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them are laid to their charge, because they are done away by Christ Jesus. These are in better state than those who for matter never committed so great sins, if pharisee-like they repent not of their lesser sins, as they esteem them, and are proud of their supposed goodness and well doing. For God, in justifying the humble publican rather than the proud pharisee, Luke xviii. 10, 11, shows that proud innocency is always worse than humble guiltiness.

6. There are likewise some others who are guilty to themselves of damnable sins, yet hope to be saved by the goodness of other men, by pardons from the Pope, by absolutions of priests, and by certain penitential external acts of their own, and by good works, such as alms, &c. These, if they may hope of the Pope's indulgences, and a priest's absolution, if they fulfil their penance enjoined, if they are devout in certain superstitions, in their will-worship and voluntary religion, Col. ii. 18, their conscience is quiet for a time, notwithstanding their foul and black sins, even their abominable idolatries.

I make known to these, that all this is but a blindfolding, smothering, and stupefying the conscience for a time, laying a double, and a far greater guilt upon it, and is far from being any means truly to pacify it. For how can a man have true peace from any, or from all such actions as are in themselves an actual denying of the true head of the church, Jesus Christ, Col. ii. 19, and are a cleaving to a false head, which is antichrist? And how can any man merit for himself, when our Saviour saith, Luke xvii. 10, He who has done all that is commanded, is an unprofitable servant, and has done but his duty, which thing he must say and acknowledge? All these before-mentioned build their hopes upon false grounds. Those that follow build their presumptuous and false hopes upon a misapplication of true grounds.

7. Many acknowledge that they have sinned and do deserve eternal damnation; but they say God is merciful, therefore their heart is quiet, without all fear of condemnation.