Justification Justified, Theses · Thesis 187 – Thesis 195
CLXXXVII.
That the strength of such an Argument as that is but weakness, I affirm, First upon this ground, Because there might be sufficient reason for our Saviour to omit the Preaching of some great, and considerable Truths, as namely because they were known, and believed before. As some things that are plain in the light of Nature, the Scripture saith little of, and the New Testament saith little or nothing, of those things which were plainly revealed before in the Old. Now that the Justification of a sinner should be by the Righteousness, Suffering, and Satisfaction of the Messias, was plainly revealed in the Old Testament, ex gr. Isa. 53.11. By his knowledg shall my Righteous Servant justifie many, for he shall bear their iniquities. And v. 5. He was wounded for our Transgressions, the chastisements of our peace were upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. v. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray, and God hath laid on him the iniquity of us all, &c. Dan. 12.24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people to finish the transgressions, and to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting Righteousness, &c. The whole Ceremonial Law, or the greatest part of it (which was a kind of visible Gospel) did continually preach this Truth, viz. that the delivering of us from punishment, and accepting of us to life, and favor with God, was to be upon the account of another, the inocent suffering for the nocent, &c. What else was meant by all the bloudy Sacrifices offered for the sins of the people, in which God accepted the life of a harmless spotless Lamb, as a ransom for the life of a spotted, guilty sinner? all these things typifying, and pointing out, that without bloud there could be no Remission of sins. Dan. 9.26. The Messias shall be cut off, but not for himself. If then there were a sufficient Light shining in the Old Testament, in Moses, and the Prophets, to discover that the Justification of a Sinner, or his being pardoned and accepted with God; was, and always should be by means of another: and particularly by the sufferings of another; and that a harmless, unspotted person; and that the Messias was ne that should suffer for our sins, Isa. 53.8. He was cut off out of the land of the living, for the Transgression of my people was he stricken. v. 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, &c. and the pleasure of the Lord (which is the Salvation of Souls) shall prosper in his hands. v. 12, He bare the sins of many, and made intercession for transgressors, &c. What expressions can be plainer than these? These things considered, our Saviour needed not to insist much upon Justification, and Salvation by the righteousness and sufferings of the Messias, sith so much had been said of that by the Prophets of the Old Testament. And if it be said that the Disciples of Christ, nevertheless were very ignorant of the intended death of Christ, witness Peter, who said, Master, these things shall not happen to thee, when Christ foretold his death, yet our Saviour might not think fit to enlarge much, and often upon that subject, lest his Disciples should not be able to bear the thoughts of it, like an indulgent tender Wife, that cannot bear to hear much said of her Husbands dying, before her self. See John 16.12.
CLXXXVIII.
If from a total silence concerning Imputed Righteousness in all the four Gospels we could not have gathered any such thing (because there might be good reason for saying nothing of it) much less can we safely conclude there is no such thing meerly from its not being mentioned there in so many words, as long as we find other expressions, and passages in these texts; viz. in the Histories, Sermons, and Parables of Christ, which are Tantamount, or which do necessarily imply our being Justified by the righteousness, or Obedience, by the Death and Sufferings of another. Do's not our Saviour say, John 6.5. If any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever, and the bread which I shall give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the whole world. Did not the Voice from Heaven say, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased? intimating that we are made accepted to God by Christ, and upon his account. Do's not Christ say, This is my bloud of the New Testament which is shed for the Remission of sins? intimating that the pardon of our sins, upon which a title to eternal life necessarily insueth, (for what then can hinder us?) is upon the account of the bloud of Christ, shed for us, which is the thing that we chiefly mean by that righteousness of Christ which is imputed to Believers; viz. his Obedience to the death of the Cross, &c. (which was an act of righteousness in Christ for that he had promised it, and his so doing was in pursuance, and performance of his Promise, &c.) I come to do thy will, O God, as it is written of me in the volume of thy book. It was indeed both the effect of righteousness in Christ, and it is the cause of righteousness in Believers: for upon that account are they accepted of God righteous to eternal life, and therefore may well be call'd the righteousness of Christ. According as some excellent Divines expound that text, John 16.10. He (speaking of the Spirit,) shall convince the world of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you see me no more, It makes greatly for Imputed Righteousness. For say they, the meaning of these words is this, The world shall be convinced that Jesus Christ hath satisfied the Justice of God to the utmost, for that he should maintain his standing in Heaven, and they should see him upon earth no more: whereas, if he had left any part of the debt unpaid, or had not fulfilled all righteousness, he should have been sent back again to the earth whence he came, whereas contrary to that the Scripture saith, that as Christ died for our sins, viz. to pay our debt, so he rose again for our Justification; viz. to manifest he was fully acquitted from all that was imputed to him, and should appear the second time without sin, &c. Were the Israelites that had been stung with fiery Serpents, cured by a meer act of vision, or looking simply considered, or were they not cured principally by the virtue that was in the Brazen Serpent? It was the Brazen Serpent that cured them, and not they themselves? Now Christ saith plainly, Joh. 3.16. As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: (viz. upon the Cross) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. It was by Christ Crucified that Believers were to have eternal life: and if so, then the Obedience of Christ to the death of the Cross, was, and is imputed to Believers; else how come they to have such benefit thereby? If it were not reckoned that Christ suffered in their stead, to satisfie for their sins, or as their Surety, whose payment was, and is accepted of God for them, &c. What mean those words of Christ, John 10.15. I lay down my life for the sheep? if the laying down his life be not imputed, or reckoned to his sheep, or accepted on their behalf as a Propitiatio… for their sins? Do we not read in Luke 2.68, 74. of God's redeeming his people by Christ, and raising up a horn of Salvation for them in the house of David; As he spake by the mouth of his Prophets, which have been since the world began: That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear. Now could all this be done without satisfying Divine Justice for sins, since God did insist upon having satisfaction; for without bloud there is no remission of sins: and the High priest was inspir'd when he said, It was necessary that one should die for the people. Do we not read, John 1.29. these words applyed to Christ, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world. How did he do that but by being slain for the sins of the world? Now if his death, and slaughter, be not imputed, or reckoned to us, we shall be never the better for it. So also, John 3.16. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believeth on him might have eternal life. So then Christ as given, viz. to be crucified, and delivered up to death for us, is the principal cause of our escaping Hell, or attaining eternal life; to both which Justification entitleth us. Now how should our title to deliverance from Hell, and to the enjoyment of eternal life, result from thence, if Christ dying upon the Cross were not imputed, or reckoned by God so us, as if we had made satisfaction to his justice, since Christ our Surety hath done it to the full? To conclude with those Sacramental words of our Saviour, This is my body which was broken for you. If the breaking of Christ's body be not imputed, or reckoned to us as a satisfaction made for us, or in our behalf, and so accepted of the Father, I see not how his body was broken for us, &c. Sith then all the forementioned places (and it is like several others in the Gospels) do hold forth the sum, and substance of what we intend by Imputed Righteousness, though not assert it Syllabically, or in so many words, it can be no just exception against that Doctrine its being a truth.
CLXXXIX.
Another thing in which Mr. Sh. symbolizeth with Papists is, in that he averreth Justification to be by Inherent, or by our own internal Righteousness, as they do, thereby confounding Justification, and Sanctification, and turning the Covenant of Grace into a Covenant of Works; or making these two Covenants (which are specifically distinct,) to differ only secundum magis & minus. For according to him, we are justified by our obedience to the Gospel; and what is that but the effect of Grace infused, or the acting, and putting forth of inherent Grace, or if you please, our own improvement of that Talent of Grace which God hath bestowed upon us, and consequently, as I said before, we may be said to justifie our selves, upon as good reason as it is said, He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, &c. 1 John 3.3. or as it is said, Seeing ye have purified your selves in obeying the Truth, 1 Pet. 1.
CXC.
Mr. Sh. so as he stateth the Doctrine of Justification, asserteth that which doth infer Merit. I say, he contendeth for that from whence the abhorred Doctrine of Justification by our own Merits may be inferred; and would certainly follow to be true, if that which he saith were true. For he sticks not to own Justification to be by our own Evangelical Works; or that we are justified by our sincere obedience to the Laws of Christ Now to him that worketh is the reward imputed of debt, saith the Apostle, Rom. 4. Now to be rewarded of Debt, and that debt for our Work, is all one as to be rewarded of, or upon Merit.
CXCI.
Again, the Papists do say, that the Formal Cause of Justification is Inherent Righteousness; that is, that by our obedience to the Gospel of Christ we are made, or do become formally just, in the sight of God, and righteous to eternal life. Now Mr. Sh. saith no less in substance, if not in words. Now whether it be more safe to say (as all sound Protestants have done) that the imputation of our Saviour's Obedience, and Satisfaction, and Righteousness to Believers is that which justifieth them, that is, freeth them from guilt, and wrath; and entitleth them Righteous to Eternal Life, as effectually as if they were formally just by a perfect inherent Righteousness of their own; I say, whether it be safer to say so, or to say (as Papists do) that the only Righteousness whereby we can be said to be Righteous before God, and whereby we are freed from Hell, and accepted to Eternal Life, is the Righteousness of Grace, and Holiness implanted in us, and of good works, the Fruits and Effects thereof, &c. Let all Protestants, and impartial Christians judge. How dangerous it is to say, as Bellarmin doth on Rom. 3.24. Justificamur per gratiam, i. e. per justitiam ab illo donatam & infusam haec est causa formalis Justificationis nostrae.
CXCII.
It were easie to charge Mr. Sherlock's Book with several other things, wherein it harmonieth with our Popish Adversaries in the Doctrine of Justification: as namely, in denying Faith to be the Instrumental Cause of Justification, &c. but I take no pleasure in making the very worst of what can be made of his expressions, and shall therefore say no more of that.
CXCIII.
Me-thinks it should put Mr. Sh. to the blush, and make him smite upon his Breast, if after all that hath been said, I should prove that the great Rabbies of the Popish Church, have now, and then written much more Orthodoxly, and Protes… like, touching Justification than he himself hath done. Bellarmin, De Justif. l. 1. Cap. 2. saith thus. T… is bri…fly to be here observed, that Christ … the meritorious cause of Justification, as if the Father in favour to his son did forgive us our sins; as Kings assoil guilty Persons out of favour to, and at the suit of Friends, but because he hath pay'd an exact price of ransom, and thereby in rigour of Justice made satisfaction for the wickedness of us all. What could any Protestant writer say in this point more? saith Mr. Gattaker, p. 15.
Hear Bellarmin again, Lib. 2. De Justif. cap. 10. Dicitur inquit Christus Justitia nostra quoniam satisfecit Patri pro nobis, & eam satisfactionem ita nobis donat, & communicat, quum nos justificat, ut nostra satisfactio, & justitia dici possit. Nam etsi per justitiam nobis inherentem vere justi nominemur, & simus, tamen non per eam satisfacimus Deo pro culpis nostris, & paena aeterna, &c. Non esset absurdum si quis diceret nobis imputari Christi Justitiam & merita, cum nobis donentur & applicentur ac si nos ipsi Deo satisfecissemus, &c.
Gabriel Vasquez, Tom. 2. in 1. 2. Disput. 222. cap. 1. saith thus. Verba ista Concilii Tridentini Quanquam nemo possit esse justus, nisi cui merita Passionis Domini nostri Jesu Christi communicantur, dicit idem significare ac si diceret nisi cui merita passionis Domini nostri Jesu Christi imputantur. Disput. vero 203. affirmat recte dici posse merita Christi nobis imputari quum agitur de causa meritoria justificationis, quoniam imputari nobis Christi merita idem est, quod merita illa nobis applicari, & communicari. Upon which Expressions put together, Le Blanc doth thus animadvert in his Discourse, De justitia Christi fidelibus imputata. Ʋnde patet Scholae Romanae Theologo immerito carpere nostram de Imputatione justitiae Christi Doctrinam quandoquidem nihil hac in portere vera sentimus quod vis veritatis ipsos non cogat agnoscere. Thes. 36. That is, The Romish Divines do unjustly carp at our Doctrine concerning the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness, sith there is nothing that we think in this matter, which the force of Truth doth not compel them to acknowledge.
CXCIV.
Not to give Mr. Sh. the odium of quoting all, or the greatest part, of those passages which do occur in Popish Writers, concerning the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness, and other matters relating to Justification, in which divers of them have been more Orthodox than himself; I do in the next place aver, that the Homilies of the Church of England are as plain and positive for our Justification by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness, as Mr. Sherlock is, or can be against it, and do in some other matters referring to Justification, manifestly contradict him, or he them.
CXCV.
In the Homilie, or Sermon of Salvation, we find such passages as follow. Because all men be sinners, and Offenders against God, therefore can no man by his own Acts Works, and Deeds (seem they never so good) be justified, and made righteous before God: but every man of necessity is constrained to seek for another righteousness, or justification to be received at God's own hands, &c. Again, God sent his only son into the World to fulfil the Law for us, and by shedding his most precious Blood to make a sacrifice and satisfaction, or (as it may be called) amends to his Father for our sins, &c. Again, The Grace of God doth not shut out the justice of God in our justification, but only shutteth out the justice of man, that is, the justice of our Works, &c. Again, Faith doth not shut out Repentance, Hope, Love, and the fear of God to be joyned with Faith in every man that is justified, but it shutteth them out from the effect of justifying. Yet more plainly in the same Homily. So that Christ is now the righteousness of them that do truly believe in him. He for them paid the ransom by his death. He for them fulfilled the Law in his Life. So that now in him, and by him every true Christian may be celled a fulfiller of the Law: forasmuch as that which their infirmity lacketh, Christs justice hath supplyed. Again, in the second Homily of Salvation, we meet with such passages as follow. Consider diligently these words without works, by Faith only, freely we receive remission of our sins; what can be spoken more plainly, than to say, That freely, without works, by Faith only, we obtain remission of our sins? This Doctrine (viz. That Faith only justifieth, as the margent sheweth) advanceth the true Glory of Christ, and beateth down the vain glory of man: This whosoever denieth is not to be accounted for a Christian man, nor for a setter forth of Christ's Glory, but for an Adversary to Christ, and his Gospel, and for a setter forth of mans vain-glory. Let Mr. Sherlock weigh those words well. Again, Man cannot make himself righteous by his own works, neither in part, nor in the whole, for that were the greatest arrogancy, and presumption of man, that Anti-Christ could set up against God, to affirm that a man might by his own works take away and purge his own sins, and so justifie himself. Again, The true understanding of this Doctrine; we be justified freely by Faith without works, or that we be justified by Faith in Christ only, is not that this our own act to believe in Christ doth justifie us, for that were to count our selves to be justified by some act, or virtue that is in our selves, &c. Towards the end of that Homily are these words, So that our Faith in Christ (as it were) saith unto us thus; It is not I that take away your sins, but it is Christ only I send you to for that purpose, forsaking therein all your good virtues, words, thoughts, and works, and only putting your trust in Christ.
Again, in the third Homily of Salvation, are these expressions. Nevertheless because Faith doth directly send us to Christ for remission of our sins, and that by Faith given us of God we embrace the promise of God's Mercy, and of the remission of our sins (which thing none other of our virtues, or works properly doth) therefore Scripture useth to say, that Faith without works doth justifie.