But behold here the Deceit, or rather the Malice of sinful Men. They do not openly reject the Words of the Apostle, but wrest the sense and meaning of them to serve their own purpose. They deny not, that Works should be excluded: but pray, take notice of the captious Snares of Sophisters, who endeavour by a cunning way of distinguishing, to baffle the simplicity of Apostolical Doctrine: For they divide asunder Works, and their Justification into two parts, calling the one, Works of the Law, and the other Works of Grace: And they say, the Works of the Law are unprofitable to Justification; but the other they account very necessary. Therefore, they Answer to the Words of Paul with this Distinction: By the Works of the Law shall no Flesh be justified, &c. The meaning of these Words (say they) is this: No Man shall be justified before God, for his own Works, which he hath done, as by the Virtue and Merit thereof, but by the Virtue and Merit of Grace infused. For, according to Paul's manner of speaking, then a thing is said to be done by Works, when it is done by Works, when it is done as a 1due Debt, or for the Works. Wherefore there being a twofold Justification, (as they say) one by ⟨p. 462⟩Grace infused, and another by the Obligation of the Law without Grace: In this Case, Justification by Works, and every thing that is contrary to Justification by Grace is excluded: And so the saying of the Apostle holds true, as they Interpret: to him that worketh, the Reward is not imputed according to Grace, but according to Debt, as if he should say, that what is given by 2Works or for them, is not given according to Grace, but according to Debt; therefore that Justification which is separated from Grace, is excluded, but not the Justification that comes by Works with the Assistance of Grace, &c. What else should I Answer to these Sophisters, but that I pray God to give them Repentance, and a better frame of Spirit, that they may not always resist the Holy Ghost, and overspread the Truth with darkness. What Man is there, but clearly perceives, that it is altogether contrary to the Words and Meaning of the Apostle, to build the Hope of Salvation upon any Works; when he doth so manifestly teach and protest against it, denying that we are justified any other way, but by Faith without the Works of the Law.
But behold here the Deceit, or rather the Malice of sinful Men. They do not openly reject the Words of the Apostle, but wrest the sense and meaning of them to serve their own purpose. They deny not, that Works should be excluded: but pray, take notice of the captious Snares of Sophisters, who endeavour by a cunning way of distinguishing, to baffle the simplicity of Apostolical Doctrine: For they divide asunder Works, and their Iustification into two parts, calling the one, Works of the Law, and the other Works of Grace: And they say, the Works of the Law are unprofitable to Iustification; but the other they account very necessary. Therefore, they Answer to the Words of Paul with this Distinction: By the Works of the Law shall no Flesh be justified, &c. The meaning of these Words (say they) is this: No Man shall be justified before God, for his own Works, which he hath done, as by the Vertue and Merit thereof, but by the Vertue and Merit of Grace infused. For, according to Paul's manner of speaking, then a thing is said to be done by Works, when it is done by Works, when it is done as a 1due Debt, or for the Works. Wherefore there being a twofold Iustification, (as they say) one by ⟨p. 462⟩Grace infused, and another by the Obligation of the Law without Grace: In this Case, Iustification by VVorks, and every thing that is contrary to Iustification by Grace is excluded: And so the saying of the Apostle holds true, as they Interpret: to him that worketh, the Reward is not imputed according to Grace, but according to Debt, as if he should say, that what is given by 2VVorks or for them, is not given according to Grace, but according to Debt; therefore that Iustification which is separated from Grace, is excluded, but not the Iustification that comes by VVorks with the Assistance of Grace, &c. VVhat else should I Answer to these Sophisters, but that I pray God to give them Repentance, and a better frame of Spirit, that they may not always resist the Holy Ghost, and overspread the Truth with darkness. VVhat Man is there, but clearly perceives, that it is altogether contrary to the VVords and Meaning of the Apostle, to build the Hope of Salvation upon any VVorks; when he doth so manifestly teach and protest against it, denying that we are justified any other way, but by Faith without the VVorks of the Law.
- 1Andr. Vega de just. pag. 751.
- 2Rom. 4.
