For hereunto verely were ye called: for Christ also suffered for vs, leuinge vs an ensam∣ple, that ye shoulde folowe his steppes, which dyd no sinne, nether was there gyle founde in his mouth▪ which when he was reuiled, reuiled not agayne: when he suffered, he thre∣tened not: but committed the vengeaunce to hym that iudgeth righteouslye whyche hys owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body ••n the tree, that we beinge delyueted from synne, shoulde lyue vnto righteousnes. By whose stripes, ye were healed. For ye were as shepe going astray: but are nowe turned vnto the shepherd and byshop of your solles.
Your innocencie might disdaynfully grudge at this, but that Christe be∣yng innocent suffred greater haynous peines for your sake. This is your pro∣fession, vpon this condicion are you called into his body, that you myghte fo∣low the example of suffryng which he hath left vnto you, and entring in by the same fotesteppes you might thrust in vnto euerlastyng glory by the same way that he atteyned vnto it. What sorowe was it that he suffred not, whiche was crucified with theues? And what is more innocent than he which not only com∣mytted no faulte at all, but also there was no maner of gyle at any tyme found in his tongue? whā they bitterly reuiled him, he gaue none euill wordes again, but rather besought the father to forgyue them.
Whan he was bounden, whan he was beaten, whan he was nayled on the crosse, he threatened no vengeaunce but referred all vengeaunce vnto the father, whiche iudgeth not of affeccion, but accordynge to iustice, Christe in the meane tyme playng the intercessour and not the on settour. As for vs al∣beit we now folowe innocencie, yet with our naughtye synfulnes we had afore tyme iustely deserued the vengeaunce of God. But Christe, forasmuche as he was indaungered with no synne, yet he caryed the burthen of our synnes vpon his owne bodye that he myghte ease vs of oure burthen, and was offred on the tree of the crosse as a brent offerynge for oure synnes, and by hys vndeserued death he put awaye the deathe that was due vnto vs, that we shoulde in the meane tyme folowe the example of his death and resurreccion, and that beyng dead vnto our olde synnes and lustes, wherunto we were addicte and dyd ser∣uice, we shoulde lyue from henceforth vnto innocencie, vnto the which he being the fountayne of all innocencie hath consecrated vs, whiche hathe taken ou••e wickednes him selfe, that he myght geue his righteousnes vnto vs. We had offended, and he was beaten: The fault was ours, and the punyshement lyght cruelly vpon him. So y• accordyng to Esayes prophecie, we were made whole by his stripes. Him therfore you are bounden to thanke for youre innocencie: and in that God imputeth not the synnes of your former lyfe, you are bounde to thanke his bondes, his scourgeinges, his woundes, his crosse and his death. For ye were scatred before tyme lyke shepe withoute a keper, strayenge some one waye some an other, as euerye mannes phantasye ledde him, thynkyng you myghte lawfullye do whatsoeuer lyked youre selfe, but you are nowe conuerted from youre olde erroure vnto Christe Iesus the shepehearde and Curate of youre soules. Yf you folowe hym in sufferynge afflye∣cyons of sorowes wythoute deseruynge, you shall throughe hys leadynge