A Treatise of Justification, Book 4 · Chapter 13
CAP. XIII. An appendice to this third controversie, concerning the parity of justice.
§. I.
VPonUpon this controversie concerning the matter ofThe calumniation of the Papists. justification dependeth another; which is scarce worth the mentioning, but onelyonly to shew the blinded malice of the Papists in propounding it, and to vindicate our selves from their calumniations. Bellarmine therefore de justif. l. 3. c. 16. propoundeth the question de paritate justitia, of the parity or equality of justice; whether all just men be in justice equall among themselves. For faine would hee have the world to thinke, that we are like to Iovinian, or the Stoiks, calumniating us against the light of his owne conscience. For he cannot be ignorant, but that wee doe acknowledge degrees of righteousnesse inherent and of the graces of sanctification, not onelyonly in divers men according to the measure of grace bestowed upon them, some being incipients, some proficients, and some growne men: but also in the same men, every man being bound to labour, that they may grow in grace, and proceed from Faith to Faith, untill hee come to a perfect man in Christ.All the faithfull equall in righteousnesse i…puted.
§. II. Indeed if the question bee concerning righteousnesse imputed, we doe teach, that in respect thereof all the faithfull are equally just. Because, as they are justified, they stand just before God in the most perfect righteousnesse of Christ; by which the weake Christian is justified as well as the strong. And in this regard, the faith of Gods children though unequall in degrees, in some weaker, in some stronger, in some more, and in some lesse, is said by the Apostle a2 Pet. 1. 1.Peter to be foreign, a like pretious foreign, in the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour Iesus Christ, that is, in that righteousnesse of God, by which we are justified. And as the merit of Christ is equally imputed to all that beleeve; so the reward in respect of the substance, which is eternall life, shall be equally given to all that beleeve: yet I doubt not, but that whom God in this life hath adomed with greater graces, he will in them crowne his greater graces with greater glory. And therefore as Saint bAmbr. lib. 7. in Luc. c. 15. nam & undecima conducis bora, & eqnalem dignaris mercedem solvere, …qualem mercedem vita & grori…,Ambrose faith, he giveth …qualem mercedem vitae, …on gloriae, the equall reward of life, but not of glory: and cAdv. Jovin. lib. 2.… unus denarius non est unum pr…mium, sed una vita, & una de g…enna liber…tio: and dMoral. l. 4. c. 42. quia una cunctis erit beatitudo laetitiae, quamvis non una sit omnibus sublimitas vit…. Bellarmines proofe impertinent:Gregory there be many mansions with the father, and yet unequall labourers receive the same peny, because unto all there shall bee one equall blesseduesse of joyfulnesse, though the sublimity of life be not one and the same to all.
§. III. But Bellarmine, though he confesseth, that we doe not hold, that either vertues, or sinnes are equall, and that we doe not deny, but that both the same men may and ought to increase, in faith, hope, and charity, and in other vertues: and that also divers men may bee more just than others in respect of such vertues as be in them; but that wee hold, that men being not justified before God by these vertues, but onelyonly by the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith, wee are in respect of this righteousnesse, by which wee are justified, equally just. Yet all his proofes are to prove the inequality and degrees of sanctity or inherent righteousnesse; as though we denyed the same, or held that paradox, which may in respect of habituall righteousnesse more justly be imputed to the Papists. For if incipients in Religion, yea, infants in age, be justified or made just, as they teach, with perfect righteousnesse infused, what difference shall there bee betwixt Baptized infants and the greatest Proficients among them (who dreame of perfection) in regard of habituall righteousnesse? saving that the infants justice may seeme to bee more pure from actuall concupiscences. But of this question more hath beene said than enough.