Clause 4

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 haue life euerlasting. For so God loued the world, that he gaue his onely 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 vnto 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 vs from the cursse of the lawe, whilest he is made the cursse for vs. For it is written, Curssed is euerie one that hangeth vpon 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 vpon 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 vnto vs. When God said in the law, Curssed is he that hangeth vppon tree, he knewe, that his sonne shoulde be hanged vpon the tree, Therefore Christ suffered not this kinde of punishment at aduenture, or by the onely 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 onely 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 vs from the cursse. So Paul admonisheth vs, that Christe had taken away our cursse, that he might communicate his blessing vnto vs, 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 vs, neither yet for all that, is there any contumely or reproch offered vnto him by vs, for so saying

Christ was truely and not seignedlie made a cursse for vs, as the holy ghost speaketh. Gala. 3 And that verie thing the Apostle proueth by that voice of God: Curssed is euery one that hangeth on tree. And verilie, God did not onely 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 loue of God, that our God hath powred foorth, truly and not feignedly, all his wrath vpon Christ his sonne, that he hath curssed, truely and in deede without any figure, that he might truely receaue vs into fauour, so that indeed, vnlesse Christ had also beene God, he had remained in that cursse for euer, whereby it passed from vs. 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 vpon him, manifested his diuine power.