§ 1. Symbolical Statement of the Doctrine.
Justification is defined in the Westminster Catechism, "An act of God's free grace, wherein He pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone. "
The Heidelbeig Catechism in answer to the question, " How dost thou become righteous before God ? " answers, "Sola fide in Jesum Christum, adeo ut licet mea me conscientia accuset, quod adversus omnia mandata Dei graviter peccaverim, nee ullum eorum servaverim, adhsec etiamnum ad omne malum propensus sim, nihilominus tamen (modo hsec beneficia vera animi fiducia amplectar), sine ullo meo merito, ex mera Dei misericordia, mihi perfecta satisfactio, justitia, et sanctitas Christi, imputetur ac donetur ; perinde ac si nee ullum ipse peccatum admisissem, nee ulla mihi labes inhaereret ; imo vero quasi earn obedientiam, quam pro me Christus praestitit, ipse perfecte praestitissem." And in answer to the question, Why faith alone justifies? it says. " Non quod dignitate meae fidei Deo placeam, sed quod sola satis- factio, justitia ac sanctitas Christi, mea justitia sit coram Deo. Ego vero earn non alia ratione, quam fide amplecti, et mihi appli- care queam."
The Second Helvetic Confession,1 says " Justificare significat Apostolo in disputatione de justificatione, peccata remittere, a culpa et poena absolvere, in gratiam recipere, et justum pronun- ciare. Etenim ad Romanos dicit apostolus, * Deus est, qui justi- ficat, quis ille, qui condemnet ? ' opponuntur justificare et con-
demnare Etenim Christus peccata mundi in se recepit et
sustulit, divinaeque justitiaa satisfecit. Deus ergo propter solum Christum passum et resuscitatum, propitius est peccatis nostris, nee ilia nobis imputat, imputat autem justitiam Christi pro nos- tra : ita ut jam simus non solum mundati a peccatis et purgati, vel sancti, sed etiam donati justitia Christi, adeoque absoluti a
1 Chapter xv.