A08483:211
A08483:211
London: printed by H. Middleton for Thomas Man, 1581
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1HE was reckoned amongest the wicked. Therefore, be must not perish by tumult, but must be judged or reputed amongest the wicked. Whereto also that belongeth: He was wounded for our iniquities, & smitten for our wickednesses. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and in his stripes we were healed. And in the same place, He was taken away by judgement: Therefore he must come into judgement. With these Prophetical ⟨p. 151⟩sayings, agreeth truly that Prophetical explication of Christ, which is extant in the 18. of Luke. Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be fulfilled that are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of man. He shall be delivered up to the nations, and shall be mocked, and evil entreated of them. And after they shall have whipped him, they shall kill him, and the third day he shall rise again. And Luke the 24. To those that went to Emmaus, he saith, O fools and slow of heart to believe all things, which the Prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning from Moses and all the Prophets; he interpreted in all the scripture, those things which were concerning him. Acts 4. They gathered themselves truly together against thy holy Son Jesus whom thou anointedst. Herod also and Pontius Pilate with the nations & people of Israel, to do whatsoever thy hand and Counsel had first determined should be done. Now that he must suffer, when a strange magistrate executed judgement (the which thing the very mention of Pontius Pilate showeth) these Prophesies witness: Genes. 49. The Prophecy of the Patriarch Jacob. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come, is throughly fulfilled when the sceptre was translated from Judah, and when Pilate in the name of Caesar executed judgement. And the Prophecy of Zechariah in the 6. cap. that a branch shall build a Temple, the glory whereof should become greater, then the glory of the first Temple. And then must altogether be fulfilled, as Ezekiel also in the 21. Cap. & the 26. ver. hath plainly prophesied, when the golden crowns should be taken from the heads of the Kings of Judah. But when Pilate was president, the Jews acknowledge that they have no other king but ⟨p. 152⟩Caesar: and so they profess that the crown was taken from the heads of the Kings of Judah:
1HE was reckoned amongest the wicked. Therfore, be must not perish by tumult, but must be iudged or reputed amongest the wicked. Wherto also that belongeth: He was woūded for our iniquities, & smitten for our wickednesses. The chastisemēt of our peace was vpon him, and in his stripes we were healed. And in the same place, He was taken away by iudgement: Therefore he must come into iudgement. With these Propheticall ⟨p. 151⟩sayinges, agreeth truely that Propheticall explication of Christ, which is extant in the 18. of Luke. Beholde we goe vppe to Hierusalem, and all thinges shalbe fulfilled that are written by the Prophetes concerning the sonne of man. He shalbe deliuered vp to the nations, and shalbe mocked, and euill entreated of them. And after they shall haue whipped him, they shall kill him, and the third day he shall rise againe. And Luke the 24. To those that went to Emaus, he saith, O fooles and slowe of hearte to beleeue all things, which the Prophets haue spoken. Ought not Christ to haue suffered these thinges, and to enter into his glorie? And beginning from Moses and all the Prophets; he interpreted in all the scripture, those thinges which were concerning him. Acts 4. They gathered themselues truely together against thy holy sonne Iesus whom thou anointedst. Herode also and Pontius Pilate with the nations & people of Israel, to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and Counsel had first determined should be done. Now that he must suffer, when a straunge magistrate executed iudgement (the which thing the very mention of Pontius Pilate sheweth) these Prophesies witnesse: Genes. 49. The Prophesie of the Patriarch Iacob. The scepter shall not depart from Iudah till Schiloh come, is throughly fulfilled when the scepter was translated from Iudah, and when Pilate in the name of Caesar executed iudgement. And the Prophesie of Zachary in the 6. cap. that a braunch shall builde a Temple, the glory wherof should become greater, then the glorie of the first Tēple. And then must altogether be fulfilled, as Ezechiel also in the 21. Cap. & the 26. ver. hath plainly prophesied, when the golden crownes should be taken from the heades of the Kings of Iudah. But when Pilate was president, the Iewes acknowledge that they haue no other king but ⟨p. 152⟩Caesar: and so they professe that the crowne was taken from the heades of the Kinges of Iudah:
therefore now the time was come, that they should destroy the temple of the body of Christ, and that that same branch should reedify it again, or that he should raise it up the 3. day. The glory of which temple (namely of the body of Christ raised up from the dead, in which the Deity dwelleth bodily) doth surpass at this day, and shall do everlastingly, the glory of the first temple, according to the prophecy of Haggai in the second Chap.
therefore now the time was come, that they should destroy the temple of the bodie of Christ, and that that same branch should reedifie it againe, or that he should raise it vp the 3. day. The glorie of which temple (namely of the body of Christ raised vp from the dead, in which the Deitie dwelleth bodily) doth surpasse at this day, and shal doe euerlastingly, the glorie of the first temple, according to the prophesie of Haggai in the second Chap.
Thou must look upon God him self the Judge exercising judgement by the mouth of Pilate. Christ is set before the tribunal seat of GOD here in earth, laden with thine and mine wickednesses ready to receive the sentence of the judgement of GOD, and to bear the pain of condemnation. For seeing that we must have been set before the tribunal seat of the heavenly judge, and there be condemned▪ it behoved Christ for as much as he translated all our guiltiness from us to him self, to be set in our person, as a wicked person, before the tribunal seat, and to be condemned by God, exercising judgement by Pilate, thinking nothing less. Now the end of this is, that all our sins being condemned at once of God himself, exercising a righteous ⟨p. 153⟩judgement, and being punished in his Son, with the greatest rigour of righteousness: we might not be farther called into judgement for them, before Gods judgement seat, and much less be condemned for them. The scripture teacheth us that our minds are to be lifted up to God himself the president or Judge of this most heavy sentence, that we might have sure consolation, that we (if we believe in Christ) are fully exempt from the judgement of GOD. And that thing doeth that horror of Christ declare, when he crieth: Let this cup pass from me, &c. because he knew that he must appear before the judgement seat of God, & must drink of that cup of condemnation for us. Isay 5.3. God would by weakening him bruise him, and tread him under. To the Romans 8. For that which was impossible to the law, inasmuch as it was weak because of the flesh, this did God, sending his Son, in the similitude of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh. And again in the same place. God spared not his own Son, but gave him for us all. And 2. Cor. 5. Him who knew no sin, God and made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. God made Christ sin, that is to say a sacrifice for sin: Lo, God made him: And Act. 4 28.
THou must looke vpon God him selfe the Iudge exercising iudgement by the mouth of Pilate. Christe is set before the tribunal seate of GOD here in earth, laden with thine and mine wickednesses ready to receaue the sentence of the iudgement of GOD, and to beare the paine of condemnation. For seeing that we must haue beene set before the tribunall seate of the heauenlie iudge, and there be condemned it behoued Christe for as much as he translated all our guiltinesse from vs to him selfe, to be set in our person, as a wicked person, before the tribunall seate, and to be condemned by God, exercising iudgement by Pilate, thinking nothing lesse. Now the end of this is, that all our sinnes being condemned at once of God himselfe, exercising a righteous
Both these make for a notable confirmation of our faith. For in that he is condemned and accounted amongest the wicked, our heavenly father doth witness unto us, that he doth bear our person, and in the same is made guilty of the father, for us, to the end that he taking that condemnation upon himself that lay upon our heads, he might deliver us from it. Again, whilst he is declared innocent by the same judges mouth, by which he was condemned, the father witnesseth by the mouth of the judge that he suffered not for his own faults, but for ours. Joh. 8. vers 21.24. For the father would not that his Son should suffer in vain: but either for his own, or for others sins, to wit for ours. But he suffered not for his own which were none, by the testimony of the judge him self, and by the testimony of the Prophets: Psal. 69 he paid that which he toke not: and Isaiah 53. Why therefore do we distrust, seeing Christ suffered not in his own sins, but in ours?
BOth these make for a notable confirmation of our faith. For in that he is condemned and accounted amongest the wicked, our heauenly father doth wittnesse vnto vs, that he doth beare our person, and in the same is made guiltie of the father, for vs, to the ende that hee taking that condemnaon vppon himselfe that laie vppon our heades, hee might deliuer vs from it. Againe, whilest he is declared innocent by the same iudges mouth, by which he was condemned, the father witnesseth by the mouth of the iudge that he suffered not for his owne faults, but for ours. Ioh. 8. vers 21.24. For the father would not that his sonne should suffer in vaine: but either for his owne, or for others sinnes, to witte for ours. But he suffered not for his owne which were none, by the testimony of the iudge him self, and by the testimonie of the Prophets: Psal. 69 he paid that which he toke not: and Esay 53. Why therefore doe wee distrust, seeing Christ suffered not in his owne sinnes, but in ours?
Christ saith in the 3. of John out of the 21. of Numbers, As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that all that believe in him, perish not, but may ⟨p. 155⟩have life everlasting. For so God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, &c. And John 12. Now is the judgement of this world, and the Prince of this world shall be cast forth. And if I shall be lift up from the earth, I will draw all unto my self. Now he spake this (saith the Evangelist) signifying what death he should die. And in the 3. of the Act. vers. 18. Gala. 3. wherein that same divine sentence is cited out of the 21. chap. of Deut. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, whilst he is made the curse for us. For it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth upon the tree, that the blessing of Abraham in the nations, might appear in Jesus Christ. Mark. 15. They crucified also with him two thieves, one at his right hand, another at his left. And that scripture was fulfilled which saith, and he was numbered with the wicked. 1. Pet. 3. out of Isaiah 52. he that did no sin, neither was any guile found in his mouth. And a little after, Who bear our sins in his own body upon the tree, &c. 1. Pet. 1. ver. 10.11.
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 ⟨p. 155⟩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.
The death of the cross was accursed of God. Gal. 3. Therefore God pronounced the sentence of a curse, by Pilates mouth against Christ. The end is, that he might take away our curse and the blessing promised to Abraham might come unto us. When God said in ⟨p. 156⟩the law, Cursed is he that hangeth upon tree, he knew, that his Son should be hanged upon the tree, Therefore Christ suffered not this kind of punishment at adventure, or by the only will of the Jews, but by the singular providence and counsel of God. Acts 2. For seeing that an execrable and cursed kind of death was due to our wickednesses, & horrible offences, and this same death of the cross was accursed, not only by mens judgement, but by Gods own sentence: Deut. 21. It must needs be that Christ our pledge, must undergo this kind of death, that by satisfying, he might free us from the curse. So Paul admonisheth us, that Christ had taken away our curse, that he might communicate his blessing unto us, whilst he was hanged upon the tree. Gala. 3 Wherefore we more clearly understand by the cross, as the sign of curse, that the burden of the cruse, wherewith we were oppressed, was laid upon him, which we could not understand by any other kind 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 ⟨p. 156⟩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.