But you may say, Those things are not well compared with one another, which disagree in Nature; for Election, and Vocation, and Glorification are such things, as being once determined of God, cannot be disannulled. But the Case is otherways in Justification, which may sometimes be lost, and sometimes retained, according as it is hindered or not hindered by the Grace of God. For thus spake 1Vega, and Scotus, and others. That I may Answer such Men, I confess indeed, if the manner of our Justification were such, as those Men feign, to wit, if its chief reliance were upon Works, and the increase of Virtues; it would be true, which they assert, concerning the uncertainty of losing or keeping Justification. But seeing all the stability of our Justification depends not at all upon our Works, but upon the Merits of Christ by Faith, and the Remission of Sins by his Righteousness; therefore it is, that as there is one Election and Vocation, and that sure and firm, so also Justification is not twofold, but one and the same, and such ⟨p. 486⟩an one as endures for ever. I call it one, because there remains always 2one and the same cause and manner of Justifying, which relies not on the Merits of Works, but consists of Faith and the Remission of Sins. And though the Sins from which we are justified, are not all of the same kind, but are distinguished by times and variety of Actions, yet nevertheless Justification, that is, the Remission of Sins in respect of the form and manner is not divers but one: Not twofold but simple, as Faith also, which is the procuring cause of Justification is not, which though it is daily increased, yet it remains always one and the same. Moreover, as this Justification which increases together with Faith is only one, so also the same being firm and stable, no less than the Promise of God, on which it relies, undergoes no change, but continues firm, and constant and the cause thereof is, because it relies not on 3Works but Faith only, whence the Apostle said. It is therefore by Faith, that according to Grace the Promise may be sure to all the Seed.
But you may say, Those things are not well compared with one another, which disagree in Nature; for Election, and Vocation, and Glorification are such things, as being once determined of God, cannot be disannulled. But the Case is otherways in Iustification, which may sometimes be lost, and sometimes retained, according as it is hindered or not hindered by the Grace of God. For thus spake 1Vega, and Scotus, and others. That I may Answer such Men, I confess indeed, if the manner of our Iustification were such, as those Men feign, to wit, if its chief reliance were upon Works, and the increase of Vertues; it would be true, which they assert, concerning the uncertainty of losing or keeping Iustification. But seeing all the stability of our Iustification depends not at all upon our Works, but upon the Merits of Christ by Faith, and the Remission of Sins by his Righteousness; therefore it is, that as there is one Election and Vocation, and that sure and firm, so also Iustification is not twofold, but one and the same, and such ⟨p. 486⟩an one as endures for ever. I call it one, because there remains always 2one and the same cause and manner of Iustifying, which relies not on the Merits of Works, but consists of Faith and the Remission of Sins. And though the Sins from which we are justified, are not all of the same kind, but are distinguished by times and variety of Actions, yet nevertheless Iustification, that is, the Remission of Sins in respect of the form and manner is not divers but one: Not twofold but simple, as Faith also, which is the procuring cause of Iustification is not, which though it is daily increased, yet it remains always one and the same. Moreover, as this Iustification which increases together with Faith is only one, so also the same being firm and stable, no less than the Promise of God, on which it relies, undergoes no change, but continues firm, and constant and the cause thereof is, because it relies not on 3Works but Faith only, whence the Apostle said. It is therefore by Faith, that according to Grace the Promise may be sure to all the Seed.
- 1Vega de fide & operibus, q. 2. pa. 754. It is sufficient, that we by believing only, be justified, unless we do otherways hinder the Grace of God by our Sins.
- 2One manner of justifying and that perpetual.
- 3The Distinction of a first and second Justification is confuted.The Distinction of a first and second Iustification is confuted.
