The texte.

And therfore I specially reioyce and triumphe in myne affliccions, in my reproches, in my pouertie and persecution, and in my distreasses suffered for Christes sake. For when I am in suffering them most forsakē, and despayre in myne owne strength, than am I through Christes healpe verely stronge and myghty. But whither am I driuen through the vehe∣mencie of this mine oration? Me thinketh I am nowe with boasting fal∣len to playne folishnes, but ye are the occasion, who compelled me therto. For synce all that euer I was able to do, was geuen me for your weale, it besemed you to haue spoken that thing to my commendacion, whiche I nowe vnsemely am compelled to reporte of my selfe. I seke not for the prayse of that thing, which I neuer dyd, but if I haue done asmuche as any other, why are other more made of then I? I am but a poore man,* of a lowe degree, troubled and beaten vnder fote, not eloquent: I neither refuse nor improue anye of these, these thynges are myne, yf there he any incommodytie in them. Yet as vile as I am, touching you, ye founde me in no poynt behynde other Apostles, I wyll not saye, of the meane sorte onely, but not somuch as behynde the hyghest. I boaste not of that in my selfe, whiche ye haue not founde in me, for I haue playnly proued, that I am a very Apostle, and therof make I your selfes iudges. The fyrst and chiefe argument and profe of an Apostle is, for the gospelles sake gladly to suffer all troubles, in which poynte I haue certaynly shewed my selfe to be an Apostle. Neyther lacked we such gyftes, wherwith God for the vnbeleuers sake bringeth my preaching in credence, as signes, miracles, and myghtye dedes. Yf I saye not truth, tell me wherin ye are behynde other congregacions, or what gaue any of these greate Apostles to any congregacion, whiche we gaue you not? Excepte thys onely be a lacke, that I was not costly vnto you, as other Apostles were, ye cā in me finde no lacke: in which point yf I haue offended you, forgyue me this displea∣sure, euen because I haue not offended you, though in dede I repent me not of my so doyng. Nowe haue I twyes already been among you, and was chargeable to no man, & loe, nowe purpose I the thyrde tyme to see you, nor yet mynde I more to be chargeable vnto you nowe, than I haue ben before. And though I shewe yet none earnest cause for it, yet is it not* without a cause, but for what cause soeuer I doe it, al is for your weale, and in this matier I vse my selfe as a true father. For the children ought not to laye vp for theyr fathers and mothers, but contrary the fathers & mothers, for theyr chyldren. Fathers loue is such a thing, that they are not content to bestow only the goodes, whiche they with great labours haue gotten, for the weale of theyr children, but also theyr lyues.