The profit of the doctrine of faith only justifieth. our parts afterward: neither they mean not so to be justified without good workst, that we should do no good works at all, like as shall be more expressed at large hereafter. But this saying", that we be justified by faith only, freely, and without works, is spoken for to take away clearly all merit of our works, as being unable to deserve our justification at God's hands, and thereby most plainly to express the weakness of man, and the goodness of God; the great infirmity of ourselves, and the might and power of God; the imperfectness of our own works, and the most abundant grace of our saviour Christ; and therefore wholly to ascribe the merit and deserving of our justification unto Christ only, and his most precious blood-shedding. This faith the holy scripture teacheth usa; this is the strong rock and foundation of Christian religion; this doctrine all old and ancient authors of Christ's church do approve; this doctrine advanceth and setteth forth the true glory of Christ, and beateth down the vain-glory of man; this whosoever denieth, is not to be accounted for a Christian man, nor for a setter-forth of Christ's glory; but for an adversary to Christ and his gospel, and for a setter-forth of men's vain-glory. And although this doctrine be1 never so true, (as it is most true indeed,) that we be justified freely, without all merit of our own good works, (as St. Paul doth express it,) and freely, by this lively and perfect faith in Christ only, (as the ancient authors used to speak it,) yet this true doctrine must be also truly understood, and most plainly declared, lest carnal men should take unjustly occasion thereby to live carnally, after the appetite and will A declaration of the world, the flesh, and the devil. And because no man of this doctrine should err by mistaking of this doctrinef, I shall plainly and shortly so declare the right understanding of the same, that no man shall justly think that he may thereby take any occasion of carnal liberty, to follow the desires of the flesh, or that thereby any kind of sin shall be committed, or any ungodly living the more used. What they be that impugn the doctrine of faith only justifieth. of faith without works justi fieth. First, you shall understand, that in our justification by Christ it is not all one thing, the office of God unto man, good works] our good works A. u saying] proposition A.B. z to ascribe] for to ascribe A. a teacheth us] teacheth A.B. b beateth down] suppresseth A. B. c to be accounted] to be reputed A.B. to be counted C. be accounted D. d to Christ] of Christ A. e understood] understand A.B.C. doctrine] true doctrine A. and the office of man unto God. Justification is not the office of man, but of God; forg man cannot make himself righteoush by his own works, neither in part, nor in the whole; for that were the greatest arrogancy and presumption of man that Antichrist could set up against God, to affirm that a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sins, and so justify himself. But justifica- Justification tion is the office of God only, and is not a thing which we is the office of God only. render unto him, but which we receive of him; not which we give to him, but which we take of him, by his free mercy, and by the only merits of his most dearly beloved son, our only redeemer, saviour, and justifier, Jesus Christ : so that the true understanding of this doctrine, we be justified freely by faith without works, or that we be justified by faith in Christ only, is not, that this our own act to believe in Christ, or this our faith in Christ, which is within us, doth justify us, and deserve our justification unto us; (for that were to count ourselves to be justified by some act or virtue that is within ourselves;) but the true understanding and meaning thereof is, that although we hear God's word, and believe it; although we have faith, hope, charity, repentance, dread, and fear of God within us, and do never so many works thereunto; yet we must renounce the merit of all our said virtues, of faith, hope, charity, and all other virtues m and good deeds, which we either have done, shall do, or can do, as things that be far too weak and insufficient, and unperfect, to deserve remission of our sins, and our justification; and therefore we must trust only in God's mercy, and that sacrifice n which our high priest and saviour Christ Jesus, the son of God, once offered for us upon the cross, to obtain thereby God's grace and remission, as well of our original sin in baptism, as of all actual sin committed by us after our baptism, if we truly repent, and turn unfeignedly to him again. So that, as St. John Baptist, although he were never so virtuous and godly a man, yet in this matter of forgiving of sin, he did put the people from him, and appointed them unto Christ, saying thus unto them, Behold, yonder is the lamb of God, John 1. [29.] which taketh away the sins of the world; even so, as great g for] or D. h make himself righteous] justify himself A.B. making himself righteous C. i set up] erect A.B. 1 works] good works A.B.C. n that sacrifice] in that sacrifice o turn] convert A.B. and as godly a virtue as the lively faith is, yet it putteth us from itself, and remitteth or appointeth us unto Christ, for to have only by him remission of our sins, or justification. So that our faith in Christ (as it were) saith unto us thus: It is not I that take away your sins, but it is Christ only; and to him only I send you for that purpose, forsaking P therein all your good virtues, words, thoughts, and works, and only putting your trust in Christ. The Third Parts of the Sermon of Salvation. t IT hath been manifestly declared unto you, that no man can fulfil the law of God; and therefore by the law all men are condemned: whereupon it followeth necessarily, that some other thing should be required for our salvation than the law; and that is, a true and a lively faith in Christ; bringing forth good works, and a life according to God's commandments. And also you heard the ancient authors' minds of this saying ", Faith in Christ only justifieth man, so plainly declared, that you see 3, that the very true meaningy of this proposition or saying2, We be justified by faith in Christ only (according to the meaning of the old ancient authors) is this: We put our faith in Christ, that we be justified by him only, that we be justified by God's free mercy, and the merits of our saviour Christ only, and by no virtue or good works a of our own that is in us, or that we can be able to have, or to do, for to deserve the same; Christ himself only being the cause meritorious thereof. Here you perceive many words to be used to avoid contention in words with them that delight to brawl about words, and also to shew the true meaning to avoid evil taking and misunderstanding; and yet peradventure all will not serve with them that be contentious; but contenders will ever forge matters d of contention, even when they have none occasion thereto. Notwithstanding, such be the less to be passed upon, so that the rest may profit, which will be more desirous to know the truth, than (when it is plain enough) to contend about it, and with contentious and captious cavillation 5, to obscure and darken it. Truth it is, that our own works do noth justify us, to speak properly of our justification; that is to say, our works do not merit or deserve remission of our sins, and make us, of unjust, just before God: but God of his own mercy, through the only merits and deservings k of his son Jesus Christ, doth justify us. Nevertheless, because faith doth directly send us to Christ for remission of our sins, and that, by faith given us of God, we embrace the promise of God's mercy, and of the remission of our sins, (which thing none other of our virtues or works properly doth,) therefore scripture useth to say, that faith without works doth justify. And forasmuch that it is all one sentence in effect, to say, faith without works, and only faith, doth justify us; therefore the old ancient fathers of the church from time to time have uttered our justification with this speech; Only faith justifieth us; meaning none other thing than St. Paul meant, when he said, Faith with- [Gal. 2. 16.] out works justifieth us. And because all this is brought to pass through the only merits and deservings of our saviour Christ, and not through our merits, or through the merit of any virtue that we have within us, or of any work that cometh from us; therefore, in that respect of merit and deserving, we forsake m, as it were, altogether again, faith, works, and all other virtues. For our own imperfection is so great, through the corruption of original sin, that all is unperfect n that is within us, faith, charity, hope, dread, thoughts, words, and works, and therefore not apt to merit and deserve any part of our justification for us. And this form of speaking use we P, in the humbling of ourselves to God, and to give all the glory to our saviour Christ, which is best worthy to have it. Here you have heard the office of God in our justification, and how we receive it of him freely, by his mercy, without our deserts, through true and lively faith. Now you shall hear the office and duty of a Christian man unto God, what we ought on our part to render unto God They that preach faith or that we should do no good works. The devils have again for his great mercy and goodness. Our office is, only justifieth, not to pass the time of this present life unfruitfully and do not teach idly, after that we are baptized or justified, not caring carnal liberty, how few good works we do, to the glory of God, and profit of our neighbours 9: much less is it our office, after that we be once made Christ's members, to live contrary to the same; making ourselves members of the devil, walking after his enticements, and after the suggestions of the world and the flesh, whereby we know that we do serve the world and the devil, and not God. For that faith which bringeth forth (without repentance) either evil works, or no good works, is not a right, pure, and lively faith, but a dead, devilish, counterfeit, and feigned [I Cor. 13. 2.] faith, as St. Paul and St. James call its. For even the [James 2. 17. devils know and believe that Christ was born of a virfaith, but not gin; that he fasted forty days and forty nights without the true faith. meat and drink; that he wrought all kind of miracles, declaring himself very God: they believe also, that Christ for our sakes suffered most painful death, to redeem ust from everlasting " death, and that he rose again from death the third day they believe that he ascended into heaven, and that he sitteth on the right hand of the Father, and at the last end of this world shall come again, and judge both the quick and the dead. These articles of our faith the devils believe, and so they believe all things that be written in the New and Old Testament to be true: and yet for all this faith they be but devils, remaining still in their damnable estate, lacking the very true Christian faith. For the right and true Christian faith is, not only to believe that holy scripture, and all the foresaid articles of our faith are true; but also to have a sure trust and confidence in God's merciful promises, to be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ: whereof doth follow a loving heart to obey his commandments. And this true Christian faith neither any devil hath, nor yet any man, which in the outward profession of his mouth, and in his outward receiving of the sacraments, in coming to the church, and in all other outward appearances, seemeth to be a Christian man, and yet in his living and deeds shewThey that con- eth the contrary. For how can a man have this true faith, this sure trust and confidence in God, that by the merits of Christ his sins be forgiven, and he y reconciled What is the true and justifying faith. tinue in evil living have not true faith. a of our neighbours] to our neigh bours B. r is it] it is A.B. call it] calleth it B. t to redeem us] to redeem D. y and he] and be D. |