Psal. 89. My trueth and my mercy shall euermore be with him , and in my name his power shal be exalted , he shall call me . Thou art my father my God , and the rescuer of my health . And I shall set hym to be myne heare and fyrste begoten , auaunse vp aboue al the kynges of the earthe . I shall euermore reserue my mercy to hym , and my faithfull testament vpon hym . And I shall set vp his sede for euermore , and his throne lyke the dayes of the firmament . And if his chldren transgresse my preceptes , and wyl not walke in my Iudgementes I shall visite and chastice theyr iniquities with my rodde , and theyr synnes with strypes . But I wyll neuer take awaye my mercy clene from hym , and my truth shall neuer fayle him . I wyl neuer breake my testament that I make , neyther wyll I euer go from my wordes that procede out of my lyppes . Ones haue I sworne in my holynes , see yf euer I breake my apoyntment with my seruaunt Dauyd , his sede shall remayne for euer , and his throne lyke the sonne in my syght . &c.

This promyse is also redde in the .ii. Reg. vii . 2. Reg. 7. Here in this prophesy God speaketh of the eternall kyngdom of Christ , in which perpetuall mercy , peace , and quietnes is , for in Christ he hathe reposed & layd vp his truth and mercy . Therfore in no other thynge can this promyse of grace be found or obtayned sayue only in Christ . In him god hath promised to vs saluacion frely through his myghtie mercie : Therfore who soeuer beleueth in Christe without any more a doo ( to be bolde vpon it ) he hathe all thynges , And though there be in Christes kyngdome weyke and infirme sinners , which slyppe & fall many tymes , yet this priuelege & prerogatiue they haue their sinnes shall not be imputed to damnation . All theire offenses be offenses of children not of saruantes . We haue a salue conduct and a passeport through all the peryls of death and damnacion . And thoughe we fall neuer so heynously yet shal we not perishe therfore , for our christian fayth doth so fasten vs vnto oure Dauid Christe that we be made one sprite with hym . In Christe we haue the verite of Goddes promyse , and his mercy euermore to continue , oure heauenly father wyll not punishe his weake children in his wrathe for euer , but wyll chastice them with fauour in this temporall lyfe , call vs agayne to repentaunce . Thus the grace of God shall euer abyde fyrme and stable , whiche we be suer shall not fayle vs so that we beleue this Dauid Christ to be oure kyng & cast all our trust on him .

And here is to be noted and considered where he sayth . Truth . My treuth and mercy allways go with hym , yf it be his trewth , than it can not ley , nor deceiue vs . Yf yt be hys mercy and grace , Grace . than yt standith not by oure workes nor the lawe , wherfore all these thynges shall happen to vs in Christe , and for Christes sake , which by hys workes and passion hathe purchased and bought all thyng for vs .

Esay . lv. Esa. 55. Bowe downe youre eare and come to me , heare me and your soule shall lyue , and I shall stryke a bergayne with you perpetuall , the suer mercies which I promysed to Dauid . Ierem. xxxi . Ier. 31. This shal be the bargayne that I shall stryke with the house of Israell . After those dayes I shall gyue my lawe within theyr bowels , and wyll write it in theyr hartes , Nota. and I wyll be theyr God , and they shall be my people , for I wyl pardon all theyr iniquities , and wyll no more remember theyr offences . &c. So doth the apostle in his epistle to the Hebrues alledge the same place , Heb. 8.10 where he proueth that this bargayne of grace are this newe testament betwyxt god and vs is now confyrmed and sealed vp by the death of Christ . And that god is now no more a streyte iudge but a most tender father to all the faythful of Christ , and that he wyl pardone all their offenses . Lykwise to the Gala. S. Paule callyth thys eternall bargayn of grace , Gal. 3. a testament that shal stand for euer , where as he wryteth . No man brekyth or dysordenyth the wyll or testament of a man beyng ones confirmed and ratified . Than yf mennes testamentes ones made and confirmed , abyde firme and suer , how muche more the testament of god ones confirmed and ratified , shall abyde firme ? These testimones do proue euidently & strongly that goddes grace promised in Christe is firme and suer , so that now no beleuer ought ne can doubt of the fauor of god and remission of hys synnes . we ought not to dought . But vndoubtedly and constantly ought to styke to this promise of god which can not nether shall be found false .

What hart now is so hard or stoney that wyll not relent or be styred vp by thys firme and swete promise of god , to take a bolde fayth and a confident trust vpon the grace and fauor of almyghte god beyng so promised to vs ? Wyll not these wordes make vs certefied , yea & also secure as yt were a bonde or a bargane , testament , promise , Bonde , testamet , promyse , mercy , an othe . an othe , mercy . And all these doth no man whiche maye decyue vs , but god eternall promise our father in heauen , which is truyth hymselfe .

Yt is an horrible blyndnes in vs that whan god hymselfe doth calle vs to hys grace , & doth promise frely to vs for his marcy sake clere remission of our synnes , and for the same purpose hathe sent to vs hys only begotten sone in to the world , to be a suer token or plege of hys heauenly fauor and grace , and yet we lene and hold more to our owne stynkyng workes than to the trew & euerstādyng truyth of god . Alas for pyte howe many pretious soules moste pytuously haue be brought to desperation , throughe these workes dooynge . The law only hath bene put forth vnto them , & no thyng els beten into theire heades , but this , what god requireth of vs , howe great synners we were , what vengaunce of God dyd fall vpon synne , what tormentes , what fyre and brymstone we shuld suffre in hell . But none taught the people faythfully the promyse of God , the gospel of Christe in the whiche sorowfull and vexed consciences of synners myght be refresshed and lerne the infinite and vnsearchable grace that God whiche of his vnknowen mercy hathe promysed , Gods promyse is a gyfte . that is to saye hathe geuen vs frely in Christ , with the whiche promyses sely consciences myght be releued and confyrmed strongly agaynst all the gates of hell . We blynde and wretched wolde reward God with ours , and deserue of hym all thynges that we had / we wolde not be in his det or daunger / we dysdayned to haue his liberalitie comme freely vnto vs / and nothing wolde take of hym by grace . And that was the cause why Christe was not ryghtly preached but only Moses : what was the cause wh● Moses was prec●yd and not christ . So it alwayes commeth to passe , when the commaundementes onely be set forth , after the maner of the Iewes , and the promyses of God nothynge spoken of / there it can be none other but that mennes consciences must nedes be vexed and disquieted with miserable sorowe and perplexitie so that they can receyue almoste no consolacion . But who soeuer wyll brynge men to God in dede , and wyll quiet theyr consciences , must alwayes teache these two together the lawe and the promyse / as the prophetes , Christe , and the apostles euer dyd .

The vse of the law By the lawe they brought men to the knowlage of theyr synfulnes , theyr vnworthynes , theyr infirmitie and vnabilitie to goodnes / theyr dutie what they ought to do / and theyr damnacion which therof folowed : And so broughte them to humiliate them selues before God / wherby they being iustly stroken with the feling of gods ryght iudgement , myght ernestly forthynke them of theyr synnes / & call for mercy . They taught not the lawe so as thoughe it were ynoughe to knowe what were to be done , or not to be done / or as thoughe of our owne strength we coulde do good and eschewe yll / and so by the lawe and by oure owne workes be founde iust before God / and put awaye synne . They taught not the lawe I saye for no suche ende nor purpose / neyther was the lawe gyuen therfore that we shulde be iustified therby before God / but it was gyuen for this to requyre of vs all ryghtuousnes and to threten vs , why the law was gyuen . that by the requiringe of this rightuousnes , and we beynge nothynge able to perfourme it , we myght the better lerne therby our vnryghtuousnes and noughtines / and so finally to acknowlage and confesse our owne wretchydnes , to th entent that beynge thus contryte & humiliated in hart we might seke to Christ for socour the whiche by his workes and passion doth only iustefie vs .

We be nothyng able to deserue any saluacion by the lawe or our workes . That is an hygher and a more excellent thinge than that our rotten workes be able to procure . God hath promysed to gyue vs that freely by his mercy for Christes sake , and doth gyue it of grace to them that beleue in Christ , as S. Paule to the Romaynes doth call euerlastyng lyfe the gift of God . Rom. 6. Gal. 3. And lykewyse to the Galathians doth put a clere difference betwixt them , and sheweth playnly his mind of the law & of the promyse , howe they concure to oure iustificacion . Let vs weghe well his wordes , for al the weyght and fundacion of our iustificacion doth lye vpon them . His wordes be these . If our inheritaunce stande of the lawe than it standeth not of promyse . Marke . But God dyd gyue it to Abraham . If the lawe had he gyuen vnto vs whiche myght haue iustified vs , than our iustificacion might be of the lawe . But the scrypture hath wrapped all thynges vnder synne , that the promyse myghte come by the fayth of Iesus Christ to all that beleue .

And agayne in the second to the Gal. Gal. 2. If our iustificacion sayth he could come by the law , than Christ dyed in vayne . Therfore I saye where as men thus by the lawe were brought to the knowlage of theyr synnes , and so stroken with great sorowe and heuynes of conscience for theyr synfull and vicious nature , than was the Gospel put and set before them that is to say Grace promysed vs in Christ . And than dyd they begynne to beleue ernestly & to reioyce in theyr hartes truely for this grace promysed in Christ , that God had gyuen them for Christes sake forgyuenes of theyr synnes . Thus saynte Paule in the place afore recited , dothe comforte with trewe consolacion wretched and desperat synners for he leadeth them onely to the promyse of God , and beateth that in to them , for therby onely our consciences be cleane and quieted . And dothe teache the lawe & gods commaundementes also , exhortynge vs diligently to the study of good workes , and is not only content with that , but also doth shewe where and howe to come by the corage and lust to do these good workes .

Thus fyrst they taught the law for repentaunce but streyght after they ioyned withall the promyse of God to brynge men to the knowlege of the moost ryche grace of God gyuen and promysed vs in Christe , teachynge withall where we shulde get the strength to fullfyll the commaundementes , where oure synfull nature was not able to fulfyl it . Rom. 8. In consideracion wherof the Apostles euerywhere declared and set forth the excedyng and passynge ryches and treasures of Goddes myghty grace whiche he hathe gyuen and promysed vs in Christ , yf we beleue vpon him , and so forthe dyd lede wretched synners from the lawe to Christ . This great grace of God so offered they receyued them and enbraced greatly , and thus beleuynge were pacified in theyr consciences . The lawe doth threten and affraye , but than she is not able to heale or comfort them beynge greued , or to delyuer them from theyr agony / wherfore we must nedes flee to the promyse . And there shall we fynde ryghtuousnes , peace , lyfe , & helth ynoughe . Hereupon S. Paule to the Gal. iii. Gal. 3. sayth The lawe was but as it were oure scolemayster vnto Christ , The ende of the lawe . that we shulde be iustified by Christ / for the lawe doth force vs , doth constrayne vs , doth call vpon vs , dothe manace vs , & lyeth vpon our neckes , requiring of vs all maner of good workes , perfecte iustice , perfecte innocencie of harte , perfecte feare and loue of God , and also of our neyghbour . But we of oure owne strength be not able to accomplyshe that which she requyreth , & thus she dryueth vs to Christ , and is our scolemayster vnto Christ . He than receyueth vs commynge to hym , helpynge vs , and gyuinge vs all such thinges that the law requyreth of vs / so that the lawe is not able to damme vs .

For this cause S. Paule doth call Christe the ende of the lawe . Rom. x. Rom. 10. Or as S. Augustine doth expounde it the fulfyllynge of the lawe . He that hath Christ is iust , he that beleueth in Christe hathe all thynges which the lawe requireth . Christe hathe reconsyled for vs God his father / he is our mediator and euerlastynge preest he hath obtayned vs grace , the holy goost with all his gyftes , remyssyon of synnes , & all maner of goodnes with lyfe euerlastynge , he as Ieremye wryteth .xi. Iere. 11. dothe gyue vs a newe harte and a softe harte and the holy goost to moue vs for to do well . And where as yet we be partly fleshly nor can not be all mortefyed in this body , nor thorowly fulfyll the commaundementes of God , there is he made oure wysdome , our iustice and redemcyon , so that his innocencie and all that euer he hathe is made oure by faythe / for after that we put on christe vpon vs , and after we beleue in hym , there is no ieoperdie can hurt vs , thoughe we be neuer so weake and frayle , so that we do not walke purposely after our appetyte of the flesshe , and runne styll hedlonge in synne with our repentaunce / for oftymes it happeneth that good and moost holy men do fall as well as other but yet they lye not styll , Good men do synne . but get vp agayne , & be styll delyted withe the lawe of God inwardelye in theyr hartes , euer callynge for remyssion of synnes by Christe , and optayne also the same which he desyre . Al these thynges we maye se very well expressed in Abraham , for Abraham ( sayth Paule ) is the father of all the faythfull beleuers in christe / therfore we haue in Abraham a clere figure and an example howe that a synner maye be iustified , & what is the nature of christiane fayth , what is the power , the propertie , and workinge of the same / and also how that our consciences may be quieted , whether by fayth or by workes / therfore he that is the trewe childe of Abraham , that is a good man in dede , or that wolde be a trewe membre of christ , let him loke vpon Abraham his father , and there he shall se howe God dothe with vs , howe he tendereth vs , and howe we ought to do agayne for hym , as Paule also teacheth vs . Rom. iiii . Gal. iii. Fyrste of all Abraham harde the great & ryche promyse of God sayenge vnto hym , do not feare Abraham , I am thy defender , and great is thy reward with me . And afterward .

In thy sede all nacions shall be blessed , that is shall be delyuered from synnes , death , and malediccion and shall haue euerlastynge lyfe . This was glad tydynges to Abraham . And styl dyd Abraham beleue this promyse , notwithstandynge yet moche greuyd with trobles and sorowes . And so therfore was Iustified by this faythe and truste that he had to the promyse of God . Nota. Now this was . iiii.c . and xxx . yeares before the law was gyuen , and therfore was he sauyd , not by the workes of the law , but by his fayth in God and in the blessed sede whiche was promysed hym . And no otherwyse also must we al be saued , for ther is no other way nor meanes to come to helth , only the promyse of God must iutyfie vs yf we beleue , and not the lawe nor no workes .

Secondarly this fayth of Abraham that he hadde vpon Christe , made him a newe man , and cleane dyd alter his olde affeccions , and put in him newe cogitacions otherwise than this nature of ours hath , for he reioysed onely in the lorde , and in hym taketh a meruaylous boldnes , he knoweth well that God is his father which in all his affayres , his affliccions and trobles wyll helpe hym , and is able to helpe hym , and thus trustynge vnto Gods promyse receyueth & reposeth hym selfe in the handes of God , with a bolde harte and a stronge confidence , doughtynge nothynge but that God wyll be mercyfull vnto hym , euen as any father wyll be to his owne naturall chyld , whome he loueth most tenderly , so then Abraham hauinge this fayth , went vp to the hyll , at the commaundement of God , to shewe his obedience & offered his sonne , for true faythe can neuer be with out good workes , but euer wyll be occupyed in the obedience of God Iac. ii . Gal. ii . In the meane season Abrahams harte and conscience was nothynge vnquietted for all that , but styll quiet by reason of his fayth he had in Christ , for he was euer suer of the fauour and the loue of God toward him , wherfore S. Paule Rom. iiii . Rom. 4. full wel describeth his whole thought and cogitacion , where as he sayth that Abraham dyd neuer shrynke yet in his faythe , nor doubted in the promyse of God , but euer stronge in his faythe , dyd gyue glory to God , knowynge well this that he which promysed hym was able to performe it . And therfore he sayth that it was imputed to hym for iustyce , that is for his iustificacion / for this Abraham thought & perswaded hym selfe that God was almyghtie & true of his promyse which wolde not defeall nor deceyue his people . And yf he had so thought in him self as now our papysttes do teach , I can not tell suerly whether god loue me or no peraduenture he is not frendly vnto me , nor caryth for me , nor regardyth me . &c. Yf Abraham I say had thought on this maner , or had shrynked so in hys fayth , I thynke he wold neuer haue intendyd to offer vp his only sonne , nor wolde haue bene persuaded to go from his fathers house owt into a strange lande , but rather wolde haue thought thus . It is good to be suer of that a man hath all redy , this I haue and am suer of , the other is vnsuer , what shuld I kyll my onely and welbeloued sone ? who wyl gyue me an other ? what shulde I goo out of myne owne house in to a strange land I can not tell howe farre ? what folyshenes were it ? I wyll not so , I wyll tary styll here where I am in my fathers house . Neyther wyll I be so cruell to my sone for to slee him thus I saye he had thought yf he had not beleued constantly / but whan he went out so boldely and merely out of his fathers house into a farre and a straunge countre , and with so lusty chere went vp to the hyll with his sone to offre hym vp to God , which no nature of man can do , for what naturall man can fynde in his hart to offre vp his sone . Than by lyke he dyd only hange of the handes of god , onely dyd truste vpon God , vpon his grace , vpon his helpe , nothing doubtynge in his conscience but that God was able to performe all that he had promysed , for why no doubtynge harte can be so wyllynge to do as Abraham dyd , nor yet ones thynke to do it , so quyet was Abrahams conscience by faith in gods promyse , that Paul in his epystle to the Rom. iiii . doth gyue hym an excellent prayse therfore , that we all shulde marke it , and well beare it awaye . Abraham sayth he neuer dyd shrynke in his fayth , but alwayes stronge in his beleuinge trusted suerly , why dyd he trust suerly ? bycause God promysed , for this he dyd knowe and was fully persuaded , that God was trewe of his worde and promyse , what so euer he promyseth he performeth of his grace , and is well able to performe it , for he is almyghtie , nor dothe not promyse for our deseruynges but of his grace only , Rom. 4. that nowe we may be bold to truste vnto it . For yf he shulde promyse after oure deseruynges , any thyng he culd neuer performe yt , for oure merites be none and nothyng worth , but he doth promise vs infinite goodnes in Christ with out our merites , only of hys pure grace and mercy . And therfore wryteth Paule Gal. iii. that god promysed Abraham the blessyng , cccc . xxx . The promise was made ere the lawe came . yeares before the lawe of Moses was gyuen , by cause that no man shuld so thynke that thys blessyng dyd stande of the workes of the lawe , or that he culd not enioy thys fre promyse and blessyng of god before he dyd fulfyll all the lawe of Moses . Wherfore for the loue of god lett all good men here marke , that Abraham neuer fayled nor dyd shrinke in faith , nor neuer doubted at the promise of god , nor of the loue & grace of god toward him . For so the holy gost doth say that he had a suer persuasion , mark well this . Yf yt were a persuasion that he had , than yt was no opinion , nor doubtyng that he had . But fully dyd truste & beleue , he went not thyther whether hys incredulyte and doubtyng dyd byd him to goo , the whiche doubtyng our papistes haue taught vs , whether thought he thus , whyther yt be true or not true I wyll do yt , but his consience was fully persuaded that it was true that god had promised , and that god wold be good and mercifull vnto hym , had forgyuen his sinns , had iustifyed him , and wold neuer forsake him nor abiect him , and after this lyfe also wolde gyue him euerlasting lyfe for the sede sake that was promised hym , whiche was Christe . Yf god had sayd thus to Abraham . Here Abraham I wyl be merciful vnto the , I wyll forgyue the thy synnes , & always be present with the and helpe the so on this condition that thou kepe and fulfyll all my commaundmentes , thus I say yf god had gyuen him his promis vnder this condition of fulfyllyng his commaundementes , then Abrahams consience had neuer ben mery nor quiet but always doubting of the grace of god & forgyuenes of hys synnes , nor shuld bene certayne of his saluation . For thus he myght haue taught . I haue done all that I can with all deligence to fulfyll goddes preceptes , yet I culde neuer fulfyll them so perfectlye as I awoght nothyng lyke , wherefore thys promise of god is vncertane to me , nether I can tell whether I shall take yt or no , for bycause I haue not performed all that was inioyned & commaunded me and god dyd gyue me his promyse no otherwyse but of this condition yf I kept his commaundementes , and I am not able so to do , wherfore I am not suer whether he wyll gyue me these thynges that he promised . I can do nothyng on my part , and therfore how can he kepe his promise with me , wherfore what hope can I haue nowe of helth . Yt is but loste labor all that I go about , thus I saye yf god had promised hys blessyng vnder this condition to Abraham , then he myght wel haue despeared , but now he addyd no such condition , The promyse cam without any condicion . & all because we shuld not doubt , but that his promise remanyth always suer and stable . And this it is that god requireth only of vs , that we shuld neuer doubt nor questione of his fre grace , but to be bold and trust vpon yt , that he is a louyng father to vs , and we be his children . But we culde not be so bolde of thys grace of god yf any suche condition of fulfyllyng the law were gyuen with all , as yf thou kepe my commaundementes wel , them shalt thou haue thy synnes forgyuen . Therfore yt is necessary that the promise of this blessyng stand without all conditions , and withoutt all respect of oure workes or meretes , but only in the fre grace of god , for or els we culd neuer be suer of yt nor certane but always in doubt and mystrust , For yf the remission of our sinnes shuld stand in the fulfyllyng of the lawe , then our flesh beyng so weyke & frayle , and not able to fulfyll the lawe , how shulde we know and be suer that god is good to vs or that we were in the fauor of god , but rather shuld thynke that he were angre with vs , because we neuer fulfyll his commaundmentes as we shuld do . And thus the fre promise of god shuld stand voyde and in no effecte . For why no man were able to obtayne yt . But thankes and prayse be to the faythfull lord the father of our lord Iesus christ and ours , the father of mercy , and the god of all comforth wiche hauyng mercy vpon vs and tendering our weyknes hath not byldyd oure helth and saluation vpon no such brykell and weyke fundation , as vpon our workes and our fulfyllyng of the lawe , for so we culd neuer be saued But the fundation that we be groundyd vpon & preuale agaynste the gates of hell , The foundacion of our hope . is the great grace and mercy of god in his sone Christ . For in him god hathe promised vs all the remiscion of oure sinnes , and euer lastynge lyfe . Thys promise is only and alone all our comforth that we may bouldly trust vpon . So thus you se how god promyseth vs remision of our sinnes and lyfe euerlastyng not vnder any condytion of workyng and fulfyllyng the law , but he gyuyth yt frely of his fre grace I say , only & alone throw Christe , & not for no workes of ours . And therfore he gyuyth yt frely , without any condition of our workes . Bycause the promise myght stand fyrme and stable , that is , that we may be sure of the fauore of god & of the remision of our synnes , doubtyng nothyng therin , notwithstandyng we be neuer so much synfull in oure nature , & vnworthy wretches , that euery beleuyng christen man may say with Paule . Thys I knowe and is vndoubted , that nether deth nor lyfe nether angels , Rom. 8. nether prynces , nor potestates , nether thinges neygh , nor thynges to cum , nether heyght nor depnes , nor no other creature is able to separate vs from the loue of god whiche is Iesus Christe oure lorde . Here may we playne se that Paule had a bolde and a confident truste of the forgyuenes of his synnes , and of his helth to come , plentuously persuaded of the grace of God towarde hym or elles howe could he so feruently lerne , reioyce , and triumphe in sprite agaynste all creatures bothe in heauen and in the worlde , so omnipotently desyryng them all , beynge ryght suer and certayne that nothynge neyther aboue nor benethe coulde anoye him , and why ? bycause he beleued in Christ , and was sure of the mercy of God towarde hym through fayth / and therfore was his conscience so quiet and triumphant . And euen so maye euery christen man lykewyse take the same corage and the same mynde in hym selfe . Marke . Howbeit no man can do this vnlesse he put awaye all respecte of his owne merytes and workes and only trust vnto the free mercy and grace of God , which grace is gyuen vs onely throughe christ and not throughe oure selues . Tit. iii. Tit. 3. that notwithstandynge yet these good workes of ours do folowe and sprynge out of this faythe and promyse of God . And loke there where as they do not folowe and maye folowe there is no trewe nor lyuely faythe , but only a deed and barayne opinion of faythe , but where this trewe and lyuely faythe is , there is workyd miracles and thynges farre passynge the possibilitie of naturall workynge . For as saynt Paule sayth / we receyue the holy goost not by our workynge but by hearing of the gospel , Gal. 3. this holy goost wyll not suffre vs to doubte after the papistes fassion , or as they wold haue vs , nor to fere as their seruyle sprite dothe , but with a bolde truste cryeth in oure hartes to God abba father , and wytnesseth with oure sperite that we be the chyldren & the heyers of God and felowe heyers with Christe , that we maye be glorified together with hym . And as Paule to the Ephesians sayth , Ephe. 1. they that beleue in Christe be sealed vp with the holy spirite of promyse , the spirite we haue as a pledge or an ernest peny of our inhereditaunce and possession which we haue got and be redemed vnto . The holy spirete is our pleas Therfore with all fayth and trust we muste euer loke vpon the promyses of God , and vpon Iesus Christ only . And so in this promyse of God our conscience may fynde comfort and peace plentie , but in our workes we shall fynde none . And therfore marke wel this text of Paule and kepe it well in youre remembraunce , where he sayth . Rom. 4. Rom. iiii Abraham had this promyse gyuen to hym & to his sede that he shuld be the heyre of the worlde , not for his workynge after the lawe , but for his byleuynge in fayth / for yf they whiche belonge to the lawe be the heyers , then is fayth voyde and the promyse of none effecte / for why the lawe worketh angre , by reason that yf there were no lawe , there were no transgression , therfore is the inheritaunce gyuen by fayth as by grace frely , bycause the promyse muste stande fyrme & stable to all the sede of Abraham . Dayly experience and practyse in our trobles and dystresses declareth that no man be he neuer so holy can quyet his conscience by his workes . Experience . Oure synnes and death be more greuous enemyes vnto vs than that we be able to ouer come them by oure owne dedes and deseruynges / we must haue an other maner of meanes to that , whiche is our faythe receyuynge and holdynge the promyse of God in Christe . And so that is able to conquere the mighty fersnes of synne and death . This fayth receyueth and styketh to most sure and eternall thynges that can neuer fayle vs and not to oure workynges , but to the great grace of God , to Christe him selfe , to his workes & his deseruynges and to the promyse in Christe , brefely to all that Christe hathe , or is worth / whiche thynges be moch greatter , higher more stable , and magnificall , than our capacities is able to comprehende . Remedy in temptacion . Therfore whan any temtacion commeth we must not loke to the lawe and oure workes , but settynge all them a syde , we must runne and crepe to the crosse of Christ , we must seke for helpe and grace by christ , & humbli must knowlage oure faultes . And thoughe oure synnes be neuer so great or greuous , thoughe the feare and temptacion of deathe be neuer so horrible , yet we must styll styke to the promyse of God , and suerly must trust , and doubte nothynge , that oure synnes be forgyuen vs for Christes sake accordynge to the promyse of God , without any deseruynges of ours : & that God is oure father , and we shall lyue with hym for euer and euer . The workes & passion of Christ , which be of great and infinite and omnipotent power ought more to styre vs vp to truste well on God that he wyll be euermore to vs a mercyful lord , than our synnes ought to fraye vs , for the grace of God in Christe is moche stronger and more able to deliuer and helpe vs than our synnes be to condempne vs . Roma . v. Rom. 5. And this grace of god doth not hang of our workes for than yt shulde be vncertayne , but yt standyth fyrme by grace of fayth through Christ , with out any regarde or respect of oure workyng . And this is done by the syngular prouedence of the great fatherly loue of god toward vs , bycause our iustyfication shuld stand firme & certayne by faythe , so that no man nede doubt of the fauor & marcy of god toward him , yf this grace & promise stand in the hand of god , than is yt suer , so that we can not doubt of the remiscion of our synnes . But yf they shuld stand in our owne hand and shuld hang of our selfes then we shuld always be vncertane by cause we were neuer able to deserue sufficiently , not of sufficient strenght to fulfyll the lawe . But after that we returne & referre our selfes in Christe alone , and in the promise of god through Christe than be we sayfe and suer ynough by cause god hath promised of hys voluntary grace frely , and hath founded his promise by the fayth in Christe , to th entent yt shall stande fyrme & certayne . And therfore I sayd the kyngdome of Christ to be a kyngdome of securite and peace , Christes kyngdom is a kingdom of securitie . Esa. 32. as the prophites do descrybe yt , In this kyngdom we haue peace and moste suer succur , so that there is nowe nether synne death nor hell can feare vs . So dothe Esaias also .ix. call Christe the prynce of peace woose pryncedome is large & greate , Christ the prynce of peace . and whose peace shall neuer haue ende . In Ieremie also .xxiii. god doth promise vnto Israell , that is vnto all beleuers in Christe a boadde of iustice , a kynge whiche shall rule wisely , and shal execute iudgement and iustice in earth & vnder whom Israell shall dwell boldly , these thynges be in the spirituall kyngdome of Christ in the which there is true & spirituall securitie , where as euery christen mans hart hath peace with god through fayth in Christe , in the whiche kyngdome nether synne can damne vs nether death can kyll vs , nor hell can swalow vs . For god is with vs and fedyth vs , and defendyth vs as his shepe . Therfore who can be against vs ? And Esaias agayn .xxxii. Esa. 32. when the holy gooste , sayth he , shall be powred from aboue ( that was whan Christ begane his kyngdome ) than the worke & fruyte of iustyce shall be peace , and the kepyng of iustice shall be silens and securite for euer and euer . And the peple of god shall dwell in goodlynes of peace and in houses of truste . All these thynges do nothyng els but signifie that Christes people in his kingdome shall be all good , quiett , at rest and mery , which shall haue a quiet and a glad consciens , beyng euermore suer and certaine that god is fauorable to them for Christe , which doth delyuer vs from all euyls with out any doubt . I pray you what can oure aduersarys bryng aganist this , or how can they maynteyne their errors in the face of the worlde . The conclusion . Here I haue prouyd and taught out of the fundation of the worde of god that no faythfull beleuer in Christ can doubt or ought to doubt of the fauor of god and of remiscion of his synnes , and that his conscience may thorwly be certefyed that god is fauorable vnto hym , which wyll pardone all his fautes , for Christ in whom we beleue and whiche wyll iustifye vs , and gyue vs euerlastng lyfe without any doubt . Obiecters . Here our aduersares can haue no thyng to lay agaynst this doctryne or to subuert this foundacion , but one refuge they haue , and when we brynge scryptures agaynst them : what saye they , the Lutherians , saye they , brynge scryptures for them , but they must expounde scriptures as our fore fathers dyd . An answer I answere agayne , we do not denye so to do , for we maye do it well ynoughe . And I may saye with S. Cyrillus , Cirillus we kepe the fayth of our fathers & of the church so farre as we ought and vse theyr interpretacions so moche as they requyre . But the chefest of the auncient fathers of the churche do agree in the same matter no other wyse then we expounde it / therfore what do these holy workers brynge for them the churche . Augustine de predest . 11 Saynt Augustyne one of the most catholyke and godly doctor of them all in his boke whiche he writeth of the predestinacion in the .xi. chapiter sayth in this wyse . Truly where as the apostle in his epystle to the Rom. wryteth these wordes . Therfore is oure inherytaunce gyuen vs by fayth through grace bycause the promyse myght stande fyrme and stedfast , I meruell , sayth he , that men had rather loke on theyr owne infyrmite than vnto the firmite and stedfastnes of Gods promyse . But here thou wylt say , I can not tell nor do not knowe the wyll of God of me , wel then doest thou knowe thyne owne wyll of thy selfe , yf thou doest , beware , he that standeth let hym take hede that he fall not . Therfore insomoche thou knowest neuer nother his wyl , nor thyne owne wyl , then why shulde not a man rather put his trust & hope in that which is more certayne than in that whiche is lesse certayne . But say they agayne , heare where it is spoken , yf thou beleuest thou shalte be saued , one of these is required of vs , the other is offered , & that whiche is required of vs is in vs , the other in God . And why , I pray you is not bothe in Gods power both that whiche is required and that whiche is offered ? for do not we as well desyre God to gyue vs that whiche he requyreth as well as that he offereth ? do not the beleuers also desyre hym to encrease theyr fayth : Do they not desyre also for the vnbeleuers that they may haue fayth , so that God only must be the begynner and encreaser of fayth . In lyke maner is this to be taken . Yf thou beleuest thou shalt be saued , & this , yf you mortifie the workes of the flessh with spirit , ye shall lyue : for in lyke case here one is requyred , thother is offered . Yf you mortefie ( sayth he ) the workes of flesshe with spirite ye shall lyue / then to mortefye the workes of fleshe by spirite , this is requyred , the other then is offered vs that we shuld lyue / what then therfore shal we not saye that this is the gyfte of God to mortefie the workes of the flesshe bycause it is requyred of vs to be done ? God forbede that any perteynynge to the grace of God shuld so thynke . This is a damnable errour of the Pelagians , whom as the apostle in his wordes folowynge doth confute sayenge , who soeuer be led with the spirite of God they be the chyldren of God . Lesse we shuld thynke this mortefyeng of the fleshe came by our spirite , but by the spirite of God , of the whiche spirite of God the same apostle speaketh moreouer . All these thynges sayth he , worketh one alonly spirite , distributynge to euery man his gyftes so as it pleaseth him , amongst the whiche gyftes also he rekeneth fayth / so then lyke as this mortefyenge of the flesshe notwithstandynge it be requyred of vs is the gyfte of God , euen so is fayth also the very gyft of God though neuerthelesse it be requyred of vs ( yf we wyll be saued ) to beleue , for these thynges bothe be commaunded vs of God , and also be the gyftes of God . To the entente we shulde vnderstande , that both we do them , and yet it is the gyfte of God that we doo them / so as the scripture sheweth by Ezechiell the prophet . And I ( sayth almyghty God ) shal make you that you shall do them what can be more playne ? Marke ye well this place of scrypture ( gentyll brethren ) and ye shall se that God promyseth , he wyll make them to do suche thynges that he wyll haue done . And there he bryngeth forthe no merites of theyrs , but moche wyckednes , shewynge and declarynge therby that he geueth good for euyll in that that he maketh them brynge forth afterward good workes , causynge them to do his commaundementes . Also in the .lxxxviii. psalme he saythe in lyke maner . Lyfte vp your hartes for he whiche promysed , wyll performe , so as he hathe performed many thinges alredy / for the trust that we haue in hym we haue it not in our merites but only of his mercy . No man can be stronge in this lyfe but onely in the hope of Gods promyse / for as concerning our owne merites we be meruaylous weke , we be weake in our selues / in Gods promise strong but as concernyng the promyse of God we be stronge .