to thinke that thou knowest God the highest goodnes of all if thou hadst not him by whom thou art deliuered from sin and eternall plague Whereas GOD the originall of all goodnesse is knowne and our minde through Christ his Sonne assured of his grace namely that hee is fauourable vnto vs and that hee therefore hath seperated vs out of the world to the intent that by his spirit he might make vs like vnto his sonne righteous and blessed there doth there spring in our hartes a comfortable trust vnto God a loue such ioy as nothing in this world may be compared vnto There also doth arise in vs a diligence to keepe his commandements godly and innocently to liue Thus commeth our health originally out of the grace mercie of our heauenly Father who afore the worlde was created did chuse vs in Christ Iesu his Sonne vnto eternall life and in the booke of life wrote vp our names After the same did the Father graunt vnto vs the Sonne gaue him power ouer all men Nowe that wee are giuen vnto Christ hee openeth vnto vs the name of his Father through the outward worde and through his spirite in the heart When wee beleeue in him which to do cōmeth also of him then increaseth the knowledge of God in vs. Out of that knowledge groweth an assured confidence in God the highest good Of this assured trust commeth loue towards him And when God graunteth vs all this he saueth vs and giueth vs eternall life This is an high worthines and honour of Christ in that the father giueth him all things into his hand that he may giue euerlasting life vnto faithful beleeuers No man can haue life but throgh Christ Who so beleeueth not in Christ remaineth in death and the wrath of God-abideth vppon him But then giueth hee vs eternall life when we receiue his worde and knowe that he came out from God and that the father sent him the Sauiour of the world And when wee thus are become faithfull beleeuers then keepe we his commaundementes for faith studieth and is diligent to please God This honour and dignitie of Christ his power and kingdome are first opened vnto the world after his death and crosse in the resurrection and ascension Of the which honour and glorie wee also in due time shall after our measure bee partakers if we suffer with him For the high Priest who hath prayed for vs is heard of the Father and glorified with eternall honor and glorie Wherefore we may not doubt in the remnant that he praieth for still on our behalfe hee shal be and is for his worthines sake heard and hath his request Of this wee will consider more I Pray for them and pray not for the worlde but for them whome thou hast giuen me for they are thine and al mine are thine and thine are mine I am glorified in them And nowe am I no more in the world but they are in the world and I come to the holy father keep them in thy name whome thou hast giuen me that they may be one as we are When I was with thē in the world I kept them in thy name Those that thou gauest mee haue I kept and none of them is lost but the lost childe that the Scripture might be fulfilled Now come I to thee and these wordes speake I in the world that they might haue my ioy full in them I haue giuen them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world euen as I am not of the worlde I desire not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou keepe them from euill They are not of the world as I am not of the world Sanctifie them with thy truth thy saying is truth As thou sentest mee into the world so haue I sent them into the worlde and for their sakes I sanctifie my selfe that they also might be sanctified through the truth I pray not for them alone but for those also which shall beleeue on mee through their preaching that they all may bee one as thou Father art in me and I in thee and that they may bee also one in vs that the worlde may beleeue that thou hast sent me And the glorie that thou gauest mee haue I giuen them that they may be one as we are one I in them thou in me that they may bee made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loued them as thou hast loued me Doctrine and fruite THIS praier of our high Priest and mediatour Christ Iesus is feruent earnest full of the fire of godly loue ful of great secrets and spirituall instructions Herein may we learne to know what hie honor dignitie and power Christ by his obedience and patience hath obtained with his father wherein consisteth our peace ioy welfare What care and loue Christ beareth towardes those that are his and how he committeth them vnto his father First hee praieth for his Disciples whome hee did choose to publish his truth afterward praieth he for all such as should come to the faith by their preaching vntil the worldes end And for asmuch as the Disciples had a great waightie matter in hand full of danger and aduersitie for they must needs procure to themselues great hatred of the world hee first praieth for them that the Father will strengthen comfort and preserue them thorow his power defend them from all euill In this are we taught diligently chiefly and specially to pray for those vnto whome is committed the preaching of the Gospell for a chargeable and great worke carry they vppon their shoulders by meanes whereof among all others they haue speciall neede of the grace helpe assistance of God But our prayer ought we to frame as Christ hath framed his First we must in our praier to God make speciall mention of his owne grace and mercie whereby hee chusing them to such an office hath giuen them vnto Christ his sonne Forasmuch then as they are the Ministers of him and of his Sonne and seeing the Sonne is so deare worthie beloued vnto the Father our prayer must bee that hee for his Sonnes sake will defende and preserue them as in him and by him they are worthie Secondly considering that for his sake and his word which they declare they are persecuted of the worlde it is requisite that God preserue them in his owne worke For great need haue they of his fatherly protection while they yet liue in the weake feeble flesh and are mortall men Thirdly their office serueth to many mens health and welfare their office is necessary and profitable to the whole world which walketh in blindnesse and darknes for they are the light of the world that thorough doctrine and liuing must shine to manie mens life which without the assistance and helpe of God cannot come passe Thus ought wee to praye for
bodie of Christ which was hanged vpon the crosse for our sinnes was of the Father raysed againe vnto life For if wee beleeue in our heart and confesse with our mouth that God hath raysed him vp from the dead we shal be saued Yea beleeue we must that Christ according to his wordes afore hath through his godly power erected vp againe from death the temple of his bodie Therefore thorow the doubting of Thomas wee learne the mysterie of the resurrection of our own bodies For Christ hath sufficiently proued and Thomas hath confessed that the bodie of Christ which was hanged vpon the crosse is verely risen againe from death Wherin our faith is confirmed to beleeue that our bodies also shall truely and liuely rise againe to eternall life When Thomas is with the other disciples Christ sheweth himselfe vnto him For they that in the vnitie of faith and of vndiuided loue doe not associate and accompanie themselues with other faithfull beleeuers in the Church shall not be partakers of heauenly ioyes Truth it is that to beleeue with the hart iustifieth but the confession that is made with the mouth belongeth vnto health serueth vnto loue and vnitie of the Church and congregation of God without the which there can bee no hope of health He that saith he beleeueth and doth not ioyne himselfe vnto other Christians his faith is vaine and of none effect And therefore did Christ for his church institute the sacraments that is to say exterior signes of his grace that his people might be associate together in the vnitie of faith The Church of God is it that preserueth vs poore ones as did the Arke of Noe afore time in the floud and bringeth vs thorough this raging sea vnto the hauen of eternall saluation Not that the grace and health is therefore to bee ascribed to the elements and outwarde thinges but that it may appeare how effectuous fayth is and what it woorketh through charitable loue in the Church Christ maketh mention of the wordes which Thomas had spoken afore to the Disciples in his absence Namely Except I see in his handes the print c. Therefore sayth Christ Thomas bring thy finger hither and see c. Whereby it is euidently prooued that Christ is God and euen so doth Thomas vnderstand and confesse The woundes are shewed of Christ specially to this intent that his passion might be printed and sealed in mens mindes For a verie deepe and high mysterie is it that Christes side is opened out of the which floweth bloud and water whereby the spirituall and faithfull beleeuing mindes may well perceiue Christes good louing will towardes mankind Now when we looke vpon his handes touching his side inwardly with our desire of inward fayth and considering why and with what loue Christ suffered for vs it shall be no hard thing vnto vs to beleeue his resurrection If Christ were deade but euen as an other pure man or Prophet we could haue no hope of the resurrection Who so beleeueth it commeth soone to this knowledge that immortall life is giuen vnto vs. Now where there is hope of an immortall life there is the Lorde serued with great diligence For if God hath not spared his sonne but giuen him for vs all what good thing then may wee not looke for at his hand If wee bee onely true beleeuers with Thomas then shall God faithfully performe that hee hath promised vs. Christ desireth no more of vs weake feeble ones than that we be not faithlesse but stedfast beleeuers Thomas is immediately obedient vnto the voice of Christ and becommeth foorth with a newe man The Pharisies could by no doctrine by no myracles bee brought to giue credence vnto Christ and to beleeue in him although they sawe Lazarus raysed againe from death malice and hatred did so hinder them But Thomas acknowledgeth him freely to be his Lord and God He seeth and handleth man he confesseth God whom he saw not Hee acknowledged that he whom he saw was his God Lord. Through the same faith was his vnbeleefe and sinne forgiuen him O mercifull God graunt vs loue that we seek not our owne commoditie nor honour but the profit of our neighbours and thy glorie in all thinges Expell out of vs all disdaine greedines vngentlenes headines and flattering of our selues Preserue vs from discord diuision binde vs together in vniforme loue that wee may bee one bodie and of one minde Stablish also our faith that our minds may alwayes bee comforted in the resurrection of thy sonne and immortall life purchased by him Amen ANd many other signes trulie did Iesus in the presence of his Disciples which are not written in this booke These are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God that ye so beleeuing might haue life through his name Doctrine and fruite LIke as Christ while hee yet liued did miracles before his death to declare his godly power euen so after his rising again from death he worketh manie tokens in the presence of his Disciples to proue his resurrection in the flesh Some of the same are described of the Euangelists not of anie curiositie or for vaine glorie but to confirme our sayth therewith To write all Iohn thought it not needful for who could haue written all Or who could haue fastened and borne them all in minde Who so will not beleeue these few that are written shall neuer beleeue a greater multitude A faithfull beleeuer is well satisfied with these For these that be written of him are therefore written that wee should beleeue that Iesus is Christ the Sonne of GOD and that we through his fayth might haue eternall life Seeing then that all thinges which are written doo extende and serue to this ende that wee might beleeue in him and bee saued by him what lacke wee then Or what can we desire more So that hereby we learne with great diligence to reade to consider and to applie into our owne lyfe whatsoeuer the Euangelistes haue written of Christ as they haue written nothing but that which is altogether excellent deare holie and godlie and such thinges as doe liuely describe sette foorth and print Christ vnto vs that our fayth hope loue patience meeknesse and all good thinges might growe with blessed fruite that wee in our life might become thankfull for such an excellent grace and in no wise to contemne or despise it A scornefull thing is it and the euidence of a greate vnbeleefe whereas some thinke by these wordes to prooue that for as much as all thinges are not written in the booke it is lawfull for certayne men to adde the rest and to deuise and ordayne what they will For in these thinges that are written doth Iohn comprehend the whole sum of fayth which consisteth in this that Iesus is the son of the liuing God who for our saluation came downe from heauen died rose againe purchased for vs eternal life Iesus the son of
according to their beleefe and ferueâ—â— loue receiue the more excellent â—ruites whereby they may expell the temptations that they like not For the deuill keepeth no holy daie he sleepeth not runneth about as a roaring lion he ceaseth not and therefore these men continually get them to their weapons with the consideration of the passion of Christ Abraham the good friend of God must stil driue awaie the rauenous birds from the sacrifice till the Sunne goe downe and till a man cheerefully saie In peace will I laie me downe and take my rest c. This probation must be well taken heed vnto for many men not iustly considering themselues neither right discerning this meate from others receiue the foode of life vnto death Not that this holy bread was instituted and ordained of Christ to hurt any man but because the euil man doth wickedly receiue that which is wholsome abuseth it thorough vnbeleefe Therefore iustly doeth Paul exhort that there be first had a diligent examination of a mans selfe that then he eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. Thus let euerie man take good heed to his owne state and vocation that this banket may set him forward not vnto his hurt but to eternall life Who so taketh not heed vnto this difference to him selfe as alas carnall people do which are not spiritually instructed The same faileth oft in many things and vndertaketh to flie high yea higher than his knowledge power may attaine Hereof then it also proceedeth as we see before our eyes that so fewe folkes come to steadfast amendement namely euen hereof that when men are not exercised in discerning of Gods matters from others a mad headie motion of sensualtie prouoketh them inordinatly to sitte highest at the table wheras yet they are not worthie of the lowest place and so will they forthwith possesse the seate roiall afore they haue found the asses or kept the sheepe as of Dauid Saul in figure it is read But thus ought it not to bee for though the grace of the holy Ghost vse not long fetches about yet commeth no man sodainly to the happiest step I speake after the common course as it beseemeth vs to talke and do in the Church of God namely after the ordinance which he hath appointed vs. Behold Saint Paul being so perfect in the law that the world could not accuse him being also chast earnest feruent and well exercised in all vertues whom God that had separated him from his mothers wombe would cal to his seruice Though he was taken vp into the third heauen and saw secrets that no man can expresse yet doth not he trust so much thereto as by reason of that great grace to magnifie himselfe and to take vpon him the office of preaching before he being taught at Gamaliels feet and baptised and instructed of Ananias had perceiued in himselfe and proued that same which he afterwards out of the perfectnes of the spirit might distribute abrode vnto al Christendome This is peraduenture laughed to scorne of the vnexpert proud worldlynesse but who so hath eares circumcised with the feare of God will thinke more vpon the matter He that will sit now at the table of the high king let him diligently consider what hee receiueth in his soule through faith namely the body end bloud of Iesus Christ which feedeth and nourisheth him to eternall life and draweth him to God altereth him and maketh him steadfast which the outward bread taken with the moueh doth point and leade vnto yea let vs ponder how great loue and what an example Christ ther setteth before him that he also must prepare the like that is that he to his power must follow the loue life and passion of Christ to the intent that hee being wounded with Christs loue fastned with him vpon the crosse may abide in him vnto the end For in the passion of Christ is the instrustion of the way which we ought and must follow vnto eternall life There also is information where and how the same waie and the euerlasting truth is shewed found Thus the penitent sindeth the waie the reformer the vndoubted vnwandring truth the perfect the verie life eternall which is Christ Iesus and there is eternall peace God graunt that all they which reade this little booke and consider this matter may so burne in loue and feruent deuotion that they continue and liue in Christ and he in them for euer Amen THE PASSION OF CHRIST Out of the holy Euangelists THE feast of sweete bread which is also called Easter drue nigh namely after two daies Then sayd Iesus to his disciples Know ye that after two daies shall be Easter and the sonne of man shal be betraied and crucified At the same time were the chiefe priests and councell gathered together in the pallace of the high Priest whose name was Caiphas and there they counselled how they might craftily apprehend take and kill him Howbeit they feared the people Therfore sayd they together Not on the holie daie least there bee an vproare among the people But Satan was entered into Iudas called Iscarioth one of the twelue who went out to the high Priests rulers intending to deliuer him vnto them therefore how he would deliuer Iesus vnto them he told them and sayd What will you giue me and I will deliuer him vnto you When they heard that they were gladde and agreed with him promising him thirtie pence Then promised hee them sought from thence forth oportunity how he might deliuer Iesus vnto them handsomely and without any vprour But afore the feast which is called Passah Iesus knowing that his houre was come and that hee should depart out of this world vnto the Father while he loued his owne that were in the world he loued them vnto the end On the first day of sweet bread when they offer passah the Disciples came to Iesu and said where wilt thou that we go and prepare Passah for thee Then sent he two of his disciples namely Peter and Iohn saying Goe and prepare for vs that we may eat Passah They said where then said he Goe into the citie to one beholde when yee enter in one shall meet you bearing a pitcher with water follow him into the house that he entreth into and say vnto the housholder The maister saith vnto thee my time is now heere that I will eat Passah with thee Where is now the place where the multitude shall be kept Where is the Parlour that I shall eat Passah in with my Disciples then shall hee shewe you a great Parlour that is paued there make ye ready So the Disciples went and found as the Lord had tolde them and they made readie the Passah At euen came Iesus with the twelue and when it was time he sate him down at the table and the twelue with him Now when he sat at the table with his disciples and they did eate hee saide I haue greatly longed
testifieth of these things wrote these things and we know that his testimony is true There are also many other things that Iesus did which if they should bee waitten euerie one I suppose the world could not contain the bookes that should be written Doctrine and fruite THE former wordes which Christ spake vnto Peter Follow me were spoken vnto 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 onely vnto him but vnto 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 mercie Ouer and besides the manifolde comfort and helpe which he otherwise declareth vnto vs he hath giuen vs 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 loue 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 vnto 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 euery man looke to himselfe waiting vpon his owne businesse and office and not to be curious in another mans matter whatsoeuer is not committed vnto his charge and belongeth not vnto 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 vpon 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 loue than that which God commaundeth and biddeth vs. But such loue is verie hurtfull and especially in those that should be soul shepherds Christs wil is that they haue respect to his worke and commandement and with a feruent loue 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 vnto 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 haue 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 vpon 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 vpon 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 haue credited for he hath written nothing saue onely 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 haue heard sufficiently afore THE eleuen Disciples went away into Galilee 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 vnto 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 vnto 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 Doctrine and fruite THE Lorde minding to make his Disciples assured of his Resurrection instructeth them first well in his passion which hee declareth out of the Scripture and printeth it in their hearts He teacheth them that it was necessarie that Christ should suffer and die yea euen thus to die namely vppon a crosse vpon a tree On the tree was the transgression committed vpon the tree behooued it the restitution to bee made vpon the tree was death fetched vpon the tree was life giuen vpon the tree must satisfaction bee made for the lustes of the flesh which on the tree were first conceiued And would God that we rightly knew the passion and crosse of our Lorde Iesu Christ then shoulde the glorie of the resurrection be well knowne and loued of vs. O Iesu graunt vs grace right to consider what wherefore and with what loue and feruentnes thou hast suffered for vs then shall our heart feele profitably enioy the sweete fruite of thy