Fruitfull lessons, vpon the passion, buriall, resurrection, ascension, and of the sending of the holy Ghost Gathered out of the foure Euangelists: with a plaine exposition of the same. By Miles Couerdall.

AND when the Sabbaoth was now past, euen the Sabaoth day at euen, Marie Magdalene, Marie Iames and Sa∣lome, bought sweete spices, that they might come and annoint Iesus. 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 sepul∣chre, and sate vpon it. His countenance was like the lighte∣ning, 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 El∣ders,

and tooke counsaile, and gaue large money vnto the sol∣diers, 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 vnto this day.

Now as the women were in the way going, they saide a∣mong themselues: Who will roule vs the stone away from the doore of the Sepulchre? (for it was a verie great one) & as they looked, 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 vnto them: Feare not, I knowe whome yee seeke. Ye seeke Iesus of Nazareth, that was cru∣cified: 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 vnto you. Lo I haue tolde you.

Doctrine and fruit.

THE resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead is verie diligently and perfectly described of the foure Euangelistes, for right profitable and necessarie is it for the strengthening and stablishing of our beleefe in Christ. And whereas in the descrip∣tion of this historie they speake not all alike, the same happeneth to our wealth through the ordinaunce of the holie Ghost, that we should exercise our faith

therein, and applie our diligence, perfectly to learne and comprehend the same Resurrection of Christ: For where that is right conceyued and beleeued, there is faith perfect. The Euangelistes nowe in de∣scribing Christes Resurrection, doo most of all de∣clare, to what high honour Christ came after death, and that in one order and degree, according as our beleefe and weakenesse increaseth and groweth to∣wards perfection.

At the first, is faith in vs feeble and vnperfect, but through the grace of him that hath giuen it, it daily groweth. Verie hard also is it for our naturall reason, to receiue and beleeue the resurrection of the dead: therefore doe the Euangelistes right diligently and with manie wordes set forth the same resurrection of Christ, that our beleefe therein might be assured and stedfast. For whosoeuer truely and constantly belee∣ueth the resurrection of Iesu Christ, is readie & pre∣pared to beleeue all that concerneth Christ. Neither is there anie thing that maketh a man more ioyfull then when he beleeueth, that at the comming of the Lorde, he shal rise againe, and receiue a glorified bo∣die after Christ, and with Christ. What can be tedi∣ous to suche a faithfull beleeuing man, when hee beholdeth so high a rewarde from God. Diligently therefore ought we to heare, what the holy Euange∣lists write of his resurrection, and to giue credence to the witnesses that saw it.

First, wee heare agayne the great zeale, and the feruent loue and diligence of these deuout women, in that they desire to shew honour vnto the Lorde

being dead: but the Angell a messenger of his resur∣rection, commaundeth them to declare this ioy vnto the Disciples, and to get them vnto the Lord nowe being aliue. Heauenly is the messenger and proclai∣mer of the resurrection, for it passeth farre all natural reason and all flesh. Therefore are the women also a∣fraid of him, and at the faire brightnes of his counte∣nance and apparel. For our feeble flesh is not able to sustaine the glorious shine of the heauenly light and godly clearenes, but is afraid at it, and feareth. Ne∣uerthelesse God by his Angell doth right soon com∣fort the womens weakenes, taketh from them their feare, speaketh louingly vnto them, maketh them A∣postles, that is, messengers and proclaimers of the ioi∣full resurrection. So little doth God reiect our weak∣nes, that he maketh euen women to be the declarers of his resurrection: for he euer delighteth of the last to make the first. Forasmuch then as they were the beginners of death in sinne, they are heere first afore the Apostles, chosen to bee declarers of that immor∣tall life, which euen out of death is come forth vnto vs in Christ.

As Christ with the earthquake died on the crosse, so riseth hee with the earthquake, which also was heard in the sending of the holie Ghost. This signi∣fied, that through his death and resurrection, and by the power of the holy Ghost (when the Apostles de∣clare the same in the world) the whole world should be moued and chaunged. And though the vngrati∣ous falshood of the high Priestes, vndertooke with their lies, to hide and suppresse the trueth of Christs

resurrection, yet God did directe it an other waie. Loo•• ••her with they minded to oppresse the truth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with the same haue they helped to set it forth: and thereby was it signified, how the Iewish people should bee blinded and refused. And forasmuch as they had no loue vnto the trueth, but reiected it, it it was moche that they should be blinded and darke∣ned in lyes, and that there shoulde errour and blind∣nsse enough fall vpon them.

The Angel is not ashamed to call Iesus the crucifi∣ed, for the crosse is the token of Christes victorie: through the crosse beganne his honour and glorie: through the crosse was death ouercome: the crosse is the glorious token of all Christians: In the crosse is the exaltation of Christ the heade, and of all his members. Wee ought not therefore to bee ashamed of the crosse of our Lorde which was crucified: for therein standeth our health, life, and resurrection, all our reioicing and glorie.

Commission is giuen, that vnto Peter before other disciples, they should declare the Lords resurrectiō: that from the feare wherin he stood by reason of the denial, he might be deliuered, and so comforted.

He sendeth them to Galilee (thither wil he go be∣fore them) that they might bee safe from the feare of the Iewes, which at that time raged horribly.

Grant vs (O God) an earnest zeale and loue vnto the poore, in whom we may highly honor Iesus thy son. And wheras we throgh the weaknes of the flesh are inclined to bee faint hearted, and not able of our selues to behold the bright shine and clearnes of his

glorious Resurrection, strengthen and comfort thou vs by thy holie Angell, that wee may constantly be∣leeue the Resurrection of thy sonne: whereby 〈◊〉〈◊〉 receiuing an holy hope of the life to come, 〈…〉〈…〉 immortall Resurrection of our bodies, may be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 also to comfort and strengthen others that be 〈◊〉〈◊〉. O make thou this hard earth of our fleshe to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and mooue through the power of thy spirit, to ho∣lie fruitfull pennaunce, amendment and confessi∣on of our life. Preserue vs, that wee neuer resist the truth, nor take part with lies▪ Graunt vs loue vnto the truth, keepe vs from errour and blindnesse. Let our ioye bee in the crosse of Iesu Christ thy sonne, and our life in his resurrection: that wee with him, & in him may truly rise againe, hereto a godly righ∣teous and sober life, and in the world to come to the blessed life euerlasting, Amen.

Notes

• Marke 16.
• Luk. 24. Math. 28. Iohn. 20.
• Math. 28.
• The crosse is the glorious & victorious token of the faithfull.