Wilson on Article XI: Of the Justification of Man

• Because all men be sinners and offenders against God, and breakers of his law and commandments : therefore can no man by his own acts, words, and deeds, seem they never so good, be justified, and made righteous before God : but every man of necessity is constrained to seek for another righteousness of justification, to be received at God’s own hands ; that is to say, the forgiveness of his sins and trespasses, in such things as he hath offended. And this justification or righteousness, which we so receive of God’s mercy and Christ’s merits, embraced by faith, is taken, accepted, and allowed of God for our perfect and full justification. Horn. iii. 1.

We put our faith in Christ, that we be justified by him only ; that we be justified by God’s free mercy, and the merits of our Saviour Christ only ; and by no virtue or good work of our own that is in us, or that we can be able to have, or to do, for to deserve the same ; Christ himself only being the cause meri- torious thereof. Horn. iii. 3.

So that Christ is now the righteousness of all them that truly do believe in him. He for them paid their ransom by his death. He for them fulfilled the law in his life. So that now, in him,

a Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight : for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets j even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe ; for there is no difference, for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God ; being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus : whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to de- clare bis righteousness for the re- mission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God ; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. Where is boast- ing then? It is excluded. By what law? of works* Nay, but by the

law of faith. Therefore we con- dude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law. Rom. iii. 20 — 28. I will raise unto David a righteous branch. And this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our Right- eousness. Jer. xxii. 5, 6. To make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness. Dan. ix. 24. He made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin ; that we might be made the righteous- ness of God in him. 2 Cor. v. 20. Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins : and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Acts xiii. 38, 39. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and right- eousness, and sanctification, and redemption : that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 1 Cor. i. 30.

Jesus Christ bby faith, cand not for our own

and by him, every true Christian man may be called a fulfiller of the law : forasmuch as that which their infirmity lacketh, Christ’s justice hath supplied. Horn. iii. 1.

b The only mean and instrument of salvation required of our parts is faith : that is to say, a true trust and confidence in the mercies of God; whereby we persuade ourselves, that God both hath and will forgive our sins; that he hath accepted us again into his favour; that he hath released us from the bonds of damnation, and received us again into the number of his elect people, not for our merits or deserts, but only and solely for the merits of Christ’s death and passion ; who became man for our sakes, and humbled himself to sustain the reproach of the cross ; that we thereby might be saved, and made inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. This faith is required at our hands. Horn. xxv. 2.

Q. What profit get we of this faith? A. Righteousness before God, by which we are made heirs of eternal life. Nowell, p. 72.

W e must flee to the mercy of God, whereby he freely em- braceth us with love and good will in Christ, without any our deserving, or respect of works, both forgiving us our sins, and so giving us the righteousness of Christ by faith in him, that for the same Christ’s righteousness he so accepteth us, as if it were our own. To God’s mercy therefore through Christ we ought to impute all our justification. Q. How do we know it to be thus ? A. By the Gospel, which containeth the promises of God by Christ, to the which when we adjoin faith, that is to say, an assured persuasion of mind and stedfast confidence of God’s good will, we do, as it were, take state and possession of this justification. Nowell, p. 72, 73.

c St. Ambrose, a Latin author, saith these words ; This is the ordinance of God, that they which believe in Christ should be

b Surely shall one say, In the Lord of the law shall no flesh be justi-

have I righteousness and strength, fied. Gal. ii. 16. That no man is

In the Lord shall all the seed of justified by the law in the sight of

Israel be justified and shall glory. God, it is evident ; for the just

Isa. xlv. 24, 25. And be found in shall live by faith; and the law

him, not having mine own righte- is not of faith. Gal. iii. 11, 12.

ousness, which is of the law, but Therein is the righteousness of God

that which is through the faith of revealed from faith to faith ; as it

Christ, the righteousness which is is written, The just shall live by

of God by faith. Phil. iii. 9. faith. Rom. i. 17. To them that

c Knowing that a man is not jus- have obtained like precious faith,

tified by the works of the law, but through the righteousness of God

by the faith of Jesus Christ, even and our Saviour Jesus Christ,

we have believed in Jesus Christ, 2Pet.i.l. Being justified by faith,

that we might be justified by the we have peace with God, through

faith of Christ, and not by the our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. v. 1.

works of the law : for by the works He staggered not at the promise of

works or ^deservings : wherefore that we are

saved without works — by faith only — freely receiving remission of their sins. Consider diligently these words, without works — by faith only — freely — we receive remission of our sins. What can be spoken more plainly, than to say, that freely — without works — by faith only — we obtain remission of our sins ? Horn.

Q. Doth not then our own godliness toward God, and leading of our life honestly and holily among men, justify us before God. A. If any man were able to live uprightly according to the precise rule of the law of God, he should worthily be counted justified by his good works. But seeing we are all most far from that perfection of life, yea, and be so oppressed with con- science of our sins, we must take another course, and find another way, how God may receive us into favour, than by our own deserving. Nowell, p. 72. On the moral law, see Article

If any were able to perform it, they should be justified by the law ; but we are all of such weakness, that no man in all points fulfilleth his duty. For though we put case, that there be one found that performeth the law in some point, yet shall he not thereby be justified before God ; for he pronounceth them all to be accursed and abominable that do not fulfil all things that are contained in the law. Q. Dost thou then determine that no mortal man is justified before God by the law ? A. No man. For the Scriptures do also pronounce the same. Nowell, p. 30.

God through unhelief : but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and heing fully persuaded, that what he had promised he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteous- ness. Rom. iv. 20 — 22. They being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not sub- mitted themselves unto the righte- ousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Rom. x. 3, 4. By grace are ye saved through faith; not of works, lest any man should boast. Gal. ii. 3. Christ is become of no effect unto you : whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace. Gal. v. 4. As many as are of the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in

all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Gal.

iii. 10. We know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully j knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man. 1 Tim. i. 8, 9. If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God . For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Rom.

iv. 2, 3, 5. Not by works of right- eousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us — that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Tit. iii. 5, 7. Who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again ? Rom. xi. 35. Who hath

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justified by «faith only is a most ‘wholesome

Behold, the law bringeth a curse with it, and maketh us guilty, not because it is of itself naught or unholy ; — God for- bid we should so think ; — but because the frailty of our sinful flesh is such, that we can never fulfil it, according- to the per- section that the Lord requireth. Could Adam then, think you, hope or trust to be saved by the law ? No, he could not. But the more he looked on the law, the more he saw his own damna- tion set before his eyes, as it were in a most clear glass. So that now of himself he was most wretched and miserable, desti- tute of all hope, and never able to pacify God’s heavy displea- sure, nor yet to escape the terrible judgment of God, whereinto he and all his posterity were fallen, by disobeying God’s holy law. Horn. xxv. 2. See also Article XIV. e.

To fast then with this persuasion of mind, that our fasting and other good works can make us good, perfect, and just men, and finally bring us to heaven, is a devilish persuasion : and tnat fast is so far off from pleasing of God, that it refuseth his mercy, and is altogether derogatory to the merits of Christ’s death, and his precious blood-shedding. — The Publican having no good works at all to trust unto, yielded up himself unto God, confessing his sins ; and hoped certainly to be saved by God’s free mercy only. The Pharisee gloried and trusted so much to his works, that he thought himself sure enough without mercy, and that he should come to heaven by his fasting and other deeds. To this end serveth that parable ; for it is spoken to them that trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. — Now, because the Pharisee directed his works to an evil end, seeking by them justification, which indeed is the proper work of God without our merits ; his fasting twice in the week, and all his other works, though they were never so many, and seemed to the world never so good and holy, yet in very deed before God they are altogether evil and abominable. Horn. xvi. 1.

d To have any affiance, or to put any confidence in our works, as by the merit and deserving of them to purchase to ourselves and others remission of sin, and so consequently everlasting life, were mere blasphemy against God’s mercy, and great deroga- tion to the blood-shedding of our Saviour Jesus Christ. For it is of the free grace and mercy of God, by the mediation of the blood of his Son Jesus Christ, without merit or deserving on our part, that our sins are forgiven us ; that we are reconciled

prevented me, that I should re- eous ? or is it gain to him that thou

pay him? Job xli. 11. Can a makest thy ways perfect ? If thou

man be profitable unto God, as he be righteous, what givest thou him ?

that is wise may be profitable or what receiveth he of thine hand?

unto himself’ Is’ it any pleasure to Job xxii. 2, 3. xxxv. 7. the Almighty that thou art right- ’ What shall we say then ? Shall

doctrine, and very 8 full of comfort; as more

and brought again into his favour, and are made heirs of his heavenly kingdom. Horn. xvi. 1.

Let us know our own works, of what imperfection they be, and then we shall not stand foolishly and arrogantly in our own conceits, nor challenge any part of justification by our merits or works. Horn. ii. 2.

There is no mercy due to our merits. By Christ alone we have access to the grace of God. Noicell, p. 69.

Yea, ” there is none other thing that can be named under hea- ven to save our souls, but this only work of Christ’s precious offering of his body upon the altar of the cross.” (Acts iv. 12.) Certainly there can be no work of any mortal man, be he never so holy, that shall be coupled in merits with Christ’s most holy act. Horn. xxv. 1.

Q. Dost not thou then say, that faith is the principle cause of this justification, so as by the merit of faith we are counted righteous before God ? A. No : for that were to set faith in the place of Christ. But the spring-head of this justification is the mercy of God, which is conveyed to us by Christ, and is offered to us by the Gospel, and received of us by faith as with a hand. Xowell, p. 73.

Justification is not the office of man, but of God ; for man cannot make himself righteous by his own works, neither in part, nor in the whole, for that were the greatest arrogancy and presumption of man that Antichrist could set up against God, to affirm that a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sins, and so justify himself. But justification is the office of God only, and is not a thing which we render unto him, but which we receive of him ; not which we give to him, but which we take of him, by his free mercy, and by the only merits of his most dearly beloved Son, our only Redeemer, Saviour, and Justifier, Jesus Christ : so that the true under- standing of this doctrine, we be justified freely by faith without works, or that we be justified by faith in Christ only, is not that this our own act to believe in Christ, or this our faith in Christ which is within us, doth justify us, and deserve our justification unto us, (for that were to count ourselves to be justified by some act or virtue that is within ourselves;) but the

we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall Me that are dead to sin live any longer therein? Rom. vi. 1, 2. Do Me then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea we esta- blish the law. Rom. iii. 31. The Lord is well pleased for his right- eousness sake ; he will magnify the law, aud make it honourable. Isa. xlv. 21.

s Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her warfare is accom- plished, that her iniquity is par- cloned : for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. Isa. xl. 1,2. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God : for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he

largely is expressed in the Homily of Justifi- cation .

true understanding’ and meaning thereof is, that although we hear God’s word and believe it ; although we have faith, hope, charity, repentance, dread, and fear of God within us, and do never so many works thereunto ; yet we must renounce the merit of all our said virtues, of faith, hope, charity, and all other virtues and good deeds, which we either have done, shall do, or can do, as things that be far too weak and insufficient, and imperfect to deserve remission of our sins, and our justifi- cation. Horn. iii. 2. See Article XVII. r.

e I can shew a man that by faith without works lived, and came to heaven ; but without faith never man had life. The thief that was hanged when Christ suffered did believe only, and the most merciful God justified him. And because no man shall say again that he lacked time to do good works, for else he would have done them, truth it is, and I will not contend therein : but this I will surely affirm, that faith only saved him. If he had lived, and not regarded faith and the works thereof, he should have lost his salvation again. But this is the effect that I say, that faith by itself saved ; but works by themselves never justified any man. Horn. v. 1.

f That (true and lively) faith doth not shut out repentance, hope, love, dread, and the fear of God, to be joined with faith in every man that is justified ; but it shutteth them out from the office of justifying. Horn. iii. 1.

Q. Then this doctrine of faith doth not withdraw men’s minds from godly works and duties ? A. Nothing less. For good works do stand upon faith as upon their root. So far therefore is faith from withdrawing our hearts from living uprightly, that contra- riwise it doth most vehemently stir us up to the endeavour of a good life, yea and so far, that he is not truly faithful that doth not also to his power shun vices and embrace virtues, so living always as one that looketh to give an account. Nowell, p. 74.

For how can a man have this true faiih, this sure trust and confidence in God, that by the merits of Christ his sins be for- given, and he reconciled to the favour of God, and to be partaker of the kingdom of heaven by Christ, when he liveth ungodly, and denieth Christ in his deeds ? Surely no such ungodly man can have this faith and trust in God. Horn. iii. 2.

g This faith the holy Scripture teacheth us ; this is the strong rock and foundation of Christian religion ; this doctrine all old and ancient authors of Christ’s Church do approve ; this

hath covered me with the robe of jewels. Isa. lxi. 10. The Scripture righteousness, as a bridegroom foreseeing that God would justify decketh himself with ornaments, and the heathen through faith, preached as a bride adorneth herself with her before the Gospel unto Abraham,

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doctrine advanceth and setteth forth the true glory of Christ, and beateth down the vain glory of man ; this whosoever denieth is not to be accounted for a Christian man, nor for a setter-forth of Christ’s glory ; but for an adversary to Christ and his Gospel, and for a setter-forth of men’s vain glory. Horn. iii. 2. See Article XVI 1. r.

No tongue surely is able to express the worthiness of this so precious a death. For in this standeth the continual pardon of our daily offences ; in this resteth our justification ; in this we be allowed ; in this is purchased the everlasting health of all our souls. Horn. xxv. 1.

saying-, In thee shall all nations be ham. For as many as are of the blessed. So then they which be of works of the law are under the faith are blessed with faithful Abra- curse. Gal. iii. 8 — 10.