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 ...

§. 19. Of the shame whereunto Christ was put.

ONe thing which moved Christ to set joy before him, was the Crosse which he endured; The other was shame.

Of the notation of the Greek word translated, shame, see Chap. 2. v. 11. §. 108.

Shame properly taken, is a disturbed passion upon conceit of disgrace.

But here it is metonymically taken for that which causeth shame: namely reproach or disgrace: the effect being put for the cause. So it is used, Phil. 3. 19. Their glory i•…•… their shame: that is, in that which should make them ashamed, they glory. Thus here Christ with a kind of scorn passed by those reproaches which ordinarily cause shame.

This joyned with the Crosse, sheweth, that the Crosse useth to be accompanyed with shame: that is, with such reproaches, and disgraces, as are enough to work sham•…•…. This might be exemplified in sundry sufferings of Saints: but we will ex∣emplifie it only in the examples of Christ, who was put to as great shame, as ever any:

Shame was laid on him by words and deeds.

By words, in these particulars.

• 1. By upbraiding to him his country (Ioh. 7. 52.) and his kindred, and his edu∣cation, Mark. 6. 3.
• 2. By casting his company into his teeth: and therewith slandering him, Matth. 9. 1•…•…. and 1•…•…. 19.
• 3. By cavilling at his doctrine, Ioh. 7. 12. Matth. 5. 17.
• 4. By blaspheming his miracles, Matth. 12. 24.
• 5. By slandering his whole life, Iohn 9. 24.

At his death, the flood-gates of shame were opened against him.

• 1. Iudas in scorn saith to him, Haile Master, Matth. 26. 49.
• 2. False witnesses charge him with false crimes, Matth. 26. 60. Luk. 23. 2.
• 3. They accuse him of blasphemy, Matth. 26. 65.
• 4. They blind-folded him, and bid him prophecy who smote him, Luk. 22. 64.
• 5. In scorn they say, Haile King of the Iewes, Matth. 27. 29.
• 6. One of the theeves that were crucified with him reviled him, Luk. 23. 39.
• 7. When he was on the Crosse, they bid him in derision come down, Matth. 26. 41.
• 8. Passers by reproach him, Matth. 26. 39.
• 9. When in the bitternesse of his agony, he cried, Eli, Eli, mockingly they repli∣ed, He calleth for Elias, Let Elias come and save him, Matth. 26. 46, &c.

By deeds they put him to shame, in these particulars.

• 1. They lay hold on him, as if he had been beside himself, Mark. 3. 21.
• 2. They send Officers, as a malefactor, to apprehend him, Ioh. 7. 32.
• 3. They bind him as a theef, when they had taken him, Ioh. 18. 12.
• 4. The Priests men blindfold him, spit in his face, and buffet him, Luk. 22. 64. Matth. 26. 67.
• ...

• 5. They preferred Barrabas a Mur•…•…herer before him, Matth. 27. 21.
• 6. Herod, with his men, in scorn array him with white, Luk. 23. 11.
• 7. Pilats Souldiers strip him, array him in Purple, plat a Crown of Thornes on his head, put a reed as a Scepter into his hand, bow their knees to him as to a King, but all in derision, Matth. 27. 28.
• 8. For the greater disgrace they made him bare his own Crosse, Ioh. 19. 17.
• 9. They put him to a shamefull death, in a disgracefull place, betwixt two theeves, at a solemn time, when all sorts assembled to Ierusalem, Matth. 27. 33, &c.
• 10. They nod their heads in mockage of him, when he was on the Crosse, Matth. 27. 39.
• 11. They give him in derision vinegar and gall to drink, Matth. 27. 34, 48.
• 12. They cause his Sepulcher to be sealed, and watched, as if he had been a sedu∣cer, Matth. 27. 63.
• 13. To conceal the power of his resurrection, they give it out, that his Disciples stole him away, Matth. 28. 13.

Never was such shame laid on any: and that by all of all sorts; Great, Mean; Young, Old; Priest, People; Rulers, Subjects; Countrymen, Strangers.