the institutions therfore when as they haue no respecte to the ende for the whiche they were ordeined He therfore whiche hath not a care of his neighbors health but is a straight obseruer of externall rites dothe bewray declare his own hipocrisie as these iusticiaries who reiected the Publicanes synners suffered them to perishe had not Christe called thē vnto him cured them We must so thinke therfore of sacrifices as wayes meanes to come vnto God which notwithstāding are of no force except a sounde perfect truthe be annexed vnto the same Bu. So that our Sauiour Christ did very well oppose this general sentence of religion to his aduersaries C. For vnder this worde mercy he comprehendeth all the partes and duties of humanitie whiche we owe vnto oure brethren as by the name of Sacrifice he meaneth all seremonies and externall thynges For I came not to call the righteous Bu. Nowe Christ hauing respect to that whiche he spake euen now that he came a Phisition into the worlde by a certayne illation and exposition he concludeth the whole disputation and those whome before he called whole and strong he nowe calleth righteous Not that he meaneth them to be righteous in dede but because they bosted thought them selues to bee righteous as did the Phariseis These thinking them selues to be absolute perswaded thē selues that the grace of God pertained nothing at all to their perfection and this was the cause that they did not call for the mercy of the Lorde For what nede haue the righteous of mercy So that here their offence was great in so muche that the Lorde in an other place sayde If ye were blynde then had ye no synne but nowe ye saye we see therefore your synne remayneth Again he sayde Yee are they whiche iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your hartes C. Wherefore although this was spoken to refelle and confute the pryde and hypocrisie of the Scribes yet notwithstanding generally it contayneth a profitable doctrine For we are taught that the grace of Christe dothe no otherwyse proffite vs then when we acknowledging our synnes and syghing vnder the burthē of the same come humblely vnto hym for release and pardon Furthermore infirme and weake consciences are erected and lyfted vp by sure truste and confidence because we oughte not to feare that Christ wyl reiecte synners for whose saluation he descended from his heauenly glorye into this wycked worlde M. But we muste note that he sayth not I came to constrayne synners but to call synners Whereby we may gather what kynde of persones the medicine of the grace of God would haue vs to be namely suche as are desyrous of saluation and wyllyng to receiue the same for he reiecteth the vnwillyng Hereupon it is written Blessed are they that hunger and thyrste after righteousnes for they shal be satisfied Neither doth Christe saye here I am come to call some or a fewe but generally all excludynge none C. But we muste note this also which followeth To repentaunce That we may know how that pardon is graunted vnto vs not to synne or offende styll but that afterwarde we may leade a godly holy and vertuous lyfe For vpon this condition he dothe reconcile vs to his father that we being redemed by his bloud may offer our selues liuely sacrifices as saynt Paule saythe The grace of God that bryngeth saluation hath appeared to all men and teacheth vs that we shoulde deny vngodlines and worldly lustes and that we should lyue soberly and righteously and godly in this present worlde To the whiche also agreeth the saying of Zacharias That we being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies may serue him without feare in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of our lyues M. For repentaunce is nothing els but a conuersion of the mynde and an alteration of the former opinion as appeareth by the saying of the Prophetes Tourne vnto me and ye shal be safe Againe I wil not the death of a synner but that he tourne and liue Also repente and amēde that your synnes may be done away 14 Then came the disciples of Iohn vnto hym saying why do we and the Phariseis faste for the most part but thy disciples faste not Then came to him the disciples M. It is not the least among the miracles of the wisdome of God when that he dothe oftentymes manifeste and confirme his truthe by the resistaunce and gainsayinge of the wycked The whiche thinge as in all other places so in this may manifestly be sene whereupon truely no small proffite commeth vnto vs by the rebellion of the Phariseis VVhy do vve and the Phariseis faste C. Luke in his fifth chapter bringeth in the Phariseis speakinge in their owne persone and Marke semeth to ioyne thē both together Neither is there any doubt but that the Phariseis by this wycked deceite and wyle pretended to wynne and allure the disciples of Iohn on their part and to make thē contende with the disciples of Christe The cōgruitie in prayers and fastinges was a plausible prouocation and intisement of societie but the contrary opinion and reason of Christe was an occasion of discorde and priuy hatred to waywarde and curious persones being to muche addicted to their owne willes By this example we are admonished and taught wisely to take hede least by some light pretence the wycked and crafty men do sowe discorde and dissention among vs For Sathan is wonderfull busy in this practise and againe it is an easy matter for vs to bee troubled about nothyng But we ought specially to take hede leaste that the vnitie and agrement of oure faythe be cut asunder by suche externall rites and ceremonies and leste the bonde of charitie be broken With this disease many are infected in that they seke more then is necessary to stablishe the ceremonies and elementes of the worlde as Paule sayth Furthermore there commeth another euel of curiositie disdayne that is euery one seketh to bring all the worlde to his example If any thing please vs we couet straightway to haue the same a lawe that others may depend vpō our arbitrement Nowe forasmuche as we do reade that the disciples of Iohn laboured with this disease were taken with these snares of Sathan let vs learne vnderstād that sanctimony pietie is not placed in external thinges let vs learne also to brydell our selues with the byt of moderation and equitie least that we seke to bring al men to our opinion but rather let euery man haue his owne libertie M. Furthermore that the disciples of Iohn were enuious against Christe for a certaine zeale they bare vnto their maister it is euident by S. Iohn where he saith There arose a questiō betwene Iohns disciples and the Iewes about the purifying And they came vnto Iohn sayde vnto hym Rabby he that was with thee beyonde Iordane to whome thou
dyd trewely and vnfainedly beleue in mee ye would confesse that I haue cast out deuils by the power of god and ye woulde also for so greate a benefyte be thanckefull to god Now seing you wyll not do this ye oughte to ioyne your selues to the other part which doth calumniate speake euyll of that which I haue done ascribyng it to the deuyll But because ye dissemble it is a sure and certayne signe that ye are not neyther that ye gather not with me but rather that yee scatter abroade for ye cleaue vnto theim that calumniate howesoeuer ye dissemble Let al our newters and Luke ware men our Ambodexters I saye in these our daies marke this lesson of our Sauiour Christe Let also all idell and slowebellied byshops and prelates which gather not the kingdom of God be admonished by this place they are not with Christ therfore they are aduersaries dispersers and cōfounders of the kingdom of God. 31 VVherefore I say vnto you all maner of synne and blasphemie shall be forgeuen vnto men but the blasphemie againste the spirite shall not be forgeuen vnto men VVherefore I say vnto Bu. Nowe Chryste plainely sheweth howe greuousely they offende whiche blaspheme the woorkes of the lorde and the doctrine of treweth and do obstinately and continually resist the same C. But this is an illation or bringinge in which oughte not to be restrayned to the sentence goinge before because it depēdeth vpon the whole text For after that Chryste had taughte that the Scribes coulde not disproue that hee caste out deuylles but that they soughte onely to resyst the kingdome of God he concludeth at the length that it was no lighte or tollerable saying but a wicked and detestable cryme in that wyttingly and willingly they letted not in reprochfull wyse to gainesay and resist the spyrite of god For we declared before that Christ dyd not vtter these wordes by occasion of wordes but rather by the occasion of their wicked thoughtes All maner of synne and blasphemy E. The latten worde is Conuitium which signyfieth reproche For this word blasphemy is as much to say as slanderouse wordes and reproche by the which the fame and good reporte of a man is impayred C. But because our sauiour Christ saith here that blasphemy againste the spirite is greatter then any other synne it shal be necessary to way and consider what he meaneth therby They which define this blasphemy to be impenitency ought not in any poynt to be refelled or disalowed for then Christ should in vayne haue denied remission of the same in this world Furthermore the name of blasphemye can not confusedly be extended to euery kynde of synne withoute exception But by the comparison which Christ bringeth we may easely gather the definition Question Why is he saide to cōmit the more haynouse offence which blasphemeth the spirite thē he whiche speaketh blasphemy agaynst Christe Truely there is a greate dyffeerence For seinge the fulnes of the diuinitie raigneth in Christe whosoeuer is contumeliouse againste hym or a blasphemer of hym he dothe abbolyshe and ouerthrowe so muche as in hym lieth al the glory of god But nowe howe can Christ be seperated and deuided from his spirite that he whiche blasphemethe the one dothe not in lyke maner blaspheme and impaire the glory of the other Now hereby we begyn to gather that the blasphemy against the spirite is not greater then any other synne because the spirite is more excellēt then Christ but because the power of God beinge made manifest declared they are not excusable by the pretenced cloke of ignoraunce whiche sporne and kycke against the same Besyde this we must note that that which is spoken here of blasphemy is not simplely referred to the essence of the spirite but to the grace with the whiche we are indewed For they which are depriued of the lyght of the spirite how much so euer they take away of the glory of the same yet notwithstandinge they are not made gylty of this crime and faulte Now let vs note that they do blaspheme the spyrite of God whiche with pretenced mallyce and spyghte do resyst his grace and power and knowinge the same to be in them go about by all meanes possible to extinguishe the same And this is the reason why they ar rather said to blaspheme the spyrite then the father or the sonne namely because in detracting and slaundering the grace and power of God wee doo plainely blaspheme the spirite from the which they procede and come and appere vnto vs Euery vnbeleuing person speaketh euell of God euen as if a blynde man should ronne against a gate But no man blasphemeth or speaketh euyll of the spirite but he whiche being illuminated of the same wyllyngly rebelleth against it Neyther is this distinction superfluous or vayne that all other blasphemies shal be forgeuen sauing this alone whiche is againste the spirite If any man symplely vtter blasphemy against god he is not denied hope of pardon but god is not said to be fauorable to him which is cōtumeliouse agaynste the spirite that is which speaketh euil of the giftes graces of the spirite contrary to his own cōsciēce E. They therfore whose cōsceince beareth thē witnesse that it is the word of God against the which they resist striue and yet notwithstāding cease not to impugn the same are truely said to blaspheme the spirite of God because they striue against the light which is the worke of the holy ghost Of these sorte of men there were many amōg the Iewes which when they could not resist the spirite that spake by Steuen yet notwithstanding they sought al that they might to resist There is no doubt but that many of thē were forced as it were to do it through the zeale of the lawe but it is euidēt that there were others which with maliciouse impietie dyd frette and fume agaynst God hym selfe Suche were the Phariseies against whom the lorde doth inuey who to the ende they myghte obscure the power of the holy ghoste did infame the same with the name of Beelzebub Hereup therefore ariseth blasphemy when men bouldely burst fyrste into the reproche of the name of God. C. Notwithstanding here ariseth a question Whether men are of such boulde madnes that wyttingly with good wyll they dare presume to rushe so rashely as it were in raging wise againste god I answere that this boldenes doth procede of a frenlike blindenes in the which not withstanding mallyce and poysoned fury beareth the sway Neither is it without cause that S. Paule saith that when he was a blasphemer he obtained mercy because he dyd it ignorantly in his vnbelefe for by this sayinge he putteth a difference betwene his synne and voluntary contumacy In this place also their errour is confuted whiche thincke that euery voluntary kinde of synne which is cōmitted against the conscience is voide of remission For truely Paule doth
the Prophetes to allowe their doctrine and to condemne your fathers which slewe them but if any man would iudge of your harte with the whiche in dede ye rage and swell againste the Prophetes as muche as did your fathers he might more truely saye that ye do allow the crueltye of your fathers do bragge as it were by these monumentes but do condemne the Saints whome youre fathers kylled A. There is no doubt here but that Christe speaking these thinges did greuously pricke and gaalle his enemies speciallye he speakynge so boldly in the presence of the people Thus al hipocrites muste be delt withal and by force dryuen out of theyr lurking dennes 32. Fulfill ye lykewyse the measure of your fathers B. All this oration of Christe dothe declare a moued minde For they which are augrye do commonly speake sharpelye obruptly and obscurely C. He doth not here bed them do that which they do that they mighte kill the holye teachers but he figuratiuely declareth that they do as it were by byrthrighte and inheritaunce ryse againste the Prophetes of God and that they must haue liberty to resist godlines because by this meanes they should finishe the wickednes with their fathers had begon make an ende of the webbe which their fathers had spoone By these words he doth not only declare that they are desperate and suche as can not be brought into a right minde but also he admonisheth the simple that it is no merueile if the Prophetes of God be euel intreated by the children of homicides and murtherers Bu. To fill the measure is prouerbially spoken to finishe impietye and to adde that to impiety ond wyckednes which semed to be wantinge 33. Ye serpentes ye generation of vipers how wil ye scape the daÌ„nation of hel Ye serpentes ye generation of vipers Bu. He doth sodenly as it were leauinge his former talke rushe vpon these manslears shewinge vnto them that they can not shunne or auoyde the iudgement of god that they shal be greuously punished and cast into hel C. For after he had shewed that the Scribes were not onely wicked enemies of godly doctrine and false cor rupters of diuine worship but also mortiferouse dedly plages of the Churche he goinge about to make an ende of his oration and sermon and sermon doth in more sharpe maner waxe angery with them saying Hovv vvil ye scape the daÌ„natioÌ„ Bu. He vseth an interrogation because thereby his wordes mighte be the more vehement The like oration did S. Iohn the Baptiste vse againste the same men sayinge O ye generatioÌ„ of vipers who hath taught you to flée froÌ„ the veÌ„geance to come For because they were obstinate and because his doctrine tooke liâ—…eâ—… place among them he speaketh vnto theÌ„ after this maner to terrify him C. Howbeit Christ had not only respect vnto the Scribes and Phariseis but also to the whole multitude that he might make them affrayed and to beware of the like destruction The damnatirn of hel He vnderstandeth by these woordes the iudgement of God by the which he would adiudge them to euerlasting death As concerning hel reade in the fifte chapter going before But howe harde and intollerable this sharpnes of woordes was to these reuerend masters we may hereby gather because they had kepte a longe time their mastership and authority in such peace that no man durst once mutter against them There is no doubt but that many were offeÌ„ded gréeued at the seuere liberty of Christ yea he was couÌ„ted of som peruerse and childishe that he durst be so bolde to speake so oprobriously of the order of the Scribes euen as at this daye also many dantye and tender eared persoÌ„s can not abide to here the popishe clergy seuerelye spoken againste but because Christe had to do with hypocrits and that of the worste sorte which being not only puffed vp with a proude conteÌ„pte of God dronken with a vaine and false truste but also hauinge be witched the people in their steppes of superstition it was necessary for him to inuey the more earnestly against them He calleth them therfore Serpents as well in respette of their nature as maners then he pronounceth vnto them vengeaunce the which they should séeke in vaine to auoide excepte they repented in time 34. VVherefore beholde I sende vnto you Prophetes and wyse men and Scribes and some of them ye shall kil and crucify and some of the shall ye scourge in your synagoges and persecute them from Ciâ—…ty to Citty VVherefore beholde M. These wordes pertaine to that which wente before by the which hee called the Scribes Phariseis a generation of vipers that is a most wicked posterity of wicked homicides and murtherers shewing forthe the like mallice that their forefathers dyd and greater also who coulde not possiblely escape the iudgemente of hell I sende vnto you Prophetes C. The Euangeliste Luke addeth somwhat more expreslye in these woordes Therfore said the wysedome of god The whiche sayinge some interpreters conster thus I which am the eternal wisedome of God do pronounce of you Notwithstanding it is more probable accordinge to the wonted maner of the Scripture that the Euangeliste here bringeth in God speking vnder the persone of his wisedome so that the sence and meanynge of these woordes is this It is not longe synce the Almighty God by the spirite of Prophesy pronounced what should come to passe of you We graunt that this seÌ„teÌ„ce as touching the letter or verye woorde is redde no where but because God dothe in diuers places touche and reprehende the vntamed obstinate contumacy of this people Christe doth gather an epitome or shorte some and by this Prosopopoeia doth more plainly expresse what the iudgemente of GOD shal be vpon the vncurable wickednes of that people For it might seme wonderfull and straunge if the Prophetes and teachers wente about to do nothinge profitable or worthy of regarde why the Lorde woulde haue them without cause to be vexed and weryed For some men affirme that God doth lose his labor worke when he appointeth his woord to be preached to the reprobat whom he knoweth to be obstinat But hipocrits as though this one thing were sufficient namely to haue amongest them daily preachers of the heauenly doctrine althoughe they shewe themselues vnwillinge to be taught do trust that God will be mercifull and fauorable vnto them if so bee that the externall worde do sounde amonge them So the Iewes did stoutlye boaste that they alwayes excelled all other nations Prophetes and teachers and that they had as it were deseruâ—…d so greate honor that this was vnto them an vndoubted badge and token of their dignity Oure Sauiour Christ séekinge to beate down this vaine arrogancy doth not onely deny them to excell all other nations althoughe they had amongest them by the excedinge loue of GOD his Prophetes and excelent interpreters of his wisedome but also he sayth that his grace being euell bestowed vppon them
no doubte therfore but that the Iewes do carelesly curse them selues as though before God they were excusable Hereby wee gather howe carefullye we oughte to auoyde all vnaduised rashnes in all Iudgementes For when men dare neglectinge inquisition and diligent searche take vppon them this or that as semeth to them good it is necessary that they fall into madnes And this is the iuste vengeaunce of GOD wyth the whiche he punisheth their pride whiche disdaine to make any choyse of that whiche is good and of that which is euell and whiche refuse to put a difference betwene equity and vnrighteousnes The Iewes thoughte that in killynge of Christe they did vnto GOD good seruice but whereuppon commeth this wycked error but of wycked obstinacy and of the contempte of God Wherefore they are iustly cast into this madnes that they may bringe the laste destruction to them selues But as for vs when the woorship of God and his holy ministers are handeled or spoken of let vs learne to open oure eyes and reuerentlye and soberlye inquire of the matter leaste that hypocrisye and boldenes do put vs oute of oure wyttes But as God woulde neuer haue suffered this execrable voyce to come oute of the mouthe of the people ecepte their impietye hadde beene firste desperate euen so afterwarde he punished the same iustely by horrible and straunge meanes and yet notwithstandynge wonderfully kepte certeine remnaunts of them to hymselfe leaste that his couenaunt should bee extinguished by the destruction of all the people He had adopted vnto hymselfe the séede of Abraham that it mighte be a chosen people a ryall Priestehoode and a holy nation nowe the Iewes to the denying of so greate grace doe conspire as it were with one voyce Who woulde not say that all the nation is plucked vp by the rootes as it were from the kyngdome of God But God in their wyckednes declareth the constancy and fyrmenes of his promise and to the ende he myghte shewe that he made not a couenaunt in vaine with Abraham he deliuereth those whome he chose fréely of his grace from generall destruction Euenso his trueth wyll alwayes haue the vpperhande of all the letts and stayes of humane incredulity M. Althoughe therefore miserable and foolishe mene do curse them selues and their children yet notwythstandynge the Lorde did not condemne them by the sentence whiche they gaue vppon them selues but receyued them whiche repented as well of themselues as of their children For Paule also was of them and manye thousandes also which beleued in Christ at Hierusalem as S. Iames declareth in the Actes of the Apostells To this effecte also pertaineth that whiche is writen in the Actes of the Apostels in the second fourthe chapters Notwythstandynge this vengeaunce whiche they wyshed for resteth vppon the posteritye of the Iewes vntyll this daye 26. Then let he Barrabas louse vnto thē and scourged Iesus and deliuered him to be crucifyed Then let he Barrabas louse M. This place is thus redde oute of the fower Euangelists And so Pilate willinge to contente the people gaue sentence that it shoulde bee as they requyred And let louse vnto them Barrabas whom they desyered who for insurrection and murther was caste into prison and he delyuered vnto them Iesus to do wyth hym what they woulde and to be crucifyed The importunate sute of the Iewes truelye constrayned Pilate to delyuer vp Christe and yet for all that it was not done as in a tumulte but accordynge to a solemne maner he was condemned because twoo theues also the matter beinge knowne were condemned to the crosse C. Twoo thinges therefore are to bee noted namelye that an assente or agremente was extorted from the Iudge againste his will and yet notwithstandynge that he represented the persone of a Iudge in condemninge him whome he pronounceth to be innocent For excepte the Sonne of GOD hadde beene free from all synne wee shoulde not looke for redemption by hys death but shoulde remayne still in oure synnes God therefore woulde haue hys Sonne to be condemned after a solemne maner that by hym he mighte delyuer vs from synne For if wee séeke to profite rightly in the meditation of Christs deathe wee must abhorre oure synnes for the greatnes of oure punishemente whiche he suffered for synne So shall it come to passe not onely that wee shal be ashamed of oure selues but also that wee beinge wounded wyth grefe shall seke for the medecine that may heale the same For our harts were muche more harde than stone if wee be not wounded with the woundes of the Sonne of God And excepte wee hate and deteste oure synnes to put awaye the whiche the Sonne of God suffered so many punishementes Neyther muste wee feare that oure sinnes shal come any more into the Iudgement of God from the which he hath redemed vs with so preciouse a raunsome For he did not onely suffer death to purchase lyfe vnto vs but also he tooke vppon hym wyth the crosse the curse that was dewe vnto vs that there shoulde no vncleanenes remayne in vs anye more And scourged Iesus and deliuered hym M. It is vncertaine whether this scourginge bee that or no where of S. Iohn maketh mencion the whiche also is noted in the 23. verse before when Pilate woulde haue sett Christe at libertye Or whether he were beaten the seconde tyme accordinge to the maner of the Romanes For no man was putte to deathe or crucified but he was firste scourged It semeth to some that this was the scourginge by the whiche he wente aboute to deliuer hym leaste he should be crucified For afterwarde the mockes and scornes are recited whiche followe the condemnation 27. Then the soldiers of the deputy toke Iesus into the common haule and gathered vnto him all the company Then the soldiers of the deputy Bu. Nowe the Euangeliste describeth as it were in liuely coolers howe the moste meke Iesus was handeled of the wycked after he was condemned by the mouthe of the Iudge to death A. All this was done that when the people should see this sighte they might be persuaded that nothinge was done here withoute consideration but by the best order of true iudgement 28. And they stripped him and put on him a purpell robe And they stripped him Sainct Marke hath And they put of his owne clothes Because he was condemned of desiering the maiestye of a kinge the soldiers so soone as Pilate hadde geuen Iudgement that he shoulde be crucified woulde before all other thinges for the good will that they bare vnto Cesar mocke and deride Christe beinge condemned thereof To the ende therefore they myghte shewe that a priuate man hath vsurped a mis vnto hymselfe the honor of a king they take of his owne apparell whiche was lyke to other mens and put on hym garmentes belonginge to a kynge as purpell a crowne and a scepter and besyde this they salute hym wyth a kingelike salutation But because they did this to his reproche
that are dispersed vnder his Impery In this therfore Ioseph is commended that in a myserable state and subiecte to destruction hee kepte the hope of redemption whiche was promysed of God. Hereuppon also spryngeth the feare of God and a desyre to leade a godly lyfe For it cannot bee that any mā should serue God but hee whiche assureth hym selfe that hee wyll bee his delyuerer Lette vs also note that saluation in Christe beynge offered to all the Iewes alyke and his promyse commen to all men the holye Ghoste wytnesseth that it was recyued but of a fewe as wee maye reade here of Ioseph Whereby it appeareth that the inspeakeable grace of God was wyckedly despysed of all men for the most part through obliuion All men coulde talke in boastinge wyse of the commynge of Christe but the couenaunt of God was fixed in the hartes but of a fewe that they myght aryse by faythe to the spirituall renouation But I woulde to God the lyke myserable corruption were not in these dayes Howe many be there I praye you whiche wayte for the kyngdome of God Are not all mē for the moste parte so fastened to the earth as though there were no promysed resurrection But howesoeuer the greater part forgettyng them selues doe streye to and fro let vs remember that this vertue is proper to the faythfull to seke those things that are aboue and specially nowe that the grace of God hathe bryghtly shyned through the Gospell teachynge vs that wee shoulde deny vngodlynes and worldly lustes and that we should lyue soberly and ryghteously and Godly in this presente worlde lookynge for that blessed hope and appearyng of the glory of the greate God. Of Aramathea Saint Luke saythe that it was a Cittie of the Iewes Some saye that it is the same whiche is called Ramatha beynge sytuate on Mounte Ephraim besyde Lydda whiche was called afterwarde Diospolis VVhiche also vvas Iesus Disciple Saynt Iohn saythe that he was a pryuie Disciple of Christe for feare of the Iewes This man althoughe hee had hearde Christe preachynge and was throughlye perswaded that hee was the Messias yet for all this hee durste not confesse hym so to bee leaste hee shoulde bee caste out of the Synagoge As concernynge the whiche reade the ninthe of Iohn 58 Hee wente to Pilate and begged the body of Iesu Then Pilate commaūded the body to be deliuered Hee vvent to Pilate C. Saint Marke hathe Hee went bouldly to Pilate Here wee see that what bouldenes so euer man hathe the same commeth altogether from god Furthermore wee see that wee oughte not to dispayre of those who although as yet they doe not openly professe the truthe of the Gospell yet notwithstandynge they doe in harte imbrace the same and are secrete disciples thereof When occasion is geuen it may happen to them by the grace of God that they shall come foorthe and openly declare that they consented not to the effusion of Innocent bloude and to the resystynge of the truthe when his Disciples whiche haue alreadye the profession of truthe shall flie for feare And begged the bodye of Iesu Hee durste not take downe the bodye of Christe by his owne authoritie or power For the bodyes of those whiche are put to deathe by the magistrate are also after deathe in the power of the magistrate Saynt Marke addeth sayinge And Pilate marueyled that hee was alreadye deade and called vnto hym the Centurion and asked of hym whether hee had bene anye whyle deade And when hee knewe the truthe of the Centurion hee gaue the bodye to Ioseph Saint Iohn hathe And Pilate gaue hym lycence But our Euangeliste hathe Then Pilate commaunded the body to be deliuered This was as it were a certain preparation to proue the truthe of Christes resurrectiō leaste the false Iewes should saye that hee fayned him selfe to be dead and that he rose from that coūterfeyt and dissembled death Therefore wytnesses are brought in that he was certaynely dead But it was done by the wounderfull permission of God that Pylate should graunte the bodie of Christe vnto Ioseph 59 And when Ioseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a cleane lynnen clohe And vvhen Ioseph had taken the body A. Saint Marke hathe And hee bought a lynnen clothe God truely would bury his Christe with a glorious burial although his death had nothing but ignominie It was sumptuous and done with coste because it was a certayne preparation to the glory of the resurrection And therefore the dead ought to be buried with some honest preparation to couer theire bodies into the whiche they are put vntyll the daye of resurrection The Iewes had many ceremonies in burying their deade to whome so greate lyght dyd not shyne This onely belongeth vnto vs as well as to them not to leaue the dead carcases vpon the grounde for byrdes and beastes but to bury them in the earth where they may be kepte vntyll the daye of Christes comming He vvrapped it in a cleane lynnen cloth In that the body of Christ was wrapped in a cleane lynnen clothe and layde vp in a newe Sepulchre it was thereby declared that some newe thynge was done whiche was not hearde of before For Christe ought not to haue bene layde with other deade men because he went to opē the way to a newe life The buriall of Christe also doth admonish vs of our dutie Of the whiche the Apostle wryteth saying All we whiche are baptised into Iesus Christe are baptised to dye with hym where hee teacheth at large what it is to bee buried with Christe and also to ryse with hym agayne Saint Iohn also maketh mention of a certayne disciple of Christe whose name was Nicodemus whiche dyd helpe Ioseph in the buriall of Christe his woordes are these And there came also Nicodemus whiche at the beginninge came to Iesus by nyghte and brought of Myrre and Aloes myngled together aboute an houndred pounde wayghte Then tooke they the body of Iesus and wounde it in lynnen clothes with the odoures By the example of these men is prescribed vnto vs what wee owe vnto Christe For bothe of them to make a playne declaration of their faythe tooke Christe from the Crosse but not without great daunger and brought hym to the Sepulchre Greatly therefore is oure negligence to bee blamed if wee defraude hym of the confession of oure faythe nowe that hee raigneth in heauenly glory Saint Iohn hathe As the manner of the Iewes is to bury C. That the Iewes buryed the bodyes of the deade with swete odoures and spyces we may gather of the buriall of Iacob of the whiche it is sayde And Ioseph commaunded his seruauntes the Phisitions to imbaume his father and the Phisitians embawmed Israell fourty dayes longe for so long dothe the embawmyng laste These Balmes and odoures were vsed to kepe the carcas for a tyme frō corruption and stynke After therefore Christe had suffered moste shamefull ignominie vppon the Crosse God woulde haue his buriall to be honourable that