Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, resurrection · Commentary 13
Doctrine and fruite.
THE Lorde minding to make his Diſciples aſſured of his Reſurrection, inſtructeth them firſt well in his paſſion, which hee declareth out of the Scripture, and printeth it in their hearts. He teacheth them, that it was neceſſarie, that Chriſt ſhould ſuffer and die, yea euen thus to die, namely, vppon a croſſe, vponupon a tree. On the tree was the tranſgreſſion committed: vponupon the tree behooued it the reſtitution to bee made: vponupon the tree was death fetched, vponupon the tree was life giuen: vponupon the tree muſt ſatiſfaction bee made for the luſtes of the fleſh, which on the tree were firſt conceiued. And would God, that we rightly knew the paſſion and croſſe of our Lorde Ieſu Chriſt, then ſhoulde the glorie of the reſurrection be well knowne and loued of vsus.
O Ieſu, graunt vsus grace right to conſider, what, wherefore, and with what louelove and feruentnes thou haſt ſuffered for vsus, then ſhall our heart feele & profitably enioy the ſweete fruite of thy reſurrection: then ſhall our lyfe become new and of another ſort, if we take vponupon vsus true pennance, beeing ſorie for our ſinnes, conuerting vsus vntounto thee, amending and chaunging our conuerſation. Which with the gratious forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes, is declared and promiſed vntounto vsus in the Goſpell, according to thy commaundement.
Eſay 2. Pſal. 109.O what a ioyfull meſſage is this, that ſuch greate grace ſhould out of Sion bee ſhewed vntounto vsus, which come of the heathen From this grace is no man ſhut out: it is common vntounto euerie man,Iohn. 5. vnleſſe the vnthankfull exclude himſelfe: as doo they that louelove darkneſſe more than the light, and they that diſdainfully incloſe thy grace, and hedge in thy Church, which thou by the preaching of repentance, and forgiuenes of ſinnes, haſt commaunded to bee gathered vntounto thy ſelfe in the whole world: not only at Hieruſalem, but alſo in Samaria and Galilee, euen vntounto the ende of the world. O God, ſuffer vsus not to be ſubiect vntounto vain-glorie, and headines: remoue all contention and ſtrife out of thy holie Church. Preſerue vsus from ſciſmes, and all diſſention: knitte vsus together in vniforme louelove, which is an vndoubted token of thy children.
It behooued Ieſus Chriſt to ſuffer, not for himſelfe, but for our ſakes, to become the ſacrifice for our ſinnes: that hee ſo ſatisfiyng the iuſtice of GOD, might make amends for our treſpaſſe, and deliuer vsus from death. It behooued him alſo to ryſe agayne, that hee by his power might rayſe vsus vp from the death of ſin to a new life, & by his own reſurrection, to make vsus aſſured of ours, and of immortall life.
IEſus came to his Diſciples, and ſaid vntounto them:Math Iohn To me is giuen all power in heauen & in earth. As my father hath ſent mee, ſo ſend I you. And when hee had thus ſpoken, hee breathed vppon them, and ſayde: Receiue ye the holy Ghoſt. Whoſe ſinnes yee forgiue, they are forgiuen: and whoſe ſinnes yee reteyne, they are reteyned. Goe therefore and teach all people,Marke 28. baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the ſonne, and of the holie Ghost, teaching them to obſerue all thinges whatſoeuer I hauehave commaunded you. And beholde, I am with you euerie day vntill the ende of the worlde. Goe yee therefore into the whole worlde, and preach the Goſpell vntounto all creatures. Who ſo beleeueth and is baptized,Marke 16. ſhall be ſaued: but he that will not beleeue, ſhall be condemned. The tokens which ſhall follow thoſe that beleeue are theſe: In my name they ſhall cast out deuils: They ſhall ſpeake with new tongues: They ſhall take away ſerpentes: And if they drinke anie venemous thing, it ſhall not hurt them: They ſhall lay handes vppon the ſicke, and they ſhall be whole.