Confession of the Christian Religion, Confession · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. Of iuſtification.
I. They which hauehave true repentance, hauehave alſo a liuely faith, are ingrafted in Chriſt, and iuſtified in him.
THe man that is contrite in heart, Eſay. 66.2& loatheth his ſinne from his heart, and repē teth him of his whole miſledd life, Pſal. 32.6 Mat. 5.6ſighing vntounto God for remiſſion of his ſinnes, and hungring and thirſting for the true righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, wee doe beleeue, that as hee was by the holie ſpirite indued with this repentance towards God: ſo alſo that hee is by the ſame ſpirite indued with a liuely faith in Chriſt, and euen from the beginning was preordained to be ioyned vntounto Chriſt, as a member to the head: & therefore in him to obtaine remiſſion of his ſinnes, and to be indued with his perfect righteouſneſſe, and ſo to bee reputed truely righteous for Chriſt, into whome he is ingrafted, and to be abſolued from all guilt: as the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 8.1 1. Cor. 1.30.There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt: and, Chriſt is made our righteouſneſſe.
II. He which through Chriſt, into whom he is ingrafted, is counted iuſt: the ſame is alſo indued with inhaerent iuſtice.
Wee beleeue alſo, that, he which through Chriſt, into whome he is ingrafted by the holy ghoſt, is accompted iuſt, and is truely iuſt, hauing obtained forgiuenes of his ſinnes in Chriſt, and imputation of his iuſtice: the ſame man forthwith is poſſeſſed of the gift of inhaerent iuſtice, ſo that he is not onelyonly perfectly and fully iuſt in Chriſt his head, but hath alſo in himſelfe true iuſtice, whereby he is indeede made conformable vntounto Chriſt: although, while we remaine in this fleſh wee can neuer hauehave the ſame ſo perfected, but that it is by our owne fault, ſpotted and defiled with many corruptions of our ſinnes. Of which iuſtice Iohn ſaith, 1 Ioh. 3.7.He which doth righteouſneſſe or iuſtice: that is, iuſt workes, he is righteouſſe or iuſt. For the Apoſtle doeth alwaies ioyne both theſe righteouſneſſes, aſwell to the Romaines, as in other his epiſtles, and teacheth they bee both beſtowed on the faithfull through Chriſt: Phil. 1.11.as he well prooueth to the Philippians: And wee affirme, that the later iuſtice, the fruits whereof are made manifeſt to men, is ſo ſure a teſtimonie of the former, that where the laſt is abſent, Iac. 2.21. &cthere we hold (withall the Apoſtles) that there is no place for the firſt. So farre bee we from letting looſe the raines to vngodly people, by the doctrine of iuſtification by faith onelyonly apprehending the remiſſion of ſinnes and imputation of the iuſtice of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
III. Becauſe this inhaerent righteouſneſſe is alwaies by our owne fault moſt vnperfect: therefore we are iuſt before God, onelyonly by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt.
Meane while we confeſſe, that this inhaerēt righteouſneſſe is through our owne fault ſo imperfect in vsus, that wee are made iuſt before God, and can be accounted for iuſt onelyonly by that righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, whereby our ſinnes are not imputed, not onelyonly in the beginning of our conuerſion, when of wicked we are made godlie, but euer after euen to the ende of our liues: as Dauid ſaieth, Pſal. 32.1 Rom. 4.7 Pſal. 143.2and the Apoſtle alleadgeth, Bleſſed are they whoſe wickedneſſe is forgiuen: and againe, In thy ſight ſhall no man liuing be iuſtified. Therefore wee conclude, that our true iuſtification doeth conſiſt in the onelyonly remiſſion of ſinnes, and imputation of Chriſts owne righteouſneſſe.
IV. By faith it is knowne, whether a man be iuſtified in Chriſt: and therefore it is ſaide that ſuch a one is iuſtified by faith.
But becauſe iuſtification is not without the knowledge and feeling, and conſequently the aſſent of him (we ſpeake of ſuch as are of years of diſcretion) who is iuſtified: & that feeling, is the feeling of faith: therefore we ſay that a man is then iuſtified by faith, when he which is ingrafted into Chriſt, perceiuing and feeling the ſame, is perſuaded, that his ſinnes are ſo forgiuen him, by the onelyonly merciemercy of God, and for the only obedience, ſatisfaction, and ſacrifice of Chriſt, to whome he is ioyned: that he is freed and deliuered from all faulte and puniſhment due vntounto his ſinnes: yea & is perſuaded that the perfect righteouſnes of Chriſt is ſo imputed vntounto him, that he knoweth eternall life to be euen due vntounto him for the ſame in like ſorte as it is due to Chriſt: and conſequently findeth the ſame to bee due of free grace and fauour, & not for his owne works.
V. A confirmation of the former opinion, and what it is for a man to be ſanctified.
Firſt, Rom. 4.8. & 5.19to iuſtifie, in the ſcriptures, aſwell in the old Teſtament, as the new, and eſpecially with the Apoſtle, when he handleth the ſame matter, doth ſignifie to forgiue ſinnes, and ſo to abſolue and acquite from all blame & puniſhment, and alſo to receiue into fauour, and to pronounce a man iuſt, and to accompt him for iuſt: not ſuch a one as is ſimplie vnrighteouſſe, but ſuch a one as by the obtaining forgiueneſſe of his ſinnes is no longer vnrighteouſſe. Moreouer although God doe alwaies in Chriſt acknowledge for his, and hath freely made acceptable to himſelfe in his well beloued, all thoſe whome from the beginning he hath choſen in Chriſt, as mēbers in their head, to be his children: yet becauſe wee are not yet really in Chriſt, vntill we are ingrafted and incorporated into him by the holy ghoſt, (which indeed we that are of yeares of diſcretion are not, till we be indued with faith, ſo that we acknowledge Chriſt to be our righteouſneſſe, and imbrace him for ſuch) therfore the ſcriptures do teach that we are then iuſtified, and that by faith in Chriſt, without our owne workes, when wee beleeue all this with true faith, that is, when wee are perſuaded that our ſinnes ſhall no more bee imputed vntounto vsus, as being once waſhed away in Chriſt, but ſhal be pardoned by the fauour of God, & for Chriſts ſake alone: Ia. 2.21.and on the other ſide that Chriſts righteouſneſſe ſhalbee imputed to vsus as our owne, and that wee being clothed there with, ſhall be, and ſhalbee counted iuſt in the ſight of God. An aſſured and manifeſt teſtimonie whereof, is, as wee ſaide before, that ſame begonne and inhaerent righteouſnes in vsus: which conſiſteth in the deteſting of ſinne, and the louelove of righteouſneſſe, and the ſtudie of good workes.
VI. A confirmation, vvhat it is to be iuſtified by faith.
Wherefore when we ſaye a man is iuſtified by faith or through faith: we doe not meane, that the vertue of faith is that verie thing, whereby as by the forme (as they ſpeake) and by true iuſtice, he is iuſtified: or that, for which we deſerue forgiuenes of our ſinnes and iuſtification: or that, which, as the head of al other vertues, and the cauſe or fountaine of all good works, doeth drawe with it all other vertues, charitie, cleaneſſe of heart, in ward iuſtice, and good workes whereby wee are iuſtified: But becauſe it is as the light, whereby looking into the glaſſe of the goſpell, we behold in what ſtate wee are in Chriſt, by the free bountie & will of God, and through the merites of the ſame Chriſt: and alſo becauſe it is as the hand whereby we graſp and take hold vppon that fauour of God, and benefite of Chriſt ſhewed vntounto vsus in the goſpell, and performed in the perſon of Chriſt: or, to ſay more brieflie as the matter is: wee are ſaid to be iuſtified by faith, that is, by remiſſion of ſinnes and by the imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, apprehended by faith: ſo that faith is taken for the thing that is beleeued, or apprehended by faith. As we read of Abrahā, Gen 15.6He beleeued God, & it was imputed vntounto him for righteouſneſſe: namely, that which he beleeued of the ſeede promiſed vntounto him, that is, Chriſt. For he is the righteouſneſſe of all the choſen which beleeue, and of the children of the promiſe, as the ſcripture calleth them.
VII. Men are iuſtified by faith alone,
Here by it is eaſily vnderſtood, what is mēt in that wee hauehave euermore confeſſed and doe yet conſtantly confeſſe with the holy ſcripturs and with the godly fathers, that wee are iuſtified by faith alone. For ſith to bee iuſtified by faith in the ſight of God, is nothing elſe, but to be accounted iuſt by the remiſſion of ſinne and iuſtice of Chriſt apprehended by faith: & that this is onelyonly the true righteouſnes: whē as, whatſoeuer inherent righteouſneſſe there is in vsus, and whatſoeuer good worke wee doe, is ſuch as cannot ſtande in the ſight of God: according to that ſaying, Pſal. 142.2Enter not into iudgement with thy ſeruant O Lord, Pſal. 130.3for no fleſh is righteous in thy ſight: and that alſo, if thou markeſt what is done amiſſe O Lord, Lord vvho can abide it? it moſt plainely appeareth, that our beleefe concerning iuſtification by faith alone is moſt certaine and moſt true.
VIII. Not onelyonly in the beginning of our conuerſion, but euen in the whole courſe of our life, to our death wee are iuſtified onelyonly by faith.
And hereby alſo is it, that wee cannot but beleeue and conſtantly affirme, that not onelyonly in the beginning, when of vngodly men we bee made righteouſſe, but alſo all the whole courſe of our life euen vntounto the end, we are iuſtified onelyonly by faith in Chriſt; ſo that our righteouſneſſe is alwaies from faith to faith. For there is no man which doth not daily ſinne: ſo that we hauehave need continually to ſay, Mat. 6.12 Pſal. 32.6 1. Cor. 1.30 1. Ioh. 2.2Forgiue vsus our ſinnes: and, To thee ſaieth Dauid ſhall euerie one that is godlie make his prayers, for forgiuenes of his ſinnes: And Chriſt not once but euermore is our righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, redemption, and the propitiation for our ſinnes.
IX. Iuſtification by faith alone is no imaginarie or fained matter.
Now leaſt any man might thinke, that wee forge a certaine imaginarie righteouſneſſe, which hath no foundation, nor force in vsus: we will againe repeat, that which we hauehave before made profeſſion of: Firſt, that this faith, where by we ſay that we are iuſtified, is a faith that is liuely, and worketh through louelove: then, that God doeth not ſo iuſtifie vsus by the forgiuing of our ſinnes, and imputing Chriſts righteouſneſſe vntounto vsus, but that he alſo makes vsus partakers of his diuine nature, but that he regenerateth, refineth, ſanctifieth vsus, giueth inherent righteouſneſſe to vsus, and makes vsus conformable to the image of his ſonne: and this begun righteouſneſſe in vsus, is a manifeſt teſtimonie of that other true and perfect righteouſneſſe which wee hauehave in Chriſt alone: and wee confeſſe that both of theſe are ioyned together by the band of the ſame holy ſpirit, Rom. 5.15.(as the Apoſtle ſaith) not onelyonly the grace of God, but alſo, the gift by grace, which is by one man Ieſus Chriſt, hath abounded vntounto manie. For euen as not onelyonly the diſobedience of Adam was imputed vntounto vsus, but alſo the corruption of his nature flowed into vsus: ſo alſo not onelyonly the obedience & righteouſnes of Chriſt is imputed to vsus, which are ingrafted into him, but alſo his holy nature is truely communicated vntounto vsus, 2. Cor. 5.17 Eph. 2.10 Tit. 2.14.that wee may be made new creatures, righteouſſe and holie euen in our ſelues, followers of good workes.
X. Inherent righteouſneſſe is increaſed by good works.
But like as we ſay that the former iuſtice is neither due to our good works, nor begonne, nor increaſed by them: ſo the latter, although it be not due, nor begunn by our good works that wēt before (for they are all ſinne, ſith good workes goe not before him that is to be iuſtified, but followe him that is iuſtified) yet wee confeſſe, that by theſe following good works and exerciſes of godlineſſe it is much preſerued, ſet forward and increaſed: 2. Tim. 1.6.as the Apoſtle teacheth; the gifts of God beſtowed on vsus, are ſtirred vp nouriſhed and maintained with ſuch māner of exerciſes, like vntounto a fire: and of this increaſe of righteouſneſſe Iohn ſaith, Hee that is righteouſſe, let him be righteouſſe ſtill: Apo. 22.11.And therefore, when wee ſpeake onelyonly of this inherent righteouſneſſe, we denie not, but that a man is iuſtified by good works, and not of faith onelyonly, that is, he is made more and more iuſt.
XI. A man is iuſtified by that iuſtice vvhichwhich conſiſteth in the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, and imputation of Chriſtes iuſtice, and not properly of his owne works: but by them he is declared to be iuſtified & to be iuſt.
But if we bee asked of the former kinde of iuſtifying, wee aunſwer that a man is neuer iuſtified by his workes, but alwaies properly by faith alone: but yet that it is declared by his works whether he bee iuſt or no, aſwell in the one kinde as the other: ſith none is iuſtified by the former iuſtice, but he is alſo indued with the latter, and both of them are declared by good workes: in which ſenſe wee doubt not but Iames ſpake.
XII. Errors.
We condemn all Pelagians, which thought that infants were conceiued without ſinne: & therefore needed not the forgiuenes of ſinns and benefite of Chriſt for their ſaluation: and thoſe alſo, which teach that although they muſt needes hauehave forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, yet that the ſame maye bee obtained without faith in Chriſt: And thoſe too, which thinke, that although wee neede to hauehave faith in Chriſt, yet that the ſame is not ſufficient, but that wee need alſo our owne works, as merites neceſſarie for the obtaining forgiuenes of ſinne: but eſpecially thoſe that teach the ſame to be done by vngodly worſhip and fonde ſuperſtitions. Neither doe wee allowe of thoſe, which hauehave taught that we are iuſtified by no other iuſtice then that inwarde and inherent iuſtice: Nor thoſe, which thought that the remiſſiō of ſinns can ſtand without the internall renuing and iuſtice. Wee alſo condemne them, which ſuppoſe they may bee iuſtified and ſaued by the hiſtoricall faith cōcerning Chriſt, which Iames calleth a dead faith, that is, none at all. Yea and there opinion is diſallowed of vsus, which teach that a mā is iuſtified, not by remiſſion of ſinns and imputation of Chriſtes iuſtice, but euen by the verie eſſentiall righteouſneſſe (as they call it) of Chriſt really communicated to vsus.