Acts 13, 38, 39: "Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him, all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." How could he have spoken more clearly concerning the kingdom of Christ and concerning justification? He says that the law could not justify any one; and that, therefore Christ was given, that we might be lieve, that we are justified through him. He says in clear terms, that the law can justify no one: therefore righteousness is counted unto us through Christ, if we believe that God is gracious unto us through him.

Acts 4, 11, 12: "This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

There are no other means, however, by which we are enabled to believe on the name of Christ, but by hearing his merit preached, and by comprehending it. Wherefore, by faith in the name of Christ, and not by confidence in our own works, shall we be saved. For the word, name, here signifies the cause by which and for which salvation comes. Therefore, to praise and confess the name of Christ, signifies trusting in him, who alone is called, and is Christ, as being the cause of our salvation and the treasure by which we are redeemed.

Acts 15, 9: "He purified their hearts by faith." Wherefore that faith, spoken of by the Apostles, is not a mere knowledge of the history of Christ, but a powerful and vigorous operation of the Holy Ghost, which changes the heart.

Habakkuk 2, 4: "The just shall live by his faith." Here we are told in the first place, that the just becomes just by faith, if he believes that God is merciful through Christ. Secondly, that faith vivifies. For faith alone brings peace and joy to the heart and conscience, and secures for us eternal life, which commences here in this life.

Isaiah 53, 11: "By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many." But what is the knowledge of Christ, but to know his benefits and his promises, which he preached and permitted to be preached to the world? And to have a knowledge of these benefits, is to believe truly and sincerely in Christ, to believe that God will certainly accomplish that which he has promised through Christ. But the Scripture abounds with such declarations and testimony. For it treats of these two subjects, the law of God and his promises.

And the promises speak of the forgiveness of sins and of the recon-ciliation of God through Christ.

And in the writings of the Fathers many similar declarations are also extant. For thus Ambrose writes to Irenæus: "But the whole world is therefore subject to God, subdued by the law; for by the commandment of the law, are we all accused, but by the works of the law, no one is justified. For through the law sin is perceived, but the guilt is removed by faith. And it appears indeed, as if the law had done harm, by including all under sin; but Christ the Lord has come, and remitted to us these sins, which no one could avoid, and has blotted out the hand-writing, by the shedding of his blood. And this it is, that Paul says to the Romans, Rom. 5, 20: The law entered, that the offence might abound: but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound' through Jesus. For, inasmuch as the whole world became guilty, he has taken away the sins of the whole world; as John testifies, John 1, 29: Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.' no one should boast of his works, because no one is justified by his own deeds; but to him that is just, it is given in baptism in Christ, since he became justified. For it is faith that releases us, through the blood of Christ. And blessed is he, whose sins are forgiven him, and to whom grace is come."

And for this reason

These are the clear words of Ambrose, and they evidently coincide with our doctrine. He says that works do not justify, and that faith releases us through the blood of Christ. If all the Sententiaries were combined, who bear high titles, (being styled angelici by some, by others subtiles, by others irrefragabiles, that is, doctors who are infallible,) and if their works were all read, they would be less effective in explaining the meaning of Paul, than this one paragraph of Ambrose.

And in this sense Augustine also has written much in opposition to the Pelagians, and concerning the Spirit and letter (de Spiritu et litera) he says thus: "The law and its righteousness is set before us, in order that he who does it may live by it, and that all who perceive their infirmity might come to God, who alone justifies, not through their own strength, nor the letter of the law, which we cannot fulfil, but through faith. A truly good work no one can do, unless he himself first be just, pious, and good. But righteousness we obtain through faith alone." Here he says clearly, that God, who alone blesses and sanctifies, is reconciled through faith, and that faith makes us pious and just in the sight of God.

And immediately after: "Out of the law we fear God, through

faith we hope and trust in him. But from those who fear the penalty, grace is concealed, under which fear, when a person is in anxiety, &c., he must through faith fly to the mercy of God, so that he may give that which he has promised in the law, and impart his grace." Here he teaches, that by the law the heart is terrified, and through faith it again receives consolation..

It is really strange, that our adversaries can be so blind, and overlook so many plain passages of Scripture, which clearly state that we are justified by faith and not by works. What views do these deluded persons entertain? Are they of opinion that the Scriptures, in plain terms, repeat the same thing so frequently without a cause? Do they imagine that the Holy Spirit has spoken without precision and consideration, or that he was not acquainted with what he said?

Upon this subject, these impious persons have devised a sophistical exposition, and they contend that those passages of Scripture which speak of faith, must be understood relative to fide formata, that is, they say that faith makes no one pious or just, except on account of love or works. And in short, according to their view, it is not faith that justifies any one, but it is love alone. For they say that faith may exist with a fatal sin. What else is this, but invalidating all the promises of God and those of grace, and preaching works and the law?

If faith obtains favor and the remission of sins on account of love, the remission of sins must always be uncertain. Because we never love God as fervently as we ought. Nay, we cannot love God unless our hearts are first assured that our sins are remitted. Thus, if our adversaries teach that we should rely on that love to God of which we are capable, and upon our works, they abolish entirely the Gospel which preaches the forgiveness of sins, notwithstanding no one can really possess love, or understand it, except he believe that without price, he obtains remission of sins by grace through Christ.

We also say that love is a consequence of faith, as Paul says Gal. 5, 6: "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith, which worketh by love." But we must not therefore place our reliance upon love, or build upon it, as if we obtained remission of sins and reconciliation with God on account of love or through it. Precisely as we do not obtain forgiveness of sins for the sake of other works which follow, but through faith alone. Because no one is able to apprehend the promises of God through works, but by faith alone. And faith proper, or fides proprie dicta, is when our hearts and the Holy Ghost in us, declare that the promises of God are true and certain; concerning this faith

the Scriptures speak. And since, before we perform or accomplish any thing, faith permits favors to be conferred and received, it is counted to us for righteousness, as it was to Abraham, before we love, before we keep the law, or do any work.

Although it is true that fruits and works must follow, and that faith is not a bare, empty knowledge of the history of Christ, but a new light in the heart, and an energetic operation of the Holy Spirit, through which we are regenerated, and by which affrighted consciences are again elevated and vivified; and since this faith alone obtains for us remission of sin, and renders us acceptable in the sight of God, it brings with itself the Holy Ghost, and it should rather be styled gratia gratum faciens, that is, the grace which renders acceptable, than the love which follows.

We have hitherto proved abundantly by declarations from the Fathers and from the Scriptures, for the purpose of throwing more light upon this subject, that through faith alone we obtain the remission of sin for Christ's sake, that we are justified through faith alone, and that we are regenerated, that is, from being unrighteous we become pious and holy persons. But here pious hearts may observe how necessary this doctrine of faith is. For by it alone we learn to know Christ and his benefits, and in this doctrine the heart and conscience find the only true, certain rest and consolation. Because if there is to be a Christian church, and a Christian faith, there must be a manner of preaching, and a doctrine in it, in which the hope of salvation is not based upon misconception and a sandy foundation, but upon one on which the soul may rely and trust with certainty.

Our adversaries are, therefore, truly unfaithful bishops, preachers, and doctors, and have hitherto unhappily advised men, and still continue to do so, by advancing doctrines in which they leave them remaining in doubt, and hanging suspended in uncertainty, whether they obtain remission of their sins, or not. For how is it possible, that those should sustain themselves in the peril of death, and in the last gasp and agony, who have not heard or known this essential doctrine of Christ-who yet waver and doubt whether they have forgiveness of their sins or not? Again, if there is to be a Christian church, then the Gospel of Christ must ever remain în ît, viz. these divine promises, that sins are remitted unto us without merit, for Christ's sake. And those men suppress this holy Gospel entirely, who teach nothing of the faith of which we have been speaking.

Now the scholastici, (dreadful to relate,) do not write a word or tittle about faith. And these our adversaries follow, rejecting this most important doctrine of faith; and they are so hardened and blind

as not to perceive, that they thus trample under foot the whole Gospel, the divine promises concerning Christ, and the remission of sins.

III. OF LOVE AND THE FULFILMENT OF THE LAW.

Here our adversaries produce against us these declarations, Matt. 19, 17: "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Again, Rom. 2, 13: "Not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified;" and many other similar passages relative to the law and to works. To which, before we reply, it is necessary for us to state our views concerning love and the fulfilment of the law.

It is written in the prophets, Jer. 31, 33: "I will put my law in their inward parts." And Rom. 3, 31, Paul says: "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." Again, Christ says, Matt. 19, 17: "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Again, Paul says to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 13, 3: "If I have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." These and other similar passages testify that we should keep the law, when we are justified by faith, and thus increase more and more in the Spirit. We do not, however, speak here of the Mosaic ceremonies, but of the ten commandments which require us to fear and love God properly from the bottom of our hearts. Now, since faith brings with itself the Holy Spirit, and produces in the heart a new light and life, it is true, and it must follow from necessity, that faith changes and renews the heart. And the kind of renovation of heart which this is, the prophet shows, where he says: "I will put my law in their inward parts."

Therefore, when we are born anew by faith, and have perceived that God will be merciful to us, that he will be our father and our helper, we begin to fear, to love, to thank him, to praise him, to entreat him for assistance, and to wait for it, and to resign to his will in afflictions: and then we also begin to love our neighbor. Here, then, is a new heart, mind, and soul within, through the Spirit of Christ,

These things cannot take place, before we are justified by faith, and before we are born anew through the Holy Spirit. First, because no one can keep the law, without a consciousness of Christ, nor can any one fulfil the law, without the Holy Spirit. But we cannot receive the Holy Ghost, except through faith, as Paul says to the Galatians, Gal. 3, 14: "That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

It is, moreover, impossible for the human heart to love God by