The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lecture 47
THE XLVII. LECTVRE OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST.
LVKE CHAP. XXIIII.
verse 27 After ſaid He to Thomas, Put thy finger here, and ſee Mine hands, and put foorth thine hande, and put it into my ſide, and be not faithleſſe, but faithfull.
verse 28 Then Thomas ſaide vntounto Him, Thou art my Lord and my God.
verse 29 Ieſus ſaide vntounto him, Thomas, becauſe thou hast ſeene me, thou beleeuest: bleſſed are they that hauehave not ſeene, and hauehave beleeued.
verse 30 And many other ſignes alſo did Ieſus in the preſence of His Diſciples, which are not written in this booke.
verse 31 But theſe thinges are written, that ye might beleeue, that Ieſus is that Chriſt, that Sonne of God, and that in beleeuing yee might hauehave life through His Name.
AFTER that we had ſpoken at length (Well beloued in Chriſt) of the firſt fiue appearings of the Lord after His Reſurrection: wee beganne the laſt day, to ſpeake of this ſixt appearing, the occaſion whereof was premitted by ye Euangeliſt John, to wit, the abſence of Thomas from the reſt of the Apoſtles, when the Lord appeared vntounto them, and his great incredulitie when they tolde him, for notwithſtanding that many faithfull witneſſes teſtified vntounto him, that the Lord was riſen, and had appeared vntounto them, that they ſawe Him with their eyes, heard Him with their eares, and handled Him with their hands: yet ſuch was the incredulitie of Thomas, that he profeſſed plainly, that in no cace he would beleeue, except hee ſaw in His hands the print of the nailes, and put his finger in the print of the nailes, and put his hande into His ſide. To remedie this incredulitie of Thomas, the Lord appeares now the ſixt time, eight dayes after His former appearings, when His diſciples were met together, and Thomas with them, Ieſus came the doores beeing ſhut, and ſtood in the middes of them, and ſaluted them after the accuſtomed manner, ſaying vntounto them, Peace be vntounto you.
Now in theſe words which we hauehave preſently read, we hauehave the Lordes conference with Thomas, firſt: Next, in the laſt wordes of the Chapter, the Euangeliſt meetes mens curioſitie, affirming, albeit all things that Ieſus did, were not written in this Goſpell, yet it was not vnperfect: becauſe all things were written that were neceſſarie to life and ſaluation. In the conference that the Lord hath with Thomas, Hee meetes him not roughly, and rigorouſly, as his incredulitie had juſtly deſerued, but with lenitie and meekeneſſe, Hee endeuoureth to make him to beleeue, by granting him his deſire. Thomas had plainly profeſſed, that except hee ſawe the print of the nailes, and put his hande into His ſide, hee would not beleeue: therefore the Lord ſayes, nowe, Thomas, Put thy finger heere, and ſee Mine handes, and put foorth thine hande, and put it in My ſide, and bee no more faithleſſe, but faithfull. See the gentleneſſe of the LORD, and howe louingly Hee ſpeakes to him: Thomas was not onelyonly incredulous, but alſo he was ſtubburne, obſtinate, proud and arrogant, hee counted others fooles, that beleeued, hee profeſſed, that in no cace hee would beleeue, without ſeeing and feeling of the LORDES wounds.
Now the LORD grantes this to Thomas which he deſired, albeit hee was vnworthie of it: yea, the LORD inuites him, and louingly bids him put his hande in the print of the nailes, and in His ſide: for the LORD ſpeakes not this in bitterneſſe and tauntingly to Thomas: for the wordes that He ſubjoynes, Be not faithleſſe, but faithfull, teſtifie, that Hee ſpake of louelove, and in lenitie to Thomas, to make him to beleeue.
It is true, indeede, the wordes containe a ſort of reproofe and rebuking of Thomas for his incredulitie, but this reproofe is ſo tempered, and ſeaſoned vvith ſuch lenitie, and meekneſſe, that ſcarc…ly can it bee perceiued and taken vp. This dealing of the LORD with Thomas, lets vsus ſee, how great is the merciemercy, gentleneſſe and long ſuffering of the LORD IESVS towards ſinners, whoſe ſinnes deſerue nothing but wrath & judgement: ſuch is His merciemercy and meekneſſe towards ſinners, that to the end Hee might pleaſe vsus: Paul ſayes, Rom. 15.3. Hee would not pleaſe Himſelfe: He ſuffered ſhame & ignominie for vsus, He ſuff…red dolour & paines for vsus, He died for vsus, and after Hee roſe, He ſpared no trauell to make the Apoſtles bel…eue: ſundrie times did He appeare to them, & now He appeares for Thomas cauſe, albeit he had runne very far in the courſe of infidelitie, & ſtubburneſſe, yet He ſtriues by granting him his deſi…e, to perſwade him, and make him to beleeue. The Lords gentleneſſe and long ſuffering is very great towardes all men▪ euen the verie reprobate themſelues, who refuſe the riches of His bountifulneſſe, and patience, and long ſuffering▪ not knowing that the bount fulneſſe of GOD, leadeth them to repentance▪ Rom Ch…pter 2 verſe 4. For as Paul ſayes, Hee ſuffereth with long patience, the veſſells of wrath prepared for deſtruction, Rom. Chapter 9. verſe 22.
But it is greater towardes his owne, in whome Hee ſees ſome ſponke of grace to bee: for albeit Hee finde it to be very ſmall, and heauily oppreſſed, and ſmoothered downe by the corruption of our fleſh, and of our cankred nature, yet He endeuoures to cheriſh and intertaine it: for Hee breakes not the bruſed reed, my quench the ſmooking flaxe, Eſay 42.3. Matth. 12.20 But, Brethren, it ſerues for no purpoſe, to ſpeake of this gentleneſſe and bountifulneſſe of the Lord, except wee hauehave a ſenſe and feeling of it in our owne ſoules, and except we taſte how ſweete and bountifull the Lord is: for no wordes can expreſſe it, no wordes can perſwade a man of it, except he finde the proofe and ſenſe of it in his owne ſoule. The Lorde worke a feeling of it in eueryevery one of our hearts, that we may ſpeake of it with the greater aſſurance & perſwaſion. But there may be a queſtion mooued heere: The deſire of Thomas ſeemes to be vnlawfull and vnreaſonable, why then ſhould the Lord hauehave granted it to him? How ſtandes this with His Iuſtice? How agrees this with that vnchangeable Nature of GOD in Chriſt? To this I anſwere: That Thomas failed not in this, that he deſired to ſee the Lord: for that is the deſire of all the Sainctes, but in this he failed, as we heard before, that he tied his faith ſo preciſely to his outwarde ſenſes, to ſeeing, and handling, that hee profeſſed that no wiſe he would beleeue, except hee ſaw the Lord, and felt Him: yet no queſtion, he had in the meane time ſome ſpirituall deſire to ſee the Lord, and hee had a true and ſincere louelove towards the Lord. This louing dealing of the Lord with Thomas teaches vsus this comfortable leſſon: The Lord markes not narrowly the infirmities and wants that are in His owne, Hee lookes not narrowly to the weakneſſe of their Faith, to the imperfections & wants of their prayers and requeſts (for their prayers are full of wants and imperfections) but Hee paſſes by their imperfections, Hee ouerſees their infirmities, and misknowes the corruption wherein their Faith, their prayers and deſires are inuol…ed and ouercled, and Hee hath a regard to their Faith, albeit they hauehave it in neuer ſo ſmall a meaſure: for the Lord knowes the meaning of His owne Spirit, euen then when He is wreſtling into vsus againſt an inumerable number of our infirmities, ſinnes and corruptions. Happie is that ſoule that hath a ſponke of true Faith: for the Lord will regarde it, and ouerſee many infirmities and imperfections in him.
Thus farre of the Lords ſpeech to Thomas: Now followes the anſwere of Thomas vntounto the Lord: Thomas meetes Him with a notable confeſsion: Thou art my Lord, and my God. The Text makes no particular mention, vvhether or not Thomas put his finger in the print of His vvounds, and his hand in His ſide, when the Lord bade him. If ſo hee did, and vvould none otherwiſe beleeue, then ſurely hee hath beene very hard of heart, impudent and obſtinate, vvho vvould not beleeue when he ſaw the Lord with his eyes, and heard Him ſpeaking to him. But it is more probable, and I am of that judgement, that ſo ſoone as Thomas ſawe the Lord, and heard Him ſpeaking, that he was aſhamed of his incredulitie, & he came to himſelfe, & bethought himſelfe, for it is a wonder to ſee, howe ſoone the ſoule of the moſt obſtinate and indured man will be turned, when it pleaſes the Lord to be effectuall in it by His preſence. The reſt of the Apoſtles beleeued not ſo ſoone as they ſawe the Lord, & heard His voyce, albeit their incredulitie was not ſo great as was the incredulitie of Thomas: yet when it pleaſed the Lord to open their eyes, and to illuminate their vnderſtanding, they beleeued. And Thomas vvho by many degrees ſurpaſſed all the reſt in incredulitie, after that once he ſaw the Lord, and heard Him, incontinently he beleeued, and gaue a notable confeſsion of Him. Then marke it, Brethren, Faith dependes not on our ſelues, on the ſtrength of our nature, on the free wil of man, or vponupon ſuch & ſuch diſpoſition of the ſoule, but it dependes vponupon the free merciemercy and good pleaſure of God: It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in GOD that ſheweth merciemercy, Rom. Chapter 9. verſe 16. Therefore▪ when wee ſee any beliefe in CHRIST, let vsus euer giuegive the praiſe thereof to GOD, and not to the man, as if it were of his naturall ſtrength power, and inclination.
But let vsus conſider this confeſsion of Thomas, and the grounds vvhereupon it ariſes, he ſayes, Thou art my LORD and my GOD. This confeſsion that hee giues of the LORD, proceedes from a cleare light, whereby his minde was ſuddenly illuminated, and that by the powerfull and effectuall preſence of the LORD, his minde was firſt illuminated to ſee CHRIST to be the LORD, as He is man: for CHRIST, as Hee is man, is LORD ouer all, thereafter to ſee Chriſt as He is GOD, for by the vaile of the fleſh, and of the nature of man Hee is led in, and gets acceſſe to ſee the fulneſſe of the Godhead dwelling in Him bodily: Next this confeſsion proceedes frō the apprehenſion of the heart, whereby it felt the Lord, and tooke holde of Him: for as that cleare light ſhined in his minde, ſo alſo the heart of Thomas was opened to embrace the Lord, and to draw Him in to himſelfe: and therefore hee calles Him not ſimply Lord, but my Lord, he ſtiles Him not ſimply God, but my God. For no queſtion this plaine and cleare confeſſion teſtifies, that there was a cleare illumination in the minde, and a full perſwaſion in the heart of Thomas of that which he confeſſed.
If wee compare Thomas with the reſt of the Apoſtles, wee will finde, that as he ſurpaſſed them farre in vnbeliefe, ſo he ſurpaſſes them farre in beleeuing and confeſſing of the LORD: for ſuch a confeſſion hath not beene hitherto vttered by any of the Diſciples: ſo that in this example we may ſee verified that common ſaying, The last ſhall be firſt, and the firſt ſhall be last. The reſt of the Apoſtles were before Thomas in Faith, they beleeued before him, but nowe Thomas by a ſuddaine change, runnes out before them, hee hath a clearer ſight, and a greater meaſure of Faith than they had.
The reſt of the Apoſtles had the Holy Spirit giuen them, and that ſtrengthened their Faith, but Thomas who then was abſent, after that once hee ſee, and heare the Lord, he findes ſuch a cleare and marueilous light in his ſoule, that hee vtters a more glorious and notable confeſſion than any of the reſt had done before: And this likewiſe teaches vsus to aſcribe the praiſe of all the benefites and graces that is in man, to the grace and merciemercy of GOD, who diſtributes to eueryevery man, according to the good pleaſure of His will, that which Hee thinkes meete: for as was ſaid before, It is not in him that runneth, nor in him that willeth, but in God that ſheweth merciemercy.
This ſudden change and notable confeſſion which Thomas giues of the LORD, teaches vsus yet further, that there was ſome ſponkes of grace, and of ſpirituall deſire left into the ſoule of Thomas to ſee the LORD, and to enjoy His preſence: for except there had bene ſome piece of deſire to hauehave ſeene Him, how could hee vponupon a ſuddaintie hauehave embraced Him ſo willingly, and joyfully, as one long deſired and looked for. For the wordes of Thomas importe, firſt, that hee had great ſorrowe and ſadneſſe in His ſoule, becauſe as hee thought hee had loſt the LORD: Next, that hee had a deſire to finde Him, and to ſee Him againe: And thirdly, that hee had an exceeding great joy when he found Him, and by his expectation ſaw Him, and enjoyed His preſence. This ſerues for thy comfort, who haſt gotten a meaſure of grace, albeit the corruptions and infirmities of the fleſh ſtriue to drowne, and ſmoother and ſuffocate it, yet neuer ſhall it altogether be aboliſhed and extinguiſhed, but at laſt, it ſhall wreſtle out, and preuaile, and ouercome the corruption.
Now, to come forward to the LORDES replie, to Thomas: Hee anſweres him, Thomas, becauſe thou haſt ſeene, thou beleeuest, bleſſed are they which hauehave not ſeene, and hauehave beleeued. Hee ſayes not, becauſe thou haſt touched Mee, but becauſe thou haſt ſeene Me. So in my judgement Thomas touched not the Lord, but contented himſelfe with the ſeeing of the LORD, and hearing of His voyce. Hee acknowledges the Faith of Thomas, but Hee extetenuates it in compariſon of others, Hee praiſes not Thomas for His Faith, becauſe hee tied his faith to his ſenſes, Hee beleeued becauſe hee ſawe Him, but Hee praiſes and commends the Faith of others, who no counting of the outwarde ſenſe, ſhould beleeue in Him, albeit they ſaw Him not. Albeit Hee acknowledges the Faith of Thomas, Hee calles him not bleſſed for it, but Hee pronounces them to be bleſſed, who hauehave not ſeene Him, and yet doe beleeue.
Theſe wordes of the LORD to Thomas, lets vsus ſee, that the caſe and condition of them who beleeue without ſeeing, is nothing worſe, nor inferiour to the caſe and condition of them who hauehave not ſeene the LORD, and vponupon ſight hauehave beleeued. We this day who hauehave not ſeene the LORD face to face, but only hauehave heard His worde, and beleeue, are nothing inferiour to them who ſawe Him, and beleeued, and namely to Thomas who would not beleeue, except he ſaw the LORD: and if there were no more, to aſſure thee who haſt not ſeene the LORD IESVS, and yet beleeueſt, that thou art bleſſed this joy that thou ſhalt finde in the middes of thy greateſt ſorrow and affliction, might be a ſufficient argument, to perſwade thee: for Peter ſayes, The Godly in the middes of their affliction, beleeuing in Christ whome they hauehave not ſeene, reioyce with a ioy vnſpeakable and glorious, 1. Pet. Chapter 1. verſe 8. Indeede in this life, the bleſſed eſtate of them, who beleeue in Chriſt, is neither clearly ſeene by others, neither is it throughly felt by themſelues, for it is not ſeene what wee ſhall be, and heere only hauehave wee the firſt fruites of the Spirite, and a foretaſting of theſe things that ſhall bee reueiled, but in that great daye, when our LORD ſhall appeare, then ſhall it bee ſeene, how bleſſed the eſtate of them ſhall be, who beleeued: for then when wee ſee Him as He is, we ſhall be like to Him in glorie. The world countes them who beleeue in Chriſt Ieſus, to be vile and contemptible bodies, but one day they ſhall ſee their happineſſe, & their glorie, to their ſhame and confuſion. But heere it may be asked: What mooues the Lord ſo highly to commend the Faith of them, who beleeue, and yet ſee not? What can be the cauſe of this? I anſwere: The reaſon is, becauſe Faith without ſight is more hardly obtained than Faith by ſight. The man that beleeues without ſight, he muſt ouercome many moe impediments and tentations than the other, who beleeues that which he ſees, and this is commonly true, that which is obtained moſt hardly, and acquired with greateſt difficultie, is moſt precious, moſt excellent, and moſt worthie of praiſe: and ſo this Faith that wants ſight, is farre to be preferred & more praiſe worthie than the other: for it is ſundrie wayes tried and fined, before it appeare, 1. Pet. 1.7.
Now to goe forward: The Euangeliſt in the end of the Chapter, by the way meetes ſome things which curious men might hauehave objected: Firſt they might hauehave asked: Whether if all the miracles which the Lord Ieſus wrought, while Hee was in the world were ſet downe in write, and extant in the Goſpell written by him. Iohn anſweres: No, they are not all written: for he ſayes: Many other ſignes alſo did Ieſus in the preſence of His Diſciples, which are not written in this Booke. They might hauehave ſaide againe to Iohn: then by appearance this Euangell that thou haſt written is not perfect, but vnperfect? To this hee anſweres? My Goſpell is perfect enough, becauſe all things are written that are neceſſarie to Faith and Saluation. Theſe words are caſten in only by the way in this Hiſtorie of the Reſurrection: for albeit hee ſeemes to breake off the Hiſtorie of the Reſurrection of CHRIST, and to conclude in a manner the whole Goſpell, yet he returnes againe to the ſame Hiſtorie of the Reſurrection in the Chapter following, and in the ende thereof hee concludes the whole Goſpell almoſt in theſe ſame words that are ſet downe heere. But to returne and to ſpeake of the miracles, whereof Iohn ſpeakes heere: hee ſayes, Many other ſignes and Miracles wrought the LORD, which are not written in this booke. Then it may be asked? Wherefore are they not written? Were they vnprofitable? Serues the knowledge of them to no vſe? To this I anſwere: That theſe miracles were profitable and ſteadable to confirme and ſtrengthen the faith of them, who liued in that age, and ſawe them done: yea further, they are alſo ſteadable to the faith of them, who liued in the ages following: for when we read and heare, that there was ſuch a great multitude of miracles wrought by the Lord, albeit wee know not diſtinctly and particularly what they were, that ſerues very much to ſtrengthen and confirme our Faith, ſo that wee ſee theſe miracles which are not written, are not left out of write, as though they were vnprofitable, and as though they ſerued for no vſe, or were vnworthie to be remembred? No, they were profitable and worthie, but they are left out, becauſe the miracles ſet downe in write by Iohn, and the reſt of the Euangeliſts, which indeed are very many, are ſufficient to Faith and Saluation. But becauſe the Euangeliſt ſets downe in this place, the ende of the miracles that the Lorde wrought: therefore we ſhall ſpeake more largely of them.
CHRIST, when Hee came into the worlde, was many wayes marueilous: and therefore amongſt many other glorious ſtiles, Hee gets this alſo, to bee called wonderfull, Iſaiah Chapter 9. verſe 6. For firſt, if wee looke to His perſon, Hee was wonderfull: for He was GOD and man in one perſon, the like whereof, neuer was, nor neuer ſhall bee. Next, if we looke to the doctrine which Hee brought out of Heauen, and to the worde which Hee preached to the worlde, Hee was wonderfull: for wonderfull was the light of His doctrine: whereby Hee brought a marueilous light to the darke worlde, and this made the officers to ſay to the High Prieſtes: Neuer man ſpake like this man, Ioh. Chapter 7. verſe 46. and in the 7. Chapter of the Euangell of Matth. verſe 29. Hee teached them as one hauing authoritie, and not as the Scribes: Laſt, if we conſider the things that Hee did, and the wonders that Hee wrought in the world: He was wonderful, for they declared plainly, that He was not only a man, a creature, but that He was God, the great Creator, and that Eternall IEHOVAH. And theſe miracles ſerued to confirme His doctrine: for the doctrine and the word of the Goſpell preached by CHRIST, ſerued to worke and beget Faith in the heart, but the miracles ſerued to confirme the doctrine, & the word which He preached: for they were ſteadable either to prepare the hearts of men to receiue the word and doctrine of the Lord, or els to confirme them in that word which they had reeceiued alreadie. Now both the word and doctrine of Chriſt, and alſo His Miracles are ſet downe and left in regiſter to vsus, by the ſpeciall will & direction of Chriſt, to the well of them that were to liue in the ages to come, that they might beleeue, & get life and ſaluation: and therefore this written word & doctrine ſhould be receiued by vsus, as the viue voyce of Chriſt Himſelfe, and wee ſhould count no leſſe of it, than if wee heard Chriſt Himſelfe ſpeaking to vsus, with His owne mouth, and likewiſe wee ſhoulde count of the miracles written in the Goſpell, as if wee had ſeene the Lord Ieſus working them before our eyes: and therefore nowe in our age, we neede not any new miracles, to confirme of new againe, the doctrine of Chriſt, and His Apoſtles. Indeede miracles were very neceſſarie to them that liued in the Primitiue Church, when the Goſpell was firſt preached, and when it appeared vntounto the world to be a new doctrine, & when the Church was in her infancie, then miracles were very needfull: but now, ſeeing the doctrine of Chriſt, and His Apoſtles is ſufficiently confirmed alreadie by all theſe miracles, that were wrought in theſe dayes by Chriſt, & His Apoſtles, we need no miracles. Why ſhould we deſire them, except we thought, that the doctrine is not yet ſufficiently confirmed, and as yet is but a new doctrine. If we thinke, that it is the ſame doctrine, which Chriſt and His Apoſtles taught, it needes no new confirmation. Many vaine and fantaſticke men, but eſpecially the Papistes this daye are not content with the Miracles that hauehave bene wrought by the Lord Ieſus, & His Apoſtles, to confirme the doctrine of the Goſpell, but they craue new miracles to confirme the doctrine of the Goſpell, as if it were not ſufficiently confirmed alreadie. But, I ſay vntounto thee, Vaine man, goe ſeeke miracles as thou wilt, and as long as thou wilt, neuer ſhalt thou get any other true miracle from God, except only this miraculous and wonderfull effect that the Goſpell workes, in bringing foorth in our heartes this true and juſtifying Faith in renewing vsus, and in beginning that life eternall in our ſoules: for the faithfull finde by experience, that this Goſpell of Chriſt, is the power of God vntounto ſaluation to them that beleeue. If thou be not content with this marueilous, effect, but wilt goe on to ſeeke outwa…d ſignes and miracles, thou declareſt plainely to the worlde, that thou neuer didſt finde this powerfull effect of the Goſpell into thy ſoule, and if thou findeſt not this powerfull effect to bee wrought into thy ſoule by the preaching of the word, and by the miracles that were wrought by the Lord Ieſus, and His Apoſtles, thou wilt neuer beleeue, albeit thou ſaweſt ten thouſand new miracles wrought before thine eyes. Now, we tolde you before, that both the worde and doctrine, and likewiſe the miracles were written by the ſpeciall will, & direction of Chriſt, but there is a difference betweene their writting: for all the doctrine of Chriſt that is neceſſarie to life and ſaluation in ſubſtance, not ſo much as a ſentence excepted, is ſet downe in write, the Holy Spirit He omitted nothing. But all the miracles that the Lord wrought are not ſet downe in write: for it was neceſſarie for our Faith, that ye ſubſtance of the whole doctrine ſhould be ſet down in write, but it was not neceſſary for our Faith, that all ye miracles which He wrought, ſhould be writtē. Our Faith required the one, but our Faith required not the other: for the Lord in writting and regiſtrating of His word, and miracles had not reſpect vntounto the curioſitie of vaine man, which is vnſatiable, and can neuer be ſatisfied, but Hee had regarde to the Faith and Saluation of man: and therefore Hee ſet downe theſe things in write, which were ſufficient and neceſſarie for Faith and Saluation. Our Faith and Saluation was the rule and meaſure of the Lords reuelation, and not the curioſitie of vaine man: Now, if all things are written that are neceſſarie to life and Saluation, then thou who is not content with theſe thinges, but ſeekeſt other thinges, and claimes vntounto vnwritten verities, which are the fantaſies of mens braine, and cry for new miracles, What can any man thinke that that thou art doing, but ſeeking ſomething aboue and beyond eternall Life and Saluation, thou ſeekeſt but fantaſies, that thine owne head conceiteth▪ Indeede, vaine Papiſt, if thine vnderſtanding were capable, and if thy faith were able to comprehend all theſe thinges, all the doctrine and miracles that are written in the Olde and New Teſtament, thou wouldeſt hauehave ſome ſhew of reaſon to require more, to clame to vnwritten verities, and to deſire moe miracles, and I would the more willingly giuegive thee leaue to require them. But, ſeeing ſuch is the weakneſſe and infirmitie of thy Faith, and vnderſtanding, that thou art not able to comprehend theſe ſame things that are written, which farre ſurpaſſes the capacitie and vnderſtanding of man, why ſhouldeſt thou, miſerable wretch, deuiſe other thinges to thy ſelfe? Why goeſt thou about to clout and clamp to the word of God (which ſo long as we liue in this worlde, we are not able fully to attaine to) the dreames and fantaſies which thou haſt forged in thine owne braine.
Now to end ſhortly: The Euangeliſt in ſetting downe the ende wherefore theſe miracles were left in write which is, that we might beleeue in Chriſt, and get life through Him, lets vsus ſee, what are the things that chiefly we ought to beleeue of Chriſt, Theſe things, ſayes he, are written, that yee might beleeue that Christ is that Sonne of God. Theſe wordes comprehend ſummarily the ſubſtance of all theſe things, that are neceſſarie to be beleeued of Ieſus: we muſt beleeue in Ieſus, euen that Ieſus, who was borne of the Virgine Marie, who walked in Iudea, and was conuerſant among the Jewes. And what muſt we beleeue of Him? Theſe words tell vsus, we muſt beleeue two thinges of Him: Firſt, that Hee is, That Chriſt: Next, that Hee is, That Sonne of God. The firſt reſpecteth His office, the next reſpecteth His perſon: By reaſon of His office, Hee is called That Chriſt, becauſe He is annointed of God the Father, to bee our King, Prieſt and Prophet: for theſe three ſortes of perſons, Kings, Prieſtes and Prophets, vſed to bee annointed in the Olde Teſtament: In reſpect of His perſon, wee muſt beleeue that He is That Sonne of God: for as Chriſt is GOD, and the Sonne of GOD, properly Hee is a perſon, euen the ſecond perſon of the Trinitie. The nature of man that Hee aſſumed, makes not vp a part of His perſon, but was only aſſumed to the diuine perſon, and was ſo ſtraitly conjoyned and vnited to the perſon of the Sonne, that whole Chriſt, GOD and man is called but one perſon.
Now, looke what benefit we receiue by beleeuing theſe things of Ieſus: He ſayes, In beleuing we hauehave life through His Name: How comes this, that Faith in Ieſus we get life? Firſt, we flie as it were, & mount aboue, while wee come vntounto CHRIST and take holde of Him: For where the Carioun is, thither will the Eagles reſort: Next, when wee hauehave honoured Him ſo, that wee count nothing of our ſelues, while we reſt in Him by Faith, then through our Faith as a conduit He conuoyes life into our ſoules, and that not an euaniſhing life, but Eternall life, and this life is the life of God. So this life th…t we liue here by Faith, flowes firſt from the Sonne of God, and from Ieſus, as He is God, then it comes to vsus from the Sonne of God, as He is Chriſt, and annointed our King, Prieſt and Prophet, for firſt, as He was annointed to be our Prieſt by His death and ſacrifice vponupon the Croſſe, Hee merited life vntounto vsus: thereafter, as Hee was annointed to be our King, and Prophet, Hee applies powerfully and effectually vntounto vsus the benefites, which as our Prieſt Hee merited vntounto vsus by His death: for as He is our Prophet, He applies them to vsus by His teaching, & as He is our King, He appliets them to vsus by working powerfully and effectually into vsus by His Spirit. Now we ſee, what we ought to beleeue of Ieſus, & what gaine we receiue by this Faith: the gaine is very great, but the meanes to come by it, lyes not in our hands, wee are not able by our owne free will, or by the ſtrength of Nature to beleeue, fleſh and blood cannot teach vsus this Faith: for as it is true which Paul ſayes, No man can ſay, that Ieſus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, 1. Cor. Chapter 12. verſe 3. So none can beleeue, that Ieſus is that Chriſt and that Sonne of GOD, but by the ſame Holy Ghoſt, as the LORDE Himſelfe tolde Peter, after that Hee had confeſſed that Hee was the CHRIST, the Sonne of the liuing GOD: for Hee ſayes vntounto him, Bleſſed art thou, Simon the ſonne of Iona▪ for neither fleſh nor blood hath reueiled that vntounto thee, but my Father which is in Heauen, Matth. Chapter 16. verſe 17. And therefore we muſt craue continually of the LORD, that Hee would vouchſafe His Spirite on vsus, to worke Faith in our ſoules, that beleeuing in IESVS CHRIST, wee may get life and Saluation through Him: To whome with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, be all honour and praiſe, for euermore.
AMEN.