{"number":121,"title":"OF CHRISTS DEATH","part":"THE SECOND PART, OF MANS DELIVERIE","questions":[40,41,42,43,44],"paragraphs":[],"clauses":[],"items":[],"text":"The chiefe Questions hereof are.\n\n1 *How Christ is said to haue bin dead.*\\\n2 *Whether it was requisite and necessarie that Christ should die.*\\\n3 *What are the fruits of Christs death.*\n\n## 1 HOW CHRIST IS SAID TO HAVE BEENE DEAD\n\nIt is needful to moue this question, because of the heretikes, who haue 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 vs, to haue bin but imaginarie, and that hee onely seemed to bee as a man.* Nestorius *separated the two natures in Christ, neither would haue the sonne of God, but man onely to haue 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 onely as touching his Godhead, but with his bodie too.* This is it which they call *the forme of God.*\n\nWherefore 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 onely his soule and body were not together euerie where, but were not together in one place. Mat. 27.50. *Thē Jesus cried again with a loud voice & yeelded vp the Ghost.* Mar. 15.37. *Jesus 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 haue 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 haue 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.\n\n## 2 Whether it was requisite and necessary that Christ should die\n\nIt 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 haue sustained such a punishment, as should haue beene equiualent to eternall punishment, and yet withall should haue beene temporal. Obiection. *They haue 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.\n\n2 *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 vnto him.\n\n3 *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 vs. 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.\n\nOut of this which hath beene saide we may draw this doctrine. 1 *That sinne is most of all to bee eschued of vs, 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 vpon vs.* 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.*\n\n## 3 The fruit of Christs death\n\n*The fruite & cōmoditie of Christs death* is the whole work of our redemption. 1. *Justification 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 vs. 1. Iohn. 1.7. *The bloud of Jesus Christ purgeth vs 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 onely obtained for vs 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 vs: and that of the contrarie, righteousnesse might be begunne in vs, the image of God, destroied by the Diuel in vs, 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 vnto vs righteousnesse, wisedom, sanctification, and redemption.* Col. 2.10. *Ye are compleat in him.*\n\n*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 vs our sinne, and giueth vs 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 vs also* it is an impellent cause: because they who apprehend Christs merit by a true faith, and apply his death vnto 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 vnto God: for regeneration, or the desire and endeuour of obeying God cannot bee separated from the applying of his death vnto vs, 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 vnto Christes death as touching his merite: for hee merited regeneration for vs by dieng. And it is attributed to Christes resurrection in respect of the applieng of it; for by rising from the dead he applieth vnto vs regeneration, and giueth vs the Holie Ghost. 3. *Eternal life* is also the fruit of Christs death. *Joh.* 3.16. *God so loued the woorld, that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life.* 1. Iohn 5.11. *GOD hath giuen vnto vs eternall life, and this life is in his Sonne.*\n\nObiection. *Jf Christ died for vs; 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 vs. For this our temporal death is, 1. *An admonition of the greatnesse of sinne.* 2. *A purging and cleansing of vs.* For by death are purged out the reliques and remaines of sinnes in vs. 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 vs, 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 vs 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 vnto 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.\n\n### AND BVRIED\n\nThe 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 vnto 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 vnto vs by the graue and death to celestiall glorie: and therefore shall wee bee raised out of the graue, albeit we die & giue 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.*\n\n### HE DESCENDED INTO HEL\n\nI 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 vnto 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.*\n\n*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 vnto 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 euery where. But *thou shalt be in Paradise with me,* euen whom thou seest hanging on the crosse.\n\n*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 vnto the death.* The same doo those his vexations also shewe in the garden, when *he swet blood.* Isai. 53.6. *The Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquitie of vs 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 vs, that hee might also redeeme our soules.\n\nObiection. 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, vnto the place of the damned.\n\nObiection. 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 haue care ouer mee, and there also will hee keepe me, that I perish not.* Answere. One place enterpreteth another: for he had said before vnto 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 haue 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 vs there is a great gulfe set, so that they which would go from hence to you cannot; neither can they come from thence to vs.* 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.*\n\n3 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 vnto 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 vnto the Church, *by his spirite,* that is, by his God-head, *and vnto 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 vnto the dead.* That is, vnto those which are now dead, or were then dead, when Peter wrote this, and who then liued when the Gospel was preached vnto 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 vnto 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 haue 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."}