An instruction of Christian faith how to be bold up on the promise of God and not to doubt of our salvation/ made by Vrbanus Regius. Translated into english.  
printed at London by Hugh Syngelton at the sign of saint Augustine in Paul's church yard.   

To his reverend & singular good father Ric. Melton/ the translator wisheth grace and comfort in Chryst.  
IN so much all the effect and sum of our salvation consisteth only upon faith and knowledge of the son of God jesus Christ, all the scriptures and prophets bearing witness, I think it much expedient every christian man to be well instructed, and traded herein, for the lack whereof, we may see what great and lamentable inconvenients is fallen amongst us christian men, how piteously we wander about like stray sheep, as the prophet saith, uncertain of our salvation, how dyscomfortly we live, how desperately we die, not knowing which way to go/ how ignorat how fleshly we be with out all joy, all comfort all feeling of the spirit, with out all the true charity to our neighbours. For how can we love our neighbour truly for god's sake when we neither know nor feel how god loveth us. Which things verily declare that we have but little faith in us. For else, having so many and so manifest promises of god for our salvation in the first testament, and the same also fulfilled so veritably in the latter testament by the coming of the son of god, how culde we live in such perplexite & doubtfulness as we do, if there were any knowledge or faith in us? What containeth the old testament, but only promises? Where upon be these promises grounded? upon the law? How so, were not these promises made to Adam and to Abraham freely long before the law came, as scripture witnesseth four c. years and xxx 
Gal. 3.  And why then do we not believe God? Why do we yet stand in fear and doubt of our salvation, as though we had no promises, but only our own deservings to stay upon? Is god a dissembler? Why than do we not stablish our hearts at the promise of the lord, and rejoice with faithful Paul triumphing boldly against all the gates of hell? With him saying, who shall separat us from the love of god, any affliction, 
Rom. 8.  any vexation, any persecution, other hunger, or nakedness other any jeopardy, or sword? No saith he, this I know & am full sure that neither deah, nor life, neither Angel, prince or power, neither thing present, nor thing to come, height, nor depth, nor no other creature shall be able to separat me from the love of god which is in Christ jesus our lord. Here we may learn the example of a faithful heart. Abraham likewise hearing the promise of god, 
Gen. 15.  that in his old age he should have a child, how firmly believed he the lord, and the lord did impute it to him for ryghtuesnes, 
Oculi domini respiciunt fidem.  for he delighteth in nothing so much as in our faith upon him. Now wether was it more hard for Abraham to have a child so old, or for us to be saved after our death & trobele. And yet Abraham believed the lord. And why do not we believe him as boldly in our promises? 
Luc. 1.  Marry hearing the promise of god believed the angel putting no doubt as zacharei did, that she should have a child a virgin, and yet might that seem as hard to her as this to us but what said the angel, No word or promise is hard to god. And why do not we as well take a bold confidence having so many promises maid to us in all the prophets? What did Christ more commend in his confesores than faith? 
Luc. 7.  or wherein was he more angry with his apostles, 
Luc. 26.  than for their weak faith after so much hearing & seeing? Howbeit to say the truth it is not so greatly to be marveled in us, for how can we believe the promises of god when we know them not? or how should we know them when we have neither bibles to read them, nor here them, neither be they opened unto us? And how can such mysteries be opened of the priests, when so many run & so few instructed and sent of god? Wherefore in this part to help the ignorance and weakness of my brithrens, for a more stirring up of their faith, I thought it not unprofitable to translate this golden book of Vrbanus regius a most christian writer, very fruitful for every christian man, the which book I commend and commit universally to the whole english congregation, and namely send it to you (most reverend father (both to declare some token of my obedient dwety toward you, and also to minister to you some occasion of further knowledge and consolation which I most heartily desire in the Lord. Grace be with you and with all the congregation. Amen.  
By your son most bound I. Fox.   

TRuly it is a devilish error to teach, that we should ever doubt, and never be sure of God's favour and our salvation/ as we have been led in the pope's church, by unlearned priests which for their purpose have wickedly wrested the words of Solomon in a wrong understanding. 
Eccle. 9 The Hebrew text meaneth another thing, and is wrong tranlated.  Nescit homo amore, an odio dignus sit. That is to say. No man can tell whether he be worthy of love or hatred. This error hath Satan brought in to the church to obscure Christ, and clean to abolish our faith in him, and in the place of our faith to bring in wavering and doubtful opinions & weak imaginations in to our minds whereby in great extremity, and earnest temptationes we could take no asurance, but were driven to desperation, for he that doubteth of the will and favour of god, 
A true christian man doubteth not of God's favour.  and is not assured that he will be merciful to him for Christ's sake/ and that all his sins be pardoned in him, he is no true Christian, and in his incredulity can not be but condemned. surely the faith 
faith.  in Christ is only that maketh a true christian man/ doubtting & incredulity 
Incredulity.  maketh a man no Christian. To believe & to doubt be not both on. To believe is an other thing than to doubt. Therefore he that continueth in this for said error, believeth not the xii articles of our creed, catholic faith/ in the which gods grace is clearly and undoubtedly given to us in Christ. Then how can they be christian men which lack the faith of Christ. Or how can such one say the lords oration well? He may with his mouth sound the words, O our heavenly father, but his heart hath no trust in god, neither hath any firmite that he is a merciful father, but doubteth of the grace of god, whether he be merciful or no, or whether he pardon him or no. His tongue saith I believe in jesus Christ, I believe the forgiveness of sins, but his heart believeth not that Christ died for our offences, and that by his death he hath obtained for us forgiveness of all our sins. He that waveryth thus, can not but despair in the last extremity of his life. And if he despair, than is he damned, for he deperteth with an evil conscience, & hath no knowledge of Christ, nor believeth the gospel. Then what hope can he have of everlasting life? Yet our blind guides and seducers in the pope's clergy have taught us that no man can precisely know whether he be in gods favour or no. They that been in this error, what believe had they? did they not wander like the wind now hither and thither? were they not clean void of faith? had they not a wretched, uncertain, and a wavering life? how could they know whether these works pleased God or no? what could this man think in himself but thus? I am a christened man, I have studied to live well and to do good works, but yet I am uncertain whether my works please God, or whether my sins be forgiven me or not. Mine ill deeds be more than my good, I have done more sins than virtues. Alas what shall be come of me. They that thus waver & doubt, what hope can they have in the agony of death, what faith have they, what thing to trust upon? Satan and his own conscience accuse him of sin, saying, he that liveth ill shallbe damned, thou never fulfylledest yet the commandments of God, No sinner can be saved. Doth not Christ say, if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments? but thou hast never kept them. 
Mat. 19  Here is no hope left but that a man oppressed with such cogitations, must needs despair. The blind papists have taught us poor wretches, that the foundation of our hope lieth in the grace of God, 
The doctrine of the priests clergy.  and in the merits of our own works/ so that our hope should be nothing else but the expectation of life coming of God's grace and of our own deservings. 
what hope is by the sophisters.  Item that our hope in no wise could stand without the help of our merits/ other of the sophisters do thus define it, hope is a boldness of mind conceived of God's goodness to have everlasting life through our good works. Here thou hearest these two, grace and deserving, but these two do ill join together, for where is grace there is no mereting, again where mereting is there is no grace. Therefore if a seek person tempted about his sins think thus that without his own merits he can look for no salvation, than he trusteth not to the grace of God, neither doth he apprehended it nor ground himself upon it, for so he hath been taught and led that it was presumption to say a man might be assuerid of God's favour without the adding to of his works and merits: And thus have we be led in this false persuasion so many years, but in earnest tentations there is none that can stand upon his merits or deeds/ for here cometh in the law of god accusing him and all other men, that none of them all have fulfilled it. Then where be the good deeds, whereupon the seek man may trust, and hope for salvation thereby. In our great temptations we all do feel that we be sinners, and that all our life is nought and so void of all goodness, that it is not able to abide or stand in the severe judgement of god. These blind seducers have made one foot of our hope lame & maimed, which is grace. The other foot lame and halting, which is our own works, Now how can our hope stand fast, that we faule not in to desperation? To prove than that by our deeds we can deserve no justification, neither any part thereof, with all that ever we are able to do, Also that it is not in our power to accompleshe the law of god, 
The law  but that law only serveth to see our unableness, our vices & sins thereby, it needeth no great declaration. We see this daily in ourselves, that our flesh never ceaseth fighting against the spirit, & doth inwardly grudge at every good deed we do, so that this naughtiness and corruption of ours marryth all, whereby our good works can not be pure nor acceptable that we do. Ro. seven. Gal. v. i Iohn. i. Wherefore writeth Iohn if we say we have no sign, 
1. joh. 1  we deceive ourselves, & truth is not in us. Also all the faithful say daily in the lords prayer. Forgive us our trespasses Esa. lxiiii. 
Esai. 64  we be as unclean every one, and all our ryghtuusnes like a cloth defiled with the flowers of a woman. furthermore if we did fulfil all commandments of god, yet did we nothing but which is our bond duty to do, neither can we look for any reward thereby, witness to Christ. 
Luc. 17.  Luc. xvii. When ye have done all that you can, yet say you be unprofitable servants. These words of Christ verily may pluck down our glory, and make us all ashamed that we put no affiance in ourselves, nor in our own good works. 
Good works.  Howbeit I speak not this to extenuat the worthiness of good works, or to pluck men back from well doing. For the scripture teacheth us, that the study of good works is ever to be employed, & wills us to be followers of honesty and good working. But no man must put affiance in his works, as though by the worthenes of them he could obtain grace, or put away sin or get his salvation. For if our righteousness and justification before god stand in our might or merits, than died Christ in vain. Gal. two. 
Gal. 2.  Good works in their degree and order have their value, and be greatly commended. A good man ought to ensue good virtues, to th'intent he may do the will of his lord god, which commandeth us to live virtuously, and that he may also approve himself to his lord god, that god our heavenly father may be glorified thereby. Mat. v. 
Mat. 5.  Also we ought to do good works, to show ourselves thankful again to God, for his infinite benefits and gifts. Phi. two. 
Phil. 2.  Also we must do good works to exercise our faith, that they may be testimonies of our believe, and thus do they profit both me and my neighbour. My neighbour in giving example to encourage him the better to a Christian life. Also in that he is succoured by them in his necessity. Secundarly they profit me in that they exercise my faith, and mortify my flesh and keep me truly in my vocation. 
2. Pet. 1.  For why if I do any benefit to my friends and to mine enemies, and perceive it to come of a tranke and free heart, than may I well assure myself that my faith is lively and a true faith which maketh of damned sinners the true children of god. 
joh. 1. Gal. 3.   
Iten here is to be noted that good works be these, which a man believing in Christ worketh in faith in his lawful vocation, after the ordinance and form of the law of god. Contrary evil works 
Evil works  and sins be these which be done with out faith and with a feigned charity, trusting upon them to porchase the favour of god, the forgiveness of sins, and the kingdom everlasting, the which is clean and directly contrary from our christian faith. For our christian faith doth ground us upon a more substantial stone which is Christ, 
The foundation of our faith  the true forgiver of sins, and our only reconciler, which hath obtained for us this grace, hath washed away our sins, and hath deserved for us everlasting salvation. This faith maketh our consciences that they waver not not doubt any thing of the grace of god. For the property of this faith is to quiet our conscience. 
Rom. 5. what true faith is.  The true catholic and lively faith is this when a man fully persuadith himself, and believeth steadfastly, and nothing doubth, that he hath god pacified, and a most gentle father to him for Christ's sake, to whom in all his necessity, adversity, and in all his affairs as a child to his father, he wholly committeth and commendeth himself, putteth all his trust in him, calleth on him, seeking no succour, consolation, nor goodness but only of him. 
Act. 15.  This faith purefieth our hearts. This faith is always working through charity, & hath the holy ghost which moveth us and styryth us up to follow the example of Christ, which hath left behind steps of all good works, and patient in afflictions for us to follow, saying to us. This is my commandment that ye love together as I have loved you. 
joh. 15.  You be my friends if ye will do these things that I have given and taught you. 
joh. 14. joh. 15.  He that loveth me will keep my lessons. I have given you example, as I have done to you, so do ye to yourselves, by this you shall be known to be my deciples, if ye have love one to an other. Again, he that taketh not up his cross and followeth me, 
Luc. 19  he is not my disciple. Where there is no repentance nor any amendment of life, 

No good faith no good works.  
True faith true works.   and study of good works, verily there is no true faith. True faith can not be with out good works no more than a good tree with out fruit, or the son with out his heat, this is undoubted. Therefore let every man examine and search himself well lest he deceive himself. Many men there be which say they believe when they have no believe, as it may apere by their vyciouse & wicked life. For this is certain, where so ever true faith is, there is also the fear of god, there is repentance, there a true and a christian man's life followeth, there the old sinful man is put of and a new put on. 
Eph. 4.  For by cause this is the virtue and the operation of our holy baptism, that faith doth clean renew and transform a christian in to a new man, which walketh not after flesh, but after the spirit. Rom. viii. 
Rom. 8.   
Then where the grace of god worketh in us good fruit, and we begin to follow the commandements of god our old man is not all mortified straight way, but wild and wanton with her lusts doth strive against us all our life long, and never ceaseth provoking us to sign, and ever rebellyth against our spirit, letting & hindering us in all onest virtues, whereby we be not able to live so upright after God's commandements as we would. Wherefore when our sinful conscience or the fear of death doth come upon us we can not trust to our works, nor find any comfort therein, but (if we will be saved) we must needs cry with the holy king David. Enter not lord in to judgement with thy servant, for in thy sight no living flesh shall be justified. Our good works though they be never so holy and excellent yet the value of them is not such, neither aught we to do them for any such purpose, neither doth god require them to be done of us for that intent that we should be justified and saved by them. For no man can trust any thing to his works, neither be they able to deliver us from our death, 
Our justification only belongeth to jesus Christ.  that thing only the works of jesus Christ is able to do and nothing else. This glory and honour is only dew to him and to no man else, to be a jesus, 
jesus a saviour  that is by interpretation a saviour. For he only taketh away our sins. justifieth and saveth us by his works and pastion. This is his office his work and duty only, for the which he was sent hither of his heavenly father and ours to do. Therefore if the holy works and commandements of god, can bring no peace of conscience, than what shall a miserable sinner do in the distress of his temptation? whether shall he go, whether shall he turn himself? where shall he find help, and succour, and comfort? so than if we will look for any salvation, we must firmly believe and persuade our consciences, that our sins be pardoned us, and clean taken away. But now how shall we be so certified in our minds. I answer in such temptations a man must needs set apart the law, and all his good deeds that ever he hath done, all his strength, all his power, and merits, and let them all go in this point. For here nothing can succour us, but only the works and passion of jesus Christ. And therefore we must appeal from the law, 
Appeal from the law to the son  straight to the rich & merciful promise of our father in his son Christ, as unto a sure succour and a sanctuary of eternal security and peace, and hold it fast in a firm and a sure faith. And thus shall we find comfort and quietness enough, and more than we can desire, than neither sin, nor death, nor hell shall not be able to hurt us.  

What the promise of god is.  The promise of God is this.  
almighty God hath promised us damnable sinners in his only begotten son jesus Christ, with out any manner of exception or condition of our own merits clearly of his own free grace and goodness, 
Hie. 31.  full remission of all our sins, his holy spirit, and everlasting life, 
Heb. 8.  and that he will ever more be our father, and that he will vouchsafe to receive us to his children, and give us perpetual salvation.  
These be true, firm, eternal, 
Heb. 9  unfallible, sure and steadfast God which is almighty, 
2. L …  and which can not lie hath so promised to us, and hath sworn deeply by himself that he will perform them.  
This is the new testament, & the everlasting covenant of grace made to us in Christ betwixt him and us, and confirmed with his blood, whereof his prophets so greatly speak of.  
Christ the son 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 laid and reposed for us in Christ, in him we be sure to find it, as God speaketh of his son Christ our true David in the psalm lxxxix  

Psal. 89.  My truth and my mercy shall evermore be with him, and in my name his power shallbe exalted, he shall call me. Thou art my father my God, and the rescuer of my health. And I shall set him to be mine hear and first begotten, avaunse up above all the kings of the earth. I shall evermore reserve my mercy to him, and my faithful testament upon him. And I shall set up his seed for evermore, and his throne like the days of the firmament. And if his children transgress my precepts, and will not walk in my judgements I shall visit and chastise their iniquities with my rod, and their sins with stripes. But I will never take away my mercy clean from him, and my truth shall never fail him. I will never break my testament that I make, neither will I ever go from my words that proceed out of my lips. Ones have I sworn in my holiness, see if ever I break my appointment with my servant david, his seed shall remain for ever, and his throne like the son in my sight. etc.  
This promise is also red in the ii Reg. seven. 
2. Reg. 7.  Here in this prophecy God speaketh of the eternal kingdom of Christ, in which perpetual mercy, peace, and quietness is, for in Christ he hath reposed & laid up his truth and mercy. Therefore in no other thing can this promise of grace be found or obtained sayve only in Christ. In him god hath promised to us salvation freely through his mighty mercy: Therefore who soever believeth in Christ without any more a do (to be bold upon it) he hath all things, And though there be in Christ's kingdom weak and infirm sinners, which slip & fall many times, yet this privilege & prerogative they have their sins shall not be imputed to damnation. All their offences be offences of children not of servants. We have a salve conduct and a passport through all the perils of death and damnation. And though we fall never so heinously yet shall we not perish therefore, for our christian faith doth so fasten us unto our David Christ that we be made one spirit with him. In Christ we have the verity of God's promise, and his mercy evermore to continue, our heavenly father will not punish his weak children in his wrath for ever, but will chastise them with favour in this temporal life, call us again to repentance. Thus the grace of God shall ever abide firm and stable, which we be sure shall not fail us so that we believe this David Christ to be our king & cast all our trust on him.  
And here is to be noted and considered where he saith. 
Truth.  My truth and mercy always go with him, if it be his truth, than it can not ley, nor deceive us. If it be his mercy and grace, 
Grace.  than it standeth not by our works nor the law, wherefore all these things shall happen to us in Christ, and for Christ's sake, which by his works and passion hath purchased and bought all thing for us.  
Esay. lv. 
Esa. 55.  Bow down your ear and come to me, hear me and your soul shall live, and I shall strike a bargain with you perpetual, the sure mercies which I promised to David. jerem. xxxi. 
jer. 31.  This shallbe the bargain that I shall strike with the house of Israel. After those days I shall give my law within their bowels, and will write it in their hearts, 
Nota.  and I will be their God, and they shall be my people, for I will pardon all their iniquities, and will no more remember their offences. etc. So doth the apostle in his epistle to the hebrews allege the same place, 
Heb. 8.10  where he proveth that this bargain of grace are this new testament betwixt god and us is now confirmed and sealed up by the death of Christ. And that god is now no more a strait judge but a most tender father to all the faithful of Christ, and that he will pardon all their offences. Likewise to the Gala. S. Paul calleth this eternal bargain of grace, 
Gal. 3.  a testament that shall stand for ever, where as he writeth. No man breaketh or dysordenyth the will or testament of a man being once confirmed and ratified. Than if men's testaments once made and confirmed, abide firm and sure, how much more the testament of god ones confirmed and ratified, shall abide firm? These testimonies do prove evidently & strongly that god's grace promised in Christ is firm and sure, so that now no believer ought ne can doubt of the favour of god and remission of his sins. 
we ought not to dought.  But undoubtedly and constantly aught to stick to this promise of god which can not neither shall be found false.  
What heart now is so hard or stoney that will not relent or be stirred up by this firm and sweet promise of god, to take a bold faith and a confident trust upon the grace and favour of almyghte god being so promised to us? Will not these words make us certified, yea & also secure as it were a bond or a bargain, testament, promise, 
bond, testamet, promise, mercy, an oath.  an oath, mercy. And all these doth no man which may decyve us, but god eternal promise our father in heaven, which is truth himself.  
It is an horrible blindness in us that when god himself doth call us to his grace, & doth promise freely to us for his mercy sake clear remission of our sins, and for the same purpose hath sent to us his only begotten son in to the world, to be a sure token or pledge of his heavenly favour and grace, and yet we lean and hold more to our own stinking works then to the true & everstanding truth of god. Alas for pity how many precious souls most piteously have be brought to desperation, through these works doing. The law only hath been put forth unto them, & no thing else beaten into their heads, but this, what god requireth of us, how great sinners we were, what vengeance of God did fall upon sin, what torments, what fire and brimstone we should suffer in hell. But none taught the people faithfully the promise of God, the gospel of Christ in the which sorrowful and vexed consciences of sinners might be refreshed and learn the infinite and unsearchable grace that God which of his unknown mercy hath promised, 
God's promise is a gift.  that is to say hath given us freely in Christ, with the which promises silly consciences might be relieved and confirmed strongly against all the gates of hell. We blind and wretched would reward God with ours, and deserve of him all things that we had/ we would not be in his det or danger/ we disdained to have his liberality come freely unto us/ and nothing would take of him by grace. And that was the cause why Christ was not rightly preached but only Moses: 
what was the cause wh● Moses was prec●yd and not christ.  So it always cometh to pass, when the commandments only be set forth, after the manner of the jews, and the promises of God nothing spoken of/ there it can be none other but that men's consciences must needs be vexed and disquieted with miserable sorrow and perplexity so that they can receive almost no consolation. But who soever will bring men to God in deed, and will quiet their consciences, must always teach these two together the law and the promise/ as the prophets, Christ, and the apostles ever did.  

The use of the law  By the law they brought men to the knowledge of their sinfulness, their unworthiness, their infirmity and unability to goodness/ their duty what they ought to do/ and their damnation which thereof followed: And so brought them to humiliate themselves before God/ whereby they being justly strooken with the feeling of gods right judgement, might earnestly forthink them of their sins/ & call for mercy. They taught not the law so as though it were enough to know what were to be done, or not to be done/ or as though of our own strength we could do good and eschew ill/ and so by the law and by our own works be found just before God/ and put away sin. They taught not the law I say for no such end nor purpose/ neither was the law given therefore that we should be justified thereby before God/ but it was given for this to require of us all righteousness and to threaten us, 
why the law was given.  that by the requiring of this righteousness, and we being nothing able to perform it, we might the better learn thereby our unrighteousness and naughtiness/ and so finally to acknowledge and confess our own wretchedness, to th'intent that being thus contrite & humiliated in heart we might seek to Christ for succour the which by his works and passion doth only justify us.  
We be nothing able to deserve any salvation by the law or our works. That is an higher and a more excellent thing than that our rotten works be able to procure. God hath promised to give us that freely by his mercy for Christ's sake, and doth give it of grace to them that believe in Christ, as S. Paul to the Romans doth call everlasting life the gift of God. 
Rom. 6.  
Gal. 3.  And likewise to the Galathians doth put a clear difference betwixt them, and showeth plainly his mind of the law & of the promise, how they concur to our justification. Let us weghe well his words, for all the weight and foundation of our justification doth lie upon them. His words be these. If our inheritance stand of the law than it standeth not of promise. 
Mark.  But God did give it to Abraham. If the law had he given unto us which might have justified us, than our justification might be of the law. But the scripture hath wrapped all things under sin, that the promise might come by the faith of jesus Christ to all that believe.  
And again in the second to the Gal. 
Gal. 2.  If our justification saith he could come by the law, than Christ died in vain. Therefore I say where as men thus by the law were brought to the knowledge of their sins, and so strooken with great sorrow and heaviness of conscience for their sinful and vicious nature, than was the Gospel put and set before them that is to say Grace promised us in Christ. And than did they begin to believe earnestly & to rejoice in their hearts truly for this grace promised in Christ, that God had given them for Christ's sake forgiveness of their sins. Thus saint Paul in the place afore recited, doth comfort with true consolation wretched and desperate sinners for he leadeth them only to the promise of God, and beateth that in to them, for thereby only our consciences be clean and quieted. And doth teach the law & gods commandments also, exhorting us diligently to the study of good works, and is not only content with that, but also doth show where and how to come by the courage and lust to do these good works.  
Thus first they taught the law for repentance but straight after they joined withal the promise of God to bring men to the knowledge of the most rich grace of God given and promised us in Christ, teaching withal where we should get the strength to fulfil the commandments, where our sinful nature was not able to fulfil it. 
Rom. 8.  In consideration whereof the Apostles everywhere declared and set forth the exceeding and passing riches and treasures of God's mighty grace which he hath given and promised us in Christ, if we believe upon him, and so forth did lead wretched sinners from the law to Christ. This great grace of God so offered they received them and embraced greatly, and thus believing were pacified in their consciences. The law doth threaten and affray, but than she is not able to heal or comfort them being grieved, or to deliver them from their agony/ wherefore we must needs flee to the promise. And there shall we find righteousness, peace, life, & health enough. Hereupon S. Paul to the Gal. iii. 
Gal. 3.  saith The law was but as it were our scolemayster unto Christ, 
The end of the law.  that we should be justified by Christ/ for the law doth force us, doth constrain us, doth call upon us, doth menace us, & lieth upon our necks, requiring of us all manner of good works, perfect justice, perfect innocency of heart, perfect fear and love of God, and also of our neighbour. But we of our own strength be not able to accomplish that which she requireth, & thus she driveth us to Christ, and is our scolemayster unto Christ. He than receiveth us coming to him, helping us, and giving us all such things that the law requireth of us/ so that the law is not able to dam us.  
For this cause S. Paul doth call Christ the end of the law. Rom. x. 
Rom. 10.  Or as S. Augustine doth expound it the fulfilling of the law. He that hath Christ is just, he that believeth in Christ hath all things which the law requireth. Christ hath reconciled for us God his father/ he is our mediator and everlasting priest he hath obtained us grace, the holy ghost with all his gifts, remission of sins, & all manner of goodness with life everlasting, he as jeremy writeth xi 
jere. 11.  doth give us a new heart and a soft heart and the holy ghost to move us for to do well. And where as yet we be partly fleshly nor can not be all mortified in this body, nor thoroughly fulfil the commandments of God, there is he made our wisdom, our justice and redemption, so that his innocency and all that ever he hath is made our by faith/ for after that we put on christ upon us, and after we believe in him, there is no jeopardy can hurt us, though we be never so weak and frail, so that we do not walk purposely after our appetite of the flesh, and run still headlong in sin with our repentance/ for oft-times it happeneth that good and most holy men do fall as well as other but yet they lie not still, 
Good men do sin.  but get up again, & be still delighted with the law of God inwardly in their hearts, ever calling for remission of sins by Christ, and obtain also the same which he desire. All these things we may see very well expressed in Abraham, for Abraham (saith Paul) is the father of all the faithful believers in christ/ therefore we have in Abraham a clear figure and an example how that a sinner may be justified, & what is the nature of Christian faith, what is the power, the property, and working of the same/ and also how that our consciences may be quieted, whether by faith or by works/ therefore he that is the true child of Abraham, that is a good man in deed, or that would be a true member of christ, let him look upon Abraham his father, and there he shall see how God doth with us, how he tendereth us, and how we ought to do again for him, as Paul also teacheth us. Rom. iiii. Gal. iii. first of all Abraham hard the great & rich promise of God saying unto him, do not fear Abraham, I am thy defender, and great is thy reward with me. And afterward.  
In thy seed all nations shall be blessed, that is shall be delivered from sins, death, and malediction and shall have everlasting life. This was glad tidings to Abraham. And still did Abraham believe this promise, notwithstanding yet much grieved with troubles and sorrows. And so therefore was justified by this faith and trust that he had to the promise of God. 
Nota.  Now this was. iiii.c. and thirty. years before the law was given, and therefore was he saved, not by the works of the law, but by his faith in God and in the blessed seed which was promised him. And no otherwise also must we all be saved, for there is no other way nor means to come to health, only the promise of God must iutyfie us if we believe, and not the law nor no works.  
Secondarly this faith of Abraham that he had upon Christ, made him a new man, and clean did alter his old affections, and put in him new cogitations otherwise than this nature of ours hath, for he rejoiced only in the lord, and in him taketh a marvelous boldness, he knoweth well that God is his father which in all his affairs, his afflictions and troubles will help him, and is able to help him, and thus trusting unto God's promise receiveth & reposeth himself in the hands of God, with a bold heart and a strong confidence, doughting nothing but that God will be merciful unto him, even as any father will be to his own natural child, whom he loveth most tenderly, so then Abraham having this faith, went up to the hill, at the commandment of God, to show his obedience & offered his son, for true faith can never be with out good works, but ever will be occupied in the obedience of God jac. two. Gal. two. In the mean season Abraham's heart and conscience was nothing unquietted for all that, but still quiet by reason of his faith he had in Christ, for he was ever sure of the favour and the love of God toward him, wherefore S. Paul Rom. iiii. 
Rom. 4.  full well describeth his whole thought and cogitation, where as he saith that Abraham did never shrink yet in his faith, nor doubted in the promise of God, but ever strong in his faith, did give glory to God, knowing well this that he which promised him was able to perform it. And therefore he saith that it was imputed to him for justice, that is for his justification/ for this Abraham thought & persuaded himself that God was almighty & true of his promise which would not defeall nor deceive his people. And if he had so thought in himself as now our papysttes do teach, I can not tell surely whether god love me or no peradventure he is not friendly unto me, nor careth for me, nor regardyth me. etc. If Abraham I say had thought on this manner, or had shrynked so in his faith, I think he would never have intended to offer up his only son, nor would have been persuaded to go from his father's house out into a strange land, but rather would have thought thus. It is good to be sure of that a man hath all ready, this I have and am sure of, the other is unsure, what should I kill my only and well-beloved son? who will give me an other? what should I go out of mine own house in to a strange land I can not tell how far? what foolishness were it? I will not so, I will tarry still here where I am in my father's house. Neither will I be so cruel to my son for to slay him thus I say he had thought if he had not believed constantly/ but when he went out so boldly and merely out of his father's house into a far and a strange country, and with so lusty cheer went up to the hill with his son to offer him up to God, which no nature of man can do, for what natural man can find in his heart to offer up his son. Than by like he did only hang of the hands of god, only did trust upon God, upon his grace, upon his help, nothing doubting in his conscience but that God was able to perform all that he had promised, for why no doubting heart can be so willing to do as Abraham did, nor yet once think to do it, so quiet was Abraham's conscience by faith in gods promise, that Paul in his epistle to the Rom. iiii. doth give him an excellent praise therefore, that we all should mark it, and well bear it away. Abraham saith he never did shrink in his faith, but always strong in his believing trusted surely, why did he trust surely? because God promised, for this he did know and was fully persuaded, that God was true of his word and promise, what so ever he promiseth he performeth of his grace, and is well able to perform it, for he is almighty, nor doth not promise for our deservings but of his grace only, 
Rom. 4.  that now we may be bold to trust unto it. For if he should promise after our deservings, any thing he could never perform it, for our merits be none and nothing worth, but he doth promise us infinite goodness in Christ with out our merits, only of his pure grace and mercy. And therefore writeth Paul Gal. iii. that god promised Abraham the blessing, cccc. thirty. 
The promise was made ere the law came.  years before the law of Moses was given, by cause that no man should so think that this blessing did stand of the works of the law, or that he could not enjoy this free promise and blessing of god before he did fulfil all the law of Moses. Wherefore for the love of god let all good men here mark, that Abraham never failed nor did shrink in faith, nor never doubted at the promise of god, nor of the love & grace of god toward him. For so the holy ghost doth say that he had a sure persuasion, mark well this. If it were a persuasion that he had, than it was no opinion, nor doubting that he had. But fully did trust & believe, he went not thither whether his incredulity and doubting did bid him to go, the which doubting our papists have taught us, whether thought he thus, whither it be true or not true I will do it, but his conscience was fully persuaded that it was true that god had promised, and that god would be good and merciful unto him, had forgiven his sins, had justified him, and would never forsake him nor abject him, and after this life also would give him everlasting life for the seed sake that was promised him, which was Christ. If god had said thus to Abraham. Here Abraham I will be merciful unto thee, I will forgive the thy sins, & always be present with the and help the so on this condition that thou keep and fulfil all my commandments, thus I say if god had given him his promise under this condition of fulfilling his commandments, than Abraham's conscience had never been merry nor quiet but always doubting of the grace of god & forgiveness of his sins, nor should been certain of his salvation. For thus he might have taught. I have done all that I can with all diligence to fulfil gods precepts, yet I culde never fulfil them so perfectly as I awoght nothing like, wherefore this promise of god is uncertain to me, neither I can tell whether I shall take it or no, for because I have not performed all that was enjoined & commanded me and god did give me his promise no otherwise but of this condition if I kept his commandments, and I am not able so to do, wherefore I am not sure whether he will give me these things that he promised. I can do nothing on my part, and therefore how can he keep his promise with me, wherefore what hope can I have now of health. It is but lost labour all that I go about, thus I say if god had promised his blessing under this condition to Abraham, than he might well have despeared, but now he added no such condition, 
The promise came without any condition.  & all because we should not doubt, but that his promise remanyth always sure and stable. And this it is that god requireth only of us, that we should never doubt nor question of his free grace, but to be bold and trust upon it, that he is a loving father to us, and we be his children. But we culde not be so bold of this grace of god if any such condition of fulfilling the law were given with all, as if thou keep my commandments well, them shalt thou have thy sins forgiven. Therefore it is necessary that the promise of this blessing stand without all conditions, and without all respect of our works or meretes, but only in the free grace of god, for or else we could never be sure of it nor certain but always in doubt and mistrust, For if the remission of our sins should stand in the fulfilling of the law, than our flesh being so weak & frail, and not able to fulfil the law, how should we know and be sure that god is good to us or that we were in the favour of god, but rather should think that he were anger with us, because we never fulfil his commandments as we should do. And thus the free promise of god should stand void and in no effect. For why no man were able to obtain it. But thanks and praise be to the faithful lord the father of our lord jesus christ and ours, the father of mercy, and the god of all comforth which having mercy upon us and tendering our weakness hath not builded our health and salvation upon no such brykell and weak foundation, as upon our works and our fulfilling of the law, for so we could never be saved But the foundation that we be grounded upon & prevail against the gates of hell, 
The foundation of our hope.  is the great grace and mercy of god in his son Christ. For in him god hath promised us all the remission of our sins, and ever lasting life. This promise is only and alone all our comforths that we may boldly trust upon. So thus you see how god promiseth us remision of our sins and life everlasting not under any condition of working and fulfilling the law, but he giveth it freely of his free grace I say, only & alone throw Christ, & not for no works of ours. And therefore he giveth it freely, without any condition of our works. Because the promise might stand firm and stable, that is, that we may be sure of the favour of god & of the remision of our sins, doubting nothing therein, notwithstanding we be never so much sinful in our nature, & unworthy wretches, that every believing christian man may say with Paul. This I know and is undoubted, that neither death nor life neither angels, 
Rom. 8.  neither princes, nor potestates, neither things nigh, nor things to come, neither height nor deepness, nor no other creature is able to separate us from the love of god which is jesus Christ our lord. Here may we plain see that Paul had a bold and a confident trust of the forgiveness of his sins, and of his health to come, plenteously persuaded of the grace of God toward him or else how could he so fervently learn, rejoice, and triumph in spirit against all creatures both in heaven and in the world, so omnipotently desiring them all, being right sure and certain that nothing neither above nor beneath could annoy him, and why? because he believed in Christ, and was sure of the mercy of God toward him through faith/ and therefore was his conscience so quiet and triumphant. And even so may every christian man likewise take the same courage and the same mind in himself. 
Mark.  Howbeit no man can do this unless he put away all respect of his own merits and works and only trust unto the free mercy and grace of God, which grace is given us only through christ and not through ourselves. Tit. iii. 
Tit. 3.  that notwithstanding yet these good works of ours do follow and spring out of this faith and promise of God. And look there where as they do not follow and may follow there is no true nor lively faith, but only a deed and barren opinion of faith, but where this true and lively faith is, there is worked miracles and things far passing the possibility of natural working. For as saint Paul saith/ we receive the holy ghost not by our working but by hearing of the gospel, 
Gal. 3.  this holy ghost will not suffer us to doubt after the papists fashion, or as they would have us, nor to fere as their servile spirit doth, but with a bold trust crieth in our hearts to God abba father, and witnesseth with our spirit that we be the children & the heyers of God and fellow heyers with Christ, that we may be glorified together with him. And as Paul to the Ephesians saith, 
Ephe. 1.  they that believe in Christ be sealed up with the holy spirit of promise, the spirit we have as a pledge or an earnest penny of our inhereditaunce and possession which we have got and be redeemed unto. 
The holy spirete is our pleas  Therefore with all faith and trust we must ever look upon the promises of God, and upon jesus Christ only. And so in this promise of God our conscience may find comfort and peace plenty, but in our works we shall find none. And therefore mark well this text of Paul and keep it well in your remembrance, where he saith. 
Rom. 4.  Rom. iiii Abraham had this promise given to him & to his seed that he should be the heir of the world, not for his working after the law, but for his believing in faith/ for if they which belong to the law be the heyers, then is faith void and the promise of none effect/ for why the law worketh anger, by reason that if there were no law, there were no transgression, therefore is the inheritance given by faith as by grace freely, because the promise must stand firm & stable to all the seed of Abraham. Daily experience and practise in our troubles and distresses declareth that no man be he never so holy can quiet his conscience by his works. 
Experience.  Our sins and death be more grievous enemies unto us than that we be able to over come them by our own deeds and deservings/ we must have an other manner of means to that, which is our faith receiving and holding the promise of God in Christ. And so that is able to conquer the mighty fersnes of sin and death. This faith receiveth and styketh to most sure and eternal things that can never fail us and not to our workings, but to the great grace of God, to Christ himself, to his works & his deservings and to the promise in Christ, briefly to all that Christ hath, or is worth/ which things be much greater, higher more stable, and magnifical, than our capacities is able to comprehend. 
Remedy in temptation.  Therefore when any temptation cometh we must not look to the law and our works, but setting all them a side, we must run and creep to the cross of Christ, we must seek for help and grace by christ, & humblis must knowledge our faults. And though our sins be never so great or grievous, though the fear and temptation of death be never so horrible, yet we must still stick to the promise of God, and surely must trust, and doubt nothing, that our sins be forgiven us for Christ's sake according to the promise of God, without any deservings of ours: & that God is our father, and we shall live with him for ever and ever. The works & passion of Christ, which be of great and infinite and omnipotent power aught more to stir us up to trust well on God that he will be evermore to us a merciful lord, than our sins ought to fray us, for the grace of God in Christ is much stronger and more able to deliver and help us than our sins be to condemn us. Roma. v. 
Rom. 5.  And this grace of god doth not hang of our works for than it should be uncertain, but it standeth firm by grace of faith through Christ, with out any regard or respect of our working. And this is done by the singular provedence of the great fatherly love of god toward us, because our justification should stand firm & certain by faith, so that no man need doubt of the favour & mercy of god toward him, if this grace & promise stand in the hand of god, than is it sure, so that we can not doubt of the remission of our sins. But if they should stand in our own hand and should hang of ourselves then we should always be uncertain by cause we were never able to deserve sufficiently, not of sufficient strength to fulfil the law. But after that we return & refer ourselves in Christ alone, and in the promise of god through Christ than be we sayfe and sure enough by cause god hath promised of his voluntary grace freely, and hath founded his promise by the faith in Christ, to th'intent it shall stand firm & certain. And therefore I said the kingdom of Christ to be a kingdom of security and peace, 
Christ's kingdom is a kingdom of security. Esa. 32.  as the prophites do describe it, In this kingdom we have peace and most sure succour, so that there is now neither sin death nor hell can fear us. So doth Esaias also ix call Christ the prince of peace woose pryncedome is large & great, 
Christ the prince of peace.  and whose peace shall never have end. In jeremy also xxiii god doth promise unto Israel, that is unto all believers in Christ a boadde of justice, a king which shall rule wisely, and shall execute judgement and justice in earth & under whom Israel shall dwell boldly, these things be in the spiritual kingdom of Christ in the which there is true & spiritual security, where as every christian man's heart hath peace with god through faith in Christ, in the which kingdom neither sin can damn us neither death can kill us, nor hell can swallow us. For god is with us and fedyth us, and defendeth us as his sheep. Therefore who can be against us? And Esaias again xxxii 
Esa. 32.  when the holy ghost, saith he, shall be powered from above (that was when Christ began his kingdom) than the work & fruit of justice shall be peace, and the keeping of justice shall be silens and securite for ever and ever. And the people of god shall dwell in goodliness of peace and in houses of trust. All these things do nothing else but signify that Christ's people in his kingdom shall be all good, quiett, at rest and merry, which shall have a quiet and a glad consciens, being evermore sure and certain that god is favourable to them for Christ, which doth deliver us from all evils with out any doubt. I pray you what can our adversaries bring against this, or how can they maintain their errors in the face of the world. 
The conclusion.  Here I have proved and taught out of the foundation of the word of god that no faithful believer in Christ can doubt or aught to doubt of the favour of god and of remission of his sins, and that his conscience may thorwly be certified that god is favourable unto him, which will pardon all his faults, for Christ in whom we believe and which will justify us, and give us everlastng life without any doubt. 
Obiecters.  Here our adversaries can have no thing to lay against this doctrine or to subvert this foundation, but one refuge they have, and when we bring scriptures against them: what say they, the Lutherians, say they, bring scriptures for them, but they must expound scriptures as our fore fathers did. 
An answer  I answer again, we do not deny so to do, for we may do it well enough. And I may say with S. Cyrillus, 
Cirillus  we keep the faith of our fathers & of the church so far as we ought and use their interpretations so much as they require. But the chiefest of the ancient fathers of the church do agree in the same matter no other wise than we expound it/ therefore what do these holy workers bring for them the church. 
Augustine de predest. 11  Saint Augustyne one of the most catholic and godly doctor of them all in his book which he writeth of the predestination in the xi chapter saith in this wise. Truly where as the apostle in his epistle to the Rom. writeth these words. Therefore is our inheritance given us by faith through grace because the promise might stand firm and steadfast, I marvel, saith he, that men had rather look on their own infirmity than unto the firmite and steadfastness of God's promise. But here thou wilt say, I can not tell nor do not know the will of God of me, well then dost thou know thine own will of thyself, if thou dost, beware, he that standeth let him take heed that he fall not. Therefore insomoche thou knowest never nother his will, nor thine own will, then why should not a man rather put his trust & hope in that which is more certain than in that which is less certain. But say they again, hear where it is spoken, if thou believest thou shalt be saved, one of these is required of us, the other is offered, & that which is required of us is in us, the other in God. And why, I pray you is not both in God's power both that which is required and that which is offered? for do not we as well desire God to give us that which he requireth as well as that he offereth? do not the believers also desire him to increase their faith: Do they not desire also for the unbelievers that they may have faith, so that God only must be the beginner and increaser of faith. In like manner is this to be taken. If thou believest thou shalt be saved, & this, if you mortify the works of the flesh with spirit, ye shall live: for in like case here one is required, tother is offered. If you mortify (saith he) the works of flesh with spirit ye shall live/ then to mortify the works of flesh by spirit, this is required, the other than is offered us that we should live/ what then therefore shall we not say that this is the gift of God to mortify the works of the flesh because it is required of us to be done? God forbid that any pertaining to the grace of God should so think. This is a damnable error of the Pelagians, whom as the apostle in his words following doth confute saying, who soever be led with the spirit of God they be the children of God. Less we should think this mortifying of the flesh came by our spirit, but by the spirit of God, of the which spirit of God the same apostle speaketh moreover. All these things saith he, worketh one alonely spirit, distributing to every man his gifts so as it pleaseth him, amongst the which gifts also he reckoneth faith/ so then like as this mortefyenge of the flesh notwithstanding it be required of us is the gift of God, even so is faith also the very gift of God though nevertheless it be required of us (if we will be saved) to believe, for these things both be commanded us of God, and also be the gifts of God. To the intent we should understand, that both we do them, and yet it is the gift of God that we do them/ so as the scripture showeth by ezechiel the prophet. And I (saith almighty God) shall make you that you shall do them what can be more plain? Mark ye well this place of scripture (gentle brethren) and ye shall see that God promiseth, he will make them to do such things that he will have done. And there he bringeth forth no merits of theirs, but moche wickedness, showing and declaring thereby that he giveth good for evil in that that he maketh them bring forth afterward good works, causing them to do his commandments. Also in the lxxxviii psalm he saith in like manner. lift up your hearts for he which promised, will perform, so as he hath performed many things already/ for the trust that we have in him we have it not in our merits but only of his mercy. No man can be strong in this life but only in the hope of God's promise/ for as concerning our own merits we be marvelous week, 
we be weak in ourselves/ in God's promise strong  but as concerning the promise of God we be strong.  
And in the. lxxxxviii. psalm he saith/ where is security & peace, he answereth again, truly none in this life but only in the hope of the promise of God. S. Ambrose 
Ambrose.  in the first book de vocat genti. etc. writeth if no man (saith he) will break or despise a man's will or testament, as saith the apostle, nor alter it. Then how can it be that God's will and testament should be broken in any thing.  
It carrieth always and every day is fulfilled that the lord promised to Abraham without any condition, & gave without any law. By this saying of Ambrose it may well appear that the promise of the new testament, that is to say that God will be merciful unto us, will forgive our sins, will give us the holy ghost, and will make us safe, that this promise I say doth not depend of no condition of the law, for freely it cometh only of grace, be cause we should never doubt of his grace & favour toward us. And what other thing meaneth S. Ambrose writing upon Paul, where he saith so oft, that we be saved before god by faith only & alonely. Look upon his comentaris of the Rom. iii. iiii.ix.x, Cap. look also i Cor i and Gal. i. iii.v. 
Theophilact.  Theophilactus also Rom. iiii. writeth in like sort. In somuch saith he it is evedent, that the law bringeth nothing but anger therefore had Abraham his justice & inheritance given him, because that all should go by grace. Wherefore then seeing that all things now do stand in the grace and in the mercy of god, so that he is bound now not to work after his justice, then what should let us to think but that all things be certain and stable what so ever he doth, give, or promise. Now if blind hipocrise here object again that Paul in his place speaketh only of Abraham & therefore that thing concerneth none else but him, but we must seek our health and justification otherwise. I answer again. Not so, For therefore Paul calleth Abraham there the father of all the believers and in him proposeth to us all the true means how all men both before the cummyg of Christ and after the cummyg of Christ must be justified. And therefore this text of Paul doth as well pertain to us all, for it is written and proposed unto all us. 
Rom. 4.  Even as S. Paul in the very same chapter writeth. This is not written for him only, saith he, that it was imputed to him for justice, but for us all, to whom it shall be imputed for justice. believing on him which raised up from death our lord jesus Christ, which was given for our sins, and raised up again for our justification.  
Amen