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righteousness to the faithful, but contend, that those who wallow in their native filth are accounted righteous only by non-imputation. But who does not see, that inherent righteousness may be found in man, still a sinner, through the renovation of grace; and that, notwithstanding this, the same man may, compared with the exact rule of the Divine law, be pronounced guilty of unrighteousness? For the image of God, which consists in righteousness and holiness, is not perfected in a moment; nor is the image of the old Adam, which consists in the contagion of sin, obliterated in a moment: but the former is restored gradually; the latter shall be altogether abolished when this mortal shall have put on immortality. Therefore I wish you would carefully observe this twofold fallacy, which the Papal writers are always compelled to exhibit in arguing. For all their arguments err in this, that they confound the act of justification with the habit of righteousness, or thrust inchoate and evangelical in the place of absolute and legal righteousness. But it is sufficient now to have glanced at these points. We shall treat them, and open them more fully, when we come to sift and refute the arguments of our adversaries.

You have heard how much fallacy they make use of in the way of argument. Now hear what palpable and shameful falsehoods they put forward in the way of calumny; that when you know that things are laid to your charge which you utterly abhor, it may appear how much credit is to be given to their Jesuitical accusations.

It was the calumny of Bellarmine (whose words we just now cited) that Calvin, with the Lutherans, does not admit of any inherent righteousness.

Campian, in his eighth reason, speaking of Protestants, says, They teach that the regenerate and sanctified are not even any thing inwardly, but mere corruption and defilement. A little after he adds, They assign excellent properties to grace, which they contend to be neither infused into our hearts, nor of sufficient efficacy to resist wickedness; but place it without us, in the sole favour of God, which favour does not amend the wicked, but, with the connivance of God, conceals that old mass, still reeking and loathsome, lest it should be thought deformed and odious. As many untruths almost as words. For I appeal to you all, who ever among us either said or thought

that the regenerate are nothing within except mere defilement? Who has denied infused grace? Who has detracted from its efficacy in resisting wickedness? Who ever dreamt that it consists in the sole favour of God without us? Who, in fine, has denied that justified persons are amended and cleansed by the grace of God? Who ever asserted that the old and still loathsome mass is, with the connivance of God, concealed? These calumnies, as false as they are senseless, need no refutation; for these are not our doctrines, but the dreams of an idle, ignorant, and malevolent declaimer.

Duræus follows Campian, and not only is not ashamed of these calumnies, but moreover has thought it right to add to them. Accordingly he says: I do not in the least wonder that Calvin should not acknowledge any renovation of the inner man in us, since he thinks the blessed themselves to be perpetually contaminated by their wickedness even in the regions of bliss. For my part, I think this calumniator lost to all shame and sense, who has dared to charge Calvin with denying that renovation of the inner man, which he has inculcated in his writings a thousand times over; and with affirming that even the blessed in celestial glory remain contaminated, of which there is not so much as the slightest insinuation in Calvin.

Let Becan close the host of calumniators; who in Enchir. de Justif. Calvin, cap. 2, ascribes this proposition to Calvin: That in justification the grace and righteousness are not infused, by which a man becomes renewed internally, and righteous and holy in himself; but that only the righteousness of Christ is imputed to him externally, whereby he is accounted righteous out of himself. Indeed the opinion of Calvin (and that the true one) is, that man is not justified by infused or inherent righteousness. But the calumny of Becan (which is palpably false) is, that God does not, when he justifies, according to Calvin, infuse inherent righteousness and renewing grace.

You have heard what the Jesuits attribute to us; now hear what we really think about the renovation of justified persons.

Luther, (tom. 5. in Epist. Judæ, near the end,) says: We have received the Holy Spirit through faith, and we have been purified; but notwithstanding, as long as we live here, that

corrupt mass of flesh and blood adheres to us. Here he plainly confesses both a certain purification or internal renovation, and the remains of sin still cleaving to us.

Calvin, (Inst. lib. 3. cap. 3.) faith alone, nor yet is real holiness tous imputation of righteousness.

says, Man is justified by separated from the gratui

Bucer, (Colloq. Ratisb. p. 317,) says, We preach with open mouth, that inherent righteousness is bestowed upon us, and infused into us by Christ our Lord, the new Adam and the heavenly regenerator, as original sin is infused into us by the old Adam and our earthly generator.

Melancthon, (Loc. de Bonis Oper. qu. 3,) says, that inchoate obedience and the righteousness of a good conscience must bè in the regenerate, although sin still remain in them.

Peter Martyr says, (Loc. com. Class 3, loc. 4, p. 574,)— God in very deed begets righteousness in men, when by his Spirit he repairs and wholly renews them, restoring the powers of their mind, and freeing the human faculties in a great measure from their native ruin. And this righteousness is wrought within and adheres to our souls by the gracious act of God.

Chemnitz, (Exam. Conc. Trident. de Justif. pp.1-8,) says, that Christ by his passion has merited for us, not only the remission of sins, but even this, that, on account of his merit, the Holy Spirit is given to us, that we may be renewed in the spirit of our minds. And a little after-We also teach that newness of life is begun in believers by the Holy Spirit, but we say, that we are not justified before God by our renewal.

Whittaker, (Resp. ad 8m rationem Campiani,) says—It is plain that he who has nothing in himself but corruption is by no means regenerate; for the new man, which is created after God, must be renewed in righteousness and true holiness. Id. contra Duræum: It is one thing to disparage all grace infused into us, which we by no means do; another to take away the merit of justification from this grace, which the Scripture most clearly does.

I have thought it right to collect all these testimonies together, that all may perceive, that our Divines constantly and harmoniously teach inherent righteousness. We will establish the proposition itself; yet briefly, because our opponents, in this respect, agree with us.

CHAPTER III.

THE FIRST QUESTION PRoposed, expLAINED, AND CONFIRMED.

FIRST, it is asked, whether a certain habitual or inherent righteousness is infused into all the justified, whence they may be called and accounted to be just? We hold the affirmative, which we shall first explain, and then confirm argumentatively.

I. I explain.-By inherent righteousness we understand the supernatural gift of sanctifying grace, opposed to original sin, and in each of the faculties of the soul, both repairing and renewing that image of God, which through original sin was defiled and lost. Original sin filled the mind with darkness; this infused grace illuminates it with celestial light. The former has defiled the human heart by obstinacy and hatred of God and of the Divine law; the latter-this infused righteousness-softens the heart, and lights up and inflames it with the love of goodness. In fine, the former has infected all the affections with disorder, and the appetite itself with rebellion; whereas the latter-restored sanctity-brings the perturbed affections into order, strips the rebel concupiscence of his dominion, and sends him, as it were, under the yoke. Moreover, when I say that the regenerate are called and accounted just, on account of this righteousness, I mean, that God himself (who judges truly) discerns and distinguishes those, upon whom he has impressed this new image of holiness and righteousness, from the carnal and unregenerate; and calls and accounts the one party ungodly, and impure, held under sin, but the other holy, righteous, and dead to sin. Not because this infused holiness, or inherent righteousness, is perfect; but because it is genuine and in no respect hypocritical, and is both known and acceptable to God, who has infused it into the minds of the regenerate.

I proceed to confirm, and that each portion separately;

The former is this; that a certain habitual or inherent righteousness is bestowed upon or infused into all the justified.

This, in the first place, is manifest from the Scriptures;

For they call the faithful and justified new creatures; If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature ; 2 Cor. v. 17. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature; Gal. vi. 15. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God; John i. 13.-But who, I ask, can form any notion of a new creature without the infusion of new qualities, and gifts of the Holy Spirit? For, from him who is created anew, the infection of natural impurity is removed; and a new image of holiness and righteousness is imprinted upon him. To these considerations let it be added, that all believers are called washed, and sanctified, and temples of the Holy Spirit; 1 Cor. vi. 11, 19 Partakers of the Divine nature-Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, 2 Pet. i. 4; and other texts of that kind; from each of which may be inferred their internal and habitual change from the infection of sin to holiness and righteousness.

Secondly, the Scriptures describe all the parts of this inherent and infused holiness, and testify that they are found in all the regenerate. The darkness of native ignorance is dispelled, and mental illumination is given them: Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord; Ephes. v. 8. Ye have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created him; Col. iii. 10. A new heart is given them, inflamed with the love of goodness, and the desire of righteousness: I will give you a new heart, and will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the heart of stone, and give you an heart of flesh; Ezek. xxxvi. 26. The new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness; Eph. iv. 24. Lastly, dominion over the rebellious concupiscence is given them: For the body of sin is crucified and slain; Rom. vi. 6. It shall not have dominion over you (v. 14.) Whoever therefore denies infused and inherent righteousness to be in those whom the Holy Spirit has thus changed and renewed, is manifestly opposing the Scriptures.

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