Fourthly.—If we should maintain the doctrine, that, after we receive the Gospel and are regenerated, we must merit the continued favor of God by our works, and not through faith, our conscience could not be pacified, but must despair. For the law continually accuses us, because we are unable to keep it perfectly, as the universal, holy, Christian church, and all the saints have ever acknowledged, and still acknowledge. Thus Paul says, Rom. 7:19: “For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do,” &c. Again, verse 25: “With the flesh I serve the law of sin.” No one fears and loves God with his whole heart, as he is bound to do; no one bears the cross and affliction with entire submission to God; we all frequently doubt, in our weakness, whether God takes care of us, and regards us, and hears our prayers. We frequently murmur with impatience against God, when the ungodly prosper and the pious are afflicted. Again, who is it that performs his duty perfectly in his vocation, or who is not angry with God in temptations, when God withdraws himself? Who loves his neighbor as himself? Who is free from all manner of evil lusts? Of all these sins the Psalmist says, Psalm 32:6; “For this shall every one, that is godly, pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found.” Here he tells us, that all the saints must pray for the remission of sins. (Henkel Translation, p. 189).

Thirdly.—Nevertheless Christ still remains the only Mediator and Conciliator, when we are thus born anew in him. Hence those are in error, who pretend that he acquires for us only primam gratiam, or the first grace, and that we must afterwards earn eternal life by our own works and merits. He remains the only Mediator, and we should entertain no doubt, that God is gracious to us for his sake alone, although we are even unworthy of it; as Paul says, Rom. 5:2: “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.” Our best works, even after we receive the grace of the Gospel, (as we said,) are still imperfect. For sin and the fall of Adam are not so insignificant, as human reason supposes. The terrible wrath of God, entailed upon us by disobedience, exceeds the understanding and all the conceptions of man. A most fearful corruption has come upon the whole nature of man, which no power but God’s can restore. The Psalmist therefore says, 32:1: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven.” Hence we stand in need of grace, of God’s merciful goodness, and the forgiveness of sins, though we have performed many good works. That grace, however, is obtained only through faith. Consequently Christ alone continues to be the High Priest and Mediator; and whatever good we may do, or to whatever extent we may keep the law, this does not please God in itself, but because we cleave to Christ, and are conscious that God is gracious to us, not for the sake of the law, but of Christ. (Henkel Translation, p. 188).

Thus, in the Lord’s prayer, even the saints pray—“Forgive us our debts,” Matt.6:12; consequently they also are guilty and sinful. Again, Numb. 14:18: “The Lord is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgressions, and by no means clearing the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.” Zachariah the prophet, 2:13, says: “Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord;” and Isaiah 40:6: “All flesh is grass,”—that is, the flesh and all the righteousness of which we are capable, cannot bear the judgment of God. And we find, Jonah 2:8: “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.” Wherefore mercy alone sustains us—our own works, merits, and power cannot help us.

These and similar declarations in the Scriptures, show that our works are impure, and that we need grace and mercy; therefore works do not afford the conscience peace, but mercy alone, which we apprehend through faith. (Henkel Translation, p. 188).