If the spirit be void of Gods fear, then doth it speak of malice falsely to slander the good, as king David doth declare: or else for trembling or quaking,1 it can speak nothing at all, as ye may perceive by the Prophet Asaph in this place. He that will therefore consider accordingly, the greatness of this fear in the spirit, and how it taketh away the office of every member external: doubtless must labour to have the spirit that David prayeth,2 in this sort: Cor mundum crea in me deus, & spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis, Create in me a clean hart, O Lord, and renew in me a right spirit. In the which verse the Prophet prayeth first, to have such an heart, as by faith in Christ may be clean and purged from sin: and next, to have a certain and sure spirit, that doubteth nothing of Gods promises towards him. For, such a spirit within the body of man or woman, maketh the heart so joyful, that no sorrow can molest it: and it strengtheneth so every member, that they will be given to nothing so much as to the service of God. But if the spirit be wicked, doubtless ⟨image 97⟩the outward members will serve nothing but iniquity: if it be troubled, the outward members can not be quiet. For as the soul giveth life to the body:3 so doth the virtue of God in the soul, draw the outward parts of the body unto the obedience of virtue. And contrariwise,4 the vice of the soul draweth the members of the body unto the service of sin and iniquity. And as the ears and eyes of man were made by God,5 to be instruments to hear and see Gods will and pleasure,6 & by them (sith man fell in Paradise) knowledge might come into the soul and spirit of man, by hearing Gods word preached, & seeing his sacraments ministered: so by them abused, in hearing and seeing of sin and abomination, there entereth into the soul much vile filthiness and transgression. The Prophet Asaph (therefore) doth admonish us to beware that we bring not our spirits into discomfort, by sin and transgression of Gods laws: for if we do, whether the offence be done in the spirit, by the evil that naturally is in it, by original sin, by the temptation of the devil, or by the means of any member of the body:
If the spirite be voyde of Gods feare, then doth it speake of malice falsly to slander the good, as king Dauid doth declare: or else for trēbling or quaking,1 it can speake nothing at all, as ye may perceiue by ye Prophet Asaph in this place. He that will therfore consider accordingly, the greatnesse of this feare in the spirite, and howe it taketh away the office of euery member externall: doubtlesse must labour to haue the spirite that Dauid prayeth,2 in this sorte: Cor mundum crea in me deus, & spiritum rectum innoua in visceribus meis, Create in me a cleane hart, O Lord, and renue in me a right spirite. In the which verse the Prophete prayeth first, to haue such an heart, as by faith in Christe may be cleane and purged from sinne: and next, to haue a certeine and sure spirite, that doubteth nothing of Gods promises towardes him. For, such a spirite within the body of man or woman, maketh the heart so ioyfull, that no sorrow can molest it: and it strengtheneth so euery member, that they will be giuen to nothing so much as to the seruice of God. But if the spirit be wicked, doutlesse ⟨image 97⟩the outwarde members will serue nothing but iniquitie: if it be troubled, the outwarde members can not be quiet. For as the soule giueth life to the body:3 so doth the vertue of God in the soule, drawe the outward partes of the body vnto the obedience of vertue. And contrariwise,4 the vice of the soule draweth the members of the body vnto the seruice of sinne and iniquitie. And as the eares and eyes of man were made by God,5 to be instruments to heare and sée Gods will and pleasure,6 & by them (sith man fell in Paradise) knowledge might come into the soule and spirit of man, by hearing Gods word preached, & séeing his sacraments ministred: so by them abused, in hearing and seeing of sinne and abhomination, there entreth into the soule much vile filthinesse and transgression. The Prophete Asaph (therefore) doth admonish vs to beware that we bring not our spirites into discomfort, by sinne and transgression of Gods lawes: for if we do, whether ye offence be done in the spirite, by the euill that naturally is in it, by originall sinne, by the temptation of the diuell, or by the meanes of any member of the body:
- 1Psal. 6. 12. 14. 140.
- 2Psal. 51.
- 3Note.
- 4Rom. 7. 8. 12.
- 5Unto what use the eyes & ears of man were created.Vnto what vse the eys & eares of man were created.
- 6Rom. 10.
