Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, burial – resurrection
THE BVRIALL OF IESVS CHRIST, OVT of the holie Euangeliſts.
NOW when it was late,Math. 27. Marke 15. Luk. 23. Iohn. 19. for as much as it was the day of preparation afore the Sabaoth, there came a rich man of Arimathia, named Ioſeph, ſuch a principall & famous Senatour, as was iust and righteous. The ſame had not conſented to their counſaile and doings: for he alſo was one of thoſe that waited for the kingdome of God, a diſciple of Ieſu, but ſecretly for feare of the Iewes. Boldly went he in vntounto Pilate, and begged the bodie of Ieſu. But Pilate wondered, if he were now dead alreadie. And when hee had learned of the Captaine that it was, he graunted him the bodie of Ieſu, and commended it to bee giuen him. Ioſeph had bought a white linnen cloth, and tooke downe the bodie of Ieſus,Iohn. 19. and wrapt it in the faire linnen cloth. There came alſo Nicodemus (who was come to the Lord afore by night) & brought mirrhe and Aloes vppon an hundred pound, mixt together. So taking the body of Ieſu, they wound it with clothes, and prepared it with ſweet ointments according as the maner of the Iewes was to burie. And by the place where Ieſus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new ſepulchre. There Ioſeph laid Ieſus in his owne new ſepulchre, which he had cauſed to be hewen out of a rocke, into the which no man had yet been laid. Foraſmuch then as it was the Iewes day of preparing, the ſepulchre being at hand, they laide Ieſus into it, and Ioſeph weltred a great ſtone afore the entrance of the ſepulchre and went his way.
Now followeth the doctrine and contemplation.
IN the former little Booke, we hauehave heard of the paſſion of Chriſt. Nowe if our great ſinne put vsus in feare, making our conſcience vnquiet, and preſſe vsus with the terrour of euerlaſting death & damnation, wee ought to remember, that the lambe of GOD beeing ſlayne and hanged vp vppon the Croſſe for our ſinnes, hath himſelfe ſatisfied for them all, and waſhed them cleane awaye. This holy ſacrifice was offred vntounto God the father for our welfare, and euen the ſame it is that hath taken awaie the ſinne and wickednes of all the world.
Whatſoeuer is read and ſpoken concerning the paſſion of Ieſus Chriſt, it is altogether done for our eternall wealth and comfort. Now is it deſcribed of the holy Euangeliſtes, with what honour and glorie his holy body was buried: and that not of mean perſons, but of noble and famous iuſt men, Ioſeph and Nicodemus, who while Chriſt yet liued, fauored him and were ſecretly his Diſciples. But nowe after his death, they ſteppe forth ſomwhat more ſtoutly and boldly, begging of Pilate the body of Ieſu, to burie it. In the which act, is declared their worthy and valiant beliefe and louelove vntounto the Lord Ieſu. For their bodies, their eſtimation and goods muſt they needes put in ieopardy, and procure vntounto themſelues the hatred and diſpleaſure of all the world, if they honorably burie him, who in his life time was taken to be an euill doer, a deceiuer, a ſedicious murtherer, and ſo was condemned vntounto death. But thus it pleaſeth God, in weakenes:1. Cor. 1. Iohn 12. to declare his owne ſtrength and glorie: Thus the dead wheat corne bringeth foorth fruit in the death of Chriſt, and thus appeareth the power of his death. For though he verily and trulie died as touching the body, yet after the ſpirit, and in mighty power, he liueth▪ yea hee himſelfe is the life of all things.
This is the power and fruite of his paſſion, when a mightie and ſtrong ſpirit dooth exerciſe it ſelfe in faithfull beleeuing harts. They that afore were aſhamed to go openly vntounto the Lord, ſteppe now foorth manfully, all fearefulnes ſette apart, ieoparding their bodies and goodes. For beſides that they put themſelues in perill of looſing their life and eſtimation, they beſtow alſo great coſt in linnen cloth, & in coſtly ſweet ointment. For they bury not Ieſus as an euil doer, but as an honourable man and friend of God, according to their cuſtome. Loe, what a thing it is, to cleaue ſomewhat vntounto Chriſt, how feeblie ſoeuer it bee doone: it bringeth alwaie great fruite in his time. No man therefore ought to bee reiected that cleaueth anie thing vntounto Chriſt, and earneſtly ſeeketh him. Faith is ſtrengthened in affliction and aduerſitie, the death of Chriſt giueth power vntounto the fearefull. In death beginneth his honour and glorie to appeare, there are all thinges faire and beautifull. Centurio giueth teſtimonie, and maketh an honourable confeſſion, and ſo doo they that were vnderunder him.
Neceſſarie it was we ſhould beleeue and confeſſe that Ieſus verilie died vponupon the croſſe: therefore do the Euangeliſts deſcribe it ſo perfectly, howe his bodie was taken downe from the Croſſe by Ioſeph, and was laid in the Sepulchre: To the intent that wee alſo might beleeue and confeſſe, that he hath broken the bands of death, and is from death mightily riſen againe. For life might not bee holden captiue in death, neither might death with the rules thereof alwaies binde him, that of all thinges is the life, in whome wee liue, mooue, and hauehave our beeing.
Heere we muſt learne to know the eternall infallible foreſight and prouidence of God, who for his annointed, appointeth afore hande an honourable Sepulchre, and mooueth the heartes of his elect to burie the bodie of Ieſu, which els vndoubtedly had bene vilely caſt out, & remained ſtill vnburied. How be it his buriall and reſt muſt needs bee honourable, as the Prophet ſaith, Eſa. 11. For when hee by death had finiſhed the courſe of his life, and the woorke of his father, this reſt appertained to his honour, and the father heard him as hee praied afore: Father, (make thy ſonne honourable) or glorifie thy ſonne.Iohn 17. This began in the buriall, there was the faire white linnen cloth, the new ſepulchre, the honorable men and excellent dead buriers, as witneſſes of his death, there were the hundred pounds of pretious & coſtly oyntment. All theſe thinges were euidences of a glorious, new, and immortall life, which Chriſt had in his bodie as the firſtling of his deed, and as we alſo ſhall hauehave according to our meaſure. The ſepulchre is newe: partly to preuent all wrong ſuſpition, (for if anie man had lyen in that ſepulchre afore, it might eaſily hauehave beene ſuſpected or talked, that Chriſt was not riſen againe from the dead, but ſome other) partlie to declare the newneſſe of lyfe in Chriſt, and in thoſe that are his, as it is ſayde afore.
By this alſo wee ſee into what pouertie Chriſt ſubmitted himſelfe: hee that in his life time had neyther houſe nor place where to lay his heade, is nowe couered with ſtraunge cloth, and layde in a ſtraunge Sepulchre. In the which thing (though Chriſts bodie was alwaie vncorrupt) we are taught fruitfullye to conſider the corruption of our body. We are earth, and to the earth muſt wee yeelde and paie earth againe. Aſhes wee be, and into aſhes wee muſt returne. Why bragge wee then? Why are we proud and high minded, ſeeing that ſhortly we ſhall become foule doong and carrion? Why hauehave wee ſuch deſire to the wicked worlde, conſidering it caſteth vsus out ſo vilely? We ſhould alwaie remember, that within a ſmall ſhort time, we ſhall be laid down into a foule pit. There is the harborow of all fleſhe: There lie the rich and poore together in one bedde: There is no difference betweene noble and baſe of bloud: There, neither goods helpe the rich, nor ſubtile craft, the wittie. There the tender is worms meat, and he that a little while agoe went bragging vp and downe in coſtly apparell, is now an vglie ſmell to the noſe: There the hardie Giant, is faine to play ſtoupe gallaunts parte. The praiſe and commendacion of ſuch as are puft vp in fooliſhe pride, departeth as the duſt before the wind. Thus paſſeth away all mankind and all fleſh falleth to the place whence he came, being diſſolued by reaſon of originall ſinne.
Wherfore let vsus learne in this time ſo to liue, and ſo to ſubdue the fleſh through the ſpirite, that when the fleſh corrupteth,Rom. 6. our ſoule may bee taken into eternall peace and reſt. For all we that be baptized into Chriſt Ieſus, are baptized into his death, beeing buried with him rhrough baptiſme into death: that as Chriſt was raiſed vp from the dead through the glory of his father, ſo we likewiſe might walke in the newneſſe of life. For if we be graſſed in him through the ſimilitude of his death, we ſhall aſſuredly alſo be partakers of his reſurrection: knowing this, that our olde man is crucified with him, that the bodie of ſin might be emptied, and that we ſhould ſerue ſinne no more, for he that is dead, is made righteous from ſin, if we now be dead with Chriſt, we beleeue, that wee ſhall alſo liue with him. Looke vponupon the whole ſixte Chapter to the Romanes.
We muſt die from the world, and from our owne fleſh, that the world may be crucified, and dead vntounto vsus, as we vntounto the world. The olde Adam, who in vsus did liue and rule, muſt bee ſubdued and mortified, that Chriſt onelyonly may liue and raigne in vsus. We muſt burie our bodies with mirrhe and Aloes, that is, with lamentation and ſorow for our ſinnes, with weeping with faſting, and with abſtinence, which workes of repentance are bitter vntounto the bodie. But lyke as thoſe bitter things, Aloes and mirrhe, doe keepe the bodie from corruption, ſo the croſſe and aduerſitie ſent of God and borne for his ſake, preſerueth our fleſh from ſinne.
If we thus die with Chriſt from the world, & bee buried in his death, we ſhall riſe againe to a new life, here and in the world to come: & ſo as for death, we need not be afraid of it. For the ſepulchre is new, and lieth in the garden: which noteth vntounto vsus, the return to the pleaſant garden of paradiſe, which is opened vsus through the death of Chriſt, for hee as a guide is entered in before vsus, Iohn. 14. Heb. 9.10. that we alſo after a new ſort might eſcape from death, and riſe againe to a new life. For in the death of Chriſt, is death killed, ouercome, and wholy nenued, and as much as altered into a ſleepe. For we liue vntounto God, and our bodyes (as the Scripture teſtifieth) ſhall alſo liue againe. And this is the cauſe that the Scripture affirmeth thoſe which are dead in Chriſt, to be aſleep. Eſay 26. 1. Theſſ 4.
Afore time had death mightily and openly raigned, euen ouer thoſe alſo that had not ſinned like vntounto Adam (yet had they put on Adams image, & were therefore ſubdued vntounto the curſe) but when the ſecond Adam,1. Cor. 15 namely Chriſt, appeared, & purchaſed lyfe agayne for mankind, through the death of his fleſh, deſtroying the dominion of death, and riſing from death againe. Then was death renued & changed, and became like vntounto a ſleepe, for it deſtroyeth vsus not for euer, but is a gate and enterance into a better and eternall life, therfore hauehave we a much more perfect hope of the reſurrection in Chriſt, than they of olde, which therefore buried the bodies ſo coſtly and honorably, becauſe they hoped in the reſurrection to come. As for vsus, wee muſt beſtowe ſuch coſt vponupon Chriſt in his members, clothing & feeding the poore, and being ready alſo to looſe all things for his ſake.
Graunt vntounto vsus, O God, that as concerning the world and the olde life, wee may die with thy ſonne our head, and be truly buried in his death, that with him and in him we may riſe againe to a new life▪ that we weak and feeble, may with Ioſeph and Nichodemu… grow in vertue and ſtedfaſtnes, daily laying ſomwhat to the heape of godly exerciſes, being euer ſtill renued in the ſpirit, that we in our hearts laying vp Chriſt who dyed for our ſakes, may ſo in thankfull remembrance burie him, to the intent that our ſoule & bodie may ſtill remaine pure and vnſpotted, vntill the comming of our Lord, Amen.
MArie Magdalene and Mary Ioſes, ſitting ouer againſt the ſepulchre, beheld where Ieſus was laide. For certaine women there were, which comming with him from Galilee, and following him, beheld the ſepulchre, and how his bodie was laide. Thoſe returned back, and prepared ſweet odors: but vponupon the ſaboth they reſted, becauſe of the commandement.
The next daie after the daie of preparation, the high Priests and Phareſies came vntounto Pilate, and ſaid: Sir, we remember that this deceuer ſaid while he was yet aliue, that after three daies hee ſhould riſe againe. Cauſe therefore the graue to be kept vntill the third daie, leaſt his diſciples happily come and steale him awaie, and ſaie vntounto the people, that he is riſen from the dead, and ſo ſhall the laſt error bee worſe than the firſt. Pilate ſaid vntounto them: Yee hauehave watchmen, go and keepe it as ye know. They went and kept, & prouided the ſepulchre with watchmen, and ſealed the ſtone.
Doctrine and fruite.
HEre we learne to hauehave an earneſt, diligent, and feruent louelove vntounto Chriſt, hearing with what zeale and feruentnes, that deuout women … vntounto him, and ſerue him in life and death. Him whome they loued in life, will they not forſake in death, but cheerefully with conſtant mindes they ieopard their lyfe and goods. What auaileth vsus then, that we cannot ſhew friendſhip, louelove and ſeruice vntounto Chriſt, as well as theſe women? Seeing we hauehave not Chriſt alwayes bodily with vsus, who nowe beeing in his kingdome, needeth no corporall miniſtration & ſeruice, we ought to beſtow the ſame vppon his poore ones, whom we hauehave alwaies with vsus. Heerein ought wee to ſpare neither goods nor money, to ſerue & pleaſe Chriſt, who vntounto death did ieopard and giuegive his body and lyfe for vsus.
But like as in the women there was a deuout geſture & good mind toward Chriſt: ſo in the Iewiſh prieſts and phareſies there was found a great malice and hatred againſt Chriſt. They were not ſatiſfied in perſecuting him while he was aliue, but vndertooke alſo to hinder his reſurrection. Yet God by his wiſdome vſeth their wickedneſſe to the glorie of Chriſt, that euen the enemies themſelues (albeit againſt their wil) muſt beare record of his buriall and reſurrection in that they keepe the graue with watch men, and ſeale the ſtone. The truth is immortall, the more it is oppreſt, the more it breaketh forth. Therfore ought we to beware, that wee neuer goe about to hinder the truth: for if we ſhould ſo doo, we ſhould both labor in vaine, & procure vntounto our ſelues euerlaſting hurt.
THE RESVRRECTION OF IESVS CHRIST, out of the holie Euangeliſts.
AND when the Sabbaoth was now past,Marke 16. euen the Sabaoth day at euen, Marie Magdalene, Marie Iames and Salome, bought ſweete ſpices, that they might come and annoint Ieſus.Luk. 24. Math. 28. Iohn. 20. The euening when the ſabaoth is ended, and the firſt day dawneth after the Sabaoth (namely, the first day of the weeke) while it was yet darke, and the Sun brake forth and began to ariſe, the women came to the Sepulchre, to ſee it. But there happened first a great earthquake: for the Angell of the Lord came downe from heauen, and went and rolled backe the ſtone from the mouth of the ſepulchre, and ſate vponupon it. His countenance was like the lightening, and his raiment white as ſnow. And for feare of him the keepers were astonied, and became as dead men. And behold, ſome of them that had watched the ſepulchre, came into the Citie, and told the high Priests all the thinges that had happened. Then gathered they themſelues with the Elders, and tooke counſaile, and gaue large money vntounto the ſoldiers, ſaying: Say ye, that his Diſciples came by night, and ſtole him away while yee ſlept. And if this come to the rulers eares, wee will perſwade him, and ſaue you harmeleſſe. So they tooke the money, and did as they were taught. And this ſaying is noiſed among the Iewes vntounto this day.
Now as the women were in the way going, they ſaide among themſelues: Who will roule vsus the ſtone away from the doore of the Sepulchre? (for it was a verie great one) & as they looked,Math. 28. they ſawe that the ſtone was rolled awaie. Then went they into the Sepulchre, and found not the bodie of the Lord Ieſu, but ſaw a young man ſitting at the right ſide, clothed in a long white garment, and they were afraid. But the Aungell ſayde vntounto them: Feare not, I knowe whome yee ſeeke. Ye ſeeke Ieſus of Nazareth, that was crucified: Hee is not heere, he is riſen as he ſaide. Beholde the place where they laide him. But goe yee and tell his Diſciples and Peter, that he is riſen againe from the dead. Behold hee goeth before you into Galilee, as he ſaid vntounto you. Lo I hauehave tolde you.