Chapter XVII.—(38.) The Seventh Passage. Who May Be Called Immaculate. How It is that in God’s Sight No Man is Justified.

“They also, says he, “quote the text: ‘For in thy sight shall no man living be justified.’”180    Ps. cxliii. 2. And his affected answer to this passage amounts to nothing else than the showing how texts of Holy Scripture seem to clash with one another, whereas it is our duty rather to demonstrate their agreement. These are his words: “We must confront them with this answer, from the testimony of the evangelist concerning holy Zacharias and Elisabeth, when he says, ‘And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.’” 181    Luke i. 6. Now both these righteous persons had, of course, read amongst these very commandments the method of cleansing their own sins. For, according to what is said in the Epistle to the Hebrews of “every high priest taken from among men,”182    Heb. v. 1. Zacharias used no doubt to offer sacrifices even for his own sins. The meaning, however, of the phrase “blameless,” which is applied to him, we have already, as I suppose, sufficiently explained.183    See above, ch. xi. (23). “And,” he adds, “the blessed apostle says, ‘That we should be holy, and without blame before Him.’”184    Eph. i. 4. This, according to him, is said that we should be so, if those persons are to be understood by “blameless” who are altogether without sin. If, however, they are “blameless” who are without blame or censure, then it is impossible for us to deny that there have been, and still are, such persons even in this present life; for it does not follow that a man is without sin because he has not a blot of accusation. Accordingly the apostle, when selecting ministers for ordination, does not say, “If any be sinless,” for he would be unable to find any such; but he says, “If any be without accusation,”185    Tit. i. 6. for such, of course, he would be able to find. But our opponent does not tell us how, in accordance with his views, we ought to understand the scripture, “For in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.”186    Ps. cxliii. 2. The meaning of these words is plain enough, receiving as it does additional light from the preceding clause: “Enter not,” says the Psalmist, “into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.” It is judgment which he fears, therefore he desires that mercy which triumphs over judgment.187    Jas. ii. 13. For the meaning of the prayer, “Enter not into judgment with Thy servant,” is this: “Judge me not according to Thyself,” who art without sin; “for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.” This without doubt is understood as spoken of the present life, whilst the predicate “shall not be justified” has reference to that perfect state of righteousness which belongs not to this life.

CAPUT XVII.

38. «Item dicunt,» inquit, «Quia non justificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens» (Psal. CXLII, 2). Et huic testimonio quasi respondit ad nihil aliud, nisi ut Scripturae sanctae inter se ligitare videantur: quarum concordiam nos debemus ostendere. Ait enim: «Quibus respondendum est, quod de sancto Zacharia et Elisabeth evangelista testatur, dicens: Erant autem Zacharias et Elisabeth uxor ejus justi ambo in conspectu Domini, et incedentes in omnibus mandatis et justificationibus Domini sine querela» (Luc. I, 6). Qui justi ambo utique legerant 0312 inter ipsa mandata, quemadmodum sua peccata mundarent. Nam Zacharias, quod de omni sacerdote ex hominibus accepto in Epistola ad Hebraeos dicitur, etiam pro suis peccatis utique hostias offerebat (Hebr. V, 3). Quomodo autem intelligendum sit quod dicitur, sine querela, jam supra satis, quantum opinor, ostendimus (Cap. 11, n. 23-28). «Et beatus,» inquit, «Apostolus ait, Ut simus sancti et immaculati in conspectu ejus» (Ephes. I, 4). Hoc agitur, ut hoc simus; si immaculati intelligendi sunt, qui omnino sine peccato. sunt. Si autem immaculati sunt, qui sunt sine crimine; etiam in hac vita fuisse atque esse negare non possumus: quia non ideo sine ullo peccato est aliquis, quoniam non habet maculam criminis. Unde et Apostolus cum ministros eligeret ordinandos, non ait, Si quis sine peccato; quod invenire non posset: sed ait, Si quis sine crimine (Tit. I, 6); quod utique posset. Nec tamen iste ostendit, quemadmodum secundum suam causam debeamus accipere quod scriptum est: Quoniam non justificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens. Aperta quippe sententia est de superiore versu illustrius declarata, Non intres, inquit, in judicium cum servo tuo, quoniam non justificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens. Judicium timet, quia misericordiam desiderat, quae superexaltat judicio. Hoc est enim, Ne intres in judicium cum servo tuo, noli me judicare secundum te, qui es sine peccato: quia non justificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens; quod de hac vita dictum sine difficili quaestione intelligitur; et quod ait, non justificabitur, ad illam perfectionem justitiae retulit, quae in hac vita non est.