A Treatise of Justification, Book 2 · Chapter 3
CAP. III. The allegations of the Papists concerning the word justification: the two first significations thereof assigned by Bellarmine.
§. I.
HAving thus explained the true sense and meaning ofBellarmine relateth foure significations of the word justification. these words, which in the holy Scriptures are used to signifie justification: let us now examine the allegations of the Papists concerning the same. Bellarmine therefore saith aDe justif. l. 1. cap. 1.that the word justification (meaning the Latine word) is used foure wayes in the holy Scriptures, meaning the vulgar Latine edition, when as indeed neither the Latine edition it selfe, nor the Latine word is in this question further to bee respected, than as it is a true translation of the Hebrew in the Old Testament, and of the Greeke in the New. First, saith he, it is takenFirst, that it signifieth the Law. Psal 119. 8. 12. for the Law which teacheth righteousnesse, and so is used, Psal. 119. 8. I will keepe thy justifications: and vers. 12. teach me thy justifications, &c. This Bellarmine barely expoundeth, without any further enforcing: but Gregory Martin bDiscovery of translations, cap. 1. § 50. and cap. 8., and our Rhemists cIn Luk. 1. 6. and in Apoc. 19. 8.urge it as a principall argument: that the precepts of the Law are therefore called justifications, because the observation of them doth justifie us, and therefore exclaime against us, that in our translations, wee, in stead of justifications, doe read statutes or ordinances. As though in translating the holy Scriptures we did professe to translate the Latine edition, and not the Original Text. Now the word, which in the old Testament is by the vulgar Latine interpreted justificationes, and by the 72. foreign, is Chuqqim▪ which when it is used alone, signifieth undefinitely any of the precepts, statutes or commandements of God: but being used with other words of the like signification, from which it is distinguish'd, signifieth the statutes and ordinances of the Ceremoniall Law: insomuch that the vulgar Latine in many places, even where the Greek hath foreign, rendreth Ceremonias, a as I shewed before dCap. 2. sect. 5.; which though the Latines sometimes call justificationes, yet by the confession of the Papists themselves do not justifie. And the like is to be said of Luk. 1. 6. where Zachary and Elizabeth Luk. 1. 6.are said to have walked in all the Commandements and justifications of the Lord: where the Greeke word is foreign, which is the translation of Chuqqim, and signifieth the statutes of the ceremoniall Law, as being distinguished from the Commandements of the morall Law; but of the Greeke word I have spoken sufficiently before, Chap. 2. §. 5. If therefore the force of the Latine word justificationes bee urged, I answer, that the observation of the morall Law can justifie no man that is a sinner, and much lesse the observation of the ceremoniall. And the conclusion, which they inferre from the force of the word, that the precepts of the Law are called justifications, because by the observation of them men are justified, is directly contrary to that of the eRom 3. 28. Gal. 2. 16. 3▪ 11.Apostle, that by the workes of the Law no man living is, or can be justified.
§ II. But if they bee justifications, whose are they? For so theyTheir Argument retorted. argue: If good workes, say they, bee the justifications of the Saints, then they justifie the Saints. So may I say, if the precepts of the Law be the justifications of the Lord, then belike they justifie him, but neither are fitly called justifications; (though the Greeke word foreign, may not unfitly be given both to the Law of God, as the rule of justice, and to the judgements of God, as the acts of justice, and to the good deeds of the Saints as workes of justice; and also to the merits of Christ, fRom. 5. 18. Apoc. 19. 8.which notwithstanding doe not justifie him, but us) unlesse they meane, that as by good workes the faithfull, so by righteous commandements and just judgements God is declared and manifested to bee just. And farther, the law of Nature knowne to the Gentiles, is called gRom. 1. 32.foreign, which notwithstanding doth not justifie either him or them, and is by the Latine interpreter unfitly translated, the justice of God. And moreover Bellarmine himselfe, as we have heard, noteth that the Law is called justification, because it teacheth righteousnesse, and yet not that righteousnesse by which we are justified; for that without the Law hRom. 3. …1.is manifested in the Gospell, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets; even the righteousnesse of God which is by faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that beleeve. But to conclude; Bellarmine had no reason to make this the first signification of the word in the Scriptures, for the Hebrew word, which the vulgar Latine translateth sometimes iustificationes, and sometimes ceremonias in the same sense, doth signifie no such matter: and the Greeke, which twice *Rom. 5. 18.at the most in the Scriptures signifieth justification, doth usually signifie theApoc. 19. 8. fortè. Law of God, and his statutes and ordinances, but more especially those of the ceremoniall Law, which if they be any where called justifications, it is to bee imputed to the corrupt translation; and not to the originall truth.
§ III. So much of the first signification. The two next, whereofThe second and third signification. there is no example in the Scriptures, hee hath coined to fit their newfound distinction of justification it selfe, which they distinguish into the first and the second. The first, when a man of a sinner, is made just by infusion of habituall righteousnesse. The second, when a just man is made more just by practise of good workes. Accordingly justification, saith Bellarmine, in the second place signifieth acquisition of righteousnesse, viz. inherent, which is their first justification; and in the third place incrementum justitiae, the encrease of justice, which is their second justification: which distinction, if it were applied to sanctification, were not to be rejected. For that, which they call their first justification, is the first act of our sanctification, which the Scriptures call …eration: in which the holy Ghost doth ingenerate in the soule of the Elect the grace of faith, and with it, and by it, other sanctifying graces, wherein their justification, which is habituall, consisteth. And that which they call their second justification being actuall, is our new obedience, by which our sanctification is continued and encreased. But to justification it cannot truly be applyed; for first, justification is an action of God, for it is God that doth justifie. Their second justification is their owne act, whereby they being just already make themselves more just. Secondly, justification, as hath been said, is an action of God withoutLib. 1. Cap. 1. us, not implying a reall mutation in us, but relative, such as is wrought by the sentence of a Iudge, and is opposed to condemnation. Thirdly, because it is the righteousnesse of Christ by which wee are justified, which is a perfect righteousnesse, whereunto nothing can bee added. Therefore of justification it selfe there are no degrees, though of the assurance thereof there are degrees according to the measure of our faith.
§ IV. But let us see how Bellarmine proveth his second signification.The second signification proved by three testimonies. The first, 1 Cor. 6. 11. To that purpose he alledgeth three testimonies of Scripture, which prove nothing else but that the Papists have no sound proofe for their erronious conceit. The first is taken out of 1 Cor. 6. 11. And such were you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified. Where indeed the word is used, but in a sense distinguished from sanctification. The scope and intendment, the Apostle is to exhort the Corinthians, being now Christians, to abstaine from those sinnes whereunto they were addicted, whiles they lived in Gentilisme. Such you were then, saith the Apostle, but now since you gave your names to Christ, you were baptized into his Name, and in your Baptisme were washed from those sinnes, being sanctified from the corruption of them by the Spirit of God, and iustified from the guilt of them in the Name of Iesus Christ, that is, by faith in his Name. Thus therefore these three words are to bee distinguished. The washing of the soule, which is represented by the washing of the body, is the generall word whereby the purging of the soule from sinne is generally signified, Act. 22. 16. But as in sinne there are two things from which we had need to be purged, that is, the guilt of sinne, and the corruption thereof: so this ablution or washing of the soule hath two parts, ablution from the guilt of sinne, which is our justification; ablution from the corruption of sinne, which is our sanctification. Both which are represented and sealed in the Sacrament of Baptisme, wherein, as the outward washing of the body doth represent the inward washing of the soule, both from the guilt and corruption of sinne: so the Element of water, whereby the body is washed or sprinckled, is a signe of the water and blood which issued out of Christs side, whereby the soule is washed; that is to say, the blood of redemption, and the water of sanctification: for by the blood, that is, the merits of Christ, wee are freed from the guilt of sinne; and by the water, that is, the Spirit of sanctification, wee are freed in some measure from the corruption. And both these, as I said, are signified in Baptisme. For wee are baptized into the remission of sinnes, Act. 2. 38. Mar. 1. 4.Act 2. 38. Mark. 1. 4. Our soules being washed with the blood of Christ, according to that in the Nicene Creed, I beleeve one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes: and wee are baptized unto the mortification of sinne, and rising unto holinesse of life, Rom. 6. 3, 4. our soules being washed by the water of theRom. 6. 3, 4. holy Ghost. For wee are baptized into the death of Christ and similitude of his resurrection; that as Christ dyed and rose againe, so wee that are baptized should dye unto sinne, and rise to newnesse of life: for which cause Baptisme also is called the Laver of regeneration, Tit. Tit. 3. 5.3. 5. This then is the summe and effect of the Apostles exhortation: that seeing they having given their names unto Christ, had been baptized into his Name, and were therefore Sacramentally at the least washed, and consequently both in their owne profession and opinion of others, judging according to charity, sanctified from the corruption of sinne, and justified from the guilt of the same: therefore they should take heed, lest they should againe bee polluted with those sinnes from which they were sanctified; or made guilty of those crimes, from which they were justified.
§ V. His second testimony is Rom. 8. 30. Whom he hath called, them Bellarmines second testimony.hee hath justified. Answ. The Context doth shew, that the word in the 30. verse is used in the same sense as verse 33. For having shewed,Rom. 8 30. verse 33. that whom the Lord calleth, hee doth justifie, and whom he doth justifie, them also hee doth glorifie: from thence hee inferreth this consolation, who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that justifieth, as was said, verse 30. who shall condemne, &c. Where justifying most plainely is used, as a judiciall word, signifying by sentence to justifie (as Chrysostome and O…cumenius on this place doe note) as opposed to accusing and condemning, and cannot with any shew of reason be drawne to signifie contrary to the perpetuall use of the word, infusion of righteousnesse. But heere it may bee objected, that in this place, where the Apostle setteth downe the degrees of salvation, sanctification is either included in justification, or left our. Answ. It is left out: for the Apostle setting downe the chaine of the causes of salvation, in the degrees whereof every former being the cause of the latter, left out sanctification, as being no cause of salvation, but the way unto it, and the cognizance of them that are saved. And these degrees are so set downe, Act. 26. 18. where the end of the ministery is expressed: first, Vocation that men should bee called, and thereby brought to beleeve: secondly, Iustification, that by faith they may receive remission of sinnes: thirdly, Glorification, that by faith they may receive the inheritance among them that are sanctified: where sanctification is mentioned onelyonly as the cognizance of them that are saved. Againe, sanctification is left out, because it is included, in respect of the beginning thereof, which is our conversion or regeneration, in vocation: and in respect of the consummation, in glorification: for as sanctification is gloria inchoata, so glorification is gratia consummata.
§. VI. His third testimony is Rom. 4. 5. to him that beleeveth in him His third Testimonie, Rom. 4. 5.who justifieth the ungodly. Ans. he should have done well to have made up the sentence; his faith is imputed for righteousnesse: which place is so farre srom favouring the Popish conceit, that it plainely confutes it: first, it is called the justification of the ungodly, that is, of one who is a sinner in himselfe: for he that is a sinner in himselfe by inherent sinne, and so remaineth, cannot be justified by righteousnesse inherent: secondly, because to him that beleeveth in Christ, faith, relatively understood, that is, the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith, is imputed for righteousnesse: thirdly, because in this place justification is expressed by these termes, not imputing sinne, remitting or covering of sinne, imputing righteousnesse without workes, imputing faith for righteousnesse to him that worketh not, (that is, that seeketh not to bee justified by his owne righteousnesse) but beleeveth in him that justifieth a sinner.