Questions of religion cast abroad in Helvetia by the aduersaries of the same: and aunswered by M. H. Bullinger of Zurick: reduced into .17. common places. Translated into Englishe by Iohn Coxe. 1572

The Answere.

FIrst we will shew what it is to be iustified before God: and that is to bée purged from sinne, deli∣uered from the punishe∣ment thereof, and to bée

had and receyued into the number of the sonnes of God, and heires of eter∣nall lyfe, yea and that before the iudge∣ment seate of God, before the which all men are accused and condemned as gil∣tie. And that we shall euery one of vs before the iudgement seate of God be conuicted and founde gyltie of sinne and eternall damnation, Paule in the thirde to the Romanes dothe playnely teache. And agayne that iustification is the taking away and remission of our sinnes, the same aptly also teacheth Acts. 13. Wherfore the remission of the sinne, and the punishement or damna∣tion is called of him iustificatiō. Rom. 5. And that to be iustified and adopted in the number of the sonnes and heires of God is all one, wée may gather by that Paule saythe: VVe are iustified by fayth: and Sainct John sayth, But as many as beleeued him, he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God. Secondely, wée muste séeke the cause why God forgiueth our sinnes, dely∣uereth vs from damnation, and adop∣teth vs into hys sonnes and heyres.

Truely the proper cause hereof is hys mercy and grace, by the which he gaue vnto vs his onely sonne to take our na∣ture vpon him, and to suffer death, and shedde his bloud for our sakes, to the ende that béeing deliuered from our sinnes, eternall death and damnation, frée from all accusations, we might be absolued before the iudgement seate of God: yea and that béeing made righte∣ous by Chryst (for his righteousnesse is made ours) we might be made heires of eternall life. Wherefore it is onely the grace of God, the bloud and death of Chryst, and his innocencie and righte∣ousnesse, for whose sake we are not con∣demned, but are adopted into his sonnes and heires, and are made partakers of eternall life. Of this doctrine there are diuers proofes in Paul, Rom. 3. 4. and. 5. 2. Corinth. 5. Ephesi. 1. Coloss. 1. and. 2. Tim. 2. &c.

Furthermore we must note by what meanes the grace of God in Chryste, redemption, righteousnesse, and eter∣nall lyfe is imputed vnto vs, and on the other side howe wée receiue it, and by

what meanes they bée made ours, so that Chryste in vs, and we in him doo lyue. All the good giftes of God are im∣puted vnto vs by the holy Ghoste, as the holy Scripture testifieth almoste euery where, and chiefly our Lorde him selfe saythe: It is the spirit which quickeneth, &c. And wée receiue all these things by fayth, yea by fayth on∣ly, and by none other thing. And there∣fore it may very well bee sayde, that a man is iustified by saythe onely. For Chryste him selfe in the thirde of John teacheth vs, that wée muste bée saued euen after the same manner as the Is∣raelites were healed of the deadely stinging of the Serpentes. For as they coulde by none other meanes attayne vnto healthe, than by the beholding of the Brasen Serpent hanged vp in the myddest of their Campe: so wée can by none other meanes bée delyuered from euerlasting deathe and damna∣tion, and bée preserued in eternall lyfe, than by the beholding of Chryste Crucifyed. And thys beholding of Je∣sus Chryste is fayth, yea fayth onely.

For as no Woorkes, no Prayers, Fa∣stings, Almes, Sacrifices, or any thing else, whatsoeuer coulde helpe the styn∣ging of the Serpente, but onely the beholdyng of the Brasen Serpente, so is there nothing that can saue vs, but Faythe onely. Wherefore Chryst in the sixthe Chapter of Sainct John, saythe: Veryly veryly I say vnto you, excepte you eate the fleshe of the sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, you haue no lyfe in you. And to eate, the Lorde hym selfe interpreteth it to beléeue. But if there bee anye that desire to knowe more testimonies, by the whi∣che our Justification in Chryste by Faythe onely is proued, then let him reade the thirde and fourthe Chapters of S. Paule to the Romanes, and also the Epistle to the Galathians, where the Apostle in the second Chapter wri∣teth thus: Nowe lyue I no longer, but Chryste lyueth in mee. And the lyfe whiche I nowe lyue in the fleshe, I lyue by the faythe of the sonne of God. &c. Wherefore when wée say, that Fayth only in Chryst iustifieth, we attribute

not Justification to Faythe, as in re∣specte that it is any woorke of oures, (for Faythe also is the frée gyfte of GOD) but bycause that Faythe one∣ly beholdeth or regardeth the grace of God in Chryst, and trusteth only here∣in, & in none other thing. And the grace of God in Chryste iustifieth, as wée haue sayde before. Therefore, when wée stryue and contende aboute thys question, Faythe onely iustifieth, wée striue for Chrystes cause and the glo∣ry of GOD, that this iustification may bée attributed to none other than Chryste, to the ende wée may haue one onely true ryghteousnesse. Laste of all wée muste shewe why not one∣ly wée doo not attribute iustification to woorkes, but also wherefore wée suffer not parte thereof to bée attribu∣ted to Woorkes, and parte to Faythe, but saye playnely, that wée are iu∣stified onely by Faythe, and not by Woorkes. Firste, for that God wyll in no wyse haue vs to glorye and truste in our selues, but in hym alone: Like as it is manyfestly taught Rom. 3.

1. Corinth. 1. lerem. 9. Those therefore whiche impute their righteousnesse to Woorks, they trust in them: but those whiche beléeue in Chryste, by whome throughe grace their sinnes are forgi∣uen, and obtayne saluation, they truste not in them selues, but in the grace of God alone.

Secondely, all good Woorkes are wrought of good men. Wherefore it is of necessitie that the trée bee made good, before she bring foorthe good fruite, and therefore the frute maketh not the trée good, but is rather the signe of a good tr••e: so it followeth that Woorkes d••••, not iustfie, bycause they are ••oone of those which before were made righte∣ouse throughe grace. Wherefore all men may easily knowe, that the righ∣teouse doo not good Woorks, to the ende they mighte thereby bee ryghteouse, but rather bycause they are righteouse: so that nowe those whiche withoute woorks were firste iustified by grace, bring afterwarde foorthe good workes, euen as the good trée beareth good frute.

Thirdly, the works euen of the faith∣full

by reason of the infirmitie of mans nature which remayneth with vs, yea vnto death, are neuer so pure and per∣fect, that they durst ascribe therby righ∣teousnesse vnto them selues. Wherfore Job sayth, Althoughe I were iuste, yet would I not make answere, but intreate my ludge. And Dauid sayth: Enter not into iudgemente O Lorde with thy ser∣uaunt, bycause no man liuing shall bee iustified in thy sighte. And it is euident what Saint Paule writeth to the Ro∣manes, the seuenth Chapter.

Fourthly, if any man should be iusti∣fied by his workes, then Abraham and the Apostles should be iustified by the works of their faith: but that they were not iustified by workes is manyfestly taughte, Romanes. 4. Galathians. 2. Wherfore iustification is not to be at∣tributed to workes, althoughe liuely workes procéede from sayth.

Fifthly, nothing ought to be done or suffered in the churche of Chryste, that should obseure or darken the death and merites of Chryste, and frée mercy of God: but if we attribute iustification

to our workes, then they blot out bothe the merites and death of Chryste, and the frée mercy of God, as Paule tea∣cheth. Galath. 2. and. 5. Therefore we must not ascribe iustificatiō to works. Sixtly, wee muste keepe faithfully and purely the Apostles doctrine, and that teacheth that wée are not iustified by works, but through faythe in the froe mercies of God, lyke as it appeareth Acts. 15. and in al the Epistles of Paul: wherefore wée muste faythefully and stedfastly cleaue to this doctrine. But yet amongst many testimonies, I will bring onely one, whereby it shall ma∣nyfestly appeare that this Answere of ours, to this twentith Question, is ta∣ken out of the wordes of S. Paule, and therefore in the seconde Chapter to the Ephesians he sayth thus: By grace are yee saued throughe Faythe: and that not of your selues, it is the gifte of God, and not of woorkes, leaste any man should boaste. For wee are hys woorke∣manshippe created in Chryste Iesu vn∣to good woorkes, whiche GOD hathe ordeined that we shoulde walke therin.

And truely I thinke, there is no man could speake this more plainly: where∣fore it is méete that we beléeue this the Apostles doctrine, and that we be not so miserable and wicked menne (as a great numbre are) to affirme that it is a false and heretical opinion, to beléeus that faith iustifieth before God, and not woorkes.

Notes

• To be iusti∣fied before God.
• why god chose vs to be his sonnes & heirs.
• By what mea∣nes rightuous∣nesse is impu∣••ed to vs.
• Why vvoorke•• do not iustifie.
• Iob. 9. Psal. 14••.
• The summe of this doctrine.