that Satan will then chiefdy afTiidt vs , and the guilt of f nne will efpccially
then wound the confcience.Lan:!y,at a! times we inufl: commit our (bules in-
to Gods handesrfor though we benotalwaiesinafHiifl^ionjyet weare alwaies
in great dangerrand when a man lieth downe to refl,heknoweth not whether
he mall rife againe or no : and when he a» ifeth, he knoweth not whether hec
fliall lie downe againe. Yea,at this very houre we knovve not what will befall
dicnext.
And great are the comforts which arife by the praiftife of this dutte.When
Dauid was in great danger of his life,and his owne people would haue floned
hira,becaufe their hearts were vexed for their formes and daughters which
j.Sam.jo.
3.Tua.i.i2. And the praftife of Paul in this cafeis moft excellent:/»^ thewhich caffe^Qnh
\\c)rffiffer thofethmgs,hitt I am»6t afhamed : for Iknove rphome I haue helee^
aedaand 1 am ^erjwadedthat hee is ahU toheefe that yvhkh I hatic comrmtted'
of the Creede, Chrifts esJfecUtionp 343
'v^o hm m^Amfi thai iay. This worthie fcruant of God had committed his life
and foulc into Gods hand : and therefore he faith , tn allmyfujferwgs 1 am not
ajhamed: where wc fee,that if a man haue grace in his hfe-time to commit his
foule into Gods hand , it will make him bold euen at the point of death. And
this mud be a motiue to caiife cuery man daily and hourely to lay downe his
foulc into the handes of God , although by the courfe of nature he may hue
twentie or fourtie yeares longer . But howfoeuer this dutie be both neceflane
^nd comfortable ,yet few there be that praftife the fame. Men that haue chil-
dren are very carcnill and diligent to bring them vp vnder (bmc mans tuition?
5c if thev haue cattel,{heep,or oxcn,they prouide keepers to tend lhcm:but in
the meane (eafon for their owne foules they hau€ no care : they may finke or
fwimme or doe what they will. This fhew^es the wonderfull blmdnes or ra»
ther madnefTe of men in the world, that haue more care for their cattcU , then
for their owne foules : but as Chrifl: hath taught vs by his example , (b let cue-
ty one of vs in the fcare of God, Icarneto commit our foules int© the hand of
God.
- Ag3ine,in that Chrifl: laves downc his owne fbule , and withall the fbules
of all the faiihflill into the hands of the father , we further Icame three things.
The firfl: , that the foule of man doth not vanifh aw^ay as the foules of beads
and other creatures : there is great difference betweene them : for when the
beaft diethjhis foule dicth alfb : but the foule of man is immortall. The confi-
derauon whtreof malt moooue euery man aboue all things in this world to
be careful for his foulcrif it were to vaniih away at the day of death as the foule
of beafls doe,the ncgleft diereof were no ^rcat matter: but feeing it muft hue
for ruerjcither in etcrnall Joy,or elfe in endfefle paines and torments , it ftands
vs vpon,euery man for limfelfej (b to prouide for his foule in this life , that at
the day ofdeath when it ihall depart fiom his bodie, it may hue in eternall ioy
and happineffe . The fecond , that there is an cfpecinll and particular proui-
denceofGodjbecaufe the particular fbule of Chrifl: is committed into the
hands of his father , and fo anfv^'erably the foules of euery one of the faithfull
arc. The third, that euery one which beleeueshimfelfe to be a member of
Chr!fl:,mufl: be willing to die when God fliall call him thereunto . For when
we die in Chrifl,the bodie is but laid afleepe, and the foule isrcceiued into the
hands of a mofl loiiingGod arrd mercifiill father , as the foule of Chrifl: v,'as.
Laft-ly , whereas Chrifl: furrendring his fbule into his fathers hands, calls it a
fpirit,we notc,thatthe fou^e of man is a fpirit, that is, a fpirituall, inuifible,fim-
ple eflence without compofition created,as the angels of God are . The qiie-
ftion whether the foule of a childe come from the foulc of the parents as the
bodie doth come from their bodies, may eafily be refolued . For the fbule of
man beeing a fpirit,can not beget another {pirit,as the angels beeing fpiriluall
doe not beget angelstfor one fpirit begetteth not an other.Nay which is more,
one fimple element begetteth not an other , as the water begetteth not water,
fior aire begetteth airerand therefore much lefle can one (i^ule beget an other,
AgainCjif the foulc of the child come from the foule of tlie parentSjthcn there
is a propagation ofthe whole fbule of the parent or of fome part thereof If it
foe faide , that the whole foule of the parents is propagated, then the parents
Z 3 fhould
J 44 Chrifts e5f ccutioa Jn^xpojition
fliould want their owrc foules and could not liue.If it be (aid that a part of the
parents foule i^propagated:! anPvvere-that the (o'jlc being a fpnit or a fimple
fubllance cannot be parted:and therefore it is the^ fifcfl: to conclude,that the
bodie indeedc is of the bodie of the p irents , and that the foule of nvin while
die bodie IS in inakin2;,is created of nothinc; : and for this very caufc God is
called i\\t father offftrits.
Thus much of the crucifying of Chridrnowe follovveth his.death. For ha-
uino- laid downehJs foulcinto the hands ofhis father, the lioly Ghoft fiuth,^?
viui^, ^-^^^ '^P theghoji : to giuc vs to vnderftand , that his death was n ofantaln call
but a real! death jJH that his bodie and foule were feuered as truely a svvhena -
fiv oi: vsdie.Iatreaiing of Chrifls death wercuR confider many points. The
KrlfthltTt was t ieedfull that he Hiould die,and that for two caufes. Firft, toja.-
tisfie G ods lul hceiforfinne is fo odious a thing in Gods fight.that he will pu- ,
niih it with an extreamcpunifI^ment:thcreforc Chrift ftandingin ourroomc
mun not onely fltfFer the niiferies of thishfe, butalfo die on thecrolTcjthat
the verr extremitie of puniOiment which wee Hiould haue borne, might bee
laid on himcand fo wein Chrift,might fully Citisfie G ods iuftice : for the jr^-
aes ofjlnne is ^eath . Secondly , ChriH: died that he might fulfill the trueth of
Gods word winch had {aid,that man for eating the forbidden ^miPiculddie
'•*''7* the deatlj/The pj^opernes of Chrifls death are two:the fird^that it was a volu-
tarie and willing3cath:the fecond , that it was a cur fed death . For the firll,
whereas T fay Chrifls death was voluntarie,! meane tnat Chrifl died willing-
lv,and ofhis owne fiee accord gaue vp himfelfe to fuffer vponthecrofle.
Howfbeuei' the Icwes did arraigne,and condcmne,and crucifie him,yet if hee
had not willed his own death,and ofhis free accord gitien himfelfe to dicrnot
the Icwes nor all the whole worlde could euer haue take n avva)- his life from
him He died not by confJraint or compullion,but moll: willingtyrand there-
fore hee faith, iV<7 wan tak£th my life from mc , ^/^f_/£faith he) tayttdoyvne of
my felfe: I hitue power to I. ly it downc,ayul haue porrcr to take it againe . And our
Sauiour Chrili: gaue cuident tokens hereof in his death,fbr r/W /f//« rr^V.;^"
n>ith a loud voice, and (Ktue vp the ^hofl. Ordinarily men that die on the erode,
laf»'ui(h away bv litde 5c little,(St before dicy come to yeeld vp their liues they
Sia.j-j^. loofe their fpeech,and onely ratde or make a noife in the throate : but Clirifl:
at that very inn:ant when he was to giue vp the gholl,cried with a loud voice::
which /bcWcth plaine1y,that he in his death was nrore then a conquerour o-
uer death. And therefore to giue all men a token ofhis power,and to fhewe
that he died voluntarily , it pieafed him to cne with a loud voice . And this.
M^-Jf^p* m ade the Ce n turion to. ftv that he yyas the Sonne of G od. Agsine, ChriR ^Tf
ecTnoFasother men d9c ", becaufe theyfirir giue vp the gholi.and then lav
their heads afide : but hein token that his death wis vohjntane,firfl:laieshis.
head afid e after die mann ci' ofa dead man , and th en afterward g;iue .s vp the»
/ghortLaifUsChrirt diedloroiie r then men are wont to doe vponthe crolTe,
loll 19 2»^ andtliis was the caufe that made Pila te v/onder thathe was fofo one dead-
ftiiraj44. JsTovv this came to paffe not becaufe he was loiith to fuffer the extremitie of
death:but becaufe hevvQuldmnkeJtmfinifefl: to all menthr.the had power
to die or doc to. die- And indeedc diisis our comfort tliat Chnfi <^i^(\ not for:
^
of the Creede. Chrids execution. 5 45
Ysty conftralntjtut willingly of his ownc accord.
And as Chrilh death was voluntarie , fo was italfb an accurled death, and ^^^ ^^ j.
therefore it is called the death of the crofe. And it containcth the firft: jwijihe poin?the *
4««oa4iiLuii;i:the fiift is the feparation of the bodie from the foule:the fecond ^^^^^ ^^^^
JmWW n 1 \r % r /^ i m • >-m T, ui.it h» was
is the Itp^tion or bodie and foule from Ood : i inrl i liinihw i r s in Chi ' ift: for auafiedau4
bcfide the bodily death,hee did in foule apprehend the wrath'of God due to ^''° '^***^'
man for finneiand that made him ci ie,C-^ God,mj Gvd,ivhy haji thouforfakcn
me?
And here wee mull: not oraitte a necelTarie point, namely how farrc
foorth Chrift fufFered death. -r^^/K-f^f. Some thinke that heejufferedonc-
ly a bodily deat h, and fuch paines as followe the diflolution of nature: but
«iiey , no doubt , come to lhort,for why £hould Chrift haue feared death
fo greatly if it had beene nothing but tne dilTolution of nature. Somea-
gaine thinke that he died , not onely the firfl: , but alfo the fecond deaths
but itmnybee theygoc tofarre : for if todiethefirftdeathbeetoftifFera
totall feparation of l3odie and foule , then alfb to die t he fecond death i t
wholly and eucric way t o bee feuered from all fauour of God , and at
the leafl: for a time to bee opprefled of the farne death as j^he damned are .
Kowe this neuer befell Chri fl: , no not in the middeft oThis lutfehngcs,
confidenng that cuenthenhewas able to call God his God. Therefore the
' (afeft is to follow the meanejnameiy that Chrifl died the firft death in that his
bodie ayd Ibule were really and wholly feuered , yet without (iiffcring any
corruption in his bodie,which is the effeft and fruit of the fame: & that with-
all he further fuffered the extreame horrours and pangs of the fecond death,
not dying the fame death nor btingfoiiaken of God,morctheninhisown
apprehenfion orfeeling.For in the ver)' middeft of his fufFerings the father
was well ple.ifed with him. And this which I fay doth not any wmt leflon the
fiifhciencieof the nierit of Chrifl : for wh^^reas he fuffered trueh' thesejgfc
wrath of God)Mid J.V vny torments of the damnjsd4n his foulcit rs as much
as if all the men m the worlde had died the fecond death, and had bin wholly
cut off from G od for eiier and euer. And no doubt Chrifl died the firff death
cnelv fuffering; the pangs of the fecond i that the firfl death might be an en-
trance not to the feconddeath which is etemall damnation , but a paflage to
life etern all.
The benefits and comforts which arife by the death ofChriff are fpecially
foure.The firfl is the change of our naturall dea th,! fay not the taking of it a-
way.for wc mull all die;but whereas by nature death is a curfeof Godvpon
man for eating the forbidden fruite,by the death of Chnfl it is changed from
a curfe into a blefling:and is made as it were a middle way and entrance to co-
uaigh men out of this worlde into the kingdome of gloriein heauen: and
therefore it is f^iidjChrifl by his death hath delmered them from thefeare of
death, rvhich aflthe dates of their lines were fl^i'iefl to ^ondaae. A man that is to ^^•*»*?«
encounter with a fcorpionjif he knowe thatithath a fling, he may be difmai-
ed*,but beeing alTured that the ffing is taken away , he neede not feare to en-
counter therewith.Nowe death in his ov\Tie nature confidcred.is this fcorpi-
Oii armed with a fting : but Chrifl our Sauiour by his death hath pulled out
Z 4 the
34^ Cli"fts execution. AnSx^ofi'ton
the fting of our death, and on the erode triumphantly faith, death, where is
or-ij-JJ» thyJimg?OgraueyT»hereiithy vi^ory? and therefore cucn then when vvce feele
thjyjaojs of death approch, wee fhould not fearc but conceiuc hope , confi-
dering that our death is altered and changed by the vertue of the death jg£
Chrid fc „S f^ Q"fr \ - ^^ death of Chrift hath q uite taken away the feco nd
death from thofc that are m Chrifl::as Paul fiith, There is no m condemnation to
"' '** Ihsm whtch are in Chrtji lefm, which walke not after the flsfhrbnt after thejprrit^
Thirdlv.the d eath of Chri ll is a mcanes to ratifiehis iaft will and teftarnenti
For thu caufewM (fhnfi the A4ediatour of the newe teftament, that through death
(which was for the redemption of the tranfqreffions which were in the former tefia-
ntent) they which were called might receiue the promife of the et email inheritance.
For where a teflamentiSitheremnJi be the death of him that made the teflament:
for the teflament is confirmed when men are dead for it is yet of no force as long as
he is aline that made it. And therefore the death of Chrifl: doth make his laft
wil and teflament which is his couenant of g;race,authentical v nto vs.Fourth-
ly,the death of Chrifl: doth ferue to abohfli the origmall corruption of our
finnefuU hearts. As a tlrong coradue laid to a fore,eatcs out all the rotten and
dead flefh.-euen fo Chrifl:s d«ath being applyed to the heart of a penitent (in-
ner by faith,weakens and confumcs the i^nne that cleaucsfbfaft vnto our na-
tures and dwells within vs. Some will {ay,howe can Chrifts death which now
as not,becaufe it is long agoe paft and ended,kill finne in vs nowe?2xf;i/a'.In«
deede if we regard the a£t of Chrifls dcath,it is paf Ijbut the vertue and pow-
er thereof endureth for euer . And the power of Chrifb death is nothing ^^
but the power of his Godhead, which inabled him in his death to ouercomc
bell^the grauc, death , and condemnation , and to disburden himfelfc of our
finnes-l^owe when we haue grace to denie our felucs,and to put our truft ia
Chrifl:,& by faith are ioyned to him,theas Chrifl: himfelfe by the power of his
godhead ouercame death,hell,and damnation in himfelfej fo fhall wee by the
feme power of his godhead kill and crucifie finne & corruption in our felue?.
Therefore (eeing we reape fuch benefit by the deadi of Chrift, if wee will'
fhcwe our felucs to bee Chriftians , let vs reioyce in the death of Chrift":
and if the queftioa bee, what is the chiefeft thing wherein wee reioyce in
this world?wc may anrvver,the very crofle of Chrift,yea the verie leaft drop
of his blood.
The duties to be learned by the death of Chrift are two:the firft concernes
all i^'norant and impenitent finners . Such men whatfbeuer they be, by the
death of Chrift vpon the crofle , muft be mooued to turne fro m their finnesi
and irdiPTonfideration hereof v/ill not mooue them , nothi ng in the world
will. By nature euery man is a vaiLll of finncand a bondflaucofSatanTthe
"Hcuill raio-nes and rules in al men by nature,and we our felues can ^o nothing
but (crue and obey him.Nay (^ which is more) we liue vnder the fearefull curfe
of God for the leaft finne. Well now , fee the loue ofthefonnc of God,that
wane himfelfe willingly to death vpon the crofle for thee, that he might free
thee from this moft fearefiil bondage. Whcrfore let all thofe that Due in fin 6c
jo-noracc reafon thus with thefeluesrHath Chrift the fon of god done this for
^\and (nal we yet Imeinour finncsJhath he fetopenas it were the veric gates
. efthe Creede. Cfirifls execution.
of hell,ancl Hiall we yet lie weltringin our damnable waies and in the fliaciowc
of death?In the fcare of God let the death of Chrift be a nieanes to turne vs to
Chriftiif It can not mooue vs^let vs be refolued that our cale is dang erous. To
goe yet turther in this point^euery one ot vs is by nature a licke maiT, woun-
ded atthe very heart by Satanrthough we feele it not, yet we are deadly ficke:
and beholde, Chrifl: is the good phifit'an ofthe{bule,and.nonein heauen or
carth,neitherSaint,angel,norman can heale this our fpirituall wound but he
alonerwho though he were equall with the Father, yet he came downe from
his bofome and became man,and liued here many yeares in miferie and con-
tempt:and when no hearbe nor plaifter cou5d cure this our deadly wound or
defperat fickne(re,he was content to make a plaifter with his owne blood:the
painehetookeinmakingitcauledhim to (weate water and blood : nay the
making of it for vs coft him his life, in that he was content by his owne death
to free vs from death:which if it be true,as it is moft truc,then woflill & wret-
ched is our ca(e if we will ftiU liue in finne,and will not vfe meanes to lay this
plaifter vnto our hearts. And after the plaifter is applyed to the fbule , wee
/hould do as a man that hath bin grieuoufly fick,who when he is on the men-
ding hand,gets ftrength by httle and little. And fo fhould we become newe
creatures going on from grace to gracft, and fhew the fame by huing godlily,
righteouny,and foberly,that the worlde may fee that we'are cured of our fpi-
rituall difeafe.O happie,yea thrice happie are they thathauc grace from god
to doe this. The feco nd dutie concernes them which are repentant finners.
Hath Chrift giuen himfelfc for thee, and is thy confcience ftded in this? then
thou muftanfwerably beare this mind,and ifthyjife would feruejbj; the^lo-
ry of God and the good of his Church , thou wouldft theh ^iueitmolft wil-
Bng^Iy ifthou becattedTKeretoTSecondly,if Chrift for thy good hath giuen hFs
KTe^then thou muft in like maner be content to die for thy brethren inChrift,
ifneede be:f/
lay downe our hues for our ^r^f/7r
owne heart blood not for himfelfe,but for thefinnes of euerie one of vs , then
we muft be thus aftededjthat rather the n by finning wee would wi^' :ng!v of-
fe nd God ^wc iliould be content to haue o ur own blood iLed: yea if thcfe two
things were put to our choifcjeither to doe that which might dilpleafe God,
or els to fufFer death, wee muft rather die then Aoz the fame. Of tliis mindc
hauebeeneall the M?rtyrs ofGod,who rather then they would yeeld to Ido-
latrie, were content to fufFer moft bitter torments and cruell death. Yea,€uery
good Chrirtianis fo aff^£led,that he had rather choofe to die then to liue^not
mooued by impatience ir^refpeft of the miferies of this life : bur becaufe hee
would ceafe to offend fo louing a father. To finne is meate and drinke
to the worIde,but to a touched and repentant heart there is no torment fo
grieuous as this is,to finne againft God,if once he bee per{waded that Chrift
iedforhim.
;^ Thus much forChrifts death: nowe followe thofe things wliich befell
Clirift when he was newely dead*,and diey are two efpecially. The firft , that
Eis legges were not broken as the legges of the two theeueswere.OFihc firft,
S John rendreth a reafon;naniely3that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which
faithj.
54^ Chrifts execution. Jn'Expo^tion
loh.tj.'S. faith, not a bone ofhimjhalhe broken : which wordcs were (pokcn by Mofes of.
Esod.ii.4
thereby. And hence we obferue tnefe two things. Fuftjthat Chrj[ft crucihed is
the truepafchall lambe, as S.Paul faith, (^hrtfi our pajfeoner is facrificed: andS«
l£?i5r ^°^" (^diilhfBcholdthe lambe of god, diftinguilLing him thereby from the t)'pi-
call lambc. In this that Chrift crucified is the true pafchall lambcjlhe childe of
God hath wonderfull matter ofcomfort. The Ifraelites did eatc thepaiTeO'
. ucr in Egypt, & fprinkled the blood of the lambe on the p ofts of their dorcs,
that when the angel of God came to deftroy the firft borne both of man and
beaft, and fiw tliebloodvpon their houfes might paifeouer them, that the _
plague fliould not be vpon them to defl:ru
on the lambc of God, and by aliuelyfaith fprinkle the dore of thine heart
with his bloode , the iudgcments of God in this life, and the terrible curfe of i
, death , with the fearefuU fentence of condemnation at tbe day of ludgement,
and all punifhments due vntothyfinnes fliall palTe ouer thee, and not fb
much as touch thee. And whereas the leg^cs of our Sauiour Chrift were not
broken by the fbuldiours, who fought by all meanes poffible toworkea-
gainft him all the mifchiefe they could: we may note, that the enemies of
- Chrift and his Church , let them intend to ftiew neuer fo much malice agamft
him, they can not gocbej'^ond that libertie which God giueth them , they can
doe no more for their hues then that which God willeth. TheMedcs and
^ Perfians are called the Lords fan^ified ones : Cyrus is called the man of Gods
!f aLj^.w* tounfelly becaule whatfbeucr they intended againft the people of God, yet in
all their proceedings they did nothing but that which God had determined
before to be done. And when Senacherib came againft the lewes as a wildc
beaft out of his denne,the Lord tellcth Hezekiah concerning Aftiur that he
ifa jya^. ^ill put A^ hooke in his nofir tils, and his bridle in his lipfes , and bring him backe a-
gaine the fame way he came, that is , he will fb rule him that he fhall not doe the
kaft hurt vnto the Icwcs,more then God will. Tbs is a matter of great com-
fort to Gods church opprefled with manifold enemics,Pnpifts,Tewcs,Turks
and all infidels, malitioully bent againft it for Chrifts fake . For though they
intend and pra
can not doe : becaufe he hath his ring in their noftrils, and his bridle in their
lippes to rule them as he lifteth.
Thefecond thing which fell out immediately vpon the death of Chrift is,
that the (buldiours pearced his fide w ith a fpeare,and thence iffued water and
blood.The vfe which arifeth of this point is two-fold: firft,it ferues to proouc
that Chrill died truly,andnot in fhew,or a fained death: for there is about the
heart a filme or skinne like vnto a purfe wherein is contained cleare water to
cclem^dere coole the heat of the heart , and therefore when water and bloode iflued out
jjpiicJdiuo. after piercing of the fide, it is very likely that ^ that veiy skinne was pierced :
for els in reafon we can not coniefture whence this water Ibculd come. Saint
lohn an eye-witnes of this thin^, beeing about to prooue that lefus the fonnc
of Marie was the true Meilias,bringeth in fixe witnefles : thiee in heauen,?^^
Father, the Word,anA the holy Ghofl : & three in earth, the 7Vater,the Spirit, and
iMi-s^ the blood: where no doubt he alludeth to the water and Wood that ilTued out
o£|
oftheCreede, Chrifts execution, ^45
of ilie fide of Chrifl : by ^irit we may vnderftand the cfficacie and operation
of Gods :?pirit making men to bnngforth thefruits of thenime^as Ioue,pcace,
ioy,&c. And the fecond vvitnes, namely water, hath relation to the water that
came forth of Chnl}s(ide,which fignifeththemwardwaihingawayoffinne,
and the purging of the heart by Chnfls blood : which alfo is and was ^\^m^td
by the oiitward washing of the bodie with water in baptifme . The third wit-
nes he calls blood,alludmg to the blood diatifTued out of Chriffs fide: v\ here-
by is lignificd the expiation or fiUisfaftion made to Gods iuflice for mans
fmne. The fame vfe had the cercmoniall fprinkling in the old teffanient^typi-
cally fr^nifyin^ the fprinkling of Chrid s blood.Now thcfe three witnefles are
not to be fought for in heauen, but euery Chrillian man mufl fcarch for them
in his ovvne heart and confcience , and there fliall he finde them in fomemca-
fure. And this water and blood flowing out of the Hde of Clinfi: bccuio- now
dead , fignifieth that he is our luffification and fanftificationcuen after his
deathrand that out of his death fprings our hfe : and thcrfore as Euc was made
of aribbe taken out of the fide of Adam : fo fprings the Church out of the
blood that fiowes out of the fide of the fecond Adam.
Hauing thus intreated of Chriffs execution , letvs now cometothelaft
point,namely the excellencic of Chrifts pa/Iion^cofiffmg in thefe two points:
I. a Sacrifice: 1 1, a triumph. For thefirif^when C hrifl: AiQ(\ he offered a pro-
pitiatorieand reall facrifice to his father: and herein his dcadi and paffion dif-
tereth from the fufferings and deaths of all men whatfoeuer . In this ficriffcc,
wc mafl: confider foure things : I. who was the prieft. 1 1. whaX was the facri-
fice III. what was the altar. I V.the time wherein this facrifice was offered.
The priell: was Chrift himfelfe , as the author of the cpiffles to the Heb: ewes