Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, passion · Commentary 37
Doctrine and fruite.
ADam ſatisfied his luſt in the forbidden Apple: which noiſome luſt was ocaſion of our death. But Ieſus for the reformation of this concupiſcence, ſuffreth alſo vponupon his tongue, to reſtore vsus againe from the fall, and to conquere vsus in this life. His bitter drinke is vntounto vsus a bleſſed medicine. Such great vnthankefulneſſe of the Iewes was prophecied by King Dauid in the Pſalmes.Pſal. …. To him that fedde them in the wilderneſſe with bread from heauen, and gaue them water to drinke out of the hard ſtonie Rocke. Euen vntounto him for a recompence, they giuegive Vineger and Gall.Eſay …. O the ſower and vnnaturall fruite that the LORDE receiueth of his owne Vineyard, which he had planted and garniſhed ſo faire? To vsus heere is prepared a ſoueraigne medicine againſt glotonie and all voluptuouſnes of the fleſh, thorow the louelove whereof God is forgotten and forſaken.
Now when Chriſt who is the fulfiller of the law, and all the Prophets, had whollie and fully perfourmed the will of his heauenlie father, hee ſaith for a concluſion and ende of his life: it is finiſhed, as hee would ſay: Now is finiſhed all that the old law hath written and ſpoken of me, all that the old Teſtament figured with oblations and ſacrifices, with glory and beautie in the Gods ſeruice. Now are truly fulfilled the holy propheſies of the Prophetes, and the long wiſhed deſires of the holye olde Fathers. Nowe is wrought and perfourmed all that belonged & concerned the redemption of mankinde. It is all (as it was promiſed of God) concluded with an honourable bleſſed end. And looke what is behinde, ſhall vndoubtedly be fulfilled in due time. I hauehave accompliſhed the commandement of my Father, who ſent me into this world: the worke that hee gaue mee to do,Iohn. 17. hauehave I finiſhed. What could I do more for thee, O my people, that I hauehave not done? Vppon the ſixt daye, hee finiſhed the worke of the creation of the world: And nowe vppon the ſixt day and age of the world, hee perfourmeth the bleſſed worke of mans redemption. Vppon the ſixt day hee created man, and made him of the mould of the earth: VponUpon the ſixt day hee reſtored him againe, and deliuered him with his holy bloud. Thus all things are finiſhed: the great worke of his merciemercy and moſt excellent louelove, is accompliſhed: the way vntounto heauen is opened: and the deuils power is broken.
In ſuch hope ought wee valiauntlie to trauaile at this time in this vnconſtant world, and not to let fall the worke of God that is begun: but by his aſſiſtance to bring it vntounto a bleſſed ende, and ſtoutly to endure therein. It is well-nie come to the point, that all ſhal bee finiſhed: the euening and ende of our life commeth on apace, wherein we may ſay with glad harts, as Chriſt our foregoer did: It is all finiſhed.
Wherefore deare brethren, let vsus euer moſt diligently and earneſtly walke in the way of the truth, and of commendable vertues begun, exerciſing our ſelues in righteouſnes. We muſt not think otherwiſe but to hauehave battaile againſt vice, againſt the fleſh, the world, and Satan. Daily goe we on a pace towardes death, in hope to attain eternal life. O that we might ſay with Paule: I hauehave fought a good fight,2. Tim. 4. I hauehave fulfilled my courſe, I hauehave kept the faith! We muſt ſuffer and hauehave trauaile yet a litle ſeaſon, the time of our deliuerance will ſhortly be heere.
O Lord Ieſu, direct thou all our works according to thy good pleaſure, illuminate & purifie our minds and thoughts. Teach vsus, how wee euer to the praiſe and honour of thy holy name, may meekly beginne, diligently doo, and bleſſedly end all our workes and enterpriſes. O giuegive vsus grace, faithfully to labour in the Vineyard of the Lord: that the heat and trauaile driue vsus not back, that we faint not: that in the ſchole of heauenly exerciſe, wee may ſteadfaſtly indure till wee giuegive vp the ghoſt: and that through thy merciemercy, after many commendable battails, and long ſtriuing, wee may ſay in the laſt houre of our life: It is all finiſhed. Vouchſafe thou to bee the finall occaſion of our whole life, and of all our woorkings: ſo ſhall it followe, that thou wilt bee alſo our eternall reward, ioy, and ſaluation. Amen.
ANd Ieſus criyng with a loud voyce, ſaid: Father, into thy hands I commit my ſpirite. And when hee had thus ſaid, hee bowed his head, and gaue vp the ghoſt.