away the key of knowledge: ye have not entered in yourselves, and those that would have entered ye forbade' (Luke xi. 52).

Rightly, therefore, and effectually do ministers absolve, when they preach the Gospel of Christ, and thereby remission of sins; which is promised to every one that believes, even as every one is baptized; and to testify of it that it does particularly appertain to all. Neither do we imagine that this absolution is made any whit more effectual for that which is mumbled into some priest's ear, or upon some man's. head particularly; yet we judge that men must be taught diligently to seek remission of sins in the blood of Christ, and that every one is to be put in mind that forgiveness of sins does belong unto him.

But how diligent and careful every penitent man ought to be in the endeavor of a new life, and in slaying the old man and raising up the new man, the examples in the Gospel do teach us. For the Lord said to him whom he had healed of the palsy, 'Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee' (John v. 14). Likewise to the woman taken in adultery he said, 'Go thy way, and sin no more' (John viii. 11). By which words he did mean that any man could be free from sin while he lived in this flesh; but he does commend unto us diligence and an earnest care, that we (I say) should endeavor by all means, and beg of God by prayer, that we fall not again into sins, out of which we are risen after the manner, and that we may not be overcome of the flesh, the world, or the devil. Zacchæus, the publican, being received into favor by the Lord, cried out, in the Gospel, ' Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken from any man any thing by false accusa-· tion, I restore him fourfold' (Luke xix. 8). After the same manner we preach that restitution and mercy, yea, and giving of alms, are necessary for them who truly repent. And, generally, out of the apostle's words we exhort men, saying, 'Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it through the lusts thereof. Neither give ye your members as weapons of unrighteousness to sin; but give yourselves unto God' (Rom. vi. 12, 13).

Wherefore we condemn all the ungodly speeches of those who abuse the preaching of the Gospel, and say, To return unto God is very easy, for Christ has purged all our sins. Forgiveness of sins is easily obtained; what, therefore, will it hurt to sin? And, We need not take

for believing, and believing for eating. For as by eating we receive meat, so by believing we are made partakers of Christ.

Therefore, we do not divide the benefit of justification, giving part to the grace of God or to Christ, and part to ourselves, our charity, works, or merit; but we do attribute it wholly to the praise of God in Christ, and that through faith. Moreover, our charity and our works can not please God if they be done of such as are not just; wherefore, we must first be just before we can love or do any just works. We are made just (as we have said) through faith in Christ, by the mere grace of God, who does not impute unto us our sins, but imputes unto us the righteousness of Christ; yea, and our faith in Christ he imputes for righteousness unto us. Moreover, the apostle does plainly derive love from faith, saying, 'The end of the commandment is love, proceeding from a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith unfeigned' (1 Tim. i. 5).

Wherefore, in this matter we speak not of a feigned, vain, or dead faith, but of a lively and quickening faith; which, for Christ (who is life, and gives life), whom it apprehends, both is indeed, and is so called, a lively faith, and does prove itself to be lively by lively works. And, therefore, James does speak nothing contrary to this doctrine; for he speaks of a vain and dead faith, which certain bragged of, but had not Christ living within them by faith. And also James says that works do justify (chap. ii. 14-26), yet he is not contrary to Paul (for then he were to be rejected); but he shows that Abraham did declare his lively and justifying faith by works. And so do all the godly, who yet trust in Christ alone, not to their own works. For the apostle said again, 'I live no longer myself, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live through the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness be by the law, then Christ died without cause' (Gal. ii. 20, 21).

CHAPTER XVI.-OF FAITH AND GOOD WORKS; OF THEIR REWARD, AND OF

MAN'S MERIT.

Christian faith is not an opinion or human persuasion, but a sure trust, and an evident and steadfast assent of the mind; it is a most ure comprehension of the truth of God, set forth in the Scriptures and

Now, it is most certain that we are all by nature sinners, and before the judgment-seat of God convicted of ungodliness, and guilty of death. But we are justified that is, acquitted from sin and death-by God the Judge, through the grace of Christ alone, and not by any respect or merit of ours. For what is more plain than that which Paul says?— 'All have sinned, and are destitute of the glory of God, and are justified freely by grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus ’ (Rom. iii. 23, 24).

For Christ took upon himself and bare the sins of the world, and did satisfy the justice of God. God, therefore, is merciful unto our sins for Christ alone, that suffered and rose again, and does not impute them unto us. But he imputes the justice of Christ unto us for our own; so that now we are not only cleansed from sin, and purged, and holy, but also endued with the righteousness of Christ; yea, and acquitted from sin, death, and condemnation (2 Cor. v. 19-21); finally, we are righteous, and heirs of eternal life. To speak properly, then, it is God alone that justifieth us, and that only for Christ, by not imputing unto us our sins, but imputing Christ's righteousness unto us (Rom. iv. 23-25).

But because we do receive this justification, not by any works, but by faith in the mercy of God and in Christ; therefore, we teach and believe, with the apostle, that sinful man is justified only by faith in Christ, not by the law or by any works. For the apostle says, 'We conclude that man is justified by faith, without the works of the law' (Rom. iii. 28). 'If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to boast; but not with God. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness; but to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness' (Rom. iv. 2, 3, 5; Gen. xv. 6). And again, 'Ye are saved by grace, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not by works, lest any might have cause to boast,' etc. (Eph. ii. 8, 9). Therefore, because faith does apprehend Christ our righteousness, and does attribute all the praise of God in Christ; in this respect justification is attributed to faith, chiefly because of Christ, whom it receives, and not because it is a work of ours; for it is the gift of God. Now, that we do receive Christ by faith the Lord shows at large (John vi. 27, 33, 35, 48–58), where he puts eating

for believing, and believing for eating. For as by eating we receive meat, so by believing we are made partakers of Christ.

Therefore, we do not divide the benefit of justification, giving part to the grace of God or to Christ, and part to ourselves, our charity, works, or merit; but we do attribute it wholly to the praise of God in Christ, and that through faith. Moreover, our charity and our works can not please God if they be done of such as are not just; wherefore, we must first be just before we can love or do any just works. We are made just (as we have said) through faith in Christ, by the mere grace of God, who does not impute unto us our sins, but imputes unto us the righteousness of Christ; yea, and our faith in Christ he imputes for righteousness unto us. Moreover, the apostle does plainly derive love from faith, saying, 'The end of the commandment is love, proceeding from a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith unfeigned' (1 Tim. i. 5).

Wherefore, in this matter we speak not of a feigned, vain, or dead faith, but of a lively and quickening faith; which, for Christ (who is life, and gives life), whom it apprehends, both is indeed, and is so called, a lively faith, and does prove itself to be lively by lively works. And, therefore, James does speak nothing contrary to this doctrine; for he speaks of a vain and dead faith, which certain bragged of, but had not Christ living within them by faith. And also James says that works do justify (chap. ii. 14-26), yet he is not contrary to Paul (for then he were to be rejected); but he shows that Abrahamn did declare his lively and justifying faith by works. And so do all the godly, who yet trust in Christ alone, not to their own works. For the apostle said again, 'I live no longer myself, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live through the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God; for if righteousness be by the law, then Christ died without cause' (Gal. ii. 20, 21).

CHAPTER XVI.—OF FAITH AND GOOD WORKS; OF THEIR REWARD, AND OF

MAN'S MERIT.

Christian faith is not an opinion or human persuasion, but a sure trust, and an evident and steadfast assent of the mind; it is a most sure comprehension of the truth of God, set forth in the Scriptures and

that he might deliver us from all iniquity, and purge us to be a peculiar people to himself, zealous of good works' (Tit. ii. 14). We therefore condemn all those who do contemn good works, and do babble that they are needless and not to be regarded. Nevertheless, as was said before, we do not think that we are saved by good works, or that they are so necessary to salvation that no man was ever saved without them. For we are saved by grace and by the benefit of Christ alone. Works do necessarily proceed from faith; but salvation is improperly attributed to them, which is most properly ascribed to grace. That sentence of the apostle is very notable: 'If by grace, then not of works; for then grace were no more grace: but if of works, then is it not of grace; for then works were no more works' (Rom. xi. 6).

Now the works which we do are accepted and allowed of God through faith; because they who do them please God by faith in Christ, and also the works themselves are done by the grace of God through his Holy Spirit. For St. Peter says that 'of every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him' (Acts x. 35). And Paul also, 'We cease not to pray for you, that you may walk worthy of the Lord, and in all things please him, being fruitful in every good work' (Col. i. 9, 10). Here, therefore, we diligently teach, not false and philosophical, but true virtues, true good works, and the true duties of a Christian man. And this we do with all the diligence and earnestness that we can inculcate and beat into men's minds; sharply reproving the slothfulness and hypocrisy of all those who with their mouths praise and profess the Gospel, and yet with their shameful life do dishonor the same; setting before their eyes, in this case, God's horrible threatenings, large promises, and bountiful rewards, and that by exhorting, comforting, and rebuking.

For we teach that God does bestow great rewards on them that do good, according to that saying of the prophet, 'Refrain thy voice from weeping, because thy works shall have a reward' (Jer. xxxi. 16). In the Gospel also the Lord said, 'Rejoice, and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven' (Matt. v. 12). And, 'He that shall give to one of these little ones a cup of cold water, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward' (Matt. x. 42). Yet we do not attribute this reward, which God gives, to the merit of the man that receives it, but to the goodness, or liberality, and truth of God, which promises and