self-erected priests will cry out and say, Christ is in the wilderness: Another of them will say, He is not in the wilderness, he is in the chamber, or he is in the field; and another again will say, No, he is here or there, or he is in the Supper, or in the Baptism; and another will say he is not in them, they are only signs and symbols: But Christ saith, Believe them not, and go not forth; for as the lightning shinethfrom the east to the west, so also shall the coming of the Son of Man be; for where the carcase is, thither the eagles gather together.
83. Christ saith, / am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, none cometh to the Father, but by me: I am the Door to the Sheepfold, and am a Good Shepherd; but all that came before me, in their own name, of themselves, are thieves and murderers, and seek only to rob and steal; for they seek their own honour, but I seek not my own honour, but my Father honoureth me, and they dishonour me: I am the Light of the World, whosoever followeth me, shall have the light of the eternal life; my Father will give the Holy Ghost to them that pray unto him for it; when he shall come, he shall lead you into all truth, for he shall receive of mine, and make it known unto you: Take no care of your life, for my Father careth for you: for where your heart is, there is your treasure also. [Therefore let your heart and mind be in the will of God, and then your treasure is there also.]
84. Which is as much as to say: Run not after the self-erected teachers, who teach from the history, without the spirit of God: If they can speak a little in a strange language, then they will be teachers, and teach out of art and vain-glory, to exercise their eloquence, wherein one flattering hypocrite helpeth forward the other, especially where much money and honour may be gotten in the office. Christ said, / seek not my own honour; my kingdom is not of this world: But they teach that Christ's kingdom is in the history, [viz. in art, in eloquence, in the universities, in synods and councils]. But Christ said to his disciples, The Holy Ghost will receive of mine, and make it known unto you, and bring into your mind all whatsoever I have spoken.
85. Thus, dear children of Christ, let none run after contentions, controversies, and disputations, they all say the truth one of another; for they are all grown out of one and the same tree, and they, are at variance about the booty and prey of Antichrist, whose end is at hand: Turn away your heart and mind from all contention, and go in very simply and humbly at the door of Christ, into Christ's sheepfold; seek that in your heart; you need not much disputation: Pray to God the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, upon his promise, that he would open your heart through his holy spirit, turn with all diligence into him, let all go whatsoever maketh a fine glistering holy show in the heaps of stone, and enter into the temple of Christ, and there the Holy Ghost will meet you: Yield yourself entirely up unto him, and he will open your heart, and bring into your mind all the merits and benefits of Christ; he will open your understanding, and bring into your mind whatsoever Christ hath spoken, for he shall receive from Christ, and make it known unto you.
self-erected priests will cry out and say, Christ is in the wilderness: Another of them will say, He is not in the wilderness, he is in the chamber, or he is in the field; and another again will say, No, he is here or there, or he is in the Supper, or in the Baptism; and another will say he is not in them, they are only signs and symbols: But Christ says, Believe them not, and go not forth; for as the lightning shinethfrom the east to the west, so also shall the coming of the Son of Man be; for where the carcase is, thither the eagles gather together.
83. Christ says, / am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, none comes to the Father, but by me: I am the Door to the Sheepfold, and am a Good Shepherd; but all that came before me, in their own name, of themselves, are thieves and murderers, and seek only to rob and steal; for they seek their own honour, but I seek not my own honour, but my Father honours me, and they dishonour me: I am the Light of the World, whosoever follows me, shall have the light of the eternal life; my Father will give the Holy Ghost to them that pray unto him for it; when he shall come, he shall lead you into all truth, for he shall receive of mine, and make it known unto you: Take no care of your life, for my Father cars for you: for where your heart is, there is your treasure also. [Therefore let your heart and mind be in the will of God, and then your treasure is there also.]
84. Which is as much as to say: Run not after the self-erected teachers, who teach from the history, without the spirit of God: If they can speak a little in a strange language, then they will be teachers, and teach out of art and vain-glory, to exercise their eloquence, wherein one flattering hypocrite helps forward the other, especially where much money and honour may be gotten in the office. Christ said, / seek not my own honour; my kingdom is not of this world: But they teach that Christ's kingdom is in the history, [viz. in art, in eloquence, in the universities, in synods and councils]. But Christ said to his disciples, The Holy Ghost will receive of mine, and make it known unto you, and bring into your mind all whatsoever I have spoken.
85. Thus, dear children of Christ, let none run after contentions, controversies, and disputations, they all say the truth one of another; for they are all grown out of one and the same tree, and they, are at variance about the booty and prey of Antichrist, whose end is at hand: Turn away your heart and mind from all contention, and go in very simply and humbly at the door of Christ, into Christ's sheepfold; seek that in your heart; you need not much disputation: Pray to God the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, upon his promise, that he would open your heart through his holy spirit, turn with all diligence into him, let all go whatsoever makes a fine glistering holy show in the heaps of stone, and enter into the temple of Christ, and there the Holy Ghost will meet you: Yield yourself entirely up unto him, and he will open your heart, and bring into your mind all the merits and benefits of Christ; he will open your understanding, and bring into your mind whatsoever Christ has spoken, for he shall receive from Christ, and make it known unto you.
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