[ 1899] How it is that Faith is said to be made perfect by Works.
AS one that professeth,* 1.1 That he hath an art, and that he is able to do this, and that, by his art; Now if he make up some exquisite piece of Workman∣ship, by that he is said to make good his Art; Or as when we say, such and such Trees are good, because they have sap in them, they are not dead Trees, yet for all this the Tree is made perfect by the fruit. So Faith by Works is made perfect;* 1.2 Not that works put life into Faith; the sap must first be in the Tree, and then it bringeth forth fruit; so there must be first a life in Faith, and then it bringeth forth good works; So that when it is said, Faith is made perfect by Works; the meaning is, that Faith is made good by Works, that Works declare Faith to be right, as the Fruit doth declare the Tree to have sap.