The fourth Chapter. Of Iustification; Vpon the epistle to the Romans, at the end of the 11. chapter. This place is also treated of, vpon the 1. to the Cor. 1. about the end; and vpon Genesis, 15. verse 6.
IT shall now be a profitable thing to intreat of iustification, which is the scope and end of all that Paule teacheth in the epistle to the Romans. Let this question be put foorth after this sort; namelie, whether men be iustified by works or by faith? 1 But first of all, it shall be good to discusse the words of the question proposed; and we will begin with this word iustification. This verbe Tsadac, 2 with the Hebrues in the first coniugation signifieth, To be iust: but if it be transferred vnto the third coniugation, it signifieth To transferre righteousnes into an other, and to make iust. For this is the efficacie of the forme of those verbes, which they call Hiphil. Euen as Amad signifieth, To stand; so Heemid signifieth, To appoint: that is, To make an other thing to stand. Wherefore Hitsdic in the Hebrue signifieth, To iustifie, that is, To make one iust: which thing, when it is done of God, 3 it is done of him two maner of waies. For somtimes he doth assuredlie bring foorth righteousnes in men. First, when God with his holie spirit frameth them againe, & wholie reneweth them in restoring the strength of their minds, & deliuering the powers of man from a great part of his naturall corruption; and this is the first righteousnes, which sticketh & cleaueth to our minds, by the benefit of God, through Christ. Secondlie, when he hath so restored and made them new againe, he giueth iust and holie workes; by the vse and continuance of which works, a qualitie, or (as they call it) an habit is ingendered in our minds, whereby we are made pliant to liue honestlie and godlie: and we denie not, but this kind of righteousnes is in the harts of the regenerate.
But sometimes God iustifieth, in absoluing vs from sinnes, and ascribing and imputing righteousnes: and then this word Hitsdic, is a word taken of the law, which perteineth to iudgment, as also this word H⟨…⟩schiah, which signifieth, To declare one to be an offender & a wicked person. And to iustifie in iudgement, is by words, testimonies, and affirmation, to count one for iust. And forsomuch as these are the two significations of this word, To iustifie; namelie, either in déed, or in account and estimation; and God is the author of either of them: whether of these two shall we followe in the disputation proposed? Forsooth the latter; 4 and that for bicause the renouation inspired by the spirit of God, and our righteousnes, as touching the habit gotten by good works, are whilest we liue here so vnperfect and maimed, that if iudgement should be giuen by them, we might not be able to stand before the iudgement seate of God. Besides that; Paule disputing of this matter, 5 after he had brought foorth the authoritie of Dauid, and a testimonie of the historie of Abraham in Genesis; vseth this word of imputing: and by the proper signification thereof, he reasoneth touching this present cause or question. And this I suppose to be sufficient as touching the declaration of the first word; namelie, Iustification.
2 Now let vs intreat of Faith. Aman among the Hebrues in the first coniugation signifieth, 6 To be firme: the verie which verbe in the third coniugation; being called (as I haue said) Hiphil, signifieth, To giue constancie and assurednes to anie promise or thing. Wherefore the Latines saie; Fidem homini aut verbis tribu⟨…⟩re; which is in English, To giue faith or credit vnto a man, or vnto words: and it signifieth euen as much as if a man should saie, To beleeue. Wherfore this Hebrue verbe Heemin, signifieth none other thing, than To suppose, or thinke a thing to be firme, constant, and true. And as touching God, he which beléeueth not him, maketh him a lier: for Iohn saith in his first epistle, the 5. chapter; He which beleeueth not God, 7 maketh him a lier. Which thing how gréeuous a sinne it is, let euerie man consider with himselfe. Contrariwise, he which beléeueth God, adorneth him with glorie & honor: 8 for in the epistle to the Romans it is written of Abraham, that he staggered not through doubting, through the consideration of his owne bodie, or of the wombe of Sara being in a maner past child bearing; but gaue the glorie vnto God, being strong in faith, 9 and fullie persuaded that he was able to performe whatsoeuer he would. Wherefore there séemeth to be a certeine analogie or proportion betwéene this word, To beleeue, and that To iustifie; as we in this place take it: for as, To iustifie, is by waie of iudging & accounting, to ascribe righteousnes to a man; and not to make him to be in verie déed iust: so, To beleeue, is not (in verie déed) to make the words and promises of anie man sure, and firme; but to thinke and determine with our selues, that so they are.