Commentary on John, Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Verſe 1. That ye ſhould not be offended.]
AS with a thing unexpected and intolerable. Darts foreſeen are dintleſſe. Croſſes comming on the ſudden, finde weake mindes ſecure, make them miſerable, leave them deſperate.
Verſe 2. Whoſoever killeth you, &c.]. Chriſtiano um ſanguinem Dijs gratiſſimam eſ ſe victivam. T…rtul.Maximinian the perſecutour thought that the bloud of Chriſtians would be a well-pleaſing ſacrifice to his gods. Budaeus thinks that the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 4.13. alludes to thoſe Heatheniſh expiations, wherein certain condemned perſons were brought forth yearly with garlands upon their heads, and offered up, as ſacrifices, to their gods, in time of any contagious infection eſpecially: and theſe they termed, foreign, Budaeut in Pandect.and foreign. At Colen, certain Divines preached, that the death of certain heretikes, (as they called them) ſhould pacific the wrath of God, which then plagued Germany grievouſly with a ſtrange kinde of ſweating ſickneſſe. Act. and Men. fol. 808. Heyl. Geog. p. 33.In the ſixth Councel of Toled, it was enacted, that the King of Spain ſhould ſuffer none to live in his Dominions, that profeſſed not the Roman Catholike Religion. King Philip, accordingly, having hardly eſcaped ſhipwrack, as he returned from the Low-countries, ſaid, Hiſt. of Coun. of Trent. 4.7.He was delivered, by the ſingular providence of God, to root out Lutheraniſme, which he preſently began to do; profeſſing that he had rather have no Subjects then ſuch. Siquam ſui corporis partem i. ſta contagione, &c. Sleid. Comment l 9.Another Catholike King ſaid, That if he thought his ſhirt were infected with that hereſie, he would tear it from his own back, and rather goe woolward: nay, if any member of his body had caught the contagion, he would cut it off, that it might creep no farther.
Verſe 3. Becauſe they have not known] Through blinde zeal. The dark corners of the earth are full of cruelty, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. Pſal. 74.10. Iſa. 11.9.And they ſhall not deſtroy in all mine holy mountain; For knowledge ſhall cover the earth, as the waters do the ſea. See the Notes on Chap. 15.21.
Verſe 4. Ye may remember, &c.] And act, what I have foretold and taught you. The difference between Divinity and other Sciences is, that it is not enough to know, but you muſt doe it; Non eſt haec umbratilis philoſophia ſed quae. ad ujum & praxin aptan. da. Calv.as leſions of muſick muſt be practiſed, and a copy not read only, but written after.
Verſe 5. None of you asketh me &c.] This they had asked him, but not, as well apaid of his going: this he would have of them, and of us, when we part with friends that die in the Lord, ſay as he, Hieron. ad Julian.Tuliſti liberos quos ipſe dederas: non contriſtor, quod recepiſti: ago gratias, quod dediſti.
Verſe 6. Sorrow hath filled your hearts] So that you are, for the time, not more uncomfortable then uncounſellable. Thus alſo it fared with thoſe Iſraelites in Aegypt: Exod. 6.9.Their ears were ſo full of gall, that meek Moſes even loſt his ſweet words upon them. Paſſions are headſtrong, and can hear no counſell: Fertur equis auriga, nec audit currus habenas.
Verſe 7. I will ſend him unto you.] This our Saviour oft repeats, Joel 2.28.that they might once take notice of it, as an ineſtimable favour, that God ſhould pour forth his Spirit upon all fleſh. What ſo precious as ſpirit? What ſo vile as fleſh? It is received among the Turks, that when Chriſt ſaid, That though he departed, he would ſend them a Comforter, it was added in the Text, And that ſhall be Mahomet; but that the Chriſtians, in malice toward them, have razed out thoſe words. Is not this the efficacie of errour?
Verſe 8. And when he is come &c.] This Text had been eaſie, had not Commentatours made it ſo knotty.
He will reprove] Or undeceive the world, by refuting thoſe odd conceits and erroneous opinions, foreign, Ita ut nibil habeat, quod praetexat.that men had before drunk in, and were poſſeſt of. He ſhall clearly convince them of the hatefulneſſe of ſin, of the neceſſity of getting righteouſneſſe, both imputed and imparted: both that of juſtification inherent in Chriſt, imputed to us, and that of ſanctification alſo, imparted by Chriſt, inherent in us: This later is here called judgement, as it is likewiſe, Mat. 12.20. foreign Mat. 12.20. Com vi quadā, fruſtra obſiſtente Satana, &c.Till he bring forth judgement to victory; that is, weak grace, (called before a broken reed, ſmoaking weeck) to perfect conqueſt over corruption. Compare with this Text that of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were ſome of you (Scilicet, mundus immundus) but ye are (in generall) waſhed from your ſins, of the hatefulneſſe whereof ye are now clearly convinced: And (in particular) ye are ſanctified by the Spirit of our God, and ye are justified in the Name, that is, by the merit of the Lord Jeſus the Righteous, who is the propitiation for our ſinnes.
Verſe 9. Of ſinne, becauſe they believe not on me.] Our Saviour inſtanceth in the greateſt of ſins, unbelief; which was the firſt ſin, and is ſtill the root of all the reſt, Heb. 3.12. It is a ſin againſt the Goſpel, and rejects the remedy, that both of Chriſts bloud, to the which even the Princes of Sodome are invited, Iſa. 1.10. It gives God the lie, and ſubjects a man to the rigour, coaction, and curſe of the Law.
Verſe 10. Of righteouſneſſe, becauſe, &c.] What ſtrength is there in that reaſon? This: Chriſt took upon him to be our ſurety, and he muſt acquit us of all our ſins, ere he can go to his Father.
Verſe 11. Of judgement, becauſe the Prince, &c.] Satan is, by the mighty work of the holy Ghoſt, caſt out of his Trenches, Forts, foreign. 2 Cor. 10.4. Luk. 10.18.Cages, Caſtles, Heaven of mens hearts: corruption is dejected, though not utterly ejected, The Spirit luſteth againſt the fleſh, &c. So that as we cannot doe what good we would, becauſe of the fleſh; ſo neither what evil we would, becauſe of the Spirit.
Verſe 12. But ye cannot bear them now] Becauſe your ſpirits are dulled with worldly ſorrow. But the Spirit ſhall be unto you a powerfull Removens, prohibens.
Verſe 13. He will guide you into all truth] Many are the benefits that we receive by the Spirit. Epheſ. 5.9.The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodneſſe, and righteouſneſſe, and truth. This our Saviour delivers to his diſciples at ſeverall times, and by degrees, as they could bear it. Here he repreſents him as a guide to godlineſſe. Simeon was brought into the Temple by the inſtinct of the Spirit. Paul would have gone to a certain place, but the Spirit would not ſuffer him. Lo, ſuch is the working of the holy Ghoſt ſtill in good mens hearts, The ſteps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, Pſal. 37.23.and he delighteth in his way. Kings ſuffer their children to ride with them, but yet ſet Tutours and governours to over-rule them. So here. And becauſe Delicam res eſt Spiritus Dei, therefore we muſt obſerve and obey his motions, which are the ſound of his goings, the footſteps of his anointed, Pſal. 89.51. We ſhould lay our ſelves (as inſtruments) open to the Spirits touch, ſubmit to his diſcipline, as Paul did, Gal. 2.20. And this requires a great deal of ſelf-deniall.
Verſe 14. He ſhall glorifie me, &c.] And if the holy Ghoſt could not uſe any better means to glorifie Chriſt, then to take of his excellencies, and hold them out to the world, what ſhould Miniſters, the mouth of the holy Ghoſt, do rather?
Verſe 15. All things that the Father hath, &c.] So that if we can but marry the heir, we have all. The Father ſaith unto him, as he did to his eldeſt Son, Luk. 15.31. Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine: therefore we may go boldly to him for all things needfull for life and godlineſſe. When Joſeph ſent to Jacob that Pharaoh had put all into his hands, he was not a little comforted, that one ſo neer to him in nature was ſo able to accommodate him. Let us alſo come boldly to the throne of grace, ſith our fleſh and bloud hath all power to do us good. Chriſt, as Mediatour, is able to make all grace abound toward us, that we alwayes, having all ſufficiency in all things, may abound to every good worke, 2 Cor. 8.8. Well might Ignatius ſay, Ignis, crux & diaboli tormenta in me veniant, tantummodo ut Jeſum nanciſcar.
Verſe 16. A little while, and ye ſhall not ſee me.] This little ſeemed a long while to them, Dubito, à duo & ito Secman. Sic foreign.ſo that they began to doubt (though it were but the third day after his death) whether or no it were he that ſhould redeem Iſrael, Luk. 24.21. Gods helpe ſeems long, becauſe we are ſhort. A ſhort walke is a long journey to feeble knees. Iſa. 54.7, 8.It is but for a moment in his anger that God hides his face from his, though it ſhould be during life; he hath an eternity of time to reveal his kindneſſe in. And to ſay that God hath caſt you off, becauſe he hath hid his face from you, is (ſaith one) a fallacy fetcht out of the devils Topicks: M. T. Geodw. Childe o… light, &c.When the Sun is eclipſed, fooliſh people thinke it will never recover light; but wiſe men know it will: and at ſuch a time though the earth want the light of the Sun, yet not the influence thereof: So neither are the Saints at any time without the power, heat and vigorous influence of Gods grace, when the light and comfort of it is intercluded.
Verſe 18. We cannot tell what he ſaith] We know here but in part: Aug.the greateſt part of our knowledge is the leaſt part of our ignorance, ſaith one. Mans heart, ſaith another, may be compared to a veſſel, the meanes to a pipe, the Spirit of God to the wheel that beats the water into the pipe: The Miniſter is the ſervant that opens the cock. And then the reaſon why we know but in part is, either the cock alwayes runs not, or not alwayes in the ſame meaſure: And ſometimes our veſſels are filled with other things, (as the Apoſtles here were with worldly grief, and the conceit of an earthly kingdom) and ſo they run over: and uſually our veſſels run over, and loſe what we received by the means.
Verſe 19. Now Jeſus knew that they were, &c.] He graciouſly prevents their requeſts, ſo he doth ours often; And uſually in Scripture the anſwer is given, the queſtion concealed. God thereby providing for mens infirmity, who are ready to aske ſuch odde queſtions, as the Diſciples here do, to the diſcovery of their own dullneſſe.
Verſe 20. Ye ſhall weep and lament] So long as ye abide in this valley of tears, foreignas the Septuagint render that, Pſal. 84.6. In hoc exilio, in hoc ergaſtulo, in hac peregrinatione, in hac valle lachrymarum, as Bernard hath it. My tears have been my meat, ſaith David, Pſal. 42.3. alluding to the Hart, which being purſued, ſheds tears. Theſe, inſtead of gemmes, were the ornaments of David, bed, ſaith Chryſostom. The Churches eyes are as the pools of Heſhbou, Can. 7.4ever glazed with tears of compunction or compaſſion. Tertullian ſpeaketh of himſelf, that he was borne to nothing elſe, but ſorrow and mourning. Athanaſius, by his tears, as by the bleeding of a chaft vine, cured the leproſie of that tainted age. Hierome writing of his own life, ſaith, that there were furrows in his face, and Iceicles from his lips with continuall weeping, &c.
But the world ſhall rejoyce] The merry Greeks of the world laugh themſelves fat, and are ſo afraid of ſorrow, that they can never finde time to be ſerious; counting it no ſport, unleſſe they may have the Devil their playfellow; no mirth, but madneſſe; Eliamſi Leta tibiobi eniant o…unia, non eſt tamen quodlae. teris. Ribera in Hoſ. 10.1.no veniſon ſweet, but that which is ſtolen. Theſe are forbidden to rejoyce in any thing, Hoſ. 10.1. But if they do, there is a ſnare or cord in the ſin of the wicked, to ſtrangle their joy with; but the righteous ſing and rejoyce, Prov. 29.6. Wo be to mirth mongers, that flear when they ſhould fear, Luk. 6.25.
But your ſorrow ſhall be turned into joy] God ſhall ſoon give you beauty for aſhes, the oyl of gladneſſe for the ſpirit of heavineſſe, &c. he ſhall turne all your ſighing into ſinging, all your laments into laughter, your ſackloth into ſilkes, your aſhes into oyntments, your faſts into feaſts, your wringing of hands into applauſes, &c.
Verſe 21. A woman when ſhe is in travell, &c.] The ſorrow of a Saint is oft compared to that of a travelling woman, Iſa. 26.17. Jer. 6.24, &c. 1. In bitterneſſe and ſharpneſſe; which made Medea ſay, that ſhe had rather a thouſand times be ſlain in battle, Millies in bello perire mallem, quam ſemel parere. Keckerman.then once bring forth childe. 2. In utility, it tends to a birth. 3. In hope and expectation, not only of an end, but alſo of fruit. 4. In that there is a certain ſet time for both. And Finis edulcat media.
Verſe 22. And ye now therefore have ſorrow,] No ſorrow like to that, when we ſee not Chriſt in his favour. He hides his love oft, as Joſeph did, out of increaſement of love; and then we cannot ſee him for crying; as Mary Magdalen could not, ſhe was ſo bleared: But when he ſeemeth fartheſt from us, his heart is with us: and he muſt needs look thorow the chinkers, as in the Canticles, to ſee how we do, as that Martyr expreſſeth it. Saunders in a Letter to his wife and friends.There is a preſence of Chriſt that is ſecret, when he ſeems to draw us one way, and to drive us another. Cant. 5 6.
Verſe 23. And in that day ye ſhall, &c.] q.d. Ye ſhall be ſo exact and ſo expert, that you ſhall not need to aske ſuch childiſh queſtions, as hitherto ye have done. This is like that of the Prophet, They ſhall not each man teach his neighbour, ſaying, Jer. 31.34.Know the Lord; for they ſhall all know me, from the leaſt to the greateſt. They ſhall be all taught of God. Cathedram in coelo habet qui corda docet, ſaith Augustine. And Quando Chriſtus docet, quàm citò diſcitur quod docetur? So St Ambroſe, Ne ſcit tarda molimina spiritus ſancti gratia. When the Spirit undertakes to teach a man, 1 Ioh. ….he ſhall not be long a learning. Now all Gods people have the Ʋnction that teacheth them all things: And as in pipes, though of different ſounds, yet there is the ſame breath in them: ſo is there the ſame ſpirit in Chriſtians of all ſizes.
Verſe 24. Hitherto ye have asked nothing] To what ye ſhould have asked, 1 King 13.19.and might have obtained. Prayer, as thoſe arrows of deliverance, ſhould be multiplied, the oftner we come to God, the better welcome: neither can we anger him worſe, then to be ſoon ſaid or ſated. Meliſtius erat ei nibil peti, quam dare.It was more troubleſome to Severus the Emperour to be asked nothing, then to give much. When any of his Courtiers had not made bold with him, he would call him and ſay, Quid est cur nihil petis? &c. what meaneſt thou to aske me nothing? So Chriſt here.
Aske, that your joy may be full] Pray, that ye may joy: Draw water with joy out of this well of ſalvation. David was excellent at this: His heart was oft more out of tune then his harpe; He prayes, and then cryes, Returne to thy reſt, ô my ſoul, &c. In many of his Pſalms, the beginnings are full of trouble; but by that time he hath prayed a while, As Pſal. 6. & 22 & 51. Mouli. de …amout devin.the ends are full of joy and aſſurance, So that one would imagine, ſaith Peter Moulin, that thoſe Pſalms had been compoſed by two men of a contrary humour. Hudſon the Martyr, deſerted at the ſtake, went from under the chain; and having prayed earneſtly, was comforted immediatly, and ſuffered valiantly.
Verſe 25. Theſe things have I spoken, &c.] He ſpake plain enough, Legum obſcu…ates non aſſigne…us culp e ſcrihentium, ſed inſcitiae non aſſ…quenti… Sex. Cecil, apui Gell. Iſa. 28.10, 11, 22. Ac ſi bleſis eſſe… lab. js.but they were ſo ſlow of heart and dull of hearing, that they thought he ſpake to them in riddles and parables. So though the Prophet dealt with the people as with little ones newly weaned, mineing and maſticating their meat for them, laying before them precept upon precept, line upon line, &c. yet was he to them (through their ſingular ſtupidity) as one that liſped halfe words, or ſpake in a ſtrange tongue.
Verſe 26. At that day ye ſhall aske, &c.] Chriſt had promiſed them further light, but yet expects they ſhould pray for it. Prayer is a putting the promiſes in ſuit; we muſt pray them over, ere we get the performance. Ezek. 36.37. Chriſt himſelf was to aske of his Father the world for his inheritance, &c. Pſal. 2.
Verſe 27. For the Father himſelf loveth you] We ſay, Non be nè conveniunt, nec in una fede morantur, Majeſtas & amor—Sporte etiam. roa roganie me. Ʋt apud Hom. foreign Syneſ. epiſt. 9. Am. Marcell. lib. 25.Majeſty and love cannot dwell together: becauſe love is the abaſing of the ſoul to all ſervices. But it is otherwiſe in God; Majeſty and love meet in his heart; ſo that of his own free accord, he will give us any thing we aske, and as it were, prevent a Mediatour, crowning his own graces in us.
Verſe 28. Again I leave the world, &c.] So Plotinus the Philoſopher, when he died, ſaid, foreign. Nay, Julian the Apoſtate (if Marcellinus may be credited) went out of the world with theſe words in his mouth, Vitam repoſcenti naturae, tanquam debitor bonae fidei, rediturus exulto.
Verſe 29. His diſciples ſaid unto him] How apt are we to over-ween our little-nothing of knowledge or holineſſe? to ſwell with big conceits of our own ſufficiency? and, when we ſee never ſo little, to ſay preſently, with her in the Poet, Arachae ap. O vid. 1 Cor. 13.2.Conſilij ſatis est in me mihi? to thinke we underſtand (as St Paul hath it) all myſteries, and all knowledge? How truly may it now be ſaid of many, as Quintilian ſaith of ſome in his time; that they might have proved excellent ſcholars, foreign.if they had not been ſo perſwaded of themſelves already? Conceitedneſle cuts off all hope of proficiency.
Verſe 30. Now we are ſure, &c.] What? not till now? Nicodemus was afore you then, Joh. 3.2. But better late then never: Nunquam ſerò, ſi ſeriò.
Verſe 29. Do ye now beleeve?] Ey now, ere trouble comes, you are jolly fellows. But it is eaſie to ſwim in a warme bath: and every bird can ſing in a ſun-ſhine day. We ſhall ſee ſhortly what you can do. if ye faint in the day of adverſity, your ſtrength is ſmall. Prov. 24.10.Hard weather tryes what health: hot ſervice what courage.
Verſe 32. Behold the hour cometh, &c.] So bladder-like is the ſoul, that filled with earthly vanities, though but winde, it grows great and ſwels in pride: but if prickt with the leaſt pin of piercing grief, it ſhriveleth to nothing.
Verſe 33. Theſe things I have spoken,] This Sermon of our Saviour then would be read in time of trouble. It hath virtutem pacativam, if mixt with faith.
That in me ye might have peace] Though ſurcharged with outward troubles. Joſiah died in peace, according to the promiſe, though ſlain in warre. True grace, like true gold, comforts the heart: Alchymy gold doth not.
In the world ye ſhall have tribulation] There's no avoiding of it. 'Tis not a paradiſe, but a purgatory to the Saints. It may be compared to othe ſtraits of Magellan, Heyl. G…og. pag 80….which is ſaid to be a place of that nature, that which way ſoever a man bend his courſe, he ſhall be ſure to have the winde againſt him.
I have overcome the world] Therefore we are more then conquerours, …om. 8.37.becauſe ſure to overcome afore-hand. We are triumphers, 2 Cor. 2.14. We need do no more then, as thoſe in Joſhuah, ſet our feet on the necks of our enemies, already ſubdued unto us, by our Jeſus.