1Thou canst not in this case be idle, as surely that love of God and pleasure which thou enjoyest in him will not suffer thee to be idle. Thou shalt be inflamed with a marvellous study and desire to do what things soever thou canst know will be an honour unto thy God, so loving and bountiful unto thee, and will turn to praise, glory, and thanks giving unto him. Thou shalt have no choice of works, thou shalt pass for no precept, thou shalt feel no compulsion of the law, having a most ready will and pleasure to do, whatsoever things thou shalt know to be acceptable unto God, whether they be contemptible or noble, small or great, thou shalt count them alike. But first of all it shall be thy desire, that this blessed knowledge of God may be common also to the rest, whereupon by and by thy love will here show it self, and will assay all means, to make this truth of salvation manifest unto all, it will publish and repeat it, wheresoever it shall be able, rejecting and condemning whatsoever other either teach or say, that agreeth not with this truth.2 Whereby it will come to pass, that Satan & the world, which hear nothing so unwillingly as this truth, & can not abide that their things should be condemned, will ⟨p. 135⟩rise against thee with all their might, will by & by trouble thee, all the great, learned, rich & mighty of the world will condemn thee of heresy and madness, and will leave no mean unattempted until if they be able they have dispatched thee of thy life. Thus with Christ thy Lord thou shalt be persecuted, & suffer extreme ignominy, thy body, life, goods, name, friends, and all things being brought into peril, until they have thrust thee from them out of this life into the eternal & blessed life: In the mean season thou must suffer all these things with a patient mind, and take them in good part, losing none of the spiritual joy, which thou hast of Christ in thy God, & for thy part showing to thy persecutors all kindness and love, being always mindful, that thou a little before wast not much unlike them before God. All which things thou shalt do through faith & love, albeit they exceed the strength of nature. And this in deed is a true Christian life, wherein thou dost endeavour to do so to other, as God hath done to thee.
1Thou canst not in this case be idle, as surely that loue of God and pleasure which thou enioyest in him will not suffer thee to be idle. Thou shalt be enflamed with a marueilous study and desire to doe what things soeuer thou canst know will be an honour vnto thy God, so louing and bountifull vnto thee, and will turne to praise, glory, and thankes giuing vnto him. Thou shalt haue no choise of works, thou shalt passe for no precept, thou shalt feele no compulsion of the law, hauing a most ready will and pleasure to doe, whatsoeuer thinges thou shalt know to be acceptable vnto God, whether they be contemptible or noble, small or great, thou shalt count them alike. But first of all it shall be thy desire, that this blessed knowledge of God may be common also to the rest, whereupon by and by thy loue will here shew it selfe, and will assay all meanes, to make this truth of saluation manifest vnto all, it will publish and repete it, wheresoeuer it shall be able, reiecting and condemning whatsoeuer other either teach or say, that agreeth not with this truth.2 Whereby it will come to passe, that Satan & the worlde, which heare nothing so vnwillingly as this truth, & can not abide that their things should be condemned, wil ⟨p. 135⟩rise against thee with all their might, wil by & by trouble thee, all the great, learned, rich & mightie of the world wil condemne thee of heresie and madnes, and will leaue no meane vnattempted vntill if they be able they haue dispatcht thee of thy life. Thus with Christ thy Lord thou shalt be persecuted, & suffer extreme ignominie, thy body, life, goods, name, friendes, and all things being brought into perill, vntill they haue thrust thee from them out of this life into the eternal & blessed life: In the meane season thou must suffer all these things with a patient mind, and take them in good part, losing none of ye spiritual ioy, which thou hast of Christ in thy God, & for thy part shewing to thy persecutors all kindnes and loue, being alwayes mindful, that thou a litle before wast not much vnlike them before God. All which thinges thou shalt doe through faith & loue, albeit they exceede the strength of nature. And this in deede is a true Christian life, wherein thou doost endeuour to doe so to other, as God hath done to thee.
- 1He that is partaker of the bountifulness and love of God can not be idle.He that is partaker of the bountifulnes and loue of God can not be idle.
- 2Satan & the world can not abide falsehood to be reproved & the truth to be preached, & therefore they persecute them which preach the truth.Satan & the world can not abide falshood to be reproued & the truth to be preached, & therfore they persecute them which preach the truth.
