Beveridge on Article XI: Of the Justification of Man

both the fault and corruption of the human nature, and so all of us not only defiled with it, but also guilty of it, man was thereby plunged into such a gulf of misery, that it is impossible for him in his own strength ever to recover himself from it. That he is not able to wash away that filth of sin that is inherent in him hath been proved in the foregoing article : that he is not able of himself to blot out that guilt of sin that lies upon him is asserted in this. There we see we could not be made righteous but by God’s grace implanted in us; here we see we cannot be accounted righteous but by Christ’s merits imputed to us. Where we may likewise ob- serve, how whatsoever we lost in the first we gained in the second Adam. Are we accounted sinners by Adam’s sin imputed to us? we are accounted righteous by Christ’s righteousness laid upon us. Are we made sinners also by Adam’s sin inherent in us? we are made righteous also by Christ’s righteousness imparted to us; his Spirit being ours for the sanctification, as well as Adam’s sin was ours for the corruption of our natures ; and his merit ours for the justifi-

Arr. XI. Of the Justification of Man. 287

cation, as well as Adam’s transgression is ours for the con- demnation of our persons.

By this merit it is that we are accounted righteous before God; where we may take notice by the way, how our being justified is here expressed by our being accounted righteous, and not by our being made righteous: for it is not by in- hesion of grace in us, but by the imputation of righteousness to us that we are justified ; as it is not by the imputation of righteousness to us, but by the inhesion of grace in us that we are sanctified. Thus we find the apostle, speaking of the justification of Abraham, saying, Abraham believed God, * and

8 Kal ehoyicOn ait@ eis Stxaoavyyy, Rom. iv. 3. which we translate, And it was counted, or imputed, to him for righteousness ; which exposition of the words though it hath been much opposed, yet certainly this is both the most ancient and the truest notion of them. For so the Syriac, eat S AX AdaxnZio, Et repu- tatum est ei in justitiam, and pre-

sently, mZatasa ad loads Qa » Reputatur fides ei ad jus- titiam. Where we may observe how this translation renders the Greek Aoyifona. by Qwax: and so doth the Arabic also render it by Uw awn, in both places. So that what is the right notion of 2n in the Old, may well be admitted as the best interpretation of Aoyigowa in the New Testament. Now though avn do sometimes signify simply cogitavit, putavit, yet we know how in the Hebrew language, where there is no composition of verbs, the compound is always implied in the simple, and therefore the simple still used to express the compound : e. g. x11, that signifies simply venit, signifies also adventt, pervenit, evenit, convenit, &c. And so here awn, that signifies simply cogitavit, pu- tavit, signifies also imputavit, repu- tavit, computavit, supputavit. As in werd aw 04, Ht imputabitur ei sanguis, Levit. xvii. 4. as the Latin translation hath it. Jonathan expresses it clearly, 5)op 07K

Yor] > onM) Ss NTII5 awn? TWR NDT DIN; “The blood of homi- cide shall be imputed to him, and it shall be to him as if he had shed innocent blood.”’ So that 1wn here signifies such an imputation as makes a man accounted as if he had shed innocent blood, when in himself he was not guilty of it. And what 177) here signifies, Aoyi¢opar in Greek must needs signify. For as in the New Testament the Oriental translations render the Greek Aoyi- (oat by awn, so here the Greek translation renders awn by Aoyi- Copat, kai hoywcOnoerat TH avOparr@ exeiv@ aiva. So Num. xvill. 27. 203) m5; Syr. <ao5 Qervlio; Sa-

SYA NIT; Arabic,

Wawes\3 3 1. e. as the Vulg. ren- ders it, Et reputetur vobis, (whence by the way I cannot but something wonder why those that oppose the words imputavit, reputavit, &c. do not consider how their own vulgar translation makes use of them, yea, to express the Hebrew 1wn, and so the Greek Aoyifoua by:) and as all the Oriental translations, as we see, still use the same word with the Hebrew, viz. 1wn, so the Greek renders it by oyifoya: here too, Kal ANoyoOnoera iptv. And so I might easily shew how this word doth frequently signify to be counted or imputed; and if so in other places, why not in that also from whence the Apostle takes this sen-

maritan,

288 Of the Justification of Man. Arr.

it was counted to him for righteousness, Rom. iv. 3. And again, But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness, ver. 5. And if faith is accounted righteousness, we must needs be accounted righteous by faith ; and so we are justified by faith that is accounted for righteousness to us, not by grace as a principle of righteousness in us. Which also further ap- pears, in that justification is here said to be of the ungodly, Who justifieth the ungodly. For so long as a man is ungodly, he cannot be said to be justified by any inward and inherent, but only by an outward and imputed righteousness ; so that justification is properly opposed to accusation. So St. Paul plainly; Who will lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect 2 It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It ts Christ that died. Rom. viii. 33, 34. Who shall accuse or lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect ? the Devil? their own consciences? But it is God that will justify and account them righteous. How? Because they are righteous in themselves ? No; but because Christ’s merits are imputed to them: who is therefore said to be made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. v.21. How was Christ made sin for us? Not by our sins inherent in him, that is horrid blasphemy; but by our sins imputed to him, that is true divinity. And as he was made sin for us, not by the inhesion of our sins in him, but by the imputation of our sins to him, so are we made the righteousness of God in him, by the imputation of his righteousness to us, not by the inhesion of his righteousness in us. He was accounted as a sinner, and therefore punished for us; we are accounted as righteous,

tence, viz. Gen. xv. 6. 79773 JORT) TMpiz yb maw, which the LXX. render, Kal émiorevoev “ABpadp To O€6 kal EoyiaOn aita cis Suacocivny, the very words which the apostle quoteth in the place we are speaking to, It was counted or imputed to him for righteousness. So that both the Hebrew awn and the Greek doyi- (ouac do both import an external imputation of a thing to a man, not an internal inhesion of it in him. And therefore the righteousness

that is here said Aoyigfer Oa, is not any thing in ourselves to whom it is imputed, but in him who doth im- pute it. And therefore may the place well be translated, it was counted, reckoned, or imputed to him: and therefore they do but beat the air while they cavil at this place, espe- cially considering that the Hebrew awn, which they pretend makes so much for them, makes more against them.

aT Of the Justification of Man. 289

and therefore glorified in him. °Our sins were laid upon him, and therefore he died for us in time ; his righteousness is laid upon us, and therefore we shall live with him to eternity. Thus was the innocent punished as if he was guilty, that the guilty might be rewarded as if they were innocent. And thus are we accounted as righteous in him, as he was accounted as a sinner for us. He was accounted as a sinner for us, and therefore he was condemned ; we are accounted as righteous in him, and therefore we are justified. And this is the right notion of justification as distinguished from sanctification. Not as if these two were severed or divided in their subjects; no, every one that is justified is also sanctified, and every one that is sanctified is also justified. But yet the acts of justification and sanctification are two distinct things: for the one denotes the imputation of right- eousness to us; the other denotes the implantation of right- eousness in us. And therefore, though they be both the acts of God, yet the one is the act of God towards us, and the other is the act of God in us. Our ‘justification is in God only, not in ourselves ; our sanctification is in ourselves only, and not in God. By our sanctification we are made righteous in ourselves, but not accounted righteous by God; by our justification we are accounted righteous by God, but not made righteous in ourselves.

b Longe a facie mea verba delic- torum meorum. Quorum delictorum de quo dictum est, gui peccatum non fecit nec inventus est dolus in ore ejus ? Quomodo ergo dicit delictorum meorum, nisi quia pro delictis nostris ille precatur, et delicta nostra sua delicta fecit, ut justitiam suam nos- tram justitiam faceret? Aug. in Psa. xxi. Expos. sec. [3. vol. IV.]

¢ There are many expressions in the Fathers that import so much, that our justification is in God only, not in ourselves : as, Ipse ergo pec- catum, ut nos justitia, non nostra sed Dei; nec in nobis sed in ipso. Aug. Enchirid. ad Laurent. [13. vol. VI.] Ipsa quoque nostra jus- titia quamvis vera sit propter veri boni finem ad quem refertur, tamen

tanta est in hac vita, ut potius pec- catorum remissione constat quam perfectione virtutum. Id. de civitate Detyl 19. G1. 27, Init. vole Vis Sufficit mihi ad omnem justitiam solum habere propitium cui soli peccavi: omne quod mihi ipse non imputare decreverit sic est quasi non fuerit. Non peccare Dei justitia est ; hominis justitia indulgentia Dei. Bernard. in Cant. hom. 23. ’Ekeivn yap 7 ‘mpotépa, vopov kal epyav Ocxatoctvyn, avtn dé Geod Sixaocvyy. Chrysost. [vol. III. p. 611.] in 2 Corinth. hom. tr. Tune ergo justi sumus quando nos peccatores fa- temur. Et justitia nostra non ex proprio merito sed ex Dei consistit misericordia. Hieron. ady. Pelag. 1. 1. [13. vol. II.]

U

290 Of the Justification of Man. Arr.

And we are thus justified, or accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord Jesus Christ, and not Sor our own works. As it is not by our own strength that we can be sanctified in ourselves, so it is not by our own works that we can be justified before God. But as it is only by the Spirit of Christ that our natures can be made, so it is only by the merit of Christ that our persons can be accounted righteous. And seeing this merit of Christ is made over unto us by our faith in him, we are therefore said to be justified by faith, not as it is an act in us, but as it applies Christ to us. We are therefore said to be justified by faith in Christ, because we should not be justified by Christ without faith. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only, is wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the homily Of Justification, whither I refer the reader for more satisfaction in that particular; I in the meanwhile endeavouring to demonstrate, that this doctrine, that we are justified by faith only without works, is not only whole- some and comfortable doctrine, but also consonant both to the scripture, reason, and Fathers.

And first for the scriptures; what mystery do they more clearly open, what truth do they more expressly assert, than this? Let us hear St. Paul’s judgment in the case: Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law’, Rom. iii. 28: that a ©man, in general any man, high or low, Jew or Gentile, every one that is justified, is justified only by faith in Christ, not by the deeds of the law. And again: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified, Gal. ii. 16. For by grace are ye saved

[…]

fide justificart hominem sine operibus, siquidem unus est Deus qui justificat circumeisionem ex fide et preputium per fidem, manifeste ostendit non in hominis merito sed in Dei gratia esse justitiam, qui sine legis operi- bus credentium suscipit fidem. Hie-

[…]

XI. Of the Justification of Man. 291

through faith ; and that not of yourselves ; it is the gift of God ; not of works, lest any man should boast, Ephes. ii. 8,9. Hence it is that we find the same apostle saying elsewhere, Yeu doubtless, and I account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord : for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do account them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having my own righteous- ness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, Phil. iii. 8, 9. This doctrine the apostle also confirms in Abraham. That Abraham was accounted righteous we all grant: but how, by the works of the law? No; he believed God, and that was accounted to him for righteousness, Gen. xv. 6. Rom. iv.3. Now if Abraham, who performed so many good works by faith, and yet was justified by faith, and not by those good works, this (as St. Chrysostome fobserves) doth much debase the

merits of works and exalt the power of faith. And sSt. Au—

gustine takes notice how he here brings in Abraham for an example of our justification by faith, to shew that our being justified by faith, and not by works, should not at all lessen our endeavours after good works, but rather heighten them, seeing that Abraham, who was justified by faith, was also full of good works ; though it was not by those good works, but by faith, that he was justified. And so any man, though it be not for his good works he doth that he is justified, yet if

——

he be justified, he will do good works. And in this sense it is —

that St. James tells us that a man is justified by works, and not

[…]

bene operetur, quoniam Abrahe exemplo etiam Paulus apostolus usus est, ut probaret, Justificart ho- minem sine operibus legis. Cum enim bona opera commemorat Abrahe, que ejus fidem comitata sunt, satis ostendit Paulum apostolum non ita per Abraham docere justificari ho- minem per fidem sine operibus, ut si quis crediderit, non ad eum perti- neat bene operari ; sed ad hoc potius, ut nemo meritis priorum bonorum operum arbitretur se pervenire ad donum justificationis quee est in fide. Aug. 1. 83. quest. q. 76. [vol. VI.]

ue

292 Of the Justification of Man. Art.

by faith only, Jac. ii. 24; and faith without works is dead, ver. 26: that is, though it is by faith we are justified, and by faith only, yet not by such a faith as hath no works accompanying of it: no, every such faith is a dead faith ; so that faith with- out works is as unable to justify us, as works without faith. And yet it is not from the works that accompany our faith, but from the faith which is accompanied by our works, that we are justified. And therefore St. Paul and St. James do not contradict each other»; for the one speaks of the works which go before, the other speaks of the works that follow after justification. A man is justified by faith only, and not by works ; but a man that is justified cannot but have works also as well as faith. And as his person is justified by faith only before God, so is his faith justified by works only before men and his own conscience. It is by faith only, and not by works, that a man is accounted righteous in heaven ; but it is by works only, and not by faith, that a man is esteemed righteous upon earth. So that though a man be justified by his faith that goes before, we do not know that he is justified but only by his works that follow after.

And, indeed, were the scriptures silent in this point, even in shewing that we are justified by faith only, and not by works, my reason would not suffer me to contradict it. For how is it possible that the works of finite creatures, or i any thing but the merits of Christ, should be able to blot out the sins that are committed against an infinite Creator? or that the fig-leaves of our own pretended merits should hide our nakedness from the eyes of an all-seeing God? And if we cannot expiate our sins, how can we justify our persons? If we cannot but be accounted sinners for all our works, how can we be accounted as righteous for any of them? especially considering that whatsoever we have or are, is God’s; our souls, bodies, estates, time, parts, gifts, all is God’s; and

operibus. Quia ille dicit de operibus Yié rod Gcod; Justin. Epist. ad

que fidem precedunt, iste de his Diognet. [9.]

eG Of the Justification of Man. 293

therefore whatsoever we do, we are bound to do it for him, seeing whatsoever we have, we have received from him. What therefore, if I should fast my body into a skeleton, and pray my tongue, and hear my ears, to their very stumps ? What though I should water my couch continually with my tears, fasten my knees always to the earth by prayer, and fix my eyes constantly into heaven by meditation? What though I should give every thing I have to my poor distressed neigh- bours, and spend each moment of my time in the immediate worshipping of my glorious Maker? Would any of this be more than I am bound to do? Should not I still be an un- profitable servant? And ‘if I can do no more than is my duty unto God, how can I merit any thing by what I do for him? How can he be indebted unto me for my paying of what I owe.to him ?

But suppose the case for once, though it be a strange, and to me an irrational supposition, that we may merit something from God by our obedience to him; but what? must nothing less than eternal glories be accepted as a just reward for tem- poral duties? What! nothing less than justification here, and salvation hereafter, merited by a few weak performances ? Seriously, I wonder how any one should suffer such a thought to creep into his heart, much more that any one should lodge it there, and then use all his endeavour to defend it. Certainly if any one do, he must either have very high thoughts of his own merits, or very low ones of God’s presence. For my own part, it is a greater happiness I expect when dead, than I am able to deserve whilst I am alive. And Iam sure the ! Fathers

[…]

1 Quis nostrum sine divina potest subsistere miseratione? Quid pos- sumus dignum premiis facere ce- lestibus ? Quis nostrum ita assurgit in hoc corpore ut animum suum elevet quo jugiter adhzreat Christo? Quo tandem hominum merito de- fertur ut hee corruptibilis caro in- duat incorruptionem? Et mortale

Art.

294 Of the Justification of Man.

long before me had higher thoughts of the glories of heaven, than to think that they could be merited by duties upon earth.

But that we cannot possibly be justified by good works is also clear, in that it is impossible for us to do any good works before we be justified. Nay, (as we shall see in the next article but one,) works before justification are all sins: and therefore whatsoever we do before justification is so far from justifying, that it will but more condemn us; so far from meriting the least happiness, that it rather deserves the greatest misery. To which we might also consider, how as

[…]

justificari, c. 24. IIpés rd dda ody 6 peANovot KANPovopety TodTO ay TLs 6p- Gas etrot, ei Exaaros ad’ ob exriaOn 6 Ada Ews THs ouvTedeias TOU Kdo- prov émodewer mpds Toy Zaravay Kat imeuewe tas Odes, ovdev péeya erotet mpos thy Sd€ay Hv pedder KAN- povopeiv’ cvpBacirevoe yap eis rovs aiévas pera Xpicrod. Macar. He- rem. Aigypt. hom. 15. [31.] Totis licet et anime et corporis laboribus desudemus, totis licet obedientize viribus exerceamur, nihil tamen con- dignum merito pro celestibus bonis compensare* et offerre valeamus. Non valent vite preesentis obsequia eternze vitze gaudiis comparari. Eu- seb. Emissen. ad Monach. serm. 3. [p. 98.] Nihil moleste potest susti- neri in hac vita mortal, quod cze- lestibus gaudiis ex zquo respondere sufficiat. Petr. Bles. in Job. 42. [p. 424.] Gratia autem etiam ipsa vita zeterna non injuste dicitur, quia non solum donis suis Deus dona sua reddit, sed quia tantum etiam ibi gratia divine retributionis exuberat, ut incomparabiliter atque ineffabili- ter omne meritum, quamvis bone et ex Deo datz, humanz voluntatis atque operationis excedat. Fulgent. de praedestinatione, ad Monim. 1. 1. [1o.] Nam ut taceam quod merita omnia dona Dei sunt, et ita homo magis propter ipsa Deo debitor est quam Deus homini, quid sunt merita omnia ad tantam gloriam? Bern.

Serm. prim. in annunc. B. Marie, [p. 160. |

fA* -

XI. Of the Justification of Man. 295

all we do by our own strength is a sin, so whatsoever we do well, we do by the strength of God ; and therefore we are so far from deserving any thing from him, that we are but more bound to him for our good works. Whensoever we do any thing for God, we do not pay him what we owe to him, but he is pleased still to lend more to us. And how ean we deserve any thing from God by being more beholden to him? If I sin, I must thank myself for it™; if I do good, I must thank my God for it, being more indebted to him for every good work I do by him ; and if I be more indebted to him for my doing of good works, certainly he cannot be indebted to me the re- warding of them. No, it is of God’s grace that we do any thing that is good here, and it is of God’s grace too if we receive any thing that is good hereafter. And as I shall be bound to thank God for the perfection of glory in heaven, so also for the beginning of grace on earth; it being of his own infinite mercy that he fills our hearts with grace in time, and of his own infinite mercy too that he crowns “his own grace with glory to eternity.

And as for the Fathers, what more frequent in their writ- ings than that we are justified by faith only without works? Primasius tells us, °“ God justifieth the wicked by faith only,

m Tua peccata sunt, merita Dei sunt. Aug. in Psa. LII. [ii. 5. vol. IV.]| Ipsa vita eterna que in fine ha- bebitur, etideo meritis preecedentibus redditur, tamen quia eadem merita quibus redditur, non a nobis parata sunt per nostram sufficientiam, sed in nobis facta per gratiam, etiam ipsa gratia nuncupatur, non ob aliud nisi quia gratis datur; nec ideo quia meritis non datur, sed quia data sunt et ipsa merita quibus datur. Id. Epist. [194. 19. vol. II.] ad Sixtum Roman. presbyterum. Vix mihi suadeo quod possit ullum opus esse quod ex debito remunerationem Dei deposcat, cum etiam hoc ipsum quod agere aliquid possumus, vel cogitare, vel proloqui ipsius dono et largitione faciamus. Origen. in Rom. 1. 4. [vol. IV. p.522.] Neque enim talia sunt hominum merita, ut prop- ter ea vita eterna deberetur ex jure,

aut Deus injuriam aliquam faceret nisi eam donaret. Nam ut taceam quod merita omnia dona Dei sunt, et ita homo magis propter ipsa Deo debitor est quam Deus homini, &c. Bernard. in annunciat. B. Mar. serm.1.[p.160.] “Oca yap dy tis mpoweveykn Oc@ €k TOV avToU Ta avtov mpoopepe. ait@. Agapet. Paren. ad Justinianum Czesarem. [e. 43-] n Nihil enim aliud quam gratiam suam coronat in nobis Deus. Ra- dulph. Dom. in Septuag. hom. 2. Supplicium tibi debetur et cum prze- mium venerit sua dona coronabit non tua merita. Aug. in Psa. Ixx. [ii. 5; vol. IV.]

© Impium per solam fidem justi- ficat, non opera que non habuit. Si enim secundum opera, puniendus erat non liberandus. Primas. in Rom.

4. [19-]

296 Of the Justification of Man. Art.

and not by works which he had not: for if according to his works, he should be punished rather than redeemed.” And Sedulias to the same purpose; P“ God justifieth a converting sinner by faith only, not by good works which before he had not, otherwise he should be punished for his wicked works.” Whence Ennodius saith, 4“ If the heavenly Governor should look upon my merit, I should get either little good or great punishments.” And Polycarp tells the Philippians, ’“ But believing ye shall rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, into which many desire to enter ; knowing that ye are saved by grace, not by works, but by the will of God through Jesus Christ.”

St. Basil also hath delivered the same doctrine: *“ But this,” saith he, “is the perfect and only glorying in God, when one is not lifted up with his own righteousness, but acknowledgeth that he wanteth the true righteousness, and that it is by faith only in Christ that he can be justified.” And again; ‘Everlasting rest is laid up for them that strive lawfully in this present life, not to be given according to the debt of works, but exhibited according to the grace of the bountiful God to such as hope in him.”

St. Chrysostome also, speaking of Abraham ; ” “For what did he lose by not being under the law? Nothing ; for faith alone was sufficient for his justification or righteousness.” With which agreeth that of St. Hierome; *‘ The faith of

P Convertentem impium per solam fidem justificat Deus, non per bona opera quze non habuit prius, alioquin per impietatis opera fuerat puni- endus. Sedul. in Rom. 4.

[…]

r Credentes autem gaudebitis gau- dio inenarrabili et glorificato, in quod multi desiderant introire, sci- entes quia gratia salvi facti estis, non ex operibus, sed in voluntate Dei per Jesum Christum. Polycarp. Epist. ad Philip. [p. 14. ]

[…]

x Tam magna fuit fides Abrahe ut et pristina ei peccata donarentur, et sola pro omni justitia doceretur accepta. Hieron. [vol. XI.] in Rom. 4.

XI. Of the Justification of Man. 297

Abraham was so great, that both all his old sins should be forgiven, and that should be taught to be accepted for all righteousness.” And elsewhere; Y“ Abraham believed God, and i was counted to him for righteousness ; and so will faith alone suffice you also for righteousness.” And presently ; 2“ But because none is justified by the law, seeing none keeps it, it is therefore said that believers are to be justified by faith only.” And so Claudius the monk saith, *“That Abraham believed, and the consent of his naked faith only is accounted for the full crown of his righteousness and merit.” And CEcumenius; >“ Wherefore all that believe in Christ are freely justified, bringing their faith only along with them.” c“ Yea it is necessary,” saith Smaragdus, “that believers should be saved only by the faith of Christ.”

St. Ambrose also upon these words, His faith was accounted Sor righteousness, saith, 4“‘He speaketh this, because without the works of the law to every sinner, that is, to every Gentile that believeth in Christ, his faith is counted to him for right- eousness, as it was to Abraham. How therefore can the Jews think to be justified by the works of the law, and yet as Abraham was justified ; when they see that Abraham was not justified by the works of the law, but by faith only? There is no need therefore of the law, (as to our justification, ) seeing a sinner is justified before God by faith only.”

And St. Bernard, speaking of Christ; ©“ Thou art as

y Abraham credidit Deo, et repu- tatum est ei ad justitiam. Ita et vobis ad justitiam sola sufficit fides. Id. in Gal. 3.

Z Quoniam autem in lege nemo jus- tificatur: quia nemo illam servat, ideo dictum est quod sola fide justi- ficandi essent credentes. Ibid.

a At ille credidit, et nude fidei consensio sola-plenam ad justitiz et meriti reputata coronam est. Claud. Mar. in Gen. 1. 3. [pp. 61, 62. |

[…]

c Necesse est sola fide Christi salvari credentes. Smaragd. in Gal. 3. :

[…]

legis credenti impio, id est gentili, in Christum, reputatur fides ejus ad justitiam, sicut et Abrahe. Quo- modo ergo Judzi per opera legis justificarl se putant justificatione Abrahe, cum vident Abraham non ex operibus legis, sed sola fide justi- ficatum ? Non ergo opus est lege, quando impius per solam fidem jus- tificatur apud Deum. Ambros. in Rom. 4. [vol. II. App. p. 48.]

e Tam validus denique es ad justificandum, quam multus ab ig- noscendum. Quamobrem quisquis pro peccatis compunctus esurit et si- tit justitiam, credat in te qui justificas impium, et solam justificatus per fidem pacem habebit apud Deum. Bernard. in Cantic. 22. [p. 812.]

298 Of the Justification of Man. Arr. XI.

strong to justify, as much in pardoning of us. Wherefore whosoever, being pricked at the heart for his sins, hungers and thirsteth after righteousness, let him believe in Thee, who justifies the ungodly; and being justified by faith only, he shall have peace with God.” And long before him, Origen upon those words, We conclude, therefore, that a man is justi- fied by faith without the works of the law, saith, f “And he saith, that the justification of faith only is sufficient ; so that if any one do but only believe, he may be justified, though no good work hath been fulfilled by him.” And then he goes on to prove it by the example of the thief upon the cross, concluding; 8“ For this thief was justified by faith, without the works of the law; because about this the Lord did not inquire what he had before done, neither did he stay to see what work he would perform after he had believed; but being justified by his confession only, he going into paradise carried him as a companion along with him.”

But before all these, Clemens Romanus himself, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, hath delivered this doctrine fully and clearly, saying, »“‘ Wherefore and we also, being called by the will of God in Christ Jesus, are not justified by our- selves, or by our own wisdom, or knowledge, or holiness, or works that we have done in the simplicity of heart, but by faith, by which the Almighty God justified all from the begin- So that it is no new doctrine, but hath been the doc- trine of the church of Christ in all ages, that we are justified by faith only, and not by works.

ning.”

f Et dicit sufficere solius fidei ‘justificationem, ita ut credens aliquis tantummodo justificetur, etiamsi nihil ab eo operis fuerit expletum. Origen. in Rom. 3. [vol. IV. p. 516.]

& Per fidem enim justificatus est hic latro sine operibus legis, quia super hoc Dominus non requisivit quid prius esset operatus, nec expec- tavit quid operis cum credidisset expleret, sed sola confessione justifi- catum comitemque sibi paradisum

ingressurus assumpsit. Ibid. [p.517.]

[…]

Notes

• Quare non sunt sibi contrarie que fidem sequuntur. Ibid. duorum apostolorum sententize Pauli iTi yap Go ras apyaprias av et Jacobi, cum dicit unus justificari 7SuvjOn kaddypar i) exelvov Ouxatocvyn ; hominem per fidem sine operibus, év rive SicavwOjvar Suvardy rods avd- et alius inanem esse fidem sine pous fas kal doeBeis, ) ev pdove TO