2. If I should sit and hear sermons preached all my life long, and did hear them always preach of the kingdom of heaven and the New Birth, with their singing and repetitions, and stay there, and go no further, I should be never the nearer. If a stone be cast into the water and then taken out again, it is a hard stone as it was before, and retaineth its quality [form, condition, or nature] : But if it be cast into the fire, then it getteth another quality in itself; so also thou, 0 man, though thou runnest to church, and wouldst seem to be a minister of Christ, that is not enough; if you rest there, you are never the better.
3. Also, it is not enough that you learn all books, to rehearse them without book, and did yearly and daily read all writings, and could say the whole Bible without book, yet you are not a hair's breadth the better in the sight of God, than a keeper of swine, who all that while did nothing but feed the swine; or than a poor prisoner in a dark dungeon, who all that while hath not seen the daylight.
4. Talking availeth nothing, nor that you know how to speak much of God, and despise the simple, as the flattering hypocrites upon the Antichristian beast do, who forbid the light to them that see, as hath been done to this hand. But it is as Christ saith, Except you turn, and become as one of these children; you shall not see the kingdom of heaven in eternity: you must be bom anew, if you would see the kingdom of God: that is the right means.
5. There needs no art or eloquence about it, you need neither books nor cunning: a shepherd is as fit for it as a learned doctor, and very much fitter: for he goeth forth from his own reason into the mercy of God, he hath no great, wise [or deep] reason, therefore he doth not go to that for counsel, but he goeth simply with the poor publican, into the temple of Christ: whereas, on the contrary, the high and learned first set the university before their eyes, and study first with what opinion they will enter into the temple of Christ. They first set men's opinions before them, and will seek God in this or that opinion, one in the Pope's opinion, another in Luther 's, a third in Calvin 's, a fourth in Schwenckfeld's, &c. There is no end of opinions.
6. And thus the poor soul stayeth without the temple of Christ, standing in doubt: it knocketh and seeketh, and continually doubteth that it is not in the right way.
7. O thou poor confounded soul in Babel, what dost thou do? Leave off all opinions, by what name soever they are called in this world, they are all no other than the contention of reason: the New-Birth and the Noble Stone is to be found in no contention, neither in any wisdom of reason: you must forsake all in this world (let it be as glistering as it will) and enter into yourself, and only gather all your sins (which have captivated you) together on a heap, and cast them into the mercy of God, and fly to God, and pray to him for forgiveness, and the illumination of his spirit: there needs no long disputing, but earnestness, and then heaven must break asunder, and hell tremble; it cometh just so to pass; you must set aside all your sins, and reason, and whatsoever cometh in the way, and resolve, that you will not let him go, except he bless you; as Jacob wrestled with God the whole night.
8. Though thy conscience should say, No, God will have none of thee; yet do thou say, I will have him, I will not leave him, till I am carried to my grave: Let my will be as thy will, O Lord I will as thou wilt: and though all the devils encompassed thee round about, and should say,
Hold, it is enough at once; thou must say, No;
my mind [thought and purpose] and will shall not depart from God, they shall be eternally in God:
his love is greater than all my sins: although thou devil, and thou world, have the mortal body in your prison, yet I have
2. If I should sit and hear sermons preached all my life long, and did hear them always preach of the kingdom of heaven and the New Birth, with their singing and repetitions, and stay there, and go no further, I should be never the nearer. If a stone be cast into the water and then taken out again, it is a hard stone as it was before, and retains its quality [form, condition, or nature] : But if it be cast into the fire, then it getts another quality in itself; so also you, 0 man, though you runnest to church, and would seem to be a minister of Christ, that is not enough; if you rest there, you are never the better.
3. Also, it is not enough that you learn all books, to rehearse them without book, and did yearly and daily read all writings, and could say the whole Bible without book, yet you are not a hair's breadth the better in the sight of God, than a keeper of swine, who all that while did nothing but feed the swine; or than a poor prisoner in a dark dungeon, who all that while has not seen the daylight.
4. Talking avails nothing, nor that you know how to speak much of God, and despise the simple, as the flattering hypocrites upon the Antichristian beast do, who forbid the light to them that see, as has been done to this hand. But it is as Christ says, Except you turn, and become as one of these children; you shall not see the kingdom of heaven in eternity: you must be bom anew, if you would see the kingdom of God: that is the right means.
5. There needs no art or eloquence about it, you need neither books nor cunning: a shepherd is as fit for it as a learned doctor, and very much fitter: for he goes forth from his own reason into the mercy of God, he has no great, wise [or deep] reason, therefore he does not go to that for counsel, but he goes simply with the poor publican, into the temple of Christ: whereas, on the contrary, the high and learned first set the university before their eyes, and study first with what opinion they will enter into the temple of Christ. They first set men's opinions before them, and will seek God in this or that opinion, one in the Pope's opinion, another in Luther 's, a third in Calvin 's, a fourth in Schwenckfeld's, &c. There is no end of opinions.
6. And thus the poor soul stays without the temple of Christ, standing in doubt: it knocks and seeks, and continually doubts that it is not in the right way.
7. O you poor confounded soul in Babel, what do you do? Leave off all opinions, by what name soever they are called in this world, they are all no other than the contention of reason: the New-Birth and the Noble Stone is to be found in no contention, neither in any wisdom of reason: you must forsake all in this world (let it be as glistering as it will) and enter into yourself, and only gather all your sins (which have captivated you) together on a heap, and cast them into the mercy of God, and fly to God, and pray to him for forgiveness, and the illumination of his spirit: there needs no long disputing, but earnestness, and then heaven must break asunder, and hell tremble; it comes just so to pass; you must set aside all your sins, and reason, and whatsoever comes in the way, and resolve, that you will not let him go, except he bless you; as Jacob wrestled with God the whole night.
8. Though your conscience should say, No, God will have none of you; yet do you say, I will have him, I will not leave him, till I am carried to my grave: Let my will be as your will, O Lord I will as you will: and though all the devils encompassed you round about, and should say,
Hold, it is enough at once; you must say, No;
my mind [thought and purpose] and will shall not depart from God, they shall be eternally in God:
his love is greater than all my sins: although you devil, and you world, have the mortal body in your prison, yet I have
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