And now he addeth on the contrary part, that the fruits of the spirit are lovingness, mildness, gentleness, meekness, staidness, and such other like things, and that when all things are thus well ruled, the law hath no more power over us, for we be set free from it, because our Lord Jesus Christ who hath exempted us from it, governeth us. To be short, the mark that he shooteth at, is that Christians should be free from the bondage of the law. Not all those which have the name of Christianity in their mouth, or which make their brags of it: but such as show by their deeds that they be men bers of our Lord Jesus Christ, inasmuch as they be begotten again by his holy spirit. For mens lives must be answerable thereunto, or else all their protestations are nothing worth, yea & they shall be proved Liars, unless it appear by their works that they speak truly and unfeignedly. Besides this, whereas S. Paul […], all goodness, & all commendable thing […] ••utes of the spirit: thereby he confirmeth the thing that I told you heretofore: which is, that if there ⟨p. 276⟩be any one drop of goodness in us, the same is not of our own growing, neither can we challenge the praise of it, without doing wrong and injury unto God. For they be all of them fruits of his grace, & he is fain to put them into us by his holy spirit. Ye see then that here again we be humbled, to the end that none of us should deceive himself in thinking that he hath any virtue or staidness, or lovingness, or any other like thing of his own. For until such time as God have shaped us new again, we be like a piece of ground that is barren yea and stark naught. For we not only bear not any good thing: but also bring forth exceeding much evil, till our Lord have rid us of it: like a naughty ground, which not only is unprofitable too the owner in that it yieldeth him neither corn, wine, nor other necessary things: but also bringeth forth thistles, thorns, & wicked weeds. Even at the same point are we. And now we have to mark, (according also as S Paul hath declared heretofore) that love is the sum and substance of the law: which he hath set down here in the foremost rank, not to make us forget the calling upon God, nor the affiance which we ought to have in all his promises, and the whole service that is contained in the first table of the law. S.
And now he addeth on the contrary parte, that the frutes of the spirite are louingnesse, meeldnesse, gentlenesse, mekenesse, stayednesse, and suche other lyke thyngs, and that when all thyngs are thus well ruled, the lawe hath no more power ouer vs, for wee be set free from it, bycause our Lorde Iesus Christ who hath exempted vs from it, gouerneth vs. To be short, the marke that he shooteth at, is that Christians shuld be free from the bondage of the law. Not all those whiche haue the name of Christianitie in their mouth, or which make their braggs of it: but such as shewe by their deeds that they be mē bers of our Lord Iesus Christ, inasmuchas they be begottē agein by his holy spirit. For mens liues must be answerable therevnto, or else all their protestations are nothing worth, yea & they shalbe proued Lyers, vnlesse it appeare by their works that they speake truly and vnfeinedly. Besides this, wheras S. Paule 〈…〉, all goodnes, & al cōmendable thing 〈…〉 ••utes of the spirit: therby he cōfirmeth the thing that I told you heretofore: which is, that if ther ⟨p. 276⟩be any one drop of goodnes in vs, the same is not of our own growing, neither can we chalēge the praise of it, without doing wrong and iniurie vnto God. For they be all of them frutes of his grace, & he is faine to put them into vs by his holie spirite. Ye see then that here againe we be humbled, to the end that none of vs should deceiue himself in thinking that he hath any vertue or stayednesse, or louingnesse, or any other like thing of his own. For vntil such time as God haue shaped vs new ageyne, we be like a peece of grounde that is barrein yea and starke naught. For we not only beare not any good thing: but also bring forth exceeding much euill, till our Lord haue rid vs of it: like a naughtie grounde, whiche not onely is vnprofitable too the owner in that it yeldeth him neither corne, wine, nor other necessary things: but also bringeth foorth thistles, thornes, & wicked weeds. Euen at the same point are we. And now wee haue to marke, (according also as S Paule hath declared heeretofore) that loue is the summe and substance of the lawe: which he hath set down here in the formost ranke, not to make vs forget the calling vpon God, nor the affiance which we oughte to haue in all his promises, and the whole seruice that is conteined in the first table of the law. S.
