A Golden Chain

Let us now come to the use which may be made of the crucifying of Christ. First of all here we learn with bitterness to bewail our sins: for Christ was thus cruelly nailed on the cross, and there suffered the whole wrath of God, not for any offence that ever he committed, but being our pledge and surety unto God, he suffered all for us: and therefore just cause have we to mourn for our offences, which brought our Saviour Christ to this low estate. If a man should be so far in debt that he could not be freed, unless the surety should be cast into prison for his sake; nay, which is more, be cruelly put to death for his debt, it would make him at his wits end; and his very heart to bleed. And so is the case with us by reason of our sins;¹ we are Gods debtors, yea bankrupts before him, yet have we gotten a good surety, even the son of God himself, who to recover us to our former liberty was crucified for the discharge of our debt. And therefore good cause have we to bewail our estate every day, as by the prophet it is said,² They shall look on him whom they have pierced, they shall lament for him as one mourneth for his own son: they shall be •orie for him as one is sorry for his first borne. Look as the blood followed the nails that were stricken through the blessed hands and feet of Christ, so should the meditation of the cross and passion of our Redeemer be as it were nails and spears to pierce us, that our hearts might bleed for our sins: and we are not to think more hardly of the Jews for crucifying him then of our selves, because even by our sins we also crucified him. These are the very nails which pierce his hands and feet, and these are the spears which pierce through his side. For the loss of a little worldly pelf, oh how are we grieved! but seeing our transgressions are the weapons whereby the son of God was crucified, let us (I say it again and again) learn to be grieved for them above all things, and with bleeding and melting hearts bow and buckle under them, as under the cross.

Let vs now come to the vse which may be made of the crucifying of Christ. First of all here we learne with bitternesse to bewaile our sinnes: for Christ was thus cruelly nailed on the crosse, and there suffered the whole wrath of God, not for any offence that euer he committed, but beeing our pledge and suretie vnto God, he suffered all for vs: and therefore iust cause haue we to mourne for our offences, which brought our Sauiour Christ to this lowe estate. If a man should be so farre in debt that he could not be freed, vnlesse the suretie should be cast into prison for his sake; nay, which is more, be cruelly put to death for his debt, it would make him at his wits end; and his very heart to bleed. And so is the case with vs by reason of our sinnes;