Philip E. Hughes, M.A., Th.D. "Theology of the English Reformers." 2--Ju...

Justification Before Christ’s First Advent--Justification of the Old Testament Saints Bishop “Old Hugh” Latimer on faith, justification and Old Testament saints: “They believed in Abraham’s Seed which was promised…which faith stood them in good stead, and they were all as well saved through the same belief as we now through our belie. For it is no difference between their belief and ours, but this: they believed in Christ who was to come, and we believe in Christ who is come already. Now their belief served them as well as ours doth us. For at that time God required no further at their hands than was opened unto them. We have in our time a further and more perfect knowledge of Christ than they had.” Hugh Latimer. Works. 1.378. Bishop “Old Hugh” Latimer from the famous Sermon of the Plough: “…the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world…as a continuous sacrifice…all men that trusted in the death of Christ shall be saved, as well they that came before as they that came after; for He was a continual sacrifice, as I said, in effect, fruit, operation, and virtue, as though He had from the beginning of the world, and continually should to the world’s end, hang still on the cross; and He is as fresh hanging on the cross now, to them that believe and trust in Him, as He was fifteen hundred years ago when He was crucified.” Hugh Latimer. Works. 1.73. Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in his Homily of Faith: “All these father, martyrs, and other hold men whom St. Paul spoke of had [DPV—speaking of Hebrews] had their faith surely fixed in God, when all the world was against them…They did not only know God to be their Lord, maker and governor of all men in the world, but also they had a special confidence and trust that He was and would b e their God, their comforter, aider, helper, maintainer, and defender. This is the Christian faith which these holy men had, and we also ought to have. And although they were not named Christian men yet was it a Christian faith that they had; for they looked for all benefits of God the Father through the merits of His Son Jesus Christ, as we now do. This difference is between them and us; for they looked when Christ should come, and we be in the time when He is come. Therefore saith St. Augustine [Tractatus in Joann, 45]: ‘The time is altered, but not the faith.’ For we have both one faith in one Christ. The same Holy Ghost also that we have they had, saith St. Paul…Gold gave them then grace to be His children, as He doth now. But now, by the coming of our Saviour Christ, we have received more abundantly the Spirit of God in our hearts, whereby we may conceive a greater faith and a surer trust than many of them had. But in effect they and we be all one: we have the same faith that they had in God, and they the same that we have. And St. Paul so much extolleth their faith because we should no less, but rather more, give ourselves wholly unto Christ both in profession and living, now when Christ is come, than the old father did before His coming. Thomas Cranmer. Works. 2.138. William Tyndale in his Prologue to the Prophet Jonah: “”…unto a repenting soul that thirsteth and longeth after them, of the pure and fatherly mercy of God, through our faith only, without all deserving of our deeds or merits of our works, but for Christ’s sake alone, and for the merits and deservings of His works, death, and passions that He suffered altogether for us, and not for Himself…if they be written in thine heart, are the keys which so open all the Scriptures unto thee that no creature can lock thee out, and with which thou shalt go in and out, and find pasture and food everywhere.” William Tyndale. Works. 1.463f.