use of and pressed at large by one among our selves but improved also by a dangerous comparison between the Writings of the Evangelists and the other Writings of the New Testament For to enforce this Argument that the Histories of the Gospel wherein the Sermons of Christ are recorded do make no mention of the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ as in his judgement they do not nor of his Satisfaction or Merit or Expiation of sin or of Redemption by his Death as they do not in the judgment of Socinus it is added by him that for his part he is apt to admire our Saviours Sermons who was the Author of our Religion before the Writings of the Apostles though inspired men Whereunto many dangerous insinuations and reflections on the Writings of St. Paul contrary to the Faith and Sense of the Church in all Ages are subjoined S. pag. 240 241. But this Boldness is not only unwarrantable but to be abhorred What place of Scripture what Ecclesiastical Tradition what single president of any one sober Christian Writer what Theological Reason will countenance a man in making the comparison mentioned and so determining thereon such juvenile boldness such want of a due apprehension and understanding of the Nature of divine Inspirations with the order and design of the writing of the New Testament which are the springs of this precipitate censure ought to be reflected on At present to remove this pretence out of our way it may be observed 1. That what the Lord Christ taught his Disciples in his Personal Ministry on the Earth was suited unto that Oeconomy of the Church which was antecedent unto his Death and Resurrection Nothing did he with-hold from them that was needful to their Faith Obedience and Consolation in that state Many things he instructed them in out of the Scripture many new Revelations he made unto them and many times did he occasionally instruct and rectifie their judgements Howbeit he made no clear distinct Revelation of those sacred mysteries unto them which are peculiar unto the Faith of the New Testament nor were to be distinctly apprehended before his Death and Resurrection 2. What the Lord Christ revealed afterwards by his Spirit unto the Apostles was no less immediately from himself then was the Truth which he spoke unto them with his own mouth in the days of his flesh An Apprehension to the contrary is destructive of Christian Religion The Epistles of the Apostles are no less Christs Sermons then that which he delivered on the Mount Wherefore 3. Neither in the things themselves nor in the way of their Delivery or Revelation is there any Advantage of the one sort of Writings above the other The things written in the Epistles proceed from the same Wisdom the same Grace the same Love with the things which he spoke with his own mouth in the days of his flesh and are of the same divine veracity Authority and Efficacy The Revelation which he made by his Spirit is no less divine and immediate from himself then what he spoke unto his Disciples on the Earth To distinguish between these things on any of these accounts is intolerable folly 4. The Writings of the Evangelists do not contain the whole of all the Instructions which the Lord Christ gave unto his Disciples personally on the Earth For he was seen of them after his Resurrection forty days and spoke with them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Act. 1.3 And yet nothing hereof is recorded in their writings but only some few occasional speeches Nor had he given before unto them a clear and distinct understanding of those things which were delivered concerning his Death and Resurrection in the Old Testament as is plainly declared Luke 24.25 26 27. For it was not necessary for them in that state wherein they were Wherefore 5. As to the extent of Divine Revelations objectively those which he granted by his Spirit unto his Apostles after his Ascension were beyond those which he Personally taught them so far as they are recorded in the Writings of the Evangelists For he told them plainly not long before his death that he had many things to say unto them which then they could not bear Joh. 16.12 And for the knowledge of those things he refers them to the coming of the Spirit to make Revelation of them from himself in the next words Howbeit when he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak and he will shew you things to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you ver 13 14. And on this account he had told them before that it was expedient for them that he should go away that the Holy Spirit might come unto them whom he would send from the Father ver 7. Hereunto he referred the full and clear manifestation of the mysteries of the Gospel So false as well as dangerous and scandalous are those insinuations of Socinus and his followers Secondly The Writings of the Evangelists are full unto their proper Ends and Purposes These were to record the Genealogy Conception Birth Acts Miracles and Teachings of our Saviour so far as to evince him to be the true only promised Messias So he testifieth who wrote the last of them Many other signs truly did Jesus which are not written in this Book But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God Joh. 20.30 31. Unto this End every thing is recorded by them that is needful unto the ingenerating and establishment of Faith Upon this confirmation all things declared in the Old Testament concerning him all that was taught in Types and Sacrifices became the object of Faith in that sense wherein they were interpreted in the Accomplishment And that in them this Doctrine was before revealed shall be proved afterwards It is therefore no wonder if some things and those of the highest importance should be declared more fully in other Writings of the New Testament then they are in those of the Evangelists Thirdly The Pretence it self is wholly false For there are as many pregnant Testimonies given unto this Truth in one alone of the Evangelists as in any other Book of the New Testament namely in the Book of John I shall refer to some of them which will be pleaded in their proper place chap. 1.12 17 19. chap. 3.14 15 16 17 18 36. chap. 5.24 But we may pass this by as one of those Inventions concerning which Socinus boasts in his Epistle to Michael Vajoditus that his Writings were esteemed by many for the singularity of the things asserted in them Fourthly The Difference that hath been among Protestant Writers about this Doctrine is pleaded in the prejudice of it Osiander in the entrance of the Reformation fell into a vain imagination that we were Justified or made Righteous with the Essential
THE DOCTRINE OF Justification by Faith Through the IMPUTATION OF THE Righteousness of Christ EXPLAINED CONFIRMED VINDICATED By JOHN OWEN D.D. Search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 LONDON Printed for R. Boulter at the Turks-head over against the Royal-Exchange in Corn-hill 1677. TO THE READER I Shall not need to detain the Reader with an Account of the nature and moment of that Doctrine which is the entire subject of the ensuing Discourse For although sundry Persons even among our selves have various Apprehensions concerning it yet that the knowledge of the Truth therein is of the highest Importance unto the Souls of men is on all hands agreed unto Nor indeed is it possible that any man who knows himself to be a sinner and obnoxious thereon to the Judgment of God but he must desire to have some knowledge of it as that alone whereby the way of delivery from the evil state and condition wherein he finds himself is revealed There are I confess multitudes in the World who although they cannot avoid some general Convictions of sin as also of the Consequents of it yet do fortifie their minds against a practical Admission of such Conclusions as in a just consideration of things do necessarily and unavoidably ensue thereon Such Persons wilfully deluding themselves with vain hopes and imaginations do never once seriously enquire by what way or means they may obtain peace with God and Acceptance before him which in comparison of the present enjoyment of the pleasures of sin they value not at all And it is in vain to recommend the Doctrine of Justification unto them who neither desire nor endeavour to be justified But where any Persons are really made sensible of their Apostasie from God of the evil of their natures and lives with the dreadful consequences that attend thereon in the wrath of God and eternal punishment due unto sin they cannot well judge themselves more concerned in any thing than in the knowledge of that divine way whereby they may be delivered from this condition And the minds of such Persons stand in no need of Arguments to satisfie them in the Importance of this Doctrine their own concernment in it is sufficient to that purpose And I shall assure them that in the handling of it from first to last I have had no other design but only to enquire diligently into the divine Revelation of that way and those means with the causes of them whereby the Conscience of a distressed sinner may attain assured peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. I lay more weight on the steady Direction of one Soul in this enquiry than in disappointing the Objections of twenty wrangling or fiery Disputers The Question therefore unto this purpose being stated as the Reader will find in the beginning of our Discourse although it were necessary to spend some time in the Explication of the Doctrine it self and the terms wherein it is usually taught yet the main weight of the whole lies in the Interpretation of Scripture Testimonies with the Application of them unto the experience of them who do believe and the state of them who seek after Salvation by Jesus Christ. There are therefore some few things that I would desire the Reader to take notice of that he may receive benefit by the ensuing Discourse at least if it be not his own fault be freed from prejudices against it or a vain opposition unto it 1. Although there are at present various contests about the Doctrine of Justification and many Books published in the way of controversie about it yet this Discourse was written with no design to contend with or contradict any of what sort or opinion soever Some few passages which seem of that tendency are indeed occasionally inserted But they are such as every candid Reader will judge to have been necessary I have ascribed no Opinion unto any particular Person much less wrested the words of any reflected on their Persons censured their Abilities taken advantages of presumed prejudices against them represented their Opinions in the deformed Reflections of strained Consequences fancied intended notions which their words do not express nor candidly interpreted give any countenance unto or endeavoured the vain pleasure of seeming success in opposition unto them which with the like effects of weakness of mind and disorder of affections are the animating principles of many late controversial Writings To declare and vindicate the Truth unto the Instruction and Edification of such as love it in sincerity to extricate their minds from those difficulties in this particular Instance which some endeavour to cast on all Gospel mysteries to direct the Consciences of them that enquire after abiding Peace with God and to establish the minds of them that do believe are the things I have aimed at And an Endeavour unto this end considering all circumstances that station which God hath been pleased graciously to give me in the Church hath made necessary unto me 2. I have written nothing but what I believe to be true and useful unto the promotion of Gospel Obedience The Reader may not here expect an extraction of other mens notions or a collection and improvement of their Arguments either by artificial Reasonings or ornament of Style and Language but a naked enquiry into the nature of the things treated on as revealed in the Scripture and as evidencing themselves in their power and efficacy on the minds of them that do believe It is the practical direction of the Consciences of men in their application unto God by Jesus Christ for deliverance from the Curse due unto the Apostate state and Peace with him with the influence of the way thereof into universal Gospel Obedience that is alone to be designed in the handling of this Doctrine And therefore unto him that would treat of it in a due manner it is required that he weigh every thing he asserts in his own mind and experience and not dare to propose that unto others which he doth not abide by himself in the most intimate recesses of his mind under his nearest approaches unto God in his suprisals with Dangers in deep Afflictions in his preparations for death and most humble Contemplations of the infinite distance between God and him Other Notions and Disputations about the Doctrine of Justification not seasoned with these ingredients however condited unto the palate of some by skill and language are insipid and useless immediately degenerating into an unprofitable strife of words 3. I know that the Doctrine here pleaded for is charged by many with an unfriendly aspect towards the necessity of personal Holiness Good Works and all Gospel Obedience in general yea utterly to take it away So it was at the first clear Revelation of it by the Apostle Paul as he frequently declares But it is sufficiently evinced by him to be the chief principle of and motive unto all that Obedience which is accepted with God through Jesus Christ as we shall manifest afterwards However it is
pleased to observe that I am not debating these things argumentatively in such propriety of Expressions as are required in a Scholastical Disputation which shall be done afterwards so far as I judge it necessary But I am doing that which indeed is better and of more Importance namely declaring the Experience of Faith in the Expressions of the Scripture or such as are analogous unto them And I had rather be instrumental in the communication of light and knowledge unto the meanest Believer then to have the clearest success against prejudiced Disputers Wherefore by Faith thus acting are we justified and have peace with God Other Foundation in this matter can no man lay that will endure the Trial. Nor are we to be moved that men who are unacquainted with these things in their Reality and Power do reject the whole work of Faith herein as an easie effort of Fancy or Imagination For the preaching of the Cross is foolishness unto the best of the natural wisdom of men Neither can any understand them but by the spirit of God Those who know the Terrour of the Lord who have been really convinced and made sensible of the Guilt of their Apostasie from God and of their actual sins in that state and what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God seeking thereon after a real solid Foundation whereon they may be accepted with him have other thoughts of these things and do find Believing a thing to be quite of another nature then such men suppose It is not a work of Fancy or Imagination unto men to deny and abhor themselves to subscribe unto the Righteousness of God in denouncing Death as due to their sins to renounce all hopes and expectations of Relief from any Righteousness of their own to mix the Word and Promise of God concerning Christ and Righteousness by him with Faith so as to receive the Attonement and therewithall to give up themselves unto an universal Obedience unto God And as for them unto whom through Pride and Self-conceit on the one hand or Ignorance on the other it is so we have in this matter no concernment with them For unto whom these things are only the work of Fancy the Gospel is a Fable Something unto this purpose I had written long since in a practical Discourse concerning Communion with God And whereas some men of an inferiour condition have found it useful for the strengthening themselves in their dependencies on some of their superiours or in compliance with their own Inclinationt to cavil at my Writings and revile their Author that Book hath been principally singled out to exercise their faculty and Good intentions upon This course is steered of late by one Mr. Hotchkisse in a Book about Justification wherein in particular he falls very severely on that Doctrine which for the substance of it is here again proposed pag. 81. And were it not that I hope it may be somewhat useful unto him to be a little warned of his Immoralities in that Discourse I should not in the least have taken notice of his other Impertinencies The Good man I perceive can be angry with Persons whom he never saw and about things which he cannot or will not understand so far as to revile them with most opprobious Language For my part although I have never written any thing designedly on this subject or the Doctrine of Justification before now yet he could not but discern by what was occasionally delivered in that Discourse that I maintain no other Doctrine herein but what is the common Faith of the most Learned men in all Protestant Churches And the Reasons why I am singled out for the object of his petulancy and spleen are too manifest to need Repetition But I shall yet inform him of what perhaps he is ignorant namely That I esteem it no small honour that the Reproaches wherewith the Doctrine opposed by him is reproached do fall upon me And the same I say concerning all the reviling and contemptuous Expressions that his ensuing pages are filled withall But as to the present occasion I beg his excuse if I believe him not that the reading of the passages which he mentions out of my Book filled him with Horrour and Indignation as he pretends For whereas he acknowledgeth that my words may have a sense which he approves of and which therefore must of necessity be good and sound what honest and sober person would not rather take them in that sense then wrest them unto another so to cast himself under the disquietment of a fit of horrible Indignation In this fit I suppose it was if such a fit indeed did befall him as one Evil begets another that he thought he might insinuate something of my denial of the necessity of our own personal Repentance and Obedience For no man who had read that Book only of all my Writings could with the least regard to Conscience or Honesty give countenance unto such a surmise unless his mind was much discomposed by the unexpected invasion of a fit of Horrour But such is his dealing with me from first to last nor do I know where to fix on any one instance of his Exceptions against me wherein I can suppose he had escaped his pretended fit and was returned unto himself that is unto honest and ingenuous thoughts wherewith I hope he is mostly conversant But though I cannot miss in the Justification of this charge by considering any Instance of his Reflections yet I shall at present take that which he insists longest upon and filleth his Discourse about it with most scurrility of Expressions And this is in the 164 th page of his Book and those that follow For there he disputeth fiercely against me for making this to be an undue End of our serving God namely that we may flee from the wrath to come And who would not take this for an inexpiable crime in any especially in him who hath written so much of the nature and use of Threatnings under the Gospel and the Fear that ought to be ingenerated by them in the hearts of men as I have done Wherefore so great a Crime being the object of them all his Revilings seem not only to be Excused but Hallowed But what if all this should prove a wilful prevarication not becoming a Good man much less a Minister of the Gospel my words as reported and transcribed by himself are these Some there are that do the Service of the House of God as the drudgery of their Lives the principle they yield Obedience upon is Spirit of Bondage unto fear the Rule they do it by is the Law in its dread and rigour exacting it of them to the utmost without mercy or mitigation the End they do it for is to fly from the Wrath to come to pacifie Conscience and to seek for Righteousness as it were by the works of the Law What follow unto the same purpose he omits and what he adds as my
Righteousness of God communicated unto us by Jesus Christ. And whereas he was opposed herein with some severity by the most learned persons of those days to countenance himself in his singularity he pretended that there were twenty different Opinions amongst the Protestants themselves about the formal cause of our Justification before God This was quickly laid hold on by them of the Roman Church and is urged as a prejudice against the whole Doctrine by Bellarmine Vasquez and others But the vanity of this pretence of his hath been sufficiently discovered and Bellarmine himself could fancy but four Opinions among them that seemed to be different from one another reckoning that of Osiander for one De Justificat lib. 2. cap. 1. But whereas he knew that the Imagination of Osiander was exploded by them all the other three that he mentions are indeed but distinct parts of the same entire Doctrine Wherefore until of late it might be truly said that the Faith and Doctrine of all Protestants was in this Article entirely the same For however they differed in the way manner and methods of its Declaration and too many private men were addicted unto Definitions and Descriptions of their own under pretence of Logical accuracy in Teaching which gave an appearance of some contradiction among them yet in this they generally agreed that it is the Righteousness of Christ and not our own on the account whereof we receive the pardon of sin acceptance with God are declared Righteous by the Gospel and have a Right and Title unto the Heavenly Inheritance Hereon I say they were generally agreed first against the Papists and afterwards against the Socinians and where this is granted I will not contend with any man about his way of declaring the Doctrine of it And that I may add it by the way we have herein the concurrence of the Fathers of the Primitive Church For although by Justification following the Etymology of the Latine word they understood the making us Righteous with internal personal Righteousness at least some of them did so as Austin in particular yet that we are pardoned and accepted with God on any other account but that of the Righteousness of Christ they believed not And whereas especially in their Controversie with the Pelagians after the rising of that Heresie they plead vehemently that we are made Righteous by the Grace of God changing our Hearts and Natures and creating in us a principle of spiritual Life and Holiness and not by the endeavours of our own free will or works performed in the strength thereof their words and expressions have been abused contrary to their Intention and Design For we wholly concur with them and subscribe unto all that they dispute about the making of us personally Righteous and holy by the effectual Grace of God against all merit of works and operations of our own free Will our Sanctification being every way as much of Grace as our Justification properly so called and that in opposition unto the common Doctrine of the Roman Church about the same matter only they call this our being made inherently and personally Righteous by Grace sometimes by the name of Justification which we do not And this is laid hold on as an Advantage by those of the Roman Church who do not concur with them in the way and manner whereby we are so made Righteous But whereas by our Justification before God we intend only that Righteousness whereon our sins are pardoned wherewith we are made Righteous in his sight or for which we are accepted as Righteous before him it will be hard to find any of them assigning of it unto any other causes then the Protestants do So it is fallen out that what they design to prove we entirely comply with them in but the way and manner whereby they prove it is made use of by the Papists unto another End which they intended not But as to the way and manner of the Declaration of this Doctrine among Protestants themselves there ever was some variety and Difference in Expressions Nor will it otherwise be whilst the Abilities and Capacities of men whether in the conceiving of things of this nature or in the expression of their conceptions are so various as they are And it is acknowledged that these Differences of late have had by some as much weight laid upon them as the substance of the Doctrine generally agreed in Hence some have composed entire Books consisting almost of nothing but impertinent Cavils at other Mens Words and Expressions But these things proceed from the weakness of some men and other vitious habits of their minds and do not belong unto the cause it self And such Persons as for me shall write as they do and fight on until they are weary Neither hath the multiplication of Questions and the curious discussion of them in the handling of this Doctrine wherein nothing ought to be diligently insisted on but what is directive of our practice been of much use unto the Truth it self though it hath not been directly opposed in them That which is of real Difference among Persons who agree in the substance of the Doctrine may be reduced unto a very few Heads As 1 There is something of this kind about the nature of Faith whereby we are justified with its proper Object in Justifying and its Use in Justification And an Instance we have herein not only of the weakness of our Intellects in the Apprehension of spiritual things but also of the remainders of confusion and disorder in our minds at least how true it is that we know only in part and prophesie only in part whilst we are in this life For whereas this Faith is an Act of our minds put forth in the way of Duty to God yet many by whom it is sincerely exercised and that continually are not agreed either in the nature or proper object of it Yet is there no doubt but that some of them who differ amongst themselves about these things have delivered their minds free from the prepossession of prejudices and notions derived from other artificial Reasonings imposed on them and do really express their own conceptions as to the best and utmost of their Experience And notwithstanding this Difference they do yet all of them please God in the exercise of Faith as it is their Duty and have that respect unto its proper Object as secures both their Justification and Salvation And if we cannot on this consideration bear with and forbear one another in our different conceptions and expressions of those conceptions about these things it is a sign we have a great mind to be contentious and that our confidences are built on very weak foundations For my part I had much rather my Lot should be found among them who do really believe with the heart unto Righteousness though they are not able to give a tolerable Definition of Faith unto others then among them who can endlesly dispute about it with seeming
Heb. 6.18 Who have fled for Refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us Prov. 18.10 Hence some have defined Faith to be perfugium animae the flight of the Soul unto Christ for Deliverance from Sin and Misery And much light is given unto the Understanding of the thing intended thereby For herein it is supposed that he who believeth is antecedently thereunto convinced of his lost condition and that if he abide therein he must perish eternally that he hath nothing of himself whereby he may be delivered from it that he must betake himself unto somewhat else for Relief that unto this end he considereth Christ as set before him and proposed unto him in the Promise of the Gospel that he judgeth this to be an holy a safe way for his Deliverance and Acceptance with God as that which hath the Characters of all Divine Excellencies upon it hereon he flyeth unto it for Refuge that is with diligence and speed that he perish not in his present Condition he betakes himself unto it by placing his whole Trust and Affiance thereon And the whole Nature of our Justification by Christ is better declared hereby unto the supernatural Sense and Experience of Believers than by an hundred Philosophical Disputations about it 5. The Terms and Notions by which it is expressed under the Old Testament are leaning on God Micah 3.11 or Christ Cant. 8.5 rolling or casting our selves and our burthen on the Lord Psal. 22.8 Psal. 37.5 The Wisdom of the Holy Ghost in which Expressions hath by some been prophanely derided Resting on God or in him 2 Chron. 14.11 Psal. 37.7 Cleaving unto the Lord Deut. 4.4 Acts 11.15 as also by Trusting Hoping and Waiting in Places innumerable And it may be observed that those who acted Faith as it is thus expressed do every where declare themselves to be lost hopeless helpless desolate poor Orphans whereon they place all their hope and expectation on God alone All that I would infer from these things is that the Faith whereby we believe unto the Justification of life or which is required of us in a way of Duty that we may be justified is such an Act of the whole Soul whereby convinced Sinners do wholly go out of themselves to rest upon God in Christ for Mercy Pardon Life Righteousness and Salvation with an acquiescency of Heart therein which is the whole of the Truth pleaded for CHAP. XVI The Truth pleaded farther confirmed by Testimonies of Scripture Jer. 23.6 THat which we now proceed unto is the consideration of those Express Testimonies of Scripture which are given unto the Truth pleaded for and especially of those places where the Doctrine of the Justification of Sinners is expresly and designedly handled From them it is that we must learn the Truth and into them must our Faith be resolved unto whose Authority all the arguings and Objections of men must give place By them is more light conveyed into the understandings of Believers than by the most subtle Disputations And it is a thing not without scandal to see among Protestants whole Books written about Justification wherein scarce one Testimony of Scripture is produced unless it be to find out Evasions from the force of them And in particular whereas the Apostle Paul hath most fully and expresly as he had the greatest occasion so to do declared and vindicated the Doctrine of Evangelical Justification not a few in what they write about it are so far from declaring their Thoughts and Faith concerning it out of his Writings as that they begin to reflect upon them as obscure and such as give occasion unto dangerous mistakes and unless as was said to answer and except against them upon their own corrupt Principles seldom or never make mention of them As though we were grown wiser than he or that Spirit whereby he was inspired guided acted in all that he wrote But there can be nothing more Alien from the genius of Christian Religion than for us not to endeavour humbly to learn the Mystery of the Grace of God herein in the Declaration of it made by him But the foundation of God standeth sure what course soever men shall be pleased to take into their Profession of Religion For the Testimonies which I shall produce and insist upon I desire the Reader to observe 1. That they are but some of the many that might be pleaded unto the same purpose 2. That those which have been or yet shall be alledged on particular occasions I shall wholly omit and such are most of them that are given unto this Truth in the Old Testament 3. That in the Exposition of them I shall with what diligence I can attend 1. Unto the Analogy of Faith that is the manifest scope and design of the Revelation of the Mind and will of God in the Scripture And that this is to exalt the Freedom and riches of his own Grace the Glory and Excellency of Christ and his Mediation to discover the woful lost forlorn condition of man by Sin to debase and depress every thing that is in and of our selves as to the attaining Life Righteousness and Salvation cannot be denied by any who have their senses exercised in the Scriptures 2. Unto the Experience of them that do believe with the condition of them who seek after Justification by Jesus Christ. In other things I hope the best helps and Rules of the interpretation of the Scripture shall not be neglected There is weight in this case deservedly laid on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God as promised and given unto us namely the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 As the name Jehovah being given and ascribed unto him is a full indication of his Divine person so the addition of his being our Righteousness sufficiently declares that in and by him alone we have Righteousness or are made righteous So was he typed by Melchisedec as first the King of Righteousness then the King of Peace Heb. 7.2 For by his Righteousness alone have we Peace with God Some of the Socinians would evade this Testimony by observing that Righteousness in the Old Testament is used sometimes for Benignity Kindness and Mercy and so they suppose it may be here But the most of them avoiding the palpable absurdity of this imagination refer it to the Righteousness of God in deliverance and vindication of his people So Brennius briefly Ita vocatur quia Dominus per manum ejus judicium justitiam faciet Israeli But these are evasions of bold men who care not so they may say somewhat whether what they say be agreeable to the Analogy of Faith or the plain words of the Scripture Bellarmine who was more wary to give some appearance of Truth unto his answers first gives other reasons why he is called the Lord our Righteousness and then whether unawares or over-powered by the evidence of Truth grants that sense of the words which contains the whole of the cause we plead