Aphorisms of Christian Religion, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Of Iuſtification.
I. APHORISME.
IF the queſtion be how a man is iuſtified before God: To iuſtifie doth ſignifie as much as to aProu. 17.15 Deut 25.1. Rom. 8.33.34. &c. 5.18.acquite, diſcharge or abſolue in Latin, ſo far as that word ſignifieth the action of a iudge. A mā is ſaid therfore to be iuſtified before God, which is accounted iuſt in Gods Iudgement, and accepted before God for his righteouſneſſe.
II.
A man is ſayd to be iuſtified by his workes, when in his life there is founde ſuch puritie and holines, which may merite before the throne of God the commendation of iuſtice: or that can, with the perfection of his workes anſwer and ſatisfie the iudgement and iuſtice of God.
III.
A man is ſayd to be iuſtified by faith, which renouncing the righteouſnes of his workes doth apprehend by faith the righteouſnes of Chriſt, that is, the righteouſneſſe which is purchaſed by the death of Chriſt; & this mā aGal. 3.27. Apoc. 7.14.clothed with this robe of Chriſt doth appeare not as a ſinner, but as a righteous man in the ſight of God.
IIII.
We ſay with the Apoſtle aRom. 3.28. Gal. 2.16.Paule that a man is iuſtified before God, not by works but by faith onelyonly.
V.
Iuſtification and regeneration go euer aRom. 6.…. and 8.together, but yet muſt be diſtinguiſhed. For regeneration in this life onelyonly is bRom. 7.begun, and by degrees increaſeth, till it be perfected in the life to come: but we are not iuſtified in part, but perfectly: for this quieteth our conſciences, cRom. 5.1.and giueth vsus that peace which paſſeth vnderſtanding.
VI.
S. Paule doth well expreſſe this difference betweene iuſtification and regeneration. For ſpeaking of his inherent righteouſneſſe or integritie, which he had in regeneratiō, he crieth out bitterly: ô wretched aRom. 7.2…man that I am, who shall deliuer me from this body of death! But turning him ſelfe to the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt imputed vntounto him (which is grounded vponupon the meere mercy of God, and giuen vsus in our iuſtification) he reioyceth bRom. 8.33.34.35. &c.greatly, & with full truſt and affiance triumpheth ouer life and death, reproches and wantes, ſword and all croſſes of this preſent life.
VII.
When we ſay we are iuſtified by faith: our meaning is that we are pronounced iuſt in Gods ſight, for that by faith the Lord doth aRom. 5.19.impute vntounto vsus for righteouſneſſe, bHeb. 2.9.the obedience of Chriſt, which he performed for vsus, vntounto his father, cGal. 2.13. Eſa. 55.in taſting death for vsus, and ſo in paying the dRom. 4.3. &c. Gal. 3.6.puniſhment we did owe for the breach of the law.
VIII.
When we ſay we are iuſtified by faith onelyonly, we do not exclude the aRom. 3.24 & chap. 5.21 Ep. 1.5.6.7.8.grace and mercy of God in our iuſtification: nor the bRom. 3.25. &c. 5.9. and c. 8.33.34.merite of Chriſtes death, which is imputed vntounto vsus for righteouſneſſe: but we exclude cRom. 3.28. & chap. 11.12.….32. Gal. 2.18.workes onelyonly.
IX.
For aſſuredly, the iuſtice of faith and workes are ſo oppoſite, that they can not be coupled together: but admit the one, ye muſt neceſſarily reiecte th other. And hence it is that Paule doth account the righteouſneſſe of the Law and this righteouſneſſe of faith as contraries, aPhil. 3.9.renouncing that righteouſneſſe by the law, and reſting in that righteouſneſſe which is by faith in Ieſus Chriſt, or giuen vsus of God by faith. Againe, he ſheweth that this was the cauſe of the bRom. 10.3.ruine of the Iewes, that ſeeking to ſtabliſh their owne righteouſnes, they wold not ſubmit thēſelues to the righteouſneſſe of God. This he teacheth alſo when he ſaith, that our reioycing can not be cRom. 3.27.excluded by the law, but by faith: and againe; when the reward is giuen dRom. 4.4. and 5.for works, that is of due debt, but that righteouſneſſe is imputed to faith, is of grace.
X.
Againe Paule doth not exclude from iuſtification thoſe workes only, which the vnregenerat work out of grace literally, & by ſtrength of their own free will: for ſurely Abraham was regenerate, when he did thoſe workes for the which he had aRom. 4.2.praiſe of men, but was not iuſtified with God.
XI.
To be ſhort, the Scripture teacheth that our iuſtification is on this manner, firſt the Lord God of his meer aTim. 3.5. Ephe. 1.5.6.7grace and goodneſſe doth embrace a ſinner; finding nothing to moue him to mercy, but miſery; for he ſeeth him bEphe. 2.1.deſtitute & void of all good workes: he is moued cEphe. 1.9.of himſelfe to do him good, and to giuegive this ſinner ſome taſt and feeling dRom. 5.5.of his goodneſſe: that ePhil. 3.8.diſtruſting his owne ſtrength and works he may repoſe all his truſt and hope for ſaluation in the onelyonly mercy fEphe. 1.7.of God in Chriſt Ieſus, which God hath reuealed in his holy word.
XII.
Again that a mā is iuſtified by faith only, is very cleare by other places of the Apoſtle: as where he diſputeth that there is aRom. 4.2.3.4.no righteouſnes by faith, but that which is by grace: where he bRom. 3.21. and 28. Gal. 2.16.denieth righteouſneſſe to the workes of the law: to workes (I ſay) not onelyonly ceremoniall but alſo morall: as may plainly appeare by theſe ſentences which he vſeth for confirmation of his purpoſe: as, the cGal. 3.12.man that shall do theſe things, shall liue in them: and dIbid. 10.curſed is eueryevery man, that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to do them: and by theſe concluſions: righteouſneſſe is not by the law, for by the law commeth the eRom. 3.20knowledge of ſinne. The law fRom. 4.15cauſeth wrath, Ergo not righteouſneſſe.
XIII.
We graunt with Paul that no faith iuſtifieth but that which worketh by aGal. 5.6.louelove: but we vtterly deny that faith hath power to iuſtifie, or that faith and louelove do iuſtifie, becauſe faith is effectuall, or working by louelove.
XIIII.
The forme of our iuſtification is the free remiſſion aRom. 4.6.7.8. Luke. 18.13. and 14. Act. 13.38. and 39.of ſinnes: for like as the wrath of God is vponupon all ſo long as they continue in ſinne: ſo whom the Lord ſhall receiue to grace, them he is ſayd to iuſtifie, that is, of ſinners to make them righteous, & this he doth by pardoning and diſcharging them from their ſinnes. For if we conſider them whom God receiued to his grace by their workes, they ſhalbe founde bRom. 9. 1. Iohn. 1.8.ſinners as yet, which notwithſtā ding are and muſt be acquited and freed from their ſinnes.
XV.
Againe thus; the forme of our iuſtification is this: God doth remoue our ſins from vsus and imputes them vntounto Chriſt, and againe imputes the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt vntounto vsus: conſider this demonſtration for thy better vnderſtanding.
| God imputing vntounto Chriſt the | 1. Guiltineſſe. | Of the beleeuer, cauſe of his death. |
| 2. Diſobedience. | ||
| 3. Corruption. | ||
| God imputing vntounto the beleeuer the benefits of the | 1. Paſſion. | Of Chriſt, cauſe of his life. |
| 2. Righteouſnes. | ||
| 3. Holyneſſe. |
XVI.
The cauſe which moueth Gods mercy in our iuſtification is the aRom. 3.24 25. Ephe. 1.7. 1. Iohn. 2.1. and 2.ſatisfaction and merite of Chriſt, that is, his bRom. 5.19 Phil. 2.8.obedience vntounto his father in his cHeb. 2.9.death for vsus: & this obedience is dRom. 4.6.imputed vntounto vsus for righteouſneſſe, that is, is accounted ours, as if we had performed the ſame our ſelues.
XVII.
And to the end that this obedience and righteouſneſſe of Chriſt might be imputed vntounto vsus: it was neceſſarie firſt that he ſhould yeeld perfect obedience to the law of God himſelfe, liuing thereafter in all holyneſſe of life. And to performe this, it was neceſſarie alſo, that he ſhould be ſanctified & without ſin from his beginning, & firſt conceptiō in his mothers wombe: for if he had not bene a holy aHeb. 7.26.Prieſt, and a b1. Pet. 1.19holy ſacrificer, he could not hauehave pleaſed God: and ſo could not hauehave pacified him for vsus. And yet further I ad, that this our high Prieſt, and mediator, muſt be very cAct. 20.28 1. Iohn. 1.7.God, that the obedience of his death might be of price ſufficient for our ſinnes, and meet to giuegive vsus an euerlaſting righteouſneſſe.
XVIII.
The doctrine of our free iuſtification, ſhall then be comfortable and pleaſant vntounto vsus: when we ſhall preſent our ſelues as guiltie before the heauenly iudge, and ſhall proſtrate our ſelues, and ſtrip our ſelues as naked in his preſence, full of feare and care, to be diſcharged from our ſins, conſidering the aEſa. 33.14.perfection of Gods iuſtice and the bIob. 4.17.18.19.imperfection of our righteouſneſſe, yea the huge cPſal. 19.13 Iob. 15.16.number and greatnes of our ſinnes. For thus come we at the laſt, well prepared and ready to receiue the grace of Chriſt, when we ſhalbe truly caſt down & humbled with the liuely touch and feeling of our miſerie and wants. But contrarily, ſuch as either dLuk. 18.11 12.13.14.ſwell in the conceite of their owne righteouſneſſe, or be drunke in the delights of their owne ſins, they liue in a ſecure contempt of Gods iudgement, and ſhut vp againſt themſelues the gates of Gods mercy.
XIX.
Furthermore, if we admit not this doctrine of free iuſtification: we ſhall rob God of his full aRom. 3.19 and 25. 1. Cor. 1.30. and 31. Ephe. 1.12. & 14. & chap. 2 v. 8.8.9.glory, and our poore conſciences, of ſounde peace bRom 5.1. &c. 8.35. Ephe. 3.12.and reſt before his tribunall ſeate of iuſtice: both which notwithſtanding muſt be had, & granted.
XX.
And we muſt further note that the whole courſe of our iuſtification is by grace, and for our better vnderſtanding in this point, conſider of foure ſortes of men. The firſt is of them which are neither inwardly nor outwardly called: the ſecōd ſort is of thoſe contemners, whom they commonly call Epicures, which hauehave an outward but not an inward calling: the third ſorte is of hypocrites, which deſire ſome commendation of iuſtice by ſome ſhew of externall workes, but ſpecially by the ceremonies which appertaine to Gods worſhip: theſe alſo hauehave their outward, but not their inward calling: the fourth ſort of men, are they which hauehave both an outward and inward calling, whom Gods ſpirite doth regenerate by the Goſpell: and like theſe are none of the three former kindes.
XXI.
That the firſt kinde hauehave no righteouſneſſe, but be meer vniuſt and impious before God, hauing alſo no ſtrength to do that which is good, and to beleeue the promiſe of grace, is very manifeſt eueryevery where in Scripture: as when al the ſonnes of Adam are deſcribed in theſe wordes: that they hauehave aIere. 17.9.wicked & rebellious harts, that all thebGene. 6.3. & chap. 8.21. imaginations of their hart are only euill cōtinually, that their cPſal. 94.11thoughts are vaine, that they hauehave no dPſal. 36.1.feare of God before their eyes, that not one of them doth ePſal. 14.2.vnderſtand or ſeeke after God. Againe that when God doth enlighten vsus with his knowledge, he raiſeth vsus from fIohn. 5.25.death to life, & makes vsus new gEphe. 2.10creatures: that we be deadly and hRom. 5.6.7.8.profeſſed enemies vntounto God before he receiue vsus to grace in our iuſtification: that we hauehave not loued i1. Ioh. 4.10him before he loued vsus: that we be not purged from our vncleaneſſe by the bloud of Chriſt, till the k1. Cor. 6.11holy Ghoſt worke our inward ſanctification: that then we begin to paſſe from death to life, when through Chriſt we receiue lPhil. 1.29.grace to beleeue.
XXII.
Now for the ſecond and third kinde, that they hauehave no iuſtice to ſtand before God, may appeare alſo manifeſtly, for that the vncleaneſſe of their owne conſciences is proofe ſufficient that they be not as yet regenerate by the holy Ghoſt, and this alſo bewrayeth their want of faith. Whereby it appeareth that they be not as yet reconciled vntounto God, nor iuſtified before him, for that this grace none can attaine vntounto, but by faith.
XXIII.
The hypocrites chalenge ſome iuſtice, becauſe of their glorious workes and obedience to the ceremonies, but they are ſo farre from pleaſing God herein, that they highly diſpleaſe him, becauſe with vncleane harts they prophane his holy worſhip. For workes can not aHag. 2.12.13.14.15. Eſa. 1.11.12.13.14.15. Prou. 15.8.purchaſe grace with God for any perſon: but contrarily, workes pleaſe God, after that the perſon firſt hath founde fauour and grace with God. And for this cauſe Moſes writeth, that the Lord reſpected bGene. 4.4.Abell and his of…fring: in which wordes he teacheth that Abels oblation did therefore pleaſe God, becauſe Abels perſon pleaſed him: and that pleaſed him by faith, without which … it is imopſsible to pleaſe God, cHeb. 11.6.for that therby mens harts are dAct. 15.9.purified. For which cauſe alſo Paule ſaith to the Hebrues that Abel eHeb. 11.4.offred vntounto God a better ſacrifice then Cain: for that Cain was an hypocrite, and ſo without faith.
XXIIII.
Laſtly for the fourth kinde, albeit man regenerate by Gods grace hauehave ſome a1. Cor. 4 4.righteouſneſſe of workes: yet the ſame is not ſuch, nor ſo perfect, as that it can ſtād before the iudgement ſeate of God: becauſe all their good works are bRom 7.14. &c. Phil. 3.13.14imperfect, and cEſa. 64 6.polluted with corruptions, and their ſinnes following do dEze. 18.24.bury all the remembrance of their former righteouſneſſe and good life.
XXV.
By the premiſſes we now ſee that not onelyonly the beginning of our iuſtification is by grace, ſo as a ſinner freed from damnation obtaineth righteouſneſſe, and that freely by the pardon of his ſinnes, as appeareth in the three firſt ſorts of men: but alſo our proceeding therein, ſo as our iuſtification is euer free and by grace: which thing well appeareth in the fourth kinde of men which are both, regenerate by Gods ſpirite, and iuſtified by a liuely faith in Chriſt. And thus God imputed vntounto Abraham, the father of the faithfull, his faith for righteouſneſſe, when as he had aGene. 15.6liued for many yeares in great holyneſſe of life. This ſaith Habacuk alſo; bHabac. 2.4.The iuſt shall liue by faith: and Dauid; cPſal. 32.1.Bleſſed are they whoſe iniquities are forgiuen, ſpeaking of the godly which liue a holy vnſpotted and blameleſſe life before men. Againe Paule ſaith that the d2. Cor. 5.20embaſſage concerning our free reconciliation with God muſt be continued among the faithfull. And Chriſt is a e1. Iohn. 2.1.continuall mediator, reconciling vsus with his father, and the efficacie or vertue of his death to fIbid. 2.expiate the ſinnes of the faithfull neuer dieth, nor waxeth old.
XXVI.
And whereas the Schoolemen alſo ſay, that good workes hauehave no ſuch vertue in them, to be ſufficient vntounto iuſtification: but that their merite & vertue to iuſtifie is by grace: we muſt learne that there is no grace to worke our iuſtification, but that only which moueth God in Chriſt to embrace vsus, and to iuſtifie vsus by the merites of his obedience and ſatisfaction for vsus.
XXVII.
For God accepteth not our workes, but ſo farre as we pleaſe him, hauing put on by faith the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, that is, which Chriſt purchaſed by his death for vsus, as is aAphor. 23.before ſhewed. Neither can works iuſtifie in part before God: for God admitteth no righteouſneſſe of workes, but that bDeut. 27.26 Leuit. 18.5.full and perfect obedience to his law.
XXVIII.
When they glory of workes of ſupererogation, whereby they ſay full ſatisfaction is made for treſpaſſes and ſins committed: how can they anſwer that ſaying of Chriſt? aLuk. 16.10VVhen ye hauehave done all theſe things which are commanded you, ſay we are vnprofitable ſeruants: we hauehave done that which was our dutie to do.
XXIX.
To be ſhort concerning workes, take heed of two things: firſt put no truſt in them, next aſcribe no glory to them.
XXX.
The Scriptures driue vsus from all confidence in them, teaching vsus that all our righteouſneſſe,aEſa. 64.6. ſmels in the ſight of God as filthie clouts, and onelyonly prouoke Gods wrath againſt vsus. Now take away this confidence of workes, all glorying muſt fall to the ground: for who will aſcribe any commendation of iuſtice vntounto workes, if confidence in them cauſe him to tremble in the ſight of God?
XXXI.
Moreouer if we conſider all the cauſes of our ſaluation, we ſhall finde the grace of God to ſhine bright in eueryevery one of them, excluding the righteouſneſſe of our workes. For the authour of our ſaluation is God, the Father, Sonne & holy Ghoſt. The Father firſt, in that aTit. 3.5.of his meere bIohn. 3.16. 1. Iohn. 4.9. and 10.grace & free louelove, he ſent his ſonne vntounto vsus, to redeeme vsus from the dominiō of the deuill. Next the Sonne, in that of his free louelovecRom. 5.7.8 1. Iohn. 3.26. towards vsus, he became dRom. 5.19. Phil 2.8.obedient to his father vntounto the death of the croſſe, and ſo hath ſatisfied eRom. 3.25. 1. Iohn. 2.2.the iuſtice of God for vsus. Laſtly the holy Ghoſt, in that he giueth vsus fEphe. 2.8. & chap. 1.…3faith, whereby we apprehend the iuſtice which Chriſt hath purchaſed for vsus by his death. The end alſo, the Apoſtle ſaith, is the gRom. 3.25.manifeſtation of Gods iuſtice, and the prayſe of his hEphe. 1.12goodneſſe.
XXXII.
And whereas the Saintes commend otherwhiles their innocencie and integrity before God: this they doe not to the end, to truſt in the iuſtice of their workes in Gods iudgement, and to reſt their conſciences as vponupon a good foundation: but either to teſtifie the goodneſſe of their aPſal. 7 9. Pſal. 18.21.cauſe againſt their aduerſaries, or to cō fort themſelues concerning their adoption,b2. King 20.3 1. Tim. 4.7.8. by the fruites of their faith and calling: for that they reſt on the onelyonly fauour of God in Ieſus Chriſt.
XXXIII.
Againe, whereas the Scripture ſaith, that the good workes and obedience of the faithfull doe cauſe the Lord to raine down many bleſſings vponupon them: we muſt vnderſtand, that good workes are ſo farre cauſes of Gods bleſſings vponupon vsus, as the Lord by his former graces, taketh occaſion, to giuegive vsus more graces: where note, that they be not meritorious cauſes, but motiues onelyonly for ſpeciall graces of Gods ſpirite going before: for whom the Lord will glorifie, them firſt he aEphe. 5.26.27.ſanctifieth: that their corruption and wickedneſſe may not hinder their glorification. In a word (as Auguſtine hath well ſpoken) God crowneth the workes of his owne hand in vsus.
XXXIIII.
Againe, that our workes do not merite the grace of God, may yet further appeare by theſe reaſons folowing. Firſt for that they are full ofaEſa. 64.6. corruption: next for that they are duties we bLuk. 17.10.owe vntounto God: thirdly for that they are not ours, that is, ſuch as come from the ſtrēgth of our free will, but the effects cRom. 8.10. Ephe. 2.10.and fruites of Gods grace in vsus.
XXXV.
And whereas good workes pleaſe God and hauehave a a2. Tim 4.8.reward, it is not for any merite, but for that Gods bEſa. 55.1.goodneſſe doth accept of them and reward them, of his meere grace and mercy in Ieſus Chriſt.
XXXVI.
Surely no Chriſtian doubteth, but that we muſt hold faſt, the groundes of Chriſtian Religion, and this is a fundamentall point or ground of Chriſtiā doctrine, that Chriſt is giuen a1. Cer. 1.30 and c. 3.11.vsus for our righteouſneſſe, or iuſtification: if this doctrine ſtād, the iuſtice of our merites and workes, being a flat contrary, can not ſtand.
XXXVII.
There are two opiniōs of Popery which are moſt oppoſite to that great ground of Chriſtiā veritie. The firſt is, that there are ſome moral vertues or works which make men acceptable before God, before they be grafted into Chriſt: the ſecond that Chriſt hath merited for vsus, the firſt grace: that is, an occaſiō of meriting with God: & that then it is our parts, to take the occaſion when it is offered.
XXXVIII.
To conclude, we muſt very circumſpectly ſee to this, that we build wiſely vponupon on that foundation: for that doctrine is ſound concerning good workes, which is deriued from the doctrine aThis is the method which Paule vſeth, in a maner, in all his Epiſtles, as to Rom. Gal. Epheſ. Phil. Col. &c.of faith, folowing the ſame as the effect doth the cauſe. For to this end are we iuſtified by faith in Chriſt, that we may ſhewe our ſelues thankfull vntounto God for ſo inſpeakable a benefite, by our continuall endeuour and care to ſerue God in all good workes, and in all holineſſe & righteouſneſſe of life.