Reims Against Rome, Propositions · Proposition 23
XXXII. Propoſition. Of iuſtification by faith onelyonly.
BEfore the queſtion bee propounded, the Reader is to know the termes of the queſtion, and what wee meane by them.
Firſt, by the word iuſtification in this queſtion, we meane not Regeneration, and Sanctification. But we vnderſtand firſt the imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, who by his perfect obedience fulfilled the Law, and by his death paid the full ranſome for ſinne, and fully ſatisfied Gods iuſtice; all which God accepteth, and accounteth as performed by vsus, and ſo maketh vsus iuſt in Chriſt. Thus the word, iuſtifieth, is taken in Rom. 4. 5. Whereupon the Apoſtle out of the Pſalme defineth it the bleſſedneſſe of a man, to whom the Lord imputeth righteouſneſſe without workes, Rom. 4. 6. Pſal. 32. 1. Secondly, remiſſion and abſolution both from the guilt, as alſo from the puniſhment of ſinne, for Chriſts ſake, Epheſ. 1. 7. and ſo are wee pronounced iuſt: and thus is the word iuſtifieth, vſed Rom. 8. 33. Which two wee by faith apprehending, our iuſtification is formally accompliſhed.
Secondly, by faith wee doe meane: Firſt, not the faith which is called hiſtoricall, aſſenting and beleeuing that to be true which God ſpeaketh. Secondly, not the extraordinarie faith to work miracles. Thirdly, nor the temporarie faith which is for a time. Fourthly, not any conceited, fantaſticall, or preſumptuous faith, a fleeting opinion of Gods fauour ſtanding onelyonly in imagination. Fifthly, not an ignorant, fooliſh implicite faith. Sixtly, not an idle fruitleſſe, dead faith, or a ſolitarie faith, alone without other graces: but a diſtinct, intelligent, liuely, operatiue, obedient, applicatiue faith, taking hold, as by a hand, of Chriſt, applying him and his benefits, particularly to our ſelues, as God of his merciemercy giueth him vntounto vsus, which we doe call iuſtifying faith; and yet not as it is a grace, as other fruits of the Spirit be, or that it hath any vertue, or merit to iuſtifie vsus, but that it is the inſtrument taking hold of Chriſt, and applying him to vsus, which is not the propertie of any other grace.
Thirdly, by onelyonly, wee meane that in the act of iuſtification before God, this faith onelyonly, and alone is that grace, which applyeth Chriſt vntounto vsus, and is the inſtrumentall cauſe of our iuſtification; and not that hereby wee doe ſeclude repentance, charitie, and good workes, from being liuely fruits and effects of faith, but no cauſes at all of our iuſtification before God. Yet vnderſtanding theſe tearmes, thus they hold:
That a man is not iuſtified before God, onelyonly by faith:
Confuted by their owne Bible.
1. IT ſecludeth from our iuſtification before God, three things. Firſt, the Law, from being able to iuſtifie vsus, Gal. 3. 11. It is manifeſt that in the Law no man is iuſtified with God, Rom. 8. 3. It was impoſſible by the Law, being weakened by the fleſh. Act. 13. 39. You could not be iuſtified by the Law of Moſes. Secondly, All the workes of the Law, Rom. 3. 20. & 4. 2. Gal. 2. 16. By the workes of the Law ſhall no fleſH be iuſtified before him, being iuſtified gratis by his grace, verſ. 24. Thirdly, All a mans owne iustice in the ſtate of grace. For Saint Paul layeth aſide his owne iuſtice which is of the Law, Phil. 3. 9. yea, and denyeth himſelfe to bee iuſtified by his owne well-doing: for he ſaith, I am not guilty in conſcience of any thing; but I am not iuſtified herein, 1. Cor. 4. 4. Thus wee ſee what is ſecluded from iuſtifying of vsus.
Secondly, it aſcribeth iuſtice to faith, Rom. 10. 6. iuſtice which is of faith; and this is the iuſtice of God in faith, Phil. 3. 9. by which faith wee are iuſtified, Rom. 3. 8. Rom. 5. 1. Gal. 2. 24.
Thirdly, in the act of iuſtification by faith, it ſecludeth works from it, ſaying, Rom. 3. 28. We account a man to bee iuſtified without the workes of the Law, Rom. 4. 5. Faith is reputed to iuſtice to him that worketh not, Gal. 2. 16. A man is not iuſtified by the workes of the Law, but by the faith of Ieſus Chriſt. How cleere are theſe places for iuſtification by faith only, when they ſeclude workes, and giuegive it to faith?
Fourthly, it no where exhorteth vsus to iuſtification. For iuſtification is not a vertue in vsus, nor our worke, but the worke of Chriſt, who is our righteouſneſſe, Ier. 23. 6. Rom. 10. 4. 1. Cor. 1. 30. But we are exhorted to beleeue. Now, of faith moſt excellent and admirable things are ſpoken, for our euerlaſting comfort. By it, Chriſt dwelleth in vsus, Epheſ. 3. 17. By it we are made the children of God, Gal. 3. 26. Ioh. 3. 12. 1. Ioh. 5. 1. By it wee liue, Hab. 2. 4. Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 2. 20. we ſtand. 2. Cor. 1. 24. we walke, 2. Cor. 5. 7. wee hauehave boldneſſe, acceſſe with confidence to God, Epheſ. 3. 12. Rom. 5. 2. and peace with God, Rom. 5. 1. and without this it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, Heb. 11. 6. For to this is imputed iuſtice, Gal. 3. 6. Rom. 4. 3. and 9. 31. by this are we iuſtified, Rom. 3. 28. Gal. 3. 8. attaining to the righteouſneſſe of God by it, Phil. 3. 9. By this doe we ouercome the world, 1. Ioh. 5. 4. By this are wee kept vntounto ſaluation, 1. Pet. 1. 5. By this wee hauehave eternall life, Ioh. 3. 36. and are ſaued, Epheſ. 2. 8. wee ſhall not periſh, Ioh. 3. 16. nor come into condemnation, but paſſe from death to life, Ioh. 5. 24. Thus we ſee the excellencie of this faith in Chriſt, which is called the faith of the elect, Tit. 1. 1. the end where of is the ſaluation of our ſoules, 1. Pet. 1. 9. And that wee might not reſt vponupon any other thing but vponupon Chriſt by faith, the Apoſtle ſaith, Gal. 5. 6. In Ieſus Chriſt, neither circumciſion auaileth any thing, nor vncircumciſion, but faith which worketh by louelove.
Contraried by Antiquitie.
Touching iuſtification by faith onelyonly, the ancient Fathers are very cleare for vsus againſt the Papiſts.
Chryſoſt. hom. 3. ad Tit. If thou beleeueſt, why addeſt thou other things to faith, as if faith onelyonly could not ſuffice to iuſtifie? And in Hom. 7. Rom. 3. ſpeaking of Gods goodneſſe, ſaith, he not onelyonly ſaueth vsus; but alſo iuſtifieth and glorifieth vsus, vſing no works hereunto, but requireth faith onelyonly.
Hilar. Can. 8. in Matth. ſaith, Faith onelyonly iuſtifieth.
Baſil. Hom. de humilit. ſaith, This is true and perfect reioycing in God, when a man is not lifted vp in his owne righteouſneſſe, but knoweth himſelfe to be without true righteouſneſſe, and to be iuſtified by faith *foreign.onelyonly in Ieſus Chriſt.
Ambroſ. on Rom. 3. They are iuſtified freely, becauſe doing nothing, neither repaying againe any thing in ſtead thereof, they are iuſtified onelyonly by faith. And on Rom. 4. There is no need of the Law, ſeeing the wicked is iuſtified onelyonly by faith.
Theophylact. on 3. chap. ad Galat. Faith onelyonly, ſaith hee, hath in it the power to iuſtifie.
Heſychius in Leuit. 14. lib. 1. Grace is apprehended onelyonly by faith, and not by workes.
Primaſius ad Rom. 5. & ad Gal. 2. He doth iuſtifie the wicked by faith onelyonly: Faith onelyonly ſufficeth you vntounto ſaluation.
Theodoret in Epheſ. 2. By faith onelyonly, he forgiueth ſinnes.
Bernard. in Cant. Serm. 22. Beleeue in God that iuſtifieth ſinners: and being iuſtified by faith onelyonly, hee ſhall hauehave peace with God.
Thus the Fathers ſpeake according to the Scripture, in our manner of ſpeaking in plaine termes.
Gaineſaid by themſelues.
Aquinas on Rom. 3. lect. 4. & Gal. 3. lect. 4. Workes, be not, ſaith he, the cauſe why a man is iuſt before God; but rather they are the manifeſtation, and execution of his iuſtice. For no man is iuſtified by workes, but by the habit of faith infuſed; yea, iuſtification is done by faith onelyonly.
The ordinary Gloſſe, Iam. 2. ſaith, That Abraham was not iuſtified by the workes he did: but by faith onelyonly, his oblation being a worke of his faith, and a teſtimonie of his righteouſneſſe.
Eraſmus ſaith, that the word onelyonly, which now a dayes they ſhowt at ſo in Luther, is reuerently heard and read in the writings of the Fathers.
And Bellarmine de iuſtific. lib. 5. cap. 7. ſaith, It is moſt ſafe, to repoſe our whole confidence in the onelyonly mercy and goodneſſe of God, which is in effect that, which wee teach in this point of iuſtification.
Scriptures obiected anſwered.
1. Cor. 13. 2. Though I hauehave all faith, ſo that I could remoue mounaines, and hauehave no charitie, I am nothing.
Anſw. 1. The faith here is of working miracles, and not of iuſtifying faith. Secondly, to hauehave faith, without charitie, is ſpoken of here by ſuppoſition: for true ſauing faith is that, which workes by louelove; which wee teach and allow not of a fruitleſſe faith. Thirdly, this is not againſt the tenent, that faith onelyonly iuſtifieth. For here is no word of iuſtification: but a condemning of a faith without louelove, which iuſtifying faith is not without. For though faith onelyonly iuſtifyeth, yet it is not alone without charitie, and other fruits, which euer accompany it, to ſhew it to bee ſauing faith, but yet not as any cauſes with it of our iuſtification.
Iam. 2. 24. Ye ſee therefore, how that by workes a man is iuſtified, and not by faith onelyonly.
Anſw. To ſhew the ſence and plaine meaning of theſe words, which are the concluſion from the former diſcourſe, wee muſt conſider:
Firſt, to whom Iames ſpeaketh: hee ſpeaketh to vaine men, verſe 20. which boaſted of their faith, ſaying, they had faith, and yet were without workes, verſe 14. This was the occaſion of the Apoſtles diſcourſe.
Secondly, the ſcope, which was not to ſhew, what place faith hath in iuſtification, whether that faith onelyonly iuſtifie before God, for that was Saint Pauls drift to the Romanes, Rom. 4. 5. but this here is onelyonly to ſhew, what faith it is that ſaueth not, verſe 14.
Thirdly, the faith here ſpoken of and condemned, is ſuch a faith, Firſt, as ſtood onelyonly in words, without workes, like the charitie of ſuch, who ſay to the poore, Goe in peace, be warme, and filled, but yet giuegive them nothing to warme and fill them, verſe 15, 16. Secondly, a dead faith, verſe 17. 20, 26. Thirdly, an Hiſtoricall faith, which the diuels themſelues hauehave. Fourthly, a faith contrary to Abrahams faith: For his was an operatiue faith, and which he that hath, can ſhew by workes, verſe 18, 21. a faith that worketh by works, ſhewing it ſelfe to bee perfect, that is, true and ſincere, verſe 22. By which faith, Abraham beleeuing, it was counted to him for righteouſneſſe, ver. 23. where note, that when righteouſneſſe, which was counted to Abraham, is mentioned, it is aſcribed to his faith, which ſo did ſhew it ſelfe by workes, and not to his deeds done, which Saint Paul makes the fruits of this his faith, Heb. 11. 17.
Therefore all theſe things premiſed, and cleerely manifeſt out of the Text, theſe words in this verſe 24. carry the ſenſe, Ye ſee therefore (by all this aforeſaid) how that by workes, that is, by faith ſhewed by workes, that a man is iuſtified, and not by faith onelyonly, that is by faith alone, a ſolitarie faith, which hath no workes, of which the vaine man boaſteth: For onelyonly here is vſed for alone. For when the Greekes place the word onelyonly after faith, as here, then it ſignifieth alone; but before faith, it ſignifieth only, foreign.And this interpretation, firſt, is agreeing to the ſcope of the Apoſtle Iames here. Secondly, it doth not oppoſe S. Pauls Doctrine, Rom. 3. and 4. which ſecludeth workes from faith, in the act of our iuſtification. Thirdly, the words in this Text of Iames confirmeth this expoſition, that workes are put for faith, ſhewed by works, in ver. 18. where he bringeth one in, vrging to ſhew faith by workes. Alſo when in verſe 21. he had ſpoken of Abrahams iuſtification by workes, he by and by ſaith, verſe 22. Seeſt thou, how faith wrought by his workes? And then thereupon produceth Scripture in verſe 23. to proue, not that Abrahams worke was counted to him for righteouſneſſe, (as Iames would hauehave done, if he had intended to teach iuſtificatiō by works) but that it was the faith of Abraham which did worke by workes, that made him to be reputed righteous before God.
Gal. 5. 6. For in Ieſus Christ, neither Circumciſion auaileth any thing, nor vncircumciſion, but faith which worketh by louelove.
Anſw. This place magnifieth ſauing faith, which worketh by louelove, for which we plead: and therefore is nothing againſt, but altogether for that which we teach: for we ſpeake not of alone faith; but of onelyonly faith in the act of iuſtification.
The places cited by the Gagger.
Matth. 5. 20. Except your righteouſneſſe exceede the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſes, &c.
Anſw. This place is not to the purpoſe: for here is no mention of faith, nor of iuſtification by faith: but here is one righteouſneſſe preferred before another: That of the Scribes and Phariſes bringeth not to Heauen: for it was legall, ſought by workes, and to eſtabliſh their owne righteouſneſſe, being ignorant of the righteouſneſſe of God, Rom. 10. 3. which is Euangelicall, ſought by faith, and inherent in Chriſt, in all fulneſſe of perfection, which exceeded the righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſes.
Mat. 7. 21, 22. Not eueryevery one that ſaith to me, Lord, Lord, &c.
Anſw. This is nothing neither to proue the point. This is againſt idle and vaine profeſſors of Chriſt, that hauehave not the faith that iuſtifieth, Matth. 11. 26. Yea, O Father, for ſo it was thy good pleaſure. This is fooliſhly quoted, Matth. 12. 33. Is of a fruitfull, and fruitleſſe tree, Matth. 16. 16. Thou art Chriſt, the Sonne of the liuing God: Peters profeſſion of his faith. The very naming of theſe, ſheweth the vanity of this Gaggers citing of Scriptures.
Matth. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life, keepe the Commandements.
Anſw. 1. This is nothing againſt iuſtification by faith onelyonly; which faith is neuer without obedience to Gods commandements. 2. Chriſt ſpeakes not of that which the young man was able to doe; but he ſeeking righteouſneſſe by the Law, Chriſt anſwered him thereafter legally, intending to diſcouer to him his raſhneſſe and pride, as the euent ſheweth: For the young man was couetous, and loued his riches on earth, more then treaſure in heauen, verſe 21, 22.
Gal. 3. 12. But the Law is not of faith, but the man that doth them, ſhall liue in them.
Anſw. The whole courſe of the context is for iuſtification by faith, and againſt iuſtification by works. The eighth verſ. ſpeaks of the iuſtification of the Gentiles through faith. The ninth verſe ſaith, that they that be of faith, are bleſſed with faithfull Abraham. The tenth verſe pronounceth them that are of the deeds of the Law, accurſed. The 11. verſe confidently auerreth, that no man is iuſtified by the Law, in the ſight of God, and giueth the reaſon: for the iuſt ſhall liue by faith. In verſe 12. is an argument to refell confidence in workes: For the Law, ſaith he, is not of faith. So as, if we liue by faith, wee cannot liue by the Law; for it propounds life to the doers, but not to beleeuers, as the Goſpell doth.
1. Tim. 5. 8. If any prouide not for his owne, &c.
Hath not he an idle braine, is not he worthy to be gagged for a lewd babbler, that will alledge this Scripture againſt iuſtification by faith onelyonly, when we ſpeake of a holy, liuely, and obedient faith?
1. Ioh. 2. 4. He that ſaith he knowes him, and keepes not his commandements, &c. 1. Ioh. 3. 22. Whatſoeuer we ſhall aske,—becauſe we keepe his commandements, and doe thoſe things, which are pleaſing in his ſight.
Anſw. The firſt place condemneth knowledge without practice. So doe we, and ſuch a faith too. The ſecond is an effect of that good confidence in God, ſpoken of in verſe 21. deſcribing ſuch as hauehave ſuch boldneſſe towards God, by the true ſignes and fruits of faith; to which he exhorts in verſe 23. ſaying, that it is a commandement of God, that we ſhould beleeue in the name of his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt.
Rom. 3. 31. Doe we deſtroy the Law by faith? God forbid: but we rather maintaine the Law.
Anſw. The whole Chapter is againſt iuſtification by workes, and for faith, and euen in this very verſe. For what meane theſe words? but to ſhew, that faith by which wee are iuſtified, doth fulfill the Law; ſo as what men would obtaine by the workes of the Law, the ſame they hauehave by faith in Chriſt, who hath for vsus perfectly fulfilled the Law. So the Law is not deſtroyed, but by faith eſtabliſhed.
Phil. 2. 12. Worke out your ſaluation with feare and trembling.
Anſw. What meaneth this babbling Babylonian hereby? Will he conclude, that he, which is to worke out his ſaluation with feare and trembling, is not iuſtified by faith onelyonly? Iuſtifying faith maketh none preſumptuous. It makes a man put on the Armour of God. It ſo maketh vsus confident in God, as withall, neuer to neglect any good meanes in the way to ſaluation. It maketh vsus not high-minded, but to feare, and to tremble, and ſo to worke out our owne ſaluation, which euer accompanyeth our iuſtification.