pp. 13–145 passages
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.
1 Be never afraid of leaving good undone, least the Lord suffer you to fall into the contrary evil.
1 BEe neuer afraide of leauing good vndone, least the Lord suffer you to fall into the contrarie euill.
2 He thought when he had no fear nor grief, he could not profit.
2 Hee thought when he had no feare nor griefe, he could not profit.
3 Beware of immoderate fear, which rather hinder the certainty of saith, then beat1 down the security of the flesh, and which be the readiest means to pull Gods wrath upon us, in that they be the fruits of unbelief, and such as would tie the grace of God promised, to the present danger and deliverance out of the same. The mean and middle path is, that we should fear and forethinke of evils to come, not as thinking that of necessity they must fall upon us, as though God could not, or would not deliver us from them, but as they, who being guilty in this one, desire to submit themselves to the hand of God, and acknowledge themselves heirs of Gods justice or wrath in this or that evil: yet so as we meet with the Lords mercy, who is both able and willing even then most of all to assist and deliver us, when we most fear, and through this godly fear are reverently humbled under the hand of his Majesty. For if natural parents know then to mitigate the stripes of their correction to their children, when they see in them a mild & meek submission ⟨p. 14⟩of themselves, under the hand of their authority, and yet so fearing them as Governors,2 but upholding with mercy as fathers: if they have that wisdom, by so much to make their hand in correction the heavier, by how much the Child to be beaten is the stubborner; we must then think this merciful wisdom and consideration to be much more in the Lord, from whose brightness the parents have received these sparks.
3 Beware of immoderate feare, which rather hinder the certaintie of saith, then beate1 downe the securitie of the flesh, and which be the readiest meanes to pull Gods wrath vpon vs, in that they be the fruites of vnbeliefe, and such as would tye the grace of God promised, to the present danger and deliuerance out of the same. The meane and middle path is, that wee should feare and forethinke of euils to come, not as thinking that of necessitie they must fall vpon vs, as though God could not, or would not deliuer vs from them, but as they, who beeing guiltie in this one, desire to submit themselues to the hand of God, and acknowledge themselues heires of Gods iustice or wrath in this or that euill: yet so as we meete with the Lords mercie, who is both able and willing euen then most of all to assist and deliuer vs, when wee most feare, and through this godlie feare are reuerentlie humbled vnder the hand of his Maiestie. For if naturall parēts know then to mitigate the stripes of their correction to their children, when they see in them a milde & meeke submission ⟨p. 14⟩of themselues, vnder the hand of their authoritie, and yet so fearing them as Gouernours,2 but vpholding with mercie as fathers: if they haue that wisedome, by so much to make their hand in correction the heauier, by howe much the Childe to bee beaten is the stubborner; we must then thinke this mercifull wisdome and confideration to bee much more in the Lorde, from whose brightnesse the parents haue receiued these sparkes.
4 He said, that to win any, or to continue any in the fear of God, he would give no such things which he loved not, but such things as he loved most dearly, that they might know it to be a gift of love, and not of fashion.
4 Hee said, that to winne anie, or to continue anie in the feare of God, he would giue no such things which he loued not, but such things as he loued most dearely, that they might know it to be a gift of loue, and not of fashion.
