A Golden Chain

Furthermore Christ was crucified not after the manner of the Jews, who used to hang malefactors upon a tree binding them thereto with cords, and ⟨p. 333⟩that when they were dead, but after the usual manner of the Romans;¹ his body being partly nailed to the cross, and partly in the nailing extremely racked, otherwise I see not but that a man might remain many days together alive upon the cross. And here we have occasion to remember that the Papists who are so devout and zealous towards crucifixes are far deceived in the making of them. For first of all, the cross was made of three pieces of wood, one fastened upright in the ground to which the body & back leaned,² the second fastened towards the top of the first overthwart, to which the hands were nailed: the third fastened towards the bottom of the first, on which the feet were set and nailed:³ whereas contrariwise popish carvers and painters fasten both the feet of the cross to the first: secondly the feet of Christ were nailed asunder with two distinct nails, and not nailed one upon another with one nail alone as Papists imagine, and that to the very body of the cross: for then the soldiers could not have broken both the legs of the thieves, but only the outmost: because one of them lay upon the other.

Furthermore Christ was crucified not after the manner of the Iewes, who vsed to hang malefactours vpon a tree binding them thereto with cords, and ⟨p. 333⟩that when they were dead, but after the vsuall maner of the Romanes;¹ his bodie being partly nayled to the crosse, and partly in the nayling extreamely racked, otherwise I see not but that a man might remaine many daies togither aliue vpon the crosse. And here we haue occasion to remēber that the Papists who are so deuout and zealous towardes crucifixes are farre deceiued in the making of them. For first of all, the crosse was made of three pieces of wood, one fastened vpright in the ground to which the bodie & back leaned,