aunswere to take awaye all care from his Disciples least they shoulde be gréeued to sée him so secure and carelesse in the perill of his friende Hée denyeth this disease to be deadelye but rather affirmeth the same to be a meane to sette forth his glorye M. As if hée shoulde saye Lazarus is not falne into this sickenesse to dye of the same as commenlye it hapneth to others but this infirmitye or sykenesse is sent vnto hym by the secret purpose and counsayle of God to this ende that GOD maye thereby be glorified occasyon being therby offered to his Sonne by the same to declare hys power and to magnifie hys name C. And although Lazarus was deade yet notwithstanding because shortelye after Christ restoared him to lyfe hée hauing respect to this ishue and successe sayth that it is not a sycknesse vnto death M. For Lazarus wythin two dayes after dyed of the same syckenesse but not to sleepe in death with other dead bodyes vntil the day of Iudgment but that he might be restoared to life by the Sonne of God and might by his death minister occasyon to gloryfy him Therefore the Lorde had more respect vnto the consideration and cause of deth then to the death it selfe and therefore more truelye he ascribed this sickenesse to the cause of death which made to the glory of God more then to death it selfe C. Moreouer Christ in this place properly noated the glory of God which was Ioyned with his office For we knowe that when the Reprobate perishe the glory of God doth noe lesse shine in their death then in the saluation of the godly That the sonne of God might be glorified Bv. That is to saye he shal be raysed vp by my power whereby I shal be glorified For by that worke many shall gather that I am the true sonne of the lyuing God the life and the quickener of them that beléeue For it followeth towarde the ende of the myracle Vers 45 Many therefore of the Iewes which came to Marie and had seene the thinges which Iesus had done beleeued in him C. By this place wee gather that God woulde be so knowne in the person of the sonne that what honor soeuer God requiereth to be geuen to himselfe shoulde be giuen to his sonne Bv. Wherevpon Christe sayde The Father hath geuen all Iudgement to the Sonne Ioh. 5.23 that all might honor the sonne as they honor the father Hee which honoreth not the Sonne honoreth not the Father which hath sent him C. Wherefore the Turkes and Iewes béeing contumeliouse vnto Christe in vaine professe them selues to honoure God nay by this meanes they goe about to banish God from them 5. Iesus loued Martha and her Sister and Lazarus M. This the Euaungelist addeth because of the words of Mary and Martha which they tould by message vnto the Lord saying Lorde behould he whome thou louest is sicke Iesus loued not only Lazarus but also his sisters Bv. that is to saye all this houshoulde and family which were Godly disposed M. For Christ loued all men in that he came into the worlde to be the sauioure and redéemer of all men and not onely those which were then liuing and which were in the worlde before but those also which should be vpō the earth vnto the worlds ende We reade not that Paule had any familliarity with Christe in this worlde when he was vpon the earth and yet neuerthelesse he sayeth Neuerthelesse I liue Gala 2.26 yet now not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life which I nowe liue in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God which loued me and gaue him selfe for me And as he was a man liuing among men he was led by humane affections So he is sayd here to loue this Lazarus Martha and Mary and so also wée reade that he loued Iohn the Apostle Iohn i5 i4 and so no doubt he loued all his Apostes and called them his friendes 6. when he had hearde therefore that hee was sicke hee aboade two dayes still in the same place where hee was C. These wordes séeme contrary to that which went before that Christe should abyde two dayes on the other syde of Iordan as neglecting the life of Lazarus and yet notwithstanding is sayde to loue him and his sisters for séeing loue causeth care he shoulde haue made haste without delaye M. But this delaye nether hurt Lazarus nor yet was offensiue to the Lawe of loue and frenship but 〈◊〉 profyted him very much agréed with frendshippe and amitie and also serued greatly for the glory of God Lazarus was his frind but more frenly was the glory of his Father C. Therefore séeing Christe is the only mirror of the grace of God wée are taught by this his delaye not to Iudge of the loue of God according to the present state of thinges Béeing intreated hée often times diferreth his helpe eyther to make vs more feruent in prayer or else to excercise our patience and obedience Bv. Let no man therefore think much yf so be the louers of true pietie and godlynesse be afflicted with the calamityes of this worlde God faring as though he cared not for the same Gen 4 i0 eyther because so it is expedient for them which suffer or else because it so serueth for the setting forth of his glory B. So he left Abel in the hande of his brother but after his death his bloud cryed for vengeaunce Gen 39.20 So he left Ioseph a long time in the dungeon of the prison but afterward he aduaunced him to honoure So he left the Israelites a long time in cruel bondage whome notwithstanding at the length he deliuered with a mightie hand and out-stretched arme C. Let the faithfull therefore so craue helpe at the handes of God that they learne to suspend their desiers if so be at any time he be more slowe to helpe and deliuer then necessity requireth For howsoeuer he stayeth he sléepeth not neyther is hee vnmindfull of those that are his In the meane time let vs bée sure of this that he would all whome he loueth to be saued 7. Then sayde hee after that to his Disciples Let vs goe into Iewrye againe M. The Disciples being as yet but weake stoode greatly in feare of the mallice of the Iewes therfore Christ thought good to make them strong against they tooke their Iourney For he knew that they could not abide to heare so much as Iewry spoken of But he might haue gone into Iewry without them and neuer haue tould them of the matter yet he neither would returne into Iewrye without them nor yet leaue their minds vnprepared for so perillous a iourneye And therefore he sayeth Let vs goe into Iury againe C. By which wordes also be declareth that he had a care for Lazarus when his Disciples thought that he had forgotten him or at lest that he made lesse account of the life of Lazarus than he did of other matters M.
Sathan had a wicked desier to hurt him insomuch that he went about with all his might to destroye hym Bv. and working error and rebellion in our parents Adam and Eue he slue all mankinde The same also within a while after armed Caine to destroye his brother Abell And dayly throughout the whoale world he stirreth vp wicked and vngodly men to murther For he reioyceth in bloud in warres in theft and in the destruction of men and only because hee enuieth the felicitie and happinesse of others But Christ meaneth not here the beginning of the creation as though God had endewed the Deuell with a desier to hurte but he condemneth the wickednesse of Sathans nature whiche he hath taken to him selfe M. Neyther ought it to séeme absurd to any man that the Deuell is sayde to be the autor of death when as notwithstanding the Apostle séemeth to attribute the same to our firste parent saying As by one man sinne entereth into the worlde and by sinne Death c. For these two went together namely the Temptor and the Obayer of Temptacion Sathan was the Temptor and perswador to transgression and sinne by enuie mixing with the same a lye yet notwithstanding hée had fayled of his purpose if so be Adam had not harckned to his perswasion and transgressed Gods commaundement Therefore as touching that enuie of the Deuell the roote of euell temtation and also as touching the lye of perniciouse perswasyon it is truely attributed to the Deuell that hée is the firste author of death againe as touching the assent of Adam and the transgression of Gods commaundement it is rightly by the Apostle ascribed to Adam that he was the author of synne and death to all his posteritie insomuch that there is no disagréement at all here betwene Christ and the Apostle As for example if so bee amonge the enemies besieging a Cittie one of them doe with sertaine false perswasyons perswade and intice one of the principall Cittizens to betraye the Cittie vnto them insomuche that he harkeneth therevnto whereby be boath betrayeth his Countrey and also maketh the Cittie to be sacked and destroyed boath the perswading enemie and also the betraying Cittizen which contemning the false perswasions of the enemie might haue kepte his fayth whiche he did owe vnto his countrey are rightly sayd to be the aucthours of this destruction Euenso the mortalitie of mankinde is aptly referred to the mallice and enuie of the Deuell but yet not without the falt of our parentes And aboade not in the trueth C. These wordes playnly expresse a chaung and alteration to the worse and therefore Sathan is a lyer not from the creation but because he fell from the trueth Therefore in that he is a lyer it is not because he hath bene alwayes by nature an ennemy to the truth but because he fell voluntarily from the same Bv. God made the Deuell good in the beginning for all his workes are good He did set him in the trueth from the which hée coulde neuer haue fallen except he had sometyme stoode in the same Of hym was required by the moste Iust God Fayth or fidilitie thankefulnesse and the acknowledging of God the Creatour who had geuen him strength to perseuer yf he had woulde for he might haue stande yf he had woulde But through his owne falte and wickednesse he aboade not in the trueth that is to say in the puritie in the which he was made For by Infedilitie he fell C. This discription of Sathan is very profitable for vs that euery man maye learne to béeware of his subtill snares 1. Pet. 5.8 and to resist him For he goeth about continually like a roaring Lyon séeking whome he may deuoure and he hath a thousand wayes to deceiue AVG. We haue not red that the Deuell hath at any time vsed any externall armoure to kill a man neyther that hée hath playde the murderer with his hand but he hath vsed lying and pernicious perswasion M. This is the worse and moste Deuelishe kinde of murther when the body is not only killed with the sworde but also when both soule and body with a blasphemouse lye against the worde of God is made subiect not only to Temporal but also to euerlasting death C. So much the more therefore it behooueth the Faithfull to be armed with spirituall armoure to fighte and to be sober and watche M. Therefore the Apostle when he feared this kinde of murther sayde I feare leste by any meanes that as the serpent beguiled Eue through his subteltie 2. Cor. 11.3 euenso your mindes shoulde be corrupted from the singlenesse that is toward Christ For the serpent had the false Apostles Ministers of this murder by whose dilligence he sought to bryng to passe that thing whiche he had begon in the beginning to the destruction of mankind such false Aposteles he hath alwayes had among the Gentiles among the Iewes and amonge the Christians C. Therefore yf Sathan cannot put of this affection there is no cause why we shoulde he troubled as at some newe or straunge thing when we sée diuers errors to spring vp for Sathan sendeth forth his Instrumentes to trouble and to deceiue the worlde And it is noe marueile yf so be Sathan séeke so dilligently to ouerwhelme the light of the trueth for it is the onely lyfe of the soul Therefore he vseth lying as a mortall darte to destroye the soule Because there is no truth in him C. This is a confirmation taken of the effecte For because Sathan hateth the trueth and cannot abide the same but fauoreth altogether of lyes Christe gathereth therevpon that he was taken and quight tourned awaye from the trueth R. Neither is it repugnaunt to this sentence of Christ Iob. 1.10 Math. 4.6 when we reade that Sathan hath sometime spoken the truth as when he sayde Thou haste blessed the worke of his hands and his substance is increased in the Land Also it is writen he shall geue his aungeles charge ouer thee Again Thou art Christ the Sonne of God Luk. 4.41 Act. 16.17 Moreouer These men are the seruauntes of the moste high God whiche shewe vnto vs the waye of saluation These I saye and such like sentences are nothing repugnaunt with these wordes of Christ For it is one thinge sometime to speake the trueth and another thing to haue the truth within one Euenas it is one thing sometime to tell a lye and another thing to bée a continuall lyar The trueth is in them which do not onely sometime speake that whiche is true but do loue the trueth and doe speake those thinges which they speake for the loue which they owe vnto the truth A man shall finde some whiche speake the trueth not for the Loue they beare to the trueth but for the loue either of glory or of gayn or else for the hatred which they beare to some man Of those it cannot bee sayde that the trueth is in them Although therefore Sathan sometime speaketh
wise with GOD. But wée are to nothing more vnwilling therfore wée must embrace the sentence of our Sauiour Christ here namelye that all our scences doe vanish awaye and fayle vs when wée come to the déepe consideration of GOD. But after our Sauiour hath excluded vs from the kingdome of heauen hée straightway offereth to vs a remedye when hée addeth saying that it is giuen to the Sonne of man which is denied to all other Christ ascended into heauen to leade vs thither For whereas he ascended into heauen he did not thyther ascende for his owne priuate sake alone but that hée might be vnto vs a guide and a director or preparer of the waye And for this cause hée hath called him selfe The Sonne of man B. That is to saye perfect man least we shoulde doubt to haue entraunce with him thyther who therefore tooke vpon him our fleshe that hée might make vs pertakers with him of all good thinges Séeing therfore he is the onely Counsellor of his Father Esay 9.6 he admitteth vs to the knowledge of his secret misteries which otherwise shoulde lye hidde And to this effect pertaine the wordes of the Euaungelist before where hée sayth No man hath seene GOD at any time Iohn 1.18 the onelye begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the Father Iohn 14.6 hee hath declared him And in an other place our Sauiour Christ sayth I am the way the truth and the life No man commeth to the Father but by mee R. For hée is the treasury of Gods wisdome and knowledge nay hée is the wisdome of God it selfe which reuealeth himselfe to Babes Obiection M. But howe doth Christ affirme that no man hath ascended into heauen but the sonne of man 2. King 2. seing it is written of Elias that he ascended by a whirle wind into heauen I answere Aunsvvere That Christ speaketh not here of a Corporall ascention but of that ascention by which men come to the light of the diuinitie that cannot be attained vnto and to the knowledge of the heauenlye misteries of Godes will Elias at the firste although hée were in bodye caught vp into heauen yet notwithstanding hee knewe not the secretes of the heauens onelye knowne to GOD Ephe. 3.10 and hidden from the verye Angelles But he that came downe from heauen Now our sauiour beginneth to direct his speache to make declaration of the reason of the Dispensation and Incarnation which he had taken in hand This discention or comming downe from heauen is the Incarnation of the worde by which the onelye begotten Sonne of God was made the Sonne of man Euen the same which is in heauen C. There is no cause why this saying should séeme harde and absurde vnto vs in that he affirmeth him selfe to be in heauen when as he dwelt on earth because in Christ by reason of the vnitie of the person that which is proper to the nature of one is transferred giuen to another The which is very often vsed in the Scripture as when it is sayde That GOD hath purchased himselfe a Churche by his blood Christ therfore which is in heauen tooke vpon him our fleshe Acts 20.28 that by reaching to vs his brotherlye hande hée might lifte vs vp with him into heauen 14. And as Moyses lyfted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man be lifted vp M. These wordes and those which followe containe an exposition of the dispensation which hée had taken vppon him whereby hée being the onely begotten Sonne of his father descended from heauen into this worlde to redéeme mankinde C. Therefore Christ here more plainely declareth Christ our enterance into heauen wherefore hée sayde that the kingdome of heauen was open to him alone namely that he might bring all those thither which will follow him theyr leader and guide For hée affirmeth that hée must plainely and openlye be offered to all men that hée maye powre out his vertue and power vppon all Num. 21.8 The storye whiche here is rather touched than expounded is written in the Booke of Numbers Bv. Where wée reade that Moyses prayed for the people which were afflicted with strange Serpentes for their murmuring and hardenesse of heart But the Lorde commaunded Moyses to erect and set vp a Brasen Serpent for a signe by the sight whereof those that were stong with the Serpent were healed C. To be exalted here signifieth to be set and placed in a plaine and high place that all men may sée This is done by the preaching of the Gospell For where as some vnderstande these woordes to be spoken of the exalting and lifting vp of our Sauiour Christ vpon the Crosse it agréeeth not with the text and is very farre from the purpose of Christ Therefore the simple sence and meaning of these words is That Christe shoulde be set vp and displaied like an Ensigne by the preaching of the Gospell whom all men shoulde behold with their eyes as Esayas before had Prophesied saying Esay 2.2 It shall be in the last dayes that the mountaine of the house of the Lorde shall be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flow vnto it Of this exaltation the lifting vp of the brasen Serpent by Moyses was a type or figure the sight whereof was a present remedye to all those which were mortallye stong with Serpents Wherefore Christ maketh mention of the same in this place to this ende and purpose namely to teache that the doctrine of the Gospell must be set before all men to beholde and consider the same that so many as beholde him with the eies of fayth may attaine to eternall saluation Whereby wée may gather that Christ is plainely set before our eyes in the Gospell least any man shoulde complaine or finde faulte with obscuritie and that this manifestation or reuelation of Christ is common to all men Fayth most effectually beeholdeth Christ Galath 3.1 who by fayth may sée him as effectuallye as if hée were present before their eyes euen as the Apostle sayth that hée is described before our eyes when hée is truely preached And this similitude is not impertinent or farre fetcht For as the Serpent of Brasse was but an externall shewe of a Serpent Christ the brasen serpent our saluation and contayned nothing within that was hurtfull or venemous Bv. Euen so Christ tooke vpon him the forme and similitude of sinful fleshe in all thinges hauing our true and carnall substaunce in euerye point most disagréeing and far from all sinne C. to the ende hée might heale that deadlye wounde of sinne that is in vs. Bv. For that olde Serpent did sting verye foore our father Adam in Paradise and euerye one of vs also which are borne of Adam hée hath so infected with his Pestiferous Poyson that in all the rase of our life wée are whole addicted and geuen to selfe loue and to the desire
of men If so bée the workes which thou doest be altogither deuine thou shalt not feare the light but shalt goe with vs to the feast that thou mayest bée the more famous and honorable C. For séeing thou art indued with so greate vertue and power that thou canst win Fame by working signes and wonders loose not the same for thou doest in vaine spende and bestowe here those giftes whiche GOD hath giuen vnto thée where there are no méete witnesses and Iudges of the same B. For hée which woulde haue all men to speake fréelye and openlye of him must doe those noble actes which hée doth openlye and not in secrete Therefore make thy selfe knowne vnto the worlde B. Hereby wée perceyue how great the dulnesse of men is in waying and considering the workes of GOD. For the kinsemen of our Sauiour Christ woulde neuer haue spoken thus except they had vtterlye contemned and despised those manifest signes and proofes of his deuine power which they ought to haue receyued reuerenced with great admiration That whiche wée here in this place concerning Christ doth daylye happen For they which ought to be friendelye boath for néerenesse of bloude and also for other causes are more gréeuous and troublesome to the children of GOD than straungers oftentimes For they are the instruments of Sathan to draw and entise them which would scincerelye and faythfully serue GOD one while to ambition another whil to couetousnesse to the loue of the worlde and to such lyke Concerning the which matter reade more in our exposition of Mathew But Christ sharpelye repelling suche Sathans teacheth vs by his example Mat. 10.36 not to followe the foolishe willes and mindes of brethren 5. For his brethren beleeued not in him R. Now in this place that appeareth to be true Ioh. 4.44 which our Sauiour Christ sayth in a nother place A Prophet hath no honour in his owne countrey B. Hereby also wée learne that all are not godlye which appertayne vnto Christ concerning the fleshe For what did it profit these men whom the Euangelist noateth to be vnbeleeuers that they were the Lordes brethren C For the Spirite of Christe doth geue vnto them a perpetuall noat of infamie because they being conuinced by so manye testimonies of workes did not for all that beleeue Therfore as sayth Saint Paule VVhosoeuer desiereth to be in Christ must be a newe creature 2. Cor. 5 i7 B. For in Christ Iesus neyther circumcision auayleth any thing nor vncircumcision but a newe creature C. For they which geue them selues wholy vnto God are vnto Christe in stede of Father mother and brethren as for others he putteth them from hym Wherefore to ridiculouse is the superstition of the Papistes who in the virgine Marie all other thinges sett a parte only extoll the honoure of bloude as though Christe did not reprehende the Woman which cryed in the myddest of the multitude Blessed is the wombe that bare thee Luk. 11.27 and the Paps that gaue thee sucke For Christ aunswered Nay rather blessed are they which heare the worde of GOD and keepe it B. For the inwarde man aloane framed after GOD is acceptable vnto GOD and bringeth foorth the vndoubted fruite of righteousnesse M. Let vs noate also in this place how that fayth in Christ is the onely gift of GOD and commeth not by anye prerogatiue of fleshe and bloode For the faythfull are borne neither of bloude neyther of the will of fleshe nor of the will of man but of GOD. Also fleshe and bloude reuealeth not the sonne of God Ioh. 1.13 but the Father which is in heauen A. Let vs remember therefore what the Lorde answered to his kinsemen Iames and Iohn To sitte on my right hande Mat. i6 17 and on my left is not mine to giue but it shall happen to those for whome it is prepared of my Father 6. Then Iesus sayd vnto them my tyme is not yet come but your time is alwaye readye CHR. Some interpret this of the time of Christes death but not aptlye C. For hée speaketh of the time of his departure and affirmeth that hée differeth from his kinsemen in this that they might without daunger come forth at all houres in the face of the worlde because they haue the worlde their friendes but he hadde good cause to feare for that the worlde was his enimie And hée geueth them to vnderstande that they giue euill aduise in a knowne thing as if hée shoulde saye Bv. My time to goe thither is not yet come when time shall serue I shal néede none of your admonitions I know what when to do euery thing howe also and when I must be made knowne to the worlde doth not depend on mans counsayle but vpon my Fathers decrée M. Ye maye ascende to Ierusalem when ye will but I haue not alwayes that libertie you néede not waight your time because ye may goe when yée will but as for mée I must attende my time because all times to mée are not alike C. Wée are also here taught how dilligentlye wée ought to beware that wee doe all thinges by the rule of Gods worde and in due time Bv. and also to take héede that wee doe nothing rashelye without warraunt from God Hée talketh with vs in his worde Wée consult therefore with him when wée aske counsayle at his worde when wée praye and when wée craue his holye spirite Time ought to be considered according as ocasion serueth M. Euerie man therefore ought to consider his time and not to doe any thing out of due time but pacientlye to tarrye for the oportunity of a conuenient time The Lorde woulde not goe with his Brethren to Ierusalem because hys time was not yet come At another time hee commaunded Passeouer to be prepared for him at Ierusalem saying I will keepe the Pasouer at thy house with my Disciples And to his mother hée sayde Mat. 26.18 My houre is not yet come Let euerye one of vs therefore learne by thys example Iohn 2.4 to frame our selues according to the conuenientnesse of the time Rom 12.11 A. euen as the Apostle Paule teacheth vs but so notwithstanding that we swarue not the breadth of a nayle from our calling 7. The worlde cannot hate you but mee it hateth because I testifie of it that the workes thereof are euill C. The worde is here taken for men not regenerate which retaine theyr nature and disposition Whosoeuer therefore are not regenerate by the spirite of God are pronounced by our Sauiour Christ to be enimies vnto him And why Surely because they condeme his workes Wherefore if wée will stande to the iudgement of Christ wée must confesse that the whole nature of man is so vitious and corrupt that there can procéede from the same no right sincere or good thing M. Christ might haue said The high Pristes Scribes and Pharisées cannot hate you but they hate me But because his brethren had vsed this worde worlde
suche admiration and estimation their power by whiche they excell in the worlde that they are not afearde prowdelye to contemne all lawe and equitie and if any thing happen otherwise than they desire than they woulde confounde boath Heauen and earth M. For this kinde of Tyrauntes Tyraunts as they desire nothing else than to extorte and obtaine at the handes of their subiectes whatsoeuer they will or desire without consideration of equitie and Lawe euenso they can abide nothing lesse than not to be obayed in all thinges and that it shoulde so come to passe that the thing whiche they commaund should not be fulfilled This one thing they still obiect that the superiors must be obayed as though God were not aboue all whose will all mortall men ought to followe M. So Pharao obiected to the Midwiues that they had not fulfilled his commaundement Exod. 1.18 Ioh. 19 i0 A. Pilate set his aucthoritie before Christ when he made him no aunswere M. Also these reuerende Lordes sayde vnto the Apostles after the resurrection of Christ Did not wee straitelye commaunde you that ye shoulde not teach in this name Act. 5.28 And behoulde yee haue fylled Hierusalem with your doctrine Act. 4 and intende to bring this mans bloude vpon vs. C. The high Priestes in demaunding why Christ is not brought vnto them doe so farre extol theyr power that they woulde haue nothing to withstand their commaundement A. They enquire they complayne they are out of their wittes nothing considering the mightie hand of the Lord by which hee is woont to protect and defende his seruauntes M. Euenso at this daye Kinges and Princes in theyr Edictes complaine that they haue hitherto in vaine set foorth so manye Edictes Thankes be to God which so defendeth the cause of his truth the confusion of humaine arrogancie that euerye where yea in the verye courtes of Princes there are some founde which wil not obay wicked commaundements but will rather make them frustrate B being surelie perswaded that they ought rather to obaye God then men Act. 5.29 46. The seruaunts aunswered Neuer man spake as this man doeth R. As the heart of the King is in the hande of God Pro. 2i i◠that hée maye turne the same which way it pleaseth him euenso the practises and counsayles of theyr Ministers are in the hande of God neyther can they doe anye other thing than that which the Lord wil suffer them For the Ministers of the high Priests in this place intended and purposed to take Iesus and for that cause went foorth from the high Priestes but when they intended to doe most theyr heartes fayled them insomuch that they coulde not laye handes on him that we might learne in aduersitye to truste vnto God being assured that our aduersaries can doe nothing vnto vs but that which shal please the Lorde and which shall tourne to our profite So he preserued Iacob from the crueltie of Laban Gen. 31.24 C In lyke manner also we must consider the power and efficacie of the worde of God which is wont to mooue and strike not only the godly but also the wicked These men confesse that they were striken and tamed onely by the worde of Christe and yet for all that they doe not repent neyther doe they geue that due and lawfull honours which belongeth to the worde of God If it be true that neuer man spake after that manner why doeth not the deuine power which they were constrayned to féele so affect their hartes that they geue them selues wholy vnto God But thus verely ought that saying of the Prophete to be fulfilled Esay 11.4 He shall beate downe the wicked with the breath of his mouth And we shall sée hereafter that by the voyce of Christe only Iohn 18.6 they whiche sought his death were so confounded that they fell downe backward to the ground euen as if they had béene beaten downe with Clubbes Let vs knowe therefore that there is so greate force and power in the doctrine of Christe that it doth also terryfye the wicked Suche soldyers as these were wée may behould many at this day are who although they be constrayned whether they will or noe to wonder at the doctrine of the Gospell yet notwithstanding are so farre from submitting them selues vnto Christe that they abyde still in the tents of his enemies and other some which are farre worse being in the fauour of the wicked doe rayle speake euyll of the Gospell although their conscience beare them wytnesse that the same is of God 47. Then aunswered them the Pharisees Are yee also deceyued Bv. The wonderfull counsayle of God appeared in the former example of the Souldiers For he conuerteth the practises and counsailes of the high Priestes to their owne confusion and subuersion when as hée discouraged the souldiours with the onely word of Christ For the Pharisées sought all that euer they coulde to subuert the Doctrine of Iesus and to bring him out of credite with all men But their practise and counsaile hauing contrary successe they doe confirme and set foorth his aucthoritye when they séeke by all meanes to extinguishe the same Neuerthelesse their impietye increaseth more and more So that they being nothing moued with the aunswere of the Souldiours but rather more inflamed with anger hatred and pride do exclame saying Are ye also deceyued M. Here let vs noate the lot of Christes doctrine The force and power seducing is attributed to the same and in suche wise that they which were not sent to heare but to take Christ should bée deceyued by hearing So at this daye many Papistes are very wary and circumspect that they off heare not the pure and sincere Doctrine of the Gospell For saye they it is so pernicious and ready to seduce that if thou heare the same but once thou art by and by seduced A. Wherevpon also the persecutours of Christ commaund the professours of the Gospell which are caried to death to haue their tongues cut out of their heads least in the middest of the flaming fire they should win some by the open confession of Christ Iesus And it is no maruaile if they bée so angrye at their tongues séeing they could not resist them being directed by the holy Ghost according to the assured promise of Christ Luk. 21.15 I wyll geue vnto you a mouth and wisedome the which all your enemies shall neuer bee able to resist But the foolishe and madde men are afrayde of themselues in vayne M. For if the wicked man heare the Doctrine of Christ an hundred times he shall not bée taken naye if hée come without a malicious heart against the same and come not with a minde to heare and to be taught he shall retourne againe as he came This is the glory of the trueth which the wicked go aboute to beare men in hand that it is the doctrine of erroure A. But so many as are ordained to euerlasting life doe
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