to God for the faith of others, how much more incumbent is it to do so for one's own faith? But he cannot do this, unless he knows that he does believe. 2. That he may have strong consolation in himself: for the consciousness of our faith at the same time gives us assur ance of salvation. Thus the apostle joins these two together: I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.† 3. That, with the greater alacrity, he may run the race of piety: for he who is assured that he acts from faith, is also assured, that his labour shall not be in vain in the Lord; and this assu rance makes the believer steadfast, immoveable, always 'abounding in the work of the Lord.‡

Eph. i. 15, 16. Phil. i. 3. Col. i. 3, 4. 1 Thess. i. 2, 3.~ 2 Thess. i. 3. † 2 Tim. i. 12. ‡ 1 Cor. xv. 56.

THAT

CHAP. VIII.

Of Justification.

HAT faith of which we treated in the former chapter, as saving, is usually also called justifying in the divinity-schools. And since Justification is its first memorable effect, it will by no means be improper to speak of it now; and that with the greater accuracy, as it so nearly concerns the whole of religion, that we stumble not in explaining this article. The doctrine of justification spreads itself through the whole system of divinity; and as the foundation is either solidly or superficially laid, the whole building rises more firm and graceful, or being badly founded threatens an opprobrious fall. The pious Picardians, as they were cal

led in Bohemia and Moravia, valued this article at its true price, when, in their confession of faith, art. 6. speaking of justification, they thus write: "This sixth article is accounted with us the most principal of all, as being the sum of all Christianity and piety. Wherefore our divines teach and handle it with all diligence and application, and endeavour to instil it into all." Let us to the utmost of our power imitate them in this, beginning with its name.

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II. To justify, in Hebrew HATZDIK, in Greek DIKAIOUN, is very frequently and ordinarily used in a declarative sense, and signifies to account, declare, prove any one just, Which is manifest from those places of scripture, where it occurs as the act of a judge, as Psal. lxxxii. 3. HATZDIKU, Do justice to (justify) the afflicted and needy; and this is especially the case, when it is opposed to condemnation, as Deut. xxv. i. Prov. xvii. 15. Is. v. 22, 23.

III. And doubtless this word has such a signification, when God is said to be justified, as Psal. li. 4. That thou mightst be justified when thou speakest; that is, that thou mightst be declared, proved, acknowledged to be just, when thou pronouncest sentence. In like manner, Matth. xi. 19-Wisdom is justified of her children; that is, they who are truly regenerated of God by the gospel, have accounted the wisdom of God, which the Scribes and Pharisees falsely accounted foolishness, to be, as it really is, the most consummate wisdom, and cleared it from the calumny of folly, with which it was branded. In the same sense it is said, Luke vii. 29. All the people and the publicans justified God.

IV. Nor can this word have any other than a forensic signification, when Christ is said to be justified, 1 Tim. iii, 16. and still more fully Is. 1. 8. where the

Lord himself thus speaketh: He is near that justifieth me, who will contend with me? Let us stand together; who is mine adversary? Almost in the same manner as the apostle speaks of the elect, Rom. viii. 33, 34. How was Christ justified? 1. When the Father declared, that he was holy and without spot, according to his mind and will, and even such in whom he was well pleased, Matth. iii. 17. and chap. xvii. 5. 2.. When he pronounced him innocent of all the crimes, with which he was falsely accused, and for which he was unjustly condemned. 3. When he declared, that he had made full satisfaction to his justice, and was no longer under the guilt of those sins, which, as Surety, he took upon himself. The two former acts of justification respect Christ as man; the last as Mediator. And in this respect he is called the righteous (or just) · servant of God, Is. liii. 11. not only as holy and without sin in himself, but as one who also fulfilled all that righteousness to which he bound himself by his own voluntary engagement, whereby, though he was the Son, yet he became the servant of God; and, by his resurrection, was declared to have performed the whole, and so was exalted to that state, that he might be able to justify many, or procure righteousness for many, by virtue of his own righteousness.

V. But we are not to imagine, we have accomplished any great matter, when we have shewn, that justification is often taken in a forensic sense. For scarce any who love to be called Christians, have such a bold front, or stubborn mind, as to deny it. Certainly the Popish doctors themselves generally own it; Bellarm. de justificat. lib. i. c. 1. Becan. sum. theol. tom. ii. tract. 4. c. 3. Tirin. controvers. 15. No. 1. Nor 'do they deny, that Paul himself sometimes treats of justification in that sense: Estius in comm. ad Rom.

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ii. 13. observes, that to be justified there, is the same thing as to be adjudged, declared, accounted righteous, according, says he, to the most usual language of scrip ture. Which interpretation Ruardus Tapperus also approves, ad art. viii. p. 32. I will do my townsman the honor to quote his words. "As to what was aforesaid," says he, "it is to be considered, that, in scripture, to be justified, not only signifies, to be endowed and adorned with righteousness; but sometimes also to be pronounced, declared, adjudged, allowed, and esteemed just or righteous. According to which interpretation, blessed Augustine explains the apostle Paul's expression, The doers of the law shall be justified; that is, says he, shall be accounted and esteemed just." In like manner, Cornelius a Lapide on Rom. viii. 33. It is God that justifieth, thus comments: "It is God that acquits these elect persons, namely, his faithful people and true Christians, from their sins, and absolves from the charge brought against them by sin and the devil, and pronounces them just or righteous." The state of the controversy, therefore, between us and the doctors of the church of Rome, is not, whether justification be sometimes taken in a forensic sense: for that is confessed on both sides.

VI. What then? Are we thus to state the question; namely, whether the term, to justify, has always in scripture a forensic sense? But the most eminent Protestant divines do not affirm this, and therefore it would be too harsh and inhuman to charge them with prevari cation, on that account. Beza on Tit. iii. 7. thus comments: "I take the term justification in a large sense, as comprehending whatever we obtain from Christ, as well by imputation, as by the efficacy of the *ENCHUSANO meo. For it seems, Tapperus was born at Enkhuysen as well as Witsius.

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Spirit in our sanctification, that we may be ARTIOI, that is, perfect and complete in him. Thus also the term, justify, is taken Rom. viii. 30." Much to the same purpose Thysius in Synops. purior. theolog. Leyden. disput. 23. §3. "Nor yet do we deny, that, on account of their very great and close connection, justi fication seems sometimes to comprise sanctification also, as a consequent, Rom. viii. 30. Tit. iii. 7." &c. shall add one testimony more, namely, Chamierus, Panstrat. tom. iii. lib. 10. c, 1. No. 6. who speaks to this purpose: "We are not such ridiculous judges of words, as not to know, nor such impertinent sophisters, as not to allow, that the terms, justification and sanctification, are put one for the other: yea, we know, that they are called saints principally on this account, that in Christ they have remission of sin. And we read in the Revelation, Let him that is righteous, be righteous still; which can only be understood of the progress of inherent righteousness; and we deny not, that there may be a promiscuous use of the words perhaps in other places."

VII. And indeed this ingenuity of these very great men is not to be too much canvassed, who, though they have granted so much to their adversaries, have yet in the main question happily triumphed over them. Nevertheless we see no sufficient reasons why they should have been so illiberal to them. No violence would be put on the alledged passages, if in them the term justification should be taken in the sense, in which Paul commonly takes it: nor doth it appear, that all things would have flowed less agreeably.

VIII. What should hinder us from explaining Rom. viii. 10. in this manner? Whom he did predestinate, that is, whom, by his most free and immutable decree, he has chosen to grace and glory, them he also called,