Exposition of the Apostles Creed, Exposition · Part 2 · Section 9
Crucified.
Teſtimonies out of the Prophets and Apoſtles.
CHriſt ſaith in the 3. of Iohn out of the 21. of Numbers, As Moſes lifted vp the ſerpent in the wilderneſse, ſo muſt the ſonne of man be lifted vp, that all that beleeue in him, periſh not, but may hauehave life euerlaſting. For ſo God loued the world, that he gaue his onelyonly begotten ſonne, &c. And Iohn 12. Now is the iudgement of this worlde, and the Prince of this worlde ſhall be caſt foorth. And if I ſhall be lift vp from the earth, I will drawe all vntounto my ſelfe. Nowe he ſpake this (ſaith the Euangeliſt) ſignifying what death he ſhoulde die. And in the 3. of the Act. verſ. 18. Gala. 3. wherein that ſame diuine ſentence is cited out of the 21. chap. of Deut. Chriſt hath redeemed vsus from the curſſe of the lawe, whileſt he is made the curſſe for vsus. For it is written, Curſsed is euerie one that hangeth vponupon the tree, that the bliſsing of Abraham in the nations, might appeare in Ieſus Chriſt. Mark. 15. They cruſified alſo with him two theeues, one at his right hande, another at his left. And that ſcripture was fulfilled which ſaith, and he was numbred with the wicked. 1. Pet. 3. out of Eſay 52. hee that did no ſinne, neither was any guile founde in his mouth. And a little after, Who beare our ſinnes in his owne bodie vponupon the tree, &c. 1. Pet. 1. ver. 10.11.
Why Chriſt muſt rather bee crucified then ſuffer anie other kinde of death.
THe death of the croſſe was accurſſed of God. Gal. 3. Therefore God pronounced the ſentence of a curſe, by Pilates mouth againſt Chriſt. The ende is, that he might take away our curſſe and the bleſſing promiſed to Abraham might come vntounto vsus. When God ſaid in the law, Curſſed is he that hangeth vppon tree, he knewe, that his ſonne ſhoulde be hanged vponupon the tree, Therefore Chriſt ſuffered not this kinde of puniſhment at aduenture, or by the onelyonly will of the Iewes, but by the ſingular prouidence and counſaile of God. Actes 2. For ſeeing that an execrable and curſſed kinde of death was due to our wickedneſſes, & horrible offences, and this ſame death of the croſſe was accurſed, not onelyonly by mens iudgement, but by Gods owne ſentence: Deut. 21. It muſt needes be that Chriſt our pledge, muſt vndergoe this kinde of death, that by ſatisfieng, hee might free vsus from the curſſe. So Paul admoniſheth vsus, that Chriſte had taken away our curſſe, that he might communicate his bleſſing vntounto vsus, whileſt he was hanged vppon the tree. Gala. 3 Wherefore we more cleerely vnderſtande by the croſſe, as the ſigne of curſſe, that the burden of the cruſſe, wherewith wee were oppreſſed, was laide vppon him, which we could not vnderſtande by any other kinde of death.
That Chriſt was truely and in deede made a curſſe for vsus, neither yet for all that, is there any contumely or reproch offered vntounto him by vsus, for ſo ſaying.
CHriſt was truely and not ſeignedlie made a curſſe for vsus, as the holy ghoſt ſpeaketh. Gala. 3 And that verie thing the Apoſtle proueth by that voice of God: Curſſed is eueryevery one that hangeth on tree. And verilie, God did not onelyonly know, what manner of death his ſonne ſhoulde die, when he ſpake that, but alſo the death of the croſſe, which he pronounceth there accurſſed, was determined and decreed euen then, to the ſon. For in yt conſiſteth all our hope, in that appeareth the infinite louelove of God, that our God hath powred foorth, truly and not feignedly, all his wrath vponupon Chriſt his ſonne, that he hath curſſed, truely and in deede without any figure, that he might truely receaue vsus into fauour, ſo that indeed, vnleſſe Chriſt had alſo beene God, he had remained in that curſſe for euer, whereby it paſſed from vsus. For otherwiſe, if the wrath of God had ben faigned: then alſo had the obedience of the ſonne beene faigned, and alſo the hope of glorie which wee looke for, in vaine. Neither is it to be feared, that by this meanes any reproch is offered to the ſonne of God: For here Chriſt is to be conſidered in theſe qualities which hee hath not in himſelfe, but by imputation in reſpect of the office of a mediator, which condition he willingly tooke vppon him, that wee againe being iuſtified by faith, might bee his brethren, and heires together with him of the ſame kingdome. For wee beleeue, that hee did truely beare the curſſe of an other, laide vppon him, by doing whereof hee both yelded high obedience to God his father; and alſo by ouercomming that curſſe which hee tooke vponupon him, manifeſted his diuine power.