Book III Chapter 13.
13. TWO THINGS TO BE OBSERVED IN GRATUITOUS JUSTIFICATION.
The divisions of this chapter are, -
I. The glory of God, and peace of conscience, both
secured by gratuitous justification. An insult to the glory of God to
glory in ourselves and seek justification out of Christ, whose
righteousness, apprehended by faith, is imputed to all the elect for
reconciliation and eternal salvation, sec. 1, 2.
| II. Peace of conscience cannot be obtained in any other
way than by gratuitous justification. This fully proved, sec. 3-5.
|
| |
Sections.
- The
glory of God remains untarnished, when he alone is acknowledged to be
just. This proved from Scripture.
- Those
who glory in themselves glory against God. Objection. Answer, confirmed by
the authority of Paul and Peter.
- Peace
of conscience obtained by free justification only. Testimony of Solomon,
of conscience itself, and the Apostle Paul, who contends that faith is
made vain if righteousness come by the law.
- The
promise confirmed by faith in the mercy of Christ. This is confirmed by
Augustine and Bernard, is in accordance with what has been above stated,
and is illustrated by clear predictions of the prophets.
- Farther
demonstration by an Apostle. Refutation of a sophism.
1. Justification serves God's honor; and revelation,
his justice
Here two ends must be kept specially in view, namely, that the glory of God
be maintained unimpaired, and that our consciences, in the view of his
tribunal, be secured in peaceful rest and calm tranquillity.
When the question relates to righteousness, we see how often and how
anxiously Scripture exhorts us to give the whole praise of it to God.
Accordingly, the Apostle testifies that the purpose of the Lord in conferring
righteousness upon us in Christ, was to demonstrate his own righteousness. The
nature of this demonstration he immediately subjoins, viz., "that he
might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus," (Rom.
3: 25.) Observe, that the righteousness of God is not sufficiently displayed,
unless He alone is held to be righteous, and freely communicates righteousness
to the undeserving. For this reason it is his will, that "every mouth may
be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God," (Rom. 3:
19.) For so long as a man has any thing, however small, to say in his own
defense, so long he deducts somewhat from the glory of God. Thus we are taught
in Ezekiel how much we glorify his name by acknowledging our iniquity:
"Then shall ye remember your ways and all your doings, wherein ye have
been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for all your
evils that ye have committed. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I
have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways,
nor according to your corrupt doings," (Ezek. 20: 43, 44.)
If part of the true knowledge of God consists in being oppressed by a
consciousness of our own iniquity, and in recognizing him as doing good to
those who are unworthy of it, why do we attempt, to our great injury, to steal
from the Lord even one particle of the praise of unmerited kindness? In like
manner, when Jeremiah exclaims, "Let not the wise man glory in his
wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man
glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory" in the Lord, (Jer.
9: 23, 24,) does he not intimate, that the glory of the Lord is infringed when
man glories in himself? To this purpose, indeed, Paul accommodates the words
when he says, that all the parts of our salvation are treasured up with
Christ, that we may glory only in the Lord, (1 Cor. 1: 29.) For he intimates,
that whosoever imagines he has any thing of his own, rebels against God, and
obscures his glory.
2. He who glories in his own righteousness robs God of
his honor
Thus, indeed, it is: we never truly glory in him until we have utterly
discarded our own glory. It must, therefore, be regarded as an universal
proposition, that whoso glories in himself glories against God. Paul indeed
considers, that the whole world is not made subject to God until every ground
of glorying has been withdrawn from men, (Rom. 3: 19.) Accordingly, Isaiah,
when he declares that "in the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be
justified" adds, "and shall glory (Isa. 45: 25 ,) as if he had said
that the elect are justified by the Lord, in order that they may glory in him,
and in none else. The way in which we are to glory in the Lord he had
explained in the preceding verse, "Unto me every knee shall bow, every
tongue shall swear;" "Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I
righteousness and strength, even to him shall men come." Observe, that
the thing required is not simple confession, but confession confirmed by an
oath, that it might not be imagined that any kind of fictitious humility might
suffice. And let no man here allege that he does not glory, when without
arrogance he recognizes his own righteousness; such a recognition cannot take
place without generating confidence, nor such confidence without begetting
boasting.
Let us remember, therefore, that in the whole discussion concerning
justification the great thing to be attended to is, that God's glory be
maintained entire and unimpaired; since as the Apostle declares, it was in
demonstration of his own righteousness that he shed his favor upon us; it was
"that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in
Jesus," (Rom. 3: 26.) Hence, in another passage, having said that the
Lord conferred salvation upon us, in order that he might show forth the glory
of his name, (Eph. 1: 6,) he afterwards, as if repeating the same thing, adds,
"By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast," (Eph. 2: 8.)
And Peter, when he reminds us that we are called to the hope of salvation,
"that ye should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of
darkness into his marvelous light," (1 Pet. 2: 9,) doubtless intends thus
to proclaim in the ears of believers only the praises of God, that they may
bury in profound silence all arrogance of the flesh. The sum is, that man
cannot claim a single particle of righteousness to himself, without at the
same time detracting from the glory of the divine righteousness.
3. A glance at one's own righteousness provides no
peace for the conscience
If we now inquire in what way the conscience can be quieted as in the view
of God, we shall find that the only way is by having righteousness bestowed
upon us freely by the gift of God. Let us always remember the words of
Solomon, "Who can say I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin?'
(Prov. 20: 9.) Undoubtedly there is not one man who is not covered with
infinite pollutions. Let the most perfect man descend into his own conscience,
and bring his actions to account, and what will the result be? Will he feel
calm and quiescent, as if all matters were well arranged between himself and
God; or will he not rather be stung with dire torment, when he sees that the
ground of condemnation is within him if he be estimated by his works?
Conscience, when it beholds God, must either have sure peace with his justice,
or be beset by the terrors of hell. We gain nothing, therefore, by discoursing
of righteousness, unless we hold it to be a righteousness stable enough to
support our souls before the tribunal of God. When the soul is able to appear
intrepidly in the presence of God, and receive his sentence without dismay,
then only let us know that we have found a righteousness that is not
fictitious. It is not, therefore, without cause, that the Apostle insists on
this matter. I prefer giving it in his words rather than my own: "If they
which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of no
effect," (Rom. 4: 14.) He first infers that faith is made void if the
promise of righteousness has respect to the merit of our works, or depends on
the observance of the law. Never could any one rest securely in it, for never
could he feel fully assured that he had fully satisfied the law; and it is
certain that no man ever fully satisfied it by works. Not to go far for proof
of this, every one who will use his eyes aright may be his own witness.
Hence it appears how deep and dark the abyss is into which hypocrisy
plunges the minds of men, when they indulge so securely as, without
hesitations to oppose their flattery to the judgment of God, as if they were
relieving him from his office as judge. Very different is the anxiety which
fills the breasts of believers, who sincerely examine themselves. Every mind,
therefore, would first begin to hesitate, and at length to despair, while each
determined for itself with how great a load of debt it was still oppressed,
and how far it was from coming up to the enjoined condition. Thus, then, faith
would be oppressed and extinguished. To have faith is not to fluctuate, to
vary, to be carried up and down, to hesitate, remain in suspense, vacillate,
in fine, to despair; it is to possess sure certainty and complete security of
mind, to have whereon to rest and fix your foot (cf. I Cor. 2:5; II Cor.
13:4).
4. Attention to one's own righteousness also
nullifies the promises
Paul, moreover, adds, that the promise itself would be rendered null and
void. For if its fulfillment depends on our merits when pray, will we be able
to come the length of meriting the favor of God? Nay, the second clause is a
consequence of the former, since the promise will not be fulfilled unless to
those who put faith in it. Faith therefore failing, no power will remain in
the promise. "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace, to the
end the promise might be sure to all the seed," (Rom. 4: 16.) It was
abundantly confirmed when made to rest on the mercy of God alone, for mercy
and truth are united by an indissoluble tie; that is, whatever God has
mercifully promised he faithfully performs. Thus David, before he asks
salvation according to the word of God, first places the source of it in his
mercy. "Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort,
according to thy word unto thy servant," (Ps. 119: 76.) And justly, for
nothing but mere mercy induces God to promise. Here, then, we must place, and,
as it were, firmly fix our whole hope, paying no respect to our works, and
asking no assistance from them.
And lest you should suppose that there is any thing novel in what I say,
Augustine also enjoins us so to act. "Christ," says he, "will
reign forever among his servants. This God has promised, God has spoken; if
this is not enough, God has sworn. Therefore, as the promise stands firm, not
in respect of our merits, but in respect of his mercy, no one ought to tremble
in announcing that of which he cannot doubt," (August. in Ps. 88, Tract.
50.) Thus Bernard also, "Who can be saved? ask the disciples of Christ.
He replies, With men it is impossible, but not with God. This is our whole
confidence, this our only consolation; this the whole ground of our hope: but
being assured of the possibility, what are we to say as to his willingness?
Who knows whether he is deserving of love or hatred? (Eccles. 9: 1.) 'Who has
known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?' (1 Cor. 2: 16.) Here it
is plain, faith must come to our aid: here we must have the assistance of
truth, in order that the secret purpose of the Father respecting us may be
revealed by the Spirit, and the Spirit testifying may persuade our hearts that
we are the sons of God. But let him persuade by calling and justifying freely
by faith: in these there is a kind of transition from eternal predestination
to future glory," (Bernard, Sermon on the Dedication of a Church
v.6)
Let us thus briefly conclude: Scripture indicates that the promises of God
are not surer unless they are apprehended with full assurance of conscience;
it declares that wherever there is doubt or uncertainty, the promises are made
void; on the other hand, that they can only waver and fluctuate if they depend
on our works. Therefore, either our righteousness must perish, or without any
consideration of our works, place must be given to faith alone, whose nature
it is to prick up the ear, and shut the eye; that is, to be intent on the
promise only, to give up all idea of any dignity or merit in man. Thus is
fulfilled the celebrated prophecy of Zechariah: "I will remove the
iniquity of that land in one day. In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall
ye call every man his neighbor under the vine, and under the fig-tree,"
(Zech. 3: 9, 10.) Here the prophet intimates that the only way in which
believers can enjoy true peace, is by obtaining the remission of their sins.
For we must attend to this peculiarity in the prophets, that when they
discourse of the kingdom of Christ, they set forth the external mercies of God
as types of spiritual blessings. Hence Christ is called the Prince of Peace,
and our peace, Isaiah 9: 6; Eph. 2: 14,) because he calms all the agitations
of conscience. If the method is asked, we must come to the sacrifice by which
God was appeased, for no man will ever cease to tremble, until he hold that
God is propitiated solely by that expiation in which Christ endured his anger.
In short, peace must be sought nowhere but in the agonies of Christ our
Redeemer.
5. Faith in God's free grace alone gives us peace of
conscience and gladness in prayer
But why employ a more obscure testimony? Paul uniformly declares that the
conscience can have no peace or quiet joy until it is held for certain that we
are justified by faith. And he at the same time declares whence this certainty
is derived, viz., when "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by
the Holy Ghost," (Rom. 5: 5;) as if he had said that our Souls cannot
have peace until we are fully assured that we are pleasing to God. Hence he
elsewhere exclaims in the person of believers in general, "Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ?" (Rom. 8: 35.) Until we have reached
that haven, the slightest breeze will make us tremble, but so long as the Lord
is our Shepherd, we shall walk without fear in the valley of the shadow of
death, (Ps. 23.) Thus those who pretend that justification by faith consists
in being regenerated and made just, by living spiritually, have never tasted
the sweetness of grace in trusting that God will be propitious. Hence also,
they know no more of praying aright than do the Turks or any other heathen
people. For, as Paul declares, faith is not true, unless it suggest and
dictate the delightful name of Father; nay, unless it open our mouths and
enable us freely to cry, Abba, Father. This he expresses more clearly in
another passage, "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by
the faith of him," (Eph. 3: 12.) This, certainly, is not obtained by the
gift of regeneration, which, as it is always defective in the present state,
contains within it many grounds of doubt. Wherefore, we must have recourse to
this remedy; we must hold that the only hope which believers have of the
heavenly inheritance is, that being in grafted into the body of Christ, they
are justified freely. For, in regard to justification, faith is merely
passives bringing nothing of our own to procure the favor of God, but
receiving from Christ every thing that we want.
