Twenty sermons preached at Oxford before His Majesty, and elsewhere

Quest. But now, what parts hath justification in it? we are wont to say that there are two parts; one imputation of righteousness, the other forgiveness of sins.

Sol. I answer; for my own part I think Justification is one simple act of God, and that it is improperly distinguished as parts; but rather as terminus a quo is distinct from terminus ad quem. And this I shall show unto you both by reason and authority, that faith is but one act.

Sol. I answer; for my own part I think Justification is one simple act of God, and that it is improperly distinguished as parts; but rather as terminus a quo is distinct from terminus ad quem. And this I shall shew unto you both by reason and authority, that faith is but one act.

Let none say that I take away the imputation of the righteousness of Christ: No; the bringing in of light, and the expulsion of darkness is not two acts, but one; but there is terminus à quo, and terminus ad quem. We are accounted righteous, and that is, we have our sins forgiven. And the reason is this; if sin were a positive thing, and had a being in it self, then the forgiveness of sin must be a thing distinct from the imputation of righteousness. Scholars know the difference between adversa and privantia, white and black are both existent, but darkness and light are not, but only a privation one of another. Darkness is nothing of it self, but the absence of light; The bringing in of light is the suppression of it: You must understand sin hath no being, no entity; it is only an absence of righteousness, the want of that light which should be in the subject: Which want is either in our nature, and then it is called original; or in our person and actions, and then it is called actual transgression. Sin is an absence of that positive being, which is, as I said, either in our nature, or works. Then thus I will resolve you in another point, viz. If sin were a positive thing, all the world cannot avoid it, but God must be the Author of it; for there is nothing can have a being, but it must derive its being from the first being, God. Now, how can we avoid God's being the Author of sin? Why thus; It is nothing.