A Golden Chain

Timoth. I understand you well. As I am a member of the spiritual body of Christ, I must in all my conversation follow him with patience, meekness, & long suffering, overcoming other mens evils with well doing: yet if the hurt be greater then I can bear, I must take a new person on me, and if I be a ruler, with love seek amendment: if a subject, then in the fear of God, complain to my ruler. But further I pray you soil me this doubt. If I shall be taken for a soldier, me thinks that I should then shake off all love and meekness, and then I could not practise this Christian rule.

Timoth. I vnderstand you well. As I am a member of the spiritual bodie of Christ, I must in all my conuersation follow him with patience, meeknes, & long suffering, ouercomming other mens euils with well doing: yet if the hurt be greater then I can beare, I must take a new person on me, and if I bee a ruler, with loue seeke amendment: if a subiect, then in the feare of God, cōplaine to my ruler. But further I pray you soyle me this doubt. If I shall be taken for a souldier, me thinkes that I should then shake off all loue and meeknes, and then I could not practise this Christian rule.

Euseb. Yes, if our Queen (God save her grace) should send you on warfare into another country, you must obey at Gods commandment, and go and avenge your princes quarrel, which you know not but that it is right. When you come thither, remember the two states in which you are: and know that in the first state, that is, the regiment spiritual, you must love them with whom you fight, and that they are your brethren bought with Christs blood, as well as you, and for Christs sake hate them not, yet as you are in the second state a soldier at your princes commandment you must fight against them, and maintain your princes quarrel, & bring them under her power: & therewithal be content with your princes wages, neither desire your adversaries life or goods, save to advantage your prince. So then a soldier need not cast away meekness, for he may fight with his enemy and slay him, and yet love him.

Euseb. Yes, if our Queene (God saue her grace) should send you on warfare into another countrie, you must obey at Gods commandement, and goe and auenge your princes quarrell, which you know not but that it is right. When you come thither, remember the two states in which you are: and knowe that in the first state, that is, the regiment spiritual, you must loue them with whom you fight, and that they are your brethren bought with Christs blood, as well as you, and for Christs sake hate them not, yet as you are in the second state a souldier at your princes commaundement you must fight against them, and maintaine your princes quarrel, & bring them vnder her power: & therwithall be content with your princes wages, neither desire your aduersaries life or goods, saue to aduantage your prince. So then a souldier neede not cast away meekenesse, for hee may fight with his enemie and sley him, and yet loue him.