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A Stanzaic Life of Christ

Compiled from Higden's Polychronicon and the Legenda Aurea

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Circa quintum propter quid resurexit. nota.

The fift cause principaly
wherfor he rose wit shal ȝe,
for iiij thinges nedefully
he rose, as ȝe schun sone se.

253

for furst his resurrectioun
was cause of treuth a[n]d rightwisnesse
to synneful men, ȝe leuen moun,
the whiche the deule broght in distresse.
and therto Paule acordes oright,
and says he slayn was for our synne,
but he rose the thridde night
by right aȝayne vs for-to wynne.

Ad Romanos iiijo: Traditus est propter delicta nostra & resurexit propter iustificacionem nostram.

his resurectioun eke also
taght vs to leue a nwe leuyng,
and oure maneres chaunget tho
from euel to gode in mony thing,
as the Apostel telles expresse,
‘Right as Crist rose to blisse,
so to nwe lif of all godenes
he wilnes [vs] for to walk i-wisse.’

Ad Romanos vjo: Sicut Christus resurrexit a mortuis per gloriam patris, ita nos in nouitate vite ambulemus.

also his ressurrectioun
Engendres hope of forȝeu[n]es,
and of soule saluacioun
in that ioy that is endles.
Therto acordes Petre here
in A pistel that he sent,
the Latyn furste I schal ow ler,
and Englise thenne, in myn entent.

Petri secundo: Qui propter magnam manum suam regenerauerunt nos in spem vite per resurectionem.

‘God thurgh his mercy that alle may,
Engendret vs at his rising
To hope of lif that lastes aye,
and blisse that neuer schal haue endyng.’

254

his resurectioun eke also
ys euidence to mon verray
That body and saule both two,
mon-kynde sal rise the last day,
For, as the Apostel spekes her,
by mon come deth to al his kynde,
and dede schul rise whitouten wer
thurgh him bodely, as I finde.
Ad Corintheos xvo: Christus resurexit a mortuis primicie dormiencium, quoniam quidem per hominem mors & per hominem resurrectio mortuorum.