Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, passion
THE PASSION OF CHRIST, Out of the holy Euangeliſts.
THE feaſt of ſweete bread (which is alſo called Eaſter) drue nigh, namely, after two daies. Then ſayd Ieſus to his diſciples: Know ye, that after two daies ſhall be Eaſter, and the ſonne of man ſhal be betraied and crucified. At the ſame time were the chiefe prieſts and councell gathered together in the pallace of the high Prieſt, whoſe name was Caiphas, and there they counſelled, how they might craftily apprehend take, and kill him. Howbeit they feared the people. Therfore ſayd they together, Not on the holie daie, leaſt there bee an vproare among the people. But Satan was entered into Iudas (called Iſcarioth) one of the twelue, who went out to the high Prieſts & rulers, intending to deliuer him vntounto them: therefore how he would deliuer Ieſus vntounto them, he told them and ſayd: What will you giuegive me and I will deliuer him vntounto you. When they heard that, they were gladde, and agreed with him, promiſing him thirtie pence. Then promiſed hee them, & ſought from thence forth oportunity, how he might deliuer Ieſus vntounto them handſomely and without any vprour.
But afore the feaſt which is called Paſſah, Ieſus knowing that his houre was come, and that hee ſhould depart out of this world vntounto the Father, while he loued his owne that were in the world, he loued them vntounto the end.
On the firſt day of ſweet bread, when they offer paſſah, the Diſciples came to Ieſu and ſaid: where wilt thou that we go and prepare Paſſah for thee? Then ſent he two of his diſciples: namely, Peter and Iohn, ſaying: Goe and prepare for vsus, that we may eat Paſſah. They ſaid: where? then ſaid he: Goe into the citie to one, beholde when yee enter in, one ſhall meet you bearing a pitcher with water, follow him into the houſe that he entreth into, and ſay vntounto the houſholder: The maiſter ſaith vntounto thee, my time is now heere, that I will eat Paſſah with thee: Where is now the place where the multitude ſhall be kept? Where is the Parlour that I ſhall eat Paſſah in with my Diſciples? then ſhall hee ſhewe you a great Parlour that is paued, there make ye ready.
So the Diſciples went and found as the Lord had tolde them, and they made readie the Paſſah. At euen came Ieſus with the twelue, and when it was time he ſate him down at the table and the twelue with him.
Now when he ſat at the table with his diſciples, and they did eate, hee ſaide: I hauehave greatly longed and heartely deſired to eat this Paſſah with you afore I ſuffer: For I ſay vntounto you, that now from hence forth I will not eat of it till it bee fulfilled in the kingdome of God.
Now as they did eat, Ieſus tooke the bread, gaue thankes and brake it, gaue it to his Diſciples, and ſaid: Take, eat, this is my bodie which ſhalbe betraied and deliuered for you, doe this in remembraunce of mee. Likewiſe alſo when they had eaten, hee tooke the cuppe, rendered thankes, and gaue vntounto them, ſaying: Take and diuide among you, and drinke ye all thereof. This is my bloud of the new Testament, which is ſhed for you, and for many, to the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes. I ſay vntounto you, that from henceforth I ſhall not drinke of the fruite of the vine, vntill the day that I ſhall drinke it new with you in the kingdome of my Father. And they all dranke therof.