A Golden Chain

The fifth point is, that when Christ was brought to the place of execution, they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with myrrh and gall:¹ some say it was to intoxicate his brain, and to take away his senses and memory. If this be true, we may here behold in the Jews a most wicked part, that at the point of death when they were to take away the life of Christ, they for their parts had no care of his soul. For this is a duty to be observed of all magistrates, that when they are to execute malefactors they must have a special regard to the good and salvation of their souls. But some think rather that this potion was to shorten and end his torments quickly. Some of us may peradventure think hardly of the Jews, for giving so bitter a potion of Christ at the time of his death: but the same doth every sinner that repenteth not. For whensoever we sin, we do as much as temper a cup of gall, or the poison of asps, ⟨p. 332⟩and as it were give it to God to drink: for so God himself compareth the sin of the wicked Jews to poison, saying,² There vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the vines of Gomorrah, their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters be bitter, their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel gall of asps. And for this cause we ought to think as hardly of our selves as of the Jews, because so oft as we commit any offence against God, we do as much as mingle rank poison, and bring it to Christ to drink. Now afterward, when this cup was given him he tasted of it, but drank not, because he was willing to suffer all things that his father had appointed him to suffer on the cross, without any shortening or lessening of his pain.

The fift point is, that when Christ was brought to the place of execution, they gaue him vineger to drinke mingled with mirrhe and gall:¹ some say it was to intoxicate his braine, and to take away his senses and memorie. If this be true, we may here behold in the Iewes a most wicked part, that at the point of death when they were to take away the life of Christ, they for their partes had no care of his soule. For this is a dutie to be obserued of all magistrates, that when they are to execute malefactors they must haue a speciall regard to the good and saluation of their soules. But some thinke rather that this potion was to shorten and ende his torments quickly. Some of vs may peraduenture thinke hardly of the Iewes, for giuing so bitter a potion of Christ at the time of his death: but the same doth euery sinner that repenteth not. For whensoeuer wee sinne, we doe as much as temper a cup of gall, or the poison of aspes,