A Treatise of Justifying Righteousness, Book 2 · Aphorism 106 – Aphorism 109
Aphorism.
WHen it is said, that we are justified by Works, the word [By] implieth Page 300.more than an idle Concomitancy: If they only stood by while Faith doth all, it could not be said, that we are justified by Works.
Animadvers.
1. All this proves not, that by Works in St. James, is not meant [a working Fai…h.] Or that when he saith, that a man is justified by Works, and not by Faith only, his meaning is no…, that a man i… justified by such a Faith, as doth shew forth it self by Works, and not by a barren Faith, which hath no Works slowing from it.
2. [Faith alone (saith Dr. Preston) justifieth, but it is effectual and working Faith, and Works follow Faith necessirily. And there is a double Justification: One of the person, which is by Faith only, whereof St. Paul disputes, Rom. 4. the other of the Faith, which by Works must be shewed to be lively and effectual, as St. James disputes, chap. 2. Works justified Abraham that he was no Hypocrite (i. e. they shewed his Faith to be unfeigned, as the Apostle sheweth Faith must be, 1. Tim. 1. 5.) and Faith, that he was not a sinner, because by Faith Righteousnes… was imputed to him.] So he.
Reply.
1. No wonder: for it is brought to another end, than to prove that by Works, is meant Works.
2. What will you take for proof? If I should find the most express words for it, I think they may have another sense put on them as fairly as these.
3. I think the proof lieth on your part (which I see not performed:) For if I shew you where the Scripture saith, [We are justified by Works, and not by Faith only:] If you say, by Works is not meant Works, you must prove it. Because the plain sense is not to be forsaken without cause; and therefore he that doth it, must shew good cause for it.
4. But yet I will tell you what goes with me for proof (that by Works is meant Works, and not only the Faith which doth work) till I hear better proof of the contrary.
1. James calls them by the name of [Works] twelve times in thirteen Verses, and never by the name of [working Faith,] or, [that Faith which worketh:] A repetition not usual in Scripture, specially on such a subject: As if he had purposely done it to make men believe, that he means as he speaks; and therefore I think by [Works] he means [Works.] For obscure figurative speeches are usually but seldom, in comparison of the plain ones, and sufficiently evinced to be such by the more plain.
2. I am yet the more perswaded, that by [Works] is meant [Works,] brcause it is still opposed to [Faith without Works,] or, [Faith alone,] and not to [this or that sort of Faith, viz. that Faith which is not of a quality to Work,] though I doubt not but that is part of the Apostle's sense, in this term [Faith,] yet it is but part: For it is not only [the Faith alone, without a working disposition,] but [Faith alone without Works themselves,] when there is opportunity: The word [Alone] excluding Works themselves, as well as the working disposition. So that if I will wrest the word [Works] twelve times together to a strange sense, I must needs use the same violence with the word [Faith alone] also. Should I again run over each Verse, it is easie to manifest, that the opposition is not only between [a Faith disposed to Work, and a Faith not disposed;] but between [Faith alone,] and [Faith and Works themselves together:] Though yet the conatus is the work, where no more is required, as in Abraham's case.
3. Particularly the Argument à simili, in v. 15, 16. proves it: For the Argument is, As merciful words do not profit the naked and hungry without clothes and food, so a good Belief will not justifie and save you, without Works. Now it is not a disposition to feed and clothe that profiteth the hungry and naked: So neither is it a mere disposition to work, that is meant by Works.
4. The same is manifest in Vers. 13. where the occasion of all this discourse is begun, in the necessity of mercy, such mercy as men partake of from us.
5. I am the more confirmed, when I consider, that the death of Faith without Works here, v. 20, 14, 26, 24. is not merely the hypocrisie or seemingness of it: (He likeneth it to the real Faith of the Devils,) but the inutility of it as to justifie and save; (for justifying and saving Faith are all one with James, vers. 14, 21, 24.)
6. And Vers. 18. by [Works] must needs be meant [Works;] else it would run thus, [Thou hast Faith undisposed to Work, and I have a working Faith: Shew me thy non-working Faith without thy working Faith, and I will shew thee my working Faith by my working Faith.] I had rather understand James plainly, than take him to speak such non-sense: And if you will take Faith and Works in the plain proper sense in this Verse, why not in the rest?
7. And in Vers. 20. Works must needs mean Works; else it must run thus, [Faith without a working Faith is dead.]
8. And so must it be Vers. 22. else it must run thus, [Faith wrought with his working Faith, and by a working Faith was Faith made perfect,] nay, [a non-working Faith was made perfect.]
9. So Vers. 24. else it must be thus, [By a working Faith a man is justified, and not by a non-working Faith only:] As if a non-working Faith did partly justifie. (For I hope you will not turn solum to solam.)
10. So Ver. 26. according to your way it must run, [So a non-working Faith, without a working Faith is dead also.] Let him that can, receive this Exposition, for I cannot.
11. But my chief Argument lieth in the great necessity of Works which the Apostle asserteth, both to Justification and Salvation. Now if I meet with those that confess by Works is meant Works, I would desire to know the reason, Why Works with Faith are so necessary? If they do but by an idle Concomitancy stand by, what means James to say, Can Faith save him? we are justified by Works: What profit, &c. So I would demand of you, concerning the working of Faith. If you understand [working Faith,] so as to make Faith it self the primary part of the Condition, and working the secondary, then you yield all I desire: If you understand it so, as to confine it to [the Faith which worketh,] and exclude [the Working] from justifying and saving (for James joyns both together) then will you open this mystery to me, and tell me, whence or what is this necessity that Faith should be working? If you say, Working is necessary to signifie Faith to be sincere. I reply, 1. But the Apostle makes it necessary to justifie and save, and not only to signifie. The Soul doth not only signifie the Body to be alive.
2. God needs no signs, and it is he that judgeth. You will say, It is not sincere without working.
Reply. 1. It is a real Faith, such as the Devils have, nay it may be more, they may really consent, that Christ shall justifie and save them from Hell.
2. How comes its Sincerity to lie in its working Disposition? The sincerity of Faith as a good Work, lieth in its conformity to the Precept: But that's not the Sincerity in question. The sincerity of Faith, as justifying and saving, lieth in its being really that Faith, to which as a Condition, Justification and Salvation are promised. Now if the New-Testament make not mere Faith, but Faith working, to be the Condition of Justification or Salvation, then Faith as working secondarily, must justifie and save. For if in any Covenant there be an Act with its Qualification required, as the Condition, then the Qualification is part of that Condition as well as the Act: For it hath the same essence herein. And to say, that working is part of the Condition of Justification and Salvation, and yet doth not justifie and save quà conditio, is a contradiction directly: As much as to say, It is a Condition, and not a Condition; for the form of the Condition, is in its connexive respect to the effect. As if you should say, [Such a thing is a cause efficient, but doth not qu… causa produce the effect.]
If not only fides qua fides, but qua operans, be necessary to Justification and Salvation, then it must be necessary either as a cause (but that we all deny) or as a mere sign; (but that it cannot be, when it is coram Deo: and more is expressed fully in the Text) or else as a Condition (which is the truth, it is past my reach to find any other respect wherein its necessity should lie. Let them shew it that assert it.
As for them that say, It is but the Declaration of our Justification before men, that is here spoken of, and not before God; 1. I have said enough to them in that Aphorism. 2. I need not meddle with that to you, who own it not. 3. The same instances of Abraham and Rahab are produced, by which other Scriptures prove Justification by Faith before God. 4. The Justification here meant, is an Imputation of Righteousness, vers. 23. and that is by God, and coram Deo. 5. Abraham's sacrificing his Son, would rather have condemned him before men. 6. It is such as the Scripture about Imputation was fulfilled in. 7. It is the same Justification as that by Faith is: For the Apostle saith, [It is by Works, and not by Faith only,] importing, it is by Faith, but not only by Faith. Now coram hominibus it is not by Faith it self at all (indeed by the profession of Faith it may be.) 8. The Apostle makes Faith without Works unprofitable to save, vers. 14. And is it before men, or by men only, that they are saved? 9. Men know not when we work from sincere Faith, and when not. 10. Men be none of our Judges, nor doth the Apostle discourse of so small a matter as our being judged by man: And yet this is the commonest Exposition. Thus I have told you, why I think by Works is meant Works: and why they justifie, and that coram Deo.
2. Now to Dr. Prestons saying, which I marvel that you could produce against your self so fully, and take no notice of it. Though I believe Dr. Prestons Notions were not so digested as they should be in the point of Justification, yet they were so clear about the nature of justifying Faith (above any man that I know of) that it hath maintained much soundness in his Doctrine in the point of Justification in most things (only the notion of an Instrument was not then questioned:) and therefore if you go once to Dr. Preston, I know where your cause is. It seems you could not pick one saying out of him seeming for you, but what saith almost as much against you as I do. 1. I say as he, that Faith alone justifieth, speaking of our first, or begun Justification, which makes a man justum ex injusto (that Works never do.) 2. I say Works follow Faith necessarily. 3. This twofold Justification I maintain against you, which Dr. Preston here maintaineth. 4. In the common sense it may be said, that one is more fully Justificatio personae than the other: But then remember, 1. That both are yet most truly and properly Justificationes personae, as Bradshaw shews in the place before-cited. 2. And that Dr. Preston confesseth it: For when he hath said, that one is [of the Faith,] he yet adds, [Works justified Abraham that he was no Hypocrite.] Sin is it that is enquired after at the Bar of the Law: Only one kind of sin is enquired after (as to Condemnation) at the Bar of the New-Law; that is, Ʋnbelief, or rejecting the Redeemer, and recovering Grace. This Ʋnbelief is either open (against the Accusation of this, men are justified by Faith and Profession; or secret (which is the Hypocrisie here mentioned) and against this Accusation both Faith and Works justifie: (Of which I spoke fullier before.) When Abraham is accused of being but a seeming Believer, or a mere Believer without Obedience; and so, either of not-performing, or but half-performing the Condition of the New-Covenant: Here there is no way in the World to justifie him, but by his own Faith and Works. I shall speak more of this yet anon.
Aphorism.
WHen the Apostle saith, [by Works, Page 300.and not by Faith only,] he plainly makes them Concomitant in Procurement, or in that kind of Causality which they have: Specially seeing he saith, not as he is commonly interpreted, [not by Faith which is alone,] but, [not by Faith only.]
Animadvers.
The Apostle cannot make Faith and Works concomitant in Procurement of Justification, seeing that Abraham was justified by Faith, as the Scripture cited by the Apostle doth shew long before, that his Faith did operate and shew forth it self by that Work which the Apostle mentioneth: Therefore by Works, and not by Faith only, must needs be as much, as [not by Faith which is alone without Works:] Which is also clear enough by the whole Series of the latter part of the Chapter, and namely by that, Vers. 17. Even so Faith, if it hath not Works is dead, being alone.
Reply.
I will not forsake the plain sense of the Text, till other kind of Arguments than these constrain me. 1. Do not you easily see, that your necessary Consequence is against your self and the truth, more than me, and hath indeed no necessity or verity. You speak of Abraham's first Justification, and yet you say, it must needs be by Faith, which is not alone without Works. But Abraham's first Justification was by Faith alone without Works. 2. Do not you see that you argue to no purpose, that [the Apostle cannot make Faith and Works concomitant in procurement of Justification, as continued and consummate, and sentential at Judgment, because Abraham was justified before?] But was his continued and sentential Justification before? The Law doth still moraliter agere, and so still Justificare, and so doth God by his Law or Grant. So that it being actus Legis, the Law doth as properly justifie you to day, as it did the first day. And yet it requires more Conditions at your hand to day, than the first moment. I wait therefore for some proof of your Consequence, That Abraham's Justification twenty years after his Conversion, cannot be by Works as part of the Condition of Continuance, because his Justification was begun without Works. 3. For your clear proof from the Series and Vers. 17. I see not the least shew of proof, much less clear, but against you.
Aphorism.
HE therefore saith, [Faith is dead, being Ibid.alone,] because it is dead as to the use and purpose of justifying—And so Works make Faith alive, as to the Attainment of its ends of Justification.
Animadvers.
1. Faith if it be alone without Works (hoc est renuens operari, as Cajetan doth well express it,) cannot justifie, and so is dead as to the use and purpose of justifying. Yet do not Works therefore concur with Faith to Justification, nor are they part of the Condition required of us, that we may be justified.
2. Works do not properly make Faith alive, but only demonstrate it to be alive. Works are the effect of justifying Faith, and the effect cannot give life to the cause, but may evidence the life of it.
Reply.
1. You yield to my Exposition of [Dead;] viz. non ut fides, sed ut medium, that Works are part of the Condition; I doubt not to say, the Scriptures cited in the Aphorism fully prove.
2. You must know that those words were miswritten, or misprinted: They should be thus, [And without Works, Faith is not alive;] yet the words are true as they are. For by [Fai…h] I mean not, [fidem qua fides,] Works do not make Faith alive in it self; but, [fidem qua medium:] And by [Making alive,] I mean not efficienter, but constitutivè. And so when a man hath a Condition to perform which hath two parts, when the first is performed, the performance of the second part makes it to be sufficient to the end; it makes it to be the totum, the Condition fully performed, and so alive or sufficient ut medium: When without it, it would be but pars, and insufficient.
3. To your Argument I grant all, and what the better are you? Works are the effect of Faith, and so they neither give life to Faith as Faith, nor to Faith as the cause of Works, nor yet to Faith as the Condition of our begun-Justification (because so Faith is the whole Condition, as to external Works, though not as to the exclusion of Repentance, Knowledg or Love;) but as it is the medium or Condition of our confirmed, continued, consummate Justification. Your Fine is the full Condition of first possessing a leased Tenement, but your Rent must be added to continue your Interest and Possession (yet in our Case there is no ratio pretii.)
Aphorism.
WHen the Apostle saith, That Faith Page 301.did work in and with his Works, it clearly aimeth at such a working in and with us, as maketh them conjunct in the Work of justifying.
Animadvers.
1. Why you render foreign to work in and with I know not, it signifieth only to work with.
2. The meaning of those words cannot be, that Faith and Works work together unto Justification, or are conjunct (as you say) in the work of justifying; seeing the work there soecified, (viz. Abrahaems offering of his Son) was long after Justification, which Faith alone had procured. I see no Reason therefore to dislike Calvin's Exposition, Fides dicitur cooperata fuisse operibus, quia non fuit otiosa.
Reply.
1. I used those words not as a mere Translation, but as the Translation [working with & the Exposition; as supposing that Faith was said to work with Works, when it produced them, and so work'd in them; and so consequently I thought they concurred to justifie, according to the next words, [By Works Faith is made perfect.] But seeing this Exposition pleaseth not (though it makes as much for you as your own) I let it go, and will not insist on it.
2. I have shewed the invalidity of your Consequence before, that [Faith and Works cannot concur to continued and consummate Justification, because we were at first justified by Faith alone.] When will you shew a word of Reason for that Consequence?
3. For Calvin's Exposition: As you seem not to own it in the main, viz. [That it is not Justification coram Deo, but coram Hominibus that is here meant:] So I stick not much at this, though I think it very imperfect to say, that Faith is said to cooperate, because it is not idle. It might indeed be well said to operate, because it is not idle, or rather not to be idle, because it worketh.