The Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, Part 2
Here followeth the hiſtorye of the Reſurrection and Aſcention of Chriſte.
ANd whē ye ſabboth day was paſt, in the euen of the Sabboth, Marye Magdalene, & Mary the mother of Iames & Salome, bought odours, that thei mighte come & embaulme him. And vpō an euening of ye ſabboths which dawneth of one of ye ſabboths, namely the fyrſte daye of the Sabbothes, when it was yet darke, they came to ſee the Sepulchre. And they came very early in the morning vpō the firſt day of the Sabbothes when the ſōne was riſen. And beholde there was a great earthquake, for the Aungel of the Lorde deſcended from heauen, & came and rolled backe the ſtone frō the dore, and ſat vponupon it: and hys countenaunce was like lyghtening, and hys raymente whyte as ſnowe, for feare of whom the kepers were aſtonyſhed, & became as deade men, And behold ſome of the kepers came into the cytie, & ſhewed vntounto ye high prieſts all the thyngs that had happened. And they gathered thē together with the elders, and tooke coū ſel & gaue money largely to the ſoldiers, ſaying, Say ye that hys diſciples came by night and ſtole him awaye when ye were a ſleape: And if this come to the preſidēts eares, we will perſwade him, & ſaue you harmles: So they tooke the money and did as they were taughte, and this ſayeng is noyſed amōgſt the Iewes vntounto thys daye. Then the women when they were on theyr way, ſayd amongeſt thēſelues, who ſhall role away the ſtone from the dore of the ſepulchre? (For it was a verye great one) and when they looked they ſaw how the ſtone was rolled awaye frō ye dore of the ſepulchre. And they wēt into the ſepulchre, but found not the body of Ieſus, but they ſaw a yonge mā, ſytting on the right hād, clothed in a white garmēt, and they were afrayed. And the aungell aunſweared and ſaid vntounto the women: Feare ye not, I know yt ye ſeke Ieſus of Nazareth which was crucified, he is riſē, he is not here, he is riſen I ſay, euen as he tolde you, come ſee the place where they layed him: But go your waies & tel his diſciples & Peter, yt he goth before you into Galiley, there ſhal ye ſe him as he ſayd vntounto you.
THe hiſtory of ye reſurrectiō of our ſauior Ieſu chriſt is painfully & moſt diligētly writē theuangeliſts, namely for ye vſe of the church. Wherin is prīcipally declared how yt hūble & deſpiſed Ieſus beīg crucified betwene thieues is glorified after his death, & to what renowm he is exalted vntounto. For neyther could deth hold him,Heb. 3. which hath aboliſhed both deth & alſo him which hath dōiniō ouer deth, & hath made thē free as many as throgh feare deth wer al their life time ſubiect to bōdage. Chriſts reſurrectiō therfore is oure lyfe & righteouſnes, which for this cauſe was diuers wayes proued by the apoſtles, namely to cōfirme our faith. For otherwiſe our fleſh doth hardly beleue the reſurrectiō of the fleſhe, which ſemeth to it ſelf impoſſible & abſurd: which may be ſene in thapoſtles whoſe wauering doubtfulnes coulde ſcarce be taken away, notwithſtand ſo many moſt euidēt demōſtratiōs god ſuffereth his ſōetimes to be tēpted & to fal, that their weaknes might be made manifeſt to thē ſelues, & alſo to others but he ceaſeth not to rayſe vp & confyrme thē by his powre, till he fully performe, & take frō them al diſtruſt. So far is he from caſting vsus away for our weakenes, that he alſo appeareth vntounto womenne, and maketh them Apoſtles of his reſurrection. For they came of louelove to the ſepulchre, partly to ſee the Sepulchre, partly to annoynte the bodye of Ieſus. The earth was moued at the death of Chryſt, to declare that it was heauy with his creator: And it is in like caſe moued at the reſurrection, deſiring gladlye to reſtore hym whome it had receaued, and as it were reioyſinge that Chriſte was riſen agayne. Moreouer the earthe was moued at the ſēding of the holy Ghoſt, to teach vsus by this figure, that by the death and reſurrection of Chriſte thorough vertue of the holy Ghoſt the whole world ſhoulde not only be moued but alſo be renewed: we learne furthermore that the councels of the vngodly agaynſt the truth are vayne, for howe ſoeuer they go aboute by lyes to extinguiſhe the truth, yet doth God bryng to paſſe, that by thoſe things which they hauehave excerciſed to oppres the truth the truth ſhall more brightly ſhyne forth: worthely therfore are ye Iewes repudiated & blinded, which do abhor ye truth, ſo that they which could not abide to be ſaued by the truth, ſhould peariſh beyng wrapped in lyes & errors. This goſpell is chieflye declared vntounto Peter, who was in moſt great he uynes, aſwel for the deth of his lorde whome he offended by denyenge of hym, as alſo for hys deniall, that he might receyue comfort and knowe that his ſynne was forgeuē hym. Furthermore chriſts reſurrectiō to a new life, doth ſtir vsus vp to newnes of lyfe, that we beyng dead to ſins mighte henſeforth liue to righteouſnes. They which doe ſtill lye and rotte in the filthyneſſe of ſinnes do declare that they hauehave not yet riſen again with Chriſt. For they which are riſen truly in Chriſte, doe ſhew forth the ſame in worthy fruites, neither doth ſinne reigne in their mortall bodye. They thincke not vponupon earthlye thinges, but their minde is vponupon heuenlye thinges aboue, where Chriſte their hed ſytteth at the righte hande of the Father.
☞And they went out quickly and fled from the Sepulchre, for they trembled, and were amaſed, neither ſayd they any thing to any man, for they were afraid: And Mary Magdalene ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other diſciple whome Ieſus loued, and ſaide vntounto them. They hauehave taken awaye my Lorde out of the graue, and we can not tell where they hauehave laied him. Peter thē went forth and that other diſciple & came to the ſepulchre: And they ran both together, & the other diſciple did out runne Peter, and came firſt to the ſepulchre. And when he had ſtowped downe, he ſawe the linnen clothes lyeng, yet went he not in. Thē came Simon Peter folowinge him and wente into the Sepulchre. And he ſawe the linnen clothes lye, and the napkin that was about his hed not lyeng with the linnen clothes, but wrapped vp in a place by it ſelf. Thē wēt in alſo that other diſciple which came firſte to the Sepulchre, and he ſawe and beleued. For as yet they knew not the ſcripture that he ſhuld riſe again from the deade. Then the diſciples went away again to theyr own howſes.Epanodus But Mary ſtode with out at the Sepulchre weping. And as ſhe was wepīg, ſhe bowed her ſelf into the ſepulchre, & ſaw two aūgels clothed in white, ſittinge the one at the heade and the other at the feete there where they hadde layed the body of Ieſus. They ſayd vntounto her woman why wepeſt thou? She ſayd vntounto them. They hauehave taken awaye my Lord, neither wot I where they hauehave layde him: When ſhe had thus ſayd, ſhe tourned her backe, and ſaw Ieſus ſtanding, and knew not that it was Ieſus: Ieſus ſayd vntounto her, woman why wepeſt thou? Whome ſeakeſt thou? She ſuppoſing hym to be a gardener, ſayed vntounto him. Syr if thou haſte borne him henſe, tel me where thou haſte layed him, and I will fetch hym. Ieſus ſayd vntounto her, Marye, Shee tourned her ſelfe and ſayed vntounto hym. Rabboni, which is to ſaye, Maiſter. Ieſus ſayd vntounto her, touch me not, for I am not yet aſcended vntounto my Father, but goe to my brotherne, and ſay vntounto them, I aſcende vntounto my Father and to youre Father, to my God and to youre God. Marye Magdalene came and tolde the diſciples, that ſhe had ſene the Lord, & had ſpoken ſuch things vntounto her: Shee tolde, I ſaye, them which were with him as thei mourned & wept. And they although they hearde that he was on liue and that ſhe had ſene him, beleued not.
THe Euangeliſtes do by many & diuers wordes beate into our heddes the reſurrection of Chriſte, that we myghte ſee that Chriſte was exalted after death, and beleue that we ſhall enter into lyfe by the death of Chryſt, and that alſo our fayth and hope myght be confirmed. Chriſt could in dede hauehave illuſtrated the harts of his diſciples wt his ſprite as ſone as he was dead, ſo yt they ſhould hauehave nothing douted of his reſurrectiō, but he loueth this doubt & weaknes in thē, to make them ſo much the more earneſt in their ſupplications vntounto God. The more a ſick man fealeth his woundes and diſeaſes, the more is he made deſirus of medicine. So lykewiſe the more we fele in our ſelues the weaknes of the fleſh, the more do we run vntounto God for ayde & the leſſe do we bragge in our owne ſtrengthe, which can doe nothing without god: when as therfore we feele oure fayth begin to fall, then hauehave we occaſion offred vsus to call vponupon God wyth continuall prayers. The prouidēce therfore of God doth by litle and litle leade the diſciples to the knowlege of the reſurrection of his ſonne till it hath fullye made them perfect. Thei ſaw the ſtone rowled a wai, thei foūd the ſepulchre empty, thep ſawe the napkins & the lynnen clothes layed aparte, the place wherin he laye, and finally the aungell teſtifyinge that he was truly riſen. And this is diligently to be marked, that the Angell ſayth that Chriſte of Nazareth whiche was crucified is not there, by which wordes theyr opinion is plainly confuted, which cōtēd to hauehave ye body of Chriſt eueryevery wher after his reſurrectiō & not in a place. For what other thing do they, then deny the verity of the humayne nature in Chriſt, and reuoke from hel Marcyons opinion. Chriſts body was not in the ſepulchre after his reſurrection, when as it appeared vntounto Marye Magdalene, neyther was it wyth the eleuen at Ieruſalē, when as it was with the two which went toward Emaus. No more can it be in the breade, when as according to the ſcriptures it was taken vp to heauē and ſetteth at the right hand of God the father. For Chriſt went from the father and came into the worlde, againe he left the world and went to the father. But he left not the worlde, in reſpecte that he is God, when as he is with vsus to the end of the world: therfore left he the worlde as concerninge his manhed, that is, he caried into heauen the body, which he toke of the virgin Mary into the glorye of the father. This is the foundation of the Catholike and Chriſtian faythe, and the hope of all the elect, which whileſt they denye or ſtirre, let them take heede, what they make of Chryſte, or howe they are to be counted for Chriſtians. Let them take heede I ſaye what foundation they ſtick vntounto. The fleſh of Chriſt alſo is glorified after his reſurrection, and yet for all that is it fleſh in deede, and putteth not of the nature of fleſh, and although it be ſpirituall, yet is it not conuerted into a ſpirite, and much leſſe into God. A ſpyrite (ſayth Chriſte) hath neyther fleſh nor bone as ye ſee me hauehave: The body therfore of Chriſt is in heauen, and not in the bread of the ſupper which coulde be neyther neceſſarye nor profitable: yea it was caried vp is heauen after the reſurrection in the ſight of the Apoſtles, which was ſo expedient for theyr fayth, which fayth they could neuer eſtablyſh by the ſuppenor by the preſence of his body glorified, but that thei alwaies wauered and doubted til ſuche time as they were confyrmed by the holy ghoſt. We muſt therefore tranſferre our minde from all corporal and viſible thing into heauen, where Chriſt ſitteth at the right hand of god, & beleue that Chriſte hath geuen his body to the death for vsus. After this ſorte is the body of Chriſt eaten, not with the teeth of the body, but by the contemplacion of fayth. For fayth in dede, which cleaueth only to God may vſe corporall things, but not as though ſaluation were bounde to thoſe things, and be deliuered to vsus thorough them, but to put in practiſe fayth and charitie. Euen ſo we cary about the bread and wine in the Supper, we diſtribute it amongeſt vsus and we eate not to merite any thing of God by the ſame as it were by a certayn worſhipping, but bycauſe by theſe outward ſignes our ſenſes are ſtirred vp, to weigh & conſider more diligentlye the grace of God geuen vsus by the death of Chriſt and to lift vp our mindes to Chriſte the bread of lyfe, which for our ſakes deſcended frō heauen. For our weakeneſſe therefore are the ſacramentes inſtituted of Chriſt, as it were certayne ſignes of the grace and beneuolence of God towardes vsus, which do ſtirre vsus vp to conſider the promiſes of God, wherein our fayth is exerciſed. For they whiche vſe theſe ſignes doe teſtifye that they hauehave fayth in the promiſes of God, and that they bee of the number of thoſe which acknowledge God for theyr God, whom they worſhip in ſpirite, in whom they truſt to whō they geue thanks, &c. And whē doth god more declare & ſhewe him ſelfe to be our God & moſt louing Father, thē when he promiſeth to geue vsus hys ſonne and alſo performeth it?Roma. viii. For how can he not geue vsus all thinges with hys ſonne? Or what can he denye whiche hath geuen vsus his only begotten Sonne?Iohn. iii. And he hath geuen him vntounto vsus, not to puniſhe and condemne vsus, as we iuſtly hauehave deſerued, but that by him we might be ſaued and hauehave euerlaſting lyfe. For he gaue him to be ours al whole, to be our righteouſneſſe, wiſedome, hollyneſſe, redemption, ſaluation and life. What a great louelove is thys, what a great grace, the eternal Sonne of God deſcendeth and taketh vponupon hym ſelfe our nature: that we being made newe by his grace, might aſcend, taking after a ſort the diuine nature. He deſcended that we creping on ye groūd might be thoroughe him tranſferred and lift vp to his glory. The Lord of al things taketh vponupon him the ſhape of a ſeruaūt, to make vsus which are by nature ſeruaunts, & oppreſſed with moſt greuous bondage, the ſonnes of God. He taketh vpō him ſelfe our weakenes to ſtrengthē vsus with his ſpirite. He is made man to tranſforme vsus by his grace in a manner into Gods. He hath communicated with vsus in fleſhe and bloude being made partaker of the ſame, that alſo the children, namely we, might hauehave euerlaſting fellowſhip with him. In fine, he would be made like to hys brethren in al thyngs,Hebr. 3. that we myghte ſee that we hauehave a mercifull and faythfull high prieſte to doe all thoſe thinges which we hauehave to do with God, which maketh ſatiſfaction by his bloude for all our ſinnes. He hath taken vponupon hym ſelfe all that is ours, to participate vntounto vsus what ſo euer he him ſelfe is and hath. And thys is it which he ſayeth to Magdalene, I aſcende to my Father and your father, my God and your God. See what a louelove the father hath geuē vsus, both to be named and to be the Sonnes of God.i. Iohn. iii For the which cauſe he is not aſhamed to cal vsus brethren, ſaying, God to my brethren, &c. For his ſpirite beareth witnes to our ſpirit that we are the ſōnes of God. For we hauehave not receaued a ſpirite of bondage to be affeard,Roma. viii. but the ſpirite of Adoption, by the which we crye Abba Father. God therefore is our Father and our God, and we are hys children, with whom he hath made a new couenaunte, and confyrmed it by the bloud of hys Sonne, that we might nowe hauehave fellowſhip & mutuall perticipacion with the father & hys ſōne Ieſus Chriſt. Theſe benefites ſo great and moſt ample are geuen vntounto vsus of God,ii. Cor. iii. i. Cor. xiii. but they are receaued of vsus only by faith (which ſelfe fayth is alſo the gifte of God) and are felt inwardly in ſpirite. For as yet we doe not beholde the glorye of the Lorde with open face (for partlye we knowe and perceaue by a glaſſe in a riddell) and it hath not yet appeared what we ſhall be, which is done to our profit, yt the father ſhould not make vsus fully perfecte whileſt we liue in this fleſhe, but doth geue vsus the knowledge and fruition of him ſelfe by certain degrees, that we might learne to think humblye of oure ſelues, & to walke before oure heauenly father in the feare of God, and to depend al wholly vpō him, we are therfore made ſafe, but yet in hope, whiche hope is not nowe ſene fullye otherwiſe it ſhoulde be no hope (for how can a man hope for the ſame thing that he ſeeth?Roma. viii.) Therefore we wayte for yt by pacience which we ſee not but onelyonly beleue & hope for. Let vsus be exerciſed in the meane time vnderunder ye croſſe, & ſo ſhal we continually be made perfect by his ſpirit being hated & oppreſſed in ye world that we may the ſoner aſpire vntounto our father & be very deſirous to come to our heauenly coū trey.Heb 13. Titus. ii. We are ſtraūgers in this world, we hauehave here no abiding citie, but we looke for one to come, wayting for that bleſſed hope & appearīg of the glory of the great God, & our ſauior Ieſus Chriſt.i. Iohn. iii ii. Cor. iii. And we knowe that whē he appeareth, we ſhal be like vntounto him, bycauſe we ſhal ſee him as he is and we al repreſenting the glorye of the lord in a glaſſe wt vncouered face, are tranſformed into the ſame Image, frō glory to glorye, as it were by the ſpirite of the Lorde. This is ſignified & ſhewed before, as it were in a certayn figure, in that Chriſt openeth him ſelfe after his reſurrection by litle & litle, & leaſurely by certain degrees, as we ſee in the women, in the trauellers of Emaus, & in the diſciples. Sometime he appeareth in the forme of a ſtraūger & holdeth their eyes that thei knew him not, ſometime he talketh with Marye in forme of a gardener, ſometime he ſendeth hys Aungell vntounto them, ſometime he offreth hym ſelfe to be ſene and handled openly, & ſometyme he forbiddeth them to handle him, & ſometime he appeareth at Ieruſalem, & ſometime in Galile, till he openly aſcended into heauen al doubt ſet aſyde they loking vponupon him, & ſent his ſpirite fully vntounto them from aboue. So God oftentimes deferreth and will not be ſene by and by, and being called vponupon ſendeth not ſuccoure ſtrayght waye, that our hartes mighte be kindled more & more & our fayth ſhine forth more brighte. Who vnderſtandeth not that Mary Magdalene was pulled away frō Chriſt with an euil wil whē as he ſent her to the Apoſtels. For vndoubtedly ſhee woulde hauehave gladlier abiden longer with Chriſt, & ſatiated her minde with the contemplacion & fruition of him: But it was more neceſſary to ſerue her neyghbor, that that ioye, and ſo wonderfull comfort ſhuld alſo be brought to the Apoſtles. Whereby we learne that we can not fully hauehave the commoditie of the contemplacion of the Godhead whilſt we liue here, but we had neede to ſerue oure neighbour by charitie. Paule acknowledging thys writeth vntounto the Philippians after thys ſorte, What to choſe I knowe not,Phillip. i. for I am conſtrayned of theſe two thinges, I deſire to be looſed, and to be with Chriſt, which is much and farre better. Neuertheleſſe to abide in the fleſhe is more nedefull for you.
And the woman entred into the ſepulchre & found not the body of ye Lord Ieſus: And it happened as thei wer amaſed therat, behold two mē ſtode by thē in ſhining garments: And as they were affrayed, & bowed downe theyr faces to the earth, thei ſaid vntounto them: why ſeeke ye the liuyng among the dead: He is not here, but is riſen. Remember howe he ſpake vntounto you, wen he was yet in Galile ſaying, That the ſōne of mā muſt be deliuered into the hands of ſinneful men, & be crucified, & the thirde daye riſe agayn. And they remembred his words & returned frō the ſepulchre, & tolde al theſe thinges to the eleuen & to al the reſt. And as they wer going to tel it to the diſciples, beholde Ieſus met thē, ſaying Al hayle. And they came & held him by the fete and worſhipped him. Then ſayed Ieſus vntounto thē, be not affeard: Go tell my brethren, that they go into Galile & there they ſhall ſee me. And it was Mary Magdalene, & Ioanna & others that were with them whiche tolde the Apoſtles theſe things. And their words ſemed vntounto them fained things, neither beleued they them.
DIuerſe wayes doth Chriſte (as I hauehave ſayd before) declare that he is riſen from death in deede, but yet to thoſe, oute of whoſe hartes the feare of the croſſe had not altogether ſhakē of Chriſt, & which ſought hym with a feruent fayth. Charitie is diligent & neuer ceaſſeth, they go often to one place & looke againe being deſirous to ſerue Chriſt: Whoſe feruentnes doth put to ſhame our ſluggiſhnes. They ſeke one abſent, being very deſirous of him, we eyther diſdayne Chriſt being preſente in the poore, or els we thinke ſcorne to beſtowe a litle of our money vponupon thē. They ſpare no laboure nor coſte, we are ſo addicted to thinges that we can let thē go empty away. The Lord therefore doth not fruſtrate the deſire of theſe godly womē, but meteth thē, ſaluteth thē frendly, & offreth him ſelfe to be felte of thē, finallye he comforteth them. All theſe things are done, that their weake faith might be ſtrengthened. Let vsus not doubt therefore at all, but that the Lord wil be with vsus and comfort vsus, whē we are in afflictions and temptacions. So that we ſeke the lord and ceaſe not till we fynde hym.
And behold two of them went the ſame day to a caſtle called Emaus whiche was about threſcore furlongs diſtant frō Ieruſalē. And thei talked betwene thē of al theſe things yt had happened And it came to paſſe as thei were in talking and reaſoning together: Ieſus alſo him ſelfe drewe nere & went with them, but theyr eyes were holden that they knew him not. And he ſaid vntounto thē, what manner of talke is thys whiche ye hauehave together as ye walke, and be ſo ſad? And one of them aunſwered whoſe name was Cleophas, and ſayd vntounto him. Arte thou only a ſtraunger in Ieruſalem and knoweſt not the things that are happened there in theſe dayes? To whom he anſwered, what thinges? And they ſayd vntounto him, of Ieſus of Nazareth, whiche was a Prophete, mighty in dede and word before god and al the people: And how the high prieſts and our rulers deliuered him to be condemned to death and hauehave crucifyed hym. But we hoped that it had bene he whiche ſhoulde redeme Iſraell: And nowe as touching al theſe thynges, this is the thyrde day ſince theſe thyngs are done: yea and certayne women alſo of our company amaſed vsus, which came to the ſepulchre before daye lyghte, & finding not hys body, came and ſayed, that they had ſeene a viſion of Aungels, which ſayed that he is on lyue. And ſome of them whiche were with vsus went vntounto the ſepulchre, and founde it euen ſo, as the women had ſaide, but him they ſaw not.
THe ſame daye, namely in the which the Lord had riſen,Luke. 10. two of theſe ſeuenty diſciples whom the Lorde whē he was yet liuing had choſen, wente forth: It appeareth that theſe diſciples woulde hauehave fled for feare, namelye of the perſecution, which they ſuppoſed to be at hande. This hiſtorye alſo teacheth that it was true which Chriſt promiſed, namely that he would be preſente euen there where as but twoe were gathered togethers in his name. God is alwayes preſent with his, yea & then when they think leaſt, he putteth them in memorye of him ſelfe, telleth them what counſel is beſt to take, & manifeſteth him ſelfe vntounto them. More ouer he ſpeaketh outwardlye by his word, by his ſacramēts, and finally by all his creatures, to ſtirre vp and prouoke vsus to praiſe him. God therfore is alwayſe and eueryevery where preſēt with vsus an arbiter & a beholder not onelyonly of all our woorkes, but alſo of our thoughtes. This teacheth vsus to liue honeſtly with feare and great reuerēce before him. For if we be aſhamed to commite vile thinges whē men behold vsus, how much more ought we to be aſhamed to committe any ſuch thing in Gods ſyghte? The preſence therefore of god doeth euerye where admoniſhe vsus to abſtaine from ſinnes: we hoped (ſaye they) that it had beene he whiche ſhoulde hauehave redemed Iſraell. By theſe wordes maye be gathered, that there was then a ſolempne and famous opinyon amonge the Iewes, as touchynge Meſſias the king, which ſhould redeame them and renewe theyr kingdome. For ſuch a one had they promiſed thē, eueri where both in the law & the prophetes: But they applied al that to acertein tēporal kingdome & carnall ſetting at liberty: although our Iewes nowe a dayes deny that there was a Meſſias promiſed, whē as neuer theleſſe the Scribes aunſweared the wyſe menne whyche ſoughte Chriſte, that he ſhoulde be borne in Bethelem, and that by the prophecy of Michea. Their fayth is weake & feable, but not altogether extinguiſhed, they talked of Ieſus, they deſyred hym feruentlye. Chriſt therfore ioyneth hym ſelfe with them, & fyrſt diſſēbleth, neyther openeth he hym ſelfe by & by vntounto thē, to make thē cōfes with their owne mouth their weakenes: And then at the laſt he declareth vntounto them the ſcriptures, and nouriſheth and kindleth that little ſparke of fyre which was ſo depely hiddē in them, which they alſo themſelues confeſſe, ſayinge, did not our hartes burne within vsus while he talked with vsus. The word muſt be added vntounto thoſe which are yet in doubte of their faythe, accordynge to the example of Chriſte, by the whych worde fayth is encreaſed like as fire is when wod is put vntounto it. But there muſte firſte be a fayth, thoughe it be neuer ſo ſmall, otherwiſe it is done in vaine, to put wod to the fire, that is, it is to no purpoſe to preache the worde of God to an infidele. And whereas the faythful do willingly heare the worde of God, it can not be choſen, but that the mynde ſhalbe illuſtrate and kindled by the ſpirite of God.
☞And he ſayed vntounto them O fooles & ſlowe of harte to beleue all that the prophets hauehave ſpoken: Oughte not Chriſt to hauehave ſuffered theſe things, and to enter into his glory? And he began at Moyſes and all the proprophetes & enterpreted vntounto them in al the ſcriptures which wer written of him, and they drew nye vntounto the caſtle which thei went vntounto, and he made as thoughe he would hauehave gone farther. And they conſtrayned hym ſayinge, abyde wyth vsus for it draweth toward nyght, and the day is farre ſpent. And he went in to tarye with them. And it came to paſſe as he ſat wyth them, he tooke bread and bleſſed, & brake & gaue to them: and their eyes wer opened, and they knewe him, and he vaniſhed out of their ſighte. And they ſaide betwene them ſelues, did not our harts burn within vsus, while he talked wyth vsus by the way and opened vntounto vsus the ſcriptures? and thei roſe vp the ſame howre, & returned back again to Ieruſalem, and found the eleuen gathered to gether, and them that were with them, which ſaid The Lord is riſen in deede and hath appeared to Symon: And they tolde what thinges were done in the way, and how he was knowen by the breaking of the bread.
CHriſte nouriſheth their faith, althogh it be but weake, but firſt he rebuketh them, to make them more attentiue: He ſhaketh awaye the drowſines and forgetfulneſſe, of the fleſhe, that they mighte geue attentiue hede to thoſe things which the ſcriptures witneſſe of him and draweth forth the ſpirite which ſpeaketh in the ſriptures. But the places which Chriſte broughte out of the lawe and Prophetes, are not here lefte oute withoute the prouidence of God (although they be here and there mencioned afterwarde by the Apoſtles) to make vsus more diligently to ſearch thē, whē as we heare, that the ſcriptures beare witnes of Chriſt. For ſo ſayth Iohn in the v. Chapiter. Search the ſcripturs, for in thē you think ye hauehave eternall life, and they are they whiche teſtifye of me. Yf ye had beleued Moyſes, ye woulde hauehave beleued me alſo, for he wrote of me. He therefore which will confyrme the weake ones in faythe, and comforte them whiche be heauye and faynte harted muſte bringe the holye ſcriptures, for the woorde of God is the meate & lyfe of the ſoule. And the ſriptures doe teſtifye two thinges of Chriſte, fyrſt how he was humbled, & throwne downe for vsus and what he alſo ſuffered for our ſakes: Secondlye what greate glory he was exalted vntounto after his paſſiō: that we might alſo learn &. ſtedfaſtly beleue ye Chriſte ſuffered for vsus to make ſatiſfaction for our ſinnes. And then that he roſe again for our iuſtificatiō, that we might beleue Chriſt to be our righteouſnes, and that our life is reſtored vntounto vsus by Chriſte, when as we hope we ſhal ariſe again to eternal life. But we muſt take hede in ye meane time which waye we may come to this life, namely by the croſſe and denial of our ſelfe. For it is not lawful for vsus to go by any other way to the inheritaunce of the heauenlye glorye, then that waye which the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God wente. And it behoued Chriſte to ſuffer and ſo for to enter into his glory: he that doth not diligently weigh this, is a foole & ſlow of harte, and let him deſire of god to open his mynd in the holy ſcriptures: This is alſo to be noted, that repentance and forgeuenes muſt be preached onelyonly in the name of Chriſt: but he meaneth by repentaunce and forgeuenes of ſins the Goſpell. For the partes of the goſpell are repentance & forgeuenes of ſinnes. For ſaluation gotten by Chriſt hath many names, and ſometimes it is called but by one of the names, and that by the figure where one part is put for the whole,Synechdoche▪ as maye appeare by the actes of the Apoſtles. He whych doth not acknowledge him ſelfe to be a ſynner, can not be able to receaue forgeuenes, neyther can he be deſyrous of ſaluation by Chriſt. But he which feeleth and aknowledgeth his diſeaſe, he I ſay runneth gredelye to Chriſt the Phiſition of the ſoules, & there doth vncouer and laye forth his diſeaſe. True faith reioyſeth to communicate vntounto other ſuche thynges as it hath receaued and therfore they returne ſtreightway to tel the other rheir new ioyes.
❧Whileſt they ſpake theſe things (and it was the ſame day at nighte which was the firſt day of the Sabaoths, & the dores wer ſhut, where the diſciples were aſſēbled together for feare of the iewes) came Ieſus, & ſtode in the middeſt of them, and ſayed vntounto them. Peace be vntounto you: And they were abaſhed and affearde, and ſuppoſed that they had ſene a ſpirite, and he ſayd vntounto them: why are ye troubled, and why do thoughtes ariſe in your hartes: And agayne he ſayd vntounto them: peace be vntounto you: and when he had thus ſpoken, he ſhewed vntounto them hys handes and hys ſyde, and therwythall ſayed,Luke ſaieth his handes and feete. behold my handes and my fete, that it is euen I my ſelfe, handle me and ſee, for a ſpyryte hath not fleſhe and bones, as ye ſee me hauehave. Then were the dyſciples gladde, when they ſaw the Lorde, and whyle they yet beleued not for ioye and wondered, he ſayd vntounto them, hauehave ye here anye meate? (For he appeared vntounto the eleuen as they ſatte at meate, & caſt in their teeth their vnbelief, and hardnes of harte, becauſe they beleued not them whyche had ſeene that he was riſen agayn) And they offred him a pyece of broyled fyſhe, and a piece of an honye combe, & he tooke it, and did eate it in theyr ſyghtes.
WE ſee againe how Chriſt according to his promyſe is preſent with his which are aſſembled & gathered together in hys name For feare cauſeth them not to be the leſſe beloued of Chriſte. And euen in the faythfull there is a feare & dread, but they which are ſtronger in ſpirite ought to erect thoſe vp. For that is it which Chriſt ſayth, ye ſhall hauehave oppreſſion in the world, but in me peace. There ſhalbe alwayes men therefore which ſhal perſecute the iuſt, ſo that the fleſh which is in them ſhal neuer be without dread & complaint. But yet the godly perſiſt in ye wil of God, til it be the lords pleaſure to delyuer them, how ſo euer the fleſh in the meane tyme do ſtruggle and complaine. But what nede had ye glorified body of meate? He eateth not to refreſh his body, and he vſeth not this corporall meate for neceſſitye, but to declare vntounto his the veritie of humayn nature in him: He eateth not therfore for him ſelfe but for his Apoſtles. So let vsus alſo doe thoſe thinges which ſerue for ye edifieng of our neighbors, although there be no neceſſitye for vsus to do them. For we oughte to lyue and ſerue not our ſelues but our neighbours.
❧But Thomas one of the twelue, which is called Didimus was not with them, when Ieſus came, The other diſciples therfore ſaid vntounto hī, we hauehave ſene the Lorde, but he ſaid, excepte I ſe in his hands the printe of the nailes, and put my finger into the printe of the nailes, & thruſte … And after eyghte dayes agayne hys Diſciples wer within, and Thomas with them, then came Ieſus when the dores were ſhutte, and ſtoode in the middeſt and ſayd, peace be vntounto you. After that he ſayd vntounto Thomas, bring thy finger hither, and ſee my hands & reache hither thy hande and thruſt it into my ſide, and be not faithleſſe but beleuing. Thomas anſwered and ſayd vntounto him, my Lord and my God. Ieſus ſayd vntounto him: Thomas bycauſe thou haſt ſene mē, thou haſt beleued, bleſſed are they yt hauehave not ſene and yet hauehave beleued: And many other thinges did Ieſus in the ſight of hys Diſciples whiche ar not writtē in this boke. But theſe things are writtē yt ye might beleue ye Ieſus is the Sonne of God, & that in beleuing ye mighte hauehave life thorough hys name.
IN that Iohn ſaith that Thomas was not wt thē, & Luke mencioneth of eleuen, this may be holpē by the figure of Synechdoche. For although Thomas was not preſente with thē bodily, yet his minde was with thē, neither was he ſeperated frō thē as Iudas was, ſo that he was of the number of the eleuen, vntounto the whiche Luke had a reſpecte. Iohn the Euangeliſte teſtifieth that the dores wer ſhut and that Ieſus entred in when the dores wer ſhut: Neyther for al thys doth this abſurditie and impoſſibilitie follow, which ſome do gather by this place, namely that the bodye of Chriſte did penetrate the ſubſtāce of the woode, or was together with the woode in one and the ſelfe place, For the glorified bodye can by no other reaſon entre. The Sonne entreth through the glaſſe, and a voyce thorough a dore, and yet it followeth not that two bodyes are both in one place. This is not done raſhely and withoute Gods prouidence, namely that Thomas who was very hard of beliefe was not wt the reaſt of the Apoſtles when he appeared, and that he obſtinately gaineſayth his fellowes which told him they had ſene the Lorde. For Chriſt vſed yt incredulitie of Thomas to ſupport our faith withal, that ye veritie of his reſurrectiō might the more manifeſtly be knowē. And the weake fayth of Thomas beareth ſtronger witnes of hys reſurrection, then doth the eaſye & quicke beliefe of Magdalene. So the Lorde knoweth how to vſe our naughtineſſe to hys glorye and our ſaluation. Fayth is the gifte of God & no man can beleue, except it be geuen him of god. Here may therfore be gathered three ſortes of men out of this preſent hiſtorie: Iudas, Peter and Thomas. Iudas is a treacherer and a runnegate, which betrayeth an innocente. Peter denyeth and ſweareth. Thomas doubteth and obſtinately gayneſayeth. Here we learne firſte that there is a greate difference and certayne degrees in ſinnes. No man ſurely liueth without fault, & all we are ſinners, but one ſinneth more heynouſly then an other. We muſte take hede therefore, that we may dye daily vntounto ſinnes, and that we may be regenerated into new men, and if it ſo be that we can not beware of all ſinnes, yet let vsus take hede, frō the worſt ſinnes. If we be ſorye and weepe with Peter, God wil looke backe vponupon vsus and be merciful vntounto vsus. If we doubt and wauer in fayth, Let vsus not forſake the church: Let vsus not cut a ſunder the vnitie, neyther let vsus ſeperate our ſelues frō our brethren, and the Lord wil appeare vntounto vsus, as he dyd vntounto Thomas, and will ſtrengthen our weakenes. But let vsus beware of couetouſneſſe, miſbeliefe and treaſon, that we moſt vilely periſhe not with Iudas, The weakeneſſe and doubting of Peter and Thomas profited very much for this cauſe, that we might learne to acknowledge our weakenes & the power of God.1. Cor. 1. Conſider brethren (ſayeth Paule) your vocation, that there be not many wiſe as concerning the fleſhe called, nor many mighty or borne of a noble kinred, but god hath choſen the foliſhe things to the world, to put to ſhame the wyſe, &c. That no fleſh ſhould boaſt before hym, & that it might not ſeeme to be our power but Gods power, that we … boaſte that men w…re chaunged … learning, or by our own w ſdome … yt we might acknowledge the … benefite of God & the opera… of … Moreouer from hence may argumēts be takē for the confyrmation of our Chriſtian fayth. If any man woulde doubt of the Chriſtian fayth or woulde affyrme it to be but a deceite & a colluſion, as dyd Porphyrius and Symmachus moſt wicked blaſphemers of Chriſtian Religion. For if the doctrine of Chriſt had bene but a guyle, then Iudas would neuer hauehave repented him of his betraying, he woulde nothing hauehave bene aſhamed to hauehave returned to the reaſte of the Apoſtles, he had nothing neded to hauehave reſtored the money and to ſaye, I hauehave ſinned againſt Innocente bloude. For thieues & ſuche as be wicked although they fall out ſomtimes among them ſelues, yet are they ſone agreed agayne, and they renewe theyr frendſhip. But Iudas dareth not retourne agayne to the Apoſtles, but being in deſpayre hāgeth him ſelfe, And what nede had Peter to hauehave wept ſo bitterly, neyther would he alſo hauehave retourned to the Apoſtles if his conſcience had accuſed hym of any guile? But he was deſirous of the truth and a louer of righteouſneſſe: and Thomas followed that which is iuſt, good and righte, how ſo euer he wauered. In that Peter therfore is vexed, in that Thomas ſeketh & earneſtlye requireth greater tokens, it is a moſt ſtronge argument that the doctrine and religiō of Chriſt is true and cleaueth to the truth & not to coullours or guile. The truth which thei ſee & find in Chriſt, draweth them to laboure ſo diligently, to come into his fauour againe. The nature & condition of a glorified bodye ſuffreth not to be touched or to be felte, but the Sauiour and louer of ſoules ſuccoureth ſuche as are weake in fayth. He offreth him ſelfe therfore to be hā dled and felte of them, to confyrme in them the fayth of his reſurrection. Thomas is not vtterly vnfaythful, but onelyonly doubteth of the reſurrection. Chriſt therfore ſheweth vntounto them the printes and ſkarres of his woundes, that thei might ſee it was the ſame body which was crucified on the croſſe, and to declare vntounto thē that he was truly riſē frō ye dead to a new life, and that with the ſame bodye. As though he would ſay, beholde and knowe that euen I, I ſay, which ſuffered and was crucified for you, am truly riſen againe frō yt dead, that ye might beleue alſo that your bodies ſhal ariſe agayne. This doth Paule vrge when he ſaith. If thou ſhalt confeſſe the Lorde Ieſus with thy mouth and ſhalt beleue in thy harte,Rom. x. that God rayſed hī vp frō the dead, thē ſhalt thou be ſaued. And againe if the ſpirit which hath raiſed vp Ieſus from the dead, do dwell in you,F then he whiche hath raiſed Chriſt frō the dead wil quickē alſo your mortall bodies thorough his ſpirite inhabiting in you. Let vsus learne alſo of our head, to receaue, noriſh, & paciently to beare with the weake ones in fayth. My lord & my god. This is the confeſſion of a perfecte & true fayth. As though he would ſay, Now I know that yu art god in dede, whē as yu haſt riſen agayne frō the dead, yu at the laſt oughteſt to be my God, forgeue me my incredulitie, &c. Bleſſed are they which hauehave not ſene & yet beleue, namely yt doe not ſee me corporally preſēt. As though he wold ſay: I wil not alwaies offer my ſelf to be hādled of eueryevery body, I wil take away this carnal preſence, I muſte be handled & touched by fayth. Bleſſed therfore are they which although they ſee not my body to hauehave riſē agayne, as yu doeſt, & which doe not handle it but yet beleue in the meane time that I am verely riſē. For Chriſt ſpeaketh of the preſent occaſiō ▪ & continueth his argument of his reſurrection, otherwiſe what ſo euer a mā ſaw not & beleued ſhould be faith. This I ſpeake bycauſe of thoſe which wreſte the words of Chriſt to the ſacrament of the holy ſupper, & will proue by theſe words yt theyr fayth is better whiche beleue that the bodye of Chriſt is in the bread, thē theirs is which ſaye that the bread is but a ſigne of the body. They marke not that Chriſt ſpeaketh not here of the holy ſupper, but to fortifie the faith of the reſurrettion. He that beleueth that Chriſt was crucified & that he alſo aroſe againe, this man is bleſſed, although he ſee it not with his corporal eyes as Thomas dyd. Otherwiſe there ſhould be two wayes to ſaluatiō. One to beleue that Chriſt ſuffred for vsus & roſe agayne, & an other to beleue that the body of Chriſt is in the bread But there is none whiche vnderſtandeth not how great an abſurditie this is & not agreable to fayth. Here is alſo to be noted that in theſe wordes, bicauſe yu haſt ſene me thou alſo beleueſt, this word beleue is here takē not proprely but improprely.Heb. 11. For that which a mā ſeeth, the ſame he beleueth not. For Paule ſaith that fayth is the ſubſtance & certeinty of an inuiſible thing. Fayth therefore is here takē for experience, & to beleue, For to try. And many other ſignes did Ieſus, &c. As though Iohn would ſaye, I hauehave diligently ſet forth and writtē the actes of Chriſt, although not al: for who cā do that? Neuertheleſſe thoſe thinges whiche are writtē are ſufficient for oure ſaluation, namely ſuch thinges as pertaine to the Godhed & humaine nature of Chriſt, to his doctrine & miracles, & finally what ſo euer pertayneth to the true fayth, whereby we are ſaued, and alſo to obtaine euerlaſting life. He which beleueth not theſe things which are left, neither woulde he beleue other things if they ſhoulde be written. Theſe things therfore ſuffice the beleuers neither ſeeke they for any more thinges. For the which cauſe ſuche thinges as the Euangeliſte teſtifieth to be writtē for our ſaluatiō muſt bee red and marked of vsus with greate reuerence & earneſt ſtudye: Let vsus daye & night be conuerſaunt in theſe things & meditating of thē, that our fayth may be ſupported, that our hope may be eſtabliſhed, charitie may be kindled, paciēce exerciſed obedience, modeſtie, & all other good ſpirituall giftes aduaunced. But they be fooles yea and vngodly, whiche go aboute to proue by theſe wordes, that it is lawful for theſe Popes to deuiſe and imagen certayne other thynges of their owne heade, to fill vp the place of ſuch thinges as are here lefte oute. For Iohn the Euaungeliſte hath in briefe comprehended the whole ſome of Chriſtian Religion, namelye that Chriſte is the true Sonne of GOD which for our ſaluatiō came downe from heauen, and was dead and roſe agayne, and prepared for vsus eternall life: what can they adde to theſe thynges?
¶Afterward did Ieſus ſhewe him ſelfe againe at the ſea of Tiberias, and on this wiſe ſhewed he him felfe. There were together Simō Peter, & Thomas whiche is called Didimus and Nathanaell of Cana in Galile, and the ſonnes of Zebedei & two others of hys Diſciples. Simon Peter ſayd vntounto them, I goe on fiſhyng: They ſayd vntounto him, we will alſo go with thee. They went forth & entred immediatly into a ſhip, and that nyght they caught nothing. But when the morning was nowe come, Ieſus ſtoode on the ſhore, neuertheleſſe the Diſciples knew not that it was Ieſus. Ieſus ſayd vntounto them, Childrē hauehave ye any meate? Thei aunſwered him, no. And he ſayd vntounto them, caſt out the nette on the right ſide of the ſhip and ye ſhal finde. They caſt out therfore, and anon they were not able to drawe it for the multitude of fiſhes. Then ſayd that Diſciple whō Ieſus loued vntounto Peter, It is the Lorde? When Symon Peter heard yt it was the lord, he girded his coate vntounto him, for he was naked, & ſprāg into ye ſea. The other diſciples came by ſhip, for they wer not far frō lād, but as it wer two hundred cubites, and they drew the net with fiſhes. Aſſone then as they were come to land, they ſaw hote coales and fyſhe layd theron, and breade: Ieſus ſayde vntounto them, bring of the fiſhes which ye hauehave now caughte. Simon Peter went vp and drewe the net to lande ful of great fyſhes an hundred fiftye and three: And for all there were ſo many, yet brake not the net. Ieſus ſayd vntounto them, come and dine. And none of the diſciples durſt aſke hym to ſay, who art thou? For they knew that it was the lord. Ieſus thē came and tooke the bread and gaue them, and fyſhe lykewyſe. Thys is nowe the thyrde tyme that Ieſus ſhewed hym ſelfe to his dyſciples, after that he was riſen agayn from the deade.
THe nyer the Lord draweth to his aſcention, the more he prepareth the mindes of his diſciples to the office which they ſhould hauehave to doe, eſtabliſhing firſt the thee certeinty of hys reſurrection: he had called thē vntounto him before from fiſhing, that they mighte alſo catche men by the preaching of the word: He putteth thē againe in remembraunce of thinges doone before, and ſtirreth them vp by a newe myracle, to remembre to what an office they were appoynted, and what fruite they ſhoulde bringe therby, and that not by their owne power, but by the powre of God: For they had taken nothinge before Chriſte appeared vntounto them. All our labour is in vaine, where as the operation of the holy Ghoſt and powre of Gods word is not annexed: And what ſoeuer we ſhall take, what fruicte ſo euer ſhall come of our preaachinge, that all whole oughte to be aſcribed to the benefite of the Lorde: Let vsus acknowledge that the Lorde was with vsus and gaue the ſucces. Let vsus bring ſiſh, that is men being caught by the net of the Goſpel, out of the tempeſteous ſea, & that not to our ſelues but vntounto the Lord. In the meane time is ſhadowed the multitude of the gentiles which ſhould be drawen vntounto Chriſt by the Apoſtles: And this is a very trim ſimilitude of the net to the church, as Chriſt teacheth in the xiii. of Mathew.
❧Then when they had dynied, Ieſus ſayed vntounto Symon Peter, Simon loueſte thou mee more then theſe? He ſayed vntounto him, yea Lorde, thou knoweſt that I louelove thee, he ſayed vntounto him, fede my lambes: And he ſayed vntounto him agayn, Simon Ioanna, Loueſt thou me? He ſayd vntounto him: Yea Lord thou knowſt that I louelove thee: He ſayd vntounto him: Fede my ſhepe: And he ſayd vntounto him the thyrd time. Symon Ioanna, loueſt thou me? Peter was ſory becauſe he ſayd vntounto him the third time, loueſt thou me. And he ſayd vntounto hī. Thou knoweſt all thinges, thou knoweſt that I louelove thee: Ieſus ſayed vntounto him, fede my ſhepe.
HEre is opened in Peter the boſom of gods mercy to ſinners, who when he had fallen heynouſely, is for al that fullye reſtored again by the Lord, ſo far is Chriſt frō reiectyng of him, that he cōmitteh him to fede his lambs Let no man therefore diſpayre but gette him to Chriſte the pledge of grace: A treble confeſſion is oppoſed to a treble deniall. And therwithal is preſcribed in a figure a certaine ordre for the paſtors of the Churche of Chriſte, which they muſt followe, namely for the louelove of Chriſte to fede his ſhepe. Peter is conſecrated of new by the grace of Chriſt to ye office of an Apoſtle, frō ye which he worthely fel in denying through his own folly, that grace might exceade where ſin had abounded. Chriſt requireth charitye of his miniſters,Rom. 5. 2. Tim. 1. which charitye is thend and marke of al lawes & precepts. Out of the louelove of God ſpringeth the louelove to our neighbor. That harte which will preach Chriſte vntounto others oughte to burn in louelove. For if the fire of charity do not burne within, all other thinges which he ſhall ſpeake and do wilbe but cold and ſlēder. They ought to hauehave a certeyn zeale to aduaunce the glorye of God, and the health of theyr neighbors, which when as the moſt parte of the miniſters want, it is no meruel though they profyte ſo little. For when charity waxeth colde, then muſt nedes a heape of all wickednes folow. Hereof cometh ſo great idlenes, negligēce and ſluggiſhnes, this is the cauſe whye the lawes of maieſtrates are ſo little eſtemed, thys is the cauſe alſo that ſo manye wicked deedes ſpread abrode,Oſey. 4. Eſay 58. and bloude toucheth bloude, bicauſe (as the prophet ſaith) they be hipocrites, I will not ſaye wolues, which doe poſſeſſe the rome of paſtours, and when as they oughte to thunder with a moſte loude voyce againſt the vices of princes, maieſtrats, and of the people, they are dombe dogges,Eſay. 56. ſeking their own and not thoſe thinges whiche belonge to Ieſus Chryſt. And certeine prynces adioyn vntounto thē ſelues ſuche teachers, namely thoſe princes whoſe eares itch, turning them away from the truth and harkening vntounto fables they adioyne vntounto them ſuch doctours namely as will flatter their affectiōs,2. Tim. 4. and they ſuffer them gentlye and learnedly to talke & reaſon of the goſpell, ſo longe as they touche not the ſore & boile wherof they are ſick. They winck therfore at certaine moſt vile thinges which are cōmitted of thoſe princes neyther dare they rebuke thē accordynge to theyr Apoſtolicall authority and chriſtian libertye. How wany is there now of dayes of thoſe which preach the goſpel in princes courts, ether to thoſe which hauehave the chief gouernment of thinges,Eſay. 1. that will exalte theyr voyce like a trōpet, and ſay with the prophet: The princes ar fellowes of thieues, traytors, vnfaythful contemners of the glory of god, of true religion and of Common iuſtice? They game, they goe a whorynge, they ſet all their mynde to fill the belye, and the meane time all Iuſtice decayeth. The turk poſſeſſeth the lāds of Chriſtian religion, whilſt they be at variāce one with an other like a frogge and a mouſe, and whileſt they cocker their filthy appetites: Rioting and pride with all kinde of concupiſcence, do not only reygn in city and court, but alſo there be very few which ſet them ſelues a braſen wal agaynſt them and mend agayne the breach of the hedge:Ieremy. 1 Ezechiel 22 Let theſe men remember what louelove they beare to Chryſt and alſo conſider how great a treaſor is committed to their keaping, namely a flock gotten by the bloud of Chriſt.Math. 24. Let them diligentlye weigh with what puniſhment the Lord wyl punyſh the vnfaith full miniſters when he retourneth to take accompt: he wil cut him in twayne (ſaith Chriſt) and put his parte with hipocrites
Verely verely I ſay vntounto the: whē thou waſt young, thou girdeſt thy ſelf & diddeſt walke whither thou wouldeſt, but when thou art olde, thou ſhalt ſtretche forth thi hādes, & an other ſhal gird the & lead thee whither thou wouldſt not. And this he ſpake ſignifing by what death he ſhould glorifye God, & when he had ſpoken this, he ſayd vntounto hī, folow me: Peter turned about, & ſaw that diſciple, whō Ieſus loued, following, who alſo leaned on his breſt at ſupper, & had ſaid: lord which is he yt betrayeth thee? when Peter therfore ſaw him, he ſaid to Ieſus, lord what ſhal this man do? Ieſus ſaid vntounto him: If I wil hauehave him tary til I come, what is that to thee? Folow thou me. Then went this ſaieng abrode amōg the brethern that yt diſciple ſhuld not dy, yet Ieſus ſaid not to hī, he ſhal not die, but if I wil yt he tary til I cōe, what is yt to thee? The diſciple is he which beareth witnes to theſe things, & wrote theſe things, & we know yt his witnes is tru. Ther ar alſo many other things which Ieſus did the which if they ſhould be writtē eueryevery one I ſuppoſe the world could not conteyne the bokes that ſhould be written.
THat which is ſpoken by chriſt to Peter, let vsus thinke the ſame to be ſpoken vntounto vsus al, namely yt we ſhould follow chriſt vnſeperably, & cleaue vntounto him keepinge our ſelues ſafe frō ſtraunge things. Let eueryevery man be vigilant in his own office, and not curiouſlye ſearche and enquire out other mens ſayings and doyngs. And let not affection be of more force with vsus, thē the gouernmēt of god. Let Gods wil be the rule of our life, wherof to aſke a reaſon of God is moſte wicked. And althoughe theſe thinges are ſpoken vntounto all men, yet chieflye they pertayn to the miniſters the word, that they ſhuld earneſtly follow Chriſt wtout any tarying ſetting al other thīgs apart, beīg redy for his glory not ōly to loſe their goods but alſo their life. The ſeruāt is not greater thē his lord, & there can be no greater glory then to ſuffer death for Chriſts ſake.
And the eleuē diſciples departed to Galiley to a mountaine, where Ieſus had appointed thē. And when thei ſaw him, they worſhipped him, but ſome of them doubted, whoſe vnbelief after he had rebuked he ſaide. Theſe are the woordes which I ſpake vntounto you, while I was yet wt you that al things muſt nedes be fulfylled, whiche were written of me in the law of Moyſes, & in the prophetes, & in the pſalmes. Then opened he their mind, yt thei might vnderſtād the ſcriptures, & he ſaied vntounto them: Thus is it written & thus it behoued Chriſt to ſuffer & to riſe again frō the ded the iii. day and that repentance and remiſſiō of ſynnes ſhoulde be preached, in his name amōg al natiōs, begīning firſt at Ieruſalem. And ye are witneſſes of theſe thinges: and behold I ſende the promiſe of my father vponupon you: But tary ye in the city of Ieruſalē, vntill ye be endewed with powre from aboue.
THe ſhepherd being ſtrikē, the ſhepe were ſcattered as ſaith ye prophet but afttr yt I am riſen againe (ſaith Chriſt) I wil goe before you into Galile:Marh. 26. zach. 13. & the angel reherſynge theſe words ſayth: Go tel the diſciples yt the Lorde is riſen agayne and will goe before you into Galile. This to be nowe accōpliſhed, the Euāgeliſt Mathew teſtifieth we hauehave declared before what it is to preach repentance & forgeuenes of ſins through the name of Chriſt:Math. 26. And the beginninge was made at Ieruſalem firſt amonge the Iewes, for whoſe ſake Ieſus came:Eſay. 2. …om. 11. yet in the mean time Let vsus reioyſe that we alſo are called vntounto theſame lot, & let vsus be thāful, leſt we be cut of again, It behoued that Chriſt ſhould ſuffer yt he might be made a ſacrifyce to pacify god for our ſins, by the which ſacrifice gods iuſtice myght be ſatiſfyed. It behoued hym to ariſe againe from the dead to make vsus beinge rayſed from the death of ſinnes, righteous vntounto God the father and partakers of the life to come.
☞And Ieſus came & ſpake vntounto hys Diſciples, ſaying, Al power is geuē to me in heauen and in earth. As my father ſente me, ſo ſende I you alſo: & when he had ſpoken theſe things, he breathed vponupon them, and ſaid vn-them: Receaue the holy ghoſt, whoſe ſinnes ſo euer ye ſhall forgeue, they are forgeuē them, and whoſe ſo euer ſynnes ye ſhall retayne, they are retayned. Go ye therefore, & teache al nations, baptiſing them in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoſt, teaching them to obſerue all thinges what ſo euer I hauehave commaunded you. And behold I am with you alwayes euen to the end of the world. Goe ye into al the world, and Preache the Goſpell to all creatures: He that beleueth and is baptiſed ſhal be ſaued, but he that beleueth not ſhal be dāpned. Moreouer theſe are the ſignes yt ſhal followe them which ſhal beleue, In my name they ſhall caſt out deuils, they ſhall ſpeake with newe tonges, they ſhall driue away ſerpentes, & if they drinke any deadly drinke, it ſhall not hurt them. Thei ſhal lay their hands on the ſicke, and they ſhal recouer.
AFter Chriſt had manifeſtly proued to his Diſciples hys Reſurrection, he ſheweth thē what great glory he ſhall be exalted vntounto, yt they alſo might abide vnderunder the croſſe, knowing that eternal glory is prepared for thē with Chriſt. He ſayth that all power is geuen him as well of heauē as of earth, to make vsus to vnderſtand how great a lord we hauehave, in whoſe hands all things are put. And no man hath in his hands the dominion ouer all thinges, but he muſt nedes be god alſo. For god geueth not his glory to an other,Eſay. 42. as witneſſeth Eſay. Let vsus not therefore be affeard, if vile men threatē vsus, and conſpyre agaynſte vsus, But let vsus flye vntounto the Lord, vnderunder whoſe tuition we ſhal be ſafe.Luk. xix. Pſalm. ii. And although there be ſome which do ſay, we wil not hauehave him to reigne ouer vsus & let vsus caſte away theyr bondes from our neckes, neither will yet acknowledge ſuch and ſo great a Sauiour and king, but go aboute to cut of his kingdome, ſuch rebelles neuertheleſſe ſhall be ſubdued vnderunder his gouernment wil they or nil they,Phalme. ex. Pſal. 2. & be made his foteſtole. Whom the King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes ſhal bruſe with an yron rod, & ſhall breake them in pieces lyke a potters veſſel, & ſhal reigne ouer thē for euer. Hitherto (ſayeth he) hauehave I ſerued you with moſt humilitie, being put to reproches & al kind of euils, now is the time preſent wherin the father wil glorifie me with the ſame glory which I hauehave had alwayes without beginning, that eueryevery knee might bowe vntounto me, & the whole world might acknowledge me to be their Sauiour, by whom the way to god is made open.Iohn. xvii. Philip. ii. I hauehave elected you witneſſes of this thing, and I ſende you into the whole worlde, to declare this ioy to al men, namely that I deſcended frō heauen, & hauehave ouercome death, & opened the way to heauen for miſerable mortal mē,Math. x. taking away death and hell. Preach not theſe thynges only to the Iewes, as I charged you fyrſte, which was to kepe the fidelitie of my promyſes, but go now to all nations, and call them to be companions of my glory whē ye ſhal preach theſe things through out the world, the vngodly wil ſet vpō you by diuerſe ſnares and wiles: Ye ſhal be hated of all men for my names ſake, but be ye of a good courage,Iohn. xvi. I hauehave ouercome the worlde, and in me alſo ſhall ye ouercome all your enemies, for al power is geuen to me both in heauen and earth. I will alwayes be preſēt with you and defende you againſt al inuaſions Although I ſhall now withdraw from you my corporall preſence which ſhall be profitable for you. I will yet be with you to the ende of the world. with my power, with my ſpirite & with my grace. This promiſe is not made only to the diſciples, but to al beleuers, for the apoſtles liued not to the end of the world. This is ye greateſt cōfort yt cā be in aduerſitie, diligently to cō ſidre the power and kingdome of Chriſt.Math. 16 Thei which leane vntounto this rocke the gates of hell ſhall not preuayle any thing againſt them. As my father ſent me. We muſt vnderſtād yt theſe things are ſpokē by cōpariſō & not by equalitie. As though he would ſay, My Father ſent me to preach & to die for the truth, doe ye ſo lykewiſe. But this is the differēce betwene Chriſts death, & his diſciples death and ours, In that Chriſts death is healthfull to ye whole world, & pacifieth gods wrath for the ſins of the whole world, & ſo is not his diſciples death nor ours. Chriſt was ſent of the father to be ye ſaluatiō & life of the whole world, ſo were not the apoſtles ſent, but to preache this ſaluation and life to ye world. He geueth thē the holy ghoſte, that we might vnderſtād yt he which wil preach the goſpel wt a ſtoute courage hath neede of the holy ghoſt. For mā cā do nothing of his own power onles he be endued & holpē by the power frō aboue. And he ſendeth his miniſters, not to gape for riches, to make marchaundiſe, to ſeeke for gaine, to hunte for glorye, to ſwel in pride, & to burne in filthie luſtes but to preach ſaluatiō vntounto mē, The father ſent not his ſonne after that ſort, neither ſtudied Chriſt for ſuch matters. He ſent him to preach the truth,Phillip. ii. to teache the knowledge & true worſhipping of God, & that he taking vpō him yt for me of a ſeruaunt, might ſerue al mē, & might be obediēt to the father euē to the death of the croſſe, to take vpō him ſelfe the hatred & reproches of al mē, & in the middeſt of theſe to do good to al mē, & to ſaue al mē. Let thē then whiche are choſen to the office of preaching follow Chriſt in theſe things, let not thē do their own wil,Iohn. 6. but his wil yt ſent thē, Let thē deſire of the father the holy ghoſt to accompliſh theſe things,Luke. 11. who worketh & performeth theſe things in thē: Whoſe ſins ye ſhal forgeue. That which might be ſpokē imperſonallye, he attributeth to the perſō, which is done after the Hebrue manner, who ſpeake not ſeldome that imperſonally whiche longeth to the perſō: & againe thei attribute that to the perſō which is imperſonal. But wheras he ſaith whoſe ſinnes ye ſhal forgeue, it is a periphraſis & definition of the goſpel, for what is the goſpel? This is ye goſpel that god the father ſent his ſon to make ſatiſfactiō for the ſinnes of mē, & to forgeue thē the ſame: Why thē he that preacheth remiſſion of ſins preacheth the goſpel. As though Chriſt would ſay, To whō ſo euer ye ſhal preach the goſpell, & if they receaue it, thē ſhall their ſins be forgeuē thē. For he expreſſeth the ſame ſentence more plainly in the laſt of Marke, ſayīg: Preach the goſpell to all creatures, he that beleueth ſhall be ſaued, he that beleueth not ſhall be condempned. He that beleueth namely the goſpell preached by you. Remiſſiō therefore of ſins is geuē to the apoſtles bicauſe thei preach that wherby ſinne is forgeuē, for they preache the goſpel, or the ſame Chriſt, or grace of God by Chriſt, wherby ſinnes are forgeuē, This is therfore the meaning, whoſe ſinnes ye ſhal forgeue, that is to whō ye ſhal preach the remiſſiō of ſins, & they ſhall beleue the goſpell preached by you, vntounto thē are their ſinnes forgeuen. Let vsus diligently therfore note this, that that is attributed to the Apoſtles, which belongeth only to God. For it cōmeth by the holy ghoſt, and not by ye preaching or voyce of mā yt the conſcience of mā ſhuld be aſſured yt god is his father and that his ſinnes are forgeuen and the anger of God pacified. But bycauſe the apoſtle is the inſtrumēt by the which god ſheweth forth ſaluatiō vntounto men, and a certain part (as I may terme it) wherby God wil hauehave his grace preached. Chriſt therefore vouchſafeth thus to ſpeake, & he attributeth yt to vsus which belōgeth only to him ſelf bicauſe of the cōiunction & communicating which the mēbers hauehave wt the godhead.2. Cor. 11. 2. Cor. 3, God worketh al in al, he is nothīg which watereth, he is nothing which plāteth, but god which geueth the increaſe: god doth al things, he moueth the mouth & the tong of yt preacher, he draweth & illuſtrateth the hart of the hearer. It is al one ſaying therefore to ſay, whoſe ſins ye ſhal forgeue, are forgeuē thē, &c, & to ſay he which beleueth ſhal be ſaued, But Markes wordes are more plaine. For to binde & to looſe are darcker then to beleue & not to beleue the preachers. Thei are darker to vsus I meane, & not to ye apoſtles of Chriſt.To bynde To bind therfore is to preach ye goſpel, which goſpel he yt beleueth not,To loſe is bound. Contrarilie to loſe, is to preache the goſpel, which he yt beleueth is looſed frō his ſinnes, Iohn repeated the words of Mathew in the .xvi. Chapi. Baptize thē in the name. &c. It ſemeth to me that to baptize is takē in al the new teſtament al moſt for to bee admitted & accepted that no man ſhould obſtinately vrge the letter as do the Anabaptiſts.To baptiſe Baptize thē, that is, admit thē to Chriſt, & grafte thē in the name of the father & of the holy ghoſt, that is, lead thē by water & doctrine into the knowledge, power, & vertue of the father, the ſonne & the holye ghoſt. But we hauehave entreated of this againſte the Anabaptiſtes in an other place, and we wil ſpeake more amply of it afterward: He that beleueth Saluation & eternall life conſiſteth in election, for his hand is not ſhut or ſhortened, that he will ſaue none amongeſt the Gentiles. For God can poure faith into the hearts of the Gentiles,Rom. ii. which they proue and ſhew forth by workes, as I iudge and that not raſhelye of Socrates, Seneca, and many others. Some man will ſay: why they beleued not. I aunſwere if they beleue not they are not ſaued. The words therefore of Chriſt ought to bee vnderſtanded thus, that they be ſpoken vntounto ſuch as the ſpopell is preached vntounto, who are dampned if thei beleue not the goſpell preached vntounto thē.Iohn. xv. For Chriſt ſayth, If I had not come & ſpokē vntounto them, they ſhould not hauehave ſinned. This place therfore, he that beleueth not ſhal be condempned, appertayneth nothing vntounto thoſe whiche neuer had the Goſpel preached vntounto them. For although the outward goſpel of Chriſt be not preached vntounto them, yet can god ſaue them by Chriſt, For as many as are ſaued, are ſaued by Chriſt, that is by the mercy of God whiche he offred to the world in Chriſt. For there is none ſo iuſte or ſo innocent which can ſtand before ye iuſtice of god. We muſt al flie therfore to ye mercy of god by Chriſt. And ſignes ſhall follow ye beleuers. This is a promiſe which muſte be vnderſtād by Synechdoche. For ye Apoſtles wrought many ſignes▪ whē nede required. And it doth not debilitate ye promis of chriſt,Acres. v. bicauſe ther are no ſignes wrought now a daies by the preachers of ye word. For it was neceſſary thē ye ſignes ſhould be wrought, to cōfirme the new & vnaccuſtomed buſines preached by ye apoſtles wherby the whole world ſhould be made new. And to ſtirre vp their mindes to receaue the doctrine of the Apoſtles. But now is the doctrine of Chriſt & the Apoſtles ſealed wt diuerſe ſignes, the whiche ſignes he that beleueth not, neither wil he beleue if ſignes ſhould be preſētly done. We muſte marke the ordre. Fyrſte the miniſters of the word are choſē out by Chriſt. Then thei are inſtructed with his word & doctrine. Thirdly thei are cōfyrmed by the ſpirite. Fourthly they are ſent to preach the Goſpell. Thei which thruſt thē ſelues in by arte or violence, they which are not ſent, whiche preache not, or els preach not the Goſpell, which ſeke for theyr own things & not the things whiche be of Ieſus Chriſt, ſuch I ſaye are not the miniſters of Chriſte, but thieues, robbers and wolues.