Sermons Upon all the Sunday Gospels, Sermon 33
The third Sonday after Easter, ¶The Gospell. Ihon. xvi.
IEsus sayde to his Disciples: After a whyle ye shall not see me, & agayne after a whyle ye shal see me, for I go to the father. Then sayd some of his disciples betwene them selues: What is this that he sayethe vntounto vsus after awhile ye shal not see me, and agayne after awhyle ye shall see me, & that I go to the father? They sayde therefore, what is this that he sayeth after awhyle? we can not tell what he sayeth. Iesus perceyued that they woulde aske hym, and sayd vntounto them: Ye enquire of this betwene your selues, because I sayd: After a whyle ye shal not se me, & againe: after a whyle ye shall see me. Uerylye, verylye I saye vntounto you, ye shall wepe & lament, but contrary wyse, the worlde shal reioyce, ye shal sorow, but your sorow shalbe turned to ioy. A womā whē she trauayleth hath sorow, because her houre is come: But assone as she is delyuered of the chyld, she remembreth no more the anguishe, for ioy that a man is borne into the worlde. And ye nowe therfore hauehave sorowe, but I wyll see you agayne, and your heartes shall reioyce, and your ioye shall no man take from you.
THE EXPOSITION.
THis Gospell is parte of that longe sermon, whiche Christe made vntounto his disciples, for to conforte and confirme them in the waye of trueth, after his last supper, before he suffered. This conforte tendeth specially to this ende, that for the shortnes of the tentation, which should chaunce very vehemēt to the Disciples by the reason of Christs passion and death, they should not despaire, but be on a good conforte and courage: forasmuche as he would absente hym selfe from them but a litle while & that he would comme againe vntounto them after his resurrection, and make them ioyeful and mery for euer after, so that of this their ioye there should be no ende.
The Euangeliste S. Iohn maketh many wordes in this behalfe, and oftentimes repeateth the same,A naturall man vnderstā deth not spirituall thinges. that the Disciples did not vnderstande, what Christe ment by this his saying. A lytle while. And although christ declared his mind ī this behalfe, yet did not they vnderstande it. But this is not written for the disciples only. For S. Iohn by this wolde signifye, wherof all we hauehave dayly experience,1. Cor. 2. that we are not able well and truly to cōsider this saying, and that we are not free frō that thing, which did so greatly hinder the vnderstandinge of the disciples. For when tentation was at hande, and the most ignominious and spitefull death of Christ troubled al their wittes, they could not then cōsider, what this lytle while ment, but their heartes were so astonyed, that they thought Christe to be vtterly vndone, & that they shortly after should also comme to that point, and for Christes sake be in lyke maner moste miserably handled. But that this their sorowe and tentation should not continew past two or three daies, when the Lorde Christ should rise again from death vntounto an euerlastyng lyfe, and helpe them here in this worlde againste the worlde, deuill, synne, and death: and at the laste geue them a moste ioyefull and euerlastinge lyfe in the worlde to comme: yt vnderstode they not: neither though they it possible.
Therfore S. Iohn afterwarde in his Gospel declareth, how the disciples hyd them selues, and kepte thē secret for feare of the Iewes, neither wolde they beleue,Iohn. 20. that Christe was rysen again, although the women. Peter, and other two disciples declared it vntounto them.Luke. 24. To be short they coulde not beleue that, whiche Christe spake vntounto them of A lytle whyle. For they thought, that Christ shoulde hauehave remayned in death still, as other men do: otherwise they woulde neuer hauehave bene so weake and fainte hearted, but with a lustye courage and stronge hope they woulde hauehave looked for his resurrection.
We maruell at the infirmitie and weakenes of the disciples,Trouble dismayeth the weake christeans. and yet for al that when we be assayled with the lyke tentation, and in daunger to be ouerwhelmed with the waues of the like aduersitie: we forget also that A litle whyle, and caste awaye all hope of confort and thincke that this oure vexation and trouble will continewe so long as we lyue. We can not be persuaded by any meanes, that this trouble will cōtinue but a lytle while,2. Cor. 4. and that God in his tyme wyll geue a fortunate and ioyefull ende to these oure euilles and miseries. And by this means are we in tentation clene out of courage, and vtterly dismayde, fallyng to lamentynge and wepinge, as thoughe there were no GOD that wolde helpe vsus,Rom. 12. 1. Pet. 4. Math. 5. or had any regard vntounto vsus: When not withstandinge the blessed Apostle S. Paule commandeth vsus to ioye and reioyce in trouble, not onelyonly for the assured deliuerance, whiche muste nedes chaunce to the faithfull,Rom. 8. but also because that by the crosse and trouble a moste certein and sure tryall is made, whereby we knowe, that we are the sonnes of GOD, and heires of euerlastynge lyfe, as we shall more at large declare hereafter.
This Gospell therfore contayneth a moste noble and notable doctrine of conforte,This saying. A lytle while, ought diligently in trouble to be remembred. not onelyonly for the Disciples of Christe, but also for all Christians, that in tentations and afflictions they shoulde euer hauehave before their eyes and remember this. A lytle whyle: and diligentlye consider, that althoughe reason and mans wytt can not see howe deliueraunce maye cōme, yet that we shall not be left succourles in those oure euilles, not without helpe and confort: but that they shall shortly hauehave an ende, & againe, that in steade of them, ioye and gladnes shall comme, and continually abyde with vsus. And that this confort, ioye & gladnes maye the better be perceaued of vsus: we wyll at this present speake altogether of the crosse and afflictions.
How reason Iudgeth of the crosse.Mannes witt and reason thinketh and Iudgeth on this wyse: If God had any regard vntounto vsus: the godly shold neuer be in so great miseries and troubles, as they are. And therefore when there aryse diuerse troubles, which diuersely vexe vsus: our mynde thynketh straight wayes, that god hath eyther vtterly forgotten vsus, or that he hateth vsus, and regarde vsus not: otherwise, that we coulde neuer lacke his defence and helpe. Against these thoughtes and imaginations of reason, we muste get vsus ayde and helpe out of the worde of God, lest we suffer this matter to be disputed after: the iudgemēt of reason, where as we ought to referre the whole iudgement in this behalfe vntounto the worde of god. For if we iudge these thinges without the worde: our iudgement shall be false and nothing to the purpose.
But what sayeth the worde? Fyrste of all it sayth, that not somuche as an heare of our head shall fall to the grounde without the wil of God.How thee worde of god Iudgeth of ye crosse. Of this worde then this followeth,Math. 10. Luc. 12. that although the kingdom of the deuill and the worlde be a mightie and stronge kyngdome, yet that it can do nothing at al against a Christian man, but so farre as God doth permit and suffer it. As Christ sheweth also by this his saying: One of these litle sparowes shal not fall vntounto the groūd with out the will of the father: The price of a sparowe is but lytle. It is solde for halfe a farthing, & yet Christe sayth, that God hath care of it. How muche more shal he care for the godly, whiche are better then many sparowes? He will not therfore suffer the deuil and the worlde to do with them that their pleasure is, but what his good will is, so that what soeuer hindraunce shall chaunce to the godly thorow the deuill and the worlde, it can not be without the prouidence of god,The deuill & the world can do no more agaynst the people of god thē god appointeth and suffereth. neither can they rage further, then God appointeth. The surges of the Sea are maruelous sayeth Dauid, but the Lorde on hye is more maruelous. The Lord hath appointed and set the deuill and the worlde their limites, beyonde the which they can not go.Psal. 93. And this is worthy to be noted and for euer to be remembred, that thou in thine affliction persuade thy selfe,A good lesson. yt what soeuer aduersitie chaunceth vntounto thee, it commeth not by fortune or by chaunce, but by the singuler prouidence, councell, and determinatiō of god, yea and that vntounto thy greate cōmoditie, althoughe it semeth otherwise to thy blinde and carnal reason.
And here nowe riseth also a greater difficultie: for yf I must thus persuade my selfe,Reason can not se that our affliction cō meth of the good wyll of god towarde vsus. that all the aduersities and troubles, whiche I suffer, cōme by the prouidence of God, then by the Iudgement of reason it maye be gathered, that the councell and determination of god concernyng myne affliction, is vntounto my destruction and damnation. For what health or saluation maye be loked for of paynes, plagues, and punishmentes? in our great and greuous afflictions we can not otherwise be persuaded, but that God euen of displeasure and hatred againste vsus doth plague and punishe vsus. And this greatly encreaseth our sorowe, and in a maner bringeth vsus to desperation, because God doth so punishe vsus, If any other thing were the cause of oure plagues and troubles, it would not so greatlye greue vsus: for then we woulde thincke, that there were some helpe and conforte remayninge in God towardes vsus. In this case therfore must we hauehave recourse vntounto the worde of God, and not heare nor obey the iudgement & sentence of reason. For if we heare and beleue that, we shall surely fall into desperation, yea and vtterlye detest and abhorre God.
The worde, whiche in this behalfe conforteth and openeth vntounto vsus the will of God, is this. S. Paule sayth:1. Cor. 11. If we wolde iudge oure selues, we should not hauehave bene iudged. But when we are iudged of the Lorde, we are chastened, that we should not be dāned with the worlde. By this sentence of the Apostle it is euident, that whome God wil not hauehave condemned with the worlde,Affliction cō meth to vsus frō god for our proffite. but preserued and kept vntounto euerlasting life, he correcteth and punisheth them: neither ought this to be counted a token of hatred, but rather a signe of fauour, louelove & good will, although they be afflicted and troubled. This sentence in affliction is diligently to be considered and remembred. One hath this crosse, an other hath that, whereof they woulde gladly be eased.Howe wee should behaue our selues in trouble. But if eueryevery mā wold thincke on this maner, & saye to him selfe: If thou were not restrained with this byt of aduersitie, if thou were not thus correcte thou wouldest surely do that, which shold worke thee greater displeasure, and be ye cause of a more euil: but God doth send thee this aduersitie, yt thou sholdest not be damned with this worlde, but hereof take an occasion to amend thy life, to call thy selfe vntounto repentance,Note well. to feare GOD, to call on his blessed name, to thancke him for his benefites &c. If eueryevery man in his trouble wold thus thincke with himselfe, then would they not be angry with god for laying that crosse vpō them, nor thincke that he doth it of hatred & displeasure against thē, but rather of fauour & good wil towarde them: yea then would they louelove and praise god, that he in that affliction sheweth tokens of his fauour and good will toward them, by this meanes preseruinge them from eternall damnation vntounto euerlastynge saluation.Heb. 12. Prouerb. 3. Unto this ende also doth S. Paule in hys Epistle to the Hebrues alledge this sayinge of Salomon out of his prouerbes: My sonne, despise not thou the chasteninge of the Lord: neither faint when thou arte rebuked of hym. For whom the lord loueth hym he chasteneth: yea he scourgeth eueryevery sonne that he receaueth. If ye endure chastening, god offereth himself vntounto you, as vntounto sonnes, For what sonne is he, whō ye father chasteneth not? If ye be not vnderunder correction (wherof all are partakers) then are ye bastardes, and not sonnes. Therfore seing we hauehave had fathers of our fleshe, whiche corrected vsus, and we gaue them reuerence: shal we not muche rather be in subiectiō vntounto the father of spirites and lyfe? And they verely for a fewe dayes nurtered vsus after their own pleasure: but he nurtereth vsus for our profite, to the intent that he may minister of his holines vntounto vsus.The ende of Christen mēs trouble is euerlastinge ioye. No maner chastising for the presēt time semeth to be ioyous but greuous: neuerthelesse afterward it bringeth ye quiet fruite of righteousnes vntounto thē whiche are exercised therby. This sentēce of the holy Apostle doth testifie,Affliction is a token of god…s fauoure …owarde vsus. not only that the discipline & correction, which god laieth vponupon vsus, is no token of his anger, & displeasure againste vsus but also that it is a most manifeste signe & euident argument of his fatherly and frendly good wil toward vsus. Let vsus not therfore thinke, whē we are corrected & punished, that GOD is angry with vsus, or that he set naught by vsus. For the cause, why he corrected vsus, is, because we are his sonnes,Why god pvnisheth vsus. and should not loose oure enheritaunce, nor at any time be put from it.
And as the worde doth preach and declare vntounto vsus of the crosse and of afflictions: so lykewise is it set forth by examples.Examples of affliccion. who can or dare say, that god the father hated his onelyonly begotten sonne Christe Iesu? And yet for all that yf thou considerest his lyfe and death, and weighest the matter after the iudgement of reason, there shall appeare no great signes of gods louelove towarde hym, yea rather signes of hatred then of louelove: and that the vngodly and wicked Iewes were more regarded with god, then Christ, whom they hādled at their pleasure, and entreated as they woulde, accordyng to the saying of the Prophete:Esa. 53. He hath nether beautie nor fauour when we looked vponupon hym, there was no fayrenes, we had no luste to hym. He was despised & abhorred of menne. We reckoned him so vile, that we hyd our faces from hym: yea he was despised, and therefore we regarded hym not. We dyd iudge him, as though he were plagued & cast downe of god. And Christ hymselfe sayth by ye psalmographe: As for me,Psal. 22. I am a worme and no man: a very scorne of men, and the outcaste of the people: All they that see me, laughe me to scorne: they shote out their lyppes, & shake the heade &c. They gape vponupon me with theyr mouthes as it were a ramping and roaring Lyon,Math. 27. Marc. 15. Luc. 20. &c. Yea the very Iewes, when he hanged on the crosse, mocked him, saying. If he be the sonne of God, let him comme downe from the crosse, &c.
Now as god did handle his owne derely beloued & only begotten sonne Christe Iesu here on earth: euen so wil he handle al Christians in this worlde, as Christ hath to fore saide: The seruant is not greater then his maister. If they hauehave persecuted me:Iohn· 15. they wil persecute you likewise. And it is sayde both moste trimly and truly in the Epistle to the Hebreues, as we heard afore: If ye be not vnderunder correction,Heb. 12. (wherof all are partakers) then are ye bastardes and not sonnes.
Thus see we by the wonderful and certein consent both of sentences and examples, and by them are we taught, that god not of euill but of good will, not of displeasure but of fauoure, correcteth vsus: and that in the middest of our trouble we should knowe the good wil of god, and certeinly be persuaded, that God, although our affliction be neuer so great, doth not hate vsus, nor set naught by vsus, but rather that this correctiō is a most assured signe, that he loueth vsus, and taketh vsus for his children, seinge he doth so louingly correcte and chasten vsus.
Nowe must we also learne to knowe the cause why God doth so correcte & punishe his children.The cause why god correcteth his children. 1. Cor. 11. S. Paule setteth it forth in these his wordes: we are corrected of the Lorde, sayth he that we should not be damned with the worlde. And Dauid sayeth: It is highly for my profite yt thou hast corrected me, that I mighte learne thy righteous ordinaunces.Psal. 119. Esay the Prophete also sayeth: vexation geueth vnderstanding. For this is certen, if god wold serue our fansies,Esa. 18. accomplishe our desires, and neuer send vsus aduersitie and trouble,The profites that come by affliction. we should become altogether secure and carelesse, neither shoulde we at any tyme call our synne vntounto remembraunce, nor care for the worde, nor geue oure selues vntounto prayer. But when now and then we and such thinges as appertayne vntounto vsus are assayled with aduersitis & misfortunes: thē hauehave we a iuste & nedeful cause, not only to fal vntounto prayer, but also to remēber our sins & our former wicked life, & to cōsider, yt suche plagues & punishmēts chaunce vntounto vsus for our syns. And that therfore we ought frō hensforth to liue more warely, to lay aside our sins, to feare god, to fram our life according to his blessed will &c. that by this means god seing our cōuersion may either take awaye those paines frō vsus, or els mitigate & ease them, as it semeth best to his godly wisedō, as s. Paule saieth in his epistle to ye Hebrues: the heauēly father nurtereth vsus for our profit to the intent, the he may minister of his holines vntounto vsus.Heb. 12. We therfore may not despaire because of ye crosse. We should rather thincke on this maner wt our selues: By this signe & token I perceaue right well yt God is merciful vntounto me, fauoreth & loueth me, for he nurtereth me as his sonne, & by these aduersities and afflictiōs his pleasure is to put me in remēbrāce of my sins, & to cal me vntounto repentance, that by this meanes I may amend that is a misse, & fromhensforth auoide sinne, & no more offend my heauenly father. He yt doth this, vseth the crosse a right, neither doth he murmur against God in his aduersitie, nor yet thorowe impaciencie is brought vntounto that point that he fleeth vntounto supersticious, idolatrous & wicked artes to be released of his trouble, but paciently & quietly he abideth the helpe of god, & feruently by prayer desireth the same. Now ensueth the fourth parte of this matter. After yt we be thorowly persuaded, that nothing can chaunce vntounto vsus without the will of god, and that it is Gods pleasure, when aduersitie & trouble chaunce vntounto vsus, & that it is for our saluation, that we are thus afflicted & troubled: we must also assuredly assure our selues of this thing, that god wil geue a fortunate ende to these our troubles, and most prosperously deliuer vsus from them, as S. Paule saith: god is faithful,1. Cor 10. whiche shall not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength, but shall in the middes of the temptation make a waye, that ye maye be able to beare it. And vntounto this confort do those thinges cheifly pertaine, that Christ speaketh here of that A lytle while. Against this doctrine of A lytle while are two thinges.
First, whē we are opprest with the greatnes & vehemēcie of afflictiō or trouble,The crosse semethe intollerable. so that there appeareth none other thinge, but yt the very crosse wil hauehave ye vppermost hand, & that nothing (so far as reasō iudgeth) can preuayle against it: as we hauehave in the example of king Ezechias. Whē Rabsakes ye captaine of ye hoost of ye king of ye Assiriās required yt the Citie of Ierusalem should be yelded and geuen ouer vntounto hym,Esa. 37. Ezechias sent vntounto Esaye the Prophete with this embassage: This is the day of trouble, of plague, & of blasphemie: for the children are comme to the place of byrth: but there is no power to bring them forth. And Christ here also vseth the same similitude of a woman that goeth on her trauayle.Iohn. 16. There appeareth to be very great peril both of the mother & of the child. For ye afflictiōs are not small, as it is set forth in a certein psalme, where Christ him self crieth out on this maner: Saue me O God, for the waters are cōme in, euen vntounto my soule,Psal. 69. I sticke faste in the depe myre, where no grounde is: I am comme into depe waters, so that the fluddes runne ouer me.
Secōdly,The crosse semeth to hauehave no ende. whē we se no waye howe to escape that great daūger: Thē we straightwayes fal to desperatiō nether cā we beleue, yt this matter is but of a litle while.
And vntounto this ende specially belonged the similitude of the woman that trauaileth of child,Iohn. 16. whiche CHRSIT vseth here. For here the peril semeth to be infinitie, vnmeasurable, and endlesse, and yet sodeinly commeth there greate ioye, as lyfe springinge out of death, when a man is borne into the worlde, the mother also beinge safe and with out daunger. In consideration wherof al the sadnes is turned into gladnes. These thinges chaunce dayly. And where as some time the ende of suche trauaile is not gladnes, that chaunceth but seldome. The common trade is, as Christ saith, that sodenly and vnlooked for, sounde, ful, true, and perfect ioye foloweth sorow and sadnes, as the Psalmographe sayeth: Heuines may endure for a night, but ioye commeth in the morning. This would Christe hauehave his Disciples to learne,Psal. 30. when they are tossed and troubled with the waues of cruell aduersitie, that they maye thincke and remember this his saying. A lytle while, as S. Paule sayeth to the Hebrues. No maner chastisynge for the present tyme semeth to be ioyous but greuous;Heb. 12. neuerthelesse afterwarde it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnes vntounto them, whiche are exercised thereby. So that it is fyrste called. A lytle while, for ye sodayne & vnloked for mutation or chaunge, whiche chaunceth soner then we looked for. Secondlye affliction is called A lytle while, because this short trouble shall be turned into euerlastinge ioye, and this sorowfull transitorie lyfe into a ioyefull perpetuall lyfe, as Christe sayde to his Disciples:Iohn. 16. ye shall sorowe, but your sorowe shall be turned into ioye. For what is to be thought of al that time, wherin Lazarus paraduenture ten or twentie yeares was in miserie and affliction in respect of that tyme, whiche is afterward in the euerlasting lyfe? So (sayth Paule:Rom. 8.) I suppose that the afflictions of thys lyfe are not woorthy of the glorie, whiche shall be shewed vppon vsus. Agayne:2. Cor. 4. Our tribulation whyche is shorte and lighte, prepareth an excedynge and an eternall weight of glorye vntounto vsus, while we looke not on the things that are sene, but on the thinges which are not sene. For the thinges whiche are seene, are temporall, but things which are not sene, ar eterna…l.1. Pet. 1. Blessed Peter saith also: In the which ye reioyce, thoughe now for a season ye are in heuines, thorow many folde tentations, that the triall of your faithe, being muche more precious then gold that perisheth, might be foūd vntounto praise, glorie, & honor at the appearing of Iesus Christ, whom ye hauehave not sene, & yet louelove hym, in whō euen now, though ye see him not, yet doo you beleue, and reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious,1. Pet. 5. receauing the ende of your faith, euen the saluation of your soules: Again: The God of all grace, which hath called vsus vntounto his eternall glory by Christ Iesus, shal his owne selfe (after that ye hauehave suffred a lyttell affliction) make you perfect, settle, strength, and stablish you.Faythe hellpeth greatlye in affliction.
He that coulde thus beleue, and be thus certainely persuaded of this saying: A lyttell whyle: should fynd great consolation in hys affliction, wherwith he shold bee able to staye hym selfe. Therefore all the matter standeth in thys one poynte, that wee surely truste the Lorde CHRIST, and counte hys woorde to be moste certayne and trewe: and that although we be troubled and afflicted, yet it shall continue but a lytle while, so that we may comfort our selues in the crosse, as they comforte a woman that trauayleth of chyld, namely, that she shall hauehave good lucke, bee delyuered of her payne, and hauehave a fayre chylde, to her great ioye and comfort. For it is not possible, that there shoulde be any great gladnesse, where no sorowe and sadnesse hath ben before. But thorowe the importunitie of reason, we are kepte in myserable bondage, whyche alwaies putteth vsus in mynde, that our affliction commeth not from the fauour, but the anger of God, and that we shall perishe in the same, and neuer be deliuered.Why affliccions are sente vntounto vsus of god But the matter is farre otherwise. For as sorowes and paynes doo therfore chance to women trauailyng of chylde, that an infant may be borne: so likewise oure afflictions are therfore sent to vsus from God that by this meanes we may obteyne our trewe glorie, and so for euer be saued.
Impaciencye and desperacion are to be eschewed in affliction.This also is not to be passed ouer with silence, that Christe interpreteth and maketh playn to his disciples what ioye shall chaunce vntounto them. I (sayth he) wyll see you agayne. This came to passe in the daye of his resurrection, when they sawe hym in a new and euerlastyng lyfe. Christe therfore seeth vsus also, and our hert reioyceth, when we meditate and consider his resurrection, that for oure sake, he hathe ouercome synne, deathe, and deuyll, that we thorough hym myght liue euerlastyngly.
And this is a true, sound, perfect, and euerlastyng ioye, whyche changeth all sadnesse, neyther shall it at any tyme be taken away from vsus. Lette vsus therefore beware and take hede of impaciencie and desperation, when we are in trouble. And this comfort is diligently to bee retayned and kepte faste, that although wee suffer and beare the Crosse, yet it shall bee but A litle while. For Christe is rysen from the dead, and sytteth on the ryght hande of GOD the Father, that he may represse and keepe vnderunder the deuyll and all euyls, and geue vsus euerlastyng saluation. Whiche thynge oure faythfull GOD mought vouchsafe to bestowe vponupon vsus for his sonne Christ Iesus sake oure Lorde and alone Sauiour: To whom with the Father and the holy Ghoste be all honour, glory, and prayse, worldes without ende. Amen.