Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Secondarily let us believe that all ¹these sins of ours are pardoned & forgiven of God, not for the acknowledging and confessing of our sins, but for the merit and blood of the Son of God: not for our own works or merits, but for the truth and mercy or grace of God. For we do plainly profess, saying: I believe the forgiveness of sins: We say not, I buy, or by gifts do get, or by works obtain the forgiveness of sins, but I believe the forgiveness of sins. And the word remission or forgiveness doth signify a free pardoning, by a metaphor taken of creditors and debtors. For the creditor forgiveth the debtor, when he is not able to pay: therefore remission is a forgiving according to that saying of our Saviour in the Gospel: A certain lender had two debtors: & when they were not able to pay, he forgave them both. Hereunto belongeth that also in the Lords prayer: And forgive us our debts. For our debts are our sins, them do we request to be remitted, that is, to be forgiven us. In this sense also saith S. Paul: To him that worketh is the reward reckoned not of grace but of due debt: But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his saith is counted for righteousness: Even as David describeth the blessedness of that man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying: Blessed are they whose unrighteousness are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is that man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Wherefore in respect of us which have not wherewithal to repay, our sins are freely forgiven, but in respect of Gods justice they are forgiven for the merit and satisfaction of Christ.

Secondarily let vs belieue that al ¹these sinns of ours are pardoned & forgiuen of God, not for the acknowledging and confessing of our sinnes, but for the merit and bloud of the sonne of God: not for our owne workes or merits, but for the truth and mercie or grace of God. For we do plainly professe, saying: I belieue the forgiuenes of sinns: We say not, I buy, or by gifts do get, or by woorkes obtaine the forgiuenes of sinnes, but I belieue ye forgiuenes of sinnes. And the word remission or forgiuenesse doth signifie a free pardoning, by a metaphore taken of creditours and debitours. For the creditour forgiueth ye debitour, when he is not able to pay: therefore remission is a forgiuing according to yt saying of our Sauiour in the Gospell: A certaine lender had two debitours: & when they were not able to pay, hee forgaue them both. Hereunto belongeth that also in ye Lords prayer: And forgiue vs our debtes. For our debts are our sinnes, them do we request to be remitted, that is, to be forgiuē vs. In this sense also saith S. Paule: To him that worketh is the reward reckoned not of grace but of due debte: But to him that worketh not, but belieueth on him that iustifieth the vngodlie, his saith is counted for righteousnes: Euen as Dauid describeth the blessednesse of that man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnes without works, saying: Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnes are forgiuen, and whose sinnes are couered. Blessed is that man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne. Wherefore in respect of vs which haue not wherewithal to repaie, our sinnes are freelie forgiuen, but in respect of Gods iustice they are forgiuen for the merit and satisfaction of Christ.