Of free justification

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 ⟨p. 457⟩¹seeing one of those is denied by the Apostle: How can they maintain and plead for the other. But hereunto may be added another Reason. If there is a twofold Justification, ²one by Faith and another by Works, it would follow, that there is a twofold manner of Justifying: But there is one and the same manner of Justifying, as there is one God, as hath been proved out of Ambrose. Therefore it appears, that there is not a twofold Justification. A third Reason is this, seeing Justification ³consists of the Remission of Sins, and God forgives no Man his Sins, to whom he doth not perfectly forgive them: Therefore it follows that the Justification of those, that are justified, is complete and perfect, and cannot be made more perfect than it is already. Now in the next place, let them prepare to answer this Argument of Paul.

But this doth not satisfie 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 Iustification. But Reason shews 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 ⟨p. 457⟩¹