power agaynst them that be in Christ Iesu. MarginaliaThe curse of the law is crucified, and shall neuer ryse agayne.For like as if a woman bee discharged from her first husband beyng dead, & hath maryed an other man, the first husband hath no more power ouer her: euen so we now beyng espoused vnto Christ our secōd husband, are discharged vtterly from our first husbād the law: and (as S. Paul, in an other place sayth) are no more vnder the law, MarginaliaRom. 7.that is, vnder the dominion and malediction of the law, but vnder grace, MarginaliaRom. 6.that is, vnder perpetuall remission of all sinnes, cōmitted not onely before our Baptisme, but as well also after Baptisme, and during all our lyfe long. MarginaliaTo bee vnder the law, and vnder grace expounded.For therin properly consisteth þ^e grace of God, in not imputyng sinne vnto vs, so often as the repentyng sinner rysing vp by fayth flyeth vnto Christ, MarginaliaWhat is to bee vnder grace.and apprehendeth Gods mercy and remission promised in hym, accordyng to the testimonie both of the Psalme: Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne &c. MarginaliaPsal. 31.and also of all the Prophetes, which (as S. Peter saith) giue recorde to him, that through his name all that beleue in him shall receaue remißion of their sinnes. &c. Act. 10. MarginaliaAct. 10.
One remedy for remission of sinnes and no more.Which being so, as it cā not be denyed, then what nedeth these priuate & extraordinary remissions to bee brought into the Church by MarginaliaAuricular confession no remedy for remission of sins.eare confession, by meritorious deedes, and by the Popes pardons? for if there be no condemnation but by the law: and if this law it selfe be captiued, crucified, abolished, and departed, which was the first husband, what condemnation then can there be to them that be in Christ Iesu, or by whō should it come? If there be no condēnation, but a free and general deliuerance for al men, once gottē by the victory of Christ, from the penalty of the law: what needeth thē any particular remissiō of sinnes, at sondry tymes to be sought at the Priestes handes or the Popes pardons? He that hath a generall pardō, nedeth no particular? MarginaliaRemission of sinnes standeth vpon a general cause, and not particular.If remedy for sinne be generall and perpetuall once gotten for euer to all them that be in Christ Iesu, what nedeth any other remedy by auricular cōfession? If it be not generall and perpetuall, how then is it true that S. Paule sayth: the law is crucified and condemnation abolished? or how standeth redemption perpetuall and generall, if remission bee not generall? MarginaliaThe law crucified by Christ, what it meaneth.For what is redemption els, but remissiō of sinnes, or sinnes bought out? or what is els to kill the law, but to discharge vs from condemnation for euer? He that deliuereth hys frend for a tyme out of hys enemyes hand, doth hym a pleasure: but hee that kylleth the enemy once out of the way, gyueth perpetuall safity. So if remission of sinnes by Christ were for some sinnes and not for all, the law then must needes lyue still. But now the kyllyng and crucifiyng of the law importeth full remission to bee absolute, and our safitie to be perpetuall. MarginaliaObiection.But here percase will be obiected of some: how stādeth remission of sinnes certeine and perpetuall, seyng new offences beyng dayly committed, do dayly requyre new remission? MarginaliaAunswere.Hereto I aunswere: albeit sinnes do dayly grow, whereby we haue nede dayly to desire God to forgeue vs our trespasses &c. MarginaliaThe cause of remission euer one and perpetuall.yet notwithstandyng the cause of our remission standeth euer one and perpetual, neither is þ^e same to be repeted any more, nor any other cause to be sought besides that alone. This cause is þ^e sacrificed body of Christ once vpon þ^e Crosse for all sinnes that either haue or shalbe committed. Beside this cause there is no other, neither confession, nor mēs pardons that remitteth sinnes.

MarginaliaThe promise of Remission euer perpetual.Furthermore, as the cause is one and euer perpetuall which worketh remission of sinnes vnto vs: so is the promise of God euer one, once made, and standeth perpetuall that offereth þ^e same to the fayth of þ^e repentyng sinner. And because the sayd promise of God is alwayes sure and can not fayle, which offereth remission to all them that beleue in Christ, beyng limited neither to tyme nor number, MarginaliaRemission of sinnes freely prouised without limitation of tyme or nūber.therfore we may boldly cōclude, that what time soeuer a repentyng sinner beleueth, and by fayth applyeth to hym the sacrifice of Christ, hath by Gods owne promyse remission of hys sinnes, whe- ther they were done before, or after Baptisme.

MarginaliaThe meanes wherby remission is promised is onely faith.And moreouer, for somuch as the sayd promise of God offereth remission to the repentaunt sinner, by no other meanes nor condition, but onely one, that is, by fayth in Christ: therefore excludyng all other meanes and conditions of mans workyng, we say, that what repentyng sinner soeuer beleueth in Christ, hath already in hym selfe (& nedeth not seeke to any Priest) perpetuall assuraunce of remission, not for this tyme or that tyme onely, but for euer and a day. MarginaliaThe wordes of promise fre and absolute.For the promise sayth not, he that beleueth in Christ shalbe pardoned this tyme, so he sinne no more: neither doth it say, that the law is stayd, or the sentence repryued, but sayth playnly, that the law with her condemnation and sentence her selfe is condemned and hanged vp, and shall neuer ryse agayne to them that be in Christ Iesu: and promiseth indeterminatly, without limitation, remission of sinnes, to all that beleue in his name. Act. 10: MarginaliaAct. 10.and lykewise in an other place the Scripture speakyng absolutely, sayth: Synne shall not preuayle ouer you: and addeth the reason why, saying: Because ye are not vnder the law, but vnder grace. Rom. 6: MarginaliaRom. 6.Adding this lessō withall, (as it foloweth in the same place) not that sinners should sinne more therefore, because they are vnder grace, but onely that weake infirmitie myght bee releued, broken consciēces comforted, & repentyng sinners holpen frō desperatiō, to þ^e prayse of Gods glory. For as God forgyueth not sinners because they should sinne: MarginaliaMans infirmity impayreth not the grace of Christ, but augmenteth it.so neither doth infirmitie of fallyng diminish the grace of Christ, but rather doth illustrate the same, as it is written: My strength is made perfect in infirmitie. 2. Cor. 12. Marginalia2. Cor. 12.and agayne: Where sinne aboundeth, there boundeth also grace. Rom. 5. MarginaliaRom. 5.&c.

MarginaliaFoure thinges cōcurre in remission of sinnes.In remission of sinnes therfore these foure thynges must concurre together the cause that worketh (which is the sacrifice of Christes body) 2. the promise that offereth, 3. fayth that apprehēdeth. 4. þ^e repentyng sinner that receaueth. And although sinnes dayly do grow, which dayly prouoke vs to craue remission: yet as touchyng the cause that worketh remission of our dayly sinnes, and the meanes which apprehendeth and applyeth the sayd cause vnto vs, they remaine alwayes one and perpetuall: besides which no other cause nor meanes is to be sought of man. So that to them that be repentyng sinners and be in Christ Iesu, there is no law to condemne them, though they haue deserued cōdemnation: but they are vnder a perpetual kyngdome, and a heauen full of grace and remission, to couer their sinnes, and not to impute theyr iniquities, through the promise of God in Christ Iesu our Lord.

MarginaliaThe Popes errours touchyng Remission of sinnes detected.And therfore wicked and impious is the doctrine of them, first which seeke any other cause of remission, thē onely þ^e bloud of our Sauiour. Secondly, which assigne any other meanes to apply the bloudshedyng of Christ vnto vs, besides onely fayth. Thyrdly and especially, which so limite and restrayne the eternall priuilege of Christes Passion, as though it serued but onely for sinnes done without and before fayth: and that the rest after Baptisme committed must be done away by confessiō, pardons, & satisfactory deedes. And all this riseth, because the true nature of the law, and of the Gospell is not knowen, nor the difference rightly considered betwene the tymes of the one, and of the other. Neither agayne do they make any distinction betwene the malediction of the law, and vse of the law. MarginaliaWhat incōuenience ryseth for lacke of distinctiō betwene the law and þ^e Gospell.And therefore when so euer they heare vs speake of the law (meaning the malediction of the law) to be abolished, therupon they maliciously sclaūder vs, as though we speake agaynst the good exercises of the law, and gyue libertie of flesh to carnall men to lyue as they lyst. Whereof more shalbe sayd (by the Lordes grace) as place & tyme shall hereafter require.

COncernyng free will, as it may peraduenture in some case be admitted that men without the grace