Ne timeas, Be not afraid. A friend of mine told me of a certain woman, that was .xviii. years together in it.1 I knew a man my self Bilney, little Bilnei, that blessed martyr of GOD, what time he had borne his fagot, and was come again to Cambridge had such conflicts, within him self, beholding this Image of death, that his friends were a frayed to let him be alone, they were fain to be with him day and night, and comforted him as they could, but no comforts would serve. As for the comfortable places of scripture to bring them unto him, it was as though a man would run him through the heart with a sword. Yet afterward ⟨image 193⟩all this he was revived, & toke his death patiently,2 and dyed well against the Tyrannical sea of Rome. Woe, will be to that bishop that had the examination of him, if he repented not. Here is a good lesson for you my friends. If ever ye come endanger, endurance, in prison for God's quarrel. and his sake, (as he did for purgatory matters,3 and put to bear a fagot for preaching the true word of God against pilgrimage and such like matters) I will advise you first & above all thing to abjure all your friends, all your friendship, leave not one unabiured, it is they that shall undo you, and not your enemies. It was his very friends, that brought Bylnye ⟨image 193⟩to it. By this it may somewhat appear what our saviour Christ suffered, he doeth not dissemble it him self,4 when he saith, my soul is heavy to death, he was in so sore an Agony, that there issued out of him as I shall entreat anon, drops of blood, and ugsome thing surely, which his fact and deed showeth us, what horrible pains he was in for our sakes. But you will say, how can this be? It were possible that I and such other,5 as be great sinners should suffer such affliction. The Son of God, what our Saviour Christ? never sinned, how can this stand that he should be this handled? he never deserved it. Mary I will tell you how we must ⟨image 194⟩consider our Saviour Christ two ways, one way in his man hood, another in his Godhead. Some places of scripture must be referred to his deity, and some to his humanity.6 In his godhead he suffered nothing, but now he made him self void of his deity, as scripture saith.
Ne timeas, Be not afraied. A frēd of myne tolde me of a certayne woman, that was .xviii. yeares to gether in it.1 I knewe a man my self Bilney, litle Bilnei, that blessed martyr of GOD, what tyme he had borne hys fagott, and was come agayne to Cambrydge hadde suche conflyctes, wythin hym selfe, beholdynge thys Image of death, that hys frendes were a frayed to lette hym be alone, they were fayne to be wyth hym daye and nyght, and comforted hym as they coulde, but no comfortes woulde serue. As for the comfortable places of scripture to brynge theym vnto hym, it was as though a man woulde runne hym throughe the herte wyth a sweard. Yet afterwarde ⟨image 193⟩all thys he was reuiued, & toke his death pacientlye,2 and dyed wel against the Tirannical sea of Rome. Wo, wil be to that byshoppe that had the examynacyon of hym, if he repented not. Here is a good lesson for you my fryendes. If euer ye come indaunger, induraunce, in pryson for godes quarrell. and hys sake, (as he dyd for purgatorye matters,3 and put to beare a fagot for preachynge the true worde of God agaynste pilgremage and suche lyke matters) I wyl aduyse you fyrst & aboue al thing to abiure al your fryendes, all your frindeshipe, leaue not one vnabiured, it is they that shall vndo you, and not your ennemyes. It was his very friendes, that brought Bylnye ⟨image 193⟩to it. By this it maye somewhat appere what oure sauyour Christe suffered, he doeth not dissemble it hym selfe,4 when he sayth, my soule is heauye to death, he was in sosore an Agony, that there issued out of hym as I shal entreate anone, droppes of bloud, and vgsome thing suerly, whiche his fact and dede sheweth vs, what horrible paynes he was in for oure sakes. But you wyll saye, howe can thys be? It were possible that I and suche other,5 as be greate synners shoulde suffer suche afflictiō. The sonne of God, what oure Sauioure Christe? neuer synned, howe can thys stande that he shoulde be thys handeled? he neuer deserued it. Mary I wyl tell you how we must ⟨image 194⟩consider oure Sauiour Christe two wayes, one way in hys mā hode, a nother in his Godhed. Some places of scripture must be referred to hys deitie, and some to his humanitie.
- 1Ly•le […] the […] had woeful con •••• in his […] ▪Ly•le 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 had wo••full cō •••• in his 〈…〉 ▪
- 2Byluey toke his death patiently.Byluey toke hys death paciently.
- 3A god leasson for such as are in prison for ye words sake.A god leasson for suche as are in pryson for ye wordes sake.
- 4Christ was in Agony.Chryst was in Agonye.
- 5An answer to an objection concerning Christs affliction & tormenting.An answer to an obiectyon concernyng Chrystes affliction & tormentyng.
- 6Christ suffered nothing in his godhead.Christ suffred nothyng in hys godhed.
