The Institution of Christian Religion

Of continuance there should no more doubt have ben made, but that it should have ben taken for the free gift of God, unless the most wicked error had grown in force, that it is distributed according to the desert of men, as every man hath showed him self not unthankful to the first grace. But forasmuch as this error hath grown upon that point, that they thought it to be in our hand to refuse or receive the grace of God offered, that opinion being driven away, this other doth also fall of it self. Albeit herein they err too manner of ways. For beside this that they teach that our thankfulness toward the first grace and our lawful ⟨p. 23⟩use thereof, are rewarded with the later gifts: they add also, that now grace alone doeth not work in us, but that it is only a worker together with us. Of the first this we ought to believe, that the Lord while he daily enricheth and heapeth his servants with new gifts of his grace, because he liketh and favoureth the work which he hath begun in them, findeth in them somewhat whereupon to bestow greater graces. And hereto serve those sayings: To him that hath,¹ shall be given. Again: Oh, good servant, because thou haste ben faithful in few things, I will set thee over many. But here two things are to be taken heed of, that neither the lawful use of the first grace be said to be rewarded with the later graces, nor it be so counted a rewarding, that it cease to be reckoned the free grace of God. I grant therefore, that this blessing of God is to be looked for of the faithful, that how much the better they have used the first graces, they shall be increased with so much the greater. But I say, that this use also is of the Lord, and that this rewarding is of his free good will. And they use no less wrongfully than unhappily that old destruction of working and together working grace. Augustine used the same in deed, but delaying it with a fit definition, that God in together working with us doth end, that which in working he beginneth, and that it is still the same grace but changeth name, according to the diverse manner of effect. Whereupon followeth, that he doth not part it between God and us, as if there were a mutual meeting together by the motion of both, but only noteth the multiplication of grace.

Of continuaunce there shoulde no more doubte haue ben made, but that it shoulde haue ben taken for the free gyfte of God, vnlesse the moste wicked errour had growen in force, that it is distributed accordynge to the deserte of menne, as euery manne hath shewed him selfe not vnthankefull to the firste grace. But for asmuche as this errour hath growen vpon that pointe, that they thought it to bee in our hande to refuse or receyue the grace of God offred, that opinion beyng dryuen awaye, this other dothe also fall of it selfe. Albeit herein they erre too manner of wayes. For biside this that they teache that our thankefulnesse towarde the first grace and our lawefull