CHAPTER IV.
Of justification; the notion and signification of the word in Scripture.
Unto the right understanding of the nature of justification, the proper sense and signification of these words themselves, justifica- tion and to justify, is to be inquired into ; for until that is agreed upon, it is impossible that our discourses concerning the thing itself should be freed from equivocation. Take words in various senses, and all may be true that is contradictorily affirmed or denied con- cerning what they are supposed to signify; and so it hath actually fallen out in this case, as we shall see more fully afterward. Some taking these words in one sense, some in another, have appeared to deliver contrary doctrines concerning the thing itself, or our justifi- cation before God, who yet have fully agreed in what the proper determinate sense or signification of the words doth import; and therefore the true meaning of them hath been declared and vindi- cated already by many. But whereas the right stating hereof is of more moment unto the determination of what is principally contro- verted about the doctrine itself, or the thing signified, than most do apprehend, and something at least remains to be added for the de- claration and vindication of the import and only signification of these words in the Scripture, I shall give an account of my observations concerning it with what diliarence I can.
124 ON JUSTIFICATION.
The Latin derivation and composition of the word " justificatlo" would seem to denote an internal change from inherent unrighteous- ness unto righteousness likewise inherent, by a physical motion and transmutation, as the schoolmen speak; for such is the significa- tion of words of the same composition. So sanctification, Tnorti- fication, vivification, and the like, do all denote a real internal work on the subject spoken of. Hereon, in the whole Roman school, justification is taken for jiistif action, or the making of a man to be iyiherently righteous, by tl^ie infusion of a principle or habit of grace, who was before inherently and habitually unjust and unrighteous. Whilst this is taken to be the proper signification of the word, we neither do nor can speak, ad idem, in our disputations with them about the cause and nature of that justification which the Scripture teacheth.
And this appearing sense of the word possibly deceived some of the ancients, as Austin in particular, to declare the doctrine of free, gratuitous sanctification, without respect unto any works of our own, under the name of justification ; for neither he nor any of them ever thought of a justifi^cation before God, consisting in the pardon of our sins and the acceptation of our persons as righteous, by vir- tue of any inherent habit of grace infused into us, or acted by us. Wherefore the subject-matter must be determined by the scriptural use' and signification of these words, before we can speak properly or intelligibly concerning it: for if to justify men in the Scripture, signify to make them subjectively and inherently righteous, we must acknovvledo-e a mistake m what we teach concerning the nature and causes of justification; and if it signify no such thing, all their dis- putations about justification by the infusion of grace, and inherent righteousness thereon, fall to the ground. Wherefore, all Protestants (and the Socinians all of them comply therein) do affirm, that the use and signification of these words is forensic, denoting an act of juris- diction. Only the Socinians, and some others, would have it to con- sist in the pardon of sin only ; which, indeed, the word doth not at all signify. But the sense of the word is, to assoil, to acquit, to declare and pronounce righteous upon a trial ; which, in this case, the pardon of sin doth necessarily accompany.
" Justificatio" and "justifico" belong not, indeed, unto the Latin tongue, nor can any good author be produced who ever used them, for the making of him inhei'ently righteous, by any means, who was not so before. But whereas these Avords were coined and framed to signify such things as are intended, we have no way to determine the signification of them, but by the consideration of the nature of the things which they were invented to declare and signify. And whereas, in this language, these words are derived from "jus" and
THE MEANING OF JUSTIFICATION. 125
" justum," they must respect an act of jurisdiction rather than a phy- sical operation or infusion. " Justificari" is "Justus censeri, pro justo haberi;" — to be esteemed, accounted, or adjudged righteous. So a man was made "Justus fihus," in adoption, unto him by whom he was adopted ; which, what it is, is well declared by Budseus, Cajus
lib. ii., F. de Adopt. De Arrogatione loquens : "Is qui adoptat
rogatur, id est, interrogatur, an velit eum quem adopturus sit, justum sibi filium esse. Justum," saith he, " intelligo, non verum, ut aliqui censent, sed omnibus j^artibus, ut ita dicam, fihationis, veri filii vicem obtinentem, naturalis et legitimi filii loco sedentem." Wherefore, as by adoption there is no internal inherent change made in the per- son adopted, but by virtue thereof he is esteemed and adjudged as a true son, and hath all the rights of a legitimate son; so hj justifi- cation, as to the importance of the word, a man is only esteemed, declared, and pronounced righteous, as if he were completely so. And in the present case justification and gratuitous adop>tion are the same grace, for the substance of them, John i. ] 2 ; only, respect is had, in their different denomination of the same grace, unto differ- ent effects or privileges that ensue thereon.