Confession of His Faith, Chapter 10 · Section 3 · Version 18 – Conclusion 13
THe right, Righteousness and Justification consisteth in this, that by a perfect conformity to the Law we may be accounted righteous and unblameable before God. This could not be ob…ained while by the Law sin did live and reign: but sin being condemned in the flesh of Christ, and the Law itself approving this condemnation, by the plenary conformity of Christ our head with the Law, we are esteemed just and blameless in the same head, by the confession of the Law it self. And not only so, but that the members may be conform to the head, there floweth from him into us the spirit of Regeneration, which in us ourselves also may fulfill the Justification of the Law. He so Regenerateth us that in our minds we delight in the Law of God. And the sin that is left in our flesh, he so abolisheth by degrees, that at last we shall be acknowledged without any spot or blemish by the Law itself. All this righteousness therefore, both imputed, which we have by faith in Christ our head, and inherent which we have by Regeneration in our selves, is indeed the righteousness of the Law; But neither of them from the Law, or by the Law: but both of them, from the blood and spirit of Christ. And the first is that which is mentioned Rom. 4. 11. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Phil. 3. 9. whereby God Justifieth us▪ even by the Testimony of the Law, and that fully, though in our selves we are inconform to the Law, and he accounteth us as altogether conform in …hrist our head. Of which Justification the Apostle before at large disputeth, cap 3 & 4. & 5. The other is that of which Rom. 6. 13. Ep…. 4. 24. 1 Joh. 3. 7. whereby God doth partly now justifie us, being in our ownselves conformed in part to the Law; and daily justifieth us more and more, as our Regeneration increaseth; and will fully Justifie us when perfection is come. Of which Justification is spoken Jam. 2. 21, 24. Rev. 22. 11. Mat. 1. 2▪ 37. 1 King. 8. 32. The works of the Law do enter this Justification: Yea they only do constitute it: As faith alone doth constitute the first, that is, Christs righteousness by faith imputed, not works: So works and not faith do constitute the latter. Yet is it not therefore of (or from) the Law, but from Grace. For the Law doth not admit it by the Authority of its own power, which can praise nothing but what is perfectly holy; but by the Authority of the Grace of Christ, whereto the Law is now a servant, and by whose command the Law commendeth, approveth and taketh as conformable to itself even the imperfect works of believers; which Grace we do embrace by faith, and by that faith are made prompt and chearful to endeavor the righteousness of the Law: yet is it not properly faith, but works that constitute that second righteousness.
There is therefore a twofold Justification. One whereby, in ourselves being sinners, we are Justified before God, from without us: The other whereby being now Justified before God from without us, we are justified before him within ourselves. The first of these is the cause of the second. The second is the effect and demonstration of the first. The first is done by faith, the other by works. Both must concur that the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us. But you'l say, is there not then a Justification by the Law, if it be of the works of the Law? I say, No: Because the works which we speak of, though they are of the Law, as to the Rule which they follow, and as prescribed by the Law; Yet in respect of the Original and power whence they come, they are not of the Law, but of Grace and the Spirit. Specially because they are said to be Justified by the Law, who are justified by works, as by the condition of that Covenant fulfilled, which is then only done when works do by Universal perfection answer the Law. For then the Law Iustifieth a man, as a man doth his wife that never violated her faith to him. For as it is from conjugal right that this Iustification of the wife proceeds; so from the like right, which God hath constituted in the Covenant of works, between his Law and man, proceeds the justification of that man, who hath inviolate kept his fidelity to the Law, &c.
Let us speak fullier of the second sort of justification. It is that whereby God, by Regeneration given us, and the works of sincere faith which we performed, absolveth us from the charge of Hypocrisie, Prophaness and impiety, and no longer takes us for men dead in sin, servants of the Devil, and children of the world, but for true believers, his sons …stored to his image, endued with his life, and translated into his Kingdom: which Iudgement of God, the Law also approveth. Not that it takes it self satisfied by our works; but because being bereaved of its Dominion, and subjected to Christ our Lord, it cannot choose but commend the works which come from faith in Christ and from his spirit, & account them for true righteousness, though they are imperfect; and them that perform them, for truly righteous, and sons pleasing to God. Let it be here enquired, seeing Scripture doth often and expresly ascribe to us both these righteousness we speak of, and therefore we are in respect of them both to be judged righteous, not only with men, but with God; Whether in the same sense, as we are said to be Justified by works, Iam. 2. and to be justified by words, Mat. 12. Works may not be said to be imputed to us for Righteousness? Not indeed as faith is imputed to righteousness: but as the fact of Phineas is said to be imputed to him for righteousness,
Psal. 106. 31. For it is our imputation to righteousness, by which the obedience which Christ performed for us, is taken as ours, and thereby we unjust and sinners are absolved from the revenge of an angry God; there faith alone embracing that obedience, is imputed to righteousness. And it is another imputation of righteousness, when the works of piety, that come from our selves, Justified by faith, and regenerate by the Holy Ghost, though imperfect and deservedly to be blamed and rejected, are yet taken of God by grace through Christ, as good, holy and just, and thence we are absolved from the charge of wickedness and guile, and, compared with the wicked and profane, are justified as honest. Here even works are imputed to righteousness. Hence arise these differences; That faiths imputation is to perfect righteousness, such as is the obedience of Christ; The imputation of works to imperfect, such as are works themselves in this life. In one the rigor of the Law is satisfied; In the other the Law being made the instrument of grace doth condescend and accommodate it self to us, that imputation is the cause of the Remission of sins: This not so, as having no place till sins are remitted. In that a sinner is absolved from guilt: in this the Godly is distinguished from the ungodly.—Here the person is considered as a Godly man, whom living among the ungodly, and being with others to appear before the Tribunal of God, he pronounceth, and will pronounce by his works of Godliness an heir of his Kingdom Mat. 25 34, 35. In the one God passeth Judgement of the price of his sons blood, how much it availeth us, with him. In the other, he passeth sentence of the gift of Regeneration bestowed on us; that is, how he esteemeth us because of it.—
The first consisteth in Remission of sin by Christs obedience imputed. The other in that Judgement of God, whereby (overlooking through Christ the defect of our works) he esteemeth them righteous, and conform to his Law, and from thence pronounceth us piously righteous: According to the saying 1 Ioh. 3. 7. He that doth righteousness is righteous. The Foundation of which second Justification, is indeed our inherent righteousness: But not by the force of its own Dignity, or a holiness proportioned to Gods righ…eous Law; But by force of Christs imputed righteousness, from which it flows, and on whose grace it wholly resteth.—The Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. that neither the unrighteous, nor Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor Thieves, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God: It is therefore necessary for Christians to be Justified from these crimes, if they will be saved. And this the Apostle affirmeth was done; [For (saith he) such were some of you, but ye are washed, (that is, clensed of these pollutions) but ye are Sanctified (that is, separated from this uncleanness;) but ye are justified (that is, ye are accounted guiltless) that ye may no more be accused as guilty of those crimes: and that in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the spirit of our God. I understand this of the second Justification, by which they that before were under these crimes, being now regenerated in the name of Christ, and by the spirit of God, could no longer be accused of them, but ought to be absolved thence. This is the same thing that the Apostle before said, Rom. 6. 7. He that is dead, is Justified from sin; that is, is so freed from it, that he can no longer be accused as a servant of sin, as being now to be accounted a hater of sin, and not a friend of it. Where further note, that the first Justification is from sins that we are guilty of: But the second, from such as we are not guilty of. When a man hath committed sin, he is guilty, nor is he Justified from it, that is, he is not absolved from the guilt of it, but by pardon of sin, which is, by faith only. But take a Regenerate man, who before Regeneration was a Drunkard, a Fornicator, &c. but since his regeneration hath given over these sins; This man, inasmuch as he hath ceased, cannot be accused of these sins, as before. Therefore he is Justified from them, that is, absolved from what he committed not; And this justification is truly by works. For because he lived soberly and chastly, he ought to be altogether justified from Drunkenness and Fornication—To this second sort of Iustificacation appertaineth that which in Schools is wont to be called A Iustification of the Cause; as in David and Iacobs case, &c.—In the same manner stands the case with all the faithfull. For seeing the Devil is said to be the Accuser of the brethren, accusing them day and night before God, Rev. 12. 10. and not with God only, but also in our own Consciences, which he hurteth with a suspition of hypo…risie, and often troubleth it, as if we professed faith and godliness with a less sincere, yea dissembling mind, we have need therefore to be absolved from this accusation, and justified from this false witness, before God, which is another matter then to be Absolved and justified from the guilt of all our sins by which we are bound to the wrath and just judgement of God. This is the work of the first Iustification, and is done only by Faith in Christ: The other is the work of the second Iustification, and fetcheth help from our Works.
[YOU see then that by works a man is justified and not by Faith only, Jam. 2. 24.] It is easie to reconcileIn all this is as much for Works as I: and much worth the observing: but I conceive with some want of exactness delivered. And I do not recite it as approving of every word. this place with what Paul seemeth contrarily to dispute, if we hold, what is most true, that the Apostle James speaks not here of one only Iustification▪ which is done partly by Faith, and partly by Works: but of two distinct Justifications, whereof the first is by Faith, the other by Works. Seeing there is a double Accusation made against Believers: one by God, the Law and conscience, by whom they ate truly charged with the guilt of many crimes: the other by the Devil and wicked men, by whom they are falsly charged as guilty of hypocrisie, a mercenary minde, ungodliness, & wickedness; there is therefore required a double Iustification: One by which men in themselves truly sinners, are Absolved freely through Christ, from the guilt of their sins; which Iustification is by
Faith alone without Works: The other by which they are Absolved from those false charges of the Devil and wicked men, as being truly sanctified and Regenerate: which Iustification is fetcht from Works. James urgeth that both must be conjoyned, and so that a man is not justified by Faith only, but by works also: that is, that it is not enough to be justified by Faith from the sins which one hath committed; but it is requisite also to be justified by Works from the sins which he is falsly accused of, and from which through Regeneration he is free.
14. DAniel Colonius, a very eminent Divine, hath someDaniel Colonlus. Theses extant, maintaining the same opinion as Lud. de Dieu, as his words shew, though I cannot get the book. In Rom. 8. 4. after the forecited words, de Dieu addeth, [Hanc sententiam probavit & Illustravit in Thesibus publicè editis, quas analyticè collegit ex 2. c. Epist. Iac. doctissimus ac Clar. Vir Avunculus meus, Praeceptor, & Collega, adeoque multis mihi nominibus suspiciendus D. Daniel Colonius, Collegii Gallo-Bellgici Regens.
15. MArt. Bucer. Colloq. Ratisb. p. 302. Iustificari fide, quae Iustificatio prima & vitae est, interpretatus est Iacobus per [vocari amicum Dei] hoc est, condonatis peccatis reconciliari cum Deo, & recipi ab eo in Gratiam & amicitiam, qui ante erat inimicus Dei & filius trae Iustificari …utem ex operibus docuit …dem esse quod percipere à Deo propter bona opera, quae ab eo percepit Abraham & Rahab, hoc est, comprobationem, laudem & remunerationem.
Pag. 308. he asserteth a twofold Righteousness, and p. 313. saith, Iustitiam hanc inchoatam sentimus esse quidem veram & vivam Iustitiam, Dei praeclarum & eximium donum, vitamque novam in Christo hac Iustitia constare, omnesqne sanctos hac ipsa quoque Iustitia justos esse & coram Deo & coram hominibus & propter eam sanctos quoque à Deo Iustificari Justificatione operum, id est, Comprobari eos à Deo, Laudari, & Remunerari. Attamen quamlibet haec Iustitia sit vera ac viva, & suo etiam modo Iustificans; tamen non esse ejusmodi, non sic veram, vivam & solidam, ut quisquam sanctorum Iustificari ea possit Iustificatione vitae, multo minus ut sit ipsa vel Iustitia vel Iustificatio vitae.
Vide plura pag. 302. 308. 313. Et pag. 567. [Illud solum in Quaestione de mercede bonorum operum Controversum est, an sit in bonis operibus Renatorum, aliquod meritum condignum mercede quam eis Deus retribuit? Nam vitam aeternam reddi fidelibus bene operantibus, etiam Coronae & mercedis loco, nos semper dedimus.]
16. Ioh. Piscator. (A man asPiscator. far from suspition of inclination to Arminianism or Popery, as most that ever lived in the reformed Churches) in Act. 10. 35. [Quaeri hic potest an Conciliemus nobis Amorem Dei nostra pietate, &c. Sed quomodo convenit cum verbis 1 Ioh. 4. 10. in hoc est Charitas, &c. Resp. Quod ad Primam conciliationem Amoris Dei attinet, illa non efficitur per nostram pietatem, sed contra Pietas nostra fluit ex illa: Nam qu…s sibi Deus ex gratuito Amore Conciliavit per Christum, eos etiam sanctificat per spiritum suum: Et de hac Conciliatione loquuntur dicta allegata. Quod vero attinet ad Amoris Dei nobis semel Conciliati Conservationem & Incrementum, illa sane Efficitur ex nostra P…etate, cujus quidem Radix est vera in Christum fides.
IDem in Math. 25. 35. Et sane Bona opera respectu vitae aeternae habent rationem Causae efficientis; Non ut merita, sed ut Via, seu Ambulatio qua ad aeternam vitam pervenitur, ex Ordinatione Dei. Simili res haec declarari potest. Ʋt si cui don…tur thesaurus in Cacumine montis reconditus: sed hac Lege ut si potiri eo velit, montem conscendat illumque effodiat: Hic certè Conscensus montis & effossio Thesauri rationem habet Causae efficientis respectu possessionis & fruitionis thesauri; at non habet rationem Meriti, quippe cum Thesaurus illi fuerit Donatus.
TO be Justified by Faith,Bucerus. which is the first Justification, and of Life, James interpreteth by [to be called the friend of God] that is, sin being forgiven, to be reconciled with God, and be received by him into favour and friendship, when a man was before an enemy of God, and child of wrath. But to be Justified by Works, he teacheth is the same, as to receive of God for good Works, that which Abhaham and Rahab received of him, that is, Approbation, Praise and Reward.
Pag. 318. he saith, [We Judge that this inchoate righteousness is indeed a true and lively righteousness, an excellent and eminent gift of God, and that our new life in Christ consisteth of this righteousness, and that all the Saints also are righteous by this very righteousness, both before God and before men; and that for it also the Saints are Justified by the Justification of Works, that is, they are approved of God, Praised and Rewarded. Yet though this righteousness be true and lively, and justifie in its manner, it is not such, or so true, lively or solid, as that any Saint can by it be justified with the Iustification of life, much less that it self should be the Righteousness or Iustification of life.
This only is controverted in the question of the Reward of good Works, Whether there be in the good Works of the Regenerate any merit condign of the Reward which God renders to them? For that life eternal is given to the faithful doing good Works, and that in place of a Crown and Reward, we alway granted.]
HEre it may be questioned, Whether we do reconcile, or procure to our selves the love of God by our Godlyness, &c. How agrees it with that of 1 Ioh. 4. 10. In this is love, not that we loved him, but, &c. Answ. As to the first procurement of Gods love, it is not done by our Godlyness, but contrarily our Godlyness floweth from it: For those whom God by his free love hath reconciled to himself by Christ, them he also sanctifieth by his Spirit. And of this Conciliation do the alledged places speak. But as to the Conservation and Increase of the love of God, once reconciled (or set upon us) this verily is effected by our Godlyness, whose root is a true Faith in Christ.
AND indeed good Works in respect of Eternal life, have the nature of an efficient Cause: Not as Merits, but as the way or walking by which we come to eternal life, by Gods Ordination. The matter may be declared by this similitude; As if a Treasure which is hid in the top of a mountain be given to one, but on this Condition, that if he will enjoy it, he must climbe the Hill, and dig it up: Here doubtless climbing the hill and digging up the treasure hath the nature of an efficient Cause, in respect of the possessing and enjoying of the treasure; but it hath not the nature of Merit; for the Treasure was freely given him.
PIscator saith more then ever I did, in ascribing an efficiency to Works, especially of the Continuance and Increase of Gods Love and Favour, as on Act. 10. 35. he doth. Though as to the Possession of some part of salvation, it is true: Yet here the Lutherans running into the extream since the Flaccian Seduction, blame the Calvinists, as one of the most Learned and Moderate of them doth blame Piscator himself; I mean Chr. Pelargus in Math. 5. p. 67. speaking of the Beatitudes, he saith that they are from the fruits and signs of Gods children, Non autem a Causis veris & adjunctis, quemadmodum Piscator existimat, Causas Beatitudinis tradi procreantes; quarum aliae sint hominis beandi &c. Cum tamen a nobis nulla possit procreari Beatitudo.
If Piscator could not plea…e, nor escape censure, as being not rigid enough in this point: why should I expect to speed better, or think much, if every man speak according to the complexion of his brain or spleen?
17. BEza Annot. in Tit. 3. 7. Ʋt Beza.Iustificati, &c. foreign. Iustificationis Nomen largè accipio, ita ut complectatur Quicquid à Christo Consequimur tum per Imputationem, tum per spiritus in nobis sanctificantis efficaciam; ut simus foreign id est perfecti & integri in eo. Sic quoque accipitur Justificandi Verbum, Rom. 8. 30.
Idem in Rom. 5. 1. Shewing how Faith justifieth, Nempe ex fide ut Instrumento, sive, neque quatenus est qualitas nobis per dei Gratiam insita, neque ex ipsius qualitatis opere quo credmus; sed propterea quod ex Dei sic nobiscum paciscentis tum Potentia tum voluntate, Christum cum omnibus quae ipsi insunt fides apprehendit.
TIt. 3. 7. That being Iustified by his Grace, &c. I take the word [Iustification] largely, so as it comprehendeth Whatsoever we obtain from Christ, both by Imputation, and by the efficacy of the sanctifying Spirit within us; that we may be perfect and entire in him. So also is the word [Iustification] taken Rom. 8. 30. (Whom he called, them he Iustified.)
Rom. 5. 1. by Faith as an Instrument; that is, not as a quality put into us by Grace, nor by the work of that quality by which we believe; but because through the Power and Will of God so Covenanting with us, Faith apprehendeth Christ with all that is in him.
HEnce I conclude 1. That he that shall say, that the word Justification in Scripture containeth sanctification sometimes, and so that our own holyness is the very matter of our Iustification, and that we are justified so by it as the cause, material or formal, should say no more then Beza did allow of: which yet I never spake or wrote. Yea he thinketh that those two famous Texts, Rom. 8. 30. Whom he called, them he Iustified, &c. and Tit. 3. 7. are thus meant. So that according to Beza, Iustification in these Texts hath two parts, Remission of sin, and Sanctification; our Relative and Real cleansing. If I had said so, how unquestionably would it have been carried that it was Popery? though the Controversie be but about the word, and not the matter. 2. Beza here, though he use the word Instrument, yet so explaineth it that he manifesteth himself to mean the same as I do; for he describeth it to be a right Condition, and its interest in Iustification to depend directly on the will of the Promiser.
18. MArt. ChemnitiusChemnitius Exam. Conc. Trid. q. 4. de bon. operib. p. mihi 335. [Sed in Reconciliatis postea bona opera cum placeant fide propter Mediatorem, habent praemia spiritualia & corporalia in hac vita & post hanc vitam, id{que} ex gratuita promissione divina; & illae promissiones debent in renatis excitare studium bona operandi.—Et in hanc sententiam I use the small volumn.nostri etiam à Vocabulo meriti non abhorrent, sicut etiam Patribus us…tatum fuit. Praemia enim promittuntur ex gratia & miserecordia: Non tamen dantur otiosis vel malè agentibus, sed laborantibus in Vinea domini. Atque ita in Apologia Confess. August. in Confess. Wittenberg. et in aliis nostrorum scriptis, usurpatur vocabulum Meriti.
BUT afterwards, in the Reconciled, good Works, seeing they please by Faith for the Mediator, have spiritual and corporal Rewards in this life, and after this life; and that by …ods free Promise. And those Promises should stir up in the regenerate a study of good Works.—And in this sense our Divines also abhor not the word Merit, as it was also used by the Fathers. For rewards are promised of Grace and mercy: yet are they not given to the idle, or evil doers, but to them that labour in Gods Vine-yard. And so in the Apologie for the Augustan Confession, in the Wittenberg Confession, and in other writings of our Divines, the word Merit is used.
Idem ib. de Iustifi. p. 234. It being objected▪ That the Papists and we agree in sense, both Confessing both Remission of sin and sanctification; but we differ only about the word [Justification] which they take in one sense, and we in another, and the Church should not be rent for a word.
REsp. Nequaquam tales sumus turbatores qui verae & solidae & salutari concordiae ita simus iniqui, & adeo cupidi contentionum ut etiam si de rebus ipsis constituta esset vera, pia, & salutaris consensio, quaesituri tamen essemus materiam rixarum ex verborum pugnis. Patribus enim, licet plerumque verbum …ustificare accip…ant pro renovatione qua efficiuntur in nobis per spiritum opera Justitiae, non movemus litem, ubi juxta Scripturam rectè & commodè tradant doctrinam quomodo & quare persona Deo reconcilietur, accipiat Remissionem peccatorum & adoptionem, & Accepetur ad Vitam aeternam. Saepe etiam à nostris monstratum est discrimen illud significationum, quomodo juxta analogiam fid…i & perpetuam Scripturae sententiam rectè piè & dextrè intelligi & admitti possit illa etiam significatio, si cum patribus accipiatur juxta morem Latinae Compositionis. Sed nihilo placatiores facti sunt Pontificii.
VVEE are no such turbulent persons, and such enemies to true, solid▪ wholsom concord, and so desirous of contentions, as to seek matter of quarrels from a strife of words, if a true, pious and safe consent were settled about the things themselves. For though the Fathers do for the most part take the word [Iustifie] for Renovation, whereby the works of righteousness are effected in us by the Spirit, yet do we not make it a quarrel with them, as long as according to Scripture they rightly and fitly deliver the Doctrine, how and wherefore a person is reconciled to God, receiveth Remission of sins, and Adoption, and is Accepted to eternal life. And there hath been oft declared by our Divines this difference of the significations (of the word Iustification) and how according to the Analogie of Faith, and the perpetual sense of Scripture, we may rightly, piously, and dextrously understand and admit that signification also▪ if with the Fathers it be taken after the manner of the Latine composition. But the Papists are never the more quieted, (or appeased.)
19. ZAnchius in very many places saith more for works thenZanchius. ever I did. On 1 Ioh. 1. Loco de Remiss. Qu. 6. On what Conditions sin is forgiven; he shews that it is not forgiven but on these three conditions. 1. True constant repentance. 2. Confession. 3. Forgving others; and excellently answereth their Objection, who say, Remission is not free if it have all these Conditions. I do not transcribe the words, because they are long, and because I would have the Reader peruse them at large in the Author.
Also he often saith that Works shall justifie our Faith in judgement, (as most of our Divines do.) And then they must needs justifie the person, when the Accusation is, that he is an Unbeliever or an Hypocrite: Or when the case is, Whether he have that true Faith which will prove his Right in Christ. The Iustification of the Cause is the Iustification of the person.