Doubtlesse, it is not expedient for me to boast: I wyll come to visions and reuelaci∣ons of the Lorde. I knowe a man in Christ, aboue fourtene yeares a goe (whether he were in the bodye I cannot tell, or whether he were out of the body I cannot tell, God know∣eth) howe that he was taken vp into the thyrde heauen. And I know thesame man (whe∣ther in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell, God knoweth) howe that he was taken vp into Pa••adyse, and heard secrete wordes whiche no ma•• can vtter. Of this man will I boast, but of my selfe wyll I ••or boast, e••cepte it be of myne infirmities. For thoughe I would b••a••••, I ••••▪ al not be a fole. for I would saye the trouth. Neuerthelesse, I spare you: leste any man shoulde thynke of me, aboue that whiche he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And leste I shoulde be exalted out of measure thorowe the excellencye of the reuela∣cious: there was geuen vnto me vnquietnesse thorow the fleshe, euen the messenger of Sa∣ta•• to buffer me▪ because I shoulde not be exalted ou•• of measure: For this thyng besought I the Lorde thryse, that it might departe from me. And he sayed vnto me: my grace is suf∣ficient for the. For my strength is made perfect thorowe weakenesse, Very gladly therfore wyll ••▪ ••••ioyce of my weakenes, that the strength of Christ may•• dwell in me.
THis farre foorth haue we rehearsed suche thinges, as de∣clare cure troubles and miseries, and such•• ma••iers, as in mennes iudgementes br••ng vs rather in contempte, than in any renoume. But nowe whether I should also rehearse other thinges or not, I haue not fully determi∣ned, of whiche yet some falsly boaste thēselues. Shoulde I glorie or not? Yea sometyme expediente is it to glorie, namely since the brifte of myne epistle hath brought me to the visions and reuelacions of the Lorde Iesus, of whiche sorte synce false apostles fayne manye, and wantonlye boaste them, euen agaynste my wyll, as one compelled, (leste in this I seeme behynde thē) I wyll reh••arse but onelye one, and that not to my glorie neither, but to the glorie of god. I knowe a certayne manne, whiche aboue. xiiii. yeares a goe was taken vp, whether it were in the bodye, or without the bodye I cannot tell, god knoweth, whiche yet was taken vp into the thyrde heauen, and ••hence agayne taken vp into paradise, and in bothe places hearde secrete woordes, whiche no manne can vtter.