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him, and appointed them unto Christ, saying thus ' unto them: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." Then follows the next quotation.

P. clii. 1. 1. 'As great, &c.'* After this quotation, it follows' 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, works, and only putting your 'trust in Christ.'

P. clii. 1. 5. We put, &c.' To these quotations from the homily on salvation,' another may be added, from the homily of faith. First, thus faith doth lie hid in the heart, but is lively and fruitful in bringing 'forth good works. Secondly, that without it can no good works be done, that shall be acceptable and pleasant unto God. Thirdly, what manner of works they be, that this faith doth bring forth.' • The soul, that hath a lively faith, in it, will be always doing 'some good work, which shall declare that it is living, and will not be unoccupied. Therefore, when men 'hear in the Scripture so high commendations of faith, ' that it maketh us to please God, to live with God, ' and to become the children of God: if then they fancy, 'that they be set at liberty from doing all good works, and may live as they list, they trifle with God, and ' deceive themselves. And it is a manifest token, that

• 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.'

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 works 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.' (Homily on salvation, 3d part.)

they be far from. having a true and lively faith: and ' also far from knowing what a lively faith is.' It would be easy to adduce many more quotations: but the reader, who has patience, to read attentively even these, will probably choose to study the homilies, themselves. Let it be observed, however, that there is not in them, any intimation of justifying faith containing good works; or of good works preserving a justified person in a justified state; or of a living faith, after justifying the professor, degenerating to a dead faith, or being changed for a dead faith. And if outward baptism, when rightly administered, renders us the children of God, how can baptized persons "become the children of God by "faith?" If adults, and sincere believers, they were previously the children of God: according to the homily and to Scripture, if baptized in infancy, they were previously to believing the children of God, according to this opinion.

P. clii. 1. 26. 'Let it be, &c.'* The condition ' of salvation,' is neither a scriptural phrase, nor found in the homilies: but as no adult can be saved without holiness, according to his time and opportunity; it may bear a sound construction. The reformers certainly meant to oppose the Popish doctrine of human merit;' for that doctrine was then openly avowed by few, except Papists: but their statements, as strongly and decidedly, oppose all the more refined methods of itroduc

'Let it be observed, that in this quotation, faith and good works are ' mentioned together, as not being the meritorious cause of justification. The expressions of faith only,' and faith without works,'' were not intended to exclude the necessity of works as the condition of salvation, but 'were directed, as in the 11th article, against the Popish doctrine of human 'merit. Our reformers excluded the merit of faith, as well as the merit of works; but they were particularly anxious, upon every occasion to exclude the pretended merit of works, as being the grand pillar which supported 'the church of Rome.'

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ing the same doctrine, used by modern nominal Protestants, as they do those of the Papists.

P. cliii. First note. Nor do, &c.* This note from Melancthon, the most cautious of the reformers, contains the precise sentiments of the evangelical clergy; and few, if any of them, would decline subscribing it; if that would conduce to obviate misconceptions concerning their doctrine.

'Whether

P. cliv. 1. 9. Note from Bp. Burnet. 'obedience was an essential part of faith, or only a consequent of it.' The bishop calls this a nicety scarce 'becoming divines:' yet the whole argument, concerning justification, is deeply concerned in it. If good works are an essential part of justifying faith; then, we may as properly be said to be justified by good works, as by faith; and we are not justified till we do good works: and how many good works, or what continuance and eminence in them, are essential, is not easily discovered. But if good works be a consequent of faith,' or rather, produced by living faith; then we are justified at the time of believing; and our subsequent good works evidence our faith to be genuine. "Seest thou "how faith wrought with his works, and by works was "faith made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled, " which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God." Abraham's justification by faith is recorded in the fifteenth of Genesis, the work here

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Nor do ours, when they say, we are justified by faith alone, mean * any other thing, than what I have now spoken, that on account of Christ,' (or for the sake of Christ, propter Christum,) we obtain remission of sins, * and not on account of our own worthiness, (dignitatem.) The little word, · particula,) alone, does not exclude contrition, or other virtues, that they * should not be present; but denies them to be causes of reconciliation, and ⚫ transfers the cause to Christ alone.' (Translation.)

† Jam. ii. 22, 23.

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spoken of, not till the twenty-second.* But though this was deemed by Bishop Burnet, a nicety scarce be'coming divines:' he himself deigns to determine it, and directly contrary to the decision of the reformers! 'When they settled the notion of faith, they divided it into two sorts: the one was a persuasion of the truth of the gospel; but the other carried with it a submis. 'sion to the will of God; and both hope, love, and obe'dience belonged to it.' Then they were an essential part of it. We have seen in several quotations, that our reformers constantly spoke of faith as being attended by good works, in the justified man, and good works as springing from living faith: but never once of their belonging to it, and to this language the Refutation generally adheres. This is the evident doctrine of the Scriptures, and of our articles; it consists completely with justification by free grace, in Christ, through faith alone: and it is fully sufficient to exclude perversion, as far as words can do it.

P. cliy. l. 26. Cranmer, &c.' This passage còncerning Cranmer, with the quotation from him, is alone a sufficient answer to the rest of the note from Burnet.

P. clv. 1. 2. But even, &c.' Does his Lordship, or do any of our opponents, suppose, that the evangeli

Rom. iv. 1—5.

Note on Refutation, p. 134.

'Cranmer took great pains to state this matter right; and made a large 'collection of many places, all written with his own hand, both out of antient ⚫ and modern authors, concerning faith, justification, and the merits of good 'works; and concluded with this, That our justification was to be ascribed ⚫ only to the merits of Christ; and that those who are justified must have charity as well os faith, but that neither of these was the meritorious cause ' of justification.'

§ 'But even in their zeal to renounce and stigmatize this obnoxious doctrine, our Reformers observed some degree of caution; for neither in our

• articles, nor in our liturgy, is it said, that faith, without good works, will 'justify; and, the word faith in the 11th article, we are justified by faith only,'' means a true and lively faith, which necessarily produces good works.”

cal clergy, and indeed, that almost any Calvinists, deny. this, or, in their 'zéal against the obnoxious doctrine' of justification by works, in any sense or degree, forget this caution, and this distinction between dead and living faith? Indeed it is impossible to say, what extravagant and abominable sentiments, some, who are classed among a large body, by themselves, and by our opponents, may hold: but once for all, I must declare, that I should abhor the idea of pleading in behalf of any, who suppose justification attached to a dead faith, and consistent with an unholy life. Much as I detest Popery; I would prefer the creed of a Papist, to that of so gross an Antinomian. It is possible, that, amidst all the rubbish of Popery, there may be some precious oré: but there can be nothing but abominable wickedness, in that man, who deliberately, expressly, and avowedly lives in sin, and encourages others to do the same, by so vile a perversion of "the grace of God "into licentiousness."

P. clv. Note. If, &c.'* Horrible as this is; yet saying, Let us sin without fear or remorse; because 'God is infinitely merciful, the atonement and righteous. ness of Christ are of infinite value, salvation is wholly of grace, by faith, and not of works;' is even still, in my mind, more horrible. The former may be the offspring of ignorance: but this is the wilful deliberate perversion of doctrinal knowledge, by the avowed depravity of a licentious heart.

P. clvi. 1. 4.

And indeed, &c.'t Much more, on

* If any one shall say that the good works of a justified man do not truly ' deserve eternal life, let him be accursed.-Council of Trent.'

And indeed in the very homily, from which the above quotation is ⚫ taken, it is said, 'None are to consider themselves justified, who are desti'tute of repentance, love, and obedience.' 'If none be to consider themselves justified, who are destitute of repentance, love, and obedience, it follows