An epistle to the faithful necessary for all the children of GodAn epistle to the faithfull necessary for all the children of God

But as the spirit of God cannot be Idle in ¹mans heart, so doth it not enforce man beyond the bonds of Christian modesty: he alloweth not the zeal without spiritual knowledge & wisdom: therefore the Apostle saith, the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, as he ²himself hath showed it by experience, for although he were excellent in all the gifts of god above others, nevertheless he always submitted him self to the judgement of the church, and never despised the counsel of his brethren, as it appeareth in that which was done in yt church of Damas, Antioch, Jerusalem, & Ephesus, & when he was in the town of Athens tarrying for Silas & Timotheus, his spirit was stirred up in himself, seeing the town so much given to idolatry: wherefore he disputed in the assembly with the Jews, and with those that feared God, & every day in the marked & public places, with those with by chance came unto him: but he cried not out in the streets like a mad man: he cried not against the Idols without reason, he ran not into the temples to break & beat them down: also he went not to do reverence unto them, & was wary enough to give any sign either in deed or word whereby any mought judge that he had them in honour or any ⟨image 29⟩estimation: he made no conscience to enter into the temples, and to behold their Altars and Idols; but he went not thither with the Idolaters, when they made their sacrifices to please them, and for fear of offending the Athenians: but contrariwise, he went thither to find occasion to draw them from their Idolatry and superstition, which he condemned by his public testimony, but not without great reason and christian wisdom and modesty.

But as the spirite of God cannot be Idle in ¹mans heart, so doth it not enforce man beyonde the bondes of Christian modestie: he aloweth not the zeale without spirituall knowledge & wisdome: therfore the Apostle saith, the spirits of the prophets are subiect to ye prophets, as he ²himselfe hath shewed it by experience, for although he were excellēt in all the giftes of god aboue others, neuerthelesse he alwayes submitted him selfe to the iudgement of ye church, and neuer despised the coūcell of his brethrē, as it appeareth in yt which was done in yt church of Damas, Antioche, Hierusalem, & Ephesus, & when he was in ye town of Athēs tarying for Silas & Timotheus, his spirit was stirred vp in himself, seeing the town so much giuē to idolatry: wherfore he disputed in ye assembly with ye Iewes, and with those that feared God, & euery day in the marked & publike places, wt those wt by chance came vnto him: but hee cried not out in the streetes like a mad man: he cried not against the Idols without reason, he ran not into the temples to breake & beate them downe: also he went not to doe reuerēce vnto them, & was wary enough to giue any signe either in deede or woorde whereby any mought iudge that hee hadde them in honoure or anye