Of free justification

But here. St. James is represented as fighting with all his might against this Doctrine. For ⟨p. 456⟩the Adversaries say thus. Did not the Apostle James assert with great Authority, That Abraham was justified by Works? and will ye deny it? God forbid, that any man should undervalue the Authority of that holy Apostle. And yet I suppose St. James would not have us to disbelieve the Scripture, which teaches us far otherways, attributing the Justification of Abraham, not to Works, but to Faith: For Abraham believed God, and we read, it was imputed unto him for Righteousness. But God hath not said in his Word concerning Abraham's going to sacrifice his Son, That it was imputed to him for Righteousness. Or let us grant the assertion of St. James; That Abraham was justified by Works. But where and how was he thus justified? before God? St. James says not so. Then it is before men. And Paul himself denies not that: So that there is no real disagreement between Paul and James.

But here. St. Iames is represented as fighting with all his might against this Doctrine. For ⟨p. 456⟩the Adversaries say thus. Did not the Apostle Iames assert with great Authority, That Abraham was justified by Works? and will ye deny it? God forbid, that any man should undervalue the Authority of that holy Apostle. And yet I suppose St. Iames would not have us to disbelieve the Scripture, which teaches us far otherways, attributing the Iustification of Abraham, not to Works, but to Faith: For Abraham believed God, and we read, it was imputed unto him for Righteousness. But God hath not said in his Word concerning Abraham's going to sacrifice his Son, That it was imputed to him for Righteousness. Or let us grant the assertion of St. Iames; That Abraham was justified by Works. But where and how was he thus justified? before God? St. Iames says not so. Then it is before men. And Paul himself denies not that: So that there is no real disagreement between Paul and Iames.

But this doth not satisfy some Sophisters, who account it is not enough, that the holy Patriarch is justified by Works before men, as Paul teaches, unless he be also thereby justified before God: For though he was first justified by Faith, (as they say); yet nothing hinders, but that afterwards he might be yet more justified by Works, and this they call a second Justification. But Reason shows that to be an utter impossibility, for it implies a manifest contradiction; for it is a contradiction not to be justified by Works, and again to be justified by Works. And