A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

Two things fall necessarily here to be observed; The Invalidity of merit in our virtuous works; The necessity and commodity of these virtuous works in themselves. Here is faith preceding and works proceeding. Antecedit fides justificandum, Opera sequuntur justificatum.

Two things fall necessarily here to be observed; The Invaliditie of merite in our vertuous workes; The necessitie and commoditie of these vertuous workes in themselves. Here is faith preceeding and workes proceeding. Antecedit fides justificandum, Opera sequuntur justificatum.

1 The insufficiency of our virtues and their effects, which are good works; to merit or to justify our souls before God. It is a silly illation of the Romists; that because we must add to our faith virtue, &c. therefore faith cannot alone justify We do not commend a solitary faith, you see her required company. The eye alone of all parts of the body doth see; but the eye that is alone, or separated from the body, doth not see. We pronounce that to be no justifying faith which is without virtue and works. But that faith qualified with works, doth notwithstanding justify without works; this we maintain against men and Angels. We separate not faith and works in Justiticato, sed in justificando: not in the person justified, but in the act of justifying. In fire though light and heat cannot be divided the one from the other; yet the one may be considered without the other. But how shall Saint Paul and Saint James be reconciled; the one saying, we are justified by faith; the other, by works? Is the spirit of unity and truth divided? No; the one speaks of a Justice of justification, the other of a Justice of testification. The one acquits before God, the other approves before man. The one is without us, lent: the other within us, inherent: the one we receive, the other we return. Paul like a Doctor in the Schools reading, James as a Pastor in the Pulpit preaching. The one establishing a real faith, the other confuting a verbal faith. Piscator doth thus clear it: he says that Saint Paul and Saint James did handle two diverse questions. Paul; Quòd fides justificat: James; Qualis fides justificat. The one, that faith doth justify: the other, what kind of faith doth justify. The one properly teaching Justification, the other sanctification.