A30139:83
A discourse of the building, nature, excellency, and government of the house of God…
A discourse of the building, nature, excellency, and government of the house of God With counsels and directions to the inhabitants thereof. By John Bunyan of Bedford.
London : printed, and are to be sold by George Larkin, at the Two Swans without Bishopsgate, 1688
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
I will suppose, I Hear, I Sing, I Pray, And that I am Baptized without delay, I will suppose I do much knowledge get, And will also suppose that I am fit To be a Preacher, yet nought profits me If to the first, poor I a stranger be: They are more weighty therefore; in compare, These unto them, but Mint and Anise are.1 Not that I would the least of Duty slight, Because the least Command of Divine Right Requires that I my self subject thereto, Wilful Resisters do them selves undo. But let's keep order, let the first be first; Repent, Believe and Love; and then, I trust ⟨p. 31⟩I have that Right which is Divine, to all That is enjoined, be they great or small. Only I must as cautionary speak, In one word more, a little to the Weak; Thou must not suffer men so to enclose Thee in their Judgments, as to discompose Thee in that Faith and Peace thou hast with him; This would be like the losing of a Limb; Or like to him who thinks he doth not well, Unless he lose the Kernel for the Shell. Thou art no Captive, but a Child and Free; Thou wast not made for Laws, but Laws for thee; And thou must use them as thy light will bear it They that say otherwise, do rend and tear it; More like to wicked Tyrants, who are cruel, And add unto a little Fire, more Fuel▪ But those who are True Shepherds of the Sheep, To quench such burnings would most gladly Weep.
I will suppose, I Hear, I Sing, I Pray, And that I am Baptiz'd without delay, I will suppose I do much knowledge get, And will also suppose that I am fit To be a Preacher, yet nought profits me If to the first, poor I a stranger be: They are more weighty therefore; in compare, These unto them, but Mint and Annis are.1 Not that I would the least of Duty slight, Because the least Command of Divine Right Requires that I my self subject thereto, Wilful Resisters do them selves undo. But let's keep order, let the first be first; Repent, Believe and Love; and then, I trust ⟨p. 31⟩I have that Right which is Divine, to all That is enjoyned, be they great or small. Only I must as cautionary speak, In one word more, a little to the Weak; Thou must not suffer men so to enclose Thee in their Judgments, as to discompose Thee in that Faith and Peace thou hast with him; This would be like the losing of a Limb; Or like to him who thinks he doth not well, Unless he lose the Kernel for the Shell. Thou art no Captive, but a Child and Free; Thou wast not made for Laws, but Laws for thee; And thou must use them as thy light will bear it They that say otherwise, do rend and tear it; More like to wicked Tyrants, who are cruel, And add unto a little Fire, more Fuel But those who are True Shepherds of the Sheep, To quench such burnings would most gladly Weep.