Wherefore let us take his yoke upon us,1 for it is sweet: let us stick to him in weal and woe, […] he will not forsake us: and let us fence our selves aforehand with the armour and weapons that Saint Paul speaketh of in his present Epistle, that we may be able to stand fast in these evil days, wherein Satan the old serpent leaveth nothing unattempted that may destroy or impair our faith: and that we may be able to bear out the brunt of afflictions which God justly may, and (I fear me) shortly will cast upon us for our careless hearing, and more careless, slow, and negligent following of his word so plentifully preached among us, if we convert not by speedy amendment. Let such as are yet weak, learn to grow ⟨image 11⟩from faith to faith, from knowledge to knowledge in Jesus Christ.2 Let them (as saith S. Peter) endeavour by all means to add too their faith, strength, to their strength, knowledge, to their knowledge, staidness, to their staidness, patience, to their patience, godliness, to their godliness, kind hartednesse, and to their kind hartednesse, Love. And while they be proceeding too perfection by those degrees: I counsel them in the mean season too reverence the mysteries which God hath not yet revealed unto them, neither despairing of their own salvation for want of deep and exquisite knowledge, (for to whom much is given, of him much shall be required, and to whom less is given, of him less shall be required:) nor refusing too learn, least they fall into the sin of contempt: nor grudging at those too whom God hath given a greater light of understanding in such mysteries: nor yet diffaming the doctrine it self, which is uttered by the holy Ghost for their comfort, if they could conceive it aright. Again, on the other side, I counsel the stronger sort (even for Christs sake, who being the Lord of all power, became weak for our sakes) too train forward the weaklings with all mildness of spirit, not with disputing, but with gentle exhortation and encouragement,3 and too cheer up the faint hands and feeble knees, each bearing so with others infirmities, and helping too guide their feet in the right paths, as God may be glorified on all hands through Jesus Christ.
Wherefore let vs take his yoke vppon vs,1 for it is sweete: let vs sticke to him in weale and wo, 〈…〉 he will not forsake vs: and let vs fence our selues aforehand with the armour and weapons that Saint Paule speaketh of in his present Epistle, that wee may bee able to stand fast in these euill dayes, wherin Satan the old serpent leaueth nothing vnattempted that may destroy or impayre our fayth: and that wee may bee able to beare out the brunt of afflictions which God iustly may, and (I feare mee) shortly will cast vppon vs for our carelesse hearing, and more carelesse, slowe, and negligent following of his word so plentifully preached among vs, if wee conuert not by speedie amendment. Let such as are yit weake, learne to grow ⟨image 11⟩from fayth to fayth, from knowledge to knowledge in Iesus Christ.2 Let them (as sayth S. Peter) indeuer by all meanes to adde too their fayth, strength, to their strength, knowledge, to their knowledge, stayednesse, to their stayednesse, pacience, to their pacience, godlynesse, to their godlynesse, kynd hartednesse, and to their kynd hartednesse, Loue. And whyle they bee proceeding too perfection by those degrees: I counsell them in the meane season too reuerence the mysteries which God hath not yit reuealed vnto them, nother despayring of their owne saluation for want of deepe and exquisite knowledge, (for to whom much is giuen, of him much shall bee requyred, and to whom lesse is giuen, of him lesse shall bee required:) nor refuzing too learne, least they fall intoo the sinne of contempt: nor grudging at thoze too whom God hath giuen a greater lyght of vnderstanding in such misteries: nor yit diffaming the doctrine it selfe, which is vttered by the holy Ghost for their comfort, if they could conceyue it aryght. Agein, on the other syde, I coūsell the stronger sort (euen for Christes sake, who beeing the Lord of al power, became weake for our sakes) too trayne foreward the weakelings with all myldnesse of spirit, not with disputing, but with gentle exhortation and incoragement,3 and too cheere vp the faynt handes and feeble knees, eche bearing so with others infirmities, and helping too guyde their feete in the ryght pathes, as God may bee gloryfyed on all handes through Iesus Christ.
- 1Ma•h. 11. 30.
- 22. Pet. 1. 5. 6.
- 3Hebr. 12. 12. 13.
