Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, resurrection · Commentary 6
Doctrine and fruite.
IN that the Euangeliſts deſcribe the true reſurrection of Chriſt, they declare withal, vntounto whom ſuch a high myſtery was opened and ſhewed For when we heare how the diſciples were minded and behaued themſelues, we learne therby what becommeth vsus, that we alſo may beleeue, that Chriſt is truly riſen againe: yea, not only to acknowledge the ſame with the mouth, but alſo to proue and feele it in the taſt of the ſpirite. So hauehave wee heard afore, what the deſire & ardent louelove which God ſtirred vp in Mary Magdalene, dyd bring to paſſe, and what good came of the feruentneſſe and diligence of Peter. This we ſee now here, for God hath a pleſure to ſtir vp our deſire when hee will open himſelfe vntounto vsus. And therefore all the ſame daie from morning early vntill nyght, were the diſciples ſtill more and more endued with new ioy, that the deſire to ſee Chriſt, might be kindled more and more in them. And as they were aſſembled in louelove & vniformitie (for thoſe two things pleaſe God wel) Chriſt commeth and appeareth vnro them. He openeth himſelfe vntounto thoſe, that longing after him, are coupled in louelove and vniformitie, & being aſſembled, doo hold themſelues together, for where louelove is, there is God: where diſcord is and diuiſion, there is the deuill.
O deare brethren, let vsus regard charitable louelove, let vsus care for our brethren, that the brotherhood be not broken, and that louelove be not ſpotted, for els farewel ſaith. No man needeth to boaſt himſelfe of faith that hath not charitable louelove, but ſtirreth vp and ſeeketh diuiſion.
Moreouer, we ſee here that the diſciples of Chriſt ſtood in great danger of their bodies and life: for when the Iewes had no more power to rage agaynſt Chriſt, they raged agaynſt his diſciples. Looke what men are partakers of the croſſe and paſſion of Chriſt they verily ſhall vnderſtand the high myſterie of his reſurrection. For vndoubtedly, God with his owne conſolation ſhall viſite and comfort thoſe, that ſuffer anie danger & harme for his names ſake. Foraſmuch then as the good diſciples of Chriſt, muſt ſtill bee in conflict and battel with the Iewes, the Lord ſpeaketh vntounto them with this comfortable worde, Peace bee with you: as if he ſhuld ſaie, be of good cheere, your matter ſhal ſtand in good caſe, in mee yee ſhal hauehave peace & be ſafe, & quiet, how hard ſo euer it go outwardly: Feare not, be not afraid, howſoeuer the Iews doo rage, ye ſhall doo right well. This ſalutation was common among the Iewes, therefore doeth Chriſt alſo vſe it. Such a charge gaue hee lykewiſe vntounto his Diſciples, when hee ſent them to preach, that entering into an houſe, they ſhould ſaie, Peace be to this houſe.Luk. 10.
And though the diſciples were ſomewhat amazed and afraide at the firſt bluſh, yet was theyr gladneſſe great, when they were throughly inſtructed, that it was the Lorde. Now was fulfilled that which Chriſt had ſaid and promiſed vntounto them afore. Io. 16 Yee ſhall mourne, and the world ſhall reioyce, but I will ſee you againe. Your ſorrow ſhall be turned into gladneſſe, your heart ſhall reioyce, and your ioye ſhall no man take from you. For the ioye of a faythfull beleeuing heart is conſtant, and endureth. If the reſurrection of Ieſus Chriſt were truely and rightly beleeued, and the ſame ioye comprehended as it ought to bee, all ſorrowe muſt needs vaniſh, all hurt and aduerſitie muſt needes bee little regarded. For what can bee grieuous vntounto a man, when by faith & hope hee is aſſured, that hee in a glorified immortall bodie ſhall ariſe agayne with Chriſt his head, and hauehave euerlaſting ioy with him.
And this is the cauſe that Chriſt appeareth ſo ofte vntounto his diſciples, inſtructing them ſo much and ſo perfectly of his reſurrection, euen to make them ſteadfaſt in this faith, and to aſſure them of this ioy. Therefore ſheweth hee them his bodie, and giueth it them to handle. The palpable bodie certifieth them, that it is a true bodie: the immortall bodie ſheweth, that it is glorified, and of higheſt honor: the printes of the woundes declare, that it is euen the ſelfe ſame bodie that it was afore. Hee ſheweth them the tokens of victorie, as a mighty ouercommer of death, and ſo doth hee the woundes that hee had gotten for them in the battell: and likewiſe the ſide that was opened, declaring his great louelove. His woundes ſheweth he to them, to heale the wounds of theyr vnbeleefe. As if hee would ſay: looke vppon mee, and fight manfullie: Without a battaile ſhall no man bee crowned.2. Tim. 2. But vntounto him that ouercommeth in the conflict,Apoc. 2. will I graunt to eate of the bread of Heauen, and will crowne him for euer.
Where as hee eateth before them, it is done for the probation of the true humaine nature, and not for the great neceſſitie of the bodie: To them was it verie needfull, not vntounto Chriſt. Euen ſo we, knowing howe to further our neighboures faith, muſt, and ought manie times to doe ſomewhat, and to leaue ſomewhat vndone, that for our ſelues wee need not.
O GOD graunt vsus true louelove and vniformitie: Take from vsus all Sciſme and diuiſion: gather vsus togeather through thy holie ſpirite, remooue all diſcord and variaunce out of thy holie Churche. GiueGive vsus patience in aduerſitie: ſende thy godlie comforte and ioye vntounto all ſuch as bee in diſtreſſe and trouble for thy names ſake: Strengthen the weake, lift vppe the feeble, eſtabliſh the doubtfull, and in the battaile helpe thoſe which bee thine owne: that they lie not vnderunder, but that in thee, they may ouercome all daunger and harme. Amen.
THomas one of the twelue (which was called Didimus) was not with them when Ieſus came. The other diſciples therefore ſayd vntounto him: We hauehave ſeene the Lord. But he ſaid vntounto them: Except I ſee in his handes the print of the nailes, and put my finger into the print of the nailes, & thruſt my hand into his ſide, I will not beleeue. And after eight daies again his diſciples were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Ieſus when the doores were ſhut, and stoode in the midſt, and ſaide, Peace bee vntounto you. And after that ſayd he to Thomas, Bring thy finger hether, and ſee my hands, and reach hether thy hand, & thruſt it into my ſide, and be not faithles, but beleeuing. Thomas anſwered, and ſaid vntounto him: My Lord, and my God. Ieſus ſaith vntounto him, Thomas, becauſe thou haſt ſeene mee, thou haſt beleeued, Bleſſed are they that hauehave not ſeene, and hauehave beleeued.