Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 18 · Section 4
He ſuffered vnderunder Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, buried, deſcended into hell.
13 The order, which we before appointed, requireth, that firſt we ſhould ſpeake of the death of Chriſt; ſecondlie, of that ſtate, wherein he was after his death, as well touching the bodie, Two things to be noted in the death of Chriſt.as touching the ſoule. Firſt therefore, this death of Chriſt, the which can neuer be ſufficientlie praiſed or conſidered by vsus, had two things; on…, that it was verie ignonimious; the other, that it was gréeuous aboue meaſure. The rebukes of Chriſt.The rebukes that Chriſt ſuffered, although they were verie manie, and verie hard to be abidden; yet let vsus conſider, that they depend vponupon two principall points. The one is, that infamous qualitie and nature of ſinnes, which were laid vponupon him: but the other is the perfect innocencie and pure righteouſneſſe of his life. For euen as, A ſimilitude.when anie vnclenlie and vnpure thing, if it be ſéene in the common ſtréet, is not ſo ill agréeing; and it leſſe offendeth, than if through the enuie and ill dealing of ſome man it be throwne vponupon a certeine noble and pretious painted table: ſo is it much leſſe decent for a man that far excelleth all other creatures, to be ſtained with infamie and diſhonour. And as concerning Chriſt, which was the head of men, the prince of angels, and the onelie ſonne of God (he being not onlie iuſt and innocent, but alſo verie innocencie and iuſtice it ſelfe) certeinlie it was too too ſhamefull and ignominious, that he ſhould be burdened with ſo gréeuous crimes; and that in iudgement, not before the citizens of one citie onelie, but before all the people of the whole kingdome of Iewrie, who at that time, by a vſuall cuſtome, was compelled to celebrate Eaſter at Ieruſalem.
The ſlanders and railings againſt Chriſt.Neither did it ſatiſfie them, that they had oftentimes defamed him with railings, calling him a poſſeſſour of euill ſpirits, a ſorcerer, a familiar of diuels, by whoſe helpe he did worke miracles; and that they called him a gluttonous fellow, a droonkard, from whome no ſound doctrine could procéed; likewiſe a companion of publicans & ſinners, and finallie of infamous and wicked men; that from him procéeded nothing but offenſes, & euill examples. They called him a Samaritane, a ſtranger frō the true worſhipping of GOD, from whome, as from ſome prophane perſon that was excommunicated from the church, all men were to ſhun. They (I ſaie) being not content with theſe reprochings, to the intent they might purſue him vntounto death, they laid this thing againſt him before Pilat and Herod; namelie, that he had vttered intollerable blaſphemie againſt the lawe of God, arrogating vntounto himſelfe the name of the ſonne of God; that he was a ſeditious man, not onelie againſt their owne lawes, but alſo againſt the common ſtate of the Roman empire, by perſuading of the people to denie tribute vntounto Caeſar: and that he earneſtlie purſued this one thing; to wit, that contrarie vntounto order, and without conſent of the Romans, he challenged the dignitie of a king.
Chriſt iudged worſe than Barrabas.14 And by this meanes he came into ſuch ſhame and contempt, as Barrabas, though he were a wicked and notable théefe, was iudged to be more iuſt than he: ſo that ſuch a man being quit, our Chriſt was condemned. And in token of his iuſt condemnation, and to hauehave it manifeſt, that he (aboue all other which commonlie are iudged wicked) was worthie of the croſſe; He was crucified.he (by decrée of the iudge) was hanged betwéene two théeues, as though he had béene the chéefeſt among thoſe that were moſt wicked and miſchéeuous perſons. But then was fulfilled that propheſie, which is written in Eſaie, which ſaith; Eſaie. 53, 3.that Chriſt ſhould bee contemned and nothing regarded among men: from whoſe ſight euerie one ſhould withdraw himſelfe, and that at the length he ſhould be reckoned among the wicked. And certeinlie, his ſentence dooth not diſagrée with that, which Paule writeth in his epiſtle to the Galathians, where he ſaith, Gala. 3, 13.that He became a curſſe for vsus, to deliuer vsus from the curſſe of the lawe: for bicauſe it is written; Curſed is euerie one that hangeth vponupon a tree. And here commeth to remembrance to ſpeake a few words of the iuſtice of God, how excéeding ſeuere ſo euer the ſame were. But ſhew me (I pray thée) if ſhame and confuſion be of good right due vntounto ſinnes; what greater and more heaped meaſure of ſhame might there be found, than that, which Chriſt ſuffered for our ſakes?
Were not the offenſes of man ſufficientlie and aboue meaſure deriued vntounto Chriſt, & the ſame puniſhed in him with all ſhame and diſhonour? Some man perhaps will ſaie, that the rebukes were of leſſe wait; bicauſe of his grounded innocencie. And in verie déed on this behalfe ſome eaſement might hauehave béene brought to thoſe reproches, The innocencie of Chriſt excuſed.if that innocencie had béene moſt manifeſt to the ſight of all men. But aſſuredlie, vponupon that daie, wherein Chriſt was lifted vponupon the croſſe, he was ſo oppreſſed with the great heape of deſpitefull railings, and falſe accuſations of euill, as the people miſerablie beheld him nailed vntounto the croſſe, wagging their head at him; not as though they were troubled by perceiuing his afflictions, but that they might purſue him ſtill being wearied with ignominies and ſlanders, as though they allowed by their iudgement, all thoſe troubles and miſeries, which inuironed him on euerie ſide. Iuſtlie therefore may we reioiſe, that we by faith are made partakers of ſo great a benefit; ſéeing all the rebukes and ignominies, which were due for our ſinnes, Chriſt our head tooke vponupon him, and vtterlie aboliſhed. Yea vndoubtedlie, in the place of this ſhame & ignominie, we by that merit of Chriſt poſſeſſe in hope both glorie and honour in the ſight of GOD, as a thing due vntounto vsus.
15 But ſéeing not onelie ſhame and ignominie is by the iuſt iudgement of GOD due to ſinne, but alſo puniſhments, Why Chriſt departed this life with railings and puniſhments.which are laid vponupon vsus, according to the maner and meaſure of the ſinne: for this cauſe Chriſt departed this life, not onelie loden with railings and contumelies, but alſo was as it were plucked from the ſame life by the violence of moſt gréeuous paines, and moſt cruell puniſhments. The which ſéeing the euangeliſts doo plentifullie recite, it is not our meaning to ſpend anie longer time in particular deſcribing of the ſame. Howbeit, it ſéemeth that all thoſe puniſhments of Chriſt, which vndoubtedlie are innumerable, may be contriued ſpeciallie into foure chéefe partes. Among which, the firſt appeare to be the ſundrie ſorts of ſcornings, wherewith he was diuers times aſſailed: ſuch were the ſpitting in his face, the ſaluting, and intituling him by the name of king; the putting off of his owne garments, and cladding him with other garments vnaccuſtomed; the reputing of him ſometime to be a foole, and ſometime a prince; by blindfolding his eies with a cloth, and by putting the ſcepter of a king (though the ſame were of a réed) into his hands: alſo, being ſo araied, the bidding of him to propheſie by ſuch as mocked him; alſo to be ſet naked in the ſight of all the people: finallie, to ſée his garments diuided to moſt wicked knaues, and lots to be caſt vponupon them. I paſſe ouer, that he was accounted of Herod as it were a common foole, & an infinite number of other mocks, with the which he was diſquieted; as the wiſe reader ſhall eaſilie vnderſtand out of the holie ſcriptures. In the 13. ſection.But if one demand, wherein the rebukes and ignominies laid vponupon Chriſt, wherof we hauehave ſpoken before, doo differ from theſe latter: I anſwer, that thoſe belong to vniuſt infamie, to accuſation, and vniuſt condemnation; but theſe were added for the puniſhment of thoſe faults, which ſlanderouſlie were laid vponupon him.
His blowes & wounds.16 Beſides theſe reproches, we muſt weigh the ſtripes and bloudie wounds, which he ſuſteined in his whole bodie, the blowes, the ſcourgings, the ſtrikings with the réed, the prickings with thornes, and an infinite number of other things more, which he ſuffered at the ſeſſions of the prieſts and elders, in the iudgement hall, in the ſtréets, and elſe-where in diuers other places. His croſſe.Theſe hard afflictions receiued he vnderunder the croſſe, the which he bare on his ſhoulders with great trauell, before it held him ſtretched out vponupon it with his whole bodie. But he was crucified being not tied with anie bands, as perhaps the reſt were; yet nailed vntounto the wood through hands and féet, euen as he himſelfe hereof gaue a ſure teſtimonie after his reſurrection, when he ſaid vntounto Thomas; Iohn. 22, 27.Bring thy finger hither, and ſee my hands, and put foorth thine hand, and put it into my ſide. Which he added, by reaſon of the wound that he receiued in his ſide by a certeine ſoldier after his death. The verie which thing Dauid, Pſal. 22, 17.by the ſpirit of propheſie, had foretold in the Pſalmes; They perſed (ſaith he) my hands and my feet. The ſame prophet alſo paſſed not ouer in ſilence, that vnpleaſant taſt of myrrhe, the which being mingled with vineger, was proffered vntounto Chriſt for a drinke. For he writeth in the 69. pſalme; verſe. 22.They gaue me gall for my food, and vineger for quenching of my thirſt. The fourth and laſt puniſhment, which Chriſt for our ſake tooke vponupon him, His death.was that ſeparation of the ſoule from his pretious bodie; the which as he that had the ſame fullie in his owne power, and that ſawe all things to be fulfilled that were foretold of him by the prophets, touching the former matter, he of his owne accord, making a lowd voice yéelded vp his ſpirit.
17 But héere, Why God choſe this waie to ſaue mankind.ſéeing euerie thing is moſt woorthie to be noted; I ſtand in ſome doubt, what thing I may here firſt ſetle my ſelfe to examine. Howbeit among manie things. I will now intreat (as bréeflie as I can) of this, which I next adde. Firſt, let me aſke you one queſtion; whether it ſéeme moſt ſtrange vntounto you, that God (who by another eaſier kind of meanes might hauehave reconciled mankind to himſelfe) tooke in hand the performance thereof by ſo manie and ſo gréeuous paines and labours of his owne ſonne? For this is certeine, that he might hauehave taken anie other waie in hand for reconciling of vsus with his ſonne: why then did he make him ſubiect to ſo manie miſeries and rebukes? Here might I anſwer, that the iuſtice of God might by no other meanes be ſatiſfied. Which anſwer, as it is true, ſo is it commonlie receiued. Wherfore I thinke it méet to note here thrée things moſt profitable to be knowne. The firſt ſhall be this; that we may ſufficientlie vnderſtand, by that ſo hard a meanes, which God vſed for procurement of our ſaluation, how great a bond by the iuſt iudgment of God was growne through our ſinnes, how gréeuous was the burthen of them, how great was the wrath, enimitie, and hatred which God had conceiued againſt vsus, and how horrible a reuenge hoong ouer our heads. Which, if it be diligentlie enough conſidered, will it not be a moſt fit bridle to reſtreine our luſts, and to ſtaie vsus from falling into foule and ſhamefull acts, and into the vncleane works of darkneſſe of this world, and of the fleſh? Vndoubtedlie we, conſidering with the eies of our faith, how ſeuerelie and ſharpelie God hath puniſhed them in Chriſt, euerie one of vsus ought to be carefull to flie wiſelie from them.
Another thing that is méet here to be noted is this; namelie, that the conſciences of men, which through the infirmitie of the fleſh doo oftentimes faint, could neuer aſſure themſelues, from damnation, which by their continuall, yea and ſhamefull falles they deſerue; eſpeciallie when as God, the moſt iuſt iudge, who neuer leaueth our ſinnes vnpuniſhed, is alwaies ſet before our eies Mens minds (I ſaie) being ſtriken with the féele of ſinne, could neuer hauehave taken anie comfort vntounto them; vnleſſe the ſeuere ſentence againſt Chriſt had gone before. But when we perceiue, that the ſonne of God, by ſo hard and bitter chaſtiſement, abode the puniſhment for all our ſinnes; beſides, that from hence ſpringeth a full aſſuredneſſe to our minds: we can neuer be ſatiſfied in giuing of thanks vntounto the merciemercy of God, for that he caſt all our iniquities vponupon Chriſt, according as it was foreſhewed by Eſaie, Eſai. 53, 5.that ſo he ſhould ſuffer for our ſinnes thoſe gréeuous wounds and afflictions: And that is it which Paule remembreth in the eight chapter to the Romans; verſe. 31.that GOD ſpared not his owne onelie ſonne, but gaue him to death for vsus all.
18 But now let vsus come to the third point of doctrine, which it behooueth vsus diligentlie to weigh. Beſides the profitable vſes that we hauehave before aſſigned, as touching the ſufferings of Chriſt; heere he ſheweth himſelfe an example and liuelie image of all perfection: ſéeing we may héere behold what patience, obedience, and charitie our Chriſt taught vsus in dieng for vsus. Certeinlie, this doctrine is a moſt fit thing, inuented for the kéeping of conſtancie in all afflictions. Shall there anie be found, if he be preſſed with aduerſities, or ouercharged with diueliſh temptations, or if he run into anie other miſeries whatſoeuer, that turning his eies vponupon Chriſt hanging on the croſſe, dooth not in the greateſt troubles and calamities whatſoeuer, comfort himſelfe with this ioie? I boldlie héere affirme, that ſuch a man, aboue all others, will kéepe the quietnes and tranquillitie of his mind; ſéeing he acknowledgeth himſelfe by reaſon héereof to walke in the paths, and to tread in the ſteps of our moſt beloued maſter, and onelie redéemer Ieſus Chriſt. There is no affliction will be gréeuous vntounto him, neither will it diſquiet him to ſuſteine anie aduerſities or hard perſecutions, whatſoeuer they be, for the honour of God, and glorie of his Goſpell. Who is it from hence forward, that will refuſe to drinke of this cup of afflictions; ſéeing Chriſt our head and prince hath ſo chéerefullie droonke thereof for obteining ſaluation vntounto others?
Theſe things (I ſaie) if euerie faithfull man will throughlie conſider with himſelfe, he will not ſuffer the concupiſcences of the fleſh anie longer to take place, and beare rule in his mind; but with this pricke of the croſſe will daie and night be egged forward, and be profitablie driuen to the mortifieng of them; while he ſhall conſider, that the fleſh of Chriſt, by the commandement of his father, was humbled vponupon this trée; and that the ſame was obedient euen vntounto death, the which death was no leſſe cruell than ignominious. So as, by the paſſion of Chriſt, we not onelie picke out a conſolation in our miſeries, miſforturnes, and calamities, which often times light vponupon vsus; but alſo a liuelie exhortation, that we may be crucified with him, as concerning the old man and our fleſh: according to that, Gal. 5, 24.which Paule to the Galathians taught; They (ſaith he) that be of Chriſt, hauehave crucified the fleſh with the affections and luſts. Wherefore the ſame apoſtle vſed to call his afflictions, Stigmata, that is, Gal. 6, 17. The true prints and marks of Chriſts bodie.The prints and ſeales of Chriſt ingraued in his bodie.
By reaſon whereof we cannot maruell enough at the follie & alſo madnes of ſome chriſtians; which run hither & thither on pilgrimage, as far as Hieſa or Auernia, for the prints and ſeales where with they vaunt that their Francis was marked. But perſecutions, or rather infamies and loſſes, which muſt be ſuſteined either in goods or in bodies themſelues for Chriſts religion ſake, or elſe for ſhewing of obedience to God, they refuſe them; or elſe certeinlie they vnworthilie complaine of them euerie moment. Of all theſe things it followeth, that we ought verie much to eſtéeme afflictions, puniſhments, and troubles, which we indure by the will of GOD, for the glorie of Chriſt; as being ſeales & markes of all thoſe things, which the onelie ſonne of God, and our redéemer Chriſt ſuffered for vsus vponupon the croſſe. Now, albeit that the Maieſtie and worthines of this matter in hand dooth no ſmall deale allure me vntounto it, and ſcarſelie permitteth me to be led ſo ſoone from hence vntounto an other diſcourſe: yet, while I conſider, that I héere giuegive onelie an inſtruction vntounto them that be the more ignorant, and no full teaching of the better learned chriſtians: I will héere ſtaie my ſelfe, & take in hand to deſcribe that ſtate, which the bodie and the ſoule of Chriſt taſted of after his death.