But thou (Christian reader) see thou feed thy1 soul with no other meat,2 then with the wholesome pastures of Gods word, what so ever the world shall say or do.3 Look upon this text of Saint John: When the comforter shall come, whom I shall send from my father, even the spirit of trueth, which doth proceed from the father, he shall testify and bear record of me. Weigh that place, and think, wherefore the son of man referred him self to the witness of the holy Ghost, and ye shall know, ⟨image 15⟩that it was for no untruth that was in the author being Christ, or in the doctrine that he preached: but only to make the disciples to be of good comfort, and that they should not esteem the Gospel he preached unto them any thing the less, although it had many adversaries and enemies, and was spoken against in manner every where: for against the fury and false judgement of the world that contemned the Gospel, they should have the testimony of the holy Ghost, to allow and warrant the Gospel. Let us therefore pray to the heavenly shepherd, that he will give us his holy spirit, to testify for the word of God the only food of our souls, that it is true that God saith, and only good that he appointeth to feed us. And this we may be assured of, that in this heavy and sorrowful time, there is nothing can testify for the truth of Gods word, and keep us in the pleasant pasture thereof, but the very spirit of God, which we must set against all the tumults and dangers of the world. For if we make this verity of GOD subject to the judgement of the world, our faith shall quail and faint every hour as mens judgements vary. Wherefore, let us pray to have always in us the spirit of adoption, whereby when our faith shall be assaulted, we may cry, Father, father, and the same help for the maintenance of trueth, God promised by his holy Prophet Isaiah, saying:4 This is my covenant with them (saith the Lord,) my spirit which is in thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart from thy mouth, nor from the mouth of thy seed, nor from the mouth of the seed of thy seed, from henceforth until the world end.
But thou (Christian reader) sée thou féede thy1 soule with no other meate,2 then with the holesome pastures of Gods word, what so euer the world shal say or doe.3 Looke vppon this text of Saint Iohn: When the comforter shall come, whome I shall send from my father, euen the spirit of trueth, which doth proceede from the father, he shall testifie and beare recorde of me. Weigh that place, and thinke, wherefore the sonne of man referred him selfe to the witnesse of the holy Ghoste, and ye shall knowe, ⟨image 15⟩that it was for no vntruth that was in the authour being Christe, or in the doctrine that he preached: but only to make the disciples to be of good comfort, and that they should not estéeme the Gospel he preached vnto them any thing the lesse, although it had many aduersaries and enimies, and was spoken against in maner euery where: for against the furie and false iudgement of the world that cōtemned the Gospell, they should haue the testimonie of the holy Ghoste, to allowe and warrant the Gospell. Let vs therfore pray to the heauenly shepheard, that he will giue vs his holy spirit, to testifie for the word of God the only foode of our soules, that it is true that God saith, and onely good that he appointeth to féede vs. And this we may be assured of, that in this heauie and sorrowfull time, there is nothing can testifie for the truth of Gods word, and kéepe vs in the pleasant pasture thereof, but the very spirite of God, whiche we must set against all the tumults and daungers of the world. For if we make this veritie of GOD subiect to the iudgement of the world, our faith shall quaile and faint euery houre as mens iudgements varie. Wherefore, let vs pray to haue alwayes in vs the spirite of adoption, whereby when our faith shall be assaulted, we may cry, Father, father, and the same helpe for the maintenaunce of trueth, God promised by his holy Prophete Esaie, saying:4 This is my couenant with them (saith the Lord,) my spirit which is in thee, and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth, shall not depart from thy mouthe, nor from the mouth of thy seede, nor from the mouth of the seede of thy seede, from hencefoorth vntill the world end.
- 1Psal. 35.
- 2John. 15.Iohn. 15.
- 3John. 15.Iohn. 15.
- 4Isaiah. 59.Esaie. 59.
