dignitie of his person to declare him such one as he is By which he hath shewed that he came to vanquishe and surmount sinne and death and to pronounce that as who so euer would followe him should liue eternally so to such was reserued euerlastinge death as would not obey his woorde and doctrine For in him saith he is conteined resurrection and lyfe yea and the Saluation of those that beléeue in him To that to proue those thinges and to assure consolation to all such as should giue faith to his woordes it was requisite that he should not only manifest himselfe the author of lyfe in raising others but that also he should expresse it in his proper person giuing this testimony of himselfe that albeit he was dead yet he had more power then death for that he was able to returne to lyfe By this it appeares that the resurrection of Christe is a trew proofe of his greatnesse and a declaration that he is the Sonne of GOD hath surmounted all trauels and perplexities hath domination ouer death and ouercome hell sinne and the deuill séeinge hée hath disfurnished them of their principall weapons wherewith they did tirrannise ouer the Linage of man which is death that followeisd It also a proofe that as wée honour serue and beléeue in a man dead and crucified so also we must obey followe and serue in faith a man that hathe foretolde his Resurrection and which is risen againe from the dead séeing that one of the reasons why he dyed was the more to declare his power and manifest further his force and excellencie of life together with his power against the kingdome of sathan In the Seconde consideration is inclosed a wonderfull secret greatly auailing the estate of mankinde it is deuyded into two partes according to the testimony of the Scripture whereof the one consistes in his death and the other in his resurrection Touching his death wee haue alreadie debated that in it was comprehended the death of our trauelles the death of our death the mortification of our olde Adam and the spoile of the forces of the wicked roote of sinne which raigned ouer vs And in his resurrection we say now is comprehended the reestablishment of our lyfe the newnes of our iustice the vertue and spirituall generation of the new Adam in vs the woorkes of this newe lyfe the hope that this newe people of GOD hath to returne to Heauen and finally the thoughtes and operations agreable to the maiestie of god Christe was not sacrificed only for himselfe but for vs he is not risen againe onely to declare what hee was but wyth all to make himselfe suche a one to vs as his Father mighte receiue vs He is dead for our sinnes risen againe for our iustificaiton His death made to dye all wicked thinges but in his resurrection were reuiued al good thinges In effect we haue to consider touching the vertue of the misterie of the resurrection that he is also so risen againe in vs Spirituallie that if it be not long of our obstinacie and Rebellion we shall féele the force of his Resurrection in vs that is he will engender in vs a power and will to doe the workes worthie of a newe lyfe and will make vs to rise agayne to a newnesse of lyfe by the which we shal be founde agréeable before the face of God And béeing risen wyth him we shall vanquishe death and sinne and be made frée from the seruitude of Sathan being affected to the commaundementes of God louers of his iustice and zealous of his glory to perticipate in the ende wyth the heauenly lyfe by the communion which we haue wyth the lyfe of Iesus Christ in thoughts and workes So that let all Christians vnderstande that if in humilitie they search a remedie for their sinnes opening wyth all the gate of their harte they shall finde wyth in Iesus Christ raysed agayne And that being in the companie of so great a Lorde liuing who hath vanquished death they can not haue in them any deade thing For they shall also rise againe spiritually wyth the Lorde into that newnes of lyfe whereof we haue spoken Let vs therefore take héede to refuse the mortification of our wicked workes of our disordered appetites and our wicked affections For if we bowe or bende our selues we shall wythout doubt apperteyne to the other parte of this misterie and rise againe wyth Iesus Christ In this sort is to be vnderstanded the saying of the Apostle That we are buried wyth Christ by Baptisme and dead to our sinnes and to our olde Adam For that as Iesus Christ is risen agayne from the deade for the glory of the Father So we must enter into a newnes of lyfe béeing assured to keepe him companie in the Resurrection if we accompanie him in his death he dyed to make dye our sinnes and liued agaiâ—e to giue life to our iustice and therefore if behooues vs to dye as touching our sinnes and to be diligent to do good workes whervnto let euerye good Christian referre all his care and study and raise al his thoughts demaunding al those things in his prayers and searching them neither more nor lesse then he would do a precious treasure wherin lyeth hidde al his felicitie The victory is already gained and the faithfull are assured of their forces for that the sonne of God soliciteth for them and holdes al these benefites in his disposing In him we may be bolde to repose our sewertye séeing he hath so much suffred for vs and to make vs communicate with these graces his mercy will neuer faile vs séeing he hath not denied it vs to get them Sure in respect they haue cost him so deare and that the paiment is already made it will not be hard to giue them vnto vs. In the third consideratcon of this article the good christian hath to vnderstand that in the resurrection of the lord we get not only spiritual resurrection as hath ben saied but also we haue assurance of the resurrection of our bodies So that considering that Iesus Christ is risen from the dead for our welth and profit we may be assured that he is risen both in body and soul that our resurrection is no lesse certain then his rising againe being the assurance and gage of our resurrection and he being in all things our first borne captain he marched before vs and we must follow him All the wretchednes that the deuill had caused were repaired by the son of God for as the deuill threw spirituall death vppon mankind so in the vertue of our sauiour that death is destroyed vanquished and a life spiritual giuen vnto men The deuil procured corporal death to mans race for death was brought into the world by sinne but the sonne of God hath ioyned to vs a corporall resurection For as death was introduced by a man so by a man came restitution resurrection we were all dead in Adam euen so
are we al reuiued and raised again in Jesus Christ This accomplishment appertaines to the liberalitie of the dyuine maiestie which hath reestablished and restored vs to the benefittes which he hath already communicated to vs Our death is vanquished on all partes and on all sides our life is eftsons reestablished Wée are absolued and made frée of all thinges séeing we haue on our side the death and lyfe of Iesus Christ the soueraigne bownty drawes vs from sinne the sacrifice is offered and we haue obtained pardon for our iniquities being but poore wretched slaues we are made rich and haue obteyned libertie to be the children of god And if we loose this benefitte it is eyther for some newe falt of ours or that wée will not cast or chaunge our olde skinne In effecte in this Article is disclosed the great humility and mercy of the Sonne of GOD who refused not to go into the darke prisons of the Earthe to deliuer the Soules of the iust there deteined and dispoile the Deuill of all his force and power to the ende that men may with more ease vanquish and surmount him We sée also that after all this he rose againe the thirde day and returned into true lyfe yea a life so excellent that death hath no more power ouer it nor any possibilitie eftsoones to preiudice it We haue shewed how this resurrection hath ben sufficiently iustefied euen by the places of Scripture accordinge to the testimonye of the créede That Christ rose againe the third day accordinge to the Scriptures which séemes to haue ben taken of the Apostle Wée haue also declared how necessary was this resurrection for the approbation of the dignitie of the person and doctrine of Christe séeing that in the same he is expressed the Sonne of god Wee haue also debated how it is to be vnderstanded and practised this great mistery partly for the regarde of our Lord and partely for the resurrection spirituall and corporall which he workes in vs by vertue of his restitution There remains nowe to declare who they be that practise the contentes of this article in faith and workes and who they bee that satisfie it not Such as professe and practise the substance ot this Article as appertaineth are those that perseuer in the mortification of their sinnes their fleshe and their disordered suggestions of the olde Adam that they reduce and bring him euen to the graue that is that they make a full and perfecte victory of him with a great remorse in themselues and a resolute hatred to all wicked and ill actions returning by the same meane into a newnesse of lyfe new desiers and new operations and actions Béeinge lastly altogether conformable to that newenesse which the Sonne of God is wont to coÌ„municat with suche as are risen againe with him Those be they that accompanie our Sauiour For as he is risen againe to be neuer after made subiect to death so the faithfull risen againe spiritually féele themselues so conuerted and out of taste of the woorkes of sinne that the spiritual death can not pearce so déepe as their hart And as our Lord rose againe triumphing so shall they also haue a glorious restitution beinge repurged of all wicked affections and enclyned to all good thinges to whom the yoke of the gospell shall séeme easie and swéete and shall trauell in great thirste and appetite to obserue the comaundementes of god Their charitie shall enflame their patience prepared to suffer all paines and tribulations they are glorified in the glorie of Iesus CHRIST they haue an honestie and purity of conscience they are chaste they loue their neighbour perfectly and pardon with all their harte suche as doe offend them They retire themselues from the thinges of this worlde and abandon the pompes and ambitions of the same as though they were vnapte therevnto and had no mindes affected to such transitory vanities For they are made newe men restored and raised againe by the Sonne of God who hath triumphed both ouer death and all dead thinges And so are they made his that hath raised them to serue him with new fruites which their new life bringes forth They feare not to suffer death to maintaine that which God hath ordeined they care neither for reproche nor hunger to defend iustice truth For their new life kepes them from smelling of those thinges which might hinder their faith perseuerance and constancie of hart in the traine of the gospell and ioynes vnto them a certainty of a better life which assureth them of all thinges Of the contrary such as be estraunged from this practise haue no other thinge but the simple name of those that are raised againe They are as painted sepulchers set out to the show without and within conteine nothing but rottennes and corruption such were the Pharasies with whom they haue only the title of lyfe and liuely and in effect are nothing els then dead rotten and corrupte Reteyninge that stinke and loathsomnes which is wonte to be aboute dead bodies Such be many of our christians who vnder thys name hyde a pride and arrogancie which the deuil teacheth them instructing them withall to be couetous and impatient the more to make them sauour of their stinke and filthynesse Lastly those be they that haue not chaunged nor cast their skinne and who being not mortefied can not be raised again For resurrection presupposeth death as there can be no death but there muste first be a life wherewith I ende the exposition of this article yéeldinge thankes for all thinges to GOD whom I beséech to continue his people in that proportion of faith which he thinkes necessary to their saluation Certaine testimonies of Pagan Authors seruing to approue christian Religion written in forme of a letter to a Noble man. ACcordinge to your requeste I haue sente you here with my opinion though not so liberally as you looked for yet with that faith industrie as may very well serue to satisfie your conscience and leaue me â—â—quited of my promis estéeming it to appertaine to me to instruct you séeing of your selfe you expresse such desier to know and learn. And albeit the matter it selfe drawing many circumstances requires a long time yet where thinges are debated faithfully and the resolution accepted diligently that that is long séemes not tedious and though it be little yet it may be enough for instruction beseechinge you to waye my reasons which I haue not drawn out of dreames but written them out of the best resolutions and agréementes of my bookes The vertue of christian religion is so great the miracles that haue confirmed it haue ben so publike and euident and the innocencie holynes of lyfe of such as haue professed it haue bin so cleare and manifest that the very enemies haue bin driuen to beare testimony with it notwithstandinge that they impugned it with all their industrie Yea it is a thinge wonderful seruing sufficiently to declare that our religion is
that shée is already in the way to hir saluation But séeing she is dead and now set in the place of Gods eternall appointment and since in the world is no power eftsones to raise her let her rest at quiet in the ioyes of Paradise and resort you hereafter to a resolute patience Become imediatly carefull for your life and leaue of those funeralles and vayne ceremonies for the dead séeing that if God hath fulfilled his will to call her to him it is to place her in his tabernacle of eternall rest and leauing you still in the world he doth it to none other end but to giue you time of amendement For where God promiseth to man long and many daies it is vnder this warning that he giue order to the correction of his life Many times haue I spoken and written that the sounde and noyse of Belles doth not so much benefite the dead as do good to those that liue for that as the dead béeing wythout sence are also voyde of nature and habilitie to resume remorse so to such as liue the Belles giue warning of death as those that are alreadie departed yea they pronounce that we shall all be buried as such as are alreadie put in the graue and no more remembraunce remayne of vs then of them that lie couered with claye which makes mée still maintaine that albeit to the dead the Belles are merly vnprofitable yet to the liuing they serue as officers to somon vs to the fatall banquet They call vs to prepare our reckoning and make vs readie to appeare afore our soueraigne iudge to heare our sentence yea they put vs in remembrance of the last houre of our miserable life and then as I knowe none that wish to haue bene Emperours so there is no doubt but many desire to haue liued in the state of poore heardsmen But now to perswade with you somewhat familiarlie aswell to witnesse my good will as to warne your frailtie I wishe you to vse patience not so much to expresse your grauetie as to solace the heauinesse of your minde and by so much haue you néede to cal for aid to the spirite of God by how much the greatnes of your losse séemes to excéede the resistance of flesh and bloud consider that to render retribucion is a dutie of nature and a debt to be payed either in youth in age or at other season and that not in the hand and discretion of man but at the will and good pleasure of God with whom we haue no power to contend for that the thinges which he commaundeth ought to be accomplished and what he willeth is well worthy to be approued being impossible that he should exact any vniust thing he that is euen the selfe supreame and souereigne iustice Be it sir that you are sory for her death of whom can you redemaund your losse but of death against whom there is neyther prescription nor authoritie It is he in whom is wrought the very effect and stipend of sinne and it is he that is the fearefull tirant ouer the world who yéeldes no compassion to the teares of men takes no care of their sighes scornes at their complaints and playeth with their afflictions he maketh great kinges fall as lowe as the ground he deuides their principallities destroyeth their heyres he confoundes the proude and mightie and rayseth the humble and méeke hée neither pardoneth old men nor pitieth the young sort yea he hath authoritie to call all men to reckoning and no man to demaund reason of him The Philosopher Secundus being asked what death was Aunswered that it was an eternall sléepe a terror of riches a desire of the miserable a seperation of friends a voyage vncertaine a robber of men a beginning of those that liue and an end of such as die Death hath this absolute libertie to enter where hee list without knocking at the gate condemne whom he will not heare them speake and carie away what he thinkes good without that euen the highest authoritie either can or dare resist him Yea we must be pleased with what he leaueth vs and not complaine of that he takes from vs. I doubt not but it is grieuous to you to féele the want of so deare a wife aswell for the solace of your person as direction of your house and children but séeing the chaunces of mortall creatures do shew that al men are subiect to the law of nature and fortune and that of necessitie this must passe so put on a good countenaunce to the world and shake of all inward heauines of mind séeing the care of thinges impossible is vaine and only proper to weake men you know also that in this troublesome life many mo in number are the things that amaze vs then those that hurt vs And therfore to wéepe much to sigh often to sorrowe alwaies to weare attire of dule to flée societie of friends to retire into desolate priuat places to delite in solitarines be in one of your grauetie matters more to be rebuked then affected séeing that as too great ioye estrangeth the heart into the like so for the most part much parplexitie sorrow bring with them the effect of dispaire You ought not for the death of your wife to be negligent in the administration of your house carelesse in the state of your health forgetfull to entertaine the reputation of your honour nor vnmindful to direct your reuenue For the passions and afflictions of the hart are neuer cured by newe grieues but with the longnesse of time One of the greatest trauels that we suffer in this transitory race is that sorowes grieues enter our harts sodainly which afterwards we cānot expell but with great time and vertue And therfore we ought not at the first to vrge a troubled minde to forget his paine but rather to perswade to moderate it for that at the beginning the mind receiueth more comfort in debating the harme then in speaking of the remedie And therefore to a mind afflicted with gréene sorrowes the best remedy is to deferre them vntill by time they be more apt to receiue consolation For as tract of time carieth with it a law of forgetfulnes of things past so to a hart grieued the true souereigne plasters are temperance time forgetfulnes So that neither because you are a widower nor in respect of your passions you ought to cōmit to negligence the order of your person nor the nouriture of your children for as it is no small fully to wéepe for the dead whom we haue no power to recouer so it can not but be a great madnesse to be carelesse of them that liue standing in the way of perdicion withall no man is bound to raise vp againe such as are dead but euery one is tied to this dutie to giue succours to them that liue I hope sir you wil not lay afore you the example of your neighbour friend Roderico who assone
it was by the occasion that God spake to him from heauen Esay had fayth but it was because he had séene God in his maiestie Moyses had faith but it was for that God did communicate with him in a bush that burned and was not consumed Ezechiell had fayth but it was for that he had séene God enuironed with Seraphins Great sure was the faith of these holy personages but much greater no doubt was that of this sinfull théefe For if they beléeued in God it was because they had séene him and spoken face to face to him But so simple and resolute was the fayth of this théefe that he beléeued Iesus Christ to be God and had neither séene his maiestie nor yet to doe the workes of God yea though Christ did them yet he vnderstood them not In like sort touching his comparison with such as were then on liue We doubt not but Saint Peter had faith but it was for that he saw Christ march vppon the waues of the sea Mary Maudlein beléeued but it was for that he raysed againe her brother Lazarus The woman of Chanan had fayth but it was because she had séene him expulse the wicked spirit out the body of her daughter the Centurion beléeued because Iesus Christ had healed his seruant And Saint Iohn had fayth but it was because he had reapposed in the lap and bosome of Christ Right slender was the faith that these men had considering the wonders and miracles which they saw Christ do but oh blessed and happy théefe who notwithstanding he saw no action of these great wonders neither Christ to commaund the waues nor stay the wyndes nor chase out Deuils nor yet raise the dead to life yet with open voyce he durst confesse his creator and take him for a redemer yea in calling him Lord he acknowledged that he had created him and in crying to him to haue remembrance of him hée confessed that he had redéemed him and therefore as a good and faythfull Christian he beléeued with his hart and confessed with his mouth What habit or apparance of a Lord saw he in Christ when he sayd to him domine memento mei Yea what argument of confidence or assurance could he gather in him séeing that to whom so euer is called Lord it appertaines that he be frée which was farre frō Iesus Christ being bound to the crosse to be called Lord it behoueth to be mightie or at least compotently rich which appeared not in Iesus Christ being naked dismembred and crucified to the port and name of a Lord belongs great traine and seruice which was not expressed in the state of Iesus Christ who was forsaken euen of his owne followers And to the dignitie and place of a Lord belonges to be well obeyed and honoured which fell out contrary in the person of Iesus Christ for that euery one conspired against him and opprobriously crucfiied him betwéene two théeues yea by so much more worthy was the faith of this théefe by how much hée saw the Lord suffer imprisonment as a man and whipped and scourged as a man and yet confessed him to be God and called him God saying Lord haue remembrance of me Since this théefe was executed and Iesus Christ crucified great hath ben the number of saintes that beléeued in him greater the companie fellowship of Martirs that haue suffered for his fayth So that the example of the théefe beléeuing vpon so small occasion puts all posterities in remembrance how iustly we are boūd to fixe settle our fayth vpō the same son of God whom the théefe acknowledged to be the sauiour of the world In déede the writers of the gospell make no mencion of the race nation of this théefe neither what proportion of age he boare what offēces he had don nor what law he held for that to Pilate the iudge being a Romane belonged this prerogatiue to crucifie indifferenly the Gentils apprehend the Jews but what mystery so euer may be ascribed to the scripture for vsing scilence in this case let vs gather and beleue that God is no acceptor of persons but receiuing all sorts that beleue in him he makes no difference in his election whether they be noble or of base bloud pore or rich cōquerors or captiues infamous or well renowmed only it suffiseth that we repute Iesus Christ as our onely king obserue faythfully the precepts he hath left amongst vs so that of what sort of sinners so euer we be how late so euer we come to the crosse let vs not dispaire to be hard since we read not that to this thefe was ministred either baptisme or confession nor that he fasted vsed restitution nor had repentance vntill he was committed to execution when one sighe powred out in faith suffised to make him a christian and in one onely worde pronounced in hope was vertue to translate his soule into heauen To robbe in infancie to robbe in youth and to robbe in olde age the experience is dayly afore our eyes but to rob at the very article and instant of death we neuer red of any but of this théefe who then stole the kingdome of heauen Our originall Father Adam was a théefe when he stole the Apple in Paradise Fayre Rachell was a théefe when she Robbed the Idols from her Father Laban Achior was a robber in stealing the rod of Golde in Hierico Dauid was a théefe when he conueied the launce and flasket of water from the beds head of Saule Judas was a théefe in stealing the Almes of Iesus Christ And the seruauntes of Dauid were none other then theues when they stole the water in Bethelē But amongst them all none was more famous more suttle more notorious nor more cunning then this théefe who rob bed yea afore he was layd vpon the crosse and being crucified for Pilate taking from him his lyfe on the crosse he stole from Iesus Christ in the same place an other lyfe where vpon S. John Chrisostom speaking vpon that théefe sayth that for theft Adam was chased out of Paradise and for theft this théefe was bestowed in Paradise He that lost his lyfe by a trée went out of Paradise this entred into Paradise that recouered his lyfe vppon a trée he was chased out that beléeued not in God and this entred in because he confessed God to be God a Théefe was the first that issued out of Paradise and a Théefe was the first that entered into Paradise Yea at the houre of middaye GOD did iustice of the first Théefe and at noone tyde he Pardoned this Théefe wyth whom the Lord graunt vs to be Théeues not to steale the Apple as did Adam nor the Idols with Rachell nor the Flaskette as Dauid dyd nor the Golden Rodde with Achior but to steale for our selues the blessed fruition of the Maiestie of GOD which being the praye of this Théefe he is therby become perpetually happie euen in the bo-some of Abraham the
this sepulcher of the sonne of God is also conteined the mistery of the coniunction which we haue with him by death the graue the end of the death burying of Iesus christ tending to this that we die be buried with him For as the bands and forces of our death were broken by the vertue of the death of him that killed death euen so by our death must be vanquishe the stinges prickes of that death that the merite of our sinnes made due to vs This is the same which the holy Ghost speaketh by the mouth of the Apostle We are buried wyth Christ in his death to the end we participate wyth his life béeing impossible we should communicate wyth his lyfe if first we haue no action or societie wyth his death for that wée can not haue parte in the one vnlesse wée accompanie him in the other And so the last degrée conteynes as hath béene alredie declared that he discended into Hell committed the Deuill to spoyle and brake his Prysones for euer Wherein according to the text of the Apostle his victorie encreased and became great euen by the same measure that he embased and humbled himselfe Thus much for the first part of our Article and so let vs discend to the second part wherein we confesse that the sonne of God roase againe from death and the third day retorned really and truly into life Touching the resurrection of Christ LIke as the foure Euangelistes haue vsed great diligence to perticulate the outrages condemnation and death of the sonne of God euen so they haue bene no lesse carefull to set out poynt by poynt his restoring and resurrection According to the computation of the time vsed in the gospel he died the Friday at ix a clocke in the euening roase againe the Sunday following in the morning ioyntly whervnto we agrée that he remayned thrée dayes thrée nights in the graue taking part of the Friday which was the daye of the death for the whole day and the residue of the Sunday being his resurrection for an other whole daye All which do serue manifestly to the proofe truth of his death and restoring to life being al foreordained and established in the counsell of God. Joseph demaunded of Pilate his body to burie it but Pilate desirous to know whether he were dead in déede sent for the same purpose a Centenier to discouer a truth and then condiscended to Josephes request yea when they came to take downe the dead bodies from the crosse because they should not remaine there the next day being the great feast of their Sabboth they found the two théeues on liue and our Lord dead All which with many other approbations which may be alledged together with some perticulers which we meane to ioyne to the sequele of these are sufficient proues of his resurrection Our Lorde béeing thus put into the graue and embawmed Soldiours were set to garde the Sepulcher And in the meane whyle his Disciples remayned sorrowfull and heauie hauing very little hope of his Resurreciton and small knowledge of the scriptures to the vnderstanding of this misterie They beleued that their maister had preached the trueth and that he was most iust in his workes and that God had sent him But touching the matter of resurrection they were very blind and doubtfull After there was time enough perfourmed for the proofe fayth and testimonie of his paineful death and to establish the accomplishement of the misteries and prophesies The Sunday morning bringing wyth him the triumphes of hell and death he Roase againe and returned to lyfe and to such a lyfe that after that death had no more power ouer it béeing defaced deuested of all meanes eftsoones to exercise his iurisdiction Imediatly after he was risen agayne he appeared to his Disciples to assure them of the consolations giuen vnto them before he dyed and wythal to accomplishe the words spoken and promised by him That he would rise againe the third day The first person to whom he reuealed himselfe after his resurrection was the virgin Mary his Moother as who aboue all others liued in most expectation for him and he lykewise bare vnto her a most deare affection For if we consider her by her fayth she had it more great then al the rest And if wée haue regarde to Seruices she merited wyth the best hauing nourished him followed him wyth no small care pouertie and perplexitie thirtie thrée yeares In her is expressed a good Testimonie of his death for that standing at the foote of the Crosse where she felt the accomplishment of the prophesie of Simeon that the sword of sorrow should pearce thorow her intralles she was chosen of the Father to serue in an estate of great excelencie euen so was she accomplished wyth thoughtes and actions méeke for the seruice of such a function And albeit both by her perseuerance béeing greater then the rest that followed the Lord and that the trauelles of his Death were of more Passion to her then to others hauing more interest first of that holy companie to whome he disclosed his Resurrection Yet the Euangelistes ascrybing nothing to the singularitie of persones leaue all that aparte and recyte to whome he appeared wyth all such circumstances and proofes as serue for Testimonie agaynst the People of the Jewes He appeared to Mary Mardaline in forme of a Gardiner in the selfe same Gardeyne where he hadde béene Buried He appeared to his Disciples the selfe same daye in the place where they were drawne together for feare of the Iewes He appeared to two Disciples which went to Emaus At the ende of Eyght dayes he appeared once againe to his disciples S. Thomas being then present who was absent the first time Lastly he was séene of his Disciples neare the Sea of Gallile there being yet besides these so many other testimonies to confirme this trueth that it were but superfluous to ad more to the authorite of these Thus much for the narration of the History And lyke as the Resurrection of that Messias was of great importance so also was it prefigured and foreshewed by the prophets that went afore For Jonas was throwen into the Sea and swalowed of a Whale and yet by the mercie of God after he had remained thrée dayes and thrée nights in the bellie of the Fish he came out safe and sound to accomplishe the commaundement of god In this Jonas the Seruaunt of the almightie was a figure of our sauiour For as he was cast into the Sea to saue from wracke all the others that were in the shippe and that by the consent and determination of the Mariners Euen so our Lorde was past to condemnation by the councell and resolution of men and for their safetie throwne into the Sea of persecution of death in such sort that the earth receiued him as it doth other dead bodies reteining him thrée days thrée nights as a body deiected without life yet in the
to his creatures of the world but it is measured with his iustice and paysed with his wisedome and mercie And so following eftsones our first matter if it be true as it is most cleare from error or falshode that the Lord is iust and in his iudgements righteous and doth all things by waight and measure how can this be w tut apparance of contradiction when hee gaue heauen to the théefe without deseruing it and led him with him into Paradise hauing done to him no seruice For sinnai for sinner wicked for wicked vnthaÌ„kful for vnthankful théefe for théefe it séemes to the aduise reason of man that God might aswel haue employed his kingdome in Judas that had followed him thrée yeres as vpon the théefe that accompanied him on the crosse but thrée houres fur erat loculos habebat it was written of Judas he was a théefe and had the bagge and of the other it is also written that he was a théefe and a robber wherein if in the maner and fashion of robbing they were different much lesse were they like of name and fact So that if Iesus Christ had taken his kingdome from a wicked man to haue giuen it to a good man that had bene to do iustice vprightly but to take it from one théefe to bestowe it on an other robber séemes a thing very straite and hard for that in the world there can be nothing worse employed then that which is geuen to a person vnworthy God the creator tooke the right of inheritance from Cain to bestowe it on Abell he depriued Jsmaell to giue it to Jsaac and Esau to transferre it to Jacob he tooke it from Ruben too bestow it on Juda he deposed Saule to the end to rayse Dauid to the Empire depriued Holy to aduaunce â–ª Samuell al which he did for that in the one fort of them he found great merites and in the other plentie of wickednes and abhominable crimes But in these two théeues the world discerned little apparance of merit and lesse expectation of any good thing in a life so euill disposed as theirs where being detected iudicially the very testimony of their faultes proued in them sufficient matter to bée reprehended and corrected But since GOD is of a power to pearse into the thoughtes hartes and intencions of men and to him selfe he hath reserued the solucion and triall of thinges that hée doth I say that in this nor in any other case what so euer there is nothing wherein it is lawfull for man to argue with GOD For in this did hée iustly send Judas into hell and wyth the same equitie translate the théefe into Paradiseâ—… for that the one was worthy of glory for confessing his trespasse and the other deserued to loase it for that hée was a Treator to the lyfe of his Mayster Let vs not marueile at the thinges that GOD doth and much lesse rise into thought and wonder at the thinges which the almightie in his eternall counsell foreséeeth one man findes out an other by the habitte that they beare but GOD iudgeth euery one by the harte that hée hath yea hée leadeth the actions and effectes of their lyfe not according to their worldly appetite or wisedome but as hée hath preordeined in his eternall presence whereby it followeth that in the soueraigne and high tribunall of Iesus Christ the trueth of his iustice neuer was corrupted nor the measure of his mercie falsefied Therefore if Iesus Christ communicated the kyngdome of heauen to the théefe he did it in these good reasons and considerations first because hée confessed him to bée Lord hée accompanied him on the Crosse hée rebuked his other companion acknowledged him selfe to bée wicked died with Iesus Christ and to him recommended himselfe Oh infinite bountie and secret iudgements of God séeing that in recompence of a fewe transitory yeares wherein the théefe was a sinner in the world the Lord was content to be satisfied wyth the thrée houres wherein hée became a good man on the Crosse Yea those thrée houres onely wherein hée accompanied Iesus in his Passion serued him more then the thrée yeares of the Apostleshippe of Judas And these houres béeing the last and extréeme seasons and respite of his temporall lyfe hée employed so well that the more hée had sinned at leasure wyth so much more deuoute diligence hée repented and so much the more soddenly aspired to his conuersion But let vs nowe ioyne to the example of this théefe his singular excellencies and withall let it bée a chiefe office in our Christian dutie to knowe that the foundation of our health and heauenly felicitie consistes in the true fayth wée haue in Iesus Christ by meanes whereof as wée ought to doe our dutie and thereby stand in grace to obtaine that wée would or desire so without this meane wée can not be saued nor yet deserue to bée called Christians For to be a Christian is no other thing then to beléeue in Iesus Christ our GOD and serue him as our redéemer And that this good théefe was made a Christian it is a good argument to holde that he would not haue aunswered for Iesus Christ if hée had not bene a friend to Iesus Christ neither would hée haue recommended him selfe to him as to God had hée not beléeued him to bée god That this théefe was baptized we make no doubt but the maner and place of his baptizing is to vs vnknowne onely we may say that if there were want of water to performe the ceremonie there wanted no teares of the mother nor bloud of the sonne to regenerate him At the baptisme of Christ was onely S. Iohn but at the conuersion of this théefe was Iesus himselfe his mother S. John Mary Maudlen Nicodemus Joseph together with the inhabitants of JerusaleÌ„ vpon which we may inferre the in the house of God more honour is reserued to good théeues then to wicked Emperours This theefe was so good a christian and beleued with so great zeale in Iesus Christ that in faith he surmounted all those that till then were dead and withall was no lesse equall to all such as then liued For publikely and without feare he confessed Iesus Christ to bée God where all the others either denied him or doubted of him So much the more merit hath the fayth of a Christian sayth S. Gregory by how much lesse the reason of man hath force or vigor of it So that the merit of our catholique faith consistes not so much in thinges that the eye séeth as in that the hart beleueth But let vs conferre a little the simple beléefe of this théefe with the faith of those that were dead long afore him and such also as liued at the instant with him and we shall find that by how much they excelled him in good life and conuersation by so much did he requite it in the recompence of his faith and beliefe Abraham had faith but
in the Companie of Robbers dyd suffer a slaunderous Death yet it was not for the he had any communitie with the offences of the théeues and much lesse suffered for his proper crimes but for the Sinnes of the Worlde Quae non rapui tunc exsoluebam I make sayth Christ by the Prophete satisfaction for the faltes done by others others haue eaten the Apple and yet I paye the price of it Though I haue committed no Crime yet mine innocencie is put to punishement Yea where others haue troubled the commonweale I am committed to iustice and hauing no nature or effect of offence in me yet I passe vnto death for the sinnes of the whole Worlde Right iust was the occasion of our Sauiour to holde such argument For that if they crucifyed him vnder a most smarting and infamous death it was not for that he had deserued it but to the ende that by it mankinde should be redéemed This théefe sayd not with sewertie that he was Christ and therefore by making wicked doubt question whether he were the sonne of God or not he deserued not with his companion to be made a Christian But the good théefe making no doubt of his omnipotencie sayde absolutly Lorde haue remembrance of me and therefore was not onely adopted to Christianitie but also there was ioyned to his fayth recompence of eternall saluation In the same maner S. Peter said not if thou be Christ I wil beleue in thée but he protested in bolde fayth and cryed J beleue that thou art the Sonne of the euerliuing God For who will receaue the grace and blessing of God his fayth ought to be without scrupull or doubt he that wil obteine any thing of god saith the Apostle it apperteines to him to aske it with a faith that is not doubtful for if God giue vs not forthwith that which we demaunde of him it is more for that we know not how to aske him then that he is harde to grauÌ„t our requests Let it then be farre from vs to say with the wicked théefe If thou be Chrict saue thy selfe and vs also but let vs rather with the Blinde man of Hierico say Oh sonne of Dauid haue pitie vpon vs For so shall we be made to sée with the blinde man and not caried into damnation wyth the Théefe Who in saying to Christ Salua te met ipsum et nos thought to perswade him to leaue the Passions of the Crosse and put himselfe in libertie and deliuer him from death For this was the opinion of this wicked théefe that euen as Pilate put on him the senteÌ„ce of death for his thefts and roberies euen so also there was no lesse guiltinesse in Christ as béeing vntruely holden a Seducer of the People and a man contrarie to the common Weale And therefore he thought that as the Terrors of Death made him vnwilling to dye so also there remayned in Christ a desire to lyue longer Wherein his error was so much the greater by how much he considered not that ther was necessitie of Christs death for the redemtioÌ„ of the world for which cause though he wished to liue loÌ„ger yet our sauiour desired the present stroke of death according to his owne words to his disciples Desiderio desideraui hoc pasâ—ha manducare vobiscuÌ„ at other times sayth he I haue celebrated with you this feast the which at this preseÌ„t I esteme to be truly passeouer in holy scripture The doubling and reiteration of a worde is a signe of vehement and great desire the which was wel expressed in the zeale of our sauiour who by this phrase Desiderio desideraui published manifestly that he had no lesse desire to dye for vs then most desirous to redéeme vs For of that nature was his thirst and desire to ouercome our perpetuall death that he expected nothing more then the houre wherein he might employ for vs his most holy and vndefiled lyfe There was great similitude and likenes betwéene the blasphemie of this wicked théefe and the request of the Jewes who willed him to descend from the crosse and they would all beléeue in him wherevnto if our sauiour had condiscended and abandoned the agonies of the crosse al the world had stand crucified with death sinne and the perpetuall perplexities of Hell Oh wicked théefe Oh people hardened and obstinate if Christ had come down from the crosse according to your requestes or if he had deuided himselfe from the paines of death following the blasphemous motion of the condemned théefe much lesse that it had bene happie with any sort of people but of the contrary Hell had bene alwayes open for you and the gates of Paradise perpetually closed agaynst our posterities For the Lorde came not to descende but to mount and ascende not to eschew the crosse but to dye vpon it Cum exaltatus fuero a terra omnia traham ad me ipsum sayth our Lorde Iesus Christ Because now I goe Preaching from one countrey to an other and that I haue my ryches dispersed you cannot haue knowledge of my might nor of the vertue and benefites that are in my power But when you sée me elected and chosen to the crosse euen in the same place shall be my treasure This spéech truely is of great admiration for the good sort and leaues no little feare to the wicked Omnia traham ad me ipsum by the which we are instructed that who will obteine any thing of Iesus Christ ought to aske it vpon the crosse For neuer was the Lorde so liberall as when he was Crucifyed at no time so rych as when he was Naked nor at any time so mighty as when he was condemned to death All these treasures did Christ bring with him from heauen to earth and from the earth he recaryed them with him to the trée of his suffering and being there he dispersed them through out the worlde so that he that is found most neare the crosse of our sauiour on him is bestowed the most plentifull rewarde it was on the crosse that he recomded his soule to his Father his Church to S. Peter to Nicodemus his body and to the good théefe the ioyes of Paradise it was on the crosse where he commaunded the Sunne to hyde his lyght the stoanes to breake the vayle of the Temple to rent the graues to open and the dead to ryse agayne which carieth an assured Testimonie that in his death was wrought the effect of our lyfe it was on the crosse that he spake to his Father gaue comfort to his mother had remembrance of his Disciple pardoned the beléeuing théefe and illumined the centurion to the end he might know Iesus christ to be the redéemer and confesse himselfe a sinner it was on the crosse where his side was opened his bloud shed where he shewed most plentifully his charitie expressed most myldly his patience and vsed greatest clemencie Yea it was the place where his death tooke ende and our redemption receaued beginning Lastly
is an infallible propertie in his iustice to minister rewardes to good men aboue the rate of their merittes and prepare punishment to the wicked vnder their deseruinges And where Christ commaunds not without great misterie that we should hold in our handes our candles lighted and neither vse the seruice of the candlestick nor appoint others to hold them for vs it is to aduertise vs that if God ought to saue vs it ought to be through his great mercy onely and not by any meane of our proper merittes although in our actions we ought alwaies to expresse a holy industrie and diligence In like sort it is not enough in the profession of religion that we be girt that we haue cādles that we hold thē in our hands or that we haue many candles but it belongs to our christianitie to haue thē burning with light not as dead and stinking snuffes wher by we are warned the better were it not to enter into religiō at al if in the same we correct not the abuses of our liues gather profit by the fruit doctrine of the gospel by the example of the great prophet S. Iohn baptist being himself as the scripture saith the candle that burned gaue light are boūd al sincere vertuous religious men to take hede that they want no wax of good life to burne and be lesse replenished with vices to giue impedimēts to their lights so that no other thing is the religious man vndeuoute then a candle dead it can not by any similitude resemble a candle light but rather a snuffe troden out quenched where the man of the church hath no other good thing in him then his habit by the which he ought neuer the more to exalt or glorifie himself since afore the maiesty of God it is no no other thing to be reputed a holy man holding nothing of vertue but his habit then a candle whose light being quenched his qualitie lieth dead The virgins that had not their lamps lighted according to the iudgement of the gospel deserued not to enter with the bridgrome euenso the man by whom is not performed the dutie of a good Christian and muchlesse hath fulfilled the office of a Churchman may stande assured that when de dyeth he shall not be founde amongst those that are inuited but past ouer to the fellowship of such as are deceiued That great is the grace which God sheweth to that man whom he withdrawes from the world and reduceth into holy religion for that there is more suretie to stande and not so much subiection to fall and if he suffer him to stumble he hath appoynted him helpes to hold him vp and many readie meanes to repentance Since that in the Church he hath more oportunitie to serue God and lesse occasion to commit sinne And albeit being compounded vpon humors and complexions of corruption we cannot but erre in thinges corrupt and worldly Yet such is the care and protection of God ouer those that he loueth and hath called and chozen to the seruice office of the Church that if sometimes he suffer them to fall the better to make them know him it is not without the readie assistance of his hand to helpe them essoones to ryse agayne Yea he seldome suffereth them to slyde into such faultes as may geue him occasion to be angrie with them Therefore who vnder the habite of religion riseth into a minde of Pryde Ambition Epicuritie or Malice is amongest the children of God the same that Satan is to all Christians Dathan amongest the Jsraelites Saule amongest the Prophets and Judas amongest the Apostles Wherein let all men be warned that haue will to enter into Religion that afore they séeke it they may know wherefore they follow it since for no other cause ought they to come to the cōmunion of Religion but to amend and reforme their liues For albeit the sinceritie of Religion receiue great sinners yet it is with no tolleration to commit heynous Crimes after they be inuested What other thing is ment by that Discipline of the Scripture wherein the Lande of Promise for traueling in small labors on the Holydayes they were commaunded to be stoaned But that to the man of the Church sinning lightly in Religion was merit of great seueritie punishment for that a small sinne committed in the world beares an estimation of a grieuous crime in the Church Take héede sayth S. Paule that you receiue not the grace of our Lorde in vaine And what other thing doth he then receiue it in vaine who makes no reckoning of his election and cares not to be called to the Church and deuided from the worlde For as by baptisme we are sanctified euenso by the profession of the ministerie we are regenerat Let euerie one then take héede what it is that he takes in hande afore he beginne to manage so holy a function and whether they be professors by will or by necessitie For all religions being of the institutions of holy personages as it can not be tollerable that in their ministers be any imperfections or want of perfect deuotion and vertue So who in the habite of religion will liue prophanely or follow the libertie of the worlde in that man is no apparance of reformation and lesse argument of fayth or vertue And therfore in the church for some perticuler mento be more exempt and priuileadged then others or to aspire aboue the congregation and communitie of the Church in any priuat or familiar prerogatiue although it may be suffered for a time yet religion can not holde it tollerable long For no more then the Sea can beare bodies that be dead no more hath the Church a nature to brooke in her ministers mindes of Ambition and Pryde for which cause it is called order as wherein are conteined all thinges well ordered which without this order cannot but beare to cōfusion Who hath once taken the habite of religion and will still continue entangled with the customes of the worlde and exercise his minde in vanities can not but breake the statutes of Religion and stande in perill of infidelitie since the doctrine of the gospell and the libertie of the world could neuer holde societie or fellowshippe together A discourse in the presence of a great assemblie of Noble Ladyes of the good and euill that the tongue doth Mors et vita in manibus linguae IF to men of the worlde were power of election to demaunde the thinges they desire most afore all other temporall felicities they would require to liue long And if on the other syde they had libertie to contesse what thing in the World they abhorred most who doubtes not but all men loth nothing more then to dye Wherunto there is to be made this readie reason that as liuing they enioye that they haue and dying they leaue to be that they are So with life all things are remedied by death there is nothing which hath not end
name then Father And albeit I haue bene sought to and councelled of many since my election to the kingdome yet amongest all I reserue my selfe to bée familiar onely with thée considering that in such as sue to giue me councell is an intention to draw my will to theirs where I know thou wilt not aduize me but for my profit and commoditie of my honor Often times I haue heard thée say that in such as geue Councell to Princes should be libertie and fréedome from all passions and affections For that in the action of Councell giuing where the will is most inclined there the spirite and witte haue most strength That a Prince in all thinges doe his will I doe not allow and that he take Councell of euerie one is lesse séemely Therefore as to the affaires of a kingdome cannot but be a great necessitie of aduice so let the Prince make this choyse of his Councellors rather to be Councelled by those of whom he is loued then by such as himselfe loueth For in the affection of the Counceller to his Prince is great securitie and care of the common businesse where from such as be followers of the Prince can grow no great matter of prouidence for the publike safetie as being men all together dedicated to the complexion and humors of the Prince Wherin hauing had long experience of thy déepe insight in matters of policie and no lesse expectation that thou wilt vse no lesse care to direct me now being a Prince then thou tookest paynes to instruct me when I followed thée as thy Disciple I will that from henceforth to thée belong the chiefe charge to geue me Councell in my most weightie affaires and to aduertize me of the imperfections and faultes that from time to time appeare in me For as Rome holdes me for the protector of their common weale so I reserue thée to be the beholder and examiner of me lyfe And if at any time thou findest me frowarde to be warned by thée in thinges necessarie for my reformation I pray thée conster it not to any displeasure towardes thée Since in such case my passion shall not be for the warnings thou géeuest mée but for the Shame that I haue Erred And as to haue bene norished in thy house to haue hearde thy Lectures to haue imitated thy doctrines and to haue liued vnder thy Discipline haue bene sure principall means to preferre me to the Empire So it cannot but be ascribed too great inhumanitie to thée if thou forbeare to helpe me to manage and guide that which thou hast procured me to win get estéeming it I assure thée to my great felicitie to haue familaritie with such one as thou whose wisedome makes thée worthie to be a iudge of my Councelles and in thy fayth I may be bolde to repoze the Controlement of my lyfe Lastly where thou aduizest me to continue such one as I was before with condition not to decline I beleue thou drawest this warning from the example of Nero whose gouernement béeing well ordered for the first fiue yeares of his Reigne he grewe afterwardes to encrease more in wickednesse then in dignitie But rather then thou shalt finde me successor to the impudēcies and vilenesse of Nero I pray thée pray to God to giue me no sufferāce to reigne in Rome since that Tyrantes procure dignities to exercize Crueltie and good men aspire to kingdomes to the end to maintaine vertue And therefore to such as were good afore and are corrupt by the place there is more cause of pytie then malice For that if fortune rayse them it is not to honor them but to make them fall And to wisemen the miserie of vnfortunate men is an example to warne others to kéepe a meane in their happie estate The Emperour TRAIAN writing to the SENATE of Rome discloseth the trauelles of Princes in their Gouernementes IT is not vnknowne to vs that death hath called from you your dear Lord the Emperour and my late predecessor whom if you Lament as in the losse of a iust Prince I haue no lesse reason of sorrow for the want of a Father so graue and pitifull When Children loaze a good Father and a whole comunaltie a iust vertuous prince there can be no sorow more intollerable or that worldly men cannot suffer losses of more heauie importance since good Princes are the same to common weales that God is to sinners who though we forget to loue and obey him yet he forbeares not to protect and prouide for vs The death of a good man deserues to be sorrowed of all but the losse of a iust Prince ought to be extreamely and bitterly lamented for that when a priuate man dyeth there is lost but one but when a good Prince is taken away there dyeth with him the felicitie of a whole kingdome So that if GOD would suffer vs to sell the liues of good Princes already deade the price sure would be to base to buy them againe with tears since euen with the most precious Golde and siluer can not be weighed downe the price and Raunsome of a vertuous man If Treasure would haue redéemed the lyfe of Hector the Troyans would haue furnished it in great aboundance or if money might eftsoones haue breathed life into Haniball there would haue bene found no want in the Carthaginiens But God hauing made all mortall thinges hath authoritie to dispoze of them euen by the same power wherwith he hath Created them of nothing reseruing onely to himselfe Immortalitie How reuerent is the vertue of good men and with what prerogatiues they are indued appears easelie in this that men beare more honor to the Sepulchers of the vertuous then to the emboasted Palaices of the wicked The good and vertuous man though he bée farre absent and out of vse and knowledge yet men loue him serue him and aunswere for him where to the wicked is geuen no credit in that he sayth and much lesse are we thankefull to him in that hée doth for vs For to the euill man is appoynted this propertie of iustice to be doubted most where he would faynest haue credit and not to be beleued though he speake the trueth Touching my election to the Empire as it was left by my predecessor demaunded of the People and approued by you so I doubt not but my gouernment will be so much the more plausible and profitable to Rome by how much in my adoption were fulfilled all thinges agréeable to god And as it serues to little for men to chuse Princes if they be not confirmed by god So there be certaine signes to discerne such as are called by God from others chosen by men For that which men by sodeine Councell aduaunceth God by due iustice bringes downe where those things which the mightie God planteth albeit they stande open to all windes and receiue many aduersities yet they neuer fall yea though they incline and bende there is no power
to haue him steale from her to enriche his frende to communicate wyth his minion and be a straunger to his Wife and to minister to the wantes of his Concubine and be wythout pitie to his proper Children In the Lawe of Christianitie the same fayth the woman is bounde to kepe to her Husband he is al so bounde to obserue to her But if Wyues had the lyke authoritie to chastise as Husbandes take libertie to accuse sure they would neyther take to such sorrow the disorders of their Husbandes nor in them would be founde such facilitie to offende Besides from the season that Man and Woman be vnited by the holy promise and couenaunt of mariage they haue so small iurisdiction in perticuler ouer themselues that it is a kinde of theft if eyther the one or the other alien or deuide their bodies Consider therefore Sir the great occasions you giue to your Wyfe who hauing youth riches and beutie and courted with no simple importunities If she were otherwayes then she is she would perhaps bestow her hart vpon some one of those many that bestow vpon her their eyes occasion may doe much and there is no worse thing to tempt a Woman then the ill example of her husband For your parte if you thinke your Wyfe not worthie to receiue recompence of affection at least haue consideration of her merit and let not her loyaltie discouer your penurie nor her constancie complaine of your want of honor If you will not obserue to her the Law of a husband for the respectes of your soule your honor your goodes and your health at least remember that what pleasures or felicyties you finde in the companie of your Concubine are nothing in regarde of the disquiets you shall finde when you come home For how wise how secret how temperate or how holy so euer a Wyfe be yet she had rather die then not to giue reuenge to the iniuries of her Husbande or not to make him féele her Ielousie And therefore to men that are drowned in fancie wyth forreyne Women it is in vayne to repose in the Baude who will be corrupted or in the Concubine whose indifferencie makes her a blab Séeing in cases of Ielousie Wyues are so suttle and wyth all so liberall that the better to espie and trace out the Confederacies of their Husbandes they will not sticke to corrupt hte Quicke by money and Coniure the deade by Charmes And so God graunt you that you want and defende you from that you deserue A Treatise of the Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST ▪ together wyth an Exposition of the Fifth Article of the Créede that he discended into Hell and roase againe the thirde day ACcording to your request I haue sent you herewith the declaration of the fifth Article of the Créede in substance as I published it but not in sort as I pronounced it For that it is impossible that in the Penne should be represented the facilitie grace and edifying vertue of the Tongue according to the opinions of the best Philosophers and Orators both Gréeke and Latine wyth whom the Penne was accompted insufficient to satisfie or compare wyth the honor which they had gotten wyth the Tongue and specially to recorde or write Sermons wherein they helde that the matter should loase his Grace and the auther his reputation Notwithstanding according to your power to commaunde me you shall finde no want of desire to doe you seruice albeit vnder this condition that if you be not satisfyed the fault is more in your importunitie then in my charitie and so to the matter The fifth article of our faith expressing that Christ discended into hell roase eftsones the third day contayneth two partes whereof the first comprehendes our confession that he went into hell and in the second is contayned his resurrection Some deuines deuide it into two articles but wée draw it into one contayning notwithstanding two partes tending to one end We confesse that our redéemer being buried his holy bodie remayned in the graue thrée dayes being in déede dead during that season But his soule in the meane while was not ydle for that it discended into hell to do there a wonderfull action which he accomplished And so we confesse that on the third day his soule was reioyned to his bodie to geue it reall and essentiall life So that there can be no dout that he roase not againe hauing obteyned the victorie against death Wherein if we consider thinges in iudgement and equitie we shall find great matter in the humilitie of the sonne of God and in whom may be séene the singuler mercie of the father not sparing his sonne and his readie obedience to accomplish the eternall will of his father all inuiting vs to beare no small loue and thankfulnes to him In this article and in the former are declared the degrées by the which the sonne of God discended and embased himself euen to thinges incredible for a personage of that dignitie The first degrée was to make him man and to vouchsafe to be borne at a time certaine he which was borne eternally The second was that he yet humbled himself more to suffer sentence and publike condemnation as a malefactor In the third he tooke vppon him the torments of the crosse a death most cruell and more infamous then any other sort of passion By the fourth he was content to suffer death not as God albeit being God but as man in such sort as the very person of God suffred death In the fifth he suffred himselfe to be buried as others that were dead making himselfe like them in all thinges as if he had bene comprehended vnder the curse of Adam to retorne into dust whereof he was formed yea he that was frée from sinne and the curse And by the last steppe or degrée he discended into hel whether were discended such as stood destitute of their proper iustice to the end to open to them the gate of the kingdome of heauen By these degrées if we consider spiritually the discending of Iesus Christ we shall find it as long as is the distance of heauen from whence he came vntill the Center of the earth whether he discended And as there restes no other place any further to embase the sonne of God so would he not bée committed to more humilitie only there remayned one degrée which proceded of sinne and the fellowship of Sathan ▪ out of the which the person of Christ was exempted hée which came to redéeme sinners and iustifie men and vanquish the deuill All that he could suffer to be made a sacrifice for our sinnes the sonne of God was enclined embased vnto it sinne only except whereunto he could not be subiect for that there is too great enimitie betwene the iustice of the sauiour the malignity of sinne The greatest part of the degrees aboue mencioned concerning the discending and humilitie of the sonne of God are declared by the Apostle who speaking by
end the power of God raysed him againe drue him out of the graue hauing vanquished death Of this besides many other prophesies Dauid hath written most manifestly speaking in the person of our Lorde as a man that by the inspiration of the holy Ghost J always sayth he set afore mine eyes the Lord whom I haue of my right hande to kepe me that J fall not For this cause doe J reioyce and my tongue shall beare Testimonie of my contentment but specially for that my fleshe shall rest in hope For Lorde thou wilt not leaue my lyfe in the graue nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption Thou hast shewed me the way of lyfe euen so shalt thou fill me wyth pleasure by thy presence For thou bearest in thy right hand a perpetual blisse In these wordes the Lord sheweth the singuler fauor which he receiued of his father in the death had not domination ouer him but was subdued and vanquished shewing withall the gladsome contentment he had to sée the eternall Father on his right hand In this hope he offered his body to the death dispersed it vpon the crosse receiued the graue being certeine of his resurrection victory that aswell touching himselfe as also for all mankind wherin declaring also his confidence ioy of his victory he sayth that his Father hath not suffered that his lyfe should remaine prisoner in the graue for euer and much lesse that his soule should be there deteyned not retourne eftsoones to be revnited to his body And lastly that his most holy body conceiued by the holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin and who had passed so many Passions of Tormentes for the Seruice and Obedience of his Father should not suffer corruption in the Graue but afore Nature coulde accomplishe that operation his Soule shoulde eftsoones receaue coniuntion wyth his Bodye The Prophet sayth moreouer that he hath shewed him the way to retorne to life concluding with action of thankes that he hath surmounted death and sinne The sonne of God did not only obteyne priuilege to rise againe but also to him was ioyned power to make his resurrection afore there was any such signe of corruption in his body as naturally appeares on others that be dead this respect was kept on the behalfe of his most holy person and the flesh which he had taken for that effect béeing pure and wihtout any marke of sinne Besides all these we may consider vppon the end of this Psalme a great misterie of the victorie which our Lord obtayned against death together with the assurance of our resurrection the same leauing vs satisfied and certayne that once againe we shall réenter into the possession of our bodies after wée haue abandoned them by the rigor of death With this Psalme S. Paule proues the resurrection of the Messias against the Jewes saying that Dauid was dead and buried whose Sepulcher was well enough knowne amongst the Jewes concluding that séeing the body of Dauid had passed by that corruption which is common and generall to all dead men it was not possible that those wordes should be vnderstanded by him and therefore what he said he meant it by Iesus Christ whom neyther hell nor the graue had power to deteyne and to whose flesh could be attributed no sense or suffrance of corruption So that Dauid being a Prophet and hauing receiued promise by othe that the Messias should discend of his séede prophesied of his comming vnder the forme of wordes afore recited This is of great importance for Christians to whom it is a true approbation and sommarie of all the workes which the Lord did and of all our religion together with an assured gage or pawne of all our hope Saint Paule sayth that it is concluded the resolution alreadie set downe against the aduersaries and vnbeleuing that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God the same being proued in this that the father hath raysed him from the dead with a great force and wonderfull testimonie thereby to shew that he was his onely sonne Wherein on the one side might be séene the sentence of men the condemnation of the worlde the reprobation of the people of the Jewes the iniuries outrages and tormentes of the Crosse and of death which may alleage agaynst the sauiour of the worlde that he was not the Sonne of God but an abuser Séeing he was condemned by so great personages endured so many afflictions yea fixed on the crosse in such sort and such extremitie that the miserable worlde might estéeme him for such one as of long time had bene Prophecied that is that he was not reputed a man as others were but as one most abandoned of God and of all men And on the other side might be séene the holy Prophesies workes and wordes of our Sauiour and his Doctrine expressing the reason of his comming and the misery of his death together wyth the sentence of his Father who to shew himselfe true in his workes and promises had raised him againe from death declaring that he was his true sonne All these thinges béeing of such importance were foretolde by Iesus Christ afore his death béeing willing to Prophesie and published his resurrection both to his frendes and to his enmies to comfort the one and conuince the other Yea he thought méete to manifest it to all to make the worlde vnderstande that he was sent of the eternall Father to saue the worlde and that it was he that had ben promised in the Law offering himselfe to death of his onely and proper will. The Jewes demaunded of him some signe to know who he was but he aunswered that they should haue no other signe but that of Jonas For as Jonas issued out of the bellie of the Whale the thirde day So the thirde day after his death he should eftsoones ryse out of the center of the earth hauing in that action vanquished death As he went once to Hierusalem he tolde his Disciples that he should be deliuered into the handes of the gentiles he comunicated the forme of his death assuring them that the third day he should rise againe And speaking with them a little before his death he comforted them saying that after his resurrection he would go before them to Gallely So that our confession by the which we acknowledge our Lorde to be risen againe the third day is confirmed by good and great testimonies requisite in a thing of so high misterie and importance being also matter of no small consolation to the children of GOD together with assured testimonyes that may bee gathered againste the wicked in the Holy Scriptures and predictions which our Lorde made before hys death Certaine Meditations and considerations vpon the resurrection of Iesus Christ THe firste consideration that the faithfull christian may take of this resurrection of Christe dependes vppon the meane wée haue already spoken of For in his resurrection we may comprehend that which appertaines to the