A Treatise of Justification, Book 4 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Our fourth Argument, that the righteousnesse by which wee are justified, satisfieth the Law: so doth Christs righteousnesse, so doth not that, which is inherent in us.
§. I. NOw I returne to our owne proofes. The fourthThe fourth argument we are iustified only by that righteousnesse which fully satisfieth the Law of God. argument therefore to prove joyntly that we are justified by Christs righteousnesse and not by ours, may be this.
By that righteousnesse alone and by no other we are justified by which the Law is fully satisfied; By the righteousnesse of Christ alone the Law is fully satisfied, and not by any righteousnesse inherent in us or performed by us:
Therefore wee are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ alone, and not by any righteousnesse inherent in us, or performed by us.
For the proofe of the proposition, three things are to be acknowledged: first, that whosoever is justified is made just, by some righteousnesse: for as I have shewed heretofore, to thinke that a man should be justified without justice, is as absurd, as to imagine a man to be clothed without apparell: secondly, that all true righteousnesse is a conformity to the law of God, which is the perfect rule of righteousnesse, insomuch as what is not conformable to the Law, is foreign, that is iniquity and sinne: thirdly, that there can be no justification without the Law be fulfilled, either by our selves, or by another for us. For our Saviour, when he came to justifie us and save us, protested, that hee came not to breake the Law but to fulfill it: and professeth that not one jot or tittle of the Law should passe unfulfilled, Matth. 5. 17, 18. Saint Paul likewise avoucheth, that by the doctrine of justification by faith, the Law is not made void, but established, Rom. 3. 31. The proposition therefore is undenyable. The assumption hath two parts: the former, affirmative, that by the righteousnesse of Christ the Law is fully satisfied: the other, negative, that by any righteousnesse inherent in us, or performed by us, the Law neither is, nor can be fully satisfied. For the clearing of the assumption in both the parts, wee are to understand, that to the full satisfying of the Law, since the fall of Adam two things are required, the one, in respect of the penalty, unto the suffering whereof sinne hath made us debtours: the other, in respect of the precept, to the doing wherof the Law doth bind us. The former, to free us from hell and damnation; the other to entitle us to heaven and salvation: according to the sanction of the Law, If thou dost not that which is commanded, thou art accursed: if thoudoest it, thou shalt be saved. In respect of the former, the Law cannot be satisfied in the behalf of him, who hath oncetransgressed it, but by eternal punishment, or, that which is equivalent: in respect of the latter, it is not satisfied, but by a totall, perfect and perpetuall obedience.
§. II. Now our Saviour Christ hath fully satisfied the Law for allThe righteousnesse of Christ hath fully satisfied the Law for us. them that truly beleeve in him, in both respects. For hee hath superabundantly satisfied the penalty of the Law for us by his sufferings and by his death: and he hath perfectly fulfilled the Law for us, by performing all righteousnesse, in obeying his Father in all things, even unto death: and by them both he hath justified us, freeing us from hell by his sufferings and entituling of us unto heaven by his obedience. And therefore the holy Ghost affirmeth that wee are justified by his bloud, Rom. 5. 9. and by his obedience verse 19. For his sufferings were the sufferings of God; in which respect, they who put him to death, are said to have killed the Author of life, Act. 3. 15. and to have crucified the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. 2. 8 and for the same cause, the bloud, by which we are redeemed, is called the bloud of God, Act. 20. 28. or, which is all one, the bloud of the Sonne of God. 1 Iohn 17. His obedience likewise was the obedience of God. For Iesus Christ the word, that is, the1 I…hn 3. 16. second person in Trinity, being in the forme of God aP…il. 2. 6, 7, 8.God coequall with his Father, for our sakes became flesh, bIo…n. 1. 14.that is, abased himselfe to become man, which before hee was not, but not ceasing to bee that, which hee was before, namely the true c1 Iohn 5. 20.and the great dTit. 2▪ 13.God, God eRom. 9▪ 5.above all blessed for evermore; in our nature (being perfect God, and perfect man) hee farther humbled himselfe and became obedient untill death, even to the death of the cros…e. And therefore the righteousnesse of Christ, both habituall inherent in his person, and that which was performed by him, both active, and passive, being the righteousnesse of God as it is often called, Rom. cap. 1. 3. 10. the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour, 2 Pet. 1. 1. who was given to us of God to be our righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. that wee beleeving in him might bee the righteousnesse of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. 21 is therefore called Iehovah our righteousuesse, Ier, 23. 6. I say his passive righteousnesse being the righteousnesse of God the bloud of God▪ it is a price of infinite valew, and superabundantly sufficient to satisfie for the sinnes, not onelyonly of the faithfull, but of all the world; and not onelyonly of this one world, but of more, if there were more And this habituall and actuall righteousnesse being the righteousnesse and obedience of God, is of infinite and al…-sufficient merit to entitle all those, that beleeve in him, were they never so many, to the kingdome of heaven. These things if the Papists should deny, It would deny them to be Christians. The former part therefore of the assumption is of undoubted truth.
§. III. Come wee then to the other part. Is there any righteousnesse inherent in us, or performed by us, that can fully satisfie theOur righteousnesse cannot satisfie the Law neither in respect of the penaltie. Law? Nothing lesse. For first in respect of the penalty which is due unto us for our sinnes, wee cannot possibly fatisfie it, but by enduring everlasting torment; which though wee should endure for a million of millions of yeares; yet wee could not bee said to have satisfied the Law which cannot be satisfied, but by endlesse punishment, or, that which is equivalent, but there is nothing equivalent but the precious death and sufferings of the eternall Son of God, who gave himself to be foreign f1 Tim. 2. 6.a full price of ransome countervailing, in respect of the dignity of his person, the eternall pains of hel, which all the elect should have suffered. Therefore there is no possibility for us to escape hell the just guerdon of our sinnes, unlesse the Lord impute our si…s to our Saviour Christ, and his sufferings to us, accepting them in our behalfe, as if we had sustained them in our owne persons. For although wee should for the time to come performe a totall and perfect obedience to the Law, yet that would not free us from the punishment already deserved by us. gMarcus Eremit. de …is quid ex operibus se justificari putan…es. sent. 42. Si quo … que, bona natura … …, quotiaie … …, quid reliqum pro an … … D…oretrionemus & sent. 43. quantum vir…utis augmentum bodie fecerimus, … negligentia argumentum est, non conpensatio.But the Law must be satisfied, both in respect of the penalty to be borne, and in respect of perpetuall and perfect obedience to bee performed through out our whole life. Neither may we thinke by the payment of one debt to satisfie another, The obedience, which wee hope to performe for the time to come, though it were totall and perfect, is a debt and duty which wee owe unto God, Luk. 17. 10. and therefore cannot discharge us of the penalty, which is another debt, which wee owe for our sinnes past: for wee were sinners from the wombe, hPsal. 51. 5.yea, in the wombe: and to the guilt of Adams transgression in whom wee sinned, and to that originall corruption, which we have received from him, for which though wee had no other sinnes, wee were worthily subject to eternall damnation; wee have added in the former part of our life innumerable personall transgressions, all deserving death and damnation, which if wee be not delivered therefrom, by the death and merits of Christ, wee must make account to suffer in our owne persons: neither can our future intended obedience satisfie for our sinnes, as Bellarmine confesseth. God is just iRom. 3. 26.in forgiving sinnes, neither doth he forgive any sinne, for which his justice is not fully satisfied.Nor in respect of the precept.
§. IV. Neither can our righteousnes…e …atisfie the Law in respect of the precept, by fulfilling it: for whosoever hath not continued in all the things, which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them, but hath at any time transgressed the Law, hee hath not fulfilled it. Therefore it is most certaine, that, we cannot satisfie the Law in respect of the precept, because wee have already broken it, and by our breach of it have made our selves subject to the curse of the Law, so farre are we from being justified by it. Neither are wee able by our obedience to satisfie the Law for the time to come.
§, V. Against this branch of our argument which by us is addedBellarmines allegation, that the Law may be fulfilled. foreign as over measure. Bellarmine taketh exception; alleaging, that the faithfull and regenerate are able to fulfill iDe iustif. l. 4. c. 11, &c.the Law, and entreth into a large dispute to prove that the Law is possible: which disputation I have fully examined in his due kLib. 7. cap. 6. & 7.place, and confuted. Here let the Reader take notice, that Bellarmine disputeth sophistically in diverse respects▪ for first hee will needs be actor, when indeed hee is reus; and that hee might get the better end of the staffe pretendeth to confute our errours: when indeed he laboureth to defend his owne. Secondly, hee answereth but a piece of our argument, and such a piece as might be spared, as being added mantisae loco, by way of advantage: for thus we reason, no man can satisfie the Law because hee hath already broken it: yea hee is so farre from satisfying the Law, in respect of the time past, that for the time to come hee is not able to fullfill it. Thirdly, where hee should prove, that all those, who are to bee justified, doe fulfill the Law for else how should they by fulfilling of the Law be justified, all, that he endevoureth to prove, is, that it is possible for them that are already justified to fullfill it▪ disputing, as wee say, a posse ad esse. Fourthly, where hee should prove, that all who are justified doe fulfill the Law, for else how should they be justified by fulfilling it, hee endeavoureth to prove that some rare men have fulfilled it not caring what becomes of the rest Fifthly, where hee argueth, that if men shall fulfill the Law, they shall be justified; his consequence doth not hold in respect of them, who at any time heretofore have broken it (as all meere men without exception have done) though they should perfectly fulfill the Law for the time to come. Sixthly, he would prove, that some doe fulfill the Law, and yet cannot deny, but that even those some doe sinne many times, yea seven times a day, and that they have need daily to pray for the forgivenesse of their sinnes: and therefore faileth in the proofe of that also, as I have made manifest in answering lLib. 7. cap. 6. & 7.his arguments.Sixe reasons, that men are not able to fulfill the Law. First, because all are trans. gressours.
§. VI. Now to make good this part of our reason, I will not content my selfe to have answered elsewhere all his objections againstit, but I will here also briefly propound some of our arguments to prove, that wee (I meane all mortall men) neither doe, nor can by our righteousnesse and obedience fulfill, and so even in that respect cannot satisfie the Law. And first I prove it by this most plaine reason.
No transgressours of the Law doe fulfill it.
All men without exception of any but Christ, are transgressours of the Law, not onelyonly the unregenerate, but the regenerate also:
Therefore no man whatsoever (Christ excepted) doth fulfill it.
The proposition needeth no proofe, the assumption I have proved before, mLib. 4. cap. 2. §. 6.and every mans Conscience giveth testimony to it for himself.
Or thus:
Whosoever is a fulfiller of the Law is without sinne.
No mortall man is or can bee without sinne.
Therefore no mortall man is or can bee a fulfiller of the Law.
§. VII. Secondly, If any man could fulfill the Law, he might bee justified thereby, Rom. 2. 13. Gal. 3. 12.
But no man whatsoever can be justified by the Law, Gal. 2. 16. 3. 10, 11. Rom. 3. 20.
Therefore no man can fulfill it.
§. VIII. Thirdly, Those who cannot fulfill the first commandement of the two, and the last of the ten, cannot fulfill the whole Law.
But no mortall man is able to fulfill the first and last commandements.
Therefore no mortall man is able to fulfill the whole Law.
The first▪ which is the great commandement, injoyneth us to love the Lord our God with all our soules, &c. which, being legally understood, no mortall man is able to fulfill. For whosoever are in all the parts and faculties of the soule, partly flesh and but partly Spirit, they cannot love God with all their soules.
The most regenerate in this life are partly flesh, and but partly Spirit in all the parts and faculties of the soule.
Therefore the most regenerate in this life cannot love God with all their soules, that phrase being legally understood.
The last commandement forbiddeth all evill concupiscence: whether habituall, with which all men generally are infected, or actuall, from which none are free, and those not such as are joyned with consent of the wil, which are passions of lust, for those are forbidden in the former commandements; but such as goe before consent, which are called foreign ▪ with which all men without exception doe abound. Neither is the commandement, thou shalt not consent to lust, but thou shalt not lust, that is, thou shalt have no evill concupiscence, which as nDe persect. iustitiae.Augustine saith ought not to be bridled onelyonly oConcupiscentia non … sed omnino esse non debet. De Nupt. & concup. l. 1. c. 29. Multum b… ni facit qui facit quod sc…iptum est, post concupi▪ scentias tuas non eas; sed non proficit, quia non implet quod scriptum est, non concupisces.but not to be: for hee that hath concupiscences, though he doth not goe after them, doth not fulfill the Law, thou shalt not cove….
§. IX. Fourthly, by the testimony of Saint Peter, Act. 15. 10. that the observation of the Law is not to be imposed upon Christians as necessary to justification, as being a yoke, which neither the Apostles, nor their forefathers the Patriarches and Prophets were able to beare: but that we are to be justified and saved by the grace of God through a lively faith▪ which purifieth the heart. Bellarmine answereth, that the Apostle speaketh of the ceremoniall Law, which wee doe not altogether deny. But from hence wee argue, as from the lesse. If the ceremoniall Law were an unsupportable yoke, how much more the morall? For the ceremoniall Law, in it selfe considered, was not unsupportable, nor required any thing exceeding the power of man. For not onelyonly the godly did performe it, but hypocrites also; who many times were more precise in observing the ceremonies, than the godly themselves: but as it was an appendice of the Law morall: As for example: Circumcision, in it selfe (though the most painefull ceremony) might well bee borne. But as by it men were made debtors pGal. 5. 3.to the whole Law, in such sort as they could not be justified, but were under the curse, if they did not observe the whole Law, it was a yoke unsupportable. For in that sense the Apostle speaketh, when he protesteth to the Galathians, that if they were circumcised qGal. 5. 2.Christ should profit them nothing. And in that sense, as it seemeth, it was urged by the beleeving rAct. 15. …. 5.Pharisees: that it was needfull, that the disciples, meaning all the Christians of that time, as well Gentiles, as Iewes, should bee circumcised, and so required to keepe the Law; otherwise they could not be justified nor saved. And to that purpose tendeth Saint Peters sAct. 15. 7, 8, 9.speech, That it was not needfull to require the beleeving Gentiles to be circumcised; seeing it was well knowne, that the Gentiles were first called by his ministery, had truly beleeved, and had received the holy Ghost, who had purified their hearts by a lively faith, by which without circumcision or other observations of the Law they were justified, as well as the beleeving Iewes: the Iewes also themselves expecting to bee justified and saved by the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ, even as the Gentiles were, without the workes of the Law, as Paul also reasoneth, Gal. 2. 15, 16.
§. X. Fifthly, by the testimony of Saint Paul, and his experience in himselfe, Rom. 7. 18. &c. From whence I reason thus: whosoever are not able to performe that which is good, though by the grace of God they are willing to performe it, they are not able to fulfill the Law. But the faithfull and regenerate are not able to performe that which is good, though by the grace of God …hey be willing thereunto. Therefore they are not able to fulfill the Law.
The assumption is proved from the example of Saint Paul, as it were an argument from the greater. For if Saint Paul himselfe, who in sanctity farre excelled any man now living, did not finde in himselfe ability to performe that which was good, but was so hindered by the flesh, that the good, which he would, he did not: how sholl those, who are farre inferiour unto him, bee able to doe it? being the common condition of all the regenerate, that by reason of the reluctation of the flesh, they cannot doe those things they would, Gal. 5. 17.
§. XI. Sixthly, the Apostle Rom. 8. 3. doth acknowledge foreign, the impossibility of the Law, namely to justifie us. The reason whereof is not any defect in the Law it selfe, but our impotencie to fulfill it by reason of the flesh: for if it were possible for us to fulfill the Law, it were possible to the Law to justifie us: but it is not possible to the Law to justifie us by reason of the flesh, and therefore by reason of the flesh it is not possible for us to fulfill the Law, whiles the flesh remaineth in us, as it alwayes doth remaine even untill death. To these arguments, if you shall adde the testimonies of the Fathers, which in handling the sixth question I doe plentifully alleage tLib. 7. c. 6., you will acknowledge, that besides the authority of Scriptures, and evidence of reason, we have the consent of antiquity, that no mortall man is able to fulfill the Law of God.