❧ AN EXPOSITION OF A part OF S. johannes Gospel made in sundry readings in the English Congregation by Bartho. Traheron, and now published against the wicked enterprises of new start up Arrians in England.  He that believeth in me, believeth not in me, but in him that sent me. And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me. johan. 12. 
¶ Imprinted. Anno. 1557.   

✚ TO MY MOST DEAR SISTER ELISABETH P.  
THINK not to much, good sister, what you have had, but consider what you have, remember not what you have been some times in the worlds eyes, but what you be now in god's eyes. Lament not that you lost, but joy in that you have found. When you were high, you were surely low, now that you are low, you are surely high. Let this sink in to your mind, that if wordly things had not been taken from you, you should shortly have been taken from them, and perchance if they had not been so drowned, they would have drowned you, before death had removed you from them. If no adversity had assailed you, you had been a dead sea, and the patience, & other singular virtues, which now shine in you, had been quenched, either in yourself utterly, or touching the knowledge of any other, unfruitfully. And therefore Seneca truly said, that, that person is very miserable, who never felt any misery. The world meant to impoverish you, but God hath enriched you. The world would depress you, but God hath advanced you. The world thought to overwhelm you with heaviness, but God hath filled you with true joys. The world laboured to stain you with infamy, but God hath made your name both clear, and pure, and also to send forth a pleasant odor among his saints. You have not than lost somuch, as you have found. Only beware for the time to come, for more remaineth to be laid upon you for a farther trial. Yea, I know that Circe the sorceress hath all ready, & will more here after allure you with her enchanted cup. But let not the sweetness of the cups lips, and the pleasantness of the poison beguile you. Rather chose to drink the lords cup, which though it have a bitter taste in the first draft, yet in the end purging corrupt, and noisome humours, it maketh a pure, and clean body. You know that as god's goodness hath made you my natural sister, so his wrath hath given to us both, and to the rest of our brethren, and sister an unnatural stepmother. How unmercifully, and cruelly she hath dealt with us, and how sharply she hath whipped us, you can remember, and if she begin now to smile upon you, she meaneth the more mischief. Take heed good sister, a stepmother, will ever be a stepmother. Give yourself earnestly to reading of the holy scriptures.  
Hold fast the doctrine that our holy brother, and eldest save one, religiously maintained, whom our stepdame laboureth to deface, I trust in vain. Fly aswell all idolatrical, as all Anabaptistical strange opinions. To which end I have dedicated this my little travail unto you, as to my dearest sister, & whom I most desire to be preserved pure, and spotless in every part. I am not ignorant that the better you shallbe, & sincerer in treu religion, the more you shall anger our stepdame's testy heart, and the les favour you shall find in your just requests. But I have more regard to the wealth of your soul, than to the wealth of your body. And therefore I have sent you this preservative which our stepdame, if she were, as she can pretend, should take in good part. But so that she may live in her babylon whoredom, and drunken lusts, and swill in the wine of Egypt's errors, I perceive she passeth not much, how other things go, Lift you up your minds eyes, and behold the glorious face of the lord jesus, while our stepmothers eyes are dazzled with the glistering vain glory of the world, & toteth all day in the deceivable painted face of a monstrous man, triple in head, and double in heart. O that she might be made better, but see that you in the mean while be nor made worse by her. Let the fruit of my worst part, that is with you, see the fruit of my better part. Commend me to him, whom laws permit you to love, to whom god grant in heaven, that he seeketh in earth. The lord jesus guide you ever with his holy spirit, my entirely beloved.  
Your Bro. Bartho. Traheron.   

THE FIRST READING.  
I HAVE chosen this part of the holy scripture, wherein to travail with you at this time because through gods great wrath against sin, and the most despiteful malice of Satan against the truth, the old heinous heresy of the ungodly Arrians, is renewed in our country, and as it were raised up again from hell. These cankered old Arrians, that you may undrestande their heresy, spoke blasphemously of the godhead of our Lord jesus. For the first author of it Arrius uttered erroneously, & ungodly in the schools of Alexandria, in Egypt, that there was a time, when gods son was not. By which words he meant, that he was not of the same being, and substance that the father is of, nor of the fame eternity and so not the natural son of God, and very God in deed, but an excellent creature of God, whereby God made all things, as by Turrian instrument, as he himself opened in farther declaration of his mind.  
For he granted that the Lord jesus was the first, and chiefest creature, & the beginning of all other creatures, and gave him also the name of God. Howbeit he thought not that he had his Godhead by nature, but by borrowing.  
For trial of this matter the most noble and godly Emperor Constantine the great, called a general concile at Nice, of three hundred, and eighteen bishops, of whom many for singular learning and eloquence, many for great holiness of life, were counted worthy of everlasting remembrance. In this famous concile it was concluded out of the holy scriptures, that god's son is of the same eternity, of the same substance, essence, & being, that God the father is, gods natural son, and coaequal with the father, as it appeareth in the Crede, commonly called the Nicene Crede. Whereunto the hole assemble agreed, and subscribed, saving these five, Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia, Theognis bishop of Nice, Maris bishop of Calchedon, Theognis bishop of Marmarike, and Secundus bishop of Ptolemais. Which five bishops for their ungodliness, by the emperor's commandment, were banished out of their countries. But soon after their exile, Eusebius, and Theognis repented that they had done so unadvisedly, and sent a book of repentance to the godly bishops, wherein they used these words. We have agreed to the faith, and after we had made inquisition of the meaning of this word consubstantial, we were thoroughly quieted. And in deed we clave not to the heresy, yea we subscribed to the faith, but we subscribed not to the excommunication. Not that we reprove the faith, but we believed not that he, that is to say, Arrius, was such one, as he was accused to be. But if the holy council be so persuaded, we repugn not, but consent to your decrees, and confirm our consent with this our present writing, not that we can not bear our banishment, but to avoid the suspicion of heresy.  
Out of these words Socrates the story writer guesseth, that these two subscribed to the faith agreed upon in the concile of Nice, but would not allow the deposition of Arrius.  
This matter being thus wisely and godly estably shed, began to be troubled again, by this occasion. Constatine the emperor had a sister called Constantia, in to whose favour a certain priest crept so far, that she counted him as one of her own. This priest, whose name the story writer uttereth not, as worthy perpetual oblivion, by th'advise of Eusebius declared to Constantia, that the concile had done Arrius wrong, and that he thought not as the rumour went. The lady durst not tell the Emperor that his affirmation, and yet she believed her priest. It happened soon after that she fell sick, and the Emperor her brother came to visit her, at which time she singularly commended her priest unto him. Who immediately upon her commendation received him in to his favour, and familiarity. The priest having gotten boldness, and liberty of talk, renewed unto him, Arrius his matter, affirming that he agreed with the concile. The emperor answered that if Arrius would consent to the concile, he would receive him to favour, and send him again to Alexandria, to be restored to his former place. And there upon he sent letters to Arrius to repair speedily unto him. When Arrius was come, and presented before the Emperor, he demanded of him, whether he consented to the faith of the Nicene concile.  
Arrius answered that he did consent there unto. The Emperor bad him put his faith in writing, he did so, & this was the confession of him & of Euzoius that was htan there with him. We believe in one god, the father almighty, and in the Lord jesus Christ his son begotten of him before all worlds god the word, by whom all things were made, both things in heaven, and things in earth. The Emperor forthwith wrote to Athanasius bishop off Alexandria to receive Arrius, and to restore him to his room. And because Athanasius refused so to do, he was deposed. Than began Arrius to sow again his envenomed seeds.  
The Emperor informed of his nawhgtie behaviour, sent for him again unto Constantinople, and asked him once more, whether he consented to the determination of the Nicene concile. He answered yea, with out any staggering the Emperor marveling at the matter, required of him, to confirm his confession with an oath. And he took his oath incontinently, using therein fond craft, and subtlety. For he had written his own doctrine in a paper, and carried the same under his arm hole, and so swore that his sentence was, as he had there written, meaning the paper under his arm hole. Here upon the Emperor commended him to the bishop of Constantinople, to be received to the communion of catholic Christian men. Alexander the bishop knowing the malicious wiliness of Arrius, stayed at the matter. Eusebius a stout man, ceased not to threaten the good bishop, that if he would not willingly admit Arrius to the communion, he should be compelled thereunto by force.  
The bishop perceiving that he was not able to resist the violence of Eusebius having the Emperor also on his side, fell to prayer, and continued therein all night lying prostrate before the lords table. In the morning Eusebius accompanied with a band of men, went to Arrius his lodging, and willed him to follow him to the temple.  
Every man's mind was occupied with expectation of the end, knowing the fierceness of Eusebius, and the constantie, and godliness of Alexander. Arrius by the way as he was going to church in the midst of that rout, for man's necessity desired to go a side to a privy, where his guts burst out, and he died an horrible vile, stinking, and shameful death. And so the good bishop was by miracle delivered from great fear, and burden of conscience, and proud Eusebius disappointed of his purpose.  
Howbeit afterward by the means of that naughty priest, and Constantius Constantine the Emperor's son, whose favour the priest got by delivering to him the testament that the emperor left in his hands, the heresy of vile Arrius was so revived, & maintained, that it could not be quenched, but with great travail of learned men, & blood of many Martyrs. For heretics if they once prevail, are most cruel persecutors, as in old time the true Christians felt, in the furious rage of the heretical Arrianes, and we now feel under the most bloody heretical idolaters. Nevertheless the goodness of God was such, that for the confusion, and outhrowing of this most horrible heresy, he raised up most excellent wits, and men of most singular learning, and virtue, so that in process of time, after great travail, after terrible torments, & most cruel kinds of death, which the godly suffered, this heresy was utterly overthrown, and beaten down to hell.  
But now as good men report, sundry phrantike spirits labour to blow life in to it, and to call it again in to the world, out of Satan's dark dungeon. And if all be true that I have heard, they have patched two, or three pieces of their own to that ill-favoured body, and have made it a fouler monster than it was before.  
But howsoever they have handled their monstrous baby, it shallbe good for us, to know the truth of this matter, and to have ready a perfect rule, to judge all manner of doctrines. When we have a true rule out of god's word, it shallbe easy to avoid all false inventions. For what so agreeth not to that rule is to be refused, and cast away. Therefore we ought first to labour to know what hte scripture teacheth, and to cleave there to, whatsoever, either learned wits can subtly devise, or phrantike brains fanatically, and ravingely dream out, & power forth at adventure, in their trances. If we bring all things to this touchstone, we shall never be deceived by any new broached doctrine. But because the matter of all other is most high, & most exceeding our capacity, we ought wit all h fear, reverence, soberness, and modesty to approach unto it, & in no wise to enter in to a place, of such majesty, brightness, & glory with foul feet, and to touch so holy things, with unclean hands. come therefore my brethren with all humility, and reverent behaviour to the gospel of, S. johan. For it is evidently true that none of the divine writers have handled this our present matter, so largely, so plainly, & so strongly against all cavillations. And therefore I have purposely taken in hand, to treat some part of his most divine work among you that, we may all certainly know what we ought to think of the lord jesus in this behalf, and that we may be surely armed against the hissings of the venomous serpents cloven tongue. For in deed it is a communs opinion among the old ecclesiastical writers, that. S. johan wrote this treatise purposely against such heretics, as in his time denied the divinity of Christ, namely Carpocrates, Cerinthus, and the Hebionites, very poor men in understanding according to their name, which taught that the Lord jesus was a man only, & not God. Certainly the purpose, and chief mark of the hole work is, to teach that jesus our Lord was not a man only, but also God, and so the true Messiah, and very saviour of the world.  
The gospel after, S. johan) Euangelion signifieth good tidings. And in the holy writers it signifieth a public, solemn, and open preaching of Christ, who by his death hath purged our sins, and being risen from the deed, reigneth in the hearts of his chosen, and reneweth them unto godliness through his spirit mortifiing from time to time their fleshly lusts, and abolishing more and more the remnants of their natural corruption. And this in deed is very good tidings. For here by we are delivered from the fear of death and damnation, and from the bondage of sin, & Satan, briefly hereby we are removed from darkness to light, from despair, to good hope from death to life, from hell to heaven. Now because the office of proclaminge, and publishing this most joyful tidings, was committed to the ministers of the new testament, the name of evangelists is most properly attributed to them, & specially to those that describe the nativity, conversation, death, & resurrection of the lord jesus, wherein this blissfulness resteth, that we so much advance.  
Some writers affirm that as many promises of felicity, and salvation as there be, so many gospels there be, and that therefore the prophets are also evangelists, when they speak of the redemption, that gods anointed should accomplish. I think it not good to strive about words, and I deny not that the Hebrew word, Bassar, which signifieth to evangelize, & to preach good tidings is applied in some place to men of the old time. Howbeit I believe rather, that Euamgelion is an open publishing of salvation all ready perfirmed, & accomplished, than of the same promised. And therefore they speak more distinctly, & properly that give the name of evangelists to th'apostles, & writers of the history of the lord jesus, & finally to the ministers of the new testament. And to give place rather to this judgement, the words of our saviour in the 16. of Luke move me, where he saith that the law, and the prophets were unto johan the baptist, & that from that time the kingdom of god was evamgelized. The kingdom of god was in deed taught before, and the gospel preached in some wise, but it was not so openly, so largely, so plainly, so far & wide published, and proclaimed.  
But herein as I said I will contend with no man, nor bind the word to this proper signification only. For I am not ignorant what a wrangling wit may gather out of the fourth cha. to the Hebr. After S. johan). The history of the gospel showeth that the Lord jesus out of the number of his disciples chose twelve principal, whom he called Apostles, because they should be sent as his special Ambassadors in to all the world to publish, and preach the glad tidings of free salvation. And among these twelve there were three yet more special, & singular furnished with most excellent gifts, and therefore admitted to certain things, where tother were excluded.  
Of these three johan was one, of whom it is written singularly and specially, that he was the lords beloved. To whom also the Lord gave this marvelous name, that he was called the son of thondre. And surely who so weigheth this present work, shall think that he rather thundereth from heaven, than speaketh man's words.  
Numenius an heathen Philosopher, when he had red the beginning of this gospel, burst out in to these words:  
I pray God, I die, if this barbarous fellow have not comprehended in few words, all that our Plato prosecuteth in so many works.  
He called him barbarous because he was an hebreu, and in his writing leaveth traces of his mother's tongue, & followeth not curiously the fineness, & proprietes of the greek manner of speaking, but he granted unto him as much knowledge, as the most famous Philosopher, & father of all learned wits Plato had, and more shortness in writing, which is more commendable in a writer of grave matters. Writers of histories show many wondered things of this johan, as that he was put in to boiling oil, & can out again unhurt etc. But it shallbe sufficient for us to know, and consider that he was one of the most excellent, singular, & special apostles, & therefore a meet witness of the Lord jesus.  
In the beginning) King David inspired from above teacheth in the third psal. that to save pertaineth to jehova. The prophet isaiah moved by the same spirit in the .45. cha. hath these words: Israel is saved in jehova,  a perpetual salvation In which cha. also God speaking of himself, saith thus: A just God and one that saveth there is none beside me. And in the prophet Hosea, he beareth in the same, saying, thou shalt know no god besides me, & there is no saviour besides me. And in Hieremie he pronounceth him accursed, that shall trust in man, & make fleeshe his arm, which words constrain us to seek salvation no where save in God. But we all seek salvation at the hands of the lord jesus, we all acknowledge him to be the saviour of the world. We must than of necessity know him to be god, unless we will forge, and maintain a faith not agreeing to god's word. And that undoubtedly goddess Messiah, whom the father eternally appointed to be the saviour of the world, is God, the holy scripture beareth witness most plainly, that we should be certain that we serve not from god, when we seek salvation in him. For the kingly prophet David in the .45. psal. where with a notable song he celebrateth the praises of Messiah, saith thus: Thy throne oh God is for ever. In which words he giveth him not only the name of God, but also confesseth his throne to be ever lasting. Now nomamnes throne is established for ever saving gods only.  
isaiah in the .9. cha. calleth him el gibbor a strong god, and in the same cha. he teacheth that there is no measure, nor end of his kingdom. The prophet Hieremie to take away all cavillations, teacheth expressly that he is jehovah, which name is never given nor can be given, save to the true God only, the author and founraine of all being. For these be his words: Behold the days come saith jehova, and I will raise up to David a just blosom, and a king shall reign, & do wisely, & shall execute judgement, and righteousness in the earth. In his days jehuda shallbe saved, and Israel shall dwell safely & this is his name which they shall call him, jehova our righteousness. And this confirmeth the prophet Hosea, where god speaketh thus: But I will have pity on the house of juda, and will save them in jehova their God.  
In the new testament this matter is taught most clearly. For these be. S. Paul's words in the .9, to the Ro. whose be the fathers, and of whom is Christ after the flesch, who is over all god blessed for ever. And in the .2. to the Philip Let the same mind be in you, which was also in Christ jesus, who being in the form of god thought it not robbery to be equal with god, and yet emptied himself, taking the form of a servant etc. Thus S Paul teacheth that he is not god by usurpation, but by nature, and that he was, and ever is, & shallbe in the form and state of god, & very god, as when he saith that he took the form of a servant, he meaneth that he entered in to the state of a servant, and became a very servant. Some wrangling spirits wrest this place very boldly, & ungodly. For they say that S. Paul reacheth no more, but that the lord jesus was humble, and content with his state, and aspired not farther, ne went about to climme up unjustly to an aequalitee with god. But if that were the meaning, when. S. Paul saith, that being in the form of God, he thought not to make himself equal to god by robbery, he should signify that being in that state that he was in, he might have so doen, & have prevailed. Or else what great matter had it been, that he abstained from that, which once to have gone about, or to have thought upon, had been more than mere madness.  
Wherefore it is evident that this their devise, is the very raving of sick brains, beside that they shamelessly wring these words out of their natural sense, he thought it no robbery to be equal with God, & make them signify, whether they will or no, he meant no robbery, or he went about no robbery thinking to make himself equal to god, in such a sense, as they never knew before, neither will abide, unless they be haled clean out of joint. S. Paul's meaning is this, that the lord jesus being very god yet covered his glorious majesty with the shape & state of a servant, & humbled himself unto the death of the cross, to do us good, which example he setteth before us, to follow, & not to be ashamed to abase ourselves to the wealth of other. For we can never cast dounne our selves so much, as he did, if we consider his glory & divine estate, & what a thing it is, for him, that is very god, to become not only a man, but also a servant, and not that only but more over to be appointed to a most vile, & shameful death. Now the higher he was, the more livelier his example is to move us, & to make us ashamed of our disdainfulness. And therefore, S. Paul speaketh of his godhead, which he had & hath naturally, that we may know, that his humbling camme not by force, but of his own good wil Where I have turned this word (alla) which signifieth but, in to these words, & yet, I have marked that. S. Paul so useth the word (alla) in many places. One shall suffice, for this time, in the .6. to the Cor. he speaketh thus. For though you have innumerable leaders in christ, alla, but not many fathers, that is to say, yet not many fathers. To return to our purpose. S. Paul in the .14. to the Ro. applieth this sentence of isaiah: Every knee shall bow unto me etc. to the lord jesus, with these words: we must all be presented before the judgement seat of Christ. For it is written as truly as I live saith the lord, every knee shall bow unto me etc. But it is evident that those words are spoken of jehova, in the prophet, & so must the lord jesus be jehova. For thes be the words of that prophecy in the 45. cha. Am not I jehova, & there is no god besides me, a just God, & one that saveth there is none besides me. Look unto me, and be saved all ye ends of the earth; for I am god, and there is no more, I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, that every knee shall bow down unto me etc. Again. S. Paul in the ninth to the Ro. teacheth that the lord jesus is the stumbling block, and the stone where at the lues should fall, which thing the prophet isaiah speaketh of jehovah.  
For thus he writeth: you shall sanctify jehova the lord of hosts. And he shallbe a sanctuary, and a stone to stumble at, & a rock to shall at, to both the houses of Israel a snare, and a trap to the in dweller of jerusalem. And many shall stumble in them, or among them, shall shall, and be bruised, & snared, and taken.  
Now compare isaiah, and Paul together, and you shall see, that the lord jesus is jehova, as S. Paul cold understand the scriptures, who was sure that he had god's spirit.  
The Angel also in. S. Luke saith, that johan baptist should turn many of the children of Israel to the lord their god, and that he should go before him in the spirit, & power of Elias. But the lord jesus himself teacheth, that Johan's office was to go before his face, alleging the text of the prophet Malaki, after this sort in the .11. of Matheu: behold I send mine Angel before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before the. So must the lord jesus be the Lord god of the Israelites.  
But this matter is no where taught with greater clearness, light, & grace, than in this gospel of S. Io. For in the first part of his first cha. speaking of the true Messiah, namely of the lord jesus our undoubted saviour, that our faith might safely rest in him, and that we might know it to be consonant to the truth of god's word, & that we make not flesh our arm when we put our trust in him, he saith, that he was ever god's word utue, & wisdom, & that he was with god & that he was very god, & that all things were made by him etc. here indeed our wits are dafeld, & amazed, here arise many thoughts. For here two be spoken of god I say, & god's word, & the word is said to be god, & to be with god. It seemeth than to man's hasty reason, that there be two gods. But the truth is, that there is but one god.  
Wherefore some have been so boide, or rather so mad, as to deny the godhead of the lord jesus, & to bring him in to the order of creatures, & to feign him a made God, lest there should be two natural gods. For they can abide no more of god, than they can comprehend with their little wits.  
But we must consider that god is best known, yea only known to himself, & we must think him to be such, as he him self hath opened unto us, that he is, & not such as we can imagine him, or comprehend him. Now he hath taught us that there is one god, the father, the son, & the holy ghost. That the father is god, the son is god, the holy ghost is god, & yet not three gods, but one god. Three distinctions, three proprietes, & as the good fathers speak, three persons to be in the godhead, he himself hath taught us, by his special instruments sent by him in to the world, to teach the assured truth. And it followeth not in deed hereupon, that there be three gods. For these three have one substance, (if it be lawful to use that term in this matter,) one essence, one being. I grant it should follow, that there were three gods, if they were three sundry divided substances. But now the substance and essence is one, and they differ not therein, they differ only in proprietes, and persons. This is the propriety of the father, that he is the fountain & head springe of all, & begetteth his son. This is the propriety of the son, that he shineth from the father, issueth and springeth out of him, and is begotten of him. This is the propriety of the holy ghost, that he proceedeth from the father, and the son. If any man will ask how this trinity, can bein Turrian unity, & Turrian unity in a trinity, the same declareth, that he will not be satisfied, until he have entered in to the secrets of god and know all that is in god, and be as wise as god, and comprehend that, that is infinite, and unmeasurable within the small compass of his frantic head, and so in deed show himself to rave, and to be more meet, to be placed in Bethlehem, than in the company of Christian men. When god hath once clarely and certainly said it, it is our part to think it to be, as he hath said it to be. For surely it may be, & it is, when he hath plainly said it, though our reason can nev reach it. And that god hath said this with clear words, it shall most evidently appear out of. S. joannes doctrine, when it shallbe weighed. For I doubt not but that we all acknowledge, that what so. S. Io. saith, god saith. And when we know that god hath certainly said it, we will believe it, though it seem never so much repugnant to reason. For we refuse not all that is repugnant to reason, but when the same is repugnant to god's word.  
And to say the truth this matter is not so much repugnant to reason, as it is above the reach of reason.  
In the beginning was the word  
The word was in the beginning. By the word the evangelist meaneth, the second person in the holy trinity, namely our lord jesus Christ touching his divine nature, as it appeareth afterward, when he saith, & the word became flesh. Here we must consider why god's son is called a word. ancient writers considre a word two ways. For they teach that there is an outward word, & Turrian inward word. The outward word is that soundeth, & passeth away. The inward word is the conceit of the heart, which remaineth still in the heart, when the sound is past. So they say that god hath an outward word, which is sounded, pronounced & written in books, & that he hath an inward word, which remaineth with in himself where of the outward word is an image, effect, & fruit. This inward word ever remaining in him is called his son, as the conceit of the heart may be called the engendered fruit of the heart, and the hearts child.  
They think also that he is called the word of god, because that as a word is the image of man's mind, & representeth it unto us, so the Lord jesus is god's image, and most lively representeth unto us his power, his godhead, and his wisdom.  
For what so ever is in the father shineth in the son. Some other think that the word here is taken for a thing, after the Hebrew manner of speaking.  
For the hebrews use (DABAR) which signifieth a word for a thing.  
When isaiah the prophet asked king Ezechias, what the Ambassadors of Babylon had seen in his house, he answered thus: They saw all that was in mine house, lo haiah dabar, there was not a word, that is to say any one thing, that I showed not unto them in my treasures. The prophet replieth: Behold the days come, that what so ever is in thy house shallbe taken away, & what so ever thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shallbe carried to Babylon lo ijvather dabar, there shall not a word remain saith the lord, that is to say, there shall not one thing be left behind. The angel also in. S. Luke when the Virgin Marie marveled how she should conceive a child without man's help, said unto her, no word shallbe impossible unto god, that is, no thing shallbe impossible for him to do. So than after this understanding S. johannes meaning is, that in the beginning there was a divine, & heavenly thing with god.  
The greek vocable, logos, which S. johan. useth, hath sundry significations, and among other beside communication, and talk, it signifieth reason, and wisdom which singification agreeth right well. For Solomon calleth that thing wisdom that was with God before the foundation of the world was laid, and that was Amon before him, that is to say, as the hebrews expone the word, a director. For by that wisdom God made all things, and doth all things, as it is there expressed, by me kings reign, & Princes enact righteousness etc.  
Surely in my mind S. john hath respect to the first cha. of Genesis, and openeth the same unto us. For Moses saith not simply, that God made all things of nought, but that he spoke, and made things, that is to say, that he made all things by his word. By the word than I understand God's virtue, and power, whereby he hath opened, and as it were set abroad himself in making all things, & in preserving & maintaining them in their state, & finally in repairing, restoring, and renewing them being decayed through sin. For as a word uttereth, and bringeth forth that, that is in the heart, so by this word, this power, & virtue of god, is uttered brought forth, and set abroad, that lay hidden in god before. So that I think that he is called gods word, both because he is god's wisdom, and gods image, representing all that is in the father, and also because he is the secret virtue, and power of God, whereby god uttereth, showeth out, and sendeth forth that is in him, namely his might, and wisdom in making all things, his goodness in preserving them, and his mercy indeclaring to mortal men his will, and pleasure, and in recovering and saving them being lost. only let us beware, that we take not this vocable (word, grossly for a word sounded, pronounced, or written, but for an essential person subsisting, and abiding in God, and than whether we understand the word to be gods image, and brightness, god's virtue and power, or god's wisdom, we shall not do amiss. For the holy scripture giveth all these things to the second person in the most sacred trinity. In the beginning) that is before the world was made for so we learn in Solomon. jehova possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works Meaz. from than, that is to say eternallly. And than he goeth forth, meolam, from ever I was stablished, from the head, before the beginnings of the earth. Be in the homoth in not depes, that is when the depts were not, I was conceived, be ein maienoth, in not fountains, that is when the fountains were not yet laden with twaters. Before the foundation of mountains was laid, before the hills I was conceived. Yet he had not made the earth and the outward parts of it, & the head that is the beginning of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there. etc. hitherto we have rehearsed the holy ghosts words out of Salo. proverbs. And I think more sundry words can not be devised to express that god's wisdom, even the Lord jesus, touching his divine nature, was with God before any creature had his being. And in deed sith the Lord jesus, in that he is god's son is god's wisdom, they blaspheme God, that imagine any time when he was not: For so they imagine a time when GOD was without wisdom. We have another place of the scripture, that teacheth us thus to understand, in the beginning. For in the .17. cha. of this gospel, the Lord himself saith: glorify me father at thy self, with the glory, which I had before the world was with thee. he that had glory before the world was made, was, and had a being before the world was made. For that, that is nothing, cannot have glory while it is nothing. WAS) It is evident that S. john's intent is in this chap. to show what gods son is touching his substance, essence and being. And if he had been a creature, here had been a place of necessity, to show that he was made. But he saith not that he was made yea he saith that he was already, and had his being before any creature was made. And so he is exempted out of the number of creatures.  
And these two words in the beginning, and was, confound two heretics, Cerinthus, and Arius. When Cerinthus shall swinishly grunt that the Lord jesus was a pure man, and had his beginning of joseph, and Mary, we may stop his mouth with this word in the beginning. For he that was in the beginning was not to be begun in the time of joseph, and Mary. When Arrius shall blasphemously jangle, and pevishlye babble, that he is a creature, we shall put his rude talk to silence, with this word, was. For he that was already in the beginning, before any thing was made, & had his being before the creation of things, was never made. And this vocable (the word) bindeth both these heretics together in a bondle and throweth them down to hell. For either to say that God's word was not eternally, or that God's word is a creature, is to say that God was some time without his wisdom, and power, or to say that God had no wisdom, until he had made it. For it is manifest out of Solomon, that God's word is his wisdom For there it is taught, that all things were made by his wisdom, and here we are taught, that all things were made by his word. So his wisdom, & his word must be all one. And than cannot his word be a creature. For GOD was never, nor never shallbe without his wisdom. But the Arrians make an argument whereby they think to overthrow all. That say they, that begetteth is before that, that is begotten, but the father begetteth, ergo he is before the son, that is begotten. To this first I answer that they, which will show things uncreate, by things create, shall sometimes show themselves very fools. Secondly I answer that the argument is not always true, in things create. For light springeth out of the sun, and therefore we may say, that the sun begetteth light and heat issueth out of fire, and yet the sun is not before his light, nor fire before heat. But assoon as the sun is light is also, and assoon as fire is, heat is The sun goeth before his light, fire before heat in order, nor in time. And so we may say, that the father is before his son, god is before his wisdom in order, not in time. In order, because wisdom springeth from the father, not in time, because the father is never without his wisdom. But yet they blasphemously demand, whether the father be gatt the son, when he was, or when he was not, thinking whatsoever shall be answered, to show an absurdyte. Where indeed the demand is most absurd, and peevish. For we will demand of them again, whether fire beget heat before heat is in it, or after. If they say before, than they grant that fire is some time without heat, which is impossible For it is no fire that hath no heat. If they say after, than we will say as they say, that the begetting of heat is superfluous, sith heat was there before. Again we might ask them, whether god when he was became god, or became god before he was. But we delight not in such vain questions, wherewith idle wits sport their follies. But briefly to them we say, that it is no absurdity to affirm that the father begetteth his son already being, because the son is ever in him & springeth ever from him, no more than it is an absurdity to say, that man's mind begetteth reason, because reason is in it & springeth from it. And yet man's mind is no sooner, than reason is. But these great clerks can imagine none other begetting, but man's gross begetting of children. And so absurdites follow not our doctrine, but their dreming. For our doctrine of god's son, & of begetting, is far from the gross imagination of man's, or beasts fleshly begetting. There is nothing in our doctrine but heavenly, and spiritual. And these men are altogether drowned in flesh, and speak nothing but flesh, & fleshly things.  
I will rehearse another argument of theirs, that the simple, and unlearned be not perchance cumbered, and amazed with their sophistications. Otherwise I think all their reasons rather to be buried in perpetual silence and darkness, and to be in deed so many blasphemies, as they be reasons. For they ask whether God begatten his son without consideration or considering and willing. If neither considering, nor willing, than say they he suffered somewhat, that he would not If considering, and willing, than his consideration, and will went before his generation.  
But as before we may discover their extreme folly with another demand. For we may ask whether God be good and merciful of his own will, or against his will. For if he be good, and merciful of his own will, and will goeth before all things, that are chosen by will, than there was a time or space, when God was not yet good, and merciful, but consulted, & took deliberation about those things. Item we may demand of them, whether the father be God of his will, or against his will. If of his will, than after these men's high wits, his will went before his essence, and being. If against his will, who constrained him▪ who seeth not now the outrageous madness, and extrene frenzy of these wild spirits For in deed in natural things no will goeth before, which will hath place only in those things that be without the substance of him, that taketh deliberation. But here we will make an end of this lecture. Let these words of the Evangelist my brethren which we now have treated sink deeply into your hearts, which weigh down so great heresies and teach us so excellent, and so divine things, as the angels can not attain unto. Let us consider how great goodness of God this is, that he hath vouchsafed to open unto us the most reverend temple of his divine majesty, and let us praise his holy name therefore, and be thankful.   

¶ The second reading.  
ANd the word was with God. Before the world was made, there was neither time, nor place. And therefore the word being a thing subsisting in the beginning before any thing was made, could be no where but with god, and in god. For than there was nothing but God. And so he must needs be of the same substance that god is of. For if he were not of the same substance and yet was in the beginning, that is to say ever a thing subsisting with God, than the proprietes of God should be taken away. The proprietes of God are to be infinite, and to be omnipotent. But if they were two sundry divided substances, neither of them should be infinite, nor omnipotent. For where the one were the other should not be, nor where the power of the one, the power of the other. Their substance than of necessity, must be one, and the same, and yet these words show manifestly a difference in the godhead. For it were a great absurdity to shall the word was with god, if there were no manner of difference between god, and the word. For who can say of one thing having no manner of difference, that that thing hath a thing with it. Who can say without absurdity in such a ring there is a diamond, and in the diamond or with the diamond, there is a diamond speaking of one only diamond. Thus we may say, in such a ring there is a diamond and in the diamond a point, a race, or a virtue to take away the power of the adamant stone for there is some difference between the point, the race, & the virtue, & the diamond itself. So than when we say a thing is with a thing, there is a difference between the thing with which it is, and the thing that is with it. These words therefore forcibly overthrow another heresy, namely of Sabellius, who affirmed, that there was no distinction of persons in the Godhead.  
And that these words the father, the son, and the holy ghost were only sundry titles, and names given to one person as one and the self same man may some times be called tall, some times fair, and some times valiant etc. So he mingled and consounded altogether, teaching that god the father was sometimes called the father, sometimes the son, and some times the holy ghost.  
But we hold leaning to the evident truth of God's word, these three distinctions, these three sundry persons, unmingled, and unconfounded, so that the father is not the son, nor the son the holy ghost, or the father. As in the sun that shineth over us, we see three things unconfounded, and unmingled. For we consider the sun by itself, the light by itself, and the heat by itself. The light is not the son, nor the heat the light, but they be three distinct things. I say nor this as though the material sun could sufficiently express the things of the godhead. For no creature can express that mystery. Yea no corporal thing can express a spiritual, and mindly thing. But I speak it to show you some way, for the staying of unquiet heads, that sundry things may be in one unconfounded, and unmingled, that is every one abiding still in his proper nature.  
Now that these three distinctions be in the godhead I will briefly show you out of god's word. And first I will begin with the holy ghost. In the .14. of this gospel the Lord himself sayeth: I will entreat the father, and he shall give you another comforter. This word another, noteth a difference between the son, and the holy ghost. For it can not be said of one, and the same havige no difference that he is another besides himself. Again speaking of the holy ghost in the .16. cha. he shall receive, sayeth the Lord jesus, of mine, and shall show forth unto you.  
These words also declare a plain difference between the son and the holy ghost. For he could not have said, he shall take of mine, if there had not been a difference between him that taketh, and him from whom he taketh.  
Now a difference both between the son and the holy ghost, & also between the father & the holy ghost, may be easily and plainly gathered out of these words: when the comforter shall come, whom I will send unto you from the father, the spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the father, he shall witness of me. For there is a difference between him that sendeth and him that is sent, & there is a difference between him that proceedeth, & him from whom he proceedeth. And that there is a difference between the father, and the son these words of the Lord jesus teach us sufficiently, I & the father HEN ESMEN are one. For the plural number noteth two. If there had been no distinction between the father, & the son, he should have said I & the fatheram one, & not are one. These words also that we have in hand, the word was with God, prove the same inevitably, as I have said.  
Here I must warn you of another error, that when you hear that the word is with god, & springeth out of god the father, ye imagine not that he departeth and is divided from the father, & is a substance a part. For our former example of the sun may teach you that, that is not of necessity. For light is with the sun, & issueth out of the sun, & yet departeth not, ne is divided from the sun And though no example could shadow the matter unto us, yet the truth is, that god's son is so with god, and so begotten of God, and so springeth from God, that he abideth still in God. For God's nature admitteth no division.  
And the word was God. As the sentence before showeth a difference between God the father, and the son in their persons, so this teacheth an unity in substance.  
For sith there is but one God, the son being God, as S. john clearly teacheth, that we might be sure of the sons divinity, he must needs be of the same substance, that the father is of. Else either there should be sondri gods, or the son should not be naturally God. But the words that go before, and these words, and the words that follow which assign to the son the making of all things, prove that he is naturally God. For what is eternal and without beginning, but god? what was with god before the world was made, that was not god? how could john speaking of the nature of a thing, that was in the beginning, affirm it to be god, unless it were god? For what substance could there be before any thing was made, that was neither gods substance, nor a creature. For what so is not a creature, and yet hath a being, is surely god. And whereby were all things made but by god? For isaiah teacheth that god used no minister in making the world, when he saith I alone extended the heavens by myself. But he made all things by his son, therefore his son must be himself, that is to say of the same substance, essence, and being. And that there can not be two gods, we have alreadi proved by gods properties, and all the scripture constantly affirmeth the same. But it is most vehemently taught in these words of isaiah: is there a God beside me? Before me there was no god framed, nor shallbe after me. The son than being naturally god, must needs be of the same substance and essence that the father is of and so though the father be naturally God, the son naturally God etc. yet there be not three Gods, but one God, because the substance of those three is one. These words also, the word was God, choke another heresy in my opinion more subtle than the heresy of Arrius. For Paulus Samosatenus and his scolars grant that the word was ever with God, but by the word they understand not a substance, a subsisting essence but only gods purpose which he had eternally to make the world, and to make him a son out of the virgin Mary, that should be a most excellent man, and the saviour of the world. But how can a hare purpose to do things be called God, when it hath no subsisting and abiding nature? Further these wretches see not that by their strange and worse than Platonical imagination, they make trees, and stones and worms equal to God's son in eternity. For they were ever in god's purpose. And yet I think they will stick to call them gods.  
But though this sentence of S. john be sufficient to hold their noses to the grind stone, yet take that with you also that is written in the .17. chap. of this work, glorify me father with the glori which I had before the world was with thee.  
What glory could an only purpose without substance have before the world was with God? Yea how could he be, before the world, if he were in God's purpose only? For so was the world ever with God. How could he rejoice before him when nothing was yet made, as Solomon teacheth, if he were than but in his purpose? Nether could this be truly said, before Abraham was, I am, if he were in the beginning, but only in God's purpose, for so was Abraham ever in god's purpose.  
For God beginneth not new counsels, and purposes. But his purposes are eternal, & altogether, & he needeth not time to devise & purpose one thing after another, which is man's weakness. For he seeth all that he will do at once with one sight, which if we could do we would not take one counsel after another. But our weakness compelleth us so to do, which is far from God, and therefore all his purposes be in him together, & at once. But sith his son was in him before Abraham, it must needs be, that he was otherwise in him, than in purpose.  
And in deed he that is ever in substance and being, may well be said to be before him, that was only ever in purpose, and not in substance, and very being. Thus this heresy also layeth flat upon the ground with out life, or breathing.  
This was in the beginning with GOD) The Greeks have a proverb that the thing that is fair, and goodly may be repeated once or twice. Saint john repeateth the very thing, that he spoke before. And this he doth not superfluously, but upon great purpose For he will deeply print in to us, that GOD'S word is eternal, without beginning, and no creature.  
As if he would say think not that this fell from me inconsiderately when I said the word was in the beginning, and said not, that it was made. For, that you may be assured for ever of my meaning and of the truth of the matter, I say to you again, that the word was in the beginning, and had his being before any thing was made. That the word I say was eternally with God, and is no creature. For it was ever with God, and had ever his being. This is the diligence of our holy writers, that when a thing is of great weight, and importance they will beat it in twice, that it may stick the faster.  
allthings) he hath showed us the substance, essence and being of the lord jesus, now he teacheth us to know him by his works. For he saith that all things ware made by him And if all things were made by him than he must needs be god. For God himself saith in the .44. of Esay, I am jehova the maker of all things, I only extend the heavens and stretch forth the earth by myself. But the Prophet David saith that the heavens were made, and established by God's word and this place testifieth, that all things were made by it, so God's word must needs be God, forasmuch as God made all things alone by himself, and yet by his word.  
Here we must beware of sundry corrupters of the scripture. For some pevishly, and dronkenlye affirm, that. S. john speaketh of God the father, when he saith that all things were made by him, because the Greek pronoun is indifferent to be interpreted by it or by him, the word (logos) being the masculine gender. But how werishe a thing were this, & how far beside the purpose, if going about to teach what we should think of god's son and of his nature he should write thus: God's son was in the beginning with God, and was God, he was in the beginning with God and all things were made by him, that is to say by God the father, what were this to his purpose, which is to show us what Gods son is, if he should tell us that God the father made all things? But. S. Paul shall make these dreamers to blush, and defeat them of there miserable shift, to the sight of very children. For to the colossians, he writeth thus: giving thanks to the father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light, who hath delivered us out of the power of darkness, and removed us into the kingdom of his beloved son, by whom we have redemption thorough his blood, remission of sins, which is the image of the invisible God, the first begotten of every creature. For in him or by him were all things made, things in heaven and things in earth. Therefore, saith saint Paul, he is the first begotten of all creatures, because all things were made by him.  
These words can not be wrested, but that they shall teach that all things were made by the divine nature of the Lord jesus, and so they shall serve to show plainly. S. john's meaning, beside that the thread of his purpose leadeth us there unto.  
The Arrians as falsely, but more subtly say, that God made all things yb the word in deed, but that he made them by it, as by an instrument, and minister. But they see not, that so they blaspheme both God the father, and his son. If God could not make the world but by an instrument, and minister, his power is pinched, and cut short. And if the word were but an instrument only, and minister of another's will, the glory thereof is greatly diminished. We say therefore that God the father made the world by his word working equally together with him.  
The good fathers have laboured to teach us this matter by similitudes, as heat, say they, worketh together with the fire, and odour with a flower. Howbeit they confess that no similitude taken out of things create, can sufficiently express the thing. But though no earthly thing can express the matter, of the thing we are sure, namely that the father worketh together equally with the son, and the son equally with the father, and that GOD used no minister in making of the world. For our Lord sayeth, my father hitherto worketh and I work, & whatsoever he doth, that doth the son like wise.  
And that God used no instrument, or minister in making things, he himself teacheth in Isaiah, as I have showed you, by these words (any jevadi, I alone extend the heavens etc. and MEITTI, of myself, or by myself. Thus when we say God made all things, we exclude not the son, and when we say all things were made by the son, we exclude not the father, and the holy ghost, but mean that they wrought, and ever work equally together.  
And where the Arrians bid us mark that when the scriptures speak of the son in making, and working, they use this word by whom, and not of whom, we answer that the scriptures speaking of the father's working, use also this word by whom. God is faithful saith S. Paul, by whom you are called to the fellowship of his son. 
1. Cor. 1.  And to the. Ro. for, of him and by him, and into him are all things. 
Rom. 11. Hebru. 2.  To the. Herald also: it beseemed him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things. etc. And (of whom) is also applied to the son, as in the .4. to the Ephe. That we may grow into him which is the head, of whom the hole body being coupled, and joined etc. But some will say, that. S. Paul speaketh not there of making of creatures, but of making of his congregation. I answer that it is no less work of God's omnipotency to make a spiritual man, and a good man, than to make a man, yea. S. Augustine saith that it is a greater thing. And if the Lord jesus be the aurthor of, goodness in man, that is to say of that, that is best in man, than is he able enough to be the author of that, that is lower and requireth les power to be made. So I conclude that he is the maker, and worker of things, not as an instrument, but as an author of whom, and by whom things proceed. And than I propone this argument to our new Arrians, that, that maketh things, is of another nature, than the things that be made. But God's son made all things, so is he of another nature than the things, which he made. And if he be of another nature, than made things be of, he is God. For whatsoever is not mad, nor of the nature of things made, is God. For there be no more in the world nor without the world, but god and things made. And whatsoever is not made, and yet is, is God.  
And with out it nothing was made that was made.) Thus the sentence must holy go together. For they that knit the last part to the next sentence thus: that was made in it was life, they are feign to use a new figure of speech, and in deed to corrupt the scripture, saying that in it was life, is asmuch to say, as it liveth in it. But to live in God's word and to be life in God's word, will not so easily be made alone. And as for the repetition of the same words, it is no rare thing in Hebrew writers.  
To our purpose, when. S. john saith that nothing was made without it, he saith the very same thing that he said, when he said, that all things were made by it, and yet he doth nothing vainly but this repetition in other words, is very necessary, and very profitable for us, and giveth us a strong weapon against all cavillations. For in common speech this word (all) comprehendeth not always every thing particularly.  
When Saint Luke saith, they were all filled with anger in the synagogue of Nazareth, he meaneth not every one none except. For some loved, and favoured him in that company. Saint john than hath done diligently, and wisely, and happily for us, that he was not content, only to say all things were made by it, namely the word, but with a repartition to utter the matter again with such words, as leave no manner of colour to wranglers. Nether would he use the word (OUDEN) which signifieth nothing, but speak more straightly in my opinion, saying OUDEHEN, neither one thing as if he would say, not so much as any one thing, though it be never so little. The like diligence and wisdom was in. S. Paul speaking of the same matter For he thought it not enough to say all things were made by the lord, but cometh afterward exquisitely, and almost scrupulously to divisions, and patticulary tees saying, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven, and so forth. Now than hear my reason: If nothing were made without him, than he himself was not made, unless you will rave, and say that he is nothing or that he made himself, sith he is some thing. But he that made all things, cannot be nothing, neither could he make himself before he was. And he that is already, is not to be made. It is plain than that he was never made. And if he were never made, but did make all things, than is he certainly God.  
But let the Arrians go a while, and let us consider another thing in these words. If all things were made by him than all things are in his power. Whereof than should we be afraid, while we maintain his cause, and labour to serve him? For no tyrant, no creature in the world can hurt us, nor once move against us otherwise than pleaseth him. For they are all his, he made them, and therefore they are all under his power. Let us than cast away all fear, and be of good courage, rage the world never so much. For all things must stoop to him, and fall down flat before him, that made them, who hath loved us, and made us his brethren, and bought us to be gods peculiar people with the price of his most holy blood. To him therefore give all honour, glory, and praise. Amen.   

❧ The third reading.  
Saint john as it were with Aegels wings mounting far above the earth, and far above the heavens to, & admitted into the most secret closet of the divine majesty, sendeth forth from thence such lightnings and thunderings, as beat down, confound, consume, and utterly waste away all the forces, imaginations, and devices, of man's carnal wit, and yet lighten, make clear, and comfort the understanding of the Godly being reform by God's spirit. For first he soundeth from heaven that God hath a word, signifying the divine nature of the lord jesus. And here forthwith Arrius setteth up his horns, and because he cannot frame his wit according to the word, he goeth about to frame the word according to his wit, as the men of Lesbos had squires & rules of lead, and when they could not make their hard stones agree to their squires, they would stretch out their squires, and make them agree to the stones. I grant, saith Arrius that God hath a word, that is of most excellent nature but this word God made, and there was a time when the word was not. Against this devise of man's peevish head. S. john thundereth and lighteneth, declaring that the word was in the beginning. Now of a beginning there is no beginning, for that were not a beginning indeed, that had a beginning. But lest any should say that a beginning sometimes signifieth order, and not excluding of time, as when Moses saith in the beginning God made heaven, and earth etc. there lieth another thunderbolt in the word, was, for thereby is signified that the word had his being in the beginning, and was never made.  
Sabellius than, and the patripassians, step forth, and they say that the word was in the beginning in deed, and had ever his being. For there is no manner of difference, or distinction between God the father, and the word. But. S. john consumeth these heretics with the lightning of this sentence, and the word was with God Paulus Samosatenus thinketh to pierce the heavens, and is lifted up above the clouds with the wings of pride, & saith that the word signifieth god's purpose only to do things without any subsisting & abiding nature. But. S john with this shot driveth him down unto hell, when he saith the word was god. For a bare purpose having no substance cannot be god, ne said to be god. Than our most divine evangelist, that all the world may learn the divinity of the word by his works, saith, that all things were made by the word. Here the Arrians sweet, vex, & torment themselves, wriggling in and out, and at the last they break forth into open blasphemy, and say that God made the world by the word, as by an instrument.  
But. S. john uttering the same sentence again with other words, namely with these, and without it was made nothing, stoppeth their breath. For if God made the world by an instrument, and without the word nothing was made, than the instrument was not made without it if the instrument were any thing. And so he was not made without himself. But he could not help to make himself before he was. And he that is already, hath no need to be made. But S. john leaveth them not so, but still hurleth fiery flashes against their faces. For with great grace and power he saith, in it was life. From whom proceedeth life, but from the true God only, of whom it is notably and singularly said, with the is the vein of life. And again, in him we live, move and have our being.  
We may than well make these reasons if God's son being naturally life, giveth life to all things by participation of himself, he is another than the things that live by his presence. And he that is another thing naturally than a creature, how is not he God? Again if the son be a creature, how quickeneth he all things and how doth. S. Paul assign that to God as properly, & peculiarly pertaining unto him, when he saith to Timothe, I charge the in the sight of God, who quikneth all things. If the son be a creature and giveth life to all things, than a creature giveth life to itself. And so there shall no principal, and peculiar thing be in God above a creature. A creature also shall have no need of God for life, sith it giveth itself life. But a creature ever hath need of the creator, so the son is not a creature, sith he is life by himself. Nothing is partaker of itself, all things be partakers of the son as of their life, so is the son no creature.  
Now let us return to our text. In it was life saith. S. Ihon. For not only all things were made by God's word of nothing, but also all things are preserved in their state by God's word that they turn not to nothing again. For undoubtedly all things should decay & turn again to their first nothing, if god's son did not inspire in to them life, vigour & force of continuance. And this part of god's work, where by all things continued in their state, is no less to be wondered at, than the making of things. For where as all things made, & having a beginning tend to an end, by art, & cunning, he hath given them a certain immortality, & perpetual continuance. For he hath put in to things such life, vigour, & force of engendering, that by succession things that seem to be of a very short continuance, have continued many thousand years, and shall continued to the end, that he hath appointed. In the contemplation of this power of god's son, it is more convenient, and more profitable for us to tarry long, & to be fixed, than in the contemplation of his divine substance, essence & being, which through the exceeding brightness of it dazzleth our weak eyes, & is indeed unto our measured wits incomprehensible, and therefore rather to be humbly worshipped, than curiously sought out. And the life was the light of men)  
This sentence is sundry wife expounned. For some think that the meaning is, that the life which gods son giveth to creatures should be a light to men to show them gods son. Some take the word, life, for god's son himself, as if. S. johan should say, that god's son who is very life, is the light of men. Some other gather this sentence, that the life that god's son giveth to men, is adorned with understanding & reason, & advanced thereunto where by they excel all other earthly creatures. And these two later expositions though they vary some what in expressing the matter, yet come to this end, that god's son is the author of understanding, & reason in men. Which is a sound, & a true sense, & may be most certainly gathered out of the words following, namely these, that was the true light, that lighteneth every man etc. This much than may easily be drawn out of this sentence, that god's son being the author of understanding, is very god. For the prophet isaiah in the 28. cha. speaking of the husband man's tilling of the ground, & of his cunning in threatenings, for he thresheth not out his wheat, cumine, & fetches with one instrument, in the end useth these words: even this proceeded from jehova tsebaoth.  
And if none other but jehova Tsebaoth were author of that cunning and discretion than he that is author of all understanding, and reason must needs be jehova Tsebaoth. And that God's word that is to say God's wisdom, is the author and fountain of understanding, we are also taught in Solomon, in these words, with me is counsel any BINA, I am understanding etc. that is I am the head spring of counsel, and understanding.  
And the light shineth in darkness) gods son giveth great and ample profess of his divinity, and sendeth forth the glorious shining beams of his heavenvly majesty, but they light upon blind eyes, men see them not though they be never so clear, and so bright. Here. S. john calleth man's understanding not only dark, but very darkness, as though there were no manner of light in it. But how can that be so? Shall we say that there is no manner of light in man's wit, and understanding, whereby so many most witty things have been invented? What can be more witty than the books that heathen men have left us of logic physic, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and of the nature of all things? What can be more wittily devised, than they have found out of the fountain, head spring, & first causes of virtues, of the division, and description of them? Was Plato void of all light of understanding, when he said that God made the world because he is good. Was Aristotle drowned in darkness when he said that forasmuch as the superior orbs & over bodies do move there must needs be a first mover? Was Cicero stark blind when he said that seeing no one family can continue with out order and providence, much more the hole world must be governed maintained, and continued by the providence of some heavenly mind? What shall we say of that heathen Philosopher, that laboureth to prove God's providence by this argument. If God, saith he, govern not the world by his providence, it is either because he can not, or because he will not. If you say he can not, you abbrige his power. If you say he will not, you abbrige his goodness.  
To this question than I answer that man hath so much licht of understanding, as is sufficient to make him void of all excuse, but not so much as can direct him to a profitable knowledge of God. He knoweth in deed by the light of nature beside the knowledge that he hath of other natural things, that there is a god, but than that God he forgeth'after his pleasure, & dreameth him to be not such as he is in deed, but such as it liketh him to frame him.  
And so setteth up his own imagination, his own dreams, his own puppette in the stead of God. So that when we come to this question, who is the true God of what sort he is, & willbe towards us, wherein consists the true knowledge, & service of him, man's understanding as S. johan here truly writeth, is mere darkness. And S. Paul agreeth hereunto, writing to the Cor. Psychicos anthropos, that is a man endued with a natural soul only, & not renewed with god's spirit, comprehendeth not the things, that pertain to god's spirit. And therefore he prayeth that God will give the Ephesians the spirit of wisdom, & revelation, & lightined eyes of the mind, that they may know what the hope of their calling is, & the riches of his glorious inhaeritaunce in the Saints, & what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us, that believe. Now if they cold have attained to those things by nature's force, it had been superfluous to have prayed for them. It is most true than that we are very darkness, and have blind eyes of understanding, until they be lightened, not touching every knowledge of things, nor evi knowledge of God, but touching the right, true, & profitable knowledge of God. And yet this is also true that we have more good understanding of God, than we have good will to obey, & serve him, as God. And if our understanding be darkness in effect, as it is indeed, & yet is more than our will to serve him, how far are we from God, & godliness? Let this consideration teach us humility, & stir up in us a continual desire of God's merciful assistance & aid.  
And the darkness comprehended it not. The darkness of man's mind & understanding was so thick & gross, that though the beams of God's son shined every where, & filled the world with light, yet that was fruttles.  
For men seeing saw not. As Moses teacheth in these words, thy eyes have seen great signs, and wonders, and god hath not given thee an heart to understand, nor ears to hear, nor eyes to see. Our seeing then unless God give new eyes to see is no seeing. This is a plain testimony that man never attaineth to the right knowledge of God by nature. For being darkness, he beateth of the light, and the light shineth upon the outside, and pierceth not in. Here we must seek how this darkness, this blindness of judgement is in man, whether he were first made dark and blind in heart, or whether darkness, and blindness came afterward upon him. For if he were first made blind, than there is no fault in him, if he see not the great light, that God sendeth forth. For he was not made to see it. What fault is there in the mole that she seeth not the sun beams, or in stones that they see not the stars, sith they were so made as they should not see. The holy scripture teacheth that the first man Adam was made after the image of God, that is furnished with most excellent gifts knowledge, understanding, and all manner of virtues. He was not than made blind. But afterward through the envy, and malice of Satan, and his own fault, he neglected God's commandment, and so lost those goodly qualities, and became blind, and begat blind children namely such as he was himself. This is diligently to be noted, that the faute mal remain where it is in deed, and not in God, who is the author of good things only, and not of any thing that is evil, although he dispose in deed, and order all the things that man hath infected and made evil. For nothing cometh to pass without him. But he appointeth and ordereth where and when every man shall utter that evil that is in him: that is in him I say, not by Gods working, but by his own procuring. For God is not the author of an adulterous, thievish or murderous mind, and yet no man shall put in practise the lechery that boileth within him, nor the theft, and murder that lurketh in his heart as often, and where & when he will, but only where and when God will. And therefore. S. augustine saith that nothing is done in the world, that cometh not out of the inner court of the sovereign Emperor. For this cause we grant not that God willeth evil things to be done, lest he should be thought the author of evil things, which is impossible, neither grant we that he willeth evil things not to be doen, or that he nilleth them to be done, lest he should be thought impotent, & not able to order men's evils to his glory, which is false. But this matter we will leave to another occasion, & give God thanks for that he hath now permitted us to speak, who grant unto us all both to acknowledge the darkness that we have madly pulled up on ourselves, & also to perceive the same in some part lightened again by the beams of his sons divine spirit.  
Amen.   

The Fourth READING. ¶ THERE was a man sent of God etc.)  
IT is manifestly true, that plain traces, & evident signs of the divinity & God's wisdom the show them selves every where. For if we lift up our yes, & behold the movings, the due courses, & constant order of the stars, we shallbe constrained to confess, that there must needs be Turrian heavenly mind, that gave them those movings, that appointed to them those limited courses, & certain order. For where things go by chance, there no order, no du certainty is kept. Again if we cast down our eyes, & look upon things in the earth, & consider how creatures are preserved, & continued in their certain kinds, we shallbe led to God as it were by the hand. For we see that men beget not horses, nor horses men, lions beget not wolves, nor wolves bears, birds bring not forth fishes, nor fishes coneys.  
But if things went by chance without the government of a mind endued with strength and wisdom, these things, & many more monsters should be seen daily and hourly. What need we to stray far? we may remain within ourselves and almost touch God. For we see that every thing in us is made to a certain end, and use. The mouth besides other uses, is made to receive meat, and because hard things are sometimes to be taken, the teeth are ready to break and to grind them, when the meat is well ground and fit to pass, there is a condure pipe to convey it to the stomach, where because the meat must be more sodden, the liver is set under as a fire, to give it heat. When the meat is well concoct in the stomach, and turned into a juice it is sent thence into certain guts which are small because it shall not pass away to hastily, and from thence the best and sweetest part is drawn up by innumerable little veins and derived to the liver and there through more heat turned into blood. And the warrishe part of that blood is severed, and sent to the kidneys & thence strained out, & conveyed to the bladder beneath. The hottest part, & fone of it, which we call choler or gall is received into a little bladder fastened for that purpose to the liver. The dregs, & earthiest part commonly called melanchol. is thrust into the milt. The blood that remaineth is sent out by a great vein called the gate vein, to the heart where it is made hotter, and finer. When that is done, there be arteries to receive the finest, and purest part of the blood called the vital spirits, which be twice as thick as the veins, because of the thinness of the matter that they must keep, and there be veins also to convei the rest of the blood into all parts of the body, that no part be left without nourishment, and sustenance The remnant of the meat which is gross and unprofitable, hath convenient places, where to be received, and issues also to be voided out of the body. And because the ill savour, and sent of those things would hurt the noble parts that be above, as it were a skin called the midriff parteth them a sunder, and keepeth of such noisances.  
Now where things be appointed to certain ends, & uses, chance hath no place, but there must needs be a mind to appoint the same. For they could not be so appointed by chance, yea chance would often set our mouths in our fore heads, & our teeth in our finger's ends. Chance would often hang our stomachs at our elbows, & set our heels upon the top of our heads, & our eyes in our knees. Chance would iomble all together without order, without all consideration of end our use. We need not than to go far for a witness of the divinity. Howbeit though there shine in ourselves a thousand lamps to show us God, & a thousand thousand in all his other works, yet our blindness is such that we are not thereby rightly directed to God.  
Therefore it pleased the goodness of the almighty, to add to his works the testimony of his word, to guide us more certainly, & familiarly to a just knowledge of him. This his word he delivered to our first grandfathers, & afterward in more ample wise to Moses, & the Prophets, until the appointed time was come that he would most largely, & fully reveal himself by the in carnation of his son. To this most glorious, most excellent, most open, & most clear revelation, our Evangelist hasteth, & therefore passeth over the patriarchs, Moses, and the Prophets, and beginneth with the testimony of johan baptist, the first, and most excellent preacher of God's son being now clothed with man's nature.  
THERE WAS A MAN etc.)  
In johan baptist all things were wonderful, divine, & above man's nature. His begetting, his conversation, his zeal, & manifold virtues showed a singular power, & miraculous working of God's spirit.  
This is he whom the Prophet isaiah painteth forth, & calleth the voice of a crier in the wilderness.  
This is he of whom God saith, behold I send mine Angel before my face etc.  
And again, behold I send you Elyas the Prophet before that great and terrible day of the Lord come. This is he who moved all jury with the excellency of his virtues, and drew men unto him in to the wilderness, as it had been with chains This is he whose life did so shine, and sand forth such glistering beams thorough out all the land, that many thought him to be the promised Messiah as we have in. S. Luke. Which is a plain proof that he was more than wonderful, who could attain to such estimation among the people. For they were taught out of the Prophets, that Messiah should be such one, as never was before, nor should be afterward. There could not than be alleged a testimony of greater gravity and authority among men than the testimony of john Baptist. The evangelist putteth an emphasis and force in this word, sent, whereby to signify that god's providence did shine in every part of john's life & also to give us to understand that he was furnished with heavenly authority & had the letters of his commission from god's majesty to be a witness of the divinity of his son, that his testimony might be unto us of no less weight, & authority, than if an angel had spoken from heaven. But needeth god's son the testimony of a man or angel, the beams of whose divinity shine thorough out all the world, doth not he himself say, I receive not the witness of men. Know ye therefore that johan was appointed to be a witness of the Lord jesus, not for his sake, but for ours, not that he needed such a witness, but that we needed such a witness to help our weakness. And so ye shall not so much marvel at the thing as strange, & unfitting, as ye shall have in reverent admiration the goodness of god who would so descend to aid our infirmity. A MAN) the hebrews have two words to signify, a man Adam & ish, Adam signifieth a man subject to mortality, misery, & calamity, ish signifieth a man of reputation. The prophet David comprehendeth both in one verse in the psal. 49. Hear this all ye people etc. both children of adam & children of ish, that is to say, high & low. The greek word, which the evangelist useth, is, anthropos, & as Plato teacheth, it is made of up looking for the state of man's body is upright, & his face is advanced to heaven, he is not bent down ward to the ground after the manner of other beasts, which thing the greeks noted by the name of a man calling him, anthropos, an uploker. They have also another word aner. In the holy scripture written in greek this word, anthropos, signifieth a man compassed with misetie. For in the tenth of the acts when Cornelius worshipped Petre, he said unto him. Arise I also amanthropos a mortal man. And again Paul, & Barnabas, when at Listres Jupiter's chapelaine would have sacrificed unto them, rend their clothes, & cried saying: men why do ye these things, we also are anthropois, men subject to the same passions and miseries that you be. See than the measure that the evangelist keepeth. When he saith that johan was sent of God, he adorneth him with high authority, and setteth him up on high above the common sort of men, but using together this word, anthropos, he tempereth the matter with just measure, that no man should think of johan more than he was.  
For our nature, & custoume is, either to advance men to high, or to abase, and depress them to low. The lues extolled johan baptist to high. For some thought that he was no man, but an angel in a man's body. Some took him for the promised Messiah. The Evangelist weigheth him in a true pear of balance, neither diminishing any thing that God had given him, nor adding more, than was to be found in him.  
SENT OF GOD) They are the true, they are the fruitful preachers, that are sent of God. For they bring the things, that they have learned of God. Many run before they are sent, and therefore they bring their own dreams, fantasies, and homeforged devices, where with they delight the people's ears, but in the mean while corrupt their hearts, stuffing them with vanities.  
¶ WHOSE NAME WAS IO.)  
This name was not given him by chance, but appointed by God's special providence. And it beareth in it a comfortable, & joyful thing, signifying the acceptation, grace, & favour of God.  
This came to be a witness.) He teacheth the end of johannes coming, vocation, & office. He came not to get to him self great praife, & honour through the highness of his knowledge, & excellentie of his virtues, nor to bring to the people great earthly commodities, as deliverance from their bodily bondage under which they groaned or to enlarge their empire, & dominion nor to teach them strange matters of philosophy, but his great, & most notable virtues served to this end only, to teach & point forth to the people God's holy one, God's son, the fountain of all blissfulness, the author of all good, & profitable knowledge, & of understanding itself.  
THAT ALMIGHT believe)  
As the end of all preaching in God's ministers is to bear witness of the lord jesus, that he is the light of men's minds, God's son, & the long promised Messiah, so the end of hearing in the hearers is to believe the same, that thereby they may enjoy the felicity, that the lord hath purchased for them. To believe is certainly to be persuaded, & assured in mind through the holy ghost, that by the lord jesus we are purged from our sins, & made the children of God, that by his man's nature we are made partakers of his divinity, by his mortality we have obtained immortality, by his curse everlasting blessing, by his death life, briefly that by his descending in to the earth we ascend in to heaven.  
HE WAS NOT THE LIGHT)  
He reproveth the error of the jews, which took johan Baptist for Christ. Men being naturally liars delight in lies, kiss & embrace them most readily. The jews were ready to believe that, that was false of johan, namely that he was Messiah, but they would not believe that, that was true of johan, to wit that he was sent before to prepare the way of Messiah, & to point him forth to the people as it were with his finger. And there was none other cause, but that the one was false and tother was true. A mind imbrued with lies catcheth lies strait way as pitch catcheth fire. For it is agreeing to his nature, and there is a kindred, & consanguinity between them. It abhorreth truth because there is no likeness of nature, no fellowship between truth, & man's corrupt mind.  
But to bear witness) The Evangelist repeateth again that johan Baptistes office, & highest dignity was to be a witness of the light, namely of God's son, and to teach the people to seek light at his hands, and there to lighten their candles. And he is not to be advanced above that office, and dignity, which is as great in deed as can be given to a man.  
That was the true light) Here the Evangelist putteth a difference between light, & light: johan was a light in deed, as the lord saith, he was a candle burning & shining. And God's ministers are called the light of the world. But their light is a borrowed light, a light given unto them, & not naturally dwelling in them. The candle hath no light of itself, but hath light put in to it from another. This place plainly severeth the lord jesus from creatures. For it affirmeth him to be the true light, & denieth them to be the true light. The lord jesus is light by nature, creatures by borrowing of another. He giveth light, creatures receive light. They need light, because they have none by nature. He is full of light, & giveth light to them, that need.  
seeing than that there is so great difference between the lords light, & man's light, the lord must needs be of another nature, than a creature. For if a creature cold be true light, it cold not be said of the son only, that he is the true light. But because a creature is not the true light, and God's son is the true light, therefore God's son is another thing than a creature.  
No creature can shine, and give light of it selue by nature, God's son shineth, and giveth light of himself naturally, (for he is the truelight) so he is no creature.  
THAT LIGHTENETH every man etc.) The lord jesus lighteneth two ways. One way in giving common understanding reason, & knowledge of him self to all men, so far as that they may pronounce sentence against themselves, & be constrained to acknowledge their just damnation. For this much light the reprobate have remaining, as to know that there is a God, & to discern good from evil, honest from dishonest, which sparks through their own naughtiness, & Satan's malice they daily labour to choke, & quench. Thother light is a special light, whereby God's son giveth a full knowledge of himself to his chosen, to his chosen I say only. S. Augustine thinketh that the evangelist speaketh here of this later illuminating, & lightening. And because the Pelagians took hold thereby, & said, that all men were thus fully illuminated, S. Augustine saith that it is a phrase & manner of speaking, that proveth not, that God's son after that sort lighteneth all men, but that they which are lightened, are lightened by him. As when we say, this schoolmaster teacheth all the children in the City, we mean not saith he, that he teacheth in deed all the children, that be in the City, for in a City a great meinie go not to school, but we mean that he teacheth as many as go to school, & are there taught.  
But it shall not be amiss to understand by this lightning the general lightning, the general knowledge that all men have by nature. For as I said the reprobate have some sparks of knowledge after the ruin of man's nature, but they give them not light to see the way to heaven. And where the free will men would prove by this place, that all men have like light given unto them, they are confuted by the words of the Evangelist that follow. For not withstanding this light, that God's son giveth to all men, the world knew him not. This general light than shineth not to heaven, but tarrieth upon the earth, I mean it bringeth not men to true knowledge, & faith, but cometh a great way to short, & faileth a great while before. That other light shineth so, as it showeth perfectly and effectually to Gods choose the way to heaven, here note that God's son lighteneth all men in all ages. For that proveth him undoubtedly to be the true God.  
¶ HE was in the world) Some understand this of his incarnation, & conversation upon the earth, after he had put on man's nature. Some of his virtue & power, whereby he hath been ever in the world, and hath ever sent forth such beams of his divinity, as whereby men might have seen him, if they had not blinded their awn eyes.  
AND the world was made by him) Of this because it hath been largely spoken before, I will set forth only these reasons, & proceed in the text. He by whom the world was made, is a creator. A creator is another thing than a creature. For it is one thing that maketh, and createth, and another that is made, and created. If it were not so, a creature should be advanced to the name of a creator. And a creator should be abased to the name of a creature, and God only should not create, but a creature should also have power to create. But sith this can not be so, the lord jesus being a creator, must needs be God, & no creature. AND the world knew him not)  
The world in this place signifieth all men. For it can not be taken in a straighter sense in the sentence going before, the world was made by him. In other places of the scriptures, the world signifieth the reprobate only. Here the world is condemned of unthancfulnes, & unkindness, that it hath not embtased, but shamefully refused, and rejected his maker. It is unnatural, it is horrible, & abominable, that men should not acknowledge him, by whom they have even this that they be men.  
HE came in to his awna) The jews were called Gods peculiar people, god's own people, because that though all nations are his, yet of his only mercy, he chose them, to whom he would commit his holy word, & sacraments, & among whom he would have an open face of his church. In this place. s. Io. calleth them not his own, because they were his choose, but because they bore the name of his people, & the title of his church.  
¶ AND his own received him not)  
This sentence should draw rivers of tears out of all eyes, that the gracious lord who not only made that nation of nothing, but also advanced it above all other nations with singular benefits, & blessings, was not only neglected of them, when for their sakes he humbled himself to the state of a mortal man, but also most shamefully, & most despitefully rejected & as it were hurled away.  
¶ BUT AS many as received &c.)  
These words declare what profit the coming of the lord jesus hath brought in to the world, what treasures God hath given us by him, & by what means the same be applied unto us, & made our own. The coming, & incarnation of the lord jesus, hath brought this benefit in to the world, that as many as receive him by faith, whether they be lues or gentiles be made Gods children. The greatness of which benefit no heart can think, much less any tongue express. For what a thing is this, that beggars brats, most miserable, poor, & wretched caitiffs', yea Satan's ugle loathsome, and detestable misshapen children should be made kings, not over a few lands, but over all the earth, and heaven to, and garnished with angelic brightness, and inestimable beauty. Assuredly this can never be thought upon, this can never be wondered at enough.  
¶ AS received) They receive him, that acknowledge him to be God's son, and that he became man, & in man's nature died for the purgation and satisfaction of their sins, briefly to receive here signifieth to believe, as S. johan maketh the exposition himself in the words following. HE GAVE them power) The idols men wring this place to the maintenance of free wil For they understand that choice hereby is given us to be the children of God if we will, or to refuse the same. But S. johan declareth forthwith in the words following, that God's children are not made by the will of the flesh, but when they be begotten of God. God's begetting maketh us Gonddes children, and we are not left to our choice, with a power whereby to make our selves Gods children, but we are God's children all ready when he hath begotten us. For he begetteth perfectly, he begetteth not monsters half children or a lump of matter, where of children may be made afterward. And the greek word that S. Io. useth, is not, dynamis, which signifieth power, but, exousia, which signifieth dignity, & authority. Here riseth a question if Gods chosen were by predestination his children before the beginning of the world, how agreeth it, that than they are made his children, when they believe. For they were his children before, being his chosen, & predestinate. It is true that God made those his children that ever should be his children in his purpose through free election, before the world was made. But this they feel not, until God by his holy spirit kindle faith in them, and assure them of that, that they were before.  
And here also I will give you an other thing to note. S. johan saith that as many as believe are God's sons. But none are now God's sons, that were not ever God's sons in his infallible purpose, that is, none are God's sons, but his chosen. So they that believe in deed, are Gods chosen, & therefore can never perish. For God can neither been deceived in his choosing, nor is a chaungelinge to alter the thing that he hath once purposed. Nether hangeth he upon man's behaviour suspending his determination, but all his purposes are established together sure & certain, & they stand fast for ever, being once for all decreed. You will grant perchance, that God's election is sure, & infallible, but yet you can not be so one persuaded, that all that believe are Gods chosen. For Simon Magus believed, and in the parable of the sour, the lord speaketh of some, which have faith for a time  
I answer that those & such had never the faith of God's children. But how shall we know, will you say, that we have the faith of god's children, seeing there is another faith besides, which may beguile us. I answer that when we have such faith as bringeth forth a felinge of the sweetness of god's mercy in Christ jes. & an unfeigned love towards God, we have the faith of God's Children. And are and are sealed up by God's spirit, and have the sure, and infallible earnest of everlasting life.  
IN HIS NAME) It is more lively, and more ample, and of greater majesty, when it is said to them that believe in his name, than if it had been said to them that believe in him. The school men in deed put a difference between credere deum, credere deo, & credere in deum. Credere deum with them, is to believe that there is a God. Credere deo, is to believe God's sayings. Credere in deum, is to trust in God, and to love him. And therefore S. Augustine saith that to believe in God, is in believing to love him, and in loving, to trust in him. But the scripture observeth not this distinction. For in the 14. of Exod. we have that when the Israhelites saw the Egyptians overthrown by God's power, they believed BAIHOVA, ou be Mosheh abdo. i. in jehova, and in Moses his servant. And again in the .19. God saith to Moses, I will come dounne to the in a thick cloud, that the people may hear me speaking with thee, and believe ' BECHA, that is, in the etc. But is never said that any believed in the name of a man. For name to the hebrews signifieth power, as when S. Paul saith, that God gave the lord jesus a name above all names he meaneth plainly power above all power. So to believe in the name of jesus, importeth necessarily that he is God.  
WHICH neither of blood) Some think that this is a figure called in greek, pleonasmos, whereby many words are heaped together, to signify one thing. For they say, that these words, of bloods, of the will of the flesh, & of the will of man, signify one thing, namely carnal nativity & generation, & so they teach that men beget carnal children only, & God begetteth spiritual children. And in deed man's generation maketh us not Gods children, we must be regendred by God, to be his children. Other think that he numbereth up by parts all that is excellent in man, & where in he may seem to have some affiance, to attain to the dignity of God's son. And that so he teacheth that by no auncitrie, no privilege of blood, by no holiness of fore fathers, nor any manner of strength or faculty in mankind, man atcheveth the place of God's sons. Both exposition is tend to this end, that we are not made holy by any force of nature, but by the grace and mercy of God regenerating and new begetting us, and that is plainly S. Johan's meaning. The will of man. S. johan useth for the will of any man for so the hebreus use the word, ish, man, for every man.  
BEGOTTEN) God begetteth us, when according to his eternal purpose & election, he putteth his spirit into us, and by his force planteth faith in our hearts, to embrace his word, & reneweth our minds, & frameth them again unto true holiness & righteousness.  
God grant that we may all feel that we are begotten of God, & that considering the high dignity where unto we are called, we occupy not ourselves, unseemly in vile offices, but travail all the days of our life in such things, as advance the glory of our heavenly father. Amen.   

❧ The Fift READING.  
With very few, but the same most pithy, seemly, & apt words the Evangelist hath declared unto us the divine nature of the Lord jesus, & his power showed forth, & set abroad to the sight of all men, by his most wonderful works. For by this Godhead, & divine nature of the Lord jesus, both all things were first made of nothing, and now also all things are preserved, & continued in their state that they return not to nothing. By it all things live, move, & have their being. By it man, wherein he excelleth other living creatures, is furnished with the light of reason, & understanding which though through man's fault, it be now greatly blemished, & darkened yet the sparks remaining suffice to show so much unto us of god's son, as may justly condemn us of wilful ignorance.  
The beams of his glory ever shined in deed, & yet do shine every where to the sight of all men, & man was so first made by him, as he might perfectly see them.  
But he fond following Satan's advise would see more than was convenient, & so lost the sight that he had, or at the lest so blurred, & marred it, that where before his eyes pierced in to the glory of God's majesty, & cold well abide the brightness there of, now they be so blunt that they can not enter, & so weak that they are straight way dazzled, and blinded with so great glistering light. Yet it hath pleased God to help this weakness other ways than by the sight of his wonderful works, but most chiefly, clearly, & perfectly by clothing his son, with man's nature, which thing our evangelist teacheth with like compendiousnes, & shortness of words saying, & the word became flesh. The heathen set forth the marvelous cunning of Vergil in compendious, & short speaking, when he said that Aeneas passed by the fields, where Troy was. For with one word, say they, he swallowed up so many houses, temples, towers, huge buildings, & walls and left not so much as the ruins, & rubbish. But if we well consider the matter, we shall see that our evangelist hath comprehended more things, making to the purpose with as few words. For by these few words, the word became flesh, he teacheth, that God's natural son, so joined unto him man's nature, that of two natures one person was made, which thing could not have been uttered with other words so shortly, & so pithily to the purpose. For if he had said, that God's son joined unto him man's nature, it had been truly spoken in deed, but it had not so well expressed the unity of person. For an husband joineth unto him a wife, & yet they grow not in to one person, after such sort as the soul, & the body make one person in a man.  
For the soul is not one person, & the body another person, but they both make one person namely a man. But an husband notwithstanding his ioigninge of a wife unto him, remaineth one person, & the wife another person, & they be two persons, not one. Therefore the word ioigninge should not have so fully expressed the matter. For this ioigninge is a special, & singular ioigninge. For God's nature is so joined to man's, that one person is made of both, namely one Christ, as of the body, and the soul one man is made. And this is very necessary for us to know. For if we imagine the lords manhood, a nature a part, & his Godhead a nature a part, with out such a singular conjunction, & union, that of both natures one person is made, as the heretic Nestorius did, than the lord jesus cold not be a meet mediator between God & us, nor make a sufficient satisfaction, & redemption for the sins of the world. For a mediator between God & man must be partaker of both natures. And a sufficient redeemer of all the world he can not be, that is a man only. For how can a man satisfy the infinite justice of God, overcome Satan, hell, & death, and give life? Therefore the holy scripture teacheth, that the lord jesus was not, theophoros, as Nestorius dreamt, a man in whom god was, whom Gud assisted, & with whom God was present, for God is also in us, but in him the godhead was so knit, & united to his manhood, as those twain made one person. And so it is well & truly said that God purchased his, congregation with his blood, and that the lord of glory, that is to say, God was crucified, not that he suffered in his divine nature, but because those two natures joined unspeakably together make one person, therefore that the one nature did, and suffered, is attributed to tother, & some times to both together, that pertaineth to one only. Which cold not be, if they were two sundry persons. As if the soul were a person alone by itself, & the body a person alone by itself, the soul should not so be said to do, or suffer that the body did, ot suffered, nor the body, that the soul did de or suffered, nor the hole man, that one part only did or suffered, which things yet we now admit, because of the unity of the person. We must know than this unity of person in the lord jesus, God & man which the Evangelist marvelously teacheth in these words.  
But where he saith, the word became flesh, he meaneth that the word abode still though it became flesh, that the word I say was not changed turned, & altered from his awn nature in to flesh.  
For some avoiding Nestorius' heresy, who made two persons in Christ, fled the smoke, & ran in to the fire. For either they turned the divine nature in to man's nature, or man's nature in to the divine, or so confused, and mingled the two natures together that neither nature remained perfectly, as when wine & water are mingled together there remaineth neither perfectte wine nor perfectte water. In our time also some anabaptists have taught, that the divine nature was turned in to flesh for a time, & became felcable, and that now the lords flesh is turned in to his divine nature again, and is no more flesh. Which dream is to to sonde. For it implieth a plain impossibility. For it is as impossible for god's nature to be altered, & changed, as it is impossible for it to cease to be God's nature. For what so ever may be altered, and changed, hath an imperfection in it, & is subject to passions. But God's nature hath no imperfection, nor is subject to passions, for that were not to be God, so his nature can not be changed. We must therefore so confess, & believe the ioigninge together, & uniting of two natures in Christ, that we mingle them not together, nor turn th'one in to the other, but that each remain still in his own propre nature. The Godhead is not the manhood, nor the manhood, the Godhead. The Godhead is a nature by itself, & the manhood a nature by itself, & of those two natures ona Christ consisteth. This uniting together of two natures, Cyrille laboureth to teach weak understandings by a similitude, though similitudes in this behalf have some imperfection. These be his words: isaiah the prophet saith, one of the Seraphins was sent unto me, & he had a coal in his hand, which he took from the altar, & he said behold I have touched thy lips with this, & it shall purge thine iniquity. We say that the fiere coal giventh unto us a figure and image of the word made man. Which if it shall touch our lips, that is to say, if through faith we shall confess it, it maketh us pure from all sin. But as it were in an image we may behold in the coal God the word united to man's nature, & yet that he hath not cast away, that he was before, but hath rather transformed the nature which he received, to his glory & operation.  
For as fire fixed in the wood, & piercing in to it, comprehendeth the wood, & though the wood cease not to be wood still, yet the fire sendeth his force in to it, & conveyeth itself in to it, and is now thought to be one with it, so undrestande of Christ. For God being incomprehensibly united to man's nature, hath in that kept the same, that he was, & he remaineth still that he was, but yet being once united, he is counted as it were one with man's nature, making that, that pertained to it his own, & giving it the operation of his nature. Hitherto Cyrille. He useth also in this matter the similitude of man's body and soul ioigned together, which in deed expresseth it of all other most properly. For the soul is not turned in to the body, nor the body in to the soul, but each retaineth his proper nature, & maketh one man.  
AND the word) In that he saieh the word became flesh, & not man, he showeth how far God's son humbled and abased himself. For the scripture calleth man flesh, when it will signify the poverty, vileness, and misery of man. As when it is said all flesh is grass, and he remembered, that they were but flesh, & my spirit shall not ever strive in man, for he is flesh. But when the Evangelist saith, the word became flesh, we may not imagine, that God's son joined to his divine nature flesh only, and not man's soul as Appollinaris thought in his trance, that flesh, and the Godhead made one person in Christ without man's soul.  
For he imagined that the divinity was in stead of a soul.  
But so it should follow, that the lord jesus was not a very man. For flesh is not a man. For the soul is the formal part of a man, namely that whereby a man is a man, & with out which a man can not be. And that the lord had a man's soul beside his divinity, he himself testifieth, when he saith, my soul is heavy unto the death. Nether can Apollinaris aid himself with this place. For when the scripture calleth men flesh, it meaneth not that they are without souls. For than they were no men in deed.  
Here we must know also from whence God's son became flesh. For we may not think that he brought his flesh from heaven, or made it in the air. For the holy scripture teacheth, that he should come of the seed of Abraham, & David, & should be the fruit of his loins. For such plain words it useth to assure us of the truth of so necessary a matter, & utterly to stop the mouths of doting men. And in the writers of the new testament, it is most plainly set forth unto us, that he received flesh out of the substance of the virgin Marie. For. S. Mattheu hath these words (to gar en aute gennethen) that which is engendered in her, &. S. Paul (genomenon ekgynaicos) made of a woman, & the Angel in S. Luke (ho karpos) the fruit of thy womb. The fruit of a tree is of the same substance, that the tree is of. That which only passeth through a thing, is not the fruit of that thing. For water is not the fruit of the conduct pipe, nor ale the fruit of the spickette, or of the kinderkinne. Against this most manifest truth wherein the pith of our salvation lieth, the franctike anabaptists bring two principal reasons, I wots not whether more ignorantly, or more ungodly. For first they say that if the lord received our flesh, he received unclean flesh. But judge you whether all the scriptures be they never so plain must give place to this their simple imagination, or whether their simple imagination should give place to so many plain scriptures.  
But first I ask them whether God could not make clean our unclean flesh, or would not. If they say he cold nor, they limit his power over much. If they say he would not, we will hiss them out.  
For if God of his goodness would make his son to die for us, he would of his goodness make his flesh clean for us.  
Secondly lask them why God would have his son to be borne of a virgin, & not to be begotten between man, and woman, after the common course of the world. Doth not that teach us that he meant to make his sons flesh pure & holy? Yea doth not the angel so signify in Luke, when he saith, the holy ghost shall come upon thee, & the power of the highest shall overshadow thee, for which cause the holy thing to gennomenon, that is engendered, shallbe called Gods son. But this their reason hath no weight, because it is only forged in man's brain. Tother is taken out of the scripture. For S. Paul to the Cor. writeth thus: The first man was of the earth, earthly. The second man is the lord from heaven. In which place S. Paul's purpose is not to speak of the substance of our bodies, or of the substance of the lords body, but of the qualities, as the words following declare, hoios, of what quality the earthly was, of that quality are the earthly, & of what quality the heavenly is, of that quality are the heavenly. This than is the sense. The first man was of the earth, earthly, that is subject to sin & corrupt affections, which bring death. The second heavenly, that is full of heavenly qualities, which through the power of God's spirit draw with them life, & immortalitte. As we bore the image of the earthly, that is were sinful, and therefore compassed with death, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly, that is our spirits shallbe renewed to true holiness, & our bodies to immortality. Wherefore when he saith the second man is the lord from heaven, he meaneth not that he brought his body from heaven, but that he is heavenly, as he expoundeth himself, that is endued with heavenly qualities.  
Now to proceed in our former purpose, it shallbe good to seek out the causes why God's son became flesh, or as Saint Paul speaketh why God was manifested in flesh.  
And no man can show us then more certainly than S. Paul hath done to the Hebru. For there he teacheth us, that the chief, and principal cause was, that by death he might destroy him that had deaths power, that is Satan. For Satan had power ov us, to punish us with death, because we were sinners. And sin could not be purged but in the flesh of God's son. If he had remained God only, purgation, and satisfaction, for sin could not have been made by him.  
For the Godhead could not suffer, nor show obedience. But sith through disobedience sin came in to the world, it must be put away through obedience, which required man's nature.  
Howbeit if he had been man only, he could not have overcome death, neither should his satisfaction have been sufficient for the sins of all the world, as we touched before, yea scarcely for the sins of one man. For the majesty of God that is offended through sin, is infinite.  
And therefore he must be no less, that shall make satisfaction to that majesty.  
It was than of necessity that God should become man.  
Another cause was that he might be made like to his brethren, sin only except. For as S. Paul writeth it was seemly for him, for whom, & by whom all things are, when he would bring many children to glory, to make the high captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For he that sanctifieth, & they that be sanctifieed are all of one. For which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will show forth thy name to my brethren and again I will trust in him, and again, lo I & the children, whom God hath given me. seeing than that the children were partakers of flesh, & blood, he likewise became partaker of the same etc.  
A third cause S. Paul rehearseth, & that is that he might be merciful, & pity the misery of his people, having felt temptations himself, that is to say, that we might be the better persuaded, and certified that he would pity us, knowing that he had experience and feeling of our miseries & griefs in himself.  
For we can not think that any should pity us so well, as he that feeleth, or hath felt the same grief & smart that we do.  
To return to S. Io. in thes his words, the word became flesh, we have a singular consolation, in that I say God's son hath taken flesh of our flesh, & bones, of our bones. For so have we a nigh affinity, & familiarity with God. And so that, that was ours, is made Gods, and that, that was Gods, is made ours. And we can not doubt but that he will do all things for us, who being God would familiarly be joined to us in our nature. In temptations, & wrastlinges of conscience, let us fly hereunto, & consider this great goodness, & exceeding love, & frendlines, & we shall be relieved & preserved from the baleful pit of despair,  
AND dwelled) The greek word escenosen, is as much to say, as he made his tabernacle. Whereby the Evangelist signifieth, that he was conversant among them, as a very man, & that he showed not himself the twinkling of an eye, & so vanished away, but had his abode, & continued among them long time, whereby they might have sure, & certain experience of his godly behaviour, of his singular virtues, and of his wonderful works. Some think that by this word is signified, that the lord jesus had no certain dwelling place in this world, but was feign to flit often, and remove. For so do they that dwell in tents, & tabernacles.  
In us) Chrysostom taketh (in us) for in our flesh, and understandeth, that the humanity of Christ was a tabernacle to the divinity, & so frameth this argument against the heretics, that affirmed the word to be turned in to flesh.  
The word dwelled in flesh, ergo the word was not turned in to flesh, and made flesh only. For nothing dwelleth in itself. It is also true that it is taken for among, in many places of the scripture. One shall suffice for this purpose Act. 4. There was not one needy, enautois, in them, that is to say among them. The word, escenosen, he made his tent or tabernacle, favoureth some what Chrysostom's understanding.  
AND we have seen) Now the Evangelist bringeth his own experiene, & the experience of tother Apostles, & disciples, which with their own eyes saw such acts of the lord jesus, as proved him to be Gods only begotten son. The Latins have a proverb, that one eyed witness is worth ten eared. Of those things which we have seen with our own eyes we may be faithful witnesses.  
Thapostles because they saw the things themselves, which they witnessed to the world are called in the holy scripture, with a marvelous elegant word, autoptai, self seers, &, epoptai, inseers, or onbeholders.  
WE have seen) Where the Greeks have sundry words, that signify to see, the Evangelist useth a special one, etheasametha, which signifieth to behold a thing diligently, & leisurely. We may see things glaunsingly, which sight is not so perfect, & certain, as when we behold a thing steadfastly, & leisurely.  
The Greeks have proper words for both kinds of seeing. The things that th'apostles saw, they so saw, as they could not be deceived, & therefore they are called, peplerophoremena, fully ascertained.  
His glory) The divinity of the lord jesus shined out of his words, & deeds at all times, & in all places. His virtuous, & innocent life, his miracles, his resurrection, his ascension, & sending of the holy ghost, did speak, & as it were, cry out that he was God's son. He gave them also a taste of his divinity, & heavenly majesty, when he was most gloriously transfigured before them in the mount. But how do miracles prove the divinity of Christ, seeing that men have done the like, as Elias and Elizeus in the old testament, and th'apostles in the new. You shall understand, that the lord jesus did miracles by his own power, which the scripture observeth diligently, & teacheth plainly, where men do them by a borrowed power. Of the lord worckinge miracles the scripture saith, I say unto the arise, I charge the go out. Of men, the lord jesus make the hole, in the name of the lord jesus arise, & walk. Man receiveth power to work miracles, God giveth power. But the scripture witnesseth that the lord jesus giveth also power to work miracles, & that in his own name. Whereby we easily see the difference of the lords working & of men's working of miracles.  
The glory as of) We beheld such glory, & magnificence, as beseemeth gods only begotten son, & agreeth only to him. The word, as, some times signifieth not the thing to be in deed, but a likeness of it, as when we say, he speaketh holily, as a good man, but he is an hypocrite. Some times it noteth the truth of a matter & a thing truly to be done. Walk as the children of light saith Paul. He biddeth them not countrefaite the children of light, but to show themselves the children of light in deed. After such sort. S. johan useth the word, as, for he meaneth that such virtue, such power, as he had, declared him to be verily gods natural son, & that such things, as he did, belong to God's son only, neither can be found in any other.  
As if we should say of the most noble, holy, and blessed king Edward the sixth, that he behaved himself, as a kings son, our meaning should not be, that he was not a kings son, but showed himself as though he had been a kings son, but our meaning should be, that he showed himself none other wise, than his birth required, that is none other wise, than a kings son should do.  
To our purpose, Kings, and Princes have their glory, and their majesty seemly for their state, the Lord jesus had glory seemly for God's son.  
¶ THE ONLY BEGOTTEN)  
This word avanceth the Lord jesus above all creatures, and teacheth him to be God's natural son. We are also called God's sons, but that is by adoption, by favour, by grace, & not by natural generation. By natural generation God hath one only son, who of his goodness, & mercy hath made us partakers of that, that he is by nature.  
This word, only begotten, ought well to be weighed. For it teacheth the Lord jesus to be of the same substance, that the father is of, and and therefore very God, and equal to the father. For these things hang together, & follow one another. For our Evangelist teacheth in the .5. chap. that when the lord jesus said, God was his father, he meant, patera idion, his own father, that is his natural father, & therefore showed himself equal to God.  
For it followeth in deed, that if God be his own father, that is to say, his father by natural generation, he must needs be equal to God his father, For in the Godhead there is nothing greater, or smaller. He that is of God's substance must needs be God. And he that is God must needs be infinite, above all measure, & greatness. So to be Gods, only begotten son, & God to be his own father, both which words this Evangelist hath of the lord jesus, outhroweth all that may be devised by any raving brain against his true, & natural godhead. Yet the Arrians lille out their blasphemous tongues still, & francticly allege the scriptures for them. For first they jangle that it is written in this gospel, the father is greater than I Whereunto first I say that one place of this gospel is not to be exponed against the hole purpose of the book, which is to teach that the lord jesus is God's natural son, & equal to God. And sith the Evangelist hath this word equal plainly and expressly, they show themselves mad that would make him to encounter against himself. Secondly I say that in that place the lord jesus compareth not his substance, with the father's substance, but compareth his present humble state, with the glorious state, that he should have after his ascension. And therefore all the godly old fathers well-nigh have taught those words to be spoken of his man's nature, which should be forth with advanced to immortal, & incorruptible glory, by the power of the father.  
Some greek writers in deed admit, that the father is greater than the son, not because he hath greater power, or that there is any difference in their substance, & essence, but in that he is the father, and begetteth the son, and is not begotten of the son, therefore he may be said greater. The meaning also of those words, the father is greater than I, may be this. The end why I travail with you is not that you should stay in me, and look no farther, but to bring you to the father, as to the last mark, that with me you may see him, as he is. Whose glory is more dear to me than is mine own glory, & therefore I seek it more than mine own, & I think that I have not accomplished mine office until I have brought you to him. But our Arrians sith they be over the shoves, stick not blindly to press forward, & to go over the boots to. For they run to this place written to the Cor. chap. 15. When all things shallbe made subject to him, than shall the son also himself be assubiected to him, who hath assubiected all things to him. But what if we answer that, that also is spoken touching his man's nature? For the same author S. Paul in the .2. to the Philip. teacheth that touching his divine nature, he thought it no robbery, to be equal with God. Nay say they, for than he should not have said shallbe assubiected, for that nature is all ready subject.  
Will they grant than that the lord jesus hath a nature, that is not now subject to God, but shallbe hereafter? If they will grant that, than will I say, that what so ever is not now subject to God in the lord jesus, shall nev be subject to God.  
For that, that is once equal to God, shall ever be equal to God. How than is it said that his man's nature shallbe assubiected, if it be all ready assubiected? I answer because we shall than know it, which now we believe only. For as. S. Augustine proveth in the holy scripture things are said to be done, when they begin to be known of us. As when we say, hallowed be thy name, God's name of itself is holy, but we desire, that it may be so known to us.  
For fuller understanding of that place of Saint Paul, ye shall consider that all power is given to Christ, in that he is clothed with man's nature. For God hath exalted him in the same nature, wherein he was humbled. The scripture than witnesseth, that Christ hath full dominion, and reigneth over heaven, and earth.  
God in deed is our governor, but it is in the face of Christ's man's nature.  
Now Christ shall surrendre the kingdom, that was given unto him, that we may cleave perfectly to God. Howbeit he shall not by that means utterly give up his kingdom, where of as the scripture teacheth there is no end, but he shall as it were convey it from his manhood to his godhead. For than we shall have an open entry, & free access to the divine majesty, where now our weakness will not suffer us to approach. Christ than shall this way be subjecteth to the father, for than the veal shallbe taken away, & the office of his mediation shall some way cease, & we shall see God face to face raigninge in his glory without any covering & mean. And where saint Paul saith that God may be all in all, some think he speaketh so, because we shall have than without any mean many commodities, which god now ministereth unto us by creatures. For maintenance of our life we shall then have no need of bread, & drink etc. neither for aedifyinge shall we have need of the sacraments of the church, nor the outward word of the scripture, nor ecclesiastical offices. For God by him selue shallbe all in al.  
Other teach the meaning of those words to be, that the flesh shall covet no more against the spirit, but God shall possess every part of us, and reign in us fully, and perfectly, which thing in this life is only begun. Here I will leave the Arrians sticking in the mire, & will return to S. Iohan.  
FULL of grace and verity) Because that afterward he setteth grace, & verity against the law, there be that think that his meaning is here, that the Apostles acknowledged him to be God's son by this, that he accomplished all things that pertain to God's spiritual kingdom, bringing perfect forgiveness of sins, & perfirminge indeed all that was shadowed, and figured in Moses law. Other teach that full of grace and verity, is as much to say, as most amiable, and full of true virtues.  
And they very learnedly show how these two words, chen, and, aemeth, are taken in the scripture. Chen which word to us soundeth grace, is taken for favour, as when Abraham saith to God, im mat sathi chen, if I have found grace in thy sight, it is as much to say as, if thou favour, & love me. And Solomon saith, shaeker hachen, that is grace is deceivable, whereby he meaneth amiableness, & what so ever winneth us favour in men's eyes. Aemeth, signifieth some times sincerite, & unfeignedness, some times large bountifulness, & liberality, some time's certainty, sureness, firm, & constant abiding. In the first signification that is for simple, sincere, & uncontrefaite dealing king Ezechias useth it in the 36. of isaiah. Remember lord that I have walked before thee, be aemeth, in truth, & in a perfect heart. In the second signification we have it in Genesis, if it please you to show bountifulness & truth towards my master. In the third Ezechias useth it again. The lords word is good, only let there be peace, & truth in my days. By truth he undrestandeth a firm & assured state of the kingdom. And this much for this time. Give god the praise.   

¶ The sixth READING.  
THe Evangelist having briefly, & soberly spoken of the Godhead of the lord jesus, as the exceeding highness, & incomprehensible majesty of the matter required, made mention forth with of johan baptist the most notable man in deed for singular holiness, and so than taken also, that ever was in that nation, where yet had been sundry so plenteously furnished with God's spirit, as in all the world the like were never seen. This most excellent man johan baptist the Evangelist brought in, as a witness of the true light, of the fountain of all light, of that light, that lighteneth all men either with general light, whereby the reprobate know there is a God, to their just damnation, or with special light, whereby the chosen know God more fully, and perfectly to their justification, and salvation.  
This true, and eternal light that shineth of itself, and borroweth not of other, is the lord jesus, to whom the Evangelist showeth us, that the wonder of the world Io. Baptist, a very phoenix among men rendered, notable witness. But what his witness was, and with what words uttered, he hath not heretofore told us, but in the words that follow, repeating his purpose left for a while, he teacheth us fully. And the sum, and meaning of the words, which he now setteth forth is this, that the lord jessus though he iogned unto him man's nature in time, yet he is eternal before all time, without beginning and the very author, maker, & prince of all men high and low, and the true fountain of all goodness, righteousness, and holiness, and of all the benefits, and graces that at any time have been given to men, sithence the beginning of the world, or shallbe given hereafter to the end of the world. Finally that he is of Gods most privy counsel, and that all the knowledge of God that ever any man had, what so ever that man was, proceeded, & was derived from him. This is the sum of the testimony of Io. Bap. and these be the words of the Evangelist declaring first the manner of Io. witnessing, which followeth straight after.  
joanne witnesseth) Io. was undoubtedly by the confession of all men, even of his adversaries a man of rare uprightness of life, of exceeding great gravity, and manly constantie, & so for from flattery, & men pleasing, that neither honour, and court pleasant entertainment, nor the face of a cruel tyrant, nor most painful imprisonment, nor the presence of horrible death could move him to forbear to speak the truth at all times. The testimony therefore of such a man, ought well to be herkenned unto, & to have singular force, and most certain credit among us.  
Witnesseth) Io. office was not only to propone, & set forth to the hearing of men the divinity of Gods son, but also to testify the same, & to affirm it by legitime & lawful testimony, being duly called to the office of a witness. Chrysosto, notheth that the Evangelist useth a verb of the present time, and thinketh that thereby he teacheth, that Io. witness hath continual force, and should move us no less now, than when it was first uttered.  
And cried) This word aunciant writers do well note. And partly they teach that thereby an allusion is made, and a regard had to the words of the prophet isaiah, the voice of one crying in the wilderness▪ partly they say, that thereby is set forth the plain, manly, & bold behaviour of Io. in witnessing the truth. For he uttered not the matter with a soft, faint, trembling, wavering, dark and doubtful voice, that few might hear it, and understand it, but he cried with an assured mind, with great confidence and boldness, with an earnest Zeal, desiring that his voice might clearly sound to the ears of all men. Such should all the witnesses of god's truth be, no whisperers, no dreaners, no faint & dark speakers, but criers. For this cause also it is necessary for God's ministers to cry because men be not only dull & slow, but for the most part deaf to hear the truth.  
This is he) Other prophets painted forth, & spoke a sore hand of one that should be the king, & saviour of God's people, but none cold point him forth as it were with the finger, & say this is he, let not your minds be carried hither and thither, muse no more, doubt no more, where he is, or who he is, by whom ye shall obtain a quiet and blissful state, for here he is, and this is very he. In this point johan Baptist excelleth all other prophets, that were before him. For our minds are not stayed, and quieted in the name of a saviour, until we know certainly who it is.  
Of whom I spoke) Hereby we understand that johan had before made many sermons of the Lord jesus, and that the end of all his preaching was, to bring, men to him. And this should be the end of the preaching, and teaching of all other.  
He that cometh after me) In these words he teacheth us the eternity of the lord jesus, his divine nature, & god head. For he saith, he that came after me was before me.  
But touching the humanity of the lord jesus, he was not before johan, but after him. touching also the office of preaching, johan was before the lord jesus. Howbeit touching his divine nature, it is truly said, that the lord jesus was before Iohan. For johan was not in the beginning with God, God's word, God's brightness, God's son, & very God. touching this nature the lord himself saith, before Abraham was, I am.  
Was before me) The old latin translation out of the greek had, factus est, was made before me, which caused much superfluous talk among men, & vain tormenting of wits, how the lord could be said to be made before johan. For his man's nature was not made before Io. And his divine nature was never made.  
The ambiguity, & doubtful signification of the word deceived both the interpreter, & them. For, genesthai, signifieth to be made, & also to be. And in the later signification it is used in this very chap. egene to anthropos etc. there was a man sent. For we can not say there was a man made sent.  
Was before) In matters of religion we have great regard what men before us have thought. Wherein this is our fault that we extend not our sight far enough. For we look to them in deed that were befote us, but we look not to him that was before them, that were before us, yea that was before al. S. Cyprian reproving this shortness of our sight, saith that we ought not to look what men before us thought good to do, but what he did that is before al. It shallbe good therefore for us to know what religion the lord jesus taught, & commended, who was before our holy bishops, & 15. hundred years.  
For he was my first) The word, for, rendereth a cause why a thing is done. Io Bap. than showeth a reason why he said, that the lord jesus was before him, because, saith he, he was my first, that is to say my prince, my head, my author, my maker. And that in deed proveth sufficiently that he was before him. The latin translation hath, quia prior me erat, because he was before me. But than it should have been according to the grammatical rules of speech in the comparative degree, & not, protos mou, in the positive. More over Io. should so seem to prove the same by the same, which we use not to do.  
Of his fullness) Here we have the fountain, & hedspringe of all the graces, & gifts that ever any man hath had heretofore, were he nev so good, & holy, or shall have hereafter. Out of this well of living waters, which never faileth, is never dried up or drawn out, all the saints, & prophets from the beginning, drew all the knowledge, goodness, & holiness, all the spiritual motions, virtues, & excellent qualities, that ever they had themselves, or stirred up in other. Out of the same well floweth unto us, & shall flow hereafter unto the end of the world, what so ever is good, and virtuous, what so ever pertaineth to the attainment of true felicity, and of a blissful life. For he hath not only these things, but is full of them. For as S Paul writeth to the Col. in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead, somaticos, bodily, that is to say substantially, not in image, not in shadow, but in body in substance, in deed. We learn than by this sentence of Io. Bap. that no knowledge no goodness, no holiness, no manner of virtue is to be sought any where save in the lord jesus. And more over that we need not fear left we shall want any spiritual thing, if we resort to him, seeing that he hath the fullness of the spirit. Lastly that all men what so ever they be, are void of grace, and godliness by nature, sith all receive out of the fullness of God's son.  
We all, saith Io. Bap. numbering himself among the rest. And if Io. Bap. received his holiness, out of the fullness of the lord jesus, & got it not by his natural strenghth, & godly preparations, as the great idols men vainly jangle, I may boldly pronounce that never any man had, or can have any true virtue & holiness, but by the gift of the lord jes. that nothing may be lest to any, where of to boast. For if they have received out of the fullness of another, why should they boast as though they had not borrowed all of another, but had possessed some what of themselves. Wherefore these words of Io. Bap. beat down what so ever idle heads have builded, & raised up to advance man's strenghth, & man's merits. And here we may not pass over, that this place also proveth the Lord jesus to be very god. For who is the fountain of all knowledge, goodness, holiness & spiritual graces in all ages, & in all men, but God only?  
But as we must know hereby that he is God, so we must know that he possesseth not these things to this end, that he may have no manner of want, but to send them forth to the use of men. For he keepeth not his treasures to himself enviously, or niggeshly, but ioieth to distribute them, and to send them abroad. Nether is he a merchant man to make sale of them, but giveth them freely as we are taught in isaiah: O all ye that thirst come to the waters, even he that hath no money, come buy for no money, & for no price, wine, & milk. To buyie for no money is a very easy buying, yea it is no buying, but a free receiving. Sith than the lord jesus possesseth the fullness of all spititual riches, & possesseth the same not to himself only, but also to our use, & more over calleth us freely to enjoy his goods, my counsel shallbe that you resort not for aid & comfort, and purchasing of God's grace to Marie or johan, to Petre or to Paul, but to him, who possesseth all good things, not by borrowing, but by nature, not in part, but fully, not to his own use only, but to the use of men in this world, chiefly & properly of Gods chosen. For he hath also many good things, which he giveth even to the reprobate as beauty, & strength of body, eloquence, & knowledge of liberal sciences, wordly riches etc. But he hath certain special jewels, which he giveth only to his chosen, namely true faith,, true righteousness, & holiness, true joyfulness, patience, & constantie in afflictions, true peace, & quietness of conscience.  
Grace for grace) This sentence is sundry wise expouned. I will first show you S. Augustine's mind. These be his words upon this place. Than brethren all we have received out of his fullness, out of the fullness of his mercy have we received, what? Remission of sins, that we might be justified by faith. And what more over? Grace for grace, that is to wit, for this grace whereby we live of faith we shall receive another grace, namely everlasting life. But what else is it save grace? For if I shall say, that this is due to me, I assign some what to myself, as to whom it is due. But God crowneth the gifts of his mercy in us. Thus ye see S. Augustine's meaning, to wit, that all Gods good gifts, and in the end everlasting life, is not a recompense of our merits, but cometh of the free liberality of God, because it pleaseth him so to reward his former graces, & to crown his own gifts in us. And so he calleth faith whereby we are justified one grace, & everlasting life another grace, very truly & godly, to the confusion of the common idols soldiers.  
Other expouninge grace for grace, grace upon grace, reach that out of this fullness of his son god gave to our father's under the old testament the spirit of fear, whereby as children under a schoolmaster they were kept in, & restrained, that they should not stray abroad after fleshly lusts, but be led forth, & framed to some godliness. And in the new testament, he giveth the spirit of freedom, whereby with more frank, & free hearts, & with more joyful courage by the motion of the spirit, we do the things, that please god. Not that our fathers were all together void of this free spirit, but because of their childly age they were more kept under by fear, & the spirit was not so richly, & largely given to them, as to us, I mean universally touching gods ordinary dispensation. For to some special persons the spirit was as largely given, and more largely than it is now.  
The exposition of other is, that God loveth & favoureth us because of the love, & favour, that he beareth to his son, as S. Paul writeth, that he hath made us acceptable in the beloved. For by nature we are the children of wrath, & the love, & favour that we find in god's sight, is for that, that of his own goodness he hath made us, the membres of his most dearly beloved son, & so loveth us, as a part of his sons body.  
Other think that the meaning of these words is, that God poureth all his graces in to the lord jesus, & by him conveyeth the same unto us, as by a conduct pipe. I leave to your choice which of these expostions you will follow.  
The law) The nature of men is commonly either to give to little, or to much reverence to God's ministers. And to despice them while they live, and when they be dead, to make them more than saints. In the time of the lords conversation upon earth, the jews had Moses in such reverence and estimation, that they made him very little less than a God. In Moseis person they gloried, Moseis person they boasted, and extolled above the stars. They had this also that they so pust up themselves in their knowledge of God's will, and in their holy, & perfect works wrought according to the rule of the law, as that they excelled all other men, & were half gods upon earth and more meet to be placed in paradise among the heavenly spirits, them to walk in this vale of misery among sinful men. Wherefore Io. Baptist to plant Christ jesus in the hearts of them, to whom he was sent to be a teacher, and the better to advance his glory, laboureth to pull those two great hindraunces out of their hearts, namely their preposterous glorying in the person of God's minister, and their vain confidence in their own holiness, and righteousness. And first he setteth up the lord jesus far above Moses, making a comparison between the office of Moses, and the lords office. For he assigneth to Moses, that he ministered, and gave the law to the people he assigneth to the lord jesus, that he hath brought grace, & truth. Now there is Turrian exceeding great difference between these two offices. For th'one is the ministration of death, and condemnation, tother of life, & justification. The law in deed prescribeth unto us true holiness, & certainly showeth us what we ought to do, and to leave undone in every point, but while thereby either it represseth, & restraineth men's raging lusts, or convinceth all men, & proveth that they do not the things they ought to do, nor eschew the things, they ought to eschew, as S. Paul learnedly and truly writeth, it increaseth sin, worketh wrath, killeth and condemneth us. It increaseth sin, because the more our lusts are restrained, the more ragingly they burst out. It worketh wrath, because that when our lusts are bridled, we are angry with God for putting that snaffel in to our mouths, & so to our other vices we add disobedience, stubbornness, & murmuring against God. It killeth and condemneth because it pronounceth all men accursed, that keep not the things prescribed, & taught in it, to the uttermost title, where as we perfirme not one jot perfectly, as we should. But here we must know that the law of herself, & of her own nature, hath not these effects, but by accident, that is by the means of our vicious, naughty corrupt nature. For the law is good, holy, & just, & worketh not condennation of her own nature, but because our sinful nature can abide no good thing, therefore of necessity it must be condemned by that, that is good, when the same is laid unto it. The proper cause is not in the sum beams, that they make a carrion to stink the more, but in the nature of the carrion. For they shine upon other bodies without such effect. If our nature were good, the law should be most lively, and comfortable unto it. Now because it is corrupt, & poisoned, the law worketh not the things that it would, and should, but the things that such a nature will only suffer to be wrought.  
Grace and truth) We have now the office of Moses, letre us on tother side consider the office of the lord jesus. But first let us understand the words. By grace some understand that, that maketh us amiable, and acceptable, and getteth us favour before God & men. By truth they understand true, sincere perfect, sound, and sure righteousness. Other by grace in this place understand forgiveness of sins, and by truth the fulfilling of all the figures, and shadows of Moseis law. In which so ever signification you shall take the words, the sense shallbe good, and godly.  
For the lord jesus maketh us amiable and acceptable in God's sight, apparellinge us with his own sweet smelling garments, that is with his own holiness, and he reneweth our minds unto true, sound, and fast abiding righteousness, he also hath obtained for us remission of our sins, & hath perfirmed all that was shadowed in Moseis law. For he hath washed, sanctified, and purged us with his own blood. He hath suffered death in our stead, and offered himself a slain sacrifice upon the cross to be a perpetual satisfaction for the sins of all Gods chosen, & to appease for ever God's wrath kinled against sin. And here we are clearly taught that the law could not bring these things to pass.  
Wherefore all they that have assigned righteousness and acceptation in God's sight to the deeds of the law, or have sought any holiness, any forgiveness of sins, any spark of grace & life other ways, than by the lord jesus only, & alone, have miserably beguiled themselves to their perpetual confusion, and perdition. Let us my brethren be no more deluded, but resort to the true fountain of all heavenly graces, & draw from thence through faith sincere holiness, and true righteousness, and what so ever may make us amiable, and acceptable in God's sight, that we may glory in no manner of thing, save in the lord jesus alone, our only sanctifier, justifier, saviour, redemptor, and what so ever our need requireth that he should be unto us. For what was impossible for the law to do, in that it was weak thorough the flesh, God hath perfirmed having sent his son in the likeness of sinful flesh, & by sin, that is to say, by a sacrifice for sin hath condemned sin in the flesh.  
This son of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. This son of God hath ransomed us from the curse of the law. This son of god is the end of the law, to justify all that believe. This son of God had given us the spirit of adoption, the spirit of God's children, the spirit of freedom, the spirit of alacrity, & good courage. These things Io. baptist teacheth, and so quaileth the jueis vain glorying in Moses, & their vain glorying in their own holiness, and righteousness, to the high advancement of him, to whom all glory is due, even jesus Christ our only lord & saviour.  
No man hath seen God etc.) Now to confirm the thing that he had signified touching Moses, namely that he must sit far beneath the lord jesus, in this sentence he giveth us to understand, that the very knowledge of God's will, & of the law, that Moses had, he received it from God's son. For neither Moses, nor any other man could attain to any certain knowledge of God's will, or shall ever attain hereafter, but by the revelation of him, that is in God's bosom. So Moses whose passing great knowledge they boasted so much, was but the lord jesus his scolar, and therefore of duty must give place to his master.  
The jews indeed had ever in their mouths, that Moses had seen God, and spoken with him mouth to mouth, so that god had no secret, that he had not opened unto him. But the truth is that no mortal man can attain to a full knowledge of God's infinite majesty, and see his face as it is. For when Moses desired to see God's glory and majesty, answer was made unto him, thou canst not see my face, for man shall not see me, and live. Wherefore when the scripture sayeth, that jacob saw God face to face, and that Moses talked with him mouth to mouth, the meaning is, that God opened himself more plainly, & talked with them more familiarly than with other men. Howbeit they saw not his own very face, that is they attained not to a full knowledge of the divinity. For as Tertullian learnedly writeth man's mind can not comprehend the things, that be in God. For God is greater than man's mind, neither can it be thought how great he is.  
For if God could be comprehended by thought than he should be less than man's mind, whereby he might be conceived.  
He is greater also than all speech, neither can he be uttered with words. For if he could be uttered with words; than he should be less than man's speech, whereby he might be compassed. But what so ever shallbe thought of him, shallbe less than he, & whatsoever shallbe spoken of him, shallbe less than that, that is about him. For if thou shalt call him light, thou shalt name a creature of his, & not express him. If thou shalt call him utue, thou shalt speak of his power, and not utter him. If thou shalt call him majesty, that shalt describe his honour, and not himself.  
Briefly what so ever thou shalt say of him, thou shalt rather declare a thing of his, than himself. For what canst thou worthily speak, or think of him, who is greater than all words, & all understanding, saying that one way we may comprehend in mind what God is, if we shall think him to be that, that can not come in to man's understanding, or thought what manner a thing, and how great it is. For as our eye sight is dulled in be holding the soume, neither can abide the glistering brightness of the sun beams, so our mind suffereth the like thing in thinking of God, and the more it is bend to considre God, so much the more it is dafeld, & blinded with light. For what can we think worthily of him, that is higher than all highness, deeper than all deepness, lighter than all light, brighter than all brightness, stronger than all strength, fairer than all fairness, truer than all truth, greater than all greatness, richer than all riches, wiser than all wisdom, better than all goodness, juster than all justice, more merciful than all mercy, so that it may be truly said, that God is such a thing, as where unto nothing can be compared. For he is above all that can be spoken, or thought. And therefore when Moses was admitted to a singular sight of the divine majesty, God said unto him, thou shalt see my hinder parts, my face thou shalt not see. The sight of God's back was a great knowledge surely of the divinity, but not a full knowledge, so that it might be said, that he saw God's very face. And yet that knowledge also which he had of God, he had by the instruction, & revelation of God's son. For God inhabiteth light, that no man can approach unto. God's son only knoweth the father, he only giveth all the knowledge of the father, that ever any man had or shall have. For he only is of the father's privy counsel, he only is admitted in to his bosom.  
GOD) The greek word, theos, which S. johan useth is made, of thee in, to run as Plato teacheth, because the rude old men seeing the over bodies so fast to move, thought that God ran in them, & therefore called god a runner We may think that he is called a runner, because he is speedily present to help in all need. Other derive the word out of deos, fear, because he is most to be feared, & reverenced, The latins call God deum as it seemeth of the greek word, theos or deos, or as some think a dando, of giving, or quod nihil illi desit, because he wanteth nothing. But though the names that the heathen used, whereby to signify the supreme eternal mind, be very good, & taken out of some proprietes, & effects that they undrestode in god, yet it shallbe most fruitful & comfortable for us, to know what name the godly have used, & god's spirit hath uttered in the holy scripture. Now the most excellent name of god expressed by gods spirits is jehova, which the greeks call tetragrammaton, because it consists of .4. spirital letters. The hebrews have it in such reverence that they think, it is not to be uttered with men's lips, & therefore in stead thereof they ever read adonai. And to this day if they hear a christian pronounce it they are astonished, & sear left the sky shall fall, or the earth swallow them up. Wherein though there be ov great superstition, yet it appeareth in how wondreful reverence they have this name. They call it shen hamphorash nomen appositum because it expoundeth, & declareth the nature of god, as much as may be comprehended by man. And if a man did know it perfectly, the Cabalists say, that he might work miracles. It cometh of hava which signifieth to be. For god is of himself, & not of another, & he giveth being to all things that be. The greeks have a marvelous apt word to express this which I think none other tongue with like elegantie can attain unto, autousios, as you would say, a self beer. And that god is of himself & the author of all being, and will so be known, he himself teacheth us in the book of Exodus. For when Moses spoke thus unto him: Lo I shall come to the children of Israel; & say unto them, the God of your fathers hath senth me unto you, if they shall say ask what is his name, what shall I say, God answered, aeheieh asher aeheieh, I willbe that willbe, or I am that am. For the hebrews use the time to come in stead of the present time. Which words Gerundensis an Hebrew thus expoundeth: God is that essence, that hath not passed away, ne shall pass away, which never began, & never shall end, but passeth all manner of time, who only can say, I am. For he is the fountain, & headspringe of all being, & life, of whom all things have this that they be. This name jehova was known even to the heathen Italians, for they called their high, and principal God loven. And Pythagoras seemeth to have understand the mystery of the name. For of him the heathen writ, that his most solemn, holy, & inviolable oath was, ne ton tetractyn by the quaternion. For he meant this holy, & reverend name, which because it consisteth of four letters, is called, tetragrammaton, as you would say four lettered. And that he meant this name, it appeareth by this also, that he used the word tetracties in the masculine gender, where after the grammatical rules of the greek tongue, he should have used it in the feminine, if he had meant nothing but the number. If you desire to know how this secret name came among the heathen, I think surely, that noah's son japheth, who was the father of those heathen, that we speak of, taught his children true religion, & that they from hand to hand delivered the some to their posterity the heathen, which though they daily corrupted more, and more the religion, that they received from their fathers, yet they retained some remnants & among other things this reverend name, as chiefly commended unto them. Other think that Abraham's name, after the noble, and famous victory, that God gave him over the 5. kings, was celebrated, & renowned through out all the world, in so much that the heathen sent ambassadors to him, even out of Italy, & entered in to a ligue with him, whom he taught true religion, & this most holy name. As for Pothagoras I believe he learned of the aunciant hebrews in jury the mystery, & signification of this name. For Pliny writeth, that the old Philosophers were great travailers in the east parts for learning, & it were easy to show that the chiefest part of Plato's divine learning, which the heathen have in so great admiration, is drawn out of the fountains of the hebrews. That Hesiodus, & ovid write of the creation of the world, is stolen most plainly out of the first cha. of gensis. They stole also the histories of the holy scripture, & put them forth in their writings altering certain things, & changing the names, that their theft might not be espied. For having read the history of jonas, they mused on their matters, & set forth in pleasant songs, & ditties, that Arion wast cast in to the sea, & that a dolphin which had heard his melody before, when he was in the ship came, & received him on his back, & carried him to land. And after this sort they usurped many other things & handled as they thought good, adding, diminishing, altering, & changing at their pleasure. But I leave them, and will return to my purpose, & show you more of god's names rehearsed by god's spirit in the scripture, which though they be Hebrew, yet I think good, that all english men should know them, & their significations, aswell as any other english words. For there is great pith, great importance & liveliness in them. And it is a shame that either we should be so nice as to disdain, or so slowthful as to refuse the labour to learn half a dozen words, being as it were great with child with so many commodities, & comforts. The scripture hath another name of God like to jehova in signification, to wit, jiah. For it is derived from haiah which also signifieth to be. This name is not all together strange unto us. For we have all heard halleluiah sound in temples. David useth it notably in the 68 psal. advance him that rideth upon the heavens beiah she more in his name iah. Upon the which place the hebrews teach that by the name iah godeds power is signified, whereby he made, & gave being to all things. God is also called adonai. For he is lord of all things visible, and invisible. All things are subject to him, & serve him. His power is mere, & unmixed. No man putteth in foot with him, he ruleth & governeth alone far, and wide through out all the earth, & heaven to. Again God is called el of strength, for he can do what he wil And he hath another name like unto el to wit, Elohim, which signifieth his presence. For he leaveth not his creatures, & servants destitute, but is present with them, & nigh at hand to help, succurre, preserve, & maintain them. Here ye shall note that the scripture speaking of the true God ever useth this word in the plural number, & yet joineth the same with verbs of the singular number, whereby learned men think plurality of persons, & unity of substance to be noted in the godhead. Now you have 5. names of God, jehovah, iah, el, elohim, adonai, whereof Asaph useth three together in the beginning of the 50. psal. El, Elohim, jehova hath spoken. There remaineth now another name of God Shadai. For God speaking to Abraham in the .17. of genesis, where he maketh his covenant with him, saith: I am El Shadai, which some jews teach to signify most strong, some necessary. Rabbi Moses saith that it is compound of Sha who, and day sufficient as you would say, God who is sufficient, because he wanteth no thing, needeth no thing, but hath all in himself, and giveth to other all that they need. These two words, jehova & Shadai, are notably mentioned together in the 6. of exod where God speaketh thus to Moses: I am jehova, & I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac & to jacob in El Shadai & in my name jehova I was not known to them. Upon this place Aben Ezra saith that the virtue of this holy name was known to Moses, who wrought so wonderful thinhes in Egypt. And that the majesty of God was known to the aunciant fathers before in the name El Shadai but they know not the power & virtue of the name jehova, all though they had the name in use. For it is written in the 4. of gen. that in the time of Seth men began to call on the name jehova. But our men have a better exposition of that place. For they teach that the sense is as if god should say thus: I opened myself to your fathers, as el Shadai, that could fill them with all good things, & therefore promised them a land flowing with miike, & honey. But in my name jehova I was not made known unto them, that is to say, I have not yet perfirmed that I promised. Now I will fulfil my promiss in deed, & declare that I am not only El Shadai, but also jehova an eternal essence, & being constant, true, & like myself in all points perfirminge that I have showed myself to be. For the being of all things is in me, & I am the author of all things. But now we will return to our text. No man hath seen) S. Io. meaning is nor to show, that no man hath seen god with bodily eyes. For though that men's eyes can not attain to the sight of god, & when the prophets are said that they saw the lord of hosts, that was doen in image, & in some bodily shape, which it pleased god to take for a time, yet S. Io. hath another purpose namely to teach that no man hath now, or hath had heretofore any knowledge of god, but by the opening of the lord jesus, as appeareth by these words, he hath showed forth. The only begotten) Having spoken before sufficiently of this, I forbear to speak any more. Only I will give you S. August. witty short sentence. In that he is only begotten, saith he he hath no brethren, in that he is first begotten, he vouchsafeth to call all them his brethren, that are new begotten.  
In the bosom) This is a speech borrowed out of the custoume of men.  
For when we will signify that we will commit our secrets to any man, we say that we will admit him to our bosom. So the meaning is that he is privy to all gods secrets, & therefore can show us such heavenly mysteries, as no man else can declare. And this exposition S. August. followeth. Cyrille thinketh that in the bosom, is as much to say, as in the father, & of the father, & you would say, using man's words in the inward parts of the father. For he is not a piece cut of, & divided from the substance of the father, as it fareth in man's begetting, but he is so begotten, as he is still in the father. Hath shewetht forth) Exegeisthai in greek is to make a plain, & open declaration of dark things. And thereby we learn to glory in no man's learning, wisdom, or knowledge, & sith God's son only showeth forth divine mysteries & all godly wisdom, to addict & wed ourselves to no mortal man's doctrine. Finally we learn that what so ever is affirmed & taught of god with out the spirit of Christ is uncertain, & therefore to be rejected. Now than my brethren let us no more set one eye upon god's son, & another upon our selves, or upon any man in earth or in heaven, living half under gods true anointed & half under man's false anointed, but let us fix both the eyes of our mind upon him, who being in god's bosom is the full fountain of all true knowledge, & all true felicity, & let us now at the last speedily travail forth from Babylon to jerusalem from the kingdun of darkness, to the kingdom of light, from superstition to sound religion, from heresy to truth, from men to god from hell to, heaven, that having renounced the whore's company, & cast up her sweet venimie, we may be received in to the kings palace, & see the beauty of his ho●se, & be filled full of heavenly joys with god the father, the son, & the holy go●● to whom in the mean while see that yo● render due thanks, and immortal praises.  
AMEN.