And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. For ye believe in me, and have showed signs in my name, whereby ye ought now to be certain who I am, and what I do, and wherefore I am come. Ye have also seen and heard the testimony of the Father of me. Wherefore ye may now know that the Father will glorify me, and believe that I and the Father are one, it should be therefore superfluous to speak more of these things. But the Disciples albeit they were well instructed of the Lord him self, and had seen his miracles, yea and they them selves also had preached the Gospel and wrought miracles, were notwithstanding as yet somewhat gross in understanding, neither did they perceive whereof he here spake, and what was that way, and whither the Lord did prepare to depart. Wherefore Thomas bursteth forth into open words and confesseth freely, that he is ignorant hereof, and saith thus unto the Lord: Lord we know not whither thou goest: how can we then know the way? Here ye hear and see, that albeit there was faith in the Disciples, notwithstanding they were not as yet persuaded that Christ should be crucified, and ⟨p. 474⟩by his death should enter into his kingdom, and that the same kingdom should be spiritual, which they did not understand even after the resurrection of the Lord:1 Lord, say they, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? Those good men were as yet persuaded, that it should be a carnal & worldly kingdom. Such gross things may here and there be found in the Gospels, by means whereof the Disciples did sometime notably stumble and err.2 All which were committed to writing for our comfort & confirmation, that we should not be by and by discouraged, when we have sometime stumbled in faith, and can not at the first apply our selves to the works and word of the Lord. If this happened to these great men, which afterward should become pillars of Christianity, there is no cause truly that any should marvel, if we also sometime faint in faith, yea, and let no man be afraid, although it falleth out that sometime through infirmity he so do. It is the work and matter of the Lord, he will amend these things when it seemeth good unto him.
And whither I goe ye knowe, and the way ye knowe. For ye beleeue in me, and haue shewed signes in my name, whereby ye ought nowe to be certaine who I am, and what I doe, and wherefore I am come. Ye haue also seene and heard the testimonie of the Father of me. Wherefore ye may nowe knowe that the Father will glorifie me, and beleeue that I and the Father are one, it shoulde be therefore superfluous to speake more of these thinges. But the Disciples albeit they were well instructed of the Lorde him selfe, and had seene his miracles, yea and they them selues also had preached the Gospell and wrought miracles, were notwithstanding as yet somewhat grosse in vnderstanding, neither did they perceiue whereof he here spake, and what was that way, and whither the Lorde did prepare to depart. Wherefore Thomas bursteth forth into open wordes and confesseth freely, that he is ignorant hereof, and sayth thus vnto the Lord: Lord we knowe not whither thou goest: hovve can we then knovve the vvay? Here ye heare and see, that albeit there was faith in the Disciples, notwithstanding they were not as yet persuaded that Christ shoulde be crucified, and ⟨p. 474⟩by his death shoulde enter into his kingdome, and that the same kingdom should be spirituall, which they did not vnderstand euen after the resurrection of the Lord:1 Lorde, say they, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israell? Those good men were as yet persuaded, that it should be a carnall & worldly kingdom. Such grosse things may here and there be found in the Gospels, by meanes whereof the Disciples did sometime notably stumble and erre.2 All which were committed to writing for our comfort & confirmation, that we should not be by and by discouraged, when we haue sometime stumbled in faith, and can not at the first apply our selues to the workes and word of the Lorde. If this happened to these great mē, which afterward shoulde become pillers of Christianitie, there is no cause truely that any should meruell, if we also sometime faint in faith, yea, and let no man be afrayd, although it falleth out that sometime through infirmitie he so doe. It is the worke and matter of the Lorde, he will amend these thinges when it seemeth good vnto him.
- 1Act. 1.6.
- 2Comfort for them that be weak in faith and sometime through infirmity fall.Comfort for them that be weake in faith and sometime through infirmitie fall.
