lift up; that every one which believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Now Moses did hang up the brasen serpent for the health and recovery of them that were poisoned! by the bitings of the serpents. For they died presently that were stung with the serpents? unless they did immediately look up to the brasen serpent; for at the very sight thereof the poisoned sting did lose all force, and the person envenomed was out of hand restored and cured again. Neither was there in the host of the Israelites any other medicine but that alone, which whosoever despised he died without remedy. For the force of the poison was not expelled, and the life of the infected was not preserved, either by the power of prayers, or the multitude of sacrifices, or medicinable herbs, or any kind of physic, or other means of man’s invention: if any would escape the peril of death, it behoved him to behold the brasen serpent aloft. Now that brasen serpent was a type or figure of Christ our Lord; who, being lift up upon the cross, is ordained of God to be the only salvation. But now to whom doth that saving health befall? To them, forsooth, that do behold him being so lift up. The Lord himself telleth us what “to behold” doth signify, and instead thereof doth put to believe.” Therefore no works, none other means, nor merits of ours do save us from eternal death and from the force of sin, that is, the poison wherewith we are all infected by the old serpent, our adversary Satan. Faith alone, whereby we believe in Christ, who was lift up for the remission of our sins, and in whom alone our life and sure salvation doth assuredly consist, is the only thing that quickeneth us which are already dying by the envenomed sting of Satan, which is sin, Hear, moreover, what the Lord doth add, instructing Nicodemus yet more fully in the true faith, and making the only cause of our salvation to be the mere and only grace of God, which is received by faith in Christ. For so” (saith he) “God loved the world, that he gave his onlybegotten Son, that every one which believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not his Son
[1 morientum e veneno, Lat.; that were dying of the poison. ] [2 dipsades, Lat.] [3 See The Old Faith, p. 44.] [4 which are—sin; an addition of the translator’s. [5 in mundum, Lat.; into the world. ]]
to condemn the world; but that the world might be saved by him. He that believeth in him is not condemned: but he that believeth not in him is already condemned, because he believeth not in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.” Lo, what could be spoken more plainly? By faith we are made partakers of Christ. By repeating faith so often his meaning was so to beat it into our heads, that no man should hereafter do once so much as doubt of so manifest and evident a piece of doctrine. But if here now thou dost little set by the authority of Christ, then whose authority wilt thou esteem Ὁ But thou wilt not, I know, reject his testimony. Yet albeit that his warrant is sufficient, give ear notwithstanding to that disciple whom the Lord loved, who in his epistle expounding as it were the words of the Lord, and by the way of exposition repeating and beating them into all men’s minds, doth strongly cry out: “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he testified of his Son. He that believeth in the Son hath the testimony in himself: he that believeth not God doth make him a liar, because he believed not the record that he gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” But what else is it to have the Son of God than to believe in him? For this sense is gathered by that which went before, being of itself so evident, that for me to add anything unto it, is to do nothing else but as it were to go about with a tallowcandle to help or adlight the sun at his rising.
Now are we come to the place of St Paul, which is to be seen in the third and fourth chapters of his epistle to the Romans. “The righteousness of God,” saith he, “without _ the law is made manifest, being witnessed by the testimony of the law and the prophets.” Paul in this place doth preach the gospel most evidently; for I know not any other place wherein he doth it more plainly. He teacheth herein how we are justified before God, what is the true righteousness and salvation of mankind, and by what means it cometh unto us. He saith, that the righteousness of God, that is to say, the righteousness which God bestoweth, or which doth
[6 Deus, Lat.; God.]
prevail! before God, is revealed without the law; that is to say, doth come unto us without the help of the law, to wit, without the aid and merits of the works of the law. For touching the testimony of the law and the prophets, they witness both together, that they which believe are justified by the righteousness of God. Now what that righteousness is, he doth immediately declare, saying: “The righteousness of God cometh by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.” The righteousness, saith he, whereof we speak 5, is not human or of mortal man, but altogether divine, or of God himself. For as God alone is only just, so the righteousness of God is the true and only righteousness of God? that saveth us: which righteousness God maketh us to be partakers of by that faith of Jesus Christ, to wit, if we believe in Christ, and hope in him for to be saved Neither is there here any man excluded from righteousness and salvation; for Paul doth plainly say, “Unto all and upon all that do believe.” Wherefore God doth repute and esteem all them to be righteous, which do believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord and Saviour. Now he doth presently annex the cause why he attributeth salvation unto the righteousness of God, and not of man, or why the gospel commendeth to us the righteousness of God, saying: “For there is no difference; all have sinned and have need of the glory of God.” For because all men of their own nature are destitute of the glory of God, that is, since they are without the true image of God, to the likeness whereof they were created in the beginning; therefore all men, verily, are unrighteous and sinners: whereupon it followeth, that in them there is no righteousness, and that they have nothing wherein to boast before the righteous God. For what else, I beseech you, do sinners carry from the judgment-seat of God, but confusion and ignominy? And for because all men are such and in that case, therefore the apostle doth very wisely add: “But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus; whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, or reconciliation, through faith in his blood.”
[1 consistit et valet, Lat. ] [2 que justificat et salvat, Lat. omitted; which justifies and saves.] [3 of God, not in the original.] [ and hope—saved, not in Lat.]]
Which is all one as if he had said: Men are justified for Christ his sake by the mere grace or mercy of God, without any help or merit of their own, if so be they do but believe that God hath given his Son to the world, to shed his blood, and to reconcile the purified sinners unto his Father in heaven. In which words there are most fully and plainly declared the whole manner and order of sanctifying, purifying, and justifying of sinners.
But it is good here to repeat the apostle’s words, and more nearly to examine and deeply to consider them. “They are,” saith he, “freely justified.” But wherefore freely? Because, forsooth, they are justified by the mere grace of God, without the help of their own works or merits. For all men are sinners, and therefore they have nothing of themselves to allege for their justification: whereupon it followeth, that, since some are justified, they are justified freely by the grace of God. For the same apostle in the eleventh to the Romans saith: If we be saved by grace, then now not of works; for then grace is no more grace: but if by works, then is it now no grace.” But there followeth in Paul immediately that which doth yet make that argument more manifest, which is notwithstanding very manifest already; “through the redemption,” saith he, “that is in Christ.” Our righteousness and salvation is the work of mere grace, because we are redeemed. For in respect of ourselves, our works, and merits, we were the servants of death and the devil, insomuch as we were sinners and subject to sin. But God, by sending his Son, redeemed us, when as yet, being his enemies, we were bound to the devil, his open adversary Therefore he did freely redeem us; as ἔβαν the prophet did in his fifty-second chapter plainly foretell that it should come to pass. But true salvation is not in any other, whatsoever he be, save in Christ _ alone, our true Lord and Saviour. For the heavenly Father did by his eternal counsel set forth his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to be our propitiation, to wit, that he might be our reconciliation, for whose sake only the Father being pacified adopteth us into the number of the sons of God: which is accomplished by none other way but through faith in his blood; that is, if we believe that the Son, being sent of the Father, did shed his blood, thereby to set us, cleansed, [5 to the devil, his open adversary; an addition of the translator’s.]
justified, and sanctified, before his heavenly Father. Wherein we see again that our salvation doth freely consist in faith in Jesus Christ.
These points being thus unfclded, the apostle, proceeding to shew how far the benefit of redemption and justification doth stretch, doth immediately add: “To declare his rightousness by! the forgiveness of the sins that are past, which God did suffer, to shew at this time his righteousness.” God, saith he, hath set forth Christ to be the only propitiation, that he might shew that there is but one and the same righteousness of all ages; Christ, I say, himself, who is the righteousness of all that believe. Now here he maketh mention of two several times; that ancient age of the fathers, and this present time wherein we now live. The ancient age is that which went before the coming of Christ: this latter age of ours is that which beginneth at Christ, is now at this present, and shall be extended to the end of the world. And God verily did of his long sufferance bear with and suffer the sins of that old age for Christ his sake, by whom, and for whom, he hath forgiven them: neither doth he set before us at this day any other righteousness, save Christ alone, to be received and embraced by faith.
For the apostle doth not obscurely afterward add: “That he might be just, and the justifier of them that believe on Jesus.” As if he should have said: Now the meaning of all this is, that we should understand that all men are unrighteous and altogether sinners; but that God alone is righteous, without whom there is no righteousness at all: and that he doth communicate his righteousness to all them that do believe in Christ, to wit, which do believe that for Christ his sake the Father is pleased and reconciled unto us, and that for him we are reputed both just and holy.
By these words of the apostle there are two very wicked and blasphemous errors of certain fellows notably refuted. The one of the twain is the error of them which say, that our fathers were justified, not by faith in Christ, but by the law and their own merits; affirming that Christ suffered not for the fathers, but for them alone that lived when he was upon the earth, and for them that followed after his death. The other error is theirs which say, that Christ offered up his
[1 propter, Lat.; for.]
body for the fathers, for original sin only, not for us and all our sins; and therefore that we must make satisfaction for our own sins. But the apostle Paul doth in this place condemn both these opinions. And the holy evangelist John, agreeing with Paul, doth say: “The blood of the Son of God doth cleanse us from all sin. For he is the propitiation for our sins; not for our sins only, but for the sins of all the world.” Therefore the merit of Christ his redemption doth extend itself to all the faithful of both the testament.
The apostle Paul proceedeth, and upon that which he had said he inferreth: Where is the boasting? Τῦ is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay, but by the law of faith.” He gathereth by the evangelical doctrine hitherto taught, that all the boasting of every man’s own righteousness, and all the bragging of every one’s merits, is utterly taken away, altogether exempted, and vanished: not by the law of works; that is, not by the doctrine concerning works, which is wont for the most part to puff men up and make them swell; but by the law of faith; that is, by the doctrine concerning faith, which doth empty and leave in us nothing but an humble confession and acknowledging of our own lack of merits, attributing all our help to grace in Christ Jesus. And at the last, gathering the chief proposition, he saith: “We do therefore hold that a man is justified without the works of the law.” This is the sum and breviary of the whole gospel, that we are justified, that is to say, absolved from sins, from the definitive sentence of death and damnation, and sanctified and adopted into the number of the sons of God, by faith, that is, by an assured confidence in the name of Christ, which is given by the Father to be our only Saviour. And here are works by name excluded, to the end there should be given to us no occasion to entangle faith with - works, or to attribute to works the glory and title due to faith alone, or rather to Christ, upon whom our faith is grounded and upheld.
This proposition being once put forth he doth presently after confirm with arguments, shewing withal that this salvation is common both to the Jews and Gentiles, saying: “Is he [2 de fide justificante, Lat. omitted; concerning the faith that justifieth.]
[3 fide, Lat.; by faith.]
the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, even also of the Gentiles: for it is one God that shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith.” He fetcheth the confirmation of that which he said from the nature of God. There is but one God, who is of his own nature both life and righteousness; and he is the God both of the Jews and the Gentiles: therefore he is the life and righteousness of both the people: which righteousness he bestoweth on them by faith: therefore faith doth justify, or make them both righteous.
This is declared by the example of Cornelius the centurion. For he is justified, or, as I should rather say, being once justified he is declared to be acceptable to God, by the sending down of the Holy Ghost in a visible form upon him, when as he neither was circumcised, nor yet had kept the law, but had only heard the preaching of the gospel, and had believed in Jesus Christ. Now God did not justify Cornelius so alone, but will also justify all other nations by faith; even as he will not by any other means than by faith alone justify the Jews.
It followeth in Paul: “Do we then destroy the law through faith? God forbid: but we rather maintain the law.” For the defenders or the disputers in the defence of works, or rather of justification by works, are wont to object: If faith alone in Christ doth justify, then is the law, or doctrine of the law, altogether unprofitable. For to what end are we commanded to do good works, if good works do not justify? The apostle answereth, That the law is not abolished by faith, but rather maintained: for since faith doth directly tend to Christ, in whom alone it doth seek and find all fulness; and that the law itself is the school-mistress unto Christ, and doth shut up all under sin, so that justification is by faith given to the faithful; it is most evident, that the law is not destroyed or darkened, but confirmed and made light, by the doctrine of faith.
The apostle goeth on in his confirmation, and saith: the What shall we say then that Abraham our father as pertaining to the flesh did find? For if Abraham were justified by works, then hath he wherein to boast; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” There
are verily many examples of the holy fathers: but among all the rest, the apostle chose out this of Abraham! to handle it at large. For he in the scriptures is called the father of them that do believe. Whereupon it is assuredly certain, that the children shall be justified after the same sort that their father was; as the apostle hath in express words taught in the latter end of the fourth chapter. Moreover, Abraham was famous for? good works above all the rest of the holy fathers: therefore if any other could have been justified by his good works or merits, much more might Abraham before all the rest. But for because he was justified by faith and not by works, it is manifest therefore that all the saints also both have been, and are, justified by faith and not by works. Furthermore, Abraham lived 430 years before the law was revealed by Moyses3: whereupon it followeth, that his works cannot be called the works of the law by them that are the deniers of the justification by faith without the law. Therefore the works that he did, he did them of faith, and his works were the works of faith; and yet was he not justified by them, but by faith. Therefore the glory of the justification of faith remaineth sound, unspotted, and unmingled with anything else. “What,” saith he, shall we say that our father Abraham found concerning the flesh;” to wit, so far forth as he is a man, and we also men of him? What, I say, shall we say that he deserved? To this demand this answer must be added: He found nothing, and by his works he deserved nothing. For the proof followeth: If by his works he deserved anything, or was by his merits justified, then hath he wherein to boast. But he hath nothing wherein to boast: therefore is he not justified by his works. Τὸν God alone is righteous, and keepeth this his glory unto himself alone without any partner or joint-possessor with him, freely justifying them that are of the faith of Jesus Christ, to the end that his grace may be always praised.
But Paul himself, by bringing in a place of scripture, doth shew that Abraham had nothing wherein to make his boast. “For what,” saith he, “doth the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for
[1 solius, Lat.; alone.] [2 multis, Lat.; for many.] [3 Gal. iii. 17. See Vol. 11. page 180.] [6 See Vol. 1. p. 116, and note 3.]]
righteousness.” Lo here, the scripture doth most plainly say, that Abraham was justified by faith; or rather, that faith was imputed to him for righteousness; and therefore that Abraham was for his faith counted righteous before the most just and righteous God.
But let us hear Paul, how he applieth this place of scripture unto his purpose. It followeth then: “To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of duty. But to him that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Which words, verily, may be briefly reduced into this kind of argument. Whosoever doth with his works deserve anything, to him the reward is given as a thing of duty due unto him, and not imputed freely as though it were no debt. But faith is imputed to Abraham unto righteousness; therefore he received righteousness, not as a reward of duty ought! unto him, but as a gift not due but freely given him. And again: “To him that worketh not, but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.” But to Abraham faith was imputed unto righteousness: therefore he obtained righteousness by faith, and not by works,
Now there is an emphasis in that he saith, But believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly.” For thereby is signified, that he which is to be justified doth bring nothing with him but the only acknowledging of his own misery and ungodliness, to seek for mercy at the hand of the Lord. For he understandeth, that he is destitute of good? works, and such as may abide the trial of God’s just judgment. He doth therefore fly to the mercy of God, presuming for a certainty that the righteousness of faith is the aid or help of the sinner, that must be freely saved by the grace of God.
Here, by the way, ye must note, that Christians’ righteousness both is, and is said to be, imputative righteousness: which thing alone is able to break the neck of all our boasting; for imputation is the contrary unto debt. God is not of duty bound to us, either for our own sakes, or for our works’ sakes; but so far forth as he hath bound himself to us of his free grace and goodness: and in us there are many things that hinder the perfection of righteousness in
[1 owed.] [2 perfectis, Lat.]
us. Whereupon David cried: “Enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.” Therefore God doth freely impute to us the righteousness of faith; that is, he reputeth us for righteous because we believe him through his Son. So we read that in the evangelical parable the Lord did say: “But when the debtors were not able to pay, he forgave them both the debt.” For God also forgiveth us our debts or sins, not reputing them unto us, but counting us for righteous for Christ his sake. For the same apostle, most evidently testifying the same thing, in the second Epistle to the Corinthians, saith: “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, by not imputing sins to men.” And after that again: “Him, which knew no sin, he made sin for us, that we might be the righteousness of God in him.” What canst thou require more evident, than that we are counted righteous before God, because by Christ his sacrifice our sins are so purged, that we should hereafter be no longer held with the guilt of the same?
We proceed now to reckon up the other arguments of St Paul, as firm and manifest as these that are already rehearsed.
In the same chapter therefore it followeth: “Even as David describeth the blessedness of the man, to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose unrighteousnesses are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is that man, to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” In the beginning he doth with clear and evident words express the thing that he intendeth to prove or confirm; to wit, that God imputeth righteousness to the saints without works. What could be said more plainly? And, to prove it to be so, here he inferreth the testimony of David, which doth in a manner contain three sundry members or clauses: first, ‘ Blessed,” saith he, “are they whose unrighteousnesses are forgiven;” then, “Blessed are they whose sins are covered;” and lastly, “Blessed is that man to whom the Lord will impute no sin.”
Now the force of the argument or demonstration doth consist in the words, Forgive, Cover, and Not impute. The creditor forgiveth the debtor that which he hath not paid
him, whether he be able or not able to pay it him. We in respect of our sins, which are our debts, are able to pay nothing to God. Forgiveness therefore of those debts or sins of ours is the gift of God’s mere grace and liberality. For the creditor cannot forgive the thing that is already paid unto him; for when he giveth back the thing that he hath received, in so doing he doth not forgive, but give; and that deed in the scriptures is called Donum, a gift, not Remissio, a forgiving. Whereupon St Paul saith, “God gave to Abraham the inheritance:” therefore Abraham with his works did not merit the same. Secondarily, some filthy thing that offendeth the eyes of men is usually wont to be covered; and yet notwithstanding the filthy thing abideth filthy still, although it doth not appear outwardly unto the eyes of men. And our merciful God hath covered our sins, not that they should not be, but that they should not appear or come to judgment; which thing is the gift of grace, and not of merits. For the covering is nothing else than the blood of the Son of God; for for his blood’s sake we sinners are not damned. Lastly, God might by right and justice impute sin unto us; but of his grace he imputeth it not. And all these laid together do confirm and prove, that righteousness is freely, by faith, without works, imputed unto us.
This very same place of St Paul taken out of David doth discuss and make plain unto us other points of doctrine also, whereof there is some controversy. For we learn that justification is nothing else but sanctification? forgiveness of sins, and adoption into the number of the children of God. We learn that St Paul speaketh not only of the ceremonial works of the law, but also of the saints’ good works of every sort. Furthermore we learn, that both sins and iniquities, that is, all manner sins of the faithful, are freely pardoned and utterly forgiven. Moreover we learn that sins are fully remitted, not the fault only, but the punishment also: which punishment, some say, 15 retained; but God doth not impute sins. In another place he saith, “that he will not have any remembrance x… of our sin at all.” Lastly, we learn that the satisfactions for sin of man’s invention 15 a most vain lie, and flatly opposite to the apostles doctrine.:
[1 latet adhuc sub tectorio, Lat.; lurketh still under the covering.] [2 beatificatio, Lat. See Vol. 1. page 106, note 6.]]
fi 1: OF THE GOSPEL. 49 I have hitherto alleged two most evident places; the one out of the gospel of Christ, the other out of St Paul his epistle written to the Romans: by which I meant to prove, that Christ, being preached to us by the gospel, is received not by works but by faith; and I hope I have by divine testimonies so declared this matter of importance, that no man shall need hereafter either to doubt or waver in the same. To all this now I add this note, still most necessary to be observed; that all good and holy men in the church of Christ must with all their power do their endeavour that this doctrine of the gospel may abide sincere and utterly uncorrupted. For they must in no case admit that justification is partly attributed to faith and the mercy of God, and partly to the works of faith and our own merits: for if that be admitted, then doth the gospel lose all force and virtue. I think therefore, that all men must only and incessantly urge this, That the faithful are justified, saved, or sanctified by faith, without works, by the grace and mercy, I say, of God through Christ alone. And I suppose, verily, that this doctrine of the gospel must be kept sincere and uncorrupt in the church for very many causes, but among all other for these especially which follow hereafter.
First of all, it is manifest, that the often-repeated doctrine of the grace of God, which in his only Son doth through faith alone work justification, is by so many divine testimonies, even from the beginning of the world, by so many demonstrations, and so many determinations of unreproveable councils, both so plainly declared and throughly inculcated, that the very consent of all ages in the truth revealed from heaven, and the authority of the most holy men in all the world, do sufficiently invite us to retain, maintain, and keep that doctrine uncorrupted. We have the justification of our blessed father Abraham a little above expounded by no obscure author, but even by Paul, the teacher of the Gentiles and elected vessel of God himself. We have the doctrine of justification taught by the most glorious king and prophet? David, a man even after God’s heart’s desire, the great grandsire of Christ our Lord, declared and expounded by the same apostle Paul. Now Abraham and David were always
[3 beati, Lat.; blessed.] [4 paucis, Lat.; in few words. ] [5 and prophet, not in Lat.] [BULLINGER, IiL] ὴ]
men of chief account in the church of God. With which twain the whole company of the prophets do wholly agree; for the apostle Peter saith: “All the prophets bare witness to Christ, that by his name every one which doth believe in him should receive remission of his sins.” And even now by the mouth of Paul we heard say, that by the testimonies of the law and the prophets it is proved, That the righteousness of God is freely bestowed by faith, without the law.
We have also the very Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord, whose authority, excelling far all the world’s beside!, may confirm us well enough in this piece of doctrine? For he, as it were in certain assembled councils, did determine and decree that which we in this place do counsel all men to retain. For having gathered together his disciples at Ceesarea Philippi, he demanded of them, what men did think of him. Now when they answered diversely, according to the diversity of opinions that the common people had of him, he inquired of them what they themselves thought of him? Then Peter in the name of all the rest said, “Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” To whom the Lord replied: “Happy art thou, Simon Bar-jona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” In these words he concludeth two several things: first, that true faith doth make us happy; neither is it to be doubted but that “to make happy” is used here in that signification, which ye heard out of Paul even now that David used it in: lastly, that that sanctifying faith is not the work of our own nature, but the heavenly gift of God. And then also he taketh occasion, upon that notable confession of true faith, to give a new name to Simon Peter, for the eternal memory of the thing? and for the imprinting of the signification of that mystery in all men’s minds. Peter confessed that Christ was a stone, or rock; therefore Christ surnameth Peter a Petra, that is, a stone: as if one should call him a living stone laid upon a living stone, or of Christ a Christian. Yea, and lest peradventure any man should tie the thing, universally belonging to the whole
[1 omnes in mundo preestantissimos, Lat. ] [2 may—doctrine, not in Lat. ] [3 certam confessionem, Lat. ] [4 beatificantem, Lat.] [5 ad seternam rei memoriam,—alluding to the opening phrase of]
[the decrees and bulls of the popes, &e.]]
church, unto Peter alone, the Lord himself doth apply it unto all the church, and saith: “And upon this stone will I build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” As if he should have said: That which now is done in thee, Peter, shall hereafter be done in all the faithful. Thou by faith art laid upon me which am the stone, and art made a member of the church: I therefore do ordain, that whosoever confesseth me to be the stone shall be a member of the church, sanctified, justified, and delivered from the devil and the power of death. Thy confession (that is, I, Christ the Son of God, whom thou confessest,) shall be the foundation of the church; upon which foundation whosoever arelaid, they shall be justified and freely saved. For Paul also said: “Another foundation cannot be laid than that that is already laid, which is Christ Jesus.” And the apostle John saith: “This is the victory that hath overcome the world, even your faith.” Now lest Peter and his other fellow-disciples should not know the way how other men should be admitted into the fellowship of the church and received into the communion of Christ, he addeth immediately: “And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou loosest in earth, shall be loosed in heaven,” &c. He gave the keys when he sent the apostles to preach the gospel. Therefore by the preaching of the gospel (which is the key of the kingdom of heaven) is heaven opened, and the way pointed out how we, being graffed in Christ and the church, may be made the heirs of eternal life; to wit, through faith in Christ, which we are taught by the gospel of Christ. Thus much touching the council whereof Christ himself was president, held at Ceaesarea Philippi.
There is extant in John another council, held at Caper-naum’, both famous and full of people. For in a great multitude of his disciples and other men he doth determine, that eternal life is gotten by faith in Christ; and that there is none other way for us to come to life than this, “to eat his flesh, and to drink his blood; that is, to believe in him. And when among the audience there was a schism by reason that many revolted from Christ, he demanded of them that were
[6 beatus, Lat.] [7 fide, Lat.; by faith.] [8 beati, Lat. ] [9 Heec de Cesarien. concilio hactenus,—is all that Bullinger says. ] [10 Capernaiticum, Lat. John vi.]]
his nearest disciples, whether they also would forsake him? Then Peter in the name of all the rest did answer: Since in thee, O Christ, there is life and salvation, if we depart from thee we cannot be partakers of life; and therefore by faith we will firmly stick and cleave close to thee for ever.
Moreover here are to be reckoned two councils also that were held by the apostles; the one of which no man can deny to be very general or universal’; for in it there were devout men of every nation under heaven. In that council did Peter the apostle in express words teach, That Christ is the Saviour of the world; whom whosoever believeth, he shall have life everlasting. The place is known in the Acts of the Apostles, the second chapter. Before the chief of the Jews the same apostle declareth, that there is salvation in none other than in Christ alone. The place is extant in the Acts of the Apostles, the third chapter. The like he doth to the first-fruits of the Gentiles, Cornelius and his household, in the tenth chapter. The second council, which was famous also and passingly adorned with all good gifts, is described in the fifteenth chapter of the Acts: in which council this proposition was allowed, That faith Without works doth justify freely. Touching which matter Av- 1 have spoken at large in another place.
Now by all this I would have it proved, that the doc- trine of Faith that justifieth without works ought to be retained unmingled and uncorrupt in the church, because, as I may so say, it is most catholic and altogether unreproveable: to the breach whereof this curse or anathematism of the apostle is added, saying: “If we, or an angel from heaven, shall preach to you any other gospel than that which we have preached, let him be accursed.”
The second cause, why it is expedient that this doctrine be kept sincere in the church, is; because if it be once put out of joint, the glory of Christ shall be in danger of wrack and in jeopardy. Tor the glory of Christ is darkened and corrupted in the minds of men (although of itself it remaineth always sound and clear), if we begin to divide the righteousness whereby we stand and appear before God, attributing it to our own merits and good works of our cwn. For this is the glory of the Son of God, that under heaven [1 vere cecumenicum, Lat. ] [2 gseriem in Act. Lat.]
there is none other name given unto men in which they must be saved.” Hereupon it is that Paul said: “Christ 151 made of none effect to you, whosoever are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” And again: “I do not despise the grace of God; for if righteousness be of the law, then did Christ die in vain.” If he died in vain, then is the glory of Christ his cross perished.
The third cause is, the certain and assured reason of our salvation. Our salvation should be utterly uncertain, if it did depend upon our works and merits; who, because of our natural corruption, unless we be beside ourselves, do say or ought to say with Job: “If I have any righteousness, I will not answer, but humbly beseech my judge.” Therefore did Paul very rightly say: If the inheritance be of the law, then is faith void, and the promise made of none effect. Therefore is it of faith, as according te grace?; that the promise may be firm to all the seed.”
The fourth cause is; because by this doctrine especially there is repaired in us the image of God, to the likeness whereof we were at the first created. For by faith Christ dwelleth and liveth in us, who 15 also delighted in our humility. But then is the image of the devil stirred up in us, when we begin once to be proud in ourselves, and to usurp the glory of God; which is done undoubtedly so often as we do attribute our righteousness and salvation unto ourselves, as though by our own works or merits we had deserved the kingdom of God. The devil swelleth with pride, and doth his endeavour to rob God of his glory. The saints do know and acknowledge that they are saved by the true grace and mercy of God; and do therefore attribute to him all honour and glory, and to themselves confusion and ignominy. Whereunto undoubtedly belongeth the parable in the gospel of the Pharisee boasting in his good works, and of the publican praying and saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner:” of which twain the publican is read to have gone heavy to his house rather justified than the other.
[3 ut secundum gratiam, Lat. ] [ ad se rapere, Lat.; to take to himself. ] [5 descendisse, Lat. to have gone down. Heavy is doubtless in all]
[the editions a misprint for home, which Tyndale’s and Cranmer’s]
[versions have. ]]
54 THE FOURTH DECADE. [SERM. The fifth cause is, the value or estimation of the sin. For that seemeth to be no great fault, which may by men’s works be blotted out before God. But the holy scripture teacheth, that sins could be by none other means cleansed, but by the death and innocent blood of the! Son of God. Now by that every man that hath any understanding may easily gather, that sin in the sight of God is a most abominable and detestable thing: whereupon there doth arise in the faithful saints a careful and diligent watching against sin, and a continual bewailing of our miserable condition, with a passing humility and exquisite modesty.
I could yet add to these some causes more, why all men ought to strive and endeavour to keep this doctrine (that the catholic church is justified by the grace of God in his only-begotten Son, through faith, and not through works) sincere and uncorrupt in the church of Christ: but these I hope are sufficient for them that are not of purpose set to quarrel against us. And yet, notwithstanding, there is no peril why by this doctrine good works should be neglected: of which I have spoken in place convenient? But if there be any that cease not of purpose to cavil against the manifest truth of the gospel, I object against them that saying of Paul: that neither we, nor the churches of God, do stand to wrangle in so manifest a light.
To conclude; the sum of all that which hitherto I have 5814 touching the gospel is this: That all men that be in the world are of their own nature the servants of sin, the devil, and eternal death, and cannot be loosed or set at liberty by any other means but by the free grace of God, and the redemption which is in the only-begotten Son of God our Lord Christ Jesus; of which redemption they only are made partakers that do believe and trust in him. For whosoever do by true faith receive Christ Jesus through the preaching of the gospel, they are therewithal justified; that is, acquitted from their sins, sanctified, and made heirs of eternal life: but they that by their unbelief and hardness of heart do not receive Christ, are given over to the eternal pains and bonds of hell; for “the wrath of God abideth upon them.”
Let us therefore give hearty thanks to God our Re- [1 ipsius, Lat.; of the very] [2 Vol. 1. p. 118.]
deemer, and humbly beseech him to keep and increase us in the true faith, and lastly to bring us to life everlasting. Amen. OF REPENTANCE, AND THE CAUSES THEREOF; OF CON-FESSION, AND REMISSION OF SINS; OF SATIS-
Faction and Indulgences; of the Old and New Man; of the Power or Strength of Men, and the Other Things Pertaining to Repentance. The Second Sermon
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