So, I live: [yet] not I now, but Christ lives in me, and whereas I live now in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I refuse not the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ died in vain.

We have seen this morning to what end we are offered up in sacrifice unto God when our Lord Jesus Christ knits us together in his body. It is not so that we should lie still in the death into which we are already plunged by nature, but rather to make us partakers of the heavenly life. Now, the Apostle, having spoken in that manner, magnifies God's grace, saying that he himself no longer lives, but Jesus Christ lives in him. This is as much as if he had said that all of us, by nature, have nothing in us but wretchedness. Therefore, whatever good God bestows upon us, it becomes us to acknowledge and confess that it comes from Him and to serve Him for it. For faith always brings with it this humility, that men embrace themselves to give all praise to God.

But by the way, it may seem strange that a faithful man should boast that Jesus Christ lives in him, and yet he is still mortal. As long as we live in this world, we are subject to many infirmities. Therefore, this saying might seem to be a vain speculation or a fantastic conceit, that Jesus Christ lives in us. But St. Paul brings us back to faith and tells us that although our life appears corruptible outwardly, and we are subject to all the adversities of the world, faith quickens us so that our Lord Jesus Christ does not cease to make us partakers of His heavenly life. Indeed, we possess it, inasmuch as we must no longer consider the state of the faithful according to what may be judged of by our natural wit, but mount up higher. For the life which our Lord Jesus Christ imparts to us is a hidden treasure that we attain to only by faith, which rises above the whole world.

Now, it behooves us to hope for the things which we do not see and which are hidden from us. God is highly honored by us when we make such an account of His word and promises that all the things we see in the world cannot hold us back from continually seeking Him, going to Him, and employing all our wits about Him.

Therefore, first, we have to gather from this text that a man has never profited well in the Gospel until he attributes all his welfare to our Lord Jesus Christ. For if we reserve even a little to ourselves, we are unthankful to God outright, and His grace cannot be darkened by us without us being deprived of it as we are worthy.

In that regard, it appears that all those who trust in their own merits are still full of pride and are mortal enemies to God's glory. It is true that they will not profess it with their mouths, but for all that, the hypocrites who hope to be righteous by their own worthiness adorn themselves with God's feathers. Humility is the principal virtue among all others. For what are all their merits? Conversely, when the faithful humble themselves, it is not to purchase grace in God's sight as though they were worthy of it, but to confess, as truth is, that they have nothing to boast about and must receive all things from God's sheer liberality.

At least, it serves to make us acknowledge how greatly we are bound unto Him, seeing He has shown Himself so kind towards us as to spare nothing for us. That, therefore, is the thing that Saint Paul shows us here. And it behooves us to weigh well the second point where he says that we live in the flesh, albeit by the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. This phrase "live in the flesh" in this text signifies as much as to be a wayfarer here upon earth and to pass through this transitory life. For when he speaks of living in the flesh in Romans 8, he means to be given to wicked lusts, as those who have no fear of God, who give themselves to do whatever they want. Therefore, those who follow their own desires like brute beasts live in the flesh.

But in this place, Saint Paul compares this outward life with the heavenly life which we possess by faith. For how shall a man differentiate between the faithful and the faithless? Both eat and drink. Surely, the faithful eat and drink soberly. Yet, you shall see many of the faithless sort very well restrained, not given to any drunkenness or excess. But however they fare, one would deem at first sight that this life is common to all men. Nevertheless, the faithful often drag their wings after them and nothing else but droop in this world and finally die just like all other men. Then, if one looks only at the outward appearance, there is no diversity between them.

In short, a man might say it is but lost labor to believe in Jesus Christ. For we do not receive the reward of our faith here, and although God calls us to a further thing, we all have one common and similar life, in that all of us must come to death. How then does Jesus Christ live in us? For His living is hidden. Saint Paul brings us back to faith.

Now remains to know what the nature of faith is: It is to behold the things that are incomprehensible to our senses, to forsake the world, and to seek the kingdom of God, and to hold ourselves to the pure and simple word that proceeds out of God's mouth, without respect to anything that we can perceive here. If we do not have this groundwork, we shall never understand what Saint Paul tells us in this text. For when men have read it a hundred times, yet they shall not know what difference there is between living in the flesh and living in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Then there is an outward state, in respect to which Saint Paul comprehends all things that concern this transitory life. There is also an inward state which is hidden from us, that is to wit, the state which is promised to us, and which we wait for by hope. For the outward man must needs be defaced and decay by little and little until it be utterly done away with. Accordingly, although it is promised to God's children that God will give them new liveliness and make them as it were to cast their feathers, yet notwithstanding, you shall see them sometimes so diseased as it is pity, and the strongest men of the world grow old and come to death. Seeing it is so, what preferment have they above the unbelievers? Great: however, the same cannot be perceived by eyesight.

For we have an inward man which lies hidden within us. And what meant Saint Paul by that? He meant that God works in such a way in us by His Holy Spirit, as we are always assured of the heavenly life that is prepared for us. And although we do but glide away here below and be as strangers, yet there is an everlasting heritage which cannot fail us. According as the outward man decays (says Saint Paul), so the inward man renews. For the more that the faithful see themselves decay, the more are they warned and provoked to look upward.

For we know that such as are strong and lusty do besot and forget themselves, and therefore our Lord is fain to tame us in such wise, as we may renew by decaying: I say in such wise as we may be, as you would say, new-cast in a mold again, to the end that the hope of the heavenly life may be established in us, and we have our sight cleared to behold the thing which otherwise would be wrapped up from us.

Mark how gold and silver do greatly waste when men make them to pass the furnace. When it is cast into the fire, it is a great mass of metal; but when it is taken out again, there is but a small quantity of it. And yet the gold (if it were not so fined) would never serve to any purpose, nor would silver neither. Even so is it with us: we could never be renewed to come to the kingdom of heaven except we died first. We must ever go forward to that utter defacement and not rest by the way upon anything that we see with our eyes. For this earthly life is but a shadow and a smoke that slides and vanishes away. And yet, nevertheless, we are renewed thereby within. Not that all men have that benefit: For the faithless do well enough find their own weakness and are enforced to feel the summonings of death, especially when they are grown old, for then they perceive that any little blast is enough to cast them down, and thereupon they fall to storming and could find in their hearts to fall out with God and nature.

However the world goes, though they rot, yet they are not renewed. For one grain of corn may well rot, and yet not take root to spring again and to bring forth fruit, and another grain shall rot likewise, albeit forasmuch as it is in good earth and has taken root, it will bring forth fruit in seasonable time. So then the faithful come to decay, and therewithal are renewed and gather new force. And why? For they rot in this world to be restored and renewed again in the heavenly heritage. The faithless also do go away to; they rot likewise, they slip aside, and they vanish quite away. But they have no advantage by it, because they are not restored to eternal life.

So then let us mark well that whereas Saint Paul says we live by the faith of Jesus Christ, it is to awaken us so that nothing in the world may keep us from resting continually upon God's promises. When we look upon all the things that are about us, there is nothing but death. But what for that? God has given us His word, that being dead in our own nature, we have our life elsewhere, namely in our Lord Jesus Christ, inasmuch as He was purposely sent to bring us from death to life. Seeing then that we have that promise of God, you see how He may be honored at our hands. And inasmuch as the case stands so, that only saying ought to suffice us. And if we settle and resolve ourselves fully thereupon, it is a token that we set our hands to God's truth as faithful witnesses thereof, as Saint John says. Contrariwise, when we doubt or are in a stammering, then has God's word no authority nor reverence among us.

For if we look no further than to the things that are before us and to the things that are near at hand, we cannot acknowledge that God is faithful, and that the things which God has uttered with his own mouth are infallible. Moreover, in so doing, we turn away from our Lord Jesus Christ, who nonetheless is the pledge of all that is contained in God's word. Seeing we have the word, we must no more ask (as Moses says) who shall climb up above the clouds? or who shall go down into the deep? or who shall go over the sea? The word (says he) is in your mouth and in your heart, and we must content ourselves with it. And moreover, seeing that we have our Lord Jesus Christ for a larger confirmation, we know that he went down into the hells, that is to say, bore the curse that was due to us for our sins, and answered as our pledge and surety before the judgment seat of his father, and afterward went up into heaven, and in our behalf took possession of the heritage that he had purchased for us. For he was exalted up in our flesh and nature. Seeing that we have such an assurance, must we not necessarily be too wretched if we cannot hold ourselves to it?

Again, the matter wills us to look still back to that which has been said, namely, that we hope not for things that are open and manifest, but for the things that are unknown to worldly perception. Then since it is so, let us learn to live by the faith of Jesus Christ: that is to say, although we be miserable in this world and be fain to endure never so many heartbitings, griefs, anguishes, troubles, and distresses, yet notwithstanding let us continue in this constancy of believing that there is nothing but singular happiness in all our miseries, because God blesses and hallows them for our Lord Jesus

Christ's sake, and all is turned to our help and welfare as it is said in the eighth to the Romans.

Therefore, as we have seen in another text, God must utter the perfectness of his strength in our weakness, and we suffer him to make us to stoop, in such sort as this world may not keep us back from having the promises of the Gospel thoroughly printed in our hearts, nor hinder us to be glad and cheerful in the midst of our miseries and afflictions, nor boldly to despise all the slanderings and mockages of the faithless when they offer us reproach, saying, "God's, you silly wretches, think yourselves to be princes when you believe the Gospel. But alack, poor souls, where is the joy and happiness which you say is promised you of God? Where is the inestimable benefit which you make so great account of? For you have no more than those whom you call God's enemies, reprobates, and cursed caitiffs." But (as I said), all this gear must not thrust us out of the way, for we must come back unto faith.

Although then that here beneath we perceive not the things that are promised us in the Gospel, yet let us assure ourselves of them out of all doubt. For (as says Saint Paul) our life is hidden, and the time of the discovery thereof is not yet come. And where is our life but in our Lord Jesus Christ? Now the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ is apparent enough: howbeit, that is but in part: we have but a taste of it: and things are so troubled and disordered in this world, that if we will judge of our salvation by the outward appearance, what would become of it? Therefore let us suffer our life to be hid till our Lord Jesus Christ comes, and then shall we perceive that we have not been beguiled in putting our trust in him, and in admitting the doctrine of his Gospel.

You see then after what manner we must live by faith: that is to say, we must not be so nice as to seek a quiet life here and to have all our commodities and ease here. For in so doing we should forgo the thing that God has promised us, we should forget him, and it would be an utter destruction of our faith. But let us take the mirror of God's word, and there look upon the things that surmount all our wit and are set far out of this world, and are utterly invisible, and let us lift up our eyes thither, not so far forth as our own reason and skill shall be able to guide us (for that is not enough), but so as we may climb above the world and forsake the present things, to the end to hold ourselves fast in God's promises, and to be patient in all afflictions and miseries wherewith we shall be exercised, and against which we must be fain to fight until we receive the fruit of our victory, when we are conveyed up into the rest of heaven.

Thus, you see what we have to gather upon this saying of Saint Paul, which might seem dark at the first sight. But when we have, on the one side, marked well what our state is while we be in this world, and on the other side considered what the nature of faith is, we shall easily perceive that there is no darkness at all in it. And now Saint Paul adds expressly that Jesus Christ loved him and gave himself to death for him. This is an exposition of what we saw earlier. For men do oftentimes misconstrue the word Faith because they consider not what the pith of it is. And indeed, every man will be called faithful, and yet even among those that make a profession of Christianity, you shall scarcely find one of a hundred that has so much as one drop of faith. For (as I said before) it is never sought what is meant by faith. The word is very short, but it draws a long tail after it, as we see by the addition that is set down here. For Saint Paul declares that he lives by faith because Jesus Christ had loved him and delivered himself to death for him. As much must we do. For inasmuch as we see that the Son of God; the Lord of glory, the head of the Angels, he by whom all things were made, and by whom all things are still maintained, yields himself to death, yes, and to so vile a death that he took our curse upon him, and not only was hanged upon a Cross, which was an irksome thing to all the world, but also was pronounced accursed by God's own mouth: seeing (say I) that we have such a price to ransom us from death and to purchase us life and salvation: have we not cause (if we think well upon it) to overleap all the lettes that Satan can cast in our ways to make us turn head or to retire back, that we might not continue in the certainty of our faith? Surely the victory will be easy enough for us against all temptations if we can consider of what value the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ is, and what it importeth. So then Saint Paul arms us here, to the end we might hold out with invincible constancy against all the stoppages that Satan laboureth to lay before us, to hinder us from keeping on our course.

When the faithful are pinched with hunger or thirst, they are troubled with looking here and there for the promise that they shall be heirs of the world, and in the meantime do well-nigh starve for famine and penury. But if they look to our Lord Jesus Christ, that will dispatch them of all their trouble and sweeten all the bitterness that might have put the promises of salvation out of taste with them. Therefore, whenever the faithful are in any peril or are persecuted, so as they have many wrongs and injuries done to them, and yet are not succored of all that while, they might think thus with themselves: Where is God? He has promised to dwell in us, to keep us as the Apple of his eye, and to be our shield and fortress: and yet in the meantime we are cast up to the spoil. Wherefore it is certain that we shall be undone at every blow. But when we come to the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, we must conclude that the Son of God was not offered up in vain. Seeing then that our Lord Jesus Christ spared not himself, but abased himself so far as to suffer so slanderous, yes, and cursed a death, and afterward also the pains of Hell, albeit but for a while, to the end to set us free and clear, and to purchase us grace before the judgment seat of God his father: should that doing of his be unavailing? Is it possible that it should be? No: For if Heaven and earth were turned upside down, it were not so great a confusion, as to imagine that the Son of God has suffered in vain. Then see we now why Saint Paul tells us that he lived by faith. For it behooves us to be settled upon the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, assuring ourselves that it is able enough to draw us out of the dungeons of death.

And furthermore, it behooves us to look upon our Lord Jesus Christ, not only as dead in the infirmity of his flesh but also as risen again through his divine and heavenly power, as is said of him in another Text. And therefore when there is any speaking of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, it stands us in hand to consider what the same importeth: that is to wit, that it is a sacrifice to make an atonement of Reconciliation between God and man, an obedience to cover all the naughtiness that is in us, and a washing to scour away all our uncleanness and filthiness. For as much then as we know that there is such power in the death and passion of the Son of God, and that thereupon we march further, that is to wit, to the glory whereunto it leadeth us: let us not anymore imagine that man ought hereafter to continue still in his own nature, but that he ought to live in the faith of the Gospel, assuring himself that he shall not be disappointed in resting upon the promises that are contained there.

Thus, you see in effect whereunto we should refer this saying, where Saint Paul tells us expressly that the Son of God gave himself. And he contenteth not himself to say that Christ gave himself for the world in common, for that had been but a slender saying: but [shows that] every of us must apply to himself particularly the virtue of the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whereas it is said that the Son of God was crucified, we must not only think that the same was done for the Redemption of the world: but also every of us must on his own behalf join himself to our Lord Jesus Christ, and conclude, "It is for me that he has suffered."

Likewise when we are baptized, as it is not for any one man alone, so is not the water sprinkled upon all men in common: but every man is baptized separately in his own behalf, to the end that every of us may apply it particularly to himself, to say that we are all members of our Lord Jesus Christ. Also when we receive the holy Supper, every man takes his own portion, to show us that our Lord Jesus Christ is communicated unto us, yea even to every one of us. Saint Paul therefore purposely uses that manner of speech, to the end we should not have any cold imagination, after the manner of diverse ignorant persons, which take themselves to be Christians, and yet in the meanwhile are as wretched beasts.

But when we once know that the thing which was done for the redemption of the whole world pertains to every of us separately: it behooves every of us to say also on his own behalf, "The Son of God has loved me so dearly, that he has given himself to death for me." Furthermore, the word Love is not superfluous here: for Saint Paul's intent is to magnify the gracious goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ: as if he should say, that we be very wretches if we accept not such a benefit when it is offered us, seeing that God in sending us his Son had no other respect but to our miseries which he intended to relieve. Also our Lord Jesus Christ did so neglect himself, that he spared not his life for our welfare. And what was the cause of it? The love that he bore us. Seeing it is so: must we not needs be worse than out of our wits, if we accept not such a benefit? But it is a very common doctrine in the holy Scripture, that God so loved the world, that he spared not his only Son, but gave him to death for us: and also that our Lord Jesus Christ, at such time as we were his deadly enemies as Saint Paul says, did confirm a marvelous love towards us, in that he offered himself in sacrifice to make atonement between God and us, and to do away all our sins, so as they might no more come to account. Lo here a warrant of our salvation, so as we ought to think ourselves thoroughly assured of it. However, Saint Paul meant purposely here to rebuke men's unthankfulness, in that they accept not the benefit which God grants them so bountifully, yea and of his own free goodness. For it behooves us to call to mind how Saint John in his Canonical Epistle says that we loved not God first: (as if he should say, we did not prevent him, as those think they do which say, "I have done him such service and such." For alas what is it that we can do to him?) but that he loved us, [yea even] at such time as we were his deadly enemies,) and came even then to seek us out in the very deepest of the bottomless Dungeons. And thereupon Saint Paul adds, that he does not despise or shake off the grace of God. This is the knitting up of the things that we have hitherto seen. For here he meant to show that the Devil must needs possess those that make none account of God's mercy, that is uttered in our Lord Jesus Christ, and daily offered us in his Gospel. For look how often the death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ is preached unto us, and the infinite goodness of our God talked of: so often is this message renewed unto us, that our Lord Jesus Christ calls us unto him, to the end we should forsake the world and being out of all hope in ourselves, fasten and settle our whole trust in him. Since it is so: it is good reason that we should not reject the grace of God. And Saint Paul in saying so, meant to call back such as had gone astray before, and to show them the way, as if he had said, whereas the poor ignorant souls that never heard word of the Gospel might be excused: we must needs be worse than damnable, seeing we refuse the grace of God when it is offered us: for it smells of such an unthankfulness, as can by no means be excused. Saint Paul therefore does here make mention of those whom our Lord Jesus Christ calls to the hope of salvation by his Gospel, and yet do still welter in their own wretchedness, and become brutish, not knowing whether there be a better life or no; or else of such as are sufficiently tormented with inward heart-bitings, and yet seek no remedy nor comfort.

Yet notwithstanding, all they to whom our Lord Jesus Christ has not preached his Gospel shall not fail to perish without mercy. They cannot defend themselves by ignorance: I say that all the heathen folk and idolaters that ever were must have their mouths stopped. And what shall become of us then, which have had our ears beaten daily with the message that God sends us: which is that he requires nothing but that we should be drawn unto him, whereunto he encourages, yea and beseeches us, as we have seen in the second to the Corinthians? It is not a great shame for us, that God should so far abase himself in the person of his only son, that he should beseech us? "Let us fall to atonement," says he. And what has he done on his side? What has he offended us? Nay, contrariwise, we cease not to provoke him daily against us, and yet he comes to say unto us, "I will fall to atonement with you," whereas notwithstanding there is nothing but spitefulness in us, we be like little fiends, and to be short, we be damned and forlorn, and yet comes he to seek unto us, and desires nothing but to have the atonement made. After that manner speaks Saint Paul word for word. But now what will become of us, if we reject such grace, seeing that God offers it, us so freely? This is what is meant by that saying. And thereupon he concludes in the end, that if we seek righteousness in the Law, Jesus Christ died in vain. As if he should say, that if we intend to enjoy the grace that is contained in the Gospel, we must utterly give over the fond opinion of our own merits. For men are deceived by bearing themselves in hand, that there is ever somewhat of value in them: and to be short, they cannot find in their hearts to come as poor beggars before God, but will always bring some present with them. And yet notwithstanding all that ever we think ourselves to have, is but abomination.

Therefore Saint Paul shows us, that there is no other means for us to receive life at our Lord Jesus Christ's hand, and to be made partakers of his death and resurrection, and so to attain to the heritage of heaven by his means, than to be utterly voided of all the foolish overweenings, which the children of this world conceive, when they imagine with themselves, "Oh as for me, I have some virtue in me, I have some towardness," and to lay it all down and cast it quite away. For until we have forgotten our own deserts, surely we shall never be able to conceive the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do we then come unto him? Let us come utterly empty. For if we make any countenance of having aught, it is nothing else but wind. Truly whenever men are puffed up with pride: they become so full that they are ready to burst, howbeit all of it is but wind. But yet howsoever we fare, that wind holds us back from receiving the benefits that are purchased and brought unto us by the Son of God, and which he communicates to us by his Gospel. Thus you see whereunto the conclusion tends which Saint Paul makes here. Now the Papists will grant well enough that we be not able to purchase salvation, except we be helped by our Lord Jesus Christ: howbeit they imagine that men may half save themselves, and that look what wants is supplied by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, etc. so they suppose themselves to have a good and available starting hole. But in saying so, they show themselves deadly enemies of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and upholders of the case and quarrel of the false apostles and deceivers that had corrupted, defiled, and falsified the pure truth in the Church of Galatia. For those sorts of men could well enough confess that Jesus Christ was the Savior of the world, and they would have been ashamed to say that Jesus Christ was nothing, nay rather they professed Christianity. And what deemed they of Jesus Christ? That he came to help men's infirmities, because they were not able to discharge the law to the full, and that forasmuch as they could not have so great and large perfection as was requisite, therefore it behooved them to be helped by Jesus Christ: and even as much do the Papists say at this day. But Saint Paul concludes on the contrary part, that then Jesus Christ had died in vain. If any man reply, no not so: for there should come some fruit of his death and passion, by helping us to the forgiveness of our sins: and although we have means to satisfy God withal, yet would not the same suffice, unless Jesus Christ should work therewith.

I say if any man make such reply: let us mark that Saint Paul held this for a certain and undeceivable principle, that do the best we can, there is nothing but cursedness in us, till God have received us of his mere grace. Lo wherein the Papists beguile themselves, and not they only: for it has been a common error among the Turks and among all the Heathen men that ever were. The Turks can confess well enough that they have need of God's mercy, and that has always been an opinion throughout the whole world: but they have intermingled their own satisfactions with God's grace, as if they should say, although God be pitiful towards us, yet must we procure favor in his sight by our own deservings. After that manner were the Heathen folk wont to speak. And what say the Papists nowadays? All one thing. For after they have once granted themselves to be wretched sinners, and to have need to be succored by our Lord Jesus Christ, and that his death and passion are available to make them way unto God: they interlace their own free will, and their preparations, and thereto say that they deserve on their side, and that although Jesus Christ helps them, yet he does not do all himself. And in very deed that is the flat doctrine of the Papists word for word. For they say we cannot deserve aught except Jesus Christ go before us and show us the way, for they say that he has purchased us the first grace, and that it lies in us to follow on and to attain to the second. And if a man asks them what is meant by that first grace they say it is the occasion of meriting or deserving: for that is their terming of it, and their manner of speech. And this occasion of meriting is nothing else with them, but that men are able of themselves to bind God to them by their own satisfactions. in vain,

But Saint Paul tells us that it is too outrageous, yea and too devilish a traitorousness to have such pride: and therefore he concludes that Jesus Christ should have died if we should seek righteousness in the law. Will we then possess our Lord Jesus Christ? It behooves us to know wherefore we come unto him: namely because that by the Law we are already condemned, cursed of God, cut off from hope of life, and full of all corruption, so as God must be fain to cleanse us by his Holy Spirit, and forasmuch as there are many infirmities in us, we must always come to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to confess that there is nothing in us but all cursedness and misery: we must needs come to this conclusion of Saint Paul's, that Christ had died in vain, if it behooved us to obtain righteousness by the law, whether it were wholly or partly. We must needs confess that, and the veriest idiots are able to perceive it, in so much that if we receive not Jesus Christ with that condition, it is certain that his coming shall profit us nothing at all. It will be but as a wind to blow us away together, so as we shall be no more able to take hold of God's mercy that is offered us in Jesus Christ. Now seeing it is so: let us learn to leave such manner of mingling, and acknowledge ourselves beholden to our Lord Jesus Christ for all things: for when we go about to interlace our own merits with the free remission of our sins, it is but a falsifying of God's truth.

Besides this, when we have learned to rest ourselves after that manner upon him: let us be taken in love with the spiritual benefits which he brings us, and let not the afflictions and adversities of this world hinder us from holding on our course, and from the overcoming of all temptations and distresses, but that we may have full joy in the midst of all our sorrows and troubles, assuring ourselves that all that ever we can suffer in this world, is nothing in comparison of that which is prepared for us in the kingdom of heaven. And that is the thing whereunto Saint Paul leads us. For first of all he exhorts us to a holy and well-ruled life, and to be lowly as becomes us, to give ourselves wholly to our Lord Jesus Christ.

And secondly he exhorts us to arm ourselves with patience, that we may overcome all the assaults and distresses that come upon us, and walk in such wise in this world, as we may always go forward to the heavenly heritage, which we see not, and which surpasses all our understanding, not ceasing for all that to assure ourselves of it, since we have so good a promise of it made unto us. And further, seeing we have the earnest penny and pledge of it given unto us in our Lord Jesus Christ: let the same serve us for a full assurance, to show us that we need not run at random, but have a perfect faith and a firm and substantial hope, forasmuch as we have already in the person of the Son of God, a full performance of all things that we can wish.

But now let us fall down before the majesty of our good God, with acknowledgment of our sins, praying him to make us feel them more and more, and to touch us in such wise with true repentance, as the same may provoke us more and more to seek forgiveness and mercy at God's hand, and therewithal also to beseech him to govern us so by his Holy Spirit, as we may be encouraged more and more to forsake all the lusts of our own flesh, and all that is of our old Adam, till we be come to the perfection whereunto he allures us, and from which we be so far off as yet. That it may please him to grant this grace not only to us, but also to all people etc.