vnderstande that it is no fraile or temporall ioy whereof he speaketh but that it neuer falleth away VVherefore let vs learne that wee must seeke the hope of saluation in Christes doctrine which may be of force aswell in life as in death Your ioy may bee fulfilled He addeth that this ioy shall be perfect full not because the faithfull are free from all sorrow but because the matter of ioy aboundeth so that no feare no care no sorrowe doth at any time swallow them vp For those that haue this grace giuen them to glory in Christ neither life nor death nor any miseries can hinder them from triumphing ouer heauinesse 12 This is my commaundement that yee loue one another as I haue loued you 13 No man hath greater loue then this that a man should put away his life for his friendes 14 You are my friendes if you doe those thinges which I commaund you 15 After this I wil not cal you seruants because the seruant knoweth not what his master doth but I haue called you friendes because what thinges soeuer I haue heard of my father I haue made them knowen vnto you 12 This is my commandement Seeing that it is meete that wee direct our life according to Christes commaundement we must know especially what he willeth and commaundeth Therefore he repeateth that nowe which hee had saide before that this pleaseth him aboue all other thinges that the faithful doe loue one another The loue reuereÌ„ce of God is former in order indeede but because the lawfull tryall thereof is loue toward the neighbours hee maketh mention principally of this Furthermore like as of late in the generall reuerencing of doctrine so now he setteth before vs after a sort a patterne which we must folow for he loued all his to the end they may loue one another VVe haue spoken in the chapter next going before why he commandeth nothing in plaine wordes in this place touching the louing of the vnbeleeuers 13 Greater loue then this Christ setteth foorth sometimes the greatnesse of his loue toward vs to the end he may the better establishe the hope of our saluation and now he goeth farther that hee may enflame vs to loue our brethren by his own exaÌ„ple Yet he coupleth both things together for he will haue vs to receiue by faith the infinite sweetnesse of his goodnes and secondly he allureth vs by this meanes vnto the study of loue So Paule vnto the Ephesians Ephe. 5. 2. VValk in loue as Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet sauour to God God coulde haue redeemed vs otherwise by his worde or his becke vnlesse he had thought good that it should be otherwise for our sake that in not sparing his owne and onely begotten sonne he might in his person declare how carefull hee was for our saluation And now those hearts must needes bee as hard as yron stone which cannot bee softened with such incomparable sweetnes of Gods loue Yet a question may be asked in this place how Christ died for his friends seeing that we were his enemies before he reconciled vs. For hauing purged our sinnes by the sacrifice of his death hee remoued the coimitie which was betweene God and vs. Let vs set the answer to this question out of the third chapter where we haue said that in respect of our selues there is dissention betweene God and vs vntill our sinnes be abolished by the death of Christ and that euerlasting loue of God wherewith he loued euen his enemies was the cause of this grace whiche was giueÌ„ in Christ. After this sort Christ gaue his life for strangers yet such as he loued euen theÌ„ otherwise he wold not haue died for theÌ„ 14 Yee are my friends He meaneth not that we do attaine vnto such honour by any merit of our owne but hee doth only tell vs vpon what condition he receiueth vs into fauour and vouchsafeth to reckon vs amongst his friends As he said of late If yee shall keepe my commandements yee shall abide in my loue â—or the grace of our sauiour God hath appeared teaching vs that denying vngodlines worldly lustes we should liue chastly righteously godlily in this world Tit. 2. 11. 12. But prophane men who wax wanton against Christe through the wicked contempt of the gospel doe tenounce his friendship 15 After this I will not call you seruants He declareth proueth his loue toward his disciples by another argument to wit that he did altogether reueale himself vnto them like as familiar communication taketh place amongst friends I saith he haue giuen you farre more then mortal man is wont to giue to his seruants therfore let this be vnto you a pledge of my loue towarde you in that I haue laide open vnto you the hidden mysteries of the heauenly wisdom mildlie frindly which I had heard of the father This is an excellent coÌ„mendation of the gospel that wee haue Christs heart as it were opened there so that we need not doubt of his loue There is no cause why we should desire to goe vp into heauen or downe into the deepe to set the certaintie of our saluation let this testimonie of loue which is contained in the gospel suffice vs because it shall neuer deceiue vs. Moses said Deut. 4. 7. vnto the old people what nation vnder heauen is so noble which hath God comming nigh vnto it as God doth common with thee this day But our noblenesse doth farre excell that since that GOD powred out himselfe wholy in his sonne VVherefore their vnthankfulnes is so much the greater and their frowardnesse so much the more vntollerable who beeing not content with the wonderfull wisdome of the Gospel do flie ouer vnto new speculations through proud lust VVhatsoeuer I haue heard It is certain that the Disciples knew not all things which Christ knew neither could it bee that they should attaine vnto so great highnes and seeing that he is the vncomprehensible wisdom of God he gaue euery man a certain portion of knowledge which was sufficient Therfore why saith he that hee reuealed all things I answere that this is restrained vnto the person office of the Mediatour He made himself the meane betweene God vs who receiued that from the secrete sanctuary of God which he did giue vnto vs as they say from hand to hand Therfore Christ omitted none of those things but told them vnto his disciples which were appertinent to our saluation which were profitable for vs. So that in as much as he is ordained the master only teacher of the church he heard nothing of the father which he taught not his faithfully only let vs haue an huÌ„ble desire to learn he readie apt to bee taught we shall perceiue that Paul doth not in vain call the gospel wisdome which maketh men perfect Col. 1. 28. 16 Yeâ— haue not chosen meâ— but I haue chosen you and
Christ. in the same place VVhether men may defende the kingdome of Christe with weapons in the same place The kingdome of Christe bringeth saluation to none saue onely the elect 17. 2. The faithfull ought to wish the prosperity of the kingdome of Christ with all their heart 12. 14. To what end it was requisite that the kingdome should be established with Dauid and his posteritie 12. 14. The kingdom of God is to bee preferred before all the commodities of the body 4. 47 VVho are fit for the kingdome of God 6. 2. To see the kingdome of God 3. 3. 5. L Lambe The paschal Lambe was a signe of Christs sacrifice 19. 36. Last day Last day 6. 39. 40. 44. 11. 24. 12. 48. Law The law was giuen by Moses 1. 17. 7. 9. The law iudgeth no man except c. 7. 51. VVhy christ meaneth the Psalmes by the law 15. 25. The agreemeÌ„t betwene the law the gospel 10. 8. Christ is the soule of the law 1. 17. 5. 46. To what end the ceremonies of the lawe were giuen the Iewes in charge 11. 28. The worship of the law is partly spiritual partly carnal 4. 23. The doctrine of the lawe is vnperfect 4. 25. The proper office of the lawe 16. 10. Learne To learne of the father 6. 45. Light Light of life 8. 12. Two partes of the light whiche remaineth in the corrupt nature of man 1. 5. Iohn testifieth of the light 1. 17. This woorde light is proper to Christ. in the same place All the godly are light in the Lorde 1. 7. No light without christe in the same place Christ is the light of men 1. 4. and 9. hee came into the worlde 3. 19. The Pharises reioyced in the light of Iohn 5. 35. Christ is the light of the world 8. 12. and 9. 5. 12. 46. VVhilest we haue light we must walke 12. 15. Loaues Of the fiue loaues the two fishes 6. 6. and 10. Loue. Loue is the commaundement of Christ. 15. 17. A newe commaundement 13. 34. Loue is put in steede of faith by Christ. 16. 27. The loue of god is spred abroad into the members of the Churche 15. 9. VVhether the loue wherewith wee embrace Christe doe goe before the loue of God 14. 21. The signe and pledge of Gods loue towards vs. 7. 23. The loue of God is to bee esteemed according to the preseÌ„t estate of thinges 11. 5. Loue of our selues causeth contempt of our brethren 7. 49. Loue is called a new commandement and why 13. 34. VVhence the contempt of loue proceedeth 13. 12. VVhat manner rule of loue Christ prescribeth 13. 12. To loue Christ and to keep his commandements 14. 15. To loue the neighbour one another 13. 34. Loue is necessary amongest the ministers of the worde 15. 17. By mutuall loue Christ his disciples are knowen 13. 35. Loue is the commaundement of Christ. 15. 12. and 17. VVhich is the greatest loue 15. 13. Loue wherewith God loueth vs is the same wherwith he loueth his sonne Christe 17. 26. Liuing Liuing water 4. 10. leapyng out into eternall life 4. 14. Life How Christe is called life 11. 26. 14. 6. VVe must seeke no life without God 1. 1. Howe Christe giueth vs life 5. 21. VVhat Iohn meaneth by this worde life 1. 4. VVe must seeke matters of life in the flesh of Christ. 6. 51. What it is to loue life and to hate it 12. 25. To loue life is of it selfe not euill in the same place In what sense it is said that God hath life in himself 5. 26. Three degrees of life 6. 57 The sonne hath life in himselfe 5. 26. Life in Christe 7. 3. Eternall life through 10. 28. is giuen them that beleeue 6. 46. It is life eternal to know the father and the sonne 17. 3. The commandements of the father is eternall life 12. 50. To haue life in the name of Christ. 20. 31. Liue. To liue because of christ 5. 37. M Mahomet Mahomet the Pope haue a common principle of religion 14. 25. and 16. 14. Man Christ knew what is in maÌ„ 2. 25. Mans. Mans rashnesse in diuine matters 7. 12. Mans vnthankfulnesse in esteeming the workes of God 7. 15. How great mans frowardnes is 5. 24. Maniches Maniches doting 8. 44. Manna Manna and christ are set the one against the other 6. 32. Martha Martha beleeueth that Christ is come 11. 27. Mary Mary the sister of Lazarim 11. 2. annoynteth the feete of Iesus 1. 2. 3. Mary Magdalene goeth to see the graue 20. 1. 15. Mariage How greatly christ estemed mariage 2. 11. Mediator How christ doth execute the office of a mediatour 16. 27. The grace of the mediatour was common to all ages 8. 58. The fathers vnder the law praied not without a mediator 16. 23 VVhen christe declared openly that he was the mediatour in the same place Meat Meat abiding for euer 5. 27. Meat of christ 4. 32. 24. Men. To what ende men were created 1. 4. Howe farre men are to be honoured 4. 11. A common disease of men in Pilate 18. 38. The condition of men after the fall of Adam 1. 5. Messias Messias was an ordinary title for kings 1. 41. The Messias is come 4. 25. Christe confesseth that he is the Messias 4. 26. Ministers Christ exhorteth the ministers of the word by his own example vnto patience 15. 18. The office of the ministers in the same place The dignitye of the ministers of the church 3. 29. The true felicitye of the ministers 15. 19. Ministerie VVhy Christ setteth foorth the ministerie of the Apostles by suche an excellente title 20. 23. Ministreth Ministreth at supper â—2 2. Myrrhe Myrrhe 19. 40. Myracle A fained myracle inuented by the papists 20. 5. Myracles Myracles were testimonies of Christe his diuinitie 2. 11. 6. 11. the ende of myracles in the same place Myracles are seales of doctrin 3. 2 A double fruite of myracles in the same place A double vse of myracles 11. 45. VVhy the enemies of the gospel require myracles in the same place VVhy Christ did adorn his myracles with external signes 9. 7. It skilleth muche what we respect in the myracles of christ 6. 26. there is a certain meane prescribed for myracles by the counsell of God 11. 42. Moses Moses his ministery 1. 17. He that beleeueth Moses doeth also beleeue christ 5. 45. God spake vnto Moses 9. 29. Murmuring Murmuringe in the multitude because of christ 7. 12. Murmure Christ his disciples doe murmure 6. 63. the Iewes in the same place N. Name Christ shewed the name of God vnto men 17. 1. 26. the lawfull meanes to sanctifie the name of God 14. 13. Hatred and afflictions for the name of christ 15. 21. 16. 1. 20. 2. to aske in the name of christe 14. 11. 14. to haue life in the name of christ 20. 11. Nathaniel Nathaniel 1. 45. 48. Nature The myracles of nature waxe vile through vse 6. 11.
the commaundement of the lawe is generall which commandeth vs to loue our neighbour But the Scribes esteeming neighbourhood according to euery mans minde will haue none to bee accounted neighbours but they that through their desertes were worthy to be beloued or at the least they that woulde deale friendly with them againe And this did common sense teach them and therefore the children of the world were neuer ashamed to professe their hatredes wherfore they could yeelde any account But charitie which God commendeth in his law regardeth not what euery man deserueth but stretcheth out it self to the vnworthy to the peruerse to the vnthaÌ„kful But Christ restoreth this to the natural sense and deliuereth it from corruptioÌ„ wherby that also only appeareth that I said before that Christ did not make newe lawes but only reproue the corrupt comments of the Scribes wherwith the puritie of the law of God had bene corrupted 44. Loue your enemies This one poynt containeth in it all the former doctrine For whosoeuer can frame his minde to loue his enemies wyll easily temper himselfe from all reuenge and wil be patient in affliction but much more ready to help those that be in miserie Further Christ in a few wordes sheweth the way and maner of fulfilling this commandement Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe For he shall neuer satisfie this coÌ„maundement that banisheth not the loue of himselfe or rather deny him selfe and so make much of those men which GOD hath ioyned to him that he goeth on to loue euen those of whom lie is hated And by these wordes we learne how farre the faithfull ought to bee from reuenge wherein they are not onely forbidden to aske of God but so to remitte wholy to put our of their minds so that they shal wish wel to their enemies yet in the meane while they cease not to coÌ„mit their cause to God vntill hee take vengeaunce of the reprobate For they desire as muche as lyeth in them that the wicked should return to a perfect mind so they seeke for their saluation that they shuld not perish Yet with this comfort they case al their troubles that they doubt not but that god wil be a reueÌ„ger of that obstinate malice that he might declare y t he had a care of the innocent This is a very hard thing altogether against the nature of flesh to recompence good for euil but we must not seeke any excuse out of our faultes or infirmities but we must rather simplye seeke what the law of charitie requireth that we vsing the power of the heauenly spirit and that by striuing we might ouercome what affections in vs were coÌ„trary to the same This was the cause why the monkes and suche like rables imagined that these were counselles and not precepets because that they measured what was due to GOD and to hys lawe by the balance of mannes strength And yet the monks were not ashamed to chalenge to themselues a perfection because they did voluntarily bind themselues to obserue his counselles and howe faithfully they performe the same which they doe onely vsurpe in woordes I doe nowe omit to saye And howe preposterous and fond a deuise it is of counsels doeth heereof appeare First because it cannot be sayd without iniurie to Christ that he counselled his disciples and did not according to his authority command that whiche was righte Then it is more then follie to sette the dueties of charitie at suche liberty whiche depende vppon the lawe Thirdlye that woord I say to you signifieth in this place as muche as to denounce or to commaunde which they haue corruptly expounded to counsell Lastly that he expresly establisheth it as a thinge necessâ—rilye to be done is easily prooued by Christes woordes while he presently addeth 45. That you may be the children of your father VVhen he expresly sayth that no manne can be otherwise the childe of God except hee loue them that hate him who nowe dareth say that we are not bounde to obserue thys doctrine For it is as much as if hee shoulde haue sayde who soeuer will be accounted a Christian let him loue his ennemies surely it is a horrible monster that the worlde in three or foure ages should be so ouerwhelmed with thicke darkenesse that it could not see that to be expresly commanded which who soeuer neglecteth he is wiped out from amoÌ„g the number of the children of God Further it is to be noted that hee proposeth not the example of God to be folowed as though that what soeuer hee did became vs. For he punisheth the vnthankefull and often driueth the wicked out of the worlde in which respect he proposeth not himselfe for vs to folowe for the iudgement of the worlde belongeth not to vs but is proper to him but hee woulde that we shoulde be folowâ—rs of hys fatherlye goodnesse and liberalitye And not onelye the prophane philosophers did see that but some of the moste wicked contemners of godlinesse coulde make this confession we are in nothing more lyke to God then in being liberall In summe Christe witnesseth that this is a note of our adoption if we doe good to the euill and to them that are vnwoorthy Yet thou must not vnderstande that wee by this liberalitie are made the children of God but because the same spirite whiche is the witnesse earnest and sâ—ale of our free adoption doeth reforme the wicked affections of the flesh which striue against charitie Christe prooueth of the effecte that none else are the children of God but they which shewe it in gentlenesse and clemencie And for that phrase Luke sayeth yee shall be the children of the moste high Not that any man getteth this honour to hymselfe or that he then beginneth to be the sonne of God when that he loueth his ennemies but because it is the accustomed maner of speaking in the scripture to propose the benefitte of the free grace of God in steade of rewarde while that he woulde encourage vs to doe well And this is the reason because he had regarde to what ende we are called namelye that the image of God beinge repaired in vs wee shoulde liue holily and godly Hee maketh his sonne to rise He rehearseth two testimonies of the goodnesse of God towardes vs which are not onely most knowen vnto men but common to all when that rather societie it selfe shoulde prouoke vs to performe the same one to another though by the figure Synecdoche it comprehendeth many other like 46. And doe not the Publicanes Luke vseth in the same sense thys worde sinners that is naughty and wicked men not that the office of it self was to be condemned for the Publicanes were gatherers of tolle and as it is lawfull for Princes to sette the taske so is it lawfull to demaunde and gather the same But because thys maner of menne was wont to be couetous and snatching yea faithlesse and cruell then because they were accounted amongest the Iewes as ministers of vniust
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
vs vntill suche time as our sinnes are purged in respect whereof he is worthily angrie with vs So that the blood of Christ must come betweene to reconcile vs vnto God before such time as we can feele his fatherly good wil. And as wee heare in the former place that God did giue his sonne to die for vs because he loued vs so it foloweth straightway after that Christ alone is he in whom we ought properly to fixe our faith He hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer shall beleeue in him may not perish This I say is y e right beholding of faith to set Christ before it in whom it may beholde the breast of God powred out into loue this is the firme and sounde shoare to leane vnto the death of Christ as the only pledge This worde only begotten hath in it great force to set foorth vnto vs the vehemency of Gods loue toward vs. For because men are not easily persuaded y t God doth loue theÌ„ to the end he might take away all doubtfulnes hee setteth downe in plaine words y t God did loue vs so dearely that he spared nor his only son for our sake Therfore seing that god hath declared his loue toward vs sufficieÌ„tly whosoeuer is not coÌ„tented with this testimonie but doth as yet doubt he doth Christ no small iniurie as if some one of the common sorte were deliuered vp to death But rather we must thus thinke with our selues that looke howe great account God doth make of his sonne so precious was our saluation vnto him the price whereof he would haue the death of his onely begotten sonne himselfe to bee Christe is called by this name by good right because he is the onely sonne by nature who doth make vs partakers of this honour by adoption then when we are ingrafted into his bodie Hee that beleeueth in him may not perishe This is a singuler commendation of faith that it deliuereth vs from eternal destruction For his meaning was plainely to expresse that although we seeme to be borne vnto death yet is there certaine deliuerance offered in the faith of Christe so that death which doth otherwise hang ouer our heads is no whit to bee feared And he added also the vniuersall note both that hee may inuite all men in generall vnto the participation of life and also that hee may cut off all excuse from the vnbeleeuers To the same ende tendeth the worde worlde which hee vsed before For although there shal nothing be founde in the worlde that is worthie of Gods fauour yet he sheweth that he is fauourable vnto the whole worlde when hee calleth all men without exception vnto the faith of Christ which is nothing els but the entrance into life But yet let vs remember that life is promised vnto all those who shall beleeue in Christe so commonly that yet faith is not common vnto all men For Christe lyeth open vnto all men yet god doth onely open the eyes of the elect that they may seeke him by faith Furthermore herein appeareth the wonderfull effect of faith because we doe thereby receiue Christe as he is giuen vs of the father namely that he may make vs heires of eternall life being deliuered from the giltinesse of eternall death because he hath purged our sinnes by the sacrifice of his death least any thing should hinder God froÌ„ taking vs for his children Therefore seeing that faith doth imbrace Christe with the efficacie of his death fruit of his resurrectioÌ„ it is no maruell if we do also thereby enioy the life of Christe yet it doth not appeare sufficiently as yet why and how faith doth make vs partakers of life whether it bee because Christe doth regenerate vs by his spirite that the righteousnesse of God may liue and be of force in vs or whether it be because beeyng purged by his blood from sinnes we are iudged iust before god through free pardon Truely it is certaine that these two are alwayes ioyned together but because we intreate in this place of the certaintie of saluation wee must especially note this reason that we do liue for this cause because God doth loue vs freely in not imputing vnto vs our sinnes Therefore the sacrifice is mentioned by name whereby togeather with sinnes death and the curse are abolished I haue alreadie declared the drift of these two members namely that wee may know that wee recouer life in Christe whereof wee are depriued in our selues For in this miserable estate of mankinde redemption is before saluation in order 17 For he sent not This is the confirmation of the sentence next going before because God sent not his sonne hyther vnto vs in vaine But he came not to destroy Therfore it followeth that it is the proper office of God to giue saluation through him vnto all those that beleeue Now there is no cause why any man shoulde doubt or be carefull howe to escape death seeing that we vnderstande that this is Gods purpose that Christe shoulde deliuer vs from the same This worde worlde is repeated againe to the ende no man may thinke that he is excluded if so bee it he holde the way of faith To iudge is taken in this place as in manie other places for to condemne And wheras he saith y t he came not to coÌ„deÌ„ne the worlde he setteth downe therein the proper ende of his comming For what neede had Christe to come to destroy vs who were vtterly perished Therefore we must consider no other thing in Christ but that God meant to helpe vs for his infinite goodnesse sake that he might saue vs beeing lost And so often as our sinnes do testifie against vs so often as Satan doth pricke vs forward to despayre wee must holde vp this buckler that God woulde not haue vs to perish euerlastingly because he hath ordeined his sonne to bee the sauiour of the worlde And whereas Christe in another place saith that he came to iudgement in that hee is called a stone of stumblyng whereas hee is saide to be the fall of many that is an accidentall thing or that I may so speake a thyng that commeth by chaunce For they that refuse the grace that is offered in him are worthie to finde hym a Iudge and reuenger of such wicked â—ilthie contempt VVhereof there appeareth a most euident token in the Gospel for whereas it is properly the power of God vnto saluation vnto all that beleeue the vnthankfulnesse of many causeth it to turne to their destruction Paule expresseth both verie well when he boasteth that he hath in readinesse the vengeance wherewith hee will punishe all the aduersaries of his doctrine after that the obedience of the godly shall bee fulfilled For it is as much as if hee shoulde say that the Gospel is appointed chiefly and principally vnto the faithfull to bee vnto them for saluation but that afterwarde it shall turne to the destruction of the vnbeleeuers who contemning the grace of Christ
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
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
this place of the secrete loue of God the father which he bare alwayes towarde his sonne they misse the marke seeing that Christ intended rather to lay as it were in our bosome a certaine pledge of Gods loue towarde vs. Therefore that subtile saying doth nothing appertaine vnto this place how the father hath alwayes loued himselfe in the sonne but the loue heere mentioned must bee referred vnto vs because Christ doth testifie that he is beloued of the father in asmuch as he is the head of the Church like as is more then necessary for vs. For hee that seeketh to know how he is beloued without a mediatour he intangleth himselfe in a Labyrinth wherein hee shall neyther finde way nor out going Therefore wee must behold Christe wherein we shall finde the pledge of Gods loue laide open For the loue of God was altogether powred into him that it might flowe from him into his members Hee had this title giuen him that hee was the welbeloued sonne in whom the good will of the father resteth But wee must note the ende that God may accept vs in him Therefore we may all beholde the fatherly loue of God toward vs in him as in a glasse because hee is not loued apart or for his owne sake onely but that he may ioyne vs vnto the father with himselfe Abide in my loue Some doe expound it thus that Christe requireth mutuall loue of his Dâ—ciples Othersome deale better who take the loue of Christ actiuely For he will haue vs to enioy the loue wherewith hee hath once loued vs for euer and therefore hee telleth vs that wee must take heed that we depriue not our selues thereof For many men refuse the grace that is offered them many men throw away that which they had in their hands Therefore after that wee are once receiued into Christes fauour we must beware that wee fall not thence through our owne faulte VVhereas some doe inferre vpon these wordes that there is no force nor efficacie in the grace of God vnlesse it bee holpen with our constancie it is a friuolous thing Neither doe I graunt that the spirit doth only require at our haÌ„ds those things which are in our power but that he doth shew what is to be done that if we want strength wee may craue the same at the hands of som other Likeas when Christ exhorteth vs in this place vnto perseueraÌ„ce we must not trust to our owne cunning and strength but we must beseech him that commaundeth to confirme vs in his loue 10 If yee keepe my commandements Hee sheweth the meanes howe to perseuere if we follow him thither whither he calleth vs. for as Paule saith Rom. 8. â— They that be in Christe walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite For these thinges are continually coupled together faith which layeth hold vpon the free loue of Christe and a good conscience and newnesse of life And truly Christ doth not reconcile the faithfull vnto the fâ—â—her to this end that they may play the wantons freely but that he may keepe them vnder his fathers hand and gouernment by gouerning them with his spirite VVhereupon it followeth that all those cast away the loue of Christ which do not proue by true obedience that they are his Disciples If any man obiect that the firmenesse of our saluation doth therefore depend vpon our selues I answere that Christes wordes are falsly wrested to that part because the obedience which the faithfull vse toward him is not so much the cause that hee continueth his loue toward them as the effect of loue For how commeth it to passe that they answere to their calling saue onely because they are mooued with the spirite of free adoption But it seemeth that there is too harde a condition laid vpon vs that we keepe Christs commandements wherin is conteined the axact perfection of righteousnes which farre passeth our meane measure For it coÌ„meth to passe therby y t the loue of Christ shal be in vaine vnlesse we be endowed with angelicall puritie VVe may easily answere for when as Christe intreateth of the studie and desire to liue well and aright hee excludeth not that which is the principall point in his doctrine to wit concerning the free imputation of righteousnesse whereby it commeth to passe that by graunting of pardon our good deedes doe please God which beeing lame and vnperfect of themselues did deserue to be reiected Therefore the faithfull are iudged to keepe Christes commaundements when they apply their studies vnto this ende although they misse the mark much because they are loosed from that rigour of the lawe Deut. 27. 26. Accursed be euery one which shall not fulfil all thinges c. Likeas I haue also kept As we are elected in Christ so the image of our calling is most liuely expressed in him Therefore he doth for good causes set himselfe before our eyes as a patterne whome all the godly must endeuour to follow In me saith hee appeareth the similitude of those thinges which I require at your handes For you see how that I am addicted indeede vnto my father to obey him and I will proceed in this course 〈◊〉 Againe hee hath loued mee not for a moment or for a short time but the tenor of his loue toward me is euerlasting VVe must alwayes haue this conformitie of the head and the members before our eyes not only to the end the faithfull may studie to frame themselues vnto the example of Christe but that they may hope that they shall bee dayly reformed and bettered by his spirite that they may walke vntill the end in newnesse of life 11 These thinges haue I spoken vnto you Hee addeth that the goodly are not ignorant of his loue but that it is perceiued by the sense of faith so that the consciences shall enioy blessed peace For the ioy whereof he maketh mention ariseth from that peace which they haue with god whosoeuer are iustified freely Therefore so often as the fatherly loue of God toward vs is spoken of let vs know that we haue matter of true ioy giuen vs so that our consciences being quiet we may bee certaine of our saluation Furthermore this ioy is called Christes and ours in a diuers respect It is Christes because it is giuen vs by him for he is both the authour and the cause I say that hee is the cause because wee were deliuered from guiltinesse when as the correction of our peace was laide vpon him I call him the authour also because hee abolisheth feare and carefulnesse in our heartes from whence that cleare merines proceedeth It is called ours in another respect because we enioy it after that it is giuen vs. Now seeing that Christ saith that he spake these things for this cause that the Disciples may haue ioy we gather out of these wordes that all those which haue rightly profited in this sermon haue whereupon they may stay themselues By this worde abide he giueth vs to
signifying with what death he should glorifie God And when he had thus spoken he sayeth vnto him Followe me 15. Therefore when they had dined The Euangelist declareth nowe how Peter was restored vnto that degree of honour from whiche hee fell That vnfaithfull deniall whereof we haue hearde had made hym vnwoorthy of the Apostleshippe For howe coulde he be a fitte teacher of faith who had fallen away from the same filthily Hee was made an apostle to witte with Iudas But so sone as he forsoke his place he was also depriued of the honor of the Apostleship Therefore the libertie of teaching and his autoritie also are restored vnto him now both which he had lost throgh his own fault And least the infamy of his fal shuld any whit hinder him Christe wipeth away and blotteth out the remembrance thereof Such a kind of restoring againe was necessary both for Peter and also for his hearers for him to the end he might the more stoutly do his dutie being certein of the calling which was enioyned him againe for theÌ„ least the blot sticking in his name might be an occasion of despising the Gospell It is also very profitable for vs at this day that Peter shuld come forth vnto vs as a newe man whose shame was abolished which might hinder his dignitie Simon the sonne of Iohn louest thou me Christ signifieth by these words that no man can serue the Church faithfully and take paines in feedinge the flocke vnlesse he looke higher then vnto men For first the office of feeding is of it selfe painefull and troublesome seeing that there is nothing more hard then to keepe menne vnder Gods yoake whereof many are weake many light and froward some slow sluggish some hard churlish vnapt to be taught Now Satan layeth in their way all the stumbling blocks he can that he may thereby discourag a good pastor Herevnto is added the vnthankfulnes of many and other causes of wearisoÌ„nes Therfore no man shal euer go forward constantly in this office saue he in whose heart the loue of Christ shal so reigne that forgetting himself and addicting himself wholy vnto him he may ouercome al impediments Paul declareth that he was so affected 2. Cor. 5. 14. wheÌ„ he saith the loue of Christ bindeth vs considering this that if one died for al theÌ„ were al dead And although he meaneth that loue wherewith Christ loued vs and whereof he shewed a token in his death yet he adioineth the mutual affection which ariseth by the feeling of so great a benefit And againe he marketh the wicked false teachers which trouble y e church with this mark that they loue not the Lord Iesus 1. Cor. 16. 22. Therefore let those which are called to gouerne the Church remember that if they couet to execute their office wel and rightly they must begin at the loue of Christ. In the meane season Christ doth testifie plentifully what account he maketh of our saluation whilst that he coÌ„mendeth the same vnto the pastors so singularly and hee affirmeth that this is vnto him a token and testimonie how dearly they loue him as if they care for the same carefully There could no more effectual thing be spoken to encourage the ministers of the Gospel theÌ„ when they heare y t no office is more acceptable to Christ then that which is emploied in feeding his flock Al the godly may draw no small comforte thence when they heare that they are so deare and precious to the sonne of God that he putteth them as it were in his roume And the same doctrine ought to make the false teachers not a litle afraid who ouerturne the gouernment of the church because they shall suffer no small punishment at Christes handes whoe pronounceth that he is violated by them Feede my Lambes The scripture applyeth this word feede vnto al manner of gouernment metaphorically but because the spiritual gouernment of the Church is handeled in this place it is profitable to note vppon what partes the office of a pastour consisteth For doubtlesse there is not anye idle dignitie depaynted out vnto vs in this place neither dooth Christe giue vnto mortall man anye gouernment which hee may exercise at his pleasure confusedly VVe haue seene before chap. 10 that Christ is properly the only pastor of the church VVe haue also seene why he taketh this name to himself to wit because he gouerneth his sheep with the doctrine of saluatioÌ„ and so consequently doth feede them because that it is the true foode of the soule And now because he vseth the help of men to preach his doctrine he doth also giue them his name or at least make them partakers of the same Therfore those are accouÌ„ted lawful pastors before God who gouerne the Church vnder Christe their head by the ministerie of the word wheÌ„ce we may easily gather what burdeÌ„ Christ laieth vpon Peters shoulders and vpon what condition hee setteth him ouer his flock VVherby the wickednes of the Romanistes is sufficiently and plainely refuted who wrest this place to establish the tyrannye of their popedom It was said say they vnto Peter before al other feede my sheepe VVe haue already declared why it was rather spoken to him theÌ„ to the rest to wit that being free from al sinister note mark he might be free to preach the gospel and therfore Christ maketh him a pastour thriâ—e that the three denials wherby Peter had purchased to himself eternal infamy being abolished they may no whit hinder his Apostleship as Augustine Chriso Ciril many other do prudently note But there is nothing giuen Peter in these words which is not in like sort common to al the ministers of the gospel Therefore the Papistes doe in vaine hold that he is the chief for this cause because he alone is called especially But admit we graunt that he had some honour giuen 〈◊〉 priuatelye I pray you how wil they proue that he was placed in the primacy Admitte he were the chief amongst the Apostles shal it therfore follow streightway there vpon that he was the vniuersal byshoppe of al the whole worlde Moreouer whatsoeuer Peter receiued it dooth no more apperteine vnto the Pope then vnto Mahomet For by what right doth he boast brag that hee is Peters heire Againe what manne of sound iudgement wyll graunt vnto him that there is any heritable right giuen or set downe by Christ in this place Yet will he be accounted his successour woulde to God he were None of vs is contrary to him but that he may both loue Christe and haue a great care to feede his flocke but when the loue of Christ is neglected the office of feeding is reiected it is too vnmeete and too foolish a thing to boast of succession And like as when Christe commaunded Peter to feede he meant not to erect a throane for an idol or for an hangman of soules out of which he might miserablye torment the Church so hee did brieflye teach what
clause where Christe forbiddeth to demaunde againe those things which were vniustly taken away is vndoubtedly an exposition of the former doctrine that is that we should not take grieuously the losse of our goodes But that must not be forgotten which I spake of euen now that the wordes are not to be vrged sophistically as though it were not lawfull for a godly manne to recouer againe that which is his if at anye time God shall giue him a iust remedie but onely prescribeth to vs a law of patience but that we should paâ—iently waite vntill the Lord himselfe shall take an account of those spoyling theues Matth. 5. 42. Giue vnto him that asketh and from him that woulde borowe of thee turne not away Mark Luk. 6. 34. And if yee lende to them of whom yee hope to receiue what thanke shall yee haue for euen the sinners lend to sinners to receiuâ— the like 35. Lende looking for nothing againe and your reward shal be great 42. To him that asketh Though the wordes of Christe reported by Matthew doe â—ounde as if hee commaunded to giue to all without respect or choyse yet we may gather an other meaning out of Luke who setteth out the whol matter more fully First it is certein y t the purpose of Christ was to frame his disciples to be liberall rather then prodigall But it were fond prodigalitie rashly to consume those things which the Lord hath giuen Further we see what a rule of charitie the holye Ghost hath deliuered other where Therefore let vs hold this that Christ doth exhort his disciples here first y t they be liberal charitable Further this is the maner that he prescribeth them that they shuld not think that they had doâ— their duetie when they had holpeÌ„ some few but that they shuld endeuor to helpe al with their liberalitie that they shuld neuer be weary while that the Lord doth giue them abilitie Further that no man cauill at the wordes of Matthew let vs conferre them with Lukes wordes Christe saith that we doe no duetie to God while that in lending or doing other dueties we looke for any reward againe and so he maketh a distinction betweene charitie and carnal friendâ—hip For prophane men doe loue togeather not franckly but with an affection of reward gaine and so it commeth to passe that euery man in that he loueth others doth seeke to be beloued himselfe euen as Plato also doth wisely weigh the same But Christ requireth of his disciples charitie without hope of gaine that they should endeuour to helpe the poore from whom there is no hope to haue ought againe Now we see what it is to beare an open hande for them that aske namely to be liberally minded towardes all that neede our helpe and which cannot recompence the benefit they receiue LV. 35. Leâ—d This sentence was corruptly restrayned as if that in this place Christe did not onely forbidde his to commit vsury But this hath a further meaning as it appeareth out of the former sentence For after that Christ had declared what the wicked are woont to do that is that they doe loue their friendes and helpe them of whom they hope for some recompence and they lende to them that are like themselues that they may receiue the like from them againe He addeth what he requireth of his disciples more then this namely that they should loue theyr enemies that they should freely doe good and freely lend Now we see that this clause looking for nothing is corruptly vnderstoode of vsury to be so perticularly applyed when as Christ onely exhorteth his to mutual offices of charitie and saith that the hyrelings shall haue no fauour before God not that he simply condemneth those benefites which are doone with hope of recompence but he teacheth that it maketh nothing to testifie their charitie because that hee onely is accounted liberall towardes his neighbours which helpeth them without anye respecte of his owne commoditie but hath only regard of the neede of them that he helpeth But whether it be lawfull for Christians sometime to take some gayne of that which is lente I will not dispute here at large least of a corrupte sense I should moue a question out of time which I now confuted for I shewed euen now that Christ meant nothing else then that the faithfull shoulde exceede the prophane menne in lending that is that they should maintaine free liberalitie Matth. 5. Mark Luke 6. 43. Yee haue heard that it hath bene said Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemy 44. But I saye vnto you loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurte you and persecute you 45. That yee may be the children of your father which is in heauen for he maketh his sunne to arise â—n the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and the vniust 46. For if yee loue them which loue you what rewarde shal ye haue Doe not the Publycans euen the same 47. And if yee be friendly to your brethren onelye what singuler thing doe you do not euen the Publicans likewise 48. Yee shall therefore be perfâ—ct as your father which is in heauen is perfect  27. But I saye to you which heare Loue your enemies do wel to them which hate you 28. Blesse them which curse you and pray for them which hurte you And a litle after 32. For if yee loue them which loue you what thank shal you haue for euen the sinners loue those that loue them 33. And if yee doe good for them which doe good for you what thanke shall yee haue for euen thâ— sinners doe the same And a litle after 35. VVherefore loue yee your enemies and yee shall be the childreÌ„ of the most high for he is kind vnto the vnkind and to the euil 36. Be yee therefore merciful as your father is mercifull 43. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour It is wonderfull that the Scribes were faln to that absurditie that they restrained the name of neighbour to their welwillers when as nothing is more manifest nor more certeine theÌ„ that God meaneth al mankind when he speaketh of our neighbours For because that euery man is addicted to himselfe so oft as some priuate commodities doe separate some men from others that mutuall communication is left which nature it selfe doth teach Therfore God that he might keepe vs within the band of brotherly loue he testifieth that al they that are men are our neighbours for that common nature dooth tie them to vs. For so oft at I looke vpon man it is necessary that I should beholde my self as in a glas because that he is my bone and my flesh And thogh the greater parte moste commonly doth seperate it selfe from that holy societie yet the order of nature is not violated through their wickednes because that God is to be considered the aucthour of the fellowshippe VVhereby we gather that
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
to the bearinge of the Crosse as Marke dooth expreslye expound it And it was meete that hee should bee thus launced because that when he was at home he was wont to lyue pleasantly vnder the shadow in ydlenes he had neuer conceiued or had tasted very little what it should meane to crucifie the old man and to tame the lusts of the flesh But the Monkes are too ridiculous while vnder pretence of this place they chalenge to themselues the state of perfection Fyrst it is easie to vnderstand that it is not commaunded to all men without difference to sell all For the husbandman which is accustomed to lyue of his labour and thereby to nourish his children should sinne if he shuld sel his small portion of land not being compelled thereto by necessity Therfore it is better to keepe that which God hath put into our handes so that we do modestly and thriftily maintaine our selues and our houshold and giue some part to the poore then wastefully to spoyle al. But what a goodly selling is this which the Monks do so much brag of Whē as a great number which cannot finde foode at home thruste thēselues into monasteries as into swines sties full stuffed All men do carefullye spare from themselues that these idle bellyes might be fatted with other mens bread A notable chaunge surely when they being commaunded to giue to the poore that which they rightlye possesse they are not content with theyr own but take away other mens MAR. 21. Iesus beheld him and loued him That which the Papistes doe hereof gather that good morall workes which are not wrought by the instinct of the spirit but go before regeneratiō do of right deserue is too childish a deuise For if they gather a desert of the loue of God we may say that frogs and flyes do deserue because God loueth all his creatures without exception Therefore it is needful to distinguish the degrees of loue In respect of this present place it shal be sufficiēt to know that God loueth none with a fatherly loue but his own sonnes whom he hath regenerate with the spirit of adoption and by this loue it cōmeth to passe that they shal be approued before his tribunall seate According to this sense to be beloued of God to be iustified before him are both one in signification But God is said sometime to loue them whom hee neither alloweth nor loueth for because the preseruation of mankind is acceptable vnto him which consisteth in iustice equity moderation wisdome faith and temperaunce hee is said to loue the polytike vertues not that they doe merit saluation or grace but beecause they tende to that ende which he alloweth In this sense according to diuers respects he loued hated Aristides Fabritius for in asmuch as he had adorned them with an outward righteousnes and that for the common good hee loued hys own work in them Yet beecause the heart was corrupt that outwarde shew of righteousnesse auailed them nothing to the obtaining of righteousnes For we know that the hearts are purged onely by faith that the spirit of vprightnes is giuen onely to the members of Christ. So the question is answered how it could be that Christ should loue a man that was proud an hypocrite whē nothing is more odious before God thē these two vices Neyther is it anye absurditie that God should loue that good seede which he put into some natures so that he yet reiecteth the persons and the works for their corruption MAT. 22. Hee went away sorowfull The departure sheweth at length how farre the young man was from that perfection whereto Christe called him For how commeth it to passe that hee withdraweth himselfe from Christes schoole but because it was a griefe to him to forsake hys riches But if we be not ready to beare pouertie it is euidente that luste doth yet reigne in vs. And this is that which I sayde before that Christe commaunded to sell all was not an addition to the lawe but a tryall of the sinne that lay hidde For as euery manne is more giuen to this or to that sinne so by the reprehending of the same hee is the more layde open Further this example teacheth vs that to continue constantly in Christes schoole it is conuenient to renounce the flesh This yong man departed from Christ who brought with him both a desire to learne and modesty because it was hard for him to leaue that vice wherewith he was acquainted The same shal befal to vs except the sweetnes of the grace of Christ do make al the intisements of the flesh vnsauory to vs. VVhether this temptation were but for a time so that the yong man afterward repented it is vnknowne yet by coniecture it is probable that hee was drawne away by his couetousnesse that he should not profit any thing Math. 19. Mark 10. Luke 18. 23 Then Iesus said vnto his disciples verely I saye vnto you that a riche manne shall hardlye enter into the kingdome of heauen 24. And againe I say vnto you it is easier for a Camell to goe thoroughe the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God 25. And when his disciples heard it they were excedingly amased sayinge who then can be saued 26. And Iesus beheld thē and said vnto them with men this is vnpossible but with God all things are possible 23. And Iesus looked rounde about said vnto his disciples how hardlye doe they that haue ryches enter into the kingdome of God 24. And his disciples were astonied at his wordes But Iesus aunswered againe and said vnto them Children howe hard is it for them that truste in ryches to enter into the kingdome of God 25. It is easier for a Camel to goe through the eye of a needle then for a riche manne to enter into the kingdome of God 26. And they were much more astonied saying with themselues who then can be saued 27. But Iesus looked vppon them and sayde with men is it impossyble but not with God for with GOD all things are possible 24. And when Iesus sawe him sorowfull he sayd with what diffycultie shall they that haue riches enter into the kingdom of God 25. Surely it is easier for a Camell to goe through a needles eye then for a rich manne to enter into the kingdome of God 26. Then saide they that heard it and who then can be saued 27. And he sayde the things which are vnpossible with men are possible with God 23. A rich man shall hardly enter Christ doth not declare how noysome and deadly a plague couetousnes is but also how great hinderaunce riches doe bring Marke asswageth the sharpnesse of the saying while he applyeth it onely to them which put their trust in riches But I think that the former sentence is rather confirmed by these words then corrected as if he should saye that it shoulde not seeme merueilous to them that rich men haue
that the spirite is giuen euery man according to the measure of the giuing so that none aboundeth vnto the full For seeing that this is the mutuall bonde of brotherly participation that no man be sufficient for himselfe apart but that one haue need of another christ differeth from vs in this that the father hath powred out vpon him the infinite aboundance of his spirite And truly the spirit must remaine in him without measure that we may all receiue of his fulnesse as it was said in the first chap. And to this ende tendeth that which followeth immediately after that the father hath giuen all things into his hand For Iohn doth not onely in these woordes shew foorth the excellencie of Christe but also the ende and vse of that plentie wherewith he is endowed namely that being appointed as an arbitratour of his father he may distribute vnto all men as it seemeth good vnto him and is expedient for them as Paul doth declare more at large in the 4. chap. vnto the Ephesians which I cited of late Therfore how much soeuer God doth inrich his children diuersly this is proper to Christ alone to haue all thinges in his hand 35 The father loueth the sonne and hath giuen all things into his hand 36 Hee which beleeueth in the sonne hath eternall life and hee that beleeueth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth vpon him 35 The father loueth the sonne But what meaneth this reason Doth he hate all other men VVe may easily answere that he intreateth not of the common loue wherewith God loueth men whom he hath created or other his workes but of that singuler particuler loue which beginning at the sonne doth flow vnto all creatures For this loue wherewith embrasing his sonne he embraceth vs also doth cause him to impart vnto vs all his good things by his hand 36 Hee which beleeueth in the sonne He added this that we may not only knowe that we must aske all good thinges of Christ but also vnderstād and know the maner how to enioy them Furthermore he teacheth that this enioying consisteth in faith and that not without cause forasmuche as wee possesse thereby Christe who bringeth with him both righteousnesse and life the fruite of righteousnes And whereas faith in Christ is called the cause of life wee doe thereby gather that life is contained in Christe alone and that we are made partakers thereof only through the grace of Christe But all men doe not agree concerning this point how the life of Christ cōmeth vnto vs. For som men do vnderstand it thus because through beleeuing we receiue the spirit which doth regenerate vs vnto righteousnesse we doe obtaine saluation by such a kinde of regeneration And although I confesse this to be true that wee are renued by faith that the spirite of God may rule vs yet I say that the free remission of sinnes is first and formost to be considered whereby we are made acceptable vnto God and also I say that all the hope of saluation is both grounded and doth consist in this alone because righteousnesse can by no other meanes be imputed vnto vs before God saue only whilest that he doth not impute vnto vs our sinnes But he which beleeueth not As he set before vs life in Christ that the sweetnesse thereof might allure vs So now he condemneth them vnto eternall death whosoeuer doe not beleeue Christ. And by this meanes doth he amplifie the benefite of god when he telleth vs that there is no other way to escape death saue the deliuerance which we haue in Christ. For this sentence dependeth hereupon that we are al lost in Adā And if it be the office of Christ to saue that which was lost they do worthily abide in death who refuse the saluation which is offered in him VVe said of late that this doth properly appertaine vnto those who doe reiect the Gospel which is reuealed vnto them For although all mankinde bee wrapped in the same destruction yet there remaineth a heauier and double vengeance for those who refuse Christe their deliuerer And doubtlesse the intent of the Baptist was this by denouncing death to the vnbeleeuers to prick vs forwarde vnto the faith of Christ. Furthermore it is manifest that all that righteousnesse whiche the worlde doth thinke it hath without Christe is condemned and brought to nought by these woordes Neither is there any cause why any man should obiect that this is vniust dealing that those who are otherwise godly and holy should perish for this cause because they do not beleeue For in vain is there any holines feigned to be in men besides that which is giuen them of Christe Hee putteth this phrase to see life in steede of to enioy life And to the ende hee may the better declare that there remayneth no hope for vs vnlesse wee bee deliuered by Christe hee saith that the wrath of GOD abideth vpon the vnbeleeuers Although that which Augustine doth teach doth not much displease me that is that he vsed this word abide that we may knowe that wee are appointed vnto death euen from our mothers wombe because wee are all borne the children of wrath At least I doe willingly admit suche a kinde of allusion so we holde that that is the true and plaine meaninge which I haue set downe that death doth so lie vpon all vnbeleeuers doth so keepe them downe that they can neuer escape And truly althogh the wicked and reprobate be cōdēned naturally yet do they bring vpon themselues another death through their infidelitie And to this ende is there power giuen to the ministers of the gospel to binde For this is the iust vengeance which besalleth mans stubbornnesse that they shoulde binde themselues with the bondes of death who shake of the wholesome yoke of God Chap. 4. 1 THerefore after that the Lorde knewe that the Pharisees had heard that Iesus did make and baptise more disciples then Iohn 2 Although Iesus himselfe did not baptise but his disciples 3 He left Iudea and went againe into Galilee 4 And he must needes goe through Samaria 5 Therefore he came into a citie of Samaria which is called Sichar nigh to the field which Iacob gaue to his sonne Ioseph 6 And there was the VVell of Iacob and Iesus being wearie of his iourney did sit downe thus vpon the VVell for as much as it was almost the sixt houre 7 There came a woman of Samaria to drawe water Iesus saith vnto her giue mee drinke 8 For his disciples were gon away into the citie to buie meate 9 The woman of Samaria saith vnto him howe is it that thou seeing thou art a Iews doest aske water of mee which am a Samaritane For the Iews meddle not with the Samaritanes 1 Therefore after that hee knewe The Euangelist being now about to intreat of the conference which was betwene Christ and the Samaritane doth first of all set downe the cause of his
first manifested in the Gospel but hee of whome the lawe and the Prophetes bare witnesse did openly shew himselfe in the gospel 40 And yee will not He â—oth againe cast in their teeth that nothing letted them but malice to take the life offered in the scriptures For when he saith that they will not he ascribeth the cause of ignorance and blindnesse vnto frowardnesse and stubbornnesse And truly seeing that he offered himselfe so courteously vnto them they must needes be wilfully blinde And sithence that they fled from the light of set purpose yea seeing that they did couet to ouerwhelme the Sun with thier darknes Christ doth sharply chide them for good causes 41 I receiue not glory from men 42 But I knowe you that you haue not the loue of God in you 43 I came in my fathers name and you receiue me not if another come in his owne name him will yee receiue 44 How can yee beleeue who receiue glory one of another and seeke not the glorye that commeth of God alone 45 Thinke not that I will accuse you vnto my father there is one that accuseth you Moses in whom you trust 46 For if you did beleeue Moses you woulde also beleeue mee for hee writte of mee 47 But if you beleeue not his writinges how will you beleeue my wordes 41 I receiue not glory from men He holdeth on in reprehending them and least he be suspected as if he did handle his owne cause he saith first to preuent them that he passeth not for the glory of man neither passeth he neither is he sory for his owne sake that he seeth himselfe to be despised And truly he is greater then that he dependeth vpon mens iudgementes seeing that the wickednesse of all the whole worlde can take nothing from him nor diminishe his highnesse one heyre He standeth so vpon the refuting of the false slaunder that he extolleth himself aboue men After that he inueigheth freely against them and obiecteth vnto them the contempt and hatred of God And although wee bee far distant from Christ in the degree of honour yet must we contemne the sinister iudgements of men Truly we must take great heed that the coÌ„tempt of our selues doe not prouoke vs vnto wrath But let vs rather learne to be angrie for this cause if the honour that is due vnto God be not giuen him Let this holy iealousie burne and vexe vs so often as wee see the worlde to be so vnthankfull that it doth reiect vs. 42 Because you haue not the loue of God The loue of God is in this place taken for the whole sense of Godlinesse For no man can loue God but he must receiue him and wholy submit himselfe vnto him like as againe where the loue of God doth not reigne there can be no desire to obey For which cause Moses putteth downe this briefe some of the law that we loue our God with all our hearte c. Deut. 6. 5. 43 I came Christ proueth by this argument that the Iewes do neither loue nor reuerence God because they wil greedily receiue false prophetes when as they refuse to submit themselues vnto God For hee taketh this for a thing which all men do graunt that this is a signe of a froward and wicked minde when men doe subscribe willingly vnto lyes setting apart the truth If any man doe obiect that this doth come to passe for the most part rather through errour then malice wee may easily answere that no man is subiect to the deceits of Satan saue only so far foorth as he preferreth lyes before y e truth through a certain peruers greedinesse For how commeth it to passe that God speaketh to vs as vnto deafe men and Satan findeth vs redie and willing to heare saue only because being turned away from righteousnesse we desire vnrighteousnes of our owne accord Although we must note that Christ speaketh properly of those whom God hath illuminated peculiarly as hee vouchsafed to graunt this priuiledge vnto the Iewes that being instructed in his law they might keepe the right way of saluation It is certain that such do not giue eare to false teachers vnlesse it be because they desire to be deceiued Therefore Moses saith when false prophetes arise the people is tryed examined by this meanes whether they loue the Lord their God or no. There seemeth to be in many innocent simplicitie but without doubt it is hypocrisie that blindeth their eyes which lurketh within in their minds For it is certaine y t God doth neuer shut the gate against those who knocke that they are neuer deceiued who seeke him sincerely Therefore doth Paule truly ascribe this vnto the vengeance of God when as the power of deluding is graunted to Satan that they may beleeue lyes who hauing reiected the truth did approue vnrighteousnesse and he saith that those men doe perish who haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued So at this day the dissimulatioÌ„ of many is discouered who being addicted vnto the Popes deceite and wicked superstition do fret and fume against the Gospel with poysoned furie For if they had their mindes framed vnto the feare of God that feare should also beget obedience In the name of the father The false prophetes do boast of this title as at this day the Pope doth with full mouth boast that he is Christ his vicar Yea Satan hath deceiued miserable men vnder this colour alone since the beginning But Christe doth in this place note out the thing it selfe and no colour For he doth testifie that he came in the fathers name for this cause because he is both sent of the father and doth faithfully dispatch that which he was commanded to doe Furthermore he distinguisheth by this marke the lawfull teachers of the church from false and corrupt teachers Therfore whosoeuer do extoll themselues and doe arrogate vnto themselues authoritie of their owne ouer soules this place teacheth that they are to be reiected without feare For he that will be accounted the seruant of God must haue nothing that is separated from him Now if wee examine all the Pope his doctrine euen the verye blinde shall see that hee came in his owne name 44 How can you Because it might seeme to be an hard matter that those who had been the houshold schollers of the law and the prophets from their childhood should be condemned of so grosse ignorance and made the enemies of the truth yea it might seeme to be an vncredible thing Christ telleth them what it is that letteth them to beleeue namely because ambition did take away their soundnesse of minde For he speaketh properly vnto the Priestes and Scribes who were so puffed vp with pride that they could not submit themselues vnto God This is a most excellent place which teacheth that y e gate of faith is shut against all those whose mindes are possessed with a vaine desire of earthly glory For he that will be some
And many came vnto him This concourse doth shew that Christe sought not the wildernesse to the end he might foreslowe his office but that he might erect the sanctuarie of God in the wildernes seeing that Ierusalem which was his owne seate had obstinately refused him And truly this was an horrible vengeance of God that seeing that the temple which was chosen of God was a denne of theeues the Church of God was gathered together in a base place Iohn truly They gather that Christe was more excellent then Iohn because he wrought so many notably myracles whereas Iohn did no myracle not that we ought alwayes to iudge by myracles but because myracles being ioyned vnto doctrine are of no small importance as we haue sometimes alreadie saide Furthermore this speeche is vnperfect for they compare Christe with Iohn but they doe onely expresse the one member Secondly they take this for a thing which all men do graunt that Iohn was a great prophet of God and that he was endewed with the singular grace of the spirit Therfore they reason fitly that Christ was to be preferred before Iohn because this came to passe only by the certaine prouidence of God that Iohn who was otherwise the greatest Prophete should yet notwithstanding bee set foorth by no myracle whereby it is proued that there was respect had of Christe in that that there might the more account bee made of him And whatsoeuer thinges It seemeth that they said not thus but that it is added by the Euangelist that hee might teache vs that they were persuaded by a double reason to beleeue in Christ because they did in deed see that the 〈◊〉 which Iohn bare of him was true the myracles did purchase vnto him more dignitie Chap. II. 1 ANd there was a certaine man sick called Layarus of Bethania the towne of Marie and Marthe her sister 2 And it was Mary that aunointed the Lord with oyntment and wiped his feete with her hayre whose brother Layarus was sicke 3 Therefore his sisters sente vnto him saying beholde hee whome then louest is sicke 4 And when Iesus hard this he said this sicknes is not vnto death but for the glory of God that the sonne of God may be glorified through it 5 And Iesus loued Martha and her sister and Layarus 6 Therefore after that hee heard that hee was sicke he abode then in the place where he was two dayes 7 Then afterwarde he saide vnto his disciples Let vs goe into Iury againe 8 His disciples say vnto him Master the Iewes sought euen now to kill thee and doest thou goe thither againe 9 Iesus answered are there not twelue houres of the day If any man walke in the day time be stumbleth not because hee seeth the light of this world 10 But and if any man walke in the night hee slumbleth because he hath no light 1 And there was a certaine man sicke The Euangelist passeth ouer vnto another historie which conteineth a most famous myracle For besides that Christ did shewe a singuler token of his diuine power in raysing Lazarus from death he hath also set before our eyes liuely image of the resurrection to come And this was as it were the last act conclusion for the time of his death did now draw neere It is no maruell therefore if he did especially set foorth his glory in that worke the remembrance whereof he would haue deeply imprinted in their minds that it might be a certaine sealing of all the former thinges Christ had raysed vp other that were dead but nowe he sheweth his power vpon a rotten and stinking carkasse The circumstances which serue in this myracle to set foorth the glory of God shall bee noted in their place and order In that he saith that Lazarus was of Bethania the towne of Mary Martha it is likely that this was expressed because Lazarus was not so famous amongest the faithfull as were his sisters For these holy women were wont to lodge Christ as it appeareth out of Luk. 10. 38. The Monkes and such bablers in time of Papistiâ—e did too grosly erre who made of Castelluâ—â— that is a little towne or streete a Castle It proceedeth from like ignorance that they feigne that this Mary the sister of Lazarus was that infamous and wicked woman whereof Luke maketh mention 7. 37. The annoynting was the cause of the errour as if it did not manifestly appear that Christ was oftentimes annoynted and that in diuers places The sinnefull woman of whom Luke maketh mention annoynted Christ at Ierusalem where she liued And Mary did the same thing at Bethania afterward in her streete And the pretertense which the Euangelist vseth annoynted must not be referred vnto the time of the thing done which we haue now in hande but vnto the time when the Euangelist did write as if he should say this is Mary whiche did afterwarde powre out the oyntment which caused the murmuring amongst the disciples 2 Beholde hee whome thou louest is sick A short message but yet such that Christ might gather out of the same what the two sisters meant for vnder this coÌ„plaint they do modestly insinuate their praiers that he would helpe them For we are forbidden to vse a long forme of prayer yet the summe is this that we must cast our eares and what miseries soeuer doe vexe vs into God his bosome that he may send remedie for them So doe these women deale with Christ. They doe familiarly lay before him their griefe and doe hope to be released thereof VVe must also note that they conceiue hope to obtaine helpe by the loue of Christe And this is a continuall rule of praying aright for where the loue of God is there is certaine and present health because he loueth not and forsaketl 4 And when Iesus heard this His meaning was by this answere to deliuer his Disciples from care least they shoulde be greeued because they sawe him so carelesse in his friend his daunger Therefore least they shoulde be in the meane season carefull hee saith that the sicknesse is not vnto death but he rather promiseth that it shal be vnto him a new matter of glory Furthermore although Lazarus were dead yet because Christe restoreth him shortly after vnto life respecting this end he saith that the sicknesse is not vnto death The other member for the glory of God is not so set against it as if this were a perpetuall argument For wee know that euen whilest the wicked do perish the glory of God doeth no lesse manifestly appeare in their destruction then in the saluation of the godly But Christ dyd properly in this place speake of the glory of god which was ioyned with his office Furthermore there appeared no fearefull power of God in the myracles of Christe but that which was sweete and bountifull Therefore seeing that he affirmeth that there is no perill of death when hee will shew foorth his glory and the glorie of his father wee must consider
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
I haue dipped it And when hee had dipped the soppe hee giueth it to Iudas the sonne of Simon Iscariot 27 And after the soppe Satan entred into him Therefore Iesus saith vnto him that which thou doest doe quickly 28 But none of these that sate at meate knew why he said this vnto him 29 For some thought because Iudas had the bagge that Iesus said vnto him buy those thinges whereof we haue neede against the holy day or that he should giue somewhat to the poore 21 And when Iesus had said thus The more holy the Apostolicall office is and the more excellent it is the more filthie and detestable was the treason of Iudas Therefore such and so horrible a monster did make Christ himselfe afraide when as he sawe that holy order wherein the maiestie of God ought to haue shined polluted with the incredible wickednesse of one man To the same ende tendeth that whiche the Euangelist addeth afterwarde that hee testified to wit because it was a more monstrous thing then that it could haue been beleeued beeing but simply vttered He saith that Christ was troubled in the spirite to the end we may know that hee shewed some token of a troubled man not only in countenance and wordes but that he was altogether so affected in minde The spirite is taken for the minde or soule Neither am I of some mens opinion who expound this that Christ was moued as it were with some violent motion of the spirite so that he brake foorth into these wordes I confesse in deede that the spirite did gouerne all Christes affections but the Euangelist his meaning is otherwise that this passion was from within and not feigned It is very requisite that wee know this because his zeale is set before vs to the end we may follow the same that wee may be horriblie afraide of those monsters which doe ouerthrowe the holy order of God and the Church 22 Therefore they looked one vpon another Those who know nothing by themselues are made to doubt with that saying of Christe only Iudas was so amazed in his wickednesse that he is not touched The disciples made so great account of Christe that they were certainely persuaded that he spake nothing vnaduisedly but Satā had quite pluckt out of the hearte of Iudas all reuerence so that hee was harder then a stonie rock to beate backe all admonitions And although Christe seemeth to deale somwhat vncourteously in that he vexeth the innocent for a season yet because this doubtfulnesse was profitable for them Christ did them no iniurie For it is expedient that euen the children of God be vexed when as they heare the iudgement of the wicked to the ende they may examine themselues and beware of hypocrisie for there is an occasion giuen them thereby to examine themselues and their life This place teacheth that the wicked must be so touched sometimes that wee doe not by and by poynt them out with the finger vntill such time as God doth bring them to the light by his hand For there are sometimes secrete diseases in the Church which we may not hide In the meane season the wickednesse of those men is not so rype that it may be discouered therfore we must keepe this meane then 23 VVhom Iesus loued The particular loue wherewith Christe loued Iohn doth manifestly testifie that it is not alwayes repunaunt vnto loue if we loue some more then othersome but in this consisteth the whole that our loue haue respect vnto God and that the more euery man excelleth in the giftes of God wee loue him so muche the more Christ dyd neuer misse this marke no not the least iote But it fareth farre otherwise with vs for such is the vanitie of our nature there bee few which draw nigher vnto God by louing men But the loue of men shall neuer be wel framed amongest themselues vnlesse it be referred vnto God VVhereas Iohn saith that hee leaned vppon Iesus his breast that might seeme an vndecent thing at this day but suche was the maner of sitting at meate at that time For they sate not at a Table as we doe but hauing put off their shoes and leaning vpon coushins they sate halfe vpright in beds 26 To whom I shall giue a sop If any man demaund to what end it serued by reaching a sop to poynt out the traytor seeing that Christ might haue named him openly it hee woulde haue had him knowen I aunswere that it was such a token as that Iudas was but made knowen to one by it and was not by and by so bewrayed that they myghte all see and knowe hym It was also verye profitable that Iohn shoulde knowe this to the ende hee mighte afterwarde reueale it vnto others in his time Christe did deferre to make Iudas knowen to the end we may the more easily suffer hypocrites vntill they he brought to light VVe see that Iudas was yet condemned by the mouth of the iudge as he sate amongest others Their condition is neuer a whit the better who haue a place amongst the children of God 27 Satan entred into him Seeing that it is certaine that Iudas conceiued so great a wickednesse only through the persuasion of Satan why is it said that Satā entred now first of al into him who did alredy reigne in his heart As they are oftentimes said to beleeue who are more confirmed in the faith which they had long agoe and so that addition of faith is called faith so now when as Iudas is wholy addicted vnto Satan so that he is by furious force caried vnto the very exreamest things Satan is said to haue entred into him For as the saints goe forwarde by degrees and inasmuch as they are oftentimes encreased with new gifts they are saide to be filled with the holy Ghost so for asmuche as the wicked doe prouoke Gods wrath against them with their vnthankfulnesse the Lorde doth giue them ouer to be Satan his bondslaues being dispoyled of his spirite of all light of reason and consequently of all humane sense and fealing This is the horrible vengeance of God when as men are giuen vp into a reprobate sense that they differ almost nothing from bruite beastes yea they runne headlong into wickednesse which the very beastes abhorre Therefore we must walke carefully in the feare of the Lord least that if we ouercome his goodnesse with our wickednesse he deliuer vs vp at length to the lust and will of Satan But the sop which Christ reached made no place for Satan but rather when Iudas had receiued the sop he gaue himselfe wholy to Satan This was the occasion but not the cause Furthermore so great mercifulnesse of Christ ought to haue softned euen a breast of Iron but his desperate and vncurable obstinacie deserueth this now that God shoulde in his iust iudgement make his heart more harde by Satan So whylest that wee heape coales of fire vppon our enemies heades by doing well vnto them if they be
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
they despise the heauenlye illumination Although this pride dooth reigne euery where which extinguisheth the light of the holy spirite asmuch as is possible yet let vs who acknowledge our owne pouertie knowe that what sound vnderstanding soeuer wee haue it proceedeth from no other fountaine Neuerthelesse the woordes of Christe doe declare that nothing canne be perceiued concerninge the holye spirite by humane sense but that hee is knowne by the experience of fayth alone The worlde saieth hee cannot receiue the spirit beecause it knoweth him not but yee knowe him beecause hee abydeth with you Therefore it is the spirite aloane whiche reuealeth himselfe vnto vs by dwellinge in vs beeing otherwise vnknowne and vncomprehensible 18. I will not leaue you as Orphanes This place teacheth what menne are and what they are able to do when they are depriued of the ayde of the spirit to witte they are fatherlesse children layd open to all manner deceites and iniuries vnfitte to gouerne themselues finally vnfitte of them selues to doe any thing The onely remedy of so great want is if Christe doe gouerne vs by his spirit which thing he promiseth he wil do Therefore the Disciples are firste admonished of their owne weakenes to the ende they may distrust themselues and depende vppon Christe his ayde alone Secondly he putteth them in good hope by promising a remedie because he saith that he wil not faile them VVhen as he saith I wil come vnto you he declareth how he dwelleth in his and fulfilleth all thinges to witte by the power of his spirit VVhereby it appeareth also that the grace of the spirite is an excellent and euident testimonie of hys diuinitie 19. Yet a litle and the world shal see me no more but you see me because I liue and you shal liue 20. In that day yee shall knowe that I am in the Father and you in mee and I in you 19. Yet a litle He proceedeth in the commendation of the peculiar grace which ought to haue sufficed the disciples to lighten yea quite to remoue their sorrowe VVhen as saieth hee I shall be remoued out of the sight of the world I will neuerthelesse be present with you And to the ende we may enioy this secrete beholding of Christe wee must not esteeme his presence or absence by the sense of the flesh but we must endeuour to behold his power with the eyes of faith VVhereby it cōmeth to passe that the faithful haue Christe alwayes present with them by his spirite and doe also beholde him how farre soeuer they be distant from him in body because I liue There may be a double sense and meaning of these words eyther that this sentence may be a confirmation of the next member or that it may be read by it selfe that the faithfull shall liue for this cause because Christ liueth I do willingly embrace the former sense out of which notwithstāding this other doctrine is gathered that the life of Christ is the cause of our life He dooth first of al note the cause of the difference why he shal be seene of his not of the world because Christ cānot be seene saue only according to the spiritual life wherof y e world is depriued The world seeth not christ it is no merueil for death is y e cause blindnesse But so soone as a man beginneth to liue by the spirit he is also endowed with eyes to see Christ. And this falleth out therefore beecause our life is also ioyned with Christe his life and floweth thence as from a fountaine For we are dead in our selues and the life wherein we flatter our selues is most wicked death Therefore when wee are occupied about obtaining life we must turne our eies toward Christ must translate his life vnto our selues by faith that our consciences may be fully assured that we are free from al daunger of death so long as Christe liueth for that is sure and certeine that his life is no life when his members are dead 20. In that day Many referre it vnto the daye of Pentecost but the continuall tenor as it were of one day is noted rather from the time that Christ shewed forth the power of his spirit vntill the laste resurrection They beganne to know already but it was a certeine slender rudimente or first instruction because the spirit had not wrought so effectuallye in them as yet For the wordes tende to this end that it cannot bee knowne by an idle spectulation what maner spiritual and mistical vnion that is which is betweene him and vs and againe betweene him and the father but that this is the onely way and meanes to know the same when as he powreth out his life into vs by the hidden woorking of the spirite and that is the experiment of faith whereof I spake a litle before And wheras the Arrians abused this testimony in times past that they might proue that Christ was God onely by participation and grace their cauill is easily aunswered For doubtlesse Christ entreateth not simply of his eternall essence but he commendeth that diuine power which was reuealed in himselfe For as the father hath giuen vnto the sonne the fulnesse of all manner of good thinges so againe the sonne hath powred out himselfe into vs. VVee are saide to bee in him beecause when as wee are engrafted into his body we are made partakers of righteousnesse and of all his good things hee is said to be in vs because hee dooth plainely declare by the efficacie of his spirit that he is vnto vs the authour and cause of life 21. He that hath my preceptes and keepeth them it is he that loueth me and hee that loueth me shal be loued of my father and I wil loue him and will reueale my self vnto him 22. Iudas saith vnto him not Iudas Iscariotes Lord what is done that thou wilt shew thy self vnto vs and not vnto the world 23. Iesus aunswared and saide vnto him if anye manne loue mee hee will keepe my woorde and my father will loue him and wee will come vnto him and wil abide with him 24. He that loueth not me keepeth not my sayings and the word which you haue heard is not mine but his that sent me 2◠Hee that hath my preceptes Hee repeateth the former sentence agayne because the true tryall of our loue toward him consisteth therin if we keepe his commaundementes VVhereof he putteth the disciples so often in minde least they misse the marke because we are most bent to fall awaye vnto carnall affection so that wee loue something else then Christ vnder the name of Christ. VVherunto appertaineth that of Paul likewise 2. Corin. 5. 16. Although we haue knowne Christe according to the flesh yet doe we know him so no more Therfore let vs be a new creature To haue the preceptes of Christ signifieth to be well instructed in them and to keepe them is to frame a mans selfe and his life according to their rule He that loueth me Christe speaketh
from all vice but he setteth before them an experiment whereby they may learne how necessary the continuance of grace is Furthermore he commendeth the doctrine of the Gospell vnto them for the fruit therof to the end they may be the more sharpened continually to meditate thereupon seeing that it is as it were the vine dresser his knife to purge all filthinesse 4 Abide in mee Hee exhorteth them againe to be desirous carefull to retaine that grace wherewith they are endowed For the carelesnesse of our flesh can neuer be sufficiently awaked And this is Christe only drift to keepe vs vnder his wings as an hen keepeth her chickins least being carried away with our lightnesse we flie thence to our owne destruction Therefore to the end hee may proue that hee began not the worke of our saluation that he may leaue it halfe vndone he promiseth that his spirite shall alwayes be effectuall in vs if wee our selues be not in the fault Abide in mee saith he because I am readie to abide in you Againe he that abideth in me bringeth foorth much fruite By which words he declareth that all those are fruitful braunches which haue a liuely roote in him 5 VVithout mee yee can doe nothing This is the conclusion the application of all the whole parable so long as we are without him we canne bring foorth no good fruite and suche as is acceptable in the sight of God because we are vnfit to do well The Papists do not onely extenuate but also quite weaken this sentence yea they doe altogether mocke it For although they confesse in worde that we are able to do nothing without Christ yet they dreame that we haue some power which is not sufficient of it selfe yet it worketh together being holpen with the grace of God For they cannot abide that man should bee so debased but that he shoulde conferre and bring somewhat of himselfe But they cannot so easily mocke so manifest wordes of Christe This is the glose and inuention of the Papistes that we are able to doe nothing without Christ yet being holpen by him we haue somewhat of our selues besides his grace But on the contrary Christ affirmeth that we can do nothing of our selues The braunch saith he beareth not fruite of it selfe Therfore he doth not only in this place commend the help of his grace which worketh togeather but he doth quite depriue vs of all power vnlesse it be that which he himselfe giueth vs. Therefore this particle without me must be resolued thus not but by me There foloweth an other cauill for they pretende that the braunch hath somewhat by nature because if another graft which beareth no fruite bee brought into the vineyard it will beare nothing But this may be easily answered because Christ reasoneth not what thing the braunch hath by nature before it cleaue to the vine but he meaneth rather that we begin to bee made braunches then whilest that we grow and encrease by receiuing nourishment from him And certainely the scripture sheweth els where that we are vnprofitable and drie wood vntil such time as we be in him 6 If any man shall not abide in mee Setting before them the punishement of their vnthankfulnesse againe hee sharpeneth and stirreth them vp againe vnto perseuerance This thing is in deede the gift of God yet this exhortation vnto feare is not superfluous least our wanton flesh doe roote vs out They are said to wither like drie boughes which are cut off from Christ because as they haue the beginning of their strength from him euen so haue they the continuall tenour Not because it falleth out at any time that any of the elect are cut off but because many hypocrites doe florish for a time to looke to and are greene who doe afterward make frustrate the hope of the Lord in giuing fruite 7 If yee shall abide in me and my wordes shall abide in you yee shall aske what you will and it shall bee done to you 8 In this is my father glorified that yee beare much fruite and bee my Disciples 9 As the father hath loued mee I haue also loued you abide in my loue 10 If yee shall keepe my precepts yee shall abide in my loue as I also haue kept the commandements of my father and abide in his loue 11 These thinges haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy may abide in you and your ioy may be fulfilled 7 If you shall abide in me Because the faithful do oftentimes perceiue that they are hungrie and far from that plentifull fatnesse which is sufficient to yeeld plentifull fruit therfore this is added by name that there is helpe prepared for their pouertie what things soeuer they shall need which are in Christ so soone as they shall beg them at Gods hands This is a very profitable admonition For God doth oftentimes suffer vs to hunger to the end he may exercise vs in the desire to pray but if we flie vnto him he will neuer denie our petitiōs but will giue of his store that can neuer be spent what thing soeuer wee haue need of 1. Cor. 1. 5. VVhen as he saith If my wordes shall abide in you his meaning is that wee take roote in him by faith For so soone as we are departed from the doctrine of the Gospell Christ is sought without himselfe VVhen as he promiseth that that shal be graunted vs if we will any thing he doth not graunt vs leaue to aske euery thing for God should but badly prouide for our health if hee should shew himselfe to be so easie to be entreated and so dutifull For it is well knowen what disordered petitions men doe vse for the most part But he restraineth the petitions of his in this place vnto the rule of praying aright whiche maketh all our affections subiect to the will of God and that doth the circumstance of y ◠place confirme for he meaneth that his are not desirous of riches or honor or any such thing which the flesh doth foolishly desire but of the vitall ioyce of the holy spirite whereby they may bring foorth fruite 8 In this is my father glorified A confirmation of the sentence nexte going before For he sheweth that we may bee fully assured that God heareth the prayers of his whenas they shall desire to bee made fruitefull because this serueth much to set foorth his glory Notwithstanding he doth also kindle in them the desire of well doing by this end or effect because there is nothing whereof we ought to make greater account then of this y t the name of God may be glorified through vs. To the same purpose serueth the latter member And yee may be my Disciples because he pronounceth that he hath none in his flocke saue only those which bring foorth fruite to the glory of God 9 As the father hath loued mee His meaning was to expresse some far greater thing then they commonly suppose For those which thinke that hee speaketh in
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
Christ did indeede execute the office of a teacher yet he vsed the hidden reuelation of the spirit and not onely the sound of the voice to make his father manyfest His meaninge is therefore that he taught the Apostles effectually but because their fayth was yet weake he promyseth vnto them greater proceedinges and that they should profit better in time to come and so he prepareth them to hope for greater grace of the spirit And although he speaketh of the Apostles we may gather a common exhortation thence that wee study to go forward dayly and that we do not think that wee haue runne so wel but that we haue yet far to go so long as we are compassed aboute with the flesh That the loue c. That is that thou maist loue them in me or that the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may spread it selfe abroade euen vnto them For the loue wherewith God loueth vs to speake properlye is no other loue saue that wherewith he hath loued his sonne from the beeginning that he might make vs also acceptable amiable vnto himself in him And certeinly as I haue sayd a litle before we are hated of God as touching our selues without Christ and he beginneth to loue vs theÌ„ when as we grow into the body of his well beloued sonne This is an vnestimable priueledge of fayth in that we know that the father loued Christ for our sakes that we might be may be partakers of the same loue continuallye But we must note this particle I in them whereby wee are taught that we are no otherwise comprehend in that loue whereof he speaketh vnlesse Christ dwel in vs. For as the father cannot behold the sonne but that he hath all his body before him together so if wee wyll haue him to beeholde vs we must be his members indeede Chap. 18. 1. VVHen Iesus had spoken these thinges he went out with his disciples ouer the brock Cedron where was a garden whereinto he entred his disciples 2. And Iudas knew the place also which betrayed him because Iesus came thither often with his disciples 3. Therefore when Iudas had receiued a band and ministers of the Priests and Pharises he came thither with lanternes and lightes and weapons 4. And seeing that Iesus knew what thinges soeuer should come vpon him hee went out and said vnto them whom seeke yee 5. They answered him Iesus of Nazareth Iesus said vnto them I am he And Iudas which betrayed him stoode with them 6. Therefore so soone as he sayde vnto them I am he they went backward and fell to the ground 1 VVhen Iesus had spoken these thinges In this hystory Iohn omitteth many thinges which are read in the other three Euangelistes and this doth he with good aduisement like as he determined to gather many thinges worthy to be remembred which they conceale Therefore let the readers borrow these thinges of the other Euangelistes which are wantinge heere Ouer the brooke Cedron In the Greeke the article is added as if the brook had his name of Cedars but it is like that it crept in through errour For there is mention made oftentimes of the valleye or brooke Kidrâ—n in the scripture The place was so called by reason of the darknes beecause the valley was hollow and therefore darke Although I doe not contend about that matter I bring that onely whiche is more like to be true wee must especially note the Euangelists purpose in shewing the place for he meant to shew that Christ went forth willingly vnto death Hee cometh into the place which he knew Iudas knew familiarly Why so saue only that he may willingly offer himself vnto the traitor his enemies Neither did vnaduisednesse or rashnesse deceiue him seeing that he knew al things before which were at hand Iohn addeth afterward that he went to mete them Therefore he died not being constrained but of his owne accord that he might be a voluÌ„tary sacrifice for without obedience our sinnes had not ben purged Furthermore he entreth into the garden not that he may hide himselfe there but that he might haue freer and more space to pray And in that he desired thrice to be deliuered from death it is not contrary to that willing obedience whereof we haue spoken For it was meete that he should wrastle with difficulties and daungers that he might at length get the victorie now hauing subdued the horrour of death he maketh haste vnto death freely and ioyfully 3. Therefore Iudas In that Iudas commeth furnished with souldiours and so great a garde in is a signe of an euill conscience which feareth alwayes for no cause It is certaine that he receiued the band of menne at the Presidents pleasure who sent also a Tribune who was a captaine of a thousand footemen For there was a garrison of soldiours alwaies in the citie for feare of sodaine tumultes and the President himselfe did alwayes carie with him a companie of soldiours which wayted vppon him whether soeuer he went the rest were the seruaunts of the priestes But Iohn nameth the Pharisies apart whose madnesse was most hotte as if they cared more religion 4. And seeing Iesus knâ—we The Euangelist setteth downe more plainely how willingly Christ went vnto death and yet he doth also shew what great power he breathed out in one voyce and woorde to the ende we may knowe that the wicked could doe no more to him then he suffered them Hee answeareth courteously that he is the same man whome they seeke and yet he throweth them downe to the ground as if it had been with a violent whirlewinde yea with a thunderbolte Therefore hee wanted no power to stay and restraine their hands if he had thought it good but he woulde obey his father by whose decree he knewe he was called to die Hence we gather how horrible and fearful Christ his voice shal be to the wicked when as he shal sitte vppon his iudgement seate to iudge the world He stode then as a lambe ready to be offred vp in sacrifice he was depriued of his maiestie then to loke to he throweth down his enemies at a sodaine with one word which were armed fre from feare and with this word he did not accuse them but doth only answer I am hee VVhat shall befall them then when hee shall come not to bee iudged of men but to be the iudge of quicke and dead not in that base and simple apparell but in his heauenly glory with his Angelles But he meant to shew some token of that force and efficacy which Isaias 11. 4. giueth to his voyce The Prophet reckeneth this amongst other powers vertues of Christ that he shall strike the earth with the rodde of hys mouth and he shal flea the wicked with the breath of his lips Paul suspendeth and deferreth the fulfilling of this prophesie vntill the ende 2. Thes. 2. 8. Yet we see the wicked fall daily with their fury and pride at the voyce of Christ.
spake openly 18. 20 The name comforter apperteineth aswell to Christ as to the spirit 14 16 The comforter should not haue come vnlesse Christe had gone away 16. 7 hee should teach the Apostles al things 14. 26 Christ his godlines towardes his mother was strange 19. 25 Christe is the onelye meanes to please God 1. 29 How wee receiue of Christe his fulnes 1. 16. Christ sitteth vppon a colte 12. 14 15 Christe praieth for his Apostles and not for the world 17. 9 Christ is the king of Israel 1. 46 and 12. 13 Christ his coat 19. 23 The multitude wil make Christe a king 6. 16 They seeke Christ that they may be filled 6. 16 They beare witnesse of Christe 12. 17 Church How the Church can be restored 6. 45 What we must chiefly respecte in the gouernment of the church 10. The church hath no more deadly enemies than houshold enemies 13. 18 Circumcision Circum is of the Fathers 7. 22 Commandement The commandements of Christ are loue 15. 12 Those which keepe Christ his coÌ„mandementes are beloued of him 15. 10 Confession Confes. must not bee separated from faith 12. 24 Confidence Confid in our knowledge is the worste plague of all other 7. 28 The hope and confidence which leaneth vnto Christ ouercommeth al feare 12. 14 The certeintie of confidence is necessary 3. 18 Conscience whence peace of conscience ariseth 15. 11. A notable example of a fearfull conscience in Pilate 19. 11. Counsel Counsel taken according to the reason of the flesh 11. 49. Crosse. the humilitie of the crosse offendeth many 1. 46. If the feare of the crosse doe terrifie vs from followinge christe it is a great shame 19. 25. Crowne the crowne of thornes 19. 2 Cuppe those men do not refuse the cuppe giuen them of God who seeke remedy for diseases 18. 11. Curiositie An example of hurtfull curiosity in Peter 2. 20. D. Darkenesse To walke in darkenesse 8. 12. 25. not to abide in the same place 46. Dauid Dauid did beare Christe his person 16. 28. Dead the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God 5. 25. Christ raiseth the dead As the father 5. 21. Death VVhy christ his death is a sacrifice for our sinnes 10. 18. Christe his deathe is likened to sowing 12. 23. why it was requisite that christe his death shuld be voluÌ„tary 12. 12 Christe his death was the perfect restoring of the world 12. 31 In the death of christe we haue sure hope of life 19. 30. what we oughte chiefly to consider in the deathe of Christe 12. 27. In the death of christe we must loke vnto the eternall counsell of God 16. 32. there was nothinge done in the death of christ but that which was decreed by the hande and counsell of God 19. 17. the whole accomplishing of our saluation and all the partes thereof are contained in the deathe of christ 19. 30. The death of faithfull is a passage vnto God 3. 1. Howe the bitternesse of deathe waxeth pleasant vnto vs. 12. 26. The houre of euery man Death is appoynted 7. 30. All men are naturally afraide of death 21. 18. VVe caÌ„not ouercome the fear of death without gods helpe 21. 18. God is glorified by the death of the martyrs in y â— same place How that those that beleeue are sayd to passe from death to life 5. 24. None of the faithfull shall see death 8. 51. Deedes All the deedes of Christ are not to be imitated 13. 14. Doe VVithout me yee can doe nothing 15. 5. Degrees Degrees to be coÌ„sidered in the wordes of Christ. 12. 27. Deliberation Deliberation which is godly 11. 48. Deceit Deceit what it signifieth in Iohn 1. 47. Disciples By what marke Christ distinguished his disciples froÌ„ the world 14. 2â— 17. 22. True disciples of Christe 8. 31. The disciple is not greater then his master 19. 26. The disciples of Christe goinge backewarde 6. 66. The disciples beleeue Christe 2. 11. Iesus standeth in the middest of them 20. 19. The disciples are sent 17. 18. 20. 21. The disciples are cleane 13. 11. because of the woorde of Christe 15. 3. Dissention Dissention about christ 7. 43. 10. 19. Deuill The deuil is the father of lying 8. 44. VVhether the deuill be a lier by nature or no. 8. 44. Diuinitie Diuinitie of Christe sheweth forth it selfe more mightily after his ascention 14. 12. The diuinitie of Christe is eternall 11. Doctrine What is the chiefest thing in doctrine 1. 45. How Christ calleth his doctrine the fathers doctrine 7. 16. Christe is asked by Cayphas of his doctrine 18. 19. The end of Christ his doctrine 16. 25. Those which loue Christes doctrine do profit dayly 14. 21. Christ his doctrine is a stone of stumbling to the vnbeleeuers 6. 66 They blaspheme the spirit who thinke that any thâ—ng ought to be added vnto the doctrine of the Apostles 16. 13. We must stay our selues vpon the doctrin of the Apostls in the same place It is a peculier gifte of God to embrace doctrine 6. 44. Whence we must set the autority of the spiritual doctrine 7. 16. The way to examine doctrin 7. 18 The contempt of doctrine troubleth the godly 15. 20. The doctrine of Christ shall be a death to the vnbeleeuers 6. 60. Wee must distinguish diligently betweene general doctrine suppositions 19. 7. Drawn How men are said to bee drawn of God 6. 44. Draweth The father draweth vnto Christ. 6. 44. Dye It is expedient that one dye for the people 11. 51. 18. 14. Dyeth Christ dieth 16. 19. 30 Duety VVhat is our duetie in entring into daungers 7. 1. E Elect. Howe the elect are distinguished from the reprobate 17. 6. Why god careth for the elect 17. 3 Gods spirit worketh in the elect after an hidden manner 17. 10. By what marke the Elect are distinguished from the reprobate 5. 29. and 6. 37. God keepeth backe the Elect by an hidden bridle 20. 28. Christ giueth life to the Elect alone 17. 3. How sure the Electe are of their saluation 10. 29. Election Election is lame without faith 6. 40. The knowledge of Election ought to procure in vs the desire to praie 17. 9. Two kinds of Election 15. 16. Elias Elias called Iohn 1. 21. Empires Empires did not arise rashely nor through the errour of men 10. 35. Errour Errour arose amongst the disciples by mistaking the wordes of Christ. 21. 23. Erring No end of erring vnlesse we cleaue to the worde of GOD. 22. 23. Eutiches Eutich heretike 21. 23 Euangelist Those things are sufficient to saluation whiche the Euangelistes haue comprehended in writinges 21. 24. Euils The Euils which we suffer are to be imputed to our liues 5. 14 Excommunication The ryte of Excommunication did springe from the moste auncient custome of the Church 9. 22. Excommunication must be restored to his lawfull vse 16. 2. Excommunication is the sinowe of Ecclesiasticall discipline 12. 42. Excuse The Iewes haue no excuse 15. 22. Easter Preparation
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