Nothing what is thing in us as the cause of it. For the adverb Supra freely fignifies this: not fo much hinting here, that juftification is a free gift, as the Apostle calls it Rom. 5. 16 (for that the following words denote, tñ äută Xapri by his grace), as that there is nothing in us, by which to obtain it. The greek word par, freely, anfwers to the Hebrew in, that is without à cause, which, in that cafe is found to be falfe and feigned; as Pf. 69. 4, in xw, they that hate me without a caufe, which is the fame thing as, p, my lying enemies. The former is tranflated by the feptuagint, or Greek interpreters, oiles à dupeáv. Just as John 15. 25, śμíonoáv μe dipsar, they hated me without a caufe. In like manner, Pf. 35. 7, in, Swpear, without a cause have they hid for me their net in a pit. Where dupzár does not fignify any donation or gift, but the abfo lute denial of any cause, which could render a man deferving of fuch treatment. When the Apostle therefore fays, we are justified dupear, he freely teaches us, that there is nothing in us, upon which to found the gracious fentence of our juftification, or for which we can be justified. Excellently well, fays the Greek fcholiait, δωρεάν, τετεσιν άνευ των κατορθωμάτων, freely, that is without any merit in thee. XLII. And this reafon may be added, that noavails in thing can avail, in the business of justification, but juftifica- what is entirely perfect, and can answer the law of tion, but God in all things. For, in justification, there is a perfect. declaration of the righteousness of God, Rom. 3. 25, 26. But that requires the righteoufnefs of the law to be fulfilled, Rom. 8. 4. The righteouinefs of the law cannot be fulfilled, but by a perfect obedience. Chryfoftom Speaks finely on this place, what is righteousness? It is the end, the scope, the righteous action. For, what does the law want, what, does it always command? To be without fin. But no perfon pretends to this, but the presumptuous and the liar, 1 John 1. 8. We therefore conclude, that a finner cannot be justified by any act of his own. XLIII. The XLIII. The FOR M of juftification confifts in thefe The form two acts. ist, The discharging of unrighteousness. of juftifi2. The adjudging of righteousness. cation. double power which the law de XLIV. Unrighteousness or fin has a double power Sin has a over the finner. ft. A power of condemnation. 2dly. A power of dominion. The law defends both over the thefe powers: the former, by declaring him, who finner, fins, to be guilty of death, Rom. 1. 32. The other, both by giving up the conquered, by a jufl fentence, to the conqueror, 2 Pet. 2. 19. Wherefore it is faid, fends. that the law is the strength of fin, I Cor. 15. 56. Because fin has its power from the law, which pronounces the finner accurfed, and the fervant of corruption. Nay, the most holy law of God itself, is called by Paul the law of fin and of death, Rom. 8. 2. Not as if it allowed of any fin, much lefs commanded it; but because, by its righteous fentence, it gives up the finner and his children to fin, that it may tyranife over them as unworthy of the life of God both in holiness and glory. Now fin does this, both by pushing the finner on to farther degrees of wickedness, and by haftening and aggravating his condemnation. Who can doubt but all these things. are juftly determined by God against the finner? Why should not then this fentence, which is founded on the law of the covenant of works, be called a law? And feeing fin exercifes, according to this law, a dominion over the finner, and condemns him to death, very appofitely and emphatically has Paul called it the law of fin and death. Sin therefore, in the judgment of God, infifts upon two things against the finner, that it may condemn him, and for ever have dominion over him; and alledges for itfelf the righteous law of God. And indeed the law, as long as fatisfaction is not made to it, cannot, in this action, or procefs, condemn fin, that is filence, or extenuate its accufation, lay afide its claim, and pronounce it partial or unjust. 12 VOL. II. XXLV. But I tion made But after XLV. But now the fatisfaction of Chrift being fatisfac- fubftituted and apprehended by faith, by which the to the law whole righteoufnefs of the law is fulfilled, the man by Chrift, is then justified, and fin condemned, both its fin is ftrip- claims being rejected. God declares, ift. That ped of both powers. on that account, give a right to there is no condemnation to them, who are in Christ Jefus, that all their fins are pardoned, and that none of them fhall avail to condemnation; because the furety has, in the fulleft manner, undergone the punishment due to them. And in that respect, forgiveness of fin is called juftification, Rom. 4. 6, 7. 2dly. That fin fhall no longer reign in their mortal body; for fince Chrift did alfo, of his own accord, subject himfelf to thofe laws, which were the hand-writing of fin; they are no longer under the law of fin, but under grace, Rom. 6. 14. This juftifying fentence of man, and condemning fentence of fin are founded on the fame law of God, which, if the fatisfaction of Christ be fet afide, is the law of fin and death; but if that fatisfaction be fuppofed, it is the law of the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus delivering man with a liberal band. For, after Chrift has once obeyed in the likeness of finful flesh for the elect, God declares, that every thing was done, which fin could poffibly demand, according to the law, and pronounces a fentence of liberty from fin to thofe, who by faith receive this grace of the Lord Chrift, both with refpect to its condemning, and domineering power, as the Apostle Rom. 8. 1, 2, 3, divinely illuf trates. Freedom, XLVI. This deliverance from the guilt and from fin, dominion of fin has, indeed, an indiffoluble connecdoes not, tion with happinefs; therefore they, whofe iniquities are forgiven, are declared blessed, Rom. 4. 7; nevertheless this alone is not fufficient to happiness. For he, who now is fet free from fin, has not immediately a right to life: as is manifeft in Adam while innocent, who, as long as he continued fuch, had no condemnation to fear, neverthelefs had not yet life. acquired It is therefore acquired a right to eternal life. 21. which we refs. XLVII. The MEAN, by which we receive the Faith arighteousness of Chrift, and juftification depending lone the thereon, is FAITH, and that ONLY. For, if there mean, by was any thing befides faith, it would be our own appre. works, proceeding from the other chriftian virtues, hend But Paul will have them entirely excluded, Gal. 2. 16, Chrift's knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the righteouf law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jefus Chrift, that we might be justified by the faith of Chrift, and not by the works of the law: for, by the works of the law fhall no flesh be justified. Rom. 3. 28, therefore we conclude, that a man is juftified by faith without the deeds, of the law. All the christian virtues or graces are contained in these two, faith. and love, which comprehend every affection of a pious foul. It is the property of love to give up and offer onefelf and all he has to God; of faith to receive and accept of God freely giving himself to -us. And therefore faith alone is adapted to receive and appropriate the righteoufnefs of Chrift, on account of which we are juftified. And this is a truth fo certain and clear, that not a few of the doctors of the school of Rome, and they the principal and of greatest reputation among them, have acknowledged it, from the very fame paffages of fcripture, which we have advanced. Titelmannus in his paraphrafe on Gal. 2, fays, we then firmly believe, that none can be juftified before God by the works of the law, but This faith fervance of the in the ONLY BY FAITH in Chrift. Eftius in like manner: it is evident, that the particle BUT is in fcripture often taken adverfatively, to denote BUT ONLY; adding, that all the interpreters, both Greek and Latin, agree in this interpretation, and that it is gathered from what follows, and from Rom. 3. 28. Safbout is also exprefs to the fame purpofe, who maintains, that Paul's expreffion is an hebraism, and that, according to the Hebrews, the negative particle not is to be repeated from what went before. A man is not juftified by works, not but by faith. And he adds: if you afk, whether it may be rightly concluded from that propofition, a man is not justified but by faith, therefore we are juftified by FAITH ALONE ? We are to fay, it may. A little after he adds; in this our day the catholick writers can, on no account, bear that propofition, imagining that there is poifon concealed in that particle only, and therefore to be difufed. Yet the ancients had no fuch averfion to that particle, nor Thomas Aquinas: if any, fays he, were righteous under the old law, they were not righteous by the works of the law, but only by the faith of Jefus Chrift. Paul's true meaning is, not unless by faith, that is, by no merits of our own. Thus Safbout on Gal. 2. 16. XLVIII. But we are farther to enquire, how faith not the ob- juftifies. Not certainly in that fenfe, as if God graciously accepts the act of faith, and new gospel Gospel obedience flowing therefrom in the room of the precepts, perfect obedience, which, from the rigour of the nor comes law, we were bound to perform in order to juftiplace of fication: as the Socinians, and Curcellæus, who imithe perfect tates them in this refpect explain it; understanding obedience by faith the obfervance of the precepts of the Gospel, required which God has prescribed by Chrift. For this is to by the make void the whole Gofpel. The Gospel has not fubftituted our faith, but Chrift's obedience, by which the righteoufnefs of the law is fulfilled, in the room of that perfect obedience, which the law required in order to juftification. It is alfo falfe, law. that |