Without the Law and Works. The Sixth Sermon
Bene ready here, dearly beloved, to speak unto you of faith, which without works doth justify them that believe, I call upon the Father, which is in heaven, through his onlybegotten Son Jesus Christ our Lord, beseeching him to open my mouth and lips to the setting forth of his praise, and to illuminate your hearts, that ye, acknowledging the great benefit of God, may become thankful for it, and holy indeed. And first of all, I will speak certain things, chiefly necessary to this argument or treatise, touching this term of justification. The term of justifying, very usual and common
[11 John iv. 14, 15.] [2 Gal. ii. 20.]]
among the Hebrews, and of a large signification, is not at this day so well understood of all men as it ought to be. To justify is as much to say as to quit from judgment and from the denounced and uttered sentence of condemnation. It signifieth to remit offences, to cleanse, to sanctify, and to give inheritance? of life everlasting. For it is a law term belonging to courts where judgment is exercised. Imagine therefore, that man is set before the judgment-seat of God, and that there he is pleaded guilty; to wit, that he is accused and convinced of heinous offences, and therefore sued to punishment or to the sentence of condemnation. Imagine also, that the Son of God maketh intercession, and cometh in as a mean, desiring that upon him may be laid the whole fault and punishment due unto us men, that he by his death may cleanse them and take them away, setting us free from death, and giving us life everlasting. Imagine too, that God, the most high and just judge, receiveth the offer, and translateth the punishment together with the fault from us unto the neck of his Son; making therewithal a statute, that whosoever believeth that the Son of God suffered for the sins of the world, brake the power of death, and delivered us from damnation, should be cleansed from his sins and made heir of life everlasting. Who therefore can be so dull of understanding, but may perceive that mankind is justified by faith?
But that there may be no cause of doubt or darkness left in the mind of any man; that which I have already spoken generally, by the parable and similitude fetched from our common law, I will here particularly bring into certain parts, confirming and manifestly proving every one of them severally out of the holy scriptures, so that even to the slowest wits the power of faith and work of justification may be most evident.:
And first, I will shew unto you, that this term of justification is taken in this present treatise for the absolution and remission of sins, for sanctification, and adoption into the number of the sons of God. In the thirteenth of the Acts, the apostle Paul saith: Be it known unto you, men and brethren, that through this Lord Jesus Christ is preached
[3 heeredem constituere, Lat. ] [ omnis culpa et peena, Lat. ] [5 vel tardis ingeniis, Lat.]]
unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses.” See, in Christ is preached unto us the forgiveness of sins; and he that believeth that Christ preached forgiveth sins? is also justified. It followeth therefore, that justification is the remission of sins. In the fifth chapter to the Romans saith the same apostle: “Being justified by the blood of Christ, we shall be saved from wrath through him3” But the blood of Christ washeth away sins. Justification, therefore, is the washing away or forgiveness of sins. And again, in the same chapter, saith he more plainly: “Judgment entered by one offence unto condemnation, but the gift of many sins unto justification.” He maketh justification the contrary to condemnation: therefore, justification is the absolution and delivery from condemnation. What say ye to this moreover, that he doth plainly call justification a gift, that is, the forgiveness of sins? Hereunto also belong those words of his: “Even as by the sin of one condemnation came on all men; so by the righteousness of one good came upon all men to the justification of 1168, Here again is the justification of life made the contrary of condemnation unto death set as a pain upon our heads because of the transgression: justification of life therefore is an absolution from sins, a delivery from death, a quickening or translating from death to life. For in the fourth to the Romans the same apostle expoundeth justification by sanctification, and sanctification by the remission of sins. For in treating of faith, whereby we are justified, or which God imputeth to us for righteousness without works, he saith: “Even as David also doth expound the blessedness of that man, to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works, saying: Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered”.” What could be more plainly spoken