JUSTIFICATION BY CHRIST
13. THE ARGUMENTS WHEREBY RIGHTEOUSNESS IS ATTRIBUTED TO WORKS ARE ANSWERED
13. THE ARGUMENTS WHEREBY RIGHTEOUSNESS IS
If you judge they are such as are defiled with no pollution, or can say with Christ, Who amongst you will prove me guilty of sin? Verily, I confess what you prove concerning the conformity of the righteous unto God, seems not unlike to truth; and that we must needs, all of us, be such, if we would, with acceptance, have to do with that most pure nature of the Divine righteousness, without a Mediator and Redeemer.
But, if you take those for righteous who are righteous by faith, not by life, that is, those whom daily forgiveness, received by faith, brings as righteous into the presence of God, in that sense this debate of yours about
righteousness does us no unkindness: for by this means it comes to pass that whom faith daily absolves, you yourself cannot hold to be guilty of any crime. Therefore, if they are not unrighteous, nothing hinders them from being admitted with bold access into the presence of the Divine Majesty, through the benefit of their Redeemer.
But you deny that it is agreeable to the nature of God to account any man worthy of his approbation, except him whom his countenance beholds to be righteous. “Therefore it is necessary that our righteousness should go before the favor of God.” F74 But whence that righteousness should come to us, is all the contention between us. You seem to acknowledge no righteousness but that which the perfection of life procures. We place all our righteousness in Christ, not in ourselves; in the faith of him only, not in our own works. “What!” say you,” can any man obtain favor from that highest goodness as long as he hates not wickedness, as long as he puts not away iniquity from him, which hath a perpetual war with divine equity?”
Who is ignorant of, or denies that? “For,” as you say, “how can it be that everlasting law should not hate sin and wickedness with the greatest abhorrence?”
At length he concludes,” That it is therefore necessary that whosoever thinks to be received into the friendship of God, must first hate
wickedness.” Verily there is no man that denies it. But though we should grant that a wise and wholesome, or sound sorrow, whereof you speak, makes the first part of our conversion, and that the true righteousness of faith doth not follow, except some trouble of a penitent mind go before; it doth not therefore come to pass that the very cause of justification should be attributed unto repentance. F75 For if repentance be nothing
else but a grief of mind at the remembrance of sin, it proves indeed that sin went before, but takes not away that which was committed. It declares
perhaps some change of mind in him that committed it, but takes not away the punishment that is due to justice. Moreover, repentance testifies that justice is lost, but repairs not the loss thereof. As pain, coming from a wound inflicted, makes not a medicine to itself, but receives it from some other thing, in like manner repentance goes before the remission of sins, but does not cause it; just as Seryphius did not cause the recovering of the city of Tarentum, who, unless he had first lost it, Fabius had not recovered it.
How many may you see in a state, who having violated the public laws, or having been guilty of treason against their prince, being overwhelmed with grief and shame, with all their heart lament the wickedness of their crime, and they do not wickedly in thus being ashamed and repenting. But yet they do not escape the due punishment of the law. Therefore, the detestation of their sin proves them guilty, but does not free them from condemnation. But if there is so great severity of laws and judgments in human offenses, which no deploring of in life can wash away, what then should be judged of these that are committed against the highest and infinite majesty? Angels offending in one thing were not unpunished, having been thrust out of heaven, and no sorrow could restore them again;
what then should be said to us in this frail condition of sinful nature, in which dwelleth no good thing, who offend by daily negligence of duties, or filthiness of deeds? Is it sufficient to turn away the vengeance of so great a God, to say, “I have erred,” unless there be some other thing besides the sense of grief to help guilty and wounded nature; something which may defend this weak part of our repentance with a stronger safeguard, and may be sufficient to appease and reconcile offended Justice with a proportionable price, and which, so to speak, can contend with Divine Justice by opposing a righteousness equal thereunto? For, as the wound is infinite that is inflicted on our nature, so it is just that a remedy of the like nature should be applied, the strength and greatness whereof being infinite, may, by proportionable greatness, be suited to the Majesty offended; which verily consists, not in repentance, or charity, or any offices of ours, and is contained in Christ only, who is the only begotten Son of God. And because our faith only lays hold on him, and he cannot profit any but believers, therefore it comes to pass, that faith only, without works, that is, without any merits of works, completes all our righteousness before God.
14. CONCERNING THE PRAISE OF REPENTANCE, THE