Justification Justified, Theses · Thesis 41
XLI.
If the Righteousness of Christ be the Matter, or Material cause of Justification, then the Imputation thereof is the Form, or Formal cause thereof. But the Righteousness of Christ is the Matter of our Justification. By the Matter of our Justification, I mean that Righteousness by which we are justified; I say if it be so, then Imputation, or the Imputing of that Righteousness must be the Forme: For it is the way, and manner in which we are justified, or whereby the Righteousness of Christ comes to be as useful to us, for matter of Justification; as if it an internal, inherently formal Righteousness, which were in strictness of speaking, that form whereby we were made just, or Righteous. Now that the Righteousness of Christ is the Material Cause of our Justification, I prove by the ensuing Arguments
1. The Righteousness whereby we are justified is God's Righteousness, not ours, Rom. 1.17. Rom. 3.21. The Righteousness of Christ which is out of us in him is God's Righteousness, 2 Cor. 5.21. 2 Pet. 1.2. that which is inherent in us is ours: therefore we are justified by the Righteousness of Christ, which is out of us in him, and not by that which is inherent in our selves. Now in Rom. 4.3. There is such an opposition made betwixt God's Righteousness and ours, in the point of Justification; that whosoever seek to be justified by their own Righteousness, cannot be justified by the Righteousness of God. Bp. D. p. 127, 128.
2. That is the matter of our Justification before God, by which we being sinners in our selves do stand righteous before God, which we being sinners may oppose to the Judgment of God, why he should not condemn us, which we may plead as a full satisfaction to God for us: such is the Righteousness of Christ. For being sinners in our selves, yet believing in Christ, we are in him accepted, and constituted Righteous, 2 Cor. 5.21. Rom. 5.19.
3. By that Righteousness of man which only is perfect we are justified, and not by that which is imperfect. The Righteousness of Christ, which is out of us in him, is the only Righteousness of man which is perfect, and all our inherent Righterousness in this life is imperfect. Ergo. The Proposition needeth no proof; for that Justice which is not perfect cannot stand in judgment before God, and is so far from justifying, that it self is sinful, every imperfection, and defect, being foreign, a transgression of the Law, and consequently a sin. Augustin saith, Peccatum est cum charitas minor est quam debet.
4. By that Righteousness alone, and by no other we are justified, by which the Law is fully sati…fied, and not by any Righteousness inherent in us, or performed by us. Therefore we are justified by the Righteousness of Christ alone, and not by any Righteousness inherent in us, or performed by us. Three things are here to be acknowledged. First, That whosoever is justified, is made just by some Righteousness; for to think a man should be justified without justice, is as absurd as to think a man is cloathed without apparel.
Secondly, That all true Righteousness is conformity to the Law of God, which is that perfect Rule of Righteousness.
Thirdly, That there can be no Justification without the Law be satisfied, either by our selves, or by another for us, Mat. 5.17. Rom. 3.31. Now by the Righteousness of Christ the Law is fully satisfied; but by any other Righteousneess inherent in us, or performed by us, the Law neither is, nor can be fully satisfied.
5. By what Righteousness we are absolved, redeemed, Reconciled; and for which we shall be saved, by it we are justified. But by the Righteousness of Christ alone, we are absolved from our sins, redeemed from our iniquities, reconciled to God, and shall be saved. Ergo, The Righteousness of Christ is the matter of our Righteousness before God, or the only Righteousness by which we are justified. To prove the Major, read Rom. 4.5, 6, 7, 8. where Justification and Remission, or Absolution are spoken of promiscuously.
Again the benefit of Redemption is explained by Remission of sin, Eph. 1.7. Col. 1.14. Titus 2.14. Psal. 133.8.
Again, Being reconciled to God, and being justified are used promiscuously, Rom. 5.9, 10. 2 Cor. 5.14.
Again, Salvation, and Justification, are put one for the other; for that which is the Matter of Justification, is the merit of Salvation: for by what we are justified, by that we are intituled to Salvation; and by what we receceive remission of sins, by that also we receive our Inheritance. Justification may be compared to the Institution of a Minister to a Benefice, which giveth Jus ad rem Glorification to Induction, which giveth Jus in re, or possession, &c.
6. The Righteousness of God by which we are justified is not prescribed in the Law to Justification, but without the Law is revealed in the Gospel, Rom. 3.21. Therefore not inherent Righteousness, but that is the matter of our Justification: for the Righteousness of God is not prescribed in the Law to justiefication, but Inherent Righteovsness is, this being the great difference betwixt the Law, and the Gospel, that the Law to Justification requireth perfect Obedience to be performed in our own persons: The Gospel propoundeth the Obedience of Christ, which he performed for us to be accepted in their behalf who believe in him. Wherefore (saith Bp. D. p. 200. alluding to Gal. 1.8, 9.) Let him be h…ld accursed, though he were an Apostle, though an Angel from Heaven, who shall teach Justification by the Legal Righteousness, and not by the Evangelical.
7. The matter of our Righteousness before Cod, as it is not only our Inherent Righteousness, so neither is it that in part: For we are not justified before God, both by Faith and by Works, by Gods Righteousness and our own, by that Righteousness which is out of Christ in us, and that which is inherent in our selves: For the Scripture maketh such an opposition betwixt these two, as that they cannot stand together, Rom. 3 28. Rom. 4.4, 5.9. 3, 31, 32. 11.5, 6. Phil. 3.9. Gal. 2.16.3.11. Eph. 2.8, 9. Ergo. The only matter of our Justification is the Righteousness, or Obedience of Christ, Rom. 5.9, 19.
8. An Imputative, not an Inherent righteousness is the matter of our Justification, and therefore the righteousdess of Christ is it. For proof of that matter, see Rom. 5.19. where it is called the Righteousness of one, whereas if it were a Righteousness from him in us, it would be the Justice of so many as are justified, as the Councel of Trent speaketh, Justitiam in nobis recipientes unusquisque suam.
9. That Justification which the Scripture teacheth taketh away all manner of boasting, Rom, 3.27. Eph. 2.9. But the owning of Christ his righteousness for the only matter of our Justification, only taketh away boasting. Therefore that is, and ought to be so owned. They that make as if our sincere Obedience were the matter of our Justification, do speak as if the Covenant of Grace, and the other of Works, did differ only gradu not Specie and both did yield matter of boasting, only the Covenant of Grace, the less of the two.
10. The Righteousness whereby Abraham, David, and Paul, were justified, was the righteousness of Christ: Therefore that is the only matter of our righteousness before God, or the only righteousness whereby we can be justified, Rom. 4.3, 4, 5, 23, 24. Psal. 143.2. Psal. 71.16. 1 Cor 4.4. Phil. 3.8, 9. To these we might add Job, Esay, and Daniel, Job 9.2, 3.15.20.10.15.42.6. Isa. 6.1, 5. Dan. 6.7, 18.
11. What righteousness God accepteth on our behalf by that we are justified: the righteousness of Christ which he performed for us in his flesh, God accepteth on our behalf. Ergo: By that we are Justified, or that is the matter of our Justification. This very Argument Bellarmin useth against Osiander, De Justif. lib. 2. cap. 5. Otherwise (saith he) Why did the Son of God take our flesh upon him, why became he obedient unto death? &c.
12. Only a righteousness of infinite value, can be a satisfaction for sin (so Bellarmin himself saith in the same place) Such is the Righteousness of Christ only in regard of the dignity of his Person, &c. Ergo. The Righteousness of Christ only can be the matter of our Righteousness before God.
13. The Scripture speaks of our Righteousness being in Christ, and of our being Righteous in him, or of Christ being our Righteousness. Ergo. Isa. 45.24, 25. 2 Cor. 5.21. Phil. 3.8, 9. Jer. 23.6. Jer. 33.16. 1 Cor. 1.30. These Texts Bp. Downam hath for imputed Righteousness, which Mr. Sherlock rejects as nothing to that purpose. See Bp. Downam, p. 224. Bellarmin himself confesseth, that Christ is called our Righteousness, because he satisfied his Father for us, which his Satisfaction he doth so give and communicate to us when he doth justifie us that it may be called our Satisfaction and our Righteousness. This Confession dissolveth the very frame of his whole Doctrine of Justification▪ whereunto he hath taught that nothing concurreth but Deletion of sin, and Infusion of Righteousness, which they say expelleth sin, &c. As for Imputation of Christ's Righteousness, he, and his followers deride and scorn it. But here he confesseth, that in Justification the Satisfaction of Christ is imputed to us and accepted of God in our behalf, as if we our selves had satisfied God, and that for that cause he is truly called our Righteousness. How much more Orthodox is Bellarmin here than Air. She…lock?
14. We are justified by the Blood of Christ, Rom. 5.19. Therefore the Obedience of Christ, even to Death, is the matter of our Justification.
15. By the Righteousness of Christ our sins are covered as by a Garment, Ergo. That is the matter of our Justification, Psal. 32.1. For he is justified whose sins are covered. See Bp. Downam, p. 226. saith he, Bellarmin confesseth that the similitude, and the Example of Jacob may be accommodated to imputed Righteousness, which Similitude Mr. Sh. scoffs at, &c.
N. B. Bellarmin would perswade the world that we are so absurd, as to teach that we are formally made just by the Righteousness of another; but (saith Bp. Downam) we are well content that the Righteousness whereby we are Sanctified, or formally made Righteous should not be Imputative, so that they will confess that the Righteousness of Christ his whole Satisfaction, whereby we are justified before God is imputed to us, which they must confess, or else they cannot be saved, p. 227. Thus far he, &c.