corporal foode to maintein her in the spirituall life then the bodie hath of his propre foode for mayntenance of the corporall life If thou thinke otherwise tell me I praie thee why hath the bodie neede of his ordinarie meat euerie daie vndowtedlie the cause is for that the naturall heat continuallie wasteth and consumeth the substance of our bodies and therefore it is nedefull that that be restored againe with daielie sustenance which is consumed with dailie heat For otherwise the naturall strēgth of man woulde verie soone be at an ende and his powers woulde quicklie decaie O that it pleased almightie God that men might by this vnderstand the great necessitie they haue of this diuine sacrament O that they coulde by this conceaue the greate wisedome and mercie of him that hath instituted and ordeined the same for our behoufe Is it not a thing well knowen that we haue within these bowelles of oures a certein pestilent hear that came vnto vs by the occasion of sinne with consumeth all the goodnes that is in man This is that which inclineth vs to the loue of the world of our fleshe of all vices of all sensuall pleasures and delites and so by these meanes seperateth vs from almightie God maketh vs to relente and waxe colde in the loue of him and causeth vs to become verie dull slouthfull and heauie to all good workes and verie quicke and liuelie to worke all wickednes If than we haue this continuall waster and consumer so rooted within vs were it not good reason trow ye that there should be some restoratiue prouided to restore that alwaies againe which is alwaies wasting and consuming If we haue a continuall consumer The cause of the greate feruēcie and zeale of Christians in the primetiue Church ād of the littel or no zeale of Christians in our corrupt age and haue not withall a continuall repayrer what maie be loked for of vs but a continuall decaienge and with in sort time after a most certeine and vndowted ruine For proofe hereof it shall suffice to consider the course of the Christian people by comparinge the great feruencie and zeale in religion of the Christians in the primetiue Churche with the littell or rather no zeale of the Christians in our corrupt age For in the primitiue Churche when the Christians did eate contiuuallie of this diuine meate they liued therewith a verie spirituall life and had thereby force and strength not onely to obserue Gods lawes and commaundementes but also euen to die and suffer martirdome for Gods sake But now alas in this our corrupt age the Christians for the most parte are founde to be verie weake and feable in their faythe and verie dissolute and licentious in their liues because they eate not of this diuine foode and therefore in the end they perish and die for honger Esa 5. As the prophet signified when he said Therefore was my people caried awaie into captiuetie because they had no knowledge of God and there nobles perished for honger and the multitude of them died for thirst For this cause therefore hath that wise phisition our Sauiour Christ who had also felt the pulses of our weakenes ordeined this most holie and diuine sacrament and for this purpose hath he instituted the same in forme of meate that the verie forme wherein he instituted it might declare vnto vs the effect it worketh and withall the great necessitie our soules haue of the same Consider then now if there maie be found in the whole world anie greater showe of loue then that almightie God himselfe should leaue vnto vs his owne verie fleshe and bloude for our susteynance and releefe We maie reade in manie histories Iosephus that some mothers beinge constrained with intollerable honger haue embrewed their handes in the fleshe and bloude of there owne littell children to susteine them selues with feedinge vpon them and that for the great desire they had to liue they haue bereued their owne verie naturall children of there lifes thereby to preserue their owne life This haue we red ofentimes But who hath euerred that anie mother hath fed her childe that was readie to perish and die for honger with her owne verie fleshe or that she cut of one of her owne armes to geue her childe to eate and that she would be cruell vpon her selfe to shewe her selfe pittiefull towardes her childe Certeinlie there was neuer mother liuinge yet in the earthe that euer hath done such a dede But our most louinge and sweete sauiour Christ farre passing anie mother in loue perceauinge thee to be readie to perish and die for honger and seinge withall that there was none other better meane to maintein by life then to geue thee his owne verie sleshe to eate commeth downe from heauen and yeldeth himselfe here to the cruell bouchers and tormētours to be put to deathe that thow mightest preserue and susteine thy life with this diuine meate And this he doth not at one time onelie but his blessed will is that it shal be done continuallie and therefore he ordeineth this most blessed sacrament that thou mightest hereby vnderstand an other degree of greater loue which is that as he geueth thee alwaies the same meate to witt his owne verie bodie in this most blessed Sacrament so is he readie alwaies to paie the same price and redemption if it were necessarie for thee Besides all this thou must consider Note that our sauiour hath restored man vnto his aunciēt dignitie so muche by grace as he had fallen by sinne that so by grace he maye be able to liue a holie and spirituall life that this most holie reformer of the worlde intēded to restore man vnto his auncient dignitie and to raise him vp againe so much by grace as he had fallē by sinne And therefore as his falle was frō a life that he had of God which life our first father Adam before his falle had enioyed to the life of beastes wherein after his falle he remayned euen so contrariewise his will was that he should be raised vp againe from the life of beastes in which he remayed to the life of God which throwgh sinne he had lost and so for this ende hath our sauiour Christ ordeyned the communion of this most holie and diuine sacrament by meanes whereof man atteyneth to be partaker of God and to liue the life of God as our sauiour himselfe signifieth in those most high wordes which he said He that eateth my fleshe Ioan. 6. and drinketh my bloude dwelleth in me and I in him And like as by the dwellinge of my father in me the life that I liue is altogether conformable to the life of my father which is the life of God euen so he in whom I shall dwell by meanes of this diuine sacrament shall liue as I do liue and so shall he not now liue the life of a man but euen the life of god For this is that most highe diuine sacrament wherein God
for the chastesinge of men settinge before them his own diuine Image to witt the face of his own most deerelie beloued sonne so euill vsed and disfigured to the end that where as they had bene so manie tymes admonished and rebuked by the mowthes of his Prophettes and yet woulde not forsake theire wickednes they might at the least be moued for verie compassion to forsake the same beholdinge that diuine forme of our Sauiour Christ in such pittiefull wise disfigured for theire synnes So that before he laid his handes vpon men but now he came to laie them vpon him selfe which trulie was the last refuge that coulde be deuised to withdrawe men from sinne And therefore as it hath bene at all times accompted a verie great wickednes to offende almightie God so now after that he hath taken such a shape vpon him to destroye sinne it is not onelye a great wickednes but also a verie great ingratitude and horrible crueltie to offende him with anie deadlye sinne If thou wilt continewe in the contemplatioÌ„ of this pointe besides that thou mayst learne hereby to abhorre sinne thou mayst also take great cowrage to put thy whole trust and affyance in almightie God by consideringe this verie dolefull forme of our sauiour Christ the which as it is of great sorce to moue the hartes of men euen so hath it no lesse force but rather farre greater to moue the harte of almightie God And therefore thou must thinke that what dolefull forme our Sauiour toke at that tyme vpon him in the sight of the furious people the verie same he presenteth now before the diuine eyes of his most pittiefull and mercifull louinge father so freshe and in such bleadinge wise as it was that verie same daie Now what image and forme can there be of greater efficacie to pacifie the eies of the heauenlie father than the pale and wanne countenance so pittiefullie disfigured of his onelie begotten sonne This is the golden propiciatorie this is the rainbowe of diuers colours placed emonge the clowdes of heauen with the sight whereof almightie God is pacified With this were his eies fed with this was his iustice satisfied here was his honor restored Here was such seruice done vnto him as was answerable and seemlie vnto his diuine maiestie Tell me now then ô thou weake and mistrustfull man if the shape and forme of our sauiour Christ was such at that tyme that it was able as the Iudge verelie beleued to mitigate the cruell eies of such ennemies how much more able is it to pacifie the eies of the most mercifull heauenlie father espetiallie consideringe that whatsoeuer our sauiour there suffered was for his honor and vnder his obedience Compare then eies with eies person with person and thou shalt see how much thou art more assured of the mercie of the heauenlye father by presentinge vnto him this dolefull forme of our Sauiour Christ than Pilate was of the mercie of the Iewes when he showed our Sauiour thus pittiefully disfigured vnto them Wherefore in all thy praiers and temptations take this Lorde for thy sheilde and buckeler set him betweene thee and almightie God and presente him before his diuine maiestie sayenge ECCE HOMO Beholde the man I haue here o almightie God the man whom thou hast so manie yeares sowght for to be a meane betwene thee and sinners I haue here the man whose iustice is such that it answereth thy godnes in euerie poynte I haue here the man who is so much punnished as our sinnes and offences required Wherefore o most mercifull louinge Lorde looke mercifully vpon vs I most humblie beseach thee And that thou mayst so doe fixe thyne eies vpon the face of thy Christ And thou o our sweete Sauiour and mediator cease not to presente thy selfe before the eies of thy father for vs. And forsomuch as thy loue towardes vs was so great that thou wouldest offer vp thy bodie to the tormentors to be tormented for our sakes vouchsaffe o Lorde with the same loue to present it vnto the heauenlie father beseachinge him that it maie please him for thy sake to pardon vs all our sinnes and offences HOW OVR SAVIOVR CARIED THE CROSSE VPON HIS SHOVLDERS Christo igâ—â—â—ur pasâ—a in carna et vos eadem cogitationa armaâ—â—ini 1 Patr. 〈…〉 § III. NOW when Pilate sawe that all those extreme punnishementes that had bene so cruelly executed vpon that most innocent lambe were not able to asswage the furie of his ennemies he entered forthwith into the iudgemeÌ„t hall and sat him downe in his tribunall seate to geue finall sentence in that cause The Crosse was in the meane tyme prepared and made redie at the gate and that dreadfull banner was hoysed vp on highe in the aier whiche threatened the terror of a most cruell death to our Sauiour Now when that sentence was geuen and published althowghe it was of it selfe both vniust and cruell yet did his ennemies adde an other further crueltie vnto it to wit they laid vpon those tender shoulders that were so pittiefullie rent and torne with vnmercifull whippes and scourges the heauie tree of the crosse All which notwithstandinge our most mercifull Lorde and sauiour refused not to carrie that heauie burthen where vpon were laied all our sinnes but embraced the same with an vnspekeable great charitie and obedience for the verie loue he bare vnto vs. And so went on his waie as an other true Isaac Genes 22. with the crosse on his shoulders to the place of his sacrifice The cariadge was deuided betwene two The sonne caried the woode and the bodie that shoulde be sacrificed These two vertues loue and iustice did put the sonne of God vpon the crosse and the father caried the fier and the knife wherewith the sacrifice shoulde be made For truelie it was the fier of loue which he bare towardes mankynde and the sharpe knyfe of the diuine iustice that put the sonne of God vpon the crosse These two vertues contended together within the heauenlie fathers breste each one demaundinge his right Loue requested him to pardon mankinde and iustice required that sinners might be punnished Wherevpon to the ende that men might be pardoned and sinne punnished a mean was founde that an innocent to witt the sonne of God shoulde die for all mankynde This was the fier and knife that the Patriarke Abraham caried in his handes to sacrifice his sonne For it was the loue of our saluation and the zeale of iustice that cause the heauenlie father to offer his owne most deerlie beloued sonne to the crosse Now goeth the sweete innocent Iesus forwardes on his waie with that so heauie dolorous burthen vpon his weake and torne shoulders great multitudes of people folowinge after him and manie a pittiefull and sorowfull womaÌ„ accompanienge him with grieuous teares and lamentations What stonie harte had bene able to abstaine from most bitter weepinge beholdinge the kinge of angells to goe thus faintlie with such a great
discources and preachinge of the gospell Now shall I no more wype of the sweate from thy face which was so oftentymes sonneburned and tyred with painfull trauels and Iourneis Now shall I see thee no more sittinge and eatinge at my table and ministringe foode to my soule with thy diuine presence Now Alas this glorie is finished this daye is this ioye ended and my solitarines beginneth presently O My deare sonne why speakest thou not vnto me O tonge of heauen that hast comforted so manie with thy wordes and geuen speache and life to so manie persons who hath put thee to such a great silence that thou speakest not to thy louinge mother How is it that thou hast not at the least left me some legacie wherewithall I might comfort my selfe Well I will take it by thy licence This Royall crowne shal be my legacie Of these nayles and of this speare will I be thy heyre These so pretious Iewells will I kepe alwaies in my harte There shall thy nailes be knocked in There shall thy crowne thy scourges and thy crosse be kepte and preserued This is the inheritance which I haue chosen to enioye all the daies of my life O how litle while doe the ioyes of the earthe endure And how soore doth that greife smarte which commethe after muche prosperitie O Bethelem ô Ierusalem how farre doe these daies differ from those which I haue had in you What a cleare night was that and what an obscure daie is this What a great ioye and riches and I then and what a greate greife and penurie haue I now The losse of so great a treasure can not be litle O blessed Angell where are now those great praises of thy olde salutation It was not in vayne that I was in such a great trouble and feare at that tyme. For after great praises there must needes followe either some great faulle or some greate crosse and tribulation Our Lorde will not haue his giftes to be in vaine Idle and without exercise He neuer geueth honor without charge nor superioritie without seruitude nor great abondance of grace but to make vs able to suffer great trouble and persecution Then thou diddest calle me Full of grace Luc. 1. and now am I full of sorrowe Then thou diddest calle me Blessed emonge all women and now am I the most afflicted of all women Then thou diddest saie our Lorde is with thee now he is also with me howbeit not aliue but dead as I now holde him here in myne armes O my sweete redeemer and sauiour was it anie offence in me to holde thee in my armes with so great ioye when thou wast but newely borne that I shoulde now come to holde thee in them so soore tormented Was it anie faulte in me to take so great pleasure in geuinge thee the sweete milke of my brestes that now thou shouldest geue me to drinke of such a bitter cuppe Was it anie fault in me to beholde my selfe in thy face as in a bright glasse that thou hast thus ordeined that I shoulde now see thee thus cruellie rente and tormented Was it anie offence in me to loue thee so entierly that thou shouldest now cause my loue to become my tormentor And that I shoulde now suffer so much the greater greife be how much I loued thee more entierlie O heauenly father ô louer of men which art mercifull towardes them and rigorous towardes thyne onelie and deerlie beloued sonne Thou knowest how great the waues and tempesteous sourges are which lye beatinge at this presente against my dolefull harte Thou knowest that this harte of myne hath abidden so manie deathes as there haue bene whippes and strookes geauen vnto this holie bodie of thy sweete sonne Howbeit althoughe I be the most afflicted of all creatures yet doe I geue thee infinite thankes for this greate sorrowe and greife that I sustaine It is a sufficient comfort vnto me to vnderstande that it is thy blessed will that it shoulde so be Anie thinge that commeth from thy handes I must needes take in good worth thoughe it were a sharpe knyfe and woulde thrust it euen into my bowells I geue thee most humble and hartie thankes both for my prosperitie and aduersitie and as well and euen in as equall wise for the one as for the other And for the vse and commoditie of thy benefittes which I haue hitherto enioyed I blesse thee And I am nothinge discontented that thou doest now take them awaye from me I mislyke not of that but I doe rather restore to thee the thinge againe that was committed to my custodie and doe yeelde vnto thee most humble and hartie thankes Both for the one and the other the angelles blesse thee and with them my teares also blesse thee for euermore Howbeit I beseach thee ô my most louinge and mercifull father if it maye stande with thy blessed will and pleasure that the martirdome which I haue alreadie suffered for these thirtie and three yeares maie content thee Luc. 2. Thou knowest ô Lorde that from the daie that holie Simeon signefied this martirdome vnto me all my pleasures haue bene mingled with bitter gaule And from that tyme hitherto I haue had that sorrowfull daie euer lyenge ouerth-warte my heauye harte In the middest of my Ioyes I haue bene alwaies assaulted with the remembrance of this dolorous sorrowe and I neuer had anie Ioye so pure but that it was myngled with the terrible sorrowes and feares of this daie I knowe well that all this was directed by thy diuine prouidence and that it was thy blessed will that from that tyme I shoulde haue knowledge of this misterie to the ende that as the sonne caried the crosse euermore before his eies euen from the verie daie of his conception so shoulde his mother carie it also Our Lorde will haue them that be his seruātes euer to suffer and be afflicted in this life For thy will and pleasure is that those that be thyne shoulde alwaies suffer and be afflicted in this transitorie life And thou wilt not that our ioyes shoulde be great or perpetuall in this vale of teares though they be such as we take in thee Wherefore ô my kinge vouchsaffe now I beseach thee if it maie so stande with thy blessed will that this maie be the verie last of my martirdomes if not thy holie will be fulfilled both in this and in all other thinges If thou thinke one martirdome be to litle for a poore seelie woman thou knowest verie well ô Lorde that I haue bene so oftentimes a Martir as there haue bene woundes and strookes geuen to the most blessed bodie of my sauiour His martirdomes are now al ended but myne in beholdinge him thus cruellie tormented doe beginne a freshe Commaunde deathe to retourne againe to take the spoyle which he hath left behinde him and let him carie the mother also with the sonne to the graue O happie sepulchre that succiedest me in myne office The crowne that
particular accompte of all their dissolute and wicked lyfe Wherefore it is verelye to be thought that the diuell labourethe all he can to make vs vtterlie to neglecte and forgette the remēbrance of our accompte The diuell laboureth all he can to make vs neglecte and forgette the accompte we must make of all our whole lyfe at the hower of our deathe that we must make at the verie hower of our deathe because he knoweth full well what great proffit and commoditie woulde arise vnto vs by the continuall remembrance of the same For otherwise how were it possible that men shoulde forget a thinge that is so terrible and fearefull yea such a thinge as they knowe most assuredly will come and steale verie shortelie vpon them at their owne howses If we haue but the least doubte or suspition in the worlde of losynge a litle wordly riches or of some other like thinge it maketh vs oftentimes very carefull and watchfull and causeth vs to lose both our sleepe and our health How happeneth it then that the remembrance of death which aswell to the bodie as to the sowle is the most horrible and dreadfull thinge that maie come vnto vs causeth vs not to be likewise verie carefull and watchfull in makinge prouision beforehande for the cōminge of it Suerlie it seemeth vnto me a thinge verie much to be meruayled at that men shoulde be so carefull as they be in tryfles and matters of smalle importance and liue so negligently and without all care in thinges that are of so greate importance vnto them as is their euerlastinge saluation or damnation The consideration of our deathe prouoketh vs not onelie to liue a good lyfe but also to dye well Thirdly this consideration of our death is a great helpe not onely to prouoke vs to liue a good lyfe as it hath bene saiede but besides that to die well In thinges that be harde and difficult foresighte and preparation beforehande is a very great helpe to bringe them well to passe Now so great a leape as is the leape of death which reacheth from this lyfe to the euerlastinge lyfe to come can not well be leaped vnles we make a great course and fetche a longe race to ronne the same No great thinge can be well and perfitlie done at the first time Seinge therefore it is so great a matter to die and so necessarie to die well it shal be verie expedient for vs to die oftentimes in our life that we maie die well at the verie time of our death The souldiors that be appoynted to fight doe first practice themselues in such feates and exercises as whereby they maie learne in time of peace what they must doe in time of warre The horse also that must ronne at the Tilte trauerseth all the grownde before and trieth all the steppes thereof that at suche time as he cōmeth to make his cowerse he be not founde newe and straunge in doyinge his feate Wherefore sith we all must needes ronne this cowerse forsomuch as there is no man aliue but must die consideringe also that the waie is so obscure and stonie as all men knowe and the daunger so great that whosoeuer falleth shal be tombled downe headlonge into the bottomles pit of hell fyer it shal be requisite that we doe now tread diligentelie before-hand all this waie and consider particularlie all the steppes and places thereof one by one forsomuch as in euerie one of them there is much to be considered And let vs not thinke it enoughe to consider onely what passeth outwardelye aboute the sicke mans bedde but let vs endeuour much more to vnderstande what passeth inwardlie within his harte Of the vncertaintie of the hower of death And what a greife it is at that tyme to departe from all thinges of this lyfe § I. TO beginne now euen from the beginninge of this conflicte Consider how when death shall come vpon thee Deyth stealeth vpon vs at such a tyme as we thincke least of it 1. Thess 5.2 it will come at such a time as when thou thinkest thy selfe in most safetie and suspectest least of the comminge thereof as we see by experience it is wont to happen vnto manie The daie of our Lorde saith the Apostle shall come like a thieffe Which watcheth alwaies to come at such times as men are most careles and thinke themselues in most safetie that it maie take vs vpon a sodeine at vnwares And so we see it happeneth most often that euen at that time when men doe least thinke to dye and when they are least mindfull of their departure out of this lyfe yea when they cast their accomptes before hande to make great purchases and buildinges and to set vpon great enterprises of many daies and yeares then cōmeth death sodenly vpon them and disapointeth them of all their vaine hopes and designementes and vtterly ouerthroweth all their fonde imaginations and buildinges which they made in the aier And so is that sayenge fulfilled of the holie kinge Esa 38. My lyfe saieth he was cutt of like as the weauer cutteth of his thread while I was as yet in the beginning he cut me of from morninge to eueninge thou wilt make an ende of me The first stroke of death is the feare of deathe The first stroke wherewith death is wont to strike is the feare of death Suerlie this is a very great anguishe vnto him that is in loue with his lyfe and this forewarninge is such a great greife vnto a mā that oftētimes his carnall friēdes doe vse to dissemble it and will not haue the sicke man to beleue it least it shoulde vexe and disquiet him and this they will doe sometimes although it be to the preiudice and destruction of his miserable sowle Kinge Saule had a verie stowte and valiant courage but after that the shadowe of Samuell appeared vnto him and had tolde him that he shoulde die in the battell addinge moreouer theise wordes 1 Reg. 28. Tomorrowe both thou and thy sonnes shal be here with me The feare and terror which he conceaued at these tidinges was so great that at that very instant he lost all his force and courage and fell downe to the grounde as a dead man Now what a greife will it be to a man that is in loue with this life when such lyke newes shal be signified vnto him For immediatly vpon this denuntiation there shal be represented vnto him his departure and perpetual bannishement from this worlde and from all thinges that be in the same Then shall he see that his howre is now come and that the dawninge of that dreadfull daye appeareth now at his howse wherein he shall departe from all thinges that he hath loued in this lyfe His bodie shall die but once but his harte shall die as often as he shall remember the losse of all those thinges whereunto it beareth loue and affection Forsomuch as death shall put the knife betwene him and
them all and make an euerlastinge diuision The deeper rootes the toothe hath in the iawe the greater greife it causeth at what tyme it is plucked out Now the harte of a wicked man beinge so fast rooted in the loue of the thinges of this lyfe The more we be in loue with worldelie thinges the more griefe it wil be vnto vs to departe from them at the hower of our deathe S. Augustine it cannot be but that it must needes be a very great greife vnto him when he seeth the howre is now come wherein he must depart from thē all At that time those thinges whereunto he beareth most affection shall wounde his hart most greiuously and that thinge which was wont to be a comfort vnto him in his trouble shal be then a most cruell torment in vexinge him S. Augustine declareth that at what time he determined to seperat him selfe from the worlde and from all the pleasures and delightes thereof it seemed vnto him that they all represented themselues liuely vnto him and saied What wilt thou leaue vs for euer and wilt thou neuer haue any more to doe with vs Consider now then with thy selfe what a greife it wil be to a carnall harte when those thinges that he hath most loued doe represent themselues at that hower vnto him ād when he seeth that he shal be spoyled of them all in such wise that he shal be enforced to saie Now shall this worlde haue no more to doe with me neither this aier nor this sonne nor this element Now shall I haue no longer conuersation and comfort of my children my wife my howse my landes my goodes my pleasures and delightes Of all thinges I am now left naked and bare Now will death spoile me of them all Now is my olde age at an ende now is the nomber of my daies fulfilled now shall I die vnto all maner of thinges and they all vnto me Wherefore ô thou worlde I bid thee farrewell yee my landes my goodes and riches I bid you farewell my friendes my acquintance my kinsfolke my deare wife and my louinge children I bid you all farewell For now shall we neuer see one an other anie more in this mortall fleash There is yet an other separation after this more terrible and dreadfull then this is to witt betwene the sowle and the bodie which haue kept cōpanie so longe time together and haue bene such hartie friendes The deuill had spoyled the holie man Iob of all maner of thinges sauinge onely of his lyfe and it seemed vnto him that in comparison of the spoile thereof all the rest were of none accompt and therefore he saied Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath he will geue for his lyfe This is the thinge that naturally is most loued Iob. 2.4 and the separation whereof causeth most greife If the seperation of one waifaringe man from an other when they haue trauayled in iourney together anie time doe cause such greife and solitarines what a griefe shall it be when two such entier friendes and companions as the sowle and the bodie haue bene are seperated the one from the other which haue traueyled together from their mothers wombe vntill that verie houre and haue had so manie knottes and bondes of friendshippe betwene them What a greife will it be when the spirite shall saie vnto the fleash I must now remaine all alone without thee And the fleash shall likewise make answere vnto the spirite sayeinge and in what case then shall I be without thee seinge all the beinge I haue I haue receiued of thee Of the horror and lothsomenes of our Graue § II. AFTER this it commeth naturally to a mans minde to thinke what shall become of his bodie when his sowle is departed out of it And in thinkinge hereupon he seeth that the best happe his bodie maie haue can be no better than to be laide in a little graue of earthe The basenes of which conditiō maketh him to be as it were astonnied For cōsideringe on the one side what great estimation he hath made of his bodie in tymes past and seinge on the other side what a base and vyle place that is wherein it must now be laide he cannot but wonder excedinglie at it He considereth and waygheth with himselfe that the lodginge which they will prepare for him in the earth shal be strait and narrowe that it shal be also obscure stinkinge full of wormes maggottes bones and dead mens skulles and withall so horrible that it shal be verie ircksome to thē that be aliue onely to looke vpon it And when he seeth that his bodie which he was wont to make so much of his bellie which he esteimed for his God his mowth for whose delightes the lande and sea coulde scarselie serue and his fleash for which golde and silke was wont to be wouen with great curiositie and a soft bed prepared to laie it in must now be laide in such a filthie and miserable donghill where it shal be troden vpon and eaten with fowle wormes and maggottes and within fewe daies be of as owglie a forme as a dead Carrion that lyeth in the feildes insomuch that the waiefaringe man will stoppe his nose and ronne awaie in great hast to auoid the stinkinge sauour of it when I saie he considereth all this and seeth that in steede of his soft bed he must lie there vpon the harde grownde ād in steede of his pretious and gorgious apparell he must haue there but onely a seely poore windinge sheite and in steede of his sweete odoriferous parfumes and muskes filthie rottonnes and horrible stenches and in steede of his multitude of delicate dishes and waitinge seruinge men he must haue there such an infinite nomber of crawling wormes and fylthie maggottes feedinge vpon him he cannot chuse if he haue anie sense or Iudgment remaininge in him but merueill to see vnto how base a condition such a noble creature is now come and to consider with whom he must now keepe companie there euē fellowe and fellowe like who in his life tyme had no fellowe nor equal It is not the part of wise men to wonder at thinges and the customable seinge of thinges euerie daie taketh awaye from them be they neuer so greate all admiration and wounder And yet all this notwithstandinge the great Wiseman wondered at this miserie though it be a matter whereof we haue dailie experience when he saide If man and beast doe die both after one sort Eccles 2.3 what auaileth me that I haue trauailed so much in seekinge for wisedome If it were so that the bodie in this separation shoulde ende in some thinge that were of anie price or proffit it woulde be some kinde of comfort vnto vs. But this is a thinge to be wondered at that so excellent a creature shall ende in the most dishonorable and lothsome thinge in the worlde This is that great miserie whereat the holie man Iob wondered and
appertaininge vnto almightie God which before seemed verie vnsauerie vnto thee and withall conceiue a certaine lothsomnes and mislikinge of the thinges of the worlde which before seemed verie sauorie and delightfull vnto thee But now besides this what if thou doe consider vnto how manie others almightie God hath denied this benefite which he hath so freely graunted vnto thee And wheras thou beinge a sinner as well as they and as vnworthie of this callynge as they yet it hath pleased almightie God to suffer them to continewe in their wicked state and to calle thee vnto the state of saluation and grace With what thankes and with what seruices art thou able to recompence him for this inestimable speciall fauour and grace What an excerdinge ioye will it be vnto thee when by the vertue of this vocation thou shalt see thy selfe to haue the fruition of almightie God for euer and euer in the kingdome of heauen and shalt see other of thy companions and acquaintance for want of the like grace of God to remaine euerlastinglie tormented in the horrible raginge fier of hell O good Lorde what a nomber of thinges are there included in this grace to be well weighed and earnestlie considered vpon Tell me I praie thee Luc. 23. when the blessed theife who with one worde purchased lyfe euerlastinge seeth him selfe in that so great glorie which he now possesseth in the kingdome of heauen and seeth his companion also in those great horrible tormentes of hell fyer and calleth to minde withall that he him selfe was a theife also as well as the other and suffered for his robberies as the other did and that a litle before he blasphemed our Sauiour Iesus Christ in like maner as his companion did and that yet for all this it pleased almighie God to caste his mercifull eies vpon him and to geue him so great a light leauinge the other theife in his darckenes now in consideringe herevpon what thanckes thinkest thou doth he render to almightie God for this spetiall grace How wounderfullie doth he reioyce at so great a benefite How doth he meruaile at so great a iudgement With what a passinge great loue doth he loue him that woulde vowchsafe to preuent him with such a singular and wonderfull grace Now if this seeme so great a benefite vnto thee Remember thy selfe that our sauiour Christ hath bestowed the like inestimable benefite vpon thee when the same louinge Lorde vowchsaffed to cast his mercifull eies so speciallie vpon thee and did not with the like maner of callinge calle thy neighbour companion or freinde who peraduenture had lesse offended his diuine maiestie than thou Consider then how much thou art bownde to our Lorde for this his great benefite and what a great occasion is here offered vnto thee to desire euen to suffer deathe for the loue of him Besides all this consider how costlie and chargeable this benefite of our redemption was to our Sauiour Christ which was so freely geuen vnto thee Vnto thee it was geuen franckly and of mere grace Summa S. Thomae 3. q. 1. artic 2. 3. quaest 46. artic 1. 2. and it cost him euen his owne most precious bloude and lyfe also for it is manifest that without the same our synnes coulde not be pardoned nor our woūdes cured It is saiede of the Pellican that she bringeth forth her yonge-ones dead and seinge them in that case she stryketh her selfe vpō the breast with her beake vntill she cause bludde to issue out and therewith she batheth her yonge-ones and so they receiue heate and lyfe Now if thou wilt vnderstande how great this benefite is make accompte with thy selfe that when thow wast dead in synne that most louinge and mercifull Pellican our Sauiour Christ moued with most tender pietie and compassion stroke his sacred breast with a speare and wasshed the deadly woundes of thy sowle with the precious bludde of his woūdes and so with his owne death he gaue thee lyfe and with his owne woundes healed thy woundes Be not thou therefore vnthankfull vnto him for this so great and costlie benefite but as our Lorde admonisheth thee be mindefull of the daie in which thou camest out of Egipt This daie was the daie of thy Passeouer Exod. 13. this was the daie of thy Resurrection for so much as vpon this daie thou hast passed throughe the redde sea of the bludde of Christ vnto the lande of promise and vpon this daie thou hast risen againe from death to lyfe Of the particuler benefites that almightie God bestoweth vpon vs. § V. THESE benefites aforesaiede are generall Other benefites there are more particuler that be geuen to particuler persons the which benefites none other knoweth but onely he that hath receyued them In this accompte are reckened manie kindes of benefites either of fortune or of nature or of grace which almightie God hath geuen to each one in particuler and also diuers and sundrie miseries and daungers both of bodie and sowle from which he of his mere mercie hath deliuered vs. For which particuler benefites we are as well bounde to geue him thankes as for the former generall benefittes forsomuch as they are more certaine signes and tokens of the spetiall and particular loue and prouidence that our Lorde beareth towardes vs. Such benefites as these are can not be written in bookes but euerie one ought to write them in his harte and so to ioyne them with the other generall benefites and to geue most humble thankes vnto our Lorde for them Our Lorde preserueth vs manie times from secrete daungers and snares that woulde otherwise falle vpon vs. There be also other benefites yet more secrete and hidden than these which are vnknowen euen to the verie partie himselfe that hath receaued them These are certayne priuie daungers and secrete snares which our Lorde is wont to preuent and disapoynte by his diuine prouidence for that he vnderstandeth what great domage and preiudice they might doe vnto vs in case he shoulde not cutte them of and disapoynte theire cowerse What man is able to tell from how manie temptations almightie God hath preserued him and from how manie occasions of sinnes he hath deliuered him and how often times he hath stopped the passages and remoued awaye the deceytefull snares of the deuill our enemie that we shoulde not falle into them The deuill him selfe saieth of the holie man Iob Iob. 1.10 That almightie God had enuironed him on euerie side that nothinge might doe him hurte And euen so is our Lorde wonte to kepe and preserue such as be his as it were a glasse preserued in his case that nothinge maye hurt them A mā may haue manie secrete giftes and many secrete synnes that he knoweth not Psalm 28. It maie also be that a man hath receiued of almightie God some secrete giftes althoughe he him selfe knoweth not of them as also a man maie and is wont to haue manie secrete synnes which he
compassion Howbeit the paines of our Sauiour Christe are not thus ended there be yet others without all cōparison farre greater than these to witt the paines of his blessed sowle For all these paines aboue-named doe for the most parte appertaine to the paines of the crosse wherein his bodie suffered outwardly but besides this visible Crosse The inuisible crosse of our sauiour wherewith his sowle was tormēted there was yet an other inuisible crosse wherein his most holie sowle was crucified within his bodie hauinge also foure armes and foure nailes which were foure dolorous considerations and these were a farre greater tormente vnto him than theverie outwarde crosse For first of all there were represented vnto him al the sinnes of the worlde that were present past and to come for all which he suffered and that so distinctlie as if they had bene the sinnes but of one man alone Now to him that bare such a passinge great loue and zeale vnto the honour of his father what an vnspekeable greife was it to beholde such an infinite nomber of abhominations and offences committed against so highe a maiestie For it is certaine that the sinnes of one man alone were able to tormente him more than al the tormētes of the crosse The which beinge so what a passinge greate greife woulde the sinnes of all men and of all worldes cause vnto him Suerly there is no vnderstandinge able to comprehende the passinge greatnes of this greife Secondly there was also represented vnto him the ingratitude and damnation of many men and espetially of many wicked Christiās which woulde neuer acknowledge this singuler benefite nor endeuour to profite and helpe thē selues with this so great and so costlye a remedie as he there prepared for them This was also a farre greater tormente vnto him than the tormente of the crosse For it is a greater paine vnto a labourer to be denied his daie wages and the fruite of his labour than the very labour it selfe albeit it were verie great And for this cause our Sauiour complained by his Prophete Esaie of this iniurie vnto his father sayeinge I saiede In vaine haue I trauailed In vaine Esa 49.4 and without cause haue I wasted my strengthe And he complained of this ingratitude not onely to his father but also euen vnto men them selues by S. Bernarde sayeinge O man S. Bernarde consider what cruell tormentes I suffer for thy sake There is no paine that tormenteth me so extremelie as thy ingratitude dothe I calle vnto thee that doe suffer deathe for thee Beholde the paines that doe torment me Beholde the nailes that doe pearse throughe my handes and fette Beholde the shamefull reproches and despites where with they dishonour me And although the paine which I suffer out wardly be so passinge great yet is the paine farre greater which I suffer in wardly when I see thee so ingratefull and vnkinde to wardes me for the same In like maner there was represented vnto him the horrible sinne of that miserable people of Iewrie and the terrible punishement that was prepared for them within a shorte time after which vndoutedlie was a greater greife and tormente vnto him than the cuppe of his bitter passion For if the Prophete Ieremie signified that the sinne which the Iewes committed in goinge about to kille him greiued him much more than his owne very deathe what a greife woulde it be to our sauiour who had without all comparison farre greater charitie and grace than the Prophete Ieremie There were moreouer represented vnto him the greifes and dolefull sworde of sorowe which pearsed the harte of his blessed mother Luc. 2.35 when she sawe him suffer betwene two theiues vpon a crosse the which vndoutedlie was so great a greife and paine vnto him as the loue was great which he bare vnto her which loue was inestimable forsomuch as next vnto the loue of God he loued her most of all creatures Now these fowre considerations and greifes were as it were fowre armes of an other inwarde crosse wherewith his blessed sowle was likewise crucified within his holie bodic So that our sauiour suffered that daie the paines and tormentes of two crosses th' one visible and tho'other inuisible Vpon th' one crosse his bodie suffered outwardly and vpon th' other his sowle suffered much more inwardly Now how passinge great the greife was which proceided of these foure considerations there is no vnderstandinge able to comprehende it and yet we maie coniecture somewhat thereof by that outwarde shewe of his blouddie sweate in the garden Whosoeuer then shall attentiuelie consider all these causes shall clearlie see how passinge great the paines and tormentes of our Sauiour were which is the intente of this first maner of meditatinge vpon his most bitter passion Howbeit this must not be the finall ende of this exercise but rather it must be vsed as a meane to come to other endes to witt to vnderstande hereby what a passinge great loue he bare vnto thee that woulde suffer so much for thee and what a great benefite he did vnto thee in byeinge thee with so deare a price and how much thou art bounde to doe for him who hath done and suffered so much for thee and aboue all this how greatlie thou oughtest to abhorre thy sinnes and be greiued with them sith they were the cause of his so lōge and painfull martirdome Nowe for these foure endes whereof we will intreat in the chapters followinge serueth this maner of contemplation Whereby it appeareth that this first maner of meditatinge by waie of takinge compassion of the bitter paines of our Sauiour is as it were a meane or a ladder vnto all the others And for this verie cause S. Bonauenture made great accompte of this maner of meditation vpon the passion because it is sensiblie seene that this maner of meditation openeth the waie vnto all the other maners of meditatinge vpon the same And the same holie father saiethe that for this purpose it shal be a great helpe also for vs to take some discipline which maie cause some smarte and doe no hurte to the bodie that so by the feelinge of that so litle paine of whippinge and scourginge our selues we maie the better lift vp our spirite to consider somewhat of the passinge great paines and tormentes which the most tender bodie of our sweite Sauiour suffered for our sakes How in the Passions of our Sauiour Christe appeareth verie manifestlie what a greyuous thinge sinne is in the sighte of almightie God § II. THE seconde point that we haue to consider in the passion of our Sauiour is the greiousnes of our sinnes whereby to moue our hartes to be sorowfull for them and to abhorre them Wherefore we must vnderstande that as all the holie learned fathers doe affirme our sinnes were the very cause why the sonne of almightie God suffered such greiuous paines tormentes and crewell death as he suffered in this worlde For it is certaine that if there
heauines of minde thy deere sonne crucified on the crosse to the ende that like as Eue by beholdinge with delite that fruite and tree of deathe was the occasion of the perdition of the worlde euen so thou ô blessed Ladie by beholdinge with greate griefe and sorrowe the fruite of life which then was hanginge vpon that tree of the Crosse mightest with thy presence and eies there see the remedie and redemption of the worlde AN OTHER MEDITATION OF THE DOCTRINE THAT MAIE be learned at the foote of the Crosse § IIII. THE holie Euangelist saieth Ioan. 19. that there stoode hard by the Crosse Marie the mother of Iesus and his mothers sister Marie the wife of Cleophas and Marie Magdalene O that I were so happie that I mighte stande in the companie of these three blessed Maries alwaies at the foote of the Crosse O yee blessed Maries who hath caused you to stande so constantly at the foote of the crosse What cheyne is this that thus holdethe you so fast lincked vnto this holie tree O sweete Christe which beinge deade doest mortifie the liuinge and geuest life to the deade O yee Angells of paradise be not offended with me thowghe I a sinner and a very wicked person be so bolde to come and ioyne with this holie companie because the loue I beare to my sweete sauiour draweth me vnto them and the verie same loue enforceth me to embrace this crosse If theise three Maries will not departe from the crosse How can I departe from thence knowinge that all my wealle and saluation consisteth in the same Assuredly the fyer shall first waxe colde and the water shall naturally become hoate before my harte shall departe from this crosse sythence I vnderstande what a lesson the loue of God teacheth me to wit How happie a thinge it is to stande alwaies at the foote of the crosse O holie crosse thou drawest the hartes of men vnto thee more stronglie than the Adamante stone draweth iron Thou geauest a more cleare lighte to our vnderstandinge thā the sonne doth to our eies Thou enkēdelest a more feruent heate in our soules than fyer doth in the verie cooles Drawe me therefore O holie crosse vnto thee with great force and might Illuminate me continuallie and enflame me with thy mightie power that my thoughte and mynde maie thinke vpon none other thinge but onely vpon thee and maye neuer departe from thee And thou ô good Iesus illuminate the eies of my soule that I maye vnderstande how to looke and fixe mine eies and thoughtes vpon the crosse to the ende that I maye not onelie beholde the cruell paynes and tormentes thou hast suffered for me and so by beholdinge them take compassion of them But also consider the examples of so manie wonderfull vertues as thereby thou hast discouered vnto me and inuited me to imitate and followe the same Wherefore O most wise maister and instructor of the worlde O phisition of soules Here I come to the foote of thy crosse to present vnto thee my soores and woundes Heale me ô my most mercifull and omnipotent Lorde and teache me what I ought to doe we may learne to ouercome our sensualitie and selfe loue by beholdinge our Sauiour Christe vpon the crosse I doe confesse and acknowledge playnelie vnto thee ô Lorde that I am verie sensuall and geuen ouermuche to the loue of my selfe and I see well that this greatlie hinderethe my profitinge and proceadinge in vertue and godlines Manie tymes for my recreation and pastimes sake or for feare of the paine of fastinge and risinge vp early in the morninge I passe ouer and doe leese the godly and diuout exercises of praier and meditation with other holie spirituall exercises by the losse whereof I leese my selfe also This sensualitie of mine is verie importune vpon me It woulde faine eate and drinke verie finelie and delicately at such howers and times as it liketh and after dinner and supper it woulde gladlie haue some idle talke or els some pastyme and recreation It delighteth at such tymes to be walkinge in a faire greene garden or orcharde and there to take some sollace and pleasure Teache me now ô my most louinge Sauiour and redeemer what I ought to doe whereby to followe thy example and helpe me with thy grace that I maie performe my dewtie in this pointe O what a greate shame is it vnto me to see after what sorte thou diddest handel thy blessed bodie which was more tender and delicate than all other bodies In the middest of the most bitter angwishes and grieuous tormentes of thy death thou diddest not geue vnto thy bodie anie other foode or electuarie but such as those cruell apoticaries had compounded of bitter gaule and sower vineger for thee Who then will from henceforthe haue anie tongue to complaine that the meate set before him is either to colde or to salte or to freashe or not well dressed or that it was ouer late or to tymelie made readie consideringe what a table was here prepared for thee ô my almightie God and that in the tyme of so great necessitie In steede of the mirthe and pleasante talke and entertaynmente which I seeke to haue at my suppers and feastes thou haddest none other but onely outcries and clamorous noices of them which shakinge theire heades at thee scorned and blasphemed thee sayenge Matth. 27. Fye on thee that destroiest the temple of God and in three daies buildest it vp againe This was the musicke and mynstrelsie of thy bankette and thy walkinge in a garden was to be fast nailed handes and feete to the crosse And albeit there was an other garden into which thou wentest after thou haddest ended thy supper yet was it not to walke in for pleasure but to praie not to take the aier but to shéide bloude not to recreat thy selfe but to be pensiue and sad and in a greate agonie of deathe Now what shall I saye of the other ease and refresshinges which thy blessed fleshe had My fleashe would gladlie haue a softe bedde curious and costly apparell and a large and wyde howse Tell me now ô my sweete Sauiour what maner of bedde hast thou What maner of howse hast thou And what is thy apparell Thy apparell is nakednes and a purple coate of mockerie and reproche Thy howse is none other but to stande openly abrode in the sonne and aier And if I seeke for anie other I fynde it to be nothinge els but onely a stable for beastes The foxes haue theire holes Math. 8. and the birdes of the aier theire neistes and thou that art the creator of all thinges hast no place where to rest thy head O curiositie and superfluitie How are ye two crepte in and so vsuallie and vniuersallie receaued in this our corrupte age throwghout all the countreys and nations of Christendome A notalbe admonitiō against the vyces of deyntienes and superfluitie O what maner of Christians be we that doe not vtterlie abandon
geuen them vnto vs It is euident that by the meane of his holie incarnation and passion whereby he made him selfe partaker of all our debtes and miseries and so by takinge vpon him all our miseries he made vs partakers of all his benefites This takinge vpon him all our miseries is vndoutedlie a farre greater thinge than to make vs partakers of al his benefites For certainlie it is a more wonderfull thinge in God to suffer miseries than to bestowe benefites because as there is nothinge more propre and conuenient to his infinite goodnes than to bestowe benefites so is there nothinge more straunge and further of from that infinite felicitie than to suffer miseries Whereby it appeareth that we are much more bounde vnto him for the paines and tormentes whiche he hath suffered for vs than for the great benefites which he hath geuen vnto vs I meane hereby that we are much more bounde vnto him for the maner whereby he hath remedied our miseries than for the verie remedie it selfe But how passinge great was the loue wherewith our Sauiour bestowed all this vpon vs This is without all comparison farre greater with what a passinge great loue our Sauiour suffered for vs. than all the rest For certainlie the desire which our Sauiour had to suffer paines for vs was farre greater than the verie paines which he suffered and much more paines woulde he haue suffered if it had bene needfull for vs. Three howres he continued sufferinge paines and tormentes vpon the crosse for our sinnes But what is this in comparison of that which the greatnes of his charitie coulde haue vouchsaffed to doe for vs Verelie if it had bene neidfull for vs that he shoulde there haue suffered paynes and tormentes vntill the daie of iudgemente the loue was so passinge great which he bare vnto vs that he woulde vndoubtedlie haue done it So that albeit he suffered much for vs yet was the loue which he bare vnto vs farre greater than the paines which he suffered for vs. And therefore if we be greatlie boūde vnto him for the great paines which he suffered for vs much more are we bounde vnto him for that which he desired to suffer for vs. This consideration is very profitable to prouoke vs to geue most humble thankes vnto him who hath bestowed so great benefites vpon vs and withall to loue him who hath loued vs much more than by his benefites he hath shewed vnto vs. Other infinite thinges there be to be saide concerninge this matter but now they shall remaine for an other place and somewhat I haue specified alreadie in the meditation of the benefites of almightie God Of the wonderfull great goodnes of almightie God which appeareth verie euidentlie in the holie Passion of our Sauiour Christe § IIII. FOVRTHLIE we oughte to consider the passinge great goodnes and mercie of almightie God which shinethe more euidētlie and brightlie in the holie passion of our Sauiour than in any other of his workes Wherefore thou hast deepelie to consider therein foure thinges which are to be considered in all the whole historie of the holie passion and in euerie parte thereof The first is who suffereth Fower principall thinges to be considered in the passion of our Sauiour The seconde is what paynes he suffereth The therde is for whom he suffereth The fourthe is for what cause he suffereth Now if thou wilt staye thy selfe awhile in euerie one of these poyntes and consider first the highnes and excellencie of him that suffereth which is almightie God and in such wise staie in this consideration that thou art astonied at this so highe and so wonderfull a thinge and afterwardes cōmest to descende from thence vnto the consideration of the basenes and vylnes of the most greiuous paines and reprochefull iniuries which he was contente to suffer and that not for Angels or Archangels but euen for men which are most vile and abhominable creatures and in their workes like vnto the deuils thē selues if as I saye in each one of these pointes thou make as it were a statiō and doe compare th' one poynte with th' other vndoutedly thou shalt be greatlie amased and astonied to consider how much so great and excellent a maiestie woulde abase him selfe to redeeme so vile and so base a creature and then maist thou crie out with the Prophete and saie Abac. 3. O Lorde I haue hearde thy wordes and was afraide I haue considered thy workes and was astonied But if after all this thou doe consider the cause of his so great abasinge and commest to vnderstād that it was not for anie maner of cōmoditie towardes himselfe nor yet prouoked by anie deserte of ours but was onelie moued thereunto with the bowels of his tender mercie and loue towardes vs Luc. 1.78 by the which he vouchsafed to visite vs from on highe this point beinge well and dewlie considered will lyfte vp thy minde into such a great admiration and loue of him that thou wilt be astonied as Moyses was in the Mounte Exod. 3. when he sawe the figure of this misterie and begāne to proclaime with a lowde voyce the vnspekeable great mercie of almightie God which was there reuealed vnto him This was that great languishinge and faintnes of spirite which the spowse felte in the Canticles when she saiede Staie me vp with flowres Cant. 2.5 and comforte me with apples for I langwise with loue Vpon which wordes S. Bernarde saiethe The amorous sowle seeth here kinge Salomon with the crowne which his mother crouned him withall She seeth the onely sonne of almightie God carienge a crosse vpon his shoulders She seeth the Lorde of maiestie whipped and spetted vpon She seeth the author of lyfe and of glorie thrust throughe with nailes pearsed with a speare and many despitefull reproches and contemptes done vnto him And finallie she seeth him bestowe his most holie lyfe for his freindes She seeth all this and in seinge it she is pearsed throughe with a knife of loue and therefore she saiethe staie me vp with flowre and comforte me with apples for I langwishe with loue Of the excellente vertues that doe shyne verie brightlie in the holie passion of our Sauiour Christe § V. THE fifte point that we haue to consider in the holie passion of our Sauiour is the great nomber of vertues that doe shyne verie clearlie in it the which consideration serueth to encourage vs to endeuour our selues to imitate some parte of that which is there represented vnto vs. This is one of the highest maners of meditatinge that is vpon the holie Passion For it is manifest The perfection of a Christian lyfe consisteth in imitatinge the vertues of Christ 1. Pet. 2.21 that all the perfection of a Christian lyfe cōsisteth in the imitation and followinge of the vertues of our Sauiour Christe Whereunto the Apostle S. Peter exhorteth vs sayeinge Christe suffered for vs leauinge vnto you an example that you shoulde followe his foote-steppes