Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, resurrection · Commentary 7
Doctrine and fruit.
THat which was ſpoken afore, is heere euident and plaine, namely, that Chriſt openeth himſelfe vntounto thoſe, which are deſirous of him, and long after him aſſociating themſelues together one with another in true louelove, and being partakers of the paſſion & croſſe. Foraſmuch then as Thomas is leſſe feruent, and therefore abſent from the reſt, hee ſawe not Chriſt with the other diſciples, but when he obtained a deſire to ſee Chriſt, & was aſſotiate and ioyned to the other, he became alſo partaker of the ioye that they had.
And here we learne the nature and condition of true beleefe (which is an illumination of the grace of God, yea a verie godly propertie) that he maketh others partakers of his holy and glorious ioyes, and that through louelove, which ſeeketh not her owne profit, neither is diſdainefull, to the intent that the glorie of God may be preferred among all men Therefore the Diſciples of the Lord make Thomas their companion partaker of ſuch gladneſſe as they had receiued of Chriſts Reſurrection opened vntounto them: for hee was verie faithleſſe, and too ſtiffe in his owne opinion. Which vnbeliefe God ſuffered to happen vntounto him, and to continue ſomewhat the longer, that his ſlacknes and lacke of faith might ſerue to our commoditie: that through his vnbeliefe, wee might bee prouoked vntounto faith, for as much as we heare, that he ſo perfectly proouing, ſeeing and feeling the thing, came ſo to an vndoubted faith: that wee alſo might beleeue, that the bodie of Chriſt which was hanged vponupon the croſſe for our ſinnes, was of the Father rayſed againe vntounto life. For if wee beleeue in our heart,Acts. 2. Rom. 10. and confeſſe with our mouth, that God hath rayſed him vp from the dead, we ſhal be ſaued. Yea beleeue we muſt,Iohn 2. that Chriſt (according to his wordes afore) hath through his godly power, erected vp againe from death, the temple of his bodie. Therefore thorow the doubting of Thomas, wee learne the myſterie of the reſurrection of our own bodies. For Chriſt hath ſufficiently proued, and Thomas hath confeſſed that the bodie of Chriſt which was hanged vponupon the croſſe, is verely riſen againe from death. Wherin, our faith is confirmed, to beleeue, that our bodies alſo ſhall truely and liuely riſe againe to eternall life.
When Thomas is with the other diſciples, Chriſt ſheweth himſelfe vntounto him. For they that in the vnitie of faith and of vndiuided louelove, doe not aſſociate and accompanie themſelues with other faithfull beleeuers in the Church, ſhall not be partakers of heauenly ioyes. Truth it is, that to beleeue with the hart iuſtifieth: but the confeſſion that is made with the mouth, belongeth vntounto health, & ſerueth vntounto louelove and vnitie of the Church and congregation of God, without the which there can bee no hope of health. He that ſaith he beleeueth, and doth not ioyne himſelfe vntounto other Chriſtians, his faith is vaine and of none effect. And therefore did Chriſt for his church inſtitute the ſacraments, that is to ſay, exterior ſignes of his grace, that his people might be aſſociate together in the vnitie of faith. The Church of God is it, that preſerueth vsus poore ones (as did the Arke of Noe afore time) in the floud, and bringeth vsus thorough this raging ſea vntounto the hauen of eternall ſaluation. Not that the grace and health is therefore to bee aſcribed to the elements and outwarde thinges: but that it may appeare how effectuous fayth is, and what it woorketh through charitable louelove in the Church. Chriſt maketh mention of the wordes which Thomas had ſpoken afore to the Diſciples in his abſence: Namely; Except I ſee in his handes the print, &c. Therefore ſayth Chriſt: Thomas, bring thy finger hither, and ſee &c. Whereby it is euidently prooued, that Chriſt is God, and euen ſo doth Thomas vnderſtand and confeſſe.
The woundes are ſhewed of Chriſt, ſpecially to this intent, that his paſſion might be printed and ſealed in mens mindes. For a verie deepe and high myſterie is it, that Chriſtes ſide is opened, out of the which floweth bloud and water: whereby the ſpirituall and faithfull beleeuing mindes may well perceiue Chriſtes good louing will towardes mankind. Now when we looke vponupon his handes, touching his ſide inwardly with our deſire of inward fayth, and conſidering why and with what louelove Chriſt ſuffered for vsus, it ſhall be no hard thing vntounto vsus to beleeue his reſurrection. If Chriſt were deade but euen as an other pure man or Prophet, we could hauehave no hope of the reſurrection. Who ſo beleeueth it, commeth ſoone to this knowledge, that immortall life is giuen vntounto vsus. Now where there is hope of an immortall life, there is the Lorde ſerued with great diligence. For if God hath not ſpared his ſonne,Rom. 8. but giuen him for vsus all, what good thing then may wee not looke for at his hand? If wee bee onelyonly true beleeuers with Thomas, then ſhall God faithfully performe that hee hath promiſed vsus. Chriſt deſireth no more of vsus weake feeble ones, than that we be not faithleſſe, but ſtedfaſt beleeuers.
Thomas is immediately obedient vntounto the voice of Chriſt, and becommeth foorth with a newe man. The Phariſies could by no doctrine, by no myracles, bee brought to giuegive credence vntounto Chriſt, and to beleeue in him, although they ſawe Lazarus rayſed againe from death: malice and hatred did ſo hinder them. But Thomas acknowledgeth him freely to be his Lord and God. He ſeeth and handleth man, he confeſſeth God, whom he ſaw not. Hee acknowledged, that he whom he ſaw was his God & Lord. Through the ſame faith was his vnbeleefe and ſinne forgiuen him.
O mercifull God, graunt vsus louelove, that we ſeek not our owne commoditie nor honour, but the profit of our neighbours, and thy glorie in all thinges. Expell out of vsus all diſdaine, greedines, vngentlenes, headines, and flattering of our ſelues. Preſerue vsus from diſcord & diuiſion, binde vsus together in vniforme louelove, that wee may bee one bodie, and of one minde. Stabliſh alſo our faith, that our minds may alwayes bee comforted in the reſurrection of thy ſonne, and immortall life purchaſed by him, Amen.
ANd many other ſignes trulie did Ieſus in the preſence of his Diſciples, which are not written in this booke. Theſe are written, that ye might beleeue, that Ieſus is Chriſt the ſonne of God, & that ye ſo beleeuing, might hauehave life through his name.