The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 2 · Christ's two natures · Question 61 – Question 62
Queſt. 61. Why affirmeſt thou, that thou art made righteous by faith only?
Anſw. Not for that I pleaſe God through the worthineſſe of meere faith; but becauſe onelyonly the ſatisfaction, righteouſneſſe, and holineſſe of Chriſt is my righteouſneſſe before Goda1 Cor. 1.30. & 2.2.: and I cannot take hold of it, or apply it unto my ſelfe and other way than by faithb1 Joh. 5.20.
The Explication.
Three cauſes why faith alone juſtifieth.WE ſay, we are juſtified by faith alone: 1. Becauſe we are juſtified by the object of faith onelyonly, to wit, by the merit of Chriſt, alone, beſides which, there is no juſtice of ours, nor any part thereof. For we are juſtified freely for Chriſts ſake, without works. There is nothing which can be our juſtice and righteouſneſſe before God, either in whole, or in part, beſides Chriſts merit: only by receiving and beleeving anothers juſtice we are juſtified; not by working, nor by meriting, but by an apprehenſion and acceptation only we are juſt and righteous. All works are excluded, yea faith it ſelfe as it is a vertue or work. 2. Becauſe the proper act and operation of faith is, for a man to apprehend and apply unto himſelf Christs righteouſneſſe: yea, faith is nothing elſe than the acceptation it ſelf, or apprehenſion of anothers juſtice, or, of the merit of Chriſt. 3. Becauſe faith only is the instrument, which apprehendeth Chriſts ſatisfaction. Hence it is evident, for what cauſes we are to retain the excluſive particle OnelyOnly, Foure cauſes why we are to maintaine againſt Papiſts that faith only juſtifieth. Rom. 3 24, 28. Marke 5 36.and to maintaine it againſt the Papiſts: namely, 1. For declaration of that which Paul ſpeaketh, Wee are juſtified freely by grace, without works: likewiſe of that which Chriſt ſaith, OnelyOnly beleeve. 2. That whatſoever works and merits of ours, or of others, may be excluded from being cauſes of juſtification; and faith may be underſtood only with relation and reſpect to Chriſts merit, which is our juſtice. 3. That not only our merits, but even faith it ſelf may be wholly excluded from that which is received by faith: and the ſenſe may be, we are juſtified by faith alone, that is, not by meriting, but only by receiving: as when wee ſay; This poor man is enriched only by receiving the almes of charitable diſpoſed people: where all works and merits, yea, the very receiving of almes (if it be conſidered as a merit) are excluded. Therefore Paul ſaith alwaies, that we are juſtifiedaforeign. by faith, andbforeign. through faith, as by an inſtrument; but no where faith,cforeign. for faith, as the Papiſts ſay, who will admit both theſe manners of ſpeaking, as if faith were not indeed the application, whereby we apply unto our ſelves Chriſts juſtice; but were alſo beſides a certain work or merit, whereby we deſerve to be juſt: which is quite repugnant to the nature of faith: For, if for faith we were juſt and righteous, then faith were now no longer an acceptation of anothers righteouſneſſe, but were a merit and cauſe of our own juſtice; neither ſhould it receive anothers ſatisfaction, which now it ſhould have no need of. 4. That we may know what neceſſity there is of faith unto juſtification, and may underſtand, that we are not juſtified by the merit of faith, and yet are not juſtified without faith apprehending the juſtice of Chriſt; becauſe it is the proper act of faith, to lay hold on his righteouſneſſe. 5. The Orthodoxall or right beleeving Fathers oft-times urge the excluſive particle,Origen. in Rom. libro tertio capite tertio. Ambr. in Rom. 3. In cap. 10. by faith only. Origen: The Apoſtle ſaith that the juſtification of faith only is ſufficient; ſo that if a man beleeve onelyonly, hee may be justified; yea, though hee performe no work. Ambroſe: They are juſtified freely, who working nothing, and rendring no recompence, are juſtified by faith onelyonly through the gift of God. Again Ambroſe: How then may the Jewes thinke themſelves to be juſtified by the works of the law, with the juſtification of Abraham, where they ſee that Abraham was not juſtified by the works of the law, but by faith onelyonly? The law therefore needeth not, when a ſinner is justified before God by faith only. In cap. 10. In 1. ad Cor. 1.4.And, in the ſame place, the excluſive particle Only is often reiterated. The ſame Ambroſe ſaith: Becauſe this is decreed by God, that hee which beleeveth in Chriſt ſhould be ſaved without any work▪ receiving freely by faith only remiſſion of ſins. Wee are therefore juſtified by faith onelyonly, that is, by Chriſts merit onelyonly received by faith: This we muſt conſtantly maintain and defend, 1. For Gods glory, that Chriſts ſacrifice be not extenuated. 2. For our owne comfort, that we may be aſſured, that our righteouſneſſe dependeth not on our works (for ſo ſhould wee loſe it many thouſand times) but only on the ſacrifice and merit of Chriſt.
ON THE 24. SABBATH.Queſt. 62. Why cannot our good workes be righteouſneſſe, or ſome part of righteouſneſſe before God?
Anſ. Becauſe that righteouſneſſe, which muſt ſtand faſt before the judgement of God, muſt be in all points perfect and agreeable to the law of GodaGal. 3.10. Deut. 27.36. Now our workes, even the beſt of them, are imperfect in this life, and defiled with ſinbEſay 64.6..
The Explication.
IN the former Queſtions the true doctrine of Juſtification hath been made manifeſt and confirmed. It followeth that we proceed to the confutation of the Popiſh doctrine, affirming that we are juſtified by workes, or, partly by faith, and partly by works. The argument is thus framed: The justice which may ſtand in Gods judgement muſt be perfectly abſolute, and agreeable on all parts with Gods Law. But our very beſt workes in this life are imperfect, and ſtained with ſin: Therefore our very beſt workes cannot be our juſtice in the judgment of God, neither in part nor wholly. The Major of this Syllogiſme is evidently proved out of the law: Hee that doth theſe things, ſhall live in them. Curſed is every one, which abideth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to doe them. The Minor is out of doubt:Levit. 18.5. Deut. 27.26. Why our workes are imperfect. ſeeing wee doe many evill things, which we ought to leave undone; and we leave many good works undone, which we ſhould doe: yea, we mingle much evill with that good we doe, that is, we doe it amiſſe. The complaints and daily prayers of Saints are witneſſe hereof: Forgive us our ſins. Enter not into judgment with thy ſervant. Wherefore imperfect works can make no perfect righteouſneſſe.Pſal. 143.2. This is the firſt cauſe why we cannot be juſtified by our works; namely,Ten cauſes why wee cannot be juſtified by workes, or partly by faith, and partly by workes. 1. Becauſe our juſtice ſhould by this meanes be imperfect, ſeeing our works are imperfect. Many other cauſes there are: For, 2. Though our workes were perfect, yet are they due debt, ſo that by them we cannot acquit our ſins that are paſt. When ye have done all thoſe things which are commanded you, ſay, We are unprofitable ſervants: we have done that which was our duty to doe. 3. They are none of ours but Gods▪ who worketh them in us. 4. They are temporary, and have no proportion with eternall rewards: Luke 17.10.whereas between a merit and reward there muſt be ſome proportion. 5. They are the effects of juſtification; therefore not the cauſe. 6. If by them we were juſtified, we ſhould have whereof to boaſt: but the Scripture ſaith, Not of workes, leſt any man ſhould boast himſelfe. 7. The conſcience ſhould be destitute of ſolid or ſure comfort. 8. Chriſt ſhould have died without a cauſe. 9. There ſhould not be the ſame way to ſalvation in both Teſtaments, if Abraham were juſtified by faith onelyonly, and wee by works, Epheſ. 2.9. Rom. 4.16.whether by works alone, or works joyned with faith, it skilleth not. 10. Chriſt ſhould be no perfect Saviour: becauſe ſome part of our righteouſneſſe and ſalvation ſhould be without him.Gal. 2.21.