Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, passion · Commentary 24 – Commentary 27
Doctrine and fruit.
O How vniuſt people come togither againſt the fountaine of righteouſnes? What falſe witneſſe and ſentence goeth againſt the tru…th? And yet all their ſhifting is, that their malice and hatred may hauehave an appearance of iuſtice. They preuent him with falſe witnes, they preſſe him with perlous and ſubtill queſtions, and go about to vndermine and ſupplant the eternall wiſedome. The enemies are accuſers, witneſſes and Iudges. And whereas they reuile and blaſpheme Gods ſonne to the vttermoſt, they will be ſeene to be the men, that are ſorie and diſpleaſed, when God is diſhonoured. But as much as they ſeeke in the innocent lambe, yet finde they nothing, no not ſo much as any ſuſpicion of euill: ſo pure and ſincere is all his life, ſo true and conſtant are his words.
This example ought all faithfull beleeuers to ſet before their eies,1. Theſ. 5. Epheſ. 4. 1. Tim. 3. learning thereby, ſo to direct their life, that the enemies not onelyonly find no vice in them, but alſo no ſuſpicion of euill: that vntounto the euill ſpeaker, there be giuen no occaſion nor cauſe to ſlander, and that the name of Chriſt thorow them be not blaſphemed. But whereas the honour of God ſo requireth,Math. 15. wee muſt openly ſpeake and confeſſe the truth before the vngodly, although they bee angry and offended: according as in this place we hear of Chriſt, who telleth them of his glorious comming in Maieſtie and power, although they take it for a blaſphemie. Heere ought wee alſo diligently and deuoutlie to conſider, what Chriſt ſuffereth for vsus, what ignominie and reproch hee taketh vponupon himſelfe for our ſakes, how vilelie he is reputed, and how ſhamefullie in his bodie, and in all the parts thereof he is beaten: And yet in all this, how bleſſedly hee behaueth and ſheweth him ſelfe: to the intent that it ſhould not greeue vsus, for his ſake to beare vile buffets, and all vngentlenes: for all this ſuffreth he for the truthes ſake. Euen he whome the Angels …oe worſhip, is blaſphemed of vnthrifts: hee that giueth true anſwere, is named a blaſphemer: the righteous Iudge is condemned of the vnrighteous, and pronounced to be worthie of death. But the gracious Lord is quietly content to keepe ſilence and dooth ſuffer: and therefore the more humble hee is, and ſubmitteth him ſelfe to bee miſ-intreated, the more glorious is his victorie.
With many wicked euill words is he defaced and ſcorned, ſore beaten and miſhandled. That gracious face which the Angels delight to beholde, is blindefolded, ſpitted vponupon, and buffeted: the head, the face, and necke beaten with many ſore ſtrokes. Chriſt is become a ſtraunger vntounto all his friends, forſaken of al his acquaintance and kinſfolkes, a mocking and ieaſting ſtocke vntounto all men. Euen as if it were a dizard foole, is hee laughed to ſcorne that is wiſeſt of all: vppon whom the cruell dogs all the night long practiſe their vnſatiable malice and pleaſure, with mocking, nipping, pulling, buffeting, ſpitting, and reuiling of him.
In all this doth his ſwiftnes of mind and excellent patience abide ſtill conſtant and vnmoueable: wherby we may iuſtly learne to bee aſhamed of our preſumptuous brags, in our pompe and pride which we vſe in our ſoft and coſtly apparell: where as Chriſt for our ſakes became moſt poore, and vilely reputed. Verie euill beſeemeth it vsus, yea a ſhame it is for vsus, (which of Chriſt are called Chriſtians, and will bee his diſciples) to ſeeke bodily pleaſure, and earthy ioy and ſenſualitie in all thinges, wheras the Lord Ieſus our head dooth beare and ſuffer all that is contrarie therunto. O how vnlike are we to our head & forgoer? How farare wee frō right & true humilitie, when for the leaſt wrong and vnaduiſed word, we bee diſpleaſed with our brethren: and whereas we ſhould giuegive thanks for being rebuked to our profite, we are vnpacient and miſcontent.
O Lord Ieſus Chriſt, graunt vsus, ſo to conſider thy holy paſſion, that it bring fruite in vsus: make vsus pacient, when hurt and diſpleaſure is done vntounto vsus: teach vsus after thine owne liuing example, not to feare the rayling wordes and perſecution of wicked people, neither to be diſcouraged for any wrongfull accuſation that happeneth vppon vsus. Teach vsus to ſee our owne vileneſſe, how iuſtly we are of the people reuiled and deſpiſed for our ſinnes. HaueHave merciemercy (ô lord) vponupon our vnperfectnes: thou waſt reuiled, that thou mightſt take from vsus euerlaſting ſhame: beaten thou waſ…, that from the ſtripes which we with our ſinnes hauehave deſerued, thou mighteſt deliuer vsus: ſpitted vppon and mocked, to bring vsus from euerlaſting confuſion to euerlaſting honour. Wherefore ſtrengthen our minds (ô Lord) that in lowly ſhamefaſtnes wee may paciently ſuffer and beare the hard wordes and checkes that other folkes giuegive vsus for our ſinnes and offences: for many mo falſer accuſations and rebukes haſt thou borne with higheſt patience, for vsus vile ſinners.
O let the hard ſtrokes and knockes of thy head, be vntounto vsus a ſwaging of all our bodily paines: lette that ſcornfull blindfolding of thine eyes, bee vntounto vsus a reſtraint and keeping in of our ſight, from all wantonnes, vanitie, & lightnes of eies: let the vile ſpitting vponupon thy holy face, expell out of vsus all carnall luſtes: and teach vsus, not to regard the outward appearance, but to holde and keepe in honour the vertues of the ſoule. That carrying about and ſcornefull deriſion, which happened vntounto thee vndeſerued, driue frō vsus all diſſolute manners and wanton geſtures. Let that refuſing of thy worthines quench in vsus all deſires of temporall honor, let it moue vsus vntounto things that of the worlde are contemned, and in ſmall eſtimation. GiueGive vsus (ô Lorde) a ſtrong victorie in all patience: that from our heart rootes wee may acknowledge and confeſſe our ſelues to be moſt worthie of al contempt and ſlaunder, of all rebuke, ſhame, and puniſhment, Amen.
EArlie in the morning at the break of the day, went the chiefe Prieſts and Elders of the people to counſail, … they might destroy Ieſus. And they brought him to their Counſaile, and ſaid: If thou bee Christ, tell vsus? Then ſaid Ieſus vntounto them: if I tell you, ye will not beleeue me: if I aske you a question, you will giuegive me no aunſwere, neither let me go. But from this time forth ſhal the ſonne of man ſitte at the right hand of the power of God. Then ſaid they all: Art thou then the ſonne of God? Then ſaid hee: Ye ſay it, I am. They ſaid. What need we any more witneſſe? We hauehave heard it our ſelues out of his own mouth. Then aroſe the whole multitude, as many as were there, and bound Ieſus, and led him from Caiphas to Pilate into the iudgement hall. And it was earely in the morning. They went not into the iudgement hall, least they ſhuld be defiled, but that they might eat Paſſah. Then went Pilate forth vntounto them, and they broght Ieſus bound, and deliuered him vntounto Pontius Pilate the deputie.
Doctrine and fruite.
SAthan ſleepeth not, but watcheth and is diligent to driue his houſhold together, to deſtroy Ieſus Chriſt, to make him ſure, and to bring him to his end. For they thought if they might hauehave Ieſus once deade, then had they rooted out the doctrine of the trueth. But fooliſh and vaine is their deuiſe, for the truth is immortall: the more it is oppreſt, the more it breaketh forth againe: when men vndertake for to quench it, then doth the ſhine and brightnes therof appeare more glorious. Shame therfore and rebuke, yea eternall puniſhment bring all they vppon themſelues, that withſtanding the trueth take it priſoner, bind it, and deliuer it to the Iudge.2. Tim. 2. Iohn. 8. They thinke they bind the truth, but the truth and worde of God cannot be bound, for it maketh all thinges free, and ſuch as are tangled and wrapt in the ſnares of ſinne, thoſe it deliuereth. Who ſo goeth about to bind the truth, dooth knitte and ſnare himſelfe with vnlowſable bands, and caſteth from him the band of louelove, wherwith God offereth to draw him vntounto himſelfe, and to binde him vnderunder his yoke. Wherefore let vsus be obedient vntounto the truth, and not ſtriue againſt it: for if we vndertake to condemne it, it ſhall ſo appeare againe in high Maieſtie, that through the beautifull, faire, and cleare brightneſſe thereof, wee ſhall all periſh, and be blinded.
WHen Iudas which had betraied him, ſawe that Ieſus was condemned, hee repented ſo, that hee tooke the money, the thirtie ſiluer pence, and brought them to the high Priestes, and to the Elders of the people, and ſaide: I hauehave ſinned in betraying that innocent bloud. They ſaid: What hauehave we to do withall? Looke thou to that. So he cast the money from him in the temple, went his way, and hanged himſelfe in a ſnare. But the high Priestes tooke the money, & ſaide: It is not lawfull to put it into the treaſurie, for it is the price of bloud. And they tooke counſell, & bought with the ſame money a potters field, to bury ſtrangers in. Wherfore the ſame field is called Acheldema, that is, the field of bloud vntill this day. Then was fulfilled that, which was ſpoken by Ieremie the Prophet, ſaying: And they tooke thirtie ſiluer plates the price of him that was v… lued, whom they bought of the children of Iſrael, and ga… them for the potters field, as the Lord appointed me.
Doctrine and fruite.
LIke as we hauehave had in Peter, an enſample of the grace and merciemercy of God: ſo hauehave we in Iudas, a fearefull and terrible enſample of Gods righteouſneſſe. In Iudas, are deſcribed vntounto vsus all vnbeleeuing deſperate perſons, whom the gracious God of his bottomleſſe merciemercy calleth to his goodnes and ſeruice: but they deſpiſe it, and followe ſatan, who blindeth them, and entiſeth them through manifold wickednes, which they conſider not, but when they are come into the deepneſſe of vice, they force not of it. The deuill alſo, to whom they ſurrender themſelues to ſerue, and that hath taken poſſeſſion of their heart, blindeth them in ſuch ſorte, that they ponder not the vileneſſe, grieuouſneſſe, and greatnes of their ſinnes, till they hauehave fully finiſhed the abhomination: for if they did conſider it, they ſhould repent & amend. How many louing admonitions had Iudas heard of the Lord, to diſſuade him from his purpoſe? yet all could not helpe. At the laſt openeth hee their eies that they repent, but a godly repentaunce they receiue not. They beholde the greatneſſe and grieuouſneſſe of the ſinne and offence, but the greatnes of Gods merciemercy in Chriſt they ſee not, by meanes whereof they deſpaire in theyr ſinnes, and are damned.
In the Prieſts that loath the bloud monie, and yet abhorre not to ſhed the innocent bloud, is ſet foorth before our eyes an enſample of all hypocrites, which outwardly appeare to be good and vertuous, and yet regard not the godlynes of the ſpirit: A gnat choaketh them, and a camell they ſwallow vp.
But vntounto vsus poore ſtraungers and pilgrimes, there is prepared and bought through the bloud of Chriſt a field and Church-yard, that wee beeing waſhed cleane from our ſinnes, might find eternal reſt to our ſoules.
Preſerue vsus (O God) from couetouſneſſe and deſpaire, from falſe hypocriſie, treaſon, and blouſhedding: G lead vsus not into temptation. And whereas we hauehave ſinned, grant vsus true & fruitfull repentance, that we neuer forget thy goodnes & merciemercy, but immediatly ceaſe from ſinne, and ſerue thee continually vntill our end, Amen.
IEſus ſtood before the deputie. Then ſaid the deputy: what accuſation bring ye againſt this man? They anſwered & ſaid, If he were not an euill doer, we had not deliuered him vntounto thee. Then ſaid Pilate vntounto them, Take yee him, and iudge him after your law. Then ſaid the Iewes, It is not lawfull for vsus to put anie man to death: that the ſaying of Ieſus might be fulfilled, which he ſpake, ſignifieng what death hee ſhould die. Then began they to accuſe him, & ſayd, We hauehave found this man peruerting the people, & forbidding to giuegive tribute vntounto the Emperor, & naming himſelf to be Chriſt, a king. Pilate asked him, & ſaid, Art thou king of the Iews? Then anſwered he and ſayd, Thou haſt ſpoken it. Then ſaid Pilate to the chiefe Priests and to the people: I … nor guiltines in the man. Then were they more earneſt and ſaid: he hath with his doctrine mooued the people to ſedic… thorow out whole Iewrie, beginning in Galilee, and from thence hither vntounto this place. Nowe when Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked, if he were a Galilean. And when hee perceiued that he was vnderunder Herods iuriſdiction, hee ſent him vntounto Herode, who then was at Hieruſalem.
Doctrine and fruite.
ALL they that hitherto from the beginning of the world, hauehave at any time preached the truth were of the aduerſaries noted and accuſed to be ſedicious & deceiuers of the people: which thing was brought vponupon them, to rid them out of the way. Hereof find we examples enow in the olde and new Teſtament, Ieremy 26.32.38. 3. Reg. 18. Amos 7. In Chriſt and his Apoſtles we ſee it euident. Therefore hauehave wee no cauſe to giuegive ouer the truth, for wee are no better than our maiſter.
And though wee bee complained vppon for the truthes ſake, it ought not greatly to greeue vsus, for as much as we ſee, that the like happened vntounto Chriſt, in whoſe mouth there was neuer found guile. Hee is ſet forth vntounto vsus for an example of moſt perfect patience. We that be ſpirituail Diſciples of Chriſt, muſt goe vntounto him to ſchoole, and learne of him meeknes, obedience, patience, and lowlines of mind. Beholde our head ſtandeth before an Hetheniſh vnrighteous Iudge, wrongfully and ſore is hee accuſed, euen our …uiour our king & Lord, yea euen he that is iudge … whole world. Why ſhould we then … for Gods ſake to obey worldly … though they oppreſſe vsus, & do vsus wrong? … innocent, as for vsus, we are in many things guiltie. Neuer ſhould the patience of Ieſus ſlip out of our hearts.
HaueHave merciemercy vponupon our impatiencie, O mercifull Father, and print in our heartes the image of thy ſon, grant vsus grace to follow his footſteps: expell out of vsus all feare of worldly accuſations & falſe iudgments, giuegive vsus ſuch a gentle ſpirite, as (when we bee wrongfully accuſed, or vniuſtly puniſhed) is not ſoone vnquieted: ô driue thou out of vsus all fumiſhneſſe, indignation, and ſelfe will: let thy louelove increaſe and growe in vsus through the contemning of our ſelues, and whatſoeuer is in vsus, that ſtriueth or reſiſteth againſt thy holie will, let the ſame bee cleane extinct and die.
AND when Herode ſawe Ieſus, he was exceeding glad, for hee was deſirous to ſee him of a long ſeaſon, becauſe he had heard many things of him, and he truſted to hauehave ſeene ſome myracle done by him. Then he queſtioned with him many wordes, but Ieſus aunſwered nothing. The high Priests and Scribes stood forth and accuſed him ſtraightly. And Herode with his men of warre deſpiſed him: And when he had mocked him, he araied him in white clothing, and ſent him againe to Pilate. And the ſame daie Pilate and Herode were made friendes together, for before they were at variance.