The Institution of Christian Religion

And because they will not go about to overthrow the steadfastness of faith with digging only of one mine, they assail it also otherwise. For they say, that although according to our present state of righteousness, ⟨p. 125⟩we may gather a judgment of the grace of God, yet the knowledge of perseverance to the end abideth in suspense. A goodly confidence of salvation forsooth is left unto us, if we judge by moral conjecture, that for a present moment we be in favour, & what shall become of us to morrow we can not tell.¹ The Apostle teacheth far otherwise: I am surely persuaded (saith he) that neither angels, nor powers, nor principalities, neither death, nor life, neither present things nor things to come, shall sever us from the love wherewith the lord embraceth us in Christ. They seek to escape with a trifling solution, prating that the Apostle had it by special revelation. But they are holden to hard to slip away so. For there he entreateth of those good things that commonly come by faith to the faithful, not those that he himself specially feeleth.² But the same Paul in an other place putteth us in fear with mention of our weakness & unsteadfastness: Let him that standeth (saith he) beware that he fall not. It is true, but not such a fear whereby we should be overthrown, but whereby we may learn to humble our selves under the mighty hand of God,³ as Peter expoundeth it. Then how against order & truth is it to limit the assuredness of faith to a moment of time, whose property is to pass beyond the spaces of this life, & extend further to immortality to come? Sith therefore the faithful do impute it to the grace of God, that being lightened with his spirit they do by faith enjoy the beholding of the heavenly life: so far is such glorying from presumptuousness, that if any man be ashamed to confess it, he doth therein more bewray his extreme unthankfulness, in unkindly hiding Gods goodness, than he doth declare his modesty or submission.

And bycause thei will not go about to ouerthrowe the stedfastnesse of faith with digging onely of one myne, they assayle it also otherwise. For thei say, yt although according to our present state of righteousnes,