The Institution of Christian Religion

By this reason even the promises that were offered us in the law, should be all uneffectuall & void, unless the goodness of God by the Gospel did help. For, this condition that we keep the whole law, upon which the promises hang, and whereby alone they are to be performed, shall never be fulfilled. And the Lord so helpeth, not by leaving part of righteousness in our works, and supplying part by his merciful bearing with us, but when he setteth only Christ for the fulfilling of righteousness. For the Apostle, when he had before said that he and other Jews believed in Jesus Christ, knowing that man is not justified by the works of the law,¹ addeth a reason: not that they should be holpen to fullness of righteousness by the faith of Christ, but by it should be justified, not by the works of the law. If the faithful remove from the law into faith, that they may in faith find righteousness which they see to be absent from the law: truly they forsake the righteousness of the law. Therefore now let him that list, amplify the rewardinges which are said to be prepared for the keeper of the law, so that he therewithal consider that it cometh to pass by our perverseness, that we feel no fruit thereof till we have obtained an other righteousness of faith. So David, when he made mention of the rewarding which the Lord hath prepared for his servants, by and by descendeth to the reknowledging of sins, whereby that same rewarding is made void.² Also in the xix. Psalm, he gloriously setteth forth the benefits of the law, but he by & by crieth out: Who shall understand his faults? Lord cleanse me from my secret faults. This place altogether agreeth with the place before, where when he had said that all the ways of the Lord are goodness and truth to them that leave him,³ he addeth: For thy names sake Lord, thou shalt be merciful to my perverseness, for it is much. So ought we also to reknowledge, that there is in deed the good will of God set forth unto us in the law, if we might deserve it by works, but that the same never cometh to us by the deserving of works.

By this reason euen the promises that were offred vs in the lawe, should be all vneffectuall & voyde, vnlesse the goodnesse of God by the Gospell did help. For, this condition that we kepe the whole law, vpō which the promises hang, and wherby alone thei are to be performed, shal neuer be fulfilled. And the Lord so helpeth, not by leauyng part of righteousnesse in our workes, and supplyeng part by his mercieful bearyng with vs, but when he setteth only Christ for the fulfillyng of righteousnesse. For the Apostle, when he had before sayd that he and other Iewes beleued in Iesus Christ, knowing that man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe,