Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, passion · Commentary 6
Doctrine and fruite.
THe Lord Ieſus continueth his Oration in comforting his Diſciples, and in telling them what the office of the holy Ghoſt ſhould be. Whereby we learne,We muſt all be …aught of God, which is don by the ſpirite. that all reading and hearing, yea and al doctrine, bringeth vtterly no fruite, if the holy Ghoſt do not giuegive vsus vnderſtanding, and teach vsus the word of God. For the Diſciples were ignorant and forgetfull. Many thinges that Chriſt had tolde them, they vnderſtood not: many thinges had they forgotten: in many thinges they doubted. Such like happen alſo vntounto vsus: therefore ought wee at all times to pray vntounto God, that he will ſend vsus his holy ſpirite, to admoniſh and prouoke vsus, to comfort and ſtrengthen vsus, to inſtruct and teach vsus all thinges that are neceſſarie for vsus to ſaluation. Hee is the right heauenly ſchoolemaiſter: when hee commeth into vsus, hee expelleth all ignorance away.
But foraſmuch as there remaineth much trouble and aduerſitie vntounto all faithfull beleeuers, while they liue in this time,The peace of Chriſt through the ſpirit. Chriſt doth therefore promiſe them his peace, againſt the turmoyling, vnquietnes, and trouble of this world. In the world are many hurley burlyes and aduerſities: In Chriſt we find true peace and quietneſſe. And Chriſt vntounto thoſe that are his, giueth ſuch a peace,Phil 4. as ſurmounteth all vnderſtanding: in the which peace they beeing coupled and knitte, are able valiauntly to ouercome all enemies and aduerſitie. For in as much as they knowe, and be vndoubtedly aſſured through faith, that their ſins are forgiuen and taken awaie by Chriſt, that the father of heauen is fauorable and gracious vntounto them, that they be his owne children and inheritours, they doe little paſſe, what thing outwardly happeneth vntounto them. All aduerſitie and trouble that outwardlie is layde vponupon them, is, through the inward ioy and peace which they hauehave in God, cleane ſwallowed vp and ſo forgotten. They ſettle and ſtaie their harts vppon ſaluation and eternall peace.
The peace of the world ſeeketh quietneſſe & reſt of the bodie, throweth awaie the croſſe,Worldly peace. & flieth from it: The peace of Chriſt reioyceth in the middeſt of aduerſitie, and ouercommeth the croſſe. For faithful beleeuers looke vntounto Chriſt, who went before them vntounto the father, and after his paſſion and death, tooke poſſeſſion of ſo high honor and glorie,Our nature exalted in Chriſt. and hath carryed theyr nature vp ſo high vntounto the right hande of the father, where hee now ruleth as a mightie king of heauen and earth. Oh how great comfort, how ſure a hope giueth it vntounto vsus, when wee ſee our owne nature, our owne fleſh and bones, incorporated vntounto Chriſt, the onelyonly begotten ſonne,Comfort in aduerſitie. and eternall word of God, in ſo high honor and glorie! how can it be otherwiſe, but wee muſt needes hope, that our weake fleſh alſo ſhall be taken vp?
Looke what is paſt in the head, the ſame ſhall aſſuredly be fulfilled in the members, for without the members cannot the head be. Which thing conſidered, and (through true beleefe) printed in the heart, maketh a man patient and cheerefull in all aduerſity, giueth peace and ioy in all trouble. Let the Prince of this world,The deuill hath nothing in the faithfull. through his miniſters and members, ſtirre vp all vexation againſt vsus, yet hath he no vauntage of vsus, if wee bee in Chriſt. Eaſily might he finde ſomewhat in our ſelues, but in Chriſt nothing, ſuch innocencie dooth Chriſt make vsus partakers of. Tempt vsus he may, and thruſt at vsus, but to ouercome vsus, hee is not able, ſo farre as we abide in Chriſt. In vsus is death a puniſhment of ſinne:We muſt ſuffer, that we may bee obedient vntounto the father. in Chriſt it is obedience and louelove. For ſeeing the father loueth the ſonne, and of verie louelove gaue him vntounto death for vsus, the ſon would of louelove obey the father, and as hee alſo loued vsus, ſo would he willingly and obediently ſuffer death for vsus, that all the worlde might ſee his obedience, and that wee might learne of him to obey our heauenly Father, euen vntounto the death, and faithfully folow his precept: and that likewiſe, whereas it toucheth his glorie, we ſhould be afraide neither of aduerſitie nor death, conſidering howe obediently hee dyed for our ſakes.
I Am a true Vine, and my Father is an husband-man. Euerie braunch that bringeth not fruite in mee, hee taketh awaie: and euerie braunch that beareth fruite, hee purgeth, that it may bring foorth more fruit. Now are yee cleare, through the wordes which I hauehave ſpoken vntounto you. Abide in mee, and I in you. As the branch cannot beare … of it ſelfe, except it abide in the vine, no more can yee, except … abide in mee. I am the vine, yee are the braunches. He that abideth in mee, and I in him, the ſame bringeth, foorth … fruite: for without mee can yee doo nothing. If a man bide not in mee, he is caſt forth as a branch, and withered, and men gather them, and eaſt them into the fire, and they burne. If yee abide in mee, and my words alſo in you, aske what yee will and it ſhall bee done vntounto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye beare much fruit, and become my diſciples.