A Treatise of Justification, Book 5 · Chapter 1
CAP. I. Containing five proofes, that we are justified by imputation of Christs righteousnesse.
§. I.
THE fourth grand errour of the Papists in the articleThe state of the controversie. of justification, is concerning that, which wee call the forme thereof. For they denying, and deriding the imputation of Christs righteousnesse (without which notwithstanding no man can bee saved) doe hold, that men are justified by infusion, and not by imputation of righteousnesse: we on the contrary doe hold, according to the Scriptures, that we are justified before God onelyonly by imputation of Christs righteousnesse, and not by infusion. And our meaning when wee say, that God imputeth Christs righteousnesse unto us, is nothing else but this; that hee graciously accepteth for us, and in our behalfe the righteousnesse of Christ, both active, that is, his obedience, which in the dayes of his flesh hee performed for us; and passive, that is, his sufferings, which he sustained for us, as if we had in our owne persons both performed and suffered the same for our selves. Howbeit we confesse, that the Lord doth infuse righteousnesse into the faithfull; yet not as he justifieth; but as hee sanctifieth them: and consequently wee acknowledge, that in all the faithfull there is true righteousnesse inherent, but we deny that they are justified by it. How I am first to prove our assertion, and to maintaine our proofs against the exceptions and cavils of the Papists; And then will I answer their allegations.
§. II. My three first proofes shall bee taken from those things,The three first proofes. which have already beene proved. And first, those reasons, which beforeThe first. aLib. 1. c. 3. §. 7, 8, 9, 10. &c. 9.I alleaged to prove the formall cause of our justification, to bee the imputation of Christs righteousnesse.
Secondly, If to justifie in the Scriptures doth never signifie to make righteous by infusion of righteousnesse: or to make a man righteous formally by inherent righteousnesse: then it is evident, that the justification, which the Scriptures teach, is not by infusion of righteousnesse. And if not by infusion, then by imputation; for a third thing cannot be named. But the former I have bLib. 2.most evidently proved; therefore the latter cannot be denyed.
Thirdly, If we be justified by the righteousnesse of Christ, which is out of us in him, and not by any righteousnesse infused or inherent in us: then it is evident, that we are justified, not by infusion of righteousnesse, but by imputation. But the former I cLib. 4.have fully demonstrated: therefore the latter must be confessed. For wee are justified, either by inherent righteousnesse, or imputed, not by inherent, as hath beene shewed, therefore by righteousnesse imputed.The fourth imputation of Christs satisfaction confessed by the Papists.
§. III. My fourth proofe shall be taken from the confession of our Adversaries: who doe confesse dBellarm. de iustif. l. 2. c. 7. §. quarto &c. 10. §. Deinde &c. 11. §. potest. Stapleton de iustif. &c.that Christ his satisfaction is imputed unto us; which they understand but of the one halfe of his satisfaction, and not all that, viz. in respect onelyonly of the everlasting punishment, and the guilt of eternall death. As for the temporall punishment, which they say remaineth after absolution from the eternall, they must satisfie otherwise. And as for satisfaction to the commandements, the performance whereof is the condition of the legall promise Doe this and live, by which performance Christ merited for us eternall life: they say, that Christs satisfaction and merit is not imputed, but wee our selves are to merit eternall life. But by the same reason, whereby they have beene forced to acknowledge the necessity of that part of Christs satisfaction made by his sufferings to be imputed to free us from hell, they shall be compelled to confesse the necessity of the imputation of the other part of his satisfaction, which is his obedience to be imputed to us, to merit heaven for us. The reason, why of necessity Christs satisfaction by his death and sufferings must be imputed to us to free us from hell, is this: because nothing can satisfie for our sinnes which infinitely offend God and deserve an infinite punishment, but that onelyonly which is of infinite value. By the same reason, nothing can give us right and title to the kingdome of heaven, which is no lesse an infinite reward, being the eternall fruition of the infinite good (for God as he gave his Sonne in pretium, so he hath reserved himselfe in pr…mium) but that onelyonly which is of infinite worth and value; and that is onelyonly the merit of Christ who is eIer. 23. 6.Iehovah our righteousnesse.The fifth proofe out of 2 Cor. 5. 21.
§. IIII. My fifth proofe shall be taken out of that most pregnant place, and most worthy to be insisted upon, 2 Cor. 5. 21. Him (viz. Christ the just) who knew no sinne, God made sinne for us; that wee (who are sinners in our selves) might be made the righteousnesse of God in him. Where these two words sinne, and righteousnesse need some explanation. But the explication of the latter, will cleare the former. There being a fit analogy betweene Christs being made sinne, and our being made righteousnesse. But it is evident, that wee are said to bee made righteousnesse, in the abstract, when wee are made righteous in the concrete. And therefore by analogy, when Christ is said to bee made sinne for us, the meaning is, that hee was made a sinner for us. Some, because it seemeth an harsh speech to call Christ a sinner (though not so harsh, when it is said withall, that hee was without sinne) doe rather by sinne understand a sacrifice for sinne, as the word sinne sometimes is taken, which I acknowledge to bee a godly sence; but not so agreeable to the analogie, which is betweene the parts of this text. From this analogy I argue thus.
As Christ the righteous, who was without sinne, was made sinne, that is to say, a sinner for us, or if you will, a sacrifice for sinne in our behalfe; so wee who are sinners in our selves, are made the righteousnesse of God in him, that is, righteous in Christ by his righteousnesse:
But Christ, who was and is most just, was made a sinner, or a sacrifice of sinne for us by imputation of our sinnes unto him:
Therefore wee who are sinners in our selves, are made righteous before God, by imputation of Christs righteousnesse unto us: which is therefore called Gods righteousnesse, because it is the righteousnesse of him who is God.
§. V. Against both the premisses, the Papists cavill diversely. DoctorPopish e…vils against the proposition Bishop writing against Master Perkins, shutteth his eyes against the truth, saying, that ther is not in this text any similitude implyed between Christs being made sin, and our being made just: & so denyeth the proposition as containing this comparison: that we are so made the righteousnesse of God in Christ, as he was made sinne for us. But this analogy is acknowledged by their Saint Anselme of Canterbury writing upon this text: whom when Master Perkins gReform cathol… art, 4.alleaged, as expounding these wordsf. Anselm. in locum. and recited his exposition; all Bishops answere is, that Anselme shall bee answered when the place is quoted: when as Master Perkins, not only quoteth him, as expounding the place, hQui non noverat peccatum per experinnti…, licet nosset illud per … ided fecit …um peccatum nos efficeratur iustiti… Dei in ips…. Ipse ergo peccatum, … nos iustitia: nec n…stra sed Dei, nec in nobis sed in ipso: sicut ips… peccatum, non suum sed nostra, nec inse, sed in …obis, &c.but also citeth his words. He is made sinne, as we are made justice, not ours, but Gods; not in us, but in him: as hee is made sinne, not his owne, but ours; not in himself… but in us: which words hee borrowed from Saint Augustine, who saith… i… … Quaerent. c. 41.ipse ergo peccatum, ut n…s justitia; nec nostra, sed Dei, nec in nobis sed in ipso: sicut ipse peccatum, non suum, sed nostrum; nec in se, sed in nobis, &c, Both of them plainely expressing this analogy, that Christ was sinne as wee are righteousnesse, not ours but Gods, no… in our selves but in him: even as hee was made sinne, not his, but ours, nor in himselfe but in us: which analogy being granted, as it cannot bee denyed,… Christ … pro … nostris …, peccati nomen accep…, … … efficere… … Dei in ipso, non nostra nec in nobis. doth invincibly prove, that as Christ was made sinne by imputation of our sinne; so wee are justified not by any righteousnesse of ours, but by imputation of Gods righteousnesse, that is, of Christ who is God, and that not in us, but in him. And so Hierome also expoundeth this place: Christ h being offered for our sinnes, received the name of sinne, that wee might bee made the justice of God in him, not our owne, nor in our selves. And Sedulius, that we might be made the righteousnesse of God not ours, nor in our selves, but in him, that is, in Christ, as the members in the head: And Augustine againe, all l…. in Ioan. …. 3 Omnes qui per Christum iustisicati, iusti, non …n se, sed in illo.that are justified by Christ, are just, not in themselves, but in him.Their second cavill.
§. VI. Secondly, they cavill at our exposition of those words both in the proposition and assumption, him who knew no sinne, hee made sinne that is, a sinner for us: for first, Bellarmine, mDe iustif. l. …. c. 10.though our sinnes, saith hee, were imputed unto Christ, and his satisfaction to us: yet neither would it follow, that he was thereby made a sinner, nor wee righteous. For our sinnes are imputed to him, not as though he had committed them, or could be held unjust: But they are onelyonly imputed to him in respect of the due debt of satisfying, which hee willingly undertooke: for which hee deserveth not to bee called a sinner, but righteous, for hee that satisfieth for another is most just. So therefore his righteousnesse is also imputed to us quoad satisfactionem, so farre sorth as it is a satisfaction which hee performed for us. But not therefore can wee bee held just, that is cleane and without spot, if the spots and defilements of sinne bee truly inherent in us.
Answ. How could our sinnes bee imputed unto Christ, and hee not bee counted a sinner? and how could his satisfaction whereby hee fully satisfied both the Commandement by obeying, and the penalty by suffering, bee imputed unto us, and wee not reputed righteous? For by imputation, as our sinnes were made his: so his righteousnesse was made ours. And as for and by our sinnes hee was condemned, as if hee had beene a debtour, that is, a sinner; because as our surety hee voluntarily undertooke our debt: so by and for his satisfaction, which hee performed for us, and which the Lord accepteth in our behalfe, as if we had performed the same in our owne persons, wee are justified. And yet though our sinnes being imputed to him, he was reputed and as it were made a sinner; and though his righteousnesse being imputed to us wee are made righteous in him: yet this hindreth not, but that hee in himselfe was just, and wee in our selves sinners. Yea, this argueth,Testimonies of Fathers that Christ was made a sinner for us. that hee in himselfe was just, and we in our selves, sinners.
§. VII. Now that Christ was made a sinner for us, that is, was condemned and crucified, as if hee had beene a sinner, the Greeke expositours with one consent doe teach. Chrysostome nforeign.him that knew no sin, saith the Apostle, him who was righteousnesse it selfe, he made sin, that is, he suffer'd him to be condemn'd as a sinner, and to dye as one accursed, and againe more plainely: for oforeign.him that was righteous saith the Apostle, he made a sinner, that those which bee sinners he might make righteous. But, saith he, the Apostle saith more: him, he made sinne, and us, hee made righteous. The like have pforeign.Decumenius, his Sonne being righteousnesse and holinesse, he made sinne, that is, hee suffered him to bee crucified as a sinner, and as a guilty person: and againe he made sinne, that is, to bee condemned qforeign.as a sinner: and elsewhere, rIn Heb. 9. vers. vlt. foreign.very plainely for now the father sent him making him sinne: for Christ was very much a sinner, as having … upon him the sinnes …f the whole world, and …ade them his owne—for that Christ was a sinner, here (saith he) him that knew no sinne …e made sinne for us, that were in very deed sinne. And also Theophylact: his Sonne who knew not sinne, that is, who himselfe was righteousnesse, he made to dye for us, as if he had beene a sinner and malefactor. For sDeut. 21. 23.cursed, saith he, is he who hangeth on a tree: and hee was tEsai. 53. 12. Mark. 15. 28.numbred among the transgressours. Theodoret likewise, being free from sinne, he did undergoe the death of sinners, that hee might take away the sinne of men: and being called that, which we are, (that is, a sinner) he made us that which he was, (that is, righteous) To the like purpose uAugust. in Psalm. 21. Quorum delictorum? de quo dictum est, qui peccatum non fecit, non inventus est do us in ore eius? quomodo erg… dicit delictorum …eorum? nisi quia pro delictis nostris ipse precatur, & delicta nostra sua delicta fecit, ut iustitiam su…m nostram iustitiam faceret.Augustine interpreting those words of Psalme 22. vers. 1. according to the translation of the Septuagints and the vulgar Latine, verba delictorum meorum the words of my sinnes; of what sinnes? saith he, of whom it is said, that he did no sinne, neither was any guile found in his mouth? how then doth he say, of my sinnes? but that hee prayeth for our sinnes, and our sinnes he hath made his owne sinnes, that his righteousnesse he might make our righteousnesse. *Hier. in Psal. 21: Idem in Psalm. 37. 19. quem iniquitatem m…m sicut n. maledictioni subiacent, ut nos à maledicto legis erueret, ita & peccatorem se … qui pecc… nostra portavit.Hierome upon the same words: Verb… delictorum meor…: quia nostra pecc…ta sua reputat, he saith the words of my sinne, because our sinnes hee reputeth to bee his owne: and againe on those words Psalm. 38. 7. because mine iniquity] for …s he was made subject to the curse, that he might deliver us from the curse of the Law; so he professeth himselfe a sinner, who bare our sinnes, and on these words, Cogitab… pro pecca… meo] Christs sinnes are the sinnes of mankinde: Peccata Christi, humani delicta sunt generis.
VIII. Thirdly, Bishop and other Papists commonly, by sinne in this place understand a sacrifice for sinne, according to the interpretation of some of the ancient, acknowledged by Oecumeni…s, in which sense not onelyonly the word Ascham is often used as Levi…. 5. 6. 16. 18, 19. 7. 1, 2. Numb. 5. 7. but also Chattath, Exod. 30. 10. Levit. 7. 7. 37. Levit. 4. 3. 8. 14. 20. 24. 9. 7. Ezek. 44. 27. 45. 19. 23. Hos. 4. 8. theyThe third cavill. eate the sinne of my people.
Answere. This exposition maketh wholly for us: For if God did make Christ a sacrifice for sinne, he imputed our sinnes unto him, or as the Prophet Esay speaketh, he laid xPosuit in eo vulg. lat.on him the iniquity of us all, Esai. 53. 6. Neither can it bee conceived, how he should be made a sacrifice for our sinne, unlesse our sinne were imputed unto him. In sacrifices for sinne (all which were types of Christ his sacrifice) the manner was, that the party who offered the sacrifice for sinne should yLevit. 1. 4. 4. 4. 15. 24. 29. Exod, 29. 10. 15.lay his hand upon the head of the sacrifice, the meaning of which ceremony is fully explained. Lev. 16. 21, 22. Where Aaron is required, in the name of all the Congregation, to lay his hands upon the head of the Scape-Goat, (which the Hebrews call Azazel, the Greekes foreign, the Latines Emissarium) and confesse over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the Goate—and the Goate shall beare upon him all their iniquities. So it is said of our Saviour Christ, zEsay 53. 6. 10, 11, 12.that when his soule shall be made an offering for sinne, the Lord would lay upon him the iniquities of us all, and that he should a1 Pet. 2. 24.beare our sinnes. And as our sinnes are imputed to him, so his sufferings are imputed to us, and accepted for us, and in our behalfe, as a full satisfaction and propitiation for our sinnes, Ephes. 5. 2. 1 Ioh. 2. 2. which is also said bLevit. 4. 20. 25. 35.of those Sacrifices which were but types and figures of his sacrifice, Levit. 1. 4. and whereas Bellarmine saith, that we cannot by Christs satisfaction imputed to us bee accounted just, that is, saith he, cleane and without spot, if the spots and defilements of sinne be truely inherent in us: I answere: If none bee justified in whom remaine any spots of sinne, then no mortall man is justified. But as Christ was reputed a sinner and was punished as a sinner, because our sinne, that is, our debt, which hee as our surety undertooke, was imputed to him, though in him was no spot of sinne: even so we are by Christs satisfaction imputed to us, reputed and rewarded as just, and that by such a justice, in which, as Chrysostome saith, there is no spot or blemish, and is therefore called Gods righteousnesse, though in us doe remaine some spots and blemishes of sinne. For here it is said, not that wee are made righteous, but righteousnesse, yea Gods righteousnesse, and that not in our selves but in him. For that is Gods righteousnesse when we are not justified by workes (that is by righteousnesse inherent) seeing it is necessary that no spot bee found, as cforeign &c.Chrysostome saith. The like have Oecumenius, and Theophylact. Hee did not say, that wee might be made righteous (saith Oecumenius) but righteousnesse it selfe which is more, and the righteousnesse of God. Now Gods righteousnesse is, to bee justified, not by workes, foreign, but by indulgence in him and by him.
§. IX. Bellarmine having rejected our exposition, which is indeedBellarmines triple exposition of this place. The first. the exposition of the Fathers, as hath been shewed: he saith, it may be expounded three waies, first, that by the righteousnesse of God in this place, we understand the divine justice, which is in Christ: which wee willingly embrace, as a confession of that truth, which we professe. For by these words he must understand, either the essentiall and uncreated justice of the Deitie in Christ, or the righteousnesse of our Mediator the d1 Tim. 2. 5.man Christ; which notwithstanding is called the righteousnesse of God, because it is the righteousnesse of that person, who is God; which righteousnesse, saith he, we are said to be, not in our selves, but in him, because he is our head: or as Sedulius before expounded those words in him, Quasi membra in capite, as members in the head. Not that either we are formally just, saith Bellarmine, by Christs righteousnesse, or Christ formally a si…ner by our iniquitie, but because we are his members. For there is such a communion betweene the head and the members, that the righteousnesse of the head is imputed to the members, and the sinne of the members to the he…d, as appeareth also by the places alleaged by Bellarmine, Esay 53. 6. posuit in e… iniquitatem omnium nost…ûm cEsai. 53. 6.he laid upon him, (that is, hee imputed unto him) the iniquity of us all, and Psal. …1. Christ himselfe saith, farre from my health are the words fPsvl. 22. 1.delictorum meorum, of mine offences. Here therfore the Reader is to observe a double confession, which the evidence of truth hath wrung from Bellarmine. For, as in the next precedent section, hee confessed the satisfaction of Christ to bee imputed to us: so here hee acknowledgeth, that wee are the righteousnesse of God, which is in Christ, as being the members of that body whereof hee is the head, and consequently partakers of that righteousnesse which is in him: which therefore hee calleth divine or Gods righteousnesse, because the person whose righteousnesse it is, is God.Bellarmines second exposition.
§. X. His second exposition is, that by the righteousnesse of God is understood righteousnesse inherent in us, which is called Gods, because it is given us of God. But this exposition cannot stand, because the righteousnesse of Godof which the Apostle speaketh, is neither ours, but Gods; nor in us, in Christ, as the Fathers have testified. But inherent righteousnesse, but though bestowed of God (as all other good things which we have received from God) is ours, and not inherent in Christ but in ourselves: for as the parts of inherent righteousnesse, or sanctification, though given of God are said to bee ours, g1 Thess 3. 6.as our faith, our hope, our charity, so the whole righteousnesse which is inherent in us, or sanctification, is calledh Lib. 4. cap. 2. §. 3. ours, as I have shewed heretofore …. Neither are wee in this place called righteousnesse, in respect of righteonsnesse inherent: no more then Christ is called sinne, in respect of any inherent sinnefulnesse. Neither are wee by Gods righteousnesse said to bee righteous in our selves but in Christ. Neither doth Saint Chrisostome, whom hee citeth, understand this place of righteousnesse inherent, as though such a perfect righteousnesse inherent were given by Christ in this life, as that in the justified no spot of sinne were left, as Bellarmine dreameth: for the contrary is rather to bee gathered from the words of Chrisostome. For it is Gods righteousnesse, saith hee, when wee are justified, not of workes (that is, not by righteousnesse inherent:) and why so? because in that righteousnesse by which wee are justified, there may no spot bee found: noting, as I understand him, that in our workes and in our inherent righteousnesse spots are to bee fouud: whereas that justice, in respect whereof wee are said to bee the righteousnesse of God in Christ, is without spot.Bellormines third …position.
§. XI. His third exposition, that by righteousnesse of God is meant inherent righteousnesse; which is so called, because it is the image of Gods righteousnesse. For as Christ by a trope is called sinne, because hee tooke the similitude of sinnefull flesh, that hee might becometa sacrifice for sinne: so wee by a trope are called Gods righteousnesse, because our righteousnesse inherent is like the justice of God. And hereupon he inferreth, that as Christ truely and not imputatively tooke the likenesse of sinful flesh, and truely and not imputatively was made a sacrifice for sinne: so we not imputatively, but truly are made righteous in our justification by righteousnesse inherent. Answere, In this discourse nothing is sound, nothing almost worth the answering. For first, in the Scriptures there is an Antithesis iRom. 10. 3. Phil. 3. 8, 9.betwixt our righteousnesse and Gods righteousnesse in the question of justification: but our righteousnesse is that, which is inherent: Gods righteousnesse is that, which is out of us in Christ. Secondly, by inherent righteousnesse we are righteous in our selves; but by the righteousnesse of God, wee are righteous, not in our selves but in Christ. Thirdly, if by a trope wee are said to be righteousnesse, as Christ by a trope was said to be sinne: undoubtedly it is to bee understood of the same trope, which is a metonymy, the abstract being put for the concrete. Neither is there the like trope of Christ being called sinne, and of us being called the righteousnesse of God in him, if by sinne in this place be meant a sacrifice for sinne. Fourthly, neither is it true, either that Christ in this place is called sinne, because he tooke upon him the similitude of sinfull flesh; as though the Apostle compared our justification, whereby we become righteous, to Christs incarnation, wherein he tooke upon him our nature; and not to his condemnation, wherein he tooke upon him our sinne: or that wee are called the righteousnesse of God in Christ, because we have some likenesse of his justice: neither would it follow from hence, that wee in our s…lves are just; unlesse it should follow also, which were blasphemous to averre, that Christ in himselfe was a sinner. For so are we made righteous, as h…e was made sinne. Fifthly, neither is that true, that Christ was not made a sacrifice by imputation. For when he was made a sacrifice for us, our sinne was laid upon him, and imputed to him, as hath beene said; that his righteousnesse in like manner, might be imputed to us.