shalt reap. Note. 54. God is not the cause thereof that thou art lost: For the law to do right or righteousness is written in nature, and thou hast that very book in thy heart. 55. Thou knowest very well that thou shouldst deal well and friendly with thy neighbour; also thou knowest well that thou shouldst not vilify thy own life, that is, thou shouldst not bemire and defile thy own body and soul, and lay open their shame. 56. Surely herein consisteth the pith and kernel, and the love of God. God doth not regard any man's name or birth, but he that moveth or acteth in the love of God moveth in the light, and the light is the heart of God. Now he that sitteth in the heart of God, who can spew him out from thence? No one; for he is begotten or generated in God. 57. O thou blind, halfdead world, cease from thy judging; O thou blind Jew, Turk, and Heathen, desist from thy calumniating, and submit thyself in obedience to God, and walk in the light, then thou wilt see how thou shouldst rise from thy fall, and how thou shouldst arm thyself in this world against the hellish fierceness and wrath, and how thou mayst overcome, and live with God eternally. 58. Most certainly there is but one God; hut when the veil is put away from thy eyes, so that thou seest and knowest him, then thou wilt also see and know all thy brethren, whether they be Christians, Jews, Turks, or Heathen. 59. Or dost thou think that God is the God of Christians only? Do not the Heathen also live in God, [1 Acts x. 35] whosoever doth right or righteousness God loveth and accepteth him. 60. Or what didst thou, who art a Christian, know [as to] how God would redeem and deliver thee from evil? What friendship and familiarity hadst thou with HIM? or what covenant hadst thou made with HIM, when God caused his Son to become man, or be incarnate, to redeem mankind? Is he only thy king? Is it not written, [Haggai ii. 7] He is the comfort of all the Heathen. 61. Hearken, [Rom. v. 18] By one man sin came into the world, and pressed through one upon all. And through one came the redemption into the world, and pressed through one upon all. What therefore lieth in any man's knowledge? No! indeed, thou didst not know how God would deal with thee, when thou wast dead in sins. 62. Now as sin without distinction reigneth through one man over all, so mercy and redemption reign through one over all. 63. But unto those Heathen, Jews, and Turks, blindness did befall, yet for all that they stand in an anxious birth, and seek for a rest; they desire grace, though they seek not for it at the right mark, or in the right place or limit: but God is everywhere, and looketh upon the ground of the heart. 64. But if in their anxious birth the light be generated in them, what art thou that judgest them? 65. Behold! thou blind man, I will demonstrate this to thee thus: Go into a meadow, there thou seest several sorts of herbs and flowers; thou seest some that are bitter, some tart, sweet, sour, white, yellow, red, blue, green, and many various sorts. 66. Do they not all grow out of the earth? Do they not stand one by another? Doth the one grudge the beauteous form of the other? 67. But if one among them lifteth up itself too high in its growth, and so withereth, because it hath not sap enough, how can the earth help it? Doth it not afford its sap to that as well as to the others? 68. But if thorns grow among them, and the mower cometh to reap his crop, he cutteth them down together, but he casteth out the thorns, and they are to be burnt in the fire; but the various flowers and good crop he gathereth, and causeth it to be brought into his barn. 69. Thus it is also with men, there are diver sities of gifts and accomplishments, endowments or aptitudes; one it may be is much lighter or brighter in God than another; but all the while they do not wither in the spirit they are not rejectable; but when the spirit withereth, then that is good and useful for nothing but for fuel, and is only as wood for the fire. 70. But if the Turks be of an astringent quality, and the Heathen of a bitter, what is that to thee? If the light becomes shining in the astringent and bitter qualities, then it gives light also. 71. But thou art generated in the heat, where the light riseth up in the sweet spring or fountainwater; have a care lest the heat burn thee; it is time, thou wouldst do well to quench that. Question. 72. Thou sayest, Is it right then that the
shall reap. Note. 54. God is not the cause thereof that you are lost: For the law to do right or righteousness is written in nature, and you have that very book in your heart. 55. You know very well that you should deal well and friendly with your neighbour; also you know well that you should not vilify your own life, that is, you should not bemire and defile your own body and soul, and lay open their shame. 56. Surely herein consists the pith and kernel, and the love of God. God does not regard any man's name or birth, but he that moves or acts in the love of God moves in the light, and the light is the heart of God. Now he that sitts in the heart of God, who can spew him out from thence? No one; for he is begotten or generated in God. 57. O you blind, halfdead world, cease from your judging; O you blind Jew, Turk, and Heathen, desist from your calumniating, and submit yourself in obedience to God, and walk in the light, then you will see how you should rise from your fall, and how you should arm yourself in this world against the hellish fierceness and wrath, and how you mayst overcome, and live with God eternally. 58. Most certainly there is but one God; hut when the veil is put away from your eyes, so that you seest and know him, then you will also see and know all your brethren, whether they be Christians, Jews, Turks, or Heathen. 59. Or do you think that God is the God of Christians only? Do not the Heathen also live in God, [1 Acts x. 35] whosoever does right or righteousness God loves and accepts him. 60. Or what did you, who art a Christian, know [as to] how God would redeem and deliver you from evil? What friendship and familiarity had you with HIM? or what covenant had you made with HIM, when God caused his Son to become man, or be incarnate, to redeem mankind? Is he only your king? Is it not written, [Haggai ii. 7] He is the comfort of all the Heathen. 61. Hearken, [Rom. v. 18] By one man sin came into the world, and pressed through one upon all. And through one came the redemption into the world, and pressed through one upon all. What therefore lies in any man's knowledge? No! indeed, you did not know how God would deal with you, when you were dead in sins. 62. Now as sin without distinction reigns through one man over all, so mercy and redemption reign through one over all. 63. But unto those Heathen, Jews, and Turks, blindness did befall, yet for all that they stand in an anxious birth, and seek for a rest; they desire grace, though they seek not for it at the right mark, or in the right place or limit: but God is everywhere, and looks upon the ground of the heart. 64. But if in their anxious birth the light be generated in them, what art you that judgest them? 65. Behold! you blind man, I will demonstrate this to you thus: Go into a meadow, there you seest several sorts of herbs and flowers; you seest some that are bitter, some tart, sweet, sour, white, yellow, red, blue, green, and many various sorts. 66. Do they not all grow out of the earth? Do they not stand one by another? Does the one grudge the beauteous form of the other? 67. But if one among them lifts up itself too high in its growth, and so withers, because it has not sap enough, how can the earth help it? Does it not afford its sap to that as well as to the others? 68. But if thorns grow among them, and the mower comes to reap his crop, he cutts them down together, but he casts out the thorns, and they are to be burnt in the fire; but the various flowers and good crop he gathers, and causes it to be brought into his barn. 69. Thus it is also with men, there are diver sities of gifts and accomplishments, endowments or aptitudes; one it may be is much lighter or brighter in God than another; but all the while they do not wither in the spirit they are not rejectable; but when the spirit withers, then that is good and useful for nothing but for fuel, and is only as wood for the fire. 70. But if the Turks be of an astringent quality, and the Heathen of a bitter, what is that to you? If the light becomes shining in the astringent and bitter qualities, then it gives light also. 71. But you are generated in the heat, where the light rises up in the sweet spring or fountainwater; have a care lest the heat burn you; it is time, you would do well to quench that. Question. 72. You say, Is it right then that the
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