The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

Our Adversaries are extremely divided amongst themselves, and can come unto no consistency, as to the sense and meaning of the Apostle in these Assertions; for what is proper and obvious unto the understanding of all Men, especially from the opposition that is made between the Law and Works on the one hand, and Faith, Grace, and Christ on the other, (which are opposed as inconsistent in this matter of our Justification) they will not allow, nor can do so without the ruin of the opinions they plead for. Wherefore their various conjectures shall be examined, as well to show their inconsistency among themselves, by whom the Truth is opposed, as to confirm our present Argument.

Our Adversaries are extreamly divided amongst themselves, and can come unto no consistency, as to the sense and meaning of the Apostle in these Assertions; for what is proper and obvious unto the understanding of all Men, especially from the opposition that is made between the Law and Works on the one hand, and Faith, Grace, and Christ on the other, (which are opposed as inconsistent in this matter of our Justification) they will not allow, nor can do so without the ruine of the opinions they plead for. Wherefore their various conjectures shall be examined, as well to shew their inconsistency among themselves, by whom the Truth is opposed, as to confirm our present Argument.

1. Some say it is the Ceremonial Law alone, and the Works of it that are intended; or the Law as given unto Moses on Mount Sinai, containing that entire Covenant that was afterwards to be abolished. This was of old the common opinion of the Schoolmen, though it be now generally exploded. And the opinion lately contended for, that the Apostle Paul excludes Justification from the Works of the Law, not because no Man can yield that perfect obedience which the Law requires, or excludes Works absolutely perfect, and sinless obedience; but because the Law it self, which he intends, could not justify any by the observation of it, is nothing but the renovation of this obsolete notion, that it is the Ceremonial Law only, or which upon the matter is all one, the Law given on Mount Sinai, abstracted from the Grace of the Promise, which could not justify any, in the observation of its Rites and Commands. But of all other conjectures, this is the most impertinent and contradictory unto the design of the Apostle, and is therefore rejected by Bellarmine himself. For the Apostle treats of that Law whose doers shall be justified. Chap: 2.13. And the Authors of this opinion would have it to be a Law that can justify none of them that do it. That Law he intends whereby is the knowledge of sin; for he gives this reason,