Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 2 of 2)
IX. Now, if any one urge this to me as an objection, to
oppose the righteousness of faith, I will first ask him, Whether
a man is reputed righteous on account of one or two holy
works, who is in the other actions of his life a transgressor of
the law. This would be too absurd to be pretended. I shall
next inquire, If he is reputed righteous on account of many
good works, while he is found guilty of any instance of transgression.
This, likewise, my adversary will not presume to
maintain, in opposition to the sanction of the law, which denounces
a curse on all those who do not fulfil every one of its
precepts.[149]
I will further inquire, If there is any work
which does not deserve the charge of impurity or imperfection.[150]
But how could this be possible before those eyes, in
which the stars are not sufficiently pure, nor the angels sufficiently
righteous? Thus he will be compelled to concede, that
there is not a good work to be found, which is not too much
polluted, both by its own imperfection and by the transgressions
with which it is attended, to have any claim to the honourable
appellation of righteousness. Now, if it be evidently in consequence
of justification by faith, that works, otherwise impure
and imperfect, unworthy of the sight of God, and much more of
his approbation, are imputed for righteousness,—why do they
attempt, by boasting of the righteousness of works, to destroy the
righteousness of faith, from which all righteousness of works proceeds?
But do they wish to produce a viperous offspring to destroy
the parent? For such is the true tendency of this impious
doctrine. They cannot deny that justification by faith is the beginning,
foundation, cause, motive, and substance of the righteousness
of works; yet they conclude, that a man is not justified
by faith because good works also are imputed for righteousness.
Let us therefore leave these impertinences, and acknowledge
the real state of the case; if all the righteousness which can be
attributed to works depends on justification by faith, the latter is
not only not diminished, but, on the contrary, is confirmed by it;
since its influence appears the more extensive. But let us not
suppose that works, subsequent to gratuitous justification, are
so highly esteemed, that they succeed to the office of justifying
men, or divide that office with faith. For unless justification
by faith remain always unimpaired, the impurity of their works
will be detected. Nor is there any absurdity in saying, that a
man is so justified by faith, that he is not only righteous himself,
but that even his works are accounted righteous beyond
what they deserve.
X. In this way we will admit, not only a partial righteousness
of works, which our opponents maintain, but such as is
approved by God, as though it were perfect and complete. A
remembrance of the foundation on which it stands will solve
every difficulty. For no work is ever acceptable, till it be
received with pardon. Now, whence proceeds pardon, but from
God’s beholding us and all our actions in Christ? When we
are ingrafted into Christ, therefore, as our persons appear righteous
before God, because our iniquities are covered by his
righteousness, so our works are accounted righteous, because
the sinfulness otherwise belonging to them is not imputed, being
all buried in the purity of Christ. So we may justly
assert, that not only our persons, but even our works, are justified
by faith alone. Now, if this righteousness of works,
whatever be its nature, is consequent and dependent on faith
and gratuitous justification, it ought to be included under it,
and subordinated to it, as an effect to its cause; so far is it
from deserving to be exalted, either to destroy or to obscure
the righteousness of faith. Thus Paul, to evince that our
blessedness depends on the mercy of God, and not on our
works, chiefly urges this declaration of David: “Blessed are
they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”[151]
If, in opposition to this, the numerous passages be adduced
where blessedness seems to be attributed to works; such as,
“Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord;[152]
that hath mercy
on the poor;[153]
that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly;[154]
that endureth temptation;”[155]
“Blessed are they
that keep judgment;[156]
the undefiled,[157]
the poor in spirit,
the meek, the merciful,” &c.;[158]
they will not at all weaken
the truth of what is advanced by Paul. For since no man
ever attains all these characters, so as thereby to gain the Divine
approbation, it appears that men are always miserable till they
are delivered from misery by the pardon of their sins. Since all
the beatitudes celebrated in the Scriptures are of no avail, and
no man can derive any benefit from them, till he has obtained
blessedness by the remission of his sins, which then makes
room for the other beatitudes, it follows that this is not
merely the noblest and principal, but the only blessedness;
unless, indeed, we suppose it to be diminished by those which
are dependent on it. Now, we have much less reason to be
disturbed by the appellation of righteous, which is generally
given to believers. I acknowledge that they are denominated
righteous from the sanctity of their lives; but as they
rather devote themselves to the pursuit of righteousness than
actually attain to righteousness itself, it is proper that this
righteousness, such as it is, should be subordinate to justification
by faith, from which it derives its origin.
