[Opuscula theologica omnia; (Lugduni Batavorum: Joannes Orlers & Joannes Maire; Prostant Amstelodami, apud Henricum Laurentium, 1614)]

Lucas Trelcatius, Sr. (1542–1602), born at Atrecht (Arras) in the year of our Lord 1542, proved himself a faithful steward in the Lord’s vineyard during an age of great tribulation and light. Descended of French stock, amidst the afflictions attending the Church of God in the Netherlands, he was nurtured in the bosom of Rome yet, by the singular mercy of divine providence, was awakened to the purity of the Evangelical truth. Fleeing the errors and superstition of Popery, Trelcatius sought the company of those who, in Geneva and throughout the Reformed Churches, followed the pure doctrine of Christ. Instructed at Douai in humane and theological learning, he embraced the Reformed faith and thereafter devoted his gifts to the edification of Christ’s flock, ministering to French and Dutch congregations in exile—especially in London and the Low Countries. In the year 1587, he was called to serve as Professor Primarius at the illustrious Academy of Leiden, wherein he expounded Holy Scripture and delivered the Institutes of Sacred Theology with singular diligence and orthodoxy, contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. Trelcatius was a most prudent and learned divine, well-versed in the Holy Fathers and the method of the scholastic doctors, but always subjecting all to the judgment of God’s Word. His Institutio Theologicae and other writings served as lamps for the feet of many, defending sound doctrine against Papists and the rising errors of Arminianism. In life and doctrine he adorned the Gospel, training ministers after the godly pattern. Called to his reward in 1602, he left behind a legacy of steadfastness, learned labors, and a son, Lucas Jr., to carry forth the testimony of the Reformed faith.

Lucas Trelcatius, Sr. (1542–1602), born at Atrecht (Arras) in the year of our Lord 1542, proved himself a faithful steward in the Lord’s vineyard during an age of great tribulation and light. Descended of French stock, amidst the afflictions attending the Church of God in the Netherlands, he was nurtured in the bosom of Rome yet, by the singular mercy of divine providence, was awakened to the purity of the Evangelical truth. Fleeing the errors and superstition of Popery, Trelcatius sought the company of those who, in Geneva and throughout the Reformed Churches, followed the pure doctrine of Christ. Instructed at Douai in humane and theological learning, he embraced the Reformed faith and thereafter devoted his gifts to the edification of Christ’s flock, ministering to French and Dutch congregations in exile—especially in London and the Low Countries. In the year 1587, he was called to serve as Professor Primarius at the illustrious Academy of Leiden, wherein he expounded Holy Scripture and delivered the Institutes of Sacred Theology with singular diligence and orthodoxy, contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. Trelcatius was a most prudent and learned divine, well-versed in the Holy Fathers and the method of the scholastic doctors, but always subjecting all to the judgment of God’s Word. His Institutio Theologicae and other writings served as lamps for the feet of many, defending sound doctrine against Papists and the rising errors of Arminianism. In life and doctrine he adorned the Gospel, training ministers after the godly pattern. Called to his reward in 1602, he left behind a legacy of steadfastness, learned labors, and a son, Lucas Jr., to carry forth the testimony of the Reformed faith.

Table of Contents:

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LOCUS XIII: ON JUSTIFICATION

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I. INTRODUCTION

Through this Faith, of which we have spoken thus far, we obtain two principal benefits, namely Justification, of which we now speak, and Sanctification, of which we shall speak afterward. According to our method, we shall first constructively present and expound sound doctrine, then destructively we shall refute the principal errors.

II. FIRST PART: CONSTRUCTIVE

In the first part of Justification, since by the craftiness of Satan it has come to pass that, in order that the benefit of Christ might more easily be obliterated or at least obscured, the very word has been twisted into a meaning plainly foreign to Holy Scripture, and is even today twisted by Sophists. 1. We shall explain its genuine signification. 2. We shall expound the definition of the thing.

A. CONCERNING THE SIGNIFICATION OF THE WORD

Since the word itself declares to us the thing of which it is the symbol and image, as badly understood by adversaries it has furnished the occasion of the foulest errors in Theology, so well understood by us it will easily and safely lead us to the knowledge of the thing itself.

1. WHAT JUSTIFICATION SIGNIFIES

Justification, derived from justice, is the application or attribution of justice: as therefore Justice is understood, so also is Justification. Justice, which is enomia (conformity to law), as its contrary, namely sin, is anomia (lawlessness), 1 John 3, is taken in two ways according to the nature of the subjects:

  1. As it is required from man in the law, which if man performed, he would live by it (but this is impossible on account of the flesh, that is, corruption, Romans 8), and this is called the Justice of works, Legal, Habitual, Actual.
  2. As it is performed according to the law by Christ, offered in the Gospel to the believer, given by God without any work of man, it freely saves him for justice, and this is called the Justice of faith, Evangelical, Imputed, Gratuitous. The imputation of which justice in the remission of sins is that justification of which we here treat.

For since justification is principally taken in three ways in the Holy Scriptures:

  1. Sometimes to be declared just before men, James 2, and thus metonymically to attribute the praise of justice to someone, whether it is done to man, and indeed falsely. Luke 16: You are those who justify yourselves; or to God Himself, and indeed truly. Luke 7: Wisdom is justified by her children.
  2. Sometimes to be furnished with justice, and to testify by work the study and progress of purification. Revelation 22, in which sense the Fathers often take this word.
  3. Most frequently, however, the word is forensic and is opposed to condemnation, and is absolution from sins, and acceptance as just, in which sense it is always taken in Holy Scripture when it treats of the way by which sinful man can stand before the judgment of God and obtain salvation.

This forensic use is proved by these three things:

  1. For the Hebrews, Hitzdik is opposed to Hirshia. Deuteronomy 25, 2 Samuel 15, Proverbs 17: He who justifies the wicked and condemns the just, both are an abomination. So for the more accurate Greeks, not only the Holy Scripture writers, dikaioun signifies dikaion nomizein (to reckon as just): moreover, from the use of Holy Scripture the grammatical sense is to be drawn.
  2. Also Holy Scripture itself takes this word in no other sense when it declares in what way the sinner can stand in the judgment of God, where the law of God accuses all and man is constituted guilty, and even one who is born again, if he is considered in himself. Psalm 143. And unless the grace of God freely absolves the guilty, because he is a sinner, it is necessary that he perish. See among others Romans 3, 4, 5, etc., where to every man, even to Abraham, the mouth is stopped in this judgment, that by the grace of God alone he may be absolved from all sins and punishments, and chapter 8, where expressly justification is opposed to condemnation. Justification (I say) not on account of any inherent justice, but on account of the merit of Christ’s death imputed.
  3. The synonyms also which occur in Holy Scripture declare this, namely that to justify is not to infuse a good quality, as neither to condemn is to impress an evil quality. These the Apostles interpret thus, to be justified is to obtain remission of sins freely, to be reconciled to God through the blood of Christ. 1 John 1 and 2, to obtain mercy, finally to be saved in the name, that is, on account of the merit of Christ. Thus Luke 18, the Publican prays God to be propitious to him, and goes down justified, that is, having obtained God propitious, and thus absolved from sins.

So much concerning the nominal definition of Justification, which is taken Theologically, not Physically, namely when it treats of the absolution of the sinner in the judgment of God. But since it pertains also to the declaration of this word, and casts light on the thing which we shall now define, let us at the same time explain the signification of these three words, namely, Grace, Freely, Imputation, because they often recur in this argument. Come, let us say a little concerning these.

2. WHAT THE WORD GRACE SIGNIFIES

First, the word Grace is principally taken in Holy Scripture and by Ecclesiastical writers in two ways:

  1. Charis, this is for the Greeks eudokia, philanthropia (Titus 3), eleos, chrestotes, idia prothesis, etc. For the Hebrews ratzon, for the Latins favor, benevolence, and propensity of good will, by which God, from Himself, respecting nothing outside Himself, loves someone, wishes him well, and afterward does him good.
  2. Charis signifies any gifts whatsoever, and especially spiritual ones, flowing from this most abundant fountain of the first grace, such as are Faith, Hope, Charity, Fear of God: and the Sophists (as we shall see in its place) confuse these in this article, and attribute to the latter grace what belongs to the former.