A Treatise of Justification, Book 2 · Chapter 2
CAP. II. The use of the Greeke Words signifying to justifie, or justification, never importing inherent justice.
§. I.
THE Greeke words, which signifie to justifie and to beThe Greeke words, first, foreign. justified, are foreign, and foreign; from whence are derived, foreign, which signifieth justification, and foreign, which sometimes also signifieth justification. And of these I am now to speake. foreign and foreign are not in use among the authors of the Greeke tongue, in the sense of justifying or making just. foreign, saith Suidas, foreign, it signifieth two things; to punish (as being derived from foreign, which sometimes signifieth punishment) and to thinke right or meet: sometimes, both foreign and foreign doe signifie to condemne, in the contrary sense to the sacred use of the words: sometimes foreign signifieth onelyonly to thinke, to judge or suppose, and foreign sometime to bee righted in judgement. From prophane authors therefore wee are not to setch the true meaning of the words, but from the Septuagints, who translating the Hebrew Text of the old Testament, doe render the Hebrew words, which I spake of, importing justification, by these Greeke words foreign and foreign. And from them not only the sonne of Sirach, and other Ecclesiasticall authors writing in Greeke, but also the holy Apostles and Evangelists have received the same. And therefore these words are no otherwise to be understood, than as the translations of the said Hebrew words, signifying no other thing, than what the Hebrew words import: which (as I have shewed) doe never signifie to make or to be made righteous by inherent righteousnesse.
§. II. foreign is used by the Apostle and by the Evangelist Luke, foreignsometimes as the translation of Tsiddiq in Piel, as Luk. 7. 29. the peopleLuk. 7. 29. Luk. 10 29.and Publicans foreign, justified God. The Lawyer, Luk. 10. 29.Luk. 16. 15. willing to justifie himselfe. The Pharisies, Luk. 16. 15. justified themselves before men. And so is the word used sometimes by the sonne of Sirach, as Ecclus. 10. 29. who will justifie him that sinneth against hisEcclus. 10. 32. 13. 26. owne soule? Cap. 13. 26. alias 22. A rich man speaketh things not to be spoken, and yet men justifie him. Sometimes the Apostle useth the word foreign as the translation of Hitsdiq, as alwaies he doth in the question of justification, and alwayes as the action of God: as Rom. 3. 26.Rom. 3. 26. 24 28. 30. who justifieth him that beleeveth in Iesus; how? vers. 24. gratis, without any cause or desert of justification in the party, without workes, that is, without respect of any righteousnesse inherent in him, or performed by him, vers. 28. who justifieth the Circumcision and uncircumcision, that is, both Iewes and Gentiles, not of workes or by inherent justice, but by and through faith, vers. 30. who justifieth the ungodly, that is,Rom. 4. 5, 6. the beleeving sinner, that worketh not, Rom. 4. 5. and therefore not by inherent righteousnesse: how then? by imputing righteousnesse without workes, vers. 6. who Rom. 8. 30. whom he calleth he justifieth, namelyRom. 8. 30, 33. by faith, and whom he justifieth hee also glorifieth, using the word in the same sense, vers. 33. who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? it is God that justifieth, who shall condemne? where most manifestly the word is used as a judiciall word, opposed to accusing and condemning. Neither can any colour of reason be alleaged why the word in these places should signifie contrary to the perpetuall use both of it selfe, and of the H…brew word, whereof it is a translation, to make righteous by righteousnesse inherent.
§. III. foreign is used sometimes as the translation not of the passiveforeign. verbe, but as of the Neuter in Cal, as I have shewed before out of the Greeke translation of the …. So Ecclus. 7. 5. bee not just before God, not wise before the king; or as it is usually translated, doeEcclus. 7. 5. not justifie thy selfe before God. So also in the new Testament. Rom. 3. 4. cited out of Psalm. 51. 6. where the Hebrew word is not a passive,Rom. 3 4. but a neuter. And so Apoc. 22. 11. foreign let him that isApoc. 22. 11. just, be just still. As the translation of the passive it is often used. But as it never signifieth to be made just by inherent justice (as I will shew, when I come to answere the objections of the Papists:) so it alwayes signifieth, either to be declared or pronounced just, or to bee absolved and made jus… by imputation. In the former sense, wisedome is said to bee justified of her Children: aMatth. 11. 19. Luk. 7. 37. Luk. 7. 29.Luk. 7. 37. who, vers. 29. justified God. Christ, who is God, was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, 1 Tim. 3. 16. Thus by our words we shall bee justi…ed, not made1 Tim. 3. 16. just formally or by inherent righteousnesse, but in the sense opposed to condemnation. For as by thy words thou shalt bee justified, so by thy words thou shalt be condemned, Matth. 12. 37. Thus not the hearersMatth. 12. 37 alone, but the doers of the Law shall bee justified, that is, pronounced just, Rom. 2. 13. and in this sense the faithfull are justified by workes, that is, declared, approved, and knowne to bee just. Iames 2. 21, 23. 24,Jam. 2. 21, 23. 24, 25. 25. cum Genes. 22. 12. …n the latter sense, Ecclesiast. 1. 28. alias 22. the famous man, Chap. 31. 5. The lover of Gold, Chap. 23. 14. alias 11.Eccles. 1. 28 31. 5. 23. 14. The rash swearer shall not bee justified, that is, as it is in the Commination of the third Commandement, shall not bee held guitlesse; but most plainely, Chap. 26. the last verse, the huckster shall not bee justifiedEccles 26. ver…. uit. from sinne, that is, not absolved from sinne nor accepted as righteous. So Act. 13. 38, 39. where most plainely, to be …ustified from sinne,Act. 13. 38, 39. doth signifie to be absolved or freed from the guilt of sinne, and is used promiscuously with remission of sinne. And this sense o… freedome from the guilt, is …ometimes extended to signifie a totall freedome, as Rom. Rom. 6. 7.6. 7. He that is dead is justified (that i…, as Chrysostome and O…umenius expound it, foreign is freed) from sinne. As these places are plainely repugnant to the Popish sense: so none of the rest, where foreign is used, doth favour it. For either they import remission of sinnes, and acceptation as righteo…s, as Luk. 18. 14. The Publican who hadLuk 18. 14. humbled himselfe and craved pardon, went home justified, that is, obtained pardon, and was accepted as righteous, rather than the Pharisee, who had justified himselfe: or distinguish betweene justification and sanctification, as 1 Cor. 6. 11. or exclude justification by inherent1 Cor. 6. 11. righteousnesse, as Rom. 3. 20. Rom. 4. 2. 1 Cor. 4. 4. Gal. 5. 4. Or imply imputation,Rom 3 20. Rom. 4 2. 1 Cor. 4. 4. G…l. …. 4. as where we are said to be justified either by his blood, as Rom. 5. 9. Or by faith, as Rom. 5. 1. Gal. 3. 24. Or by grace, as Ti…. 3. 7 Or both exclude the one and imply the other, as Rom. 3. 24. 28. Gal. 2. 16,R…m. 5. 9. Gal 3. 24. Tit. 3. 7. Rom. 3 24, 28. Gal. 2. 16. 17. 3. 11. 17. 3. 11.
§ IV. There remaine these two words, which I mentioned before, foreign, and foreign is used onelyonly in two plac…s, Rom. 4. 25. & 5. 18. In the former it is said, that Christ was delivered (to death) forforeign our sinnes, and was raised againe for our justific…tion, to whom, as it isRom. 4. 25. 5. 18. in the precedent verse, righteousnesse shall bee imputed, if wee beleeve on him that raised up Iesus our Lord from the dead: for as our Saviour by his death, and obedience unt…ll death merited for us remission of sinnes, and the right to eternall life; so by the acts of Christ restored to life, as namely by his resurrection, his merits are effectually applied and imputed to our justification. For if Christ had not risen againe, wee had beene still in our sinnes, 1 Cor. 15. 17. In the latter place, justification is in direct termes opposed to condemnation. For as by the offence or transgression of one, viz. the first Adam, foreign the guilt (which is to be supplied out of the sixteenth verse) came upon all1 Cor. 15. 17. Rom. 5. 18. men, the offspring of the first Adam, foreign, unto condemnation: so by the foreign of one, whereby hee fulfilled the Law, viz. the second Adam, the foreign, or free gift opposite to the guilt of damnation, which is our title and right to the kingdome of heaven, commeth to all men (that belong to the second Adam) unto justification of life.
§ V. The word foreign is divers…y used, both in thecforeign in the purall number. plurall number, and in the singular. In the plurall, it hath three significations; for first, it signifieth Iura, the Lawes or Commandements of God, either in generall and indefinitely, as namely where no other word of the like signi…cationPsalm. 119. 8. 12. Rom. 2. 26. is joyned with it, as Psalm. 119. 8, 12. Rom. 2. 26. Or more particularly the precepts of the ceremoniall Law. And this sense is most usuall, when it is joyned with words signifying other lawesdLuk 1. 6. or precepts. For the whole Law, which is called mishmereth eGen. 26. 5. Za…h. 3. 7.Iehovah, the observation of the Lord, that is, all that the Lord requireth to bee observed, is often distinguished into three parts:f…eut. 5 3…. 6. 1. Deut 8. 11. 11. 1. 1 King. 2. 3. 8. 58. Nehem. 1. 7. Mitsvoth, whi…h the Septuagint translate foreign, the Commandements of the morall Law: Mishpatim, which they translate foreign or foreign, the precepts of the judiciall Law: Chuqqim, which they translate sometimes foreign, and sometimes foreign, the statutes and ordinances of the Ceremoniall Law. Insomuch that the vulgar Latine for Chuqqim, rendreth many times, even where the 72. have foreign, ceremonias, as Gen. 26. 5. Deut. 4. 8,Gen. 26. 5. Deut. 4. 8. Rom. 9. 4, Heb. 9. 1. 10. 14, 45. 5. 1, 31. 6. 1. 17. 8. 11. 10. 13. 11. 1. &c. The Apostle Rom. 9. 4. calleth the Morall Law foreign, the Iudiciall foreign, the Ceremoniall foreign, and accordingly the precepts of the Ceremoniall Law are called Heb. 9. 1. foreign, The ordinances of divine service, and because they were but externall observations, vers. 10. foreign, carnall ordinances. Secondly, it signifieth the judgements of God,Apoc. 15. 4. Apoc. 15. 4. which by the vulgar Latine and others is translated Iudicia. And as foreign sometimes signifieth the just workes of God which are the acts of his justice, so in the last place some expound foreign, Apoc. 19. 8. to bee the just workes of the Saints; and as the author of the Homilies in Saint Augustine, justa facta, or justè facta; as the Greeke writers sometimes use the word; which the Papists will needs translate justifications, meaning thereby just workes, and hoping thereby to prove that men are justified by them: which we deny not in that sense wherein Saint Iames saith we are justified, that is, declared, and knowne to bee just by them. But if justifications bee the true translation of foreign, in that place, then we are thereby to understand the merits of Christ, by which the Saints are justified; which are more fitly resembled by a garment, than either inherent righteousnesse or righteousApoc. 19. 8. Matth. 22. 11, 12. workes. And is indeed called Matth. 22. 11, 12. the wedding garment, which garment is put on by a true faith, by which the faithfull, as they are exhorted, Rom. 13. 14. put on Christ. Whereof Baptisme is a seale, Gal. 5. 27. And this is that white garment, which is to bee had fromGal 5. 27. Apoc. 3. 18. Apoc. 3. 4. 6. 11. 7. 9. Christ to cover our nakednesse, Apoc. 3. 18. Sometimes indeed the white robes doe signifie the glorious and happy estate promised to the faithfull, as Apoc. 3. 4. 6. 11. 7. 9. which is purchased by the merits of Christ, for which cause their robes are said to bee made white in the blood of the Lambe. But here the holy Ghost expoundeth the fine linnen, wherewith the Saints are arrayed, to bee the justifications of the Saints; which, as I said, are the merits and obedience of Christ put on by a true faith: which being without us, as garments use to be, and yet being applyed unto us and put on by faith, doe cover our nakednesse, and therefore are more fitly resembled by fine linnen pure and shining, than our owne righteousnesse; which neither is without us, as a garment, nor yet pure, but Christs righteousnesse imputed is both as a garment pure and perfect in it selfe, and shineth forth by the light of good works, Mat. 5. 16.Matth. 5. 16.
§. VI. foreign is a verball derived from foreign, either as foreign signifiethforeign in the singular number. Ps…. 19. 10. to be just, in which sense the precepts of God are said to bee foreign, Psalm. 19. 10. or as it signifieth to be justified. In the former sense foreign signifieth that which is just, either as the Law of God prescribing righteousnesse, (so the Law of nature written in the heartsRom. 1. 32. of men is called foreign. Rom. 1. 32.) or as the whole righteousnesseRom. 5. 18. which in the Law is prescribed, and so it is used, Rom. 5. 18. For as by the transgression of one, (viz. the first Adam) whereby the whole Law was violated, guilt came upon all men (that were in him) unto condemnation: so by the foreign of one, the second Adam, whereby he fulfilled the whole Law, the free gift, which is our right and title to heaven came upon all men (who are in him) unto justification of life, and Rom. 8. 4. God sent his Sonne (the Law being impossible to be fulfilledRom. 8. 4. by us) in the likenesse of sinfull flesh, that foreign, all that the Law requireth to justification, might in our nature bee performedRom. 5. 16. and fulfilled. In the latter sense it is once onelyonly used, viz. Rom. 5. 16. in the same signification with foreign, that is, justification, vers. 18. both of them being opposed to condemnation. If therefore the words which the holy Ghost doth use to expresse the benefit of justification, doe never signifie justification by inherent righteousnesse, but the contrary, as hath beene …hewed: then that justification, which the Papists teach, is not that which is taught in the holy Scriptures, but contrary to it.
§. VII. And the same is proved by these two reasons: first, becauseThe first reason that the benefit of iustification is expressed in such terms as doe not imply insusion of iustice but imputation. Rom. 4. 6, 7, 8. the Apostles, when they expresse the benefit of justification in other termes, they doe signifie the same, not by such words as import infusion of righteousnesse; but by such, as plainely signifie, either absolution from sinne, which is the not imputing of sinne, or imputation of righteousnesse, Rom. 4. these phrases are used to signifie one and the same thing: to justifie, to impute righteousnesse without works vers. 6. to remit sin, to cover sins, vers. 7. not …o impute sin, vers. 8. to be justified and to be blessed; and to be blessed is to have their sins remitted or covered, vers. 6. Rom. 5. 9, 10. to bee justified by the blood of Christ, and to be reconciledRom. 5. 9, 10. 2 Cor. 5. 19, 21. unto God by his death all one, 2 Cor. 5. 19. to reconcile us unto himselfe, not imputing our offences unto us, and vers. 21. to make us the righteousnesse of God in Christ, as he was made sinne for us, Act. Act. 26. 18.26. 18. that by faith we may have remission of sinnes, and inheritance, that is, that we may bee heires of the heavenly inheritance among them that are sanctified, Ioh. 3. 18. He that beleeveth in Christ, foreign is not condemned, that is, as Paul speaketh Act. 13. 39. is justified: but heeIoh. 3. 18. Act. 13. 39. that beleeveth not him is condemned already. That, which Paul affirmeth Rom. 3. 21, 22. now without the Law is manifested the righteousnesseRom. 3. 21, 22. of God, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousnesse of God, which is by the faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that belee…e; Saint Peter more plainely expresseth, Act. 10. 43. unto him all the Prophets beare witnesse, that every one, whichAct. 10. 43. beleeveth in him, receiveth remission of sinnes through his name.
§. VIII. Because the whole processe of the justification of a sinnerThe whole processe of justification is judiciall. Rom. 8. 33, 34. is judiciall, Rom. 8. 33 34., For the sinner summoning himselfe before the judgement seat of God, as every one must doe that would bee justified; his owne conscience, being rightly informed by the paedagogie of the Law, accuseth him, the devill pleadeth against him, the Law convicteth him, and maketh him foreign, gRom. 3. 19.subject to the sentence of condemnation, if God should judge him according to his Law. But the sinner being instructed in the Gospell, and the holy Ghost having opened hAct. 16. 14.his heart to beleeve, appealeth from the sentence of the Law to the promise of the Gospell, and from the tribunall of justice to the throne of Grace, humbly intreating the Lord for Christs sake to pardon his sinnes, and to accept of the merits and obedience of Christ, as a full satisfaction for them. Our Saviour sitting at the right hand of his Father maketh intercession iRom. 8. 34. 1 Ioh. 2. 2. Heb. 7. 25. 9. 24., and as an advocate pleadeth for him that forasmuch as he himselfe hath paid the debt, and satisfied Gods justice for the beleeving sinner; therefore the Lord, not onelyonly in mercy, but also in justice is to remit his sinne, and to accept of him in Christ. The Lord, as a gracious and righteous judge imputing to the beleever the merits and righteousnesse of Christ, absolveth him from his sinnes, and accepteth of him as righteous in Christ, that is to say, justifieth him. The beleeving sinner being thus justified in the Court of heaven, is not at the first justified in the Court of his owne conscience, that is to say, is not yet perswaded and assured of his justification; untill the holy Ghost, by the ministery of the Gospell pronouncing remission of sinnes and justification to every one that beleeveth, teacheth him to apply the promises of the Gospell unto himselfe, which he sealeth unto him by the Sacraments. The beleever being thus perswaded, and in some measure assured of his justification, giveth diligence by practising the duties of repentance and sanctification, to confirme and increase that assurance more and more unto the end of his life, labouring by all good meanes to make sure his election, his vocation and his justification: and so proceedeth from faith to faith. The beleever having thus beene justified in this life, both in the court of heaven, and in the court of his owne conscience; after this life, namely at the day of judgement, when our Saviour will judge of mens faiths according to the evidence of their works, shall be justified, that is, pronounced happy and blessed. TheseRom. 2. 13. three degrees of Gods most gracious proceeding with the faithfull, I have set downe, not that there are so many degrees of justification, so properly called. For the first degree onelyonly is that justification, whereof wee treat, which admitteth no degrees. The other are degrees of the declaration thereof; the former, privately to the conscience of the faithfull; the other, publikely to the whole world.