John 14

John 14:1

YEE beleeve,] or beleeve yee? the meaning is, As in my Father you have all the arguments, and grounds of confidence in respect of his power: so you have them also in me, in respect of the righteousnesse and satisfaction, and of your reconciliation with him, and of all the worke of Grace, and the accomplishment whereof is in mee: which are the two objects and foundations of true faith.

John 14:2

In my Fathers,] that is to say, the Kingdome of Heaven is not for me alone, but for all beleevers likewise; It is a house wherein there is room for many children, Hebrews 2:10 I goe,] I shall shortly die, to the end that by my satisfaction, I may obtaine you right to life everlasting, and then I will rise againe, and enter into glory, to make intercession for you for ever, for to bring you into it actually, See Ephes. 2. 6. Hebrews 9:11-12; Hebrews 9:24; Hebrews 9:10; Hebrews 9:19-20.

John 14:3

Receive you,] Namely my whole Church which you represent.

John 14:4

Yee know,] I have told you so often and so plainely that you must needs know it.The way,] Namely the true and onely meanes for to attaine unto it.

John 14:6

I am,] in mee is the onely meanes to get that life, and that glory which I my selfe goe unto, I doe give the most assured Declaration and direction by my word, and by my spirit I doe conferre that life upon men, and the power to hold and follow that secure way unto the end. Or I am the way in mine owne person, the truth in my doctrine, and the life in my spirit.

John 14:7

From henceforth,] if the fault lie not in you, you may sufficiently know it in me, and by me; considering my person, my workes and my doctrine, which teach you what is needfull to bee knowne of the Father to salvation: Namely what he is in himselfe, and especially what he will be towards you.

John 14:8

Shew us,] doe, not lead us so far about, but reveale unto us fully at once the heavenly Father, and that life, light, and glory, which is hidden with him.

John 14:9

Hast thou not,] Seeing that being as yet earnall as thou art, thou hast not beene able to comprehend those mysteries, which I have revealed unto thee; proportioning them to thy capacitie, how wouldest thou be able to comprehend that infinitenesse of glory? Content thy selfe at this time with the revelation which the Father makes of himselfe in me; so much is sufficient for thee to salvation Hath seene me,] that hath known me by faith, and by the lively light of the spirit.

John 14:10

The words,] God sheweth himselfe present in my doctrine, and in my workes, of which he 〈◊〉 the first spring and Author That dwelleth,] who is inseparably united with me, and that doth work continually in me, and by me.

John 14:11

Believe mee,] upon the word which I speake to you, and upon the assurance which I give you of it, upon the knowledge which you have of mee.

John 14:12

That beleeveth,] Christ speakes not of the common sort of beleevers in all ages, but of his Apostles, and other his Ministers, who in the beginning, of his Church, should convert the world, cast downe idols, overthrow all contrary power, obtaine the Holy Ghost by their prayers Workes of more high esteeme, and of a more excellent nature then those miracles as Christ wrought in the world. Because I,] for by my going up into heaven, I shall obtaine that abundance of the spirit: by which I shall shew forth my power in my kingdome: which at this time is not fiting for my state of humiliation.

John 14:13

Whatsoever,] though it be never so high and so difficult, so it be convenient and agreeable to your vocation and to the advancement of my kingdome, of which things hee had spoken in the precedent verse, so you desire them in faith In my name,] by vertue of my intercession, and for the love of me That the Father,] that obtaining such things as you have desired, you may yeeld him honour, praise and service for it, by my means.

John 14:16

Another,] because that the Holy Ghost is distinct from the Son in his personall subsistence, and in the manner of working in beleevers, by way of seale and inward application of Christs benefits Comforter,] the Greeke word signifies sometimes an Intercessor and an Advocate, and in this sence it is attributed to Christ, 1 Iohn 2. 1. Sometimes a person who by his discourses comforteth an afflicted one, or a Mediator of Grace and good will, Isaiah 50:4. and both the one and the other effect is attributed to, the Holy Ghost, who doth sweetly bring in the promises of God into beleevers hearts, and frameth in them, unspeakeable breathings oth of holy prayers, Rom. 8. 25. 26.

John 14:17

Of truth,] Namely the true Author of all divine inspiration, opposite to the lying spirits of false Prophets, and Doctors. Or the Spirit of God which accompanieth the truth of his word to seale it and perswade it Whom the world,] worldly men and unbeleevers, having neither the life nor light of God, cannot receave this continuation nor increase of it by this spirit of comfort, no more than a dead man can bee nourished, Matth. 13. 12. Or plainely he meanes, Neither having in them, nor being willing to receave the light of knowledge, they can not have any part in the comfort of the spirit, which is not obtained nor made use of, but only by the understanding.Ye know him,] by all reason you should know him by the effects of his residence and power in you, though you have not yet received that abundance whereof I speake.

John 14:18

Come to you,] Not by my Resurrection only, but especiallie by the presence of my spirit, which shall be an assured pledge unto you, of my last returne to your full redemption.

John 14:19

Ye see me,] The Italian, Yee shall see me,] Namely by corporall sight after my Resurrection with the eye of faith in my spirituall presence with you, and with an everlasting sight in glory, Iob 19. 27 Because,] Namely as your head, having overcome death by my Resurrection: and obtained the fulnesse of the spirit by my going up into Heaven. I will viviie you with a spirituall life, which at the appointed time I will make full in the eternall life in my owneKingdome, Iohn 6. 57.

John 14:20

A〈…〉t dy,] when you shall have reccaved the Holy Ghost, you shall be cleerly instructed concerning the truth of my divine person: in regard of which the Father is in mee by unitie of offence and perpetuall beginning of life, and of operation, and 〈◊〉 in him by subsistence in the divine essence, which I have from him by eternall generation, without division or distraction of the being, or of the operation. And also concerning the most perfect communion which I have with him as Mediator, by vertue of which hee is in mee by the sustentation of my person, and by the full influence into it of every grace, life and vertue, and I in him by an entire conjunction and dependencie. And likewise concerning that communiō which you have with me, in all my benefits, righteousnesse, life and and spirit, I being in you as beginning, foundation and roote of all your spirituall being: and you in m, by an engraftment of faith and a mysticall incorporation in spirit, Iohn 17. 22. Vnlesse hee meane that they shall have perfect knowledge of all these high mysteries, in Heaven 〈◊〉 his last comming.

John 14:21

Hee that hath,] the foresaid Communion with mee, begins by light of knowledge, but must be accomplished by love, and the love verifie it selfe by voluntary obedience on your part: and on my part shall be alwayes recompenced, with new effects of Gods love, and with greater light Shall bee loved,] still more, by new increase of graces, for oherwise God loveth first, Romans 5:8; Romans 10:1 Iohn 4. 10, 19.

John 14:22

How it,] a question very likely not so much out of humility, as out of some secret presumption, wherewith the Apostles were almost alwayes touched, presuming to have some proper worth above others: of which they desire here of the Lord some assent.

John 14:23

If a man,] Christ according to his custome leaves the question without any answer, and thereby sheweth sufficiently that it did not deserve any: and so goeth on with his discourse Wee will come,] this loyall love of the beleever shall cause the habitation, that is to say the lively and perpetuall operation of the Holy Ghost in his heart, to bee more and more increased and confirmed by my Father and mee, to make the grace and love of my Father; and the righteousnesse, satisfaction, and all other benefits of mee his Redeemer, to be alwayes more present with him, that is to say secure and enjoyable by faith and by feeling his own consciousnesse, Ephesians 3:17. Or plainly it shall cruse the communion which he hath with the Father and the Son to be firm and everlasting, 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Revel. 3. 20.

John 14:24

Loveth me not,] out of this love, there can bee neither true, nor acceptable obedience in man Is not mine,] I am not the first nor the only author of it. The Father doth propound it by me: I having every thing common with him, and doe, nor say〈…〉thing without his will and command.

John 14:26

But the,] it is true that I teach you by my outward word, which as yet you doe not very 〈◊〉 apprehend, but the spirit shall give you a lively d and internall understanding of it.

John 14:27

Peace,] namely grace and blessing N as the world,] vainely in words without truth or vertue.

John 14:28

If yee loved me,] Namely with a true spirituall, love ayming at my glory and your owne good and salvation: which two things cannot be obtained, but only by my departure out of the world Is graeter,] not in his nature nor essentiall glory for therein the Son is equall with the Father, Ioh. 5. 18. Philo. 6. but in the order of redemption, in which the Father holds the degree of party principall, as representing the whole dei in its glory and Majesty: and the Son that of Mediatour of peace and reconcilition. The meaning is. Seeing that I came from the Father, and have beene manifested in the flesh for this worke, my returne to the Father in his glory, s a certaine proofe that all things are accomplished: and therfore you ought for to rejoycefully having by 〈◊〉 free accesse to God, and large communication of his graces.

John 14:29

I have told you,] I have declared unto you the great good which my departure out of the world will produce unto you to the end that when you finde the effects of it, you may be confirmed in your faith in me.

John 14:30

The Prince,] that is to say the Devill is going to bend all his forces, inciting the malignlty of men against me, to bring me to nothing, Luk. 22 53. but as hee hath no right in mee that am without fin: so hath he no actuall power to doe with me according to his will: and my death shall not bee thor any endeavour of his, but because I voluntarily submit my selfe to my fathers will about the salvation of the world.

John 14:31

Arise,] it should seeme that Christ sp this going out of the house where he had eaten the Passcover, and that hee uttered these following discourses [upon the way untill hee came out of the Citie, and went over the brooke Cedron, Io 18. 1.