which the first commaundeth the worship of God the seconde charitie Moses gathered this summe well and wisely that the Iewes might knowe what GOD required in euerye of the commaundementes But though it is meete that GOD shoulde bee beloued farre otherwise then menne yet it is not without cause that for worshyppe or honour God shoulde require vs to loue him for by this meanes he declareth that no other worshyppe pleaseth him then that which is done of a free wil. For he will yeelde himselfe to a ryght and true obedience to God that loueth him Furthermore because the wicked and corrupt affections of the fleshe do withdraw vs froÌ„ a right course Moses declareth that our lyfe shal theÌ„ be well brought into order when the loue of God shall possesse all our senses Let vs therefore learne that the loue of GOD is the beginning of godlynes for God refuseth al obedience of meÌ„ which coÌ„meth of constraynte and will be worshipped wyllingly and freely Yet let vs learne that vnder the loue of GOD is noted the reuerence which is due vnto him Moses addeth not the minde but onelye maketh mention of the hearte the soule and the strength And though this partition into these foure partes is the fuller yet it altereth not the sense For when Moses would summarilye declare that God should be beloued perfectlye and that what power soeuer is in men should be imployed this waye it was sufficient for him to adde strength to the soule hart and so to leaue no part of vs voyd or without the loue of God Also we know that the He brewes do somtime note the mind by this word heart especially where it is ioyned with this word soule But I do not labour much to shew what the minde doth differ from the hearte aswell in this place as in that of Matthew except that it signifieth a higher seate of reason from whence all counselles and thoughtes do proceede But by this short summe it appeareth that God in giuing the lawe and commaundementes respecteth not what men can doe but what they should doe For it cannot be that the perfect loue of God should reigne and rule in this infirmitie of the flesh For we know how all the senses of our minde are bent to vanitie Lastly we do gather hereby that God doth not stay vpon the outwarde shew of works but doth especiallye require the inwarde affection that good fruits may grow of a good roote 39 The second is like to this He placeth loue and charity amongst men in the second place beecause the worshippe of GOD is firste in order And he saieth that the commaundement of louing the neighbours is like to the first because it dependeth of it For sith euerye manne is giuen to selfe loue true charitie towardes our neighbours cannot be founde anye where but where the loue of God reigneth For the loue wherewith the children of the world doe loue one another is to bee bought and solde for euery manne careth for his owne profite Againe it is impossible that the loue of God shoulde reigne but that brotherlye loue amongste menne should spring out of it Also when Moses commaundeth vs to loue our neighbours as our selues hee woulde not set the loue of our selues first that euerye manne might loue himselfe firste and then his neighbours as the Sorbonicall Sophisters doe cauill that the ruled is inferiour to his rule but sith wee are giuen too much to our selues Moses reproouing this faulte sette our neighbours in equall degree with vs as if hee should forbid euerye man neglecting others to haue care of himselfe because that charitie ioyneth all into one body And correcting selfe loue which deuideth men asunder hee bringeth them all backe to a common societie and as it were to a mutuall embraceing one of another VVhereby we gather that Paule doth not without cause call it the band of perfection Coloss. 3. 14. and the fulfilling of the law Romans 13. 10 Because that all the commaundementes of the second Table should be referred to it LV. 28. Doe this and thou shalt lyue I haue shewed somewhat beefore how this promise agreeth with the free iustification by fayth For God doth not therefore iustifie vs freely by grace because the lawe doth not shewe and describe a perfecte righteousnesse but beecause that wee fayle in the obseruation of the same and therefore hee saieth that wee cannot lyue by the same beecause it is weake in our fleshe So that these two doe â—gree well togeather the lawe teacheth howe menne shall bee iustified by workes and that no manne shal be iustified by workes beecause the want is not in the doctrine of the lawe but in men Yet was it Christes purpose to take awaye that obiection because he knew that the rude and vnlearned people murmured against him as if that he shuld goe about to ouerthrowe the lawe as it is the perpetuall rule of righteousnesse 29. But he willing to iustifie himselfe This question might seeme to serue nothing to the iustifying of man But if we remember that which is said other where that mens hipocrisie is most found out in the secoÌ„d table for while they faigne themselues to be great seruers of God they doe openly deale vncharitably towardes their neighbours and thereby it may be easily gathered that the Pharise vsed this shift that being couered vnder this false cloake and colour of holines hee might not be brought foorth into the light Therefore when hee perceiueth that the examination of his charitie would make against him least that he shuld be fouÌ„d a transgressour of the law hee seeketh starting hoales in the name of a neighbour And first we see that the Scribes had herein corrupted the law because they accounted none others for their neighbours but they which were worthy of it And thereof was that as a generall rule receiued amongst them that it was lawfull to hate their enemies For this was one meanes that the hipocrits vsed to cleare themselues of guiltines to draw back as much as they could least their life shuld be brought to be iudged by the law 30. Iesus aunswered Christe might haue taught simply that the name of a neighbour doth generally belong to euerye manne beecause that all mankinde is ioyned and knitte togeather with a certeine holy bande of fellowshippe And surely the Lord set downe this name in the lawe for no other cause but that he might gently allure vs to loue one another The commaundement had beene playner thus Loue euery man as thy selfe but because that men are so blinded in their owne pride that euery man lyketh so wel of himselfe that he scarse thinketh others worthy of the lyke estate but withdraweth their dueties from them the Lorde therefore of purpose calleth all neighbours that the affinity it self might ioyne them together one to another Therefore that any man may beecome our neighbour it sufficeth that hee is a man for it is not in our power to blotte out that nature
their desire he telleth them that they cannot follow him immediately VVhen as hee calleth them little children he teacheth by this faire speech that he did not therfore depart from them because he careth not for their health and saluation seeing that he loueth them most tenderly Hee put vpon himselfe our fleshe to this ende that he may be our brother but there is greater vehemencie of loue expressed in that other name In that he saith that hee repeateth that vnto them which hee had saide before vnto the Iewes before 7. 34. that is true as touching the wordes but there is a difference in the sense For he saith that they cannot folow to the end they may suffer his temporall absence paciently and he doth as it were bridle them to the end they may keepe themselues in their standing vntill they haue fulfilled their warfare vpon earth therfore he doth not exclude them out of the kingdome of God for euer as he doth the Iewes but doeth onely commaund them to wayt paciently vntill he gather them into the kingdom of heauen with him 34 A new commaundement giue I you Hee addeth an exhortation vnto the consolation that they loue oue another as if hee should say whilest that I am absent from you in body declare by louing one another that you were not taught of mee in vaine let this be your principall desire let this be your chief meditation All men do not agree about this why hee calleth it a new commaundement Some men thinke that this is his reason because seeing that that was litterall and externall whatsoeuer was appointed in the law in times past concerning loue Christe did write it in the heartes of the faithfull by his spirit So that as they think that is a newe lawe whiche hee publisheth after a newe manner that it may haue full force But in my iudgement that is too farre set too farre from Christ his meaning Some doe thinke that it is therefore called a newe commaundement because although the law doth call vs backe vnto loue yet because it is intangled with many ceremonies and appurtenances the doctrine of loue doth not so plainely appeare there and on the contrary that loue is perfectly set downe in the gospel without any shadowes Therefore as I doe not altogether reiect this interpretation so I thinke that Christ spake more simplie For wee knowe that lawes are more diligently kept at the first that by little little they slip out of mans memory vntil at length they be growē out of vse Therefore to the ende Christe may the more deepely imprint the doctrine of loue in the mindes of his hee commendeth the same for the newnesse as if hee should say I wyll haue you to remember this commaundement continually as if it were a lawe newly giuen To bee briefe we see that Christes drift in this place was to exhort his vnto loue to the ende they myght neuer suffer them selues to bee ledde away frō the studie therof or that doctrine to slip out of theyr minds Furthermore we learne by dayly experience how necessary this admonition was Because it is an hard matter to retaine loue men doe inuent vnto themselues newe wayes to worship God setting apart this Satan putteth many thinges into their heades wherein they may occupie themselues So that it commeth to passe that by doing thinges in vaine they endeuour to mocke God and deceiue themselues Therefore this title of newnes may stirre vs vp oftentimes to embrace loue In the meane season let vs knowe that it is called new not because it began to please God nowe first of all seeing that it is called elswhere the fulfilling of the law That you loue one another Loue is also extended euen vnto strangers because we are al of one flesh are al created after the image of God But because the image of God shineth more clearely in the regenerate it is meete that the bande of loue bee stronger amongest Christ his Disciples Loue seeketh a cause in God shee hath her roote thence and thither is it referred so that the more it knoweth euery man to bee the childe of God the more willingly and earnestly doth it imbrace him Againe there cannot be any mutuall affection of loue saue only in those that are gouerned with the same spirit Therfore Christ toucheth y ◠first degree of loue in this place but againe we must mark that as the goodnes of god doth extend spread abroad it selfe vnto throughout the whole worlde euē so we must loue euē those that bee our enemies Hee setteth before vs his own example as afterward 15. 12 not that we can ouertake him who is far before vs but that at least wee goe forward toward the same marke 35 By this shall all men know Christ confirmeth that againe which hee had said before that they haue not beene taught in his schoole in vain who shall loue one another as if he should say you your selues shall not only knowe that you are my Disciples but your profession amongest other men shall also be proued true Seeing that Christe distinguisheth those that be his from straungers by this marke they weary themselues in vaine who hauing left and forsaken loue doe take vpon them newe and feigned kindes of worshipping which vanitie raigneth at this day in Poperie Neither is it superfluous that Christ standeth so much vpon this point There is no better agreement betweene the loue of our selues and of our neighbours then betweene fire and water But the loue of our selues keepeth all our senses so fast tyed that loue is quite banished Neuerthelesse wee thinke that wee doe our duetie in this poynt well and throughly because Satan hath many sleights and enticements to deceiue vs with Therfore whosoeuer he be that is Christs in deede and desireth to be knowen of God let him frame and direct all his life to loue his brethren and let him continually styrre vp himself vnto this 36 Simon Peter saith vnto him Lorde whither goest thou Iesus answered him whither I goe thou canst not follow me nowe but thou shalt follow me afterward 37 Peter saith vnto him Lorde why can I not follow thee now I will lay downe my life for thee 38 Iesus answered him wilt thou lay downe thy life for mee verily I say vnto thee the cocke shall not crow vntill thou haue denied me thrise 36 Lord whither goest thou This question dependeth vppon that saying of Christe As I haue said vnto the Iewes c. By this it appeareth how ignoraunt Peter was who hauing been so oftentimes told of Christ his departure is troubled in like sort as if he had heard some strange thing Although we be too like to him in that point For wee heare daylie out of Christes mouth what thinges soeuer are fit and necessary to bee knowen vnto the vse of life when we come to the matter wee are striken like nouices vnto whom nothing was euer said Again Peter
shal afterward declare in his place That the father may be glorified This place agreeth with the sayinge of Paule that euery tongue may confesse that Iesus is Christe to the glory of God the father Philip. 2. 11. The end of all thinges is the sanctification of the name of God But the lawfull meanes to sanctifie it is expressed in this place to witte in the sonne and through the sonne For seeing that the maiestie of God is hidden from vs of it selfe it shineth in Christ seeing that his hand is hidden we may see the same in Christ. Therefore it is not lawfull for vs to separate the sonne from the father in those benefites which the father giueth vs according to that He that honoureth not the sonne he honoureth not the father 14. If you shall aske any thing This repetition is not in vaine All men see perceiue that they are vnworthy to come vnto God yet the greater part breaketh our as being madde and speaketh vnto God rashly proudly Afterward when as that vnworthines whereof I haue spoken commeth into their mindes euery manne forgeth vnto himselfe diuerse meanes But when God willeth vs to come vnto him hee setteth beefore vs one Mediatour by whom he will be intreated and be mercifull And here the frowardnes of mans nature breaketh out againe beecause the greater part ceaseth not hauing left the way to go about through crooked boughtes This commeth to passe therefore because the power and goodnes of God is laid hold vpon in Christ onely slenderly and malitiously There is also a second errour that we doe not consider that we are all excluded from comming to God worthily vntill we be called by him and that we are called onely by the sonne But and if one testimony be not sufficient for vs yet let vs know that seeing that Christ repeateth this againe that we must pray the father in his name he dooth as it were lay hand vppon vs least we spend our labour in vaine in seeking other patrons 15. If yee loue me keepe my commaundements 16. And I wil pray my father and he shal giue you another comforter that hee may continue with you for euer 17. The spirit of trueth whom the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him But yee know him beecause hee abideth with you and shall bee in you 18. I wil not leaue you as orphanes I come vnto you 15 If you loue me That was true and sincere loue wherewith the disciples loued Christ yet had it some superstitiō mixed with it as it befalleth vs oftentimes in like sort For that was preposterous in that they desired to keepe him stil in the world To the end he may reform this fault he willeth them to bend their loue vnto some thing else to wit that they bend their whole studye to keepe the preceptes which he had giuen A most profitable doctrine because there be but a few of those that seeme to themselues to loue Christ that worship him as they ought yea rather when they haue done some foolishe toy they thinke all is well But on the contrary the true loue of Christ is reduced in this place vnto the keeping of his doctrine as vnto the only rule wherby it must be tried Moreouer we are taught how corrupt our other affections are seeing that euē our loue toward Christ is not without fault vnlesse it bee framed vnto pure obedience 16. And I will pray my father This remedy was prepared to pacifie the sorrow which they might conceiue by reason of Christ his absence notwithstanding Christe promiseth therewithall that hee will giue them strength to keepe his commaundementes otherwise the exhortatiō had had but small strength Therefore hee preuenteth it in time and telleth them that howsoeuer he be absent from them in bodye yet will hee not suffer them to be destitute of helpe because hee will be present with thē by his spirit He calleth the spirite in this place the gifte of the father suche a gifte as he will obtaine by his praiers he will promise else where that hee giueth it Both these thinges are saide truelye and fitly for inasmuche as Christ is our mediatour and patrone he obtaineth the grace of the spirit of the father inasmuch as he is God he giueth it of himselfe The meaning of this place is I was giuen vnto you of the father as a conforter yet onely for a season now seeing that I haue fulfilled my course I wyll desire that there may another be giuen you which may not be temporal but that he may continue with you for euer This name comforter is giuen in this place both to Christ and also to the spirite that by good right for this office is common to them both to comfort and exhorte vs and to defend vs with their ayde and patronage Christe was vnto his a patrone so long as he liued in the world afterward hee committed them to the tuition and ayde of the spirite If anye manne aske this question whether we be not vnder the tuition of Christe at this daye or no wee may readily aunswere that Christe is our patrone for euer but not after a visible sorte So long as hee was conuersant in the worlde hee shewed himselfe openly to bee their patrone but hee defendeth vs nowe by his spirite Hee calleth him another comforter beecause of the difference of good thinges whiche wee receiue from them both It was proper to Christ to pacifie the wrath of God to redeeme men from death to purchase righteousnes and life by purging the sinnes of the world it is proper to the spirite to make vs partakers aswel of Christe himselfe as of all his good things Although we may well gather the distinction of persons out of this place for the spirit must needes differ from the sonne in some propertie that he may be another 17. The spirit of trueth Christ adorneth the spirit with an other title to witte that hee is a teacher of trueth VVhereuppon it followeth that vntill such time as we be inwardly taught by him all our mindes are taken with vanitie and lying VVhome the world cannot receiue This opposition dooth amplifie the excellencie of the grace which God dooth vouchsafe to bestowe vppon those alone that be his For his meaning is that it is no small gyft whereof the world is depriued In which sense Isaias saieth also 60. 1. Behold darkenes shall couer the earth and a myste the people but the Lorde shall arise vppon thee For Gods mercy towarde the Church deserueth so much the greater praise whilest that hee lifteth vppe the same aboue the whole world Notwithstanding Christe dooth therewithall exhort the disciples that they doe not driue away frō them the grace of the spirite beeing pufte vppe with the sense and vnderstanding of the fleshe Earthly menne count all that but a dreame whatsoeuer the Scripture saieth concerninge the holye Ghoste beecause why lest they trust to their owne reason
offered them And there is nothinge but they can abide rather then to come in fauour wyth God whereby it commeth to passe that the message of peace doeth stirre them vppe into a greater tumult For in so muche as Sathan possesseth a kingdome amongest the reprobate he is madde at the name of Christe and assoone as the doctrine of the Gospell is vttered their wickednesse is whetted which lay before a sleepe So Christ who is properly the author of peace through the malice of men is the occasion of troubles Heereby we learne howe muche the wickednesse is of our corrupt nature whiche doeth not onely defile so incomparable a gift but doeth tourne it to the worste In the meane season if tumultes doe arise where the kingdom of Christe beginneth to shewe it selfe let vs not be troubled as with a newe or an vnwonted matter when he himselfe compareth his Gospell to a sworde and sayeth that it is a separation or makebate Some thinke that heere is described the punishment which is laide vpon the contemners of the Gospell that some of them should rise as enemies against others but the text sheweth that Christe exhorteth heere his disciples to constancie if a great part of the world should dissent from them and that with their voyce as with the sound of a warlike trumpet they shoulde stirre vp very many enemies to their armes 35. For I am come to set at variance Heereby is more euidently perceiued that which we said a little before that against the nature of the Gospell it falleth out through the fault of the wicked that contentions and tumults do arise For that which Malachie 4. 6. speaketh of Iohn Baptist belongeth to all the ministers of Christ that they are sent for this ende that they should turne the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers But the malice of the wicked bringeth to passe that they which were ioyned before shoulde at the hearing of the voyce of Christ be deuided into contrary partes so that they shuld breake all bands of frendship Furthermore Christ declareth that the world was come to that confusion that all lawes of nature should be little estemed and that no humanity should be any more accounted off For when Micheas complaineth 7. 6. that a mans enemies are them of his owne house he bewaileth an extreme and a fore corruption Christ declareth that the same shall come to passe where his doctrine shal be vttered which otherwise were not to be beleued Yet he doeth not meane that this shal be alwaies as some froward menne do dreame that they cannot otherwise be good disciples of his except they be deuided frō their parents childrē and wiues but all lawfull felowship is rather sanctified by the vnitie of faith Christ onely giueth warning that it becommeth not his disciples to betroubled so oft as that falleth out Mat. 10. Mar. 9. Luke 14. 37. He that loueth father or mother more thē me i◠not worthy of mee And he that loueth son or daughter more then me is not worthy of me 38. And he that taketh not his crosse foloweth after me is not worthy of me 39. He that wil saue his life shal lose it hee that looseth his life for my sake shall saue it 40. He that receiueth you receiueth me he that receiueth me receiueth him that sent me 41. He that receiueth a prophet in the name of a prophet shal receiue a prophets rewarde he that receiueth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shal receiue y e reward of a righteous mā 42. And who soeuer shall giue vnto one of these litle ones to drinke a cup of cold water onely in the name of a disciple verely I say vnto you hee shall not loose his rewarde 41. And who soeuer shall giue you a cup of water to drinke for my names sake because ye belong to Christ Verely I say vnto you hee shall not loose his rewarde 25. Now there went great multitudes with him and he turned and sayd vnto them 26. If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my disciple 27. And who soeuer beareth not his crosse commeth after me cānot be my disciple 28. For whiche of you minding to builde a towre sitteth not downe before and counteth the cost whether hee haue sufficient to performe it 29. Least that after he hath laid the foūdation and is not able to perfourme i◠all th◠beholde it begin to mocke him 30. Saying This man began to builde and was not able to make an end 31. Or what king going to warre against an ether king sitteth not downe first taketh not counsell whether hee be able with tonne thousand to mete him that commeth against him with twentie thousand 32. Or else while he is yet a great way off he sendeth an ambassage and desireth conditions of peace 33. So likewise who soeuer he be of you th◠forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple 37. He that loueth Because this is very sharpe and repugnant to the sense of nature to make them his ennemies which should be most his friendes therefore Christ sayth now that we cannot of any other condition be his disciples He doeth not commaunde vs to lay from vs humane affections he doeth not forbid but that euery man may performe due beneuolence to his friendes but he only willeth that what mutuall loue soeuer there is amongst men should be brought into order that godlinesse may haue the chiefe preheminence Therefore lette the husbande loue his wife the father the sonne and again the sonne the father so that the loue towards men doe not ouerwhelme that duetie which is due to Christe For as amongest men themselues some as we are tied vnto them with a straiter bande are more loued then others so were it an vnwoorthy acte if Christ alone shoulde not be preferred before them all And certainly we doe not sufficiently account with thankefull minde what it is to be a disciple of Christe excepte the excellencie of this dignitie doe preuaile to bringe vnder all the affections of the flesh Luke hathe a harder speache VVho soeuer hateth not his father but the sense is the same If the loue of our friendes doeth hinder vs from following Christe it muste be mightely withstoode As Paule sayeth to the Philip. 3. 8. that he accounted thinges losse for Christes sake which he estemed before as aduantage to him and that he lost all those things willingly 38. He that taketh not vp his crosse He proceedeth from a perticular to the general that we might know that we cannot otherwise be accounted for his disciples except we be prepared to beare many dangers If it torment vs and vexe vs that we haue discord for the cause of the Gospell with father or wife or children lette this condition come
and trouble that they mighte not neglecte the externall profession of their godlinesse what excuse can wee haue at this day if wee doe not testifie that wee worshippe the true GOD at our owne house The worship of the lawe is ceased yet the Lorde hath left vnto his Church Baptisme the holy Supper and the publike ryte of prayer that in these the faithfull may exercise themselues Therfore the neglecting of these things doth bewray that the studie of godlinesse is too cold in vs. 21 They came vnto Phillip This is a signe of reuerence that they goe not straightway vnto Christ but are desirous to haue Phillip to make a way for them that they may come vnto him For reuerence doeth alwayes bring foorth modestie of her selfe And whereas the Papistes do hereby gather that the dead must be called vpon that they may be our patrones with Christ and God the father it is so ridiculous that it necdeth no refutation The Greekes speake in presence of Phillip he that calleth vpon the dead from whom he is separated how is he like vnto them I pray you But these are fruites of mans boldnesse after that it hath once graunted to it self libertie to wander without the bounds of the worde of God The Papistes did foolishly and rashly inuent of their owne braine the inuocation of Saints now to the ende they may get to themselues some false colour and cloake out of the worde of God they corrupt and rack the scriptures and are not afraide to set the same to be laughed at shamefully 23 The houre commeth Many doe expound this of his death because the glory of Christ was thereby declared therefore as they thinke Christ doth now shew that the time of his death was at hand But I do rather referre it vnto the preaching of the Gospel as if he had said that the knowledge of him should be immediately spread abroade throughout all partes of the world So that he meant by this meanes to preuent that despayre or casting downe into which his death myght bring his disciples For he sheweth that there is no cause why they should bee discouraged because the doctrine of the Gospell shall neuerthelesse be published throughout the whole world Furthermore least this cogitation concerning his glory doe vanish away shortly after when as he shal be adiudged to die hanged vpon the crosse and at length buried he preuenteth that in time sheweth that 〈◊〉 the slaunder of his death doth no whit hinder his glory He vseth a most fit comparison concerning this matter vnlesse saith he the wheat corne shall die or rot it remaineth drie and barren But the death of the seede doth quicken it better that the fruite may come thence In summe Christ compareth his death vnto sowing which whilest that it seemeth to tende to the destruction of the wheat it is a cause of farre greater encrease And although this admonition was most necessary at that instant yet it hath a continuall commoditie in the Church And it is meete that wee begin first at the head That terrible showe of ignominie and curse which appeareth in the death of Christ doth not only darken his glory but also take it quite away out of our sight Therefore wee must not sticke and abide in his death alone but wee must also consider what fruite his resurrection brought foorth So that nothing shall keepe backe his glory from shining euery where Afterward we must passe vnto the members For we doe not only thinke that wee perishe in death but our life is also like vnto a continuall death Colloss 3. 3. Therefore we shall be quite vndone vnlesse that comfort doe helpe vs wherewith Paule lifteth vs vp If our outward man be corrupt the inwarde man is renued from day to day 2. Cor. 4 16. Let this therfore be the continual meditation of the godly whenas they are oppressed with diuers sorrowes and miseries when as they are broughâ— vnto the greatest straits whenas they are pinched with hunger nakednes or diseases when as they are vexed with iniuries when as they thinke that they shal be continually swallowed vp of death that this is the â—owing which shall bring foorth fruite in due time 25 he that loueth his life Christ adioyneth an exhortation vnto doctrine for if we must die that we may bring foorth fruite we must patiently suffer God to mortifie vs. And because he setteth the loue of life against the hatred thereof we must vnderstand and know what it is to hate the life and what to loue it He which is intangled with the immoderate desire of this life and cannot leaue this world willingly he is said to loue his life and he that contemning this life doeth goe vnto death with a valiant minde is said to hate his life Not that the life is simplie to be hated which is for good causes reckoned amongest the chiefest benefites of God but because the faithfull must willingly cast away the same when as it keepeth them backe from comming vnto Christ. Likeas if any man should shake off from his shoulders a troublesome and vnprofitable burden when as he will make hast to go to som other place To be briefe it is not euill of it selfe to loue this life so that we be only as strangers in the same being alwaies bent toward y â— mark For this is the lawfull maner of louing the life if wee continue in the same so long as the Lorde thinketh good and are alwayes readie to depart out of the fame at his will and pleasure or that I may conclude in a word if carrying the same as it were in our hand we do offer it vn to God as a sacrifice VVhosoeuer is addicted vnto this life beyonde this he destroyeth his life that is he throweth it into eternal destructioÌ„ For y â— word perdere doth not signifie in this place to loose a thing which we loue dearely but to destroy This word anima is vsually taken for the life Some doe take it in this place for the place of the affections as if Christe had saide hee that yeeldeth too much vnto the desires of the flesh he destroyeth his soule But this is too far fet y â— other is more simple and plaine that hee hath the best way to enioy his life continually which neglecteth the same Furthermore to the end the sense may the better appeare this clause in the worlde which is only once expressed must be repeated twice that the sense may be that those men do but euil prouide for their life which loue the same in this world again that those men doe truly know howe they may saue their life who despice the same in the worlde And truly whosoeuer is tyed fast to the worlde hee doth of his owne accord depriue himselfe of life whereof wee shall not bee heires vnlesse we be pilgrimes and strangers in the worlde Therefore that is a beastly affection whiche reigneth in all the vnfaithfull whiles that desiring
out of the hand of God For howsoeuer I hold my peace that word which you haue despised is a fitte iudge And doth not receiue my wordes The latter member expoundeth the former for because hypocrisie is naturally engrafted in men they canne do nothing more readily then onely in word boaste that they are ready to receiue Christ. And we know how cōmon this boasting is euen amōgst the worst men VVherefore we must marke this definition that Christ is reiected when as we doe not imbrace the pure doctrine of the Gospell The Papistes doe with full and open mouth blunder out the name of Christ but so soone as his sincere trueth is brought abroad there is nothing which is more detested amongst them such men kysse Christe as did Iudas Therfore let vs learne to include him in his word and to giue him the worship of obedience which he requireth only The word which I speake The authority of the Gospell coulde not haue had greater commendation giuen it then when as the power of iudgement is attributed vnto it For according to these words the last iudgment shal be nothing else but an approbation of the doctrine of the Gospell Christe him selfe shal goe vppe into his iudgement seate but hee affirmeth that hee wil giue sentence according to the word whiche is now preached This denuntiation ought to make the wicked sore afrayd when as they shall not be able to escape the iudgment of that doctrine which they do now so proudly floute Notwithstanding Christ his meaning is that they are now depriued of feeling when as he maketh mention of the last iudgement For he telleth them that that punishment shal then manifestly appeare which they doe now mocke Againe the godly may gather hence an inestimable comforte that howsoeuer they are condemned of the world yet do they not doubt but that they are acquited in heauen beecause wheresoeuer the faith of the Gospell hath a place the iudgemente seate of God is erected there to saue There is no cause why wee should passe for the Papists with their peruerse iudgements so long as we trust to this right because our faith doth surpasse the Angels 49. Because I speake not of myselfe Least the outwarde shape of manne should any whitte impaire the maiesty of God Christ dooth euer nowe and then call vs vnto the Father For this cause dooth hee so often make mention of the Father And truely seeing that it is wickednes to translate any iot of Gods glory vnto any other it must needes be that that word came from GOD whereunto the iudgement is ascribed In this place Christ distinguisheth himselfe from the Father not simplye according to his diuine persō but rather according to the flesh least his doctrin being esteemed after the maner of men shuld be of lesse weight importāce But and if the consciences were subiect to the doctrine and lawes of mē this reason shuld not agree which Christ bringeth My word saith he shal iudge because it came not frō mā according to that saying of Ia. 4. 11. There is one lawgiuer c. Moreouer we gather hence what monstrous sacriledge this is that the Pope durste tye mennes soules vnto his inuentions for by thys meanes hee taketh more to hymselfe then the Sonne of God whoe sayeth that he speaketh onelye according to his Fathers appointmente 50. His commaundement is eternal lyfe Hee commendeth againe the fruite of his doctrine to the ende al menne may the more willingly submitte themselues thereunto And nowe it is meete that the wicked doe feele Gods vengeaunce whom they now refuse and wil not haue to be vnto them the authour of life Chap. 13. 1. BEfore the holye daye of Easter when Iesus knewe that his houre was come that he should go out of this worlde vnto the father seeing that he loued his which were in the world vntil the end loued he them 2. VVhen supper was ended when as the deuil had now put into the hart of Iudas the son of Simon Iscariot to betray him 3. VVhen Iesus knew that the father had giuen al things into his hands and that he came out from God and should go vnto God 4. He rose from supper and layd down his cloathes and hauing taken a linnen towell he girded himself 5. Then put he water into a bason and began to wash the disciples feete and to wype them with the towel wherwith he was girded 6. Therefore he came to Simon Peter who saith vnto him Lord doest thou wash my feete 7. Iesus answered and said vnto him what I doe thou knowest not yet but thou shalte know hereafter 1. Before the holy day Iohn passeth ouer many thinges of sette purpose which he knew Matthew and Luke had recited and hee himselfe taketh in hande to handle that whiche hee knew they had omitted of which number the hystory of the washing of the feete is And although he will more plainely declare afterward to what end Christ washed his disciples feete yet doth he in one word in this place sette down that the constant and perpetuall loue wherewith hee once loued them was declared by that token so that although hee were taken out of their sight yet might they certeinelye perswade themselues that this loue was not quenched by death VVhich perswasion muste sticke faste euen in our heartes at this daye The woordes are that Christ loued those euen vntil the end which were in the world VVhy doth he describe the Apostls by this Periphrasis saue onely that we may know that Christe cared so muche the more for them because they were in a daungerous and harde warfare as wee are VVherefore although we seeme to be farre off from Christ yet we must knowe that he hath respect vnto vs because he loueth his who are conuersant in the world Neither nede we to doubt but that he beareth the lyke affection euen now which he had at that instant when he loued them That hee might goe out of this worlde vnto the father This phrase is woorthy the nothing for it is referred vnto Christ his knowledge in that he knew that his death was a passage vnto the heauenly kingdome of God And if so bee it when as he made haste thither he ceased not to loue hys as he was woont there is no cause why we shoulde thinke that his affection is now altered Now for asmuch as he is the first begotten of the dead this definition of death doth appertaine vnto the whole body of the church that it is a passage vnto God from whome the faithfull are now estranged 2. VVhen supper was done VVee shall anon handle more at large in hys place the whole purpose of Christ in washing his disciples feete and also the fruite of this hystory let vs now follow the text He saieth that this was done at such time as Iudas was determined to betraye Christe not onely that he might shew forth the wonderfull patience of Christ who could abide to wash such a
as if men did preuent God with theyr loue which is an absurde thing for when as we were enemies he reconciled vs vnto himselfe Rom. 5. 10. And the woordes of Iohn 1. Io. 4. 10. are well knowne not that we loued him first but that he loued vs first But he disputeth not in this place of the cause and the effect Therfore it is falsely gathered that the loue wherewith we embrace Christ goeth before the loue of God towards vs in order For Christes only meaning is this that all those shall bee blessed which shall loue him beecause they shall be loued of him and his father againe not that God beginneth to loue thē then first of al but because they haue some testimony of his fatherly loue engrauen in their heartes To the same end tendeth that mēber which followeth immediately I will show my selfe vnto him Knowledge goeth before loue I confesse but Christe meant thus much that hee wyll graunt vnto the pure woorshippers and obseruers of his doctrine that they shall goe forward dayly in fayth that is I will make them drawe neerer more familiarly vnto me Gather hence that the fruite of godlynes is going forwarde in the knowledge of Christe For he that hath promised that he will giue vnto him that hath reiecting hypocrites hee maketh all those to goe forward in the faith whoe haue imbraced the doctrine of the Gospel from their hart and do frame themselues wholy to obey him And heereby it commeth to passe that seeing many goe backward we can scarse see euery tenth person go forward in the right course beecause the greater part is vnworthy to haue Christe to reueale himself vnto it Note here that greater knowledge of Christ is set before vs as a singuler reward of our loue toward Christe wherupon it followeth that it is an vncomparable treasure 22. Iudas saieth vnto him It is not without cause that hee asketh whye Christ containeth his light amongst a fewe who is the sonne of righteousnes by whom all the whole world ought to be lightened Therefore it seemeth to be an vnmeete thing that hee should shew forth his bright beames onely vnto a few and should not spread abroade his brightnesse euerye where without difference Christe his aunswere dooth not expounde the whole question beecause there is no mention made there of the first cause why Christe dooth keepe himselfe close from the more parte when as he reuealeth himselfe vnto a fewe For to say the trueth hee founde all menne a like at the beeginning that is altogeather strangers from him wherefore hee canne chuse none that loueth him but he chuseth of his enemies that he may bende their heartes to loue him but hee chuseth of his enemies that hee maye bende their heartes to loue him Yet would hee not touch that difference at this present beecause it serued not for his purpose His meaning was to exhort his Disciples vnto the earnest study of godlines that they might goe forward the better in the fayth Therefore he was contented to distinguishe them by this marke from the worlde that they keepe the doctrine of the gospel And this marke followeth the beginning of fayth because it is the effect of calling Christ had admonished the disciples else wher of his free calling and hee putteth them in minde of the selfe same thing afterwarde hee dooth now onely bydde them studie to keepe his doctrine and to lead a godly life Furthermore Christ sheweth in these woordes how we doe rightly obey the Gospell to witte when our dueties and externall actions doe arise from the loue of him For the handes the feete and the whole bodie labour in vaine vnlesse the loue of God doe reigne in the heart that it may gouerne the externall members Now forasmuch as it is certeine that we doe keepe Christes commaundementes inasmuch as wee loue him it followeth that the perfect loue of him canne be found no where in the world because there is no man that canne keepe his commaundements perfectly Yet God accepteth their obedience who desire with a sincere endeuour to attaine vnto this marke 23. My father will loue him VVe haue already declared that the loue of GOD is not placed in the seconde order as if it didde followe our godlynesse as the cause of loue but that the faithfull may be fully perswaded that God accepteth that obedience which they doe to the Gospel and they maye euer nowe and then looke for newe encreasings of giftes VVee will come vnto him whiche loueth mee that is hee shall perceiue that the grace of GOD abydeth in him and hee shall bee encreased daylye more and more with the giftes of GOD. Therefore he speaketh of loue not of that eternall loue wherewith hee embraced those that were not yet borne beefore the creation of the worlde but after that he fealeth the same in our heartes when as he maketh vs partakers of his adoption Moreouer hee meaneth not the firste illumination but those degrees of fayth whereby the faythfull muste goe forwarde continuallye according to that of Matthew 13. 12. To him that hath shal be giuen Therefore the Papistes doe falsly gather out of this place the double loue wherewith we loue GOD. They fayne that wee loue GOD naturally before hee dooth regenerate vs by his spirit and that by this preparation wee deserue the grace of regeneration As if the scripture dooth not teach euerye where and experience it selfe dooth crye that wee are altogether turned awaye from GOD and infected and filled with the hatred of him vntill suche time as hee chaung our hearts Therfore we must note that purpose of Christ that he his father will come that they maye confirme the faithfull in the perpetuall hope of grace 24. Hee that loueth not mee Beecause the faythfull are mingled amongste the vnfaythfull and they muste needes bee tossed with diuerse stormes as in the raginge seaes Christe confirmeth them againe with this admonition that they bee not carried awaye with euil examples as if hee shoulde saye regarde not the worlde so that you depende thereuppon beecause there will alwayes bee some which will despyse mee and my doctrine but holde faste that grace euen vntyll the ende which you haue once embraced Neuerthelesse hee giueth vs also to vnderstande that the worlde is iustlye plagued for the vnthankfulnes which is in it when as it perisheth in blindnesse when it bewrayeth wicked hatred against Christe through the contempte of true ryghteousnesse And the woorde which yee heare Leaste the Disciples shoulde fainte and fayle through the stubbernnesse of the worlde hee purchaseth aucthoritie to his doctrine againe when as hee testifieth that it is of God and that it is not feigned by manne vppon the earth And in this consisteth the strength of our fayth if wee knowe that God is our guide and that wee are grounded no where else saue onely in his eternal trueth Therfore howsoeuer the worlde dooth goe madde with frowardnesse yet let vs followe Christe
immediately when I wil not speake with you any more figuratiuely Truely the spirit taught the Apostles nothing else saue those thinges which they had heard from Christ this own mouth but wheÌ„ as he shed forth his bright beames vpon their hearts hee did so driue away their darknes that hearing Christ speake as it were after a new fashion they did easily vnderstand what he meant VVhen as he saith that he wil tel them of the father he teacheth that this is the drifte of his doctrine that he may bring vs vnto God in whom is placed perfect felicitie But there remaineth one question how he saith in an other place that it is graunted to the discipls to know the misteries of y e kingdoÌ„ of god vnto whoÌ„ he coÌ„fesseth he spak darkly in prouerbs for there that is Mat. 13. 11 he putteth a difference betweene them and the rest of the common people that he speaketh vnto the common people in parables I aunswere there was not so great ignoraunce in the disciples but that they did lightlye taste what their Maister meant So that he separateth them froÌ„ the flock of the blind not without cause He saieth now that his word hath bene hitherto allegoricall vnto them in respecte of that manifest light of vnderstanding which he would giue them shortly by the grace of his spirite Therefore both these thinges are true that they did far passe those vnto whom the woord of the Gospel was vnsauerie and that they were but young beginners in respect of the new wisdome which the spirite brought them 26. In that houre He repeateth the cause againe why the celestial treasures shall be opened then so liberally to witte because they shall aske in the name of Christ whatsoeuer they shall haue neede of and GOD will deny nothing which shal be asked in his sons name But there seemeth to be some disagreement in the words For Christ addeth immedidiately after that it shal be superfluous that he should aske the father But to what end serueth it to pray in his name vnlesse he take vpon him the office of a patrone And 1. Ion. 2. 1. he calleth him our Aduocate Furthermore Paule doth testifie Rom. 8. 32. that he maketh intercession for vs now The authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes confirmeth the self same thing 7. 25. I aunswere that Christ dooth not simply deny in this place that he is an intercessour but his onely meaning is this that the father shal be so inclined towarde the disciples that he shall willinglye and readily giue them whatsoeuer they shall pray for The father saieth he shall meete you and for his infinite loue towarde you shall preuente your patrone whoe shoulde otherwise speake for you And when as Christ is said to make intercession for vs vnto the father let vs imagine no carnall thing of him as if falling down at the fathers knees hee didde humbly pray for vs but the power of his sacrifice whereby hee once reconciled God vnto vs being alway greene and effectual the bloud wherwith he purged our sins the obedieÌ„ce which he perfourmed are a continual intercession made for vs. This is a notable place whereby wee are taught that we haue the heart of God so soone as we haue set the name of his sonne against him 27. Because you haue loued me VVe are taught by these words that this is the onely hand of our coniunction with GOD if we be ioyned vnto Christ. And we are ioyned by a faith not feigned but such as proceedeth from a sincere affection which he signifieth by this woord loue For there is no man that beleeueth in Christ purely saue he that loueth imbraceth him with his whole heart VVherefore he did well expresse the force and nature of faith by this word But if sobeâ—t God beginne to loue vs then after that we haue loued Christ it followeth that the beeginning of our saluation is of our selues because we preuent the grace of God But very many testimonies of the scripture are against this opinioÌ„ and sentence The promise of God is I wil make them loue me And 1. Ioh. 4. 10. he saith not that we loued him first It were superfluous to gather any more places because there is nothing more certeine theÌ„ this doctrine that the Lord calleth those thinges which are not that he rayseth vp the dead that he adioyneth himsel vnto strangers that he maketh fleshy harts of stony harts that he appeareth vnto those that seeke him not I answere that men if they be of the number of the elect are beloued of god before their calling after an hiddeÌ„ maner who loueth al his before they are created but because they are not as yet reconciled they are worthily couÌ„ted Gods enemies as Paul saith Ro. 5 10. After this sort we are said in this place to be loued of god when as we loue Christ because we haue a pledge of his fatherly loue of whom we were afraid before as of a seuere iudge which hated vs. 28. I came out from the father This speach setteth forth vnto vs Christ his diuine power for our faith shuld not be firmly fixed in him vnlesse it did lay hold vpon his diuine power For his death resurrection which are two pillers of faith should helpe vs litle or nothing vnlesse his heauenly power were annexed thereunto Now we vnderstand how we ought to imbrace Christ to witte that our faith doe weigh and consider the purpose and power of God by whose hand he is offered vnto vs. Neither must we take this coldly that he came out from God but we must know also to what end and wherefore he came out to wit that he might be vnto vs wisdome sanctification righteousnesse and redemption In the second member whiche he added by by is noted the perpetuitie or continuance of his power For the Disciple might think that that was a temporall benefite that their master was sent to be the redeemer of the worlde Therfore he said that he returned vnto the father to the ende they may bee fully persuaded that none of those good thinges doe fall away by his departure which he hath brought because he powreth out the force and effect of his resurrection out of his heauenly glory Therefore he left the world when as he was receiued into heauen putting off our infirmities yet neuerthelesse his grace is forcible toward vs because he sitteth at the right hand of the father that he may enioy the gouernment of al the whole world 29 The Disciples say vnto him behold now speakest thou plainely and speakest no Prouerbe 30 Now we know that thou knowest all thinges and hast no need that any man should aske thee any question in this we beleeue that thou camest out from God 31 Iesus answered them Doe yee nowe beleeue Behold the houre shall come commeth nowe wherein you shall bee scattered euery man to his owne and yee shal leaue me alone although I am not alone
righteousnes and holynes God dooth make it knowne vnto vs daily by infinite meanes besides this how fatherly hee loueth vs but the marke of adoption farre exceedeth the rest by good right He addeth furthermore And thou hast loued them as thou hast loued me in which woordes he meant to note the cause and the beginning of loue For the aduerbe of likenes must be resolued into the coniunction causal as if he shoulde haue saide because thou hast loued me For Christ alone is he vnto whō the title of beloued belongeth And again the heauenly father loueth al the members also with the same loue wherwith he hath loued the head of the Church so that he loueth none but in Christ. Although here aryseth some shew of contrarietie for Christe saieth as we haue seene else where that the infinite loue of God toward the worlde was the cause that he gaue his onely begotten sonne before 3. 16. If the cause must go before his effect we gather that menne were beloued of God the Father without Christ that is before he was ordained to be a redeemer I answere that the mercy wherewith God was moued toward the vnworthy yea his very enemies before he reconciled thē vnto himself is called there and in such places Loue. Truly the goodnes of God is woonderfull and vnable to be comprehended by mans wit in that bearing good wil and being fauourable vnto men whom he could not hate hee tooke away the cause of hatred least any thing should hinder his loue Paule teacheth that we were double loued in Christe first because the father chose vs in him before the creation of the world Eph. 1. 4. and secondly because he hath recōciled vs vnto himselfe in the same Ro. 5. 10. hath had mercy vpon vs. Behold how we are both his enemies his friends vntill we be returned into fauour with God our sinnes being purged therefore when as we are iustified by fayth properly by God wee begin to be beloued at length as children of their father And that loue wherby it came to passe that Christ was ordained in whom wee shoulde bee chosen freely being yet vnborne and being notwithstanding already lost in Adam being hidden in Gods breast doth far exceede the capacity of mans minde No man shal euer finde God fauourable saue he which shall lay hold vppon him being pacified in Christ. But like as when Christe is taken away al taste of Gods loue dooth vanish away so wee may fully assure our selues that so soone as we are engrafted into his bodye wee neede not feare least we should fall from Gods loue For doubtlesse this foundation cannot be ouerthrown that we are loued because the father hath loued him 24. Father I will that those whom thou hast giuen to me be with me that they may see my glory which thou hast giuen me before the creation of the world 25. Iust father and the worlde hath not knowen thee and I haue knowen thee and these haue knowen that thou hast sent me 26. And I haue declared thy name vnto them and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be in them and I in them 24. I will that those VVill is put in steade of desire for this speache is not the speache of one that commaundeth but desireth Yet it may haue a dowble meaning either that he would haue his disciples to enioy hys externall presence or that GOD would bring them at length into the kingdome of heauen whether he goeth before them So some expound these woordes see my glorye for to enioye and be made partakers of the glory which Christ hath other some for to perceiue by the experiment of faith what Christ is and howe great his maiestie is For mine owne part hauing well weighed all thinges I thinke that Christe speaketh of the perfecte blessednesse of the godly as if hee shoulde saye that hys request should not be satisfied before they be receiued into heauen To the same effecte doe I referre the seeing of his glory They sawe the glory of Christe then as a small glimmering of light doeth come thoroughe chinkes vnto a man that is shut vppe in darkenesse nowe Christe desireth that they may goe so farre forwarde that they maye enioy the perfecte brightnesse openly in heauen In summe he desireth that the father woulde leade them foorth by continuall proceedings vnto the perfecte beholding of his glory Because thou hast loued me This dooth also farre better agree with the person of the mediatour then with the bare diuinitie of Christ. It is an hard thing that God loued his wisdome but the text leadeth vs vnto an other thing howsoeuer we receiue that It is not to be doubted but that when Christ desired before that his disciples might be ioined with him and that they might see the glory of his kingdome he spake as hee was the head of the Church Now he saieth that the loue of the father was the cause VVherfore it followeth that he was loued inasmuch as he was ordained to be the redeemer of the world VVith this loue did the father loue him before the creation of the world that he might haue wherein he might loue his elect 25 Iust father He compareth his disciples with the world that hee may thereby amplifie their commendation and fauour with the father For they must by good right be excellent who onely know God whom the whole world reiecteth Christ commēdeth them by good right with a singular affection whom the vnbeliefe of the worlde hindered not frō knowing God In calling his father iust hee derideth the worlde and the wickednes therof as if he shuld say howsoeuer the world doth proudly contemne God or refuse him yet can there nothing be taken frō him or done vnto him but that the honour of his iustice shal continue whole and sound to himselfe By which words he teacheth vs that the fayth of the godly must be so grounded in God that it doe neuer faint although the whole world do fall Like as at this day we must condemne Papistry of iniustice that we may defend Gods praise and preserue it to himselfe Christ saith not absolutely that the disciples knewe GOD but he putteth two degrees that he himselfe knew the father and that the disciples knew that he was sent of the father But because he addeth immediately after that he had declared vnto them his fathers name he commendeth them as I haue said for the knowledge of God which separateth them from the rest of the world In the meane season wee must note the order of faith which is described in this place The son which came out of the bosome of the father doth onelye know him properlye Therefore those which desire to come vnto God must needes receiue Christ comming to meete them and addict themselues vnto him Hee shall at length lift vp his disciples vnto God the father after that hee is known himselfe 26. I haue declared and wil declare
But thys is a great matter that they were not afrayed to take vppon them continuall warre wyth their nation Therefore it is certaine that it came to passe throughe the heauenlye motion that they who gaue not due honour vnto Christe so longe as hee liued doe runne vnto his carcasse being dead They brynge their odours to enbalme Christes bodye but they woulde neuer haue done this vnlesse they hadde fealt the sauour of his death VVhereby it appeareth howe truely Christe sayde That onlesse a wheat corne die it remaineth alone but after that it is deade it bringeth foorth frute aboundantly before 12. 24. for wee haue a moste manifest testimonie in thys place that his death was more liuely then his life And the sweetenesse of the smell whyche the death of Christe breathed oute into the mindes of these two menne was of so great force that it did easily extinguishe all the affections of the fleshe So longe as the loue of richesse and ambition raigned in them the grace of Christe was vnto them vnsauerie but nowe all the whole worlde beginneth to be vnto them vnsauerie But lette vs knowe that there is prescribed vnto vs in the example of them what wee owe vnto Christe These two to the ende they might shewe some token of their faith caried the body of Christe constantly thoughe not without great daunger vnto the graue Therefore it is shamefull and filthye â—luggishnesse if wee defraude him of the confession of faith when as hee raigneth in the heauenly glorye VVherefore their vngodlinesse is so muche the more vnexcusable who seeinge they doe at this daye denye Christe with faithlesse dissimulation doe yet notwythstanding pretende the example of Nicodemus And I confesse they are like him in one poynte they endeuour by all meanes possible to haue Christe buried but nowe it was no time to burye hym sithens that hee is ascended vnto the right hande of the father that hee maye bee aboue menne and Aungels and that euery tongue maye confesse his high gouernment Philippians 2. 9. 10. 11. Secreatlye for feare of the Iewes Because feare is in this place set against the holye constancie whyche the spirite of the Lorde wroughte in the heart of Iosephe it is likelye that hee was not voyde of all vice Not that all feare whereby the faithfull take heede to themselues and auoyde tyrauntes and the ennemies of the Gospell is corrupte and vitious but because the weakenesse of faith bewrayeth it selfe so often as the confession of faith is suppressed by feare VVee must alway marke what the Lorde commaundeth vs to doe and howe farre hee biddeth vs goe Hee that stayeth in the midst of the course sheweth that he beleeueth not in God and hee hath no excuse who setteth more by his owne life then by the commandement of God In that the Euangelist vouchsafeth to bestow vpon Ioseph the title name of a disciple at such time as he was too fearfull and durst not professe his faith before the worlde we know by this howe gently the Lorde dealeth with those that be his and how fatherly he pardoneth their faultes Neither is there any cause why the false Nicodemites should flatter themselues who doe not only hide faith within but whilest that they feigne a consent with wicked superstitions so much as in them lyeth they deny that they were Christes disciples 40 As the Iewes are wont After that Christ had suffered extreame ignominie vpon the crosse God woulde haue his buriall to be honourable that it might be an entrance into the glory of the resurrection Ioseph and Nicodemus bestow no small cost so that it might seeme to bee superfluous but we must looke vnto the purpose of God who did also enforce them by his spirite to doe his sonne this honour that he mighte take from vs the horrour of the crosse with the smell of the sepulchre But those things which are extraordinarie ought not to be taken for an example And againe the Euangelist saith plainely that hee was buried after the manner of the Iewes by which woordes hee signifieth that this was one of the ceremonies of the lawe For it was requisite that the olde people vnto whom the resurrection was not so well made knowen and which had no token and pledge thereof in Christ should bee vnderpropt with such helps y t they might loke for the coÌ„ming of y â— mediatour with a constant faith VVherefore we must note the difference that is betweene vs vnto whom the brightnesse of the Gospell hath shined and the fathers vnto whome figures did supplie Christe his absence This is the reason why greater pompe of rites was tollerable then whiche shoulde not be without fault at this day For those whiche bury the dead so sumptuously at this day doe not onely bury dead men but also Christ himselfe so much as in them lyeth who is the king of life hauing pulled him out of heauen because his resurrection hath abrogated these old ceremonies There was also great care and religion amongest the Gentiles in burying which tooke his beginning of the fathers as sacrifices But seeing they had no hope of the resurrection they were not followers of the fathers but their Apes For the promise the word of God is as it were the soule which quickeneth the ceremonies so soone as the woorde is taken away what rites soeuer men do vse although they agree in externall shew with the obseruing of holy thinges yet they are nothing els but rotten and foolish superstition But wee must as I haue saide before at this day vse sobrietie and sparing in this point because immoderate cost doth take away the smell of Christ his resurrection 41 And there was in the place This is the thirde point which I saide was to be noted in the historie of the buriall The Euangelist expresseth the place for many causes first of all it came to passe not rashly or without the certaine prouidence of God that the body of Christ was laide in a newe sepulchre For although he died the death which all other men die yet because he should be the first begotten of the dead and the first fruites of those which ryse againe from the dead he had a new sepulchre giuen him Ioseph and Nicodemus had another thing in their heads For because it was but a shorte time to the settyng of the Sunne which was the beginning of y e Sabboth they sought the coÌ„modiousnes of the place In the meane while God did chose contrary to their mind a sepulchree wherein neuer man had laid for his sonne Therefore the holy men doe like the nighnesse of the place onely for this cause that the Sabboth might not be broken But God offereth vnto thâ— that thing which they sought not that hee might discerne and distinguish the bâ—riall of his sonne from the common order by some token The circumstance of the place did also serue to this end that the resurrection might be more famous and that it might giue
is that he was sent of his father that he might delyuer vs from al euils and miseries MARKE 34. Hee suffered not the deuils to saye that they knewe him There might be two causes why he suffered them not one generall that as yet the appoynted time of his full reuelation was not come the other speciall which we touched a litle before that he refused them as preachers and witnesses of his Godhead which through their praising coulde doe nothing else but slaunder and discredite him And this last is wythout doubt for the deadly discorde ought to bee shewed which the authour of eternall saluation and life shoulde haue with the prince of death and his ministers MAT. 18. VVhen Iesus sawe great multitudes I doubt not but that Mathew doeth briefly touche that which others doe more fully and plentifully set forth That which is concealed by Math. the other two do expresse before it was day Christ went secretely into a desert place to seeke rest Marke sayeth after that Peter tolde him that all men soughte hym And Luke sayeth that the people came thither Nowe that Math. sayeth that he went ouer to the further shoare both they say that he did it that he might goe through all Galile that he might preach in all places But the further shoare in my iudgemeÌ„t is called not that which is right ouer against it on the further side but in respect of that place which was belowe Capernaum Therefore he so went ouer parte of the lake that he would not leaue Galile It is to be noted that he sayeth that hee went or was sent for that ende for in these woordes he witnesseth howe readily he was bent to fulfil his office But if any man shall aske whether it were better for the ministers of the Gospell to runne hither and thither that they might in al places sparingly and slenderly tast the doctrine of God or remaine teachinge their hearers perfectlye whome they haue once wonne I aunsweare the purpose of Christe whereof mention is heere made was grouÌ„ded vpon a most notable cause because it was agreeable to the commandemeÌ„t and calling of the father For Christ was in short time to goe throughout Iudea that hee mighte euerye where waken the mindes of men as with the sounde of a trumpette to heare the Gospell which matter shall more largely be entreated of other where Mathewe Marke 3. Luke 6.  13. Then he went vppe into a mountaine and called vp vnto hym whome he woulde and they came to him 14. And he appoynted twelue that they shoulde be with him and that he might send them to preach 15. And that they might haue power to heale sicknesses to cast out deuils 16. And the first was Simon and he named Simon Peter 17. Then Iames the sonne of Zebedeus and Iohn Iames brother and named them Boanarges which is the sonnes of thunder 18. And Andrew and Phillip and Bartlemâ—we and Mathew and Thomas and Iames the sonne of Alpheus and Thaddeus and Symon the Cananite 19. And Iudas Iscariot who also betraied him 12. And it came to passe in those daies that he went into a mountaine to pray and spente the night in praier to God 13. And when it was day he called his disciples of them he chose twelue which also hee called Apostles 14. Simon whom he named also Peter and Andrewe hys brother Iames and Iohn Philip and Bartlemewe 15. Mathewe and Thomas Iames the sonne of Alpheus Simon called Zelous 16. Iudas Iames brother and Iudas Iscariot which was also the traitour 17. Then hee came downe with them and stoode in a plaine place with the companie of his disciples and a greate multitude of people out of all Iudea and Ierusalem and from the sea coast of Tyrus and Sidon which came to heare him and to be healed of him 18. And they that were vexed wyth foule spirites and they were healed 19. And the whole multitude soughte to touche him for there went power oute of him and healed them all MARKE 13. He went vp into a mountaine By this election hee doeth not as yet ordaine the Apostles that they shoulde presently execute their office but onely in hope of Apostleship he adopteth them as disciples to keepe him companie wherin the interpretors haue bene deceiued which vnaduisedly doe confound these places with the tenth chapter of Math. And the woordes doe euidently declare that they were only appoynted that they shoulde after be of that ambassage which is enioyned them in Mathewe And Marke and Luke doe afterwardes in the right place sette downe their sending foorth which Mathewe doeth there make mention of And it is no maruell if that the heauenlye master woulde a little frame and accustome them to so harde a charge whose rudenesse coulde not be restrained by long vse of discipline Both the Euangelists saye that Christ went vp into a mouÌ„taine Luke declareth the cause that he might the more freely pray out from companie which he was wont to do very often as may be seene in other places But this example ought to be a perfecte rule to vs that we doe begin with prayer so oft as pastours are to be chosen for Churches otherwise what soeuer we attempt shall not prosper For the Lorde did not praye so muche for his owne sake as that hee might prescribe a lawe for vs for we want wisedome and councell and though we were moste prouident yet wee cannot in any thing be easier deceiued then in this Now how can we be out of daunger of offending except the Lord should moderate our affections considering howe great the force or rather the violence of fauoure and loue or of hatred or of ambition is to drawe vs away Furthermore though there be great diligence vsed in the election yet all things shall prosper ill except the Lord take vppon him to gouerne those that are chosen and endew them with necessary giftes VVhat then will some manne say Did not Christ earnestly require of his father that he would rule his election I graunt this and withall I adde that by this testimonie he declared howe carefull he was for his Churche therefore hee prayed not his father after a dailye maner but spent all the night in prayers But if he that was full of the holy Ghost did so earnestly and carefully pray his father to be gouernoure of his election howe much is our necessitie greater MARKE 13. And called vnto him whome he wâ—ulde I doubte not but that Marke woulde heereby signifie that they were taken to this so honourable an office by the meere grace of Christe not for theyr owne woorthinesse For if thou vnderstande that they were chosen that were more notable then others this cannot agree in Iudas Therfore the meaning is that the Apostleshyppe was not bestowed according to the merites of menne who were nothyng woorthy to be lifte vppe into that estate but by the free mercy of God And so that was fulfilled that Christ sayde other
other side vnto Bethsaida while he sent away the people 46. Then assoone as he hadde sent them away he departed into a mountaine to pray 47. And when euen was come the ship was in the mids of the sea and he alone on the land 48. And he saw them troubled in rowing for the wind was cōtrary to them and about the fourth watch of the night hee came vpon them walking vpon the sea and would haue passed by them 49. And when they saw him walking vpon the sea they supposed it had bene a spirite and cryed out 50. For they all saw him and were sore afraide but anon he talked with them and sayd vnto them bee of good comfort it is I be not afrayd 51. Then he went vp vnto them into the shippe and the wind ceased and they were sors amased in themselues beyond measure and meruailed 52. For they had not considered the matter of the loaues beecause their heartes were hardned  21. Iesus compeld his disciples It behoued him to compell them because to leaue him they would not haue passed ouer to an other place but against their willes Also they doe herein declare howe much they obeye him while against their owne minde they giue place and obey his commandement And certeinly in shew it seemed very absurd that he would remaine alone in a desert place when night approched Therefore their aptnesse to be taught deserued so much the more prayse for that the authoritie of the heauenlye maister was more regarded and esteemed by them then that which might seeme probable on the contrary part And we do not rightly and perfectly obey God except we do simply follow whatsoeuer he commaundeth how much soeuer our sense repugne against the same Certeinly God alwaies hath the best reason and ground of his counsel and commaundement but he often hideth the same from vs that we might learne not to be selfewise but wholly to depend vppon his will Thus Christ compeld his disciples to passe ouer that hee might frame them to that rule of obedience which I spake of Neyther is there any doubt but that he would make himselfe a way to the miracle which next followeth 23. Hee went vp into a mountaine alone It is likely that the sonne of God from whom the tempest to come could not be hidde did not neglect in his prayers the preseruation of his disciples yet it is meruaile why he doth not rather preuent the perill then apply himselfe to prayer But that he might fulfill the partes of a mediatour hee sheweth himselfe to be both God and man and gaue testimonies of both natures as farre as the matter required VVhen he had all thinges at his owne will he shewed himselfe to be a man by praying neither did he that feignedlye but he shewed a sincere affection of humane loue towards vs. In this matter the diuine maiestie withdrew it selfe after a sort which yet shewed it self at length in his order But in going vp into the mountaine hee sought oportunitie that he might the freelyer pray farre from all noyse VVe know how easily the ardent zeale in prayer through the least disturbances either falleth away or else waxeth colde And though Christ had not this imperfection yet his will was to teache vs by his example diligently to vse all helpes which may deliuer our mindes from all the snares of the world that we being free may be wholely bent into heauen And solitarinesse much auaileth in this that they which prepare themselues to praier shoulde be the more diligent hauing God alone for witnesse powring out their heart into his bosome they should the more diligently examine themselues lastly cōsidering with themselues that they haue to doe with God let them lift vp themselues aboue themselues Yet it is to be noted that he setteth not downe a lawe as if it were not lawfull to pray any other where but in secrete for Paule also commaundeth vs to lifte vp pure handes euery where 1. Tim. 2. 8. And Christ himselfe sometime prayed before men and he also taught his disciples that they being gathered togither should conceiue praiers openly amōgst themselues But that libertie of praying in all places hindereth not but that they shoulde also vse priuate prayers in time conuenient 24. The shippe was nowe in the middes of the sea The readers shall finde this hystorie expounded by me vpon the sixt chapter of Iohn and therefore I will be the shorter heere Christe suffered his disciples to be tossed with a troublesome tempest and with some daunger for a time to that ende that they might with readier mindes receiue helpe when it should be brought them for the contrary winde roase about midnight or a litle before And thē at the fourth watche Christ appeared that is three houres ful before day so their faith was as hardly shakē with terrours as their armes were toyled with rowing But when necessitie it selfe most vrged them to desire their maisters presence they were too grosse and blockish to be afraid at his sight as if he hadde bene a spirite For this cause Marke sayeth that their hearts were blinded and vnderstoode not the matter of the loaues For by that myracle they were sufficiently taught that Christe wanted not diuine power to helpe his and that hee doeth carefully prouide for them when necessity so requireth Therefore their sluggishnes nowe is worthily condemned because they doe not presently call to minde that heauenly power a notable token whereof being shewed but late ought yet to be present before their eyes But through the fault of theyr sluggishnes they were afrayd beecause they had not profited by the former miracles so rightly as became them but their blindnes is especiallye reproued because they had forgotten that which they saw so late or rather that they applyed not their mindes to consider the Godheade whereof the multiplying of the loaues was testimony euident enough Yet Mark setteth downe two thinges in his wordes that they considered not thoroughly the glory of christ which was shewed in multiplying the loaues then he declareth the cause for that their heartes were hardened And that seemeth to be added not onely for the aggrauating of the greatnes of the fault but also to admonish vs of the infirmity of our minde that we should aske new eyes of the Lord. Certinely it was as I sayde euen now too beastly ignoraunce not to vnderstande as it were the palpable power of God Yet because all mankind is sicke of the same disease Mardoth of purpose make mention of the blindnes that wee might knowe that it is no new matter if men cannot see into the manifest workes of God vntill they be lightned from aboue as Moses also said Deut. 29. 4. Yet the Lord hath not giuen you an hearte to vnderstand And though the word heart doth often signifie the wil or the seate of affections yet here in this place as also in the place of Moses which I cited it is take for the mind
to set before them and they did sette them before the people 7. They had also a fewe small fishes when he had giuen thankes he cōmāded them also to be set before thē 8. So they did eate and were sufficed and they tooke vp of the broken meate that was left seuen baskets full 9. And they that had eaten were about 4. thousand so he sent them away 10. And anon hee entred into a ship with his disciples and came into the partes of Dalmanutha  29. So Iesus departed away from thence Thoughe Mathewe and Marke doe without doubt speake of one and the same returne of Christe out of the partes of Sidon yet in some things they doe much differ This is a small matter that one of them sayeth that he came into the partes of Magdala and the other into the partes of Dalmanutha for when as they were cities standing neare togither situated vpon the lake Genesareth towardes mount Thabor it is no maruaile that the countrey lying betwene them be called by both their names And Decapolis was so called of ten cities and because it was the region lying betwene Phoenice and the sea coaste of Galile which way Christ was to passe when he returned from Phoenicia into Galile of Iuda There seemeth to bee greater difference in that Mathewe sayeth that he healed many diseased with diuers kindes of sicknesse and Marke maketh mention onely of one deafe manne Yet this knot also is easily dissolued for Marke chose that myracle to set downe which was done by the way the fame wherof being spred mooued the inhabitants of that country euery where to bring forth moe vnto Christ to be healed For we know that the Euangelistes doe not curiously set downe all things but they are so spare in reporting of the myracles that they touch only a few things for an example Also it was sufficient for Marke to shew one example wherin the power of Christ was manifested euen as he doth in others such like which follow a litle after MAR. 32. They brought vnto him a deafe man To what purpose they praied him to lay his hand on him may be gathered by the former places for the laying on of hands was a solemne signe of blessing wherby the gifts of the holy ghost were also giuen And without doubt Christe often vsed this rite so that these men demaunded nothing but that they knew he had vsed heretofore But Christe vseth other signes for he toucheth the tongue of the dumbe man with his spittle and putteth his finger into his eares The onely laying on of his hands had bene effectual enough yea though he had not moued his finger he could haue done this only with a becke but it appeareth that hee vsed signes frankly as was moste for the profit of men as now putting spittle to his toung he would declare that the gifte of speaking commeth from him alone thrusting his finger into his eares he taught that it was a gift proper to him as it were to boare open the deafe eares for it is needelesse to runne to allegories and we see they that haue most subtilly dalied in that course are so farre from bringing foorth any thing that is sounde that they rather make the scripture to become a iesting stocke Therefore let this one thing satisfie discreate readers that we obtaine of Christ both speach and hearing by prayer inso muche as he infuseth his force to our tongues and pearceth into our eares with his fingers That he remoueth the deafe man from the multitude he doeth it partly of that purpose that he would not shewe the glory of his Godheade to the rude and such as were not as yet fitte witnesses but that they shoulde beholde the same a farre off partly that he might the more freely powre foorth his seruent prayer For that he looked vp to heauen and sighed was a signe of a vehement affection whereby is perceiued how great his loue was towardes men whose miseries he so bewailed Neither is it to be doubted but by the taking of spittle out of his owne mouth to putte into his mouthe and by putting his fingers his will was to testifie and to shew the same kinde and louing affection Yet he declareth that he hath great power in curing all diseases and in giuing health when as hee simply cōmaundeth the tongue and eares to be opened Neither was it without consideration that Marke setteth downe that Chalde woorde but that it might testifie the diuine power of Christe Amongst other trifles wherewith foolish men defiled baptisme heere they also had one Apis◠iesting toye By the which example we are admonished that there is no ende of licentiousnesse when men begin to dally with the mysteries of God at their owne pleasure 36. He commaunded them that they should tell no man Though there are many interpreaters which wrest these commandements into an other sence as if Christ had purposely prouoked them to spread the fame of the myracle yet that seemeth to me to be the more simple meaning which I alleaged other where that his purpose onely was to deferre it to an other time more conuenient and sitte VVherefore I thinke not otherwise but that their zeale was vnaduised while they being commaunded to holde their peace doe haste to speake Yet it is not to be wondered at that men not accustomed to the doctrine of Christ shoulde be caried with so great a zeale when it was not conuenient Yet Christ turneth that to his owne glory which was vnaduisedly attempted by them because bothe the myracle was knowen and that whole region despising the authour of heauenly giftes was made inexcusable 37. He hath done all things well After that Mathewe had gathered many myracles togither he addeth at the length this clause the multitude wondered and gaue the glory to the God of Israel namely because that God shewing his power by vnwonted meanes renued the remembraunce of his couenaunt But in Markes woordes the figure Antithesis may be vnderstoode for whereas the rumour of Christ was very diuers the multitude gaue testimonie that they were wicked and malicious people who soeuer would speake euill of his deedes when as al his workes rather deserued high praise then so to be quarelled at And we know that the sense of nature teacheth that nothing is more vnrighteous then to draw good woorkes into blame and hatred MATH 32. I haue compassion on this multitude Heere is a myracle sette downe not vnlike the other which wee expounded a little before this is the only difference that where before Christ fedde fiue thousande men with fiue loaues and two fishes now foure thousand are fedde with seuen loaues and a few fishes Also when twelue baskets were filled with fragments then nowe of greater aboundance fewer broken meates remaine Heereby we learne that the power of God is not tied to meanes or helpes neither is it any matter before him whether it be great or litle as Ionathan sayd speaking of
not well in his wittes that he should spare himselfe But rash zeale driueth men yea and casteth them downe headlong so farre that they doubt not to make God subiect to their pleasure Peter iudgeth it to be an absurd thing that the Elders should crucifie the sonne of GOD who should be the redeemer of the people and that he shuld be put to death who was the aucthour of lyfe Therefore hee endeuoureth to drawe Christ backe that hee should not delyuer himselfe ouer to death It is a fayre colour but it is necessarye that more credit bee giuen to the iudgement of Christ then to Peters zeale by what pretence soeuer it be excusable And here we are taught what those intentes whiche are supposed to be good are auaileable before God Their is so great prid in men that they thinke they haue iniury and they complaine if that whiche they thinke to be right be not also accepted of God So we see with what frowardnesse the Papistes doe maintaine their deuotions but while they so boldly allow of themselues God doth not onely reiect that which they thinke to be worthy of great prayse but he also doth sharply condemne it of vngodly madnesse If truely the sense and iudgment of man shuld preuayle Peters intent was godly or at the least allowable But Christe could not more sharply nor more contumeliously reiecte him VVhat meaneth I beseech you his so sharpe an aunswere who euery where behaued himselfe so meckely that hee would not breake the brused reede Es 42. 3. How thūdreth he now so vehemently against his chosen disciple The reason is apparaunt that in the person of one man he would restraine all men from flattering their owne affected zeale For though it is harde to keepe vnder the pleasures of the fleshe for that they are lyke to wylde beastes yet there is no beast so furious as the wisdome of the fleshe Therefore Christe dooth so sharpelye inueigh againste the same and beateth it downe as it were with an yron mallet that wee myghte onelye learne to bee wyse out of the woorde of God 23. Get thee behinde me Sathan Some do reason verye fondlye of this word behind as if Peter were commaunded to followe and not to goe before For Luke beefore in the fourth Chapter declareth that the deuill was repulsed from the Lorde with the same wordes And the word Eypage signifieth to leaue off from whence that latine word Apage i. auoyde is deryued Christe therefore reiecteth his disciple farre off beecause that with his preposterous zeale hee playd Sathans pranckes Neither dooth hee simply call him aduersary but hee calleth him deuill in token of great detestation The reason is to be noted which is presentlye added Thou art an offence vnto me beecause thou vnderstandest the thinges that are of menne and not the thinges that are of God Peter was an offence to Christ while he opposed himself againste his calling VVhereof it also appeareth how menne are madde in theyr peruerse zeale For while Peter endeuoured to stoppe his maisters course he was not aduised of himselfe but that he would haue defrauded himselfe and all mankind of eternall saluation Therefore in one worde wee are taught with what diligence that must be auoyded whatsoeuer it be that draweth vs from the obedience of God And Christ openeth the fountaine of all this mischiefe when he saith that Peter sauoreth the thinges which are of menne Therefore least the heauenly iudge cast off vs and our endeuours to the deuil let vs learne not to be tied to our owne iudgement but obediently to imbrace that which the Lord alloweth Now let the Papistes goe and extol their owne deuises vp to the sky they shall feele at the length when they shal come before the celestiall tribunall seate what that boastinge shall preuaile which Christ pronounceth to be deuillish And for vs let vs not desire otherwise to be wise then from the mouth of GOD except wee would willingly shut the way of saluation against our selues with deadly barres 24. Iesus then sayd to his disciples Because that Christe saw Peter abhorre the crosse and knew that al others had the same affection he doth generally entreate of bearing the crosse neither teacheth he the twelue alone but layeth the same lawe vppon all the godly VVe had almost the lyke sentence in Math. 10. 28. But there the Apostles onely were admonished of the persecution which remained for them assoone as they should beginne to discharge their function but here he teacheth the common exercise of al younglinges and as it were entreth into the firste principles all them that will professe the Gospell And saith expresly If any man will followe mee that he might refell Peters ymagination For hee proposing himselfe an example of denyall of himselfe and of patience to euerye manne hee declareth that hee must suffer that which Peter thought vnmeete for his person Furthermore hee inuiteth all the members of his body to follow him For so ought the wordes to be vnderstoode If anye manne will be my disciple let him forsake himselfe take vppe his crosse and followe mee or let him frame himselfe after my example And the meaning is that none can be accounted for Christes disciples but they which are true followers of him and are readye to runne in the same race Further he prescribeth a short rule of imitation that wee might know in what thing he especially requireth that we should be lyke to him and that consisteth in two poyntes in denyall of our selues and in willinge bearing of the crosse This denial reacheth farre namely that we denying our owne wisdome and forsaking al the affections of the flesh might bee readye to bee brought to nothing so that GOD might lyue and reigne in vs. VVee knowe howe naturallye menne are ouerwhelmed with a blinde loue of themselues how much they are giuē to themselues and how much they account of themselues But if we desire to enter into Christes schole it behoueth to beginne at that foolishnes whereunto Paule exhorteth vs. 1. Corinthyans 3. 18. Then to goe forward to tame and to bringe vnder all affections Therefore he preacheth of taking vp of the crosse for though generally the life of all men is subiect to cōmon miseries◠yet because that God doth peculyarly exercise his seruāts that he might make them lyke vnto the image of his own sonne it is no meruaile that this law is said to be giuen to them Also though God loadeth with the crosse aswell the wicked as the good yet none are saide to bear the crosse but they which do willingly lay their shoulders vnder it for thogh a fearce vntamed horse beareth a rider yet he taketh him not vp Therefore this is the patience of the faythfull with a willing minde to beare the crosse Luke addeth this word dayly whiche hath great force in it for Christ declareth that there is no ende of our warfare vntyll wee shall departe out of this world Therefore let this
their proud contempt was so much the greater Heere is also to bee added theyr vntamed frowardnesse for GOD went not about to gather them once or twise but continually tyme after tyme hee sent vnto them diuerse Prophetes all which almost were refused for the most parte Nowe wee vnderstande why Christe in the person of GOD compareth himselfe to a Henne namelye that hee might lay so much the more shame vppon this wicked nation which had refused his sweete and more then motherlye allurementes And certeinly this was a wonderfull and incomparable token of loue that hee disdayned not to humble himselfe euen to entreate them that hee might so by that meanes bringe those rebelles to obeye him The like reproofe almoste is sette downe by Moses Deuteronomye 32. 11. that God as an Eagle embraseth the people with stretched out winges And though God dooth not stretch out his winges in one sort or manner to nourish that people yet Christe dooth peculyarlye applye this manner of speach to this one thing namely that God sent his Prophetes to gather them which wandred and wente astray into the bosom of God VVhereby hee declareth that the worde of God is neuer opened vnto vs but that hee with a motherlye kindnesse openeth his lappe vnto them and not satisfied therewith hee woulde humble himselfe to the simple affection of a Henne in nourishing her chickens VVhereof it followeth that our crueltie is more then monstrous if wee will not suffer our selues to be gathered togeather by him Certeinelye if of the one parte wee could remember the fearefull maiestie of GOD and of the other our owne vile and base estate we shuld be compeld for shame to stand amased at so great and wonderfull goodnesse For what meaneth this that God should humble himselfe so farre for our sakes when hee taketh vppon him the person of a mother hee humbleth himselfe farre beneath his glory how much further then when hee becommeth like vnto a Henne and vouchsafeth to account vs as his chickens Further if this was worthily obiected to the olde people which lyued vnder the lawe it dooth much more pertaine to vs. For though that was alwayes true which I cited euen nowe out of Moses and also that those complaintes are true which are read in Isaiah 65. 2. that GOD hath dailye spread out his armes in vaine to embrace a stiffe and rebellious people that by rysing early and taking daily care hee could preuaile nothing amongst them yet at this day hee calleth vs more familyarly and louinglye vnto hym by his Sonne VVherefore there remayneth a horrible vengeaunce for vs so ofte as he proposeth the doctrine of the Gospel if that wee doe not willinglye hide our selues vnder his winges with the which hee is ready to take and to couer vs. Yet Christ teacheth that al they shall rest in safetie which in obedience of faith doe gather themselues to God for vnder his wings they haue a sort which cannot be ouerthrowne The other part also of the reproofe must be noted that God was not presently so moued with the peruerse frowardnes of the olde people as that it shoulde cause him to cast awaye his fatherly loue and motherlye care when as he ceased not continuallye to sende Prophetes after Prophetes As at this day though hee hath too much experience of the wickednesse of the worlde yet he continueth the course of his fauor There is yet a further thing to be noted in these words namely that the Iewes fell from him assoone as the Lorde hadde gathered them Heereby we note by their falling away so ofte that they rested quietlye scarse the space of a moment vnder the winges of GOD such wildenes is seene at this daye in the worlde and hath beene also in all ages therefore it is necessarye that GOD shoulde call vnto him them that wander and goe astray But this is the most desperate conclusion of wickednesse when menne doe stubbornelye refuse the goodnesse of GOD and refuse to come vnder his winges That also which I sayde beefore that Christ spake in the personne of GOD I interprete that this speach dooth properly belonge to his eternall Godhead For hee dooth not declare heere what hee beganne to doe sith hee was manifested in the fleshe but hee sheweth howe carefull hee hath beene for the saluation of this people euen from the beginning And wee knowe that the Church was so gouerned of GOD that Christe gouerned it as hee was the eternall wisdome of God In the which sense Paule saieth not that GOD the Father but that Christe hymselfe was tempted in the desarte 1. Corin. 10. 9. This place is wrested by cauillers for the proofe of free wyll and to ouerthrowe the secrete predestination of GOD but it is easily answered They saye the Lorde woulde gather all menne therefore it is free for all menne to come and their will dooth not depend of Gods election I aunswere that the will of GOD whereof there is mention made heere is to be considered of the effecte For when as by his woorde hee calleth all menne generallye to bee saued and this is the ende of preaching that all should repose themselues in his keepinge and fayth it is rightlye sayde that hee woulde gather all menne vnto him Therefore hee describeth not heere the secrete counsell of GOD but that wyll which is learned by the nature of the word For he dooth not only call them by the outwarde voyce of manne whome hee would gather effectually but he draweth them inwardly by his spirit If anye man should obiecte that it were absurd to imagine God to haue two willes I aunswere we doe not beleeue otherwise but that the will of GOD should be one and simple but because that our mindes cannot reache the profounde depth of the secrete election but according to the simplicitie of our capacitie the will of God is proposed to vs two wayes And I maruaile at the frowarde heades of some that are nothing offended at that humane affection which is founde so oft in the Scripture and will not admytte it in this place onelye But beecause that I haue handled thys argument at large in another place least I shoulde be longer in a needlesse matter I onelye saye in a woorde that assoone as the doctrine whiche is the ensigne of vnitie is broughte amongste the people GOD woulde gather all menne whosoeuer doe not come are inexcusable 37. And you would not This may be referred aswell to the whole nation as to the Scribes yet I do rather expound it of them by whom that gathering togeather was moste hindred For Christ enueighed against them in the whole course of his speach and nowe when hee spake to Ierusalem in the singuler number it presentlye appeareth that hee altered not the number without a cause But there is a vehement opposition betweene the will of GOD and their vnwyllingnesse for it expresseth the deuillishe fury of men which set themselues to striue against God 38. Beholde your
rest in Iosephus Math. 24. Marke 13. Luke 21. 9. Then shall they deliuer you vppe to be afflicted and shal kil you and yee shall be hated of all nations for my names sake 10. And then shall manye be offended and shall betraye one another and shall hate one another 11. And many false prophets shall arise and shall deceiue many 12. And because iniquitie shall be encreased the loue of manye shal be colde 13. But he that endureth to the ende he shal be saued 14. And this gospel of the kingdome shall be preached throughe the whole worlde for a witnesse vnto all nations and then shall the ende come 9. But take ye heede to your selues for they shal deliuer you vppe to the councels and to the synagogues yee shall be beaten and broughte before rulers and kings for my sake for a testimoniall vnto them 10. And the gospell must first be published among all nations 11. But when they lead you deliuer you vppe take yee no thought before neither premeditate what you shall say but what soeuer is giuen you at the same time that speake for it is not yee that speake but the holy Ghost 12. Yea and the brother shall deliuer the brother to death and the father the sonne and â—he children shal rise against the parents and shall cause them to die 13. And yee shal be hated of all men for my names sake but who soeuer shall endure to the ende shal be saued 12. But before all these they shall lay their hands on you persecute you deliuering you vp to the synagogues and into prisons and bring you before kinges and rulers for my names sake 13. And this shall turne to you for a testimoniall 14. Lay it vp therfore in your hearts that you premeditate not what yee shall answeare 15. For I will giue you a mouth and wisedome where against all your aduersaries shall not be able to speake nor resist 16. Yea yee shal be betraied also of your parents and of your brethren and kinsmen frends and some of you shall they putte to death 17. And yee shall be hated of all men for my names sake 18. Yet there shal not one haire of your heads pearish 19. By youre patience possesse your soules 9. Then shall they deliuer you vppe to be afflicted Now Chirst foretelleth his disciples of an other kinde of temptation wherewith besides their common afflictions their faith should be tried for they shoulde be hated and detested of all the world This is harde and sharpe of it selfe to the children of God to be afflicted togither with the reprobate and contemners of God to be subiect to the same punishmeÌ„t which they endure for their sinnes And this seemeth the more intollerable to be sharpely oppressed with such grieuous miseries as the very wicked are free from But as the wheate when it is togither with the chaffe threshed out with the flailes is afterward broken and ground in the mill so God doth not onely afflicte his children togither with the wicked but layeth the crosse more vppon them then vppon others that they might seeme to be the moste miserable of all men But Christe doeth properly speake heere of the afflictions which the disciples should suffer for the Gospell For thoughe that saying of Paule is true Rom. 8. 29. whome God hath chosen them hath he also ordained to beare the crosse that they might be made like to the image of his sonne yet he doeth not marke all his children wyth this speciall marke that they should be persecuted by the ennemies of the Gospell Christe speaketh nowe of that kinde of affliction at that time when the faithfull of necessitye were to beare for the testimonie of the Gospel the hatred the reprochefull wordes and the fury of the wicked For his will was to let his disciples vnderstande that the doctrine of the Gospell whereof they shoulde be messengers and witnesses shoulde not be accepted or allowed of the world euen as he had tolde them before And he telleth them before that they shal haue contention not only with a fewe ennemies but that they shall be hated of all nations whether so euer they shall come But this was a wonder hardly to be beleeued which might make the most couragious mindes to feare quake that the name of the sonne of God should be so infamous and odious that it shuld procure all them to be hated euery where Therefore Marke sayeth Take heede to your selues By which word he noteth the ende and vse of this admonition namely that they should be ready to beare this least this temptation shuld ouerthrow them before they be aware Marke addeth in the same place that this should be a testimoniall to kings and rulers when the disciples of Christ shoulde be brought before their iudgement seat Luke reporteth this somewhat otherwyse This shall be to you for a testimoniall but the meaning is one with the former For Christ declareth that his Gospell shall be the more set foorth when it shall be defended with the daunger of death For if the Apostles should haue imployed their trauaile in preaching the Gospel and shoulde not stand constantly against the furious dealings of the ennemies in defence of the same it should not haue ben so notably confirmed But when they doubted not to lay their heades in daunger and that no terrours of death coulde driue them from theyr purpose it appeared by this their courage and constancie howe certainly they were perswaded of the goodnesse of their cause So this was a sure seale of the Gospell that the Apostles stoode without feare at the iudgement seates of kings and frely professed the name of Christ there And therfore Peter calleth himself a witnesse of the passions of Christe the signes and tokens whereof he bare vppon him And Paule to the Phil. 1. 17. glorieth that he was sette in defence of the Gospell The which is especially woorthy to be noted least they through vile cowardlinesse should fal away from the faith vppon whome God hath thought good to bestow so great honour as that he woulde make them patrones of his truthe MAR. 11. Take yee no thought before VVe haue expounded this sentence and the next in the tenth chapter of Mathewe for that the Lordes will was to ease his disciples of that sorowfull doubtfulnesse which hindereth vs from continewing in our calling while that wee distrust our selues as vnable to beare the burden Not that he would haue vs altogither carelesse for nothing is more profitable for vs then that we be taught humilitye by knowing our owne infirmitye and be prouoked to prayers but Christ teacheth vs to cast our cares into the bosome of the father that trusting in his promised helpe we may goe foreward chearefully in oure course But Luke setteth downe the promisse otherwise not that Christ wold deliuer his from death for this is not alwayes to bee hoped for but that he will giue them a mouth and wisedome wherewith
might thereby yeelde the praise of all good thingâ— which they had receiued to God VVherefore it is not to be doubted but that Christ describing the saluation of the godly beginneth at the free loue of GOD whereby they which by the direction of Gods spirite do aspire to righteousnesse in this life are predestinated to life Heereunto also appertaineth that which he sayeth a little after that the kingdome was prepared for them from the beginning of the world into the possession whereof they shall be sent at the last day And though it may easily be obiected that the rewarde was layde vppe before for their merites which shoulde come after yet if any man will way the woordes without contention he will graunt that it is a secreat commendation of the grace of God For Christ also doeth not simply call the faithfull to possesse the kingdome as if they haue gotten the same by their merites but expresly sayeth that it shoulde be giuen as to heires Yet there is an other end to be noted whereunto the Lord had regarde for though the life of the godly is nothinge else but a miserable and grieuous banishmeÌ„t so that the earth can scarcely bear them though they trauaile vnder a harde want vnder reproaches and other troubles that they may with a stronge and valiant minde ouercome these lettes the Lord declareth that there is a kingdome prepared for them in an other place And it is a notable exhortation to patience when menne are certainly perswaded that they beare not in vaine Therefore least the pride of the wicked wherin they doe glory now should make our minds to fainte and least our owne miseries shoulde weaken our hope lette vs alwayes remember that enheritance which remaineth for vs in heauen for it dependeth not of any doubtfull case but it was prepared for vs of God before we were borne yea I say for euery one of the electe because that Christ doeth heere call them the blessed of the father But there is no absurdity in this that it is onely sayd heere that the kingdome was prepared from the beginning of the world and in an other place Before the creation of the heauen and the earth For Christ doth not here set downe the poynt of time when the inheritaunce of eternall life was prepared for the children of God but only calleth vs to the coÌ„sideration of the fatherly care of God wherein he embraced vs before we were borne and hee doeth thereby confirme the assurance of our hope so that the troublesome stormes of the world cannot ouerthrow our life I was an hungered If the disputation heere had beene of the cause of our saluation the Papists had not gathered amisse that we shoulde merite eternall life by good woorkes but when as Christ had no other purpose but to exhort his disciples to endeuour to liue well and righteously it is yll gathered by his woordes what the merites of workes shoulde auaile They rest vppon the woorde causall which is but a weake stay for wee knowe that it doeth not alwayes note the cause but rather the consequence when as eternall life is promised to the righteous But there is a plainer answeare For we deny not but that there is a rewarde promised to good woorkes but it is of fauour because it dependeth of the adoption Paule in the 2. Tim. 4. 8. reioyceth that there was a crowne of righteousnesse laied vppe for him But whereof gathered hee thys comforte but of this that he was a member of Iesus Christ who is the onely heire of the heauenly kingdome Hee sayeth that the iust iudge will giue hym that crowne but howe should he come by that rewarde but because hee was adopted of free grace and endowed with that righteousnes wherwhereof we all are voide Therefore these two things must be considered that the faithfull are called to the possession of the kingdome of heauen in respecte of good woorkes not because they should deserue it by the righteousnesse of workes or because that they shoulde be the authours of the getting of it for themselues but because that God doeth iustifie them whome he hath first chosen Furthermore though that by the direction of the spirit they shuld aspire to the loue of righteousnesse yet because they doe neuer satisfie the lawe of God there is no reward due to them but that is called a rewarde whiche is giuen freely But Christe doeth not recken vppe all the partes of a godly and a holy life but doeth only note for example sake some poyntes of charitye whereby we declare that we doe worship God For though the woorshippe of God excelleth the loue of menne and therefore faith and inuocation is more to be desired then almes yet Christe doeth not without cause sette downe the testimonies of true rightâ—ousnesse which are more apparant to be seene If any man despising God should only deale wel with men such mercy shuld nothing auaile for the appeasing of God because that in the meane season he is defrauded of his owne right Christe therefore doeth not say that the summe of righteousnesse consisteth in almes but by signes which may be moste easily seene he declareth what it is to liue godly and rightuously so that truely the faithfull doe not only professe with the mouth but by diligent exercises they doe shewe that they doe worship God VVherfore those fantasticall men do very preposterously vnder pretence of this place withdrawe themselues both from the hearing of the word and also from receiuing the holy supper for vnder the same coloure they might also cast away faith and bearing of the crosse and prayers chastitie But Christ meant nothing lesse then to restrain to a part of the seconde table the rule of holy life which is contained in the two tables of the law The Monkes also and such like rascalles haue sottishly sette downe to themselues sixe woorkes of mercy because that Christ maketh mention of no mo As if that children might not plainly see that by the figure Synecdoche al the workes of charity are here coÌ„mended For to comfort the sorrowfull to helpe them that be vniustly oppressed to aid the simple with counsel to pull the poore wretches out of the iawes of the wolues is a woorke of mercy as much worthy to be praised as to cloath the naked or to feede the hungry But may a man thinke that Christe commending charity vnto vs woulde exclude those dueties which appertaine to the worship of God yet he telleth his disciples that this shal be a lawful trial of a holy life if they exercise theÌ„selues in charity according to that saying of the Prophet I will haue mercy not sacrifice Hose 6. 6. Namely because that the hypocrites being couetous cruel deceitfull snatching to them by violence proud do yet vnder a vaine pompe of ceremonies dissemble a kinde of holines VVherby we do also gather if we desire to haue our life approoued before the chiefe iudge we must not wander in our
then by a peculiar and vnwoonted maner shewe it selfe in Christes speache which was an euident testimonie of his diuine power For it is he alone which baptiseth with the holy Ghost and fire Luke 3. 16. Yet lette vs remember that this is the lawful frute of the heauenly doctrine who soeuer is the minister of the same to kindle the fire of the spirite in the hearts which may both boyle and purge out yea and burne oute the affections of the fleshe and shall truely stirre vppe a feruent loue of God and carye vppe menne wholely into heauen as it were in the flame of the same 33. And they arose the same houre The circumstaunce of the time and the distance of the places doe shewe what an earnest desire these two menne hadde to carye this message to their fellowe disciples Sith that it was in the eueninge that they entred into their lodging it is probable that it was darke night before they knewe that it was the Lorde it was troublesome to trauaile three houres when it was late in the night yet they do presently arise and runne with speede to Hierusalem And certainly if they hadde come but the next day their slacknesse had beene suspected but nowe when they hadde rather to defraude themselues of their nightly rest then not to make the Apostles pertakers of theyr ioye with speede their haste yeelded credite to that which they tolde Nowe when Luke sayeth that they arose the same houre it is to bee supposed that they came about midnight to the disciples And as the same Luke doeth witnesse they were then talking amongest themselues Heereby therefore may their carefulnesse and earnest desire bee knowen in that they passed almost the night waking and they ceased not to make thorowe inquirie vntill the resurrection of Christe shoulde by many testimonies be more fully knowen 34. VVhich sayde the Lorde is risen Luke in these woordes sheweth that they which brought this gladde newes to the Apostles for the confirming of their mindes were lykewise enformed of another vision And it is not to be doubted but that this rewarde of mutuall confirmation was bestowed vppon them from God as a recompence of their godlye diligence Also it may be gathered by the circumstance of the time that after Peter hadde retourned from the sepulchre hee was woonderfull carefull vntill that Christe reuealed himselfe vnto him and therefore the same daye that hee hadde visited the sepulchre hee obtained his request Nowe it is not to be doubted but that the gratulation amongest the eleuen was for thys because the Lorde hadde appeared to Symon But thys seemeth not to agree wyth Markes woordes who sayeth that these two were not beleeued of the eleuen For howe coulde it be that they refusinge these newe witnesses shoulde wauer in their doubtinge which were already certaine For by saying that he was risen in deede they do graunt that the matter is out of controuersie First I doe answeare that in the general speache is vsed the figure Synecdoche because that some of them were harder or lesse apt Thomas was more obstinate then all the rest Also we doe easily gather that they were so perswaded as men amazed doe vse who haue not quietlye meditated the matter and we knowe that suche doe thereby fall into diuers doubtes How soeuer it was it appeareth by Luke that the greater part of them being in that feare as in an exstasie did not onely willingly embrace that which was sayd but they striued against their own distrust For by this clause in deede they do take away from them al occasion of doubting And a little after we shall see that they fell agayne and the third time through admiration to their wauerings 36. Iesus himselfe stoode in the middest of them VVhere Iohn reporteth the same hystorie at large he differeth in some certaine circumstances and Marke noteth the same somewhat otherwise But as concerning Iohn sith he onely gathereth those things which were omitted by Luke they two may be easily reconciled And truelye there is no diuersitye in the summe of the matter except any man woulde mooue a controuersie about the time For there it is sayd that Iesus entred in when it was euening but by the hystorie set down by Luke it appeareth that it was late in the night when he appeared namely when the disciples were returned from Emaus But I doe not thinke that the time of the euening is to be precisely vrged but that rather which is sayd may aptly and commodiously be applied to the late time of the night for that when the Apostles after the euening when it was night had shut the dores and kept themselues secreatly within the house thē Christ came vnto them Further Iohn doeth not note the first beginning of the night but simply noteth that the day being passed and after the sunne was set yea and about midnight Christ came vnlooked for amongest his disciples Yet the question ariseth of an other matter for Marke and Luke doe report that the eleuen were gathered togither when Christe appeared vnto them but Iohn sayeth that Thomas was then absent But it is no absurditie that the number of eleuen is put for the apostles thēselues though one was away from the company And wee sayde euen nowe and the matter it selfe declareth that Iohn doth more distinctly sette downe the particular poyntes because that his purpose was to report those thinges which were omitted by others Also it is out of doubt that it is one and the same hystorie which was sette downe by the three sith Iohn doeth expresly declare that the disciples sawe Christe onely twise at Hierusalem before they went into Galile for he sayeth that the thirde time hee appeared to them at the sea of Tyberias And he had noted two visions before namely this which befell the next morrowe after the resurrection and the other which followed eight dayes after thoughe if any had rather to expounde it of the second which is in Marke I doe not greatly stande against it Nowe I doe retourne to Lukes woordes He doeth not saye that Christe by his diuine power opened for himselfe the doores which were shutte but yet by the woorde standinge he noteth some suche matter For how could the Lord sodainly in the night stand in the midst of them except that he had entred in wonderfully But the same fourme of salutation is sette downe by both Peace be to you wherby the Hebrews do signify that he wisheth vnto them glad and prosperous successe 37. But they were afraide Iohn maketh no mention of this feare but sith that he also sayth that Christ shewed his hands and side to the disciples it may be supposed that he omitted somewhat Neither is it an vnwonred thing amongst the Euangelists while they study to be compēdious to touch only some part Further we do learne by Luke that they were so amased with the strangenesse of the sight that they durst not beleeue their owne eyes A
professed enemies of Christ or of those that hated sound doctrin but of the coÌ„moÌ„ sort of meÌ„ where ther shold haue bin greater integritie And he reckoneth vp three sorts The first did confesse in deed that Iesus was a Prophet whereupoÌ„ we gather that they did not loath his doctrine but againe it appeareth how light friuolous this confession was that whenas they allowe of him as of a teacher yet they do neither vnderstande nor tast what hee meaneth or what he teacheth For they could not imbrace Christ indeed as a Prophet vnlesse they did acknowledge him to be both the sonne of God the authour of their saluation Yet there is this good thing in them that they perceiue that there is some diuine thing in Christ which bringeth them to reuerence him for they might easily passe afterwarde vnto saith from this docilitie The second sort do better who do flatly confessâ— that he is Christ but others doe gainesay them whereupon ariseth the conflict By which example we are taught that we ought not to maruel at this day if men by diuers strifes be cut asunder VVee heare that ther arose a Schisme by reason of Christs words that not amongest the Gentiles who were strangers from the faith but euen in the middest of the Church of Christ euen in the principall place of the Church shall therfore the doctrine of Christ be blamed as if it were the matter of tumults Yea howsoeuer the whole world do rage y e truth of god is so precious that we must wish y t it may be receiued eueÌ„ of a few VVherfore there is no cause why our consciences should faint whilest that we see euen those who wil be reckoned amongst the people of god to striue amongst theÌ„selues with diuers opinions Although we must also note that dissentioÌ„ hath not his beginning properly froÌ„ y e gospel For there can be no certaine sound agreement of men saue only in some certaine truth whereas therfore they keepe peace amongest themselues who are ignorant of God that proceedeth rather from som amazednes then from true consent and agrement To be briefe what dissentions soeuer arise whenas the Gospel is preached the cause and seed therof laid hid before in man but being then as it were awaked out of sleepe they begin to stirre like as vapours do proceede from some other thing then from the sunne although they doe not appeare vntill the Sunne arise 41 Shall Christ come Least they should seeme rashly to reiect Christe they arme themselues with the testimonie of the scripture which althogh they do wickedly wrest against Christ yet had it some shew of truth They are only deceiued in this that they make Christ a Galilean But whence came this ignorance saue only from contempt For if they had not thought much to enquire Christ had appeared vnto them to be notable for both titles in that he was borne in Bethlehem that he was the sonne of Dauid But such is our nature we are ashamed to be slouthfull in small things we snort more then carelesly in the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen This is also worthie the noting that they are diligent to seeke some excuse whereby they may turne away themselues from Christ who were otherwise marueilous slouthfull sluggish to receiue sound doctrine Behold how men are wont to frame to theÌ„selues a stumbling block out of the very scriptures least they should come vnto Christ which lead vs by the hand vnto Christ. 43 Certaine of them By these wordes the Euangelist giueth vs to vnderstand that they did not only despise Christ but that there was also adioyned vnto the wicked reiecting of him crueltie a desire to hurte him as superstition is alwayes cruel And whereas their endeuoures were in vain that must be attributed vnto Gods prouidence For because Christ his hower was not yet come as we said before trusting to his fathers aid being couered with the same he was aboue all dangers 45 Therfore the ministers came vnto the high Priests and Pharisees and they saide vnto them why haue you not brought him 46 The ministers answered there was neuer man that spake as this man 47 Therfore the Pharises answered them Are you also deceiued 48 Hath any of the rulers beleeued on him or of the pharisees 49 But this companie which knoweth not the lawe are accursed 50 Nicodemus said vnto them he which came vnto him by night although he was one of them 51 Doth our law iudge a man vnlesse it shall heare of him first and shall know what he doth 52 They answered and said vnto him Art thou also of Galâ—lee searche and see that there hath arisen no prophet out of Galilee 53 And euery man went vnto his owne house 45 Therfore the ministers came Here may we see how blinde the arrogancie of the wicked is they are so in loue with and doe so adore the greatnes and honour wherein they excell in the worlde that they are not afraid proudly to tread vnder foote equitie right And if any thing fall out otherwise then they would they would gladly ioyne heauen and earth together For whilest that the wicked priestes do demaund why Christ was not brought vnto them they do so highly extoll their power that nothing ought to haue gainstood their coÌ„mandemeÌ„t 46 There was neuer any man These men doe confesse that their combes were cut and they tamed with the word of Christ alone yet doe they not repent neither giue due honor vnto the word If it be true that there were neuer any maÌ„ y t spake so why did not y â— diuine power which they enforced to feele so moue their hearts that they might giue themselues wholy vnto God But it was meete it shoulde be so that that of Iesaias myght be fulfilled He shall throwe downe the wicked with the breath of his mouth Moreouer we shall afterwarde see how those who sought him that they might put him to death fell backward as if they had been beaten downe with beetles being confounded with the only voyce of Christe Therefore let vs learne that there is such force in Christe his doctrine that it doeth euen terrifie the wicked but seeing that this turneth to their destruction let vs rather endeuour to bee softened then broken But we see many at this day too like vnto those ministers whom although the doctrine of the Gospel doth cause to woonder at it against their willes yet are they so far from submitting themselues vnto Christ that they do notwithstanding remain in the tents of the enemies And there be others who are worse who do deface and defame with what slaunders they can the doctrine which they know assuredly being conuict in their owne consciences is of God 46 Are you also deceiued They do so rate their ministers that notwithstanding they keepe them vnder obedience For by these woordes they meane that it is an absurd and vnmeete thing that they should not
stedfast in Christe are carried about through many errors saue onely because they doe not so beware and take heede of suche false teachers as they ought Furthermore our vnsatiable curiositie is so delighted in newe and straunge inuentions of men that we runne wilfully like mad men vnto wolues and theeues Therefore it is not without cause that Christe doth testifie that false teachers how flatteringly soeuer they doe insinuate theÌ„selues doe alwayes offer deadly poyson to the end we may be the more bent to driue them away Like vnto this is the admonition which Paule giueth Collos. 2. 8. Take heede least any man spoyle you through philosophie c. I am come An other similitude for seeing that Christ hath hitherto called himselfe a gate and those true sheephe ardes which gather their sheep vnto this gate he doth now take vppon himselfe the person of a shepheard and doth indeed affirme that hee is the onely shephearde so that this honour and title doth properly appertaine vnto none other For howe many faithfull shepheards of the Church soeuer therebe yet because hee rayseth them vp furnisheth them with necessarie gifts gouerneth them with his spirite worketh in theÌ„ they doe no whit hynder him from being the only gouernour of his Church and being the only most excellent pastour For although he vse their ministerie yet doth hee not cease from executing the office of a pastour by his power and also they are masters and teacherâ— so that they take nothing away from his dignitie and office Furthermore this woorde sheepheard when it is applyed vnto men it is subalâ—â—rnum as they call it or placed vnder another And Christ doth so impart his honour vnto his ministers that hee doth yet notwithstanding remaine the only shepheard as well of them as of the whole flock Nowe when as he saith that he came that the sheepe may haue life his meaning is that they are only subiect to bee carryed away and deuouted by theeues and wolues which keepe not themselues vnder his sheephooke And to the end he may make them the more bold he affirmeth that life is continuallie by little and little encreased and confirmed in those which doe not depart from him And truly the more that euerye man goeth forward in faith the â—igher he commeth vnto the perfection of life because the spirite 〈…〉 in him which is life 11 I am the good 〈…〉 good sheepe hearde layeth downe his life for his sheepe 12 But an 〈…〉 that is not the sheephearde whose the sheepe are not seeâ—th the wolfe comming and forsaketh his sheepe and flyeth and the wolfe catcheth them and 〈◊〉 them 13 But the 〈…〉 and careth not for his sheepe 14 〈…〉 15 As the father knoweth mee and I knowe the father and I say downe my life for my sheepe 11 A good sheepehearde layeth downe his life He declareth by that singular affection which he beareth toward his sheepe how truly he sheweth himselfe a shepheard toward them Because he is so carefull for their safetie that he spareth not his owne life whereupon it followeth that they are more then vnthankfull and an hundreth times woorthie to perish and to bee laide open vnto all manner of harme who refuse to be kept by so bountifull louing a shepheard Furthermore that is most true which Augustine saith that in this place is set before vs what is to be desired what is to be fled and what is to bee suffered in the gouernment of the Church There is nothing more to be desired then that the Churche may be gouerned by good and carefull sheepheads Christ doth professe that he alone is a good shepheard who first by him selfe and secondly by his instruments doth make the Church sound and safe Therefore so often as thinges are set in good order and fit men are made gouernours there Christ playeth the sheepheard in deede But there bee many Theeues and VVolues who hauing on sheepeheardes visures do wickedly despearse the Church Christ affirmeth that suche are to be fled by what name or title soeuer they be called and howsoeuer they vaunt and bragge of their name If the Church could be purged of hyrelinges it should be in better case but because by this meanes the Lord doth exercise the pacience of his faithfull children and we are also vnwoorthie of that singuler benefite that Christ shoulde appeare vnto vs in sincere pastours they are to bee suffered howsoeuer they be not allowed and do mislike vs for good causes By hyrelings vnderstand those who retaine and keepe backe pure doctrine and which do rather preach the truth by occasion then of any true zeale as saith Paule Phil. 1. 15. Such men are to bee hearde although they doe not serue Christe faithfully For like as Christ wold haue the Pharisees hard because they did sit in Moses his chaire Mat. 23. 3. so must we giue this honor vnto the Gospel that we despice not the ministers thereof although they bee not very good And because euery little offence doth make the gospell vnsauery in our tast least such daintines do hinder vs let vs alwaies remeÌ„ber that which I said before that if the spirite of Christ bee not of suche power and force in the ministers that hee doe openly shew himselfe in them to be a sheepheard then are we punished for our sinnes and thaâ— in the meane season our obedience is tryed 12 But the hireling and hee that is not the shepheard Although Christ doth challendge the name of a shepheard to himselfe alone yet doth he secretly graunt that it is in some respect common to the instruments in whom he worketh For we know that many after Christ were not afraid to shed their blood for the safetie of the Church neither did the prophetes which were before Christes comming spare their liues But in his owne person he setteth before vs an absolute example that he may prescribe a rule vnto his ministers For how filthie and shamefull is our slouthfulnes if our life be more precious vnto vs then the safety of the church before which Christ did not preferre his owne life And that which is said in this place of giuing the life for the sheepe is as a sure and principall signe of fatherly affectioÌ„ Christ his mening was first to testifie vnto vs how singuler a tokeÌ„ of his loue towards vs he shewed in his death and secondly to prouoke al his ministers to folow his example Notwithstanding we must note the difference betweene them and him that he gaue his life for the price of satisfaction hee shed his blood to purge our soules he offered his body for a sacrifice whereby he might purge our sinnes and pacifie Gods wrath which was stirred vp against vs. But there caÌ„ be no such thing in y e ministers of the gospell who haue all need to be purged and whose sins are cleansed by that only sacrifice and are reconciled vnto God But Christe disputeth not in this place of the efficacie of his death or
to be they include that their beeing in the worlde Hereby it commeth to passe that the more euery man is bent to saue him selfe the more doth the estraunge himselfe from the kingdome of God that is from the true life He that hateth his life I haue already saide that this is spoken comparatiuely because wee must despice the life so often as it hindereth vs from liuing vnto God For if the meditation of the heauenly life doe beare the greatest sway in our heartes the worlde shal not be able to keepe vs backe Here is also answered the question which may be obiected in this place many mē do stay them through despaire or for other causes and chiefly because they are wearie of their life notwithstanding we will not say that these men doe prouide for their saftie and soules health othersome die through ambition which doe also throw thēselues headlong into eternall destruction But Christ doth in plaine words in this place cōmend the hatred or contempt of the fraile life which the faithfull do conceiue by the feeling of a better life Therfore whosoeuer doth not looke vp into heauen he hath not yet learned how to saue his life Furthermore Christ added this latter member to the end he might terrifie those that were too desirous of the earthly life because if we be too much drowned with the loue of the world so that we cannot easily forget the same we cannot walke towardes heauen But for asmuch as Christ doeth so violently awake vs it were too absurd a thing to sleepe a deadly sleepe 26 If any man shall serue mee To the end death may bee the lesse bitter and troublesome vnto vs Christe doth inuite vs vnto the same by his example VVe shall be ashamed to refuse this honour to become his disciples But he admitteth vs into the number of his children vppon no other condition but that we follow the way which he himselfe prescribeth But he doth goe before vs vnto death Therefore the bitternesse of death is assuaged and doth become as it were sweete whilest that the condition to die is common to vs togeather with sonne of GOD. Therefore it is so farre off that we must loath Christe for the crosses sake that we must rather therefore desire to die To the same end tendeth y t which followeth And where I am there shall my minister be also For he requireth that his ministers refuse not to submit themselues to die seeing that they see him goe before them For it is not meete that the seruant be separated from his master The futuretence in the woorde shal be i◠put in steede of the Imparatiue mode after the manner of the Hebritian◠Some thinke that this is a consolation as if Chist did promise that they shal be partakers of his resurrection whom it greeueth not to die together with him But that whiche I saide seemeth more like to be be true For the consolation is added afterward that the father shal not defraude Christ his ministers of their hyre who haue kept him companie continually as well in life as in death 27 Now is my soule troubled and what shall I say Father saue mee from this 〈◊〉 but therefore came I into this houre 28 Father glorifie thy name Therfore there came a voyce from heauen I haue 〈◊〉 glorified it and will glorifie it againe 29 Therfore the multitude which stood and had heard sayd that it thundreth other said an Angel spake vnto him 30 Iesus aunswered and saide this voice came not because of mee but for your sake 31 Nowe is the iudgement of this worlde nowe shall the prince of this worlde bee cast out 32 And if I shall be lifted vp from the earth I will drawe all men vnto my selfe 33 This spake he signifying what manner of death he shoulde die 37 Now is my soule This sentence seemeth at the first to disagree much with the speech next goyng before That was a manifest token of an heroyicall hearte to exhort his not only to dye but also to die willingly when as the matter so requireth Nowe in that he flyeth from death he doth confesse his faintnesse of hearte Yet notwithstanding wee reade nothing in this place but that which is most cōuenient like as euery mā is taught by his owne experience If those wittie fellowes do laugh it is no marueile for doubtlesse this cannot be vnderstood without practise But it was profitable yea necessarie for our saluation that the sonne of God should bee thus affected VVee must chiefely consider in his death the sacrifice wherewith hee pacified the wrath and curse of God Furthermore that could not be vnlesse he shoulde take to himselfe our giltinesse Therfore it must needs be that that death which he dyed was full of horrour because he could not make satisfaction for vs but that hee must needes feele the horrible iudgement of God VVhence wee may better gather the crueltie of sinne which the heauenly father did so sharply punish in his only begotten sonne Therefore let vs know that death was no sport or pastime to Christe but that hee was throwen euen into extreame torments for our sake Neither was it any absurde thing that the sonne of God should be thus troubled for his diuinitie being hidden and not shewing foorth his force did after a sort rest that it might make roome for the sacrifice Christ himselfe dyd not only put vpon him our fleshe but also humane affections These were indeed voluntarie affections in him because hee was not enforced to feare but because he submitted himselfe willingly vnto feare yet notwithstanding wee must thinke that hee feared indeed and not feignedly Although he was vnlike other men in this in that he had his affections tempered to obey Gods iustice as we haue said els where Also there commeth another commoditie hence vnto vs. If there had beene no perturbation in Christe by reason of the feare of death which of vs woulde thinke that his example did appertaine vnto himselfe For doublesse it is not graunted vnto vs to die without feeling of sorrow griefe but whenas we heare that there was not in him hard strength we encourage our selues to follow him Neither doth the infirmitie of the flesh which feareth death hinder vs from adioyning our selues vnto our captaine as companions to striue and wrastle And what shall I say Here we see plainely how deare a price the sonne of God did pay for our saluation whilest that being brought euen into the greatest straites he found not wordes wherewith he might expresse the vehemencie of his griefe neither yet counsell according to man And which did only remaine he flieth vnto prayers and desireth to be deliuered from death Againe because he doth also see that he was appointed by the eternall counsell of God to be a sacrifice for sinnes he doth by and by correct that petition which his huge sorrowfulnes had wroung out of him and doth as it were with his owne hand pull backe
altogether vncurable they sinke deeper into destruction Neither ought our well doing to bee blamed for this seeing that their heartes ought to haue been enflamed thereby to loue vs. Augustine thought but vntruly that that soppe was the sacrament of the bodye of Christe forasmuch as it was reached without the action of the supper And those men dote too foolishly who thinke that the Diuell entred into Iudas essentially as they say For the Euangelist speaketh only of his force and efficacie By this example are we taught how fearefull a punishment is prepared for al those who profane Gods benefits with their abuse That which thou doest doe quickly Christ doth not so exhort Iudas that he may be thought to enforce him it is rather a voyce of one that detesteth a thing He had endeuoured hytherto to call him backe diuers wayes but all in vaine he speaketh now as vnto a man past al hope perish seeing that thou art determined to perish And therein doth hee play the part of a iudge who adiudgeth those vnto death not whom he desireth to haue cast away but who haue cast away themselues through their owne fault To be briefe Christ causeth not Iudas to perishe whether he will or no but hee affirmeth that he is such a one as he was before 28 None of those that sate at meate Either Iohn had tolde none as yet what he had heard of Christ or els they were so striken y t they were not wel in their wits yea it is to be thought that Iohn himself was in a great quandary And that which happened then doth oftentimes happen in the Church that fewe of the faithfull can descerne hypocrites whom the Lord doth manifestly condemne 29 That hee should giue somewhat to the poore It appeareth sufficiently by other places how poore Christe was yet hee gaue somewhat of that little which he had vnto the poore to the end he might prescribe vnto vs a rule For the Apostles woulde not otherwise haue gessed that he spake of the poore vnlesse hee had beene accustomed to helpe the poore 30 Therefore when hee hadde taken the soppe hee went out by and by and it was night 31 VVhen he was gone out Iesus saith now is the sonne of man glorified and God is glorified in him 32 If God be glorified in him God shall also glorifie him in himself shal straightway glorifie him 33 Little children I am with you yet a little while yee shall seeke me and as I haue said vnto the Iewes that whither I goe you cannot come I doe also say vnto you now 34 A new commandement giue I vnto you that yee loue one another as I haue loued you that you doe also loue one another 35 By this shall all men knowe that you are my Disciples if you shall loue one another 31 Now is the sonne of man glorified The last houre was at hand Christ knewe well how weake the courages of his disciples were hee meant therefore to vnderproppe them least they shoulde altogeather be discouraged The onely remembraunce of the crosse of Christ causeth vs to tremble at this day vnlesse this comfort doth by and by meete vs that the very conquerour of Satan sinne and death did triumph vpon the crosse Therefore what might haue befallen the Disciples when as they should immediately see their Lord carryed to the crosse loaden with all manner of reproches might not so sorrowfull vncomely a spectacle haue ouerwhelmed them an hundred times VVherefore Christ preuenteth this danger and calleth them backe from beholding his death outwardly vnto the spirituall fruit Therefore howsoeuer ignominie do appeare in the crosse which might of it selfe confounde the faithfull yet Christ doth testifie that the same crosse is vnto him glorious The member which ensueth next And God is glorified in him is added in steede of a confirmation For that was a strange thing amongest the common sorte that the sonne of man should be glorified by a death amongest men reprochfull before God accursed Therefore he sheweth how he wil purchase to himselfe glory by such a death namely because hee gloryfieth God the father For the vncomparable goodnesse of God appeared vnto all the whole worlde vpon the crosse of Christe as vppon a most gorgeous Theatre The glory of God shineth euery where in all his creatures but it was neuer more excellent and euident any where then vpon the crosse whereupon was made a wonderfull chaunge of things the damnation of all men was shewed sinne was abolished saluation was giuen vnto men and finally all the whole worlde being repayred all thinges were brought into order Although this worde in is oftentimes taken for the Hebrewe beth and then it signifieth as muche as by yet had I rather translate it simplie that God was glorified in the sonne of man because the speech seemed to be more Emphaticall fuller of force VVhen he saith And God is glorified this coniunction copulatiue and muste bee resolued into the causall in my iudgement 32 If God bee glorified Christ gathereth that he shal triumph gloriously because of his death wherin this is his only purpose to glorifie his father For the father did not so seeke his owne glory by the death of his sonne but that he made him partaker of the same glory Therefore he promiseth that it shall shortly come to passe that when as that ignominy shall bee done away which he should suffer for a short time there shall great honour appeare in his death which thing was also fulfilled For the death vppon the crosse is so farre from darkening the dignitie of Christ that it doth most of all appeare there for asmuch as his incredible loue towarde mankinde his infinite righteousnesse in making satisfaction for sinne and pacifying Gods wrath his wonderfull power in ouercomming death subduing Satan and finally in setting open the heauens did there shewe foorth their perfect brightnesse Nowe this doctrine is also extended vnto vs all because although all the whole world do conspire together to defame vs yet if wee shall endeuour to seek Gods glory sincerely from our hart we need not doubt but that he will glorifie vs againe Christe augmenteth their comfort by the shortnesse of the time when as he promiseth that it shall bee straightway Furthermore although this glory began at the day of his resurrection yet he toucheth heere chiefly the spreading abroade thereof which followed immediately after when as raising vp the dead by the power of the Gospell and of his spirit he created vnto himselfe a new people For the proper renowne of Christe his death is the fruite whiche flowed thence to the saluation of men 33 Little children yet a little Because it could not be but that the departure of their master should make the Disciples sorrowfull therefore he telleth them in time that he will not bee long with them and doth also exhort them vnto pacience lastly to the ende hee may take from them the vnseasonable feruentnesse of
is a manifest distinction made heere betweene his person and the person of the father VVhence wee gather that God is not only eternall but that the worde of God is also eternall which was begotten of the father before the beginning of the worlde 6 I haue declared thy name to the menne whiche thou gauest mee out of the worlde thine they were and thou gauest them mee and they haue kepte thy woorde 7 Nowe haue they knowne that all thinges whiche thou hast giuen mee are of thee 8 Because I haue giuen them the wordes which thou gauest mee and they haue receiued them and they haue knowen indeede that I came foorth from thee and they haue beleeued that thou hast sent mee 9 I pray for them I pray not for the worlde but for them whom thou hast giuen me because they are thine 10 And all mine are thine and thyne are mine and I am glorified in them 11 And I am no longer in the worlde and they are in the worlde and I come vnto thee O holy father keepe them in they name whom thou hast giuen mee that they may be one as we are one 6 I haue declared thy name Christ beginneth here to pray vnto the father for his Disciples And he commendeth their safetie now with the like affection of loue wherewith he was about to suffer death for them straightway And the first reason of this his commendation is because they haue embraced the doctrine whiche maketh men the children of God truly and indeede There was no faithfulnesse and diligence wanting in Christ to call al men vnto God but his labour was effectual profitable only in the elect his preaching was commoÌ„ to all men which did declare and make manifest the name of God neither ceased hee to aâ—ouch his glory amongest the obstinate VVhy saith he then that hee declared it only vnto a fewe saue only because the elect alone doe profite being taught inwardly by the spirite Gather therefore that all men before whom doctrine is set are not taught truly and effectually but those only whose minds are illuminated Christ assigneth the cause vnto Gods election because he putteth no other difference why passing ouer some he declared the name of the father vnto othersome saue only because they were giuen him VVhereupon it followeth that faith floweth from the secrete predestination of God and that therefore it is not giuen vnto all men in generall because all men doe not appertaine vnto Christ. VVhen he addeth Thine they were and thou gauest them me the eternitie of election is first of all noted and secondly how we must consider it Christ declareth that the elect were alwayes Gods Therefore God distinguisheth them from the reprobate not by faith or any merite but by meere grace because whilest that they are the farthest most estraunged from him yet he accounteth them his owne in his hidden counsell The certaintie consisteth in that that he giueth all those to his sonne to keepe whom he hath chosen least they perishe And wee must turne our eyes vnto this that we may knowe assuredly that we are of the order of the children of GOD. For Gods predestinaâ—â—tion is hidden in it selfe and it is reuealed vnto vs in Christe alone They haue kept thy worde This is the third degree For the first is free election the second that giuing whereby we passe ouer into Christes tuitioÌ„ Being receiued by Christ we are gathered by faith into his sheepfolde The worde of God is soone forgotten amongest the reprobate but it taketh roote in the elect whereby they are said to keepe it 7 Now they haue knowen That which is the chiefest thing in faith is expressed here whilest that wee beleeue in Christ in such sort that faith stayeth not in the beholding of the fleshe but conceiueth his diuine power For when he saith They know that all these things are of thee which thou hast giuen mee he meaneth that the faithfull doe perceiue that all that whiche they haue is celestiall and diuine And truly vnlesse we lay holde vppon God in Christ we must needes stagger continually 8. And they haue receiued them Hee expresseth the manner of thys knowledge because they haue receiued the doctrine which he taught And least any manne shoulde thinke that his doctrine was of manne or that it sprange vppe in the earth he professeth that GOD is the authour thereof when hee sayeth The woordes which thou haste giuen mee haue I giuen vnto them Hee speaketh according to his custome in the person of a mediatour or minister when hee sayeth that he hath taught that onely which hee receiued of the father For in as muche as his estate in the fleshe was yet base and his diuine Maiestie lay hidde vnder the shape of a seruaunt he doeth rather signifie God vnder the person of the father Neuerthelesse we must remember that which Iohn testified in the beginning that in as muche as Christe was the eternall woorde of God he was alwayes one God wyth the father The sense therefore is thys that Christe was a faithfull witnesse of GOD amongest the Disciples that their faith might be grounded in the onely trueth of God seeingâ— that the Father himselfe spake in the Sonne But the receiuinge whereof he speaketh commeth thence because he declared the Fathers name vnto them effectually And they haue knowen in deede Hee repeateth the selfe same thinge in other woordes which he hadde touched before For that Christe came foorth from the Father and that he was sent of the Father are as muche as that which went before that al thâ—se things are of the Father which he hath The summe is that faith must straight way beholde Christe yet so that it conceiue no earthly and contemptible thing of hym but that it be caryed vpwarde vnto his diuine power that it maye be fullye perswaded that it hath God and what soeuer is Gods perfectly in him VVe must also note that he vseth this worde knowen in the former member and afterward this woord beleeued for by this meanes he teacheth vs that there can be nothing rightly knowen concerning God saue only by faith and that there is so great certaintie in faith that it may worthely be called knowledge 9. I pray for them Christ hath hitherto rehearsed that whiche might purchase fauour for the Disciples with the father nowe hee frameth the prayer it selfe wherein hee declareth that hee asketh nothynge but that whiche is agreeable to the will of the father because hee doeth onelye commende those vnto the father whome hee loueth of hys owne accorde For hee sayeth flatly that hee prayeth not for the world because he is carefull for none but for his owne flocke whiche he hath receiued from the fathers hande Yet this may seeme to be an absurde thynge for there canne no better rule of prayer be inuented then if wee followe Christe our guide and maister But we are commaunded to praye for all menne and againe Christe himselfe prayed
afterward indifferently for all menne Father pardon them for they knowe not what they doe I answeare that the prayers which we make are yet notwithstanding restrained vnto the Electe VVee must desire that this manne and that and euery manne may be saued and so comprehende al mankinde because we cannot as yet distinguish the electe from the reprobate yet neuerthelesse when we pray that the kingdome of God maye come we doe also pray that he will destroy his ennemies There is thys onely difference that wee pray for the saluation of all menne who wee knowe are created after the image of GOD and whiche haue the same nature whiche wee haue wee leaue their destruction to Goddes iudgement whome hee knoweth to be reprobates But there was another speciall reason of the prayer which is recited heere whiche ought not to bee followed as an example For Christe prayeth not accordinge to the bare feelinge of faith and loue but beinge entred into the secreat places of heauen hee setteth before his eyes the secreat iudgements of the Father which are hidden from vs so longe as wee walke by faith Furthermore wee gather out of these wordes that GOD chuseth whome hee thinketh good vnto him selfe out of the worlde that they may bee heyres of life and that this difference commeth not from mennes merites but that it dependeth vppon hys meere good will For those menne whiche place the cause of election in man they must beginne wyth faith And Christe sayeth flatly that they were the fathers whiche are giuen hym And it is certaine that they are giuen for this cause that they may beleeue and that faith floweth from thys giuinge If this giuinge bee the beginninge of faith and if election doe goe before it in order and time what remaineth but that wee confesse that they are chosen freely whome GOD will haue saued out of the worlde Nowe seeinge that Christe prayeth for the electe alone wee must needes haue the faith of election if wee will haue our saluation commended to the father by him Therefore they doe great iniurie to the faithfull whiche goe about to blotte out the knowledge of election out of their mindes because they depriue them of Christe his voyce and consent Furthermore the peruerse dulnesse of these menne is refuted in these woordes who vnder the colour of election doe giue themselues vnto flouthfulnesse whereas it ought rather to sharpen and prouoke in vs the desire to praye as Christe teacheth by hys owne example 10. And all mine are thine Heereunto belongeth the former member that hee shall surely be hearde of the father I commende none other sayeth he vnto thee saue those whome thou acknowledgest to be thine owne because I haue nothinge that is separated from thee therefore I shall not take the repulse In the seconde member hee sheweth that hee hathe iust cause to care for the elect because they are his owne after that they are the fathers All these thinges are spoken to the confirmation of our faith VVee must not seeke for saluation anye where else saue onely in Christe VVee will not bee content with Christe vnlesse wee knowe that wee possesse GOD in hym Therefore wee must knowe and holde that vnitie whyche is betweene the Father and the Sonne whyche causeth that there is no diuision betweene them That agreeth with the seconde member which hee addeth afterwarde that hee was glorified in the disciples For it followeth that it is meete that hee further their saluation on the other side And this is a good signe and token to confirme our faith that Christ will neuer neglect our saluation if he shall be glorified in vs. 11. I am not nowe in the worlde Hee sheweth an other cause whye hee prayeth so earnestlye for his Disciples to witte because they shall shortly be depriued of his corporal presence vnder which they rested hytherto So long as hee was conuersant with them hee browded them vnder his wingeâ— as a henne doth her chickine now when hee departeth he prayeth his father to couer them with his sauegard and this doth he in respect of them For he prouideth a remedie for their feare that they may rest vpon God himself vnto whom hee deliuereth them now as it were from hand to hande And we gather no small comforte hence when we heare that the sonne of God is so much the more carefull for the safetie of his whenas he leaueth them according to the body For we must gather thereby that he respecteth vs at this day also whilest we are in the world that he may prouide for our miseries from his heauenly glory Holy father The whole prayer tendeth to this ende that the disciples may not be discouraged as if their estate should bee woorse because of the corporall absence of their master For seeing that Christ was gyuen them for a season to be their keeper he restoreth them now againe into his fathers hande as hauing fulfilled his function that heereafter they may be preserued through his protection and power The summe is this whenas the Disciples are depriued of the beholding of the fleshe of Christ they suffer no losse because God receiueth them into his tuition whose power is euerlasting Hee prescribeth the manner of preseruing them that they may bee one For looke whom the father hath determined to saue he gathereth those into the holy vnitie of faith and the spirite But because it is not sufficient if men conspire together any manner of way this clause is added euen as wee For our vnitie shall be happy then if it represent the image of God the father and of Christ as the waxe doth receiue a forme from the ring wherewith it is sealed But I will expounde shortly after howe the father and Christ are one 12 VVhilest I was with them in the world I haue kept them in thy name These whoâ— thou hast giuen mee haue I kept and none of them hath perished but the sonne of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled 13 And now I come vnto thee and these thinges speake I in the worlde that they may haue my ioy fulfilled in themselues 12 VVhilest I was in the worlde Christ saith that he hath kept them in his fathers name because he maketh himself a minister only which hath done nothing saue only through the power of God and his ayd Therfore he giueth vs to vnderstand that it is vnlikely that they should perishe now as if the power of God were extinguished by his departure But this seemeth to be a very absurd thing that Christ resigneth this dutie to keepe them vnto God as if he did cease to be the keeper of his hauing finished the course of his life VVe may readily answere that he speaketh in this place only of the visible keeping which had an ende in the death of Christe For truly so long as he was vpon earth he had no neede to borrowe power of any other whereby he might keepe the Disciples but this is wholy referred vnto
shall suffer Therefore if wee couet to be preserued according to the rule whiche Christe hath deliuered wee must not wishe to be free from euilles neither must we pray God to translate vs by and by into blessed rest but let vs bee content with the certaine and sure hope of victorie and let vs in the meane season resist all euilles valiauntly from whiche that wee may escape Christ hath prayed vnto the father In summe Christ taketh not his out of the wold because he will not haue them to be soft an slouthfull yet notwithstanding he deliuereth them from euill that they may not be ouerwhelmed For he will haue them to striue but hee will not suffer them to be wounded to death 16 They are not of the worlde likeas Hee repeateth againe that all the whole worlde hateth them to the end that his heauenly father may the more beningly help them he doth also declare that this hatred procedeth not from their offence or fault but because the world hateth God and Christ. 17 Sanctifie them in thy truth This sanctification comprehendeth the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof to wit when God doth renue vs by his spirite and confirmeth and prosecuteth vnto the ende the grace of renouation Therefore he requesteth first that the father woulde sanctifie his disciples that is that he woulde addict them wholy vnto himselfe and challenge them as an holy flocke Secondly hee assigneth the meanes and manner of sanctification and that not without cause For brainsick men doe babble many things foolishly concerning sanctification yet they passe ouer gods truth wherby he consecrateth vs vnto himselfe Again because other mē being ful out as foolish do trifle cōcerning the truth and doe in the meane season neglect the woorde Christe saith plainely that the truth is no where els saue only in the worde by which truth God doth sanctifie his children For the woorde is taken for the gospell whiche the Apostles had alreadie hearde proceede from the mouth of their master and which they should shortly preach vnto others In this sense Paule teacheth Ephe. 5 2. 6. that the Churche is made cleane in the fountaine of water in the worde of life It is god alone that sanctifieth but because the Gospell is his power vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 1. 16. whosoeuer hee bee that departeth from the meane hee must needes waxe more and more vile Truth is taken in this place by the excellencie for the light of the heauenly wisedome wherein God reuealeth himselfe vnto vs that hee may conforme vs and make vs like to his owne image The externall preaching of the worde doth not this of it selfe which the reprobate do wickedly profane but let vs remember tha◠Christe speaketh of the electe whome the spirite doth regenerate effectually by the woorde And seeing that the Apostles were not altogether voide of this grace wee must gather out of Christ his wordes that this sanctification is not finished in vs the first day but that wee goe forwarde in the same during our whole life vntill God doe fulfill vs with his righteousnesse when we haue put off the flesh 18 As thou hast sent mee He confirmeth his prayer with another argument to wit because he and the Apostles haue both one calling I saith he doe put vppon them the same person which at thy commandement I haue borne hytherto Therefore they must needes bee furnished with thy spirite that they may bee able to beare so great a burthen 19 And for their sakes doe I sanctifie my selfe He doth more plainely declare by these wordes out of what fountaine that sanctification doeth flowe which is wrought in vs by the doctrine of the Gospell to wit because hee hath consecrated and dedicated himselfe vnto the father that his holinesse might come vnto vs. For the blessing is spread abroad from the first fruites vnto al the other fruite so the spirit of God sprinkleth vs with Christe his holinesse and maketh vs partakers thereof and that not by imputation only for by this meanes he is said to bee made vnto vs righteousnesse 1. Cor. 1. 13. but he is also saide to bee made vnto vs sanctification because he hath offered vs vnto his father after a sort in his owne person that wee may bee renued by his spirite into true holinesse Furthermore although this sanctification doe appertaine vnto the whole life of Christ yet it is made most apparant in the sacrifice of his death because hee appeared then to be y ◠true Priest which should consecrate the temple the altar all the vessels and the people by the power of his spirite 20 And I pray not for them only but for those which shall beleeue in mee by theyr worde 21 That they may be all one as thou O father in me and I in thee that they may be one also in vs that the worlde may beleeue that thou hast sent me 22 And I haue giuen thē the glory which thou gauest me that they may be one as we are one 23 I in them and thou in mee that they may be made one and that the world may knowe that thou hast sen◠mee and hast loued them as thou hast loued mee 20 And I pray not for thē onely Hee extendeth that prayer farther nowe wherein he comprehendeth the Disciples only hytherto to wit vnto all the Disciples of the Gospell which should be vnto the ende of the worlde This is certainely notable matter of hope for if wee beleeue in Christ through the doctrine of the Gospell wee neede not to doubt but that wee are alreadie gathered with the Apostles into the faithfull custodie least any of vs doe perish This prayer of Christ is a quiet hauen wherein whosoeuer arriueth he is free from all danger of shipwracke For it is as muche as if Christ had sworne by solemne wordes that he careth greatly for our safetie And he beginneth with his Apostles that their safetie wherof we are certaine might make vs also more certain that we our selues shal be safe Therefore so often as Satan assaulteth vs let vs learne to holde vp this buckler that wee are not in vaine ioyned vnto the Apostles by the holy mouth of the sonne of God that the safetie of vs all might be included as it were in the same bundle Therefore there is nothing which ought more vehemently to pricke vs forwarde to embrace the Gospell For as it is an vncomparable good thing for vs to be offered to God by the hand of Christ that we may bee preserued from destruction so we ought worthily to preferre the loue and care thereof before all other thinges The slouthfulnesse of the worlde in this point is wonderfull All men are desirous to bee safe Christ deliuereth the sure and certaine way and meanes to obtayne the same from whiche if any man turne aside there remaineth no good hope for him yet there is scarse one amongst an hundreth which doth vouchsafe to receiue that which
was offered him so gently VVee must note the manner of speech Christ prayeth for all those which shoulde beleeue in him in which wordes he teacheth that which wee haue sometimes said that our faith must looke vnto him The member whiche foloweth next by their worde doth very well expresse the force and nature of faith and doth also confirme vs familiarly who know that our faith is grounded in the Gospel deliuered by the Apostles Therfore howsoeuer the worlde do condemne vs a thousand times let this one thing suffice vs that Christ acknowledgeth vs to be his owne and commendeth vs vnto the father And woe be to the Papists whose faith wandereth so farre from this rule that they are not ashamed to spue out execrable blasphemie that there is nothing conteined in the scripture but that whiche is doubtfull and which may bee wrested hither and thyther therefore the only tradition of the Church teacheth them to beleeue But let vs remember that the sonne of God who is the only iudge doth allow that faith alone which is conceiued out of the doctrine of the Apostles Furthermore the sure testimonie thereof shal be founde no where els saue only in their writings VVe must also note the phrase which shal beleeue by their worde which signifieth that faith commeth by hearing because the instrument wherewith God draweth vs vnto faith is the externall preaching of men VVherefore God is properly the authour of faith and men themselues are the ministers by whom wee beleeue as Paule also teacheth Cor. 3. 5. 21 That they may be all one c. He placeth the ende and drift of our felicity againe in vnitie that for good causes For this is the destructiō of mankinde that being estraunged from God it is also lame and scattered abroad in it selfe Therfore the contrary restoring therof is if it grow together into one body aright like as Paule placeth the perfection of the Church in that Ephe. 4. 3. if the faithfull agree together amongst themselues by one spirit and he saith that the Apostles and Prophetes Euangelists and Pastours were giuen for that cause in the same place 11. 12. that they might persist in edifiyng the body of Christ vntill we be come vnto the vnitie of faith And therefore hee exhorteth the faithfull to grow vp into Christ who is the head by whom all the body being coupled and knit togeather by euery ioynt of subministration according to the effectuall woorking in the measure of euery member encreaseth it selfe vnto edifiyng Therfore so often as Christe speaketh of vnitie let vs remember that horrible and filthie scattering abroad of the world which is without him And secondly let vs know that this is the beginning of blessed life if we be al gouerned and liue by the spirit of Christ alone And we must vnderstand that so often as Christ saith in this chap. that he and the father are one he speaketh not simply of his diuine essence but that he is called one in the person of the mediatour and inasmuch as he is our head Many of the fathers did interprete it thus precisely that Christ is one with the father because he is eternal God but the contention which they had with the Arrians enforced them to this to wreste shorte sentenses into a straung sense But Christ intended a far other thing then to carry vs vp vnto the bare beholding of his hidden diuinitie for he reasoneth from the end that we ought therfore to be one because otherwise the vnitie which he hath with the father shuld be vaine and vnfruitful Therfore to the end you may rightly comprehend what is the intente or effecte of that that Christ and the father are one take heede that you stripe not Christ out of the person of the Mediatour but consider him rather as he is the head of the Church and ioyne him with his members so the texte shall stand best least the vnitie of the sonne with the father be vaine and vnprofitable his power must be spread abroad throughout the whol boby of the godly VVhence we do also gather that we are one with christ not because he powreth his substaunce into vs but because hee maketh vs partakers by the power of his spirit of his life of whatsoeuer good things he hath receiued of the father That the world may beleeue Some doe interprete this word world for the elect who were as then dispearsed but because world is taken throughout this whole chapter for the reprobate I am rather of the contrary opiniō Moreouer immediately after he separateth the same word wherof he maketh mention now from al his The Euangelist did put in the word beleeue vnproperly for know or acknowledge to wit whilest that the vnfaithfull beeing conuinced by experience it selfe doe perceiue the heauenly and diuine glory of Christ whereby it commeth to passe that in beleeuing they beleeue not because this feeling pearceth not vnto the inward affection of the minde And this is the iust iudgement of God that the brightnes of the glory of God doth blind the eies of the reprobate because they are not worthy to see him sincerely and clearely Hee vseth the word know afterward in the same sense 22. And I haue giuen them the glory which thou hast giuen me Note that the patterne of perfect blessednes was expressed in Christ in such sorte that he had nothing of his own or for himself alone but he was rather rich that he might enrich his faithfull This is our blessednes that the image of God may be repayred and formed againe which was blotted out through sinne Christ is not onely the image of God inasmuch as he is his eternal word but the image of the fathers glory was also engrauen in his humane nature wherof he is made partaker with vs that he may transfigure his members into the same Paul also teacheth the selfe same thing 2. Cor. 3. 18 that we are transformed into the same image as it were from glory to glorye by beholding the glory of GOD as it were with open face VVhereuppon it followeth that no man is to be accountted Christes disciples saue onely hee in whom the glory of God is seene imprinted by the image of Christ as by a fignet The words which follow shortly after tend to the same end 23. I in them and thou in me For his meaning is to teach that the fulnes of all good thinges is in him and that that appeareth now plainely in him which was hidden in God that hee may powre it out into his by making them partakers thereof as water flowinge from a fountaiyne hyther and thyther by conduytes dooth water the fieldes euery where And hast loued them He giueth vs to vnderstande that that is the most manifest token and pledge of Gods loue towarde the godly which euē the world whither it will or no is enforced to feale and perceiue whilest that the spirit which dwelleth in them sendeth forth the beames of heauenly
women This was no small affection of loue that they followed Christe euen vnto the crosse but vnlesse they had beene furnished with faith they coulde neuer haue beene present at suche a spectacle As touching Iohn himselfe we gather that his faith was so choked for a shorte time that yet notwithstanding it was not altogither choked Now lette vs be ashamed if the horrour of the crosse doe keepe vs backe from following Christ seeing that the glory of the resurrection is beefore our eies whereas the women saw nothing but ignomony and a curse He calleth her Mary either y e wife or daughter of Cleopas I like this latter better He saieth that she was sister to the mother of Iesus according to the Hebrew phrase which conteineth all kinsfolkes vnder the worde Brethrē VVe see that Mary Magdalen was not in vaine deliuered from the seauen deuils which shewed her self such a faithful disciple of Christ euen vntil the end 26. VVoman behold thy sonne As if he should say I cannot hereafter be conuersant vppon earth that I maye doe to thee the duetie of a Sonne Therefore I put this man in my place that he may take vpon him mine office Hee meaneth the selfe same thing when he saieth vnto Iohn Beheld thy mother For hee commaundeth him to take her for his mother and that he should be as carefull for her as for his owne mother In that he saith woman and not mother some thinke that he did it for this cause leaste he should wound her minde more deepely with sorrow which I do not reiect But an other cōiecture is no lesse probable that Christ meant to shew that so soone as he had finished the course of his humane life hee put off that condition vnder which hee had liued and that hee entreth into the heauenly kingdome where hee may commaund men and Aungels For wee knowe that Christe was alwayes woont to call backe the faithfull from beholding the flesh and he ought especially to haue doone this in his death 27. The disciple tooke her It is a signe of the obedience of the disciple toward his maister in that Iohn obeieth Christes commaundement It doth also appeare heereby that the Apostles had their families because Iohn could not lodge Christes mother neither haue her in house with him vnlesse he had had an house and some trade and manner of liuing VVherefore they dote which thinke that the Apostles came naked and emptie vnto Christ hauing left their substance And they dote too too foolishly who thinke that perfection consisteth in begging 28 After this when Iesus knew that al things were fulfilled that the scripture might be fulfilled he saieth I am a thirst 29. Furthermore there stoode there a vessel full of vineger And they compassed a spong being ful of vineger with Isope and they put it to his mouth 30. Therfore when Iesus had taken th◠vineger he said it is finished And bowing his head he gaue vp the Ghost 28. VVhen Iesus knewe Iohn omitteth many thinges purposely which the other three sette down he describeth now the last acte wherin there was a great weight VVhen as hee saieth that there stoode a vessel there he speaketh as of an vsuall thing and I thinke that it was a kind of potion made to hasten death when as miserable men hadde beene tormēted longe enough Christe dooth not call for drinke vntill all thinges were fulfilled whereby he declared his infinite loue toward vs and his vnestimable desire of our saluation It cannot bee sufficiently in woordes expressed what bitter paines he suffered yet did he not desire to delyuer himselfe vntill Gods iudgement was satisfied and the purginge of our sinnes was perfect But how saith he that all thinges were fulfilled seeing that the principall poynt was as yet wanting to wit death it selfe And againe doeth not his resurrection make to the fulfilling of our saluatiō I answer that Iohn doth comprehended those thinges which should follow immediately Christ was not as yet dead he was not yet risen againe but he sawe nothing which coulde hinder him from dying and rising againe And so hee instructeth vs by his example vnto perfect obedience that it may not be greeuous or troublesome to vs to liue at his pleasure although wee muste languishe in the middest of great sorrowes and paines That the scripture might be fulfilled VVe may easily gather out of the other Euangelistes that the place is cited out of Psal. 69. 22 They gaue me gall to eate and in my thirst they gaue me vineger to drinke This speech is metaphorical wherby Dauid signifieth that they did not only deny to helpe him at his neede but also that his miseries were cruelly doubled But there is no absurditie in this if that were more plainely reuealed in Christ which was sleightly shadowed in Dauid For we do hereby plainely see what difference there is betweene the truth and the figures whenas those thinges appeare plainely and as it were perfectly in Christ which Dauid suffered only figuratiuely Therefore to the end Christ might declare that it was he whose person Dauid did represent he would drinke vineger and that for the confirmation of our faith They which forge an allegoricall sense in this word thirst desire rather to shew some subtiltie then truly to edifie And the Euangelist doth plainely refute those who saith that Christ called for vineger seeing that he made hast to die VVhen as he saith that the spounge was compassed about with Isop vnderstand that it was fastened vpon a bat that it might be put to Christes mouth 30 It is finished Hee repeateth the same woorde whiche hee vsed of late But this saying of Christ is especially to be remembred because he teacheth that the whole accomplishing of our saluation and all the partes thereof are contained in his death VVe haue alreadie saide that the resurrection is not separated from his death it is only Christe his intent to retaine our faith in himselfe alone least it wander and turne hyther and thyther Therefore this is the sense that whatsoeuer maketh vnto the saluation of men it consisteth in Christ and is no where els to be sought or that which is all one that the perfection of saluation is included in him And there is comprehended vnder this a secrete opposition because Christe setteth his death against all the olde sacrifices and figures as if he should say whatsoeuer was vsed vnder the law it was nothing worth of it selfe to pacifie Gods wrath to purchase righteousnesse to purge sinnes Now at length there is true saluation giuen to the worlde vnto this doctrine is annexed the abrogation of all the rites of the lawe For it were an vnmeete thing to follow the shadowes sithence that wee haue the body of Christe And if sobeit we stay our selues vpon this voyce of Christ we must be contented with his death alone vnto saluation neyther is it lawful for vs to set any helpes frō any other But y e whole religion of