The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

And the Works of the Law, are the Works and Duties of Obedience which this Law of God requires, performed in the manner that it prescribes, namely, in Faith, and out of love unto God above all, as hath been proved. To say, that the Apostle excludeth only Works absolutely perfect, which none ever did, or could perform since the entrance of sin, is to suppose him to dispute with great earnestness, and many Arguments against that which no Man asserted, and which he doth not once mention in all his discourse. Nor can he be said to exclude only Works that are looked on as meritorious, seeing he excludeth all Works that there may be no place for merit in our Justification, as hath also been proved. Nor did these Galatians, whom he writes unto, and convinceth them of their error, look for Justification from any Works, but such as they performed then, when they were Believers. So that all sorts of Works are excluded ⟨p. 515⟩from any interest in our Justification. And so much weight doth the Apostle lay on this exclusion of Works from our Justification, as that he affirms, That the admittance of it overthrows the whole Gospel, Ver. 21. For, saith he, if Righteousness be by the Law, then is Christ dead in vain; and it is dangerous venturing on so sharp a fence.

Not this, or that sort of Works; not this, or that manner of the performance of them; not this, or that kind of interest in our Justification, but all Works of what sort soever, and however performed, are excluded from any kind of consideration in our Justification, as our Works or Duties of Obedience. For these Galatians whom the Apostle reproves, desired no more, but that in the Justification of a Believer, Works of the Law, or Duties of Obedience, might be admitted into a conjunction or copartnership with Faith in Christ Jesus. For that they would exclude Faith in him, and assign Justification unto Works without it, nothing is intimated, and it is a foolish imagination. In opposition hereunto he positively ascribes our Justification unto Faith in Christ alone: Not by Works but by Faith, is by Faith alone. That the Particles [Greek or Hebrew] are not exceptive, but adversative, hath not only been undeniably proved by Protestant Divines, but is acknowledged by those of the Roman Church, who pretend unto any modesty in this Controversy. The words of Estius on this place deserve to be transcribed, Nisi per fidem Jesu Christi sententiam reddit obscuram particula Nisi (so the vulgar Latin renders [Greek or Hebrew], instead of sed or sed tantum) quae si proprie ut Latinis auribus sonat accipiatur, exceptionem facit ab eo quod praecedit, ut sensus sit hominem non justificari ex operibus Legis, nisi fides in Chrislum ad ea opera accedat, quae si accesserit justificari eum per legis opera. Sed cum hic sensus Justificationem dividat, partim eam tribuens operibus legis, partim fidei Christi, quod est contra definitam & absolutam Apostoli sententiam, manifestum est,