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
he loued them I Told you before that Iohn toke the Passe ouer for the day folowing the eatyng of the Lambe the Euangelist dothe Rhetorically amplify the excelleÌ„cy of Christ that his lowlines might the more depely be knoweÌ„ He saieth Iohn which knew al thinges he whiche knew the houre of his death he to whom the father had geuen all thinges into his hands which came from god c He I say washetâ— the feete of his disciples Let all prophets byshops gouernors of common weales and leaders of the people learne of this teacher faytâ— loue care towards those whiche are coÌ„mitted vnto them Christ loued his euen to thâ— death he neuer forsaketh them he neuer ceaseth after he had once begun to loue them hâ— was obedieÌ„t vnto the father euen to the death that he might set before vs an example of humilitie and weldoyng c. ¶ Now on the first day of the feaste of vnleuened bread the disciples came vnto Iesus saying vnto him where wilte thou that we prepare for thee the Passeouer he said go into the city prepare for vs to eat the Passeouer there but they said where shal we prepare Iesus aunswered goe into the city vnto a certain man behold there shall meete you entryng into the city a maÌ„ bearing a pitcher of water follow this man into the house wherin he entereth and saye you to the good man of the house The maister sendeth vnto thee my time is at hand that I should eatin thy house the Passeouer wyth my disciples wher is the lodging wher I shall eate the Passeouer with my disciples And he will shew you an vpper chaÌ„ber which is large trimmed and prepared there make it redy for vs. So his disciples wente forthe and came to the city found as he had saide vnto them and they made ready the Passeouer NOthing is done here by chance nothing is done rashly all things are foresene and ordained by the prouidence of God without beginning All thinges are gouerned by his counsell and will These thinges are therfore writteÌ„ by the Euangelist that we might vnderstand that Christ was not compelled to die by violence or of necessitie but of his own free will and by the wyll of the father and bicause that all the shadowes of the old Testament vanished away in Christ it is declared also that Christ is that Lambe which is prefigured in the old Testament as Paule teacheth in the 1. Cor. 5. ca. But this word Passe ouer is taken diuers waies sometymes properly for that passing or slippyng ouer of the Angel in Egipt wheÌ„ as he slew the firste begotten of the Egiptians but spared the Israelits vpon whose dores the bloud of the lamb was sprinckeled sometimes it is takeÌ„ for the festiuall day it selfe and sometimes for the laÌ„b which is killed and that by denominacion as here when he saieth to kill to eate or prepare the Passeouer So this worde Passeouer is put for the Lambe agayn the Lambe is called the Passeouer Gen. xvii when as it was only but a memoriall of the passing ouer So the breade is called afterwards the body of Christ wheÌ„ as it is but the token of the body circumcision is called the couenauÌ„t Gen. xvii of the which couenaunt it was but the signe We learne here the pouerty of Christ who not hauing where to put vnder his head is coÌ„pelled to prepare his supper with hys disciples in other folkes houses after the manner of the poore ¶ And when euen was come Iesus came with the xii and when it was time he sate doune and the xii with hym and he said vnto them I haue earnestly desyred to eat this Passeouer with you before I suffer For I say vnto you henceforthe I wyll not eate of it any more vntill it bee fulfilled in the kingdome of God and as they wer eating Iesus toke the bread geuing thankes brake it and gaue it to his disciples sayeng Take and eate this is my body which shal be geuen for you do this in remembrauÌ„ce of me and taking the cup he gaue thankes and sayd Take this and deuide it amoÌ„g you this cup is the new testament thorowe my bloud whiche is shed for you for I saye vnto you that after this I wil not drinke of this fruite of the vyne vntill that day when I shall drinke it new with you in my fathers kyngdom they al dranke of it JT is exactely described of all the Euangelistes how Christ did institute the sacrameÌ„t of his body bloud after the figuratiue supper that he might declare that the figures of the old testament were accomplished and finished in him and that all thinges were renewed that they mighte haue in memory his wonderfull great benefit geuen them in the crosse no lesse theÌ„ the old fathers had in eating of the Passeouer that the newe might be agreable to the olde and that light might succede darkenesse He sheweth first with how great a desyre he did eate this supper with them namely wyth a vehement and a most feruent desire for this figuratiue speache in Hebrew is I haue desired or in desiring that is I haue desired with a wonderful great desire to eate this Passeouer that is this memoriall Lambe and I haue no lesse desired to eat with you this new supper in the which I commeÌ„d vnto you the memory of my deth to be celebrated of you for euer For as often as Paule expoundeth as ye shall eate of this breade and also drinke of this wyne you shal be myndfull of my death Let the memory of this benefitte neuer slippe from you let it neuer be forgotten lette it alwais remain in your hearts Let your mouth alwais declare and shew forth this preache you this euery where celebrate thys without ceasing and geue wonderfull great thankes for this For it is not meete that you shoulde at any time put in obliuion my deathe seyng that I haue with so great a desire suffred deth for you which am so desirous of your saluatioÌ„ that I do euen geue awaye my life for you I wâ—ll suffer my body to be nayled to the crosse as a sacrifice for your sinnes and I will shed my bloud to wash you withall I do so muche esteme you that I am redy to redeme you by my death from euerlasting death I do set before you signes of this benefite and of this redemption whiche being eaten of you shall renew the memory of me vnto the which signs I gaue the names of my body and bloud that they might the more strongly moue your senses My deathe is your lyfe if so be that you beleue that by my death I haue appeased god for you and that my bloud hath washed away your sinnes this shall norishe and fatten you inwardly This beyng weighed with a true faith shall make mery and pacify your myndes Take therfore and eate do this in remeÌ„braunce of me I go now from you so
the first sight we vnderstaÌ„d not as we may easily see in the prophets by whoÌ„ he declareth certain thigs by exaÌ„ples which afterward he openeth expoundeth So in the supper he geâ—eth bread wine that by these things tokeÌ„s he might set forth vnto them the remembrauÌ„ce of his death he washeth the fete not to â—hat enteÌ„t that he wuld wash away the filthinesse of the fete but that he might signify that he only is he which should purify vs settyng â—orth som higher matter which may be manifestly perceiued by his answer vnto Peter by other wordes For many haue and receyue parte with Christ whose fete Christ hath not washed To be washed is to beleue truly but no maÌ„ shal be partaker of the glory of Christ and of the life euerlasting but he which shal be washed with the bloud of Christ whose affections shal be purged by his grace Moreouer he commendeth vnto his disciples charitie that one might helpe an other by mutual loue not only in washing of fete if necessitie so require but in helping our neighbour in al things but this is to be marked diligeÌ„tly that they which be faithful haue yet neede to wash their fete that is to wash away their daily fallings to purge away the affections stil springing in the flesh which thing certaine not considering haue come to that madnesse and pride that they dare affirm themselues to be wtout sin for al that Iohn saith If any maÌ„ saith he hath no sin i. Iohn i. Rom. vii he is a liar deceiueth him self Paul coÌ„plained that he fouÌ„d in his meÌ„bers another law repugning the law of the mind spirit Or how can those men pray this praieâ— euery daye forgeue vs our trespasses when as they acknowledge none Christe therfore teacheth that the beleuers ar purified by faith that is to say by the sprinckling of his bloud Moreouer that they whiche are purified and cleansed yet neuerthelesse haue nede to wash their feete and that they are stil vnpure lastly he pronounceth manifestly ynough that al they be not cleane which are conuersaunte in the outwarde fellowshippe of the disciples of Christ For he saith ye be cleane but not all meaning Iudas which was present amongst the Apostels in body but his minde and hart was all one with the Pharises wherfore to be washed or to be cleane whiche are all one is to beleue verely and without any dout that thou art washed and purified by the bloud of Christ To wash the fete To washe the feete is to acknowlege and confesse before God with sighing and detesting our dayly synnes and then after oure fall to runne to God by repentaunce For we can not passe thorowe this waye whilest we lyue here amongst so many enemies without fallyng it is so dirtye and vnplayne and the weakenesse and slippernesse of the fleshe is so great But howsoeuer the feete doe stagger yet yf the head of fayth be safe the matter is well inough For the faithful can not be beaten downe by such fallinges if the Lorde vp hold them with his hand ¶ After therfore he had washed theyr fete and put on hys garmentes he sate downe and sayd vnto them agayne doe you know what I haue done vnto you you cal me maister and lord and you say well for I am so if I therfore which am your lord and maister haue washed your fete ye ought also one to wash an others feete for I haue geueÌ„ you an example that eueÌ„ as I haue don so might you also do Verely verely I saye vnto you the seruaunte is not greater than his lord neither the Messenger greater than he which sente him yf you haue knowen these thinges blessed are ye if ye do them THe lorde by this exaumple of humilitie and wel doyng dothe put vs to shame for our hautenes of minde and coldnesse to do good which as we gape for honour and riches and do bragge of those thinges which we haue not So also we dispise neglect our fellow seruaunts neither do we onely neglect them but besides that we hurte them and do them iniury Let vs therfore follow the exaÌ„ple of our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs put awaye our hautenesse of mynde lette vs caste downe our courages let vs embrace our brethren with feruent loue let vs beare and suffer the infirmitie and burthens of other men being redy to submit our selues to all men for hym which did so much cast downe hym selfe for our sakes Let vs alwayes remember the Lordes commaundement of brotherly loue liberalitie towardes the poore for he wil haue mercy and not sacrifice Christ in deede dothe prescribe vnto vs a most perfect forme of life Ose ii yea in maner impossible for vs to do wheÌ„ as he saith so loue one an other as I haue loued you How be it if we shall endeuour to follow the same and if we shall attempt to folow af-his prescripte as muche as he shall geue vs grace to do although we attain not vnto it as we shall neuer do yet he will gentlye forgeue vs our trespasses It is not inough to knowe these things and to heare them or to preache them but we must do them that is we must study and apply our selues to these thynges we must exercise our selues in these thynges and as it were contend with our neighbour in well deseruyng So at the lengthe we shall proue learned and exercised in them ¶ And there was a greate contention amongest theÌ„ which of them should seme to be the greatest but he sayde vnto them The kings of the gentiles reign ouer them they which haue power ouer theÌ„ are called gracious but ye shal not be so but let the greatest amoÌ„gest you be as the lest and the chiefest as he that serueth For who is greater he that sytteth at the table or he which serueth Is not he whiche sytteth at the table And I am in the middest of you as he that serueth and ye are they that haue continued with me in my teÌ„ptations Therfore I appoint vnto you a kingdome as my father hath appointed to me that ye may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome and syt on xii seates iudging the xii tribes of Israell when I seÌ„t you without bagge and scrippe and shoes lacked ye anye thinge And they sayde nothing he said therfore to them but now he that hath a bag let him take also a scrip and he that hath none let him sel his coat bye a sworde For I saye vnto you that yet the same which is written must be perfourmed in me Euen wyth the wycked was he numbred for doubtlesse those things whiche are written of me haue an end and thei said behold there are two swordes and he said vnto them it is inough VVHen as Christ teachest most humility the flesh seeketh to be exalted and to be great So corruptis our nature that it seketh nothing els
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
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
of concupiscence do not only reygn in city and court but also there be very few which set them selues a brasen wal agaynst them and mend agayne the breach of the hedge Ieremy 1 Ezechiel 22 Let these men remember what loue they beare to Chryst and also consider how great a treasor is committed to their keaping namely a flock gotten by the bloud of Christ Math. 24. Let them diligentlye weigh with what punishment the Lord wyl punysh the vnfaith full ministers when he retourneth to take accompt he wil cut him in twayne saith Christ and put his parte with hipocrites Verely verely I say vnto the wheÌ„ thou wast young thou girdest thy self diddest walke whither thou wouldest but when thou art olde thou shalt stretche forth thi haÌ„des an other shal gird the lead thee whither thou wouldst not And this he spake signifing by what death he should glorifye God when he had spoken this he sayd vnto hiÌ„ folow me Peter turned about saw that disciple whoÌ„ Iesus loued following who also leaned on his brest at supper had said lord which is he that betrayeth thee when Peter therfore saw him he said to Iesus lord what shal this man do Iesus said vnto him If I wil haue him tary til I come what is that to thee Folow thou me Then went this saieng abrode amoÌ„g the brethern that that disciple shuld not dy yet Iesus said not to hiÌ„ he shal not die but if I wil that he tary til I coÌ„e what is that to thee The disciple is he which beareth witnes to these things wrote these things we know that his witnes is tru Ther ar also many other things which Iesus did the which if they should be writteÌ„ euery one I suppose the world could not conteyne the bokes that should be written THat which is spoken by christ to Peter let vs thinke the same to be spoken vnto vs al namely that we should follow christ vnseperably cleaue vnto him keepinge our selues safe froÌ„ straunge things Let euery man be vigilant in his own office and not curiouslye searche and enquire out other mens sayings and doyngs And let not affection be of more force with vs theÌ„ the gouernmeÌ„t of god Let Gods wil be the rule of our life wherof to aske a reason of God is moste wicked And althoughe these thinges are spoken vnto all men yet chieflye they pertayn to the ministers the word that they shuld earnestly follow Christ wtout any tarying setting al other thiÌ„gs apart beiÌ„g redy for his glory not oÌ„ly to lose their goods but also their life The seruaÌ„t is not greater theÌ„ his lord there can be no greater glory then to suffer death for Christs sake And the eleueÌ„ disciples departed to Galiley to a mountaine where Iesus had appointed theÌ„ And when thei saw him they worshipped him but some of them doubted whose vnbelief after he had rebuked he saide These are the woordes which I spake vnto you while I was yet with you that al things must nedes be fulfylled whiche were written of me in the law of Moyses in the prophetes in the psalmes Then opened he their mind that thei might vnderstaÌ„d the scriptures he saied vnto them Thus is it written thus it behoued Christ to suffer to rise again froÌ„ the ded the iii. day and that repentance and remissioÌ„ of synnes shoulde be preached in his name amoÌ„g al natioÌ„s begiÌ„ning first at Ierusalem And ye are witnesses of these thinges and behold I sende the promise of my father vpon you But tary ye in the city of IerusaleÌ„ vntill ye be endewed with powre from aboue THe shepherd being strikeÌ„ the shepe were scattered as saith the prophet but afttr that I am risen againe saith Christ I wil goe before you into Galile Marh 26. zach 13. the angel rehersynge these words sayth Go tel the disciples that the Lorde is risen agayne and will goe before you into Galile This to be nowe accoÌ„plished the EuaÌ„gelist Mathew testifieth we haue declared before what it is to preach repentance forgeuenes of sins through the name of Christ Math. 26. And the beginninge was made at Ierusalem first amonge the Iewes for whose sake Iesus came Esay 2. â—om 11. yet in the mean time Let vs reioyse that we also are called vnto thesame lot let vs be thaÌ„ful lest we be cut of again It behoued that Christ should suffer that he might be made a sacrifyce to pacify god for our sins by the which sacrifice gods iustice myght be satisfyed It behoued hym to arise againe from the dead to make vs beinge raysed from the death of sinnes righteous vnto God the father and partakers of the life to come ☞ And Iesus came spake vnto hys Disciples saying Al power is geueÌ„ to me in heauen and in earth As my father sente me so sende I you also when he had spoken these things he breathed vpon them and said vn-them Receaue the holy ghost whose sinnes so euer ye shall forgeue they are forgeueÌ„ them and whose so euer synnes ye shall retayne they are retayned Go ye therefore teache al nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all thinges what so euer I haue commaunded you And behold I am with you alwayes euen to the end of the world Goe ye into al the world and Preache the Gospell to all creatures He that beleueth and is baptised shal be saued but he that beleueth not shal be daÌ„pned Moreouer these are the signes that shal followe them which shal beleue In my name they shall cast out deuils they shall speake with newe tonges they shall driue away serpentes if they drinke any deadly drinke it shall not hurt them Thei shal lay their hands on the sicke and they shal recouer AFter Christ had manifestly proued to his Disciples hys Resurrection he sheweth theÌ„ what great glory he shall be exalted vnto that they also might abide vnder the crosse knowing that eternal glory is prepared for theÌ„ with Christ He sayth that all power is geuen him as well of heaueÌ„ as of earth to make vs to vnderstand how great a lord we haue in whose hands all things are put And no man hath in his hands the dominion ouer all thinges but he must nedes be god also For god geueth not his glory to an other Esay 42. as witnesseth Esay Let vs not therefore be affeard if vile men threateÌ„ vs and conspyre agaynste vs But let vs flye vnto the Lord vnder whose tuition we shal be safe Luk. xix Psalm ii And although there be some which do say we wil not haue him to reigne ouer vs let vs caste away theyr bondes from our neckes neither will yet acknowledge such and so great a Sauiour and king but go aboute to cut of his kingdome such rebelles neuerthelesse shall