Answer to a Popish Pamphlet Called the Touchstone of the Reformed Gospel, Part 2 · Subpart 21
21. THat faith onlie juſtifieth, & that good works are not abſolutlie neceſſarie to ſalvation.
VVHichWhich he ſayeth is contrarie to 1 Cor. 13. 2. Though I hauehave all faith, ſo that I could remove mountains, & I have not charitie, I am nothing, therefore faith onlie doth not juſtifie (ſayeth he) To which I anſwere, 1. That there is no word in this Text of Iuſtification, but of the neceſſitie of charitie to be joyned with faith in a chriſtian profeſſion, which no proteſtant ever yet denyed. 2. The Apoſtle ſpeaketh not of a juſtifying faith, but (as the words importeth) of a faith of working Miracles, which their owne Eſtius acknowledgeth, ſaying, (on 1. Cor. 12. 9.) The greeke Fathers do rightlie underſtand that faith heere, of which is ſpoken, cap. 13. 2. which they call the faith of ſigns and miracles, which faith (ſayth he) is of it ſelf a grace onlie given for the benefit of others. And ſo not a juſtifying faith for a man himſelf, as wee may ſee, Math. 7. 22.
The ſecond place is Iam. 2. 24. where it is ſaid, Yee ſee therfore how that by works a man is juſtified, and not by faith only. To which I anſwer, That beſide O Ecumenius, Theodoret and Beda on this place, their owne Aquinas ſhoweth the true meaning thereof, Who objecting to this place, Rom. 3. 20. where it is ſaid, by the deeds of the Law no fleſh ſhall be juſtified in his ſight, he reconcileth them thus, I anſwere (ſayeth he) that to juſtifie may be taken two wayes, either for the execution, or for the manifeſtation of our juſtification. and this way indeed a man is juſtified by works, that is, he is declared and manifeſted to bee juſt, or it is taken for the infuſed habit of righteouſnes, and this way no man is juſtified by works (ſayeth he) Likewiſe ſayeth Doctour Paes a Portugall Frier. The meaning of theſe words, That Abraham was juſtified by works, may be this, as Theodoret expoundeth, that he was declared juſt, which expoſition I approve moſt (ſayeth he.)
The third place is, Iam. 2. 14. where the Apoſtle ſayeth, What doth it profit though a man ſay, hee hath faith, & not works, can that faith ſaue him? I anſwere, 1. That the Apoſtle ſayeth not, Though a man hauehave faith, but, Though he ſay hee hath faith, ſhowing therby that an alleadgance onlie of faith availeth not to ſalvation, 2. A… their Eſtius with us ſhoweth, it is ſaid ther, that a dead and fruitleſſe faith onlie according to the Apoſtles words verſe 17. and 18.) availeth not to ſalvation. nor can be called a juſtifying faith.
The fourth place is, Gal. 5. 6. Neither Circumciſion nor uncircumciſion availeth any thing, but faith which worketh by louelove. which place is coincident with the former, and doeth nowiſe militat againſt our doctrine of Iuſtification, as the words of our cōfeſſion, anno 1581. and 1647. c. 11. teſtifieth, ſaying. That faith receiving and relying onlie on Chriſt and his righteouſnes is the onlie inſtrument of our Iuſtification, …et it is not alone in the perſon juſtified, but is ever accompanied with all other ſaving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by louelove. And that this is alſo the doctrine of all other reformed Churches, their own Caſſander witneſſeth, conſult. art. 4. As alſo Bellarmin (lib. 1. de Iuſtif. cap. 14.) ſaying, Iohn Calvin in his Antidote of the Councell cap. 11. Seſſ. 6. ſayeth, That it is faith onlie that juſtifieth, but yet not fayth which is alone, as the heate of the ſunne is that onlie which heateth the earth, yet heate is not alone in the ſunne, but their is light alſo joyned with it. the ſame alſo (ſayeth he) doth Melancton. Brentius, & Chemnitius teach with others.
And as for Fathers whom hee citeth, or whoſe words he ſetteth downe, ſuch as Ambroſe, ſaying, That faith alone ſufficeth not, & Auguſtin that faith onlie ſaveth not without obſerving Gods Commandements, they militat nowiſe againſt out doctrine as wee ſee confeſſed.
But I admire at the impudence or ignorance of this Pamphleter, who in the next place aſcribeth to us, that we hold That good works are not neceſſarie to ſalvation. whereas in the contrarie, Theſe are the words of our Confeſsion of faith. cap. 16. concerning their neceſsitie, That they are the fruits and evidences of a true and livelie faith; and by them Believers manifeſt their thankfulnes, ſtrengthneth their aſſurance, edifieth their brethren, adorneth the profeſsion of the goſpell, ſtops the mouth of the adverſaries: and gloriſieth God, whoſe workmāſhip they are, created in Chriſt thereunto, that having their fruit in holines, they may hauehave the end, life eternall. being as Bernard ſpeakes▪ via Regni, non cauſa regnandi.