Chrifts ofthe[reede. Pafsion. 187 erernall counfell ofGod fer apart to beapub-. A wards theIewes that put Chrifho3eath.But Hcb~7J likefnrety or pledge for, vs, ro.fuffer and perindcedethis kinde ofvfe is meere humane, & ... f<>rme thofe things whtch we mo•r own per· may in like manner be made by reading of a• fons lbould hauefuffered and performed.For ny humane hiftory. But the proper and fpeci· this caufe God the Fatheris faid togiue his all vfeof the pafsion indcod is'this:firfr ofal, Sonnevntovs, and the Sonne againe to giue wee muftfet it before our eyes as a looking· his life for his.friends,/oh,3·I6.& I5·'3·The glalfe, in which we may cleerely behold the focond quefrion is, how by the jhort & ternhorriblenes ofour !ins,thatcould not be parporarydeathofthe Sonne ofGod, any man doned without the pafsi6 ofthe Spn ofGod; can pofsibly bee freed from eternal! death and thevnfpeakeable loucofChrifr thatdied anddamnation which is due vnto him for the for vs, and therfore loued his owne enemies leafr Gone. eAnfrv. When we fay that tho more then hisowne life; and lafrly,our endSonnc ofGod fuffered, it mafr bevnderfrood leffe peace with God and happine!ie i in'that, .. with diftin~honofthenatures of Chrift, not confideriog the perfonofcur redeemer, who inrefpea of the Godhead, but in refpea of fuffered the pangs ofhell,wc may after a fort the afiumed ma11hood : yet neuerthelelfe the finde our paradife eucn in the midfr ofhell. pafsion is to be afcribed to the whole per- B Secondly,the meditation ofChrifrs pafsion fon ofChrifr God and man : and from the ferues as a moll:worthy meanes to begin and dignity ofthe perfon which wlfered, arifeth to confirme grace,fpecially whe it is mingled the dignity and excellency of the pafsi<m, with faith;& that>.wai:s. For firfr,it femes wherby icis made in value and price,to couuto breed in our hearts agodly forrow for our teruaile euerJafl:ing damnation. For when as fins paft,whe we do ferioufly with our felues the Son ofGodfuffered the curfc for aihort confider,thatour ownc finnes were the caufe tin1e, itis morethen ifall men andangels had ofall the patnes and forrowes and calamities fufferedthefameforeuer. VII. The diffe• which he wfferedin life and death, Le• 4+ reace ofthe pafSionofChrifr, and the fu,tfe- •9· When any man had finned vnder the rings ofMartyrs:& that frands in twothings. law,hebrought vnc0 the teple or tabernacle Firfr,Chrifu pafsi6 was acurfed punilbmet ; fome kind ofbeafr for an offering, according the fufferiags oftheM,,nyrsarenocurfes,but as pe was prefcribed,layilthis handvpon the citherchaftifementsortrials• Se~ondly, the head oftt, and afierward aying itbefore the pafsionof Chrifr is meritorious for vs euen Lord. Now by the ceremony of laying on before God, bocaufehe became our Media• the hand,hetellified that he for his p~rt had tour & furety in the couenatofgrace:bat the c deferued death,and not the beafr; and that it fuf!'erings of Martyrs are not ofvalue tome• being flain& tacrificed, was afigne vmo him rit for vsat Gods hand; becaufe in fuffering ofthe tacrificc of Chrifr <Jifered vpon the they were but priuate men, and therfore they crolfe for his!ins.Andhereby we are taught, nothing appertaiue to vs.By this it appeares, that fo oft as wee remember the pafsion of that the Treafurie of the Chcrch of Rome, Chrifr,we lbould lay our handsasitwere·vp. which is as it were acommoneheft c6taining on our <Jwn heads, vtterly accufing and conthe ouerplus ofthe merits ofSaints, mingled demning our felues,euermore kec:pingrhis in with the merits ofChrifr,kept & difpofed by our hearts. that Chrifr ll1ifered ROt for him. the Pope himfelfe,is nothing i:lfc but afenfe. felfe, but for out oflences, which were the le!fe dotage ofmans braine.And wheras they proper caufe ofall his ;yoe and rnifery. ,And fay, that Chrifr by his death did merit, that as Chrifrs p•fsion was grieuous & bittervnSaints might merit both for themfelues and to him,fo fhould our fins likewifebegrieuous others, itis as muchasifthey fhould fay, the and bitter vnto vs : let vs alwaies remember' Son ofGod became Iefus, to make euery one this; otherwife we fi1all neuerreap any fOund Iefus.And it is.amanifefr vnttuth which they benefit by the pafsionof Chrifr. fay. For thevery ma"hood ofChriftco!idered D Againe, the pafsion ofChrift is a notable apart from th~ godhtad,canotmerit proper. meanes to frirre vp in our hearts a putpofe& ~y:co!ideriug whatfoeuer it is, hath,or doth; a.care to reforme our felues, and liue in holi. tt ts,hath,& doth the fame, whQlly& only by nes aQd newnes oflife,on this manner. Hath grace: wherasrhcrfore Chri~ merits for vs, the Sonue of God fo mercifully dealt with it is'by rcafon he is both God and maninone me,as to.fuffer the curfe ofthe wholi law for perfon. For this caofe it is oat pofsible,that my manifold iniquities, and to ddiuer mee one meere mr.m fbould me(lt for another. f~om iufr apd deferued damnation? yea, 110 Lud. The vfeofthe pafsion followeth. It is the doubt,hehath,I am refolued ofit : iD fhould manerofFriersandiefuits in the Church of g0on in mine old courfe, I fhould be the moO: Gran. .Romc,to vfe theconfideration ofthe pafsion ingratefull of all creatures to this my lotring <;>f Chrifr,as ameanes to fi:irre vpcompafsion Sauiom: I will there(oxe by his grace returne mthemfelues,partly towards Chrifl who fuf. andreform~ my life. ,And in thisvery point fcred ~ri:uous torments, and parrl/towar.ds ofrcformatton,thepatSton ofChrilt is fetbethe V1rgmMary, whofonhe tormersofher foro vs ~s ~ mofr litiely pattern& e~amplo to deerc s.on.w,:scxc~cdingly troubled;& withfo11ow.ForM n>~tch(faithS.Pct.r Pct+r ).u all to kmdle mthctr hearts an indignatio to- (h~ijl ha;hfojfcrcdfor vs inthejlejh, armeyour R jiluti '
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