we haue some speciall or particular reuelation therefore we are vncerten and by consequent doubt also concerning Gods grace of forgiuenesse of sinnes saluatiō c. Herevnto we answere that we deny the antecedent of this Enthymenie or maimed syllogisme and we haue good reason so to doe yea many good reasons indeed For first this is false which they say that we cannot by Gods word be assured of predestination or election For God hath as plainely and plētifully propoūded that point as possibly may be and that not onely by affirming it here there in some short sentēces but by large deductions and as it were discourses and treatises made of purpose concerning it as may appeare from the middle of the eight chapter of the epistle vnto the Romanes to the ende of 11. chapter of the same epistle and also Eph. 1. and sundry other places But if they will say they meane it of persons elected and not of the doctrine and indeed so their exposition seemeth to lead that way yet then we tel them also that is false and faulty as the former For by the word of God we are able not onely rightly to iudge of that which is past concerning the reiection of the Iewes the election of the Gentiles c. but also both probably togeather and charitably to iudge of others as we see the Apostle Peter doth of the straungers that dwelt here and there 1. Pet. 1. verse 2 Yea and of some naturall persons also as Iohn doth in his second Epistle to the elected Ladie and certenly also to determine concerning our owne estates that way whether we cōsider our selues by our selues singularly or as we are ioyned with the rest of Gods elect we saying of our selues and of them in our measure touching the forgiuenesse of our sinnes as Saint Iohn saith for himselfe and the faithfull in that behalfe If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteouse and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes c. And concerning gods loue towards vs in Iesus Christ for eternall life as Saint Paule speaketh of himselfe and the sound members of the Church saying I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor anie other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of god which is in Christ Iesus our Lord And in another place We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building giuen of God that is an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens And this wee iudge not so much by Gods eternall election it selfe though we know beleeue perswade our owne hearts that such a thing there is in God because that is alwaies hidd in himselfe euen as we may say in the bosome and brest of his euerlasting free knowledge though by manie good meanes as wee shall heare anone he discouereth the same vnto vs but by certain and assured infallible notes that he hath giuen vs in his word by which wee may know and be assured for our selues and according to truth and charitie may iudge of others and that without any speciall reuelation as these men fantasie that we are of the number of gods elect as if god giue vs an effectuall calling through the ministerie of the word and working of the spirit and make vs comfortably to feele the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and a stedfast hope of eternall glorification wee may assure our selues of our election as we may perceiue by that the Apostle saith Rom. 8. Whom he hath predestinate thē also he hath called whome he hath called them also he hath iustified and them whome he hath iustified them he hath also glorified and 2. Timoth. 1. God hath saued vs and called vs with an holie calling not according to our works but according to his owne purpose and grace vvhich vvas giuen to vs through Ieses Christ before the world vvas as also if he giue vs care and conscience of well-doing it pleadgeth the same grace vnto vs according to which Saint Peter saith giue diligence to make your calling and election sure And therfore we see that gods election euen as it is manifested vnto vs in gods word is farr of from ouerthrowing our certainety hope of saluation that looking vpon it and into it as he would haue vs iudge of it it doth indeed confirme and establish the same both as in respect of it selfe because so it is alwaies sure and certaine and also as in regard of our fainting hearts and feeble hope which by this meanes are vpheld as the Churches Canticl 2. was staied with flagons and comforted with appells As for that which they speake of particular and speciall reuelation it is against the truth of holy Scriptures and grounds of christian religion for God hauing in these latter daies spokē vnto vs in the person of his sonne and absolutely and fully reuealed his will in his word with this threatning that whosoeuer addeth therevnto vpon him shal be powred forth all the plagues written therein he hath taught vs thereby to cast away and reiect as diuelish and abhominable all such conceits besides that it strongly sauoureth of Anabaptistrie which for manie fond fantasies of their owne haue nothing to say but onely pretend odd reuelations or visions But yet our aduersaries vrge this pointe further and say that men must beware of rash entring into hādling or hearing of that same reuerend hidd misterie of gods predestination And who will not say so as well as they But let vs see whether this be a good argument Gods predestination must not be rashlie rushed into either for hearing or handling therefore men must doubt of Gods fauour that way euery other way besides it followeth not No more then this The sacred authority of princes and magistrates must not be esteemed or violated as a light thing therefore subiects must doubt whether their princes fauour or affect them me thinketh it would rather followe There is in god such high and heauenly things therefore we should be better perswaded of his might goodwill fauour c. as in princes their maiestie authoritie c. should assure their subiects of loue care and all for their defence But we will come to the point wee take that to be rash presumption in the matter of this misterie when either we looke into this same hidden secret coūcel of god as it is in it selfe or in him alone separated frō those testimonies and tokens that he hath giuen vs to discerne it by or when we will be more curious in it then he hath bin pleased to manifest in his word Nowe that this is to be auoided and to be taken heed of as a high sin the infectiō of our soules euery mā will cōfesse because it is to be wise aboue measure in the things that God would not haue
death as the Apostle Saint Paule sheweth in the sixt to the Romaines vers 23. But thou art a sinner yea euen couered as if it were with thy sinne and that thyne ovvne conscience doth testifie against thee Therefore thou art worthie of eternall death yea thou canst looke for nothing but death and euerlasting punishment A sore reason and it will no doubt much shake the minde vnlesse it be well aunswered and therefore good reason that we should looke wel throughly into it and the rather because Sathan that otherwise of himselfe is the father of lyes and lyers and therefore can speake nothing doth at the least in outwarde shewe speake the trueth here VVherein first for this and all other his suggestions let vs mark that whensoeuer he speaketh the trueth yet he doth it not with a true minde neither in the same aymeth at a true or right ende The trueth of these thinges are propounded in the worde and indeed from thence also to be prooued if need be Howbeit they are there deliuered by God with one affection and to one end hereby Satan pressed vrged with another minde and to another end God reuealeth the with a minde to humble men in themselus in their owne corruption that so they might be exalted through his goodnes But Sathan setteth out their sinne with a hart purpose to swallow them vp with distrust cōdēnatiō This if we know not being deceiued through the outward shew appearance of truth we shal easily be ouerthrown but if we vnderstād beleeue it it shall be so far off frō hurting vs that it shall rather tēd to our furtherāce in the faith of gods mercies to the feeling of our vnworthines that so we may haue iust occasion to say of our selues that where sin hath abounded there grace hath ouer abounded also But more particularly to aunswer the seueral parts of this subtle sillogisme of Satan For the proposition we answer by distinction or respect as we may say He that is a sinner is vnvvorthy to be saued yea most vvorthy euerlastingly to perish This is true we confesse it if we consider man in himself or in his own nature or as he persisteth remaineth or vnles he haue through the satisfactiō obedience of Christ his sinnes pardoned because in the 1. we know our sinns withhold good things from vs and make a separation betwixt god and vs and wee are by nature the children of wrath as other men And in the second we are sure that the righteousnesse satisfaction and obedience of Christ being of infinite merite is able powerfull and sufficient inough to alter the state and condition because Christs satisfaction and the worthinesse of his suffrings is in such sorte imputed to euerie one that beleeueth that it is accoūted indeed be come his own Cōcerning the assumption or minor I saye for my selfe in particular that I am not such a one as thou Satan saist I am for my nature is changed I haue in some measure put of the old man and am renued into knowledge acccording to the image of him that hath created me so also haue my sinnes through Christs obedience bin defaced blotted out stād euen before god in the cōmunication of righteousnes as though I had neuer transgressed Therefore though I will not deny but in respect of my self I am vnworthy to be saued and indeede most worthy to perish and therefore may truely say as the prophet doth Psal 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified Yet in Christ for Christs sake who is the onely beloued of God and in whome alone the father is well pleased who also hath absolutely satisfied the wrath of God and answered for me whatsoeuer was against me sure I am I am worthy to be saued and vtterly vnworthy to perish or to be cast away The reason is because Christs worthynes which is most perfect pure is imputed vnto me and is indeede become mine as effectually yea I am perswaded more effectually by howe much he is more excellent and effectuall then my selfe though I were neuer so innocent and righteous as if I my selfe fulfilled all righteousnes For this I am sure of looke what Christ did he did it not for himselfe for he stood in no need of any such obedience because he neuer transgcessed but accomplished it for me and for my saluation and therefore I may in my measure safely say as the Apostle doth Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ but I liue yet not I any more but Christ liueth in me and in that that I novve liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in that sonne of God who hath loued me and hath giuen himselfe for me Which indeede is the euerlasting and vnmooueable voice of the Gospell that being conuerted to God I might assuredly resolue this with my selfe that I shall for Christ Iesus sake my Mediatour and redeemer be certainly receiued into fauour and for his worthinesse though not for any of mine owne for indeede I haue none but all vnworthinesse and accepted before him In confidence whereof also I can in some sort and sense say for my selfe others as the holy prophet of God Daniel doth chapter 9. we doe not present our supplicatiōs before thee for our righteousnesse but for thy great and tender mercies yea heare vs for the Lords sake It may be that notwithstanding this full fit answere Satan who goeth about continually like a roaring Lion seeking alwaies to deuoure vs will not giue ouer to presse vs further saying he that is exceedinly iust cannot or will not leaue thing vnpunishmed but will haue his iustice fully and wholly satisfied But God is exceedingly iust and a most grieuous reuenger and punisher of all sinnes yea his iustice is altogether vnchangeable Therefore God will leaue nothing vnpunished but will haue his iustice absolutely satisfied and will cast thee away not comformable to his iustice To this we may aunswere in some sort before to the obiection touching the greatnesse and grieuousnes of our transgressions He presseth vpō vs Gods iustice not with a mind that he hath to commend it for he rather condemneth it and all other good things in God euen as he doth the dietie it selfe but of a purpose to ouerwhelme vs and swallow vs vp therewithall if it may be But why may not we in some sort speake to Satan in this behalfe euē as God shall speake to the wicked his imps What hast thou to doe to declare my ordinances that thou shouldst take my couenāt in thy mouth or why may we not say vnto him assaulting our selues or tempting others and labouring thereby to let the good work of the Lord in vs. The Lord rebuke thee O Sathan euen the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem reprooue thee Is not this a brand takē out of the fire But we say more particularly He that is exceedingly
there to be found for the weake safe and assured securitie and the rest vnlesse it be in the woundes of our sauiour I doe so much the more safely remaine and dwell there by howe much he is the more mighty to saue and deliuer And in his sermon concerning the fragments of the seuen mercies in his thirde sermon I consider or behold saith he three things in which all my hope consisteth gods grace or loue of addoption the trueth of his promise and his power to yeeld and performe it Nowe let my foolish thought and immagination murmure as much as it can or will saying who art thou or hovve great is that glory or by what merit hopest thou to obtaine these things But I for my part will confidently answere I knowe whoÌ„e I haue beleeued and againe I aunswere that in exceeding charitie or loue he hath adopted me that he is true and faithfull in all his promises and most mightie in performance of what soeuer pleaseth him If we would stand vpon testimonies out of the fathers touching this point we might make a volume By these men may iudge of the rest and plainely conclude against our aduersaries that their doctrine of doubting is as well directly against the writings of the fathers as the holie Scriptures and that therefore it is not a doctrin of the true auncient Church but a new inuention deuise growing in and preuailing vpon as other corruptions when the maister of iniquity beganne to worke or was growne to his heigth And so by all this treaty or discourse framed written against this popish opinion or doctrine of doubâ—ing wee maye plainely perceiue what wee are to thinke or iudge concerning the same namely as of a pointe directly opposite and contrarie both to the trueth of the worde of God written and also to the iudgement of the sounder sorte of diuines and therefore vtterlie to be refused and reiected as a loathsome and poysonfull thing against our soules and bodies For that which is not onely not contained in the holy Scriptures of God and the sounde writinges of the fathers in what respect I ioyne them together I haue declared before and therefore desire men not to bee offended therewith but also doeth openlye and manifestly contradict the same it may not nor ought not to be accounted for the doctrine of the Scriptures or sounder sort of fathers of the Scripture I say expressely because I am sure that proceeding from one god and written by one blessed and holy spirite euen the spirite of trueth it cannot deliuer contradictorie thinges howsoeuer other writers and men may but false and not onely vnsauoury but vnsound and therefore not onely not to be receiued in the Church but to be driuen and banished as farre from it as possibly may bee Hithereto wee haue dealte against our popish aduersaries blindelye and wickedlye maintaining doubting of Gods grace of the forgiuenesse of our owne sinnes and of eternall saluation wherein surely it is greatlye to bee lamented that through their waye-wardnesse wee haue beene constrained to spende so manye wordes in a matter which is not onely plainely testified and set out vnto vs in the holie Scriptures but a sorte as it were assuredly written and ingrauen in the hearts of men And were it not indeed that wee knowe the weake had need to be strengthned and the ignorant inâ—tructed rather for any good we hope will come of the confutation answering of our aduersaries we might well inough haue spared this labour and paine And yet because in this point of doctrin ther is contained a principall foundation of christian consolation we trust it is not labour mispent as wel these that are not so well exercised in it as they ought to be may be the better instructed as also that those that are weake may the more be comforted and strengthned And yet we cannot but say that this for the most part standeth in speculation and contemplation rather then in practise appoint that in this dissolute senselesse age of the world would be more regarded pressed vpon men though withall we denie not but that ther is a profitable vse both of the one and the other according to the diuersities of states and times wherein God is pleased to place his children For as speculatioÌ„ or contemplation is good for the chaunging of the state of our darkenesse and ignorance into light and knowledge so practise is good for the altring of our senselesse or careles condition into christian care and feeling That to wit speculation beloÌ„geth wholy to the minde and vnderstanding and it aimeth as at his generall buâ—â— or 〈◊〉 at general knowledge and comprehensions And this is the reasoning or disceptation of the heart and prepared principally for consolation and comforte that is to say yeeldeth to such consciences as are terrified and afflicted in temptations in the combat against sinne and the sense and feeling of Gods wrath against them for the same some spirituall ioy and consolation Both are necessarie in this Church and yet â—â—â—s latter of speciall vse for comforte Whereof though so manie stand not in need as of instruction because there are more ignoraunt and carelesse in the congregation then humbled and afflicted yet because their case is more hard and heauie for a wounded spirite who can be are it somewhat also would be said as in that behalfe Wherein sâ—â—h we our selues are not ignorant of the sleights and suggestions of Sathan and sith God hath furnished vs with spirituall armour and weapons to beat back the fierie darts of Sathan and hath reueiled himselfe in knowledge and comforte vnto vs not for our selues onely but for others that they with vs might be made partakers of the manifold graces of God let vs assaye from our owne feelings to doe good vnto others and what we can comforte and succour all those that are afflicted Satans suggestions are as a man may say innumerable and therefore let no man thinke we will or can deale with them all Such as we take to be principall and haue our selues beene most buffered and beaten withall wee will touch and aunswere as wee can Againe Sathan is the prince of darkenesse and confusion and therefore wee can hardlie followe any method in aunswering his temptations The course therefore that wee will keepe in this behalf shal be this take them as they come one after another and consider what he obiecteth and so accordinglye as God shall be pleased to assist and direct frame out of the worde of God seuerall and particular aunswers 1 In the first place Sathan commonly setteth before vs two strong temptations or if you will doth on both sides assault vs. For one while he obiecteth against vs our sinnes and another while the exceeding great and fearefull iustice of God reasoning or concluding thus against vs â—o He that is a sinner he is vnworthie to be saued yea most worthie eternally to perish for the vvages or hire of sinne is
may be comfortable also vnto him in glorie or else that we if it seeme so good vnto him being made as a maÌ„ may say gasing-stocks to men and angells and all the world he might declate in vs what is the wonderfull power and efficacy of the holy ghost in fraile and weake vessels which as it is many waies made manifest so doeth it appeare in the crowne of martyrdome suffering for trueth and in the strength of temptations we being more then conquerouts through him that loued vs and washed vs in his blood See 2. Cor. 4. ver 7. and 12. ver 9. and also Col. 1.24 And the like may we saye touching death which through the death of Christ is so sanctified vnto mee that I doe not onely triumph ouer it saying death where is thy sting hell where it thy victorie but find it to be a speedie passage and ready way for me vnto eternal life Therfore so farre of am I from beeing hindred by afflictions and death that I know these things as all other shall work vnto my good shall serue for the furthering yea for the perfecting of my saluation Rom. 8.28 I also assuring my heart that Christ hath deliuered me from the power of death and that I shall in and through Christ escape from death and passe vnto euerlasting life euen as he himselfe plainely affirmeth Ioh. 5.14 2 Secondly he obiecteth thus It is not sufficient that thy sinnes are satisfied and aunswered for by another or that thine iniquities are pardoned but besides it is of necessitie required that thou be righteous and doest perfectly obserue the law of God that is that thou doest perfectly loue god and thy neighbour For vnlesse thou haue this righteousnes indeed thou caÌ„st not escap the wrath curse of God but this righteousnes thou hast not nether caÌ„st haue indeed in this life therfore thou must of necessitie be vnder condeÌ„natioÌ„ We cannot aunswer to this temptation but euen as to the former yea and indeed almost to all other also that is hauing respect vnto Christ who hath not onely indured the punishment due vnto me for my sinnes but also performed perfect righteousnes yea and the same such as the very law doth require that not for himselfe because he needed none but for me hath he done all that he did fullfilled euen the whole law Which if any man doubt of or call into question let him but consider Christs own words Mat. 3. no doubt but he will giue glorie to God and confesse it Christ there saying let be now for thus it becommeth vs to fullfill all righteousnesse or els that saying in Ro 8. That that was impossible to the law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sinne in the flesh that that righteousnes of the law might be fulfilled in vs vvhich walke not after the flesh but after the spirit And tell me Satan Shall the power of Christs death be effectuall to take away transgression deny this if thou canst or darest And shall not the absolute might infinitnesse of his obedience be strong to make me stand as righteous in the sight of God What was there in all the â—â—we that he hath not absolutly accomplished EueÌ„ his very enimies he hath so hartily perfectly loued that he hath not only prayed for theÌ„ as appeareth in the history of his death but also for numbers of them hath susteined the wrath indignatioÌ„ of God that so he might reconcile theÌ„ to his heauenly father Oh how sweet not onely for the proofe of this point but for the heart conscience of all faithful is that of the Apostle Ro. 5. God setteth out his loue towards vs that whilest we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. Much more theÌ„ being nowe iustified by his blood we shall be saued froÌ„ wrath through him For if when we were enimies vve were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled vve shall be saued through his life And this absolut righteousnesse of Christ is through Gods goodnesse imputed vnto me and by faith laid hold of and applied to my selfe with which being clothed as with the precious and sweet garmentes of my elder brother I cannot but please God and stande righteousse in his light as the brother of Christ yea as one of gods heirs yea which is more an heire annexed with Christ himselfe And therefore may truely comfortably say as the Apostle doth in the same place of Ro. 8. Hath not God spared his owne sonne but giuen him for vs al to death how shall he not with him giue vs all thinges also If all things vvhy not then also absolute righteousnes who shall lay any thing to the charge of gods chosen It is god that iustifieth vvho shall condemne c. as followeth most comfortably Yea but it may bee that Sathan will yet further vrge this pointe what can another mans righteousnes auaile or profit thee seeing that the law presseth this vpon thee thou shalt loue thy neighbour c. Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house c. And the Scripture telleth vs the soule that sinneth that shall die the death Ezec. 18. And again there shall be wrath and indignation vpon euerye soule of euerie man that doth euill and breaketh the law Ro. 2. vers 9. To this we aunswere though that which hath beene said before concerning the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and gods acceptation of it may serue for an aunswer yet we further adioyne and say It is true that law doth require of euery man his owne righteousnes or hauing failed his satisfaction Herein Sathan is not a lyer but this is it that he faileth in the end of vrging this not of ignoraÌ„ce in himselfe for surely he knoweth it but of malice against vs to bring vs if it could bee to death and damnation What is the ende why the law requireth it or God in his lawe doth demaund the same It is to intimate that there is or can be in vs anye such thing no verily but to cause vs to go out of our selues and to seeke it else where where it may be found And in this respect particularly amongst many other is it that the law is and may be said to be schoolemaister to bring vs and to guide vs to Christ And indeede this is a misterie which beeing either manye ages together much hidden or else not so plainely discouered as now it is is laid open and reueiled vnto vs by the gospell to wit that where mankind was not able to satisfie in his own person the law of God and yet the law might not be destroyed or ouerthrowne God hath made a translation of the lawe into another person which might doe that for mankinde that it could neuer performe for it selfe that is absolutely obserue yea and fullfill the whole lawe Which person because
way to good manners is neuer to late And shall we prescribe time meane matter or any thing els to the almightie God is able and will also at what time howe it pleaseth himselfe to call his owne my selfe amongst the rest He calleth some sooner and yet their state not much the better for that and some later and yet their condition not much the worse for that which our Sauiour himselfe declareth in the parable of them that were called at diuers time to worke in his vyneyard Mat. 20. where those that were called at the dawning of the day and at the third sixt ninth houre they murmured at this that they came at the eleuenth houre receiued as much as themselues which had borne the burden and heat of the day But what saith the Master of the vineyard Friends I haue done you no wrong take that which is your owne goe your waies I will giue vnto this last as much as vnto you And why doth he so but that we might see that to be true in himselfe which he saith of himselfe he will haue mercie on whome soeuer he will haue mercie and that in such a measure of mercie to as he not they shal thinke best yea he doth it to this end that we might finde that fulfilled in the world amongst his owne that he promiseth in his worde that vvhensoeuer it pleaseth him to shew mercy he vvill Yea and that that might be verified which followeth in the end of the parable the 1. shall be last the last first Nay wee will say more then this Euen in thē that are called late as we say ther are or do appeare many times more euident testimonies of faith saluation then in those that are called somewhat sooner For ouer besides that wee may say nothing of this that many forward at the first do not only hold slowly on but sometimes slippe back the very work it selfe and the plenty of grace that is shedde abroad into their heartes doth plainely shew that God alone and not man or meane hath wrought the thing and therfore al the glory therof as likewise thanks for it to be returned vnto him wheras if it were a worke of great continuance wee woulde or might seeme to ascribe it partly to length of time and partly to some other instruments or meanes vsed in the effecting thereof If any man doubt of this let him looke vpon the example of one of the theeues that was crucified with Christ Oh what a heauenly and holy ende made he and that not onely in rebuking euill in his lewd and wicked companion neither yet in iustifying the innocencie and clearenesse of our Sauiour but in calling vpon him and that from the bottome of his heart for mercie All which and specially this last are full of singular grace in regard of god and maruelous cōsorte in respect of vs. From whence also me thinke we may inferre that whosoeuer he bee that doeth but in the verie pinch of death feele these holy and heauenlie motions he may certainely assure himselfe of infallible testimonies of faith and by consequent also of eternall saluation because faith and euerlasting life are neuer sundred in gods children for the feeling of it in this life and the fruition of it in that which is to come And if in my death the feeling of these motions may yeeld me spirituall heauenly comfort why should they not also minister vnto me strong consolation at what time soeuer in my life god of his owne bountifull liberality maketh me a plentifull partaker thereof Besids all this Sathan that hath beene said I must and will tell thee one thing further not onely for the full confutation of that which thou obiectest but euen for the throwinge of thine owne dongue and filthinesse into thine owne face For howsoeuer in other things thou shewest thy selfe to bee a most subtill aduersarie yet therin I will from thy selfe take that that shall hinder me from yeelding if there were nothing else Is there any thing more grosse in the world then poperie which thou hast hatched and brought forth to behold this light Amongst poperie is there any pointe more detestable then that of mans merits Doth not this thy temptation openly vnder proppe and shore vp the ruinous bulwarke or butteresse If for the length of my calling I should be accepted shoulde not God bee mooued with worldly respects For my very calling it selfe though neuet so effectuall I am not respected but for gods free fauour and last cast vpon me in Christ and therefore not for the length of time wherein I am called For I may reason of my calling as I doe of other graces of god The faith that God hath wrought in me is an excellent grace and indeede the hand as it were to lay hold of eternall life and yet I am not saued for my faiths but for Gods mercie sake in Christ Iesus These graces of faith and feeling of vocation sanctification c. are bestowed vpon me and wrought in me not so much nay indeed no whit at all for the working of my saluation for that belongeth vnto Gods mercie and Christs merite as to pledge vp vnto me the certaintie assurance of that and all other graces that God is pleased freely of his owne accord to bestow vpon me other wretched that haue the gift to beleeue But Sathan presseth againe this pointe and frameth a new argument thus Thou thy selfe needest not heare thy selfe so bolde others that thought themselues as stronge as thou doest thy selfe haue fallen away Thou art but infirme and weake and maiest not onely slide and slipp but fall away from the grace of god loose the faith that thou hast Thou cāst not therefore at anye hand be sure of euerlasting life and the sauing of thy soule But I tell thee Sathan though I can be content thou shouldst humble me my selfe and of my selfe as lawe as thou canst and I knowe it also sometimes to be needfull by reason of the high conceits that flesh and blood carieth of it selfe yet thou shalt neuer take away the righteousnes frō me that the Lord hath giuē me nether wil I suffer him to be blasphemed that hath dealt so bountifully with me no though thou shouldst either in malice against me or in blasphemye against God write a booke much lesse shall these few and weak things ouerthrow my hope I tell thee therfore Satan that though I bee infirme and weake in my selfe and readie euerie minute of an houre to slippe and slide yea to fall yet I am strong in him that is the roote and fortresse yea the very God of my strength and power of whom I may say as Dauid saieth by the Lord I shall be inabled to leape ouer a vvall and he shall strengthen my hand and mine arme to breake a bow of brasse and concerning whose goodnesse towardes me I haue that sounding in my heart that was answered to the