I call heaven and earth to witness against me if I do not
speak the truth. For against all the world is my sermon; every one
contradicts it. If I go about with lies, then I have Christ against me;
therefore I have heaven and earth against me, and how then could I
stand? As such a trifler with holy things how should I dare rise up?
Believe me, I speak the truth, I have seen it with my eyes, and touched
it with my hands. Believe it! If I speak not the truth, I consign myself
body and soul to destruction; but I tell you I am certain of the truth,
and I would that all were as I am. I say that of the truth on which I
stand, not as tho I wished that others had my failings as well. So come
then into the service of Jesus; come to the truth, come here, I bid you.
Do ye not know how I explained the revelation of St. John? There were
many who said that I spoke too much in detail, and went too deep into
it. There stood the angel before the ass, and wanted it to go out into
the field, but Balaam smote it; and ye know not how much opposition I
must yet undergo. The lazy monks were the first who called me a fool and
revolutionist, and on the other side stood the weak and the simple, who
said in their innocent faith: "Oh, if we could only do what He teaches!"
Then I had war with the citizens and the great judges of this time, whom
my manner of preaching did not please.
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