A declaration of Christ and of his office compiledA declaration of Christe and of his offyce compylyd

omnis qui credit in eum, non pereat graunt that we could as well eat his carnal body, as we eat other meat yet the eating ⟨image 49⟩thereof nothing availed. And if the Apostles had corporally eaten him in his last supper it had profited nothing. For he toke not his body of the holy virgin to that use to be eaten for the remission sin Or to sanctify him that eat him, but to dye for sin and that ways to sanctify his church as he saith himself: that only by death the fruit of his incarnation should be dispersed into the world. Nisi granū frumenti deiectum in terram mortuum fuerit, ipsum solum manet: mortua prodest caro, non comesa. But of this I will speak farther in the chapter that followeth. This example of Nicodemus declareth, that nether the works that go before justification, nether those that follow justification deserve remission of sin. Though sole faith exclude not other virtues to be present at the conversion of every sinner, yet doth sole ⟨image 50⟩faith and only exclude the merits of other virtues and obtaineth solely remission of sin for Christs sake herself alone as paul saythe Ephes. 2. Gratia saluati estis per fidem, idque non ex uobis, Dei donum est, non ex operi bus ne quis glorietur. Where as plainly he excludeth the dignity of works, and affirmeth us to be reconciled by faith, so doth Johan. cap. 1. attribute those too singular gifts unto Christ, grace and verity saying: lex per Mosen data est, gratia & ueritas per Jesum Christum facta est. Here grace signifieth free remission of sin for the merits of Christ. Verity is the true knowledge of god and the gifts off the holy ghost that followeth the remission of sin. Therefore such as say, they be not justified only by faith in the mercy of god through Christ, extenuate sin and God's Ire against sin to much, and likewise ⟨image 50⟩spoil Christ of his honour Who is the only sacrifice that taketh away the sin of the world. They that will justify them selves any other ways then by faith, doth doubt all ways whether there sins be for given or not and by reason of this doubt they can never pray unto god aright for he that doubteth whether god be his friend or not, prayeth not: but as an Ethnic saythe his pater noster with out faith and godly motion of the hart.