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
knitte together yet they differ some what in the obiecte For as hope properly respecteth the promise of God and respecteth things to come euen so faythe properly looketh to the person of the sonne of God and in him taketh present iustification Thus then the obiecte of hope is the vvorde of promise The obiecte of fayth is principally the person of the Sauior And though it may be sayde truely speaking in righte terms that wee beleeue the promise of god to bee true yet it is not so truly said that vve beleue in the promise but hope in the promise of almighty god Faith then touching his obiect runneth to the person of the sonne in whom the promise is geuen Hope holdeth fast in the promise giuen in Christ vvhereby hope assureth faith fâ—aueth And as true faith in Christ can not bâ—e without hope So hope againe vvithout faith in Christe is to no purpose Neither is euery man â—hâ—t hopeth or be cause he hopeth vvell therfore saued but because he beleeueth vvell that is in the sonne of God therefore is he saued VVho so is freely saued by bloude as boldlye may hope of saluation by promise and nothing doubte Albeit notvvithstanding this hope is not alvvayes alike stroÌ„g in euery particular beleuing man for although the promises be generall and indifferently extended to all beleeuers and ought to be hold â—â—st of all men yet euery particular person though hee beleeue in Christ right well can not so vvel at al tymes as we se apply these promises to himselfe as he should but many times creepeth in some distrust or misdoubt of himselfe partlye thorovve vvekenes of spirite partly through conscience of sin or greuous impressions of the enemie As many times by experience vve see happen to the good sâ—intes of God vvho holding the same professioÌ„ of christian fayth as other good christians doe yet in applying these generall promises to themselues can not vvithout some feare and diffidence be so comforted as others be and as they wold themselues Against vvhom nothing in this booke is ment or spoken but onely againste suche as vvilfully mayntain the contrary doctrine Not agaiÌ„st such as of infirmity being deiected through feare woulde fayne hope better and can not but against those which of purpose contrary to the promise of grace doe holde that no man oughte to be certaine or assured in this life of his saluatioÌ„ and fauour of God but euer to stande in doubte and feare thereof Of the which two sorts of men the one is to be comforted and well hoped of for though hope and faith many times in good men do shrinke and quaâ—e through infirmitie and tentation yet by grace and goodnes of the Lorde it riseth again The other vtterlye as hereticall and contrary to grace are to be detested and by sound doctrine impugned by such godlye bookes as in this ye may read The lord Iesus of his grace goodnes comfort the weake spâ—ted raise vp them that be falne reduce the ignoraÌ„t set vp his glorious kingdome with speede to whoÌ„ be glory for euer Amen Iohn Foxe AN errour of all errors most pestilent and deuilish it is to teache vs euer to doubt and neuer to be sure of Gods fauour and our saluacion as we haue bene ledde in the popes church by vnlearned priestes which for their purpose haue wickedly wrasted the words of Salomon in a wrong vnderstanding No man can till whether he be worthy of loue or hatred This erroure hath Sathan himselfe broughte into the church to obscure Christ and cleane to abolish our fayth in him and in the place of our faithe to bring in wauering and doubtfull opiniones and weake imaginations into our heades whereby in great extremitie and earnest temptations we could take no assurance but wer driuen to feare and doubting for he that doubteth of the will and fauour of God and is not assured that he will be merciful to him for Christes sake and that all his sinnes be pardoned in him and maketh a staid doctrine thereof and wilfully resteth therein hec is no trewe christian and in his incredultie can not be but condemned if he doe not rise and repent Most sure it is faith in Christ is only that maketh a true christian maÌ„ doubtting and incredulitie maketh a man no christian To belâ—ue and to doubt be not both one To beleue is one thing and to doubt is an other Therefore he that continueth in this foresaid errore beleeueth not the twelue articles of our Crede in which Gods grace is clerely and vndoutedly giuen to vs in Christ Then howe can they be christian men which lack the faith of Christ Or how can such one say the Lords oration well which maketh a doctrine of doubtfulnes Hee may with his mouth sound the words O our be aueÌ„ly father but his heart hath no truste in God neither hath anye â—irmitie that he is a mercifull father but doubteth of that grace of god whither he be mercifull or no or whither he pardon him or not His tonge sayth I beleeue in Iesus Christ I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes but his heart beleueth not that Christ dyed for our offences and that by his death he hath obteined for vs forgiuenes of all our sins He that wauereth thus can not but despaire in y laste extremitie of this life And if he despaire without repentance is in daunger for he deperteth with an euill conscience hath no knowledge of Christ nor beleueth the gospell Then what hope can he haue of euerlasting life except I say he repent his error Yet our blynde guydes seducers in the Popes clergye haue taughte vs that no man can preciselye knowe but oughte to doubte whether hee bee in Goddes fauoure or no. They that bee or haue bene in thys erroure what beleife had they dyd they not waunder like the Winde hither and thither Were they not cleane voyde of fayth Had they not a wretched vncertaine and a wauering life Howe coulde they knowe whither their workes pleased GOD or no What coulde suche a man thinke in hym selfe but thus I am a Christened man I haue studyed to lyue well and to doe good woorkes but yet I am vncertayn whither my woorkes please GOD or whether my sinnes be forgeauen me or or not Mine ill deedes be moe then my good I haue don mo sins then vertues Alas what shall become of mee They that thus wauer and doubt what hope caÌ„ they haue in the agony of death what faith haue they what thing to trust vpon At what time Sathan and his owne conscience shall accuse him of sin saying he that liueth ill shall be damned thou neuer fulfilledst the commandements of God No sinner can be saued Doth not Christ say if thou will enter into life kepe the commandements but thou hast neuer kept them Here is no hope left but that a man oppressed with such cogitations must needes
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
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
perills of death and damnation And though we fall neuer so hainousâ—ye yet shall wee not perish therefore for our christian faythe doth so fasten vs vnto our Dauid Christ that we be made oâ—e spirite with hym In Christ we haue the veritie of Goddes promise and his mercye euermore to continue our heauenly father will not punishe his weake children in his wrath for euer but will chastice them with fauour in this temporall lyfe call vs again to repentance Thus the grace of God shall euer abide firme and stable whiche we bee sure shall not fayle vs so that wee beleue this Dauid Christe to be our king and cast all our trust on him And here is to be noted and considered where he sayth My truth and mercy alwayes goe with him if it bee his truthe then it cannot lye nor deceiue vs if it be his mercy and grace then it standeth not by our workes nor the lawe wherefore al these things shal happeÌ„ to vs in Christ and for Christes sake which by his workes passion hath purchased boughte all thinges for vs. Bowe downe your eare and come to me heare me and your soule shall liue I shall strike a bargaine with you perpetuall the sure mercies which I promised to Dauid This shall be the bargaine that I shall strike with the house of Israell After those dayes I shall giue my law within their bowels and will write it in their hearts and I wil be their god and they shall bee my people for I will pardon all their iniquities and will no more remember their offences c. So doth the Apostle in his epistle to the Hebrues alledge the same place wher he approueth that this bargaine of grace or this newe Testament betwixt God and vs is nowe confirmed and sealed vp by the death of christ And that god is now no more a streight iudge but a most teÌ„der father to all the faithfull of Christ that he will pardon all their offences Likewise to the Gala. S. Paul calleth this eternall bargayne of grace a testament that shall stand for euer where as he writeth No maÌ„ breketh or addeth vnto y wil or testamente of a man being once confirmed and ratified Then if mens testaments ones made and confirmed abide firme and sure how much more the testament of God once confirmed and ratified shall abide firme These testimonies doe proue euidently and stronglye that Gods grace promised in Christ is firme sure so that nowe no beleuer oughte ne can doubt of the fauour of God and remission of his sinnes But vndoubtedly and constantly oughte to sticke to the promise of God which cannot neither shal be found false What heart nowe is so hard or stonye that will not relent nor bee stirred vp by thys firme and sweete promise of god to take a bold faith a confident trust vpoÌ„ the grace fauor of almighty God being so promised to vs Will not these wordes make vs certified yea also secure as it were a bond a bargaine a testameÌ„t promise othe mercy And al these doth no maÌ„ which may deceiu vs but god eternal our father in heauen promise which is truth it selfe Yt is an horrible blindnes in vs y wheÌ„ god himselfe doth call vs to his grace doth promise freely to vs for his mercy sake cleare remissioÌ„ of our sins for y same purpose hath sent to vs his onely begotten sonne into the world to be a sure token or pledge of his heauenly fauor and grace and yet we leane hold more to our own stinking workes then to the true and euerlasting truthe of god Ah for pitie how many precious soules most pituously haue we brought to ruine doubtful desolation through these works doing The lawe onely hath bene vttered vnto them and nothing els beateÌ„ into their heades but thys what God requireth of vs howe greate sinners wee were what vengeance of God did fall vpon sinne what tormenâ—s what fire and brimstone we shoulde suffer in hell But none taught the people faithfully the promises of God the goâ—pell of Christ in the which sorowful and vexed consciences of sinners might be refreshed and learn the infinite and vnlearchable grace whiche God of his vnknowen mercye hath promised that is to say hath giuen vs freely in Christ with the which promises seelye consciences might be reliued and confirmed strongly against all the gates of hel We blynd and wretched creatures wold rewarde God with ouâ—s and deserue of him all thinges that we haue we woulde not be in his debt or danger we disdayned to haue his liberty come freely vnto vs and nothing woulde take of him by grace Anâ— that was the cause why Christ was not rightly preached but onlye Moses So it alwayes commeth to passe when the commandementes onely be set forth after the manner of y Iewes and the promises of God nothing spoken of ther can be none other but that mens consciences muste needes bee vexed and disquieted with miserable sorow and perplexitie so that they can receiue almoste no consolation But whosoeuer wil bring men to God in deede and will quiet their consciences muste alwayes teach these two together the lawe and the promyse as the prophets Christ and the Apostls euer did By the lawe they broughte men to the knowledge of their sinfulnes their vnworthines their infirmitie and vnability to goodnes their duety what they oughte to doe and their damnation which therof folowed And so brought them to humiliate themselues before God whereby they being iustly stroken with the feeling of Gods right iudgement might ernestly forethinke them of their sinnes call for mercye They taughte not the lawe so as though it were ynough to know what were to be done or not to be done or as thoughe of our strengthe wee coulde doe good and eschewe yll and so by the lawe and by our owne workes be founde iuste before God and put away sinne They taughte not the lawe I say for no suche end and purpose neyther was the lawe geuen therfore that we should be iustified thereby before God but it was giuen for this to require of vs all righteousnes and to threaten vs that by the requiring of this righteousnes we being nothing able to performe it we mighte the better learne thereby our vnrightâ—ousnes and naughtines so finally to acknowledge and confesse our owne wretchednesse to thintent y being thus contrite humiliated in heart we might seeke to Christe for succoure the which by his works and passion doth onely iustifie vs. We bee nothing able to deserue anye saluation by the law or our works That is an higher and a more excellent thinge then that our rotten workes bee able to procure God hath promised to giue vs that freelye by his mercye for Christes sake and dooth giue it of grace to them that beleeue in Christe as S. Paul to the Romaines