safely in the woods, and shall be in their own land without fear. And presently he subjoins, But they shall dwell safely without any fear. Hereunto belongs the encouragement that Isaiah gives the people of the Messiah, commanding them not to be afraid. Fear not, saith he, for I am with thee. And again, Fear not, for I have redeemed thee. And again, Fear not, my servant Jacob. Hereunto also agree the words of Zephaniah prophesying by the same Spirit: Be glad, O daughter of Sion, and be joyful, O Israel, and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgment, he hath turned away thy enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in the midst of thee, thou shalt not be afraid of evil any more. How then doth this so great peace and tranquillity of conscience, so often repeated in the prophets, consist with that trembling fear and doubtfulness, which the papists plead for? For what encouragement is there for hope, when the mind is restless through fear, and all things lie at an uncertainty? For how can hope avoid being uncertain, if salvation must be hoped for by works, and not by free donation?

Howbeit, we are not ignorant, nor deny that sanctification and renovation, and the practice of good works, that flow from hence, are benefits bestowed upon us by Christ, which of necessity all good Christians must endeavour to attain. But the debate here, is not about governing the life in this world, but of eternal salvation, and the cause thereof. Not whether offices belonging to Christian piety should be performed; but whether, when they are performed, they are so much accounted of by God, that they merit salvation, and reconcile an offended God to mankind? Whether virtues and good works are able to stand before the judgment seat of God, without being condemned according to the rigid sentence of the law? Whether, under great terrors of conscience, when salvation hangs in doubt, we may safely rely upon them, that we may become the sons of God, and inherit eternal life? And yet it is not therefore false, that as long as this life endures, it is very requisite, that believers should be careful to lead holy lives, and utterly abhor all wickedness. But it must be considered, how it is requisite. In respect of the necessity of obedience, it is true; but if you say, that it is requisite in respect of our obtaining a right unto eternal life and salvation, nothing is more false, or pernicious, because it is not purchased by our merits; but is given to us, that deserve not, and are unworthy, and it is 28

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given then, whilst we are yet sinners, that it may evidently appear, that all the glory of our salvation is due to the mercy of God, not to our works, which follow reconciliation to God, as fruits thereof, but do not procure it.

what

Therefore, I renew this admonition-that in this course of obedience, the godly practice of charity should not be separated from us, but of necessity accompany faith. But it must be so admitted, that it shut not out faith from its own office and dignity; nor jostle out the glorious riches of the grace of God, which is in Christ Jesus; nor darken the glory of the cross of Christ, nor take away consolation from troubled consciences; nor corrupt the sound doctrine which the apostles have taught us; which seeing it places all our salvation in nothing else but the benefit of redemption by Christ, let men of understanding and piety judge which of the two opinions is in the right-whether they that place all the hope of their salvation in faith only, or they that place it in the righteousness of inherent works only, and call faith, if alone, a presumption? Verily if the Spirit of Christ could not endure those Laodiceans, who were puffed up with a false imagination of their own righteousness, and understood not how wretched and miserable, and naked they were, Rev. iii. I suppose it may easily appear should be judged of popish catholics, and all this divinity of theirs. I beg of Christ, the infinitely glorious, and only begotten Son of God, King of kings, Preserver of life, the merciful Author and Defender of our salvation, the Glory of heaven, the Brightness of his Father's glory, according to his infinite goodness, unto whose everlasting dominion all things are subject, that are in heaven and in earth; that we, miserable men, whom nature hath brought into this wretched condition, who are poor and needy, naked and blind, and utterly destroyed, being restored by his bounty, and having salvation bestowed upon us by his free gift, and being clothed with his ornaments, and enriched with his wealth, and carried on by the safe conduct of his Spiritmay grow in him daily more and more, and never fall from him, being strong in the faith, and fruitful in good works; until at length, at the coming of his kingdom, we are received into those blessed mansions of immortality, where he lives and reigns, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, in eternal glory. Amen.

DE OLIVA EVANGELICA,

THE TRUE AND GLADSOME OLIVE TREE.

A SERMON PREACHED AT THE CHRISTENING OF A CERTAIN JEW, AT LONDON, BY JOHN FOX.

CONTAINING AN EXPOSITION OF THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF ST. PAUL TO THE ROMANS.

Translated out of Latin into English by James Bell.

Imprinted at London, A. D. 1578.

The Contents of this present Book.

Herein are discoursed and discussed the principal grounds and foundations of our Christian faith, of the true and sincere church, of Christ our Messiah, of the infinite glory and majesty of his kingdom, with a refutation of the obstinate Jews, and lastly touching the final conversion of the same.

Also, to the latter end of this sermon is joined the confession of Nathaniel, this baptized Jew, written first by himself in the Spanish tongue, and now translated into English for the more benefit of the godly reader.

To the right honourable Sir Francis Walsingham, knight, principal secretary to her Majesty, and one of her Highness's most honourable privy council, John Fox wisheth all felicity in our Saviour Jesus Christ.

PRESUMING not so much upon mine own head, as advised, or rather enforced by request, counsel, and persuasion, of one lately a most bounden servant to your honour, whose name for divers respects I conceal, I am therefore bold to adventure the offer of this small work to your honourable goodness; humbly beseeching the same, not only to accept it in good part, but also, if any such thing occur in this my simple travail which may pleasure or profit you, to yield all thanks to the Lord; if otherwise, to let the fault rest only upon me. Albeit, notwithstanding, other causes also were not wanting to admonish me of my dutiful office in this behalf. First, your manifold and grateful benefits upon me bestowed, which, as of your part, well may beseem your honourable benignity, so, of my part, very little have been deserved.

Furthermore, remembering with myself at what time this sermon was first preached, and you so earnestly required the said matter again to be repeated in your chamber, being sick: certainly this zealous desire of your so Christian affection requireth no less of duty than the whole tractation hereof, whatsoever it be, being now pub. lished in print, and with some more diligence revised, to be wholly intituled to your name.

Over and besides, another cause here also falleth in, of my part not to be unremembered. For if your bountiful and courteous beneficence, never of me provoked, less deserved, so liberally hath refreshed my poor weak health, with the wholesome fruit of your French grape, little could I do, and unkind were I, if I would not remember you again with some part of recompense in requiting the wholesome fruit of your plentiful vineyard, with some branch of this gladsome and evangelical olive tree; not as in equality of sufficient recompense to satisfy your deserts, but as testifying to you a mind not ungrateful, nor unmindful, what he would do, if greater ability would serve.

To your good honour, both yours, and to the right worshipful lady, your wife, to the young little plants of your domestic olive, sitting about your table, and to your good household, I wish the grace of Christ long to keep you, his mercy to nourish you, his counsel to direct you, his peace to comfort you, his gifts to increase you, to the profit both of the church and commonwealth. London, Anno 1578.

Yours in Christ Jesus,

JOHN FOX.

The Preface to the Christian Reader, containing godly exhortation.

FORASMUCH as the sum and absolute perfection of all our righteousness consisteth in the only faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ, without whom all human power and puissance is ineffectual, without whom no provident policy prevaileth, nor yet any force or activity of natural operation can bring any thing to pass; no honourable ornament of virtue, no excellency of exquisite learning, is available; according to the testimony of the Lord himself, Without me ye can do nothing-what ought we, poor mortal wretches, to regard more entirely, than that by due proceeding, in daily renewed increases of this same faith, we not only cleave fast to this Jesus Christ, the assured and undoubted Chieftain and Prince of life; and conveying him into the very inward of our souls, we, thoroughly possessing him, as fast enclosed in a certain holy oratory, also endeavour, by all means possibly, to be most nearly joined unto him, to be incorporate wholly in him, and made members of his own body? For performance whereof behoveth us, above all other, to be guided by his conduct and counsel chiefly. Search the Scriptures, saith he, for they bear witness of me. Which saying St. Peter the apostle doth verify, advertising us of the same faith. And we have, saith he, a more sure word of the prophets, whereunto while ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, ye do well, until the dawn of the day appear, and the day-star arise in your hearts. Yea, the Lord himself in another place sendeth us back to the schooling of the law and the prophets, as unto infallible precepts and rules of pure and true doctrine. And albeit I may not deny that testimony of St. Paul to be most true, where he saith, that faith is a gift of God issuing from his free mercy and bounty; yet doth he not thereby meanwhile exclude other lawful and ordinary means, taught for the better attainment thereof. As where he saith, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So that their error is so much the more blameworthy, who, contented with that intricate and confused faith, as they term it, are of opinion, that to the rude and unlettered people, sufficeth enough to believe those things only that all other men do believe. But this common faith seemed not sufficient to the ancient fathers in that purer age