Commentary on John, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
VERSE 1. A feaſt of the Jews.]
THis was the feaſt of Pentecoſt. Others ſay, the Paſſeover which came but once a year. The true Chriſtians (for whom the true Paſſeover was ſacrificed, 1 Cor. 5.7.) keep a continuall feaſt, or holy-day, foreign.with the unleavened bread of ſinceritie and truth, ver. 8. Diogenes could ſay, That a good man keeps holy-daie, and hath gaudies all the year about, Exod. 5.1. foreign. Laert.Let my people goe, that they may hold a feaſt unto me. In other meſſages it is, that they may ſerve me.
Verſe 2. Having five porches,] Built, belike, by ſome well-affected perſons, at the motion of Gods Miniſters, for the uſe of ſuch impotent folk, as here lay looking and languiſhing at Hopes Hoſpitall: K. Edward 6. his life … Sir I. He …. p. 169 &c.Like as King Edward the 6. was moved by a Sermon of Biſhop Ridley, touching works of charity, to grant his two Houſes in London, … and the Savoy, for ſuch like good uſes, together with lands and monies, for their maintenance.
Verſe 3. Of impotent folk.] that had tried all other waies, Iſidor.and could not otherwiſe be cured, Omnipotenti medico nullut inſ…nabilis occurrat ….
Verſe 4. For an Angel ….] The … of this pool was granted to the Jews, par… … the true worſhip of God under the perſecution of … the fail of prophecie a partly to retain them in their religion… courſe of …crificing to the true God, againſt the ſcoffs of the Romans. (that were now their Lords.) Such a vertue being given to that water, wherein their Sacrifices were wont to be waſhed. See a … ſoveraign bath then this, Zech. 13.1. an ever-flowing, and over-flowing fountain, not for one at once, as here, but for all that come, they may waſh and be clean, waſh and be whole.
At a certain ſeaſon,] Once a year only, ſaith Tertullian. Others (more probably) at all their great feaſts, Semel quotannis. Tert.when the people met out of all parts at Ieruſalem, taking foreign diſtributively, as Matth. 27.15.
Troubled the water] Not in a viſible ſhape, likely; but as it appeared, by a viſible troubling of the waters, and a miraculous healing of the diſeaſed. But, that troubled waters ſhould doe cures was the greater wonder: ſith holy-wels (as they call them) and waters that heal, are commonly moſt calm and clear. It was a witty alluſion hereunto of him that ſaid, Angels trouble the clear ſtream of Juſtice at certain times.
Verſe 5. Thirty and eight years.] A long while to be in miſery: but what is this to eternity of extremity? Wee need have ſome thing to minde us of God, to bring us to Chriſt. King Alvered pray'd God to ſend him alwaies ſome ſickneſſe, whereby his body might be tamed, and he the better diſpoſed and affectioned to God-ward.
Verſe 6. Lam. 3.And knew that he had been, &c.] Chriſts eye affected his heart, he could not but ſympathize, and ſuccour this poor creeple, out of his meer Philanthropy, which moveth him ſtill foreign, to ſhew mercy according to the meaſure of our miſery, whereof he bears a part, Heb. 5.2.
Verſe 7. I have no man, &c.] He looked that Chriſt ſhould have done him that good office; and could not think of any other way of cure. How eaſie is it with us to meaſure God by our …odell, to caſt him into our mould, to think that he muſt need… go our way to work?
Verſe 8. Riſe, take up thy bed, &c.] A ſervile work upon the Sabbath-day. This our Saviour here commands, not as a ſervile work, but for confirmation of the truth of a miracle, greatly tending to Gods glory: like as another time, he bad them give meat to the Damoſell he had raiſed, not for any neceſſity, but to enſure the cure.
Verſe 9. Dei dicere, eſt efficere.Andimmediately the man.] Chriſts words are operative (together with his commands there goes forth a power, as Luk. 5.17.) So they were in the Creation, Gen. 1. So they are ſtill in regeneration, Iſa. 59.21.
Verſe 10. It is the Sabbath, it is not lawfull, &c.] Verè, ſed non ſincerè. It more troubled them that Chriſt had healed him, then that the Sabbath had been broken by him. The poorer Swedes alwaies break the Sabbath; ſaying that its only for Gentlemen to keep that day.
Verſe 11. He that made me whole, &c.] So, it ſeems, Chriſt had healed him, in part, on the inſide alſo: and given him a ready heart to obey, though it were contra gentes, as they ſay.
Verſe 12. What man is he.] Not that made thee whole, but that bad thee take up thy bed, &c. They diſſembled the former, and inſiſted only upon the later, which ſhews the naughtineſſe of their hearts.
Verſe 13. Had convey'd himſelf away.] Leſt, by his preſent, that work ſhould be hinder'd. True goodneſſe is publike ſpirited, though to private diſadvantage; and works for moſt part unobſerved, as the engine that doth all in great buſineſſes, is oft inward, hidden, not taken notice of.
Verſe 14. Findeth him in the Temple,] Praiſing God, likely, for his unexpected recovery. So Hezekiah; the firſt work he did, when off his ſick-bed, Iſa. 38.22.
Behold, thou art made whole, &c.] Hence is, 1. Magdeburgenſ. praef. ad cent. 5.Commemoratio beneficij. 2. Commonitio off…eij. 3. Comminatio ſupplicij. Ingentia beneficia, ingentia flagitia, ingentia ſupplicia.
Verſe 15. Told the Jews] Of a good intent, ſurely, to honour Chriſt: however it were taken by the ſpitefull Jews, Probi ex ſuà naturâ caeteros fingunt. The Diſciples could not imagine ſo ill of Judas, as it proved. Mary Magdalen thought the Gardener (who ever he were) ſhould have known as much, and loved Jeſus as well, as ſhe did.
Verſe 16. Therefore did the Jews perſecute Jeſus] This he foreknew would follow, and yet he forbare not. In the diſcharge of our conſciences (rightly informed and regulated) we muſt not ſtand to caſt perils: but doe our duties zealouſly, what ever come of it. This courage in Chriſtians, Heathens counted obſtinacy, but they knew not the power of …he Spirit, … the privie armour of prooff that Saints have about their ….
Verſe 17. My Father worketh.] Yet … labour or laſſitude, in conſerving the whole creature. This he doth every day, and yet breaketh not the Sabbath. Erge nec ego.
Verſe 18. The Jews ſought the more] Perſecution is (as Calvin wrote to the French King) Evangelij genius, the bad genius, the devil that dogs the Goſpel. Eccleſia harts crucis (ſaith Luther.) Veritas odiurn parit. Ter.Truth breeds hatred, ſaith the Heathen, as the fair Nymphes did the ill-favoured Fauns and Satyrs.
Verſe 19. The Sonne can doe nothing, &c.] He denies not himſelf to be the Son, though they quarrell'd him: but ſweetly ſets forth the doctrine of his Deity, which they ſo much ſtomacked, and ſtumbled at.
Verſe 20. For the Father loveth the Son.] This noteth that eternall power of doing miracles, that is in Chriſt. As that which follows, He will ſhew him greater works, &c. is to be referred to the declaration of that his power.
That ye may wonder] Though ye beleeve not; for ſuch was the hardneſſe of their hearts grown; as neither miniſtery, miſery, miracle, nor mercy, could poſſibly mollifie: Behold, ye deſpiſers, and wonder, and periſh, Acts 13.41.
Verſe 21. Raiſeth up the dead] Bringing them from the jawes of death, to the joyes of eternall life: which none can do but God alone.
Verſe 22. The Father judgeth no man] viz. The Father alone, but by the Son, to whom all judicatory power is committed.
Verſe 23. He that honoureth not the Son] As Jews and Turks do not. Nor Papiſts, that (upon the matter) deſpoile him of his threefold office, and ſo deny the Lord that bought them.
Verſe 24. He that heareth my Word] As death came into the world by the door of the ear, ſo doth life eternall, Iſa. 55.3. God was in the ſtill voice, and the Oracle bad, Hear ye … Mat. 17.
Verſe 25. The dead ſhall hear the voice] The … ſhall beleeve the promiſes, and ſhall live the life of …, and of glory in Heaven.
Verſe 26. So hath he given to the Son] What wonder then, if faith, apprehending the infinite fountain of life, derive thence ſome rivelet of …. and apply the ſame to us, for ſpirituall quickning?
Verſe 27. foreign id eſt foreign, Beza.Becauſe he is the Son of man] Or, as he is the Son of man. By vertue of the hyp…ſt ar…ll union, his manhood came as neer to God as could be. He had the beſt naturall parts both of minde. Iſa. 11.2, 3. and body, Pſal. 45.2. and the beſt ſupernaturall, whereby he found favour alſo with God, Luk. 2.52. for he had more neer familiarity with the Godhead, then ever had any creature; together, with a partner-agency with his Godhead, in the works of mediation, 1 Tim. 2.5. In the ſtate of exaltation, the Manhood hath 1. exceſſe of glory. 2, the grace of adoration; together, with the Godhead. 3. Judiciary power, as here, and Act. 17.30.
Verſe 28. Marvell not at this] And yet who can but marvell at this great myſtery of godlineſſe, whereat Angels ſtand amazed? yea, whereat he himſelfe wonders; and therefore calls his own Name Wonderfull, Iſa. 9.6. It is truly affirmed of Chriſt, Mirari decet, non rimari.that he is created, and uncreated, without beginning, and yet began in time, a Jew, according to the fleſh, and yet God, bleſſed forever, &c. The manner hereof is to be beleeved, not diſcuſſed, admired, not pried into, &c.
His voice] Put forth by the Miniſtery of mighty Angels, 1 Theſ. 4.16.and called by the Apoſtle foreign; a metaphor from Water-men, … call upon one another, and ſtrike oars together, as it were with one conſent.
Verſe 29. They that have done good] In die judicii, plus valebit conſcientia pura, quam marſupia plena. Bern. Dan. 12.1, 2. Though other things be darkly delivered; yet when the Jews were to loſe land, and life, the Reſurrection is plainly deſcribed. So Heb. 11.35.
Ʋnto the Reſurrection of damnation] As Pharaohs Baker came forth to be hanged, when the Butler was exalted. Good therefore is the counſell given us by the heathen Oratour, Ita vivamus, Cic. quar…â in Ʋerrem.ut rationem nobis reddendam arbitremur. The wicked ſhall come forth of their graves like filthy Toads, againſt that terrible ſtorm, Pſal. 9. the Elements ſhall melt like ſcalding lead upon them, &c. …. 3.
Verſ. 30. … of mine own ſelf do nothing] But by the power communicated unto me, in that ere nall generation.
As I hear] So verſ. 19 as I ſee, which Beza underſtandeth to be ſpoken in reſpect of his humane nature, as it is hypoſtatically united to the Divine.
Verſe 31. My …neſſe is not true] That is, fir, firm, valid, foro humano. Conceſſio Rhe…. ….
Verſe 32. There is another …] God the Father, by this miracle wrought upon …. Virtutis ſtragulam pudefacis, ſaid Diogenes to Antipater; who being vicious, wore a white. cloak.Give we reall teſtimony to our profeſſion by our … …edire quam miracula facer… …id Lather. Profliga… …, do put Religion to an open ſhame.
Verſe 34. That ye might be ſaved] That was that he fought … all his oracles and miracles. …lvation properly notes the privative part of our happineſſe; becauſe it is eaſier to tell from what we are ſaved, then to what.
Verſe 35. Nazianz.He was a burning, &c.] Burning in himſelf, and ſhining to others: or, as it was ſaid of Baſil, thundering in his doctrine, Acts and Monuments. Fol. 1781.and lightning in his life. And of Rogers and Bradford, that it was hard to ſay, whether there were more force of eloquence and utterance in preaching, or more holineſſe of life and converſation to be found in them.
For a ſeaſon to rejoyce] But he ſoon grew ſtale to them; ſo that they made no more reckoning of him, foreign, to dance a galliard. It was a formall joy, or jollity rather. Joh. Manl loc. com. 698.then of a reed ſhaken with the winde, Matth. 11.7. Principes favebant Luthero, ſed jam it erum videtis ingratitudinem mundi erga miniſtros, &c. ſaid good Melancthon, in the year of Grace, 1559.
Verſe 36. The works which the Father hath given me] Loe, Chriſt accounts his work, a gift: So Joh. 17.4.
The works that I do, bear witneſſe] Let our works likewiſe ſpeak for us, Matth. 5.16. as they did for the Primitive Chriſtians; of whom Athenagoras (their Embaſſadour to the Emperour) boldly ſaith; foreign. Athan. Tert. ad Scapulam.No Chriſtian is evil-mannered, unleſſe it be ſuch as diſſemble themſelves to be Chriſtians. And Juſtin Martyr confeſſeth of himſelf; that beholding the piety of Chriſtians in life, and conſtancy in death; he gathered, that it was the true Religion that they profeſſed. Non aliunde noſcibiles quam de emendationt vitiorum, ſaith Tertullian of the Chriſtians of his time. And Chryſoſtom ſpeaketh of ſome in his dayes, whoſe lives were Angelicall, they ſo walked up to their principles.
Verſe 37. Hath borne witneſſe of me] By they … Heaven, and the deſcending of the holy Ghoſt in the ſhape … a Dove, Matth. 3. Iſa. 42.19.yet ye have neither heard his voice, nor ſeen his ſhape. Who ſo blinde as he that will not ſee?
Verſe 38. And you have not his Word abiding in you] As an ingraffed words ye have heard it, Jam. 1.21.but with your bodily ears only, with thoſe griſtles that grow upon your heads: ye have not drawn up the ears of your mindes, to the ears of your bodies, that one ſound piercing both, ye might believe, ye have not mixt the word with faith in your hearts, as in a …ell, &c.
Verſe 39. Search the Scriptures] Audite ſaeculares, comparate vobis Bibli…, animae pharmaca, ſaith Chryſoſtome. But Bibles lye (like old Alman…cks) moulding in corners, whiles play-books (the Devils Catechiſmes) are even worne out with over-diligent peruſall. It is a ſad complaint which Reverend Moulin makes of his Countrymen, the French Proteſtants, whiles they burned us, ſaith he, for reading the Scriptures, we burnt with zeal, to be reading of them. Now with our liberty, is bred alſo negligence, Moulins Theophilus. pag. 278.and diſeſteem of Gods Word. Is it not ſo alſo with us?
They are they which teſtifie of me] The Babe of Bethlehem is bound up in theſe ſwathing-bands. He is both Authour and Matter of the Scriptures, and is therefore called the Word. The dignity of the Scriptures (ſaith one) and the Majeſty of Chriſt mutually look on one another; as the Sun doth on the Stars, and the Stars on the Sun. For as the excellency of the Sun appears by the glory of the Stars, to whom it giveth light: So the Majeſty of Chriſt is manifeſt by the Scriptures, to whom he giveth credit. On the otherſide, as the glory of the Star is magnified, becauſe it is the light of the Sun: ſo the credit of the Scripture is exalted, becauſe they concern the Son of God.
Verſe 40. Ye will not come to me] Though clearly convinced by the Scriptures. See their obſtinacy and malice. Amos compareth ſuch untameable, untractable, maſterleſſe monſters, to horſes running upon a rock, where firſt they break their hoofs, Amos 6.12.and then their necks.
Verſe 41. I receive not honour from men] q. d. I need you not, though I complain you come not to me. It is for your ſakes that I ſeek to you, Chriſt could be happy, though all men ſhould miſcarry: as the Sun would ſhine, though all the world were blinde. He ſeeks not ours, but us.
Verſe 42. Ye have not the love of God] Though ye pretend zeal for his glory, to your oppoſing of me, yet there is aliud in titulo, aliud in pixide. Hypocrites are like Egyptian Temples, beautifull without, but within, ſome Cat or ſuch like thing to be worſhipped.
Verſe 43. Him will ye receive] As they did Barchochab; and that Pſeudo-Moſes (the Devil he was) that cozened ſo many of them in Creet, An. dom. 434. perſwading them to caſt themſelves after him into the ſea, which ſhould part, Funco. Chron.and make them way into their own Countrey again, whereby many of them periſhed.
Verſe 44. Which receive honour one of another] Faith empties a man of himſelf, purgeth upon ambit on, and is an act of the will; elſe the ſeeking of praiſe with men, could be no impediment to the act of beleeving. Surely, as Pharaoh ſaid of the Iſraelites, they are entangled in the Land, the wilderneſſe hath ſhut them in: ſo may duplicate page duplicate page we ſay of many, They are entangled in the creature, the world hath ſhut them in, they cannot come to Chriſt. They are ſhut up in the cave of the world, Ioſh. 10.18.as thoſe five Kings in a cave, Joſh. 10. have hardneſſe of heart, as a great ſtone, rolled to the mouth, and honours, riches, and pleaſures, as ſo many keepers, &c.
Verſe 45. Do not think that I] That is, that I only.
Even Moſes] So your faithfull Miniſters (whom men pretend to love and reverence, but obey not their doctrine) theſe ſhall judge you.
Verſe 46. For he wrote of me] Both clearly and myſtically, in the many ſacrifices and ceremonies of the Law. foreign Serm. …. de prin….Whence Theodoret calleth Moſes, the main Ocean of Divinity, out of whom all the Prophets and Apoſtles have watered their ſeverall gardens. And Pareus cloſeth up his Commentary upon Geneſis, with theſe words, Quicquid Scripturarum ſacrarum dehinc ſequitur, hujus est Commentarius.
Verſe 47. But if ye beleeve not his writings] He that will not take Gods word in one place, will take it in no place.