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.” We cannot, however, believe on the name of Christ, except by hearing his merit preached, and by embracing it. By faith in the name of Christ, therefore, and not by confidence in our own works, are we saved. For the word, name, here signifies the cause through and for which salvation comes. Therefore, the praise and confession of the name of Christ, signifies trust in him, who alone is called, who is Christ, being the cause of our salvation and the treasure by which we are redeemed. Acts 15:9, “He purified their hearts by faith.” Hence the faith, spoken of by the Apostles, is not a mere historical knowledge, but a powerful and vigorous operation of the Holy Ghost, which changes the heart. Hab. 2:4, “The just shall live by his faith.” Here we are told in the first place, that the just are made just by faith, if they believe that God is merciful through Christ; and secondly, that faith produces life. Faith alone gives peace and joy to the heart and conscience, and eternal life, which begins here on earth.

Isa. 53:11, “By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many.” Now what is the knowledge of Christ, but a sense of his benefits and his promises, which he preached and made known to the world ? To have a knowledge of these benefits is, to believe truly in Christ, to believe that God will certainly give what he has promised through Christ. But the Scriptures abound with such declarations and testimony. They treat of both, the law of God and his promises. Now the promises speak of the forgiveness of sins and the reconciliation of God through Christ. (Henkel Translation, p. 176-177).

Again, chapter 5:1, “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”—that is, our consciences have joy and peace before God. Rom. 10:10, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.” Here he calls faith the righteousness of the heart. Gal. 2:16, “We have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law.” Eph. 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.” John 1:12–13, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 3:14–15, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish.” John 3:17, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned.” 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 been more explicit in regard to the kingdom of Christ and justification? He says in plain terms, that the law can justify no man; therefore righteousness is accounted to us through Christ, if we believe that God is gracious unto us through him.  (Henkel Translation, p. 175-176).

Let no one, however, suppose, that Paul’s declaration—“Man is justified by faith alone”—was made inadvertently; for he teaches this doctrine at length in the fourth chapter to the Romans, verses 4 and 5, and repeats it in all his epistles. In the fourth chapter he says, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt; but to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” It is evident, from these words, that faith is the same thing that he calls the righteousness of God; and he adds, that it is reckoned of grace, and that it could not be counted to us of grace, if works or merit had any thing to do with it. For this reason, undoubtedly, he excludes all works and all merit, not only Jewish ceremonies, but all other good works also; for if we were justified before God by these works, faith would not be counted to us for righteousness without works, as Paul explicitly says. And he adds, “We say that Abraham’s faith was counted unto him for righteousness.”  (Henkel Translation, p. 175).

Now if we could obtain remission of sin by works, which are not embraced in the Jewish ceremonies, and thus merit righteousness, what need would there be of Christ and his promises? Everything that Paul said in various places concerning the promises, would be overthrown at once. He would be in error, when writing to the Ephesians 2:8–9, “For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works.”

Again, in the Epistle to the Romans, chap. 4:1–6, Paul alleged of Abraham and David:—They had received a commandment from God concerning circumcision. Now if any works justify before God, then the works, which God had commanded at that time, must also have justified.

But Augustine clearly maintains, that Paul is speaking of the whole law; and he argues at length, in his work concerning the spirit and the letter, (de Spiritu et Litera,) when he finally says, “Having now weighed and treated this subject, according to the strength which God has given us, we arrive at the conclusion, that no man is justified by the precepts enjoining a good life, but by faith in Jesus Christ.”  (Henkel Translation, p. 174-175).