The confession of faith contending how the troubled man should seeke refuge at his God, thereto led by faith: with the declaratio[n] of the article of iustification at length. ... Compiled by M. Henry Balnaues of Halhill, & one of the Lords of session, and Counsell of Scotland, being as prisoner within the old pallaice of Roane: in the yeare of our Lord. 1548. Direct to his faithfull brethren, being in like trouble or more ...

THE XVII. CHAP.

1 The definition of faith.

2 What faith the Fathers had before Christes incarnation: and whereby they were safe.

3 Good workes are a testimonie to faith.

4 Wherefore workes please God.

4 The methode of S. P. in writing and teaching, and the necessitie of good workes.

6 Wherefore iustice is ascribed vnto man.

7 Who spoyleth god of his glorie.

THe Apostle defineth and declareth, [ 1] what faith is (saying) faith is the sub∣stance of thinges hoped or looked for: The Argument or matter of thinges not seene, without the which it is impossible to please god. That is, faith is the true and perfite thought of the hart: truelie thinking and beleeuing god, the which a man doth whē he beleeueth his word, and putteth his sure trust in the mercy of god: which is to beleeue that his sinns are forgiuen him for Christes sake only: The wrath of the Father pacified, & he recea∣ued in fauour, & accepted as iust: & firme∣ly and vndoubtedly beleeueth the father of heauen, to bee euer merciefull, gentle, helpefull, and fauourable vnto him, for

Christes sake, without all deseruinges of his deedes or merites, either preceeding faith, or following the same. This is the Iustice of god, which is made patent and reuealed by the sonne of god Christ Ie∣su in his euangell, as said is before.

In this faith only in Christ were all the [ 2] Fathers to the comming of Christ in the fleshe made iust without the deeds of the lawe. And therefore all the promisses of the cōming of Christ, are to bee referred to that promise made in Gen. the 3. Chap. that the seede of the woman shall treade downe the serpents head, &c. And so the faith of the Fathers in the old testament, and our faith in the newe testament, was and is one thing: howbeit, they had other externall rites, obiectes, ceremonies, and signes, then we haue. And they beleeued in the cōming of Christ, to fulfill all pro∣misses and prophesies spokē of him. And we beleeue he is come already, and hath fulfilled al which was spokē of him, in the law and Prophets. And hath ascended to the heauines, & sitteth, at the right hande

of the father, our aduocate. And as the Fathers beleeued the first comming of Christ, euer desiring and looking for the same by faith: Euen so now wee beleeue, and looke for his second comming. And most feruently desire the same, to bee deliuered of this mortall bodye of sinne, that wee may rule eternally with him in glory. That the Fathers were safe by faith without the deeds of the law. S. Pet. testi∣fieth (saying) wherfore now tēpt ye god, to put a yoke vpon the neckes of the dis∣ciples the which neither wee, nor our Fa∣thers might beare: but by the mercy of Iesus Christ, we beleeue to be made safe, as they were. And S. August. in the 157. Epist. saith: Therefore if the fathers (be∣ing vnable to beare the yoke of the old lawe) beleeued them to be made safe, by the mercy of our lord Iesu Christ: It is manifest that the same mercy, or grace, made the old fathers to liue iust by faith. Now ye may see clearely that the old fa∣thers were all made safe, through the mercy of God, without all the deedes of

the law. Then how will you make your selfe safe with workes: which neuer did so good workes, as the fathers. So there can bee no better conclusion to exclude your workes, in the article of iustificatiō: then S. P. maketh (saying) that a man is made iust by faith, without the deedes of the law. Therefore faith onely iustifieth before god. Ye shall vnderstand that it is all one thing to say: faith onely iustifieth. And to saye faith without workes iustifi∣eth. As by example, if one saye, the good∣man is in the house alone, or he is in the house without anybody with him. This is all one maner of speaking: The scrip∣ture saith, mā is made iust by faith, with∣out the workes of the law: Therefore we may well say, that faith onely iustifieth. For confirmation hereof, yee shall reade the 2. Chapter, to the Hebre. before re∣hearsed, in the which yee shall finde the histories briefly repeated by the Apost. testifiing the fathers to bee made safe by faith, referring nothing to workes, except [ 3] onely, that the workes beare a outwarde

testimonie of the faith. Abell, by faith or in faith offered to god a more acceptable sacrifice, then Cain did, by the which hee obteined witnesse that hee was iust: god bearing witnesse of the offerings: and by the same hitherto speaketh, being dead. God looketh first to the hart of man: be∣fore hee looke to his workes, as testifieth the voyce of God (saying) I iudge not after the sight of man: For hee seeth the thing whiche appeareth outwardly: But I beholde the hart: That is, the man is first made iust by faith: And accepted in the fauour of God (as Abell was) And then his workes are acceptable and please God, because they are wrought in faith. That it is the mind of the Apost. S. P. to exclude all workes (either going before or following faith) to bee of the substance of the Article of iustification: proued clearely the arguments and mat∣ters of his Epist. Specially to the Rom. Galath. Hebre. In the which he laboureth so diligently, that all the Sophistes and workers, that are Iustifiers of themselfes,

may not get a corner to hyde them into, from his conclusions, without they deny Christ and his office. At the least in effect (as they doo after their maner.) But the wisedome of god and his holy spirite de∣ceaueth them: for when they wrest and throwe the scriptures, to their minde in one place, they are compelled in another place of the same Scripture to confesse them selfes Lyers. In the Epistle▪ to the Rom. from the beginning to the 12. chap. and in the Epistle to the Galath. to the 5. Chap. with all laboure and diligence, he setteth forth the iustice of god to bee through faith in Iesu Christ, without all workes of the lawe. And when he hath established the same Article of iustifica∣tion: Then setteth he forth the workes of righteousnes, in the which a christian mā shal liue becaus the iust shal liue in faith. This order ye may see in the saide Epist∣les: and in the Epist. to the Hebre. hee de∣clareth the office of Christ, his priesthood and sacrifice, and giueth faith her place the 11. Chap. All his laboure was to ex∣clude

the mixtion which now these fain∣ed workers would haue ioyned in with faith and the benefite of Christ, which is no other thing but the worke of the deuil our aduersary, to make the death of christ in vaine, as the Apost. sayth: Therefore if iustice be of the law, or by the law, christs death is in vaine.

But thinke not that I intende through these assertions to exclude good works: No, god forbid, for good workes are the gift of god, and his good creatures. And ought and should be done of a christian, as shalbe showen hereafter at length in their place. But in this article of iustifica∣tion, yee must either exclude all workes, or els exclude Christ from you, and make your selfes iust: the which is impossible to do, because we are wicked and can do no good at all, which can be of value be∣fore God, or pacifie his wrath, except Christ first make our peace. For that is his office for the which he came in the world and suffered death: So if yee will not ex∣clude Christ, exclude your workes. For in

this case there is no concurrence, more then there is betweene darknes & light: For what participation hath righteous∣nesse with iniquitie, or what fellowship hath light with darknesse. The definition of this Iustice is made plaine by S. P. Ro. the 3. Chap. which I exhort you to reade: consider worde by worde, conceaue, and prent them well in your harts, then shall ye be able to contend and fight valiātly against sathā, and his sophistes: of whom yee shall haue victorie by faith, which is our victorie that ouercōmeth the world.

The iustice of god is, by the faith of Ie∣su Christ, In all, and vpon all, which be∣leeue in him, there is no distinctiō or ex∣ception. All haue sinned, and haue need (or are destitute) of the glorie of god: But they are made iust, by his mercy, freely without the workes, by the redemption which is in Christ Iesu: whome god hath proponed or layd before a sacrifice or sa∣tisfactiō by faith in his bloud: to the forth∣showing of his iustice, for remissiō of the sinnes by past: the which god hath suffe∣red

to the forthshowing of his righteous¦nes at this time, that hee may be iust, and iustifie him, which is of the faith of Ie∣su Christ. Where thē is thy glorie or van∣ting? it is excluded by what law of works? No, but by the law of faith: Therfore we beleeue surely a man to be made iust, by faith without the deedes of the law.

Now, I pray you tell me what plainer words may be spokē, or termes inuēted to exclude all our works, merites, or power, to be participant with god in this article of iustification. They are as plaine and cleare as the sonne in midday. Neuerthe∣lesse because the wordes are so pretious, and necessarie aboue all things to be im∣prented, and continually keeped, in the hart of man: I will make some declara∣tion of euery part, and particle of this de∣finition. And proue by authoritie of scrip∣ture, this iustice of god (by the which a man is made iust) to be without all works or power of mā, only by faith in the mer∣cy of god.

Of this Iustice, Dau. speaketh (saying)

lead me in thy iustice, O lord, because of my enemies: direct my way in thy sight. That is, O Lorde my god, for thy greate goodnes, singuler kindnes, and naturall loue, thou wast euer wont to show vnto sinners and mankind: bee to me a gouer∣nour, guider, and conuoyer, in all perilles, and daungers: suffer neuer my minde to decline from the right waye, for any maner of strength or feare of my enimies. And also in thy iustice (O Lorde) deliuer me: that is, for thy goodnesse and mercy: And after, iudge thou me (O Lorde) and discusse my cause: that is, take my defēce vpon thee: for I am not able of my self to resist. Therfore in thy iustice deliuer me: and be vnto me a strength inuincible. So shall ye finde in diuers and sundrye Psal. & other places of scripture, as Daniell 9. Chap. Iustice and righteousnes vnto thee (O lord) but vnto vs confusiō, and shame of face. In the which Chap. ye may read what iustice or holynesse, that holy Pro∣phete ascriueth vnto him, or to the most holy of the people: Amongest whome,

assuredly there was many good punish∣ed with the wicked: but none which might ascribe righteousnes to themself.

[ 6] Sometime, yee shall finde in Scripture this worde iustice, ascribed vnto man, as Dau. saith: heare me, who called on thee (O Lorde) of my iustice, &c. That is, god the Author, Giuer, and keeper, of my in∣nocēcie, hath looked vpō me. And iudge me, lord, after my iustice, and according to my innocency, which is in me. Here he forthshoweth not his vertues or his righ∣eousnes, whiche are in him with these words, because he saith in another place: Enter not in iudgement with thy seruant (O lorde) for in thy sight no liuing thing shalbe found iust. And the holy ghoste is neuer cōtrarie to himself. But here he cal¦led the iustice of God his, by imputation. And also hee was innocent of the thinge which was layde to his charge, by King Saule, who euer accused him of treason: and vsurping of the crowne of Israell, in the 16. Psal. hee saith: Heare my iustice, O Lorde, and giue attendance to my desire and

prayers. Here hee calleth his iustice, his petition. And in innumerable places of scripture, yee shall finde this word iu∣stice sometime ascribed to god: & some∣time to man, because of the receauing of the same from god: but euer the scripture makes the selfe plaine, by the sentence that goeth before, or els followeth, or in some other place. Therefore, take good heede vpon the reading of the scriptures, that ye deceaue not your selfes, ascribing any deede or power of yours to the Ar∣ticle of iustificatiō: for it may suffer none, but only Christs merits, because the me∣rites of man, are impure and imperfite, & may not abyde the iustice of God: nor stand in his sight.

It followeth in the definition of this iustice: By the faith of Iesu Christ in all, and vpon all which beleeueth in him. Here ye may see our faith, that we beleue in Iesu Christ, called his faith, as it is in deede. And the faith also of god, and by the same reasō, as the iustice is called be∣fore, because it is the gift of God, as S. P.

saith. Ephe. the 2. Chap. and is the instru∣ment by the which we obteine the mer∣cy of god, remission of our sinnes , the gift of the holy spirite, and euerlasting life: all for Christes sake, without our de∣seruings by the which wee are ioyned in Christ, and Christ in vs, as the pretious stone is ioyned in the gold ring. So let all our delite and pleasure bee to imbrace Christ in our hart by faith in his bloude. For, faith is the thing which Christ desi∣reth of a sinner. Beleeue sonne thy sinnes are forgiuē thee. And also, all which be∣leeue in mee (saith Christ) shall not dye eternally. And to the woman in the 7. Chapter of S. Luc. thy faith hath made thee safe.

It followeth in the definition: there is no distinction nor exception, all hath sin∣ned, and hath neede of the glorie of god: that is, all wanteth that iustice which god approued or iudged to be glorie. And so, all mē are sinners, and reiected from god, and can not be made iust by the lawe, be∣cause the same accused sinne, and is like

a mirrour in thy hād to cōsider the forme of thy face: which can do no other thing but show thee thy deformitie. God hath concluded all vnder sin that he may haue mercy vpon all. The scripture hath con∣cluded all vnder sin, that the promis may be giuen through the faith of Iesus christ to all which beleeue.

It followeth in the definition, but they are made iust, freely, by the grace of god, through the redemption which is in Iesu Christ. Here ye see the Apost. purposeth to exclude all your merites in deseruing of this iustice. To the effect he may (as in all his Epist. and labours he intended) set foorth the glorie of god: and the benefite of christ, the which cā no wise be highlier setforth, then in the making of a wicked man, iust, and freely: that is, for nothing: and without deseruing: For that cause Christ is made to vs, from god, wisdome, iustice, holynes, and redemption: that he which reioyseth, may reioyse in the lord. And that meaneth the Apo. Pau. and the prophet Ieremie, which will haue all out

vertues giuen vnto God, as wisedome, strength, & riches, which are in our pow∣er, to vse and exercise, as the gifts of God: much more iustice, which is not in our power. For we are made, & make not our selues: the which we do, if we deserue it, either for workes preceeding or follow∣ing the iustification, to haue any part of the substance thereof. And so would ye drawe the glorie of God to you in one part, the which God will not suffer, as the Prophete Esay saith: My glorie will I giue to no other, either must yee make your selues iust, or els bee made iust by god: if yee make your selues iust, ye are not allowed of god. So the glorie re∣doundeth to your selfe of your owne worke. This, the holy spirite will neuer approue nor consent vnto, as ye read the second Epist. to the Corinth. the 10. chap. Coloss. 3. Phillip 3. Galath. 6.

That wee are made iust, freely, by the mercy of god, declareth S.P. for cōfirma∣tion of this his assertiō: by grace (saith he) ye are made safe, through faith: and that

not of your selfes: It is the gift of god, not of workes, that none haue matter to glo∣rie or reioyse. This same he affirmeth in his Epistle, to Titus the third Chap. and Rom. the 11. Chap. where hee saith, if it bee of grace, then it is not of workes: Otherwise, grace were no grace. Here ye may see, this iustice is of mercy freely without all oure merites or deseruinges.

Yee are made iust by the redemption which is in Christ Iesu: and not in your selues. For Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe: and is made for vs accursed. That is, hee suffered the paine which the curse of the lawe inioyned to vs by sinne: in whome wee haue redemp∣tion by his bloude, remission of our sinnes, according to the riches of his mercy and grace. What wordes may bee more plaine, to proue this iustice onely by faith in Christ, excluding our merites. Yee haue the same assertion in the Epi∣stle to Titus, the second Chapter, Galath. the fourth, and Apocalypsis, the fifth chap∣ter: Where it is written. Thou art

worthie (O Lord) to take the booke, and open the seales of it: for thou art slaine & hast redeemed vs to god in thy bloud, hee saith not in our workes, but in thy bloud. Here ye may see and consider our sinnes were no light thinges. Cōsidering there was no other thing whiche might pacifie the wrath of the Father: but the bloud, and death, of his onely begotten sonne Christ Iesu, to bee made man for that cause, And now for vaine inuen∣ted Imaginations, of ignorant Sophistes, (which will not onely be their owne re∣demers: but also redeme others) this pre∣tious bloud is repute in vaine, or a light thing.

It followeth whome God hath layde before a sacrifice or satisfaction through faith in his bloud, to the forthshowing of his iustice, for remission of the sinnes by∣past, the which god hath suffered (or in the suffering of god) to the forthshowing of his Iustice, at this time, that he may be iust: and iustifie him which is of the faith of Iesu Christ. Here the apostle aboun∣deth

in wordes: to exclude all sophistrie and vaine conceate of workes, which mē intende, and would intende to make sa∣tisfaction for sinne. For hee setteth forth Christ here, the full sacrifice, and satisfac∣tion, for sinne. And therefore, he called him the mediatour of the new testament, by intercession of his death. And also Christ offered a sacrifice for sinnes: and for euer sitteth at the right hand of God, beholding till his enemies bee made his foote stoole. And S. Iohn saith, if any shall sinne, we haue an aduocate before the fa∣ther (Iesus Christ) who is iust, and he is sa∣tisfaction, for our sinns: not only for ours, but for the whole worlds: & that through faith in his bloude. For there is nothing may bring vs thereto but faith only, And no satisfactiō may be, but Christes death, who hath ones dyed therefore, and shall not dye againe, death shall haue no more dominion of him. In the which hee hath declared him iust, in fulfilling the promis made of him in the lawe and prophetes. That is that he was to make vs iust, which

could not make our selues iust.

And where hee saith, for remission of sinnes bypast, the which God hath suffe∣red, &c. Vnderstand not that of the sinns bypast before the cōming of Christ one∣ly: but also of all sinnes committed to the worldes end. For these words are spoken foorth of the mouth of god, with whome all things is present, as yee may consider by the wordes of Christ, speaking to the Iewes on this maner: Before Abrahā was, I am. Howbeit, Abrahā was dead a thou∣sand yeares before his incarnation. So to the penitent, all sinnes are bypast: There∣fore the remission of sinnes by past in Christes bloude, indured to the end of the worlde.

This is necessary to know for two cau∣ses principally. The one is, for confound∣ing of the heresie of the Nouatiās, which peruert the sayings of the Apost. where∣vpon they would inferre that man once beeing iustified: and thereafter falling in sinne, may haue no place of repentance, whiche were the peruerting of all the

scriptures of God: and his promisse in the bloud of Christ, who is the lambe of god, that taketh away the sinnes of the world. And our aduocate, sacrifice, and satisfac∣tion. Howbeit, the Apost. speaketh plain∣ly that it is impossible to be renewed to repentance through renewing of baptis∣me: for that were to crucifie christ againe, not in his fleshe: but in thy fleshe which would be new baptised.

The other cause is to exclude their o∣pinion which think that Christ satisfied, but for originall sinne onely: & that bap∣tisme giueth or hath purchaste grace to man, after the baptisme that he may sa∣tisfie for his owne sinnes by recompensa∣tion, as god were a marchant to chop & change with man: That if Christ was the first marchant, they shalbe the next. And this is as great a heresie as the other, by the which they would make the death of Christ but a vaine trifle: and chaunge faith into workes of mans making: The which is the work of the deuill, that euer intended to impung this Article of iusti∣fication,

by the mixtion of workes. This opinion S.I. confoundeth in his 1. Epistle the first and 2. chap. where he declareth: first, if a man say he hath no sinne, hee de∣ceaueth himselfe. And then if man sin∣ne (as doubtlesse all men dooth) he sayth wee haue an Aduocate Christ Iesu, who is iust: and is a satisfaction for our sinnes. Moreouer, all men, howe iust that e∣uer they bee, neede dayly to praye: for∣giue vs our debts, as we do our debtours: the which prayer were not necessarie, nor Christ had neuer taught the same: If we might haue satisfied for our owne sinnes, at any time. So Christ is euer our satisfac∣tion, and we dayly sinners. Therefore we ought euer to pray, forgiue vs our debts, as we forgiue our debtours.

It followeth in the definition where is thy glorie? by what lawe is it excluded? of works: No, but by the law of faith: and concludeth man to be made iust by faith without the deeds of the law: ye shall vn∣derstand that glorie in this place is taken for the sure trust and beleefe which men

putte in their owne workes and merites, the which the apost. wil haue cleanly ex∣cluded forth of this article: & giuē wholy to christ, who deserueth the same, becaus he is obteiner thereof, to vs through faith in his bloud. The which faith wil haue no thinge participant with it in this case, more then the sight of the eye, will haue or suffer the finger in it, to help the sight. No, it can not suffer a mote, but euer waters, being hurt till the mote be taken foorth. Euen so faith, foorthshoweth all thing to the glorie of God, and me∣rites of Christ, without all workes or me∣rites of man.

If Abraham had beene made iust of works, thē had he wherein to reioyse, but not before god. And also hee had not ob∣teined that name to be called the father of the faithfull, but the father of workers. Therfore the scripture saith, Abra. belee∣ued god, and it was reakoned to him for righteousnesse. In the which scriptures yee shall not onely finde this iustice whiche is of value before god: attribute

and giuen whole to faith, in the mercy of God: but also the workes expresly ex∣cluded: For either wee must be made iust by faith only, or by workes only: because they may not bee mixt without Christes death be in vain: for to him that worketh saith (Paule) The rewarde is not impute according to grace, or mercy, but accor∣ding to debt. But to him which worketh not: that is, confideth not in his own me∣rites: but beleeueth in him which iustifi∣eth the wicked: his faith is compted to him for righteousnesse, according to the purpose of the mercy of God: And that without workes. For the probation and sure vnderstanding of this assertion, yee shall reade the whole 4. Chap. Rom. the 15. of Gene. the 2.3. and 4. Galath. and 2. to the Ephe. which wordes shalbe showen in this subsequent Chapter.

Notes

• Heb. 2.
• The defi∣nition of faith.
• Ier. 23. & 33.

  Esa. 4. & 45.

  Ezech. 34. The faith of the fa∣thers be∣fore the incarna∣tion of Christ.
• Act. 15.
• Marke the wordes of S. Peter.
• Rom. ••.
• Heb. 2.
• Gen. 3.
• 1. Reg. 19.
• The man is first iust before the workes be good.
• The pur∣pose of Paule, in his Epist. to Rom. & Galath.
• Galath. 2.
• The office of Iesu Christ is: to pacifie the wrath of God, which our workes may not doo. Cor. 6.
• 1. Io. 5.
• Psal. 5.
• Psal. 30.
• Psal. 43.
• Psal. 70.
• Psal. 4.
• Psal. 7.
• Psal. 142. The holy ghost is neuer cō∣trarie to himselfe.
• Why iu∣stice is as∣cribed to man.
• The faith of Iesus Christ & what wee receaue thereby.
• Math. 9. Io. 11. Rom. 10.
• 3. Reg. 8. 2. Par. 6. 1. Io. 1. Eccle. 7.
• The law is a mir∣rour.
• Rom. 2. Galath. 3.
• 1. Cor. 1. Iere. 9.
• Note.
• Esa. 42. & 48.
• Ephe. ••.
• That is remission of sinnes were not freely gi∣uen.
• Galath. 3.
• Ehe 1.
• The wrath of God against sinne.
• Heb. 9.
• Heb. 10.
• 1. Io. ••.
• Rom. 6.
• Io. 8.
• Heb. 6.
• The here∣sie of the Nouatiās.
• Io 1.
• 1. Io. 2.
• The false opinion of So∣phistes.
• Note
• What is glorie.
• Rom. 4.
• Gene. 15.
• Rom. 4.
• Galath. 3.
• Heb. 2.