despayre The blynde Papistes haue taughte vs poore wretches that the foundation of our hope lyeth in the grace of God in the mâ—rites of our owne workes so that our hope should be nothing els but the expectation of life comming of gods grace and of our owne deseruinges Item that our hope in no wise coulde stande without the helpe of our merites other of the sophisters doe thus defyne it Hope is a boldnesse of minde conceiued of Gods goodnesse to haue euerlasting life throughe our good workes Here thou hearest these two grace and deseruing but these two do iâ— ioyne together for where is grace there is no meriting againe where meriting is there is no grace Therefore if a sicke persone tempted about his sinnes thinke thus that without his owne merites hee can looke for no saluation then he trusteth not to the grace of God neither doth he apprehend it nor ground himselfe vpon it for so he hath ben taughte and ledde that it was presumpcion to say a man might be assured of Gods fauour without the adding of his works and merites And thus haue we ben led in this fals perswasion so many yeeres but in earnest tentaâ—ions there is none that can stande vpon his merites or deedes for here commeth in the lawe of God accusing him and all other men that none of them al haue fulfilled it Then where be those good dedes wher vpon the sicke man may trust and hope for saluation therby In our great tentations wee all doe feele that we bee sinners and that all our lyfe is noughte and so voyde of all goodnesse that it is not able to abide and stande in the seuere iudgement of god These blynd seducers haue made one foote of our hope lame and mayned which is grace The other foote lame and halting which is our owne woorkes Nowe howe can our hope stand faste that we fall not into desperation To proue than that by our deedes wee can deserue no iustification neither anye parte thereof wyth all that euer wee are able to doe And that it is not in our power to accomplyshe the lawe of GOD but that the lawe onely serueth to see our vnablenesse our vices sinnes thereby it needeth no greate declaration Wee see thys daylye in our selues that our fleshe neuer ceaseth fighting agaynste the spirite and dooth inwardlye grudge at euerye good deede wee doe so that this naughtinesse and corruption of ours marreth all whereby our good woorkes can not bee pure nor acceptable that wee doe Ro. vii Gal. v. 1. Iohn 1. Wherefore writteth Iohn if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs Also all the faithfull say dayly in the Lordes prayer Forgeiue vs our trespasses Ers. lxiiii We be as vncleane euery one and al our righteousnesse like a cloth deâ—led with the flowers of a woman Furthermore if we did fulfill all commandementes of God yet did we nothing but which is our bound duety to doe neyther can we looke for any reward thereby witnes to christ Luke xvii Whan you haue dâ—n all that you can yet saye you be vnprofitable seruants These wordes of Christe verelye may plucke downe our glorye and make vs all ashamed to put anye affiaunce in our selues or in our owne good workes Howbeit I speake not this to extenuat the worthines of good works or to pluck men back froÌ„ wel doing For y scripture teacheth vs y the studye of good workes is euer to be employed and willeth vs to be folowers of honesty good working But no man must put affiaunce in hys works as though by y worthines of theÌ„ he could obteine grace or put away sin or gett his saluation Foâ— if our righteousnes iustificatioÌ„ before god stande in our might or merites then dyed Christe in vayne Gala. ii Good woorkes in their degree order haue their value and be greatly commended A good man ought to insewe good vertues to th entent he may doe the will of his Lorde God which commandeth vs to liue vertuously and that he may also approue himself to his Lord God that God our heauenly father may be glorified thereby Also we ought to doe good workes to shewe our selues thankfull againe to God for his infinite benefites and giftes Also we must doe good workes to exercise our faith that they may be testimonies of our beleife and thus doe they profit both me and my neighbour My neighbour in geuing example to encorage him the better to a christian life also in that he is succored by them in his necessitie Secondarily they profit me in that they exercise my faith and mortifie my fleshe and kepe me truely in my vocacion For why if I doe any benefite to my frendes and to mine enemies and perceiue it to come of a franke and free hearte then I well assure my selfe that my faith is liuely and a true faith which maketh of damned sinners the true children of god Item here is to be noted that good workes be those which a man beleeuing in Christ worketh in fayth in his lawfull vocation after the ordinaunce and forme of the lawe of God Contrary euil works and sinnes be those which be don without fayth and with a fained charitie trusting vpon them to purchase the fauour of God the forgiuenesse of sinnes and the kingdome euerlasting which is directly contrary from our christian fayth For our christian fayth doth grounde vs vpon a more substanciall stone which is Christ the true forgiuer of sinnes and our onely reconciler which hath obteyned for vs this grace hath washed away our sinnes and hath deserued for vs euerlasting saluation This faith maketh our consciences not to wauer nor doubt anye thing of the grace of god For the propertie of this fayth is to quiet our conscience The true catholike and liuely fayth is this when a man grounding vppon Christ fully perswadeth himselfe beleueth stedfastlye and nothing doubteth that he hath God pacified and a moste gentill father to him for Christes sake to whom in all his necessity aduersitie and in all his affaires as a childe to his father he wholy coÌ„mitteth and commendeth him selfe putteth al his trust in him calleth on him seeketh no succour consolation nor goodnes but onely of him This faith purifieth our hearts This faith is alwayes working throughe charitie and hath the holy ghoste which moueth vs and stirreth vs vp to folowe the example of Christ which hath left behind steppes of all good workes and patience in afflictions for vs to folowe saying to vs This is my commandement that yee loue together as I haue loued you You be my frendes if you wil do these things that I haue giuen and taught you Hee that loueth me will keepe my lessons I haue giuen you example as I haue done to you so doe ye to your selues by thys you shal bee
doth call euerlasting lyfe the gâ—ft of god And likewyse to the Galathians dooth put a cleare difference betwixt them and sheweth playnlye hys minde of the law and of the promise how they concurre to our iustification Let vs weigh well his words for all y weight foundation of our iustification dooth lye vpon theÌ„ His wordes be these If our inheritance stand of the lawe then it standeth not of promise But God did geeue it to Abraham If the lawe had bene geuen vnto vs which mighte haue iustified vs then our iustification might be of the lawe But the scripture hath wrapped al thinges vnder sinne that the promise might come by the fayth of Iesus Christ to all that beleeue And agayne in the second to the Gal. If our iustification sayth he coulde come by the lawe then Christ dyed in vayne Therefore I saye where as men thus by the lawe were brought to the knowledge of their sinnes and so stroken with great sorowe and heauinesse of conscience for their sinfull and vicious nature thaÌ„ was the gospell put and set before them that is to saye grace promised in Christ. And than did they beginne to beleeue ernestly and to reioyse in their hearts truly for this grace promised in Christe that God had geeuen them for Christes sake forgiuenes of their sinnes Thus s. Paule in the place afore recited dooth comfort with true consolation wretched and desperate sinners for he leadeth theÌ„ only to the promise of GOD and beateth that into them for thereby only our consciences be cleane and quieted And doth teach the law Gods coÌ„mandements also exhorting vs diligentlye to the study of good workes and is not only content with that but also doth shewe where and how to come by the corage iust to doe these good works Thus first they taught the lawe for repentance but streighte after they ioyned with all the promise of God to bring meÌ„ to the knowledge of the moste rich grace of God giuen and promised vs in Christ teaching withall where wee shoulde get the strength to fulfill the commandemeÌ„ts where our sinfull nature was not able to fulfil it In consideration whereof the Apostles euerye where declared and settefoorth the exceeding and passing riches and treasures of Gods mightye grace which he hath giuen and promised vs in Christ if we beleeue vpon him and so â—orth did leade wretched sinners from y lawe to christ This great grace of god so offered they receiue then and imbraced greatlye and thus beleeuing were pacified in their consciences The law doth threaten and affraye but than shee is not able to heale or comforte them being greeued or to deliuer them from their agonye wherefore wee must needes flee to the promise And ther shall we find righteousnes peace life health ynough Here vpon S. Paule to the Galathians saith The lawe was as it were our schoolemayster vnto Christ that wee should be iustified by Christ for the lawe doth force vs doth straine vs doth call vpon vs doth manace vs and lyeth vpon our necks requiring of vs all manner of good workes perfecte iustice perfect innocencie of heart perfecte feare and loue of God and also of our neighbour But we of our owne strengthe bee not able to accomplish that which it requireth and thus it driueth vs to Christe and is our schoolemaister vnto christ He than receiueth vs comming to him helping vs and giuing vs all suche thinges that the lawe requireth of vs so that the law shal not be able to damme vs. For this cause S. Paule dooth call Christ the ende of the lawe Or as Saint Augustine doth expound it the fulfilling of the lawe He that hath Christ is iuste he that beleueth in Christ hath al things which the lawe requireth Christe hath reconciled for vs God his Father hee is our mediatour and euerlasting priest hee hath obteyned for vs grace the holye ghost wyth all his giftes remission of sinnes and all manner of goodnesse with life euerlasting he as Ieremye writeth doth giue vs a newe hearte and a softe heart and the holy ghoste to moue vs to doe well And where as yet we be partly fleshly nor can not be al mortified in this body nor thorowly fulfill the commaundements of God there is hee made oure wysedome our iustice and redemption so that his innocencie and all that euer hee hath is made ours by fayth for after that we put on Christ vppon vs and after we beleeue in him there is no ieoperdye can hurt vs thoughe we be neuer so weake and frayle so that we do not walk purposely after our appetite of the fleshe and runne still headlong in sinne without repentance for oftymes it happeneth that good and most godly men doe fall as well as other but yet they lye not still but get vp againe and be stil delited with the lawe of God inwardly in theyr heartes euer calling for remission of sinnes by Christe and obteyne also the same which we desire All these things we may see very well expressed in Abraham for Abraham saith Paule is the father of all the faithful beleuers in Christe therefore wee haue in Abraham a clear figure and an example howe that a sinner may be iustified and what is the nature of a christian fayth what is the power the propertye and working of the same and also howe that our consciences may be quieted whither by faith or by workes Therefore he that is the true child of Abraham that is a good man in deeede or that woulde bee a true member of Christ let him loke vpon Abraham his father and there he shal se how God doth with vs how he tendereth vs and how we oughte to doe againe for him as Paul also teacheth vs Firste of all Abraham hearde the greate and riâ—he promise of God saying vnto hym Doe not feare Abraham I am thy deâ—eÌ„der and great is thy rewarde with mee And afterward In thy seede all nationes shall be blessed that is shall be deliuered from sinne death and malediction and shall haue euerlasting life This was gladde tydinges to Abraham And stil did Abraham belâ—eue this promise notwithstanding yet much greued with troubles and sorrowes And so therefore was iustified by this faith and truste that hee had to the promise of god Nowe thys was iiii â— and thirtye yeeres before the lawe was giuen and therefore was hee saued not by the workes of the lawe but by his faith in God in the blessed seede which was promised him And no otherwise also must we all bee saued for there is no other waye nor meanes to come to health but only the promise of God must iustifie vs if we beleeue and not the law nether works Secondarilye the faithe of Abraham y he hadde vpon Christ made him a newe man and cleane did alter his olde affections and put in him newe cogitations otherwise then this nature of ours hatâ— for
knowne to be my disciples if ye haue loue one to another Agayne he that taketh not vp his crosse and foloweth me he is not my disciple Where there is no repentance nor any amendment of life and studye of good workes verery there is no true faythe True faythe can not bee without good woorkes no more then a good tree with out fruite or the sunne without hys heat thys is vndoubted Therefore let euerye man examine and searche himselfe well least he deceiue himselfe Many men ther be whiche saye they beleeue when they haue no beleife as it may appeare by their vicious and wicked lyfe For this is certaine where soeuer true faith is there is also the feare of God ther is repentance there a true and a Christian mans life foloweth there the olde sinfull man is put off and a newe put on For because this is the vertue and operation of our holy baptisme that fayth doth clean renue transforme a christian into a new man which walketh not afte flesh but after the spirit Rom. viii Then where the grace of god worâ—keth in vs good fruite and wee begin to folow the commandementes of God our old man is not all mortified straight way but wild and wanton flesh wyth her lustes dothe striue againste vs all our lyfe long and neuer ceaseth prouoking vs to sinne and euer rebelleth agaynste oure spirite letting and hindering vs in all honeste vertues whereby we bee not able to liue so vprightlye after Gods commandements as we would Wherefore when our sinfull conscience or the feare of death doth come vpon vs we can not trust to our works nor finde any comfort therein but if we will bee saued we must needes cry with the holy king Dauid Enter not Lord into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight no liuing flesh shall be iustified Our good workes thoughe they bee neuer so holye and excellent yet the value of them is not such neither oughte wee to doe them for any such purpose neither doth God require them to be done of vs for that in tent that we should be iustified and saued by them For no man can trust anye thing to his workes neither be they able to deliuer vs from our death That thing only the works of Iesus Christe is able to doe and nothing els This glory and honoure is onely dewe to him and to no man else to be a Iesus that is by interpretation a Sauiour For hee onelye taketh away our sinnes iustifieth and saueth vs by his workes passion This is his office his worke duty onely for the which hee was sent hither of his Heauenlye Father and oures to doe Therefore if the holye workes and commandements of God can bring no peace of conscience then what shall a miserable sinner doe in the distresse of hys tentation Whether shall he goe whether shall he turne himselfe Wher shall he find helpe and succour and comforte so then if we looke for any saluation we must firmelye beleeue and perswade our consciences that our sinnes be pardoned vs and cleane taken away But now howe shall we be so certified in our mindes I answere in such tentations a man must needes sette aparte the lawe and all his good deedes that euer he hath done all his strength all his power and merites and let them all stande a side in this case For here nothing can succoure vs but onely the workes and passion of Iesus christ And therefore we must appeale from the law streighte to the riche and mercifull promise of our Father in his sonne Christ as vnto a sure succour and a sanctuary of eternall security and peace and holde it fast in a firme and a sure fayth And thus shall we find comfort and quietnes ynough and more then we can desire then neyther sinne nor death nor hell shall be able to hurt vs. The promise of God is this Almightye GOD hath promised vs damnable sinners in his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christe without any maner of exception or condition of our owne merites clearelyâ— of his owne free grace and goodnes full remissâ—on of al our sins his holy spirite and euer lasting life and that he will euermore be our Father and that he wil vouchsafe to receiue vs to his children giue vs perpetuall saluation These things stand true firme eternal vnfalible sure and stedfast for euer God which is almighty which can not lye hath so promised to vs and hath sworne depely by himself that he wil performe theÌ„ This is the newe testament and the euerlasting couenant of grace made to vs in Christ betwixt him and vs and confirmed with his bloud wherof his propheâ—s so greatly speake Christe the sonne of God hath confirmed this testament by his death and is a sure gage or a pledge of this promise of god The truth and grace of God is layd and reposed for vs in Christ in him we be sure to finde it as God speaketh of his sonne Christe our true Dauid in the psalme lxxxix My truth and my mercie shall eueruermore be with him in my name hys power shall be exalted he shall call me Thou art my father my god the rescue of my health And I shal set him to bee mine heire first begotten auance him abaue al the kinges of the earth I shall euermore reserue my mercy to him and my faithful testameÌ„t vpon him And I shal set vp his seede for euermore hys throne like the dayes of the firmament And if his children transgresse my preceptes wil not walke in my iudgemeÌ„ts I shall visite chastice their iniquities with my rod their sinnes with stripes but I will neuer take away my mercye cleane from him my truth shall neuer fayle him I will neuer breake my testament that I make neither wil I euer go froÌ„ my words that procede out of my lyps Once haue I sworn in my holines see if euer I breake mine appointmeÌ„t with my leruant Dauid his sede shal remaine for euer his thron like y son in my sight c. This promise is also read in the ii Reg. vii Here in this prophesie God speaketh of that eternal kingdom of Christ which perpetuall mercy peace and quietnes is for in Christe he hath reposed layd vp his truth and mercy Therefore in no other thinge can this promise of grace be found or obtained saue onely in christ In him God hath promised to vs saluation freely through his mighty mercye Therefore who soeuer beleeueth in Christe without any more a doe to bee bolde vpon it he hath al thinges And thoughe there be in Christes kingdome weake and infirme-sinners which slippe and fall many times yet this priuiledge and prerogatiue they haue their sinnes shall not be imputed to damnation All their offences be offences of children not of seruants We haue a salue-conducie a passeporte throughe all the
he reioysed onely in the Lorde and in him taketh a maruailous boldnes he knoweth well that God is his father which in al his affaires afflictions troubles will helpe him and thus trusting vnto Goddes promise receiueth and reposeth him selfe in the handes of God with a bold heart a strong confidence doubtting nothing that God will be mercifull vnto him euen as any father will be to his owne naturall child whom hee loueth most tenderlye so then Abraham hauing this faith weÌ„t vp to the hill at the commaundement of God to shew his obedience and offered his sonne For true faith can neuer be with out good works but euer will be occupyed in the obedience of god In the meane season Abrahams heart and conscience was nothing vnquieted for all that but still quiet by reason of his fayth â—he had in Christe for he was euer sure of the fauour and loue of God toward him Wherfore s. Paule full well describeth his whole thoughte and cogitation where as he sayth that Abraham did neuer shrinke in his fayth nor doubted in the promise of God but euer stroÌ„g in his fayth did giue glory to God knowing well this that â—ee whiche promised him was able to performe it And therefore he sayth that it was imputed to him for righteousnes that is for his iustification for this AbrahaÌ„ thought and perswaded himselfe that God was almighty and true of his promise which would not defeate nor deceiue his people And if he had so thought in himselfe as nowe our papists doe teache I can not tell surelye whither God loue mee or no peraduenture he is not freendly vnto me nor careth for me nor regardeth me c. If Abraham I say had thoughte on thys maner or had shrinked so in his faith I thinke hee would neuer haue intended to offer vp his onely sonne nor would haue bene persuaded to goe from his Fathers house out into a strange land but rather would haue thought thus It is good to be sure of that a man hath already this I haue and am sure of the other is vnsure what should I kil my onely and wel beloued son who will giue me another What shall I goe out of mine owne house into a strange land I can not tell howe farre what folishnes were it I will not so I will tary still herâ— wher I am in my Fathers house neither will I be so cruell to my sonne for to slaye hym Thus I say he had thoughte if hee had not beleeued constantlye but when hee went out so boldly and mearily out of his Fathers house into a farre and a strange countrey and with so lustye cheere went vppe to the hyll with his Sonne to offer him vp to God which no naâ—ure of man can doe for what naturall man can finde in his heart to offer vp his sonne Than be like he did onely hang of the hands of God onely did trust vppon God vppon his grace vpon his helpe nohing doubting in his conscience but that God was able to performe all that hee had promysed for why no doubting heart can be so willing to doe as Abraham did nor yet once thinke to doe it So quiet was Abrahams conscience by faythe in Gods promise that Paule in his Epistle to the Romaines dooth giue him an excellent prayse therefore that we all should mark it and wel bear it away Abraham saith he neuer did shrinke in his faith but alwayes strong in his beleeuing trusted surely Why did he trust surely because God promised for this he did knowe and was fully perswaded that God was true of his word and promise what soeuer he promiseth hee performeth of his grace and is well able to performe it for hee is almightye nor dooth not promise for our deseruinges but of his grace onelye that nowe wee may be bold to trust vnto it For if he shoulde promise after our deseruinges any thing hee coulde neuer performe it for our merites be none and nothing worth And yet notwithstanding hee dooth promise vs infinite goodnes in Christ without our merites onely of his owne pure grace and mercy And therefore writeth Paule y God promised Abraham the blessing cccc xxx yeeres before the law of Moses was giuen because no man should think so this blessing to stand by the works of the law or that he could not enioye this free promise and blessing of God before he did fulfill all the lawes of Moses Wherfore for the loue of God let al good men here marke that Abraham neuer fayled nor did shrinke in fayth nor euer doubted at the promise of God nor of the loue and grace of God toward him For so y holy ghost doth say that he had a sure perswasion marke â—his well Yf it were a firme perswasion he had then it was no opinion or doubting but fully did he trust and beleue he went not whether incredulitye and doubting did bydde him to goe which doubting papistes haue taughte vs neither thought be thus be it true or not true I will doe it but his conscience was fullye perswaded that it was true which God had promised and that God woulde be good and mercifull vnto him had forgeuen his sinnes had iustified him and would neuer forsake him nor abiecte him and after this life also woulde giue him euerlasting life for the â—ede sake that was promised him which was Christe If God hadde sayde thus to Abraham Heare Abraham I wil be merciful vnto thee I will forgiue thee thy sinnes and alwayes be present with thee and helpe thee so on this condition that thou keepe and fulfill all my commandements thus I saye if God had geuen hym hys promyse vnder thys condition of fulfillyng his commaunâ—ementes then Abrahams conscience hadde neuer bene merye nor quiet but alwayes doubtting of y grace of God and forâ—iuenes of his sinnes nor should euer haue bene certaine of his saluation For thus hee mighte haue thoughte I haue done all that I can with al diligeÌ„ce to fulfill Gods precepts yet I coulde neuer fulfill them so perfectly as I ought nothing like Wherefore this promise of God is vncertaine to mee neither can I test whither I shall take it or no because I haue not performed all was inioyned and commaunded mee and God did giue me his promise no otherwise but of this condition if I kept his commandemeâ—ts and I am not able so to do Wherefore I am not sure whether he wil giue me these things y hee promised I can do nothing on my parte and therefore howe can hee keepe his promise with me wherefore what hope can I haue nowe of health It is but lost labour all that I go about Thus I saye if God had promised hys blessing vnder this contition to Abraham then hee might well haue despeared but nowe hee addid no suche condition and all because wee should not doubt but that his promise remaineth alwayes sure and stable And this it is that
god requireth onely of vs that wee should neuer doubt nor question of his free grace but to be bold and trust vpon it that hee is a louing father vnto vs and that we be his children But wee could neuer be so bolde of thys grace of God if any such condition of ful filling the lawe were giuen with al as if thou kepe my commandements wel then shalt thou haue thy sinnes forgiuen Therefore it is necessary that y promise of thys blessing stand without al conditions and without all respect of workes or merites but onely in the free grace of God or els we could neuer be sure of it nor certain but alwayes in doubt mistrust For if remission of our sins should stand in the fulfilling of the lawe then our fleshe being so weake and fraile and not able to fulfil the lawe howe shoulde wee be sure that god is good to vs or that wee were in the fauour of God but rather shoulde thinke that he were angry with vs because wee neuer fulfil his commandementes as we should doe And thus the free promise of God shold stand voyd in no effect For why no man were able to obtaine it But thanks and prayse be to the faithful Lorde the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ ours the father of mercye the god of all comforth who hauing mercye vppon vs and tendering our weakenes hath not bilded our health and saluation vpon any such brickle weak foundatioÌ„ as vpon our works and our fulfilling of the law for so we cold neuer be saued But the foundation that we be grounded vpon preuaile against the gates of hell is the great grace and mercy of God in his son christ For in him God hath promised vs all remission of our sinnes and euerlasting life This promise is onely and alone all our comforte which boldlye wee doe and may trust vpon So thus you see howe God promiseth vs remission of our sinnes and life euerlasting not vnder any condition of working and fulfilling the lawe but he giueth it frely of his fre grace I say only alon thorow Christ and not for any workes of ours And therefore he geeueth it freelye without any condition of our workes because the promise might stand firme and stable that is that we may be sure of the fauour of God and of remission of oure sinnes doubting nothing therin notwithstanding wee â—ee neuer so much sinfull in our nature vnworthy wretches that euery beleeuing Christian man may saye with Paule This I knowe and is vndoubted that neither death nor life neyther angels neither princes nor potestates neither things present nor things to come neither height nor depenes nor no other creature is able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. Here may we playnly see that Paul had a bolde and a confident trust of the forgiuenes of sinnes and of his health to come plentuouslye perswaded of the grace of God towarde him or els how could he so feruently reioyse and tryumphe in spirite against all creatures bothe in heauen and in the worlde so mightelye defying them all being right sure and certaine that nothing neyther aboue nor beneath coulde anoy him And why because he beleued in Christe and was sure of the mercye of God towarde him thorowe fayth and therefore was his conscience so quiet and triumphant And euen so may euery Christian man likewise take the same courage the same mind in himselfe Howbeit no man can doe this vnlesse he put away all respecte of his own merites and workes and onely trust vnto the free mercy and grace of God which grace is giuen vs only thorowe Christ and not through our selues NotwithstaÌ„ding yet that good works of ours consequently do folowe and springe out of this faith and promise of god So that where as the same doe not folowe and may folow ther is no true nor liuely fayth but a deede and barraine opinion of fayth but where this true and liuely faithe is there is workes and miracles and thynges farre passing the possibility of naturall working For as saynt Paule sayth wee receiue the holy ghost not by our working but by hearing of the Gospell thys holye Ghoste wyll not suffer vs to doubte after the papists fashion or as they woulde haue vs not to feare as their seruyle spirite dooth but wyth a bolde truste cryeth in our hearts to GOD Abb A Father and witnesseth wyth our spirite that wee bee the chyldren and the heyres of GOD and felowe heyres wyth Câ—riste that wee may be glorified togeather wyth hym And as Paule to the Ephesians sayth they that beleeue in Christe bee sealed vp with the holy spirit of promise the with spirite we have as a pledge or an ernest penye of our inheritaunce and possession which we haue got and be redemed vnto Therfore with al faith trust we must euer looke vpon the promise of God and vppon Iesus Christ onely And so in thys promise of God our conscience may finde comforte and peace plentye but in our workes we shall finde none And therefore marke well this text of Paule and keepe it well in your remembraunce where hee sayth Abraham had thys promyse geauen to hym and to hys sede that he should be the heyre of the world not for hys working after the lawe but for his beleeuing in fayth for if they that belonge to the lawe bee the heyres then is fayth voyde and the promyse of none effecte for why the law worketh anger by reason that if there were no law ther were no traunsgression therefore the inheritaÌ„ce is giuen by faythe as by grace freely because the promise muste stande firme and stable to all y seede of Abraham Dayly experience and practise in troubles and distresses declareth that no maÌ„ bee hee neuer so holy can quiet hys coÌ„science by his workes Our sinnes and death be more greeuous ennemies vnto vs then that wee bee able to ouer come by our owne deedes and deseruings we must haue an other manner of meanes to that which is our faythe receiuing and holâ—eing the promyse of GOD in christ And so that shall be able to conquer the mighty feircenes of sin death This faith retaineth and apprehendeth those infalible and eternall things that is to say it receiueth not the feeble workes of ours but the greate grace of GOD Christ himselfe his works and his deseruings and the promises in Christ which things be much greater higher more stable and magnificall then our capacities be able to comprehend Therefore when anye tentacion assaulteth wee muste not looke to the lawe and our works but setting all them aside wee muste runne and creepe to the crosse of Christe wee muste seeke for helpe and grace by Christ and humbly must knowledge our faults And though our sins be neuer so gret or gâ—eeuous though the feare and tentation of
death be neuer so horrible yet â—â—e must still sticke to the promise of God surely must trust and doubt nothing that our sinnes be forguieÌ„ vs for Christes sake according to the promise of God withoute any deseâ—uings of ours and that God is our father and we shall hue with him for euer and euer The works and passion of Christ which be of great and infinite and omnipotent power oughte more to stirre vs vppe to trust well on God that hee will bee euer more to vs a merciful Lord then our sins ought to fray vs For the grace of God in Christ is much stronger more able to deliuer and helpe then our sinnes bee to condemne vs And this grace of GOD dooth not hang of our workes for than it shoulde be vncertaine but it standeth firme by grace and by fayth in Christe with out any regard or respect of our working And this is done by the singular proâ—idence of the great fatherly loue of God towarde vs because our iustification should stande firme and certaine by faith so that no man nede doubt of the fauor and mercye of God towarde him If this grace and promise stand in y hand of God then is it sure so that wee cannot doubt of the remissioÌ„ of our sins But if â—hey should stand in our own hand and shoâ—ld hang of our selues then wee should aâ—wayes be vncertain because we were neâ—er able to descrue sufficiently being not sifficient of strength to fulfil the law But after that we returnâ— repose our selues in Christ alone and in the promise of God through Christ then be we safe and sure ynough because God hath so promised of his voluntary grace frely and hath founded his promise vppon the fayth in Christ to the intent it shal stand firme and certaine And therfore I sayd and say agaiâ—e the kingdome of Christe to be a kingdome of securitie and peace as the Prophets doe descâ—ybe it In thys kingdome we haue peace and most sure succour so that there is nowe neither sinne death nor hel can feare vs So doth Esâ—ias also call Christ the prince of peace whose princedome is large and great and whose peace shall neuer haue ende In Ieremy also God doth promise vnto Israell that is vnto all beleeuers in Christ a springing bud of iustice a king which shall rule wisely and shall execute indgement and iustice in earth and vnder whom Israell shall dwell boldly with confidence these things be in the spirituall kingdome of Christ in which there is true and spiritual securitie where as euery christian mans hart hath peaâ—e with god through faith in Christ in the which kingdome neither sin can damneos neither death can kil vs nor hel can swalow vs for god is with vs and feedeth vs and defeÌ„deth vs as his sheepe Therefore who shall stande against vs And Esai When the holy ghost saith he shal be powred from aboue that was when Christe began his kingdome then the worke and fruite of iustice shall bee peace the keeping of Iustice shall be silence security for euer euer And the people of god shall dwell in comâ—ines of peace in houses of trust All these things do nothing els but signifie y Christes people in his kingdoÌ„e shall be all good quiet at rest and merry which shall haue a quiet a glad conâ—cience being euermore sure certain that God is fauourable vnto them for Christ which doth deliuer vs from all euills without any doubt I besech you what can our aduersaries bring against this or how can they maintain their errors in the face of the world Here I haue proued taught out of the foundatioÌ„ of the word of God y no faithfull beleuer in Christe can or oughte to doubt of the fauour of God of remissioÌ„ of his sins that his conscieÌ„ce may thorowly be certified y god is fauorable vnto him which will pardon all his fautes for Christes sake in whom we beleeue which will iustifie vs and giue vs euerlasting life without any doubt Here our aduersaries can haue nothing to lay against this doctrine or to subuert this fouÌ„dation but one refuge they haue that when wee bring scriptures agaynst them what say they the Lutherians bryng Scriptures for them but they muste expounde Scriptures as our fathers dyd I aunswere againe We doe not denye so to doc for we may doe it well ynough And I may saye with Saint Cirillus we keepe the faith of our fathers and of the church so farre as we ought and vse their interpretations so much as they require But the chiefest of the auncient fathers of the church do agre in the same matter no otherwise then we expound it therefore why doe these holye workers bring for them the church S. Augustine one of the moste catholike godlye doctor of theÌ„ al in his boke which hee writeth of Predestination in the xi chapter saith in thys wise Truely wher as the apostle in his epistle to the Ro. writeth these words Therfor is our inhetaunce giuen vs by fayth through grace because the promise mighte stande firme and stedfast I maruel saith he that meÌ„ had rather looke on their oâ—ne infirmâ—â—y then vnto the firmity and stedfastnesse of Gods promise But here thou wilt saye I can not tell nor doe not knowe the will of God of me Well then dost thou knowe thine owne will of thy selfe if thou doest beware for he y thinketh he standeth let him take hede y he fal not Therfore in so much as thou knowest nether his wil nor thine owne wil then why should not a maÌ„ rather put his trust and hope in y which is more certaine than in that which is lesse certaine But say they againe where it is spoken if thou beleeuest thou shalt be saued there one of these is required of vs the other is offered and that which is required of vs is in our owne power the other in god And why I pray you is not both in Gods power both that which is required and that which is offered for do not we as well desire God to forgiue vs that which he requireth as wel as that he offereth doe not the beleeuers also desire him to encrease their fayth Do they not desire also for the vnbeleuers that they may haue faith so that God onely muste be the beginner and increaser of faith In like manner is thys to be taken If thou beleueâ—st thou shalt be saued And this if you mortifie y works of the fleshe by the spirit ye shall liue for in like case here one is required the other is offered If thou mortifie sayth he y works of fleshe by the spirit ye shal liue Then to mortifie the works of the flesh by spirit that is required the other is offered vs that wee should liue What then therfore shall we not say that this is the gift of god to mortifye the