Question 1

THE ARGVMENT.

❧ In the first section is handled, the soueraigne good of man, and namely, his onely comfort in life and in death: as also, the necessarie meanes to attaine that soueraigne good: and two questions are propounded for the handling of this preface, or argument.

What is thy onely comfort in life & in death.

That in soule and body, whether I liue or die,^a I am not mine owne, but I belong^b vnto my most faythfull Lord and Sauiour, Iesus Christe: who by his precious blood, most fully satisfying^c for al my sinnes hath deliuered^d me, from the whole power of the deuill, & doth so preserue^e me, that without the will of my heauenly Father, not so much as a haire can fal^f from my head: yea, al things are made^g to serue for my saluation. Wherefore by his spirit also,^h he assureth me of euerlasting life, & makethⁱ me ready & prepared, that henceforth I may liue to him.^j

The vse

The vse of this doctrine is manifold, and diuerse, partly seruing for the confirmation of our fayth, partly for the instruction of every godly and faythful man. For first, if Christ haue most fully satisfied for al my sinnes, as he hath, hereof I am perswaded, that al my sinns are forgiuen, and that I being iustified by fayth, haue peace with God through Christ, and that I am trulie blessed, both in life and in death, and hereof also, I conceiue certaine hope and assurance, that God for Christes sake, wil hereafter be gratious vnto me. Secondly, if he haue deliuered vs from the power of the Diuell: wee are hereby put in mind, every on of vs to detest sin, and diligently to beware that it raigne not in our mortall bodies, but rather to followe after righteousnes, innocencie, and vprightnes of life, all the dayes of our life. Then, whereas Sathan before reigned throgh death to our destruction, and Christ also hath subdued death for vs, wee may boldely despise death, considering that the first death can not otherwise light vpon vs, but for our saluation, and the second death is overcome by the power of Christ, that is, not able to hurt the godly. Thirdly, if wee properly belong vnto the Lorde, let vs not serue any other, but him who hath redeemed vs, according vnto the counsell of the Apostle. Yee are bought with a price, be not the seruants of men: next, let vs not iudg our brethren, (as the same Apostle saith) Who art thou that iudgest an other mans seruant?^k he standeth or falleth to his owne Lord. Fourthlie, seeing the same Christ doth maintain that saluation which hee hath purchased for vs, and hath sealed the same by his spirit in our harts,^l whatsoeuer Sathan that Enemie of ours dooth interprise, soe long as we haue on our side, so strong and so valiant an armed man, we are commanded not to quail or be discouraged, for that we are alwaies sure to bee conquerours, through Iesus Christ our Lord.^m