The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 48
CHAP. XLVIII. Of our iuſtification.
ANd ſo much concerning thoſe tentations of Sathan which he ſuggeſteth to the end that hee may fruſtrate our effectuall calling. §. Sect. 1 Of the efficient cauſe of our iuſtification. Rom. 8.30.The next ſubordinate cauſe and means of our ſaluation is our iuſtification, for whomſoeuer the Lord effectually calleth thoſe alſo he iuſtifieth. as it is Rom. 8.30. In ſpeaking whereof I will firſt ſhew what it is, and afterwards anſwere ſuch tentations of Sathan as he ſuggeſteth into our mindes, to the end that hee may infringe the doctrine of iuſtification, and make it vaine and vnprofitable vntounto vsus.
For the firſt. Iuſtification is an action orworke of the whole trinitie the father, ſonne, and holy ghoſt, whereby God gratiouſly and freely imputing vntounto eueryevery faithfull man the righteouſneſſe and obedience of Chriſt the mediatour doth accept of him and pronounce him to be iuſt and righteous, for the glorie of his name and ſaluation of the beleeuer.
The efficiēt cauſe of our iuſtificatiō is God alone as appeareth by manifeſt teſtimonies. Eſa. 43.25. I, Eſa. 43.25. Ezec. 16.8.euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for my owne ſake and will not remember thy ſinnes. So Ezech. 16.8. The Lord thus ſpeaketh to his church and people; I ſpread my skirts ouer thee and couered thy filthineſſe. 9. Then I waſhed thee with water, yea I waſhed away thy bloud from thee and annointed thee with oyle. 10.Rom. 4.5. and 8.33. Pſal. 51.4. I clothed thee with broydred worke &c. whereby he ſignifieth that he purged it with the bloud of Chriſt from all ſinne, and adorned it with the rich robe of his righteouſneſſe. The Apoſtle likewiſe ſaith that it is God who iuſtifieth him who in himſelfe was vngodly. Rom. 4.5. and 8.33. It is God who iuſtifieth, who ſhall condemne? The reaſon hereof is manifeſt becauſe it is the Lord againſt whom we hauehave ſinned, as Dauid ſpeaketh Pſal. 51.4. And he alone is our ſupreame iudge who hath authoritie to abſolue or condemne vsus, and therefore he onelyonly can giuegive vntounto vsus the pardon and remiſſion of our ſinnes and accept of vsus as iuſt and righteous.
And this worke is not peculiar vntounto any one perſon, but is commune to the whole trinitie. For God the father being fully ſatisfied by the full ſatisfaction, righteouſneſſe, and obedience of Chriſt the ſonne, applied vntounto vsus by the holy ſpirit, doth pardon and forgiue vsus all our ſinnes, and pronounceth and accepteth of vsus as innocent, and indued with perfect righteouſneſſe.
The motiue or impulſiue cauſe, which moued the Lorde thus to iuſtifie vsus, was not any thinge in vsus or out of him ſelfe; but of his meere mercy, and free good will wherewith hee hath loued vsus from the beginning, as it manifeſtly appeareth Rom. 3.24.Rom. 3.24. Where the Apoſtle ſayth that we are iuſtified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Chriſt Ieſus. and Tit. 3.5.7.Tit. 3.5.7. Not by the workes of righteouſneſſe which we had done, but according to his merciemercy he ſaued vsus, by the waſhing of the new birth and renewing of the holy ghoſt. 7. That being iuſtified by his grace, we ſhould bee made heyres according to the hope of eternal life.
The inſtrumentall cauſes are of two ſorts: firſt on Gods part the word and the ſacraments, whereby the Lord offreth, conuaigheth, ſealeth, and aſſureth vntounto vsus his merciemercy & grace, Chriſt Ieſus with his merites, righteouſneſſe, and obedience, the remiſſion of our ſinnes, and euerlaſting life.
Secondly on our part a true and liuely faith, whereby wee receiue and apply vntounto our ſelues the mercy of God, Chriſt Ieſus & all his benefits, reſting vponupon him alone for our ſaluation.
§. Sect. 2 The materiall cauſe of our iuſtification is the actiue and paſſiue righteouſneſſe and obedience of Ieſus Chriſt,The material cauſe. his inhaerent holineſſe, his fulfilling of the law, his death, ſacrifice, and full ſatisfaction. So that we are not iuſtified by the eſſentiall righteouſneſſe of the godhead, nor by our owne workes ioyned with Chriſts merites, nor by any inhaerent righteouſnes infuſed of God through the merites of Chriſt; or by any other thing in our ſelues or any other meere creature, but by the alone righteouſneſſe of our mediatour Ieſus Chriſt God and man, which is out of our ſelues and in Chriſt as the proper ſubiect thereof, and not belonging to vsus till by the ſpirite of God and a liuely faith it be applyed vntounto vsus and ſo becommeth ours.
Of the formall cauſe.The formall cauſe of our iuſtification is a reciprocall imputation or tranſmutation of the ſinnes of the beleeuer vntounto Chriſt and of his righteouſneſſe vntounto the beleeuer: whereby it commeth to paſſe that the faithfull man hath not his ſinnes imputed vntounto him, nor the puniſhment due vntounto them inflicted on him, becauſe Chriſt hath taken vponupon him the guilt and puniſhment, and by making ful ſatisfaction vntounto his fathers iuſtice, hath obtayned the pardon and remiſſion of al his ſinnes. And alſo is clothed with the glorious robe of Chriſt Ieſus righteouſneſſe, and ſo appearing before God both free from all ſinne and indued with perfect righteouſneſſe hee is iuſtified, reconciled, and eternally ſaued. And of this imputed righteouſnes the apoſtle ſpeaketh, Rom. 4.5.Rom. 4.5. But to him that worketh not, but beleeueth in him that iuſtifieth the vngodly, his faith is counted for righteouſneſſe. 6. Euen as Dauid declareth the bleſſedneſſe of the man vntounto whom God imputeth righteouſneſſe without workes, ſaying. 7. Bleſſed are they whoſe iniquities are forgiuen, and whoſe ſinnes are couered. 8. bleſſed is the man vntounto whom the Lord imputeth not ſinne. and 2. Cor. 5.19.2. Cor. 5.19. For God was in Chriſt and reconciled the world vntounto himſelfe, not imputing their ſinnes vntounto them &c. 21. For hee hath made him to bee ſinne for vsus which knewe no ſinne that wee ſhould be made the righteouſneſſe of God in him. And the Apoſtle affirmeth 1. Cor. 1.30. That Ieſus Chriſt is made vntounto vsus of God, wiſdome, 1. Cor. 1.30.righteouſneſſe, ſanctification and redemption. So that now Chriſts righteouſneſſe is our righteouſneſſe, his obedience our obedience, his merits our merites, as certainely, perfectly and effectually, euen as if we our ſelues had bene moſt innocent fulfilled the law, or made full ſatisfaction to Gods iuſtice. By which it appeareth that in reſpect of our ſelues wee are iuſtified freely of Gods meere mercy & grace, without any reſpect of our owne righteouſnes or worthineſſe; but yet through Chriſt and for his righteouſneſſe and obedience imputed puted to vsus,Rom. 3.23.24. both which are ſignified by the Apoſtle Rom. 3.23.24. where he ſaid that all in themſelues are wretched ſinners without difference, and thereby are depriued of the glory of Gods kingdome, 24. and are iuſtified freely of his grace, through the redemption which is in Chriſt Ieſus.
§. Sect. 3 The finall cauſe.The finall cauſe of our inſtification is two fold, the chiefe and principall is the glory of God, for hereby the Lord hath moſt notably manifeſted his infinite iuſtice and mercy, his iuſtice in that he would rather puniſh our ſinnes in his onelyonly begotten Sonne, then he would ſuffer them to goe vnpuniſhed; his mercy in that for our ſakes hee ſpared not his beſt beloued Sonne, but gaue him to ſuffer death, yea the death of the croſſe, that by his one oblation he might make full ſatiſfaction for our ſinnes, and purchaſe for vsus euerlaſting life; and alſo in that he vouchſafeth vntounto vsus the outward means of his word and Sacraments, and the inward aſſiſtance of his holy ſpirit, whereby wee are vnited vntounto Chriſt and hauehave a liuely faith begotten in vsus, which apprehending Chriſt his righteouſneſſe and merits wee are iuſtified, ſanctified, and eternally ſaued. And this end is ſignified by the Apoſtle Rom. 3.24.25. where hee ſaith that God hath iuſtified vsus freely by his grace, Rom 3.24. & 5.21.through the redemption which is in Christ Ieſus, to declare his righteouſneſſe by the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes and might ſhew himſelfe iuſt by iuſtifying him who is of the faith of Ieſus. And cap. 5.21. he ſaith, that as vnderunder the law ſinne had raigned vntounto death, ſo now grace raigneth by righteouſneſſe vntounto eternall life through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Ephe. 2.5.6.7.So Eph. 2.5.6.7. hee affirmeth that God hath quickned vsus in Chriſt who were dead in our ſins & hath rayſed vsus vp in him; that hee might ſhew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindneſſe towards vsus in Christ Ieſus.
The inferiour and ſubordinate end is that our ſaluation may hereby be firmely aſſured vntounto vsus, for now our ſaluation is not in vsus but in the hands of God, and it is grounded not on our owne workes and worthineſſe, but vponupon the righteouſneſſe and obedience of Ieſus Chriſt, which is a moſt certaine and firme foundation which will neuer faile vsus. And this the Apoſtle ſheweth Rom. 4.16. whereas hee ſaith,Rom. 4.16. that the coucnant of grace whereby wee are aſſured of euerlaſting ſaluation is made by faith, that it might come by grace, and the promiſſe might be ſure to all the ſeed.
§. Sect. 4 Of the parts of our iuſtification.The parts of our iuſtification are two, the remiſſion of our ſinnes, and the imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, for as in eueryevery naturall man there is the corruption, guilt, and puniſhment of ſinne, and the abſence or priuation of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, ſo in Chriſt we hauehave a remedy for both: for the firſt by his paſſion and ſuffering: for the other by his actual obediēce and perfect fulfilling of the law. And this is manifeſt Rom. 4.6.7. where the Apoſtle diſtinctly maketh mention,Rom. 4.6.7. of the righteouſneſſe of Ieſus Chriſt imputed without workes, and of the forgiueneſſe, couering and not imputing of ſinne.That Chriſts actuall obedience, wherby he fulfilled the law is imputed vnted vntounto vsus. Neither was it ſufficient for the obtaining of euerlaſting life and happineſſe, that our mediatour ſhould by his death make full ſatisfaction for our ſinnes, both of commiſſion and alſo omiſſion, but alſo that he ſhould cloth vsus with his actiue obedience, whereby we might appeare perfectly righteous before God.
The truth hereof may further appeare, if we conſider firſt that our Sauiour Chriſt was not bound to fulfill the law for himſelfe, becauſe hee was from the firſt moment of his conception aſſumed into the hypoſtaticall and perſonall vnion with the ſecond perſon in Trinitie, and conſequently was not onelyonly man but God alſo, and therefore not bound to any law, neither needing any legall righteouſneſſe being already indued with a farre more excellent righteouſneſſe euen the righteouſneſſe of God. So that either our Sauiour perfourmed obedience to the law to no purpoſe, or els to this end that he might impute it vntounto vsus, and thereby indue vsus with ſuch a moſt perfect and euerlaſting righteouſneſſe as might giuegive vntounto vsus the right of eternall life.
Secondly, if onelyonly our ſinnes were pardoned and wee not not made partakers of Chriſts actiue righteouſneſſe, our imputed righteouſneſſe ſhould not excell the righteouſneſſe of Adam before his fall, for he neither cōmitted ſinne of omiſſion nor commiſſion till he tranſgreſſed Gods commaundement in eating of the forbidden fruit; but we are made partakers of a more excellent righteouſneſſe by faith, then we loſt in Adam, euen the righteouſneſſe of God by the faith of Ieſus Chriſt, Rom. 3.22.as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh Rom. 3.22. which conſiſteth not onelyonly in the abſence of euill and ſinne, but in the prefence alſo of actuall holineſſe and righteouſneſſe.
Thirdly and laſtly (becauſe it is my purpoſe onelyonly to touch this point by the way as not ſo properly belonging to this treatiſe) wee are vnited vntounto Chriſt Ieſus, and he is become our head and we his members, by reaſon of which vnion as he communicateth himſelfe vntounto vsus, ſo alſo that which belongeth vntounto him as he is our mediatour, and conſequently not onelyonly his paſſiue obedience whereby he hath made full ſatiſfaction for our ſinnes, but alſo his actuall righteouſneſſe whereby he perfectly fulfilled the law.
And thus it appeareth that our iuſtification conſiſteth of two parts, the firſt the remiſſion of our ſinnes for the full ſatisfaction of Chriſt by his death and ſufferings, the other the imputation of his habituall and actiue righteouſneſſe.
The remiſſion of ſinnes is the firſt part of iuſtification, whereby God forgiueth for the death and full ſatisfaction of Chriſt, all our ſinne both originall and actuall both in reſpect of the guilt and puniſhment, ſo as they ſhall neuer be imputed to our condemnation, neither in this life nor in the life to come.Pſal. 32.1 And of this the pſalmiſt ſpeaketh, Pſal. 32.1. Bleſſed is the man whoſe wickedneſſe is forgiuen, and whoſe ſinne is couered. 2. Bleſſed is the man vntounto whom the Lorde imputeth not iniquitie. So the Apoſtle ſaith that God was in Chriſt, and reconciled the world to himſelfe not imputing their ſinnes vntounto them. 2. Cor. 5.19.2. Cor. 5.19.
The imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſſe is the other part of our iuſtification, whereby God imputeth vntounto eueryevery beleeuer the righteouſneſſe of the mediatour Ieſus Chriſt as if it were properly their owne and perfourmed by them, that being clothed therewith they may bee perfectly righteous in Gods ſight, and ſo obtaine the right vntounto euerlaſting life and happines. And of this the apoſtle ſpeaketh, Rom. 4.6.Rom. 4.6. Euen as (ſaith hee) Dauid declareth the bleſſedneſſe of the man vntounto whom God imputeth righteouſneſſe without workes. Rom. 9.30.and Rom. 9.30. The Gentiles which followed not righteouſneſſe hauehave attayned vntounto righteouſneſſe, euen the righteouſneſſe which is of faith. So Phil. 3.8.9.Phil. 3.8.9. The Apoſtle ſaith that hee accounted all things loſſe and iudge them to bee dunge, that hee might winne Chriſt, and might be found in him not hauing his one righteouſneſſe which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Chriſt, euen the righteouſneſſe which is of God through faith. Ier. 23.6.
Now this righteouſneſſe of Chriſt is twofold, his habituall and inhaerent holineſſe and innocencie, whereby he was free from all corruption and ſinne both originall and actuall; and indued with all holineſſe and puritie of nature, from the firſt moment of his conception. And of this the Apoſtle ſpeaketh. 2, Cor. 5.21. He that knew no ſinne, was made ſinne for vsus. 2. Cor. 5.21. 1. Pet. 2.22. Heb. 4.15.and 1. Pet. 2.22. Who did no ſinne neither was there any guile found in his mouth. So Heb. 4.15. He is ſaid to be without ſinne. And 1. Pet. 1.19.1. Pet. 1.19. Ioh. 8.46. Hee is called the lambe vndefiled and without ſpot. And himſelfe challengeth the Iewes Ioh. 8.46. Which of you can rebuke me of ſinne. And this holineſſe being imputed vntounto vsus, is oppoſed to our originall ſinne and naturall corruption. The other is his actuall righteouſneſſe, whereby he perfourmed perfect obedience vntounto the law in all his thoughts, words, and deeds, through the whole courſe of his life. And this being imputed vntounto vsus, and becomming ours by reaſon of that vnion which is betweene Chriſt and vsus, is oppoſed vntounto our actuall tranſgreſſion, whereby wee hauehave broken the whole law of God both in omitting the duties which are commaunded, and in committing the vices and ſinnes which are forbidden.
The perſons who are thus iuſtified are all the faithful, and they onelyonly who doe apply the righteouſneſſe of Ieſus Chriſt vntounto themſelues by a true and liuely faith. And thus the Apoſtle doth limmitt and reſtraine it. Rom. 3.21.22.Rom. 3.21.22. and 4.5. Where hee ſaith that the righteouſneſſe of God is made manifeſt without the the law; to wit, the righteouſneſſe of God by the faith of Ieſus Chriſt, vntounto all and vponupon all that beleeue. and 4.5. To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iuſtifieth the vngodly, his faith is counted for righteouſneſſe. And our Sauiour hath promiſed, that whoſoeuer beleeueth in him ſhall not come into iudgment, but hath paſſed from death to life. Ioh. 4.24.Ioh. 5 24.
The time when we are thus iuſtified is firſt in this life as ſoone as true faith is begot in vsus by the miniſtery of the word, whereby we particularly apply vntounto our ſelues Chriſt Ieſus and all his benefites, reſting and relying vponupon him alone for our iuſtification and ſaluation; the which ſhall bee fully perfected at the day of iudgment, when as our Sauiour Chriſt ſhall pronounce the ſentence of abſolution ſaying Come yee bleſſed of my father, take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Mat. 25.34.Mat. 25.34.