A00665:426
A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written
A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, written by the blessed apostle St. Peter. By Thomas AdamsA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written by the blessed apostle St. Peter. By Thomas Adams
London: printed by Richard Badger and Felix Kyngston for Jacob Bloome, 1633London: printed by Richard Badger and Felix Kyngston for Iacob Bloome, 1633
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
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.
1 The insufficiencie of our vertues and their effects, which are good workes; to merite or to justifie our soules before God. It is a silly illation of the Romists; that because we must adde to our faith vertue, &c. therefore faith cannot alone justifie We doe 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 vertue and workes. But that faith qualified with workes, doth notwithstanding justifie without workes; this we maintaine against men and Angels. We separate not faith and workes in Iustiticato, 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 Iames be reconciled; the one saying, we are justified by faith; the other, by workes? Is the spirit of unitie and truth divided? No; the one speakes of a Iustice of justification, the other of a Iustice 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 returne. Paul like a Doctor in the Schooles reading, Iames as a Pastor in the Pulpit preaching. The one establishing a reall faith, the other confuting a verball faith. Piscator doth thus cleare it: he saies that Saint Paul and Saint Iames did handle two diverse questions. Paul; Quòd fides justificat: Iames; Qualis fides justificat. The one, that faith doth justifie: the other, what kind of faith doth justifie. The one properly teaching Iustification, the other sanctification.