Viii. Ix.

VIII.

THEY WHO ARE ONCE JUSTIFIED ARE JUSTIFIED FOREVER.

VS. THEY WHO ARE JUSTIFIED MAY BECOME

TOTAL APOSTATES.

49. “Christian Library.” (Nothing.)

IX.

WORKS ARE A CONDITION OF JUSTIFICATION. (PAGE 134.)

VS. WORKS ARE NOT A CONDITION OF JUSTIFICATION.

50. “Salvation (that is, glory) is not by the merit of works, but by works as a condition.” (I believe no good works can be previous to justification; nor, consequently, a condition of it.)

51. “If a man could be holy before he was justified, it would set his justification aside.” (This proposition does not speak of justification: So it is nothing to the purpose.)

52. “Thou canst do nothing but sin till thou art justified.”

53. “We allow that God justifies the ungodly, him that to that hour is full of all evil, void of all good; and him that worketh not, that till that moment worketh no goodness.” (“Whoever desires to find favor with God, should ‘cease from evil, and learn to do well.’ Whoever repents, should do ‘works meet for repentence.’ And if this is not in order to find favor, what does he do them for?”)

All this I believe still. “But Mr. W. says, Whoever desires to find favor with God should ‘cease from evil and learn to do well,’” etc. Does not the Bible say so? Who can deny it? “Nay, but Mr. W. asks, ‘If this be not in order to find favors what does he do them for?’” And I ask it again. Let Mr. H., or anyone else, give me an answer. So, if there is any contradiction here, it is not I contradict myself, but Isaiah and our Lord that contradict St. Paul.

X.

AGAINST JUSTIFICATION BY THE ACT OF BELIEVING. VS.

FOR JUSTIFICATION BY THE ACT OF BELIEVING.

54. “But do not you put faith in the room of Christ and his righteousness? No; I take particular care to put each of these in its proper place.” (“The faith which is said to be imputed to Abraham for righteousness, is faith properly taken; and not the righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith.”) This is putting “each of these in its proper place.” The righteousness of Christ is the meritorious cause of our justification: That is its proper place. Faith in Him that gave himself for us is the condition of justification: That is its proper place.

I am justified through the righteousness of Christ, as the price; through faith, as the condition. I do not say, neither does Goodwin, Faith is that for which we were accepted; but we both say, Faith is that through which we are accepted. We are justified, we are accepted of God, for the sake of Christ, through faith. Now, certainly, there is no contradiction in this, unless a contradiction to Mr. H.’s notions.

55. “Although we have faith, hope, and love, yet we must renounce the merit of all, as far too weak to deserve our justification; for which we must trust only to the merits of Christ.” (“That which is the condition of justification is not the righteousness of Christ.” Most true; otherwise we confound the condition with the meritorious cause spoken of in the opposite column.)

XI.

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE IS ARTICULUS STANTIS

VEL CADENTIS ECCLESIAE.F47

56. “Of this may be affirmed, (what Luther affirms of justification by faith,) that it is articulus stantis vel cadentis ecclesiae, the pillar of that faith of which alone cometh salvation; that faith which unless a man keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.” (“A pious