Vpon The Sufferings Of Our Sauiour Iesus, Two Questions Discussed. Poem by Henry Arthington

The former, Sith we all confesse,
Our selues still sinners for to be,
And that (as Scripture doth expresse)
We ought to die eternally.

How comes it then to passe? declare,
That Christ (for vs) got victory,
And death with Diuels, all conquered are,
So, as we scape their Tyrany.

The answer hereunto is plaine,
(If we eonsider Death and Deuill,
On whom, their power did remaine:
Those that delight in sinne and euill.

For onely such, God gaue them leaue,
To cut off, when their sins were ripe,
And them (as Iaylors to receyue,).
Of ioy and comfort, quite to stripe.

And in the roome thereof, for aye,
(As their most iust deserued hyre,)
To vexe their soules both night and day,
In euerlasting hellish fire.

Now, whereas surther they made bold,
To lay hands on the Innocent,
So were they both to be contrould,
(By Gods Iustice omnipotent.)

But, (by your leaue) will some reply,
Did not Christ come, to saue vs all,
And so to suffer willingly,
To ransome vs, from endlesse thrall.

It is most true (we all confesse)
In which respect, it may be saide,
If Death, and Sathans craftinesse,
Their heads together then hed layd.

To punish Christ (as one that would,
Needes vndertake for others sins,)
They could not then, haue beene contrould,
For holding him, within their grins.


But sith they durst put him to death,
(As guilty in his owne person)
For telling truth (as Scripture saith)
He was of God (the onely Sonne)

Heerein (presuming without cause,
(To punish Christ most Innocent,)
He rid himselfe out of their clawes,
(Through power Diuine) incontinent.

And rose againe out of the graue,
(As iust tryumphing Conqueror)
Our soules and bodies for to saue,
From Sathans power for euermore.

For right and Iustice did agree,
(According to Gods holy law)
A tooth, for tooth, an eye, for eye,
From guilty persons for to draw.

Then must it stand with Gods iust doome,
(Sith Death and Sathan did conspyre)
To do Iniustice to his sonne,
Of Heauen and Earth the onely heyre.)

That they should forfeit all their right,
(Which they on Sinners had before)
To Iesus Christ, the Lord of might,
(Euen whom he please, for to restore.)


By Iustice therefore, now we see,
Christ is both Lord, of life and death,
To saue or spill eternally,
As holy Writ concluded hath.

Thus see we Sathan, Death and Hell,
(All Captiue now, to Christ our Lord:
And that all his, with him shall dwell,
To praise his name, with one accord.

The second question, standeth thus,
(Sith we deserue eternall woe)
How comes it then, that Christ Iesus,
The same should fully vndergo?

And suffer but so small a space,
His Fathers wrath to pacifie,
And vs againe restore to grace,
Gods iustice satisfied thereby.

The answer standeth on two parts,
(And both of them performd in Christ)
To cheare and comfort all our harts,
And please our God in heauen the hyest.

The former is, (if we respect,)
Christs Godhead, ioynd with our nature,
Then will it presently detect,
That plaine, (which seeme before obscure.)

For Christ (By his Diuinity,)
Could suffer more within one houre,
(Assisting his humanity)
Then we should suffer euermore.

The latter maketh it more plaine,
When Christ (by death) had vanquisht death,
What force in him could then remaine,
To hold vs subiect to his wrath.

Methinkes I heare yet, some reply,
If Death haue lost his force indeede,
How comes it then, that all men dye,
(According to our common Creede.)

I do reioynd, and still auow,
Death hath no power to hurt at all,
(But where our Christ doth him allow,)
All such, as to his wrath are thrall.

As for Christs chosen Seruants deere,
Death is their friend (against his will,)
By ridding them of sorrowes heere,
To liue in ioy and pleasure still.

Thus do we more and more behold,
The loue of Christ our Sauiour,
To Adams heyres, on earthly mould,
That we might praise him euermore.

One doubt remaineth yet behynd,
Dissolued for to be,
Which dearest Saints of God, most finde,
To vexe their soules daily.

That is, The sight of present sinnes,
Whereby Gods wrath they moue,
To hold them still in Sathans grins,
(As banisht from his loue.)

Which makes them weepe both day and night,
For grieuing him so sore,
To shut them quite out of his sight,
To see his face no more.

O ye the blessed of the Lord,
That thus do sigh and grone,
Giue eare vnto his holy word,
And cease to make your mone.

On whom doth God cast downe his eye,
But on the wounded hart,
That for his mercies call and cry,
To ease them of their smart.

Or whom doth Christ vnto him call,
(But such as he opprest,)
That he (in time) might ease them all,
And bring them to his rest.

What he hath said you must beleeue,
(You can it not deny,)
Oh then, do not his spirit grieue,
But to his mercy flye.

You know Gods mercy (through his loue,)
Sent downe his Sonne Iesus,
You know Christes mercie did him moue,
To become man for vs.

That in our nature he might pay
The debt that we did owe,
And so his Fathers iustice stay,
His mercy for to show.

To this end, when accurst we were,
(By reason of our sinne)
Christ Iesus then our cursse did beare,
(When he on Tree did hang.)

And that he might for euermore,
From Vengeance set vs free,
The wrath of God (on Crosse) he bore,
That we migh: saued be.

And to that end, when he did rise,
From death to life againe,
And did assend in glorious wise,
With troups of Angels traine.

Then led he captiue all our foes,
The Deuill, with all the rest,
And reconcild to God all those,
That are, or shall be blest.

Who sitteth now on Gods right hand,
Our aduocate to be,
And doth our causes vnderstand,
From foes to set vs free.

If sinne therefore, thy soule oppresse,
Then sue to him for grace,
And he will soone procure release,
To ease thee in that case.

For why, (in him) the Father is
Well pleased for euermore,
To giue all those eternall blisse,
That do his name adore.