I Believed. Our first 1yea and base string is faith, & that not with out an urgent cause. For here see we, that as the base part is the ground of the whole song, so is faith the foundation of all the christen religion. And as without the base, the song is im perfect, & nothing worth, so like wise without faith all the works that we do, are unprofitable glister they never so pleasantly before y• eyes of carnal men, & what so ever we sing after that sort, is clean out of tune, as saint Paul saith, what so ever is not grounded on 2faith, is plain sin. Therefore saith he in another place, it is not possible to please God without faith. 3For he that cometh unto God, must believe that God is, & that he is a rewarder to them that seek him. ⟨image 13⟩In these aforesaid texts of saint 4Paul three things are to be noted. One is that he saith, all that is not grounded on faith, is sin. Where of we learn, that faith is the foundation of all goodness, the mother & nurse of all good works. Another is, that without faith it is not possible to please god. The third that who so ever cometh unto god, must believe that God is, & that he is a rewarder to them that seek him. These things show manifestly how conning & excellent Musician our Minstrel David is, which first set teth his base string in tune, before he meddleth with any of the other. He followeth not the manner of Antichrist, 5which turneth the roots of trees upward, neither is he like to them, which begin first to build in the top of the house, & afterward layeth the foundation, or y• would have the fruits good, before there ⟨image 14⟩be any goodness in the tree, but he doth all things orderly. For he be ing inspired with the holy Ghost & doing all things by the instinct thereof, beginneth orderly of faith, seeing that what so ever is not groun 6dead on faith, is sin, seeing also that without faith no man can please God, be he never so glistering an Hypocrite before the world, & put he on never so glorious a visor of godlike holiness. Faith must needs be the base string & foundation of the Christen religion, seeing that infidelity & unfaithfulness is the destruction and utter decay thereof.
I Beleued. Our fyrste 1yea and base strynge is fayth, & that not wyth oute an vrgente cause. For here se we, that as the base parte is the ground of the whole songe, so is fayth the founda cion of al the christen religion. And as without the base, the song is im perfecte, & nothynge worth, so lyke wyse without fayth all the workes that we do, are vnprofitable glister they neuer so pleasauntly before y• eies of carnall men, & what so euer we synge after that sorte, is cleane out of tune, as saynt Paule sayth, what so euer is not grounded on 2faythe, is playne synne. Therfore sayth he in another place, it is not possible to please God wtout fayth. 3For he that commethe vnto God, muste beleue that God is, & that he is a rewarder to thē that seke him. ⟨image 13⟩In these aforesayde textes of saynt 4Paule thre thiges are to be noted. One is that he sayth, al that is not grounded on fayth, is synne. Wher of we learne, that fayth is the foun dacion of all goodnes, the mother & nourse of all good workes. Another is, that withoute faythe it is not possible to plese god. The third that who so euer cōmeth vnto god, muste beleue that God is, & that he is a rewarder to thē that seke hym. These thiges shew manifesteli how connyng & excellent Musicion our Mynstrel Dauid is, which fyrst set teth his base stryng in tune, before he medlethe wt ony of the other. He followeth not the manner of Antechrist, 5which turneth the rootes of trees vpwarde, neyther is he lyke to them, which begyn fyrst to bylde in the top of the house, & afterward layeth the foundacion, or y• woulde haue the fruytes good, before there ⟨image 14⟩be any goodnesse in the tree, but he doth all thynges orderly. For he be ynge enspired with the holy Ghost & doyng al thynges by the instinct therof, begynneth orderly of fayth, seynge yt what so euer is not groun 6ded on fayth, is synne, seynge also yt wtout fayth no mā can please God, be he neuer so glysteryng an Hypocrite before ye world, & put he on neuer so glorioꝰ a viser of godlyke holynes. Faythe must nedes be ye base stringe & foundacion of the Christē religion, seyng that infidelite & vn faythfulnes is the destruccion and vtter decaye therof.
- 1•ayth is y• first string of Davids Harp, and y• foundation of y• christen religion.•ayth is y• fyrst string of Dauids Harpe, and y• foundacion of y• chri sten religiō.
- 2Rom. xiiii.
- 3•eb. x•
- 4Three things to be no ted.Thre thyn ges to be no ted.
- 5Antichrist turneth the roots of trees up ward.Antichrist turneth the rootes of trees vp ward.
- 6Rom. xiiii. Heb. xi.
