one of his faithfull seed is here meant GODS setting of Christs righteousnes on every true beleevers skore and putting it on his account and judging counting and esteeming him no more guilty of sinne but perfectly righteous by that Evangelicall righteousnes which is called the righteousnes of GOD 2 Cor. 5.21 because GOD performed it in mans nature and the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4.13 and not of workes because it is applyed and enjoyed by faith Philip 3.9 For the confirmation of this exposition and iustifying of this truth wee need seeke no other arguments but such as may bee gathered from the Apostles owne words as in other of his Epistles so especially in this to the Romans argument 1 The first argument is drawne from the 2. Chapter of this Epistle v. 26. where this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it signifies to bee imputed or counted is first used by the Apostle in the very same phrase as here in this Chapter 4.3.5 9. If saith he the uncircumcision keep the righteousnes of the law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision By uncircumcision in the first clause we must necessarily understand a Gentile uncircumcised as learned Beza in his notes observes and that by a trope of speech which is called Metonymia adjuncti for with some reason it may be supposed that an uncircumcised man may observe the precepts of righteousnes contained in the law but it is against common sense to suppose that the fore-skin of any mans flesh not cut off should performe the righteousnes of the Law no man in his right wits will father such a senseles meaning upon the learned Apostle The same word in the second clause as Beza also well observes cannot with any reason bee thought to signifie the foreskin of mans flesh not cut off that is uncircumcision in a proper sense for that cannot but most falsely be reputed and counted for circumcision because they are contradictories one to another But here by a trope or Metonymie called Metonymia signipro re signatâ the word uncircumcision signifies the state of Gētilisme Neither doth it signifie that state barely considered by it selfe but as comprehending in it the righteousnes of the Law which the uncircumcised man hath kept and performed in that state as the wordes necessarily imply for the Apostle doth not say that uncircumcision simply but uncircūcision which hath kept the righteousnes of the Law shall bee counted for circumcision So that here is a Metalepsis or double trope to wit first uncircumcision put for Gentilisme of which it is a signe or adjunct and secondly put not onely for that state of a Gentile but also for the righteousnesse of the Law kept by the man in that outward state of a Gentile uncircumcised which is a Metonymie of the subject containing for the thing contained Yea if wee looke thoroughly into the phrase wee shall see that the state of the man uncircumcised or the man in that estate put for that which hee hath done and performed even the righteousnes of the Law By circumcision we cannot with reason understand the outward cutting away of the foreskin of mans flesh neither taken literally and carnally as the corrupt blind Iewes did take it for a worke of righteousnesse and obedience to the Law for justification The Apostle affirmes Galatians 5.3 that so taken it was an obligation by which the circumcised was bound under paine of cutting off for ever to performe the whole Law And for a righteous Gentile to bee brought under this bondage was no benefit but a miserable condition an ill reward of his keeping the Law Neither can circumcision be here taken sacramentally as it was an outward signe and seale of the righteousnes of faith and of mortification and all vertues of holynesse by which men are sanctified to GOD and become his peculiar people For Ishmael Esau and all the Sonnes of Belial in Israel even Elies wicked Sons and the rest were partakers of the outward signe and sacrament of circumcsion and yet being destitute of the inward grace signified their circumcision was no reward to them but was a witnes to condemne them But the circumcision here mentioned by the Apostle is an honour benefit and a good condition and therefore undoubtedly signifies the inward circumcision of the heart in the Spirit and not in the letter so the Apostle doth expound himselfe verse 29. that is true mortification and sanctification The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be counted signifies here in a full sense judging counting approving accepting and using accordingly Now all laid together the meaning of the Apostle must necessarily be this without any contradiction That if a man uncercumcised do keep and observe with all holy endeavour the commandements of GODS Law and the righteousnesse thereof his state of Gentilisme and of outward uncircumcision comprehending in it a conscionable observing of GODS holy commandement shall be accounted and judged by GOD and by all who judge aright as it is indeed the state of mortification and sanctification which by the Prophets is called circumcising of our selves to the LORD and puting away the foreskin of our hearts Ier. 4.4 And this man though uncircumcised in the flesh and a Gentile in outward estate shall be counted of GOD for a true Israelite without guile circumcised with circumcision of the heart in the Spirit whose praise is not of men but of GOD. This sense and meaning of the words of this phrase is so cleare and manifest and so perfectly agreeable to all true reason that no man can deny it unlesse hee will set himselfe to rebell against the light And this phrase being the same with that which is made the ground of this dispute Rom. 4. where the same Apostle saith that faith and believing were counted to Abraham and so are to every true believer for righteousnes yea being the onely place in all this Epistle wherein the Apostle useth the phrase of imputing or counting except onely in this 4. Chap. and once in the 5. Chapter where hee saith sinne is not imputed it must needs give light to these speeches and words in controversie and as it hath the first place in this Epistle so it deserves to goe before as a guide to lead us to the understanding of the rest Wherefore if we will follow the Apostle himselfe and tread in the same steps after him being the surest guide and best expounder of his owne meaning we must by Abrahams believing by a Metalepsis or double trope with our learned Divines understand Abraham setled in the state of a true believer united by one Spirit unto GOD in Christ and having communion of his satisfaction and righteousnes which were of force and efficacy from the beginning to save justifie all the faithfull and to make GOD their reward And by faith imputed we must not understand faith by it selfe in a proper sense but the state and condition of a faithfull man and also that which faith
comprehends and includes in it even the perfect righteousnesse and full satisfaction of Christ GOD and man for there is a metalepsis or double trope as in the place before expounded By righteousnes we must understand the state of a man justified and made righteous by the communion of Evangelicall righteousnesse and by counting and imputing we must understand the accepting approving esteeming and judging of Abraham and every true believer to bee in the state of a man justified and GODS setting on his skore and imputing to him being faithfull the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith which no man can truely by faith lay hold on untill by one spirit he be united to Christ and have communion with him Heare then the true sense and meaning of the speeches in question parallelled with the sentence and speech before expounded Chap. 2.26 which I thus lay down paraphrastically Abraham upon a true inward spirituall sense of his union and communion with Christ did believe and was surely perswaded that GOD was his reward and this beliefe and faith apprehending Christ and after a sort containning in it as by a fast holding and possessing hand of the soule Christs righteousnesse GOD counted it to him for righteousnes that is set it on his skore and reckoned to him for justification and judged esteemed and accepted him for a man truely righteous as indeed hee was by Evangelicall righteousnes And so whosoever doth not rest on his owne workes for justification nor seeketh thereby to be iustified but by faith feeling himselfe by nature ungodly fleeth to Christs righteousnesse and by faith feeles himselfe to have communion of it and holds it fast and applies and enioyes it His faith is to him an evidence of his righteousnes and GOD who iudgeth according to truth knowing him to have share in Christs righteousnes doth accept it for him and counts him righteous and useth him as a man truely iustified Thus you see how the Apostles former using of this phrase in the second Chapter doth shew the true meaning of it here where it seemes to be more doubtfull The summe of the argument reduced into a short syllogisme is this That exposition of a doubtfull phrase which is most agreeable to the manifest sense and meaning of the same phrase used by the same Author in the same discourse is the best Our exposition of the phrase in question to wit faith and believing is imputed for righteousnesse is most agreeable to the manifest sense of the same phrase of speech used by this same Apostle Cap. 2.26 in this same Epistle Therefore undoubtedly our exposition is best argument 2 Secondly wheresoever the Apostle useth the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of imputing one thing for another there the thing imputed differeth from that for which it is imputed and cannot in any proper sense be called the same as in the place before cited Rom. 2.26 Rom. 9.8 and so it is Psal 106.31 where Phineas his executing of judgement is said to bee counted to him for righteousnesse And wheresoever a thing is said in a proper sense to be counted or imputed or set on ones skore it is said simply to be counted imputed set upon a mans account as Rom 4.4 where the reward is said to be counted of debt to him that worketh and verse 6. and 8. where GOD is said to impute righteousnes and not to impute sinne and verse 11. that righteousnes might be imputed unto them and Rom. 5.13 sinne is not imputed when there is no Law 2 Cor. 5.19 not imputing their trespasses to them 2. Tim. 4.16 I pray GOD it may not be laid to their charge or counted to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Philem. 18. put that on my account Now here in the speeches controverted faith and believing are not said simply to be imputed to believers but to be imputed for righteousnes and therefore faith is not said to be imputed in a proper sense neither can it truely be counted or called righteousnes by it selfe and in a proper sense but the speech is tropicall and improper A third argument is drawne argument 3 from the Apostles words in the 4. verse where hee saith to him that worketh the reward is not reckoned of grace but of debt these words imply that the righteousnesse here said to be imputed brings the reward of blessednes to the believer which reward is of grace and not of debt Now there is nothing which can bring the reward of blessednesse in eternall life to him unto whom it is counted and set on his skore but the perfect righteousnesse and satisfaction of Iesus Christ. That all do grant to be meritorious of eternall life to all that are partakers of it and because the communion and imputation of it is of GODS free grace and the faith by which we receive and apply it is GODS free gift therefore the reward of it to wit eternall life is of free grace and not of debt as the Apostle here saith whereupon the conclusion followes that the righteousnes which GOD accepts and imputes is properly the righteousnes of Christ apprehended by faith Fourthly the Apostle teacheth argument 4 expressely verse 6. and 7. that the thing imputed simply and properly by GOD is righteousnes and such a righteousnes as being imputed brings forgivenes of iniquity covers sinnes and so makes the believer blessed Now there is no righteousnes to be found among all mankind but Christs perfect righteousnes and satisfaction and that is a perfect propitiation for all sinnes and an expiation of all iniquity to them who by faith have put on Christ therefore it is the righteousnes which is imputed to every believer for justification Fiftly that which is said to be imputed to Abraham and to every true believer is righteousnes argument 5 to justification for the discourse of the Apostle both here and in the Chapters next going before that which next followeth is altogether of justifying as appeares Chap. 3.24 25.26 28 30. and Chap. 5.1 16 17 18 19. in all which places he names expressely justification justifying and here in this 4. Cap. he brings Abrahams example and Davids testimony to shew how we are justified Now there is nothing which doth serve to us for justification but that which is found in Christ our mediator even his righteousnes and perfect fulfilling of the Law so he plainely affirmes and teacheth Chap. 5 19. and 8 3 4. and 10.3 4. and therefore his righteousnes upon the true believing of Abraham and the faithfull is counted and imputed to them and set on their skore and they by it are justified argument 6 Lastly as the imputing of any thing for righteousnes is to be taken in other places of Scripture wheresoever it is mentioned so undoubtedly it is here to be taken For the Scripture is the best expounder of it selfe and the spirit of God therein speaking doth best understand shew his own meaning Now the onely place in all
no man can be legally justified but by his owne personall righteousnesse Evangelicall righteousnesse is CHRISTS perfect righteousnesse and fulfilling of the Law in the behalfe of all the elect and faithfull It was not the Law nor our works of the Law which moved GOD to give CHRIST to be our surety and redeemer but he of his owne free love and bounty gave Christ and Christ the Sonne of GOD out of his love humbled himselfe to become man and to fulfill the law for us Neither doe wee obtaine Communion of Christs satisfaction and righteousnesse by the workes of the Law but by the Gospell preached believed as the Apostle teacheth Gal. 3.2 And therefore though Christ his righteousnes be a perfect fulfilling of all obedience which the law requires of man GOD did exact of him every farthing of our debt both in active and passive obedience and in respect of the matter and substance his satisfaction may be called after a sort legall and is so called by Luther yet as it was for us not for himselfe and performed by him our head not by every one of us in our owne persons and is received and applied by Faith not by our workes of the Law and is brought unto us by the Gospell not by the Law and is given to us freely by GODS grace not merited or procured by any thing in our selves so it is not legall but Evangelicall and GODS justifying of us and counting us righteous by it is not a proceeding upon legall grounds nor pronouncing us legally just as this calumniator doth either foolishly imagine or falsely slander and misreport our Doctrine Fiftly in arguing for his owne false and forged sense of the word Justification he hath three reasons all which are for us and prove our Doctrine not his opinion For if this make a sense of the word Justification good because it doth intimate the former guiltinesse of him that is justified as wel as it doth discharge him from all punishment which is his first reason then is our Doctrine of justification by imputation of Christs satisfaction for all our sinnes very good and sound for it intimates a guiltinesse in him who is to bee iustified as well as a discharge from punishment Secondly we doe not plead for our iustification any consideration according to the Law that is wee doe not plead our owne innocency nor satisfaction and righteousnes performed in our own persons but we plead more then somewhat done for us even all Christs obedience active and passive by GODS free grace communicated to us not obtained or merited by our works of the law Thirdly though the law iustifies no sinner but threatens the curse death and condemnation as the due reward of the transgressors of it Yet it iustifies all who are free from all sinnes committed against it and are made righteous by the perfect fulfilling of it to the utmost And therefore when the Gospell hath brought us to the Communion of Christs full satisfaction by which we are made free from all sinne and perfect fulfillers of the law in him our head as GOD doth forgive us our sinnes and counts us righteous so the law is no more against us 1 Tim. 1.9 but is witnesse for us that in Christ we are worthy of remission and iustification By this are manifest the grosse errours and absurdities which he uttereth in this first part of his preparative Chapter But that his ignorance in the Doctrine of justification may more fully appeare I will lay downe the severall significations of the words justification and justifying wherein the Spirit of God doth use them in the holy Scriptures First the word iustifie and iustification signifie making men righteous or constituting or seting them in the state of righteousnesse This signification is justified by several testimonies of Scripture as Rom. 5.19 Where many are said to be made or constituted righteous by the obedience of Christ even as by Adams disobedience many were made sinners and 1 Cor. 1.30 and 2 Cor. 5.21 Where Christ is said to bee made unto us righteousnesse and wee are said to be made the righteousnesse of God in him And Rom. 3.24 and 4 5. Where we are said to be iustified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ. And God is said to justifie the ungodly which cannot be meant of counting judging and pronouncing but of making them righteous by the Communion of Christs righteousnesse For to iustifie the wicked by judging and pronouncing them righteous without making them such is aoâ—mination to the LORD Prov. 17.15 And in this sense Preachers of GODS Word are as instruments under GOD said to iustifie many by bringing them unto righteousnesse and are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iustifiers Dan. 12.3 This iustifying wee may very fitly call radicall or fundamentall iustification This Luther and other learned Divines call actionem individuam because it is GODS action of communicating Christs righteousnesse in a moment and not by degrees successively and in it men are mere patients and do not worke with GOD no more then Adam did in GODS first creating of him upright in his Image Even regenerate Infants may thus be iustified and are iustified before they actually beleeve Secondly the word iustifie signifieth GODS iustifying of men by Faith that is his counting and reputing them righteous upon their actuall beleeving and his enableing them to feele themselves partakers of the righteousnesse of Christ and to enioy it by Faith in this sense the word is used Rom. 4. Where GOD is said to iustifie us by imputing righteousnesse and counting Faith for righteousnesse that is counting a true beleever a righteous person And thus the word is to bee taken where we are said to bee iustified by Faith without the workes of the Law The Apostle doth much urge and presse this iustification Rom 4 and Gal. 3. because though in this taken actively GOD onely acteth yet taken passively as it is received of us and we by Faith feele and discerne in what account we are with GOD and by beleeving enioy Christs satisfaction for remission of sinnes and for righteousnes wee may be said to worke with GOD by way of receiving as a begging hand doth in receiving gifts freely given and put into it This iustifying doth necessarily presuppose the former and doth assure us of it For the iust GOD whose iudgement is according to truth cannot râ—pute us righteous till we have communion of Christs righteousnesse and be thereby truly righteous And this Justification Divines call imputative It springs from the former as from the root and is builded on it as on the foundation Thirdly this word iustifie signifies a manifesting and declaring of men to be righteous and iustified and that three wayes First in foro conscientiae in the court or iudgement of our own conscience when a man being troubled in his conscience with the sight of his sinnes and his want of righteousnesse after humble prayer and poenitent seeking
are not to seeke righteousnes by our owne workes but by faith in Christ for if wee can obtaine grace to believe in him and to lay hold on his righteousnesse wee are for Christ and his righteousnesse sake upon our believing counted righteous before GOD because by our communion which wee have with Christ by the Spirit dwelling in us and enabling us to believe The righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled in us imputatively by the righteousnesse of another even of Christ which is also ours for we are flesh of his flesh that is one with him these are Musculus his owne words in which hee roundly expresseth himselfe in Rom. 8.4 and 10.3.4 Luthers words at which hee catcheth in vaine are to the same purpose in Gal. 3.6 GOD for Christs sake accounts this imperfect faith for perfect righteousnesse Here Luther doth not charge GOD with error or iniquity in judgement by judgeing and accounting that for perfect righteousnesse which is imperfect for his speech is tropicall imitating the phrase of the Apostle by imperfect faith hee meanes a true believer by a weak faith laying hold on Christs righteousnesse and by perfect righteousnesse a man set in a state of perfect righteousnesse by communion with Christ and this is the sense of the words that if a true believer doth lay hold on Christ by faith which in the best of us is but weake and imperfect yet GOD accounts him perfectly righteous with the righteousnesse of Christ which is most perfect and compleat Thus Luther expounds himselfe 1 Tom. pag 32. Editionis Ienensis Christ saith hee is in us by faith yea one with us but Christ is righteousnesse and a fulfiller of all GODS commaundements therefore wee also doe by him fulfill all GODS commandements when hee is by faith made ours And 2 Tom. pag. 515. Faith puts us upon Christs workes of righteousnesse without our owne workes and translates us out of the exile of our sinnes into the Kingdome of his righteousnes And Tom. 1. pag 106. By faith our sinnes are made no more our owne but Christs upon whom GOD hath laid the iniquities of us all and againe all Christs righteousnesse is made ours for he layeth his hand on us If a man had the tongue of men and Angels hee could not speake more fully for the communion and imputation of Christs righteousnes to believers for justification and of their sinnes to Christ for remission then Luther doth in these and divers other places as I shall more fully shew in the second Chapter As for Chamiers words who calles remission of sinnes the righteousnesse which is imputed to us they shew that faith is not that imputed righteousnesse for faith or believing is our act remission is GODS act who can forgive sinnes but GOD But indeed the meaning of Chamier is the same with Calvin to wit that our cleannesse from the guilt of sinne which is Passive remission or justification is that which GOD lookes upon in us when hee counts us righteous in Christ as I have before shewed wherefore I conclude with the contradictory of his conclusion which hee inferres upon the speeches of our Homilies and of other learned Authors to weet thus That wheresoever we find in the Scriptures or any Authors of sound learning this phrase of faith or believing imputed for righteousnesse we must not understand faith in a proper sense but the righteousnesse of Christ even his fulfilling of the Law for us which together with the power and merit of it so far as every believer hath need is communicated to him and imputed to him for justification For as a Merchant cannot be said to be enriched by the gaine of a commodity which never was his owne and in which hee never had any interest or propriety nor any man by an office which was never his owne nor by him executed So none can have the merit and benefit of Christs righteousnesse nor be said to bee thereby justified neither can any such thing be imputed to them except they have a propriety in it and communion of it Thus his instances and similitudes are turned against himselfe to the confusion of his haereticall opinion But that his sinne may appeare out of measure sinfull hee doth not content himselfe with his abusing wresting and perverting of the godly sayings of other Authors and using similitudes which are most contrary to his purpose but hee also layeth profane hands on the holy Scriptures That excellent saying Iob 33 26. which Master Perkins learnedly expounds to be meant of Christs righteousnesse which when men humbly seeke to GOD by repentance and faithfull prayers GOD renders unto them by renuing their sense and assurance of their communion with Christ in his whole satisfaction This Doctor novice most Popishly applyes to a mans owne righteousnesse and saith that GODS rendring to a man his righteousnesse is giving him the benefit of it not the righteousnesse it selfe And yet if wee should grant what hee perversely seekes it will availe him nothing for as the fruite and benefit which GOD renders to a man is not the fruit of a righteousnesse in which he hath no propriety or interest but is his righteousnesse so the fruite and benefit which we receive of Christs righteousnesse GOD renders to us when that righteousnesse is become ours in the propriety of it That place Ephes. 6.8 whatsoever good a man doth the same hee shall receive of the LORD it is for us and against himselfe for as the good which a man receives from GOD for well doing is the good fruite of his owne well doing so is the fruite and benefit which wee receive in our justification the fruite of Christs righteousnes made ours and imputed to us Those speeches Revel 13.10 and 15.10 here is the faith and patience of the Saints c. are not to be understood of the fruite and reward of their patience as the circumstances shew which are killing and slaying and leading into captivitie but of the patience and faith themselves that in such times they are seene tride and proved and GOD at such times gives them patience and faith by threatning and foretelling the finall destruction of their enemies as learned Brightman truely expounds the wordes Besides if patience and faith were here used to signifie the fruit and benefit of patience and faith yet he cannot say it is the fruit of any patience or faith but of the Saints themselves who receive the benefit Likewise if wee grant that in the other places Psal. 128.2 Labour signifies the fruit of labour and Heb. 9.28 Sin signifies the punishment of sinne and Gen. 19.15 iniquitie signifies the judgement of GOD on Sodom for iniquitie by a trope or Metonymie of the cause for the effect This proves that faith which is the hand or instrument of the soule receiving Christ with his righteousnes may by the same trope be used to signifie that state of righteousnes which we receive by it as by an hand or instrument Thus while he runs
truth A shrewd nip if you marke it to you learned Doctors Preachers of the Citie of London who are great pretenders to the truth and yet the nearer that hee is come to the truth and makes his unlearned followers able to see it to the bottom as he hath often told us the further off hee is from your approbation If hee be thus bold and ready to nip you who doe not approve his opinion it is no marvaile that his rude followers doe lay all slaunders reproach and aspersions on us who oppose him and charge him with Socinian haeresie and blasphemy whom they admire and proclaime to bee the great light of GODS Church in these last dayes Socinianisme Foure things there are especially which much commend an Interpretation when they are found in conjunction and establish it like that King upon his Throne Prov. 36.31 against whom there is no rising up First if the Letter or Grammar of the Scripture will fairely and strongly beare it 2º If the scope of the place will close directly and intirely with it 3º When the interpretation which is set up against it cannot stand before the circumstances of the text 4º And lastly when the judgement of able learned and unpartiall men are found in concurrence with it If these foure be sufficient to furnish out an interpretation with authority and power then shall wee need no more Scriptures to prove the innocency of our affirmative viz. the imputation of faith for righteousnes the truth of the negative inseparably accompanying it but that one Chapter onely Rom. 4. Christianisme IN these wordes hee makes his enterance into the disputing of the point before propounded to wit faith in a proper sense is imputed for righteousnes in justification which speech excludes the righteousnes of Christ from being the onely righteousnes by which being communicated and imputed to true beleevers they are justified and stand righteous before GOD. First he propounds foure things which when they are found in coniunction with an interpretation of any Scripture they commend and establish it as he saith like that King upon his Throne against whom there is no rising up Prov. 30.31 These foure things First the literal sense strongly bearing it Secondly the scope of the place concurring Thirdly the inconsistence of the circumstances of the place with the interpretation which is contrary Fourthly the Judgement of able learned men agreeing with it these I say may passe for current But whether that one place of Scripture in the interpretation whereof these concurre bee alone without more Scriptures sufficient to prove the innocency of an assertion which is agreeable to that interpretation is a question many interpretations seeme to have all these and yet are contradicted by other Scriptures as that place Hosea 11.1 When Israel was a child out of Egypt have I called my Sonne being interpreted of the Nation of the Israelites was borne up by the letter concurred with the scope and circumstances more then many contrary expositors and all the learned and able Jewes so understood it and yet the Gospell expounds it another way Mat. 2.15 The place of Scripture upon the interpretation whereof established by these foure things hee intends to build his whole dispute in this Chapter is the fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans so that his proofes by which hee goeth about to set the royall Crowne which is due to Christ and his righteousnes on the head of mans imperfect faith are according to these foure things divided into foure rankes First he undertakes to prove that the Letter of that Scripture Rom. 4. doth beare up his interpretation to wit that faith in it selfe and in a proper sense is said to bee imputed for righteousnes in justification Secondly by the scope of the place Thirdly by shewing that the circumstances of that Scripture cannot beare the Doctrine of Christs righteousnes imputed Fourthly by the judgement and testimonies of able learned and unpartiall men But how poorely he performes his undertakings and how pitifully hee faileth in them wee shall in the progresse shew That his disputation is like to be very Illogicall we may gather from the foule flaw which appeares in his Logicke in this his first enterance where hee saith wee need no more Scriptures to prove the innocency of our affirmative viz. the imputation of faith for righteousnes the truth of the negative inseparably accompanying it but that Chapter onely Rom. 4. First it is against all true reason and Logicke that the affirmative should be innocent from untruth and that the negative which is opposed to it should have truth accompanying it If his affirmative faith is imputed for righteousnesse in a proper sense be true then the negative must needs be false to wit faith in a proper sense is not imputed But perhaps by the negative he doth not meane the negative of his affirmative but some other negative proposition the subject whereof is different from the subject of his affirmative His hatred and envy against Christs righteousnesse least it should get the Crowne from faith is so great that wee may well conceive that by the negative hee in heart meanes this Christs righteousnes is not imputed in justification which if hee doth wee cannot but blame him for speaking ambiguously which Logick in a disputation abhorreth But I leave his trifling and come to the ground and foundation of his discourse even that fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans on which he labours to build his hereticall opinion The words of that Chapter which seeme most to favour him are these Verse 3. Abraham beleeved GOD and it was counted to him for righteousnes and verse 5. To him that beleeveth his faith is counted for righteousnes and verse 9. For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousnes That the truth may more plainly appeare and the contrary falshoode and errour be made more fully manifest I will first lay down the true orthodoxe exposition of the words which is according to the common judgement of the most godly learned and judicious Divines of the best reformed Churches Secondly I will truely rehearse the corrupt exposition of the Apostles wordes made by the hereticke Socinus and his followers the Arminians and other fanaticall Sectaries unto which this adversary adheres and grounds his whole disputation upon it The orthodox exposition I will illustrate and confirme by the scope and circumstances of the rext and by arguments drawne from other Scriptures The corrupt exposition also I will prove to be false and hereticall And afterwards I will proceed to answer this adversaries discourse in every particular The true Exposition explained FIrst these wordes that Abraham beleeved GOD and it was counted to him for righteousnes are generally held to be improper and tropicall and that the meaning of them is not that Abrahams faith or act of beleeving by it selfe in a proper sense was counted to him for righteousnes but that the object of his faith even that
and beleeving which wee on our part must performe for iustification life and salvation And hereby they abolish the freedome of the new Covenant and make it a Covenant conditionall and not of free grace For what soever is covenanted-and promised upon a condition to be performed is not absolutely free nor freely given and so according to their Doctrine they that are iustified by faith are not freely iustified by grace whereas they plead Scripture for their errour and alledge that iustification and life is promised upon condition of beleeving If you beleeve you shall be saved I answer that this is a grosse and absurd mistake For every conditionall proposition doth not propound the conditition of a Covenant which the party to whom a thing is promised must performe that the promise may bee made good to him for such a condition whensoever it is performed makes the thing covenanted a due debt which the promiser is bound to give But oftentimes a conditionall proposition propounds the meanes by which a free gift is received or the qualification by which one is made capable and fit to receive and enjoy a free gift as for example it is often said in Scripture if yee will heare and hearken yee shall eate the good of the land and shall live and not be destroyed Isay 1.19 Ier. 26.3 and many other places If we love one another GOD dwelleth in us 1 Iohn 4. If we walke in the light we have fellowship one with another 1 Iohn 1.2 If we confesse our sinnes hee is faithfull and just to forgive 1 Iohnâ— 9 If a man be just and do that which is right he shall surely live Ezech 18.5.21 In all which and the like places there is no condition of the Covenant propounded but onely the way and meanes to receive blessing or the quality condition by which men are made capable and fit to enjoy the blessing and somtimes the signes tokens and effects of them that are in a blessed estate And even so when GODS word saith If you believe yee shall be saved There is no condition of the Covenant propounded to be performed on our part for justification and salvation but onely the qualification by which GOD of his free grace doth qualify and fit us to be iustified and saved and the meanes by which hee enables us to receive righteousnes and to lay hold on salvation which is freely given to us in Christ. Vpon these particulars severally observed out of their owne words and writings I strongly conclude that this opinion being builded upon such a blasphemous and Hereticall ground and upheld and maintained by such blasphemous arguments must needs be most impious Hereticall and blasphemous Having already proved the Socinian and Arminian opinion to be most false and abominable I proceed to answere the particular arguments contained in this 2. Chapter which was by the Authors owne hand delivered unto me to be answered And because he and his followers shall not complaine of misrelating any of his words I will as I have done in the former Chapter first lay downe his owne words Socinianisme THe first argument brought to prove that faith and believing are in a proper sense Rom. 4. said to be imputed to the believer for righteousnes in justification and not the righteousnes of Christ. First the letter of this Scripture speakes what we affirme plainely and speakes no parable about it yea it speakes it once and twice yea it speakes it the third and fourth time and is not ashamed of it Abraham beleeved GOD and it was imputed to him for righteousnes verse 3. Againe to him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted to him for righteousnes verse 5. And yet againe verse 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnes The same phrase and expression is used also verse 23.24 Certainely there is not any truth in religion not any article of our beliefe that can boast of the letter of the Scripture more full expresse and pregnant for it what is maintained concerning the imputation of faith hath all the authority and countenance from the Scriptures that wordes can lightly give whereas the imputation of Christs righteousnes in that sense which many magnifie hath not the least reliefe either from any sound of wordes or sight of letter in the Scripture Christianisme HIs first argument reduced into the forme of a syllogisme runs thus That opinion which hath the Letter of the Scripture more full expresse and pregnant for it then any truth in religion or article of our beliefe and hath all the authority and countenance from the Scripture that wordes can lightly give is certainely true This opinion concerning the imputation of faith in a proper sense is such Therefore it is a true and sound opinion That this imputation of faith may boast of the letter of Scripture and of all the authority and countenance that wordes can give hee proves because the letter of the Scripture speakes it once twice yea thrice and foure times to wit in this Chapter Rom. verse 3.5 22 23 24. to which I will adde a fift time verse 9. The more true that the proposition is the more false is the assumption wherein hee assumes most falsely to his opinion that which in no wise belongs to it and thereupon inferres a most false conclusion I answere therefore that his assumption is an heap of impudent lyes First the killing letter of the Scripture may give some countenance to it that is speeches of Scripture understood and urged literally which are spoken by GODS spirit tropically and in a figure This Saint Austin calls the killing letter because they who take the words properly and so urge them obstinately they slay their owne soules But the true literall sense of the wordes which are improperly literall will never give any countenance to this hereticall opinion as I have shewed before most fully 2 I cannot but accuse him here of most intollerable impudency in that he affirmes that this most Hereticall opinion hath more full expresse and pregnant testimony from the letter of the Scripture then any truth in Religion or any article of Religion and hath all the authority and countenance from the Scripture that words can give when as in all the Scripture faith is not once said to be imputed for righteousnes in a proper sense in all the word of GOD and is onely seven times said to be counted or imputed for righteousnes and that tropically while the Apostle useth the phrase borrowed from that improper speech which is spoken of Abraham Gen. 15.6 That when Abraham believed GOD he counted it to him for righteousnes For it is manifest that in this Chapter he altogether insists upon that speech and doth but repeat it six times and so likewise Gal. 3.6 Saint Iames also once useth it speaking of declarative justification to prove that Abraham was justified by workes Iam. 2.23 that is declared before men to be
15.6 Hee simply believed GODS word and asked no signe of the LORD and hee did impute that very faith unto Abraham himselfe for righteousnes by which GOD is believed to be propense or ready for our good Hunius also saith The faith by which Abraham believed GOD promising was imputed to him for righteousnes Beza saith Here the busines is concerning that which was imputed to him namely his faith Inius and Tremellius on Gen. 15.6 GOD esteemed or counted him for righteous though wanting righteousnes and reckoned him to be in the state of righteousnes because by firme faith he embraced the promises Paraus Rom. 4.3 Wee understand by the word faith which is said to be imputed for righteousnes Abrahams resting not in himselfe or his owne merits but in the promise and good will of GOD. These testimonies are brought to begge the question for they onely affirme that faith is imputed and by believing men come to be counted righteous but there is not in any one the least intimation that faith is imputed in a proper sense but their owne words in the same places shew That faith by reason of that which it beleeveth and apprehendeth that is Christ with all his merits and benefits is counted for righteousnes which is our true genuine Orthodox exposition of the Apostles words And thus I have answered all whatsoever hee hath said for his interpretation onely his severall falshoods and manifest untruthes in severall phrases and boasting wordes prefixed before the testimonies of every Author whom he nameth I leave to the Reader to observe For indeed they are most palpable that every man of understanding may run and reade them But because I will not have such a forger and false suborner of witnesses escape away without the iust brands of forgery and notorious impudency I will bring in the best learned of the Ancients and also of late Orthodox Divines even those whom hee calls to witnesse for him and will make them speake in their owne wordes and testifie to all the world that by faith imputed for righteousnesse they understand not faith by it selfe in a proper sense but the satisfaction and righteousnesse of Iesus Christ GOD and man performed according to the Law in our nature and in our behalfe that through him the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us who beleeve in him and are lead by his spirit First Iustin Martyr testifieth that we being in our selves transgressors and ungodly cannot possibly bee iustified but in the onely sonne of GOD now if onely by being in him and by that union and communion which all have with him who are in him then onely by his righteousnesse For as the same Author saith in the same place It is his righteousnes and nothing else which can cover our sinne Iustin Martyr in Epist ad Diognetum and in exposit◠fidei hee saith that Christ as well by his exact conversation of life that is his perfect righteousnes as by his undeserved death hath abolished and covered our falls and failing which came in by Adam Irenaeus is so strict for our communion with Christ in his obedience unto death and for our reconciliation and iustification therby that he imputes Christs obedience to us and saith Jn secundo Adamo reconciliati sumus obedientes usque ad mortem facti In the second Adam wee are reconciled being made obedient even unto death lib. 4. c. 14. adversus haereses Athanasius in his 2 Tom. pag. 270. of Cornelius edition saith that it is most necessary for us to beleeve the Scriptures that Christ who hath freed us from the curse is the first fruites of the masse of mankind who are by him redeemed and that the perfect fulfilling of the law by him the first fruites is imputed to the whole masse his wordes in greeke are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in his booke de incarnat verbi hee affirmes that we shall live and bee saved because wee are partakers of the righteousnes without spot which Christ GOD in the flesh brought into the world Gregory Nyssen Orat. 2. in Cantica saith Christ having the filth or guilt of my sins transferred upon himselfe hath communicated his perfect purity to mee and made mee partaker of that beauty which is in himselfe Ambrose saith as Adam is the patterne of death because of sin so Christ is the patterne of life because of his righteousnesse in cap. 7. Lucae lib. 5. And our iustification by faith and not by workes he saith was prefigured by Jacobs getting of the blessing in sweet smelling garments Iacob was a type of every true beleever under the Gospell Rebecca of the Church The garments of the first borne Christs righteousnesse The Iewes of the elder testament like Esau sought righteousnesse by their owne workes and true beleevers put on the righteousnes of Christ by faith being so taught by the Church their mother and obtaine by the merit of it the blessing Ambrose lib. 2. c. 2 de Iacob vita beata CHrysostome saith If a Iew aske thee how can all the world be saved by the righteous doings of one Christ thou mayest answer him even as all the world is condemned by one Adams disobedience on Rom. 5. homil 10. And in his booke de recta fide It is absurd saith he to thinke that wee should bee made heires of the punishment of the first Adam by his disobedience and should not bee partakers of the righteousnesse of the second Adam who doth bring us to life by his most perfect obedience Theodoret Serm. 10. de curand Graec. affect saith It is very convenient that he who highly praised righteousnesse should in his comming in the flesh fulfill righteousnesse for men Augustine Enchirid. ad Laurent c. 41. saith he was made sin that we might be made righteousnes not our owne but GODS righteousnesse not in our selves but in him even as he was sinne not his owne sinne but ours not in himselfe but in us And serm 6. de verb. Apost he saith GOD the father made him sinne that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of GOD in him Behold here two things the righteousnesse of GOD not our own◠〈…〉 not in our selves Leo the 〈◊〉 Epist. 70 saith that by the innocency of one we are all made innocent and that by righteousnesse from him derived unto men who hath taken mans nature upon him Bernard Epist. 190. as one hath borne the sinnes of all so the satisfaction of one is imputed to all It was not one which forfeited and another which satisfied for the head and the body is one Christ. Also in serm ad Milites templi he saith Death is made to flee away in the death of Christ and Christs righteousnesse is imputed to us and a little after Hee who hath willingly beene incarnat willingly suffered and willingly crucified will hee keep back his righteousnesse from us and againe one man sinned and all are made guilty and shall the innocency of one Christ bee imputed onely to
any come to us and bring not the true Doctrine of Christ but damnable Socinianisme errour and heresie we must not show so much curtesie as to bid him God speed 2 Iohn 10. The Analysis of his first Chapter in generall THe first Chapter of his Socinianisme which he cals his premising of somewhat for cleare underderstanding of the state and drift of the question consists of sixe parts In the first part he goeth about to rehearse the severall significations of the words justification and justifying and to determine in what sense the words are used in those Scriptures which speake of the justification of a sinner before GOD. In the second he layes downe 4. Propositions which he takes for granted on all hands and by none denyed but Heretikes In the third he comes to speak of imputation of righteousnesse for justification or rather of somewhat which God in the act of every mans justification doth impute for or instead of righteousnesse to invest him in all priviledges of a man perfectly righteous and withall to shew the reason of this imputation and afterward to determine that Faith is that somewhat imputed In the fourth part hee shewes first negatively how Faith is not imputed and excludes out of his question fiue severally quaeres Secondly affirmatively that Faith as he holds it to be imputed is opposed to the righteousnesse of Christ as to a competitor which receives the repulse In the fift part to cover the shame and scandall of his Hereticall opinion he doth admit Christs righteousnesse into part of the honour for peace and fashion sake as Esau was admitted unto some vanishing participation of some temporary blessings with Iacob For he forgeth a strange and false kind of imaginary imputation of Christs righteousnesse unto which he laboureth to wrest the words of Luther Calvin and the Homilies and Articles of our English Church In the last part hee undertaketh to shew more light that it may be seene to the bottome clearely what he affirmes and what he denyes in the question propounded The particulars whereof we shall see when I come to the answer of them But first I will begin with the first part and will proceed to answer the rest in order Socinianisme THat the termes of Justifying Justification c. are not to be taken in this question nor in any other that are usually moved about the Justification of a sinner either 1. Physico sensu in a Physicall sence as if Justification signified to make just with any habituall actual or any positive or inhaerent righteousnesse 2. Sensu forensi proprie dicto in a juridicall or judiciary sense properly so called when the Judge hath onely a subordinate or derived power of judging and is bound by oath or otherwise to give sentence according to the rule of the Law as to justify were to pronounce a man just or to absolve him from punishment according to the strict termes or rules of that Law wherof he was accused as a transgressor though this sense be received and admitted by many But 3. and lastly Sensu forensi improprie dicto in a Iudiciary sense lesse properly and usually so called viz. Where he that sits Judge being supreme Magistrate hath an Independency and Soveraignety of power to moderate and dispense with the Law as reason and equity shall require So that justifying in this question imports the discharging or absolving of a man from the guilt blame and punishment of those things whereof he is or might justly be accused not because he is cleare of such things or justifiable according to the letter and strictnesse of the Law for then he could not be justly accused But because the Judge having a sufficient and lawfull Soveraignety of power is willing upon sufficient and weighty consideration knowne unto himselfe to remit the penalty of the Law and to deliver and discharge him as if he were an Innocent and righteous man As for that Physicall sence of making just by inhaerent righteousnesse though Bellarmine and his Angels earnestly contend for it yet till the Scriptures be brought low and Etymologie exalted above them til use and custome of speaking deliver up their Kingdome into the Cardinalls hand that sense must no way be acknowledg'd or receiv'd in this dispute yet to give reason and right even unto those that demand that which is unreasonable Its true that GOD in and upon a mans Justification begins to justifie him Physically that is to infuse habituall and inhaerent righteousnesse into him But here the Scriptures and the Cardinall are as far out in termes as in 1000. other things they are in substance and matter That which hee will needs cal Justification the Scripture will as peremptorily call Sanctification Concerning that other sense of judiciary Justification usually so called wherein the Iudge or justifier proceeds upon legall grounds to acquit and absolve the party guilty and accused neither can this be taken in the question propounded except the Scripture be forsaken because the Scripture constantly speakes of this act of GOD Iustifying a sinner not as of such an act whereby he will either make him or pronounce him legally Iust or declare him not to have offended the Law and hereupon justifie him but as of such an act whereby he freely forgives him all that he hath done against the Law and acquits him from all blame and punishment due by the Law for such offences So that in that very act of GOD by which he justifies a sinner as there is a discharge from all punishment due unto sinne so there is a profession withall or plaine intimation of the guiltinesse of the person now to be justified according to the Law and that he is not acquited or discharged upon any consideration that can be pleaded for him according to the Law but that consideration upon which GOD proceeds to justifie him is of another order the consideration of somewhat done for him in this case to relieve him out of the course or order and appointment of the Law He whose Justification stands whether in whole or in part it 's not materiall here in the forgivenesse of sinne can in no construction be said to be Iustified according to the Law because the Law knowes no forgivenesse of sinne neither is there any rule for any such thing nor the least intimation of so much as any possibility of any such thing there The Law speakes of the curse death and condemnation of a sinner but for the Justification of a sinner it neither takes knowledge nor gives any hope thereof Christianisme IN this first part here are onely three significations of the word Justification and Iustifying rehearsed The first is Naturall or Physicall that is making a man just with habituall inhaerent righteousnesse The second is a Iudiciary sense properly so called when a subordinate Iudge doth according to the strict termes and rules of the Law acquit and absolve a man from punishment which is due by the Law to him being a
transgressor and doth pronounce him just The third is a Iudiciary sense lesse properly so called when a supreme Iudge by soveraignety of power doth acquit and absolve a man and remit the penalty of the Law which he deserves upon weighty consideration knowne to himselfe and doth deliver him and discharge him as if he were an innocent and righteous man The first Physicall sense he rejects and playes upon Bellarmine for reteining and using the word Iustifie in that sense And yet he himselfe immediatly acknowledgeth that GOD upon a mans Iustification begins to Iustifie him Physically by infusing into him habituall and inhaerent righteousnesse But this he saith is in Scripture called Sanctification The second sense he also disclaimes and in this dispute embraceth the third sense to wit that Iustification signifies GODS forgiving a man freely all that he hath done against the Law and his acquiting and discharging of a man from the guilt and punishment due by the Law for such offences not for any consideration which can be pleaded for him according to the Law but for somwhat done for him in this case to relieve him out of the course order and appointment of the Law His reason why he embraceth this sense is because he conceives Iustification to stand in forgivenesse of sinne which belongs to the Law in no respect at all In all this part and passage I find not one particle of solid truth but many grosse errors and falshoods for of all the three significations of the word Iustifie by him here named onely the first may passe in some tollerable construction but not in his sense for though GOD in the creation made our first Parents after his owne Image and similitude in perfect righteousnesse indued with a naturall and habituall uprightnesse conformable to his revealed will and Law and in this respect may be said to have Iustified that is made them upright as the wise Preacher saith Eccles. 7.29 GOD made man upright Yet whether this act of creation was a Physicall act of GOD or rather a voluntary act of his will of his wisdome and counsell and so may be called Artificial is something disputable As for the framing and making of the man Christ the blessed seed by the power of the holy Ghost pure holy upright and iust from his first conception this was a spirituall and supernaturall act and the holinesse and righteousnesse was a supernaturall gift given from above not introduced by naturall generation nor raised from naturall principles That making of men righteous in their sanctification which Bellarmine speaks of is not iustification in a naturall but in a spirituall sense For the spirit of GOD worketh those habits and graces of holinesse in men whom GOD hath begotten of his owne will in the word of truth And therefore when Bellarmine or Goodwin or any other call this a Physicall iustifying they erre grossely For if it be any iustification at all it is spirituall and morall But for my part I finde not that by the Spirit of GOD in Scripture any habituall holinesse of men begun in this life is called righteousnesse simply in it selfe But as the Saints regenerate and faithfull are called righteous in respect of their communion with Christ and participation of his righteousnes So their sanctity or habituall holinesse is called righteousnesse not simply in it selfe but by coniunction with the righteousnesse of Christ the head of the body which as it iustifies them by constituting and making them righteous so also it iustifies their rectified holy actions which they performe by the moâ—ions of the spirit and by Faith in Christ as learned Beza well observed and truth affirmeth Lib. contra Anonymum and their sanctification cannot be called iustification but by reason of coniunction with iustification in the same person For if it were possible for a sinfull man to be made perfectly holy and conformable to GODS Law in his owne person yet having formerly transgressed the Law and failed in many things â—his nâ—w conformity to the Law by reason of those sinnes and failings will prove a lame righteousnesse not fit to satisfie the Law and to be accepted for perfect righteousnesse to justification because if a man keepe the whole Law and faile in one point he is guilty of all Iam. 2 10. No righteousnesse can justifie which is not a perfect obedience and conformity of the whole man to the whol law in his whole life froÌ„ the beginning to the end Secondly that signification of the word Iustification which hee calls a judiciary sense properly so called is as he describes it a foolish fiction of his owne braine for never did any but a mad-man dreame of Iustifying sinners by a subordinate Judge absolving them from punishment according to the strict termes and rules of the Law for that were to give a false sentence and to pronounce a man free from all transgression of the Law and a perfect fulfiller of it in his owne person All our learned and Iudicious Divines doe hold that the full satisfaction and obedience of CHRIST being communicated and imputed to true believers they are absolved and have their sinnes pardoned and are counted and iudged righteous by GOD as men who have satisfied the Iustice and iust Law of GOD by CHRIST their head and surety not in their own persons which the Law in strict termes requires this is justification in the Iudiciary sense which is approved by the learned Thirdly that Iudiciary sense improperly so called which he approves allows in this dispute is an Hereticall and Socinian conceipt for so long as GOD the supreme Iudge of all the world is immutable and infinite in Iustice he neither can nor will dispense with his eternall iust Law in any iot or tittle but will have it perfectly fulfilled either by our selves or some sufficient surety in our behalfe and will forgive no sinner without a full suffering and satisfaction made to the Law in the same kind which the law requires though not in every mans person and this full satisfaction must be communicated to every one and made his owne by union with CHRIST his head before that GOD will iudge or account him righteous and pardon al his sinnes To imagin a somewhat in consideration whereof GOD forgives sinners and accepts them as if they were righteous besides the full satisfaction of GODS Justice and just law is to conceive GOD to bee mutable and not the same in his infinite justice at all times and to affirme it is Samosatenian and Socinian Blasphemy Fourthly in arguing against the second sense by him propounded he wrestles with his owne shadow and fights against a fiction of his owne braine and discovers his blindnesse and ignorance of the dictinction and difference betweene Legal and Evangelicall justification and righteousnesse Legal righteousnesse is the condition of the first covenaÌ„t of works and consists in perfect conformity and obedience to the law performed by every man in his owne person and
receives either the inward testimony of the Spirit and is enlightned by GOD to see that he is in the state of righteousnesse absolved and iustified or by inward sense of his sanctification Faith and other graces proper to the righteous iustified is declared and made manifest to his owne conscience that he is justified and righteous and hath all his sinnes pardoned and is accepted of GOD for a righteous man This is that which wee are taught by Christ to pray for in that petition forgive us our debts or trespasses that is pacify and cleare our consciences by manifesting to us that we are justified and have remission of all our sinnes by thy free grace and by communion of Christs full satisfaction and thus wee are to understand the word wheresoever it is opposed to the accusations of Satan and the horrours and troubles of conscience as a remedie against them as Rom 8.33 Secondly it signifies declaring and proving men righteous in foro humano in the judgement and sight of men openly and that by outward fruites of Faith and externall workes of righteousnes and holinesse When GOD enableing us and moving us to doe such workes and bring forth such fruites as are by his word continually pronounced and proclaimed to be righteous and holy works and evidences of justification doth thus declare and prove us to be faithfull and righteous hee is said to justifie us before men In this sense the word is used Iob 13.18 where Iob saith that if hee may plead before GOD the integrity of his life he knoweth hee shall be justified as afterward he did cap. 31. and was thereby declared to be righteous and so justified And Iam. 2.21 where it is 〈◊〉 that Abraham was justified by workes that is declared to be a righteous man Thirdly it signifies judging and declaring men to bee persons justified and righteous in the universall judgement at the last day when the LORD Christ shall by the evidence of their workes of love and charity done to him in his members declare them to bee his faithfull servants and children of his Father justified by the communion of his righteousnes and in him worthie of eternall life and also adjudge them unto the inheritance of the kingdome of Glory In this sense the word is used Rom. 5.16.18 where it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justification of life and is opposed to the sentence of everlasting condemnation These are all the significations of the word iustifie recorded in the Scriptures And this great promiser here sheweth himselfe ignorant of them all and therefore how little satisfaction he hath given to any but such fooles as delight to fill themselves with huskes let the learned iudge Socinianisme THat Iesus Christ the naturall sonne of GOD and supernaturall sonne of the Virgin Marie ran a race of obedience with the Law as well Ceremoniall as Morall and held out with every letter iot and title of it as farre as it any wayes concerned him dureing the whole continuance of his life in the flesh no mans thoughts ever rose up to deny but those that denyed him the best of his being I meane his God-head which of you can convince mee of sinne was his chalenge to the nation of the Iewes whilst he was yet on earth Iohn 8.46 And remaines through all ages as a challenge to the whole World He that can cast the least aspersion of sinne upon Christ shall shake the foundation of the peace and safety of the Church That this Christ offered himself as a Lamb without spot in sacrifice upon the Crosse to make an atonement for the World and to purge the sinnes of it I know no spirit at this day abroad in the world that denyes but that which wrought in Socinus formerly and still workes in those that are baptized into the same spirit of errour with him I conceive it to bee a truth of greater authority amongst us then to meet with contradiction from any that Iesus Christ is the sole entire meritorious cause of every mans iustification that is iustified by GOD or that that righteousnesse or absolution from sinne and condemnation which is given to every man in his iustification is somewhat yea a principall part of that great purchase which Christ hath made for the world even as GOD for Christs sake freely forgave you Forgivenesse of sinnes or iustification is from GOD for Christs sake hee is worthie to be gratified or honoured by GOD with the iustification of those that beleeve in him It 's a truth which hath every mans iudgement concurrent with it that Faith is the condition appointed by GOD and required on mans part to bring him into communion and fellowship of that iustification and redemption which Christ hath purchased for the children of men and that without beleeving no man can have part or fellowship in that great and blessed businesse Christianisme IN this second part he doth promise foure severall propositions which hee conceives to bee out of question and undenyable By the first proposition hee makes a faire shew in words but his heart is farre removed and his meaning is wicked and so will appeare if we observe how hee in another place afterwards explaines himselfe First though hee seemes to acknowledge Christ to bee GOD yet he takes away the use of his being GOD as well as man in the worke of our redemption For if GOD by his supreme sovereigne power can dispense with the law of his iustice and instead of Christs full satisfaction made for us to the law and imputed to us and made ours can and doth accept our weake Faith for the perfect righteousnesse of the Law what use is there of Christs being GOD in our nature For all Orthodox Divines doe give this reason why it was necessary that Christ should be GOD in our nature viz. That his suffering and righteousnesse performed in our nature might be of value to iustifie all the sonnes of men who have communion of them and to whom they are imputed This communion and imputation while he denyeth hee takes away the use of Christs being GOD in our nature Secondly in affirming that Christ obeyed the whole Law in every letter jot and title he doth mock and delude his hearers and readers for he doth not hold that he fulfilled the Law onely for us but primarily for himselfe his words imply so much for he saith he obeyed the Law as far as concerned himselfe while he continued in the flesh and he dorh hereafter roundly affirme that Christ was bound to fulfill the Law for himselfe which is in effect a denying of his eternall God-head for if he be GOD infinite in glory and excellency his God-head must needes exempt the Manhood personally united to it from all bondage of the Law and make it worthy of glory at GODS right hand from the first assumption of it He continued in the flesh and obeyed the Law onely for us without all doubt as the Prophet foretold Esa. 9.6
righteousnesse to him and man is justified by believing that GOD counts him righteous in Christ then wee deny not that faith in some respect is the formall cause of justification For in this justification taken passively as it is mans receiving by faith that which GOD imputes to him that is as it is a mans believing that God reckons him among the righteous and counts him to be in the state of a justified person so his actuall faith and believing is the forme of his justification But take Justification according to his owne opinion for GODS imputeing faith in a proper sense for righteousnesse Then is faith that somewhat by which a man stands in the state of a person Justified before GOD even his formall righteousnesse or that at least which is in stead of formall righteousnes Thus he is every way taken and entangled in his owne words Lastly what that is which hee saith is the genuine tenet of Arminius hee doth not expresse whether it be that faith is really different or not different from the forme of Justification for his words are included in a parenthesis which might very well be left out onely this I know that Arminius professeth this to be his genuine tenet That faith is imputed to the beleever for righteousnes sensu proprio non mâ—tonymico in a proper sense without a trope In Epist. ad Hippolitum de Collibus If elsewhere hee alters his tenet and writes otherwise It is but the common disease the vertigo and giddinesse of the Socinian faction to doe as here their fellow disciple doth in this his hovering and wavering discourse that is to say and gainesay affirme and deny the same things through the inconstancy of their windy braines and mindes unsetled The 4 Quaere NOr yet doth the question make any quaere at all whether Christ be the sole meritorious cause of justification of a sinner for both they that goe on the right hand of the question and they that goe on the left hand are knit together in the same mind and iudgment concerning this Answere WHosoever denyeth such a Spirituall union communion between Christ and the penitent and believing sinner iustified as doth make Christs righteousnesse and satisfaction to become his ransome and righteousnesse and to be imputed by GOD to him and to make him accepted by GOD as one cleane from the guilt of sinne and righteous in his sight This man denyeth Christ to be the meritorious cause of the Justification of a sinner For till Christ with his satisfaction be communicated and appropriated to the faithfull yea till his righteousnes be so made theirs and set on their skore that they have a right and interest in it Christ is no more meritorious of Justification to them then hee is to Infidels and reprobates for it is as impossible for Christ to be actually meritorious of Justification to any man who hath not an interest in him as for one mans money to ransom another who is a captive upon whose skore it was never set noâ— so much interest therein given to him that it is paid for him and accounted for his ransome 5 Quaere NEither doth the question as it is here propounded intâ—nd any dispute at all whether the active obedience of Christ falling in with the passive and considered in coniunction with it be that whereby Christ merited the Justification of sinners or that which GOD hath a principall respect and recourse unto in the Justification of sinners for this also is acknowledged on both sides at least by the greater partie of both Answere BVt while he denyes GODS communicating and imputeing Christs whole obedience hee denies the merit of them in our Justification and when hee affirmes that faith and not Christs righteousnesse is the thing imputed for righteousnesse to iustification he denies Christs obedience active and passive to be that which GOD hath a principall respect and recourse unto in the iustification of sinners and therefore here he contradicts himselfe and saith untruely that all sides hold the merit of Christs whole obedience when in his Doctrine he utterly overthrowes it The 6 Quaere which he alloweth and affirmeth BUt lastly the question in plaine tearmes is this whether the faith of him that truly beleeves in Christ or whether the righteousnesse of Christ himselfe that is that obedience that Christ performed to the morall Law consisting of all those severall and particular acts of righteousnesse wherein he obeyed in the letter and propriety of it bee that which GOD imputes to a beleever for righteousnesse in his justification so that he that beleeves is not righteous onely by account or by GODS gracious reputing and accepting of him for such but is rigidly literally and peremptorily righteous constituted and made as perfectly and compleatly and legally righteous as Christ himselfe no difference at all betweene them quoad veritatem but onely quoad modum the justified every whit as righteous as the iustifier both righteous with the selfesame individuall righteousnes onely this difference betweene one and the other the iustified weares iâ— as put upon him by another by imputation the iustifier weares it as put upon him by himselfe or by inherency That the Scriptures no where countenance any such imputation of the righteousnes of Christ I trust the spirit of truth directing and assisting to make manifest in the sequele of this discourse and to give good measure of truth to the Reader heaped up by testimonies from the Scripture pressed downe by the weight of many arguments demonstrations running over with the cleare approbation of many Authors learned and sound and every way greater then exception Multa fidem promissa levant Answere TO this question laid downe in plaine and precise termes I answer First that to move this question except with purpose to discover and oppose Socinus and his followers who affirme it and stand for imputation of faith in a proper sense for righteousnes is not to be tolerated among true Christians but to dispute for that damned errour which takes the Crowne from the all-sufficient righteousnes of Christ and sets on the head of mans weake faith is most hereticall impudency as in my whole answere I shall prove aboundantly Secondly his absurd expounding of Justification by Christs righteousnes imputed and how in this question the righteousnes of Christ and the iustifying of men by it are to be understood is a notable point either of calumny in slandering our doctrine and reporting it corruptly or of subtilty that when his opinion is proved to be blasphemous hee may have some starting holes through which hee may shift away and make an escape pleading that hee mistooke our Doctrine of being righteous by Christs righteousnesse imputed and ignorantly did oppose it First no man standing for the imputation of Christs righteousnes doth affirme that every particular act of Christ which hee performed was necessary to make up a perfect and sufficient righteousnes but that his righteousnesse containes in it all his acts
of obedience none denyeth For suppose our Saviour by reason of imprisonment or some other restraint and impediment had beene hindered from doing divers of those workes of mercy charity and piety which hee did performe being at liberty this had not diminished his righteousnes so long as he had a ready will to doe good upon all occasions and did good workes when liberty and opportunity served Secondly none of our Divines doe thinke or write that Christs righteousnes imputed and communicated to beleevers doth make them rigidly literally and peremptorily righteous constituted and made us perfectly compleatly and legally righteous as Christ himselfe for though they are iustifiâ—d by the Communion of Christs satisfaction and have so much interest in it as to make them truely righteous yet they have it not as Christ hath it performed legally by himselfe in his owne person neither have they power to give the Spirit whereby they may communicate it to others to justifie them to make them righteous The Wife is endowed with her Husbands honours and riches and made honourable and rich but she is not endowed with her Husbands Lordship and dominion over them so far that she may give them away at her pleasure but onely posseseth them in him and with him for her owne use And so it is betweene Christ and the faithfull he is righteous rigidly and legally according to the letter of the Law They are righteous Evangelically by the Communion of his righteousnes that is originally righteous as the head in a naturall body is sensitive and hath sense and motion in it as the root and fountaine They are righteous by Communion from him and possesse his righteousnes as all the rest of the members in a living body possesse life by derivation from the heart not in the same degree as the heart doth to communicate it to others but every one so far as to be a living member Therefore all that hee here saith is but subtilty calumny and falsehood neither Scriptures nor any sound and learned Authors will minister arguments or demonstrations to him to prove any thing contrary to our Doctrine concerning the imputation of Christs righteousnes for iustification The more he strives to wrest and abuse testimonies of Scripture and learned Authors the more evident demonstrations will he give of his wickednesse and wilfull contending against GODS sacred truth Socinianisme GIve me leave here to mention that by the way which prevents many mistakes yea and offences too in reading the writings of many later Divines especially of other Churches touching this point of Justification If we take the phrase of imputing Christs righteousnes unproperly and out of the usuall and formall signification of it as Luther and Calvin and other Divines of the reformed Churches sometimes doe in their writings viz For the giving out and bestowing as it were the righteousnes of Christ in the returne of it that is in the priviledges blessings and benefits that are procured and purchased by it for men So a beleever may be said to be justified by the righteousnes of Christ imputed But then the meaning can be no more but this A beleever is justified by the imputation of Christs righteousnes That is GOD justifies a beleever for Christs righteousnes sake and not for any righteousnes of his owne Such an imputation of the righteousnes of Christ as this is is no wayes denyed or once questioned And thus such passages as those in Calvin GOD freely justifies us by imputing the obedience of Christ unto us Instit. 1. c. 3.11 and againe a man is not righteous in himselfe but because the righteousnes of Christ is communicated or imparted to him by imputation these and such like expressions in this Author are to be interpreted by such passages as these which are frequent in the same Author Christ by his obedience procured and merited for us grace and favour with GOD the Father and againe Instit. 1.2.17 and againe 1.3 c. 11.12 Christ by his obedience procured or purchased righteousnes for us And againe in Gal. 3.6 All such expressions as these import the same thing that wee are justified by the grace of GOD that Christ is our righteousnesse and that righteousnes was procured for us by the death and resurrection of Christ. By all which passages and many more of like importment that might be produced out of the same Author it s fully evident that where he mentions any imputation of the righteousnes of Christs in justification the meaning is onely this that the righteousnes of Christ is onely the meritorious cause of our justification and hee hath procured and purchased this for us at GODS hand that upon our beleeving we should bee accounted righteous by him or which is but the same that our faith should be imputed for righteousnes to us To which purpose hee speakes more significantly and expressely in the place last mentioned Gal. 3.6 men not having righteousnes lodged in them they obtaine it by imputation which imputation he thus explicates and interprets Because GOD doth impute or account their faith unto them for righteousnes Divers like passages might be drawne together out of other Authors which must be seasoned with the same salt of interpretation to bee made savorie and meet for spirituall nourishment In the Homilies of our Church there are severall passages that mention the imputation of Christs righteousnes in justification for the genuine sense whereof if wee consult with the 11. article of Religion which is concerning justification and is framed with all possible exactnes this way that so few words are capable of that will lead us directly to the same interpretation of them Wee are accounted righteous before GOD saith our Article onely for the merit of our LORD and Saviour Iesus Christ by faith and not for our owne workes or deservings Where it s to be observed that we are not said to bee constituted or made righteous before GOD in justification but onely that we are accounted or reputed such 2. It s not said that wee are accounted righteous with the righteousnes nor yet with the merit of Christ but onely wee are accounted righteous before GOD onely for the merit of our LORD Christ by faith The merit of Christ or of his righteousnes hath so farre prevailed with GOD on our behalfe that by our faith we shall bee accounted righteous before him which is in effect the same truth wee maintaine viz. that GOD for Christs sake or for Christs merits sake doth impute our faith for righteousnes unto us And thus Musculus expresseth himselfe roundly Faith is accounted for righteousnes for Christs sake And againe Loc. com de justifica This faith ought to be esteemed of us as that which GOD purposeth for Christs sake to impute for righteousnes to those that beleeve in him So Luther also ad Gal. 3.6 GOD for Christs sake accounts this imperfect faith for perfect righteousnes And Chamier calls remission of sinnes the righteousnes which is imputed to us
Therefore wheresoever whether in the Homilies of our Church or in other Authors we meet with any such expressions of the righteousnes of Christ imputed in justification wee must not understand this righteousnesse of Christ in the letter propriety and formality of it but in the Spirit or merit of it to be imputed And this manner of speech to put the name of a thing in the propriety of it instead of the value worth benefit and returne of it is both usuall and familiar in ordinary passage of discourse amongst us and very frequent in the Scriptures when we say a Merchant grew rich by such or such a commodity our meaning is that hee grew rich by the gaine or returne of it hee may be made rich by the commodity and yet have never a whit of it with him so when we say such a man grew rich by his place or office our meaning is that he grew rich by such gaine or profit as his office afforded him we do not meane that the place it selfe or office were his riches so it may be said that wee are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ and yet not have the righteousnesse it selfe upon us by imputation or otherwise but onely a righteousnesse procured and purchased by it really and essentially differing from it viz. remission of sinnes as will appeare in due time Thus in the Scriptures themselves there is no figure or forme of speech more frequent then to name the thing it selfe in the propriety of it in the stead of the fruite of it good or bad benefit or losse vantage or disadvantage merit or demerit of it Thus Iob 33.26 GOD is said to render unto man his righteousnesse the fruit and benefit of his righteousnesse in the favour of GOD and manifestation of it in his deliverance and restauration the righteousnesse it selfe in the propriety of it cannot bee rendered unto him So Ephes. 6.8 Whatsoever good thing any man doth the same hee shall receive of the LORD hee shall receive benefit and consideration from GOD for it so Reve. 14.12 and 13.10 here is the patience and faith of the Saints that is the benefit and unspeakable reward of the faith and patience of the Saints to bee seene when the Beast and all that worship him shall bee tormented in fire and brimstone for evermore and those that have constantly suffered for not worshiping him shall be delivered from drinking of that bitter cup so Psal. 128.2 Thou shalt eate the labour of thy hands that is the fruite of thy labour So on the other hand Heb. 9.28 To those that looke for him hee shall appeare the second time without sin without the guilt or punishment of sinne charged upon him Gen. 19.15 Least thou be destroyed in the iniquitie of the citie that is in that judgement which fell upon them by meanes of their iniquity In such a construction of speech as the holy Ghost himselfe useth in these and such passages in Scripture the righteousnesse of Christ may be said to be the righteousnes by which we are justified or which is imputed unto us in justification Christianisme THis fifth part or passage is nothing else but first the propounding of a new and strange imputation of Christs righteousnesse contrary to sense and reasoÌ„ to the common signification of the phrase of imputing righteousnesse or counting a thing for righteousnesse Secondly a wresting and abusing of some speeches of Scripture and learned writers that hee may father on them an opinion which they abhorred and in expresse words disclaimed and confuted First hee saith that the phrase of imputing Christs righteousnesse is by Luther Calvin and other Divines taken unproperly and out of the usuall and formall signification for the giving and bestowing of the returne that is the priviledges blessings and benefits which are purchased by Christs righteousnesse for men and the meaning can be no more but this that GOD justifies a believer for Christs righteousnesse sake and not for any righteousnes of his owne To this I answere First that this signification of the phrase is so unproper unusual deformed that it is never found in all the Scriptures nor any approved Author as hereafter I shall make manifest onely Socinus they of his faction are coiners and forgers of such strange barbarismes Secondly it is so contrary to common sense and reason that if any man should say the Sun the ayre or other Elements are imputed to us by GOD because GOD hath given us the benefit of them every man would laugh at such a barbarisme even the most simple would discerne it to be ridiculous If Master Goodwin or any of his disciples comeing into some country house for shelter from some cruel tempest which overtooke him as hee travelled on his journy should for the benefit which hee received under the mans roofe presently chaleng that the house is imputed to him and is to be counted his and set on his skore it is a thousand to one that the owner of the house would take him for a mad man and put a fooles feather in his cap or cast him out of the doores by the head and shoulders for a sawcy companion hee had not best therefore use such speeches nor write such phrases with his pen for if they once proceed out of his mouth and come to other mens eares hee will thereby purchase to himselfe much scorne and derision But let us proceed to examine the instances by which hee goeth about to proue this strange signification of the word imputing righteousnesse wherein righteousnesse is put for the fruit of it by a metonymie of the cause for the effect imputing is put for bestowing by a new Socinian trope and GODS bestowing for mans receiving by a monstrous metonymie of one opposit for another I wonder here by the way how this man who disclaimes in the next Chapter the Apostles using of tropes and figures in the waighty Doctrine of justification and calles it a monster of speech to use two tropes in one phrase dares here make in this one phrase so many tropes and monstrous figures The first instance which hee brings to prove that Calvin did use the phrase in this signification is this GOD freely justifies us by imputing Christs obedience to us and againe a man is not righteous in himselfe but because the righteousnesse of Christ is communicated and imparted to him by imputation I might here blame his false quotations to wit Instit. 1. c 3.1.11 and 1.2.17 and 1.3.14.17 In which places no such wordes are to be found but I willingly embrace these words as Calvins for they are most cleare and manifest to prove that GOD not onely give us the returne or benefits of Christs righteousnesse but also doth by imputation communicate and impart to us the righteousnesse it selfe so that if this man had studied all his dayes to contradict his owne opinion and to confute his forged signification hee could not have found more ful plaine and pâ—rspicuous
words then these of Calvin for if a man bee not righteous in himselfe then is hee not righteous by faith in a proper sense for his faith in a proper sense is in himselfe But let us not bee too hastie to insult over his folly it may bee his impudency will catch at some other words of Calvin which do not so expressely contradict him but are more obscure and them hee will wrest and abuse to expound Calvins plaine words in a contradictory sense It is even so indeed for hee cites in the next place some more generall and obscure speeches of Calvin to expound his plaine words and to make them contradictory to themselves I have heard absurd fellowes derided for going about to shew obscurum perobscurius that is to make men see dark things through greater darknesse and for running as the proverb is out of GODS blessing into the warme sun But that any should goe about to make others see the sun when it shineth in full strength by the dimme light of a candle and to perswade them that the sun is the moone this is madnes deserves that the Lunatike Melancholike person so doing should be sent to the Iland of Hellebore there to inhabit till hee recover his wits And doth not he so who seekes to make Calvins plaine words to contradict themselves by citing words wherein he speakes neither so plainely nor so fully as in them But let us see those other speeches of Calvin which hee brings for this purpose one is that Christ by his obedience hath merited and procured for us favour with GOD his Father These words doe not prove that the imputing of Christs obedience and righteousnesse signifies the bestowing of the benefit of it on us that is GODS favour but shew clearely the contrary to that which he intends namely that Christs obedience is made ours and imputed to us because it procures to us the favour of GOD which we cannot enjoy nor appeare gracious in his sight unlesse wee bee cloathed with Christs rich robe of righteousnes and washed cleane from the guilt of sinne by his satisfaction imputed to us Another is Christ by his obedience hath purchased righteousnes for us the true and plaine sense of which wordes is no more but this that Christ by his obedience hath fulfilled the Law of GOD for us and we by that obedience are constituted made righteous as the Apostle expressely affirmes Rom. 5.19 Another is that when we are said to be justified by the grace of GOD and that righteousnes was procured by the death and resurrection of Christ these expressions import the same thing with those that Christ is our righteousnes that is by union with him and communion of his righteousnes which he purchased by his death and resurrection and which GOD graciously gives to us wee are justified Another is men having not any righteousnes in themselves they obtaine it by imputation that is neither a mans owne workes nor faith taken in a proper sense for a gift grace or worke in him can be his righteousnes but onely that which is obtained by imputation to wit Christs righteousnes apprehended by faith which when true beleevers have laid hold on then GOD doth account them righteous and in this improper sense GOD is said to impute faith for righteousnes Thus every speech of Calvin which he brings against Calvin himselfe is like a stone cast against a brasen wall and rebounds against the caster and dasheth out the braines of his hereticall opinion And therefore it was his safest course onely to tell us of more such passages but not to recite any more out of Calvin or other Authors For being seasoned with the salt of their owne interpretation they will prove gravell in his mouth choake him and if it be possible put him to shame and silence From Calvin hee comes home to the Homilies allowed in our Church and they by his owne confession teach that we are justified by the imputation of Christs righteousnes But to prove that by the righteousnes of Christ they meane faith taken in a proper sense that is as it is the gift of faith in us and the operation of it in us even our beleeving hee brings the words of the 11. Article of Religion allowed in our Church by Law viz. we are ac counted righteous before GOD onely for the merit of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith not for our owne workes or deserts where note that whereas the Articles send us to the Homilies as being very profitable plaine expositions of them hee on the contrary sets the cart before the horses to draw them after it Hee brings the text to expound the commentary or plaine exposition of it But hee gets no advantage by doing so for the words of the Article are very exact indeed and make much for us against his opinion they shew that the merit of Christ apprehended by faith is that for which wee are accounted righteous before GOD and that faith is not our righteousnes for then wee should bee accounted righteous for a grace in our selves and for a worke of our owne performed by us even our owne beleeving Oh but the Article doth not say that wee are constituted and made but onely accounted righteous True indeed the Article doth not speak of fundamentall justification mentioned Rom. 5.19 but of imputative justification of which the Apostle speakes Rom. 4 3. which necessarily presupposeth the other For GOD whose judgement is according to truth cannot judge and count us righteous till hee hath communicated Christs righteousnesse to us and by it constituted and made us righteous which when we by faith receive and apply by the assistance of his Spirit which dwells in us and makes us one Spirituall and mysticall body with Christ then GOD accounts us righteous and by our faith and believing we obtene as Abraham did this testimony from GOD that we are righteous as Iustine Martyr saith in the words cited in the next Chapter From the Article and Homilies hee proceedes to Musculus Luther and Chamier who though in their Doctrine they are opposit to his opinion as heaven is to earth yet hee snatcheth here and there some improper speeches out of their writings which hee wresteth to his purpose though they doe most plainely expound their owne meaneing to bee contrary to his mind The words of Musculus are these Faith is accounted for righteousnesse for Christs sake That is faith is accounted for righteousnesse and the true believer is counted a righteous man not sensu proprio nec per se sed propter Christum That is by reason of Christ and his righteousnesse whom the believer apprehendeth and by faith possesseth his righteousnesse and againe this faith ought to be esteemed of us as that which GOD purposeth for Christs sake to impute for righteousnesse to those that believe in him in which words Musculus folowing the phrase of the Apostle intends no more but this that wee
against the invincible rocke of the holy Scriptures and seekes to turne them like a rowling stone against a barke they rowle and rebound back and tumbling upon him grind him to powder· For if hee had ten thousand instances of Scripture wherein the fruite and benefit which men receive are signified by the names of the things which are the causes and meanes of them yet still it will appeare that the fruite is not received except men have first an interest and propriety in the causes and meanes of it And thus you see his fift part or passage proved to bee a rotten heap of stinking lyes absurdities and grosse errors Socinianisme WHerefore to draw towards the close of this first Chapter and withall to give a little more light that it may bee seene to the bottome cleerely both what wee affirme and what we deny in the question propounded First when we affirme the faith of him that beleeveth to be imputed for righteousnes The meaning is not either 1o. That it should be imputed in respect of any thing it hath from a man himselfe or as it is a mans owne act nor yet in respect of any thing it hath from GOD himselfe or from the spirit of GOD producing raising of it in the soule though it be true it requires the lighting downe of the mighty arme of GOD upon the soule to raise it Neither 3 o is it imputed for righteousnes in respect of the object or as or because it layeth hold upon Christ or his righteousnes though it be also true that that faith that is imputed for righteousnes must of necessity lay hold upon Christ and no other faith is cable of this imputation besides because if faith should justifie or be imputed as it layes hold upon Christ it should justifie out of the inhaerent dignity worth of it and by vertue of that which is naturall and intrinsecall to it there being nothing that can be conceived more naturall and essentiall to faith then to lay hold upon Christ this is the very life and soul of it and that which gives it its specificall being and subsistence Therefore to make the object of faith as such the precise and formall ground of its imputation is to make hast into the midst of Samaria whilest men are confident they are travailing towards Dotha◠It s the giving of the right hand of felowship to the Romish justification which makes faith the meritorious cause of it in part But lastly when with the Scriptures we affirme that faith is imputed for righteousnesse our meaning is simply and plainely this that as GOD in the first covenant of workes required an absolute and through obedience to the whole Law with continuance in all things for every mans justification which perfect obedience had it beene performed had beene a perfect righteousnesse to the performer and so would have justified him So now in the new covenant of grace GOD requires nothing of any man for his justification but onely faith in his Sonne which faith shal be as availeable effectuall to him for his justification as a perfect righteousnes should have beene under the first covenant this is that which is meant when faith is said to bee imputed for righteousnes which is nothing but that which is taught generally by Divines both ancient and moderne Sic decretum dicit a Deo ut cessante lege solam fidem gratia Dei posceret ad salutem Ambrosius In Rom. 4. that is that the Apostle saying that to him that beleeveth his faith is imputed for righteousnes affirmeth that GOD hath decreed that the Law ceasing the grace of GOD will require of men onely faith for salvation and again upon Chap. 9. of the same Epistle Sola fides posita est ad salutem onely Faith is appointed to salvation Calvin writing upon Rom. 10.8 hath wordes of the same importance and somewhat more cleare and full ex hac distinctionis nota colligimus sicut lex opera exigit Evangelium nihil aliud postulas nisi ut fidem afferrent homines ad recipiendam Dei gratiam that is from this distinction we gather that as the Law exacted workes so the Gospell requires nothing else but that men bring faith to receive the grace of GOD. If GOD requires faith in the Gospell for that same end for which he requireth workes or perfect righteousnes in the law it necessarily followes that he shall impute this faith for that righteousnes that is accept from men upon the same termes and bee countable unto them the same favours rewards and priviledges upon it that should have beene given unto men in regard of that righteousnes had it beene performed or fulfilled otherwise he should require it for such an end or upon such tearmes as hee would refuse to make good unto it when the creature hath exhibited and tendered it unto him To require it for righteousnes or in stead of righteousnes and not to accept it for righteousnesse when it is brought to him should bee as apparant a breach of Covenant with GOD as it would be in a rich creditour that should compound and agree with his poore debtors for 1. in the pound or the like but when they brought the mony to him should refuse to take it upon any such tearmes or to discharge them of their debt and give them out their bonds Christianisme IN this last part or passage which is a meere confusion and distraction of wordes hee gives more then a little light that his Socinian heresie in this point of justification maintained with much non sense may bee seene to the bottome cleerely First hee takes upon him to shew that faith is imputed and how it is imputed Secondly hee strives to shew that Christs righteousnes is not imputed The first is in the wordes before recited The second followes hereafter First I will sift his wordes already rehearsed And after proceed to the second The summe of his speech last recited may be reduced into a Syllogisme of non sense without forme mood or figure The proposition and assumption whereof are contradictory And the conclusion damned Socinian heresie so that here I may say with the Poet. Spectatum admissi risum teneatis amici His proposition runnes thus Faith is neither imputed for righteousnes in respect of any thing which it receives from man the proper subject of it nor as it is mans act who useth it and performes the acts of beleeving nor in respect of any thing which it hath from GOD or his spirit in the production of it nor in respect of the object Christ and his righteousnes nor in respect of the life and soule of it which gives to it the specificall being and subsistence to wit the application of Christ and laying hold on him The Assumption BVt faith is imputed to men and is counted and accepted as sufficiently for justification and upon the same tearmes under the Gospell as perfect righteousnes of workes and of obedience to the whole Law
which he beleeved to wit Christ promised for righteousnes and salvation was that which by GOD was upon Abrahams beleeving counted to him for righteousnes It was not his faith simply considered in it selfe but his faith embracing Christ promised and possessing him with his righteousnes and satisfaction which was reckned to him for righteousnes and as to him so to every one that beleeveth his faith is counted to him for righteousnes For all true beleevers who by faith lay hold on Christ the promised seed of Abraham and beleeve GOD to be their shield and exceeding great reward in him they are by one spirit baptised into one spirituall body with Christ united to him their spirituall head and made his lively members and sensible partakers of his perfect obedience righteousnes and full satisfaction for redemption remission of sinnes justification and perfect salvation and need not any more to seeke the reward of blessednes by the righteousnes of their owne workes performed according to the tenour of the Law by every man in his owne person but in the LORD Iesus Christ who is Iehovah Zid-kenu the LORD our righteousnes Ier. 23.6 and the end and fulfilling of the Law for righteousnes to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10.4 they have perfect righteousnes And in him GOD is become their reward and the lot and portion of their inheritance Psal. 16.5 And that gracious and free favour which GOD shewed to Abraham when hee beleeved in Christ promised and firmely without staggering applyed to himselfe the blessing promised being fully perswaded that GOD who of his free grace promised was by his power able to performe though by the course of nature and by reason of the deadnesse of Sara's wombe he himselfe seemed to bee and indeed was uncapable of that blessing The same hee will shew to all true beleevers who are Abrahams faithfull seed and children of promise that is as hee reckoned Abrahams faith for righteousnes so hee will count their faith to them for righteousnes that is he will accept and account them for righteous persons as indeed they are not for any workes of their owne nor by any righteousnesse performed according to the letter of the law in their owne persons but by the righteousnes which is through the faith of Christ and is called the righteousnes of faith because it is the righteousnes of Christ GOD and man given to them of GOD and of them apprehended and applyed by faith For being thus justified by faith and having communion with Christ of his full satisfaction and righteousnes GOD whose judgement is according to truth doth certainely judge and count them as truly they are righteous in his sight becomes in Christ their shield and exceeding great reward This is the Orthodox exposition of the Apostles wordes in this Chapter generally received by all both ancient and moderne Divines famous for learning and godlinesse The corrupt and hereticall exposition of the Apostles words made by Socinus and maintained by his followers the Arminians and other fanaticall Sectaries THey of the Socinian faction doe generally hold and obstinately affirme that Abrahams beleeving and his faith taken in a proper literall sense without any trope is here said by the Apostle to be counted to Abraham for righteousnes in stead of all righteousnes which either Abraham himselfe was by the Law bound to performe in his owne person or any surety could performe for him And in like manner to every one that beleeveth his faith is in a proper sense said to bee counted for righteousnes even his faith by it selfe and not the righteousnes of Christ with it This is their exposition And upon these wordes of the Apostle thus falsly and corruptly interpreted they build all their hereticall opinions and doctrines concerning justification of the faithfull before GOD namely these following First that faith as it is in every beleever even as it is inherent in him and is his owne faith and beleeving is the onely thing which GOD of his grace and mercy and out of his absolute soveraigne power and dominion is pleased to ordaine appoint and account for all the righteousnes which a man shall have for his justification though in truth and according to Law and the rule of justice it is not righteousnes being weak oftentimes and full of imperfections Secondly that the Spirit of GOD in these wordes of the Apostle did not intend or meane any communion of the righteousnes and perfect obedience performed by Christ to the Law as our surety and in our stead nor imputation of that righteousnes to every true beleever for justification nor GODS accepting of the faithfull for righteous by that righteousnes communicated to them and of them applyed possessed and enjoyed by faith By faith and believing they do not understand that applying faith which is a gift and worke of GODS Spirit in the elect regenerate and sanctified by which they do believe and are perswaded that they are in Christ and Christ is their head and they as lively members of his mysticall body have communion of all his benefits even of his full satisfaction and perfect righteousnes for justification and full remission of all their sinnes But by faith and believing they understand onely a confidence in GOD that hee will performe his promises made in Christ and an assent unto his word that it is true The tenour of which word and promises they conceive to be this That Christ in his pure unspotted humane nature hath by his righteousnesse suffering and obedience unto death meritted such high favour with GOD that GOD in honour to him is pleased to accept and account the faith of them that believe in him and rest on him for their Saviour for perfect righteousnesse and requires no other righteousnesse to constitute and make them in any sort formally righteous in their justification When they acknowledge that the perfect righteousnesse and satisfaction of Christ is the meritorious cause of our justification they do not meane that they are communicated to us and so apprehended and possessed of us by faith that we are thereby indeed and in GODS account righteous before GOD and justified or that they deserve and are worthy that GOD should so account us for them But their mind and meaning is that Christ by his righteousnesse hath merited that GOD for his sake and in favour to him should account faith to us for righteousnesse without either our owne workes of the Law or Christs righteousnesse imputed to us and made ours by communion And when they say that faith is imputed for righteousnes as an instrument they doe not meane as the instrument or spirituall hand applying Christ his righteousnes to bee after a sort the formall righteousnesse of the believer but that faith as it is the instrument by which the believer doth believe that Christ hath purchased this favour that his believing should be the only thing accounted to him for righteousnes so onely and no other way GOD reckons to him
for righteousnes The orthodox exposition I will in the first place prove and confirme froÌ„ the words of the Apostle himself by other strong reasons afterward confute overthrow the Socinian hereticall exposition The true Exposition proved and confirmed FOr the right understanding of the Apostles wordes three things come first to be considered and explained 1. What is here meant by faith and believing 2. What righteousnes is here meant 3. What is meant by imputation First by faith in this text wee must not understand that naturall habit and power which is common to all reasonable men who upon their apprehension and knowledge of things spoken and promised do give willing assent unto them that they are true either for the authority of the speaker whom they doe respect and judge to bee faithfull or because they see good reason in the things spoken and promised And if the things spoken and promised bee such as tend to their owne good they rest upon them confidently and perswade themselvs that they are sure and certaine of them already or shall receive and enjoy them in due time without faile But here by faith we are to understand that supernaturall gift and grace of beleeving wrought in the elect regenerate by the spirit shed on them abundantly through Iesus Christ Tit. 3.6 which is therefore called most holy faith Iud. 20. verse This faith agreeth with the other in foure points First as that is an habit and power of beleeving so is this Secondly as that containes in it notitiaÌ„ in intellectu and assensum in voluntate that is both a notice and knowledge of the things spoken and beleeved and an assent of the will so doth this also Thirdly as that faith when it goeth no further then knowledge and assent is called hlstoricall so this also Fourthly as that faith when it reacheth to good things promised to our selves particularly to apply them and to rest on them hath also fiduciam in corde et affectionibus a trust and confidence of the heart and affections in it so hath this also and is called a firme perswasion trust and confidence But they differ in divers things First that is a naturall power or habit this is a spiritual wrought in men by the spirit of GOD dweling in them and uniting them to Christ in one mysticall body Secondly that hath in it no knowledge but naturall arising from light of naturall reason nor any assent of the will or confidence in the heart and affections but such as are drawne stirred up and wrought by meanes of naturall light and common causes This hath in it a spirituall knowledge arising from the spirit of GOD inlightning the understanding the spirit also inclines and moves the will to give assent and confirmes the heart with confidence and firme perswasion Thirdly that is common to all reasonable men This is proper to the elect regenerate and sanctified by the holy Ghost shed on them through Christ and is the first and as it were the radicall grace and vertue of renovation Fourthly that hath for the object or things beleeved either naturall and worldly things onely or things heavenly and supernaturall seene and discerned through the dimme mist of naturall reason and assented to and rested on with a carnall and unsanctified will and heart This hath for the object things supernaturall heavenly and spirituall discerned by supernaturall light assented to with an holy and sanctified will confirmed to the heart by a spirituall sense and sweet taste of the things promised wrought by the holy spirit in the true beleever apprehending and applying them But to come nearer to the text the believing which the Apostle speakes of in 3.9 and 22. verses is the faith and believing of Abraham who divers yeares before this act of believing which it here said to be counted to him for righteousnesse was called out of his owne country and by faith obeyed GOD calling and went and soiourned in the land promised to him and his seed as appeares Heb. 11.8 9. He had overcome and slaughtered foure mighty Kings and their victorious armies by faith and confidence in GODS promises And Melchizedek King of Salem the Priest of the most high GOD had blessed him as we read Gen. 14. And after these things the LORD appeared to him and sayd feare not Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward and withall hee renued the promise of the blessed seed by meanes of which seed all the families of the earth should be blessed in Abraham and should become his faithfull Children besides his naturall seed and posterity which should come of the Son and heire of his owne bowels as appeares Gen. 15. verse 1.4 These were the promises which GOD made to Abraham and which Abraham believed to be true and resting upon the LORD by firme faith and beliefe for the performance of them the LORD counted it to him for righteousnesse Gen. 15.6 or as the Apostle expresseth the same sentence in the same sense though in words somewhat different it was counted to him for righteousnesse verse 3. even faith was reckoned to him for righteousnes verse 9. Now this faith was first an holy and spiritual beliefe and the faith of a man long before called of GOD sanctified by his Spirit and made obedient to GOD and his word Secondly it was a beliefe not onely of the promise of Christ the blessed seed in generall but more specially that Christ the blessed seed should according to the flesh come out of his owne bowels and that by Christ the Son of GOD made man of his seed the redemption both of him and of his faithfull seed all true believers should be wrought and performed GODS wrath appeased the Law fulfilled and justice satisfied and perfect righteousnes brought in for their justification and by his and their union with Christ by one spirit and communion of all his benefits they should have GOD for their portion and reward and for their shield and defence and should not need to seeke the blessing and reward from their owne workes or their righteousnesse and fulfilling of the Law in their owne persons but merely from the free grace of GOD and of his free gift in Christ as a reward of Christs righteousnesse freely given to them and of them apprehended by faith and believing Thirdly this faith of Abraham was not a weake but strong faith and beliefe without staggering even a full perswasion that GOD who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as if they were was able to make good and to performe what hee had promised yea it was a believing in hope against hope that GOD could out of a dead body and womb raise up a lively seed and make them spiriritually righteous which are by nature and according to the Law wicked sinners All these things are manifâ—st by the place before cited Gen 15. and by the expresse words of the Apostle in this Chapter from the tenth verse to the
the Scripture where any thing besides faith and believing is said to be counted to man for righteousnes is that place of the Psalmist Psal. 106. and 31. where the godly zealous act of Phinees in executing just judgement on Zamri and Cosbi is said to be counted to him for righteousnes Now the meaning of the wordes there cannot be that this act of Phinees was accepted of GOD and counted to him for righteousnes to justification For then it will follow that a man may bee justified before GOD by one act or worke of his owne Which the Apostle here utterly condemneth as a grosse errour and bends his whole discourse against it The true sense and meaning of the phrase is no more but this that Phinees performing such an act of godly zeale as is proper onely to a faithfull righteous man who by the spirit of regeneration dwelling in him is so united unto Christ that by faith he was a true partaker of his righteousnes GOD upon this act gave him the testimony of righteousnes and declared and judged him to bee a righteous man truly justified Therefore the Apostles phrase of counting faith to the beleever for righteousnes which he often useth in this Chapter signifieth after the same manner GODS counting a true beleever for a righteous man and giving him the testimony of righteousnes because he is righteous indeed by communion of Christs righteousnesse which hee hath apprehended applied and enjoyeth by faith The confutation of the false hereticall exposition of the Apostles wordes maintained by the Socinian faction FIrst whereas they hold that faith considered by it selfe in a proper literall sense without consideration of the object or laying hold on Christ and his righteousnes is counted to the beleever for righteousnes to justification and GOD requires in and of us no other thing for righteousnes neither our owne workes performed in our owne persons according to the Law nor Christs perfect righteousnes and fulfilling of the Law made ours by spirituall union and communion with Christ and accepted of GOD for us This I prove to bee false hereticall and blasphemous by these arguments following First faith taken in a proper sense is a part of our conformity and argument 1 obedience to the Law of GOD which above all things requires that wee give honour to GOD by beleeving him and his word and by trusting in him as our onely rock the GOD of our strength and salvation They therefore teaching that faith in a proper sense is counted for righteousnes doe teach that wee are iustified by a worke of obedience to the Law performed in our owne persons and GOD requires on our behalfe no other righteousnes for justification which Doctrine the Apostle utterly condemnes Therefore their opinion and exposition is hereticall and more impious then the Pelagian and Popish heresies concerning iustification Secondly that which was properly argument 2 imputed to Abraham and is so imputed to true beleevers is righteousnes so the Apostle in plaine wordes expresseth verse 6. and 11. but faith in a proper sense is not righteousnes For righteousnes is perfect conformity to the Law as sinne is transgression of the Law yea humane righteousnes is a mans keeping of the whole Law and his observing to doe all GODS commandements with his whole heart all the dayes of his life as wee read Deuteronomie 8. Thirdly that which chargeth argument 3 GOD with errour and falshood in his iudgement is blasphemous This opinion that GOD counts faith for righteousnes that is thinketh iudgeth and esteemeth it to bee righteousnes in a proper sense chargeth GOD with errour and falshood in his iudgement For faith is not any true righteousnes properly Therefore this opinion is blasphemy If they plead that GOD by his absolute soveraignty of power may accept and repute that for righteousnes which is not true righteousnes This doth but more entangle them and involve them in errour For GOD and his soveraigne power are all one as GOD cannot lye nor make contradictories true so his sovereignty of power cannot either make that to bee righteousnes which is not or truely iudge it so to bee Neither can his infinite iustice bee satisfied without perfect fulfilling of his Law nor allow any man to bee iustified without righteousnes nor will his truth suffer him to count any iust who is not iust Therefore by this base shift and wicked pretence devised to hide and cover their blasphemy they do runne further into blasphemy and make his soveraigne power a tyrant and oppressour of his iustice and truth argument 4 Fourthly that opinion which taketh away and denyeth the meanes by which GOD is revealed to be infinitely iust mercifull and wise and makes the satisfaction of Christ and his perfect fulfilling the Law a vaine and needlesse thing is most hereticall impious and blasphemous This opinion that GOD by his sovereigne power can and doth accept and count imperfect faith for perfect righteousnes takes away the meanes by which GODS iustice mercy and wisdome are revealed to be infinit yea it extenuates and vilifies GODS iustice mercy bounty and wisdom and makes Christs full satisfaction a vaine superfluous and needlesse thing Therefore it is an impious and blasphemous opinion First that which reveales GOD to be infinitly iust is that he cannot be reconciled to men that have sinned without execution of iustice to the full and a full satisfaction made according to his iust Law if not by men in their owne persons which is impossible yet by their mediator and surety in their behalfe and by him communicated to them and made theirs as truly as if they had fulfilled the Law in their owne persons And though this satisfaction be of infinit value yet it cannot profit them nor actually merit for them till they be partakers of it truely and really by spirituall communion This is that meanes by which GOD is known to be infinitly iust Secondly when GODS infinite iustice was so strict that nothing could satisfie it nor redeeme mankind but a satisfaction of infinite value made for them And when all the world was not able to find such a satisfaction that his wisedome should finde one out and have it ready before hand in her eternall treasures even a full satisfaction performed in mans nature by GOD the eternall son and also the meanes to make it truely and really the satisfaction of every man truely beleeving that is by the Holy Ghost shed on them through the Sonne Christ and making them one spirituall body with him This reveales GOD to be infinite in wisedome Thirdly in that GOD the Father would in this case give his onely begotten sonne to be humbled in our nature and to obey suffer and make such a satisfaction for poore miserable men in that the sonne would willingly take all this upon him to doe and suffer whatsoever iustice could require and in that the holy Ghost when this satisfaction could not otherwise profit men nor bee made theirs doth not
righteous because the Scripture saith Abraham believed GOD and it was imputed to him for righteousnes So that of Saint Iames may be believed faith is not the righteousnesse for which man is accepted with GOD as the Socinians teach but that by which man obteines the testimony of righteousnes as Iustine Martyr understands this phrase Now that Christ and his fulfilling of the law is truely and properly the righteousnes by which all believers are justified constituted and made righteous before GOD the Scriptures do in proper literall speech as well as improperly more often affirme as Isa. 61.10 Rom. 3.24 Rom. 4 6. Rom. 5.17 18 19· Rom. 8.4 and 10.3.4 and Phil. 3.9 and 1 Cor. 1.30 and 2 Cor. 5.24 these twelve places do plainely teach and affirme that the righteousnes by which men are made and constituted righteous in iustification is Christs obedience and satisfaction made to the Law for our redemption and nine of them are proper speeches so that here wee see the communion of Christs righteousnesse which hee opposeth hath more authority and countenance from the Scripture and more full expresse and pregnant testimony from the letter of it If I should instance in other truths of Religion as that there is one true GOD even Jehovah and none beside him or that hee created all things or concerning the deity of Christ and of the holy Ghost or concerning redemption by Christ or the last Iudgment resurrection and life eternall ten expresse and pregnant testimonies of Scripture might be brought to prove any one of them for every one wherein imputation of faith is named So that here we see what he cannot proue by argument he goeth about by impudent outfaceing to impose upon his hearers and readers But let us examine the proofe of this bold assertion even his assumption which certainely is as poore weake and begerly as his forehead is strong like brasse in impudent affirming it The letter of the Scripture saith hee affirmes it plainely once and twice yea a third and fourth time Therefore it is most certainely true To this I answere that the letter of the Scripture affirmes that faith and believing was counted to Abraham and is to other believers but not in a proper sense but tropically and so many things are often affirmed by the letter of the Scripture which if we understand them in a proper sense are most false as for example GOD is said to repent Gen 6. two severall times to wit ver 6.7 and Ier. 26. three severall times viz. ver 3 13.19 and Amos 7.3 6. and Iud 2.18 and 1 Sam. 15.11 Psal. 135.14 Ier. 18.10 with many more So likewise an hand and armes and eyes and mouth are often attributed by the letter of the Scripture to GOD which speeches if wee should understand in a proper sense they would prove a killing letter to us therefore this is a most absurd and ridiculous proofe well beseeming the thing which it is brought to prove And as he falters in his Logick and his reasons so he shewes ignorance of rhethorik for he takes it for a certaine truth that one phrase foure times used must needs be taken in a proper literall sense But rhetorik would have taught him that to use divers tropicall speeches together is an Allegory and elegancy of speech often used in Scripture as the places last cited shew To which let me add one most pregnant instance Gal. 3. where the word faith in a discourse of justification is used ten times in an improper sense for the Gospel which is the word of faith and teacheth iustification by Christ and by believing in him and not by our owne workes which the Law requires to wit verses 3 5 7 8 9 12 14 22 23 25. Now it may be he perceived little strength in his argument brought for his imputation of faith notwithstanding his great braggs and therefore he shootes one fooles bolt against the imputation of Christs righteousnes which is an argument or syllogisme consisting of an assumption without a proposition or a conclusion expressed but I can coniecture what he meant to conclude namely that the imputation of Christs righteousnes in iustification is a mere faction and ought not to be believed The imputation of Christs righteousnesse in that sense which many magnifie hath not the least reliefe either from sound of words or light of letter in the Scripture To which I answer first that if this were granted which is most false yet it doth not follow that faith alone in a proper sense is imputed Ridiculum caput saith he in the Comedie quasi necesse sit si justitia Christi non dicitur imputari fidem reputari pro justitia It is a ridiculous conceipt to thinke that if Christs righteousnes be not imputed therefore faith alone in a proper sense must be said to bee imputed David tells us that Phinees his executing of iudgement was imputed to him for righteousnes and Saint Iames saith that Abraham was iustified by works not by faith alone why then are not works as well as faith imputed But secondly I answer that his assertion is most false and I prove it from the very wordes of the Apostle in the 4. Chapter verse 6. where he saith that to the blessed man righteousnes is imputed without workes and verse 11. where he gathereth that to the beleeving Gentiles though uncircumcised righteousnes shal be imputed Now faith is not righteousnes as hee himselfe confesseth for righteousnes is perfect conformity to GODS law this is not to bee found in all the world but only in Christ he alone hath in mans nature fulfilled the law As for faith evē in Abrahā himselfe it was stained with many doubtings and feares at some times as when he called his wife his sister for better safety and so it is in the best beleevers Beleeving also is but a dutie and a worke of obedience to the Law but this which is here said to bee imputed is a righteousnes without workes or any thing performed in our owne persons therefore faith is not the righteousnes which is here said to be imputed but the righteousnes of Christ apprehended by faith and couched under the name of faith and beleeving Socinianisme SEcondly the scope of the place rejoyceth also in this interpretation that faith should be taken properly in all those passages cited and from tropes and metonymies it turneth it selfe away It is apparent to the circumspect Reader that the Apostles maine intent and drift in this whole discourse of justification was to hedge up with thornes as it were that false way of justification which lay through workes and to put men from attempting any going that way and to open and discover the true way of justification wherein men shall not faile to attain that Law of righteousnes before GOD that is in plaine speech to make knowne unto them what they must doe and what GOD requireth of them to their justification and what he will accept at their hands this
5 Argument FIftly the faith imputed to Abraham ver 3. is that faith wherein he is said not to be weak ver 19. and is opposed to doubting of the promise of God through unbeliefe ver 20. But the righteousnes of Christ cannot be conceived to be that wherein Abraham was not weak neither doth the righteousnes of Christ carry in it any opposition to doubting of the promise through unbeliefe being a thing of a differing kind and nature from it But betweene faith properly taken or a firme beleeving and doubting through unbeliefe there is a direct and perfect opposition And therefore it is faith in this sence and not the righteousnes of Christ which is said to bee imputed for righteousnesse Answer I Answer that though Christs righteousnesse bee a thing different from the beleevers faith yet when the beleever by a strong faith and without doubting possesseth Christ and his faith doth spiritually comprehend in it Christs righteousnesse then GOD counts it to him for righteousnes that is judgeth him a righteous man by communion of Christs righteousnesse but doth not iudge his faith and Christs righteousnes to be one the same very thing This argument is not to the matter It may bee turned against himselfe thus The more strong a man is in faith and farre from doubting of the promise through unbeliefe the more firmely he is united to Christ and the more full communion hee hath of Christs righteousnesse and with more reason may hee being so faithfull be counted righteous and Christs righteousnes under the name of faith be imputed to him This was Abrahams case he was strong in faith and doubted not and therefore having firme union with Christ and communion of all his benefits GOD justly imputed faith to him for righteousnesse and counted him so beleeving iustified and righteous by Christs righteousnesse and so in like case GOD will deale with other beleevers The sixt Argument SIxtly that faith which was imputed to Abraham was that by which he was assured that he who had promised was able also to doe it verse 21. and 22. But the righteousnesse of Christ is not capable of any such description as this that by it Abraham was fully assured c. Therefore it is not that which was imputed to Abraham Answer I Answer to this as to the former It is not to the matter untill he first prove that the name of one thing may not bee used by a Metonymie to expresse another except these two things be both one the same thing we wil deride such foolish arguments Though Christs righteousnesse be not one and the same thing with faith yet the more it doth assure us of the performance of GODS promise in Christ the more closely it comprehends Christs righteousnes and the more iust cause there is that under the name of faith Christs righteousnesse should be imputed by a Metonymie The seventh Argument SEventhly that which shall be imputed unto us for righteousnesse is said to be our beleeving in him that raised up Christ from the dead verse 24. But the righteousnesse of Christ is not our beleeving on him that raised Christ from the dead therefore it cannot be that that is said to bee imputed for righteousnesse unto us Answer THere is no faith under the name whereof Christs righteousnesse may so fitly bee expressed as that which is a beleeving on him who raised up Christ from the dead for we cannot truely beleeve GODS raising of Christ from death but withall wee must beleeve that GODS justice is by him our surety fully satisfied and his Law fulfilled in our behalfe and we being partakers thereof and enjoying it by faith GOD may justly impute this faith to us for righteousnesse Thus his arguments being all from his matter are easily turned upon himselfe 8 Argument EIghtly whereas the question or point of imputation in justification is handled onely in this passage of Scripture for those other places Gal. 3. and Iames 2. onely mention it but insist not at all upon any declaration or explication thereof it is no wayes probable but that the Apostle should speake somewhat distinctly and plainely of the nature of it otherwise hee might seeme rather to lay a stumbling block in our way then to have written any thing for our learning and comfort If wee take the word faith or beleeving so often used in this Chapter in the proper and plaine signification of it for that faith whereby a man beleeves in Christ then the tenour of the discourse is as cleere and full as may be the streame of the whole Chapter runnes limpid and untroubled but if wee bring in a tropicall and metonymicall signification and by faith will compell Paul to meane the righteousnesse of Christ we cloath the Sun with sackcloath and turne Pauls perspicuity into a greater obscurity then any light in the Scripture knoweth how to comfort or to relieve The word faith being a terme frequently used in Scripture is yet never found to signifie the righteousnesse of Christ the holy Ghost never putting this sword into that sheath neither is there any rule of Grammar or figure in Rethorick that knowes how to salve up the inconsistence of such an interpretation Answer THis argument is no more but his owne bare affirmation that it is probable the Apostle in this place where he handles the point of imputation would speak plainly and it is more plaine to speak of faith imputed in a proper sense the tropicall and metonymicall sense or interpretation brought in is a compelling of Paul to meane by faith the righteousnesse of Christ and thereby we cloath the sun with sackcloath in which multiplicity of words wee finde much vanity As for imputation in justification it is not the maine and principall point which the Apostle insists upon the maine and principall points of justification are in the 3. and 5. Chapter handled plainely and in the 8 9 and 10. Chapters where he plainely teacheth that the righteousnes by which wee are constituted and made righteous before GOD is Christs obedience and fulfilling of the Law The imputation of faith comes in onely by the way being occasioned by that testimony of Moses concerning Abraham which the Apostle brings to prove that iustification is not by our owne performance or workes of the Law but by a righteousnes which GOD gives even the fulfilling of the Law by Christ for our redemption which wee receive and enioy by faith so certainely that if we bee faithfull beleevers in Christ then are wee righteous euen in GODS account for true faith cannot be nor subsist in any who hath not communion of Christs righteousnesse This to all iudicious men is more plaine and limpid and cleere then to take faith in a proper sense and to set on it the Crowne of Christs righteousnesse especially seeing the Apostle in the 6. and 11. verses sheweth that the thing properly imputed is righteousnesse and therefore not faith which cannot properly be called or counted righteousnes yea he
tells us it is a propitiation to cover our sins which in no case can bee properly said of faith As for his words wherein he affirmes that there is more comfort in faith imputed then in the righteousnesse of Christ imputed they are most wicked and more hatefull then any poperie yea blasphemous in exalting mans faith into the royall Throne of Christs righteousnesse and calling the teaching of the imputation thereof the laying of a stumbling block in our way It is to be feared that he who thus speakes and writes hath stumbled at Christ the precious stone which GOD hath laid in his Zion as the Apostle intimates speaking of them who make the righteousnes of Christ a stumbling block and stone of offence Rom. 9.33 In the next place after these frivolous arguments hee takes upon him to answer some places of the Apostle which are produced by us and objected against him wherein faith and hope are used to signifie their obiects that is the things beleeved and hoped for as Gal. 1 22· and 3.23 and Colos. 1.5 And here he doth use notable trifling and most absurd tergiversation First hee grants the Apostle doth use in his writings such tropes of speech which is a thing so manifest that impudency it selfe is ashamed to deny it And by granting this he contradicts what hee hath before affirmed to wit that in all the Apostles writings such a trope is not to be found Secondly hee opposeth what before hee granted by a forged and false distinction affirming that the habit of faith may bee used to signifie the obiect but not the act Cujus contrarium est verissimum For in the places obiected the act as well as the habit and especially the act of faith and hope are to be understood for the habit is ordained to be exercised about the proper obiect but it never is exercised about it nor reacheth to it but by the act faith by believing comprehends Christ and his righteousnes and so doth hope by the acts of it reach that within the vaile And indeed if wee observe it we shall see in this discourse that faith which signifies the habit as well as believing which is the act is here said to be imputed for righteousnes as ver 5. and 9. and therefore this distinction helpes him nothing at all Thirdly hee contradicts himselfe againe and grants that the act may be used to expresse the object but then he flees to his old shift saying that Christs righteousnesse is not the object of justifying faith or of faith as justifying which error I have before confuted and indeed it is contrary to all reason for the proper object of faith as it is an instrument of justification is nothing else but righteousnes Fourthly he utters a notable untruth when he saith that the Scripture where it speakes of faith as justifying makes not the least mention of Christs righteousnes and fulfilling of the Law Let him read Rom. 3.24 and 10.4 and tell me whether the believing of the man to whom Christ is the end or fulfilling of the Law for righteousnes be not justifying faith when we are said to be justified by the redemption which is in Jesus Christ whether our beleeving of that our redemption be not a true justifying faith Lastly he argues without reason that though Christs righteousnes be a thing which is to be belived so is a partial object of faith yet it is not the object of justifying faith because creation of the world Christs being born of a virgin and his ascention are partiall objects and yet not of faith as it is justifying but either Christ himselfe or the promies of God concerning the redemption and salvation of the world by him To which I answere 1 that his sylogism is without mood or figure it is as if I should thus reason That Master Goodwin though he be a living creature yet because some living creatures as Asses and Apes are not reasonable creatures therefore he is not a reasonable creature 2. I must tell him there is but one true saving faith and that is iustifying faith and he who can by true holy faith beleeve aright the creation or the nativity of Christ borne of a virgin or his ascention he hath iustifying faith though when faith is acting about iustification the proper obiect is righteousnes even Christs full satisfaction for our redemption and salvation and the iustifying act is beleeving that Christ is made unto us of God righteousnes and we are made the righteousnes of God in him And faith imputed for righteousnes ver 3. is righteousnes imputed ver 6. and 11. Thus you see all circumstances in the context stand up in contestation with his exposition which by faith here said to be imputed understands faith in a proper sense and per se not faith in respect to Christs righteousnes But that I may not seeme to conceale any thing nor give any thing for his upon trust I will set downe these tergiversations in his owne words Socinianisme IF it be obiected that faith is sometimes put for the obiect of faith as Gal. 3.23 before faith came and Gal. 1.22 he preacheth the faith c. And may be so used with a good propriety of speech marke this bull that faith put for the obiect of it is a proper speech as hope is put for the thing hoped for which is an expression usuall in Scripture To this I answere first by concession it is true the name of the faculty is sometimes put for the obiect appropriated to it neither is there any hardnes or cause of offence or mistake in such an expression but it rather addes a grace and countenance to the sentence wherein it is used seasonably and with iudgement as might be exemplified by severall Scripture instances if it were pertinent But 2. by way of opposition I answer Here observe how he playes Jack a both sides First though the faculty bee sometimes put for the obiect yet the act is seldome or never to my remembrance the act or exercise of hope is never put for the things hoped for but hope it selfe is sometimes found in that signification as Col. 1.5 for the hope which is laid up in heaven so Tit. 2.13 looking for the blessed hope Now that which is here said to bee imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse was not the habit of his faith but Abraham beleeved GOD that is exercised or put forth an act of faith and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Secondly though it should bee granted that as well the act as the habit or faculty may be sometimes put for the object yet when the act and object have beene named together and the act expressed and specified by an object proper to it and somewhat immediately ascribed to the act under that consideration all which is plainely seene in this clause Abraham beleeved GOD and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse in this case to conceive or to affirme that what is so ascribed
confidently affirme that there is not one Orthodox writer to be found since that time which ever held that faith in a proper sense is imputed for righteousnes and denyed the imputation of Christs righteousnes Servetus Socinus Arminius and the rest of their sect branded for hereticks are the onely maintainers of that opinion To his testimonies and his impudent boasting of the generall consent of interpreters I answere First joyntly and in generall That of all the testimonies which hee hath cited there is not one which either affirmes that faith taken in a proper sense is imputed for righteousnesse or denies the imputation of Christs righteousnes Moreover that all Divines who are the most zealous opposers of his interpretation may say the same words which he cites out of Authors and yet hold justification by Christs righteousnes imputed yea and in proving that truth may with good reason presse and urge the same words rightly understood Soe that a more odious example of folly and impudency cannot be shewed then hee here shewes himselfe by making his folly strive for Mastery with his impudency Secondly for the particular testimonies which he brings both out of ancient and moderne writers They say no more but what Saint Paul saith and wee all acknowledg and embrace for truth viz. That Abraham beleeving that in Christ and through his satisfaction GOD was become his reward was thereupon counted righteous and GOD counted faith to him for righteousnes and so are we all iustified not by our owne righteousnes of workes performed to the Law in our own persons but by faith laying hold on the righteousnes of Christ which is counted for righteousnes not in a proper sense but relatively as it comprehends Christ and his righteousnes which Calvin calls apprehending the goodnes of GOD and trusting in it First for Tertullians words I take them as he doth render and rehearse them and so the rest in order and will take a light view of them that wee may see his vanity in citing testimonies which make nothing for him but some directly against his opinion Tertulian Lib. 5. c. 3 against Marcion BVt how the children of faith and of whose faith if not of Abrahams for if Abraham beleeved GOD and it was deputed to him for righteousnesse and hee thereby obtained the name of the father of many nations wee by beleeving GOD are therefore much rather iustified as Abraham was And lib. de patientia cap. 6. Abraham beleeved and was deputed by him to righteousnesse but hee tried his faith by patience when he was commanded to sacrifice his sonne All this wee grant for here is not a word of imputing faith in a proper sense onely an affirmation that Abraham by beleeving obtained this at GODS hands that he was accounted and reputed to be in the state of a righteous man which we all professe Origen in Epist. ad Romanos Cap. 4. verse 5. IT seemes in this present place that whereas many beleevings of Abraham werk before now in this beleeving his whole faith was gathered together and so was reputed to him for righteousnesse and againe in the same place Abraham was not by GOD testified to bee righteous for his circumcision but for his faith for before his circumcision hee beleeved GODS and it was counted to him for righteousnesse If Origens meaning be as Beza gathered from these and other wordes in that place that Abrahams faith and all his acts of beleeving made up a perfect righteousnesse and conformity to GOD will and law then is hee in as great an errour as the Papists who set up iustification by a mans owne inherent righteousnesse and his testimony is to be abhorred But if his meaning bee that by his beleeving and not by his circumcision he obtained from GOD this testimony that he was righteous by a righteousnesse beleeved then he is full for us and against his interpretation Justine Martyr Dialog with Trypho ABraham not for his circumcision but for his faith obtained the testimony of righteousnesse for before he was circumcised it is said of him Abraham beleeved GOD and it was counted to him for righteousnesse Wee grant that Abraham beleeving GOD to bee his reward in Christ this faith was the evidence of his being righteous by apprehension of Christ and his righteousnesse and therefore by it he obtained a testimony from GOD that he was in the state of righteousnes And Justine Martyres words say the same and so he is cleare for us against them who make faith the righteousnes imputed in a proper sense and not the evidence of righteousnesse Chrysostome on Rom. 4.23 saith that the Apostle HAving spoken many and great things concerning Abraham and his faith saith wherefore is it written but that wee might learne that we also are justified as hee was because wee have beleeved the same GOD and on Gal. 3.6 For what was he the worse for not being under the Law nothing at all for his faith was sufficient to him for righteousnesse All this we grant For as Abrahams faith laying hold on GOD as his reward in Christ by communion of his righteousnesse was sufficient to him for righteousnesse so is our faith also sufficient for us to iustification because by it wee possesse Christs righteousnesse Augustine on the 148 Psal. saith FOr by beleeving wee have found what the Iewes lost by not by unbeleeving for Abraham beleeved GOD and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse and on Psal. 140. for I beleeve in him who justifieth the ungodly that my faith may be imputed to mee for righteousnes and in his book de natura gratia For if Christ dyed not in vaine the ungodly is justified in him alone to whom beleeving in him that justifieth the ungodly faith is accounted to him for righteousnesse and in his 68. sermon de tempore Abraham beleeved GOD and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse See that without any worke hee is iustified by faith and whatsoever was possible to be conferred on him by his observation of the Law his beleeving alone gave it all unto him where note that beleeving gives righteousnes and is not the righteousnes given in iustification Primasius on Rom. 43. saith ABrahams faith by the guift of GOD was so great that both his former sinnes were forgiven and this faith alone is said to be accepted before all righteousnes that is before all righteousnes of his owne not instead of Christs righteousnes For if it had not laid hold and possessed the full satisfaction of Christ it could not have gotten pardon of his sinnes Beda's words which he citeth concerning the faith which is imputed are onely these not every faith but that onely which worketh by love This is a certaine truth for no faith can bring to us a true sense and assurance of our communion with Christ but that which worketh by love Haymo on Rom. 43 saith Quia credidit Deo c. Because hee beleeved GOD it was imputed to him for righteousnesse
that is for remission of sinnes because by that very faith by which hee beleeved he was made righteous These wordes shew that faith by way of efficiency and as an instrument makes men righteous even as it brings remission of sinnes by applying Christs satisfaction to them Anselmes wordes are that hee beleeved so firmely this was by GOD counted to him for righteousnesse that is by this beliefe he was reputed righteous And I say there was good reason that he who by firme faith is partaker of Christs righteousnesse should bee reputed righteous before God These are his testimonies which he cites out of the Ancients whose maine streame as he boasted did so runne as to water his opinion But we see they so run as to overwhelme and wash away his muddie and slimie opinion and interpretation Not one syllable of faith in a proper sense counted for righteousnesse Thus the mountaines have travelled of a child and have roared out and have made a terrible sound and bustling and when it comes forth in the birth it is ridiculus mus nay not so much as a poore drowned Mouse in the eyes of judicious readers I proceed to his testimonies of moderne Divines LVther on Gal. 3.6 Christian righteousnes is an affiance or confident resting on the Son of GOD which confidence is imputed for righteousnes for Christs sake and a little after GOD counts that imperfect faith for perfect righteousnes for Christs sake in whom I have begun to believe We cannot desire plainer words to prove that faith is not the righteousnes by which we are justified nor so in a proper sense counted but propter Christum that is by reason of him which it possesseth with all his benefits and full satisfaction Bucers wordes are Abraham beleeved God he accounted this faith to him for righteousnes therefore saith he by beleeving he obtained this that God esteemed him for a righteous man These words shew that his faith was not his righteousnes but the thing by which he obtained the estimation of a righteous man Peter Martyrs words are To be imputed for righteousnes in another sense signifieth that by which we our selves are reckoned in the number of the righteous and this Paul atributs to faith onely marke the words hee doth not say that faith properly is our righteousnes but the onely thing by meanes of which we com to be reckoned in the number of the righteous Calvin on Rom 4.3 Abraham by beleeving doth embrace the grace offered to him that it might not be frustrate If this be imputed to him for righteousnes it followes that he is no other way righteous but because trusting in Gods goodnes he hath boldnes to hope for all other things from him And againe on verse 4. Faith is counted for righteousnes not because it brings from us any merit unto GOD but because it apprehends the goodnesse of GOD. These and such speeches of Calvin affirme no more but that faith is imputed for righteousnes not properly in it selfe nor for any merit or worth of it but meerely for that which it apprehendeth and embraceth when it is tendered That is GODS goodnes in giving Christ with all his benefits and righteousnes Musculus in his common places ss 5. This faith ought to be commended not in respect of any proper quality but in respect of Gods purpose by which he hath appointed that it to believers in Christ should for his sake be imputed in the place of righteousnes These words cut the throat of his interpretation for they tell us that faith is imputed for righteousnes not for it selfe or any proper quality in it but for Christs sake which is his righteousnes sake Also on Gal. 3.6 What did Abraham that should be imputed to him for righteousnes but onely this that hee believed GOD Indeed believing is the onely meanes to receive Christs righteousnes and therefore by beleeving onely we come to be counted righteous Also on Gen. 15. Hee so speakes of Abrahams faith that it is plaine hee disputes of that faith by which men do not simply believe GOD but believe in him That is trust onely in GOD and rely on the righteousnes of Christ God and man Again afterwards But when he firmely believed GOD promising that faith was imputed to him in the place of righteousnes that is he was reputed of God righteous for that faith and absolved from all his sinnes It is true it must be an holy faith and a firme beliefe which must so receive Christ and his righteousnes that it may be reputed to us for righteousnes and we may be reputed righteous and absolved from our sinnes Bullinger on Rom 4. Abraham committed himselfe to God and that very thing was imputed to him for righteousnes These wordes shew that faith in a proper sense is not imputed but our committing of our selves wholly to GOD by faith and relying on his righteousnes is that which is counted for righteousnes He addes also on Gal. 3.6 That same faith of Abraham by which hee beleeved on GOD was imputed for righteousnes And very well it might for by that he laid hold on GOD as his reward and his righteousnesse and shield Gualthers words on Rom. 4.4 are no more but the bare words of Moses Gen. 15.6 Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousnes You see hee is put hard to it when hee cites the bare words themselves to prove his interpretation of them Aretius his words prove that faith is so acceptable to GOD that he counted Abraham righteous upon his believing by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed and set on his skore not inherent in him For thus his words run as he here cites them Rom. 4 He imputed righteousnes that is he so far accepted his faith as thereupon to account him righteous by a righteousnes which is imputative That is not by any righteousnes of faith or other workes or graces inherent in him but by Christs righteousnes which is imputative such as may be communicated spiritually and set on the beleevers account Also on verse 22. A faith so firme and pious was imputed to Abraham for righteous Hereby he notes that it must be a firme and godly faith which is accepted of GOD for no other but a firme and pious faith can possesse Christs righteousnes by reason of which it may be imputed to the believer for righteousnes Illyricus on Rom. 4.3 That same beleeving was imputed to him for righteousnes yea for true righteousnes These words shew that the righteousnes for which faith is said to be counted is true righteousnes that is onely the righteousnes of Christ onely for faith of it selfe is no true righteousnes The wordes cited afterwards are directly against himselfe That begging faith laying hold on Christs righteousnes was imputed to him in the place of his own inherent righteousnes It is not therefore faith per se proprio sensu but faith holding fast Christs righteousnes which is counted for righteousnes Pelican in Gen.
fulfilling of the Law for our sakes Ibid. Artic 3. And concerning faith they teach that in justification before God it trusteth neither in contrition nor love nor any other vertues but in Christ alone it is the onely meane and instrument which receives the free grace of GOD the merit of Christ and remission of sinnes and resteth on Christs most perfect obedience by which hee fulfilled the Law for us which obedience is imputed to beleevers for righteousnes Ibid Artic. 3. Calvin is so zealous and so plaine and perspicuous in teaching and maintaining the doctrine of justification by the communion and imputation of Christs perfect obedience to the Law even his full satisfaction and righteousnes that among Christians who read Calvins institutions one would think the very Father of lyers the Divel himselfe should if not blush and be ashamed yet in policy and subtilty be afraid to call Calvin for a witnes on his side in this point least the most simple should see and discerne him for an open lyer and forger and abhorre and hisse him out with derision The Doctrine of Calvin concerning justification I will lay downe in certaine Articles gathered from his owne writings especially his Institutions Lib. 3. cap. 11. and 12. First hee affirmes in plaine wordes that justification consists in remission of sinnes and the imputation of Christs righteousnes cap 11. ss 2. As for the word remission of sinnes hee useth it two wayes somtimes in a large sense for that act of GOD by which he doth communicate and impute the full satisfaction of Christ unto his elect and faithfull so that the whole guilt of all sinnes both of commission and omission is thereby taken away and they are no more accounted nor appeare in his sight as sinners In this sense he calls remission of sinnes in his comment on Rom. totum justificationis and in his Instit. 3. cap. 11. sect 4 totam justificationem For indeed when the guilt of all sinnes of omission and commission are taken away by that part of Christs satisfaction imputed which is called his passive obedience or voluntary suffering of the penalties of the Law and the defects which come in by the sinnes of omission supplied by his active obedience in fulfilling the righteousnes which the Law requires which is the other part of Christs satisfaction imputed so that now the elect are reputed and esteemed as righteous men who have the defects which came by omission supplied and have no more the sinnes of commission or omission imputed the guilt being taken away this is perfect and whole justification and is very fitly called by the name of remission to distinguish it from justification by our own workes and by our owne inherent righteousnes But sometimes hee useth this word remission in a more strict sense for that part of GODS act of communicating and imputing Christs satisfaction which respects the passive obedience of Christ which takes away the guilt of sinnes committed but doth not supply the omission of righteousnesse and in this sense he makes remission of sinnes but a part of justification And GODS imputing of the active part of Christs satisfaction and counting the faithfull righteous by it imputed hee makes the other part of iustification in the wordes before cited Lib. 3. cap. 11. ss 2. Secondly he constantly teacheth and affirmeth that there is no righteousnesse by which a man can stand before GODS tribunall and bee accepted for righteous in his sight but onely the full satisfaction of Iesus Christ and his perfect righteousnesse which he GOD and man performed in our nature For that which is not intire and absolute and without all staine and spot of sinne such as never hath beene nor shall bee found in any meere man can never be accepted of GOD but is with him sleighted and vilified beyond all measure And whosoever prate of any righteousnes in mens owne workes or doings they have no true thought nor least sense of the justice of GOD but make a mock of it Instit. lib. 3. cap. 12. ss 1.3 and 11.16 Thirdly he affirmeth that man is justified by faith when hee is excluded from the righteousnesse of workes and by faith layeth hold on the righteousnesse of Christ with which hee being cloathed doth appeare in the sight of GOD not as a sinner but as a righteous man Instit. 3. cap. 11. ss 1. And the same chap. ss 11. This is that admirable way of justifying that being covered with Christs righteousnesse men doe not feare the iudgement of which they are worthy and while they deservedly condemne themselves they are reputed righteous without themselves Fourthly concerning the office of faith in iustification he teacheth that faith being in it selfe weake imperfect and of no dignity worth price or value is never able to iustifie us by it selfe but by bringing Christ unto us who is given to us of GOD for righteousnesse it is not our righteousnesse but it makes us come with the mouth of the soule wide opened that we may bee capable of Christ. And it is as a vessell or pot for as the pot full of money enricheth a man so faith filled with Christ and his righteousnes is said to iustifie us and to bee counted for righteousnesse It is a foolish thing to mingle our faith which is onely the instrument of receiving righteousnesse with Christ who is the materiall cause and both the Author and minister of this great benefit cap 11. ss 7. And againe ss 17. Faith is hereupon said to iustifie because it receiveth and embraceth righteousnesse offered in the Gospell Fiftly hee affirmeth that the righteousnesse by which beleevers are iustified and stand righteous before GOD is not in themselves but in Christ even his perfect obedience and righteousnesse communicated to them by imputation ss 23. Lastly hee sheweth how this righteousnesse comes to bee the righteousnesse of beleevers and to bee so communicated to them that GOD doth justly impute it to them for justification and accepteth it as if it were their owne to wit by meanes of their spirituall union and conjunction with Christ by which they are made partakers of Christ and with him and in him possesse al his riches Sect. 10.20.23 This is the summe of Calvins Doctrine concerning iustification briefly comprised and collected out of his wordes in the places before cited where the Reader may bee fully satisfied Beza in the doctrine of iustification by faith doth fully agree with Luther and Calvin in all the former articles First he saith that faith is not any such virtue as doth iustifie us in our selves before GOD for that is to set faith in the place of Christ who alone is our whole and perfect righteousnesse But faith iustifieth as it is the instrument which receiveth Christ and with him his righteousnesse that is most full perfection and we say that wee are iustified by faith onely because it embraceth Christ who doth iustifie us with whom it doth unite and couple us that wee may bee