GOD and the Sauiour of the whole worlde the which is done of vs when we depende wholye vpon him by a sincere fayth and trust and commit our selues wholye as Disciples vnto him Hée sayth not they which are pure and altogither voyde of sinne and worthy to be admitted into the fellowship of this fraternitie but he sayth which beléeue in his name and receyue him that is to saye which acknowledge by fayth the grace offered and receyue it in heart Therefore they which beléeue not receyue not Christ they cannot obtaine this sauing helth and dignity of the sonnes of God in so much that they must of necessitie perish with this world vnder the wrath 13. Which were borne not of bloode nor of the will of the fleshe nor yet of the will of man but of God Which were borne M. These woordes pertayne to the description of them which beléeue in the name of Christ and do receyue the right of the adoption of the sonnes of God They which are such are not borne of fleshe and blood but of God Fleshe and blood begetteth not the Children of God That which is of the fleshe is fleshe Iohn 3 and that which is of the spirite is spirite B. By these woordes the Euangelist meaneth nothing else but the carnall Byrth For he maketh a comparison of the generation of the fleshe and of the spirite reiecting the one and allowing the other C. Neyther is it necessarye that wée vnderstand here by this worde flesh the Woman as many would haue it The Euangelist rather repeating one thing by diuerse woordes goeth about to inculcate the same and to print it more déepelye in our mindes Therefore hée doth secréetelye touche the wicked trust and confidence of the Iewes who had alwayes in theyr monthes the worthinesse of theyr ofspring as though they springing from a holye Progeny were Saintes by nature They had worthelye boasted them selues to bée of the stock of Abraham if they had béene lawfull Children and not bastardes But the boasting of Faith doth arrogate nothing at all from the carnall generation but geueth GOD the praise for all thinges that it hath receyued ◠Therefore S. Iohn in effect sayeth thus much They which beléeue in Christ being before vncleane Gentiles are not borne the sonnes of God out of the wombe or by fleshe and blood but are brought therevnto by the workemanshippe of the holye Ghost And although properly hée hath respect vnto the Iewes which were proude in the fleshe yet notwithstanding of this place a generall Doctrine maye bée gathered namelye that where as wée are counted the Sonnes of GOD it commeth not by the propertye of our nature neyther of our selues but because the Lorde hath begotten vs of his owne fréewill and singuler loue Question A. Notwithstanding the Euangelist séemeth verye vnorderlye to make regeneration the first in order as though it went before faith when as rather it is the effect of Faith and therefore the latter of the twaine Aunsvvere C. I aunswere that it is both first and last in diuers respects because by fayth wée conceyue the incorruptible séede by the which we are borne againe into a newe and diuine life and yet neuerthelesse faith is now the worke of the holye Ghost which dwelleth in none but in the sonnes of God Therefore in diuers respectes faith is a part of our regeneration and an enteraunce into the kingdome of Heauen that wée might bée nombred among the children of God For in that hee illuminateth our mindes with the spirite hee sheweth the worke of regeneration After this maner faith springeth from regeneration as from the well But because wée receyue Christ by the same faith whiche sanctifieth vs wyth his spirite therefore it is sayde to be the beginning of our adoption Therefore in respect of our sence we beginne not to be the sonnes of God but after faith onely M. But we must note what difference there is betwéene them whiche are adopted in this worlde to the inheritaunce of earthlye goodes and those which are adopted to bée the sonnes of God They whiche are adopted to haue the inheritance of earthlye goodes are adopted by grace of good will although they come not of the same fleshe neither are regenerate in minde but abide in the same minde whereof they were before But they which are adopted to bee the Sonnes of God are not borne of the substaunce of God as was Christ the onely begotten sonne of GOD but they being by grace taken for heyres and sonnes are also chaunged in minde and of carnall are made spirituall And this is that which hée sayth But are borne of God Wee gather also by this place that faith commeth not of our selues but is the fruite of spirituall regeneration For the Euāgelist affirmeth that no man can beléeue but hée which is borne of God Faith therefore is a heauenly gift Furthermore wée maye hereby gather that faith is not a colde or bare motion seeing none can beléeue except hée be reformed by the spirite of God 14. And the same woorde became flesh dwelt among vs and we sawe the glorye of it as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and truth And the same worde C. Nowe hée teacheth what that comming of Christ was of the which he had made mencion before saying Hee came into his owne Namelye that hée hauing taken vppon him our fleshe openlye shewed him selfe to the world M. And by the fleshe he vnderstandeth the whole man in somuche that it is al one as if he had sayd And the word beecame man C. For this worde fleshe serueth more to set foorth the force of his minde than if he had sayde That it was made man His purpose was to shew what a vile and base condition the Sonne of GOD tooke vpon him for our sakes comming downe from the throne of his heauenlye glorye The scripture speaking of a man contemptuouslye calleth him fleshe When as therefore the Euangelist calleth the sonne of God fleshe he meaneth that he hath so much abased him selfe that he hath taken vppon him this fleshe subiect to so many miseries R. As to fragillity contempt execration pouertye hunger thirst nakednesse death and damnation and that wee might bee made through him Strong Blessed Ritch Full Immortal and righteous whereby we haue euerlasting saluation For what thing else is fleshe than weakenesse dust and as it were haye and the glorye thereof as the flower of the field which in the morning groweth and in the Euening is cut downe and withered C. But the fleshe is not here taken for the corrupt nature of man as Paule oftentimes taketh it but for the mortall man Verye fonde therefore is Appollinaris which imagined that Christ had a humane bodye onely without a soule For this is a figuratiue kinde of speache because the inferiour part doth comprehende the whole man For by an innumerable sort of testimonies a man may gather that Christ our
as they had hearde the testimony of the woman concerning Christe and did béeleue firste of all they wente out of the Citie to sée him on whom they beléeued Then hauing so done and being not contented to haue séene him once they desyred to abide with him for euer and therefore they requested him to tarrie still with them Phili. 1.23 Thus are they alwaies affected which truely knowe and loue Christe So Paule desired to be dissolued and to be with Christe The which Christe also promised to his disciples saying Ioh. 14.3 I will come againe and take you to my selfe that where I am there may ye be also Also Paule foresheweth that this shall not be without greate consolation Thes 4.17 saying And so shall we alwaies bee with the Lorde PAR. Therefore when they had obteyned their desire and sawe him standing before their face they were nothing offended at his base and contemptible forme hauing no manner of kingly shewe but they rather inuite him as the geuer of greate benefites beseech hym that he would vouchsafe to lodge in their Citye And he abode there two daies M. Being intreated he taried for a time such is his humanitie and facilitye by which he willinglye receiueth the petitions of the faithfull specially when they do appertaine to the corroborating and confirming of their faith euen as this petition of the Samaritanes did B. But notwithstanding hée gaue commaundement to his disciples that they shoulde not enter into the Cities of the Samaritanes beecause the time of his full glorification was not yet come But as the calling of the Gentiles appeared in the Magi or wisemen and after that in the Centurion and in others so in this present occasion hee minded to manifest the calling of the Samaritanes The calling of the Gentiles Actes 8.5 which were a certaine kind of people betwéene the Ethnikes and the Iewes the fyrst that receyued the Gospell after the Iewes Wherevpon he tarryed onely twoo dayes with them wheras hée continually Preached the Gospel to the Iewes Rom. 15.8 Mat. 15.24 For hée was the Minister of Circumcision and was specially sent to the lost Sheepe of the house of Israel M. Hée woulde not therefore geue any occasion of offence vnto the Iewes 41. And many mo beleeued because of his owne vvorde C. Here this word beleeued is vsed in another sence than it was before in the nine and thyrtye verse because it doeth not onelye signifye that they were prepared vnto faith but also endewed with a true faith M. Here therefore we sée howe true that is which the Apostle speaketh of faith saying Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 and hearing by the worde of God R. Therefore as the Samaritanes at the first beléeued because of the womans wordes but afterwardes are confirmed in the faith by the woordes of Christ euen so all the faithfull at the fyrst beleeue because of the Apostles woordes and the wordes of the Preachers but are not as yet confyrmed in the faith except Christ by his voyce speake to our hearts and seale vs by his holye spyrite which is the earnest and assurance of our heart For when the spirite of truth shal come Ioh. 16.13 hée wyll leade vs into all trueth Also Paul planteth 1 Cor. 3.7 Apollo watereth but God geueth the increase 42. And sayd to the vvoman Nowe vve beleeue not because of thy saying for vve haue heard him our selues and knowe that this is euen Christ the sauiour of the vvorld And sayd to the Woman M. These thinges are not therefore spoken to the ende we might thinke that the ministerye of this Woman which they had wel vsed was contemned God forbyd but rather to extoll those thinges which they had heard of Christ him selfe aboue the testimony of the woman Naye they séeme to knowe and ackowledge well inough the Womans Ministerye by which they at the first beléeued because they talked with her then they call to minde her wordes by which shée had testifyed of Christ neyther doe they saye Wée neuer beléeued because of thy woordes but Now we beleeue not because of thy wordes Bv. As if they shoulde haue sayde Thou hast not spoken so largelye of Iesus as hée hath deserued For nowe wée our selues hauing had plaine experience of his Diuine power knowe what manner of personne hée is neyther as perswaded by thy woordes onelye doe wée beléeue him to bée the Messias but being conuicted rather by his euident Doctrine wée knowe and vndoubtedly beléeue and truelye confesse that the same Iesus is not onelye the Sauiour of the Iewes but also of the whole world C. Therefore the Euangelist here expresseth what their faith was namelye suche a faith as was conceiued by the woorde of God in so much that they might boast that they had the Sonne of God to bée theyr teacher which is hée alone vppon whose aucthoritye we may safelye staye our selues Hée is not nowe present before our eyes that hée might talke with vs mouth to mouth but by whome soeuer we shall happen to heare him yet our faith can bée reposed in none but in him M. The Samaritanes which speake here speake not as doubtfull but as most assured and that which they beleeue with the heart Rom. 10.10 they most constantlye professe with the mouth For with the heart wée beléeue to righteousnesse and with the mouth wée confesse to Saluation But howe come they to haue this certaine knowledge of Christ They saye not wée haue séene his Miracles but Wee haue hearde him our selues Therefore they attaine vnto fayth not by Myracles but by the hearing of the verye worde of God Iohn 8.17 He which is of God heareth Gods wordes sayeth the Lord. The vnbeléeuing and froward Nation require signes but the elect doe not so but by the hearing of the woorde of God come to the knowledge of Christ So sayde Peter Iohn 6.68 Lord to whom shall we goe thou hast the wordes of eternal life and wee beleeue and confesse that thou art the sonne of the lyuing God And know that this is euen Christ our Sauiour C. This no doubte they haue by hearing Whereby wée gather that the summe of the Gospel within these twoo dayes was more familiarlye Preached vnto them by Christ than afore tyme it had béene at Hierusalem Bv. Also the prompte ready faith of the Samaritans shall condemne the inuincible incredulitye and obstinacye of men in our tyme. For the continuall Preaching of the Gospell amongest vs not two yeres but many yeres can litle or nothing at all perswade many of vs. Of the worlde C. Christ testifyeth that the saluacion whiche hée brought is common to the whole worlde to the ende the Samaritanes might the better vnderstande that it appertayned also vnto them For he called not them to the pertaking of the grace of saluacion as lawfull heyres but he taught that hée came Eph. 2.17 to admit forreyners into the householde of God
to lyfe 25. Verylye Verylie I saye vnto you the houre shall come and nowe is when the dead shal heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare shal liue Verilie Verilie J saie vnto you the houre shall come M. Now againe the thirde tyme he vseth this earnest affirmacion whiche greatly expresseth his minde first of all speaking not onely seriously and constantly but also of serious certaine and and waighty matters secondly requiring of the hearers an vndoubted faith also C. For the Euangelist so often times setting before vs the sonne of God swearing in the cause of our saluation we may thereby perceiue fyrst of all howe carefull he is for vs and secondly how néedefull it is that the credit of the Gospel be established and confyrmed The effect of faith of the which Christ here speaketh séemeth to be incredible Therefore by an othe hée affirmeth that the voice of his Gospell is of such quickening power that it is able to raise vp the dead B. There are some whiche vnderstand this worde of Christe of the resurrection or life of mens bodyes go about to proue the same by the example of Lazarus of the widdowes sonne C. but it is euident enough by the text that Christe doth speake of spirituall death Fyrst of al Christ admonisheth vs that we are all dead before he doth quicken vs. And hereby it appeareth what the whole nature of man is able to dooe concernyng the attaynyng to saluation It is verye true that there remayneth in the soule of man some remnant of lyfe for vnderstanding iudgement will and all the sences are partes of life but because there is no part which may aspire to life eternall it is no maruaile yf the whole man so farre forth as appertaineth to the kingdome of God be counted deade And of this death the Apostle speaketh in more wordes when he saith that we were farre from the pure and sincere reason of the mind and in the cogitacion of our hartes enemies to God and his righteousnes and being blind erred in darcknesse were geuen to euyll concupiscence If this corrupt nature haue no strength to attayne to righteousnesse it foloweth that the life of God is extinguished in vs. The grace of Christ the resurrection from death And so the grace of Christ is the true resurrection from death Also this grace is giuen to vs by the Gospel Not that the externall preaching of the same is of suche force which often times goeth in at one eare and commeth out at the other but because Christ speaketh within to our hartes by his holy Spirite that we may by faith receiue the lyfe offered vnto vs. R. Therefore to heare the voyce of the Sonne of God is not onely to heare those carnall wordes with our bodilye eares but to beléeue with the hart Wherfore they that beléeue are iustified For to beléeue with the heart maketh a man righteous Faith iustifieth Rom. 10.10 Gen. 15.6 Abacc 2.4 Also it is sayde Abraham beleeued God and that was imputed to him for righteousnesse Againe it is sayd the iust shall liue by faith For Christe doth not speake here of dead men but he only vnderstādeth the elect whose eares God doeth open that they may receiue the voyce of his Sonne which can restoore them to life Yea Christe distinctly in his wordes commendeth vnto vs two kyndes of grace when he sayth that the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God Two kyndes of grace and liue For it is no lesse against nature for the dead to heare then to be restoared to lyfe from which they were fallen Therefore both these belong to the secrete powere of God A. For experience teacheth vs that the Reprobates haue eyes Esay 6.9 but yet they cannot see they haue also eares but yet they cannot heare and the Gospell of Christ is to thē a sauioure of death vnto death 2. Co. 2.16 When he sayth The houre shall come and nowe it is he speaketh as of an vnwonted and straunge thing And verily the preaching of the Gospell was the new and sodaine resurrection of the worlde A. Wherevppon when Christ taught Mar. 1.17 many sayde VVhat newe doctrine is this And Paul Preaching the resurrection of the dead some sayde Acts. 17.18 This man seemeth to bee a tydinges bringer of newe Deuilles C. If any man demaund whether the word of God hath not alwayes geuen lyfe to men aunswere maye bée made that the Doctrine of the Lawe and the Prophetes being ordayned for Gods people had rather this propertye and office to maintaine those in lyfe which were begotten to GOD The office of the lawe and gospel then to reduce from death But the office of the Gospell was to bring the Gentiles which before were banished menne from the kingdome of God enemies to God and voyde of all hope of saluacion into the society of life R. as also the Apostle teacheth in his Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 2.11 26. For as the Father hath life in him selfe so lykewise hath hee geuen to the Sonne to haue lyfe in him selfe M. In these woordes hée geueth a reason why he sayd that the dead should bée raysed vp and quickened by the voyce of the Sonne of God C. and withall he sheweth whereof it commeth that his voyce hath so great efficacye namelye because he is the well of lyfe and poureth the same into men by his voyce For lyfe coulde not flowe vnto vs out of his mouth except the cause and originall thereof were in him Neyther is God sayde to haue lyfe in him onely because hee alone lyueth by his owne proper power and vertue but because he contayning in him selfe the fulnesse of lyfe quickeneth all thinges And this belongeth properlye to God alone euen as it is sayde VVith thee is the well of life Psal 36.9 Hereby wée gather that this title is properlye ascribed vnto Christ in that hée was manifested in the fleshe M. and this hée receyued of the Father when the worde was made fleshe Iohn 1.14 Therefore in that hée is the sonne of God hée hath all thinges of him selfe but in that hée is the sonne of man he hath receyued all thinges from the Father 27. And he hath geuen him power also to iudge because he is the sonne of man And he hath geuen him power C. Againe he repeateth that power is geuen to him of the father that he might haue full power of all thinges both in Heauen and in earth for this worde Iudge is taken for rule and empyre as before But wée must principallye note the reason which hée nowe addeth Because he is the sonne of man M. To bée the sonne of man according to the phrase of Scripture is nothing else than to be a verye man euen as in that he is sayde to bée the sonne of God is meant that he is verye God for euery one is that naturallye which he is when hée
B. The Lorde who knewe that there was in this multitude his elect whiche hearde him with fruite and that the Gospell must be openlye preached to others also that they might haue no excuse being nothing at all dismayde with their wickednesse rashenesse and disdaine which deryed him began openlye to tell them boath who was this celestiall breade in déede and also howe they might attayne the same C. Fyrst of all hee teacheth that they haue before their face that breade which mockingly they required secondelye hée reprehendeth them But hée beginneth with doctrine that he might declare them to be conuinced of the greater ingratitude M. Hée might haue sayde I am the Sauiour and the quickener but there is more consolation swéetenesse contayned in this that hée calleth hymselfe the breade of lyfe For first of all what other vse is there of breade than to féede and nourishe Euen so verelye the Sonne of God descended to vs from heauen for no other cause than that hée might be to vs meate and lyfe furthermore how precious bread is to the hungary how gréedely the same is sought experience teacheth Euenso how gréedely this breade of lyfe Christ ought to be sought for of vs it is declared by this metaphore of the breade the whiche figure to teache the rude and ignoraunte is more apt and méete than simple and playne speache Howbeit wee must noate Breade doth not giue life that by this worde breade the quickening power of Christ is not to be expressed as wée féele the same for breade doth not giue lyfe but doth onely nourish and preserue the same in that state in the which it is But by the benifite and goodnesse of Christ wée doe not onely retayne lyfe but haue also the beginning of lyfe Wherefore this similitude is improper in some parte But there is no absurditye at all in this because Christ frameth his Oration and talke by the circomstaunce of that which he spake before He that commeth to me M. Now he sheweth how this breade may be taken to bring lyfe and defineth the manner of eating whiche is when wée receyue the same by fayth For it doth nothing at all profite the vnbeléeuing that Christ is the breade of lyfe because they alwayes abyde empty but Christ is then made our breade when wée come hungerye vnto him that hée may fyll vs. B. To come vnto Christ is to receyue him for our Sauiour and to consecrate our selues wholy vnto him To whome soeuer it is gyuen to doe this hée shall not hunger that is to saye hée shall want no good thing The very same also hee now speaketh by another allegory And he that beleeueth on me In lyke maner to beléeue in Christ is to come vnto Christ and to acknowledge him our Sauiour but not to thirst is to want no good thing but to be throughly blessed the which beginneth to be here in those which haue giuen themselues wholy vnto Christ by fayth and it is finished when this bodye of ours being restored againe in the latter daye by the power of Christ shall beare hys Image 1. Cor. 15.49 which is the heauenly Adam Shall neuer thirst C. This séemeth to be added without reason because the office of the breade is not to quenche thirst but to put awaye hunger Therefore Christ attributeth more to the bread than the nature therof will beare But in that hée taketh the name of breade onelye hée doth it to this ende because hée had so made his comparison with his heauenlye power by which our soules are sustained in lyfe Neuerthelesse by this worde breade hée vnderstandeth all maner of nutriment and that according to the common maner of his countrey For the Hebrues by a figure called Sinecdoche which is when parte is put for the whole vse to call dinner and supper eating of breade and in the fourtéenth Chapter of Luke Also when wée aske of God our daylye breade wée comprehende drinke and the other necessarie partes of our lyfe The scence and meaning therof is this Whosoeuer shall come to Christ to receyue lyfe of him shall be fylled with all manner of necessaryes to the full R. To this also the prophetes had respect when they promised plenty of all good thinges at the comming of the Messias as when the Prophete sayeth They shall not be hongary neither shall they be thirstie neither shall heate smite them nor the Sonne For he that hath compassion on them shall leade them Esa 49 1◠euen to the Springes of waters shall he driue them To be shorte he hath all thinges whiche by faith possesseth Christe For Christ is the treasure of all good thinges and on the contrary parte he hath nothing although he possesseth all the riches of this worlde which hath not Christe by Fayth Yf therfore thou wante thou haste not faith Yf thou hast saith thou wantest not 36. But I saye vnto you that yee also haue seene mee and yet ye beleeue not M. In these wordes he striketh the hardenesse and obstinacie of their harts by whiche it came to passe that they séeing sawe not neither yet beleued affirming that this their incredulity was the cause that they coulde not taste the vertue of this bread that the same would bringe to passe that they shoulde heare in vaine whatsoeuer was spoken concerning that bread C. For they doe wickedly reiecte the gyft offered to them and therfore he taketh from them all excuse For excepte he had declared vnto them his power and had made manifest that he came from God the pretence of ignoraunce might haue mittigated their falt but in that they doe reiecte his doctrine whome before they confessed to be the Lordes Messias it is extreme disdaine and contempt It is most true that men would neuer haue so wilfully resisted God if so be they had known with whome they had to doe according to the saying of the Apostle 1. Cor. 2.8 They woulde neuer haue crucefied the Lord of glory if so be they had knowen him but because the vnbeléeuing are blinde in the cleare light they are rightly said to sée that which by and by vanisheth out of their sight because Sathan darkeneth their myndes This is without all controuersy that whereas he sayd they had seene it ought not to be vnderstoode of bodily sight but ought rather to be taken for wilfull blindnesse because they might haue knowen who he had béene had it not bene that they were lette by their owne mallice B. Therefore he noteth that whiche he had saide a litlle before Ye seeke mee not because yee sawe the signes For by the signes they sawe who he was namely the very sonne of God yet not withstanding they did not beleeue because it was not geuen them from the Father as straight waye he sheweth 37 All that the Father geueth me shal com to me and him that commeth to me I cast not awaye All that the father geueth me M. By these wordes the
of vs they had continued with vs. It is necessary that after this manner suche as are proued maye bée knowne i. Cor. 11.19 C. When the Euangelist sayeth that they walked no more with Christ hée meaneth that there was not a full Apostacye but that they withdrewe them selues onelye from the fellowshippe of Christ notwithstanding hée condemneth them as Apostates Whereby wée haue to learne that wée cannot goe backe the breadth of one foote but that wée are readye to forsake Christ 67. Then sayde Iesus vnto the Twelue wyll ye also goe awaye M. Hée maketh no mencion of those which had forsaken him neyther doeth he séeme to bée any whit angery with them but turning him selfe with great modestye to the rest which remayned namely to the twelue Apostles sayde vnto them VVyll ye also goe awaye Bv. Hée doeth not aske this question as though hée were ignoraunt what they thought or what they would doe but hée demaundeth it that he might set their Fayth and the profession of theyr faith as an ensample to the whole Churche to bée followed kept M. and therewith also to declare that he doth staye none of his Disciples from going from him if so bée they bée such as desyre to goe from him because this Apostleship requireth such as come not compelled but voluntaryly and desyrous of heauenly grace C. Hée teacheth also that there is no cause why they should suffer them selues to bée drawne awaye by the lightnesse and inconstancye of other men For hée sheweth him selfe to them to bée hée with whome they shoulde abyde and therewithal exhorteth them not to ioyne them selues companions to Apostates And verylye if so bée the fayth be builded vppon Christ Fayth in Christ neuer shaketh it shall not depend vppon men neyther shall it shake at any time although Heauen and earth shoulde seeme to goe togeather And the cyrcumstaunce is to bée noated that Christ being depriued almost of all his Disciples retayneth onelye Twelue By these and suche lyke examples euerye faythfull man is taught to followe and serue God although hee haue neuer a fellowe M. Let no man therfore faint or be discouraged in this wicked world where verye fewe are founde whiche cleaue faythfullye to the Lorde as though the Lorde had the lesse care of the faythfull because they are both abiect and fewe in number but rather lette vs vndoubtedlye beleeue that our Sheepheard Christ Iesus wyll not neglect or forget one of the least of his shéepe Multitud doth not auayle to saluation For as the multitude of the wicked shall not saue them from destruction so the paucitye or smalnesse of number of the Iuste shall nothing let whereby they may not bée saued M. Also because these were speciallye geuen to Christ of the Father that Gods election might take place it was necessarye that they shoulde abyde and perseuere with him vnto the ende Rom. 11.29 A For the giftes and calling of God are suche that hee can neuer repent him of them For hée is wont to finishe the good worke which hée hath begon in his seruauntes 68. Then Symon Peter aunswered him Lord to whome shal we go Thou hast the vvordes of eternall lyfe Then Simon Peter Bv. Simon Peter hauing alwayes a feruent faith and zeale to Christ Iesus and nowe also making aunswere not in his owne name but in the name of all the rest cryed out with great courage Lord to whome shall wee goe Thou hast the wordes of lyfe C. This was the Iudgement of them all except Iudas who had nothing that was sincere in him M. Peter might haue sayde simplye Lorde wée wyll not goe awaye but hée thought it better to expresse twoo causes of tarrying why hée and his brethren woulde abide styll with Christ First because they vnderstande and perceyue that his doctrine is wholesome and of power to geue lyfe Secondly because whether soeuer they go leauing Christ there is nothing to bée found but death R. By this aunswere of Peter wee plainelye sée the same to bée true which the Apostle writeth saying The preaching of the Crosse is to them that perrishe foolishenesse i. Cor. i. 18 but vnto vs which are saued it is the power of God C. This is a notable commendation of the Gospell that it ministereth vnto vs eternall lyfe Rom. i. 16 being the power of God to saluation to euery one which beléeueth the same For otherwise is lyfe offered to vs in the Gospell when as God fréelye reconcileth him selfe vnto vs 2. Cor. 5.19 not imputing our sinnes to vs. Hereby therefore wée learne that wée must followe our Maister Christ aloane and must cleaue onelye vnto him which can bring to vs euerlasting lyfe Bv. This lyfe is not founde in the Philosophie of Plato or of Aristotle neyther is it to bée founde among the Pharisées and Monkes Death sheweth it selfe in the Institucions of these men death deceyte and destruction is in the whole worlde and falleth vpon the pate of such men as are carelesse and followers of foolishe thinges and hée aloane escapeth death deceyte and destruction whiche faithfullye imbraceth Christ and cryeth with Peter Lorde whether shall wée goe wee wyll abyde with thée for thou hast the wordes of eternall lyfe In thy word in the Scripture in the holy Gospel and in thy selfe is the light the waye the trueth and the lyfe 69. And wee beleeue and are sure that thou art christe the Sonne of the lyuing God M. To those that departed the Lord sayde But there are some among you which beleeue not Verse three score and foure Peter here on the contrarye part to put awaye all suspition of vnbeleefe from him selfe and from the rest of his brethren and might seperate him selfe from the fellowshippe of vnbeléeuers sayeth And wée beléeue and are sure that thou art Christ the sonne of the lyuing God In these words Peter briefly comprehendeth the summe of Faith And hée placeth Faith in the first place because the obedience of Fayth is the beginning of true vnderstanding yea Faith it selfe is the true eye of the minde But strayte after knowledge is added which discerneth Fayth from erronious and false opinions Faith is the eye of the minde For the Turkes the Iewes and the Papistes do beleeue but they knowe nothing Faith and knowledge tyed togeather But Fayth is tyed to knowledge because Gods truth is certainely and vndoubtedly knowne vnto vs not suche truth as mans knowledge is able to apprehende but such as the spirite of God doth seale in our hartes M. Therefore Christian Faith hath this propertye aboue all other to knowe that which it beléeueth that which can neuer bée sayde of any mannes Fayth that euer hath béene or shal be in the worlde because theyr Fayth is not of true but of false thinges R. So that first of all wée must beléeue the woord then followeth knowledge and the vnderstanding of the trueth of the worde B. In Peter the feruencye of
in it except it receyue the same from Christ Otherwyse it were but vayne and superfluous to geue lyght vnto lyght C. Therefore without Christ there is not one sparke of true light There maye appeare some shewe of bryghtnesse hut it is lyke to a sodayne flashe which doeth nothing else but dasell the eyes Bv. Moreouer the Lorde promised in the Scriptures long before that hee woulde geue this lyght as whan it is sayde The Lorde hath sworne in truth to Dauid and he wyll not shrinke from it saying Psa 132.11 Of the fruyte of thy bodye wyll I sette vppon thy throane If they sonnes keepe my couenaunt and my testimonies that I shall teache them there sonnes also shall sytte vppon thy throne for euer For the Lorde hath chosen Zion and loued to dwell in it saying This is my rest for euer here wyll I dwell for I haue a delight therein There wyll I make the horne of Dauid to bud for I haue ordayned a lyght for myne annoynted To this promyse the Prophetes had oftentimes respect as is to bée séene in dyuerse places As in Esay where the father sayth I haue geuen thee to bee light to the Gentilles 3. Kin. 11.36 3. Kin. 15.4 2. Cor. 21.7 Esay 49.6 that thou mightest bee my saluation to the worldes ende Wherevnto that Iust man Simeon afterwarde alluding sayth that Iesus was geuen to be a light to the Gentilles Luk. 2.32 C. Furthermore we must noate that the partes of illumening are not restrayned to the parson of Christe For although he be farre from our bodely syght yet notwithstadding he doth daily illumen vs by the doctryne of his Gospell and by the secret power of his holy Spirite Notwithstanding we haue not yet a ful definition of this light except we learne that we are illumined by the Gospel and by the Spirite of Christe to the ende we maye knowe that in hym is hydden the well of all knowledge and wisedom Therefore as Sathan is sayde to be the Prince of darcknesse Sathan is the Prince of darcknes because the works that he worketh in the Children of vnbeléefe are euell and corrupt insomuche that by them the wicked fall headlong as it were blynded into distruction So Christ Iesus is set before vs as the true Sonne of righteousenesse that by the benefite of his light we maye be illumined in the midest of the darckenesse of this worlde and maye be brought to eternall life A. And by what reason the name of light maye agrée with the Law with the apostells also and with the faithfull we haue shewed in the eyght verse of the fyrst Chapter Hee that followeth mee C. Here is the exhortation of Doctryne whych the promise strayght after added confirmeth For when we heare that they are out of the daunger of erring which committe them selues vnto Christe to be gouerned it is méete that we shoulde be stirred vp to followe Whervnto he himselfe draweth vs as it were by reaching out his hande vnto vs. This large and greate promise also ought very muche to mooue vs that wée which direct our eyes vnto Christ are sure to walke in the right waye without erring through the middest of darcknesse M. Therefore it is not ynough that Christe is the light of the worlde that we might not walke in darcknesse but it is necessarye that wée follow him They which tourne themselues another waye and which followe not this light but are enimies to the same as they are not illumined by the beames thereof so necessarily they walke in darckenesse Neyther is it sufficient to know the same that darckenesse maye be shunned but wee must also walke in it For hée sayth not Hée which knoweth me walketh not in darckenesse but which followeth me He doth not by and by walke in the light which knoweth the light he doth not by and by followe Christ the light of truth which hath receyued the knowledge of Christ R. To followe Christ in this place is to beléeue in Christ Bv. For by faith that light is receyued and Christ is made our light shining in our heartes Some in this worlde followeth one thing and some a nother as honours riches pleasures and I cannot tell how many such kinde of vanities But those whiche are wise followe Christe by whome they receyue greate profite For they whyche followe hym shall not walke in darkenesse shall not wallowe in wickednesse which are called the workes of darckenesse but shall haue the light of life Iohn 6 4◠R. For hée which beléeueth in mée sayth our Sauiour hath euerlasting lyfe C. Therefore the faythfull shall walke most constantlye vntill they come to the marke For this to them is an euerlasting lyfe Wherefore there is no cause why wée shoulde feare to faynt in the myddest of our iourney séeing that hée leadeth vs vnto life And it is no meruayle if there bée suche grose and palpable darckenesse of errors and suspicions in the worlde when as there are so fewe which beholde Christ B. For hée which beléeueth not in Christe nor followeth thys lyght as hée wanteth this his spirite so it is necessary that he walke in darkenesse that is to saye that he followe carnall reson the bonde seruaunt of euill desires whereby hée followeth alwayes that which is hurtefull For what hurtfull thing is it which he followeth not God set aside 13. The Pharisees therefore sayde vnto him thou beareste recorde of thy selfe thy recorde is not true PAR. The Phariseis being swallowed vp of the manifest light of the truth and blinded therewith neyther féele nor sée the light nay they renew the contention and begin anew altrication against Christ by which notwithstanding the doctrine and truth of the Gospell is rather more manifested than obscured These men feared leaste the people forsaking them woulde haue followed Iesus by whiche they knewe that theyr auchoritye shoulde not a little decaye yet notwithstanding they coulde not hitherto by any reasons refell and confute the true doctrine of Christ and his mightie and wonderfull déedes They fall therefore nowe againe to their woonted cauilles to proue if peraduenture they myght bring the rude and simple people to haue Iesus in suspicion of arrogancye and vaine boasting C. They obiect a common saying That no man is to be trusted in hys owne cause As if they shoulde saye R. Thou commendest thy selfe but that commendation or testimonye which a man geueth of himselfe is of no aucthoritie or credite It is the parte of an arrogant man and not of one that speaketh the truth to boast and commende hymselfe wée beléeue not thine owne testimonye But proue out of the worde of GOD that thou art the verye same whome thou preachest thy selfe to be and wée will beléeue thée Doeste thou thinke vs to be so scencelesse that wée will by and by receyue thy worde as deuine We are Doctors of the Lawe wherefore except thou proue thy preaching by the Lawe wée will not beléeue thée but wyll
to passe and then if they could not snare him with wordes to laye hand on him Therfore Christ although he semed to be as it were taken already yet by the wonderful power of God escaped out of their handes C. By which we are taught that we are not geuen as a praye to the wicked whome the Lorde doeth often times bridell at his will and pleasure M. Therefore it is not vnlawefull for the Minister of Christ to séeke to escape out of the handes of the wicked 40. And went awaye againe beyonde Iordane into the place vvhere Iohn before hadde baptized And there hee aboade M. Christ leauing Hierusalem went ouer Iordane for because that Region as a sanctuarye serued for his securitie and rest For such was the corruption and wickednesse of the Cittizens of Hierusalem that the farther any place was from them the more conuenient the same was for Christ and againe the more néere the more perilouse it was for him to abide in because of the wickednesse of the Iewes whenas notwithstanding yf there hadde bene any place in the whoale world féete for the preaching of Gods kingdome Hierusalem should haue bene the same A. The Lawe saith the Prophete shal go forth of Sion and the word of the lorde out of Hierusalem i. King 24. M Euenso the nerer that a man is to the Cittie of Rome yf he be a good man the more he is in daunger C. Christ therefore taught vs by his example to vse occasion Where Iohn before had baptised Bv. He went aparte into that place that by his presence he might bring in rememberaunce the testimonie of Iohn which he bare vnto Christe and that hee might drawe many to Iesus the Sauioure of the worlde that is to saye to him selfe Wherevpon also it followeth 41. And manie resorted vnto him and saide Iohn dyd noe miracle but all thinges that Iohn spake of this man were true And many resorted to him M. As the light sette vpon a Candelsticke cannot be hidde so the truth of God allthough it be condemned of the reprobate findeth many which followe the same though it flée away Bv. faithfull Shéepe will neuer forsake their sheapheard M. There was a tipe before of this matter in Dauid to whome he fléeing from the face of Saule Esa 57.20 manye are sayde to come out of Iury. Euenso the counsailes of the wicked by whiche they séeke to extinguishe the trueth haue so litle successe that they rather serue for the furtheraunce of the same A. A notable example whereof wée haue here and also in the storye of the blind man The which I would to God they would marcke and consider whiche séeke to extinguish the light of the Gospel in euerye Cittie C. Therefore this concourse of people here sheweth that Christ sought not to be solitarye that hée might cease from doing of his dutie but that hée might erect the sanctuarye of God in the desarte when as Ierusalem which was his proper seate had reiected him And verely this was the horrible vengeaunce of God that when the temple which God had chosen was become adenne of Théeues the Church of God should be gathered togither in a prophane place Ihon did no miracle Bv. Many beléeued in Christ being driuen therevnto partely by the doctrine of Iohn and partely by the signes of Christ but specially they were drawne by the spirite of God C. They gather that Christe was more excelent than Iohn because hée had done so many myracles whereas Iohn had done no myracle Bv. God woulde haue no miracles done by Iohn least the people shoulde haue attributed to much vnto him and therfore hée would haue him onely to teache and to testifie R. For as the bodye of Moyses and his Sepulchre are hid vnto this present daye Deu 34 6 and that by the iuste prouidence of God least that supersticicious flesh in visiting the bodye of Moyses shoulde committe Idolatrie euen so for iust cause Iohn than whome otherwise there arose not a greater among womens Children wrought no miracle For if so bée the gift of myracles had bene ioyned to his doctrine and holynesse of lyfe the people coulde scarce haue bene drawne from beléeuing hym to be Christ For the giftes of God are distributed according to his deuine will not all to euerye one but to euerye one somewhat euen as the members of the bodye haue not all one action Neyther maketh it any matter before God to bée endued with many giftes Rom. i2 but to beléeue in Christ is the acceptable worke and labour For fayth is that onely necessarye gift which Iustifieth and saueth all other giftes whether they be spirituall or corporall serue not to iustification but to the edification of the Churche This is the cause why Iohn wrought no myracle Bv. But the Lorde would haue his sonne to be famous with myracles M. For this glory was due vnto Christe who also being glorified wrought greater myracles by the hands of his seruauntes than euer hée dyd by himselfe when he was vpon the earth C. Notwithstanding wée must noate that wée must not alwaye iudge by myracles although myracles Ma 24 24 2 Thes 2.9 Math. 7.12 being ioyned to doctrine haue no small wayght But all things that Iohn spake C. This séemeth not to be spoken of them but added by the Euaungelist to teache that they were led by a double argument to beléeue in Christ because in very déede they sawe that the testimony was true which Iohn bare vnto him and also bycause his miracles made him more famouse M. Wée sée here howe the hearing of the worde of God though not presentlye vnderstoode serueth in due tyme to knowe the trueth A. The word of God séemeth sometime to be preched in vaine but at the length it bringeth forth fruite in due time 42. And many beleeued on him there M. Where did they beléeue In that place into the which the Lorde was fled by reason of the maliciouse wickednesse of the Iewes Therefore these men were so disposed that so soone as they sawe the glory of the miracles of Christ and were admonished of the truth of the sayings of Iohn they were so litle offended by that flyght that they did not only still beléeue the truth which Christe preached but also condemned the mallice of the Iewes I would to God this present age had many such who knowing the trueth would still retaine the same in their hartes againste all offences and lettes which the wicked can obiect ⧠The eleuenth Chapter 1. A certaine man was sicke named Lazarus of Bethany the towne of Mary and hir sister Martha A certaine man was sicke R. THIS whoale Chapter almost maketh onelye a discourse of the raysing vp of Lazarus howbeit a shorter discourse myght haue bene made of the same But the Euangelist doth not wythout cause so largely describe the same For all thinges are wrighten for our learning M. For amonges the reste of the miracles which Christ
though he were dead yet shall hee liue Bv. Nowe Christ more plainelye reuealing himselfe sayth that he cannot onely by his prayers obtaine lyfe but also that hée is the lyfe it selfe of all that beléeue yea the liuing God which can rayse from the deade and preserue in life M. Hée knewe that Martha hadde not as yet the true knowledge of him and that therefore shée thought of the resurrection as did the rest of the Iewes who although they beléeued that the same shoulde bée yet notwithstanding by whose power the same shoulde bée they knew not because they wanted the true knowledge of Christ Wherefore that hée might signifie vnto Martha that hee was the rayser vp and quickener of deade men by whome the resurrection of the deade shoulde bée and whiche coulde also at that present restoare hir deade brother vnto life hée sayth I am the resurrection and the life B. that is to saye the authour of resurrection and lyfe and that power of GOD to rayse and to quicken As if hee shoulde saye Why hast thou respect vnto the resurrection to come concerning the which thou hast such an opinion as though it were not to be wrought by my power If thou knewest mée thou wouldest also knowe that I haue power geuen mée to rayse vp and to quicken and therefore wouldest nowe desyre mée to raise vp thy brother C. Therefore fyrst of all Christ affirmeth himselfe to be the resurrection and and the lyfe and afterwarde hée expoundeth boath partes of the sentence seuerallye In the fyrst parte hée calleth himselfe the resurrection because by order men are restoared from death before they are in the state of lyfe And verilye all mankinde is ouerwhelmed in death Therefore no man shall haue life but hee which is fyrste risen from death So Christ teacheth himselfe to be the beginning of life and afterwarde hée addeth that the perpetuitie of lyfe is the works of his grace And the exposytion which followeth straight after sheweth plainely that hée spake of spirituall lyfe as He that beleueth on me Wherefore then is Christ the resursurection because hée doth regenerate the Children of Adam which were alienate from GOD by synne that they may beginne to leade a newe lyfe of the which wée haue spoken in the fifte Chapter going before And the Apostle Paule very notabelye interpreteth this place in the seconde Chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians Let them bable then what they liste which affyrme that men are prepared by the motion of nature to receiue the grace of God It is as much as yf they should saye that the dead walke Faith is the resurrrection of the soule For wheras men haue lyfe breath sence vnderstanding and will the same tendeth to destruction because there is no part of the soule which is not corrupted and maymed And so it commeth to passe that death euerye where hath the vpper hande and kingdome For the death of the soule is an alienation from God Therefore they which beléeue in Christe whereas they were deade before beginne to liue because Fayth is the spirituall Resurrection of the soule and doth after a sorte animate the soule it selfe that it maye liue vnto God according to this saying The dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God and they that here it shall liue It is a notable titel of faith verely that Christ powring life into vs deliuereth vs from death 3. King i7 4 Kin 9.4 M. And that whiche Christ testifieth of him selfe can belong to no other We doe reade that holy men haue raysed vp some from the dead Rom. i5 i7 i Cor i5 21. as Elias and Elizeus But yet none of them was the resurrection and the life but Christ only 26. And vvhosoeuer lyueth and beleueth in mee shall neuer dye Beleeuest thou this The Lord Iesus had spoken two things which he orderly expoundeth He proued him selfe to be the resurrection when hée taught that life is restoared to the dead by faith C. Now followeth the exposition of the second member namely howe Christ is the life because he neuer suffereth the life which he hath once geuen to decaye but preserueth the same vnto the ende For what should become of men in so greate fragillitie of the fleshe if so bée they hauing once gotten life should bée left afterwarde vnto them selues Therfore it must néedes be that the continual state of life be founded vpon the power of the same Christ that he maye finishe that which he hath begon And the faithfull are therefore sayde neuer to dye because their mindes béeing renued with the incorruptible séede haue the spirite of Christ abyding in them by whiche they liue dayly For although the body be subiect vnto death because of sinne yet notwithstanding Rom 8 i0 the spirite is life for righteousenesse sake 2. Cor. 4 i6 Yea though the outward mâ—n perish yet the inward man is renued daye by daye And death it selfe is to them a sertain deliuerance from the seruitude of death Death is a deliuerance from the seruitude of death Iohn 5. R. There is no cause therefore whye they that beléeue shoulde feare and abhorre death because they haue passed already from death to life Beleeuest thou this C. Christ séemeth at the first sight to speake therefore of the spirituall lyfe that he might withdrawe the minde of Martha from her present desier Martha desiring that her brother might be restored to lyfe Christ aunswereth that he is the author of a farre more excelent lyfe because by his heauenly power he quickeneth the soules of the faythfull But there is no doubt but that he speaketh of a double grace Generally therfore there is no doubte but that he commendeth the spirituall lyfe which he geueth to all those that are his but hereby he ment to geue a tast of that power which he woulde afterwarde declare in raising vp of Lazarus M. And Christe knewe what Martha beléeued and what shée beléeued not he doeth not demaund therefore this question to the end he might learn but that he might drawe from her a confession of that fayth which he knew to be in her at that tyme. For it is not ynough for vs to beeléeue with the hart but it is also required that we confesse that with the mouth whiche we beléeue with the harte A. Furthermore Christe saith not vnderstandest thou this But Beleuest thou this For the ministers of God cannot be vnderstoode except they be vnderstode by faith 27. Shee sayde vnto him Ye Lord I beleeue that thou arte Christe the sonne of the liuinge GOD whiche should come into the world M. It séemeth that Martha vnderstoode not the wordes of Christ and that shée knewe not that which shée sayde shée beléeued namely what it is to be Christ the sonne of God Neuerthelesse there is no doubte but that shée had that Faith in Christ that shée doubted nothing at all of his wordes C. And to prooue that shée beléeued the
will encreace that which he hath begon in vs. And wée must créepe béefore we haue strength geuen to vs to ronne swiftly And as Christ doth beare with vs in our imperfection euenso let vs learne not to cast of our weake Bretheren which as yet are far from the marck It is to be wished that al didde ronne with good courage but If anye doe ronne slowely so that he kéepe the waye let vs hope well CYR. Some think that by these wordes it was ment that Péeter after the assention of the Lord should be crucefyed but it maketh no matter what kind of death the Apostle of Christ suffered 37. Peeter sayd vnto him Lorde why cannot I follow thee nowe I will ieoparde my lyfe for thy sake C. Péeter by these words declareth that he was gréeued at the answere of Christ Hee vnderstoode that he was put in mind of his owne infirmitie whereby he gathred that his owne fault was a let vnto him that he could not presentlye followe Christ But yet he was not fully perswaded of this For by nature mankind is puffed vp with trust of his owne strength M. He doth not demaund and saye when shall I followe thée if I cannot followe thée nowe but he sayth VVhy cannot I follw the nowe As if he should saye R Doest thou think that I hauing receiued so many benifits of the wil be so vnthankfull that I will forsake thee Thou hast chosen mee to be an Apostle I haue tasted of the heauenly Ioye vpon mounte Thabor I haue wrought miracles in thy name and what benefite is it that I haue not receiued of thée howe then can I forsake thée being in great peril of thy lyfe I wil ventur◠my lyfe for thée yea I will dye for thée so far am I from forsaking thée C. These wordes of Peter shew what an opinion we haue conceiued of oure selues and howe we trust to our owne strength where vpon it cōmeth that wée dare doe any thing without callinge for the help of God when as notwithstanding we can do nothing But concerning this read more in the twentie six chapter of Mathew in the thirty thrée verse 38. Iesus aunswered hym wilte thou ieoparde thy lyfe for my sake verily verily I say vnto thee the Cocke shall not crowe till thou haue denied me thrise M. Peeter séemed to prooue Christ a liar in denying that so bouldly which the Lord declared vnto him Therefore Christ séeketh more and more to beate downe the arrogancy of Peeter leste hée béeing puffed vp aboue measure shoulde bée to prowd of his owne strength And Christ would not contend with him but thought it better to let him haue experience of his owne strength euenas fooles are serued who are neuer wise but when they are punished Peter promiseth inuincible constancie and he speaketh according to the sincere affection of hys mind but it is blind and presumptuouse bouldnesse because he considereth not what was geuen vnto him Therefore the Lord correcteth that rashenesse As if he should saye R. What is that I heare Wilt thou Péeter dye for mée who came to dye for thée M. But I saye vnto thée that thou shalt be so aferd and discouraged that thou shalt not only forsake mée with the rest but shalt also deny mee euen as if thou haddest neuer knowen mée and that not once but twise yea thrise and with suche spéede that thou shalt deny mée before the Cock crowe But because this example pertaineth vnto vs let all men learne to waye and consider their owne infirmities and imperfections leste they be to prowd vppon vaine confidence Wée cannot presume to muche vpon the grace of God but here the secure presumption of the fleshe is reprehended seeing that faith bringeth forth rather feare and carefulnesse Hée suffereth the due and condinge punishement of his arrogancy wherefore that God may stay vs vp by his power let vs learne to forsake oure owne strength and to flée to him in time ⧠The Xiiij. Chapter 1. And he saide vnto his Disciples let not your hartes be troubled ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me Let not your hearts be troubled THIS whoale Chapeter is mixed with consolations with doctrines witht exhortacions and with promises The Lorde comforteth his sorrowefull and troubled Disciples instructeth them concerninge the father exhorteth them to beléeue in him to loue him to keepe his sayings promiseth them place in heauen the gift of the holy Ghost the hearing of their praiers his retourne vnto them againe the loue and grace of his Father and laste of al his peace And he doeth not without cause vse so many wordes to confirme his Disciples who had so daungerouse and fearfull a battaile prepared for them For this was no smal temptation that which in a litle while after they shoulde sée him hanging uppon the Crosse in the which sight there was nothing to bee seene but matter of vtter desperation Seeing the hower of so greate trouble was at hand he sheweth them a remedy lest they beeing ouercome should quaile M. In him we see the Image of that Priest Heb. 4.15 who béeing him selfe tempted in all thinges can haue compassion vppon all those that are tempted euenas the Apostle describeth him vnto vs. Hée knoweth that his disciples are men and ar easily troubled with sorrowful things I would to God that they which are of some estimation in the Churche were thus affected toward the weake euenas Christ was affected toward his whome he willeth not to be troubled C. Wée must alwayes consider the circumstance of time in that Christ would haue hys Disciples to stand strong and withoute feare when all thinges might séeme to bring present death and desperation M. For hée knewe that none of those things should hurt him how dangerouse and mortall soeuer they séemed to bée Therefore wée must alwayes vse thys Buckler to withstand such conflictes It cannot bée but that we shall feele diuers motions but we must be so affeard and troubled that we do not fall The faithful therefore are sayd not to be troubled because they leaning vnto the word of God although they bee oppressed with great troubles yet notwithstandinge they constantly go forward Ye beleue in God beleue also in me C. Christ doth not only encourage hys Disciples by exhorting them vnto constancy but doth also teach from whence they must seeke for theyr strength namly from Faith by which he is acknoweledged to be the Sonne of God who is able ynough of him selfe to defend those that are his This is the true waye to stande yf so be our fayth be reposed in Christ and yf so be it doth behould him when he helpeth vs euen as yf hée were present For this is the meaning of that whiche as sayth There is no cause why yee should be troubled for my departure Bv. For yf so bee ye haue grounded youre fayth vppon God he shal saue you and I also will saue you euenas I haue promised oftenne times heretofore For
concerning the braunches his Disciples C. And telleth them that they haue felt alreadye in them slues that whiche he had sayd because they were both planted and pourged in him M. As if he shoulde saye You my Disciples which are as braunches are cleane through the word which I haue spoken vnto you B. that is to saye through my doctrine which ye haue receyued For by the same ye are borne againe C. And there is no doubt but that he spake of the externall preaching when he expreslye nameth the worde whiche they had heard from his mouth Not that the voyce vttered by man hath onelye in it selfe such efficacy but in that Christ worketh in the heart by his spirite The voyce it selfe is the instrument of purging B. Therefore they are cleane which beléeue the Gospell and yet notwithstanding are purged that they maye bring foorth more fruite because by the gyft of the Father they profite in the Faith by whiche they are made the sonnes of God in the which the more they profite the more they are lyke vnto God and the more they fructefye aboue others Neuerthelesse Christ meaneth not that his Apostls are without al fault but setteth before them an experiment whereby they maye learne howe necessary the continnacion of grace is R. Therefore they were cleane not for theyr owne righteousnesse sake but for the worde which being reuealed by the spirite after the resurrectioÌ„ wrought cleannesse in the beléeuing Apostles So all Christians in them selues and in theyr owne righteousnesse are sinners but in Christ through the worde which they haue receyued by faith are iust and cleane R. We must also noate how the sanctifycation and purgation of the faithful as in the Scripture attributed to diuers thinges Purgation attributed to diuers thinges in diuers respects For the Father pourgeth by his spirite as the aucthour the worde purgeth as the hande and power of the aucthour the Sacrament purgeth as the instrument and appendix of the word and faith purgeth as it receyueth purgatirn from the Father by the worde wherevnto the Sacrament is tyed For thou shalt beléeue in vaine if thou beléeue not the recorde Rom x 17 A. Because true faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Therefore we must noate all those sayinges which séeme to attribute purgation to diuers thinges as when it is sayde that God hath purifyed the hearts Also Actes xv ix Ye haue cleansed your heartes by obeying the trueth Againe Christ hath sanctifyed the Churche i. Pet. i. xxij cleansing the same by the fountaine of water in the worde of lyfe Ephe. 5.25 Also Hee hath saued vs through the lauer of regeneration Titus 3.5 and of the renuing of the holy ghost All these places spring from one grounde and tende to this ende that we might vnderstande the manner of purgation and the doctrine of of the Gospell C. the which Christ in this place commendeth vnto his Disciples of the fruite to the ende they might be the more prouoked to the meditacion thereof séeing it is as it were the husband mans knife to proyne and cut of rotten and fruiteles twigges 4. Bide in mee and I in you As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abyde in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me C. Againe hée exhorteth his Disciples to studdye and care to retaine and kéepe that grace with the whiche they are endued For the securitye of the fleshe can neuer sufficiently bée awaked And verilye Christ sought nothing else but to gather vs as a Hen doth her Chickins vnder her winges vnder his protection least by our lightnesse we being crept awaye might flee from him to our owne destruction Therefore to proue that hée had not begon the worke of our saluation to leaue the same vnperfecte he promiseth that his spirite shal be alwaies effectuall in vs. Abyde in mée sayeth hée because I am readye to abyde in you R. We abide in Christ by faith Christ abydeth in vs by his worde A. Herevppon Saint Iohn sayeth i Ioh. 3 24 Hee which keepeth his commaundementes abydeth in him and he in him And hereby we know that he abydeth in vs euen by the spirite which he hath geuen vs. Concerning farther matter reade the sixe and fiftye verse of the sixt Chapter going before As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe Bv. More largelye and plainlye hée declareth by sentences what was the coniunction of Christ and of the Saints in the Churche and what fruite sprang from the same in the Church That is to saye that of that onelye coniunction and knitting tageather good fruites doe spring and that without him no good fruite doeth come from any man And the sentences or collations are these As the braunche of it selfe that is to saye of his owne nature and proper strength béeing taken awaye from his vine cannot bring forth any good fruite euenso except we abyde in Christ wée cannot bring foorth of our owne strength any good workes For it is Christ which watereth and norisheth vs by the grace of his spirite as it were by water that we might easilye bring forth the fruites of godlynesse And to the ende we might the more trulye vnderstande the collation he addeth saying 5. I am the Vine Ye are the braunches he that abydeth in mee and I in him the same bringeth forth much frute for without me can ye doe nothing M. Hée declareth and sheweth vnto his Disciples who they are and what he him selfe is lest that should be attributed to the brannches which belongeth vnto the Vine Bv. As if he should say Least ye shoulde bée ignoraunt what I meane by the Vine and what be the braunches Knowe ye that I aloane am that Godlye Vine which beare braunches and by my sap and moysture doe cause the same to fructefye but you my Disciples and so many as beléeue in mée are the braunches who of them selues that is to saye of theyr owne strength bring forth no good fruite For without mee can ye doe nothing This is the conclusion and application of the whoale parrable So long as we are without him we bring forth no good fruite acceptable vnto God because we are not apte to doe good R. What can be spoken more plainly against frée wyll Free wâ—l ouerthrown and against al humane strength be it neuer so strong For as the braunche being cut from the Vine bringeth forth no fruite but wythereth awaye euen so man can doe nothing at all to attaine to righteousnesse and saluation if so bee through vnbeleefe he bée separated from Christ Bv. This place therefore is verye notable and strong against the defendours of frée wyll affirming that it is in our owne strength and power to worke that which is good C. The Papistes notwithstanding do not onelye extenuate this sentence but also wreste and dallye with the same For although in worde onlye they confesse that we can doe nothing
him selfe loueth you becase ye haue loued me and haue beleued that I came out from God A. These wordes séeme quite and cleane to ouerthrowe all that the Lorde had spoken to his Diciples concerning intercession to his Father Obiection For he addeth that it is superfluous for him to praye vnto the Father Did he not before declare him selfe to be God and man in these wordes I will pray vnto the father Iohn i4 i6 and he shall giue you another comforter that he maye abide with you for euer Also Saint Iohn in another place calleth him our aduocate Rom 8 34 And Paule testefieth that he maketh interssion for vs. Heb 7 25 The same also is confirmed in the Hebrues But Christe doth not simplely denie in this place Aunsvvere that he wyl be an Intercessor but onely sheweth that his Father is so ready of him selfe to helpe them that he will willingly geue vnto them whatsoeuer they shal aske Christ our Intercessor B. Therfore Christ doth alwaye make Intercession for those that are his vntill such time as the number of them be full For that which he saith here and in the sixe and twenty verse how that it is not nedfull that he should praye vnto the Father for them is spoken in this respecte that hee had already obtayned his fathers fauoure toowardes them who at that time did both fauoure and imbrace them as the faithfull beléeuers in Christ M. This place is dilygentely to bée noated specialy against those which haue thrust in the Intercession of dead saintes into the Church because we haue no accesse vnto God for our sinnes saye they therefore we muste haue the saintes to be Intercessors for vs Euen as we cannot be admitted vnto the speach of a King before we vse some of his househoulde officers as meanes for vs. But Christe doth not in this sorte set his Father before vs whome he maketh so gentle and louing vnto vs that he sayth he will aske nothing for vs as for men voyde and destitute of his loue A. This Fatherly affection towards vs Esa 65 24 the Lorde him selfe also testifieth by hys Prophet saying It shall come to passe that before they call I will aunswer and before they aske I will heare to the ende we might not doubt but to finde the Father fauorable vnto vs so soone as wée call vpon him in the name of his Sonne For hee alwayes heareth him seeing hée is his onely begotten and most déere Sonne in whome hée is well pleased C. Moreouer when Christ is sayde to praye vnto the Father and to make intercession for vs let vs not imagine any carnall thing of him as though bée falling downe at his Fathers feete made such humble prayers for vs but the power and force of his sacrifice by which he hath once purchased the fauour of God towarde vs is alwaye lyuelye and effectuall and the bloude which he hath once shed for our righteousnesse is a continuall intercession for vs. Because ye haue loued me and haue beleued M. Christ in these wordes expresseth the cause of the loue of God the Father towarde vs shewing howe fayth in hym and the loue of him doe get vnto vs the loue of God the Father by which it commeth to passe that wée obtaine all things at his hande R. As if he shoulde saye because ye haue loued me and beleeued my Gospell therefore I haue reconsiled you vnto God that he may be now your Father ye are made the Sonnes of God by fayth in mee ye are made fellowe heyres of all Godes graces wherefore by me ye shall haue a readye waye to come vnto the Father C. By these wordes we are taught that there is one only bond of our coniunction with God And we are ioyned by true fayth which commeth from sincere affection the which he noteth by the name of loue For none doe beleeue purely in Christ but they whiche loue him with theyr whole heart Wherefore by this word loue he hath wel expressed the force and nature of faith But yf so be God beginneth to loue vs so sone as we loue Christ it foloweth that the beginninge of our saluation is of our selues because wée preuent the grace of God But contrary to this we haue many testimonies of Scripture i Iohn 4 i0 as these I will make them to loue me Agayne Not because wee loued him firste It shall not néede to repeate more places Rom 4 i7 because there is nothing more certayne then this doctrine That the lorde caleth those thinges that be not as though they were Ezech 36.26 that hee restoareth the dead to life Easy 65. that he maketh of stoany hartes hartes of flesh that he appereth vnto them which seke him not and that he loueth all those that are his before they are in this respecte we are sayde to be loued of God when we loue Christ because we haue a pledge of his loue whom before we abhorred as a seuere and cruell Iudge towarde vs. AVG. Therefore the Father loueth vs because we loue the Sonne hauing receaued of the father and the sonne that wee might loue the Father and the sonne 28 I went out from the Father and came into the vvorlde againe 1 leaue the vvorlde and goe to the Father C. This sentence commendeth vnto vs the deuine loue in Christ For we should haue no true fayth in hym yf we dydde not apprehende his deuine power For his death and resurrection the two pillors of fayth shoulde profite vs lytle or nothing at all except his heauenlye power be annexed vnto them Therefore we must imbrace Christ by a true and sincere fayth as the counsaile and power of God Let vs also consider to what ende hée came out from God namely that hee might be vnto vs wisdom sanctification righteousnes and redemption M. For this cause he sayth not simpely I am sent of God into this worlde Iohn 1 6 but I went out from the Father and came into the worlde Iohn also was sent of God the rest of the Prophetes also were sent of whome notwithstanding that cannot be sayde which Christ speaketh here of himselfe saying I went out from the father and came into the worlde that we might consider that to be in Christ Philiq 27 which is no other R But some will say how went hée out from the Father whiche was neuer seperated from him and howe goeth he out of the worlde when as all thinges in the same are ordered and gouerned by his power and care Hée wente oute from the Father because he abased himselfe taking vppon him the forme of a seruaunt He is gone out of the worlde because hee was contemned crucified and slaine by the worlde But all these thinges were done that he might goe vnto the Father that is to saye that he might bring man into the kingdome of God that hee myght make him Lorde ouer sinne the Crosse death and hell C. Therefore hee
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
they thought that the Iewes were polluted if they talked with a Samaritane And although this admiration arose of the Godlye reuerence which they shewed toward their Mayster yet notwithstanding they doe amysse if they maruaile as at an absurd thing in that hée vouchsafed to talke with so base a Woman For why haue they not rather respect vnto them selues For there they shoulde haue founde no lesse matter to bee amased at because they being base menne and as it were the ofscouringes of the people were so highlye exalted And yet notwithstanding in that the Euangelist sayeth that they durst not aske it is profitable to bee noted M. For it is not the parte of a good Disciple rashlye to examine his Maisters doinges but rather to bée so perswaded of his goodnesse and wisedome that hée in no wyse doubte but that whatsoeuer he doeth is done by excellent reason and wisedome C. Therefore if at any time something in the wordes and workes of GOD and of Christe doeth mislyke or displease vs let vs learne not to controule eyther in woorde or thought but rather modestlye to kéepe silence vntyll such time as that bée reuealed to vs from heauen which is hidden from vs. And the foundation of this modestye is the feare of God and the reuerence of Christ M. But out alas that reuerence which wée owe vnto God alone men haue geuen to the Pope of Rome in so much that by certayne of his Lawes it is decréed that no man shall presume to call him to account although he carrye with him infinite numbers of soules vnto hel 28. The Woman then left her water Potte and went her waye into the Citye and sayeth to the men Bv. The Woman made no answere at all being amased and wholye ouercome with the admiracion of the matter For so soone as the Lorde had sayde I am hee which speake vnto thée the Disciples being therwithall come shée went awaye leauing the water pot behind her M. For howe coulde it bée that shée shoulde not bée amased séeing him to talke with her face to face at whose comming all men looked to sée notable thinges R. Behold therefore the fruite of fayth For as Peter sayeth when wée haue once tasted of Christ and receyued him by fayth wée forsake all thinges Mat. 19.27 Beholde wee haue forsaken all and folowed thee For hée which hath put vpon him Christ is a newe creature séeketh for those thinges that are aboue careth for heauenlye thinges and not for earthlye thinges hath his abyding place in heauen and not in earth he séeketh those thinges that belong vnto God and not his owne Bv. Therefore this woman nowe thirsted no more for water when shée had once tasted of the water of lyfe which Christ had promysed vnto her Fayth therefore speciallye bringeth to passe that wée as it were forgetting our selues geue our selues whollye to the seruice of God 29. Come see a Man which tolde mee all thinges that euer I did Is not he Christ Come see a man M. Here is a difference betwéene temporall and spirituall benefites For if a man shoulde finde Treasure in the Fielde hée alone woulde vse the same and would reueale it to none B. But it is the nature of the true knowledge of Christ that he which hath once gotten the same shall desyre nothing more than to communicate the same to others C. For the knowledge of god can not lye secréete or hyd in the heartes of the faythfull but wyll shewe forth it selfe to men For this must néedes bée true I beleeue and therefore I wyll speake Psal 119 1◠2. Cor. 4.13 Rom. 10.10 R. Also it is sayde VVith the heart man beleeueth to righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation C. And so much the more wée must note the vehemencye readines and chearefulnesse of the Woman because a litle sparke of fayth onely inflameth the men of the Citye For she had scarslie tasted of Christ when she proclaymed him in the whole Citye Therefore they which haue but meanely profited in the schoole of Christ maye bée to muche ashamed to bée slouthfull For she sayeth not Goe ye forth and see but Come ye and see For here we sée the nature of those whiche haue once tasted of the trueth howe constantly they retaine the loue of the truth vntyll they haue styrred vppe a desyre in others to knowe the same and wyll not separate them selues from them but desyre to haue their company and fellowshippe in vnderstanding the trueth Iohn 1 4◠A. As we may sée in Andrewe and Philippe at another time C. But this séemeth rather worthy reprehension in the woman because shée being as yet rude and not sufficientlye taught passeth the boundes of her fayth I aunswere that shée had done vnaduisedlye if shée had taken vppon her the office of teaching but nowe séeing shée desyreth nothing but that her Citizens should heare Christ speake we may not saye that shée forgetting her selfe went beyond her bondes for shée plaieth the part onely of a Trompet or Bell in calling men vnto Christ Which tolde me all thinges Hereby we sée the Godlye zeale of the Woman who nothing regarded her estimation and credite to magnifye and extoll the name of Christ Actes 22.3 Actes 26.9 1. Cor. 15 9. Gala. 1.13 1. Tim. 1.13 For shée doth not abstaine from repeating her owne reprooche and shame A. Euen so the Apostle Paul in diuers places maketh mencion of his former lyfe which he led without the knowledge of Christ to the ende he might thereby the more notablye commende the grace of God Js not hee Christ C. Because shée speaketh here doubtfullye shée might séeme not to be much moued by the aucthoritye of Christ Because shée was not fytte to reason of so great misteryes shée according to her power séeketh to bring about that her Citizens myght be taught of Christ And this was a notable prouocation to styrre them vppe when shée vppon her owne experience declared him to bée a Prophete For because they could not iudge of his Doctrine this inferiour preparatiue was profitable and méete for them 30. Then they went out of the Citye and came to him M. Thus much the woman brought to passe by her preaching that the people of the Citye went out to Christ of whome notwithstanding as yet they knewe nothing They were not hindered by the vilenesse of the womans person For this matter was wrought by the instincte and prouidence of God Bv. They obiect not to the woman her faultes as wée maye reade that the Iewes dyd to the blinde man saying Thou art altogeather borne in sinne Iohn 9.34 and doest thou teache vs But goe foorth and in verye déede haue experience of that thing which the sinfull woman before in wordes had Preached Wherefore wée must not haue consideracion so muche of the speaker as of that which is spoken vnto vs. B. Here also is to be noted the force of the word of Christ
Christ casteth in their téeth And yet they bragged of the knowledge of the Lawe euen as if they had come out of Gods owne bosome Ye haue not heard his voyce M. Because the Iewes chalenged to themselues a certaine singuler and peculier knoweldge of God aboue all other nations that were in the worlde because their forefathers had hearde his voyce and because Moyses had talked with him face to face and had receyued the Lawe from his mouth and for the opinion which they had conceyued of these men they did not onely despise all other nations in respect of themselues but also carelesly reiected the doctrine and admonition boath of Iohn and also of Christ the Lorde by these wordes most aptlye taketh away the opinion of diuine knowledge which they thought they had and plainelye affirmeth that they are nothing but plaine Atheistes that is to say without minde and féeling of God and haue no fellowshippe at all with him C. For here are thrée Metophoricall kind of speaches by which he meant to teache that they were far from the knowledge of God For as men make them selues knowne by countinaunce and by worde euen so God sendeth foorth his voice vnto vs by the voyce of his Prophetes and hath in the Sacramentes as it were taken vpon him a visible forme that wée may know him according to our capacitye Bv. For as God by his nature is inuisible for God is a spirite so hée is neyther séene with corporall eyes Ihu 4.24 not yet clarefied nor yet hearde with these corporall and corruptible eares Neuerthelesse he geueth vnto his seruauntes certaine signes of his presence and speaketh vnto men in such manner of speache as maye bée vnderstoode For so he appeared and spake to the Prophetes M. Wherfore that which wée reade in Deutronomy Deu. 4.10 concerning the voice of God which the Israelites heard is no otherwise to bée vnderstoode than that they hearde the voyce of an Aungell and not the proper voice of God A. But when Christ was made manifest in the fleshe wée had after a sort in him a visible Image of the inuisible Father he him selfe saying He which seeth me Iohn 14.9 seeth my father also C. Hée therefore which doeth not acknowledge God in his liuelye and expresse Image doeth sufficientlye thereby declare that he worshippeth no God at all but a God of his owne imagination Therefore the Apostle sayeth that the Iewes haue a vaile before their eyes 2. Cor. 3.14 least they should behold the glorye of God in the face of Christ 38. His worde haue ye not abiding in you for whom he hath sent him ye beleeue not M. That is to saye Ye neyther vnderstande his minde nor meaning neyther haue you grafted and rooted in your heartes his worde which was geuen to your forefathers Neyther doeth hée simplye saye And ye haue not his worde But he addeth this In you for otherwise they had the worde of God in Bookes in their mouthes and in theyr eares but in their heartes they had it not C. But this is the true profite when the worde of God hath roote in vs and abideth in our heartes for euer Christ sayeth that the heauenly doctrine had no place in the Iewes because they receyued not the sonne of God whome the same commended euerye where and rightly he obiecteth this vnto them For God had not spoken by Moyses and the Prophetes in vaine And the purpose of Moyses is nothing else but to cal al men vnto Christ the right waye wherevpon it is manifest that they are not the Disciples of Moyses which reiect Christ M. Therefore Christ speaketh here to the Iewes as he dyd in another place Iohn 8.9 Ye neyther knowe me nor my Father A. Also he sayeth Iohn 8. â—7 Ye seeke to kyll me because my worde hath no place in you C. For how can he haue the word of lyfe abiding in him which repelleth the life it selfe Howe shall hée imbrace the Doctrine of the same which séeketh all that hée can to destroye the soule of the lawe For the Lawe without Christ is imperfect and voyde The nerer therefore that a man commeth to the knowledge of Christ the more he hath profited in the worde of God Wherefore howe much soeuer the Iewes Turkes Heretiques and Papistes doe boast of the worde of God yet notwithstanding because they reiect him whome the father hath sent and doe not beléeue him their boasting is in vaine because they haue not the woorde of God abyding in them 39. Searche the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye haue eternall lyfe and they are they which testifye of me R. The fourth testimony is brought from the Scriptures M. The Iewes had the Scriptures namelye the Lawe the Prophetes and the Psalmes of the whiche they did not a lytle bragge as though it were sufficient to euerlasting lyfe simplye to haue and to reade the Scriptures diuinelye inspired and not more necessarye dyligently to reade the same and to know and imbrace by faith Christ the sonne of GOD promised in them in whome alone all saluation and lyfe consisteth C. Therfore Christ here reproueth theyr foolishe boasting because they professed that they had lyfe in the Scriptures when as they tooke hold onelye on the dead letter For he doth not simplye reprehende vs because wée séeke lyfe in the Scriptures séeing they are prouided and appointed to vs for the same purpose for the word of the Lord is called the worde of lyfe and saluation The scriptures ordained of all men to be red because they which reade the Scriptures by fayth in Christ are instructed to saluation shal find in déede in them euerlasting life but he commendeth this that the Iewes thought that the Scripture was able to quicken them when as they were farre from the true sence and meaning thereof maye when they seeke to suppresse the light of lyfe contayned in them For howe coulde the Lawe bring lyfe without Christ who alone bringeth the same They therefore whiche reade the Scriptures without fayth in Christ Rom. 7.7 2. Cor. 3.9 shall finde nothing in them but the kylling Letter as the Apostle Paul teacheth Moreouer we are taught by this place to séeke the knowledge of Christ out of the scriptures For they which Imagine of Christ what they lyst them selues shal haue at the last nothing but a vayne phantasye Christ knowne by the scriptures Fyrst of all therefore let vs noate that Christ can be truly known by no other meanes than by the scriptures The which being so it followeth that we must reade the scriptures with this minde that we maye finde Christ there Whosoeuer declyneth from this scope and ende howe so euer hée spendeth his whole lyfe and wearyeth him selfe in reading hée shall neuer attaine to the knowledge of the trueth For what can wée knowe and vnderstands without the wisedome of God M. The Scriptures are geuen to vs from aboue not to the ende we might
6.40 C. The loue of God is here taken for the whole féeling of Godlynesse For no man can loue God but hée must also honour him and must submit him selfe wholye vnto him euen as where there is no loue of God there is no obedience In consideration whereof Moyses maketh this the summe of the Lawe Deu. 6.5 that we loue God with our whole heart M. Let vs here noate that all Hipocrites howe subtile soeuer they be are knowne well inough to the Lorde although mortall men can not espye them they hauing in their mouthes continuallye God the loue of God the zeale of God the glorye of God Hipocrites are known to God the honour of God the Churche of GOD and suche lyke none of the which thinges they haue in theyr heartes but séeke onelye vaineglory and their bellyes 43. I am come in my Fathers name and ye receiue mee not If another come in his owne name him wyll ye receyue I am come in my Fathers name R. Hée sheweth what great ingratitude it is to reiect him whome God the Father hath sent to saue To come in the name of the Father is to séeke the glory and wyll of God and in his office to haue respect to the common profite of all men and not to his owne profite or gaine A. And this is the wyll of the Father that euerye one whiche seeth the Sonne and beléeueth in him should haue euerlasting lyfe C. In this title false Prophets brag and boast them selues as doth the Pope at this day who braggeth that he is the Vicar of Christ yea Satan hath not deceyued myserable menne from the beginning but by this pretence who subtillye transformeth him selfe into an Aungell of lyght But Christe noateth the matter it selfe and not the coullor or pretence For he testifieth that he came therefore in the fathers name because he doth both testifie of the Father and doth faithfully performe that whiche he hath commaunded And by this marke he doeth discearne and noate lawfull teachers in the Church from those that are false and Counterfeyte Whosoeuer therefore do extoll them selues and do raigne in the consciences of men are bouldly to be reiected as this place teacheth For he whiche desyereth to be the seruaunt of God must be in nothing contrary to God Nowe if wée examine the whole doctrine of the Pope The Pope commeth in his own name the very blynde also shall sée that he is come in his owne name M. Herebye wée maye noate that it ought not to séeme straunge to the minister of Christe if although he be a true teacher suche a one as seketh the glory of God Innocent and faithfull he be not receyued of all men specially of the mightyer sorte séeing hée heareth the Lorde hym selfe the sonne of God whiche came not in his owne but in his Fathers name and declared him selfe to come from Heauen by mighty signes and wonders was not receyued of those whiche were the moste myghtie and principall in in Israell Ioh. 15.20 The seruaunt is not greater then his Lord. 1. Ioh. 4.6 A. Also we are of God he whiche knoweth GOD heareth vs he whiche is not of GOD heareth vs not Yf an other come in his owne name M. It commeth to passe by the iuste Iudgement of God that they whiche receiue not the true Christe whiche the Father hath sent into this worlde False Christes receiue◠of thē which reiect the true Christe shall receyue false Christes comming not in the Fathers name but in theyr owne name neyther séeking the glory of the father but their owne prayse and glory The whiche happened to the Iewes according to the wordes of Christe here For they receyued false Christes boath before and also after the comming of Christe Concerning the false Christes whiche came be fore Christe Acte 5.36 Galmaliel speaketh in the Actes of the Apostles Math. 24 24. concerninge those whiche came after Christ himself speaketh in the Gospell after Mathew And Iosephus maketh mencion of a sertayne Aegiptian a Coniurer whiche drew after him thirtie thousand men Also in the Actes of the Apostles wée maye reade of Simon magus whome such as were seduced called the mighty power of God C. Yf any man obiecte and saye that this commeth to passe often tymes rather by error then by mallice we aunswere that none are subiect to the deceites of Sathan but suche as by a sertayne wicked desyre preferre lyes before the trueth For how commeth it to passe that Sathan fyndeth those prompt and apt Disciples to whome the Lord is fayne to crye as to deafe men but onely because wée hauing forsaken righteousnesse willingly followe Iniquitie Howbeit we must noat that Christ speaketh properly of those whome God hath specially illuminated as he had done the Iewes who being taught in the lawe knewe the right waye to saluation It is most certayne that suche doe not harken vnto false Prophetes but because they desyer to be deceiued Therefore saith Moyses that the Lord vseth the rysing of false prophets as a meane to trye and prooue his people whether they loue hym or no. Deut. 13. ◠But there seemeth to be in many guiltlesse symplicity but there is no doubt but that hipocrisie daseleth their eyes whiche lurketh within their myndes For it is most sertayne that God shuttethe not the Gate against those that knocke and that they are neauer disapoynted of whome he is sincerely sought Truelye therefore dothe the Apostle Paul ascribe this vnto the vengeaunce of GOD Math. 7.7 when that the power the Apostle Paule ascribe this vnto the vengeance of God when that the power of illusion is giuen to Sathan that they which reiecting truth and approuing vnrighteousnesse might beléeue Lies and hée sayeth that they perishe 2. The. 2.10 which haue not loued the trueth that they might bée saued Euen so at this daye the Hipocrisie of many is discouered who being addicted to the deceites and wicked superstitions of the Pope rage most furiouslye against the Gospell For if there were in their mindes the feare of God the same feare would bring foorth also obedience Bv. But when they will not receyue the Doctrine of Christ they are wrapped in errors and perishe in their sinnes False Prophetes deceiue robbe and spoyle them to whome they are a verye scorne and derision euen as the Apostle very notablye hath discribed their disposition 1. Cor. 11.13 in the person of the Corinthians The Iewes would not haue the most méeke gentle and louing Christ to raigne ouer them but they would haue Cesaer Iohn 19. saying VVee haue no King but Cesaer And hée stoutlye plagued and slewe them aunswering his name in all thinges A. Euen so they which at this day refuse to beare the swéete yoake of Christ are miserablye in subiection and thraldome to the tyranny of the Pope 44. How can ye beleeue which receiue honor one of another and seeke not the honour whiche commeth of
put from them that disordered care of the bellye and receyue the present occasion of heauenly foode So when hée sayde to Martha Martha Martha Lu. 10.41 thou art troubled about many thinges but one is necessarye Mary hath chosen the better parte which shall not bee taken from her hée dyd not condemne the duetye of Hospitallity and diligence and entertayning of Ghostes which is commended in Abraham and is commended to vs in the Apostle but that ouermuche care about worldly thinges Gen. 18.3 Heb. 13.2 by which it came to passe that shée neglected the present grace of Heauenlye Doctrine which Marye more highlye estéemed than to neglect the same by the care of corporall thinges C. And Christ here by a Metaphor calleth all that pertayneth to newnesse of lyfe meate For wée knowe that our Soules are fed by the doctrine of the Gospell when the same is effectual in vs by the power of the holye Ghost The Gospell is the foode of out soules Therefore séeing faith is the lyfe of the soule whatsoeuer nourisheth and increaseth fayth is verye well compared to meate But for that which endureth Hée calleth this kynde of meate incorruptible and sayeth that the same endureth to euerlasting lyfe to the ende wee might knowe that our soules are not fed for a daye but are nourished for the hope of blessed immortallitye for the Lorde doeth heginne the worcke of our Saluation that he may profite and accomplishe the same against the daye of his comming it is méete therefore that wée receyue the gyftes of the Spyrite that they maye bée pledges and seales to vs of euerlasting lyfe For although the reprobate hauing once tasted of this meate doe perbrake it vp againe and can not retaine it yet notwithstanding the Soules of the faythfull doe féele his force abyding in them when they do perceyue that the power of the holye Ghoste in his gyftes is not corruptible but euer abyding Heauenlye things and earthlye thinges M. Wherefore they which haue onelye regarde to an earthlye lyfe are occupyed in earthlye thinges but they which respect an eternall and heauenly lyfe are whollye geuen to euerlasting and celestiall thinges The sonnes of GOD also vse earthlye thinges being endued with the hope of euerlasting lyfe but they vse them for the necessitye of nature and so that thou mayest perceyue that they loke for a farre better thing than this present life C. Moreouer vaine and wicked is theyr opinion whiche by this worde Labour gather that wée by oure workes deserue euerlasting lyfe for Christ as is sayde figuratiuelye exhorteth menne to applye them selues to the meditacion of a Heauenly lyfe being most commonly affected to the world Also Christ him selfe taketh away all doubte when hée addeth Whiche meate the Sonne of man shall giue to you For in that wée obtayne it by his gyfte Heauen is not gotten by merites no man getteth the same by his owne industrye and labour There is in these wordes some shewe of contrarietye but the reconciliation is easilye made because the spirituall meate of the Soule is the frée gyft of Christe and because it becommeth vs to bende our whole heart and minde to bée partakers of so great a benefite M. Hée sayth not which the sonne of man shall obtayne for you but VVhiche the Sonne of man shall geue vnto you 1. Pet. 2.25 Therefore the Sonne of man is the Lord of lyfe and the Shéephearde of our Soules Otherwise how coulde hée geue vnto vs the meate of lyfe But to bée the Lorde of lyfe and the Shéephearde of our soules is not suche a thing that it can simplye belong to the Sonne of man bee he neuer so holye and neuer so myghtye no nor to that holye and mighty Moyses It is necessarye therefore that this Sonne of man bee endued with diuine power Christ the sonne of man and the sonne of God by whiche he maye geue this foode of eternall lyfe Christ then is boath the Sonne of man and the Sonne of GOD that is to saye God and man And whereas in speaking of so great a matter he calleth him selfe the Sonne of man and not the Sonne of God it is not without cause For hée speaketh as the mediatour betwéene GOD and men and frameth him selfe to the weake capasity of his hearers Math. 9.6 So in another place he sayeth That ye maye know that the Sonne of man hath power in earth to forgeue sinnes For him hath God the Father sealed C. Hée confirmeth the sentence going before because hée was sent of the Father to that intent and purpose And by an apte Metaphor hée alludeth to the auncient and vsuall manner of sealing for what so euer men woulde haue confirmed by their aucthority they seale with their Ringes Euen so Christ that hée might not séeme to take any thing vppon him pronounceth that these duties were enioyned to him of the Father and that this decrée of the Father is made manifest as it were by a plaine and expresse seale A. So that the Father hath sealed him that is to saye hath annointed him with the holye Ghost aboue all his fellowes that hée might bee the sauiour of all men and the Lorde of Angelles This is hée which knoweth the Father alone and maketh others also to knowe him by sending the holye Ghost into the heartes of his Disciples the teacher of all trueth C. Herevppon it followeth that their labour is not in vaine which commit theyr Soules to Christ to bée fed Let vs knowe then that in Christ wée haue lyfe set before vs that euery one of vs might aspyre to the same not by chance but by assured hope of the succes Notwithstanding wée are herewithall taught that they are accounted counterfaytes before GOD which geue this prayse to any other than to Christ Whereby it is manifest that the Papistes are falsefiers of all partes of their doctrine For so many as place meanes of saluation in any other than in Christ they doe as it were cancell and race this seale of GOD which aloane is authentical and wickedlye corrupt the same But wée least wée should fall into this horrible sinne do learne to serue Christe whollye and aloane and to leaue vnto him all that the Father hath geuen him M. The Iewes also in vaine perswade them selues that they haue lyfe without this Mediatour because they séeke for that in GOD the Father which hée would haue sought for in his Sonne The Turkes also forsaking this Mediatoure doe admitte the Intercescion of Mahomet and others Acts. 4.12 But there is but one onelye waye to the Father namelye Christ Iesus and there is Saluation in no other than in him 28. Then sayd they vnto him what shall we do that we might worke the workes of God B. By this that the Lord exhorted to worke or to séeke the meate which abydeth to euerlasting lyfe these men easelye gathered and vnderstoode that hée spake of Spirituall meate C. and that
to bée in others at this daye let not their pryde trouble our fayth Bv. Those grosse hearers not vnderstanding as yet what Christ had taught murmure against the Diuine teacher saying VVho can abyde the hearing of it C. But the hardnesse wherewith all they founde faulte was rather in their heartes than in the worde But thus are the reprobate wont to gather togeather heapes of stoanes out of the worde of GOD to throwe at others And when they resist Christ with theyr stubbornesse and hardnesse of heart they complaine that his word is harde which rather ought to mollifye them For whosoeuer humblye submitteth him selfe to the Doctrine of Christe shall finde nothing in the same intollerable or harde but to the vnbeléeuing which stubbornlye withstande the same it shall be as a maule or hammer that breaketh the stoanes Ier. 32.29 as sayeth the Prophete And seeing there is by nature the same hardnesse in euerye one of vs if wée iudge after our owne scence of the doctrine of Christ euerye woorde shal be vnto vs a darke sentence Wherefore euery one of vs must commende our selues to the dyrection of the holye Ghoste that hée maye wryte the same in our hearts which otherwyse wyll not enter in at our eares M. Notwithstanding for consolations sake this also is to bée noated that hée sayeth not All but Many of his Disciples were offended Apostacy Although many were offended yet notwithstanding some remaine which are edifyed and saued through the grace of God for whose sake the Ministers of the worde must constantlye abide in the office of Preaching although the number of them bée small in comparison of those which goe backe For if the Aungelles of GOD in Heauen reioyce ouer one sinner that repenteth more than ouer ninety and nine Iust persons and if so bée the good Shéepherd leauing nintye and nine in the wildernesse goeth to séeke that which is gone astray and hauing founde it bringeth it home with ioye of howe great waight ought the saluation of a fewe yea of one man to bée to the Ministers of Christ Let him therefore reioyce more at the Fayth sinceritye and constancye of a fewe whiche are Gods elect than of the Inconstancye of a greate many whiche are Reprobates B. For wée sée howe rare a thing it is to fynde a sincere and true Disciple of Christ and howe hard a thing it is to finde any assemblye without Hipocrites M. This complaynt whiche the Disciples made concernyng the hardnesse of the woordes of Christ was full of arrogancye contempte and rashnesse For they ascribe the faulte of theyr vnbeléefe not to them selues but to the wordes of Christ saying Who can abide the hearing Such wisedome Industrye Honesty and Godlynesse they ascrybe to them selues that they woulde haue no man to vnderstande those thinges whiche they them selues vnderstoode not But they which are of a modest nature humble disposition if they bée offended in any matter knowing theyr owne Imbecillitye doe fyrst of all suspect theyr owne dulnesse and negligence and doe rather laye the faulte vppon this than vppon that whiche they heare not doubting but that a great many can comprehend those thinges whiche they them selues cannot 61. Iesus knewe in him selfe that his Disciples murmured at it and he sayde vnto them Doeth this offende you B. Iesus according to his wonted clemencye séeking to helpe their offence and fowle errour knowing the cogitacions and secréetes of their hearts knew strayte waye also what it was that drewe away those his hearers C. Christ knewe that the offence which the Reprobates had conceyued coulde not bée taken awaye For hée doeth not so much wounde them with his doctrine as hée doeth detest the poysoned mallice which laye hyd in their heartes Yet notwithstanding hée thought hée would séeke by all meanes possible whether there were any curable among those that were offended and to stoppe the mouthes of the reste saying Doeth this offend you Hée speaketh thus by Interrogation to signifye vnto them that it séemed straunge vnto him that they should bée offended at this his doctrine and also that they might vnderstande that they were offended without cause C. séeing the doctrine it selfe contained no matter in it of offence M. And there is no doubte but that hée had this communication apart from among the assemblye of the Sinagogue as it is manifest that hée dyd in diuers other places Otherwyse it had not béene conuenient that hée shoulde haue gone about openlye in the foresayde assembly to haue corrected and reproued his murmuring Disciples 62. What and if ye shal see the Sonne of man ascende vppe thyther where hee was before C. Christ here séemeth not so much to take awaye the offence as hee doeth séeme to increase it notwithstanding if any man waye the cause of the offence throughlye hée shall finde that it was in this that they had conceyued an opinion that hée ought to do nothing but that which should please them The simple and base condicion of Christ which they beheld with their eyes was a let vnto them that they coulde not geue place to the power of his diuinitye but nowe drawing aside as it were the curtaine or vaile hee bringeth them to the sight of his Heauenly glorye B. As if hée shoulde saye This offendeth you that I take so much to my selfe that I attribute so muche to the eating of my fleshe that I affirme that I am the breade of lyfe which descended from Heauen C. and because I am without honour among men yée despise mée and acknowledge no diuine power to bée in mée But shortlye it shall come to passe that GOD by his mightye power shall exalt me from this contemptible state of mortall lyfe aboue the heauens For in the resurrection of Christe there appeared suche power of the holye Ghoste as openlye proued him to bée the sonne of God Also when it is sayde Psal 2.7 Thou art my sonne to day haue I begotten thee the resurrection is set foorth as a playne shewe token whereby this glorye of Christe ought to bée knowne as the Apostle Paul doeth interprete the same Acts. 13.33 And the ascencion into Heauen was the fulfylling of his glorye Ascention of Christ into heauen confirmed M. Let vs here noate howe the Articles of the Lordes ascencion is confirmed in the Faith of the Sonne of God by which wée beléeue that this Iesus the Sonne of man is the Sonne of the lyuing GOD whiche came downe from heauen for our saluation For his Ascention doth confirme his descention His descention into this worlde was séene of no mortall eye It was méete therefore that his Ascention that is to saye his returne to his Father should bée séene of such as shoulde testifye of the same whereby his descencion which was inuisible might bée confirmed Iohn 3.13 For no man ascendeth vp to Heauen but hée which came downe from Heauen euen the Sonne of man which is in Heauen And that hée
M. Those thinges in the worde of the Lorde which concerned the Iewes they styll dissembled as that they should dye in their sinnes but those thinges which appertained to Christ him selfe or to his Father they malliciouslye prosecuted R. For hee sayde before If yee beleeue not that I am therefore importunatelye they enquire who he is when as before hée sayde that hée was the breade of lyfe the light of the world and had hytherto taught that hée was the sonne of God M. In so muche that they sayde thou testifyest of thy selfe but thy testimony is not true They had heard therfore inough whome hée had sayde him selfe to bée if so bée they woulde haue beléeued his wordes So that they doe not aske with this minde and purpose to knowe who hée was but to intrappe and snare him againe Bv. For they had séene and heard many thinges whereby they might haue knowne who he was if so bee their vnbeleefe and hardnesse of heart whiche is the roote of all euell had not let them Maliciouslye therefore and of the contempte of the person of Christ they aske him VVho art thou M. As if he shoulde saye Thou sayest that wee shall dye in our sinnes except we beléeue that thou arthe Whome makest thou thy selfe Whome shal we thinke thée to bée As though we were ignoraunt who thou art Thus are wée wonte to speake contemptouslye to those whome wée thinke doe too much exalt them selues aboue their state and who forgetting their owne imbecillitie and weakenesse waxe too proude that we maye saye VVho art thou A. All the Godlye oughte so long as they are in this worlde to prepare them selues againste suche questions as these bée whiche declare nothing but contempte after the example of Christ arming them selues with patience and not to bée vnmindefull of the woordes of the Apostle where hée sayth The worlde knoweth not you because it knoweth not him For if Christ were vnknowne vnto the world what maruaile is it if so bée his Disciples whome he hath chosen out of the worlde are neither knowne nor beloued of the same From the beginning M. M. This aunswere of Christ to many menne séemeth obscure and is diuerslye expounded of Interpreters Some vnderstand it so as if Christ had called him selfe the beginning Bv. but it is put aduerbiallye and is in stéede of this whiche we saye At the firste As if he should haue sayde I did not sodainlye arise but am come forth in the middest euen as I was promised long before And whatsoeuer I nowe speake it is agréeing with that whiche hath béene spoken in all ages To be shorte this aunswere consisteth of twoo partes for by this word beginning he comprehendeth all that time since the which the Lawe of GOD was geuen to the Fathers In saying also that he spake from the begnning hée ioyneth his present doctrine with the auncient Prophesies and teacheth that it dependeth vpon them Whervpon it followeth that the Iewes had no other cause of their ignoraunce than this that they beléeued not neyther the Prophetes nor the Gospell for euerye where Christ onely is set before their eyes They fained them selues to bee the Disciples of the Phrophetes and to haue respecte to the eternall couenant of GOD and yet they reiected Christe whiche was promysed from the beginning and offered him selfe before them 26. I haue many thinges to saye and to iudge of you yea and hee that sent mee is true and I speake to the worlde those things which I haue heard of him R. Nowe he vseth a commination or threatening against the contemners and deriders of his worde C. Because that hee sawe that hée lost his labour hée prosecuteth the matter no further but onely pronounceth that GOD wyl bée a reuenger of that Doctrine whiche they contemne because hée is the authour of the same as if hée should say Yf so bée I woulde accuse you your mallice and wickednesse geueth mée occation inough Bv. I might cast in your téeth many hainous offences but because I knowe that ye woulde bée thereby the worse C. I wyll nowe omit them But my Father whiche hath geuen mée aucthoritye to teache will doe his office and wyll defende his word from the wicked contempt of men Bv. For GOD is the euerlasting and infallible trueth C. To the same ende almost partaineth the saying of Christ which that of the Apostle Paule doeth where hée sayth 2. Tim. 2.13 If we bee vnfaithfull he abideth faythfull he cannot deny him selfe In fyne he threatneth the vnbeléeuing with the iudgement of GOD whiche discreedite his worde because it is necessarye that he defende his trueth And this is the true stabillitye of our Faith when we make God aloane sufficient to establishe the aucthoritye of his doctrine although the whole worlde doe reiect the same Whosoeuer they bée that presuming of this defence shall faithfullye serue Christ they maye bouldlye conuince the whole worlde of a lye And I speake to the worlde As if he should say Those things which I haue heard of GOD with whome I was before I came into the world I speake nowe in the worlde that nowe the contempt of my Doctrine maye redounde to the Ignominy of my Father Therefore the Gospell is the worde and reuelation of GOD vttered by the mouth of the sonne of GOD to the worlde The which veryly is a great commendacion of the Doctrine of Christ or of the Gospell the lyke whereof a man shall seldome fynd wherefore it deserueth to bée written in the heartes of the Godly in goulden letters C. Hée sayeth therefore that hée bringeth forth nothing but that whiche hée hath receyued of the Father who enioyned vnto him his office Moreouer by his example he prescribeth a common Lawe to the whole Church that no man might bée hearde but he which speaketh out of the mouth of God M. For if Christ hath spoken nothing in this worlde which hée hath not heard of GOD the Father by whome he was sente what mortall man maye teache any Doctrine in the Churche which is not come from God They therefore are sincere teachers in the Churche whiche can truely saye Those thinges which we haue hearde of the Lorde whose Ministers we are wée speake in the worlde the reast are to be shunned and auoyded as workers of iniquitye and seducers C. Wherefore as he noateth the peruerse arrogancy of men which intrude them selues without the word of God so hée instructeth armeth with inuincible constancy all Godlye teachers which are assured of their calling that hauing God theyr Captaine and defender they maye bouldly withstande all mortall men 27. Howbeit they vnderstoode not that he spake to them of his Father M. These wordes are put downe by the Euangelist in stéede of a Parenthisis to noate the dull vnderstanding of the hearers As if he shoulde saye The Iewes being blinde and deafe and therefore wanting theyr common sence vnderstande not as yet that Christe spake these thinges of his
his worde and abide in the same R. For he which abideth to the ende the same shal be safe Mat. 10.22 C. Therefore by this noate he putteth a difference béetwéene hipocrites and his true disciples because they which haue falsely boasted of fayth do by and by faint in the midest of theyr race but the faithfull constantly goe foreward to the goale Therfore we must endeuour our selues to bée constaunt that we may be counted the true Disciples of Christ R. To this effect partayneth the parrable of the seede which Christ propoundeth in another place where the sundrye and dyuers condicions of such as receyue the Gospell is manifestly declared Mat. 13.3 M. But by this notable exhortacion Three thinges to be noted thrée thinges necessary to be knowen are signifyed The fyrst is whereof Fayth in Christ doeth come The seconde is what we must beleue concerning Christ the thyrd is in what fayth in Christ is to bée continued and confyrmed If sayth he yee abyde in my worde Therefore they had alreadye ioyned them selues to his word so sone as they beganne to beléeue they conceyued fayth by the hearing of the worde of the Lord as the Euangelist also taught when hée sayde Rom. 10.17 As hee spake these thinges many beleeued on him So the Apostle sayth that fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Secondly if so bée fayth commeth by hearing of the worde of the Lord and if it bée our part to abyde in the same and that we ought not to beléeue any other thing than the verye same which is set before vs by the worde whereby we conceyue Faith and in beleeuing the whiche wée abyde howe foolishe are they which at this daye saye they knowe not what they ought to beléeue and what not If so be they were abyding in the word of the Lorde they should knowe what to beléeue But because they haue already applyed their eares and mind to humane doctrine it commeth to passe that they being ignoraunt of Gods truth are caryed about with euery winde of doctrine the which the Apostle forbiddeth Thirdlye this also is manifest Eph. 4.14 in what Christian fayth ought to bée maintayned and confirmed when he sayeth If ye abyde in my worde So that wée must abyde in that from whiche we haue conceyued our fayth Wée are begotten by the worde of truth through fayth and by the same wée are strengthned and confirmed So the Apostle sayeth that some are ordained teachers Euangelistes Iam. 1.18 i. Pe 1.23 and Shéepheards that not onely wee might come to the vnitye of Fayth but might also bée confyrmed in the same Ephe. 2.13 and may growe vnto a perfecte man Wherevppon it followeth that they which abyde not in the word of Christ but are caryed about with sundry strange doctrines dispersed by offences and are quite drawne awaye from the trueth by the Crosse by threatninges and persecutions are not the true Disciples of Christ Iesus Concerning these Saint Iohn sayeth They went from vs 1. Ioh. 2.19 but they were not of vs. It is great glorye to bée a Disciple of Christ whiche is the Sonne of the lyuing God Some doe boaste that they haue béene the Disciples of Socrates of Pythagorās and of Aristotle but these were menne and erred them selues and led others also into errour But Christ is the trueth and the lyght of the worlde whosoeuer followeth him walketh not in darkenesse but shall haue the lyght of life M. Wherefore they which obiect vnto vs the loue of Christ toward his Church as to his Spouse and doe thereby gather that it can not bee that hée shoulde forsake the same and suffer the same to fall into errour and doe also pretend that auncient Fayth of the Church of Rome and of the Apostolicall doctrine Rom. 1.8 of the which Paule maketh mencion replenished at this daye withall supersticions errours and false worshippinges and Ecclesiasticall tyranny doe reason as if it were sufficient to the retayning of the trueth that Christ abydeth all one for euer and is not chaunged and because the Church of Rome long agoe receyued the Apostolicall Fayth and requireth not of the Faythfull that they also should abyde in Christe and in his worde when as the Apostle him selfe sayth that there should come a defection and Apostacy in the Church 2. The. 2.3 But rather let them proue vnto vs that the Church of Rome hath constantlye aboade vnto this daye in the worde of the Lorde and in the Doctrine of the Apostles 32. And ye shall knowe the trueth and the trueth shal make you free Bv. But how dyd they beléeue when as yet they knewe not the trueth Question Verylye Fayth leaneth to the trueth and apprehendeth the same therefore they are not ignoraunt of the trueth which beléeue I aunswere C. Hée sayeth that they shall knowe the trueth Aunsvvere whiche come to any knowledge of the same As yet they were verye rude and scarce entered to whome Christ here speaketh therefore it is no maruaile if so bée he promise vnto them more large vnderstanding of his doctrine but it is a generall sentence Bv. For the knoledge of Christians hath degrées and steppes and the knowledge of the trueth increaseth in processe of tyme as maye bée gathered by many other places of scripture C. Wherefore howe greatlye soeuer any of vs haue profited in the Gospell wée must styll procéede and goe foreward daylye And Christe vouchsafeth to geue this rewarde vnto the constancye of his Disciples that hee maketh him selfe more famillyarlye knowne vnto them For hée it is which ingraueth his word into our heartes by his holye spyrite he it is which daylye dryueth awaye the clowdes of darknesse out of our mindes whiche obscure the brightnesse of the Gospell Therefore to the ende the trueth may appeare vnto vs at the full we must seriouslye and constantly cleaue vnto the same M. Let vs also noate to whome the trueth is here promised not to all but onely to the true Disciples of Christ and they are the electe which are geuen to Christ of God the Father concerning whome reade the seuen and thirtye verse of the sixt Chapter going before The Reprobate therefore haue no hope to knowe and vnderstande the trueth although they beare the name of Christ and are vnder the profession of his faith and are learned and wyse according to this worlde The secreate of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him The Apostle sayeth that this trueth is the misterye of GOD in Christe Iesus Psa 25.14 the whiche is hydden from this worlde Ro. 16.25 that is to saye from the wisedome reason and vnderstanding of all fleshe And for this cause it can not bée that any other should loke for this knowledge of the truth than they which are the true and vnfained disciples of Christ the which knowledge is gotten no otherwyse than by the reuelacion of Iesus Christ in
the truth yet notwithstanding the trueth is neuer in him because hee speaketh the same to no other ende then to deceiue and to destroy Wherevppon Christ suffered hym not to speke though he spake the truth Luk. 4.41 Paule also would not suffer the spirit of Southsaying Act. 16.17 though he confessed the truth For that is a daungerouss trueth which bringeth credite to a mortall lye No heretique or false apostle at any tyme got credite and fauoure among men by mere lies but in mingeling some trueth with his doctrine he hath deceiued the minde of the simple When he speaketh a lye Bv. First this place teacheth that the falte of a lye is not to be layde vpon God the author of nature but it commeth rather of deprauation and corruption C Secondly that the Deuell is accustomed to lye and that he canne do nothing else but deceiue For he is a lyar and the Father of the. The deuell by his owne nature is a lyar not that he was so created of God but as he hath by his owne infidilitie gotten the same Insomuch that he is the father of lying because he is alienated from God in whome aloane all trueth abydeth and from whome the same doth flow as from a springing well R. For Sathan is not the Father of Lying and the author of the same because God is by hym selfe as Marcion dreameth but because hée aboade not in the trueth Lyes come of Sathan for he hauyng forsaken the trueth the lye succéeded of his owne accorde in stede of the same Bv. Sathan therefore is the welspring original and beginning of lying of eror of Sinne and of all euell euen as on the contrary parte God is the welspring of all truth and the truth it selfe 45 And beecause I tell you the truth therefore ye beleeue mee not M. He retourneth vnto that whiche he obiected vnto them before saying VVhy doe yee not knowe my speache Because ye cannot heare my worde When therefore he had opposed him selfe against the Deuell as the teacher of trueth he addeth by and by Because I tell you the trueth therefore yee beleue me not To declare that they hated his doctrine for no other cause than for that he spake the truth otherwise if hée had spoken lyes they woulde haue beléeued hym Bv. This he spake that by the similitude and lykenesse of their manners and disposition he might prooue the Iewes neyther to be the children of Abraham nor the Children of God but of Sathan C. Because séeing they had no cause to resist but onely for that they hated and coulde not abide the trueth they openly declared them selues to bée the children of Sathan M In this place wée sée that the truth to reprobate men is the cause of vnbeléefe which contrarywise to the elect is the cause and foundation of faith Neyther doth Christ simply vpbrayde the Iewes with this that speakinge the truth they woulde not beléeue but for that they did not beléeue because hee spake the trueth and no lye So in humayne matters nothing commeth more often to passe than this that men geue hede and credite to such as tell the moste false and vayne thinges but when they shoulde beleeue the trueth the greatest parte of men beléeue not and al because the trueth is set before them being redy to receyue a false lye If so be Micheas had tould King Achab a lye the king woulde easily haue beléeued him but because he vttered the truth the king could scarce abide to here him Bv. So that heare the nature and disposition of the Children of the Deuell is described 3. Kin. 22.8 These are lyke to their Father in quallitie in worde and in deede they feare not God they detest and abhorre all faith truth and puritie they despise and contemne the worde of God they followe Rapine murther and bloudshed they are enemies to all men and good profitable to none but to such onlye by whome they looke to haue greater profite and aduauntage agayne by hipocrisie they hide and discouer all thinges Whosoeuer frameth and ordereth hym selfe by this glasse searching out the grounde of his harte and iudging of his owne wordes and déedes he shall thereby learne whether he bee the Childe of God or the childe of the Deuell For so many as haue hated the truth and are indued with the spirite of lying and are ready to lye are of the Deuell and contrariwise they whiche are true and which speake the trueth from their hart are endued with the spirite of God And who hateth not to haue fellowship with the deuell Againe who doth not greatly estéeme and desyer to haue fellowshippe with God Wherefore let vs detest this deuelish vice that is this aptnesse and readines of lying and with oure whoale harte let vs loue the trueth let vs consider that true religion is prooued and declared by godlynesse and not by titelles Therefore it doth not profite vs to be called in name Christians except we be Christians in déede A. Iudas béeing aduanced to the dignitie of an Apostle loued lyes more than trueth and therefore Christe who knoweth not howe to lye called hym a deuell For the wicked ypocrite was more lyke the father of lyes than the Father of trueth 46. Which of you doth reprooue me of syn And if I speake the trueth why doe yee not beleeue me Bv. As hipocrisie is euer like it selfe and hath alwayes one cloake or other for it selfe so heare the Iewes consyderyng them selues thought thus secretly in them selues We want not lawefull causes whereby we maye refuse to béeleue thy preaching M. For in that wée doe not beléeue thée it is not because wée cannot here the truth and are of the Deuell as thou sayest of vs but because thou art a seducer not preaching the trueth but withstanding vs. To this secrete obiection Christe aunswereth by this Interrogation C. whiche procéedeth of faith and trust For when he knewe that his enemies coulde reproch hym with nothing he tryumpheth ouer them as victor And yet notwithstanding he doth not saye that he is frée from their slaunders For although they had no occasion to speake euell yet neuerthelesse they ceassed not to rayle on Christ but he knewe that he had not deserued the same And the gréeke worde Elegcheim sygnifieth to conuince which is when a man is not onely reprooued of some falte but also playnly conuinced to be giltie of the same But this defence is not referred to the perfect Innocencie of lyfe by which as he was the Sonne of God he excelled all other men but it ought to be restrayned to the circomstaunce of the place as yf a man shoulde saye that no man could obiect any matter against hym to prooue hym not to bee a faythfull Minister of God i. Cor 4. euen as the apostle also boasteth that hée knoweth naught by him selfe For this Appollogy or defence is not extended to to the whoale lyfe but is a defence of
ye haue dishonoured mee C. Séeing the twoo opprobries with the which Christ was sclaundered tended to one ende Christ refelleth them vnder one when hee sayth that he séeketh the honour of his Father For he must needes bee gouerned by the Spirite of God and must also be the faithfull seruaunt of God which doth truly and sincerelye honour him M. Let vs here noate the most honest modestye best beséeming a man that is graue and innocent The Lord Iesus coulde not more modestlye and simplye defende his doctrine than by this simple plaine and manifest deniall But they which wyll vse this simplicitye of denying in putting awaye such crimes as are layde to theyr charge must winne fyrst and get credite to themselues by the innocensie of theyr lyfe otherwise they shal be farre from this example of Christ In time past honest and graue menne haue béene beléeued without an oathe but nowe our innocensie shall hardlye winne credite by many oathes B. Christ therfore helde him selfe simplye content that hée had withstoode the sclaunder sauing that with all hée put them in the mynde of the iudgemente which hong ouer their headdes when hée sayeth But J honour my father and yee haue dishonoured mee C. By which wordes hée ioyneth his and his Fathers glorye togeather As if hée shoulde saye I arrogate nothing to my selfe that shall not turne to the glorye of my Father for in me his maiestye shyneth whose power and rule I haue Séeing therefore I am so euell intreated of you ye are contumeliouslye against God him selfe M. We are taught here to looke for nothing but ignominye and shame at their handes whose glorye and Hipocrisie we ouerthrowe through the zeale of maintayning the woorde and glorye of God Wée knowe well inough this saying of Christ Math i0 25 If so be they haue called the Maister of the house Belzebub howe much more wil cal the seruants so Whosoeuer therefore is not prepared to beare and suffer all manner of reproche shal manifestlye declare that he is not led by the spyrite of Gods children 50. I seeke not my owne praise there is one that seeketh and iudgeth M. For they might haue obiected vnto him ambition saying C. This gréeueth thée that thou art not honourablye intreated of vs and therefore thou doest so vehemently inueye against vs. Thou séeketh praise in this world thou wouldest be counted greate yet thou wouldest séeme to be a carefull séeker of the glory of god They might I say haue obiected these thinges except he had protested that he was not lead by the priuate affection of his fleshe to seeke his owne honour but rather the honour and praise of God There is one that seeketh and Iudgeth M. This clause containeth a comminacion least they should thinke that this their sclaunder should escape vnpunished R. For he affirmeth that God wyl take vengeaunce of this iniury C. As if he should saye Ye sclaunder my doctrine as if the same procéeded and came from the Deuell thinke ye that ye shall escape vnpunished for this For séeing my doctrine is the doctrine of God ye doe not onely sclaunder me but God my Father also Wherfore he shall defend his owne glorye which ye sclaunder and séeke to discredite I as I doe not séeke my owne praise so I am not a reuenger of my owne reproche B. Therfore I wyll not presently take vengeaunce on the same A. but notwithstanding my Father wyl not suffer the cōtumely of his doctrine to escape vnpunished Deut. i8 i9 R. euen as also he him selfe hath promised C. Moreouer though there be great difference betwéen vs and Christ let notwithstanding euerye one know for a suerty that if he séeke the glorye of God with his whole heart he shall receyue great prayse of God for wee shall alwayes finde this sentence most true Hee which honoureth me wyll I aduaunce to honour If he bée not onelye contempned among men but also sclaundered and reproched let him patientlye wayte for the comming of the Lorde M. Furthermore Pacience in aduersity so the faithful ought to behaue them selues in bearing iniurye done vnto them that thereby they maye put the reprobate in minde of the iudgement of GOD and also declare theyr innocencye 1. Kin. 24.13 Thus wée reade that Dauid dyd Let the Lorde sayth he bee a Iudge to Iudge betweene thee and mee And so Christ in lyke manner in this place Wherevpon the Apostle Peter hath written of him 1. Pet. 2.23 VVhich when he was reuiled reuiled not againe when he suffered he threatned not but committed the vengeaunce to him that Iudgeth righteouslye 51. Verilye verilye I say vnto you if a man keepe my saying hee shall neuer see death Verily verily I saye Bv. The contencion being ended at the last the Lorde returneth to that againe from whence hée was digressed repeating againe the sum of the Gospell that is to say of our saluation the which hytherto he had so often times inculcated in that his disputacion And there is no doubte but that he knewe some to bée curable in that multitude and also that othersome were not enemies to his doctrine Therefore his purpose was so to terrifye the mindes of the wicked that notwithstanding hee might leaue matter of consolation to the Godlye or that hee might allure those vnto him which as yet were not lost Wherfore although the greater parte doe forsake the worde of God yet notwithstanding a Godlye teacher ought neuer to bée so muche occupied in reproouing the wicked but that he maye also dispence to the Children of GOD the doctrine of Saluation and maye séeke also to bring suche as are not altogeather vncurable to a good and Godlye minde M. So that because he had begonne to commende his worde he returneth to the same commendacion of his worde Bv. and he beginneth with an oath that our Faith might bée the more confirmed and that there might bee no occation of doubting M. So farre is the Lorde from repenting him of that which he had most trulye spoken that he repeateth and affirmeth the same again As if he should saye Although ye make account of me as of a Samaritane and a Demoniake although ye attribute my sayinges to the Deuyll yet notwithstanding I am the verye same whose wordes are the words of lyfe insomuch that I dare bouldlye affirme that he shal neuer sée death which kéepeth my word I saye which kéepeth it and not whiche onelye readeth it heareth it or knoweth it And he kéepeth the worde of Christ which receyueth the same by Faith and layeth vp the same in his heart out of the which hée expresseth boath wordes and déedes C. For Christ requireth suche Disciples as not onely heare his wordes or professe with the mouth that they lyke of his doctrine but such as kepe and laye vp the same as a most precious treasure M. To bée shorte To kéepe the worde of the Lorde is euen the same which he sayd before namelye
the trueth of God And it is better for men to disagrée among them selues then for all generally to departe from godlynesse Wherfore so often as discencions do aryse we must consyder the originall of them M. For they do amisse which at this daye blame the gospel as the cause of discencion and diuisiō CHR. For all Scisme is not by and by euell euen as al concord is not alway good For we must Iudge of the trueth by the causes But concerning this matter reade the tenth of Mathewe beginning at the thirtie fowre verse 17. They spake vnto the blind man againe What sayest thou of him because he hath opened thine eyes Hee sayde hee is a Prophete Bv. Lest the daunger of the Scisme and strife should be more encreased and spred abroad the wicked do subtily break of the attrication C. But the more dilligent enquiry that they make the more mightely doth the power of God declare it selfe For they do euen as if on should goe about to put out the flame with the breath of his mouth Therefore so often as we sée the wicked to séeke all meanes to oppresse Gods truth there is no cause why we should be afeard or to careful for the successe because by that meanes they do most of all kindle the lyght Bv. By this question they doe as it were supplye an aunswere and doe prescribe vnto him what he should saye as thus Because he hath opened mine eyes on the sabboth daye he hath broken the Sabboth daye and a breaker of the Lawe cannot be the friende of God By this aunswere they might haue stopte the mouthes of those which had conceiued some meane and indifferent opinion concerning Christ as thus What talke you of the power of Iesu séeing that he hath such an euill opinion of him which hath felt his power ▪ C. But the Lorde in this thing disapointed them for in that a rude and ignorant man voide of al feare nothing regarding theyr threateninges affirmeth Christ to be a Prophet we must nedes impute the same to the grace of God that this trust maye bée as it were another miracle Wherefore if he which as yet knew not the Sonne of God dyd so bouldlye and fréelye confesse Christ to be a Prophets how are they to be discommended which through feare doe eyther deny him or else holde their peace when they knowe that he sitteth at the right hande of the Father and shall come from thence to bée the Iudge of the whole worlde Therefore seeing this blinde man dyd not quenche this sparke of knowledge we must endeuour our selfe that a true and perfect confession maye shine out of the full brightnesse which hath illuminated our heartes Bv Wherefore although the blinde man had not attained to the full knowledge of Christ yet notwithstanding he being in great perrill plainelye confesseth the trueth concerning his opinion which he had conceiued of the Lorde For the Hebrewes call a Prophete a man of God a holye man a true and faithfull man M. Howe farre therefore doth he differre from those which sayde This man is not of God for he kéepeth not the Sabboth And yet notwithstanding they were called the most holye and learned men and were the heads and Rulars of the people but as for this man he was a base beggar an Idiot and one ignorant of the Scriptures A. Thus that which is precious in the sight of men Ioh. 16.15 is an abhomination in the sight of God 18. But the Iewes dyd not beleeue the man howe that hee had beene blinde and receyued his syght vntyll they called the Father and Mother of him that had receiued his syght Bv. The Pharisées being disapointed of their hope and not knowing also howe to bring theyr purpose to passe are madde angrye and in chafe with themselues not knowing which waye to turne them notwithstanding at the leangth they finde out a newe waye by which they geue assaulte a freshe against the trueth C. It is maruayle that the Euangelist sayeth that they dyd not beléeue the myracle which Christ had shewen If any man asked a reason why they dyd not beléeue there is no doubte but that they were voluntarilye blinde For what dyd kéepe them from the sight of the euident worke of GOD which was before their eyes naye what dyd let them being plainely conuinced why they dyd not beléeue that which they sawe to bée true but onelye the inwarde mallice of theyr heartes whiche dyd so blinde them that they could not sée and also the effectual working of Sathan The same also Paul teacheth to bée fulfilled in the doctrine of the Euangelist saying 1 ▪ Cor. 4. iij If the Gospell bee hyd it is hyd to them that are loste In whome the GOD of this worlde hath blinded the mindes of them which beleeue not c. Wée being warned by such examples let vs learne not to bring lets and staies to our selues to driue vs from the fayth M. They commaunde the Parentes of the blinde man to bée called hoping it woulde come to passe that they being made afeard they would deny him which was blinde eyther to be their sonne eyther denye him to be borne blynde or else woulde one waye or other obscure the miracle of Christ R. But the more they sought to obscure it the more they made the same to bée knowne For the wyll and worke of God is euer wont to hynder the subtile practises of the wicked Gods wyll cannot bee resysted It was the wyll of GOD that Ioseph should bée Lord ouer his brethren wherevppon this his will preuayled against the wicked practises of his brethren so hardly can the wil of God be restrained Gen. 37.28 Bv. The same may be sayde of Mardochaeus whome Aman hated to the death For the more that Aman sough to deiecte him the more highlye dyd God séeke to exalt him Hes iij.v. And thus Trueth is verye lyke vnto the Palme Trée the which the more it is pressed downe the more strongly it ariseth It commeth to passe therefore by the Inquisition of the Phariseis that all the circumstaunces of the miracle are more exactlye discussed than if no Inquisition at all had béene made For that whiche hytherto séemed obscure doubtfull and not suffcientlye proued is nowe made most euident and manifest and without all doubte and controuersie C. The Euangelist calleth those which were the Rulers of the people the Iewes by a figure called Sinecdoche 19. And they asked him saying Is this your sonne whome yee say was borne blind Howe doth he nowe see then M. It séemeth that these woordes were seuerely spoken and by aucthority As if they shoulde saye Take héede what ye reporte ye bable and prate muche concerning one whome ye saye is your Sonne which was borne blinde and which hath nowe receiued his sight doe ye knowe him If this bée he tell vs howe it is possible that he shoulde receyue his sight Bv. They demaunde thrée thinges the
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
the heires of God in déede doe enioye the lyght to the end When hee sayth Beleue in the light No man must thereby gather that the workes of light are not required of the childeren of light for by the workes of light we are declared to be the chidren of the light Bv. To the which effect pertaineth this saying of Paul ye were sometime darknesse but nowe are ye light in the Lorde walke as childeren of the light for the fruite of the spirite consisteth in al goodnes righteousenesse and trueth aprouing what is acceptable vnto the Lorde Ephe. 5.8 and haue no fellowship with the vnfruitefull wordes of darcknes These things spake Iesus C. It maye séeme straunge why he withdrue him self from them who so ernestly desyered to sée him But by the other Euaungelists we maye easily gather that the Euaungelist here speaketh of the enemies of Christ whome the Godly loue and desyer of good and simple men did ver and offend For the straungers that went to méete with Christ followed him till he came into the temple where he chaunced to come among the Scribes and his auncient enemies 37. But though he hadde done so manie miracls before them yet beleeued not they on him M. This ought not to be vnderstood only of that multitude which had mooued the question vnto the Lord concerning the exaltation of Christ but also of al the vnbeléeuing and blinded Iewes before whom the Lord had done many miracles C Therefore let this hinder or trouble no man that Christ was despised of the Iewes this offence the Euangelist putteth awaye shewing that he had many euident testimonies whiche broughte authoritie and credit to him and to hys doctrine but yet that the glory and power of God which euidently shined in the miracles was not séene and perceiued of the blind M. Moreouer the Euaungelist doth not without consideration make mention in this place of the vnbéelefe of the Iewes For he hath so ordered his history that nowe consequently he commeth to the declaration of the death and passion of Christe Béefore therefore he beginneth with the same he thought it necessary to admonish the reader before hande why it came to passe that the same nation and people remained styll so obstinate and vnbeléeuing that they were not afraide to crucefy the sonne of God to take awaye the offence which might here come he layeth the blame of this matter vpon the obstinacy of the Iewes which coulde be reclaimed by no miracles and yet bée iustefyeth Christ who by many miracles called them vnto the faith B. Moreouer when the Euangelist sayth according to his manner as it were speaking generally They beleeued not on him Iohn 8.30 hée ment that very fewe beléeued on him R. For he affirmed before that sertaine beleeued on him 38. That the saying of Esayas the Prophete mighte bee fulfilled which he spake Lorde who shall beleeue our saying and to whom is the arme of the Lord declared C. Because that thing might trouble the mindes of many men howe the Iewes could be so sencelesse and blinde that the visible power of God could nothinge mooue them Iohn of him selfe goeth forward to shewe that faith commeth not by the common sence and vnderstanding of men but by the singuler and rare gift of God and that if was foreshewed long ago concerning Christ that fewe or none should beleeue the Gospel B. This Esayas prophesyed it was mete therfore it should so come to passe and that the prophesy of the prophet should bee fulfilled For he would not haue prophesied of the same except it had bene so appoynted of my father Bv. But the Iewes were not such obstinate personnes because the Prophete dyd foretell that they should be so but he therefore foreshewed the same because they should bée suche Lord who shall beleeue C. This sentence consisteth of twoo partes In the first part Esaias speaking of Christ and foreséeing that whatsoeuer hee had spoken of Christ and also whatsoeuer should bée spoken by the Apostles should bée reiected of the Iewes as one amazed at such as bée in obstinacye hée cryeth out Lorde who shall beleeue our Preachinges And in the seconde parte hée sheweth the cause why the nomber of the beléeuing is so small namelye because God doeth not commonlye illuminate all menne but bestoweth the grace of his spirite onelye vppon a fewe Wherefore if so bée the obstinate infidelitye of a great number among the Iewes ought not to hynder the faithfull although they be fewe in number no more ought wée to bée ashamed at this daye of the Gospell although the same hath fewe Disciples By this word arme it is euident inough that hée vnderstandeth the power of God The Prophete teacheth that the arme of God whiche is included in the doctrine of the Gospell is hydde vntyll the same bée reuealed and withall hée testifyeth that all are not partakers of this reuelation wherevppon it followeth that many are left to their blindnesse being voyde of inwarde lyght who hearing heare not M. Therefore wee haue néede of the Reuelation of the power of God to beléeue the worde of Christ The high Priestes also Scribes and Pharisées sawe the power of God shyning in the workes of Christ and so dyd the reast of the wicked Iewes but they beléeued not because they sawe the same not as the power of GOD but as the power of Sathan therefore also they sayde Hee casteth out Deuelles in Belzebub the chiefe of the Deuelles Luke xi.xv. To cast out Deuelles was a worke of the finger of God but the wicked attributed the same vnto Sathan Wherfore Because they were destitute of the reuelation of the arme of God their eyes were blinded and their heartes were hardened The arme of God in Christ during the tyme of the Crosse séemed to be shortened but in his resurrection againe it declared it selfe to bée a mightye and outstretched arme Therefore we must praye vnto God that hée wyll reueale his arme vnto vs in Christ R. The Apostle Paule cyteth this testimony to exhorte the faithfull not to be discouraged because of the multitude of the vnbeléeuing and the small number of the faithfull neyther yet for the same to forsake the doctrine of the Gospell All sayeth he obeye not the Gospell For Esaias sayeth Rom. x. xvi Lord who hath beleeued our wordes 39. Therfore could they not beleeue because that Esaias sayeth againe He hath blin 40. ded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with theyr eyes and least they should vnderstād with their heart and shoulde be conuerted and I should heale them C. This speache is somewhat more harde because as the wordes importe the waye and power of beléeuing was quyte stopte vp and taken awaye from the Iewes because the Prophesye of the Prophete had appointed them to blindnesse before they had eyther chosen blindnesse or fayth I aunswere that it is no absurditye if it coulde not happen otherwyse than God
this faith was not liuely in them and not so vertuouse as it beecame the same because Christ geueth not vnto his Disciples the spirite of feare but the spirite of constancye insomuche that they dare bouldlye confesse that whiche they haue learned of him And although it is not likely that these men were quight dumbe yet notwithstanding because they made no true confession the Euaungelist simply denieth that they professed theyr fayth For this had bene true and lawfull confession to haue openlye geuen their name and professed Christ Wherefore let no man flatter himselfe which in anye parte hydeth and dissembleth his faithe leste he should incurre the displeasure and hatered of men For although the name of Christ be odiouse that feare is not excusable which maketh vs slide from the confession of his name though but the breadth of a heare Bv. A great number at this daye haue the very same disease that these Rulers had For they vnderstand the doctrine of trueth they know the lawful vse of the sacramentes that papistry is contrary to the doctrine of the Gospell and that in the papacy the Sacramentes are not ministred accordinge to the institution of the Lorde all these thinges they sée and knowe but yet neuertheles for feare and the loue of temporall thinges they communicate with the very same they haulte on both sydes and do not bouldly confesse the trueth All these men verely do greatly offende and ought not to be confyrmed in their errour to beleue that it is sufficient if so bee they retayne that which is true in their harte and do thinke well in their minde of the Gospell and in the meane time haue a lyking of these abhominations instituted against the word of God that is to saye they come vnto the masse not as to the masse but as vnto the Lordes Supper God hateth that hipocriticall dissimulation and loueth trueth and sinceritie Concerninge excommunication reade the ninth Chapter going before beginning at the .22 verse 43. For they loued the prayse of men more then the praise of God R. Thou mayest sée in this place the cause why fewe of the Rulers mightye men and wise men doe not sincerelye confesse the Gospell Because the Gospell bringeth with it the Crosse and the forsaking of earthlye goodes Nowe séeing the Rulers coulde not abide to forsake their tyranny and séeing it séemed foolishe to the wise men to resigne the wisdome of reasone to the bare and weake worde of the gospell it hath euer to come to passe that very fewe mightie and wise men truely confessed Christ According to the saying of Sainte Paule Behould your calling bretheren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mightie not many of high degre are called but God hath chosen the foolishe thinges of this world to confounde the wise C. The Euangelist laieth no supersticioÌ„ to these menes charge but onely sayth that they sought to auoyde the reproche and disprayse of men For yf so be ambition preuayled more with them than the feare of God it followeth that they were delyuered by a certayne light feare of concience Nowe let the readers noate how greatly God misliketh and condemneth theire feare who dissemble their faithe before men for feare of displeasure What worse thing can there be yea what can be more beastly than to preferre the vaine liking and commendation of men before the Iudgement of God And he pronounceth all those to be suche who forsake the displeasure of men when they should confesse a pure true faith and that iustely For the Apostell commending the inuinsyble constancie of Moyses Heb. â—i 27. saith that he endured euen as though he hadde séene him which is inuisible By which wordes he geueth vs to vnderstande that when a man fasteneth his eyes vppon God his harte will be inuincible more faste than an Adamant stoan Hervpon therfore commeth that cowardlines which maketh vs to fal to false dissimulation because wee haue wholy respect vnto this world For the sincere aspect and behoulding of God doth driue away all smoake and vanitie of ritches and honours It is not therefore a small and veniall offence as some imagine to deny Christ seeing the holy Ghost in this place sayth that those Rulers which confessed not Christe loued the prayse of men more than the glory of God Bv. And Christe himselfe sayth He which denieth mee before men shall be denied of mee before my Father which is in heauen Mat. 10.33 C. To loue the prayse of men in this place signifieth to desire to be in estimation and fauoure among men Therefore the Euaungelist meaneth that these Rulers were so addicted vnto the worlde that they rather desired to please men than God R. The prayse of men is to be counted honest good and wise the glorye and prayse of God is to be obiected contemned scorned crucified and to be cruellye slaine For by these meanes Christ entered into the kingdome of his Father and the Father by them was glorified in the worlde Hee therefore which preferreth the prayse of men before the glorye of God is vaine and miserable seeing the praise of men tendeth to reproache and shame but the glory of God bringeth to euerlasting lyfe 44. Iesus cryed and sayd Hee that beleeueth on me beleeueth not on mee but on him that sent mee M. All this place contayneth a serious and summarie declaration by which the Lorde maketh plaine protestation concerning himselfe and his dispensation as that hée doth not defende his owne cause that hée came not at his owne pleasure but that hée was sent of the Father that hée is the light of the world sent to doe good and not harme that hee spake nothing of himselfe and therefore that they which beléeue in him beeleéue not in him but in the father which sent him and that hee iudgeth not the vnbeleeuing but that they must be iudged by the word which he hath preached And by this his serious contestation hys purpose was in plaine wordes to gyue his last farwell to this blinde and obstinate people to lay the blame of vnbelefe vppon their owne heades and manifestlye to testefie of his righteousnesse and innocencie And this hee did not symply and in the eares of one or two but freely and with a lowde voyce which the Euaungelist noateth by these wordes Iesus cryed and sayde So did the saintes of God in olde time protest before the people shewing that they had omitted nothing Deut 32 1. Iosua 23.4 King 12 3. Act. 20.33 which pertayned to the office committed vnto them as Moyses Iosua Samuell and Paule B. Also the purpose of our sauiour Christ was by his example speaking of him selfe with so loude a voyce than the which nothing greued more the Pharises to incourag those fearfull Rulers which beleeued on him that with him they might dispise the Pharises in respect of God And that they might do this he bringeth a moste vrgent and stronge reasone affirminge that
Euen as the father bad me so J speake R. As if hée shoulde saye when I call my selfe the Well of lyfe the quickening breade the light of the worlde the resurrection and the life I speake these things because my Father so commaunded me to the ende that he which would drincke which woulde be filled which would sée rise againe and liue euerlastinglye might come vnto me and beléeue in mee A. For these things I speake that yée might attaine to euerlasting saluation through mée ⧠The .xiij. Chapter 1 Before the feaste of Passouer when Iesus knewe that hys hovvre was come that hee should depart out of this worlde vnto the Father when hee loued his which were in the worlde vnto the ende hee loued them Before the feast of Passouer B. THE other Euangelystes in this place bring in the Historie of the holy Supper And the whole misterye hereof was ordayned to thys ende that by the breade which wée breake and by the Cuppe which wée blesse we are made pertakers of the bodye and bloude of the Lorde and wherby also the Lorde doth more and more liue in vs and wee in him Therefore séeing Saint Iohn hath alreadie spoken of the Lordes wordes concerning the true perticipation of his bodye and bloude in his sixt Chapter hée omitteth here the narration of the Supper for the right of the Eucharist beganne long before to bee familier and well knowne to all Christians Pretermitting therefore those thinges which pertaine to the Eucharist C. and manye other thinges also which hée knewe were put downe by Mathew and the rest hée taketh in hande to intreate of that thing which they had omitted as of this stoarie concerning the washing of the Disciples When Jesus knewe that his houre was come M. The Euangelist writeth this to forewarne the Reader that hée thinke not that any of those thinges which hée shall reade in the Chapter following happened without the foresight and knowledge of Christ For he was ignoraunt of none of those thinges which he suffered A. Iudas verelye the Disciples not knowing of the same conspired with the Rulers and high Priestes to betray Iesus but the same was not vnknowen vnto Christ Wherevpon it is sayd hereafter And Iesus knowing all thinges that shoulde come on him went forth Therefore so often as the enemies of the truth shall practise any thing against vs lette vs committe all thinges vnto him who can prouide for vs and our matters well ynough That J shoulde departe out of this world C. This is a speach worthy to be noated for it is referred to the knoweledge of Christ that he knewe his death to bée a passage vnto the heauenlye kingdome of God Wherefore yf hée making hast thyther did not let to loue hys Disciples as he was wont there is no cause now why wée should think that his affection is altered And nowe séeing hée is the firste béegotten among the dead this difinition of death pertayneth to the whoale body of the Church because it is a passage vnto God from the which the faythfull are as yet pilgrimes M. Therefore let vs so think and speak of our death 2. Cor. 5.4 that we maye also call the same a passage out of this world vnto the Father Let vs consider who and what this world is and wée shall desyer the death of the body because by the same wée go oute of this worlde into a moste happy estate voyde of all trouble sorrowe affliction and payne It maketh very much to the purpose that he vseth this word father To goe out of this world which is a vale of miseries and full of wickednesse and so passe not to the worse but vnto the better and not simply to the better but to the father also is suche a notable benefite that the sonne of God béeing afflicted and oppressed in this world could wishe for nothing better Vnto the ende he loued them C. Although the Euaungeliste doeth hereafter more plainly declare to what ende Christ washed his Disciples feete yet notwithstanding heare hee beeginneth to shewe afore hande in one worde that by this signe he would haue his constant and euerlasting loue declared with the which hee once loued them that when they had lost his presence and company yet they might be sertainly sure that hee was not ouerwhelmed in death the which perswacion also ought nowe to cleane in oure hartes The wordes are that Christ had loued hys Disciples whiche weare in the worlde Wherefore although we seeme to bee farre of from Christe yet notwithstanding let vs knowe that hee behouldeth vs because hee loueth his that are in the worlde For there is no doubte but that hee nowe beareth the same affection toward vs which he retained euen at this verye poynt of death M. But the Originall roote and cause is in Christe him selfe and not in his Disciples If so be the cause of this loue had bene in the Disciples it had not continued to the ende It is necessary therefore that the same rest in Christ who loueth those that are his with vnspeable loue vnto the ende CYR. And verilye when hée mighte haue escaped the crueltie of the Iewes and the paine of the Crosse hee so loued his that he refused not to dye for the life of all men And that this is the most perfecte loue our Sauiour Christ him selfe testifyeth This is my commaundement that ye loue one another Ioh. 15.13 euen as I haue loued you Greater loue can no man haue than this that a man should geue his lyfe for his friendes 2. And when Supper was done and that the Deuell had now put into the heart of Iudas Iscariot Simons Sonne to betraye him M. There are some which thinke that it ought to be thus red And supper beeing prepared For it maye be doubted whether these thinges were done after Supper or in Supper time AVG. It is very likely that Supper was not fully ended that is to saye that the Table was not yet taken awaye séeing it followeth by and by that the Lord tooke a morsell of bread and offered the same to Iudas And that the Deuell had now put into the heart of Iudas C. This the Euaungelist hath added not only to shew the wonderful patience of Christ who voutsafed to washe suche a wicked and false Traytors féete but also that he sought occasion to vse that tyme in the which he shoulde finishe the laste acte of his lyfe béeinge nere vnto death And whereas he sayeth that Iudas went about to betraye Christ by the impulsion of the Deuell he doth it to expresse the crueltie and hainousenes of the fault For this was more then a horrible and tragicall facte in the which the efficacie of Sathan declared it selfe B. Insomuch that it maye séeme not to come from mans minde C. It is very true that man committeth no manner of euell wherevnto the Deuell doth not stirre him but as the offence is more detestable and haynouse so the furye of
world by this noate that they should obserue and kéepe the doctrine of the gospel And that this noate belongeth vnto the beginning of faith because it is the effect of calling And Christ sheweth by these wordes how we shall rightly obaye the Gospell namelye for when our dutyes and externall actions doe spring from the loue of the same For our armes and force and our whole body also laboureth in vaine except the loue of God doe raigne in our heart which gouerneth the externall members Nowe séeing it is sertayne that we kepe the sayings of Christ yf so be we loue him and contrarywise we loue him yf wée kéepe his commaundementes it followeth that we cānot finde in the whoale world the true and perfect loue of hym because there is no man which perfectly keepeth hys commaundementes Notwithstanding their obedience is acceptable vnto God who do all that they can to reach vnto this perfection And my father wil loue him R. In this place we haue the greate and wonderfull benifits of God whiche procéede from the fruites of the Gospell The fyrste is that God the Father loueth the faithfull Nowe if God be with vs Rom 8 3i who can be against vs If the Lorde loue me I will not care what man or Sathan can do vnto me The second is that boath the Sonne and the Father will dwell with him that beléeueth the word of God Than the which benifits what greater can be deuised For the Father the sonne are very bountifull and benificial ghuestes they came not empty handed neyther doe they go awaye without saluting their hoast but as they bringe with them the treasure of all goodnesse euenso they leaue behynde them the blessing of all goodnesse C. And he speaketh not heare of that eternall loue with the which God loued vs before the foundation of the worlde was layd but of the same with the which he sealeth our harts when he maketh vs pertakers of his adoption And he meaneth not that firste illumination but those degrées of faith by whiche the faithfull must goe forward dayly according to this saying to him that hath shal be geuen Therefore the Papistes doe draw amis from this place two sortes of loue with the which we loue God They immagine that we loue God naturally before he doeth regenerate vs with his spirite by whiche aptnesse and readinesse saye they we deserue the grace of regeneration As though the Scriptures dyd not teache and experience plainlye proue that we are quite tourned awaye from God and are haters of him vntyll suche tyme as he chaunge our hearts Wée must remember the purpose of Christ that he and his Father wyl come to confirme the faythfull in the euerlasting assuraunce of grace in such wyse that they maye feele the grace of God to rest vpon them and maye be dayly increased more and more with the gyftes of God A. Therefore we ought to desyre this spirituall presence of Christ in our prayers and not that carnall corporall presence of the which the Papistes dreame The Lord dwelleth in the hartes of his saintes by faith whome the heauens must receiue vntill the time come that all thinges be restoared which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets synce the world beganne 24. Hee that loueth mee not keepeth not my sayings and the vvord vvhich ye heare is not mine but the Fathers vvhich sent me C. Because the faythfull are mixed in this worlde with vnbeleuers and because of necessitye they must be troubled as it were in the tossing and raginge waues of thesea Christ againe confirmeth them by this admonition lest they shoulde be drawen awaye by euell examples As if he should saye Haue no regard vnto the worlde neither depend vpon the same because their shall be all wayes some which shall contemne me and my doctrine but constantly retayne ye to the ende that grace which ye haue allwaye imbraced And herewithall he declareth that the worlde doth suffer Iuste poonishment for his ingratitude when it perisheth in his blindenes when by the contempte of true righteoussnes it bewrayeth his wicked hatred against Christ B. To kepe the sayinges of Christ is nothing else but to beleue that the same is true and wholsome and also to cleue vnto the same with our whole harte euen as we may gather by the Scripture Heare O Israll the ordinaunces and the Lawes which I propose to you this daye that ye maye learne them and take hede to obserue them Yf by keping the commaundementes of God ye vnderstand the fulfilling of them no man shall kepe them but if ye vnderstand it for seeking to fulfill them then all the godly kepe them For he cannot choose but geue him selfe to the keeping of the commaundementes of God which truely knoweth the same to be of God A. Contrarywise not to kepe the Lords sayings is to reiecte the doctrine of Christ and to contemne his commaundementes which all the wycked are wonte to doe And the word which ye heare is not mine C. Leste the disciples should fall or slide awaye for the obstinat wickednes of the worlde Christ seketh againe to confirme his doctrine when he testifieth the same to be of God and not deuised in earth by man And in this consisteth the stedfastnes of our Faith yf so be we know God to be our guide and are grounded vppon nothing else but vppon his eternall truth Therefore howe much soeuer the worlde doth rage in his madnes let vs followe the doctrine of Christ which far surmounteth heauen and earth In deuiding the worlde to be his he frameth him selfe to his disciples as if he shoulde saye that the same was not of men because he faythfully deliuered that which was committed to him of his Father Neuertheles let vs knowe that for somuch as he is the euerlasting wisdome of God he is the onely well spring of doctrine and that they haue spoken by his spirite which haue bene Prophetes from the beginning A. Diuers like sentences vnto this we haue heard before as My doctrine is not mine but my fathers which sent mee Also Those thinges which I haue heard of him I speake in the worlde 25. These thinges haue I spoken vnto you being yet present with you 26. But the comforter which is the holy ghost whome the Father wil sende in my name hee will send in my name he shall teache you all things and bring all thinges to youre remembrance whatsoeuer I haue sayd vnto you The Lord knew well ynough how rude and ignoraunt his Disciples were and that they were not capeable of those thinges which he spake the which they suff ciētly declared by questioning with hym as we haue heard first in Thomas secondly in Phillip and thirdly in Iudas For this cause lesse they shoulde be discouraged he promysed vnto them nowe the second time the holy Ghost the spirit of truthe which shoulde be vnto them a continuall teacher and which shoulde abyde with them
peace of Christ is benediction saluation iustification prosperitie health peace of conscience constancie in aduersitie and the spirite of the Lorde it selfe pacefying and confirming our heartes M. Herevpon the bestower of so greate a benefite Ecay 9 â—â— is called the Prince of peace And they which enioye this peace Bv. howsoeuer Sathan doth rage and the worlde sturre yet notwithstanding they shall be in saftie in the middest of the garboyle M. Of this peace the Apostle speaketh when hee sayth VVe being iustefyed by fayth Rom 5.1 Phil 4.7 haue peace with God thorowe our Lorde Iesus Christ A. And in another place The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding keepe your hearts and mindes through Iesus Christ oure Lorde This peace the worlde can neither giue nor take away Let not your hartes be greeued C. Againe he seeketh to take from them that griefe which his Disciples had conceyued of hys departure M. For it is not méete that they shoulde be greeued or feare which are consecrated to the kingdome of God and garded and protected by the highest Againe the feare of the hearâ— causeth Gods cause often times to be forsaken whereas a stoute and inuincible minde iâ— apt for the kingdome of god and constantly serueth him 28. Ye haue hearde how J sayde vnto you I go away and come againe vnto you Yf ye loued mee ye would verely reioyce because I saide I goe vnto the Father for the Father is greater than I. C. He denyeth that they haue anye cause to feare because they wanting only his corporall presence had neuerthelesse his true presence by the spirite Bv. As if Christ shoulde haue sayde Ye vnderstande that I go awaye and why I go awaye namely for your saluation and that by my death and departure I will neither forsake you nor neglect you For I will come vnto you by my resurrection shewing my selfe vnto you a liue againe And although then I shal be with you onely the space of fortye daies and shall straight after ascende into heauen yet notwithstanding I will sende from thence the holy Ghost by whome I will abyde euen in the middest of you so that ye haue no cause to feare that I will leaue you comfortelesse C. With this kinde of presence let vs learne to houlde our selues contented and let vs not follow the fleshe which alwayes tyeth God to hir externall imaginations If yee loued me ye woulde verilie reioice R. Carnall loue taketh it verye gréeuouslye that a louing friende shoulde bée taken awaye but spiritual loue is otherwise affecte C. No doubt the Disciples loued Christ but otherwise than became them For they were somewhat carnall insomuch that they coulde not abide that he shoulde be taken from them Whereas if they had loued him spiritually they woulde haue desiered nothing more than his returne to the father For the father is greater than J. C. This place hath bene diuerselye wrested The Arians to prooue Christ to be a cartaine secondarie God obiected that he was lesse than the Father The auncient Fathers to cutte of all occasion of this cauill sayde that this ought to be referred to the humaine nature But as the Arians wickedly abused thys testimonye euen so the aunswere and solution of the Fathers was neyther true nor agréeing to the purpose of Christ For Christ speaketh here neyther of his humane nature nor yet of his eternall deuinytie but according to our weake capascity he made him selfe a meane betwene vs and God And because we are not able to reache vnto the highte of God Christ descended vnto vs that he might lifte vs vp vnto the same Yee should reioyce saith he for that I retorne to the Father because this is the laste marke where vnto ye ought to tende He doth not shew in those wordes what he differeth from the Fathere but wherfore he descended vnto vs namely to vnite vs vnto God vntill we be come vnto this we stande as it werein a race We also immagine but a halfe and torne Christ except he leade vs vnto God Like vnto this is that place of Paule where he saith That Christ hath deliuered vp his kingdome to God the Father that God might be all in all Christ verily raigneth not onely in humane nature but also as he was manifested God in the flesh How then shall he leaue his kingdome Surely thus because the Diuinitye which we maye nowe behoulde only in the face of Christ shall then bée openly sene in it selfe This is onely the difference for that Paule in that place describeth the laste perfection of the deuine glory and brightnes whose beames began to shine so soone as Christe ascended into heauen But to the end this mistrie may more euidently appere we must speake yet more grosely Christ compareth not here his Fathers diuinity with his neyther doth he compare his human nature with the diuine escence of the Father but rather the present state with the heauenlye glory into the which he was shortly after to be receyuid As yf he should saye Ye desire to haue me stil in the worlde but it is better for me that I ascende into heauen B. For his purpose was to giue them to vnderstande that GOD the Father was infinitelye greater than hée that is that he should enioye with him the most excelent felycity wher as he had liued here in misery and calamitye R. For by death hée entered into the kingdome of the Father C. Therefore let vs learne so to behould Christ abaâ—ed in the flesh that he maye bring vs to the well of blessed immortality For he is not made our Captayne and guide to leade vs onely to the speare of the Moone or Sonne but to make vs one with God the Father 29. And novve haue I shewed you before it come that when it is come to passe ye might beleeue M. What sayde hée All those thinges verely which hée had spoken concerning the Comforter of the true felicitie which they shoulde haue by him and of the vnspeakeable power by which they should doe greater workes than the Lorde him selfe had done C. It was méete that the Disciples shoulde be oftetnimes admonished concerning this matter because it was a misterye farre surmounting the capacitie of men And he saith that he foresheweth what shall come to passe that when it is come to passe they might beléeue For this was a profitable confirmation of theire Faith when they should call to minde the prophesies of Christ and should sée that with their eyes fulfiled which they had harde out of his mouth before As if he should saye R. I knowe that ye do not now enioye these thinges of the which I speake B. notwithstanding I thought good to foreshewe you of those thinges which shall happen vnto you after my departure and which shall profite you muche more than my carnall presence hath done that when they shall come to passe ye maye the more firmely beléeue that I am Christ the sauioure of the world C.
in our hartes saying Let the peace of God haue the victorie in your hartes Colo. 3.15 And in another place The peace of God which passeth all vnderstandinge keepe your hartes and mindes through christ Iesus Phili. 4.7 C. And there is sayde to be the Ioye of Christe and our Ioye in diuers respectes That is the Ioy of Christ which is geuen of him vnto vs for he is the author and cause of the same Esai 53.5 The cause of our Ioy for that wée are deliuered from sinne and death the chastisement of oure peace béeing vppon him And he is the Authore because by his spirite he taketh feare and sorrowe out of our hearts whereof commeth this excéeding Ioye Our ioye is sayde to be in another respecte because wee inioye him so soone as hee is geuen vnto vs. Ioye in Christ and in vs. Nowe when our sauiour Christ pronounceth that hée therefore spake these thinges that his Disciples mighte haue Ioye we gather that whosoeuer doe truely profite by this sermone shall haue mater wherby to quiet themselus And that your ioy might be full Bv. He meaneth the most perfect Ioye the which wanteth nothing so that Christ promiseth vnto his Disciples Ioyes and the fulnesse of all Ioye C. Not that the faithfull shal be frée from all heauinesse and sorrowe but because they shall haue excéeding cause of Ioye in such wise that no feare care and sorrowe shall ouerwhelme them For they to whome it is geuen to Ioye and reioyce in Christ shal be excéeding Ioyfull and mery whether it be in life or in death in prosperitye or in miserye Notwithstanding there are some which referre this Ioye in the second place to the fruition of eternall lyfe Othersome saye that this is the meaning these thinges haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy might be in you that is to saye that yée might only reioyce in these thinges in the which I reioyce For so ye shall bée strong to fight and vpon hope of sauing men ye shall willingly suffer perills reioysing not a little because the will of the Father who woulde haue all men come to the knoweledge of the trueth to the vttermost of my power shall be fulfilled This ioye therefore haue I chosen this also yf ye shal haue ye shal haue sincere and perfect Ioy. A. But the first exposition is best to to liked 12. This is my commandement that ye loue togeather as I haue loued you M. Because he had spoken of the kéeping of his commaundementes he repeateth by occasion his commandement and more largely speaketh of the vsinge of mutuall loue of the whiche allso hee spake a little before C For séeing it is méete to direct our life according to the commaundement of Christ wee muste firste of all consider what he willeth and commaundeth to be done And he sayth that aboue all thinges he delighteth to haue mutuall loue among the faithfull By order wée must haue firste the loue and reuerence of God but because the true probation thereof is loue towards our neyghboure he specialle maketh mention of the same Bv. As if Christ should saye Some commaund one thing and some another and there is neyther forme nor ende of commandements but I commend vnto you only loue loue one another C. And as before in a generall forme of doctrine so nowe in a particuler he setteth before vs an example to followe For he loued all his Disciples to the end they shoulde in like manner loue one another B. And al his commaundements are finished in this onely commaundement of mutuall loue 13. Greater loue hath no man than this that a man bestowe his lyfe for his frendes C. Christe sometime commendeth the greatnesse of his loue towarde vs that he myght thereby the better establishe and confirme the trust of our saluation but nowe hée goeth farther that hee might inflame vs by his example to loue our Bretheren Notwithstanding he Ioyneth boath together For he would haue vs to taste by Faith the excéeding swéetnesse of his goodnesse then by this reason he allureth vs to the study and desyer of loue Ephe. v. ij So in lyke manner the Apostle Paule sayeth VValke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath geuen him selfe an oblation and a sacrifice of a sweete smell vnto God i. Ioh 3.16 A. Also saint Iohn sayeth Hereby know we loue because he hath geuen his life for vs and we ought to geue our liues for our bretheren C. God mighte haue redeemed vs with his worde in a moment yf so be for oure sakes it had not seemed better vnto him by not sparing his only begotten sonne to declare in his personne what great care he hath for our saluation Now they must haue to hard and stoany hartes which wil not be mollefyed with such vnspeakeable swéetnesse of Gods loue Bv. Man hath nothing in this worlde more pretiouse than life He hadde rather hasard his riches and whatsoeuer else he hath in this worlde rather then to suffer his life to come into peril Math. i6 26. Wherevpon the Lord sayth in the Gospel what doth it profyte a man if hee winne the whoal world and lose his own soule Or what shall a man geue to redeeme his owne soule withall Wherfore among men there is not a greter token of loue then if a man geue his life for his freind Therefore great and vnspekable is the loue of the sonne of God towarde vs by which he voutsafed to dye for vs. Rom. v.x. C Notwithstanding it maye be demanded howe Christ dyed for his frindes séeing that we were his enemies before he reconciled vs euenas the Apostle Paule testifieth C. For he hauing satisfied for synne by the sacrifice of hys death put away quite the enmity which was betwéene God and vs. The solution of this question maye be taken oute of the sixtéene verse of the third Chapter going before where wée sayde that in respect of our selues there is enmitye betéene God and vs vntill such time as our synnes are abolished by the death of Christ but we then sayde that the cause of this grace exhibited in Christ was the euerlasting loue of God by which also he loued his enemies A. Christe therefore dyed for his freindes who notwithstanding were vniust For so sayth Peter Christ dyed once for sinnes the iust for the vniust to bring vs vnto God 14. Ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoeuer I commaunde you Bv. Christ requireth in the faythfull a notable loue and desyer of Godlinesse lest they should boaste in vayne that Christ dyed for the saluation of the worlde they in the meane time liuing to the worlde which they are wont to doe which are perswaded that the Gospell beareth with sinnes and that Christian liberty is leaue to synne They Iudg and doe farre otherwise who truly loue Christ C. But Christ meaneth not that wée haue gotten suche honoure by our own merite but onlye sheweth vppon what condition
he receiueth vs into his fauor and votsafeth to account vs as his frendes euenas he sayde a little before If ye keepe my commaundementes ye shall abide in my loue For the helthfull grace of God hath appeared to all men teaching vs that denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts we should liue soberly and righteouslye and Godly in this present worlde But prophane and wicked men who by wicked contempt of the Gospell do waxe wanton against Christ doe renounce his freinshippe If ye do whatsoeuer I commaund you M. He sayeth not If ye doe whatsoeuer I doe but If ye doe whatsoeuer I commaunde you Christe didde many thinges which hee hath geuen to vs in commaundement He fasted forty dayes but he did not command vs to doe the like Bv. In these wordes therefore he commendeth vnto vs the Euaungelical preceptes Math. 15.3 and not the traditions of men which in another place he sharpelye reprehendeth 15. Hencefoorth call I not you seruauntes for the seruaunte knoweeth not vvhat his Lord doeth but you haue I called friendes for all thinges that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knovven vnto you C. By another argument he declareth his loue towarde his Disciples namely for that he made him self wholy knowen vnto them euenas there is alwaye familliar communication among friends As yf he should saye I haue broughte much more vnto you than a mortall man commonly bringeth vnto his seruauntes M. For that which friendes were wont to doe that I haue done vnto you For I haue hydde none of those thinges from you which I haue heard only and secretly of my Father but haue reuealed them all to your conscience C. Therefore lette this be a pledge of my loue towards you that louingly and friendly I haue declared vnto you those secrets of heauenly wisedome wiche I haue heard of my father Bv. This serueth greatly for oure consolation and comforte For by our nature and natiuity we are enemies vnto God seruants of the Deuell and of synne men ignorant of God and of his counsailes yea of our owne saluation but the sonne of God dyed and suffered for vs of enemies he hath made vs frends and of seruants he hath made vs houshould Sonnes to whome by the spirite and the preaching of the Gospell he openeth all the misteries and secretes of the Father in such wise that they can be Ignoraunt of none of those thinges which appertayne vnto sonnes to knowe Otherwise there are many counsails and workes of God which are neither profitable to be knoweÌ„ nor yet of men to be desyered C. Therefore it is certaine that Christe didde not make all things known to his Disciples which he knew him selfe neither was it possible for them to attaine to the heith of such misteryes And séeing the wisedom of God is incomprehensible he hath geuen by measure to euery one so muche as is necessary to knoweledge Therefore when he sayeth that he hath reuealed all thinges it ought to be restrained to the personne and office of a Mediatoure He hath made him selfe a meane betwéene God and vs. who hath receiued all oute of the secrete sanctuary of God by which he hath deliuered vnto vs as it were from hand to hand Therefore Christ lefte nothing vntoulde vnto his Disciples which appertaineth to oure saluation or which were necessary for vs to knowe but faithfully dispensed them euenas he had receiued them of the father C. It is then a notable title of the Gospell which we haue here of the Gospell that the harte of Christ is there sayd to be reuealed that we néede not to bee doubtfull of his loue There is noe cause why we should desyer to ascende aboue the Cloudes or wishe to go downe into the déepe to séeke the sertainty of our saluation lette this testimony of loue satisfy vs which is contayned in the Gospell because the same will neuer deceiue Moyses sayd vnto the auncient people VVhat nation is so great vnto whome the Godes come so nere vnto them Deut. 4.7 as the Lorde our God is nere vnto vs in all that wee call vnto him for Bv. But we are muche more noble and excellent in that God hath wholy expressed him selfe in his sonne Bv. Where are then those good fellows which falsly affirme that the Lorde hath not geuen all thinges vnto his Church Herevpon also they take occasion to establishe and appoynte what they liste in the Church as though he would reueale that by them vnto vs which he would not reueale by his owne sonne A like matter I warrant you Truth sayeth that all thinges are deliuered vnto vs Godlynesse telleth vs that the Apostle conceleth nothing from the church but that they faithfullye deliuered all thinges vnto the same and lefte them afterwards in writing least they should be forgotten A. For Paule also testifieth that he deliuered vnto the faithfull all the counsaile of God C. By whiche their wicked ingratitude is condemned who béeing not content with the wonderfull wisedome of the Gospell Acts. 20.27 proudlye ronne to newe speculations 16. Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you and ordayned you to goe and bringe forth fruite and that youre fruite shoulde remayne that whatsoeuer yee aske of the Father in my name hee maie geue it you Bv. Now leste the Disciples shoulde ouer Ioye and wax proude for that they had heard them selues of enemies to be made friendes and the sonnes of of God by the death of Christ C. Hée more playnly sheweth that it ought not to be attributed vnto their owne merite but to his grace that they are come to so greate honour For when he denyeth himselfe to be chosen of them it is as much as if he shoulde saye that whatsoeuer they haue it is not gotten by their owne strength and Industery The common sorte doe faine here a certaine concourse of the deuine grace and also of humaine will but this Antithesis or comparisonne é haue chosen you I am not chosen of you doth wholly callenge thae vnto Christe aloane whiche they were wâ—nt to deuide betwéene him and man as yf it had beene sayde that man is not mooued of his owne accord to séeke after Christe vntill he were firste sought Here is nothing spoken concerning the common election of the Godly by which they are adopted the sonnes of God but of that perticuler election by whiche hée had chosen his Disciples to the office of preaching the Gospell Luk. 6. xiij as is to be séene in Luke and in another place it is sayd Haue I not chosen you twelue and one of you is a deuell Iohn 6.70 C. But yf so be they were chosen fréelye without any desert one their parte to the Apostolicall office it is moste sertaine that the same election is much more frée by which of the sonnes of wrath and of the cursed séede we are made heires of euerlasting life Moreouer Christe in this place so commendeth his grace by which
Gospell not to liue at their owne pleasure but that their light might shine before men not to be Princes of this worlde but to beare the crosse wyth Christ Who came not to be ministred vnto Mat. 20.28 but to minister him selfe and to giue his life a redemption for many M. Wherfore let the Bishoppes of Rome marke well and sée how they defend their Lordship which they haue in the Churche vnder the pretence of Christ 19. And for theyr sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also mighte be sanctified through the truthe R. To sanctifie is to ceparate to diuine vses C. Therefore in these words he doth more playnly explicate from whence that sanctificatioÌ„ doth come which is wrought in vs by the doctrine of the Gospell namely bicause he hath consecrated him selfe to the Father that his holinesse mighte appertayne vnto vs. For as the blessinge is extended from the firste fruites to the whole increace euen so the spirite â—f God doth sprinkle vs with the holinesse of Christe and maketâ— vs partakers of the same and that not onely by imputation for by this meanes he is sayde to be made vnto vs righteousnesse but he is also saide to be made vnto vs sanctificaon .1 Cor. 1.30 bicause after a sorte he offereth vs to the Father that by his spirite we may be renued into true holynesse And althoughe this sanctification perteineth to the whole lyfe of Christe yet notwithstanding it is specially to bée seene in the sacrifice of hys death bicause then he appeared to be a true Priest whiche consecrated the Temple the Altar all the Vessels Exod. 29.1 and the people by the power of his spirite A. Euen as before tyme in the Lawe it was shadowed R. Christe therefore sanctifieth him selfe That is he is made the instrument of God the Father by whiche he is glorified he offereth and sacrificeth him selfe that we also may be made the instrumentes and true sacrifices of hys diuine glory Sanctification M. For Christe hath not so sanctified hym selfe for vs that we may abide prophane and farre separate from the communion of his spirite and sanctification but although we be saued by hys onely holynesse yet notwithstanding we are sanctified also by the participation of his spirite They which are voyde of the same promise vnto them selues in vayne the fellowship of Christ Wherevpon the Apostle sayth Rom. 6.4 VVe are buried vvith him by Baptisme into his deathe that lykevvyse as Christe vvas raysed vp from the dead by the glory of the Father euen so vve also shoulde vvalke in nevvnesse of lyfe And in another place he sayth Roma 12.1 Offer vp your bodies a quicke sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God vvhiche is your reasonable seruice This therfore is the sence meaning I sanctifie my self that is I dye for them that they by my death may be filled with the spirite of sanctification and may be made the holy vessels of God by the reuealed spirite of the Gospell M. This the Apostle comprehendeth in these wordes Hebr. 10.10 In the vvhiche will we are made holy euen by the offering of the body of Iesus Christe once for all In the truthe The worde of God is the truth euen as Christ sayd before Therefore the sanctification of the ministers of Christe and of the faythfull Acts. 15.9 Fayth maketh al thinges cleane consisteth in the truthe of Gods worde vppon the whiche fayth is grounded by whiche God purifieth the hartes Without this all things are prophane and vncleane 20. Neuerthelesse I pray not for them alone but for theÌ„ also which shall beleue on me through their preaching R. Thirdly Christe prayeth for all the faythfull whiche should be to the ende of the world This verily bringeth great consolation For if so be through the doctrine of the Gospell we beléeue in Christ there is no cause why we should doubt but that with the Apostles we are vnder Gods protection so that none of vs can perishe This praier of Christ is a quiet hauen into the whiche whosoeuer entereth he is safe from all perill of shipwracke for his wordes are of as great force as if he had solemly sworne that he is carefull for our saluation R. And firste of all this place confirmeth the authoritie of the Apostles agaynst those which very contemptuously extinuate and disprayse the preaching of the Gospell by the Apostles Prou. 20.9 for that they were men also subiect vnto errours And it is true that they were men in lyfe and in workes for who can say my harte is cleane but they preached the doctrine of the Gospel not by humaine but by the diuine ministerie Wherevppon Christe also prayeth for those which shoulde beleeue through their preaching Furthermore let our consciences be confyrmed agaynst the worlde and agaynst all the afflictions of the worlde For so soone as Christe prayed the Father hearde and the father hearing what remayneth but hys grace and readie affection towarde vs C. Let this also suffice vs whiche knowe that our fayth is founded vppon the Gospell preached by the Apoples though the worlde condemne vs a thousande tymes namely that Christe acknowledgeth vs for his speciall charge and coÌ„mendeth vs to his father Ioh. 11.41 of whom he can not choose but be heard C. When he addeth Throgh their preching He very well expresseth the forre and nature of fayth M. Euen as the Apostle Paule also Rom. 10 17 when he sayth that fayth coÌ„meth by hearing And the worde of the Apostles is nothing else but the Gospell which they were commaunded to preach in the worlde Mar. 16.15 C. Wo then vnto the Papistes whose fayth is so farre from thys rule that they are not ashamed most blasphemously to say that the scriptures are like vnto a Shipmans hose and to a nose of waxe and that therefore the tradition of the Churche shall be their direction and rule of fayth But let vs be assured that the same fayth onely is approued of the sonne of God our Iudge alone whiche is conceyued by the doctrine of the Apostles For there shall no certayne testimonie any where else bee founde than in their writinges We muste also note what fayth the word of the Apostles doth bring foorth This Christ declareth when he sayth Which beleeue in me Let nowe the Iewes Turkes and Romishe rable glory of their fayth but it maketh no matter what euery one beleeueth and in whome he beleeueth Euery doctrine hath his fayth but the Apostolicall doctrine begetteth onely the faith in Christ And this faith alone is partaker of this prayer of Christ of the promises concerning euerlasting life 21. That they all maye be one as thou father arte in me and I in thee and that they also may bee one in vs That the world may beleue that thou hast sent me R. That which Christ prayed for his Apostles he nowe also prayeth for all the faythfull that they might be of one fayth
powers of Christe the Prophete repeateth thys Esa 11.4 that he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouthe and shall slay the wycked with the breath of hys lippes 2. Thes 2.8 The Apostle Paule suspendeth the fulfilling of this Prophesie vnto the ende of the worlde yet notwithstanding we sée dayly that the wicked doo fall with their fury and pride at the voyce of christ But then when they fel which came to bind Christ was shewed a visible token of that feare which al the wicked manger their heads féele within them when Christ speaketh to them by his ministers Moreouer séeing this was as it were accidentall to the voyce of Christe whose propertie it is to rayse vp miserable men whiche lye in the shadowe of death he will vse no doubt thys power towards vs to exalt vs vp into heauen R. And this is manifest that the same worde of God whiche is to the wicked iudgemente is to the Godly consolation For at other times Christe comforted his Disciples when they were afrayde Mat. 14.27 Luk. 24.39 with these wordes I am he Also VVhy are yee troubled it is I Therefore that whiche the Lorde threatneth to the wicked in the Lawe is in these wordes manifefestly to be séene For Moses sayth The Lorde shall geue thee a trembling harte Deut. 28.65 Esa 57.21 and looking too returne till thine eyes fall oute and a sorrovvfull minde Psal 110.1 And the Prophete saythe The vvicked haue no peace M. Let the wicked therefore consider what shall befall on the enimies of Christe For this contayneth a figure of that whiche happeneth and shall happen to all the enimies of Christe namely confusion and vtter destruction It is prophesied that the enimies of Christe shall be made his footestoole The enemies of Christe of the whiche we haue so greate a multitude heere consisted of Iudas the hypocrite and false Apostle of the seruantes of the highe Priests and of the Romaine souldiers In these we sée what the enemies of Christ are oftentymes some are hypocrites some are superstitious and other some worldlinges but in due time when Christe shall shewe hym selfe they shall vtterly be destroyed and though they bée lyfted vp alofte yet shall they bée caste downe to the grounde flat and shall bee broughte to duste A. For the wycked shall not be able to stande but shall be lyke the duste Psal 1.5 whiche the wynde scattereth away from the face of the earth 7. Then asked he them agayne whome seeke ye They sayde Iesus of Nazareth C. Hereby it doth appeare howe great the blindenesse is with the whiche the Lorde striketh the mindes of the wicked and howe horrible their obstinacie is after that Sathan hath bewitched them by the iuste iudgement of God The Oxe and the Asse when they fall haue some féelyng but these men hauing had manyfest experience of the deuine power of Christ do no lesse securely go forwarde than if they had not seene so muche as the shadowe of a man in him Nay Iudas him selfe is not moued Let vs learne therefore to feare the iudgement of God by whiche the Reprobate béeing suffered to fall into the hands of Satan are more sencelesse than brute beasts For Sathan no doubt was the author of this so great wickednesse 8. Iesus answered I haue tolde you that I am he If ye seeke me therfore let these go their way 9. That the saying might be fulfilled whiche he spake Of them which thou gauest me haue I not lost one R. Although he were taken yet he retayned his authoritie and power styll For the power of the worde can not be bounde For the Apostles had not gone awaye without hurte excepte the Aduersaries had béene restrayned of their furie by the efficacie of this commaundement By the same efficacie of the word he restored to Malchus hys eare Luk. 22.51 that we might learne the power of the worde in the middest of impotencie and weaknesse A. But was it not lawfull for him whiche deliuered others to delyuer hym selfe also out of the hands of hys enemies C. But he mynded to play the parte of a good shephearde to defende hys flocke He sawe the rauening of the Wolues he taryeth not vntill they come to the Sheepe of whiche he was appoynted the keeper but wythstandeth them betyme Wherefore let vs not doubte so often as wycked men or the Diuell rise vp agaynst vs but that we shall haue by and by the same helpe Moreouer Christe hath by his example prescribed a rule to the Shepheardes whiche they muste followe if so be they will duely fulfill their office That the saying might be fulfilled R. The Euangelist alleageth the saying of Christe to teache that the same is effectuall For if so bee the saying of Christe hadde not beene effectuall howe coulde the Disciples haue escaped thys perill and shunned suche wylfull madnesse of the people their aduersaries specially Peter who strake with the sword Notwithstanding this sentence seemeth to be broughte out of order whiche seemeth rather to appertayne to mennes soules than to their bodies For Christe dydde saue and preserue the Apostles in safetie as touching their bodyes to the ende but he rather spake thys that in the middest of continuall daungers and in deathe it selfe theyr eternall saluation shoulde be in safetie I aunswere The Euangelist speaketh not simply of their corporall lyfe but meaneth rather that Christ sparing them for a time prouided for their euerlasting saluation Let vs consider howe greate theyr imbecilitie was as yet What would they haue doone thinke you if they had béene broughte to the pinche Séeing therefore Chryste woulde not tempte them aboue their strengthe he deliuered them from eternall destruction And héereby we may gather a generall doctrine namely that althoughe oure fayth bée proued by many temptations yet notwithstanding we shall neuer come into extreme perilles but he wyll geue vnto vs strengthe and abilitie to beare the same AVG. Therefore bicause the Apostles were not as yet sufficiently confyrmed in the Faythe to retayne the confession of the truth and had bothe denyed Christe and also peryshed the Lord would saue them M. Furthermore they were specially chosen to the preaching of the Kyngdome of God and were not onely so geuen vnto Christe that they might be saued but also to Preache the worde of lyfe vnto others and to serue Chryste For thys office they were to be preserued Wherefore if they had béene taken and slayne of their enemies they had perished to Chryste vnto whome they brought foorth muche fruite by the preaching of the worde Concerning that which followeth vntil yée come to the .19 verse reade our Commentarie vpon the .26 of Mathew beginning at the .51 verse 19. The hye Priest then asked Iesus of his disciples of his doctrine R. This hye Priest was Caiphas for Annas had straightway posted ouer Christe vnto Caiphas M. These things and many mo of the which the other Euangelists
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
spake For hée compareth himselfe with his father onelye in respect of hys flesh For although the father be the beginning of life yet notwithstanding the eternall worde it selfe is also properlye lyfe But the eternal diuinitie of Christ is not here handeled because hée propoundeth him selfe as hée being cloathed with our flesh manifested himselfe to the worlde Whereas therefore hée sayth that hée liueth by the Father it doth not belong to the bare diuinitie neyther also doth it simplye agrée with the human nature but it is a title of the Sonne of GOD manifested in the fleshe Furthermore wée knowe that it is no vnwonted thing to Christ to ascribe to the Father whatsoeuer is deuine in himselfe Bv. It is also to be noated that hée sayth shall liue by the meanes of me Iustification commeth by Grace For in that we are Iustified quickened and blessed it commeth not by our owne merite but by the mere goodnesse of Christe And therefore the Lorde sayth by the mouth of the Prophet I will redeeme thee Esec 36.22 Three degrees of life not for thy sake but for my owne sake C. We muste also noate that there are reckened here thrée degrees of lyfe The firste degree hath God the lyuing Father who is a springing well but secrete and hidden The seconde degree hath the sonne who is as a conduite pype by whome lyfe is powred into vs. The thirde is that lyfe which we drawe from hym So that because God the Father in whome consisteth lyfe is farre from vs Christe is appoynted as a meane whiche is the seconde cause of lyfe that from him that might come to vs whiche otherwise lyeth secrete and hid in God This sentence therefore agréeeth with that whiche went before where the Lorde sayde Iohn 5.29 As the father hath life in himselfe so hath he geuen to the Sonne to haue life in him selfe For in diuers other places he calleth him selfe lyfe 58. This is that breade whiche came downe from heauen not as youre fathers did eate manna and are dead hee that eateth this breade shall liue euer This is that breade M. When the Iewes obiected vnto Christe the fathers which were fed of Moyses by manna he aunswered to the same thrée thinges one was that Moyses did not geue vnto them bread from heauen and that the bread whiche the Fathers did eate in the desart was not the true breade of heauen because the eaters of the same were subiecte to death The seconde was that the Father geueth the true breade of heauen the whiche breade he him selfe is The thirde is that the eaters of this bread haue euerlasting lyfe Nowe therefore to finishe this dialogue he retourneth to the comparison of Manna and of his flesh where with he began This is the summe of his wordes There is no cause why ye shoulde preferre Moyses before me because hée fed youre Fathers in the wildernesse séeing that I haue farre better meate to geue vnto you than that was for I bring with mée celestiall and euerlasting lyfe For that bread is sayde to descend from Heauen which hath no earthlye or corruptible taste but geueth the Immortallity of Gods kingdome This vertue they felt not in Manna which onely sought to fyll their bellye For there being twoo vses of the same the Iewes with whome Christ here disputed respected nothing but the corporall foode But the lyfe of the Soule is not transitorye but groweth more and moore tyll the whole man bée renued Bv. And it is manifest by these places that Faith in Christ iustifyeth all those that beléeue 59. These thinges sayde he in the Sinagogue as hee taught in Capernaum Bv. Nowe the Euangelist noateth the place where these thinges were done and spoken according to the Historicall manner thereby to declare the vndoubted trueth and certaintye of the matter C. and also that wée might knowe that there were then many present when these thinges were spoken Bv. For this talke and disputacion concerning Faith and the effecte of Fayth was in a great assemblye of the Iewes that is to saye in a Schoole Temple or Church because it pertayned to the right instruction of the whole Chuch and of the vniuersall worlde C. Hée signifyeth that this Sermon was made as of a graue and serious matter M. and that Christ was found of the Capernaites in the Sinagogue into the whiche hée entered to teache that they might heare him speaking of so great misteries For hee woulde teache openlye Ioh. 18.20 that hée might haue many witnesses of his Doctrine Euen as hée bouldlye affirmed before the highe Priest As hee taught in Capernaum This is a notable prerogatiue of the Citye of Capernaum that they had Christ him selfe to bée their teacher and that openlye not once or twyse but oftentimes What thing more profitable coulde happen to this Citye than this that the Sonne of GOD shoulde bée the teacher of the same It was iustly sayd to bée lyfted vp to Heauen Those Cityes waxe proude in the which sometyme certaine notable men haue lyued or else haue done some notable thing But howe muche more notable was that which happened to this Citye Mat. 11.23 But when it dyd contempne this singular grace and abused the same it was iustlye sayd to bée deiected to the pit of hell The Romanistes bragge of Peter and Paules seate and vnder the pretence hereof haue inuaded and wonne the gouernment of the Christian world haue exalted them selues euen to the Heauens Good Lorde what woulde they haue done if so bée Christ had taught so oftentimes among them But nowe séeing they doe not retaine the Doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles in their proper place what else remaineth for them now than the greater condemnacion All these Churches whiche haue by the goodnesse and mercye of God the sound and wholsome doctrine of the Gospell which other Churches want must haue this example of the Capernaites alwayes before their eyes 60. Many therefore of his Disciples when they had heard this sayde This is an harde saying Who can abyde the hearing of it Many therefore of his Disciples M. All that which is contained betwéene this verse and the ende of the Chapter concerneth the Discyples of Christ C. Fyrst of all it is declared that there were verye fewe among this great multitude which receiued any profite naye this doctrine was the occasion that many whiche professed them selues to bée the Disciples of Christe fell away If the Euangelist had sayd that onelye a fewe had béene offended it had béene almost a wonder but in that a great multitude ryse and conspire against him what example shall wee say it is M. It is no maruaile therefore if the rude multitude dyd not receyue the misticall wordes of Christes when that his owne Disciples could not abyde the hearing of them Wherefore let this Historye bée printed in our heartes least that at any time wée trouble Christ when he is speaking and if wée see the lyke
exclude thée out of the Sinagoge as a lying heritique Behoulde here wyth what security and bouldenesse impietye and hypocrisie obiect vnto the Prince of godlynesse and truth the lye M. The malice of the Pharisées could not be at rest Esay 57.20 For the hearte of the wicked is as the boyling Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vppe myre and dyrte The more the brightnesse of this light dyd reueale it selfe in Christ the more this wicked kinde of men was inflamed with malice It gréeued them much that the temptation by the Adulterous woman had no better successe They retourne therefore to the fight and contention euen as flyes to the flame of a burning Candle C. And rashlye they say that hée speaketh in vayne except hée bringe better proofe then hys owne wordes M séeing it is written Let another man prayse thee Pro. 27.2 and not thy owne mouth a straunger and not thy owne lippes A. But willinglye they were ignoraunt that Christ had sayde vnto them Iohn 5.34 I receyue not testimonye from man but I speake these thinges that yee might bee saued M. Wée are taught therefore in this place that it is no meruayle if so bée the Preachers of the truth are accounted as lyers of the wicked Children of the Deuill when as these Doctors durst openlye wyth such boldenesse resiste the truth it selfe But lette this one thing suffice Deut. 18. i9 That God one day wil take vengance of those which despise the doctrine of his Prophete whome hée sendeth vnto them 14. Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto them though I beare recorde of my selfe yet my recorde is true for I knowe whence I came and whether I goe but ye can not tell whence I come and whether I goe Bv. Christ by this demonstracion plainelye proueth that hée is the sonne of God and verye God him selfe and that the Doctrine of the Gospell is most certaine C. also that this testimonye hath credite and aucthoritye inough because hée is no priuate personne taken from among the common sort of men but a farre more excellent person M. Hée doth not denye but that he testifyeth of him selfe but hée denyeth that his testimony is false And this he doth by making a distinction C. For when hée sayeth hée knoweth from whence he came and whether he would goe he exempteth him selfe from the coÌ„mon number of men The sence and meaning therefore is this Although euery man is suspected in his owne cause and although it bée prouided by lawes that no man speaking in his owne cause should bée credited yet notwithstanding this can take no place in the Sonne of God which is aboue the whole worlde For hée is not to bée reackenedin the order of menne but hath this priueledge from the Father to gouerne all men with his worde aloane B. Here thou séest that the Lord sayd by immitacion or concession â—â—hn 5.31 If I testifye of my selfe my testimony is not true For because hée knewe from whence hée came and whether hée would goe that is to saye that hée was the sonne of GOD and the euerlasting woord of the Father which tooke vppon him our humane nature whiche also hée woulde shortlye after extoll and aduaunce into the glorye of his Father knowing these thinges hée coulde not but speake that whiche was most true that is to saye diuine and coulde testifye nothing of him selfe but that which was in lyke manner most true But the Iewes knewe neyther of them boath and therefore they coulde not beléeue the true testimonye whiche hee gaue of him selfe C. For Christ in these woordes testifyeth that hee had not his beginning of the worlde but that he came from God and therefore not méete and right that his Doctrine whiche is Diuine should bée subiect to mans Lawes But because he then had vpon him the fourme of a seruaunt and was humble and méeke hée was despised for the which cause he putteth them in minde of the glorious Resurrection whiche hée should haue which in déede was a manifest shewe and proofe of his hydden and vnknowne Diuinitye at the first When hée sayeth that hee knoweth and they knowe not he geueth vs to vnderstande that his glorye is nothing diminished by their vnbeléefe B. As for example If so bée an Ambassadour shoulde come from the Emperoure promisyng greate benefytes vnto vs in the name of the Emperoure if wée wyll obeye his commaundementes and wée denying to beléeue him hée should saye I know from whence I came and whether I gooe I am sure that I am the Emperours Ambassadour sent for those consideracions which I haue declared vnto you to him also I wyll returne and shew him how I haue done my businesse and wyll receyue the condigne reward of my labours Therefore what thinges soeuer I testifye of my Ambassage they are true but you which knowe not from whence I came and whyther I goe refuse to geue credite vnto mée M. By this place also Christ declareth that the Iewes had falselye boasted before saying VVee knowe from whence this fellowe is but when Christ shall come no man shall knowe whence he is 15. Yee Iudge after the fleshe I iudge no man Ye Iudge after the fleshe C. This place maye bée expounded twoo manner of wayes eyther that they iudged of him after the wicked sence and vnderstanding of their fleshe or else that they iudged of him according to the outwarde shewe of his person For fleshe is sometyme taken for the outwarde shewe of man and boath sences doe verye well agrée with this place because whether the affections of the fleshe beare rule or whether the beholding of the person doe preuaile in Iudgement there neyther trueth nor equitye take place Notwithstanding the sence seemeth to be more certayne if so be we make here a comparison betwéene the fleshe and the spyrite as if hee should therefore deny them to bee lawfull and meete Iudges because they were not guided by the spirite As if hée should saye Yee iudge of my woordes and deedes after your wicked affections hauing no part of the Spyrite of GOD in you therefore ye erre RV And this is the onely cause why menne erre and iudge amisse of Diuine matters I iudge no man A. Some distinguishe thus that he iudgeth not as man iudgeth othersome referre it to the tyme because hée being in earth tooke not vppon him as yet the office of a Iudge C. But more rightlye it is ioyned with the sentence following that the sence may bee thus Christ Iudgeth not and if he doe iudge his iudgement is fyrme and authenticall because it is diuine So that the formar parte where he denyeth that hée iudgeth ought rather to bée restrayned to the cyrcumstaunce of this present place For that hée might the better conuince his enemies of pride hée vseth this comparison because they vsurped to them selues lycence to Iudge preposterously and yet neuerthelesse coulde not abyde him teaching simplye and abstayning from the