Natha Certaynely the consolation is greate principallie for the poore people which sumtyme be extremly oppressed in al maners as well with sykenes as wyth extreme pouertie wythout hauyng anye ayde or healpe of any persoÌ„ there is none so sore sike but it is greate pitie howe wel so euer they be kepte and treated But lette vs theÌ„ behold and thinke what it is or maye be in them that haue extreme pouertie toyned with theyr sicknes and haue nothynge to healpe theim selues wyth nor no bodye for to keepe them as it is mooste often sene principallye in the tyme of the plage in the whyche the mooste richeste theim selues haue manye tymes muche adoe to fynd anye that wyll serue keepe them happye be they then that in suche anguishes and distres haue remembraunce of Iesus Christe and haue the consideration that thou speakeste of Phy. Also lykewyse when I am in anye maner of burnynge and extreme heate that doth so alter me that it doeth seme vnto me as fire were in my bodye impossible to stacke my thyrste and that my mouth is so brought out of taste that I can awaye wyth no maner of meates nor drynkes what so euer they be Then I do thynke of two thynges the firste is I considre the paynes of the poore vnhappye and dampned and perceiue in my selfe that if a lytle pece of an humour and a litle excessiue and extra ordinarie heate hathe engeudred in me such payne and griefe that I haue almooste loste all patience alas maye I then thynke howe shoulde I endure or suffre that whyche Iesus Christe hathe suffered for me or howe should I do if I should be caste into that ardent eternall fyre and beare all the ire iudgmente and malediction of God whyche the vnfayethfull reprobate do beare as Iesus Christe hathe borne for me I fynde my selfe then muche bounde to gyne hym thankes seyng he hath deliuered me froÌ„ such tormentes and ought to esteme thys worldly paynes verye lyghte and as thynges to learne me the feare of God to flee from synne and to putte my whole trust in Iesus Christ for the auoidynge of that horible and fearful iudgmente of God of the whych the sicknesses and al other aduersities be but as small aduertismentes the better to learne vs to know his grace the better to withdraw vs from this world And of the other part wheÌ„ I do coÌ„sidre thinke vpon the thirste alteration that Iesu Christ myght haue after his greate tormeÌ„tes which he suffered aâ—l the nyght and al the daye after he had almoste shed all hys bloude and was hangded vpoÌ„ the crosse all moste thre houres and yet coulde not haue so much as one drop of water to quenche hys thyrste wyth al but hadde gyuen hym in the stede of good drinke bitter gall vunger and myrre I maye then thynke in my selfe to haue greate cause of coÌ„plaint seing that I maye haue the good maluesey all other thynges that I can aske for the comfortynge of my herte and my sauiour Iesus Christe myghte not haue so muche as one sope of water to quench hys thyrste wheÌ„ I haue well considered all thys and haue a lytle mingled and steped wyth my meates poreges and suppynges of thys vineger gal and myrre whyche Iesus Christ dyd taste feele I do fynd it more swete then huny And yet is ther one thinge that I do learne by the same to kepe miself froÌ„ doing wroÌ„g or imurie Ephe. v. to anie creature nor to hate my christian brother knowing that wheÌ„ I so do I do giue vnto Iesus Christe to drynke viniger gall and myrre am a braunch of that vnhappie iudicall vine whiche in the stede of good grapes hrynge forth thornes sloes which be so excedynge bytter for to make drinke for hys sauioure which hath made planted and dreste it Natha Thys is not euil taken for so farre as I cause the death and passion of Iesus Christ is a consolation medicine remedye against all sikenesses deseases both of bodie soule Phy. But yet where it doeth mooste chieflye serue me is wheÌ„ I do fele the temtation assautes of death I do theÌ„ cal vnto remeÌ„brance Remedye against the assaultes of howe Iesus Christe is dead for me how that he is riseÌ„ hath triumphed ouer death This remembraunce consideration doth mitigate the feare of death which al meÌ„ haue naturally doth assure coÌ„firme me agaynste al the assaultes of death of synne and of Sathan and of hell knowinge that he which beleueth Iohn v. vi in Iesus dyeth not nor entreth not into iudgmente but is already passed from death vnto lyfe for this same corporal death is not death but onely a passage froÌ„ miserie into pleasure and felicitie and awaye by the whych we entre into eternal glorye wherefore I reioyce in my hert do say with the holi Apostle death Ose v. i. Cor. xv wher is thy sting hel wher is thivictorie Na. This is a verifearful assault wherfor it is veri necessari nedeful a maÌ„ to shew him self at that houre to be a true champion and a christian knyghte Phylype It is the same houre by the whych it shall be plainly knowen whether we haue beene hypocrites or true christians whether we beleue wyth oure hertes that whythe we confesle with oure mouthes for there be such whyche haue so greate feare of death haue hadde so little experience of the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ that when they be syke if a man aduise them to loke on their coÌ„sciences and dispose theyr houses and make theyr wylles they before greued somtime angrie wyth theim that moue theim and be merueylouslye greued where as they ought to returne vnto God wyth all theyr hertes folowe the exemple of the good patriarkes whyche dyd not leaue theyr busines vndone theyr goodes vndisposed til they felt death Gen. xl readye to stop theyr throtes but dyd it while they hadde tyme and theyr wyttes and vnderstandyng perfecte Of the whych also Iesus Christe hathe gyuen vs an exemple and hathe shewed vs in the same what care wee oughte to haue for theim the whyche be gyuen vs in charge when that he dyd recoÌ„mend hys mother vnto S. Iohn but they whych be so fearde of death do she we that the death and resurrection of Iesus Christe is not well printed in theyr hertes for that is the Souerayngne remedie the true armore to strentheÌ„ vs in thys battell ther is no other true consolatioÌ„ they that be syke or in other aduersitie haue manye tymes conforters but manye be suche as came vnto Iobe more lyke to bringe hym to desolation and dispayre then to consolatioÌ„ Some sette before them theyr good workes or as a man myght better saye theyr supersticitions hypocrisies do learne theÌ„ to put theyr trust other which shal in the same be done by them after their death
Certaynlye thou haste not wythout good cause sayed that by thys meane God hath declared his charitie towarde the world gyuynge hys propre sonne for to saue it for if he haue not spared his own propre sonne but Iohn iii. Rom. viii hathe deliuered hym vnto death for vs we ought in no wyse to mistruste hys great mercie towarde vs but to be ryght well assured that he wyll gyue vnto vs all other thynges Phy. Thys is also a greate consolation and assuraunce vnto vs in that we haue the sonne of God to be our brother truly man of oure fleshe bloude and bones and in that same felynge oure infirmities he hath pitie vpon vs Hebre. iiii Ephe. ii Hebr. ix Rom. viii makyng our peace towardes the father and maketh intercession for vs. Wherfore we be fyrst certified that for the loue of hym we be pleasyng and acceptable vnto the father and that by hym we haue conquired ouercome death and be reisen againe and shall raigne wyth him in heauen and therfore hath he not taken the Angelicall nature but the seede of Abraham for to assure vs that all that hathe Hebr. ii bene done in hym shal be in vs towchynge oure saluation Nathana These be misteries and secretes of God well worthye to be knowne and full of greate consolation so that when thou doeste saye that he was conceyued by the holy gost thou wylte saye that he hath taken humayne fleshe hath bene conceyued in the wombe of a woman and that he hathe the substaunce of hys bodye of the woman whyche hath conceiued him Phy. I confesse that he is truly mā of oure substaunce fleshe bloude and bones but hys conception differeth farre from ours Nathana I do not doubte that but I desyre muche that thou wylte declare it vnto me more playnlye Phy. He is not conceiued by the operation of synfull man as we be but by or of the holye gost in the wombe of the virgin as the angel did opē pronounce Nata And yet neuertheles Hebr. ii iiii he hath a true humayne body as ours is Phy. It is true but yet wythout synne for if in hym had bene any maner of spotte of sinne howe shoulde he haue washed made cleane other he hym selfe beynge defiled Natha And therefore woulde he be conceyued Psal li. by the holye Goste and not in sinne and wyckednes as other men be of the whyche the generation is all togyther corrupted Phy. He would be cōceyned of celestial seede for to make vs celestiall to vnite mā wyth God the heauen wyth the earth as it shall be againe declared more largly in this article folowing wher it is sayed that he is borne of the virgin Marie Nata What meanest thou by that Phy. That as he was conceiued by the holy Goste hath takē the very nature humaine The natiuitie of Iesu christ Psal vii Math. i ii Luke ii flesh in the wombe of the virgin accordynge as Esaie had before sayed euē so was he borne of the virgin wythout corruption in Betheleem according to the prophecie of Michee Na. Wherefore doest thou make mētiō of the virgin mari Phi. For to shew that he is Gene. xxii i. Samu. vii Psal Cxxxii. the true Christ of the seede of Abrahā of Iuda of Dauid in the which be accomplished the promises of God Na. And what nede was it to make mention of the mother Phy. Bicause that he was promised to be borne of the seede Esai vii Math. i. of Abrahā of Dauid of the whiche the virgin Marye came as the euangelistes do witnes Natha In asmuch as thou hast alreadye expounded to me thy fayeth towchynge the misterie of the incarnatiō of the sonne of god Luke i. ii iii. Let vs followe nowe the other articles It doeth folow He hath suffered vnder ponce Pilate crucified deade and buried what vnderstandest The passion and death of Christe thou by thys article Phy. That oure Lorde Iesus Christe hath suffered deathe and passiō for oure synnes by the same hath perfourmed the misterie of oure redemption for the which he becam mā and did take oure nature vpō him for to no purpose should hys cōceptiō byrth haue serued vs if that by his death he had not satisfied for vs. Nata Wher fore makest thou mētiō of ponce Pilate Phi. For to shew in what time he hath suffered by whō he was cōdempned howe that he was Math. xvi Luke xviii deliuered into the hādes of the gētyles heathens euē as he had before spokē Na. What was he that ponce Pilate Phi. The prouoste Pilate or Iudge which held the place was deputie Math. xxvii for the Emperour of Rome vndre whō the Iewes at that tyme were subiectes bycause of their sinnes for to declare that the time was come that the Christ ought to come seing the capture was takē awai frō the liue of Dauid frō the house of Iuda that stran̄gers had ouer it dominiō according to the prophecie of Iacobe Natha What hath he then sustered vndre ponce Pilate Phylype Dyuers iniuries outragies and woundes as the Euangelistes do wytnes and so finallye by him condempned to death Nathanaell What hadde he done for to be condempned Phy. Nothinge but the worcke of god his father for the which he was come Natha He was then vniustlye and wrongefullye cōdempned and put to innocente death Phylyp If it had bene other wyse hys death could not haue profited vs. Nata Wherfore Phylype Because that if he had deserued his death he shoulde haue died for hys own sinnes and not for ours but in asmuche as he was vniustly condempned by that condemption are we whyche iustlye haue deserued to be condemned deliuered and absolued before the Iudgemēt of God by the death which he hath suffered haue we lyfe oure death by hys is aboleshed and taken awaye Nathanael Wherefore do we saye twise one thynge for crucified and dead is it not al one and woulde not one of them haue sufficed Phy. we confesse that he was crucified for to signifie that hys death hath not bene simple commune as the death of malefactours but the moste cruell ignominious and shamfull that was possible to be thought or Imagined that is to saye the death of the crosse Natha Wherefore was it more cruel and ignominious thē the other maners of death Phy. Fyrste thou knowest wel that al maner of deathes whyche man doeth suffre by the sentence of the Iudge and vndre the title of Iustice is more shamfull sclaunderous and more terrible then if a man shoulde dye natuturallye in hys bodye and yet did it not suffice vnto the Iewes nor satisfie the madnes furor that dyd inflame them againste Iesus Christe to cause him to be put to execution by Iustice as he had bene an euel doer but dyd expresly demaunde of Pilate that he shoulde be crucified because that the
churche did and to remembre and haue in cōtēplation the death and passiō of Iesus christ in oure hertes and to reste oure selues in the fruite consolation that it bryngeth vnto vs then to playe suche castes and to disguyse thē selues in suche sorte before the simple people and to seeke to draw them onely into the admiration and extollynge of outwarde ceremonies and so to drawe them altogyther frō the true and healthfull contemplation of the death and passion of Iesus Christe and to depryue theym of the fruite the whyche they oughte to receyue by the same For when I do remembre Iesus Christ vpon the crosse I doo see hym wyth the eyes of my fayeth gyue vp the spirite I do see hym putte into the Sepulchre rysen and ascended into heauen What neede haue I then of suche illusions and paynted conueyaunce for to drawe me from thys holy and profounde consideration for my fayeth doeth make Iesus Christe present vnto me euē as though he were payned and crucified euē before my owne eyes I doeth sette hym forthe before me as a stronge Samson whyche breaketh the gattes of hys enemyes and beareth them vpon hys shoulders and doeth kyll and distroye more in diyng thē in lyuyng I do see howe Iesu Christ beyng crucified doeth crucifie the Deuyl beynge nayled doeth nayle sheading hys bloud i. Cor. xv Math. xxvii Iohn xiiii Roma v taketh awaye the bonde of death whyche he had agaynst vs in dying kylleth death sinne and brouseth and treadeth down the head of the olde serpente he openeth the Sepulchres and gyueth lyfe vnto the dead when he entereth into the Sepulchre and descendeth into helles as we haue sayed he entereth into the house of death into the strengthe of the armed man and of the prynce of thys worlde doeth dispoyle breake downe all theyr force strēgth and power Nathanael If hys death be so stroung what oughte then to be hys resurrection and lyfe Phylype I leaue that to thy selfe to considre and therefore when I do see hym rysen I do Colo. ii The fruit of the resurrection ascentiō se my fleshe rysen wyth hys I do see hym as victoriouse leadynge synne the worlde death hell and Sathan in shewe and triumphe all ouercome and caste downe in suche sorte that they haue no more powre vpon all the elected whyche beleue in hym then they haue hadde vpon Iesus Christ Whē I see hym ascended into heauen and am certayne that he is sette vpon the ryghte hande of God and that he doth raygne wyth the father eternally This fayeth also doeth brynge assuraunce and certifieth me that when he is goone vp he hathe borne and lyfte vp my fleshe and my bodye hath opened me the waye vnto the celestial glorye and that he beynge oure heade hath taken possession for vs. Natha Then hys resurrection and hys assention be vnto vs certaine testimonies seales confirmation of ours Phy. There is nothynge more certayne and we oughte no lesse to be assured that we shall aryse and raygne wyth hym then that we be of hym for in asmuche as he hathe taken oure fleshe euen as it in hym hathe suffered hath borne the Iudgmente and maledicion of god and is deade euen so it is rysen in hym and exalted into the glory of God aboue al the heauenes therfore he is called the fyrst fruit of thē that slepe fyrst borne of the dead not bicause he is fyrst risē amōg mē for other were risen before hym that is to saye they whych were raysed as well by hym as by the prophetes but bycause that thys is the fyrst and he onelye whyche is rysen by hys owne deuine vertue and power and is the beginning originall and fountayne of the resurrection lyfe of all the other whyche dye and ryse in hym and by hym and the better to confyrme and seale thys hope in oure hertes he hath giuen vs a gage and hathe takē of vs to the end he woulde not leaue vs in doubte he hathe taken Iesus hath taken pledge of vs hath left vs of hys Ephe. i. Roma viii Iohn i. i. Petre. i oure fleshe the whyche he hath borne into heauen by the whyche we be alreadye put into possession and be sette in the celestial places wyth hym and of the other parte he hath gyuen vs hys holye spirite to confyrme and seale the promises in oure hertes which doeth testifie vnto oure spirite that wee be the chyldrē of God Seinge thē that we be the childrē of God and haue hys diuine seede in vs wee oughte not to doubte but that Iesus Christe hathe made vs partakers of his diuine nature euen as he woulde communicate vnto ours and woulde be made manne for to make vs Goddes that is to say Godly holy spirituall Then euen as the wheate whych is sowen in the earth dieth in the same doth sprout Iohn xii Cor. xv sprynge and take roote and after cometh out groweth and bringeth forth good fruite euen so lykewyse shall we be assured that when we dye be putte into the earth we be sowen shal take agayne aryse immortall incorruptible in as much as we beare wyth vs the sproute or springe of the spirite of God which can not dye though the flesh be corrupte but shall deliuer thys bodye frō corruptiō whych shal be raised vp by the vertue of him whych hathe raysed vp Iesus Christe from the dead and shall vinifie and rayse vp oure mortall membres Nathan Here is a goodlye exercise of fayeth and a goodlye practise of christian doctrine of the whyche we oughte not onelye to be learners and doctours in contemplation but also good practicians for to bryng it in dayly vre Phy. There is yet an other poynte whych is no lesse worthye to be noted that is when we beleue that Iesus rayneth in heauen sette vpon the ryght hand of God that doeth assure Consolation agaynst al tētations gyue vs a merueylouse consolation against all tentations and daungers for it is no smal thynge to haue in the celestiall courte and before the face of that greate eternall God such a frende as Iesus Christe whyche is verye God verye man whyche also hathe power in heauen and is inheritour of the kyngdome of God for we can not doubte in asmuche as he alwayes appeareth before the face of God but he is intercessoure for vs and is oure mediatoure and aduocate leader conductoure and gubernatoure wherefore wee haue none occasion to be aferde of anye thynge in heauē or in earth if we firmely and assuredlye trust in hym For in asmuche as he is verye God we can in no wyse doubte but that he hathe al power asmuche as he is one substāce power with the father we ought not to doubt but that al that the father hath is hys and for as muche as he hath bene obedient euen vnto the death of the crosse and that he is hys welbeloued
death of the crosse was asorte of gallowes the moste detestable hateful that was to be Iudged or thoughte to be amonge men for it was not vsed that euyll doers shoulde be hanged vpon the crosse but onely they which were estemed the most execrable and abhominable offēders among the gentyls and panims Nathanaell And dyd not the Iewes of custome punishe theyr malefactours by the crosse Phy. That fashion was onely vsed amonge the Panims and bycause that Pilate theyr prouoste and Iudge was a panime they prayed and earnestly moued hym to cause Iesus to be hanged vpon the crosse for to cause hym the more to be in the shame and sclaunder and hatred of the worlde Natha And in what maner dyd the Iewes cause theyr malefactours to dye Phy. As farre as we can Iudge by the scriptures they had foure maners of executiō that is to saye stonnynge burnynge stranglinge and wythe the sworde Natha And who dyd purchasse for Iesus Christe thys so shamfull ignominious a death Phylyp The enuye and hatred of the Iewes but pryncipallye the Scribes and Phariseis priestes bishopes and princes of Hierusalem Na. Was it not in their power to chose electe the hynde of death of the whyche they desiered that he shoulde dye Phy. It was neither in theyr power nor yet in the power of Pilate to cause him to die neither of that death nor of anye other but in hys onelye which was offered and sacrificed bycause he would and hath gyuen his lyfe when he would and hathe taken it agayne when it pleased hym Iohn ◠wherefore it is not to be thoughte that anye thynge of al thys hath be done by aduenture fortune or chaunce or after the fantasies or appetites of men but all by the prouidence and councell of God for if the Iewes might haue Luke iiii kylled hym whē they woulde they had done it longe before it was done for they had often tymes enterprised it and done all that they coulde and yet could not bryng it to passe bycause that the houre determined of the father was not come of the cōtrarie part whē they would haue deferred his death vnto an other day they could not For thei did desyre to put Math. xxvi it of to after the feast of Ester had so cōcluded in theyr councell fearynge the multitude and vprore of the people and yet they coulde not so brynge it to passe but he was crucified euen at the tyme when they shoulde celebrate theyr Ester but that was not dōe without misterye a greate prouidence of God for that is a great testimonie vnto vs that did open pronounce vnto the Iewes that theyr Ester and all theyr cerrmonies were abolished and that Iesus Christ is the true paschal The true paschall Exodi xiii Iohn i. ix Lambe whyche was wythout spotte and sacrificed for to deliuer vs frō the tirānie of the greate Pharao which is the Deuyll Natha Seynge that it was in the power of Iesus Christ to gyue hys lyfe and to take it againe when he would wherfore did he rather chose and electe that sorte kynde of deathe then anye other Phylyp For many reasons Fyrste for to accomplishe the wyll of God hys father the scriptures and prophecies whyche were prophecied of hym he was figured by the redde hefkere the whyche muste and was then vsed The red hefker Hebr. xii to be burned wythout the hooste in the same maner was Iesus Christe dryuen out of the towne of Hierusalem and was led vnto the mounte of Caluerie in the whych place was the gibbet or gallowhouse for the punishmēt of the euyle doers and there was put to executiō as an euil doer bicause of our sinnes the whiche he toke vpō him were signified by the rednes of the hefker notwithstāding that he was pure innocēt without euer hauyng borne the yoke of the Deuel nor of synne the which was represēted by that that the hefker was yonge without hauinge borne euer anie yoke Na. I should many times haue read that ceremonie before I shoulde haue vnderstand what it did signifie Phy. It should haue bene verye harde to haue bene vnderstand if Iesus Hebr. xii Christe by hys deedes had not expounded it if also the Apostle had not opened vnto vs the vnderstandinge and shewed how it must be applied vnto Iesus Christ Natha It is the same also that Iesus Christ spake of hym selfe in the parable of the euyle kepers of the viniyarde whiche dyd caste out the sonne of the owner of the viniyarde and Math. xxii kylled hym bycause they woulde haue his enheritaunce But thou hast not yet expounded vnto me what scripture had before sayed that he shoulde be hāged vpon the crosse Phy. Thou haste fyrste the figure of the serpent of brasse the whyche Iesus Christ hath expounded of hym selfe For as that serpente of brasse was lyfted vp in the deserte for to The serpente of brasse Nume xxi Iohn iii. heale all them that dyd beholde hym euen so was it necessarie that Iesus Christ should be hanged vpon the tre and be lifted vp vpō the crosse for to heale all them that were mortallye stryken and hurte by the bytinge and venym of the olde serpente and as that serpente of brasse had the verye fygure and shape of a serpente and for all that was no serpente nor had no venym and yet by hys meanes they whyche were hytten with serpētes were healed althoughe the medicine semed very strāge and incōueniēt euen so Iesus Christ hath taken the fourme of a synner and yet was no synner but hathe bene the onelye medicine of all pore synners whych loke and behold him by fayeth and putteth theyr saluation in hys onelye death and passion And notwythstandyng that thys same meane to saue menne semeth verye vyle abiecte and straunge vnto mannes reason vnderstandynge and knoweledge whyche doeth Iudge thys wisdome of God and preachyng of the crosse folishnes i. Cor. i. yet for all that as there was neyther physike surgerye medicine nor remedye that myghte heale them that were bitten wyth serpentes but the beholdynge of the serpente of brasse whych had bene made sette vp by the commaundement of God Euen so haue we neyther phisike surgeri medicine nor other remedy against sin death to get vs saluatiō but Iesus Christe crucified whych is gyuē vs of God for it doeth not appertayne vnto vs to electe or chose the medicine but vnto God the soueraygne medicine whiche only may heale vs of that mortall sykenes and onelye knoweth the remedie that to vs is effectuall and geueth it vnto such as it pleaseth hym and such as he geueth is onelye sufficiente and meete and there is none other that is anye thynge worth and whych bryngeth not rather death then lyfe Nathana Who woulde euer haue thought and that vndre the historie of the serpente of brasse we shoulde haue found so many goodli secretes couered and