The Institution of Christian Religion

For confirmation hereof there are many and evident testimonies of Scripture. First it can not be denied, that this is the proper and most used signification of the word. But because it is to long to gather all the places and compare them together, it shall be enough to put the readers in mind of them, for they may of them selves easily mark them. But I will bring fourth some, where this justification that we speak of is expressly entreated of by name.¹ First where Luke sayeth that the people when they had heard Christ did justify God. And where Christ pronounceth that wisdom is justified by her children: he doth not mean there,² that they do give righteousness, which alway remaineth perfect with God, although all the world go about to take it away from him: nor in this place also to make the doctrine of salvation righteous, which hath ever that of it self. But both these speeches are as much in effect, as to give to God and his doctrine the praise that they deserve. Again when Christ reproacheth the Pharisees,³ that they justify them selves, he doth not mean that they obtain righteousness by well doing, but do vaingloriously seek for the same of righteousness, whereof in deed they be void. They that are skilful of the Hebrew tongue do better understand the sense of this phrase: in which tongue they are not only called wicked doers, that are guilty in their conscience of any wicked doing, but also they that come in danger of judgement of condemnation. For when Bersabe sayeth that she and Solomon shall be wicked doers,⁴ she doth not therein acknowledge any offence, but complaineth that she & her son shall be put to shame, to be numbered among the reprobate and condemned. But by the process of the text it easily appeareth, that the same word in Latin also, can not otherwise be taken but by way of relation, and not to signify any quality. But as concerning the matter that we are now in hand with: where Paul saith that the Scripture did foresee,⁵ that God justifieth the Gentiles by faith, what may a man understand thereby, but that God doth impute righteousness by faith? Again, when he saith that God justifieth the wicked man that is of the faith of Christ, what meaning can be thereof, but by the benefit of faith to deliver them from the damnation which their wickedness deserved?