Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, resurrection · Commentary 12
Doctrine and fruite.
THE former wordes which Chriſt ſpake vntounto Peter (Follow me) were ſpoken vntounto him in this meaning, that he ſhould followe the foot-ſteps and paſſion of Chriſt, namely, with worde and deed to goe the waie that Chriſt had gone. But in aſmuch as Peter is a figure of the Church, Chriſt ſpake thoſe wordes, not onelyonly vntounto him, but vntounto all faithful beleeuers. For the Church of Chriſt while ſhee dwelleth heere temporally in many troubles and afflictions, ſhe foloweth Chriſt her ſpouſe and head, who alſo deliuereth her from all aduerſitie. Shee loueth Chriſt, and in the behalfe of his truth ſhe ſtriueth vntill the death: for ſeeing Chriſt dyed for all, it is meet that they which are his, doo follow his foot-ſteppes. To followe Chriſt, is nothing elſe, than ſtoutly to ſuffer and ouercome deſpite and pouertie in this world for his ſake. And God truly, euen in his wrath (which wee with our ſinnes deſerue) cannot forget his merciemercy. Ouer and beſides the manifolde comfort and helpe which he otherwiſe declareth vntounto vsus, he hath giuen vsus his own ſonne, to be our mediator: by whom, if we put our truſt in him, we ſhould be ſaued & deliuered from eternall death, that we liuing from hence forth ſtill in faith, hope, and charitable louelove, as pilgrimes in this world: and beeing in all troubles & aduerſities preſerued by the corporall and ſpirituall comfort of God, might walke innocently before his ſight, in him who is become our way vntounto God. It is no vile thing to ſuffer, & to be put to death for Chriſt and his truths ſake: yea, a man cannot die a more honorable death, than when for the truth innocently, he ſuffereth with a good conſcience and with an vpright minde. No man in deede ought to put himſelfe in daunger arrogantly, wilfully, or for vaine-glorie.
Wheras Peter asketh a queſtion concerning the diſciple whom the Lord loued, what he ſhould doo, it is a niceneſſe and vnprofitable curioſitie, that ſerueth nothing to edification, and therefore it pleaſeth not the Lord. Whatſoeuer edifieth not, that ought not we to deſire of Chriſt. Let eueryevery man looke to himſelfe, waiting vponupon his owne buſineſſe and office and not to be curious in another mans matter: whatſoeuer is not committed vntounto his charge, and belongeth not vntounto him, let him not meddle withal. Peter loued Chriſt, ſo did he them alſo: therefore asked he what ſhould become of him, and whether he ſhould remayne ſtyll ot die, for hee was verie loth and vnwilling to departe from him. And ſo he paſſed more vponupon Iohn, than vppon the precept and commiſſion of Ieſus Chriſt. Such curious backe looking doth the Lord rebuke.
Wee many and ſundrie times doo regarde and eſteeme more the thing that wee louelove, than that which God commaundeth and biddeth vsus. But ſuch louelove is verie hurtfull, and eſpecially in thoſe that ſhould be ſoul ſhepherds. Chriſts wil is, that they hauehave reſpect to his worke and commandement, and with a feruent louelove to perfourme the ſame, not medling with other buſines not needfull.
To enquire curiouſly of other mens matters, bringeth not alway profit, but much rather vnquietnes. Therefore Chriſt remoouing Peter from ſuch curious queſtions, draweth his mind vntounto a better thing, namely, to follow him. As for that which he deſireth to know, Chriſt telleth him that it is no point of his charge, as if Chriſt would ſay: what haſt thou to doo with other folkes buſines? Thou haſt heard what I hauehave commanded thee: look that thou faithfully do the ſame. What inquireſt thou after other mens matters.
Thus looking diligently and faithfully to our own charge, and expelling the affection of the fleſh, wee ſhould neither deſire, curiouſly to aske any thing beyond the will of God, neither to looke vponupon any other men, but vprightly to follow the Lord.
Here alſo we learne, that in the commiſſion and final departure of the faithfull, there be manifold differēces. Some reſt in the Lord bleſſedly, without any ſpeciall heauy affliction: but ſome it pleaſeth God to bring through ſore trauaile and exceeding trouble, laying the greater burthen vponupon him: according as it was tolde Peter afore hand, that he ſhould be crucified, but not Iohn.
They now that are admitted to feede Chriſt his ſheepe, prepare themſelues, and bee alwaies readie, without any curioſity to follow the will of God.
Whereas Iohn in the concluſion of his booke refuteth the erroneous opinion of ſome, it is an euidence of his meekneſſe and ſinceritie. It was not ſo ſpoken of the Lorde (ſaith hee) that the ſame Diſciple ſhould not die: whereby Iohn confeſſed, that he himſelfe alſo was mortall. His writing wil he hauehave credited, for he hath written nothing ſaue onelyonly the truth, wherof he may well teſtifie that which he hath ſeene. Yet ſaith he hath not written all, but only that whereby we may obtaine eternall life: as wee hauehave heard ſufficiently afore.
THE eleuen Diſciples went away into Galilee,Math. 28. into a mountaine whereas Ieſus had appointed them. And when they ſaw him, they worſhipped him: but ſome doubted. And Ieſus ſaide: Theſe are the wordes which I ſpake vntounto you, while I was yet with you, that all muſt needs be fulfilled, which were written of me in the lawe of Moſes, and in the Prophets, and in the Pſalmes. Then opened hee their wittes, that they might vnderstand the Scriptures, and ſaide vntounto them: Thus is it written, and thus it behooued Christ to ſuffer, and to riſe againe from death the third day, and that repentance and remiſsion of ſinne, ſhould be preached in his name among all nations, and must begin at Hieruſalem. And ye are witneſſes of theſe thinges. And behold, I will ſend the promiſe of my Father vppon you. But tarrie ye in the Cittie of Hieruſalem, till ye be endewed with power from on high.