That faith the mother of all good works justifieth us before we ca[n] bring…That fayth the mother of all good workes iustifieth us before we ca[n] bringe…

IF any man will do his will (he meaneth the will of y• father) he shall know of y• doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self. Jo. vij. This text meaneth not that any man of his own strength power & free will (as they call it) can do the will of God / before he hath received the sprite & strength of Christ through faith. But here is meant that which is spoken in the thread of John when •ecodemus marvelled how it were possible that a man should be borne again. Christ answered / that which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the sprite is sprite as who should say / he that hath the sprite through faith and is borne again and made a new in Christ / understandeth the things of the sprite and what he that is spiritual meaneth. But he that is flesh & as Paul saith .j. Corin. ij. a natural man & lead of his blind reason only / can never ascend to y• capacity of the sprite. And he giveth an ensample saying / y• wind ⟨image 57⟩bloweth where he listeth and thou hearest his voice and wottest not whence he cometh nor whither he will. So is every man that is borne of the sprite / he that speaketh of the sprite can never be understand of the natural man which is but flesh and savereth no more then things of the flesh. So here meaneth Christ if any man have the sprite / & consenteth unto the will of God / this same at ones wotteth what I mean.

IF any mā will doe his will (he meaneth the will of y• father) he shall knowe of y• doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe. Jo. vij. This text meaneth not yt any mā of his own strēgth powere & fre will (as they call it) can doe ye will of God / before he hath receaved the sprite & strēgth of Christe thorowe faith. But here is ment yt which is spoken in the thred of John when ecodemus marveled howe it were possible that a man shulde be borne againe. Christe answered / that which is borne of ye fleshe is fleshe ād that which is borne of the spryte is spryte as who shulde saye / he that hath the sprite thorowe fayth and is borne againe and made a new in Christe / vnderstondeth the thinges of the sprite and what he that is spirituall meaneth. But he that is flesh & as Paule saith .j. Corin. ij. a naturall man & leed of his blinde reasou only / cā never ascēd to y capacite of ye sprite. And he geveth an ēsample saīge / y wīd