The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part 2 · Subpart 22
OF CHRISTS DEATH.
THE chiefe Queſtions hereof are.
1 How Christ is ſaid to hauehave bin dead.
2 Whether it was requiſite and neceſſarie that Chriſt ſhould die.
3 What are the fruits of Chriſts death.
1 HOW CHRIST IS SAID TO HAVE BEENE DEAD.
IT is needful to moue this queſtion, becauſe of the heretikes, who hauehave depraued the ſenſe of this article. Marcion denied that hee died indeed; as alſo hee affirmed the whole ordinarie diſpenſation and miniſterie of the humane nature in Chriſt, and all thoſe thinges which hee did vndergoe for vsus, to hauehave bin but imaginarie, and that hee onelyonly ſeemed to bee as a man. Neſtorius ſeparated the two natures in Chriſt, neither would hauehave the ſonne of God, but man onelyonly to hauehave died. Doe not boaſt thou Jewe (ſaieth Neſtorius) thou hast not crucified God. The Vbiquitaries beleeue that the humanitie of Chriſt from the moment of his incarnation was ſo indowed with all the properties of the Godhead, as that only in this the humanitie differeth from the Godhead, that the humanitie hath by an accident, whatſoeuer the Godhead hath by and of it ſelfe. Hereof it commeth, that they imagin that Chriſt was in the time of his death, yea when hee was incloſed in the Virgins wombe, in heauen and eueriewhere, not onelyonly as touching his Godhead, but with his bodie too. This is it which they call the forme of God.
Wherefore againſt all theſe wee affirme that Chriſt died truely and corporallie, euen by a true diuulſion & ſeparation of his ſoule from his bodie, ſo that not onelyonly his ſoule and body were not together euerie where, but were not together in one place. Mat. 27.50. Thē Ieſus cried again with a loud voice & yeelded vp the Ghoſt. Mar. 15.37. Ieſus cried with a loude voice, and gaue vp the Ghoſt. Luk 23.46. Father, into thy hands I commend my ſpirit. And when hee had ſaide theſe words, hee gaue vp the Ghoſt. Iohn. 19.30. Hee bowed his head and gaue vp the Ghoſt. But yet this is further to be added, that although his ſoule was ſeparated from his bodie, yet the Word notwithſtanding did not forſake neither bodie nor ſoule, but remained neuertheleſſe ioyned both to bodie and ſoule, and therefore the two natures in Chriſt were not diuelled or ſundered by that diuulſion of the ſoule and bodie. Obiection. Why then cried hee, Mat. 27.46. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee? Aunſwere. Becauſe of his delay and differring of help and ſuccour. For the two natures in Chriſt ought not to hauehave beene diuelled or ſundered; becauſe it is written, God hath purchaſed the Church with his owne bloude. And hee was to be the ſonne of God, who ſhoulde die for our ſinnes, that hee might bee a ſufficient price for them. Hereby alſo it doth clearely appeare, that The vnion of both natures in Chriſt is no Vbiquitie. For the ſoul being ſeparated from the bodie, was not in the graue with the bodie, and by a conſequent, not eueriewhere, becauſe that which is euerie where can neuer bee ſeparated. Obiection. But, as vertue, that is his diuinitie is ſaide to hauehave gone out of him: ſo alſo hee gaue vp the Ghoſt. Aunſwere. There is a diſſimilitude in theſe: Becauſe the diuinity remaining vnited with the humane nature, yet did worke abroade without it. The ſoule did depart from the bodie. The reaſon of this diſſimilitude is; becauſe the act of his diuinitie is increate and infinite, but the act and power of his ſoul finite and created.
2 Whether it was requiſite and neceſſary that Chriſt ſhould die.
IT was requiſite and neceſſarie that Chriſt ſhould die, 1. In reſpect of the iuſtice of God, that ſo his iuſtice might be ſatisfied which required the death of men, by whom it was violated. For the hurting & offending of the greateſt good is to bee expiated with the greateſt puniſhment, or with the vtmoſt deſtruction of nature, that is, with the death of the giltie condemned for ſinne, according to that, Rom. 6.23. The wages of ſinne is death. Now it was requiſite that the ſonne of God ſhould die, that hee might bee a ſufficient ranſome for our ſinnes. For no creature coulde hauehave ſuſtained ſuch a puniſhment, as ſhould hauehave beene equiualent to eternall puniſhment, and yet withall ſhould hauehave beene temporal. Obiection. They hauehave deſerued eternall puniſhment, whoſoeuer are not reconciled to God by Christ. Therefore the ſoules ought not to be ſeparated from their bodies, that they might ſuffer eternal damnation. Aunſwere. It dooth not followe▪ but this rather, That therefore both bodie and ſoule muſt bee together, that they maie ſuffer it, which at length ſhall ſo come to paſſe.
2 Jn reſpect of gods truth, that the truth of GOD maie bee ſatisfied. For GOD threatned and denounced death, when euer wee ſinned: which denouncing was to bee fulfilled, after ſin was once committed. And this is that commination or threatning pronounced by God himſelfe, Gen. 2.17. In the daie that thou eateſt thereof, thou ſhalt die the death. Obiection. But Adam did not preſently die. Aunſwere. Truely he died ſpirituallie eternal death, and now was dead: I hard (ſaith he, Gen. 3.10.) thy voice. There was a terrour in him, and a feeling of Gods wrath, a ſtrife with death, the loſſe of al the giftes both of body and mind. But there followed the equity, moderation, and lenitie of the Goſpell. For God had not expreſſely ſaide, that hee ſhoulde certainelie die wholy, and that preſently. For ſo had hee periſhed for euer. Wherefore the Sonne offered a mitigation and lenifieng, raiſed him vp to a new life, that ſtil notwithſtanding he ſhould remaine ſubiect to the corporal death, which yet ſhould not be deadlie and pernicious vntounto him.
3 In reſpect of the promiſe made to the fathers, both by words, as in Iſa. 53.7. He is brought as a ſheepe to the ſlaughter, and as a ſheepe before the ſhearer is dum, ſo openeth he not his mouth: & by ſacrifices, wherby god promiſed that chriſt ſhould dy, & dy ſuch a death, as ſhould be an equiualēt price for the ſins of the whole world. This could not be the work of any meere creature: but of the ſon of god only, and therefore it was requiſite & neceſſarie that the Sonne of God ſhould ſuffer ſo grieuous a death for vsus. Obiection. Then they doe not ſatisfie gods iuſtice, who are puniſhed, becauſe their puniſhment is endleſſe and eternall. Anſwere. They ſatisfie by eternal puniſhment. Replie. So then might we alſo be deliuered from the curſe by our ſelues. Aunſwere. So then ſhall wee neuer bee deliuered, but ſhall ſuſteine puniſhment eternall, which is without ende.
Out of this which hath beene ſaide we may draw this doctrine. 1 That ſinne is most of all to bee eſchued of vsus, which could not bee expiated but by the death of the ſonne of god. 2. That wee ought to bee thankefull to the ſonne of god, for this his ſo great a benefit of vnſpeakable grace & fauour beſtowed vponupon vsus. 3. That all our ſinnes, how many, how great, and how-greeuous ſoeuer they be, are expiated and done awaie by the death alone of Chriſt.
3 The fruit of Chriſts death.
THE fruite & cōmoditie of Chriſts death is the whole work of our redemption. 1. Iuſtification or remiſſion of ſinnes, becauſe the iuſtice of God requireth that God ſhould not puniſh a ſinner twiſe: but hee hath puniſhed our ſinnes in Chriſt: Therefore hee will not puniſh againe the ſame in vsus. 1. Iohn. 1.7. The bloud of Ieſus Chriſt purgeth vsus from all ſin, as well originall, as actuall, as well of fact or doing what we ſhould not, as of omiſſion, or not dooing what we ſhould. The cauſe of this effect is the death of Chriſt. 2. The gift of the Holy ghoſt, & through his working, regeneration, & a new life: becauſe Chriſt by his death hath not onelyonly obtained for vsus pardon for our ſinne, and reconciliation with god; but alſo the gift of the holy Ghoſt, that by his working and vertue the old man might bee crucified with Chriſt, that is, that by the Holy Ghoſt through the efficacie of Chriſts merite & our engraffing into him, our corrupt and as yet not regenerated nature might bee aboliſhed in vsus: and that of the contrarie, righteouſneſſe might be begunne in vsus, the image of God, deſtroied by the Diuel in vsus, might bee reſtored, and wee by the ſame ſpirit moued to ſhew & yeelde all thankefulnes for ſo great a benefite. 1. Cor. 1.30. Chriſt is made vntounto vsus righteouſneſſe, wiſedom, ſanctification, and redemption. Col. 2.10. Ye are compleat in him.
The death of chriſt is the impellēt or motiue cauſe in effectuating our regeneration, in two reſpectes. 1. In reſpect of god: becauſe for the death of chriſt god pardoneth vsus our ſinne, and giueth vsus the holie ghost. Galat 4.6. Becauſe yee are Sonnes, god hath ſent forth the ſpirite of his Son into your harts, which crieth Abba Father. 2. In reſpect of vsus alſo it is an impellent cauſe: becauſe they who apprehend Chriſts merit by a true faith, and apply his death vntounto themſelues, for them it is vnpoſſible to be vnthankfull. For all after they are once iuſtified prepare and addreſſe themſelues to do thoſe things which are grateful vntounto God: for regeneration, or the deſire and endeuour of obeying God cannot bee ſeparated from the applying of his death vntounto vsus, nor the benefite of regeneration from the benefite of iuſtification: All who are iuſtified are alſo regenerated and ſanctified; And all who are regenerated, are alſo iuſtified. Obiection. 1. Pet. 1.3. The Apoſtle attributeth our regeneration to Chriſtes reſurrection: why then is regeneration here attributed to his death? Aunſwere. It is attributed vntounto Chriſtes death as touching his merite: for hee merited regeneration for vsus by dieng. And it is attributed to Chriſtes reſurrection in reſpect of the applieng of it; for by riſing from the dead he applieth vntounto vsus regeneration, and giueth vsus the Holie Ghoſt. 3. Eternal life is alſo the fruit of Chriſts death. Ioh. 3.16. God ſo loued the woorld, that he gaue his onelyonly begotten Sonne, that whoſoeuer beleeueth in him ſhould not periſh but hauehave euerlaſting life. 1. Iohn 5.11. GOD hath giuen vntounto vsus eternall life, and this life is in his Sonne.
Obiection. Jf Chriſt died for vsus; why then die we too? For hee ſhould not die, for whom another hath alreadie died: otherwiſe the ſatisfaction would ſeeme double. Aunſwere. He, for whom another hath died ſhould not dy, as thereby to ſatisfie, that is, ſo that his death ſhould be any merite or ſatisfaction: but there are other cauſes why we muſt die. For wee die, not to ſatisfie the iuſtice of God, but by death, as a meane, to receiue thoſe giftes, which Chriſt by his death hath merited for vsus. For this our temporal death is, 1. An admonition of the greatneſſe of ſinne. 2. A purging and cleanſing of vsus. For by death are purged out the reliques and remaines of ſinnes in vsus. 3. A tranſlating into eternal life. For by corporal death is the paſſage of the faithfull made into eternall life. Reply. If the cauſe be taken away, the effect is takē away, but the cauſe of death in vsus, which is ſin, is taken awaie by Chriſt: therefore the effect alſo, which is death it ſelfe, ought to be taken awaie. Anſ. Where al cauſe is taken awaie, the effect alſo is taken awaie: but in vsus all cauſe of death is not taken awaie, as concerning the purging out of ſinne: albeit it bee taken awaie, as touching the remiſſion of ſinne. Or we maie aunſwere vntounto the Minor propoſition, That ſinne is indeede taken awaie, as touching the guilt, but it is not taken away as touching the matter of ſinne, which as yet remaineth.
AND BVRIED.
THE cauſes of Chriſtes buriall are, 1 That we might knowe that hee was dead indeed. For the liuing are not buried, but the dead only. And hither belong ſome parts of the ſtorie penned by the Euangeliſts, as, that chriſt was pearced with a launce, that he was taken downe from the Croſſe, that he was annointed & wrapt in linnen clothes. For as by the touching & feeling of him, by his eating & appearing after his reſurrection we gather that he did indeed riſe again: ſo of the other we collect that he was indeede dead. 2 That the laſt part of his humiliation, whereby hee did debaſe himſelfe for our ſakes, might bee accompliſhed. That was his burial, in which his body was as well caſt into the earth, as any other dead corps. A dead body is indeed void of ſenſe and feeling: but yet notwithſtanding ignominious is it for the bodie to be committed vntounto the earth, as it is ſaid: To duſt ſhalt thou returne. And as Chriſtes reſurrection from the dead and death, is a part of his glore: ſo his burial, that is, the debaſing of his bodie to bee in the ſame ſtate with other dead carcaſes is a part of his humiliation. 3 A certaine type was to be fulfilled. It was foretolde by the type of Ionas remaining 3. daies in the Whale, That the Meſſias ſhould be buried. Therefore for the fulfilling of this type he ought alſo to be buried, and to remaine vntill the third day in the graue. 4 He would be buried, that he might not be afraid of the graue, but might knowe that our head Chriſt Ieſus had laid open the waie vntounto vsus by the graue and death to celeſtiall glorie: and therefore ſhall wee bee raiſed out of the graue, albeit we die & giuegive vp the Ghoſt. 5 That we might knowe how we are indeed deliuered from death. For in his death, a testimonie and record whereof is his buriall, conſiſteth our ſaluation. 6 That it might be apparent and manifeſt, as concerning his reſurrection, euen that hee was able indeede to riſe againe, and to ſhew that hee hath ouercome death, and that his reſurrection was not imaginarie, but the reſurrectiō of a reuiuing corps. 7 That we beeing ſpirituallie dead, that is, to ſin, might reſt from ſinne. Rom. 6.4. Wee are buried with Chriſt by Baptiſme into his death, that like as Chriſt was raiſed vp from the dead by the glory of the father, ſo we alſo ſhould walke in newneſſe of life.
HE DESCENDED INTO HEL.
I Beleeue in Chriſt who deſcended into Hel, that is, I beleeue that Chriſt for me ſuſtained in his ſoule infernall & helliſh pains & tormentes, & that exceeding ignominie which is due vntounto the wicked in Hell: that thereby I might not deſcend into hell, and that I might neuer bee forced to ſuffer them, all which otherwiſe I ſhould ſuffer in hell eternallie: but that of the contrarie rather I might aſcend with Chriſt into heauen, and there enioie with him exceeding happineſſe and glory for euer and euer. This is the vſe and profite of this Article of Chriſtes deſcenſion into hel. Now wee are a little more at large to declare, what is the meaning of that Article, or what is properlie that Deſcenſion of Chriſt into hell.
Hell in Scripture is taken three waies. For it ſignifieth, 1. The graue. Geneſis. 42.38. Then yee ſhall bring my graie heade with ſorrowe vntounto hell. Pſalm. 16.10. Thou wilt not leaue my ſoule in Hell: neither wilt thou ſuffer thy holy one to ſee corruption. 2. The place of the damned. As in the ſtorie of the rich man and Lazarus. 3. The paines of hell, that is, the terrours, and tormentes of the ſoule and conſcience. Pſal. 116.3. The griefes of hel caught me. 1. Sam. 2.6. The Lord bringeth downe to hel and raiſeth vp, that is, into exceeding pains and torments, out of which afterwards he again deliuereth. In this third ſenſe is it taken in this Article: for it cannot be vnderſtoode of the graue, becauſe there goeth before, He was buried. If anie ſay that this latter Article is an expoſition of the former, hee ſaith nothing. For as often as two ſpeeches expreſſing the ſame thing are ioyned together, ſo that the one is an expoſition of the other, it is meete that the latter bee more cleare and open than the former: againe, it is not likely in this ſo briefe & ſuccinct a confeſſion, that the ſame thing ſhould be twiſe ſpokē in other words. Neither cā this place be vnderſtood of the place of the damned; For Chriſt ſaid, Into thy hands I commend my ſpirit; & to the Theef, This day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe: as if he ſhould ſaie, This day ſhalt thou be with me, as touching my ſoule, in Paradiſe, that is, in the place of euerlaſting ſaluation or happineſſe, where thou ſhalt, being deliuered from al tormentes, enioie moſt pleaſaunt quiet and repoſe. This is not to bee vnderſtoode of the Godheade of Chriſt, as if that ſhoulde bee the ſame daie together with the ſoule of the Theefe, in Paradiſe. For the God-head is and ſhall bee eueryevery where. But thou ſhalt be in Paradiſe with me, euen whom thou ſeeſt hanging on the croſſe.
The deſcenſion of Chriſt therefore into Hell ſignifieth, 1 thoſe extreme torments and griefes, which chriſt ſuffered in his ſoule: namely the wrath of God againſt ſinnes, and that ſuch, as the damned feele, partly in this life, & partlie in the life to come. 2. The Exceeding and extreme ignomine and reproche, which chriſt ſuffered. That Chriſt ſuffered theſe thinges, is prooued by the Teſtimonie of Dauid before alleaged, The griefes of Hell caught mee: which is ſayde of Chriſt in the perſon of Dauid. There are other the like ſayings, whereby the ſame is prooued. Iſa. 53.10. The Lord would breake him and make him ſubiect to infirmities. Mat. 26.38. My ſoule is verie heauie, euen vntounto the death. The ſame doo thoſe his vexations alſo ſhewe in the garden, when he ſwet blood. Iſai. 53.6. The Lord hath laid vponupon him the iniquitie of vsus all. Therefore hee crieth out, Mat. 27.49. My God, my god, why haſt thou forſaken mee? The ſame is proued alſo by this reaſon, euen becauſe hee ought to ſuffer not onlie in body, but in ſoule to, for vsus, that hee might alſo redeeme our ſoules.
Obiection. 1. The articles of faith ought to be vnderſtood properlie. Aunſwere. True; except an article, beeing taken according to the proper ſignification, be diſagreeing from other places of ſcripture. But this Article of Chriſts deſcenſion into Hell, beeing taken properlie, is much repugnant to that ſaying of Chriſt, Iohn. 19.30. It is finiſhed. For if Chriſt fulfilled and finiſhed all the parts of our redemption on the Croſſe, there was no cauſe why hee ſhould deſcend into Hell, that is, vntounto the place of the damned.
Obiection. 2. Hee deſcended into Hell, and that by a locall deſcenſion (as the papiſts affirm) to deliuer the Fathers thence. Anſwere. 1. Wee denie that chriſt deſcended locallie into Hell: and that for this reaſon. Jf chriſt did locallie deſcend into Hell, hee deſcended either as touching his Godhead, or as touching his ſoule, or as touching his body: Not as touching his Godhead: For that is euerie where: Not as touching his ſoule, becauſe he ſaith, Father, into thy handes I commend my ſpirite. Replie. But hee might alſo bee in the hand of his Father, that is, in his Fathers protection, euen in Hell: According to that Pſalm. 139.8. If I lie downe in Hell, thou art there: that is, there alſo will god hauehave care ouer mee, and there alſo will hee keepe me, that I periſh not. Anſwere. One place enterpreteth another: for he had ſaid before vntounto the Theefe: This daie ſhalt thou be with mee in Paradiſe, that is, in the place and ſtate of the bleſſed, where both are free from theſe paines; that is, hee ſpeaketh of felicity and liberty, which is not in Hell. Whereupon alſo it is clear, that Chriſt ſpake this to the Theefe, not of his God-head, but of that, which ſuffered, which was his ſoul. For the godhead was with the Theefe, neither did Chriſt ſuffer or was deliuered as touching his God-heade, but as touching his ſoule. Laſtly, Chriſt deſcended not into Hell locally as touching his bodie, becauſe his body was in the graue, neither roſe from any other place, but from the graue. It followeth therefore that this article cannot bee vnderſtood of a locall deſcenſion into Hell. Aunſwere 2 Albeit it were true that Chriſt deſcended locally into Hell: yet hee ſhoulde not hauehave deſcended for this cauſe which they imagine, as namely to deliuer the Fathers. Which alſo is prooued by this reaſon: If Chriſt deſcended locally into Hel, he deſcended either to ſuffer or to deliuer: Not to ſuffer; becauſe now all thinges were finiſhed on the Croſſe: as chriſt himſelfe alſo hanging on the Croſſe ſaid, Jt is finiſhed. He deſcended not to deliuer the Fathers; 1 Becauſe he did this before, in ſuffering for them on earth. 2 Hee did the ſame by the power and efficacie of his God-heade, from the verie beginning of the worlde, not by the deſcenſion of his ſoule or bodie into Hel. 3 The Fathers were not in Limbo; Therefore they could not be deliuered thence. As it is ſaide, Luk. 16.46. Betweene you and vsus there is a great gulfe ſet, ſo that they which would go from hence to you cannot; neither can they come from thence to vsus. And in the ſame place, Lazarus is ſaid to bee in Abrahams boſome, not in Limbo. The ſoules of the iuſt are in the hand of God.
3 Objection. Chriſt indeede did not deſcend into Hell, either to ſuffer or to deliuer, but (as ſome wil) to ſhewe the Diuell and Death his victorie, and ſo to strike a terrour into them. Which, they ſay, is confirmed by that place of Peter. 1. Pet. 3.19. By the which he alſo went & preached vntounto the ſpirits that are in priſon, which were in time paſſed diſobedient. Anſwere. That for this cauſe Chriſt deſcended into Hell, is not found in ſcripture: & that place of Peter is thus to be vnderſtood, Chriſt went, that is, beeing ſent from the beginning of the Father vntounto the Church, by his ſpirite, that is, by his God-head, and vntounto the ſpirites that are now in priſon, that is, in Hell, hee preached in time paſſed, when as yet they liued & were diſobedient, namely before the flud, and in the time of Noah, inuiting them to repentance. So is alſo another ſaieng of Peter to be vnderſtood, 1. Pet. 4.6. The Goſpel was alſo preached vntounto the dead. That is, vntounto thoſe which are now dead, or were then dead, when Peter wrote this, and who then liued when the Goſpel was preached vntounto them. Reply. Chriſt deſcended into the loweſt partes of the earth, Epheſ. 4.9. Therefore to Hell. Aunſwere. Into the loweſt partes of the earth, that is, into the earth, which is the loweſt part of the world. This interpretation is prooued by the ſcope and drift of the Apoſtle, who maketh in that place an oppoſition of chriſts great glory, & his great humiliation. But were it ſo, that theſe places, which ſome alleage for to eſtabliſh this opinion, were to be vnderſtood of a locall deſcenſion of Chriſt into Hell, yet would they not make for them, but rather for the papiſts, who teach, That chriſt preached vntounto the Fathers in Hell, and thence deliuered them. Now if theſe teſtimonies help not the Papiſts, muchleſſe wil they helpe them. For it is certaine, that it cannot be thence prooued that Chriſt deſcended into Hell to ſtrike a terrour into Death and the Diuell. This opinion indeed is not impious or vngodly, & is approoued by manie of the Fathers: but yet I leaue it, becauſe it is not grounded on anie firme reaſons: and contrarie reaſons are at hand, eaſie to be had. For 1. Chriſt himſelfe ſaid (which teſtimonies hauehave now often beene recited) This daie ſhalt thou bee with mee in Paradiſe: Father, into thy hands I commend my ſpirite: Againe, It is finiſhed. 2. Jf hee deſcended to triumph, this Article ſhould bee the beginning of his glorification: But it is not likelie that Chriſt tooke the beginning of his glorification in hell. For it is apparent by the oppoſition of the Article following, That chriſtes Deſcenſion was the loweſt degree of his humiliation: And yet I confeſſe withall that chriſt ſtroke a great terrour into the Diuels: but that was by his death, whereby hee diſarmed and vanquiſhed the Diuel, ſin, and death.