Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, passion · Commentary 36
Doctrine and fruite.
IN all aduerſitie and deſpight, is all bodily and temporall comfort withdrawne from Chriſt, that euen when hee without all conſolation dooth ſuffer moſt greuous extremitie, wee might perceiue his louelove. The Lord of all creatures that lacketh nothing, commeth into ſo great affliction and neceſſitie for our ſake, that hee complaineth himſelfe to bee forſaken of him, who worketh all things in him. This is the voyce of the paſſible mortall fleſh, which for vsus poore ſinners crieth vponupon the croſſe. His patience is our comfort, his complaint is our helpe, his ſickneſſe is our health, his paine is our ſatisfaction. The Phiſitian came from heauen, that hee thorow great compaſsion, might giuegive ouer him ſelfe into exceeding many torments and rebukes. Therfore with the ſick, he is ſicke: with thoſe that ſuffer, hee ſuffereth. with the ſorrowfull, he is ſorie: with them that ſuffer violence, hee complaineth: for his feeble and weake members, he praieth. And the voyce of the fleſh and of naturall ſence, is neither rebellious nor deſperate. The fleſhe feeleth great paine vndeſerued, the innocent holy body ſuffereth ſore puniſhment, the Godhead neuertheleſſe vſeth the higheſt ſilence: And as for the diuine preſence, the ſenſible paine is not miniſhed by it.
But a merueilous ſteadfaſtnes of patience is heere declared, to performe the redemption of mankinde. This paine and ſmart is ſo great, that euen the Elements which hauehave no ſence, declare tokens of their compaſsion. The Sunne loſt his ſhine, and hid his cheerefull light from the wicked rabble, hauing as it were a diſpleaſure for the death of their maker. Seeing now that the ſun mourneth▪ and the earth quaketh: much more ought we reaſonable men to hauehave compaſsion, and to conſider the death of our maker.
Behold O faithfull ſeruant of God, how thy foregoer in all his puniſhment and ſorrowfull trouble, indureth ſtil mild and patient, and that there is heard no bitternes out of his mouth. His praier and complaint ſendeth hee vppe vntounto his heauenlie Father, neither nameth hee any other, ſaue onelyonly God▪ To him alone hee complaineth and openeth his deſolation. Euen ſo ought wee to doe when aduerſitie, reproch, or any ſuch thing aſſaulteth vsus, wee muſt not vndiſcreetly ſorrow or be angrie, but runne ſtraight way vntounto the Croſſe, and at the Croſſe tarrie and abide a little while with the Lorde. If thou be forſaken, complaine of thy trouble vntounto GOD the Father: Conſider, that Ieſus alſo for thy ſake, was left in great trouble and anguiſhe: Learne thou likewiſe to bee ſoft minded, and patient, without murmuring or curſing: Keepe thee to the onelie comfort of God, giuegive ouer all the ioy of this world, ſo ſhalt thou not bee forſaken of him. All earthlie thinges ſet apart, turne thou thy minde vppe into the Countrey of Heauen. Take GOD for thy Father, Ieſus for thy brother: Thou art of a noble high kindred, namelie, a childe of the euer liuing God.
O mercifull father, wee crie vntounto thee in all trouble, and call vppon thee through the crucified Ieſus. Suffer vsus not to ſincke in great afflictions, giuegive vsus not ouer vntounto our owne ſtrength: but the more the enemie preſſeth vppon vsus, the more bee thou our aſſiſtance: For in all anguiſhe and trouble, thou art the right helper, and moſt faithfull friend. If temptation then come vppon vsus by thy fatherly will, graunt vsus grace O Lord, patientlie to beare it, and to lay the burthen vponupon thy merciemercy: that in all trouble, we being els deſtitute of all conſolatiō, may put our whole truſt onelyonly in thee. Amen.
AFter this, Ieſus knowing that all thinges were nowe perfourmed, that the ſcripture might be fulfilled, hee ſaith: I thirſt. So there ſtood a veſſell by, full of vineger. Therfore they filled a ſpunge with vinegar and wound it about with Iſope, and put to his mouth. Aſſoone as Ieſus then receiued of the Vinegar, hee anſwered and ſaide: It is finiſhed.