If it were thy repentance alone, thou mightest well fear, but seeing that the mercy of God is accompanied with repentance, be on a good comfort, for it overcometh thy wickedness, & god is exceeding merciful, & so full of gentleness,1 that he did not spare his own son for to redeem the unkind servants. Say not unto me, I have sinned to much, how can I be saved? Thou canst not in deed save thy self, but thy LORD can. And he so putteth away thy since, that therneth ⟨image 43⟩no print, sigh or totem of them. Here ye see also by Chrysostom that repentance without an earnest faith had & reposed in the mercy of God, can by no means put away sin. This your dish therefore teacheth you both to repent & also to believe. For what so ever is not of faith, is sin sayeth S. Paul:2 The word of the LORD is right,3 saith David and all his works are in faith.
4A work without faith, sayeth Chrysostom, is nothing. Again he sayeth: we must have faith every where I mean that faith, which is the mother of all good things,5 the medicine of health, without the which a man can not perceive the doctrine of great & excellent things, but is like unto them, which taking in hand for to swim over the see without a ship, when they are a little forward,6 they• hands & their feet being once •ery, are utterly overwhelmed with the ⟨image 43⟩waves of the see. Also in another place All our elders are reported that they pleased God by faith, therefore with out that, all things come to nought. Hereto agreeth S. Austen, saying: The medicine of the soul and of all wounds,7 & the alone sacrifice to appea•e Gods wrath for the since of all men, is to believe in Christ. Neither can any man at all be made clean, either from original sin, which he hath drawn of Adam, in whom all have sinned, & be made naturally the children of wrath, or from the since, which they, by not resisting the carnal concupiscence, but by following it & serving it by ungraciousness & wicked living have added & put thereto, except by faith they be enunied & joined together in the body of him, which without any carnal enticement & mortiferous delectation was conceived. Thus see you that repentance without ⟨image 44⟩faith availeth nothing, but enun• ed & joined with faith is a singular and high treasure,8 For by faith doth God hear us. By faith are we blessed. By faith doth God appear unto us.
If it were thy repentaunce alone, thou myghteste well feare, but seyng that the mercy of God is accompanied with repentaunce, be on a good conforte, for it ouercommeth thy wickednes, & god is exceadynge mercyfull, & so full of gentlenes,1 that he dyd not spare his owne sōne for to redeme the vnkind seruauntes. Saye not vnto me, I haue synned to much, howe can I be saued? Thou canste not in dede saue thy selfe, but thy LORDE can. And he so putteth awaye thy synnes, yt therneth ⟨image 43⟩no prynte, syghe or to•ē of thē. Here ye se also by Chrisostome that repentaunce wtout an earnest fayth had & reposed in the mercye of God, can by no meanes put away synne. This your dyshe therfore teacheth you both to repent & also to beleue. For what so euer is not of faythe, is synne sayeth S. Paule:2 The worde of the LORDE is right,3 sayth Dauid and all his workes are in fayth.
4A worke without fayth, sayeth Chrisostome, is nothyng. Agayne he sayeth: we must haue fayth euery wher I meane that fayth, which is the mother of all good thynges,5 ye medicine of helth, without the which a man cā not perceyue the doctrine of great & excellent thynges, but is lyke vnto them, which takynge in hande for to swymme ouer ye see wythout a shyp, whan they are a lytle forward,6 they• hādes & theyr fete beying once •ery, are vtterlye ouerwhelmed wyth the ⟨image 43⟩waues of ye see. Also in another place All oure elders are reported yt they pleased God by fayth, therfore with out that, all thīges come to nought. Hereto agreeth S. Austen, sayenge: The medicyne of the soule and of all woundes,7 & the alone sacrifyce to appea•e Gods wrath for the synnes of all men, is to beleue in Christe. Neyther canne anye man at all be made cleane, eyther from originall synne, whiche he hath drawne of Adam, in whom all haue synned, & be made naturally the chyldren of wrath, or frō the synnes, which they, by not resistynge the carnall concupicēce, but by followynge it & seruyng it by vngraciousnes & wycked lyuyng haue added & put therto, excepte by fayth they be enunied & ioyned togyther ī the body of him, which without ony carnall entysemente & mortiferous delectacion was conceyued. Thus se you that repentaunce wythoute
- 1Roma. v•••
- 2Rom. xiiii
- 3Psal. xxxii
- 4In Math. Rom. xix.
- 5In Joar. •om. xxxiiIn Ioar. •om. xxxii
- 6In. i. ••. •om. i.
- 7De ve•. do. Sermo. xl.
- 8•. data. vi. Psal. ii. Sap. i. Sap. iii. Eccl. xxxiii. •s•e. ii. Joan. iii. Gal. iii. Act. xv. Joan. i. Gala. iii. Roma. v. Gala. iii. iiii. hebr. xi. •. •oan, v.•. •ata. vi. Psal. ii. Sap. i. Sap. iii. Eccl. xxxiii. •s•e. ii. Ioan. iii. Gal. iii. Act. xv. Ioan. i. Gala. iii. Roma. v. Gala. iii. iiii. •ebre. xi. •. oan, v.
