Thewicked are the diucls hones. Paffion Soñday: S'er.37. Secondly, therefore the high Prieftsarecalled tothis Councell. . Thirdly,thePharifees, who fat as Iudges vponall matters touchingdoubtsof Faith, and caufes of Religion. Fourthly andlaftly, Thecaufe of this Councell or Confultation;which was, our Sauiours railing vp of Lazarus. For they faw that this Myracle had conuer- tedmany,Collegerunt ergoConcilium, Theycaged therefore a CounceH. Hithertoall goes well,a faire courfe was taken; but in theend theymar'd all by plotting mifchicfe againft our SauiourChrift. It hadbecne better for them to haue receiued him , to baue approouedthole prophefieswhich were foretold ofhim,and to haue inlightned the people by inftruóing them in this his dotlrin: but they met together for noother end , but toeclipfe and darken the funne, then when thebeames thereofdid moll fhine. Thengatheredthe high Prießs andthePharifeesa C,uncefl. After that the diuell had tempted our Saviour, findinghim fomewhat fharpe and lower towards him, Saint Lukefaith, Reliquit cum dia6olnead tempos The diuell gamehim saerfor that tout, andwould haueno more todoe withhim for theprefènt: but left him then ofpurpofe, waiting for a better feafonand opportunuie, vfqueadtempus, Fer a time. Euthymiucaskes,forhow long And his anfwer is, Till that the Priefts and the Pharifees hadcalledaCouncell. This wasthe diuellsplot, though they didnot then thinke fowhen they metin Councell. And yet theywere no foo- ner fat , but that Sacrilegiousdecree went foorth from amongft them,To put him to death. Some man perhapswill aske me, Howthediuell could hopero get the greater vittorie of our Sauiour Chrift by thismeanes, working the famemore by the high Priefts and the Pharifèes,than by himfelfe! Firft ofall I anfwer thereunto , One that ferueson horfebacke is imagined to be of greaterforce andpowerthan he that ferues onfoot. Andas a certain gloffe bath it, whichMoms:- alleageth, The wicked are thediuells horfes ; and being horfedvpon the high Priefts andthe Pharifees, it isnot much , that bee fhould prefunieto take away our Sauiours life. If the high Priefts and the Pharifees hadbeenhottedvpon the diuells backe,the danger had not beene fo great: But whenthediuell fhallride vponhigh Prieftsand Iudges,&c. it is a fearful! thing. Secondly,Saint Am6r%faith,That albeit the diuellbe the Author ofall mil- chiefe,yet hathhe fent forthmany learned and nimble witted fchollers which hauewonderfully aduancedhis caufe ; fittingwith that of theApoftle, who calls the wicked, Inuentores malorun, Inuenters ofeuill. The diuell was the firft Inuenter therof, butafterwards therewere fome men that difcoueredmuch more malice. c*lagellaneswas the firft that paffed the Streights,but afterwards others went fo farrebeyond him, that he is caft behind. Thirdly,the diuell by himfelfealone, cancommonly doe little, vnleffe wee ferne and fvpplyhim withmaterials.Comeßer reports it to be a tradition amongft the Rabbines,that in the makingofthegolden Calfe, the diuell performed two Offices; the one ofaSmith, theother of aMettall-founder : but, that the He- brewesfurnifhed himwithMaterialls, they found theftuffe, for thewomen(who commonlyaremoftfuperftitious,andby confequence firtefttobe thediuells in- ftruments) furniflied him with theireare- rings,bracelets,&iewelsofgold.Here now in like mnner the diuel did imploy hisbell induftryanddiligence;hewas the caufe ofrhis Confultation,andtheplotter ofthis Councell: butthe high Priefts and the Pharifees were they that miniftred the materials, helping himwith theirvoices. They 585 Sithancan do lude with- out vs.
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