Institutes of the Christian Religion Abridged by Edmond Bunnie, Book · Book 3 · Chapter 11 – Chapter 13
Cap. 11. Of the iuſtification of Fayth, and firſt of the definition of the name and of the thing.
THere are thrée principall partes of this Chapter: for firſt he diſputeth of the word, from the 1. to the 4: ſecondly, he beateth downe Oſianders dotage of eſſentiall righteouſnes, from the 5. to the 12. Laſt of all, againſt righteouſnes of workes he ſetteth vp righteouſnes of Fayth, from the 13. to the 23.
1 After hée hath briefly recited thoſe thinges which are before ſpoken of regeneration, he commeth to the doctrine of iuſtification, the knowledge whereof he proueth to be very neceſſary for two cauſes.
2 But that wée ſtumble not at the firſt entry, he ſheweth what it is to bée iuſtified, firſt before God, ſecondly by workes, thirdly by Fayth.
3 This his interpretation of ye word he confirmeth by many teſtimonyes of Scripture: firſt where Luke ſayeth, that the people when they had heard Chriſt did iuſtifie God, & where Chriſt pronounceth that wiſedome is iuſtified by her children, he doth not mean there that they doe giuegive righteouſnes, which alway remaineth perfect with God;Luk. 7.12.37 nor to make the doctrine of ſaluation righteous, which hath euer that of it ſelf: but both theſe ſpeeches ſerue to giuegive to God and his doctrine the praiſe that they deſerue. when Chriſt reprocheth ye Phariſies that they iuſtifie them ſelues, hée doeth not meane that they obtaine righteouſnes by well doyng, but doe vaingloriouſly ſéeke for the fame of righteouſneſſe whereof they bée voyde.Luk. 16.15 They are not onelye called wicked dooers, that are guiltie in their conſciences of any wicked dooing, but alſo they that come in daunger of iudgement of condemnation:1. Kin. 1.21 for when Barſabe ſaieth that ſhée and Salomon ſhal be wicked doers, ſhée doth not therin acknowledge any offence, but cōplaineth that ſhe and her ſōne ſhalbe put to ſhame to be numbred among the reprobate and condemned.Gal. 3.8 Where Paul ſaieth, yt God iuſtifieth, it is ment yt he imputeth righteouſnes by faith. And where he ſaith, that he iuſtifieth the wicked man, it is ment that by the benefite of faith, he deliuereth and maketh them free from damnation,Acts. 13.38 Luke. 18.12 which their wickedneſſe deſerued, as Paule concludeth in an other place.
4 Moreouer he applieth the thing it ſelfe to the ſame out of Paul,Eph. 1.5 Rom. 3.24 2. Cor. 5.18 where he expreſſeth iuſtification by the name of acceptation.
5 As concerning Oſianders dotage, he proueth that his foundation is, in that he peruerſly did enterprete certaine places of the Vnion that is betwéene Chriſt and vsus, that is to ſay, mingling an eſſential vnion, as though the eſſence of Chriſte were mingled with ours, which is falſe: héerevpon it commeth to paſſe that Chriſt is to vsus righteouſnes, not in reſpect, as his righteouſnes is ours by faith, but becauſe Chriſt is the eternal God, the fountain of righteouſneſſe, and the very righteouſneſſe of God, imagining that wée are ſubſtantially righteous in God: as well by eſſence as by qualitie powred into vsus: moreouer that not only Chriſt, but alſo his father, and the holy Ghoſt dwelleth in vsus, by a certaine ſubſtantiall mixture, as though GOD ſhoulde make vsus a part of himſelfe.
6 This dotage is more wicked and pernicious, then may with ſilence, bée paſſed ouer. For from thence procéedeth thoſe two, firſt, to be iuſtified is not only to be reconciled to GOD with frée pardon, but alſo to be righteous, ye righteouſneſſe be not a frée imputation, but a holineſſe and vprightneſſe, which the ſubſtance of God remaining in vsus doth breath into vsus, the other, that Chriſt is not our righteouſneſſe, in reſpect that being a Prieſt, he had with ſatiſfactory purging ſinnes, appeaſed his father toward vsus; but in reſpect that he is the eternall God and Life. The firſt of theſe that Oſiander may prooue hee both alledgeth a reaſon (which by a moſt fitte ſimilitude is wiped away) and alſo manifeſtly corrupteth certaine places of ſcripture.1. Cor. 1.30 Rom. 4.5
7 That which hee obiecteth will followe by our doctrine, that the power of iuſtifiyng ſhould be of it ſelfe in faith, by no meanes may be wiped away. In that he ſaith, that faith is Chriſt, it is a croked figure, and not be admitted for faith, which only is the inſtrument to receiue righteouſneſſe is vnfitly mingled with Chriſt, which is the materiall cauſe, and both authour and miniſter of ſo great a benefite.
8 As concerning the proofe of that other, he contendeth, that the inwarde worde is ſo of vsus to bée receaued by the miniſtration of the outwarde worde, that he may drawe vsus from the perſon of the Mediator, to his eternall diuinitie: and ſéeing Chriſte is both God and man, he would hauehave him righteouſnes to vsus, in reſpect of his diuine & humane nature, which is cōfuted: for if this belong properly to the Godhead, then it ſhal not be peculiar to Chriſt, but common with the Father and the holy Ghoſt, foraſmuche as there is not one righteouſneſſe of the one, & an other of the other, and that which is naturally frō eternitie, is not conueniently ſaide to be made to vsus: Therefore properly it belongeth to the perſon of the mediator. Whereas Oſiander braggeth of a place of Ieremie, that the Lorde Iehouah ſhalbée our righteouſneſſe,Eſay. 53.11 hee can get nothing by that, but that Chriſte which is righteouſneſſe, is God openly ſhewed in the fleſhe. In an other place, where it is ſaid, that God purchaſed to himſelfe the Church wt his blood;Act. 20.21 it cannot thereby bée gathered, that the blood wherewith ſinnes are purged, was diuine, or of the nature of Godheade. Chriſt then was made righteouſneſſe, when he did put on the forme of a ſeruant: he did iuſtifie vsus, when he ſhewed himſelf obediēt to his father, & therfore doth not this according to his nature of Godhead, but according to the office of diſpenſation, committed vntounto hym. For although God alone is the fountaine of righteouſnes, and we be made righteous by no other mean, but by the partaking of him, yet becauſe wee are by vnhappy diſagréement, eſtranged from his righteouſneſſe, we muſt néeds come down to this lower remedy, that Chriſt may iuſtifie vsus, with the force of his death and reſurrection.
9 If he obiect, that this is a worke of ſuch excellencie, that it is aboue the nature of man, & therfore cānot be aſcribed, but to the nature of God: this alſo he plainly ſheweth of how litle waight it is,Rom. 5.19 and howe maliciouſly he contendeth, that the righteouſneſſe of God can be nothing elſe, but his eſſentiall righteouſneſſe, which Paule denieth, and Chriſte himſelfe when hee meaneth to ſeale the righteouſneſſe and ſaluation, to which he hath brought vsus, ſetteth before vsus an aſſured pledge thereof in his fleſhe,Iob. 6.51.55 he doeth in déede cal himſelfe the liuely bread, but expreſſing the maner héere he addeth, that his fleſhe is very meate, and his blood is very drinke: which maner of teaching is ſéene in the ſacrament, which although they direct our faith to whole Chriſt, and not to halfe Chriſt, yet they doe therewithall teach, that the matter of righteouſnes and ſaluation remaineth in his fleſhe, not in that he is onelyonly man, hee either iuſtifieth or quickeneth of himſelfe; but becauſe it pleaſed God to ſhew openly in the Mediator that which was hidden & incōprehenſible in himſelfe: wherfore Chriſt is as it were a Fountaine ſet open for vsus, out of which we may draw that which otherwiſe ſhoulde without fruite lye hidden in that cloſe and deepe ſpring that riſeth vp vntounto vsus in the perſon of the Mediatour.
10 Yet he confeſſeth that wee want this incomparable benefite, till Chriſt be made ours: where alſo he ſheweth, what this vnion, ſhould be truely a notable and an effectuall vnion: but myſticall not eſſentiall. Then he ſheweth to what end Oſiander requireth ſo importunately eſſentiall righteouſneſſe: and eſſential habitatiō of Chriſt in vsus, that is to ſay, firſt, to obteine that God hath powred himſelf into vsus by a groſſe mixture (and that to eſtabliſh a carnall féeding of Chriſte in the Sacrament) moreouer to wyn that God doth really breath his righteouſneſſe into vsus: whereby we may bee really righteous with him. Through Chriſt, ſaith Peter are geuen the precious and moſt great promiſes that we ſhould be made partakers of the nature of GOD: As though we were now ſuch as the Goſpell promiſeth,2. Pet. 1.4 1. Iohn. 3.1 that wee ſhalbe at the laſt comming of Chriſt.
11. 12 Hée ſeuerally wipeth away al the reaſons wherewith he laboureth to ouercome this: and the obiectiōs wherwith he endeuoureth againſt the truth that we are not iuſtified by frée imputation,1. Cor. 5.12 Rom. 4.7 Pſalm. 32.1 Gal. 3.18 Exod. 21.9 which the Apoſtle plainly affirmeth, his firſt obiection is this, that Chriſt is made wiſedom, which belongeth to none, but to the eternall worde, Therefore Chriſt in that he is man, is not wiſedome. But the anſwere is, that the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God was in déede his eternall wiſdome, but the name is of Paul diuerſly geuen, becauſe all the treaſures of wiſdome and knowledge are laide vp in him: that therfore which he had with his father,Col. 2.… hée diſcloſed vntounto vsus: and ſo that which Paul ſaith is not referred to the eſſence of the ſonne of God, but to our vſe, & is rightly applied to Chriſt his nature of manhood,Iohn. 8.12 becauſe although he ſhined a light in the darkeneſſe before that he did put on fleſhe, yet it was a hidden light, till the ſame Chriſt came foorth in the nature of man the ſhining Sun of righteouſneſſe, which therefore calleth himſelfe the light of the worlde. It is fooliſhly obiected that the power of iuſtifiyng is farre aboue both Angels and men,Gal. 13.3 foraſmuch as this hangeth not vponupon the worthineſſe of any creature, but vponupon the ordinance of God, for Angels can preuaile nothing to ſatiſfie God that are not therevnto appointed, but that belongeth to Chriſt being man: & albeit Chriſt is called ye authour of life, in reſpect that he ſuffered death,Heb. 2.14 to deſtroy him that had the power of death, yet the honour is not taken away from whole Chriſt, as hée was openly ſhewed God in the fleſhe; but a diſtinction onelyonly made how the righteouſneſſe of God is conueied vntounto vsus, that we may inioye it. Neither doe we denie that, which is openly geuen vsus in Chriſt, to procéede from the ſecret grace and power of God;Phi. 2.15 and the righteouſnes which Chriſt geueth, to be the righteouſneſſe of God, that procéedeth from God: but we hold this, that wée hauehave righteouſnes and life in the death and reſurrection of Chriſt: and we hold this alſo, that God worketh in vsus both to will and perfourme, and refourmeth with his ſpirite vntounto holyneſſe of life and righteouſneſſe: but he doth not this by himſelfe, and immediately, but by the hande of his ſonne, with whom hée hath left all the fulneſſe of his holy ſpirite, that with his abundant ſtore hée would ſupply the néed of his members. And although righteouſneſſe come vntounto vsus out of the ſecrete fountaine of the Godhead, yet it followeth not ye Chriſt which ſanctified himſelfe in the fleſh, for our ſakes was righteouſneſſe vntounto vsus according to his nature of Godhead.Iohn. 17.19 In redéeming the Churche, Eſay ſaith, God did put on his righteouſneſſe as a harneſſe, but hée did it, not to ſpoile Chriſt of his armour which hee had geuen him to make him no perfect redéemer: but the Prophet ment nothing els but that God borrowed nothing out of himſelfe,Eſay. 59.15 Rom. 3.25 nor was holpen by any aide to redéeme vsus.
13 And ſo comming to other that imagine righteouſneſſe to bee made of faith and workes,Phi. 8.3 Rom. 2.4 he ſheweth that the righteouſneſſe of faith and workes doe ſo differ among themſelues, that when the one is eſtabliſhed, the other muſt néedes be ouerthrowne.
14 The ſubtill ſhift that the Sophiſters thinke they hauehave, when they attribute this to thoſe works only,Gal. 3.11 which are doone of thoſe that are regenerate, but not to thoſe workes which men doe not, yet regenerated without the grace of Chriſt, is nothing worth.
15 The ſchoole men are more groſſe which teache that man is iuſtified, not by imputation of free righteouſnes, but by the holy Ghoſt helping to the endeuour of holineſſe.
16 The ſcripture when it ſpeaketh of iuſtification of faith, doth leade vsus to a far other ende, that is to ſay, that turning away from the looking away of our owne workes, we ſhould only looke vntounto the mercy of God, and perfectiō of Chriſt.
17. 18 And the better to ſhewe ye ſame hée alledgeth two places out of Paule to make for his purpoſe.Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.18
19 Thervpon he concludeth that we are iuſtified by faith only, although this word Only be no wher in the ſcripture to be found, and it is a fooliſh ſhift,Rom. 4.2 Gal. 3.10 that they ſay Paul doth onelyonly exclude Ceremoniall workes, as though life had bin promiſed to the kéepers of Ceremonies only: and a curſe threatened only to the breakers of them.
20 In what ſenſe works are counted worthie the title and rewarde of righteouſneſſe;Gal. 3.17 Rom. 4.6 and yet come not into account of iuſtification. And although we obtaine righteouſneſſe, not with a fained, but with a true faith, which worketh through louelove, yet it worketh not righteouſneſſe by charitie.
21 The righteouſneſſe of faith is reconciliation with GOD,Eſai. 59.7 Rom. 5.8 and therefore it conſiſteth vponupon onelyonly remiſſion of ſinnes.
22 That is prooued both by the teſtimonie of the Scripture,2. Cor. 3.19.28. Rom. 4.6 and of the Fathers. Auguſtine Auguſt. de ei…d. Dei. cap. 27ſaith, The righteouſneſſe of the Saints in this world ſtādeth rather in forgeuenes of ſinnes, then in perfection of vertues. Bernard Bernar. in Cant. Ser. 22ſaith, Not to ſinne, is the righteouſneſſe of God: and the righteouſneſſe of man, is the mercifull kindneſſe of God.
23 Héerevpon followeth that alſo, that man is not therefore iuſtified by faith,…. Cor. 5.21 Rom. 5.19 bicauſe the ſame doth take part of the ſpirite of God; but becauſe he apprehendeth the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt: as Iacob hauing not of him ſelfe deſerued the preheminence of the firſt begotten ſonne hyd him ſelfe in the apparrell of his brother; and being clothed with his brothers Coate, that ſauoured of a moſt ſwéete ſmell, he crept into the fauour of his father, and receiued the bleſſing to his owne commoditie, vnderunder the perſon of another: ſo doe we lie hidden vnderunder the precious pureneſſe of Chriſt our elder brother, that we may get a teſtimony of righteouſneſſe in the ſight of God.… de Iaco & …ita beata. Ambroſe ſaith, that whereas Iſaac ſmelt the ſauour of the garments; peraduenture this is ment therby, that we are not iuſtified by workes, but by faith: becauſe fleſhly weakeneſſe hindereth workes, but the brightneſſe of faith which meriteth forgeueneſſe of ſinnes, ouerſhadoweth the errour of déedes: and truely ſo it is, that we may appeare before God vntounto ſaluation, it is neceſſary for vsus to ſmell ſwéetely with his odour, and to hauehave our faultes couered and buried with his perfection.
Cap. 12. That to the ende we may be fully perſuaded of the free iuſtification, wee muſt lift vp our minds to the iudgement ſeate of God.
HE ſpeaketh not héere of a worldly iudiciall court,Eſay. 33.14 Pſalm. 130.3 Iob. 4.17 Deut. 27.26 but of a heauenly iudgement ſeat, before yt which nothing is acceptable, vnleſſe it be in all points whole and perfect.
2 It is eaſie truely, while the compariſon ſtayeth on men, that eueryevery man ſhoulde think he hath that which other men ought to contemne. But when we riſe to hauehave reſpect vntounto GOD, then ſodenly that confidence falleth to the grounde, & commeth to naught, which he ſheweth by a ſimilitude, and certain places of Scripture. In the ſame caſe altogether is our ſoule in reſpect of god, as mans body is in reſpect of heauen:Luke. 18.15 Pſalm. 43.2 Iob. 9.8 The ſight of the eye ſo long as it continueth in viewing things that lie neéere vntounto it, doeth ſhewe of what pearſing force it is: but if it once be directed vp to the Sonne, then being daſeled, and dulled, with the great brightneſſe thereof, it féeleth no leſſe féebleneſſe of it ſelfe in beholding of the Sonne, then it perceaued ſtrength in beholding inferiour thinges.
3 And out of the Fathers, but chiefly out of Auguſtin & Bernard: Auguſtin ſaith,Ad. Boni. lib. 3 Cap. 5 All they which grone vnderunder this burden of corruptible fleſh, and in this weakeneſſe of life, hauehave this only hope, that we hauehave one Mediator Ieſus Chriſt the righteous, & he is the appeaſement for our ſinnes. Super Cant. Ser. 61.Bernard ſaith, Where is ſafe and ſtedfaſt reſt and aſſuredneſſe for the weake, but in the wounds of our Sauiour? and ſo muche the ſurer I dwell therein, as hee is mightier to ſaue. The worlde rageth, the body burdeneth, the Deuill lieth in waite: I fall not becauſe I am builded vppon a ſure rocke, I hauehave ſinned a greeuous ſinne, my conſcience is troubled, but it ſhall not be ouer troubled, becauſe I ſhall remember the woundes of the Lorde. Therefore my merite is the Lordes taking of mercy, I am not vtterly without merit, ſo long as he is not without mercies. Shall I ſing my own righteouſneſſe? Lorde I will remember only thy righteouſneſſe, for he is made vntounto me, the righteouſneſſe of God. Againe he ſaith,Ser. 13. in Cau…. Why ſhould the Church be carefull of merites which hath a ſurer and ſafer way to glory vponupon the purpoſe of God: So there is no cauſe why thou ſhouldeſt aſke by what merites we hope for good thinges, ſpecially, when the Lorde ſaith,Eze. 36.22.32 I will doe it, not for your ſakes, but for mine own ſake.
4.1. Cor. 4.5 Iob. 15.16 5 There is no ſanctuary of ſaftie wherein the conſciences may quietly reſt them, vnleſſe they hauehave to do with ye iudgemēt of god, but bicauſe our hypocriſie is ſuch,Eſay. 35.6 1. Pet. 5.5 that vntil we come vntounto it, wée ſtroke and flatter our ſelues through an outwarde ſhewe of righteouſneſſe, and examine not the vncleanneſſe of our heart with egall ballance.
Pſalm. 18.27 Soph. 3.11 Eſay. 66.26 And this is at length true humility, as by certaine teſtimonies is proued.
Luke. 18.13 Matth. 11.287 And is declared by the example of the Publicane.
8 Arrogancie and careleſneſſe ought therefore to depart from vsus, becauſe eueryevery man ſo much hindereth his receiuing of the liberalitie of God, as he reſteth in himſelfe.
Cap. 13. That there are two thinges to be marked in free iuſtification.
THE firſt of them that is to bée marked in frée iuſtification,Rom. 3.25 Eze. 20.42 Iere. 9.13 is this truely, that the Lorde hauehave his glory remaine vndiminiſhed, and as it were, wholy and perfectly mainteined: for this is due vntounto him of good right.
2 But they are all deceiued in this point, that glorie in them ſelues:Rom. 2.19. Rom. 3.26. Ephe. 12.8. and no man can chalēdge to him ſelf any iotte of righteouſneſſe which hee doeth not wrongfully plucke from the glorie of Gods righteouſnes.
3 The ſecond is, that there ſhould be peaceable quietneſſe before God in our conſciences;Pro. 20.9. Rom. 4.14. but the ſame can be ſought for by no righteouſnes of workes, nor by no other meane than by frée righteouſnes: firſt otherwiſe Fayth is made voyde.
4 Moreouer the promiſe is voide,Pſal. 119.76. if the fulfilling thereof doe hang vponupon our deſeruing, as by that other reaſon it is taken away, that is to ſay, if thou take away Fayth: for if Fayth bée fallen, there ſhall remaine no force for the promiſe; but if Fayth ſtande, the promiſe alſo is abundantly confirmed: firſt hée proueth this out of Auguſtine: In Pſal. 58. Trac. Priore.Auguſtine ſayeth, that Chriſt ſhall raigne for euer in his ſeruantes, God hath promiſed, God hath ſayde it, and if that be not enough, God hath ſworne it: therefore foraſmuch as the promiſe is ſtabliſhed, not according to our deſeruings, but according to his mercy, no man ought to ſpeake fearefully of that of which hée can not doubt. Bernard ſayth, that the Diſciples of Chriſt ſay, who can be ſaued? but he anſwered: this is imposſible with men: but it is not imposſible with God. This is our confidence, this is our only comforte, this is the whole grounde of our hope, but being aſſured of the poſſibilitie, what ſay we of his will:Eccle. 9.1. 1. Cor. 2.16 who knoweth whether he be worthy of louelove or hatred? who hath knowne the Lordes meaning? or who hath bene his counſellour? Here now Faith muſt of neceſſitie help vsus, here muſt his truth ſuccour vsus, that that which is hidden from vsus; may be reuealed by the ſpirite, & his ſpirite teſtifiyng it,Rom. 8.16 Zach. 3.9 Eſai. 9.6 Ephe. 2.14 Rom. 5.1 may perſuade our heartes that we are the Sonnes of God.
5 Moreouer out of Paule, where alſo he declareth this ſelfe ſame thing by a contrary, that is to ſay, that wée are not therfore iuſt, becauſe being regenerate, we liue ſpiritually, becauſe our Rom. 8.35regeneration is alwayes vnperfecte in this fleſhe: but Fayth as touching iuſtification, is a thing méere paſſiue,Pſal. 25.23. Gal. 4.6 and it bringeth nothing of our owne to the recouering of Gods fauour, but receiueth of Chriſt that which we want.