Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 26
PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE IVSTIFICATION OF SINFVLL MAN IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. XXVI
1 IN aſmuch as, our whole ſaluation conſiſteth in our juſtification before GOD; it is needfull, that wee maintaine the true doctrine thereof, againſt al the corruptions of the ſame; if ſo bee that wee will obtaine ſaluation.
2 This juſtification then is, when God doth attribute the ſanctification of his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt, performed for mankind, vntounto thoſe that beleeue in him.
3 For whereas God is exceedinglie merciful, and excedinglie juſt; his merciemercy indeed, did deſire the redemption of man, but his juſtice demaunded an abſolute, and eueryevery way a perfect ſatisfaction for the ſame.
4 To the end therfore, that the Lord might beſtow his merciemercy vponupon vsus; it was needful that his juſtice ſhould be ſatisfied.
5 Now the moſt ſeuere juſtice of God, could not be ſatisfied, either by him, who ſhould be onelyonly man; (becauſe, no Creature, no not the Angels themſelues, can ſo ſuſtaine the waight of Gods anger, as they may be deliuered therfrom; much leſſe deliuer others:) or yet by him, who ſhuld be onelie God, becauſe the Deitie cannot bee ſubject vntounto any ſufferings.
6 Therefore God the Father, mooued by his vnſpeakeable merciemercy, would hauehave that onelie Sonne of his, Coeſſentiall and Coaeternal with him (as he had promiſed vntounto the Fathers, when Sin firſt entered into the world) at the time appointed, to become true man, who, as beeing true God and true man, without any confuſion of the two natures, might reconcile men with God.
7 Of the juſtice of this Mediatour, the which juſtice is laied againſt thoſe thinges, that make vsus guiltie of Gods wrath, there are three parts. The one is, the penalty ſuſtained for the ſatisfaction of all our ſinnes, which hee diſcharged to the verie vttermoſt farthing. The other is, the abſolute fulfilling of the whole lawe of GOD, thereby couering our whole guiltines, both that which wee hauehave by our originall blemiſhe, or by ſinning ſinne, and alſo by the ſins that ar the moſt bitter fruits of that root. The third is, the repairing of our humaine nature, in that moſt perfect humanitie, which Chriſt tooke vponupon him; whereby all our corruptions and ſtaines are blotted out.
8 The righteouſnes of Chriſt profiteth vsus nothing, vnleſſe it be made ours.
9 Now it becommeth ours, not by any infuſion, either Eſſentiall, as OSIANDER dreamed, or qualitatiue, as the jangling Sophiſters doe auouch; but by a ſpirituall apprehenſion or applying of Chriſt, effected in our mindes; after the which, followeth the free imputation of that threefold righteouſnes, which is inhaerent in the man Chriſt onelyonly, as in the ſubject.
10 Of this ſpirituall and moſt effectuall apprehenſion and application, the only inward inſtrument, is true faith, which is that full aſſurance, whereby eueryevery one that beleeueth, doth imbrace particularlie, the righteouſnes of chriſt offered, as appertaining vntounto them.
11 This faith is in noe wiſe of our ſelues, but from the meare grace of God, the holie Ghoſt mercifully creating the ſame in the vnderſtanding, and the harte of the elect, that is, being the cauſe that after they hauehave heard, and vnderſtood the worde of the Goſpell, they doe trulie beleeue although not perfectlie: whoe alſo doth afterwarde ſeale vp and nouriſhe this gift in them: as they doe learne more and more, by the dailie hearing and meditation of the word of the ſaid Goſpell, and as the Sacraments annexed vntounto the worde, doe moſt effectuallie witneſſe vntounto them.
12 Now as the ſame Chriſt, doth reconcile them vntounto his father, and purchaſe vntounto them the title of the heauenlie inheritance, who being freelie made partakers of that three-folde righteouſnes, doe lay hold vponupon him by faith: euen ſo, doth hee ſanctifie them by his Spirite, abolliſhing the olde man in them by a little and a little, both kindling a new light in their vnderſtanding, and alſo ſturring vp holie motions in their wils, to the end, that ſtrongly reſiſting with all their might, the reliques of the old man; they ſhuld beginn both to will, and to doe that which is good.
13 That newe qualitie then, called inhaerent righteouſnes, and regeneration teſtified by good workes, is a neceſſarie effect of true faith: whence it is to bee gathered, that good workes are by no meanes the cauſes, but onelie the witneſſes of that imputed juſtification, whereby alone trobled conſciences are at reſt: for they are no otherwiſe to be conſidered, then as things, that neceſſarilie followe the beleeuers, being alreadie juſtified in Chriſt.
14 Therefore we are ſaid to be juſtified by faith onelie, without any works; not that true faith is at any time alone or deſtitute of good works; but in aſmuch as workes, how good ſo euer they be, do not concurre or availe to the obtaining of the righteouſnes of Chriſt.
15 The ſquare and only rule of theſe good works, according to the which they are to be directed, & moſt diligently to be waied; is the wil of God laied open to vsus in the law.
16 Now althogh that they, who are after this maner reconciled vntounto God through Chriſt aprehended by faith, do daily ſin; and though alſo, that their good works are not every way perfect, but defiled by ſinne, (whereof wee hauehave many remnants ſtil continuing in vsus after our renuing) yet thoſe that do beleeue, are to feare no condemnation, but may aſſuredly wait, and looke for aeternall life; wherof they ſhalbe vndoubtedly partakers.
Theſe Doctrines therefore are to be deteſted.
1 That no man can be aſſured of his ſaluation.
2 That the naturall remnants of Free-will, beeing holpen by preuenting grace, do worke together with (or further) the firſt grace to beleeue, & to do good works
3 That Iuſtification before the tribunall ſeat of God, is to be attributted, if not wholie, yet in part, vntounto good workes, and that as being meritorious.
4 That the eſſential righteouſnes of chriſt, that is, wherby Chriſt was God, is powred into vsus, which was the phreneſie of OSIANDER.
5 That we cannot be juſtified by a righteouſnes that is not inhaerent in our ſelues.
6 That our Iuſtification in the ſight of God, is an effect of our Regeneration.
7 That it is falſe, that wee are juſtified by faith.
8 That Chriſt dooth purchaſe the dignitie of merit by our good workes, which is a new-coyned falſhood of the Ieſuits.
9 That the law which God hath left to vsus in the Scriptures, is not the onelyonly rule of good workes.
10 That the merrites of Chriſt onelyonly, are not ſufficient for vsus vntounto ſaluation.
11 Thar Chriſt, in regard of the guilt and the puniſhment, hath onelyonly ſatisfied for ſinnes paſt; that is, for ſinnes going before Baptiſme.
12 That in the ſinnes, which follow baptiſme, the guilt is onelie remitted, and not the puniſhment alſo.
13 That originall ſinne is vtterlie taken away by Baptiſme, and that, by the worke wrought.
14 That the good works of the faithfull, are in no wiſe ſinfull.
15 That there may be ſome workes of Super-errogation.
Defended by BARTHOLMEVV RHODINGVS of Hafsia.