Exposition on John 5, John 5 · Verse 24 – Verse 25
Verſ. 24.
Verily, verily, I ſay vntounto you, he that heareth my Word, and beleeueth in him that ſent me, hath euerlaſting life, and ſhall not come into condemnation, but hath paſſed from death to life.
CHriſt hauing in the former verſe laid down the ends of the particular euidences of his Deity, proceedes againe in this verſe and followeth to a further amplification of them: more powerfully, plainely, and diſtinctly; to vrge and preſſe them. The former, as we hauehave heard, was the Power of quickening. In the amplification whereof there are three parts.
1. Who are quickned in this verſe 24.
2. By what Meanes they come to be quickened, 12.
The voice of Chriſt, verſe 25.
3. The Ground of this quickening power that is in Chriſt; verſe 26.
The ſecond effect was the Power of Iudging: whereof wee ſhall ſpeake, verſe 27. and followeth.
Verſe 24· Touching the occaſion of theſe words, and dependance of them on the former, it may bee conſidered in two reſpects:
1. Wee heard, verſ. 22. that the Sonne quickeneth whom hee will: hereby implying, that eueryevery Son of Adam is not quickened, but thoſe only to whom he ſheweth fauour. Now who they be, is here expreſſed in this verſe, viz. ſuch as heare his Word, and beleeue in God.
2. Verſe 23. was ſhewed that there is an honour due to Chriſt; now he ſheweth what it is, viz. to belieue in him, &c.
Hence we learne.
Doct. 1. That they only, which doe heare the Word of Chriſt, and doe beleeue in God the Father, doe partake of the the quickening power of Chriſt. For this hearing and beleeuing, is a beginning of our quickening, and raiſing from death: ſo that from hence wee may gather an euidence, and aſſurance, whether this quickening power of Chriſt doe belong to vsus, and whether we be of the number whom Chriſt will ray…e vp vntounto life eternall, yea or no.
Doct. 2. That the honour, which is due vntounto Chriſt, is to hearken to him in his Word, and to beleeue in him.
This is all that is required of vsus: Deut. 18.15. Mat. 17.5. Ioh. 3.16. viz. to beleeue.
Vſe is, firſt, to ſtirre vsus vp to honour Chriſt by this meanes: euen as ſubiects, if they ſee their King to count himſelfe honoured by ſuch and ſuch things, they will endeauour to doe them.
2. To reproue them that will honour God after their owne conceits, as Saul, 1. Sa, 15.22. or after the traditions of men as Mat. 15.9. or by outward pomps and ſolemnities as the Papiſts, which are but toyes to the excellent maieſty of Chriſt. So much for the dependance.
The words themſelues containe in generall a deſcription of ſuch as are raiſed vp by Chriſt. The parts are,
1. A Preface, Verily, &c.] of which hath been ſpoken before, only here it is added to moue vsus to attend vntounto the matter deliuered as a point to bee much regarded and obſerued.
2. A promiſe wherein obſerue firſt, the Parties to whom it is made. Secondly, the promiſe it ſelfe [hath euerlaſting life, &c.
The Parties are deſcribed by their actions: firſt, [he that heareth] Secondly [and beleeneth] theſe actions are both of them amplified by their obiects firſt [my word] ſecondly [him that ſent me.
The firſt action, [he that heareth] which is layd downe both as a cauſe of the latter viz. of beleeuing, and as a meanes to attaine to life euerlaſting. Whence we learne.
Doct. That the meanes to attaine to true faith and to eternal life, is the hearing of the Word. Rom. 10.14, 15, 17. Epheſ. 1.13. Act. 15.7. that faith followes hearing the Word. Now eternall life is a conſequent of faith as Eſa. 55.3. 1. Ti. 4.16. hence the word is called the word of ſaluation. Act. 13.26. Eph. 1.13. Rom. 1.16. yea ſaluation it ſelfe Heb· 2.3.
Reaſon. Firſt hearing is a cauſe of knowledge, now knowledge and illumination are a ground of Faith. Secondly, by hearing, is the Spirit conuayed vntounto vsus; by which Spirit, Faith is wrought in vsus: by faith we are vnited to Chriſt; and being vnited to him, we hauehave a right and title to heauen. So the Word is called the miniſtery of the Spirit. 2. Cor. 3.6. Gal. 3.2.
Vſe. 1, For Miniſters that they be faithfull, diligent, and conſcionable in preaching of the Word: for it there bee no preaching, there can be no hearing: Rom. 10.14. a point of exceeding great moment becauſe idle and idoll paſtors doe ſhut vp the kingdome of heauen againſt the people, and cauſe them to lie in ſinne and incredulity, ſo becomming guilty of their blood: 1. Cor 9.16.
2. For the people to ſtirre them vp to diligence to hearken and attend vntounto this Word when it is preached, &c.
The obiect of hearing is here ſayd, to be the Word of Chriſt. Whence we learne;
Doct. That it is not eueryevery word which is able to worke faith in vsus, but only the Word of the Sonne of God. The Goſpell my Word] as oppoſed to the words of men, and their traditions. Ioh. 6.63. Rom. 1, 9. Ioh. 1.18, and 14.6.
The law cannot doe this; for that is the letter that killeth, and it is the miniſtery of death: 2. Cor. 3.6.7. and much leſſe then the words of men, and their traditions.
Vſe is to teach vsus, that as we be diligent to heare, ſo we bee carefull to know what we heare.
The ſecond Action, is to belieue. Though hearing be a thing neceſſary, and a good ground-work and beginning, yet it is not ſufficient, but we muſt further beleeue in the truth, declared by the Goſpell.
Doct. It is not ſufficient to heare the Word onelyonly, but Faith muſt be added to our hearing: Hebr. 3.2. Epheſ. 1.13. Rom. 1.16.
For the Word doth but onelyonly offer grace. Now what good is it to hauehave a Benefice offered onelyonly, if it be not receiued: but this is done by Faith: Act. 13.48.
Vſe. As before we were exhorted to heare, ſo here wee are directed how to heare, viz. not to content our ſelues with a bare and naked hearing, or that we doe vnderſtand the Preacher, and know the myſteries of the Scripture, but to apply the Word and Promiſes to our ſelues.
The Obiect of this action is deſcribed in theſe words [him that ſent me] which is a deſcription of God the Father, and implies a relation betweene the Father and the Sonne: as if he had ſaid, In him of whom I am, who hath giuen me vntounto the World, &c.
Doct. God as he is the Father of Chriſt Ieſus, is the onelyonly obiect of our Faith; and therefore he ſaith not [and beleeueth in God] ſimply, but in him that ſent me. And therefore wee muſt come vntounto God in Chriſt, and doe whatſoeuer we doe in, and through him: Heb. 13.15.
No creature can bee the obiect of our Faith, on which wee may reſt, becauſe it is not able to protect vsus from Gods wrath. Neither is God himſelfe, as he hath immediately to doe with vsus, for ſo he is moſt ſtrict in iuſtice, and as a conſuming fire, before which we are but ſtubble. OnelyOnly as he is well pleaſed in Chriſt, and in him manifeſteth his grace and fauour, may approach vntounto him with confidence.
Ʋſe. It ſhewes the vanitie of the moſt part of the World, that either know not Chriſt, or deny him, as the Iewes; and ſo dare to come vntounto him in great iuſtice. So much of the Parties.
The Promiſe is declared, firſt, affirmatiuely [hath euerlaſting life.] Secondly, negatiuely, and ſhall not, &c.
Doct. The fruite of that honour which we performe to Chriſt Ieſus, is eternall life: Ioh. 10.27, 28. 1. Pet. 1.3, 4. which is not in regard of any deſert of the workes, but of Gods free grace, who ſets downe this reward to encourage vsus, and to magnifie his owne mercy.
Which ſhewes his fatherly tenderneſſe towards vsus, that whereas we are bound to doe no leſſe, and he might abſolutely command vsus; yet hee rather chuſeth to draw vsus on by the hope of reward.
Vſe. To bee ſtirred vp to the performance of theſe duties, both in regard of thankefulneſſe to God, and in reſpect of our owne good.
This is now further amplified by the contrary, [and ſhall not come into condemnation, &c.] Which imply in effect the ſame things that the former; yet they are added not in vaine, but for the further confirmation and ſtrengthening of our Faith in a matter of ſuch weight, and for the answering of all obiections that might be brought.
Wherefore this ſhewes a double benefit: Firſt, we ſhall hauehave life. Secondly, we ſhall be deliuered from death. And further it notes a difference betweene that happineſſe wherein man was firſt made, and that whereunto we are brought by Chriſt. Adam was created happy and immortall: but withall there was a poſſibility to fall. But we not onelyonly hauehave immortalitie and life, but alſo ſuch a firmeneſſe and ſtability, as we ſhall not come into death.
[Hath paſſed from death to life.] Some take the meaning to be thus, that the beleeuer when he dies goeth vntounto Heauen; which is a good ſenſe, and comfortable: but rather we are to vnderſtand it thus, viz. that by death is meant, the ſubiection of vsus all to eternall condemnation. But now ſo ſoone as wee beleeue the Obligation and Band is cancelled, and wee hauing Faith, hauehave our acquittance, and are ſet free.
Doct· Faith brings with it a diſcharge from condemnation, Rom. 8.1.
Which is to be noted as a ſpeciall comfort of our conſciences againſt the terrour of ſinne, and horrour of condemnation.
Doct. 2. No middle betweene damnation and ſaluation: he that is freed from the one, is ſure of the other. [Hath paſſed from death to life.] This appeares in the Parable of Lazarus and the rich Man: and in the ſentence of the laſt Iudgement: as is plaine by reaſon, becauſe there are but two ſorts of people, the one in Chriſt, the other out of Chriſt, &c. Which muſt note againſt the Papiſts conceits of Limbus Patrū, Limbus Infantum, and Purgatory: which as it is derogatory to the blood of Chriſt, 1. Ioh. 1.7. ſo is it a doctrine very vncomfortable, and that which doth adde a ſting vntounto death: alſo it is a cauſe of much vniuſtice, when Parents will giuegive away their lands from their children to Monkes, &c. to ſing for their ſoules.
Now concerning the phraſe, hath eternall life, and hath paſſed, &c. it implies the certaintie of theſe promiſes. Yet a queſtion will be made, in what reſpect we may be ſaid ſo ſoone as we beleeue to hauehave eternall life?
Anſw. It is, firſt in regard of hope.
2. Becauſe we hauehave the beginnings, and firſt fruits of it, viz. we are taken into the Kingdome of grace, which is the beginning of the Kingdome of glory.
3. In regard of our vnion with Chriſt our Head, and now glorified. Now wee being members of that body, whereof the head and principall part is raiſed vp, and in poſſeſſion of eternall life, we may be ſaid alſo, as Epheſ. 2.6.
Doct. The true beleeuer is, and may be ſure of his eternall ſaluation. Which is to bee noted againſt our aduerſaries the Papiſts. Secondly, as a comfort to vphold vsus in time of trouble.
Verſ. 25.
Verily, verily, I ſay vntounto you, the houre is comming, and now is, when the dead ſhall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God, and they that heare ſhall liue.
IN theſe words is laid downe the ſecond generall point, viz. the meanes whereby they are quickned. The parts are two.
1. A Preface, [Verily, &c.] which words are here the third time laid downe. Now we may not thinke, that Chriſt vſed in vaine theſe ſtrong aſſeuerations, but that hee doth this to ſtrengthen our Faith, to rouze vp our dulneſſe, and to aggrauate the incredulity of thoſe, that yet notwithſtanding all this will not beleeue.
2. A Promiſe: wherein conſider,
1. The time of accompliſhing of it, [the houre commeth] viz. of Chriſts death, reſurrection, and glorification; for then he drew all men vntounto him, and then was the Goſpell publiſhed abroad. Yet this houre was now begun, becauſe that Chriſt was now exhibited. Now this time is called an houre, becauſe it is a ſet and certaine period which God hath appointed, and in which theſe things ſhould be fulfilled.
Doct. The time of the Goſpell is the time of ſaluation: for Chriſt here ſpeaketh of the time of the Goſpell: 2. Cor. 6.2.
2. The parties on whom this worke is to be wrought, viz. the Dead, that is, all naturall men; eſpecially meant of the Gentiles, who before this time were Alians from the Common-wealth of Iſrael, &c.
Doct. The ſtate of naturall men, is the ſtate of dead men: Epheſ. 2. there is in them by nature no iot, or dramme of ſpirituall life. Which note,
1. Againſt heretikes that hauehave ſo much magnified Nature, as the Pelagians.
2. That we may take notice of the wretchedneſſe, and vileneſſe of our nature wherein we are borne.
3. To ſhew, that the worke of our conuerſation is a powerfull worke and diuine. And for this cauſe we are not to maruell, that the ſhrill ſound of the voyce of the Goſpell doe not pierce vntounto the heart of many men; for why? they are dead,
3. The meanes whereby it is wrought, viz. the voice of Chriſt, not onelyonly of himſelfe whileſt hee was here liuing vponupon the earth, but eſpecially is it to be taken for that power, which by his Spirit he giues vntounto the Word preached. And therfore though Miniſters doe preach, and may be ſaid to conuert; yet properly it is the powerfull voyce of Chriſt ſpeaking in them, that worketh vponupon the heart.