ANTHONY: Neither have I cause to marvel at that, nor have you,
cousin, cause to be dismayed for it. The great horror and fear that
our Saviour had in his own flesh, against his painful passion,
maketh me little to marvel. And I may well make you take this
comfort, too, that for no such manner of grudging felt in your
sensual parts, the flesh shrinking in the meditation of pain and
death, your reason shall give over, but resist it and manly master
it. And though you would fain fly from the painful death and be
loth to come to it, yet may the meditation of our Saviour's great
grievous agony move you. And he himself shall, if you so desire
him, not fail to work with you therein, and to get and give you the
grace to submit and conform your will unto his, as he did his unto
his Father. And thereupon shall you be so comforted with the secret
inward inspiration of his Holy Spirit, as he was with the personal
presence of that angel who after his agony came and comforted him.
And so shall you as his true disciple follow him, and with good
will, without grudge, do as he did, and take your cross of pain and
suffering upon your back and die for the truth with him, and
thereby reign with him crowned in eternal glory.
And this I say to give you warning of the truth, to the intent that
when a man feeleth such a horror of death in his heart, he should
not thereby stand in outrageous fear that he were falling.
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