A Christian instruction, conteyning the law and the Gospell. Also a summarie of the principall poyntes of the Christian fayth and religion, and of the abuses and errors contrary to the same. Done in certayne dialogues in french, by M. Peter Viret, sometime minister of the Word of God at Nymes in Prouince. Translated by I.S. Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties iniunctions.

Of the true and false faythe and repentance.

M.

WHat doest thou then proprely call true faithe?

P.

A certaine assurance founded in the promises of god by the which man holdeth himselfe assu∣red of God in Iesus Chryste and by Ie∣sus Chryst.

M.

Why sayst thou that the faith which hath not this assurance, lea∣deth the man which regardeth but onely the lawe, rather to despaire than to hope of saluation?

P.

For bicause that so much the more man is assured, that God is au∣thor of his lawe, and that that whiche it

conteyneth, is true, euen so muche the more is he afrayd of the iudgemente of God, and can not fynde rest in his con∣science, bicause there is nothing without Iesus Christe, wherein to be assured a∣gainst the wrath of God.

M.

There is then by this reckening two sortes of pe∣nitence, to wit, one true & an other false.

P.

Euen as also there be two sortes of faith, for euen as they haue not full faithe which beleue not all the worde of God, and chiefly the word of the Gospel, euen so haue they no true repentaunce, whiche ioyne not togither the wrathe of GOD with his mercie, nor the mercie with the wrath.

M.

Euē as it is not inough to ap∣prehende the wrath of God withoute his mercie to haue true repentance, is it al∣so no more sufficient to apprehende his mercy without his wrath?

P.

Thou maist easily vnderstande, that none may well apprehende his mercie, if firste he doe not apprehende hys wrathe. For he that knoweth not the wrathe of God againste sinne, cannot tell nor vnderstande howe muche hée néedeth hys mercie,

and what mercie he sheweth him, when he receyueth him to mercie.

Math.

Thou sayst well.

Peter.

Moreouer, euen as they fall to dispaire whiche conceyue only the wrath of God withoute his mercie, euen so those whiche consider only his mercy, without hauing first conceyued what his wrath is, doe not estéeme sinne to be such as they ought to estéeme it: and in lyke case can neuer vnderstande what mercie is, nor howe greate the goodnesse of God is towarde them.

M.

I note wel al these pointes, that the very wicked and repro∣bate, may well attaine to suche a Faith and repentāce as was in Iudas, but they haue not at all the true faith and repen∣tance by the whiche the true children of God doe obtaine forgiuenesse of their sin∣nes.

P.

Thou muste also note, that there be some whiche accompte the mercie of God but of small price, bicause they doe not apprehend at al the wrath and iudge∣mente of God as they ought: And ther∣fore the repentance of suche persones is none other than a verye disguysing and faynednesse.