The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

For the first of these it is to be observed, that God hath given these men an honourable name in the Story of the Gospel, so as what they have done shall always be remembered where the Gospel is preached: and this honourable mention they attained not, till this service done to the dead body of Christ. Whereby God would teach us, that such as honour Christ God will honour: and the best way to get into the Catalogue of Gods Worthies, is to employ our selves in well-doing, and in the service of Jesus Christ, and then we can do no good work, to Christ dead or living, in himself or his members, but it shall be had in honour, yea it may be in everlasting remembrance.

For the first of these it is to be obserued, that God hath giuen these men an honourable name in the Storie of the Gospell, so as what they haue done shall alwaies be remembred where the Gospell is preached: and this honourable mention they attained not, till this seruice done to the dead bodie of Christ. Whereby God would teach vs, that such as honour Christ God will honour: and the best way to get into the Catalogue of Gods Worthies, is to imploy our selues in well-doing, and in the seruice of Iesus Christ, and then we can doe no good worke, to Christ dead or liuing, in himselfe or his members, but it shall be had in honour, yea it may be in euerlasting remembrance.

For the second, Christ was buried by rich men, First that the Scripture might be fulfilled, that said, He exposed his grave to the wicked, and to the rich man in his death: To the wicked, because he could not be buried without Pilates consent; and to the rich man, because he was buried by Joseph of Arimathea's means. Thus he was said to be buried and raised up according to the Scriptures, 1 Cor. 15. 4. ⟨p. 437⟩Secondly, he gave his dead body to rich men, to signify, that amongst rich men he had his elect, and that the virtue of his death should reach even to them: for though it be impossible in respect of men, that a rich man should be saved, yet it is not so unto Christ, who can effect wonderful things, and so can by the virtue of his death so untwist the gable of a rich mans heart, as to make it in true humility like a thread to go through the eye of a needle,