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
to saye that onlye Sacrifice Christ Iesus So we reade that this Lambe was slaine from the beginning of the worlde Reuela 13 C. Saint Iohn therefore goeth about to shewe that there remayneth nothing nowe for sinners but that they flée vnto Christ theyr refuge to the ende he might ouerthrowe all satisfactions offeringes and redemptions of men being nothing but false and forged collusions of Satan our enemye This woorde taketh awaye maye be twoo manner of wayes expounded 1. Peter 2 Esay 53. eyther that Christ hath taken vppon him selfe the burthen wherewith wée were oppressed or else that hée quite abolisheth sinnes CHR. Furthermore in that hée sayeth Taketh in the present tence the continuall action of taking awaye is ment For the offering which he once made alwayes standeth of force Let vs knowe therefore that wée now at the last for Christ his sake are reconciled vnto God the Father if wée take the right waye vnto his death and if we doo beléeue that hée was the onelye Sacrifice nayled to the Crosse which taketh away our sinnes R. Furthermore Christ doth not so take awaye sinnes that it maye bée lawfull for euerye man licentiouslye to liue as him lysteth as the carnall falsely gather but that we should liue vnto God Rom. 6 and to righteousnesse For wheresoeuer sinnes are taken awaye by faith there in stéede thereof succedeth the Spirite mortifying from thencefoorth the dreags of sinne Touching the exposition of the nexte verse reade that whiche is spoken of in the fifteenth verse going before 31. And I knewe him not but that he should be declared to Israel Therfore am I come baptizing with water And I knewe him not C. Least men should thinke this testimonye to bée geuen eyther for fauour or friendship hée preuenteth that doubte affirming that he hath no other knowledge of Christ than that which came from heauen to him M. Although therfore hée knewe him to be in the middest of Israel yet for all that he knewe him not by face for there was no familiaritye betwéene them Christ had led his life in Nazareth of Galilee being there with the Carpenter Ioseph and nowe at the first he came from Nazareth to Iordan But Iohn liued in the wildernesse among the beasts and inhabitauntes of the Wildernesse Least therfore by a wrong suspicion and doubte the testimony should be discredited which was geuen to Christ he addeth saying And I knewe him not But that he should be declared to Israel He came to Baptize for this principall cause though this was not the onelye cause He came truelye to Iordan preaching the Baptisme of repentaunce that by this occasion he might knowe him whome before he knewe not that being knowne of him he might reueale him to Israel He Baptized also to this ende that he might bring the heartes of the Israelites to repentaunce and by this meanes might prepare the waye of the Lorde which was at hande Notwithstanding he sayeth well that he came to this ende that Christ might be made manifest vnto Israel For vnlesse this be done al the rest profiteth nothing This thing ought al the Ministerie of Iohn the Apostles to do Moreouer except repentaunce be ioyned vnto it Christ is declared in vaine C. And séeing it was necessarye that Iohn should be sent of GOD that hée might lawfullye Baptize we maye gather herevppon that no man hath libertye of him selfe to institute Sacraments for this right onelye pertayneth to God Euen as our Sauiour Christ in another place to prooue the Baptisme of Iohn demaundeth whether it was from Heauen or of men Math. 21 For the exposition of the twoo verses following reade the thyrde Chapter of Mathew 34. And I sawe and bare recorde that he is the sonne of God M. Although Iohn knewe Christ whome hée had shewed to bée present and of whome he had Preached before this time to be the Sonne of GOD yet notwithstanding by the foresayde Heauenlye inauguration contayned in thirtye and twoo and thirtye and thrée verses he knewe this Iesus whome before hée knewe not to bée the Sonne of God And he knewe this not by the vision onelye but by the voyce also of the Father which came from Heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne Math. 3. C. So that this signe was added because of confirmation and that not so muche in respect of Iohn as for all our sakes M. But séeing Christ is in the Scriptures called the sonne of Dauid Question why doeth not Iohn say And I sawe and testifyed that he is the sonne of Dauid Aunsvver Because that although hée hadde made noe lye yet notwithstanding he shoulde not sufficiently haue set foorth the glory of Christ And this is worthy to be nooted that he witnessed Christ to be the sonne of God because Christ shoulde be the gyuer of the holy Ghost and because the honour office of reconcilyng men vnto God belongeth to no other beside him M. And this knowledge and faith of the Sonne of GOD as it springeth of the diuine reuelation so it maketh a man blessed as Christ plainelye declared to Peter in the sixtéenth chapter of Mathew Math. 16 35. The next daye after John stode againe and two of his disciples B. By litle and litle the Euangelist passeth by narration from the testimonyes of Iohn to the testimonies which his owne déedes and sayinges gaue to the Lorde And séeing it was the office of Iohn to reueale Christ vnto Israel hath he thus farre foorth made mention of that story passing ouer without doubt many thinges which Iohn preached concerning the Lorde The other thrée Euangelistes haue more largelye written of that which hée hath omitted with the which the Godly are satisfied M. But this is the last testimonye of Iohn concerning Christ among those whiche the Euangelist meant to repeate Who in affirming Iohn to stand commendeth his diligence in reuealing Christ as one that sought al occasion to fulfill his office C. Here furthermore we sée howe base and simple the beginning of the Churche was Iohn truelye prepared Disciples for Christ but Christ nowe beginneth him selfe to prepare his Church 36. And behelde Iesus as hee walked by and sayeth Beholde the Lambe of God M. From whence and whyther hée walked the Euangelist sheweth not But it is likelye that Christ according to the great humilitye of his minde as hée vouchsafed to receyue Iohns Baptisme so also he was contented to heare his Sermons which he communicated to the people and so it came to passe when the Sermon was ended because it was nowe almost euentide that hée went to that place where he meant to rest all night But it appeareth by this appellation of Christ that Iohn oftentimes called Christ the Lambe of God taking away the sinnes of the worlde and that notwithout cause for it is the office of a good teacher not once onely but oftentimes to inculcate those thinges into the eares of his auditours which are necessarye for them to
loued vs because it springeth from his eternall purpose is aboue all other causes but that his grace which he woulde haue to be made manifest vnto vs and by which wée haue assuraunce of saluation beginneth at the reconciliation made by Christ For séeing wée must néedes graunt that he hateth all sinne and wickednesse howe canne wée assure our selues to bée in his loue and fauour vntill our sinnes are cleane put awaye for the which hée is iustly angry with vs. Thus the blood of Christ must bée the meane to make God fauorable vnto vs before wee can haue any manner of féeling of his Fatherly loue and clemencie B. And Christ is called the onely begotten Sonne of GOD because hée is the heade of Gods children and haue all receyued of the fulnesse of his grace that wee also might be the sonnes of GOD. Moreouer there was neuer any man beside him Heb. 7.26 that was without sinne and which bare the full and perfect Image of God for hée onely is innocent And this name of the onely begotten sonne Christ by nature but wee by adoption are the sonnes of God appertayneth to Christ by right bicause by nature hee is the onely Sonne of God but wee by adoption being ingraffed into his bodye Therefore this name of onelye begotten Sonne is put downe vnto vs to expresse the vehemencie of Gods loue towarde vs. For because men doe not easilye perswade themselues to bée beloued of God to take awaye all doubt from vs hée expressely sayth That God hath so greatlye loued vs that for our sakes hée hath not spared his onelye begotten sonne Seing then God hath sufficientlye declared vnto vs his loue hée shall not be a little iniurious to Christ that not contented with this testimonye shall doubt still and make no more accounte of Christ than if one of the common sorte of men had béene giuen to death But wée must rather waye and consider of how great price God estéemed his sonne to whome our saluation was so precious that he woulde redéeme the same with the price of his onelye begotten sonne Euen so the Apostle setteth this loue of God towarde vs before our eyes to be considered Rom. 8.32 saying which spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all howe also with him shall hee not giue vnto vs all thinges That euerye one which beleeueth in hym should not perish A. Concerning these wordes reade the fifteenth verse going before 17. For God sent not his sonne into the world to condempne the worlde but that the worlde might be saued through him M. These wordes appertayne to the enlarging setting foorth of the loue of God with the whiche hée hath so loued this worlde that hée hath giuen his onelye begotten Sonne to the same Hée might by the sending of his Sonne vtterly condempne and destroy the worlde For the worlde by his wickednesse and impietie hath deserued perpetuall condemnation but such is the loue of GOD towarde the same that hée had rather spare it and by sending his sonne to bee a Sauiour sought rather to offer the cause of saluation than of condemnation Therefore this is here attributed to the loue of God because hée would not take vengaunce of the wickednesse of the worlde and because the same loue was so great that by the excellencie thereof it hath repressed the seuerity of the iudgement by which hée might iustlye haue condemned the worlde R. The will therefore of the Father is to saue by the sonne But what for all this Surelye although our sinnes condemne vs yet the father saueth vs by the sonne If we bée afflicted by the crosse the Father saueth vs by his Sonne If we be ouerwhelmed with death yet the Father saueth vs by the sonne Therefore let vs stedfastlye beléeue and leane to this worde God sent not his Sonne into the worlde to condempne the world but that the worlde might be saued through him For hereby thou mayest receyue great comforte and consolation in all thy afflictions Bv. For our Lorde Iesus Christ shall come in the Clowds of Heauen Math. 26 and .24 to iudge both the quicke and the dead with great power and Maiestye But it will bée in the ende of the worlde first Nowe hée commeth not as a Iudge but as a most merciful Sauiour Therfore although now thy great sinnes doe accuse thée and condemne thée consider that this is the time of grace and mercy and feare not but bée of good courage and so shalt thou finde grace and fauour Ezech. 18 and .23 R. For thus sayth the Lorde I liue which will not the death of a sinner but rather that lie tourne from his wickednesse and liue Bv. Therefore if thou bée conuerted and repose thy whole trust in the Sonne of GOD who suffered for thée that hée might make satisfaction for thy sinnes Rom. 8.31 and reconcile thée vnto God thou shalt bée safe 1. Iohn 2.1 For Paule sayeth If God be with vs who can be against vs And Saint Iohn sayeth If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for our sinnes alone but for the sinnes also of the whole worlde Luke 19. and .10 To this effect also appertayneth this Euangelicall sentence The Sonne of man commeth to saue that whiche was lost and diuers other such like sentences E. Moreouer that which is spoken in another place Iohn 9.39 is nothing contrarye to these wordes of our Sauiour Christ I came to iudgement into the worlde that they which see not might see and that they which see might bee made blinde For in these wordes he declareth what his comming shal be to many but in this place what speciallye it shal be to the whole worlde Iohn 12. and .47 So is that to bée taken which hée sayth in another place For I came not to iudge the world C. To iudge here is taken for to condemne as in many other places also Therefore in that he denyeth that he came to condemne the world hée noteth thereby the proper ende of his comming For howe néedelesse was it that Christ shoulde come to destroye vs which were to much alreadye ouerwhelmed with destruction Therefore in Christ wée must consider nothing but that God of his infinite mercye and goodnesse Rom. 8.33 sought to helpe vs and to deliuer vs from destruction B. And as hée cannot sinne to condemnation which is borne of God the Lord at the length by his holy spirite purging out all sinne Ioh. 5.24 and vndoubtedly pardoning whatsoeuer is committed Euen so such a one cannot bée iudged that is to saye condemned For by Christ hée hath passed from death to life And being assured of Gods loue and fauour in Christ hath alreadye eternall life Wherefore whatsoeuer belongeth vnto sinne and death must decrease and fade away Othersome which beléeue not in the name of the onelye begotten Sonne of
Math. 11.11 because among womens Children there arose not a greater than Iohn the Baptist For hée shall be counted for euer as a good faythfull and true witnesse of the Sonne of God and yet not for the Messias as manye then thought him to bée But for a faythfull Forerunner and Minister of the Messias The which I woulde to God they woulde dilligentlye noate and consider which at this daye make much prating of the intercessions and worship of Saintes R. By this sentence also wée are admonished that all the auctorities dignities offices righteousnesse wisdome and power of men must fall downe that the aucthority dignitie office righteousnesse wisdome and power of Christ may be established 31. Hee that commeth from an highe is aboue all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth He that commeth from heauen is aboue all He that commeth from an high Bv. Thus farre Saint Iohn hath remoued the sinister and false opinion which the people had conceyued of him now hée declareth his minde and iudgement concerning Christ C. and sheweth by another similitude howe much Christ differeth from all other men and howe greatly hée excelleth them For he compareth him to the King and moste excellent Gouernor who speaking from his high throne is to be hearde for the reuerence of his Emperies sake But hée teacheth that it is sufficient for him to speake from of his footestoole Bv. As if hée shoulde saye This man is not a man onelye as ye thinke but God also and hée commeth from an high and hath béene from the beginning by whome all thinges were made and therefore hée teacheth thinges both heauenlye and deuine Why then shoulde not all men come vnto him Therefore hée sayth that Christ came from an high not onlye in that hée is God but also because in him there is nothing to be séene but that which is full of maiestie and heauenlye M. And whereas it is sayde that Christ descended from aboue it is no otherwise to be vnderstoode than of the prerogatiue of the originall by which he came into this worlde not onelye from heauen but also from God the Father being the onely begotten sonne of God For otherwise the Angelles come from heauen to whome notwithstanding that dignitye doth not belong which is here giuen to Christ Who sayth I went out from the father and came into the world Ioh. 16.28 B. Furthermore to the ende hée might most euidently set before the eyes of all men the dignitie and excellency of the sonne of God and might alure the whole world and his Disciples to worship to heare to embrace and to receiue him hée addeth that Christ Js aboue all M. That is to saye aboue all mortall men and aboue all creatures yea aboue the very Aungels Hée sayth not He shall be aboue all But he is aboue all because hée doth not declare of what estimation Christ was among the Iewes to whom hée was the outecaste of the people Esay 53.3 Psal 22.7 a worme and no man yea and the reproch of men but how he was estéemed in the sight of God his Father Heb. 1.2 Bv. For all thinges are subiect vnto him hée is the Lorde of all and is subiect to none according to his deuine substaunce but he is equall with his Father and ruleth ouer all Hee that is of the earth is earthlye C. That is to saye He that is of the earth sauoureth of his originall and according to the condition of his nature stayeth himselfe vppon the order of heauenlye thinges Christ onlye speaketh from Heauen This therefore hée affirmeth to bée proper onelye vnto Christ to speake from an high because hée speaketh from heauen Therfore hée calleth Christ heauenlye 1. Cor. 15. euen as the Apostle calleth him in that collation in the which hée compareth him to Adam And by these wordes mannes nature is extenuated and abased to the ende all fleshe may learne to abase and humble it selfe before GOD. Euen so must mans nature be humbled and abased when it is compared with that which is deuine and celestiall So Abraham when hée talked with the Angell of God sayde Gen. 18.27 I haue begonne to speake with GOD and am but dust and asshes Euen so so often as wée are drawne vnto pride wée must bée put in mind of our owne imbecility basenesse and corruption as first from whence wée are namely from the earth secondlye what wée are namelye terrestrial and earthlye thirdelye what wée are able to doe or what are those thinges which wée speake thinke and doe as of our selues namelye terren and earthly Therfore whosoeuer shall consider these thinges dilligentlye and with his heart Mans corrupt nature beateth downe his Pride hée shall not boast nor exalte himselfe neyther against man nor against GOD. B. And if it fortune that mans dignitie at anye time be extolled it is so extolled and commended in respect of the Image of God which hée hath ingraued in man But because Psa 49 1◠when hée was in honour hée vnderstoode not therefore hée is compared to the Beastes that are without vnderstanding and is made lyke vnto them And therefore it is néedefull that he shoulde bée alwayes put in minde of his basenesse and of his profite Question C. But it may be demaunded if Iohn the Baptist came not also from heauen in respect of his vocation and office and was therfore to be hearde the Lorde speaking by his mouth For he séemeth to be iniurious to the heauenly doctrine which hée preached M. For séeing hée speaketh generallye of all men and putteth himselfe without all doubt in the same number howe can that belong vnto hym which he sayth And speaketh of the Earth Are those thinges which hée preached and the testimonies which hée bare vnto Christ and the Baptisme wherewith he baptized Christ earthlye If they bee earthlye how can the Euaungelist saye Iohn 1.6 There was a man sent from God whose name was Iohn In like manner Mat. 21 2◠howe doth Christ argue and affirme that the Baptisme of Iohn was from heauen Luke 7 3◠Also in another place he calleth the Baptisme of Iohn the Counsell of God despised of the Pharisées If these thinges are not of the earth but heauenly how then doeth he saye here of him selfe Hee which is of the earth is earthlye Aunsvvere and speaketh of the earth C. Aunswere here vnto maye thus bée made This which Iohn here speaketh is not simply spoken but comparatiuelye If wée consider of Ministers by them selues they speake as it were from Heauen with great aucthority that which is commaunded them of God but so soone as they beginne to apose them or compare them with Christ we ought not So the Apostle comparing the Lawe with the Gospell sayeth Hebr. 12.25 If they escaped not which refused hym that spake on earth muche more shall wee not escape If we turne awaye from him that speaketh
things This had béene the parte of reasonable men But they doe none of these things but according to the disposition of fleshe they murmure because the Lorde sayde that he came downe from heauen For this is the lot of Christes doctrine that it shall sooner finde such as shall murmure gainst it and contemne and deride it béefore they know it than suche as shall rightly vnderstande it and when they vnderstande it earnestlye imbrace it 42. And they sayde Is not this Iesus the sonne of Ioseph whose Father and mother wee know How is it then that hee sayeth I came downe from heauen Is not this Jesus Bv. They looked for some mightie and victorious Messias to raigne ouer them as did Salomon Cyrus and Alexander therefore they dispised the humilitie of Christ not perceyuing howe this base man discended from heauen M. For they thought that hée had so spoken of his discention from heauen as though hée had denyed himselfe to haue béene borne in this worlde among men but euen as hée was present before them to haue fallen as some Aungell from Heauen Herevppon it commeth that they saye Is not this Iesus the sonne of Ioseph As if they should haue said doth he think vs to be so dule scenelesse that wée will suffer our selues to be perswaded that hée came downe from heauen séeing we knowe from whence hée came who he is of what stocke and kindered and with whome hée was brought vp what rashenesse then is this that hée sayth he descended from heauen as though he spake to straungers and to such as did not know him C. They had therefore a double let The one was whiche they fayned to themselues by a false opinion when they sayde This is the sonne of Ioseph whose Father mother we know Two â—bling â—kes to â—ewes The other was the which proceded of a wrong Iudgement because they did not thinke Christe to be the Sonne of God for that he descended to men taking vpoÌ„ him our fleshe But wée are to to wicked if so be wée therefore despise the Lorde of glory because hée did abase and emptye himselfe for our sakes taking vpon him the forme of a seruant For this was rather a manifest signe of his vnspeakable loue toward vs and also of his wonderfull grace Furthermore the deuine Maiestie of Christ did not so lye hidde vnder the base and contemptible shewe of the fleshe but that the bright beames of the deuine glorye appeared but those grose and scencelesse men wanted eyes to beholde the same Bv. So at this daye when Iesus is preached and the same crucefyed when mortification regeneration is taught the preaching is contemned of prowde men of couetous ambitious Carnall Gospellers follow Christ for gaine and luxurious men which crye from whence haue we this newe doctrine which these newe Apostles set before vs Let vs noate therefore in this place the nature of fleshe and bloode which followeth the Gospell so long as there is hope of gaine but that hope being taken away it starteth aside M. Moreouer the corrupt nature of fleshe and bloode is to stande vppon externall thinges and to iudge after the outwarde apparaunce not onely of the Sonne of God but also of all the elect of whome it iudgeth not according to the qualitie of the minde whiche is heauenlye but according to the humility and basenesse of the fleshe It doth not beléeue that those whome it séeth in this worlde to be poore Idiots vnlearned base weake contemned abiectes and knowne according to the natiuitye and conuersation of the fleshe are borne of GOD and are sonnes of the heauenlye kingdome This thing S. Iohn expoundeth in another place in these wordes saying Behoulde what loue the Father hath bestowed on vs that wee shoulde be called the sonnes of GOD. 1. Iohn 3.1 For this cause the worlde knoweth you not because it knoweth not him 43. Iesus answered and sayde vnto them Murmure not among your selues Bv. Murmuration against God and the truth braules also and contentions and strifes in religion are very displeasant to God the same are oftentimes gréeuously punished Wherfore the lord giuing good aduice to the multitude exhorteth them not so to murmure and grudge C. Notwithstanding hée layeth the blame of murmuration vpon them as if hée shoulde saye my doctrine contayneth no matter of offence but because ye are reprobates it proueth your poysoned mindes and is therefore vnsauorye because your mouthes are out of taste M. The wisedome of the Lorde is here to be considered by which hée is very circumspect least if hée should hold his peace at those things whereat they murmured among themselues they might thinke that they had iustly murmured Let vs followe this wise dilligence by which wée must beware least they whiche murmure against the truth murmure not without reason 44. No man can come to me except the father which hath sent mee draw him and I will rayse him vp at the last daye No man can come to mee M. Hée repeateth that which hée had sayd but in other wordes For hee had sayd All that my Father giueth mee shall come vnto mee and now hée sayth No man can come vnto me except my Father which hath sent mee draw him As if hée shoulde saye ye murmure without reason of this that I sayde I came downe from heauen For it is no meruell if ye knowe not mée but are offended at this humilitie of my fleshe Did not I saye vnto you that they shall come to mée whome my father hath giuen mée Why doe ye not rather murmure of that amonge your selues Nowe I confirme the very same vnto you namely that it is impossible that anye man should knowe who I am from whence and to what ende I am come except he be drawne to me by grace from my Father R. But your bellye draweth you vnto mée and not my heauenlye father It is no meruell therefore if ye beléeue not my wordes C. Here Christ openly pronounceth that the doctrine of the Gospell although it be preached to all men alyke cannot notwithstanding be of al men receiued but they must first be renewed in minde in vnderstanding Fayth therefore commeth not by the will of man but by the will of GOD. Bv. To come to Christ is to béeléeue and to cleaue vnto Christ to receyue Christ and to depende onelye vpon him as we haue hearde in the fiue and thirtie verse going before C. Hée sayth they are drawne whose mindes God doth illuminate and whose heartes hée bendeth and frameth to the obedience of Christ R. For GOD draweth in that order as before wée haue described For hée hath chosen some before the foundation of the worlde was layde and those whome hée hath elected hée hath called and doth call by Christ through the preaching of the Gospell And there is no cause why thou shouldest faine and Imagine to thy selfe any heauenly voyces and descentions of the holye Ghost which shoulde happen beside
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
Iesus therfore sawe her weepe and the Iewes also weeping which came with her hee groned in the spirite and vvas troubled in him selfe Bv. The Lorde aunswereth nothing to the complaint of Mary For he had reasoned the matter sufficientlye with Martha to whome he had promised notable thinges as that it woulde come to passe that Lazarus should be raised from death to lyfe againe Wherefore the tyme and occasion was nowe come not to dispute farther of the resurrection but to performe that which he had promised B. Furthermore when he sawe Marye altogeather in morning and the Iewes to mourne and wéepe with her also the present wéeping so moued him that he him selfe wepte also B. Thus he dyd sorrow with those that sorrowed and declared him selfe both to be a verye man and also endued with true loue The cause of such affection the Euangelist expresseth when hée sayeth that hée wept when he saw Mary the rest wéeping Howbeit there is no doubt but that he had a farther respect namelye to the cōmon misery of mankind For hée remembred the charge committed to him of the Father and wherfore he was sent into the worlde namelye that he might deliuer vs from all euyll This as he dyd in very déede so he would shewe that he dyd the same with the serious affection of the minde Therefore hée going about to raise vp Lazarus Christ lamented the miserye of mankinde testifyed with groning in the spirite with greefe and with teares that he was no lesse affected and grieued for our miserye than if he had béene in the same him selfe For the sonne of God hauing taken vppon him our fleshe Heb. 4. woulde also of his owne accorde take vpon him our affections that he might differre nothing from his brethren but in sinne onely And herein hee declared him selfe to bée our brother that we might knowe that wée had such a mediatour as knoweth easily howe to haue compassion vppon our infirmityes he him selfe hauing had experience of the same in his fleshe If any man obiect and saye Question Séeing the passions of menne are vicious it is not conuenient that the Sonne of God should bée partaker of them with vs Wée aunswere that there is great difference betwéene Christ and vs. Aunsvvare For therefore our affections are vitious because they excéede and haue no measure but the affections in Christ because they tended to the obedience of GOD and did not excéede were without blame or faulte For if so bée thou compare his passions with oures thou shalt find so great difference betwéene them as there is betwéene fayre springing water and foule dyrtye puddle Christ greatlye troubled him selfe and was much moued but so notwithstanding that he kepte him felfe within the compasse of his Fathers wyll Bv. To bee short when Saint Iohn sayeth that Iesus groaned in his spirite he meaneth that he was so moued in the bowelles of mercye that for the time he could not speake This motion alway goeth before teares in such as are vehemently affected For the like also we reade of Ioseph Ge. 43.30 who being moued with compassion toward his brother sought where to wéepe 34. And sayde where haue ye laide him They saide Lorde come and see M. This is not to so bée vnderstoode as though Christ knewe not in what place Lazarus was buryed For hée who being so farre of knew without any mans report that he was dead how coulde he also be ignoraunt of the place of his buriall God forbyd we should suspect this in Christ from whome no man can kéepe him selfe howe secréetely soeuer he bée hyd He demaunded therfore this question not to learne but to auoide the wicked suspicion of the Iewes least hee might séeme to doe any thing fradulentlye in this matter 35. And Iesus wept M. These teares came in very good order and time before the miracle that the infirmitye of the fleshe might be ioyned in this worke with the power of God that if so bée the diuine maiestye shewed in the raysing vppe of Lazarus should discourage any from comming to Christ his weeping pittye and compassion might draw them backe againe and also that if so be any were offended at the infirmity of weeping he might be moued to beléeue in the Sonne of God by his power in raysing vp Lazarus 36. Then sayd the Iewes Beholde howe he loued him 37. And some of them sayde coulde not hee whiche opened the eies of the blind haue made that this man also should not haue dyed R. Parte construed the teares of Christ to the best and part to the worst C. And Saint Iohn describeth vnto vs a double iudgement concerning Christ for these former sort which sayde Behold how he loued him although they thought not so honorably of Christ as they shoulde haue done as attributing nothing vnto him but that which was humaine doe notwithstanding speake more indifferently and modestly of him than the other who maliciously murmured against him for that he dyd not saue and kéepe Lazarus from death For although they do commend the power of Christ cōcerning the which the other sayd nothing yet notwithstanding they do not the same without a certaine reproche Hereby it doth euidentlye inough appeare that the miracles which Christ had already wrought were very well knowne vnto them but the more filthy was their ingratitude that they let not to make exclamation against him because in one part he ceassed and satisfied not their expectation After the same manner men haue béene alwayes vnthankfull vnto God are vnthankfull styll Except he satisfye our desires in euery point we fall by and by to murmuring and grudging saying Seeing he hath beene alwayes hytherto wont to helpe why doth he now faile me So we reade of the Israelites when they were in the desart Can God also geue meate vnto his people in the wildernesse Behold he stroake the Roche so that water gushed out withal and can he geue bread also But this their murmuring prouoked the Lorde to anger as we shal see if we reade the thrée scoore and eightéene Psalm beginning at the ninetéen verse 38. Iesus therfore againe groaned in him selfe and came to the graue It was a Caue and a stoane layde vpon it C. Because Christ came to the Sepulchre not as an idle looker on but as a wrastler which prepareth him selfe to trye maisteries it is no maruaile if he groane againe For the violent tiranny of death whiche he went about to ouercome was before his eyes M. There are some which thinke that this groaning procéeded of disdaine and displeasure because the vnbeleefe of the which we haue spoken dyd offend him But the former reason séemeth to bée more apte namelye because he had more regard to the matter it selfe than to menne M. We must also note here an example of patience He aunswered not the wicked ones as he might haue done and as they deserued neither dyd he ceasse from finishing the worke which hée had
what thing worthy of hatered did the most méeke and louing Lord Iesus commit He deliuered from destruction he deliuered from the tyranny of the Deuell he extinguished the strength of synne he broughte manking out of seruitud and bondage into the gloriouse libertie of Gods childeren he hath geuen vnto men the participation of the holy Ghost and the kingdome of heauen to be our dwellyng place Wherefore he was rather to be commended of all men than to be hated But none of these thinges could mooue them For they hated him without any cause whome they should most entirely haue loued B. That which is written in the Psalme he sayeth was written in the Lawe because by the name of Law hée vnderstood the whoale Scripture C. Also the whoale doctrine of the Prophetes was nothing else but an Appendix of the Lawe And we know that the Ministery of Moyses continued but tyll Christes tyme of the which wee haue spoken in the seuentéene verse of the eyght Chapter going before Also he calleth it theyr lawe not for honours sake but that they might be more sharplye nipt with a familiar tytle As yf he should say they haue a Law geuen vnto them as it were by birthright in the which they sée their manners liuely drawen forth vnto them M. Where we haue to noate howe the wicked by their wickednesse fulfill those thinges which are foreshewed in the holy Scriptures The Iewes knewe this place of Scripture and yet notwithstanding they were so blinded that they did not perceiue that they fulfilled the same by hating Christ yea and if any had toulde them of the same they would in no wise haue acknoweledged it 26. But when the comforter is come whome I will send vnto you from the father euen the spirite of trueth whiche proceedeth of the Father he shall testefie of mee Bv. This also pertaineth to the consolation of the sayntes in persecutions which they suffer for the confession and preaching of the trueth of the Gospell C. For after Christ hath shewed that the Apostles ought not to estéeme any whit the lesse of the Gospell because the same hath many aduersaryes euen in the Church it selfe nowe he setteth against their wicked madnesse the testimony of the Spirite As yf he should saye the worlde shall rage agaynst you to some your Doctrine shal be a iestinge stocke and othersome shall deteste and abhorre the same but there shal be no such violent motions which shall shake the strength of your fayth when the holy Ghost is geuen vnto you which shall stablishe you by his testimony Bv. For I knowe howe hard a charge it séemeth vnto you to be which I nowe committe vnto you ye your selues féele howe vnapte and vnprepared ye are to take a matter of so great waight vppon you ye feare I knowe this world armed with wisedome pollicie and with all manner of helpes and strength But I would not haue you carefull the holy Ghost shal be geuen vnto you which shall geue testimony of me in this world and that with so great power that though this world rage neuer so mightely yet it shall preuaile nothing And this verely is our onlye comfort and staye when the world is on a roare on euery syde that the trueth of God beeing sealed by the holy Ghost in oure hartes it regardeth nothing that is in the world For yf so bée it were subiect vnto the Iudgement of men our Fayth shoulde dayly bée ouerthrowen a houndered times Therfore we must diligentlye noate howe we must staye our selues in the midest of so great troubles namelye thus because we haue not receiued the spirite of this world but the spirite of God we knowe what thinges God geueth vnto vs. This only witnesse doeth mightely repell disperse and ouerthrow whatsoeuer the world extolleth to obscure and beat down the power and glory of God Whosoeuer shal be endued with this spirite they haue so litle cause to be discouraged by the hatered and contempte of this worlde that euery one of them shall be conquerers and ouercommers of the same A. For this is the victory which ouercōmeth the world 1. Ioh. 5.4 euen our fayth In the meane time wée must beware that we do not depend vpon men For so soon as Fayth beginneth so to wander yea so soone as the same beginneth to goe forth of the sanctuary of God it must needes be miserably tossed Therefore it muste bee reuoked and brought to the inward and secret working of the spirite which the faithfull knowe to be geuen them from heauen And the spirit is sayd to testify of Christ because it retayneth and kéepeth the same fayth in him aloan that we might not séeke any part of our saluation in any other Moreouer he calleth the holy Ghost the comforter that is to saye our Instructor our aduocate and patrone that we bearing our selues bould vppon his defēce should neuer feare For Christ went about by this title to confirme and strengthen our fayth lest it should quail in temptations whom J will sēd vnto you C. He sayeth that he will sende his spirit from his Father and that the same shal procéede from the Father to make the same of more authority For the tstimony of the spirite could not suffice against so many strong assaults except we were perswaded that the same proceeded frō god Therefore it is Christ which sendeth his spirite but out from the heauenly glory to the ende we might know that the same is not a humaine gifte but the assured pledge of Gods grace But wheras in this place it is called the spirite of trueth it is to be applyed to the present circumstance For we must vnder stande an Antithesys or comparison for because without this witnesse men are diuersly caryed thys way and that way and knowe not where safely to rest but wheresoeuer he speaketh there hée deliuereth mens mindes from all doubting and feare of erroure A. Wherevpon the Apostle sayth It is God which stablisheth vs with you in Christ and hath anoynted vs which hath also sealed vs 2. Cor. i. 2i and hath geuen the earnest of the spirite into our heartes B. This spirit worketh all righteousnesse and truth in the sayntes it gloryfyeth Christ makinge them bould to confesse hym to be the only sauioure yt teacheth all thinges and maketh all those thinges which Christe hath spoken to be vnderstoode to bee shorte it leadeth into all trueth and therefore it is properly called the spirite of trueth 27. And yee shall beare wittenesse also because ye haue been with me from the beginning C. The meaning of Christe in these wordes is not that the testimony of the spirite is such that the Apostles shoulde haue the same priuately and aloane but that he would by them spread the same farther because they should be the Instrumentes of the spirite euenas he had spoken by their mouth As if Chryste shoulde haue sayde Bv. When I saye that the spirite shall beare witnesse of mee I
⧠A CATHOLIKE and Ecclesiasticall exposition of the holy Gospell after S. IOHN Gathered out of all the singuler and approued Deuines which the Lorde hath giuen vnto his Church by Augustine Marlorate And translated out of Latin into Englishe by Thomas Timme Minister Seene and allovved according to the order appoynted ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Marshe Anno Domini 1575. ¶ TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Lorde Thomas Earle of Sussex Vicount Fitzwalter Lorde of Egremont and of Burnell one of the Queenes Maiesties Honorable priuie Counsayle and Lorde high Chamberlayne of hir house of the noble order of the Garter Knight Iustice of Oyer of the Forrests Parkes VVarraynes and Chases from Trent Southvvarde and Captayne of the Gentlemen Pentioners And to the right honorable Lady his wyfe encrease of honour and true knowledge in Christ Iesus THE GREAT PROfite which the Christiā minde is to receyue by reading this Booke was the cause why I tooke the paynes to Translate it out of Latin into the English toung and the Recommending therof the more diligently to haue it read was the occasion which moued me to Dedicate my parte therein to your Honors For what Englishe man is there which will not thinke it a Booke most worthy the reading which he seeth warranted by your Names The honorable and generall report whereof hartneth me to present it vnto you wherein ye shall finde the deepe and deuine Euangelist Sainct John the marrow of all Commentaries vppon him vnder the name of Marlorates Collection last and least my faythfull trauell to turne them bothe to the vse of my Countrey The thing I know your Honors will like well bicause as I heare you can skilfully iudge so I doubt not but you haue made your choyce what to reade which so muche bruteth the credite of your abilitie founde out by effect As for my labor may it please your Honors to like it as comming from one which caught with the commendation of your Learning and Wisdome generally noyzed could not but offer my selfe to you as the wondering Queene of Saba could not rest tyll she had seene Salomons person of whose wisdome she had hard so muche And withall I thought it good in offering my labor to your Honors to ioyne you both togither thinking with my selfe that it must needes follow that suche skill and iudgement beeing in so Honorable a man must needes by societie of matche worke like effect in so honorable a Mate Wherefore not to trouble your Honors with longer speache I take my leaue Recommending my poore Paynes to your Honors protection the recompence whereof you shall receiue in your reading of the booke whose fruite will bring by Gods grace health to your soules and continuance of your Honor. Your Honors most humble Thomas Timme ⧠A CATHOLIKE AND ECCLESIASTICALL EXPOsition of the holye Gospell after S. JHON The Argument ALthough the worde of GOD dependeth or hangeth not vpon the auctoritie of men yet notwithstanding 1. Iohn 4. as it is profitable to proue the spirites whether they be of GOD or no So it is necessarie that they which take vppon them the office of teaching in the Churche doe keepe their auctoritie in the same to the ende the testimonie which they bring concerning the truthe maye more firmelie abide with the faythfull But trulie this Gospell which John bringeth is nothing else than a testimonie of Christ Iesus that is to say that Christ is the sonne of God the life of men the light of the worlde the breade of life which came downe from heauen the resurrection the waye the trueth and the life the good Shephearde of the sheepe and to be short the onelie sauiour of the worlde It is conuenient therefore that wee knowe who this was which so beareth witnesse of him which was conuersaunt among men hauing the shewe of a seruaunt Philip. 2. being in the similytude of men and founde in his apparell as a man being tempted in all thinges as we are and yet without sinne This one witnesse is to be credited of vs euen as well as a thousand Heb. 4. because he was one that writ these thinges to the edefying of the Church and for the common profite of all men not by the common fame and report of other men but by that which is most sure and infallible namelie by that which he hearde and saw himselfe euen as hee himselfe speaketh of himselfe in the ende of this historie saying Iohn 19. He vvhich savve bare vvitnesse and his vvitnesse is true and hee knovveth that he speaketh truth that ye might beleeue And in an other place he sayth That vvhich vvas from the beginning vvhich vve haue hearde vvhich vve haue seene which we haue looked vpon and our handes haue handeled of the worde of life we shewe vnto you For this writer of the sacred Historie 1. Iohn 1. or Gospel was in the time of Christ being the brother of the Apostle Iames borne in Galilee and the sonne of Zebede and Salomon as many thinke Of whose calling to the office of an Apostle S. Mathew in the .iiij. Chapter maketh mention aptly therfore he calleth this history the Gospel for he doth more largely and plainelie set forth the diuinity of Christ and the mistery of our redemption than the other Euangelists The which thing being forseene by our Lord and Sauiour Christ called this our Euangelist and his brother also the sonne of Thunder or as Marke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Furthermore the other three Euangelists are very large insetting forth the life and death of Christ but our Euangelist shortely touching those things stādeth more vpō that doctrine by the which both the office of christ and also the power of his death resurrection is explicated And to be short all of them seking to set forth Christ the first three namely Mathew Marke and Luke do set before vs If I may so speake the bodye but Iohn the soule Insomuch that this Gospell maye truelie be called the key which openeth the doore to come to the vnderstanding of the other three For who soeuer shall attaine to the knowledge of Gods power the which is here cunninglie expressed he at the length shall reade with profite that which the other Euangelistes haue written as concerning the redeemer Neyther was it done without the singuler counsell of the holie Ghost that the Gospell written by Mathew Marke and Luke shoulde be published and set foorth in the worlde before that which was written by Iohn for the weake eares of the faithfull were not capeable of so great thunder Therfore it was conuenient that the Incarnation of Christ shoulde fyrst of all be set foorth his Natiuitie described and howe according to the scriptures he was borne of the seede of Abraham of the tribe of Iuda and of the stocke of Dauid by what documents he prooued him selfe to be the true Messias how according to the scriptures he suffered and was buried and rose againe the thirde
daye and shewed himselfe aliue againe to his Disciples after that ascending into the heauens that so fayth increasing by little and litle there might be a way made to receyue the more hie documents of the diuinitie of Christ But there be manie that thinke that John was speciallie led to wirte to this ende and purpose namelie that he might defende the diuinitie of Christ against the wicked blasphemyes of Ebion Cerinthus and Carpocrates But what soeuer occasion hee had then to write there is notwithstanding no doubt but that GOD had a farther regarde to his Churche He did therefore so guide the pen of the Euangelist to write that the partes being deuided amongst them he might bring the whole bodie to a perfect worke And whereas they haue placed John in the fourth seate it was done vpon the consideration of the time in the which hee wrote namelie when he was in exile or when hee was called backe againe as some affirme from the death of Domitian ⧠A CATHOLIKE EXPOSItion vpon the Gospell of Saint JOHN The first Chapter IN the beginning was the Worde and the Word was with God and God was the Worde Jn the beginning was the woorde CHR. ALL THE other Euangelistes beginning at the incarnation Iohn pretermittyng the Conception Natiuity Education and growing of christ setteth before vs euen at the first his eternal generation saying In the beginning was the worde B. For to the ende he might expresse the diuinity of the Lorde Iesus he called him in his Epistle also the worde of life which was from the beginning 1. Ihon. 1 C. And by this exordium or preface he doth declare the eternall diuinitie of Christ to the ende we may know that God is eternal which was made manifest in the fleshe 1. Timo. 3 But this is the purpose of the Euangelist to shewe that the restoring of mankinde to the fauour of GOD and to euerlasting righteousnesse must néedes be brought to passe by the sonne of God séeing by his power all thinges were created as well in heauen as in earth both thinges visible and inuisible whether they bée maiestie or Lordeshippe eyther rule or power séeing he alone breatheth life and strength into all creatures and continueth them in their estate Collos 1 and specially in man himselfe hée hath made a singuler shewe and proofe both of his power and also of his grace insomuch that although Adam fell and transgressed yet for all that he ceassed not to be louing liberall and mercifull vnto his posteritie R. And this is the purpose of the Euangelist vntill he commeth to these wordes contayned in the sixt verse There was a man sent of GOD. c. In the which hée doth first of all teache the diuinitie of Christ by the which all things are created and then he setteth before vs his humanitie the which to the faythfull is the waye of recreation or creating againe For it doth verie well agree that they which are created by Christ shoulde also by him be created againe C. But wheras he calleth the sonne of GOD the word this séemeth to bée the true and simple cause namelie for that first of all he is the eternall wisedome and will of God secondly the verye expresse Image of his purpose and counsell For as the worde is sayd to be the Caracter or declaration of the mynde in men euen so this is not without cause also attributed vnto GOD that hee shoulde be sayde to expresse himselfe by his worde A. Therefore whether yée call the worde Logon in Gréeke or as Erasmus hath Sermonem beware lest you thinke that his proper essence is trulie as it is in it selfe expressed by this appellation M. For it is a Metaphoricall speache which being applied to our capacitie and vnderstanding maye describe vnto vs some shadow of that thing of the which he mindeth here to speake For it is taken of the similitude of our minde the whiche although it ruleth the whole man yet notwithstanding it is inuisible and vnknowen except the purpose and counsel which it hath conceyued bée bewrayed and made manifest vnto others by worde by whiche in déede a certaine Image of our minde is set before others to beholde Euen so God also whiche is that omnipotent power the creatour and preseruer of al thinges who for that he perceth all thinges is called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 theō is compared so far as that incomprehensible nature of the deuine Maiestye maye bée shadowed to the minde by whiche all this worlde is gouerned and the Lorde Christ his onely begotten sonne is compared to the word because by him the knowledge of God is reuealed to mortall men Colos 1. So Paul calleth Christ the Image of the inuisible God So Christ him selfe sayd Iohn 14. Philip he which seeth mee seeth my Father also And againe No man commeth to my Father that is to saye to the knowledge and fellowship of the Father but by me Iohn 11. Also it is sayde No man hath seene God at any time The sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hath shewed him vnto vs. C. Therefore as God did manifest him selfe in sauing the worlde by this worde euen so he had the same in his will and purpose at the first that there might bée a double relation the first to God the seconde to men A. Lest any man should with Seruetus imagine that this eternall word had his beginning when it was pronounced and put foorth in the creation of the worlde As though in déede it were not before that time that his power was knowen by the eternall worke But our Euangelist teacheth here another maner of matter not assigning to the worde any beginning of time but saying that it was from the beginning he goeth beyond all Ages and times For hée sayeth In the beginning was the worde R. In what beginning Eyther we must simplye vnderstande In principio or in the beginning to be that beginning which the Latines call Inprimis or at the first eyther without the preposition In as Principio or Primum and so to haue it limitted and comprehended in time Or else to saye In the beginning that is to saye The worde is without the compasse of time incomprehensible and vnspeakeable and so the worde was with that beginning in the whiche GOD sayde Fiat lux Let there be light Howbeit hée was neuer without being Gene. 1 there was neuer any time in the whiche he was not For hée is the brightnesse of the glorye of his Father Hebr. 1. and the expresse Image of his substance He was neuer absent from the Father nor neuer out of his sight For thus he sayth in Salomon Prou. 8. The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his waye I was before his worke of olde I was set vp from euerlasting from the beginning and before the earth B. In the which place Salomon by the name of wisedome meaneth the power
he is sayde to rest the Seuenth daye from all his worke it is no otherwise to bée vnderstoode than that he ceassed from the creation of the Heauen and Earth which we sée not that hée lefte of to gouerne the same and to preserue it For hee beareth vp all thinges by his mightye worde Heb. 1 The which thing ought to bring no small consolation to the mindes of the Godly For so they learne to rest stay them selues on Gods prouidence without the which not so much as one héere of their heade can perishe Luke 21 R. For hée which féeleth by faith that all thinges depende vpon God he beléeueth also that he falleth into the handes of God when he forsaketh al thinges and entereth into death A. We are also here admonished that theyr opinion is peruerse and wicked which thinke this worlde to be euerlasting We learne hereby also that the Sonne of God was neyther made nor created séeing by him all thinges were made as sayth our Euangelist And without it was made nothing that was made R. This is an exposition of the sentence going before For all thinges were so made by the worde that without the same there was no creature made Now if all thinges were made by the worde it followeth then that the worde was not made Wherefore the worde is God and not a creature as Arrian dreameth And because Satan goeth verye much about to derrogate the glory of Christ it séemed good to the Euangelist preciselye to affirme that of all thinges that were created none ought to be excepted A. For God created all thinges by his sonne christ M. But we must not thinke that as one Idle hée made all things by his worde as by his seruaunt and therevppon to gather that Christ is lesse then the Father God forbid For he made al thinges by his worde not as by a seruaunt but as it were by his wisedome and power Neyther must we thinke that the Father being vnable of him selfe to make and create did set his sonne to finishe this worke God fobid For although it be written that he made all things by his worde that is to say by his onely begotten sonne yet the Father is not therby excluded from the worke nor made vnable but is ioyned to the sonne both in omnipotencye in glory and in all other thinges Therefore this place admonisheth vs that so often as wée beholde the heauen the earth the Sea and al thinges in them contayned we should consider the omnipotencye of God in them waying in our mindes that all these thinges were made without any labour without any paine without any difficultye without any other helpes by the worde onelye By this consideration the faithful may very much comfort them selues and may arme theyr mindes with this faith against all the enemies of God For when they consider the singuler omnipotencye of God in this that by the power of his worde hée made all thinges they are taught that there is nothing harde or impossible vnto God to be done which with his word onlye can make all thinges But wée must take héede that wée thinke not those thinges onely which are profitable and séeme in our iudgement to be the best to be made of GOD by Christ and not the other also which we haue in small reputacion or thinke to be hurtfull AVG. He made all thinges from the Aungell to the worme that crepeth on the grounde M. There be many thinges in the Creatures of God of the which we are ignoraunt and for that cause to the vnskilfull they séeme to be good for nothing There be many thinges which are iudged of vs to be hurtfull as Serpentes Woolues and suche kinde of wilde Beastes and therefore they are thought not to be made of God But we must thus thinke that God hath created nothing without great wisedom and speciall consideration If we be hurt with the Creatures as with Beastes with Water with Fyre with Windes we must not blame the maker but our sinnes and the naturall pride which is in vs to tame and bring vnder the whiche Flyes Lyce Fleas Woormes and such lyke were created The which we maye beholde in Pharao Herode and in others which were eaten with Lice woormes A. Therefore the woorde of God is the aucthour of all thinges 4. In it was life and the life was the light of men Jn it was life C. Hitherto the Euangelist hath taught that all thinges were made by the worde and now he attributeth the conseruation also of those thinges whiche are created vnto the same as if he shoulde saye that not onelye his sodaine power and vertue which by by passed awaye appeared in the creation of the world but also is euident to be séene in this that the order of nature abideth stable and firme But this life wherof the Euangelist speaketh may eyther be extended to those thinges that haue not life which notwithstanding liue after theyr manner Trees haue a kind of life whiche is called Vita vegetatiua although they want sence or else it may be expounded of those thinges only which haue life It maketh no great mater to which we referre it for the simple sence and true meaning of the place is this that the word of god was not only the originall of life to all creatures that they might beginne to be that which as yet they were not but also that it came to passe by his quickening power that they now continue in their estate For except his cōtinual inspiration of life should vphold the world it must needes come to passe that whatsoeuer hath life must néedes decaye and come to nothing B. According to the Psalmist Psa 104. If thou hide thy face they are troubled If thou take awaye their breath they dye and are turned againe to their dust For hée affirmeth that all life dependeth vpon the spirite that is to saye vpon the power of GOD and vpon the worde by the which all thinges beeing made consist and are preserued C. And that which Paule ascribeth to God saying In him wee liue mooue Actes 17. and haue our beeing Saint Iohn affirmeth to bée done by the benifite of the worde It is GOD therfore which doth quicken vs but by his eternall worde M. This also pertaineth to the Diuinity of Christ that he is written of the Euangelist to be the life yea and that which is more to be the wel of life Psal 36. as also in the Psalm For what thinges soeuer are made by him haue theyr life from no other than from him But no man ought to gather of the wordes of Saint Iohn that the Sonne of God after the Creation of the worlde lefte of to be the life For those thinges which are in GOD are euerlasting The life whiche is in Christ is euerlasting not onelye that temporall life whiche is in the creatures of this worlde but also that whiche shal be in the worlde
sonne of God And truelye faith ought not to rest in the presence of Christ onlye but to haue also a respect to his power and office For it shall profite litle to knowe who Christ is except we know also howe he will behaue him selfe towarde vs and to what ende he was sent of the Father But séeing the kingdome of Christ is moste large Question Psal 2 Reuela 17 in so much that he is called the King of Kinges and Lorde of Lords why doeth Nathanael cal him onely the King of Israel Surelye he doeth it Aunsvver because his confession is limmitted to the measure of fayth For he had not profited so farre as yet that he knewe him to bee a King set ouer the whole worlde or rather that the Children of Abraham shoulde bée gathered from all places that the whole worlde might be the Israel of the Lorde Let vs now by the example of Nathanael exercise our faith in the hearing of the woorde and let vs confyrme the same by all meanes possible and let it not lye hid but let it burst foorth into the confession of Christ to the glorye of God 50. Iesus aunswered and saide vnto him because I sayd vnto thee I sawe thee vnder the Figge tree thou beleeuest thou shalt see greater thinges then these B. The Lorde Iesus going about to confyrme the Faith of Nathanael and the rest of the Disciples added these wordes C. He doeth not reprehend Nathanael as one to light of credite but rather allowing his fayth promiseth vnto him and to the rest greater argumentes of confirmation By the which woordes hée lifteth vp theyr hope for the beholding and knowing of farther matter As if he shoulde saye If of so small beginninges thou hast receyued fayth I byd thée be of good cheare and hope to sée greater matters in time to come It was but a meane token truely of the diuine power in that Christ sayd here to Nathanael I sawe thee vnder the Figge Tree For wée reade of many suche thinges to bée done by Heliseus as in the storye of Gihesi and Naaman the Sirian 4. King 5 and. 6 Iohn 4 Suche a Myracle was that whiche wée reade of concerning the vnlawfull Husbande of the woman of Samaria These and suche like are but meane and indifferent thinges if they bée compared to those Myracles which followe but such notwithstanding as haue brought great increase of Faith by litle and litle By these woordes also of Christ Because I sayde vnto thee I sawe thee vnder the Figge Tree thou beleeuest We learne that faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10 and hearing by the worde of Christ 51. And hee sayeth vnto him Veryly verylye I say vnto you hereafter shall ye see heauen open and the Angels of GOD ascending and descending vppon the sonne of man A. Touching the opening of the heauens it is already spoken of in the third Chapter of Saint Mathew In that Christ speaketh of the opening of the heauens and of the ascending and descending of the Angels vppon the Sonne of man many referre it to the resurrection of Christ to his ascention and to the sending of the holye Ghost C. But it rather signifieth a certaine continuance whiche shoulde alwayes bée extant in his kingdome It is most certayne that Angelles appeared sometimes vnto the Disciples whiche at this daye are not séene it is certaine also that there was another maner of reuelation of the heauenlye glory when Christ ascended into Heauen than we nowe sée But if we well waye and consyder of the matter wee shall finde that the same which was done then is abiding for euer For the kingdome of Heauen being shut vp against vs at the first Actes 7 Math. 17 Luke 24. was trulye opened againe in Christ Of this matter as well Stephen and thrée other Disciples in the Mounte had a visible sight as also other of the Apostles in the ascention of Christ But all the signes by the whiche the Lorde sheweth him selfe to bée present with vs do pertaine to the opening of Heauen specially where he doth communicate him selfe vnto vs to life The Angelles are sayd to ascende and descende as they are Ministers vnto vs of Gods wyl Therefore by these words the mutuall communication betwéene God and men is noted And we must be thankefull vnto Christ for this benefite because without him ther is rather mortal enmity betwéene the Angels and vs than a familiar care to helpe Therefore they are sayde to ascende and descende vppon him not that they doe onely minister vnto him but because in respect of him and for his honour they holde vp by theyr care the whole bodye of the Church Gene. 28 And there is no doubte but that hée hath some respect vnto the Ladder whiche was shewed to the Patriarke Iacob by a vision For the same which that vision shadowed is truelye declared and shewed in Christ To be shorte the summe of this place is that where as all mankinde was banished from the kingdome of God now the gate of the kingdome of Heauen is opened vnto vs that we maye bée Citizens with the Saintes and fellowes with the Angelles and they being ordained to be kéepers of our sauing health may come downe from theyr blessed rest to helpe our miseryes B. For the seruice of Angelles pertayneth to all those that trust in the Lorde as well as vnto Christ according to that which is written in the Psalme Psal 91. and 34 He hath geuen his Angelles charge ouer thee c. For they are all Ministering spirites sent to serue them which haue theyr inheritaunce in the kingdome of Heauen Heb. 1 M. So that nowe man with God and the earth with heauen are set at peace For so sayeth the Apostle It pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse shoulde dwell And by him to reconcile all thinges to him selfe Collos 1 and to set at peace through the blood of his crosse by him both the thinges in earth and thinges in heauen ⧠The second Chapter 1. And the thirde daye there was a Mariage in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Iesus was there HITHERTO the Euangelist hathe shewed howe and in what order the Reuelation of Christe began to bée manifested by the testimonies of Iohn and who they were which claue vnto him nowe consequentlye hée addeth howe by the light of Myracles he beganne partlye to confirme his Disciples whiche as yet were but weake and partlye to reueale his glorye to Israel C. For this storye doth contayne a declaration of the first Myracle that Christ wrought and for that cause it becommeth vs to bée the more diligent to consider of the same Howbeit as wée shall sée hereafter there are other causes which do commend the same vnto vs. M. Therefore the Euangelist going about to describe the beginning of the Miracles of Christ to the ende he might bring credite vnto the Historye putteth downe vnto vs both the time the place and
Doctrine whiche was brought by him but hath some desyre of the same The which desyre sprange no doubte of the feare and reuerence of GOD. A friuolous and vaine curiositye pricketh some forwarde gréedelye to enquyre after newe thinges but there is no doubte but that Religion and the pricke of Conscience ledde Nicodemus to desire familiarlye to knowe the Doctrine of Christ And although this sparke of Godlinesse laye hidde as it were a long time yet notwithstanding so soone as Christ was dead it brought foorth suche burning Loue towardes our Sauiour Christ which no man euer looked for that hée shewed him selfe in deede to be a Faithfull and true Disciple of Christ Iohn 19 Rabbi we knowe that thou art a teacher R. The disputacion of Nicodemus with Christ is very modest and wise for the disputacion of the rest of the Iewes were eyther captious as was that for the payment of Tribute and concerning the Byll of Diuorcement eyther enuious Math. 22. Math. 19. Math. 22. Iohn 2. as about the resurrection and the great commaundement in the Law or else vnfaithfull and importunate as when they desyred a signe to bée geuen them But the disputacion of Nicodemus is Ciuile and simple for he commeth not vnto Christ to coÌ„tend or maliciously to trye him or to catch him in his wordes but to learne which is the true way to iustification His words therfore are thus muche in effect Mayster wée knowe that thou art come to bée a Maister For séeing at that time learned men were commonlye called Maysters Nicodemus saluteth Christ by this name according to the accustomed manner and afterward affyrmeth him to be sent of God to teache And of this beginning the aucthority of al the Doctors and teachers in the church dependeth For séeing we must take our knowledge from Gods word onely none are to bée heard but they out of whose mouth God speaketh M. Truely it is a forceable waye to promote and further the truth if so be he which teacheth the same be knowne to be sent of God but this preuaileth onelye with the godly as for the wicked they haue no regarde whether theyr teachers are sent from God or no. With the Godly it preuaileth thus muche that at the first they resist not the Doctrine nor the teacher therof although through infirmitye they dare not as yet openlye séeme to fauour the same Whereas contrarye wise the wicked which are blinded with rancour and enuye haue so litle discrecion and regarde to discerne the spirites that they can not bridle theyr malicious mindes He sayth not I knowe that thou art a teacher come from God But sayeth hée VVe know Which we Surelye we Pharisées and Seniors of the people euen wée are constrained by the vertue of those signes and Miracles which we haue séene to knowe and vnderstande that thou art sent from God howsoeuer we resist thée Hypocrites withstande the trueth againste their conscience And this is the manner and disposition of Hipocrites of Iusticiaries and of Simoniakes which make Marchandise of Religion to withstande the knowne and manifest trueth against theyr consciences For no man could do these Miracles Bv. Nicodemus gathereth by the Miracles that Iesus was sent from HeaueÌ„ to be the teacher of the whole world and according to his ignoraunce and want of knowledge he déemeth him to be no better than a Prophet which shewed signes wonders by the helpe of God and not by his owne proper power For saith he No man coulde do these miracles which thou doest except God were with him Therfore because none do more proudly glory boast of the title name of God than false Prophetes it is necessary that we haue that discretion whereby the spirites are proued discerned Therefore Nicodemus affirmeth it to bée manifest that Christ is sent from heauen because God doth so manifestly reueale shewe forth his power in him that it can not be denied but that God is with him And he presumeth that no man will denye but that God doeth commonly worke by his Ministers and seruauntes by no other insomuch that he confirmeth and approueth the office charge committed vnto him And he doeth not so presume without cause séeing it is the Lordes wil that Miracles should be alwayes as seales of his Doctrine And he doth most aptly and truly make God the author of miracles when he saith that no man could do these signes except God were with him For in effect he sayth that they are the déedes and workes of God not of man A. For otherwise spake those Pharisées which spake thus of Christ after he had opened the eyes of the blinde Iohn 9. Iohn 7. This man is not of God for he kepeth not the Sabboth day And in another place Hee seduceth the people Notwithstanding the argument of Nicodemus séemeth not to bée verye strong For séeing false Prophetes haue deceyued the blinde and ignoraunt with their false forged signes no lesse than if they had proued them selues to be the faithful seruaunts of God by true signes in déede what difference shal there be betwene truth a lie if so be faith should be builded vppon Miracles Deut. 13 And Moyses plainely affirmeth that we are tryed by this meanes whether we loue god or no. Wée are not ignoraunt also of the admonition of our Sauiour Christ and of the Apostle Paul where the faithfull are put in minde to beware of false signes with the which Antichrist deludeth Math. 24. 2. Thes 2 and deceyueth many Aunswere is to bée made that they by the iust iudgement of GOD are deceyued by the fallacie and subtile deceytes of Satan whiche haue deserued so to bée Miracles are no certaine profe of the truth alwayes notwithstanding the same doeth not let but that the elect and chosen maye beholde and sée the power of God in Myracles which is to them a confirmation of true and wholesome Doctrine 2. Cor. 12 Rom. 15 Thus Paul reioysed that his Apostleshippe was approoued with signes and wonders Therefore howsoeuer Satan woulde séeme in his darkenesse to Imitate and followe God yet notwithstanding so soone as mennes eyes are opened and that the spirituall light of wisedome doeth appeare Myracles doe sette foorth the same presence of God wherof Nicodemê° here speaketh A. For this cause our sauiour Christ Math. 10 Mar. 10 when he sent foorth his Apostles to Preache the Gospell woulde haue them to seale and confirme the same with Myracles 3. Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto him veryly veryly I say vnto thee except a man be borne againe He can not see the Kingdom of God Jesus aunswered Bv. The manner and waye by the which the Lorde instructed Nicodemus is in manner of a Dialogue For the same is verye plaine simple manifest and euident Dialogues an aunsient kinde of teaching And the Lord in al things hath framed him selfe to our imbecility and weakenesse and hath sought by all
wise with GOD. But wée are to nothing more vnwilling therfore wée must embrace the sentence of our Sauiour Christ here namelye that all our scences doe vanish awaye and fayle vs when wée come to the déepe consideration of GOD. But after our Sauiour hath excluded vs from the kingdome of heauen hée straightway offereth to vs a remedye when hée addeth saying that it is giuen to the Sonne of man which is denied to all other Christ ascended into heauen to leade vs thither For whereas he ascended into heauen he did not thyther ascende for his owne priuate sake alone but that hée might be vnto vs a guide and a director or preparer of the waye And for this cause hée hath called him selfe The Sonne of man B. That is to saye perfect man least we shoulde doubt to haue entraunce with him thyther who therefore tooke vpon him our fleshe that hée might make vs pertakers with him of all good thinges Séeing therfore he is the onely Counsellor of his Father Esay 9.6 he admitteth vs to the knowledge of his secret misteries which otherwise shoulde lye hidde And to this effect pertaine the wordes of the Euaungelist before where hée sayth No man hath seene GOD at any time Iohn 1.18 the onelye begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the Father Iohn 14.6 hee hath declared him And in an other place our Sauiour Christ sayth I am the way the truth and the life No man commeth to the Father but by mee R. For hée is the treasury of Gods wisdome and knowledge nay hée is the wisdome of God it selfe which reuealeth himselfe to Babes Obiection M. But howe doth Christ affirme that no man hath ascended into heauen but the sonne of man 2. King 2. seing it is written of Elias that he ascended by a whirle wind into heauen I answere Aunsvvere That Christ speaketh not here of a Corporall ascention but of that ascention by which men come to the light of the diuinitie that cannot be attained vnto and to the knowledge of the heauenlye misteries of Godes will Elias at the firste although hée were in bodye caught vp into heauen yet notwithstanding hee knewe not the secretes of the heauens onelye knowne to GOD Ephe. 3.10 and hidden from the verye Angelles But he that came downe from heauen Now our sauiour beginneth to direct his speache to make declaration of the reason of the Dispensation and Incarnation which he had taken in hand This discention or comming downe from heauen is the Incarnation of the worde by which the onelye begotten Sonne of God was made the Sonne of man Euen the same which is in heauen C. There is no cause why this saying should séeme harde and absurde vnto vs in that he affirmeth him selfe to be in heauen when as he dwelt on earth because in Christ by reason of the vnitie of the person that which is proper to the nature of one is transferred giuen to another The which is very often vsed in the Scripture as when it is sayde That GOD hath purchased himselfe a Churche by his blood Christ therfore which is in heauen tooke vpon him our fleshe Acts 20.28 that by reaching to vs his brotherlye hande hée might lifte vs vp with him into heauen 14. And as Moyses lyfted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man be lifted vp M. These wordes and those which followe containe an exposition of the dispensation which hée had taken vppon him whereby hée being the onely begotten Sonne of his father descended from heauen into this worlde to redéeme mankinde C. Therefore Christ here more plainely declareth Christ our enterance into heauen wherefore hée sayde that the kingdome of heauen was open to him alone namely that he might bring all those thither which will follow him theyr leader and guide For hée affirmeth that hée must plainely and openlye be offered to all men that hée maye powre out his vertue and power vppon all Num. 21.8 The storye whiche here is rather touched than expounded is written in the Booke of Numbers Bv. Where wée reade that Moyses prayed for the people which were afflicted with strange Serpentes for their murmuring and hardenesse of heart But the Lorde commaunded Moyses to erect and set vp a Brasen Serpent for a signe by the sight whereof those that were stong with the Serpent were healed C. To be exalted here signifieth to be set and placed in a plaine and high place that all men may sée This is done by the preaching of the Gospell For where as some vnderstande these woordes to be spoken of the exalting and lifting vp of our Sauiour Christ vpon the Crosse it agréeeth not with the text and is very farre from the purpose of Christ Therefore the simple sence and meaning of these words is That Christe shoulde be set vp and displaied like an Ensigne by the preaching of the Gospell whom all men shoulde behold with their eyes as Esayas before had Prophesied saying Esay 2.2 It shall be in the last dayes that the mountaine of the house of the Lorde shall be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flow vnto it Of this exaltation the lifting vp of the brasen Serpent by Moyses was a type or figure the sight whereof was a present remedye to all those which were mortallye stong with Serpents Wherefore Christ maketh mention of the same in this place to this ende and purpose namely to teache that the doctrine of the Gospell must be set before all men to beholde and consider the same that so many as beholde him with the eies of fayth may attaine to eternall saluation Whereby wée may gather that Christ is plainely set before our eyes in the Gospell least any man shoulde complaine or finde faulte with obscuritie and that this manifestation or reuelation of Christ is common to all men Fayth most effectually beeholdeth Christ Galath 3.1 who by fayth may sée him as effectuallye as if hée were present before their eyes euen as the Apostle sayth that hée is described before our eyes when hée is truely preached And this similitude is not impertinent or farre fetcht For as the Serpent of Brasse was but an externall shewe of a Serpent Christ the brasen serpent our saluation and contayned nothing within that was hurtfull or venemous Bv. Euen so Christ tooke vpon him the forme and similitude of sinful fleshe in all thinges hauing our true and carnall substaunce in euerye point most disagréeing and far from all sinne C. to the ende hée might heale that deadlye wounde of sinne that is in vs. Bv. For that olde Serpent did sting verye foore our father Adam in Paradise and euerye one of vs also which are borne of Adam hée hath so infected with his Pestiferous Poyson that in all the rase of our life wée are whole addicted and geuen to selfe loue and to the desire
from heauen Christ therfore will be acknowledged in his Ministers but yet so that hée will be Lorde alone as for the Ministers of GOD they are contented to bee in the order of Seruants specially when comparison is made béetwéene Christ and them He that commeth from heauen is aboue all M. Hée repeateth this sentence first of all to inculcate and imprint the same in the mindes of his Disciples that they might submitte themselues to Christ alone which boath came from heauen and also is aboue al and that they should not depende vpon him who himselfe is subiect to another whome hée knewe to bée preferred before all men by God the Father Secondly to the ende he might the more conuenientlye adioyne and bring in that whiche remaineth vnspoken 32. And what hee hath seene and heard that hee testifieth and no man receyueth his testimonie CHR. Because these by corporal scences of hearing and séeing wée knowe all things certainely and thinke our selues worthie to be beléeued when wée haue séene and hearde as suche that neyther faine nor tell lyes therefore to confirme the matter Saint Iohn saith that Christ testifieth that which hee hath both seene and hearde C. For to the ende his Disciples might obey Christ hée commendeth the Doctrine of Christ by the certainetie of the same because hée vttereth nothing but that which hée hath receyued from the Father B. Therefore Christ teacheth those thinges which are most certaine and approoued true Ioh. 1.18 séeing hée is in the bosome of GOD and the wisdome of the Father M. and hée sayth not Hée speaketh that which hée hath séene and hearde But he testifieth to admonishe them that Christ is not onelye a teacher of Gods trueth but also a moste assured witnesse of all thinges A. For hée sayth Ioh. 8.26 VVhat thinges I haue hearde of him I declare in the worlde And in an other place hee sayth Iohn 15.15 I haue shewed vnto you al things that I haue hearde of my father M. Therefore by this place wée maye note what prerogatiue Christ had aboue Iohn and aboue all other teachers because he coulde and doth by his holy spirite teache the mindes of men as well as by words How many soeuer in this life teache deuine and heauenly thinges howe holye soeuer they be yet notwithstanding they cannot testifie of those things which they teache that they haue séene them in heauen though they be true whiche they speake For those thinges whiche they haue receyued they haue not receyued by knowledge or by fight in heauen but eyther by the reuelation of the holy ghost or else by Fayth in Godes worde but Christ coulde testifie in this worlde those thinges which hée had both hearde and séene And no man receyueth his testimonye Bv. Saint Iohn here doth reproue not onelye the vnbeléefe of his Disciples but also the incredulitie of other of the Iewes who withstoode the Doctrine of Christ notwithstanding that it was most true Iohn 3.11 M. So Christ sayde to Nicodemus VVee speake that wee knowe and testifie that wee haue seene and yee receyue not our witnesse Where hée reprooueth the blindenesse of the Iewes euen as Iohn doth here their incredulity The which notwithstanding is not so to be vnderstoode as though no man receyued the testimonie of Christ séeing the Apostles and diuers others receiued and beléeued the same but hée meaneth that a verye fewe in comparison haue receyued and beléeued it C. For if we compare the beléeuers with the huge multitude of the wicked they will appeare nothing And to receyue the testimonie of Christ is stedfastlye to beléeue in him and to imbrace his worde with thankesgeuing as the most assured testimonye of Gods will This is done but of verye fewe also at this daye For the credite geuen to this Heauenly Doctrine is euen now as litle as it was then He sayeth not And no man heareth his testimony But No man receyueth his testimony For there haue béene alwayes manye hearers thereof But there haue béene fewe receyuers of the same founde A. So this place maye bée expounded euen as that which wée heard before He came into his owne Iohn 1.11 and his owne receyued him not 33. Hee that hath receyued his testimonye hath set to his seale that God is true M. From this verse to the ende of the Chapter Iohn the Baptist noteth twoo thinges Fyrst what prayse and profite hée shall receyue whiche receyueth the Testimonye of Christe Secondlye what hurt shall happen vnto him which receyueth not the same He which receiueth his testimonye hath put to his seale R. That is to saye Hée which beléeueth his woorde hath put to his seale or approueth by his fayth and confession that God is true and kéepeth his promises or else receyueth the testimonye in his hart that those thinges which Christ speaketh are the very woordes of GOD. And this testimony is the holy Ghost certifying and confirming our consciences as a seale that this is the Sonne of GOD in déede and that his woorde Ioh. 15 2â— is the worde of GOD in déede Herevpon Christ sayth VVhen the comforter commeth which is the spirite of trueth hee shall beare witnesse of mee 2. Cor. 1.22 And the Apostle sayth VVhich hath sealed vs and hath geuen the earnest of the spirite into our hartes Epheâ— Also in an other place After yee beleeued yee were sealed with the holy spirite of promise which is the pledge of our inheritaunce C. Saint Iohn also here preuenteth and méeteth by the waye with an offence or stumbling blocke which might tourne many from the fayth and might hinder or at least stop their swiftnesse in their race For the greatest part hangeth to much vpon the iudgement of men and déemeth and iudgeth of the gospell after the contempt of the worlde at the least when it séeth the same in some places to be reiected hauing before conceyued this preiudice it is the more hard and slowe to beléeue Here therefore the man of GOD exhorteth and encourageth the godly boldelye to embrace the doctrine of the Gospell as if hée shoulde haue sayde There is no cause why the Godlye shoulde be ashamed or gréeued at the smalenesse of their number God the aucthor of our fayth is more than al the worlde beside to giue testimonie to the truth séeing that God is the Aucthor of theyr Fayth who himselfe alone is all in al and therfore all sufficient and to be preferred before multitudes Therefore although the whole worlde doe withstande the faith yet notwithstanding this ought not to kéepe good men from the obedience and seruice of GOD. They haue also wherevpon to rest and staye themselues séeing they knowe that to beléeue the Gospell is nothing else than to beléeue thâ— Oracles of GOD. In the meane time wée gather that this is proper to fayth to rest and stay it selfe vpon God Faith staâ—eth it selfe vpon Goâ— and to be grounded and established by his worde
hath spoken of Fayth and the vertue thereof To the ende therefore hée might shewe that the faith of the Godlye is not in vaine whiche is reposed in Christe hée declareth that all power to saue is wholye geuen to the Sonne because hée is loued exceedinglye of the Father M. Iohn Baptiste had hearde the Heauenlye voyce by which the Father spake from Heauen saying Math. 3.17 This is my welbeloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased Nowe the whole inheritaunce cannot but belong to the welbeloued sonne Therefore when Iohn was about to saye And hath geuen all thinges into his hande Hée verye well added first The Father loueth the Sonne Question C. But what is the meaning of this reason Doeth hée hate all others Aunswere is made herevnto Aunsvvere that hée speaketh not here of the common loue with the which God loueth men and other workes of his handes but of that singuler and speciall loue which beginning at the Sonne floweth from thence to all other Creatures For this loue of God by which hée louing his Sonne loueth vs also bringeth to passe that hee doeth communicate vnto vs by his hande all good thinges Bv. Wherevppon the Apostle Paul sayeth He loued vs in his welbeloued Sonne Ephe 1.6 And hath geuen all thinges into M. These fewe woordes appertaine greatlye to our Faith by which wée depende vpon Christ as vpon the Lord of all Bv. For all thinges as well visible as inuisible and whatsoeuer else without exception hath the father geuen vnto him M. to be in his power in his proper possession and in his disposition gouernmēt Bv. I say he hath geuen vnto him all thinges not that in respect of his Diuine nature he wanted them at any time or that hée was not equall with the Father in omnipotencye For hée sayth Glorifye me nowe O Father with thy selfe with the same glorye which I had with thee before the beginning of the world CYR. but because when the fulnesse of time was come the Son of God was incarnate and made man and was humbled to the death euen to the death of the Crosse therefore God hath exalted him according to the nature which he hath taken is sayd to haue receiued some what not as from another but as his owne proper right M. and he is sayd so to haue receyued the same not to refer that to him selfe alone which he hath receyued but liberallye to dispence the same to others In consideration whereof he calleth all men vnto him saying Come vnto me all ye that trauayle Mat. 11.27 c. Also he sayeth All power is geuen to me Mat. 28.18 both in heauen and in earth Go ye therefore vnto al Nations Neyther tooke he this power by force or violence nor yet dyd he buie the same the which happeneth as we sée in the kingdome of Antichrist but tooke the same naturallye of the Father as the onely begotten and welbeloued Sonne of God Bv. The which is done for our sakes For as it is sayde hée hath receyued all those thinges for vs and distributeth them vnto vs and maketh them subiect vnto our power that wée might bée Lordes of Life of Death of Men of Deuils and of al other thinges according to the saying of the Apostle VVhether it bee Paul or Apollo 1. Cor. 3.22 or Cephas eyther the worlde eyther life eyther death whether they be present things or things to come al are youres And ye are Christes and Christ is Gods Of the lyke benefite of God Psal 8.7 and of the same glory appertayning to men speaketh the Prophete Dauid in his Psalmes 36. He that beleeueth on the Sonne hath euerlasting life hee that beleeueth not the Sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth on him He that beleeueth on the Sonne C. Hée addeth this to the ende wée might not onelye knowe that all grace and goodnesse is to bée sought in Christ but also that we might knowe howe to gette and enioye the same He sayeth that the waye to enioye grace and euerlasting lyfe is by fayth Faith obtaineth saluation in Christe and not without good reason because by the same we possesse Christ who bringeth with him righteousnesse and lyfe the fruite of righteousnesse M. He sayeth not simplye Hee that beleeueth but He that beleeueth in the Sonne By the which note the Christian faith is distinguished from the fayth of other Nations yea from the faith of the Iewes because we beléeue in the sonne of God Christ Iesus whome the whole worlde contemneth and derydeth This is our foolishnesse in this worlde Hath euerlasting life Bv. Hée speaketh here in the present tence Life euerlasting in this life saying Hee hath he sayth not Hee shall haue for he possesseth already euerlasting life wayting in hope for that which hée is assured he shall haue Moreouer the faithfull féele in this carnal life Vitall motions of the Spirite and life it selfe Gala. 2.20 the Apostle witnessing I liue yet nowe not I but Christ liueth in me and the life that I nowe liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God which loued me and gaue him selfe for mee Life is set against Death against Malediction and Condemnation signifying Iustification absolucion happinesse and euerlasting blessednesse He that beleeueth not the Sonne C. As he propounded life in Christ to allure vs vnto him by the swéetenesse of the same euen so nowe hée denounseth vnto them eternall death which beléeue not in Christ Hée sayeth not simplye Hee which beleeueth not but He which beleeueth not the Sonne For all vnbeléefe is not condemned but that onelye which despiseth the Sonne of God He which beléeueth none of the Fathers nor the Bishoppe of Rome is not vnder this sentence of condemnation so that he beléeue the Sonne of God C. Also this sentence doeth properly pertaine vnto them as it is sayde in another place which reiecte the Gospell preached vnto them For although all mankinde is wrapped in lyke destruction yet notwithstanding greater vengeaunce shal fall vpon those which refuse the Sonne of God to be theyr deliuerer Shall not see life That is to saye he shall neuer enioye life M. By this manner of speache Life and enteraunce into the Kingdome of Heauen is not denied to the vnbeléeuing without an Emphasis as if hée shoulde saye He which beléeueth not shall be so farre from hauing euerlasting life that he shall neuer enioye so much as the sight of the same Bv. So sayde our Sauiour Christ to Nicodemus Iohn 3.3 Except a man bee borne againe hee can not see the Kingdome of GOD. Also hée sayeth Except ye beleeue that I am hee Iohn 8.24 ye shall dye in your sinnes But the wrath of God abideth on him The wrath of God is here apposed against life therefore it comprehendeth all miserye Calamitye Vnhappinesse Sicknesse Pouertye Vengeaunce Death Sinne Malediction Punishment and torment AVG. He sayeth not The
séemeth good vnto God so the father wyll bée worshipped Therefore the wyll of God is that wée worshippe and serue him Psa 14.2 The Lorde looked downe from Heauen to see if there were any that would vnderstande and seeke after GOD. And in another place Psa 50.15 Call vpon me in the time of trouble and I wyll heare thee and deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifye me For that mightye God wyll be worshipped and called vppon of vs whome all the Angelles worship that we maye bée made pertakers of his grace and maye haue occasion to glorifye his name So hée sayeth in another place Esay 43.7 Euerye one shal be called by my name for I created him for my glorye formed him and made him Bv. This therefore is an argument taken of the good pleasure of God which is oftentymes reuealed vnto vs in the Scripture M. Wherefore all those Imagined and false worshippes are reiected which man hath deuised and this is prescribed to bee a true note of the worship of God that the same bée according to his Diuine wyll The which Socrates also is sayd to knowe and acknowledge 24. God is a Spirite and they that worshippe him must worship him in spirite and in the trueth Bv. The other argument of the Lord is taken from the nature of God God sayeth hée is a spirite where spirite is opposed against corporall substaunce Therefore God by his nature and substaunce is without a bodye Therefore he néedeth not neyther is hée delighted with corporall thinges neyther can wée winne his fauour with any thing but with the spirite He delighteth in pure sincere and spyritual thinges C. But séeing men are fleshe it is no maruaile if those thinges please them which bée agréeable to theyr disposition HerevpoÌ„ it commeth that many thinges are myxed with the worship of God which are full of corruptions and imperfections But it should become them to consider this aboue all things that they haue to do with God Question who hath no more agréement with fleshe than fire hath with water B. But thou wylt saye if God bée a spirite and therfore wyll haue no other worshippers of him but such as worship him in spirite and in trueth why then gaue hée so many Ceremonies to them of olde tyme Aunsvvere For he was then also a spyrite In déede hée was a spyrite neyther dyd God then regard any other worshippe than that of the spyrite but because the people was then more rude and lyke vnto a Childe it seemed good vnto him so to declare his glorye in a rude and Childishe people and to haue some worshippe especiallye hée required to bée feared and to haue his worde obeyed and that with the whole heart Beholde the worship of Spirite and truth C. Moreouer wée must note that truth is not here coÌ„pared with a lye but with the externall addition of Figures that the substance of spyritual worship might bée pure simple M. But the Bishops could not abyde this simplicity which was most acceptable to the Apostles and to the primitiue Church but so added Ceremonies vpon Ceremonies and beautified the same with outwarde shewe and made it glorious to the eye AV. that as this daye testifieth Christians farre excéede the Gentiles and the Iewes in superstition of external worshippe The which speciallye then preuayled when worldlye wisedome reiecting the word of God ruled the Religion of Christ For howe many is there at this daye which being contented with spirituall worshippe desyre not some externall Ceremonies to worshippe God withall B. When as notwithstanding Christian Religion for many signes receiued of Christ a fewe by which the true worship consisted and the same fewe easie to bée done râ—yall to bée vnderstoode pure to bée obserued M. Therefore this argument taken of the nature of God is most strong of all other and such that it is not onely knowne to the Godlye and faithful but also to many of the Heathen Philosophers and Poetes Whereby theyr madnesse appeareth to be the greater which thinke that they doe greatlye please God with Gold with siluer with Tapers with Images with Bels and with such lyke Gentillity A. Therfore let vs content our selues with this that God wyll be worshipped in spyrite and trueth and not with mans inuentions 25. The Woman sayeth vnto him I wote that Messias shall come which is called christ when he is come he wyl tell vs all thinges J wote that Messias shall come C. Although the Religion of the Samaritanes was impure and confounded with many errours yet notwithstanding they styll beare in minde certaine principles which they had taken out of the Lawe as this of the Messias M. For they also looked for Christ thus farre agréeing with the Iewes although in worship without Christ they greatly disagreed To this Messias therefore the woman appealed when shée knew not how to aunswere the wordes of the Lorde C. For it is probable or likely that when the Woman gathered by the wordes of Christ that there was a wonderfull and strange alteration of the Church at hand shée straight way remembred Christ vnder whome they loked for a perfect reformation of all thinges B. Wherevpon the woman as it were to make an ende of theyr talke I am not ignoraunt sayth shée that Christ promised of God loked for alreadye of thus many ages shall come vntyll whose comming I wyl reserue these questions for hee shall at large declare vnto vs all thinges whatsoeuer thou hast vttered concerning the abrogating of the worship of the Iewes of the Samaritanes and of the Gentiles concerning Religion and concerning the Well and water of lyfe C. Therefore when hée sayeth that Messias shall come hée séemeth to speake of a tyme neare at hande And truelye it maye appeare by many reasons that the mindes of all men for the most part were greatlye comforted by hope of the comming of the Messias which shoulde helpe those that were in miserye and euen at the brinke of destruction Bv. For all the Prophesies were fulfilled the kingdome was taken awaye from Israel and the Priesthoode Gen. 49.10 was subiect to the power and gouernment of the Gentiles according to the olde Prophesie of Israel When he is come he wil tell vs all thinges M. Therefore they which looked for Christe first acknowledged that knowledge of GOD which they had before his comming to bee obscure and imperfect Secondlye that the same should bée made perfect by the comming of Christ because hee should plainelye declare all thinges The whiche twoo thinges are verye necessarye for our times For vnlesse wee knowe that all thinges are obscure and vnperfecte without the knowledge of Christ and that by Christ all thinges necessarye for our Saluacion and the knowledge of God are plentifullye set foorth it can not bee that wée shoulde imbrace the Doctrine of Christ as necessarye to our Saluation C. Wherevppon wée see that this Woman preferreth Christ before Moyses and the Prophetes
namelye because hée was naturally begotten of the Father from euerlasting to bée the proper naturall and onlye begotten Sonne of God coequall with the Father in all thinges of the same essence glorye and power and not his adopted sonne as all the Saintes are called the sonnes of God AV. Wherevppon it is added And made him selfe equall with God Otherwise wée saye all Our Father which art in heauen Math. 6. ◠Wée reade also that the Iewes sayde Esa 63.16 Seing thou art our Father Therefore they were not angerye because hee sayde that God was his Father but because hée dyd so call him after a farre other maner than men doe Beholde the Iewes vnderstande that which the Arrians vnderstand not who so confessed Christ to bée GOD that they dyd not acknowledge him to be equall with his Father as though there coulde bée founde any inequallitye in one simple essence of God AV. Therefore hée being in the forme of GOD Philip. 2.6 thought it no robberye to bee equall with God that is to saye but hée was in that in the which he was borne because the Father had begotten him equall 19. Then aunswered Iesus and sayde vnto them Verylye veryly I saye vnto you the sonne can doe nothyng of hym selfe but that he seeth the Father doe for whatsoeuer hee doeth that doth the sonne also Then aunswered Iesus and saide C. That which the Iewes obiected though it were sclaunderous yet notwithstanding Christe is so farre from confuting the same that he openly affirmeth it to be true Bv. For he proueth by strong argumentes that hée is the naturall sonne of God equall to the Father in all thinges M. affirming that his workes are none of his but the workes of his father and that therefore the Sabboth is not broken by them Neither doth he simplye affirme this but that which is more namely that it cannot be that the Sonne should do any thing that the father doeth not C. And first of all he standeth vppon this poynte that the same was a diuine worke which the Iewes founde fault withall to the ende they might knowe that they muste contende with God yf so be they condemne that which of necessitie must be ascribed vnto him Iohn 6.38 B. And nowe these wordes The sonne can doe nothing of him selfe I seeke not mine owne will Also If I beare witnesse of my selfe my witnesse is not true are spoken by imitation Hitherto the Lorde imitated the Iewes who thought him not to be all one with the father and yet notwithstanding he was of some substaunce with the father made man after the wil of his father insomuch that he neither thought nor did any thing which was not both the wil and worke of his father Also this place the Arrian hath abused seking to proue hereby that the sonne is lesse then the father But there is no mencion here made of the bare diuinitie of Christe neyther doth that which followeth symplye belong to the eternall worde of God but doth onely belong to the sonne of God in that he was manifested in the fleshe And his purpose is to declare by these wordes that they doe greatlye erre which thinke that they haue to do with a mortall man when they accuse Christe concerning diuine workes For this cause he so vehemently affirmeth that he and his father wrought this worke ioyntly togeather Bv. And lest any man shoulde imagine anye other infirmitie or imbecillitie in the sonne he addeth by interpretation saying For whatsoeuer hee doth that doth the sonne also to the ende that nothing might be left to the working father which the sonne in like manner worketh not M. This place ought well to bée wayed and considered of vs to this ende that we might heare and waye whatsoeuer our sauiour Christ hath said or don not as the wordes and déedes of a man but as the wordes of God the Father that we maye knowe that the Father doeth speake and worke in Christe 20. For the father loueth the sonne and sheweth him all thinges that hee him selfe doth and hee wyll shewe him greater thinges then these because yee shoulde marueile For the Father loueth M. Hée speaketh after the manner of men of Diuine matters the which notwithstanding can neuer be properlye and fullye set foorth by humane thinges For who is so sencelesse that hée knoweth not howe weake imperfect and corrupt fatherlye loue is in humane nature nor lyke in any point almost to that deuine loue which GOD beareth towarde his sonne and yet notwithstanding hée hath taken an argument from the same of his Fathers loue toward him euen as in another place speaking of the vngodly Luk. 11.13 sayeth If ye being euyll knowe howe to geue good thinges vnto your children howe much more shall your heauenlye Father geue his good spirite to those that aske the same C. But Christ speaketh here as a mediatour least any man should referre it to that internall loue of the diuinitye For it agréeth verye wel that Christe hauing taken vpon him our fleshe should bée loued of his father Yea wée knowe that hée was disceuered as wel from Angels as from men by this notable title This is my beloued sonne c. For wée knowe that Christ Mat. 3.17 Mat. 17.5 in whome the whole loue of God should rest was elected that from thence as from a flowing well it might flowe vnto vs. For Christ is loued of the father as hée is the head of the Churche Hée teacheth that this loue is the cause why the father bringeth all thinges to passe by his handes Gods loue commeth to vs by Christ For when hée sayeth here that the father sheweth all thinges vnto him he meaneth that hée doth communicate all thinges with him As if hée shoulde saye As the father hath made mée partaker of his minde so also hée hath powred vppon me his power that in my workes the glorye of GOD may shine yea to the ende that men might séeke for no Diuine thing which they shoulde not finde in mée And verylye without Christ Gods power shall bée sought in vaine CYR. Therefore the father sheweth vnto the sonne those thinges which hée doeth not as paynted or written in Tables or as teaching him being ignoraunt for the sonne knoweth all thinges as God but so expressing him selfe whollye in the nature of his sonne that whatsoeuer hée hath in him selfe hée sheweth the same in his sonne Therefore it is sayde Mat. 11.27 No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and no man knoweth the Sonne but the Father R. Therefore if thou wilt knowe and vnderstande the secretes of the father make haste to the Sonne Heb. 1.3 who is the lyuelye and expresse Image of the father For the iudgementes of God are vnsearcheable and his wayes can not bée founde out but yet in Christ Rom. 11 3◠and by Christe his iudgementes are knowne and his wayes manifest vnto vs. And he wyll shewe him greater thinges
vnthankefull to God are starke blinde at the sight of his power And there is no doubte but that they dyd disdayne and contemne all the myracles whiche hitherto they had séene because Christ did not follow theyr willes and because they did not finde him such a one as they imagined him to bée If they had bene put in hope of earthly felicitie they woulde daylye haue extolled him and without all doubt haue saluted him by the names of a Prophet of the Messias and of the sonne of God but now because hée reprehendeth them for that they were to carnally addicted they thinke it good to heare him no more but doe withstande hym saying VVhat signe shewest thou that wee may see and beleeue thee VVhat doest thou worke Bv. As if they shoulde saye Thou speakest muche in thine owne commendation as though thou wert sent into the worlde to saue and redéeme mankinde R. Thou requirest that wée shoulde beleue in thée as in the Sauiour sent of God thou sayest that Fayth in thée is the worke of GOD whereby the foode of euerlasting lyfe is gotten but doest thou thinke vs so scencelesse and foolishe that thou speaking these thinges wée wyll strayght waye beléeue thée and reuerence thée alone and forsake Moyses and the righteousnesse of the Lawe By what signes by what myracles doest thou confirme the aucthoritye of thy doctrine Bv. But if thou be that manner of man which thou wouldest séeme and be accounted to bée shewe this vnto vs by some heauenlye signes by which wée being conuicted as by inuincible arguments wée maye now boldelye receyue thée and may beléeue thée as the Sonne of GOD and Sauiour of the worlde B. To beléeue here signifyeth wholye to depende vpon him whome thou beléeuest So also the people béeléeued Moyses Exo. 14.31 M. Here wée sée the disposition of carnall men who so long as fayth in Christ is required are enimies of the which wée haue experience in manye at thys daye C. For in the beginning Carnall Gospeleres because they perswade themselues that Christ will be fauorable to their sinnes they earnestlye receyue his Gospell and require no probation of the same but when they are called to denye themselues and to beare the Crosse then they beginne to forsake Christ and to demaunde from whence the Gospell had his beginning to bée shorte Christ is no more their Mayster so soone as hée denyeth their desires M. Othersome require myracles as though the doctrine of Christ were not sufficiently proued al readie boath by miracles also by the Scipturs A. But wisdome is iustified of hir Chrildren 31. Our fathers did eate manna in the wildernesse as it is writen He gaue them breade from heauen B. Hereby it appeareth what these men sought for namely that they might wander vp and downe with the Lorde idelly and be fed of him without labour euen as the people long before had bene fed in the wildernesse forty yeares with Manna C. Therefore our Sauiour Christ gauled them when hée sayde that they came like to brute beastes to fyll their bellyes for they bewraye this theyr grose affection when they require such a Messias as maye féede them M. This is another argument of their witstandinge Christe They obiect Moyses and the Fathers and they pretende their aucthoritie to cloake theyr incredulitie wythall as contrarye to that fayth which Christ required to be in him B. As if they shoulde saye What workest thou that wée maye beléeue thy thy wordes Thou hast once fedde fiue thousande of vs with fiue Loaues and two Fishes but Moyses fedde sixe hundedered thousande of our Fathers or there aboutes with breade from heauen for the space of fortye yeres But as yet thou hast shewed vs no suche signe It is better therefore that wée bée Moyses Disciples than thy Disciples and to depende vpon hys worde than of thine C. But whereas they extoll the grace of GOD in the Manna that they doe verye subtilly to ouerthrowe the Doctrine of Christ by whiche hée commended the moderate desire of corporall meate For on the contrarye parte they doe oppose the glorious name of Manna whiche was called breade from heauen and Aungels foode But the holye Ghost doth not call Manna breade from heauen although GOD fylling the bellyes of hys people as menne fyll Hogges gaue them no better thing Therefore they haue no excuse at all when they doe wickedlye reiect the spirituall foode of the soule whiche GOD now offereth to them M. For Moyses doeth sufficientlye declare why the Lorde did feede the people with Manna saying And hee gaue thee Manna to eate which neyther thou nor thy Fathers knewe to the ende hee might shewe to thee that manne shall not liue by breade onelye but by euerye worde whiche proceedeth out of the mouth of GOD. B. Manna is called the breade of Heauen and of Aungels because it rayned from heauen by the Ministerye of Aungels A. There are some which interprete this to be the breade of Princes or of greate men because of the Hebrue worde whiche in another place signifieth princes and noble men 32. Then Iesus sayde to them verelye verelye I saye vnto you Moyses gaue you not that breade from heauen but my father giueth you the true breade from heauen Verelye I say vnto you Bv. The Lord knowing well ynough howe filthy their affections were aunswered nothing to the signe whiche they required partly because he came not to fill the bellyes of the hungary nor to playe Pageants before euery one Luk. 23.9 for the whiche cause also he made no aunswere to Herod and partly because the daye before he had shewed so manifest a signe to the people that there néeded not the repeticion of many wordes The Lorde had proued by that signe that he was the same Prophete whom hitherto the Fathers had loked for And the very same men whiche in this place require a signe confessed then that trueth whiche nowe they doubte of For they had sayde This is verily that Prophete whiche shoulde come into the worlde Wherefore he faring as thoug he did not sée the rudenesse of the multitude their ingratitude inconstancy and their mallice goeth aboute by pure symplicity to bringe them to true and perfect knoweledge of the mystery of Fayth M. And because he knewe that this people did to muche hange vppon Moyses as though he had geuen to the Fathers those thinges whiche pertayned to lyfe and therefore did not ryghtlye iudge of the miracle of Manna nor truelye vnderstande that celestiall breade much lesse desire the same hée vseth an earnest asseueration But Christ séemeth to denye that which was cited out of the Psalme yet it is otherwise for hée speaketh onelye by comparison The bread of heauen is called Manna which nourisheth the bodye onelye but that is truelye and properlye iudged to be the breade of heauen which is the spirituall nutriment of the soule Therefore Christ here opposeth the worlde against heauen because the incorruptible
whiche he hath chosen his in Christe Fyrst of all he sendeth his only begotten Sonne to shewe his Fathers will The manner howe out saluation is wrought he sendeth also his Aposteles to preache concerning the Sonne of God who beinge sent preache and call the Preachers are harde the hearers are called by hering commeth faith Fayth iustifieth the beleuing the iustified call one the name of the Lorde and those callers are saued and glorified For whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued C. Wherefore yf GOD will haue those whome he hath elected to be saued by fayth Ioel. 2.32 and doth after this manner confirme and execute his eternall decree whosoeuer he be that being not contented with Christe curiously inquireth of the euerlasting predestination séeketh all that in hym lyeth to be saued otherwise than God hath determined Gods election of it selfe is hyden and secrete but the Lorde hath reuealed the same by that vocation wherewith he hath called vs. Wherefore they are out of their wittes which séeke their owne and other mens saluation also out of the Labirinth of predestination not regarding the waye of faith which is before their eyes Naye by this preposterouse speculation they go aboute to ouerthrowe the force and effect of predestination For yf God haue chosen vs to this ende that we shoulde beléeue take awaye faith and our election shal be meymed and vnperfect And verely it is not meete in the counsayle and purpose of God to breke the tontinuall and appoynted order of the beginning and the ende R. Bee not therefore carefall aboute predestination neither be curious in this secret which belongeth to God For thou canst not by reason of the heauinesse of the eyes see by thyne owne witte into so high misteries But heare Christe looke into Christe in whome the fathe hath opened the secrete sentence of his predestination and in whome it was at the last reuealed whiche a longe tyme laye hid For by Christ we are assured that euery one whiche beleeueth is predestinate for whome he hath predestinate Rom. 8.30 hym he hath called by his Gospell that he maye beleeue and that he maye bee iustified by faith If therefore thou shalt finde thy selfe to be in the fayth of Christe thou shalt finde also that thou art elected and predestinated by God C. For as election and Godes calling are inseperable and go together euen so when God doth effectually call vs to the Fayth of Christe let it preuayle so muche with vs as yf he shoulde confirm his decrée concerning our saluation with a sure seale For the testimony of the Spirite is nothing else than the sealyng of oure adoption as Paule teacheth Therefore euery mans faith is a sufficient witnesse 2. Cor. 1.22 of Godes eternall predestination Ephe. 1.13 insomuche that to seeke farther is greate wickednesse Because he doth greate iniurie to the holy Ghost whiche refuseth to subscribe to his simple testimonye Seeing and beleeuing Christe opeseth against the former sentence by whiche he had cast in the Iewes teeth their vnbelefe whenas notwithstanding they sawe now in the sonnes of God is ioyned the obedience of faith with the scence and féeling of that deuine power whiche they perceyue to be in Christ Insomuche that Séeing is playnly taken for knoweledge For he whiche playnly knoweth the Sonne cannot choose but beleue in hym For he acknowledgeth hym to be the onely Sauioure God lyfe and all in all The wicked sée and know him but they do not throughly see and playnely knowe hym therefore are they made inexcusable because they cannot beléeue God or loue him M. And whereas he made mencion of eternall lyfe before the resurrection his meaning is that the faithfull haue already euerlasting lyfe euen in this lyfe before they are raysed but through hope by whiche they are saued and doe syt with Christe in the heauens and shall enioye the same in very déede after the resurrection as we sée before The whiche wée must diligently noate lest wée thinke that we shall get lyfe by the merites of oure good workes strayght after we haue receyued fayth but let vs be sure that the same is attributed to fayth by whiche we are regenerate into the dignitie and inherytance of the Sonnes of God 41. The Iewes then murmured at hym because he sayde I am the bread of life which came downe from heauen R. Behoulde here I praye you the mutable and waueryng Iudgement of the people A lytlle before they sought to honor Christe as a kinge and nowe because they haue not their will and desyer they murmure against hym they conteinne deryde disdayne and reproue hym of a lye Bv. He had layde the foundation of Christian fayth which was afterwarde to be repeated of the godly that it might the more firmely abyde in their myndes but that doctrin of piety is assalted and withstoode dyuersly and by many enemyes Whereby wée learne howe the worlde is affected toward the preaching of the Gospell C. For the Euaungelist teacheth that the murmuryng aroase here hence because the Iewes being offended at the basenes of the fleshe did conceyue no deuine or celestiall thing to be in Christe R. They had required a signe of the Lorde whereby he might proue that he ought to be beléeued euen as Moyses had proued hym selfe by many greate signes and wonders to be suche a one as was sent of God and whom the people ought to obaye and beleeue But the Lorde did not onely geue vnto them no newe signe ouer and aboue those whiche they had séene for they were sufficient ynough but also affyrmed that he was fare more excelent then Moyses and pronounced himself to be very God because he preached very often tymes of him selfe that he woulde giue eternall lyfe to those that woulde beléeue in hym and also that he would preserue them from death and in the last daye place them in euerlasting blisse These thinges when they vnderstoode not they began to murmure against hym because he extolled hym selfe aboue a man M. But this people haue as it were by inheritaunce this peruerse and vntoward disposition that when faith is néedefull they murmure And to murmure is nothing else than eyther by impatience Murmuration or by disdayne of the mynde to complayne and fynde falte with those thinges whiche seeme to be spoken or done vniustly Thus often tymes they murmured in the wildernesse that is to saye they complayned of God and Moyses as though those thinges whiche were done were done vniustly So to these men it séemed that the Lorde sayd Impudently I am the breade whiche came downe from heauen But wherefore are they not rather angery with them selues that they vnderstande not these thinges so greatly necessary Why doe they not rather murmure amonge them selues that they loued their belly so much Wherfore doe they not praye for the gift of faith why doe they not beséeche him more playnly to instruct them concerning these
that is to saye they call him Mayster whose Disciples they woulde not be This is the manner of ypocrits to carry a shewe of that whiche is not in them A. But not euery one that sayth Lorde Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen Mat. 7.21 but he whiche doeth the will of my Father whiche is in heauen 5 Moyses in the Law commanded vs that suche shoulde be stoned But what sayest thou M. The Phariseis knewe the Law and also how to cite the same in another bodies cause and when they saw it serue for their purpose They knewe also what ponishement the Lawe layed vpon Sinners when other mens synnes came into Iudgement but when they them selues offended againste the Lawe then ther was not so much as mention made of the same But the Lawe doeth not only commaunde this that the haynouse offender should be ponished neither was the Lawe only made to this ende that we might knowe when other men sinne and when they are to be condemned but it doth also commaund that no man oppresse the Innocent and as Nicodemus sayde that no man be Iudged before his cause be hearde and furthermore it was geuen to this end that euery man might behoulde in the same as in a glasse the deformitie of synnes and the corruption of mans nature But ypocrites which desier only to Iudge othermen are blynde in theyr owne synnes but more quicke of sight than Linceus in behoulding other mens faltes Linceus a man who coulde see shippes on the Sea 130. miles from him could nomber thē also could see through a stoane wall as sōe write C. Furthermore their dishonesty was so greate in seking occasion to cauill the whiche also they bewraye with their owne mouth For they saye that they haue a manyfeste commaundement in the Lawe Wherevppon it muste needes followe that they deale maliciously in séeking and demaunding of the same as of a doubtfull matter But their purpose was to constraine Christe to forsake his office of preaching that he might seeme to be a man wauering and inconstant R. They cyte the Law out of the twenty chapter of Leuitticus where it is sayde And the man that commiteth adultery with another mans wife because he hath committed adultery with his neighbours wife Leui. 20 i0 the adulterer and the adulteresse shall boath die the death But the Lawe doeth not therefore punishe the synnes and offences of men as though the punishement of the sworde were a satisfaction for sinne Ponishmēt of the Lawe doth not satisfie for sinne for the death of Christe onely hath made satisfaction for sinne but offendours ar punished by the sword for examples sake that the people might feare to offende and leste in tyme sinne and wickednesse might be counted for vertue and righteousnesse For the sin that is left vnpunished is not knowen to be sinne If any man obiecte the déede of Phinees the which is commended to come as it were from a deuyne zeale Sin vnpunished is not known for sinne and is sayd to tourne away the wrath of God from the Children of Israel I aunswere that the dede of Phinees was not a satisfactorious punishment of sinne Num. 25. for no punishment sauing the onely ponishment of Christe Iesus hath satisfied for sinnes but by this cruell stabbing as it maye séeme of Phinees the rest of the Israelites were made afearde to committe Whordome with the Daughters of Moab and Idolatry with Baal peor that knowing their Impiety they might repent by which repentaunce the wrath of the Lorde is pacefied Wherefore Phinehes is sayde by hys facte to haue appeased the Lordes wrath not that any death is so cruel which may satisfie for sinne but because hereby the people was brought into the right waye and to repentaunce Magistrats appese the wrath of God by ponishing sin by whiche the Lord is pleased yf so be it procéede from fayth So euery faithfull Magistrate by punishing with the sworde horryble offences and by their punishmentes drawing the wicked people to repentanc is sayde to appease the wrath of the Lorde and to take awaye sinne 6. This they sayde to tempte hym that they might accuse him But Iesus stouped downe and with his finger hee wrote on the ground This they sayde to tempte M. The Euaungeliste nowe expresseth with what minde the Scribes and Phariseis brought the adulterouse woman vnto Christe namely not to admonishe him or to make him circomspecte but to tempte to accuse and to destroye hym All temtation or tryal is not euell For God tempteth his seruantes one fréend is tempted of another the childe is tryed by the Father Temtatiō generaly is not euell the Wyfe by her Husbande the Seruaunt by his Master not that they might be hurt by triall but rather that they might thereby be profited The Deuill also tempteth Mat 4.3 i Thes 35. wherevpon also he is called a temptor in the Scripture M. Also enemies vse to tempt not to profite thereby but to hurte and to destroye This kynde of temtation is wicked and playne Deuelishe Therefore the lord hath exhorted vs to beware of those which tempt with an euell minde when as he willeth vs not only to be Innocent as doues but also wise as serpentes Mat. 20 i6 R. Therefore because Christe preached him selfe to be gentle and lowly in hart Mat xi 26. Mat. 9.5 Lu. 7.48.50 and because also they had hearde him say so often tymes Go thy waye thy faith hath saued thee on the one side they sett before him this sinfull woman on the other syde the Lawe C. to the ende they might catche Christe in a trippe by the prouidence of the Lawe For it was not méete to absolute any whome the Lawe condemned If he shoulde subscribe to the Lawe he might seeme after a sort to bée contrary to him selfe R. And so they had taken occasion to discredyt him with the people and to conuince him of a lye as one which preached many thinges concerning remission of sinnes whiche notwithstanding hée did not performe But Iesus stouped downe PAR. Iesus who by his deuine wisedome knewe the secrete thoughtes of the harte so deluded the mallice and subteltie of his aduersaries that he deliuered the synfull woman oute of the hands of those that went about to stoane her and yet notwithstanding did not discharge her of punishment lest he might séeme to offende against Moyses and the pollityke Lawes and againe that hée might not condemne the cause of his comming into this worlde which was to saue sinners M. What it was that Christe wroate because the euaungelist himselfe doth not shewe as we cannot define so we maye not to curiously searche after the same Bv. It séemeth to some that hée wroate these wordes vppon the ground Ye are earth and ye Iudge of the earth M. Othersome thinke that hee wroate the very same whiche he aunswered afterwerde in wordes Many thinke that he wroate some more
aloan should gouerne and be the true pastour of his Church For although he vseth their Ministery yet notwithstanding he ceasseth not to do the office and duty of a Pastoure To be short séeing the name of a Sheapheard doth belong vnto other men as well as to Christ wée maye perceiue that Christ doth communicate his honoure with his ministers insomuch that he abydeth still as well their pastoure as the Sheapheard of the flocke R. And by this name Shepherd Christ teacheth with howe greate care he féedeth his sheepe For the office of a sheapheard is very painfull and carefull as we maye read concerning Iacob who sayd I was in the daye consumed with heate Gen 31.4 and with froste in the night and my slepe departed from mine eyes Euenso Christ watched daye and night for his flocke A good sheapheard geueth his life C. Christ was so carefull for the health of his shéepe that he spared not his owne life wherevpon it followeth that they are to vnthankfull and worthy to perish an hoondered tymes and to be in all perill and daunger which refuse the custody and defence of so gentle and louing a shepheard Therefore Christ the good shepherde gaue his life for his shéepe Esay 53.6 R. For hée dyed for the faithful And he is the better sheapheard that he dyed not for vs when we were Iuste and godly for we haue all gone astray and are like to shéepe that are lost but when we were vniust and sinners For scarse for a Iust man will any man dye but paraduenture for a good man some would dye Rom. 5.7 So that God commendeth vnto his loue that when as yet wée were sinners 1. Pet. 3.28 Christ was offered to deth for vs. A. Also Christ suffered once the Iuste for the vniust Mat. 15.24 And hée him selfe testifieth that he is not sent but to the loste shéepe of the house of Israell R. But why did this good shepheard geue his life for his shéepe Surely that he might ouercome the wolfe that is to say sathan the woluish Rable also that is to say sinne affliction death and Hell For all these are vanquished and ouercome by the death of Christ and in stéede of those are sette vp righteousnesse Ioy life and heauen 12. An hierling and hee which is not the Sheapheard neyther the Sheepe are his owne seeth the woolf comming and leaueth the Sheepe and the woolfe catcheth and scattereth the Sheepe An Hyerling C. Vnderstande here those to be Hyerlinges which imbrace pure doctrine and which rather by occasiō than of true zeale preache the trueth Phili i. i5 séeking their belly and the fléece of the shéepe C. Such though they serue not Christ faithfully yet are they to be heard For as Christ would haue the Scribes and Phariseis to be hearde because they sate in Moyses Chayre euenso we muste so honoure the Gospell that we doe not disdaine the Ministers thereof though they be not so good as they ought to be Hirelings If so be the Church might be purged from hyerlings it were farre better but because it pleaseth God by this meanes to excercise the fayth of the faithfull and because also we are vnworthy of that singuler benefite as to haue Christ shine to vs in good Ministers they are to be borne withall howemuch soeuer we dislike of them and think them vnméete M. Christ therefore in this place putteth a difference betwéene faithfull Pastoures and hyerlinges saying that the good shepherd doth geue his life for his shéepe but that the Hyerling doth flée when hee séeeth the wolfe comming Bv. because hée thinketh that he looseth nothing when hys flocke perisheth ouer which notwithstanding the Lord hath made hym ouerséer C. Notwithstanding there is greate difference betwene this that Christ gaue his life for his shéepe Shepherds and this that other pastoures geue their liues for their sheepe For we know that there were many after Christ which did not spare to shed their blood for the health and benefite of the Church The prophetes also before the comming of Christ spared not their liues But in this the difference consisteth that Christ gaue his lyfe to be the price of satisfaction shed his bloud to pourge our soules and offered vp his body a peace offering thereby to pacifie the wrath of his heuenly father Nowe in the ministers of the Gospell there can be no suche cause all which stand in nede of purgation them selues and by that only sacrifice are reconciled vnto God But Christ disputeth not here concerning the efficacie or fruite of his death that hée might compare him selfe to others but to prooue what affection he bereth toward vs and than that he might inuite others to followe his example To be shorte as it belongeth vnto Christ by his death to bring life vnto vs and to perform whatsoeuer the gospel containeth euenso it is the generall office of all Pastoures to defend the doctrine which they preache euen with the sheading of their blood Neither the sheepe are his owne These wordes containe some difficultie For if they are not shepheardes in the Church of Christ whose shéepe are none of their owne there shal be neuer a Pastoure in the Church but Christ only What meaneth then the Apostle to saye God hath ordained some in the Churche to be Aposteles some Euaungelistes Ephe 4 i2 and some sheapheardes and teachers Also Christ sayde vnto Peter Iohn 2i i5 Feede my sheepe For he is the Pastoure which feedeth euen as hée is the teacher whiche teacheth Peter therefore was a shepheard although he fed none of his owne but the shéepe of Christ C. But let vs remember that they which are guided by the Spirite of God they count that their owne which belongeth vnto the head not to vsurpe power vnto themselues but faythfullye to kéepe that which is committed vnto their charge For hée which is truelye ioyned vnto Christ wil neuer account that to bée none of hys owne which hath béene so déere vnto him Leaueth the sheepe and fleeth M. This proofe plainly bewrayeth hyerlinges Because they haue no care of the shéepe and are not gréeued at the dispersing of the flocke they flée at the comming of the woolfe and forsake the shéepe R. Are all therefore hierlinges whiche in time of persecution flee from theire Churches Act. 9.25 M. If so be we shall affirme this we shall condemne Paule who as it is wel knowen left the faithfull at Damascus and fled and by flight did escape the mouth as it were of the wolfe C. Thys question was handeled at full in oulde time when the cruel tirauntes vexed the Church Some of the fathers were in this poynt to strayght othersome were more Indifferent who gaue libertie to Pastoures to flée in such wise that if so be by their flight they might doe more good to all men than hurt their flocke they might flee And they Iudged that this might be when the
she had beene voide of faith Vpon iust cause therefore he sayeth not If thou beléeue thy Brother shall rise againe but Thou shalt see the glorye of God C And that not onely because faith doeth open our eyes that we maye beholde the glorye of GOD shyning in his workes but because our Fayth maketh awaye for the power and goodnesse of GOD to offer it selfe vnto vs as we maye reade in the fowre score and one Psalme beginning at the eleuenth verse So againe vnbeleefe stoppeth the accesse vnto God and doeth as it were kéepe his handes fast shut for the which cause it is sayde in another place Iesus coulde shewe no signe there Mat. 13.58 because of thier vnbeleefe Not that the power of God is tyed to the wyll of menne but because they which doe withstand the same by their wickednesse so muche as they can are vnworthy to haue him reuealed vnto them M. He sayeth The glorye of God when hee might haue sayde my glorye for it was meete that the Sonne also shoulde bee gloryfied by this miracle as is sayde before but Christ thought it better to vse this modestye that he might seeme rather to seeke his Fathers glory than his owne although his Fathers glorye and his are alwaye ioyned togeather 41. Then they tooke away the stoane from the place where the dead vvas laide And Iesus lyfte vp his eyes and saide Father I thanke thee that thou hast heard mee Then they tooke C. Nowe Martha being contented with this seconde saying suffereth the stoane to be moued She sawe nothing as yet but because she heareth that the sonne of God doeth not commaunde the same in vain she willingly obeyeth him Where the dead was layde M. The Euangelist thought that he could not sufficientlye inculcate the death of Lazarus that thereby he might make the glorye o◠the power of Christ which is boath the resurrection and the lyfe the more manifest And Jesus lyft vp his eyes Christ talketh with his Father before he commaundeth the dead man and that he might declare that he talked with the Father he lifted vp his eyes towardes heauen Bv. to the ende that by the very gesture of his body he might declare to the standers about him that the same which he dyd was by the power of God who is the aucthour and geuer of all good thinges C. This therefore is the signe of a good minde disposed to praye For if so bée a man wyll truly call vpon God he must be ioyned with him the which cannot bée except he be lyfted vp from the earth and ascende aboue the heauens The which a man cannot doe by lifting vp his eyes onely For the hypocrites also doe the like who being ouerwhelmed in the fylthynesse of the fleshe do séeme by lifting vp of their eies and by wrything of their faces to drawe heauen vnto them but that which they do hipocritically the children of GOD must do sincerely Notwithstanding he which lyfteth vp his eyes towarde heauen ought by his cogitacion to include God there who being in euery place fulfilleth both heauen and earth but because mens mindes cannot be frée from groase imaginations but that they wyll imagine some groase and base thing to bée in God except it be when they are lyfted vp aboue the worlde the scripture calleth vs thither and testifieth that the heauen is Gods seate Esay 66 i But this lyfting vp of the eyes is not such a ceremonye that true prayer shall not bée acceptable without the same for the Publican no doubte which looked downe to the grounde dyd neuerthelesse by his faith pearce the heauens And yet this gesture is profitable for it styrreth vp men to séeke God and moueth the affections For there is no doubte but that Christ when hee lifted vp his eyes towards heauen was rapte thyther with greate vehemencye Father I thanke thee that thou hast heard me Bv. The Sonne is not so heard of the Father as we are hearde but after a more certaine speciall manner For the Father heareth the Sonne that is to say he is of the same wyl and power that he is of The Sonne wylleth not any thing contrary to his father neyther stādeth hée in néede of any other forreyne or externall helpe C. Nowe therefore he beginneth with thankesgeuing when as he had asked nothing but although the Euangelist make no mencion that he prayed yet notwithstanding there is no doubte but that he first made his peticion for otherwise he coulde not bee heard And it is verye credible that among those groaninges of the which the Euangelist speaketh he prayed Nowe hauing obtained Lazarus lyfe hée geueth thankes to the Father And in that hée arrogateth not this power to him selfe but attributeth the same to his Father as receiued from him he declareth him selfe to bée the Minister of the Father For to frame him selfe to the capacitye of menne one whyle he proouing and confirming his diuinitye challengeth vnto him selfe whatsoeuer belongeth vnto God another whyle being contented with the personne of a man he geueth the whole glory of the diuinitye to the father 42. Howbeit I knowe that thou hearest me alwaies but because of the people which stande by I sayde it that they maye beleeue that thou hast sent mee B. He was sure already that his Father would at his request restoare Lazarus to life Therefore that he might séeme to doe all thinges by the wyll of his Father he gaue him thankes C. And when he addeth that he knewe the same before he so doeth least any man shoulde thinke that he was in so small fauour with the Father that hée could not doe what miracles he woulde at the first without staye Therefore he declareth that there is suche a consent betwéene him and the father that nothing is denied vnto him and that hee néeded not to haue prayed séeing he dyd that thing onely which hée knewe was commaunded to him of the Father but to the ende it might the more euidently appeare vnto men that this was a diuine worke in déede he therefore called vppon the name of the Father B. To be short he geuing thankes vnto the Father in the presence of the people testified that hée wrought all thinges by the power of his father that he is alwayes heard of the Father and that his wyll and the Fathers wyll are all one C. If any man obiect and say Why then dyd he not rayse vp all those that were dead Wée aunswere that God by his wisedome and counsaile appointed so many miracles to be wrought and no moe than should serue for the approbation confirmation of the Gospel That they might beleeue B. Let vs knowe that all the words and déedes of our sauiour Christ belonged to this ende that we might beléeue Iesus to be the sonne of God our sauior They which stóode by might in some sort knowe the Father and yet be ignoraunt of the Sonne therefore hée prayeth before them that they might knowe
rest of the Iewes who began to beléeue in Christ because of so notable a miracle but when they had séene the verye same they were so farre from beléeuing that because of them they went about to betraye him C. In the which appeareth detestable ingratitude or rather horrible madnesse Whereby we gather howe blinde impietye is The resurrection of Lazarus should haue mollified their stoany harts but there is no worke of God which the impietye of their poyson doeth not infecte and corrupt with bitternesse Therefore to the ende men may profite by the miracles of God it is necessary that theyr heart be purged For whosoeuer haue not the feare of God although they sée heauen and earth confounded togeather wyl not ceasse by ingratitude to reiect wholesome doctrine So a man maye sée at this daye many of the frantike enemies of the Gospell to fight against the mightye hande of God requiring notwithstanding miracles at the handes of the Ministers of Gods worde but to no other ende than by obstinate resisting to shewe them selues to bée monsters of men M. A man shall finde also many who after the ensample of these wicked ones being eyther styrred vp by enuye or else moued to please others doe report those thinges which in them selues are good and can not be blamed to wicked men that they maye prouoke them more and more to lye in wayte for good men C. And they brought newes of the myracle vnto the pharises because they were bytter enemies of the Gospel R. They were the instrumentes of Sathan to whome Christ was the sauour of death vnto death the stombling stoane and the rocke of offence 47. Then gathered the highe Priestes and the Pharisees a counsayle and sayd what do we for this man doth many myracles M. The chéefe Priestes and Pharisées being in outwarde shewe the Prelates and chiefe pillers of the Iewishe Religion hearing of so notable and wonderfull a myracle and hauing regarde to theyr name dignitye and estimation sought meanes and wayes to hynder the glorye of Christ and to defende their Lordshippe and gouernment whiche they had ouer the people of God C. Verylye if they had not béene more scencelesse than brute Beastes they would haue geuen some reuerence towarde Christe after so notable a declaracion of his diuine power but nowe they gather them selues togeather and take counsayle howe they may ouerthrowe the glorye of GOD the sight whereof ought to haue made them abashed What doe wee Bv. As the wicked in all theyr affayres are vncertayne what to doe amazed and confounded euen so their counsailes are not without greate care and trouble C. In these wordes they seeme to accuse their owne sleuth and negligence as yf they should say that Christ by their forbearaunce had more fame and glory whereas it laye in them to hinder the same This is the confidence and trust of the wicked by which they perswad them selues that they can do all thinges as though it were in their handes to doe what they list For this man doth many myracles B. Behoulde here howe monsterouse mad impietie is They acknowledge that he doeth such signes and wonders that no man can deny but that he hath power ouer lyfe and death and yet they consyder not that if they withstand hym they shal laboure in vaine Therefore very obstinately and wilfully they prepare them selues to oppresse the glory and power of God which shyned in the myracles of Christ But God in the mean time is not a sléepe for although he let them alone for a tyme laugheth their foolish arrogancie to scorne yet notwithstanding at the length he powreth vppon them the full measure of his wrath as we maye reade in the twelfe verse of the second Psalme M. But what needed they to gather a counsaile when as they had already not only among themselues but also by a publique Edict Iohn 9.22 condemned the doctrine of Christ But impietie though it be ouercome a hoondered times yet notwithstandinge it will not geue place vnto the trueth of God 48 If we let hym scape thus all men wil beleue on him and the Romaines shall come and take awaye boath oure roome and the people M. These men thought that it was by their permission that Christ wrought so many miracles and that it laye in their handes to staye him from working the same C. If so bée Christ had béene a deceiuer their office had béene to withstand him least shée should drawe away the shéepe from the Lordes foulde but in confessing his miracles they plainlye inough declare that they care not for God whose power they so securely and disdainfullye contemne All men wyll beleeue on him R. As if they should saye If so be we winke at his doinges all Iewry wyl account him for a King and the Messias M. Is faith then such a matter that it requireth the high Priests Magistrats to fauour the same Naye verily for although ye should go about by violence to constraine men to beléeue in Christ yet neuerthelesse all men would not beléeue in him Faith in Christ dependeth vpon election Gods calling which no mortall men can restraine O ye blind guids Faith dependeth on election and Gods calling al men were not elected to this Faith and therefore there was no cause why ye should feare that although ye dyd so suffer Christ all men woulde beléeue on him And the Romaines shall come C. These men to couer and clâ—ake theyr wickednesse pretende a loue and care to wardes the common wealth and profite of theyr countrey But they speciallye feared least theyr cruell gouernement should decaye yet they faine to bee careful for the Temple for the worship of God for their countrey and for the state of the people Before they confessed that Christe wrought many Myracles and nowe they are afearde of the Romaines as though the power of GOD were not sufficient for theyr safetye whiche playnlye declared it selfe in those myracles Therfore the Euangelist geueth vs to vnderstande that the cause of their consultation was the perill whiche was at hand B. And this pretence of the enemies of Christ had some shew of trueth because they had suffred alredy many thinges at the handes of the Romaynes for diuers seditions and rebellions Therefore they would haue it séeme that it woulde come to passe that all the people would beléeue on the Lorde and to receiue him for Christe and the Mesias and make hym a King that then the Romaines would come and beséege the Cittie and carrye away the people captiue Thus impyetie alway findeth somewhat that hath some shew of profite to beguile the simple withall C But that is an vntoward consultation to avoyde perills whiche cannot be shunned vnlesse we forsake the righte course Firste we muste séeke what the Lorde commaundeth and what he wyll haue done this we ought to do what successe soeuer we haue But these men séeke to destroye Christe lest any inconuenience happen if so
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
that euell Where hée sayeth that they haue ouercome who are as yet in the middest of the skyrmyshe But our condition differeth far from theyrs which fight vnder the standerdes of men For Mars to them is doubtfull and the successe of the battaile vncertaine but wee before wée encounter with the enemye are conquerours because our head Christ hath once ouercome the whole worlde for vs when he ouercame Satan the Prince of this world So that hée maye paraduenture afflicte the children of God but hee can neuer haue the victorye for that the cause belongeth to Gods kingdome By the name of the world in this place Christ reprehendeth all that is contrarye to the saluation of the Godlye in speciallye all corruptions the whiche Sathan abuseth to intrappe and beguile vs. B. Therefore the worlde is so ouercome by Christ that it maye onelye profite vs but not hurte vs yf so bée through Faith which is the victorye of the worlde wée cleaue faste vnto Christ to the end ⧠The .xvij. Chapter 1. These wordes spake Iesus and lyfte vp his eyes to heauen and sayde Father the houre is come glorifye thy sonne that thy sonne also maye glorifye thee R. HITHERTO from the thirtéen Chapter Christe hath taught that he was sent of the Father into this world and that hee woulde goe to the Father againe Beside this he confirmed with many comfortable consolalations all those that beléeue in him against the offence of the Crosse specially with the last comfortable precept in the Chapter going before Be of good cheere I haue ouercome the worlde For wherevnto soeuer thou haue respect whether it bée vnto corporall thinges or spirituall thinges the Crosse is alwaye obiected C. Wherefore the comming of the holye Ghost being promised by him he made them to haue better hope and also debated the matter at large concerning the glorye and excellencye of his kingdome R. And nowe he prayeth his Father fyrst that his Father would glorifye him seeing that the Ministerye of the Gospell was now fulfilled and the power of his glorifycation come Then he prayeth for his Apostles And last of all for all such as should beleeue through the Preaching of the Apostles M. Therfore Christ addeth a Prayer to that doctrine by the which he instructed and confirmed his Apostles and such a prayer as agreed with the present cause of the which he had spoken so largely This is a most excellent order and dilligentlye to bée obserued and noated not onelye of all the Ministers of Christ but also of the Faithfull that they turne from Doctrine to prayer For doctrine wyll be coulde except the same bée made effectuall by God Wherefore hee geueth an example to teachers not onelye to bée painefull in Preaching the worde but also by vsing prayer therewith to call for helpe from God that it woulde please him by his benediction to make the same fruitefull M. For whether thou teache or bée taught wée must not looke to receiue encrease and fruite by man but we must make our humble prayers vnto GOD who geueth boath to him that teacheth and to him that heareth increase and profite C. To bée short this prayer of Christ 1 Cor 3 7 was as it were a sealing of the former doctrine boath that it might bée fyrme in it selfe and also that the Disciples might geue credite therevnto and stedfastly beléeue it C. And in this Chapter Christ manifesteth his Priesthoode of whome it is written Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Also Psal ii0 4 In the dayes of his fleshe hee offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto God Heb. 5 2 which could saue him from death and he was hearde out of the feare M. Christ taught before nowe he prayeth Prayer preaching ioyned togither shortlye after he purposed to offer vp him selfe an acceptable sacrifice to God his Father C. And wheras Iohn sayth that Christ prayed lyfting vp hys eyes vnto heauen it was a token of greate feruencye in prayer For by thys Iesture he declared that hys minde and affection was rather in heauen than in earthe that leauing men he myght haue familliare talke wyth God Also he looked vppe to Heauen not because God is included ther who replenisheth the whole earth but because hys Maiestie there specially appeareth Ierem. 27. But concerning thys matter we haue spokē more in the eleuenth Chapter goyng before begynning at the fourty and one verse Father the houre is come M. In that Christ prayed openly and in the heareyng of hys Disciples it was not done wythout cause He loueth sylence and secrete prayer Math. 6.6 as Christ him selfe not onely in wordes but also by his owne déede taught in goynge aparte when he woulde praye into the wildernesse Math. 14.23 or else into some solitarye place but that kinde of prayer which the Lord vsed here was not onelye done for prayers sake but also for consolation and instruction And thys maner of open praier did not onelye perfite the Disciples but hath also brought vnto vs great consolation and instruction C. Fyrste of all Christ prayeth that hys owne kingdome might be glorifyed that he againe might set foorth the glory of hys Father He sayeth the hower is come bycause althoughe he was manifested by miracles and by all maner of power to bée the Sonne of God yet notwythstanding as yet hys spirituall kingdome was obscure which shortlye after gloriouslye shined Also he sayeth that the hower was come not which man had appoynted but the hower which was decreede by God R. But some wyll saye what meaneth thys that Christe prayed beyng assured of hys glorification I aunswere that assuraunce is the principall cause of hys prayer For except thou be sure certayne to obtayne thou prayest in vayne Prayer if it be effectuall proceedeth from faith For effectuall prayer muste spring from fayth and fayth is dyrected to the fyrme and stable promyse of God Wherefore except fayth be annexed to the vndoubted promyse it cannot bee that thou shouldest obtayne Math. 6.12 Thus we praye daylye Forgiue vs our dettes as wee forgiue our detters when as Christ purchased vpon the Crosse remission of our dettes many yeares before C. Therefore thys prayer was not superfluous because Christ so dependeth vppon the wyll of God that notwythstandyng be knewe that he must pray for that which was promised vnto hym sertainelye to come to passe God vndoubtedly wyll bring that to passe which he hath decrede though the whole worlde doe gaynesaye and resiste the same but yet neuerthelesse it is our parte to craue that at hys handes by prayer which hée hath promised bycause thys is the vse of promyses to styrre vs vppe to praye M. Furthermore we must consider that he saith not God glorifye me but Father glorifye thy sonne Fyrst of all it expresseth a trust and prerogatiue of the Sonne towardes the Father then it putteth a difference betwene the
haste loued me For there is but one only Christ which can be sayd to be welbeloued Furthermore the heauenly father loueth all the members with the same loue with the whiche he hath loued the Churche that he maye loue no man but in Christ But for this reade more in the .3.14 and .16 chapters before 24. Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me where I am that they may se my glory which for thou haste gyuen me thou louedst mee before the foundation of the worlde M. Whereas Christe sayth heere to his Father I will it is not spoken commaundingly but in the way of petition C. For I wil in this place is as much to say as I desire Notwithstanding there maye bee double vnderstanding in the same eyther that he woulde haue his disciples to enioye his externall presence or els that God woulde bring them at the laste into his heauenly kingdome whyther he wente before Thus to see the glorye some expound to haue the participatioÌ„ of that glory which Christ hath other some to feele with the sence of faith what Christ is how great his maiestie is also But all things well wayed considered we must beleeue that Christe speaketh of the perfecte blessednes of the Godly As if he shuld say that his prayer and peticion was not graunted vntill suche tyme as they were receiued vp into heauen vnto him Thus we muste vnderstand the sighte of his glory They then sawe the glory of Christe when he was presente with them euen as if men should see a small lighte shining through the narrow chinks or crakes of a â—oore or walle when they are shutte into a darke place Now Christ wishet that they might profite so long vntill they enioyed the perfecte lighte in the kingdome of heauen In effecte he prayeth that the Father woulde bring them forward more more vntill such time as hee brought them vnto the full sight of his glory M. By thys place wee see what manner of prayer it was which Christe made namely no vncertayne or doubtfull prayer but an assured and faythfull prayer too obtayne that which he asketh C. When he addeth For thou louedst me befor the beeginning It doth far better agree with the person of the mediator than with the bare deuinitie of Christ A. By this place we gather that the faithfull are oute of perill seeing they are partakers of the same glory with the which Christ is endued of the Father for the head is not seperated from the meÌ„bers R. Therefore whether the faythfull are in death or in life they ar with Christ Whereupon the Prophet sayth if I walke in the middest of the shadowe of deathe I will feare none ill bicause thou art with me 25. O righteous Father the worlde also hath not knowen thee but I haue knowen thee and these haue knovven that thou haste sente me M. Againe he commeÌ„deth in his disciples the knowledge of god the father the which he manifested vnto them Of this he spake before And here he repeateth the same againe discerning his disciples from thys world and accusing the world in this that the same knoweth not God the Father C. Therefore of ryghte Christe of a singuler affection commendeth his disciples whom the vnbeleefe of the worlde did not hinder from the knowledge of god M. The lyke sentence almost thou haste before in these words And ye haue not knoweÌ„ him but I haue knowen him Also it agréeth with the .8 verse of this chapter C. In calling the Father righteous he condemneth the world and the wickednes of the same As if he shoulde saye Although the worlde do proudly despise and reiecte God yet not withstanding he looseth nothing therebye but remayneth still as glorious a God and a righteous as he was before By whiche wordes he teacheth that the fayth of the Godly ought to be so founded in God that thoughe the whole worlde shoulde falle yet the same shoulde neuer shake Also we muste note the order of faith which is here described The sonne onely whiche came foorth of the bosome of the Father dothe properly knowe the Father Therefore al they which desire to come vnto God must of necessitie receiue Christ which coÌ„meth to meete them and muste wholy addicte them selues vnto hym And he when he is knowen wil at the last bring his disciples to God the Father 26. And I haue declared vnto them thy name and wil declare it that the loue wherewith thou haste loued me may be in them and I in them M. By this place it dothe appeare that the knowledge of gods name is not seperated from the knowledge of the dispensation and mediation of Christe by whiche hee is knowen to be the Mediator sent into thys world C. When he saith that he hath manifested vnto them hys fathers name hée meaneth that hee hath done the office of a teacher but yet that hee vsed not onelye the sounde of a voice but also the secret reuelation of the spirite to manifest the father And bicause the faith of the disciples was as yet but weake hee promiseth with al increace of this knowledge B. For we must here continually increase in the knowledge of god C. And thus he prepareth theÌ„ to hope for more large knowledge and grace of the spirite Also although hee speaketh of the Apostles yet wee may gather thereby a generall exhortation that we may studie dayly to profite and not to thinke that wee haue run so wel but that there remayneth yet a greate deale of our race so longe as we are in this fleshe M. Wherfore let vs seeke for the increase of this knowledge of God at the handes of Christ the perfection wherof we shal haue at the last in the life to come That the loue wherewith thou hast loued me C. That is to say that thou mayst loue theÌ„ in me Or els That the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may also extend it self vnto them For the loue wherewith God loued vs too speake properly is euen the very same with the whiche hee loued hys Sonne from the beeginning that in hym he might make vs acceptable to hym selfe And verely in respecte of oure selues wee are odious vnto God without Christe but theÌ„ he beginneth to loue vs wheÌ„ we begin to growe into the bodye of his welbeeloued sonne This is an vnspeakeable priuiledge when we knowe that Chryste was beloued of his Father for our sakes that wee might bee for euer pertakers of the same loue M. We muste note also that the knowledge of God doth bring vs into this wonderfull fellowship of Gods loue C. But wee muste note these wordes And I in them By whiche wee are taught that wee are no otherwise comprehended in that loue of the whiche hee speaketh than if Christe doo dwell in vs. For as the Father can not beholde the Sonne but hee muste haue before hys eyes his whole body euen so if we will haue him to beholde vs
and of his Pontificall maiestie in that Christ answered not seruilely fearefully and abiectly saying May it please your Holynesse most Reuerende father to aske those which haue heard me but with a certayne reprehension and holde spéeche he sayth VVhy askest thou me aske them vvhich heard me what I sayd vnto them Therefore one of them thinking to do the high Priest a pleasure as a maynteyner of his Pontificall honor gaue the Innocent a blowe on the face béeing captiue and bounde and withall taunted him saying Ansvverest thou the high Priest so As if he should say Is this thy reuerence which thou geuest vnto the dignitie of the Priesthood Art thou so rashe that thou answerest the highe Priest no better than thou wouldest speake to a priuate person and one of the common sorte C. Therfore this was added fyrst of all that we might knowe how great the madnes of the enimies of Christ was what tyrannicall gouernment and also what discipline was amongest those hye Priests M. There is a Prouerbe Such a master such a man A man might know what this high Priest was by hys seruaunt It is too muche inhumanitie to checke taunt and beate a prisoner before a Iudge C. They sitte as Iudges and yet they are more fierce and cruell than brute beastes This was a Session in the which there should haue béen great grauitie and yet notwithstanding a seruaunt is so boulde and presumptuous that in the middest of the Plea euen before the Iudges he striketh the Prisoner which was found gilty in nothing Wherfore it is no maruell if so be the doctrine of Christ be condemned in so barbarous an assemblie M. It became the hye Priest to haue reprehended and corrected thys rashnesse of the seruaunt but bicause he séemed to be a maynteyner of his Maiestie agaynst the Lorde he alowed this wicked acte by his silence This flattering Parasite representeth all those whiche allowe and confyrme the disdayne arrogancie and iniquitie of false Bishoppes and doo iudge it great contumelie and dishonour to the Bishoply dignitie if all things concerning the same be not seruilely with submission allowed and extolled euen to heauen They can not sée their iniquitie but can with great feruencie maynteyne their Episcopall dignitie and authoritie 23. Iesus answered him If I haue euill spoken beare witnesse of the euill but if I haue well spoken why smytest thou me M. Fyrst we must note the patience of Christ He might haue reuenged hymselfe of that lewde seruaunt of the wicked hye Priest but he thought it better to suffer contumelie then to reuenge hymselfe 1. Pet. 2.23 The whiche is set downe héere for our example Luk. 9.56 A. For beside this that the sonne of man came not to destroy mens soules but to saue them he was also readie to suffer death Luk. 23.34 that we beeing enemies he might reconcile vs vnto his Father Wherevpon afterwards he prayed for those which crucified him so farre was he from wishing vengeance to be taken of them M. Therefore he suffereth contumelie and taketh not vengeance of his enemie and yet notwithstanding he holdeth not his peace at his iniquitie neyther doth he forsake his Innocencie but maynteyneth the same C. As if he should say If I haue offended accuse me that when the matter is heard I may be punished according to the offence For the foresayde violence was no lawfull dealing but another maner of order and modestie belonged to iudgements Christe therefore complayneth of greate iniurie done vnto him if he hathe not offended and that if he had offended yet they should haue delt according to lawe and equitie and not by violence But Christ here séemeth not to obserue that Mat. 5.39 which he commaunded his to do in another place For he doth not turne his right eare when his left checke was buffeted Answere R. If thou wel vnderstand the word of Christ by which he expoundeth the Law it shall manifestly appeare that Christ hath fulfilled his owne doctrine For this is the meaning of that place If so be any man do vnto thée any iniurie contumelie or harme thou muste be so farre from requiting one iniurie for another that thou must rather be prepared to suffer great iniuries Compare nowe the déede of Christ with this saying Did he reuenge him selfe Peter sayth he did not Did he geue euill words agayne Thou hearest a defence but no accusation Thou hearest an admonition but no rayling For he sayth If I haue vvell done vvhy smitest thou me As if he should say I strike not agayne I do not reuenge my selfe but I warne thée repent least worse happen vnto thée from the Lorde our God C. Wherefore it is not alway required in Christian patience that he whiche is hurte should both holde his peace and suffer iniurie but this is required that he suffer the same patiently without desire of reuenge and that he rather seeke to ouercome euill by dooing good The spirite of Sathan doth too muche carry the wicked to doo harme yea thoughe no man prouoke them M. Moreouer that whiche was done vnto Paule by Annas the high Priest Rom. 12.21 differeth little from this whiche was done vnto Christ by the presumpteous seruant of the wicked hye Priest 24. Now Annas had sent him bound vnto Caiphas the high priest R. This sentence must be included by a Parenthesis C. For bicause the Euangelist had sayd that Christ was led to the house of Annas had so prosecuted his Narration as though the counsayle and assembly of the high Priest had béene there he now giueth vs to vnderstande that he was brought backe agayne to the house of the highe priest A Thys also semeth to be added to exaggerate the iniurie done vnto Christe by the hye Priests seruants for it was very vnmeete that a prisoner bounde and vncondemned should be foully beaten before a Iudge standing at the barre pleading and defending hys owne cause Concerning the reste of the texte betwéene this and the .28 verse read oure commentarie vppon the .26 chapter of Mathevv 28. Then led they Iesus from Caiphas into the haule of Iudgemente It was in the morning and they themselues went not into the Iugemente haule leste they shoulde be defiled but that they might eate the passeouer R. This is a preparation to the second parte of the oration or communication by whiche Christe was reproued of sedition M. For the Euangelist passeth to the declaration of those things which were done before Pilate of the Romaine Lieftenant C. That examination of the whiche Sainct Iohn speaketh was very early before the breake of the day Yet notwithstanding there is no doubte but that they had in euery place of the Citie their bellowes to set the people on fyre the burning madnes of the people which with one consent required to haue Christ deliuered vp to death flamed so sodainly The hye priestes had the examining of Christ not that it was in their power to geue
Lambe And S. Iohn taketh this as graunted vnto him that the same Lamb was a signe of the true and only sacrifice by which the Church should be redéemed Neyther maketh it any matter that the same was offered for a remembraunce of the redemption alreadie made For so god would haue that benefite celebrated that it might promise spirituall deliueraunce vnto the Church in time to come Wherfore without all controuersie the Apostle Paule applieth that forme of eating the Pascal Lambe which Moses prescribeth vnto Christ By this analogie and similitude fayth gathereth no small fruite because the same shall beholde saluation offered in Christ in all the Ceremonies of the Lawe 37. And agayne another Scripture saith They shal loke on him whoÌ„ they pearced This place is taken out of the twelfth chapter of the prophesie of Zacharie B. Deut. 32.35 And it agreeth with that whiche is written in Deutronomie wher it is said Vengeance is mine and I will repay By whiche places séeing the punishemente of the wicked is deferred for a long time to come the spirite signifyeth that the wicked shall preuaile and haue the vpper hande in thys worlde but yet so that they shall sley them selues with their owne sworde For the more they prosper in their euill dooinges the more iuste their cause is thought of them to be Therefore béeing blynded they runne headlong into the greeuous iudgemente of God Therefore they whiche goe aboute too expounde this place concerning Christe according to the letter do too violently racke the same For the Euangelist doth not alleage the same to that ende but rather to shewe that Christe is that God whiche long agoe complayned by Zachary that the Iewes had perced him to the harte For there God speaketh after the manner of men signifying that he is wounded with the wickednes of the people but specially with the wicked coÌ„tempte of his worde euen as that man is wounded to death whose harte is perced Now bicause Christ Iesus is God manifested in the fleshe Esay 6.10 Saincte Iohn sayth that the same was openly fulfylled in his visible fleshe which his diuine maiesty according to that manner whiche it might suffer suffered of the Iewes Not that God is subiecte to the iniuries of men or that the reproches and slaunders of mortall men can reache from the earth vnto him but bicause he woulde expresse by this manner of speach of how great sacriledge the impietie of man was giltie when proudly and presumptuously it extendeth it selfe to heauen And rightly S. Ihon ascribeth that to the Iewes which was done by the hand of a Romaine souldiour Euen as in another place they are sayd to haue crucifyed the Sonne of God although they touched not his body with their fynger They shall see him M. As touching this séeing some therby vnderstand the conuersion of the Iewes Act. 2.3.9 Act. 3.15 of the which we haue an example in the second of the Actes of the Apostles R. For then they began to haue respect vnto him whom they pearced in mourning and repentaunce Othersome interprete the same of the punishemente of the wicked to come as we sayde before Both which are comprehended in this place if we wel consider of the same namely that a remnante shall be gathered by God from amonge this loste nation shal also shewe his horrible punishment and vengeance vpon all the contemners of his grace For we knowe that they were wont to scorne the Prophets no lesse than if they had tolde a tale without the commandemeÌ„t of God This sayth the Lord shal not escape vnpunished bicause he will him selfe defende his owne cause Concerning the rest of this chap. reade the .27 of Mat. 56. vers The twentith Chapter 1. The first day of the Sabbaths came Mary Magdalene early when it was yet dark vnto the sepulcher and sawe the stone taken away from the graue HItherto wee beholde nothing in the passioÌ„ of Christ outwardly in Christ Rom. 1.4 thaÌ„ a very abiect maÌ„ forsakeÌ„ of God But nowe by the resurrectioÌ„ it is manifestly declared that he is the sonne of God And first of al we must haue a consideration of the works of God by the resurrectioÌ„ For as God began the resurrectioÌ„ in Christe by a cleane coÌ„trary worke that is say Death the beginning of life by deiecting casting down into the extreme pit of hell euen so he beginneth ioy with sorow glory with ignominy shame and life with death C. But bicause the resurrection of Christ is the principall Article of our faith without which the hope of euerlasting life lieth dead therefore the Euangelists do stand the more vpon â—he probatioÌ„ of the same Rom. 4.25 Roma 6.4 1. Cor. 15.3 Euen as this our Euangelist gathereth many testimonies by which we may be certified that Christe rose agayne from the dead A. The vertue of whose resurrection the Apostle Paule in diuers places sheweth at large but specially in his Epistle to the Romanes C. But it may seeme very absurde that S. Iohn doth not bring more approued and credible witnesses for he beginneth with a woman But thus this saying was fulfilled 1. Cor. 1.7 that God hath chosen the weake foolish and conteÌ„ptible things of this world to confound the wisdome power and glory of the fleshe A. And in that there seemeth to be some varietie betweene this our EuaÌ„gelist and the other thrée reade our Commentarie vpon the .28 of Matth. the first verse and there you shall see a playne reconciliation of those places which séeme to varie 2. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whoÌ„ Iesus loued and sayth vnto them They haue taken away the Lorde out of the graue we can not tell where they haue layde him R. Althogh this woman was not as yet endued with a perfect fayth yet notwithstanding she rightly endeuoured her selfe to manyfest the glory of the sonne of God M. Mary therefore runneth with speede to Peter and Iohn eyther for that they were best knowen vnto her or els because they were gathered into one companie She maketh hast by running béeing feruently affected by the spirite And bicause she found the graue emptie contrarie to her expectation forgetting the woordes of Christe shee conceyueth a wrong suspition in hir minde that the body of the Lord was translated into some other more seemly decent sepulchre the other being but rude and inconuenient though peraduenture fitte for the purpose of the Iewes beeing neere vnto mount Caluerie where he was crucified or els she iudged that the body of Christ was remoued for some other cause which shee knew not of R. Therefore wéeping and crying she commeth to Peter and Iohn saying They haue taken avvay the Lorde out of the graue She speaketh of the body of the Lorde and she calleth him hir Lorde thoughe he were buried so she was affected towarde the Lorde Iesus But this woman rather suspected
power of his resurrection whiche was moste principall Wherfore it is no maruell if suche grosse affections put a vayle before hir eyas 16. Iesus saythe vnto hir Mary She turneth hir self and said vnto him Rabbony whiche is to say Master C. In that Christe suffered Mary to erre for a shorte time it is profitable for vs to confirme our fayth but nowe wyth one worde he reuoketh hir from errour M. He sayth not I am he whom thou séekest for whose sake thou wepest so much but he calleth hir by hir proper name as one familiar friende speaketh to another and that with suche a voyce as was best knowen vnto the woman C. At the first he spake vnto hir as a stranger but now taking vpon him the person of a Master he speaketh vnto hir as to a Disciple euē as we heard before that a good shepheard calleth all the shepe of his flocke by name Iohn 10.3 The voice therfore of this shepeherd perceth into the mind of Mary openeth her eyes moueth al her sences affecteth her forthwith to geue her self vnto christ For She tourned hir selfe and said vnto him Rabboni M. The Euangelist in saying that Marie tourned hir selfe about againe meaneth that she tourned hir face again to the Sepulcher whither peraduenture hir heart was bent A. For she had a feruent vnspeakeable desyre to fynde the Lord but so soone as she heard and vnderstoode the voice of her Shepeheard she biandby cryed with great ioye and admiration Rabboni C. Thus in Mary we haue depainted to vs the Image of our calling For this is our only enteraunce into the true knowledge of Christ if so be he know vs fyrst and do familiarlye call vs vnto him not with that common voyce which generally soundeth in the eares of all men but by which he doth specially cal those shepe which are geuen vnto him of the father Hereuppon the Apostle Paule sayth Gal. 4.9 After that ye knew God yea rather wer known of God And the efficacie of the word appeareth hereby that Mary gaue biandby vnto Christ that honour which was due vnto him For the name of Rabboni is not only honorable but contayneth also the profession of obedience Therefore Marye declareth her self to be a disciple of christ and submitteth her selfe vnto him as to a maister This is a wonderfull and secret conuersion of mans mynde when God illuminating the same by his holye spirite maketh the same of blynde sodenly to sée perfectly The like example we haue almost in the two disciples which were going to Emaus A. For when as at the fyrst their eyes were held that they knew not Christ Luk. 24.30 at the length when he toke bread and blessed and brake the same their eies were opened and they knew him whom before they iudged to be a straunger C. Furthermore the example of Marye ought to be an exhortation vnto vs that so many as Christ calleth vnto him do answer him presently again without delay 17. Iesus sayth vnto her touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my father but goe to my brethren and saye vnto them I ascend vnto my father your father and to my god your God B. Mary wold haue imbrased Christ for the exceding loue ioy which she had because she saw Christ present again in the flesh But when the Lord sawe that she wondered at his carnall presence more than was mete seking to lift vp her mynde to heauenly thinges and to the imbracinges of faith forbad her to touch him saying Touch me not C. Notwithstanding this séemeth not to agree with the narration of Mathew Mat. 28.9 For he plainlye writeth that the women imbrased the féete of Christ And seeing afterward he would haue his disciples to handle and to feele him what cause was ther why he should forbid Mary to touch him Obiection M. For he said vnto Thomas brīg hither thy finger and see my hands and put thy finger into my syde and be not faithles but beleuing C. The solution hereof is very easy if so be we consider that the women were not prohibited the touching of Christ before such tyme as they were too busy and desirous to touche him Answere For no doubt he did not forbid thē to touch him so far forth as it was nedefull to take away all doubt but when he saw that they were to busye in impracing his féete hée moderated and corrected that rashe zeale For they depēded vppon his corporal presence neyther did they know anye other way to enioy him than if he dwelt among them vppon the earth M. Moreouer bicause his disciples doubted whether he were truly risen again or no and bicause the same which appeared vnto them was iudged of them to be but a vision Luk. 24.37 to the end they might beleeue the resurrection he sayd Feele and see for a spirite hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue Also Thomas had sayde Except I see the print of his nailes in his handes and put my finger into the print of the nayles and my hande into his side I will not beleue Therfore Christ did very well in offering him selfe to be felte of him A. But in Marye there was no suche doubting that there should neede any further feeling but it was requisite that she shuld come to a further faith and to more plain vnderstanding of the kingdome of Christ least she should abase him in cogitation more than there was cause C. We must also note the reason which Christ addeth For I am not yet ascended to my Father For by these wordes he commaundeth the woman to suspend their affection vntill suche time as hee was ascended into the glory of his kingdome Furthermore he sheweth the fayth of his resurrection not such a faith as they imagined to them selues as that when he was risen againe he should raigne triumphe in the world but rather that by his ascension into heauen he shold take possession of that kingdome which was promised vnto him and sitting at the right hande of his Father might gouerne the Church by the power of his spirit Therfore the sence and meaning of his wordes is that the state of his resurrection is not full and perfecte vntill such time as he sit at the right hand of his Father in the kingdome of heauen As if he should say B. Think not bicause ye sée me presente in the flesh that ye haue obtayned the fruition of all good thinges I sayd before vnto my disciples that it was good for them that I should go vnto my Father to whom when I had ascended I would send my spirite the comforter and bring all things to passe for them These thinges ye ought to looke for and not to make such account of my corporall presence Abstaine therfore from this earnest touching lest ye be to much addicted to my carnal presence ye ought hereafter to imbrace me by faith raigning in heauē C. But this
keepe it he dothe not denie that to bee true whiche the woman had sayde Blessed is the vvombe that bare thee and the pappes that gaue thee sucke but extolleth those whiche heare the worde of God and keepe it C. Therefore Christe heere for this consideration commendeth fayth bicause the same beeing contente with the simple worde of God dependeth not vppon the sence and reason of fleshe and bloud So that he comprehendeth the force and nature of fayth in a briefe definition namely that it standeth not in the present aspecte but pearceth vnto the heauens and beleeueth those thinges whiche are hidden from humayne vnderstanding To this effect pertayne these sentences Fayth is an assurance of things which are hoped for Heb. 11.11 1. Cor. 5.7 and a certenty of things which are not seene Aso VVe walke by fayth not after outvvarde appearaunce The which places signifie that fayth hath his aspecte but yet suche aspecte as stayeth not on the worlde and vppon earthly obiectes If any man obiect and saye that this place is contrarie to that where he pronoūceth those eyes to be blessed which beholde him present We answere Mat. 13.16 That Christ doth not speake there of a corporal aspect only as he doth in this place but of the reuelation which is common to al the godly from the time that he came to be the redéemer of the world He compareth the Apostles with the holy Kings Prophets which were held vnder the obscure shadowes of Moses law But now he saith that the state of the faythfull is blessed bicause more perfecte lighte shineth vnto them yea bicause the substaunce and truthe of figures is offered vnto them Many of the wycked behelde Chryste wyth the eyes of the fleshe at that tyme who notwithstanding were neuer a whit the more blessed but we whiche neuer sawe Christe with oure eyes are made partakers of this blessednes which Christ héere commendeth Blessednesse of those that see not Christ Gal. 3.1 Whervpon it followeth that those eyes are called blessed whiche spiritually consider that in him which is heauenly and diuine For at this day we beholde Christ in the Gospell no lesse than if he were present before vs. M. Therefore let no man say O that I had lyued in the dayes of Christe and had seene with mine eyes those his myracles We beleeue that they are muche more blessed whiche see not than those whiche haue seene 1. Pet. 1.8 C. If therefore wee desire to sée that in Christe whiche maketh vs happie and blessed let vs learne to beleue when we see not Wheras therefore the Papists wrest these words to proue their Transubstantiation it is too friuolous and vayne That wée maye be blessed they cōmaunde vs to beleeue that Christ is in the fourme of breade but the purpose of Christ was nothing lesse than to make our fayth subiect to the inuentions of man the which fayth if it passe neuer so little the boundes of the worde it ceasseth now to be fayth If so be we must beléeue generally all thinges which are not séene then our fayth shall be subiect to all monstruous myracles to all fables and forged lyes Therefore to the ende thys sentence of Christe maye take place we must fyrst of all proue that by the worde of God of the which we do doubte The Papistes bring the worde of God for their Transubstantiation but false expounded and vnaptly alleaged Bv. Let vs therfore kéepe our selues within our prescript boundes and let vs beléeue that Christ is our Lorde our life and our resurrection in that he him selfe is risen agayne from death 30. And many other signs truely did Iesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this booke M. When the Euangelist did write these thing many other signes also concerning the Lordes resurrection came vnto hys minde the whiche he might haue put in writing aswell as these but bicause he had alreadie determined with him selfe concerning the quantitie of his booke and was alreadie come to the measure of the same least any man should thinke that he had written all the signes which Christe did after his resurrection that the Lord appeared not passing once or twice to his Disciples to confirme his resurrection he thought good to adde these thinges vnto his Narration C. As if he should say Let no man thinke that he hath heere a full and perfect historie Bv. For the Lorde Iesus did declare by many other Argumentes signes tokens and demonstrations the truth of his resurrectiō and of his diuine power and that so euidently that the disciples might not only vnderstād the same but also might see with their eyes touch with their hāds the Lord Iesus restored to life might beléeue that he was risen agayn frō death But al these things haue I not perticulerly repeated in this my Euangelical work Act. 10.41 not that they wer vnworthy to be remembred but bicause these things were sufficient to the edification of Fayth 31. These things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is Christe the sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name Bv. Here the Euangelist addeth the cause and ende of those thinges whiche he hath hytherto declared to the ende the Reader mighte knowe how to profite in reading these things saying That yee might beleeue that this Iesus of whom I testifie that he is risen agayne who by so many signes declare to his disciples after his death that he is risen to life is Christe the sonne of God that is to say that Messias only begottē sonne of God whome the father acording to the Scriptures sente into this worlde to bee a sauiour and Mediator C. Therefore by these words he geueth vs to vnderstande that he hath put in writing so muche as is sufficiente to satisfye vs because the same is sufficient inoughe for the confyrmation of oure fayth For he mynded to preuente the vayne curiositie of men whiche is seldome or neuer satisfied Also Sainct Iohn was not ignoraunt what the other Euangelistes hadde written But seeing hee intendeth nothing lesse than to abolishe their writings he dothe not sepadate their Narration from hys saying that this is the ende of the Scriptures that we might beléeue that Iesus is the sonne of God C. Notwithstanding it séemeth absurde that fayth should be grounded vpon myracles which ought to be wholly tyed to the promises of God and of his worde Answere Myracles are appoynted héere to serue for no other vse than to be helpes and stayes of fayth For they serue to prepare mens mindes that they may geue more reuerence vnto the worde of God Myracles confirm our fayth R. Therefore myracles doo confyrme a mans fayth but they geue not fayth For they which beléeue not by the worde bot myracles do fall away in time of temptation That Iesus is Christ Bv. That is to saye the Messias promised in the Lawe and in the
same concerning Christ as that he was the resurrection and the life shée aunswereth that shée beléeueth him to be Christ and the sonne of God as in déede this knowledge comprehendeth in it selfe the sum of all goodnesse For we must alwayes consider to what ende the Messias was promised and what office the Prophets alwayes gaue vnto him R. And this confession is lyke vnto that which Peter made in the sixtéene chapter of Mathew C. And Martha in confessing him to bée the same which shoulde come into the world confirmeth her faith by the Prophesinges of the Prophetes Wherevppon it followeth that we ought to looke and hope for a full reformation of all thinges and for perfect felicitye at his handes 28. And as sone as shee had so sayd shee went her vvaye and called Marye her Sister secreatlye saying The Maister is come and calleth for thee Bv. Thus farre we hard the talke betweene the Lorde and Martha and now followeth the communication betwéene the Lord and Mary the which although it be very short and containeth nothing which hath not béene spoken of before yet notwithstanding it hath circumstances annexed to it which are neither to be contemned nor yet vnprofitable C. And it is likely that Christ stoode styl without the village at the request of Martha least he should come among so great an assembly of men For shee feared peryll because Christ had but latelye escaped the snare of death Therefore least the fame of his comming shoulde bée spread any farther shée priuilye enformed her sister of the same The Maister is come C. The name of Maister sheweth what estimation Christ had among godlye Matrones Howbeit they haue not as yet profited so much as they shoulde haue done and yet this was much that they had whollye addicted them selues vnto him as his Disciples 29. Assone as shee heard that shee arose quickly and came vnto him C. This sodaine and spéedy comming of Mary to méete Christ declareth no small reuerence M. There were many Iewes present which came from Ierusalem and sate by very sorrowful that they might comfort her ouer her dead brother Shée leauing all these so soone as shée knewe that Iesus was come and that he called for her made haste without delaye to come vnto him and not in vaine For the Iewes brought nothing with them but wordes with the which they could not satisfy a sorrowfull mind but this Christ brought with him the resurrection and the lyfe 30. Iesus was not yet come into the towne but was in that place where Martha mette him Bv. Therefore he wayted for Mary whome he commaunded to be called for séeking for a conuenient place to worke the miracle because the graue was not farre from thence for the custome was then to make the Monumentes of suche departed this lyfe by the hye wayes side M. And in this that the Lorde woulde not goe into the house to ease and refreshe him selfe before hée had fynished the worcke of the glorye of GOD in raysing vp Lazarus for the which hee came wée haue an example set before vs to followe that wée also might execute and finishe those thinges which concerne the glory of God before wée doe any thing else according to the saying of Christ Fyrst of all seeke the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Mat. 6.33 and all other thinges shal be geuen to you He is scant a faithfull seruaunt to his Lorde which séeketh the refreshing of his body and other priuate commodities before those things which concerne the glorye and profite of his Maister A. The seruaunt of Abraham woulde neyther eate nor drinke Gen. 24.33 vntyll hée had faithfullye discharged his Maisters errande and message 31. The Iewes then which were vvith her in the house cōforted her vvhen they sawe Marye that she arose vp hastely and vvent out follovved her saying Shee goeth vnto the graue to vveepe there C. Although by the sufferance of Christ Martha went home againe that shée might priuilye call her Sister from the multitude yet notwithstanding the purpose of our sauiour Christ tended to another ende namelye that he might haue them witnesses of his miracle This thing they thought not vpon but it was no newe thing that men should be brought as it were out of darkenesse by the secréete prouidence of God to a place whether they minded not to come M. For humaine matters are oftentimes so disposed by the purpose of God that by the occasion of those thinges which we purpose to doe we fall into those thinges which we neuer thought vppon C. They thought that Martha went to the graue according to the manner of those which séeke occasions to prouoke them to mourne For this is a common faulte among men that when the husbande hath lost his Wyfe or the Wyfe her Husbande the Father his Childe or the Childe the Father they by and by ambiciously séeke by al meanes possible to encrease their gréefe And many practised diuers sleights and subtile meanes to this ende Wherefore it was the dutye of these men to fetche backe Marye least by the sight of the Sepulchre shée might be occasioned to mourne but they durst not deale so sharpely with her but bare with her intemperate gréefe and went with her And thus oftentimes it commeth to passe that their consolations comfortes do lytle auayle which doe to much flatter with their friendes 32. Then when Marye vvas come vvhere Iesus vvas and sawe him shee fell downe at his feete and sayeth vnto him Lord if thou haddest beene here my brother had not beene dead M. The Euangelist in saying that Mary fell downe at the féete of Christ expresseth the singuler affection of loue and reuerence which shée bare towards him R. Shée is not afeard of the presence of the Iewes whome shée knewe not to be very gratious vnto the Lorde neither dyd shée regard their friendship which they declared in comming to comfort her nor yet doeth shée feare their iudgement but as shée bare a louing and reuerent heart toward the Lord so shée shewed her selfe in the sight of all men without desemulation C. And herby we gather that the Lorde was worshipped and serued in that house far suppassing the common manner of men For although men were wont to prostrate them selues before Kinges and Princes yet notwithstanding because Christ in the outward shewe of the flesh had nothing that was Kinglye and glorious Mary fell downe at his feete to another ende The which she would not haue done except she had beene perswaded that he had béene the son of God Lorde if thou haddest beene here M. Shée vseth the same wordes vnto the Lord which Martha had vsed before C. And although she séemeth in shewe to speake honourablye vnto Christ yet notwithstanding we shewed euen now what faulte was contayned in these words For the power of Christ which filled and doeth fyll heauen and earth ought not to be restrayned to his corporall presence 33. When