A Treatise of Justification, Book 2 · Chapter 6
CAP. VI. H…w Iustification and Sanctification are to be distinguished.
§. I.
NOw let us consider how they are distinguished.First, by their contraries. And first the difference of them may appeare by their contraries. The contrary to justifying is condemning: the contrary to sanctifying is polluting or defiling with sinne: first therefore the word, which signifieth to condemne, if you respect the force of the word, signifieth to makeaHirshiah. wicked, even as the Verbe which signifieth to justifie doth; if you respect the forcebHitsdiq. of the word, it signifieth to make just: As God therefore, when hee condemneth, is said to make wicked, not by infusion of wickednesse, but by his sentence, pronouncing the party guilty, and deputing him to punishment: so when hee justifieth, he maketh just by his sentence, not by infusion of righteousnesse, quatenus justificat: but by imputation of Christs righteousnesse he absolveth the party from guilt and punishment, and accepteth of him as righteous in Christ, and as an heire of eternall life: secondly, the contrary to sanctifying, which is to make holy, is polluting or defiling with sinne, which is to make unholy and uncleane. What difference therefore is betweene condemning and polluting, the like is betweene justifying and sanctifying. And as condemning and polluting are by no meanes to bee confounded, no more can justifying and sanctifying.
§. II. In justification wee are freed from the guilt of sinne: in sanctification, from the corruption or pollution of sinne. For God is thenSecondly, freedome from Guilt Coruptiō . said to justifie us, when he absolveth us from the guilt of sinne by imputation of Christs righteousnesse: and hee is then said to sanctifie us, when by his Spirit he mortifieth sinne in us, and freeth us in some measure from the corruption thereof.
§. II. Iustification is an action of God without us, as also are redemption, reconciliation, and adoption, which three benefits in substanceThirdly, an action of God without us. within us. differ not from justification, but are all comprehended under it: the second first being the same in effect with the former part of justification, viz. remission of sinnes; and the last being all one with the second part of justification, which is acceptation of the beleever as righteousnesse in Christ, and as an heire of eternall life, as I have shewed heretofore: for then are wee said to have redemption,cEph. 1. 7. when wee have remission of sinnes, then is God said to reconciled2 Cor. 5. 19. us unto himselfe,Col. 1. 14. when hee doth not impute our sinnes unto us: then hee is said to adopt us, when hee acceptetheEphes. 1. 5, 6. Rom. 8. 17. of us in Christ as righteous and as heires of eternall life. None of these actions doth worke a Reall change in the party, but importeth a new relation betweene God and them, as hath beene shewed. But sanctification is an action of Gods Spirit within us, working in us a reall change, by mortification of sinne within us, and infusion of Grace and righteousnesse into us.
§. IV. Of justification the matter is the righteousnesse of Christ,Fourthly, in respect of the matter. which is in him as the subject, but imputed to us: the matter of sanctification is a righteousnesse derived from Christ, but inherent in us. The matter therefore of our justification is perfect, but not inherent, to wit, the most perfect righteousnesse of Christ, which is out of us in him. The matter of our sanctification is inherent, but not perfect, to wit, justitia inchoata, a righteousnesse which is but begun in us, and that new obedience, which though it be sincere and unfained, is with great infirmity performed by us; recta forsan, sed non pura justitia, as Bernard saith.
§. V. Hereupon it followeth, that of justification it selfe, whereby wee are justified before God, there are no degrees; (though óf the assuranceFifthly, degrees of sanctification, but none of justification. thereof there bee, which are the degrees of speciall faith) because to the most perfect righteousnesse of Christ, by which we are even in our first conversion justified, nothing can be added; and therefore, as I have said, the faith of all the faithfull though different in degrees, is foreign, f2 Pet. 1. 1.of equall worth in the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour Iesus Christ: even as the hands of divers men though unequall in strength, yet are of equall efficacie in respect of the almes received thereby. But of sanctification there are degrees according to the measure of grace received.
§. VI. The forme of justification considered as an action of God, is imputation of Christs righteousnesse: of sanctification, the infusionSixthly, in respect of the forme. of righteousnesse. For God by imputation of Christs righteousnesse doth justifie us: and he doth sanctifie by infusion of righteousnesse.
§. VII. The parts of justification, are remission or not imputingSeventhly, in regard of the pa…ts. of sinne unto condemnation, and acceptation as righteous unto life, both wrought by imputation of Christs righteousnesse unto us. The parts of sanctification are mortification, whereby wee dye unto sinne, and vivification whereby wee live unto righteousnesse, rising from the grave of sinne, unto newnesse of life; and is therefore called the first resurrection; both wrought in us by the Spirit of sanctification.
§. VIII. Wee are justified by faith, not as it is a grace or habit inEightly, in respect of faith. us, that is to say, as it is a part of inherent righteousnesse: but as the hand or instrument receiving the righteousnesse of Christ, which is imputed to them that beleeve: but wee are sanctified by faith, as it is a part of that righteousnesse, which is inherent in us. And therefore wee are justified by faith alone, because no other grace doth concurre with it to the act of justification, none of them serving to receive the righteousnesse of Christ, but faith onelyonly: but we are not sanctified by faith alone, because with it concurre not onelyonly all other inward graces, but also our outward obedience.
§. IX. The righteousnesse, by which wee are justified, is not prescribed in the Law, but withoutgRom. 3. 31. the Law is revealed in the Gospell,Ninthly, in respect of the Law. the righteousnesse of God, that is to say, of Christ, who is God, apprehended by faith. For the Law to justification requireth perfect and perpetuall obedience to bee performed by him in his owne person, that should bee justified thereby; which fince the fall of Adam hath beene, and is by reason of the flesh impossible to all men, who are descended from Adam by ordinary generation. But the Gospell assureth justification without respect of workes to all that truely beleeve in Christ, teaching that wee are justified by faith, that is, by the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith, without the workes of the Law, that is, without respect of any obedience prescribed in the Law and performed by us. But the righteousnesse, by which wee are sanctified, is prescribed in the Law, which is a most perfect rule of all righteousnesse inherent.
§. X. Unto the act of justification our owne righteousnesse and obedience doe not concurre as any cause thereof, but follow in the subject,Tenthly works in the question of justification, of no value, sanctification, of great worth. that is, the party justified, as necessary fruits of our redemption and justification. Yea, in the question of justification, wherein is considered, what that is by which wee are justified and saved in hope; our owne righteousnesse and obedience, if it should bee obtruded as the matter of our justification, is to be esteemed ashPhil. 3. 8. dung, that we may bee found in Christ, not having our owne righteousnesse, which is prescribed in the Law; but that, which is through the faith of Christ. But in the question of sanctification, that righteousnesse, which is inherent in us, and that obedience which is performed by us, is all in all, as being both that habituall and also actuall righteousnesse and holinesse wherein our sanctification doth consist.Eleventhly, by justification entitled, by sanctification fitted for Gods kingdome.
§. XI. By our justification wee areiAct. 26. 18. Tit. 3. 7. entituled to Gods kingdome, that is, saved in hope: by our sanctification we are fitted and prepared for Gods kingdome, into which no uncleanekApoc. 21. 27. thing can enter. Iustification therefore is the right of Gods children to their inheritance. Sanctification is the cognizance and marke of those that shall bee saved, wherefore our Saviour saith, thatlAct. 26. 18. by faith wee have remission of sinnes, and inheritance among them that are sanctified.In the Greeke Text there is a comma after foreign. and therefore the words foreign, are not to be conserved with the Participle foreign, but with the Verbe foreign, thus, that by faith they may receive remission of sinnes, and inheritance among them that are sanctified.
§. XII. The righteousnesse by which we are justified, is the meritorious cause of our salvation. But the righteousnesse by which we are sanctified, is a fruit of our justification, but no cause of our salvation; unlesse you will call it causam sine quâ non, which is no cause, for we are neither saved by it, nor for it, but onelyonly by and for the merits of Christ apprehended by faith. But though it bee not the cause by or for which wee are justified or saved: yet it is the way wherein wee being once justified, are to walke towards our countrey in heaven, Ephes. 2. 10. as Bernard well saith, via regni, non causa regnandi, the way which leadeth to the kingdome, but not the cause of comming unto it.
§. XIII. By our justification wee have our right and title to the kingdome of heaven, but according to the duties of sanctification, as the evidence, shall the sentence of salvation bee pronounced at the last day.
§. XIV. We are justified by the grace of God, as it signifieth onelyonlySo Act. …0. 32. Thirteenthly, the title, the evidence. his gracious love and favour in Christ. But wee are sanctified by Gods grace, not onelyonly as it signifieth the favour of God in himselfe, but also as it signifieth the graces or gifts of grace infused into us, and Fourteenthly, justified by the grace of God: sanctified by the gifts of grace.inherent in us.
§. XV. In justification and in the parts thereof wee are meerely patients: but in the duties of sanctification wee are also agents, who being acted by the holy Ghost, doe cooperate with him. For which Fifteenthly, in justification we are patients, in sanctification we are agents.cause the holy Ghost in the Scriptures doth never exhort us to justification or the parts thereof, viz. remission of sinne and acceptation of the beleever as righteous unto life, as being the actions of God: but to sanctification and the parts thereof he useth to exhort, as to mortification,Col. 3. 5. Col. 3. 5. to vivification, Ephes. 4.23,24. to both, Ezek. 18.31.Ephes. 4. 23, 24.
§. XVI. The acts of faith are of two sorts, some tending to justification,Ezek. 18. 31. some to sanctification. The former are immediate, which are Sixteenthly, the acts of faith mediate and immediate.called actus eliciti, which it bringeth forth of it selfe, without the mediation of any other grace; that is, to beleeve in Christ, by beleeving to receive him, and by receiving him to justifie the beleever: and therefore faith doth justifie alone. The other mediate, which it bringeth Seventeenthly, of justification the Apostle teacheth in the five first chapters to the Rom. of sanctification in the sixt and seven.forth by the meanes of other graces, which are called actus imporati, and are the fruits of faith working by love, and other graces, tending to sanctification. Thus faith bymGal. 5. 6. love worketh obedience: and therefore it dtoh not sanctifie alone.
§. XVII. Of justification the Apostle treateth in the five first chapters of the Epistle to the Romanes, of sanctification in the sixth and seventh.
§. XVIII. Our Saviour Christ, the blessed Angels, Adam in hisEighteenthly, justification is onelyonly of sinners. integrity were sanctified, but not justified properly. For justification onelyonly is of sinners, and consisteth partly in remission of sinnes.
§. XIX. Of this difference betweene justification and sanctificationThe Papist… wilf…ll confounding of iustification and sanctification, the ground of their malitious calumniations against us. the Papists will by no meanes take notice, though it bee manifold and manifest. But will needs understand justification to be that, which wee, according to the Scriptures, call sanctification. And this is the very ground, both of their malitious calumniations against us; and also of their owne damnable errours concerning justification. For as if we also did confound justification and sanctification, they charge us, as if wee taught that wee are sanctified by faith alone, that wee are formally made just or sanctified by a righteousnesse, which is without us, &c.
But if wee did hold, that justification were to bee confounded with sanctification, we would acknowledge, that the most things, which the Papists affirme concerning justification, are true, because they are true of sanctification. As namely that wee are not sanctified by faith alone, that we are sanctified by a righteousnesse inherent in us and performed by us; that it is partly habituall, consisting in the habits of grace, as faith, hope, charity, &c. and partly actuall, which is our new obedience consisting in good workes; which are the fruits and effects of our faith, and charity, and other inward graces. That of sanctification there are degrees, and that by exercise and practice of the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse, our sanctification is encreased, &c.
§. XX. What then? Is the difference betweene us and the PapistsIt is also the source of their errours, which are most pernicious. in this great controvefie onelyonly in words? Nothing lesse. For as their confounding of justification and sanctification is the ground of their calumniations against us, so of their owne errours. For confounding justification and sanctification, first they confound the Law and theFirst, they confound the Law and the Gospell, and are farther from grace. Gospell, the covenant of workes and the covenant of grace; as if the Gospell did unto justification require inherent, and that a more perfect righteousnesse, than the Law requireth. And consequently, with the false Apostles and teachers of the Galatians, doe teach anothernGal. 1. 8, 9. Gospell than that which the Apostle taught; which, whosoever doth, hee is accursed. Whrefore the samethings, which the Apostle objecteth against the Galatians, who were seduced by their false Teachers, are verified of the Papists: who seekng to be justified by the workes of theoG l 310. Law are under the curse: they are fallenpGal. 5. 2, 4. from grace, to them the promise is of no effect, to them Christ dyed in vaine, then Christ profiteth nothing, as hereafter I shall shew. For whosoever seeketh to bee justified by the workes of the Law, hee is aqGal. 5. 3. debtour to the whole Law, and to him, who is a debtour to the whole Law, (that is, to bee subject to the curse, if he transgresse it, and to be excluded from justification and salvation, if he doe not perfectly fulfill it) Christ profiteth nothing. For whereas they distinguish the workes, which they make the condition of both the Covenants, that the one are the workes of Nature, the other of grace; it is evident, that all good workes and all inherent righteousnesse is prescribed in the Law, which is the most perfect rule of all inherent righteousnesse. Secondly, that inherent righteousnesse is not the condition of the covenant of grace, but is the thing promised to all that truely beleeve. For the better understanding whereof, wee are to know, that the covenant of workes was made with all mankinde in Adam; the Covenant of Grace with the heires of promise in Christ. The former promiseth justification to these, who in their owne persons performe perfect obedience; that perfect obedience being the condition of the Covenant. The latter, that to us the sonnes of Abraham being redeemed and justified by faith, the Lord will give gracerLuk. 1. 73, 74, 75. to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him, in which ourHeb. 8. 10. ex Ier. 3. 31. 33. Heb. 10. 16. new obedience consisteth; which, (as I said) is not the condition of the promise, but the thing promised.
§. XXI. Secondly, by confounding justification and sanctificationThey place the matter of iustification and merit of salvation in themselve…. they teach men to place the matter of justification and merit of salvation in themselves. For the matter of sanctification is inherent: and that, which is the matter of justification, is the merit of salvation. Againe, that which is inherent, is both prescribed in the Law, and is also our owne, though received from God: which the Pharisie.sLuk. 18. 11… himselfe confessed, when he thanked God for it. But the holy Ghost doth teach us, that wee are neither justified by the obedience or righteousnesse which is taughttRom. 3. 21. 28. Gal. 2. 16. in the Law, nor by thatuPhil. 3. 8. 9. Rom. 10. 3. … which is ours. And in regard of this very difference betwixt the Papists and us, wee are not unworthily called Evangelici the professors of the Gospell; and they, the enemies thereof: who seeking to establish their owne righteousnesse, doe with scorne reject the righteousnesse of Christ imputed: which is that righteousnesse of God*Rom. 1. 16. 17. revealed in the Gospell from faith to faith. This being the maine doctrine of the Gospell, that we are justified, not by any righteousnesse inherent in our selves, or performed by our selves, but by the righteousnesse of Christ alone apprehended by faith.
§. XXII. By confounding justification and sanctification, and soThirdly, they wholly take away the benefit of iustification. of two benefits making but one, they doe abolish and take away that maine benefit of the Messias, by which we are not onelyonly freed from hell, but also intituled unto the kingdome of heaven which the Scriptures distinctly call our justification, without which there can bee no salvation. For whom God doth justifie, all them,*Rom. 8. 30. and onelyonly them he doth glorifie. And that they doe wholly take away the benefit of justification, it shall further appeare in handling the second question of this first controverfie, whereof I am now to speake.