burne the crosse it is altogither vncertaine Another maintaines they threw it into the sea how can that hold whō Jerusalem was not a sea-bordering cittie Perhappes then saith he they tooke paines to bring it to the porte of Japhet which is distant from the said Cittie about two daies iourney but heerein it is to be doubted likewise And concerning what others haue saide that the selfe same enemies of Christ after al these other trials to destroy the crosse did lastly yet cunningly burie it verie deep in the earth and with it the images of Venus and Adonis who would not vtterly reiect this fable ifhe but cōsider what hatred the Iewes bare to al kinde of Images Can it any way seeme likely that they which resisted the Romaine Gouernors yea the Emperour of Rome himself not permitting the Eagle which was the Romaines Ensigne should be receiued into the cittie of Jerusalem offering themselues to all daungers whatsoeuer ratherthen to suffer such a banner be displaide among them that they of so stearne nature would make or search for the images of Venus and Adems to make in serue them for such a purpose Such reckonings do indeed seeme no otherwise but onely to annihilate the vertue of the crosse of Christ The holy Historie enstructs vs in far better manner what was to be vnderstood by the enemies to the crosse of Christ as their reiecting the preaching of the Gospell and persecuting thē that said they were Christs Disciples not suffering him to be named among them Acts. 4. and 5. And as for vs we say that the passion and vertue of Iesus Christ ought to be sought for in himselfe and not in a tree of wood If yee obiect the linnen cloaths and handkercheifes of Saint Paul Acts. 19. verse 12. the answere is easie that god was willing by those miracles to honour the Apostleship of Saint Paul to the end that such as neuer sawe his face might yet be perswaded of him and that God had authorized such miracles by him as beeing the true seruaunt of Iesus Christ But heere is the poynt whereon wee stand to wit that those miracles are testified by the word of God which cannot so be said of the woode of the crosse of Christ the scripture not making any mention thereof For it is most certaine that if God had pleased to work by such an instrumēt or means the spirit of God would not haue beene silent therein the rather making mention of things concerning the seruant doubtlesse he would neuer haue forgotten the maister It seemes most euident if it were for no other reason but that God would not limit men to such earthly thinges as likewise S. Paul hath taught vs by his example 2. Cor. 5. verse 16. That we ought not to know Christ Jesus after the flesh And to the Colossians 5. verse 15. We serue God in spirit glorifying vs in Christ Jesus not beleeuing at all in the flesh Now before wee passe any further it is necessarie to declare in this place what is to be vnderstood by the signe of the crosse If by the word crosse wee vnderstande the sufferings which the sonne of God endured both in soule and bodie as Esaye 55. verse 3. Being filled with sorrowes and full of heauinesse in soule euen to the death as hauing drunke the cup of Gods anger wheron he cried My God my god why hast thou forsaken me it is most certaine that such sufferings exceede representation For our sence cannot comprehend thē but by faith we vnderstand that they were infinite and vnspeakable Therfore we say in our Creed that wee beleeue Christ Iesus did suffer that he was crucified dead and buired that he descended into hell all these then beeing vnspeakable must needes be likewise irrepresentable But if by the worde Crosse wee vnderstand the wood wheron the sonne of God oftered himselfe a sacrifice to his Father for the propitiation of our sinnes it is casie then to be painted or figured yet such a figure can be but the portraite of those instruments wherewith the hangmen were furnished to torment our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ if then those instruments can haue no vertue in them that which is but the image thereof must needes haue much lesse Nowe it is most apparent that the wood had no vertue in it but what was naturall neither could the Iewes giue it any for themselues had none but a readines to cuill dooing why then it remaines that if it can haue any at all it must be by touching the body of our Lorde Iesus Christ But how such touching could confer any grace to the wood we are not able to saye because as hath beene declared it is not expressed in the worde of God why then we may likewise affirme that those lippes of Iudas which kissed Iesus the hands of them that layde holde on him led buffeted nailed and crucified him receiued likewise some vertue from him Which being most absurde much more is it then to say that wood hauing no life by a meere touch only should bee susceptible of holinesse and vertue for if such vertue had been giuen to the Crosse of wood because Christ suffered thereon like vertue would haue beene bestowed on them by whome he suffered For they were those which should performe what the defined Counsell of God had before determined Actes 4. ver 28. Nor are such allegations worthy receiuing in nothing some difference in dissemblable instrumentes to wit that Iudas and the Iewes could be bad and yet the Crosse not For euermore this is to be graunted that if the touching drew vertue and sanctity to it cheefely because it was as the Alter for sacrifising the Sauiour of the worlde it standeth not with reason that the Crosse being a life-lesse thing could bee endued with vertue and sanctity sooner then men liuing and moouing Hence then easily may bee deriued that if the Crosse of wood could not receiue any vertue or holinesse the signe or Image therof doubtlesse was farre lesse capable of such grace And this is the reason why Saint Paule attributed all the power of the Crosse to the word and not vnto the signe thereof when he said 1. Corinth 1. ver 18. The preaching of the Crosse is the power of God to vs which are saued For God enstructed his Church by his worde and the signes and Sacraments instituted by him which Sacraments could not bee Sacraments except the worde of God were vnited with them according as S. Augustin saith The worde is conioyned to the Element and then it is made a Sacrament Seeing then the signe of the Crosse neuer was ordayned by God and that neither the worde of God nor the historie of the Passion Crosse of Christ haue made any mention of such vertue in the signe wee ought not stretch our wit beyond the wisdome of God for to outstep the limittes prescribed by God is to eate the fruite forbidden by God and to tempt God by bold presumption Likewise it
mens vanitie and no veritie Now we intend not at this present to speake of other points for they are appointed and shall be God willing handled else where in ample manner but this instant occasion imposeth a needefull taske to speake of insupportable abuse committed by them concerning the Crosse to the ende all men may learne how to furnishe them selues against the poyson of idolatric which the deuill comes to vomite foorth againe in this time of neere neighbourhood furthering his purpose with the iuglings of diuers his instruments who by wordes and writing labour to rebuilde vp idolatrie againe as the walles of Iericho which notwithstanding by the sound of Gods trumpets are fallen and that by good numbers in these quarters We consider that they who brought hither diuulged those two writings which they send flying abroad in forme of Placards doubted not to greeue make many good Christians among vs shed teares for whatis he who beholding the follies absurdities and idolatries in them contained that can refraine from lamenting seeing the sonne of God dishonored a number of soules withdrawne from true christianitie an infinite multitude to fortifie theÌ„selues in ignorance and falshood Yet this lamentation marcheth not alone for we accoÌ„pany it with our daily sighes and prayers drawne froÌ„ the entire depth bottom of our harts to the onely true God by the intercession of him that was crucified dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification that hee will confirme in his trueth such as it pleased him alreadie to call thereto and withdrawe from errour those whome the false preachers of idolatrie labour to blinde therewith First then it is to be noted that the word Crosse signifieth sometime a kinde of libbit which in elder times they vsed for the greatest and most infamous malefactours Sometime it signifieth the punishment which those offendours were to endure In the historie of our redemption these two significations are oftentimes found For when it is said that Christ caried the crosse and was fastened thereon it is easie to be gathered that it was the Crosse of wood he bare and that thereto hee was nayled and fastened In like manner when it is said Colos 1. ver 20. That by the blood of the Crosse of Christ our peace is made it cannot bee doubted but that these wordes haue reference to those sufferings which it pleased the sonne of God to endure for vs. This distinction being well obserued wee shall the more easilie and Christianlie determine the matter handled in those placards For if by the word Crosse the death and passion of Christ is vnderstood it will follow by the confession of all true Christians that the vertue of that Crosse is such as is no way to bee comprehended by the vnderstanding of men nor Angels For it is the Crosse and death of Christ Iesus that witnesseth the loue which God beares to his elect which Loue passeth all vnderstanding saith Saint Paule Philipi 4. ver 7. In this Crosse is our life light health defence strength joy perfection and our all whatsoeuer for there is no good or hope for vs elsewhere but in the Crosse of our Lorde Iesus Christ Heereof may wee saye with S. Paule Galat 6. ver 14. God forbid wee should glorie in any thing but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the worlde is crucified to vs and we to the world wherevppon the same S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 1. ver 25. That he desired to know nothing but Christ Iesus and him crucified But if by the worde Crosse we vnderstand the wood or libbit whereon the sonne of God was hanged for the sinnes of the elect we may boldly say that wee finde no testimonie in the word of God written by the Prophets Apostles nor any examples or practise of theirs that either may or ought induce vs to attribute any vertue to the wood it selfe For albeit wee doubt not of Gods omnipotencie to whom nothing is impossible yet ought wee to conceiue of this almightinesse by that which appeares to vs of his owne will according to that in the 115. Psalme God hath done all whatsoeuer him pleased Then safely may wee conclude that God had no will such vertue should be adherent to the wood or crosse of hâ—s sonne for then hee woulde doubtlesse haue witnessed the same by his word Among true Christians whatsoeuer is not written in the worde of God is helde as a matter of no estate or beeing as wee may gather from the 7. to the Hebrues verse 3. where it is said That Melchisedech was without father without mother c. for this only reason because the scripture no where at all speaketh of his father or mother although it be most certaine that he had a father mother like to other men Of the Crosse we read that Iesus Christ carried it so likewise did Simon the father of Rufus beare it that Iesus went out of the cittle of Ierusalem bearing it that it was brought to the mount of Caluarie where it was prepared Iesus nayledthereon and likewise the inscription Iesus of Nazareth king of the Jewes that thereon Iesus had his side pearced rendred vp his spirit thereon and when night came that the bodie of Iesus was taken downe from the crosse ouer and beside these poynts we read nothing whereby appeareth that God was willing to forestall idolatrie which neuerthelesse Sathan wold needes bring into the world For as he had no will that the Sepulchre of Moyses should be knowne so is there not any witnesse recorded that God was willing his sonnes crosse shuld haue any notice among men for to say that it was kept or enterred in the place where it had beene erected which was as ones aith the place where Adam was buried this hath no semblance of any certaintie for if we shall beleeue our elders Adam was buried in Hebron not neere Ierusalem Likewise seeing the Disciples Apostles of Iesus Christ were scattered at his death that after his ascention they were prohibited to speake of or name Iesus Christ that they were made prisoners and scourged that Saint Stephen was stoned that great persecutioÌ„ was in the church of Jerusalem and soon after that Jerusalem was brought to totall extremitie and ruine what apparance can there bee that this crosse was hidden and honoured by them that followed Christ Iesus In like maner we reade not any where that the Disciples and Apostles of Iesus did euer recommend this crosse and yet they said in the 13. of the Hebrues verse 13. Let vs go foorth after Jesus out of the campe bearing his reproach And Christ himselfe said That whosoeuer would be his Disciple must take vp his crosse follow him Math. 16. verse 24. And as for that where he saith the enemies of Christ haue gone about to abolish his crosse and yet they could not do it such would lighteÌ„ darkenesse by darknesse For where one reports that they endeuoured to
when the woord of God marcheth not before vs. Nor need we demaund who hath done or said this heere or there but what hath Christ Iesus instituted what hath his Apostles saide and doone nor ought we so much seeke what is done as what is to be done Againe it is to be noted that our elders speaking of the death and passion of our redeemer haue most spoken of his Crosse and of the signe therof together neuer meaning what at this day is vnderstood by the woord signe but they likewise called it the Standard or Ensigne of the great King and Captaine who ouercame the deuill and hell in bringing thence the spoiles drinking of the torrent by the way and lifting vp his head as is said in the 110. Psalme So did Fortunatus take it in his Himne beginning thus Pange lingua gloriosi Praelium certaminis Et super Crucis trophaeum Dic triumphum nobilem That is to say Tongue declare the combate of a glorious fight And tell the noble tryumphes on the Crosse And Theodulphus Vexilla Regis prodeunt Fulget Crucis misterium That is The Standards of the King march foorth Shining with the misteries of the Crosse So that the Crosse then vsed was made in forme of a Standard or Banner By the signe then those reuerend predecessours of ours vnderstood the Crosse and passion it selfe but since ignoraunce hath deuised that that should be seperate which ought to bee conioyned setting the passion of Christ apart and the signe of the Crosse apart making small account of the one speaking the litle of the passion but enough of the signe witnesse the passion death and woundes of Christ which are dayly and hourely in the mouthes of blasphemers who thinke neuerthelesse to be warranted from all euill when they doe but make the signe of the Crosse Thus hath bin declared what our elders vnderstood by the signe of the Crosse to wit the exteriour testimony of the christian faith which euidently appeared in them who were conuerted from dumbe Idols to true seruice of the liuing God This may be discerned more clearely by the saiing of S. Cirill answerering the obiections of the Emperour Iulian sirnamed the Apostata in his sixt booke For Iulian magnifying the antiquity of the Pagane religion said that the Oracles were giuen by Jupiter as the escutchions or bucklers fell from heauen and Jupiters saddle which was giuen or sent to Numa and made this comparison that the Pagans kept the Armour which great Iupiter the Father of Mars had giuen them as a warranted gaege that he would alwaies haue a care of the Citty of Roome All this notwithstanding the Christians desisted from honouring and worshipping these thinges whereupon Iulian said that they honoured the wood of the Crosse and painted the Crosse on their foreheades and before their houses Whereto Cirill answered thus Albeit the Lord and Sauiour of all was not in shewe yet equall in all with his father and seated on the throne of his diuinitie neuerthelesse he was abased and tooke on himselfe the shape of a seruant despising allignomie bare the crosse to abolish the power of corruption and one onely dyed for all to the end that being raised againe from the dead he might deliuer all mankinde from the snares of death destroye the tyrannie of sinne ruling in vs appease the lawe which exercised his tyrannie in our members making vs spirituall woorshippers killing in vs the feelings of the fleshe that they might be made the sonnes of God which beleeued in him and were sanctified by his spirit so to despoile Sathan of his tyrannie the author of euils the mort all beast those wicked powers which our calumniator called the Prince of nations and Gods defenders The wholsome wood made vs remember all these things and aduised vs to thinke that as S. Paule saith Euen as one is dead for all so ought they to knowe that the liuing could liue no more by them selues but by him who dyed and rose againe Which answer shewes that the Christians painted the crosse not as attributing any vertue to the visible signe but to let the Pagans see how they hauing forsaken theyr Idolatries wherewith they hadbin before enchaunted imbraced Iesus Christ of whome the crosse which they placed before their houses was the true marke and publique ensigne And the same Cyrill expoundeth himselfe in his third booke of adoration made in spirit and trueth manifesting the vnbelecuers by this marke that they would neuer receiue the crosse that is to saye acknowledge Iesus Christ They saith he that haue no will to receiue the Crosse are vanquished and ouercome by the deuill and they are such as Christ spake to saying Verily verily J say vnto you if you will not beleeue that I am he you shall dye in your sinnes So that to receiue the Crosse is nothing else but to beleeue in Iesus Christ For so likewise Saint Cyril speaking of the comming of Christ shewes it by these wordes the comming of the Crosse vnderstanding by the word Crosse all that which the sonne of God did and suffered in the worlde for our saluation These things thus breefely touched may suffice to answer the allegations contained in the first placard Come we now to the second which is entituled How the Crosse ought to be honoured which likewise at this present wee must consider on How the Crosse ought to be honoured FIrst of al it is a matter most manifest that the punishment of the Crosse was not onely one of the cruellest but likewise the most ignominious of all them which was practised by any nation For it was called a death most infamous and accursed and for this reason our Lord Iesus Christ was put to the Crosse that he being made accursed we might bee deliuered from the cursse of the law Yet for all this it was not without great reason that himselfe speaking of this kinde of death calleth it his exaltation Iohn 8. verse 28. and 12. ver 32. for his Crosse is the great victory the trophee and glory which hee obtained against Sathan against death See now why we can neuer sufficiently honor the crosse death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ For it is the meanes whereby the Sonne of God drawes all men to him as himselfe saith in Saint Iohn 12. verse 32. But the manner how to honor it ought likwise to be learned from our Lord and maister himselfe He plainly expressed it when he taught vs that whosoeuer would be his disciple ought to take vp his crosse follow him for by this means being conformed to his sufferings we shall likewise be semblable to his glorie When he instituted his holye Supper saying Doe these things in remembrance of me how often so euer you doo them you shall shew the death of the Lorde euen vntill his comming This S. Paule sawe when hee writ to Timothe his 2. Epistle Chapter 2. ver 8. 12. Remember that Iesus Christ was raised from the dead