Chapter 2: Verses 15–16
Thirdly, here we see wherein stood Peter's sin—namely, in that he constrained men to a necessary observation of the ceremonial law, by his example binding the Gentiles to the doing of that which the gospel has made free. Therefore great is the wickedness of the Roman religion in that it places a necessity in many things in the use whereof Christ has procured us a holy and Christian liberty. In this respect the vows of perpetual continency, of poverty, and regular obedience66 are falsely termed states of perfection—and are indeed estates of abomination.
Chapter 2: Verses 15–16 15 We which are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles:
16 Know that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ: which (I say) have believed in Jesus
Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Jesus Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law, no flesh shall be justified.
Here Paul lays down the second reason of his reproof. It is framed thus. That which we defend, both in judgment and practice, that must we urge and not the contrary. But justification by faith without works we defend both in judgment and practice. Therefore we must urge it, and not the contrary, namely, the necessary observation of the law.
The major is wanting. The minor is pressed in the sixteenth verse, and it is amplified by an argument of things diverse, thus: Though we be Jews to whom the law was given, yet we forsake the law and look to be justified by the faith of Christ. Secondly, the minor is confirmed
by a testimony of the psalm, "By the works of the law no flesh shall be justified" (v. 16).
Here two points are to be handled. One, of the distinction of the Jews and Gentiles. The other of justification.
Touching the distinction of Jews and Gentiles, sundry points are to be handled. The first, what is the cause of this distinction? Answer.
The good will and pleasure of God. Moses says, God "chose" the Israelites above all nations (Deut. 7:6); He "loved" them (Deut.
10:15); when He "divided" the nations, Jacob was His portion (Deut.
32:8). He "knew" them above all nations (says Amos 3:2). And He chose them because "he loved their fathers" (Deut. 4:37). Hence we gather the free election of God, and that they are deceived who think that there was no difference of Jews and Gentiles in respect of God, but in respect of themselves, because the one embraced Christ, [and] the other refused Christ. But there cannot be a refusal where the Messiah was not known. And among the Gentiles He was not so much as named (Rom. 15:20).
The second point is, wherein stands the difference of Jews and Gentiles. Answer. Here the Jews are opposed to sinners of the Gentiles. And therefore by the Jews are meant a holy and peculiar people. The distinction therefore lies in this: that the one was holy; the other, profane; the one, in the covenant; the other, out of the covenant (Rom. 9:4–5; Ps. 147:20). Here two errors must be avoided. One, that the difference lay in earthly things, which is not true. For the law was given to the Israelites. And it was "a schoolmaster to Christ" (Gal. 3) and "an introduction to a better hope" (Heb. 7:19). The second error is that they differed only in this, that Christ was more plentifully and fully revealed to the Jews, [and] more darkly and sparingly to the Gentiles. But it was otherwise. For
the Gentiles were "without God and Christ" (Eph. 2:12), and they were left to themselves "to walk in their own ways" (Acts 14:16).
The third point is, how long this difference endured? Answer. Till the death of Christ. For the disciples were forbidden to go into the way of the Gentiles (Matt. 10:5). And Christ says that "he was not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. 15:24). It may be objected that here we see the difference of Jews and Gentiles is standing long after the ascension of Christ. Answer. Christ in His death did fully merit the abolishment of this difference (Eph. 2).
Nevertheless the execution of this abolishment was by degrees. And it was at this time begun by the ministry of the apostles, yet not accomplished.
The last point is that the Jews are a holy people by nature, not because holiness is conveyed to them by generation, but because even from their beginning and birth, by virtue of the covenant, they are holy. "If the root be holy, the branches are holy" (Rom. 11:16). If either of their parents believe, "the children are holy" (1 Cor. 7:14). In a civil contract, the father and his heir make but one person, and the father covenants for himself and his posterity. Even so, in the covenant of grace, he believes for himself, and withal makes his posterity partaker of the said covenant. And thus the posterity becomes holy. It may be objected, that whatsoever is born of flesh is flesh. Answer. The parent sustains a double person. First, he is to be considered as a child of Adam, and thus he brings forth a child having Adam's nature, Adam's corruption. Again, he is to be considered as a believer. And thus albeit he does not propagate his faith and holiness to his child; yet by means of his faith, his child is in the covenant and consequently is to be accounted holy in the judgment of charity till God manifest the contrary. Again, it may be objected that if the children of believing parents be born holy, they
want original sin. Answer. The children also sustain two persons.
First, they are considered as children of the first Adam. And thus they are conceived and born in sin and are children of wrath. Again, they are to be considered as children of believing parents. And thus by means of the covenant, they are children of God; and original sin which is in them is covered from their first beginning and not imputed to them.
The Use. There was no absolute necessity of circumcision. For they which died before the eighth day were born holy, and consequently in the covenant, and therefore might be saved. And thus baptism was not of absolute necessity. For the children of believers are born holy and Christian, and therefore dying in the want of baptism may for all that be saved. The seal of the covenant is not of like necessity with the covenant itself.
Secondly, here we learn that it is not the act of baptism to confer the first grace but only to confirm and seal it unto us. Adoption and life begins not in baptism, but before. "If the root be holy, the branches" springing thence "are holy." We are born Christians, if our parents believe, and not made so in baptism.
Lastly, if we be born holy, it is our shame that we have made no more proceeding in holiness than we have done. The most remain ignorant and unreformed, and they of the better sort either stand at a stay or go backward.
The second point is concerning justification in the sixteenth verse of which sundry things are there propounded. And first, I will begin with the name. The word justify is borrowed from courts of judgment and signifies a judicial act. Otherwhiles it is put for the action of the judge, and then it signifies to absolve or to pronounce innocent. Thus
Paul says "that we are justified from all things, from which we could
not be justified by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:39), that is, absolved or cleared. Again, he opposes justification to accusation and condemnation (Rom. 8:33). Now the contrary to condemnation is absolution. Sometimes again, the word justify signifies the act of the party judged or of the witnesses. And then it imports as much as to give testimony or to declare and approve. Thus James says,
"Abraham was justified by works" (James 2:21)—that is, declared and approved to be a just man by works. In the former signification is the word used where the Holy Ghost delivers the doctrine of justification, as in this place.
The Use. Here we see how to distinguish between justification, regeneration, and renovation. Regeneration is usually in Scripture the change of the inward man, whereby we are born anew.
Renovation is the change both of the inward and outward man, that is, both of heart and life. Justification is neither, but a certain action in God applied unto us, or a certain respect or relation whereby we are acquit of our sins and accepted to life everlasting. Secondly, we must here note that the teachers of the Church of Rome mistake the word justification. For by it, they understand nothing else but a physical transmutation of the quality and disposition of our hearts from evil to good. And by this mistaking, they have made a mixture or rather confusion of the law and gospel. Thirdly, here we see what is to be the disposition of the party justified (for by the consequent we may learn the antecedent). A man therefore that would be justified must come before the judgment seat of God, and there must he plead guilty and be his own adversary, condemning himself. And being pressed with the terrors of the law, he must flee and make his appeal to the throne of grace for pardon in Christ. And then he shall be acquit or justified from all sins. Thus much does the word justify import. Thus came the publican before God, where he said, "Lord, be merciful to me a sinner," and departed justified (Luke 18). Thus in
the fifth petition, we are taught to come every day into the presence of God and to acknowledge our debts, and to use the plea of mercy, saying, "Forgive us our debts."
The second thing to be considered is the subject of justification, or the person to be justified, and that is man generally, signifying that "a man is justified." The Holy Ghost speaks thus generally for two causes. The first is because all men without exception have need of justification, even they which are regenerate (Rom. 3:23). And in this place Paul says that he and Peter and the rest "have believed in Christ, that they might be justified by faith." Here we are to take notice of the miserable condition of the profane and secure Epicures, who never so much as dream of any justification. The second reason is because God communicates the benefit of justification generally to all sorts of men. And this He does in the ministry of the word, in which He "beseecheth men to be reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:20).
This must be an inducement unto us to come unto Christ, humbling and judging ourselves that we may be justified. God Himself from heaven uses reasons unto us daily to move us to the practice of this duty. What means these gracious and continual preservations of prince and people, church and land? By them we see it is the good pleasure of God to give us a time to seek His kingdom and righteousness. Wherefore let us not neglect the day of visitation, but take the time while it serves that we may turn unto God and be accepted of Him and escape the woe pronounced upon Chorazin and Bethsaida.
The third thing to be considered concerns things excluded from justification as false causes—namely, the works of the law. Here it may be demanded what works are meant. I answer, first, not only works of the ceremonial, but also of the moral law. For all men know that ceremonial actions are of no use unless they be joined with
moral duties of love and mercy. And if Paul meant only ceremonial works, he needed not to have made so long a discourse against justification by works. For he might have ended the whole matter in a word or twain by showing that the ceremonial law was abrogated by Christ. Secondly, I answer, that not only works done before faith are excluded, but also works that follow faith and are done in the estate of grace. For Paul here reasons thus: If no flesh be justified by works, then not we believers; but no flesh at all is justified by works; therefore not we believers. David reasons of the same manner: "No flesh shall be justified in thy sight" (Ps. 143:2); therefore I cannot, though otherwise I be Thy servant in keeping Thy commandments.
When Abraham was the father of all the faithful, and was come to the highest degree of faith, and abounded in good works, yet was he not then justified by works (Rom. 4:1–2). Paul kept "a good conscience before God and men" (Acts 23), and yet was he "not justified thereby" (1 Cor. 4:4). And he says that "we are not saved by the works which God hath ordained, that we should walk in them" (Eph.
2:9–10). And the works that God has ordained for us to walk in are the best works of all, even works of grace. Again, he says that "we are not saved by works of mercy" (Titus 3:5). It may be objected that there is a cooperation of works and faith (James 2:22). I answer that this cooperation is not in the act of justification, nor in the work of our salvation, but in the manifestation of the truth and sincerity of our faith without hypocrisy. And for the declaration and approbation of this, faith and works jointly concur. Here then we see it is a pestilent and damnable doctrine of the papists when they teach justification by the works of the law. Let us here be warned to take heed of it.
The fourth point is the meritorious cause of our justification. And that is Christ. Here it may be demanded, what is that thing in Christ by and for which we are justified. I answer: "the obedience of Christ"
(Rom. 5:19). And it stands in two things: His passion in life and death, and His fulfilling of the law joined therewith. For "by faith the law is established" (Rom. 3:31). "Christ was sent in the similitude of sinful flesh, that the rigor of the law might be fulfilled in us" (Rom.
8:3–4). And "Christ is the perfection of the law for righteousness to all that believe" (Rom. 10:4). "He that doth not fulfill all things contained in the law is accursed" (Gal. 3:10). Seeing therefore we cannot perform the things contained therein by ourselves, we must perform them in the person of our mediator, who has satisfied for the threatening of the law by His passion, and has fulfilled the precepts of the law by His obedience in all duties of love to God and man. We owe to God a double debt. One is that we are to fulfill the law every moment from our first beginning, both in regard of purity of nature and purity of action. And this debt was laid upon us in the creation and is exacted of us in the law of God. The second debt is a satisfaction for the breach of the law. For this double debt, Christ is become our surety, and God accepts His obedience for us, it being a full satisfaction according to the tenor of the law.
For the better conceiving of this obedience, four questions may be demanded. The first is, when this obedience begins and ends?
Answer. Satisfactory obedience performed by Christ begins in His incarnation and ends in His death. Christ says, "It is my meat to do my Father's will, and to fulfill his work" (John 4:34). But when was it indeed finished? A little before His passion He said, "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do" (John 17:4). Again, in the surrendering of His soul, He says, "It is finished" (John 19:30). St.
Paul says, "Christ was obedient to the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:8).
The triumph of Christ began upon the cross (Col. 2:15), and He could not triumph before He had made a full and perfect satisfaction for us. When Christ had procured deliverance from hell, and right to life everlasting, He there made a perfect satisfaction for us to the justice
of God. And this He did in His death upon the cross. For by the death of the mediator, "we receive the promise of everlasting inheritance"
(Heb. 9:15), and "with one oblation upon the cross He perfected them that are sanctified" (Heb. 10:14), and they cannot be perfected without the perfect obedience of Christ. Christ arose from death and ascended into heaven in our room and stead. And this He could never have done unless He had made a perfect satisfaction in death.
Here it may be asked, if satisfactory obedience ends in the death of Christ, to what use serve the resurrection and ascension of Christ, and His sitting at the right hand of the Father? Answer. They serve also for our justification, but after another sort. For they serve to apply and communicate to us and to put us in possession of the benefits which Christ has procured for us and purchased by His death. St. Paul says, "He ascended to give gifts to men, and to fill all things" (Eph. 4:8, 10). And Christ says, "When I am exalted, I will draw all men to me" (John 12:32). And "he lives forever to make intercession for us" (Heb. 7:27).
The second question is, how Christ could obey, being God, and satisfy for us, being man? Answer. Christ must be considered, not merely as God, or as man, but as God-man or man-God. For the Godhead does not redeem us without the manhood, nor the manhood without the Godhead. Nevertheless, Christ as God and man may both obey and satisfy. For, as there are in Christ two natures, so there are two distinct operations of the said natures. And as the said natures united make one Christ, so the operations of the natures concurring and being united in one make the compound work of a mediator. Therefore the obedience of Christ, being the work of a mediator, has in it the operations of both natures. The practice, exercise, or execution of obedience is from the manhood.
Therefore it is said, that "Christ bare our sins in His body upon the cross" (1 Peter 2:24); that "he suffered in the flesh" (1 Peter 4:1); that
"he made a living way by the veil of his flesh" (Heb. 10:20); that "we are reconciled in the body of his flesh" (Col. 1:22). Obedience is properly a subjection of the will in reasonable creatures to the will of God. Now the will of the Godhead of Christ admits no subjection to the will of God, because the will of the Godhead (or of God) is one and the same in all the persons. Christ therefore yields subjection only in respect of the will of the manhood in which He performs obedience. Moreover, the operation of the Godhead is to make the said obedience meritorious and satisfactory for all that shall believe.
In this respect Paul says, "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself" (2 Cor. 5:19), and that "God shed His blood" (Acts
20:28), namely, in that nature which the Son of God assumed. Hence arises the value, price, and dignity of the obedience of Christ.
The third question is, how the obedience of Christ should be made ours? Answer. By the free donation of God. For Christ is really given unto us in the word and sacraments; and consequently the obedience of Christ is made ours, even as when a piece of ground is made ours, the commodity thereof is ours also.
The fourth question is, how the obedience of Christ should be our justice? Answer. It is not our justice in natural manner, for then it should have been in us, but by a divine and supernatural manner, namely, by God's acceptation, in that He accounts it ours even as truly as if it were in us. And because God accepts it for ours, it is ours indeed. For His willing and approving of anything is the doing of it; and He calls the things that are not, as if they were.
Thus we see what the obedience of Christ is. And here two errors must be avoided. The one is of some Protestants, less dangerous, yet an untruth, namely, that we are justified only by the passion of Christ. But if this were so, we should be justified without fulfilling the
law. For (as I have said) we owe to God a double debt: one by creation, namely, the fulfilling of the law in all things from our first beginning; the second, since the fall of Adam, namely, a satisfaction for the breach of the law. Now the passion of Christ is a payment of the second debt, but not of the first; whereas both must be answered.
For "cursed is he that doth not continue in all things written in the law, to do them." The passion of Christ procures deliverance from hell, but alone by itself considered, it does not purchase a right to eternal life.
Objection I. Christ fulfilled the law for Himself. Therefore His passion alone serves for our justification. Answer. Christ as man fulfilled the law for Himself that He might be in both natures a holy high priest, and so continue. Nevertheless as mediator, God and man, He became subject to the law—in this regard He did not fulfill the law for Himself, neither was He bound so to do.
Objection II. That which Christ did, we are not bound to do; but Christ (say some) fulfilled the law for us; therefore we are not bound to fulfill the law. Answer. That which Christ did, we are not bound to do for the same end and in the same manner. Now He fulfilled the law in way of redemption and satisfaction for us, and so do not we fulfill the law, but only in way of thankfulness for our redemption.
Objection III. The law does not exact both obedience and the penalty also. Answer. In the estate of innocence the law threatened the penalty, and it only exacted obedience. Since the fall, it exacts both obedience and the punishment. The threatening of the law exacts the punishment; the precepts exact obedience.
Objection IV: "By the blood of Christ we have entrance into the holy place" (Heb. 10:19). Answer. By the "blood of Christ" we are to understand the passion. And the passion may not be severed from
active and voluntary obedience. For Christ in suffering obeyed, and in obeying suffered. And (as Chrysostom says) "the passion is a kind of action"; Christ in the oblation of Himself did not only offer to God
His passion, but also prayers, which are no passions (Heb. 5:7).
The second error is of the papists who teach that the thing by which and for which a sinner is formally justified is remission of sins, with inherent justice infused by the Holy Ghost. But this cannot be. For inherent justice and justification are made distinct gifts of God. Paul says, "Christ is made unto us of God, wisdom, justice, sanctification"
(1 Cor. 1:30). Again, "But ye are washed, ye are justified, and sanctified" (1 Cor. 6:11). Secondly, the justice whereby a sinner is justified is "revealed without the law" (Rom. 3:21). Now inherent justice or the habit of charity is revealed by the law. And the obedience of Christ is the only justice revealed without the law. For it is a justice imputed that the law never knew. And in this obedience,
Christ performed the law and more too. For He died for His enemies, and so loved His neighbor more than Himself. Thirdly, God is not only a justifier, but also "just in justifying" (Rom. 3:26) because He justifies none but such as bring unto Him a true and perfect justice, either in themselves or in their mediator (Prov. 17:15). Now this inward and inherent justice is not such. For it is imperfect because it is increased (as they teach) by a second justification. And it is in this life mixed with the corruption of the flesh. Fourthly, the righteousness of a good conscience is an excellent grace and gift of God, but by it "we are not justified" (1 Cor. 4:4). Lastly, a close error is to be noted in this popish doctrine of justification. For in popish learning, remission of sins is not only an abolishing of the guilt and the punishment, but also of the corruption of sins, so as the party pardoned and justified has nothing in him that (as they say) God may justly hate. And yet Paul, justified and regenerate, says otherwise of himself, that "sin dwelleth in him," and that "the law of
sin rebels in him against the law of his mind, and leads him captive to sin" (Rom. 7).
The use of the doctrine. First, in that we are justified by an obedience out of ourselves, we are taught utterly to deny ourselves, and to go out of ourselves as having nothing in us whereby we may be saved.
Here is the foundation of the abnegation81 of ourselves. Secondly, the obedience of Christ must be unto us the foundation of our obedience. For He performed all righteousness for us that we might be servants not of sin, but servants of righteousness in all duties of obedience. And in His obedience we must not only respect the merit thereof, but also His holy example in love, mercy, meekness, patience, etc., and after it are we to fashion our lives. Thirdly, the obedience of Christ must be the foundation of our comfort. In all dangers and temptations, we that believe are to oppose the obedience of Christ against the fierce wrath of God, against hell, death, and condemnation. Certain beasts, when they are pursued, fly the next way to their dens, where they hold themselves even to death.
Christ in respect of His obedience is our hiding place. He is set forth unto the world as a "propitiatory" (Rom. 3:26). For as the propitiatory covered the ark and the Decalogue, so He covers our sins, and He hides our bodies and souls from the furious indignation and vengeance of God. Let us therefore by our faith fly to this our hiding place in the storms and tempest of God's wrath. And let us there live and die. Fourthly, this obedience is the foundation of our happiness. For true happiness is to be eased of our sins (Ps. 32:1), and this ease we have from Christ (Matt. 11:28). Lastly, the consideration of this obedience is the foundation of our thankfulness to God. For if we believe that Christ suffered and fulfilled the law for us, we are worse than beasts if we do not every way show ourselves thankful for this mercy.
The fifth point to be considered is the means of justification, namely, "the faith of Christ." Of which I consider three things. The first, what faith is. The papists define justifying faith to be a gift of God whereby we believe the articles of faith to be true and the whole word of God.
But this faith the devils have. Here they allege that Abraham was the father of all the faithful, and that his faith was nothing else but a persuasion that He was able to give him a child in his old age.
Answer. First, the object of Abraham's faith was double: one less principal, that he should have issue in his old age; the second more principal, that the Messiah his redeemer should descend of his loins.
And this was the thing which his faith in the promise of God specially aimed at. I answer again that Abraham believed not only the power of God (Rom. 4:21), but also His will which He had revealed in the promise: "In thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed."
Secondly, it is alleged that Christ in the curing of certain blind men required no more but that they should believe His power (Matt.
9:28). I answer that the end of the miracles of Christ was to confirm the certainty of doctrine, specially touching His natures and offices.
And therefore a general faith touching the divine power or Godhead of Christ was sufficient for the obtaining of a miraculous cure.
Thirdly, they object that salvation is promised to general faith: "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom. 10:9); that Peter's faith was general, "Thou art Jesus Christ, the Son of the living
God" (Matt. 16:16); that the eunuch's faith was of the same kind, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:37). Answer. It is a common rule in Scripture that words signifying knowledge signify also the motions and good affections of the heart. "The Lord knows the way of the righteous" (Ps. 1)—that is, knows and approves it. "The Lord knows who are his" (2 Tim. 2:19)—that is, He knows and chooses them. "This is eternal life to know thee the only God" (John
17:3)—that is, to know and acknowledge Thee for our God. If this be
true in words of knowledge, then much more words of believing signify the good motions and the affiance of the heart. Thus to believe Christ to be the Son of God in the places before named is to believe that He is God, and withal to fix our affiance on Him.
Otherwise the devils believe thus much. When Thomas had put his finger in the side of Christ, he said, "My Lord, and my God" (John
20:28). And to this speech of his Christ says, "Thou hast seen, and believed." This then is true faith not only to believe that Christ is
God, but also that He is our God.
Justifying faith in true manner is defined thus: It is a gift whereby we apprehend Christ and His benefits. To believe in Christ and to receive Christ are put both for one (John 1:12). Faith is the mouth of the soul, whereby we eat the flesh of Christ, and drink His blood
(John 6). To receive the word of Christ, to acknowledge it, and to believe it, are put all for one (John 17:8). Paul says that the Gentiles did "apprehend the justice which is by faith" (Rom. 9:30). Again, that "we receive the promise of the Spirit by faith" (Gal. 3:14).
This apprehension stands in two things. The first is to know Christ as He propounds Himself in the word and sacraments. The second is to apply Him and His benefits unto ourselves. This application is made by a supernatural act of the understanding when we believe that Christ with His benefits is really ours. It may be objected that faith is a certain confidence whereby we believe in Christ. And so it is described even in this text. Answer. Faith and confidence properly are distinct gifts of God. And confidence is the effect or fruit of faith.
For Paul says that "we have entrance to God with confidence by faith" (Eph. 3:12). And reason declares as much, for a man cannot put his confidence in Christ till he be assured that Christ with His benefits are his. We do not rest on His goodness of whose love we doubt. Secondly, I answer that confidence, being a most notable
effect of faith, is often in Scripture put for faith, and faith is described by it (as it is in this place), and yet for nature they are not one, but must be distinguished.
Furthermore, the grounds of apprehension must be considered. For special faith must have a special and infallible ground. The grounds are three. The first is this. In the gospel God has propounded general promises of remission of sins and life everlasting by Christ. And withal He has given a commandment to apply the said promises to ourselves: "This is the commandment of God, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 3:23). And we cannot believe in Christ, till we believe Christ to be our Christ. Now then, a general promise with a commandment to apply the same to ourselves is in effect as much as a special promise. The second ground is this: "The Spirit of God testifieth together with our spirit that we are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:16). In this testimony, four things must be observed.
The first, that it is sufficient to certify and assure us of our salvation.
For if the testimony of two or three witnesses establish a truth among men, then much more the testimony of God. The second is that this testimony be certainly known, else it is no testimony unto us. The third is that this testimony is found and perceived in the use of the word, prayer, sacraments. The last is that it is especially given and felt in the time of great danger and affliction. For when by reason of misery and trouble, we know not to pray as we ought, then the "Spirit makes request for us with groans that cannot be uttered"
(Rom. 8:26). And in afflictions, Paul says, "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts." Now then, if God give to them that turn unto
Him a testimony that they are the children of God, they for their parts are by special faith to believe it. The third ground in this. A special faith may be gathered partly upon things generally revealed in the Word of God, and partly upon sense, observation, and experience—the same things being revealed generally in the word
and particularly by experience. Upon this ground may we truly conclude the forgiveness of our sins and the salvation of our souls on this matter. He which believes has the forgiveness of his sins. But I believe in Christ (says he which believes). Therefore my sins are forgiven me. The major or first part is expressed in the Word; the minor or second part is found true by experience and by the testimony of the conscience, which is a certain testimony. For Paul says, "This is my rejoicing, the testimony of my conscience" (2 Cor.
1:12). And the conclusion is the conclusion of special faith. If this be not a good and sufficient ground, there is almost no special faith in the world.
Lastly, we are to consider the degrees of apprehension, and they are two. There is a weak apprehension, and there is a strong apprehension, as there is a weak and a strong faith. The weak faith and apprehension is when we endeavor to apprehend. This endeavor is when we bewail our unbelief, strive against our manifold doubtings, will to believe with an honest heart, desire to be reconciled to God, and constantly use the good means to believe. For God accepts the will to believe for faith itself, and the will to repent for repentance. The reason hereof is plain. Every supernatural act presupposes a supernatural power or gift. And therefore the will to believe and repent presupposes the power and gift of faith and repentance in the heart. It may be objected that in the minds of them that believe in this manner, doubtings of God's mercies abound.
Answer. Though doubtings abound never so, yet are they not of the nature of faith, but are contrary to it. Secondly, we must put difference between true apprehension and strong apprehension. If we truly apprehend, though not strongly, it suffices. The palsied hand is able to receive a gift, though not so strongly as another. The man in the Gospel said, "Lord, I believe, help mine unbelief" (Mark
9:24)—that is, help my faith which by reason of the smallness thereof
may rather be called unbelief, than faith. This is the common faith of true believers. For in this world, we rather live by hungering and thirsting, than by full apprehending of Christ. And our comfort stands rather in this, that we are known of God, than that we know
God.
The highest degree of faith is a full persuasion of God's mercy. Thus says the Holy Ghost that "Abraham was not weak through unbelief, but strong in faith" (Rom. 4:20). But wherein was this strength? In that "he was fully persuaded, that God, which had promised would also perform it." This measure of faith is not incident to all believers, but to the prophets, apostles, martyrs, and such as have been long exercised in the school of Christ. And this appears by the order whereby we attain to this degree of faith. First, there must be a knowledge of Christ. Then follows a general persuasion of the possibility of pardon and mercy, whereby we believe that our sins are pardonable. An example whereof we have in the prodigal child (Luke
15:18). After this the Holy Ghost works a will and desire to believe and stirs up the heart to make humble and serious invocation for pardon. After prayer instantly made, follows a settling and quieting of the conscience, according to the promise: "Knock, it shall be opened; seek, ye shall find; ask, ye shall receive" (Matt. 7:7). After all this follows an experience in manifold observation of the mercies of God and love in Christ. And after experience, follows a full persuasion. Abraham had not this full persuasion till God had sundry times spoken to him. David, upon much trial of the mercies and favor of God, grows to resolution and says, "Doubtless kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life" (Ps. 23:6).
This distinction of the degrees of faith must the rather be observed, because the papists suppose that we teach that every faith is a full persuasion, and that every one among us has this persuasion; which
is otherwise. For certainty we ascribe to all faith, but not fullness of certainty. Neither do we teach that all men must have a full persuasion at the first.
The Use. If that be the right faith which apprehends and applies Christ unto us, then is it a poor and miserable faith of the papist to be baptized and withal to believe as the church does, when it is not known what the church believes.
Of the same kind is the faith of the multitude among us whose faith is their good meaning, that is, their fidelity and truth in their dealings.
Lastly, if that be faith which truly apprehends Christ, there is little true faith in these last days. For though the merit of Christ be apprehended by faith, yet is not the efficacy of His death. And that appears by the bad and unreformed lives of them that profess the gospel. Indeed many say they have and ever had a strong persuasion of God's mercy, but in the most of them it is but a strong imagination. For their faith was conceived without the word, prayer, sacraments. And it is severed from good life. We are then all of us carefully to seek for this true and lively faith. And the rather, because faith and repentance are possible to all that by grace do will it. Nay, they which will to believe and repent have begun to believe and repent, God accepting the will for the deed (Luke 11:13). And having attained to a measure of true faith, we must go on and seek to justify ourselves, but yet (as St. James teaches, chapter 2) justify our faith by good works. And then shall our faith be a means to justify us in life and death.
The second point to be considered concerning faith is the manner how it justifies. The papists teach that it justifies because it stirs up good motions and good affections in the heart, whereby it prepares
and disposes man that he may be fit to receive his justification— again, because it being an excellent virtue merits that God should justify. But this is false which they say. For if faith justifies by disposing the heart, then there must be a space of time between justification and justifying faith: but there is no space of time between them. For so soon as a man believes, he is presently justified. For every believer has the promise of remission of sins and life everlasting. Again, in the case of justification, Paul opposes believing and doing: faith, and works of the law. Faith therefore does not justify as a work, or as an excellent virtue, bringing forth many divine and gracious operations in us. Nay the proper action of faith, which is apprehension, does not justify of itself. For it is imperfect, and is to be increased to the end of our days.
Faith therefore justifies because it is an instrument to apprehend and apply that which justifies, namely, Christ and His obedience. As the Israelites stung of fiery serpents were cured, so are we saved (John
3:14). The Israelites did nothing at all, but only look upon the brazen serpent; so are we to do nothing for our justification and salvation, but to fix the eye of our faith on Christ. The bankrupt pays his debt by accepting the payment made by his surety. It is the property of true religion to depress nature and to exalt grace. And this is done when we make God the only worker of our salvation, and make ourselves to be no more but receivers of the mercy and grace of God by faith, and receivers not by nature, but by grace, reaching out the beggar's hand, namely our faith in Christ, to receive the gift or alms of mercy.
The last point is that faith alone justifies. For here Paul says that "we are justified by faith, without the works of the law." And that is as much as if he had said, "by faith alone." Some papists to help themselves translate the words of Paul thus, "knowing that a man is
not justified by the works of the law, if not (ἐὰν μὴ) by faith," that is, except faith go withal. Then if faith be joined with works (say they), works justify. I answer that this manner of translation corrupts the text. For ἐὰν μὴ must here be translated, "but"—as appears by the words following: "We have believed in Christ, that we might be justified by faith in Christ without the works of the law." We cannot do more in the curing of our spiritual diseases than in the curing of the diseases of our body—of which Christ says, "only believe" (Mark
5:36). When Abraham abounded both in faith and works, it is said, that "he was justified by faith without works" (Rom. 4).
This doctrine is of great use. First, we learn hence that a man is justified by the mere mercy of God, and that there is excluded from justification all merit of congruity, all meritorious works of preparation wrought by us, all cooperation of man's will with God's grace in the effecting of our justification.
Secondly, we learn that a man is justified by the mere merit of Christ —that is, by the meritorious obedience which He wrought in Himself, and not by anything wrought by Him in us. Here then our merits, and satisfactions, and all inward justice, is excluded from the justification of a sinner. To this end Paul says that "we are justified freely by the redemption that is in Christ" (Rom. 3:24); that "we are made the justice of God in Him," and not in us (2 Cor. 5:21); that "he gave himself to deliver us" (Gal. 1:4); that "he hath purged our sins by himself" (Heb. 1:3) and not by anything in us. Hence it appears, that the papists err and are deceived when they teach that Christ did merit that we might merit and satisfy for ourselves. For then we should not be justified by our faith alone.
Thirdly, hence we learn that a sinner is justified by mere faith—that is, that nothing within us concurs as a cause of our justification, but
faith; and that nothing apprehends Christ's obedience for our justification, but faith. This will more easily appear, if we compare faith, hope, and love. Faith is like a hand that opens itself to receive a gift, and so is neither love, nor hope. Love is also a hand, but yet a hand that gives out, communicates, and distributes. For as faith receives Christ into our hearts, so love opens the heart and powers out praise and thanks to God and all manner of goodness to men.
Hope is no hand, but an eye that wishly92 looks and waits for the good things which faith believes. Therefore it is the only property of faith to clasp and lay hold of Christ and His benefits.
It is objected that true faith is never alone. I answer thus. Faith is never alone in the person justified, nor in godly conversation, but is joined with all other virtues. Yet in the act and office of justification, it is alone. The eye in the body is not alone, being joined with all other parts, hand, foot, etc., nevertheless, the eye in seeing is alone.
For no part of the body sees, but the eye.
Secondly, it may be objected that being justified by faith alone, we are saved by faith alone, and so may live as we list. I answer: Faith must be considered as an instrument or as a way. If it be considered as an instrument to apprehend Christ to our salvation, we are only saved by faith on this manner. Yet if faith be considered as a way, we are not only saved by faith. For all other virtues and works are the way to life as well as faith, though they be not causes of salvation.
Thirdly, it is objected that not only faith, but also the sacraments serve to apply Christ. I answer: They are said to apply in that they serve to confirm faith, whose office is to apply. And here let us take notice of the error of the papists who teach that our satisfactions serve to apply the satisfaction of Christ, and the sacrifice of the Mass
to apply the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross—whereas nothing indeed applies but faith.
In sixth place, we are to consider the kinds of justification. The papists make two: one, when a man of an evil man is made a good man; the second, when a good man is made better. And this, they say, is by works. But it is false which they teach. For the Jews which were born a holy and peculiar people to God by means of the covenant "were justified" (as Paul here says) "by faith, without works." Again, he says that the very end of our believing is "that we may be justified by faith without works." Therefore there is one only justification and no more—and that by faith without works.
The seventh point is the ground of this doctrine of justification by faith without works. And it is laid down in the end of the sixteenth verse: "No flesh shall be justified by the works of the law." And this ground is taken, as I suppose, from Psalm 143:2. It may be alleged that David says thus, "No flesh shall be justified in thy sight," and that the other words, "by the works of the law," are not expressed. I answer that the apostles and Christ, in citing places of the Old
Testament, apply them and expound them, and hereupon sometime add words without adding to the sense. Moses says, "Him shalt thou serve" (Deut. 6:13). Christ, alleging the same words, says, "Him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:10). David says, "Sacrifice and burnt offering thou wouldst not, but mine ears hast thou pierced" (Ps.
40:6). The author to the Hebrews, citing this text, says, "Sacrifice and burnt offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou fitted me"
(Heb. 10:5). And thus the piercing of the ear is explained. For indeed it signifies to be made obedient. And to this end was a body given to Christ, that He might obey His Father's will.