4. Graces to Be Desired

Papists teach that men by works of grace may merit life eternal, and increase of justification in this life. But how can this be? For here we see that every bit of bread which we eat, is the free gift of God without any merit of ours. Now, if we cannot merit a piece of bread, what madness is it to think that we can merit life everlasting.

2. They also are deceived who think that anything comes by mere chance or fortune, without God's providence. Indeed in respect of men who know not the causes of things, many chances there are: but so, as that they are ordered and come to pass by God's providence. By chance there came down a certain [reconstructed: priest] that way (Luke 10:31).