Artic. II. We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. To. I. Hom. III. Because all men be sinners and often-ders, and breakers of his Law and Commandments, therefore can no man by his own acts, works, and deeds (seem they never so good) be justified and made righteous before God; but every one is constrained to see for another righteousness—and this which we so receive of Gods mercy and Christs merits embraced by faith, is taken, accepted, and allowed of God for our perfect and full justification. Part 3. Our works do not merit or deserve remission of our sins, and make us of unjust, just before God: but God of his own mercy, through the only merits and deservings of his Son Jesus Christ, doth justify us. Nevertheless, because Faith doth directly send us to Christ for remission of our sins, and that by faith given us of God, we embrace the promise of Gods mercy, and of the remission of our sins (which thing none other of our virtues or works properly doth) therefore the Scripture useth to say, that faith without works doth justify; or only faith doth justify. —Not through the merit of any virtue that we have within us, or of any work that cometh from us; therefore in that respect,—we forsake (as it ⟨p. 61⟩were) altogether again faith, works, and all other virtues. For our own imperfection is so great, through the corruption of Original sin, that all is imperfect that is within us, faith, charity, hope, dread, thoughts, words, and works, and therefore not apt to merit and deserve any part of our justification for us. Tom. 2. Hom. IV. It is of the free grace and mercy of God, by the mediation of the blood of his Son Jesus Christ, without merit or deserving on our part, that our sins are forgiven us, that we are reconciled and brought again into his favour, and are made heirs of his heavenly Kingdom.
Artic. II. We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. To. I. Hom. III. Because all men be sinners and offen-ders, and breakers of his Law and Commandments, therefore can no man by his own acts, works, and deeds (seem they never so good) be justified and made righteous before God; but every one is constrained to see for another righteousness—and this which we so receive of Gods mercy and Christs merits embraced by faith, is taken, accepted, and allow'd of God for our perfect and full justification. Part 3. Our works do not merit or deserve remission of our sins, and make us of unjust, just before God: but God of his own mercy, through the only merits and deservings of his Son Jesus Christ, doth justifie us. Nevertheless, because Faith doth directly send us to Christ for remission of our sins, and that by faith given us of God, we embrace the promise of Gods mercy, and of the remission of our sins (which thing none other of our virtues or works properly doth) therefore the Scripture useth to say, that faith without works doth justifie; or only faith doth justifie. —Not through the merit of any virtue that we have within us, or of any work that cometh from us; therefore in that respect,—we forsake (as it ⟨p. 61⟩were) altogether again faith, works, and all other virtues. For our own imperfection is so great, through the corruption of Original sin, that all is imperfect that is within us, faith, charity, hope, dread, thoughts, words, and works, and therefore not apt to merit and deserve any part of our justification for us. Tom. 2. Hom. IV. It is of the free grace and mercy of God, by the mediation of the blood of his Son Jesus Christ, without merit or deserving on our part, that our sins are forgiven us, that we are reconciled and brought again into his favour, and are made heirs of his heavenly Kingdom.
