The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

But because some, who for Reasons best known unto themselves, do take all occasions to except against my Writings, have in particular raised an impertinent clamour about somewhat that I formerly delivered to this purpose, I shall declare the whole of my Judgment herein, in the words of some of those, whom they can pretend no quarrel against that I know of.

The excellent words of Justin Martyr deserve the first place. [Greek or Hebrew]. Epist. ad Diognet. He gave his Son a Ransom for us; the ⟨p. 42⟩Holy for Transgressors; the Innocent for the nocent; the Just for the unjust; the Incorruptible for the corrupt; the Immortal for mortals. For what else could hide or cover our sins but his Righteousness? in whom else could we wicked and ungodly ones be justified, or esteemed Righteous, but in the Son of God alone? O SWEET PERMUTATION; or Change! O unsearchable Work or curious Operation! O Blessed Beneficence exceeding all Expectation! That the Iniquity of many should be hid in one Just one, and the Righteousness of One should justify many Transgressors. And Gregory Nysson speaks to the same purpose. [Greek or Hebrew]. Orat. 2. in Cant. He hath transferred unto himself the filth of my sins, and communicated unto me his purity, and made me partaker of his Beauty. So Augustine also. Ipse peccatum ut nos justitia, nec nostra sed Dei; nec in nobis sed in ipso, sicut ipse peccatum non suum sed nostrum, nec in se sed in nobis constitutum. Enchirid. ad Laurent. cap. 41. He was Sin that we might be Righteousness, not our own but the Righteousness of God, not in our selves but in him. As he was Sin not his own but ours; not in himself but in us. The old Latin Translation rendering those words, Psal. 22.1. [Greek or Hebrew] Verba delictorum meorum; He thus comments on the place. Quomodo ergo dicit delictorum meorum? nisi quia pro delictis nostris ipse precatur; & delicta nostra, delicta sua fecit, ut justitiam suam nostram justitiam faceret. How, saith he, of my Sins; because he prayeth for our Sins; He made our Sins to be his, that he might make his Righteousness to be ours. [Greek or Hebrew]; O sweet Commutation and Change! And Chrysostom to the same purpose; on those words of the Apostle, That we might be made the Righteousness of God in him. [Greek or Hebrew],