whose death our synnes dye and perishe Michel v. i. Pet. ii Hebr. xiii Then let vs remeÌ„ber what this capitayne and emperour of our life dothe sette before vs which is geuen vnto vs of God the father not onely for a redemer but also a foregoer and guide of the way that we reiecting all thinges might follow his steps and hauyng our eies fixed vpon him Rom. viii might folow him without the walles of the castel bearing the reproche which he had we might be made semblable vnto the Image of the sonne of god vtterly denieng all vngodlinesse Ad Tit. ii and hurtfull desires Rom. vi yea denying our selues let vs beare the crosse after him being grafted in his deth let vs mortifie the members which are vpon the earth and wheras before we haue set our myndes vpon vnrighteousnes let vs now endeuour our selues to righteousnes and holynes Neither is Christ a painted or graueÌ„ example and so dead but a liuely example and of efficacy which doth shine in the faithfull and is expressed and worketh truely which dothe shew forth it selfe both in worde and in dede and in the whole actions of the life a liuely example I say and such as expresseth all heauenly vertues as charitie obedience modesty long suffring gentlenesse patience purenesse and constancie then which example there is none more perfite or absolute for what greater charitie can there be than for to suffer deth for his enemies neither was this in his childhode as the children were slaine of Herode neither died he after the manner of the riche or honourable men but he died a most filthye and vile death that is to say of the crosse and that betwene .ij. theues I meane he was put to suche a deth as wicked mischeuous men are beyng counted for a disceauer Moreouer Christ toke vpon him in himself whatsoeuer is hard vile and troublesome in this world This I say did Christ choose and toke it vpoÌ„ himselfe for vs lest the flesh might haue any occasion of complaynte Men wyl suffer any thing so that they may escape deth but Christ besides all euils suffred death and that a most bitter deth he despised whatsoeuer is great precious in this worlde he chose and suffred whatsoeuer is vnpleasaunt and euill vnto the flesh as pouerty reproche infamye rebukes blasphemies stripes bonds wouÌ„ds finally death to th end that we mighte learne to despise the world with all his entisementes and to suffer all aduersitie for him with ioye For we cannot approche to heauenly thinges except we cast away despise earthly things he which loueth the world caÌ„not loue god he which despiseth the world whatsoeuer is in the world sauoureth eternal things things of god No aduersitie caÌ„ trouble or throw douÌ„ such a maÌ„ no prosperitie caÌ„ puffe him vp humility obedieÌ„ce haue nede of his exaÌ„ple which being god desceÌ„ded toke vpoÌ„ him our infirmitie being obedieÌ„t vnto the father eueÌ„ to the death By these thinges which we haue forespokeÌ„ I thik it is manifest inough after what sort the deth of Christ should be meditated of vs what is set before vs to be learned by the same what it is to haue grief with him namely to follow his steps which coÌ„mitted no sin neither was ther fouÌ„d any guilem his mouth which being railed on with euil wordes i. Pet. â—â— replied not euil words again being troubled with euils he threatened not but referred the vengeance to him which iudgeth iustely let vs also learn the like things that we may be strong without feare coÌ„staÌ„t if any thing be to be suffered for Christ his sake for the truth and for righteousnesse that with a couragious minde we maye beare reproches rebukes and deathe that there be nothing so hard nothing so greuous â—om viii which we should not be ready to beare for him This is to bee made like fashioned vnto Christ to suffer that which he suffered to do that which he did to glory and reioyce if any thing happen to bee suffered for Christ for god forbid that we should seeke any other glory in this worlde Rom. v. then in the crosse of our lorde Iesus Christ Gala. vi by whome the worlde is crucified vnto vs and we to the world ii Cor. vi ii Cor. iiii ii Cor. v. whose markes lette vs beare in our bodies in muche suffring in afflictions in necessities in tribulations in stripes in imprisonmeÌ„ts in seditions in labor in watching in fasting in purenesse c. We are alwayes deliuered vnto the deathe for Iesus sake that the lyfe of Iesus might be made manifest in our flesh The loue of god doth constraine vs that we diligently weying this that if one man died for all men then all we before were deade and that one died for all that they which liue hereafter might not liue to themselues but to him which died and rose againe for them Let vs neuer therefore be weary ii Cor. iâ—â—â— for although our outward man be corrupted the inwarde man neuerthelesse shal be renewed euery day for the smalnesse of our affliction which endureth but a very smal time shall get vnto vs an euerlasting weight of glory aboue measure i. Pet. iiii so that in the meane time we regard not those thinges which we see that is to say whiche dure but for a tyme but those thinges which are not sene that is to say eternall thinges Wherfore seing Christ hath suffered for vs in the fleshe Let vs also be armed with the same cogitation that he which suffreth in the fleshe hath ceassed from sinne for this purpose that now he shuld not lyue according to the lustes of the fleshe the rest of the time which is in the flesh but according to the wil of god let it suffice vs that we al our life tyme before haue liued accordyng to the manner of Gentiles when as we were conuersant in wantonnesse in lustes dronkeÌ„nes gluttony bibbings and bancketings and in detestable worshipping of ymages let vs not meruaile as though some new thing hapned vnto vs if that we be tried by fier for this is done to trye vs withal but let vs reioyce that God thinketh vs worthye to suffer any thing for hym and that we shoulde bee made parteners of Christ his afflictions in the reuelation of whose glory we shal also ioy with great reioising if we suffer rebukes slaunders for the name of Christ we are blessed bicause the glory and spirit of god remayneth vpon vs. For if we haue died with Christe we shal also liue with him â—â— Tim. ii Rom. vi if we haue suffred with him we shal also raign with him no man is crowned but he whiche lawfully wrestleth Let vs therfore suffer afflictioÌ„ as good souldiors of Christe whiche haue made promise to Christ in the sacrameÌ„t of baptisme â—â—b xii being apointed to go on his warfare grafted
in his deth Therfore let vs not be wrapped with the businesse of this life lette vs not be defiled with worldly desires let vs run by patience in the battell which we haue set before vs hauing an eie to Iesus which is the capitaine of faith and finisher who setting before himselfe ioye suffred the crosse contemning reproches and rebukes let vs diligently consider that he suffred such gainsaying of synners that we beyng weried in our myndes should not faynt Let vs thinke how vile a thing it is to shrink away from such a capitayne or for vs to bee so sluggish when as he fighteth so strongly so valiauntly Let vs consider how euil it becommeth the members to be proud high minded and enuious when as the hed doth so huÌ„ble it selfe and is so feruent in charitie Let vs also weighe how great infamy it is for a capitaine to take vpon him so many woundes lastly of all death ii Tim. ii Act. xiiii Eccle. ii Iacob i. Ioan. xiii the souldiors to be a slepe and geue themselues to rioring whosoeuer therfore will liue godly in Christ Iesus must prepare themselues to suffer persecutions and by many tribulacions must striue to come to euerlasting life they must abyde in the feare of god and prepare their myndes to temptations and kepe theÌ„selues pure froÌ„ this world Christ hath geueÌ„ vs an exaÌ„ple that we shuld do euen as he hath done Luke 22. ¶ Now the feaste of vnleauened bread drew nighe which is called the Passeouer namely after two daies IT was commaunded vnto the Iewes that on the feaste daye of the Passeouer Exod. xii xiii xiiii when they did eat the lambe they should eate vnleauened cakes 7. dais after which figure Paul openeth in the 1. Cor 5 sheweth that we must purge the old leaueÌ„ for that a littel leaueÌ„ doth leaueÌ„ al that is mingled with It is meete for such as ar born of new by Christ to liue a new innoceÌ„t life that they may be as it wer a certain new dough vnleauened For our Passe ouer Christ saith he is offred vp a lamb without spot Let vs therfore celebrate this festiuall day not with old leauen neither with the leaueÌ„ of malice wickednesse but with bread wantyng leauen that is with sinceritie and truth The Passeouer of the Iewes hathe a figure of the libertye whiche should come by Christ for euen as in the old tyme god saued the children of Israel in Egipte froÌ„ the murther with which the Egiptians were punished namely whose doores were sprinckled with the bloud of the Lambe and after that he led them forth with a mightye arme safe and sound thorow the red sea and so deliuered theÌ„ from the most greuous yoke of Pharao So also he saueth those by Christ whiche beleue from euerlasting deth and hath deliuered theÌ„ froÌ„ the power of darkenesse traÌ„sferryng them into the kingdome of his beloued son Colo. i. by whoÌ„ they haue redemptioÌ„ namely remission of sinnes by his bloude Iohn i. and this is the cause why Christ would die at this time that we might vnderstand that is that lambe of god whiche should take away the sinnes of the world and they which are washed with his bloud shuld be safe froÌ„ the destroyer Iohn iii. for so God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne â—or it that euery one whiche beleued in hym might not perishe but haue life euerlastyng Iohn v for they which do beleue in Christe doe come vnto no iudgemeÌ„t or punishmeÌ„t but haue passed froÌ„ deth to life yea although thei wer dead yet shall they haue life in him which is the resurrection and life But where as Marke saieth it was Easter and Mathew Iohn â—â— after two daies shal be Easter Luke expoundeth it and saith the festiuall day of the Passeouer drewe â—ere or was at haÌ„d that is it should be shortly namely after ij dayes It is therfore a preueÌ„ting of the time But the feast of the Passeouer by Iohn doth seme to be the day followyng the eatyng of the Lambe So the daies of swete bread are put for the Passeouer bicause they came both togethers ¶ Then the highe priestes and the elders were gathered together in the house of the high priest whose name was called Caiphas consulting togethers howe they might take him and kill him by guile but they feared the people and therfore thei said amoÌ„gst themselues not on the feast day lest peradueÌ„ture there be a commotion made by the people THen this woorde then is not referred vnto the time in the whiche he speaketh these thinges but to the tyme wherein they were gathered together The audacitie of the flesh is here to be noted which wheÌ„ it goeth about to lye in wait against the truth it consulteth diuers wayes and in those counsels choseth and obserueth occasion and tyme for the purpose Wherfore then they lay theyr heds together when as the people were busily occupied in preparyng of the lambe They which resist the truth do assemble lay theyr wittes together Psal ii against their lord to destroy him bicause he was contrary to their works They inuente diuers causes to accuse hym withal knowing that as sone as he were takeÌ„ all the people woulde forsake him But howe impudent so euer the flesh is it feareth neuerthelesse where as nothing is to be feared For wheÌ„ they had agreed that he should not be takeÌ„ on the festiual day yet neuerthelesse by the ordinaÌ„ce of god he was takeÌ„ on the feast day that without any vprore that hapneth ofteÌ„times vnto the wicked which they feare yea which they seke by al means possible to auoid This we may perceaue in the couÌ„sel of Caiphas who thought it better that one should be takeÌ„ away thaÌ„ that the whole natioÌ„ should perish and furthermore if Christ should be taken away to take hede that the Romanes shoulde not oppresse them But whilest these folishe men do auoyde one vice they runne into the contrary The Iewes hoped that if Christe were rid out of the way that then the people wuld forsake him but after the deth of Christ many more beleued came vnto Christe thaÌ„ there did before when as in one daye manye thousandes receaued the faithe They feared lest if Christ liued the Romanes would haue taken away their countrey and nation which hapned vnto them 40. yeares after So God derideth the counsels of the vngodly bryngeth to passe that they are snared and takeÌ„ in their owne counsels And the selfe same thing in our dayes doth the Pope the Cardinals the Bishoppes the Monkes and euill senators but they hide their counsels yea they adorne them with the title of honesty religioÌ„ ¶ And SathaÌ„ had entred into the hart of Iudas Iscariot which was one of the xii he weÌ„t his way to the chief priests magistrates eueÌ„ with this mind to betray him vnto theÌ„
that froÌ„ henceforth I shall not eate and drynke wyth you after the accustomed maner I shall with my bloud being shed confirme that testament which somtyme I established with AbrahaÌ„ but after a new sorte not by the bloud of beastes as it was in the olde tyme but by myne owne bloud Neither shal my couenaunt staÌ„d with the Iewes only but with al mankind This worde braunche or fruite of the vine is a paraphrases of wyne and doth signifye not onely that to be wyne which Christ dranke in the cuppe and gaue vnto his disciples but it also declareth that it was bloud but such as came out of the vine and not powred out of his body as if a man would say this is of the fruite of wheat he shoulde by circumloqution signifie bread and therwithall declareth that it is not onely bread but also it is bread made of wheat and of no other graine For there is also bread made of Rye and of Otes c. And this emphasis haue all parephrases and specially the Hebrew parephrases So wheÌ„ Christ calleth himselfe the sonne of man Therfore he saith henceforth I wil no more eat nor drink wherfore it is likely Christ him self also dyd eate and drinke namely after this sort but after an other sort and newe that is to say after my resurrectioÌ„ I wil theÌ„ eat with you wheÌ„ as you shall eate with me at my table in the kingdom of my father but not after that sort as bodies are wonte to be fed but in the state of immortalitie Therfore the kingdom of god is either the time after the resurrection or els a more full knowledge of Christ The kingdom of God or els the eternal life after this life in the which the faith full shall eate and drinke vppon the table of Christ wiih Christ that most swete drinke of immortalitie as appeareth in the .xxii. chapi Luke As concerning the sence of these wordes of Christ this is my body and of the foode of the soule we haue spoken inoughe of in an other place Let vs not dispute how the bread is made the bodye of Christe but lette vs rather remember the benefitte performed vnto vs by the bodye of Christe that being inwardly satiated in our minds we may lift our hartes to him which sitteth at the right hand of the father that is in a certain limited place in heauen that we may loue one another that we may liue innoceÌ„tly that we may geue thaÌ„kes vnto the Lord and walk worthely in our vocatioÌ„ To eate of the body of Christ is none other thing but to beeleue that his body was geuen to the death to make satisfactioÌ„ for our sinnes To drinke the bloud of Christe is nothing els but to beleue that Christ his bloud was shed for the washing away of our sins neither is there any other eating of the bodye of Christ then that which is done by faith of the which Christ speaketh in the 6. chap of Iohn neither can it be done of any but of the godly But the eating of the simbolical and mistical bread is common both to the godly and also to the vngodly althoughe after a diuers sorte For there be some which do eate the bread of the supper vnworthely and drinke the wine vnworthely and by that meanes do get vnto themselues death and iudgement that is punishmeÌ„t And those although they eat drink with their mouth the sacrameÌ„ts of the body bloud of the Lord yet neuerthelesse they eate not the body of Christ neither do they drinke his bloud vnlesse they will make Christ a lyar which farre be it from the euerlasting and infallible truth wheÌ„ as he saith They which eate my fleshe and drinke my bloud abyde in me and I in them There is none I thinke that will affirme if he haue his right wittes that this agreeth with the vngodlye but as for the godly they do not onely eat with their teath the signes neither haue they â—are signs but besides the eating of the signes whiche is done with the mouth of the body they are inwardly fed in their mindes with the body and bloud of Christ by the eating of faith which faith the spirit of Christ kindleth within theÌ„ at such tyme as much to whoÌ„ it pleaseth him For the operatioÌ„ of his spirit is not bouÌ„d to the signes neither is grace so put in them that it shuld be brought vnto them as it were in a wagon but Christ that chief and eternall bishop doth feede the faithfull with his body and bloud the minister only administring the sacraments outwardly vnto whome he setteth before their eyes putteth in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce and declareth the grace of god he bringeth it not to them he geueth it not neither doth he distribute it to theÌ„ Therfore a faithful mind doth receaue the body and bloud and hauing receaued it the spirite of God doth with heat disgest it poureth it into the inwarde bowels of the soule of the which springeth a maruelous and inwarde refreshing vnto a godly mynde when we celebrate therfore the Supper of the Lord or thankes geuing let vs remember that only sacrifice which was offred vppon the crosse with thankes geuyng For we are admonished that by the flesh and bloud of the onely begotten sonne of God offred vppon the crosse for vs we are redemed from euerlasting death and that the same are made to vs spirituall foode to norish and kepe vs in euerlasting life for as much as Christ hath offred vp himselfe a most acceptable sacrifice for vs vnto the father in geuing his body to the deth powred forth his bloud to wash vs wtall it is wholy our partes to meditate and to preache abroad so great a loue and so woÌ„derfull great a benefit and to geue thanks for so liuely a death and by that meanes our faythe will more encrease towardes God the father also his loue and good will towards vs will be more and more kindled Moreouer we are admonished by this most holy Supper to offer and vowe our selues wholy bodye soule vnto Christ for a sacrifice considering that he hath suffred death to restore vs vnto life and desire not to lyue nowe to our selues but to Christ Finally the remembrauÌ„ce of the body geueÌ„ and of the bloudshed is therfore set before the church of Christ in the holy signes of the supper that by the same it might more certainly receaue as it were a certain priuy tokeÌ„ of her redemption and might cal into memory that we are so compacte by faithe into one bodye that we are made the members of one head Christ It is therfore mete that we bee bound together with a singuler charitie amoÌ„gest our selues and with doyng good one to an other Let the death of Christ therfore neuer slip out of our heartes let vs alwayes remember that Christe is wholly made oures that we should also be his by faith and charitie and our neighbors by charitie
saying Truly this man was iuste the son of God And al the peple that came together to that sight and had sene the thinges whych happened retourned smiting theyr breasts THe vayle is rent this is of the kind of examples which are called pure or dombe where examples teache and speake with deedes and without wordes The like wherof is when Ezechiell is coÌ„maunded to burn some of the clipped heares and to cast awaye other some Also when as Tarquinius walkinge in a gardein did out of with a staffe before his soÌ„s seruant the chief toppes of the poppye So the vayle being rent doth teach vs that al fygures ar accoÌ„plished in Christ and whatsoeuer hath bene hidden or kept secret in the old testament is now expounded the dayle beyng takeÌ„ away his bloud being shed entred into the SanctuÌ„ Sanctorum So he spake by the earth quake by other signs to declare firste the vnworthines of the thinge which the earthe coulde not beare whilst his creator suffred Secondly to shake of as it were an old garmeÌ„t declaring that it would one day put on a newe face by his preaching which now suffred and that it should be moued by the preaching of the Gospell Where the Gospell death of Christ is Preached there do the foundacions and corners of the earth tremble the fleshe quaketh is troubled when that it heareth that hys workes are nothing worthe Prolipâ—â— and that the death of Christ hath thoroughly payed all thinges But in that it is written that the dead dyd aryse agayne that is done by a figuratiue speache of Hebrewe For fyrst he setteth forth as it were by a generall proposition all things that were done but yet at sundrye times then he entreateth of euery perticular thing for by and by he returneth to his buriall So the dead did then ryse agayne from death and come into the citie when Christ was now risen which is the first fruites of theÌ„ which slepe and that they might testifie that they liued in deede they appeared vnto many that the Iewes might the easlyer beleue that they shoulde also one day ryse againe when as they see Christ their elders to haue risen agayne So the stones doe detest the vnworthynesse of the thyng and the hardnesse of the Iewes which do crucifie theyr Sauiour Moreouer also they doe signifie the Gentiles whiche be a harde people and yet for all that they should be clouen and subdued to the Gospell Into the holy citie So was Ierusalem called in the olde tyme but it was so corrupted with naughtinesse and wickednes that it was made rather a denne of theues Esay 1. The bodye of Christ as it semeth was coÌ„mitted to the Centurion and his souldiours to bee watched for the souldiers crucified him This CeÌ„â—urion when he sawe the wonderfull thynges that happened knewe that Christe was more then a man which he testified and confessed wtâ— loude voyce These thinges are not written without a cause As though the Euangelyste woulde say Though that man were a Gentile and a warrior neuerthelesse he gaue God the glory To geue God the glorye after the Heâ—rewe Phrase is to beleue the truth to coÌ„fesse the true god to cleaue vnto the truth First â—e calleth him a iuste man and thys is the first â—egree vnto fayth and then he calleth him the â—onne of God The smyting of the breast hath â—n admiration with griefe and shame For thei which cryed crucifie him now are sory and are â—ricked in conscience Wherby is noted besides â—he grief which followed of sinne also the incoÌ„â—tancye of the people whiche before tooke the priestes part and now take Christes part Pricking of conscience followeth wicked acts So â—o late at last commeth shame and punishment So in lyke case came it to passe in our first Faâ—her AdaÌ„ that he was ashamed bicause he was â—aked when as he was also neuerthelesse naâ—ed before hys sinne He whiche bendeth hys mynde to commit wickednes persuadeth with â—imselfe that he can be hidden but it commeth â—o passe otherwise for the day of the Lord reâ—ealeth al thinges also the conscience it self 1. Cor. 3. But put case it be not made manifest here yet for al that it shal be reueled at the comminge oâ— the lord before the whole world Math. 10. Time vteretâ— al things ther is nothiÌ„g so secret which shaâ— not one day be reuealed After sinne folowetâ— shame feare and trouble ☞ Then the Iewes bicause it was thâ— preparation of the passouer that thâ— bodyes mighte not remayne vpon the crosse on the Sabaoth daye for that Sabaoth day was a hygh day desyred Pilate that theyr legs mighâ— be brokeÌ„ the bodyes taken down The soldiors therfore came brake the legges of the fyrste and also oâ— the seconde whyche were crucifyed wyth hym but when they came vnto Iesus and saw that he was alredy deade they brake not his bones but one of the souldiours thruste a speare into his side and incontenently there ran foorth water and bloud and he which sawe it bare witnes hys witnes is true and he knoweth that he speketh the truth that ye also myght beleue Exod. 12. For these things wer done that the scripture might be fulfylled ye shall not breake a bone of hym And againe an other scrypture sayeth They shall looke vpon hym whome they haue persed THe preparacion whereof is here spoken I take to be for the Sabaoth following and not for the eating of the lamb for that was almost past but the .vii. daies lasted stil in which they did eat vnleuened bred And this sabaoth bicause it fel within the dayes of the passeouer was called a gret day because it was the most solemn The euaÌ„gelist doth manifestly enough declare that all these thinges were not doone rashly but that the truth mighte corresponde with the fygures The Church is built out of the syde of Adam sleaping and out of the same floweth forth water to washe the sinnes of the whole worlde The gate is opened that there might be a sanctuary in that place for all beleuers and a hole made in the rocke where as many as labor do fiÌ„de rest ther the hart opened that we might nothing doubt of loue This founteyne of Gods mercy neuer ceaseth to spreade abrode of whose fulnes all they which thurste do drinke and are refreshed that it mighte be made in them a fouÌ„teine of water ouerflowing to eternal life Let vs therfore draw water out of the fauntaynes of our sauiour that we may herafter lyue vnto hym alone which is so wouÌ„ded for vs which doth open his harte vnto all men and sayth geue me your hart O my children Here shal the shepe of Christ find the ryuers of life and the gate thorough which they goe in and out at I woulde to God the Lorde would wouÌ„d our harts with his loue Pro. 23. that we might ryghtly weigh coÌ„sider so gret a loue to that
deth wer al their life time subiect to bōdage Christs resurrectiō therfore is oure lyfe righteousnes which for this cause was diuers wayes proued by the apostles namely to cōfirme our faith For otherwise our flesh doth hardly beleue the resurrectiō of the fleshe which semeth to it self impossible absurd which may be sene in thapostles whose wauering doubtfulnes coulde scarce be taken away notwithstand so many most euidēt demōstratiōs god suffereth his sōetimes to be tēpted to fal that their weaknes might be made manifest to thē selues also to others but he ceaseth not to rayse vp confyrme thē by his powre till he fully performe take frō them al distrust So far is he from casting vs away for our weakenes that he also appeareth vnto womenne and maketh them Apostles of his resurrection For they came of loue to the sepulchre partly to see the Sepulchre partly to annoynte the bodye of Iesus The earth was moued at the death of Chryst to declare that it was heauy with his creator And it is in like case moued at the resurrection desiring gladlye to restore hym whome it had receaued and as it were reioysinge that Christe was risen agayne Moreouer the earthe was moued at the sēding of the holy Ghost to teach vs by this figure that by the death and resurrection of Christe thorough vertue of the holy Ghost the whole world shoulde not only be moued but also be renewed we learne furthermore that the councels of the vngodly agaynst the truth are vayne for howe soeuer they go aboute by lyes to extinguishe the truth yet doth God bryng to passe that by those things which they haue excercised to oppres the truth the truth shall more brightly shyne forth worthely therfore are the Iewes repudiated blinded which do abhor the truth so that they which could not abide to be saued by the truth should pearish beyng wrapped in lyes errors This gospell is chieflye declared vnto Peter who was in most great he uynes aswel for the deth of his lorde whome he offended by denyenge of hym as also for hys deniall that he might receyue comfort and knowe that his synne was forgeuē hym Furthermore christs resurrectiō to a new life doth stir vs vp to newnes of lyfe that we beyng dead to sins mighte henseforth liue to righteousnes They which doe still lye and rotte in the filthynesse of sinnes do declare that they haue not yet risen again with Christ For they which are risen truly in Christe doe shew forth the same in worthy fruites neither doth sinne reigne in their mortall bodye They thincke not vpon earthlye thinges but their minde is vpon heuenlye thinges aboue where Christe their hed sytteth at the righte hande of the Father ☞ And they went out quickly and fled from the Sepulchre for they trembled and were amased neither sayd they any thing to any man for they were afraid And Mary Magdalene ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whome Iesus loued and saide vnto them They haue taken awaye my Lorde out of the graue and we can not tell where they haue laied him Peter thē went forth and that other disciple came to the sepulchre And they ran both together the other disciple did out runne Peter and came first to the sepulchre And when he had stowped downe he sawe the linnen clothes lyeng yet went he not in Thē came Simon Peter folowinge him and wente into the Sepulchre And he sawe the linnen clothes lye and the napkin that was about his hed not lyeng with the linnen clothes but wrapped vp in a place by it self Thē wēt in also that other disciple which came firste to the Sepulchre and he sawe and beleued For as yet they knew not the scripture that he shuld rise again from the deade Then the disciples went away again to theyr own howses Epanodus But Mary stode with out at the Sepulchre weping And as she was wepīg she bowed her self into the sepulchre saw two aūgels clothed in white sittinge the one at the heade and the other at the feete there where they hadde layed the body of Iesus They sayd vnto her woman why wepest thou She sayd vnto them They haue taken awaye my Lord neither wot I where they haue layde him When she had thus sayd she tourned her backe and saw Iesus standing and knew not that it was Iesus Iesus sayd vnto her woman why wepest thou Whome seakest thou She supposing hym to be a gardener sayed vnto him Syr if thou haste borne him hense tel me where thou haste layed him and I will fetch hym Iesus sayd vnto her Marye Shee tourned her selfe and sayed vnto hym Rabboni which is to saye Maister Iesus sayd vnto her touch me not for I am not yet ascended vnto my Father but goe to my brotherne and say vnto them I ascende vnto my Father and to youre Father to my God and to youre God Marye Magdalene came and tolde the disciples that she had sene the Lord had spoken such things vnto her Shee tolde I saye them which were with him as thei mourned wept And they although they hearde that he was on liue and that she had sene him beleued not THe Euangelistes do by many diuers wordes beate into our heddes the resurrection of Christe that we myghte see that Christe was exalted after death and beleue that we shall enter into lyfe by the death of Chryst and that also our fayth and hope myght be confirmed Christ could in dede haue illustrated the harts of his disciples with his sprite as sone as he was dead so that they should haue nothing douted of his resurrectiō but he loueth this doubt weaknes in thē to make them so much the more earnest in their supplications vnto God The more a sick man fealeth his woundes and diseases the more is he made desirus of medicine So lykewise the more we fele in our selues the weaknes of the flesh the more do we run vnto God for ayde the lesse do we bragge in our owne strengthe which can doe nothing without god when as therfore we feele oure fayth begin to fall then haue we occasion offred vs to call vpon God wyth continuall prayers The prouidēce therfore of God doth by litle and litle leade the disciples to the knowlege of the resurrection of his sonne till it hath fullye made them perfect Thei saw the stone rowled a wai thei foūd the sepulchre empty thep sawe the napkins the lynnen clothes layed aparte the place wherin he laye and finally the aungell testifyinge that he was truly risen And this is diligently to be marked that the Angell sayth that Christe of Nazareth whiche was crucified is not there by which wordes theyr opinion is plainly confuted which cōtēd to haue the body of Christ euery wher after his resurrectiō not in a place For what other thing do they then deny the verity of the humayne
Pet. ii but it is mete that they which be straūgers and pilgrimes in this world should abstaine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule hauing honest conuersation amongest the gentiles that they which speake euil of vs as euill doers may haue vs in estimation for our good workes and glorifye God in the day of visitatiō In his former talk he reproued ambition and couetousnesse now he reprehendeth selfe trust and desire of money of the which the one was in Peter and thother in Iudas the disciples Peter not weighing his own strength promiseth greater thinges than he can performe neither doth he beleue the lord who admonished him of it but despising all other boasteth himselfe only to be strong Iudas which had conceiued this horrible mischeuous acte in his harte dothe not heare the Lord which called hym backe from it So plaieth our fleshe when it is lefte to it selfe No man acknowledgeth his errour no man wil beleue him which admonisheth him Euery man hopeth that he can be hiddē whē as he is not called by name howsoeuer his cōscience withstand him inwardly Christ assayeth Iudas diuers wayes to withdrawe hym from his pretence in whiche the wonderfull gentlenesse and loue of Christ is to be marked who will not the death of a sinner but that he should be cōuerted and liue but the more that Christ sheweth and putteth forth his louyng kyndnes so much the more his vngodlines is hardened so that he dare most impudently say is it I Moreouer this most wicked varietie dareth thrust himself into the holy fellowship and table of the lorde not fearyng to lye vnto him which knoweth all thinges So greate a thing is hipocrisie and a harte possessed with couetousnesse So in lyke maner dare we somtimes com to the holy communion with Iudas boasting our selues to be godly when as inwardly we be most vngodly And althoughe both Peter and Iudas fell either of them yet great is the diuersitie betwene the deniall of Peter and the betrayeng of Iudas Peter being ouerwhelmed with a sodayne terror synned of feare and cowardnesse of mynde but Iudas sinned of a pretensed malice for the deuell had possessed his harte Christ therfore saith that Peters faithe was not altogether gone for althoughe he denied him outwardly with his mouth yet neuerthelesse his hearte fell not from Christ and god suffreth the godly sometymes to slippe that they may knowe themselues more throughly and humble thēselues in mind learne and acknowledge their infirmitie and after their fall they may rise agayne more strong and better couraged Thei may learn to put no confidence in themselues to be sory for other mens falles and to be more carefull and for that cause Christ saieth and thou after thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethern Sathan so stirred vp Iudas as we haue heard before that not onely he shroncke from Christ but besydes that he betraied him to his enemies to be destroied here it is said that the diuell entred into him after the sop which is thus to be vnderstanded that the diuell which before had possessed him did now more fully possesse him and more vrge him to bring to passe the mischiefe which he had conceiued For euen as in faithe there are certain degrees so also is there in infidelitie breach of faith No man is made most good vpon the sodayne so no man is moste wicked sodenly by littell and littell we slide into the pitfall if we watche not if we resist not the beginning and if we neglecte small matters Our foote muste be plucked by and by out of the clay of synnes least it fasten more depely in we must streight way resist the affections least they come to haue dominion ouer vs. Sathan slepeth not he neuer ceaseth but walketh about like a roaring Lyon seeking where to get his pray whom let vs resiste by faith and he wil flye from vs. The lord is strong to deliuer vs out of the mouth of the Lyon so that we flye vnto him by and by with our whole hart and cast our selues all wholy vpō him with a soūd faith let vs take hede of the meate and of the baite which that moste subtill enemye layeth for vs lest when we haue deuoured it we fal with Iudas into the euerlasting night ¶ And when he was gone Iesus said now is the sonne of man glorifyed and God is glorified by hym and God shall glorify hym by hym self and shal glorify him by and by My littel children yet a littell while I am with you ye shall seeke me and as I haue saide to the Iewes whither I go ye cannot come so also I saye vnto you nowe I geue you a new commaundement that ye loue one an other euen as I haue loued you do ye also loue one an other by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples yf ye haue mutuall loue amongest your selues Simon Peter said vnto hym lord whither goest thou Iesus aunswered hym whither I go thou cāst not follow me now but thou shalt followe me hereafter Peter said vnto him lord why cannot I follow thee nowe I wil geue my life for thee Iesus aūswered wilte thou geue thy life for me Verely verely I say vnto thee the cocke shal not crow before thou hast denied me thrice WHen the betrayer was gone Christ maketh mention of his glorifieng not without o◠and reioysing of the spirite Now is the sonne of man glorified He speaketh of the thing to come and at hand as thoughe it were now past that we might see the certeintie of gods prouidence The time is now present that the sonne of man shal be made noble after a new sort that is to say by his deth crosse resurrection and ascension and other thinges which folowed after the sēdyng of the spirit as miracles and the conuersion of the Gentiles c. For that cause saith Paule in his Epistle to the Romanes that the son of God whiche was borne of the seede of Dauid as touching the flesh was declared to be the sonne of God with power as concernyng the spirite of sāctification in that he rose again from the dead And this power of the resurrectiō of the which Christ also speaketh here shuld follow within few daies after which was not done by an aungell or by any creature but by the power of the father as Paule witnesseth in the second of the Colossians where he saieth Who hath raised him vp c. Christ therfore sayeth and God shall glorifye hym He also by these wordes comforteth the harts of his disciples who were not a little troubled now bicause he had made mention vnto them of his death as though he woulde say The tyme is come that I shall accomplish the will of my father that is that I shall dye but by this my death my father shal be glorified Be ye not therfore troubled ye shall see and that by and by what great glory my father will geue me By these
aunswered hym sayest thou that of thy self or did other tel it thee of me Pilate aunswered am I a Iewe Thine own nation the high priestes haue deliuered thee vnto me What hast thou done Iesus answered my Kyngdome is not of thys world if my kingdome were of this world my seruauntes would surely fyght that I should not be deliuered vnto the Iewes but now is not my kingdome frō hence Pilate thē sayd vnto him art thou a king thē Thou sayest that I am a king For thys cause am I borne and for thys cause came I into the world that I should beare witnes to the truth euery one that is of the truth hereth my voyce Pilate said to him what is the truth whē he had saide that he wente oute agayn vnto the Iewes and said vnto them I fynde in hym no cause at all But ye haue a custome that I shoulde deliuer you one loose at che passeouer wil ye therfore that I lose vnto you the King of the Iewes Then cryed they all agayne saying not hym but Barrabas Nowe thys Barrabas was a thiefe whiche was in prison with the authors of an insurrection made in the citie wherin was murther committed Thē Pilate spake vnto them agayn willing to let Iesus lose But they cried saying Crucifye crucifie him And he sayd vnto them the thyrd time what euil hath he done I fynde no faulte worthy of death in him I wil therefore chastise hym and let him lose PIlate at the firste sheweth a certaine semblaunce of Iustice and equitie for that he goeth about to deliuer an innocente and to pluck him out of their handes and he being an heathen man doth beare witnesse of the innōcency of Christ but he is vnconstant and wauering like a rede and he fowly goeth against his conscience being moued partly by feare partly by gredy desire to reygne He ought not to haue suffred that he whom he confessed to be innocente should be beaten of the souldiours and muche lesse to be crucified For bycause that Christ sayth that hys kingdome is not of this worlde the Anabaptistes abuse thys saying and would take away Magistrates from amongest Christians But they should marke that Christ speaketh of him selfe appoynteth the kingdome of the spirite Christ came not to possesse a kingdome in the world but to set forth an example of humilitie and obedience So in lyke case no Christiā mā ought in his mind to be desirous of a kingdome no though he be chosen to gouerne others So Christ was the king ouer the whole world as he is also at this day but he coueted not a kingdome for he came not therfore but for to Preach and yet for all that he denyed not him self to be a king but he desired no kingdome but only of consciences So all preachers ministers of the word ought to do For although thei be appointed ouer kingdomes princes Iere. 1. ◠Cor. 10. yet ought they by no meanes to make suite for thē as Ieremy saith but thei ought to gouerne consciences with the worde of God So Paule sayth that the weapons of our warfare ar not carnal but mighty through God to cast downe holdes by the which we ouerthrowe the deuises and euery high thyng that is exalted against the knowledge of God we leade euery thoughte captiue to the obedience of Christ and we haue in a redines vengeaunce against al disobedience We may boast in this authority whiche God hath geuen vs for edification and not for destruction I came for thys intent that I might beare witnesse to the truth as though he would say I came not to the end to reigne but to beare witnesse to the truth To beare witnesse of the truth is the Periphrasis of a Preacher To beare witnes to the truth So Iohn was sent to beare witnesse of the lyghte that is of the truth So Christ sayeth to his Apostels in the xv Chapter of Iohn and ye are my witnesses Also in the last of Luke thus it is written and thus it behoued Christ to suffer Iohn 1. and to arise agayn frō the dead the thyrd day that repentaunce remissiō of sinnes shoulde be preached in his name amongest al nations Luke 24 beginning at Ierusalē And ye be witnesses of these thinges not only in Ierusalē Act. 1. but also in al Iury Samaria finally vnto the vttermost part of the earth The father therfore sent the sonne into the worlde to beare witnesse vnto the truth that is to say to make hym selfe knowen of the world for he is the truth Iohn the .xviiij. chap. And who soeuer hath but euen a crome of the truth within him the same is begotten of him heareth his voyce Christ is not onely made equall with wicked persons but is cast muche more lower thē wicked persons For the thiefe is loosed but Christ is killed They geue a murtherer his life but they desyre to haue the author of lyfe crucified they chuse a thiefe and reiecte a Sauiour By the whiche we are taught not only the maliciousnesse of the Phariseies but also the inconstancye ingratitude of the common people It was not long before that they cried and sange Hosanna and extolled him riding vpon the Asse with great prayses saying blessed be he which commeth in the name of the Lord. Now they crie as faste again he is a deceauer Let him be crucified Let no man therfore hunt for prayse of the people Let no man glorye if the common people prayse hym The wauering and inconstante people is by and by perswaded vnto a contrarye sentence so he is cursed in deede that putteth his confidence in man Pilate beareth witnes more then once of the innocencye of Christ and saith that he doth fynde no cause of death in him He is therefore vniuste bycause he suffreth an innocent to bee whypped But he feared men more then God A iuste iudge ought not to punyshe the giltles to get the fauour of other mē The Romaines did put to death those whō they had beatē Although it semeth the Pilate dyd not beate Christ to the intent that he would put him to death but 〈◊〉 by this meanes he might deliuer hī frō death All these thinges are done by the prouidence of God that Christ might suffer all the punishementes which euen the most wicked do Here may we iudge the loue of god the father which thrusteth his well beloued only begottē sōne for vs vnto most greuous punyshmentes that we might also learne to beare pacientlye what things so euer shall happen vnto vs. ¶ Then Pilate tooke Iesus scourged him and the souldiors platted a crown of thorns and put it on hys heade and they clothed him wyth a purple garmente and sayde Hayle Kyng of the Iewes they buffeted him And Pilate went forth agayne sayd vnto thē behold I bring him forth vnto you that ye may know that I find no fault in
hym at all Thē came Iesus forth wearynge a crown of thorns a purple garmēt Pilate sayd vnto them behold the man Then when the highe priestes and officers saw him they cried sayyng Crucifye him crucifie him Pilate said vnto them Take ye him crucifye him for I finde no faulte in him The Iewes aunswered him we haue a law accordinge to our law he ought to dy bicause he made him selfe the sonne of God whē Pilate then hearde that worde he was the more afeard and went againe in to the common hall and sayde vnto Iesus whence art thou But Iesus gaue him no aunswere Then sayde Pilate vnto him speakest thou not vnto me Knowest thou not that I haue powre to crucify the and haue also power to lose the Iesus āswered thou couldest haue no power at all against me excepte it wer geuen thee from aboue Therefore he that deliuered me vnto thee hathe the greater synne from thense forthe Pilate sought to lose Iesus but the Iewes cried saying if thou lose this man thou arte not Ceasars frende Whosoeuer maketh himselfe a kyng speaketh agaynste Ceasar PIlate is a figure of a tyrannous and negligente iudge bearing a certayne shewe of righteousnesse whē as in dede he hath not so much regard to it So often tymes we outwardly shewe one thing and inwardly in oure hart meane an other thing He would haue saued Iesus so that it might be done with Ceasars fauoure and the Iewes But if his hart had bene inflamed with the desire of Iustice he would not haue defended an innocent so carelessely and coldly but stoutly and vpryghtly A iudge ought not to haue a respect to the fauoure or displeasure of men but vnto the rule of equitie and lawe They which be softe and weake doe by litle and litle slippe till at the length they declyne altogether from the ryght waye Whiche we may see by Pilate who for that he doth not constantly prosecute that whiche he knew to be ryght is compelled at the length to geue sentence agaynst an innocent his own conscience accusing him to the contrary in cōdempning of whom he condempneth him selfe when as he saith with arrogant boasting that he hath power to lose Christ Whom the Lord doth gentelly reprehend Rom. 13. declaring vnto hym that no man can doe any thyng but so farforth as the Lord shall permitte And bycause that al power is of God therfore a Magistrate ought not to abuse the same power to oppresse innocentes with all euen as they lust them selues Also this is a comforte vnto vs when as we know that mē cā do nothing vnto vs though they bee neuer so cruell but so muche as the Lorde shall permitte them Thys must we also marke that the Father dyd laye our sinnes vpon Christe therefore Christ was scourged for oure synnes by whose stripes we are healed by whose woundes oure woundes are cured He offereth hys backe to them whiche stryke hym and hys cheakes to them whiche buffet hym Esay 53. Esay 20. Let vs therefore with griefe remember the hepe of our synnes which Christ suffred for in hys bodye beinge despysed and put to shame that he myghte deliuer vs from euerlastyng shame and punyshmente Let vs also make readye oure backe and oure whole bodye to beare stripes for hym whiche hath loued vs with so great a loue Iesus holdeth his peace geuing an example to the Godlye that they shoulde not greatly indeuour to excuse or deliuer them selues when they shoulde suffer death for the truth ☞ And when Pilate hard that worde he broughte Iesus forthe and satte down for to geue iudgemente in the place which is called the paued place and in Hebrew Gabarha And it was the preparation of the passeouer almost about the sixt hower he saied vnto the Iewes behold your king But they cryed awaye with him awaye with him crucifye him Pilate sayd vnto them shal I crucify youre kyng The high priestes aunswered we haue no kyng but Cesar And the hygh priests with the elders accused him of many thinges And when he was accused of the chiefe priests and elders he aunswered nothing Thē said Pilate vnto him dost thou not here how many witnesses thei brīg agaīst thee And he āswered him not to one word after the insomuch that the gouernor marueyled gretly Now at the feast the gouernour was wont to delyuer vnto the people a prisonner whome they woulde And they had at that time a notable prisonner cal-Barrabas which was in prisō with the authors of a sediciō in the which sedicion they had cōmitted murther when they were gathered then together that the people made a noyse he begā to requir them instātly that he might do as he had alwayse done vnto them Therfore Pilate said vnto them whether wil ye that I lose vnto you Barrabas or Iesus which is caled Christ for he knew ful wel that they hadde delyuered hym for enuye THe Iewes desyred nothing so much as to recouer theyr King But nowe these moste wicked persons doe dissemble that stoutly to destroy Christ whiche tolde thē that he was a king which was that king that was promised vnto them Of which king also there are amongest the Gentiles which witnessed of him For thus writeth Suetonious in the life of Vespasion There spred thoroughoute the whole east an olde and constante opinion that it was destimed that at that time Iury should obtayne the dominion of thinges The Iewes applying that to them selues which was forespoken of the Romaine Emperoure as it appeared in the end rebelled and slewe their president Moreouer they droue awaye the Liuetenant of Siria comming to succoure the gouernour and ouerthrewe the Romaines standerd Thus farre writeth he Where agayne we may learne also the lightnes and inconstancye of the common people when he fed them they would haue made him a King when he inueigheth against theyr peruerse manners they desire to haue him crucified He is therefore a foole and a mad man that sticketh to the fauour of men Thei preferre a thiefe a murtherer before Christ an innocent which is cōmonly sene now a dayes yea amongest those whiche are called by the name of Christ when as varlets and vngodlye men despisers of the truth religion and all godlynes are promoted to the gouernaunce of the common wealth and to common offices but they whiche are honest and simple men are despised And where suche things are done most hardest things are to be loked for to suche common wealthes what shoulde we hope for any other thing when as vngodly men are promoted If so be the a maide clothed with a white garment woulde beleue that she coulde kepe her clothes white amōgst the middest of colliers Shoulde shee not make her self a laughing stocke to all mē And what other thyng is an vncorrupte senate then a certayne vndefiled Virgin decked with moste pure silke And if thou ioyne vnto the same corrupte and naughtie men then is it
seperated from their sight being also besides that the price of our redemption He tooke vpon hym for our sake all manner of reproche he is reuiled froÌ„ the lowest to the highest no man pitieth him no man hath compassion on him being afflicted no man comforteth him they rage agaynst him most cruelly without mercy and yet could not hys goodnesse be ouercome by theyr malice Nothing coulde plucke hym backe from the worke of oure saluation which he had begonne nothing coulde withdrawe him from hys office Let vs follow our hed and despise what soeuer is delectable glorious in the world Math. 10. Luke 21. let vs also willingly suffer reproche following the steppes of hys humilitie pacience Let there be nothing so hard nothing so paynefull to feare vs awaye from our vocation For in pacience we shall possesse our soules and he whiche abideth to the ende shall be saued Let vs not be ashamed to be euill spokeÌ„ of for Christ Let vs not be ashamed of the witnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ neither let vs be abashed if any afflictions be to be suffred for his sake â— Tim. 1. For if we haue bene partakers of his crosse we shall also be parteners of his glory All thinges though they be neuer so hard or paynefull shall be welcome vnto vs if we shall considre that our hed hath suffred the same thinges before In the thiefe is set forth an example of Gods loue and grace whiche is not denyed yea euen to moste greate sinners if that with a true fayth they call vpon God by Christ if they acknowledge Christ to be theyr Sauiour if they repente from the bottome of the harte Let vs also acknowledge our sinnes with the thiefe Let vs acknowledge remission of sinnes to come by Christ and we shall finde the lyke comforte at his handes We muste in the meane time acknowledge and confesse that we are worthye both of eternall death and also of infamye for our wickednesse and we must cast our selues vpon the grace of Christ which is our righteousnesse and life when our consciences are sore troubled and as it were in maÌ„ner desperate we muste runne vnto Christ saye Remember me Lorde in thy Kingdome Great is his mercye which loued vs and gaue his Sonne for vs that by him we might liue He desireth not the death of a sinner but that he may be conuerted and liue I expound paradise for all kinde of ioye and pleasure this daye shalt thou reioyce with me and haue the fruttion of eternall pleasures By these wordes is the error of the slepers confuted whiche saye that the soules departed out of the bodye do slepe The soules of the Godly slepe not but as sone as they bee loosed from the bodyes they are in vnspeakeable ioye with Christ ☞ And it was aboute the sixte howre and there stoode by the crosse of Iesus his mother his mothers sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Marye Magdalen Then when Iesus saw his mother and the disciple whome he loued standing by he said vnto hys mother woman beholde thy sonne Then sayd he to the disciple behold thy mother And froÌ„ that howre the disciple toke her for hys WE haue now very often spokeÌ„ of the most great infamye whiche Christ suffred and of the extreme sorrow wherewith he was afflicted which declareth his exceding great loue towards vs when as nothing is more vnpleasaunt vnto man then losse of his fame glory Moreouer what is more greuous vnto the flesh then to bee beaten and wounded It is meete the refore that we loue him whiche of his vnspeakable loue hath suffred most greuous thinges for our sakes so that he mighte deliuer vs froÌ„ euerlasting punishment infamye It happeneth somtimes that in afflictions the presence of frendes doth bring coÌ„fort mitigate the sorrow But in Christ al thynges are otherwise for he receaueth no consolation by his Mother standing by but a more greuous sorowe when as neyther he caÌ„ helpe his mother nor his mother him In the meane time his fayth and loue towards his mother ceasseth not but he dying coÌ„mendeth her to his welbeloued Disciple which shoulde thenceforth take care ouer her in his stede But in that Iohn writeth that his Mother stode by the crosse it is not done without a reason and a certaine Emphasis for by these wordes is signified that there was a constancye of fayth with an exceding greate modestye in his Mother which constancye might mitigate her vnmeasurable sorow yea and myghte fortifie her and staye her vp This vertue being in the beleuers maketh them that they can commit nothing vnworthily in trouble neither can they altogether fall the Lorde assisting theÌ„ with his hand ☞ And from the sixte howre there was darknes ouer the whole earth vnto the ninth howre and the sunne was darkned and about the ninth howre Iesus cryed wyth a loud voyce sayenge Ely Ely lama azasthaui That is my God my god why hast thou forsaken mee And some of them that stode by there wheÌ„ they heard it said thys maÌ„ calleth Helias and straight wayes one of them ran and tooke a sponge and fylled it with vineger put it vpon a reede and gaue it him to drinke but other sayde let be let vs see if Helias will come and saue hym CHrist in all his torments both of body and mynde hath nothing to lighten his payne though it were neuer so litle the Lord did thrust hym down and drowne him in all euils and tooke awaye from him all comforte to the end we should not dispaire if the lord somtimes withdrawe his comforte from vs in temptations and seme to be a slepe In the meane tyme Christ declareth in hym selfe to bee of the true nature of man and sheweth the weakenesse of the fleshe to put them to shame whiche fayne that Christ had a fantasticall bodye or do take from hym the felyng of payne Also the vayne and hipocritical opinion of the Stoikes is here confuted which make their wise maÌ„ to be with out griefe Christ is not so and yet was there neuer any at any tyme eyther more holy than he or els more absolute in vertue but he groneth he wepeth he is sorrowful and he complayneth to the Disciples of hys lot he crieth that he is forsaken when as neuerthelesse in an other place he saith that he is not alone Psalm xvi but hys father is with him yea his Disciples forsaking him We see therefore that thys is spoken after the fashion of men that in our person who toke vpon him selfe all our infirmitie but yet without sinne The Lord teacheth vs by this figure what he requireth of theÌ„ which worship him namely to denye theÌ„selues wholly and to be redye to follow theyr capitayne in all thynges yea though the consolation of god be absent or withdrawne For it is not so great a matter to beare the crosse if a man feele prâ—sent consolation For the
more he feeleth consolation the lesse doth the burthen of afflictions trouble him It is pleasaunt to all fleshe to receaue grace or consolation in aduersities but wholly to denye him self and to seeke neyther in him self nor without him selfe any thing but God only in al things Here is the workâ— here is the labour This finally declareth him to be a stoute souldier of Christ Let it not therefore be greuous to vs if we bee forsaken of all men yea and of our most derest frends This is not one dayes worke but it requyreth a longe and continual fight if a maÌ„ wil ouercome him selfe and cleaue only to God A man is hardened by afflictions so that all thynges be they neuer so paynfull will be easye Let vs not therfore despayre if the Lord somtimes hide away withdrawe hys ayde and comforte from vs. Thys is no newe or rare thing to those which are exercised in the waye of God and in the spiritual battayle Courses of thynges are altered so that after rayne and tempestes followeth most pleasaunte fayre weather and calmes The Lord is neuer vnmyndfull of hys how so euer he dissemble sometymes whiche is myghtie to comforte vs after oure longe temptation and that with a great increase of spirituall ioy Wherfore the saintes complayne in their extreme aduersities that they be forsaken of god when as yet for all that in the meane tyme they dispaire not but desyre helpe of God so much the more feruently as they doe acknowledge them selues to bee more forsaken nothyng doubting but that God wil be present in tyme and shew forth hys power in theyr weakenes We must therefore according to the example of Christe stande stedfaste in afflictions neyther muste we come downe from the crosse how so euer our enemyes rage or bee woode agaynste vs. We shall see streyght waye God will ayde vs from aboue He is ready to succor them which fyghte and hope in hys grace And althoughe he seeme somtymes to vs to deferre or to bee a slepe thys is done to geue vs an occasion to fyght so by that meanes to ouercome These thynges happen vnto vs from oure moste pitifull Father to trye our fayth and to teache vs to acknowlede our weakenes to flye vnto him and to requyre helpe of him Let their doctrine therefore be put awaye from the Churche of Christ whiche affyrme Christ to haue dispayred vpon the crosse But let vs rather thynke thus that the heauenly Phisition tooke vpon him self al euils for vs Heb. 2. that we myght acknowledge that we haue a faithful high priest which can be sicke with them whiche bee sicke and to haue compassion of oure infyrmitie Christ soroweth with them which are sorowfull and the hed powreth out his complaynte for the members which are sicke This voyce is of the fleshe whiche feleth payne yet doth it not rebell nor dispayre Innocent flesh feleth extreme payne a moste holy bodye feleth moste greuous torment which is so wonderful great that euen the insensible creatures beare witnesse that they be sorowfull concernyng a certayne horror for the death of theyr creator Christ expresseth thys vnmeasurable griefe by â—xample and graue wordes ☞ Afterward when Iesus knewe that all thinges were finyshed that the scriptur might be fulfilled he said I thirst And there was set a vessel ful of vineger and they filled a sponge with vineger and ysope and put to hys mouthe Then when Iesus had receaued the vineger he sayde it is finyshed THere is no member in Christ withoute paine and torment Wherin we may perceaue partly the loue of the father which put hys Sonne so forth to all euils for vs and partly the cruelty and ingratitude of the Iews God hath not spared hys owne Sonne sayeth Paule but hath deliuered hym for vs al. The heauenly Phisition setteth before vs a remedy against the disease of our first parents who by the prouocation of the apple would satisfie their appetite whereby synne hath flowed into vs all Christ therfore woulde not offend with his tonge that he might heale thys disease teaching in the meane tyme all the Godly to temper them selues from the delicatenesse pleasures of the body wherby the feare of god doth almost growe out of vse in the hartes of men In that he sayeth it is finyshed he declareth that whatsoeuer thynges were Prophecied of him in the law and Prophetes are now finyshed For al did demoÌ„strate Christ the shaddowes and olde figures were put oute when Christ the true light shined Of the which thing we haue spoken more aboundauntlye in other places Let vs learne here that our saluation is finished in Christ and let vs not seke it any further in other things besides Christ There remayneth nothing whiche can be added vnto it eyther by the Pope or by any creature Thys is left that we should followe the accomplisher of our fayth constantly and stoutely and to abide in our calling euen to the end 2. Tim. 4. 1. Gor. 9. that we may at the length say with Paule I haue fought a good fighte I haue finished my course I haue kept the fayth and that we runne not as in an vncertaine course but that we may win the price ☞ And Iesus cried with a loude voice Father into thy handes I committe my spirite And when he had sayde thus he bowed hys hed and gaue vp the Ghost THe lyfe of al mortall men dieth vpon the crosse as touching the flesh opening vnto vs by his death the way of life and deuouring death by his death An innoceÌ„te dyeth for wicked meÌ„ a laÌ„be wtout spot is made a most acceptable sacrifyce vnto the father for our sinnes Let vs pore wretches therfore flye vnto so healthful a death and draw out our life there Furthermore let vs also learne to dye dayly to the the affections of the flesh we must cast away the world and those thinges which are in the worlde that beynge cleane from the contagiousnes of the world so beynge naked we may follow Christ naked in whome hereafter we must both liue and dye we must offer our selues wholy vnto him which hath offred himselfe for vs in whose mercye we puttinge our trust let vs commend our soules to the father which is a true God hath redemed vs. ☞ And beholde the vayle of the temple was rent into two partes from the top to the botome and the earth did quake and the stones were clouen the graues wer open and many bodies of the saintes which slept arose and came oute of the graues after his resurrection and wente into the hollye citye and appeared to many But when the Centurion and they which were with hym watching Iesus saw the erth quake the things that were done they feared greatly saying trulye this was the sonne of god For when the CenturioÌ„ which stode ouer against hiÌ„ saw that which happened and that he thus crienge gaue vp the Ghost he glorified God