for this grace of working not being attained unto by any human industry, or strength of our Nature, nor any precedent obedience to the Law, or works and merits of our own, but only by Faith in the merits of Christ. Therefore Paul says well, That we are justified by faith without works; speaking of such works as belong to nature, but not 1to grace; which are a man's own works, and not God's; and are called the works of the Law, not of Faith. But by the works of the Law, the Apostle understands such works as are performed by a man's own free will, or by the direction of the Law and Nature only, without the assistance of Grace. And this is the meaning of Paul, (as those Popish Doctors would have it) when he distinguishes between Justification by Works, and Justification by Grace or Faith: So that if it be by grace, then it is not of works, to wit, such works as are done by Nature, and not by Grace; but if it is of works, then it is not of grace; for then grace (saith he) would not be grace; which opposition must be thus understood, according to the Opinion of those Popish Teachers; so that grace doth not wholly overthrow all works, but those only, that are performed by the strength of Nature without the assistance of Grace. But contrarily, the pious works which proceed from Grace and Faith, their Righteousness is so far from being made ⟨p. 481⟩void by Grace, or the Righteousness 2of Faith, that it is rather thereby confirmed. For the Law (as Augustin speaks) is not made void by Faith, but rather established; for Faith obtains the Grace, whereby the Law is fulfilled. Therefore whereas Paul distinguishes between the Righteousness of Works, and the Righteousness of Faith. This is the Answer the Catholic Faction gives to this distinction. In this place the Righteousness of the Law, and the Righteousness of Faith, are not set in opposition one against another; (as they express themselves) but Righteousness by the Law, or in the Law, is that which is opposed to the Righteousness of Faith. And they say, The Righteousness 3that is in the Law, or by the Law, is that obedience which is performed to the Law by natural strength without the assistance of Grace: For these things differ not a little from one another; for the Righteousness of the Law is one thing, and the Righteousness by the Law, or in the Law, is another thing. From which distinction they draw this Inference;
for this grace of working not being attained unto by any human industry, or strength of our Nature, nor any precedent obedience to the Law, or works and merits of our own, but only by Faith in the merits of Christ. Therefore Paul says well, That we are justified by faith without works; speaking of such works as belong to nature, but not 1to grace; which are a man's own works, and not God's; and are called the works of the Law, not of Faith. But by the works of the Law, the Apostle understands such works as are performed by a man's own free will, or by the direction of the Law and Nature only, without the assistance of Grace. And this is the meaning of Paul, (as those Popish Doctors would have it) when he distinguishes between Iustification by Works, and Iustification by Grace or Faith: So that if it be by grace, then it is not of works, to wit, such works as are done by Nature, and not by Grace; but if it is of works, then it is not of grace; for then grace (saith he) would not be grace; which opposition must be thus understood, according to the Opinion of those Popish Teachers; so that grace doth not wholly overthrow all works, but those only, that are performed by the strength of Nature without the assistance of Grace. But contrarily, the pious works which proceed from Grace and Faith, their Righteousness is so far from being made ⟨p. 481⟩void by Grace, or the Righteousness 2of Faith, that it is rather thereby confirmed. For the Law (as Augustin speaks) is not made void by Faith, but rather established; for Faith obtains the Grace, whereby the Law is fulfilled. Therefore whereas Paul distinguishes between the Righteousness of Works, and the Righteousness of Faith. This is the Answer the Catholick Faction gives to this distinction. In this place the Righteousness of the Law, and the Righteousness of Faith, are not set in opposition one against another; (as they express themselves) but Righteousness by the Law, or in the Law, is that which is opposed to the Righteousness of Faith. And they say, The Righteousness 3that is in the Law, or by the Law, is that obedience which is performed to the Law by natural strength without the assistance of Grace: For these things differ not a little from one another; for the Righteousness of the Law is one thing, and the Righteousness by the Law, or in the Law, is another thing. From which distinction they draw this Inference;
- 1Works considered in a twofold respect, as they are either of grace or of nature.
- 2Aug. de spirttu & litera, cap. 30.
- 3What is righteousness by the Law. The righteousness of the Law, righteousness by the Law, or in the Law.
