No Sola Fide in the Early Church
I cite what the late renowned Protestant scholar Philip Schaff admitted in respect to Luther’s doctrine of sola fide, or of forensic justification where Luther claimed a person was declared (not made) just/righteous by faith in Christ alone, being virtually unknown in the early Church. All emphasis will be mine.
§ 154. Other Doctrines.
The doctrine of the subjective appropriation of salvation, including faith, justification, and sanctification, was as yet far less perfectly formed than the objective dogmas; and in the nature of the case, must follow the latter.
If any one expects to find in this period, or in any of the church fathers, Augustin himself not excepted, the Protestant doctrine of justification by faith alone, as the “articulus stantis aut cadentis ecclesiae” be WILL BE GREATLY DISAPPOINTED.
The incarnation of the Logos, his true divinity and true humanity, stand almost unmistakably in the foreground, as the fundamental truths.
Paul’s doctrine of justification, except perhaps in Clement of Rome, who joins it with the doctrine of James, is left very much out of view, and awaits the age of the Reformation to be more thoroughly established and understood.
The fathers lay chief stress on sanctification and good works, and show the already existing germs OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC DOCTRINE of the meritoriousness and even the supererogatory meritor.
(Philip Schaff, HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH*, Volume 2 [http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/history/2_ch12.htm])
Further Reading
IGNATIUS, POLYCARP & SOLA FIDE
Justification By Faithfulness: From Beginning to the End
Abraham: Justified by Faithfulness
TRUE FAITH IS FAITHFULNESS AND OBEDIENCE PT. 1
CHRIST’S FAITHFULNESS AS AN EXAMPLE OF SAVING FAITH