LECTURE I. FAITH CONSIDERED AS THE INSTRUMENT OF JOB XXXviii. 2. "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?" Two main views concerning the mode of our justification are found in the writings of English divines; on the one hand, that this great gift of our Lord's passion is vouchsafed to those who are moved by God's grace to claim it, on the other, to those who by the same grace are moved to do their duty. These separate doctrines, justification by faith, and justification by obedience, thus simply stated, are not at all inconsistent with one another; and by religious men, especially if not divines, will be held both at once, or indifferently either the one or other, as circumstances may determine. Yet, though so compatible in themselves, the case is altogether altered when one or other is made the elementary principle of the gospel system,-when B professed exclusively, developed consistently, and accurately carried out to its limits. Then what seemed at first but two modes of stating the same truth, will be found, the one to be the symbol of Romanism, the other of what is commonly called Protestantism. It shall be my endeavour in these Lectures to take such a view of Justification, as may approve itself to those among us who hold whether the one or the other doctrine in an unsystematic way, yet falls in with neither when adopted as the foundation or "leading idea" of a theology. Justification by faith only, thus treated, is an erroneous, justification by obedience is a defective view of Christian doctrine. The former is beside, the latter short of the truth. The former legitimately tends to the creed of the rigid Lutherans who opposed Melanchthon; the latter to that of Vasquez, Caietan, and other ultra-Romanists. That we are absolutely saved by obedience, that is, by what we are, has introduced the proper merit of good works; that we are absolutely saved by faith, or by what Christ is, the notion that good works are prejudicial to our salvation. In this and the following Lecture I propose to set down some chief characteristics of the Lutheran and Roman schemes of justification; and first, of the Lutheran. The point at which it separates from the doctrine of our Liturgy and Articles is very evident. Our formularies speak of faith as in many ways essen tial to our justification, but not as the instrument of originally gaining it1. This peculiar instrumentality of faith is the Lutheran tenet here to be discussed; and is plainly the consequence of what has been already adverted to, the attaching an exclusive importance to the doctrine of justification by faith only. Those who hold that this doctrine declares only one out of several truths relating to the mode of our justification, even though they express themselves like the strict Lutherans, may really agree with our Church; but it is far otherwise with those who hold it as comprehending all that is told us about that mode. This then is peculiarly the Lutheran, or what may be called the Continental view, that faith is the instrument of justification". That justification is the application of Christ's merits to the individual3, or (as it is sometimes expressed) the imparting a saving interest in Him, will not be denied by English divines. Moreover it will be agreed that His merits are not communicated, or a saving interest secured, except through an instrument divinely appointed. Such an instrument there must be, if The passage in the Homily on the Passion will be explained in a subsequent Lecture. Fides non justificat vel meritorie, vel per modum dispositionis, ut volunt Pontificii, sed organice et per modum apprehensionis, quatenus meritum Christi in verbo Evangelii oblatum complectitur.-Gerhard. de Justif. § 153. 3 ... Beneficia Christi . . . in quorum applicatione modus ac forma justificationis consistit.-Gerhard. de Justif. § 148. |