be absolutely certain, that God is merciful, 
gracious, patient, faithful, and true ; who not only will keep, his 
promises, but already has kept and done abundantly beyond 
what he promised, since he has given his own Son for our sins 
on the cross, that all who believe on Him should not perish, 
but have everlasting life." 

" Whoever believes and embraces this," he added, " that God 
has given his only Son to die for us poor sinners, to him it is no 
longer any doubt, but the most certain truth, that God reconciles 
us to himselff and is favourable and heartily gracious to us." 

"Since the gospel shows us Christ the Son of God, who, 
according to the will of the Father, has offered himself up for us, 
and has satisfied for sin, the  can no more doubt God*s 
goodness and grace,  is no more^ affrighted, nor flies from God, 
but sets all its  in his goodness and ." 

" The apostles are always exhorting us," he says, "to continue 
in the wordnetdesire of God,  that is, that each one should entirely con- 
clude in his  Jhat he is loved by God; and they set before 
our eyes a certain proof of it, in that God has not spared