21. THat faith onlie justifieth, & that good works are not absolutlie necessarie to salvation.
VVHich he sayeth is contrarie to 1 Cor. 13. 2. Though I haue all faith, so that I could remove mountains, & I have not charitie, I am nothing, therefore faith onlie doth not justifie (sayeth he) To which I an∣swere, 1. That there is no word in this Text of Iustification, but of the necessitie of charitie to be joy∣ned with faith in a christian profes∣sion, which no protestant ever yet denyed. 2. The Apostle speaketh not of a justifying faith, but (as the words importeth) of a faith of working Miracles, which their Page 194 owne Estius acknowledgeth, say∣ing, (on 1. Cor. 12. 9.) The greeke Fathers do rightlie understand that faith heere, of which is spoken, cap. 13. 2. which they call the faith of signs and miracles, which faith (sayth he) is of it self a grace onlie given for the benefit of others. And so not a justi∣fying faith for a man himself, as wee may see, Math. 7. 22.
The second place is Iam. 2. 24. where it is said, Yee see therfore how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. To which I answer, That beside O Ecumenius, Theodoret and Beda on this place, their owne Aquinas showeth the true meaning thereof, Who objecting to this place, Rom. 3. 20. where it is said, by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justi∣fied in his sight, he reconcileth them thus, I answere (sayeth he) that to justifie may be taken two wayes, either Page 195 for the execution, or for the manifesta∣tion of our justification. and this way indeed a man is justified by works, that is, he is declared and manifested to bee just, or it is taken for the infused habit of righteousnes, and this way no man is justified by works (sayeth he) Like∣wise sayeth Doctour Paes a Portu∣gall Frier. The meaning of these words, That Abraham was justified by works, may be this, as Theodoret ex∣poundeth, that he was declared just, which exposition I approve most (say∣eth he.)
The third place is, Iam. 2. 14. where the Apostle sayeth, What doth it profit though a man say, hee hath faith, & not works, can that faith saue him? I answere, 1. That the Apostle sayeth not, Though a man haue faith, but, Though he say hee hath faith, showing therby that an alleadgance onlie of faith availeth Page 196 not to salvation, 2. A• their Estius with us showeth, it is said ther, that a dead and fruitlesse faith onlie ac∣cording to the Apostles words verse 17. and 18.) availeth not to salva∣tion. nor can be called a justifying faith.
The fourth place is, Gal. 5. 6. Neither Circumcision nor uncircum∣cision availeth any thing, but faith which worketh by loue. which place is coincident with the former, and doeth nowise militat against our doctrine of Iustification, as the words of our cōfession, anno 1581. and 1647. c. 11. testifieth, saying. That faith receiving and relying onlie on Christ and his righteousnes is the on∣lie instrument of our Iustification, •et it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other sa∣ving graces, and is no dead faith, but worketh by loue. And that this is also Page 197 the doctrine of all other reformed Churches, their own Cassander wit∣nesseth, consult. art. 4. As also Bel∣larmin (lib. 1. de Iustif. cap. 14.) saying, Iohn Calvin in his Antidote of the Councell cap. 11. Sess. 6. sayeth, That it is faith onlie that justifieth, but yet not fayth which is alone, as the heate of the sunne is that onlie which heateth the earth, yet heate is not alone in the sunne, but their is light also joy∣ned with it. the same also (sayeth he) doth Melancton. Brentius, & Chem∣nitius teach with others.
And as for Fathers whom hee ci∣teth, or whose words he setteth downe, such as Ambrose, saying, That faith alone sufficeth not, & Au∣gustin that faith onlie saveth not with∣out observing Gods Commandements, they militat nowise against out do∣ctrine as wee see confessed.
But I admire at the impudence Page 198 or ignorance of this Pamphleter, who in the next place ascribeth to us, that we hold That good works are not necessarie to salvation. whereas in the contrarie, These are the words of our Confession of faith. cap. 16. concerning their necessitie, That they are the fruits and evidences of a true and livelie faith; and by them Believers manifest their thankfulnes, strengthneth their assurance, edifieth their brethren, adorneth the profession of the gospell, stops the mouth of the adversaries: and glorisieth God, whose workmāship they are, created in Christ thereunto, that having their fruit in holines, they may haue the end, life eternall. being as Bernard speakes▪ via Regni, non causa regnandi.
