{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/105/1050374.htm","path":"chr/ecf/105/1050374.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/105/1050374.htm","text":"Chapter XVII.\u2014(38.) The Seventh Passage. Who May Be Called Immaculate. How It is that in God\u2019s Sight No Man is Justified.\n\u201cThey also, says he, \u201cquote the text: \u2018For in thy sight shall no man living be justified.\u2019\u201d 1546 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: \u201cWe must confront them with this answer, from the testimony of the evangelist concerning holy Zacharias and Elisabeth, when he says, \u2018And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.\u2019\u201d 1547 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 \u201cevery high priest taken from among men,\u201d 1548 Zacharias used no doubt to offer sacrifices even for his own sins. The meaning, however, of the phrase \u201cblameless,\u201d which is applied to him, we have already, as I suppose, sufficiently explained. 1549 \u201cAnd,\u201d he adds, \u201cthe blessed apostle says, \u2018That we should be holy, and without blame before Him.\u2019\u201d 1550 This, according to him, is said that we should be so, if those persons are to be understood by \u201cblameless\u201d who are altogether without sin. If, however, they are \u201cblameless\u201d 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, \u201cIf any be sinless,\u201d for he would be unable to find any such; but he says, \u201cIf any be without accusation,\u201d 1551 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, \u201cFor in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.\u201d 1552 The meaning of these words is plain enough, receiving as it does additional light from the preceding clause: \u201cEnter not,\u201d says the Psalmist, \u201cinto judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.\u201d It is judgment which he fears, therefore he desires that mercy which triumphs over judgment. 1553 For the meaning of the prayer, \u201cEnter not into judgment with Thy servant,\u201d is this: \u201cJudge me not according to Thyself,\u201d who art without sin; \u201cfor in Thy sight shall no man living be justified.\u201d This without doubt is understood as spoken of the present life, whilst the predicate \u201cshall not be justified\u201d has reference to that perfect state of righteousness which belongs not to this life.","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. V: A Treatise Concer...","type":"page"}