The Doctrine of Justification, Treatise · Chapter 32
CHAPTER XXXII.
NOW we come to the third pointe, touching the forme and manner of our iuſtification, which conſiſteth in the grace of God: for we have ſaid before, that God iuſtifieth by gift, by imputation, and by grace: therefore giving, and imputing, doth not ſimply make the full forme of our iuſtification: but it is further required, that both gift, and imputation, bee by grace. Therefore are we ſaid to be iuſtified freely by his grace, Rom. chap. 3. ver. 24. Tit. chap. 3. ver. 7.
Now we are firſt to conſider, what is meant by the name of grace: and ſecondly, to conſider how we are iuſtified by grace.
Touching the name of grace, (leaving that generall ſignification of grace, whereby it is extended to all Creatures in reſpect of the goodnes of God, in ſome meaſure vntounto all) we will only treate of theſe two ſignifications of grace, where it is taken in the worke of our ſalvation.
The firſt ſignification of grace, is when it ſignifieth the free favour, love, and good will of God, in God him ſelf, and his good will towards man, which from himſelfe, and of him ſelfe, without any reſpect of any thing without him ſelfe, moveth him to make man gracious, and acceptable to him ſelfe: in which ſenſe it is taken Tit. chap. 2. ver. 11.▪ For that grace of God that bringeth ſalvation to all men, hath appeared. And Rom. cha. 3. ver. 24. Being iuſtified freely by his grace. And Ephe. chap. 1. ver. 6. To the praiſe of the glory of his grace, &c. And chap. 2. ver. 5. By whoſe grace ye are ſaved.
Secondly, the name of grace is taken for the benefits and gifts which God of his grace doth beſtowe vpō vsus in Chriſt: in which ſenſe it is takē 1. Pet. cha. 4. ver. 10. Let every man as he hath receyved the gift, miniſter the ſame one to another, as good diſpoſers of the manifolde graces of God. In which ſenſe, our righteouſnes is called grace, Rom. chap. 5. ve. 17. much more shall they which receyve that aboundance of grace, and of that gift of that righteouſnes, &c. and not onelyonly righteouſnes, but all the remaynant bleſſinges which wee receyve from God in Chriſt: and therfore they are all called foreign, that is gratious gifts, or giftes of grace, Rom. chapt. 12. ver. 6. 1. Cor. chap. 12. ver. 4. And as grace is taken in this ſenſe, Chriſt him ſelfe, and his death, and mediation, &c. may iuſtly be accompted grace. Therefore is hee alſo him ſelfe called the gift of God: moreover, faith, love, hope, peace, ioye, patience, perſeverance, life and ſalvation, are all comprehended vnderunder the name of grace, as it is taken in this ſenſe. In which ſenſe, the fooliſh Papiſtes doe call it gratia gratum faciens: that is, the grace that maketh vsus acceptable or gratious. whereas it is cleer by ſcripture, that it is grace taken in the firſt ſenſe (whereof it evidently appeareth that the papiſts are vtterly ignorant) whereby we are made acceptable vntounto God, as Eph. cha. 1. ver. 6. To the praiſe of the glorie of his grace, by the which he hath made vsus freely accepted in his beloved. And this is the grace, which onelyonly ſhould bee called the firſt grace, becauſe it goeth before all other grace taken in the ſeconde ſenſe, yea before the gracious Decree, or Predeſtination of God, eyther of vsus to adoption, or of Chriſt to bee our Redeemer, as wee have ſhowen before: But the ignorant Papiſt, calleth the very gift of GOD, whereby a mans hearte is drawen backe from evill, and ſtirred vp to goodnes, the firſt grace. Which opinion, were not amiſſe in reſpect of the grace that is diſpenſed to vsus, if hee did acknowledge the particular love of God, and his grace remayninge, and reſident in him ſelfe towarde his elect, to goe before it, as the cauſe: but the reaſon of his ſtumblinge is this, the fooliſhe opinion of the vniverſalitie of grace: when as they eſteeme Gods grace generally to bee extendede alike to all, and have no light nor iudgement to diſcerne betwixt the generall and vniverſall grace of God to all. Whereby hee maketh his Sunne to ariſe vponupon the evill, and the good, and ſendeth raine vponupon the iust and vniuſt, Math. chap. 5. ver. 45. and that ſpeciall grace and love of God which moveth him to love Iacob when he hated Eſau, & of the ſame lumpe whereof he maketh all mankind, to make certaine veſſells vntounto honour, while as the reſt are prepared for diſhonour.
This being ſhortly ſpoken of the ſignification of grace: wee have next to conſider, in what ſenſe wee are ſaid to be iuſtified by grace.
Firſt we are to marke, that we are not ſaid to be iuſtified by grace in the ſecond ſenſe, wherein grace is taken: howſoever the thing whereby we are iuſtified be a grace, for in this phraſe grace is not referred to any of the thinges that are given vsus, and imputed to vsus vntounto righteouſnes: but vntounto the manner, and forme of Gods giving them, and imputing them. And that we may knowe this more cleerlie, we are to vnderſtand that grace taken in the firſt ſignification, hath a three-folde place in the worke of our iuſtification.
Firſt, it hath place in the efficient cauſe: in which ſenſe it is taken, 2. Tim. cha. 9. VVho hath ſaved vsus, and hath called vsus with a holy calling, not according to our workes, but according to his purpoſe and grace. For the grace of God, is the cauſe moving God, to predeſtinate, call, iuſtifie, and glorifie: and of this wee have ſpoken of at length before in the cauſe of Gods Decree.
Secondly, the grace of God hath place in the formall cauſe: in which ſenſe we are ſaid to be iuſtified by grace.
Thirdly, it hath place in the finall cauſe: in which ſenſe it is taken Ephe. chap. 1. ver. 6. 12. where he is ſaide to doe all to vsus, VntoUnto the praiſe of the glory of his grace.
When it is referred to the manner of Gods iuſtifying vsus, it is oppoſed ſpecially to two thinges: Firſt, the word grace ſecludeth all price given by vsus to God for iuſtifying vsus.
Secondly, it ſecludeth all merit of ours from the worke of our iuſtificatiō: ſo that it importeth as much, as that in our iuſtification whatſoever God doeth, he doeth it freely of his love, and gratious favour: Man neyther any wayes deſervinge it by his worthines, nor paying any thing to God for it, and that this is the meaning of the worde, it is moſt evident by this other word foreign, which is indifferently put for grace, the one being ſometimes interpreted by the other, as Rom. chap. 3. ver. 24. Being iustified freely by his grace: where the word which is rendered freely, is dorean, which word ſecludeth both price and merit.
Concerning price, it is cleere Math. chap. 10. ver. 8. Yee have receyved freely, give freely. And 2. Theſſ. chap. 3. ver. 8. Neither tooke we bread of any man freely.
Concerning merite, it is likewiſe manifeſt, that this word ſecludeth it, by Ioh. chap. 15. ver. 25. They hated me freely, that is, without cauſe, or deſerving: ſo that this word maketh iuſtification to be a worke of God freely done.
And this we marke, that we may know it ſecludeth not the merit of Chriſt, although that merit be imputed to vsus by grace: and by this conſideration, we ſhall learne to reconcile two ſayings of ſcripture, that ſeeme to be repugnant.
The firſt is, Eſay chap. 52. ver. 3. Yee shalbe redeemed without monie. The other is, 1. Cor. chap. 6. ver. 20. For yee are bought for a price: The one ſeemeth to make our redemption free without price: the other ſeemeth to ſay the contrarie.
Yet both are true, for in reſpect of man him ſelfe, hee hath paide no price at all to God for his redemption: but as concerning Chriſt, he hath given a deare price, even his life, & bloud, for our redemption.
So the word Grace, ſecludeth not the merit of Chriſt, nor the price that he hath payed for vsus, nor ought els ordayned of God by his grace, as cauſes and meanes ſubordinate to his grace for our iuſtification: but onelyonly ſecludeth whatſoever thinge is in man, or can proceed from man, who hath nothing of him ſelfe whereby to deſerve righteouſnes, neither hath any thing to give to God to obtayne righteouſnes: For who hath given to God firſt: that he should recompence him, Rom. chap. 11. verſ. 35.
And this third pointe of the forme of our iuſtification, is neceſſarie to be added to the other two.
Firſt, for the right knowledge both of Gods giving, and imputing of faith, and Chriſt to our iuſtification.
Secondly, for preſerving vsus from the errours of thoſe, who miſtake the true meaning of the word grace in our iuſtification.
Concerning the firſt, there is a diſtinctiō of the giftes of God, and alſo of the imputation of God.
Touching the giftes, they be eyther ſuch as are natuall given by God indifferently to al, & are belōging to our natural life: or thē, they are gifts ſupernatural, belonging to a ſupernatural life.
The firſt ſorte the Lord giveth by naturall meanes: as by procreation, by naturall generation, and by his generall providence extended over all.
But the ſecond, he giveth not but by ſpeciall grace, and by a ſpeciall providence, and particular love in the Lord IESVS: there being no ground nor cauſe in them, to whom hee giveth them, why they ſhould have thē, nor any meanes in their power to procure them.
Thus faith, and Chriſt by faith, are given vsus of God, not for any worthines in vsus, nor for any thing given to God by vsus: but the Lord giveth vsus both faith, and Chriſt, vntounto iuſtification, freely of his meere grace.
Secondly, touching imputation, there is an imputation by debt, and an imputation by grace: therefore that it may bee knowne, that neither faith, nor Chriſtes merite, is imputed to vsus by debt: the ſcripture plainly ſheweth, that this imputatiō is by grace. that is, firſt, that faith which is now givē vsus: & ſecondly, that Chriſt who is givē vsus by faith, is ours, not by any right that we have vntounto thē by iuſtice: & that accompting of them ours, is not by debt, but of meere mercy & grace, ſo that our whole iuſtificatiō in al that is either given vsus, or imputed vntounto vsus, to iuſtifie vsus, both in the giving, & in the imputing, is of Gods free grace.
The ſecōd vſe of the knowledge hereof, is, to preſerve vsus from their errors, who take the name of grace in our iuſtification, for the gifts of grace inherent in vsus: be it faith, or ſanctification, or the fruites of our righteouſnes. And ſecondly, from their error, who take the name of grace, for a gratious acceptatiō of our imperfect faith: whereas grace in iuſtification is relative to the giving & imputing of faith: not to the accepting of it. For in reſpect of faith given by grace, and imputed by grace: wee are ſaid to be iuſtified by grace, & not in reſpect of Gods accepting of it at our handes by grace. And thus much concerning the forme of our iuſtification.