The harmony of the Gospels in the holy history of the humiliation and sufferings…

Sect. 2.

Of the Reverent Burial of the Body of our Lord Jesus.

Of the Reverent Buryal of the Body of our Lord Jesus.

The burial of Jesus Christ is a great point in Religion, both in the Prophesy, and in the History, and in the application. In the History of this act of Christian love, see first the persons that did with due reverence perform this service to the dead body of our Lord. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, they would not leave his blessed Corps to the rude disposal and usage of Hangmen, and Executioners. But with their own hands they did reverently lay him into a Tomb. These two men were honourable men, for they were both of them of the Council, but consented not with them in their condemning of Jesus, Luk. 23.51. the same did not consent to the Council, and deed of them, it is like that neither Joseph nor Nicodemus were sent unto, or called unto their Clandestine night Court, wherein Jesus was condemned, they knew that they would oppose, they had experience of Nicodemus his opposing them; how many more of the Council might be absent from that night Court, is not said, it is like that it was carried on by a Faction, that adhered to that violent young man Caiaphas, and his Father in law Annas. For in the History we find all the Council present, to be of one mind, therefore neither of these two worthy men were with them. These were both holy men, and true Disciples of Jesus Christ, yet formerly they both of them had been timorous professors, Joh. 19.38, 39. Joseph a Disciple of Jesus Christ, but secretly for fear of the Jews. And Nicodemus who at first came to Jesus by night, see a little what the Scripture saith of these, first of Nicodemus,