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 meanes that vve haue tovvard God, in recompence of the im∣perfections vvhich alwayes dvvell in vs.

M.

IT séemeth vnto me that thou wilte saye in effecte, by all this discourse which thou hast made, that what regene∣ration and sanctification soeuer there be in our fleshe and nature, we are not yet for all that so pure nor so perfecte, but that we must haue continuall recourse to the iustice and sanctification of Iesus Christ, which is ours,* 1.1 not as a qualitie of iustice and sanctitie sticking and ioined to our person, but only for that that it is al∣lowed and attributed vnto vs, as though it were our owne proper.

P.

So it is,* 1.2 and therefore Iesus Chryste hath saide to the same effecte, that he that was alredy wa∣shed, had yet néede to wash his feete.

M.

What meaneth he by that manner of speach?

P.

That albeit that we be iustified alredy, sanctified and purified of our sins,* 1.3 by the faith that we haue in him thorough

his worde, yet for all that, for so muche as there resteth in vs alwayes certaine filthynesse and corruption, whyche pro∣ceedeth of oure corrupted nature, whi∣che is not yet thoroughlye well renued and refourmed to the image of GOD: we haue alwayes néede to goe to washe and clense vs of oure filthynesse, in the true fountayne of all puritie, iustice, and sanctification, whiche is ope∣ned to vs in Iesus Chryst: for wée haue no remis∣sion of anye one sinne of ours,* 1.4 but onely in him, by the meanes of the iustifica∣tion that we haue by Faithe in him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rom. 4. a.
• * 1.2

  Iohn. 13. b
• * 1.3

  Iohn. 15. a.
• * 1.4

  1. Iohn. 1. c Act. 15. b