This faith I say, is nothing else, but the most lively opinion and undoubted trust in the mercy of god, whereby a man undoubtedly persuadeth him self, that he is in the favour of god, and that god is courteous and forgiving him all things, that he hath other done or said. Courteous, in good things: forgiving, in ill things.1 This faith cometh by herring, and hearing by the word of god. Physic therefore may not be despised. For god ⟨image 38⟩is the author and creator of things, in which also he worketh as by a mean. So Helizeus toke salt and caste it into the fountain of waters, which were very ill, and unwholesome, and made the waters hole. Again. He purged and rid the leper of Naaman,2 captain under the king of Syria, in the water of Jordan.3 Water without the word and promise of god, is nothing. as if any other had washed him self a hundred times in Jordan, he should not have been cleansed. Naaman is cleansed, for he had a promise. Be thou washed, and thou shalt be hole. When he regardeth not this promise, but only the water, he erreth, and tarrieth in leprosy, and so should have perished, and have ben a blasphemer against god, onelesse he ⟨image 38⟩had ben warned of his servants. He came therefore with faith, and was made hole.4 So Christ to make the blind man hole, made clay with spittle. Again.5 The hem of christs garment touched, delivered the woman from the flux of blood. The voice of Christ called forth Lazarus. The voice of Christ called forth unclean spirits from men. The shadow of Peter expelleth sickness. So much can the creature do, taken into the hands of the almighty, which hath not this strength of nature, but of the everlasting word of god. of whom it receiveth the strength of doing, that it resteth not, but is ever working and mighty. For there is nothing made of god in vain, although it be never so vile. For therefore ⟨image 39⟩god created those vile things, to signify, that he him self worketh in those abject and vile things: but the wicked do attribute the strength of curing, healing, multiplying, and bringing forth, to the earth, nature, and herbs: but the faithful attribute it, to the living word of god, and to the present power of god. For god worketh all things, by the earth, herbs, and other his creatures, as by instruments:
This faythe I saye, is nothynge elles, but the most lyuely opinion and vndoubted trust in the mercy of god, wherby a man vndoutedly perswadeth hym selfe, that he is in the fauour of god, and that god is courteyse and forgyuynge hym al thynges, that he hath other doone or sayde. Courteyse, in good thinges: forgiuynge, in yl thynges.1 This faith commeth by herynge, and hering by the word of god. Phisicke therfore may not be despised. For god ⟨image 38⟩is the aucthor and creator of thinges, in whiche also he worketh as by a meane. Soo Helizeus toke salte and caste it into the fountain of waters, whiche were verye yll, and vnholsome, and made the waters hole. Agayne. He purged and ryd the lepre of Naaman,2 captain vnder the kynge of Syria, in the water of Iordan.3 Water without the worde and promyse of god, is nothyng. as if any other had wasshed hym selfe a hundred times in Iordan, he shulde not haue bene clensed. Naaman is clensed, for he had a promyse. Be thou wasshed, and thou shalt be hole. When he regardeth not this promyse, but onely the water, he erreth, and taryeth in leprosye, and so shoulde haue perished, and haue bē a blasphemer agaynste god, onelesse he ⟨image 38⟩had ben warned of his seruantes. He came therfore with faythe, and was made hole.4 Soo Chryste to make the blynde man hole, made clay with spyttell. Agayne.5 The hem of christes garment touched, delyuered the woman frome the fluxe of bloud. The voice of Christ called forthe Lazarus. The voyce of Christ called forth vncleane spirites from men. The shadowe of Peter expelleth syckenes. So moche can the creature do, taken into the handes of the almyghty, whiche hath not this strengthe of nature, but of the euerlastyng word of god. of whome it receyueth the strength of doinge, that it resteth not, but is euer workynge and myghtye. For there is nothynge made of god in vayne, althoughe it be neuer soo vyle. For therfore ⟨image 39⟩god created those vile thynges, to signifie, that he him selfe worketh in those abiecte and vyle thinges: but the wycked doo attrybute the strengthe of curynge, healynge, multiplieng, and bringyng forth, to the erthe, nature, and herbes: but the faythefull attribute it, to the lyuynge worde of god, and to the present power of god. For god worketh all thynges, by the erthe, herbes, and other his creatures, as by instrumentes:
- 1Rom. 10.
- 24. Re. 2.
- 34. Re. 5.
- 4Joh. 9.Ioh. 9.
- 5Matth. 9.
