For how is it possible to do any thing well in the sight of God, while we are yet in captivity and bondage under the devil, and the devil possesseth us all together, and holdeth our hearts, so that we can not once consent unto the will of God? No man therefore can prevent the spirit in doing good, the spirit must first come, and wake him out of his sleep, with the thunder of the law and fear him, and show him his miserable estate & wretchedness, and make him abhor & hate him self, and to desire help, and then comfort him again with the pleasant rain of the Gospel, that is to say, with the sweet promises of God in Christ, and stir up faith in him to believe the promises: then when he believeth 1the promises, as God was merciful to promise, so is he true to fulfil them, and will give him the spirit and strength, both to love the will of God, & to work there after. So see we that God only (which according to the Scripture worketh all in all things) worketh a mans justifying, salvation and health, yea, & poureth faith & belief, lust to love Gods will, & strength to fulfil the same into us, even as water is poured into a vessel, and that of his good will and purpose, and not of our deservings and merits: Gods 2mercy in promising, and truth in fulfilling his promises saveth us, and not we ourselves, and therefore is all laud praise & glory, to be given unto God for his mercy and truth, and not unto us, for our merits and deservings. After that he stretcheth his example out against all other good works of the law, and concludeth that the Jews can not be Abraham's heirs, because of blood and kindred only, and much less by the works of the law, but must inherit 3Abraham's faith, if they will be the right heirs of Abraham, for as much as Abraham before the law, both of Moses, & also of Circumcision, was through faith made righteous, and called the father of all them that believe, & not of them that work. Moreover the law causeth wrath, in as much as no man can fulfil it with love and lust, and as long as such grudging, hate and indignation against the law remaineth in the hart, and is not taken away by the sprite that cometh by faith, so long no doubt the works of the law, 4declare evidently that the wrath of god is upon us, and not favour: wherefore faith only receiveth the grace promised unto Abraham.
For howe is it possible to doe any thyng well in the sight of God, while we are yet in captiuitie and bondage vnder the deuill, and the deuill possesseth vs all together, and holdeth our hartes, so that we can not once consent vnto the will of God? No man therfore can preuent the spirite in doyng good, the spirite must first come, and wake him out of his sleepe, with the thunder of the law and feare him, and shew him his miserable estate & wretchednes, and make him abhorre & hate him selfe, and to desire helpe, and then comfort him agayne with the pleasaūt rayne of the Gospell, that is to say, with the sweete promises of God in Christ, and stirre vp faith in him to beleue the promises: then when he beleueth 1the promises, as God was mercyfull to promise, so is he true to fulfill them, and wil geue him the spirite and strength, both to loue the will of God, & to worke there after. So see we that God onely (whiche accordyng to the Scripture worketh all in all thinges) woorketh a mans iustifiyng, saluation and health, yea, & poureth fayth & belefe, lust to loue Gods will, & strength to fulfill the same into vs, euen as water is poured into a vessell, and that of his good will and purpose, and not of our deseruynges and merites: Gods 2mercy in promising, and truth in fulfilling his promises saueth vs, and not we ourselues, and therfore is al laude prayse & glory, to be geuen vnto God for his mercy and truth, and not vnto vs, for our merites and deseruynges. After that he stretcheth hys example out agaynst all other good workes of the law, and cōcludeth that the Iewes can not be Arahams heyres, because of bloud and kinred onely, and much lesse by the workes of the law, but must inherite 3Abrahams fayth, if they wilbe the right heyres of Abraham, for as much as Abraham before the law, both of Moses, & also of Circumcision, was through faith made righteous, and called the father of all them that beleue, & not of them that worke. Moreouer the law causeth wrath, in as much as no mā can fulfill it with loue and lust, and as longe as such grudgyng, hate and indignation agaynst the law remayneth in the hart, and is not takē away by the sprite that commeth by fayth, so long no doubt the workes of the law, 4declare euidētly that the wrath of god is vpon vs, and not fauour: wherfore fayth only receyueth the grace promised vnto Abraham.
- 1Gods mercy moveth us to faith in his promises, so that God in all things worketh our justification.Gods mercy moueth vs to fayth in his promises, so that God in al things worketh our iustification.
- 2Gods mercy saveth us, and not we our selves.Gods mercy saueth vs, and not we our selues.
- 3If we lack Abrahams faith, we cannot be Abrahams children.If we lack Abrahams fayth, we cannot be Abrahams children.
- 4Faith only receiveth the grace that cometh by Abraham.Fayth onely receaueth the grace that cōmeth by Abraham.
