A Treatise of Justification, Book 5 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. The objections of the Papists against imputation.
§. I.
FIrst they cavill at the word, and that in divers respects,The Papists cavill at the word first, because it is new. for first they say it is new. Secondly they deride it calliug it justitiam putatitiam an imaginary justice. Thirdly, they say, this assertion, that wee are justified by imputation of Christs righteousnesse, is no where to bee found. To the first concerning novelty, I answere, that the word is used tenne times: Rom. 4. and in the same sence, that wee doe use it, for accepting a man as righteous, who in himselfe is a sinner, verse 5. or imputing to a man righteousnesse, that worketh not vers. 5. or without workes, vers. 6. that is, without respect of any righteousnesse inherent in him or performed by him; besides other places of the Scriptures, both in the Old Testament, and in the New: where the Hebrew Chashab is read with Lamed, or the Greek foreign, with a dative of the person, whether in the Greeke translation of the Old Testament or in the Greeke Text of the New. Examples of the Old Testament both in the Hebrew text and in the Greeke translation may bee these, Gen. 15. 6. Levit. 7. 18. 17. 4. N…m. 18. 27. 30. 2 Sam. 19. 19. Hebr. Psal. 32. 2. 105. 31. Prov. 17. 28. Graec. Examples of the New Testament, besides those in the Epistle to the Romanes, 2 Cor. 5. 19. Gal. 3, 6. 2 Tim. 4. 16. Iam. 2. 23. In the Latine vulgar translation, not onelyonly the Verbe imputare and imputari are used in the same sense, as 2 Chron. 30. 19. Iob 42. 8. Psalm. 32. 2. Sap. 12. 1…. E…ek. 33. 16. Rom. 4. 4. 8. 5. 13. 2 Tim. 4. 16. Philem. 18. but also reputure and r…putari construed with a dative, as Gen. 15. 6. Numb. 18. 27. 30. Deut. 21. 8. …bsque dativo. Deut. 23. 21. 24. 15. Iud. 4. 9. 2 Sam. 19. 19. 1 Chron. 21. 3. Psal. 106. 31. 1 Mac. 2. 52. Rom. 4. 3. 5. 9. 10. 11. 22. 24. Galath. 3. 6. Iam. 2. 23. But, say they, the Greeke foreign, which is a simple Verbe, and the Hebrew chashab doth signifie p…rare, not imputar…, to thinke, esteeme or account, not to impute. I answer, when the Hebrew Verbe is read with Lamed, or the Greeke with the dative of the person, it signifieth properly to impute, (as in the places even now quoted) and is all one with foreign (which word also is used by the Apostle, Rom. 5. 13. Phile. 18. or foreign as aIn voce foreignVari…us doth expound it producing this example, foreign, The sinnes of the children of God foreign to the Fathers, that is, imputeth, or layeth them to their charge, and so the vulgar Latine translateth the Greeke foreign by the Latine imputare, as Rom. 4, 4. 8. or reputare with a dative, as Rom. 4. 3. 5, &c. or accepta ferre, as Rom, 4. 6. which are all one, even in the opinion of that Latine interpeter.
Neither should this act of imputation seeme strange seeing the practise thereof is usuall among men. For as when the debtour being not able to make payment, if the surety shall pay the whole summe or satisfie for the debt, the sureties payment or satisfaction is imputed to the debtour, and accepted in his behalfe, as if himselfe had discharged the debt. Even so wee being debtours to God, both in respect of the penalty due for our sinnes past, and also of obedience which we owe for the time to come, and being altogether unable either to satisfie the one or performe the other: Christ as our surety fatisfieth both these debts for us, and his satisfaction is imputed unto us, and accepted in our behalfe, as if we in our owne persons had discharged our debt.Secondly, they cavill at imputative iustice calling it putatitiam.
§. II. Whereas in the second place they deride imputed justice, calling it putatitiam, as if it were an imaginary righteousnes only: which also, they say, doth both derogate from the glory of God, to whom it were more honourable to make a man truely righteous, than to repute him righteous, who in himselfe is wicked; and also detract from the honour of Christs Spouse, who is onelyonly arraied with her Husbands righteousnesse, as it were a Garment, being in herselfe deformed. I answere first, whom… the Lord doth justifie, hee doth indeed and in truth constitute and make them righteous by imputing unto them the righteousnesse of Christ, no lesse truely and really, than either Adams sinne was imputed to us, or our sinnes to Christ, for which hee really suffered. Secondly, whom God justifieth or maketh righteous by imputation, them also he sanctifieth, or maketh righteous by infusion of a righteousnesse begun in this life, and to bee perfected when this mortall life is ended. And further, that it is much more for the glory both of Gods justice and of his merciemercy, when hee justifieth sinners, both to make them pe…fectly righteous by imputation of Christs righteousnesse: and also having freed them from hell by the perfect s…tisfaction of his Sonne, and entitled them to the Kingdome of Heaven by his perfect obedience; to prepare and to fit them for his owne Kingdome, by beginning a righteousnesse inherent in them, which by degrees groweth towards perfection in this life, and shall bee fully perfected so soone as this life is ended, rather than to justifie, or to speake more properly to sanctifie them onelyonly by a righteousnesse which is unperfect and but begun, which in justice can neither satisfie for their sinnes, nor merit eternall life. And as for the Spouse of Christ, as it is most honourable for her to stand righteous before God, not in her owne unperfect righteousnesse, but in the most perfect and absolute righteousnesse of Christ the eternal Son of God, which far surpasseth the righteousnes of al men and Angels: so it is both profitable to her, and honorable to God whiles shee is to continue he… warfare and pilgrimage in this world, to bee subject to insirmities and imperfections; whereby shee being humbled in her selfe, is taught to rely upon the power and goodnesse of God whose b2 Cor. 12. 9.grace is sufficient for her, and whose power is seene in her weakenesse; especially considering, that though her obedience bee unperfect, yet, it being upright, it is not only accepted in Christ, by whose perfect obedience imputed her wants are covered, but also graciously rewarded: and also considering, that the remainders of sinne are left ad agonem, that having maintained a spirituall warfare against them, and the other enemies of her salvation, and having overcome them, she may receive the Crowne promised to them which overcome.
§. III. As touching the third, which is Bellarmines first objectionThirdly, that is no where to be found, B…llar. de iustif. l. 2. c. 7. in this place, that it is no where read, that Christs righteousnesse is imputed unto us, or that wee are justified by Christs righteousnesse imputed. I answer, that as in many other controversies the assertion of neither part is in so many words and syllables expressed in the Scriptures: so neither in this. For where doe the Papists read, either in Scriptures, or Fathers, that our righteousnesse inherent is the formall cause of our justification before God? The contrary whereof, in substance, is so often read, as it is said, that wee are not justified by our workes, or by our owne righteousnesse, nor in our selves, nor by a righteousnesse prescribed in the Law in which all inherent righteousnesse is fully and perfectly described. But the substance of our assertion is often read, as namely, First, that when God doth justifie a finner hee imputeth righteousnesse unto him without workes, that is, without respect of any righteousnesse inherent in or performed by himselfe, Rom. 4. 4, 5, 6. Secondly, that hee justifieth him, not by the parties cRom. 10. 3. Phil 3. 8, 9. 2 Cor. 5. 21.owne righteousnesse, or by making him righteous in himselfe, but by the righteoufnesse of another, viz. Christ, in whom hee is made righteous. Thirdly, that we are justified by the bloud dRom. 5. 9. c 19.and by the e obedience, that is the personall righteousnesse of Christ, which neither it selfe, nor yet the merit thereof (without communication wherof no man can be saved) is or can be communicated unto us otherwise than by imputation. From whence wee may argue thus.
The righteoufneffe whereby wee are justified is imputed: for when God doth justifie a man hee imputeth fRom. 4. 6.righteousnesse unto him.
By the righteousnesse of Christ wee are justified, Rom. 5. 9. 19.
Therefore the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed unto us. Fourthly, that as by the disobedience of Adam wee were made …inners, namely, by the imputation thereof unto us, (for neither the guilt, nor the corruption, nor the punishment, which is death, had belonged to us, if the sinne it selfe had not beene imputed unto us,) so by the obedience of Christ wee are justified, which, if it were not imputed to us, we could by it neither be freed from hell, nor entitled to heaven, nor made inherently just by it. Fifthly, that wee are so made the righteousnesse of God in Christ, as hee was made sinne for us, that is, by imputation. Sixthly, and lastly (to omit other proofes) when the Papists doe confesse that Christs satisfaction is imputed unto us: they confesse as much as wee teach, if it bee rightly understood. For his satisfaction for us is either in respect of the penalty of the Law, to free us from hell; or in respect of the Commandement, to entitle us to heaven. The penalty hee hath satisfied by his sufferings, which is obedientia crucis his obedience of the Crosse: the Commandement, by the perfect fulfilling therof, which is obedientia Legis, his obedience of the Law. Now Bellarmine, as I have heretofore shewed, teacheth in his fifth chapter of his second booke that God accepteth in our behalfe the righteousnesse of Christ, whereby he satisfied for us. And in the tenth chapter, that not ou… righteousnesse doth satisfie for our sinnes, but the righteousnesse of Christ which is imputed to us: and to that purpose citeth hEpist. 190.Bernard. For if one, faith he, dyed for all; then all were dead, that the satisfaction of that one might bee imputed to all, as hee bare the sinnes of all.His second and third a…gument both prove imputation to bee needlesse.
§. IV. Bellarmine his second and third argument both tend to prove that for the justification of a sinner there is no need of imputation of Christs righteousnesse: where, in mine opinion, hee might as well have alleaged, that there is no need of a Saviour. For if there bee need of a Saviour, it is to free us from the danger of damna ion, and to entitle us to the Kingdome of heaven: both which benefits are implyed in justification. But how should we, who are sinners, and consequently by sinne obnoxious to damnation, and excluded from heaven, bee either acquitted from hell, or made heires of heaven? For neither by our selves nor by any other meanes in the world can we bee freed from hell or have right to heaven, but onelyonly by the death and merits of Christ our onelyonly Saviour, which is so cleare a truth, that the Papists themselves cannot deny it. But how can wee bee freed from hell by Christs sufferings, or entitled to heaven by his obedience, if the Lord doe not accept of his sufferings and obedience in our …ehalfe, as if we had suffered and done the same in our owne persons? If God doe not accept them in the behalfe of the faithfull, for whose sake hee did obey and suff…r: then all that Christ did and suffered for us was in vaine; and in vaine did he take our nature and our sinnes upon him If the Lord doe accept in our behalfe the fufferings and merits of Christ, then doth he impute them unto us. For by imputation, as I hauehave said, wee meane nothing else. Neither can the sufferings and obedience of Christ, being transient, as I have also shewed before, bee otherwise communicated unto us, but by imputation.
§. V. But come we to his second argument: for if, saith he, imputation Arg. 2. Imputation needl…sse, because remission is a totall deletion of sin.bee necessary, it is chiefly for this cause, because a man after remission of sinne remaineth still a sinner, his sinne being covered and not abolished. But when sinnes are remitted, they are not onelyonly covered, but utterly abolished. But here Bellarmine grossely mistaketh our assertion, as if we held, that sins are first forgiven, and then, after the forgivenesse of sinnes, righteousnesse is imputed. But wee hold, that by imputation of Christs righteousnesse or satisfaction we have remission of sinne, and not otherwise: and therefore that to remission it …selfe imputation is absolutely necessary. For God forgiveth no sinne, nor remitteth the guilt of punishment for which his justice is not fully satisfied. But wee are not able our selves to satisfie for our sinnes but by eternall punishment. Therefore it is impossible (salva Dei justitia) that our sinnes should bee forgiven,That the remission of sinne is not the utter deletion of sinne: the first reason. unlesse Christs satisfaction be imputed unto us.
§. VI. And whereas still he harpeth on that string that remission of sinne is the utter deletion or abolition of it, to wit, by infusion of righteousnesse, and that therefore imputation of Christs righteousnesse is needlesse; I answere, first, that in sinne two things are considered, theOf this see more, l. 2 c. 7. & 8. guilt, and the corruption. That in remission of sinne the guilt is fully taken away by imputation of Christs perfect righteousnesse; but the corruption or pollution is not taken away by remission, but by mortification; and that not fully and at once, but by degrees. And howsoever these two benefits doe alwayes concurre, remission of sinne and mortification of sinne, (for whosoever are freed from the guilt of sinne are also freed from the dominion of sinne; and to whom the Lord granteth remission, to them hee granteth repentance, Gods forgiving and mans forgoing or forsaking of sinne going alwayes together) notwithstanding they are by no meanes to be confounded. I confesse that both of them are wrought by the bloud of Christ, and by his death; but in a divers respect. For by the bloud of Christ is meant all that which issued out of his blessed side, which was both bloud and water, Ioh. 19. 34. which Saint Ioh… vers. 35. noteth as a thing most remarkable; and accordingly in his first Epistle, Chapter 5. vers. 6. urgeth it. This is he that came by water and bloud (even Christ Iesus) not by water onelyonly, but by water and bloud. The bloud of redemption, to redeeme us from the guilt of sinne; and the water of ablution, to purge us from the pollution of sinne. The death also of Christ may be considered, either in respect of the merit thereof, as it is foreign. a price or ransome apprehended by faith, to redeeme us from the guilt of sinne: or in respect of the vertue and efficacy, as it is a medicine or plaister iEsay 53. 5.applyed by the Holy Ghost to cure us of the malady of sinne. Both Christ worketh by his bloud and by his death: but the former is done without us, and (in respect of sinnes past, at once, as when a debt is fully satisfied) the later is wrought in us, as when a disease is cured by degrees.
§. VII. Secondly, if remission of sinne bee an utter deletion, orReason …. a totall abolition of sinne, then no mans sinne is forgiven in whom any sinne remaineth, which is a most desperate doctrine, as heretofore kLib. 2. c. 7. §. 13.I have shewed: for where is that mortall man in whom no sinne remaineth? If the Papists say they have no sinne, Saint *1 Ioh. 1. 8. 10.Iohn will tell them, that there is no truth in them. Thirdly, in the Scriptures, to remit sinne is not to abolish it but to pardon, lPsal. 32. 1. 2.and to forgive it, or not to impute it. And further, God is said so to forgive our sinnes, as wee forgive the offences of others: which wee doe, when by charity mPro. 10. 1….we cover them; when we do not remember them with any desire or purpose to revenge them: when we are reconciled to them that offended us. The difference is, that God forgiveth not onelyonly in mercy, but in justice also; forgiving no sinnes but those for which his justice is fully satisfied. He forgiveth therefore those sinnes, for which Christ hath satisfied, he remitteth the punishment to us, which Christ hath borne for us; he covereth them, but with the robe of Christs righteousnesse: hee is reconciled unto us, but it is Christ, for whose sake he doth forgive our sinnes. Thus therefore I argue, If remission of sinne bee not the deletion of the sinne it selfe by infusion of righteousnesse, but the not imputing or covering of it, the taking away of the guilt by imputation of Christs satisfaction; then we are justified not by infusion but by imputation: but the former is true; therefore the later.
Yea but …aith Bellarmine the Scripture by remission of sinne understandeth the utter abolishing of sinne, and to that purpose useth all manner of words, which could be devised to expresse the utter deletion of sinne: to which purpose he alleageth many testimonies, all which I have answered nLib. 2. c. 8▪heretofore.
§. VIII. Fourthly, if there be a totall deletion of sin in our justification by the infusion of righteousnesse; then that righteousnesse which in our justification is infused, is perfect: for the infusion of righteousnesse which is unperfect, cannot cause a totall abolition of sinne. Nay, the imperfection it selfe is a sinne. But it is absurd to imagine, that the righteousnesse which is infused in the first imaginary justification of the Papists; or, as we speake, in our first regeneration is perfect, seeing in our best estate in this life wee receive but the first fruits of the Spirit: and in our first regeneration, which is, as it were, our conception, wee receive but the seeds, as it were, of Gods graces. And therefore to imagine, that in Infants newly Baptized, having not so much as the use of reason, there is perfection or full growth of Faith, Hope, and Charity, when actually they neither can beleeve, hope, or love, surpasseth all absurdity. Especially when they acknowledge a great difference, not onelyonly betweene viatores, which are in via, that is, the faithfull in this life; and comprehensores, which are in pa…ria, that is, the Saints in heaven; but also among viatores themselves, whom they distinguish into three degrees; incipientes, which are as infants; proficientes, which are as adolescentes; and perfecti, which are as adulti, among whom none are so perfect, oP…il. 3. 14.but that still something may and ought to bee added; their inner man being renewed from day to day: 2 Cor. 4. 16. untill they come to full pe…fection, which is not to bee attained unto in this life. Shall then not onelyonly other viatores be perfect, but incipientes also? Now it is apparant that their justification is incipientium, even of infants in Baptisme: in whom if there be a totall deletion of sinne by infusion of righteousnesse; then that righteousnesse which in Baptisme is infused, is perfect, neither can any thing be added to their Fa…th Hope, and Charity. But that there is no perfect inherent righteousnesse in this li…e in any meere man whatsoever, may thus briefly be proved. In whomsoever is sinne in them is not perfect righteousnesse: for perfect righteousnesse and sinne cannot stand together. But in all mortall men there is sinne, therefore in no meere or mortall man is perfect righteousnesse inherent.