forgotten againe tyl at the leangth they growe out of vse Therefore Christ the better to imprint the doctrine of loue in the mindes of his disciples commendeth the same of newnesse As if he should say I would haue you alwayes to remember this commaundement euen as if it were a Law newlye made To bée short we sée that the purpose of Christ in this place was to exhort his Disciples vnto loue least at any time they should suffer them selues to be drawen from the loue of the same or suffer the doctrine thereof to go out of their mindes And howe necessarye this admonicion was Loue commaunded to the Disciples daylye experience teacheth Therefore Christ geueth vnto loue this tytle of newnesse to stryre vs vp alway to imbrace the same A. And for this cause Saint Iohn in another place calleth the same newe i. Ioh. 2.7 That ye loue togeather C. Loue is extended euen to straungers and forreiners because all are of one fleshe all are created after the Image of God But because the Image of God doeth more euidently shine in those that are regenerated it is méete that the bond of loue be much more straite among the Disciples of Christ Gala. 6.20 i. â—e i. 22 i. Ioh. 3. i4 euen as the Apostle Paul exhorteth Loue hath his originall from GOD and is referred vnto him There can bée no mutuall affection of loue but onely in those that are gouerned by one spirite Christ therfore noateth here to the first degrée of loue Loue extendech it selfe to all men But we noate also that as the goodnesse of God doeth extend it selfe to the whole worlde euen so we must loue all men yea euen those which do hate vs that we may be the children of our heauenly Father which suffereth his sonne to shine vppon the good and en the euyll 35. In this shall all men knowe that yee are my Disciples if ye haue loue one to another C. Christ confirmeth againe that which hee had spoken before that they were taught in vaine in his schoole which loue not mutually among them selues As if hée should say Not only your selues shal knowe that you are my Disciples but your profession also shal be proued true before others Bv. The Disciples of other maisters are knowen by their titelles by their Apparell and by diuers other noates R. The Disciples of Antichriste are knowen by their rounding and shauing by their disguised apparell and by their externall Ceremonies The Disciples of Moyses are known by Circumcision by their holy and Sabboth dayes and by their sacrifices Loue is the badge of Christes Disciples but all men in the whoale worlde shall knowe by one noat and badge that ye are my very and true Disciples yf so be ye retaine suche loue among you as I shewe vnto you Therefore séeing Christ hath prescribed this to be the only and sertaine noate to knowe his discipls by are they not fooles and mad men who forsaking so playne and absolute a commaundement séeke other noates For there are some that think they shall be true Christians yf so be they can créepe into a Monkes Coole if so be they builde Temples and erect alters come to Masses and do obserue such like traditions of men Therfore séeing Christ discerneth his Disciples by loue from other Disciples they weary them selues in vaine who forsaking loue forge vnto them selues newe worshippes the which vanitie is to bee séene at this daye in the Papacy And it is not superfluouse that Christ standeth so much vppon this poynt For self-selfloue doth so rule vs for the most parte that true loue is cleane banished away Wherefore whosoeuer desiereth to bée a true Disciple of Christ let him frame and direct his whoale lyfe to loue his bretheren and dayly practise the same Neyther is there any cause why the enemies of Gods truth should by this place extenuate the frée iustification which commeth by faith For we our selues doe acknoweledge and confesse that there is no fayth without loue but we knowe that loue springeth from faith For the whiche cause the Apostle Paule commendeth to the Churches of Galatia faith which worketh thorowe loue Gala. 5.6 36. Simon Peeter sayd vnto hym Lorde whether goeste thou Iesus aunswered hym whether I goe thou canst not followe mee nowe but thou shalte follow mee afterwards M. Againe the loue of Simon towardes the Lord bewrayed it selfe Hee was very loth to be seperated from him whom he so entierly loued béeing redy to follow him whether soeuer he went Therefore when he heard the Lord saye whether I goe thether yee cannot come with a troubled mind he demaunded saying Lord whether goest thou C. Whereby it appeareth how great the rudenesse of Peeter was who béeing so oftentimes admonished of the death and departure of Christ was now troubled as if he had neuer heard any whit of the same Howebéeit in this we are to like vnto him For we heare dayelye out of the mouth of Christ all thinges apte and méete for this life and necessary to be knowen but when wee come vnto the matter we are no lesse astonished than nouices which neuer heard of the same M. Péeter maketh no aunswere to those thinges concerning mutuall loue which the Lord had commaunded But leauing that demandeth whether Christ went C. By which wordes he declareth that he had to great a desyer of the carnall presence of Christ For he thought this very vnméete that Christ should goe to another place and he be left behinde VVhether J goe thou canst not followe me Now he more plainly vttereth that which he had spokeÌ„ before whether I go thether can ye not come C. And withall he brideleth the importunate desyre of Péeter And he speaketh precisely as it became a Maister notwithstanding strayt after he mittigateth the sharpnesse of hys wordes teaching that he shall be seperated from them but for a short time M. Heare we must noate that there are certaine times and momentes appoynted of God to euery faithfull man in the which they departing out of this life maye followe their Lord before the which times noane maye followe him Peeter in déede had his time comming to followe the Lord as here also it is sayd but he had his moments and appoynted time of the which mencion is made in the eyghtéenth verse of the one twenty Chapter following C. In this place therefore we are taught to submitte our prayers vnto God lest they passe their boundes the which if they doe we must suffer them to be restrayned with thys brydell Moreouer lest we should faynt or be discouraged let vs remember the consolation which strayght after he addeth promising that we shall one daye come vnto him For he meaneth that Péeter as yet was not méete to beare his crosse but as a gréene and vntimely plant yet notwithstanding that in continuaunce of time he should bée made apte for the same Wherefore wée must pray vnto God that he
of oure lyfe But whereas the Arians haue in time past abused this testimonye to prooue Christe to be God by participation only and grace their cauill may easily be confuted For Christ doth not simply defend his eternall essence but commendeth that deuine power which was reuealed in him For as the Father left all fulnesse of goodnesse in his sonne so in like manner his sonne hath powred hym selfe wholy into vs. 21. He that hath my commandementes and keepeth them the same is hee that loueth mee and hee that loueth me shall bee loued of my Father and I will loue him and wil shew my ovvne selfe vnto hym Bv. Heare the Lord repeateth that againe which he had otherwise propounded before saying If ye loue me keepe my commaundementes C And againe he exhorteth the Faithfull and teacheth that the true proofe of their loue toward him consisteth in this that they obserue and keepe his commaundementes of the which matter he so often times admonisheth his Disciples lest they shoulde swarue from the same because we are more proane to nothing than to carnall affection insomuch that vnder the name of Christe we loue somewhat besyde Christe To the which effecte pertaineth this saying ef saincte Paule Although wee haue knowen Christ after the fleshe 2 Cor. 5 16 now yet henceforth knowe wee him so noe more Therefore if any man be in Christe he is a newe creature M. He sayeth not simply yf any man kéepe my commaundementes but he sayeth Hee that hath my commaundementes and kepeth them C. And to haue the commaundemenâ—s signifieth to be rightly instructed in theÌ„ to frame him selfe his life vnto them Bv. And by the commaundementes he vnderstandeth faith and loue A. For this is his commaundemente that wée beléeue his name i. Ioh 3.23 and loue one another And then he addeth the reward or fruite of faith and of perseueraunce in the loue of God by which he encourageth those that ronne well to goe forwarde And hee that loueth mee shal bee loued Bv. To beloued of the Father is to be receiued into the frendshippe of the most high God and to be preserued and defended by God M. But heare it may be demaunded howe Christ sayeth that he is loued of the Father whiche loued him as though wee must fyrste loue him before we can be loued of the father C. Obiection For Christ speketh as though men might preuent him with their loue the which notwithstanding is verye absurde Rom 5 i0 for at such tyme as we were his enemies he reconciled vs to himselfe Also S. Iohn saith In this is loue not that wee loued God but in that he loued vs. i Ioh 4 i0 But heare is no controuercy concerning the cause or the effecte Terefore it is gathered amis that the loue wherewith we loue Christe must néedes goe before that loue which God beareth vnto vs. For this only is the purpose of Christe to shew that al they shal be blessed which loue hym because they shal be loued of the father in like manner againe not that God beginneth then to loue them but because they haue the testimony of his fatherly loue writen in their hartes To the same effecte pertaineth also that which followeth in the nexte member where he sayeth And wil shewe my owne selfe vnto him C. knoweledge verelye goeth before loue but this is the purpose of Christ that he wyll geue vnto the true imbracers of his Doctrine strength to profite daylye in the faith that is to saye I wyl bring to passe that they shall come néerer and more familliarlye vnto mée Bv I wyl increase in them my gifts that from thence foorth they knowing more rightlye and fullye the misteryes of Gods kingdome maye bée ioyned at the last by the same perfect faith vnto me and maye also enioye mée to theyr soules health For faith and the knowledge of Christ haue theyr degrées whiche encrease more and more tyll they growe vnto the full measure C. Hereby wée maye perceyue that the fruite of Godlynesse is the going foreward in the knowledge of Christ For he which promised to geue vnto him that hath reiecting Hipocrites maketh all to profite in the faith who vnfainedlye imbracing the doctrine of the Gospell frame them selues wholly vnto the obedience thereof And herevpon it commeth that many going backward we doe sée scarce the tenth man to goe forewarde in his right course because the greater part is vnworthy to behold Christ Also we must noate that more ample knowledge of Christ is here set forth as a singular rewarde of our loue to Christ wherevpon it followeth that it is an vnspeakeable treasure 22. Iudas sayeth vnto him not Iudas Iscariot Lord vvhat is done that thou wilt shewe thy selfe vnto vs and not vnto the world B. Because the Disciples had not receyued as yet the spirite of trueth they vnderstoode lyttle or nothing of all those thinges which the Lorde spake Wherevpon Iudas here demaunded a question no more to the purpose than Thomas and Philip had done before The Lorde had shewed vnto them that his departure should profite them more than his carnal presence and that therefore there was no cause of sorrowe but rather occasion offered them dilligently to obserue and kéepe his commandements Nowe Iudas but not Iudas Iscariot the Traytour but Iudas whose syr name was Thaddeus whose Epistle also is called the Epistle of Saint Iude as knowing none of these thinges sayde Lorde what is done C. It séemed vnto him verye vnméete that Christ which was and is the sonne of righteousnesse by whome all the worlde ought to be illumined shoulde lyghten onelye a fewe and not spreade forth his beames vppon all Bv. As if he had sayde Howe maye it bée séeing thou art nowe knowne vnto all menne that thou shouldest manifest thy selfe onelye vnto vs and not to the worlde R. Are not we also in the worlde are not we a parte of the worlde Wherefore if thou manifest thy selfe vnto vs arte thou not also manifest to the worlde 23. Iesus aunswered and sayde vnto him Yf a man loue mee hee vvill keepe my sayinges and my Father vvill loue him and vvee vvill come vnto him and dvvel vvith him C. The aunswere of Christ doth not explicate the whoale question for that there is no mencion in the same of the first cause why Christ shewing him selfe to a fewe dyd hyde him selfe from the greater number of men For at the first he founde all alyke that is to saye quite gone astraye from him Wherefore he can choose none which loue him but the chooseth some out from among his enemies whose heartes he maye bende to loue him but he thought it not good at this tyme to touch that difference which was farre from the purpose His purpose was to exhorte his Disciples to the earnest desyre of Godlynesse that they might profit more and more in the faith Therefore he thought it sufficient to put a difference betwéene his Disciples and the
hath spoken of Fayth and the vertue thereof To the ende therefore hée might shewe that the faith of the Godlye is not in vaine whiche is reposed in Christe hée declareth that all power to saue is wholye geuen to the Sonne because hée is loued exceedinglye of the Father M. Iohn Baptiste had hearde the Heauenlye voyce by which the Father spake from Heauen saying Math. 3.17 This is my welbeloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased Nowe the whole inheritaunce cannot but belong to the welbeloued sonne Therefore when Iohn was about to saye And hath geuen all thinges into his hande Hée verye well added first The Father loueth the Sonne Question C. But what is the meaning of this reason Doeth hée hate all others Aunswere is made herevnto Aunsvvere that hée speaketh not here of the common loue with the which God loueth men and other workes of his handes but of that singuler and speciall loue which beginning at the Sonne floweth from thence to all other Creatures For this loue of God by which hée louing his Sonne loueth vs also bringeth to passe that hee doeth communicate vnto vs by his hande all good thinges Bv. Wherevppon the Apostle Paul sayeth He loued vs in his welbeloued Sonne Ephe 1.6 And hath geuen all thinges into M. These fewe woordes appertaine greatlye to our Faith by which wée depende vpon Christ as vpon the Lord of all Bv. For all thinges as well visible as inuisible and whatsoeuer else without exception hath the father geuen vnto him M. to be in his power in his proper possession and in his disposition gouernmēt Bv. I say he hath geuen vnto him all thinges not that in respect of his Diuine nature he wanted them at any time or that hée was not equall with the Father in omnipotencye For hée sayth Glorifye me nowe O Father with thy selfe with the same glorye which I had with thee before the beginning of the world CYR. but because when the fulnesse of time was come the Son of God was incarnate and made man and was humbled to the death euen to the death of the Crosse therefore God hath exalted him according to the nature which he hath taken is sayd to haue receiued some what not as from another but as his owne proper right M. and he is sayd so to haue receyued the same not to refer that to him selfe alone which he hath receyued but liberallye to dispence the same to others In consideration whereof he calleth all men vnto him saying Come vnto me all ye that trauayle Mat. 11.27 c. Also he sayeth All power is geuen to me Mat. 28.18 both in heauen and in earth Go ye therefore vnto al Nations Neyther tooke he this power by force or violence nor yet dyd he buie the same the which happeneth as we sée in the kingdome of Antichrist but tooke the same naturallye of the Father as the onely begotten and welbeloued Sonne of God Bv. The which is done for our sakes For as it is sayde hée hath receyued all those thinges for vs and distributeth them vnto vs and maketh them subiect vnto our power that wée might bée Lordes of Life of Death of Men of Deuils and of al other thinges according to the saying of the Apostle VVhether it bee Paul or Apollo 1. Cor. 3.22 or Cephas eyther the worlde eyther life eyther death whether they be present things or things to come al are youres And ye are Christes and Christ is Gods Of the lyke benefite of God Psal 8.7 and of the same glory appertayning to men speaketh the Prophete Dauid in his Psalmes 36. He that beleeueth on the Sonne hath euerlasting life hee that beleeueth not the Sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth on him He that beleeueth on the Sonne C. Hée addeth this to the ende wée might not onelye knowe that all grace and goodnesse is to bée sought in Christ but also that we might knowe howe to gette and enioye the same He sayeth that the waye to enioye grace and euerlasting lyfe is by fayth Faith obtaineth saluation in Christe and not without good reason because by the same we possesse Christ who bringeth with him righteousnesse and lyfe the fruite of righteousnesse M. He sayeth not simplye Hee that beleeueth but He that beleeueth in the Sonne By the which note the Christian faith is distinguished from the fayth of other Nations yea from the faith of the Iewes because we beléeue in the sonne of God Christ Iesus whome the whole worlde contemneth and derydeth This is our foolishnesse in this worlde Hath euerlasting life Bv. Hée speaketh here in the present tence Life euerlasting in this life saying Hee hath he sayth not Hee shall haue for he possesseth already euerlasting life wayting in hope for that which hée is assured he shall haue Moreouer the faithfull féele in this carnal life Vitall motions of the Spirite and life it selfe Gala. 2.20 the Apostle witnessing I liue yet nowe not I but Christ liueth in me and the life that I nowe liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God which loued me and gaue him selfe for mee Life is set against Death against Malediction and Condemnation signifying Iustification absolucion happinesse and euerlasting blessednesse He that beleeueth not the Sonne C. As he propounded life in Christ to allure vs vnto him by the swéetenesse of the same euen so nowe hée denounseth vnto them eternall death which beléeue not in Christ Hée sayeth not simplye Hee which beleeueth not but He which beleeueth not the Sonne For all vnbeléefe is not condemned but that onelye which despiseth the Sonne of God He which beléeueth none of the Fathers nor the Bishoppe of Rome is not vnder this sentence of condemnation so that he beléeue the Sonne of God C. Also this sentence doeth properly pertaine vnto them as it is sayde in another place which reiecte the Gospell preached vnto them For although all mankinde is wrapped in lyke destruction yet notwithstanding greater vengeaunce shal fall vpon those which refuse the Sonne of God to be theyr deliuerer Shall not see life That is to saye he shall neuer enioye life M. By this manner of speache Life and enteraunce into the Kingdome of Heauen is not denied to the vnbeléeuing without an Emphasis as if hée shoulde saye He which beléeueth not shall be so farre from hauing euerlasting life that he shall neuer enioye so much as the sight of the same Bv. So sayde our Sauiour Christ to Nicodemus Iohn 3.3 Except a man bee borne againe hee can not see the Kingdome of GOD. Also hée sayeth Except ye beleeue that I am hee Iohn 8.24 ye shall dye in your sinnes But the wrath of God abideth on him The wrath of God is here apposed against life therefore it comprehendeth all miserye Calamitye Vnhappinesse Sicknesse Pouertye Vengeaunce Death Sinne Malediction Punishment and torment AVG. He sayeth not The
declare I confesse by that your great sorrowe how familyerly ye loue mée but I wyll that ye shewe your loue by another Argument For yf ye loue me indéede shewe that your loue towards me by the obseruation of my commaundements B. Therfore he willeth them diligently to obserue those thinges which he had commaudded them that is to saye constantly to beleeue in him to contemne the world bouldly to confesse Christ before the world to haue mutuall loue one towards another the rest which are contained in these things C. This is profitable doctrine because amonge those which seeme vnto them selues to loue Christ there are very fewe which truly serue him But here contrary wise the true loue of Christ is required to the obseruation of his doctrine as the onely rule M. He saith not if ye loue me dispute of my commaundements or see that others obserue and keepe my commuandements For the declaration of loue consisteth not in disputations nor in the vrging of others to obserue and kéepe them for this may be done euen of those which séeke not Christe but them selues but it consisteth in this yf thou thy selfe be an obseruer of them A. Furthermore Christ sendeth not his Disciples vnto the coÌ„mandements or vaine constitutions of men but to his owne commaundements For he hath not appointed them to be Seruauntes of men but to be faithfull Ministers vnto hym C. Moreouer also we are put in mind how vitious al other affection are when as not so muche as our loue towarde Christ is without fault except it be framed to pure obedience 16. And I will praye the father and he shall geue you another coÌ„forter that he maye bide with you for euer C This remedy he addeth to mitigate sorrow which the Disciples might conceiue by the absence of Christ notwithstanding therewithal Christ promiseth that he wyll geue strength and abillitie that his commaundements may be kept For otherwise his exhortation had bene to small purpose Therefore he prouideth for the same in time and teacheth that how far soeuer he was distant from them in bodye yet notwithstanding he woulde not suffer them to be quite destitude of helpe because he would be present with them by his holy sprite He calleth here the gift of the father the spirit which he himselfe wil obtayne by his prayers In an other place he promiseth that he wyl geue the same Ioh. i6 7 Both are truly and aptly sayde For in that Christ is our Mediatour and aduocate he obtaineth at his handes the spirite of grace In that he is God he geueth the same of him selfe vnto vs. The meaning of this place is this I was geuen of the Father to be a comforter vnto you not for a time but to abide with you for euer R. For Christ by his death and passion purchased to the faithfull the holy ghost which is nothing els but the inspiration of God by which he inspireth our hartes and moueth the same to holy godly iust right and deuine thinges that we might thinke speake and doe nothing day and night but that which is holy and deuine C. This name of comforter is as well geuen vnto Christ as to the holy Ghost and that by right for it appertaineth vnto them both to comfort and exhorte vs and also to defend vs. Christ was the patrone and defender of his Disciples so longe as he was in this world afterwarde he then committed them to the tuition garde of his spirit Yf any man demaunde whether we at this day are not vnder the protection of Christ we may answer that Christe is our euerlasting defender but not after a visible maner So long as he was in the world he openly shewed himselfe vnto them to be a defender but now he defendeth vs by his spirite A. For he saith I wyl be with you vnto the end of the world C. He calleth the same an other comforter by reason of the difference of benefits which we haue from them both it was proper vnto Christe to make satisfaction for the sinnes of the worlde to pacefie the wrathe of God to redéeme men from death to bringe vnto them righteousnesse and lyfe but it belongeth vnto the spirit to make vs partakers as well of Christe him selfe as of all his his owne benefits How be it the distinction of the parsons is not hereby gathered amisse For it is necessary that the holy Ghost do differ from the sonne R. But had not the Apostles the holy Ghost before the death of Christ yes verely had they for they could not haue beléeued in Christe but by the workyng of the holy Ghost but they had the same more abouÌ„dantly and plentifully when Christe was gloryfied euen as we haue shewed in the seuenth chapter goyng before in the xxxix verse 17 Euen the Spirite of truthe whome the world cannot receiue because the worlde seeth hym not neither knoweth hym but ye knowe him for he dwelleth with you shal be in you C. Christ now geueth a new tytel vnto the spirit calling the same the master of truth B. Wherby he meaneth that the holy Ghost is by his owne nature truthe because he is God The same spirite is true and the reueler of truth it is pure sound sincer constant fyrme and faithfull without all deceite tyll such time as we ar taught of hym all our myndes are full of vanitie and lies Whom the worlde cannot receiue C. To the end be might the more comforte his Disciples he sheweth the excelency of this spirit with all the vnspekablâ— loue of the father towardes them in geuing to them his holy spirite which the whole world could not receiue C. For by this Antithesis or comparison he amplyfieth the excelencye of his grace the whiche God geueth onely to his elect For his meanynge is that it is no common gift of the which the whole world is depriued In the whiche sence also the Prophet saith Behould darknesse shal couer the earth and a thick miste the people but the Lorde shall aryse vpon thee and his glory shal be seene in thee For the mercy of God deserueth the more prayse toward the Churche when by a singular priuiledge he extolleth the same aboue the whole world Bv. For as the Deuyll dwelleth in the worlde and by his vncleanesse casteth the wicked into distruction euen so the holy Ghoste dwelleth and worketh with the Sainctes that by his purâ—ty and holynesse he may bringe the faithfull to eternall and blessed lyfe Neuertheles withal christ exhorteth his Disciples that they take héede lest they put from them that grace of the spirite being puffed vp with vnderstandyng of the flesh Worldly wise men count all that the Scripture speaketh concerning Christ to be as a dreame because they presuming vpon their owne reason do dispise heauenly illumination Neuertheles the words of Christ do declare that no man can haue any vnderstandyng of the Spirit by humane sence and reason but by the onley experience
world by this noate that they should obserue and kéepe the doctrine of the gospel And that this noate belongeth vnto the beginning of faith because it is the effect of calling And Christ sheweth by these wordes how we shall rightly obaye the Gospell namelye for when our dutyes and externall actions doe spring from the loue of the same For our armes and force and our whole body also laboureth in vaine except the loue of God doe raigne in our heart which gouerneth the externall members Nowe séeing it is sertayne that we kepe the sayings of Christ yf so be we loue him and contrarywise we loue him yf wée kéepe his commaundementes it followeth that we cānot finde in the whoale world the true and perfect loue of hym because there is no man which perfectly keepeth hys commaundementes Notwithstanding their obedience is acceptable vnto God who do all that they can to reach vnto this perfection And my father wil loue him R. In this place we haue the greate and wonderfull benifits of God whiche procéede from the fruites of the Gospell The fyrste is that God the Father loueth the faithfull Nowe if God be with vs Rom 8 3i who can be against vs If the Lorde loue me I will not care what man or Sathan can do vnto me The second is that boath the Sonne and the Father will dwell with him that beléeueth the word of God Than the which benifits what greater can be deuised For the Father the sonne are very bountifull and benificial ghuestes they came not empty handed neyther doe they go awaye without saluting their hoast but as they bringe with them the treasure of all goodnesse euenso they leaue behynde them the blessing of all goodnesse C. And he speaketh not heare of that eternall loue with the which God loued vs before the foundation of the worlde was layd but of the same with the which he sealeth our harts when he maketh vs pertakers of his adoption And he meaneth not that firste illumination but those degrées of faith by whiche the faithfull must goe forward dayly according to this saying to him that hath shal be geuen Therefore the Papistes doe draw amis from this place two sortes of loue with the which we loue God They immagine that we loue God naturally before he doeth regenerate vs with his spirite by whiche aptnesse and readinesse saye they we deserue the grace of regeneration As though the Scriptures dyd not teache and experience plainlye proue that we are quite tourned awaye from God and are haters of him vntyll suche tyme as he chaunge our hearts Wée must remember the purpose of Christ that he and his Father wyl come to confirme the faythfull in the euerlasting assuraunce of grace in such wyse that they maye feele the grace of God to rest vpon them and maye be dayly increased more and more with the gyftes of God A. Therefore we ought to desyre this spirituall presence of Christ in our prayers and not that carnall corporall presence of the which the Papistes dreame The Lord dwelleth in the hartes of his saintes by faith whome the heauens must receiue vntill the time come that all thinges be restoared which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets synce the world beganne 24. Hee that loueth mee not keepeth not my sayings and the vvord vvhich ye heare is not mine but the Fathers vvhich sent me C. Because the faythfull are mixed in this worlde with vnbeleuers and because of necessitye they must be troubled as it were in the tossing and raginge waues of thesea Christ againe confirmeth them by this admonition lest they shoulde be drawen awaye by euell examples As if he should saye Haue no regard vnto the worlde neither depend vpon the same because their shall be all wayes some which shall contemne me and my doctrine but constantly retayne ye to the ende that grace which ye haue allwaye imbraced And herewithall he declareth that the worlde doth suffer Iuste poonishment for his ingratitude when it perisheth in his blindenes when by the contempte of true righteoussnes it bewrayeth his wicked hatred against Christ B. To kepe the sayinges of Christ is nothing else but to beleue that the same is true and wholsome and also to cleue vnto the same with our whole harte euen as we may gather by the Scripture Heare O Israll the ordinaunces and the Lawes which I propose to you this daye that ye maye learne them and take hede to obserue them Yf by keping the commaundementes of God ye vnderstand the fulfilling of them no man shall kepe them but if ye vnderstand it for seeking to fulfill them then all the godly kepe them For he cannot choose but geue him selfe to the keeping of the commaundementes of God which truely knoweth the same to be of God A. Contrarywise not to kepe the Lords sayings is to reiecte the doctrine of Christ and to contemne his commaundementes which all the wycked are wonte to doe And the word which ye heare is not mine C. Leste the disciples should fall or slide awaye for the obstinat wickednes of the worlde Christ seketh againe to confirme his doctrine when he testifieth the same to be of God and not deuised in earth by man And in this consisteth the stedfastnes of our Faith yf so be we know God to be our guide and are grounded vppon nothing else but vppon his eternall truth Therefore howe much soeuer the worlde doth rage in his madnes let vs followe the doctrine of Christ which far surmounteth heauen and earth In deuiding the worlde to be his he frameth him selfe to his disciples as if he shoulde saye that the same was not of men because he faythfully deliuered that which was committed to him of his Father Neuertheles let vs knowe that for somuch as he is the euerlasting wisdome of God he is the onely well spring of doctrine and that they haue spoken by his spirite which haue bene Prophetes from the beginning A. Diuers like sentences vnto this we haue heard before as My doctrine is not mine but my fathers which sent mee Also Those thinges which I haue heard of him I speake in the worlde 25. These thinges haue I spoken vnto you being yet present with you 26. But the comforter which is the holy ghost whome the Father wil sende in my name hee will send in my name he shall teache you all things and bring all thinges to youre remembrance whatsoeuer I haue sayd vnto you The Lord knew well ynough how rude and ignoraunt his Disciples were and that they were not capeable of those thinges which he spake the which they suff ciētly declared by questioning with hym as we haue heard first in Thomas secondly in Phillip and thirdly in Iudas For this cause lesse they shoulde be discouraged he promysed vnto them nowe the second time the holy Ghost the spirit of truthe which shoulde be vnto them a continuall teacher and which shoulde abyde with them
shall séeke no other thing than that which pleaseth him secondlye that they shall be so déere and acceptable in the sight of GOD that whatsoeuer they wyll by his clemencye they shall receyue So also sayeth the Prophete Dauid He wyll fulfyll the desire of them that feare him Psal 145 hee also wyll heare theyr crye and wyll helpe them And my wordes abide in you Bv. In these fewe wordes hée expoundeth who they bée whiche abyde in Christe namelye they in whome the wordes of Christ doe abyde And the wordes of Christ doe abyde in the Faithfull For these by faith doe receyue the Euangelicall doctrine of Christ and retayne the same C. Therefore when they forsake the doctrine of the Gospel they séeke after Christ in vaine M. Lastlye wée must noate that Christ sayde not Whatsoeuer ye wyll ye shall doe But Aske what ye wyll and it shal be done for you For although the faithful seruauntes of Christe are acceptable vnto GOD yet notwithstanding they haue not power to do what they wyll or no attribute any thing to theyr right or merites but ought to depende vppon the grace of God onelye and to aske those thinges of him which are necessarye For the Lorde knoweth what thinges they haue néede of and is readye to doe and to geue vnto them whatsoeuer hée knoweth to bée profitable vnto them but to nourishe faith and trust in their harts hée geueth vnto them the spirite of prayer that they maye requyre all thinges at his hande by humble peticion Bv. Therefore to what ende should we retaine Christ corporally if so be otherwyse he geue vnto his faithfull seruants that which they require and is alwaye readye to helpe them Doeth he séeme to be absent which fulfilleth the desires of his seruauntes Wherefore wée ought not to be discouraged from praier though wee haue not the corporall presence of the Lorde 8. Herein is my Father glorified that ye beare muche fruite and become my Disciples C. This is a confirmation of the sentence going before For he sheweth that we must not doubte but that he heareth the prayers of his seruauntes when they desire to be made fruitefull because this speciallye appertayneth to the setting forth of his glorye R. But is not the Father glorious by his owne nature Howe then can we glorifye him The Father verilye is glorious in him selfe from euerlasting but yet he doth not alwayes appeare manifestlye to bée glorious Euen as he is wonderfull most wyse and liberall from euerlasting yet notwithstanding hée hath not so appeared before the condicion of the worlde For his wisedome power and liberallitye was shewed afterwarde in the creation of the world Thus he was alwaies glorifyed by his owne nature yet not manifestly His glory is declared when he sanctifyeth the elect and maketh them to bring forth fruite that is to saye to beléeue and to loue Faith vanquisheth the Deuell And loue the world For by faith all the deceites of Sathan are ouercome and by loue all the iniuryes of the world are subdued For who would haue known that the power of God ouer Sathan had béene so great and all the rule and principallity of this worlde if so be the same had not béene manifested in the faithfull when they ouercome Sathan and the worlde Therfore the Father is glorifyed God is glorifyed by faith when one beléeueth and by Faith is made a Disciple of Christ that is to saye the sonne of God by adoption He is also gloryfied when fayth bringeth forth the fruite of loue in the beléeuing For it is the glory of God to ouercome sinnes by Christe to boast of the righteousnesse of Christ The Father is not gloryfied by ceremonies by mannes inuencions by frée wil and by humaine strength but he is gloryfied by Faith and charitye Wherefore if we wyll glorifye the Father let vs beléeue in the sonne let vs abyde in the worde of the sonne and let vs loue one another euen as Christ hath loued vs. C. For he pronounceth here that he hath none in his flocke but suche as fructefye to the glorye of God Bv. To the which effecte pertaineth this saying of Christ Let your lyght so shine before men Math 5.16 that they may see your good works and glorifye your Father whiche is in heauen And become my Disciples M. This ought not so to be vnderstoode as though by fructefying wee were made the Disciples of Christ because we must first be true Disciples of Christ and then to doe the workes of Disciples His wordes are as muche as if he had sayd And declare your selues to bee my true Disciples by abyding in my worde For if ye abyde in my word then are ye my verye Disciples Iohn 8 31. and ye shall knowe the trueth and the trueth shall make you free 9. As the Father hath loued mee euen so haue I loued you continue in my loue M. Hée goeth forewarde in exhorting his Disciples to abyde in his loue And in this place he taketh an argument to perswade by his owne example and the example of his Father C. By which wordes his purpose was to expresse a farre greater matter than the common sort doe deny or iudge For here they make a lōg discourse but beside the purpose concerning the secréete loue of the father with the which he hath been alwayes affected toward his sonne whē as rather the purpose of Christ was to laye as it were in our lap the sure pledge of his diuine loue toward vs. Therfore that whiche they imagine appertaineth nothing to this present place But the loue of the which mencion is made here is to be referred vnto our selues because Christ testifieth that hee is loued of the Father in that he is the head of the Church For he which séeketh to know how he is loued of God without a Mediator bringeth him selfe into a Labyrinth in the which he shall finde no way to get forth Therefore we must cast our eyes vppon Christ in whom we shal finde the pledge of Gods loue For vpon him the whole loue of God is layde that from him it might flowe to his members For this cause he is sayde to be the well beloued sonne in whome the Father is well pleased But we must noate the ende Math. 3.7 which is That we maye be acceptable vnto God So that we may behold the Fatherlye loue of God toward vs all in him euen as in a glasse because he is not loued for his owne sake but to Ioyne vs with the Father vnto him R. Therfore as the Father loued the Sonne and gaue vnto him all good thinges sustained him vnder the Crosse and deliuered his soule out of hell so the Sonne also loueth the Faithfull and geueth vnto them all those graces which he hath receiued from the Father beareth them vp vnder the Crosse bringeth them from death to life and deliuereth them out of Hell Abide ye in my loue Some expounde these
in our hartes saying Let the peace of God haue the victorie in your hartes Colo. 3.15 And in another place The peace of God which passeth all vnderstandinge keepe your hartes and mindes through christ Iesus Phili. 4.7 C. And there is sayde to be the Ioye of Christe and our Ioye in diuers respectes That is the Ioy of Christ which is geuen of him vnto vs for he is the author and cause of the same Esai 53.5 The cause of our Ioy for that wée are deliuered from sinne and death the chastisement of oure peace béeing vppon him And he is the Authore because by his spirite he taketh feare and sorrowe out of our hearts whereof commeth this excéeding Ioye Our ioye is sayde to be in another respecte because wee inioye him so soone as hee is geuen vnto vs. Ioye in Christ and in vs. Nowe when our sauiour Christ pronounceth that hée therefore spake these thinges that his Disciples mighte haue Ioye we gather that whosoeuer doe truely profite by this sermone shall haue mater wherby to quiet themselus And that your ioy might be full Bv. He meaneth the most perfect Ioye the which wanteth nothing so that Christ promiseth vnto his Disciples Ioyes and the fulnesse of all Ioye C. Not that the faithfull shal be frée from all heauinesse and sorrowe but because they shall haue excéeding cause of Ioye in such wise that no feare care and sorrowe shall ouerwhelme them For they to whome it is geuen to Ioye and reioyce in Christ shal be excéeding Ioyfull and mery whether it be in life or in death in prosperitye or in miserye Notwithstanding there are some which referre this Ioye in the second place to the fruition of eternall lyfe Othersome saye that this is the meaning these thinges haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy might be in you that is to saye that yée might only reioyce in these thinges in the which I reioyce For so ye shall bée strong to fight and vpon hope of sauing men ye shall willingly suffer perills reioysing not a little because the will of the Father who woulde haue all men come to the knoweledge of the trueth to the vttermost of my power shall be fulfilled This ioye therefore haue I chosen this also yf ye shal haue ye shal haue sincere and perfect Ioy. A. But the first exposition is best to to liked 12. This is my commandement that ye loue togeather as I haue loued you M. Because he had spoken of the kéeping of his commaundementes he repeateth by occasion his commandement and more largely speaketh of the vsinge of mutuall loue of the whiche allso hee spake a little before C For séeing it is méete to direct our life according to the commaundement of Christ wee muste firste of all consider what he willeth and commaundeth to be done And he sayth that aboue all thinges he delighteth to haue mutuall loue among the faithfull By order wée must haue firste the loue and reuerence of God but because the true probation thereof is loue towards our neyghboure he specialle maketh mention of the same Bv. As if Christ should saye Some commaund one thing and some another and there is neyther forme nor ende of commandements but I commend vnto you only loue loue one another C. And as before in a generall forme of doctrine so nowe in a particuler he setteth before vs an example to followe For he loued all his Disciples to the end they shoulde in like manner loue one another B. And al his commaundements are finished in this onely commaundement of mutuall loue 13. Greater loue hath no man than this that a man bestowe his lyfe for his frendes C. Christe sometime commendeth the greatnesse of his loue towarde vs that he myght thereby the better establishe and confirme the trust of our saluation but nowe hée goeth farther that hee might inflame vs by his example to loue our Bretheren Notwithstanding he Ioyneth boath together For he would haue vs to taste by Faith the excéeding swéetnesse of his goodnesse then by this reason he allureth vs to the study and desyer of loue Ephe. v. ij So in lyke manner the Apostle Paule sayeth VValke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath geuen him selfe an oblation and a sacrifice of a sweete smell vnto God i. Ioh 3.16 A. Also saint Iohn sayeth Hereby know we loue because he hath geuen his life for vs and we ought to geue our liues for our bretheren C. God mighte haue redeemed vs with his worde in a moment yf so be for oure sakes it had not seemed better vnto him by not sparing his only begotten sonne to declare in his personne what great care he hath for our saluation Now they must haue to hard and stoany hartes which wil not be mollefyed with such vnspeakeable swéetnesse of Gods loue Bv. Man hath nothing in this worlde more pretiouse than life He hadde rather hasard his riches and whatsoeuer else he hath in this worlde rather then to suffer his life to come into peril Math. i6 26. Wherevpon the Lord sayth in the Gospel what doth it profyte a man if hee winne the whoal world and lose his own soule Or what shall a man geue to redeeme his owne soule withall Wherfore among men there is not a greter token of loue then if a man geue his life for his freind Therefore great and vnspekable is the loue of the sonne of God towarde vs by which he voutsafed to dye for vs. Rom. v.x. C Notwithstanding it maye be demanded howe Christ dyed for his frindes séeing that we were his enemies before he reconciled vs euenas the Apostle Paule testifieth C. For he hauing satisfied for synne by the sacrifice of hys death put away quite the enmity which was betwéene God and vs. The solution of this question maye be taken oute of the sixtéene verse of the third Chapter going before where wée sayde that in respect of our selues there is enmitye betéene God and vs vntill such time as our synnes are abolished by the death of Christ but we then sayde that the cause of this grace exhibited in Christ was the euerlasting loue of God by which also he loued his enemies A. Christe therefore dyed for his freindes who notwithstanding were vniust For so sayth Peter Christ dyed once for sinnes the iust for the vniust to bring vs vnto God 14. Ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoeuer I commaunde you Bv. Christ requireth in the faythfull a notable loue and desyer of Godlinesse lest they should boaste in vayne that Christ dyed for the saluation of the worlde they in the meane time liuing to the worlde which they are wont to doe which are perswaded that the Gospell beareth with sinnes and that Christian liberty is leaue to synne They Iudg and doe farre otherwise who truly loue Christ C. But Christ meaneth not that wée haue gotten suche honoure by our own merite but onlye sheweth vppon what condition
Doctrine whiche was brought by him but hath some desyre of the same The which desyre sprange no doubte of the feare and reuerence of GOD. A friuolous and vaine curiositye pricketh some forwarde gréedelye to enquyre after newe thinges but there is no doubte but that Religion and the pricke of Conscience ledde Nicodemus to desire familiarlye to knowe the Doctrine of Christ And although this sparke of Godlinesse laye hidde as it were a long time yet notwithstanding so soone as Christ was dead it brought foorth suche burning Loue towardes our Sauiour Christ which no man euer looked for that hée shewed him selfe in deede to be a Faithfull and true Disciple of Christ Iohn 19 Rabbi we knowe that thou art a teacher R. The disputacion of Nicodemus with Christ is very modest and wise for the disputacion of the rest of the Iewes were eyther captious as was that for the payment of Tribute and concerning the Byll of Diuorcement eyther enuious Math. 22. Math. 19. Math. 22. Iohn 2. as about the resurrection and the great commaundement in the Law or else vnfaithfull and importunate as when they desyred a signe to bée geuen them But the disputacion of Nicodemus is Ciuile and simple for he commeth not vnto Christ to coÌ„tend or maliciously to trye him or to catch him in his wordes but to learne which is the true way to iustification His words therfore are thus muche in effect Mayster wée knowe that thou art come to bée a Maister For séeing at that time learned men were commonlye called Maysters Nicodemus saluteth Christ by this name according to the accustomed manner and afterward affyrmeth him to be sent of God to teache And of this beginning the aucthority of al the Doctors and teachers in the church dependeth For séeing we must take our knowledge from Gods word onely none are to bée heard but they out of whose mouth God speaketh M. Truely it is a forceable waye to promote and further the truth if so be he which teacheth the same be knowne to be sent of God but this preuaileth onelye with the godly as for the wicked they haue no regarde whether theyr teachers are sent from God or no. With the Godly it preuaileth thus muche that at the first they resist not the Doctrine nor the teacher therof although through infirmitye they dare not as yet openlye séeme to fauour the same Whereas contrarye wise the wicked which are blinded with rancour and enuye haue so litle discrecion and regarde to discerne the spirites that they can not bridle theyr malicious mindes He sayth not I knowe that thou art a teacher come from God But sayeth hée VVe know Which we Surelye we Pharisées and Seniors of the people euen wée are constrained by the vertue of those signes and Miracles which we haue séene to knowe and vnderstande that thou art sent from God howsoeuer we resist thée Hypocrites withstande the trueth againste their conscience And this is the manner and disposition of Hipocrites of Iusticiaries and of Simoniakes which make Marchandise of Religion to withstande the knowne and manifest trueth against theyr consciences For no man could do these Miracles Bv. Nicodemus gathereth by the Miracles that Iesus was sent from HeaueÌ„ to be the teacher of the whole world and according to his ignoraunce and want of knowledge he déemeth him to be no better than a Prophet which shewed signes wonders by the helpe of God and not by his owne proper power For saith he No man coulde do these miracles which thou doest except God were with him Therfore because none do more proudly glory boast of the title name of God than false Prophetes it is necessary that we haue that discretion whereby the spirites are proued discerned Therefore Nicodemus affirmeth it to bée manifest that Christ is sent from heauen because God doth so manifestly reueale shewe forth his power in him that it can not be denied but that God is with him And he presumeth that no man will denye but that God doeth commonly worke by his Ministers and seruauntes by no other insomuch that he confirmeth and approueth the office charge committed vnto him And he doeth not so presume without cause séeing it is the Lordes wil that Miracles should be alwayes as seales of his Doctrine And he doth most aptly and truly make God the author of miracles when he saith that no man could do these signes except God were with him For in effect he sayth that they are the déedes and workes of God not of man A. For otherwise spake those Pharisées which spake thus of Christ after he had opened the eyes of the blinde Iohn 9. Iohn 7. This man is not of God for he kepeth not the Sabboth day And in another place Hee seduceth the people Notwithstanding the argument of Nicodemus séemeth not to bée verye strong For séeing false Prophetes haue deceyued the blinde and ignoraunt with their false forged signes no lesse than if they had proued them selues to be the faithful seruaunts of God by true signes in déede what difference shal there be betwene truth a lie if so be faith should be builded vppon Miracles Deut. 13 And Moyses plainely affirmeth that we are tryed by this meanes whether we loue god or no. Wée are not ignoraunt also of the admonition of our Sauiour Christ and of the Apostle Paul where the faithfull are put in minde to beware of false signes with the which Antichrist deludeth Math. 24. 2. Thes 2 and deceyueth many Aunswere is to bée made that they by the iust iudgement of GOD are deceyued by the fallacie and subtile deceytes of Satan whiche haue deserued so to bée Miracles are no certaine profe of the truth alwayes notwithstanding the same doeth not let but that the elect and chosen maye beholde and sée the power of God in Myracles which is to them a confirmation of true and wholesome Doctrine 2. Cor. 12 Rom. 15 Thus Paul reioysed that his Apostleshippe was approoued with signes and wonders Therefore howsoeuer Satan woulde séeme in his darkenesse to Imitate and followe God yet notwithstanding so soone as mennes eyes are opened and that the spirituall light of wisedome doeth appeare Myracles doe sette foorth the same presence of God wherof Nicodemê° here speaketh A. For this cause our sauiour Christ Math. 10 Mar. 10 when he sent foorth his Apostles to Preache the Gospell woulde haue them to seale and confirme the same with Myracles 3. Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto him veryly veryly I say vnto thee except a man be borne againe He can not see the Kingdom of God Jesus aunswered Bv. The manner and waye by the which the Lorde instructed Nicodemus is in manner of a Dialogue For the same is verye plaine simple manifest and euident Dialogues an aunsient kinde of teaching And the Lord in al things hath framed him selfe to our imbecility and weakenesse and hath sought by all
which the Children verye seldome consider Thou shalt neuer finde in all the Euangelicall Historyes any one Sonne which came vnto Christe and sayde Math. 17.14 and .9.18 and .15.22 Lorde come downe before that my father dye But ye shall often reade of this affection and care of Parentes for theyr Children which they haue vttered vnto Christ M. Howebeit also it appeareth in this man what corrupt preposterous loue some Parentes beare toward their Children For hée onelye séeketh the corporall health of his Sonne neglecting the Spirituall and true lyfe which the Lorde had begonne to teache He sayth not Lord helpe our fayth and the saluation of our Soules but as for our bodylye health Loue in many Parentes corrupte toward theyr Children let that bée as it séemeth good in the eyes of God But hée sayeth and that earnestlye Lorde come downe before my Sonne dye And what Father at any time came to the Lorde and sayde Lorde my Sonne hath no feare of God whereby I perceyue that hée is sicke in Soule and in great perill helpe him I beséeche thée Also they which at this daye desyre the Prayers of the Churche howe many of them is there I praye you which desyre the congregation to praye vnto God for them that they maye haue fayth the feare of God and patience 50. Iesus sayth vnto him go thy way thy sonne lyueth The man beleeued the worde that Iesus had sayde vnto him and went his waye Jesus sayeth vnto him Bv. The Lorde in verye déede confesseth that hée can doe muche more then the Ruler trusted he coulde do being the Lorde of lyfe and death which can both retayne the lyfe when it is departing from the body and also when it is cleane gone call the same againe For hée sayeth Goe thy waie thy Sonne liueth C. signifying that hée is escaped out of the perrill of death But séeing this man procéeding and perseuering in intreating and praying Christ obtained at the leangth his heartes desyre thou mayest gather that Christ dyd not reprehend him because he would wholly reiect him and refuse his praiers but rather to correct that vice which staied him from comming to the true fayth And we sayde alreadye before that this reprehension belonged rather to all the people than to one man Moreouer here the singuler humanitye and gentlenesse of our Sauiour Christ appeareth in that hée bearing with the mannes rudenesse extended his power farther than hée looked for Hée requested that Christ would heale his sonne by comming vnto him Hée thought that he could heale his sicke Sonne of his disease but he dyd not beléeue that he could rayse his Sonne being dead from death to lyfe and therefore hée vrgeth him to make haste least death preuent him R. and by this making of haste hee declareth his incredulitye For vnbeleefe maketh haste but Fayth wayteth and tarieth the Lordes leasure Faith taryeth the Lordes leasure Esa 28 1â— And therefore the Prophete sayeth Hee which beleeueth shall not make haste C. Seeing then Christ beareth with both these infyrmityes we maye hereby gather of howe great price hée esteemeth euen the least faith This also is worthy to bée noted that Christ in not satisfying his wil and desire worketh by meanes which we thought not of to helpe vs to the ende wée might learne not to prescribe vnto him any thing The man beleeued the woorde R. Therefore by this word of Christ not onelye the Sonne is healed but also the Fathers fayth encreased and confirmed And as the Sonne by this woorde as by a soueraigne Medicine receyueth health so also the Father receyueth strength of Faith For that fayth is strong and firme which is conceyued by the woorde and not by Myracles A. But dyd he not beleeue at the first Howe had hée come vnto Christ to obtaine any thing at his hande except hée had béene indued with some faith I aunswere Bv. Hée dyd at the first beléeue the Lorde for hée had not come vnto him if hée had not first conceyued some notable hope of his power and clemencye but so soone as he heard his worde and vnderstoode his promise he beléeued more firmelye Therefore hée troubled the Lorde no farther but went his waye and as hée beléeued hée founde his Sonne restoored to health C. For because he came with this perswacion that Christ was a Prophete of God therefore hée was so readye to beléeue that taking holde of one worde he printed the same in his mynde And although hée dyd not so reuerentlye estéeme and thinke of the power of Christ as it became him yet notwithstanding a short promise made him to conceyue sodainelye an assured hope insomuch that he beleeued the lyfe of his Sonne to bée included in the onelye woorde of Christ Promptnesse in beleeuing the worde of God With this promptnesse and readinesse ought euery one of vs to receyue the worde of God but sildome or neuer shall suche present effect followe in the hearers For howe many bée there which profite so much at the hearing of many Sermons as this prophane man profited at the hearing of one worde Wherefore wée must vse the more dilligence in shaking of our dulnesse and sâ—outh and especially wée must praye vnto God that it wyll please him so to worke in our heartes that wée maye bée no lesse readye to beléeue than hée is gentle and readye to promise 51 And as he vvas nowe going downe the seruauntes met him and told him saying Thy sonne lyueth Bv. That whiche nowe followeth doeth set foorthe as well the power of Christe as the effecte and nature of Fayth to the ende the Myracle maye bée more notable and more purelye purged from all euyll suspicion and also that the force of fayth maye more and more appeare A. For there is no doubt but that all these thinges were done by the prouidence of God M. The Lad was healed by the power of the woord of Christ otherwyse hée had dyed by the contagiousnesse of his sicknesse But this was knowen as yet to no man The Seruauntes brought woorde that his Sonne was recouered but howe and by whose power hée was reuyued that they knewe not Therefore the méeting of the seruauntes with him by the waye and the glad tydinges which they brought vnto the sorrowfull Father serued thus farre to the setting foorth of the glorye of Christ that hée might bée sayd to haue spoken the trueth concerning the sonne restoored to health though hee were absent the which seemeth to bée done by the spyrite of Prophesie and also to bée beléeued of the Father as a Propheticall Oracle C. Moreouer with the efficacye of the worde here is also described the effecte of Fayth For as Christ restored the Sonne to lyfe which was nowe at the poynt of death euen so the Father by his fayth in a moment recouered and receyued againe his Sonne safe and sounde Let vs knowe therefore that so often as the Lorde offereth vnto vs his benefites his power
things This had béene the parte of reasonable men But they doe none of these things but according to the disposition of fleshe they murmure because the Lorde sayde that he came downe from heauen For this is the lot of Christes doctrine that it shall sooner finde such as shall murmure gainst it and contemne and deride it béefore they know it than suche as shall rightly vnderstande it and when they vnderstande it earnestlye imbrace it 42. And they sayde Is not this Iesus the sonne of Ioseph whose Father and mother wee know How is it then that hee sayeth I came downe from heauen Is not this Jesus Bv. They looked for some mightie and victorious Messias to raigne ouer them as did Salomon Cyrus and Alexander therefore they dispised the humilitie of Christ not perceyuing howe this base man discended from heauen M. For they thought that hée had so spoken of his discention from heauen as though hée had denyed himselfe to haue béene borne in this worlde among men but euen as hée was present before them to haue fallen as some Aungell from Heauen Herevppon it commeth that they saye Is not this Iesus the sonne of Ioseph As if they should haue said doth he think vs to be so dule scenelesse that wée will suffer our selues to be perswaded that hée came downe from heauen séeing we knowe from whence hée came who he is of what stocke and kindered and with whome hée was brought vp what rashenesse then is this that hée sayth he descended from heauen as though he spake to straungers and to such as did not know him C. They had therefore a double let The one was whiche they fayned to themselues by a false opinion when they sayde This is the sonne of Ioseph whose Father mother we know Two â—bling â—kes to â—ewes The other was the which proceded of a wrong Iudgement because they did not thinke Christe to be the Sonne of God for that he descended to men taking vpoÌ„ him our fleshe But wée are to to wicked if so be wée therefore despise the Lorde of glory because hée did abase and emptye himselfe for our sakes taking vpon him the forme of a seruant For this was rather a manifest signe of his vnspeakable loue toward vs and also of his wonderfull grace Furthermore the deuine Maiestie of Christ did not so lye hidde vnder the base and contemptible shewe of the fleshe but that the bright beames of the deuine glorye appeared but those grose and scencelesse men wanted eyes to beholde the same Bv. So at this daye when Iesus is preached and the same crucefyed when mortification regeneration is taught the preaching is contemned of prowde men of couetous ambitious Carnall Gospellers follow Christ for gaine and luxurious men which crye from whence haue we this newe doctrine which these newe Apostles set before vs Let vs noate therefore in this place the nature of fleshe and bloode which followeth the Gospell so long as there is hope of gaine but that hope being taken away it starteth aside M. Moreouer the corrupt nature of fleshe and bloode is to stande vppon externall thinges and to iudge after the outwarde apparaunce not onely of the Sonne of God but also of all the elect of whome it iudgeth not according to the qualitie of the minde whiche is heauenlye but according to the humility and basenesse of the fleshe It doth not beléeue that those whome it séeth in this worlde to be poore Idiots vnlearned base weake contemned abiectes and knowne according to the natiuitye and conuersation of the fleshe are borne of GOD and are sonnes of the heauenlye kingdome This thing S. Iohn expoundeth in another place in these wordes saying Behoulde what loue the Father hath bestowed on vs that wee shoulde be called the sonnes of GOD. 1. Iohn 3.1 For this cause the worlde knoweth you not because it knoweth not him 43. Iesus answered and sayde vnto them Murmure not among your selues Bv. Murmuration against God and the truth braules also and contentions and strifes in religion are very displeasant to God the same are oftentimes gréeuously punished Wherfore the lord giuing good aduice to the multitude exhorteth them not so to murmure and grudge C. Notwithstanding hée layeth the blame of murmuration vpon them as if hée shoulde saye my doctrine contayneth no matter of offence but because ye are reprobates it proueth your poysoned mindes and is therefore vnsauorye because your mouthes are out of taste M. The wisedome of the Lorde is here to be considered by which hée is very circumspect least if hée should hold his peace at those things whereat they murmured among themselues they might thinke that they had iustly murmured Let vs followe this wise dilligence by which wée must beware least they whiche murmure against the truth murmure not without reason 44. No man can come to me except the father which hath sent mee draw him and I will rayse him vp at the last daye No man can come to mee M. Hée repeateth that which hée had sayd but in other wordes For hee had sayd All that my Father giueth mee shall come vnto mee and now hée sayth No man can come vnto me except my Father which hath sent mee draw him As if hée shoulde saye ye murmure without reason of this that I sayde I came downe from heauen For it is no meruell if ye knowe not mée but are offended at this humilitie of my fleshe Did not I saye vnto you that they shall come to mée whome my father hath giuen mée Why doe ye not rather murmure of that amonge your selues Nowe I confirme the very same vnto you namely that it is impossible that anye man should knowe who I am from whence and to what ende I am come except he be drawne to me by grace from my Father R. But your bellye draweth you vnto mée and not my heauenlye father It is no meruell therefore if ye beléeue not my wordes C. Here Christ openly pronounceth that the doctrine of the Gospell although it be preached to all men alyke cannot notwithstanding be of al men receiued but they must first be renewed in minde in vnderstanding Fayth therefore commeth not by the will of man but by the will of GOD. Bv. To come to Christ is to béeléeue and to cleaue vnto Christ to receyue Christ and to depende onelye vpon him as we haue hearde in the fiue and thirtie verse going before C. Hée sayth they are drawne whose mindes God doth illuminate and whose heartes hée bendeth and frameth to the obedience of Christ R. For GOD draweth in that order as before wée haue described For hée hath chosen some before the foundation of the worlde was layde and those whome hée hath elected hée hath called and doth call by Christ through the preaching of the Gospell And there is no cause why thou shouldest faine and Imagine to thy selfe any heauenly voyces and descentions of the holye Ghost which shoulde happen beside
before saying Shew thy selfe to the world when as in déede they vnderstoode those forenamed persons hée also rightly calleth them the worlde but so that therewithal hée noateth them of a worldly disposition As if hee should saye yee inuite me by this word world to the high Priestes Scribes and Pharisées of Ierusalem to shew my selfe before them Ye truely and iustly cal them the worlde for they are nothing else but worldely And because the worlde loueth that which is his owne the world cannot hate you which are worldelye and the children of this worlde being pertakers of corruption and of worldly wickednesse R. The Pharises hate not you the mightie men doe not persecute you because yée are all of like impietie of lyke wicked manners ye imbrace their doctrine as holye and whatsoeuer they saye ye accounte it an Oracle Wherefore they call you obedient children of the Sinagoge so farre they are from persecuting and hating you but the worlde that is the wise mightye and holye men of this worlde hate me not onely because I doe disagrée with theyr impietie but also doe reproue and reprehende all their workes righteousnesse holynesse wisdome and power as abhominable in the sight of GOD. A. For that which is highlye estéemed in the sight of men is abhominable in the sight of God Luk. 16.15 C. Therefore hée conuinceth them to be carnall when hée sayth that the worlde cannot hate them R. Christ therefore woulde not followe the carnal affections of his kinsemen C. Furthermore by these wordes the Lorde Iesus doth signifie that the Gospell cannot be truely preached but that the whole world must be cited as guiltie before the tribunall seate of GOD that so fleshe and bloode maye be troden downe and brought to nought Iohn 16. ◠according to this saying VVhen the holye Ghost commeth it shall reprooue the worlde of sinne Herewithall also wée learne that the pride which is naturallye ingraffed in men is so greate that they flatter and lyke of themselues in their vices For when they are reprehended they woulde not be angerye except they being blinded with the ouermuche loue of themselues did flatter themselues in theyr euill Onelye Gods spirite doth make vs gentle and méeke to abide reprehention insomuche that willingly wée offer our selues to be slaine with the sword of the Gospell Humilitie resteth where the spirite of God abydeth B. This also is to be noted that we cannot haue the loue and friendeshippe of the worlde except wée giue our consent to the euill workes thereof For if so be wée séeke to maintaine the glorye of God aloane and do pronounce onelye GOD to be good and doe séeke also to conuince the worlde of sinne by and by it persecuteth vs euen as afore time it persecuted Christ And to reproue the worlde is not onelye to inuey against that groser sorte of sinners for that the world can beare but also to testifie that the workes therof are euill that is to saye that it is wholy voyde of righteousnesse and goodnesse and that it cannot attaine to true righteousnesse but by Christ M. For the nature of the worde is to enter through euen to the deuiding a sonder of the soule and the spirite and of the Ioyntes and the marowe and discerneth the thoughtes A. What pretence soeuer therefore the worlde hath for the hating of the professors of the gospell there can be no other cause than that which Christ hath foreshewed namely because the faithfull doe testify that the workes of the worlde are euel Heb. 4.12 M. The Iewes those ypocrites went aboute to kill Christ as a transgressor of the Saboth but there laye a nother mischife secrete in their harts of the which not so muche as Pilat was ignorant for he knowe that for enuy they had deliuered him vp to death Euenso they which at this daye hate the Ministeres of the Gospell ascribe the cause to the loue of the Church calling them enimies and forsakers of the churh when as they themselues are not louers of the Churche but sekers of their owne vayne glory And they pretende that to magistrats whiche they knowe they cannot abyde calling them seditious persones as though they them selues wished wel to magistrates when as in déede no men are nor euer haue béene greater enemies to magistrates then they themselues haue bene Iohn 3.20 B. But they will not come to the true light of Godes worde leste their euell déedes shoulde bée reproued 8. Go ye vp vnto this feaste I will not go vppe yet vnto this feaste for my tyme is not yet full come M. There is no doubte but that the Lorde woulde haue instructed them and kept them with him longar yf so be they had béene of a sincere harte and had erred symply but because they were led by the spirite of enuy and had an euel opinion of hym he left them to their owne counsayles They had herde and séene many wonderfull miracles they ought to haue knowen who and howe greate he was if so be they had not ben blinded with mallice furthermore for kindreds sake they shoulde haue bene better affected towardes him Iustly therefore he sendeth them awaye from him to go whether they will Thus doth God alwayes deale in his Iustice with the vnbeléeuing and obstinate insomuche that when they will not be otherwise ruled he leaueth them to their owne immaginations that they may eyther walke in them or else tourne to hym by repentaunce Heare O my people and I will protest vnto the O Israell if thou wilt harken vnto me let there be no straunge God in thee neither worship thou any forreine God For I am the Lorde thy God whiche brought thee out of the lande of Egipt open thy mouth wide and I will fill it But my people woulde not heare my voyce and Israell would not obaye me So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnesse of their harte and they haue walked in their owne counsailes Psal 81.8 As therefore it cannot be gathered by those wordes that the Lord doth not care for the saluation of his people and doeth reiect the infirme and weake for he sayeth afterwarde I woulde my people had harkened to me and Israell had walked in my wayes I woulde sonne haue humbled their enimies so verely wée must not here gather that the Lorde had not a care for the saluation of his brethren because he so lightly sendeth them from hym saying Go ye vp vnto this feast But wée must rather vnderstande howe vnméete and inconuenient a thing it is to constraine wicked and mallicious persons against their willes to be pertakers of that grace which with all their strength and might they reiect and contemne Iohn 3.19 For it is most iust that they shoulde erre and wander in darckenesse which loue darckenesse more than light 9. When hee had sayde these wordes vnto them he aboade still in Galilee M. In that Christ ascended not to Ierusalem but aboade still in
aunswere to take awaye all care from his Disciples least they shoulde be gréeued to sée him so secure and carelesse in the perill of his friende Hée denyeth this disease to be deadelye but rather affirmeth the same to be a meane to sette forth his glorye M. As if hée shoulde saye Lazarus is not falne into this sickenesse to dye of the same as commenlye it hapneth to others but this infirmitye or sykenesse is sent vnto hym by the secret purpose and counsayle of God to this ende that GOD maye thereby be glorified occasyon being therby offered to his Sonne by the same to declare hys power and to magnifie hys name C. And although Lazarus was deade yet notwithstanding because shortelye after Christ restoared him to lyfe hée hauing respect to this ishue and successe sayth that it is not a sycknesse vnto death M. For Lazarus wythin two dayes after dyed of the same syckenesse but not to sleepe in death with other dead bodyes vntil the day of Iudgment but that he might be restoared to life by the Sonne of God and might by his death minister occasyon to gloryfy him Therefore the Lorde had more respect vnto the consideration and cause of deth then to the death it selfe and therefore more truelye he ascribed this sickenesse to the cause of death which made to the glory of God more then to death it selfe C. Moreouer Christ in this place properly noated the glory of God which was Ioyned with his office For we knowe that when the Reprobate perishe the glory of God doth noe lesse shine in their death then in the saluation of the godly That the sonne of God might be glorified Bv. That is to saye he shal be raysed vp by my power whereby I shal be glorified For by that worke many shall gather that I am the true sonne of the lyuing God the life and the quickener of them that beléeue For it followeth towarde the ende of the myracle Vers 45 Many therefore of the Iewes which came to Marie and had seene the thinges which Iesus had done beleeued in him C. By this place wee gather that God woulde be so knowne in the person of the sonne that what honor soeuer God requiereth to be geuen to himselfe shoulde be giuen to his sonne Bv. Wherevpon Christe sayde The Father hath geuen all Iudgement to the Sonne Ioh. 5.23 that all might honor the sonne as they honor the father Hee which honoreth not the Sonne honoreth not the Father which hath sent him C. Wherefore the Turkes and Iewes béeing contumeliouse vnto Christe in vaine professe them selues to honoure God nay by this meanes they goe about to banish God from them 5. Iesus loued Martha and her Sister and Lazarus M. This the Euaungelist addeth because of the words of Mary and Martha which they tould by message vnto the Lord saying Lorde behould he whome thou louest is sicke Iesus loued not only Lazarus but also his sisters Bv. that is to saye all this houshoulde and family which were Godly disposed M. For Christ loued all men in that he came into the worlde to be the sauioure and redéemer of all men and not onely those which were then liuing and which were in the worlde before but those also which should be vpō the earth vnto the worlds ende We reade not that Paule had any familliarity with Christe in this worlde when he was vpon the earth and yet neuerthelesse he sayeth Neuerthelesse I liue Gala 2.26 yet now not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life which I nowe liue in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God which loued me and gaue him selfe for me And as he was a man liuing among men he was led by humane affections So he is sayd here to loue this Lazarus Martha and Mary and so also wée reade that he loued Iohn the Apostle Iohn i5 i4 and so no doubt he loued all his Apostes and called them his friendes 6. when he had hearde therefore that hee was sicke hee aboade two dayes still in the same place where hee was C. These wordes séeme contrary to that which went before that Christe should abyde two dayes on the other syde of Iordan as neglecting the life of Lazarus and yet notwithstanding is sayde to loue him and his sisters for séeing loue causeth care he shoulde haue made haste without delaye M. But this delaye nether hurt Lazarus nor yet was offensiue to the Lawe of loue and frenship but 〈◊〉 profyted him very much agréed with frendshippe and amitie and also serued greatly for the glory of God Lazarus was his frind but more frenly was the glory of his Father C. Therefore séeing Christe is the only mirror of the grace of God wée are taught by this his delaye not to Iudge of the loue of God according to the present state of thinges Béeing intreated hée often times diferreth his helpe eyther to make vs more feruent in prayer or else to excercise our patience and obedience Bv. Let no man therefore think much yf so be the louers of true pietie and godlynesse be afflicted with the calamityes of this worlde God faring as though he cared not for the same Gen 4 i0 eyther because so it is expedient for them which suffer or else because it so serueth for the setting forth of his glory B. So he left Abel in the hande of his brother but after his death his bloud cryed for vengeaunce Gen 39.20 So he left Ioseph a long time in the dungeon of the prison but afterward he aduaunced him to honoure So he left the Israelites a long time in cruel bondage whome notwithstanding at the length he deliuered with a mightie hand and out-stretched arme C. Let the faithfull therefore so craue helpe at the handes of God that they learne to suspend their desiers if so be at any time he be more slowe to helpe and deliuer then necessity requireth For howsoeuer he stayeth he sléepeth not neyther is hee vnmindfull of those that are his In the meane time let vs bée sure of this that he would all whome he loueth to be saued 7. Then sayde hee after that to his Disciples Let vs goe into Iewrye againe M. The Disciples being as yet but weake stoode greatly in feare of the mallice of the Iewes therfore Christ thought good to make them strong against they tooke their Iourney For he knew that they could not abide to heare so much as Iewry spoken of But he might haue gone into Iewry without them and neuer haue tould them of the matter yet he neither would returne into Iewrye without them nor yet leaue their minds vnprepared for so perillous a iourneye And therefore he sayeth Let vs goe into Iury againe C. By which wordes also be declareth that he had a care for Lazarus when his Disciples thought that he had forgotten him or at lest that he made lesse account of the life of Lazarus than he did of other matters M.
this faith was not liuely in them and not so vertuouse as it beecame the same because Christ geueth not vnto his Disciples the spirite of feare but the spirite of constancye insomuche that they dare bouldlye confesse that whiche they haue learned of him And although it is not likely that these men were quight dumbe yet notwithstanding because they made no true confession the Euaungelist simply denieth that they professed theyr fayth For this had bene true and lawfull confession to haue openlye geuen their name and professed Christ Wherefore let no man flatter himselfe which in anye parte hydeth and dissembleth his faithe leste he should incurre the displeasure and hatered of men For although the name of Christ be odiouse that feare is not excusable which maketh vs slide from the confession of his name though but the breadth of a heare Bv. A great number at this daye haue the very same disease that these Rulers had For they vnderstand the doctrine of trueth they know the lawful vse of the sacramentes that papistry is contrary to the doctrine of the Gospell and that in the papacy the Sacramentes are not ministred accordinge to the institution of the Lorde all these thinges they sée and knowe but yet neuertheles for feare and the loue of temporall thinges they communicate with the very same they haulte on both sydes and do not bouldly confesse the trueth All these men verely do greatly offende and ought not to be confyrmed in their errour to beleue that it is sufficient if so bee they retayne that which is true in their harte and do thinke well in their minde of the Gospell and in the meane time haue a lyking of these abhominations instituted against the word of God that is to saye they come vnto the masse not as to the masse but as vnto the Lordes Supper God hateth that hipocriticall dissimulation and loueth trueth and sinceritie Concerninge excommunication reade the ninth Chapter going before beginning at the .22 verse 43. For they loued the prayse of men more then the praise of God R. Thou mayest sée in this place the cause why fewe of the Rulers mightye men and wise men doe not sincerelye confesse the Gospell Because the Gospell bringeth with it the Crosse and the forsaking of earthlye goodes Nowe séeing the Rulers coulde not abide to forsake their tyranny and séeing it séemed foolishe to the wise men to resigne the wisdome of reasone to the bare and weake worde of the gospell it hath euer to come to passe that very fewe mightie and wise men truely confessed Christ According to the saying of Sainte Paule Behould your calling bretheren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mightie not many of high degre are called but God hath chosen the foolishe thinges of this world to confounde the wise C. The Euangelist laieth no supersticioÌ„ to these menes charge but onely sayth that they sought to auoyde the reproche and disprayse of men For yf so be ambition preuayled more with them than the feare of God it followeth that they were delyuered by a certayne light feare of concience Nowe let the readers noate how greatly God misliketh and condemneth theire feare who dissemble their faithe before men for feare of displeasure What worse thing can there be yea what can be more beastly than to preferre the vaine liking and commendation of men before the Iudgement of God And he pronounceth all those to be suche who forsake the displeasure of men when they should confesse a pure true faith and that iustely For the Apostell commending the inuinsyble constancie of Moyses Heb. â—i 27. saith that he endured euen as though he hadde séene him which is inuisible By which wordes he geueth vs to vnderstande that when a man fasteneth his eyes vppon God his harte will be inuincible more faste than an Adamant stoan Hervpon therfore commeth that cowardlines which maketh vs to fal to false dissimulation because wee haue wholy respect vnto this world For the sincere aspect and behoulding of God doth driue away all smoake and vanitie of ritches and honours It is not therefore a small and veniall offence as some imagine to deny Christ seeing the holy Ghost in this place sayth that those Rulers which confessed not Christe loued the prayse of men more than the glory of God Bv. And Christe himselfe sayth He which denieth mee before men shall be denied of mee before my Father which is in heauen Mat. 10.33 C. To loue the prayse of men in this place signifieth to desire to be in estimation and fauoure among men Therefore the Euaungelist meaneth that these Rulers were so addicted vnto the worlde that they rather desired to please men than God R. The prayse of men is to be counted honest good and wise the glorye and prayse of God is to be obiected contemned scorned crucified and to be cruellye slaine For by these meanes Christ entered into the kingdome of his Father and the Father by them was glorified in the worlde Hee therefore which preferreth the prayse of men before the glorye of God is vaine and miserable seeing the praise of men tendeth to reproache and shame but the glory of God bringeth to euerlasting lyfe 44. Iesus cryed and sayd Hee that beleeueth on me beleeueth not on mee but on him that sent mee M. All this place contayneth a serious and summarie declaration by which the Lorde maketh plaine protestation concerning himselfe and his dispensation as that hée doth not defende his owne cause that hée came not at his owne pleasure but that hée was sent of the Father that hée is the light of the world sent to doe good and not harme that hee spake nothing of himselfe and therefore that they which beléeue in him beeleéue not in him but in the father which sent him and that hee iudgeth not the vnbeleeuing but that they must be iudged by the word which he hath preached And by this his serious contestation hys purpose was in plaine wordes to gyue his last farwell to this blinde and obstinate people to lay the blame of vnbelefe vppon their owne heades and manifestlye to testefie of his righteousnesse and innocencie And this hee did not symply and in the eares of one or two but freely and with a lowde voyce which the Euaungelist noateth by these wordes Iesus cryed and sayde So did the saintes of God in olde time protest before the people shewing that they had omitted nothing Deut 32 1. Iosua 23.4 King 12 3. Act. 20.33 which pertayned to the office committed vnto them as Moyses Iosua Samuell and Paule B. Also the purpose of our sauiour Christ was by his example speaking of him selfe with so loude a voyce than the which nothing greued more the Pharises to incourag those fearfull Rulers which beleeued on him that with him they might dispise the Pharises in respect of God And that they might do this he bringeth a moste vrgent and stronge reasone affirminge that
take away the sins of the worlde by his death The whiche to bringe to passe he suffered Sathan for a shorte tyme to triumphe ouer them as conquerer Therefore Christe did not resiste Sathan that he might obay his fathers will and decrée and might so offer his obedience a◠a price and ransome for our righteousenesse M. To this effecte partaineth that which Paule wrighteth saying That Christe was obedient to his Father to the death euen to the death of the crosse Iohn i0 i8 A. Also Christ a litle before testified that he receiued this commaundement from the Father that he should geue his lyfe for his shéepe M. Therfore in that we are redeemed by the death and bloud of of Christe Iesus it was done at the commandement of the Father Obedience in Christe declared his loue towardes his father Furthermore seinge the obedience of Christ declared how greatly he loued his Father let vs also learne after his example not onely by the obseruation of his commaundementes but also by the pacient bearinge of the Crosse layed vpon vs to declare howe greatly we loue God the Father It is a hard matter to loue such a Father as layeth the crosse vpon his Children but hee doeth the same for our health And although we doe paciently beare the Crosse yet notwithstanding we cannot reache to that perfection which was in Christes example who not for his owne but for our benifite bare the crosse which the Father layde vpon him Furthermore in these words we are taught that this loue and obedience of Christ declared in the passion of the Crosse is to be proposed and set before the worlde He sayth not symply That ye might know but That the worlde may knowe that I loue the Father This knowledge serueth greatlye to the learning of saluation which is purchased for vs by the blessed bloude of Christ Rise let vs go hence B. R. Bv. Manye thinke that Christ when he had spoken these wordes went to another place and that he spake those thinges which follow as he walked C. But séeing saynt Iohn sayth hereafter that Christ went foorth it séemeth more lykelye that the purpose of Christe was to exhorte his Disciples ▪ to shewe the same obedience towardes GOD of the which they had so notable an example in him not that hee led them foorth at the same moment ⧠The XV. Chapter 1 I am the true Vine my Father is the Husbandeman CHRIST our Sauioure in this Chapter exhorteth his Disciples to abyde in him and to loue him then hée encourageth them against the hatred of the worlde to the which they shoulde be subiect R. After therefore hée hadde taught who he was and wherefore hée went by the Crosse to the Father now hée teacheth what benifites he possesseth by and in his Father not to retaine them to himselfe aloane but to communicate them with the faithfull And this he teacheth by an excelent similitude and fine allegorye ◠B. the which he playnelye explicateth C. Also the summe of this similitude is that we are barren and drye by nature sauing that we being ingraffed into Christe doe drawe from him newe strength and moysture But it is néedefull to discusse euerye propertie of the Vine but onely summarily to consider to what ende Christ applieth this similitude Therefore there are thrée speciall partes The first is That we haue no strength of our selues to doe good but from him the seconde That we hauing roote in him are purged and garnished by the father the third is that he cutteth of the vnfruitfull braunches that they mighte be cast into the fyer and burnte All men almoste are ashamed to deny that whatsoeuer good thing they haue it commeth from God but afterwarde they fayne that they haue a vniuersall grace geuen vnto them as though it were naturally ingraffed in them But Christ specialy standeth vpon this poynt that vitall Moysture doeth spring from him aloane wherevppon it followeth that mans nature is vnfruitfull and voyde of all goodnesse because no man knoweth the nature of the vine vntill he be ingrafted in the same But this is geuen by spetial grace to the elect alone The firste authoure therefore of all good thinges is the father who planteth vs by his hand but the beginning of lyfe is in Christ out of whome we beginne to take roote in him When he calleth hym selfe the true vine it is as yf he had sayd I am the vine in déede Therefore men do weary themselues in vain in séeking for strength from any other because profitable fruite cōmeth from no other than from the branches springing from mée For Christ compareth him selfe to the vine growing in the earth and vs to the braunches springing out of the same Bv. This allegory is taken out of the writinges of the Prophetes who in diuers places compare the Church to the vinyarde and men in the Church to vines Psal 8.9 Es 3 13 57 Ier 2 21 Ier i2 i0 Osee i0 i and the workes of fayth of loue and of righteousnesse to grapes Therfore when the Lord calleth him selfe the true vine we must not so vnderstande him as if hée were naturally and substantially a vine For naturallye and substantially he is God and man and not a vine but representeth the true comely fruitfull noble and plentifull vine AVG. Therefore he is called a vine by a similitude not by proprietye euen as he is called a shéepe a Lambe a Lion a Rock a corner stone such like frō which such similitudes are brought And my father is a husband man CYR. He calleth the Father a husbande man lest this might séeme to be done of the Sonne aloane which is the wonderfull worke of the whoale Trinitie For the father planted Christ the true vine when he made the word to become fleshe that the same might be perfecte God and perfect man M. Therefore the Mistery of our Mediation and saluation dependeth vpon the counsayle prouidence of our heauenly father who lyke a husband man planted and trimmed this vine for vs and doth also at this daye plant the same in the hartes of the faithfull In the which matter hys Aposteles are workers with hym Most aptly therefore when he called him selfe a vine i Cor 3 9. he made mention also of the husband man shewing that by the care prouidence and gubernation of God we ar brought to vertue and continued in the same For as the vine trée nourisheth her braunches euen so the husband man visiteth veweth and proyneth his vine 2. Euery braunche that beareth not fruite in me he will take awaye and euery branch that beareth fruite will hee purg that it may bring forth more fruite M. By these wordes he expresseth the husbandry of the father to the whiche the faythfull seruauntes of Christ are subiecte euenas the braunches of thys vine And he declareth that the ende and drifte of this husbandry is that the braunches might bring forth fruite C. But because some do
wordes that Christ required of his Disciples mutuall loue But othersome much better who take and vnderstande the loue of Christ actiuely For hee woulde haue vs to enioy for euer the loue wherewith hee hath loued vs and therefore hee willeth vs to take héede least wee depriue our selues of the same For many do reiect the grace offered vnto them and many cast away that which they haue in their handes So soone therefore as wee are once receiued into the grace of Christ we muste take héede leste through our owne fault we fall from the same M. He is the vine and he powreth his nature and goodnesse into the braunches so long as they abyde in the stocke that they maye be partakers of the liuelye bloud and Iuyce of the same Whoso abydeth not in hym they perishe not through his but by their owne faulte C. Notwistanding whereas some inferre vppon these wordes that there is no efficacie in the grace of God except the same be holpen by our constancie it is but vayne For we doe not graunte that the spirite doth only require of vs those thinges which are in our power but doth also shewe what ought to bée done that yf so be wée lacke strength we maye séeke for the same from him Euenas when Christ exhorteth vs here to perseuerance we must not leaue to our owne Industerye and strength but wée must pray him which commandeth that hee wyll confirme vs in his loue 10. If yee keepe my commaundementes yee shal abide in my loue euen as I haue keapt my fathers commandements and abide in his loue A. Leste any man should abuse this place we must noat that Christ sayth not yf ye kéepe my commaundements ye shall deserue my loue but ye shall abide in my loue M. For the obedience and kéeping of the commaundements of Christ is not the cause wherfore we are loued but rather the conceruation of his grace which happeneth euen to the vnworthy He did not therefore beginne to loue vs Merits are not the cause of Gods loue because we haue kept his commaundementes neyther hath he chosen vs because we deserued the same but hée hath both loued and chosen vs fréely and without al maner of desert on our part That we might abyde in this grace he requireth at our hands that we kéepe his commaundementes C. For this is the best manner of perseuerance to followe him whether he calleth vs. Rom. 8.1 For they which are in Christ walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite For these are alwayes ioyned together faith whiche apprehendeth the frée loue of Christ a good conscience and newenes of life And in déede Christ doeth not reconcile the Faithfull vnto the father that they might do what they lyst but to the ende he guiding them with his spirite might kéepe them vnder hys fathers hand and subiection Wherevppon it followeth that they doe reiect the loue of Christ which proue not them selues by true obedience to be his Disciples But it séemeth a very strayght and hard matter that the obseruation of the commaundementes of Christ shoulde bée required at our handes in the which is contayned the exacte perfection of righteousenesse which is more then we are able to doe For thereof it commeth that the loue of Christ is voyd excepte we be as pure as Aungels This maye easily bee aunswered â–ª for séeing Christ speaketh heare of a desier to leade a holy and godly life he doth not exclude that which is the principall poynt in his doctryne namely the frée imputatioÌ„ of righteousnesse whereby it commeth to passe that by acceptation and grace our workes which béeing of them selues lame impure deserue to be reiected are pleasant vnto God Therefore the faithfull are sayde to kéepe the commaundementes of Christ when they apply their whâ—ale studyes and minde to kéepe them although they come nothing neere the mark because they are loosed from that rigour of the Lawe Deu 27. â—6 Gala. 3 â— where it is sayd Cursed be euery one that continueth not in all thinges contained in this booke to fulfill them M. For whatsoeuer imperfection commeth by the infirmity of the fleshe is fréely forgeuen by the grace of the mediation of the bloud of Christ Euen as I haue kept my fathers coÌ„mandemeÌ„nts C. As wée are elected in Christ euenso in him is expressed at the full the Image of our callyng Good cause therefore hée hath to sette him selfe heare before hys Disciples for an example to be followed to the Immitation whereof al the Godly will frame them selues In mée sayeth he ye maye behoulde the verye same which he requireth of you For you sée howe truely I am addicted to the obedience of my father and in the same I will continue He in lyke manner hath not loued mée for a litle or shorte tyme but his loue towardes me abydeth for euer This conformitie of the heade and the members must we haue alwayes before our eyes not only to the ende the faithfull may séeke to conforme them selues to the example of Christ but also that they maye trust to be better reformed dayly by his spirite that they may walke in newenesse of lyfe to the end R. Therefore Christ is the only example of life the which euery one must followe if so be he desyer to liue a Christian mans life The Godly also maye be examples of life but no otherwaye than in Christ that is to say so far forth as they followe Christ Whereuppon Paule setting him selfe before others to be followed sayeth i. Cor. 4. i6 i Cor xi i Therefore I exhort you that ye be followers of mee And in another place he expoundeth him selfe sayng be ye followers of me euen as I followe Christ For suche an example whereby our life must be framed muste be perfecte in euery poynte But wee cannot haue a more perfecte example of life than in Christ for he doth not only go before vs teache vs with his voyce but also by his vertue in vs through Fayth he bringeth to passe that we may followe his example otherwise we are moste weake and vnapte to doe the leste good worke 11. These thinges haue I spoken vnto you that my ioye mighte remaine in you and that youre ioye mighte bee full A. As Christ a litle before left his peace with his Disciples putting a difference betwéene the same worldly peace euenso nowe he offereth vnto them the true and perfecte Ioye far more excelente than the Ioye of the worlde Bv. Hée speaketh not of that Ioye which he hym selfe hath in him selfe but of that whiche we conceiue of him by fayth The same springeth from the Faith which al they that are iustified by grace haue with God Therefore so often as wée heare of his fatherly loue towarde vs lette vs know that wée haue great occasion of Ioye insomuch that with quiet consciences wee may be assured of our saluation A. This Ioye the Apostle wisheth that that we may féele
fructefying to haue frée accesse vnto the Father C. Therefore this part was not added as not appertayning to that which weÌ„t before as it maye séeme to be For séeing the office and labour of teaching doth far surpasse the strength of man Sathan geueth many assaultes against the same which they are neuer able to abyde but by the strength and power of God Thereforee â—st the Apostles shoulde bée discouraged Christ stayeth them vp with a notable coÌ„fort As if he should say If ye shal haue more worke than ye shal be able to finishe in your office my Father wyl helpe you whose hand is prest and ready to helpe you so often as ye desyre the same in my name And in verye déede whereas some teachers geue ouer theyr office eyther for that they are sleuthful or else because they dispaire and are discouraged it commeth so to passe because they are not exercised in feruent praier Wherefore let this promise of Christ styrre vs vp to call vpon God For whosoeuer knoweth that the successe of this worke commeth only from God he wyll offer his labor vnto him with feare and trimbling and contrariwise if a man distrusting his labour do neglect the helpe of God or when he cometh to the pushe doeth cast away his speare and shield hée shall profite nothing Finally these two vices must be shunned namelye arrogancy distrust because as they do careleslâ—ye forsake the helpe of God who thinke that they haue alreadye the matter in theyr owne hande so also in many straites they faint because they doe not consider that they fighte armed with the power of God vnder whose banner they fight 17. This coÌ„maund I you that ye loue togeather C. This also was added in due and conuenient order to the ende the Apostls might know that mutuall loue was speciallye required to be in the Ministers Concorde buildeth vp Gods Church whereby they might builde the Churche of God with concorde For there can be no greater let than when euerye one laboureth by himselfe and do not ioyntlye conferre and labour togeather in one worke Except therefore the Ministers haue brotherly loue among them selues whatsoeuer they take in hand it shal not prospere so that the building of Gods Churche shall not goe forewarde Bv. Therefore the wordes of the Lord are thus muche in effect I woulde not haue you which are my Disciples to followe men whiche are geuen vnto the worlde which doe hate and deuoure one another for the loue of Ritches and honour I woulde not haue you after that sort to contende among your selues because the world alwayes conteÌ„deth with you But rather I wyll and commaund you to cleaâ—e and ioyne togeather in the sweete bond of loue That loue mutual concorde shall bring to passe that ye shall the more easilye and stronglye beare the hatered and persecutions of the worlde R. Let this therefore moue you to loue one another because ye shall haue none in the worlde which loue you truely and sincerelye no the worlde shall rather hate you Wherfore sée that ye loue one another 18. Yf the worlde hate you Ye knowe that it hated me before it hated you M. The dilligent reader may hereby perceyue that the Lorde omitted nothing at his departure which might eyther instruct eyther moue either exhort or else confirme comfort his Disciples Hytherto he had taught admonished and comforted them diuers sondry wayes C. After therefore he had armed them to the battaile he also exhorteth them to patience For the Gospell cannot so soone be preached but the worlde is by and by on a roare Wherefore it can neuer be that Godlye teachers should be frée from the hatered of the worlde A. For if so bée so many as wyll lyue Godlye in Christ Iesu 2. Tim 3 i2 shall suffer persecution how can they escape the Crosse which preache the worde of trueth which is hated of the whoale world C. Christ therefore in good tyme gaue this admonition to his Apostls lest the same might haue happened to them which commonly befalleth vnarmed and ignoraunt Souldiours who for want of skyll are verye boulde before they sée their enemyes but when they come to the battayle they turne their backes and ronne awaye And Christ doeth not onely forewarne his Disciples lest any newe or soddaine matter should happen vnto them but also confirmeth them by his example as if he shoulde saye I haue exhorted you that aboue all thinges ye séeke to loue one another the which shall cause you dillygently to execute your office to the whiche I haue chosen you But I knowe that the world wyll be as troublesome to you as it hath béene to mée Therefore when the worlde shall requite you with deadly hatered for so great a benefite â–ª whiche you bryng vnto them consider that it hath also hated me whiche am your Maister and farre more excellent than you Bv. By the worlde hée vnderstandeth men lyuing in the world and following the desires of their fleshe iudging all thinges after the fashion of this worlde who are ignoraunt of God and of the misteryes of the kingdome of God And these men are of twoo sortes Some are Hipocrites who woulde séeme to bée followers of vertue to hate vnrighteousnesse and to bée the true worshippers of the true God by the stoodye and loue of true Religion when as in verye déede they are dissemblers neglectours of vertue supersticious men vaine worshippers of God by traditions of men Such were the Pharisées among the Iewes Othersome are Epicures which neyther imbrace righteousnesse nor regarde honestye onely following the fleshe and the pleasures of the same and if any among them séeme to bée honest yet notwithstanding they are worshippers of Idolles and contemners of the true worship of God Such were the most part of the Gentiles And this world or rather worldlye men cannot choose but hate the preaching of the Gospell and the Preachers of the same For they doe greatly accuse and condempne supersticion false righteousnesse pleasures good intencions hipocrisie and impietye they preache Christ the true righteousnesse and sauing health they exhort to holinesse and they them selues lyue purely and Godly repose their trust in God and loke for the life of the worlde to come C. But suche must be armed by the example of Christ For it is not méete that séeing he was hated of the worlde they whiche represent his personne shoulde haue the worlde their friende Before it hated you A. Concerning the hatered of the world against Christ and his Ministers reade the seuenth Chapter going before beginning at the seuenth verse 19. Yf yee were of the vvorlde the worlde would loue his owne Howbeit because ye are not of the vvorlde but I haue chosen you out of the vvorld therfore the vvorld hateth you B. Although worldlye men doe neuer truelye loue one another because euerye one séeketh onely for him selfe yet notwithstanding they detest nothing more than the sincere loue
alwayes then haue a consideration of the cause and there is no true consolation any where else in the testimony of a good conscience Bv. For it is a glorious thing for Christes sake and the profession of the trueth to bée in perrill to bée hated of menne and to suffer persecution Againe it is a fowle thing to bée afflicted for euyll doing For therefore sayeth the Apostle Peter See that none of you bee punished as a murderer or as a Theefe or an euyll doer or as a busye bodye in other mennes matters Yf any man suffer as a Christian man let him not bee ashamed but let him glorifye God on this behalfe For herevppon wée ought to bée moued to geue GOD thankes because when the worlde perrisheth in his owne blindnesse GOD geueth his lyghte vnto the Faythfull euen as the palpable darkenesse compassed the Aegiptians rounde aboute when the Children of Israell were in the manifest lyght Also wée must noate that the hatred of Christ commeth for want of vnderstanding when GOD is not knowne For vnbeléefe is alwaye blynde Not that the wicked vnderstande nor knowe nothing but because all theyr knowledge is confounded and sodainlye vanisheth awaye For my names sake M. Here let vs consider what difference there is betwéene God and the world Before God those thinges which the Apostles aske in the name of Christ they receiue before the world the name of Christ is the cause why the Apostles are hated Both these the Apostle felt and after them the true Ministers of the Gospell Because they haue not known him that sent me CYR. By this word sent is mente the whoaâ— mistery of the Incarnation Bv. And it must néedes be that boath the Father and the Mistery of the Incarnation be vnknowen when his name is odiouse by whome the Father is knowen and the causes of the sendinge vnderstoode M. But who sent Christ God the Father Therefore the high Preistes Scribes and Phariseis knewe not God They could not knowe the Father béecause they knewe not the sonne whome he had sent R. They bragged of God and bosted that they were the true worshippers of God but they knewe not God For he whiche will knowe God must knowe him by his word and not by hys owne Immaginations and dreames i. Iohn 3.1 M. Euen so before he sayde vnto them Yee neyther know me nor my Father if ye had knowne me ye would haue knowen my Father also Séeing therefore the world is ignoraunt of God it oughte not to séeme straunge if so be the name of Christ bee odiouse vnto the childeren of this world and if for his sake the Faithfull are made a mocking stock But let this saying of saynt Iohn comfort them Beehold what loue the father hath bestowed on vs that we should be called the sonnes of God For this cause the world knoweth vs not because it knoweth not him What is Christ I praye you in the eyes of the world without the knoweledge of God the Father but meere blasphemy And what are the faythfull seruauntes of Christ but a superstitiouse people For the which cause the vnbeleuers and wise men of this world haue made them alway a iesting stocke But concerninge the ignoraunce of God in the Iewes read in the seuenth chapter going before and the twenty eyght verse 22. Yf I hadde not come and spoken vnto them they should haue hadde no sinne but nowe haue they nothinge to cloake theire synne withall M. He séemed to excuse the vnbeléefe of the Iewes and also their hatered which they bare agaynst him and his disciples by this that hée sayde But al these thinges shal they doe vnto you for my names sake bicause they haue not known him who hath sent mee as though they had not done all thinges of mallice but of Ignoraunce For this cause hee added these wordes C. leste any man shoulde think that this serued to excuse theire falte and hee sheweth that they were maliciouslye blind euenas yf a man should shutte his eyes that he myght nott bée constrayned to sée the lyghte For otherwise it might haue béene obiected vnto Christ yf so bée they knowe not thy father howe commeth it to passe thâ—t thou doest not remedye their erroure Why dyddest thou not prooue whether they weare vnapte to bee taughte yee or noe Hee Aunswereth that hee hath done the duty of a good and faythfull teacher but without profite because mallice woulde not suffer them to come vnto a sounde minde Bv. As yf hee shoulde saye If I had not come and had so expresselye and plainlye opened vnto them the misteryes of the kingdome of GOD and the counsayle and loue of my Father they should haue had no sinne but nowe seeing I the sonne of God haue descended from heauen and haue expounded all the misteries of Gods kingdome and they them selues haue hearde and vnderstoode all thinges and yet would neyther knowe nor vnderstande them it cannot seeme ignoraunce which is maliciouse obstinacy and moste wicked contempt of the knowen trueth C. In these words also Chrrst séemeth to affirme that only vnbeleefe is sinne And there are some which so think For because Faith remitteth and wypeth awaye all synnes they saye that there is but one sinne of vnbeléefe which damneth This is truely spoken because vnbeléefe doth not only kéepe men from being deliuered from the desert of condemnation but also is the well spring and cause of all euels But all that disputation appertaineth nothing at all to this present place For the name of synne is not taken generally but for the circomstaunce of the cause in hand as if Christ should haue sayd that their ignoraunce was inexcusable because they had maliciously reiected God in his person euenas yf we should cal him giltlesse iust and pure whom we would absolue from one only fault of the which he was guilty Therefore this absolution of Christ is restrayned to one kinde of synne because he taketh from the Iewes the pretence of ignoraunce in the contempt and hatered of the Gospell Notwithstanding there aryseth yet a newe question as thus Was not the vnbeléefe which was before the comming of Christ sufficient to condemne men And they are madde men which gather amis of this place that whosoeuer dyed before the comming of Christ without fayth were in a doubtfull case vntill such tyme as Christ manifested him selfe vnto them As though there were not many places of Scripture which testify that the only testimony of conscience was sufficiente for them to condemnation Rom. 5 14 Death sayeth Saint Paul rayned in the world vntill Moyses Rom. 2 12 And in another place hee sayeth that they shall peryshe withoute Lawe which haue synned without the Lawe What then is the meaning of Christ There is in these wordes a concession or graunting because he meaneth that the Iewes haue now nothing any more to excuse their fault withal seing that wittingly willingly they had reiected the life offered vnto them And
him selfe loueth you becase ye haue loued me and haue beleued that I came out from God A. These wordes séeme quite and cleane to ouerthrowe all that the Lorde had spoken to his Diciples concerning intercession to his Father Obiection For he addeth that it is superfluous for him to praye vnto the Father Did he not before declare him selfe to be God and man in these wordes I will pray vnto the father Iohn i4 i6 and he shall giue you another comforter that he maye abide with you for euer Also Saint Iohn in another place calleth him our aduocate Rom 8 34 And Paule testefieth that he maketh interssion for vs. Heb 7 25 The same also is confirmed in the Hebrues But Christe doth not simplely denie in this place Aunsvvere that he wyl be an Intercessor but onely sheweth that his Father is so ready of him selfe to helpe them that he will willingly geue vnto them whatsoeuer they shal aske Christ our Intercessor B. Therfore Christ doth alwaye make Intercession for those that are his vntill such time as the number of them be full For that which he saith here and in the sixe and twenty verse how that it is not nedfull that he should praye vnto the Father for them is spoken in this respecte that hee had already obtayned his fathers fauoure toowardes them who at that time did both fauoure and imbrace them as the faithfull beléeuers in Christ M. This place is dilygentely to bée noated specialy against those which haue thrust in the Intercession of dead saintes into the Church because we haue no accesse vnto God for our sinnes saye they therefore we muste haue the saintes to be Intercessors for vs Euen as we cannot be admitted vnto the speach of a King before we vse some of his househoulde officers as meanes for vs. But Christe doth not in this sorte set his Father before vs whome he maketh so gentle and louing vnto vs that he sayth he will aske nothing for vs as for men voyde and destitute of his loue A. This Fatherly affection towards vs Esa 65 24 the Lorde him selfe also testifieth by hys Prophet saying It shall come to passe that before they call I will aunswer and before they aske I will heare to the ende we might not doubt but to finde the Father fauorable vnto vs so soone as wée call vpon him in the name of his Sonne For hee alwayes heareth him seeing hée is his onely begotten and most déere Sonne in whome hée is well pleased C. Moreouer when Christ is sayde to praye vnto the Father and to make intercession for vs let vs not imagine any carnall thing of him as though bée falling downe at his Fathers feete made such humble prayers for vs but the power and force of his sacrifice by which he hath once purchased the fauour of God towarde vs is alwaye lyuelye and effectuall and the bloude which he hath once shed for our righteousnesse is a continuall intercession for vs. Because ye haue loued me and haue beleued M. Christ in these wordes expresseth the cause of the loue of God the Father towarde vs shewing howe fayth in hym and the loue of him doe get vnto vs the loue of God the Father by which it commeth to passe that wée obtaine all things at his hande R. As if he shoulde saye because ye haue loued me and beleeued my Gospell therefore I haue reconsiled you vnto God that he may be now your Father ye are made the Sonnes of God by fayth in mee ye are made fellowe heyres of all Godes graces wherefore by me ye shall haue a readye waye to come vnto the Father C. By these wordes we are taught that there is one only bond of our coniunction with God And we are ioyned by true fayth which commeth from sincere affection the which he noteth by the name of loue For none doe beleeue purely in Christ but they whiche loue him with theyr whole heart Wherefore by this word loue he hath wel expressed the force and nature of faith But yf so be God beginneth to loue vs so sone as we loue Christ it foloweth that the beginninge of our saluation is of our selues because wée preuent the grace of God But contrary to this we haue many testimonies of Scripture i Iohn 4 i0 as these I will make them to loue me Agayne Not because wee loued him firste It shall not néede to repeate more places Rom 4 i7 because there is nothing more certayne then this doctrine That the lorde caleth those thinges that be not as though they were Ezech 36.26 that hee restoareth the dead to life Easy 65. that he maketh of stoany hartes hartes of flesh that he appereth vnto them which seke him not and that he loueth all those that are his before they are in this respecte we are sayde to be loued of God when we loue Christ because we haue a pledge of his loue whom before we abhorred as a seuere and cruell Iudge towarde vs. AVG. Therefore the Father loueth vs because we loue the Sonne hauing receaued of the father and the sonne that wee might loue the Father and the sonne 28 I went out from the Father and came into the vvorlde againe 1 leaue the vvorlde and goe to the Father C. This sentence commendeth vnto vs the deuine loue in Christ For we should haue no true fayth in hym yf we dydde not apprehende his deuine power For his death and resurrection the two pillors of fayth shoulde profite vs lytle or nothing at all except his heauenlye power be annexed vnto them Therefore we must imbrace Christ by a true and sincere fayth as the counsaile and power of God Let vs also consider to what ende hée came out from God namely that hee might be vnto vs wisdom sanctification righteousnes and redemption M. For this cause he sayth not simpely I am sent of God into this worlde Iohn 1 6 but I went out from the Father and came into the worlde Iohn also was sent of God the rest of the Prophetes also were sent of whome notwithstanding that cannot be sayde which Christ speaketh here of himselfe saying I went out from the father and came into the worlde that we might consider that to be in Christ Philiq 27 which is no other R But some will say how went hée out from the Father whiche was neuer seperated from him and howe goeth he out of the worlde when as all thinges in the same are ordered and gouerned by his power and care Hée wente oute from the Father because he abased himselfe taking vppon him the forme of a seruaunt He is gone out of the worlde because hee was contemned crucified and slaine by the worlde But all these thinges were done that he might goe vnto the Father that is to saye that he might bring man into the kingdome of God that hee myght make him Lorde ouer sinne the Crosse death and hell C. Therefore hee
haste loued me For there is but one only Christ which can be sayd to be welbeloued Furthermore the heauenly father loueth all the members with the same loue with the whiche he hath loued the Churche that he maye loue no man but in Christ But for this reade more in the .3.14 and .16 chapters before 24. Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me where I am that they may se my glory which for thou haste gyuen me thou louedst mee before the foundation of the worlde M. Whereas Christe sayth heere to his Father I will it is not spoken commaundingly but in the way of petition C. For I wil in this place is as much to say as I desire Notwithstanding there maye bee double vnderstanding in the same eyther that he woulde haue his disciples to enioye his externall presence or els that God woulde bring them at the laste into his heauenly kingdome whyther he wente before Thus to see the glorye some expound to haue the participatioÌ„ of that glory which Christ hath other some to feele with the sence of faith what Christ is how great his maiestie is also But all things well wayed considered we must beleeue that Christe speaketh of the perfecte blessednes of the Godly As if he shuld say that his prayer and peticion was not graunted vntill suche tyme as they were receiued vp into heauen vnto him Thus we muste vnderstand the sighte of his glory They then sawe the glory of Christe when he was presente with them euen as if men should see a small lighte shining through the narrow chinks or crakes of a â—oore or walle when they are shutte into a darke place Now Christ wishet that they might profite so long vntill they enioyed the perfecte lighte in the kingdome of heauen In effecte he prayeth that the Father woulde bring them forward more more vntill such time as hee brought them vnto the full sight of his glory M. By thys place wee see what manner of prayer it was which Christe made namely no vncertayne or doubtfull prayer but an assured and faythfull prayer too obtayne that which he asketh C. When he addeth For thou louedst me befor the beeginning It doth far better agree with the person of the mediator than with the bare deuinitie of Christ A. By this place we gather that the faithfull are oute of perill seeing they are partakers of the same glory with the which Christ is endued of the Father for the head is not seperated from the meÌ„bers R. Therefore whether the faythfull are in death or in life they ar with Christ Whereupon the Prophet sayth if I walke in the middest of the shadowe of deathe I will feare none ill bicause thou art with me 25. O righteous Father the worlde also hath not knowen thee but I haue knowen thee and these haue knovven that thou haste sente me M. Againe he commeÌ„deth in his disciples the knowledge of god the father the which he manifested vnto them Of this he spake before And here he repeateth the same againe discerning his disciples from thys world and accusing the world in this that the same knoweth not God the Father C. Therefore of ryghte Christe of a singuler affection commendeth his disciples whom the vnbeleefe of the worlde did not hinder from the knowledge of god M. The lyke sentence almost thou haste before in these words And ye haue not knoweÌ„ him but I haue knowen him Also it agréeth with the .8 verse of this chapter C. In calling the Father righteous he condemneth the world and the wickednes of the same As if he shoulde saye Although the worlde do proudly despise and reiecte God yet not withstanding he looseth nothing therebye but remayneth still as glorious a God and a righteous as he was before By whiche wordes he teacheth that the fayth of the Godly ought to be so founded in God that thoughe the whole worlde shoulde falle yet the same shoulde neuer shake Also we muste note the order of faith which is here described The sonne onely whiche came foorth of the bosome of the Father dothe properly knowe the Father Therefore al they which desire to come vnto God must of necessitie receiue Christ which coÌ„meth to meete them and muste wholy addicte them selues vnto hym And he when he is knowen wil at the last bring his disciples to God the Father 26. And I haue declared vnto them thy name and wil declare it that the loue wherewith thou haste loued me may be in them and I in them M. By this place it dothe appeare that the knowledge of gods name is not seperated from the knowledge of the dispensation and mediation of Christe by whiche hee is knowen to be the Mediator sent into thys world C. When he saith that he hath manifested vnto them hys fathers name hée meaneth that hee hath done the office of a teacher but yet that hee vsed not onelye the sounde of a voice but also the secret reuelation of the spirite to manifest the father And bicause the faith of the disciples was as yet but weake hee promiseth with al increace of this knowledge B. For we must here continually increase in the knowledge of god C. And thus he prepareth theÌ„ to hope for more large knowledge and grace of the spirite Also although hee speaketh of the Apostles yet wee may gather thereby a generall exhortation that we may studie dayly to profite and not to thinke that wee haue run so wel but that there remayneth yet a greate deale of our race so longe as we are in this fleshe M. Wherfore let vs seeke for the increase of this knowledge of God at the handes of Christ the perfection wherof we shal haue at the last in the life to come That the loue wherewith thou hast loued me C. That is to say that thou mayst loue theÌ„ in me Or els That the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may also extend it self vnto them For the loue wherewith God loued vs too speake properly is euen the very same with the whiche hee loued hys Sonne from the beeginning that in hym he might make vs acceptable to hym selfe And verely in respecte of oure selues wee are odious vnto God without Christe but theÌ„ he beginneth to loue vs wheÌ„ we begin to growe into the bodye of his welbeeloued sonne This is an vnspeakeable priuiledge when we knowe that Chryste was beloued of his Father for our sakes that wee might bee for euer pertakers of the same loue M. We muste note also that the knowledge of God doth bring vs into this wonderfull fellowship of Gods loue C. But wee muste note these wordes And I in them By whiche wee are taught that wee are no otherwise comprehended in that loue of the whiche hee speaketh than if Christe doo dwell in vs. For as the Father can not beholde the Sonne but hee muste haue before hys eyes his whole body euen so if we will haue him to beholde vs
wée muste be the true members of hys bodye B. Therefore when wee are absolutelye Godly it shall appeare that we are deere and acceptable vnto God R. And wee must well remember the prayer coÌ„tayned in this Chapter For if so be Christ prayed for him selfe for his Apostles and for al those that should beleeue by the preaching of the Apostles it must needes be in an effectuall prayer For howe could it be that the son which was obediente to the death of the Crosse shuld be repulsed Wherfore let vs bee fullye perswaded that neyther death neyther life neyther Angels neither rule nether power nether things presente nor thinges to come neither heigth nor depth neither any other creature shal be able to seperat vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord. ⧠The .18 Chapter 1. When Iesus had spoken these words he went foorth with his Disciples ouer the brooke Cedron where was a Garden into the which he entred with his Disciples M. IN this Chapter the Euangelist begynneth to declare the historie of the Lordes passion in the declaration wherof he omitteth many things whiche are to be read in the other three Euangelistes the which he doth of purpose euen as he hath set downe many things worthy of remembraunce whiche the other thrée haue let passe with silence R. Therfore hitherto was noted the Sermon which Christ made at his last Supper by which Christ most fully declared and manifested him selfe to his Disciples to the ende we might know what grace and goodnesse he conteyneth in him selfe specially vnder the crosse Also he prayed that all those that beléeue in him might be sanctified that they might be one with him and that the loue with the which the Father loued him might be in them Therfore his Sermon and Prayer béeing ended he went foorth with his Disciples ouer the brooke Cedron M. Some thinke that this brooke was called the brooke of Ceders bicause many Ceder trees grew about the same C. But it is very like notwithstaÌ„ding that this name came vp through error For of the valley or brooke of Cedron there is mention oftentimes made in the Scriptures M. Where the Hebrewe worde dothe not signifie Ceder trees but dimnes or darknesse R. Concerning the whiche brooke we reade in the booke of Kings 2. Kin. 15.23 4. kin 23.4 C. This place therfore was so called bicause of the darknesse bicause it was a deepe valley and muche shadowed Howbeit we will not contende much about this Specially we haue to consider the purpose of the Euangelist in naming this place For hys purpose was to shewe that Christ went willingly to death He came into that place which he knew was well knowne vnto Iudas And to what ende but only to offer him selfe to Iudas and into the handes of his enemies For he came not vnto this place without foresight of that which folowed séeing he was ignorant of nothing whiche was to come to passe M. Wherefore Christ passing ouer the brooke Cedron entred into the Garden not to flée from his Persecuters but that he might go to that agony whiche was to come according to Gods appoyntment If he went ouer the brooke CedroÌ„ bicause he would flée away his best way had bin through the wildernesse and not to haue entred into this Garden C. He went not therfore to seeke a place to hide him selfe in but he entred into the Garden that he might haue more libertie to pray The other Euangelists say that he went out vnto the mount of Oliues Mat 26.36 and they make mention of a certayne place which is called Gâ—thsemane the which hath no discrepance seeing that the historie of Dauid also sayth 2. kin 15.23 that the people when they had passed ouer the brooke Cedron went towarde the way of Oliuet 2. Iudas also whiche betrayed him knewe the place for Iesus ofttimes resorted thither with his Disciples R. As Christ is not betrayed but of an Apostle and his chiefe Disciple and that to those to whom he him selfe was the truthe and whose office and function was a shadowe and tipe of him Persecution of the Gospell by Disciples Mat. 23.37 Act. 7.52 that is to say to the high Priestes and Scribes euen so the worde of the Gospell is almost neuer betrayed but of suche as know the same and are friends in shew and very seldome it suffreth persecution of straungers The Gentiles killed not the Prophets but the Iewes which boasted of the worde of the Lord. The Phariseis cast out the Apostles Antechrist is not suche a one as denyeth Christ but a boster of the name of Christ and yet he persecuteth the Gospel So the hypocriticall Monkes Priests Bishops Popes and such like haue onely the outwarde name of Christians and seeke to betray and to destroy Christ 3. Iudas then after he had receiued a band of men and officers of the high Priests and Phariseys came thither with lanternes and torches and weapons R. With what force strength doth Iudas set vpon Christ Or by what power do the souldiers of Iudas persecute the Gospel Not with reasons sentences of scripture except peraduenture the same be wrested to serue their turne not with probable arguments but with the corporall sword with weapons with afflictions all kinde of torments If this be to ouercome who haue greater conquest victorie than tyrants fighting with crueltie And if this be to play the champion who is more bould stout than théeues Reade the .26 of Mat. beginning at the .47 verse concerning the other two verses folowing also reade the same chapter 6. Assoone then as he had said vnto theÌ„ I am he they went backwarde and fel to the grounde C. The Euangelist sheweth what great vertue and power the Lorde breathed with one voyce to the ende we myghte know that the wicked had power ouer him no further than he gaue them leaue He gently aunswereth that he is the very same whome they sought for and yet notwithstanding hee casteth them prostrate vppon the earth euen as if it had béene with the violent puffe or blast of a whirle wynde or with the flashing stroke of lightning Therefore he wanted no power to restrayne their handes if it had so pleased him but he woulde obey his Father by whose decrée he knewe he was called and appoynted to deathe Aug. For where is nowe thys ambushmente of Souldiers Where is nowe theyr terrour and fortification of weapons One voyce strake repulsed and prostrated without force of weapon the outrageous hatefull multitude and terrible with weapons For God lay hydden in the fleshe and the sempiternall day was so shadowed and couered wyth humayne members that darknes sought with Lanternes and Fyrebrandes to kill the same What wyll he doo which shall come to iudge whiche dyd thys that he might be iudged But this purpose was to put in proofe that efficacie whiche the Prophet Esay attributeth to hys word Amongest other the mightie