But thou Christian reader, see thou feed thy soul with no other meat,1 than with the wholesome pastures of gods word whatsoever the world shall say or do. ⟨image 23⟩Look upon this text of saint John: when the comforter shall come, whom I shall send from my father, even the spirit of truth,2 which doth proceed from the father, he shall testify and hear record of me. W•y that place and think wherefore the son of man referred him self to the witness of the holy ghost, and ye shall know 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 & enemies and was spoken against in manner every where: for against the fury and false judgement o• 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 spirits to testify for the word ⟨image 24⟩of God the only food of our souls, that it is true that God sayeth, and only good, that he appointeth too feed us. And this we may be assured of, that in this heavy and sorrowful t•me, 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 veri•ye 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 the truth, God promised by his holy prophet Isaiah saying: This is my covenant with them (saith the lord) my spirit which is in thee,3 and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart from thy mouth, nor from the mouth of thy ⟨image 24⟩seed nor from the mo•th of the seed of thy seed from hence forth until the world• end.
But thou Christian reader, see thou fede thysoule with no other meat,1 thē wt the holsome pastures of gods word whatsoeuer the world shal say or do. ⟨image 23⟩Looke vpon this texte of saint Iohn: when the comforter shall come, whō I shal send from my father, euen the spirit of truth,2 whiche doth proceede from the father, he shall testifye and heare recorde of me. W•y that place and thincke wherefore the sonne of man referred him selfe to the witnes of the holye ghost, and ye shall know that it was for no vntruth that was in the authour beinge Christ, or in the doctrin that he preached: but only to make the disciples to be of good comforte, and that they shoulde not esteeme the gospell he preached vnto them any thinge the lesse, althoughe it had manye aduersaries & enemies and was spoken against in maner euerye where: for against the fury and false iudgemente o• the worlde that cōtemn•d the gospel, they shuld haue the testimonye of the holy ghost to alowe and warante the Gospell. Let vs therefore praye to the heauenlye shepehearde that he wyll geue vs his holy spirits to testifye for the woorde ⟨image 24⟩of God the onely foode of our soules, that it is true that God sayeth, and onelye good, that he appointeth too feede vs. And this we may be assured of, that in this heauy and sorowfull t•me, ther is nothing cā testify for the truthe of Gods word and kepe vs in the pleasaunte pasture thereof, but the verye spirite of God, whiche we must set against al the tumultes and daungers of the worlde. For if we make thys veri•ye of Gode subiecte to the iudgemente of the worlde, our fayeth shall quayle and faynte euery houre as mens iudgementes varye. Wherefore let vs praye to haue alwayes in vs the spirite of adoption, wherby whē our faith shalbe assaulted, we may cry father father, and the same helpe for the mayntenaunce of the truth, God promysed by his holy prophet Esay sayingd: Thys is my couenaunt with them (saith the lord) my spirit whiche is in thee,3 and my wordes whyche I haue put in thy mouth, shall not departe frome thy mouthe, nor frome the mouthe of thy ⟨image 24⟩
- 1Psal. 35. Joh. 15.Psal. 35. Ioh. 15.
- 2Joh. 1•.Ioh. 1•.
- 3•sa. 59.
