A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 17. Of Christs Crosses.

THe things which moved Christ to set the foresaid joy before him were two: Gross, and Shame.

a 1.1 A Crosse, properly taken, signifieth a frame of wood, wherein one piece is fastned acrosse unto the other: fitted for Malefactors to be stretched thereon. As we use to hang Malefactors upon a Gallows, or Gibbet: So the Romans were wont to nayle them to a crosse. So was Christ being delivered by the Iewes to the Re∣mans. So as here the instrument of Christs death is Metonymically put for the kind of his death: which was a most painfull and shamefull death, yea, and a cursed death too, Gal. 3. 13.

Here also under this word Crosse Synecdochically, all Christs suff•…•…rings from his Conception to his Ascension may be comprised. For this word Crosse, both in sa∣cred Scripture, and also in other Authors, is put for all manner of afflictions. In this* 1.2 respect Christs whole life was a Crosse, that is, full of afflictions.

Christs crosses were either connaturall, or accidentall.

Connaturall were such degrees of his humiliation as made him like unto man. Hereof see Chap. 2. v. 17. §. 169.

Accidentall crosses were such as arose from externall causes. Hereof See Chap. 2. v. 10. §. 96.

His heaviest Crosses were at the time of his death: for that was the hower of his* 1.3 adversaries, and the power of darknesse, Luk. 22. 53.

Those crosses may be drawn to foure heads.

• 1. His apprehension.
• 2. His examination.
• 3. His condemnation.
• 4. His execution.

• 1. To apprehend him, one of those whom he had chosen to be his disciples, and an Apostle, came as a guide. This was foretold as an aggravation of the point, Psal. 55. 12, 13, 14. Others that followed that Traitor came with swords, and staves, as to •…•… thiefe, Luk. 22. 52. and they bound him as a notorious Malefactor, Ioh. 18. 12.
• 2. To examin him, they hurry him from one Judge to another five severall times. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all which places he is egregiously abused: and kept waking all night, and the next day to his death.
  • 1. He is brought to Annas, John 18. 13. There they smote him with a staffe, or wand.
  • 2. From Annas to Caiphas, Joh. 18. 28. There they spit in his face and buffet him, Matth. 26. 67.
  • 3. From Caiphas, they send him to Pilat, Luk. 23. 1.
  • 4. From Pilat to Herod, Luk. 23. 7. There he was ill intreated by Herod, and his guard.
  • 5. From Herod to Pilat again, 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ 11. There they scourged him, and plat∣ted a crown of thornes on his 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Ioh. 19. 1, 2. and smote him with their staves on the head so crowned, Matth. 27. 30.
• 3 He is condemned
  • 1. By the Senat of the Iewes, who adjudged him worthy of death, Matth▪ 26. 66.
  • 2. By the suffrage of the common people, a Murtherer and raiser of sedition is acquitted, rather then he.
  • 3. By the like suffrage, it is required that he should be crucified.
  • 4. By Pilat the Judge he is condemned to the crosse, meerly upon the impor∣tunity of the Iewes: for the Judge professed that he found no fault in him, Matth. 27. 24.
• 4. About his execution.
  • 1. They force him to carry his own Crosse, under which, by reason of his former ill usage, he even fainted: So as a stranger was forced to help him to beare it. Compare Ioh. 19. 17. wiith Luk. 23. 26.
  • 2. They bring him to a most noysome place, Matth. 27. 33.
  • 3. They gave him Vinegar to drink mingled with Gall. So they did againe whilst he was hanging on the Crosse, Matth. 27. 34, 48.
  • 4. They disrobe him and strip him naked to all kind of weather, Matth. 27. 35.
  • 5. They nayle to the Crosse his Hands and Feet, the most sensible parts of his body, where store of sinnews and nerves meet together, Ioh. 20. 25.
  • ...

    6. They caused him so nayled, to hang on the Crosse till he died.

    By the aforesaid particulars we may observe how they offended all his senses.

• 1. His Hearing, by crying, Crucifie him, Crucifie him.
• 2. His Sight, with scoffing and scorning gestures.
• 3. His Smell, with the noysome place of Golgotha.
• 4. His Tast, with Vinegar, Gall, and Myrrh.
• 5. His Feeling, with Thornes on his Head: boxes and blowes on his cheekes, filthy spittle on his face; peircing his hands and feet with nayles; cruell lashes on all his body: So torne was his flesh with whipping, as Pilat thought it might have satisfied the Iewes. Thereupon bringing him out in that case he said, Behold the Man, Joh. 19. 1, 5. Thus from the crown of his head to the soales of his feet, there was no part not vexed, not tortured.

Great and heavy were these crosses: but his inward anguish of soul was infinitly more. Hereof see Chap. 2. v. 9. §. 76 And Chap. 5. v. 7. §. 38

An internall curse accompanied the kind of Christs death, which was upon a Crosse. By the law this kind of death was accursed, Deut. 21. 23.

Quest. Why this kind of death rather then any other?

Answ. To be a type of that curse which Christ took upon him, as our surety, Gal. 3. 13.

The heavy weight of Christs Crosse doth

• 1. Much commend the transcendent love of God and of Christ to man.
• 2. It doth aggravate the horrible nature of sin.
• 3. It doth amplifie the invaluable price of mans redemption.

Notes

• a 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.2

  •…•…ota Christi vita crux fuit Bern. de Pass. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. C. 5.
• * 1.3

  Christs suffe∣rings at the time of his death.