Gospel. And so, we who protest having received the doctrine by which we are
CHAPTER 4: The Pure in Heart Peacemakers and the PersecuteD
Gospel. And so, we who protest having received the doctrine by which we are appointed with God, we must also converse among men that there may be peace and concord. That if this is ordered to all, much more to those who are in charge. Moreover, because time would not allow this to be deduced further: now, because the brother who is here present, having already previously served in one place in the ministry of this church, has been accepted by the magistrates, and ordained to serve from now on in this city: that whenever there is a minister to receive, we know for what purpose it is, and what benefit we must receive from the labor of those who are called to this office is to know that we are enemies of God, we are called of him, and that we are warned of him: as in fact he does not wait for us to come and seek him: but when he sees that we are lost in perdition, he seeks us, and calls us to himself. And how? This is because he forgives us all our faults, so that we can learn to forgive our neighbors. For he wants to be pitiful to us, so that we may also be pitiful to others. Let us therefore look carefully at the end and use of the preaching of the Gospel, and let us know the good that God presents to us by his doctrine, "which is proposed to us in his name, and that this incites us to arrange ourselves, both large and small, to do our duty. And moreover, since we cannot be reputed to be children of God, unless we are peaceful, let us profit more and more in the doctrine which is given to us. preached. For the devil will always find something to incite us to provoke us into contentions, into mischief, into wars, into troubles and emotions. And so we must strive: when we want to keep peace and harmony among ourselves, we must fight against our nature, but this will be done by virtue of the doctrine, when we are given to it, and we apply our study to it, as it belongs.
And moreover, as much as with peace we must have zeal and righteousness, it is also necessary that the truth of God be recommended to us in everything, and that we be so accustomed to the doctrine which will be perfectly preached to us from our Lord Jesus Christ, that we boldly despise everyone. But we are so cold in this place, that we could say what Isaiah said in his time, that we look through the streets, there is no one who maintains justice: and there is no one who maintains truth. And who is the cause? This is because firstly we do not know how righteousness and equity is pleasing to God: and then, we do not know how much his truth is recommended to him. Contempt therefore for one's word and taking advantage of it is the cause that everyone shrinks from righteousness and equity, even though one faces enough protest. For every one will complain, and say, What time is it in? and what confusion do we see? And