accounted for a Christian man, nor for a setter-forth HOM. III. of Christ's glory; but for an adversary to Christ and What they be that impugn his Gospel, and for a setter-forth of men's vain-glory. the doctrine And although this doctrine be never so true-as it of faith only justifieth. 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 ancient authors use to speak it; yet this true doctrine must be also truly understood, and most plainly declared; lest carnal men should take unjustly occasion thereby to live carnally, after the appetite and will of the world, the flesh, and the devil. And, because no man should A declaration err by mistaking of this doctrine, I shall plainly and of this docshortly so declare the right understanding of the same, withont that no man shall justly think that he may thereby works justi take any occasion of carnal liberty, to follow the desires of the flesh; or that thereby any kind of sin shall be committed, or any ungodly living the more used.

trine Faith

fieth.

is the office

First, you shall understand that, in our justification by Christ, it is not all one thing, the office of God unto man and the office of man unto God. Justification is not the office of man, but of God; for man cannot make himself righteous by his own works, neither in part, nor in the whole: for that were the greatest arrogancy and presumption of man, that Antichrist could set up against God, to affirm that a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sins, and so justify himself. But justification Justification is the office of God only; and is not a thing which of God only. we render unto him, but which we receive of him; not which we give to him, but which we take of him, by his free mercy, and by the only merits of his most dearly beloved Son, our only Redeemer, Saviour, and Justifier, Jesus Christ. So that 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

D

HOM. III. 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 good works thereunto; yet we must renounce the merit of all our said virtues, of faith, hope, charity, and all our 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. So that, as St. John Baptist, although he were never so virtuous and godly a man, yet in this matter of forgiving of sin, he did put the people from him, and appointed them unto Christ, saying thus unto them, Behold, yonder is the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world: even so, 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. So that our faith in Christ, as it were, saith unto us thus: It is not I that take away your sins, but it is Christ only; and to him only I send you for that purpose, forsaking therein all your good virtues, words, thoughts, and works, and only putting your trust in Christ.

John i,

THE THIRD PART OF THE SERMON OF SALVATION.

IT hath been manifestly declared unto you, that no man can fulfil the Law of God; and therefore by the Law all men are condemned: whereupon it followeth necessarily, that some other things should

be required for our salvation than the Law; and that нOм, III. is, a true and lively faith in Christ, bringing forth good works, and a life according to God's commandments. And also you heard the ancient authors' minds of this saying, Faith in Christ only justifieth man, so plainly declared, that you see, that the very true meaning of this proposition, or saying, We be justified by faith in Christ only, according to the meaning of the old ancient authors, is this: 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 work 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.

Here you perceive many words to be used, to avoid contention in words, with them that delight to brawl about words; and also to shew the true meaning, to avoid evil taking and misunderstanding: and yet peradventure all will not serve with them that be contentious; but contenders will ever forge matter of contention, even when they have none occasion thereto. Notwithstanding, such.be the less to be passed upon, so that the rest may profit, which will be more desirous to know the truth, than, when it is plain enough, to contend about it, and with contentious and captious cavillation to obscure and darken it. Truth it is, that our own works do not justify us, to speak properly of our justification: that is to say, our works do not merit or deserve remission of our sins, and make us, of unjust, just before God: but God of his mere mercy, through the only merits and deservings of his Son Jesus Christ, doth justify us. Nevertheless, because faith doth directly send us to Christ for remission of our sins; and that, by faith given us of God, we embrace the promise of God's mercy, and of the remission of our sins which thing none other of our virtues or works properly doth-therefore the Scripture useth to say, that faith without works doth justify. And, forasmuch as it is all one sentence in effect to say, Faith without works, and Only faith, doth justify us; there.

HOM. III. fore the old ancient Fathers of the Church, from time to time, have uttered our justification with this speech; Only faith justifieth us: meaning no other thing than St. Paul meant, when he said, Faith without works justifieth us. And, because all this

They that

only justi

liberty, or

that we

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 any 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. And this form of speaking use we, in the humbling of ourselves to God, and to give all the glory to our Saviour Christ, who is best worthy to have it.

Here you have heard the office of God in our justification, and how we receive it of him freely-by his mercy-without our deserts-through true and lively faith. Now you shall hear the office and duty of a Christian man unto God; what we ought on our part to render unto God again for his great mercy and goodness. Our office is, not to pass the time of preach faith this present life unfruitfully and idly, after that we fieth, do not are baptized or justified; not caring how few good teach carnal works we do, to the glory of God, and profit of our neighbours: much less is it our office, after that we should do no be once made Christ's members, to live contrary to the same; making ourselves members of the devil, walking after his enticements, and after the suggestions of the world and the flesh; whereby we know that we do serve the world and the devil, and not God. For that faith, which bringeth forth, without repentance, either evil works, or no good works, is not a right, pure, and lively faith; but a dead, devilish, counterfeit, and feigned faith, as St. Paul and St. James call it. For even the devils know and believe that Christ was born of a Virgin; that he fasted forty days and forty nights, without meat and

good works.

The devils

have faith,

but not the true faith.

drink; that he wrought all kind of miracles, declaring Hoм. II. himself very God. They believe also, that Christ for our sakes suffered a most painful death, to redeem us from everlasting death; and that he rose again from death the third day: they believe that he ascended into heaven, and that he sitteth on the right hand of the Father, and at the last end of this world shall come again and judge both the quick and the dead. These articles of our faith the devils believe; and so they believe all things that be written in the New and Old Testament to be true: and yet for all this faith they be but devils remaining still in their damnable estate, lacking the very true Christian faith. For the right and true Christian faith is, not only to what is the believe that Holy Scripture, and all the foresaid ar- true and justifying faith. ticles of our faith, are true; but also to have a sure trust and confidence in God's merciful promises, to be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ: whereof doth follow a loving heart to obey his commandments. And this true Christian faith neither any devil hath; nor yet any man, which in the outward profession of his mouth, and in his outward receiving of the Sacraments, in coming to the church, and in all other outward appearances, seemeth to be a Christian man, and yet in his living and deeds sheweth the contrary. For how can a man have this true faith, this sure trust and confidence in God, continue in that by the merits of Christ his sins be forgiven, and have not true he reconciled to the favour of God, and to be par- faith. taker of the kingdom of heaven by Christ, when he liveth ungodlily, and denieth Christ in his deeds? Surely no such ungodly man can have this faith and trust in God. For, as they know Christ to be the only Saviour of the world, so they know also that wicked men shall not enjoy the kingdom of God. They know that God hateth unrighteousness; that he will destroy all those that speak untruly; that Psalm v. those which have done good works-which cannot be done without a lively faith in Christ-shall come forth into the resurrection of life, and those that have done evil shall come unto the resurrection of judgment. Very well they know also that to them that be contentious, and to them that will not be obe

They that

evil living