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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85397	Impvtatio fidei. Or a treatise of justification wherein ye imputation of faith for righteousness (mentioned Rom: 43.5.) is explained & also yt great question largly handled. Whether, ye actiue obedience of Christ performed to ye morall law, be imputed in justification or noe, or how it is imputed. Wherein likewise many other difficulties and questions touching ye great busines of iustification viz ye matter, & forme thereof etc are opened & cleared. Together wth ye explication of diuerse scriptures, wch partly speake, partly seeme to speake to the matter herein discussed by John Goodwin, pastor in Coleman-street.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.; Glover, George, b. ca. 1618.	1642 (1642)	Wing G1172; Thomason E139_1; ESTC R15925	312,570	494

must needs be the formall cause thereof otherwise it must be said either a man is formally just by some righteousnesse of his own or which he hath not received from God or else that he is not made righteous in or by his Iustification but afterwards The minor is the assertion of the Holy Ghost almost in terminis Rom. 4. For that which ver 6. is called Gods imputing righteousnesse ver 7. is interpreted to be his forgiving iniquities and covering sinne Seventhly If remission of sinnes reacheth home unto and be given unto men by God for their Iustification then is it the formall cause thereof This is evident because by the formall cause of Iustification we meane nothing else as hath bin often said but Iustification passive or that guift which by God is given unto men and by them received accordingly in and by that act of his whereby he iustifieth them So that if remission of sinnes be that which is given unto sinners by God for or unto their Iustification it must of necessitie be conceived to be the formall cause thereof Therefore I assume but remission of sinnes is given by God unto men for their Iustification and reacheth home unto it Therefore it must needs be the formall cause thereof This latter proposition againe is in effect and well nigh in terms nothing but what the Holy Ghost himselfe affirmeth Rom. 5.16 And not as it was by one that sinned so is the guift for the iudgment was by one unto condemnation but the free guift is of many offences unto Justification that is God by the free guift that is by the free forgivenesse of mens sinnes doth fully justify them The free guift of offences or the forgivenesse of sins could not be said to be unto Iustification except a man were fully and entirely justifyed thereby Lastly if remission of sinnes and the non-imputing of sinne to those that have sinned be expressions of one and the same importance and signifie the same privilege estate or condition of a person iustified then is remission of sinnes the formall cause of Iustification The strength of this consequence lieth in this that the Holy Ghost describeth or interpreteth the righteousnesse which God imputeth in Iustification by the non-imputation of sinne This is evident by comparing Rom. 4.6 with ver 8. And it was proo●ed before in the sixt argument that the righteousnesse imputed by God in Iustification must of necessity be the formall cause thereof Therefore it undeniably followes that if remission of sinnes and the non-imputing of sinne be expressions of one and the same condition that remission of sinnes is the formall cause of Iustification Now that the importance of these two expressions is but one and the same is apparant enough without proofe For what doth God more or otherwise in remitting sinne then he doth in not imputing it or what doth he more or otherwise in the not-imputing of sinne then he doth in remitting it Not to impute sinne to him that hath sinned can implie nothing else but not to charge the demerit or guilt thereof upon him and what doth remission of sinnes import either more or lesse And hence doubtlesse it is that David sets the same Crowne of the same blessednesse upon the head of the one and the other Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sinne is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie c. Psal 32.1.2 Rom. 4.7.8 Much might be further argued both from the Scriptures and otherwise SECT 34 for the cleering and countenancing of this opinion which placeth formall justification in Remission of sinnes but inasmuch as this tasque hath bin learnedly and throughly performed by another (a) Mr. Wotton De Reconciltat Part 1 lib. 2. c. 3.4.5.6.7.8 though in another languag and to ease the present discourse of length and tediousnesse what we may without any sensible de r●ment to the cause undertaken I forbeare And the rather because whatsoever I am able to conceive may possibly with any colour or pretext of reason be objected against the opinion hath for the most part bin already answered or cleered or else will be found answered in the two following Chapters As First Object 1 That Remission of sinnes is no true or compleate righteousnesse ou shall finde satisfaction touching this in the second Chap. of this latter part in the 4 Conclusion Sect. 4. Secondly Object 2 That the righteousnesse of Christ is to be joyned with remission of sinnes to make the compleate forme of Iustification See this cleered at large Cap. 11. of the first part Thirdly Object 3 That Remission of sinnes is the consequent or effect of Iustification and therefore not the formall cause See whereof to make a sufficient answere to this Sect. 8. and Sect. 29. of this Chapter where it is fully prooved that the formall cause of Iustification must needs be the consequent of Iustification that is of that act of God whereby he justifieth Fourthly that the righteousnesse of Christ imputed is this formall cause Object 4 you shall finde this counter-argued Sect. 23 24 25 26 27. of this Chapter Fiftly Object 5 that the imputation of this righteousnesse is the formall cause The inconsistencie of this with the truth is evicted Sect. 22. of this Chapter Sixtly Object 6 That the communion that is betweene Christ and beleevers is this formall cause How little communion this hath with the truth hath bin shewed at large Section 18 19 20 21. of this Chapter Seventhly That Iustification may be Object 7 where there is no remission of sinnes and remission of sinnes where there is no justification See the opinion set cleere of this objection in the latter end of Sect. 1. of the 3 Chap. of this second part as also Sect. 29. of this present Chapter What further may be objected I doe not for the present apprehend but ready and willing I am to take any thing into a serious and unpartiall consideration that shall be tendred unto me as matter of further question or difficultie in the businesse In the meane time out of all that which hath bin reasoned at large in this Chapter concerning justification and the severall causes thereof some such description of it as this may be framed wherein the attentive Reader may observe either all or the greatest part of the causes insisted upon briefly comprehended Justification is an act of God whereby having out of his owne unspeakable free grace and goodnesse towards poore miserable sinners given his only begotten Sonne Jesus Christ to make attonement or satisfaction for them by his death in consideration of this attonement freely pardoneth and remitteth the sinnes of all those that beleeve in him through Jesus Christ preached or otherwise revealed by the Holy Ghost unto them CAP. V. VVhere in the Scriptures alledged for the imputation of Christs righteousnesse or active obedience in Justification are cleered and answered and the true sense and interpretation of them respectively established according to

neither Heresie nor Blasphemie neither Socinianisme nor Arminiarisme neither error nor noveltie in them doubtlesse the Discourse it selfe will abundantly gratify him herein But he that is full of prejudice loatheth the hony-comb of satisfaction Only to the charge and imputation of Noveltie besides what is effectually layd down in the ensuing discourse for the healing of this exulceration in the Spirits of men I desire to suggest a few things here by the way First that America though lately discovered unto us on this side of the World was yet as ancient a Land and part of the World as either Asia Africa or Europe it selfe And what prohibition can there be serv'd out of the Scriptures upon any tenet or opinion in Religion to arrest it for error or untruth or to prove it not to have bin of as ancient Creation and standing as any other truths professed amongst us only because we never saw the face or heard the name of it till yesterday Might not nay did not the Synagogue of Rome upon the same pretence blaspheme and quarell against all that glorious light brought into the Church by Luther and his compeeres in the daies of that reformation and brought it under the censure and condemnation of darknesse If so great and considerable a part of the world as America is being as large as all the other three so long knowne within an eight or there-abouts was yet unknowne to all the world besides for so many generations together well may it be conceived not only that some but many truths yea and those of maine concernment and importance may be yet unborne and not come forth out of their Mothers womb I meane the secrets of the Scriptures to see the light of the Sun especially considering of how easy ready a discovery visible things are by Name lands and great tracts of Earth in comparison of things that are Spirituall and those especially whose scituations and dwellings are farre remot from the commō road or walk of mens studies and understandings as also how poor and barren and empty the visible world is of secrets and things to be known and how soon the contents thereof may be read over and understood in comparison of the infinite and endlesse varietie of the riches and treasures of the Scripture and the unknown abysse of truth there Secondly the Scriptures themselves give us a propheticall intimation of this that in and towards the latter ages of the world their foundations as it were shall be discovered and their great depths broken up and that knowledge shall abound as the waters cover the face of the Sea But thou oh Daniel saith the Angell to him Dan. 12.4 shut up the words and seale the booke even to the time of the end meaning that Daniel should so carrie the tenour of this part at least of his prophecie that it should not be cleerely understood till the drawing neere of the time wherein it is to be fulfilled and then many shall runne to and fro that is shall discourse and beate out the secrets of GOD in the Scriptures with more libertie and freedome of judgement and understanding and traverse much ground to and againe on which no man should set foot till that time and knowledg by this meanes shall be increased Much more might be added from the Scriptures in this particular Thirdly that no man is competently furnished and instructed to the Kingdome of Heaven that is for the Ministerie of the Gospell and promoting the affaires of the Kingdome of Heaven that way Ma●t 13.25 but he that is like unto a man an householder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new old i. who is not aswel able to make som new discoverie to bring forth somwhat of himselfe in the things of God in one kinde or other as to preach the common and received truths Fourthly that there are thousands of Scriptures that have not yet opened or delivered out their treasures but reserve them as the proper and peculiar glory of the generations of the CHURCHES yet to come Fiftly that many interpretations of Scriptures anciently delivered by Chrysostom Augustine and others of the Fathers are wholly deserted by Luther Calvin Musculus and other late Divines and others of a quite differing importance substituted in their stead Sixtly that severall opinions not only maintained by some speciall Father one or more as those lately mentioned or the like but even such as generally ruled in the Church for some ages together have beene waved yea and strongly opposed by their successors It were easy to instance were not brevitie the greater necessitie of the two Seventhly that divers interpretations of Scriptures especially in the old Testament and of some in the new delivered by Luther Calvin Musculus and other learned and Orthodox Writers of that Centurie are suspected yea and more then suspected even detected of misprision and mistake by many of the most learned of this age Eightly that is neither new nor unjustifiable by the practise of wise men to examine yea and to impugne received opinions if they be found erroneous He that will please to peruse the first Chapter of the first Booke of Doctor Hakewills learned Apologie of the Power and providence of God c. shall meet with great varietie of instances and examples both in Divinitie Philosophy in Ecclesiasticall Historie in Civil or Nationall Historie in Naturall Historie of opinions which had a long time bin generally received and yet were at last suspected yea and many of them evicted and rejected upon due examination Ninthly that there are now many errors erroneously so called in the Christian World which are made of the greatest and choycest truths yea and which doubtlesse will be redeemed from their captivitie and restored to their Thrones and Kingdomes by the diligence guifts and faithfulnesse of the approaching generation Tenthly that it is of sweet consistence with the providence of God and with the known method of his dispensations to put honour upon that which lacketh to discover and reveale himselfe in some particulars unto those that are weake and of lesse esteeme in the Church wherein he reserv's himselfe from persons of farre greater light and knowledge otherwise and which are counted pillars of the Church as is said of Iames and Cephas John Gal. 2.9 This made Zuingl to say (a) Etiam abjectissimi verba in Ecclesia nō conteyn nda sed a●dienda er judic●nda sūt Zuingl in Epist that the words even of him that is most abject and despicable in the Church ought to be heard examined and considered of and a late writer of our own H. W. True originall of the Soule p. 3. that they are not alwaies the learnedst m●● that finde out the greatest mysteries Eleventhly that to oppose and crie downe for error every thing that is not generally received and taught is to quench proceedings and to interdict unto the Churches growth in the Lord Jesus Christ and consequently

and tendred it unto him to require it for righteousnes or instead of righteousnes and not to accept it for righteousnes when it is brought unto him would be as apparant a breach of Covenant with God as it would be in a rich Creditor that should compound and agree with his poore Debtors for twelve pence in the pound or the like but when they brought the money to him should refuse to take it upon any such termes or to discharge them of their debt and give them out their bands Secondly SECT 6 when we deny the Imputation of Christs righteousnes in Justification we neither deny the righteousnes of Christ in it selfe we rather suppose and establish it Neither 2 do we deny the absolute necessity of it both to the Justification and salvation of a sinner Neither 3 do we deny a meritorious efficiency or causality in this righteousnes in respect of the Iustification of a sinner but verily believe and conceive that God justifieth all that are justified not simply and barely for Christs sake or for his righteousnes sake for a man may do a thing for his sake whom he much loves and respects though he hath not otherwise deserved it at his hands but for the merits sake of Christs righteousnesse there being a full and reall consideration in this righteousnes of Christ I meane his death or passive righteousnes chiefly why God should justifie those that believe in him But 4 and lastly that which we deny in denying the Imputation of Christs righteousnes is this that God should looke upon a believing sinner in his Iustification and account of him as one that had himselfe don all that Christ did in obedience to the Morall Law and hereupon pronounce or account him righteous or which is the same that God should Impute unto him those particular acts of obedience which Christ performed ● the nature and proprietie of them so that he should stand as righteous before God as Christ himselfe or which is the same righteous with the selfe same righteousnesse wherewith Christ was righteous and so God make himselfe countable unto him for such obedience imputed in as great matters of reward as he would have beene for the like obedience personally performed by himselfe In a word this is that which we deny this is that which we affirme concerning the righteousnes of Christ in the Iustification of a sinner that God cloaths no man with the letter of it but every man that believes with the Spirit of it that is that this righteousnes of Christ is not that that is imputed unto any man for righteousnes but is that for which righteousnes is imputed to every man that believeth A Justified persō may in such a sense be said to be cloathed with Christs righteousnes as Pauls necessities were relieved supplied by his hands Act. 20 34. These hands saith he have ministred unto my necessities PAVL neither eate his fingers nor spun out the flesh of his hands into cloathing and yet was both fed and cloathed with them so may a believer be said to be cloathed with the righteousnes of Christ and yet the righteousnesse of Christ it selfe not be his cloathing but only that which procured this cloathing unto him and so Calvin calls that cloathing of righteousnes wherewith a beleever is clad in his justification justitiam morte resurrectione Christi acquisitam a righteousnes procured or purchased by the death and refurrection of Christ This righteousnes of Christ may be said to be the righteousnes of a beleever in such a construction of speech as the knowledg of God and of Christ is said to be eternall life Ioh. 17 3. viz in way of causalitie not in the formalitie of it And againe the righteousnesse of a Beleever in his Iustification may be termed the righteousnesse of Christ in such a sense as the favor of God in deliverance out of trouble is called a mans righteousnesse Iob 33 26. or as a bond servant under the Law is said by God himselfe to be his Masters money Exo. 21 21. because he was bought with his money or as the Nation and people of the Jewes is often in the Scriptures called Iacob they were not Iacob in the proprietie of his person but in his discent and propagation So may the righteousnesse of a Beleever be called the righteousnesse of Christ viz. in the fructification of it because it is a righteousnesse descended from it and issuing as it were out of the loynes of it What hath beene affirmed and what hath been denyed in the Question We come now to prove and to demonstrate the truth of both 1. from the authority of the Scriptures 2. from the grounds of reason as for the third kind of proofe or confirmation consent of Authors we shall not assigne a peculiar place for that by it selfe but enterlace our other proofes occasionally with such testimonyes as we have received from learned and judicious men for confirmation of the point to be discussed the greatest part whereof notwithstanding you shall meete with in the second and fift Chapters CAP. II. VVherein the imputation of Faith for righteousnesse is proved from the Scriptures and the interpretation of those Scriptures confirmed both by reason and authority aswell of ancient as moderne Divines VVHat it is that is imputed for righteousnesse in Iustification all the wisdome or learning under Heaven is not so fit or able to determine as the Holy Ghost speaking in the Scripture being the great Secretary of Heaven and privie to all the waies and counsells of God and therefore there is none to him to take up any difference or to comprimise betweene the Controverters about any Subject in Religion All the difficulty and question is because though he speaks upon the house top yet many times and many things he interprets in the eare All the Christian world either know's or readily may know what he speakes in the Scriptures but what his meaning and intent is in many things there delivered he leaveth unto men to debate and make out amongst them To some indeed he reveales the secret of his counsaile the Spirit of his Letter in some particulars but because these are not marked in the forehead therefore their thoughts and apprehensions though the true begotten of the spirit of truth are yet in common esteeme but like other mens till God himselfe shall please to make the difference by causing a clearer light of evidence and conviction to arise upon them yea many times the nearer the truth the further off from the approbation of many and sometimes even of those that are the greatest pretenders to the truth Foure things there are especially SECT 2 that much commend an interpretation when they are found in conjunction and establish it like that King upon his Throne Prov. 30 31. against whom there is no riseing up First if the Letter or Grammar of the Scripture will fairely and strongly beare it Secondly If the scope of the place will close

having their sins pardoned hath been already proved at large cap. 5. by expresse testimonies of the Scripture whereunto we found the judgment of Calvin with other learned Divines of the resormed Religion fully conformable Here we observed that to justifie in Scripture dialect constantly signifies absolution from guilt and punishment but never any qualifying or investing with a positive or legall righteousnesse either by imputation or otherwise To those Scriptures which were there produced and insisted upon being many yet many more might be added of like importance there being no streame of truth running fuller or cleerer along the Scriptures then this But because we shall have assistance enough from those very places alledged to vindicate the interpretation given against all that is or can be objected against it we will spare that time and labor But against the Exposition given of these Scriptures wherein it was affirmed SECT 2 that the Scriptures know no other justification of a sinner but that which stands in remission of sinnes or discharge from the punishment or condemnation due unto them it is objected that forgivenesse of sins is indeed a part of justification but not the whole imputation of righteousnesse must be likewise added To this I answere First that Calvin is as expressely of another judgment as words can make him a professed enemie to this biformed or double justification On Rom. 4. ver 6 7. c. he hath these words Quibus etiam verbis docemur justitiam Paulo nihil aliud esse quam remissionem peccatorum i. in which words we are taught that righteousnesse with Paul is nothing else but remission of sins He doth not say that Paul placeth righteousnesse or justification partly in remission of sins partly in somewhat else but plainely affirmes that that righteousnesse by which we are justified or made righteous before God is NOTHING ELSE but this forgivenesse Againe in his Institutions lib. 3. cap. 11. sect 21. Iustitia fidei est reconciliatio cum Deo quae SOLA REMISSIONE PECCATORUM constat The righteousnesse of Faith is our reconciliation with God which consists of remission of sins ONLY Againe in the same Section Constat quos Deus amplectitur NON ALITER fieri justos nisi quòd abstersis peccatorum remissione maculis purificentur ut talis justitia VNO VBRBO appellari queat REMISSIO PECCATORUM i. It is evident that those whom God embraceth are NO OTHER-WAIES made righteous but because they are purifyed having their spots washed off by the forgivenesse of sins so that this righteousnesse may IN ONE VVORD be called REMISSION OF SINNES Againe in the following Section Sic remissionem peccatorum cum justitiá connectit Apostolus Act. 13.38 ut IDEM PRORSUS esse ostendat i. The Apostle Act. 13.38 doth so couple or conjoyne forgivenesse of sins with righteousnesse that he plainely shewes them to be ABSOLVTELY OR ALTOGETHER THE SAME Again in the third Section of the same Chapter Cum Scriptura dicit Deum justificare impium quiest ex side Christi quis sensus esse potest nisi fideibeneficio a damnatione liberare quam ipsorum impietas merebatur Et paulo pòst Iustificare ergo NIHIL ALIUD EST quam eum quireus agebatur tanquam approbatâ innocentiâ à reatu absolvere i. When the Scripture saith that God justifieth the wicked that is of the Faith of Jesus what else can be meant then the freeing or absolving him from that condemnation by the benefit of his Faith which his sin deserved And a little after in the same Section To justifie therefore is nothing else then to absolve a man from guilt as one of approved innocencie who was accused as one guiltie Yet once more in the same Chapter Sect. 15. Hic est fidei sensus c. quòd intercedente Christi justitiâ impetratâ remissione peccatorum justificatus sit 1. This is the meaning of a mans Faith c. that by the mediation or intercession of Christs righteousnesse he is justified by remission of sins obtained Laftly in the fourth Sect. of the same Chapter Quarto autem capite ad Romanos c. i. In the fourth Chapter to the Romans he first calls justification the imputation of righteousnesse and doubteth not to place it in REMISSION OF SINS And presently citing the testimony of David Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven c. commenteth thus upon the words Illie sane●nonde justificationis parte c. i. Questionlesse he doth not here dispute of a part of justification but of the whole The definition whereof he further affirmeth to be set downe by David when he pronounceth those blessed to whom a free forgivenesse of sins was given From whence it appeareth that that righteousnesse whereof we speake is simply opposed to guilt of sinne c. You see we have not sought far for all this abundance of this Authors minde and judgement touching the point in Question all these testimonies the first excepted are found within the compasse of one only Chapter and that none of the first magnitude neither Hee that in the presence of all these witnesses speaking so distinctly and fully from the Authors owne pen will yet say that Calvin ●●●d not remission of sinnes to be our entire and compleate justification had need be able to prove to the world that Calvins H●ad and hand were at ods when these things were written or that his pen was suborned and bribed by some adversarie to conspire against his meaning end to betray his judgement in the point Notwithstanding a great Master of the opposite way in this controversie SECT 3 being loath to lose a man of such authority as Calvin is from his partie attempts yet by force to bring him through all this fire and water over to him and therefore pretends to finde more ingenuitie in Papists and in Bellarmine himselfe towards this Author then in men of his owne profession Protestants I meane that are of an opposite judgment to him in this point Bellarmine saith he doth confesse and acknowledg that though Calvin doth againe and againe place justification in remission of sinnes only yet he holds imputation of Christs righteousnesse too To this I answere First that which is here called ingenuity in Bellarmine I fully conceive to be nothing else but a peece of Jesuiticall cunning to make his adversaries opinion the more irrationall that so he might have the more advantage against him in disputation which will further appeare by and by Secondly I conceive that as Paul in Christian wisdome pleaded his Pharisaisme when time was to helpe himselfe at a pinch though otherwise hee little regarded it or as Sampson tooke up the jaw-bone of an Asse to revenge himselfe of the Philistins and threw it away when he had done so this man findesingenuity in Bellarmines to quit himselfe in a strcight seast Calvin should be taken from him and to avenge himselfe of his adversaries in this Question but otherwise cares little for it But thirdly and

simply and directly in it selfe nor contributing any thing immediatly by way of merit towards the Iustification of a sinner the reasons whereof have bin former●y given So that God is not thereby provoked or mov'd to justify any man yet falling in conjunction with that other righteousnesse of Christ which we call passive and making his blood to be the blood of a Lamb undefiled and without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 it cannot be denied but that here and in this consideration it hath some kinde of an impulsive and moving efficiencie towards Iustification qualifying in part the sacrifice of Christ for that fullnesse and height of acceptation with God The great misery of the poore creature man lying under condemnation for sinne cannot properly be conceived or call'd any cause of his justification yet is it somewaies reducible to this externall impulsive cause in hand inasmuch as that goodnesse and graciousnesse of God we spake of was hereby occasioned and moved to take some course for it's Iustification and salvation Concerning Faith SECT 12 the generall and uniforme Doctrine of Reformed Authors gives it for an instrumentall efficient cause of Iustification which is the sixt and last kinde of efficient we shall insist upon and so it hath bin more then once represented in this Treatise yet we meet with many expressions concerning Faith even in the best and most approved writers which doe not so much sympathize with the instrumentall as the impulsive efficient Thus Musculus speaking of Abraham (a) Ob eam ●dem s● qua promittenti Deo sirmiter credidit justus est a Deo reputatus Musc in Gen. 15. ver 6. saith that he was reputed righteous by God FOR that Faith whereby he firmly beleeved God promising Aretius thus (b) Imputavit ei justitiam quod est fidem gratam habuit adeo ut justum eum haberet justitia imputativa Aret. ad Rom. 4. God imputed righteousnesse to Abraham that is accepted his Faith and againe a Faith so firme and pious was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse In all which expressions with many others both in these and other Authors of like importance there seemes rather an impulsive or perswasive then an instrumentall efficiencie ascribed unto Faith The Scriptures themselves also in respect of other favors blessings and deliverances vouchsafed by God unto Beleevers seeme at least in many places to ascribe rather an impulsive then instrumentall efficiencie unto Faith in the procuring of them So Daniel was brought out of the Denne and no manner of hurt was found upon him BECAUSE he beleeved in God Dan. 6.23 In like manner the Prophet Hanani to King Asa The Ethiopians and the Lubims were they not a great host with Charets and horsemen exceeding many yet BECAUSE then didst rest upon the Lord he delivered them into thine hand 2 Chr. 16.8 See Jer. 39.18.2 Chr 31.18 c. 14 11. with many others Notwithstanding elsewhere this Faith of Beleevers the Holy Ghost makes rather instrumentall then impulsive and that in respect of such favors also M●ny instances whereof are found in that one Chapter Heb. 11. By Faith they passed through the Red Sea ver 29. By Faith the walls of Iericho fell downe 39. Againe ver 33. it is sayd concerning Gideon Barak Sampson c. that through Faith they subdued Kingdomes wrought righteousnesse stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of fire c. For reconciling this seeming difference in the Scriptures it may be said that the instrumentall and impulsive efficients are not so opposite but that sometimes and in some cases the instrumentall cause may put on the consideration of an impulsive also and aswell move a man to doe a thing as assist him or be made use of by him in the doing it Thus a competent strength of men may aswell move a King to give battaile to an enemy as assist him in the battaile and obteyning the victory So a Carpenter or other artificer having tooles or instruments thereafter may be perswaded or moved by them in part to undertake some piece of worke which otherwise they would not And thus Faith I conceive may in different respects be look'd upon either as an instrumentall or as an impulsive cause in Iustification As it is a ground or reason why God justifieth one man when he justifieth not another for the beleever is alwaies iustifyed and that because he is a beleever and the unbeleever not so it hath the nature of an impulsive cause againe as it is subservient to the counsell or decree of God concerning Iustification and is accordingly made use of by him in the act of Iustification for he is said to iustify men by and through Faith Rom. 3 30 c. it puts on the nature and consideration of an instrumentall cause properly so called True it is Faith is not an impulsive or moving cause in Iustification of the same kinde nor after the same manner that Christ and his sufferings are these are impulsive and moving in a superior way by way of merit and consequently of Iustification simply and therefore are at no hand to be reckoned amongst the instrumentall causes thereof whereas Faith moveth only in an inferior and under way and by such a motion wherewith causes properly instrumentall sometimes move as hath bin said and therefore mooveth not properly to Iustification or to Iustification simply but comparatiuely that is to the Iustification of such and such men viz that doe beleeve Other causes there are instrumentally inservient unto Iustification as viz. the word of God that is preached the preaching it selfe of this word the Minister by whom this word is preached the sight apprehending or understanding of this word the operation or worke of the Holy Ghost by which this word is made effectuall in the heart and soule of a beleever and generally whatsoever tendeth or contributeth towards the worke of Faith in the soule may be called instrumentall in or about Iustification according to the importance of the old maxime Quod est causa causae est etiam causa causat● But how the Sacraments should become instrumentall causes or meanes of Iustification must be knowne by inquiring at the Oracle at Rome for neither the Scriptures nor the Reformed Religion have any of this learning in them This briefly for the efficient c●uses of Iustification which is the first generall head of causes among the foure Secondly SECT 13 concerning the finall causes of Justification all parties as farre as I know are upon the matter agreed also For though one may discover and put upon accompt more intermediate or subordinate ends or finall causes hereof then another yet no man denieth at least can with reason deny but that the Glory of God which is the generall great and sovereigne end of all things whatsoever hath the preheminence also amongst and above all the ends of Iustification that can be named or enter into the heart of man to conceive The great subordinate end and which lies fairest and fullest

the judgment of the best Expositors of the Protestant party ALL errour and mistake in matters of Christian Religion SECT 1 is occasioned either in the conception or continuance or both by somwhat which God in the Scriptures hath well said but is by men not well understood And as Gregory long since well observ'd it in matter of practise (a) Cum vitium virtus putatur culpa fine me●n cumulatur Greg Do Paster Cur. l 3. c. 1. that when men conceive of sinne under the notion of a duty there it is committed with an high hand and without measure the reason whereof is because conscience and concupiscence are then in conjunction which for the most part are in opposition about the committing of sin whereby the course of it is somwhat broken and impaired so it is likewise in point of judgement when men conceive of their by-thoughts and misapprehensions as countenanced from Heaven in the Scriptures their confidence lifts up it selfe very high and the mildest contradiction is little lesse then an abhomination unto them The reason whereof I conceive to be this the opinion in this case being their owne must needs have a strong and perfect sympathie with all the powers of nature yet unsanctified and so must needs engage these and then againe being look'd upon as a truth of a divine parentage and issuing from God by means of this apprehension it engageth all the powers of Grace and of the new man also to contend for it And thus what by the nature and substance of it on the one hand being erronious and sinfull and what by the appearance and shew of it on the other hand being as if it were indeed spirituall and divine it is apt to transport a man with an extasie of zeale even above himselfe for the maintenance of it and to inspire him with resolutions of sacrificeing credit Name estate friends himselfe upon the honour and service of it in case it be opposed Now amongst many signes that might be given of an opinion of that very frame and constitution we speak of darknesse for substance and light in appearance this is one of frequent observation when the maintainers of it are ambitious to heap up citations of Scripture proofes without end and to overwhelm their adversaries with Divine testimonies For as the saying is Nusquam est qui ubique est he that is every where is no where so it is much to be suspected that such an opinion is no where in the Scriptures which is pretended to be every where When men sharke about for Scriptures and cannot find those that willingly and freely offer themselves in the service of an opinion but labour and toyle as it were in the fire to redeem the defect of full and pregnant proofes with multitudes and numbers of such as they can find it is a ground of much suspicion that the opinion is not of God but of men The Scriptures are many which are mustered up by the Masters of that way of Imputation which we oppose for the service of their opinion but amongst them all there is not one that comes roundly on or that speaketh plainly or directly to the businesse in hand which is a plaine signe that it is not indeed they that speak at all but the spirit of the men that speaketh in them whatsoever they seem to speake in this kind I make no question but I shall be able to give a thorough and perfect accompt of what I now affirme by a particular examination of the Scriptures themselves alledged in that behalfe The greatest part of them I conceive have bin occasionally touch'd already and in part cleered in this discourse But because a true and solid understanding of them carryes the maine stroke in the Question and controversie depending I thought good to assigne an intire Chapter for the interpretation and solution of them so that the Reader may more readily know where to find and whither to repaire for explication of them al together I begin with those usually alledged from the old Testament which are not many The first place is Psal SECT 2 32.1 Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven Psal 32.1 2. Answered whose sinne is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not transgression c. The covering of sin mentioned in the middle clause is by some conceived to be the righteousnes or active obedience of Christ which God imputing to beleevers covereth all their sinnes therewith To this I Answer 1. That some of our best Expositors conceive all the three expressions here mentioned to be but synonymous i. of one and the same signification and importance and yet with all conceive this variety to be emphaticall and to note that abundance of Grace in God whereby our sins are forgiven Doctor Ames in his sixt Document upon this Psalme carryes the tenour of these passages thus (a) Mag●a est Dei gratia qua peccata nostra remittuntur Hoc eo ipso innuitur quod tā emphatica repetitione et quasi congerie verborum declara●ar quia rei tantae nulla sufflcis Orationis forma Amesius in Psal 32. Document 6. Et ●ex Gratia Dei abundans est ad ●mnia peccata tollenda levat tegit et non imputat And Luther in his Summarie of the Psalme is not farre from it (b) Iustitia nostra propriè est remissio peccatorum seu ut loquitur Psalmus peccata non imputare peccata regere Luther in Summ. Ps 32. Peccatorum remissionem tribus loquendi generibus exprimit quae tamen omnia in idem cadunt S●ph Fabrit in Psal 32. Parcus likewise on Rom. 47. is of the same judgement and cites Ambrose with him 2. For those two expressions not-imputing of sin and covering of sinne Calvin holds them to be the same in sence and signification and that they are of the same importance with those other Scripture phrases where God is said not to remember sinne to blot it out to cast it behind his backe or into the depths of the Sea and the like and moreover cites Augustine as his Predecessour in this Interpretation (c) Peccatorum non recordari est ea non postulare ad poenam Id ipsum alibi dicitur proij ere post tergum delere in star nubu demergere in profundum maris non imputare tectumque habere Certè si punit Deus peccata imputat Si vindicat recordatur si ad judicium vocat tecta non habet c. Atque in hune modu● interpretatur Augustin claru verbis c. Calvin Inst lib. 3 c 4. So that none of all these with twen●y more that might be put to them never dreamt of the righteousnesse of Christ lying so close under this covering of sin 3. Neither can sinne be said to be covered with the righteousnes i. the active obedience of Christ since according to the grounds and principles of that very opinion against which we argue sinne is wholly