And it is men which respect the works, whereby indeed they testify unto the world their faith to be good before God. For (as saint James saith truly) faith without works is but a dead faith, and not good, nor found, nor available. But faith and works must go together, and indeed where a true faith is, there good works will show themselves as the fruits thereof. And thus Paul and James are to be reconciled, which thing Thomas Aquinas a schoolman of the Papists doth himself plainly testify saying, that Christ Jesus doth justify effectivè effectually: Faith doth justify apprehensivè, by taking hold of Christ: and good works do justify declarativè, that is, do declare unto men their justification before God: And so it is clear, that howsoever, a true faith cannot be without works, as fire cannot be without light and heat, yet our justification before God is to be imputed to our faith, not to our works: as warmth is to be imputed to the heat of the fire, not to the light of the fire. For so saith saint ⟨image 61⟩Paul expressly, That God imputeth righteousness without works, Rom. 4.6. And again, That it is by grace not of works, Rom. 11.6. And again, Not of works, Rom. 9.11. Again, saint Paul telleth the Saints at Ephesus, that God hath ordained men to walk in good works, yet he saith that they may not trust to be saved by them, for he affirmeth, and assureth them, That they are saved by grace, and not by their works, Eph. 28.9.10. Again, he speaketh in the person of himself, & of all the children of God, and saith, that we are saved not by works, but by his predestination and grace,1 2. Tim: 1.9. And again, God is our Saviour, not for any-works which we have done, but according to his own mercy he hath saved us, Tit. 3.5. And divers other like places be: Wherefore saint Hillary hath these very words (which we hold) Sola fides justificat, Faith only doth justify. 2And Ambrose among other sentences hath this, Non justificàri hominem apud Deum nisi per fidem, That a man is not justified before God but by Faith. Which is as much, as Faith only doth justify before God. Saint Basil doth say, that this is perfect and sound rejoicing in God, when a man doth not boast of his own righteousness, but knoweth that he wanteth in himself true righteousness, and that he is justified by faith only.
And it is men which respect the workes, whereby indéede they testifie vnto the world their faith to be good before God. For (as saint Iames saith truely) faith without works is but a dead faith, and not good, nor found, nor auaileable. But faith and works must goe together, and indéede where a true faith is, there good works will shew themselues as the fruits thereof. And thus Paul and Iames are to bee reconciled, which thing Thomas Aquinas a schooleman of the Papists doth himselfe plainely testifie saying, that Christ Iesus doth iustifie effectiuè effectually: Faith doth iustifie apprehensiuè, by taking hold of Christ: and good works doo iustifie declaratiuè, that is, doo declare vnto men their iustification before God: And so it is cleare, that howsoeuer, a true faith cannot bee without workes, as fire cannot bee without light and heate, yet our iustification before God is to bee imputed to our faith, not to our works: as warmth is to bee imputed to the heate of the fire, not to the light of the fire. For so saith saint ⟨image 61⟩Paul expressely, That God imputeth righteousnes without works, Rom. 4.6. And againe, That it is by grace not of workes, Rom. 11.6. And againe, Not of workes, Rom. 9.11. Againe, saint Paul telleth the Saints at Ephesus, that God hath ordained men to walke in good workes, yet he saith that they may not trust to be saued by them, for he affirmeth, and assureth them, That they are saued by grace, and not by their works, Eph. 28.9.10. Againe, he speaketh in the person of himselfe, & of all the children of God, and saith, that wee are saued not by workes, but by his predestination and grace,1 2. Tim: 1.9. And againe, God is our Sauiour, not for any-workes which wee haue done, but according to his owne mercie hee hath saued vs, Tit. 3.5. And diuers other like places bée: Wherefore saint Hillary hath these very words (which we hold) Sola fides iustificat, Faith only doth iustifie. 2And Ambrose among other sentences hath this, Non iustificàri hominem apud Deum nisi per fidem, That a man is not iustified before God but by Faith. Which is as much, as Faith onely doth iustifie before God. Saint Basil doth say, that this is perfect and sound reioycing in God, when a man doth not boast of his owne righteousnes, but knoweth that he wanteth in himselfe true righteousnes, and that he is iustified by faith onely.
- 1Hilláry in Mat. cap. 8
- 2Amb. in Rom. 3.
