he proceeds to express this Commuting of Believers their sins with Christ and his Righteousness with them in the following words p. 223. Having thus by faith given up their sins to Christ and seen God laying them all on him they draw nigh and take from him that Righteousness which he hath wrought out for them So fulfilling the whole of that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us that we might become the Righteousness of God in him They consider him tendring himself and his Righteousness to be their Righteousness before God they take it and accept of it and compleat this blessed bartering and exchange of faith Anger curse wrath death sin as to its guilt he took it all and takes it all away Answ As to one of the passages here recited I need not say much more than what hath been already said in answer to Mr. F. wherein I have manifested what manner of guilt our Saviour took upon him I will only say further That I have with a complication of affections grief and sadness with a mixture also of some indignation and abhorrency taken notice of three or four things in his express words 1. I observe That in his asserting that Christ was made red in his own blood Morally by the Imputation of sin whose colour is red and crimson he seems to say with Mr. F. that Christ did take our sin upon him not only in the punishment but also in the guilt thereof This I say seems to be his meaning 1. Because the hainous nature or guilt of sin is set forth in Scripture by the Metaphor here used by him of redness like to that of crimson or scarlet 2. Because he says expresly not only that Christ took upon him Anger Curse Wrath Death but sin also as to its guilt in which words he makes the guilt of sin a distinct thing from the punishment of it which he expresseth in the four preceding words Anger Curse Wrath and Death Now the contrary truth to this his meaning if indeed he did mean as he spake I have already made known in my answer to Mr. F. and to the words of Bishop Andrews Ch. 5. 2. I observe his canting phrases laying down our sins at the cross of Christ upon his shoulders Commuting Exchanging Bartering By faith Giving up our sins to Christ and Taking from him his Righteousness language obscure ambiguous most alien from the Scripture more fit to delude than to edifie any common Reader or Hearer And if any partial or less intelligent person shall be offended with the word Canting as in his apprehension Durus Sermo a censure too harsh I will for his satisfaction say as followeth 1. As for the Doctor 's expression The Saints giving up their sins to Christ by faith Laying down their sins at his cross upon his shoulders I know no such sayings in Scripture and I do therefore judg them fit to be rejected with words like those of the Apostle in another case The holy Scriptures have no such custom of speaking nor the Churches of God 1 Cor. 11.16 And I do judg thus the rather because the inspired Scriptures were given of God to be attended unto as the rule of our speaking in and about the concernments of our soul and matters of Religion as well as of our thinking 2. A bad meaning of the phrases is very obvious to any common understanding That Christ did and will own our sins in the simple guilt thereof or that our guilt of sin was imputed to him by God and being thus tendred to Christ laid by us at his cross on his shoulders will be welcomed and accepted by him as an acceptable offering or as a grateful present in which fond imagination we do wrong God and Christ and do out of measure flatter our selves as hath been already manifested 3. The best construction which I can according to the utmost of my understanding make of the said phrases is That the Saints do verily believe that Christ did bear their sins in the deserved punishment thereof And if the Doctor 's meaning was no more than this I answer 1. We may believe this as an undoubted truth and yet not be Saints An historical faith as it 's usually styled is not therefore necessarily a sanctifying or saving faith 2. It was God himself who did antecedently to our believing lay our sins upon Christ i.e. in his suffering for them but we do no where read in Scripture that the Saints by their faith do lay their sins upon him although it is most true that every sinner ought to make a penitential confession of his sin to God with faith in Christ who was sacrificed for them 3. The said true construction if that indeed was the Doctor 's meaning is a thing so latent in his said expressions that without an Interpreter could scarcely be found out So that upon the hearing of such uncouth phrases from the mouth of any Minister well may the Auditors sigh saying in allusion to that in Ezek. 20. last Ah Lord God doth not the Preacher speak Parables 2. As for the Doctor 's other expressions The Saints their taking from Christ that Righteousness which he hath wrought out for them and his tendring it to them to be their Righteousness before God I say of them much-what as I did of the former viz. 1. I do not remember and such express sayings in Scripture and I cannot therefore approve them as agreeable to the form of wholesome words 2. I see no reason upon which in charity to presume that the Doctor had any good meaning in the said phrases i. e. that his particular meaning therein for I judg him not for want of a good meaning in general which a man may have both in speaking falsly and doing wickedly Joh. 16.2 was sound and good For it appears by the current of his Book That he would have sinners to believe that that very Righteousness which Christ wrought for them is in it self tendred to them and taken by them and that it is in its essential nature imputed to them and is their Righteousness before God I shall to this purpose in this place transcribe onely one passage out of his Book p. 200. Christ says he tenders his Righteousness to sinners declares the usefulness and preciousness thereof to their souls stirs them up to a desire and valuation of it and lastly effectually bestows it on them reckoning it to them as theirs that they should By it and For it and With it be perfectly accepted with the Father Scarce any thing can be more plainly spoken as well in this as in other passages of his Book hereafter to be mentioned from whence to conclude That he asserts Christs Righteousness it self or in it self to be imputed to sinners and that with the Imputation of the very thing it self Pardon of sin in the blood of Christ being in truth a Righteousness in its kind Believers may with it boldly and confidently
A DISCOURSE Concerning the IMPUTATION OF CHRIST'S Righteousness To US and OUR SINS To HIM With many useful QUESTIONS thereunto pertaining Resolved Together with Reflections more at large upon what hath been published concerning that Subject by Mr. Robert Ferguson in his Interest of Reason in Religion and by Dr. John Owen in his Book styled Communion with God By Thomas Hotchkis Rector of Stanton by Highworth in the County of Wilts Remissio peccatorum est justitia imputata Cham. Tom. 3. l. 21. c. 19. Idem sunt Remissio peccatorum Justificatio Urs Cat. Q 60. LONDON Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishops-Head in St. Paul's Church-yard MDCLXXV THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Courteous Reader THE Scope of this Treatise is to demonstrate Christ's Righteousness to be in no other Sence imputed to Believers than were their Sins to him that is as their Sin it self or in it's formal nature was not imputed to Christ but only in the deserved punishment thereof so neither is Christ's Righteousness imputed to them otherwise than in it's blessed fruits and saving effects So that Sinners being justified by Christ's Obedience or made righteous as St. Paul expresseth it is no more than their being disobliged and acquitted from Condemnation for the merit of Christ's Righteousness The occasion of my Undertaking this Service was the perusing some late Books concerning whose Authors though I must bear them record that they have a zeal of God yet I cannot say as gladly I would that it is according to knowledg The Doctrine maintained in this Treatise is by one of the said Authors Mr. Rolls accused as damnable doctrine as a limb of Popery yea the very Rats-bane of Popery and the maintenance of it an express contradiction of the Church of England in the great point of Justification By which words and many others to the same purpose he hath done more credit to the Church of Rome and more wrong and dishonour to our own Church than I believe he did intend or was aware of Another of those Authors Dr. Owen in his Vindication against Mr. Sherlock hath very much of the same uncharitable and unadvised talk And after the perusal of these Mr. Ferguson's Book styled the Interest of Reason in Religion came to my hands wherein I perceived the like fervent and inordinate Zeal Hereupon as the Apostle saith of the good Zeal of his Corinthians that it had provoked very many the Zeal of these Brethren for the upholding and propagating Error hath in a different Sence provoked me viz. to offer an helping hand for the defence of the truth nor hath ought else induced me hereunto as having not the least Pique at any of those Authors persons in regard of their dissent from my sentiments or on any other account they being all perfectly unknown to me nor the least touch of envy at their Popularity nor was I excited to this undertaking by any other If any shall object against my thus voluntarily appearing in this Contest as Eliab did against his brother David's forwardness to another kind of Combate saying it is the pride and naughtiness of thy heart I think it enough to reply as David did Is there not a Cause Seeing so many at this time employ to the utmost their Pens and Tongues to decry and defame the great Truths here contended for and to defend and promote the erroneous Principles here opposed As for my manner of writing I was solicitous only to speak intelligibly to the capacity of ordinary Readers not affecting curiosity of the Stile And I hope it will appear that I have endeavoured to right the Truths of the Gospel without wronging any of my dissenting Brethren by misrepresenting their words or sence or uncomely reflections upon any of them I think it expedient likewise to declare that in this Controversy concerning imputed Righteousness I do not step forth as a second to any who have of late appeared for the Cause I maintain either particularly Mr. R. Baxter Mr. William Sherlock Mr. Joseph Truman Mr. Edward Fowler or any other My only aim was according to my slender Talent to serve and bear witness to the truth without design to please or gratify any person If after this Profession of an honest meaning and sincere desire to do good it shall prove my Lot to hear ill in any kind to be accused as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Prevaricator one who would build again what by his Subscription to the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England he hath destroyed to be reproached as a Socinian or to suffer by any other name of intended Ignominy I shall not thereupon be so surprized as if some strange thing had happened to me nor shall I in the least I hope through God's grace be discouraged by such usage nor yet exasperated but shall say in the words of the Prophet Jeremy Truly this is a grief and I must bear it Lastly I think it not amiss to add this Information that the following Treatise is only one Part of what I designed to publish concerning imputed Righteousness and that I have almost perfected a second part concerning Forgiveness of Sin as that very Righteousness which is said in Scripture to be imputed by God to believing Sinners for the sake of Christ's Righteousness and withal concerning Faith as the thing it self which is most expresly and very frequently said in Scripture to be imputed for Righteousness with the resolution of many material Questions pertaining thereunto I desired to have had both these parts published together but this having been a great while in the Press it was thought more advisable that it should not stay for the other but come out by it self To conclude Let us be zealously affected alwaies Gal. 4.18 but with the great St. Paul's Limitation in a good thing and according to the weight of every such matter let the height of our Zeal be and above 1 Pet. 4. ◠all things let us have fervent Charity among our selves May the God of Peace and Love and Truth be with us all This shall be ever the heart's desire and prayer of Stanton July 26. 1675. Reader Thy aged Servant in the Work of the Gospel Thomas Hotchkis THE CONTENTS CHAP. i. Q. Is the Righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to Believers Answ Although it be yielded that in Rom. 5.18 there is express mention of the word Righteousness undeniably to be understood of the Righteousness of Christ nevertheless neither in that Scripture nor in any other place is Christs Righteousness expresly said to be imputed to Believers pag. 1. Chap. ii Q. Have all our Protestant Preachers and Writers erred from the Truth of Scripture who have spoken of Christs Righteousness under the name or notion of a Righteousness imputed or have asserted the Imputation of Christs Righteousness to us Answ No God forbid two reasons of which answer are rendred p. 3. Chap. iii. Q. In what sence is it true or false to say That Christs Righteousness
for us and this also antecedently to our believing it is not Believers who made him to be sin for themselves or for any others Yea as the Apostle said in another case 2 Tim. 2.13 If we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself in like sort may it here be truly said Although sinners believe not yet God ever was and still abideth faithful to fulfil or verifie the whole of that of the Apostle saying God made him to be sin for us That we might be made together with that in Joh. 3.16 and other the like sayings in Scripture God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Our unbelief as the Apostle says elsewhere Rom. 3.3 cannot make the faith of God without effect i. e. cannot hinder the fulfilling of his Word The Doctor having pronounced the said Commutation to be a blessed Bartering and Exchange proceeds to tell us how much Jesus Christ is therewith honoured saying in the same Page Many indeed cry Lord Lord and make mention of him but honour him not at all How so They take his work out of his band and ascribe it unto other things their repentance their duties shall bear their iniquities They do not say so they do so The Commutation they make if they make any it is with themselves All their Bartering about sin is in and with their own souls The work that Christ came to do in the world was to bear our iniquities and lay down his life a ransom for our sins 1. Although it be very true and a sad truth it is that many do cry Lord Lord and do not honour him at all yea do dishonour him in so saying yet it is no less false to say as the Doctor hath here said in his answer to the Question How so For the reason is not as he says Because they take Christs work out of his hand and ascribe it to other things their repentance and duties but the true reason or reasons thereof are such as these 1. Because perhaps they did never rightly understand the work which Christ did put into their hand i. e. which he did impose upon them in order to their enjoyment of salvation through his sufferings and blood-shed It is thus with too many who do deceive themselves in thinking that a form of godliness will sufficiently serve for that end although they deny the power thereof 2. Because if they do know the work put into their hands or imposed upon them for that end yet they will not do it i. e. they will not so believe as to repent and convert that they may be saved 3. Consequently because they do ascribe that to a form of godliness or to the bare profession of Christianity which through the mercy of God in Christ is promised only to the power and practice of Christian Religion The truth of what I have herein answered to the said Question How so and the falshood of the Doctor 's answer thereunto is apparent by that very Scripture in Mat. 7.21 1. It is evidently false that those vain and empty Professors did commute only with themselves and would have no bartering with Christ for that they would fain have commuted with Christ is apparent by their closing and scraping acquaintance with him saying Lord Lord or to speak in the Doctor 's phrase by laying down their sins at his cross upon his shoulders who had born their iniquities These words uttered by their own mouthes Lord Lord do audibly speak their presuming upon Christ to save them or their making account that Christ would barter with them 2. The truth of the reason or reasons as before specified by me is most apparent also For they did not repent according as were their duty to have done but they did continue to be workers of iniquity as our Saviour tells them to their faces v. 23. and upon that account he bad them depart from him not upon any such account as the Doctor would have it As if they would take Christs work out of his hands and ascribe it to their repentance which was impossible for them to do who did not repent except through self-deceit in thinking they were penitent whereas indeed they were not and would have no bartering with him but with their own duties So that if we will believe our Saviour Christ we cannot believe what the Doctor hath said in answer to the said Question How so 2. If those carnal Professors had indeed repented and converted from their iniquities They might well and warrantably have pleaded their repentance and conversion as a title through the mercy of God in Christ for their admittance into the Kingdom of Heaven saying Lord Lord open unto us instead of saying Hast not thou taught in our street have not we eaten and drunk in thy presence in thy name cast out devils they had been able to say with David I have kept thy Word I have been upright before thee and have kept my self from mine iniquity or as Hezekiah or Nehemiah or St. Paul said of themselves 2 King 20.3 Neh. 14.22 2 Tim. 4.7 Christ would not doubtless have turn'd them going with that cutting word Depart from me but have said for their comfort as to the good servant Well done good and faithful servants For thus to have pleaded was not to take any work proper to Christ out of Christs hand or to ascribe ought that was peculiar to Christ to any other thing which to have done was far from those Old Testament and New Testament Saints before-named Did David in that saying Lord save me for I am holy Ps 86.2 renounce all bartering with Christ or take the work of his salvation out of Christs hands or ascribe that to his own personal holiness that was peculiar to the person of Christ I trow not Yea for professed Christians in such sort to plead as aforesaid is in very deed to put the work of their salvation into the hands of Christ who as he did by bearing their iniquities purchase their being saved conditionally upon their return to God through him by faith and repentance so he gives repentance to sinners that thereupon both he and they may be in a proximate or moral capacity he of pardoning and saving them and they of being pardoned or saved by him Briefly then the sin and folly of those carnal Professors was not that they would not at all or upon any terms Barter with Christ only with themselves but that they would have bartered with Christ with coyn not currant or with counterfeit ware i. e. not with true repentance for sin in the name of Christ and conversion from it but with an outside profession of Christianity owning Christ professedly as their Lord and Master themselves in the mean time being servants to or workers of iniquity For had they indeed parted from their sins they had never parted from Christ nor would Christ have