Those of the Roman church do gTound their whole doctrine of justification upon a distinction of a double justification ; which they call i\\e first and the second. The first justification, they say, is the infusion or the communication unto us of an inherent principle or habit of grace or charity. Hereby, they say, original sin is extin- guished, and all habits of sin are expelled. This justification they say is hj faith; the obedience and satisfaction of Christ being the only meritorious cause thereof Only, they dispute many things about preparations for it, and dispositions unto it. Under those terms the Council of Trent included the doctrine of the schoolmen about "meritum de congTuo," as both Hosius and Andradius confess, in the defence of that council. And as they are explained, they come much to one ; however, the council warily avoided the name of merit with respect unto this their first justification. And the use of faith herein (which with them is no more but a general assent unto divine revelation) is to bear the principal part in these prejMi a- tions. So that to be "justified by faith," according unto them, is to have the mind prepared by this kind of believing to receive " gra- tiam gxatum facientem," — a habit of grace, expelling sin and making us acceptable unto God. For upon this believing, with those other duties of contrition and repentance which must accompany it, it is
138 ON JUSTIFICATION.
meet and congruous unto divine wisdom, goodness, and faithfulness, to give us that grace whereby we are justified. And this, according unto them, is that justification whereof the apostle Paul treats in his epistles, from the procurement whereof he excludes all the works of the law. The second justification is an effect or consequent hereof; and the proper formal cause thereof is good works, proceeding from this principle of grace and love. Hence are they the righteousness wherewith believers are righteous before God, whereby they merit eternal life. The righteousness of works they call it; and suppose it taught by the apostle James. This they constantly affirm to make us "justos ex injustis;" wherein they are followed by others. For this is the way that most of them take to salve the seeming repug- nancy between the apostles Paul and James. Paul, they say, treats of the fif^st justification only, whence he excludes all works ; for it is by faith, in the manner before described : but James treats of the second justification ; which is by good works. So Bellar., lib. ii. cap. 16, and lib. iv. cap. 18. And it is the express determination of those at Trent, sess. vi. cap. 10. This distinction was coined unto no other end but to bring in confusion into the whole doctrine of the gospel. Justification through the free grace of God, by faith in the blood of Christ, is evacuated by it. Sanctification is turned into a justification, and corrupted by making the fruits of it 'meritorious. The whole nature of evangelical justification, consisting in the gratuitous pardon of sin and the imputation of righteousness, as the apostle expressly affirms, and the declaration of a believing sinner to be righteous thereon, as the word alone signifies, is utterly defeated by it.
Howbeit others have embraced this distinction also, though not ahsolutely in their sense. So do the Socinians. Yea, it must be allowed, in some sense, by all that hold our inherent righteousness to be the cause of, or to have any influence into, our justification be- fore God. For they do allow of a justification which in order of nature is antecedent unto works truly gracious and evangelical : but consequential unto such works there is a justification differing at least in degree, if not in nature and kind, upon the difference of its formal cause; which is our new obedience from the former. But they mostly say it is only the continuation of our justification, and the increase of it as to degrees, that they intend by it. And if they may be allowed to turn sanctification into justification, and to make a progress therein, or an increase thereof, either in the root or fruit, to be a new justification, they may make twenty justifications as well as two, for aught I know : for therein the " inward man is renewed day by day," 2 Cor. iv. 16; and believers go " fi-om strength to strength," are " changed from glory to glory," 2 Cor. iii. 1 8, by the addition of one grace unto another in their exercise, 2 Pet. i. 5-8,
TWOFOLD JUSTIFICATION EXAMINED. ] 39
and " increasicg with the increase of God," Col. ii. 19, do in all things " grow up into him who is the head," Eph. iv. 15. And if their justi- fication consist herein, they are justified anew every day. I shall therefore do these two things: — 1. Show that this distinction is both unscriptural and irrational. 2. Declare what is the continuation of our justification, and whereon it doth depend.
1. Justification by faith in the blood of Christ may be considered either as to the nature and essence of it, or as unto its manifestation and declaration. The manifestation of it is twofold: — First, Initial, in this life. Second, Solemn and complete, at the day of judgment; whereof we shall treat afterward. The manifestation of it in this life respects either the souls and consciences of them that are justified, or others; that is, the church or the world. And each of these have the name of justification assigned unto them, though our real justi- fication before God be always one and the same. But a man may be really justified before God, and yet not have the evidence or assur- ance of it in his own mind; wherefore that evidence or assurance is not of the nature or essence of that faith whereby we are justified, nor doth necessarily accompany our justification. But this manifes- tation of a man's own justification unto himself, although it depend on many especial causes, which are not necessary unto his justifica- tion absolutely before God, is not a second justification when it is attained ; but only the application of the former unto his conscience by the Holy Ghost. There is also a manifestation of it with respect unto others, which in like manner depends on other causes than doth our justification before God absolutely; yet is it not a second jvsti- ficatiori: for it depends wholly on the visible effects of that faith whereby we are justified, as the apostle James instructs us; yet is it only one single justification before God, evidenced and declared, unto his glory, the benefit of others, and increase of our own reward.