The sprite of God accompanieth faith, & bringeth with her light, wherewith a man beholdeth himself in the law of God, and seeth his miserable bondage and captivity, and humbleth 1himself, and abhorreth himself: she bringeth Gods promises of all good things in Christ. God worketh with his word, and in his word. And as his word is preached, faith rooteth her self in the hearts of the elect: and as faith entereth and the word of God is believed, the power of God looseth the hart from the captivity, and bondage under sin, and knitteth and coupleth him to God, and to the will of God: altereth him, changeth him clean, fashioneth, and forgeth him a new, giveth him power to love, and to do that which before was unpossible for him either to love or do, and turneth him into a new nature: so that he loveth that which he before hated, and hateth that which he before loved, and is clean altered, changed, and contrary disposed, and is knit and coupled fast to Gods will, and naturally bringeth forth good works, that is to say, that which God commandeth to do, and not things of his own imagination. And that doth he of his own accord, as a tree bringeth forth fruit of her own accord. And as thou needest not to bid a tree to bring forth fruit, so is there no law 2put unto him that believeth, and is justified through faith (as saith Paul in the first Epistle to Timothy the first chapter.) Neither is it needful, for the law of god is written & graved in his heart, and his pleasure is therein. And as without commandment, but even of his own nature, he eateth, drinketh, seeth, heareth, talketh, & goeth, even so of his own nature, without coaction or compulsion of yt law, bringeth he forth good works. And as a whole man when he is a thirst, tarrieth but for drink, and when he hungereth abideth but for meat, and then drinketh and eateth naturally: even so is the faithful ever a thirst, & an hungered after ⟨p. 66⟩the will of God, and tarrieth but for occasion. And whensoever an occasion is given, he worketh naturally the will of God. For this blessing is given to all them that trust in Christs blood, that they thrust and hunger to do gods will. He that hath not this faith, is but an unprofitable babbler of faith and 3works, and wotteth neither what he babbleth, nor what he meaneth, or whereunto his words pertain.
The sprite of God accompanieth fayth, & bringeth with her light, wherwith a man beholdeth hymselfe in the lawe of God, and seeth his miserable bondage and captiuitie, and humbleth 1himselfe, and abhorreth himselfe: she bringeth Gods promises of all good thinges in Christ. God worketh with his worde, and in his worde. And as his worde is preached, fayth rooteth her selfe in the hartes of the elect: and as faith entreth and the worde of God is beleued, the power of God looseth the hart from the captiuitie, and bondage vnder sinne, and knitteth and coupleth him to God, and to the wyll of God: altereth hym, chaungeth hym cleane, fashioneth, and forgeth hym a new, geueth hym power to loue, and to doe that whiche before was vnpossible for hym eyther to loue or do, and turneth hym into a new nature: so yt he loueth that which he before hated, and hateth that which he before loued, and is cleane altered, chaunged, and contrary disposed, and is knit and coupled fast to Gods will, and naturally bringeth forthe good workes, that is to say, that which God commaundeth to do, and not thinges of hys owne imagination. And that doth he of hys owne accorde, as a tree bringeth forth fruit of her own accord. And as thou needest not to bid a tree to bryng forth fruite, so is there no law 2put vnto hym that beleueth, and is iustified through fayth (as sayth Paul in the first Epistle to Timothie the fyrst chapter.) Neither is it nedeful, for the law of god is written & graued in his harte, and his pleasure is therein. And as without commaundement, but euē of hys owne nature, he eateth, drincketh, seeth, heareth, talketh, & goeth, euē so of his owne nature, without coaction or compulsion of yt law, bringeth he forth good workes. And as a whole man when he is a thurst, tarieth but for drinke, and when he hungreth abideth but for meate, and then drinketh and eateth naturally: euē so is ye faithfull euer a thurst, & an hungred after ⟨p. 66⟩the will of God, and tarieth but for occasion. And whensoeuer an occasion is geuen, he worketh naturally the wyll of God. For this blessing is geuen to all them that trust in Christes bloud, that they thrust and hunger to do gods wyll. He that hath not this fayth, is but an vnprofitable babler of faith and 3workes, and wotteth neither what he bableth, nor what he meaneth, or wherunto his wordes pertayne.
- 1The spirit of God accompanieth Faith.The spirite of God accompanieth Faith.
- 2Faith of her self bringeth forth good fruits, that is, good works.Fayth of her selfe bringeth forth good frutes, that is, good workes.
- 3True faith is not with out good works.True fayth is not with out good workes.
