The Fountain of Life Opened

Sixthly, It was a succourless and helpless death to Christ. Sometimes they gave to malefactors amidst their torments, Vinegar, and Myrrh to blunt, dull, and stupefy their Senses. And if they hanged long, would break their bones, to dispatch them out of their pains. Christ had none of this favour. Instead of Vinegar and Myrrh, they gave him Vinegar and Gall to drink, to aggravate his torments. And for the breaking of his bones, he prevented it, by dying before they come to break his legs. For the Scriptures must be fulfilled, which saith, not a bone of him shall be broken.

Sixthly, It was a succourless and helpless death to Christ. Sometimes they gave to malefactors amidst their torments, Vinegar, and Myrh to blunt, dull, and stupifie their Sences. And if they hanged long, would break their bones, to dispatch them out of their pains. Christ had none of this favour. Instead of Vinegar and Myrh, they gave him Vinegar and Gall to drink, to aggravate his torments. And for the breaking of his bones, he prevented it, by dying before they come to break his legs. For the Scriptures must be fulfilled, which saith, not a bone of him shall be broken.

This now was the kind and nature of that death he died. Even the violent, painful, shameful, cursed, slow, and succourless death of the Cross. An Ancient punishment both among the Romans and Carthaginians. But in honour of Christ, who died this death, Constantine the great abrogated it by Law,¹ ordaining that none should ever be Crucified any more, because Christ died that Death.

1. 1Sozom. lib. 1. cap. 8.