10. But that this true doctrine of justification by faith may be truly understood, observe, that justification is the office of God only; and is not a thing which we render unto him, but which we receive of him by his free mercy, through the only merits of his beloved Son. And the true sense of this doctrine, _we are justified freely by faith without works_, or, _we are justified by faith in Christ only_, is not, that this our own act _to believe in Christ_, or this our faith in Christ, which is within us, doth justify us; (for that were to account ourselves to be justified by some act or virtue that is within ourselves) but that although we have faith, hope, and charity within us and do never so many works thereunto; yet we must renounce the merit of all, of faith, hope, charity and all other virtues and good works, which we either have done, shall do, or can do, as far too weak to deserve our justification: for which therefore we must trust only in God’s mercy, and the sacrifice which Christ offered for us on the cross. 11. As then _John_ Baptist, as great and godly a man as he was, yet in this matter of forgiving sin put the people from him, and pointed them to Christ, saying, _Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world_: even so as great and godly a virtue as faith is, it putteth us from itself, and pointeth us to Christ, to have only by him remission of sins or justification. So that our faith as it were, saith unto us thus: _It is not I that taketh away your sins. It is Christ only, and to him alone I send you for that purpose; forsaking all your good virtues, words, thoughts, and works, and putting your trust in Christ only._ 12. And in truth, neither our faith nor our works do justify us; that is, deserve remission of our sins: but God himself doth justify us, of his own mercy, thro’ the merits of his Son only. Nevertheless, because by faith given us of God, we embrace the promise of God’s mercy, and of the remission of our sins; therefore the scripture saith, _that faith doth justify_, yea, _Faith without works_. And as it is all one to say, _Faith without works_, and _only faith doth justify us_, therefore the ancient fathers from time to time speak thus: _Only faith justifieth us_, meaning no other than St. _Paul_ meant when he saith, _Faith without works justifieth us_. And because this is wrought through the only merits of Christ, and not thro’ our merits, or thro’ the merit of any virtue we have within us, or of any work that cometh from us: therefore, in that respect, we renounce, as it were, again, faith, works, and all other virtues. For our corruption through original sin is so great, that _all our faith, charity, words and works cannot merit or deserve any part of our justification for us_. And therefore we thus speak, humbling ourselves to God, and giving to our Saviour Christ all the glory of our justification.