God hath respect
unto man, then unto the works of man; God alloweth the work for the sake
of him that worketh, these require that for the work's sake the worker
may be crowned.
But here, perhaps, thou wilt say, what is needful to be done? By what
means shall I become righteous and acceptable to God? How shall I attain
to this perfect justification? Those the gospel answers, teaching that
it is necessary that thou hear Christ, and repose thyself wholly on Him,
denying thyself and distrusting thine own strength; by this means thou
shalt be changed from Cain to Abel, and being thyself acceptable, shalt
offer acceptable gifts to the Lord. It is faith that justifies thee,
thou being endued therewith; the Lord remitteth all thy sins by the
mediation of Christ His Son, in whom this faith believeth and trusteth.
Moreover, He giveth unto such a faith His Spirit, which changes the man
and makes him anew, giving him another reason and another will. Such a
one worketh nothing but good works. Wherefore nothing is required unto
justification but to hear Jesus Christ our Savior, and to believe in
Him. Howbeit these are not the works of nature, but of grace.
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