Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, passion · Commentary 21
Doctrine and fruite.
PEter declaring his earneſt louelove which hee bare vntounto the Lord, vndertaketh to defend him from malitious violence: but at the ſame houre it pleaſed the Lord to declare and ſhew, not onelyonly his own might and power, but alſo his vnſpeakable goodnes euen vntounto his enemies: therefore is it not his will, that anie man on his behalfe ſhould hauehave harme: for he was come to bring health, and no hurt: and therfore the vncircumciſed zeale of Peter, which was not directed after the will of God, he reiected and reproued, commaunding Peter to put vp his ſworde into his ſheath: and the ſeruants eare that was ſmitten off he ſet on againe, and healed it: for hee was readie to be obedient vntounto his Fathers will vntounto the death, & to drinke the cup that the Father had filled for him. Yet doth he ſhew vntounto his enemies, that he willingly ſuffereth, & that if it were not his wil, they ſhuld not be able to take him. But he affirmed the houre now to bee heere, that the Father had giuen him into the power of darkeneſſe, and that they ſhewed ſuch violence vntounto him, that the ſcripture might be fulfilled.
The Diſciples flie from Ieſu their Lorde, & leaue him to tread the wine preſſe alone. In their weaknes, feare and flying, is ſignified the infirmitie of the vnperfect members of the Church, which yet when the ſpirite commeth, is ſtrengthened. Let no man builde vponupon his owne ſtrength, but pray vntounto God, that hee ſuffer him not to be lead into temptation.
The gratious Lord Ieſus is ſold vntounto ſinners, that we which were ſolde vnderunder ſinne, bond and thrall to the prince of this world, might be redeemed, and deliuered. He is content to be bound and taken, that we might be quite and free from the ſnares and ca…tiuitie of ſinne.
O Ieſu Chriſt, the mirrour of all gentle… … mind, the example of higheſt obedience … graunt vsus thy ſeruantes with true deuotion to conſider, how thou innocent and vndefiled lambe wert bound, taken, and hailed away vntounto death for our ſinnes:Eſay. 53. how well content thou waſt to ſuffer ſuch thinges, not opening thy mouth in vnpatiencie, but willingly offering vp thy ſelfe vntounto death. O gratious God, how vilely waſt thou miſhandled for our ſakes: O Lord, let this neuer come out of our harts: expell through it, coldnes and ſlouth out of our minds: ſtir vp feruentnes and louelove towardes thee: prouoke vsus vntounto earneſt praier: make vsus chearefull and diligent in thy will: bind our ſtubborne fleſh with the cords of thy feare and nurture: yoke vsus vnderunder thy holie worke and obedience. Yea, thy bands make quite & free from all ſinnes: thy bandes keepe vsus, and drawe vsus in, that we run not at large in curioſitie & worldly vanitie: they preſerue vsus in thy holy ſeruice vnderunder continual nurture and bleſſed perſeuerance. O grant that it bee light and not greeuous vntounto vsus, to breake and yeelde our ſelues: that wee doo not loath nor abhorre, to bee enfourmed, taught, lead, and corrected againſt our owne ſelfe will. Graunt that wee neuer become diſobedient, vnquiet, ſtubborne, buſie, headie and contentious. that wee neuer bee found fighters, neyther ſuch as vſe brawling and ſcoulding. Make thou vsus quyet, milde, ſoft minded, tractable and meeke: euer readie, and not loth to keepe thy commaundementes. Bow downe our necke vnderunder the yoake of thy obedience: helpe vsus, through ſtraite exerciſes, to tame and ouercome our fleſh and wicked diſpoſitions, which wee are moſt inclined vntounto. O Lord Ieſus Chriſt, graunt vntounto vsus whome thou haſt deliuered, that fully and perfectly wee may yeelde our ſelues vntounto thee, committing vsus wholly vntounto thy ſpirite: and to hauehave alwayes before our eyes and hearts, that wee are euen as ſheepe appointed to the butcherie and ſhammels: that we defende not our ſelues in ire and greedineſſe of vengeaunce: for thou haſt numbred our haires, and giuen vsus thine Angels to bee our keepers. Wherefore preſerue thou our mindes from diſpleaſure and deſire of reuengement: graunt vsus a milde friendly ſtomacke towardes our enemie, that we may louelove him, ſpeake good vntounto him, pray for him, recompence him good for euill, that wee may bee readie, to offer the other cheeke alſo. And when wee ſtand in anie daunger, O graunt vsus, that we do nothing which doth euil become thy children, and that is not agreeable vntounto thine example.
ANd Annas ſent him ſo bounde vntounto Caiphas the high Priest. The ſouldiers tooke Ieſus, and lead him vntounto the high Priest Caiphas, there as the Scribes, the Elders, and Phariſies were come together. But Peter followed after a farre off into the pallace of the high Priest, and ſo did another Diſciple, the ſame Diſciple was knowne to the high Priest, and went in with Ieſu into the high Prieſts pallace. But Peter ſtood without at the doore. Then the other Diſciple (who was knowne to the high Priest) went out, and ſpake to the damoſell that kept the doore, and brought Peter in. So Peter went in, and ſate with the ſeruants to ſee the end. They had a fire, and coales kindled in the middest of the pallace, and ſate about it. Peter alſo ſate amongſt them, and warmed him by the fire. The other ſeruants alſo ſtood round about the fire, and warmed themſelues, for it was colde: and Peter beeing with them, ſtoode and warmed himſelfe. Nowe when the high Priestes maide that kept the doore, ſawe Peter, and ſpyed him by the light of the fire, ſhe ſaide: Waſt not thou alſo with Ieſus of Nazareth the Galilean? Art not thou likewiſe one of his Diſciples? Another ſaid: he alſo was with him. Then Peter denied before them all, and ſaid: Woman, I knowe him not, I am not hee, neither wote I whereof thou ſpeakest. And when hee was gone out into the porch, the cocke crew. Then there ſpyed him another Damſell, which ſaid vntounto thoſe that were there: This fellow alſo was with Ieſus of Nazareth. Then denied hee againe with an oath, and ſaide: I neuer knewe the man. After a little while, as it were about an houre, others that ſtood there, ſpyed him and ſaide: Verely thou art one of them, for thou art a Galilean: thine owne ſpeech bewraieth thee. Then ſaide one of the Priests ſeruantes, a kinſman of his whoſe eare Peter had ſmitten off: Did not I ſee thee with him in the garden? But Peter began to ſweare and to curſe himſelfe, & to make great protestation, that hee neuer knew the man. Immediately while he yet ſpake, the cocke crew againe. And the Lord turned him about, and he held Peter. Then Peter remembred the word that Ieſus had ſaid vntounto him: Afore the cocke crow twiſe, thou ſhalt denie mee three times. And hee went forth, and wept bitterly.