DOCTRINE AND FRUIT.

AN excellent comfort doth Christ give here unto his disciples, who by reason of his departing were in great sorrow and heaviness. But like as the disciples of Christ, because of his passion, abode for a little season in great cumbrance, fear, and trouble, and yet received great joy out of the resurrection, when he shewed himself unto them; even so in adversity ought not we to be faint-hearted, but comfort ourselves in this, that the Lord doth not long leave those that are his. Though he hide himself for a time, he shall shortly shew us his gracious countenance again, and refresh us with rich comfort. The adversities of faithful believers are not only short, but also they end with unspeakable joy. After adversity and death followeth everlasting joy and eternal life. We are here with Christ our head in trouble and on the cross, where the world laugheth at us and rejoiceth. For all this ought not we to be unquiet in ourselves. Very shortly will the matter change and turn upside down; so that their laughter and joy shall be altered into weeping and eternal sorrow: but our heaviness shall God shortly end with great fruit and joy, and the same joy shall no man be able to take from us, when we with Christ our head shall everlastingly be glad and rejoice, when all tears shall be wiped away from our eyes, and we discharged of all travail and labour of this time.

[John xvi. 23-33.]

In that day shall ye ask me no question. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs; but the time will come, when I shall no more speak to you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of my Father. At that day shall ye ask in my name. And I say not unto you,

that I will pray unto the Father for you; for the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I am come out from God. I went out from the Father, and came into the world; and I leave the world again, and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and thou speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee any question. Therefore believe we, that thou camest from God. Jesus answered them, Now ye do believe. Behold, the hour draweth nigh, and is already come, that ye shall be scattered every man unto his own, and shall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. These words have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world shall ye have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

DOCTRINE AND FRUIT.

MANY times doth Christ promise us, whatsoever we pray, to obtain the same of the Father of heaven; whereby he may stir up our hearts faithfully to cry unto God, the gracious and loving Father, whose love towards us is exceeding great, neither can he say us nay, that hath given and bestowed upon us his own Son. Yea, not only hath he sent down unto us his dear and only-begotten Son, to take the nature of man upon him, and to die for us; but hath also into our hearts given his holy Spirit, with whom he hath sealed us, and certified us of his love, pouring the knowledge and love of Christ into our hearts. How can we then doubt of his love and faithfulness? How is it possible, that in all our trouble and heaviness we should not unto him only have recourse, seeking help and comfort at his hand? The Son for our sake came forth from the Father, humbled, and made himself of no reputation, took all reproach, shame, and trouble upon himself for our welfare. To the Father was he obedient, until the death of the cross; and after that he through his blood had washed away our sins, and finished the work of

our salvation, he arose again from death through the power and might of his Father, overcame death for us, and with hist ascension opened heaven, and prepared an entrance unto God, carrying up our nature and flesh unto the honour and glory which he had from everlasting, and giving us therein a hope and sure comfort, that we also shall with him have everlasting joy and glory for ever.

Seeing then that he came out from the Father, we ought to hearken unto him, and not to despise his word.

He is the eternal wisdom of God, he is the truth, no false teacher can he be; forasmuch as he cometh from God, and is his Heb. i. only-begotten Son. To contemn so dear an ambassador and messenger of God, must needs have great punishment; and though we are not able in most perfection to understand his doctrine, truth, and love, (for here in this time is our know- 1 Cor. xiii. ledge unperfect;) yet should we consider that the Father loveth us, and faithfully ought we to cry and pray unto him for his Spirit, that shall teach us all truth, so much as is necessary and profitable for us; which knowledge from day to day shall increase, till we shall see him face to face, and have the perfect knowledge of him. Our nature is weak and feeble, the nature divine is high and incomprehensible. are full of darkness; God is the clear and far-passing light: but when our dark mist is taken away, then in clear brightness shall the godly light open unto us.

We

Some first-fruits and beginnings of God's knowledge have we received already. God hath cast and planted a little seed of knowledge in our hearts, which through his grace and moisture shall daily grow, increase, and prosper. Of such knowledge as we have of God, we may not presume, neither of our weak faith, nor yet ascribe too much unto our own strength. He that standeth, let him look that he fall not. We think many times that we are very strong in faith; but adversity sheweth how feeble we be, and how soon we shrink. Therefore in all trouble and distress of this world we ought to comfort ourselves, and trust only in the grace and strength of Christ. In him shall we find peace and quietness, in him shall we overcome all our enemies: for his overcoming is our victory, his power is our strength. The world is not able to hurt and plague us, more than of our gracious Father is permitted unto them for our wealth.

While we live here, we are in misery, affliction, and distress but seeing that the head hath overcome, the members ought not to doubt of the victory. Let us with stedfast belief look unto Christ, the fountain of life, our foregoer and finisher of our faith; and let us stoutly step forth after him, let us go the way that he is gone, and hath trodden, and made before. Afflictions shall serve us unto high honour, as they served Christ the Lord unto glory. In Christ we find the peace and rest of our consciences and souls; in him we know and find the goodness and love of God the Father; out of him receive we power, strength, comfort, and eternal life; only let us look, that we turn not the eyes of our heart and faith away from him. from him. Our welfare consisteth in the stedfast belief and love of Jesus Christ the Son of God. Though we may many times stumble, fall, and be proved by sundry temptations and afflictions; yet is the same good and profitable for us, that we may the better learn to know our own weakness, and again, the strength and grace of God. If it were not profitable for us, Christ had not suffered his disciples to fall so grievously. But in all distress he putteth his hand under us, and in adversity he leaveth us not alone, as he also left not his own Son alone. Though all men fly away from us, yet have we God with us.

John xvii.

[John xvii. 1-8.]

THESE words spake Jesus, and lift up his eyes to heaven, and said: Father, the hour is come: glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. This is life eternal, that they know thee the only very true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Christ. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now glorify me thou, Father, with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee ere the world was. I have declared thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the

world. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy sayings. Now they know that all things, whatsoever thou hast given me, are of thee: for I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them, and know surely, that I came out from thee, and do believe that thou didst send me.

DOCTRINE AND FRUIT.

should pray.

CHRIST the true, only, and chief priest, who now would offer up himself to the Father upon the cross for our sins, after that he had loved his own unto the end, comforting and strengthening them, turneth now himself in an earnest and fervent prayer unto his heavenly Father, for an ensample How we and doctrine unto his disciples and all faithful believers, that they in all temptations and afflictions should with an earnest and fervent prayer have recourse unto the Father of heaven. That he taught afore in words, the same declareth he now in the deed; shewing not only what, but also how, and after what sort, we ought to pray; not only for ourselves, but also for those that are given and committed unto us of God, and whom we have comforted and exhorted. Our eyes and hands ought we to lift up unto heaven, from whence our help cometh; which doing is a token of a devout, humble, and lowly mind: yea, the eyes, not only of the body, but also of the heart and belief.

ing of God's

we chiefly

But unto this end principally ought all our prayers to be The sanctify. directed, that the heavenly Father may be glorified. The name should devil, the prince of this world, through his adherents, causeth desire. the name and truth of Christ, his doctrine and knowledge, to be rooted out and despised. Seeing then that we are God's children, we should in nothing be so earnest, as in saving the honour of our Father, and in furthering his glory. Which thing cometh to pass, when we notify to men upon earth his what it is to grace, faithfulness, love, and great mercy, which he by his Father. only-begotten and dear Son hath declared and shewed unto mankind; when we lead men unto God from earthly vices and false gods' service, and when we direct all things to his glory. Thus is Christ also honoured and glorified by us, when we through the gospel do publish unto all men his power and

honour the