John 3

John 3:2

By night,] for feare of the Iewes persecution, Iohn 7. 13. and 9. 22. and 12. 42. and 19. 38.

John 3:3

Except a man,] if of the sonne of Adam, corrupt in his own nature, and the sonne of wrath, he doth not become the sonne of God, by adoption of grace, and regeneration of spirit.

John 3:5

Of water,] he seemes to intimate two distinct and severall parts of this change, and by water he meanes the expiation and remission of the sinne; and by the Spirit the whole worke of regeneration, and inward sanctification of man. Or he sheweth the ordinary externall meanes of this regeneration, which is baptisme, and the internall power of the holy Ghost, by which it hath all its efficacy

John 3:6

That which is,] a man who is naturally engendred by his father and mother, who are defiled with sinne, is also defiled; for all things do participate of the quality of their originall, and therefore hath in him the cause of death, and no disposition to life. Contrariwise man regenerate by the Spirit, being made spirituall; hath the seed of everlasting life in him, according to the order and infallible consequence that the flesh is to death, and the Spirit is to life. Romans 8:13. Galatians 6:8 Of the flesh,] this word signifieth here as well as in other places, humane nature in its corruption and sinne Is flesh,] that is to say, carnall and viious, and therefore uncapable of the kingdome of heaven, 1 Corinthians 15:50 Is Spirit,] that is to say, spirituall in senses, motions, and actions, altogether holy and divine.

John 3:7

Marvell not,] do not let this doctrine of regeneration move you to any wonder of doubt or incredulity, Iohn 5. 28. for although the nature thereof be supernaturall and incomprehensible, yet the effects thereof are very apparent and sensible, as the winde. See Ecclesiastes 11:5.

John 3:10

Knowest not,] though they have been cleerly set forth by the Prophets, Psal. 51. 10. Ezek. 11. 19. and 36. 26, 27.

John 3:11

We speake,] namely, I and my Disciples doe teach doctrines that are certaine, and are not of human invention, as your traditions are. Because that I as I am true God, know all the fathers secrets, and do faithfully manifest them as being sent from him, v. 32 And ye,] he speaks to the Iewes in generall.

John 3:12

Earthly things,] which all beleevers ought to know and practise in this world.Heavenly,] namely, the highest mysteries, the knowledge and fruition of which are reserved for the heavenly life.

John 3:13

No man,] you ought to beleeve me in both, for no man of himselfe hath knowledge thereof, nor the charge of declaring them, but I alone, who though I have taken humane flesh upon me, and have so farre abased my selfe: yet my Godhead doth still reside in heaven, having the same essence and glory as my father hath, Matth. 11. 27. Iohn 1. 18. and 6. 46. Revelation 5:5; Revelation 5:7 Hath ascended,] to gaine the originall knowledge of these things.

John 3:14

And as.] my abasement shall be followed by the exaltation of my humane nature into heaven, that by the sending of my Spirit, and by my word I may set up a cleere signe of the salvation which I shall have obtained, to apply to all by faith, Ephes. 4. 9. 10, 11.

John 3:16

The world,] namely, mankinde in its generality, though with a distinction of his elect, according to his good will and pleasure He gave,] appointed him out of meere grace for a redeemer, sent into the world at the appointed time, exposed to all necessary sufferings; and at the last applied and really conferred, with all his benefits to beleevers, by the inward operation of the holy Ghost, who creates in them the faith for to apprehend him livelily.

John 3:17

For God,] the proper end for which the Sonne of God was sent, was to save, not to condemne the world; for he needed not, for that effect to have taken humane flesh upon him. True it is indeed that hee doth accidentally aggravate the curle of unbeleevers, who reject the light of his grace, to remaine in the darkenesse of ignorance and sin See Iohn 16. 9 v. 17 Sent not,] that is to say: it was appointed by the Councell of the whole Trinity, that the Sonne should in his owne person, and immediately take humane flesh upon him in the world, and in the same flesh, fulfill the worke of redemption, and so must alwayes the se words of sending the Son, and the spirit bee understood, for accomplishing that act in their proper person, which was proper to each of them: the councell and advice whereof is common to all the persons together, observing the order of operating.

John 3:19

The condenmation,] namely the cause and subject of it And men,] namely a great part of them, all worldly and unregenerate men Because,] namely one of the chiefe causes of this incredulity is, because that man delighting in sinne, abhorres the light and power of the Gospell, which discovers the foulenesse of sin, and argues the malignity of it, for to bring man to repentance.

John 3:21

Doth truth,] the Italian, Workes 〈…〉uth,] namely loyall and sincere works, in which the conscience is assured of Gods approbation, whereupon the more they are exposed to light, the more joy and content they doe bring to them as doe them. See Psalms 37:6 In God,] according to his will, which is as it were the forme and modell of good workes, Romans 6:17. Or the roote and beginning of which, is the communion which man hath with God by his Spirit.

John 3:22

Into the land,] namely from Ierusalem, Iohn 2. 23. he came into the territories of Iudea, Baptized,] by the ministery of his Disciples, Iohn 4. 2.

John 3:23

Anon,] it is thought that these two Cities were on this side Iordan, and neere unto it in the halfe tribe of Manasses; and it appears by Iohn 10; 40. that Iohn went away from Bethabara which was beyond Iordan, unto this place which was on this side.

John 3:25

There arose,] from that which followeth, it appeares that the question was, which of the two baptismes, Christs, or Iohns, was of greater power, or whether they were both equall, to purifie the soule from sin Iohns Diseiples,] or by some of his Disciples The Iewes,] which went to Christs baptisme. Some texts have it, with a certaine Iew.

John 3:26

They came,] namely Iohns Disciples, moved by jealousie or by a desire they had to be instructed.

John 3:27

A man,] the meaning is, I cannot nor ought not to be more then God would make me; he hath made me a servant, and therefore both you and I ought to containe our selves within our degree and measure, and yeeld the soveraigne honour to the Lord, which is Christ. Or I having received what I have by Gods gift, there is no cause of glory for me, nor of ambition for you, 1 Corinthians 4:7.

John 3:29

He that hath,] Christ in all these things comes in, in the quality of a head, and principall person, as the bridegroome in a wedding solemnity; but I am there but an accessary, and a servant admitted by favour, and therein have I a perfect joy, without any disturbance of jealousie.

John 3:30

D. Decrease,] my person must decrease till death, and this my extraordinary, and preparing office, must eld to the full manifestation of Christ and of his Gospell.

John 3:31

That is of earth,] namely a mortall man such a one 〈◊〉 I am, cannot adde any thing to his deeds and sayings, above that which he is himselfe Therfore I cannot give any efficacy to my Baptisme and preaching, for the purification and conversion of the soule. Christ only can doe 〈◊〉Is above al,] namely in power and operation which depends all upon him: and thereore he adds it to the operation of his ministes, according to his pleasure.

John 3:32

Test fieth,] the same must bee said of the truth as is spoken of the power, he hath it wholly to himselfe, as it were in his owne spring, his Ministers have it but onely out of his bounty, and by his communication, v 32 No man,] there is but a very small number of men that beleeve him.

John 3:33

He that hath,] that is to say, all true beleevers doe ratifie, and confirme as much as in them lyeth, the uth of Gods word, which Christ teacheth in perfect purity, because he hath in his humane nature, and in regard of his office of Mediatour, receaved the fulnesse of the Spirit, knowledge and all other gifts, Iohn 1. 14, 16. Col. 1. 19. and 2. 9. and not as each beleever in a cortaine limited portion and measure, Romans 12:3; Romans 12:6. 1 Cor. 12. 7. 11. 2 Corinthians 10:13. Ephes. 7.

John 3:35

The Sonne,] in the qualitie of Mediatour.