We heard before that faith is the foundation of the Christen 1religion, the mother & nurse of all godly works. Which thing to be ⟨image 17⟩true, our Minstrel proveth here. For after he hath made mention of faith, he singeth also of good works. I believed, saith he, & therefore have I spoken. Here see we, that the true & christen faith worketh ever by charity, which extendeth both 2unto god & our neighbour. What was the cause that David did speak? Verily his faith. I believed, saith 3he, & therefore have I spoken. Faith goeth before, & works follow. For first he believed all things to be true, which god promised him in the holy scriptures or otherwise, as by the mouth of his holy Prophets, and thereof afterward ensued a very earnest & fervent love toward god, which made him to love god again, & to speak those things, whereby the glory of god was set forth, & the health of his neighbour sought, so y• by this means he showed himself perfectly faithful both before god ⟨image 17⟩and man. And this is it, that saint Paul writeth, it is believed with 4the heart unto righteousness, but with the mouth is confession made unto health. A christen man setting before the eyes of his mind the unmeasurable goodness of God toward us through his son Christ, & giving earnest faith thereunto, can none otherwise but love God again & seek all means possible to please him, to work his will, & to do that which he requireth of him. He is ready at all times to bring forth good works after the example of David, as to speak the mysteries of God, to set forth the glory of God, to publish his most holy word, to bring all men to the true knowledge of God & even to engraft them in the body of Christ. All these things worketh y• quick & lyuysh faith in him through the spirit of God. For faith 5will not suffer him to be idle, but all ⟨image 18⟩though through faith he be delive red out of captivity, made the son of God, justified already in the sight of God, before he bringeth forth any outward good works, yet doth this true & christen faith kindle such a love in his hart toward god & the fulfilling of his commandments, that he hath a perpetual desire in his mind to work that which is good, & wham occasion is given, he falleth straightways to working, not his own fantasy, but the will of God.
VUe heard before that fayth is the foundacion of the Christē 1religion, the mother & nourse of all godly workes. Which thynge to be ⟨image 17⟩true, our Mynstrell prouethe here. For after he hath made mencion of faythe, he syngeth also of good workes. I beleued, sayth he, & therfore haue I spoken. Here se we, that the true & christen fayth worketh euer by charite, whiche extendeth bothe 2vnto god & our neyghboure. What was ye cause that Dauid did speke? Uerely his fayth. I beleued, saythe 3he, & therfore haue I spokē. Faythe goeth before, & workes followe. For fyrst he beleued al thīges to be true, which god promised hym in the holy scriptures or otherwyse, as by ye mouthe of his holy Prophetes, and therof afterwarde ensewed a verye earnest & feruent loue toward god, which made hym to loue god agen, & to speake those thynges, wherby the glory of god was set forth, & the health of his neyghbour sought, so y• by this menes he shewed hymselfe perfectely faythful both before god ⟨image 17⟩and man. And this is it, that saynt Paule wryteth, it is beleued wyth 4the harte vnto ryghteousnes, but with the mouth is confession made vnto helth. A christen man setting before the eyes of his mynde the vn mesurable goodnes of God toward vs thorowe his sonne Christe, & gyuynge earnest fayth therunto, can none otherwise but loue God agen & seake all meanes possible to please hym, to worke his wyll, & to do that which he requireth of him. He is re dy at al tymes to bryng forth good workes after the exāple of Dauid, as to speke the misteries of God, to set forth ye glory of God, to publysh his moost holy worde, to brynge all men to the true knowledge of God & euen to engraffe thē in the bodye of Christ. All these thīges worketh y• quicke & lyuysh fayth in him thorowe the spirite of God. For fayth 5wyl not suffer him to be idle, but al ⟨image 18⟩though thorowe fayth he be deliue red out of captiuite, made the sōne of God, iustified alredy in the sight of God, before he bryngeth forth ony outward good workes, yet doth thys true & christen faythe kyndle such a loue in his hart toward god & the fulfyllynge of his commaundementes, that he hath a perpetual desyre in his mynde to worke that which is good, & whā occasion is gi uen, he falleth streytwayes to workynge, not his owne fantasy, but ye wyll of God.
- 1Faith bringeth forth good Works.Faith brin geth forth good Wor kes.
- 2Gala. v.
- 3Faith is ye cause of all goodness.Fayth is ye cause of all goodnes.
- 4Roma. x. Mark well.Roma. x. Mark wel.
- 5Behold the nature of true & christen faith.Behold the nature of true & christen fayth.
