A Golden Chain

And here we must not omit a necessary point, namely how far forth Christ suffered death. Answer. Some think that he suffered only a bodily death, and such pains as follow the dissolution of nature: but they, no doubt, come to short, for why should Christ have feared death so greatly if it had been nothing but the dissolution of nature. Some again think that he died, not only the first, but also the second death: but it may be they go to far: for if to die the first death be to suffer a total separation of body and soul, then also to die the second death is wholly and every way to be severed from all favour of God, and at the least for a time to be oppressed of the same death as the damned are. Now this never befell Christ, no not in the middest of his sufferings, considering that even then he was able to call God his God. Therefore the safest is to follow the mean; namely that Christ died the first death in that his body and soul were really and wholly severed, yet without suffering any corruption in his body, which is the effect and fruit of the same: & that withal he further suffered the extreme horrors and pangs of the second death, not dying the same death nor being forsaken of God, more then in his own apprehension or feeling. For in the very middest of his sufferings the father was well pleased with him. And this which I say doth not any whit lesson the sufficiency of the merit of Christ: for whereas he suffered truly the very wrath of God, and the very torments of the damned in his soul, it is as much as if all the men in the world had died the second death, and had bin wholly cut off from God for ever and ever. And no doubt Christ died the first death only suffering the pangs of the second; that the first death might be an entrance not to the second death which is eternal damnation, but a passage to life eternal.

And here wee must not omitte a necessarie point, namely how farre foorth Christ suffered death. Answere. Some thinke that hee suffered onely a bodily death, and such paines as followe the dissolution of nature: but they, no doubt, come to short, for why should Christ haue feared death so greatly if it had beene nothing but the dissolution of nature. Some againe thinke that he died, not onely the first, but also the second death: but it may bee they goe to farre: for if to die the first death bee to suffer a totall separation of bodie and soule, then also to die the second death is wholly and euerie way to bee seuered from all fauour of God, and at the least for a time to bee oppressed of the same death as the damned are. Nowe this neuer befell Christ, no not in the middest of his sufferinges, considering that euen then he was able to call God his God. Therefore the safest is to follow the meane; namely that Christ died the first death in that his bodie and soule were really and wholly seuered, yet without suffering any corruption in his bodie, which is the effect and fruit of the same: & that withall he further suffered the extreame horrours and pangs of the second death, not dying the same death nor being forsaken of God, more then in his own apprehension or feeling. For in the very middest of his sufferings the father was well pleased with him. And this which I say doth not any whit lesson the sufficiencie of the merit of Christ: for whereas he suffered truely the very wrath of God, and the very torments of the damned in his soule, it is as much as if all the men in the worlde had died the second death, and had bin wholly cut off from God for euer and euer. And no doubt Christ died the first death onely suffering the pangs of the second; that the first death might be an entrance not to the second death which is eternall damnation, but a passage to life eternall.