1For the first, as the light cannot be hid, but will show forth it self, at one place or other: So a true faith cannot be kept secret, but when occasion is offered, it will break out, & show it self by good works. And as the living body of a man ever exerciseth such things, as belongeth to a natural & living body, for nourishment & preservation of the same, as it hath need, opportunity and occasion: even so the soul, that hath a lively faith in it, will be doing alway some good work, which shall declare that it is living, and will not be unoccupied. Therefore, when men hear in the scriptures, so high commendations of faith, that it maketh us to please God, to live with God, and to be the children of God: if then they fantasy▪ that they be set at liberty, from doing all good works, and may live as they list, they trifle with God, & deceive themselves. And it is a manifest token that they be far from having the true and lively faith, & also far from knowledge, what true faith meaneth. For the very sure & lively christian faith is, not only to believe all things of God, which are contained in holy scripture: but also, is an earnest trust, and confidence in God, that he doth regard us, and hath cure of us, as the father of the child, whom he doth love, and that he will be merciful unto us, for his only sons sake: and that we have our saviour Christ, our perpetual advocate & priest, in whose only merits, oblation, & suffering we do trust, that our offences be continually washed and purged, whensoever we, (repenting truly) do return to him, with our whole heart, steadfastly ⟨image 24⟩determining with our selves, through his grace, to obey and serve him, in keeping his commandments, and never to turn back again to sin. Such is the true faith, that the scripture doeth so much commend, the which, when it seeth and considereth, what God hath done for us, is also moved through continual assistance of the spirit of God, to serve & please him, to keep his favour, to fear his displeasure, to continue his obedient children, showing than kefulnes again, by observing his commandments, and that freely, for true love chiefly, and not for dread of punishment, or love of temporal reward: considering how clearly, without our deservings, we have received his mercy and pardon freely.
1For the first, as the light cannot be hid, but will shewe furthe it self, at one place or other: So a true faith cannot be kept secret, but when occasion is offered, it will breake out, & shew it self by good workes. And as the liuyng body of a mā euer exerciseth suche thinges, as belongeth to a naturall & liuyng body, for nourishement & preseruacion of thesame, as it hath nede, opportunitie and occasion: euen so the soule, that hath a liuely faith in it, wyl be doyng alwaye some good worke, whiche shall declare that it is liuyng, and will not be vnoccupied. Therfore, when men heare in the scriptures, so high cōmendacions of faythe, that it maketh vs to please God, to liue with God, and to be the children of God: if then they phantasie▪ that thei be set at libertie, frō doyng all good workes, and may liue as thei liste, thei trifle with God, & deceyue themselfes. And it is a manifest token that thei be farre from hauing the true and liuely faith, & also farre from knowledge, what true faith meaneth. For the very sure & liuelye christian faith is, not only to beleue al thinges of God, whiche are conteyned in holy scripture: but also, is an earnest trust, and cōfidence in God, that he doth regarde vs, and hath cure of vs, as the father of the child, whom he doth loue, and that he will be mercifull vnto vs, for his onely sonnes sake: and that we haue our sauior Christ, oure perpetuall aduocate & priest, in whose onely merites, oblacion, & sufferyng we do trust, that oure offences be continually wasshed and purged, whensoeuer we, (repentyng truly) do returne to hym, with our whole harte, stedfastly ⟨image 24⟩determinyng with our selfes, through his grace, to obey and serue him, in kepyng his commaundemē tes, and neuer to turne backe again to synne. Such is the true faythe, that the scripture doeth somuche cōmende, the whiche, when it seeth and considereth, what God hath doen for vs, is also moued through continual assistence of the spirite of God, to serue & please hym, to kepe hys fauor, to feare hys displeasure, to continue his obedient childrē, shewing thā kefulnes agayn, by obseruyng his cōmaundementes, and that frely, for true loue chiefly, and not for dread of punishement, or loue of temporall reward: cōsideryng how clerely, without our deseruynges, we haue receyued his mercy and pardon frely.
- 1Faith is full of good works.Faithe is full of good workes.
