therefore imagine to finde Christ where and how we list but we must seeke him in the word and sacraments and there must we receiue him if we desire to receiue him aright The second point to be considered is How faith is a meanes to iustifie I answer thus Faith doth not iustifie as it is an excellent worke of God in vs for then all vertues might be meanes of iustification as well as faith It doth not iustifie as it is an excellent vertue in it selfe because it is imperfect and mingled with vnbeleefe It doth not iustifie as a meanes to prepare and dispose vs to our iustification for so soone as we begin to beleeue in Christ we are iustified without any disposition or preparation comming betweene faith and iustification Lastly it doth not iustifie as it containes in it all other vertues and good workes as the kernell containes the tree with all his branches For then should it be a part yea the principall part of our iustice Whereas Saint Paul distinguisheth iustice and faith saying that our righteousnes is of God vpon faith and not for faith but by faith Now then faith iustifies as it is an Instrument or hand to apprehend or recceiue the benefits of Christ for ours and this apprehension is made when we doe indeede beleeue Christ and his benefits to be ours And least any should imagine that the very action of faith in apprehending Christ iustifieth we are to vnderstand that faith doth not apprehend by power from it selfe but by vertue of the couenant If a man beleeue the kingdome of France to be his it is not therefore his yet if he beleeue Christ and the kingdome of heauen by Christ to be his it is his indeede not simply because he beleeues but because he beleeueth vpon commandement and promise for in the tenour of the couenant God promiseth to impute the obedience of Christ vnto vs for our righteousnes if we beleeue The third point is whether faith alone be the meanes to obtaine the iustice of Christ for vs or no I answer it is the onely meanes without the helpe of any other vertue or worke For Paul here teacheth that faith apprehendeth Christ for righteousnes without the law that is without any thing that the law requireth at our hands And here by this exclusiue particle without the law he teacheth three things The first that nothing within vs is an efficient or meritorious cause either principall or lesse principall in whole or in part of our iustification or reconciliation with God The second that nothing within vs is an instrument or meanes to applie the obedience of Christ vnto vs but faith which is ordained of God to be an hād to receiue the free fauour of God in the merit of Christ. The third that our renouation or sanctification is no matter forme or part of our iustification but that it wholly stands in the imputation of the iustice of Christ. In a word Paul vtterly excludes all things that are within vs whether by nature or by grace frō the act of iustificatiō that in this article onely grace onely Christ onely faith onely mercie in pardon of sinne may raigne It may be here obiected that Abraham was iustified not by faith alone but by workes as S. Iames teacheth I answer there is a double iustification one of the person whereby a man of a sinner is made no sinner the second is the iustification of the faith of the person whereby faith is declared to be true faith and this second is by workes and of it S. Iames speaketh as appeareth v. 18. where he saith Shew me thy faith by thy workes And whereas he saith that Abraham our father was iustified by workes his meaning is that Abraham by workes iustified himselfe to be a true beleeuer yea the father of all the faithfull and his faith was made perfect by workes verse 22. that is declared or iustified to be a true faith The fourth or last point is when and howe long faith alone iustifieth I answer not onely in the beginning of our conuersion but also in the continuance and finall accomplishment thereof For here Paul desires in the day of iudgement to stand before God onely by the iustice of faith without his owne iustice of the lawe And Paul brings in Abraham as I haue noted before in the very middest of godly conuersation and holy obedience to be iustified without any workes by his faith in the Messias And Paul auoucheth three things of faith by it we haue accesse to the grace of God by it we stand in the same grace by it we reioice vnder the hope of glorie Thus then we see there is one onely waie of iustification namely that we are iustified and accepted of God to life eternall through grace alone by faith alone for Christ alone in the beginning middle and ende of our conuersion And here is plainly discouered the errour of the church of Rome It makes a double iustification one whereby a sinner is made of an euill man a iust mā and this they say is by faith alone the second is whereby a man of a iust man is made more iust and this they say is by faith and workes togither but falsely as I haue shewed By all this which hath beene said we see howe righteousnesse comes by and vpon the faith of Christ. And hence we learne that it stands vs in hand to proue whether we haue faith or no because where is no faith there is no iustice Secondly our dutie is to labour for such a faith that can and doth iustifie it selfe to be true faith by workes of loue to God and men Thirdly we must by this faith rest and wholly relie our selues on the obedience of Christ both in life and death yea whatsoeuer doeth befall vs. Though God should reach out his hād destroy vs we must stil rest vpō him Secondly if our iustice be foorth of vs and we must by faith trust God for it then much more must we trust him for health wealth libertie peace foode and raiment and for all the things of this life And if we cannot trust him in the lesse we shall neuer trust him in the principall Therefore it is our part to walke in the duties of our callings and to obey God therein for the successe of our labours to trust him vpon his word yea when all worldly helpes and succours faile to trust in him still If we cannot trust him for our temporall life we shal neuer trust him for our saluatiō The second gaine which Paul desireth is fellowship with Christ in the 10. verse Where it is set forth first generally and then by his partes Generally in these wordes That I may knowe him Here it must be remēbred that knowledge is twofold knowledge of faith of experience Knowldge of faith is to be assured of Christ and his benefits though it be against all humane reason hope experience Of this Paul
be workes that are out of vs wrought in and by the person of our Sauiour Christ namely the workes of obedience in satisfying and fulfilling the lawe These indeede are the workes which iustifie and saue vs none that proceede frō vs. To this effect Paul saith that we are iustified freely by the redemption that is in Christ. Lastly it is alleadged that if all vertues be losse for Christ then faith it selfe I answer Faith must diuersly be considered first of all as a vertue working bringing forth many good fruites in vs. And thus it is to be reputed losse as all other vertues are Secondly it must be considered not as a vertue but as an instrument or hand not to giue or worke any thing but to apprehend and receiue Christ and his benefits And thus it is no losse but is a thing excepted in this text Nowe then we see that the doctrine of Paul is manifest that all vertues and workes both of nature and grace are meere losses in the cause of our iustification and saluation Hence sundrie things may be learned The first that the most holy works of holy men cannot iustifie or merit eternall life When they are brought within the Act of iustification as causes Paul saith they are but losse and as offles to be cast to dogges Let this be noted and remembred for euer against all iustitiarie papists Who if they would but seriously consider this one text they might be farre better resolued then they are Secondly hence the doctrine of our our church is plainely gathered namely that we are saued and iustified by faith alone For all things except our knowledge and faith in Christ are made as doung And that this our doctrine may not be scandalous sundry things must be remembred The first is the right meaning of the doctrine which is that there is nothing within vs that is any cause either efficient materiall formall or finall of iustification but faith The second that faith is no principall cause but onely an instrument The third that faith is no instrument to procure or worke our iustification and saluation but an instrument to receiue or to apprehend our iustification giuen by the father procured by the sonne applied by the holy Ghost The last that faith must be considered as a cause or else as a waie of saluation If as an internall cause in vs it onely iustifieth and consequently saueth vs. If as a waie it doth not saue alone For other vertues and workes though they be no causes yet are they waies to eternall life as well as faith Here then when papists make outcries against vs saying that we looke to be saued by faith alone the true and plaine answere to them is this We consider faith two waies first as a cause within vs not meriting any way but instrumentally apprehending pardon in Christ and applying it to vs for our eternall happinesse Secondly faith may be considered as a way in which we are to walke for the attainement of euerlasting life In the first sense faith alone iustifieth and saueth and nothing els within vs. To this doe the learned fathers agree Basil saith This is perfect reioycing in God when a man is not puffed vp for his owne iustice but acknowledgeth that he wants iustice and that he is iustified by faith alone in Christ. Hilarie That is remitted of Christ by faith which the lawe could not loosen for faith alone iustifies Ambrose They are iustified freely which doe nothing nor repaie like for like are iustified by faith alone through the gift of God Againe in his commentarie vpon the epist. to the Corinth This is appointed of God that he which beleeues in Christ should be saued without worke by faith alone receiuing remission of sinnes Hierom God iustifieth by faith alone Neuertheles if we speake of the way to life then we are not saued onely by faith For though faith be the onely instrument to apprehend Christ yet is it not the onely way to life repentance also is the way yea all vertues all works are the waie In this sense affliction is said to worke vnto vs a more excellent weight of glorie not as a cause but as a way giuing direction And mothers are said to be saued by bearing of children not as by a cause but as by a straight and narrow way Againe Abrahams faith went not alone but had a kind of co-operation with his works faith works both beeing considered as a way to happinesse or as markes in a way In this sense the fathers haue ascribed saluation to many things not as to causes but as to waies Bernard said well that workes are the way to the kingdome of heauen and not the causes of raigning Lactātius saith Great is the helpe of Repentance which whosoeuer taketh away cuts off to himselfe the way of life Chrysostome Some by watching by sleeping on the bare ground by tewing their bodies with daily labour doe blot out their sinnes but thou maiest obtaine the same by a more easie way that is by forgiuing Thus many hundred places of the fathers are to be vnderstood when they ascribe remission of sins to martyrdome to fasting praier workes of mercie and such like Thirdly here is laid downe the foundation of true humilitie For if all our vertues and workes be losses in the case of our saluation then all boasting is excluded and we are to take nothing to our selues but shame and confusion and giue al glorie to God Yea the more our vertues are and workes if we place any confidence in them the greater are our losses Thus we see what things are losses to Paul in the next place let vs consider howe they are losses This Paul settes downe by a gradation thus I count them losse I make them my losses I count them as doung This gradation is nothing els but a repetition of one and the same thing inlarged and amplified in speech Nowe repetitions in scripture are not idle and vaine as they are oftentimes in the writings of men but they commonly signifie two things namely the certainty and the necessitie of the thing repeated and therefore in this place they signifie the certaintie and the necessitie of Pauls losses Certaine they are because he that will be saued by Christ must certainely indure these losses without recouerie The foundation of this certenty lies in an impossibilitie of merit by any works of man which I will make manifest by fiue reasons The first is this It is a principall part of Christian inherent righteousnesse to haue and keepe a good conscience now Paul expresly excludes it from iustification saying I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified 1. Cor. 4. 4. The second is this Paul saith Eph. 2. 9. we are not saued by workes nowe he meanes no other workes but such as followe faith and are done by the spirit of God And this appeares by
but by Adams disobedience imputed to vs are we made sinners therefore we are made iust by the obedience of Christ imputed Bernard vsed this reason Whome saith he another mans fault defiled another mans water washed Yet in calling it another mans fault I doe not denie it to be ours otherwise it could not defile vs. But it is another mans because we all not knowing of it sinned in Adam It is ours because we haue sinned though in an other and it is imputed to vs by the iust iudgement of God though it be secret Yet that thou maist not complaine ô man against the disobedience of Adam there is giuen thee the obedience of Christ that beeing sould for naught thou maist be redeemed for naught Again the doctrine of imputed iustice he teacheth expresly saying Al are dead that the satisfaction of one might be imputed to all as he alone bare the sinnes of all Againe Death is put to flight by the death of Christ and the righteousnes of Christ is imputed to vs. Fourthly Paul saith Christ is made vnto vs of God iustice that is iustice imputed for in the next words he saith he is made our sanctification that is our iustice not imputed but inherent Fiftly as Christ was made sinne so are we made the iustice of God but Christ was made our sin not by any conueiance of any corruption into his most holy heart but by imputation We therefore are made the iustice of God by like imputation And least any man should yet surmise that this iustice is not imputed but infused into vs Paul saith We are made the iustice of God IN HIM that is in Christ. Hence it followeth manifestly that there is no vertue or worke within vs which iustifieth before God and that our iustice whereby we are iust in the fight of God and accepted to life eternall is out of vs placed in Christ. Thus much haue the Fathers obserued vpon this text of Paul Augustine saith that Christ was made sinne that we might be made iustice not our iustice but Gods iustice neither in vs but in him as he declared sinne not to be his but ours not placed in him but in vs. Hierome saith Christ being offered for vs tooke the name of sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him not ours nor in vs. In the same manner speake Theophilact Anselme Sedulius presbyter and others Lastly mā considered as a creature before his fall owed vnto God the fulfilling of the lawe which as a certaine tribute was daily to be paid vnto him After the fall he doubled his debt because he then became debter to God of a satisfaction due for the breach of the lawe Now the not paiment of this double debt is our vnrighteousnes But where may we find a sufficient paiment for this debt We our selues by our sinnes daily increase the said debt And our owne workes though proceeding of faith are no conuenient paiment because we cannot by one debt paie an other And if we shall search through heauen and earth there is nothing to be found that may stand for paiment with God but the obedience of the Redeemer which he hath presented and laid downe before the throne of the Almightie as an endlesse treasure to make paiment in our behalfe And because the said obedience is a satisfaction for our vnrighteousnes it is also our iustice in the acceptation of God By these and other reasons it appeares that nothing can absolue vs before God and procure the right of eternall life but the onely obedience of the Mediator Christ God and man that without any vertue or worke of ours Hence it followes that the present Church of Rome corrnpts the article of iustification by mingling things togither which can no more be compounded and mingled togither then fire and water namely the iustice of the gospell with the iustice of the law For it makes a double iustification the first containes two parts pardon of sinne by the death of Christ and the infused habit of charitie The second is by workes which they say do meritoriously increase the first iustification and procure eternall life Here we see the soueraigne medicine of the Gospel namely remission of sinnes tempered with the poison of the lawe For though vertues and workes prescribed in the lawe haue their place as good giftes God in our liues and cōuersations yet whē they are set vp higher and brought within the circle of iustification as meritorious causes they are put quite out of their place and are no better then poison and hereupon are tearmed of Paul losse and dongue But such as desire to be tearmed Catholickes alleadge for themselues against vs that the obedience of Christ that is the righteousnesse of an other cannot possibly be our righteousnesse I aunswer that the iustice of another may be our iustice if it be really made ours And this is true in Christ. For when we begin to beleeue in him though our persons remaine euermore distinct and vnconfounded yet are we made one with him and according to the tenour of the Euangelicall couenant are we giuen to him and he to vs so as we may truely say Christ is mine as we can truly say this house or this land is mine Now if Christ be ours then also his obedience is not onely his but ours also his because it is in him ours because with him it is giuen vs of God Againe they alleadge That when Paul refuseth the righteousnesse of the lawe he means nothing els but the workes of the lawe that are perfourmed by the strength of nature and that he doth not exclude the workes of Grace I answer it is false for he speakes of himselfe in the time present when he was a Christian Apostle and therefore he excludes all righteousnes of his own which he had by the law euen when he was an Apostle And the obiection Rom. 6. 1. what then shall we sinne that grace may abound cannot be inferred vpon iustification by workes of grace but vpon a iustification by the obedience of Christ imputed to vs without all workes of our owne Againe that we are iustified not by the iustice of the lawe but by the iustice of faith here is the foundation of our comfort For hereupon if we be tempted in the time of this life we may oppose against the tempter this our iustice If Satan plead against vs that we are sinners and therefore subiect to eternall damnation let vs answere him that the obedience of Christ hath freed vs from this damnation If he plead further that we neuer fulfilled the lawe and consequently that we haue no right to eternal life we must answer him that Christ fulfilled the lawe for vs. If he shall vexe and vpbraid vs with the consideration of our manifold wants and corruptions let vs tell him that so long as we turne vnto God from all our euill waies bewaile our corrupttions and beleeue