Pa…tes of godstrew inward ser uice.
The Scholar's Request
The scholar asks to hear about the true service of God, having already learned of the knowledge of God and His members.
Master. Since you've already spoken of the knowledge of God and of his members, I'd also like to hear what the true service of God is.
The Foundation of True Service
The Master explains that the true service of God begins with the right knowledge of God, sustained by fear, supported by faith and hope, and bound together by charity, all of which are inward parts of service.
Scholar. First we must consider that the right and true knowledge of God is the principal and only foundation of God's service. Fear fosters and maintains that same knowledge—the fear that in Scripture is called the beginning of wisdom.1 Faith and hope are the props and supports on which all the rest that I've mentioned lean. Furthermore, charity, which we call love, is like an everlasting bond; by its tight knot all the other virtues are bound together as one, and their strength is increased.2 These are the inward parts of God's service—that is to say, those that consist in the mind.
Read the original English
Master. Seynge thou haste already spokē of the knowledge of god, and his members: I woulde also heare▪ what is the true seruyce of God,
Scholer. Fyrst we must consider, that the right & trewe knowledge of God, is the principal and onli fundatiō of Gods seruyce. The same knowledge, fear doth foster and mayntayne, whyche in scriptures is called the begynnyng of wisedōe. Faith and hope are the proppes and staies, whearupō leane all the rest that I haue rehearsed. Furthermore, charitie whych we call loue, is lyke an euerlastyng bonde, by the strayght knot wherof al other vertues be boūd in one together, and theyr force encreased. These be the inward partes of Gods seruice, that is to say, whyche consyst in the mynde.
Notes
- 1 ↩Source fronting ('The same knowledge, fear doth foster...') treated as object–subject–verb: fear fosters knowledge. The relative clause is taken to modify fear, matching the biblical formula that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
- 2 ↩Kept both 'charity' and 'love' because the source deliberately equates them ('charitie whych we call loue'); this is the theological virtue, not almsgiving alone.
John Ponet's Short Catechisme (1553) companion
Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat
Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.
Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.
- A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
- One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
- Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit