teach a long way by precepts is by example oftentimes made short and easie Hee fulfilled in his owne person whatsoeuer hee taught others to doe that in him the world might haue a light both of good teaching and good following 7 For the application héereof and what wee may obserue by Christes teaching first that he was the very Prophet whom God had promised by Moyses to raise whom all should heare and hearing follow Wee often meruaile at their hardnesse of heart who hauing Christ amongst theÌ„ their eares were so dull they would not heare him their eyes so blind they would not sée him who came as hee ought to haue come according to all the prophecies of olde let the Scriptures themselues in this case manifest as much and let all gaine-sayers for euer be silent In the next place we may consider that Iesus Christ is the same for euer many Christians would haue béene glad if it had so pleased God to haue béene present with those eye-witnesses in beholding their Redéemer For what a ioy would the 〈◊〉 haue offered the beholders his â—…enerable countenance his gracefull behauiour and to haue heard his most admirable manne of exhortation which would haue made a Christian soule to dissolue it selfe as it were into commiseraâ—… 8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…t all for he had not so soone 〈◊〉 but there was somewhat more behinde which was an et custodiunt that is a kéeping of those instructions that they heare to shew that the scope of his teaching was not to haue his Auditors to heare onely or admire but to kéep and follow not to discourse but to practise for hee shewes that hearing and kéeping and blessing goe together In the law were those cleane sacrifices which did chew the cud onely no they must chewe the cud and deuide the hoofe Christ saith of Mary that heard the word Mary hath chosen the good part hearing is but a part when the Prophet speakes of the Testimonies of Gods law hee addeth this In custodiendo merces magna In kéeping of them there is great reward he doth not say in audiendo in only hearing The promises of saluation in holie scriptures are not so much layde forth to the hearâ—… as to the 〈◊〉 practise to doe his Fathers will that sent 〈◊〉 Thus â—…he ioyned in one doing and teaching so should wee beléeuing and following that so a right faith and a christian life which are as it were coupled together wee should in no case seuer You know these things happie are you if you do them What soeuer we professe wee must not thinke to come to heauen by doing nothing worthy of our Christian calling T is true saith Saint Bernard of good works that they are not causa regnandi the cause of raigning yet are they via ad regnum the way to the kingdome they doe 〈◊〉 instâ—…e before God yet sure they do glorifie God in his seruants Chap. 12. Of Christes example in visiting the sicke feeding the hungry and curing all that came vnto him doth lay before vs a most absolute rule of shewing mercy and compassion WHether it were to beholde our Sauiours myracles for so came manie of the people Iohn 6 2. or to be cured of their corporall maladies so came a multitude Luke 6 17. Whether it were of desire to commune with him so came Nichodemus Iohn 3. 2. or of an affection to sée him of whom so great fame went abroade so came Zache Luke 19. 3. Whether for these causes or any other so it was that a company of people all together came flocking after our Sauiour in great aboundance as when some skilfull Phisition repaireth to any populous Citie the diseased of all other draw vnto him so came they vnto Christ who was able not onely to cure their sicke bodies but euen to raise to life againe their sick nay respecting the life of grace their dead soules looking vpon all with the eye of mercie shewing hee would not the death of a sinner that came to die for sinners 2 Ancient and latter records make mention of an Epistle sent by Lentulus the Procensull vnto the States Senate of Rome in which he shewes them of one Iesus who appeared in Iurie going about doing good and healing all of what infirâ—… y so euer they were taken Iosephus affirmeth hee was a holy man if I may saith he call him a man Iulian the Apostata himselfe confessed thus much of him indéede saith he hee cured certaine blind men and recouered some few that were diseased in bodie yea Iulian and that was enough to haue made thée sée him to be the sonne of God hadst thou not béene obstinately blind For was it euer heard since the beginning of the world that any gaue sight vnto men borne blinde except Christ the redéemer of the world The great power hee shewed in healing onely by his worde the diseases of the body might haue moued thée to beléeue on him for the health welfare of thy soule Sae him Iulian doing such works and if for no other cause yet beléeue him for his workes sake The Centurion had authoritie ouer his Souldiours if hee said to one goe he goeth to another coâ—…e and hee commeth Christes authority was as absolute ouer all diseases if he said goe they departed if come they obeyed but chiefly was he wont to commaund them to depart and not onely diseases but euen his authority was the same ouer the deuils themselues whom hee cast out bringing many tormented creatures into their right minds againe 3 Well did our sauiour Christ compare himselfe unto a Phisition and so was he for there was no disease so desperate but hee could sâ—…e it He wrought manie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he cured the soule of 〈◊〉 hee wrought a cure indéed 〈◊〉 effecting whereof hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kindes of medicines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by diet when hee faâ—…d fortie dayes and fortie nights The seegâ—… by Electuarie whâ—… 〈◊〉 most precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his last suppâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweate at his agâ—…e in the 〈◊〉 The fourth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his face was â—…etted 〈◊〉 by thâ—… Iewes The fifth by pâ—…tion when he tasted vineger mixed with gall The sixt by letting of blood when his hands and féete were pierced yea when his heartvaine was striken his side goared with the speare Heire was a cure of all cures which all the Galenists in the world may admire with reuerence and become his patients who was such a Phisition for vs all A strange kind of prescription he enioyned euery one of his patients must kéepe it Behold thou art made whole sinne no more least a worse thing come vnto thee Christ hath wrought thy â—…re thy câ—…re must be to obserue a good dyet for the time to come because the relapse is wont to prouâ—… dangerous 4 And héere we may not omit to obserue the 〈◊〉 of Christes curing hee sayth vnto the sicke man in the second of
polluted with vntruthes and so forth vvhom doe proude men fashion or shadow out lesse then the sonne of God who humbled himselfe that we might be exalted whom doe reuenging stomackes lesse resemble thē him who meekely prayed for his enemies Christ saith Haue I been so long with you and haue you not knowne me To call our selues a little to consideration it cannot be denied that wee are as much if not more moued by good examples as wee are by good instructions but what say we to that teacher who hath both examples and instructions Then looke wee vnto the life of Christ sayeth Saint Chrysostome and wee shall finde it the Philosophie of the simple the nurse of yong men the meate of strong men the buckler of weake men the phisicke of sicke men the booke full of diuine instructions sit for all men Those vvho applie themselues saith Saint Austen to anie of the liberall Artes or Sciences are wont to make choice of some especiall Author vvhose precepts before other they obserue and followe vvhat better Author then the Author of all righteousnesse vvhat better learning then that of which Christ is the Teacher his Church is the Schoole those which learne are Christians that which is learned is religion and the end of this learning is to liue eternally VVherefore in the setting downe some plaine briefe Treatise of Learning to liue mee thought there was no better matter or method then onely to mention the most diuine Actions of our Redeemer that not so much my small labours as the life of Christ might lay downe vnto well disposed Christians a good forme of Learning to liue The more ample and exquisite dilating heereof I leaue to greater Clerks my selfe am content for this time being required where I might not denie as before of Learning to die so now to treate somwhat of Learning to liue and in both to submit my imperfections to better iudgement and my meaning to the honest minded who are wont to take good meaning to the best take therefore in good part gentle Reader this Treatise for our better Christian Learning to Liue Christianly as wee ought taken out of the life of Christ the best patterne for imitation that euer this world had To them who are passing through darke places anie light bee it neuer so little may stand them in sted To him who wandreth in vnknowne wayes any smal direction is acceptable be it neuer so small so it point him towards the way wherin he should passe The trauailer in a forraine Country meeting with some bodie that speakes his naturall language though it bee but harshly yet it is some comfort vnto him Wee often passe in the darknes of our sensuall desires and are somtimes blinded in the mists of worldly vanities wee stray we knowe not whither any small light the least direction may in this case somwhat helpe vs Wee are strangers in this world and frō home as the Apostle speaketh to heare somewhat of our natiue language that is to say of heauen and heauenlie thinges though it be in the meanest manner yet it may somewhat affect vs especially our affections beeing homeward If it be saide how should our weakenes come neere Christ his perfection to whom all thinges were possible by reason of his diuine power The answere is our good endeuours are acceptable If wee fancie vnto our selues a secure estate in that wee are called Christians it is shewed wee are farre wide and how if in deuotion we would see our spirituall passage from the life of grace to the life of glory and obserue that happie Christian course which tendeth vnto a thrise happie end wee are directed vnto his vertues all along from vertue to vertue Assuredly we honour him who hath so much honored vs for of Christ are wee christians to haue part with him When our light doth so shine before men as we glorifie our Father which is in heauen VVhich light sheweth that our happines is folded vp in the bosome of hope And this is briefelie the summe good Christian Reader of that which is mentioned more at large in the Treatise following of Learning to liue which learning onely teacheth to become good men by the grace of God It now remaineth that wee all apply our selues to the practise of this learning Time will away Hippocrates exhorting some to the study of that learning which doth concerne the health of the body would haue them make all possible expedition they could his reason was Ars longa vita breuis Art is long life is short The same may be saide of that Arte which cōcerneth the health of the soule Should we wax white before we begin God forbid Would to GOD men would more often meditate of the life of Christ then ordinarily they doe The birds of the aire haue nests and the Foxes haue dennes but the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head What 's that saith Saint Austen Marie ambitious and soaring desires subtil and vngodly deuices haue nests and dennes in our hearts but a remembraunce of our Lord Iesus which should take peaceable possession of our soules can haue no entrance at all in vvhich case vvee rather want teares then cause of teares That euery well disposed christian who keepes a carefull watch ouer his soule is desirous to liue worthie of his calling heere vntil he come to liue eternally wold begin with the best attention his best deuotion can yeeld to take a dilicent suruay of the life of his life whose soule-sauing loue is the Loadstone of our harts whose sayings doings are a lawe vnto our actions a Lanthorn to light our steps the guide to direct our iourney a Compasse to steere our Shippe and last of all the Iudge for to end our controuersies As the iust liue by faith so the iust liue the life of faith Nowe they liue the life of grace one day they shall liue the life of glory It is Christ and Christ alone who hath made a full and ioyfull satisfaction for our sinnes The God of patience and consolation make vs followers of God as deare children and graunt that wee be like minded one towards another after the example of Christ Iesus Amen If ought be worthie of thy obseruation good Christian Reader remember it is Gods if otherwise it is mine owne Christopher Sutton The Contents of the Chapters 1 AN exhortation mooning euery deuout Christian to the often meditation of the life of Christ. 2 That the life of a Christian should bee passed ouer in this world in a holy and vertuous conuersation 3 That the end of a Christian life is endlesse felicitie in the world to come 4 That the best direction to this end is to follow the example of Christ our Sauiour who was not onely a sacrifice for sin but also the most perfit patterne for imitation 5 That this example of Christes life should euer stand before the eies of our minde for our better
too saith the Apostle say Abba Pater twise Father both according to the Hebrew Gréeke shewing that God is now Father of Iew and Gentile Hee saith If it be possible referring the graunt of his petition to the will of God if it may stand with the same wil and not otherwise Hee prayeth for the remouing of that Cup yet so that looking to obedience he goeth forward towards his suffering and saith Fâ—…at voluntas tua Thy will be fulfilled What of humane desire he before mentioned hee now in action procéedeth to relinquish as if he would say Let not that be done which I haue spoken according to humane affection but let that be done for which I was sent into the world and now am willing to suffer That which he required as man to wit the remouing of the Cup he now leaueth as resoluing whollie to procéede with the will of God But was the will of Christ any way differing from the will of his Father No verily for hee saith Non quaero voluntatem meam sed voluntatem eius qui misit me I séeke not my owne will but the will of him that sent me and this manner of conditionall prayer should be remembred of vs in praying not our wils but Lord thine be fulfilled 8 Hee prayeth the third time the same thing shewing that hee goeth to pray and to pray the selfe same thing too not of forgetfulnesse but of very feruencie Whereby wee may obserue that to pray and pray againe is a part of high deuotion The Doue went forth of the Arke the first time and returned sorrowfull as she went out still the waters were vp she goeth forth the second time then the flood is abated and shee brings a branch of Oliue a signe of quiet peace First a sorrowfull prayer goeth forth still the waters of aduersitie are vp the prayer goeth forth againe behold the waters are fallen prayer brings a crop of Oliue ioy and tranquillity of mind 9 At the end of Christs praying the Angels appeare comforting him they who at this time séeme to haue presented themselues in the presence of God the Father astonished at the agonie of his Sonne came foorth and pray for the remoouing of this Cup answer is made my sonne hath of méere loue and mercie vndertaken the redemption of man by the effusion of his blood which could be brought to passe by no other meanes which the Angels hearing they returned to Christ and in honouring they comfort him and in comforting they honour him And héere obserue wee three thinges First that our Sauiour prayeth long before hee receiueth an aunswere to shew wee must not by and by giue ouer Secondly that the greater his agonie was the longer his prayer was to shewe that in greatest agonies wee should continue long in prayer Thirdlie in that the Angels came and comforted him to signifie that if wee continue with constancie the Angels reioyce ouer vs In that the drops of blood came downe it shewed the greatnesse of our Sauiours conflict wherein hee seemed both to doe and to suffer his blood was true blood according to his naturall existence but yet myraculous and supernaturall if we respect the manner for it is aboue nature to poure out together water blood which Christ did both aliue and dead behold O Christian soule thy redéemer and Sauiour cast into sweate for thy sinnes In this it is manifest how bitter his passion was whose onely thought so much chaunged nature Of this our Sauiours sweating may be gathered these seuerall obseruations first the greatnes of his agonie secondly that this agonie caused sweate when it was a cold night thirdly this sweate falling vpon the earth wee may gather that the earth or men inhabiting the earth haue benefit héereby 2 Now was presented before the eyes of the Sonne of God on the one side Gods iust iudgment and wrath towards man yet vnappealed on the other side death and hell as yet not vanquished himselfe left as it were alone to enter the conflict putting forth his hand to receiue the cup and yet he beginneth to pull it in againe but after a little while goeth forward with full resolution to the worke well begun which hee brought to a most happie end Let the deuout man learne in all the pressure of aduersity to set before him Christes agonie in the garden be it that doubtfull obiects betwéene feare and sorrow doe much obscure our naturall delights héere haue wee for times of trouble a president to follow but chiefely in the aganie of death when sick man are panting and labouring for life they are said then especially to endure an agonie for then beginneth a conflict nature drawing one way and obedience to the will of God another the spirit goeth forward and the flesh draweth backward besides many thoughts occurre about leauing the world and going to answere for our time here spent with manie other things seldome before thought vpon Our Sauiour was in an agonie when death approached whence Gregorie saith Appropinquante morte certamen adest nec immerito tune enim anima terretur cum post pusillum hoc inuenit quod in aeternum mutari non possit Death approaching an agonie is present and not without cause for then is the soule put in great feare when after a little while she findes that which neuer will be changed or altered 1 In this agonie of agonies and all other wee learne by our Sauiours example to haue recourse vnto prayer hee prayed in the Garden hee prayed on the Crosse to shewe that in times of distresse wee should principally apply our selues to prayer Moyses prayed at the Sea Daniell prayed sitting amongst the Lyons Iob on the dunghill Paule at midnight when hee was in the prison and héere Christ our Sauiour in his agonie when he not onely prayed but with great feruencie alone to shew that the minde is best eleuated vnto God when sometimes in our sorrowes wee goe aside to pray as hee himselfe heere prayeth hee withall exhorts his Disciples to pray that they enter not into temptation and surely no better remedie against temptation then prayer which prayer is the very whip scourge of euil motions When the théese heareth the good man of the house to cry and call for help he thinks there is no tarying for him if good friends be within hearing Cornelius Cornelius Thy prayers are come vp before God Wouldest thou exercise thy selfe in a spirituall life pray wouldest thou attaine the swéetnes of heauenly things pray wouldest thou haue God helpe thée in time of extremitie pray wouldest thou be deliuered from temptation pray Betwéene Babylon and Ierusalem there is a trustie messenger that often passeth thither which is well acquainted in the Kings Court and is very gracious with the King himselfe for hee shall haue audience and dispatch as soone as hee comes This messenger is prayer that euen in the silence of the night ascendeth into secret
other of most especial regard and worthy of the best obseruation it seêmeth the Apostle so accounted of the resurrection for what is there more necessarie for our christian meditation then héere to call to minde that it was hee who did redéeme Israel that as he rose powerfullie in himselfe so also did hee in those that beléeue on him that hee rose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according vnto the Scriptures that hee rose by way of equitie for first hee humbled himselfe then God exalted him giuing him a name aboue all names That hee rose by way of power for being without sinne death could not holde him for it was vnpossible he should be holden of death 5 He whom Iohn not long before had séene as a sacrifice offered vpon the Crosse when hee was as the Prophet speaketh without for me to looke vpon now hee séeth him after another manner then amongst théenes nowe walking amongst the seauen candlestickes then cloathed in purple by way of derision nowe cloathed as the Sunne then called a King by those that reproached him now called the King of Kings by them that honor him Wherefore as we haue séene him in his humility so with Iohn also let vs sée him in his glory As we haue séene him fighting for vs in his passion so let vs also beholde him tryumphing for vs in his resurrection for all was for vs. In the passion and resurrection of Christ our Sauiour consisteth the summe of all our happines he dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification vnlesse he had dyed we had not been deliuered from sinne and consequently from death vnlesse hee had rose from the dead wee had not receiued comfort of rysing againe from the dead his passion remoued away that which was euill his resurrection brought vnto vs that which was good As in these two wee haue a double benefit so haue wee a double example in his passion an example of suffering in his resurrection of hope when wee haue suffered Which doth shew in vs two liues the one in the flesh laborious which we must endure the other when wee are deliuered from the flesh which wee must hope 6 Now we must not onely acknowledge with the mouth or beleeue in the heart this sacred truth of the resurrection but we must also be raysed vp to newnes of life for thus much dooth the holy Ghost require of vs in beléeuing the resurrection Wee are sayeth the Apostle buried with him by Baptisme vnto his death that like as Christ was raysed from the dead by the glory of the Father so we also should walk in newnes of life And this is the similitude which wee doe carie of his resurrection This is to set our affection on heauenly things or thinges that are abaue where Christ fitteth at the right hand of God and this is the third thing that we should apply our selues vnto in beléeuing the resurrection from the dead that is first to rise with him from the death of sinne and consequently to be raysed by him vnto a hope of the resurrection vnto eternall life 7 It is wonderfull to consider with how many strange enemies Christ had to do at once with the world the Prince of the world with death and sinne the cause of death Who would haue thought that one shéepe should haue béene able to haue withstoode so manie Wolues but yet heare the triumphant voyce of the conquerour Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Lawe The Apostle like a valiant champion goes forth and offers challenge and combate to all these or anie of them Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen If Sathan say that will I because they haue followed the wayes of ungodlines If the world say I will lay to their charge the manie vanities they receiued of me if the Lawe say I will indite them because of transgression if death say I will arrest them by reason of sinns S. Paul answereth them all with a short reply Iesus Christus mortuus est imo resurrexit Iesus Christ is dead yea he is risen from the dead as if hee would say that same rising of Christ from the dead hath beâ—…t you all of all your force and nowe all your Pleas are frustrate Nay howe is the poore Captiue comforted when the Iudge himselfe shall say Who shall detaine this man I haue paâ—… his ransome 8 What a ioyous thing is it nowe to be strengthened in the faith of the Resurrection First in regard of the calamities of this life for what shall dismay vs séeing the members hope to be ioyned with their head Secondly though this life be transitory and troublesome yet Daniel shall be deliuered out of the Lyons den The Doue shall returne to the Arke with a braunch of Oliue when once the flood and waters are fallen Ieremie shal come out of the pit whereinto hee is cast of his enemies Our noble Dauid hauing gotten the victorie is gone triumphantly to raigne in Ierusalem we all his people and armie tracing and trayning after him wee were detayned and held as captiues of cruel enemies but by Christ the enemies are vanquished and wee deliuered how are we deliuered but by the sonne of God was it not his suffering onely that was as hath beene said the remouing of euill Him selfe saith what profit is there in my blood if I goedowne to corruption as if he would tell vs there were something adioyned héereunto to make his suffering glorious beneficial vnto others and this was his resurrection 9 Euery effect naturally doth shew his cause The resurrection was the effect of his deitie and therefore gaue euident Testimonie he was God Againe his resurrection confirmeth our faith for so doth S. Paul reason against the Pseudo-Apostoli if the dead rise not then is not Christ risen if Christ be not risen then where is our beléeuing but Christ is risen therefore there is a resurrection The head doth not rise without the body The head is risen the body therefore shall rise So the resurrection of Christ is the cause of our resurrection and he rising we all rise The Lord is King sayth the Prophet Let the earth reioyce end the â—…es be glad therof The first fruites being sanctified all the other fruits are hallowed vnto the Lord Thomas bring hiâ—…er thy hand and féele the print of the nailes Blessed are those that haue not seene and yet doe beléeue That which befell Christes body saith S. Austen the third day shall befall our bodies in the last day 10 Foure sortes were there which behelde heard the whole manner of our Sauiours passion and resurrection The first were a kind of men which onely were present as spectators hearing and séeing what was done without further obseruation and these were many of the common people which following their owne