A Treatise of Justification, Book 1 · Chapter 3
CAP. III. Of the Essentiall causes of Iustification; viz. The matter and the forme.
§. I.
BUt let us come to the essentiall causes of justification, thatThe matter and forme of justification, what they are. is to say, the matter and the forme. The matter of justification, considered as it is an action of God, is that which the Lord imputeth unto us for righteousnesse, and accepteth as our righteousnesse, and that is the righteousnesse of Christ, which I noted in the definition, when I said, imputing to a beleeving sinner the righteousnesse of Christ. The Papists confounding not onelyonly justice and justification, but also the matter (which is the materiall cause) and the subject; say, that the matter of justification is the soule ofaBellarm. de justifi. lib. cap. 2. man, or at the least the will of man; because that is the seat of justice, whereas indeed of justification, though passively understood, not the soule or the will is the subject, but the person or the whole man. For justification is totius suppositi, of the person, and not of any part or faculty of man. But for the better clearing of this point, let us briefly consider other not unlike actions: First, when Rebecca arrayed or clothed her sonne Iacob with the raiment of Esau her elder sonne, the matter of this action was that, which being applyed unto him, did clothe him, viz. Esau's garment: the forme of that action was the applying of it to him, which was the indution or putting it on. For she clothed him by putting upon him Esau's garment. So the Lord justifieth us by putting upon us our eldest brothers righteousnesse, which is our wedding garment. Which similitude is used not only by SaintbDe Jacob. & vitabeat. l. 2. cap. 6. Ambrose, but also by Pighius himselfe, as heereafter*Lib. 5. cap. 4. sect. 4. shall bee shewed. The matter therefore of justification is Christs righteousnesse: the forme is the imputing thereof. Secondly, the actions of redemption, reconciliation and justification in substance are the same. As therefore the Lord redeemeth us, and reconcileth us by applying unto us and accepting for us the righteousnesse and merits of Christ, as the foreign, or price of ransome, and as the propitiation; for God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe, 2 Cor. 5. 19. so hee justifieth us, by applying unto us and accepting for us, the same righteousnesse and merits of Christ, as our righteousnesse. As the matter therefore of our redemption is the foreign, or price of ransome which Christ payed for us; the matter of reconciliation is the propitiatory sacrifice which Christ offered for us; the matter of justification is Christs righteousnesse which hee had and performed for us: so the forme of redemption, as it is Gods action, is the applying unto us the price of ransome which Christ payed, and the accepting of it in our behalfe; the forme of reconciliation, the applying unto us the propitiation made by Christ, and accepting of it in our behalfe; the forme of justification, the applying or imputing of Christs righteousnesse unto us, and accepting it in our behalfe. In like manner the Papists, if they would consider Iustification as an action of God, should according to their owne doctrine conceive, that of their first justification; whereby as they teach, a sinner is made righteous by infusion of righteousnesse; the matter is the righteousnesse infused or inherent, the forme the infusion thereof: because according to their doctrine, the Lord in the first justification maketh a man righteous by infusion of righteousnesse. The Papists confesse after a sort, the righteousnesse of Christ to bee the merit of justification, but they deny it to be the matter thereof, whereas indeed it is both: the matter, as justification is the act of God imputing it; the merit, as justification is passively understood, because for it wee are justified: the matter, I say, of Gods justifying us; the merit of our being justified. And this may appeare by the contrary: For justification, as hath beene said, and shall bee proved, is opposedcMatth. 12. 37. Rom 8. 33. 1 King. 8. 32. to condemnation. As therefore sinne is not onelyonly the matter of condemnation, which is the imputation of sinne; but also the merit both of the sentence, and of the punishment by the sentence awarded: so the righteousnesse of Christ is both the matter of justification, as being that which God imputeth to us; and also the merit both of the sentence of absolution, and of eternall life, unto which we are accepted.
§. II. But of the matter and forme of justification, whereof I amOf the matter and forme distinctly. hereafter to treat at large; of the matter, in the whole fourth booke; of the forme, in the fifth, I will here onelyonly set downe briefly the orthodox doctrine of the reformed Churches, and maintaine it against the private opinions of some protestant Divines, who are not sound in these points.
The matter of justification is that righteousnesse, wherein wee standThe matter is that which is called the righteousnesse of God. perfectly righteous before God. This in many places is called the righteousnesse of God. As Rom. 1. 17. 3. 21. 10. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 21. 2 Pet. 1. 1. And is therefore called the righteousnesse of God, because it is the righteousnesse of that person, who is God,dSee Lib. 4. c. 2. §. 2. and therefore is not our righteousnesse, but his; not infused into us, but inherent in his person,Whether this righteousnesse of God be the righteousnesse of the Godhead. and imputed to us, being without us in him. Heare then wee are to consider whether this righteousnesse of God be the righteousnesse of Christ, as hee is God, or as hee is mediator betwixt God and man,e1 Tim… 5. the man Christ Iesus. The righteousnesse of Christ, as he is God, is the essentiall righteousnesse of the Godhead. By which dwelling in man, Osiander supposed them to be justified. But this, being the essentiall and uncreated righteousnesse of God, which is his essence, and therefore himselfe, cannot be the righteousnesse of any who is not God; and therefore if we should be justified thereby, we should also bee deified. Againe, the essentiall righteousnesse of God, being the essence of God and the very Godhead, cannot be communicated to any creature, much lesse can it become the accidentall righteousnesse of a creature. And farther, it being the righteousnesse of the Godhead, is the common righteousnesse of the whole Trinity, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost. And therefore if we should be justified thereby, we should be justified by the righteousnesse of the Father, and of the holy Ghost, as well as by the righteousnesse o… the Sonne.
§. III. It is not therefore the righteousnesse of the Godhead. Is itWhether it be the righteousnesse of the Manhood. then the righteousnesse of the Manhood? I answer, it is the righteousnesse of Christ our Mediator, who is both God and man which he in his humanity had and performed in the dayes of his flesh for us. And this is to bee understood not of a part but of the whole righteousnesse of Christ, which was either inherent in the man Christ, or performed by him; whether to fulfill the Commandements, or to satisfie the Curse of the Law for us. This righteousnesse of Christ (that I may speake more distinctly of it) is either negative (if I may so speake) or positive. By the negative, I understand an absence of all sinnes and vices forbidden in the Law. By the positive, I meane both a presence of all vertues and duties required to the perfect fulfilling of the Commandements, and also of the voluntary suffering of the penalty to satisfie the commination and curse of the Law. The Negative is that, which wee call the innocencie of Christ, whereof the Scriptures speake in many places:The innocencie of Christ. signifying that he was not onelyonly blamelesse, free in himselfe from all imputation of sinne, being foreign, unreproveable, foreign, unblameable Iohn 8. 46. 1 Pet. 1. 19. but also spotlesse, free from all infection ofIohn 8. 46. 1 Pet. 1. 19. 1 Pet. 1. 19. Heb. 7. 26. 1 Pet. 2. 22, 23. sinne, as being foreign without spot, 1 Pet. 1. 19. foreign, harmelesse and undefiled, Heb. 7. 26. one, who never did, nor sp…ke evill, 1 Pet. 2. 22, 23. nor ever offended in thought, but was absolutely and in all respects foreign, without sinne, Heb. 4. 15. as onef2 Cor 5. 21. who knewHeb. 4. 15. no sinne.
§. IV. The positive righteousnesse of Christ, is twofold, his perfectChrists positive righteousnesse. fulfilling of all things commanded in the Law, and his perfect satisfaction in respect of the punishment threatned. The former is the holinesse of Christ, which the Apostle calleth the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ, Rom. 8. 2. which is also twofold, the holinesse of his nature,Rom. 8. 2. which is his habituall righteousnesse: the holinesse of his life and conversation, which is his actuall obedience. The holinesse of his Nature,The holinesse of his Nature. in that being conceived of the holy Ghost, and sanctified by him Matth. 1. 22. Luk. 1. 35. hee was also adorned with all vertues andMatth. 1. 22. Luk. 1. 35. Iohn 3. 34. graces, and that without measure, Iohn 3. 34. In respect whereof hee was said to be annointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes, Psalm. 45. 7. for he was full of the Spirit, Esai. 11. 2. full of grace andPsal. 45. 7. Esai. 11. 2. Ioh. 1. 14. truth, Iohn 1. 14. full, I say, not plenitudine vasis, in which sense fome of the faithfull have beene said to have beene full of the holy Ghost, and full of grace; but plenitudine fontis, for of his fulnesse wee receive even grace for grace, Iohn 1. 16. according to the measure of the donationIohn 1. 16. Ephes. 4. 7. of Christ, Ephes. 4. 7. The holinesse of Christs life was that wherebyThe holinesse of his lise. he continued in all the things which were written in the booke of the Law to doe them, and that for us. For he came not to breake the Law,Matth. 5. 1…. Matth. 3. 15. Ioh. 8. 29. Rom. 8. 4. Esay 53. 11. Act 4. 27. Heb. 7. 26. 1 Ioh. 2. 20. Apoc. 3. 7. Act 3. 14. 1 Ioh. 2. 2. Act. 2. 27. Dan. 9. 24. but to fulfill it, Matth. 5. 17. He fulfilled all righteousnesse, Matth 3. 15. and alwayes did those things which please God, Ioh. 8. 29. Hee performed in his flesh foreign, whatsoever the Law requireth to justification, Rom. 8. 4. and therefore most worthily is hee often called in the Scriptures not only righteous and holy, as Esay 53. 11. Act. 4. 27. Heb. 7. 26. 1 Ioh. 2. 20. Apoc. 3. 7. but also the just and the holy, Act. 3. 14. the just, 1 Ioh. 2. 2. the holy one of God, Act. 2. 27. the holy of holies, Dan. 9. 24.
The other part of Christs positive righteousnesse is his passive obedience, which is called Obedientia Crucis, the obedience of the Crosse,His passive righteousnesse. Phil. 2. 8. wherein hee willingly submitted himselfe to endure those punishments for us, which might satisfie the Iustice of God, and the sentence of the Law for our sinnes, as it is said, Phil. 2. 8. Hee humbled himselfe and became obedient to the death, even the death of the Crosse, and Gal. 3. 13.Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, himselfe being made a curse for us. Now this passive obedience appeareth not onelyonly in his death and passion, though in that principally, but also in all other his sufferings which hee voluntarily sustained for us in the whole course of his life, asg2 Cor. 8 9. poverty,hHeb. 12. 2. shame,iEsay 53. 3. sorrow, &c. The matter therefore of our justification is that whole righteousnesse, which was either inherent in the man Christ, or performed by him; whether to fulfill the commandements, or to satisfie the curse of the Law for us.
§ V. This righteousnesse of Christ our Mediatour, though inherentThe righteousnesse of Christ by which wee are justified is the righteousnesse of God. in the humane nature and performed by it, yet is most truely, and to us most comfortably called (according to that kinde of phrase which is termed foreign, the communication of properties) the righteousnesse of God, because it is the righteousnesse of that Person, which is God; who, though a branch of David according to the flesh, is Iehovah our righteousnesse, Ier. 23. 6. God above all blessed for evermore, Rom. 9. 5.Ier. 23. 6. Rom. 9. 5. Act. 3. 15. In this sense the Iewes are said to have killed the Author of life, Act. 3. 15. and to have crucified the Lord of Glory, 1 Cor. 2. 8. For as the blessed VirginkLuk. 1. 43. is said to be foreign, the Mother of God, because she is the Mother1 Cor. 2. 8. of that Person who is God: so the righteousnesse of our Mediator, who is both God and man, is called the righteousnesse of God; because it is the righteousnesse of that Person, who is perfect God. Thus that blood, by which wee are redeemed, is called the blood ofAct. 2…. 28. 1 Ioh. 1. 7. 3. 16. God, Act. 20. 28. or, which is all one, the blood of the Sonne of God, 1 Ioh. 1. 7. The life which was laid downe for us, was the life of God, 1 Ioh. 3. 16. the death by which wee are reconciled to God, is the deathRom. 5. 10. of his Sonne, Rom. 5. 10. the obedience by which wee are constituted just, Rom. 5. 19. is the obedience of the same Sonne of God; who beingRom. 5. 19. God coequall with his Father, humbled himselfe and became obedient to his Father even unto death, Phil. 2. 6, 8. and being the SonnePhil. 2. 6, 8. of God, was made subject to the Law, that hee might redeeme those that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sonnes, Gal. 4. 4. 5.Gal. 4. 4, 5.
§ VI. This doctrine of the Gospell, that the righteousnesse, byThe consort arising from this doctrine. which we are justified, is the righteousnesse of God, is the chiefe stay of our faith, and the principall foundation of our comfort. For hereby wee understand, his sufferings to bee an all-sufficient satisfaction to redeeme us from hell, and his obedience of all-sufficient merit to entitle us unto the kingdome of heaven. And that wee might know undoubtedly, that his sufferings were the sufferings of God, and his obedience the obedience of God, that is, of him that is God; therefore by his divine Spirit, by which hee had offered himselfe to God, *Heb. 9. 14.he raised himselfe from death to life, and to l1 Pet. 1. 21.glory; by which his resurrection, hee was mightily declared to be the Sonne mRom. 1. 4.of God, that our faith and hope might bee in God. For had not Christ risen from the dead, it had beene a plaine evidence of his not being God; and then our faith n1 Cor. 15 14. 17.were va…ne, and we should yet remaine in our sinnes. But seeing Iesus Christ, who is of God made unto us o1 Cor. 1. 30.righteousnesse, is God, even pIer. 23. 6.Iehovah our righteousnesse, hence wee learne, that the righteousnesse, by which we are justified, is the righteousnesse of God; and consequently of infinite price and merit. For although the Godhead of Christ neither obeyed, nor suffered any thing for us: yet seeing the person, which obeyed and suffered, was and is not onelyonly man, but also God: therefore the Godhead affordeth such d…gnity, vertue, efficacy and merit to the obedience and sufferings of his Manhood; as that his sufferings are an allsufficient price of ransome, and satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world, as being the sufferings of God, and therefore of infinite value: and his holinesse and obedience being the righteousnesse of God, and therefore of infinite merit, and farre surpassing the righteousnesse of all men and Angels; maketh all those, to whom it is imputed, most perfectly righteous before God in Christ. Wherefore they who are clothed with this royall robe of Christs righteousnesse (as all the faithfull are) may with boldnesse appeare before the judgement seat of God, because they stand just before him, not in their owne righteousnesse, which is unperfect; but in the most perfect righteousnesse of Christ, against which no just exception can be taken. After this righteousnesse therefore of Christ wee ought to hunger qMatth. 5. 6.and thirst; after this righteousnesse of God rMatth. 6. 33.wee ought principally to seeke▪ to obtaine this most precious sMatth. 13. 46.pe…rle, we are to forgoe all that we have, esteemimg our owne righteousnesse (in the question of justification, if it should be obtruded as the matter thereof) and whatsoever else of ours might seeme to bee an advantage unto us, or praise-worthy among men, as polluted tEsay 64. 6.clouts, as uPhil. 3. 7, 8. 9.dung, and the opinion of our owne worthinesse and righteousnesse as uPhil. 3. 7, 8. 9.losse, so we may obtaine that pearle; and that wee gaining Christ may bee found in him, not as having our owne righteousnesse, which is that which is prescribed in the …aw, but that which is by the faith of Christ, the righteousnesse which is of God by faith, that is the righteousnesse of Christ which is imputed of God, being apprehended by faith. Now that this righteousnesse of God is the matter of our justification before God, and not any righteousnesse inher…nt in us, or performed by us, I shall prove at large in my fourth and seventh Bookes. Here onelyonly I alleage the plaine testimonies of the holy Ghost,1 Cor. 1. 30. that Christ is made unto us of God our righteousnesse, 1 Cor. 1. 30 that hee is *Ier. 23. 26.Iehovah our righteousnesse, and that by his blood wee are justified and absolved from our sinnes, Rom 5. 9. and by his obedience,Rom. 5. 9. 19. opposite to Adams disobedience, wee are made or constituted just, Rom. 5. 19.
§ VII. The formall cause of justification is the imputation of Christs The formall cause. Imputation of Christs righteousnesse.righteousnesse, because by imputing it the Lord doth justifie; which … expressed in the definition. And this necessarily followeth upon that which hath beene said of the matter. For it cannot bee imagined how we should be justified by that righteousnesse of Christ, which is out of us in him, otherwise than by imputation. For even as wee were made sinners by Adams personall *Rom. 5. 19.disob…dience; so wee a…e made righteous by the obedience of Ch…ist. But how could we either be made sinners by Adams disobedience, or justified by the obedience of Christ, whether active or passive, unlesse they were communicated unto us. How could they possibly bee communicated unto us, being both transient, and having now no being? For true is that saying of a learned Philosopher, x…ul. Scaliger. de su…til.Motus non est nisi dum fit; postquam factus est, non est: A motion (whether it be action or passion) hath no bei…g, but whiles it is in doing or suffering; after it is done, it hath no being. Adams tranl gression was transient, and is past and gone so many thousand yeeres past: the active obedience of Christ was transient, and so was his passive obedience, which had a being in rerum natura, no longer than they were in doing and in sus…ring. How then can either Adams disobedience, or Christs obedience be communicated unto us? I answer, in respect of both, as Bellarmine yDe amiss gratia & statu pecc. lib. 5. cap. 17. § Itaque.answereth in respect of the former. Communicatur eo modo, quo communicari potest, id quod trans…it, nimirum per imputationem: It is communicated after that manner, whereby that may be communicated which is transient and gone, to wit, by imputation.
§. VIII. The same Bellarmine zDe Justif. l. 2. sect. cap 7. sect. Quarto &c. 10. sect. Deinde.with other Papists doth confesse, that the satisfaction of Christ is imputed unto us; but the imputation of his righteousnesse they deny, when as indeed the imputation of Christs …atisfaction, is the imputation of his righteousnesse, for what is Christs satisfaction but that whereby hee …ully satisfied the Law, and consequently the justice of God for us, which he did both in respect of the penalty, which he fully satisfied by aEsai. 53. 11.bearing our iniquities; and also of the commandements, by fulfilling them: the former, is the obedience of the crosse, or his passive righteousnesse; the latter, is his conformity to the Law, which is both his habituall and actuall righteousnesse. By the former, he freeth us from hell▪ by the latter, he doth entitle us to the kingdome of heaven. But the meaning of the Papists is, that Christ by his satisfaction doth free us from hell; but as for heaven, we must attaine to it by our owne merits, as if there needed not so great a price to purchase heaven, as to redeeme from hell. But it is certaine, that there is required as infinite merit to purchase heaven, as there is required infinite satisfaction to redeeme from hell. In respect of both God accepteth of no righteousnesse to our justification, that is, either to free us from hell, or to entitle us unto the Kingdome of Heaven, but that which is of infinite value; because the offence of sinne, for which satisfaction is to be made, is infinite, and because the reward which is to be merited, is of infinite worth. But, that righteousnesse may bee of infinite value, it is not necessary, as Bellarmine bDe justificat. lib. 2. cap. 5. in fine.himselfe teacheth, that it should be infinite in it selfe; but it is sufficient, that it bee the righteousnesse of an infinite person. And such is the righteousnesse of Christ, as being the righteousnesse of him, that is, God; such is not the righteousnesse of any meere creature: which is an invincible argument, as hereafter shall bee shewed, to prove that wee are justified not by any righteousnesse in our selves, but onelyonly by imputation of Christs righteousnesse.
§. IX. And yet this imputation of Christs righteousnesse (withoutImputation of Christs righteousnesse denied not onelyonly by Papists, but also by some others. which there can be no salvation) is denied, not onelyonly by the Papists, but by some others hereafter to be mentioned in the fifth chapter of this booke; who seeme to have beene drawne to this opinion by this argument of the Papists; which I will therefore in this place answer, for their satisfaction. If (say they) Christs righteousnesse and merits, wherebyThe reason of their denia… confuted. hee redeemeth and saveth men should bee imputed unto us, then should we thereby become Saviours and redeemers of others: but this latter is false; therefore the former. Answere: I deny the consequence of the proposition; for first, when we say, that we are justified by imputation of Christs righteousnesse, our meaning is this, that the Lord accepteth for us, and in our behalfe, the obedience and m…rits of Christ, as if we had performed the same for our selves in our owne persons. For as the merit of Christ is the common price of redemption sufficient for the salvation of all universally, so it is the price for every particular; and so is applyed to every particular, not as the common price redeeming all, but as the price of those soules in particular, to whom it is particularly applyed. Secondly, the efficacie, or effect of imputation dependeth upon the will of the imputer, and therefore the force of it cannot be extended further than he extendeth it; which is the justification of the parties to whom it is imputed, but no further. Thirdly, the consequence of the proposition doth no more follow, than if I should argue thus: If by imputation of Adams transgression others are made guilty of sinne and damnation, then they to whom Adams transgression is imputed are made the cause and fountaine of sinne and damnation in all others; but of the first and second Adam we should conceive, not as of private men; but the first Adam is to be considered, as the root of mankind, in whom when he fell, all sinned. The second, as the head of all that shall be sa…ed, in whom, as the head communicating his merits to his members, all the faithfull have (as his members) fulfilled the Law, and satisfied the justice of God for themselves. The head and the body, saith cSum. 3. p. q. 48. art. 2. & q 49. ar̄t. 1. Caput & membrum sunt quasi una perso na mystica: & ideo satisfactio Christi ad omnes fideles pertinet, sicut ad …ua membra.Thomas Aquinas, are as it were one mysticall person, and therefore the satisfaction of Christ belongeth to all the faithfull, as to his members: the Lord accepting in their behalfe the obedience and Merits of Christ, as if they had performed the same in their owne persons, not for others, but for themselves. And therefore by imputation of Christs righteousnesse they are not redeemers, but redeemed. For though Christ, who is the Saviour of his body, communicate to his members his obedience, yet not his Headship, nor his Mediatorship, in respect whereof hee was and is both God and man. Man, to doe and suffer: God, to give infinite value and worth to that which his Person did or suffered, for the justification and salvation of all those to whom his righteousnesse should bee communicated and imputed; but not to make them redeemers and Saviours of others. The righteousnesse of the head is of sufficient vertue to justifie and redeeme all the members to whom it is imputed; but being imputed, the merit thereof extendeth no further, than to what end it is imputed; that is, to save the member, not to make it a Saviour, nor to confound the members with the head, nor to take away the proportion, that is and ought bee betweene the head and the members. Fourthly, to the Papists, who confesse Christs satisfaction to be imputed unto us, I returne the like argument. If Christs satisfaction, whereby he redeemed mankind bee imputed unto us, then are we also redeemers of mankind: But they will not, not cannot inferre, that therefore we are redeemers, but that wee among others are redeemed.
§. X. But that we are justified onelyonly by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse, I shall by the helpe of God, fully prove hereafter in my whole fifth booke. Here onelyonly for a tast, I will but point at two argumenss,Rom. 4. 5. 6. 11. the former out of Rom. 4. 5. 6. 11. the basis or ground whereof is this, that whom the Lord justifieth, to them he imputeth righteousnesse. Now this righteousnesse is either the parties owne, or of another. Not their owne, for they are sinners, and being sinners they cannot bee justified by righteousnesse inherent, but righteousnesse is imputed to them without workes, that is, without respect of any obedience performed by themselves. Therefore it is the righteousnesse of another: That other is no other, nor can be any other, but Christ onelyonly; therefore by imputation of his righteousnesse we are justified. The second shall bee out of 2 Cor. 5. 21. As Christ was made sinne for us, so are wee made2 Cor. 5. 21. the righteousnesse of God in him. By imputation of our sinne to him, Christ, who knew no sinne, was made sinne, and a sinner for us; therefore by imputation of his righteousnesse, which here is called the righteousnesse of God, we who are sinners in our selves are made righteous, not in our selves, but in him.