21. John C. Olin, ed., A Reformation Debate (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1966), 68.
The Gospel According to Historic Christianity
John Calvin wrote:
We dream not of a faith which is devoid of good works, nor of a justifi cation which can exist without them. . . . Would ye then obtain justifi cation in Christ? You must previously possess Christ. But you cannot possess him without being made a partaker of his sanctifi cation: for Christ cannot be divided. . . . Th us it appears how true it is that we are justifi ed not without, and yet not by works.20
In a published debate with a Catholic Cardinal, Jacopo Sadoleto, Calvin wrote:
We deny that good works have any share in justifi cation, but we claim full authority for them in the lives of the righ teous. . . . It is obvious that gratuitous [grace-wrought] righ teous ness is necessarily connected with regeneration. Th erefore, if you would duly understand how inseparable faith and works are, look to Christ, who, as the Apostle teaches (1 Cor. i. 30) has been given to us for justifi cation and for sanctifi cation. Wherever, therefore, that righ teous ness of faith, which we maintain to be gratuitous, is, there too Christ is, and where Christ is, there too is the Spirit of holiness, who regenerates the soul to newness of life. On the contrary, where zeal for integrity and holiness is not vigor, there neither is the Spirit of Christ nor Christ Himself; and wherever Christ is not, there is no righ teous ness, nay, there is no faith; for faith cannot apprehend Christ for righ teous ness without the Spirit of sanctifi cation.21
The Puritans in particular wrote much about the nature of saving faith and the role of righ teous works in the life of the believer. In 1658 William Guthrie wrote as clear a statement of "lordship salvation" as has ever been put to paper:
A godly man may argue thus, Whosoever receive Christ are justly reputed the children of God — "But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God" (John 1:12); but I have received Christ in all the ways which the word there can import: for I am pleased with the device of salvation by Christ, I agree to the terms, I welcome the off er of Christ in all His offi ces, as a King to rule over me, a Priest to off er sacrifi ce and intercede for me, a Prophet to teach me; I lay out my heart for Him
20. John Calvin, Institutes of the Chris tian Religion, 2 vols. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1972), 2:98 – 99. 21. John C. Olin, ed., A Reformation Debate (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1966), 68.