GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. S7
lJi.r\ i^ spyuv (oral/ -/.ai x))X/8a avdyXTj riva, fxrj ivpsdj^vai) aXV octo ^dpirog di-/,aiudS)//ySv, hSa Taffa kfiapzia. ricpdvidTai, 2 Epist. ad Corinth, cap. v. Horn. 1] ; — " What word, what speech is this? what mind can com- prehend or express it? for he saith, ' He made him who was right- eous to be made a sinner, that he might make sinners righteous. Nor yet doth he say so neither, but that which is far more subhme and excellent; for he speaks not of an inclination or affection, but ex- presseth the quality itself. For he says not, he made him a sinner, but sin; that we might be made, not merely righteous, but right- eousness, and that the righteousness of God, when we- are justified not by works (for if we should, there must be no spot found in them), but by grace, whereby all sin is blotted out," So Bernard also, E2)ist. cxc, ad Innocent : — " Homo siquidem qui debuit ; homo qui solvit. Nam ' si unus,' inquit, ' pro omnibus mortuus est, ergo omnes mortui sunt;' ut videlicet satisfactio unius omnibus imputetur, sicut omnium peccata unus ille portavit: nee alter jam inveniatvir, qui forisfecit,^ alter qui satisfecit ; quia caput et corpus unus est Christus." And many more speak unto the same purpose. Hence Luther, before he en- gaged in the work of reformation, in an epistle to one George Spen- lein, a monk, was not afraid to write after this manner : " Mi dulcis frater, disce Christum et hunc crucifixum, disce ei cantare, et de teipso desperans dicere ei; tu Domine Jesu es justitia mea, ego autem sum peccatum tuum; tu assumpsisti meum, et dedisti niihi tuum; assumpsisti quod non eras, et dedisti mihi quod non eram. Ipse sus- cepit te et peccata tua fecit sua, et suam justitiam fecit tuam; male- dictus qui h<EC non credit!" Epist. an. 1516, torn. i.
If those who show themselves now so quarrelsome almost about every word that is spoken concerning Christ and his righteousness, had ever been harassed in their consciences about the guilt of sin, as this man was, they would think it no strange matter to speak and write as he did. Yea, some there are who have lived and died in the communion of the church of Rome itself, that have given their testi- mony unto this truth. So speaks Taulerus, Meditat. Vitoe Christ. cap. vii. : " Christus omnia mundi peccata in se recepit, tantumque pro ilHs ultro sibi assumpsit dolorem cordis, ac si ipse ea perpetras- set;" — " Christ took upon him all the sins of the world, and willingly underwent that grief of heart for them, as if he himself had commit- ted them." And again, speaking in the person of Christ: " Quan- doquidem peccatum Adas multum abire non potest, obsecro te Pater coelestis, ut ipsum in me vindices. Ego enim omnia illius peccata in me recipio. Si hjec iras tempestas, propter me orta est, mitte me in mare amarissimoB passionis;" — " Whereas the great sin of Adam can- not go away, I beseech thee, heavenly Father, punish it in me. For ' Forhfacio, a word of inoukish Latiuity, signifying to sin or offend. — Eu.
38 ON JUSTIFICATION.
I take all his sins upon myself. If, tlien, this tempest of anger be risen for me, cast me into the sea of my most bitter passion." See, in the justification of these expressions, Heb. x. 5-10. The discourse of Albertus Pighius to this purpose, though often cited and urged, shall be once again repeated, both for its worth and truth, as also to let some men see how fondly they have pleased themselves in re- flecting on some expressions of mine, as though I had been singular in them. His words are, after others to the same purpose : " Quo- niam quidem inquit (apostolus) Deus erat in Christo, mundum recon- cilians sibi, non imputans hominibus sua delicta, et deposuit apud nos verbum reconciliationis ; in illo ergo justificamur coram Deo, non in nobis; non nostra sed illius justitia, quae nobis cum illo jam com- municantibus imjiutatur. Proprioe justitise inopes, extra nos, in illo docemur justitiam quasrere. Cum inquit, qui peccatum non noverat, pro nobis peccatum fecit ; hoc est, hostiam peccati expiatricem, ut nos efiiceremur justitia Dei in ipso, non nostra, sed Dei justitia justi effi- cimur in Christo; quo jure? Amicitiaj, quas communionem omnium inter amicos facit, juxta vetus et celebratissimum proverb ium ; Christo insertis, conglutinatis, et unitis, et sua nostra facit, suas divitias nobis communicat, suam justitiam inter Patris judicium et nostram injus- titiam interponit, et sub ea veluti sub umbone ac clypeo a divina, quam commeruimus, ira nos abscondit, tuetur ac j^rotegit; imo ean- dem nobis impertit et nostram facit, qua tecti ornatique audacter et secure jam divino nos sistamus tribunali et judicio : justique non solum appareamus, sed etiam simu.s. Quemadmodnm enim unius delicto peccatores nos etiam factos affirmat apostolus: ita unius Christi justitiam in justificandis nobis omnibus efficacem esse; et sicut per inched ientiam unius hominis peccatores constituti sunt multi, sic per obedientiam unius justi (inquit) constituentur multi. Hasc est Christi justitia, ejus obedientia, qua voluntatem Patris sui perfecit in omni- bus; sicut contra nostra injustitia est nostra inobedientia, et manda- torum Dei prajvaricatio. In Christi autem obedientia quod nostra collocatur justitia inde est, quod nobis illi incorporatis, ac si nostra esset, accepta ea fertur: ut ea ipsa etiam nos justi habeamur. Et velut ille quondam Jacob, quum nativitate primogenitus non esset, sub habitu fratris occultatus, atque ejus veste indutus, quoe odorem optimum spiral^at, seipsum insinuavit patri, ut sub aliena persona benedictionem primogenitur^e acciperet: ita et nos sub Christi pri- mogeniti fratris nostri preciosa puritate delitescere, bono ejus odore fragrare, ejus perfectione vitia nostra sepeliri et obtegi, atque ita nos piissimo Patri ingerere, ut justitise benedictionem ab eodem assequa- mur, necesse est." And afterward: " Justificat ergo nos Deus Pater bonitate sua gratuita, qua nos in Christo complectitur, dum eidem insertos innocentia et justitia Christi nos induit; qua3 una ut vera et