The premisses considered, it is an easy matter for any man to judge certainly:1 betwixt the difference of all works, and all laws, & know skilfully who be blind, and witless Preachers, & who be true & faithful pastors. For whatsoever work be not directed to this only mark, namely, to be employed to the chastisement of the body, or to the dutiful consideration of the neighbour (so that it enforce not any thing directly against Gods glory) surely the work is neither good nor Christianlike. And this is the cause, that I fear me much, very few Colleges at all, any Monasteries, Altars, or any Ecclesiastical exercises at this day, be not truly Christian, & that also as well those proper & peculiar fastings, as the petty prayers to certain Saints be not Christian I fear me much (I say) that in all these things regard is had of nought else, but that which appertaineth to our selves, whiles we be thus minded, that by means of these exercises, our sins are cleansed, & salvation obtained thereby, & so Christian liberty is overthrown the cause whereof proceedeth from blind ignorance of the true Christian faith, full of all freedom. ⟨p. 73⟩Which gross ignorance & suppression of liberty, very many blind & bussardly pastors do earnestly maintain, whilst they do greedily persuade, & urge the people to such exercises, advancing them above Moon and Stars, & glorifying them with their pardons, but of faith never uttering so much as one word. But I would wish thee to be well advised, that if thou have will at any time to pray, to fast,2 or to found Churches (as they term it) to beware thou do not this to the end to procure to thy self any temporal or everlasting commodity therewith: for in so doing, thou shalt be prejudicial to thy faith, which only doth minister all things unto thee,3 & therefore ought only be attended unto, that it may be increased, whether it be occupied in works, or exercised with afflictions: but give freely without hope of requital, whatsoever ye givest, that others may be relieved, and grow in well doing through thee, and thy liberality, for this is the way to make thee a good and a true Christian man. For what shall avail thee, thy goods, & thy works, whereof thou art endued with a surplus, over and besides ⟨p. 74⟩those which do serve to the necessary chastisement of the body?
The premisses considered, it is an easie matter for any man to iudge certainly:1 betwixt the difference of all works, and al lawes, & know skilfully who be blind, and witlesse Preachers, & who be true & faithfull pastors. For whatsoeuer worke bée not directed to this only marke, namely, to be employed to ye chastismēt of ye body, or to ye dutiful cōsideration of ye neighbor (so yt it enforce not any thing directly against Gods glory) surely ye work is neither good nor Christianlike. And this is the cause, yt I feare me much, very few Colledges at all, any Monasteries, Altars, or any Ecclesiastical exercises at this day, be not truly Christian, & that also as well those proper & peculiar fastings, as ye petty prayers to certain Saints be not Christiā I feare me much (I say) yt in al these things regard is had of nought else, but yt which appertayneth to our selues, whiles we be thus minded, yt by meanes of these exercises, our sins are cleansed, & saluatiō obtained therby, & so Christiā liberty is ouerthrowē the cause wherof procedeth frō blind ignorāce of ye true Christiā faith, full of al fréedome. ⟨p. 73⟩Which grosse ignorāce & suppression of liberty, very many blind & bussardly pastors doe earnestly maintaine, whilest they doe gréedily perswade, & vrge ye people to such exercises, aduācing them aboue Moone and Stars, & glorifying thē with their pardōs, but of faith neuer vttering so much as one word. But I wold wish thée to be wel aduised, that if thou haue wil at any time to pray, to fast,2 or to found Churches (as they tearme it) to beware thou do not this to ye end to procure to thy self any tēporal or euerlasting cōmodity therwith: for in so doing, thou shalt be preiudiciall to thy faith, which only doth minister all things vnto thée,3 & therfore ought only be attended vnto, yt it may be encreased, whether it be occupied in workes, or exercised with afflictions: but giue fréely without hope of requitall, whatsoeuer ye giuest, that others may be reléeued, and grow in well doing through thée, and thy liberality, for this is the way to make thée a good and a true Christiā man. For what shall auaile thée, thy goods, & thy works, whereof thou art endued with a surplus, ouer and besides ⟨p. 74⟩those which do serue to the necessary chastisement of the body?
- 1The difference betwixt the good and the evil pastors.The difference betwixt the good and the euill pastors.
- 2Good advice.Good aduice.
- 3Only faith must be attended unto.Only faith must be attended vnto.
