencion
neyther let any be curious to knowe as though hée had done any notable wonders more nowe than he was wont to doe 24. But Iesus did not coÌ„mit him selfe vnto them because hee knewe all men C. That is to say Christ did not take them for his owne Disciples but rather made account of them as light and vaine The place is diligently to be noted howe that not all which professe them selues to be the disciples of Christ are thought to bee such in his sight For the Euangelist sayeth here Because he knewe them all There is nothing more daungerous than Hipocrisie both for diuers caâ—ses and also because it is a vice more then common There is no man almost whiche liketh not of him selfe and when wee deceaue our selues with vaine perswations we thinke that GOD is blinde But here we are taught howe much his iudgement doeth differ from ours For hée is a searcher of the heart and raines nothing is secréete vnto him Men may be deceyued with externall shewes but God can not be mocked Let vs therefore bée sure of this that that they are the true Disciples of Christ which are allowed of him For the Lord knoweth who are his 2. Tim. 2 And as this is a great comfort to the children of God that they are knowne of him so also it ought to bring great terrour to the mindes of the vngodlye that they are knowne vnto him which shall come to iudge bothe the quicke and the dead 25. And needed not that any should testifye of man for hee knewe what was in man C. Whereas the Euangelist sayeth that Christ knoweth all it is to be referred to those of whom mencion is made before But because some man might doubt whence Christ had this knowledge the Euangelist cutting of this doubte or question aunswereth that whatsoeuer is in men hidden from our eyes is séene of Christ But wee may not hereof gather that no man ought to be trusted because that which is in man is not knowne vnto vs For no man knoweth what is in man but the spirite of man that is in man First because we are such that wée stand in néede one of anothers helpe Secondly because we are euill and ready to condemne But least we should alwayes bee deceaued by Ipocrites it belongeth to Christ onely to endue vs with the spirite of discretion whereby we maye discerne them from suche as meane simplye and truelye the which gifte wée must obtaine at his handes by Prayer ⧠The thirde Chapter 1. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes There was a man C. THE PVRpose of the Euangelist S. Iohn in this Chapter is to set foorth certayne of the woordes and déedes of our Lorde and sauiour Christ that by them he maye bee knowne to be the sauiour of the worlde the eternall power of GOD yea and God him selfe Séeing therefore in the Chapter going before hée made mencion of twoo of his notable and wonderfull déedes by which his Diuinitye might plainelye appeare hée thought it nowe meete to adioyne therevnto the communication which he had with Nicodemus the Pharisee and a chiefe Ruler among the Iewes in the which he plainelye expresseth by his owne words both what he cause to â—oe that we might be Citezens of his Kingdome and also what he requireth of vs. It seemeth that the Euangelist entereth into the narration of this Historye with the same purpose and intent that he did enter into the narration of those thinges which are set at the latter ende of the chapter going before namely to shew that theyr obstinacye is inexcusable which desyred of Christ that a signe might be geuen vnto them because he had shewed so many notable Miracles that the Pharisées them selues also were constrained to acknowledge his Diuine operation The Euangelist also setteth before our eyes in the person of Nicodemus how friuolous and vaine theyr faith is which being moued by Myracles sodainely became Disciples of Christ For this man séeing hée was a Pharisee and one of the chiefe rulers of the people in his countrey ought for to haue excelled others For among the common sort of people lightnesse raigneth much Of the Pharisees M. There was no secte that more enuied Christ than the sect of the Pharisées For they were puffed vp with an opinion of holinesse and with theyr aucthoritye by which they excelled other of the Iewes but Christ vncouered the Hipocrisie of these men and therfore they did hate him to the death A. But touching that wich partayneth to theyr secte and originall reade our exposition vpon the third Chapter of Mathew C. This was great honour to Nicodemus that he was a Pharisée and a Ruler of the Iewes but the Euangelist doth not giue him this tytle for honors sake but rather noteth that the same was an obstacle and let vnto him from comming with a frée and quiet mind vnto Christ Whereby we are admonished that they which excell in the world are very much wrapped with troublesome snares that they can not aspire vnto Heauen But the EuaÌ„gelist doth not only make mencion that Nicodemus was by order a Pharisée but also one of the chiefe rulers of the people that is to saye one of the Seniours and Ecclesiasticall Doctours as maye appeare by the wordes of Christ Arte thou a Maister in Israel and knowest not these thinges Called Nicodemus M. The Euangelist putteth downe his name to bring the more credite and aucthoritye to the Historye 2. The same came to Iesus by night and sayde vnto him Rabbi wee knowe that thou art a teacher come from God for no man could do these myracles that thou doest except God were with him The same came to Jesus by night B. Here come twoo thinges to be noted 1. Timo. 2 The first is that the Lord God hath those that are his among all sortes of men which would that all men shoulde bée saued and come to the knowledge of the trueth The second is that the elect can not but at the length they must come vnto the Lorde according to the saying of our sauiour Christ Iohn 6 All that my Father geueth mee shall come vnto me C. Notwithstanding in that he commeth in the night we maye gather that hée was too to fearefull for he was blinded in his owne conceyte It might bée also that shame did staye him because suche men as are ambicious thinke that they haue for euer lost their fame if they descend from the stately degrée of a Maister to the order of a Scholler And there is no doubte but that this man was puffed vppe with a foolishe opinion of his owne knowledge To bée short séeing he did make great account of him selfe hée woulde not willinglye lease anye part of his estimation And yet for all that hée séemeth to shewe some sparke of Godlinesse to bée in him in that he hearing a Prophete of God to be come doeth not contempne or neglect the
Greater aucthoritye then this I haue not receyued neyther doe I arrogate any more to my selfe For it is greate ingratitude for a man to vsurpe and take more vnto him selfe than GOD hath committed vnto him For Salomon also sayeth Prou. 4.25 Let thine eyes directe thy waye before thee That is to saye Haue respecte vnto thy vocation C. This onelye cogitation if it were grauen into the mindes of all menne woulde bée sufficient to putte awaye all Ambition And Ambicion being taken away the mischiefe of contencions shall ceasse also For howe commeth it to passe that euery one so Ambiciouslye exalteth him selfe but onelye because wée doe not depende vppon the Lorde and contente our selues in that state wherevnto we are called M. This sentence also doeth admonishe vs of our necessitye and néede For wée haue nothing nor can haue as of our selues whether wée haue respect to heauenly or to earthly things Wée are myserable Man voide of all goodnesse and myserable were wée borne wanting all thinges and except wée were nourished and preserued by GOD wée should perishe sooner than the flower of the fielde Therefore to take awaye all Pride and haughtinesse of the minde lette vs haue alwayes before our eyes this saying of the Apostle VVhat hast thou O man 1. Cor. 4.7 whiche thou hast not receyued and if thou haue receyued it VVhy doest thou boaste as though thou haddest not receyued it Also hée sayth It is better to geue Actes 20.35 than to receyue Therefore it is miserable to receyue and more myserable than to geue So that nothing ought to bée attributed to our workes or to our industerye Bv. Hereby also wée gather that they doe gréeuouslye offende whiche geue that glorye vnto Saintes which they owe vnto Christ whome God hath appointed to bée our mediatour Aduocate and Intercessour and doe also geue more vnto Saintes than God hath appointed by which they doe rather dishonour than honour them M. Moreouer if man can receyue nothing except it bée geuen him from Heauen than howe so euer humaine wisedome braggeth and boasteth it selfe yet notwithstanding it cannot haue in verye déede that which it hath not receiued from heauen The Popes triple crowne and the signification thereof although this whole worlde attribute the same vnto him Therfore although the Bishop of Rome to signifye his power and aucthoritye in heauen earth and in hell weareth the Triple Crowne on his head and would haue all men to worship the same being herein like vnto Iupiter of whome the Poet faigneth with the triple Scepter yet notwithstanding because hée hath receyued the same from Constantine as some affirme and not from heauen hée sheweth him selfe to bée vaineglorious and nothing inferiour in Pride to Lucifer And whereas his faultors and defendours obiect vnto vs the Churche it skilleth not AV. For it is not written here by the Euangelist Except it be geuen him from the Church but he sayeth Except it bee geuen him from heauen 28. Yee your selues are witnesses howe that I sayde I am not Christ but am sent before him C. Iohn blameth his Disciples because they beleeued not his wordes For hée had oftentimes tolde them that hée was not Christ Therefore it could not otherwise bée but that hée with the rest were seruauntes and subiectes to the onlye begotten sonne of God M. Iohn sayeth not there are many which haue hearde this of mée and can bée witnesses that I haue sayde howe that I am not Christ least any man should suspect that he had not tolde this to his disciples but to certaine others secréetly leauing them in that false opinion which they had conceyued of him but hée sayeth Ye your selues are witnesses howe that I sayde J am not Christ By this place we sée howe obstinate and selfe wyll mans wisedome is when it hath once conceiued a false opinon and being admonished thereof retayneth an vndiscréete zeale by which it Iudgeth those thinges that are least to bée more principall and those thinges that are principall to be least C. And whereas hée addeth that he was sent before him hée declareth howe muche hée differeth from him For Iohn was sent before Christ to prepare his waye according to the statelye manner of Kinges who vsually haue theyr Haruingers and forerunners to make the waye before them M. But there is great difference betwéene the King him selfe and his forerunner Iohns humilitie who hath no other dignitie than that which he receyueth from the King which is to shewe before the comming of the king and to sturre vp all men to goe foorth and méete him C. Therefore Iohn maketh him selfe no better then a Subiect to the head and as one of the Ministers in the Churche not extolling him selfe to dishonour his head C. In no lesse euill parte doe all the Saintes of God take it if any man conceyue of them a false opinion and attribute that faith and reuerence vnto them which is due vnto the Lorde him selfe euen as the Apostle Paule teacheth 1. Cor 4.1 And contrarywise we offende herein if so bée we attribute lesse vnto the Ministers of God than of right appertayneth vnto them Therefore we must obserue and kéepe a measure whereby wée maye geue vnto the Lorde those thinges that are the Lordes and to the Ministers those thinges which belong vnto Ministers 29. Hee that hath the Bride is the Bridegrome but the friend of the Bridegrome which standeth and heareth him reioyseth greatly because of the Bridegromes voyce This my ioye therefore is fulfilled He that hath the Bride Bv. Least that any doubte should remaine in the mindes of his Disciples by hardnesse or obscurenesse of speach Iohn propoundeth a Parable wonderfully agréeing with his purpose by which hée teacheth that to Christ appertaineth all glory and that of him the whole Church ought to depende affirming of him selfe that hée is onelye a Ghest and looker on at the Marriage C. For by this similitude hée proueth more plainelye that there is but one Christ which is taken from amongest all other men For as hée which Marrieth a Wife doeth not therefore call his friendes to the Wedding to make his wife common to them or to make them partaker of the Bedchamber with him but rather that the Wedding by theyr presence might bée made the more honourable euen so Christ doeth not therefore call his ministers to the office of teaching that they shoulde suppresse the Churche and vsurpe vnto them selues the Lordshippe of the same but that he might vse theyr faythfull labour to sociate the same to him selfe It is a great and notable thing for men to bée set as gouernours and ouerséers of the Church and to represent the person of the sonne of God Therefore those whome the Bridegrome ioyneth to him are as friendes to celebrate the Marriage togeather But wée must note the difference that wée forgetting not our estate condition draw that to our selues which is proper to the Bridegrome but
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 staâ—eth it selfe vpon Goâ— and to be grounded and established by his worde
Spring whiche hée calleth Iacobs well because it is credible and likelye that Iacob Digged a well there Gen. 21.2 Gen. 26.15 following the example of his Fathers Abraham and Isaac M. And whereas this péece of ground and this Well of the which the Euangelist maketh mention haue retayned in them selues The memorye of the Godly abideth for euer so many Ages and so long time the remembraunce of the Patriarche Iacob we maye thereby bée admonished and taught howe sure and stable the memorye of the Godlye abideth euen in this worlde This place was of greater fame by reason of the remembraunce of Iacob than the high mountaines of Robbers whose memorye sodainelye vanisheth away Let vs leaue vnto our Posterity the remembraunce of Godlynesse which is much more precious than Golde Jesus then being weery Here beginneth the History When the Disciples were entered into the Citye to bye meate the Lord sate in the meane time beside the Well as wayting their returne not entring with them into the Citye bothe that hée might not geue them an euident occasion of offence and also that hée might attende the finishing of that worke which hée knew hée should take in hande For hée sate sayth the Euangelist being weery of his Iourney by the Welles side C. Hée did not fayne a wéerinesse but he was wéery in déede For to the ende hée might the more effectuallye suffer the Passions of a naturall man hée tooke vpon him our infirmities R. For hée came into this world to declare that hée is our high Priest with his Father The office of the high Priest It is the office of the high Priest to Care to Praye and to make intercession for the People and to take the sinnes of the People vppon him selfe the which maye manifestlye inough appeare out of the olde Lawe Nowe howe can Christ suffer with vs and bée touched with our Infirmyties except hée were subiect to those affections and infirmities before Therfore hée is one while described to bée Hungrye another while Thirstye another whyle Wéerye another whyle Scourged another while Crucified another while Dying to the ende wée maye knowe that wée haue an high Priest that hath felt in him selfe our infirmities and so maye haue a sure hope and trust in all aduersities For Christ knoweth howe wée are minded and affected in them and of what helpe wée stande in néede séeing that hée him selfe hath borne the lyke This matter is verye wel handeled by the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 2.14 and .4.15 M. This also belongeth to the confirmation of our Faith by which wée beléeue that Christ was not onelye GOD but also perfect man in all thinges like vnto vs sinne excepted For in that hée was wéerye of his Iourney hée doeth not declare thereby his Diuinitye but rather his humanitye and the Imbecillitye of the fleshe according to the which hée suffered Hunger Thyrste Wéerinesse sorrowes and death it selfe It was necessarye that by these and such lyke arguments the true Assumption of our fleshe in the which the redemption and reconciliation of mankinde was made perfecte shoulde bée declared Moreouer these thinges prescribe and set before vs an example of true humilitye and modestye to followe The Lord was wéerye of his Iourneye Wherefore because hée vsed not to Ryde but alwaies went on Foote what Iourney so euer he tooke in hande CHR. Humblye according to the condition of the place hée sate by the welles side and that alone without any garde and without any Cushen or Boulster of ease M. Woe therefore bée to our Pride woe bée to our nicenesse and follye The Lorde of Heauen for our sake tooke vppon him our fleshe and put vppon him the formes of humilitye of modestye and of temperaunce for vs to followe but as for vs we séeke by all Nicenesse and Immodest behauiour to lose that which hée hath purchased Bv. Therefore the Lorde tooke his Iourney on Foote and not on Horsebacke or in his Coache or Charriot that by his example he might condemne the excesse and carnall pleasure of our Bishoppes C. Wherevpon when the Euangelist sayth that Christ sate thus hée doth expresse as it were the ghesture and behauiour of a wéerye man Bv. But yet after his labours hée sought reste least any man should thinke that the body ought to bée Tyred aboue measure The body must not be oppressed with labour For God doeth not allowe immoderate exercise by which man doth accellerate and hasten his death before the time A. Herevppon the Apostle teacheth that the care of the fleshe ought not altogeather to bée cast of but hée addeth Ro. 13.14 saying And make not prouision for the fleshe to fulfill the lustes of the same And it was about the sixte howre V. The Euangelist according to his manner describeth all thinges diligentlye Bv. Hée calleth that the sixt houre which to vs is the Noonetide CHR. to the ende wée might knowe that the Lord was wéerye not onely by his labour but also with the heate of the Noonetide For the Sunne comming towarde his height doubleth the labour and maketh the Iourney more painefull C. And séeing the daye hath twelue howres from the rysing of the Sunne vntill the setting of the same the sixt howre was the mid daye or twelue of the Clocke at highe Noone as wée call it R. about which time the heate of the daye is most feruent and prouoketh Thirste B. Wherby it appeareth that the Lord had occasion to aske Drinke of the woman A. Wée are taught also by this Circumstaunce of the time to haue greater consideration of the mind than of the body seeing that Christ sent not his Disciples to buye meate for their Dinner before it was high Noone Let vs therefore remember this lesson which Christ hath geuen vnto all those which are his Fyrst seeke the Kingdome of God Mat. 6.33 and the righteousnesse thereof and all other thinges whereof yee haue neede shal be geuen vnto you The which rule gluttonous and Riotous personnes obserue not whiche betimes in the morning make haste to Breakfast before they haue serued God to whome the Lord by his Prophete Esay 5.11 threatneth extreame destruction except they repent 7. And there came a woman of Samaria to drawe water Iesus sayeth vnto her Geue me drinke And there came a woman M. We saw before in the person of Christ a base exordium or beginning and now a base or contemptible instrument of great matters is brought in First the Woman then what woman namelye a Woman of Samaria and if this bée not inough a common woman a harlotte a Woman polluted and defiled with vncleannes Coulde he vse his Apostles as instrumentes to offer the knowledge of his heauenly grace to this Citie yea veryly But so it was conuenient for the glorye of Gods grace that those thinges which were infyrme weake and loste should bée cured and saued with the first So it was méete that she
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
haue them onely in Bookes and so layd vp as our treasure as we saee many men doe neyther yet are they geuen that we might simplye and sleightlye reade them as though it were sufficient to reade eyther that by a supersticious opinion the reading of them might bée in stéede of worship and diuine seruice as we sée the Papistes do and as the Iewes continuallye doe on the Sabboth dayes but they are geuen to this ende that they might bée read with diligence and with a minde desirous to finde out those thinges which belong to true knowledge and true godlinesse The readers of the Scriptures must bée searchers and not corrupters wresters dreamers or supersticious murmurers Howe the scriptures ought to be read And the Scriptures do not require any searching but that whiche is godlye humble and desirous to knowe and imbrace one trueth onely otherwise a man maye finde some which reade the Scriptures but not to searche out Gods truth but rather to hinder the same Euen so Herode inquired out the truth out of the Scriptures concerning the place where Christ should bée borne not to the ende he might worshippe him Mat. 2.4 but rather to destroye him Also the Pharisées sayde to Nicodemus Searche the Prophetes and see howe that a Prophete commeth not out of Galilee Iohn 7.52 They sayd not And see what is written in the Scriptures concerning Christ So in lyke manner wicked and vngodlye men do search the scriptures to corrupt the same to theyr owne destruction C. By this woorde Scripture is vnderstoode the olde Testament For Christ dyd not first of all beginne to bée manifested in the Gospell but hauing testimony out of the lawe and the Prophetes he openlye exhibited him selfe in the Gospell Therfore that which Christ sayeth here agréeth with that which he spake vnto his Apostles after his resurrection Luk. 24.44 saying These are the wordes which I spake vnto you when I was yet with you that all must needes bee fulfilled whiche were written of mee in the lawe of Moyses and in the Prophetes and in the Psalmes But nowe it were an infinite labour to gather into one those testymonies of Scripture which pertaine to the manifesting of Christ notwithstanding we maye beholde some of them in the foure and twentye of Luke 40. And yet wyll ye not come to me that ye might haue light A. Hée meaneth that men labour in vaine in reading of the Scriptures except their onelye dryft bée to finde out Christ in them M. He sayth not And ye come not but And ye wyll not come to mee that ye maye haue lyfe C. in which woords hée againe casteth in theyr téeth that nothing staye them from obtayning that lyfe which is offered in the Scriptures but their owne mallice For in saying that they wyl not hée assigneth the cause of theyr ignoraunce and blindnesse to theyr owne wicked obstinacye And verylye séeing he so wyllingly offered him selfe vnto them it must néedes bée that they were wyllinglye blinde And séeing they dyd séeke by all meanes to shonne the lyght nay séeing they dyd séeke to obscure and darken the bright sonne with the darkenesse of theyr vnbeléefe Christ doeth iustlye more sharpelye reprehend them M. And beholde here what a false perswacion can doe They would not come vnto Christ that they might haue life by him And wherefore Because they thought that they had euerlasting lyfe alreadye Therefore so many as dyd thinke that they had already obtayned saluation come not vnto Christ the sauiour Hee which thinketh him selfe whole and sounde commeth not to the Phisition So it happened to the Disciples of Iohn who for the opinion of saluation whiche they had conceyued of Iohn were against Christ when as Iohn sent all men vnto Christ After the same manner also we sée that the Papistes at this daye reiect the Doctrine of Christ which is the power of God to saluation to euery beléeuer through the opinion of saluation which they haue conceyued in them selues in that they thinke them selues to bée in the Church of Christ but out of the which no man can bée saued but the same Church doeth not drawe awaye men from the Gospell of Christ but rather sendeth all men to his Doctrine Let them take héede which boast and bragge of the Gospell and woord of God least conceyuing the lyke opinion they doe not truely heare Christ the Lorde of lyfe nor so truelye follow him as they ought 41. I receyue not praise of men B. In these wordes our sauiour preuenteth the sclaunder wherewith the Iewes might haue sclandered him to bée ambicious because hee had cast them in the téeth with theyr contempt of him who was so manifestly commended in the Scriptures R. As if bée should say I would not haue you to thinke that I cal you vnto me and that I wyll you to beleeue my word because I am ambicious and desirous of praise Bée it far from me that I shoulde seeke the praise and commendacion of men For if I were any thing desirous of glorye I woulde neuer haue so abased my selfe as to haue taken vpon me humayne fleshe but I speake these thinges being desirous of your saluation I séeke not my selfe but you C. neyther am I gréeued that I sée my selfe contemned but I séeke the glorye of God the Father and the safety of you all And so he goeth forwarde in refelling the sclaunder that he extolleth him selfe aboue all men For in déede hée is so great and mightye that he ought not to depende vppon the Iudgement of men when as the wickednesse of the whole worlde can detract nothing at all from him nor diminishe one héere 's breadth of his power 42. But I know you that ye haue not the loue of God in you M. Hée nowe manifestlye declareth whereof hée gathered the original of theyr Incredulitye namelye hereof that they had no loue of God in them As if hée should saye It is not hidden or vnknowne to mée for what cause ye come not vnto me Yée faine that ye haue the loue of God and ye wyll séeme to persecute me because I am against the commaundement and glory of God as a wicked man and a breaker of the Sabboth daye a blasphemer of God and a seeker of vaineglorye But howsoeuer ye deceyue and blinde simple and ignoraunt men with this hipocriticall pretence ye can not deceyue mée Yée are not vnlyke your Forefathers For as they honoured GOD with theyr Lippes and despised him in their heartes euen so ye through Hipocrisye woulde séeme to loue GOD with your mouthes whome notwithstanding ye loue not in your heartes with your mouth ye speake of God but with your heart ye séeke your selues For I know you throughlye who and what ye are what ye do and wherevnto also ye haue respect B. For whosoeuer haue any manner of loue or feeling of GOD do also receyue his woord so farre they are from reiecting the Sonne of God Ioh.
Iesus 25. And when they had founde him on the other side of the Sea they sayd vnto him Rabbi when camest thou hyther Capernaum was not situate vpon the shoare which was on the other side of the Lake For Tiberias standeth in that part of the Lake where it is broadest next vnto that standeth Magdalon otherwise called Dalmanutha then Bethsaida and then Capernaum which lyeth at the mouth of the Riuer of Iordane So that whereas Iohn placeth the same on the other syde of the Lake we must not so take it as though Capernaum were set on the one shoare and Tiberias quight crosse on the other shoare of the Lake but because the Lake commeth compasse or rounde like a bowe so that Tiberias standing towarde the one corner of the bowe and Capernaum at the other ende notwithstanding all vppon one shoare it must néedes bée sayde because of the bellye that commeth in betwéene the twoo corners that the Disciples went ouer or crosse the Sea when they went from Tiberias to Capernaum Therefore according to the common manner of speache the Euangelist sayeth that hée went ouer the Sea because they could not goe the right and vsuall waye but by Shippe For by lande they should haue fetcht a far greater compasse by reason of the bellying in of the Sea M. Wherfore the multitude sayling through the same Lake had a quiet and calme Sea for the Euangelist here maketh no mencion of any contrarye winde or of any tempest The common multytude and carnall people being carried with hyred Shippes sayle in this Sea voide of feare or care but Christes Ship is subiect to Tempestes as is sayde before Rabbi when camest thou hyther Bv. They aske this question not without flatterye declaring thereby that they dyd greatlye maruaile at this his vnwonted manner of sayling 26. Iesus answered them and saide Verily verilye I saye vnto you ye seeke mee not because ye sawe the miracles but because ye dyd eate of the loaues and were fylled Bv. The Lorde Iesus least he might séeme to receyue and to allowe flatterers or to boast of his owne power answereth not to the demaunde B. because hée knewe that of vaine curiositie they enquired C. but doth rather reprehend them because they vnaduisedlye rushe after him For they were able to shewe no true or lawfull reason of their déede because they sought for another matter in Christ than for Christ him selfe B Therefore he taking occasion of the Loaues with the which hée filled them the daye before by straunge miracle hée began to exhort all that were in the Sinagoge to faith in him by whiche they might bée filled with euerlasting benefites and graces Bv. And hée conuerteth his whole speach to those thinges which he thought to bée farre more profitable and muche more necessarye and because his speache myght haue the more credite with all men hée beginneth at the first with a serious affirmation and oathe C. And because men perswade them selues that they do notably séeke Christ when as in déede they doe counterfaite and falsefye his whole power according to his manner hée sweareth verilye verilye twise euen as though hée woulde by his oathe bewraye that vice whiche by our Hipocrisy is couered and hyd Ye seeke mee M. For asmuch as this aunswere of Christ doeth consist of twoo partes first he openeth to the Iewes and reprehendeth the disease and corruption of their carnall minde because they séeke him not because of the signes but for their bellies sake Notwithstanding it can not bée denied but that they had respect vnto the Miracle yea the Euangelist sheweth at the first that they were moued by the sight of the signes to followe Christ But because they abused the Miracles to another ende he doeth iustlye cast it in their téeth saying that they haue more respect and regarde to their bellyes than to signes euen as if hée should deny them so truly to profite in the workes of God as it became them For this had béene profite in déede so to haue acknowledged Christ to bée the Messias that they should haue submitted them selues to him to haue been gouerned and taught and so by him to haue aspyred to the Heauenlye kingdome But they loked for nothing more at his hande than to lyue and prospere well in this worlde But this is to spoyle Christ of his principall power For therefore hée was geuen of the Father and reuealed him selfe to men that they being endued with the holye Ghoste hée might frame them to the Image of GOD and being endued with his righteousnesse hée might bring vs to euerlasting life Therefore this is the first thing in séeking Christ to contempne the world and to seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof 27. Labour not for the meate whiche perisheth but for that whiche endureth to euerlasting lyfe whiche meate the Sonne of man shal giue vnto you For him hath God the Father sealed Labour not for the meate M. Christ addeth to the foresayde reprehension and admonicion by which hée doeth both dehort from that whiche is hurtful and also exhorteth to that which is profitable and necessary the whiche is a manifest token of a minde reprehending without mallice Reprehension and exhortacion must go togeather For they which for this cause onely reprehende that they maye bring the offendour to ignominye and shame and séeke not his amendment to saluation doe neyther instruct teache reproue correct nor amende But this Schoolemaister of righteousnesse and lyfe doeth both reprehend the offendour least hée should bée ignorant of his faulte and then exhorteth him to amendment least bée should perishe This is the duetie of a true friende of the which the Prophete speaketh saying Psa 141.5 Let the righteous smite mee for that is a benefite and let him reproue me and it shal be a precious Oyle that shall not breake my head 1. Cor. 4.14 And Paule after reprehension sayeth I wryte not these thinges to shame you but as beloued sonnes to warne you 2. Tim. 2.24 Also in another place hée exhorteth Timothe to reproue others with patience and meekenesse C. Christ therefore teacheth wherevnto hée woulde haue his Disciples bende their studies namelye to attaine euerlasting life But because according to our grosse disposition wée are alwayes addicted to earthlye thinges therefore first hee errecteth that naturall diesase in vs before hée shewe what wée must doe This had béene a simple doctrine Labour not for the meate which perisheth but because hée knewe that mennes sences were tyed and bounde with earthlye cares first of all hée commaundeth them to bée loased from those bandes that they maye aryse toward Heauen Labour is commended Ephe. 4.28 Thes 2.10 Not that hée forbiddeth his Disciples to labour by whiche they maye get theyr daylye lyuing for as the Scripture condempneth Idlenesse so it commaundeth honest labour but admonisheth them lesse to regarde this earthlye lyfe than that which is heauenly M. Therefore hee sayeth they must
to abide in his worde Bv. This parte Faith quicneth mans soule If a man comprehendeth all mortall men and excludeth none of what age sexe or condicion soeuer he be of Hee shall not see death C. Because so soone as Faith hath quickened the soule of man death can wounde and kyll no more B. And the Faithfull by the vndoubted hope of the blessed Resurrection when they dye are rather sayde to sléepe than to dye in the meane time being in soule in euerlasting lyfe and blisse with the Lorde For what else is the meaning of this which Christ sayth Hee shall neuer see death but because he sawe another death from the which he came to deliuer vs that is to saye the seconde death Death euerlasting euerlasting daath death of hell fyre the death of dampnation with the Deuell and his aungelles that is death in déede M. Therefore neuer to sée death is nothing else but to haue euerlasting lyfe So that we may noate and learne here that Faith is the way to Immortallity Bv. And that Christians doe truely lyue and neuer dye although in this worlde they be more lyke to dead men than to liuing men and to dye in body like other men A. For the saying of Christ here is moste true to the whiche also agréeeth this place Euery one which liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer die Ioh. 11.26 52. Then sayde the Iewes vnto him now knowe we that thou haste the Deuell Abraham is deade and the Prophetes and thou sayest if a man keepe my sayinges hee shall neuer taste of death M. Leauing that whiche the Lorde had obiected for the defence of his doctryne the Iewes agayne according to their maner craftely wrest those things which they thought might serue theire tourne to cauell C For the reprobate abyde still in their senclesnesse and are no more touched or mooued with promises than with threatnings insomuch that they can neyther be allured nor drawen vnto Christ They doe falsely interprete the wordes of Christ when they transferre his spirituall doctrine to the body M. Christe spake of that very and euerlasting death of Hell fyer of the death of body and soule together C. For this death none of the Faithfull shall sée because they beeing borne of incorruptible séede in dying to liue because they béeing ioyned to Christe their head cannot be extinguished by death because death to them is a passage into the heauenly kingdome and because the spirite dwelling in them as lyfe for righteousnesse sake But these men béeing carnall vnderstand no deliueraunce from death but that which openly appeareth in the body and do cauill at the wordes of Christ as if he had spoken only of the death of the body C. And this falt is to common and generall in the worlde many making no account almost of the grace of Christ because they onely carnally iudge of the same Therefore lest we doe the lyke we must awaken oure mindes that they maye féele the spirituall lyfe in the midest of death A. The which shall come to passe yf fo bee by true fayth wée kéepe the word of the Lord Iesu 53. Art thou greater then oure Father Abraham whiche is dead And the Prophetes are dead whom makest thou thy selfe M. Here it appeareth how these maliciouse men went about to make Christ to be hated and enuied of the people by making mencion againe of Abraham and the Prophetes as though Christ had spoken somewhat that had béene repugnaunt to Abraham and the Prophetes This therefore was another falte in them that they went about by the shyning brightnesse of Abraham and of the Saintes to obscure the glory of Christe But as the brightnesse of the sunne doth obscure and darken al the starres euenso Christ with his excéeding shyne and glory doth make all the glory of Saintes to vanishe awaye therefore they deale vniustely and preposterously in comparing the seruauntes with the Lorde and they are iniuriouse also to Abraham and the Prophetes in abusing their name against Christ M. Abraham verely was great before God and so were the Prophets but yet for al this why might not he come after them which was much more greater then they C. But this wickednesse hath béene almost in all ages and is also to be founde at this daye that the wicked renting and deuiding the workes of GOD doe make him as were contrarye to himselfe God manifested and declared his name by the Apostles and Martires the Papists make Idoles to themselues of the Apostles and Martires which they set in Godes seate Doe they not by this meanes make vnto themselues of the graces of God instrumentes to ouerthrowe the power of God For how little shall remayne for GOD and Christ if so bée the Saintes maye haue that which the Papistes so liberallye giue vnto them Wherefore wée must knowe that the whole order of Goddes kingdome is confounded Saintes at infeeiour to God except the Prophetes Apostles and Saintes bee farre inferiour vnto Christ and verely wée cannot speake more reuerentlye and honorably of the saintes than when wée make them inferiour vnto Christe B. The argument of the Iewes was that not onelye they which beléeued Abraham and the Prophets were deade but also Abraham and the Prophtes themselues and therefore that the Lorde spake without reason in preferring hymselfe before the holye Fathers and the Prophettes 54. Iesus aunswered If I honour my selfe my honour is nothing it is my Father that honoreth me which ye saye is your God C. Before hée maketh aunswere to the foresayde vnequall comparison hée sheweth that hée séeketh not his owne glorye and so hée preuenteth their cauill For Christ in that hée was a man did not gloryfye himselfe but God dyd glorifie him B. Therefore hée speaketh thys by Immitation or by concession as hée spake many thinges before C. And hée sheweth that hée desireth no glorye but that which the Father giueth into hym M. Here a common place maye bee handeled concerning the vanitie of glory which carnall men séeke in this worlde This glorye the Lorde sayth is nothing though hee shoulde séeke the same If so be the glorye of Christ were nothing if he had glorified himselfe I pray you what mortall man will you shewe me which may attaine the true and perfyte glorye in glorifying himselfe Therefore that is true glorye which is giuen to God Jt is my father which honoureth mee Bv. That is to saye my Father testifyeth mée to be suche a one as I affirme my selfe to bée And hée testifyeth the same by Oracles by signes by myracles and by many argumentes Therefore I arrogate nothing vnto my selfe by ambition and in that I exalte my selfe aboue the Patriarkes and Prophetes and doe promise lyfe and immortalitye I doe so exalte my selfe and promise as the sonne of GOD. By these wordes wée are taught that when God glorifyeth hys Sonne hée will not suffer that the world shall contemne him and escape vnpunished But the faythfull may
fayth they giue thankes vnto God and obey his wyll But God hearde the prayer of Iesu for I haue receyued my syght Therefore Iesus cannot be a wicked and vngodlye man C. They are deceyued whiche thinke that this begger spake according to the opinion of the common sorte of people For this worde Sinner here also sygnifyeth as it did a little before a wicked and vngodlye man And this the scripture teacheth alwaye that God heareth none but such as call vpon him with a true and syncere hearte For séeing that Fayth onelye maketh vs to haue accesse vnto God Faith maketh vs to haue acâ—esse vnto God it is most certaine that the wicked cannot come vnto him yea hée testifieth that he doth abhore theyr prayers euen as hée doth boath their sacrifices For hée inuiteth the Children of God vnto him by a singuler priuiledge Esay 1i xi and it is the Spirite of adoption onely which cryeth in our heartes Abba Rom. 8 i5 Galat. 4.5 Father To be shorte no man is apt to praye vnto GOD but hée which hath his hearte purged by fayth But the wicked as they prophane the holye name of God in their prayers euen so they deserue rather to be punished for their sacriledge Psa 50 i6 than to obtaine anye thing that appertayneth to theyr soules health As wée are taught in the fyfteth Psalme Therefore this Begger doth not reason amis that Christ came from God because hée hearde and graunted hys petitions 32. Sence the worlde began vvas it not heard that anye man opened the eyes of one that was borne blind C. Hereby this begger doth amplyfie the excelencye of the miracle because so farre as euer any man coulde remember the lyke déede was neuer hearde of to bée done by any man Wherevppon it followeth that they are wicked and vnthankefull which doe willinglye wâ—ncke at the manifest workes of God M. And very warelye and wyselye he sayth not From the beginning of the worlde the eyes of one that hath béene borne blinde haue not bene opened but From the beginning of the worlde it hath not beene hearde c. For he doth not dispute whether God euer opened the eyes of one that was borne blynde but hée sayth that it was neuer hearde that any man did suche a déede For this is the drifte of his argument that by this straunge and vnwonted myracle by which a man opened the eyes of one that was borne blinde it was euidently prooued that this man was of God Wherevppon also he addeth saying 33. If this man vvere not of God hee coulde doe nothing C. Therefore he gathereth that he is sent of God because he was indued with so greate power of the spyrite of God to winne credite to himselfe and to his doctrine M. By these wordes therefore he confoundeth that which the Phariseis had spoken This man is not of God for hee keepeth not the Sabboth daye 34. They aunswered and said vnto him Thou art altogither borne in sinne and doest thou teache vs And they cast him out They answered said Bv. The Phariseis were out of all hope that this begger might eyther bée corrupted or made afearde whereby he might cease from preaching of Iesu furthermore our Rabbines and doctors were ashamed that a begger and ydyot had stopt theyr mouthes Wherevpon they come to the extremitye and laste poynt the which is the cruell contempt of all order of doctrine and admonition and the condemnation and execration of the truth Prou. 18.3 For when the wicked commeth then commeth contempt and with the vile man reproche C. And there is no doubt but that they alluded vnto his blindenesse euen as it is the manner of prowde men to vexe such as are in myserye and calamitye As if they shoulde saye Thou vile begger and impudent Knaue darest thou be so bolde as to teache vs our Doctors our Rabbines Our labour is to séeke out and to teache that which wée desire and it is thy parte to hearken vnto our commaundementes wée ought to be heard and it becommeth thee to houlde thy peace wée are holye men but thou art a miserable sinner Bv. For by thy wickednesses and heynous offences thou hast prouoked Gods vengeaunce to light vppon thée thou vile wretche insomuch that thou being stricken with blindnesse hast béene iustlye punished of God who hath openly plagued thée and hath marked thée as one abhominable and for al men to take héede of R. And darest thou being suche a one dispute with vs concerning the holinesse of religion and of Fayth M. And art thou so impudent that thou art not afeard in our presence to reason of deuine matters euen as if thou wert a holy iust and learned man and wée but ydiotes and sinners R. Auaunt with thy madnesse thou grose Knaue whome it beséemeth not to talke with vs. C. Therefore they doe scorne and reproche hym euen as if hee had brought a marke and shewe token of his wickednesse euen from his mothers wombe For diuers of the Scribes were perswaded that mens soules so soone as they were departed this life went into newe boddyes and in them suffered punishment for their former offences Herevpon these men thought that this man which before was blind was then defiled with his sinnes This preposterouse opinion ought to teache vs to beware that we alwayes measure not mens synnes with the scourges and punishmentes of God as we hearde before in the second verse M. Let vs also noate the Pride of these Doctoures and Rabbines This blinde man had with modestie rendered a reason of his opinion concerning Christ by which hée beléeued that he came as a Prophete sent of God vnto the which he was prouoked by the demaundes of the Pharisées also hée aunswered that which was agréeable with the opinion of all good men concerning GOD contayning nothing in it which was eyther arrogantlye spoken or impertinent to the cause of the which he was demaunded and yet notwithstanding the Pharisées condemne thys modestye of impudency because it was boath frée and also repugnaunt to theyr mallice as though he had béene so arrogant that he woulde haue taken vppon him to haue taught godly learned men in matters concerning faith To many such Doctors the Church of Christ hath at this day who iudge it to be great impudencye if any simple and ignorant man though he be asked doe fréelye vtter hys opinion before them concerning matters of Fayth They iudge it to be contumelious to their dignitie and order asthough they were such as ought onely to be hearde and that others also ought not to be hearde and as though God were not woonte to giue to vnlearned and simple men more fayth feare of him and religion than to these greate Doctors wherehy he might suppresse the pryde of men C. Wherefore seing GOD ought alwayes to be hearde by whomsoeuer hée speaketh vnto vs let vs learne not to condemne them that GOD maye alwayes fynde vs apt
But whereof commeth that they are indued with the spirite of God and the other not This verilye is the cause that the one are ordained to lyfe and the other to death that the one are geuen to the Sonne to bée saued the other not so Let vs geue therefore this glorye vnto the Lorde that he maye geue his Spirite without the helpe of oure workes The whiche when hee hath determined to geue we our selues maye worke therewith to instruct and teache notwithstanding if he geue vnto them the vnderstandinge of our worde by the same Spyrite to whome wée speake Bv. Moreouer in this place Christ speaketh three thinges of his Shéepe First they heare not euery voice but my voice and they heare not with the eares of their bodye onelye but also with the eares of their minde Secondlye as they knowe the voice of the Sheaphearde and receyue their shéepehearde with greate pleasure loue him and reuerence him so in lyke manner the Sheaphearde knoweth them receyueth saueth iustifyeth and sanctifyeth them Thirdlye they doe not lye Idellye in the myre neyther doe they vnaduisedly wander through the fieldes and wooddes but doe followe the sheephearde framing all thinges after the prescripte example of the Sheapheard vppon whome onely they depende vpon whome aloane they looke continuallye following Heauenlye and euerlasting thinges and contrarywise forsaking earthlye and momentary thinges This is the disposition these are the manners and déedes of the Shéepe of Christ from the which these vnbeleeuing Iewes were most voide C. Furthermore this is no small consolation to all godlye teachers that howe lytle soeuer the greater part of the worlde doeth harken vnto Christ yet notwithstanding hee hath his sheepe which hee knoweth and of whome in like manner he is knowne Let them studye so muche as in them lyeth to gather the whole worlde vnto the sheapfoulde of Christ but when they haue not successe according to their desire let them content them selues with this one thing that by their labour so many as are sheepe shal be gathered togeather 28. And I geue vnto them eternall lyfe and they shall neuer perishe neyther shall any man pluck them out of my hande And I geue vnto them eternall lyfe M. So hée sayde before I came that they might haue lyfe Bv. But all menne knowe that none geueth life euerlasting but God onelye Therefore it followeth that Christ is natural God So that more fullye plainelye and firmelye he sheweth him selfe to bee the true Messias the true Sonne of the true liuelye and euerlyuing God coequall with the Father in all thinges M. seeing there is no mortall man found which can geue this present lyfe which is momentany muche lesse that euerlasting life which is without ende the which notwithstanding Christ geueth vnto his shéepe This worde Geue excludeth all mannes merites And the present tence or time which he in this place vseth signifieth that the faithfull in this worlde doe receiue the right and scaling of euerlasting life by faith in Christ Iohn 17.3 A. For it is euident that euerlasting lyfe consisteth in the knowledge of God and of his Sonne And they shall neuer perishe M. Therefore wee receyue from Christ not onelye euerlasting lyfe but also perpetuall defence and safetye who by his omnipotent power deliuereth his from destruction and from all euilles M. We must also noate that he sayeth not They shall neuer loose or lacke any thing but They shall neuer perishe It is one thing if any of our goodes perishe and another thing if wée perishe our selues Bothe happen to the wicked and vnbeleeuing they doe destroye both their Ritches and them selues From a Christian those thinges whiche are earthlye maye bée taken awaye if it seeme so good vnto the Lorde but hée can not perishe Sathan also hath no small power geuen him ouer the goodes of the Godlye A. yea Iob. 2. and vpon their bodyes also as we maye reade of holy Iob M. but vppon them selues no power at all Howe happy then are they which cannot perishe although they loose much of their externall goodes Contrarywise how miserable and vnhappy are they whiche so gréedelye gape after corporall Ritches that they eyther feare or bewayle the losse of them making no count at all that they them selues maye bée saued for euer Who séeth not that this destruction turneth most to our losse by which not our goodes but our selues doe perishe T. Of this losse our Sauiour speaketh thus What doth it aduantage a man if he winne the whole world and loose his owne soule Neyther shall any man plucke them out of my hande Bv. The Sonnes hand in this place is nothing else but his power his Maiesty care helpe and defence M. Hée sayth not Neither shall any man goe about to take them out of my hande but Neither shall any man plucke them out of my hande For although the Shéepe which the Father hath committed vnto Christ can not bée taken from him yet notwithstanding they are subiecte to many snares and lyings in wayte PAR. For shéepe are simple innocent and destitute of all the helpes of this present lyfe Sathan can neuer pull Gods elect out of the handes of Christ against these the worlde with all his power setteth him selfe But yet Sathan shall neuer bée of such power that hee shall bée able to plucke them out of the handes of Christ The worlde hath the aucthority of the Phariseis the dignitye of the Priestes it hath armed Kinges Gouernours Iudges Throanes Prisons Chaines scourges Axes Banishments Deaths and whatsoeuer else to terrifye a constaunt minde It hath on the contrarye part◠pleasures Ritches Honours Dignityes and whatsoeuer else to corrupte mindes that are incorrupted All these snares and baytes the world vseth to plucke the sheepe out of the handes of Christe Iesus but no man can plucke them out of his hande M. Furthermore Sathan him selfe goeth about lyke a roaring Lion séeking whome he maye deuoure and whome hée maye ouercome by his temptacions and subtile sleyghtes to these are added sinnes the tormentes of consciences the horrour of death and hel it selfe But none of these shall pull the shéepe out of the handes of the sheaphearde C. This is the incomparable fruite of Faith that Christ biddeth vs to be secure and sure when we are gathered hy Faith into his sheapfoulde But wee must also noate with what staye this certaintye is vphoulden that is to saye because he shal be the faithfull kéeper of our saluation For hee testifieth that it is in his hande And if this wyll not suffice heare what followeth 29. My Father whiche hath geuen them me is greater than all and no man is able to take them out of my Fathers hande M. Because it séemed verye rashe that he shoulde attribute so great power vnto him selfe seeing he appeared to be no better then a man hee addeth that his power is not humaine but deuine and that his sheepe are not gotten by humaine strength but geuen
detracteth his prayer whiche he knewe was againste his callynge and wisheth to suffer any thinge rather than he should not fulfill that which was enioyned to him of his Father lastly he beinge contented with the glory of God onely he forgetteth all other things and counteth them as nothing But this seemeth to be vnméete for the son of God that he should vnaduisedly make his prayer the whiche he muste by and by renounce to obay his Father We confesse verelye that this is the foolishnesse of the Crosse whiche is a stumbling blocke of offence Affections in Christe vvere pure A. Is it is sayd in the firste Chapter of the fyrst Epistle to the Corinthians But the more the Lord abaced himselfe the more his vnspeakable loue towards vs is manifested Moreouer we must remember what was spoken of before that the humaine affections from the which he was not fre were pure in hym and voyde of Sinne the reason is because they were framed and tempered to the obdience of God For there is no let but the Christe should feare naturally death and yet notwithstandinge desire to obay God but in diuers respectes Herevpon came the correction when he sayeth that therefore he came into this howre For how soeuer he feared death notwithstanding because he waied wherfore he was sent and what the office of a redeemer required he offereth the horror conceiued of the sence of nature to his father to be corrected or rather that the same beinge restrayned he might make him selfe frée and at libertye to excute the commaundement of God Wherefore if so be the affections of Christ whiche were pure from al sinne ought so to be restrayned that he might be obedieÌ„t to his Father Affections in man enemies to God how diligently ought we to séeke to suppresse our affections séeing there is not one of them but they are enemies vnto God Let this therefore be the meditation of the godly to striue against them selues vntyll they haue denyes themselues We must also noate howe that not only those affections are to be brideled which are contrary to the will of God but also which do hinder the course of our calling although otherwise they are neyther hurtfull nor vitiouse To the ende thys maye more euidently appeare we must place the will of God in the first degrée in the second degree the pure and sincere will of man as the same was geuen of God to Adam and as the same was in Christ In the last degrée our will which is infected by the contagion of sin The wil of God is a Rule to the which whatsoeuer is inferiour to the same must bée subiect Now the pure wil of nature shal not of it selfe be rebelliouse vnto God howebeit man hath many impediments though he be framed and bent neuersomuch to the right way vnlesse he subdue hys affections vnto God Christ therfore had one simple battaile that he might feare no more that thing which naturally he feared when he knewe otherwise to please God but we haue a double battaile because we muste fight against the stubbornnesse of our fleshe Herevppon it commeth to passe that the most valiaunt souldiers do neuer get the victory without a wound Wee must also learne to obserue this order that so often as we are vexed with feare or opressed with sorrowe we by and by lift vp our hartes vnto God There is nothing worse or more hurtful than to foster that within vs which doeth vexe vs. And this is the iust punishment of slouth and negligence in all those which will not come vnto God 28. Father glorify thy name Then came there a voyce from heauen saying I haue boath glorifyed it and will glorify it againe Father glorify thy name B. These are abrupt and broken sentences and not spoken without silence and consealing of somwhat that shoulde haue ben vttered the which are often vsed of such as haue troubled mindes C But in these wordes he testifieth that he preferreth the glory of his father before all other thinges yea before his owne lyfe B. As if he shoulde saye for this cause that I might cause thy name O father to be gloryfied euery where by my death I came into this howre graunt mee of thy goodnes that this maye alway come to passe To haue the name of God gloryfied is to haue God the Father hym selfe in many places preached and acknowledged This began to be done more excelently then at any time before after the death of Christ when the holy Ghoste was sent for so it ought to appeare what the death of Christe brought vnto the world C. This therfore is the true moderation of our prayers yf so be wee so defyer the glorye of God that in them we prefer them before all other things I haue boath glorified it and will glorify it This is as much as if he had sayde I wil finish that which I haue begonne For God doth not forsake the worke of hys handes B. The father had glorifyed his name when he wrought such notable miracls by the Lord that in flesh he declared the testimonies of his goodnes againe hée woulde glorifie the same by sending the Comforter which should preach the gospell of grace to the vttermost partes of the earth and should cause many to beléeue the same Or to speake more large he glorified it when Christ was borne of a virgine when he wrought miracles when he was worshipped of the Magi guided by a Starre when he was acknoweledged of the saints ful of the holy Ghost when he was reuealed by the descending of the holy ghost in the likenes of a Doue when he was declared by a voyce sounding from heauen when hee was transfigured on the mountain And he will glorify the same when Criste shoulde ryse againe from the dead when death should neuer after haue any more power ouer him when he should be exalted aboue the heauens and his glory aboue al the earth when he should power out the holy ghost vpon all fleshe and by the preaching of the Apostles shoulde tourne the whâ—ale world vnto him Bv. Also the oracle or voyce from heauen might thus be vnderstood hytherto thou arte my naturall consubstantiall and equall Sonne from the beginning and euerlasting but when in the fulnesse of tyme thou hadest taken vpon thée mans nature thou didest loose nothing thereby of thy deuine maiestie as I will declare Thou shalte dye in déede as man but hauing ouercome sinne death and hell thou shalt ryse againe as God and shalt be worshipped with me throughoute the whoale worlde Moreouer because it was the purpose of God to salue the offence of the Chrosse to take away the stombling stoane of the fame the father doth not only promise that the death of Christ shal be gloriouse but doeth also promise to adourne the same so much as â—uer it was adorned before M. Wée haue also to noate in this place that the prayers of the children of God cannot
but be heard of God so that they â—ende to the glory of his name 29. The people therefore that stoode by and hearde it sayde that it thoundered other sayde an Aungell spake to him C. This verily is wonderful that the people which stoode by should be amazsed at so manifest a miracle Som lyke deafe men Iudged that to be a confused sound which God spake plainly other some not so senceles and dull yet notwithstanding diminishing much the maiestie of the diuine voyce faine an Aungell to be the aucthoure of the same But the very same also is to be seene at thys daye among men For God speaketh playnly ynough in the Gospell and the force and power of the spirite sheweth it selfe which ought to shake both heauen and earth but the doctrine thereof is so could with many euen as though it came from a mortall man only to other some the word of God is stammering speache a barbarouse voyce and as it were a thonder But yet that voyce was not heard without profite For besyde the apostles there were some which did not interpret much amis But the Euaungeliste thought good to noat bréefely what is wont to be done generally in the world namely for that the greater parte hearing God to speake plainly and effectually heareth not Therefore that which the Euaungeliste attributeth heare to this multitude belongeth vnto the same but in parte only 30. Iesus aunswered and sayde This voyce came not beecause of mee but for your sakes M. The hearers thought that this voyce came to comfort hym He therefore expoundeth vnto them the cause of the same saying This voyce came not because of me C. But had Christ no néede of comfort and confirmation or had the Father lesse care for him than for vs Wee muste houlde this principle as Christ for our sake tooke vpon hym our fleshe euen so what good thing soeuer he receiued of the Father the same was bestowed for our sake Furthermore this also is true that the voyce came from heauen because of the people For he had no néede of any external myracle Also this is a secrete reprehension béecause the Iewes were as deaf as a stone to heare the voyce of God For seing God spake for their sakes their ingratitude is voyde of excuse seeing they apply not their eares to heare 31. Nowe is the Iudgement of this worlde nowe shall the Prince of this worlde be caste oute M. Christ in these wordes séemeth to expound the heauenly voyce which had sayd I haue both glorified it and will also glorifie it againe For what else is it to glorify the name of God in this worlde then to beate downe and ouerthrow the kingdome of Sathan the Prince of this worlde C. Therefore the Lord hauing ended the battaile already doth triumphe not only as the ouercommer of feare but also as the conqueror of death For notably he setteth forth the fruite of hys death which might haue bene to the disciples the cause of feare and trouble of minde This word Iudgement signifieth in some mens opinions reformation to othersome damnation But the first signification is best as that the world shal be reformed and restoared to hys lawful order For we knowe that without Christ there is nothing but confusion in this world And although Christ had begoone already to erect the kingdome of God yet notwithstanding his death was the true beginning of a princelye state in déede and the full reformation of the worlde Notwithstanding wee must noate that this reformation of the worlde could not be made before the kingdome of Sathan were abolished fleshe trodden vnder foote and whatsoeeuer else was against the righteousnes of God Finally it was necessary the mortification should go before the renuing of the world Wherefore Christ pronounceth that the Prince of this world must be caste forth because hereof commeth confusioÌ„ deformity that while Sathan vsurpeth tyranny Iniquitie doeth abounde Therefore Sathan béeing caste forthe the worlde is called from defection to bée subiecte to the gouernmente of God B. For in Iudgement matters are wonte to bée altered and reformed Luk. xi.xxi. In the worlde Sathan had quietly exercised his tyranny till a stronger than he came and spoyled him C. If any man demaunde howe Sathan was caste foorth in the death of Christ Question who dayly maintayneth warre against the flocke of Christ â—unsvvere we aunswere that this eiection is not restrayned to any shorte tyme but that the notable effecte of the death of Christ is described whiche dayely appeareth A. Therefore we must dayly fight against the sondery assaultes of Sathan for hée séeketh lyke a roring Lyon continually whome hé maye deuowre notwithstanding wee must so fight that by Christ wée maye assure oure selues of the victory Sathan the Prince of this world by Rapine Psal 24 M And hée is called the Prince of this worlde not because hée is the Lawefull Prince of the same but by rapine by which hée hath made mankynde subiecte vnto him by synne Otherwyse the earth is the Lordes and all that therein is the compasse of the worlde and they that dwell therein 1. Cor. 4.4 Ephe. 2.2 The Apostle Paule calleth him the God of this worlde which worketh in the children of vnbeléefe by whome they are helde captiue to his will and pleasure M. For his kingdom is in the harts of the vnbeléeuing but by the power of Christ he is cast out of the harts of mortall men And nowe wée must take héede lest hée gette enteraunce againe into hys ould seate Christ and the Princes of this worlde cannot raygne together Christ béeing let in erpelleth Sathan and Sathan béeing receiued Ioh. 10.16 Christ departeth For there is no agréement betwéene Christ and Beliall 32. And if I were lift vp from the earth I will drawe all vnto mee In that oure sauioure speaketh here so generally that by his death he wil draw all men vnto him it is to be referred to the sonnes of God whiche are of the flocke Also hée vsed this generall speache because the church of God was to be gathered boath out of the Gentiles and also out of the Iewes 2 Cor. 6.16 according to this place There shal be one Shepheard and one Shepfoulde 33. This hee sayd signifying what death hee should dye There is no doubte therefore but that the scence and meaning of this place is that the Crosse shal be lyke vnto a Chariot by which he should carry all the faithfull with hym to his Father as if Christ should saye B. ye shall exalte me and set me in my true glory when yée lifte me vp vppon the Crosse Ye shall lifte vp my body from the earth that it maye dye with great Ignominy and so ye shall thinke not only to caste mée downe but also vtterly to destroye mée Of the which your purpose ye shall so faile that by the very same death yée shall exalt me in déede from the earth into the kingdome of
of Faith The worlde saith he cannot receiue the Spirite because it knoweth not the same but ye know it because it abideth with you Therefore it is the Spirit only which dwelling in vs offereth it selfe to be knowne whereas to other it is vnknowne and incomprehensible R. And by the name of worlde all the most wyse holy mighty and rych of the same are vnderstood for these are called the pillers of the world whom the world only receiuith and hath in admiration Wherfore the spirit is neuer les found than amonge the moste mightye of this worlde For they loue lying and hipocrisie they are blinded with their giftes They cānot therfore abide the spirit reprouing them of lyes and drawynge them from their giftes vnto the geuer M. By this place we are also taught that the world is altogether wicked an enemy vnto God subiect to the spirit of lyes And this is the fountayne from whence so many heresies errors false worshippyngs such lyke do come into the world It is much that he saith that the spirit of truth cannot be receiued of this worlde as yf a man should say that the spirit of sobriety The world is the welspringe of Herely cannot be receiued of droonkards the spirit of humilytie of prowde men nor the Spirite of shamfastnesse of impudent persons For this worlde is so blinded with the spirit of lying that it can neither see nor vnderstand the truth of God Fynally we muste noate that the faithfull are therefore called the temples of the holy Ghost because in them the holy Ghost doth truly dwell and abyde 18. I will not leaue you comfortlesse but will come vnto you M. Some vnderstande this of the retourne of Christ vnto his Disciples after his resurrection A. But other some a great deale better refer the same vnto the comming of the holy Ghost Bv. As if Christ shoulde haue sayde ye shall thinke when I am gone from you in my bodely presence that you are Orphants without a father but yf you consider the matter well I wyl neuer leaue you R. For I wyll come vnto you with the Spirite of consolation which shall help you with fatherly affection in all aduersitie So beneficiall shall my departure be vnto you so great profite shall my death bring vnto you C. This place teacheth what men are and what they can doe being withoute the Spirit of consolation they are Orphants which are reddy to suffer all deceits and iniures vnméete to gouerne them selues and apte of them selues to do nothing The only remedy hereof is for Christ to gouerne vs by his spirite the whiche he promiseth he wyll do Fyrste of all therfore the Disciples are put in minde of their owne imbecillity to the end they distrusting them selues may depend vpon the defence of Christe alone secondly he promising vnto them a remedy putteth them in good comforte because he promiseth that he wyll not leaue them 19. Yet a litle while and the world shall see me no more but ye shal se me because I liue and ye shal liue also M. By this thretning Christ declareth that the vnbeleuing ar vnworthy to enioy his sight any more C. withal prosecuteth the commendation of his spetiall grace which ought to suffice the Disciples to ease them and to take awaye their sorrowe When sayeth he I shall goe out of the sight of the worlde I will neuerthelesse be with you R. For shortly after my death I will go out of the sighte of the worlde that it shall sée me no more but I will be alwayes presente with you Bv. By the world he meaneth carnall men and such as are not regenerate which are vnbeléeuing and liue in the world after the maner of the world Also this word shall sée is by a Metaphor transferred from the body to the mynd Therefore carnall men and vnbeléeuers do not sée do not vnderstand nor beleeue Iesus to be the Sonne of God and yet neuerthelesse very man who by his death bringeth to life and redéemeth all mankind from damnation C. Therefore to the ende we maye enioye the secret behoulding of Christ we must not Iudge of his presence and absence according to the reason of the fleshe but we must behould his power with the eyes of our faith And thus it commeth to passe that the Faithfull doe alwayes behould and haue present with them Christ in spirite though he bee farre from them in body Because I liue and yee C. These wordes maye be construed two wayes eyther that this sentence is a confirmation of that which went beefore or else that it ought to be red seuerally as that therefore the faithfull shall liue because Christ loueth But the former scence séemeth beste to agrée out of the which we maye gather thys Doctryne that Christ is the cause of our lyfe M. For we are dead and oure lyfe is hidde with Christ in God Colos 3 3. In the beginning he noateth the cause why hee would be séene of his disciples and not of the world because Christ cannot bée séene but according to the spiritual life of the which the worlde is quite voyde The worlde seeeth not Christ and no meruaile for death is the cause of blindnesse But so soone as it beginneth to liue in Spirite it hath eyes to sée Christ 20. That daye shall yee knowe that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you R. Many by this Daye of the which Christ speaketh heare vnderstande the feast of Penticoste C. But he rather vnderstandeth all that time from the first declaration of the power of his spirite vnto the laste resurrection For then they beganne to knowe but it was a sertaine sciender instruction because as yet the holy Ghost had not so effectually wrought in them For to this effecte his wordes tende that it cannot be knowen by a certaine trifeling speculation and vaine curiositie what the sacred and misticall vnion betwixte him and vs is and againe what manner of vnion is betwixt him and his father but rather that this is the only way to know him when he powreth into vs his lyfe by the secret efficacy of his spirite And that is the experiment of faith of the which we spake a litle before Bv. But the Sonne after one manner is in the father and after another manner in vs. For by nature he is in the Father and in vs by participation by grace or by the felloweship of the spirite Concerning beath we haue spoken before in the sixt and tenth Chapters And Sainte Iohn in the Epistle sayeth Hereby wee knowe that we abyde in him i. Yoh 4 1◠and he in vs because he hath geuen to vs of his spirite C. Therefore we are sayde to be in him because we beeing graffed into his body ar made pertakers of righteousenesse and of all goodnesse he is sayde to be in vs because he declareth by the efficacye of his spirite that hee is the cause and authoure
denyall of Christ of the which we haue hard had made him vnworthy of the Apostleshippe For how should he be a faythfull teacher of the fayth whiche had so fowlly fallen from the same He was made an Apostle namely with Iudas But so soone as he had forsaken his place office and dignitie he was also depriued of the honor of the Apostleship Bv. Therfore least he might seeme to be remoued for euer from the fellowship and office Apostolical by the thréefolde denyall he is receiued agayne by the trebble confession of his loue and now as well libertie as authoritie to teache is restored vnto him both whiche he had lost through his owne fault And least the infamie of his fall might any thing hynder him Christ quite wipeth and blotteth away the same Such a perfect restitution both for Peter and also for his hearers was most necessarie for him it was necessarie that he mighte the more boldely execute his office beeing assured of his vocation to the whiche he was restored agayne for the hearers also least the fault remayning still in the man mighte haue giueÌ„ some meÌ„ occasion to despise the gospel Simon Ioanna A. Concerning this name we haue spoken before Iohn 1.42 Simon Ioanna sayth our Sauiour louest thou me Bv. The whiche some referre vnto the Disciples that this might be the sence and meaning Louest thou me more than thou doest these thy brethren and fellowes But it séemeth to be the more simple sence and meaning if so be thou vnderstande that Peter was asked whether he loued the Lorde more ferueÌ„tly than did the rest Peraduenture the question rose herehence for that he leauing his felowes in the Skiffe cast him selfe into the lake not tarying the time of rowing and seeking to come first vnto the Lord standing vpoÌ„ the shore Also because he fund the Sauiour very mercifull vnto him in forgeuing his sinne Luke 7.47 by righte the greater loue is required of him For he to whom more is giuen ought to loue more C. But howsoeuer the matter standeth that way it is most certain that the meaning of Christ in these wordes is that no man can faythfully serue the Church and take paynes in féeding the flocke excepte he haue further respecte than vnto men First the office of teaching of it selfe is laborious and troublesome seeing there is nothing more harde and to keepe men vnder the yoke and obedience of God of whom some are weake some lighte some peruerse some dull some slouthful some hard and vnapte to be taught Preaching a harde office Also Satan for his parte thrusteth in al the lettes and stumbling blocks he can deuise to discourage the good shepheard or at lest to weaken him Therfore none shall câ—nstantly go or warde in this office but he in whose hart remayneth the loue of Christe that he forgetting him selfe and wholly adicting him selfe vnto Christ may ouercome all impediments and stayes Thus Paule declared him selfe to be affected when he sayd The loue of Christ bindeth vs. Bv. To be short Christ requireth of the shepheard burning and earnest loue For the Lorde did not aske Peter as one ignorante what was in the harte of Peter or of any other maÌ„ but he sought to imprint this in the mindes of al his Disciples that he must of necessitie be endued with perfect loue toward Iesus Christ whiche taketh vpon him the care of his flocke C. Therfore let them which are called to gouerne the Church remember that if they will eightly and truly execute their office they must first begin at the loue of Christ Yea Lord thou knowest that I loue thee M. So great is the constancie and trust of a good conscience that it is not afrayde to appeale vnto the knowledge of the Lorde and to take the Lorde him selfe for a witnesse Peter sayth not Thou knowest Lorde that I loue thée more than these doo but Thou knovvest Lorde that I loue thee He exalteth not himself aboue the rest neyther doth he ascribe lesse loue vnto them than vnto him selfe but modestly and simply affirmeth that he loueth the Lord. He could iudge no more of other mens harts than they could doo of his For no man knoweth what is in man 1. Cor. 2.11 but the spirite of man that is in him Euen so we must testifie of the truth of our hart that in the meane time we reiecte not others nor presume to iudge of the spirit of other men Feede my Lambes C. The Scripture applyeth this worde Feede metaphorically to all kinde of gouernment But bicause héere he speaketh of the spiritual gouernmeÌ„t of the Church it is good for vs to note in what partes the office of a shepeheard consisteth For we haue héere no vayne or idle dignitie depaynted vnto vs neyther dothe Christe commit any gouernmeÌ„t to a mortal man that he may vse the same at his own pleasure Christ seeing he is properly the only shepheard of the Church who gouerneth and feedeth his sheepe by the worde of saluation Pastors of Christe to feede hys sheepe bicause he vseth the helpe of men to preache doctrine dothe giue also vnto them his name or at lest communicateth the same with them Therefore they are accounted for lawfull and true Pastors before God which gouerne the Churche by the ministerie of the worde vnder the head Christe Whereby we may gather what burthen Christ layeth vpon Peter and vpon what condition he appoynteth him a gouernour of his flocke Whereby also the wickednesse of the Bishoppes of Rome is playnly inough refelled and dysproued whiche wrest this place to establishe the tyrannie of their Popedome To Peter say they it was sayde aboue the rest Feede my Sheepe Why it was spoken rather to him than to the rest we haue shewed before Supremacie of the Pope But there is nothing geuen to Peter in these words whiche is not aswel common to all the Ministers of the Gospell R. For the Apostles haue all one power bicause they haue all one and the selfe same spirite all one worde of the Gospell giuen vnto them to preach C. Therefore the Papistes doo seeke to proue in vayne that Peter was chiefe bicause he was specially spoken vnto aboue the rest But admit and graunt that he had some speciall honor aboue the rest how will they proue that he was placed in the highest degrée of all other He was in deede the chiefest among the Apostles but shall it therof follow that he is the vniuersal Bishop of the whole worlde Verely whatsoeuer Peter hathe receyued doth no more appertayne to the Pope than it dothe to Mahumet For by what right dothe he chalenge to him selfe to be Peters successor And what man in hys right wittes will graunt vnto him that Christ speaketh here of any right of succession Yet notwithstanding he will be counted Peters successor I would to God he were None of vs doth let him but that he may loue Christ and take care and charge to
calleth him self a disciple not a doctor who notwitstanding farre excelled all the Doctors and teachers in the worlde Let then those greedy hunters after vain glorie blushe and be ashamed who are contented with no tytels bee they neuer so honourabie and large Iohn the Baptiste called hym selfe a voyce crying in the wildernes Peter and Paul which are the lightes of the whole world name them selues the Seruantes and Ministers of Iesu Christe But Iohn also calleth hym selfe a witnes bicause the Lorde had saide ye shall be witnesses of these thinges A witnes speaketh nothing of hys owne but faithfully doth declare those things onely which he hath eyther seene or hearde Wherefore that which he had heard of the Lord and had séene hym do and suffer simplely and trulye euenas they were spoken and done he hath vttred and declared M. This therefore is the very same disciple whome hee hath so often sayde was specially beloued of the Lorde and yet hathe he not once in all his booke sette to his name lest he might incurre the suspicion of arrowgancy Yet notwithstanding it is not too be forbidden that the names of aucthors shoulde be set vnto theire bookes the which may stand too very good vse and purpose so that vayne glory be not sought And we knowe that hys testimony is true Bv. Nowe Saincte Iohn very-seriously affirmeth that he hath faythfully and truely deliuered the pure simple truthe Euen as in another place also That which we haue hearde which we haue seene vvith our eyes which we haue looked vppon â–ª and our handes haue handled of the worde of lyfe wee shewe vnto you For his meaning is that the Apostolicall doctrine is moste true and approued euen as sayd Peter we haue not followed deceitfall fables when we opened vnto you the power and comming of the Lorde Iesus but with our eyes we sawe hys Maiestie A. Concerning the reste which may be brought to the exposition of this place reade the .35 verse of the .19 chapter before For there he geeueth the lyke testimony to that which he hath writen 55. There are also many other thinges whiche Iesus dyd the which if they shoulde bee written euery one I suppose the worlde coulde not contayne the bokes that should be written Iohn 20.30 Bv. This place agréeth with that which the Apostle sayd before how that not al the signes of the Lordes resurrectioÌ„ were written but those onely which were sufficient to perswade men to beleeue in the Lorde Iesus that by him they attayne to life euerlasting and true blessednes M. The very same he séemeth now to repeate agayne but yet not without some differeÌ„ce Before he spake of the signes after the Resurrection but here hee speaketh of those signes generally whiche Christe wrought and shewed from the fyrst to the laste all the which he sayth are not written neyther in this booke nor in any other C. Therefore leste any man should suspecte his word as one speaking pertially bicause he was loued of Christe he cutteth off this obiection saying that he hath omitted ouerpassed more than he hathe written Neyther doth he speake of euery action of Christ but of those which appertayned to his publique office M. And the reason hereof he sayth is the innumerable multitude of Christes deedes saying that the whole worlde woulde not contayne those bookes which should be written if all perticulers were written By which hiperbolicall speacke his mind was to expresse that multitude of bookes which muste be written if all the actions of Christe were to be written Hiderbole is an excessiue speach eyther in aduauncing or deâ—â—praesting any thinge C. Neither ought we to Iudge this an absurd Hiperbole seeing we beare with many thinges in prophane wryters We must not only consider the number of Christes workes but also we muste way the weighte and greatnes of them The diuine maiestie of Christe which to mans sence and vnderstanding â—s infinite did in those his works wonderfully shine If the Euangelist hauing respecte vnto this as one astonished exclameth that the whole worlde is not able to conceiue and comprehende a iust and full narration who will maruell B. And verely seeing the actes of Christe were almoste infinite who coulde haue remeÌ„bred or wayed al things with fruite To what end then should they haue béen written For it had not beene meete that we should haue neglected them C. Furthermore he is not to be repreheÌ„ded for vsing an olde and accustomed figure to coÌ„mend the excellency of the workes of Christe Bv. Furthermore who seeth not that the same is a full and perfecte kynde of doctrine which leadeth bringeth vnto that ende to the whiche it is ordeyned and appointed But the EuaÌ„gelical history was ordeyned to shew vnto vs a way how we might obtayne eternall life the which we obtayne by fayth in Christe the whiche way it doth most playnely and plentifully teach vs. Therefore it followeth that the Gospel is a most perfect kynd of doctrine and that the Euangelists haue put a suÌ„me in writing which may suffice to instructe vs in the fayth and also to leade vs in the waye to euerlasting life although they haue not deliuered vnto vs worde for worde all thinges that Christe both spake and did B. Those thinges therefore are written whiche beeing well wayed are plentiful inoughe to instruct vs in al godlynes I wold to God they were so exactly discussed to imbrace Godlynes as they are narrowly sifted stretched to maintayne contencions and braules C. Wherfore he is sufficiently learned and instructed whiche hathe profited in the reading of this Scripture And verely séeing the Apostles ar ordeined of God to be witnesses vnto vs as they haue faythfully done their duetie so also is it our parte wholly to depend vppon their testimony and too desire no more than they haue vttred specially seeing their pennes haue beene dyrected and gouerned by the assured prouidence of God lest withouermuch matter they should oppresse our weake capacitie and yet notwithstanding hauing choyse might deliuer so much vnto vs as he which is only wyse and the welspring it selfe of Godes wisedome knewe to bee expedient for vs. A. But to make an ende of this exposition of S. Iohn let vs note that we haue here described truly offred vnto vs our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ that true and naturall sonne of God consubstantiall and coequall with the Father in all things but in the fulnesse of time according to the Prophets he was incarnate for vs he suffered he truely dyed and was vndoubtedly raysed agayne from death and was made King and Lorde of all things This Christ seeing he is appoynted of God the father and geuen vnto vs to be the fulnesse of all grace and truth that Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the worlde that Ladder and gate of heauen that exalted Serpent which maketh the deadly poyson hurtlesse that water refreshing the thirstie that Sonne reconciling vs to the Father that bread of lyfe that lighte of the worlde that Shepheard of the shéepe the doore the resurrectioÌ„ the lyfe the growing wheat corne the Conqueror of the prince of this worlde the example of lyfe the waye the truthe the true and fruitfull vine to be short the redemption saluation satisfaction and righteousnesse of all the faythfull in the whole world Séeing I say Christe is the plentiful treasurie of all these riches and graces vnto vs let vs giue thanks vnto God the Father of the same Iesu Christ who hath not spared his onely sonne but hath giuen him for vs to redeeme vs from all iniquitie and to make vs a holye and acceptable people vnto him selfe deuoutly giuen to all good workes that béeing now deliuered by the bloud of Christ from the hande of all our enemies we might serue him in holynesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our lyfe To him be Glory Empire and Dominion now and for euer Amen FINIS Laus Deo ¶ IMPRINTED AT LONDON by Thomas Marshe dwelling in Fleetstreete neare vnto Sainct Dunsions Church
heauen to sytte at the ryght hand of my father From whence by sending the holy Ghost I will first of all bring that thing to passe which ye thinke to avoyd by killing mée namely that the whoale world that is to saye all mankind maye followe mée For I will drawe all men vnto me they béeing perswaded by my spirite that I am the sauioure of the worlde 34 The people aunswered hym wee haue heard out of the Law that Christ bydeth euer and howe sayest thou the sonne of man muste bee lifte vppe who is that Sonne of man M. The people vnderstoode that the Lorde spake of his exaltation by whiche he shoulde be put to death Therefore they obiect vnto him saying we haue heard out of the Lawe C. There is no doubte but that there purpose was maliciously to cauill at the wordes of Christ therefore their owne mallice blindeth them that they can sée nothing in the cleare light They saye that they will not account Iesus for Christ because hée sayde hee should dye whenas the Lawe promised euerlasting continuaunce to the Messias Iohn 8.17 As though boath were not exppressed in the Lawe that so soone as Christ was dead his kingdome should florishe for euer But these men take occasion to cauill of the last parte 2 Kin. 7.16 Psalm 4.7 Psal 72.17 Psa 89.30 Psa 100.4 Psa 127.2 Esai 9.7 Esai 40.8 Ezec. 37.25 M Here they call the Scripture of the oulde Testament the Lawe euenas Christ vsed this worde Lawe before But the testimonies of Scripture wherevnto they leaned were these which I haue coated in the Margent C. But the originall of this error was for that they looked for worldelye Pompe to be in the Messias and in his kingdome Hereuppon it came to passe that they reiected Christ because he was not according to their fantasy and Immagination A. But verily they shoulde fyrst of al haue consydered this which Peeter teacheth namely howe that the spirite of Christ which was in the Prophetes testified the afflictions that Christ shoulde suffer i. Pet. i. xi and the glory that should follow the same For what other thing did Esay and Danyell prophesy of Esay 53.2 Dan. 9 26 Therefore the Iewes are worthy of no excuse whiche for this cause would not receiue Iesus to be Christ for that he was subiect vnto death For it behooued Christ to suffer and so to enter into his glory Luk. 24.26 Who is that sonne of man This question containeth a mocke or scorne as though Christ by that shorte refutation had nothing to saye Wherby it appeareth howe arrogant Ignorance is For it is as much as if they had sayd goe thy waye nowe and boast thy self to be Christ when as thy owne confession argueth that thou hast no affinitie or symilitude of the same 35. Then sayde Iesus vnto them yet a little while is the light with you walke while yee haue lighte leste the darckenesse come one you For hee that walketh in the darcke wotteth not whether hee goeth Bv. He might in fewe wordes haue made aunswere by the distinction of the two natures namely that one and the selfe same Messias is boath mortal and immortall for according to the deuine nature he is immortall and mortall according to his humaine nature notwithstanding hée thought it better in one worde to make an obscure aunswere and more plentifullye to exhort them vnto the Faith Howebéeit by this aunswere hee did frendly admonishe vs and sharply reprehend them for he reprehendeth them because they were blind in the lighte and also threatneth to take shortly his light from them When he sayeth that yet a litle while his light shall remaine with them hee confirmeth that which he had sayde before concerning his death For allthough he meaneth not the light of hys corporall presence but the lighte of the Gospell yet notwithstanding he alludeth vnto his departure As if he shoulde saye When I departe I will not ceasse to be light so that I shall loose nothinge by your darcknesse When he sayeth that they haue the light he geueth them a priuy nippe for that they béeing wilfully blind forsooke the light and therefore he geueth them to vnderstand that they were vnworthy to be answered because they sought to bring vnto themselues occasion of error As if he should saye whatsoeuer I forshewe concerning the crosse ye make a laughing matter at the same and despise it Wherefore the Gospell shal be preached vnto you yet a little while and yée shall not long haue Christe with you which is the true light For the time wil come when Christ and the Gospell shal be taken from you and ye shal be cast in vtter darckenesse and blindnesse It were better therefore that nowe whyle occasion is offered you yée would not neglect the haruest of your saluation For hée which forsloweth the haruesâ—e shall honger in winter but hee whiche fetcheth his haruest in sommer is wise Nowe is youre haruest nowe ye haue the light with you sée therefore that yée so walke that the darcknesse comprehende you not and when the nighte is come ye be blind M. In fine he sheweth them of that wherof he spake in another place saying Mat 21 43 The kingdome of God shal be taken from you and geuen to a nation that will being forth better fruite of the same C. Furthermore in that he sayeth that the light shall shine vnto them but a litle while that belongeth to all the vnbéeléeuing for the Scripture promiseth that the Sonne of righteousenesse shall ryse and shine vpon the Children of God and shall neuer sette The sonne hereafter shall not shine vnto you in the daye time Esay 60 16 nor the moone in the night but the Lord shal be youre euerlasting light Notwithstanding all men muste walke warely because darcknesse followe the contempt of the light The which also is the cause why such darke and cloudy night hath béene before this tyme many ages in the world because few would com to the bright shine of heauenly wisedome For Christ doth shine vnto vs by hys Gospell that we might follow the way of saluation which he sheweth Therefore they which vse not the grace of God do put out the Light somuch as in them lyeth He that walketh in Bv. he sheweth the discommoditye which the vnbeléeuing receiue and to terrifye them the more he sheweth how miserable their condition is who béeing destitude of the light do erre all their life long for they cannot mooue theire foote withoute falling or the perill of stombling And Christ nowe pronounceth vs to bee in darcknesse except hee shine vnto vs. 36. While ye haue light beleeue on the lighte that yee maye bee the children of the lighte These thinges spake Iesus and departed and hidde bim selfe from them Bv. This exhortation to Faith is verye graue and waightie to the which he addeth a most large reward C. For hee calleth those children of the light who béeing