for thy repentance on the one side, and thy desire to work righteously, on the other side, do testify it, yea & that thou hast already, and (as I may say) or ever thou art ware, obtained God's mercy, for, they are the right fruit of a lively faith,1 yea only,2 of such a faith, as through the holy ghost, hath apprehended mercy, and of such a conscience, as wherein, the same spirit, who is the earnest of ever lasting life, doth dwell for ever. Haste thou not now cause then to have great joy in thy heart?3 nay rather how canst thou but have exceeding great joy, and 4the peace of god also which passeth ⟨image 8⟩all understanding? Thus thou seest ye faith, is not a vain opinion, but an assured confidence, of things hoped for, and of things which are not seen. And what is more to be hoped for, or less can be seen, then God him self? then faith is an assuredness and a certainty of the having of god, yea of having God to be our merciful father, our tenderly loving brother and saviour, our continually present, and most strongest comforter. Him therefore, of a thankfulness for his mercy and goodness, let us all our life long so unfeignedly love, that our life and conversation may declare that we have thus tasted of his plenteous mercy, and in is holy righteous and good law, let our meditation be day and night. And now that we may the more readily ⟨image 9⟩walk therein, behold we have here before our eyes, the conversation of a true believer or Christian, so godly, so plainly, and so learnedly, set forth, that if we shall express the same in our selves, we shall declare, that we are not feigned Christians, but worthy warriors of Jesus Christ, against self love, sin, and Satan. And furthermore we shall show, that Christ by faith, dwelleth in our hearts not idly, but working, yea mightily working, being never unlike unto him self, so that now thou shalt, in thy life and conversation, show thy self an other certain Christ unto thy neighbour, in so much, that where Christ came into this world, and bestowed him self upon us, and to our uses, even so Christ will now, do the same ⟨image 9⟩in us:
for thy repentaunce on the one syde, and thy desyre to worcke rygtuously, on the other side, do testify it, yea & that yu hast already, and (as I maye saye) or euer thou arte ware, obteyned goddes mercy, for, they are the ryghte fruite of a lyuely fayeth,1 yea onely,2 of suche a fayeth, as through the holy goste, hath apprehended mercy, and of suche a conscience, as wherein, the same spirite, who is the earnest of euer lastynge lyfe, doth dwel for euer. Haste thou not nowe cause then to haue greate ioye in thy herte?3 naye rather howe canst thou but haue excedynge greate ioye, and 4the peace of god also whiche passeth ⟨image 8⟩all vnderstandynge? Thus thou seest ye fayth, is not a vayne opinion, but an assured cōfidēce, of thinges hoped for, and of thinges whiche are not seene. And what is more to be hoped for, or lesse can be seene, then God hym selfe? then fayth is an assurednes and a certentie of the hauyng of god, yea of hauynge God to be oure mercifull father, oure tenderly louynge brother and sauiour, our continually present, and moste strongest comforter. Hym therefore, of a thankefulnesse for his mercy and goodnes, let vs al our lyfe long so vnfeinedly loue, that our lyfe and conuersation maye declare that we haue thus tasted of his plentuouse mercye, and in is holye ryghtuous and good lawe, lette oure meditation be daye and nyghte. And nowe that we maye the more redilie ⟨image 9⟩walke therein, beholde we haue here before oure eyes, the conuersation of a trewe beleuer or Christian, so godlie, so playnlie, and so learnedlie, sette forth, that if we shall expresse the same in oure selues, we shall declare, that we are not feyned Christians, but worthy warryours of Iesu Christe, agaynst selfe loue, synne, and Sathan. And furthermore we shal shewe, yt Christ by fayeth, dwelleth in oure hertes not idelly, but workynge, yea myghtelie workynge, being neuer vnlyke vnto hym selfe, so that nowe thou shalt, in thy lyfe and conuersation, shewe thy selfe an other certeyne Christe vnto thy neighbour, in so muche, that where Christe came into thys worlde, and bestowed hym selfe vpon vs, and to oure vses, euen so Christ wyll nowe, do the same ⟨image 9⟩in vs:
- 1Ro, v. a.
- 2Eph. v. c
- 3Ro. xiili. c
- 4Phi. iiii, d.
