John — Chapter 13

5. Began to wash.) Puritie required to the receiuing of the B. Sacrament. The lotion was not only of curtesy, such as the Iewes vsed toward their ghests, nor only for example of humilitie: but for mysterie and signification of the great puritie that is required before we come to receiue the holy Sacrament, which straight after this washing was to be iustituted and giuen to the Apostles. Ambr. li. 3. de Sacra. c. 1. Bernard decæna Domini Sermon 1.

10. To wash his feete.) Venial sinnes taken away by sacred ceremonies. The foulnes of the feete, when al the rest is cleane, signifieth the earthly affliction and relikes of former sinnes remitted: which are to be cleansed by deuout actes of charitie and humilitie, as S. Ambrose li. 3. de Sacra. c. 1. and S. Augustin. ep. 108. & tract. 56. in Io. doe note. And because this was only a ceremonie, & yet had such force, both now, and afterward vsed by the Apostles, that it purged smaller offenses and filthines of the soule, as *S. Ambrose and S. Bernard gather, it may not seeme strange that holy-water and such ceremonies may remit venial sinnes. *Ambr. & Bern. locis citatis.

14. You also ought.) The Church defineth which are Sacraments and which are not. Our Maister neuer spake plainer, nor seemed to command more precisely, either of Baptisme of the Eucharist or any other Sacrament: and yet by the Churches iudgement directed by the Holy Ghost we know this to be no Sacrament nor necessarie ceremonie, and the other to be. And why doe they beleeue the Church in this, and doe not credit her affirming the chalice not to be necessarie for the communicants?

the gouernement of his Church, and {pecially of the cheefe Paftours fucceding Fp. st. Perer in the gouernement of the whole. As 5S. Hierom Writing to Damaius Pope of Rome, ap- plicth thefe words vnro him, faying of al Heretikes , He that gathereth not With thee, (castereth : that w to fay, He that u not With Chriff, s With Antichrift. it. The blafphemie of the Spirit.] He meaneth not that there is any finne fo great, Which God wil not forgiue, or Wwhereofa man may not repét in this life,as (ome Heretikes at this day afhrme: but that fome heinous finnes (as namely this blafphemie of che Lewes againit che euidenc workes of the Holy Ghoft, and likewife Archeherctikeswho wilfully refit the knowé truth and Workes of the Holy Ghottin Gods Church) are hardly forgeuen, and feldom haue fuch men grace to sepent, Orherwife amongal the finnes agaynift the Holy Ghoit (which are commonly reckened fixe) one only Chal neuer be forgiuen, that is, dying without repentance Wilfully , called Final Fina) impeni- impenitence. Which finne he committeth that dieth With conrempr of the Sacrament of Penance, sence, P obitinarly refufing abfolution , by the Churches minifterie: as S$, Auguftine plainely declareth in: thefe wordes. Whofoeucr he be hat beleueth nor mans finnes to be remitted in Gods Church , and therfore Remi defpiferh the bounsifulnes of God in fi mighty a Worke, ifhe in that ob/finat minde’ conrinue til hus lines. G emiihon of end, he u guilty of finne againft the Holy Ghoft, in Which Holy Ghoft Chrift remitteth Gnnes.. “hare in the Enchir, 83, Ep. 50 in fine. Church,

34. A new commandement.) The commandement of mutual loue was giuen before, but manifoldly misconstrued, and abridged by the Iewes to freinds only, to this life only, for earthly respects only: but Christ reneweth it and enlargeth it after the forme of his owne loue toward vs, and giueth grace to fulfil it.