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SALVATION BY FAITH ALONE IN EARLY CHURCH EXTRA BIBLICAL DOCUMENTS
[Note that the wide path is the path of works in order to be saved, i.e., any human doing - all the world's religions have some system of works except one]:
"But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
[Note that the narrow path is the path of salvation by grace through a moment of faith alone in Christ alone forever, and that salvation is NOT of yourselves - not ANY human doing at all; it is the absolutely free gift of God, not by works, lest anyone should boast. Very few adhere to this theology even protestants to this day]:
(v. 8) "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this [='touto', (neuter) = salvation], not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
(v. 9) not by works, so that no one can boast."
[Note: salvation unto eternal life is...
a) by grace = no human merit, no human doing permitted.
b) through faith alone = faith is the only thing stipulated for man to exercise and it is passive.
c) not of yourselves = no human doing, no active participation.
c) a gift = free, no contribution whatsoever, its free.
d) not by works = no human doing at all,
e) no possibility of boasting because you did absolutely nothing to get or keep it - not even something righteous]
Consider that extra biblical writings are not Scripture, thus neither infallible nor absolutely authoritative on what it addresses like Scripture is because Scripture alone is completely inspired by God:
(v. 16) "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
(v. 17) so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
[Jesus said] "...the Scripture cannot be broken," [i.e., there is nothing in God's Word which has a hint of error or contradiction which would enable it therefore to be broken - i.e., no portion of Scripture can be considered suspect of not telling truth,
(v. 18) For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law until all is accomplished."
B) QUOTATIONS FROM EARLY CHURCH WRITINGS
[ http://www.geocities.com/reformedpresbyterian/dochist.htm
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/lightfoot/pt1vol2/translation1.htm ]
The earliest Christian document outside of the New Testament writings comes to us from Clement of Rome: The Letter of the Church of Rome to the Church of Corinth (commonly known as Clement's First Letter). It was so highly esteemed in Christian antiquity that for a while it was even accepted as part of the canon of Scripture in Egypt and Syria. Many scholars believe Clement is identified as the Clement mentioned by Paul in Philippians 4:3. Regardless, Clement was the bishop of Rome at the close of the first century. He was familiar with St. Paul's Epistles, and he certainly believed and taught that we are justified by faith alone:
[Ch 32:4]:
"And we, therefore are not justified of ourselves or by our wisdom or insight or religious devotion or the holy deeds we have done from the heart, but by that faith by which almighty God has justified all men from the very beginning."
[1 Clement 1:12]
"For her faith and hospitality Rahab the harlot was saved. For when the spies were sent forth unto Jericho by Joshua the son of Nun, the king of the land perceived that they were come to spy out his country, and sent forth men to seize them, that being seized they might be put to death. So the hospitable Rahab received them and hid them in the upper chamber under the flax stalks. And when the messengers of the king came near and said, The spies of our land entered in unto thee: bring them forth, for the king so ordereth: then she answered, The men truly, whom ye seek, entered in unto me, but they departed forthwith and are sojourning on the way; and she pointed out to them the opposite road. And she said unto the men, Of a surety I perceive that the Lord your God delivereth this city unto you; for the fear and the dread of you is fallen upon the inhabitants thereof. When therefore it shall come to pass that ye take it, save me and the house of my father. And they said unto her, It shall be even so as thou hast spoken unto us. Whensoever therefore thou perceivest that we are coming, thou shalt gather all thy folk beneath thy roof and they shall be saved [from physical death as a result of the Israeli attack]; for as many as shall be found without the house shall perish [physically die].
And moreover they gave her a sign, that she should hang out from her house a scarlet thread, thereby showing beforehand that through the blood of the Lord there shall be redemption unto all them that believe and hope on God. Ye see, dearly beloved, not only faith, but prophecy, is found in the woman."
[Epistle to the Corinthians]:
"All the ancient fathers descended from Abraham, both before the Law and under the Law, were glorified and magnified, not through themselves, nor through their works of righteousness which they had done, but through His will. Therefore we, also, being called through His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified through ourselves, neither through our own wisdom, or understanding, or piety, or works which we have done in holiness of heart, but through faith, that faith through which the Almighty God hath justified all that ever lived; to whom be glory for ever, Amen!"
"To me, Christ is in the place of all ancient monuments. For His Cross, and His death, and His resurrection, and the faith which is through Him, are my unpolluted monuments; and in these, through your prayers, I am willing to have been justified."
[Letter to the Philadelphians]:
"The prophets also do we love, because they have announced the Gospel; and they hoped in him and awaited him. In him and by their faith in him they were saved, being united to Jesus Christ."
3) AUTHOR OF THE EPISTLE TO DIOGNETUS (2ND CENT)
"God gave His own Son the ransom for us: the holy, for the transgressors; the good, for the evil; the just, for the unjust; the incorruptible, for the corruptible; the immortal, for the mortal. For what else could cover our sins, but his [Christ's] righteousness? In whom else, could we, who are naked and ungodly, be accounted for righteous persons, but in the Son of God alone? O sweet permutation! O unsearchable contrivance! O benefits exceeding all expectation, that the iniquity of many should be hid in one just one, and the righteousness of one should make many, who are unrighteous, be accounted righteous."
4) POLYCARP OF SMYRNA (AD 69-156)
Polycarp of Smyrna was an Eastern Father acquainted with Ignatius and well versed in Paul's Epistles.
[Letter to the Philippians]:
(ch. 1:3) "Knowing that 'you are saved by grace, not because of works' (cf. Eph. 2:5, 8, 9), namely, by the will of God through Jesus Christ"
[Letter to the Philippians]:
"The Lord Jesus Christ, who endured to submit unto death for our sins; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of hell; in whom ye believe, not having seen Him, but believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.... knowing that through grace ye are saved, not of works, but by the will of God, through Jesus Christ."
[Dialogue with Trypho, ch. XCII]:
"For Abraham was declared by God to be righteous, not on account of circumcision, but on account of faith"
[Dialogue with Trypho]:
http://www.ccel.org/fathers/ANF-01/just/justintrypho.html#Section1
"CHAP. XIII.--ISAIAH TEACHES THAT SINS ARE FORGIVEN THROUGH CHRIST'S BLOOD.
1. "For Isaiah did not send you to a bath, there to wash away murder and other sins, which not even all the water of the sea were sufficient to purge; but, as might have been expected, this was that saving bath of the olden time which followed those who repented, and who no longer were purified by the blood of goats and of sheep, or by the ashes of an heifer, or by the offerings of fine flour, but by faith through the blood of Christ, and through His death, who died for this very reason"
[Against Heresies, Bk. IV, ch. XIII]:
"No one, indeed while placed out of reach of our Lord's benefits, has power to procure for himself the means of salvation"
[Against Marcion, Bk. V, ch. XIII]:
[Marcion's theology:
Marcion fell under the spell of the gnostic teacher Cerdo, who believed that the God of the Old Testament was different from the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Marcion developed Cerdo's distinction. He held that the Old Testament God was full of wrath and the author of evil. Marcion rejected the entire Old Testament and also those New Covenant writings that he thought favored Jewish readers -- for example Matthew, Mark, Acts and Hebrews.
According to Marcion, faith in our Savior led to the real birth of the family of Christians.
Marcion was a man who determined all by the canon (sola scriptura). He did not rely on secret visitations or mysterious documents in order to validate his teaching. He relied solely on the plain message of the Gospel and the Epistles of Paul. So Marcion abandoned monotheism.
[Tertullian's rebuttal]:
'''Marcion's averment [affirmation] is quite a different matter, that the Creator in anger avenges Himself on the truth of the rival god which had been detained in unrighteousness.
[Evidently, Marcion views Scripture as supporting an avengeful Creator God of the OT Who demands obedience to the Law versus a rival God of the NT that provides righteousness by faith]
[Tertullian goes on to say] But what serious gaps Marcion has made in this epistle especially, by withdrawing whole passages at his will, will be clear from the unmedullated [not tampered with] text of our own copy. It is enough for my purpose to accept in evidence of its truth what he has seen fit to leave unerased, strange instances as they are also of his negligence and blindness. If, then, God will judge the secrets of men--both of those who have sinned in the law, and of those who have sinned without law (inasmuch as they who know not the law yet do by nature the things contained in the law)--surely the God who shall judge is He to whom belong both the law, and that nature which is the rule to them who know not the law.
[Notice that Tertullian says that the God of those under the Law, (Jews), IS the same God of those who are not under the Law, (Gentiles)]
But how will He conduct this judgment? "According to my gospel," says (the apostle), "by (Jesus) Christ." So that both the gospel and Christ must be His, to whom appertain the law and the nature which are to be vindicated by the gospel and Christ--even at that judgment of God which, as he previously said, was to be according to truth.
[Tertullian further declares that the Creator God Who is of the Law and Judge, is of Christ and the gospel too, "to whom appertain (belong) the Law" and "are to be vindicated by the gospel and Christ."]
[Tertullian goes on to say]:
It was once the law; now it is "the righteousness of God which is by the faith of (Jesus) Christ."
[Notice: justification, i.e., receiving the righteousness of God Himself, by faith]
What means this distinction? Has your god been subserving the interests of the Creator's dispensation, by affording time to Him and to His law? Is the "Now" in the hands of Him to whom belonged the "That"? Surely, then, the law was His, whose is now the righteousness of God. It is a distinction of dispensations, not of gods.
[Tertullian refutes Marcion's declarations that there are two gods in view by explaining that it is a 'distinction of dispensations, not of gods.', i.e., it is a distinction of rules which God provides certain groups of people at different times to live by. It is not a matter of different gods, but different "oikonomia" = "dispensations", lit. "house rules", (cf. Eph 1:10). Thus we have Jews under the Law of Moses and Gentiles under another law which he describes later as 'law of nature', i.e., revelation of God in nature.]
[Then Tertullian further defends against Marcion's theology]:
He [Marcion] enjoins [commands] those who are justified by faith in Christ and not by the law to have peace with God.
[And Tertullian continues to make his point that the God of the OT is the same as the God of the NT]:
With what God? Him whose enemies we have never, in any dispensation, been? Or Him against whom we have rebelled, both in relation to His written law and His law of nature?
[Notice that Tertullian indicates that there is only one God of the bible, Who is one God of the OT & NT, of both those under the Law, (Jews), and those under the law of nature, (Gentiles). Furthermore, the issue is that all have rebelled against Him.]
Now, as peace is only possible towards Him with Whom there once was war, we [both Jew and Gentile] shall be both justified by Him, and to Him also will belong the Christ, in Whom we [both Jew and Gentile] are justified by faith, and through Whom alone God's enemies can ever be reduced to peace."
[Notice that Tertullian confirms that justification is indeed by faith alone and not by the works of any law, be it the Mosaic Law for Jews or the law of nature for Gentiles - and both groups of people will be 'reduced to peace' with one another, joined under one God in Christ]
7 cont.) TERTULLIAN AD 160-223, cont.
[On Baptism, Ch. XIII]
"Grant that, in days gone by, there was salvation by means of bare faith, before the passion and resurrection of the Lord"
[Note that before the cross one was considered by Tertullian as justified by faith alone.]
[On Baptism, Ch. XII]
'''Now, whether they [the apostles] were baptized in any manner whatever, or whether they continued unbathed to the end--so that even that saying of the Lord touching the "one bath" does, under the person of Peter, merely regard us--still, to determine concerning the salvation of the apostles is audacious enough, because on them the prerogative even of first choice, and thereafter of undivided intimacy, might be able to confer the compendious grace of baptism, seeing they (I think) followed Him who was wont to promise salvation to every believer."Thy faith," He would say, "hath saved thee;" and, "Thy sins shall be remitted thee," on thy believing, of course, albeit thou be not yet baptized. If that was wanting to the apostles, I know not in the faith of what things it was, that, roused by one word of the Lord, one left the toll-booth behind for ever; another deserted father and ship, and the craft by which he gained his living; a third, who disdained his father's obsequies, fulfilled, before he heard it, that highest precept of the Lord, "He who prefers father or mother to me, is not worthy of me." '''
[Note here that it appears that if the apostles were not baptized, as Tertullian has indicated that there isn’t conclusive information that they were or were not, that their faith ‘hath saved’ them, ‘albeit thou be not baptized.’]
[Ad. prax. ]
"We are made the sons of God by faith."
Ambrose (AD 340-397). Ambrose taught that faith not works that would lead one to boast is necessary for salvation:
[In Ps. 43 Enarr. 14]:
"God chose that man should seek salvation by faith rather than by works, lest anyone should glory in his deeds and thereby incur sin."
[ ......]:
"Without the works of the Law to an ungodly man, that is to say, a Gentile, believing in Christ, his 'faith is imputed for righteousness,' as also it was to Abraham. How, then, can the Jews imagine, that through the works of the Law they are justified with the justification of Abraham, when they see that Abraham was justified, not by the works of the Law, but by faith alone? There is no need, therefore, of the Law, since through faith alone, an ungodly man is justified with God."
[c.3. ad Roman.]:
"They are justified by faith alone by the gift of God."
"He calls them blessed of whom God has decreed, without any labour or observation, they should be justified only by faith."
[in 3 ad Roman.]:
"Faith maketh us to have peace with God, not the law."
[c. 4 ad Roman.]:
"What did Abraham believe? That he should have a seed, wherein all nations should be justified by faith, as Abraham was justified."
[c. 9 ad Roman.]:
"Only faith is appointed to salvation."
"It is convenient that the creature only should obtain salvation in the name of the Creator, that is, by faith."
"He saith no work of the law, but only faith is to be given in the cause of Christ."
[in Luc. 13]:
"Faith is the kingdom of heaven. He then that has faith has the kingdom."
[in 2 Cor. 3.]
"The law of the Spirit gives liberty, requiring faith alone."
[de Jacobo et Vita Beats, Lib. 2, c. 2. - Let us keep in mind that "merit" was used to refer to either works themselves or more properly that which would receive a reward by God's grace, and not necessarily to that which was formally causa meritoria, lest the passage be forced to mean that faith, and not Christ, merits eternal life for the believer]:
"Isaac's smelling the odor of his garments, perhaps means that we are justified not by works, but by faith, since carnal infirmity is an impediment to works, but errors of conduct are covered by the brightness of faith, which merits the pardon of faults."
[3 ad. Galat.]:
"They know that Abraham without the works of the law was justified only by faith."
[c.3. epist. ad. Roman. Quoted in Andrew Willet. Synopsis Papismi]
"The apostles saith, that the justification onely of faith sufficeth."
10) ELIBERINE COUNCIL, ~ THE TURN OF THE 4TH CENT
[Can 77 concerning those who die before baptism]:
"By faith wherein one beleeveth he may be justified."
11) CYRIL OF JERUSALEM (4TH CENT)
[lib. 10. in Ioan. c. 18]:
"A man by faith alone doth cleave unto Christ."
[l. 4. in Ioan. c. 51.]
"We should not think to be justified by work, nor hope for grace by our merits, but by faith."
[Quoted in Andrew Willet. Synopsis Papismi]:
[Christ is become our righteousness because] "he dissolved our sins by faith."
[homil. de fide.]
"If you believe faith, why do you bring other things in, as though faith alone sufficed not to justify?"
[2 ad Eph. serm. 5]:
[speaking of the thief on the cross] "I can shew a faithful man without works... only faith by itself saved him."
[1 c. ad Rom.]:
"Thou doest not get it [adoption as a child of God, i.e., the reception of eternal life] by thine own labour, but by the divine gift of grace, which is from above, thou must receive it freely..."
[Quoted in Willet. Synopsis Papismi.]:
"By grace alone he justified mankind."
[2 Epist. ad Corinth. cap.5 Hom.11]:
"What word, what speech is this? What mind can comprehend or express it? For he says, 'He made him who was righteous to be made a sinner, that he might make sinners righteous. Nor yet does he say so neither, but that which is far more sublime and excellent; for he speaks not of an inclination or affection, but expresses the quality itself. For he says not, he made him a sinner, but sin; that we might be made, not merely righteous, but righteousness, and that the righteousness of God, when we are justified not by works (for if we should, there must be no spot found in them), but by grace, whereby all sin is blotted out."
[homil. de humilit.]:
"He doth know himself only justified by faith in Christ."
[libr. de humilit.]:
"This is the true and perfect glorying in God, when a man is not lifted up on account of his own righteousness, but has known himself to be wanting in true righteousness, and to be justified by faith alone in Christ. And Paul glories, in that he despises his own righteousness, and seeks the righteousness which is through Christ, even the righteousness which is from God by faith... Thou hast not known God through righteousness on thy part, but God hath known thee on account of His goodness..."
[Quoted in Andrew Willet. Synopsis Papismi.]:
"Everlasting rest is not as a debt, rendered unto our works, but as a gift of God's munificence."
[in Ps. 32.]:
"He doth hope in his [God's] mercy, who not trusting in his own good deeds, nor looking to be justified by works, hath the hope of his salvation only in the mercies of God."
"When an ungodly man is converted, God justifies him through faith alone, not on account of good works, which he possessed not; otherwise, on account of his ungodly deeds, he ought to have been punished. Christ, who 'knew no sin,' the Father 'made sin for us,' that, as a victim offered for sin was in the Law called 'sin,' so likewise Christ, being offered for our sins, received the name of 'sin,' that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him -- not our righteousness, nor in ourselves."
[dial. advers. Pelag. lib. 1.]:
"Then are we righteous when we confess ourselves to be sinners, and our righteousness consisteth not in our own merits, but in God's mercy."
[lib. 5. contra Donatist.]:
(speaking of the effectualness of baptism for the salvation of the baptised): "not the minister, but the faith of the beleever and the Trinitie doe bring these things unto everie man."
17) MACARIUS THE EGYPTIAN (4TH CENT)
[Hom. 37]:
"Believing in Almighty God, we should with a simple heart and void of scrupulosity come unto him who bestoweth the communion of the Spirit [i.e., eternal life] according to Faith, and not according to the proportion of the works of Faith."
(James Ussher has noted that the essay as it appears in Latin translation in Bibliotheca Patrum mistranslated the Greek so that the Latin text was rendered "works of nature" rather than what is written in the Greek text itself, "works of faith.")
18) ELIBERINE COUNCIL (~ TURN OF THE 4TH CENT)
[Can. 77, concerning those who die before baptism.]:
Eliberine Council (about the turn of the 4th Century): "By faith wherein one beleeveth he may be justified."
19) AURELIUS AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (4TH / 5TH CENT)
[de spirit. & liter. c. 29]:
"Justification is obtained by faith."
[tract. 4 in epist. Ioan.]:
"We are just by believing in Him Who we see not."
[ex epist. 95 Augustin. & 5. Episcopor. ad Innocentium. Quoted in Andrew Willet. Synopsis Papismi.]:
"Righteousness is not by the law, but by faith, and is the gift of God by Jesus Christ."
[on Psalm 70]:
"When I shall be just, it is Thy justice, because I am just by that justice which is given me of Thee, for I believe in Him that justifieth the wicked, that my faith may be deputed for righteousness."
[Various Questions to Simplician 1:2:21 (A.D. 396)]:
"We are commanded to live righteously, and the reward is set before us of our meriting to live happily in eternity. But who is able to live righteously and do good works unless he has been justified by faith?"
Notice the difference Augustine makes between justification by faith [to receive the gift of eternal life] and living righteously to receive ‘the reward [which] is set before us’.
Two different things: getting to heaven by faith alone, enhancing our life in heaven by living righteously on earth. There will be a difference in heaven in the manner of joyous living, some far more than others.
[Explanations of the Psalms 83:16 (A.D. 405)]:
"He bestowed forgiveness; the crown he will pay out. Of forgiveness he is the donor; of the crown, he is the debtor. Why debtor? Did he receive something? . . . The Lord made himself a debtor not by receiving something but by promising something. One does not say to him, 'Pay for what you received,' but 'Pay what you promised'"
Notice the distinction made between forgiveness being donated [thru faith alone], i.e., free; and the crown, (a reward), being one involving debt, i.e., works. Two different concepts.
[Tract. 3. in Ioan.]:
"Thou shalt not receive eternal life of merit but of grace, for if faith is a gift of grace, and eternal life is grace for grace..."
[tract. 22 super. Ioan.]:
"I have heard the words of God and believed: when I was an unbeliever, I became a believer, I am passed from death unto life, I come not to judgment, not by my presumption, but by His promise."
[cap. 8 in Matt.]:
"Faith only doth justify."
[on Matt., quoted in James Ussher. An Answer Made to the Challenge made by a Jesuit in Ireland]:
"It moveth the Scribes, that sinne should be forgiven by a man. For they beheld a man onely in Jesus Christ, and that to be forgiven by him, which the law could not release. For it is faith onely that justifieth. Afterward the Lord looketh into their murmuring, and saith that it is an easie thing for the Son of man to forgive sinnes. For it is true, none can forgive sinnes but God alone: therefore, he who remitteth is God, because none remitteth but God. God remaining in man [i.e., the man Jesus Christ] performed this cure upon man."
[in Matt. cap. 20.]:
"Wages indeed, there is none of gift, because it is due by work, but God hath given the same free to all men, by the justification of faith."
[Quoted in Andrew Willet. Synopsis Papismi. I believe the reference is lib. 7 de sacrific]:
"For not by our works but by faith alone, we have obtained the mystical good things."
[Q. 43 in Deut.]:
"The law condemned them which sinned, but grace receiving them, does justify by faith."
[2 ad. Eph.]:
"By faith alone received he has pardoned our sins, he exacts not innocency of life."
[Interpretation of the 14 Epistles of Paul.]:
"It is not of our own accord that we have believed, but we have come to belief after having been called; and when we had come to believe, he did not require of us purity of life, but approving mere faith, he bestowed on us the forgiveness of sins."
[Sophoni. cap. 3.]:
"The salvation of man depends upon the sole mercie of God, for we do not obtaine it as the wages of our righteousnesse: but it is the gift of God's goodnesse."
[Lib. 1. in Ioan. c. 21.]:
"The law condemneth those that sinne, but grace receiving them doth justify them by faith."
[5. c. ad Roman.]:
"He hath justified the wicked by faith alone, not by works."
[2 ad Galat.]:
"Faith alone suffices to you unto salvation."
[c. 4. Roman.]:
"He justifies the wicked by faith alone."
[c. 2. Galat.]:
"Thou knowest that thou hast life not by works, but by faith alone."
[2 cap. ad Galat.]:
"If he did not save the Gentiles by faith alone, neither doth he save us: for by works shall none be justifed."
[On the Virginity of Mary. SPE 1:43.]:
"God who dost make the unclean clean and who by taking away sins dost justify the sinner without works."
[Itin. des. 89. SPE 1:432]:
"...the beginning of human salvation comes from faith... which, when it is in Christ, is justification for the believer."
24) JULIAN OF TOLEDO (7TH CENT)
[Aet. sext. 2:14. MPL 96:569-570]:
"The righteousness of faith by which we are justified... that we believe in him whom we do not see, and that, being cleansed by faith, we shall eventually see him in whom we now believe."
[Antikeim. 2:77. MPL96:701]:
"If someone believes in Christ... he can be saved by faith alone."
[in Ps. 77.]:
"By the righteousness of works no man shall be saved, but only by the righteousness of faith."
[in Ps. 31.]:
"No man should believe, that either his freedom of will, nor his merits, are sufficient to bring him unto bliss; but understand, that he can be saved by the grace of God only."
[in Gal. 1.]:
"Faith alone saveth us, because by the works of the law shall no man be justified."
[in 2 Cor. 5.]:
"Faith, procuring the remission of sins by grace, maketh all believers the children of Abraham."
[in Rom. c. 1]:
"It was just, that as Abraham was justified by faith alone, so also the rest that followed his faith should be saved."
[in Rom. c. 1]:
"It was just, that as Abraham was justified by faith alone, so also the rest that followed his faith should be saved."
[on Eph., c. ii.]:
"Ye are saved by grace through faith, not through works; through faith, that is, not through works; and, lest any careless one should arrogate to himself salvation by his faith, the apostle has added, 'and that not of yourselves, because faith is not from ourselves, but from Him who hath called us.' Ye are made nigh by the blood of Christ, that is, by believing that ye are saved by His blood and passion."
[in Gal. 2.]:
"The Patriarchs and the Prophets were not justified by the works of the law, but by faith."
[on Gal. c. 3.]:
"The custom of sin hath so prevailed that none now can fulfill the law, as the Apostle Peter says, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear. But if there were any righteous men which did escape the curse, it was not by the works of the law, but for their faith's sake they were saved."
[on Rom. c. 3.]:
"I live by the faith of the Son of God, that is, by faith alone, as owing nothing to the law. Grace is abject and vain if it alone is not sufficient for me."
[Note: grace alone = absolutely no human doing because grace means unmerited blessing whereby man has contributed nothing in order to be blessed, unconditional favor = no conditions, a gift, (Eph 2:8-9)]
[Sedulius & Claudius in Gal. 6.]:
"...not in our own righteousness, or learning, but in the faith of the Cross, by which all our sins are forgiven us."
[in Rom. c. 3.]:
"God hath so ordered it, that he will be gracious to mankind, if they do believe that they shall be freed by the blood of Christ."
[Gal.2]:
"...by faith alone, as owing nothing to the law."
(The whole quote is "In fide vivo filii Dei, id est, in sola fide, qui nihil debeo legi."
[on Rom. 10.]:
"He who believeth in Christ, hath the perfection of the law. For whereas none might be justified by the law, because none did fulfill the law, but only he which did trust in the promise of Christ, faith was appointed, which should be accepted for the perfection of the law, that in all things which were omitted, faith might satisfy for the whole law."
[in Rom. 4.]:
[God] "hath purposed by faith alone to forgive sins."
[Ierem. lib. 18. cap. 2.]:
"Lest they should say, Our Fathers were accepted for their merit, and therefore they obtained such great things at the hands of the Lord, he adjoins, that this was not given to their merits, but because it so pleased God, whose free gift is whatsoever he bestows."
[Notice that acceptance by the Lord is via a free gift, no works, no merit]
[in Pa. 131.]:
"For thy servant David's sake, is as much as to say, For the merit of Christ himself: and from thence collecteth this doctrine: that none ought to presume of his own merits, but expect all his salvation from the merits of Christ."
30) ANSELM OF CANTERBURY (11TH CENTURY)
"Dost thou believe that thou canst not be saved but by the death of Christ? Go to, then, and, whilst thy soul abideth in thee, put all thy confidence in this death alone - place thy trust in no other thing, commit thyself wholly to this death, cover thyself wholly with this alone, cast thyself wholly on this death, wrap thyself wholly in this death. And if God would judge you, say, 'Lord! I place the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and Thy judgment: otherwise I will not contend, or enter into judgment with Thee.' And if He shall say unto thee, that thou art a sinner, say unto Him, 'I place the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and my sins.' If He shall say unto thee, that thou hast deserved damnation, say, 'Lord! I put the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between Thee and all my sins; I offer His merits for my own, which I should have, and have not.' If He say, that He is angry with thee, say, 'Lord! I place the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and Thy anger.'''
[lib. de Mensuratione Crucis.]:
"If a man should serve God a thousand years, and that most fervently, he should not deserve of condignity to be half a day in the kingdom of Heaven."
31) PETER LOMBARD (12TH CENT.)
[lib. 3. dist. 19. liter. a.]:
"As in time past, they which looked upon the brazen Serpent were healed from the biting of Serpents; so if by the beholding of faith, we look upon him that hung upon the tree, we are loosed from our sins."
[lib. 3 dist. 19.]:
"Here it is evidently shewed, that faith is the cause of justification."
[dist. 25. a. ex Augustin.]:
"We are washed from our sins by faith in the death of Christ."
32 BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX (12TH CENT.)
"What can all our righteousness be before God? Shall it not, according to the prophet, be viewed as 'a filthy rag;' and if it is strictly judged, shall not all our righteousness turn out to be mere unrighteousness and deficiency? What, then, shall it be concerning our sins, when not even our righteousness can answer for itself? Wherefore, exclaiming vehemently with the Prophet, 'Enter not into judgment with Thy servant, O Lord!' let us flee, with all humility, to Mercy, which alone can save our souls.... Whosoever, feeling compunction for his sins, hungers and thirsts after righteousness, let him believe in Thee, who 'justifiest the ungodly;' and thus, being justified by faith alone, he shall have peace with God. . . . Thy Passion is the last refuge, the alone remedy. When wisdom fails, when righteousness is insufficient, when the merits of holiness succumb, it succours us. For who, either from his own wisdom, or from his own righteousness, or from his own holiness, shall presume on a sufficiency for salvation?"
[Serm. 22 in Cant.]:
"Being justified only by faith he shall have peace with thee."
[Contr. 2. de fide.]:
"we may lean to no other righteousness, but that, which he affirms to be imputed [imputari] to us without our works."
34 CARDINAL CONTARENUS (FROM REFORMATION ERA)
[Tract. de Justif.]:
"Because by faith we obtain a twofold righteosuness, one inherent in us, love and grace, by which we become partakers of the divine nature, the other the righteousness of Christ given and imputed [imputatum] to us because inserted into Christ, and because we have put on Christ."
[lib. 4. in 14. Lev.]:
"Grace is comprehended by faith alone, not by works."
[Censur. Orient. cap. 6.]:
"Out of faith, we shall obtain salvation."
[in Gal. cap. 3.]:
"It is of necessity that it is by the faith of Christ alone that believers are saved."