The Confession of the Faith of the Germans

James a little before spake of regeneration, that it is made by the gospel. For thus he sayeth. willingly he generated us by the word of truth to the end we should be the first fruits or the beginnings of all his creatures. When he sayeth that we be regenerate by the gospel, he teacheth that by faith we be regenerate and justified. Thus it appeareth tha• James is not against us, who in blaming the idle and careless minds which dream that they have faith and have it not, made a distinction betwixt the dead faith and the lively faith. He calleth it dead which bringeth forth no good works. But he calleth that a quick faith which bringeth forth good works. Doubtless, we have oftentimes now showed what we call faith. For we speak not of the idle knowledge which is also in devils, but of the faith which resisteth the fearful troubles of the conscience which erecteth and comforteth ⟨image 77⟩the feared hearts. Such faith is neither an easy thing as our adversaries do dream nor yet in mans power, but a divine power, by which we vanquish the devil and death, as Paul to the Colossians sayeth, that faith is mighty by the power of god and overcū meth death. In which ye be, sayeth Paul, resuscitate by faith which is the might and efficacy of god. This faith sith it is a new life, necessarily engendereth new motions and works. Therefore James doth rightly deny that we be justified by such faith which is without works. And where he sayeth that we be justified by faith and works, surely he meaneth not that we be renewed or regenerate by works, nor he meaneth not that partly Christ is our redeemer and partly that our works be our redemption, Nor he describeth not here the manner of justification but he describeth what manner of persons the just be, after they be ones justified and renewed. And this word (justificari. i. to be justified) signifieth here not to be made of the iniust just, but after an outward fashion to be pronounced righteous▪ as it is taken in this saying. Factors legis justificabuntur .i. The doers of the law shall be justified. Like therefore as these words have no inconvenience, the doers of the law shall be justified: so think we of the words of James man is justified not only by faith but also by works, for undoubtedly men be pronounced just having faith and good works.

Iames a litle before spake of regeneration, that it is made by the gospell. For thus he sayeth. wyllyngly he generated vs by the worde of trouth to the ende we shulde be the fyrste frutes or the begynnynges of al his creatures. Whē he sayeth that we be regenerate by the gospel, he teacheth that by fayth we be regenerate and iustified. Thus it appereth tha Iames is nat agaynste vs, who in blamyng the ydle and careles myndes whiche dreame that they haue fayth and haue it nat, made a distinction betwixt the deade fayth and the lyuyshe faythe. He calleth it deade which bryngeth forthe no good workꝭ. But he calleth that a quycke faythe whiche bryngeth forth good workes. Doubtles, we haue oftentymes nowe shewed what we calle faythe. For we speake nat of the ydle knoweledge whiche is also ī deuyls, but of the fayth whiche resisteth the fearfull troubles of the conscience whiche erecteth and conforteth