propter opera et merita nostra, justi coram Deo reputamur: Observe, that Faith is not opposed to works, but the merit of Christ is opposed to the merit of our works-propter meritum Christinon propter opera et merita nostra-and it is per Fidem, not propter Fidem (q). We are here said to be justified on account of the merit of Christ, through our own Faith, and not on account of our own works or deservings. Our works never can have any merit towards procuring pardon of our sins, from their own intrinsic worth; they cannot justify, or tend to justify us. Nor has our Faith any merit of this kind; we are not said to be justified propter meritum Fidei or propter Fidem, but per Fidem. The Blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the meritorious cause of our justification; but it operates through our Faith, and through our Faith only. If Faith be wanting in those to whom the Gospel is made known, the merits of Christ are of no avail to them; and if they (q) Wherever the Justification or Salvation of man, by Faith is mentioned in Scripture, the expression is πίσει, ἐκ πίσεως, διὰ πίσεως, οι διὰ τῆς πίσεως, but never διὰ wisu, or dià tñv @isw. Vide Rom. c. 1. v. 17. c. 3. v. 22. 28. & 30. Gal. c. 3. v. 8. Eph. c. 2. v. 8. It is well known that dia when it governs a genitive case signifies per, and when it governs an accusative case it signifies propter; that is, in the former case it indicates the means, in the latter the cause. they have Faith, no other previous condition is required. Wherefore, that we are justified by Faith only is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort, as more largely is expressed in the Homily of Justification:" This is the only reference in the 39 Articles; and the compilers of them seem to have been aware that the doctrine of Justification by Faith alone, though founded in Scripture, and necessary to be maintained in opposition to Papists, was yet liable to misinterpretation, and required fuller explanation than is consistent with the brief declarations used in Articles of religion. They therefore send us to the Homily in which the subject of Justification by Faith is treated at large, and in which the true doctrine concerning the unworthiness of man, and the worthiness of Christ, is clearly and strongly expressed: "God sent his only Son our Saviour Christ into this world, to fulfil the law for us, and by shedding of his most precious blood, to make a sacrifice and satisfaction, or (as it may be called) amends to his Father for our sins, to assuage his wrath and indignation conceived against us for the same. Insomuch, that infants, being baptized and dying in their infancy, are by this sacrifice washed from their sins, brought to God's favour, and made his children, and inheritors of his kingdom of heaven. And they which in act or deed do sin after their baptism, when they turn again to God unfeignedly, they are likewise washed by this sacrifice from their sins, in such sort, that there remaineth not any spot of sin, that shall be imputed to their damnation. This is that Justification of righteousness which St. Paul speaketh of when he saith, No man is justified by the works of the law, but freely by Faith in Jesus Christ... This saying, that we be justified by Faith only, freely and without works, is spoken for to take away clearly all merit of our works, as being unable to deserve our Justification at God's hands, and thereby most plainly to express the weakness of man, and the goodness of God; the great infirmity of ourselves, and the might and power of God: the imperfection of our own works, and the most abundant grace of our Saviour Christ; and therefore wholly to ascribe the merit and deserving of our Justification unto Christ only, and his most precious blood-shedding... Although this doctrine be never so truc (as it is most true indeed), that we be justified freely, without all merit of our own good works (as St. Paul doth express it), and freely, by this lively and perfect Faith in Christ only (as the antient authors used to speak it), yet this true doctrine must be also truly understood, and most plainly declared, lest carnal men should take unjust unjust occasion thereby to live carnally, after the appetite and will of the world, the flesh, and the devil.... The true understanding of this doctrine, we be justified freely by Faith, without works, or that we be justified by Faith in Christ only, is not, that this our own act to believe in Christ, or this our Faith in Christ, which is within us, doth justify us, and deserve our Justification unto us (for that were to count ourselves to be justified by some act or virtue that is within ourselves), but the true understanding and meaning thereof is, that although we hear God's word, and believe it; although we have Faith, hope, charity, repentance, dread and fear of God within us, and do never so many works thereunto; yet we must renounce the merit of all our said virtues of Faith, hope, and charity, and all other virtues and good deeds, which we either have done, shall do, or can do, as things that be far too weak and insufficient, and imperfect, to deserve remission of our sins, and our Justification; and therefore we must trust only in God's mercy, and that sacrifice which our High Priest and Saviour Christ Jesus, the Son of God, once offered for us upon the cross, to obtain thereby God's grace and remission, as well of our original sin in baptism, as of all actual sin committed by us after our baptism, if we truly repent, and turn unfeignedly to him. again... L4 again...as great and as godly a virtue as the lively Faith is, yet it putteth us from itself, and remitteth or appointeth us unto Christ, for to have only by him remission of our sins, or Justification... we put our Faith in Christ, that we be justified by him only, that we be justified by God's free mercy and the merits of our Saviour Christ only, and by no virtue or Good Works of our own, that is in us, or that we can be able to have, or to do, for to deserve the same; Christ himself only being the cause meritorious thereof... And because all this is brought to pass through the only merits and deservings of our Saviour Christ, and not through our merits, or through the merit of any virtue that we have within us, or of auy work that cometh from us; therefore in that respect of merit and deserving, we forsake as it were altogether again Faith, works, and all other virtues. For our own imperfection is so great, through the corruption of original sin, that all is imperfect that is within us, Faith, charity, hope, dread, thoughts, words, and works, and therefore not apt to. merit and deserve any part of our Justification for us." Let it be observed, that in this quotation, Faith and Good works are mentioned together, as not being the meritorious cause of Justification. The expressions |