Commentary on John, Chapter 10

Commentary on John · Chapter 10

p. 52CHAP. X

Verſe 1.Verily, verily I ſay unto you.]

A Men is in holy Scripture either prefixed to a diſcourſe, and then it is a particle of certain and earneſt aſſeveration, when it is doubled eſpecially, as here: Or elſe affixed; and then it is either of aſſent, or aſſurance, or both, as in the end of the Lords prayer.

Verſe 2. But he that entreth in by the door] That is, called by Chriſt to the office of his under-ſhepherd. In phyſicis aer nonfacit ſeipſum ignem, Aquin ad Heb. 15.ſed fit a ſuperiori, ſaith Aquinas.

Is the ſhepherd of the ſheep] To the which is required, that he be both learned and loving. foreign quaſi foreign, of foreign a ſheep: and foreign to deſire eatneſtly.This note ariſeth out of the notation of the word here uſed.

Verſe 3. To him the porter openeth] That is, God approveth ſuch, and uſually ſeales to their miniſtery. Jer. 23.22. giving them a teſtimoniall, 2. Cor. 3.2.

Verſe 4. He goeth before them] According to the cuſtome of ſhepherds in that countrey, not to drive their ſheep, but to lead them, as David ſhews in his divine Bucolicon, Pſal. 23.2.

Verſe 5. A stranger will they not follow] For they have ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern good and evil; Heb. 5 14.Heb 5:14yea they have a ſpirit of diſcerning, 1 Cor. 12.10. the minde of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 2.16. and though ſimple to evil, yet are wiſe in that which is good. They are ſheep, but rationall: their ſervice, a reaſonable ſervice, Rom. 12.1. their obedience the obedience of faith, Rom. 16.26. they try before they truſt, they look before they leap, and ſo grow to ſuch a certainty in that truth they hold, ſuch a plerophory of knowledge, Coloſſ. 2.3. that it is impoſſible for them to be fully or finally deceived, Mat. 24.24. Falſe and heterodox doctrines they hate, Pſal. 119 104, and all ſuch impoſtours as ſeek to buzze doubts into their heads, Rom. 16.17.

p. 53Verſe 6. But they understood not] So thick-braind and uncapable we are, till that vail be rent, Iſa. 25.7. Luſcoſi, ſi quando oculorum aciem intendunt, minus videns. Vives in Aug. de civ. Zei. l. 22. c. 6.Thoſe that have a blemiſh in their eye, the more wiſhly they look into any thing, the leſſe they ſee of it, as Vives hath it. So it is here.

Verſe 8. All that ever came before me, &c.] Manes (that mad heretick) made an argument from this text againſt Moſes and the Prophets, as going before Chriſt. But Auſtin anſwereth: Moſes and the Prophets came not before Chriſt, but with Chriſt. Intruders, whether before or ſince our Saviours daies, are theſe theeves and robbers. Ah whoreſon-theeves, rob God of his glory! ſaid Doct. Taylor Martyr, in a dream, of the Scribes and Phariſees of his time.

Verſe 9. And ſhall go in and our, &c.] That is, ſhall live ſecurely, and be fed daily and daintily, as David ſhews, Pſal. 23. where he ſweetly ſtrikes upon the whole ſtring thorow the whole hymne.

Verſe 10. The thief commeth not but for to ſteal] How ſlily ſoever hereticks ſeek to inſinuate, with their Pithanology and feigned humility, whereby they circumvent and beguil the ſimple, it is deadly dealing with them. Shun their ſociety as a ſerpent in your way, as poiſon in your meat. Perniciofiſſimum Hildebrandine doctrinae veuenum lectoribus ebibendum, quaſi aliud ageas propinat. D…g. Wnear. Bill. Obſerv. ſacr. l. 1. c. 26. Scultet Annal. 279. foreign. Ephel. 4 14.Spondanus (the ſame that Epitomized Baronius) gives his Reader Popiſh poiſen to drinke ſo ſlily, ſaith one, as if he were doing ſomewhat elſe, and meant no ſuch matter. And learned Billius obſerves the like of Socrates the Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtorian, a cunning Novation. Swenkfeldius, who held many dangerous hereſies, did yet deceive many by his preſſing men to an holy life, praying frequently and fervently, &c. by his ſtately expreſſions, ever in his mouth, as of Illumination, Revelation, Deification, the inward and ſpirituall man, &c. Some are ſo cunning in their cogging the die, as S. Paul phraſeth it, Epheſ. 4. in the conveyance of their colluſion, that like ſerpents, they can ſting without hiſſing; like curre-dogs, ſuck your blood only with licking; and in the end kill you and cut your throats without biting. Muzzle them therefore, ſaith S. Paul, and give them no audience. foreign. Tit. 1.11. Tit. 3.10. Sezo…nen. lib. 7. cap. 7.Titus 1:11Titus 3:10Placilla the Empreſſe, when Theodoſius Senior deſired to conferre with Eunomius the heretick, diſſwaded her husband very earneſtly; leſt, being perverted by his ſpeeches, he might fall into hereſie. Anaſtaſius the ſecond, Biſhop of Rome, in the year 497, Jac. Rev. de vitis Pontiſ pag. 42.whiles he ſought to reduce Acacius the heretick, was ſeduced by him. A little leaven ſoon ſowreth the whole lump. One ſpoonfull p. 54of vineger will quickly tart a great deal of ſweet milk: but a great deal of milk, L Brooks.will not ſo ſoon ſweeten one ſpoonfull of vineger. Errour (ſaith a Noble Writer) is like the Jeruſalem-Artichoak: plant it where you will, it over-runs the ground and choaks the heart.

Verſe 11. I am the good ſhepherd] So he is by an excellency: for he left his glory, to ſeek out to himſelf a flock in the wilderneſle: He feeds them among the lilies, Cant. 2.16. gives them golden fleeces, and ſhepherds, to keep them, after his own heart; watcheth over them night and day in his Migdal-Eder, Gen. 35.21.Gen 35:21or tower of the flock: ſeeks them up, when loſt, bears them in his boſom, and gently leads thoſe that are with young, Iſa. 40.11. pulls them out of the power of the Lion and the Bear: puniſheth ſuch as either puſh with the horne, or foul with the feet, Ezek 34.19. Waſheth them in his own blood, and ſo maketh them Kings and Prieſts to God, Rev. 1 5, &c. ſo that they need not fear the ſpirituall Aſſyrian, Micah 5.5.

Verſe 12. The wolfe ſcattereth] To Non-reſidents and other unconſcionable Miniſters, Chriſt will ſay as once Eliab did to David; With whom hast thou left thoſe poor few ſheep in the wilderneſſe? Vare, reddi legiones, ſaid Auguſtus, fighting. The like will this good ſhepherd ſay, judging: Pan curet oves, ovium que magistros, ſay many of our Pluraliſts, and idol-ſhepherds. About Hildebrands time, ſo great was the negligence and wickedneſſe of the Clergy, that ſome ſet forth letters, as dated from the devils of hell to them; Mach. Paris. Hiſt. Anno Don 1072.wherein they give them many thanks for the ſouls they had ſent to hell, in ſuch abundance as never was known before.

Verſe 13. The hireling fleeth] Yet is not every one that fleeth to be judged an hireling preſently. There is a lawfull flight, as when the quarrell is perſonall, &c. Chriſt fled oft, when perſecuted: ſo may we. God hath made us not as butts to be perpetually ſhot at: but as the marks of rovers, moveable, as the winde and Sun may beſt ſerve. Melib. Adam in vit Bremij.Fuge, fuge, Brenti, citò, citiùs, citiſſimè: So friendly did a Senatour of Hala adviſe Brentius. He embraced the advice, and ſaved his life by it.

Verſe 14. And know my ſheep] With a knowledge of approbation and delight. Verba notitiae apud Hebraeos ſecum trahunt affectum. Pſal 1.6.

Verſe 15. Aeſop. Fab.I lay down my life] Yet as man he was foreign. p. 55Quis vitam non vult? ſaith Auguſtin: And, Quis enim vult mori? prorſus nemo, ſaith another. And, Skin after skin, Job 2.4.Job 2:4or skin upon skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life, ſaid that old deceiver, truly. Yet our Saviour held not his life dear for his ſheeps ſafety. Becauſe he ſaw we ſhould fall ſore (ſaid that Angel John Bradford) therefore he would ſuffer ſore: Yea, if his once ſuffering had not been enough, he would yet once more come again, Bradf. Serm. of Repent. 63.God the Father, I am ſure, ſaith he, if the death of his Sonne incarnate would not ſerve, would himſelf and the Holy Ghoſt alſo become incarnate, and die for us.

Verſe 16. And other ſheep I have,] viz. The elect Gentiles, whoſe converſion to Chriſt was, among other types, not obſcurely fore-ſhadowed, Levit. 19.23, 24, 25. as ſome Divines think. The firſt three-years in Canaan, the Iſraelites were to caſt away the fruits of the trees, as uncircumciſed: So our Saviour planted the Goſpel in that land for the firſt three years of his publike miniſtery: But the uncircumciſions are caſt away; that is, to the uncircumciled Gentiles, the doctrine of Chriſt is not declared by generall and publike preaching. The fruit of the fourth year was conſcerated to God: That is, Chriſt in the fourth year from his baptiſme, laid down his life for his ſheep, roſe again, aſcended, and ſent his holy Spirit: whereby his Apoſtles and others were conſecrated as the firſt-fruits of the promiſed land. But in the fifth year, the fruit of the Goſpel planted by Chriſt began to be common, when the ſame doctrine was not ſhut up in the ſtrait bounds of Judaea, or walls of the Temple, Rom. 16.26.Rom 16:26but was made known (and ſhall be more and more) to all Nations, for the obedience of faith.

There ſhall be one ſild] Of Jews and Gentiles. The full and finall reſtauration of the Jews will fall out in the year 1650. as ſome have calculaetd out of Dan. 12.11. I wait and wiſh it.

Verſe 17. Therefore doth my Father love me, becauſe] This becauſe, is nota conſecutionis, non cauſae, ſaith Beza.

I lay down my life] I do it even now: for he ſuffered many a little death all his life ſong, and at length the curſed death of the croſſe.

That I might take it again] For Chriſt being life eſſentiall, ſwallowed up death in victory, as the fire ſwallows up the fuell, as Moſes his ſerpent ſwallowed up the ſorcerers ſerpents, &c.

Verſe 18. I lay it down of ſelfe] A neceſſity there was of our Saviours death, but it was a neceſſity of immutability (becauſe p. 56God had decreed it, Acts 2 23.) not of coaction; He did willingly. Therefore, when he gave up the ghoſt, he cried with a loud voice; which ſhews that his life was not then ſpent; he might have retained it longer if he would: and thereupon the Centution concludes him to be the Sonne of God.

Verſe 19. There was a diviſion therefore, &c.] This our Saviour fore-ſaw, and yet forbears not. Gods truth muſt be ſpoken, however it be taken. Men be they pleaſed or diſpleaſed, God muſt be obeyed, and his whole will declared. If men refuſe to receive it, we muſt turn them over to God with a Non convertentur, and then let him alone with them.

Verſe 20. He hath a devil, and is mad] It was wonder if the Heaven did not ſweat, the earth melt, and hell gape at the hearing of theſe horrid blaſphemies. Tigers rage at the fragrancy of ſweet ſpices: ſo did theſe monſters at our Saviours ſweet Sermons.

Verſe 21. Theſe are not the words, &c.] Wiſedom is ever juſtified of her children. They fitly argue from his oracles and miracles, both which this Evangeliſt doth more largely relate; purpoſely to prove our Saviours Divinity, and is therefore ſtiled John the Divine.

Verſe 23. foreign. Inittalia, five Renovatra.The feast of the dedication] viz. Of the Temple newly purged from the pollutions of Antiochus, that little Anti-chirſt. So when the Chriſtian Temple, the Church, was purged from the popiſh abominations (called the tramplings of the Gentiles, Rev. 11.2) by thoſe two witneſſes, that is, by Luther and other Heroicall Reformers, there was great joy among Gods people. And in the year 1617. as the Pope proclaimed a Jubilee for the peace of Italy and Auſtria, Jacob. Renius de vit. Pontiſ, pag 306.&c. ſo the Reformed Churches in Germany did the ſame, for Gods mercy in reſtoring to them the Goſp I, a juſt hundred years before: for in the year 1517. Luther began to decry the Popes indulgences. In like ſort, at ſame time, when the Greeks were buſie in their Olympick games, Burbol. Chron. pag. 541.the Prophet Iſaiah ſaw that glorious viſion of God in his Majeſty, Iſa. 6.1, 2. (as the Divine Chronologer obſerves it,) ſinging, With Seraphims, that ſweeteſt Triſagion, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hoſts. The new Jeruſalem, which ſignifies the ſtate of the Church in this world (ſaith a Reverend Divine) when it ſhall be refined to the utmoſt, is all of fine gold and precious ſtones, D. Siblcs on Cant. 5. p. 380.Song 5&c. to ſhew the excellency of Reformation: which golden times are yet to come, and will prove very feſtivall.

p. 57Verſe 23. And Jeſus walked in the Temple] Taking the opportunity of that publike meeting to do good; as the Bee is abroad ſo ſoon as the Sun ariſeth. The Greeks were great walkers, as the Stoicks in their porch, Biddulph, l 3. c. 5.&c. But the Turkes wonder to ſee a man walke too and fro: and uſually aske him, whether he be out of his way, or out of his wits? Pliny ſaid to his Nephew, when he ſaw him walke out ſome houres, without ſtudying, Poteras has horas non perdere.

In Solomons porch] So the Jews called that porch (for honours ſake) which they built again after the captivity; and which, Partim ambitione ductus, partim Iud…orumberetolentiamcaptans, &c. Beza Annot. in Joh. 2.20.John 2:20together with the whole Temple, was beautified by Herod the Great, to curry favour with the people; which yet would not be, for they hated him extremely.

Verſe 24. How long dost thou make us to doubt?] They lay the blame upon him, as if (Heraclitus-like) he were a darke Doctour: when themſelves were blinde and did ſhut the windows, leſt the light ſhould come in unto them. Gods Miniſters muſt look for the like meaſure. Howbeit God darkens their doctrine ſometimes (as he dealt by Ezekiel) for the ſins of the people.

Verſe 26. Ye beleeve not, becauſe ye are not. &c.] Reprobates cannot beleeve, yea, they cannot but reſiſt the externall offers of Gods grace. The Word, Sacraments and all Gods common temporall favours are, in reſpect of externall participation, communicated to them by way of concomitancy only, becauſe they are intermixed with the elect.

Verſe 27. My ſheep hear my voice] Buxtorf in his Teberias noteth, that the ſeventh verſe of the one and twentieth of Jeremy, Conſtat ex 42 vocibus, literis 160.conſiſteth of two and fourty words, and of an hundred and ſixty letters. I am not at leiſure to count the words and letters of this and the following verſes: But it is eaſie to obſerve in them thoſe five linkes of that golden chain of Gods grace in our ſalvation, My ſheep, there's Election; hear my voice, there's Vocation; And I know them, there's Juſtification; And they follow me, there's Sanctification: and I give unto them eternall life, there's Glorification.Paſtor over ſpon let ſe abſo. lutè ſervatu rum, nunquid libcrabitſidem? &c. D. Pridiaux de Perſev. ſancto.

Verſe 28. They ſhall never periſh] This is the good ſhepherds promiſe: Is he now as good as his word, if he ſuffer his ſheep to wander and periſh, whom by promiſe he was tyed ſo to keep, as that they ſhould not wander, as they are naturally apt to do, to their deſtruction?

Verſe 29. No man is able to pluck them] Impoſtours ſeek to p. 58thrust us from God, Deut. 13.5. and to drag diſciples after them, With ſuch violence as if they would pluck them lim-meal (as the word ſignifies, foreign.Acts 20.30.) ſo to deceive, if it were poſſible, the very elect, Mat. 24.24. A thing is ſaid to be poſſible, vel reſpectu Dei, vel reſpectu Rei. True grace, in it ſelfe conſidered, is eaſily ſeparable from him that hath it, who, left to himſelf alſo, would ſoon loſe it. foreign. … l. 5.But with reſpect to God, by whoſe power the Saints are kept (as in a ſtrong guard or gariſon) through faith unto ſalvation, it is impoſſible that any of his ſhould finally miſcarry.

Verſe 30. I and my father are one] Both for nature or effence, and for one conſent, both in willing and working. Out of the harbour of Goodwins ſands the Pilot cannot make forth, they ſay, without ſinking in thoſe ſands, unleſſe he ſo ſteer his ſhip, that he bring two ſteeples, which ſtand off, ſo even in his ſight, that they may ſeem to be but one. So is it here.

Verſe 31. Then the Jews took up ſtones] This is the worlds wages to faithfull Miniſters. Many conceit diſcharge of their duty without perſecution: they would pull a roſe without pricks. Non decet, ut ſub capite spinis coronato, vivant membra in delicys.Zarch.

Verſe 32. From my Father] i.e. Ejus authoritate fretus. Bez. All our works muſt be done in God, and for God: then they are of the right ſtamp, and carry Heaven in them, Heb. 6.9. Beſides that, they are unanſwerable ſyllogiſmes, invincible demonſtrations, to confute and convert even Pagans, ſaith Chryſoſtom.

Verſe 33. Chriſtianu … ſon, uirem D js victi ram eſſe …ra eſſiman, Ier…ul.But for blaſphemy] Theſe were holy perſecutours, in pretence at leaſt. So Maximinian thought the blood of Chriſtians would be an acceptable ſacrifice to his gods. So Francis the ſecond of France, and Philip the ſecond of Spain, held the ſame opinion of the Lutherans in their dominions. Zeal without knowledge is like mettle in a blind horſe.

Verſe. 34. In your law] So he calls it, to ſhew that there was no neceſſity on his part to prove what he delivered by any Scripture, ſith he was to be beleeved on his bare word; but for their ſakes only he did it.foreign.

Verſe 35. Ʋnto whom the word of God came] That have their authority from God, whoſe ſubſtitutes and vicegerents Princes are, and of whom they have their Patent. With what face then can the Schoolmen defend Thomas in that Paradox, Dominium & Pralatio introducta ſunt ex jure humano?Aquin. 2.2. q. 10. ar 10.

p. 59Verſe 36. Hath ſanctified and ſent] Sanctified, that is, Anointed, and that in both his natures, as whole Chriſt. For his anointing imported; 1. His conſecration or ordination to the office of a Mediatour; and ſo the God-head alſo was anointed. 2. Qualification or effuſion of fullneſſe of graces: as the holy oyl was compounded of divers ſpices, ſo the man-hood, and that without meaſure, as far as a finite nature was capable of.

Verſe 37. If I do not the works of my father, beleeve me not] Thus ſaid Chriſt, but ſo ſaith not Chriſts Vicar, as the Pope will needleſly be called. His Placite muſt be obeyed, not examined: and though by his evil example he draw thouſands to hell, none muſt mute, or ſay ſo much, as what doeſt thou?

Verſe 38. But if I do, though ye, &c.] q. d. Stumble not at the meanneſſe of my perſon, condition, followers, &c. When it was ſometime diſputed among the Romanes in the Councell, uſing to deifie great men, whether Chriſt, having done many wounderfull works, ſhould be received into the number of the Gods? it was at length concluded (ſaith the Hiſtorian) quod non deberet recipi inter Deos, pro eo quod non haberet cultores, propter hoc quod paupertatem praedicaret & eligeret, quam mundus contemnit.

Verſe 39. Therefore they ſought again to take him] They could not anſwer his arguments; they turn them therefore to a courſe of violence, wherein they doubted not but to be too hard for him. Thus they dealt with Ridley and Latimer at Oxford: thus with other Martyrs, who yet overcame them by the blood of the Lamb, yea, were more then conquerours, Rom. 8. A fagot will make you recant, ſaith the Biſhop to M^r Hawkes Martyr. No, Act. and Mon.no, ſaid he; a point for your fagot; you ſhall do no more, and your Maſter to help you, then God permits you. In the year 1166. the Synod at Oxford burned in the foreheads, Alſted. Chronol. pag. 357.and afterwards baniſhed out of the realme thirty Dutch doctours, that taught here the right uſe of Wedlock, and the Sacraments.

Verſe 40. And went again beyond Jordan] The further from Jeruſalem the ſafer. Jeruſalem was then, as Rome is now, the Saints ſlaughter-houſe. Roma radix omnium malorum.

Into the place where John firſt baptized] As well for his own comfort (for there he had heard at firſt from Heaven, This is my beloved Sonne, &c.) as for the peoples converſion and confirmation, who there called to minde Johns teſtimony of Jeſus, and beleeved.

p. 60Verſe 41. John did no miracle] Leſt he ſhould be miſtaken for the Meſſias. But how got he then ſo much credit? by his mortified converſation eſpecially. Holy and reverend is Gods Name, ſaith the Pſalmiſt: therefore reverend, becauſe holy. Holineſſe hath honour in the conſciences of the very worſt.

But all things that John spake] The word works not ſometimes, till many years after it hath been preached, as here: and as they ſay of the Elephant, that ſhe goes with young thirteen years, after ſhe hath conceived.

Verſe 42. And many beleeved on him there] Place is no prejudice to the powerfull operation of the word, when by the Spirit it is made prolificall and generative.