Not de

Po, i

writers.

the righteous or just fervant of God, Ifa. 53. 11; not only as holy and without fin, in himself, but as one, who had alfo fulfilled all that righteoufnefs, to which he bound himself by his voluntary engagement, whereby, tho' he was the fon, yet he became the fervant of God, and, by his refurrection; was declared to have performed the whole and fo was exalted to that ftate, that he might be able to justify many, or procure righteoufnefs for many, by virtue of his own righteousness.

V. But we are not to imagine, we have accomp pied by lifhed any great matter, when we have fhewn, that juftification is often taken in a forenfick, or law fenfe. For, fcarce any who love to be called chriftians, have fuch a bold front, or ftubborn mind, as to deny it. Certainly the popish doctors themfelves generally own it; Bellarm. de justificat. Lib. 1. c. 1, Becan. Sum. Theol. T. 2 Tra&t. 4. c. 3. Tirin. Controvers. 15. No. I. Nor do they deny, that Paul himself fometimes treats of juftification in that fenfe: Estius in Comm. ad Rom. 2. 13. Obferves that to be justified there, is the fame thing, as to be adjudged, declared, accounted righteous, according, fais he, to the most ufual language of fcripture. Which interpretation Ruardus Tapperus alfo approves, ad Art. 8. p. 32. Iwill do my townfman the honour to quote his words. As to what was a forefaid, fays he, it is to be confidered, that, in fcripture, to be justified, not only fignifies, to be endowed and adorned with righteousness; but fometimes alfo to be pronounced, declared, adjudged, allowed, and efteemed juft or righteous. According to which interpretation, bleffed Auguftine explains the Apostle Paul's expreffion. The doers of the law fhall be juftified, that is, fays he, fhall be accounted and esteemed just. In like manner, Cornelius a Lapide on Rom. 8. 33, it is

3

ENCHUSANO meo- For it feems, Tapperus was born at Enkhuyfen as wellas Withus.

God'

God that justifieth, thus comments: it is God, that acquits thefe elect perfons, namely, his faithful people and true christians, from their fins, and abfolves from the charge brought against them by fin and the devil, and pronounces them just or righteous. The state of the controverfy, therefore, between us and the doctors of the church of Rome, is not, whether juftification be sometimes taken in a forenfick or law fenfe: for, that is confeffed on both fides.

always

fignify, to

divines

admit.

VI. What then? Are we thus to ftate the queftion; That it namely, whether the term, to juftify, has always does not in fcripture a forenfick fenfe? But the moft eminent proteftant divines do not affirm this, and therefore it declare. would be too harsh and inhuman to charge them with excellent prevarication, on that account. Beza on Tit. 3. 7, thus comments; I take the term, justification in a large fenfe, as comprehending whatever we obtain from Christ, as well by imputation, as by the efficacy of the Spirit in our fanctification, that we may be aprio, that is, perfect and compleat in him. Thus alfo the term, justify, is taken Rom. 8. 30. Much to the fame purpose Thyfius in Synops. Purior. Theolog. Leyden. Difput. 23. §. 3. Nor yet do we deny, that, on account of their very great and clofe connection, justification feems fometimes to comprize fanctification alfo, as a confequent, Rom. 8. 30. Tit.3. 7, &c. I fhall add one teftimony more, namely, Chamierus Panstrat. T. 3. Lib. 10. c. 1. No. 6, who fpeaks to this purpose: We are not fuch ridiculous judges of words, as not to know, nor fuch impertinent fophisters, as not to allow, that the terms, justification and fanctification, are put one for the other: yea, we know, that they are called faints principally on this account, that in Chrift they have remiffion of fin. And we read in the Revelations, let him that is righteous, be righteous ftill; which can only be understood of the progrefs of inherent righteousness; and we deny not, that there may be a promifcuous ufe of the words perhaps in other places.

VII. And

But too

liberal a conceffion.

Ufed by

Rom. 8.

VII. And indeed, this ingenuity of these very great men, is not to be too much canvaffed, who, tho' they have granted fo much to their adversaries, have yet, in the main question, happily triumphed over them. Nevertheless we fee no fufficient reasons why they should have been fo liberal to them. There had been no violence put on the alledged paffages, if in them the term, juftification fhould 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 fhould hinder us from explaining Paul, Rom. 8. 30 in this manner? Whom he did predestinate, 30. in the that is whom, by his moft free and immutable decree, ordinary he has chofen to grace and glory, them he also called, fenfe he that is, by his word and spirit he fweetly invited, puts upon and powerfully drew them from a state of fin and

it.

Sanctifica

mifery, to communion with Christ, and being endowed with faith regenerated them: and whom be called, them be alfo justified; that is, as foon as they were united to Chrift by the holy spirit and by faith, he, on the account of the merits of Chrift imputed to them, acquitted them from the guilt of fin, and adjudged them to have a right to all the good things of Chrift, as well in grace as in glory: and whom he justified, them he alfo glorified; that is, he not only gave them a right, but alfo put them in actual poffeffion of the greatest bleffings. ft. By fanctifying them, and transforming them more and more to his own image, and making them partakers of a divine nature, which doubtless is a great degree of glory, 2dly. By plentifully pouring in upon them the fweeteft confolations of his fpirit, which are, as it were, the preludes of joy and gladnefs. 3dly and laftly, by making them perfectly happy, first in foul, and then in foul and body together.

IX. But we think it far more proper to comprize tion more fanctification under glorification, than to refer it to properly justification. For, it is familiar to the Holy Spirit, to

tion than

to justifi

delineate holiness under the names of beauty, orna- referred to ment, and glory. Thus Pf. 93. 5, boliness becometh glorificathine boufe. Pf. 110. 3, thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness. Nay, by cation, the very term, glory, holiness and righteousness are expreffed Pf. 45. 13, the king's daughter is all glorious within: But what elfe is meant there by that glory, but the genuine holiness of believers? Or as Peter fpeaks, 1 Pet. 3. 4, the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet fpirit, which is in the fight of God of great price; add Isa. 62. 2, and the Gentiles fall fee thy RIGHTEOUSNESS, and all kings thy GLORY; where these two words are ufed alternately one for the other: and justly; for, the highest pitch of our glory confifts in a perfect conformity to God, 1 John But holinels is the image of God, Eph. 4. 24; fo that faints who accurately exprefs, or refemble, that image, are on that account called the glory of Christ, 2 Cor. 8. 23. Why then should we not account our conformity to God in holiness as no contemptible first-fruits of glory? Certainly, Paul calls the progrefs made in fanctification, a transformation or a being changed from GLORY to GLORY, 2 Cor. 3. 18.

3.2.

tion de.

X. It is plain, that with the fame propriety, we Tit. 3. 7 may understand by juftification, Tit. 3. 7, abfolution juftificafrom guilt, and an adjudging to eternal life. For, notes ab. the first work of a man, who is regenerated by the folution. Holy Spirit, is the work of faith, the infallible confequent of which is, the remiffion of fins; this is either fucceeded by, or attended with, the hope of the inheritance of eternal life. What probable reafon is there then to make us to depart from this fenfe? And if we would have fanctification contained in any of the words, which the Apostle makes ufe of, why fhall we not rather refer it to regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Ghost? For really, fanctification differs no otherways from the first regeneration and

renovation

Rev. 22.

11.

Alfo

renovation, than as the continuance of an act differs from the beginning of it. And we are fure, that the Apostle exhorts the Romans who had been, for fomés time, regenerated, to a progrefs in fanctification, when he writes, Rom. 12. 2, be ye transformed by the\ renewing of your minds: and in like manner, Eph, 4. 23, be renewed in the fpirit of your mind. As the beginning of this renovation goes before juftification ftrictly fo called, fo the progrefs of it ferves to pro mote the certainty and the fenfe of juftification; and in both refpects it was excellently well faid by the Apostle, that the elect are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, fhed on them abundantly, that being thus juftified by his grace, that is, acquitted from fin, and confcious to themfelves of abfolution, they might lawfully, yea, in full affurance, hope for the inheritance of eternal life.

1

XI. As to Rev. 22. 11, be that is righteous, let bim be righteous ftill; it does not appear, that any fuller fenfe, can be put on these words than if we thus explain them: whoever, is reputed righteous? before God by faith on Chrift, fhould think it his duty, or concern, to verify by his actions, this hist juftification before men, and to his own confcience and fo by faith and the exercise of it, and by ftudying the word of God, he may have a more abounding confolation concerning his righteoufnels. And by this reafoning too, the forenfick ufe of this term is ftill retained.

XII. Others alfo alledge 1 Cor. 6. 11, but ye are 1 Cor. 6. wafbed, but ye are fanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jefus, and by the spirit of our God. But even this teftimony does not prove, that juftification is equivalent to fanctification, rather the contrary. For, after the Apostle had faid, that the Corinthians were washed, that is, delivered from the power of fin, he more particularly fhews, wherein that washing confifteth. Now the power of fin over man is twofold. ft. That it compells him to the

fervile