Exposition of Romans 4, Exposition · Verse 22
VERS. 22.
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteouſneſs.
THe fruit of Abrahams faith is here expreſſed that is his juſtification: The depravations of this Scripture by Adverſaries are many. Let us briefly take view of them: The firſt is from the illation; Therefore it was imputed, &c. Hence they collect, that faith avails to juſtification virtuouſly, and by way of merit: Man is juſtified by faith, not becauſe it apprehends the promiſe but becauſe it obteins remiſſion of ſinns, & ſuo quodam modo etiam mereatur: how infer they the concluſion out of this Scripture? The Apoſtle in this place, ſaith Bellarmine, Bellar. de juſt. lib. 1. cap. 17.ſets down the cauſe why Abrahams faith was reputed juſtice, to wit, becauſe by believing, he gave glory to God; therefore for the merit of that faith, he juſtified Abraham.
Where, firſt, let us weigh how they utterly croſſe the intention of the Apoſtle in his whole diſcourſe; which is to exclude all merits of men from juſtification: can we imagine he excludes the merit of other works, to ſubſtitute the merit of faith? 2. Beſides that, it is eaſily obſervable, that the Apoſtle maintains a continuall oppoſition betwixt faith and merit; as ver. 4.
To their argument thus we anſwer; That the Apoſtles illation indeed implyes a ſequel of juſtification, upon the performance of faith; yet none ſuch as is cauſed by the merit, and excellency of the gifs or work of faith, above other works: and this is that deceives them; that they can conceive no connexion betwixt our offices, and Gods benefits, but what the worth and merit of our performances cauſeth.
Know we therefore, 1. That there is an infallible connexion betwixt faith and juſtification, ſo that every one believing, is without faith juſtified. But 2. If the reaſon of this connexion be demanded, it is apparently Gods covenant and promiſe; therefore ſhall every believer receive remiſſion of ſins; becauſe ſo runs the promiſe in the covenant of grace, Believe, and thy ſins ſhall be forgiven: Auguſt. de verb. Apoſt. Serm. 16.Auguſtines ſpeech for the generall, let be remembred; Debitor factus eſt Deus, non aliquid à nobis accipiendo, ſed quod ei placuit promittendo: Abraham believed, and was therefore juſtified: the cauſe if we ſeek, is the promiſe of God, not the worth of his faith; which 1. Is a duty. 2. Gods gift. 3. In us imperfect.
And if Abrahams faith were the meritorious cauſe of his juſtification; I demand, whether as faith, or as ſuch faith? that is, whether in reſpect that he believed; or in reſpect that he believed in this full meaſure, was he juſtified? If in reſpect of his meaſure, then methinks it will follow, that only ſuch meaſure of faith ſufficeth to juſtification; & ſo the diſciples of Chriſt ſo doubtfull and wavering in many main articles till after Chriſts aſcenſion, muſt be reputed, for that time, unjuſtified: if faith ſimply, in what meaſure ſoever, then can it not be meritorious; ſith in the beginnings, it is ſo ful of imperfection: Thus I conclude. Faith is an antecedent, no cauſe properly of juſtification; juſtification a conſequent of believing; no effect iſſuing out of the virtue, and merit of faith; Trelcat. Inſtit. de juſtific.the particle (foreign therefore) notes not the cauſe of the conſequent, but of the ſequel, or conſequence, ſaith a learned Divine.
Their ſecond collection is this; Rhemenſ. ad loc.That faith juſtifying is a generall faith, whereby we aſſent to the truth of Gods ſpeeches in generall, Bellarm. de juſtif. lib. 1. cap. 11.and no ſuch ſpeciall faith or affiance, as Proteſtants require to juſtification. Their reaſon: The faith whereby Abraham was juſtified, was no other then this, A general perſwaſion of Gods faithfulneſs and power at large. Ergò. Anſw. The queſtion hath been largely handled, ad verſ. 3. whither I refer the Reader.
To their argument thus I anſwer; their antecedent is untrue: Abrahams faith was not of Gods truth and power in generall onelyonly; but of both applyed to the particular promiſed. From theſe generals he concluded the particular touching the ſeed, in whom all nations ſhould be bleſſed. In his believing, and the matter of it, we muſt conceive ſomething propounded, and conſidered as a concluſion; ſomthing as an argument, or premiſſes inferring the concluſion; to both which Abraham aſſented: To the concluſion, by virtue of the premiſſes; The concluſion was particular, I ſhall have a ſeed, in whom all nations, and my ſelf alſo ſhall be bleſſed. The premiſſes theſe; God that hath promiſed is faithfull and able to give it. In reſpect of the premiſſes, his faith is generall: In reſpect of the concluſion, particular, as we ſee.
In like ſort, we conceive the faith of every juſtified man to proceed; from generalls to their own particular, and to the particular, by virtue of the generals: Aſſent they yield to generals, but with reference ſtill to particulars. For example; That which for comfort of conſcience caſt down by the Law, they believe, is this particular concluſion; My ſins are, or ſhall be forgiven me: How come they to believe this particular? Anſw. By belief of generals: The ſins of all that believe in Chriſt, are for Chriſts ſake forgiven according to Gods promiſes in the Evangelical Covenant; therefore my ſins are forgiven me, ſince I have received by grace to reſt on Chriſt, for the pardon of my ſins: ſo is faith juſtifying, Generall in reſpect of the premiſſes, Particular in reſpect of the concluſion.
Their third deduction: Faith concurrs to juſtification, not as an inſtrument, but as the formal cauſe of our righteouſneſs; For, Abrahams faith was imputed juſtice, &c. Bellarm. de juſtif. l. 1. c. 2.Ipſa fides cenſetur eſſe juſtitia? Anſw. Whether whole juſtice or juſtice in part? They anſwer, juſtice in part; for, it is only Initium juſtitiae, according to their conceit: The ſenſe then muſt be this, abſurdly: Faith is counted juſtice, that is, the beginning of juſtice: And Abrahams faith muſt be his juſtice, in part only; whereas the Apoſtle aſcribes to Abraham whole juſtification in reſpect of his faith; or elſe, forgets the ſtate of the queſtion. For this Scripture, the ſenſe is this; Senſe Abrahams faith was imputed to righteouſneſs, that is, ſet on his ſcore, or taken notice of ſo far, that the Lord in reſpect of it, allowed him the eſteem of righteouſneſs; See ſupra, ad verſ. 3, 4, 5.
The ſubſtance of Doctrine conceived in this verſe, hath been already handled, ad verſ. 3.
Paſs we from it therefore, to the third member of the Chapter; the applying of all that hath been ſaid, of Abrahams juſtification to us.