And thus we learn and feel that there is no goodness nor yet power to do good, but of God only. And in all 1such temptations our faith perisheth not utterly, neither our love and consent unto the law of God. But they be weak, sick, and wounded, and not clean dead. As a good child whom the father & mother have taught nurture and wisdom, loveth his father 2and all his commandments, and perceiveth of yt goodness showed him, that his father loveth him, and that all his fathers precepts are unto his wealth and profit, and that his father commandeth him nothing for any need that his father hath thereof, but seeketh his profit only, and therefore hath a good faith unto all his fathers promises, and loveth all his commandments, and doth them with good will, & with good will goeth to school. And by the way haply he seeth company play, and with the sight is taken and ravished of his memory, and forgetteth himself, and standeth and beholdeth and falleth to play also, forgetting father and mother, all their kindness, all their laws, and his own profit thereto. Howbeit, the knowledge of his fathers kindness, the faith of his promises, and the love that he hath again unto his father, and the obedient mind are not utterly quenched, but lye hid, as all things do when a man sleepeth or lieth in a trance. And as soon as he hath played out all his lusts 3or be warned in the mean season, he cometh again unto his old profession. Never the later, many temptations go over his hart, and the law as a right hangman tormenteth his conscience, and goeth nigh to persuade him that his father will cast him away and hang him if he ketch him, so that he is like a great while to run a way rather then to return unto his father again. Fear and dread of rebuke, & of loss of his fathers love and of punishment wrestle with the trust which he hath in his fathers goodness, and as it were give his faith a fall. But it riseth again as soon as the rage of the first brunt is past and his mind more quiet. And the goodness of his father, and his old kindness cometh unto 4remembrance, either of his own courage or by the comfort of some other. And he believeth that his father will not cast him away or destroy him, and hopeth that he will no more do so.
And thus we learne and feele that there is no goodnes nor yet power to do good, but of God onely. And in all 1such tēptatiōs our fayth perisheth not vtterly, neither our loue and consent vnto the lawe of God. But they be weake, sicke, and wounded, and not cleane dead. As a good childe whom the father & mother haue taught nurtoure and wisdome, loueth his father 2and all his commaundementes, and perceaueth of yt goodnes shewed him, that his father loueth him, and that all hys fathers preceptes are vnto hys wealth and profite, and that his father commaundeth him nothing for any neede that his father hath thereof, but seeketh his profite onely, and therefore hath a good fayth vnto all his fathers promises, and loueth all his cōmaundementes, and doth them wyth good will, & with good will goeth to schole. And by the way haply he seeth cōpany play, and with the sight is taken and rauished of his memory, and forgetteth himselfe, and standeth and beholdeth and falleth to play also, forgetting father and mother, all their kindnes, all their lawes, and his owne profite thereto. Howbeit, the knowledge of his fathers kindnesse, the fayth of hys promises, and the loue that he hath agayne vnto hys father, and the obedient minde are not vtterly quēched, but lye hid, as all thynges do when a man sleepeth or lieth in a traunce. And as soone as he hath played out all his lustes 3or be warned in the meane season, he commeth againe vnto his olde profession. Neuer the later, many temptations goe ouer his hart, and the law as a right hangman tormenteth hys conscience, and goeth nye to perswade him that his father will cast him away and hang hym if he ketch hym, so that he is like a great while to runne a way rather then to returne vnto his father agayne. Feare and dread of rebuke, & of losse of his fathers loue and of punishment wrastle with the trust which he hath in his fathers goodnesse, and as it were geue his faith a fall. But it riseth againe assoone as the rage of the first brunte is past and his minde more quiet. And the goodnesse of his father, and his olde kindnesse commeth vnto 4remembraunce, eyther of his owne corage or by the comfort of some other. And he beleueth that his father wyll not cast him away or destroy hym, and hopeth that he will no more do so.
- 1All power & readiness to do good con •eth of God & not of our selves.All power & readines to do good cō •eth of God & not of our selues.
- 2A very good example.
- 3The faithful though they sl••, yet they fall notThe faythfull though they sl••, yet they fall not
- 4Faith in y• good ne• of God is our stay.Faith in y• good ne• of God is our staye.
