For all they who have true faith are borne of God 1 Iohn 5. 1. Iohn 1. 12 13. And those who are once borne of God are never unborne againe but being made sonnes by faith as all the faithfull are Gal. 3. 26. they are also made heires of God and coheires with Christ Rom. 8. 17. As faith therefore is never utterly lost no more is justification For so long as wee have faith so long wee are justified But the habit of faith wee never lose though perhaps some act of faith may sometimes bee interrupted Therefore our justification is but one continued act and in that sense we are justified but once § VIII Now whereas we have defined and defended according to the Scriptures that justification is an action of God and such an action as is without us and a continued act hence we may conclude against the Papists first that neither their first nor second justification is that justification which is taught in the Scriptures Not the second for that is not Gods action but their owne who being justified before by habituall righteousnesse infused from God doe themselves as they â—…each by practising of good workes increase their righteousnesse that is justifie themselves by actuall righteousnesse as the merit of their second justification Not that wee deny that inherent righteousnesse is by practise of good workes increased but that wee hold that justification is not our owne act neither that we are justified by any righteousnesse inherent in our selves or performed by our selves nor that the righteousnesse of justification which is indeed the righteousnesse of Christ can be increased and therefore no degrees of justification Not the first which they make to bee an action of God within us working in us a reall change or positive mutation by infusion of the habits of grace and specially of charitie and confound it with habituall sanctification from which notwithstanding it is necessarily to be distinguished Secondly justification being an action of God is not to bee confounded with justification passively understood and much lesse with justice it selfe But the Papists not onely understand it passively but also confound it with inherent Iustice. Thirdly they doe not hold justification to bee one continued act from our vocation to our glorification But such an act as may not onely be interrupted ostentimes and lost for a time as they say it is by every mortall sinne and againe be renewed so oft as they goe to shrift but also that it may totally and finally bee lost Which error I have confuted at large in my Treatise of perseverance CAP. II. The efficient causes of Iustification § I. BUt in this definition besides the Genus not onely all the causes of Iustification but also the essentiall parts thereof are briefly comprised which I will now distinctly propound The causes because in the knowledge of them standeth the science of every thing the essentiall parts because in them justification it selfe consisteth The causes of justification as of all other things are foure The Efficient the Matter the Forme the End The Efficieâ—…t causes are of two sorts either principall or instrumentall The principall is God which I noted in the definition when I said it is an action of God For it is God that justifieth as the Scriptures in many places doe testifie as namely Rom. 3. 26 30. 4. 5 6. 8. 30 33. Gal. 3. 8. God I say the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost For it being an outward action of God or as the Schoolemen speake ad extra respecting the Creatures it is the common action of the whole Trinity And thus God alone as the Iudge doth justifie For he alone is the Lawgiver who hath power over our soules against whom wee sinne and by our sinne become his debtours when we transgresse his law And therefore he alone properly forgiveth sinnes as himselfe professeth Esay 43. 25. and as the Scribes and Pharisees confesse as a received truth Luk. 5. 21. For who may take upon him to remit those debts which wee owe to God It is he who reconcileth us unto himselfe in Christ not imputing our sinnes 2 Cor. 5. 19. and accepting of us in his beloved Ephes. 1. 6. It is he alone that forgiving our sinnes freeth us from hell and giveth us right to his heaveâ—…ly kingdome Which doctrine serveth first for our direction and instruction where to seeke and to sue for justification and remission of sinnes Not to any creature but to God alone in the name and mediation of Christ to whom alone our Saviour directeth us to sue for pardon Secondly it ministreth strong consolation to all the faithfull For seeing it is God that justifieth them who shall lay any thing to their charge Who shall condemne c Thirdly it sâ—…rveth for the confutation or rather condemnation of the Pope and all popish priests who take upon them power not as Ministers of the Gospell to declare and pronounce remission of sinnes but as Iudges to remit them it being a proper attribute of God Exod. 34. 7. which he appropriateth to himselfe Esay 43. 25. and which no meere man can without blasphemy arrogate to himselfe Mark 2. 7. § II. With the principall cause we are to joyne the consideration of the motives or moving causes both without God which of some are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also within himselfe which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are indeed principia agendi The former are mans misery which though it be not properly a cause but the object of mercy yet is said to bee a motive and is used as a reason to move to mercy and thence misericordia hath its name and Christs merits which properly are the procatarcticke cause of our justification besides which there is no other merit The moving causes within God are his Mercy and his Iustice which I signified in the definition when I said that justification is a most grâ—…cious and rightâ—… action os God For as in many if not in all the workes of God his mercy and justice meet together so especially in the worke of our Iustification and redemption which Cardinall Câ—…jetan e well observed The holy Scripture saith he doth not say that we are justified by grace alone but by grace and justice together but both of God that is by the grace of God and by the justice of God and not by the righteousnesse of men By grace I understand the gracious love and favour of God in Christ vouchsafed unto us in him before all secular times 2 Tim. 1. 9. in which he hath graciously accepted us in his beloved by which as we are elected and called and shall be saved so by the same we are justified and that freely without any cause in us Rom. 3. 24. Now the Lord is said to justifie us by his grace first because of his free-grace hee gave his owne Sonne to
resurrection apprehended by faith to them also he applieth the vertue and efficacie of Christs death and resurrection both to mortifie sinne in them and to raise them up to newnesse of life By this doctrine we may trie our selves whether we be reconciled redeemed adopted justified For hereby it shall appeare that God hath received us into his grace if he hath also endued us with his grace Chasidim as they are called in the Scriptures the favourites of God are usually translated his holy ones and all the faithfull even in this life are termed Saints Hereby it will appeare that we are redeemed from the guilt of sinne if we be also freed from the dominion of sinne Hereby it will appeare that we are adopted if 〈◊〉 be also regeneratech Hereby it will appeare that we are justified if we â—…e also in some measure sanctified But yet howsoever these graces â—…waies goe together and cannot be severed yet must we carefully distinguish betwixt the grace of God which is in himselfe and his graces which are in us betwixt the actions of Gods grace without us and the actions of his grace within us Wherefore though adoption and regeneration though receiving into grace and enduing with grace though redeeming from the guilt and purging in some measure from the corruption of sinne though justification and sanctification are alwaies unseparable companions yet we may not with the Papists confound them and so place the matter of justification and merit of salvation in our selves as they wickedly doe but we are religiously to distinguish them as they are in themselves truly and really distinguished to the praise of the glory that is the glorious praise of his grace not of that which is in us but of that which is in himselfe whereby he hath graciously accepted us in his beloved Ephes. 1. 6. § VI. Thirdly when we say it is an action of God imputing to a beleeving sinner c. We consider it not as a suddaine and momentany action which is of no continuance as if all our sinnes both past present and to come are remitted in an instant but as an act of God continued from our vocation wherein the grace of faith is begotten in us to our glorification which is the end of our faith For as this action of God is called the justification of a sinner so whiles we continue sinners we have still need to be justified And as we alwaies have sinne in this life so that it may not be imputed we have need that Christs righteousnesse should be imputed unto us and that as we sinne daily so Christ our advocate should continually make intercession for us that notwithstanding our manifold slippes whereinto through humane frailety we fall and notwithstanding those manifold infirmities and corruptions which remaine in us as the relikes of originall sinne we may be continued in the grace and favour of God by the continued imputation of Christs righteousnesse obtained by his continuall intercession for us For therefore doth he continue his intercession for us that our justification may bee continued to us and that as wee sinne daily so wee may daily seeke and obtaine pardon But if justification should so be wrought once and at once as that after that act wrought in an instance we should no more be justified nor no more neede remission of sinne then must we erroniously conceive that the sinnes which after the first moment of our justification we doe commit are actually remitted before they bee committed whereas God forgiveth onely sinnes past Rom. 3. 25. So shall we not onely set open a gap to all licentiousnesse for who will so feare to commit sinne as he ought or when he hath committed it so sue for the pardon thereof who is perswaded beforehand that it is already remitted but also shall open the mouthes of our adversaries who will be ready to say that we Protestants ought not to pray for remission of sinne because in our opinion as they say we need it not but to this calumniation of the Papist I have elsewhere answered § VII If it be said that it is a received opinion among many that justificatio simul semel fit that justification is wrought at once and but once I answere that that assertion is not to be admitted without distinction nor without good caution The distinction is this that there is a justification of a sinner before God in 〈◊〉 coelesti which properly is called justification and is that which here I have defined and there is a justification whereby a man already justified before God is justified in foro conscientiâ—… in the court of his owne conscience which is not properly justification it selfe but the assurance of it To this latter that assertion of but once and at once cannot in any good sense be applied For neither is the full assurance of our justification attained at once but by degrees wherein we are to labour and to give diligence to make as our election and calling so also our justification more and more sure unto us Neither is it given but once For by committing of any crime or any grievous sinne by spirituall desertions by the â—…orcible temptations of Satan this act of spirituall faith which we call assurance may be interrupted or lost for a time and yet by repentance by prayer and practise of pietie it may be recovered againe and therefore not given but once To the former indeed it may be applied in both parts but with a twofold caution first in respect of simul at once if it be understood as excluding degrees and not continuance Namely that we are not justified by degrees and as it were by little and little as though our justification were not perfect at the first For no sooner doth a man truly beleeve in Christ but the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to him and in and by that righteousnesse he standeth righteous before God as well at the first as at the last that righteousnesse of Christ by which he is justified whether first or last being most perfect Therefore the righteousnesse of justification cannot be increased neither doth our justification before God admit degrees either in one and the same person or yet in diverse men howsoever the assurance of justification and the worke of sanctification whereby we are to be renewed in the inner man day by day have degrees according to the degrees of our faith and according to the measure of grace received Secondly when it is said that we are justified before God semel but once that also may be admitted if by once be meant one continuall act For as we are regenerated but once because ut semel nascimur ita semel renascimur so faith which is wrought in our regeneration is given but once For that which Saint Iude saith verse 3. of faith once given is no lesse true of the habit than of the doctrine of faith which habit being once had is never utterly lost
in regard of it selfe but relatively in respect of that righteousnesse which it doth apprehend If it be said that faith as the instrument receiveth remission of sinne because by it we are assured thereof I answer that by faith receiving Christ we have remission of sinnes and justification before we can by speciall faith be assured of it And it is a great absurdity as elsewhere I have shewed to teach that men must beleeve and be assured of the remission of their sinnes to the end that they may be remitted § XIII I shall not need therefore to say any more in this place unlesse it be to give a Caveat to all young Divines that they give no credit to these Novelties which either affirme that wee are justified by the passive righteousnesse of Christ onely or deny that wee are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ at all as the matter of our justification By Matter I understand that very thing which is imputed as our onely righteousnesse by which wee stand perfectly righteous before God by imputation whereof we are both freed from hell and also entituled to the kingdome of heaven And let all men take notice that these opinions howsoever to some they seeme matters of small importance are notwithstanding very dangerous if not pernicious seeing they concerne our very title to the kingdome of heaven and seeing alâ—…o I have proved in this Treatise that without imputation of Christs righteousnesse there can be no justification nor salvation For all will confesse that without Christs obedience and sufferings none can bee justified or saved and that they justifie or save none but them onely to whom they are communicated and applyed But they cannot be communicated otherwise than by imputation whereby God accepteth them in our behalfe as if we had in our owne persons performed them for our selves Againe these foure assertions I hold for undoubted truthes first that what Christ our blessed Saviour in the daies of his flesh did or suffered in obedience to God he did and suffered not for himselfe but for us secondly that whatsoever he did and suffered for us that beleeve that the Lord accepteth in the behalfe of all that beleeve thirdly that what he accepteth in our behalfe that he imputeth unto us for by imputation wee meane nothing else fourthly to say that what Christ did and suffered for us God doth not accept in our behalfe is both blasphemous against Christ the wisedome of his Father as if hee did and suffered those things which he did and suffered in vaine and also pernicious unto us for if Christs doings and sufferings for us bee in vaine as they are if they bee not imputed to us then is our faith vaine and wee remaine in our sinnes and in the wofull state of damnation § XIV But some will say it is sufficient to beleeve that by the merits of Christ we have remission of sinne and that having remission of sinnes we shall be saved by him Answ. Yea but God forgiveth no sinnes for which his justice is not fully satisfied For as he is mercifull so he is just in forgiving our sinnes But no such satisfaction can bee imagined but that of Christ. For we our selves are not able to satisfie for our sinnes but by eternall punishment And how shall we have remission by Christs satisfaction if it be not applyed and communicated unto us how can it be communicated and made ours but by imputation And that the very papists themselves are at length forced to confesse And where they say that having remission of sinnes they shall be saved I confesse it is true because with Gods remission of sinnes there doth alwayes concurre imputation of righteousnesse But the bare remission of sinne without imputation of righteousnesse which onely freeth a man from the guilt of sinne and damnation doth not entitle him or give him right to the kingdome of heaven It is one thing to have by faith remission of sinnes and another to have by faith inheritance among them that be sanctified Act. 26. 18. Eternall life is not to bee had without perfect fulfilling of the Law which is no where to bee found but onely in Christ. And therefore by the onely meritorious obedience of Christ by which he hath merited and purchased salvation for us wee are saved But how should we be saved by his obedience if it be not communicated unto us and made ours for our selves how can it bee made ours but by imputation wherefore no imputation of Christs obedience no salvation CAP. VI. The end or finall cause the essentiall parts the fruits and consequents of justification § I. THE finall cause or end for which God doth justifie a sinner by imputation of Christs righteousnesse is either supreme or subordinate The supreme is the manifestation of the glory both of his mercy and of his justice as is noted in the definition which as they doe concurre in all the worke of God Psalm 145. 17. so especially in the worke of redemption and justification For therein the mercy of God appeareth to be so great that rather than hee would suffer us most miserable sinners to perish in our sinnes he hath sent his owne and his only begotten Son that we might be justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein hee hath made us accepted in his beloved His justice also such that rather than hee would suffer the sinnes of his owne elect to goe unpunished or forgive them without due satisfaction hee hath punished them in his owne Sonne and exacted from him a full satisfaction for them having set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse through the forgivenesse of sinnes which are past by the sufferance of God to demonstrate I say his righteousnesse at this time that hee might be just and the justifier of him who beleeveth in Iesus Not unto us therefore not unto us as if we were justified by our owne righteousnesse or worthinesse but to the name of God all glory is due for his mercy and for his righteousnesse sake who doth justifie us not of workes lest wee should glory in our selves but of his grace freely without any desert or cause in our selves through the redemption wrought by Christ who is of God made righteousnesse unto us that he which gloryeth may glory in the Lord. § II. The subordinate end is our salvation and the way unto it which is our new obedience or sanctification Salvation though it bee our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our particular supreme end and chiefe good unto which both justification and sanctification is referred yet it is subordinate to the glory of God as to the soveraigne and universall end For such is Gods goodnesse towards his elect that hee hath subordinated our salvation to his owne glory as he hath
formall causes of justification Bellarmine answereth thus the Councell of Trent in expresse termes said that there is but one onely formall cause of justification Yea but say wee the Councell seemeth to make two viz. remission of sinnes and renovation But saith he when the Councell maketh mention severally of remission of sin and of infusion of grace it did it not to signifie that there is a twofold formall cause of justification but to declare that there are two termes of that motion which is called justification or two effects of the same cause For there cannot bee that mutation or translation which the Councell noteth to bee in justification unlesse by remission of sinne a man cease to bee wicked and by infusion of justice begin to be godly But saith hee as the aire when it is enlightened of the Sunne by the same light which it receiveth ceaseth to bee darke and beginneth to be lightsome So a man by the same justice given and infused by the Sunne of righteousnesse ceaseth to bee unjust the light of grace expelling the darknesse of sinne and beginneth to bee just the light of grace succeeding the darkenesse of sinne And as in calefaction which similitude hee useth elsewhere the accesse of heat expelleth cold so in justification the infusion of justice expelleth sinne This then is the doctrine of the new Church of Rome that in this mutation called justification which they define to bee a passage from sinne to righteousnesse though there be as in all other motions duo termini viz. sinne which is terminus à quo and righteousnesse which is terminus ad quem yet there are not two distinct actions concurring viz. remission or expulsion of sinne and infusion of righteousnesse but one and the same action which is the infusion of justice expelling sinne even as in calefaction though there bee two termes cold and hot yet there are not two actions for the same action of fire which bringeth in heat expelleth cold and so in illumination there are two termes darkenesse and light but not two actions for one and the same act of the Sunne which bringeth light driveth away darkenesse Whereby it is evident that by remission of sinne the Papists doe not understand as all men from the beginning of the world have understood pardoning forgiving not imputing sinne but the utter deletion expulsion abolition of it which Bellarmine calleth veram remissionem true remission as if the pardoning of the offence and taking away the guilt were not true remission but this true remission they hold to bee such that in a man who is justified and hath remission of sinne there is no sinne remaining and hee onely is to bee held a just man in whom there is no sinne Thus then remission of sinne is by the Papists excluded from justification and that brought in the roome of it which belongeth to that perfection of sanctification whereunto none attaine in this life § III. Now that the Papists grossely erre in making remission of sinne to bee the utter abolition or expulsion of it by infusion of righteousnesse may appeare by these arguments First whereas in sinne there are two things to bee considered the guilt and the corruption or Anomy thereof it is evident that the guilt of sinnes past is taken away by remission wholly and at once the corruption is taken away by mortification thereof not wholly in this life and at once but by degrees we being day by day renewed in the inner man The latter is the worke of Gods Spirit within us The former is an action of God without us such as is that of the Creditor in remitting or forgiving a debt And so the Scriptures conceive of remission For our sinnes are debts in respect of the guilt binding us over to punishment which wee owe for them When as God therefore remitteth the debt releaseth this obligation forgiveth the punishment hee is said to remit our sinnes This our Saviour taught by the parables of the creditors and debtors Matth. 18. 23. Luk. 7. 41. And thus he hath taught us to pray Matth. 6. 12. Forgive us our debts as wee forgive our debtors How doe wee forgive By not revenging the offence but laying aside all desire and purpose of revenge by passing by it and as it were forgetting it by covering it with charity by not imputing it by being reconciled unto the party who hath offended us not by a reall taking away of the sinne from the offender but a wiping of it out of our remembrance not by expelling the offence out of the offender but out of our thoughts § IV. Thus in the Scriptures to remit sinne is not to abolish and extinguish the sinne it selfe but to absolve from the guilt of sinne to pardon and to forgive the debt and to remit the punishment to cover a mans sinne and not to impute it And this plainely appeareth by these manifold phrases which are used in the Scriptures to signifie remission of sinne all which import the taking away of the guilt but none the utter abolishing of the corruption As first the Hebrew Salach Exod. 34. 9. Numb 14. 19 20. 30. 6. Deut. 29. 19. Psal. 103. 3. Esay 55. 7. Ier. 31. 34. Dan. 9. 20. signifieth parcere remittere ignoscere condonare propitium esse Kasah to hide to spare to forgive Nehem. 4. 5. Psal. 32. 1. 85. 2. Ioel 2. 17. Deut. 13. 8. Kaphar also is to cover to pardon to be propitious Deut. 21. 8. Psal. 65. 4. 78. 38. 79. 9. Esay 22. 14. Nasa to spare to forgive to take away the guilt Gen. 18. 24 26. 50. 17. Exod. 32. 32. Numb 14. 19. Psalm 32. 1. cum Rom. 4. 7. Esay 33. 24. Psalm 25. 18. Habar to passe by an offence Mic. 7. 18. and Hehebir to cause it to passe 2 Sam. 12. 13. 24. 10. Zech. 3. 4. Machah to wipe or to blot out of remembrance the sinnes of men as it were out of a booke to blot them out from before his face Nehem. 4. 5. Psalm 51. 9. Ier. 18. 23. Hesir to remove Esay 27. 9. Lo chashab not to impute Psal. 32. 2. In like manner the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to remit or forgive Mat. 6. 12 14 15. 18. 27 32. whence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remission that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forgivenesse as Hesychiiâ—…s expoundeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condonare to forgive Luk. 7. 42. 2 Cor. 2. 10. Ephes. 4. 33. Col. 2. 13. 3. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to impute Rom. 4. 8. 2 Cor. 5. 19. So the Latine remittere dimittere ignoscere condonare donare veniam dare parcere propitium esse and the English to remit to pardon to forgive § V. For the farther clearing of this point let us consider these three things first what that is which is remitted Secondly where it remaineth untill it bee remitted Thirdly by what act of God it is remitted The thing remitted is our
debt Matth. 6. 12. The subject where it remaineth are the bookes of Gods providence and of our own consciences The act of God in remitting our debts is the wiping them out of his remembrance as it were his debt-bookes The debt is the sinne it selfe which maketh us debtors unto God And therefore sinnes are called debts and sinners debtors Matth. 6. 12. cum Luk. 11. 4. Matth. 23. 16 18. Luk. 13. 4. cum 2. which also appeareth by the parables of the debtors Luk. 7. 41. Matth. 18. 23 35. and therefore sinners are called debtors because for their sinnes they owe punishment unto which by the just ordination of God they are obliged This obligation whereby sinners are bound over to punishment is called reatus that is guilt When as therefore God remitteth sins he forgiveth the debt hee remitteth or releaseth the punishment hee taketh away the guilt whereby we were bound over to punishment And è converso when God forgiveth the debt releaseth the punishment taketh away the guilt he is said to remit sinne Now sinnes are either habituall or actuall An habituall sinne God doth remit when hee doth take away the guilt of it and cover the Anomy of it not that it should not be at all but that it should not bee imputed as Augustine saith of concupiscence or originall sinne whereof all particular habituall â—… sinnes are members and branches Actuall sinnes God doth remit when he doth forgive the sinfull act it selfe and the guilt also which remaineth after the act is past and gone § VI. But here the Papists have found out a new devise to confirme their error in confounding justification and sanctification that whereas there are two things which as themselves doe teach remaine in the soule after the act of sinne hath been committed viz. reatus macula the guilt and the blemish or spot they teach against sense that it is properly the macula which is remitted in justification But then say I what becometh of the punishment the guilt binding over to punishment It is certaine that the infusion of righteousnesse doth not take away the guilt nor free us from punishment Neither can we be freed either â—…rom the one or the other but only by the satisfaction of Christ imputed unto us Hence therfore they should have learned to distinguish between justification and sanctification rather than to confound them that whereas there are two things remaining after sinne committed the guilt and the pollution the guilt is taken away by imputation of Christs righteousnesse in our justification the pollution is in some measure cleansed in our sanctification § VII And how soever that which they say of the macula or pollution remaining is true in respect of Originall sinne wherein upon the guilt of Adams transgression imputed there followeth an universall macula or corruption consisting of two parts the privation of Originall righteousnesse and an evill disposition and pronenesse to all manner of sinne by which twofold corruption all the parts and faculties of the soule are defiled yet it seemeth not to be altogether true in regard of mens personall sinnes in respect of either part for as touching the former part which is the privation neither are the unregenerate by their actuall sinnes deprived of grace or righteousnesse infused which they had not before they sinned neither are the regenerate utterly deprived of grace by such sinnes as they commit as I have elsewhere proved and as touching the latter part which is the evill disposition this macula whereof they speake is no new evill disposition making him a sinner who before was not but an evill disposition remaining of the old man which by committing of actuall sinnes is increased Insomuch as where the same actuall sinne is often committed and reiterated that evill disposition groweth to bee an habit For all evill dispositions or habituall sinnes which are in men are either the reliquia or remnants of originall sinne in some measure mortified or the increments thereof when by the committing of actuall sinnes they receive increase And such a thing is that macula whereof they speake which remaining in the soule per modum habitus is to bee taken away as all other habituall sinnes are as they are pollutions by the mortification of them which is a part of sanctification and not of justification Neither is the mortification of sinne a totall deletion or abolition thereof in this life as if no sinne or corruption remained in the party justified or sanctified for though in the forgiving or remitting of originall sinne the guilt bee wholly taken away yet the corruption which is called concupiscence remaineth more or lesse mortified § VIII Now followeth the subject where that which is to bee remitted doth remaine and from whence when it is remitted it is wiped or blotted out that is Gods remembrance and our conscience which are as it were the Lords debt-bookes according to which bookes he will judge Apoc. 20. 12. the former is the booke of Gods providence Psalm 56. 8. 139. 15. wherein all offences are written and wherein they remaine upon record Hos. 7. 2. 8. 13. Ier. 17. 1. The other is the booke of our conscience which is as it were the Lords atturney indicting us of sinne In regard whereof David saith Psalm 51. 3. I doe know or am conscious to my transgressions and my sinne is ever before mee Out of the former booke the Lord doth wipe out sinnes when he justifieth us in the Court of Heaven out of the latter when we are justified in the Court of our owne Conscience § IX And hereby the third thing appeareth namely by what act of God our sinnes are remitted For if that which is remitted be a debt which is recorded in Gods booke then this debt is remitted not by any act of God within us either really wiping the pollution out of our soules or infusing grace into them both which are done in some measure after the debt is remitted in our sanctification but by an act of God without us wiping our sinnes out of his booke blotting them out of his remembrance Esai 43. 25. casting them behinde his backe Esai 38. 17. turning his face from them Psalm 51. 9. not remembring Ier. 31. 34. nor imputing them Rom. 4. 8. ex Psal. 32. 2. but forgiving and forgetting them and accepting of Christs satisfaction for them in the behalfe of all that truely beleeve in Christ Rom. 3. 24 25. § X. Our fifth argument may be this The utter deletion of sinne is not granted in this life Remission of sinne is granted to the faithfull in this life Therefore remission of sinne is not the utter deletion of it The proposition is certaine For during this life sinne remaineth in the best Rom. 7. 17. 20. 1 Ioh. 1. 8. The assumption is undeniable as being an Article of our faith testified in many places of Scripture Or thus If in justification there
prove our glosse to bee repugnant to the Apostle unlesse he imagine that wee hold the imputation of Christs righteousnesse to a beleever to bee not reall but imaginary And then by the same reason let him say that the imputation of our sinnes to Christ for which he really suffered and the imputation of Adams transgression to his posterity for which they are really punished was but imaginary Howbeit there is a difference in the manner of imputing a reward to him that worketh and of righteousnesse to him that beleeveth for that is ex debito this ex gratia § IV. Our ninth argument Hee that is justified not by his owne righteousnesse but by the righteousnesse of another is justified by righteousnesse imputed But all the faithfull are justified not by their owne righteousnesse Phil. 3. 8 9. Rom. 10. 3. but by the righteousnesse of another this was fully proved and maintained in the whole third controversie for that which is but one mans righteousnesse cannot be every faithfull mans owne by inherencie but onely by imputation The righteousnesse by which wee are justified is but the righteousnesse of one Rom. 5. 18 19. § V. Our tenth argument There is the same matter whereby infants are justified and others But infants are not justified by righteousnesse inherent for neither have they habituall righteousnesse which consisteth in the habits of faith hope and charity of which they are not capable whiles they want the use of reason nor actuall as all confesse but by the righteousnesse of Christ and that imputed And therefore Berâ—…d saith they want no merits because they have the merits of Christ. § VI. Our eleventh argument As Abraham was justified so are wee Rom. 4. 23 24. Abraham was justified by imputation Rom. 4. 3. 22. and not by inherent righteousnesse though hee did excell therein Therefore wee are justified by imputation and not by inherent righteousnesse § VII Our twelfth argument To those that are justified by faith righteousnesse in their justification is imputed without workes that is without respect of righteousnesse inherâ—…nt Rom. 4. 5 6. All the faithfull are justified by faith Esai 53. 11. Rom. 3. 28. Gal. 2. 16. Therefore to all the faithfull in their justification righteousnesse is imputed without respect of inherent righteousnesse § VIII Our thirteenth argument whose sinnes are remitted by imputation of Christs satisfaction unto them they are justified by imputation for to be absolved from sinne is to be justified Act. 13. 38 39. where to have remission of sinne is to bee justified from sinne So Rom. 4. 6 7 8. where the Apostle sheweth that whose iniquities are forgiven whoâ—…e sinnes are covered to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne to them hee imputeth righteousnesse without workes where the Apostle saith Bellarmine ex non imputatione peccatorum colligit imputationem justitiae from the not imputing of sinne hee gathereth the imputation of righteousnesse them he justifieth them he maketh blessed So Luk. 18. 13 14. when our Saviour would signifie that the Lord had heaâ—…d the prayer of the Publican who had prayed for the remission of his sinne hee saith he went home justified But the sinnes of the faithfull are remitted by imputation of Christs satisfaction to them This the Papists themselves cannot deny Or if they did the whole Doctrine of the Gospell would confute them which teacheth that Christ dyed for our sinnes that hee hath redeemed us from all our iniquities that hee gave himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full price of ransome for us 1 Tim. 2. 6. that hee gave himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor Ephes. 5. 2. that in him God is well pleased and reconciled unto us forgiving our sinnes 2 Cor. 5. 19. that hee is the propitiation for our sinnes 1 Iohn 2. 2. that hee bare our iniquities Esai 53. 12. that in his ownâ—… body hee bare our sinnes upon the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. that by him wee have redemption that is remission of sinnes that we are justified by his bloud Rom. 5. 9. and by his obedience verse 19. that God is just in justifying a beleeving sinner and therefore forgiveth no sinne for which his justice is not satisfied And his justice cannot be satisfied for our sinnes being an infinite offence as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth but by a price or satisfaction of infinit valew which can be no other but the perfect and al-sufficient satisfaction of Christ which the Lord accepteth in behalfe of all those that beleeve in him which is nothing else but to impute it to them for if God should not accept of Christs satisfaction in the behalfe of those that beleeve then in vaine had Christ dyed or satisfied for us Therefore the faithfull are justified by imputation § IX Hereunto the Papists have nothing to oppose but their owne erroneous assertion which is hereby confuted that remission of sinne is an utter abolition extinction deletion of sinne by infusion of righteousnesse But as in the Law two things are to bee considered the precept it selfe and the sanction thereof denouncing punishment to the transgressout so in sinne there are two things to be considered the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it selfe which is the transgression of the precept and the guilt which bindeth over the sinner to punishment The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is twofold for it is partly transient which is the sinfull act or transgression it selfe and partly immanent in the soule of the offendor which is that macula or labes the blemish spot or pollution which the act doth leave behind it in respect whereof as Bellarmine teacheth the transgressour after the act is gone remaineth formally a sinner The guilt also is twofold for it is either reatus culpae the guilt of offence or of offending God and reatus paenae which is the binding over of the sinner unto punishment Now God doth take away the sinnes of the faithfull both in respect of the fault and also of the guilt of punishment but not after one manner He taketh away the guilt by remission of sinne for in regard of the guilt our sinnes are debts which debts God doth forgive when hee remitteth the punishment and taketh away the guilt which did bind us over to punishment by imputation of Christs sufferings unto us who as our surety did pay our debts for us And because our Saviour fully satisfied our debt therefore our sinnes in respect of the guilt of death are in our justification wholly taken away and in that respect there is an utter deletion of them as there useth to be of debts â—…out of debt bookes when they are satisfied But when the Lord doth justifie a man he doth impute unto him not onely the suffering of Christ to free him a paena reatu paenae but also his obedience that he may be constituted righteous and so freed also a culpâ—… reatu 〈◊〉 For as touching the fault whether you meane the sinfull act which is
of imputation of Christs righteousnesse where in mine opinion hee might as well have alleaged that there is no need of a Saviour For if there bee need of a Saviour it is to free us from the danger of damna ion and to entitle us to the Kingdome of heaven both which benefits are implyed in justification But how should we who are sinners and consequently by sinne obnoxious to damnation and excluded from heaven bee either acquitted from hell or made heires of heaven For neither by our selves nor by any other meanes in the world can we bee freed from hell or have right to heaven but onely by the death and merits of Christ our onely Saviour which is so cleare a truth that the Papists themselves cannot deny it But how can wee bee freed from hell by Christs sufferings or entitled to heaven by his obedience if the Lord doe not accept of his sufferings and obedience in our â—…ehalfe as if we had suffered and done the same in our owne persons If God doe not accept them in the behalfe of the faithfull for whose sake hee did obey and suffâ—…r then all that Christ did and suffered for us was in vaine and in vaine did he take our nature and our sinnes upon him If the Lord doe accept in our behalfe the fufferings and merits of Christ then doth he impute them unto us For by imputation as I haue said wee meane nothing else Neither can the sufferings and obedience of Christ being transient as I have also shewed before bee otherwise communicated unto us but by imputation § V. But come we to his second argument for if saith he imputation bee necessary it is chiefly for this cause because a man after remission of sinne remaineth still a sinner his sinne being covered and not abolished But when sinnes are remitted they are not onely covered but utterly abolished But here Bellarmine grossely mistaketh our assertion as if we held that sins are first forgiven and then after the forgivenesse of sinnes righteousnesse is imputed But wee hold that by imputation of Christs righteousnesse or satisfaction we have remission of sinne and not otherwise and therefore that to remission it â—…selfe imputation is absolutely necessary For God forgiveth no sinne nor remitteth the guilt of punishment for which his justice is not fully satisfied But wee are not able our selves to satisfie for our sinnes but by eternall punishment Therefore it is impossible salva Dei justitia that our sinnes should bee forgiven unlesse Christs satisfaction be imputed unto us § VI. And whereas still he harpeth on that string that remission of sinne is the utter deletion or abolition of it to wit by infusion of righteousnesse and that therefore imputation of Christs righteousnesse is needlesse I answere first that in sinne two things are considered the guilt and the corruption That in remission of sinne the guilt is fully taken away by imputation of Christs perfect righteousnesse but the corruption or pollution is not taken away by remission but by mortification and that not fully and at once but by degrees And howsoever these two benefits doe alwayes concurre remission of sinne and mortification of sinne for whosoever are freed from the guilt of sinne are also freed from the dominion of sinne and to whom the Lord granteth remission to them hee granteth repentance Gods forgiving and mans forgoing or forsaking of sinne going alwayes together notwithstanding they are by no meanes to be confounded I confesse that both of them are wrought by the bloud of Christ and by his death but in a divers respect For by the bloud of Christ is meant all that which issued out of his blessed side which was both bloud and water Ioh. 19. 34. which Saint Iohâ—… vers 35. noteth as a thing most remarkable and accordingly in his first Epistle Chapter 5. vers 6. urgeth it This is he that came by water and bloud even Christ Iesus not by water onely but by water and bloud The bloud of redemption to redeeme us from the guilt of sinne and the water of ablution to purge us from the pollution of sinne The death also of Christ may be considered either in respect of the merit thereof as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a price or ransome apprehended by faith to redeeme us from the guilt of sinne or in respect of the vertue and efficacy as it is a medicine or plaister applyed by the Holy Ghost to cure us of the malady of sinne Both Christ worketh by his bloud and by his death but the former is done without us and in respect of sinnes past at once as when a debt is fully satisfied the later is wrought in us as when a disease is cured by degrees § VII Secondly if remission of sinne bee an utter deletion or a totall abolition of sinne then no mans sinne is forgiven in whom any sinne remaineth which is a most desperate doctrine as heretofore I have shewed for where is that mortall man in whom no sinne remaineth If the Papists say they have no sinne Saint Iohn will tell them that there is no truth in them Thirdly in the Scriptures to remit sinne is not to abolish it but to pardon and to forgive it or not to impute it And further God is said so to forgive our sinnes as wee forgive the offences of others which wee doe when by charity we cover them when we do not remember them with any desire or purpose to revenge them when we are reconciled to them that offended us The difference is that God forgiveth not onely in mercy but in justice also forgiving no sinnes but those for which his justice is fully satisfied He forgiveth therefore those sinnes for which Christ hath satisfied he remitteth the punishment to us which Christ hath borne for us he covereth them but with the robe of Christs righteousnesse hee is reconciled unto us but it is Christ for whose sake he doth forgive our sinnes Thus therefore I argue If remission of sinne bee not the deletion of the sinne it selfe by infusion of righteousnesse but the not imputing or covering of it the taking away of the guilt by imputation of Christs satisfaction then we are justified not by infusion but by imputation but the former is true therefore the later Yea but â—…aith Bellarmine the Scripture by remission of sinne understandeth the utter abolishing of sinne and to that purpose useth all manner of words which could be devised to expresse the utter deletion of sinne to which purpose he alleageth many testimonies all which I have answered heretofore § VIII Fourthly if there be a totall deletion of sin in our justification by the infusion of righteousnesse then that righteousnesse which in our justification is infused is perfect for the infusion of righteousnesse which is unperfect cannot cause a totall abolition of sinne Nay the imperfection it selfe is a sinne But it is absurd to imagine that the righteousnesse which is infused
bountyof God then are they fooles who repose affiance in their owne workes And no doubt but they are fooles who trust in their owne heart as Salomon saith Prov. 28. 26. For as Adrian saith who after was Pope Our merits are like astaffe of reed which not onely breaketh when it is leaned upon but also pierceth the hand of him that leaneth on it To trust in a mans owne righteousnessâ—… is the property of a proud Iustitiary and hypocrite Ezec. 33. 13. Luke 18. 9. and of one that is accursed because hee removeth his heart â—…rom God and putteth his trust in man that is to say hâ—…mselfe for as Bernard well faith for a man to trust in himselfe Non fidei sed per â—…dem est nec confidentiae sed diffidentiae magis in semetipso habere fiduciam But the true and upright Christian renouncing all confidence in his owne righteousnesse as being a beggar in spirit Matth. 5. 3. resteth wholly on the mercies of God and merits of Christ Psal. 130. 3 4. 143. 2. Dan. 9. 18. 1 Cor. 4. 4. Phil. 3. 8 9. according to the advice of our Saviour Luk. 17. 10. If it be objected that the godly in many places of Scripture doe alleage their owne innocency and integrity as seeming to put some affiance therein 2 King 20. 3. Nehem. 5. 19. Psal. 18. 21 24. 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I answere first it is one thing to place affiance in our good works as causes of our salvation as merit-mongers use to doe another from our good workes as tokens and signes of our election vocation justification and as presages of our glorification to gather comfort assâ—…rance and hope to our selves of our justification and salvation which the faithfull use to doe and to that end are they commanded to practise good workes that they make their calling and election sure 2 Pâ—…t 1. 10. This distinction is acknowledged by Bellarmine Sciendum est saith hee aliud esse fidâ—…ciam nasci ex 〈◊〉 aliâ—…d fiduciam esse ponendam in meritis It is one thing out of our good workes to gather assurance and affiance in God which the faithfull doe as they are exhorted in the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1. 10. Iob 11. 15. Rom. 5. 4. Probation worketh hope 1 Ioh. 3. 21. If our heart condemne us not then have wee confidence towards God and it is another thing to place affiance in our merits which none but proud Iustitiaries and Pharisaicall Hypocrites use to doe Secondly we must distinguish betwixt the innocency and justice of a mans cause and the innocency and justice of his person For the same men in the Scripture who for the justification of their persons desire the Lord not to enter into judgement with them for the justification of their cause have not feared to appeale to Gods judgement § XIII Our sixth reason those who cannot fully discharge their duety much lesse can they merit For they that merit must doe more than their duety For they that doe but their duety though they doe all that is commanded must acknowledge themselves to be unprofitable servants But if they faile in their duety and come short of that which is commanded then can they merit nothing but punishment at the hands of God But no mortall man is able fully to satisfie his duety Our duety is to abstaine from all sinne yea to be 〈◊〉 from all sinne and to doe the things commanded to doe all and to continue in doing all and that in that manner and measure which the Law requireth But those things no mortall man is able to doe as hath beene proved heretofore So farre is every mortall man from meriting any thing but punishment at the hands of God Our seventh reason If good workes doe merit salvation then wee are saved by them but we are not saved by good workes Ephes. 2. 8 9. Tit. 3. 5. therefore they doe not merit salvation Eightly the last reason The heavenly Canaan is a land of promise as the earthly Canaan was which the Lord gave to the Israelites not because of their merits Deut. 9. 5. Nor for the merit of their forefathers Iosh. 24. 2. but because he loved them and that for no other cause but because hee loved them Deut. 7. 7 8. In which love as hee freely promised it so in the same undeâ—…erved love he did freely bestow it And yet hee was just in giving it because hee had promised it Nehem. 9. 8. The same wee are to conceive of the heavenly Canaan whereof the other was a Type that it is a land of promise and noâ—… of merit freely promised and freely bestowed on the heires of promise CAP. IIII. Testimonies of Fathers disproving merits and first those which Bellarmine hath sought to answere and then others § I. TO the former testimonies and proofes I will adjoyne the testimonies of Fathers and other writers And first those which Bellarmine hath endeavoured to answere of which Hilarie is the first Spes in misericordia Dei in sâ—…culum in seculum seculi est Non enim illa ipsa justitiae opera sufficient ad perfectâ—… beatitudinis meritum nisi misericordia Dei etiam in hac justiâ—…ae voluntate hâ—…manarum demutationum motuum vitia non reputet hinc illud Prophetae dictum est melior est misericordia tua super vitam In tantum misericordia Dei muneratur ut miserans justitia voluntatem aeternitatis quoque suae justum quemque tribuat esse participem His intendement is that the hope of salvation is to bee placed in Gods mercy which is better than our righteous life For the workes of righteousnesse without Gods mercy in forgiving of sinnes will not suffice to obtaine the reward of blessednesse which the mercy of God pitying our will of righteousnesse bestoweth on the just But Bellâ—…mine maketh him speake what pleaseth him for to omit that for sufficient hee readeth Sufficerent Hilary saith hee doth teach that with our goodworkes are mingled certaine sinnes which though they make not a man unjust as being light â—…nd veniâ—…ll yet they need pardon and mercy because nothing that is defiled can enter into the kingdome of heaven Bellarâ—…ines meaning is that at the day of judgement the faithfull shall need Gods mercy for the pardoning of veniall sinnes as heretofore â—…ee hath taught But there is no such matter in Hilary neither is it tâ—…ue as I have shewed beforâ—… that at the day of â—…udgement the faithfull shall need remission of veniall or any other sinnes neither doth Hilary say that the sinnes which are forgiven by the mercy of God are light and such as the Papists call veniall Neither is it true that there bee any sinnes which doe not make them sinners in whom they are seeing Bellarmine here confesseth that men are so defiled by them that they being not remitted exclude them from heaven neither doth hee say with good merits are mingled sinâ—…es neither doth
whole Word of God when he commanded us to heare the Church Mat. 18. 17. Luk. 10. 16. and which surpasseth all impudencie that the Fathers sometimes in this sence do say that all the doctrines of faith are contained in the holy Scriptures to wit as in a generall principle quatenus illae monent credendum esse Ecclesiae in that they admonish that the Church is to be bâ—…leeved in all things And further that the implicite faith which is implied in this one article I beleeve the Romane Church and whâ—…tsoever that Church beleeveth or propoundeth to be beleeved is the most entire faith and most safe not onely for the lay people though they know or beleeve no more but also for the learned For whom it is not so safe when Satan contendeth with them to defend their faith by the Scriptures as to professe onely that they beleeve as the Church beleeveth But indeed this implicite faith whereby men doe beleeve or professe themselves to beleeve as the Church of Rome and therein the Pope beleeveth or propoundeth to be beleevâ—…d acknowledging him to be the principle yea the chiefe and last principle into which there is ultima resolutio fidei upon which the authority of the Scriptures dependeth is to take upon them the very marke of the beast and to revolt from Christ to Antichrist which is the miserable condition of all resolute Papists For Antichrist prevaileth in them only that perish whose names are not written in the booke of life See Mat. 24. 24. 2 Thess. 2. 10. Apoc. 14. 9 10 11. and 17. 8. Let not therefore the popish priests and Iesuits the Emissaries of Antichrist like egregious imposters terrifie any longer the people with these bug-beares that there is no salvation but in the communion with the Church of Rome and in subjection under the Pope untill they have proved which they will never be able to doe that their Church is not Apostaticall and that their Pope who is the head of the Catholike Apostasie is not as about twelve yeeres agoâ—… I proved him to be Antichrist To conclude let the popish Rabbins either vindicate their Church from Apostasie and their Pope from Antichristianisme or else for ever hereafter hold their peace A Table of the places of Scriptures alleaged expounded or vindicated in this Treatise Genesis 15. 6. ABRAHAM beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Lib. 7. Cap. 8. § 11. Exodus 28. 36. 38. Lib. 1. Cap. 4. § 22. Lib. 4. Cap. 3. § 11. Of â—…he golden plate which the high priest did weare on his forehead Deutronomie 30. 6. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart c. Lib. 5. Cap. 7. § 7. Ioshuah 11. 14 15. He left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses Lib. 7. Cap. 6. § 13. 1. Chronicles 21. 8. Take away the iniquity of thy servant Lib. 2. Cap. 8. § 2. Iob. 1. 22. In all this Iob sinned not Lib. 4. Cap. 4. § 1. 2. Psalmes 4. 4. Sinne not Lib. 4. Cap. 4. § 7. 7. 4. 9. 16. 1 2 3. 18. 21. 261. 119. 121. in which David pleadetâ—… his owne innocenciâ—… Lib. 4. Cap. 4. § 5. 10. 15. And he shall not be found Lib. 2. Cap. 8. § 5. 32. 1 2. Blessed is hee whose transgression is forgiven and whose sinne is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not 〈◊〉 Lib. 5. Cap. 3. § 2. 3. c. ad 14. 37. 40. Hee shâ—…ll save thâ—…m because they trust in him Lib 6. Cap. 11. § 7. 51. 2. 7. Wash mee throughly from mine iniquity purge me with bysope and I shall be cleane c. L. 2. C. 8. § 4. 62. 12. To thee O Lord mercie Lib. 8. Cap. 2. § 1. for thon rendrest to every man according to his worke Lib. 8. Cap. 5. § 13. 78. 34. When hee slâ—…w them they sought him Lib. 6. Cap. 11. § 4. n. 3. 91. 14. Because hee hath loved me therefore I will deliver him Lib. 6. Cap. 11. § 7. 111. 10. The feare of the Lorâ—… is the beginning of Wisedome Lib. 6. Cap. 11. § 3. Proverbes 1. 7. The feare of the Lord â—… the beginning of Wisedome Lib. 6. â—…ap 11. § 3. 14. 27. The feare of the Lorâ—…â—… a sountaine of Life Lib. 6. Cap. 1. § 4. n. 5. 28. 25. Hee that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made â—…at Vulg. lat qui sperat in Domino salvabitur Lib. 6. Cap. 11. § 7. Ecclesiastes 7. 20. There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and â—…inneth not lib. 4. cap. 3. § 12. Esay 7. 9. If you will not beleeve you shall not be established Lat. cited by Bellarm. non intelligâ—…tis l. 6. â—… 1. § 6. 26. 18. From thy â—…eare as Bellarmine readeth wee have conceived and brought forth the Spirit of salvation lib. 6. c. 11. § 4. n. 4. 53. 11. My righteous servant by his knowledge shall justifie many lib. 2. cap. 5. § 7 8 9 10. 55. 1. Buy without mony and without price lib. 8. c. 2. § 4. 64 6. Our righteousnâ—…sses are like menstruous clouts l. 4. c. 3. § 4 5 c. Ieremie 23. 6. This is his name wherâ—…by hee shall be called Iâ—…HOVAH our righteousnesse lib. 1. cap. 3. § 5. lib. 4. cap. 2. § 2. Ezechiel 18. 21. If the wicked shà ll turne from all his sinnes hee shall live lib. 7. c. 4. § 17. Daniel 9. 18. Wee doe not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses but for thy great mercies lib. 8. cap. 2. § 4. 12. 3. They that justifie mâ—…y lib. 2. cap. 5. § 6. Habakuk 2. 4. The just by faith shall live lib. 1. c. 1. § 1. l. 6 c. 2. § 11. Malachy 3. 4. The offerings shall bee pleasant to the Lord. lib. 4. cap. 4. § 8. Apochrypha Ecclesiasticus 1. 28. Lib. 6. cap. 11. § 2. Lib. 6. cap. 12. § 1. 16. 14. Lib. 8. cap. 1. § 1. 18. 21. Lib. 2. cap. 4. § 2. 3. 47. 8. Lib. 5. cap. 7. § 7. Matthew 5. 16. That they seeing your good workes lib. 4. cap. 4. § 9. 5. 20. Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes c. lib. 7. cap. 4. § 14. 5. 48. Be you therefore perfect c. lib. 5 â—…p 7. § 9. 6. 10. Thy will be done c. lib. 7. cap. 7. § 12. 6. 22 If thine eye be single the whole body shal be full of light lib. 4. 〈◊〉 4. § 4. 9. 2. Bee of good cheere thy sinnâ—…s are fâ—…rgiven thee lib. 6. cap. 11. § 8. 11. 30. My yoke is easie and my burden is light l. 7. c. 6. § 8. 15. 28. O Woman great is thy faith c. l. 6. c. 15 § 12. 16. 27. Hee shall reward every man according to his workes l. 8. c. 5 § 13. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements l. 7.
Greeke Fathers § 2. and eleven of the Latine Fathers § 3. The authority of foure Councils § 4. Bellarmines reasons to prove merits § 5. Other questions concerning merits discussed l. 8. c. 7. whether trust is to bee reposed in merit § 2. De intuitu mercedis § 3 4 whether it bee lawfull to doe a good worke with intent to merit thereby lib. 8. cap. 7. § 5. The seven conditions required in merit l. 8. c. 8. whereof three are not contrâ—…verted § 1. The fourth that it bee liberum § 2. Fifthly that it be the worke of a man in state of grace § 3. Sixthly that it have the promise of God § 4. Seventhly that it proceed from charity § 5. All these conditions concurring doe not make a worke meritorious lib. 8. c. 8. § 6. Bellarmines dispute that good workes are condignely meritorious non solum ratione pacti but also ratione operis examined l. 8. c. 9. His seven arguments to prove condigne merits ratione operis l. 8. c. 9. § 5. c. What things may be merited l. 8. c. 9. § 13. N Necessity of good workes urged by us l. 7. c. 1. By Bellarmine c. 4. O Obiect of Faith Lib. 6. cap. 6. The proper obiect of iustifying faith is CHRIST § 2. The obiect of Abrahams faith § 3 4 5. Christ the proper obiect of faith in two respects § 6. Bellarmines dispute first that the obiect of faith is not speciall § 7. By virtue of the iustifying faith all other articles may become the obiect of speciall faith l. 6. c. 6. § 7. Whether every man is bound to beleeve that he is elected c. § 8. Secondly whether a man may be iustified without speciall faith § 9. Thirdly whether a man is iustified by speciall faith l. 6. c. 6. § 10. Osiander His errour that the righteousnesse of God by which we are iustified is the righteousnesse of the Godhead dwelling in us l. 1. c. 3. § 2. P Papists They take away iustification l. 1. c. 1. § 1. l. 2. c. 6. § 22. From iustification they exclude remission or forgivenesse of sinnes lib. 2. cap. 7. § 2. They confound the Law and the Gospell and make void the covenant of grace l. 4. c. 8. § 5. They deprive Christians of the chiefe part of their christian liberty § 6. They are fallen from grace lib. 7. c. 3. § 9 10 11 12. Their maine errours in the article of iustification l. 2. c. 1. § 1. Paritie Parity of righteousnesse l. 4. c. 13. Parts of iustification Lib. 1. c. 4. § 16 17. c. 6. § 5. Passive righteousnesse of Christ. Whether we be iustified by it onely l. 1. cap. 4. Paul Not iustified by inherent righteousnesse l. 4. c. 8. § 15. Pelagians Their errours concerning grace lib. 3. cap. 6. § 2. Perfect Whether any such lib. 4. c. 10. § 10 11. l. 7. c. 6. § 15. 16. Penitencie Bellarmines fifth disposition to iustification l. 6. c. 12. § 9 10. Purpose to receive the Sacrament Bellarmines sixth disposition to iustification l. 6. c. 12. § 11. Purpose of a new life Bellar. 7th disposition l. 6. c. 12. § 12. R. Remission of sinne is not that onely thing wherein iustification consisteth lib. 1. cap. 4. § 16. 17. 18 21. n. 3. Obiect It is as well of the sinnes of omission as of commission lib. 1. cap. 4. § 19. Obiect 2. By it men are made innocent therefore iust § 20. Three arguments of I. P. § 21. of I. F. § 22. 23. Some make remission the entire forme of iustification lib. 1. cap. 5. § 1. 4. It is not that righteousnesse which is imputed lib. 1. cap. 4. § 1. cap. 5. § 5. 6. Remission of sinne and acceptation as righteous the two parts of iustification lib. 1. cap. 6. § 5. Remission of sinne is by the Papists excluded from iustification lib. 2. cap. 7. § 1. 2. Remission of sinne is not the utter extinction of it lib. 2. cap. 7. § 3. It is as the forgiving of a debt § 4. What it signifieth in the Scriptures ibid. Three questions I. What that is which is remitted § 5. whether the Macula § 6. 7. II. The bookes out of which God doth wipe or blot our sinnes § 8. III. By what act of God are our sins remitted § 9. The utter deletion or extinction not granted in this life § 10. The guilt and punishment not taken away by infusion of righteousnesse § 11. Remission doth not worke a reall change § 12. Absurdities which follow this assertion that remission is the utter extinction of sinne § 13. and are necessary consequents of their doctrine of iustification by inherent righteousnesse § 14. lib. 5. cap. 5. § 6. 7 8. Bellarmines proofes out of the Scripture that remission of sin is the utter abolition of it lib. 2. cap. 8. those places of Scripture mention either the taking away of sinne § 2. or the blotting out of sinne § 3. or the purging of sinne § 4. or the not being of it § 5. or the perfection of righteousnesse § 6. Other arguments from the efficacie of Baptisme § 7. 8. his unanswereable argument out of Rom. 5. 19. answered lib. 2. c. 8. § 10. See more of this question lib. 5. cap. 5. § 6 7 8. Reward Reward merces is either gratuita free or debita due l. 8. c. 5. § 3. 4. 5. The reward of eternall life equall but not of glory l 4. c. 13. § 2. How farre foorth good workes are rewarded l. 8. c. 9. § 12. VVhether good workes may bee done with an eye to the reward l. 8. c. 7. § 3. 4. VVhether they may bee done with intent to merit § 5. Righteousnesse The righteousnesse of God a moving cause of iustification l. 1. c. 2. § 2 3. Righteousnesse of Christians twofold l. 1. c. 1. § 2. Bellarmines distinction of righteousnesse of the Law and in or by it l. 4. c. 8. § 2. 3 4. l 7. c. 2. § 8. The righteousnesse of God is the matter of iustification not the righteousnesse of the Godhead lib. 1. c. 3. § 2. But the righteousnesse of the Mediator the man CHRIST IESVS § 3. His whole righteousnâ—…sse both negative and also possitive § 3 4. Which is truely called the righteousnesse of God § 5. The comfort arising out of this doctrine § 6. Righteousnesse inherent Not perfect l. 4. c. 2. § 8 c. and c. 3. Reasons proving the works of the faithfull not to be purely and perfectly good I. Out of Esai 64. 6. Lib. 4. cap. 3. § 4 c. ad 11. II. Because there is a mixture in them of sinne out of Exod. 28. 36 38. § 11. Eccles. 7. 20. § 12. III. The fruâ—…t is as the tree § 13. IV. Actions purely good may stand in iudgâ—…ment § 14. an instance in prayer § 15. Testimonies of Fathers § 16. Bellarmines proofes I. Allegation of Scriptures And I. Iob 1. 22. l. 4. c. 4. § 1 2. II.
justifie not onely peâ—…petuall in the Scriptures but also ordinary in the speeches and writings of men Wherein God is said to justifie men and man is said to justifie God and one man is said to justifie another and one and the same man to justifie himselfe without any signification of infusing righteousnesse into him but by cleering him and pronouncing him just Secondly that there is no further respect to be had in this controversie to the notation of the Latine or English word than as it is a true translation of the Hebrew word in the old Testament and of the Greek in the new now I shall make it evident that the Hebrew hitsdiq and so the greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Verbum forensâ—… a judiciall word taken from the courts of justice which being attributed to the Iudge is opposed to condemning and signifieth to absolve or to give sentence with the party questioned § III. In the definition we consider justification as an action of God whose alone worke it is and so the Scriptures consider it in many places as Rom. 8. 33. It is God that doth justifie for it is he only that forgiveth sinnes Esa. 43. 25. It is he onely that can by making us righteous in Christ give us right and title to the kingdome of heaven It is no action therefore of our owne or of any creature neither is it wrought by our owne preparations and dispositions For although every man is bound to use all meanes to attaine to justification yet it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy For if God bee the agent in justifying us then are wee the patients And for that cause we are never in the Scriptures exhorted to justification or to the parts thereof which are not our Officia or duties but Gods Beneficia as wee are to the duties of sanctification whereunto we being already justified and regenerated doe cooperate with the Spirâ—…t of grace § IIII. Secondly when we say it is an action of God Imputing the righteousnesse of Christ and absolving the beleeving sinner and accepting him c. wee consider it not as an action of God within us working a positive or reall change as in sanctification but as an action of God without us For it is a judiciall act of God as the Iudge oppoâ—…ed to condemning And therefore as by his sentence hee doth condemne that is make wicked so by his sentence hee doth justifie that is of guilty he maketh not guilty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his sentence God doth justifie as Chrysostome and Oecumenius note upon Rom. 8. 33. where a judiciall proceeding in the businesse of justification is plainely described For there is mention of the accuser of Gods elect there is God that justifieth and none to condemne there is the advocate and intercessor to plead for us And as in condemning though the hebrew word Hirshiah opposed to justifying signifieth to make wicked for as Tsady is to be just and Hitsdiq to make just that is to justifie so Rashah to be wicked and Hirshiah to make wicked that is to condemne yet God by condemning doth not make a reall or positive change by infusion of wickednesse into the party whom by his sentence hee maketh wicked that is condemneth so in justifying though the word doe signifie to make righteous yet the Lord doth not Quatenus justificat as he justifieth worke a reall or positive mutation in the party whom by his sentence he maketh just that is justifieth in respect of any inward dispositions or qualities but onely a relative change or mutation in respect of his estate and condition before God and in respect of some relations to him It is true â—…hat in our justification we are of sinners made righteous but the righteousnesse which we have by justification standeth in remission of sinne and acceptation or constitution of us as righteous not in our selves but in Christ both which are wrought by imputation of his righteousnesse It is true also that whom God doth justifie he doth also sanctifie But in justification he doth not worke a reall change in the party as he doth in sanctification And this 〈◊〉 in the like actions of God viz. adoption redemption and reconciliation which three in substance differ not from justification For all agree in the not imputing of sinne by imputation of Christs righteousnesse but are diversified by certaine relations all which concurre in justification that men having their sinnes forgiven whereby they had beene either the children of the devill by adoption are made the sonnes of God or the vassals and bondslaves of sinne and Satan are by redemption made the servants of God or enemies to God by their reconciliation become his favourites or guilty of sinne and damnation in their justification they are accepted as righteous in Christ and consequently become Gods servants Gods favourites Gods sonnes and if sonnes then also heires of eternall life As therefore in adoption redemption reconciliation there is no reall change made in the party but onely a new relation acquired of being a sonne and hâ—…ire to the adoptour a servant to the redeemer a favourite to the reconciler which before he was not so neither in justification is there a reall or positive change as the Papists would have it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 relative or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in relation in respect of those relations even now mentioned and in respect of his estatâ—… and condition before God being in his justification translated from the estate of damnation unto the state of salvation Even as the councell of Trent it selfe defineth justification to be a translation from that state wherein a man is borne the sonne of the first Adam into a state of grace and adoption of Gods sonnes through the second Adam Iesus Christ our Saviour which is done without any reall change wrought in the party as hee is justified For who before was guilty of sinne and damnation the same man remaining a sinner in himselfe and in himselfe worthy of damnation is in his justification absolved from the guilt of sinne and accepted as râ—…teous in Christ in whom also hee is made a servant a favourite a sonne of God and consequently as I said in the definition an heire of eternall life § V. And yet we deny not but that those whom God reconcileth unto himselfe receiving them into his grace and â—…avour in Christ them also he endueth in some measure with the graces of his Spirit whom he adopteth to be his sonnes in Christ them also he regenerateth by his holy Spirit whom he redeemeth from the guilt of sinne he also freeth from the dominion of sinne and whom he justifieth by faith he also sanctifieth by his Spirit that is whom he maketh just by imputation them also he maketh just by infusion of righteousnesse to whom he imputeth the merit of Christ his death and
bee our righteousnesse Secondly because of his owne free grace he hath given us those meanes whereby the righteousnesse of Christ might bee communicated unto us as namely the Ministery of the Word and of the Sacraments Thirdly because of his grace hee blesseth those meanes unto us working and encreasing in us the grace of faith by which we are justified and lasâ—…ly when we doe by faith which is his gift bâ—…leeve hee freely imputâ—…th unto us the righteousnesse of Christ accepteth of us in him and in him adopteth us to be his sonnes and heires of eternall life § III. But as the Lord is gracious in justifying a beleeving sinner so hee is also righteous Rom. 3. 25 26. For thâ—…refore hath the Lord set forth his sonne and our Saviour to bee a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse through the remission of sinnes that are past by the forbearance of God to declare I say at this time his righteousnesse that he might be just and the Iustifier of him which beleeveth in Iesus For such is the righteousnesse of God that hee forgiveth no mans sinne for which his Iustice is not fully satisfied by Christ neither doth hee accept of any as just but such as by imputation of Christs righteousnesse are made just in him The consideration of this justice of God in forgiving sinnes doth afford singular comfort to the faithfull For seeing the Lord forgiveth no sinne for which his justice is not satisfied and seeing our Saviour hath fully satisfied the justice of his Father for the sinnes of all that beleeve in him from hence we may be assured that as there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus so no punishment properly so called that is such a penalty as is inflicted in ordine justitiae and by way of vengeance because it cannot stand with the justice of God to punish the second time those sinnes in us for which his justice is already fully satisfied in Christ. § IV. But the actions of God the principall efficient of justification are to bee distinguished according to the distinction of the three Persons For God the Father justifieth as the primary Cause and Authour the Sonne as the meritorious cause the holy Ghost as the cause applicatory that is to say God the Father through the Sonne doth justifie us by the holy Ghost The Father I say as primary cause and that in two respects first in that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne for us and set him forth to be a 〈◊〉 through fâ—…ith in his blood that all who beleeve in him should bee iustified Rom. 3. 25. Ioh. 3. 16. Secondly as the Iudge in absolving those that beleeve and pronouncing them just in Christ. The Sonne as the Mediatour and meritorious cause and that also in two respects First as he is our Surety who paid our debt and our Redeemer who laid downe the price of our redemption for us Esay 53. 11. affording unto us the matter and merit of our justification Secondly as hee is our Intercessour and Advocate to plead for us that his merits may be imputed to us Rom. 8. 34. 1 Ioh. 2. 2. Heb. 7. 25. 9. 24. God the Father therefore justifieth as the primary cause per authoritatem as the Schoolemen speake the Sonne as the secondary cause per ministerium For so it is said Esa. 53. 11. My righteous servant shall justifie many The Father as the Iudge the Sonne as the Mediator and Advocate The Father as the Creditour accepting Christs satisfaction for us the Sonne as the Surety paying our debt for us But howsoever God the Father hath given his Soâ—…ne and the Sonne hath given himselfe for us and hath paid that price and performed that obedience which is sufficient for our justification notwithstanding none are actually justified by the merits of Christ but they onely to whom they are applyed For although the sufferings of Christ be a precious salve to cure our soules yet they will not heale us unlesse they bee applyed And although his righteousnesse bee as a wedding garment to cover our nakednesse yet it will not cover us unlesse it bee put on In the third place therefore the holy Ghost may also be said to justifie us because hee doth apply unto us Christs merits unto our justification both as he is the Spirit of regeneration working in us the grace of faith by which we receive Christ unto our justification in foro coelesti and also as hee is the Spirit of adoption confirming our faith and working in us the assurance of our justification by which wee are justified in foro Conscientiae § V. Now the meanes of this application are instrumentall causes of our justification and doe justifie instrumentally And these are of two sorts viz. on Gods part and on ours For to effect this application there must bee manus Dei offerentis the hand of God offering and manus accipientis the hand of the receiver The instruments on Gods part are the ministery of the Word and Sacraments whereby the holy Ghost doth beget and confirme faith in us In respect whereof Ministers are said to justifie men Dan. 12. 3. For as touching the ministery of the Gospell first in it the benefit of the Messias as namely reconciliation adoption and justification c. is revealed and offered to all that shall beleeve and by it wee are stirred up to receive and embrace it In which respect the preaching of the Gospell is called the ministery of reconciliation and the Ministers are Gods Embassadours sent to entreat men in Gods name and in Christs stead that they would be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5. 18 20. Secondly the holy Ghost having thus by the ministery of the Gospell knocked at the doore of mens hearts in his good time maketh it effectuall opening their hearts to give a lively and effectuall assent to the Gospell whereby they receiving Christ and beleeving in him are justified Thus faith commeth by hearing the Word And in this respect Preachers of the Gospell are said to be the Ministers by whom men doe beleeve 1 Cor. 3. 5. Thirdly in the preaching of the Gospell seconded and made powerfull by the operation of the holy Ghost the sentence of justification and remission of finnes and consequently of salvation is pronounced and concluded in the conscience of the faithfull when as out of the generall promise of the Gospell Whosoever truely belâ—…eveth in Christ hath remission of sinnes being by the Minister conditionally applyed to the hearer and absolutely assumed by the beleever after this manner If thou saith the Minister doest truely beleeve in Christ thou hast remission of sinnes and thou shalt be saved Rom. 10. 9. But I saith the faithfull hearer doe truely beleeve in Christ my conscience bearing mee witnesse in the holy Ghost this conclusion is inferred as the verdict of the holy Ghost testifying with the
conscience of the faithfull in the assumption according to Gods Word contained in the proposition therefore I have remission of sinnes therefore I shall be saved And in this sense Ministers are said to remit sinnes Ioh. 20. 23. and consequently to justifie when they doe pronounce remission of sinnes to them that beleeve and repent And whatsoever they doe in this behalfe upon earth according to the Word is ratified in heaven § VI. As touching the Sacraments in them first the benefit of the Messias is represented before our eyes by the outward signes whereupon the Sacrament is called Verbum visibile Secondly such is the Sacramentall union betweene the signe and the thing signified that together with the signe the thing signified that is Christ with all his merits is offered in the lawfull use of the Sacrament Thirdly the benefit of the Messias is not only offered in the lawfull use together with the signe but also conferd and given to every faithfull and worthy receiver And hereof the Sacrament is a pledge given to the beleever to assure him that as the Minister doth give unto him the signe so the Lord doth give unto him the thing signified And in this sense every Sacrament is a seale of that righteousnesse which is by faith Rom. 4. 11. annexed to the promise of the Gospell which by delivery of the Sacrament is particularly applyed to every faithfull receiver to assure him in particular of his justification and salvation by Christ. Thus the ministery of the Gospell is the meanes to beget faith and the Sacraments the instruments to confirme the same But the Papists deny both for that faith is begotten in the ministery of the Word and that so men attaine to remission of sinnes and justification they say it is a fiction of the heretikes of these times Neither doe they grant that Sacraments are seales of righteousnesse or that they were ordained to seale the promises unto us But they hold them to bee such effectuall instruments as doe by vertue inherent in themselves conferre justifying grace which they call gratiam gratum facientem ex opere operatâ—… By which doctrine a they have turned Religion into a meere outward formality according to the prophecy of them 2 Tim. 3. 5. ascribing all the degrees of salvation to be atchieved in this life viz. Vocation Iustification Sanctification to the externall use of the Sacraments so they have made their doctrine of justification to bee an idle speculation whereof in their practice there is little or no use For to what purpose doe they dispute of justification by vertuous preparations and gracious dispositions when they teach that the Sacraments doe ex opere operato that is by the very performance of the outward act justifie the receiver requiring in him neither any vertuous preparation or gracious disposition for without them hee is justified Onely this caution they doe interpose that hee doe not ponere obicem mortalis peccati that hee put not the obstacle of mortall sinne For if those things should necessarily be required then the Sacraments should conferre grace not ex opere operato as they stifly hold but ex opere operantis So much of the hand of the giver § VII The instrument on our part which is as it were manus accipientis the hand of the receiver is the grace of justifying faith which I noted in the definition when I said that the Lord imputeth the righteousnesse of Christ to a beleeving sinner Now as touching saith divers things are to be considered For first it is said to justifie not as it is a qualitie or habite in us as the Papists teach ipsa fides saith g Bellarmine censetur esse justitia faith it selfe is accounted to be justice and it â—…elfe is imputed unto righteousnesse Rom. 4. 5. for so it is a part of sanctification but as it is the instrument and as it were the hand to receive Christ who is our righteousnesse For if we should be justified by faith as it is an habit in us properly then we should be justified by habituall and inherent righteousnesse which hereafter I shall fully disproveAnd if we be not justified by it as it is an habit then much lesse as it is an act as 〈◊〉 and his followers teach as though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ipsum credere did properly justifie Which opinion is worse than the other For faith doth justifie as hereaster shall be proved as the instrument only but it is the instrument not as it is an act but as it is an habit producing that act and therefore it is said that we are justified by faith and that faith is imputed unto righteousnesse But if wee should bee justified by it as it is an act then we should be justified by our owne workes which hereafter is also to be confuted and further if we were justified by it as it is an act then we should be no longer justified actually than we doe actually beleeve 〈◊〉 so there should bee an intercision of justification which I proved before to be a continued act so ost as there is an intermission of the act of faith which is ridiculous Againe if wee should be justified by faith either as it is an habit or an act in sensu proprio as they speake and not relatively or metonymically then should we be justified by one habit alone or by the act of one habit and consequently by a partiall and most unperfect righteousnesse When it is certaine that all the habits and acts of grace which are in the best concurring together are not sufficient to justifie a man before God for the reasons hereafter to be delivered lib. 4. 7. It is true that faith is imputed for righteousnesse and is accepted of God as the perfect performance of the whole law but this is to bee understood relatively in respect of the object received by faith that is Christ who is the end and complement of the Law to all that beleeve insomuch that whosoever truly beleeveth in Christ hath fulfilled the Law § VIII 2. is the consequent of the former For if faith doth justifie onely as it is an hand or instrument to apprehend and receive Christ then justifying faith must be such a faith as doth apprehend receive and embrace Christ which is not done neither by the implicite nor the unformed nor the bare historical and generall faith of the Papists but it is done first by a lively and effectuall assent to the speciall doctrine concerning justification and salvation by Christ which is the condition of the Evangelicall promise and then by a sound application of the promise to our selves as having that condition For by a lively and effectuall beleefe we receive and embrace Christ not only in our judgements by a willing and firme assent being undoubtedly perswaded and assured thathe is the Saviour of all that truly beleeve in him but also in our hearts by an hungring desire
imputed as a full satisfaction for sinne the other by imputation of Christs perfect obedience as a sufficient merit of eternall life by the former we are freed from hell by the latter we are entituled to the kingdome of heaven Of them both the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5. that we are justified that is absolved from our sinne by the bloud of Christ. v. 9. and that wee are justified that is constituted just by his obedience vers 19. To this argument they answere by denying the antecedent saying that there are no parts of justification but that it wholly consisteth in remission of sinnes Indeed if it were the onely matter of justification as some of them teach and the entire formall cause of justification as others avouch of whom we shall speake in the next Chapter I say if both these opinions were true then I would confesse that the whole nature of justification doth consist in forgivenesse of sinne but whiles it is either but the matter as some say or but the forme as others or neither of both as I avouch it is a manifest errour to say that justification consisteth wholly in remission of sinnes Againe in every mutation though it be but relative we must of necessity acknowledge two termes tâ—…rminum à quo terminum ad quem the denomination being taken commonly from the terminus ad quem As in justification there is a motion or mutation from sinne to justice from which terme justification hath its name from a state of death and damnation to a state of life and Salvation But if justification be nothing else but bare remission of sinne then is there in it onely a not imputing of sinne but no acceptation as righteous a freedome from hell but no title to heaven To this they answere that to whom sinne is not imputed righteousnesse is imputed and they who are freed from hell are admitted to heaven I doe grant that these things doe alwayes concurre but yet they are not to bee confounded for they differ in themselves and in their causes and in their effects in themselves for it is one thing to bee acquitted from the guilt of sinne another thing to be made righteous as wee see daily in the pardons of malefactors in their causes for remission of sinne is to be attributed to Christs satisfactory sufferings the acceptation as righteous unto life to Christs meritorious obedience In their effects for by remission of sinne wee are freed from hell and by imputation of Christs obedience we have right unto heaven § XVII If unto justification there be required besides remission of sinne Imputation of righteousnesse then there are two formall causes of justification Answ. It followeth not for although there bee two tâ—…rmini in this mutation yet there is but one action and this one action is the onely forme of justification viz. imputation of Christs righteousnesse of which are two effects which also be the two parts of justification remission of sinne and acceptation as righteous as I said in the definition that justification is an action of God wherein hee imputing the righteousnesse of Christ to a beleeving sinner doth not onely absolve him from his sinnes but also accepteth of him as righteous and as an heire of eternall life § XVIII Notwithstanding this so evident truth some of the Divines of whom we spake when they would prove justification by the passive righteousnesse of Christ onely take this position for granted that justification is nothing but remission of sinne and hereupon inferre that seeing wee have remission of sinne onely by the bloud of Christ we are justified by his bloud onely And to this purpose they alleage many testimonies of Scriptures affirming that by the bloud of Christ and by his death and passion wee have remission of sinne to all which we readily subscribe But if there be any other places that seeme to ascribe unto the sufferings of Christ more than remission of sinnes as entrance into heaven and salvation c. such places are to be understood by a Synecdoche putting the chieâ—…e and most eminent part of his obedience for the whole Others labour to prove this assertion that justification is nothing but remission of sinne by testimonies and by reasons and to this purpose collect a multitude of testimonies of Protestant Divines who against the Papists have maintained that justification confisteth in remission of sinnes onely But this assertion as hereafter I shall shew is to be understood as spoken in opposition to the Papists who unto justification besides remission of sinnes require inward renovation or sanctification and therefore their meaning was to exclude from justification not imputation of righteousnesse which alwayes concurreth in the same act with remission of sinne and without which there can be no remission for by the same act of imputation of Christs whole and entire righteousnesse we have both remission of sinnes and acceptation unto life but to exclude renovation à ratione justificationis from the proper nature of justification as if they had said wee are not justified both by remission and renovation as the Papists teach but by remission without renovation that is in their meaning by remission onely and this is acknowledged by Bellarmine himselfe as hereafter shall bee shewed And forasmuch as by remission of sinne wee have an imputative righteousnesse for to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne to him he imputeth righteousnesse without workes as the Apostle proveth Rom. 4. 6 7. therefore when it is said that we are justified by remission onely and not by renovation it is all one as if wee said that wee are justified by imputation onely and not by infusion of righteousnesse § XIX Their chiefe argument to prove their assertion is this Remission is as well of the sinnes of omission as of commission As therefore he whose sinnes of commission are remitted is reputed as if hee had done nothing forbidden so whose sinnes of omission are remitted is reputed as if hee had left undone nothing that is commanded Now hee that is reputed as if hee had neither done any thing forbidden nor left undone any thing that is commanded hee is reputed as if hee had fulfilled the whole Law I answer by distinction if they consider remission of sinnes barely without imputation of righteousnesse as they must if they will make good their assertion then hee that hath onely remission of the sins both of commission and omission is freed from the guilt of both but not from the fault For notwithstanding such remission of his sinnes he is a sinner as having both committed what is forbidden and also omitted what is commanded Yet by remission or not imputation of sinne hee is freed from the punishment and a râ—…atu poenae from the guilt binding over to punishment as if hee had neither committed any thing forbidden nor omitted any thing commanded Hee therefore that hâ—…th remission is reputed as having neither committed any evill nor omitted any good not simply
or absolutely but in respect of the punishment and the guilt which bindeth over to punishment As for example a maleâ—…actour being convicted of Felony is by the Kings pardon acquitted both from the punishment and the guilt binding him over to punishment but yet notwithstanding his fault remaineth â—…nd for all his pardon hee is a theefe But if they conceive of remission of sinnâ—… as having the imputation of righteousnesse concurring with it as alwaies it happeneth in Gods justification of a sinner then it is true that heâ—… to whom his sinnes are remitted that is to whom sinne is not imputed and righteousnesse is imputed is reputed simply and absolutely as if he had neither committed any thing forbidden nor omitted any thing commanded but as if he had fulfilled the whole Law For it is not in Gods pardon as it is in mens A man by his pardon may remit the punishment and the guilt binding over to punishment but hee cannot take away the fault neither can hee by his pardon make the offendor just But whom God doth justifie hee maketh them righteous by imputation of Christs righteousnesse whereby hee doth not onely free them from the guilt of sinne and damnation but also covering their fault he accepteth yeâ—… constituteth them righteous and heires of eternall life For Gods judgement is according to truth and therefore hee justifieth none but such as are just though not by righteousnesse inherent for so none are or can bee justified yet by righteousnesse imputed Iustification therefore is not onely an acquiâ—…ing of a sinner from punishment by the not imputing of sinne but also an accâ—…pting of him to life by imputation of perfect righteousnesse not onely a freeing of a man from hell but also the entituling of him to 〈◊〉 not onely a forgiving of our debt which Christ our surety hath paid for us but also an enriching of us with the inestimablâ—… 〈◊〉 of Christs most pâ—…fect righteousnesse § XX. To this argument some doe adde a second not unlike whosoever are innocent they are just by remission of sinnes men are innocent therefore by remission of sinnes men are just Answ. The proposition is not generally and necessarily true for wee may conceive a man to bee innocent who is not just for innocency is but an absence of sinne not importing a presence of righteousnesse Infants if they were cleare from originall sinne were innocent but not just To the assumption I answer that by the bare remission of sinnes without imputation of righteousnesse men are not innocent for bare remission is like to a Kings pardon which taketh away the punishment but not the fault But if they speake of remission of sinne accompanied with imputation of Christs righteousnesse then I will confesse that by remission of sinne men are made both innocent and just But that righteousnesse imputed which shall make a man just must not stand in suffering onely but in an universall conformity with the Law of God You have heard our arguments and their answers now let us examine their proofes § XXI The principall authour of this Novelty hath three arguments The first is this Whereby we have entrance into heaven thereby alone we are justified by the blood of Christ wee have entrance into heaven therefore by the blood of Christ alone wee are justified Answ. The proposition if it had beene propounded thus by what wee have entrance into heaven by that wee are justified or thus by what alone we have entrance into heaven by that alone wee are justified had been true but as it is propounded it is false for we have entrance into heaven by his resurrection ascension and intercession not to speake of his obedience by which notwithstanding wee are as the Apostle saith justified and entituled to heaven yet we are not justified by any of these alone If his meaning be that by the blood alone of Christ we have entrance into heaven the assumption also is false unlesse hee either by a Synecdoche doe under one principall include all the merits of Christ or exclude all other meanes out of Christ who is our onely Saviour His second argument Sablata privatione ponitur habitus therefore sinne being remitted and taken away justice followeth of its owne accord To which I answer briefly that neither the punishment nor the guilt which onely as themselves teach are taken away in justification are privations nor the justice which is acquired is an habit in the party justified and therefore that Logicall Axiome doth not serve his turne His third argument If we are justified onely by remission of sinnes then not by that righteousnesse which is in Christ but we are justified onely by remission of sinnes Answ. The consequence of the proposition is unsound for although wee were justified by remission of sinnes alone yet wee were justified by imputation of Christs passive obedience at the least unto remission of sinnes The assumption hee proveth first by this reason because otherwise our sinnes being remitted wee should still remaine accursed Answ. It followeth not for together with remission of sinnes by imputation of Christs sufferings concurreth acceptation unto life by imputation of Christs obedience without which we could not be said to have fulfilled the Law in Christ. Secondly by the authority of Calvin whom in this case these men abuse worse than the Papists For Bellarmine though he object against Calvin as these men doe that he placeth justification onely in remission of sinnes yet he consesseth that his meaning thereby was not to exclude imputation of Christs righteousnesse but renovation or sanctification And he citeth these words out of Calvins institutions that hee placeth justification in peccatorum remissione justitiae Christi imputatione in the remission of sinnes and imputation of Christs righteousnesse And againe that God when he doth justifie us he doth absolve us by imputation of righteousnesse that in Christ wee may be accepted as just who in our selves are not Wherefore saith hee when Calvin in the same Chapter § 21. and 22. and in his Antidote unto the Councell of Trent Sess. 6. doth contend that justification consisteth only in remission of sinnes he doth not exclude the imputation of Christs righteousnesse but inward renovation and sanctification The same Bellarmine confesseth that those whom he calleth Lutherans who indeed are very sound in this point doe all of them place justification in the imputation of Christs righteousnesse which assertion of theirs is most true because by imputation of Christs righteousnesse wee have not onely remission oâ—… sinnes but also acceptation unto life as being righteous in Christ not onely freedome from hell but also right and title to the Kingdome of Heaven § XXII Another treating of this point affirmeth that Christ is the matter of our justification and is made righteousnesse unto us in his passive obedience onely and yet confesseth that both the holinesse of his person and the obedience of his life are
our justification and sanctification to both And therefore as we are first above all things to desire that God may bee glorified so that hee may bee glorified wee are first among those things which wee desire for our owne good to seeke his Kingdome and his righteousnesse that his Kingdome of glory and the Kingdome of Grace which consisteth in the righteousnesse of justification and the two companions thereof peace and joy in the holy Ghost may come upon us and next that his will may be done upon earth as it is in heaven by our new obedience for this is the will of God even our sanctification Salvation I say is the end both of our justification and sanctification for being made free from sinne and become servants to God we have our fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life The end of our faith by which we are justified is the salvation of our soules unto which by justification wee are entituled and saved in hope that being justified by his grace wee should bee made heires according to hope of eternall life for all that be justified shall be glorified And this also I noted in the definition when I said that those whom the Lord doth justifie by imputation of Christs righteousnesse he accepteth as righteous in Christ and as heires of eternall life for by faith we have remission of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified § III. But we are justified by faith not onely that in the end wee may be saved but also that in the meane time our salvation being of Grace might be certaine and sure and that being justified by faith we might have peace and joy in the holy Ghost Whereas if it depended upon our workes or worthinesse it would be uncertaine For the promise of this inheritance was not made to Abraham and his seed through the Law in respect of any righteousnesse therein prescribed but through the righteousnesse of Faith And therefore it is of faith that it might bee by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed Rom. 4. 13. 16. § IV. The other end which is subordinate not onely to Gods glory but also to our Salvation is our sanctification as being the way to eternall life for though we be saved by grace through faith and not of workes yet we are the workmanship of God created in Christ Iesus unto good workes which God hath before ordained that we should walke in them We are therefore justified First that God may be glorified Secondly that wee may bee saved in the life to come Thirdly that in this world we may lead a godly life See Luk. 1. 74 75. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Tit. 2. 11 12 13. So much of the causes § V. There remaine the essentiall parts of justification which I expressed in the definition when I said that God doth justifie a beleeving sinner when imputing unto him the righteousnesse of Christ he doth absolve him from his sinnes and accepteth of him in Christ as righteous and as an Heire of Eternall Life The parts therefore of justification are two absolution from sinne and acceptation as righteous in Christ both which the Lord granteth by imputation of the full and perfect satisfaction of Christ whereby he fully satisfied the Law both in respect of the penalty which he satisfied by his sufferings and also in respect of the precept which he satisfied by his perfect righteousnesse both habituall and actuall As therefore there were two branches of the Law to be satisfied the commination and the Commandement and two parts of Christs satisfaction answerable thereunto so there are two parts of justification absolution from the curse of the Law by imputation of Christs sufferings wherein he became a curse for us and acceptation as righteous in Christ by imputation of Christs most perfect righteousnes both habituall actuall in respect of both which parts of his satisfaction Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnes that is doth justifie all that truly beleeve in him § VI. And hereby it may appeare that those three benefits of Redemption Reconciliation and Adoption are all comprehended under this maine benefit of justification the two former being all one in substance with the former part for as touching the former In Christ wee have Redemption through his bloud even remission of sinnes Eph. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. And as touching the latter God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe not imputing unto them or remitting their sinnes 2 Cor. 5. 19. and therefore all three Remission of sinnes Redemption and Reconciliation are ascribed to the bloud and to the death of Christ. The third is all one in substance with the second part For what is it to be adopted but to be accepted of God in his beloved as righteous and as an Heire of Eternall Life and this is ascribed to the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ both in his life and death For therefore was the Sonne of God made under the Law namely to obey and to fulfill and to satisfie it that hee redeeming us from the yoke of the Law requiring perfect obedience in us to justification we might receive the Adoption of sonnes § VII Now follow the consequents and fruits of justification which are the Grace of Sanctification and the parts therof consisting partly in righteousnesse inherent and partly in outward obedience called good workes which I doe the rather mention in this place because the Papists though they cannot deny that they are the effects and fruits of justification which as they use to alleage out of Augustine Non praecedunt justificandum sed sequuntur justificatum not goe before as causes but follow as effects yet notwithstanding most absurdly contend that they concurre with faith unto justification as the causes thereof wee acknowledge them to be necessary in the subject that is the party that is justified and to bee saved necessitate praesentiae as the necessary fruits and consequents of justification and as necessary antecedents to glorification but we deny their necessity of efficiencie as causes concurring to the act of justification or merit of salvation We acknowledge them as the necessary fruits of Redemption and Iustification as the markes and cognizances of them that shall be saved the necessary forerunners of glorification the onely true way to our heavenly countrey the evidence according to which wee shall be judged at the last day yet we are not justified by them nor saved for them as hereafter I shall plainely and plentifully prove but onely by and for the righteousnesse and merits of Christ apprehended by Faith A TREATISE OF IVSTIFICATION THE SECOND BOOKE That Justification and Sanctification are not to bee confounded CAP. I. Setting downe the heads of the Controversies the first whereof is that Iustification and Sanctification are not to be confounded The first proofe
〈◊〉 of one whereby hee fulfilled the Law viz. the second Adam the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or free gift opposite to the guilt of damnation which is our title and right to the kingdome of heaven commeth to all men that belong to the second Adam unto justification of life § V. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is diversâ—…y used both in the plurall number and in the singular In the plurall it hath three significations for first it signifieth Iura the Lawes or Commandements of God either in generall and indefinitely as namely where no other word of the like signiâ—…cation is joyned with it as Psalm 119. 8 12. Rom. 2. 26. Or more particularly the precepts of the ceremoniall Law And this sense is most usuall when it is joyned with words signifying other lawes or precepts For the whole Law which is called mishmereth Iehovah the observation of the Lord that is all that the Lord requireth to bee observed is often distinguished into three parts Mitsvoth whiâ—…h the Septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Commandements of the morall Law Mishpatim which they translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the precepts of the judiciall Law Chuqqim which they translate sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the statutes and ordinances of the Ceremoniall Law Insomuch that the vulgar Latine for Chuqqim rendreth many times even where the 72. have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ceremonias as Gen. 26. 5. Deut. 4. 8 14 45. 5. 1 31. 6. 1. 17. 8. 11. 10. 13. 11. 1. c. The Apostle Rom. 9. 4. calleth the Morall Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Iudiciall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ceremoniall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and accordingly the precepts of the Ceremoniall Law are called Heb. 9. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The ordinances of divine service and because they were but externall observations vers 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carnall ordinances Secondly it signifieth the judgements of God Apoc. 15. 4. which by the vulgar Latine and others is translated Iudicia And as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifieth the just workes of God which are the acts of his justice so in the last place some expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 19. 8. to bee the just workes of the Saints and as the author of the Homilies in Saint Augustine justa facta or justè facta as the Greeke writers sometimes use the word which the Papists will needs translate justifications meaning thereby just workes and hoping thereby to prove that men are justified by them which we deny not in that sense wherein Saint Iames saith we are justified that is declared and knowne to bee just by them But if justifications bee the true translation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place then we are thereby to understand the merits of Christ by which the Saints are justified which are more fitly resembled by a garment than either inherent righteousnesse or righteous workes And is indeed called Matth. 22. 11 12. the wedding garment which garment is put on by a true faith by which the faithfull as they are exhorted Rom. 13. 14. put on Christ. Whereof Baptisme is a seale Gal. 5. 27. And this is that white garment which is to bee had from Christ to cover our nakednesse Apoc. 3. 18. Sometimes indeed the white robes doe signifie the glorious and happy estate promised to the faithfull as Apoc. 3. 4. 6. 11. 7. 9. which is purchased by the merits of Christ for which cause their robes are said to bee made white in the blood of the Lambe But here the holy Ghost expoundeth the fine linnen wherewith the Saints are arrayed to bee the justifications of the Saints which as I said are the merits and obedience of Christ put on by a true faith which being without us as garments use to be and yet being applyed unto us and put on by faith doe cover our nakednesse and therefore are more fitly resembled by fine linnen pure and shining than our owne righteousnesse which neither is without us as a garment nor yet pure but Christs righteousnesse imputed is both as a garment pure and perfect in it selfe and shineth forth by the light of good works Mat. 5. 16. § VI. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a verball derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to be just in which sense the precepts of God are said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm 19. 10. or as it signifieth to be justified In the former sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth that which is just either as the Law of God prescribing righteousnesse so the Law of nature written in the hearts of men is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 32. or as the whole righteousnesse which in the Law is prescribed and so it is used Rom. 5. 18. For as by the transgression of one viz. the first Adam whereby the whole Law was violated guilt came upon all men that were in him unto condemnation so by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one the second Adam whereby he fulfilled the whole Law the free gift which is our right and title to heaven came upon all men who are in him unto justification of life and Rom. 8. 4. God sent his Sonne the Law being impossible to be fulfilled by us in the likenesse of sinfull flesh that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that the Law requireth to justification might in our nature bee performed and fulfilled In the latter sense it is once onely used viz. Rom. 5. 16. in the same signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is justification vers 18. both of them being opposed to condemnation If therefore the words which the holy Ghost doth use to expresse the benefit of justification doe never signifie justification by inherent righteousnesse but the contrary as hath beene â—…hewed then that justification which the Papists teach is not that which is taught in the holy Scriptures but contrary to it § VII And the same is proved by these two reasons first because the Apostles when they expresse the benefit of justification in other termes they doe signifie the same not by such words as import infusion of righteousnesse but by such as plainely signifie either absolution from sinne which is the not imputing of sinne or imputation of righteousnesse Rom. 4. these phrases are used to signifie one and the same thing to justifie to impute righteousnesse without works vers 6. to remit sin to cover sins vers 7. not â—…o impute sin vers 8. to be justified and to be blessed and to be blessed is to have their sins remitted or covered vers 6. Rom. 5. 9 10. to bee justified by the blood of Christ and to be reconciled unto God by his death all one 2 Cor. 5. 19. to reconcile us unto himselfe not imputing our offences unto
according to charity sanctified from the corruption of sinne and justified from the guilt of the same therefore they should take heed lest they should againe bee polluted with those sinnes from which they were sanctified or made guilty of those crimes from which they were justified § V. His second testimony is Rom. 8. 30. Whom he hath called them hee hath justified Answ. The Context doth shew that the word in the 30. verse is used in the same sense as verse 33. For having shewed that whom the Lord calleth hee doth justifie and whom he doth justifie them also hee doth glorifie from thence hee inferreth this consolation who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth as was said verse 30. who shall condemne c. Where justifying most plainely is used as a judiciall word signifying by sentence to justifie as Chrysostome and Oâ—…cumenius on this place doe note as opposed to accusing and condemning and cannot with any shew of reason be drawne to signifie contrary to the perpetuall use of the word infusion of righteousnesse But heere it may bee objected that in this place where the Apostle setteth downe the degrees of salvation sanctification is either included in justification or left our Answ. It is left out for the Apostle setting downe the chaine of the causes of salvation in the degrees whereof every former being the cause of the latter left out sanctification as being no cause of salvation but the way unto it and the cognizance of them that are saved And these degrees are so set downe Act. 26. 18. where the end of the ministery is expressed first Vocation that men should bee called and thereby brought to beleeve secondly Iustification that by faith they may receive remission of sinnes thirdly Glorification that by faith they may receive the inheritance among them that are sanctified where sanctification is mentioned onely as the cognizance of them that are saved Againe sanctification is left out because it is included in respect of the beginning thereof which is our conversion or regeneration in vocation and in respect of the consummation in glorification for as sanctification is gloria inchoata so glorification is gratia consummata § VI. His third testimony is Rom. 4. 5. to him that beleeveth in him who justifieth the ungodly Ans. he should have done well to have made up the sentence his faith is imputed for righteousnesse which place is so farre srom favouring the Popish conceit that it plainely confutes it first it is called the justification of the ungodly that is of one who is a sinner in himselfe for he that is a sinner in himselfe by inherent sinne and so remaineth cannot be justified by righteousnesse inherent secondly because to him that beleeveth in Christ faith relatively understood that is the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith is imputed for righteousnesse thirdly because in this place justification is expressed by these termes not imputing sinne remitting or covering of sinne imputing righteousnesse without workes imputing faith for righteousnesse to him that worketh not that is that seeketh not to bee justified by his owne righteousnesse but beleeveth in him that justifieth a sinner CAP. IIII. The third and fourth signification of the word justification assigned by Bellarmine § I. THirdly saith Bellarmine justification is taken for increase of justice for even as he is said to be heated not only who of cold is mà de hot but also who of hot is made hotter even so he is said to be justified who not onely of a sinner is made just but also of just is made more just Ans. In this comparison of like there is a great unlikenesse for calefaction implyeth a reall mutation and a positive change in the subject from cold to hot but in justification the change is not reall but relative as before hath beene shewed Bellarmine therefore must prove that to justifie doth signifie to make righteous formally by righteousnesse inherent before he can prove that it signifieth the increase of inherent justice But if the former cannot be proved much lesse the latter But yet he bringeth three proofes such as they be § II. The first Ecclus. 18. 21. Ne verearis usque ad mortem justificari quâ—…niam merces Domini manet in aeternum feare not to be justified untill death for the reward of the Lord adideth for ever Answ. To omit that the booke is Apocryphall which ought not to bee alleaged in controversies of faith the testimonie it selfe is vilely depraved The words in the Originall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is stay not untill death to be justified or as their own interlinear translation readeth it ne expectes usque ad mortem justificari wait not untill death to be justified where it is evident that he speaketh of justification in our first conversion which he would not have differred untill the time of death and not of the continuance or increase of it for then the sentence would beare a contrary and indeed an ungodly sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abide not or continue not to be justified or to be just untill thy death And the words untill death are not to be joyned with the last word justified but with the first stay not untill death And their translation of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether as Bellarmine here readeth ne verearis or as some editions have ne vetéris hath no affinity with the Originall But our interpretation as it agreeth with the words of the Text so it is confirmed by the context Vse Physike before thou bee sicke before judgement prepare thy selfe humble thy selfe before thou bee sicke and in the time of sinnes that is whiles thou mai'st yet sinne shew thy conversion let nothing hinder thee to pay thy vowes in due season and deferre not untill death to be justified or to become just § III. But this testimony Bellarmine urgeth againe in another place shewing that the place is to bee understood of continuing and proceeding in justice and the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are as much as cease not And this he would prove by that which goeth before be not hindred to pray alwayes where the wise man admonisheth us to increase our justice by continuall prayer and also by that which immediately followeth because the reward of the Lord endureth for ever for reward agreeth not to the first justification of the wicked but indulgence Answ. This interpretation of Bellarmine may then be admitted when it shal be proved first that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to cease secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pray thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwaies fourthly that those words but the reward of the Lord endureth for ever are found in the Originall Text. But if Bellarmine knew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth stay not or waite not and not cease not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to render the vow and not to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
have said before Christ justifieth not onely as hee is our Iudge but also as our Surety paying our debt and as our Advocate pleading for us The holy Ghost justifieth both as he is the Spirit of regeneration working in us the grace of faith and as the Spirit of adoption by applying unto us the merits of Christ assuring us of our justification and adoption The Ministers of the Gospell justifie as they are also said to forgive sinnes to beget men unto God and to save them ministerially as the Embassadours of Christ whose office it is to reconcile men unto God to preach and to pronounce remission of sinnes to them that beleeve and also instrumentally as the instruments of the holy Ghost to worke in them the grace of faith by which they are justified for faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10. 14 17. and Preachers are said to bee Ministers by whom you beleeve 1 Cor. 3. 5. Sacraments doe justifie as seales of that righteousnesse which is by faith Rom. 4. 11. And as the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments doe justifie ut manus dantis as the hand of God giving and applying Christ and his righteousnesse to the faithfull receiver so faith is manus accipieâ—…tis the hand of the beleever receiving Christ and his righteousnesse unto justification § VII But the second place is in his conceit more cleare viz. Esai 53. 11. where the Lord speaking by his Prophet concerning Christ saith My righteous servant shall by his knowledge justifie many and he shâ—…ll beare their sinnes where the verbe is in Hiphil Iatsdiq which signifieth shall make just Chemnitius indeed saith he goeth about to wrest this place also to the judiciall signification But in vaine for there are foure words which are manifestly repugnant to his interpretation But before wee speake of those foure words let us heare what Chemnitius saith Whereas Andradius saith he wresteth that sentence of Esay to prove that to justifie is to endue the minde with the quality of inherent justice it is great impudencie for there is presently added an exposition how that justification is to be understood because he shall saith Esay beare their iniquities where Chemnitius doth not so much as mention the judiciall signification of the word justifying after the manner of a Iudge but rather signifieth that Christ at his first comming did not justifie the Elect after the manner of a Iudge but as a surety in taking upon himselfe our debt and bearing our iniquities and as a Redeemer paying our ransome and so di charging us from our debt and from our bondage Neither doth it follow that it is not a judiciall word because in that place it signifieth not to justifie as a Iudge for besides the Iudge there are other parties also who doe justifie in a judiciall sense as namely sureties and advocates § VIII Now let us examine those foure words all which serve to prove that Christ in that place is not said to justifie after the manner of a Iudge which no man affirmeth and therefore Bellarmine fighteth with his owne shadow For we doubt not but that Christ may be said to justifie divers wayes first by his doctrine as our Prophet and Teacher in which sense Teachers are said to justifie Dan. 12. 3. secondly as our Priest both by his satisfaction and sacrifice propitiatory as Esai 53. 11. for so he saith and he shall beare their iniquities so Heb. 9. 26 28. and also by his intercession as our Advocate 1 Ioh. 2. 2. Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 9. 24. thirdly by his sentence as our king and judge at the last day Matth. 25. 34. The first word is by his knowledge that is as he expoundeth it out of Hierome by his doctrine Answ. Wee deny not but that Christ by his doctrine did justifie many working in them the grace of faith for even other Teachers who are but his Ministers doe also justifie others as Daniel speaketh not by infusion of righteousnesse but as the instruments of the holy Ghost to beget faith in the hearers or being as Saint Paul speaketh Ministers by whom they doe beleeve and beleeving are justified in the judiciall sense But Esay speaketh not of his doctrine but of his knowledge and that passively understood not for that knowledge whereby he knoweth all things but whereby hee is acknowledged to bee the Messias that is to say faith and so Pagnine Vatablus and Tremellius read scientia sui or agnitione sui that is by faith in him for so is faith often termed as 2 Pet. 1. 2 3. and 1 Tim. 2. 4. c. by which as it is said in this place of Esay hee doth justifie La rabbim that is as Paul speaketh Rom. 5. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the multitude of the Elect who beleeve in him how by bearing their iniquitiâ—…s that is the punishment due for their sinnes his sufferings being imputed to them if therefore justifying by faith doe prove justification by works or by inherent righteousnesse then this word proveth it § IX The second word is ipse justus by which word saith he is signified that Christ doth justifie not onely by teaching but also by just working and by imparting his righteousnesse unto us Answ. Christ his obedience or just working is proper to his person and inherent in him and therefore that righteousnesse which he performed in his owne person being both active and therefore transient and proper to his person and therefore without us cannot be imparted to us otherwise than by imputation To what purpose then doth he urge this word seeing Christ is just in justifying us as well by imputation as by infusion Forsooth to shew that Christ by his obedience and sufferings doth not justifie after the manner of a Iudge which no man affirmeth But what is his reason because it is not required to justifying after a judiciall manner that he who justifieth others should himselfe be just as if he should say it is not required that a Iudge should bee just contrary to that Gen. 18. 25. But God doth justifie us after the judiciall manner as a Iudge through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus and by forgivenesse of sinnes and that to this end to shew forth his justice that hee might bee just and the justifier of him who beleeveth in Iesus Rom. 3. 25 26. But this might better have beene objected against his owne exposition of the former word seeing he who is not just himselfe may by his doctrine justifie others Notwithstanding that which Bellarmine here áffirmeth concerning Christ is most true that it was necessary that he who should justifie others by his obedience should bee just himselfe howbeit he impertinently alleageth Rom. 3. 26. which speaketh of God justifying us not as a Mediator by his obedience but as a Iudge by his sentence But the true reason why the Prophet useth this word is in respect of the words following to signifie that Iesus Christ the righteous was made
were an utter deletion or abolition of sinne then in those that are justified there is no sinne But there is no mortall man though justified in whom there is no sinne Therefore in justification there is not a Totall deletion of sinne § XI Sixthly if remission of sin be an utter deletion of the corruption by infusion of righteousnesse and nothing else concurre to justification but infusion of righteousnesse expelling sin what then becommeth of the guilt of sinne and the punishment how is our debt satisfied The justice infused though it should utterly expell the corruption yet it neither doth nor can satisfie for the punishment as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth Neither is there any other satisfaction or propitiation for our sinnes whereby Gods justice may be satisfied our debt discharged our selves freed from hell and damnation but onely the satisfaction of Christ without imputation whereof there is no justification nor salvation but none of this is done by righteousnesse infused expelling sinne Wherefore the Papists if they will bee saved must acknowledge besides the benefit of the infusion of righteousnesse expelling the corruption of sinne which they call justification but is indeed sanctification another greater benefit whereby we are both freed from hell and entituled to heaven by imputation of Christs satisfaction called in the Scriptures justification which they by their Antichristian doctrine have utterly abolished § XII Seventhly that which worketh no reall change in the party doth not really take away and expell all sin from him by infusion of righteousnesse for that cannot bee done without a reall yea and a great change in the party True remission of sinne doth not worke a reall change in the party Therefore the true remission of sinne doth not really take away and expell all sinne by infusion of righteousnesse The assumption is thus proved first the forgiving of a debt worketh no reall change in the debtor but relative The true remission of sinne is the forgiving of our debt therefore the true remission doth not worke a reall change in the party Secondly that which is imputative doth not worke a reall change in the party but is an act wrought without the party True remission of sinne is imputative as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 4. 6 7 8. consisting in the not imputing of sinne presupposing the imputing of righteousnesse without workes therefore it worketh not a reall change § XIII My eighth argument is from theabsurdities which follow upon this Popish Doctrine First Necessity of despairing not onely to the tender conscience labouring under the burden of sinne but also to all not cauterized consciences which have any sense of their owne estate For if remission of sinne bee the utter deletion of sinne then have not they neither can they have remission of sinne in whom any sinne remaineth and those that neither have nor can have remission of sinne in this life because sinne doth ever remaine in them what remaineth to them but despaire Secondly that there is no necessity of the imputation of Christs righteousnesse for justification because there is in them both a totall deletion of sinne and an infusion of perfect righteousnesse whereby sinne is wholly expelled And these as you shall heare hereafter are two of Bellarmines principall Arguments to prove the imputation of Christs righteousnesse to bee needlesse both because when our sinnes are remitted they are utterly abolished so that whosoever is justified is no longer a sinner in himselfe nor hath any sinne remaining in him and also because in justification there is an infusion of perfect righteousnesse The third that to remission of sinne there needeth no favour or indulgence for pardon or forgivenesse for if remission of sinne be a totall deletion of sinne by infusion of perfect righteousnesse then without any accession of favour the one contrary is necessarily expelled by the other And this doth Vasques professe in expresse termes Mihi semper necessarium visum fuit asserere maculam peccati ipsa justitia inherente tanquam forma contraria nullo accedente favore condo natione deleri § XIV These absurdities doe necessarily follow upon their Antichristian doctrine of justification by inherent righteousnesse For if a man be justified before God by inherent righteousnesse then is he not a sinner in himselfe and consequently hath no sinne in him And if by infusion of righteousnesse there be a totall deletion of sinne then must that righteousnesse which is infused be perfect For that which is unperfect cannot wholly expell sinne the imperfection being of it selfe a sinne and if upon infusion of perfect righteousnesse there doth necessarily and of its owne accord follow a totall deletion of sinne then to remission of sinne favour and condonation is needlesse And yet we have not done with their absurdities For to dreame that men who are but infants in Christianity yea infants in age before they have the use of reason or are capable of habits are endued and that ordinarily with perfect righteousnesse in their first imaginary justification which is inciptentium of such as be but incipients whereunto the best proficients doe not in this life attaine is a monstrous absurdity CAP. VIII Bellarmines dispute that remission of sinne is the utter deletion of it confuted § I. BVT how absurd soever their assertion is Bellarmine will maintaine it and set a good face upon it telling us first that wee may not deny it unlesse wee will deny the Scriptures For the Scripture saith he useth all manner of words to expresse the true remission of sinne so that if a man would of purpose seeke words to signifie the utter abolition of sinne hee could not devise any which the Scripture hath not already used And to this purpose citeth eighteene Testimonies nine out of the Old Testament viz. 1 Chron. 21. 8. Esai 44. 22. Ezek. 36. 25. Psalm 51. 7. Prov. 15. 27. alias 16. 6. Psalm 103. 12. Mic. 7. 19. Psalm 10. 15. Cant. 4. 7. And nine out of the New Ioh. 1. 29. Act. 3. 19. 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Act. 22. 16. Heb. 1. 3. 9. 28. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Ephes. 5. 8. and 27. § II. Answ. These places are to be distinguished for either they are alleaged to prove the abolition of sinne or perfection of righteousnesse the former mention either the taking away of sinne or the wiping or blotting of it out or the purging of it or the not being of it For the taking away of sinne these are brought 1 Chron. 21. 8. Psalm 103. 12. Mic. 7. 19 Ioh. 1. 29. Heb. 9. 28. In 1 Chron. 21. 8. the word is Hahaber transire fac cause it to passe that is remove it out of thy sight not that it bee not at all but that it bee not punished or which is all one take away the guilt and so the word seemeth to be expounded 2 Sam. 12. 13. where Nathan saith to David the Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not
dye Psalm 103. 12. how farre the East is distant from the West so farre hath hee made our sinnes to be distant from us which is not understood of the corruption extinguished but of the guilt removed or taken away Mic. 7. 19. thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depth of the Sea that is hee will cast them out of his sight or remembrance hee will cast them behinde his backe he will bury them in oblivion that they should not be seene or remembred Ioh. 1. 29. The Lambe of God which taketh away or taketh upon him the sinne of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the translation of Nose and the Verbe Nasa having reference to finnâ—… when it is attributed to God it signifieth to forgive as hath before beene shewed and likewise when it is attributed to men who have been offended Gen. 50. 17. 1 Sam. 15. 25. 25. 28. when it is attributed to Christ our redeemer as in the place alleaged it signifieth that he taketh away our sinnes by taking them upon him or bearing them as it is said of the scape Goat the figure of Christ Levit. 16. 22. and so that place Ioh. 1. 29. is to bee understood Nasa saith one sometimes doth signifie tollere that is to take up and to beare as when we are commanded tollere crucem to take up our crosse or to take upon him which Saint Iohn the Evangelist rendreth by the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this is fully expressed by the Prophet Esay 53. 12. that Christ Nasa did beare the sinne of many as before verse 4. that hee hath borne the Verbe is Nasa our griefes and carried our forrowes and vers 11. hee shall beare their iniquities Heb. 9. 28. Christ was once offered ad multorum exhaurienda peccata that is as our Rhemists translate to exhaust the sinne of many The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take up and to beare the meaning is that Christ was offered upon the crosse that he might takâ—… up and beare our sins even as S. Peter speaketh to the like effect 1 Epist. 2. 24. who himselfe did beare our sinnes in his owne body upon the tree that is the Crosse where the same Verbe is used and is by the Latine interpreted pertulit and by the Rhemists beare our sinnes § III. Other places are alleaged which mention the deletion that is the wiping or blotting out of sinne Psal. 51. 1. 9. Act. 3. 19. Esa. 44. 22. But I aske from whence Delere saith Vatablus est metaphora ab iis qui delent qui prius in rationes scripserant to wipe out is a metaphore from those who wipe out such things as before they had written upon their account or in their debt-bookes The booke is Gods remembrance out of which those things are wiped which are forgotten and thus deletion is often ascribed to oblivion For Gods wiping out of sins is his blotting them out of his remembrance and so it is expounded Es. 43. 25. his not remembring them Psal. 25. 7. 79. 8. Ier. 31. 34. as contrariwise his not blotting them out is his remembring of them his not forgiving them Ier. 18. 23. forgive not their iniquity neither blot out their sinne from thy sight Psal. 109. 14. Let the iniquity of his father be remembred with the Lord and let not the sinne of his mother be blotted out ne deleatur id est non tradatur oblivioni but let them be before the Lord continually verse 15. And thus David prayeth Psal. 51. 9. hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquities namely out of thy remembrance and no more can bee gathered out of Act. 3. 19. that your sinnes may be blotted out of Gods booke where Tremellius noteth it to bee a metaphore taken from those who keepe bookes of account c. Howsoever it is not to be doubted but that before the day of judgement whereof Saint Peter there speaketh there shall be a totall deletion of the sinnes of the faithfuâ—…l both in respect of the guilt and also of the pollution As for Es. 44. 22. the Lord professeth his reconciliation with Israel in taking away their sinnes which as a cloud yea as a thicke cloud had hid his face from them the guilt whereof being taken away the light of his countenance did shine upon them Howbeit Tremellius and Innius read Deleo ut densa nubes defectiones tuas according to which reading that place hath affinity with those which mention washing cleansing purging of which â—… am now to speake § IV. Of these some are to be understood of justification and taking away the guilt of sinne as all the first part of the 51. Psalme which is a prayer for the pardon of sinne out of which are cited verse 2. and 7. where David prayeth that God would wash him and cleanse him from his sinne namely by the bloud of Christ for that is it which cleanseth us from all our sinnes Purge me with hyssope which was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherewith they used to sprinkle the bloud upon those which were cleansed that is sprinkle me with the blood of that eternall sacrifice of Christ prefigured in the Law without which bloud being shed there was no remission And there is no doubt but the blood of Christ was shod for the remission of sinnes Mat. 26. 29. and that our consciencâ—…s the seat of guiltinesse might bee purged from dead workes The words following and I shall bee whiter than snow doe plainely argue the purity not of sanctification for to such a degree thereof we never attaine in this life but of justification in respect whereof our soules being perfectly just are whiter than snow Some are to be understood of sanctification as Ezek. 36. 25. Some of both as 1 Cor. 6. 11. Act. 22. 16. 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Heb. 1. 3. but with this difference that we are cleansed and purged from the guilt of sin past wholly and at once but from the corruption in part and by degrees in this life wherin we are to be renewed in the inner man from day to day The Corinthians to whom the Apostle giveth this testimony that they were washed c. were farre from perfection of inherent righteousnesse as appeareth by that Epistle wherein he calleth them carnall and reproveth them both for their errours in judgement and for their misdemeanours in their conversation That which he citeth out of Pro. 15. per mifericordiam fidem purgantur peccata is found in the Latine v. 27. but not in the originall the like sentence is found Pro. 16. 6. but there the Verbe purgatur for which the Text is alleaged is not used in the Latine § V. For the not being of sinne he alleageth Psalm 10. 15. alià s 9. 35. quaeretur peccatum illius non inveniatur against the true meaning of the place it being not
law of God Therefore all evill concupiscence whatsoever in whomsoever remaining is a sinne § IX Yea but concupiscence is no sinne unlesse the Will consent unto it Then say I not a sinne in infants not baptized But the Law doth not say non consenties concupiscentiis sed omninò non concupisces thou shalt not consent to concupiscences but thou shalt not have any evill concupiscence at all And it is most evident that the concupiscence forbidden in the tenth Commandement is such as goeth before the consent of will For it is such as Saint Paul himselfe had not knowne to be sinne if the Law had not said Non concupisces thou shalt not covet But such concupiscences as have the consent of the will the very Heathen knew to bee sinnes And the Papists themselves must acknowledge them to be forbidden in the former Commandements unlesse they will deny the Law of God to be spirituall and preferre the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corrupt interpretations of the Elders of the Iewes before the exposition of the Lawgiver himselfe Matth. 5. True therefore is that which some Writers cite out of Augustine that Originall sinne is remitted in Baptisme not that it be not but that it be not imputed unto sin Here Bellarmine takes on and saith that Luther first falsified this testimony of Augustine and that all who have followed him have continued the same fault though they have beene told of it A great accusation if true Augustines words in answere to an objection which the Papists cannot answer how can originall sinne bee transmitted from regenerate parents if in Baptisme it be wholly taken from them are these I answer saith he dimitti concupiscentiam in baptismo non ut non sit sed ut in peccatum non imputetur Where Augustine speaking of the traduction of originall sinne calleth it as his manner is Concupiscence in stead whereof some of our Writers have said sinne both Augustine and they meaning nothing else but originall Now that Augustine by that which he calleth Concupiscence meant sinne hereby appeareth first he saith it is remitted in Baptisme and remission is of debts onely and of sinnes as debts secondly because he saith it is remitted not that it should not bee any longer but that though it be a sinne yet it should not be imputed unto sinne for nothing is wont to be imputed unto sin by God but that which is sinne Where by the way wee may observe that in Augustines judgement remission of sinne is not the utter deletion of it that it bee no more but the not imputing of it For whereas the Papists for a poore shift and evasion say that Concupiscence is called sinne not because it is a sinne sed quia expeccato est ad peccatum inclinat this hindereth not its being a sinne but rather setteth forth the greatnesse of this evill as having all the respects of evill in it being both a sinne and a punishment of sinne and the cause of all other sinnes aâ—… Augustine saith Concupiscentia carnis adversus quam bonus concupiscit Spiritus sc. in renatis peccatum est poena peccati causa peccaâ—…i § X. But howsoever Bellarmine letteth passe as well he might his other arguments alleaged in his Booke of Baptisme as impertinent to this present question yet one of them hee hath thought good not to omit as being in his conceit unanswerable which notwithstanding I have not onely answered elsewhere but also have used it as an invincible argument to prove justification by imputation of Christs righteousnesse viz. the argument taken from the antithesis of Adam to Christ Rom. 5. 19. which Bellarmine here straineth beyond the extent of the antithesis made by the Apostle In other places Bellarmine hath thus argued As through Adams disobedience we were made sinners so through Christs obedience wee are made righteous but through Adams disobedience we were made truely sinners namely by unrighteousnesse inherent and not onely by imputation Therefore through the obedience of Christ we are made truly righteous namely by righteousnesse inherent But here to serve his present turne he altereth both the assumption and the conclusion The assumption for where before he said not onely by imputation here he saith not by imputation The conclusion for first in stead of concluding that wee are by the obedience of Christ made inherently just which we confesse though not intended by the Apostle in that place he concludeth that the obedience of Christ hath truly taken away and wiped out or abolished all our sinnes And secondly that he hath taken away our sinnes non imputaâ—…ivè sed verè not by imputation but truly His former argument I retorted after this manner As through Adams disobedience wee were made sinners that is guilty of death and damnation so by Christs obedience wee are made just that is absolved from that guilt and accepted as righteous unto eternall life But by imputation of Adams disobedience we were made sinners Therefore by imputation of Christs obedience wee are made righteous The assumption that we were made sinners by imputation of Adams disobedience I proved as by other arguments so by Bellarmines owne confession in other places Secondly I have acknowledged it to bee true that as we are made truely sinners through Adams disobedience not onely by imputation of Adams sinne but also by transfusion of both that privative and positive corruption which by that disobedi ence he contracted so we are made truly just through the obedience of Christ not onely by imputation of his obedience but also by infusion of righteousnesse from him But though we be truly made just by righteousnesse inherent yet it followeth not that we are in this life made perfectly just Neither doth it follow that because Christ doth free us from the dominion of sin we are therfore freed wholly from the being of sinne in us neither that if we be freed from sinne by imputation we are not freed truly For the Apostle useth these termes promiscuously remitting of sinne and not imputing of sinne justifying and imputing righteousnesse And as Christ was truly and really made a sacrifice for sinne in our behalfe so wee are truly and indeed made the righteousnesse of God in him Thus have I proved that neither remission of sinne is the abolishing of sinne nor justification all one with sanctification and that the Papists by confounding justification and sanctification and of these two making but one have utterly taken away and abolished out of their Divinity that great benefit of our justification A TREATISE OF IVSTIFICATION THE THIRD BOOKE Concerning Justification or saving Grace CAP. I. What is meant by the word Grace in the Question of Iustification § I. THE second Capitall errour of the Papists in the Article of justification is concerning justifying and saving grace For when as the holy Ghost would note unto us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first moving cause or
which without the Law is revealed in the Gospell even the righteousnesse of God that is of Christ who is God apprehended by faith But all men without exception both Iewes and Gentiles are in themselves sinners and by their sinne obnoxious to the judgement of God Therefore seeing all have sinned and are fallen short of the glory of God that is excluded from eternall glory they are not justified by righteousnesse inherent which is prescribed in the Law but they are justified by a righteousnesse which without the Law is revealed in the Gospel to wit the righteousnesse of God that is of Christ who is God apprehended by faith And that is it which is said in this text that those who have sinned and are fallen short of Gods glory and from their title to heaven are justified that is acquitted from their sinnes and entituled unto the Kingdome of heaven freely without respect of any grace or righteousnesse in themselves by the meere gracious favor of God when they had deserved the contrary through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to bee a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse c. To the same purpose the Apostle disputeth Gal. 3. as hereafter wee shall heare § III. Secondly it is proved by the words of the text alleaged the first wherof is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being justified Now the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I have proved heretofore doth never in al the Scriptures signifie to make righteous by infusion of righteousnesse and therfore here it is not meant that wee are justified by grace infused Neither doth justification import a reall or positive change in the subject but relative and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as hath beene shewed And wee must remember that as it is called so it is justificatio impii the justification of a sinner not onely because before justification men are sinners but also because being justified they still remaine sinners in themselves though in Christ they are made righteous And we are to conceive of justification as a continued act of God from our vocation to our glorification whereby hee doth accept of a beleeving sinner as righteous in Christ not onely at his first conversion but also afterwards whiles hee beleeveth in Christ though still in himselfe hee bee a sinner And to that end doth our Saviour make continuall intercession for us that the merit of his obedience may beâ—… continually imputed unto us As for the Papists they being in their owne conceit justified as they all are after they have beene either baptized in their infancie or absolved when they come to yeares they are no sinners neither is there any thing in them which God hateth or which may properly bee called sinne But justification being of sinners and they being no sinners but â—…aying they have no sinne and avouching that hee onely is a just man in whom there is no sinne hereby it appeareth that neither are they justified neither is there any truth in them § IV. The next word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an exclusive particle excluding the false causes of justification and signifying that wee are justified without any desert or worthinesse in our selves without works without respect of any righteousnesse inherent in us which directly overthroweth the assertion of the Papists for proofe whereof this place was alleaged § V. The third word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his grace that is by the gracious favour of God in Christ which is out of us in him as hath beene proved that is by his love of us and not by our love of him Neither is there any shew of reason why it should in this place above all others signifie as it never doth an habit of justifying grace inherent in us especially if that bee true which hereafter I shall plainely demonstrate that wee are not justified by that which is inherent And thus Saint Ambrose expoundeth these words gratia Dei gratis justificati sunt gratis quia nihil operantes neque vicem reddentes sola fide justificati sunt dono Dei they are justified freely because neither working before their justification nor rendring any recompence after their justification they are by faith onely justified by the grace that is as he expoundeth it the gift of God And on those words by the redemption which is in Christ Iesu he testifieth saith hee that the grace of God is in Christ but not in us because by the will of God we were redeemed by Christ. Pererius likewise a learned Iesuit The name of Grace saith he when it is here said justified freely by his grace though it may signifie that supernaturall and divine quality infused into the soule of man and inherent therein yet rather it seemeth in this place to signifie gratuitam Dei bâ—…nitatem benignitatem erga hominem the free or gracious goodnesse and bounty of God towards man Grace therefore doth not signifie either the matter or the forme but the efficient cause of our justification § VI. The fourth word is through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whereby is meant Christs whole satisfaction made to the Law both in respect of the precept and of the penalty by which being as the Papists themselves confesse imputed unto us we are redeemed and justified as being the matter and merit of justification § VII The fifth word is by faith whereby is noted the instrument by which we apprehend and receive that satisfaction or righteousnesse of Christ by which we are justified which is indeed out of us in him but imputed to those that beleeve The righteousnesse therefore by which we are justified is the righteousnesse of faith that is the righteousnesse of God or of Christ apprehended by faith § VIII The sixth and last is the end why God did give his Sonne to be a propitiation for our sinnes to shew forth his righteousnesse for the remission of sinnes and that hee might bee just and the justifier of him which beleeveth in Iesus For in the worke of our redemption and justification Gods justice is declared to be such that he forgiveth no sinnes but those onely for which his justice is satisfied by Christ neither doth he justifie any but those whom by communication of Christs righteousnesse unto them he maketh just But how should the satisfaction of Christ that is his obedience and sufferings being transient and so long agoe performed bee communicated unto us for our justification otherwise but by imputation And if wee bee justified by imputation of Christs righteousnesse then not by inherent grace or infused righteousnesse CAP. IV. Bellarmines dispute out of Rom. 3. 24. refuted § I. NOw let us see what Bellarmine inferreth upon this place Here saith he all the causes almost of justification are set forth together The efficient cause is noted in the word gratis freely importing the liberality of
Flesh and the Flesh lusting against the Spirit So that though Will be present with us that wee cannot doe what we would and much lesse after what manner wee would that is with our whole soules with our whole mind heart and affections For what good wee minde or will as wee are Spirit the same wee will as wee are Flesh. This concupiscence the Apostle had not knowne to bee a sinne had not the Law said non concupisces that is thou shalt have none evill concupiscence neither habituall nor actuall Neither is it onely a sinne as the Apostle oftentimes doth cal it but also it is the mother-sinne Iam. 1. 13 Rom. 7. 17. which taking occasion by the Law to produce ill concupiscences therein forbidden is convinced not onely to bee a sinne but exceedingly sinnefull Rom. 7. 13. But of this I have spoken before and proved by the testimony of Augustine that concupiscence against which the good Spirit lusteth viz. in the regenerate for in the unregenerate the Spirit is not is both a sinne and the cause of sin and a punishment sinne § XIII And as touching the second the summe of the Law is that we should love God with all our heart and with all our soule c. but where is any defect of love there God is not loved with all the heart c. it being legally understood and therefore every defect is an aberration from the Law and consequently a sinne I have also proved out of Augustine that it is a fault where love is lesse than it ought to bee from which fault it is that there is not a righteous man upon earth which doth good and sinneth not For which also though wee bee never so good proficients wee must of necessity say forgive us our debts Therefore every defect is a debt that is a sinne whereunto wee may adde that of the same Augustine It is a sinne either when there is not charity where it ought to bee or is lesse than it ought to bee whether this may or may not bee avoided by the Will § XIV And as to the third If those which the Papists call veniall sinnes bee not contrary to the Law then they are not forbidden in the Law and without doubt they are not commanded therein Now if neither they bee commanded nor forbidden then they are things indifferent but that is absurd yea but saith hee veniall sinnes hinder not justice And the Scripture absolutely calleth some men just and perfect notwithstanding their veniall sinnes I answere they hinder not imputative justice nor evangelicall perfection which is uprightenesse for to them that beleeve and repent they are not imputed Neither can it be denied but that the most upright men have their imperfections infirmities and slippes which though in themselves and according to the Law are mortall sinnes for if they should not bee forgiven they would as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth exclude men from heaven yet to them that are in Christ Iesus thâ—…y become veniall by the mercie of God through the merits and intercession of Christ. § XV. His second reason is taken from divers absurdities which hee conceiveth doe follow upon our assertion when as indeed they follow not upon our doctrine but upon his malicious misconceiving and misreport thereof as if wee held that all even the best workes of the righteous are mortall sinnes But wee acknowledge that the good workes of men regenerate are truly good and so to bee called notwithstanding the imperfection thereof Onely wee deny them to be purely good wherin we have the consent of holy Scriptures and of the ancient Fathers some whereof I before alleaged to whom I added Gregory and Bernard Gregory in the conclâ—…sion of his Moralls saith thus Mala nostra pura mala sunt bona quae nos habere credimus pura bona esse uequaquaÌ„ possunt Our evill things are purely evill and the good things which we suppose our selves to have can by no meanes bee purely good Bernard t Our lowly justice if we have any is perhaps true but not pure Vnlesse peradventure wee beleeve our selves to bee better than our fore-fathers who said no lesse truely than humbly all our righteousnesses are as it were the cloth of a menstruous woman wee doe not say that the good workes of the faithfull are sins and much lesse mortall sins For we hold that the sins of the faithful become to them venial But this we say with Salomon that there is not a righteous man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not which in effect is the same with that assertion of Luther Iustus in omni opere bono peccat § XVI Now let us examine the absurdities which hee absurdly upon his owne malitious misconceit objecteth against us In all which it is supposed that wee call the good workes of the righteous sinnes yea mortall sinnes The first if all the workes of the faithfull bee sinnes then the worke of faith whereby we are justified and that prayer whereby we begge remission of sinne should be sinnes Answ. The worke of faith and the act of prayer are good but not purely and perfectly good Neither are we justified by the worthinesse or by the worke of our faith but by the Object which it doth receive nor obtaine our desires by the merit of our prayer but by the mediation and intercession of Christ our Saviour Our faith is such that wee have need alwayes to pray Lord increase our faith Lord I beleeve help mine unbeleefe and our prayer such that when wee have performed it in the best manner we can wee have neede to pray that the wants and imperfections of our prayer may bee forgiven us § XVII The second If all the works of the righteous be sinnes with what face could the Apostle say that hâ—… knew nothing by himselfe And what boldnesse was that for his good workes that is for his mortall sinnes to expect a Crowne of righteousnesse Answ. Though the Apostle had no doubt sometimes offended after his conversion yet he was not conscious to himselfe in particular of any actuall sinne or crime committed by him for as the Psalmist saith who can understand his errors No man saith Basil is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free from sinne but God for of those many things wherein we offend the most wee understand not for which cause the Apostle saith I know nothing by my selfe but in that I am not justified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in many things I offend and doc not perceive whence also the Prophet saith who understandeth his trespasses But though hee was not conscious to himselfe of his slippes and oversights yet hee was not ignorent of his owne corruptious and infirmities against which when hee had prayed to God hee received this answere My grace is sufficient for thee and in weakenesse my power is made perfect Neither did the Apostle expect the reward for
became flesh that is abased himselfe to become man which before hee was not but not ceasing to bee that which hee was before namely the true and the great God God above all blessed for evermore in our nature being perfect God and perfect man hee farther humbled himselfe and became obedient untill death even to the death of the crosâ—…e And therefore the righteousnesse of Christ both habituall inherent in his person and that which was performed by him both active and passive being the righteousnesse of God as it is often called Rom. cap. 1. 3. 10. the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour 2 Pet. 1. 1. who was given to us of God to be our righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. that wee beleeving in him might bee the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21 is therefore called Iehovah our righteousuesse Ier 23. 6. I say his passive righteousnesse being the righteousnesse of God the bloud of God it is a price of infinite valew and superabundantly sufficient to satisfie for the sinnes not onely of the faithfull but of all the world and not onely of this one world but of more if there were more And this habituall and actuall righteousnesse being the righteousnesse and obedience of God is of infinite and alâ—…-sufficient merit to entitle all those that beleeve in him were they never so many to the kingdome of heaven These things if the Papists should deny It would deny them to be Christians The former part therefore of the assumption is of undoubted truth § III. Come wee then to the other part Is there any righteousnesse inherent in us or performed by us that can fully satisfie the Law Nothing lesse For first in respect of the penalty which is due unto us for our sinnes wee cannot possibly fatisfie it but by enduring everlasting torment which though wee should endure for a million of millions of yeares yet wee could not bee said to have satisfied the Law which cannot be satisfied but by endlesse punishment or that which is equivalent but there is nothing equivalent but the precious death and sufferings of the eternall Son of God who gave himself to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full price of ransome countervailing in respect of the dignity of his person the eternall pains of hel which all the elect should have suffered Therefore there is no possibility for us to escape hell the just guerdon of our sinnes unlesse the Lord impute our siâ—…s to our Saviour Christ and his sufferings to us accepting them in our behalfe as if we had sustained them in our owne persons For although wee should for the time to come performe a totall and perfect obedience to the Law yet that would not free us from the punishment already deserved by us But the Law must be satisfied both in respect of the penalty to be borne and in respect of perpetuall and perfect obedience to bee performed through out our whole life Neither may we thinke by the payment of one debt to satisfie another The obedience which wee hope to performe for the time to come though it were totall and perfect is a debt and duty which wee owe unto God Luk. 17. 10. and therefore cannot discharge us of the penalty which is another debt which wee owe for our sinnes past for wee were sinners from the wombe yea in the wombe and to the guilt of Adams transgression in whom wee sinned and to that originall corruption which we have received from him for which though wee had no other sinnes wee were worthily subject to eternall damnation wee have added in the former part of our life innumerable personall transgressions all deserving death and damnation which if wee be not delivered therefrom by the death and merits of Christ wee must make account to suffer in our owne persons neither can our future intended obedience satisfie for our sinnes as Bellarmine confesseth God is just in forgiving sinnes neither doth he forgive any sinne for which his justice is not fully satisfied § IV. Neither can our righteousnesâ—…e â—…atisfie the Law in respect of the precept by fulfilling it for whosoever hath not continued in all the things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them but hath at any time transgressed the Law hee hath not fulfilled it Therefore it is most certaine that we cannot satisfie the Law in respect of the precept because wee have already broken it and by our breach of it have made our selves subject to the curse of the Law so farre are we from being justified by it Neither are wee able by our obedience to satisfie the Law for the time to come § V. Against this branch of our argument which by us is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as over measure Bellarmine taketh exception alleaging that the faithfull and regenerate are able to fulfill the Law and entreth into a large dispute to prove that the Law is possible which disputation I have fully examined in his due place and confuted Here let the Reader take notice that Bellarmine disputeth sophistically in diverse respects for first hee will needs be actor when indeed hee is reus and that hee might get the better end of the staffe pretendeth to confute our errours when indeed he laboureth to defend his owne Secondly hee answereth but a piece of our argument and such a piece as might be spared as being added mantisae loco by way of advantage for thus we reason no man can satisfie the Law because hee hath already broken it yea hee is so farre from satisfying the Law in respect of the time past that for the time to come hee is not able to fullfill it Thirdly where hee should prove that all those who are to bee justified doe fulfill the Law for else how should they by fulfilling of the Law be justified all that he endevoureth to prove is that it is possible for them that are already justified to fullfill it disputing as wee say a posse ad esse Fourthly where hee should prove that all who are justified doe fulfill the Law for else how should they be justified by fulfilling it hee endeavoureth to prove that some rare men have fulfilled it not caring what becomes of the rest Fifthly where hee argueth that if men shall fulfill the Law they shall be justified his consequence doth not hold in respect of them who at any time heretofore have broken it as all meere men without exception have done though they should perfectly fulfill the Law for the time to come Sixthly he would prove that some doe fulfill the Law and yet cannot deny but that even those some doe sinne many times yea seven times a day and that they have need daily to pray for the forgivenesse of their sinnes and therefore faileth in the proofe of that also as I have made manifest in answering his arguments § VI. Now to make good this part of our reason
the other part of justification Reply we doubt not but the Scriptures make mention of both these benefits sometimes severally and sometimes joyntly which though in use and practice they alwayes goe together yet they must bee carefully distinguished And howsoever the Scriptures often make mention of Sanctification as well as of justification yet no where doe they make Sanctification a part of justification This Bellarmine should have proved and not have craved Neither is it to bee doubted but that if forgivenesse of the guilt and punishment concurre unto justification as a part thereof renovation or infusion of righteousnesse being the other part as Bellarmine here affirmeth theâ—…e are two actions and two formall causes of justification which themselves utterly deny And therefore they must bee forced to acknowledge these two actions having distinct formes to bee justification whose forme is imputation and sanctification whose forme is infusion of righteousnesse § VIII Finally saith he from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses signifieth that the observation of the Law neither by the strength of nature nor by helpe of the Law alone presumed doth justifie not because the true observation of the Law is not righteousnesse but because before remission of sinne the Law cannot be kept Reply By the observation of Law is meant all obedience and righteousnesse inherent whatsoever prescribed in the Law whether it goe before faith and justification or follow after For before as Bellarmine truly saith the Law cannot be fulfilled neither can there be any true righteousnesse And that obedience which is performed after though it be a righteousnesse begun in us and be not onely accepted in Christ but also graciously rewarded yet it cannot satisfie for our former sinnes nor justifie us from them That which Bellarmine addeth I admit with some small qualification as making for us For God saith he when by the merits of Christ he reconcileth any man hee doth withall forgive his sinnes so saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 19. which is all one as if Bellarmine had said when God justifieth a man not imputing his sinne and accepting of him as righteous in Christ then hee infuseth charity by which he may keepe the Law which is all one as if he had said when God hath justified a man he doth also Sanctifie him This saith he is that which Saint Augustine so often repeateth and wholly maketh for us opera non prâ—…cedere justificandum that workes goe not before as causes of justification sed sequi justificatum but follow after as effects and fruits thereof And this Augustine speaketh not of such workes as perfectly fulfill the Commandements for such there are none whiles they are stained with the flesh but of all good works which notwithstanding their defectivenesse are accepted of God in Christ that which he addeth out of Rom. 8. 4. I have discussed elsewhere § IX But to returne to the proofe of my proposition to that place of the Acts I adde for the further proofe of the first branch Rom. 4. vers 5 6 7 8. where the Apostle useth these words promiscuously justification and blessednesse and proveth out of Psal. 32. 1. that this blessednesse consisteth in remission of sin or as he also speaketh in the not imputing of sinne and imputation of righteousnesse without works from whence this is proved by what righteousnesse we have remission of sinne by that we are justified and by what wee are justified we have remission of sinne The second branch by what righteousnesse we are redeemed by that we are justified and è converso by what we are justified by that we are redeemed The benefit of redemption is explained by the Apostle Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. to bee remission of sinne and expressed by the phrase of redeeming from all iniquttie Tit. 2. 14. Psalm 133. 8. The third branch by what righteousnesse wee are reconciled to God by it we are justified and by what we are justified we are reconciled The Apostle Rom. 5. 9 10. useth these words promiscuously to bee justified by the bloud of Christ and to bee reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne and 2 Cor 5. 19. God is said to reconcile men unto him in Christ when hee doth not impute untio them their sinnes but imputeth unto them righteousnesse even the righteousnesse of God that is of Christ that they only may be made the righteousnesse of God in him vers 21. The fourth branch for what righteousnesse wee are saved by that wee are justified and è converso that which is the matter of justification is the merit of salvation for which cause justification and to be justified is many times expressed by salvation or to bee saved for they that are justified are saved in hope and by what they are justified by that they are intituled to salvation and by what we receive remission of sinnes by that also we receive our inheritance Iustification may bee compared to the institution of a Minister unto a benefice which giveth jus ad rem glorification to induction which giveth possession and jus in re § X. I come to the assumption the first branch whereof is that we are absolved from our sinnes by the righteousnesse of Christ and not by any righteousnesse inherent in usâ—… both wich are plainely averred Act. 3. 38 39. The former also is every where testified that the bloud of Christ was shed for the remission of sinnes and that it doth cleanse us from all our sinnes that he is the propitiation for our sinnes c. The latter is also evident that we cannot be absolved from our sinnes by righteousnesse inherent first because it cannot satisfie for our sinnes secondly because it cannot stand in judgement If wee should plead it before God we could not be justified thereby Psal. 143. 2. Neither are we able to answere him one of a thousand Ioâ—… 9. 3. Thirdly because our obedience though it were totall as it is never in this life yet it were a debt and we cannot be absolved from one debt by the payment of another when ye shall have done all things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to doe Luk. 17. 10. The second branch that we are redeemed by the merits of Christ and not by our owne righteousnesse needeth no proofe neither in respect of the affirmative that by his bloud we have redemption even the remission of our sinnes that he gave himselfe to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full price of ransome to redeeme us from all iniquity Nor in respect of the Negative unlesse it may be thought that we who were held captives under sinne and Satan to doe his will could deliver our selves which God doth sweare to bee his gift Luk. 1. 73 74. Neither could we be delivered out of the hands of the strong man but by him that is stronger than he The third branch also
is manifest both in respect of the affirmative that we are reconciled unto God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 10. Col. 1. 21 22 and also of the negative For we were enemies when we were reconciled and such enemies as whatsoever we minded was enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. Lastly the fourth branch needeth no proofe neither in respect of the affirmative unlesse it may bee thought needfull to prove that we are saved by the merits of Christ nor in respect of the negative the Scriptures so often testifying that we are saved by grace through faith not by workes no not by any workes of righteousnesse that we have done So much of this argument which if I should strive for number might stand for eight foure for the affirmative and foure against the negative CAP. VII Containing sixe other arguments proving joyntly that we are justified by Christs righteousnesse and not by ours § I. THe sixth argument The righteousnesse by which we are justified is the righteousnesse of faith and not of workes as Saint Paul constantly teacheth The righteousnesse which is out of us in Christ is the righteousnesse of faith or the righteousnesse which we receive and have by faith or the righteousnesse of God by faith The righteousnesse inherent is of workes By that justice therefore we are justified and not by this § 2. The seventh The righteousnesse of God by which wee are justified is not prescribed in the Law to justification but without the Law is revealed in the Gospell Rom. 3. 21. The righteousnesse which is out of us in Christ was not prescribed in the Law to justification but without the Law is revealed in the Gospell righteousnesse inherent is prescribed in the Law to justification which in the question of justification is renounced in the doctrine of the Gospell This being the maine difference betweene the Law and the Gospell that the Law to justification requireth perfect obedience to bee performed in our owne persons the Gospell propoundeth the obedience of Christ which hee performed for us to bee accepted in their behalf who beleeve in him Wherfore let him be held accursed though hee were an Apostle though an Angell from heaven who shall reach justification by the legall righteousnesse and not by the evangelicall Againe the Law was given as the Apostle saith foure hundred and thirty yeares after the covenant of Grace and promise of justification by faith in Christ was made to Abraham and therefore cannot disanull that covenant which was before confirmed in Christ that it should make the promise of none effect which it would if the promise of justification were made upon condition of fulfilling the Law § III. Eightly By what righteousnesse we are justified the justice of God is fully satisfied God being so mercifull in forgiving sinnes that he remaineth just Rom. 3. 25 26. For though he proclaime himselfe mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercie for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne yet he protesteth that absolving he will not absolve that is by no meanes will absolve such as ought not to be absolved that is such as for whom his justice is not satisfied Neither doth he indeed forgive any sinne for which his justice is not satisfied But as every sinne deserveth death so it is punished with death either with the death of the party for whom he hath no other satisfaction or with the death of Christ who hath satisfied the justice of God for the sinnes of all that truly beleeve in him By the righteousnesse of Christ which is out of us in him the justice of God is fully satisfied as Bellarmine himselfe proveth g and therefore professeth that in him he is well pleased Finally saith Bellarmine Nothing more frequently doth all the Scripture testifie than that the passion and death of Christ was a full and perfect satisfaction for sinnes He made the attonement betweene God and us giving himselfe an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour But by that righteousnesse which it inherent in us the justice of God is not satisfied as Bellarmine confesseth Therefore wee are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ which is out us in him and not by righteousnesse inherent in us And here I will make bold with Bellarmine to borow a speech from him which he borrowed as it seemes from our Writers to the confusion of himselfe and all other Popish Iustitiaries For where Osiander had argued that God accepteth for a satisfaction no justice but that which is infinite and consequently none but his owne uncreated and essentiall righteousnesse Bellarmine answereth God indeed doth not accept as a true satisfaction for sinne any justice but that which is infinite because sinne is an infinite offence But that some justice may be finite that is of infinite price and valour it is not necessary that it should be the essentiall justice of God but it is sufficient that it be the justice of an infinite person such as Christ is God and man Therefore the obedience the passion and death of the Sonne of God though in it selfe and essentially it was a created justice and finite notwithstanding in regard of the person who obeyed suffered and died it was infinite and in the true rigour of justice it was a propitiation for our sinnes and not for our sinnes alone but for the sins of the whole world From whence I argue thus that justice which is of infinite value the Lord accepteth as a true satisfaction for sinne and that which is not of infinite value he doth not accept for the offence of sinne is infinite But the righteousnesse of Christ onely is of infinite value ours is not therefore the Lord accepteth Christs righteousnesse and not ours as a true satisfaction for sinne § IV. Ninthly they that cannot be justified without remission of sin are justified neither by inherent righteousnesse because they are sinners nor without the righteousnesse of Christ imputed without which as there can be no satisfaction for sinne so no remission of sinne But no man can be justified without remission of sinne Therefore no man is justified by righteousnesse inherent but onely by the righteousnesse of Christ. § V. The tenth that is to be esteemed the true doctrine of justification which doth minister sound comfort to the distressed conscience of the faithfull and that falfe which is a racke to the conscience of Gods children when they are humbled under the hand of God The doctrine of justification by the merits and obedience of Christ imputed ministreth singular comfort to the distressed conscience of the faithfull even in the agony of death assuring the beleeving sinner that howsoever the devill accuseth the Law convicteth the conscience confesseth his demerits yet notwithstanding if hee truly beleeve in Christ he shall be accepted of God as righteous in Christ and as
indowments And therefore that I may come to the proofe of my assumption those phrases of putting on Christ and his righteousnesse figured by Iacob his putting on of his elder brothers apparell Gen. 27. of the wedding garment Mat. 22. 11. of the first or chiefe robe Luke 15 22. of the white garment promised by Christ Apoc. 3. 18. of the fine linnen cleane and shining which is the righteousnesse of the Saints Apoc. 19. 8. of which place I have spoken before are most fitly understood of the righteousnesse of Christ imputed unto us and put on as it were by faith § XI In his second answere Bellarmine confesseth that this similitude of garments and that example of the Patriarch Iacob may after a sound manner bee accommodated to righteousnesse imputed if it shall bee said that it behoueth us to put on or to be clothed with the merits of Christ that being after a sort covered with them we may aske of God pardon of our sinnes for as I have said before saith he Christ alone was able to satisfie for our sins and indeed in justice did satisfie and that satisfaction is given and applyed to us and reputed ours when weare reconciled unto God and justified That example therefore being referred to the righteousnesse of satisfaction for the fault it may be admitted But if it be referred to that righteousnesse whereby wee are formally justified when of sinners and wicked men we are made just and godly it is by all meanes to be rejected seeing it is manifestly repugnant to the Scriptures to the Fathers and to reason it selfe For that one man should satisfiâ—… for another it may easily be conceived but that one man should be just because another is just was never heard of and is not onely above but also against reason § XII Here as you see Bellarmine maketh a distinction betwixt the righteousnesse of satisfaction and that by which wee are formally made just But what is that righteousnesse of satisfaction No doubt that whereby our Saviour satisfied the Law for us which he was to satisfie as I have shewed before not onely in respect of the penalty threatened by his sufferings but also in respect of the Commandement by his perfect obedience fulfilling the condition of the promise Doe this and live To this Bellarmine acknowledgeth the similitude of garments and the example of the Patriarch Iacob may fitly be applied which is as much as wee desire For this is the whole righteousnesse of justification wherein the Lord imputing to a beleever the sufferings of Christ covereth or not imputeth or forgiveth his sinnes and the punishment thereunto belonging and imputing unto him the perfect obedience of Christ accepteth of him as righteousnesse in Christ. For it is most certaine that to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne them hee accepteth as righteous and that hee imputeth righteousnesse to whom hee imputeth not sinne Rom. 4. 6 7. For as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth the not imputing of sinne bringeth with it the imputing of righteousnesse Neither is it to be doubted but that the Lord accepteth as well the merits of his obedience as of his sufferings And what is that justice whereby he saith we are formally made just no doubt inherent justice or the righteousnesse of sanctification by infusion where of sinne is expelled To this saith Bellarmine the similitude of apparell and the example of Iacob cannot be applyed For though one may satisfie for another yet one cannot be formally just by the righteousnesse of another which never any of us to my knowledge affirmed The more absurd was Bellarmine in thinking so absurdly of us For because hee confoundeth justification and sanctification hee would needs beare the world in hand that wee confounding them also doe teach that wee are formally made just by the righteousnesse of another which is out of us in him But if justification and sanctification are to be distinguished as I have proved they must of necessity bee distinguished then it will appeare manifestly that that which Bellarmine calleth the justice of satisfaction is the whole righteousnesse of justification and that by which hee saith wee are formally made righteous is the righteousnesse of sanctification Now wee are well content that the righteousnesse whereby wee are sanctified or formally made righteous should not be imputative so that they will confesse that the righteousnesse of Christs whole satisfaction whereby wee are justified before God is imputed unto us which they must confesse or else they cannot bee saved Here therefore we may sing the triumph and say Magna est veritas praevalet And thus have I aboundantly proved that the righteousnesse of God whereby wee are justified is not any righteousnesse inherent in us or performed by us but onely the righteousnesse of Christ our Saviour which is out of us in him as being proper to his person though by imputation communicated to all that truly beleeve in him CHAP. X. Bellarmines eight allegations to prove justification by inherent righteousnesse answered § I. NOw I am to examine Bellarmines proofes And first hee alleageth Rom. 5. 17 18 19. out of which place he would prove that to bee justified by Christ is not to be accounted or pronounced just but to be truly made and constituted just by obtaining inherent righteousnesse and that a righteousnesse not unperfect but absolute and perfect for that to justifie in this place is to makejust and not to pronounce just appeareth first out of those words verse 19. many shall be constituted or made just unto which allegation I have heretofore answered in his due place so much as concerneth the signification of the word and have maintained the exceptions of Calvin and Chemnitius against his cavils His second reason is from the Antithesis of Adam unto Christ. For thus saith he the Apostle writeth As we are made unjust through the disobedience of Adam so we are made just through the obedience of Christ. But it is certaine that through Adams disobedience we are made unjust by injustice inherent and not imputed Therefore through the obedience of Christ we are made just by righteousnesse inherent and not imputed Answ. Wee confesse that as from the first Adam we receive inherent corruption in our carnall generation so from the second Adam wee receive inherent grace in our spirituall regeneration but this is not our justification but our sanctification whereof the Apostle speaketh not in this place whereas therefore he assumeth that wee are made unjust through Adams disobedience by inherent injustice onely not imputed I deny the assumption and returne the argument upon the Adversary As we are made sinners that is guilty of sinne and damnation by Adams disobedience or transgression so wee are justified that is not onely absolved from the guilt of sinne and damnation but also accepted as righteous uâ—…to salvation by the obedience of Christ. But wee are made sinners that is guilty of sinne and damnation by imputation of
the person or of the whole man who is Adopted to be the sonne of God Neither doth the Apostle speake of the adoption of the soule nor yet of the adoption of the body but of the redemption of the body from the servitude of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God which is not the adoption of the body but the fruite of the adoption of the whole man which here by a Metonymy is called adoption The former he proveth by the latter not to be imputative but inherent The adoption of sonnes which we expect in the redemption of the body shall be most true and inherent in the body it selfe that is to say immortality and impassibility not putative but true therefore the adoption which now we have in the spirit by justification is also true not putative but inherent Ans. In this similitude he should rather have said that as the adoption of sonnes which we doe expect at the redemption of our bodies that is at the resurrection is the everlasting inheritance whereunto wee were adopted as sonnes which a true and glorious inheritance though not inherent in the body but enjoyed by the whole man as adherent unto him so the adoption which we now have in the Spirit by justification which is the entituling of us to this inheritance is a true adoption though not inherent but wrought by imputation of Christs merits unto us But suppose the adoption of the body as hee calleth it were inherent how doth it follow that the adoption of the soule as hee calleth it should also be inherent he saith it must bee so Otherwise saith he as wee expect the redemption of the body so also we should expect the redemption of the soule which the Papists had neede to doe whose soules shall bee in purgatory at the last day but from thence to be delivered at that day by a gaole-delivery but I say it followeth not for the adoption which is imputative is a most true adoption and wee need no other but the accomplishment thereof which is our full redemption As for that adoption which he supposeth to bee inherent it is a meere fancie § XXI Now let us see what may from that proposition which was agreed upon betweene us be truly inferred on our part Such as is our adoption such is our justification but our Adoption is imputative and not by inherencie For as I have shewed heretofore these foure benefits reconciliation redemption justification and adoption doe not import any reall mutation in the subject but relative and imputative for when God imputing to a beleever the merits of his Sonne forgiveth his sinnes which made him an enemy to God a bondslave of sinne and Satan guilty of sinne and damnation the childe of the Devill and receiveth him into his favour maketh him Christs freeman accepteth of his as righteous admitteth him to bee his sonne he is said to reconcile to redeeme to justifie and to adopt him not by working any reall or positive change in the party but relative or in respect of relation To be a father and to be a sonne are relatives when a man therefore hath first a sonne hee becommeth a father which hee was not before not by any reall change in himselfe but by a new relation which before he had not When a man is adopted he becommeth the sonne of another man whose sonne he was not before not by any reall mutation but onely in regard of relation For if the party adopted by God should by adoption bee really changed then God who adopteth should also seeme to bee really changed which is impossible because he is immutable For as he which is adopted becommeth the sonne of God which hee was not before so God when he first adopteth any man becommeth his father which hee was not before Here therefore seemeth to bee a change as well in God adopting as in the party adopted not reall for that is not possible but relative onely which is a manifest evidence that as our Adoption so our justification is not any reall change wrought in us by infusion of any inherent quality but a relative change wrought without us by imputation of Christs righteousnesse CAP. XI Bellarmines arguments proving obliquè or indirectly justification by inherent righteousnesse and first because faith is not the integrall and onely formall cause of justification § I. ANd these were all the arguments which Bellarmine hath produced to proove diâ—…ectly his assertion concerning justification by inherent righteousnesse now follow two other ranks of proofes whereby he doth obliquè indirectly and by consequence prove the same by disproving two assertions which it pleaseth him to father upon us The one that faith is the onely formall cause of justification the other that justification consisteth onely in remission of sinnes For if faith be not the integrall cause formall of our justification but that with it charity and other graces doe concurre by which as well as by faith we are justified formally then it followeth that wee are justified by inherent and habituall righteousnesse which consisteth in the habits of faith aud charity and other graces And if justification doth consist not onely in remission of sins by which our soules are cleansed from sinne but also in the renewing of us according to Gods image by infusion of righteousnesse by which our soules are not onely purged from sinne but also adorned and beautified with grace then it followeth that we are justified by inherent righteousnesse The former question he disputeth lib. 2. de justif c. 4. the title whereof is fidem non esse integram formalem caussam justificationis that faith is not the whole formall cause of justification This opinion hee confesseth none of us doe now hold though falsly hee would lay it upon Luther and Melancthon for we deny faith to bee the formall cause of justification at all and yet this is it which he and all of his side evermore object unto us to make us odious to the world as though wee required nothing to make us formally and inherently righteous but onely faith And for this cause though wee hold not this assertion yet hee thinkes good to confute it as if we held it § II. Of his proofes onely the first serveth to prove that with faith charity doth concurre unto justification It is taken out of Gal. 5. 5. 6. the fifth verse containing the latter part of the Antithesis between justitiaries who were apostates from the doctrine of grace and the true prosessours of the Gospell For the former looked to bee justified by the Law that is by obedience performed to the Law and so were fallen from grace but the latter looked not to be justified by the Law but by faith that is by Christs righteousnesse apprehended by faith Of this Antithesis the latter part agreeth to us the former to the Papists And therefore I marvell to what purpose he alleaged the fifth verse unlesse it were to
transient or the sinfull blemish remaining in the soule which is a vicious disposition and pronenesse to sinne left as the remainder of originall sinne and increased by our owne actuall transgressions as it is a fault and the offence of God bringging with it reatum culpae to a beleever and is not imputed to whom Christs obedience is imputed but covered with the robe of Chrisâ—…s righteousnesse by imputation wherof he is not only freed from the guilt both of the punishment and of the fault but also accepted as righteous in Christ but as the maculâ—… is an habituall sinne or sinfull disposition polluting the soule as a remainder of originall sinne increased by our actuall transgressions it is not wholly abolish'd in this life and much lesse at once but it is mortified by degrees in those that repent of their sinnes who day by day are renewed in the innerman As for those places which Bellarmine alleageth to prove remission of sinne to be the totall abolition of sinne I have fully answered heretofore in the second question of the first controversie shewing that divers of them are to be understood in respect of the guilt which in remission is totally abolished The other which are to bee expounded of the corruption are understood of the cleansing and purging of our soules from them either begunne in this life or finished at the end of this life For the death of the body bringeth with it in the children of God the death and utter extinction of sinne And therefore death which was brought in as a punishment of sinne becommeth a remedy to extinguish sinne For whiles we live in the mortall body sinne liveth in us but when the body dyeth sinne is extinguished CAP. III. Containing our two last Arguments § I. OVR foureteenth Argument If redemption reconciliation and adoption be imputative then justification also is by imputation For I have shewed heretofore that these three in substance differ not from justification for as all these three benefits are comprised under justification so in them the whole nature of justification doth consist For what is it to be redeemed and reconciled but to have our sins remitted or not imputed by the imputation of Christs sufferings which is the first part of justification and what is it to be adopted but to bee accepted in the beloved as righteous and as an heire of eternall life by imputation of Christs obedience which is the second part of justification But those three benefits are imputative all of them wrought by the not imputing of sinne which had made us the bond-slaves of sinne and Satan enemies to God and children of the devill and by the imputation of Christs merits whereby of the slaves of sinne and Satan wee are made Gods servants of enemies his favourites of the children of the devill the sonnes of God § II. Our fifteenth Argument out of Psalm 32. and Rom. 4. If the Holy Ghost describe justification to bee the forgiving of iniquities the covering of sinne the not imputing of sinne to the sinner the imputing of righteousnesse not to him that worketh but to him that beleeveth in Christ or imputing of righteousnesse without workes then justification standeth not in deletion of sinne by infusion of righteousnesse but in imputation of Christs righteousnesse by which the sinner is both freed from his sinne and also accepted as righteous But the Holy Ghost doth so describe justification Rom. 4. 6 7 8. â—…x Psalm 32. 1 2. To both parts Bellarmine doth answere The assumption hee first denieth and then cavills with it For first whereas Calvin as he saith demandeth whether this bee a full definition of justification or but halfe he likewise demandeth when either the 〈◊〉 saith Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and Blessed are they who f are upright in the way or when our Saviour saith Blessed are the poore in Spirit blessed are the meeke c. whether each of these bee a perfect definition For if it be where is then remission of sinne Secondly he saith that Paul alleageth this testimâ—…ny out of the Psalme not that hee might thereby define fully justification but onely to prove that true justification is the gift of God and not gotten by our owne strength And that hee fitly proveth from thence that David calleth him blessed whose sinnes God remitteth that is whâ—… by the gift aâ—…d grace of God is justified § III. To the former I reply that there is not the like reason betweene these places cited by us and those alleaged by him For those containe but certaine notes and markes of Blessednesse though the Papists absurdly make eight beatitudes of the eight notes of one and the same blessednesse Matth. 5. But here the Apostle out of Psalm 32. sheweth that blessednesse it selfe whereby as appeareth by the former verse he meaneth justification which is the onely 〈◊〉 viae because by it we are intitled to the eternall happinesse which is beatitudo patriae all other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being but notes and signes of this is so defined or described For somuch those words import David doth describe the blessednesse as our translation fitly rendreth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place The second is a meere depravation of the Apostles meaning and intenâ—…ion which was not to prove that justification is the gift of God which he had already taught to be a gracious action of God freely justifying by his grace those that beleeve in Christ but by a new supply of Arguments to prove the same question which in the former Chapters hee had disputed concluding that a man is justified by faith and not by workes which question here hee proveth by the example of Abraham and by the testimony of David The Argument drawne from Abrahâ—…ms example is an excellent proofe which Chrysostome well observed as Cardinall Tâ—…let doth acknowledge For Abraham had both faith and workes and yet he was justified not by his workes but by his faith If Abraham had had no workes or not such notable workes it might have beene said that he was justified by faith without workes because he wanted workes But seeing he abounded with store of excellent works and yet was not justified by them but onely by faith this is an invincible argument to prove that a man is justified by faith and not by workes For Abraham though hee had works yet was justified by faith without workes Likewise David describeth or if you will declareth the blessednesse of the man that is that a man is blessed that is to say justified to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes § IV. This was his denyall of the assumption But now he cavilleth that it may bee that in these words is contained the full definition of justification implicitè For there cannot be remission of sinne in Bellarmines sense that is deletion of sinne unlesse righteousnesse be infâ—…sed as darkenesse is not driven
away unlesse light come in place And this saith he The Apostle manifestly sheweth when he saith David explaineth the blessednesse of a man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes Blâ—…ssed are they whose sinnes are forgiven Vbi saith Bellarmine ex non imputatione peccatorum colligit imputationem justitiae where the Apostle from the not imputing of sin gathereth the imputing of justice which is very true and proveth that here is a full definition of justification containing these two parts the not imputing of sinne to the beleever and imputing of righteousnesse or accepting of him as righteous But where is either the popish deletion of sinne or infusion of righteousnesse unlesse as they have turned remission into deletion so also imputation bee converted into infusion § V. To the proposition also Bellarmine answereth in part and first to the word covering that although to cover and not to impute sinnes is not if you respect the force of the word to abolish or to extinguish sinne yet if they be referred to God the sense importeth so much For nothing can bee bid from God unlesse it bee â—…tterly taken away for all things are naked and open before his eyes Reply Nothing can bee hid from God which hee would not have hid But if it please God to cover our sinnes that hee will not behold them Psalm 85. 2. or to hide his face from them Psal. 51. 9. to cast them behinde his backe Esai 38. 17. not to marke what is done amisse Psalm 130. 3. then hee is said not to see them because he taketh no notice of them but passeth by them Mic. 7. 18. In which sense Charity is said to cover sinnes Prov. 10. 12. § VI. To the word not imputing he saith that God cannot but impute sinne to him that remaâ—…neth a sinner neither can hee repute him righteous unlesse he be made righteous therefore â—…he not imputing of sinne draweth with it veram peccati remissionem that is the extinction of sinne and infusion of righteousnesse Reply he should have said as he said before the not imputing of sinne draweth with it imputing of righteousnesse or the acceptation of a man as righteous both which alwayes goe together because both are wrought together by imputation of Christs righteousnesse whereas therefore hee saith that God cannot but impute sinne where sinne still remaineth it is true of unbeleevers and impenitent sinners who are out of Christ but for them that bee in Christ that is to say beleeving and repentant sinners for whose sinnes Christ hath fully satisfied and whom though in themselves sinners hee hath accepted as righteous in Christ and for whom our Saviour maketh intercession that their sinnes may not be imputed to them hee cannot truly be said to impute sinne unto them It is true also that the Lord reputeth none righteous but such as he maketh righteous both by imputation of Christs righteousnesse and also by regeneration by imputation perfectly and at once by regeneration in part and by degrâ—…s they being not onely Spirit but flesh also in regard whereof though they be righteous in Christ yet in themselves they are sinners by reason of sinne remaining in them though in some measure mortified and not at all imputed So that a regenerate man in divers respects is both a righteous man and a sinner righteous not onely in Christ by imputation of his perfect righteousnesse but also in himselfe by inherent righteousnesse begun in him from which as is from the better part 〈◊〉 hath his denomination in the Scriptures a sinner also in himselfe both in respect of habituall sinnes remaining in him as the remnants of originall sinne and also in respect of actuall transgressions both of commission and of omission whereinto hee doth dayly fall § VII And whereas he saith that these phrases almost alwaies goe together and to that purpose citeth Nehem. 4. 5. Psal. 51. 9 85. 2 and so Psal. 32. 1 2. I answere that deletion of sinne covering of sinne forgiving of sinne and the not imputing of it are used as synonima that is as words of the same signification and that in all such places deletion of sin doth signifie the blotting of them our of Gods remembrance which is as it were his record or debt booke Out of which when God forgiveth sinnes he blotteth or wipeth them out Thus to forgive sins is not to remember them Esai 43. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and wil not remember thy sinnes Ier. 31. 34. I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinne no more And to remember them is not to forgive them Ps. 109. 14. Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembred with the Lord and let not the sinne of his Mother bee blotted out namely of remembrance that is let it not bee forgotten So Neh. 4. 5. Cover not their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before thee Ps 51. 9. hide thy face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities and to the same purpose Psal. 85. 2. forgiving and covering are used in the same fence Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people thou hast covered all theiâ—… sinne and so Psal. 32. 1. 2. forgiving covering not imputing Deletion therefore of sinnes according to the Scriptures is the blotting of them out of the Booke of Gods remembrance In this sense many things are said deleri to bee blotted out or wiped away by oblivion whose memory is wiped out as it is said of the Amalekites Exod. 17. 14. and according to the vulgar Latine translation Deut. 31. 21. nulla delebit oblivio Esth. 9. 28. Eccl. 6. 4. Ierem. 20. 11. 23. 40. 50. 5. So that non imputare is all one with ignoscere 2 Tim. 4. 16. So Iob 42. 8. according to the vulgar Latine 2 Cbro 30. 19. Ezek. 33. 16. § VIII Now if not to impute sinne bee as Bellarmine sâ—…ith to expell sinne by infusion of righteousnesse for according to his concelt infusion of righteousnesse is not a consequent of the expulsion of sinne as here for a poore evasion he saith but expulsion of sinne is a consequent of infusion of righteousnesse for according to his assertion by infusion of righteousnesse sinne is expelled as by accession of light and heat cold and darkenesse is expelled I say if not to impute sinne bee to expell sinne by infusion of justice then by the rule of contraries which is Contrariorum contraria sunt consequentia to impute sinne shall bee to expell righteousnesse by infusion of sinne as it was well objected by Chemnitius To him Bellarmine objecteth want of Logicke for calling those contraria which are contradicentia Where by Bellarmines Logick adversa onely are contraria whereof notwithstanding there are foure sorts for if contraries bee such opposits as are opposed one to one onely then besides adversa as Tully termeth those which Aristotle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are three
other sorts of contraries that is to say relata which Aristotle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privantia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as privation and habit contradicentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are opposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as affirmation and negation which Tully calleth velde contraria Thus if Bellarmines Logick be good there are no opposits but contraries nor any contraries but adversa when it is acknowledged by better Logicians than himselfe that of all opposites the most contrary are those which are opposed as affirmation and negation which are called contradicentia as imputare non imputare which are so immediately opposed as the one of them is alwayes true quidlibet affirmare negare verum but cannot both bee true together for that implyeth a contradiction And therefore Chemnitius objection standeth still in force § IX Againe if the holy Ghost in this place had meant by remission of sinne the deletion or abolition of it hee would not have called it remitting covering or hiding or not imputing of it For nothing is either remitted covered or not imputed but that which is And things are hid not that they should not bee but that they should not bee seene Tecta ergo peccata quare dixit saith Augustine ut non viderentur As a prudent man hideth his knowledge Prov. 12. 23. and an hypocrite his sinne we know this saith Bellarmine but withall we know that somethings are covered that they may bee preserved and some things that they may be abolished As wounds are covered with a plaister the most ordinary end and perpetuall consequent of hiding any thing hee leaveth out which is that it may not be seene and so God hideth our sinnes when hee hideth his face from them § X. But for our learning Bellarmine will shew us the expositions of the Fathers that wee may know how farre we swarve from the meaning of the ancient and Orthodox Church And first hee citeth Iustin Martyr who alleadging Psal. 32. 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord doth not impute sinne that is saith he that a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repenting of his sinnes receiveth from God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the forgivenesse of his sinne where hee expounderh the not imputing of sinnes to bee the forgivenesse thereof But saith he not as you deceive your selves and others like you in this point who say that although they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not those which have sinne but such as the Scripture calleth sinners that is to say impenitent sinners so that they know God the Lord will not impute sinne unto them though they doe not repent wherein we wholly agree with Iustin though the Papists doe not who deceive themselves and others whom they perswade though they live in sinne if they observe the outward formality of doing penance which all of them do once a yeare though they neither have faith nor repentance which very few if any of them have they have absolution from their sinne § XI In the next place he citeth Origen and Hierome both which doe make three degrees of the three phrases wherein as they conceive David ascendeth from the lesse to the greater when as notwithstanding it is apparant that if those phrases did signifie divers things the first were the greatest and the middle the least according to the variety of the words whereby sinne in this place is signified Origen setteth them downe not as the gifts of God as Bellarmine beareth us in hand but as a mans owne merits for because saith hee the beginning of the conversion of the soule is to forsake evill from this hee deserveth which the Papists themselves deny to receive remission of sinne But when hee shall beginne to doe good as it were covering over his former evils with new good things he is said to cover sinnes But when he shall come to a perfect man insomuch that from the soule the very roote of all wickednesse is cut off in so much that no footstep of wickednesse can bee found therein which never happeneth in this life for concupiscence which remayneth in all is both a footstep of sinne at the least and the very roote of all iniquity Iam. 1. 14. where now the summe of perfect blessednesse is promised then God cannot impute any sinne which was a private and unsound conceit as there are many more of Origen from which though we dissent wee cannot justly bee said to swarve from the doctrine of the Primitive Orthodox Church § XII Hierome if yet it be Hierome mentioneth three degrees but all of remission of sinne for so hee saith quibus modis remittuntur peccata tribus by what wayes are sinnes remitted by three They are remitted by Baptisme they are covered by Charity they are not imputed by Martyrdome which assertion also is unsound both because according to this conceipt to no man is sinne not imputed but onely to Martyrs and also because by Charity hee seemeth to understand not Gods love but ours when notwithstanding it is euident though our charity cover other mens sinnes Prov. 12. 10. yet our sinnes are to bee covered by the love and mercie of God in Christ. Howbeit in that which followeth he is moresound and agreeth with us quod tegitur non videtur quod non videtur non imputatur quod non imputatur nec punietur what is covered is not seene what is not seene is not imputed what is not imputed shall not be punished where he plainely sheweth that the covering and not imputing of sinne is the not punishing of it But this distinction of the words into three degrees is rejected by Saint Ambrose who saith that to remit cover and not impute are all of one sense and meaning Indeed hee saith that divers names of sinnes are here mentioned whereby wee may gather the variety of sinnes but the Verbes bee of one signification quia cum tegit remittit cum remittit non imputat because when hee covereth he remitteth and when hee remitteth hee doth not impute And this exposition is most agreeable â—…to that of Saint Paul who by all these three understandeth one and the same thing which is the imputation of righteousnesse without workes For it is the manner of the men of God in their Psalmes and Hymnes recorded in the Word of God for their greater comfort as it were by way of exultation to dwell upon those things wherein they rejoyce by expressing the same in divers and sundry â—…ermes whereby the selse same thing is repeated which Rhetoricians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § XIII In the last place hee citeth two testimonies against us which he calleth out of Augustines exposition of these words which being intirely cited agreeth wholly with us For to omit his exposition of these words a little before set downe quorum tecta sunt peccata whose sins are
covered that is saith he quorum peccata in oblivioneÌ„ ducta sunt whose sins are brought into oblivion in the place quoted by Bellarmine he hath these words Blessed are they whose sins are covered he doth not say in whom no sins are found but whose sins are covered The sins are covered and hid they are abolished or blotted out by oblivion according to his owne former exposition even now alleaged If God covered sins he would not have an eye to them nor animadvert them if hee would not animadvert them neither would he punish them Noluit agnoscere maluit ignoscere he would not take notice of them he would rather pardon them Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered then follow the words cited by Bellarmine Ne sic intelligatis doe not sounderstand what he saith whose sins are covered as though they were there and lived unmortified and unrepented of For that they bee there still though mortified appeareth both by the words before that they may be found there though covered and by his next words tecta ergo peccata quare dixit ut non viderentur why then did he say that sins are covered not that they be not at all but that they may not be seene Quid enim erat Dei videre peccata nisi punire peccata for what is Gods seeing of sin but his punishing of sin and so on the other side what is his not seeing or covering of sin but his not punishing or pardoning it Afterwards making way for the exposition of verse 3. he saith that no man is without sin and that no man can boast that he is cleane from sins And that therefore men if they would have their sinnes cured they must not hide them like the Pharisee who be ing in the Temple as it were in statione medici did shew his sound parts and hid his wounds Deus ergo tegat vulnera noli tu let God therefore cover thy wounds do not thou For if thou being ashamed wilt cover thy wounds the Physician will not cure it then follow the words cited by Bellarmine in the second place Medicus tegat curet emplastro enim tegit Let the Physician cover and cure for with a plaister he covereth then followeth under the cover of the Physitian the wound is healed under the cover of him that is wounded the wound is concealed From whom doest thou conceale it from him that knoweth all things Therfore brethren see what he saith quum tacut c. because I held my peace my bones are waxen old c. where August doth not expound these words whose sins are covered but sheweth that if wee would have them healed wee should not cover them but confesse them to our Spirituall Physician that he covering them with an emplaister may cure them all which we confesse so that he needed not to quote the two Gregories to prove that God doth as it were with a plaister cover and cure our sinnes But withall we would know of Bellarmine what this plaister is Is it our inherent righteousnesse as the Papists teach or is it not the righteousnesse and satisfaction of Christ by whose stripes we are healed for as I shall shew presently out of Iustin Martyr whom here to no purpose Bellarmine did alleage in the first place nothing could cover our sinnes but onely the righteousnesse of Christ by whom the iniquity of many is hid or covered § XIV Diverse other arguments Bellarmine mentioneth as cited out of Calvins Institutions Lib. 3. c. 11. in answering wherof besides some of those which I have produced he spendeth six whole Chapters which notwithstanding for the most part are not there to be found but seeme at least some of them to have been devised of his own braine and by him framed and fitted to his owne strength that having overcome these counterfeit enemies hee might seeme to have refuted us But these arguments which I have produced are sufficient for the proofe of the point in question and them I have defended against his cavils If any man desire to see the defence of the rest that is to see Bellarmines objections devised for us maintained against himselfe he may have recourse to the answere of David Paraeus who hath in so many Chapters answered Bellarmines exceptions Lib. 2. de justif Cap. 9 10 11 12 13 14. Now I proceed to the testimonies of the Fathers and of other later Writers CAP. IV. Testimonies of Writers both Old and New proving justification by righteousnesse imputed § I. I Beginne as Bellarmine did with Iustin Martyr For what other thing saith he could hide or cover our sinnes but the righteousnesse of the Sonne of God In whom was it possible that wee sinners and ungodly should bee justified but in the onely Sonne of God O sweet commutation that the iniquity of many should be hid in one just person and that the righteousnesse of one should justifie many sinners 2. Athanasius affirmeth that the fulfilling of the Law wrought by the first fruits whereby he meaneth the flesh of Christ is imputed to the whole lumpe 3. Gregory Nyssene marvell not saith the Spouse that uprightnesse hath loved me but that being blacke by reason of my sinne and by my workes drawing neere to darkenesse hee hath made mee beautifull by his love making an exchange of his beauty with my blacknesse For having translated the filthinesse of my sinnes unto himselfe hee hath made me partaker of his purity communicating unto me his owne beauty 4. Chrysostome here the Apostle sheweth that there is but one righteousnesse and that that of the Law is recapitulated or reduced to this of faith And that he which hath gotten this which is by faith hath also fulfilled that but he that despiseth this he falleth from that together with this and a little after â—… if thou beleevest in Christ thou hast fulfilled the Law and hast performed much more than the Law commanded For thou hast received a farre greater righteousnesse For as he had said in the words going before that Christ hath justified us by faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more amply than we would have been justified by the Law This greater this more ample righteousnesse must needs be understood of Christs righteousnesse imputed unto us 5. Ambrose he that confesseth his sinnes to God is justified that is obtaineth remission of sinne which is also testified by S Iohn 1 Ioh. 1. 9. and is verified in David Psalm 32. 5. and in the Publican Luk. 18. 14. But he that is justified by remission of sinne is also justified by imputation of righteousnesse for as Bellarmine confesseth the not imputing of sinne bringeth with it imputation of righteousnesse 6. Hierome to the like purpose then are wee just when wee confesse our selves to bee sinners and our righteousnesse consisteth not in our owne merit but in Gods mercy 7. Augustine omnes qui per Christum
justificati jâ—…sti non in se sed in illo All that are justified by Christ are just not in themselves but in him And thereunto adde the testimonies before cited out of Hierome Augustine Sâ—…dulius and Anselmus who all have taught that wee when wee are justified are made righteous not in our selves but in Christ. Againe Augustine teacheth that our justice in this life doth stand rather in the remission of sinnes than in perfection of vertues That is as I understand him that our chiefe righteousnesse in this life is that of justification and not of sanctification for that is perfect and so is not this by that we are justified before God and intitled unto heaven so are we not by this Here Bellarmine would seeme to acknowledge that remission of sinne concurreth to justification but his constant and perpetuall doctrine is that justification consisteth wholly in the infusion of righteousnesse expelling sinne in so much that remission of sinne and infusion of righteousnesse are not two actions but one c. which assertion supposed how could Augustine say that our righteoufnesse is such in this life that it consisteth rather in the forgivenesse of sinne than in the perfection of vertues seeing vertue infused is the force of justification and expelleth sinne and is all in all and if that assertion of the utter deletion of sin when it is remitted were true most vaine were that boasting of Ambrose who saith gloriabor non quia vacuus peccati sum sed quia mihi remissa sunt peccata Maximus Taurinensis when God doth remit sinne indulgentia facit innocentem by his indulgence he maketh the party innocent 8. Among the latter Writers I will give the first place to Bernard who saith death by the death of Christ is put to flight Christi nobis justitia imputatur and the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to us 2. What could man doe of himselfe to recover his righteousnâ—…sse once lost being the servant of sinne and the bondman of the devill Assignata est ei proinde aliena justitia qui caruit suâ therefore â—…nother mans righteousnesse was assigned unto him who wanted his owne 3. One dyed sor all ut viz. satisfactiounius omnibus imputetur that the satisfaction of one might be imputed to all 3. If he shall say thy father Adam made thee guilty I will answere that my brother hath redeemed meâ—… Why not righteousnesse from another seeing guilt is from another 5. Hee will not condemne the just who had mercy on a sinner I may call my selfe just sed illius justitiâ but by his righteousnesse and what is that Christ the end of the Law unto righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth Finally who of God the Father was made righteousnesse unto us Is not that therefore my righteousnesse which was made righteousnesse unto me 6. Lord I will mention thy righteousnesse onely for that is mine also for thou of God was made righteousnesse to mee should I feare that it being but one should not suffice us both It is not a short cloake which is not able according to the Prophet to cover two Thy righteousnesse is an everlasting righteousnesse What is longer than Eternity Thy eternall and large righteousnesse it will cover largely both thee and me And in me truely it covereth a mulâ—…itude of sinnes but in thee Lord what doth it cover but the treasures of piety and riches of bounty which testimony doth plainely prove against Bellarmine that Bernard by Christs righteousnesse which he saith is made ours doth not meane that righteousnâ—…sse which is inheâ—…ent in us but that which is out of us in Christ And the same is evidently proved by those testimonies before alleaged that we are made the righteousnesse of God in Christ not ours but his not in our selves but in him even as Christ was made sinne not his but ours not in himselfe but in us 9. Cardinall Contarenus in a treatise of justification which he wrote Anno. 1541. testifieth that God with his Spirit giveth Christ unto us and doth freely of his mercie make all Christs righteousnesse to bee ours and imputeth it to us who put on Christ. That by faith wee doe attaine to a double righteousnesse the one inherent in us by which we begin to bee just and are made partakers of the divine nature and have charity diffused in our hearts the other not inherent but given unto us with Christ. I meane saith hee the righteousnesse of Christ and all his merits both which are in time given together Now saith he forasmuch as I have said that by faith we attaine to a twofold righteousnesse the one inherent in us viz. charity or that grace by which we are made partakers of the divine nature the other being the righteousnesse of Christ given and imputed to us because wee are ingrafted into Christ and have put on Christ It remaineth we should inquire on whether of them we ought to rely and to thinke our selves justified before God that is to beheld or esteemed holy and just I meane by such a righteousnesse which may beseeme Gods children and satisfie the eyes of God Ego prorsus existimo I doe utterly thinke that it may be godlily and Christianly said that we ought to rely I say to rely as upon a sure thing which doth assuredly sustaine us on the righteousnesse of Christ given unto us and not on that holinesse and grace which is inherent in us For this our righteousnesse is but begun and unperfect which cannot safegard us but that in many things we offend and daily doe offend and have need to pray daily that our debts may be forgiven us wherefore in the sight of God wee cannot for this justice be accounted just and good as it would become the sonnes of God to be good and holy But the righteousnesse of Christ which is given unto us is truâ—… and perfect justice which is altogether pleasing in the eyes of God in which there is nothing which may offend God or which doth not highly please him upon this therefore being certaine and sure we are to rely and for it alone to beleeve that we are justified that is to bee held and pronounced just This is that pretious treasure of Christians who so findeth selleth all he hath that he may buy it This is that precious pearle which who findeth leaveth all that he may have it The Apostle Paul saith I esteemed all other things losse that I might gaine Christ not having mine owne righteousnesse but that which is by the faith of Christ And a little after he saith that the more holy any men are so much the more they understand themselves to stand in need of Christ and his righteousnesse vouchsafed to them and therefore forsaking themselves rest upon Christ alone c. Albertus Pighius having shewed that all men are sinners and subject to the Curse from thence inferreth
that most miserable had beene our estate if God had not most mercifully fuccoured us in his Son nostrâ justitiâ vacuos ejus involvisset justitia and being void of our owne righteousnesse had inwrapped us in his righteousnesse and a little after nisi ipse sua impartiretur justitia qui nostra planè destituimur quae nostram iniquitatem injustitiam tegeret David doth not say the man is blessed who hath not committed sinne nor done iniquity but blessed are they whose iniquities are mercifully forgiven of God whose sinnes he doth cover and hide with his justice Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne which he can scarcely be without or at least never is without and againe In illo c. in Christ therefore wee are justified before God not in ourselves not with our righteousnesse but with his which now is imputed to us having communion with him wanting righteousnesse in our selves we are taught extra nos in illo justitiam quaerere to seeke for righteousnesse out of ourselves in him Now saith he that our righteousnesse standeth in Christs obedience hence it is because wee being incorporated into him it is accepted of God in our behalfe as if it were ours insomuch that by it selfe we are held just And even as Iacob when not being the first borne but hiding himselfe under the habit of his brother and clothed with his garment which sent forth a fragrant smell obtayned the blessing from his Father so we that we may obtaine the blessing of righteousnesse from our heavenly Father it behoveth us to lye hid under the pretious purity of our eldest Brother to smell sweet with his odour and to have our sinnes covered with his perfection And finally he saith that if wee speake formally and properly wee are justified neither by faith nor charity but by the onely righteousnesse of God in Christ by the onely righteousnesse of Christ communicated to us and by the onely mercie of God forgiving our sinnes which saith he I have before made evident 11. Conradus Clingius maketh justification to be either imputative which we call justification or active which we call sanctification the righteousnesse of the former being wholly in Christ of the latter in us so that he differeth but in termes from us 12. The Auâ—…hors of the Booke called Antididagm Coloniens say that the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us is the principall and châ—…efe cause of our justification upon which chiefly we ought to rely and trust 13. To these we may adde the confession of our adversaries who cannot deny but that Christ his satisfaction is imputed to all that are justified or shall be saved as I have shewed before Yeâ—… this is the confession of all Christians who professe Christ to be our Saviour that the Lord accepteth the merits of Christ that is his obedience and sufferings in their behalfe as if they had performed the same in their owne persons And what is this but to impute the obedience of Christ and his sufferings unto us Doth not God accept Christs righteousnes for us or did hee not thereby satisfie for us To what end then as Bellarmine well inferreth did Christ take upon him our nature to what end and purpose did he humble himselfe to doe and to suffer so great things for us For this confession I argue thus What righteousnesse and obedience of another the Lord accepteth for us that hee imputeth to us for righteousnesse for by imputation we meane nothing else But the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ the Lord accepteth for us otherwise he could not have been our Saviour Therefore the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ is imputed to us for righteousnesse CHAP. V. The objections of the Papists against imputation § I. FIrst they cavill at the word and that in divers respects for first they say it is new Secondly they deride it calliug it justitiam putatitiam an imaginary justice Thirdly they say this assertion that wee are justified by imputation of Christs righteousnesse is no where to bee found To the first concerning novelty I answere that the word is used tenne times Rom. 4. and in the same sence that wee doe use it for accepting a man as righteous who in himselfe is a sinner verse 5. or imputing to a man righteousnesse that worketh not vers 5. or without workes vers 6. that is without respect of any righteousnesse inherent in him or performed by him besides other places of the Scriptures both in the Old Testament and in the New where the Hebrew Chashab is read with Lamed or the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a dative of the person whether in the Greeke translation of the Old Testament or in the Greeke Text of the New Examples of the Old Testament both in the Hebrew text and in the Greeke translation may bee these Gen. 15. 6. Levit. 7. 18. 17. 4. Nâ—…m 18. 27. 30. 2 Sam. 19. 19. Hebr. Psal. 32. 2. 105. 31. Prov. 17. 28. Graec. Examples of the New Testament besides those in the Epistle to the Romanes 2 Cor. 5. 19. Gal. 3 6. 2 Tim. 4. 16. Iam. 2. 23. In the Latine vulgar translation not onely the Verbe imputare and imputari are used in the same sense as 2 Chron. 30. 19. Iob 42. 8. Psalm 32. 2. Sap. 12. 1â—… Eâ—…ek 33. 16. Rom. 4. 4. 8. 5. 13. 2 Tim. 4. 16. Philem. 18. but also reputure and râ—…putari construed with a dative as Gen. 15. 6. Numb 18. 27. 30. Deut. 21. 8. â—…bsque dativo Deut. 23. 21. 24. 15. Iud. 4. 9. 2 Sam. 19. 19. 1 Chron. 21. 3. Psal. 106. 31. 1 Mac. 2. 52. Rom. 4. 3. 5. 9. 10. 11. 22. 24. Galath 3. 6. Iam. 2. 23. But say they the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a simple Verbe and the Hebrew chashab doth signifie pâ—…rare not imputarâ—… to thinke esteeme or account not to impute I answer when the Hebrew Verbe is read with Lamed or the Greeke with the dative of the person it signifieth properly to impute as in the places even now quoted and is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word also is used by the Apostle Rom. 5. 13. Phile. 18. or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Variâ—…us doth expound it producing this example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sinnes of the children of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Fathers that is imputeth or layeth them to their charge and so the vulgar Latine translateth the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Latine imputare as Rom. 4 4. 8. or reputare with a dative as Rom. 4. 3. 5 c. or accepta ferre as Rom 4. 6. which are all one even in the opinion of that Latine interpeter Neither should this act of imputation seeme strange seeing the practise thereof is usuall among men For as when the debtour being not able to make payment if the surety shall pay the whole summe or satisfie for the
Lord in every Chapter almost of his story renew and repeat his promises unto him Why did hee confirme them by oath Why did he seale them by the Sacrament of Circumcision which is the seale of that righteousnesse which is by faith How came it to passe if Abrahams faith was altogether perfect that twice he used that unlawfull shift which proceeded out of distrustfull feare calling his wife his sister whom to save his owne life he exposeth to danger for perfect faith expelleth feare and distrust § VI. His fifth reason is besides the purpose For whereas hee should prove that the faith of all the faithfull is in their justification perfect hee proveth that the faith of some speciall men who are highly commended in the Scriptures as rare examples of a strong faith was after they had beene justified not a weake and a languishing but a strong and valiant faith to which purpose hee alleadgeth Heb. 11. 33. 1 Iohn 5. 4. 1 Pet. 5. 9. Ephes. 6. 16. and thereupon inferreth Surely that faith which can overcome the world resist the Devill and repell all his fiery darts must not be a weake or languishing but a strong and valiant faith All which we grant But yet deny either that it was so strong when they were first justified thereby or that when it was at the strongest it was perfect But here by the way I would faine know of Bellarmine and his consorts whether this strong faith so much commended in the Scriptures bee onely a bare assent to the truth of the word and promises of God or rather an assurance which wee call speciall faith grounded on the word and promises applyed to our selves In his last reason he urgeth againe the force of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of Heb. 10. 22. signifying as he saith with our consent a most full and most perfect perswasion We acknowledge that it signifieth a full perswasion which wee call assurance which is so farre from being in all the Papists when they are justified as that none of them have it at all without speciall revelation which they will confesse is very rare But yet of this assurance there are degrees all aspiring in this life but none attaining to perfection for when wee have attained to some assurance wee must still labour to increase it striving toward perfection So much of Faith § VII As touching Hope saith he the testimony of the Apostle Heb. 6. 19. may suffice for there he saith that our hope must be the anchor as it were of our soule safe and sure Answ. This argueth the assurance of Hope in some of Gods children after they have beene justified but not the perfection Sound Hope is safe and sure because it never confoundeth or maketh ashamed Rom. 5. 5. where by the way also I would gladly learne if there may be such a full assurance of Faith and Hope as here Bellarmine affirmeth and that without speciall revelation why there may not be the like assurance of Salvation and of perseverance to Salvation which elsewhere hee stoutly denieth and by his denyall confuteth his owne assertion in this place for if there cannot bee assurance of Salvation much lesse can there bee perfection of Faith and Hope CHAP. VII Bellarmines proofes that Chà rity is perfect disproved § I. THere remaineth Charity which he would prove to bee perfect not in all and that in their first justification which he ought to prove or else he proveth nothing but in som men in some part of their life after their first justification and this he proveth first by the testimonies of Augustine and after by authority of Scripture Out of Augustines booke de natura gratia hee citeth two testimonies the former in these words ipsa charitas est verissima plenissima perfectissimáque justitia which Augustine doth not speake of Charity when it is infused in the act of justification nor of Charity in generall but of that perfect Charity whereunto nothing may bee added which hee confesseth to bee the truest the fullest the perfectest justice The latter in these words perfecta Charitas perfecta justitia est perfect Charity is perfect righteousnesse which wee deny not But that no man in this life doth attaine to perfect Charity Augustine though he would not in that booke dispute of the possibility thereof because God if he please is able to bestow perfect justice and to make men free from all sinne yet in other places hee doth plainely and fully teach as first Charity in some is greater in some lesse and therefore not perfect in all that are jusâ—…ified in others none at all but the most full and compleat which now cannot be increased is in no man so long as hee liveth here Now so long as it may be increased assuredly that which is lesse than it ought to be is a fault By reason of which default there is not a righteous man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not for which default no man living shall be justified before God for which if we shall say that we have not sinne we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us for which though we be never so good proficients we must of necessity say forgive us our debts And in another place In part there is liberty in part bondage as yet no entire no pure no full liberty And after let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodyes c. he doth not say let it not be but let it not reigne As long as thou livest sinne must needs be in thy members onely let the kingdome be taken from it § II. To this purpose a multitude of Testimonies might bee cited out his Booke De perfectione justitiae which hee wrote against Caelestius the Pelagian who held that men may attaine to perfection in this life I will content my self with a few Tunc erit plena justitia quando plena sanitas quando plena charitas plenitudo enim legis charitas Tunc autem plena charitas quando videbimus cum sicuiâ—… est Charitas plena perfecta tunc erit cum videbimus facie ad faciem The righteousnesse which we have here in our pilgrimage is to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse that hereafter we may be filled Quotquot ergo perfecti hoc sapiamus id est quotquot perfectè currimus hoc sapiamus quòd nondum perfecti sumus ut illic perficiamur quo perfectè adhuc currimus ut cum venerit quod perfectum est quod ex parte est destruatur id est non jam ex parte sit sed toto quia fidei spei res ipsa non quae credatur speretur sed quae videatur teneaturque succedet charitas a. quae in his tribus major est non auferatur sed augeatur impleatur contemplata quod credebat quod sperabat indepta In qua plenitudine charitatis praeceptum illud implebitur Diliges
what Pharisaicall conceit the Papists have of themselves that being once ex opere operato justified by their Sacraments though they neither have knowledge nor faith nor repentance nor any sanctifying grace in them yet they are not truely and indeed sinners in themselves neither is there any sinne in them And therefore unlesse they will play the hypocrites and dally with God they ought not to pray as Christ taught his owne Apostles to pray forgive us our sinnes But by saying there is no sinne in themselves it is evident that there is no truth in them 1 loh. 1. 8. § VIII His eighth argument is taken out of the Canticles where Christ is compared to the Husband or Bridegrome the Church or justified soule to the Spouse which Spouse is said to bee most faire and beautifull yea tota pulchra viz. by beauty inhereâ—…t in her selfe and not by the beauty of her Husband imputed to her Answ. From allegoricall Scriptures no sound argument can bee drawne especially when they are not understood But be it that by the Spouse is meant the Church of Christ. Is it the Church triumphant as it mayseeme when she is said to be tota pulchra then is it to no purpose alleaged As for the Church militant that commendation cannot be verified of it by reason of many deformed members which be alwayes in the visible Church besides which the Papists acknowledge no other But if the Church militant bee meant then of what time for it may not be thought that what is spoken in the Canticles doth agree to the Church at al times The Spouse which somtimes is said to be tota pulchra in other places is said to be blacke sometimes She enjoyethher Beloved somtimes She is at a losse sometimes she adhereth to her Love sometimes She neglecteth him But suppose she be alwaies and altogether beautiful which me thinks should hardly be verified of the Church of Rome besides which they acknowledg no other true Church especially when the visible Head therof the Popes have beene monsters of men their Clergie Sodomiticall their Laity void of all truth and power of Religion their whole Church in respect of her faith hereticall in regard of her religion idolatrous and in respect of both apostaticall but suppose I say the true universall Church which is the company of the elect to be wholly beautifull This totall beauty cannot be understood of her inherent righteousnesse which is stayned and unperfect but of that righteousnesse which her husband hath imputed and imparted to her as we heard before out of Gregory Nyssen § IX Yea but Bellarmine will prove that this beauty is inherent first because her beauty is described as that which is proper to women and his as that which is proper to men and therefore that his beauty is one and hers another Secondly because it is absurd to imagine hee absurdly chargeth us that the Spouse of Christ is deformed in herselfe being onâ—…ly adorned outwardly with her Husbands garment But this labour Bellarmine might have spared For wee doe acknowledge that the true Church is beautifull and that by a twofold beauty the one the perfect beauty of her Husband communicated to her by imputation the other unperfect and inherent which being but begun in this life is to be perfected in the life to come but howsoever this inward beauty be unperfect yet because it is upright her Husband is delighted therewith and in regard of this inward uprightnesse and integrity she is said to be glorious within In which respect the Tabernacle of the Congregation was a fit type of the Church militant which in outward appearance is black and brown like the tents of Kedar but within faire and beautifull like the hangings of Salomon even as the tabernacle which outwardly made but a homely shew being covered with Rams skinnes and Badgers skins was inwardly glorious wee acknowledge therefore that there is inherent righteousnesse in the true Church and in all the true and lively memâ—…ers thereof In regard whereof in the Creed we professe our selves to beleeve that she is holy and that the communion of her members among themselves and with their head is the communion of Saints But that by this inherent righteousnesse either the Church or any member thereof is justified before God we doe utterly deny § X. His ninth and tenth arguments I will put together because one answere may serve for both His ninth reason is this by justification the heart is cleansed that it may be prepared for the vision of God for untill it be cleane it cannot see God The tenth Christ suffered and gave himselfe for his Church that he might sanctifie it Heb. 13. 12. Ephes. 5. 26. Tit. 2. 14. loh. 17. 19. which is not done by imputation c. Both those objections arise from the wilfull ignorance of the Papists who will not distinguish justification from sanctification The righteousnesse of sanctification of which these places speake wee acknowledge to be inherent though that of justification be imputed and that which I have shewed heretofore as wee are by justification entitled to the kingdome of heaven so by sanctification we are fitted and prepared for it We confesse that the heart must be cleane and pure before it can see God and that by sanctification begun in this life the heart is prepared but never fully cleansed untill it come to see God wee acknowledge that our sanctification is the end not onely of our redemption but also of our Election Ephes. 1. 4. of our creation and recreation according to Gods image Ephes. 4. 24. of our vocation 1 Thes. 4. 7. of our justification and reconciliation Col. 1. 22. Luk. 1. 74. 75. That sanctification is the way wherein men being elected called justified are to walke to their glorification But though it bee via regni yet it is not causa regnandi that our Saviour by his Spirit doth truly really and inherently worke the worke of sanctification in all those that are justified But I beseech you what is the force of both these arguments Our hearts must be cleansed by inherent purity therefore we are not justified by imputed righteousnesse Christ dyed and gave himselfe for us that wee might bee sanctified with true inherent grace therefore we are not justified by righteousnesse imputed Christ gave himselfe for us that he might redeeme and justifie us that being reedeemed and justified wee might worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him Finally Bellarmine telleth us that many other arguments might bee produced but these he saith were the principall which notwithstanding for the most part were such as deserved with scome to bee rejected rather than to bee in good earnest refuted which neverthelesse argueth not the insufficiencie of the disputant but the badnesse of the cause which admitteth no better proofes A TREATISE OF IVSTIFICATION THE SIXTH BOOKE Concerning Faith CAP. I. What Faith is and that it is not without knowledge § I. THâ—…
second For if thou doest truely beleeve that Christ is the Saviour thou art bound to beleeve that hee is thy Saviour otherwise thou makest God a lyar That therefore thou mayest learne to apply Christ unto thy selfe God by his minister delivereth to thee in particular the Sacrament as it were a pledge to assure thee in particular that as the Minister doth deliver unto thee the outward signe so the Lord doth communicate unto thee that beleevest according to the first degree of faith the thing signified that is to say Christ with all his merits to thy justification sanctification and salvation § IV. This distinction of the degrees of faith as it is most comfortable for hereby we are taught how to attaine to assurance of salvation as elsewhere I have shewed for having the first degree which is the condition of the promise thou maiest apply the promise to thy selfe and by application attaine to assurance so it is most true and most necessary to bee held And first as touching the former degree which is the speciall apprehension and embracing of Christ by a lively assent accompanyed with the desire of the heart and resolution of the will as I have said that it is that faith which is the condition of the promise and by which wee are justified before God I have proved by plaine testimonies of Scriptures and other pregnant proofes The places of Scripture which I alleaged were these Mat. 16. 16. 17. Ioh. 20. 31. Act. 8. 37. 38. Rom. 10. 9. 10. 1 Ioh. 5. 1. 5. Whereunto may bee added 1 Ioh. 4. 15. Among the manifold proofes which I produced this is one that if there bee no other justifying faith but the speciall faith whereby wee are assured of the remission of our sinnes then two absurdities will follow The one that wee must apply the promises to our selves before wee have the condition thereof which as wee ought not to doe lest wee play the hypocrites so wee cannot doe unlesse wee will perniciously deceive our selves The promise is whosoever beleeveth in Christ hath remission of sinne whosoever beleeveth in Christ shall bee saved c. This promise is made to none but to those who truely beleeve and are endued with a justifying faith which is the condition of the promise It is evident therefore that a man must bee endued with justifying faith before hee can apply the promise and hee must apply the promise before hee can have any assurance by speciall faith The second absurdity is that a man must bee assured that his sinnes be forgiven before they be forgiven and so must beleeve a lie yea that a man must bee assured that they are forgiven to the end that they may be forgiven which is a great absurdity This therefore is an undeniable truth that before we can either apply the promises or attaine to assurance of remission of sinne we must be endued with true justifying faith which is the condition of the promise and the meanes to obtaine remission I must beleeve therefore by a justifying faith before I can have remission of sinnes I must have remission of sinnes before I can have any assurance thereof and I must ascend by many degrees of assurance before I come to full assurance which yet in this life is never so full but that still more may and ought to be added to it § V. As touching the second which by some is called speciall faith not onely in respect of the object which is Christ for so the former is also speciall but in respect of the effect which is by actuall application of the Promises to a mans selfe to assure him in particular of his justification and salvation It is by some both protestant and popish writers called fiducia that is affiance Howbeit the most of our Writers by it meant assurance But unproperly howsoever for neither is faith affiance nor affiance assurance This speciall apprehension application of Christ though scorn'd by the Papists yet is it of all graces the most comfortable most profitable most necessary Most comfortable for the very life of this life is the assurance of a better life Most necessary because without this speciall receiving of Christ first by apprehension and then by application we can have no other saving grace How can we love God or our neighbour for Gods sake how can we hope and trust in him how can we rejoyce in him or be thankefull to him if we be not perswaded of his love and bounty towards us and so of the rest Most profitable because from it all other graces proceed and according to the measure of it is the measure of all other graces as I have elsewhere shewed For if the love of God bee shed abroad in thy heart by the Holy Ghost that is if by faith thou art perswaded of Gods love towards thee thou wilt be moved to love the Lord and thy neighbour for his sake then wilt thou hope and trust in him then wilt thou rejoyce in him and bee thankefull unto him and so forth And the greater thy perswasion is of his love and goodnesse towards thee so much the greater will be thy love thy hope thy trust thy thankefulnesse thy rejoycing in him c. When as therefore the Papists detest and scorne our Doctrine concerning speciall faith they doe plainely bewray themselves to have no saving grace nor any truth or power of Religion in them § VI. But that this speciall receiving and embracing of Christ by faith is necessary to justification and that faith doth not justifie without it it doth evidently appeare by the third and fourth points before handled in the fourth and fifth Bookes For if we be justified only by the righteousnesse of Christ which is out of us in him then are we not justified by faith as it is an habit or quality inherent in us but as it is the hand and instrument whereby we receive Christ his righteousnesse which as it is imputed to us by God so we apprehend it by faith And because faith alone doth receive Christ and all his merits therefore the same benefits which we receive from Christ and are properly to bee ascribed unto him as the Authour of them are in the Scriptures attributed also to faith because by faith we receive Christ. By Christ we live Ioh. 6. 57. We live by faith Gal. 2. 20. Hab. 2. 4. By Christ we have remission of sinnes Eph. 1. 7. Act. 13. 38. By faith wee have remission of sinnes Act. 8. 39. 26. 18. By Christ wee are justified Esai 53. 11. Wee are justified by faith Rom. 3. 28. Gal. 3. 24. By Christ we have peace with God Col. 1. 20. We have peace with God by faith Rom. 5. 2. We have free accesse to God by Christ Eph. 2. 18. 3. 12. Heb. 10. 19. We have free accesse to God by Faith Rom. 5. 2. Eph. 3. 12. We are sanctified by Christ 1 Cor. 1. 30. Heb. 10. 14. We are
that is beleeved them and embraced them were justified by faith in Christ the promised seed so are we and by nothing else And further we are to note that before those words recorded Gen. 15. 6. Abraham had by faith embraced the maine promise of the Gospell Gen. 12. 3. in thee that is in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed and by that faith was justified by which also he obeyed God leaving his owne countrey and by the same faith sojourning in the land of promise as a Pilgrime sought a better countrey that is an heavenly Therefore as S. Iames saith when Abraham in his great triall had approved himselfe to be a faithfull man that then the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Not that then Abraham first beleeved but that then by that notable fruit of faith hee approved the truth of his faith and manifested the truth of that oracle which then by good proofe was verified of him So by the like reason may that place Gen. 15. 6. be understood that Abraham beleeved in the Lord and it was counted to him for righteousnesse Not that then Abraham either first beleeved or was then first justified for hee had beleeved the grand promise of the Gospell before and by it was justified and before this time had brought forth excellent fruits of faith Gen. Chap. 12 13 14. but that by this new act of beleeving the Promises renewed which the Apostle amplifieth Rom. 4. 18. the truth of his faith was manifested And thus Bellarmine himselfe expoundeth those words Gen. 15. 6. affirming that as S. Iames applieth them to that act â—…en 22. so they may be applied to all notable acts of the faith of Abraham Againe justification or imputation of righteousnesse is actus continâ—…us which is not to be restrained to the instant of our first conversion and justification but continued to them that beleeve And therefore so long as they have faith God imputeth righteousnesse unto them § VI. But for the better clearing of this point we are to take notice that Christ and his benefits or the doctrine of salvation by Christ are the proper object of justifying faith in two respects both as it justifiâ—…th befoâ—…e God and as in the Court of our owne Conscience Before God when by a lively and effectuall assent or beleefe as hath beene said wee receive and embrace Christ our Saviour with all his merits or which is all one the promises of the Gospell concerning justification and salvation by him Such was the faith of Saint Peter Math. 16. 16. and of the rest of the Apostles Ioh. 6. 69. Of Nathaniel Ioh. 1. 49. Of Martha Ioh. 11. 27. Of the Samaritanes Ioh. 4. 42. Of the Eunuch Act. 8. 37. With which whosoever are endued are borne of God 1 Ioh. 5. 1. they dwell in God and God in them 1 Ioh. 4. 14. 15. they overcome the world 1 Ioh. 5. 5. and unto them blessednesse Mat. 16. 17. Ioh. 20. 29. justification Rom. 10. 9. 10. and salvation is promised Ioh. 20. 31. Act. 16. 31. In the Court of our owne Conscience it doth justifie when wee finding that wee have the former degree which is the condition of the promise doe soundly apply the promise to our selves For hee who knoweth that hee hath the condition not onely may but must apply the promise of the Gospell to himselfe otherwise he maketh God a lyar 1 Ioh. 5. 10. This application as hath been â—…aid is made by a practicall syllogisme the proposition whereof or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is this whosoever doth truely beleeve in Christ hee shall be saved the assumption or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I saith the faithfull man do beleeve in Christ the conclusion or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore I shall be saved This conclusion is the voice of speciall faith Such was the faâ—…th of Iob chap. 19. 25. Of David Psal. 103 3. Of Thomas Ioh. 20. 28. Of Saint Paul Gal. 2. 20. and of all the faithfull in the Scriptures who in many places have applyed and as it were appropriated to themselves the mercies of God in Christ. And such is and ought to be the faith of all that truely beleeve For the generall alwaies includeth the particular If therefore thou doest truely beleeve that Iesus is the Saviour of all that truely beleeve in him thou art then bound to beleeve that he is thy Saviour Of this point I have treated elsewhere and have answered the objections so many as I thought worth the answearing § VII Now I come to Bellarmines dispute concerning the object of faith wherein hee endevoureth to prove and to maintaine three things First that the object of faith is not Gods speciall favour in Christ but whatsoever God hath reveâ—…led Secondly that men may be justified without speciall faith Thirdly that men are not justified by speciall faith As touching the first wee doe freely confesse that by the justifying faith we doe beleeve whatsoever wee understand to bee revealed by God And further we professe that by the virtue of justifying faith all articles of Christian Religion become after a sort the objects of speciall faith For as he who hath the Philosophers stone is said by virtue thereof to turne other metals into Gold so it may more truely be said of him who is indued with that faith whereby we are justified before God that he may and ought to make all the Articles of the catholike or dogmaticall faith the precious objects of speciall faith by applying them to his owne good and comfort which being a matter of singular use and comfort I will a little insist upon it Doest thou then beleeve by a true and a lively assent as hath been said that Iesus the Sonne of the Blessed Virgin is the erernall Sonne of God and the Saviour of all those that truely beleeve in him Thou art then bound to beleeve that hee is thy Saviour Doest thou beleeve that Christ is thy Saviour then must thou beleeve that God the Father is thy gracious and mercifull Father in Christ that he is all sufficient to bestow upon thee all good things that hee is omnipotent to protect and defend thee from all evill riding upon the heavens for thy helpe and so of the other attributes that hee is eternall to Crowne thee with everlasting happinesse that he is immutable in his love towards thee that hee is omniscient and therefore knoweth thy wants omnipresent that thou maist powre thy requests into his bosome true and faithfull to performe all his promises to thee just to forgive thee thy sinnes when thou doest confesse them and to justifie thee seeing Christ hath satisfied his justice for thee good gracious and mercifull unto thee that hee hath loved thee in Christ with an everlasting love and in him hath adopted thee to bee his Sonne and if a Sonne then also an
upon it be cured And although their eye could not properly bee said to cure them yet because it was the onely instrument to apprehend that object which God had ordained as the onely remedy to salve them it is truely said that by onely looking upon that object they were cured Even so our Saviour Christ was lifted up upon the Crosse it is his owne similitude Ioh. 3. 14 15. that whosoever being stung by the old serpent doth but looke upon him with the eye of faith Ioh. 6. 40. may be justified and saved for although this eye of the of the soule which is faith cannot be said properly to justifie them who are sinners yet because it is â—…he onely instrument to apprehend that object which God hath ordained as the onely remedy and propitiation for our sinne it is truely said that by beleeving onely in Christ we are Iustified § IV Secondly whereas faith it selfe doth not justifie properly but the object which it doth apprehend which is Christ and his righteousnesse our meaning therefore when wee say that faith alone doth justifie can be no other but this that the righteousnesse of Christ alone which is onely apprehended by faith doth justifie us And forasmuch as this is a necessary disjunction that wee are justified either by that righteousnesse which is inherent in our selves or by that which is out of us in Christ for by some righteousnesse wee are justified and a third cannot be named it followeth therefore necessarily that if we be not justified by inherent righteousnesse then by Christs righteousnesse alone because a third righteousnesse by which we should bee justified cannot be named § V. Thirdly where wee say that Christs righteousnesse alone which is apprehended by faith alone doth justifie wee doe not meane absolutely that nothing else doth justifie but nothing in that kind viz. that the righteousnesse of Christ is the only matter of our justification and faith the onely instrument on our part by which wee are justified For otherwise as hath before beene shewed wee confesse that many things else doe justifie viz. God as the Author and principall efficient of our justification who imputethunto us the righteousnesse of his Son The holy Ghost also doth justifie us by working in us the grace of faith hy which he applyeth Christs righteousnesse unto us The Ministers also doe justifie as the instruments of the holy Ghost both by the ministry of the Gospell by which faith is begotten in us and of the Sacraments whereby the promises of the Gospell are sealed unto us And lastly good workes doe justifie as the signes and evidences whereby our faith and justification is manifested But as the matter nothing doth justifie but Christs righteousnesse and as the instrument on our part nothing but faith And in this sense wee doe constantly affirme that by Christs righteousnesse alone apprehended by faith alone wee are justified § VI. For the demonstration of our assertion I shall not need to bring many new proofes seeing that all those arguments which before I have produced but especially those which concerne the matter and forme of justification doe invincibly prove that wee are justified by the righteousnes of Christ alone being apprehended by faith alone and imputed to them that beleeve For if we be justified by the imputed righteousnesse of Christ alone and if in us there bee nothing which receiveth or maketh us partakers of Christs righteousnesse but faith onely then there is nothing in us by which we are justified but onely faith But because the Papists object heresie and novelty against us in this point I will besides some few places of Scripture and some other reasons briefly propounded produce the testimonies of the Fathers and others who have in all ages lived in the Church before these times § VII First therefore Rom. 3. 24. the word gratis freely being an exclusive particle doth import that we are justified by the grace of God and merits of Christ through faith without righteousnesse in us and therefore by faith alone Secondly Gal. 2. 16. We know that by the workes of the Law that is the righteousnesse and obedience prescribed in the Law in which all inherent righteousnesse is fully and perfectly described a man is not iustified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no otherwise but by faith non nisi per fidem as Bishop Iustinian or by faith onely as Henry Steven who well understood the Greek translateth it sed tantùm per fidem Thirdly Rom. 4. 5. the exclusive is implyed To him that worketh nor but hath beleeved that is hath onely beleeved in him who justifieth sinners his faith is imputed unto righteousnesse and so the Syriack Paraphrast readeth but hath onely beleeved Fourthly Mar. 5. 36. Luk. 8. 50. Onely beleeve To this Bellarmine answeareth That Christ speaketh of the miraculous raising of a dead body and not of the justification of a sinner for as for the obtaining of a miraculous cure he confesseth that faith doth suffice alone Thus Bellarmine in that place to serve his present tume But in the seventeenth Chapter of the same booke where hee would prove that faith doth justifie not relatively in respect of the Object but by its owne efficacie hee alleageth that the woman of Canaan procured her daughters health by the efficacie of her faith and rejecteth his owne answere in the other place Neither may it bee answered saith he that it is one thing to speake of justification and another of the curing of a bodily disease For our Lord by the very same words attributeth Vtramque sanitatem the health both of the body and the soule to faith For as he said to the woman who was a sinner Luk. 7. 50. thy faith hath saved thee so to the woman which had the bloudy issue Mat. 9. 22. thy faith hath saved thee and to the blinde man whom he restored to sight Mar. 10. 52. thy faith hath saved thee And further it is to bee thought that our Saviour when he telleth them whom he cured that their faith had saved them that is himselfe through faith had saved them looked higher than to the cure of their bodies as Mat. 9. 2. sonne be of good cheere thy sinnes are forgiven thee for sinne being the cause of their maladies the Lord to cure them tooke away the cause thereof which was the guilt of sinne § VIII All those places which exclude workes from justification doe by necessary consequence teach justification by faith alone For that we are justified by some righteousnesse is confessed of all This righteousnesse is either the righteousnesse of faith or of workes that is either the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith and that is the righteousnesse of God which without the Law is revealed in the Gospell or that righteousnesse which is inherent in our selves prescribed in the Law For neither can a third righteousnesse bee named by which we should be justified neither can wee be justified by both
theefe upon the crosse Repl. But it evident that as S. Paul so also Origen speaketh of workes in generall and that in the penitent theese and in that penitent woman good workes were not wanting For the theeâ—…e reproâ—…eth his fellow confesseth his sinne acknowledgeth Christs innocencie professeth Christ in his most despicable eâ—…ate when his owne Disciples â—…ed prayeth unto Christ to remember him when he should come to his Kingdome The woman brought an Alabaster box of ointment stood behinde Christ weeping washed his feeâ—… with her teares wiped them with the haires of her head kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment by which actions shee tâ—…tified her faith in Christ her repentance for her â—…innes her love to her Saviour acknowledged by Christ himselfe to have beene great Yet not by these good workes but onely by their faith were those two persons justified And no marvell For even Abraham himselfe though he abounded with good workes yet he was not justified by them but by faith onely Yea but saith Bellarmine Origen doth not exclude love and repenâ—…nce Repl. No mâ—…re doe we from the subject that is the partie justified but from the act of justification For although they doe not concurre with faith to the act of justification as any cause thereof yet they must eoncurre in the subject that is the partie justified as necessary fruits of faith and unseparable companions of justification V. Cyprian Fidem tantùm prodesse or as Pamelius will have it iâ—… 〈◊〉 faith onely or whâ—…lly profitetâ—… VI. Eusebius Casariensis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherefore that faith doth suffice us to salvation which maketh us to know God the Father Almighty and to subscribe or assent that his onely begotten Sonne is the Saviour VII Hilariâ—… it 〈◊〉 the Scribes that sinne should be forgiven by a man for they saw no more in Christ but a man and that to bee remitted by him which the law could not release for faith onely justifieth And againe Qâ—…ia 〈◊〉 sola justificat and yet againe Hac sola fides confessâ—… Christum Dei filium omnium beatitudinâ—…m glâ—…riam merâ—…it in Petrâ—… This faith alone confessed that Christ is the Sonne of God obtained in Peter the glory of all blessednesse To the first Bâ—…llarmine answereth that the particle alone excludeth onely the law which 〈◊〉 hath no place in the other two But if the law be excluded which iâ—… the rule of all inherent righteousnesse it proveth justification only by faith For if men be justified either by the legall righteousnesse or by thâ—… Evangelicall and a third cannot be named then it followeth that if men have not nor can have remission of sinnes and justification by the law that is by inherent righteousnesse which is prescribed in the law thâ—…n they must have it according to the Gospell that is by the righteousnesse of Christ received by faith onely but the former is true Act. 13. 38 39. therefore the latter VIII S. â—…asill This is perfect and entire glorying in God when a mâ—…n being not lifted up for his ownâ—… righteousnesse knoweth indeed himselfe to want true justice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to bee justified by faith alonâ—… in Christ. 〈◊〉 answereth that Basil excludeth onely workes done without faith or the grace of God Reply But Basill mentioneth not workes going before Grace but speaketh of a man already justified who then doth intirely glory in God when being not lifted up with a conceit of that righteousnesse which is in himselfe but being conscious to himselfe of his defectivenesse in respect of inherent righteousnesse acknowledgeth himselfe to be justified onely by faith in Christ. IX Gregory Nazianzene speaking of those words Rom. 10. 9. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is righteousnesse to beleeve onely X. Saint Ambrose or whosoever else as ancient as he was the Authour of the Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul whom the Papists use to cite under the name of Saint Ambrose and of Bishop Ambrâ—…se when they meet with any thing that seemeth to make for them Sixâ—…us Senensis doth not only acknowledge them to be Ambrose his Commentaries but also commendeth them as being breves quidem in verbis sed sententiarum pondere graves He in very many places ascribeth justification to faith alone â—…ellarmine saith he excludeth the workes of the ceremâ—…niall Law or the necessity of externall workes which may serve perhaps for a poore shift to avoid some few places but not the most As first in Rom. 3. 24. They are justified saith he gratis that is freely because nihil operantes neque vicem redentes sola fide justificati sunt donâ—… Dei that is without workes either going before or following after they are through the gift of God justified by faith only Secondly In Rom. 4. how can the Iewes who looke to be justified by the workes of the Law thinke that they are justified with the justification of Abraham cum videant Abraham non ex operibus legis sed sola fide justificatum when they see Abraham to have beene justified not by the workes of the Law but onely by faith Non ergâ—…â—…pus est lege quando impius per solam fidem justificatur apud Deum There is no need therefore of the Law seeing a sinner is justified before God by faith alone Thirdly and on those words of thâ—… fifth 〈◊〉 according to the Latine secundum propositum 〈◊〉 sic decâ—…etum dicit à Deo ut cessante lege solam fidem 〈◊〉 Dei pâ—…sceret ad salâ—…tem Fourthly He pronounceth them blessed whom God hath ordained that without any labour or observation solâ—… fide justificantur apud Deâ—… they should be justified before God by faith alone Fifthly There being nothing required of them but onely that thâ—…y beleeve Sixthly In Rom. 9. Sola fides posita est ad salutem Seventhly in Rom. 10. Nullum opus dicit legis sed solam fidem 〈◊〉 in causa Chrâ—…sti Eighthly In 1 Cor. 1 this is ordained of God that whosoever beleeveth in Christ be safe or saved sine operâ—… solâ—… fide gratis recipiens remissionem peccatorum without worke receiving freely remission of sins by faith alone Ninthly In 2 Cor. 3. hac lex scil spiritus dâ—…t libertatem solam fidem poscens the Law of the Spirit which is the covenant of grace giveth â—…liberty requiring faith onely Tenthly In Gal. 3. 18. he noteth the improvident presumption of the Iewes who thought that men cannot be justified without the workes of the Law cum sciant Abraham qui forma ejus rei est sine operibus legis per solam fidem justificatum when themselves know that Abraham who is the patterne or samplar of that matter to have been justified by faith alone without the workes of the Law Eleventhly In Gal. 3. 22. that hee comming who was promised to Abraham fidem solam ab ijs posceret should require of them faith
justum fuerat ut quomodo Abraham credens ex Gentib per solam fidem justificatus est ita caeteri fidem ejus imitantes salvarentur 2. In Rom. 4. 5. Convertentem impium per solam fidem justificat Deus And on those words of the Latine Edition secundum propositam gratiam that is saith he as Hierome had said before quo gratis proposuit per solam fidem dimittere peccata 3. In Rom. 4. 6. the blessednesse of man he calleth remission of sins by faith It is a great blessednesse without the labour of the Law and penitence to obtaine the Grace of God by faith alone Which words are in part taken out of S. Ierome on the same place 4. In Rom. 8. 28. On those words secundum propositum secundum quod proposuit salvare sola fide according to which he purposed to save by faith alone those whom he foreknew should beleeve whom also he freely called to salvation Which word for word are taken out of Ierome 5. In Rom. 10. 5. Moses put a difference betweene either justice to wit of faith and of workes because the one by workes the other sola credulitate justificet accedentem by faith alone justifieth him that commeth and so Ierome on the same place out of whom also hee reciteth word for word that which before I cited out of him in Rom. 10. 16. Ergo si fides sufficit adjustitiam c. 7. In Gal. 2. 20. In fide vero filii Dei i. in sola fide quia nihil debeo legi so Ierome 8. In Gal. 3. 14. ex fide i. ut sola fide salvarentur credentes c. XVII Theodoret in Rom. 3. 24. sola enim fide allata peccatorum remissionem accepimus We have received remission of sinnes having brought faith onely 2. In Rom. 3. 25. Our Lord Christ is both God and the propitiatory and the high Priest and the Lambe and by his bloud he procured our salvation Solam à nobis fidem exigens requiring of us faith alone 3. In Eph. 2. 8. By grace c. for we brought onely faith Neither did we of our owne accord beleeve but being called we came and when we were come hee did not exact of us the purity and innocencie of life sed sola fide suscepta condona vit peccata but hee forgave our sinnes accepting of our faith alone 4. And in the seventh of his Therapeutickes after he had cited that of Esai 45. 23. I blot out your iniquities c. he addeth for not by any praise-worthy workes of ours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by faith alone wee have obtained the mysticall or spirituall good things XVIII Prosper Aquitanicus in his Epigrammes Inde i. ex doctrina Apostolica capit quisque vitam quam parit una fides From the Doctrine of the Apostles a man receiveth life which faith alone doth beget or procure XIX Claudius Marius Victor s At ille Abraham Credidit nuda fidei confessio sola Plenam adjustitiae et meriti reputata coronam est XX. Petrus Chrysologus Christus mulieris haemarrhoissae docuit exemplo quà m fides sola totam proficiat ad salutem The Testimonies which Bellarmine in the second place out of his owne store produceth for us out of Leo are impertinent for they speak of the work of faith not in justifying but in sanctifying of us XXI Primasius in Rom. 4. 3. Tam magna fuit donâ—… Dei fides Abrahâ—… ut pristina ei peccata donarentur sola ei pro omni justitia duceretur accepto The same had Ierome saving that here is a divers reading for that which we reade in Ierome prae omni justitia doceretur accepta reputatum est illi ad justitiam compensatum sola fides 2. In Rom. 4. 5. Impâ—…um per solam fidem justificat non per opera quae non habuit si enim secundum opera puniendâ—…s est non liberandus 3. In Rom. 4. 12. ut omnes qui ex Gentib credunt secundum fidem filii sint Abrahae dum illis sola fides adjustitiam repetatur the very same had Ierome 4. In Rom. 5. 1. Fides facit filios Abrahae qui ante circumâ—…isionem exsola credulitate justificatâ—… est 5. In Rom. 8. 28. Propositum Dei est ut sine â—…peribus Legis vel quibuscunque aliis meritis per fidem solam justificaret impios 6. In â—… Cor. 5. 19. Non reputans illis delicta ipsorum h. e. indulgens per solam fidem quae gratis donata est 7. In Gal. 1. 3. Sola fide salvati est is per gratiam Dei 8. In Gal. 2. 14. Non ex operib sed sola fide per gratiam vitam habere te nosti Hierome 9. In Gal. 2. 17. Si enim gentes fides sola non salvavit nec nos quia ex operibus nemo justificabitur Hierome 10. In Gal. 2. 20. In fide verò Filii Dei in sola fide Hier. 11. In Gal. 3. 6. Abraham credidit Deo c. ita vobis fides sola sufficit adjustitiam Hier. 12. In Gal. 3. 14. Vt in Geâ—…tib benedictio Abrahae fieret in Christo Iesu ut sola fide Gentes benedicerentur in Christo sicut promissum fuerat Abrahae Hierome ut pollicitationem Spiritus accipiamus per fidem solam 13. In Gal. 3. 22. Vt necesse esset sola fide per gratiam salvari credentes 14. In Gal. 3. 26. Omnes enim Filii Dei estis per fidem in Christo Iesu â—…nes enim â—…qualiter Iudai Gentes per fidem solam quae 〈◊〉 Dei creditis Christo. Hierome XXII Theodulus Caelo-Syriae presbyter in Rom. 4. 13. Lex ob quam gloriaris nihil profuit adpromissiones ipsi Abraham factas sed sola fides 2. In Rom. 5. 2. ad iâ—…narrabilia dona beneficia Dei in nos collata nos 〈◊〉 prâ—…er fidem attulimus XXIII Genâ—…dius apud Oecumen in Rom. 3. 24. freely that is without any good workes of thine thou art saved And againe as having brought with thee nothing but faith Wherefore all that beleeve in Christ are justified freely bringing with them onely to beleeve XXIV Venantius Fortunatus in expos-symboli in artic de remissione peccatorum Nobis in hoc sermone sola credâ—…litas sufficit XXV Venerabilis Beda in Psa. 77. 7. per justitiam factorum nullus salvabitur sed per solam justitiam fidei XXVI Haymo in Gal. 3. 12. Lex non complebatur fide sed opere Evangelium â—…utem completur fide magis quà m operibus quia sola fides salvat 2. In Rom. 1. Pluribus modis ostendit Paulus justitiam salutem non esse per legem sed per fidem in Christum ut a lege abducat in sola fide Christi eos constituat 3. In Evâ—…ngel de circumcisione Christi sola tantummodo fide salvabuntur gentâ—…s siout scriptum est justus exfide vivet XXVII
which are a few testimonies of Scriptures and Fathers impertinentâ—…y alleaged His first testimony is Prov. 28. 25. qui sperat in Domino sanabitur The second Psal. 37. 40. Salvabit eos quia speraverunt in eo The third Psal. 91. 14. quoniam in me speravit liberabo eum Answ. None of these three places doe speake either of justification or preparation thereunto nor of hope otherwise than as it is included in affiance which as it hath reference to the future time is all one with hope nor of hope or affiance as it goeth before but as it followeth justifying faith what therefore could be more impertinently alleaged The first place according to the originall is but he that trusteth in the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be made fat The Latine in the next verse translateth the same words thus qui confidit and the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The second Psalm 37. 40. the word chasah is translated sometimes confidere to trust sometimes and as I take it in that place onely sperare to hope in the same sense of affiance those that thus trust or hope in God he delivereth them from the wicked and saveth them But before they can either be saved or trust in God they must be justified by faith And therefore this hope or affâ—…ance is no forerunner of justification but a follower thereof The third Psalm 91. 14. the Hebrew chashak which by some is translated sperare by others valde or vehementer amare amore in aliquem propendere and might better have beene alleaged for love than for hope both which are consequents of justifying faith The words then are because he hath set his love upon me therefore I will deliver him he doth not say I will justifie him But let us heare Bellarmines commenting upon this place the Hebrew word saith he doth signifie to adhere to love to please therefore not every hope but that affiance which proceedeth out of a good conscience and out of Love and filiall adhering to God doth deliver a man c. § VIII His fourth testimony Matth. 9. 2. confide fili have a good heart sonne so the Rhemists translate thy sinnes are forgiven thee For our Lord faith Bellarmine did not as some falsely teach justifie the man who had the palsey before he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be of good courage my sonne but contrariwise as the Councell of Trent very learnedly signifieth first he saith be confident my sonne and when he saw him raised up in hope of health hee added thy sinnes remittuntur tibi are forgiven thee Whereby Bellarmine would signifie that by this hope or affiance the man was prepared for justification Answ. First the party and those that brought him had faith as all the three Evangelists note Matth. 9. 2. Mark 2. 5. Luk. 5. 20. and therefore was justified before God for if they who brought him had faith much more he who no doubt desired them to bring him and had already his sins forgiven Secondly the Verbe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the time past and ought to be translated not as Bellarm. readeth remittuntur are now forgiven or in forgiving but remissasunt they are already forgiven And by that argument our Saviour putteth him in comfort that hee should be cured because his sinnes which were the meritorious cause of his sicknesse were forgiven By which glad tydings hee would have him to be assured by speciall saith of the remission of his sinnes and in that assurance to be confident So that although the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be confident were uttered first yet the words following containe the cause of that confidence And therefore not onely remission of sinnes but assurance thereof by speciall revelation went before his confidence which therefore could be no preparative disposition thereunto And this is usuall in such consolations first to bid the party to be confident or not to feare and then to set downe the cause thereof as Genes 15. 1. Feare not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward Esai 43. 1. Feare not Israel for I have redeemed thee In the same ninth of Matthew verse 22. Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole Luk. 1. 30. Feare not Mary for thou hast found grace or favour with God Luk. 2. 10. Feare not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy and so in other places And these were his testimonies of Scriptures in which he hath found no releefe § IX Let us see what helpe the Fathers will afford him No man saith Ambrose can well repent him of his sinnes who doth not hope for pardon Answ. Hope of pardon is a motive to repentance and to the use of other good meanes whereby wee may through Gods grace attaine both to justification and to sanctification Howbeit repentance belongeth to sanctification and not to justification Augustine whatsoever thou declarest so declare it that hee to whom thou speakest by hearing may beleeve by beleeving may hope by hoping may love From whence nothing can be gathered but that as faith by which we are justified commeth by the hearing of the word as the Apostle also teacheth so from faith proceedeth hope and from both faith and hope love So that here hope which is a fruit of justifying faith and a consequent of justification is made a disposition not to justification but to love Cyprian to those who had fallen in time of persecution giveth this advice that they should acknowledge their grievous crime neither despairing of the Lords mercy nor as yet challenging pardon viz. untill they had truely repented thereof which was indeed wholesome counsell For no man can be assured of the pardon of any crime untill he have truly repented of it Vpon which words of Cyprian Bel. larmine though he can gather nothing out of them for his purpose but that those who desire pardon must not despaire of Gods mercy yet as a notable bragger he insulteth over us as if he had us at some advantage when God knoweth hee hath scarce brought any thing worth the answering By which words saith he our adversaries are plainely refuted who begin not to repent before they are fully assured that they are highly in Gods favour and are confident that they are to be ranked with the Cherubin and Seraphin which is an impudent and yet a witlesse slander as though wee were either so arrogant as the Papists who assume to themselves perfection which we doe not or so senselesse that we should teach that men are tyed to begin their repentance when they have attained to perfection and not till then If it be said that wee make repentance to be the fruit of faith which we define to be a full assurance of Gods favour c. I answere that that definition agreeth onely to speciall faith Not that all speciall faith is a full assurance but that every virtue is to be defined
condition of faith See Act. 8. 37. 10. 43. 13. 38 39. Ro. 4. 5. Gal. 2. 16. and so every where Before the incarnation of Christ it was the good pleasure of God by faith onely to justifie the faithfull as Bellarmine himselfe hath confessed And doth he require any other condition of us are not we justified as they were By his knowledge that is by faith in him my righteous servant shall justifie many Yea but the Scriptures saith Bellarmine much more plainely exact the condition of Penance and of the Sacraments to justification than of faith as Ezek. 18. 27. The wicked if hee repent of his sinnes shall live Luk. 13. 4. unlesse yee repent ye shall likewise perish Ioh. 3. 5. unlesse a man be borne a-new of water and the holy Ghost he shall not enter into the Kingdome of God Answ. Many things are required to salvation which are not required to justification which as they be necessary forerunners of glorification so are they the fruits of faith and consequents of justification viz. repentance and newnesse of life which is the thing mentioned in these places Againe happinesse which consisteth partly in justification or remission of sinnes which is beatitudo viae and partly in eternall life which is beatitudo patriâ—… is oftentimes attributed to those things which are not the causes of happines but the notes and markes of them that be happy There is but one happinesse properly and that is to be in Christ who is eternall life whom whosoever hath hath eternall life Of this happinesse Christ alone is the foundation and the cause and faith the instrument of our union and communion with Christ. All other virtues and graces are but the fruits and consequently the signes and markes of faith or of our being in Christ by faith And therefore are not so many beatitudes though they are blessed that have them but so many notes of one and the same happinesse It is true that if we be sorry for our sinnes because by them we have displeased him who hath been so gracious a God unto us if we confesse them crave pardon for them and forsake them all which are duties of repentance the Lord hath promised to forgive them And yet these are not causes of our justification before God but fruits of faith by which we come to be justified in our owne conscience By faith we obtaine remission of sinnes and by these duties of repentance which are the fruits of justifying faith we attaine to the assurance of it That prayer which somuch prevaileth with God is the prayer of faith That repentance which is to life is caused by faith without which it is impossible to please God and therefore the Disciples when they understood that the Gentiles were brought to beleeve in Christ conclude that God had given them repentance unto life Act. 11. 18. As for the Sacraments the justification which is assigned to them doth not hinder justification by faith onely but serveth to seale and to assure it § VI. The third cause or reason proving that faith doth justifie alone is because it is the property of faith to apprehend and to apply the promise of justification to our selves For the clearing whereof I desire the reader to call to minde what hath beene said concerning the two degrees of justifying faith For by the former wee apprehend receive and embrace Christ who is our righteousnesse offered in the promises of the Gospell to our justification before God By the other wee apply the promises of the Gospell to our selves that we may be justified in our owne consciences Both which actions of receiving and applying the promises to our â—…elves cannot be ascribed to any other grace but are proper to faith onely To this argument Bellarmine shapeth two answeres the former whereof is a meere cavill at the word apprehension which wee make proper to faith as if by apprehending we did meane the first act of the understanding when it conceiveth the object But this point I cleared before in the first question concerning the nature of faith where I shewed that this apprehension whereof Bellarmine speaketh goeth before all judgement of the minde And that the understanding having first conceived and apprehended the object judgeth of it either by withholding the assent if it be doubtfull which is called doubting or by giving assent either weakely which is opinion or firmely which is knowledge this firme assent or knowledge is grounded either upon the evidence of the thing which is either manifest in it selfe and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cleare intelligence or manifested by discourse which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or science or else the thing being not evident either to sense or reason upon the infallible authority of God speaking in his word which is Faith By this beleefe we receive Christ not onely in our judgements by assent but also if this assent be lively and effectuall we receive embrace and lay hold upon him as our Saviour with all our soules acknowledging him in our judgements in our hearts desiring to bee made partakers of him in our wils resolving to professe him to bee our Saviour and to obey him as our Lord c. § VII This is the apprehension whereof we speake and which is peculiar to faiâ—… as it is evident Be it saith Bellarmine that justification after a sort is apprehended by faith Surely it is not so apprehended that indeed it is had and doth inhere but onely that it is in the minde after the manner of an object apprehended by an action of the understanding and will and so saith he love and joy apprehend In these things Bellarmine sheweth himselfe to be a diviner rather than a divine we doe not say that in our justification before God justification is apprehended by faith but the righteousnesse of Christ unto justification And that this righteousnesse of Christ though not inherent in us is as truely and really made ours by imputation as our sinnes though not inherent in him were made his when he truely and really suffered for them By this hand of faith we receive Christ Ioh. 1. 12. by it we receive and embrace the promises Heb. 11. 16. by it we receive remission of sinnes Act. 10. 43. 26. 18. By this mouth as it were of the soule we eate the body of Christ and drinke his bloud That which hee speaketh of justification being in the minde after the manner of an object apprehended by an action of the understanding and the will may in some sort be verified of the apprehension of speciall faith applying justification to the beleever But to say that after this manner love and joy apprehend it is against sense For faith apprehendeth it by a perswasion yea by a firme perswasion upon which follow love and joy not apprehending but loving and rejoycing at that which faith doth apprehend But these two are not incident unto a Papist who
no man lay besides that which is laid which is Christ Iesus By foundation saith hee Augustine and other interpreters understand faith in CHRIST But Paul himselfe say I in expresse termes saith that this foundation is Christ himselfe who most properly is called the foundation of his Church If therefore saith bee but the beginning and a part of justification because in Bellarmines conceit it is called the foundation then Christ himselfe the author and finisher of our faith and our perfect Saviour who most properly is the foundation shall afford us but a beginning and a part of our justification But be it that faith is called the foundation yet I would rather thinke that it is called the foundation relatively because Christ whom it apprehendeth is the foundation than that Christ should bee called the foundation because faith is Sometimes faith is put for the object of it and so is hope and thus some understand Gal. 3. 23 25. But that Christ should bee put for faith I suppose is not usuall But whereof is it the foundation it is the foundation the beginning the root the fountaine of Sanctification and of all inherent righteousnesse yet of justification it is not but Christ onely who alone is the foundation of all our happinesse Augustine indeed by foundation understandeth not onely Christ himselfe but faith also working by love which as Bellarmine said in the last argument is not as here he speaketh the beginning but the perfection of justice Chrysostome and Theophylact whom hee quoteth speake not of faith but of Christ onely Howbeit if faith must be held to be this foundation I doubt not but that according to the Scriptures we are to understand the doctrine of faith concerning Christ which often times is called faith which foundation the Apostle laid when hee preached the Gospell and whereupon other preachers are to build This argument therefore was farre fetched and cannot be brought to conclude the point The foundation is Christ and not faith Or if faith then either the habit of faith working by love which is not the beginning or foundation of justification but of sanctification or the doctrine of faith of which the question is not understood § IX His third testimony is Act. 15. 9. purifying their hearts by faith which plainely speaketh not of justification but of sanctification For we having received Christ by faith hee dwelleth in our hearts by faith and by his Spirit applying unto us not onely the merit of Christ his death and resurrection to our justification but also the virtue and efficacie of his death to mortifie sinne in us and of his resurrection to raise us to newnesse of life The testimonies of the Fathers serve all to prove that saith is the foundation and beginning of a godly life which because we doe freely confesse he might have forborne to prove § X. The third part of his assumption was that faith doth obtaine remission of sinnes and after a sort merit justification and therefore justifieth not by receiving and apprehending the promise Answ. In the antecedent of this reason Bellarmine contradicteth the Councill of Trent which hath decreed nihil eorum quae justificationem precedunt sive fides sive opera ipsam justificationis gratiam promeretur None of those things which goe before justification whether faith or workes doe merit the grace of justification But here Bellarmine ought to have proved three things which because he could not prove he taketh for granted The first is that by other things besides faith we doe merit justification which notwithstanding God doth grant us gratis that is freely and without merit For if faith did merit it which nothing else in us can doe it would follow that faith doth justifie alonâ—… The second that faith doth not obtaine remission of sinnes by receiving and apprehending the object which is Christ. But the Scriptures say plainely that by beleeving in Christ that is by receiving of him we receive remission of sinne The third that impetrare est quodammodò mereri to impetrate is after a sort to merit for then what by faithfull prayer we begge of God we should be said to merit and in like manner the beggar should by begging merit his almes But what saith Bellarmine elsewhere Multum inteâ—…esse inter meritum impetrationem that there is great difference betweene merit and impetration and Thomas Impetramus ea quâ—… non meremur Meritum nititur justitia Dei impetratio benignitate wee impetrate those things which we doe not merit Merit relieth upon Gods justice Impetration on his bounty But let us examine his proofes § XI The first out of Luk. 7. 50. where our Saviour telleth the Woman to whom he had said thy sinnes are forgiven thee that her faith had saved her for saith he it could not wel be said that her faith had saved her from her sinnes that is justified her if it conduced no more to justification than onely to receive the pardon For who would say to a poore man who onely put forth his hand to receive the almes thine hand hath releeved thee or to a sicke man who received a medicine with his hand thy hand hath cured thee Answ. Bellarmine before Chap. 13. alleaged this place to prove that the great love of this Woman towards Christ had procured the remission of sinnes which if it had beene true would have proved that not her faith but her love had saved her Secondly when our Saviour saith thy faith namely in me hath saved thee his meaning is that himselfe being received by faith had saved her As for the similitude of the hand I say thus that if releefe by almes or cure by Phyâ—…cke were promised upon this condition onely that whosoever would but put forth his hand to receive the almes or the Physicke should be releeved or cured it might truely be said that by the hand as the instrument â—…elatively the party is releeved or cured For such gracious promises hath God made to us that if we shall but put foorth the hand of faith to receive Christ wee shall bee justified and saved from our sinnes And such is the accompt that he maketh of this instrument by which onely we receive Christ that for our comfort he may say unto any true beleever as hee did to the woman thy faith hath saved thee For as when the people of Israell were bitten by the fiery Serpents the Lord having promised safely to all that should but liâ—…t up their eyes to behold the brasen Serpent which Moses had set on high to that purpose it might then have beene said of those that were saved that their eye had cured them So our Saviour was lift up upon the crosse that whosoever doth but looke upon him with the eye of faith shall be saved Not that the hand absolutely doth releeve or cure but relatively in respect of the almes or of the medicine which it doth receive Nor
that the eye of the body did cure those who were stung but the brasen Serpent which was a figure of Christ beheld with the eye Nor the eye of the soule which is faith doth absolutely and by it selfe justifie or save but relatively in respect of the object which it doth behold that is to say the Lord Iesus whom God hath propounded to be a Saviour to all that see him and receive him by faith § XII His second proofe is from the speech of Christ to the woman of Canaan who had earnestly prayed unto him and would take no repulse Matth. 15. 28. O woman great is thy faith and Mar. 7. 29. for this saying goe thy way the Devill is gone out of thy daughter for here plainely saith he the efficacie of obtayning health is attributed to faith Neither may it be answered that it is one thing to speake of justification and another to speake of the cure of a bodily disease For our Lord in the very same words attributeth to faith both the one and the other For as hee said to the woman which was a sinner Luk. 7. 50. thy faith hath saved thee so in like manner to the woman whom hee cured of a bloudy issue Matth. 9. 2â—… and to the blind man whom hee restored to sight Mark 10. 52. Answer Though the woman of Canaan and the blind man by prayer obtained their desires yet it was the prayer of faith as Saint Iames calleth it which was effectuall and prevailed with Christ Iam. 5. 16. and therefore to faith I confesse the efficacie is to be ascribed And although it may well be thought that our Saviour when hee used the same words thy faith hath saved thee to the woman which had the issue of bloud and to the blind man which hee used to the sinner whose sins he had forgiven that he being the Physitian of the soule used them in the same sence to assure them of a greater blessing than the bodily cure Matth. 9. 2. yet I doe not deny but that by faith and by the prayer of faith the health both of the body and soule is obtained for as by beleeving or apprehending by faith the righteousnesse of Christ which hee had and performed for us wee are justified so by beleeving the divine power and goodnesse of Christ many were cured of their bodily diseases And yet as it was not their faith apprehending the power and goodnes of Christ which did heale them but the power and goodnesse of Christ which by faith they apprehended as it is said Act. 3. 16. his Name by faith in his name hath made this man strong so is it not our faith absolutely whereby wee apprehend the righteousnesse of Christ which doth justifie us but the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith And whereas Bellarmine will have the like efficacie to be ascribed in justifying unto faith as in obtaining bodily health I take him at his word for hereby it is evidently proved that faith alone doth justifie for our Saviour for the obtaining of bodily health required faith onely Luk. 8. 50. Mar. 5. 36. Bee not affraid Only beleeve and the like may bee gathered out of Matth. 9. 28 29. Mark 9. 23. Iohn 11. 40. § XIII His third proofe is from the example of Abraham Rom. 4. 20 21 22. In the promise also of God he staggered not by distrust but was strengthened in faith giving glory to God most fully knowing or being fully perswaded that whatsoever he promiâ—…ed he also is able to performe therefore it was also reputed to him for righteousnesse Here saith Bellarmine the Apostle rendreth tâ—…e cause why faith was reputed to Abraham for righteousnesse because by beleeving he gave glory to God Therefore that faith pleased God by which he was glorified and therefore by the mâ—…rit of that faith which notwithstanding was the gift and grace of God hee justified Abraham His reason may thus be framed Whatsoever pleaseth God meriteth justification Abrahams faith pleased God because he was glorified thereby Therefore Abrahams faith merited justification The proposition is to bee denyed for before men can please God they must bee reconciled unto him and justified by faith therefore our pleasing of God is not a cause but a fruit of our justification and it is evident that before that promise was either made to him by God or beleeved by him Abraham was justified and therefore not by the merit of that beleefe Againe where men or their actions doe please God not in and for themselves but in and for Christ in whom alone hee is well pleased there mercie is to bee ascribed unto God but not merit to them Yea but the Apostle inferreth therefore it was reputed to him for righteousnesse That argueth Gods acceptation not his merit Howbeit that place may bee understood as that Iam. 2. 23. that this was an evidence of the true faith of Abraham which was imputed to him for righteousnesse not that Abraham did then first beleeve or was then first justified and much lesse that he merited by that act of faith his justification which he had long before § XIV His fourth proofe is out of Rom. 10. 13 14. to which I answered before the thing which here hee would but doth not prove though indeed it needs no proofe is that faith by invocation obtaineth justification Howbeit the Apostle doth not there set downe the order of our justification but the series and order of the degrees of salvation beginning at our vocation unto which three degrees are referred viz. hearing of the word which presupposeth preaching and that sending upon which followeth faith and justification thereby faith bringeth forth the dueties of â—…anctification and namely invocation which sometimes and namely in that place of Ioel is put for the whole worship of God which is the forerunner of salvation but here is no snch thing either mentioned or meant that by invocation faith obtaineth justification and therefore little reason had he from thence to inferre that therfore faith doth not justifie relatively by receiving for sooth justification offered but by seeking knocking asâ—…ing and finally by invocating and impeâ—…rating it doth justifie but passing by the weakenesse of his argument I answere to that which hee inferreth that faith beggeth justification no otherwise but with relation to Christ and his merits by it received For as God forgiveth no sinnes for which Christ hath not satisfied nor accepteth any man to life for whom Christ hath not merited it so are not we to beg justification at the hands of God but in the name and mediation of Christ beseeching God for Christ his sake that forasmuch as Christ hath satisfied the justice of God for the sinnes of all that beleeve in him and hath merited salvation and all spirituall blessings in heavenly things for them that it would therefore please God to accept of Christs satisfaction and merits in our behalfe imputing unto us both his sufferings for the remission
Having received but the first fruits of the Spirit Rom. 8. 23. As for his third prosyllogisme that against such there is no law the meaning is not that those which have the fruits of the Spirit doe never transgresse the law for in many things we offend all but the words are to be understood either of the fruites of the Spirit that against such there is no law but against the contrary fruites of the flesh or of the persons indued with the fruites of the Spirit and then the meaning is either as 1 Tim. 1. 9. That the law is not given to such or as Gal. 5. 18. That those who are led by the Spirit are not under the law that is they are neither under the curse not yet under the terrour and dominion of the law as if they needed thereby to bee forced to obedience but they are as it were a law unto themselves willingly performing obedience to that which the law prescribeth according to the measure of grace received not but that sometimes they faile the flesh prevailing against the Spirit Not under the curse nor subject to the accusation and condemnation of the Law because in Christ who hath freed them from the curse their sinnes are forgiven Who then shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods children seeing it is God that doth justifie who shall condemne seeing Christ who dyed for us maketh also intercession for us But this doth not prove that therefore the faithfull sinne not But this proveth that when having sinned they confesse their sinnes God is just to forgive them because wee have an Advocate with the Father Christ Iesus the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes In this forgivenesse of our sinnes and Gods acceptation of us in Christ and not in our obedience doth our justification consist But he that fulfilleth the Law needeth not remission of sinnes which all doe need And therefore desperate is Bellarmines conclusion that whosoever is justified fulfilleth the Law and whosoever doth not fulfill the Law which no man doth is not justified § XIV And such also is his last argument which may thus bee framed Whosoever sinneth not fulfilleth the Law Of every justified man it may be verified that he sinneth not Therefore every justified man fulfilleth the Law The proposition he proveth because he that sinneth not doth not transgresse the Law and he that doth not transgresse the Law doth fulfill it First I answere to the proposition and the proofe thereof that they are true if understood of continued acts as thus hee that sinneth not that is that never sinneth hee that transgresseth not the Law that is that never doth transgresse it doth fulfill it For none doe fulfill the Law but they who continue in all the things that are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them which is duely to bee marked For the Papists seeme to bee of this opinion that by any one act of obedience wherein a man sinneth not hee doth fulfill the Law And so they feare not to say that every worke of charity doth absolutely merit eternall life wherein they doe grievously erre imagining that as one act committed against charity doth absolutely deserve damnation so any one act proceeding from charity doth absolutely merit salvation But who knoweth not that the whole law of God is copulative and so to bee understood As therefore in a copulative proposition consisting of many suppose twenty parts if any one bee false though all the rest be true the whole proposition is false and to be denyed So if a man should keepe all the Commandements and transgresse any one though it were but once hee is a transgressor of the law and is as Saint Iames saith guilty of all and by the sentence of the law is subject to the curse because he hath not continued in all the things which are written in the Booke of the law to doe them Hee that would bee thought to fulfill the law must not onely abstaine from all the things forbidden but hee must also doe the things commanded hee must doe all hee must continue in doing all And thus if the proposition and the proofe thereof bee understood he that sinneth not he that transgresseth not the Law that is he that never sinneth he that never transgresseth the Law doth fulfill it are true but otherwise they are false and to be denyed § XV. I come to the assumption which Bellarmine proveth thus Whosoever is regenerate and borne of God sinneth not All that are justified are regenerate and that because no man denyethit he proveth by manifold testimonies Ioh. 1. 12 13. 3. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 1 1 Ioh. 4. 7. Rom. 8. 15. Therefore those that are justified sinne not The proposition he proveth out of 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not neither can he sinne because he is borne of God Yet I will not answere him as he answereth us viz. that there be five expositions of this place and never a one of them to the purpose and so dismisse it being indeed unanswerable but I answer that the Apostle doth not meane that the regenerate are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or doe not sinne at all for to that erroneous sense both Iouin and Pelag. did abuse that place as Bellar. here doth but his meaning may be explained out of his own words in the same Epistle for as in the fifth chapter v. 18. When he saith whosoeveris borne of God sinneth not he meaneth as appeareth by the words going before that he sinneth not unto death that is committeth not that unpardonable sin for which we are not to pray v. 16. so here when hee saith whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sin his meaning may be collected out of the next verse going before vers 8. compared with Ioh. 8. 34. he that is borne of God worketh not sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for hee that worketh sinne he that is a worker of iniquity is of the Devill as hee saith vers 8. He that worketh sinne saith our Saviour Ioh. 8. 34. is the servant of sinne and therefore in him sinne reigneth As therefore in the fifth chapter when hee saith he that is borne of God sinneth not he meaneth that he doth not so sinne as he had said vers 16. viz. unto death so here when it is said he cannot sinne his meaning is in that manner as a worker of iniquity as the child of the Devill as the servant of sinne in whom sinne reigneth And in this sense Augustine saith in quo peccatum non regnat non peccat in whom sinne reigneth not he sinneth not namely as those who in the scriptures are called sinners that is impenitent sinners servants of sinne in whom sinne reigneth workers of iniquity Luk. 13. 27. Matth. 7. 23. who shall bee condemned But although they who are borne of God are not such as the Scripture calleth sinners neither doe so sinne
purpose to give us wherewith to merit then would he have infused most perfect righteousnesse into us which should not have beene stained with any sinfulnesse neither should need remission or indulgence But we are so farre from having this power to merit heaven that the best of us had need to pray with David as being not more just than he Enter not into judgement with thy servants O Lord c. for if thou shouldest marke what is amisse who should stand and with the Apostles as being not more holy than they forgive us our trespasses c. our chiefe righteousnesse in this life consisting as Augustine truely saith in remission of sinnes rather than in perfection of virtues Now whiles we are sinners in our selves as all are wee cannot merit any thing but punishment at the hands of God and whiles wee deserve hell how can we possibly merit heaven § X. These were the arguments which Bellarmine tooke upon him to answere but could not satisfie Now wee are to adde some others Our third reason therefore is this If we cannot merit so much as temporall blessings at the hands of God then much lesse eternall But wee cannot merit so much as temporall blessings at Gods hands and therfore much lesse eternall 1. The assumption I prove thus first by the confession of Iacob Gen. 32. 10. that he was lesse than the least of Gods mercies Of David concerning mankinde in generall Psal. 8. 4. and concerning himselfe in particular 2 Sam. 7. 18. Secondly if by all our labours and endevours wee are not able to merit of God so mâ—…ch as a piece of bread but must beg it at Gods hands then can wee not merit eternall life of him But the former is true for therefore our Saviour hath taught us to make this daily praier that God would give us day by day our daily bread To this purpose Saint Hierome saith well that a man could not suffer any thing worthy the heavenly glory though it were such as this present life is But Chrysâ—…stome goeth further if we should dye ten thousand times c. as he was before Anastasius for what good things soever we doe we are not answerable to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the aire alone which we breathe Basill Those which are esteemed retributions are granted to men onely for the Lords bounty sake for all the righteousnesse of mortall men doe not match the gifts already vouchfafed much lesse those which are to come which exceed our thought But most agreeable to our doctrine is that assertion of Gregâ—…rius Ariminensis quòd â—…dum aeâ—…erna vita c. that no act of man though proceeding from never so great charity doth condignely merit with God not onely eternall life but not so much as any other reward whether eternall or temporall § XI Our fourth reason That which we attaine unto by right of adoption as our inheritance purchased by Christ and prepared for us from the beginning of the world without any respect to our merits that we doe not obtaine by our merits Vnto eternall life we doe attaine by right of adoption as our inheritance purchased by Christ and prepared for us from the beginning of the world and that without any respect of our merits Therefore we doe not attaine to eternall life by our merits The assumption is manifest for therefore in many places of Scripture the Kingdome of heaven is called our inheritance Act. 20. 32. 26. 18. Gal. 3. 18. Ephes. 1. 14. 18. 5. 5. Col. 3. 24. and that an eternall and incorruptible inheritance Heb. 9. 15. 1 Pet. 1. 4. And of this kingdome the faithfull are heires Iam. â—… 5. For therefore are we adopted the sons of God that we may be heires heires of God and fellow heires of Christ Rom. 8. 17. Gal. 4. 7. and to the same end are we justified by his grace that we might according to hope bee made heires of eternall life Tit. 3. 7. Bellarmine himselfe hath taught as we have heard that we are entituled to the Kingdome of heaven jure adoptionis And in that we begin to be the sons of God wee begin â—…o have right to the inheritance of the eternall â—…elicity now we begin to be the sonnes of God before wee begin to bring forth good workes And hereby appeareth the truth of the proposition for we have our right of adoption not by merit but by the free grace of God who hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved And this inheritance was prepared for us from the beginning of the world Mat. 25 34. If it be objected that as it is called an inheritance so also a reward and reward presupposeth merit for so the Councill of Trent teacheth that eternall life is to be propounded to the godly both as grace that is a free gift promised by Christ and as a reward duely to be rendred to their merits according to Gods promise I answere that eternall life is no such reward as presupposeth merit for it is a free reward freely promised freely given Neither can those things stand together which the Councill of Trent hath conjoyned that eternall life should both bee gratia a free gift graciously promised and freely bestowed and also a due wages to be rendred to desert neither if it be the reward of inheritance as it is called Col. 3. 24. which is freely bestowed on the sonnes of God it cannot be a mercenary wages which is due to hired servants § XII Our fifth reason If good workes doâ—… merit eternall life then are they causes of it for merits be the causes of that which is merited But good workes are not the cause of eternall life therefore they doe not merit it The assumption I prove first from that received testimony of Bernard that good workes are via regni non causa regnandi Quid autem hac conclusione firmius saith Cassander who also saith that Thomas Bradwardin and divers other Schoolemen deny good workes to bee the cause of the eternall reward and that some who call them causes doe meane Causam sine qua non which properly is no cause Secondly true causes of salvation may bee trusted in for the obtaining of salvation Our good workes are not to be trusted in for the obtaining of salvation Therefore they are not true causes thereof The proposition is Bellarmines Licet confidere in omni vera causa The assumption also in effect is his For if it be most safe as he truly saith by reason of the uncertainty of our owne righteousnesse which none of them can be certaine of without speciall revelation and danger of vaine glory not to trust in our owne merits but to repose â—…ur whole affiance in the only mercy and
of virtue yet to life I am enabled not by merits but by pardon To this Bellarmine giveth the same answere which he did to Aâ—…gustine and Prosper which is that one and the same bush whereby he seâ—…keth to stoppe all gapps that he speaketh of such merits as wee have from our selves which neither are nor can be any But to this place this answere cannot be applyed seeing Gregory speaketh those words in the person of Iob whose workes proceeded from grace he being the most gracious man that was then upon the earth The same Gregory writing on the seventh Penitentiall Psalme speaketh to this effect If that felicitie of Saints be mercie and is not acquired by merits which hee had noted before out of the Psalme what then shall become of that which is written and thou rendrest to every man according to his workes if it be rendred according to works how shall it be esteemed mercie But it is one thing saith he to render according to workes another to render for the workes themselves For in that it is said according to workes the quality of works is meant that whose workes shall appeare to bee good his reward may be glorious For to that blessed life wherein we live with God and by God no labour may be matched no workes compared especially seeing the Apostle saith The passions of this time are not condigne to the future glory Where he teacheth these three things First that eternall life is not gotten by merits no not of Saints Secondly That it is not given for our workes as the meritorious cause though according to our workes Thirdly that our workes are not worthy of it and therefore cannot condigneâ—…y merit it § VI. The sixt and last is Bernard out of whom he citeth as objected by us foure Testimonies The first de annunciat serm 1. where is an excellent passage against merits out of which Bellarmine citeth for us one onely sentence But I will recite the whole place Now as touching life eternall we know that the passions of this time are not condigne to the future glory though one man should sustaine them all Neither are the merits of men such that eternall life should bee due to them by right or that God should doe some injury if hee did not give it For to omit that all our merits are Gods gifts and so for them man is more a debtour to God than God to man what are all merits to so great glory Finally who is better than the Prophet who held it necessary to say unto God Enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord and a little after when hee had commended speciall faith whiâ—…h the Papists cannot abide he â—…aith ipse peccata condonat ipse donat merita pramia nihilominus ispe redonat hee forgiveth our sinnes he giveth us merits or good workes and he neverthelesse giveth us the rewards In which words are contayned six good arguments against merit of condignity The first If the passions of this life even martyrdome it selfe are not condigne or worthy to the future glory though one did beare them all then much lesse are our actions or good workes But the passions of this time though one man should sustayne them all are not condigne or worthy to the future glory therefore much lesse are our good workes worthy of that glory Secondly Condigne merits are such that eternall life is due unto them by right insomuch as God should seeme to doe wrong if he did not bestow it as the Papists most presumptuously teach But our good workes are not such as Bernard here plainely testifieth therefore our good workes are not condigne merits of eternall life Thirdly Those things which bee the gifts of God doe not merit of God yea they are so farre from meriting at the hands of God that they make men who have them debtours to God and not God to them But our good workes which some call merits are all of them the gifts of God Fourthly Betweene merits of condignity and the reward there is an equall proportion But what are all our good workes which they call merits to so great glory Fifthly They who have condigne merits may boldly appeare before the judgement of God and challenge their due reward but the holiest man that liveth ought to say with David enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord for no man living shall be justified in thy sight if thou enter into judgement with him Sixthly If God doth give unto us both our good works or merits and also the reward then our good workes doe not condignely merit everlasting life but the antecedent is true therefore the consequent Of these six Bellarmine citeth onely the second and that onely he answereth viz. that Bernard teacheth that eternall life is not due to merits by right absolutely because they presuppose both the grace and the promise of God but grace and promise being presupposed eternall life is due by right which he would prove out of 2 Tim. 4. 7. and Heb. 6. Reply Bernard speaketh with presupposall both of Gods grace and promise and teacheth that good workes though proceeding from grace though having the promise of reward yet to them eternall life is not due by right neither doe they merit it condignely as is proved by the six reasons whereof Bellarmine answeareth never a one For in thâ—… first reason he speaketh of the sufferings according to the Apostles meaning of the sonnes and heires of God which they suffer for or with Christ having this promise that if they suffer with Christ they shall be glorified with him yet these though one man should sustaine them all are not condigne to the future glory As for the second which he would seeme to answere instead of explaining it he plainely contradicteth it saying that our merits are such as eternall life is due to them by right In the third argument Bernard doth not onely presuppose that the good works or merits where of he speaketh doe proceed from grace but from thence proveth that because they are Gods gifts they cannot merit of God but the more a man hath of them the more he is indebted to God In the fourth he sheweth that betweene all our workes though never so much proceeding from grace and the future glory which is promised to them there is no proportion In the fifth he speaketh of them that are most godly who have both grace and promise of glory that they are so farre from condigne merit that if God should enter into judgement with them none of them could be justified in his sight In the sixth he setteth downe the degrees of grace freely bestowed upon us that hee doth condonare peccata donare merita redonare praemia Of his grace hee forgiveth our sinnes of his grace he giveth us good workes which hee calleth merits of his grace redoubled upon us he graciously giveth the reward which hee hath freely promised as for his proofes out of
sanctification of the Spirit we might bee fitted for his kingdome and receive the inheritance among those that are sanctified And this holinesse is so necessary a property and cognizance of them that shall bee saved as that without it no man shall see God wherefore â—…hough it bee not the cause as I have shewed heretofore yet it is the way to the Kingdome and consequently causa sine quâ—… non And therefore that wee may bee stirred up to seeke after holinesse which is so necessary the Lord in aboundant mercie hath promised eternall life thereunto as the reward whereby hee doth superaboundantly recompence all our service and obedience and most graciously crowne his owne gifts and graces in us Yea but saith toâ—…saack â—…saack yet his pleasure was that hee should obtaine them by the merit of prayer Reply that a man should merit by prayer is as absurd as to imagine that a poore man who hath nothing doth by his begging merit almes It is true that when God promiseth good things unto us as the end wee are to use those meanes which God hâ—…th preordained whereof prayer is a principall and to walke in that way which leadeth to that end but those meanes are no merits nor that way no cause of obtaining that which God as hee hath graciously promised so hee freely bestoweth § XVIII The fourth argument is from those testimonies where the reward is said to bee rendred to good workes out of justice as 2 Thess. 1. 4. we glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and faâ—…th in all your persecutions and tribulations which you sustaine for an example of the just judgement of God and after vers 6. If yet it bee just with God to repay tribulation to them that vexe you and to you that are vexed rest with us 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good sight I have consummate my course I have kept the faith Concerning the rest there is laid up for me a crowne of justice which our Lord will render to me at that day a just judge Heb. 6. 10. God is not unjust that hee should forget your worke Iam. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that suffereth tentation for when he hath beene proved he shall receive the Crowne of life Apoc. 2. 10. Bee thou faithfull untill death and I will give thee the Crowne of life Hereto also saith hee belong those places Pro. 19. 17. foeneratur Domino he lendeth as it were upon usury to the Lord who hath piâ—…y on the poore 1 Cor. 9 24. Know you not thâ—… they which runne in the race all runne indeed but one receiveth the price so runne that you may obtaine 2. Tim. 1. 12. I am sure that he is able to keepe my depositum unto that day For he should doe wrong who should either not repay that which was lent or not pay the prize to him that overcommeth or not restore the depositum that is the thing which is committed to his trust For all these include justice His argument is thus to be framed That reward which God in justice rendreth to good works is merited by them Eternall life is a reward which God in justice rendreth to good works Therefore eternall life is merited by them The proposition he taketh for â—…ranted the assumption hee proveth by all those testimonies which he hath alleaged § XIX But first I answere to his proposition by distinguishing the word justice which is taken either universally comprehending all morall virtues and so it is all one with Gods goodnesse both as hee is good in himselfe and as hee is good to his creatures comprising the bounty and therein the love the grace and mercie of God as well as that which more properly is called his justice So that what good things is rendred accorâ—…ing to this justice is not therfore merited More particularly justice is either in word or deed God is just in his word both in respect of his precepts which are just as a just Law-giver and also in respect of his promises in performance whereof hee is faithfull and just For it is a just thing for any to stand to his promises yea as the Oratour saith fâ—…ndamentum est justitiâ—… fides Hence in the Scriptures faithfull and just are sometimes joyned as synonyma 1 Ioh. 1. 9 If wee confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes And in this sense God is said to be just when hee doth render unto us that which he hath promised So in the places alleaged 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Heb. 6. 10. Iam. 1. 12. Hee is just also in his workes Psal. 48. 10. 145. 17. For God doth whatsoever he willeth and whatsoever he willeth that is just This justice by Philosophers is distinguished into distributive and commutative both observing equality the former geometricall the later arithmeticall But this distinction doth not agree to the justice of God in respect of the later branch which consisteth in commutation that is in mutuall giving and receiving For God giveth all things to all Act. 17. 25. but receiveth not any thing from any Rom. 11. 35 as I have said before and therefore cannot be a debtour to any but to himselfe in regard oâ—… his promise Thus then the justice of God which is in fact may more fully be distinguished that it is either disponens or remunerans disposing either as a just but most free and absolute Lord of all or as he is the just God the Creatour Governour and Preserver of all things Remunerating as he is the just judge As a most free and absolute Lord hee disposeth things according to his absolute will and pleasure Who possessing all things by full and absolute right may according to his pleasure dispose of them doing with his owne what he pleaseth Rom. 9. 18 21. Matth. 20. 15. As hee is the just God that is the Creatour Preserver and Governour of all hee disposeth of all things according to his goodnesse Mat. 5. 45. 48. giving all good things to all not universa singulis but such as are agreeable and fitting to all according to their severall kind nature and quality And from this justice the order of the whole Vniverse dependeth This goodnesse os God sometimes in the Scripture is called his justice Psal. 116. 5. and so translated by the 72. Gen. 19. 19. 32. 10. Exod. 34. 7. Esai 63. 7. and this justice is by the said 72. rendred mercie Deut. 6. 25. 24. 13. Psal. 24. 5. 33. 5. 103. 6. Esai 1. 27. Dan. 4. 24. 9. 16. And as he is God of all and just to all in giving to all those good things which belong to them so is he after a more peculiar manner the God of the faithfull Gen. 17. 7. even the God of their righteousnesse Psa. 4. 1. as their justifier and Saviour by the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour Iesus Christ by imputation
third signification for increase of justice Bellarmines first proofe out of Ecclus. 18. 21. Ariae Montani The same place urged de justif l. 4. c. 19 Rom. 6.23 His second proofe out of Iam. 2.24 Jam. 2.18 De bono patientiâ—… The fourth signiâ—…ication of the word justification De Iustif. l. 2. c. 3. His 1. proofe out of Rom. 5. 17 18 19. a Chrysoft Tâ—…eodoret 〈◊〉 Gal. 2. 18. Iam. 4. 4. Rom. 5. 8. 2 Cor. 4. 2. 6. 4. 7. 11. c â—…ib 4. c. 10. sect 1. c. Bellarmines answere de justis l. 2. c. 3. to foure Obâ—…e ctions out of Câ—…lvin and Chemnitius refuted The first reason because justifying is opposed to condemning Bellarmines hiâ—…t answere Bellarmines second answer Rom. 4. 5. 1 Job 1. 8. Ecclus. 7. 20. Augustine de peccatorum meritis remis Lib. 1. Cap. 15. Non tamen aliqua justitia propter Christum sicut aliqua peccata propter Adam The second reason of Calvin and Chemnitius that as the Hebrew so the Greeke signifieth Bellarmines first testimony Dan. 12. 3. His second Testimony Esai 53. 11. d Exam. part 1. pag. 131. a. The foure words which 〈◊〉 taketh hold of 2 Tim. 4. 1. The first word by his knowledge The second word ipse justus The third word my servant The fourth and he shall beare their iniquities Lib. 2. cap. 4. sect 5. Ap. 22. 11. The use of the word in the Fathers First by their contraries a Hirshiah b Hitsdiq Secondly freedome from Guilt CoruptioÌ„ Thirdly an action of God without us within us c Eph. 1. 7. d 2 Cor. 5. 19. Col. 1. 14. e Ephes. 1. 5 6. Rom. 8. 17. Fourthly in respect of the matter Fifthly degrees of sanctification but none of justification f 2 Pet. 1. 1. Sixthly in respect of the forme Seventhly in regard of the paâ—…ts Eightly in respect of faith g Rom. 3. 31. Ninthly in respect of the Law Tenthly works in the question of justification of no value sanctification of great worth h Phil. 3. 8. Eleventhly by justification entitled by sanctification fitted for Gods kingdome i Act. 26. 18. Tit. 3. 7. k Apoc. 21. 27. l Act. 26. 18. In the Greeke Text there is a comma after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not to be conserved with the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but with the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus that by faith they may receive remission of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified So Act. â—…0 32. Thirteenthly the title the evidence Fourteenthly justified by the grace of God sanctified by the gifts of grace Fifteenthly in justification we are patients in sanctification we are agents Col. 3. 5. Ephes. 4. 23 24. Ezek. 18. 31. Sixteenthly the acts of faith mediate and immediate Seventeenthly of justification the Apostle teacheth in the five first chapters to the Rom. of sanctification in the sixt and seven m Gal. 5. 6. Eighteenthly justification is onely of sinners The Papistâ—… wilfâ—…ll confounding of iustification and sanctification the ground of their malitious calumniations against us It is also the source of their errours which are most pernicious First they confound the Law and the Gospell and are farther from grace n Gal. 1. 8 9. o G l 310. p Gal. 5. 2 4. q Gal. 5. 3. r Luk. 1. 73 74 75. Heb. 8. 10. ex Ier. 3. 31. 33. Heb. 10. 16. They place the matter of iustification and merit of salvation in themselveâ—… s Luk. 18. 11â—… t Rom. 3. 21. 28. Gal. 2. 16. u Phil. 3. 8. 9. Rom. 10. 3. â—… * Rom. 1. 16. 17. Thirdly they wholly take away the benefit of iustification * Rom. 8. 30. Objections that the Papists retaining remission of sinnes doe not wholly take away the benefit of justification a Sess. 6. cap. 7. b De Iustis lib. 2. cap. 6. c Antidot ad Sess. 6. The Papists from justification exclude remission of sinne d De justif Lib. 2. Cap. 2. e Transitus a peccato ad justitiam f De justif Lib. 2. Cap. 7. §. secundò That remission of sinne is not the extinction of it g 2 Cor. 4. 19. h Prov. 10. 12. To remit what it is in the Scriptures See more Lib. 5. Cap. 3. Three other arguments First the debt i Psalm 32. 2. k De Nupt. Concupisc c. 25. 1 Col. 3. 5. m Act. 8. 22. Whether remission be of the macula n Thom. 1. 2. â—… q. 87. art 6. c. ad 1. 〈◊〉 That which they say of the maculaâ—…emaining â—…emaining is not altogether true o In the treatise of perseverance p Col. 3. 5. The booke out of which God doth wipe our sinnes when he doth remit them By what Act of God our sinnes are remitted Our fifth argument becauâ—…e the utter deletion of sinne is not granted in this life Sixthly the guilt and punishment which are taken away in justification are not taken away by infusion of righteousnesse Seventhly remission doth not worke a reall change Eight absurdities following on this Popâ—…h Doctrine Ser. lib. 5. c. 5. §. 6 7 8. p Lib. 5. * De justis l. 2. 6. 7. §. secundâ—… § tertio q In 1. â—… 2. â—… Disp. 204 n. 2.3 De Iustis l. 2. cap. 7. Bellarmines proofe out of the Scripture Places which mention the taking away of sinne 1 Câ—…ron 21. 8. 2 Sam. 12. 13. Psal. 103. 12. a Hirchiq Mic. 7. 19. Ioâ—… 1. 2â—… Levit. 16. 22. Mercâ—…r in the sauro Voce Nasa Es. 53. 12. Heb. 9. 28. 1 Pâ—…t 2. 24. Places which mention the blotting out of finne b in Psal. 51. 10. e Deut. 31. 21. Est. 9. 28. Ecclâ—… â—… 4. Ier. 23. 4â—… 50 5. Es. 43. 25. Ier. 18. 23. Psal. 109. 14. Psal. 51. 9. Act. 3. 19. Es. 44. 22. Numb 6. 25. Psal. 4. 6. Places which mention the purging of sin Psal. 51. 2. 7. d 1 Iohn 1. 7. e Levit. 14. 6. Num. 19. 18. Heb. 9. 19. f Heb. 9. 22. g Heb. 9. 14. b 2 Cor. 4. 16. i 1 Cor. 6. 11. For the not being of sinne Psal. 10. 15. Prov. 10. 25. Places for the perfection of righteousnesse Ephes. 5. 8. k 1 Ioh. 1. 5. Ephes. 5. 26 27. l Retract lib. 1. c. 19. the like he hath lib. de persectione justific p. 975. Col. 3. â—… m Retract lib. 2. cap. 18. Cant. 4. 7. Bellarmines arguments out of his booke de Baptismo lib. 1. cap. 13. n Rom. 4. 11. o Tit. 3. 5. p Rom. 6. 3 4. q Sess. 5. c. 5. r Rom. 6. 12. 7 8. 11. 13. 17. 20. 23. 8. 10. Heb. 12. 1. * Rom. 7. 8. 13. Concupiscence a sinne s Rom. 6. 6. t 7. 24. u 1 Iohn 3. 4. * De amiss gratiae statu peccati lib. 2. ca. 18. Object that concupiscence without consent is no sinne x Rom. 7. 7. y Rom 7. 14. z Maâ—…th 5. 28. a De Nuptiâ—…s Concupisâ—… lib. 1. cap 25. b Contr.