Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, resurrection · Commentary 1
Doctrine and fruit.
THE reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt from the dead is verie diligently and perfectly deſcribed of the foure Euangeliſtes, for right profitable and neceſſarie is it for the ſtrengthening and ſtabliſhing of our beleefe in Chriſt. And whereas in the deſcription of this hiſtorie they ſpeake not all alike, the ſame happeneth to our wealth through the ordinaunce of the holie Ghoſt, that we ſhould exerciſe our faith therein, and applie our diligence, perfectly to learne and comprehend the ſame Reſurrection of Chriſt: For where that is right conceyued and beleeued, there is faith perfect. The Euangeliſtes nowe in deſcribing Chriſtes Reſurrection, doo moſt of all declare, to what high honour Chriſt came after death, and that in one order and degree, according as our beleefe and weakeneſſe increaſeth and groweth towards perfection.
At the firſt, is faith in vsus feeble and vnperfect, but through the grace of him that hath giuen it, it daily groweth. Verie hard alſo is it for our naturall reaſon, to receiue and beleeue the reſurrection of the dead: therefore doe the Euangeliſtes right diligently and with manie wordes ſet forth the ſame reſurrection of Chriſt, that our beleefe therein might be aſſured and ſtedfaſt. For whoſoeuer truely and conſtantly beleeueth the reſurrection of Ieſu Chriſt, is readie & prepared to beleeue all that concerneth Chriſt. Neither is there anie thing that maketh a man more ioyfull then when he beleeueth, that at the comming of the Lorde, he ſhal riſe againe, and receiue a glorified bodie after Chriſt, and with Chriſt. What can be tedious to ſuche a faithfull beleeuing man, when hee beholdeth ſo high a rewarde from God. Diligently therefore ought we to heare, what the holy Euangeliſts write of his reſurrection, and to giuegive credence to the witneſſes that ſaw it.
Firſt, wee heare agayne the great zeale, and the feruent louelove and diligence of theſe deuout women, in that they deſire to ſhew honour vntounto the Lorde being dead: but the Angell a meſſenger of his reſurrection, commaundeth them to declare this ioy vntounto the Diſciples, and to get them vntounto the Lord nowe being aliue. Heauenly is the meſſenger and proclaimer of the reſurrection, for it paſſeth farre all natural reaſon and all fleſh. Therefore are the women alſo afraid of him, and at the faire brightnes of his countenance and apparel. For our feeble fleſh is not able to ſuſtaine the glorious ſhine of the heauenly light and godly clearenes, but is afraid at it, and feareth. Neuertheleſſe God by his Angell doth right ſoon comfort the womens weakenes, taketh from them their feare, ſpeaketh louingly vntounto them, maketh them Apoſtles, that is, meſſengers and proclaimers of the ioifull reſurrection. So little doth God reiect our weaknes, that he maketh euen women to be the declarers of his reſurrection: for he euer delighteth of the laſt to make the firſt. Foraſmuch then as they were the beginners of death in ſinne, they are heere firſt afore the Apoſtles, choſen to bee declarers of that immortall life, which euen out of death is come forth vntounto vsus in Chriſt.
As Chriſt with the earthquake died on the croſſe, ſo riſeth hee with the earthquake, which alſo was heard in the ſending of the holie Ghoſt. This ſignified, that through his death and reſurrection, and by the power of the holy Ghoſt (when the Apoſtles declare the ſame in the world) the whole world ſhould be moued and chaunged. And though the vngratious falſhood of the high Prieſtes, vndertooke with their lies, to hide and ſuppreſſe the trueth of Chriſts reſurrection, yet God did directe it an other waie. Loo… …her with they minded to oppreſſe the truth … with the ſame hauehave they helped to ſet it forth: and thereby was it ſignified, how the Iewiſh people ſhould bee blinded and refuſed. And foraſmuch as they had no louelove vntounto the trueth, but reiected it, it it was moche that they ſhould be blinded and darkened in lyes, and that there ſhoulde errour and blindnſſe enough fall vponupon them.
The Angel is not aſhamed to call Ieſus the crucified, for the croſſe is the token of Chriſtes victorie:The croſſe is the glorious & victorious token of the faithfull. through the croſſe beganne his honour and glorie: through the croſſe was death ouercome: the croſſe is the glorious token of all Chriſtians: In the croſſe is the exaltation of Chriſt the heade, and of all his members. Wee ought not therefore to bee aſhamed of the croſſe of our Lorde which was crucified: for therein ſtandeth our health, life, and reſurrection, all our reioicing and glorie.
Commiſſion is giuen, that vntounto Peter before other diſciples, they ſhould declare the Lords reſurrectiō: that from the feare wherin he ſtood by reaſon of the denial, he might be deliuered, and ſo comforted.
He ſendeth them to Galilee (thither wil he go before them) that they might bee ſafe from the feare of the Iewes, which at that time raged horribly.
Grant vsus (O God) an earneſt zeale and louelove vntounto the poore, in whom we may highly honor Ieſus thy ſon. And wheras we throgh the weaknes of the fleſh are inclined to bee faint hearted, and not able of our ſelues to behold the bright ſhine and clearnes of his glorious Reſurrection, ſtrengthen and comfort thou vsus by thy holie Angell, that wee may conſtantly beleeue the Reſurrection of thy ſonne: whereby … receiuing an holy hope of the life to come, … immortall Reſurrection of our bodies, may be … alſo to comfort and ſtrengthen others that be …. O make thou this hard earth of our fleſhe to … and mooue through the power of thy ſpirit, to holie fruitfull pennaunce, amendment and confeſſion of our life. Preſerue vsus, that wee neuer reſiſt the truth, nor take part with lies▪ Graunt vsus louelove vntounto the truth, keepe vsus from errour and blindneſſe. Let our ioye bee in the croſſe of Ieſu Chriſt thy ſonne, and our life in his reſurrection: that wee with him, & in him may truly riſe againe, hereto a godly righteous and ſober life, and in the world to come to the bleſſed life euerlaſting, Amen.
Marke 16.AND the women went out quickly, and fled from the ſepulchre, for they trembled and were amazed: Neither ſaid they any thing to anie man, for they were affraid. Mary Magdalen ranne, and came to Simon Peter and to the other Diſciple who Ieſus loued, and ſaid vntounto them:Iohn 20. They hauehave taken the Lord away out of the Sepulchre, & we wote not where they hauehave laid him. Then went Peter foorth, and the other Diſciple, and came to the Sepulchre. They both ranne together, and the other Diſciple out-ranne Peter, and came ſooner to the ſepulchre. And hee ſtouped downe, and ſaw the linnen cloathes lying, yet went he not in. Then came Simon Peter following him, and went into the Sepulchre, and ſaw the linnen clothes lying, and the napkin that was about his head not lying with the linen cloths, but … togeather in a place by it ſelfe. Ther went in … Diſciple, which came firſt to the Sepulchre,Angus, he beleeued that the bodie was taken away. … and beleeued. For as yet they knewe not the … hee ſhould riſe againe from death. And the … Diſciples went away againe vntounto their owne home. But Marie ſtood without at the Sepulchre weeping. And as ſhee wept, ſhee bowed herſelfe into the Sepulchre, and ſaw two Aungels in white, ſitting the one at the head, the other at the feete, where they had laide the bodie of Ieſus. And they ſaid vntounto her: Woman why weepest thou? She ſaid vntounto them: For they hauehave taken away my Lorde, and I wote not where they hauehave laid him. When ſhee had thus ſaid, ſhe turned her ſelfe backe, and ſaw Ieſus ſtanding, and knew not that it was Ieſus. Then ſaid Ieſus vntounto her: Woman, why weepest thou? Whom ſeekest thou? She ſuppoſing that he had beene a gardener, ſaide vntounto him: Sir, if thou hauehave borne him hence, tell me where thou haſt laid him, and I will fetch him. Ieſus ſaid vntounto her: Marie. She turned her ſelfe, and ſaid vntounto him, Raboni: which is to ſay, Maiſter. Then ſaid Ieſus vntounto her: Touch me not, for I am not yet aſcended to my Father. But go to my brethren, and ſay vntounto them: I aſcend vp vntounto my father and your father, vntounto my God, & your God. Marie Magdalene came, & tolde the diſciples (which had been with the Lord, & now were weeping and mourning) that ſhe had ſeen the Lord, and that he had ſpoken ſuch things vntounto her. But though they heard that he was aliue, & that Mary had ſeen him, yet they beleeued not.