The Catholic scripturist, or, The plea of the Roman Catholics. Shewing the scriptures to hold the Roman faith in above forty of the chief controversies now under debate. No. 11

Abstract

Point XXIX Whether our Justification May Not Be Lost.

1. " THE heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it ?" Jer. xvii. 9. Yet Protestants, placing justification in such a special faith as assures each man of his salvation by the merits of Christ, are hence enforced to teach two strange paradoxes. The first is, That this special faith breeds a full assurance, grounded in a real truth, wherefore we need not fear our salvation. The second, which is contained in the former, or thence clearly deduced, is, that this justification of ours cannot be lost; for else, that assurance might have had a lie for its ground and sole foundation.

2. We teach, first, that no man, without a special revelation, is assured to be saved, and so all ought "to work their salvation with fear and trembling". St. Paul everywhere proveth our doctrine : "Thou by faith dost stand, be not high-minded, but fear,'' Rom. xi. 20. Again (1 Cor. iv. 4 ), he saith, "I know nothing by myself ( concerning any guilt), but I am not justified hereby. But he that judgeth me is the Lord:" I dare not "judge myself, though I know nothing by myself;'' how then darest thou? Again (1 Cor. ix. 27), " But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, least by any means whilst I preach to others, I myself may become a castaway, or reprobate.'' Again (chap. x. 10), "Therefore he who thinketh himself to stand, ( as Protestants do) let him take heed lest he fall." Again (Phil. iii. 11), " If by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead." ...[Excerpt]