by Robert Barclay

“ We are far from thinking or believing, that man merits any thing by his works from God, all being of free grace; and therefore do we, and always have denied that Popish notion of meritum ex condigno. Nevertheless we cannot deny, but that God, out of his infinite goodness wherewith he hath loved mankind, after he communicates to him his holy Grace and Spirit, doth, according to his own will, recompense and reward the good works of his children; and therefore this merit of congruity or reward, in so far as the scripture is plain and positive for it, we may not deny ”

“ As, where it is often asserted in the above-mentioned epistles to the Romans and Galatians, That a man cannot be justified by the law of Moses, nor by the works of the law; there is no absurdity nor danger in understanding it according to its own proper signification, to wit, that a man cannot be made just by the law of Moses; seeing this so well agrees with that saying of the same apostle, That the law makes nothing perfect. ”

“ The first, the works of righteousness which we have wrought, that is, which we in our first fallen nature, by our own strength, have wrought, our own legal performances, and therefore may truly and properly be called ours, whatever specious appearances they may have. And that it must needs and ought to be so understood, doth appear from the other part, By the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; seeing regeneration is a work, comprehensive of many good works, even of all those which are called the fruits of the Spirit. ”

“ The second are the works of the Spirit of grace in the heart, wrought in conformity to the inward and spiritual law; which works are not wrought in man's will, nor by his power and ability, but in and by the power and Spirit of Christ in us, and therefore are pure and perfect in their kind, (as shall hereafter be proved,) and may be called Christ's works, for that he is the immediate author and worker of them; such works we affirm absolutely necessary to justification, so that a man cannot be justified without them; and all faith without them is dead and useless, as the apostle James saith. ”

“ Whatever then the Papists may pretend, or even some good men among them may have thought, experience showeth, and it is more than manifest by the universal and approved practice of their people, that they place not their justification so much in works that are truly and morally good, and in the being truly renewed and sanctified in the mind, as in such things as are either not good nor evil, or may truly be called evil, and can no otherways be reckoned good than because the pope pleases to call them so. ”

“ III. First then, as by the explanation of the former thesis appears, we renounce all natural power and ability in ourselves, in order to bring us out of our lost and fallen condition and first nature; and confess, that as of ourselves we are able to do nothing that is good, so neither can we procure remission of sins or justification by any act [5] of our own, so as to merit it, or draw it as a debt from God due unto us; but we acknowledge all to be of and from his love, which is the original and fundamental cause of our acceptance. ”

“ We always judge that the whole benefit of Christ tends to this, that we might be strong through the gift of righteousness, being rightly and orderly adorned with all virtue, that is, restored to the image of God. ”

“ Thus also the invention of saying mass is made a chief instrument of justification; for in it they pretend to offer Christ daily to the Father a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the living and dead: so that a man for money can procure Christ thus to be offered for him when he pleases; by which offering he is said to obtain remission of sins, and to stand justified in the sight of God. ”

“ And indeed it may be thought strange, how some men have made this so fundamental an article of their faith, which is so contrary to the whole strain of the gospel: a thing which Christ in none of all his sermons and gracious speeches ever willed any to rely upon; always recommending to us works, as instrumental in our justification. ”

“ For the apostle first holding forth the reconciliation wrought by the death of Christ, wherein God is near to receive and redeem man, holds forth his salvation and justification to be by the life of Jesus. Now, that this life is an inward, spiritual thing revealed in the soul, whereby it is renewed and brought forth out of death, where it naturally hath been by the fall, and so quickened and made alive unto God, the same apostle shows, Eph. ii. 5. Even when we were dead in sins and trespasses, he hath quickened us together in Christ (by whose grace ye are saved) and hath raised us up together. ”

“ From which places appeareth that distinction of works before-mentioned, whereof the one is excluded, the other necessary to justification. For the apostle showeth here, that circumcision (which word is often used to comprehend the whole ceremonies and legal performances of the Jews) is not necessary, nor doth avail. Here then are the works which are excluded, by which no man is justified; but faith, which worketh by love, but the new creature, this is that which availeth, which is absolutely necessary: for faith, that worketh by love, cannot be without works ”

“ Again, where it is said, We are justified by grace, we are justified by Christ, we are justified by the Spirit: it is no ways absurd to understand it of being made just, seeing by his spirit and grace he doth make men just. ”

“ Thirdly, They object that no works, yea, not the works of Christ in us, can have place in justification, because nothing that is impure can be useful in it; and all the works wrought in us are impure. For this they allege that saying of the prophet Isaiah, lxiv. 6. All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; adding this reason, That seeing we are impure, so must our works be; which though good in themselves, yet as performed by us, they receive a tincture of impurity, even as clean water passing through an unclean pipe is defiled.
[Ans. 1. What sort of righteousness is as filthy rags.] ”

“ Concerning Justification.
As many as resist not this light, but receive the same, it becomes in them an holy, pure, and spiritual birth, bringing forth holiness, righteousness, purity, and all those other blessed fruits which are acceptable to God: by which holy birth, to wit, Jesus Christ formed within us, and working his works in us, as we are sanctified, so are we justified in the sight of God, according to the apostle's words ”

“ For indeed, if this argument hold, it might be stretched to that length, as to become very pleasing to wicked men that love to abide in their sins: for if we be made righteous, as Christ was made a sinner, merely by imputation; then as there was no sin, not in the least, in Christ, so it would follow, that there needed no more righteousness, no more holiness, no more inward sanctification in us, than there was sin in him. So then, by his [being made sin for us] must be understood his suffering for our sins, that we might be made partakers of the grace purchased by him ”

“ Here the apostle holds forth the extent and efficacy of Christ's death, showing that thereby, and by faith therein, remission of sins that are past is obtained, as being that wherein the forbearance [16] of God is exercised towards mankind. So that though men for the sins they daily commit deserve eternal death, and that the wrath of God should lay hold upon them; yet, by virtue of that most satisfactory sacrifice of Christ Jesus, the grace and seed of God moves in love towards them, during the day of their visitation ”

“ The first then is that whereby a man, as he stands in the fall, is put into a capacity of salvation, and hath conveyed unto him a measure of that power, virtue, spirit, life, and grace that was in Christ Jesus, which, as the free gift of God, is able to counter-balance, overcome, and root out the evil seed, wherewith we are naturally, as in the fall, leavened. ”

“ We agree that works are truly meritorious, not of remission of sins, or justification; but they are meritorious of other rewards corporal and spiritual, which are indeed as well in this life, as after this life. ”

“ Be not deceived, saith he God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap: for he that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the, Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary of well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not: Doth it not hereby appear, how necessary the apostle would have the Galatians know that he esteemed good works to be? To wit, not the outward ceremonies and traditions of the law, but the fruits of the Spirit, mentioned a little before ”

“ But blessed forever are they, that having truly had a sense of their own unworthiness and sinfulness, and having seen all their own endeavours and performances fruitless and vain, and beheld their own emptiness, and the vanity of their vain hopes, faith and confidence, while they remained inwardly pricked, pursued, and condemned by God's holy witness in their hearts ”

“ Secondly, That it is by this inward birth of Christ in man that man is made just, and therefore so accounted by God: wherefore, to be plain, we are thereby, and not till that be brought forth in us, formally, if we must use that word, justified in the sight of God; because justification is both more properly, and frequently in scripture taken in its proper signification for making one just, and not reputing one merely such, and is all one with sanctification. ”

“ And life eternal is offered to those who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, honour, and immortality: for if the righteous man depart from his righteousness, his righteousness shall be remembered no more. And therefore on the other part, none are longer sons of God, and justified, than they patiently continue in righteousness and well-doing. ”

“ Indeed there is not any solid solving of this, but by acknowledging according to the truth, That Christ by his death removed the wrath of God, so far as to obtain remission of sins for as many as receive that grace and light that he communicates unto them, and hath purchased for them by his blood; which, as they believe in, they come to know remission of sins past, and power to save them from sin, and to wipe it away, so often as they may fall into it by unwatchfulness or weakness, if, applying themselves to this grace, they truly repent ”

“ Lastly, Though we place remission of sins in the righteousness and obedience of Christ performed by him in the flesh, as to what pertains to the remote procuring cause, and that we hold ourselves formally justified by Christ Jesus formed and brought forth in us, yet can we not, as some Protestants have unwarily done, exclude works from justification. ”

“ For if holiness be requisite and necessary, of which this is said, then must good works also; unless our adversaries can show us an holy man without good works. But, moreover, [justified] in this figurative sense is used for approved; and indeed for the most part, if not always in scripture, when the word [justify] is used, it is taken in the worst part; that is, that as the use of the word that way is an usurpation, so it is spoken of such as usurp the thing to themselves, while it properly doth not belong unto them ”

“ Little children, let no man deceive you; he that doth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things, 1 John iii. 7, 20.
Many famous Protestants bear witness to this inward justification by Christ inwardly revealed and formed in man. [42] As M. BorhÆus: "In the imputation, saith he, wherein Christ is ascribed and imputed to believers for righteousness, the merit of his blood, and the Holy Ghost given unto us by virtue of his merits, are equally included. ”

“ As for example; if a man make use of the Sacrament, as they call it, of penance, so as to tell over his sins to a priest, though he have not true contrition, which the Lord hath made absolutely necessary for penitent sinners, but only attrition, a figment of their own, that is, if he be sorry he hath sinned, not out of any love to God, or his law which he hath transgressed, but for fear of punishment, yet doth the virtue of the sacrament, as they affirm, procure to him remission of sins ”

“ And also where it is said, We are justified by faith, it may be very well understood of being made just; seeing it is also said, That faith purifies the heart; and no doubt the pure in heart are just; and the just live by faith. ”

“ But though we should suppose a man not thoroughly perfect in all respects, yet will not that hinder, but good and perfect works in their kind may be brought forth in him by the Spirit of Christ: neither doth the example of water going through an unclean pipe hit the matter ”

“ Without holiness no man shall see God. [45] Mat. vii. 21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven. John xiii. 7. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. 1 Cor. vii. 19. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Rev. xxii. 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city: and many more that might be instanced. ”

“ And by this nearness we come to have a sense of his sufferings, and to suffer with his seed, that yet lies pressed and crucified in the hearts of the ungodly, and so travail with it, and for its redemption, and for the repentance of those souls that in it are crucifying as yet the Lord of Glory. Even as the apostle Paul, who by his sufferings is said to fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ for his body, which is the church. ”

“ Now is it not strange, that men should be so facile in a matter of so great concernment, as to build the stress of their acceptance with God upon a mere borrowed and metaphorical signification, to the excluding, or at least esteeming not, necessary, that without which the scripture saith expressly, No man shall ever see God? ”