fhall rife again to everlasting joye and falvation, and the other to everlasting death and damnation. Matth. 25. 33, 34, 41. John 5. 29.

110. M. Wherefore is there mention made of life everlafting, and not of hell?

C. Because the Creede is a brief fumme of our faith, conteining in as few wordes as can be, that that belongeth peculiarly to comfort the confciences of Gods faithfull: therefore Gods benefites which hee freely bestoweth upon his people, bee re hearfed onely, without any mention of the wicked, who are cleane fhut out of his kingdome.

XVIII,

SONDAY

111. M. S'Ince we have the foundation wher upon our faith is builded,

we may well gather hereof, what is the right faith?

is.

C. Yea verely; that is to fay, it is a What thing fure perfwafion and steadfast knowledge lively faith of Gods tender love towardes us, according as he hath plainely uttered in his Gofpell, that he wil be both a Father and a Saviour unto us, through the meanes of Jefus Chrift,

112. M. Doeth faith ftand in our power; either is it a free gift of God?

C. The Scripture teacheth us, that it is a fpeciall gift of the holy Ghoft, and

The holy

very experience doth alfo confirme the fame.

113. M. How fo?

C. For the feebleneffe of our wittes is Ghoft do- fuch, that we can by no meanes attaine eth lighten our minde. unto the fpirituall wifedome of God, the which is reveiled unto us by faith: and our hearts are naturally inclined to a certain diftruft, or at least a vaine truft either in our felves or in other creatures: but what time Gods Spirit hath lightened our hearts, and made us able to understand Gods will, (the which thing wee can not attaine otherwife) then doeth hee arme us alfo with a steadfaste confidence in his goodneffe, fealing the promises of falvation in our heartes.

This faith

114. M. What profit commeth to us through this faith, when we have it?

C. It doeth juftifie us before God, and maketh us maketh us inheritours of everlafting life. 115. M. Is not a man then justified through good works, if he live holily, and in the ober dience of Gods will ?

fure of our righteoufneffe.

C. If any man were fo perfect before God, he might worthely be called righteous: But for fo much as wee are all wretched finners in the fight of God, wee are driven to feeke elfewhere for a worthineffe to make anfwere for us to Gods judgement.

XIX, SON

XIX.

SONDAY.

116. M. BUT bee all our workes lo difproved, that they can merit nothing at all for us before God?

C. Firft, all fuch workes as we do of All mans our felves, by our nature, are utterly works be corrupt: whereof it followeth neceffarily, damnable, that they can not please God, but rather be regene do provoke his wrath, and he condemn rate eth them every one.

through

Gods Spi

117. M. This is then thy faying, that un- sit. to the time that God hath received us to mercie, and regenerate us by his Spirit, we can doe nothing but fin; even as an evill tree can bring foorth no frute, but that that is evill. Matth. 7. 17.

C. Even fo it is; for although our workes make a faire fhewe to mans fight, yet they are wicked before God, fo long. as the hart is naught, unto the which God chiefly hath respect.

118. M. Hereby then thou doeft conclude, that it lieth not in our power to prevent Gud with our merites, and fo to provoke him to love us, but much rather we thereby doe ftir him to be more and more angrie against us.

C. Yea furely; and therefore I fay, that' without any confideration of our owne workes, hee doeth receive us into his favour, of his bountifull mercie, through the merites of our Saviour Christ, ac

counting

The good

workes

counting his righteoufneffe to bee ours, and for his fake imputeth not our faultes unto us. Tit. 3. 4, 5.

119. M. What meanest thou then, that a man is juftified by faith?

C. For as much as through beleeving, that is, receiving with an affurance of the heart the promises of the Gofpell, we enter into poffeffion of this righteoufneffe.

120. M. This is then thy meaning, that as God doth offer righteousneffe to us by his Gofpell, fo the onely way to receive it, is faith? C. So I meane.

121. M.

XX.

SONDAY:

Ell then, after that God hath once received us into his fat vour, be not the works which wee doe by the vertue of his Spirit, acceptable unto him?

C. Yes verely; becaufe hee doeth of his free goodneffe fo accept them, and which pro- not because their worthineffe doeth de→ ceede one- ferve fo to be efteemed.

ly of faith.

122. M. How is it that they be not wor thy of themselves to bee accepted, fince they proceede of the holy Ghoft?

C. Because there is mixed fome filth through the infirmity of the flesh, wherby they are defiled.

123. M. By what meanes then are they made acceptable unto God?

C. By

The way

to doe

workes

C. By faith onely, whereby a man is aflured in his confcience, that God will not ftraitly examine his works, nor tric good them by the fharpe rigor of his justice; which but that he will hide the unperfecneffe picafe and the uncleane spots that be in them, God. with the pureneffe of our Saviour Chrift, and fo account them as perfect.

124. M. May we fay then that a Chriftian is justified by his works, after that God bath called him, or that he doth merite through them Gods favour to the procurement of life ever lafting?

C. No verely; but rather it is faid, that no man living fhal be juftified and therfore we must pray, that hee doe not enter into judgement with us. Pfal 143. 2.

N

125. M. Thou meanest not hereby that the good deeds of the faithfull are unprofitable?

C. I meane nothing leffe; for God promifeth to reward them largely, both in this world, and in the life to come: and yet this notwithstanding, those rewards of God be not given for our worthy defertes, but onely because it pleaseth God of his goodneffe to love us freely, and fo to cover and forget our faultes, that he will never call them any more to remembrance.

126. M. May we be juft without good works?

C. That