An Antidote Against Popery, Treatise · Chapter 5
CHAPTER V. Of Iustification.
The state of the Question.
FOR clearing the state of this Contraversie,Beza in tit. 3. 7. Borthaus in gē. 15. p. 162 Synopsis purior. theol. thes. 3 Pareus de justif. lib. 2. cap. 3 Zach. in eph 2. 4. it is to bee considered, that this word [IVSTIFIE] in Scripture, is sometyme taken largelie, and then (as our learned Divynes confesse) it comprehendeth both Absolutiō from sinne, and Sanctification by grace, as two conjunct benefits given vntounto vsus through Christ: so that in this sense beeing justified, as the Apostle speaketh ROM. 8.30. and TIT. 3.7. wee are not onlie reconciled, but renewed: and so wee willinglie yeelde, that this our justification standeth not onelie in the imputation of CHRIST'S righteousnesse, and remission of sinne, but lykewyse in the infusion of inherent righteousnesse, which thing made the Fathers frequentlie take the word [IVSTIFIE] a… all one with [SANCTIFIE.]
But the question beeing what the word [IVSTIFIE] taken more stricklie, signifieth in those places wherein the doctrine of a sinners absolution before GOD, and acceptation vntounto eternall lyfe particularlie is handled by the Apostle in his Epistles, speciallie to the ROMANS and GALATIANS; where by the confession of Romanistes themselues, it is taken (as Cardinall Tolet witnesseth) for absolving,Tolet, as also Soto, in Rō. 8.33 as a judiciall terme, and opposit to condemning. In which sense wee call Iustification, a gracious action of GOD'S, as the Iudge whereby remitting all the sinnes of the Elect, and accepting the righteousnesse of their Head, His owne Sonne, hee pronounceth those who belieue in Him, righteous, and heyres of eternall lyfe, to the Prayse of the Glorie of His grace, altho of themselues they were guiltie of condemnation.
Of which justification,Rom. 4.5.3.24.3.25.8 33. Psal. 32.1. Rom. 3 12. Ephes 1.6. Rom. 5.1. the principall efficient, is GOD; the impulsiue cause, is His gracious merciemercy; the meritorious cause, is CHRIST'S death onelie; the persons justified, are onelie the Elect, who belieue in CHRIST; the formall cause, consisteth in the remission of sinne; and imputation of CHRIST'S righteousnesse, the instrumentall; whereby it is offered to vsus, is the Word and Sacramentes; and that whereby wee receaue it, is Fayth; and the finall cause of all, is the Prayse of the Glorie of His Grace, and our Peace with GOD in CHRIST.
In this action, then, wee enquyre, How, or wherewith, wee may compeare before the Tribunall of GOD'S exact justice, without feare of condemnation? And having that whereby wee may answere all accusations agaynst vsus, which thing wee saye wee can not doe, except that as CHRIST in our persons, and for vsus, was condemned, and crucified; so that wee in Him bee justified, and absolved and as our sinnes imputed to Him brought Him to death: so His righteousnesse ONLIE imputed to vsus▪ bringeth vsus to lyfe, beeing (as Bellarmine speaketh) given to vsus; s… that wee may offer vp the same to GOD the Father for our sinnes because Hee hath taken the burden vponupon Him, to satisfie for vsus (sayeth hee) and to reconcile v… to GOD His Father.
The Romanistes, on the contrarie,Sess. 6 can. 10. 11 See Bell. l. 2. de justif. cap. 2 §. Quod autē. in their Councell of Trent affirme, That the immediate an… proper cause of our justification, whereby wee are translated from beeing children of wrath, and enter into friendship with GOD, i… infused righteousnesse, onlie inherent in man himselfe; which the… affirme to bee absolute, and perfect, and therefore call it tha… whyte & vnspotted Robe, wherewith wee must present our selue… before the Tribunall of GOD, … attayne vntounto eternall lyfe. Therefore, sayeth Andradius, expoundin… that Canon of the Councell, because hee can not bee sayde to bee just, who is alltogether defyled with sinne, therefore the LORD infuseth in him Charitie, by whose power and force, (sayeth hee) all his sinnes are washen away, extinguished, and expelled. And so, they esteeme that GOD is not reconciled with Man, but by the expelling of sinne, thorowe infused righteousnesse,Bell. l. 2. de justif. cap. 2 §. Quod si. (as Bellarmine sayeth) even as darknesse is by light. And therefore, they call that Righteousnesse, Gratia gratum faciens; or, That grace which procureth acceptation. And whosoever will say, That that grace whereby wee are justified, is the onlie favour of GOD, let him bee accursed, (sayeth the Councell of Trent,)
Wherefore,Can. 11 hee who will hauehave the pardon of his sinnes, according to the mynde of that Councell, must interpone betweene him, and GOD'S wrath: not CHRIST'S satisfaction immediatelie, and onlie, as Scripture teacheth; but his owne inherent righteousnesse: an… then hee may belieue, that hee is reconciled, and accepted, when by this righteousnesse first had, hi… sinnes are expelled.
And what they woulde seem heerein to ascrybe to CHRIST'S merit, it is not, That for it onelie and immediatelie, the LORD doeth reconcile with vsus, and accept vsus in favour, vntounto eterna… lyfe: but that for it, there is infused in vsus, that newe qualitie of i… herent righteousnesse, whereby wee are justified. Which is a much to say, as that wee are just… fied, not for CHRIST'S, but fo… our owne righteousnesse. So th… CHRIST'S righteousnesse, an… satisfaction, is onelie the meritorious cause, where frae wee ha… in our selues something inheren… which we may oppose to GOD'… justice,Vasq. in 2a 2 a dispus. 224. & relye vponupon, thereby immediatelie, and formerlie, to b… justified. Yea, some of them d… so farre derogate from the righteousnesse of CHRIST, in th… matter of IVSTIFICATION,cap. 7 Parag 43. Suarez. lib. 7. de gra… sanctoficāte. cap. 5 that they are bold to affirme, That our inherent righteousnesse, doeth make vsus acceptable to GOD, without anie relation to CHRISTS merit: and, that it hath not anie force of conciliating GOD'S favour vntounto vsus, from the blood and merites of CHRIST, but onelie from its owne intrinsicall perfection.
Besides which first Iustification, they make also a second, which is an increase of the first, and which, they say, is requyred by good workes; which promeriteth a farder righteousnesse, than that which is infused …n the first. The workes of which second Iustification, so promerited by the workes of the first, doe merite agayne (say they) everlasting lyfe. So that they will hauehave CHRIST's righteousnesse onlie in the first Iustification, to merite their inherent righteousnesse; and thereafter themselues to merite, both the increase of farder righteousnesse heere; and that righteousnesse againe, to merite vntounto themselues eternall lyfe hereafter. Contrarie to which their errour in the matter of Iustification, these Scriptures militate.
1. Authoritie of Scripture.
ROM. 3.24. Beeing justified freelie by His grace, through the redemption that is in IESƲS CHRIST.
VponUpon which wordes sayeth Cardinall Cajetane, it is clearlie heere explayned, That the righteousnesse of GOD, which justifieth a sinner, is not of workes, but of the miere favour of GOD, whereby (sayeth Ferus) hee carrieth good-will towardes vsus for CHRIST'S sake:Ferus in Rō. 3.24. Favor enim DEI primum est quo salvamur. For the favour of GOD, is the first thing whereby wee are saved, (sayeth hee) Therefore also sayeth Estius, That which followeth. (BY HIS GRACE) is exegeticallie added. As if hee would say, FREELIE; that is, BY HIS GRACE. For the meaning is, that sinners are justified without anie merite of their owne, by the onlie free favour or good-will of GOD, (sayeth hee) And yet who-so-ever will say, That that grace where-by wee are justified,Can. 11. is the onelie favour of GOD, let him bee accursed (sayeth the Councell of Trent.
2. COR. 5.21. For Hee hath made Him to bee sinne for vsus; who knew no sinne, that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of GOD in Him. (so also PHILIP. 3.9.) But Hee was made sinne for vsus by imputation, ISAI 53.6. Therefore so are wee made righteous.
Wherevpon sayeth Augustine, Aug. Enchirid. …. 41.Hee then was made sinne, that we might bee made righteousnesse: not ours, but of GOD; not in vsus inherent, but in Himselfe, even as Hee did show Himselfe in the similitude of sinfull flesh,So also Chrysost. in 2. Cor. hō. 11 he said not, righteous, but righteousnesse, & the righteousnes of God: for that is the righteousnes of God whē it is not of works for there must not the least spot be found By Grace then weare justified, wherby all sinne is altogether destroyd wherei… Hee was crucified, to bee sinne▪ not His owne, but ours; not it Himselfe, but which was in vsus Therefore also sayeth Theophylact This thing doeth the righteousnesse of GOD designe, whe… freelie anie is made righteous, and when in him no spotte at all i… found: (which no man dare say o… his owne inherent righteousnesse, And therefore, (sayeth Theophylact) the Apostle sayeth not, That wee might bee made righteous, but the righteousnesse of GOD signifying the hudge greatnesse o… His favour.
Wherefore also, (sayeth Cardinall Cajetane) the righteousnesse of GOD in CHRIST, is CHRIST'S merite, sufficient to satisfie for vsus, and to justifie vsus, which is called, [of GOD, because it is His, who is GOD personallie, and because it is before GOD'S Tribunall true righteousnesse; to put difference thereby betweene it and our righteousnesse, which before GOD'S Tribunall is as a menstruous cloath. Therefore when CHRIST'S merite is cōmunicated to vsus, then we are made the Righteousnesse of GOD in CHRIST; because wee are made righteous, not by our owne righteousnesse, but by the righteousnesse of GOD in CHRIST communicated to vsus: for wee are justified before GOD, by his merite and satisfaction.
3. ROM. 3.28. Therefore wee conclude, that a man is justified by fayth, without the workes of the Law.
Where, first, by the law Augustine showeth the morall law to bee vnderstood, where-of the Apostle sayeth after,Aug. de Spiritu & litera, cap. 9. I had not knowne sinne, but by the law. And so lykewyse doeth Aquinas on this place, Next, hee intendeth not, (sayeth Cajetane) to exclude the workes of the law from execution, or performance of them, but from justification; that is, (sayeth hee) from the power of justifying a man absolutelie: which is as much to say, from anie vertue of procuring remission of sinnes: for of such a justification is the Apostles speach heere, (sayth Cajetane) Wherefore also sayeth Augustine of such workes,Aug. de fide & operibus. c. 14. Sequuntur justificatum, non praecedunt justificandum: that is, They follow in the person that is justified, but they goe not before to procure him to bee justified. Whence wee see, that workes which follow after fayth, doe no more justifie, than workes which goe before fayth, by this reason. These workes which follow justification, can not bee the cause of justification, (as leaues and fruit make not the tre…) but the workes of fayth follow justification: therefore they can not bee the cause of Iustification.
PHILIP. 3.9. And may bee found in Him, not having my owne righteousnesse which is of the Law, but that which is through the fayth of CHRIST, the righteousnesse which is of GOD by fayth.
Where the Apostle speaketh in this Chapter of a threefolde righteousnesse: the first is that in Iudaisme, according to which hee sayeth, verse 6, that hee was blamelesse. The second is that wherein the regenerate exercise themselues, by obedience to Gods Law: and this hee calleth his owne righteousnesse, because inherent in him; and where-of hee speaketh in the present tyme, I account all lesse and dung, verse 8. As of the first hee spake in the preterit, because before his conversion, verse 7. And the third righteousnesse, is that which hee calleth Through the fayth of CHRIST: quyting so his owne inherent and present righteousnesse that on this last imputed to him by GOD, and applyed by fayth, hee may onlie relye.
GAL. 3.11. But that no man is justified by the Law in the fight of GOD, is evident: for the just shall liue by fayth. See also 1. COR. 4.4.
Wherevpon, (sayeth Aquinas) it is to bee sayde, that heere the Apostle speaketh of all workes, as well Morall as Ceremoniall: For workes are not the cause why anie man is justified before GOD, but they are rather executions, and manifestations of his justification, (sayeth hee.) Now, such workes as are manifestations, that one is justified by Fayth, are surelie the workes of Fayth: therefore, even such workes are excluded, by the Apostle, from beeing the cause of the justification of anie before GOD, contrarie to the Councell of Trent.
ROM. 4.3. For what sayeth the Scripture? Abraham believed GOD, and it was reputed vntounto him for righteousnesse.
VponUpon which wordes, sayeth Cajetane) altho then a man should never so much exercise himselfe, as is sayde, in good workes, Morall or Ceremoniall, (and none can bee good, but those that are of fayth:) yet hee can never by these attayne to the remission of sinnes, (sayeth hee.) And therefore it is subjoyned, Abraham believed, and it was reputed vntounto him for righteousnesse. Where-vponupon also sayeth Aquinas, It is to bee considered, that this righteousnesse written of by the Apostle, and reputed by GOD to bee so, Abraham expressed not in anie outward worke, but in the inward fayth of his heart, which GOD onlie beholdeth.
ROM. 5.19. For as by one man's disobedience manie were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, manie shall be made righteous. But by one man's disobedience manie were made sinners by imputation as Bellarmine granteth, l. 5. de amissa gra. c. 17. Therefore by imputation manie are made righteous thorow the obedience of one in lyke-manner.
Where-vponupon sayeth Cajetane, Hee not onlie setteth downe the sort of Adam's sinne, but also explayneth, the manner how that sin is imputed to others: and thereafter, by saying, wee are made sinners, hee manifesteth, that without our owne workes wee are made so by the disobedience of Adam; and so, that manie are made righteous in lyke-manner by the obedience of CHRIST, without their owne workes, as appeareth in Baptisme, (sayeth hee.)
Whence wee reason thus: in this Text there is mention of the disobedience of one Adam, Rom. 5.19.which was common to manie; and so common, that there-by manie were made sinners. So lykewyse there is mention of the obedience of One, to wit, CHRIST, which was cōmon in like-manner to manie, and so common, that thereby manie are made righteous. But this disobedience of Adam was in him personallie, and inherent: and yet (sayeth Bellarmine) it is communicated to vsus by generation,De amiss. gra. l. 5. ca. 17. after that manner whereby that can be communicated which is transient; to wit, by imputation. (All these are Bellarmin's words.) Therefore, (ex antithesi) it will follow, that this obedience of CHRIST'S, which was in him personallie and inherent, is communicated lyke-wyse to vsus by that conjunction which wee hauehave with CHRIST through regeneration, after that manner also where-by that can bee communicated which is transient, to wit, by imputation.
LVKE 18.14. I tell you, that this man went downe to his house justified, rather than the other: for hee that exalteth himselfe, shall bee abased; and hee that humbleth himselfe, shall bee exalted.
But hee that exalteth himselfe, is he who lyke the Pharisee relyeth on his owne inherent righteousnesse, to bee justified thereby before GOD, (as the Romanistes doe) and the humbling of ones selfe, lyke the Publicane, is hee who humblie acknowledging his owne vnrighteousnesse, relyeth onlie on GOD'S merciemercy for pardon, as the Orthodox Christians are taught. Therefore the one, according to CHRIST'S wordes, may expect with the Pharisee abasing, and rejection, and the other with the Publicane, exaltation to GOD'S favour, and to goe home justified.
Amb. l. 1. de Iacob & vita beata. c. 62. Witnessing of Antiquitie.
THis is my good, (sayeth Ambrose) that wee are not justified by workes: therefore I hauehave not where-of to glorie in my workes; and therefore I will glorie in CHRIST. I will not glorie, then, that I am righteous, but that I am redeemed: not that I want sinne, but that my sinnes are forgiven mee: not that I hauehave beene profitable to anie, or anie to mee; but that I hauehave an Advocate for mee, at the hands of the Father, who is CHRIST, and that his blood is shed for mee. And in lyke manner, Bern. in vigilia nativitatis Domini. Serm. 2.(sayeth Bernard) for this cause did Hee command His Precepts to bee observed diligentlie; that seeing our imperfection and deficiencie, and that wee can not fulfill what wee ought, wee may flee vntounto His MercieMercy, and say, Because thy merciemercy is better than lyfe. And seeing wee can not appeare before Him in the Garment of Innocencie, and Righteousnesse, let vsus appeare in the garment of confession, to wit, To bee justified with the poore Publicane.
In lyke-manner,In 2. Cor. 2 hee was made sinne (sayeth Ans…lme) that wee might bee made righteousnesse:de sepult. ad milites tēpli. not ours, but GODS; neyther in vsus, but in Him; even as hee was made sinne, not his owne, but ours; neyther in Himselfe, but which was in vsus, therefore (sayeth Bernard) CHRIST'S righteousnesse is imputed vntounto vsus.
3. Confession of partie.
Vasq. in 1. 2 a. q. 114. disp. 214.VAsques the Iesuit reckoneth a number of their learned Doctors, who (hee sayeth) differ in this poynt onlie in words from vsus, but agree in deede, as Vilhelmus Parisiensis, Scotus, Occam, Gregorie, Ariminensis, Biel, Antididagma Coloniense, Bel 2. de justif. c. 1.Iohannes Bunderius, Alfonsus de Castro, and Andreas Vega. So lykewyse Albertus Pighius, as witnesseth Bellarmine, yea, Bellarmine himselfe sayeth of vsus;Ibid. c. 7. § quarto. and of our doctrine. For if they would onlie hauehave (sayeth hee) that CHRIST'S merits are imputed vntounto vsus, because they are given vntounto vsus, and wee may offer them vp to GOD the Father for our sinnes, because CHRIST hath taken vponupon Him the burden to satisfie for vsus, and to reconcile vsus to God the Father; then their opiniō or doctrine were right, (saye…h hee) and this is our verie doctrine which hee hath rehearsed: so that our verie adversarie pleadeth heere for vsus.Contaren. de justif. purged since, & set foorth 1589. at Venice, & at Paris 1571. Vega de justif. l. 15 c. 11. et 21.
I esteeme, then, (sayeth their Cardinall Contarenus,) that it is altogether Piouslie and Christianlie sayde that wee ought to relye, relye, (I say) as vponupon a most firme prope, which shall surelie vpholde vsus; to wit, on CHRIST'S Righteousnesse, which is gifted to vsus; and not vponupon our owne holinesse, or anie grace that is inherent in vsus. For as the divynes of Colen affirme, (sayeth Vega) it is onlie by the imputation of CHRIST'S Righteousnesse, in so farre as fayth apprehendeth merciemercy and the Righteousnesse of CHRIST, for His merite, that wee are justified before GOD.